The glass facade of 20 Martin Place will be temporarily repurposed as a huge, vertical dance floor for the world's most kinetic (and vertigo-inducing) public space activation project, as part of Art & About Sydney. Bandaloop, under the guidance of choreographer and artistic director Amelia Rudolph, aims to honour nature, space and community by mesmerising unsuspecting crowds with jaw-dropping performances. Dancers will execute intricately-choreographed moves at heights that most performers would quickly decline. As a result, the message behind each performance is both graceful and provocative, challenging the way we would normally think about the space we occupy each day. The US-based performance group has toured the world extensively, re-defining the idea of dance by performing at places not generally thought of as dance floors: think museums, atriums, billboards and cliffs. Bandaloop combines new climbing technology, stunning costumes and dynamic physicality to bring performance art to new crowds. See the high-flying act at Martin Place on Friday, August 18 at 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 5pm; Saturday, August 19 at 12pm and 2pm and Sunday, August 20 at 12pm and 2pm.
The world is grey and there are few absolutes. That slavery is abhorrent, however, is not a matter for debate. It is a black and white issue based on the black and white issue that ought never have been an issue in the first place. For some reason, though, cinema — so often the most effective form of public debate — has either largely steered clear of it or, at best, touched upon it with altogether reckless abandon (Django Unchained). Not so, 12 Years A Slave. In its own right, Steve McQueen's new movie is an extraordinarily accomplished and captivating piece, yet in the wider context of American history, both literary and filmic, it is nothing short of revelatory. Adapted from the 1853 memoir of the same name, it chronicles with undaunting authenticity the story of Solomon Northup, a free man of the north who was abducted under the pretence of observing the Fugitive Slave Act, then secreted across the Mason-Dixie line where he was sold into slavery for the next 12 years. Playing Northup is British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor in an assured and career-defining role. Subjected to countless closeups by McQueen, Ejiofor's every expression speaks volumes, with his near-impercetible parting of lips or minisucle tilt of his shoulders marking the difference between irrepressible joy and despairing submission into subservience. There are no weak links in the packed cast that also boasts Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano and Brad Pitt (who produced the film); however, it is newcomer Lupita Nyong'o who best supports Eijofor as 'Patsey' — his fellow slave and the subject of a violent, destructive infatuation by their master, Epps (Fassbender). This is an unquestionably difficult film to watch; uncomfortable and unsettling for reasons that extend far beyond what transpires on screen. The enslavement of Northup — an educated, respectful and respected family man — feels an affront at every stage: he is conned, drugged, kidnapped, blackmailed, transported in secret, beaten and betrayed — even by those who were smart enough to recognise he was clearly never meant to be there. And therein lies perhaps the most discomforting layer of all, because, of course, no one was meant to be there. Slavery was the affront, and the realisation that Northup's tragedy feels somehow more unjust than (for want of a less despicable expression) those of the 'normal slaves', is at once confronting and embarrassing. This imagined distinction between 'slavery' and 'unfair slavery' is as redundant as Todd Aiken's 2012 reference to 'legitimate rape', yet in 12 Years a Slave the sense that gradations of cruelty exist visits you repeatedly. There are good slavers and bad, you feel; cruel overseers and kinder ones, despicable racists and the just mostly despicable. In his short carrer McQueen has already established himself as a director both prepared and determined to capture honest and unflinching representations of life, no matter how unattractive. Both Shame and Hunger cast their lights upon dark areas of the human condition, yet in 12 Years A Slave McQueen somehow goes even further. One extended scene, for example, involves an uninterrupted and excrutiatingly graphic lashing that was so horrific it momentarily warranted turning away from the screen. As my eyes met those of my neighbour, it was clear we were far from alone in doing so, yet our temporary retreat from the film was in no way an indictment upon it. It should be unbearable to watch, and it is, but you must persist, because in 12 Years A Slave McQueen has crafted an enthralling, thoughtful and necessary modern classic. https://youtube.com/watch?v=z02Ie8wKKRg
Say hello to my little friend, Australia. Academy Award winning Director Oliver Stone, the maestro behind such influential films as Scarface, Midnight Express, Platoon, Wall Street, Natural Born Killers, JFK, Nixon, and The Doors, is coming to Australia, appearing exclusively at Vivid Sydney. The highly respected director will join the Vivid Ideas Game-Changer talks series (already featuring street art icon Shepard Fairey), and join the Semi Permanent lineup while he's at it. Not one to veer away from controversial subjects, Stone will be joining equally no-bullshit Australian legend Margaret Pomeranz AM on stage at City Recital Hall on Sunday, May 28 for a rare, behind-the-scenes insight into Stone's career and his polarising films. "Interviewing Oliver Stone?" says Pomeranz. "One of the most significant filmmakers of the past 40 years to trawl through our political and cultural history! It's intimidating, exciting and absolutely unmissable. If I weren't on the stage with him I would be in the audience." Stone will also be speaking 'in conversation' at Semi Permanent at Carriageworks on Friday, May 26 — you'll need a full-day festival pass for that. In the meantime, we'll be playing Smokey Robinson all day: Image: Getty Images.
This month you'll struggle to find cheaper fried chicken in Sydney than at NeNe Chicken's Brookfield Place outpost. The beloved chicken chain is offering up $1 Korean-style original-flavoured wingettes and drumettes from 3pm on weekdays for the duration of March. To sweeten the deal, the restaurant is also pouring $3 beers from 4pm to 7pm each day of the promotion, meaning you can you can enjoy a few wingettes, drumettes and a beer for under a tenner. The deal is available at NeNe's new opening that's opened as part of a four-in-one venue alongside a Papparich, Hokkaido Cheese Tart and Kurimu. The four stores have all cut the opening ribbon inside the multimillion-dollar Brookfield Place Sydney that also houses a huge Romeo's market, the multi-storey mega venue Shell House and a Gojima and Edition Coffee.
Great news, comedy-loving cheapskates: some of our favourite Aussie comedians are bringing their very best jokes to a one-night-only gala event, and tickets are only $25. Presented by best mates Becky Lucas and Cameron James — of being funny on the internet fame — Comedy(ish): The Bits We Kept will feature the likes of Matt Okine, Demi Lardner, Susie Youssef, Tom Walker, Bonnie Tangey and Jen Carnovale. Over two hours, they'll run through the funniest bits from their most recent festival shows, before retreating back into the dark, damp caves they all live in ten months out of every year. It all goes down on Friday, June 13 at Giant Dwarf in Redfern. Doors open at 7:30pm for an 8:30pm start ‚ and if you don't nab a $25 in advance, they're $30 on the door.
Sydney's Powerhouse Museum is currently playing host to the largest menswear exhibition ever assembled — and, to celebrate, the museum is holding a new edition of its MAASive Lates after-hours events. A free evening of fashion talks, tours and parades, the night is for adults only and will expand upon what the Reigning Men exhibition offers. The Reign Supreme event will bring together Giuseppe Santamaria (founder of fashion blog Men in This Town) and writer Ali Asghar Shah as they discuss the intersection of fashion, art, history and identity, as well as put on a fashion parade by Sydney sapeurs. You can also do a curator-led tour of the exhibition for only $5 (instead of the regular $20), and you can bring your pre-loved outfits along to one of the drop-in mending or charity stations. Add to that demonstrations that explore sustainable textile use, a screening of documentary Men of the Cloth, and the fact that there's a best dressed prize up for grabs, and you'll be having a very fashionable time indeed. The event is free, but you'll need to register for tickets.
If you're an inner west fan of God's gift to vegetables — that is, chips — boy, do we have some news for you. Melbourne-born ethical fast food institution, and promoter of some of the best chips in the universe, Lord of the Fries is opening a store in Newtown. The much-loved Aussie chippery first hit the streets in 2004 as a food truck in Melbourne and opened its first Sydney store back in 2013. The Lord's offerings sit atop a 100 percent vegetarian menu, using oil free of chemicals, preservatives and animal products. In addition to the addictive fries, menu items include plant-based patties, hot dogs, nuggets and shakes, as well as its recently launched all-day breakfast and vegan ice cream sandwiches. To celebrate the opening of the King Street street store, it'll be giving away free burgers and fries on Thursday, March 21. The first 50 customers that stop by at 11am will receive a free burger, and the first 200 who pop past at 3pm will snag free fries.
Your favourite Byronian beer brewers are kicking off spring with a garden party, bringing their backyard to yours by serving their Beers From Our Backyard range. The good people at Stone & Wood have paired up with The Oaks Hotel to throw a craft beer smorgasbord with generous meat elements from 2-5pm on Sunday, October 23 in their indoor-outdoor Garden Pavilion. You can pair Stone & Wood classics with The Oaks' beef brisket and pulled pork burgers or Salumi's famous 'meat cones' (which is what all meat should come in, really). And when you're good and full of craft beer and various meat bits, take a crack at the Giant Jenga set. It's the perfect opportunity to check out The Oaks' recent upstairs renovation. The upper levels of the pub have been transformed into a 1930s art deco haven by design queen Sibella Court, compete with fabulous gaudy wall paper, dramatic mirrored surfaces and a serious amount of drapery. Tickets to the afternoon event are $33 but include five tokens redeemable for beers and food — but you can pay with cash too. And best of all? The money you spend on their Pacific Ale will all go to local charities. Get in quick — tickets are almost sold out.
A few weeks ago, The Basement's future was looking seriously shaky. In a Facebook post on April 3, the venue's management explained the current site was no longer suiting their needs and that they were looking at finding a new home. But yesterday it was announced that musical entrepreneur Albert Dadon will ensure The Basement won't be lost forever. Dadon — who runs Melbourne's Bird's Basement — snapped up both the name and assets of the long-running Sydney jazz club, and is now on the hunt for a new CBD location to house it. He's even taking suggestions from the public. ''I was saddened to see The Basement close its doors," Dadon said. "It was a loss to the cultural health of the city and Australia. I hope that with the help of those who are committed to retain and reinvigorate Sydney's music scene we will find an ideal new location of The Basement." It's not the first time this guy's flown to the rescue of Australia's jazz scene — back in 2000, he played a major role in the resurrection of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, wrangling government funding and then growing audience numbers by 195,000 in just nine years. Dadon, who also happens to be a leading jazz guitarist himself, opened Bird's Basement in Melbourne's CBD in 2016. He's aiming to create a similar venue with this latest project, saying he "would love to provide Sydneysiders with a wonderful 21st century experience" similar to his Melbourne venue. The Basement is now closed. We'll let you know when a new location has been confirmed.
