2024 marks four years since Sydney and Melbourne welcomed a new film festival devoted to the weirder side of cinema. That event: Fantastic Film Festival Australia, which pops up in the first half of each year to showcase boundary-pushing flicks both new and old. It also features an annual nude screening, challenging what hitting the pictures means not just on the screen, but as an audience experience. For its fourth season, FFFA is going with an "if it ain't broke" approach. The festival's setup has worked a treat in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — and this is the type of event where a new batch of movies should always be the star of the show. In 2024, then, get ready for a Ryan Corr-starring monster movie, a 4K restoration of The Raid and a 15th-anniversary session of Enter the Void for starters. Sting, which is helmed by Australian director Kiah Roache-Turner (Wyrmwood: Apocalypse), and sees Corr (In Limbo) joined by Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), Noni Hazelhurst (One Night), Penelope Mitchell (What You Wish For) and Silvia Colloca (Wellmania) — plus some eight-legged creatures — is opening Fantastic Film Festival Australia 2024 in both cities. The fest will run in Sydney from Wednesday, April 17–Friday, May 10 at the Ritz Cinemas in Randwick. In Melbourne, it'll span Thursday, April 18–Thursday, May 9 at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn, plus from Thursday, April 25–Tuesday, April 30 at Thornbury Picture House. Fans of Gareth Evans' (Gangs of London) epic Indonesian action effort The Raid will scope out the shiny restoration for the first time in Australia during the festival. Also in the throwback category throughout the event: Australia's own Melbourne-set thriller Metal Skin from 1994. And Gaspar Noé's (Vortex) Enter the Void has the closing-night slot, with Sydney-based electronic artist Corin providing a new original live score. If catching a movie in the buff has been one of your big FFFA highlights previously, you'll be able to strip off again this year. If you haven't made it along in the past, you're getting another chance to redress that while undressing. The film you'll be watching: comedy classic The Naked Gun. Clearly it has the right title for it. From there, there's no shortage of other must-sees on a program that covers 24 features alongside 14 shorts. Luc Besson's (Anna) DogMan stars Caleb Landry Jones (Nitram), Steven Soderbergh (Full Circle)-produced thriller Divinity gets another Down Under run after playing SXSW Sydney 2023, and Cannibal Mukbang from first-time director Aimee Kuge combines romance and gore. Or, there's Krazy House with Shaun of the Dead favourite Nick Frost and Clueless great Alicia Silverstone — and also gothic horror The Vourdalak, which hails from the pages of AK Tolstoy's novel. From South Korea, The Childe follows an amateur boxer and an assassin. France's The Deep Dark gets trapped with cave miners a thousand metres below the earth's surface — and, also representing Gallic cinema, Hood Witch stars Golshifteh Farahani (Invasion) and Denis Lavant (Holy Motors), Mars Express heads into the future and off the planet in animation, Vincent Must Die sees random strangers attack its namesake and Pandemonium follows folks who suddenly find themselves on a remote mountain road. Or, there's Japan's One Percenter, which is a love letter to action cinema; a travelling knife salesman crossing paths with robbers in The Last Stop to Yuma County; and Mami Wata, which was Nigeria's Oscar entry — the nation's third ever. For those keen on shorts, some will play before the features, while Melbourne will also get a session focused on locally made efforts. 2024 Fantastic Film Festival Australia Dates: Melbourne: Thursday, April 18–Thursday, May 9 — Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn Thursday, April 25–Tuesday, April 30 — Thornbury Picture House, Thornbury Sydney: Wednesday, April 17–Friday, May 10 — Ritz Cinemas, Randwick Fantastic Film Festival Australia runs in April and May at Ritz Cinema, Randwick in Sydney, plus Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn and Thornbury Picture House, Thornbury in Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the FFFA website.
Visit the largest seafood market in the Southern Hemisphere and hunt down freshly shucked oysters, grilled mornay lobster, sushi doughnuts and giant crabs. Approximately 55 tonnes of the freshest seafood is auctioned each day as this giant market. It's open seven days a week from 7am (except Christmas and New Year's Day) for you to choose the most delicious seafood to take home. If you can't wait to eat, there are plenty of stalls selling ready-to-eat dishes, sunlit tables out the front and a super affordable yum cha restaurant upstairs.
Fans of 'hard-to-kill' indoor plants should make tracks to Marrickville's newest nursery, Plant Girl. What started out as a same-day delivery service has now expanded to open a bricks-and-mortar store along Sydenham Road — and it's offering black thumb-proof gifts in brightly coloured ceramic pots. Plant Girl is run by inner west local Felicity Keep, who wanted to add a bit of quirk to your indoor plant game. Customers can mix-and-match any combo of plant and pot, with the goal of creating a highly styled, personalised gift or cute new green baby for yourself — with predominately easy-to-keep-alive plants on offer. The shop is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers a much wider range of plants, ceramics and giftware than had previously been available online. At the moment, the plants on offer include snake plants, zanzibar gems, dragon tails and boston ferns, all of which land in the 'low maintenance' and 'hard to kill' categories. That means you don't need to worry about you or your recipient's green thumb (or lack thereof). For more experienced gardeners, the bird of paradise is also up for grabs. As far as the packaging goes, the vibrant pots range from metallic to turquoise and bright pink. You can also nab neem oil leaf shine or a bottle of indoor plant food (in store and online), both of which will help keep your new babies happy and healthy. For those still after delivery, Plant Girl continues to offer door-to-door service within a ten-kilometre radius of their Marrickville shop, which includes all of the inner west and the CBD, plus a chunk of the eastern suburbs and a bit of North Sydney and the lower north shore, too. You can check out the map over here. And, if you order before 11am, you can opt for same-day delivery Monday through Friday. But, when the weekend rolls around, the only place you'll be able to get your hands on these goods is in store.
Australia's reigning gelato kings are back at it. Gelato Messina, which transformed from a single Sydney store in 2002 into a bona fide national empire, has just launched two Woolworths-exclusive flavours — and we are running, not walking, to get out hands on these ones, winter be damned. Landing now in freezers nationwide and online, the brand-new P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline and Super Flan sound exactly like the types of indulgent flavours that has seen Messina become a household name, stacked with in-house sauces and signature mix-ins. Channeling strong 'give the people what they want' energy, each of the new flavours is a riff on a beloved Messina signature. Long-time devotees might find the P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline familiar, and they wouldn't be mistaken — it's a supermarket-ready take on one of the brand's most in-demand scoop-shop specials. Each tub is a flavour bomb of creamy peanut butter gelato swirled with house-made peanut praline and rich peanut fudge. Meanwhile, Super Flan brings one of the brand's biggest fan faves to the masses: a creamy vanilla custard gelato rippled with Messina's in-house dulce de leche, made the proper Argentinian way. Each flavour comes in a 475ml pint, and joins the five Messina tub flavours lining Woolies shelves — namely, Pistachio Praline, Tiramisu, Dulce de Leche, Hazelnut Praline and Dulce de Leche, and Robert Brownie Jr. Since its October 2024 launch, the tub line has become one of the supermarket's best-selling frozen dessert lines, with over 500,000 pints already having flown off the shelves. While you're likely more concerned with what's going on inside the tub, the artwork on the front is worth a second look. The colourful characters that adorn each tub have been designed by Bondi-born, New York-based artist Jeremyville, who was also responsible for the vibrant murals in Messina's original Darlinghurst store. "Gelato Messina has always been about quality, creativity, and making people happy, and pushing the boundaries of flavour and quality," says Gelato Messina founder, Nick Palumbo. "Expanding into Woolworths has allowed us to share our passion with more Australians, while staying true to our roots." Messina's new P.B. Peanut Butter Fudge & Praline and Super Flan flavours are available now and exclusively at Woolworths, in the freezer aisle or online. For more info, head to the Messina website.
Ever since 2025's Sydney Film Festival first started revealing its program back in March, the event was on track for a huge year. How big? By the numbers, the fest screened 242 films, and put on 448 screenings and events. Among that massive lineup of sessions, more than 150 sold out. So, it should come as no surprise that this year's SFF also made history thanks to its 150,000-plus attendees. That hefty number of folks who spent some or all of the festival's 12-day run from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 in a Sydney cinema is an 11-percent increase on 2024's attendance figure. It also makes SFF 2205 the highest-selling festival in its history. As Sydney Film Festival CEO Frances Wallace described it, "this year has been extraordinary". "It's amazing that after 72 years, the Sydney Film Festival is stronger than ever. It's a tribute to the organisers and the tens of thousands of film fans who've turned out. This festival, its fans and its filmmakers have once again created an absolute highlight in Sydney's events calendar," said New South Wales Minister for the Arts John Graham about the fest's 2025 achievement. "As the curtain falls on another unforgettable Sydney Film Festival, we look back on and celebrate the bold storytelling, diverse voices and shared cinematic journeys that lit up our screens and sparked our imaginations," added Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "I look forward to our continued partnership with the Sydney Film Festival and all that it brings to our fine city." The fest came to an end for 2025 with a closing-night gala that gave relationship comedy Splitsville its Australian premiere — and first screening anywhere beyond its Cannes debut — and announced this year's prizewinners. Receiving the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize for the most "audacious, cutting edge and courageous" movie in the fest's Official Competition: Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident, fresh from taking home the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, too, and with the iconic Iranian filmmaker himself in attendance in the Harbour City. That said, the event that opened with body-horror Together, gave Ari Aster's Eddington its Aussie premiere and boasted DEATH STRANDING's Hideo Kojima among its guests isn't actually quite done for 2025 so far. The official festival itself has said goodbye until 2026, but it's also screening Back By Popular Demand encore sessions between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20 at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas. Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening four days of encores via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Jafar Panahi images: Tim Levy.
When King Kong swung into cinemas back in 1933, it reshaped movie history — and also had viewers everywhere thinking twice about great apes. Fast-forward almost nine decades, and now another giant gorilla is making an impact. You can see King Nyani IRL, however, and not just on the silver screen. Even better: you can now climb into the 30-foot-long creature's hands at Taronga Zoo. Created by public artists Gillie and Marc Schattner, King Nyani was inspired by King Kong. Consider the bronze statue — the world's largest bronze gorilla statue, in fact — a response to that pop-culture behemoth. "In the movie, Kong is seen as a ferocious beast. That was so far from our experience meeting the actual animals. We wanted to show the world that this great creature was really a pacifist who put family above all else," says Marc. Spreading a message of conservation, King Nyani first popped up in New York City — where else? — in August 2020, and understandably received a huge reaction. Now, the the first edition of the sizeable statue sits in the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, with a second due to be installed at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut. Yes, that makes Sydney's version edition three. "We decided to create three editions after seeing the unbelievable response to the original Nyani in NYC. We knew that this was a cause that many people were willing to get behind," advises Gillie. "This was a chance to inspire three times as many people to protect gorillas to save them from extinction." King Nyani is definitely big — up to three people can sit inside the bronze silverback's hands, an act that serves multiple purposes. "We wanted to create a sculpture where the public could really get close to the silverback, both physically and emotionally. Being able to sit in his hand and look up into his gentle face, we hope they will fall in love and join the movement to save the gorillas," explains Gille. At Taronga, King Nyani now sits next to the Centenary Viewing Platform, underneath a giant fig tree — and mere metres away from the zoo's harbour view. You'll need an entry ticket to Taronga to check out its new addition, and to snap those pics you know are going to be all over social media, but those funds will go towards the zoo's efforts to support, care and protect wildlife, including gorillas. King Nyani is on display next to the Centenary Viewing Platform at Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman. For more information, head to the zoo's website.
Every year, one of the most unmissable events on the Mardi Gras calendar is the Sissy Ball. Taking over Sydney Town Hall on Saturday, February 24, the shindig will transport you to a dance floor inspired by NYC's legendary ballroom scenes. Spend the night making shapes to a 'disco-house-bounce-pop' soundtrack and watching an epic vogue championship, which will see entrants compete across nine categories, including Sex Siren, Hands, Face, Realness and Trans Man Best Dressed. Godmother of Australian Ballroom, Kilia, is returning this year as curator, with a lineup of beloved ballroom figures coming together to judge, alongside Jack Mizrahi and Jamaica Moana who will be delivering high voltage rapid-fire commentary. In charge of the tunes for the night will be MikeQ, a legendary producer and DJ within the ballroom community who was even sampled on Beyonce's Renaissance, plus Brisbane-based superstar Neesha Alexander. You can check out the full lineup Sissy Ball via the Mardi Gras Instagram. First and second release dance floor tickets are sold out, so act quick if you want to secure your spot.
If you're a Lorde fan, there's no better news than this: in February 2026, the 'Royals', 'Green Light', 'Solar Power' and 'What Was That' singer-songwriter will hit the stage in both Australia and New Zealand. The Aotearoan star's Ultrasound world tour has just locked in gigs Down Under, heading to six cities across the two countries, making dates with arenas at every stop. Ella Yelich-O'Connor last took her Solar Power tour to both nations in 2023. This time, as part of a run of concerts that begins in September 2025 in the US — and also includes gigs in Canada, the UK and across Europe before this year is out — she has levelled up venue-wise. First up on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 is Spark Arena in Lorde's native Auckland, then Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch on Friday, February 13, 2026. After that, she's hopping across the ditch to play Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Monday, February 16, 2026; Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Wednesday, February 18, 2026; Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, February 21; and finally Perth Arena on Wednesday, February 25. [caption id="attachment_1012900" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thistle Brown[/caption] The tour dates come fresh from Yelich-O'Connor's surprise 2025 Glastonbury set, as well as her fourth album Virgin releasing at the end of June, with the latter debuting at number one in Australia and New Zealand alike. This is her biggest tour of her career in general, too, with nights at the likes of Madison Square Garden in New York City and O2 Arena in London already sold out. Featuring the aforementioned 'What Was That' — her first original new track in four years — alongside 'Man of the Year', 'Hammer', 'Favourite Daughter' and 'Shapeshifter', Virgin also hit number one in the UK and number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. [caption id="attachment_1012904" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Okpako/WireImage[/caption] There might be a three-year gap between Lorde's last Down Under shows and her upcoming Ultrasound tour concerts; however, in addition to writing and recording Virgin, she's been busy making a surprise Sydney club appearance back in May 2025 at a Lorde-themed night. Since 2013, when her debut record Pure Heroine arrived, Yelich-O'Connor has also released 2017's Melodrama and 2021's Solar Power, won two Grammys, picked up a Golden Globe nomination for 'Yellow Flicker Beat' from the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and notched up over 18 billion streams worldwide. Lorde Ultrasound World Tour 2026 Australian and New Zealand Dates Wednesday, February 11 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, February 13 — Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch Monday, February 16 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Wednesday, February 18 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, February 21 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wednesday, February 25 — Perth Arena, Perth [caption id="attachment_1012901" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thistle Brown[/caption] Lorde is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2026, with ticket presales from 1pm local time on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 and general sales from 2pm on Friday, July 18, 2025 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Joseph Okpako/WireImage.
Can we all agree that Thursday is an underrated day of the week? It's the Friday of Fridays — a day when you're over the hump of the work week and oh so close to the weekend. And because of this, it can be a real treat to catch up with friends or grab an after-work drink on a Thursday. Chin Chin knows this better than most, and is celebrating the magic of Thursdays with a deal-heavy happy hour running every week through September until October. As part of the new Cocktail Hour program that Lucus Restaurants is running, Chin Chin's Sydney outpost is rolling out a set of three $9.50 cocktails alongside discounted beer, wine and snacks every Thursday until October 5. The pick of the bunch is the Watermelon Margarita. The mix of Reposado Tequila, Aperol and fresh watermelon packs a real punch thanks to its chilli salt rim. If you prefer your cocktails on the sweeter side, opt for a $9.50 Elderflower Spritz made from vodka, elderflower, apricot, raspberry, lemon and prosecco. And, rounding out the happy hour cocktails is a vibrant purple Lychee Violet Daiquiri which combines white rum, yuzu-shu, lychee, peaflower and lime. Elsewhere on the drinks menu, there are $6.50 tap beers, plus discounted wines including a $10 glass of Marquis de Pennautier Rosé and a $22 glass of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvee Brut NV (usually $27 a glass). Then there are the happy hour snacks — all loaded with the typical big, bold Asian flavours of the Chin Chin menu. The must-try menu item is the jungle pork sliders featuring a spiced pork patty — setting you back $15.50 for two sliders. Round up your bestie and head to Chin Chin on a Thursday to nab a watermelon margarita and a pork slider for a grand total of $17.25 each. There's also citrus-forward kingfish sashimi on a rice cracker ($9.50 for two), $9.50 bowls of larb-spiced popcorn and puffy typhoon-style popcorn prawns, also for $9.50. The deals are on offer from 4–6pm every Thursday throughout the promotion — the perfect excuse to knock off work a little early.
Opened in 2015, the six-hectare, harbourside park is one of the newest public spaces built in Sydney's CBD. It was constructed on the land of a former container terminal, built to mimic the shape of the shoreline as it would have existed before colonisation. And the park is named for the leader of the Cammeraygal people, Barangaroo. When you're visiting Barangaroo, it's likely you're here to walk or cycle along the promenade, Wulugul Walk, which snakes around the harbour with distinctive sandstone blocks that you can climb over and sit on. There's also a large, elevated grassy area called Stargazer Lawn, which is where you can lay out a picnic blanket and watch the harbour boats sail by. And underneath that grassy lawn there's an expansive events space called The Cutaway, which houses markets, public art exhibitions and photoshoots, depending on the events calendar. It's one of the few city parks where you're permitted to bring booze for your picnic. You can also purchase food and drink from nearby restaurants, bars and shops in Barangaroo. You don't need to book a spot in advance, however, if you are looking to invite more than 50 people you need to enquire with Barangaroo Reserve's Events team. Note, there's limited shade in the park and no barbecues. However, there are drinking fountains and public toilets, plus parking. Image: Destination NSW.
