There's always something new in the works from Josh Niland. There's always another restaurant on the way, someone throwing the Sydney seafood chef some love or a reason to try his nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. In the past year or so alone, he's opened his second iteration of seafood butchery and takeaway shop Fish Butchery in Waterloo, announced plans to take over The Grand National Hotel and move restaurant Saint Peter into it, and launched restaurant and bar Petermen in St Leonards. Oh, and he was the only Australian to make the top 100 best chefs in the world list for 2022, and scored the Game Changer Award from France's prestigious La Liste with his wife Julie. Next on the list: slipping back into home kitchens everywhere. As much of a delight as it would be to have Niland drop by your door and whip you up at meal, that sadly isn't on the menu — but helping you learn his tricks of the trade, and make his recipes, is. Already, Niland has released two cookbooks: The Whole Fish Cookbook in 2019 and its sequel Take One Fish. Next comes a tome with a familiar name, aka Fish Butchery. [caption id="attachment_855330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob Palmer[/caption] For his third foray into print, the chef will share his expert techniques, and also some of his pioneering recipes. In the process, as his cuisine always does whether you're eating at his restaurants or working through his tips at home, he'll be advocating for culinary sustainability. Readers will peruse the manual's three sections — entitled 'Catch', 'Cut' and 'Craft' — for detailed instructions on how to prepare fish, plus 40-plus dishes to make. So, get ready to learn the reverse-butterfly and double-saddle methods, then cook up fish sticks, fish pies, fish sausages and fish chorizo. [caption id="attachment_870811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland at the Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] Debuting in hard cover and spanning 272 pages, Fish Butchery will hit bookstores on Wednesday, August 30. If you're a seafood fiend, you'll want to make space on your kitchen shelves ASAP — next to The Whole Fish Cookbook andTake One Fish, of course. The former nabbed Niland the James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian do win the acclaimed prize. And the latter focused on 15 global varieties of fish, giving readers 60-plus ways to cook them up. [caption id="attachment_826359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josh Niland at Charcoal Fish.[/caption] Fish Butchery: Mastering The Catch, Cut And Craft will release on Wednesday, August 30. Top image: Rob Palmer, The Whole Fish Cookbook.
A TikTok sensation and a hit in the UK's dessert aisles, mochi ice cream brand Little Moons has arrived in Australia. Each of these little bundles of sweetness is a bite-sized ball of creamy gelato wrapped in mochi dough. Little Moons was created by brother and sister duo Howard and Vivien, who brought the skills they'd learnt from their parents who ran an Asian bakery in England to create these sweet treats. At first, the mochi and gelato balls were only available at restaurants, finding their way onto the menus of renowned London restaurants like Nobu and Sushi Samba. In 2015, they made the jump to UK supermarkets and are now sold in over 20 countries. The brand has initially launched in Australia with two flavours available in Woolworths — Belgian Chocolate and Hazelnut, and Vegan Tropical Passionfruit and Mango — with a Honey Roasted Pistachio variety on its way. If you want to try before you buy, you'll have the perfect chance to nab some free Little Moons in Sydney's east this week. To celebrate the launch, you can sample these viral desserts at Bondi Beach on Friday, October 7. From 10am there will be a Little Moons ice cream van posted up in front of the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. The van will be giving beachgoers the chance to try these mochi ice cream balls until 4pm, or until they are all out. For up-to-date info on the giveaway, head to Little Moon's Instagram account.
When we sniff the word 'birthday' being thrown about somewhere, there's that instant ding in our minds: 'Ah yes. Official right to par-ty!' (never mind whose birthday it actually is). This time around it's our old mate Jack Daniels, and he's made it to 161 fine years. To celebrate, he's throwing one mighty big blow out. This year, a bevvy of musical acts are paying homage to one of Australia's greats, Icehouse – they who brought us 'Great Southern Land', 'Electric Blue', 'Crazy' and more (this would be your cue to hold a mini Icehouse YouTube party in your bedroom). Heading up the pack is Art Vs Science, who are no strangers to the cover, having taken on Daft Punk on Triple J's Like A Version. Along for the ride are Kate Miller-Heidke, Patience Hodgeson of The Grates, and Dappled Cities' Tim Derricourt. Plus, Purple Sneakers DJs will be at the decks to get things moving. To go in the running for one of four double passes to the JD Set, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email us with your preference of Sydney or Melbourne shows. Entries close Friday, September 9 at 5pm. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HRwis9CWcjA
On the fairly unassuming Hallenstein Street in picturesque Queenstown sits one of the most luxurious new offerings in New Zealand's hotel portfolio, offering a personalised accommodation experience worth travelling for. The Carlin is the brainchild of US-born hotelier Kevin Carlin, a property developer with a special connection to the region after buying up large swaths of land here decades ago in a move he says people claimed was "nuts". But unlike other hotels in the area, his newest venture and namesake does not sit on the crowded shores of Lake Wakatipu. Instead, it's found quietly up Queenstown Hill and therefore boasts jaw-dropping views of the lake and CBD. For those after a luxurious hotel experience, The Carlin is fairly unmatched. If you're looking for a typical five-star experience look elsewhere – this hotel modelled on the luxury hotels of Europe offers a range of spacious suites with 88 to 500 square metres of indoor and outdoor living space, and boasts a ''beyond five-star' experience. The "beyond five-star" features include (but are not limited to) private butlers, private chefs, private massage, a separate private entrance and access to a private jet and luxury vehicles — you can take a Bentley for a quick shopping sojourn into town and save your legs from the hike back up the hill afterwards. While most hotel balconies are an afterthought, that's not the case here – instead, your outdoor space has been maximised to make the most of those views. You'll find a spa, a fireplace and a full-sized dining table for entertaining. Want to host a dinner party? Your suite has a fully stocked kitchen — although you'll probably want to leave cooking preparations to your private chef. Our experience: Our arrival at the Carlin for a recent stay was marked by an extensive tour by the man himself. While clutching our welcome cocktails (dirty gin martini for me, spaced rum old-fashioned for my partner) we were taken around the various one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom suits – including a peek at the penthouse. More resembling a full-scale apartment, The Carlin Skyhome is the largest penthouse suite in Australasia. It has seven bedrooms spanning three floors, and a separate quiet entrance "for when Tom Cruise comes to stay", according to Carlin. If you want to book in hoping to spot celebs or royalty you'll probably be out of luck as discretion is the name of the game here. The hotel only accommodates a maximum of 50 guests at one time and can even be booked out by single groups – Carlin told us he has a family taking over the whole hotel for a week in December. Once you've settled into your suite and noticed the unique touches luxuriously appointed in gold and marble, showered with the Molten Brown toiletries and tried out the wildly exciting modes on the toilet (turn it into a heated bidet if you're so inclined), it's time to head downstairs for dinner. Oro (meaning 'gold' in Italian and Spanish) is the hotel's single restaurant, and hospitality brains will notice the clever separate hot and cold pass system designed by Kevin Carlin himself. This eatery offers a further elevated experience and one not reserved solely for hotel guests – you'll spot a mix of Queenstown locals taking the opportunity for a special occasion meal. The menu has a local lean, making the most of suppliers from the region. Standouts include the grilled ora king salmon, South Island venison, line-caught seafood and lamb rack from Royalburn Station — a name that will stand out for fans of Nadia Lim's television series Nadia's Farm. We opted for steaks, and upon learning my partner was a scotch man, the wonderfully attentive front of house brought out various examples on offer on a board so he could choose the most appealing cut. It's that attention to detail that most stands out at the Carlin — nothing is a bother. And while you're drinking, dining and chatting you'll realise the tinkling piano playing while you dine isn't a Spotify playlist, but the work of the hotel owner himself, taking a quick 10 minutes to entertain guests with a virtuoso performance in the corner. Attention to detail, indeed.
2021 marks 40 years since author Thomas Harris first introduced the world to Hannibal Lecter in his 1981 novel Red Dragon. It's the 35th anniversary of the character initially making the leap to the screen in 1986 movie Manhunter, too. But it was the Oscar-winning 1991 film adaptation of 1988 book The Silence of the Lambs that made the character a pop culture mainstay — and helped ensure that big and small screen versions of Harris' work were never far from view for long. In cinemas, 2001's Hannibal and 2007's Hannibal Rising each adapted Harris' books of the same name. 2002's Red Dragon gave audiences another movie based on that novel, too. And, on television, 2013–5 series Hannibal also focused on the psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. Across all of the above, Lecter has remained the constant — as played by Succession's Brian Cox originally, then earning Anthony Hopkins an Academy Award, then portrayed by French actor Gaspard Ulliel (It's Only the End of the World) and Danish star Mads Mikkelsen (Arctic). Next in the franchise: TV series Clarice, which starts airing in Australia from Friday, February 12 via streaming platform Stan, and just dropped its first full trailer. The new show continues the saga's fondness for titles that share their name with a character and, obviously, pushes someone other than Lecter to the fore. Clarice Starling was a student at the FBI Academy when she was sent to interview Lecter, and it changed her career — with Clarice picking up her story in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs, as she returns to the field. While Jodie Foster nabbed an Oscar for the role, and Julianne Moore stepped into Starling's shoes in Hannibal, this time the character is played by Australian actor Rebecca Breeds (Blue Water High, Home and Away, Pretty Little Liars, The Originals). She'll portray Starling as the FBI agent faces new cases and confronts her own past — and she'll be joined on-screen by co-stars Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), Lucca de Oliveira (SEAL Team), Kal Penn (House), Nick Sandow (Orange Is the New Black), Devyn Tyler (The Purge), Jayne Atkinson (Criminal Minds) and newcomer Marnee Carpenter. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agjDfPTfMTY&feature=youtu.be Clarice starts streaming via Stan on Friday, February 12, dropping new episodes weekly. Top image: Brooke Palmer ©2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc.
As you might've heard, Misfits — Redfern's fun-loving bar — is turning three this September. To celebrate, we're giving away a night of food, booze and live tunes for zero dollars to three winners — with each able to bring two guests. Yep, that's a pretty serious party. So, whether you want to catch up with mates or hold your own The Bachelor-esque three-way date, you won't have to pay a dime should you be one of the lucky three to take home this prize. To honour all good things that come in threes, you'll get a trio of mini-cocktails, cheekily dubbed The Bee Gees, followed by three cocktail specials — the Paper Plane, Last Palabra and Corpse Reviver No 2. For food, the three of you will be feasting on oyster shooters, prawn dumplings, ceviche tacos, smoked cauliflower and taleggio croquettes and barbecue brisket sliders, all served as 'triplets'. And if you redeem your prize on a Thursday evening in September, you'll be treated to some live tunes, too — it could be smooth jazz, a soul band, DJs or a live hip hop and R&B set. Keen? See details below to enter. [competition]781855[/competition]
They're taking the hobbits to Amazon — and, in just over a year, fans of Lord of the Rings will be able to see the end result. Mark Friday, September 2, 2022 in your diary, as that's when you'll be trekking back to Middle-earth via Amazon Prime Video's new LOTR show. It's called The Lord of the Rings, too, but it isn't just serving up a rehash. The series' existence shouldn't be new news, given that the streaming platform first announced it back in 2017, and then gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018. Since then, the LOTR show has sat at the top of fans' most-anticipated list, obviously. Over the years, we've also heard that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies, and learned a few concrete details regarding what it's about as well. Now, however, there's a specific date to look forward to — albeit a year later than when it was originally expected to drop, with sometime in 2021 initially floated. That was before the pandemic, though, and we all now know how much havoc COVID-19 has played on, well, everything, Amazon Prime Video announced the 2022 premiere date to mark the end of filming the show's initial batch of episodes. If you're wondering how it'll look — and how New Zealand's scenic landscape will be used this time around — the streaming service also dropped a first image from the series. Greenery abounds, naturally, as does a towering city surrounded by mountains, as well as a glowing sky. Also wondering what the series will cover if it's not retelling the events of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books? The show will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age — and bring that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to the official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." https://twitter.com/LOTRonPrime/status/1349519737655611392 If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, LOTR will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the actors traversing Middle-earth are Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud), Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Amazon's new Lord of the Rings series will premiere on Friday, September 2, 2022.