Keen to feast on oysters right by the ocean? Then head to Tathra Hotel to sample a few. The traditional country pub has been a beacon for locals for 100 years and the family friendly establishment has all the pub classics. The oysters are served natural, Asian-inspired or kilpatrick and come in half-dozen ($18) or a dozen ($36). Other smaller plates include Vietnamese salad ($17), spice-dusted calamari ($17) and mushroom arancini ($14). Then, there's schnitty ($24), parmy ($25), sirloin steak with mash($35), burgers and fish and chips ($30). Or, you can pick from the chef's specials, which includes the likes of house-made gnocchi ($22), prawn and vegetable curry served with yellow rice and chutney ($32) and Taiwanese braised beef and noodle stew ($22). Basically, you're spoilt for choice. But, whatever you decide, be sure to wash it down with a tap beer made at the onsite craft brewery, Humpback Brewery. Image: Destination NSW
Now, you can cycle all the way from Green Square to Central Station without having to shake off a dirty look from a single road raging driver. The City of Sydney has created a 2.4 kilometre long bike path, keeping two-wheelers entirely separated from four-wheelers; linking Zetland, Waterloo, Alexandria and Redfern. "It’s a really important route," says City of Sydney Cycling Strategy Manager Fiona Campbell. "Green Square’s going to see 40,000 new residents in coming years and those people are only fifteen minutes’ ride from the city... It’s going to be such an attractive option that I think lots of people are going to use it." In addition to functioning as a commuter route, the path will also serve as an arts-leisure adventure. "There’s the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence [at 166-180 George St]," Campbell explains. "There’s also Prince Alfred Pool at one end, a skate park in Waterloo and the City’s Library and facilities at Joynton Park, which it connects to." On Saturday, June 14, between 11am and 2pm, Prince Alfred Park will host a massive launch party, dubbed Roll Through Redfern. Australian Balkan Gypsy trio Lolo Lovina will provide the live soundtrack, the Veggie Patch Van will be selling gourmet delights and there’ll be pedal-powered smoothies, as well as free coffee (yes, you read that right, FREE COFFEE). You’ll also be able to score bike help without spending a cent — whether you need safety tips, route advice or assistance of the mechanical variety. Meanwhile, Green Square’s regular markets will be happening at Joynton Park between 9am and 2pm. Everyone who gets themselves a stamp either there or at Prince Alfred Park will enter a draw to win a $1,000 bike package, a Magellan bike computer or a bunch of Prince Alfred Park Pool multi-visit passes. The Green Square-Central cycle way brings the Council one step closer to the realisation of its masterplan — to ensure that Sydney cyclists can enjoy at least 200 kilometres of bike paths by 2030. "We’ve already got about 110, 120 kilometres of network, though much of it’s not separated," Campbell says. "We’ve got twelve kilometres so far of separated cycleways. The 200 is going to be made up of mixed traffic streets and shared cycle paths as well. A lot of it just needs upgrading." The statistics indicate that pro-cycling campaigns and infrastructural changes, particularly segregated paths, are making a big impact at road level. "Each facility that we open sees a massive increase in cycling," Campbell confirms. "Accounts of the Bourke Street cycleway, for example, show that there are five times as many riders on Bourke Street, near the Phelps intersection, as there were four years ago. Whenever we put it in a new cycle way, it just booms. People really, really want to ride. Give them the option to do that in a comfortable, beautiful, pleasant way, and they’ll be in there." If you’re curious about cycling in the city but still feeling reluctant to take the plunge, check out the free bike maintenance classes and cycling in the city courses happening every single week at both Sydney Park and Joynton Park.
Thank god for The Red Rattler. It’s places like this that broaden and diversify Sydney’s art scene, moving outwards from the central galleries that have little room for the lesser known artists of the underground scene in Sydney. This time, they have come up with a darn clever idea to support all those creative people in this city that have a million and one ideas or one precious project, just waiting to be realised. All they need is a little help, both with funding and peer support. How about they all get together, share a bite to eat and give the money paid for the food to the best idea of the night? Genius. On Sunday, this is exactly what will go down. Those who pay for the meal also get a vote, and at the end of the night the most popular idea will be rewarded. Come along, even just for a good meal with a bunch of interesting people, and get inspired.
Three adult siblings are confined to an attic in their childhood home, devising plans for the murder of their parents and acting out scenes of succeeding and of being found out, of their past life and the ways the crime might be discovered. All three shift rapidly between attitudes and characters as they fight for control of the scenarios that are playing out, seemingly endlessly. The shifts are rapid and jarring, with the audience having to catch up and read a lot into the changes, which heightens the anxiety of the essentially ambiguous actions. It's never spelled out whether the murders have happened or will happen or are a coping method that has taken over the siblings' lives, and the ability with which the characters shift between stories and roles is both engrossing and shocking as it develops into a narrative that has a logic of madness rather than of fact. The seemingly practised nature of the 'game' in which the three are engaged evinces intense mental control in the ability to manage and engage with the fast-moving and disparate play, but there's also a sense of compulsion in the re-enactment of scenes of abuse that constitute abuse themselves. The atmosphere of The Criminals, as adapted by Adrian Mitchell from Cuban playwright José Triana's 1965 Night of the Assassins (La noche de los asesinos) is psychologically sweltering. This state is signalled from the outset by a set design by Dylan Tonkin and Emma Kingsbury that looks exactly like you would imagine a 1960s Cuban attic would look, and Jonathan Hindmarsh's costumes are slightly constraining, making the characters appear just a little bit uncomfortable and overheated in a childlike gentility they have literally outgrown. As the three siblings Lalo, Cuca, and Beba, and their various imaginings of parents and visitors, and the police, actors Rosanna Easton, Emily Morrison, and David Valencia are fascinating to watch. There's a dynamic pull between the trio such that each one's movement almost seems to physically cause the others to respond and makes the set pieces of the drama they're enacting at times seem ritualised, an effect underpinned by the songs and music interspersed in the mainly naturalistic action. This element of ritual seems to speak to the allegorical nature of the play, which was banned in Cuba for 30 years due to its implicit criticism of the political situation out of which it emerged. The themes of dominance and rebellion, oppression and struggle, identity and the loss of it that resonate through The Criminals make this specific critique one that can apply more broadly to a number of contemporary political situations but also function successfully as the bounded fictional world of these invented characters. Under the direction of James Dalton, this production manages to be faithful to its origins without becoming a period piece, and it is deeply troubling and really quite confusing and fascinating all the same. Image by Lucy Parakhina.
When Riceboy Sleeps charts the passage of time from 1990 to 1999 partway into the movie, the Canadian film does so with Dong-hyun at its centre. As a six-year-old (played by debutant Dohyun Noel Hwang) navigating his initial taste of school from behind his large round glasses, he's shy, sensitive, and constantly reminded that he's different by teachers and classmates. As a 15-year-old (Ethan Hwang, The Umbrella Academy) with bleached-blonde hair and faux blue eyes, he's adopted a coping mechanism: trying to blend in. Riceboy Sleeps isn't just about Dong-hyun, who takes the anglicised name David in his attempts to assimilate. It's as much about his mother So-young (fellow feature first-timer Choi Seung-yoon), who relocates him from South Korea to North America after his soldier father's suicide. Writer/director Anthony Shim's sophomore release after 2019's Daughter hones in on the act of seeing, too — gleaning what's around you, who, why, the past that lingers, the stories that echo — as Dong-hyun and So-young survey where they are, where they've been, and how their history keeps dictating their present and future. In that aforementioned time jump, Shim — who helms, pens, edits and acts — and cinematographer Christopher Lew (Quickening) make eyes the focus. When Riceboy Sleeps dwells in the first year of the 90s, Dong-hyun's spectacles are frames within the frame, giving the boy his own windows to the world that he fidgets with, seems burdened by and, in an act of bullying by his peers, has dinged up and taken away. When the movie hits the end of the decade, Dong-hyun is putting in his contacts, therefore making the lens with which he perceives his existence invisible. Semi-inspired by his own childhood as a South Korean arrival to Vancouver Island in the 90s, including attending a school where he was the only Asian student, Riceboy Sleeps is this thoughtful at every level. The movement, and later lack thereof, of Lew's camerawork is just as loaded with meaning: in Canada, it's restless in long wide shots, careening around gracefully but noticeably and finding points to fixate on; back across the Pacific Ocean in the picture's bookending segments, it's still but just as observational. Riceboy Sleeps' opening unfurls a tale, with narration in Korean explaining that a baby girl was found at a temple in 1960. She'd grow up to be strong, flee the orphanage as soon as she was old enough, then fall for the son of a rice farmer. When her love took his own life, she had a newborn, wasn't married and attracted social stigma for both, hence shifting across the sea. The mountains and water that take centre stage during the film's introduction are dreamy and hazy. In Canada, even though greenery instantly awaits, the view is sharper and crisper. Again, Shim layers his 16-millimetre-shot feature with symbolism and significance everywhere that he can, ensuring that how So-young and Dong-hyun feel sweeps through every moment whether or not they're in sight — and especially when they're doing what settlers beyond their homeland do often, holding back their true thoughts and emotions. Inhabited with steeliness and deep-seated sorrow in equal parts by Choi, a dancer- and choreographer-turned-actor, So-young takes a job at a factory in her quest to give Dong-hyun the best life in their new surroundings that she can. She sends him to school with flavoursome Korean lunches. She makes his favourite kimchi at home. She's also anything but withdrawn when it comes to being treated fairly, reprimanding sexist colleagues at work and rallying against discriminatory decisions by Dong-hyun's principal. But with her son, she avoids answering when he asks about his dad. Alone, she scolds herself for her tears. She advises the younger Dong-hyun that there's only three times in a man's life that it's permissible to cry; being taunted by other kids in the playground, then singled out for punishment afterwards, isn't one of them. Shim spies the effort that's always coursing through So-young: to hide her pain, persevere, make the most of her new life, bring her boy up right, fit in but not be a victim and perhaps cement a fresh family dynamic with Korean Canadian Simon (Shim himself). He also spots the uncertainty streaming just as potently within Dong-hyun, who wants desperately to make sense of his place in the world, but isn't sure who he sees when he reflects upon himself. There's stubbornness to the boy as a child, as he ignores his mum when he's not getting what he wants and has tantrums in the car. Rebelliousness swirls in his teens, when getting stoned and tussling with fellow students are his forms of acting out. Riceboy Sleeps is patient in its pacing and visuals, even the latter frequently roams, and yet it's also a jittery film in its midsection to again mirror So-young and Dong-hyun's internal states. The Farewell, Monsoon, Minari, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Past Lives have probed the immigrant experience eloquently, expressively and weightily, not to mention recently, putting Riceboy Sleeps in excellent company rather than making it overly familiar. That the first two titles listed above also explore homecomings, complete with the intricacies and whirlwind of complicated emotions when the place that you're returning to isn't the place you really know, has the same impact. As with The Farewell, Monsoon, Minari and Past Lives particularly, this touching film never feels anything less than personal. That's accurate in its third act as well, when tragic news hits, South Korea becomes the movie's setting again and lingering hurt is confronted. There's a vast difference between trading in cliches and accepting life's inescapable reality — and when a feature is this lived-in, there's no tropes, just universal sensations. Riceboy Sleeps' dénouement is exceptionally affecting for its willingness to sit and contemplate. It's impossible not to garner that the frame stops roving and searching, as the characters do — and that valuing connection, time with the ones you love and small details, including in tough circumstances, comes tenderly to the fore. Of course, minutiae is important in every second of Shim's movie. Indeed, thematically, this is also a film about valuing what you have, and who, but mightn't properly understand or appreciate. It's a picture of acceptance and gratitude, too, and of realising when you're finally seeing the whole picture constructed from its various parts.