In what was once a bit of a no-go zone for serious foodies, in the cross-section between Alexandria, Redfern and Erksineville, now stands a cafe that is worth the venture. Meet Gerard is born from the experience of Mariella Traina (formerly of Petersham eatery The Counter) and Sarah MacWilliam (who previously ran the kitchen at West Juliett). Here the duo is exploring a fresh take on local cafe culture. The menu might have a few familiar mentions — scrambled eggs, smashed avo and French toast — but on closer inspection, these aren't standard dishes you know. The scrambled eggs are topped with broccolini, sumac and goat's curd. The french toast is jazzed up with baked apple, salted caramel, ricotta and a spice crumble. It isn't the biggest space so it fills up quick. If you can't stick around, it is still worth grabbing a cuppa — made with a special blend from local brewers Coffee Alchemy — and a house-made sweet treat before you head on your merry way.
At the tail-end of a year that's seen an unprecedented amount of hotels open across the country, one of Sydney's older establishments has scored a good-as-new refurbishment. Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, previously known as Sheraton on the Park, has undergone a mammoth $50 million refurbishment. As well as joining the brand's prestigious 'grand' series, the hotel has scored some modern new features after 25 years of operation. Catapulting it to luxury status, the five-star hotel on Elizabeth Street has had all 17 of its event spaces refurbished, as well as the 558 rooms transformed into more refined and deluxe residential experiences — think walk-in-robes, private floor access and complimentary cocktails. This doesn't come cheap, however — rooms start at around $270 a night and suites surpass the $1k mark. The hotel doesn't run shy of lavish experiences. Guests — or just anyone wishing to be spoilt for a few hours — can make a beeline for the Health Club for a massage, body or skincare treatment. And those after some fun in the sun (without having to hike it to Bondi) can escape to the rooftop pool or jacuzzi. The exclusive Sheraton Club Lounge on level 21 — reserved only for guests staying in Grand Executive suites — is another drawcard for cashed-up travellers. It's decked out with stylish furnishings and has uninterrupted views from the outdoor terrace, right across St Mary's Cathedral and out to Sydney Harbour. The hotel has its fair sharing of dining options, too. Choose from a seafood buffet at the hotel's restaurant Feast, high tea at the Gallery, or light eats and a cocktail from the Conservatory Bar, which was refurbed late last year. This latest renovation will help the Sheraton compete with newer hotels, like the Sofitel in Darling Harbour and the futuristic new Skye Suites. It could be a good excuse to lower your carbon footprint and be a tourist in our own city this summer — or at least drop in for a drink and peek inside. The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park is now open at 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.
In the kind of punishment Cersei Lannister might dream up, the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones isn't due until mid-2018 at the earliest — and sometime in 2019 at the latest. However, one London cinema is offering fans an immersive way to pass at least some of that period. Taking the movie marathon idea to the extreme, they're showing the entire series' seven-season run to date in one massive sitting. Fans of Westerosi dramas, resilient Stark siblings, formidable dragons and more can expect to get comfy in The Prince Charles Cinema for four days, as they screen all 67 episodes between November 27 and 30. It all kicks off at 7pm on Monday and runs until just after 6pm on Thursday. And while that might seem like quite the commitment — in hours, in the willingness to sit in cinema seats for that long, and in sacrificing your normal life for your favourite show — if there's one thing that GoT fans love more than shipping Jon Snow and Daenerys, it's spending as much time in the Seven Kingdoms as possible. The event is designed to promote the DVD release of the seventh season, which just finished airing in August. For anyone who happens to have a spare week, it's free to attend. There'll also be a pop-up pizza bar onsite for sustenance. If you're in London, the Game of Thrones Marathon Screening runs from November 27 to 30. Visit the event Facebook page for further details, or to register for tickets.
Visited Japan in recent times? You probably heard more than a few Aussie accents. From the snowy slopes of Hakuba to the crowded backstreets of Tokyo, the relatively cheap and somewhat short flights mean it'd be more surprising if you didn't come across someone from our part of the world. Yet it's always good to have the numbers to back up your impression. According to new data collected by travel booking platform Klook, Australians are visiting Japan more than ever. So far in 2025, the Japan National Tourism Organisation reports an 18% increase in visits. That means we can expect a significant jump from 2024 figures, which saw a record 920,196 Australians touch down in Japan. But perhaps more interesting is that where we go and what we do is changing for Australian travellers. With many tourists returning for the second, third or fourth time, lots are looking beyond the well-worn 'Golden Route' of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Instead, regional cities and nature-based activities are experiencing a popularity boom. Klook reports that lesser-known cities like Nagoya, the gateway to the Japanese Alps, have seen interest in overnight stays increase by 166%. At the same time, the northern capital of Sapporo has seen demand increase by 173%. Meanwhile, a host of destinations within touching distance of the main tourist hotspots are capturing more attention. In Kyoto Prefecture, the city of Miyazu and its enchanting coastal town, Amanohashidate, have received a 50-fold increase in searches. Likewise, Yokohama — a short shinkansen ride from Tokyo — has seen a 10-fold increase in tour demand. While you could spend weeks exploring the sprawling megalopolis, travellers are looking to explore Japan's abundant nature, with appetite for outdoor and wellness activities up 41%. "We know that Japan is a favourite for Australian travellers, and what's exciting is that many are choosing to go beyond the usual tourist routes," says a Klook spokesperson. "Our data shows a clear rise in bookings to lesser-known destinations and cultural and nature experiences, being driven by travellers looking for more immersive, authentic experiences and a slower, more meaningful way to explore Japan." Klook's top searches reflect this inclination, with travellers eager to explore the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Route or tour the Nachi Falls, the tallest single-tier waterfall in Japan at a staggering 133 metres. Although you wouldn't be blamed for loving a beer and ramen session as much as the most raucous salaryman, we're also gravitating towards cultural experiences, with a 72% increase in bookings for museums and art galleries. Supported by the stats, convincing your pals to explore further afield on your next Japan trip might not be so difficult. Heading to Japan soon? Check out this guide to its natural wonders or dive deeper into the best of Tokyo food and culture.
Australia's best interiors for 2025 have been revealed — and a theatrical Brisbane restaurant has nabbed top honours. Central, the subterranean restaurant by J.AR Office, claimed the prestigious Premier Award for Australian Interior Design at this year's Australian Interior Design Awards. Celebrated for its moody, immersive atmosphere and inventive use of constraints, the venue also won the Hospitality Design Award and Best of State Commercial for Queensland. The annual awards, now in their 22nd year, recognise excellence across residential, hospitality, retail, installation, public and workplace design, as well as achievements in sustainability and emerging practice. The program is a collaboration between the Design Institute of Australia and Architecture Media's InteriorsAu, with this year's entries honouring aesthetic impact and user-centred thinking. [caption id="attachment_1010109" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Central by J.AR Office[/caption] The jury praised Central as a "highly inventive project" that's "executed with a level of cleverness that uses constraints to its advantage". In a year defined by refined aesthetics and clear design narratives, the 80-seat, Hong Kong-inspired Central stood out for its emotive interiors, with low lighting and cleverly juxtaposed accents of granite, timber and exposed rock, which all set the stage for a singular experience. Elsewhere, southern states swept the residential awards — Montage Apartments by Studio Prineas in Sydney's Double Bay received both the Residential Design and Best of State Residential for New South Wales accolades, commended for its "strong and nuanced colour palette and detailing", while the "joyful, sophisticated and colourful" Panorama House by Sally Caroline won the Residential Decoration Award and Best of State Residential for Victoria. Design Office claimed Retail Design honours for Vic's Meats in Chatswood Chase, Sydney — the project was also awarded Best of State Commercial in NSW for its "bold and highly distinctive design" that "honour[s] the tradition of the butcher's craft through a contemporary expression". [caption id="attachment_1010110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coopers Brand Home by studio gram[/caption] In the Public Design category, Studio SC was recognised for its moving and detailed interior at the new Australian War Memorial entrance in Canberra, which also took home Best of State Commercial in the ACT. The jury was split down the middle for the Workplace Design award, with top honours shared by both Cox Architecture's Adelaide Studio (which also won Best of State Commercial for South Australia) and the Arup Workplace Perth/Boorloo by Hames Sharley with Arup and Peter Farmer Designs — the latter also received the Sustainability Advancement Award for its conscious use of resources and sensitivity to human interaction. The jury noted that this year's awards represented "an opportunity for our industry to stand back, take it all in and genuinely celebrate the quality of interior design being produced in Australia today". And they're confident that the future is in good hands, too: "We can give ourselves a collective pat on the back as we continue to produce work that is inventive and sophisticated." [caption id="attachment_1010111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Good Luck Restaurant Bar by Akin Atelier[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1010112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Good Luck Restaurant Bar by Akin Atelier[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1010113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1010114" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1010115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Place by Kennedy Nolan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1010116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Palace Coffee by Kerry Kounnapis Architecture Practice[/caption] For more information on the Australian Interior Design Awards 2025 and the full list of winners, head to the awards' website.
Spending quality time outdoors and with your pals after work is a solid way to improve your mental health. But achieving this and getting into bed at a reasonable hour can feel like an impossible task. We've found a solution. Head over to Petersham Bowling Club for a couple of rounds of after-work bowls followed by a couple of rounds of trivia. Make a night of it by hitting up the bistro, which serves some tasty bites (including a number of vegetarian options). You can be further satisfied by knowing that all seasonal produce is sourced from local sustainable vendors.
It was 35 years ago in the original 1977 Star Wars film that Princess Leia called for the help of Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi through holographic messaging. At the time we thought anyone would be out of their mind to think such a thing would be possible. We were wrong about a lot of things back in 1977. Educated as an industrial design engineer but always fascinated by lights, Japanese artist Makoto Tojiki turned his head to creating art in 2003 and for five years has worked on his life sized light sculptures. Through the medium of thousands of LED lights and optical fibres, the futuristic celestial like sculptures approach the idea of 'physical presence' in an illuminating way. Tojiki explains his stunning 'No Shadow' light installation sculptures: "An object is seen when our eyes capture light that is reflected from the object. If we extract just the light that is reflected from ‘something,’ are we still in the presence of that 'something?' Using contours of light, I try to express this 'something.' Playing with perception and space, Tojiki encourages the audience to interact with his sculptures from different angles and distances, in turn altering viewer experience. Despite the international success of Tojiki's artworks, his talents are not limited to LED sculptures. Dabbling in interior design and jewellery, Tojiki hopes to see his artworks integrated with fashion brands and featured at events, stores or showrooms. For all you Harry Potter fans, check out Tojiki's 'Horse with No Shadow' installation. Created for Hermes, and probably with no connection to the wizarding world whatsoever, I can't help but see a comparison to Harry Potter's Petronus charm. [Via The Cool Hunter]
It's summertime, which means plenty of days hanging at the beach, or in the park, and relaxing in the sun. And while summer reads are an essential part of any good trip outside, some days we're left either squinting against the glare or fighting that inevitable sunglasses tan. On those days, reach for your headphones and check out one of these podcasts instead. From true tales of murderous doctors to mind-boggling stories of viral Reddit threads, these podcasts will keep you entertained and informed this summer — whether you're relaxing at the beach or commuting on a train. SERIAL SEASON THREE The cult-favourite podcast Serial returned for its third season in September 2018, having been silent since season two aired back in 2015. Season three focuses on the entire criminal justice system in the US — and, more specifically, on the inconsistencies and failures of the courts in Cleveland, Ohio. Host Sarah Koenig (This American Life) and her crew spent one year in the Cleveland courts, where they recorded not only in courtrooms but also in judge's chambers, prosecutors' offices and back hallways, plus outside the courthouse in family members' houses, streets and prisons. Koenig witnessed an onslaught of court offences, including extra charges, pressure to plead guilty, shabby police work, "eleventh hour" evidence and dozing jurors and a judge — all ending with outsized prison sentences. Again, the story unfolds week-by-week, but this time follows different cases each time in the nine-episode season. Listen to Serial Season Three here. SLOW BURN SEASON TWO A Slate Plus production, Slow Burn explores "subplots, strange details, and forgotten characters" of contemporary political history in the United States. While season one focused on Nixon's Watergate scandal of the 1970s, season two (released in August 2018) investigates the 1998 impeachment of President Bill Clinton — during which Clinton was accused of having sexual relations with his intern Monica Lewinksy, and was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about it under oath. Host Leon Neyfakh explores this story of political and sexual scandal in depth, finding modern-day parallels, including similarities to the #MeToo movement. Whether you remember the scandal or not, the podcast explores it in a new, 2019-appropriate, light. Listen to Slow Burn here. DR. DEATH Dr. Death follows the deeply disturbing true story of Christopher Duntsch, a Texas neurosurgeon who was convicted of gross malpractice and sentenced to life in prison in 2017. A whopping 33 of his patients were left seriously injured from his operations — two of which died on the operating table. Created by Wondery — the network behind another wildly popular podcast, Dirty John — and hosted by the award-winning health and science reporter Laura Beil, the ten-episode season finished this December. It explores a medical system that fails to protect patients and the horrors that can await in the operating room because of it. Listen to Dr. Death here. NO MAN'S LAND No Man's Land dives into stories of some of the most trailblazing and game-changing, yet lesser known, women of history. The first season aired in November, with five episodes out so far. Some of the women featured include mid-1900s poet Sylvia Plath; investigative journalist and civil rights activist from the late 1800s, Ida B Wells; and Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta. The latest episode examines the originators of women's social clubs, and the resulting groups' power and influence. Host Alexis Coe is also the in-house historian for the podcast's creators, The Wing — a networking company that runs community spaces for women. Listen to No Man's Land here. THE TEACHER'S PET A must-listen for fans of murder-mystery, The Australian-created podcast The Teacher's Pet looks into the 1982 disappearance of Lynette Dawson — the wife of rugby league player and teacher Chris Dawson. The podcast unveils large amounts of evidence that had not been previously collected or examined by police, including details of the couple's marriage, Lynette's disappearance and Chris Dawson's affair with a 16-year-old student. Late last year, the podcast was awarded the 2018 Gold Walkley Award, one of Australia's most prestigious journalism awards. Hosted by award-winning Australian journalist Hedley Thomas, the 14-episode podcast aired in May, with two additional episodes added at the end of December following Chris's arrest and release after being granted bail. More episodes are also expected to air as new leads are unearthed, so this is the ideal time to get into this podcast. Listen to Teacher's Pet here. THE WITCH HUNT SEASON TWO As the title indicates, The Witch Hunt investigates famous witch hunts in history, both "literal and metaphorical" — starting, of course, with Salem, Massachusetts in season one. In season two, which aired back in April 2017, the focus is on the 'satanic panic' of the late-1900s, when the imagined existence of satanic ritual abuse in the States led to a pandemic of fear and paranoia. The eight episodes feature interviews with the likes of award-winning investigative journalist Jordan Smith (The Intercept) and Historical Blindness podcast host Nathan Lloyd. The Witch Hunt explores scapegoating of all kinds, too, including topics like child abuse allegations and Dungeons and Dragons (yes, the board game). Listen to The Witch Hunt here. CALIPHATE The New York Times' podcast Caliphate follows reporter Rukmini Callimachi, whose career focuses on Islamic extremism. The investigative podcast centres around the fall of Mosul — when the Iraqi Army was defeated by the Islamic State in 2014. The ten-chapter season asks questions like "who is it that ISIS appeals to, and how?" and "who are we really fighting"? Callimachi speaks with recruits, former and returned ISIS members, and detainees, as well as enslaved victims of the Islamic State. Released in April 2018, the powerful series unveils the reality of being a terrorism reporter on the front line and sheds light on the nature of ISIS violence. Listen to Caliphate here. ENDLESS THREAD While some people like to focus on internet's ability to isolate, WBUR and Reddit have combined forces to explore the ways in which it creates shared experiences and connections between people — on all sides of the globe. Endless Thread digs through Reddit communities to uncover stories that reveal the true potential of the internet, and some of them are fascinating, hilarious and horrifying. The podcast is hosted by Ben Brock Johnson (Marketplace Tech, Codebreaker) and WBUR's producer Amory Sivertson (Modern Love: The Podcast). It launched in January 2018 and continues to air every Friday. It promises to be more than cat videos, but also full of cat videos, and covers everything from miraculous near-misses (including a pilot landing a plane sans windshield) to a viral flyer selling a Soylent sculpture. Whether you love or hate Reddit, this one is worth the listen. Listen to Endless Thread here. LADIES, WE NEED TO TALK Exploring topics of work, health and sexuality, Ladies, We Need To Talk is created by women for women. It's an ABC Radio Podcasts production and was the winner of the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards for Best Lifestyle and Heath Podcast. Hosted by Australian TV presenter Yumi Stynes, the ongoing episodes delve into topics like anxiety, hormones, being judged by looks instead of intelligence and society's obsession with youth. Styne — who's joined on the show by a lineup of influential female Aussies — shares personal stories and discusses the struggle for women to balance work and private life. Ladies, We Need To Talk also encourages listeners to call in and share their own stories. Listen to Ladies We Need To Talk here. HEAVYWEIGHT The award-winning podcast Heavyweight just completed it's third season in December and continues to be a firm favourite amongst audiences and critics alike. It's hosted by comedian and author Jonathan Goldstein (This American Life, WireTap), who considers himself something of a "therapist with a time machine". He presents an usual podcast that tells the stories of ordinary people who have a major regret in life. In each episode, Goldstein guides a different person back to a pivotal crossroad in their life and helps them confront and, hopefully, overcome it. For example, in the first episode, Goldstein attempts to reunite his 80-year-old dad, Buzz, with his older brother. Heavyweight also encourages email submissions for the show. So, if you have a moment in time you want to get back or change, might as well try your luck — who knows, we might be hearing you in a future episode. Listen to Heavyweight here.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, life as we once knew it changed suddenly, and everything started to feel like something out of a horror or sci-fi movie set in a post-apocalyptic future, films about contagions, outbreaks and infections all became go-to comfort viewing. We flocked to visions of situations similar to our own, even if only slightly, to help us cope with the existence-shattering shift we were all going through. Accordingly, Contagion proved eerily prescient, while I Am Legend and 28 Days Later mirrored the empty streets — and, yes, everyone was watching them. Next came the spate of flicks that were shot during the pandemic and responded to it. Think: opportunistic fare such as Locked Down and Songbird, neither of which proved memorable. Movies and TV shows will be ruminating upon life in the time of COVID-19 for years and decades to come, obviously; however, the highlights so far have rare. Add Station Eleven to the certain-to-keep-growing pile, but thankfully as one of the very best examples. Indeed, it's unfair to clump this haunting end-of-the-world miniseries in the same group as almost anything else that's emerged since the pandemic began, other than Bo Burnham's exceptional comedy special Inside. As also proved the case with Y: The Last Man when it reached streaming queues in 2021, Station Eleven's narrative actually predates our current predicament. Its nine-episode run now sits on Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, available to watch in full, after its story first garnered a devoted following on the page. And, it taps into something far deeper than obvious observations about being stuck at home with your significant other for longer than either of you had ever considered, and having to scramble to buy toilet paper when the supermarket shelves are bare. The focus of this excellent show, and of Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 book before it: how art and community all play immeasurable parts in helping humanity process and navigate existence-shattering traumas, and to find a path out the other side. That's a sentiment that might sound mawkish and self-evident when described in a mere sentence, but nothing about Station Eleven ever earns such terms. [caption id="attachment_841063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Parrish Lewis/HBO Max[/caption] Here, it all starts with a flu that swiftly proves more than just the usual sniffles, coughs, aches and pains. This one spreads lightning fast, too, and strikes down its unlucky victims heartbreakingly quickly. For eight-year-old Shakespearean actor Kirsten (Matilda Lawler, Evil), the chaos descends during a tumultuous opening-night performance of King Lear led by Arthur Leander (Gael García Bernal, Old). In the aftermath, she's stuck traipsing around snowy Chicago with Jeevan (Himesh Patel, Don't Look Up), who she has just met — and then sheltering in his brother Frank's (Nabhaan Rizwa, Mogul Mowgli) high-rise apartment. That's really just the beginning of this multi-layered narrative, which also jumps forward 20 years to survey Kirsten's (Mackenzie Davis, Happiest Season) adult life. There, she's a key part of a travelling theatre troupe who performs Shakespeare to the outposts of survivors it passes on its annual route — and she's spent almost her entire existence adjusting, like the rest of the planet, to this new normality. Still, while two decades might've passed and little may now resemble all that passed for routine before the flu, the earth remains an anxious and fraught place. So when a mysterious man, known as The Prophet (Daniel Zovatto, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) to his army of child followers, shows up at one of the Travelling Symphony's stops, Kirsten is immediately and understandably suspicious. [caption id="attachment_841060" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Watson/HBO Max[/caption] Station Eleven's narrative isn't just about one woman, the men who help her as a child and the other that threatens her status quo as an adult. As well as continually fluttering backwards and forwards between Kirsten's younger and older exploits, it dives into the experiences of others connected to her story in various ways. Before the flu, Miranda Carroll (Danielle Deadwyler, The Harder They Fall) devoted her spare time to writing and illustrating a graphic novel about feeling lost and adrift in space, for instance — and that text, which shares the show's name, is part of the series' broader contemplation of art, tragedy, trauma and dealing with our feelings in general. Premiering late in 2021, just as Omicron started sweeping the world, Station Eleven might've seemed blighted by unfortunate timing. Nonetheless, it's the ideal show for right now. Shot with a soft grey-blue sheen like it's unearthing watery memories, it cuts close to home but always plays like a beacon of hope — and an ode to endeavouring to make it through, come together and make a difference however one can. It's impeccably acted, with the broader cast also spanning Orange Is the New Black's Lori Petty, Veronica Mars' Enrico Colantoni, Arrested Development's David Cross, Veep's Timothy Simons, Succession's Caitlin FitzGerald and Little Joe's David Wilmot. It's meticulous and expressive with every shot, and perfects the feeling of simultaneously trying to get by and daring to dream about something other than weathering a pandemic. Rich and layered and cathartic, this is a dystopian disaster tale not just about merely surviving, but about truly enduring. In a sea of pandemic tales — those made before COVID-19 and since — Station Eleven is a lyrical, heartfelt and character-driven apocalyptic musing with an immediate difference. Check out the trailer below: Station Eleven is available to stream via Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Top images: Ian Watson/HBO Max.