In every generation, a slayer is born — and a new show about them, apparently. It's the reboot that was always bound to happen, with Buffy the Vampire Slayer set to head back to television. Wannabe vampire vanquishers, get your stakes ready. Twenty-one years after the last TV version first aired, the new take will both follow in its footsteps and add something fresh to the concept — think fighting bloodsuckers and demons, of course, plus using Buffy's supernatural calling as a metaphor for broader societal issues, but in contemporary times and with a diverse cast. While the show is still in writing stage, the role of Buffy herself is being written for a black actress according to The Hollywood Reporter. Writer Monica Owusu-Breen has been charged with the task of penning the reboot, with assistance from original writer Joss Whedon — who'll also serve as an executive producer. It's a reunion for the two, after they worked together on Marvel TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Owusu-Breen also has credits on everything from Charmed and Alias to Lost and Fringe on her resume. As for which members of the Scooby gang will be back, which vamps will make a reappearance, if it'll be set on Sunnydale's hellmouth, if a stuffy English librarian will be involved and whether there'll be a musical episode, it's still very early days — while the project is moving ahead, it doesn't yet have a TV network or streaming platform attached. And, if you're thinking that Buffy doesn't really need rebooting, remember that Whedon's Sarah Michelle Gellar-starring seven-season series originally remade the 1992 movie of the same name. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
There's no such thing as just another Quentin Tarantino film. Since he came to fame with Reservoir Dogs, the writer and director has continually toyed with dialogue-heavy, non-linear tales of crime and violence. And while there are stylistic elements that make a Tarantino film a Tarantino film, everything from Pulp Fiction to Death Proof has brought something different to the cinema. Take The Hateful Eight, for example. In his latest and eighth movie, the filmmaker delves back into the western genre (as he did with 2012's Django Unchained), he re-teams with Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Walton Goggins, and riffs on the scenario of Reservoir Dogs. But he also does much more than that. In its story, The Hateful Eight follows the fallout that ensues when eight treacherous characters are forced into close quarters. But it's the film's presentation that's perhaps even more interesting. For one, it revives the format of Ultra Panavision 70 — last used in 1966. It also brings back a form of movie-going rarely encountered these days, screening with an overture and intermission. That's the experience Sydney and Melbourne audiences have been gifted with this last week, via some advance 70mm sessions prior to the feature's national digital release on Thursday, January 21. Indeed, there's much to talk about when it comes to The Hateful Eight — and visiting Australia to promote the film, Tarantino did plenty. He spoke with Concrete Playground about what he has to offer one of his favourite genres, making The Hateful Eight an event, and watching audiences react to a different style of cinema. Among other topics, of course. ON MAKING WESTERNS "I've always been a big, big fan of the genre. And I think a lot of modern directors who have done westerns — like Walter Hill or somebody — before they actually got a chance to do a western, they kept flirting with the genre in modern terms to some degree or another. I mean, there's this whole aspect that Kill Bill: Vol 2 has a spaghetti western vibe, and I truly wanted Inglourious Basterds to almost have a spaghetti western feel — but with World War II iconography as opposed to western iconography. So, with Django Unchained I got my first chance at it, and I just really love the genre. And I wasn't done with it. It's kind of that simple: I wasn't done with it. And I also think it's a really good fit for me. I think as far as characters are concerned and the way violence works in my movies, it works out very good for a western." ON WHAT HE HAS TO OFFER THE GENRE "I think, in today's world, if I'm going to be able to call myself a western director and put my movies on the shelf with somebody like Anthony Mann or Budd Boetticher or Peckinpah, then I think you need to do at least three westerns. I mean, if it was the '50s, it'd be eight — but at least three westerns. And the fact that both movies deal with race in America at that time — two different times, but very close to each other — and also kind of do a vague mirror reflection on race in America today at the same time, I believe that's actually something I have to offer to the genre. That conversation is really something that hasn't been had that much in westerns — it's almost like that conversation has been avoided in westerns. And that's one of the things I think I have to offer to it." ON HIS DECISION TO SHOOT IN 70MM "One of the selfish reasons [I'm shooting in 70mm] is that I'm rather distressed at how digital projection has taken over to such a degree. I'm not really worried about shooting in digital because I'll always shoot in film — but I think something has been lost. I'm not saying that there's really anything wrong with digital projection, but I think something is lost if film projection is eradicated. And one of the benefits of shooting in 70mm is it's a little expensive. So, if a studio is going to pay to do that, they're going to at least make a token effort to make sure it gets shown in 70mm in certain cinemas. And that was a big calling card to do this. But also, I did like the idea of making this movie an event — to actually have a visual look first. And also, [I liked] the idea that I was going to be filming in this weather, and filming the weather was a big part of what we were doing. We were going for a big look. As dense as the material is, as bleak as the material is, and as dialogue heavy as the film is, there is an emphasis on the visual aspect of it." ON BRINGING BACK REAL CINEMA-GOING "It's actually kind of funny because, watching the film with audiences, there is this thing about the overture: [people think] "what is this?" I always like to sit in the middle of the cinema so I can really watch the people who are sitting in front of me, and the heads and the shoulders down the line. And you see their shoulders kind of relax as that overture goes on, as they settle into their seat and settle into the experience that they're going to have. And then there was this aspect — I think the first time I screened the film with a big audience — when the intermission happens, and it's like, "okay, what are we going to do?", and "okay, I guess I'm going to go take a pee or go have a smoke". But there is also that aspect of what you want to happen — they're talking about the movie. Apparently the toilets are abuzz, like "wow, did you just see what happened? I wonder what's going to happen next". You know, that kind of excitement about talking about the film. But also, I do like intermissions if it seems appropriate, because I think that they can be used for dramatic purpose. And I think that's the case in The Hateful Eight — that it has a dramatic moment when it happens, and there's a kind of sigh." ON THE HATEFUL EIGHT AS A WESTERN VERSION OF RESERVOIR DOGS "Having made movies now for over twenty years, there was a full circle kind of aspect with [The Hateful Eight] of me almost coming back to the start. And maybe even closing the circle. And the next couple of movies, who knows what they could be, because the circle is kind of closed and it opens up another chapter for me. I don't even know what that chapter is — but that's actually kind of exciting. But the idea of a western Reservoir Dogs was a little bit in my head as I was writing it, because I actually think that kind of pressure cooker situation could work really well in a western. There have been a few westerns that are really set-bound. One of my favourite westerns is Rio Bravo, and that really takes place between the saloon and the jailhouse — and I've always thought that Rio Bravo would be a really good play." The Hateful Eight is currently screening in Australian cinemas in limited 70mm locations, with the film's digital release opening around the country on January 21. Read our review.
Sure, we may be known across the globe as a summer city, but winter is when we get to swap our swimmers for scarfs, hit the town and get a little bit cultured. Luckily, the Sydney Opera House has kickstarted an offering for Sydneysiders, featuring two-for-one ticket deals, just in time for the chilly season. The deal riffs on similar last-minute ticket programs offered by the likes of London's West End theatre set and on Broadway in New York. But, unlike last-minute ticket programs that cater to tourists, SOH is giving us locals more of a reason to engage in what our city has to offer. Much like its two-for-one Wednesday deal last year, the deal will mean you can enjoy any number of acts for a serious steal — but this time around you can go any day of the week. All you have to do is sign up to email updates to find out what events have some cheap tickets going. To give you a hint of what to expect, this winter could see you score two-for-one tickets to side-splitting Game of Thrones spin-off, Thrones! The Musical Parody, or a comedic cabaret show from Will and Grace star, Megan Mullally and her band: Nancy and Beth. Or you could potentially snap up some cheap seats to Bangarra's 30 Years of Thirty Six Thousand or even a production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly (if there are any seats left, that is). Head to the iconic white sails and catch a gig for any reason. Being a two-for-one deal, it's the perfect chance to treat your mum on the cheap, impress your date or to just get a little bit of culture with a mate on a random night out. Sydney Opera House's two-for-one deals will be made available to email subscribers. To sign up, head to the Sydney Opera House website.
If a group of contemporary artists took over Hobbyco, it might look like this. Walk through the narrow gap between the boom gates at Casula Powerhouse and you’ll find five model railways that have been reimagined in fantastical ways. The Infinite Everything by Claire Thackway and Gregory Hodge is a baroque-inspired installation built from paper cut-outs. Bursting with bright patterns, this miniature landscape is full of people caught in motion. From dancers to bathers, there is something quite joyous about these acrobatic figures. There also seems to be a focus on different cultural communities. Bringing together their distinct painterly styles, Thackway’s figurative work weaves in and out of Hodge’s kaleidoscopic swirls. These fluid brushstrokes are nicely paired with the rolling motion of the train. There is an unfathomable amount of detail in Emily Hunt's Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence. Everything is textured with busy fingerprints. Filled with little shrines and Aztec-inspired totems, the lush wilderness holds a pseudo-religiosity. Hunt uses found materials in her work, picking up the pieces of modern waste — it's a recycled utopia of sorts. The only self-portrait in the exhibition belongs to Owen Leong, who has chiselled his face into a mountain. Away from the sunny optimism of Thackway and Hodge, this work is dark and decadent. The mountain is made from black glitter and the little train carriages are filled with rose quartz. There is a pool of white salt that seems to be funnelling into a stalactite — or an inverted mountain — shining underneath the table. Like a lump of treasure in the shadows, there is something enticing about the symmetry of this work. Jaki Middleton and David Lawrey's Time Trap is also on the darker side of things. Their “ghost train” travels on an ultraviolet ribbon of light through a dark trench that resembles a decaying Australian countryside. Unlike Hunt’s environment, these artists envision a somewhat dystopian future. Due to mechanical difficulties, not all trains were operational during my visit. A bit disappointing but not entirely unexpected, these issues will probably be ironed out. On the whole, this exhibition is pretty damn delightful. The artists preserve the delicacy of the traditional model railway but colour it with their own form of social critique or self-examination. You can and should take the train out to Casula for a sight sure to please big and small.
Your mates at Concrete Playground know how much you guys love Nutella. Sydney lost its collective shit (and rightfully so) over those damn Tella Ball milkshakes, and Melbourne eats so much of the stuff they caused a temporary nation-wide shortage. As addictions go, we suppose it could be worse. Point is, when we heard there was going to be a toaster-shaped Nutella food truck rolling around the country, we figured you'd want to hear about it. Especially since all the goodies on board will be free. The food truck menu has been devised by Alistair Fogg, the man behind Sydney's Nighthawk Diner. Think stewed winter berries with Nutella and toasted coconut, raisin toast with Nutella and berries, and a crepe stack with Nutella and crispy bacon. It's only one item per customer per day, unfortunately. Let's just say at this stage, we're not ruling out the possibility of trailing the truck from town to town like the insatiable groupies we so clearly are. The road trip begins in Sydney's Wynyard Park on Wednesday, June 15. Other stops in the Harbour City include Parramatta's Centenary Park (June 16), Sydney Uni (June 17) and Glebe Markets (June 18), before the long haul down the Hume Highway. They'll stop along the way before arriving at Melbourne and then, finally, Geelong. Find the complete list of dates, times and locations for the Nutella Road Trip at the official Facebook page.
Let's face it: finding the perfect plans for New Year's Eve is stressful. With all the parties, festivals, ticketed venues and firework displays on offer in our cities, sometimes it feels like new year planning — which you're expected to start now, mind you — is more trouble than its worth. But if you're looking to ring in 2019 by getting away from it all, we've got you covered with some top-notch alternatives to your usual New Year's happenings. Here's our top picks for getting out-of-town this year — which we're bringing to you early so you can get a head-start on booking, too. TASTE ALL THAT TASMANIA HAS TO OFFER Each year, revellers make their way down to Tassie for Falls Festival at Marion Bay. But, if you want to avoid the chaos of navigating stages and finding your tent in the dark, we have a festival of another kind that's worth the trip. Food lovers can indulge in the best of Tasmania's culinary scene as The Taste of Tasmania food festival returns to Hobart's Princes Wharf from December 28 to January 3. Entry is free, but the range of masterclasses are ticketed and run by some of the best chefs in the region — think cheese making with Analiese Gregory (Franklin and ex-Sydney's Bar Brosé) and sausage making with Rodney Dunn (Tassie eatery The Agrarian Kitchen), plus a long-lunch hosted by Alice Chugg and Vladimir Panevin (local bar Ettie's). And that's just three of the 15 events on offer. Apart from the eats, there will also be 120 live bands and circus, cabaret and dance performances, along with a twilight cinema. For more information and to book masterclass tickets, head to the Taste of Tasmania website. This will require flights and accomodation, so you might need to book this ASAP. CLEAR YOUR MIND WITH A YOGA OR DETOX RETREAT If you're looking to enter the new year with a clear mind, there's still time to book into a full on retreat. Billabong Retreat offers an annual new year's yoga getaway, for either five or seven nights, spanning from December 26 to January 2. The eco resort is located 45 minutes northwest of Sydney and the program features twice-daily yoga, nighttime meditation, daily wellness workshops and tranquil treehouse accommodation. Plus, two New Year-specific ceremonies: a letting go ceremony on New Year's Eve and a setting intentions ceremony on New Year's Day. If you're looking to be closer to Queensland, another retreat option is the Gwinganna new year detox, which is a seven-night spa getaway just south of the Gold Coast, taking place from December 27 to January 3. It's no doubt pricey, but includes massages, facials, all organic meals, evening meditation sessions and a wellness consultation, along with a $100 therapy credit. [caption id="attachment_695264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ray and Lystra Bisschop[/caption] TAKE AN EPIC OVERNIGHT HIKE (WITHOUT BOOKING A THING) Australia is home to some of the most stunning national parks and coastlines in the world, with many of the best hiking tracks taking more than a day to complete. One of the best is the Six Foot Track in NSW's Blue Mountains, which spans a 45-kilometre distance from Katoomba's famous Explorers Tree to the stunning Jenolan Caves. This challenging hike is most comfortably done in three days and two nights. Luckily, the overnights are free and don't need to be booked ahead of time, thanks to the easily accessible campsites along the route at Coxs River and Black Range. Another booking-free option up in Queensland is the newly completed Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, which offers free overnight camping at several spots along its 161-kilometre trail, including outside Fernvale, Toogoolaawah, Harlin, Moore, Linville and Benarkin. There are plenty of coffee stops along the way too, so you don't need to plan (and lug around) all your meals. CAMP OUT AT ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST STUNNING BEACHES Spending New Year's at the ocean is as Australian as it gets, and some of the country's best spots across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland offer top-notch beachside camping that will truly take your breath away. If you really want to go all out this new year, our pick is Mesa Camp at Cape Range National Park in Western Australia. You'll have to spend a pretty penny on flights to Exmouth, but the site is set overlooking a secluded bay within the UNESCO Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast and is perfect for canoeing, kayaking, snorkelling or swimming holidays. Booking ahead is a must, but prices are set at an incredibly reasonable $11 per adult per night. For more information and to book Mesa, head over here — but it's best to book in advance, as there are only 23 campsites available and they'll likely book out fast. If you're looking for even more options, check out our list of the top beach camping sites around Australia. [caption id="attachment_660068" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Berry Springs[/caption] FINALLY TAKE THAT TRIP TO DARWIN If a trip to Darwin has been on your list for a while now, heading up north over New Year is an ideal time to see the Northern Territory capital in full swing. Explore the George Brown Botanic Gardens, go for a swim at Berry Springs or be the ultimate tourist and cuddle a crocodile at Crocosaurus Cove. For New Year's specific entertainment, The Darwin Waterfront hosts an annual New Year's Eve party with live music, entertainment, food stalls and the requisite fireworks at 9pm and midnight — all for free. Picnics, beach blankets, lawn chairs and booze-filled eskies (no glass, though) are all encouraged and there's plenty of space for the masses. The event continues into New Year's Day, when another free live concert will take place. [caption id="attachment_693452" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Pickthall[/caption] CHECK ULURU OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST Uluru is on the bucket list of most Australians, and what better time to finally take the trek to this sacred site than at the start of a new year. Once you've got flights to Alice Springs, you can easily organise your own trip. Of course, you'll want to cop an eyeful of Uluru and learn about its history and that of Arrernte country (as it's known to the traditional custodians of the land). Make sure you see the landscape lit-up by visiting Field of Light at night, stop in at the Kangaroo Sanctuary and go for a swim at Ormiston Gorge. We've got a few other ideas here. If you really can't be bothered, Intrepid Travel hosts a three-day, two nights Uluru adventure from December 30–January 1 — and for a relatively reasonable $695 per person. Your group will be honoured to have a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guide, who will explain the spiritual significance of this ancient site while you hike to Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta and Uluru. Transport, meals and tent accommodation is all included, so you can just focus on being in complete awe of your incredible surrounds.