This December, you can score a bottle of vino for as little as $8.50 a pop thanks to Vinomofo's Boxing Day Sale. Running from Friday, December 25 till Thursday, December 31, the sale will offer up to 70 percent off a heap of local and international wines — and it'll all get delivered straight to your doorstep for free. So, get ready to stock up on vino to help ring in the New Year. Vinomofo is an online wine company for those who love wine, but without all the pretension that sometimes comes with it. The Melbourne-based company delivers wine to thousands of people around the world — so it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. The Boxing Day sale will see some of the biggest price drops from Vinomofo yet and will include more than 100 wines. It'll be adding additional daily wine deals over the week, too. Think celebratory champagne, epic-value prosecco and plenty of summer-suitable rosé, plus a huge range of white and red varieties — all for a steal. And, to top it off, shipping for all orders purchased in that time period will be free. Score epic wine deals via Vinomofo's Boxing Day Sale — for a limited time only.
Iconic images of David Bowie, photography that revolutionised the pages of Vogue and a series that documents Sydney's city beaches through three heatwaves are just three of the many exhibitions you'll need to check out at this year's Head On Photo Festival. The free photography exhibitions will take place in various galleries from Bondi to Manly between May 4 and 19 — and while they are certainly must-sees for avid photographers, the range of subjects (from La Sape fashion subculture in The Republic of Congo to the Rohingya refugee crisis) make them interesting and topical for any viewer. To complement this, a program of artist talks will take place at Paddington Town Hall. Since it started in 2008, the non-profit festival has traveled to 98 countries worldwide promoting photographers of all ages through several awards evaluated anonymously to promote equity across the board. The festival's annual awards draw a large number of entries from grade-school students to seasoned professionals filling three categories: portrait, landscape and mobile. It all kicks off after work on Friday, May 3 with a party and official opening at UNSW in Paddington. It's free but you'll have to register before heading along. Images: Roni Ben, David Dare Parker, Muchael Jularu Torres, Paul Blackmore, Helmut Newton.
Most of us associate printers with ink and paper, but a new 3D printer has more to do with chocolate cupcakes and other delicious desserts. Using syringe technology, the Imagine 3D printer from Essential Dynamics can be filled with a vast array of elements, including plastics, silicone, concrete, and most importantly, chocolate. A representative from the company claims that a cupcake can be made before your eyes in one minute. If you're more of a savoury type, never fear. The Imagine 3D printer can also be filled with cheese. Regular fondue parties will seem tame when compared to the wonders you can create with this. 3D printing has undergone a rise in popularity in the last decade, but I predict that this revelation will soar it into supstardom. Standing at $3000, the Imagine 3D Printer will soon accompany the fridge and the stove as a quintessential kitchen applicance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_27rOWq61hk [vis PSFK]
You'd never guess from the popularity of its fried chicken that Johnny Bird was once a lobster roll joint. Luckily, it ditched the crustacean earlier this year in favour of free-range fried chicken, and it has been serving it up in droves every since. And, on the last Saturday of every month, its fryers are extra busy, when it hosts an all-you-can-eat fried chicken party. For $30, you'll get unlimited brined and fried chook with one of eight different sauces — Nashville hot, sticky Szechuan, chipotle mayo, blue cheese, Johnny sauce, gravy, house tomato sauce or Detroit smoky barbecue — and a side of fries, mash and gravy. Downing all that fried fare is thirsty work, so the lower north shore eatery will also be slinging tins of Yulli's Brews for $6. Yulli's has recently launched a slew of new brews, which coincided with the opening of its new Alexandria brewery and taphouse, so this may be a good chance to try some of them on the cheap — alongside a hefty, bottomless, serving of fried chicken, of course. To make a booking, head to the Johnny Bird website. Johnny Bird's all-you-can-eat fried chicken fest runs from 5–10pm.
Everyone needs a holiday to look forward to. With 2025 now officially into its second month, and everyone's Christmas breaks feeling like a lifetime ago, planning your next getaway is a self-care essential. Fancy heading overseas, but not too far, to either laze around on a beach or see some mountainous sights? Enter Virgin's latest sale, which focuses on short-haul international flights. Trips to Bali, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and New Zealand this year just got cheaper — and you've got five days to grab a bargain. So, get your suitcases ready and book that annual leave. Fares start at $439 return, and are available until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025, unless sold out earlier. The cheapest option is Melbourne–Queenstown return, but you can also head there and back from Sydney for $469. Next comes Brisbane to Port Vila in Vanuatu from $479, while trips to Bali from Melbourne start at $499 and kick off at $509 from the Gold Coast. Or, get to Queenstown and back from Brisbane from $549 — or to Fiji from Sydney for $569, from Brisbane for $589 and from Melbourne for $599. Other deals include Sydney–Bali from $619, Brisbane–Bali from $659 and Brisbane–Samoa from $689. This sale began at 12.01am AEST on Monday, February 3, 2025, with prices covering Virgin's Economy Lite option. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, these deals are for periods between Monday, February 17, 2025–Friday, December 12, 2025, with all dates varying per route. As always, inclusions also differ depending on your ticket — and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's February 2025 international flight sale runs until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025 — unless sold out earlier. 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.
2023 marks five decades since one of the scariest movies ever made first hit screens, with The Exorcist never losing its eerie power since. But whether you first got creeped out by it at home, have caught retro big-screen showings — including the director's-cut version — or somehow have never been spooked by the William Friedkin-helmed flick's unnerving wonders, seeing it in an old jail is set to be a whole new viewing experience. Where's the best venue to host a special session of such a horror-movie giant? To put on a night of cinema that'll make heads spin? That location: Parramatta Gaol, which is turning into a picture palace just for one evening for the occasion, with horror event fiends Haus of Horror behind it all. Clearly, the idea is for the night — which has been dubbed 'The Exorcist in a Haunted Gaol' — is to be as immersive as possible. Parramatta Gaol already hosts ghost tours, and is reportedly haunted by its former inmates if you believe in that kind of thing. It's certainly a site with history; constructed from sandstone and slate, it was built in the 19th century and operated until 2011. It followed Parramatta's first jail in 1796, which was damaged in a fire before the 1800s hit, rebuilt, and then had its prisoners transferred to the new facility in 1842. So, if you dare, that's where you'll be watching The Exorcist — aka the story of a young girl (Linda Blair, Landfill) possessed by a demon, and the efforts of two priests (Rudy's Jason Miller and Game of Thrones' Max von Sydow) to save her at the urging of her mother (Ellen Burstyn, Pieces of a Woman). It scored ten Oscar nominations, something that's still ridiculously rare for horror movies, and emerged victorious in one field: for Best Adapted Screenplay, for author William Peter Blatty's script based on his own book. Held in conjunction with Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council, Haus of Horror's screening takes place at 6pm on Saturday, March 11, and includes two hours for attendees to explore Parramatta Gaol's morgue, cell blocks and showers. Whether or not you'll see someone spiderwalking is yet to be revealed. Also on the agenda: a bar serving beer and wine, vegan and non-vegan bites to eat, a live DJ spinning tunes while the sun sets, and an interactive photo booth that'll be set up like a scene from the film. The movie will play at 8pm on a grassy field inside the site, showing outdoors under the stars — and picnics are welcome. Tickets cost $39, or $59 if you'd like to book a large bean bag to sit on. Check out the trailer for The Exorcist below: The Exorcist in a Haunted Gaol takes place at Parramatta Gaol, corner O'Connell and Dunlop streets, North Parramatta from 6pm on Saturday, March 11 — head to the Haus of Horror website for tickets and further details.