Inviting everyone over to enjoy your sun-drenched courtyard on a Friday evening seemed like a brilliant idea at the time — it's certainly more relaxed than cramming into a busy city rooftop bar and more summery than sipping cocktails in a dark, underground basement bar. But now that your friends are due round any moment, do you have your drinks repertoire ready? Here to help you, we've got five easy-to-make cocktail recipes that'll upgrade your home bar and hosting skills — and you won't have to spend all your time in the kitchen making them, either. Spruce up your evening get-together with the world's finest French vodka, Grey Goose, which we've partnered with to showcase three vodka cocktails and two non-alcoholic options that your friends and workmates will love. GREY GOOSE ESPRESSO MARTINI In 1983 a model sauntered into a London bar and uttered the phrase "I want something to wake me up and fuck me up", and the espresso martini was born. Thirty-six years later and the caffeinated cocktail has risen to cult status. To make things easier on you, this recipe uses cold drip coffee so you don't have to worry about making a fresh espresso for each round. — 30ml Grey Goose Original — 30ml De Kuyper Crème de Café coffee liqueur — 30ml cold drip coffee — 1 pinch of salt (serves one) Shake all the ingredients, hard, in Boston tins with lots of ice till the outside is frosty. Double strain into a martini glass. Garnish with coffee beans or chocolate dust. Everyone'll be pepped for the night ahead in no time. [caption id="attachment_750115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Camille Vidal, La Maison Wellness[/caption] HEALTH YEAH Not everyone drinks alcohol — and having a non-boozy option makes you a considerate host. This refreshingly light iced tea needs a little pre-planning, so you'll have to batch-make the tea and syrup the night before. Then, come Friday afternoon, you can to knock one of these together in no time. — 120ml roobois tea — 80ml kombucha — 20ml turmeric honey syrup — 2 dashes of lemon essential oil (serves one) Use cold water to infuse the tea as it'll avoid bitterness and tannins; add ten grams of roobois tea for every one litre of mineral water and leave to infuse overnight. Strain and keep it in the fridge. To make the syrup, use three tablespoons of turmeric honey and one tablespoon of golden unrefined sugar with 350ml of water. Add all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to boiling point and stir for one-to-two minutes until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool. Build the cocktail over ice in a highball, give a gentle stir to mix ingredients and garnish with a lemon wedge. SPIKED ICE TEA Thought that last one sounded good? How about having an iced tea with an extra kick? Forget woeful Long Islands and upgrade to this delicious and balanced Grey Goose version which includes a fruity twist of apricot brandy. — 30ml Grey Goose Original — 20ml apricot brandy — 20ml lemon juice — 90ml cold earl grey tea — 10ml sugar syrup Just like the boozeless option above, prep the tea overnight and brew with cold water to avoid any bitter tannin taste. Build the cocktail over ice in a highball, give a gentle stir to mix ingredients and garnish with a lemon wedge. Easy peasy! BOOZELESS GINGER MOJITO Who said drinkers had to have all the fun and flavour? When you want to take time off the sauce, or cater for guests who do, opt for this gently spiced but super-fresh non-alcoholic mojito. As a bonus you can show off your muddling skills to impress your mates. — 22ml fresh lime juice — 15ml sugar syrup — 3 wedges of fresh lime — 2cm of fresh peeled ginger — 12 fresh mint leaves — top with soda water (serves one) Muddle lime wedges, mint leaves and ginger with the sugar syrup and lime juice. Add crushed ice and churn before topping with soda water. Look at you go! ROSE SPRITZ Make like you're in the south of France with this gently fizzy, and oh-so pink cocktail that practically begs to be sipped outdoors on a terrace surrounded by your besties. — 30ml Grey Goose Original — 20ml Martini Bianco — 10ml Monin watermelon syrup — 15ml lemon juice — 45ml soda (serves one) Build all the ingredients over ice in a collins glass and top with soda water. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Then upload a pic to Instagram to make sure everyone knows you can make such a fine looking drink. Upgrade your Friday night at home by choosing premium vodka Grey Goose. Each bottle is distilled in France, and the high quality vodka has a 100 percent traceable production process, from crop to cork.
When Pharrell Williams first made contact with Morgan Neville, the Oscar-winning documentarian behind 20 Feet From Stardom, their conversation could've started like this: "it might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say". The famed producer, N.E.R.D. co-founder, 'Happy' singer, and Daft Punk and Snoop Dogg collaborator's proposal to the filmmaker also behind the Mr Rogers-focused Won't You Be My Neighbour?, then Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain and STEVE! (martin): a Documentary in 2 Pieces, was for Neville to tell Williams' life story — a request that doesn't seem out of the ordinary. But Pharrell wanted this journey through his upbringing in Virginia Beach in Virginia, his music dreams as a kid and a teenager, and then the ups and downs of his career to solely be relayed using Lego animation. How do you explore anyone's existence, let alone someone so influential in music for decades, while rendering them, other interviewees and everything else that's seen on-screen only in the style of The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part? Just as importantly, why would you? Piece by Piece, the film that results, sits alongside Brett Morgen's David Bowie-adoring Moonage Daydream as recent music docos that know how to expertly takes their cues for their approach, aesthetic and vibe from their subject. In both cases, it's instantly apparent that any other method wouldn't have done the folks at their centre justice. Piece by Piece boasts the childhood details, the stories shared by loved ones and colleagues, the glimpses into the studio and the examples of Pharrell's work, his music and the videos that go with them alike. As the movie's title states so clearly, however, they have all been built piece by piece in Lego animation. This effectively meant making the film twice, first featuring the raw materials, including chats with Williams, his N.E.R.D. bandmates Shae Haley and Chad Hugo, his distant cousin Timbaland, fellow Virginia Beach residents Pusha T and Missy Elliott, and then everyone from Daft Punk and Snoop to Gwen Stefani and Kendrick Lamar — and secondly with that initial cut, which Neville dubs the "radio edit", animated frame by frame in the Lego fashion. Spliced into the initial version were storyboards for scenes that simply wouldn't have been possible to realise without Piece by Piece's unconventional biodoc technique, many of which bring Pharrell's synesthesia to the screen. Music appears to him as colours, and shapes as well. The film not only recreates that sensation for the audience, but does so with exacting detail: when the beats that Pharrell creates appear as pulsating bricks, be it for N.E.R.D's 'Rock Star' or No Doubt's 'Hella Good', or for Snoop Dogg's 'Drop It Like It's Hot' or Williams' own mega hit from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack — and much more — the forms and hues depicted are exactly what Pharrell sees. In every piece, frame and moment, this is a documentary that's intimately in tune with its subject, then. It celebrates a dreamer by crafting those dreams out of bricks. Yes, it all clicks. It's an ode to creativity and imagination, too, right down to deploying one of the first formats that almost every child uses to make new worlds, because that's what Lego lets us do. While there are tie-in kits available for sale, as happens with Lego-based movies, the medium matches the man perfectly. Indeed, that's so accurate that the feature wouldn't have happened otherwise, including if Lego hadn't be on board with the idea, Neville told Concrete Playground. "We'd thought about it, whether there were other ways of doing it if Lego said no. And I think we all agreed if Lego said no, there was going to be no film," the director shares. "It just felt like Lego itself was actually an important piece, as it were, of what the film was — that it wasn't just a gimmick, that it actually felt part of who Pharrell is in his story and how he sees the world." We also chatted with Neville about how you respond when Pharrell asks you to make a movie about him using Lego — a version of which is seen in the film — plus creating a type of music documentary that hasn't been made before, the added possibilities that come with examining someone's life and career in Lego, heroing creativity, his starting point whether he's making docos about Williams or Bourdain or Martin, and more. On How You React When Pharrell Suggests That Lego Would Be the Perfect Medium to Tell His Story "What happens in the film is a version of what happened in real life. But that was the one moment that I didn't actually record, because the first time I met Pharrell, he pitched me on this idea where he said 'I want you to make a movie about me, and then I want you to throw away all the visuals and do it again in Lego'. And honestly, when he said that I was totally hooked. So that's the difference. I think in the movie I'm a little unsure, but I think in real life I jumped right into it. That was the thing that got me incredibly excited, because I didn't know what it was going to mean. It was a crazy idea, but I love crazy ideas." On Making a Type a Music Documentary That Hasn't Been Made Before — and Whether It Feels Daunting, Freeing or a Bit of Both "I feel like being a film director, there's a kind of wilful amnesia that you have, where you intentionally forget how difficult it is to make films. Because if you remembered, you wouldn't make them. So I vaguely knew that this was going to be climbing a mountain, but I really just looked at this path in front of me and said 'well, this is interesting. What if I do this, and what if I think about this? And, well, let's talk to Lego. They could kill it. It might go away'. We talked to Lego and they said 'we love it'. And then we just kept trying things. And so step by step it came together, but it was five years of work to get there." On How Using Lego Allowed the Film to Explore and Expand Areas and Details That Wouldn't Have Been Possible Otherwise — or in Such an Evocative Way "That was the amazing realisation I came to early on, was that because of the Lego, we could do things you can't normally do — you certainly couldn't do in a documentary and you couldn't do in a lot of films — which is visualise imagination, or visualise things in somebody's head. And so the synesthesia was an important thing because Pharrell sees colour when he hears sound. We wanted to get that right. We actually brought in Michel Gagné, who's a famous animator, who had done the synesthesia in Ratatouille, to work on this — to think 'how do you do synesthesia, but in Lego?'. But then also the idea that we can visualise beats — the beats that Pharrell has made are physical Lego objects. And every beat in the film is actually reflective of how Pharrell sees that song. So the colours and the shapes of the beats in the film are accurate to what Pharrell sees in his head, even though nobody else knows what that is. Every song, we're like 'Pharrell, okay what are the colours? How does this look?'. Because it's interesting, he has a library in his head of every song you mention, he'll tell you what the colours are of that. So things like that you could do in Lego, which I don't know how else you would do that." On the Importance of Connecting Celebrating Creativity and Imagination with One of the First Gateways to Unlocking Both for Children "I think many people, most people, probably grew up with some connection to Lego toys. I did. I was of the era where when I bought a set of Lego, you would just get a big box of pieces. There were no instructions, it was just 'okay, make whatever you want'. I always ended up with a big tub of random pieces and you would just make stuff. I think Pharrell, also Lego he said was a really important toy his parents would give him when he was young. And it's interesting how much it comes up in the creative community. I've talked to architects and artists and designers, and Lego actually is kind of a building block of creativity. It's this thing that I think is just pure imagination in that way. And so imagination is a huge theme of the film. I love making films about creative people and how they think, and Lego just felt like this perfect way of exploring that. And the idea that it was Pharrell's conceit makes it even more organic to why it works in this film." On Neville's Starting Point When He's Making a Documentary, No Matter Who or What His Subject Is "My starting point on every project, I do a couple of things. I start a playlist of music. So for every film, I have a playlist of music, even if it's not about music. I'm a musician and I've made a lot of films about music, and it helps me get a feel for the tone of what a film could be. In this case I had like ten playlists, because Pharrell had done so much music. So I had solo work and produced by, and with the bands he had done and influenced music. And I spent months listening to all of it, waiting for songs to pop out and for me to hear them and say 'oh, I could see this, it feels like this song belongs in a scene' or 'this song has a theme that could work to the story'. So that's a big part of it. Then I gather visuals and references, and all that kind of stuff. So all that just goes into a pod as I start to conceive of what this film might be. But I think all that other stuff, tone and aesthetic, are all things I'm thinking about in the beginning. And then I just talk as much as I can to the subject or other people. I just am trying to take in as much input as I can get. Then it starts to form in my head and little things start coming together." On the Difficult Task of Knowing What to Include and Leave Out When You're Making a Film About Someone with Such a Wide-Ranging Career "It always is. This was difficult because Pharrell has done so much, but I always think about it more like 'what are the things that influenced his life?'. I mean, a big part of this movie is his childhood, which was a huge part of what made him who he is. But it's not his career. So in that way, the career stuff, he had so many more hits that aren't even in the film. He's done so much. But to me it's about the moments where things turn. It's where maybe a failure — failures are as interesting as successes when it comes to looking at a narrative of a person's life, because that's where we learn. So I think it was really identifying the moments where something felt different, or where he learned something, or where something clicked or didn't click. I always try to avoid what I think of as 'the Wikipedia version' of a person's life, because it's not that interesting to just go through everything they accomplished. But to hit the moments that actually meant something to them, that were part of their personal growth or their creative growth, that's what I try to zero in on, and so that helps me cut stuff out unfortunately." Piece by Piece opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, December 5, 2024. Images: courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.