Whether you're a wizard or a muggle, the moment most people discover that something is forbidden, they feel a need to check it out. Harry Potter certainly did when it came to the forest surrounding Hogwarts, and now enchanted fans can follow in his footsteps as part of Warner Bros' London studio tour. From March 31, the film studio will unveil a new recreation of the area deemed off limits by Professor Dumbledore, complete with the greenery and creatures that helped it gets its name. As you walk through the Forbidden Forest with lantern in hand, you'll tread beneath 19 trees that each boast a diameter of almost four metres, see one of Hagrid's costumes — and even control the forest's weather. With the attraction designed and built by many of the crew members who worked on the films, the wonder doesn't stop there. Visitors will also spy a full-sized model of Buckbeak the hippogriff, and cross paths with the giant spider that is Aragog in all his glory (his leg span ranges beyond five metres, so don't venture near if you're arachnophobic). You'll feel as though Harry, Ron and Hermione are right there beside you, really. The Forbidden Forest is just the latest way the Warner Bros' London tour is going potty for all things Potter as part of its Making of Harry Potter section. A selection of outfits from the movies are on display until September, while current attendees can also find out how Dobby came to life until the end of March. In the lead up to Valentine's Day, eager diners can enjoy a love potion and a meal in the great hall, while a showcase of the dark arts — including a walk down Diagon Alley — is coming in October, followed by the return of the festive favourite Hogwarts in the Snow in November. Yes, it's totally okay if you're now looking up flights to London. For more information about the Warner Bros London studio tour and the Making of Harry Potter, visit the studio tour website.
Warehouse parties are great. Secret Mexican holiday-inspired, neon-drenched, immersive warehouse experiences are even better. Curated by a group of Mexican visionaries and artists, Day of the Dead 3.1. promises to be one heck of a Burning Man-channeling spectacle you'll want to lock down tickets for — on sale this Saturday, August 15 at 12.30pm. And with the demand already high, this event is expected to sell out within hours, so your crew had better be ready. For hundreds of years, El Dia de los Muertos has been one of the biggest parties in Mexico honouring the dead. The 4000 year-old tradition's history can be traced back to Mexico's indigenous beliefs of the afterlife — that death is only the beginning. Now it's Australia's turn to delve into the underworld, as The Day of the Dead finds its way to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this spring, in secret locations within each city. Expect interactive art installations, light projections, extravagant costumes, murals created by renowned street artists and an exclusive lineup of local and international DJs and musicians — including one big ol' festival favourite headliner. The lineup will be released closer to the day, so stay tuned. Pop-ups by a handpicked bunch of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane's go-to local Mexican eateries, like Playa Takeria, have been selected to create Dia de los Muertos menus. Plus, there'll be Mexican cervezas and tequila/mezcal cocktails to provide you with enough sustenance to dance the night away. With instructions being sent to ticket holders just one week before the event, this is secret warehouse party business at it's best. Each city's locations are more closely guarded than an abuela's special mole sauce ingredient and will only be released one day before the party. Get ready to nab a ticket and start preparing your best Dia de los Muertos outfit. Day of the Dead will visit Sydney on October 24, then Melbourne on October 31 before ending in Brisbane on November 7. Tickets are $75 and go on sale here on Saturday 15 August at 12.30pm and are expected to sell out super fast. Don't stall on this one, it'll be the death of you.
Summer is here and, with it, our desire to take a holiday from the constant hustle of work (and life) and treat ourselves to a relaxing evening out with our mates, dates or ourselves. This summer, we want to slow down, unwind and savour the moment — preferably with a good beverage in hand. Together with Diplomático Rum, we've compiled this list of luxe locations throughout Sydney where you can chill and savour summertime with a luscious drop of premium dark rum. After all, Diplomático Rum is refined, balanced and smooth dark rum — perfect for those moments worth savouring.
Again and again, fans of slasher films have seen the one about the unhinged murderer butchering teen victims. They've seen more than one, in fact. It's a horror convention: take a bunch of young adults, then dispense with them person by person as a killer works through childhood trauma. Penning and helming his first feature — his short Z Is for Zygote was included in The ABCs of Death 2, and he did special effects work on Psycho Goreman, too — writer/director Chris Nash knows the basics of his chosen genre as much as any other diehard viewer. He's just as aware of the great, and greatly influential, flicks gone by such as Halloween and Friday the 13th. He's well-versed in their tropes in storytelling and in form alike. Making his full-length debut with a picture called In a Violent Nature, he's also clued up on what happens when someone sinister gets a-stalking in scenic surroundings. Plot-wise, Nash isn't trying to break the mould with his account of Johnny (Ry Barrett, Massacre at Femur Creek) and the folks who are unlucky enough to fall across his path. But the filmmaker asks a question: what if a rampaging slaughterer's terrors came not with a score heralding their every menacing move (even when those tunes can become iconic, as John Carpenter's Halloween music has), but with the ordinary silence of everyday life in nature punctuated only by noises just as commonplace, and then by the sounds of a killer at their insidious worst? In its imagery, In a Violent Nature adds another query: what if the audience wasn't biding its time with those likely to perish, tension dripping from not knowing when and where the murderer would strike, but was stuck at the side of the force causing such gruesome mayhem as the inevitable approaches? There's seldom any escape from a slasher; however, Nash finds a new way to take that idea literally. Let's call it the bang-and-whimper method of tackling the genre, because lives cease here with each given as much attention. Johnny still metes out big kills that create a din and sear themselves into memory. One inventively grisly death in particular can never be erased from brains, and ensures that everyone watching is incapable of contemplating its setting or the pastime involved in the same way ever again. Another sequence suggests that it's going a similar way, but becomes unforgettable for the fact that it holds back on grim expectations. And, of course, mewls of pain are hardly new to horror. Here, though, Nash's commitment to the film's ambience gives both its bangs and its whimpers extra impact. This is the way that the world ends for Johnny's prey: not with just a bang or solely a whimper, but with the haunting, echoing combination of the two that compels In a Violent Nature's viewers to reckon with them in the moment. Nash's understanding of horror at its most stock-standard commences with In a Violent Nature's opening, where wandering campers chat while stumbling across a grave beneath an old fire tower. A gold locket hangs in plain sight, which leads Troy (Liam Leone, Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life) to pocketing the jewellery, opting for the kind of stupid decision that people in a slasher flick love. Yes, it'll come back to taunt him. So awakens Johnny from the earth. So stirs his ire as well. But how the audience might anticipate that this plays out from the above description isn't ever how the feature stages it. The focus is rarely on those potentially awaiting a date with the heavens, to the point that their faces aren't the picture's most-common sight. Neither is Johnny's, whether or not it's under a smoke helmet. Nature isn't merely a location, but the expanse that fills cinematographer Pierce Derks' (Frankie Freako) frames — sometimes in close shots, sometimes sprawling. As Johnny sets off, there's not a shred of doubt lingering that he'll indulge his violent urges — the reasons for which get a backstory layered in, details that are knowingly by the book — via a relentless frenzy. Nash and Derks aren't in a hurry, largely lurking behind their killer with patience as he turns the wilderness into his hunting ground. He walks. He slays. Sometimes the results are splattered across the screen with slaughterhouse-esque gore and guts. Sometimes a savvy cut by editor Alex Jacobs (V/H/S/85) conveys what has happened instead of getting blatant and bloody. The camera remains static more than it roves, and peers on from long-held wide shots more than it zooms forward. Johnny's temperament is expressed by the pace of his stride, which becomes In a Violent Nature's metronome of unease. Masked characters, not the actors who play them, tend to carve their place in common pop-culture knowledge out of horror movies. Michael Myers is the household name, for instance, as much as Nick Castle (Halloween Ends) should be. Barrett deserves the same recognition, making Johnny a petrifying presence even when so frequently spied from a few footsteps back. That said, he isn't carrying the film alone on-screen. The travellers that meet the figure's hooks and other weaponry start out disposable, but leave an impression the longer that they survive, Andrea Pavlovic (Our Mother's Secret Affair) especially. That'll ring familiar, too; to take the risks that Nash does, and to test if a slasher flick can work the way he wants it to — and it can — he leans into the template everywhere else possible. It was a Sundance sensation to kick off 2024, proved a box-office hit in America for independent studio IFC Films and now has a sequel in the works, but a movie like this, with the output of director Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life) as much of a touchstone as the Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre franchises, is a gamble. Both of the latter two horror sagas earn clear nods, yet there's no mistaking In a Violent Nature's lyrical skew thanks to its ever-present greenery and naturalistic soundtrack. Combine the two and scares still spring, laced with dread that gushes like a limb lopped off by a log splitter. While it's frightening to ponder that ghastly turns of fate can and do occur randomly, as regular slashers capitalise upon, it's bone-chilling to confront that truth when it's presented as an inherent, innate, matter-of-fact certainty of existence. In a violent nature indeed.
There's an intrinsic connection between emerging bands and pubs. The neighbourhood pub is a testing ground; the crucible where garage bands find out whether they've got what it takes to make it in front of a crowd. Who better to help these local legends get their start in the live performing world than Rolling Stone? A household name in music. Rolling Stone AU/NZ has teamed up with Keno for Local Legends, a multi-state gig series that pairs up-and-coming bands with great pubs. There are two gigs going down in May: the first at the Stock Exchange Hotel in Brisbane on Saturday, May 24, and the second at Hotel Steyne in Sydney on Saturday, May 31. Both events are free, with doors opening at 4pm before you wrap your ears around of a lineup of tunes from bands from all over Australia. When the series comes to Manly's The Steyne, get in early for the 5pm opener — indie rock group MARVELL has been selling out shows and sharing stages with the likes of Lime Cordiale and The Grogans, so you won't want to miss it. Things will chill a bit from 6pm, with an acoustic-style set from local indie pop star Charli Lucas and Central Coast-born pop artist Molly Millington. The 7.15 support act will bring the energy back up as New Zealand pop rock trio BORDERLINE take the stage. Having debuted in 2023, BORDERLINE brings a sound that takes inspiration from The 1975 and Coldplay, with pop tunes that often spin into rock and funk territory through their discography. Then the headline act, Melbourne-based pop trio Blusher, will close the night with high-energy sounds that fit right in with A-listers like Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX. But unlike seething crowds and pricey tickets to see those two, Rolling Stone Local Legends is free entry, so you've got no reason not to check it out. Rolling Stone Local Legends will take place at Hotel Steyne on Saturday, May 31, from 4pm. For more information, visit the Rolling Stone website. Gamble Responsibly. Think! About your choices. Help is close at hand. Call Gambler's Help, ACT Gambling Counselling and Support Service or GambleAware 1800 858 858 gambleaware.nsw.gov.au or www.gamblinghelponline.org.au.