If you thought country music was all Billy Ray Cyrus covers, line dancing and XXXX, Tamworth asks you to think again. That's not to say you can't get bootfuls of such things – XXXX especially. But they're just the tip of the whip. Apparently the biggest music festival in Australia (Bluesfest might have something to say here) and the second biggest country music festival in the world — after Nashville – Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth offers tonnes of diversity. Whether honky tonk, bluegrass, blues, rock, Appalachian, folk or old-school cowboy music is your thing, you can get it. We went country for a weekend at the 45th festival, held January 20-29, 2017 — and what better way to get around town than asking for tips from the lineup of musicians? COUNTRY DRINKIN' AND DININ' Festival favourite Lee Kernaghan, who was busy celebrating 25 years since hit single 'Boys from the Bush', had just one word for us: "Powerhouse." It's a swanky hotel, which recently scored a $7 million redevelopment. Among the oak and leather of Coal Bunker Bar, we started with a brew from New England Brewing Co. (made just 90 kilometres away in Uralla) and a signature 'Saffron & Burnt Orange' cocktail. Beneath the amber lights of the open-plan Workshop Restaurant, hearty cuts are given fancy treatments, one example being loin of kangaroo loin with peppered spinach, cous cous, smoked bacon oil and roquette. Next up, we asked Fanny Lumsden, an indie, alt-country artist who took out the 2017 Golden Guitar for New Talent and put on a cracking show at St Paul's Hall — FYI the Golden Guitars are Australian country music's equivalent of the ARIAs. "Addimi does great food and is really supportive of musicians," she told us. Dropping by, we found out the rest of Tamworth was on board. Crowds were pouring in and out of the place all day for properly-made Allpress and unusual takes on classics, including smoked salmon and ricotta bruschetta with pear, rocket and fresh lemon. Another top spot is Deco Wine Bar and Restaurant at CH on Peel, a boutique hotel. It's a cool, black-and-white escape to 1920s France, where you can break from boot scootin' over fine wine and Mediterranean dishes. We also liked Hopscotch for Toby's Estate coffee on the park, Cafe 2340 for local produce, the Old Bell Tower for Campos coffee and Ruby's Cafe and Gift Store for tasty fare in Melbourne-inspired surroundings. COUNTRY LISTENIN' AND DANCIN' With more than 700 musicians and over 2800 gigs — mostly free — the music program can feel a tad overwhelming. If you're not sold on mainstream country, then alt-country — mixed with rock, folk or roots — is a good place to begin. At The Tamworth, built in 1936, we came across a decent craft beer selection and, in the garden, ace Sydney act Green Mohair Suits, who launched new album Evans Street in October. "We like Tamworth because it's so different to what we do in Sydney," the Suits' Brian Campeau told us. "It's just a bunch of people who want to go out and drink and watch music — that diehard country thing we don't really experience in the Inner West." Also on The Tamworth stage was the Andy Golledge Band. Meanwhile, the Cake & Cordial Sessions hosted indie singer-songwriters, including Brisbane's Megan Cooper and Ben Salter (The Giants of Science, The Gin Club, The Wilson Pickers). The alt community poured into the Services Club's downstairs bar for Late Nite Alt, where 'secret acts' play till 1.30am. 2017's program included Henry Wagons, Shane Nicholson, Harmony James and the Wilson Pickers. "Late Nite Alt's in its fourth year," MC and singer-songwriter Jen Mize told us. "Before, we were at the Tudor Hotel, but we outgrew the room upstairs ... It's a young crowd and the program's a mixed bag of up-and-comers and established musicians ... we tend to book touring and travelling musicians, with new material out." For big names, Toyota Park was the place to go, where free, outdoor concerts were held nightly. Among them were Stars Under the Stars, the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final, won by 21-year-old Sydneysider Rachael Fahim, and the Toyota Busking Championships, featuring ten buskers handpicked from the hundreds who filled the streets throughout the festival. This year's winner was Tim Scanlan, whose music mixes Celtic and Indigenous sounds. He first went to Tamworth in 1999, as a 19-year-old hitchhiker. COUNTRY LIVIN' It's popular knowledge that Australia's raised some of the world's fastest swimmers, but do you know we also have the planet's fastest whip cracker? WA boy Nathan 'Whippy' Griggs can generate 614 cracks per minute, with two whips in hand. And he was doing just that on Tamworth's streets. We also met hoop-jumping kelpies, mechanical bulls and strong people picking up big bits of concrete. Plus, we learned to drive a 4WD through mud, sand and rocks on the Toyota 4 x 4 track. [caption id="attachment_610790" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Powerhouse.[/caption] COUNTRY SLEEPIN' With so much action on the agenda, a quiet place to curl up at night was crucial to our survival. A suite at the aforementioned Powerhouse had us sorted with a comfy queen-sized bed, classic wooden furnishings and a private spa. Given that most days were 30 degrees plus, the pool and air-conditioning were serious bonuses. That said, hotel prices soared during festival week - as they tend to do every year. For wallet-watchers, camping offered a more friendly option. Those armed with a tent headed for Riverside Park, just a few minutes' walk from the town centre. Those without had Moogee, a temporary tent city that provided pre-pitched tents, sheltered areas, security, showers, toilets and, in 2017, a free, secret acoustic show featuring The McClymonts, Kaylee Bell, Jared Porter, Rachael Fahim, Andrew Swift and others. Jasmine Crittenden travelled to Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth as a guest of Toyota. All images Peter Saw unless otherwise specified.
Being a sports fan involves taking every opportunity you can get to show your love for your chosen team. Attending matches, nabbing all the merchandise, decking yourself out in the appropriate hues: they're some of the easy ways to go about it. If you're particularly dedicated, so is naming a pet after your favourite player or squad. We can't all call a koala joey Matilda, however, like the folks at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have to celebrate the 2023 Women's World Cup. Over the past few weeks, the fortunes of Australia's national women's soccer team have been the best conversation topic there is. How is Sam Kerr's calf? How many goals can Hayley Raso kick? How stunning was that game against Canada? Here's the latest question: how cute is this Gold Coast koala that now shares the Matildas' name? The answer: very. Matilda the koala is now 12 months old, about 25 centimetres in size and has been given her moniker to honour the Aussie squad. "The real Matildas are achieving great things, and many of the staff and volunteers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have been following their journey closely," said Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Koala Specialist Sarah Eccleston. "When discussing a name for the newest addition to our Koala nursery, Matilda was a clear favourite and seemed very fitting." "Matilda is very sweet but also a bit cheeky. She is already making herself known in the nursery, just like the Matildas in the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament," Eccleston continued. At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Matilda was born from the breeding and conservation program, and will soon join it to help the endangered species' future. The wildlife haven is home to more than 50 of its own fluffy-eared marsupials, which visitors can see on a trip to the park or via a daily behind-the-scenes tour, breakfast with koalas sessions five days a week and regular grazing experiences in its koala habitat. [caption id="attachment_912105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shiftchange via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Find Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin — head to the venue's website for further information. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs until Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website.
Looking for one-of-a-kind and original gifts this festive season? You're in luck. Inner west art and design store Hypmotive are pulling together a bunch of local businesses for a makers market just in time for Christmas. Popping up at Marrickville Metro between Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12, the Marrickville Makers Market will arrive just in time for you to get all your gift shopping done without the manic rush of a Christmas Eve trip to Kmart. There will be 20 different creative businesses setting up stalls at the markets selling everything from screen-printed tea towels to handmade ceramics and Christmas decorations. Nab posters and zines from Amy Blue Illustrations, artworks from Helen Nehill and native plant souvenirs from Outer Island. The market is free and will be open 9am–5.30pm on Saturday and 10am–4pm on the Sunday.
We've all been there. It's a Tuesday evening in the middle of Sydney winter and when you do find some delicious filled tacos, you feel they just aren't being celebrated the way that they deserve. The Norfolk feels your pain and has decided that not enough is enough, so they are hosting a taco party to end all taco parties. Super Mega Grande Taco Tuesday is happening July 23 and is a fiesta of all things taco. Each delicious tortilla creation is as cheap as (corn) chips, coming it at only $3 each, and there are ten to choose from including chorizo, duck, pork belly and crab as well as all of the traditional favourites — and if you can challenge yourself to eat all ten flavour varieties within five minutes, you get them for free. To further indulge fans, there will be a taco throwing competition and taco porn populating every television screen (your guess is as good as ours as to what that actually is. I guess you'll have to go to find out). Doing their best Willy Wonka impersonation, The Norfolk will be hiding a golden ticket on the night, which entitles the finder to a taco party for them and their fellow amigos. Let the taco games begin.
With interstate borders now almost all reopened, it's not like you need much of an excuse to get out of town and scratch that travel itch. But if you've got your newly broadened sights set on the Mornington Peninsula, you will find a pretty strong reason to lock in a visit to the renowned Pt Leo Estate. The property's ever-evolving sculpture park has just scored a very high-profile new addition: a 5.5-metre-tall work by acclaimed New York artist KAWS. Not too long after the much-hyped KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness exhibition wrapped up at the NGV earlier this year, KAWS has unveiled a new bronze-cast figure gracing the manicured grounds of Pt Leo Estate. Titled SHARE 2020, the artwork features a towering figure imagined in the Brooklyn-based artist's distinctive style, though this time he's used a muted colour palette of grey and brown that's contrasted by the backdrop of verdant lawn and blue ocean. The main figure holds a smaller, bright blue character or BFF, dangling by one hand. [caption id="attachment_641337" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pt Leo Estate by Anson Smart[/caption] Making its home in the foyer, overseeing the route to the cellar door, is a second new acquisition for the estate, titled Shrive II. This one's a new piece by Turner Prize-winning UK sculptor Antony Gormley, whose renowned works pull inspiration from the human form. Of course, there's plenty more to keep you busy on a visit to this 134-hectare estate, including the Pt Leo Estate Restaurant, the cellar door and wine shop, and the full sculpture park. The site's Wine Terrace and fine diner Laura currently remain closed, but are expected to reopen their doors soon. Find Pt Leo Estate and its new sculpture works at 3649 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks.