The Gold Coast is roughly 12,000 kilometres from Mexico, but that won't stop holidaymakers from enjoying a tequila-soaked vacation in Coolangatta. Forget paying for an airfare to the other side of the world — head to the Glitter Strip instead for a getaway at The Herradura Hacienda, the new margarita-inspired room that's now open for bookings at The Pink Hotel. With its eye-catching exterior and beach views, The Pink Hotel is a Coolie icon anyway, but a stay there can now come with agave spirits. As the new suite's name makes plain, this margarita wonderland is a collaboration with Herradura Tequila, aka Mexico's last tequila-producing hacienda. The vibe inside: 'cosmic disco' meets 'neon jungle'. As well as colourful decor — neon signs, leafy prints, disco balls and a wall of mirrored titles do indeed feature, as well as plants, plus various pink, green and sparkling hues — a night here includes bespoke Herradura margaritas. For an extra fee, you can also get an hour with a bartender to mix your 'ritas in your room. The suite's hero marg is a watermelon and pink pepper number, but Herradura and Capi palomas and boozy pink lemonades help fill out the drinks menu. Unsurprisingly, this package is around for a good time, not a long time. Costing $389 on weeknights and $489 on weekends, it's on offer until Sunday, June 4; however, the revamped room itself isn't going anywhere afterwards. That said, if you can't make it along till then, you will need to pay extra for your margs and other Herradura Tequila trimmings, rather than getting them included in your room rate. "We are extremely proud of the unique offering our hotel brings to the Gold Coast and are thrilled for our guests to experience The Herradura Hacienda pop-up," said Freya Frenzel, General Manager at The Pink Hotel Coolangatta. "The room has all elements of The Pink Hotel that people know and love, with a fun twist!" Getting in quick is recommended, with The Herradura Hacienda available to book via The Pink Hotel, Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, Agoda, Qantas, Trip.com, Hotels.com, Hotel Network and Yonda. And whether or not you're a tequila fiend, a trip to The Pink Hotel involves kicking back in a refurbished boutique accommodation spot that dates back to the 50s, reopened in 2018, and combines Scandinavian and mid-century design. Guests can enjoy being opposite the beach, too, and just a three-minute walk from Coolangatta's shops and bars. Or, you can hit up the rooftop, and the onsite restaurant and bar. The Herradura Hacienda is available to book The Pink Hotel, 171 Griffith Street, Coolangatta, with all the Herradura Tequila trimmings until Sunday, June 4 — and with them available at extra expense afterwards. Head to the hotel's website for further details and bookings. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips — including at The Pink Hotel — with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Beaches, pools, rooftop bars, outdoor cinemas: nowhere in Australia can have too many when summer hits. For movie lovers, Sunset Cinema is one such spot to see a film under the stars — and it's back for its 2023–24 season with stops new and old, plus flicks that fit both categories. Over the the next few sunny months, then heading into autumn as well, this excuse to hit the pictures in the open air has seven stops on its itinerary: its new venue in Bondi, which is on now; a return to Canberra, which is also taking place at the moment; and comebacks at North Sydney, Mt Martha, Wollongong, St Kilda and Brisbane all to come. The dates vary, as does exactly how long that Sunset Cinema is getting its projector whirring in each place, but cosy date nights and easy group hangs outdoors all await. Bondi's season runs until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court, with Jaws, Saltburn, The Marvels, and Christmas titles such as Elf, Love Actually, Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas on its roster for its final days. In Canberra, you have until Saturday, February 24 to head to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where highlights include festive fare — of course — as well as Barbie, an advance screening of the Mean Girls musical, Wonka, Priscilla and Poor Things. North Sydney will enjoy a three-month stint from Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval. In addition to Christmas movies — a staple at every Sunset Cinema that's running in December — the lineup includes many of the above titles, as well as other standouts such as Past Lives, The Boy and the Heron, Ferrari, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 and perennial favourite 10 Things I Hate About You. From Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars at Mt Martha gets in on the action. Then, the Wollongong Botanic Garden joins in from Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24. In St Kilda, you'll be able to head along from February 2024, with exact dates and a venue to be announced. And Brisbane gets its turn from sometime in March 2024 at Maritime Green at Northshore, where Sunset Cinema set up shop in 2023. At all stops around the country, BYO picnics are encouraged, but the event is fully licensed, so alcohol can only be purchased onsite. Didn't pack enough snacks? There's hot food options, plus plenty of the requisite movie treats like chips, chocolates, lollies and popcorn. SUNSET CINEMA 2023–24 DATES: Bondi, NSW: until Saturday, December 23 at Dolphin Court Canberra, ACT: until Saturday, February 24 at Australian National Botanic Gardens North Sydney, NSW: Friday, December 8—Saturday, March 9 at North Sydney Oval Mt Martha, VIC: Wednesday, December 20—Friday, January 20 at The Briars, Mt Martha Wollongong, NSW: Thursday, January 11–Saturday, March 24 at Wollongong Botanic Garden St Kilda, VIC: from February 2024, exact dates and venue TBC Brisbane, QLD: from March 2024, exact dates TBC, at Maritime Green at Northshore Sunset Cinema's 2023–24 season runs at various venues around the country on various dates. Head to the Sunset Cinema website for further details.
It's a classic cycle: we say we want to discover somewhere new, then we end up at the same holiday spots. We're creatures of comfort, after all. But, with such fantastically varied landscapes at our Australian fingertips, it's the year to switch things up. Let's start with your coastal weekender. Instead of another (delightful) beachside vacay, why not opt for some riverside charm? The serenity of the Murray Region is overlooked by city-slickers, but it's an area enlivened by passionate locals, immense natural beauty and deep history and culture. The riverside towns here are jam-packed with rich First Nations history, a thriving contemporary arts scene and some seriously niche slices of Australia's past. So, if you're ready to hit the road, the banks of the Murray will take you on a journey through time — think ancient lakebeds, a giant shed dedicated to Aussie beers from decades gone by and an insanely intricate display of replica paddlesteamers. Together with Destination NSW, we've got you covered with this extensive list of ways to enjoy the region. [caption id="attachment_894057" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MURRAY ART MUSEUM ALBURY Opened in 2015, Albury's contemporary art museum is a cultural hub for Australian artists, both established and emerging. With a backdrop of quaint, small-town charm, the Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) brings vivid modern creations to this regional centre. From now until mid-July, the museum is hosting No Easy Answers. The exhibition invited artists — such as Ella Barclay and Tracey Moffatt — to use their creativity as a medium to tackle the issues of today. If regional charm meeting arty creations sounds good to you, opt for two nights at the Mercure Albury, just around the corner from MAMA. [caption id="attachment_894595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wentworth Victoria[/caption] BARKINDJI WIMPATYA MURRA CENTRE Right on the banks of the river, the Dareton region is thriving with stunning natural wonders, culinary delights and rich cultural history. A trip to this country locale would not be complete without a visit to The Barkindji Wimpatya Murra Centre (Bmeet), a spot where you will be sure to learn about the area's unique Indigenous history. This Aboriginal art gallery showcases an array of local art ranging from traditional to more contemporary work and artefacts. Expect a warm welcome at Bmeet, with local artists often in the workshop and happy to answer any of your curiosities. YARRAWONGA-MULWALA PIONEER MUSEUM Located in the fishing town of Mulwala, The Yarrawonga-Mulwala Pioneer Museum is a treasure trove of local history. This complex, established by the Historical Society, contains a range of exhibits to fascinate any visitor. From aviation to agriculture, vintage vehicles to photography, the curated collection delivers a snapshot of time in this riverside locale. THE GREAT AUSSIE BEER SHED & HERITAGE FARM MUSEUM We all know that beer is a big part of Aussie culture. That's why, in 2003, Neil Thomas opened The Great Aussie Beer Shed. Displaying an unbelievable array of Australian paraphernalia — including over 20,000 beer cans — this museum really is a must-see, located in northern Victoria just three kilometres from Echuca. Proudly showing off a collection that's taken him over 45 years to build, Neil himself will guide you through his treasures. And, it doesn't stop at beer. This 5000-square-foot shed is filled with iconic Aussie products, machinery and more. Afterwards, check out Neil's Farm Museum and its extensive display of equipment dating back to the late 1800s. [caption id="attachment_894059" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] OLD WENTWORTH GAOL The historic Old Wentworth Gaol gives a fascinating peek into our regional history. The lock-up is the oldest Australian-designed gaol in the country, built between 1879 and 1881. Until 1927, it operated with harsh conditions, though now is a popular tourist attraction and an important historical landmark. The structure has been well maintained, meaning you can get a pretty good idea of what it was like to be a resident back in the day. There's plenty of information on display, including an Indigenous history collection, so you're set to school-up on your visit. [caption id="attachment_894058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RIVERBOAT ROD'S MODEL PADDLESTEAMER DISPLAY Not only does Wentworth contain the country's oldest Australian-designed gaol, this charming NSW town was also once our country's busiest inland river port. If you want a better idea of what the turn-of-the-century paddle steamers looked like — or simply appreciate some dedicated craftsmanship — look no further than Riverboat Rod's. The charming space is home to a pretty incredible display of over 30 handmade paddlesteamer replicas. This collection is possibly the largest and only of its kind in the world and showcases a lifetime of attention to tiny, intricate details. Whether you are interested in aquatic history or not, these models are impressive just as they are. [caption id="attachment_894055" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] HOLBROOK SUBMARINE MUSEUM Holbrook is a great stopover town when exploring the Murray. Where else could you uncover a life-size submarine hanging out in the middle of rural NSW? This, and the accompanying fascinating history, can be discovered at the Holbrook Submarine Museum. After you've seen the HMAS Otway out front, head to the museum and stroll through its impressive display of submarine memorabilia from the depths, while you busy yourself learning some WWI history. [caption id="attachment_894763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] MUNGO NATIONAL PARK Mungo National Park is a remarkable destination that cannot be missed when exploring the Murray. It's home to ancient lakebeds and plenty of incredible relics of early Aboriginal culture. This national park is truly an experience to remember. But to make the most of it, make the Mungo Visitor Centre your first stop. Here, you can view amazing displays and learn of the area's First Nations heritage and the archaeological evidence that revealed the once-full Lake Mungo. [caption id="attachment_895130" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] EXPLORE DENILIQUIN Deniliquin is a locale found on the Edward River — a tributary of the Murray — making it a primo spot for any riverside activities. Whether you're into water skiing, fishing, bushwalking or just soaking up beautiful surrounds, you're covered here. Stay at Centrepoint Motel, where you'll be just a five-minute walk to the centre of town. What's nearby? The Long Paddock Touring Route, the stock route that's still used today and dishes up a slice of history with a side of tranquillity and art. Along the track, which starts in Echuca Moama and heads out to the Outback, there's both local history on sporadic info boards and public artworks — plus plenty of country pubs. This area is also home to the flattest, most open natural plains on the planet, which deliver spectacular expansive vistas into the horizon (pictured above). Here, you'll also find a cycle loop, The Depot and its incredible collection of automobiles and memorabilia, a vibrant towering mural splashed across a water tower and plenty more. Looking to visit later in the year? The Deni Ute Muster takes over the town in September, and is a celebration of the region's 'ute culture' and unique landscape. For more ways to enjoy the Murray region, check out our foodies guide or guide to a rejuvenating trip. Or, to start planning your history and culture trip to the Murray region, head to the website. Top images: Destination NSW (Walls of China; Barmah National Park; Mungo National Park).
If you've ever wondered how variety can be the spice of life if simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication, it will do you good to head along to Sagra, one of Darlinghurst's most talked about Italian restaurants tucked inside a cute corner terrace on Stanley and Riley Street. With a juicy reputation in and around the eastern suburbs for unpretentious, humble Italian like Nonna used to make, on a menu that changes daily, you’ll soon understand how tasty this so-called paradox can be. Literally translating to 'festival' (of the small town variety), Sagra is owned and operated by head chef Nigel Ward (Lucio’s, Sean’s Panaroma and Trullo in London), and it’s safe to say the main attraction here, apart from the thoroughly inviting home-like and sparse-yet-still-cosy interior, is his philosophy of seasonally inspired food without the frills. Throw in traditional and cheeky Italian service with a genuine appreciation of the dishes in-hand, as well as knowledge of wines back home from The Boot, and you’ve got yourself plenty of reasons to nab a space at one of the 11 or 12 tables scattered inside. Luckily, you can book. When in Rome we began with a Negroni ($15) as we munched on the complimentary house-made bread and plump Sicilian green olives. Then one of the few long-term dishes made its way to our mouths: garlic soup (if, like on our visit, this isn’t displayed on the menu, definitely ask). Made from pureed Aussie cloves and olive oil, pepper, bread and cheese, this friendly little bowl packs a punch without any aftermath, smacking fellow diners in the face via your breath and their nostrils. The visible menu is divided between antipasti, primi (pasta) and secondi (main courses usually in the form of one meat and one fish). Skipping the antipasti in favour of the aforementioned favourite, we moved onto the pappardelle ($17) mingled with mascarpone, rocket and 'nduja (spreadable, spicy pork sausage) and some seriously good malfatti in sage butter (blob-like pasta balls literally meaning “badly formed”). Both dishes were perfectly proportioned, leaving plenty of room for the pork ($31), gemfish ($29) and rosemary potatoes ($7) that followed. The pig was tender and accompanied well with cabbage and verjuice salsa, while the thick white fish kept its natural flavour alongside cauliflower and heirloom carrots. Wine-wise our waiter helped us out with a powerful bottle of Italian Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region (also not on the menu). As we say here in Oz: too easy. At the end of the night and a little time poor, in search of something sweet we sadly had to substitute the house-made ice cream with a shot of thoroughly satisfying house-made lemoncello. But to be honest, after a couple of hours eating, drinking and generally being as merry as those fabulous Italians themselves, we’re not ashamed to admit “in search of something sweet” actually meant finding any excuse not to leave. Hey, simple variety. We love it.
When it comes to our long-lasting love affair with coffee, we all know this city prefers boutique fabulous over, say, evil green and white corporate giants intent on, if nothing else, killing tastebuds. Piccolo Me, however, a 100 percent Australian venture launched by brothers Roy and Charlie Hachem that aims to bring back some much needed "soul" to the chain industry, is pulling out some pretty quirky stops to help attract a crowd. And so far so good: it looks like those stops are bringing in the go. We decided to head along to Piccolo Me's Bridge Street store in the CBD (you can also find a fix on Castlereagh, as well as Macquarie Uni and Norwest Business Park by the way). The setup here is good, with a decent street-fronted waiting area complete with large counter, warehouse-inspired stalls and Connect Four if you're in between meetings and need to give the old feet and brain a rest. Otherwise you can pop round to the dining area, illuminated by some pretty nifty, diagonal bare bulb lighting, which features a cute plant wall with a multitude of green sprouts homed in self-branded black and yellow cups. As dining goes, there's nothing really that special on the menu – think all the usual carb and filling-based quick and tasty hunger killers. However, in these guys' defence, all said bread-based goods are sourced from The Bread and Butter Project (where 100 percent of profits go towards helping in-need communities), and more importantly, you don't really come here to eat. You come here to drink. On that front, another of Piccolo Me's philosophies focuses on local industry and sustainability, so your caffeine, in the form of organic Fairtrade beans only, is chosen from local roasters (a cup of Joe comes in at $3.50 for a regular and just $2 for a piccolo between the hours of 3pm and 4pm). But then there's the Nerdtella Bomb of Nutella, Nerds and milk; an evolution of Piccolo Me's initial Nutella mocha or hot chocolate that, as well as combining the Hachem brother's love of sweet treats, is so pop culture-tastic it received international attention from Huffpost Taste. Yes, it's very sweet and totally worth it if you need to binge on something ridiculous, but sadly no, it's not that amazing. You can certainly taste the tang of the nerds combined with the smooth, chocolately Nutella, but once the speckled brown nugget melts off its stirring stick, it clumps at the bottom. This is fine if you're sitting in, but on the go is not such a hot look. The gravitational behaviour of melted breakfast spread and lollies aside, however, we have to admit the team at Piccolo Me have done a fantastic job with their marketing. All you need to do is wander around the CBD circa 3pm and it won't take you long to see some busy businesswoman throwing back a black and yellow $2 afternoon saviour. And, if we're to believe all this soul and sustainability stuff too, then what else can we say? Piccolo Me, piccolo you.