This just in: Bistro Ebony will open on Pitt Street in Sydney's CBD this October. It will offer an elegant yet accessible, classic Euro-style menu. The venue will begin with weekday-only service, allowing CBD workers and locals to make it part of their regular weekly rotation. First-time restaurant owner Joey Commerford boasts an impressive hospitality resume with many years of high-end hospo experience, from working as the General Manager of the Press Club and Gazi, to time spent at Vue de Monde and the Royal Mail Hotel. With Bistro Ebony, Joey has a strong focus on keeping prices relatively reasonable. "We've deliberately kept most of the menu under $50 to keep it accessible, while still delivering a level of food, service and setting that feels considered and elevated." Executive Chef Alessandro Mandelli's menu has French and Italian foundations, with broader European influence. Wagyu short rib agnolotti are tossed in saffron butter and served on celeriac cream. Market fish is butterlied and crumbed, and sits atop beurre blanc and finger limes. Mandelli has a soft spot for the veal Milanese cotoletta, a dish from his home region of Lombardy, which is served with pomme noisette and veal jus. Leaning into its classic roots, the desserts demonstrate a little old-school flair, such as crêpes suzette flambéed for diners or apple tart tatin flipped tableside and finished with caramel and ice cream. Venue Manager and sommelier Jordan Amaru brings international experience from his stints at the renowned NoMad in New York and EMP Summer House in the Hamptons. He has curated a selection of approximately 140 bottles from Australian, French and Italian producers. With capacity for 100 guests, WMK Architects has designed the space so that diners feel "more removed from the surroundings than you might expect, with an atmosphere that's intimate, genuinely warm, and quietly elegant in a setting that's more inviting than it first lets on." Images: Steven Woodburn. Bistro Ebony opens in early October. Follow @bistroebony on Instagram, or sign up to the newsletter today to stay in the know.
UPDATE 25 May, 2021: Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne has confirmed that the Inner West Council has voted unanimously to make Enmore Theatre NSW's first 'special entertainment precinct'. "It's time to end the fun police war against live music," Byrne said. One of Sydney's most beloved live music venues, Enmore Theatre, is set to be the first Sydney venue further protected from noise complaints under NSW Government legislation passed in 2020. If the historic theatre is granted so-called 'special entertainment precinct' privileges under the Liquor Amendment (Night-time Economy) Act 2020, it will also be allowed to extend trading hours on live music and performance nights. The hope is that this new classification of live music venues will help them survive and prosper after a disastrous 2020. Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne and Stanmore Ward Councillor Anna York have tabled a motion to declare the inner west theatre a special entertainment precinct, which if passed, will see noise complaints made about the theatre dealt with by the Inner West Council. Byrne took aim at complainants who have had a hand in prosecuting music venues saying ,"The person who moves in next to a pub or live music venue and complains about the noise is not just a cliché. Sadly, in Sydney, NIMBY neighbours have been supported by powerful government agencies in shutting down music venues." "Prior to the COVID-19, the Inner West was the independent arts and culture capital of Australia. Sadly, with the absence of urgent financial support from the NSW Government, many venues are struggling to survive the months of stringent COVID safety restrictions," said Byrne. Enmore Theatre's owners Century Venues welcomed the news with open arms. "The designation of the Enmore Theatre as an entertainment precinct under the new legislation is a great step forward not just for us at Century Venues but the entire live performance sector," Century Venues Executive Director Greg Khoury said. "No other night time business generates greater economic flow-on effects to communities than live performance spaces." This new legislation coincides with several other changes surrounding live music venues in NSW. Back in March, the controversial lockout laws were finally rolled back for good, while archaic laws surrounding what genre of music venues can play, which venues can host a dance floor or what kind of decorations a venue can have up were scrapped in late last year. Enmore Theatre reopened after a 11-month hiatus in February this year. During this hiatus, the venue underwent major refurbishments and restorations including new side wings, an art deco bomber light and LED lighting in the ceiling. Originally opened as a photoplay cinema in 1912, the iconic Enmore Road space has seen the likes of Bob Dylan, Coldplay and Kendrick Lamar take to the stage across its 113-year history. Enmore Theatre has a variety of upcoming events, which you can check out on their website. We'll keep you updated as this story unfolds.
Sebastian Goldspink was born and raised in Kings Cross, Sydney. In 2011, he opened ALASKA Projects in an abandoned mechanic's office in the basement of a Kings Cross Car Park. In its first year of operations ALASKA Projects has shown the work of over 100 artists, and is committed to showcasing emerging art in disused or under-utilised spaces. In December 2012, ALASKA Projects will tour its first exhibition internationally to artist run space Good Children in New Orleans, USA. In 2011, Sebastian was asked to speak as part of Creative Sydney's lecture series of Australia's most influential image makers. He regularly contributes to panels as a speaker, most recently as part of the SAMAG panel ‘Thinking outside the white cube’. As an administrator, Sebastian has worked for various organisations including the Biennale of Sydney, MCA, MoNA, and now, in his current position, Art Month Sydney. We asked him to tell us about his five favourite spots in Sydney that are a little off the beaten path: the hideaways that have always been just around your corner. 1. Garden Island Board the Watson's Bay ferry from Circular Quay and casually tell one of the ferry guys that you wish to get off at Garden Island. The ferry will make a stop just for you and chances are you'll be the only person getting off. On Garden Island you'll find a cafe and some of the best views of Sydney Harbour, and there is also a strange little naval history museum. Great to take visitors to Sydney. 2. 21 Espresso Double Bay Since 1958 this Double Bay Jewish soul food emporium has been serving up amazing Hungarian food to homesick Eastern Europeans and their children, grand children, great grand children… I like the gypsy platter for two, the lemon pancakes, the mish mash coffee, the sides of creamed spinach and, when I'm sick, the matzo ball soup dusted in paprika. 3. Domain Car Park Travelator The longest moving walkway in the Southern Hemisphere is hidden underground between St Mary's Cathedral and the Domain Car Park. Super scary at night. You can pretend you're in Luc Besson's film Subway. 4. Woollahra Library, Double Bay/Bellevue Hill Amazing library in Bellevue Hill with beautiful gardens and grounds right next to the glamourous Seven Shillings beach and Redleaf pool. Wander around the gardens which are filled with great hidden areas. Fantastic for kids. Take a swim at Seven Shillings beach or year round at Redleaf pool. 5. Alaska Projects Hidden within the Kings Cross car park, Alaska Projects is a contemporary art space built in a disused mechanics workshop. The space has a busy program of exhibitions of Sydney's top emerging artists as well as interstate and international artists. Alaska also holds regular music nights and film screenings and is embarking on a theatrical program. Upcoming at ALASKA: Anything, Everything and One Other Thing (Parts 1-5)Curated by Tom PoloFeaturing Dan Bell, George Egerton-Warburton, Leahlani Johnson, Kenny Pittock and Kate Smith.Exhibition Opening: Wed 25th Jul 6-8PM. Continues from Wednesday 25th July to Sunday 5th August.alaskaprojects.com
When IT floated onto the big screen in 2017, inspiring plenty of coulrophobia in the process, it only told half of the story. Adapting Stephen King's bestseller into a film, the horror hit jumped back to 1988–89, visited the author's usual setting of Derry, Maine, and followed a group of teenagers who came face to face with their worst clown-filled nightmares. But, as fans of the book or the 1990 TV series know, that's literally just the beginning. Cue IT: Chapter Two, another excuse to unleash the white-faced, flame-haired Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) upon the world, rustle up more than a few creepy scares and make a mint at the box office, all by charting the novel's other timeline. Set 27 years later — because that's how often the sadistic, shapeshifting demon pops up — it revisits the kids known as the Losers Club. They're all grown up, with Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader leading the cast, but they're not done with red balloon-wielding evil just yet. Or, to be more accurate, Pennywise isn't done with them. If you're already afraid of clowns, IT: Chapter Two clearly won't be for you. If you'd like to discover just what it takes to make you tremble at the sight of circus performers, this sequel will definitely help. So will its just-released first trailer, which introduces the adult gang, reminds everyone not to chase toy sailboats into storm drains and — of course — lets its sinister villain do his worst again. Original director Andy Muschietti (Mama) is back at the helm, so expect a hefty dose of unnervingly effective and all-round unsettling horror imagery once more. And, while this eagerly anticipated follow-up has plenty of star power, the first flick's Sophia Lillis, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard and company all return as the younger versions of the Losers Club as well. Take a peek at the first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqUopiAYdRg IT: Chapter Two releases in Australian cinemas on September 5, 2019.
When it comes time to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and big work wins, Sydney has no shortage of special occasion venues to choose from. But, with so many options, it can be tricky deciding where to head with your crew for a luxurious treat yourself-style long lunch. To make it easy, we've teamed up with Citi to narrow down some top Sydney faves for a leisurely lunch spanning the spectrum from hatted restaurants and award-winning degustations to Middle Eastern eats and coastal views aplenty. Plus, there are a few wine pairing suggestions in there, too. Plus, with Citi's Citibank Dining Program, you can indulge even further with a complimentary bottle of wine at any one of these seven venues. Just tell them when you book that you'll be paying with your Citibank card, and the wine is yours for the choosing — with each restaurant offering two different bottles, most of which are locally produced right here in New South Wales.
Loading up the end of summer with eclectic fun comes easy with the next instalment of Adelaide Fringe. Over the last 60-plus years, the much-loved event has continuously grown to encompass hundreds of venues across the state. The 2024 edition will host over 1300 shows featuring the best arts, comedy, theatre, circus and cabaret talent. Recognised as the largest annual arts event in the southern hemisphere — and the second-largest in the world after the Edinburgh Fringe — the festival has an open-access format, which means the artists, curators, and venues determine the program themselves. This welcoming approach guarantees an even more experimental lineup of weird and wonderful events. Running from Friday, February 16 to Sunday, March 17, this extravaganza will see thousands of local and international artists flock to South Australia. Sound good? Here are eight unmissable events so you can start planning. INFLATABLE CHURCH Sure, getting married or renewing your vows beneath a historic church steeple is bound to make your grandparents happy. But if you're partial to the unconventional or even a little extreme, confessing your everlasting love through "unholy matrimony" might just be the best way to mark your special day. Enter the Inflatable Church: a bouncing chapel featuring an irreverent vicar ready to lead the vows, speeches, ring exchange and dance-offs. Not sure what to wear? You'll find over 300 outfits for the bride, groom and the wedding party, ensuring everyone in your unruly congregation looks the part. PRISON BREAK The best escape rooms do an incredible job of immersing players in the puzzle. It only improves when first-rate storytelling and cryptic clues blend with an authentic setting — where not-so-fictional tales are embedded in the walls. This merging makes Prison Break a captivating event at Adelaide Fringe. Amid the historic cells of the Migration Museum, you'll have 45 minutes to escape a life sentence in prison for a crime you didn't commit. Surrounded by reinforced doors and iron gates, the dimly lit passageways are a thrilling locale for your team to solve the puzzle and find freedom. AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE Celebrate the culture and vitality of Africa through Afrique en Cirque — a vibrant live performance created by Guinean artist Yamoussa Bangoura. Inspired by the colours, sounds and movements of daily life in his home country, Bangoura set out to showcase the strength and joy found within African youth. Getting wrapped up in irresistible fun, you'll encounter mind-blowing acrobatics, contemporary Afro-Jazz tunes and vivid costumes. Set to the peaceful tones of the kora — a West African string instrument similar to the harp — a kaleidoscopic performance bursting with life-affirming energy will undoubtedly charm audiences. DUPANG PANGARI (COORONG SPIRIT) FESTIVAL Combining camping and corroboree, the Dupang Pangari (Coorong Spirit) Festival, led by Tal-Kin-Jeri director Major 'Moogy' Sumner, will help strengthen your connection to Country. You're invited to soak up Coorong's incredible coastal scenery through group workshops, dances, storytelling and marketplaces. Setting up camp on Friday afternoon, the festival begins with a welcome smoking ceremony at sunset before it's time to gaze up at the night sky. Then, Saturday brings a myriad of workshops ranging from basket weaving to clapstick carving and boomerang throwing. To close it all out, there'll be a corrobboree around a sacred fire at dusk. ISAAC HUMPHRIES — UNEARTHED Catch another side of an elite sportsperson with professional basketballer Isaac Humphries in his one-man show, Unearthed. Humphries has long dabbled with a music career, having grown up performing on stages across Sydney. But when his talents on the court became impossible to ignore, his creative career had to take a backseat. Following a stint in the NBA and now playing for the Adelaide 36ers, Humphries made global headlines in 2022 when he came out as the only gay male professional basketballer active at the highest level. As one of the headline acts at Adelaide Fringe, Humphries takes audiences on a musical journey through his life's remarkable ups and downs. DANE SIMPSON: ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE... FUNNY It doesn't matter which fringe event you attend around the globe — no visit is complete without hitting up a stand-up comedy show. While there's no shortage of wisecracking performers to consider in Adelaide, Dane Simpson is bound to be one of the most original in his show, Always Was, Always Will Be...Funny. Taking to the stage at the Rhino Room in Adelaide CBD, the Gamilaraay performer delves into 60,000 years of laughs. From a slideshow that finds the funny side of changing the Australia Day date to imagining a millennia-old First Nations comedy skit, Dane Simpson knows what it takes to spin a hilarious yarn. SWAMPELSQUE AND THE STRIPSONS Adelaide Fringe's colour and eccentricities mean it's ripe for burlesque performances. Lovers of Shrek should make a beeline for Swamplesque — an ogre-inspired burlesque and drag show parodying the beloved fairytale film in raunchy, side-splitting detail. If that's not enough, The Stripsons is another surreal burlesque and drag parody featuring America's favourite cartoon family. Created by the same risque team behind Swamplesque, this adults-only show lampoons numerous hilarious moments from the long-running television series. SOMEDAY WE'LL FIND IT The world is full of digital distractions, and balancing our online lives with the physical world has become increasingly complicated. Someday We'll Find It is an experimental, reflective look at writing a play through today's precariously short attention spans and endless pages of online search results. Created by award-winning theatre-makers Karla Livingstone-Pardy and Zachary Sheridan, the show's script has been generated using Google searches, while being presented through a spellbinding combination of live performance and multimedia. Head along for an absurd look at the modern world. Book your FringeTIX now at the Adelaide Fringe website.