It's hard to believe that Australia has been without rock legend Chrissy Amphlett for almost one year; she sadly lost her battle with breast cancer at age 53. Blender Gallery is having a photographic exhibition, #ITouchMyself, curated in conjunction with her husband Charley Drayton and the Cancer Council NSW to honour her memory. The exhibition will feature previously unseen images of Amphlett taken by renowned rock 'n' roll photographers, including Ian Greene, Tony Mott, Sandrine Lee, Jasmine Hirst and Tony Notarberardino. Prints are available for purchase, with a percentage of the proceeds donated to Cancer Council NSW. Her most famous song with band Divinyls, 'I Touch Myself', inspired the exhibition title. Amphlett used the song as rallying cry for self-examination in her later years of life, hoping to inspire greater awareness of breast cancer and early cancer detection. Image by Jasmine Hirst.
It's a dilemma as old as walls themselves. Do you use the space to hang something stunning? Or put in shelves to hold your books and gewgaws? Finally there is a solution that allows for both form and function. Riveli art shelves are a brilliant idea, formed of modular shelf units that can fold up against the wall, revealing the artwork on the underside. Even better, you can customise it with your own works and change them with your moods as you can slide your own images in and out, or attach them with magnets. And if you're the sort of person who always favours function over form, you can insert other materials, like mirrors or white boards to create a supremely functional set of shelves... or just use them to play an elaborate game of noughts and crosses. [via Core77]
On the big screen, Beetlejuice has already made a comeback, with a sequel hitting cinemas in 2024. The original 1988 film is rarely far from cinemas anyway, proving a staple at retrospective screenings. But watching the ghost with the most sing and dance onstage? That's a brand-new experience for Australian theatre audiences. Start chanting three times: seeing the Beetlejuice musical Down Under is a reality in 2025. Penned by the nation's own Eddie Perfect and debuting on Broadway in 2019, this take on Beetlejuice still focuses on the character from Tim Burton's beloved 80s flick, of course — just with songs and dance routines. Cinema's famous 'bio-exorcist' haunts Melbourne's Regent Theatre from Saturday, May 17, 2025 for its Aussie-premiere run, with Perfect starring. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to head along, but you will spend time with a couple with one: Barbara and Adam Maitland. And, you'll see what happens when they start to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moves into their house and they decide they need that bio-exorcist. In the Beetlejuice musical's Aussie debut, audiences are also in for an acclaimed production directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Alex Timbers (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), and with a book by Emmy-nominee Anthony King (Broad City) and Scott Brown (Sharp Objects) — plus Perfect's Tony-nominated original score, of course. The show picked up a whopping eight Tony nominations in 2019, and won Timbers a Drama League Award for Excellence in Directing, plus both Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nods for set design. Images: Matthew Murphy, 2022.
It looks like we can all forget about the promised 2019 completion date for Sydney's new southeast light rail project, as the NSW Government has found itself embroiled in a legal battle with the Spanish subcontractor heading up the build. And it's already slowing down progress considerably. As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declined to share details about the delays, though said the state would "not be held to ransom" by builder Acciona, which is taking Transport for NSW to court for the tidy sum of $1.2 billion. The company's demanding the extra money because it claims it was misled about the complexity of utility work involved in the project. The two are heading to the NSW Supreme Court this Friday, with Acciona proceeding with a go-slow on work in the meantime, though Transport Minister Andrew Constance told parliament "we are not going to tolerate a go-slow so that we write a cheque to hit the accelerator". Testing on a stretch of the new 12.7-kilometre route from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford began in February, with a view to have trams running on it next year. At this stage, that looks very unlikely. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
There 'aint a whole lot new about Antoine Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven. The iconic Western was previously an American TV series running from 1998-2000, which itself was based on the 1960 movie of the same name, which in turn was based on Akira Kurosawa's 1954 epic The Seven Samurai. The story, of course, is always the same: when a big bad man runs riot through a small, peace loving town of good and decent god-fearing folk, the survivors turn to a lone vigilante and offer their every last possession in the hope of driving the evil away. In Fuqua's version, that vigilante is Denzel Washington's Sam Chisolm. As seen in recent Tarantino fare Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, the African-American lead cowboy has become a popular choice for the 'neo western', and Washington, as always, is outstanding. His silky-soft voice, penetrating stare and wily smile are so perfectly suited to the genre, it's extraordinary to think it hasn't happened sooner. Washington is joined in this adventure by a motley crew of historical and cultural juxtapositions: the exiled Comanche and the Scalper, the Confederate and the Yankee, the Mexican outlaw and the Irish gambler (whose grandpappy died at the Alamo). They should all hate each other, but they don't, and while it's a fun crew to camp with, the total absence of tension between them is as baffling as it is clearly a missed opportunity. All the same, the ensemble cast – Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Martin Sensmeier – play nicely off each other, and support Washington as best they can. On the direction front, Fuqua is no fool when it comes to high-end action, having helmed previous heart-thumpers such as Southpaw, Shooter, Training Day and The Equalizer (the latter two both with Washington in the lead). Here in The Magnificent Seven the gunplay feels impressively fast and frantic, if also wildly generous in the range and accuracy of the old-time six-shooters. It's also surprisingly gore-free despite the extreme body count, which makes for a welcome change and contributes to the old-school western vibe. In all, while The Magnificent Seven is far from perfect, it's undeniably fun, and that has to count for something. It's a western, with good guys, bad guys, gunplay and grit, and thanks to Fuqua and Washington, you get more than enough bang for your buck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RBA0xoaWU
Bringing a taste of Manhattan to Marrickville, Brooklyn Boy Bagels is teaming up with Maple Social Club to fly the stars and stripes for Bagels & Bands — a free Fourth of July shindig. Featuring an all-American specials lineup teeming with feel-good foods, these limited-edition treats are available all weekend long. Yet the main event is undoubtedly happening from 10am–12pm on Saturday, July 5, when the club's community brings the party vibe. Combining NYC-style bites with an upbeat, but low-pressure social setting, Brooklyn Boy Bagels' Marrickville HQ will host an energetic Independence Day celebration. Headlined by Charley Castle & The Boys in the Well, their brand of country and bluegrass tunes will provide the ideal soundtrack for toasting s'mores around the firepit, complete with authentic graham crackers, jumbo marshmallows and milk chocolate. Then, it's time to tuck into other Fourth of July specials. The Bagel Dog features a NY-style hot dog wrapped in bagel dough and topped with everything seasoning. There are also stacked half-pound burgers, featuring a super-thick patty and melted cheese on a Brooklyn Boy Bagels potato bun. Made-to-order fresh from the barbecue, this Americana special is bound to leave you stuffed. As for the drinks, this mid-morning party has got you covered. Order a Dr Brown's Soda, a New York deli classic, with black cherry, celery, and cream varieties up for grabs. Meanwhile, the festive flavours of a Puerto Rican coquito latte hit hard on a winter's day, brimming with cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg notes. RSVP via Maple Social Club, then break out your best boot-scootin' outfit for this star-spangled day.
Yabun Festival is an annual event held on January 26 at Victoria Park in Camperdown, on Gadigal Land. It's the largest one-day celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in Australia. This year's festival will be a closed event due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Despite this, it'll be more accessible than ever, as it will be live streamed online, allowing people from across Australia and the world to tune in. This year, Yabun (which means "music to a beat" in Gadigal language) is taking place across three venues. The Yabun Stage, located at the Seymour Centre, will host performances from 12–5pm, featuring the likes of Vic Simms, Barkaa, Emma Donovan and Kobie Dee. As well as being live streamed, the event will have a small crowd in attendance — tickets can be won in the lead up to the event via Koori Radio. At its usual home of Victoria Park, Corroboree will feature a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony, as well as dance performances from groups Gawura, Koomurri, Buuja Buuja, Gomeroi Dancers and Ngaran Ngaran. It'll be live streamed from 11am–4pm. The Speak Out stage will be live streamed from the New Law Building at the University of Sydney from 12.30–4.30pm. Speak Out will host three panel discussions on themes of love, justice and success, with panelists including Pastor Ray Minniecon and Lynda June Coe. Another core part of the annual festival is the market stall, which have been taken online, too. Here, you can shop for art, jewellery, food and drink from storeowners that would usually set up within the festival. You can also shop for merchandise from the past three years of Yabun and support the festival and Koori Radio by donating to help ensure both continue to operate for years to come. To access the live-stream, head to yabun.org.au. Top image: Yabun Festival 2017
This very galaxy's next spell in the Star Wars universe is on its way, and it's teasing adventure, alliances, battling the dark side, and giving warrior, outcast, rebel and Jedi Ahsoka Tano her due. After dropping its first sneak peek back in April, Disney+'s aptly named Ahsoka has finally unveiled its full trailer ahead of its August streaming arrival. The attitude: "once a rebel, always a rebel". Since Disney got its lightsabers out again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, this franchise has rarely been far from screens. That includes at home, where the force has proven particularly strong across three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. Now, it's Ahsoka's turn to hit the queue, with Rosario Dawson (Clerks III) returning as the limited series' titular figure after playing the part in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. If you're new to the character, she was Anakin Skywalker's padawan before he became Darth Vader — and, here, she's an ex-Jedi Knight who is determined to battle a threat to the post-Empire galaxy. "Anakin never got to finish my training," she notes in the new trailer. "I walked away from him." When it hits Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23, Ahsoka will follow animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, too, plus fellow animated show Star Wars Rebels — because yes, this saga just keeps spreading far and wide. From the latter series, Star Wars aficionados will spot rebel crew member Hera Syndulla and former bounty hunter Sabine Wren. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the former in Ahsoka, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Guns Akimbo) steps into the latter's shoes. Also among the familiar characters: fellow Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels, with Eman Esfandi (King Richard) doing the live-action honours — and Grand Admiral Thrawn, too, as played by Lars Mikkelsen (The Kingdom). Ahoska's cast includes Ray Stevenson (RRR) and Ivanna Sakhno (The Reunion), plus David Tennant (Good Omens). Also, reports have been bubbling for years about Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin, as he did in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is Disney+'s first series focused on a female Jedi; indeed, as a character, Ahoska has long been one of the few women among the franchise's Jedi ranks, dating back to 2008. Off-screen, The Mandalorian writer/director/executive producer Dave Filoni writes and executive produces Ahoska, with Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck also doing the latter — all seasoned Star Wars veterans. Check out the trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
If you were wondering where Sydney's underground art scene is, Underbelly Arts Festival has made it accessible for you. The Festival is unique, not just in Sydney's mainstream art scene, but in the alternative one too. Not only does it offer you a day of the complex, strange, new, and experimental, but for a week beforehand you can come in for free and check out the artists in process. And sometimes help them make their art as well. The mysterious J Dark stalks and is stalked, Complicit brings you wall-robots, Ngoc Nguyen creates a Vietnamese flower festival, the turbine hall is taken over by acrobats, and all the while five artists knit together a new society. For the first time this year, the festival is spreading out over Cockatoo Island. The Underbelly Arts Festival has its festival proper on July 16, where you can enjoy the results of weeks of preparation. Beforehand, from July 3 to 12, the artists open their doors to strays in the Lab. You can help them do their thing, join in a tour, or sit in on a workshop (like this Toydeath-related one). Early bird tickets to the July 16 Festival are $10. Later on they go up to $15, or $20 on the day. Image by Dave Keeshan.