Drawing attention away from any one of Timothée Chalamet (Wonka), Zendaya (Euphoria), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), Rebecca Ferguson (Silo) or Josh Brolin (Outer Range) isn't easy, let alone from all five in the same films. And yet, the desert expanse that's roamed across by the stars of Denis Villeneuve's Dune franchise demands notice above everyone and everything. The person guaranteeing that viewers not only spy the sand stretching as far as the eye can see, but feel its impact: Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser. On both Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, his work for the Blade Runner 2049 director ensures that audiences spend ample time with Chalamet and company as well. The two movies are as intimate as they are epic. But these pictures couldn't exist without their namesake receiving such prominence. Sand isn't just sand in Dune, or to Fraser. With Dune: Part Two, Frank Herbert's books now reach cinemas for the third time — David Lynch's 80s adaptation came first — but they couldn't value golden grains more highly even when they were only playing out in readers' imaginations. In the Dune realm, all that siliceous substance is spice, also known as melange. It powers interstellar travel, extends lives and expands consciousness. It's only found on Arrakis, the planet that Chalamet's Paul Atreides is sent to live on in Dune: Part One when his father (Oscar Isaac, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) is installed as its new ruler. It's hardly astonishing, then, that past overseer Baron Vladimir Harkonnens (Stellan Skarsgård, Andor) isn't thrilled about losing control of such a treasure trove. It's similarly unsurprising that the Fremen, Arrakis' Indigenous population, is determined to fight for their home and destiny. Spinning this story for cinema was always going to be a sandy endeavour, with Fraser's skills pivotal. For Dune: Part One, which stunned with its spectacular desert-swept visuals and set the bar stratospherically high for its sequel, he won the Best Cinematography Oscar. "You become an expert in the dunes," he tells Concrete Playground about not just making the first film, but also returning for Dune: Part Two. He didn't shoot the initial flick with its follow-up in mind, however — or even dream back when he lensed his first-ever feature, 2005's Jewboy, that this is where his career would take him, or to an Academy Award-nomination for Lion before his Dune win. Bright Star, Let Me In, Zero Dark Thirty, Foxcatcher, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Mandalorian, The Batman, The Creator: they're all also on Fraser's resume. "It's funny because, it's going to sound a little bit weird, but I just didn't think full stop," Fraser shares about his mindset when he was initially starting out. "Whenever I was doing a movie when I was younger, or even now, frankly, it's one foot in front of the other as opposed to a master plan. I wish I was smart enough to be in that Dune world of plans within plans, and manipulating events to my end. But really what I was just trying to do was just trying to do the best job of the thing that was sitting right in front of me." "So no, I can tell you that right now, when we were filming in Bondi for that movie, on a bus in Bondi" — for Jewboy, that is — "that I categorically was not ever thinking about the possibility of doing something like Dune. That was never on my radar. Obviously I knew what I liked, and I knew the films that I loved. And it just became a a race — or a game, I should say — of doing what I love doing. And then if I was doing what I love doing, and then doing the best job that I could, then hopefully that then leads to the next thing that I love doing. And that's kind of how the career's gone. It's a little bit of a simplistic way of describing it, but that's a genuine, honest take on it," Fraser continues. To say that his career is going well is an understatement. Now that Fraser has returned to Dune — including showing moviegoers what Arrakis and all of its sand looks like under an eclipse, and also bringing the planet of Giedi Prime, which dwells beneath a black sun, to the screen — he'll next shoot the Dark Knight again on The Batman Part II. We chatted with the cinematographer about his work on both Dune films to-date, his Oscars recognition, how daunting it is to try to back up his Dune: Part One accolades on Dune: Part Two, his new expertise on sand dunes, taking Arrakis and Giedi Prime from the page to the screen, and more. [caption id="attachment_774009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dune: Part One. Image: Chiabella James. Copyright: © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On Lensing Dune: Part One Without Presuming That Fraser would Be Returning on Dune: Part Two "You never take anything for granted, and doing a movie is a miracle. People talk about us as a species having evolved, that's kind of a miracle — because there's a million things that could have gone wrong with a film getting up and going, but then there's another million things that could have gone wrong with me being able to do it. I could have been committed on another project. Denis may have chosen to to use another cinematographer, as is his right and he should and could, to create something different. Because that's what he he does — he casts his crew like he cast his actors. And so there's a whole myriad of reasons why I may not have been able to do Part Two. So I wasn't necessarily doing Part One on the proviso that I do Part Two. I was trying to make — as Denis was — Part One as good as possible, and do the best job for my director as possible. Then, with Part Two — obviously, we knew there was more of the story, but it's not dissimilar to to something like Rogue One. You know there's more to the story because the Star Wars universe is bigger than just Rogue One, but you don't make Rogue One thinking there's going to be another one or a series. You make the best thing you can." On Winning an Oscar for Dune: Part One — and Receiving a Nomination for Lion Before That "I love Lion, as I know a lot of people do. There's a lot of love out in the world for Lion. So, to have done that — the recognition is interesting, because the recognition from my peers is really important, and particularly peers that I respect and know. There's been a few events in my life where I've been given a pat on the back by people that I respect, and that's what effectively the Oscars are. A nomination for that is that exact thing. It's a pat on the back by your peers. And the win itself is, of course, icing on the cake, but that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is the nomination, because it basically says that of the movies of that year, that your peers feel like you are in the top five — and that's a big deal. For a kid from Melbourne who used to shoot short films and music videos with his buddies, to have made the top five film of the year for two years, I guess, now — two nominations — that's a big deal to have kudos from your peers, that I think's quite, quite fantastic. And also as a pat on the back to not just me, but also my director. Because if you recall in that year, Garth Davis directed Lion and that's a pat on the back to him. And Denis in the year that Dune was nominated, it's a massive pat on the back to him." On Being Daunted on Dune: Part Two After the Accolades and Acclaim Earned by Dune: Part One "Suddenly there's hype behind it. If it'd just been people going 'yeah, good one, that's great', well Part Two, you've got nothing to lose. But going into Part Two for us meant that we had everything to lose. Suddenly the stakes where a thousand times higher because everybody was going 'well, that won all these awards, this has got to be better'. Now, I will say just on the record, there have been many, many movies that have not won Academy Awards that are incredibly deserving — and there are many, many that have that aren't. So winning an Academy Award, in my opinion, is not always for the best film, out of respect for other films that don't win. But there is an inbuilt kind of consensus that that becomes the best film of the year. So therefore we were like 'alright, well all of us basically won that year'. Myself, and Patrice [Vermette, Foe] the production designer, and Paul [Lambert, First Man] the effects supervisor, and Joe [Walker, The Creator] the editor — we all kind of went 'gulp, we've got to make this better'. We want to make it better for ourselves anyway, and for the director anyway. But we're now like 'okay, now we've got to make it better better better better better'. Again, regardless of what it does in the awards season, I feel like we've made it better. I think every department stepped up. I didn't think that was even possible, frankly — that the design could be any better than last time or the VFX could be better than last time. But it is. And it was. And we did. And it felt better." On Becoming an Expert in Sand Dunes "What happens that I've learned — so here is the the masterclass of the sand dunes, if anybody wants to go out and shoot sand dunes — is that the time of day is critical. So you might be scouting a place in the morning where the sun's coming from east and you might not love it. You might dismiss it as a location. But you're driving past there in the afternoon, and the way the sun works its way across the the tops of the sand dunes and backlights the wind, it can change the location massively. Often at the beginning of our journey, back in 2019–2020, we would scout at the wrong time of day — or we would scout at a time of day that we weren't shooting. And we soon came to realise that 'okay, when this is scheduled, let's scout when it's scheduled, and that's the afternoon'. Which, in hindsight, is logical, and I'm surprised it even took us the couple of days it took us to figure that out. But yeah, I've become a bit of an expert when it comes to what the sand dunes are going to look like with the right light." On Giving Arrakis a Different Colour Palette for Dune: Part Two "We didn't want to start the movie the same way that that Part One ended. And it was a very deliberate, very deliberate process. Denis obviously had a really long time to think about this film — because even though I had done The Batman between the two Dune films, he had not. He was finishing Dune: Part One and he was preparing Dune: Part Two. So he had a lot of time to think about it, and he came to me and said 'I don't feel like we should start this the same way we ended'. And he said 'should we consider doing this as a night scene?'. And you know, I read the script, and a night scene for that scene would have been technically really tough, in the desert with lights. It would have been not only tough — nothing was impossible, of course — but I don't think the end result would have been as good. So we looked at day for night options. We looked at other ways to film it, to make it look different. And I found a filter that that cuts out a lot of blue and green light — not all of it, just a part of it, so it changes the spectrum, and it felt a little bit reddy-orange, but it still had colour. And we went 'perfect, that's what this world looks like when there's an eclipse'. So we said 'okay, we have the ability to to make an eclipse whenever we want'. And so we went 'let's start the film with an eclipse'. The funny thing was, we didn't plan for this, but during our time filming that sequence there was actually an eclipse in Jordan. Not to that degree — but we did a shot, we had our splinter unit DP Christoph with the long lens filming the sun, and so he did film the eclipse. I think there might be shot of the actual eclipse that we filmed in the film." On the Striking Look of House Harkonnen's Giedi Prime "Again, it's conversation with Denis. So Denis said 'listen, there's a fight scene. Feyd-Rautha [played by Elvis' Austin Butler] is gladiator, and there's a fight scene, and it's outside in a gladiatorial environment — but it can't look like Arrakis'. You think about all the gladiator films you've seen, and they're all on sand, aren't they? And they're all under the sun. So you would be confused if it looked like Gladiator or something, because it would be too similar to Arrakis. I'm not sure if this is in the book or not, but Denis wanted to create a a black sun for that world. And I was like 'wow, okay, what does the black sun do? Does it suck light out? Well, if it does, then it's black. It's a black hole.' But we were like 'no, it sucks the colour out. It emits an infrared light, but it sucks all the colour'. All work that's outside — the sun, effectively anything that's hit by sun or the effects of sun — is an infrared type of light with no visible colour. There are some scenes where it's inside in Giedi Prime and it's muted colours, but it's not black and white. When anybody comes from the Baron's box, for example, when they're inside in artificial light, let's call it, it's colour. It has colour. But then when they get hit by the sun, they become just this white, almost-ghoulish kind of effect. The benefit of that was that it really helped us tell that story of why the Harkonnen look the way they do — why they look so pale, and why they have alopecia, and why they have such gaunt, pale, pasty skin. It's because they don't get any of the ultraviolet from from the real sun. That's a backstory that never gets discussed in the movie, but hopefully with an audience it starts to become logical that you go 'okay, I get why they're so white and they need protection in the desert, because they can't handle the UV'. On Balancing the Epic and the Intimate On-Screen "I love extremes. I love dramatic extremes. I'm visually quite dramatic, I would like to think. So there's nothing more fantastic to me than seeing a closeup, then cutting to an extreme wide [shot] and seeing scale and grandeur that we possibly can't even imagine. It's something that I love about the Star Wars series. These guys get on the Millennium Falcon, which is massive, and then the Millennium Falcon flies up close to the Death Star, which then the Millennium Falcon becomes tiny. It's all about scale. It's people that we know get into something big, and then that big thing flies into something even bigger, which is beyond belief. It's hard to imagine that scale. As humans, we rarely come across scale that that absolutely floors us. I know people start talking about things like the Grand Canyon, they start talking about massive structures — massive earth-mining machinery, about the scale of those things that just literally blow their mind. So with filmmaking, we have that ability to create this scale that's beyond beyond this world, but mindblowing. Like those worms, I mean, those worms are beyond massive." On Making a Third Dune Film If It Comes to Fruition "Absolutely. I love working with Denis, so anytime Denis asks me to do a movie, I'll be there if the stars align — I'd be absolutely there. How it would look is a different story. I can't tell you what that would be, and that's what's fun about the process of discovering what a film is. Because Part Three would not look like Part One and Part Two. It would look different, and I don't know how that would be different at this point, which is fun because it means you got to work it out — and we could be talking again in whenever it comes out, five, ten years, whatever. If I get the chance to shoot it, then I'd love to talk about how different we made it. But at the moment, I don't know. It's a funny thing. I would love to do it. And if it comes off for me and the timing's right, fantastic." Dune: Part Two opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two.
London's iconic Ministry of Sound Club is bringing its beats down under with the launch of a brand new EDM night in the Sydney CBD. Lighting up ivy on George Street each and every Saturday night, Ministry of Sound Club Australia will feature four rooms of music, a state of the art sound system, and a carefully crafted lineup of killer acts. They're calling it a "new era of clubbing in Australia", and at the risk of over-hyping it, they might just be right. MOS' Australian excursion will kick off with a bang, with an opening night set by Peking Duk. They'll be joined in the ivy Courtyard by local favourites Kinder, while US house legend Sandy Rivera, aka Kings of Tomorrow, takes over the Pool Club. "Ministry of Sound in London is a world-renowned venue and has been the destination for lovers of dance music for over 25 years," said Ministry of Sound Australia CEO Tim McGee. "We are now going to bring that same experience and ethos to Sydney...Ministry of Sound Club will be the ultimate destination for true lovers of dance music." For more information about Ministry of Sound Clubs Australia visit www.ministryofsoundclub.com.au. Image: Nathan Doran Photography
You may affiliate the industrial suburb of Rosebery with oversized storage warehouses and designer outlet stores; however, the area is becoming quite the dining precinct, abuzz with delicious eateries. And now that our favourite bakery/cafe Black Star Pastry has set up shop in the neighbourhood, it makes the detour through these concrete 'burbs even more worth it. Set in the Cannery alongside Kitchen By Mike, the cafe is sticking to the streamlined theme of Rosebery; exposed raw brick matched with high ceilings enhance the spacious warehouse feel. The sleek interior makes for a sophisticated space — a stark contrast to the cosy Newtown parent. But it also seems that eclectic vibe we know and love about Black Star is somewhat amiss here. The staff are slightly detached and not as engaged as those behind the counter in Australia Street. Nonetheless, there are some fluencies that we recognise, from the chalkboard menu to the DIY toast station, the Little Marionette coffee and trendy tattooed staff — even the little black description cards with silver handwriting in front of the treats are the same. Perhaps Christopher Thé and his team are at odds over what to do with all this excess room? We doubt it. The location may have changed, but the heavenly treats remain and we're loyal to the core. More space just means that we diners now have ample elbow room to throw our arms around in ecstasy over the incredible strawberry watermelon cake ($7.50). Our fellow patrons needn't fear anymore that their orange cake with Persian fig ($4.50 piece) or chocolate eclair ($5.20) will meet its fate with the floor. Elbows can stretch out here — jump for delicious joy all you like. Whereas the Newtown store is driven by cakes, here it's more about lunch and bread, courtesy of the woodfired oven. It's getting put to good use by roasting chicken for the pita pockets ($10) and daily salads (from $5); they've even experimented with beetroot bread. The goat's cheese and roast tomato sandwich ($10) is lacking a real punch, however — maybe they're attempting to lay the focus on how great the sourdough is. Take home a loaf for only $8. But who comes to Black Star for a sandwich anyway? Lest we forget what we really love about Black Star: the signature flaky pastries such as the boozy almond knot ($4.80); quiches like the mushroom and feta that have that well-balanced eggy wobble ($6.50); and the pies ($8) that give you a good excuse to never make your own. As always, the lamb shank and red wine pie ($8) is a hot-seller. Best be quick. And butter me up and call me a cake, there's nothing like the sweet favourites: bread and butter pudding ($6.80) with dreamy Anglaise, the wonderfully rich chocolate hazelnut torte ($6.80), the coconut covered lemon myrtle chiffon cake ($4.80 piece) that is so ridiculously light and spongy it feels like you're eating velvet, and a zen garden ($7.50) — a pistachio, lemon and white chocolate layered cake is a Zen garden, in your gob. To wash down all the glorious sweet and savoury delights, the house-brewed iced tea ($4) or cold drip coffees ($4) are ideal accompaniments. Need we say more? Despite the the Rosebery branch being somewhat stark in comparison to the familiar Black Star that we have fallen head over heels with, don't let that deter you. The famed patisserie is still knocking us over with its exquisiteness. So warm your arms up in anticipation for that elbow-extending frenzied delight.
Fond of zipping around Sydney on a brightly coloured, two-wheeled mode of transport? If you're making your way across the inner city, you now have another choice. While Beam's purple e-bikes have been available since 2020, Sydneysiders can now also go orange by jumping on one of Neuron Mobility's electric bicycles. The Singapore-based outfit has unleashed 250 of its vibrant vehicles on the Harbour City's streets, starting in the Sydney CBD, Waverley and Randwick. That means that if you're keen to hop on one of Neuron's e-bikes, you'll need to be in the company's ride zone boundary — which, at the moment, spans out to Pyrmont and Circular Quay in the inner city, also includes Newtown and Green Square in the inner west, and encompasses Bondi and Coogee for beachside rides, too. As well as helmets, Neuron's bikes come with in-built geo-fencing technology, which means that the orange modes of transport can't venture beyond a specific zone. The geo-fencing also controls how fast the bikes can travel, as well as where they can be parked — but Neuron have set up incentivised parking stations across its operating area. Also, the e-bikes are linked to Google Maps, which means that you can use the latter to find one of Neuron's e-bikes, and to get information on your ride. That spans directions, details on how long it will you to get to your destination, price estimates, battery range and expected ETA. You'll unlock the bike and pay for it via the Neuron app, however. Price-wise, Neuron's e-bikes cost $1 to unlock, then 45 cents per minute to ride. Or, you can buy Neuron Passes, which let you ride as many times as you like for up to 90 minutes per day — starting at $3.30 a day, depending on whether you get a one-day ($15) three-day ($25), weekly ($33) or monthly ($99) version. And if Neuron sounds familiar — or its orange-hued vehicles look familiar, more likely — that's because you might've come across them in other Australian cities. Its move into Sydney marks the company's first location in New South Wales, but also now sees it operating e-scooters, e-bikes or both in every Aussie capital. Neuron Mobility's e-bikes are now available around Sydney. For further details, visit the company's website.
In the just-dropped trailer for Only Murders in the Building season five, Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated) gives the apartment complex that he calls home — as do his friends and fellow podcasters Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez) and Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Grimsburg) — a fitting description: "the most-murderous building in New York". Another run for this mystery-comedy delight does indeed mean another suspicious death that needs investigating. This time, the show's central trio are looking into the demise of the Arconia's beloved doorman Lester (Teddy Coluca, The Blacklist), although the police rule it as accidental. Of course, Charles, Mabel and Oliver aren't convinced with that explanation — and, as the first sneak peek at season five shows, their latest round of sleuthing brings a few colourful new characters into their orbit. Mobsters and billionaires are part of Only Murders in the Building's plot this time around, which is where new co-stars Bobby Cannavale (Unstoppable), Renée Zellweger (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy), Logan Lerman (We Were the Lucky Ones) and Christoph Waltz (Old Guy) fit in. [caption id="attachment_1014462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Disney/Patrick Harbron[/caption] By now, audiences know that lives don't just thrive in NYC towers like the Arconia. Sometimes — frequently in this abode — they end, too. Folks connected to the fictional structure haven't been having a good run, but Charles, Mabel and Oliver looking into their untimely passings, and talking about it, has proven this series' premise since 2021's first season. A severed finger, The Godfather references, mafia meetings, "three of the richest people in the world sniffing around a murder scene", the Mayor, gambling, examining a body at a funeral: that's all in store in season five, as seen in the trailer. You'll next be viewing the trio's antics from spring Down Under, with Only Murders in the Building locked in for a Tuesday, September 9, 2025 premiere date for its fifth season. Michael Cyril Creighton (American Horror Stories) is back among the cast as well, as are Meryl Streep (Extrapolations), Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Bride Hard), Richard Kind (Poker Face) and Nathan Lane (The Gilded Age). Alongside Cannavale, Zellweger,Lerman and Waltz, season five also features Téa Leoni (Death of a Unicorn), Keegan-Michael Key (Dear Santa), Beanie Feldstein (Drive-Away Dolls), Dianne Wiest (Apartment 7A) and Jermaine Fowler (Sting). Check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season five below: Only Murders in the Building streams Down Under via Disney+, with season five premiering on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Read our reviews of season one, season two and season three. Images: Disney/Patrick Harbron.