What do Melbourne, Sydney and Austin all have in common? Come August, they will have all been home to the Carnivores Ball, which will soon be having its first Sydney instalment. The Carnivores Ball is an extravagant soiree dedicated to the (over) consumption of meaty goodness. After sell-out events in Melbourne and Austin, organisers are heading to Sydney in a venture that is sure to make local meat lovers break out in happy, pre-emptive sweats. Brought to you by Melbourne food blogger and honorary Texan Jess Pryles of BurgerMary (not to be confused with beloved Newtownian burger institution Mary's), the event boasts the inclusion of meat with every course, including dessert. This smorgasbord can be washed down with some locally brewed Young Henrys craft beer. Participating chefs include Matt Fitzgerald of El Topo and the crew from Hillbilly BBQ. While you battle through the menu, BurgerMary has promised an array of meat-centric activities, including pop-up stalls, gift bags and live music, as well as a mechanical bull to really set the scene. So, if you started salivating at the thought of a four-course meat-fest, then this is certainly your scene. And considering you don't win friends with salad, the company should be pretty great too. The Carnivores Ball will be held at the Marrickville Town Hall on August 16. All this protein-infused goodness will set you back $78 per person. Tickets can be purchased via TryBooking.
A mainstay of Australia's film festival scene for 22 years, the Moro Spanish Film Festival doesn't just celebrate a single country. It also celebrates a language. With Spanish ranking as the globe's second most popular tongue, this showcase of cinema broadens its gaze across the world — not only highlighting movies from the festive European nation that gives the fest its name but, by joining forces with the Cine Latino Film Festival in 2019, screening flicks from Latin America as well. Consider the end result the biggest bargain there is in the film fest world: two festivals for the price of one. Consider it a hefty lineup of new Spanish-language movies, too, with 32 titles touring the country until mid-May. Overseas award-winners? New voices making their debut? A focus on female filmmakers? They're all on this year's program. So are existential thrillers, queer standouts and classic romps — which each claim a place among our five must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5qPWgG1H0 ANA BY DAY Seeing double is one of cinema's favourite tropes — from creepy twins to stalking lookalikes to cases of mistaken identity, doppelgängers are all common film fodder. In Ana by Day, the eponymous Madrid woman (Ingrid García Jonsson) finds her life turned upside down when her double arrives, takes over and leaves her to her own devices. It's a tantalising notion, especially when Ana decides to lean into the situation and live the existence she's always wanted. As conveyed by first-time filmmaker Andrea Jaurrieta as well as exceptional star García Jonsson, at the core of the concept sits a simple truth: the struggle to realise who we really are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_PZqilExE CARMEN & LOLA Premiering at last year's Cannes Film Festival, picking up two gongs at this year's Goya Awards, and earning plenty of praise on the queer festival circuit, Carmen and Lola brings an observant, empathetic eye to a tale of romance versus prejudice. The movie's two paramours are also its two victims — and while the setup might feel somewhat familiar, this film has its own spark. Here, a pair of Roman women (Zaira Romero and Rosy Rodríguez) in a Catholic gypsy community defy tradition by falling for each other. Drawing upon her documentary background, writer/director Arantxa Echevarría uses her non-professional cast perfection, conveying the heart-swelling love and heartbreaking oppression that mark the titular characters' lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKdTPuCgqkU ROJO He mightn't be a household name, but Dario Grandinetti boasts quite the resume, with the Argentinian veteran featuring in everything from Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her and Julieta to twisty anthology Wild Tales. He's also a multiple film festival best actor award winner for his work in Rojo, playing a lawyer navigating the corruption and crime of Granada in the 1970s. Murky, paranoid thrillers were a staple during that decade, and movies both set in and styled after the period keep reaching screens for a reason, as this complex and compelling affair demonstrates. As the film follows its protagonist's entry into a shady world, it delves into the fractured, fraying reality of pre-coup Argentina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0paBosD04mM THE GOOD GIRLS Peering at the lives of the wealthy isn't just about indulging envious fantasies, dreaming of a different existence or watching a cashed-up trainwreck, Real Housewives-style. Rather, whether in satirical or melodramatic mode — and this Mexican comedy-drama operates in both — it's about examining the inner workings of the upper echelons and laying bare a society from the top down. Expect all of the above in Alejandra Márquez Abella's second feature, which follows the wives of her country's richest men in 1982. A wife to Fernando (Flavio Medina) and a mother to three children, Sofia (Ilse Salas) is accustomed to a charmed life, until her and her pals experience the other side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypMOEKJuh8 WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Breakups, breakdowns, breaking free, blending sleeping pills into gazpacho — that's actor Pepa Marcos' (Carmen Maura) life when she's dumped by her fellow thespian boyfriend Iván (Fernando Guillén). It's also just the beginning of the always spirited, often farcical story that drives this masterful 1988 comedy from Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar. One of the filmmaker's deserved early hits, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is also the film that helped introduce the world to Antonio Banderas' charms. It wasn't the pair's first collaboration; however, this Oscar-nominated, multiple Goya-winning film thrust both the director and his star to greater attention, and it's easy to see why. The Moro Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 16, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 16 to May 8; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 18 to May 8; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from April 24 to May 15; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso from April 24 to May 15. For more information, visit the festival website.
ASICS SportStyle is launching its first Australian pop-up in Sydney this month, bringing sneakers, matcha and mindfulness to the CBD. From Thursday, August 14 to Saturday, August 16, the three-day event will take over Chinatown Country Club to celebrate the brand's Japanese heritage and 'Sound Mind, Sound Body' philosophy. With a spotlight on ten years of GEL-QUANTUM™ innovation, visitors will experience a series of limited-edition sneaker drops. Keep an eye out for collabs with Jungles Jungles, re-stocks of the latest Cecilie Bahnsen and Above the Clouds collaborations — plus daily giveaways and a GEL-QUANTUM™ photo booth to capture your look. Snag a free matcha or cold brew on arrival (while stocks last), then dive into a roster of complimentary bookable workshops. From meditation and sound baths with Humming Puppy to evening DJ sessions and a hands-on matcha masterclass. On Thursday from 12–2pm, you can also catch Jack Ferguson from Jungles Jungles live-curating sneakers on-site. Find the ASICS SportStyle Sydney Pop-Up at Chinatown Country Club from August 14–16. Thursday, open 12pm–4pm. Friday–Saturday, open 10am–4pm. Entry is free, but bookings are required for select workshops. Find out more on the website.
The spider (or float, depending on who you ask) is a nostalgic treat with a special place in many people's hearts. And craft beer is also beloved across Sydney, with the city full of independent breweries creating classic and inventive hoppy creations. But, do the two mix? Two Sydney favourites have set out to find out just that. For four days in July, Gelato Messina and Frenchies Brewery are getting into the beer float business. Between Thursday, July 6–Sunday, July 9, the two local legends will be setting up at Frenchies Brewery in Rosebery just a few doors down from The Cannery. Here, they'll be offering a series of six different beer-and-gelato combos that they promise have been carefully curated — and tested ‚ to win over anyone who may be sceptical about the flavour pairing. Among the combos is Frenchie's Aperitivo Seltzer with blood orange sorbet, the Hazy XPA with coconut and lychee gelato, and the Mango Milkshake IPA with mango sorbet. The coconut and lychee gelato will also be paired with the Lapérouse brew, and the Hazy IPA can be combined with the strawberry and cream gelato. Rounding out the unexpected duos is the Kamchatka beer with raspberry sorbet. Messina and Frenchies have also promised that each float will provide a visual spectacle when combined. You'll have to head to the Rosebery gelateria to find out exactly what this sight entails. "Ever since Messina became our neighbours in The Cannery, we've been brainstorming creative ways to collaborate, and after we met with the team earlier this year, the idea for a beer float creation came to life," says Frenchies co-owner and Head Brewer Vincent de Soyers. "From there, our brewing team engaged in some research and development — there could be worse jobs, I know — and we landed on six unique combinations, which are as tasty as they are cool to watch as they evolve in the glass." Gelato Messina and Frenchies Brewing's spider pop-up will run from 12pm on Thursday, July 6 to 4pm on Sunday, July 9 at Frenchies Brewery, 6/61-71 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery.
Conventional maps of political results seen in the media, in stats and in reports often demonstrate a skewed and non-inclusive representation of the outcomes of US Presidential Elections. This then creates a politics of maps. However, Mark Newman, a renowned complexity researcher, has attempted to abate the confusion behind these inaccurate portrayals by creating his own highly inclusive and bona fide images. Newman believed the representations of states coloured by the majority votes was insufficient. Not only do these maps fail to take population into consideration, but they also demonstrate democratic or republican voters in each state as black and white, or in this case blue and red, rather than showing the many shades in between. After billions of dollars and years of incessant campaigning, surely an authentic portrayal of the election results is not too much to ask. Newman has answered this call by creating more realistic and more complex illustrations of the election results. First, view the varying processes Newman went through in accurately depicting the 2008 presidential elections, followed by his political map of the most recent 2012 election. 2008 Election Results By State With red depicting republicans and blue democrats, this widespread map of the 2008 Presidential Election is obviously a vast illusion, as one would not be wrong in mistaking the winner as McCain rather than Obama. 2008 Election Results Population Cartogram This more precise depiction instead shows the election results compared to the population sizes of each state. The fact is that the red states often have a lower population than the blue, thus increasing the proportion of blue in this image and eradicating the sea of red in the previous one. 2008 Election Results by County Rather than assuming an entire state is a homogenized mass holding a single political view, this map shows the electoral votes in each county of the US. Again, however, this image is incredible deceptive and misleading. 2008 Election Results by County Population Cartogram Using the same technology as before, this map demonstrates the results of the election by county, according to population. Once again this makes the balance between red and blue more accurate, however, this is much more specific and localized to certain areas. 2008 Election Results by County in Shades Forget 50 shades of grey, what we want to see is 50 shades of purple. To closer resemble the balance that exists within states and the nuances in voting patterns, Newman used varying shades of purple rather than simply two block colours. This eliminates the vast mass of red or blue spreading over particular areas and demonstrates that the country is not actually starkly divided. 2008 Election Results by County in Shades Population Cartogram Combining all the complex techniques above produces this truthful and reliable depiction of the election results compared to population per county. Much more accurate than the first map given! 2012 Election Results And now for the long awaited images of the recent 2012 US Presidential Election. Here is the image of the standard and simple map of the election results of Romney VS Obama. Not too distant from the image we saw from the 2008 Election. 2012 Election Results by County in Shades Population Cartogram Here is the more authentic portrayal of outcomes from the 2012 election using population per county and shades: an up-to-date representation of America's voting patterns that couldn't be much more accurate.
Roll up, roll up to Cirque du Soleil's big top, with the acclaimed circus company heading back to Sydney with its newest show. Called KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities, this acrobatic extravaganza steps inside a fantasy world in the latter half of the 19th century. If you think that normal Cirque du Soleil performances test your perception of reality, then you won't be disappointed — not quite believing your eyes, using your imagination and peering beyond the expected is part of the story. Specifically, KURIOS delves into the tale of the Seeker, who happens to be in possession of a larger-than-life curio cabinet, and also happens to think a hidden world is lurking inside. After world premiering in Montreal back in 2014, the production has been touring the globe since, and now it's setting up shop at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter from Wednesday, October 2. The show marks Cirque du Soleil's 35th since it was formed in 1984, and features 47 artists from 17 countries. Basically, prepare to stare and drop your jaw as gymnasts, acrobats, contortionists, puppeteers, yo-yo wizards, clowns, actors and musicians do their thing. Performances will take place on Tuesdays–Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 1pm and 5pm. UPDATE: NOVEMBER 1, 2019 — KURIOS: Cabinet of Curiosities has been moving heaps of tickets, and the season has been extended until December 29. After that, the show will move onto Brisbane. Tickets would make great Christmas presents, we might add. Images: D-CORD Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2018 Cirque du Soleil.