No longer confined to children's birthday parties, bouncy castles, inflatable obstacle sources and blow-up labyrinths are currently hot property for adults (and their inner kids, of course). And the next blow-up event to hit Australia is big. Really big. Dubbed 'The Big Bounce Australia', it's an inflatable theme park made up of Guinness World Records-certified world's biggest bouncy castle, a 300-metre long obstacle course and a three-part space-themed wonderland. You're going to need a lot of red cordial to bounce your way through all of this. Set to hit Sydney between January 25 and February 9, The Big Bounce is open to both littl'uns and big'uns — but there are a heap of adults-only sessions, so you don't have to worry about dodging toddlers on your way through. Tickets for adults will set you back $55, which gives you a whole three hours in the park. You'll need it. Inside, you'll encounter the aforementioned bouncy castle — aptly named The World's Biggest Bounce House — covering a whopping 1500 square metres and, in some spots, reaching ten metres off the ground. In this house, you'll encounter a heap of slides, ball pits, climbing towers, basketball hoops and (if you can believe it) a stage with DJs, confetti cannons and beach balls. Then, there's The Giant, with 50 inflatable obstacles, including giant red balls and a monster slide. [caption id="attachment_749668" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Bounce AirSpace[/caption] Before you hit the final, three-part section of the park, you may need to pause, down some red frogs and maybe even have a nap. Or not, you do only have three hours to explore it all. Next up, is AirSpace, where aliens, spaceships and moon craters collide with a five-lane slide, some more ball pits and an 18-metre-tall maze. Now, you'll certainly need a nap. This extremely OTT theme park is hitting Sydney's St Ives Showground before going to Adelaide (February 14–March 1), Brisbane (March 6–22) and Perth (April 3–19).
Two distinct visions lifted from the endless possibilities of science fiction invade Roslyn Oxley9 gallery over the next month. These concurrent exhibitions feature totems and armour, letters from the dead and cardboard boxes, money plants, dirt and reclaimed materials in affirmations of strength and attempts to survive the future.Mikala Dwyer’s Outfield is a collection of symbols arranged in a circular ‘safe space’: tools, forces and memories to protect against the uncertain and threatening world. These pieces are highly tangible and filled with exploratory details, while appearing to be both immense and miniature at the same time. Most materials and objects are reused and reinvented - a protest against a culture that throws away and destroys what it needs to survive. While Dwyer focuses on protection, Justene Williams’ FEMMZOIL is a manifestation of triumph and victory. What appears to be armour or the shell of a robot is manipulated by overlayed images and motion to become fluid, hypnotic and heavenly.Image: Justene Williams Femmzoil legs: Roslyn Oxley9
A new Sicilian restaurant headed by internationally acclaimed chef Lino Sauro is the latest venue announced for the still-blooming Kensington Street precinct. Opening on the second floor of the newly restored Old Rum Store, it will join first-level French restaurant Bistrot Gavroche and a soon-to-open pop-up private kitchen on level three. The best part? It'll have its own rooftop terrace. Sauro has spent the past ten years in Singapore where he headed Sicilian restaurant Gattopardo. His new Sydney venture will be called Olio, which is the Italian word for olive oil — a very appropriate name given that olive oil, which will make up the base of the Sauro's dishes, will be sourced from his family farm in Sicily. As for the rest of the ingredients, you can expect seafood, wild fennel, raisins, saffron and couscous to play a big part in the menu. Sicily's natural environment — like the ocean and its abundance of olive trees — and historic relations with North Africa and Mediterranean Europe are major influences on Sicilian cuisine. Sauro's own farming heritage has also inspired a passion for cooking with fresh, local produce. For Olio, he's prioritised international award winners in his choice of architects too. LAVA, who are also responsible for designing Abu Dhabi's Masdar eco city centre and Sydney's Martian Embassy, have designed both the indoor dining room and the rooftop terrace to reflect the menu. They'll incorporate the industrial history of the space — like its exposed brick and loft-style windows — into a modern revamp, which will include hints of Mediterranean blue and olive green in the colour scheme and Sicilian tiles. Those dining on the terrace will be treated to views of Central Park's vertical garden and Kensington Street's Spice Alley while surrounded by olive trees. Olio is expected to open in the first quarter of 2017. For a hard opening date, keep checking their website. Images: Lauren Commens.
The sun is peeking out from behind the clouds, the birds are thinking about swooping, and now we really know winter will soon be out of here because summer's Sydney Festival 2015 has made its first lineup announcement. It's a show called Tabac Rouge by acclaimed circus mastermind James Thierrée, and in true festival style, it's a medium masher. The dance, theatre and acrobatics fusion is described as a "feast of visual poetry" by Sydney Festival director Lieven Bertels, who saw it in London earlier this year. "The show explores a world somewhere between the silent cinema classic Modern Times and a Jeroen Bosch painting — sometimes dazzling and funny, sometimes alienating and grotesque, but always hypnotic," he says. An adventurous recent work with a thumbs up from Europe (less so the UK), Tabac Rouge revolves around a disillusioned dystopian king trying to make sense of the world. Frenchman Thierrée plays the lead role, surrounded by a cast of agile performers, a junk shop aesthetic, an imposing scaffold set and plenty of smoke, mirrors and dramatic lighting effects. It sounds weird and enigmatic, but hopefully not quite so weird and enigmatic as this year's mostly impenetrable signature event, 'underwater opera' Dido and Aeneas. The grandson of Charlie Chaplin and great-grandson of Eugene O'Neill, Thierrée was raised in his parents' circus troupe, Le Cirque Imaginaire. Needless to say, his understanding and flexibility with the circus arts is right up there. He's a Sydney Festival veteran too, having brought us Junebug Symphony (2003), Bright Abyss (2006) and Au Revoir Parapluie (2008). You won't be able to miss Tabac Rouge; it plays at the Sydney Theatre for the whole duration of the festival. Tickets for the Australian exclusive start at $85/$72 concession, and premium tickets ($119/$109) are on sale now through the Sydney Festival website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=VH2MmpE9THc
White rabbits, tea parties, royal megalomaniacs — outside Lewis Carroll's gloriously twisted imagination, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is meant for the stage. And this year, you'll be able to see this dark, surreal and twisted tale as a ballet. Headlining the Australian Ballet's 2017 program, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will complete the season in Melbourne in September and Sydney in December. Spearheaded by legendary choreographer Christoper Wheeldon and scored by Joby Talbot, Alice will be brought to life by the Australian Ballet in what they're calling "magnificent detail". Think Broadway-level. Designer Bob Crowley will throw as many immersive digital projections, wigs and masks, puppets and intricate costumes as he can at this one. Alice is one of three mainstage shows for the Ballet's 2017 season featuring female leads, joined by the return of artistic director David McAllister's highly opulent production of The Sleeping Beauty and radical modern reworking of Nutcracker – The Story of Clara. "It's a season defined by exquisite performance and the adventures of three extraordinary women," says McAllister. "We fall down the rabbit hole with Alice in Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, we follow the life of a Russian ballerina who arrives in Australia in Graeme Murphy's Nutcracker – The Story of Clara, and then Princess Aurora leads a cast of fairytale characters as she searches for her Prince in The Sleeping Beauty."
If you've looked at the news or social media of late, you may've noticed a lot of toilet paper talk. #ToiletPaperEmergency is trending on Twitter, a story about a truck carrying toilet paper catching fire hit the front page of media sites, NT News printed eight pages of toilet paper, supermarkets are rationing the stuff, a roll of TP is selling for $1K on Ebay and people are even hawking their work loo rolls on Instagram. Why? Australians are panic-buying toilet paper in response to coronavirus fears. Despite experts saying that hoarding food and toilet paper is not just unnecessary, it's also "unhelpful", many Aussies are loading up on loo roll in case of a doomsday-like scenario. While, personally, I'd be stockpiling cheese and other nutrient-heavy snacks, some people's priority is obviously in the bathroom. No judgement. If that is you, you'll be happy to know that speedy booze delivery service Jimmy Brings is about to add toilet paper to its collection. https://twitter.com/maximumcuddles/status/1234751420273844225 Available to order on the website from Friday, March 6, the loo paper will be delivered to your door in 30 minutes. So, if you can't leave the house (for a myriad of reasons) this is in fact very helpful. While you're stocking up on loo paper, you can also order wine, spirits, beer, Red Bull, Lindt chocolate, crispy pork crackling, Panadol and condoms. All the doomsday essentials, really. Available in Sydney only, Jimmy Brings' toilet paper will set you back $2.99 a roll, with $1 from each going to the UNICEF Coronavirus Appeal. The toilet paper is only available until sold out — so, if you're really keen to get your mitts on some, we recommend keeping a keen eye on Jimmy Brings' website this Friday morning. Jimmy Brings is selling toilet paper for $2.99 a roll from Friday, March 6 — while stock lasts.