MOP is a good gallery - one of the best artist-run space's in Sydney in my opinion. Evidence of this can be seen in the artists that exhibit here, but it might also be due to the fact that the standardized curatorial hand does not press too heavily on the exhibitions themselves (after all, curators don't make art, artists do). To this end, established and emerging artists often exhibit together without it being a 'strategy' or 'generational connector', mediums do not have to match and each artist is often working from a different history or set of concerns. A good example of this diversity can be spotted in the upcoming lineup: Jai McKenzie, Gary Carsley and Kate Williams. McKenzie re-visits underachieving 20th Century utopian propositions in a new installation Used Future, Carsley expands on his very own brand of cosplay-inspired iconography in Display Sweet, and Williams presents her fractured sculptures that directly address our perception of space and self in Twisted Logic. It's certainly a varied group, but if there are links to locate here you'll be able to think through them yourself. This is art served straight up. Image: Jai McKenzie
Christmas brings with it many traditions, from party season as soon as Halloween is over through to turkey and prawns on the big occasion itself (and, obviously, carols, stockings, lights and decorations aplenty, too). The next day has its own routine as well — swapping feasts, drinks, presents and backyard cricket for hitting up your favourite picture palace, ready to gorge your way through the year's biggest movie-going moment. And yes, getting an air-conditioned escape from Australia's summer heat is quite the nice bonus. We're talking about Boxing Day, clearly — and, specifically, Boxing Day's annual haul of new films. 2022's lineup is a little smaller than past years because the hefty blue behemoth that is Avatar: The Way of Water opened in mid-December, but there's still plenty to watch. Wondering what's newly showing? Eager to learn what's truly worth your time, more importantly? We've viewed and reviewed the day's full slate of new titles, including an Oscar frontrunner, a savage satire of privilege, a Whitney Houston biopic and Antonio Banderas voicing a mischievous cat. Here's our rundown — happy viewing! THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN In The Banshees of Inisherin, the rolling hills and clifftop fields look like they could stretch on forever, even on a fictional small island perched off the Irish mainland. For years, conversation between Padraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell, After Yang) and Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson, The Tragedy of Macbeth) has been similarly sprawling — and leisurely, too — especially during the pair's daily sojourn to the village pub for chats over pints. But when the latter calls time on their camaraderie suddenly, his demeanour turns brusque and his explanation, only given after much pestering, is curt. Uttered beneath a stern, no-nonsense stare by Gleeson to his In Bruges co-star Farrell, both reuniting with that darkly comic gem's writer/director Martin McDonagh for another black, contemplative and cracking comedy, Colm is as blunt as can be: "I just don't like you no more." In the elder character's defence, he wanted to ghost his pal without hurtful words. Making an Irish exit from a lifelong friendship is a wee bit difficult on a tiny isle, though, as Colm quickly realises. It's even trickier when the mate he's trying to put behind him is understandably upset and confused, there's been no signs of feud or fray beforehand, and anything beyond the norm echoes through the town faster than a folk ballad. So springs McDonagh's smallest-scale and tightest feature since initially leaping from the stage to the screen, and a wonderful companion piece to that first effort. Following the hitman-focused In Bruges, he's gone broader with Seven Psychopaths, then guided Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell to Oscars with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but he's at his best when his lens is trained at Farrell and Gleeson as they bicker in close confines. Read our full review. TRIANGLE OF SADNESS Ruben Östlund isn't interested in keeping his viewers comfortable, no matter how cushy their cinema chair. To watch the Swedish filmmaker's features is to feel yourself reacting — emotionally, always, and sometimes physically as well. It was true of 2014's phenomenal Force Majeure, aka as clever and cringe-inducing a portrait of marriage and masculinity as the 21st century has provided. With dropped jaws over a divisive piece of art within a divisive piece of art, it was true of 2018's The Square, the writer/director's first Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner, too. And, earning him that same prestigious prize again in 2022, it's also wholly accurate of Triangle of Sadness. Make a movie with a shape in its title, score one of the biggest filmmaking awards there is: that's been a nifty formula for Östlund of late. But even if he directs a flick called something like Hexagonal Dreaming soon, or anything else with a geometrical bent, and it too nabs that Cannes gong, beating Triangle of Sadness' vomit sequence is highly unlikely. To remind audiences that responding to films and life alike is an involuntary reflex, Östlund shows plenty of his characters doing just that — to existence, and to a choppy luxury cruise. It makes for simply unforgettable cinema, but it's also just one part of Triangle of Sadness and its sublimely shot unpacking of wealth, privilege and social hierarchies. Appearing to be coasting through perfection is an ongoing quest for Carl (Harris Dickinson, See How They Run) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, Black Lightning), well-known models-slash-influencers, and the movie's focal point. When they take to the sea among the uber rich, they're still working the requisite angles (and snapping everything for Instagram from every angle). But then, under the captain's (Woody Harrelson, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) watch, being stranded on an island becomes their fate — and the way that Östlund satirically carves into the resulting chaos is equally hilarious and and astute, even when his film is both obvious and hardly subtle. Read our full review. WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY In the decade since her death in 2012, Whitney Houston has proven one of filmmaking's greatest loves of all. No fewer than five movies have told her tale, including documentaries Whitney: Can I Be Me and Whitney — and that's without including a feature about her daughter Bobbi Kristina, a miniseries focused on her ex-husband Bobby Brown and dramas clearly based on her story. All of that attention echoes for obvious reasons. Houston's mezzo-soprano voice, which earned her the nickname "The Voice", soared to stratospheric and literally breathtaking levels. Still holding the record for the most consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, which she took from The Beatles and the Bee Gees, her career zoomed skyward as well. That swift rise from New Jersey church choir member to one of the biggest bestselling music artists ever was matched by tabloid-fodder lows, however, and that tragic, gone-too-soon passing — and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody charts it all. Taking its name from one of Houston's most exuberant singles isn't just music biopic 101 (see also: Bohemian Rhapsody, also penned by this film's screenwriter Anthony McCarten). Kasi Lemmons' (Harriet) feature follows the standard Wikipedia entry-like genre template, but the filmmaker wants those titular words to reflect how Whitney (Naomi Ackie, Master of None) just wanted to be herself, to be loved as such, and openly be with Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams, Black Lightning), the girlfriend-turned-creative director that her gospel singer mother Cissy Houston (Tamara Tunie, Cowboy Bebop) and stern father John (Clarke Peters, The Man Who Fell to Earth) disapprove of. Instead, after being signed to Arista Records at 19 by producer and executive Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci, The King's Man), Whitney becomes America's princess next door. Ackie turns in a commanding, multi-layered performance as the conflicted singer — even while lip-synching, with the movie smartly using Houston's own vocals — in a film that's impassioned, wisely filled with electrifying performance recreations, yet is happy to just hit every expected note. Read our full review. THE LOST KING When King Richard III was killed in battle in the 15th century, did anyone wonder about a public holiday? Given the era and its working conditions, likely not. There's also the hardly minor fact that the monarch was slain by the forces of Henry Tudor, who promptly became England's ruler, so downing tools for a day of mourning probably wasn't a priority. The world has a frame of reference for grieving a British sovereign, though, and recently. When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, pomp and ceremony reigned supreme. Dramatising the discovery of Richard III's remains, The Lost King wasn't made with the queen's passing in mind. Actually, it world-premiered a day afterwards. But the Stephen Frears (Victoria & Abdul)-directed, Steve Coogan- and Jeff Pope (Philomena)-scripted drama benefits from audiences knowing what's done now when whoever wears the crown is farewelled. The Lost King isn't about chasing a parade, pageantry, and a day off work for the masses in Britain and further afield. Charting the true tale of Richard III's location and exhumation 527 years after he breathed his last breath, it follows a quest for recognition and respect. When the film opens, Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins, The Phantom of the Open) wants it for herself, as a woman over 40 overlooked for a promotion at work in favour of a younger, less-experienced colleague — and as someone with a medical condition, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, who's too easily dismissed due to her health. She's also newly separated from her husband John (Coogan, This Time with Alan Partridge), adding to her unappreciated feelings. It's no wonder that Richard III's plight catches her interest thanks to a production of Shakespeare's Richard III, aka one of the reasons that the king was long seen as a hunchbacked villain. More surprising: that the film about all of this, while engaging enough and featuring stellar work by Hawkins, doesn't seem to trust that its real-life story can hold its own. Read our full review. LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE The Paddington movies did it better. That's a general catch-all statement that can apply to almost anything, zero context required, and it's also the prevailing feeling while watching Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Instead of a marmalade-coveting bear, a singing crocodile is trying to win hearts — and the similarities don't stop there. The page-to-screen leap from a children's favourite? Tick. An adorable animal winding up in a family of humans who need its unique presence to make their lives complete, bring them together and show them what truly matters? Tick again. The strait-laced dad, creative mum, nasty neighbour and kindly kid? Keep ticking. Also present in both: the titular critter donning human clothing and craving fruity foods, warm colours aplenty, a vintage look and feel to interior spaces, a tense and traumatic capture, and an accomplished star having a whole lot of fun going big, broad and cartoonish (Javier Bardem here, and worlds away from The Good Boss, Dune or Everybody Knows). Bardem's playful turn as magician Hector P Valenti is the best thing about Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which is breezily watchable but so indebted to Paddington and its sequel — so desperate to be an American version of the charming English franchise — that orange conserve might as well be smeared across the lens. As directed by Office Christmas Party's Josh Gordon and Will Speck, and scripted by Johnny English Strikes Again's Will Davies (adapting from Bernard Waber's books), the film is also a musical, with the eponymous croc (voiced by Shawn Mendes) able to sing but not speak. Those forgettable songs pad out a slight story, after Valenti discovers Lyle, hopes to get famous as a double act and loses his New York City brownstone when his gambit fails. Then the new residents, the Primm family, find the reptile in the attic, son Josh (Winslow Fegley, Come Play) finds a friend and his parents (Hustlers' Constance Wu and Blonde's Scoot McNairy) find their own reasons to get snapped up in the critter's singing-and-dancing vibe — although Mr Grumps (Brett Gelman, Stranger Things) downstairs obviously lives up to his moniker. PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH Since arriving in cinemas in 2001, Shrek has inspired three more ogre-centric flicks, a heap of shorts and TV specials, and a stage musical for the whole family. It's also the reason that green-hued burlesque shows exist, plus all manner of parties and raves — none of the last three of which are appropriate for kids, obviously. But beyond the Mike Myers (The Pentaverate)-voiced titular figure himself, only Puss in Boots has become solo big-screen fodder from among the franchise's array of characters. Like much in this series, the shoe-wearing feline hails from fairy tales, but the reason for its ongoing on-screen popularity is as simple as casting. Who doesn't want to see a kitty swashbuckler voiced by Antonio Banderas (Official Competition), basically making this a moggie Zorro? Based on the 2011 Puss in Boots' $555 million at the box office, that concept is irresistible to plenty of folks — hence, albeit 11 years later, sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Pairing the right talent to the right animated character doesn't instantly make movie magic, of course; however, The Last Wish, which literally has Puss seeking magic, is among the best films that the broader Shrek saga has conjured up so far. The eponymous cat begins the picture being his usual swaggering self and caring little for the consequences, including his own dwindling lives. One raucous incident sees him realise that he's died eight times already, though, and knowing this ninth go-around is his last according to feline lore suddenly fills him with existential woe. That's a thoughtful premise for an all-ages-friendly flick, and one that's never dampened by the film's plethora of fairy tale nods, high-energy vibe and usually amusing gags. So, Puss, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek, House of Gucci) and their new canine companion Perro (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows) attempt to find a famed wishing star that can make avoiding death a reality — but Goldilocks (Florence Pugh, The Wonder) and the three bears (Black Widow's Ray Winstone, Mothering Sunday's Olivia Colman and Our Flag Means Death's Samson Kayo) are also after it, as is a no longer 'little' Jack Horner (John Mulaney, Big Mouth).
Previously hidden in a backyard sprinkled with fairy lights, Parramatta pizzeria Fratelli Pulcinella has expanded into a new location on Church Street. While you may not be sneaking around the side of a house to get your hands on the saucy rounds, you'll still find the same quality Italian food at Fratelli Pulcinella 2.0. Head into 399 Church Street, and you'll find two firing pizza ovens (one for classic bases and one for gluten-free slices) amid a spacious multi-storey dining room accented with brightly coloured chairs and Italian quotes emblazoned across the wall. If part of the charm at the original Parramatta location was the al fresco dining, never fear — the new space has plenty of tables out back in the courtyard. Food-wise the team has kept things consistent, with the addition of pizza fritta and panuozzo to the menu. Classic Italian combos form the basis of the pizza options: margherita (regular or the extra-cheesy buffalo variety), prosciutto and parmesan, capricciosa and napoletana. But, the rotating menu is known to dish up some unexpected flavours as well. Indulge in a combo of speck, provolone, buffalo cheese, rocket, truffle oil and balsamic glaze. Or opt for the double-layered Amore Tossico, which features fior di latte mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, house-made Italian sausage, tomato, ham, caramelised onions, buffalo cheese, fried speck and basil. Bellissimo. If you're looking for a comforting Italian feast in the west (or on your way to a game at CommBank Stadium), Fratelli Pulcinella is here to hit the spot — now with room for everyone. Updated Monday, December 18, 2023.
Perched overlooking Monro Park, Parc Pavilion is the latest addition to Cronulla's burgeoning dining scene. Spanning four upbeat restaurants across two levels, each offers a distinct mood and menu, from laidback family-friendly dining experiences and an upbeat sports bar to Italian-inspired cocktails with a beachside view to match. Guided by the Feros Group — the same crew behind venues like Highfield Caringbah, The Prince Hotel and The Botanical — they've brought on the highly experienced chef Jamie Gannon to lead the cuisine as the Group's new culinary director. For punters, that means fresh, seasonal and inventive dishes served from all four venue kitchens. With two venues now open on the ground floor, Parc Bistro is a casual spot designed for relaxed dining and quick takeaways to enjoy in the park. Think stacked burgers, fresh salads and classic mains, like chicken schnitzel and roast barramundi. Meanwhile, there's a solid selection of low-fuss options perfect for the kids. Up next is Mr Munro's — a front bar overlooking Cronulla Street. Primed for post-work drinks and catching live sports, a rotating entertainment program features live music and drag bingo. Heading upstairs, The Terrace offers an upbeat retreat among the greenery that evokes just a hint of the Mediterranean. Sip on vibrant cocktails and chilled wines while indulging in an Italian-inspired menu, featuring highlights like burrata with beetroot and alto lemon oil, and fried squid with garlic and parsley. There's also an expansive list of pizza, pane and pasta options alongside mains like fritto misto and grilled swordfish. Ideal for long lunches and even longer nights, live DJs help bring this intimate space to life. Launching Thursday, June 5, Call Me Mamma is the last of this dining quartet, offering personality-packed Italian dining. Featuring full table service and an elevated but approachable atmosphere, this might just become Cronulla's go-to spot for birthday celebrations and midweek dinners where the good times flow non-stop. With award-winning interior architecture practice H&E leading the design from top to bottom, expect Parc Pavilion to become a bustling local destination. "Cronulla has been waiting for a venue like Parc! We wanted to create an all-encompassing space that celebrates everything we love about this community — the energy, the lifestyle, the people," said Chris Feros, executive chair of the Feros Group. "Parc Pavilion is designed to be a place locals feel proud of and becomes a highlight for visitors." Parc Pavilion is open daily from 10am–12am at 138 Cronulla Street, Cronulla. Head to the website for more information.
He captured imaginations and made his artistic mark with big-screen hits like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. And, he once designed a Milan cafe that resembled one of his film sets. Earlier this year, he also released his gorgeous stop-motion animated movie Isle of Dogs — but that's not all that acclaimed director Wes Anderson has for fans in 2018. Known for his visual distinctive style and fondness for symmetry, Anderson has also taken his creative vision into the art world, playing museum curator alongside his partner, set designer and illustrator Juman Malouf. As announced back in February, the pair have been invited to put together an exhibition for Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, which you've got to admit looks like it's been plucked from a dreamy Anderson flick itself. Called Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures, the exhibition is set to kick off on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 and run until April 28, 2019. The creative couple were given a task that plenty would envy: trawling through the Kunsthistorisches Museum's more than four million objects, and selecting their favourites from the incredibly broad collection of in-house artifacts. The end result includes items from all 14 of the museum's collections, which span old master paintings, Greek and Roman antiquities, Imperial coins and more. Pieces like historical musical instruments, suits of armour, foreign antiques, carriages and sleighs will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue — sure to be a swoon-worthy piece of art in its own right. And if you're not planning to be in Austria while it's on, maybe start thinking about heading to Italy. After its initial Kunsthistorisches run, the exhibition will travel to the Fondazione Prada in Milan at a yet-to-be-announced date. Here's a sneak peak of what's in store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vTQI6Vw5nY Image: Wes Anderson and Juman Malouf in the Picture Gallery, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband .
When The Favourite took a chapter of 18th-century history, filtered it through a witty and twisted sense of humour, and brought it all to life with lavish sets, luxurious costuming and a high-profile cast, it instantly attracted attention — and became one of the best films of 2018. Now, The Great is here to roll out the same format on the small screen, this time swapping English royalty for a famed Russian empress. And, sporting savage, satirical humour in spades, it works just as well. The moniker 'the Great' has popped up plenty of times in Russian history; however there's no doubting who it refers to in this instance: Catherine, formerly Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg of Prussia. As played by Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon, Mary Shelley, Galveston), she hasn't yet ascended to greatness when The Great begins. But, by the time the show's first episode finishes, she's firmly plotting her path. Sent to Russia to marry reigning emperor Peter III (The Favourite and True History of the Kelly Gang's Nicholas Hoult) and solve her family's money troubles, the educated and idealistic Catherine arrives in her new homeland with a romantic vision of life, her nuptials, her place in the kingdom and her adopted country in general — especially its treatment of women. Alas, instead of marital bliss and being regarded as an equal, she's soon betrothed to a vain, arrogant, brattish ruler who'd rather binge-drink vodka, shoot bears, throw parties and start wars to prove his manliness than spend any real time with his new wife. He's also the kind of guy who describes himself as possessing "a gentle heart and massive cock", then pauses to make sure his ever-present entourage of ass-kissing noblemen furnish him with praise and laughs. It's no wonder, then, that when Catherine describes her hopes and dreams for a tender and ecstatic wedding night, her caustic but loyal maid Marial (The Aeronauts' Phoebe Fox) only barely manages not to roll her eyes. The reality of the royal couple's first evening together is definitely no one's fantasy, with Peter thrusting away while he chats to his best friend Grigor (Bohemian Rhapsody and Top End Wedding's Gwilym Lee) about shooting ducks. Created and written by The Favourite's Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning co-scribe Tony McNamara — and based on the Australian playwright, screenwriter and director's 2008 Sydney Theatre Company stage production of the same name — The Great serves up acerbic laughs from the outset, and doesn't let the mood drop. That means sharp, sly and thoroughly self-aware dialogue, an irreverent and cheeky tone, and having ample fun with real-life details. Indeed, The Great's title card notes upfront that the show tells "an occasionally true story". The broad strokes of Catherine's life remain in place, including her progressive plans for Russia and her quest to topple her husband in a coup; however slavish devotion to history is far, far less important than dark comedy, laugh-out-loud lines, a willingness to get silly and viewing Imperial Russia as a farce. Entertaining, engaging and very easy to binge, The Great also benefits from pitch-perfect casting. In her first comedic role, Fanning is equally luminous, intelligent and calculating, especially when she's scheming her way to the top. But, while the series isn't called Peter III (or "no Peter the Great", as he's dubbed in one episode), Hoult constantly steals the show as the demanding and impetuous frat boy emperor. Also deserving attention: the delightfully sarcastic Fox, Lodge 49's Adam Godley as the manic Archbishop, Hoult's fellow Skins alum Sebastian de Souza as Catherine's approved lover, Iron Fist's Sacha Dhawan as her chief co-conspirator and Australian actress Belinda Bromilow as Peter's offbeat aunt. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vLgpdXz0g All ten episodes of The Great's first season are available to stream via Stan in Australia and NeonTV in New Zealand. Top image: Ollie Upton, Hulu
Imagine a fully immersive theatre experience with a choose-your-own-adventure twist and lots of macabre nods to Edgar Allan Poe, and you'll have some idea of what to expect when A Midnight Visit takes over an abandoned Sydney warehouse later this year. Unlike any theatre offering the city has seen before, this captivating experience is part performance, part playground and part film set. And it's being brought to life across 30 rooms of an eerie, two-storey, 3500-square-metre Newtown warehouse before it's demolished to make way for apartments. Audiences will find themselves transported into a dream world that takes its cues from those notoriously macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe, as imagined by a team of local actors and a crew of innovative sound, film-set and costume designers. Expect an air of David Lynch and some Stanley Kubrick vibes, with a spot of steam-punk thrown in for good measure. "The experience explores themes of madness, guilt, death, impermanence and memory — just the small things in life," explains director and co-creator Danielle Harvey. "It's sometimes funny, sometimes sexy, sometimes wistful, and yes, sometimes a bit scary." It won't be for the faint-hearted, with hints to uneven floors, suffocatingly small spaced and many 'troubled characters'. If you're thinking you might need some sort of tipple to calm your nerves before all of that, or after, you'll find yourself in good hands at The Ravens Rest pop-up bar, curated by Studio Neon. A Midnight Visit will run from October 3 until December 9, at 655 King Street Newtown. Tickets are $45, available here. Preview performances from September 19 will also be available for $25.
The place: earth in the near future. The situation: a frozen planet chilling at a frosty -119 degrees celsius, as caused by humanity's attempts to combat climate change. The only solution: a constantly hurtling 1001-car train that plays host to the world's only remaining people. But, instead of banding together on the speeding locomotive, the residents of Snowpiercer have transported society's class structure into the carriages of their new home. That's the story that drives Snowpiercer — on both the big screen and on TV. First came Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film, which marked the acclaimed South Korean writer/director's first English-language film, and one of the movies that brought him to broader fame before Netflix's Okja and 2019's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning and Oscar-winning Parasite. Then, unsurprisingly, came a US-made television series, which was first announced back in 2016, and then finally started speeding across screens — including Down Under, where it's available via Netflix — from May 2020. In both forms, Snowpiercer boasts a smart, immersive and all-too-timely concept — and unpacks its underlying idea in a thrilling and involving manner. While the TV version isn't as stellar as Bong's film (because, honestly, how could it be?), it takes the same dystopian concept, heightens the suspense and drama, and serves up both a class warfare-fuelled survivalist thriller and a murder-mystery. Think constant twists, reveals and reversals, cliffhangers at the end of almost every scene, and a 'Murder on the Snowpiercer Express' kind of vibe. Indeed, it's very addictive — and, ahead of its season two premiere on Tuesday, January 26 on Netflix, the streaming platform has dropped the full trailer for the show's next batch of episodes Once again, Hamilton's Tony Award-winning Daveed Diggs leads the charge, playing an ex-detective who has spent seven years in the tail end of the train and is dedicated to overthrowing the status quo to achieve equality for all. Also aboard is Jennifer Connelly as the engine's all-seeing, ever-present head of hospitality, with the likes of Frances Ha's Mickey Sumner, Slender Man's Annalise Basso and The Americans' Alison Wright all part of Snowpiercer's new world order as well. And, as first teased last year, Snowpiercer's existing cast are all facing a significant change in the second season. They're about to meet a new adversary, as played by none other than Game of Thrones' Sean Bean. Just how long he'll survive in his latest role is something you can start pondering right now. Watch the full Snowpiercer season two trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yZatBxIqVk Snowpiercer's second season will hit Netflix Down Under from Tuesday, January 26 — dropping new episodes weekly. Top image: David Bukach.
Travelling overseas ranks right up there on everyone's bucket list, but the actual travelling part is far from fun. No one loves spending more than a couple of hours on a plane, and no one loves taking multiple flights to get to their destination either. But if you could choose between hopping over to your destination in one leg, or getting a break from being cramped and uncomfortable in the air, which would you opt for? Thanks to advances in aircraft development, ensuring that today's planes are more fuel-efficient over hefty distances, airlines are increasingly making non-stop long-range flights a reality. After Qantas introduced its 17-hour-plus Perth-to-London route earlier this year, Singapore Airlines will be unleashing the world's longest non-stop commercial flight in October: from Singapore to New York over 18 hours and 45 minutes. First announced by the airline in 2015 and confirmed a few months back, the route will be made possible thanks to the new Ultra Long Range version of the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, which completed its first successful test flight in April. Singapore Airlines now have the world's first Airbus A350-900ULR in its possession, and it'll take off on October 11, with seven more set to be brought into operation shortly afterwards. The planes can travel up to 16,000 kilometres (or 8,700 nautical miles) without refuelling — or, for over 20 hours non-stop — which makes the 15,322-kilometre trip between Singapore and New York possible. They also feature higher ceilings, larger windows, a wider body, as well as quieter cabins and lighting that's designed to reduce jetlag. It's not the first time that the airline has flown direct to the US, with Singapore-to-Newark, New Jersey flights in operation until 2013. The world's current longest route without stopovers runs from Doha to Auckland in around 18 hours, travelling 14,529 kilometres on a Boeing 777-200LR, followed by the Perth-to-London leg. Qantas is keen to beat both the current and the impending record-holders, though, last year announcing plans to fly direct from Australia's east coast to both London and New York by 2022 — and this year advising that their plans are on track, with the airline comfortable that plane manufacturers will create a vehicle that can handle the 20-hour and 20-minute, 16,983-kilometre stint between Sydney and London.
This April, the Art Gallery of NSW is unveiling The Essential Duchamp, a landmark exhibition showcasing 125 works and materials from the captivating career of French artist Marcel Duchamp. If you're not too familiar with Duchamp himself, you'll probably still recognise his most controversial works — he's the dude that basically decided a urinal could be considered an artwork if an artist said it was, thus paving the way for manufactured objects to be considered and recognised as art (what Duchamp called 'readymades'). But there's more to his six-decade-long career than controversy. To prime you (art pun intended) for your visit, we spoke to the AGNSW's curator of modern and contemporary international art, Nicholas Chambers, to find out five things you should know about the iconoclastic artist — and obsessive chess player — whose irreverence, agility and refusal to heed the status quo single-handedly changed the course of modern art forever. [caption id="attachment_721134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marcel Duchamp: Nude Descending a Staircase (No 2); 1912. Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Louise and Walter Arensberg Collection, 1950-134-59 © Association Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2019.[/caption] DUCHAMP NEVER SETTLED Looking back on his career, Duchamp said: "I didn't want to pin myself down to one little circle, and I tried at least to be as universal as I could." A huge part of his ongoing appeal lies in the way he fought against the idea of the artist as a brand, avoiding being pigeonholed into a particular style or becoming a card-carrying member of a movement — even dadaism, a movement that he was a pioneer of. You'll experience Duchamp's diversity as you move through the exhibition, which Chambers promises "reveals just how agile he was as an artist, able to move so deftly between different art forms and ideas". Duchamp welcomed self-contradiction and embraced a broad array of influences, some of which he'd try on for a while, make his own and then abandon — as you'll see in his early painting, Nude Descending a Staircase, No.2 (1912), where he essentially mic dropped a highly original take on cubism, caused quite le scandale at the 1913 New York Armory Show, then decided to leave painting behind to focus on less traditional ways to operate as an artist. [caption id="attachment_721132" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass); 1915-1923, oil, varnish, lead foil, lead wire, and dust. Philadelphia Museum of Art, bequest of Katherine S. Dreier, 1952 © Association Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2018.[/caption] DUCHAMP PROVOKED CONVERSATION No stranger to controversy, Duchamp believed that art's purpose wasn't to provide visual pleasure, but rather to shake things up and engage people intellectually. Painting, for example, in his words "should not be exclusively retinal or visual; it should have to do with the grey matter, with our urge for understanding." From Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912) to the game-changing readymade Fountain (1917) (that's the urinal) to the "definitively unfinished" glass composition The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even (The Large Glass) (1915–23), Duchamp's work started conversations — sometimes heated ones — and activated discourse. Seriously, can you imagine some of the reactions to 1913's Bicycle Wheel, his first readymade? Just who is this guy who thinks he can plonk a bicycle wheel on a kitchen stool and call it art? His work remains provocative in 2019, says Chambers, prompting and compelling us "to reflect on questions of taste. How is value determined in the art world? What's at stake when artists, viewers, curators or critics make aesthetic judgements? He provokes us to question the most basic conventions of art appreciation". [caption id="attachment_721133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marcel Duchamp: The Chess Game; 1910. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Louise and Walter Arensberg Collection, 1950 © Association Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2019.[/caption] DUCHAMP REALLY, REALLY LIKED CHESS Several Duchamp works take chess as a theme, including the early painting The Chess Game (1910), which depicts his two brothers — both of them also artists — hunched over a chessboard in their studio's garden. A lifelong devotee of the game who eventually acquired the title of Master and competed for the French national team in multiple Chess Olympiads, in the early 1920's it was even (falsely) rumoured Duchamp was abandoning the art world entirely to focus on chess full-time. Chambers notes that chess actually "provides an interesting analogy for thinking about Duchamp's project at large: an approach to art and life that's at once playful and strategic". In both art and chess Duchamp believed in taking risks, but could also take a slow and steady approach; he could revel in the endless combination of tactics and moves — or styles and techniques — available, but he could also step outside a trend or movement to see the bigger picture, and triumph. Whether Duchamp ultimately preferred chess over art is a matter of argument; however he is often quoted as saying: "While all artists are not chess players, all chess players are artists." Make of that what you will. [caption id="attachment_721136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Man Ray: Duchamp as Rrose Selavy; 1921–26. Philadelphia Museum of Art, gift of Jacqueline, Paul and Peter Matissein memory of their mother Alexina Duchamp, 13-1972-9(763a,b). © Man Ray Trust/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2019.[/caption] DUCHAMP WAS ENIGMATIC "There was always a lot of mystery surrounding Duchamp — both his person and his productions," says Chambers. Duchamp actively perpetuated rumours he had retired from the art world, loved wordplay and language games and often signed his works with false names, such as Fountain (1917) which is signed 'R. Mutt' — a joke of which even Duchamp became slightly murky on the exact origins. During the 1920s he created a female alter ego named Rrose Sélavy (ask a French speaker to point out the aural gag) whose name adorns several of his readymades. Many of his works feel full of clues to meanings just beyond our grasp, and he could be deeply secretive — the last 20 years of his life were spent working on a piece only a few people knew about entitled Étant donnés (1946–66), which you'll see a digital presentation of in the exhibition. Testing the boundaries of his own image as an artist, Duchamp relished a sense of play, mystery and freedom, stating: "I believe that art is the only form of activity in which man as man shows himself to be a true individual." [caption id="attachment_721135" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marcel Duchamp Hat Rack 1964 (replica of 1917 original) National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; Fountain 1950 (replica of 1917 original) Philadelphia Museum of Art; Bicycle Wheel 1964 (replica of 1913 original) Philadelphia Museum of Art; Bottlerack 1961 (replica of 1914 original) Philadelphia Museum of Art, © Association Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2018.[/caption] DUCHAMP CHANGED THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT ART Duchamp borrowed the term 'readymade' from the fashion industry to describe the everyday, mass-produced, often utilitarian objects he found, modified and declared to be artworks. Works such as Bicycle Wheel (1913), In Advance of the Broken Arm (1915) and Fountain (1917) were ironic, at times humorous acts of rebellion against what he called "retinal art" — their appeal to Duchamp lying in their very banality and visual indifference. It's impossible to overstate just how revolutionary it was in 1917 for an artist to suggest that a standard urinal should be included in a public exhibition. "The readymades on a fundamental level changed what we mean when we use the words art and artist," says Chambers. An artist now had the power to transform and elevate a humble snow shovel into an artwork. An artist by definition no longer had to be someone who uses their skill to make something original by hand — they could also appropriate something someone else (or even a machine) had made, and give it new meaning in an artistic context. Art could be more about an idea than the object itself. And it definitely didn't have to please the eye — it could please the mind instead. You can catch The Essential Duchamp at Art Gallery of NSW between April 27 and August 11, 2019. Admission is ticketed and can be purchased in person or online. AGNSW is open 10am—5pm daily, with extended hours until 10pm on Wednesday.
If there was ever a film that made you wish you could step right into its frames, it's Wet Hot American Summer. The cult hit from 2001 took a satirical look at the American coming-of-age ritual that is heading off to summer camp, complete with Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, Molly Shannon and Michael Showalter along for the fun. And, while it wasn't the biggest money earner, its enduring popularity caused Netflix to fund both a prequel and a sequel series. Now, the eager folks at Devastator Press! want to help make all of our dreams a reality. No, they're not hosting a real-life summer camp, sorry (but Brisbane's Death Valley Fun Camp is doing a pretty good job, though, and Camp Kidinyou did the same thing in Melbourne late in 2016). Instead, they're turning WHAS into a role-playing game that'll ensure film and TV fans can play along as a camper, counselor or staffer at Camp Firewood — while wearing cutoffs and drinking beer, obviously. Even if tabletop role-playing games aren't normally your thing, we're betting you'd try out Wet Hot American Summer: Fantasy Camp; it's designed for newcomers to the genre, with "more emphasis on storytelling and party game craziness". At the time of writing, the game's makers have taken to Kickstarter to crowdfund their efforts. After just four days, the campaign has made US$10,802 of its US$12,500 goal, so it's pretty likely that it'll happen. Yes, basically one of the film's biggest fans is turning his favourite flick into a game, but it has the official tick of approval, and we all get to reap the benefits. Until you can get your own copy — they're expected to begin shipping in August — spend your time thinking about playing as a can of mixed vegetables. And as for that sequel series we mentioned earlier, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later is due to drop on Netflix later this year.
This graffiti-clad emporium is what you'd if you crammed together a year of Saturday garage sales, binned the dud items, and arranged the gems in one enormous warehouse in Alexandria. There are over sixty different stalls within the Centre's walls, stocking all the vintage, industrial and retro furniture, knick knackery and ephemera you've ever fantasised about, with a range from Victoriana through to 20th century design. Searching for something specific? Use their 'wish list' feature to have the Centre's dealers try to hunt it down for you.
As you may well know by now, museums aren't just for 19th century historical artefacts and giant dinosaur models anymore. They're also for food. Last year New York got a permanent Museum of Food and Drink, which joins a whole slew of weird and wonderful food museums, like Japan's instant ramen museum and the Kimchi Field Museum in Seoul. So it's surprising that, considering our total obsession with food, Australia does not have its own. But that's all set to change, with plans for a brand new institution dedicated to our food culture to be set up in Adelaide. The proposal comes from Adelaide City Council, who believe a culinary cultural centre could help both locals and international visitors learn about and experience Australia's multicultural food culture. Considering the city's proximity to world-class wineries and its own burgeoning food and bar scene, Adelaide — while nowhere near as big as Sydney or Melbourne — makes a good case for being the new centre's home. The project has the support of the State Government and other local cultural institutions, but discussions on what the centre would actually include and who would establish it are still taking place. We'll keep an eye on this one to see where it goes. Via ABC News.