How does Ryan Coogler do horror? With the supernatural, a blues soundtrack, and blood and gore, and also with evil honing in on twin brothers who are trying to create a new haven for their Black community to let loose in after dark, and to simply call their own, in the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s. Both portrayed by Michael B Jordan (Creed III) — because the only thing better than one version of the actor in the filmmaker's Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is two in Sinners — Elijah and Elias, aka Smoke and Stack, are back in their hometown from Chicago with cash to splash and a dream to bring to fruition. They secure an old saw mill, then set about turning it into a juke joint as speedily as they can. The siblings' young cousin Sammie (debutant Miles Caton), a talented guitarist, is enlisted to assist. So is everyone from other musicians (Unprisoned's Delroy Lindo and The Penguin's Jayme Lawson) and friends (Omar Benson Miller, True Lies) to loves from before the brothers left for the city (Loki's Wunmi Mosaku and The Marvels' Hailee Steinfeld) and the local Chinese American shopkeepers (Based on a True Story's Li Jun Li and The Last Bout's Yao). Not just anyone can enter — but when Irishman Remmick (Jack O'Connell, Back to Black) insists on an invite through the doors after being drawn the bar's way by Sammie's powerful tunes, and is refused, he gets persistent. Remmick also gets toothy. Chatting about the picture back when its second trailer released, Coogler described Sinners as "very genre-fluid". He continued: "it switches in and out of a lot of different genres. Yes, vampires are an element of the movie. But that's not the only element. It's not the only supernatural element". Seeing how that proves accurate in the finished film, and how the man behind the movie has written and directed the hell out of it, is already one of 2025's best cinematic experiences. While marking the first time that Coogler hasn't explored a true story, taken on an existing franchise or brought an already-known character to the screen, there's never any doubting that the flick that results couldn't have sprung from anyone else — and that it builds upon one of the best filmographies in the business over the past decade. Although Sinners is Coogler's debut official and overt entry in the horror realm, in a way he's been stepping into that terrain since 2013's Fruitvale Station. When that feature charted the events leading to the death of Oscar Grant in Oakland, it examined a real-life incident far more distressing than any movie that's predicated upon bumps and jumps. Now, 12 years later, Coogler's path from his first film to his fifth is clear: in both, terrors and traumas can lurk for no more reason than being Black in America. [caption id="attachment_1000420" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marion Curtis / StarPix for Warner Bros.[/caption] Sinners also builds upon Coogler's tried, tested and terrific creative collaborations — with Jordan, yes, and also with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw (The Last Showgirl), production designer Hannah Beachler (Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé), editor Michael P Shawver (Abigail), and two Oscar-winners in composer Ludwig Göransson (Oppenheimer) and costume designer Ruth E Carter (Coming 2 America), all back from either Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever or both. Their sense of connection, of support, of coming together to realise a vision, is evident in every frame. Sinners' cast also gush about it. Indeed, when Coogler, Jordan, Caton, O'Connell, Lindo, Li, Mosaku, Steinfeld, Miller and Lawson chat through their experience making the movie, they talk about the shorthand between the film's writer/director and its two-time lead; first-timer Caton enjoying a spectacular learning experience; the depth at every turn, including for the feature's villain; and the cultural richness and attention to detail. Also covered: the flick's impressive choreography behind its frays, cultivating a sense of place, wanting to be on set on days off and more. On the Shorthand That Coogler and Jordan Have Established Over Five Projects and More Than a Decade of Collaborating Michael: "The shorthand has done nothing but get stronger over the years, especially with this one being my first movies that I've done since I directed my first film — and just having a deeper sense of empathy of what Ryan goes through on a day-to-day basis, all the hats that he must wear, the amount of places that he has to be at the same time. Especially on this one, for me to be able to be an extra set of eyes for him and help where I can or anticipate his movements or needs allowed us to maybe get a little bit more done, especially when time is always an issue on set in general — but it's a just mutual understanding. I can't really explain the nonverbal communication that we have that's only gotten better over the years." On Whether Coogler and Jordan's Working Relationship Evolved After Jordan Directed a Film Himself Ryan: "I worked as his producer on Creed III. It was a lot of times where I would never rub it in his face like that, but he would say 'whoa, man, I see what you're dealing with' — but the reality is, man, our jobs are so different. Even what he did when he was directing Creed III, he was acting in that movie. He was having to go get punched in the face and then go look and check to see how he did, and then go back and get punched again. I'm not on-screen ever when I'm directing. I'm behind the camera. Mike is an empathetic guy. He grew up on film and television sets. What I like the most about working with him is he has an incredible work ethic, but he's also a very kind and family-oriented person. When you're number one on the call sheet — in this case, he was 1A and 1B — you have that culture. Oftentimes, it's going to come from there and it trickles down. People are watching how the lead actor communicates with the PA; with the assistant director, the AD; with the camera operator; with the sound. Do they like to let the sound person mic them, or do they want to complain? All of these things, man. He's such an incredible sport and just kindness is the default. That's just infectious on the set in terms of establishing the tone that everybody's going to work with. It's unacceptable to yell at a PA — Mike had never done that, Mike had never raised his voice." Michael: "That's right. That's right." Ryan: "In an industry where it can get very high stress, it can get very toxic, it's great to have somebody who understands the value of keeping it loving and respectful, so that's what I like about Mike the most. The other piece is, he wants to challenge himself constantly. What was great was I got that with every cast member. Everybody who went through the works and stepped on the set, they were trying to be better than they were on their last movie. I believe that they're going to be better than they were on this movie on their next one. That's the type of people that we hired and that culture starts with Mike, but I was fortunate enough that everybody came with that, and I was very happy with that." On Caton's Journey with His First Film Role Miles: "I started off when I was 16 years old, I got the opportunity to sing background for HER, and we began a tour all over the world. We opened up for Coldplay. Towards the end of that tour, I got a call one day saying, she called me and she said 'little bro, there was somebody in the crowd that heard you sing and they want you to audition for this role'. I took that and I ran with it. I sent a self-tape audition. After that, I got a callback. Then they sent a couple sides. It was a kid, a young kid just playing the guitar. I did that and I sent that off. The next thing I knew, I had went to LA to do an audition, and I got to meet Mike and I got to meet Ryan along with a couple other people. From there, I got to really talk with them about the role and just put my best foot forward. After that, I was able to really learn from them. Just being on this project, I got to grow so much. Every day was a learning experience. From the time I got on set to the end, I really did push myself every day to be better. Being around actors at this level, they all showed me so much love, man, so to be here in this moment, I feel super blessed." On O'Connell's Job Unpacking the Many Layers of Sinners' Unsetting Supernatural Force Jack: "I think villain is a fair description. There's probably an easier way of doing things, but in the film, we do it the hard way for Remmick. He's all about fellowship and love. All he wants is just to bite you on your neck, and then that's everlasting love, just a little bite. He's constantly saying 'I promise I won't hurt you'. It's the easy way, but we end up going the hard way. Listen, there's a real richness, a real depth, I think, to Ryan's writing. What we were striving towards was — it wasn't superficial. It was grounded in something that's rooted in history. That, to me, was the main thing I was loving to latch onto, was the cultural richness that our characters were representing in individual ways." On Lindo Being Tasked with Getting Physical and Fiery Delroy: "First of all, we have such a wonderful team who work on the fights. I had said earlier 'oh, Ryan has a wonderful team that he puts at all the actors' disposal'. I had talked earlier about the fact that when I was younger, I did dance class and fighting on film, and in the theatre — it's like choreography, right? It's choreographed. On some level, the more violent the fights are, the more critically important it is that it be choreographed to a tee. These fights were. I came to the project a little late, because I was working on something else, but when I arrived in New Orleans they were already in the thick of building the moves in the fight. The very first fight rehearsal that I went to, the fight captain showed me what they were working on and showed me very specifically 'okay, this is how you will slot in'. We just worked very methodically to achieve that, so by the time we got on camera to shoot those scenes, we all knew exactly what we were doing, what our responsibilities were. The other thing I would say really quickly, there was an openness which trickles down from Ryan and from Mike in terms of the generosity shown to all of the actors. If something was presented to me, there were a couple of things presented to me in the fight scenes where I said 'can I maybe try this?'. 'Absolutely.' There was always space to incorporate what felt more organic for me as an actor." On the Attention to Detail That Went Into Exploring the Chinese American Experience Li: "I was not aware of the Chinese American community in the Mississippi Delta at all. I had no idea about them. All I knew was that when I was presented with the sides during my audition process, I had no other information other than the fact that she was a Chinese American with a very thick, deep southern accent, which was what really piqued my interest — and also obviously because it was Ryan's project. When we dived into the research, it was fascinating. They were such a crucial part of the world at the time. They were the only people who were able to open up grocery stores specifically for the Black and white communities, but they also endured a lot of prejudice themselves. In a documentary made by a filmmaker named Dolly Li, there were a couple of people that she mentioned. One of the women's names was Frieda Quon, which is whom we used for our dialect inspiration. She always said that as long as we stayed in our lanes, we were fine, but trouble would start if we crossed over. I just love how fascinating it was, how deeply embedded they were in the culture and how you would never think that a person who looks like me would speak that way, and yet they did. They also made southern-style Chinese food and they built their own community. It was really a gift to learn about this." On Why a Sense of Place Was So Important, Especially to Smoke and Annie's Love Story Wunmi: "Annie's shop, her home, is in this picturesque environment with these massive shaded oaks — and what's the other tree, the one in Louisiana with the moss? It's so beautiful and romantic and really adds to the magic of their relationship, their love. It elevates it. I love how, in the scene when we see Annie and Smoke for the first time, is it dandelions you've got blowing behind Smoke?" Ryan: "Yeah, pussy willows." Wunmi: "You say willow?" Ryan: "Yeah, pussy willow." Wunmi: "It's so beautiful. The whole shop itself, I feel like I wish we could see the whole thing because Hannah Beachler, she did such an amazing job." Delroy: "She did." Wunmi: "There's smoke coming up through the floorboards and there were these little cards hanging from the ceiling. This candle's burning in the background. You can't see all of this. There were spiderwebs on these spell books. These are real spiders. It's not even set design. It just felt really magical. It felt like their home. When he comes into the store, he knows where to pick his pipe from. He knows that time has stood still for her and everything is as it was. I really loved their environment. It felt like it really added to the scene, it added to our intimacy, it added to our connection." On Navigating Mary's Journey, and the Night-Time Shoots That It Entailed Hailee: "I think the nights were crazy, and a lot of the nights took place inside the juke, too. We would go in and it would be light — and we'd come out, it'd be light again. What I loved, though, so much about the juke for Mary was that even though it was a new place to her, it was home. There were so many elements within that juke that were created, that were brought to life, that were home. The food; the people, most importantly; the music; just the way, the layout where you'd have Smoke and Stack up above, Annie in her corner, the stage and Mary just moving through and feeling this sense of familiarity having never been there before because of who was around her. I love that so much about this character and how she falls into this story, because she's in a place of not knowing whether or not she, to an outsider, not so much herself — an outsider may not believe that she belongs in that space, but she does, she knows that and she feels it. Being in that juke, being on that stage and even in our exterior location, looking at that structure that was built, it was like it became our home. It became Mary's home. It became her connection to her mother and her past that she'd been away from for so long, living a very, very different life that we didn't necessarily see, but we could only imagine how beautiful it might've been or looked, rather, or how different it might've looked. It wasn't what she wanted. This is home. I loved walking in there and hearing everyone's shoes creak on the wood and the chairs that we see a little bit in the movie of the juke coming together. It's just like you wonder where it all came from and how they got it all together. It was all these people that are in there that made it happen, that brought it together. We had just the most incredible team, some of who you mentioned, bring this to life and make this feel like a safe space that we could call home." On the Collaborative and Creative Vibe That Comes with Working on a Coogler Film Omar: "I've been doing this for a good amount of time now. I've been blessed to work for a long time. Ryan Coogler runs the most-egalitarian set I have ever been on, and I say that in the most-complimentary way. Once we got to set, once everybody came out of the trailers, everybody was equal. For somebody who's had an underdog element to his whole career, I value that so much. To me, that was something that I leave with — leaving that set and always being welcome to return to the set, and always being a part of it with looking forward to return to it, was that I know that we're all being treated equally. Ryan knows everybody's first name. It's 200-something people. Ryan's calling people out: 'Roger Stevenson, how was your weekend?'. It's stuff like that. It's very, very, very impressive." Jayme: "This is hands-down my favourite experience. I think the way Ryan really set the tone, that it felt like we could bring our stories with us as he shared his with us — it made for this collaboration where, I think I can speak for a lot of us, we found a level of freedom that oftentimes you don't get to tap into, because you're being led by somebody that has so much faith in you and trust in you with his brainchild. At no point did he ever feel so precious about it. It was a gift that he was willing to share — every day, like Omar said. I would show up when I didn't have to be at work. Now, I don't know anybody else that would want to do that, but to be able to watch Ryan work, I had to. I just wanted be in that room at all times, and I am forever grateful for that." Sinners releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Film images: Warner Bros / Eli Ade.