A day without laughter is a day wasted, which works out well for comedy rooms around Sydney looking to sell out shows and fill out insurance claims for patrons whose sides have split from the funnies on-stage. Whilst there are copious clubs dedicated to your regular serving of stand-up, there are also a number of alternative, lesser-known and uniquely hilarious shows and events across the harbour city ready to leave you with a breathless stitch. Concrete Playground has laughed (and cringed) at a range of them to bring you the best seven non-stand-up comedy events in Sydney. Story Club Story Club is the wonderful grown-up version of a bedtime story. The best storytellers around read their (often) true stories to avid audiences in the club's new Surry Hills home, The Raval, on the third Wednesday of every month. And with each new evening hosting a brand-new theme, the material is always fresh and hilarious. Adding to the majesty are the the ornate story throne and enormous book the authors read from. Curated and hosted by the affable Ben Jenkins and hilariously dark Zoe Norton Lodge (The Hamster Wheel), Story Club is the most honest and hilarious evening of comedy available in Sydney and will crank the LOL factor up to ten. The Raval, 1/42 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills. Full Body Contact No Love Tennis Full Body Contact No Love Tennis delivers hands down Sydney's best long-form improvisation. Performing upstairs every Tuesday at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe, a rotating cast of improvisers perform alongside fan favourites including creator Cale Bain and Steen Raskopoulos (winner of the Sydney Comedy Festival's Best Newcomer Award) create hilarious scenes from your audience suggestions that will never be seen again. Regarding the mouthful of a name: don't worry, it barely makes sense even to the initiated, but it sure does add charm. The Roxbury, 180/182 St Johns Road, Glebe. Sydney Fringe Festival Sydney's favourite festival of eclectic performances is about to begin, running from September 6-29, 2013, meaning that there is a glut of alternative comedy to check out. Whether it is The Human Jukebox skills of Benny Davis; MotherFather's newest comedy cavalcade, DoctorDoctor; Pat Magee's brave attempt to stage Every Episode of Doctor Who Ever Live on Stage in an hour; or the Game of Thrones-themed sketch show Make Way For Winter, there is plenty to enjoy without having to watch one person stand at a microphone. Club Cab Sav The secret to humour is surprise. With these famous words of Aristotle in mind, Club Cab Sav is a comedy night all about surprising its audience. Club Cab Sav offers its patrons an alternative take on the traditional night of laughs. Expect to see a mixed bag of entertainment experiments, laugh-inducing comedy and an eclectic palette of performances on the last Wednesday of every month at FBi Social, all for just $10. FBi Social, Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William Street, Kings Cross. Project 52 Project 52 is Sydney University's home of comedy, playing host to a rotating roster of formats that includes one of Sydney's last sketch shows, Make Way for Ducklings; Sydney's best young improvisers at Improv Den; themed trivia nights; and Christmas Spooktaculars. Performing out of Sydney University's Hermanns Bar, the guys behind P52 clearly have you covered for a stand-up alternative (but they also have a stand-up night), and all are welcome to enjoy one of Sydney's best comedy rooms curated by Sydney comedy regulars Michael Hing, Steen Raskopoulos and Ben Jenkins — correct, it was the birthplace of Story Club. Hermanns Bar, University of Sydney, Cnr City Road & Butlin Avenue Butlin Avenue, Darlington. Theatresports Theatresports has always been a Sydney stalwart but it has experienced a resurgence in recent years. 2012 saw a surge in crowds attending the Cranston Cup, the state's most prestigious theatresports competition, and it's winners, MotherFather, deservedly went on to be crowned national champions. With this year's Cranston Cup only a month or so away from beginning, excitement is building. Erotic Fan Fiction Whether it is delving into the wonderful world of Harry Potter and exploring the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, which happens to be a sex dungeon, or enjoying the sordid tales of Buffy the Vampire Layer, erotic fan fiction is funny. So imagine an entire evening dedicated to it. Whilst it does not have a regular night in Sydney, this adds to the allure, making it a must-see when it climbs out of bed to amuse and arouse audiences at events such as Penguin Plays Rough, Late Night Library, Story Club and the Sydney Writers' Festival.
Superheroes, like so much of the most populist of pop culture, are a secret vessel for our collective anxieties. That's why Captain America, the purest of patriots, appeared when the US felt overwhelmed by foreign wars. It's why tech-conquers-all capitalist/playboy Iron Man strut onto the scene to show up communism in 1963. And it's why, starting in the 1980s with The Watchmen, superheroes became a big, yielding study in meta. Superheroes no longer struggle against evil alone; they struggle with what their existence means. But the main thing superheroes are, of course, is vacuum-packed action with a narrative developed for so long as to have become a universe. For years, film studios bought the rights to these readymade stories and then systematically proceeded to screw them up. When Marvel Comics set up its own in-house studio and started releasing independent productions in 2008, it was with the intention of reclaiming and doing (vigilante) justice to the genre. They'd please the fans first, and the critics and audiences would follow. Marvel has been successfully building to its supers team-up, The Avengers, ever since, planting a seed in Iron Man's end credits and increasing momentum through the subsequent Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America. They then gave the ensemble film to Buffy maker and comics writer Joss Whedon to write and direct. It's a good move because he doesn't have to work to please the fans first; he is a fan first. He knows the medium, knows the genre, and with The Avengers, he proves he can show off its best bits to a broad audience with a slick, totally gripping and committed action-adventure. To call for the might of several heroes, The Avengers first needs a formidable foe, and it finds it in Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's jealous trickster of a brother, who's ability to suddenly disapparate makes him near invincible and who's alliance with the alien Chitauri race brings an army. When he arrives on Earth to steal the Tesseract, an extraterrestrial energy source under the SHIELD agency's watch, agency head Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) puts into action the Avengers initiative, uniting Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr), the reluctant scientist harbouring the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), anachronistic Captain America (Chris Evans), extreme spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), pro archer Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and, riding into this world on Loki's tail, the truly godly Thor (Chris Hemsworth). It's not a foolproof plan. Fury's higher-ups think nuclear attack would be safer; Loki thinks calling on "such lost creatures to defend you" smacks of desperation. The Avengers succeeds because it balances the required elements of classic fantasy adventure, contemporary theming (renewable energy, you say?), self-referential ego clash, and measures of action and comedy. More than anything else, Whedon's strong suit is character, and here he's working with some great, and very different, ones. While that obviously comes to the fore in great exposition and narrative build, it's most impressive in action sequences that use the heroes' individual idiosyncrasies to keep up tension and lead to a meaningful resolution. The Avengers heralds a new age of Joss — where his mastery finally extends to the mainstream and not just the cult. As a fun, smart and brawny superhero flick, it can't be beaten. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NPoHPNeU9fc
After heading our way for Laneway Festival earlier in 2023, Japanese Australian singer-songwriter Joji is finally giving his Aussie fans the chance to catch a glimpse of him at his own headline gigs when he returns for a run of arena shows. The viral hitmaker is making his way Down Under fresh from a US run of gigs, including bringing the Pandemonium tour to Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on Thursday, November 16. Joji's debut headline Australian shows have been a long time coming. After fostering a cult following on YouTube, he pivoted his talents to music in 2017, releasing three studio albums across the following six years. The entire trio of albums has spawned Top 40 hits in Australia, New Zealand and the US, and Joji is one of only a handful of artists that can claim to have multiple songs with over a billion streams on Spotify — with 'Glimpse of Us' and 'Slow Dancing in the Dark' both passing this impressive milestone. Concertgoers can expect the heartfelt emotions of Joji's ballads alongside a sprinkling of humour, with his live shows receiving online notoriety for the performer's onstage hijinx between and during songs. Scottish dance producer and singer Sam Gellaitry is on supporting duties alongside rapper SavageRealm, who also opened for Joji on his North American tour.