The eco-friendly craze has spread like wildfire in the past several years, and now the movement is even targeting the minds of young kids. Designer Leo Corrales and Precidio Design Inc. have developed Juice in a Box, a reusable juice box for children as an alternative to drinking the typical one-time-use juice boxes. The Juice in a Box containers are made of reusable plastic and come equipped with both a lid and straw, and are the perfect size to fit in packed lunches to bring to school. The outside of the containers cater to young children, featuring cartoon characters and colourful designs. Recently proposed at the International Home and Housewares Show, the design is aimed at making kids conscious of their impact on the environment from a young age so they continue eco-friendly practices throughout their entire lives. Getting the 'go green' initiative instilled in young minds may be what it takes to make a significant impact in long-term sustainable living.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane (and, until the newly reinstated stay-at-home orders, Melbourne as well). During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U KAJILLIONAIRE When Evan Rachel Wood played a troubled teen in 2003's Thirteen, the then 16-year-old received a Golden Globe nomination. For her work in Westworld since 2016, she has nabbed multiple Emmy nods. So when we say that the actor puts in her best performance yet in Kajillionaire — the type of portrayal that deserves several shiny trophies — that observation isn't made lightly. Playing a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, Wood is anxious but yearning, closed-off yet vulnerable, and forceful as well as unsure all at once. Her character has spent her entire life being schooled in pulling off quick scams by her eccentric parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers), who she still lives with, and she's stuck navigating her own street-wise brand of arrested development. Old Dolio knows how to blend in, with her baggy clothes, curtain of long hair and low-toned voice. She also knows how to avoid security cameras in physical feats that wouldn't look out of place in a slapstick comedy, and how to charm kindly folks out of reward money. But she has never been allowed to truly be her own person — and, from the moment that Wood is seen on-screen, that mournful truth is immediately evident. Kajillionaire introduces Old Dolio, Robert and Theresa as they're falling back on one of their most reliable swindles: stealing packages from post office boxes. But two developments drive its narrative, and make Old Dolio realise that she's far more than just the third part of a trio. Firstly, to make a quick $20 to help cover overdue rent, she agrees to attend a parenting class for someone she meets on the street, and is struck by how far removed its teachings are from her own experiences. Secondly, on a return flight back to Los Angeles from New York as part of a travel insurance grift, her parents meet and befriend outgoing optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation). So accustomed to playing the role dictated to her by Robert and Theresa, and never deviating from it, Old Dolio isn't prepared for the emotions stirred up by both changes to her status quo. But July's poignant and perceptive movie — a film that's a quirky heist flick, a playful but shrewd exploration of family bonds, and a sweet love story — is perfectly, mesmerisingly equipped to navigate her protagonist's efforts to reach beyond the only loved ones and the only type of life she has ever known. In fact, the result is one of the most distinctive, empathetic and engaging movies of the year. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbIxi2VHTTk BABY DONE A relic of a time when women were considered wives, mothers and little else, the public need to comment on whether someone has a baby or is planning to have a baby is flat-out garbage behaviour. In your twenties or thirties, and in a couple? Yet to procreate? If so, the world at large apparently thinks that it's completely acceptable to ask questions, make its judgement known and demand answers. Baby Done offers a great take on this kind of situation. Surrounded by proud new parents and parents-to-be at a baby shower, Zoe (Rose Matafeo) refuses to smile and nod along with all the polite cooing over infants — existing and yet to make their way into the world — and smug discussions about the joys of creating life. An arborist more interested in scaling trees at both the national and world championships than starting a family, she simply refuses to temper who she is to fit society's cookie-cutter expectations. Her partner Tim (the Harry Potter franchise's Matthew Lewis, worlds away from his time as Neville Longbottom) is on the same wavelength, and they visibly have more fun than everyone else at the party. With a title such as Baby Done, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise when this New Zealand comedy soon upsets Zoe and Tim's status quo. She discovers that she's expecting and, while he starts dutifully preparing to an almost unnervingly sensible extent, she also struggles to face the change that's coming their way. Comedies about the trials and tribulations of parenthood, and of the journey to become parents, are almost as common as people asking "when are you two having kids?" without prompting at parties. But this addition to the genre from director Curtis Vowell and screenwriter Sophie Henderson (both veterans of 2013 film Fantail) approaches a well-worn topic from a savvy angle. Zoe clearly isn't a stereotypical mother-to-be, and doesn't experience the stereotypical feelings women have been told they're supposed to feel about having children — and Baby Done leans into that fact. Also pivotal in her first big-screen lead role is comedian Matafeo. Indeed, it's easy to wonder whether the movie would've worked so engagingly and thoughtfully with someone else as its star. Brightly shot and breezily toned, there's still much about Baby Done that's familiar; however, charting one woman's pregnancy experience, and her backlash to the widely accepted notion that motherhood is the be all and end all of a woman's life, proves poignant and charming more often than not here. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-Z90SEqGQ&t=20s CORPUS CHRISTI No one wants to live in a world where Parasite, the best movie of 2019, doesn't exist. But if it didn't for some reason, it's highly likely that Corpus Christi would've been this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar winner, rather than just a nominee. This Polish drama also focuses on people pretending to be something they're not. As directed by Warsaw 44 and The Hater's Jan Komasa, and written by the latter's screenwriter Mateusz Pacewicz, it casts a wry eye over much about life in its homeland today, too. And it isn't afraid to call out hypocrisy, societal divisions and greed, either — literally, in the latter case, with its protagonist making a speech about it at the local sawmill. There are few other similarities between Corpus Christi and the movie it lost to, but perhaps the only one that really matters is how blisteringly and rousingly it unfurls its on-screen gifts. Well that, and how striking every second of the film looks, pairing its grey, hazy aesthetics with its complicated account of an ex-juvenile delinquent who poses as a small-town priest. The imposter's name is Daniel and, as played with soulful intensity by Bartosz Bielenia, he's a complex figure. First seen serving out the final days of his reform school sentence, he has made a fan out of the facility's head priest Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat). In fact, if his criminal record didn't preclude it, he'd follow in the elder man's footsteps and join the seminary. Instead, he's released to work in a sawmill. Through a series of events that never feels convenient or strained, however, he's soon welcomed by the locals as their new spiritual advisor. Daniel genuinely has faith and believes in his task, so the jump from playing lookout as his fellow inmates dispense a brutal beating to endeavouring to help his congregation is easy. Loosely inspired by real-life details, Corpus Christi gifts its young protagonist an unexpected second chance — and an unlikely opportunity to follow his heart and make a difference to an insular community — but he's not the only figure within its frames with a troubled past to overcome. As a film about a masquerading cleric, tension and foreboding seethes through every second, but it's the bubbling and brooding movie's contemplation of what redemption and benevolence really means that hits the most potent notes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atKsEdLKPLo&feature=emb_logo THE WOMAN WHO RAN Alcohol. Conversation. A scene-stealing cat. Combine all three in one movie, and not only is South Korean great Hong Sang-soo firmly in his element, but he delivers exactly the type of film that has won him a legion of fans. Given how prolific the director is, it'd be easy to assume that he'll soon run out of ways to combine his usual trademarks. Similarly, it'd be understandable to expect that he'll eventually exhaust all of his ideas. But like other impressive filmmakers who seemingly never stop working — Japan's Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), Sion Sono (Tokyo Vampire Hotel) and Takashi Miike (First Love) come to mind — Hong's features never run out of new ways to twist his favourite touches, themes and inclusions together. They're often brief, they're usually an equally melancholy and charming delight, and they're always perceptive. If you've seen his past standouts such as Nobody's Daughter Haewon, Hill of Freedom, Right Now, Wrong Then and Yourself and Yours — all of which have done the rounds of Australian film festivals, as all of Hong's movies do — then you'll know what you're in for, and you'll already be excited. In The Woman Who Ran, which premiered at this year's Berlinale, booze flows freely. (Craving soju while watching Hong's work is a common side effect.) Drinking plenty of it is Gamhee, as played by Hong regular Kim Min-hee, a 2017 Berlinale Best Actress winner for On the Beach at Night Alone. Gamhee is enjoying her first time away from her husband in five years, visiting friends around Seoul while he's off on a business trip. In the filmmaker's typical fashion, much of The Woman Who Ran unfurls as his characters simply chat — about lives, hopes, dreams, problems and, with a pesky neighbour in the movie's funniest moment, about feeding stray felines. Hong's penchant for long, patient takes, playful repetition and echoes, and expertly timed crash-zooms are all used to winning effect, in a movie that slots perfectly into his busy oeuvre (he's made 23 movies since 1996) and yet always feels distinctively insightful. Also, and it cannot be stressed enough, look out for one helluva kitty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYQzdhjHeIE&feature=emb_logo&mc_cid=ccf652e7a2&mc_eid=1628bbb5f5 HONEST THIEF Another Liam Neeson-starring movie, another bland action film with little else going for it beyond its main attraction. The genre must pay well, but it has sadly been years since the Irish actor's particular set of skills anchored a fist-flinging, chase-filled feature worthy of his talents. In Honest Thief, Neeson plays elusive bank robber Tom, who is also known as the 'in-and-out bandit'. A year after unexpectedly falling in love with psychology graduate student Annie (Kate Walsh) — and a year after he last indulged his pilfering urges, too — he decides to turn himself in to the FBI in exchange for a lesser sentence and the chance to make a real future. Answering his call, agents Baker (Robert Patrick) and Meyers (Jeffrey Donavan) are skeptical that he's actual the culprit. When their colleagues Nivens (Jai Courtney) and Hall (Anthony Ramos) are given the case, however, they take another approach that sees Neeson rushing around Boston and fighting for his life against corrupt, trigger-happy law enforcement officials. There's only one real surprise in store in Honest Thief, a movie that writer/director Mark Williams (A Family Man) and his co-scribe Steve Ullrich (The Timber) could've almost cobbled together using scenes from other Neeson action vehicles. No one is astonished that, despite being a bank robber, Neeson's character is the movie's hero. No one should expect anything unusual in its workman-like action choreography or by-the-numbers plot, either. But the fact that the movie also features a heap of well-known names and faces alongside Neeson — including The Umbrella Academy's Walsh, The X-Files' Patrick, Fargo's Donovan, Aussie Stateless star Courtney and Hamilton's Ramos — is a little startling. They're all wasted, because Honest Thief only tasks its other actors with giving Neeson someone to talk to, kiss, hunt down or flee. That's how generic this addition to his resume proves. Indeed, 2020 hasn't been great for Neeson fans, even with Made in Italy eschewing action for father-son bonding. His most recent great roles might've only been back in 2016 and 2018, courtesy of Silence, Widows and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, but they currently seem like a distant memory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjkLx3-hK2Y NEVER TOO LATE Jack Thompson and Jacki Weaver rank among Australian acting royalty, with his resume spanning everything from Sunday Too Far Away to The Great Gatsby, and an Oscar nomination for Animal Kingdom sitting among her many credits. James Cromwell might be American, but he has earned a soft spot in many an Aussie's heart thanks to Babe and Babe: Pig in the City. Joining forces for Never Too Late definitely isn't a high point of any of their careers, however. They also feature on-screen alongside local veterans Max Cullen (Acute Misfortune), the New Zealand-born Roy Billing (Mystery Road), British star Dennis Waterman (80s series Minder) and Shane Jacobson — because few Australian films exist these days without the latter — but this broad comedy set in an Adelaide nursing home can't use its recognisable cast to distract from just how lumbering it is. Known as the Chain Breakers, Cromwell, Thompson, Cullen and Billing's characters all served in Vietnam, becoming famous for a daring escape. But, along the way, Cromwell's Jack Bronson lost contact with Weaver's Norma — until, decades later, he uses some sly trickery to cross her path again at the Hogan Hills Retirement Home for Returned Servicemen and Women. Due to groan-worthy plot contrivances, their reunion is short-lived, inspiring Jack and his now-elderly and ailing pals to concoct another big getaway plan. Cue an Aussie spin on the geriatric heist film genre, in the same vein as Going in Style and King of Thieves but with romance as a motivation and tourism shots of South Australia featuring heavily. Never Too Late attempts to ruminate on the vagaries of ageing, the struggles of living with regret and the fact that it can take a lifetime to chase one's dream, but the film's cast sport wrinkles deeper than the movie's themes. After last directing the abysmal A Few Less Men, director Mark Lamprell is in similarly dismal territory here. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; and October 1, October 8 and October 15. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle. The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta and Rebecca.
Facebook might have spawned its fair share of hook-ups over the years, but now the site's taking the whole matchmaking thing to the next level. As announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company's annual F8 developer conference, a new Facebook feature for dating and relationships is just around the corner. According to Facebook's blog post about its latest technology announcements, the dating service is designed to improve the experience of meeting new people. You'll be able to use it to create a dating profile (separate to your regular one, thankfully), which will then throw you potential love matches, based on information about your mutual friends, preferences and things you might have in common. Users will also be able to scout out compatible matches through Facebook's 'Groups' and 'Events' features. The service is being built as we speak, with testing slated to kick off later this year. Other nifty new Facebook services announced at the F8 conference include a blood donations registrations feature for communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and new ways of sharing to your 'Stories'. Also in development is a 'Clear History' feature, which will show you what websites and apps send Facebook your information, and enable you to switch off the process going forward. It's a feature that might make users feel more secure after the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach.
At the end of a long day, there's something so alluring about indulging in a cool glass of champagne with some fancy canapés on the side. But as nice as it would be to live the Mad Men life on the regular, the old budget often makes it tricky to turn those luscious daydreams into reality. It's no secret that life in Sydney is often mighty hard on the bank balance but, luckily, there are a good number of places in the city where you can live the high life without maxing out your credit card limit. To guide you on your merry way, we've teamed up with our mates at American Express to bring you a list of top spots where you can enjoy your champagne tastes on a beer budget. From sophisticated aperitif hours with surprisingly low prices to totally reasonable set menus that let you dine at some the city's finest establishments without breaking into your savings account, indulging your elevated palate doesn't always have to mean a headache-inducing bill at the end of the night. Plus, these places all accept American Express so you can stock up on points for future splurges at the same time. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
Much to the delight of Adelaide residents, the South Australian capital scored a huge new two-day music festival in 2022. Actually, Harvest Rock wasn't just about tunes. It was about food as well, and also wine given the location. And it went big, thanks to an Aussie-exclusive show by Jack White, plus The Black Crowes, Khruangbin, Groove Armada, Kurt Vile & The Violators, The Lumineers and Hot Chip also on the bill. That was last year's huge news, as 15,000 attendees per day enjoyed. In 2023, the festival will return for another weekend of music, bites and beverages at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29. For folks in Adelaide, you've got another reason to make your interstate mates envious. For everyone outside of the City of Churches, you clearly have an excuse to visit. The 2023 lineup doesn't drop until Wednesday, August 2, but here's hoping that it's as impressive as Harvest Rock's first event. 2022's fest also featured Crowded House, The Avalanches, Courtney Barnett, You Am I and Tones And I. Dubbed Harvest Rock II, the returning spring fest mightn't have any musicians to reveal as yet, but it has confirmed some of the other parts of the event — including the dedicated VIP Village and Harvest Lounge if you want the luxe treatment. The festival's most decadent ticketing options, if you can afford them in these hefty cost-of-living times, feature a private suite looking out onto the Harvest stage, your own concierge, curated food, and even a personal cocktail bar and private balcony. If your budget doesn't stretch that far, you'll find Adelaide's top restaurants and eateries serving up food at the Feastiville precinct. And at onsite eatery Wildwood, arkhé's chef and co-owner Jake Kellie will be leading the show again. The culinary-focused Hello Chef stage will feature live demonstrations with chefs and mixologists, plus talents from the music lineup. Plus, wine lovers can enjoy a taste of South Australia's wine regions, and order bottles for home, at the Harvest Rock II cellar door. Harvest Rock II will also boast a wellness centre called The Grape Escape, aka your go-to for hot chai, tarot readings and massages. And, there's mini festival Little Harvest for kids, which'll do arts and craft, circus workshops, hula hooping and glitter tattoos. The festival hails from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass, and is locked in for a 2023 return because 2022's event was such a success. "After a ripping debut in 2022 we are returning for our second year and are damn excited to welcome you back for a weekend of incredible music, food, wine and good times at Harvest Rock II. We're set to make this year's festival even more epic. Let's make Harvest Rock II a year to remember," said Secret Sounds co-CEO Jessica Ducrou. Harvest Rock 2023 will take at Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, October 28–Sunday, October 29, 2023. The lineup will drop on Wednesday, August 2 — head back here then. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If it's a big blockbuster franchise, it stars Harrison Ford, and it debuted in the 70s or 80s, then it's always coming back to the screen. In 2008, before Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens and its sequels, as well as Blade Runner 2049, that actually first proved true for the Indiana Jones series. Alas, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull wasn't the adventure saga's best effort, but that isn't stopping it from coming back for another go. Cue the fifth Indy flick, aka Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny — and yes, Ford is donning the famous hat once more. Hitting cinemas in late June 2023, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny heads back to the 60s, and uses the Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union as a backdrop. And, it serves up two different looks at Ford, as the just-dropped first trailer shows: Indy in the film's present day and Indy in the past, with the movie using digital de-aging technology. Harrison Ford? Check. Dr Henry Walton 'Indiana' Jones Jr's famous headwear? Check again. That whip? Yep, check. A tale that includes Nazis? Just keep checking those boxes. And yes, the famous John Williams-composed theme tune gets a whirl in the first sneak peek, because it wouldn't be an Indy movie otherwise. Indeed, the icon takes care of the whole score again. The archaeologist's latest outing will bring in a few changes to the series, however. Firstly, Steven Spielberg isn't in the director's chair for the first time ever, handing over the reins to Logan and Ford v Ferrari's James Mangold. And, George Lucas doesn't have a part in the script, either with Mangold co-scripting with Ford v Ferrari's Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. Cast-wise, expect the return of John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, as well as a heap of new faces. Fleabag's Phoebe Waller-Bridge looks set to keep Indy in step, playing his goddaughter, while Antonio Banderas (Official Competition), Mads Mikkelsen (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), Thomas Kretschmann (Das Boot), Toby Jones (The English), Boyd Holbrook (The Sandman) also feature — alongside Shaunette Renee Wilson (Black Panther), Oliver Richters (The King's Man) and Ethann Isidore (Mortel) . When it crusades across the big screen, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will arrive a whopping 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, 39 since Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and 34 since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Check out the trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny below: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases in cinemas Down Under on June 29, 2023. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