"So, how long have you been dead?" If you're a vampire being interviewed, that's the kind of opening question that's bound to come your way. More queries obviously have to follow, but it's a helluva ice-breaker — and, in the new Interview with a Vampire TV series, it's slung Louis de Pointe du Lac's way. Set to arrive in October — in Australia via AMC+ from Sunday, October 2, with New Zealand details still to be announced — this new small-screen adaptation of Anne Rice's 1976 gothic horror novel of the same name sparks plenty of questions itself, too. No, Brad Pitt doesn't play Louis, as he did almost 30 years ago in the 1994 movie. No, Tom Cruise doesn't play fellow vamp Lestat de Lioncourt again either. And you can guess the answers to your next two queries: no, Kirsten Dunst isn't back as Claudia, and neither is Christian Slater as the interviewer. All those characters feature here, though, with the Interview with a Vampire series retelling Louis, Lestat and Claudia's tale. If you remember the flick — the film that helped push Dunst to fame as a child, well before she was an Oscar-nominee for The Power of the Dog — you'll know that it steps through the undead trio's not-quite-lives (being eternally undead might be the better way to describe it). This time, Jacob Anderson — aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm — is the New Orleans resident who can't resist the offer to live forever. Playing Lestat to his Louis is Australian actor Sam Reid (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson). As for child vampire Claudia, Bailey Bass (Psycho Sweet 16) does the honours, with the always-welcome Eric Bogosian (Succession) as probing interviewer Daniel Molloy. Like plenty of other upcoming movies and TV shows did — such as The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, John Wick: Chapter 4 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Interview with the Vampire dropped its first sneak peek at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. With Louis' story starting in the 1900s, it's big on period details and costuming, plus a sweeping mood. And yes, reviving 90s movies as a series is a trend that shows no signs of dying — like interviewed vampires — given that Interview with the Vampire will hit streaming queues less than two months after the new TV version of A League of Their Own does the same. Also, Interview with the Vampire joins the film-to-TV vampire ranks, too, alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows. Check out the Interview with the Vampire trailer below: Interview with the Vampire will start streaming in Australia viaAMC+ from Sunday, October 2. We'll update you with New Zealand details when they become available. Images: Alfonso Bresciani/AMC.
You can practically skip stones into the Hawkesbury River from this magnificently restored 19th century church. The grand sandstone structure has been divided into five private bedrooms (four with ensuites, one with an in-room clawfoot tub), a kitchen, dining area and living room complete with movie projector screen. The deck and plunge pool are welcome features for the warmer months, while a soaring steel steeple protects the rooftop lounge area from the elements for optimal sunset sessions by the fire pit. If you can drag yourself away from this ultimate chill-out pad, visit your hosts for dinner at the Settlers Arms Inn (which they also run) just five minutes up the road. And if you want to extend your stay in the area, hit the Womerah Range trail for a challenging two-day hike that takes you to the remote Heartbreak Hill campground in the Parr State Conservation Area. Images: Destination NSW
Anton Chekhov famously said that if a gun appears onstage in the first act, it has to go off in the second. The same could be expected of teenagers. We might not have thought things through as a society when we decided that humans still soft, still semi-formed, with hormones that fly like ping pong balls socked by the racquets of sex and existentialism should be forced to sit one exam that will determine so much of their futures. The stress is fierce. It's inevitable that some will snap from the force. Punk Rock, by English playwright Simon Stephens, leads us to question who it will be among its class of sixth formers (year 12s to us) about to take their A-level mock exams (that'd be HSC trials). Will it be the larrikin whose play can tilt into true bullying? The victimised nerd who feels the world coming to its doom? The quirky girl whose mum will "kill" her if she gets a 'B'? The play is misrepresented by both its title and its sometimes tagline, "The History Boys on crack". These teens are not rebellious or angry; they're anxious. Lilly (Darcie Irwin Simpson), William (Sam O'Sullivan), Bennett (Graeme McRae), Cissy (Madeleine Jones), Nicholas (Owen Little), Chadwick (Gabriel Fancourt) and Tanya (Rebecca Martin) are a particularly British public school (er, private school) breed of high achievers who gather in a secluded part of the library to study and socialise. They're searching for a real way to live in the 21st century, though not as real as it's about to get. The brilliance of Punk Rock lies in its vibrant, funny, confessional conversations that ring true without calling on a single 'like' or 'OMG' so often used to mark teens in contemporary texts. You're so subtly drawn in that you barely notice the undercurrents of power constantly at play, and when real menace surfaces, it's chilling. The masterful script has been staged with care and controlled energy by director Anthony Skuse (Lord of the Flies) and the pantsguys team. The sum is an unpatronising acknowledgement of the complexities of teenagerhood and a powerful reminder of why our schooldays are rarely the best of our lives. Due to popular demand, Punk Rock's season has been extended to August 18.
The Powerhouse may revive memories of some dorky, primary school excursions, but its late night series has us pumped. (Did you go eat 3D-printed chocolate last time the museum opened its doors after-hours?) This time around the it plunges further into new technologies, with an interactive, electronic art hallapalooza called Electric Dreams. Aside from late viewings of current ISEA exhibitions — Experimenta Speak to me, Semipermeable (+), and Synapse: a Selection — there's a whole program of artist talks and fun stuff to do. Among ISEA2013's artists, Katie Turnbull, George Khut and Benjamin Forster will all speak about their work. Meanwhile James Nichols helps you make your own party machines, Beryl Nicolai lets you wield a camera lucida, and Melinda Young provides old computer parts for you to craft into awesome jewellery. Google Earth Liquid Galaxy and Streetview Hyperlapse cameo for your interative pleasure, and the soundtrack for the night features the brilliantly named Rainbow Chan, who mashes up antique music boxes with 8-bit keyboards. The real clincher is the chance to play a bunch of throwback video games — Pac Man and Donkey Kong will also be in attendance.
A part of the University of Sydney, The Nicholson Museum is the nation's oldest university museum. It's home to over 30,000 artefacts from Egypt, Greece, Italy and surrounding countries. Founded over one hundred years ago, in 1860, it has been growing ever since. One of its ongoing exhibitions is the reconstructed Pompei built out of Lego — it's one of the largest historical Lego models ever built. And it's only one of the museum's Lego models, it also has a Lego Acropolis and a Lego Colosseum.
Creativity lives, which is a truth front and centre at HIDDEN, the annual sculpture exhibit taking over the sprawling grounds of Rookwood Cemetery. This year, you're in for an artistic display of 53 works spanning performance pieces, video installations and, of course, sculptures. Artists' explorations of history, creative forms, their own personal narratives and cultural traditions will form an openair two-kilometre walk among the gardens and graves. This year, there's a strong lineup of tours to choose from. A self-guided audio tour to keep it classic; or maybe a curator tour at dusk to dig a little deeper into the works as the sun sets. There are d/Deaf-led tours, artist talks and photography meet-ups, too. The free-to-visit exhibition is on from Saturday, September 10 till Sunday, October 9. It's recommended you start your wander at the Rookwood General Cemetery Office — on Hawthorne Avenue — so you can grab your map before trekking out. Ready to explore the historic grounds while you get your culture fix? Head to the website for more information.
We've all been there. You are walking through Ikea, looking for that green flower print pillow cover or flexible floor lamp, when you somehow get lost in the kitchen section. Well, now you have a way out, thanks to Google Maps for Android. Google has expanded its cartography and announced that it is moving into the great Australian indoors. So now when you step off the street into the gargantuan megaplexes that house the biggest thing to come out of Sweden since ABBA, you no longer have to look silly asking for directions at every turn. More than 200 other iconic indoor locations across Australia have also been mapped, including Flinders Street Station, Sydney Opera House and Crown Casino in Melbourne, as well as many Westfield shopping centres. The bulk of the sites are in New South Wales and Victoria, but Adelaide Airport and Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre proudly represent their respective states and many more locations are on their way. The technology largely relies on local wi-fi networks and is currently only available on Android devices. No news of if or when the technology will be available for iPhone users. So if you're on Android, find your way indoors and head straight to that Gronkulla.
You don't have to travel far from Sydney to enjoy the waves with your pup, either. Go for a frolic at Rowland Reserve, which is 45 minutes north of the CBD, in between Newport and Mona Vale. The park is open 24 hours, it has drinking water available and occasionally dog washing facilities on the weekend. Plus, pooches can swim to their heart's content. There's a big sandy spit, and the water's pretty shallow, so your pooch won't find itself (literally) in the deep end. Once your pup is done frollicking, you can also head over to The Newport, which also welcomes four-legged friends.
Before the pandemic, compiling a travel bucket list was limited only to your imagination. Now, after years of international border closures, and also the shutting down of overseas travel into and out of many countries, it's also guided by COVID-19 rules, requirements, restrictions and entry procedures. But if you've been keen to add Bali to your itinerary, the Indonesian island has good news: it's now open to double-vaccinated Australian and New Zealand tourist without quarantine. Back in February, Bali started welcoming back select tourists — including folks from Down Under — but with a shortened isolation period, requiring arrivals to quarantine for five days once they hit the island. Now, since Monday, March 7, that rule has been scrapped. There's still mandatory testing, as well as a few other procedures to abide by, but you no longer have to factor in a lengthy stint confined to your hotel before your getaway genuinely kicks into gear. Firstly, the new rules only apply to travellers who have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine — and, in the 48 hours before you get to Bali, you also need to get a PCR test (and, obviously, it needs to return a negative result). Then, thanks to Bali's newly implemented Visa on Arrival program, you'll fill out the paperwork and pay the fee (around AU$50) when you hop off the plane, and also take another PCR test. You will need to isolate until you get a negative result from that one, but that's clearly better than spending five days in quarantine. Upon arrival, you'll also need to show proof of a paid hotel booking for four days/three nights, as well as health insurance that covers COVID-19 up to at least US$25,000. And, you'll have to download the Bali COVID app as well. Then, three days after you get there, you're required to take another PCR test as well — but there's no isolation requirement attached. Countries covered under Bali's Visa on Arrival program since Monday, March 7 include Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Qatar, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Italy, Turkey and UEA, with the scheme expanding to 42 nations on Monday, March 21. Indonesia has also just dropped its quarantine requirement nationwide, effective from the same date. That yearning you now feel? It's the need to pull out your dusty suitcase, get packing and book yourself a beachy Bali holiday. For more information about the requirements for travelling to Bali, head to the Indonesian Government's website.
Since long before holidaying in our own backyards and socialising outdoors as much as possible became the status quo, Sydney has been a mighty fine city to see via foot. You can mosey around in general, or you can put one foot in front of the other near the water — and now you can also stroll the entire 11 kilometres that makes up the Barangaroo foreshore walk, too. Being able to wander along this part of the harbour isn't new, but it has just received a pivotal upgrade thanks to the opening of a just-added 300-metre walkway. Launched this week, on Monday, April 12, it's the very last piece of the walk. So, you can now meander from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge without stopping. You'll also be stepping along a spot that was once completely inaccessible to Sydneysiders. The new curved path hugs the harbour, spans 15 metres in width and turns the new section into a tree-lined boulevard, with landscape architect Peter Walker — who also worked on Barangaroo Reserve — behind the design. Completing the lengthy walk, the new stretch of path follows last year's new amphitheatre-style boardwalk at Waterman's Cove — which extended the Wulugul Walk that runs along The Streets of Barangaroo's 13 eateries. Come late 2022, the Waterman's Cove part of Barangaroo foreshore will also welcome a pavilion made from recycled Sydney oyster shells, which'll make quite an eye-catching addition to your future strolls, jogs and bike rides. The full Barangaroo foreshore walk is now open, stretching from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge. For more information about the area, head to the Barangaroo website.
During the summer months, there's often one thing at the top of our to-do lists: hitting up as many beaches as possible. Australia has a lot of them (11,761 of them, to be exact) and choosing which ones to go to can be difficult. Where won't be too busy? Too seaweed-y? Which one has the whitest sand? The bluest water? Is the best for beach cricket? There's a lot to consider. Thankfully, Tourism Australia's Beach Ambassador (how do we apply?) Brad Farmer AM has done the hard yards and pulled together a tidy list of the top 20 Australian beaches for 2020. Farmer chose the beaches based on water quality, cleanliness, capacity, facilities, safety and 'wow' factor, as well as a host of other factors. Topping the list for 2020 is Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast, tucked between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. As well as being a great surfing spot that's reasonably quiet, Cabarita is filled with lauded dining destinations and a brand-new glamping retreat a thong's throw from the award-winning beach. Farmer calls it a "quintessential Aussie beachscape showcasing a truly diverse range of settings to swoon over". [caption id="attachment_754821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wagga Wagga Beach by Destination NSW.[/caption] Also on the list, for the first time, is an "inland beach". Wagga Wagga Beach, coming in at number nine, is located on the banks of the Murrumbidge River a five-hour drive inland from Sydney. It's far from the coast — and the seashore — but Farmer said "it's time we extend the meaning of a beach". "There are so many aquatic environments across Australia's interior," Farmer said in a statement. "These water spaces...socially connect rural and remote communities in often dusty and dry, drought conditions." At a time when so many parts of rural Australia are suffering through a two-year drought, it seems a fitting time to recognise our inland water bodies. A second non-coastal beach made the list, too: the pristine Lake McKenzie on Queensland's Fraser Island, which came in tenth. Rounding out the top five are the Gold Coast's Currumbin Beach at number two, NSW's hidden Minnamurra Beach (aka Mystics Beach) at number three, and Maria Island in Tasmania and Queensland's Cape Tribulation at number four and five respectively. Some of Australia's busiest (and, arguably, most popular) beaches — ie Bondi and Jervis Bay— didn't make the short list, but are both on Farmer's long list of 101 top Australian beaches for 2020. As did the Whitsunday's Whitehaven Beach, Australia's top-ranking beach in FlightNetwork's global list. So pack your togs (and your beach cricket set), round up some mates and start ticking these off. We see many road trips in your future. [caption id="attachment_754820" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lake McKenzie by Ashley Dobson[/caption] THE TOP 20 BEST AUSTRALIAN BEACHES FOR 2020 1. Cabarita (NSW) 2. Currumbin (Qld) 3. Minnamurra (NSW) 4. Maria Island (Tas) 5. Cape Tribulation (Qld) 6. Brighton Beach (Vic) 7. Bettys Beach (WA) 8. South Port Beach (SA) 9. Wagga Wagga Beach (NSW) 10. Lake McKenzie (Qld) 11. The Basin, Rottnest Island (WA) 12. Fingal Bay (NSW) 13. Smiths Beach (WA) 14. Neds Beach, Lord Howe Island (NSW) 15. Quobba Station Red Bluff (WA) 16. Cossies Beach (Indian Ocean) 17. Lake Tyers Beach (Vic) 18. Diamond Head (NSW) 19. Pondalowie Bay (SA) 20. Killiecrankie Beach, Flinders Island (Tas) Top images: Cabarita Beach by Destination NSW
Welcome to funky town. Ms.G's, in a narrow three-storey building in leafy, sexy Victoria Street, is doing things a bit differently - and it's working. Distressed, graffiti-covered walls, tables of strung together cardboard boxes and moody lighting make this Sydney's newest hipster hang. It's purposely 'street' and achingly cool but the food well and truly holds its own. Young chefs Dan Hong, Jowett Yu and their crew are a clever bunch — they have taken New Yorker David Chang's Momofuku model and given Sydney something that's a bit punk, very cool and absolutely delicious. Swinging from China to Vietnam, to Korea and back again, this is innovative exciting Asian food meant for sharing and Sydney dining is all the better for it. Start with a plate of pickles - these are bar snacks with a difference. Vietnamese steak tartare should be your next stop, a clever reinvention of a classic that you mix yourself and comes with a side of crunchy prawn crackers. Already becoming a favorite are the egg noodles with braised duck, runny poached egg and XO sauce. Buddha's Delight salad is not only a vegetarian's dream but a not-to-be-missed textural experience, ranging from silky to crunchy. Delightful indeed. And to finish, it's hard to go past a sticky sweet concoction called Stoner's Delight (let your imagination run wild) There's a drink for everyone at Ms.G's. By far the most fun are the 'packaged' cocktails in sealed Japanese bubble tea-like plastic ware. A Pina 'Pearls' Colada and a Yuzu Slushee make you feel like a kid all over again but have an alcoholic kick that reminds you that it's adult only. Ms.G's is a fun night out - for the people watching, the crazy-busy fun vibe and most of all the terrific exciting food. Grab a group (you can book for 6 or more) and enjoy the ride.
What's creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky, has been around for 84 years now, and just keeps scampering around screens big and small like a mischievous severed limb? The Addams Family, of course. What's finally in the hands of Tim Burton, aka the director who could easily be one of the altogether-ooky crew's long-lost relatives, and has spent his entire career channelling their gothic aesthetic? Yep, that'd be The Addams Family again. It's time to get a witch's shawl on and a broomstick you can crawl on, because Netflix — and Burton — are gonna pay a call on popular culture's most famous supernatural brood. The show in question: Wednesday, starring Jenna Ortega as the titular figure. Indeed, it's turning out to be quite the year for the actor, especially when it comes to horror, with this new take on The Addams Family following her roles in Scream, Studio 666 and X already in 2022. Wednesday will clearly focus on its namesake, aka the Addams' eldest child, who plenty of teenage girls with long black hair have been compared to for decades. Wednesday is indeed a teen in the new series — a high schooler, in fact. As seen in the just-dropped first trailer for the show, she has been terrorising her way through schools, hopping through eight of them in five years. The sneak peek starts with the plait-wearing figure getting the boot from another, too, with some help from a couple of bags of piranhas, then ending up at Nevermore Academy. Her father Gomez (Luis Guzmán, Hightown) and mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Prodigal Son) met at Nevermore, and think that she'll love it — but clearly Wednesday's storyline isn't going to be that straightforward. While she's there, she'll have a monstrous killing spree to stop, and a supernatural mystery linked to her parents a quarter-century ago to solve. Sleuthing, high school antics and all things Addams Family: that's the spell that Wednesday plans to cast when it arrives this spring Down Under (Netflix hasn't announced an exact release date, but you could put money on it dropping in October for obvious reasons). The trailer looks like Burton is filtering his Frankenweenie, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands vibes through Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children — so, it looks exactly like a Tim Burton-directed version of The Addams Family was always going to. Wednesday treads in huge footsteps, though, given that this isn't the first time that The Addams Family has made the leap from a beloved cartoon in The New Yorker to the screen. The 1960s TV series is a gem of the era, and 1991's live-action film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values are two of the best movies of that decade. (The less said about the recent animated flick and its own follow-up, however, the better.) Netflix's eight-part series also stars Isaac Ordonez (A Wrinkle in Time) as Pugsley and George Burcea (Comrade Detective) as Lurch, while Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie is also set to pop up. And, although exactly who she'll be playing hasn't been revealed, the 90s Wednesday Addams, aka Yellowjackets' Christina Ricci, is also on the cast list. Check out the first teaser trailer for Wednesday below: Wednesday will start streaming via Netflix sometime in spring Down Under — we'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Images: Matthias Clamer / Vlad Cioplea / Netflix © 2022.
European cinema doesn't get much of a representation in Australia for most of the calendar year, at least until Europa! Europa rolls around. Returning this year for its fifth run, the festival will draw on the rich cinematic talent of continental Europe to create a lineup of 43 of the latest and greatest pictures from 22 countries and import them to screens around the country from Thursday, February 19 to early March. Leading this year's program is the opening night ANZ premiere of Norwegian director Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, starring Amada Seyfried in a Golden Globe-nominated performance as the founder of the devotional Christian sect known as the Shakers in the mid-18th century. "We couldn't be more excited to open our festival with this impressive feature from Mona Fastvold that is as propulsive and passionate as its subject", said Europa! Europa Artistic Director Spiro Economopoulos. "This film encapsulates what Europa is all about: bold filmmaking and epic storytelling that spotlights fascinating subjects and showcases European talent." Other major mentions on the program include Willem Dafoe starring in Miguel Angel Jimenez's The Birthday Party, a story of succession and authority set against an extravagant birthday party; a documentary covering the wartime experiences and recovery of a Ukrainian serviceman in Olivier Sarbil's Viktor and the Australian premiere of Wunderschöner, the sequel to German box office hit Wunderschön (2022) that continues to explore intimacy, beauty standards and self worth in the contemporary world. Beyond the lead films, there are literary adaptations, stories of European musicians, European-made animated films, LGBTQIA+ films, historical stories, documentaries and retrospectives in multiple languages. Browse the full program here. Spiro Economopoulos told Concrete Playground what he's most excited for audiences to discover with this year's festival, saying, "I am excited for audiences to encounter the full breadth of this year's program. Beyond The Testament of Ann Lee, there are bold debut features and new work from established directors, films shaped by moral tension and political pressure without easy answers. That conversation sits at the heart of Europa." "The festival offers an intimate way to experience contemporary European cinema, with real care given to direction, performance, and ideas," Economopoulos adds. "The scale allows audiences to sit close to the work and to each other. This year's lineup reflects how Europe thinks and feels right now, across themes of identity, power, love, and resistance. I hope people leave carrying images and questions for days after the credits roll." This year marks Europa! Europa's first national program, which had previously only run in Sydney and Melbourne. This year, from Thursday, February 19, the festival will run at Melbourne's Classic Cinemas and Lido Cinemas until Thursday, March 19 and Belgrave's Cameo Cinemas until Monday, March 2; Ritz Cinemas in Sydney until Thursday, March 19, Brisbane's Angelika Cinemas and Hobart's State Cinema until Sunday, March 1, State and Bridgeway Cinema in Auckland until Wednesday, March 4. For more information on Europa! Europa Film Festival, to browse the full program or get tickets, visit the website. Lead image: 'The Testament of Ann Lee' Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Bowl-A-Rama. Sounds like a Fred Flinstone bowling festival, but unfortunately for devotees of the prehistoric inhabitant of Bedrock (and fortunately for the rest of us) it's not. We're talking bowl as in skateboarding bowl. And Bowl-A-Rama as in bonafide skateboarding festival. As in the best skaters in Australia, competing on one of the finest bowls in the world for the biggest prize money in the history of the event, all with the backdrop of the iconic Bondi Beach. Last year, the Vans Bowl-A-Rama attracted more than 60 of the world's top skaters and more than 6,000 spectators. This year, the event kicks off with a free launch party at the Beach Road Hotel, with loads of music and giveaways. The week-long festival also includes the Love & Guts Art Show, featuring the work of some of the world's most creative skaters past and present, like Lance Mountain, Steve Cavallero, Christian Hosoi, Pat Hgoho, and the Vans Wrap Party and awards night. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oinHX-LqqgY
The original Anchorman was the exemplification of bottled lightning — an entirely unanticipated revelation, like champagne, penicillin or sex panther. To think upon it even now is to at once giggle and confound, because really — what was it all about? Yes, there was the surprisingly cogent engagement with sexism and old old wooden ships, but ultimately it was less a film and more a collection of random sketches bearing scant relevance to either plot or each other. Still, it worked. Really worked. Anchorman became an instant classic and surely the most quotable movie since Zoolander. How and why a line like 'I love lamp' becomes iconic is anybody's guess, yet for the past decade it's almost been the unofficial mantra for Gen-Y. So, for writers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, the question was: could they bottle lightning twice? Not quite, as it turns out, but it's not a bad attempt by the pair, and there are certainly enough laughs to justify the effort. Anchorman 2 picks up the story in the early '80s, where legendary news anchor Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) has lost his job while his wife, Veronica (Christina Applegate), has been promoted to primetime host. Down and out, drunk and working as an announcer at Sea World, Burgundy receives an offer to join the first ever 24/7 news network — GNN — headed up by the unscrupulous and unintelligible Aussie billionaire Kench Allenby (Josh Lawson). Burgundy quickly accepts and immediately sets out to reunite his iconic news team, comprising sex-fiend Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), uncomfortable-hugger Champ Kind (David Koechner) and confused-frown Brick Tamland (Steve Carell). From that moment on, Anchorman 2 is a trip down a very familiar lane. There's neither innovation nor reinvention here as we again encounter a flashy jazz flute performance, absurd vocal warmups, unconventional exclamations ("By the hymen of Olivia Newton John!"), Brian's secret cupboard of adult goodies, auto-cue accidents, wrestling with dangerous animals and a battle royale between rival news crews that's so cameo-heavy, it topples over before it even begins. Most disappointing of all is the misapplication of Carell's character, whose periodic non sequiturs were a highlight in the original, but are too often replaced in the sequel by ear-shattering screaming or desperate, maniacal laughter. That's not to say Anchorman 2 is light on the laughs. Far from it — they're just less memorable. So too the one-liners, making it unlikely the next decade will feature re-quotes in the same way things like 'stay classy' appeared throughout the last. It does also offer an amusing and critical take on the sensationalisation of news, with Burgundy asking at one point: "Why do we need to tell the people what they need to hear? Why can't we tell them what they want to hear?" It's an entirely justifiable gibe, particularly given the way juggernauts like Fox News could scarcely call themselves that, but feels too earnest in a movie that is otherwise unabashedly absurd. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Elczv0ghqw0
Harbourside favourite Bar Patrón has thrown open the doors of its Circular Quay home for the first time in three years, returning to Phillip Street with a new team, a new menu, and the same classy look and stunning views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. From Wednesday, April 27, patrons can return to the tequila-loving spot for Patrón cocktails and top-notch Mexican eats. The only restaurant to partner with Patrón Tequila in this way anywhere in the world, Bar Patrón originally opened under the ownership of Neil Perry and the Rockpool Dining Group before shutting down close to three years ago. Now under the guidance of hospitality group Pacific Concepts (El Camino, The Bavarian, Fratelli Fresh, The Argyle) — a spinoff from Rockpool — the restaurant boasts a revamped range of food and drinks created by Food and Beverage Director Molly Haranis, Culinary Director Gabor Denes and Executive Chef of Mexican Concepts Manuel Diaz. The initial menu highlight: the array of tacos. The house-pressed tortillas are topped with the likes of steak asada, eggplant carnitas and soft shell crab; however, the signature surf 'n turf taco combines the steak with lobster al pastor, avocado mousse, grilled pineapple and a Patrón Silver salsa. The tacos are complimented by a range of entrees and share plates that can be curated into a perfect group meal with your friends, but you'll find a few truly luxe mains on the menu for those that want to go big. For $79–149, you can order lobster accompanied by a Patrón Silver cheese sauce, or at $125, you can treat yourself to the 500-gram MB6+ Tajima wagyu beef rib eye. Move your attention to the cocktails and you'll find one common denominator, unsurprisingly — Patrón, of course. Some favourites from the bar's previous iteration are back. There's the signature margarita, plus the outlandish Millionaire's Margarita, which is created table-side and combines Patrón Gran Burdeos, Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac, Grand Marnier Cuvée Du Cent Cinquantenaire and nitro-chilled lime pearls, all served over a gold leaf-coated ice diamond. More inventive Patrón creations available on the menu include a range of highballs, a macadamia and wattleseed espresso creation, and the platinum martini that pulls together Gran Patrón Platinum tequila, glacier-cut vodka and grape tincture. And, tequila-lovers can explore the selections of rare and barrel-aged tequilas ranging from 23-month bourbon oak cast sips through to the ultra-rare En Lalique Serie 1 and En Lalique Serie 2, the latter of which are available for a cool $990 a glass. Find Bar Patrón at 2 Phillip Street, Circular Quay — open Tuesday–Saturday 9am–11pm.