When children from Panem's first 12 districts are chosen to fight to the death, each year's unlucky kids conscripted into the bloodthirsty fray that gives The Hunger Games franchise its title, they aren't simply battling for survival. In this dystopian saga stemming from Suzanne Collins' novels, they're brawling to entertain the wealthy residents of the ruling Capitol — they're forced to submit to a display of power and control, too, and to demonstrate humanity's innate cruelty — all while waging war against perishing into nothingness. Arriving eight years after the series' last page-to-screen adaptation, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a swung sword, flung spear, hurled hatchet and jabbed knife in the same type of skirmish. This is a blockbuster franchise, but 2012's The Hunger Games, 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, 2014's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and 2015's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 have long faded from the big screen, which virtually means no longer existing to Tinseltown, other than as fuel to relight the flame. So kicks in the "sequels, prequels, spinoffs, continuations, TV shows, remakes, reboots, reimaginings or perish" motto that may as well be etched onto the Hollywood sign. Why The Hunger Games' battle royales exist, and what their purpose and substance are, prove topics of conversation more than once in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. A tale that features the person who created the games and the mind overseeing them — that'd be Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage, Cyrano) and Dr Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis, Air) — ought to ponder such notions. A jump back in time in a now five-entry franchise, and a chapter that runs for 157 minutes at that, couldn't leave it out. But a sense of nothingness still swirls around this picture, even if Collins did actually write a novel with a plot that justifies the movie's existence (unlike comparable shenanigans over in the Wizarding World, aka the Fantastic Beasts films). There's an insignificant air to this return trip to YA bleakness, as smacking of chasing cash and keeping IP bubbling in the popular consciousness was bound to inspire; this doesn't feel like a return or a bonus, but an optional extra. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is largely engaging as it's flickering. To spin its origin story for President Coriolanus Snow, who Donald Sutherland (Lawman: Bass Reeves) portrayed with such gleeful menace in the initial movies and Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid) plays now as a young man 64 years earlier, it enlists a compelling cast. And, although nowhere near as meticulously, smartly and affectingly, it convincingly enough attempts the Better Call Saul feat of getting its audience hoping for a different path for someone with a murky future already inescapably established thanks to its lead performance. In the dialogue, riffs on Corio's surname spark retorts like "snow lands on top" — bad puns and heavy-handed nudges towards past films don't serve The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes well — yet "snow dissolves" is the prevailing vibe. Coriolanus himself doesn't here and there's four past pictures to prove it, but for all his longevity and this feature's length, the picture dedicated to him isn't the lingering kind. There's a prologue to this prequel, where a pint-sized Corio (Dexter Sol Ansell, Emmerdale Farm) and his cousin Tigris (debutant Rosa Gotzler) experience the horrors of Panem's nation-changing conflict firsthand, leaving only their grandma'am (Fionnula Flanagan, Smother) to be their guardian. When he's 18 and attending the Capitol's prestigious Academy, times are still tough for the remaining Snows, including the still-doting Tigris (Hunter Schafer, Euphoria); however, Coriolanus is a clever, savvy and determined fake-it-till-you-make-it type. As he dresses the part around his mostly snobby classmates, his hopes for college and security are all pinned on the scholarship-style Plinth Prize, which is usually awarded for academic excellence. But Highbottom and Gaul come bearing unforeseen news: in the tenth year of the country's kill-or-be-killed fights, with interest from the viewing masses lagging, the top students will be tasked with mentoring the games' tributes. Their assigned competitor winning won't guarantee them the prize, either; boosting the contest's status is just as important. Having seen other Hunger Games entries, or read them, isn't a prerequisite for following The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Those who have will know the setup for the movie's first two thirds. Folks in that category will also spot the over-emphasised nods throughout the entire film to its Jennifer Lawrence (No Hard Feelings)-starring predecessors, to the point of wishing that you didn't. So, the reaping singles out the year's batch of doomed contenders, Corio is allocated District 12's Appalachian-accented underdog female recruit Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler, Shazam! Fury of the Gods) and, of course, she proves more than the Capitol bargained for. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes makes good on its title by giving Lucy Gray a voice that can and frequently does carry a tune, which enamours her to everyone watching on. Her fellow gladiatorial competitors aren't impressed, especially with her public popularity. Also in the been-there-done-that category: romantic sparks flying amid the life-or-death games, with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes happy to enter Romeo and Juliet's arena. Betrayal, duplicity, political scheming, autocratic barbarism, an indictment of entertainment at its most sensational and a savaging of the constant push to attract eyeballs pop up expectedly, too, the latter with zero self-awareness about how The Hunger Games movies are now in that domain. Returning director Francis Lawrence, who helmed Catching Fire and both Mockingjay instalments, is workmanlike. Screenwriters Michael Lesslie (The Little Drummer Girl) and Michael Arndt (also returning from Catching Fire) draw upon Collins' source material in the same way. Accordingly, along with production design that looks the part, it's Blyth and company that make the most of the film. As it tells its tale in three sections entitled 'The Mentor', 'The Prize' and 'The Peacekeeper' The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is never big on surprises, even when it heads to District 12 in its last chapter — but its stars are all in. If Blyth couldn't make Corio's vulnerability and kindness so resonant before it gives way to steeliness and ruthlessness, the film would suffer a fatal blow. If Zegler didn't shimmer with verve regardless of whether she's singing (chops already established in West Side Story), this Hunger Games entry's Hunger Games wouldn't muster up a second of tension. Tyrion Lannister might cast a shadow over Dinklage's Highbottom, but the Game of Thrones star has already demonstrated why that's a can't-look-away prospect. Davis is having a ball as the villainous head gamemaker, relish that's matched by Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City) as always-on TV host Lucky Flickerman. Although the same can't always be said for the film around them — and definitely doesn't apply to bringing back the saga from nothingness — the odds are at least in this excellent cast's favour.
A mainstay of Australia's film festival scene for 22 years, the Moro Spanish Film Festival doesn't just celebrate a single country. It also celebrates a language. With Spanish ranking as the globe's second most popular tongue, this showcase of cinema broadens its gaze across the world — not only highlighting movies from the festive European nation that gives the fest its name but, by joining forces with the Cine Latino Film Festival in 2019, screening flicks from Latin America as well. Consider the end result the biggest bargain there is in the film fest world: two festivals for the price of one. Consider it a hefty lineup of new Spanish-language movies, too, with 32 titles touring the country until mid-May. Overseas award-winners? New voices making their debut? A focus on female filmmakers? They're all on this year's program. So are existential thrillers, queer standouts and classic romps — which each claim a place among our five must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5qPWgG1H0 ANA BY DAY Seeing double is one of cinema's favourite tropes — from creepy twins to stalking lookalikes to cases of mistaken identity, doppelgängers are all common film fodder. In Ana by Day, the eponymous Madrid woman (Ingrid García Jonsson) finds her life turned upside down when her double arrives, takes over and leaves her to her own devices. It's a tantalising notion, especially when Ana decides to lean into the situation and live the existence she's always wanted. As conveyed by first-time filmmaker Andrea Jaurrieta as well as exceptional star García Jonsson, at the core of the concept sits a simple truth: the struggle to realise who we really are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_PZqilExE CARMEN & LOLA Premiering at last year's Cannes Film Festival, picking up two gongs at this year's Goya Awards, and earning plenty of praise on the queer festival circuit, Carmen and Lola brings an observant, empathetic eye to a tale of romance versus prejudice. The movie's two paramours are also its two victims — and while the setup might feel somewhat familiar, this film has its own spark. Here, a pair of Roman women (Zaira Romero and Rosy Rodríguez) in a Catholic gypsy community defy tradition by falling for each other. Drawing upon her documentary background, writer/director Arantxa Echevarría uses her non-professional cast perfection, conveying the heart-swelling love and heartbreaking oppression that mark the titular characters' lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKdTPuCgqkU ROJO He mightn't be a household name, but Dario Grandinetti boasts quite the resume, with the Argentinian veteran featuring in everything from Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her and Julieta to twisty anthology Wild Tales. He's also a multiple film festival best actor award winner for his work in Rojo, playing a lawyer navigating the corruption and crime of Granada in the 1970s. Murky, paranoid thrillers were a staple during that decade, and movies both set in and styled after the period keep reaching screens for a reason, as this complex and compelling affair demonstrates. As the film follows its protagonist's entry into a shady world, it delves into the fractured, fraying reality of pre-coup Argentina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0paBosD04mM THE GOOD GIRLS Peering at the lives of the wealthy isn't just about indulging envious fantasies, dreaming of a different existence or watching a cashed-up trainwreck, Real Housewives-style. Rather, whether in satirical or melodramatic mode — and this Mexican comedy-drama operates in both — it's about examining the inner workings of the upper echelons and laying bare a society from the top down. Expect all of the above in Alejandra Márquez Abella's second feature, which follows the wives of her country's richest men in 1982. A wife to Fernando (Flavio Medina) and a mother to three children, Sofia (Ilse Salas) is accustomed to a charmed life, until her and her pals experience the other side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypMOEKJuh8 WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Breakups, breakdowns, breaking free, blending sleeping pills into gazpacho — that's actor Pepa Marcos' (Carmen Maura) life when she's dumped by her fellow thespian boyfriend Iván (Fernando Guillén). It's also just the beginning of the always spirited, often farcical story that drives this masterful 1988 comedy from Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar. One of the filmmaker's deserved early hits, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is also the film that helped introduce the world to Antonio Banderas' charms. It wasn't the pair's first collaboration; however, this Oscar-nominated, multiple Goya-winning film thrust both the director and his star to greater attention, and it's easy to see why. The Moro Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 16, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 16 to May 8; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 18 to May 8; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from April 24 to May 15; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso from April 24 to May 15. For more information, visit the festival website.
This month, galleries and creative spaces across Sydney will throw open their doors for a massive celebration of contemporary art and artists for Art Month Sydney's milestone tenth anniversary. As part of this year's jam-packed lineup, Art Month Sydney is hosting a series of after-work tours of the city's most prolific art precincts. On Thursday, March 21, it's time to check out galleries and art spaces around east Sydney for a sunset art tour. Whether you've wandered past but not ventured in, know the precinct's galleries well, or have never heard of them, tonight is a chance to enjoy what's on offer. Galleries that'll be keeping their doors open for the evening include Stacks Projects, Artspace, Emerson, the Australian Design Centre and Chalk Horse. To take part, simply explore the Art Month Sydney map here, pop on some comfy shoes and start your tour at 6pm. You can hit the pavement in any direction you like, but make sure you end things at Firstdraft. From 8pm, the venue — which is Australia's longest-running artist-run initiative — will be hosting an end-of-night party. There'll be a lineup of performance art and DJs curated by Performance Space's Tulleah Pearce. The lineup includes an installation by Jodie Whalen, video work by Su Yu Hsin and performances by artists JD Reforma, Eugene Choi, Alyx Dennison and Bonnie Stewart. Plus, DJs Marcus Whale and Sovereign Trax will provide the soundtrack to the party. And while you're there, you can also check out Firstdraft's latest exhibitions, featuring solo shows from Roberta Rich, Mojgan Habibi and Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen. For more information on the Art at Night: East Sydney, or to check out the full Art Month Sydney program, head this way. Image: courtesy of Art Month Sydney.
UPDATE, Friday, October 27, 2023: Pain Hustlers screens in select cinemas from Thursday, October 19, and streams via Netflix from Friday, October 27. There's never been any need to be subtle about Emily Blunt's talents as an actor. A resume filled with My Summer of Love, The Devil Wears Prada, Sunshine Cleaning, Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario, Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place and its sequel, plus The English on the small screen, keeps proving a helluva showcase. With those versatile roles and others — Oppenheimer and Jungle Cruise are her most-recent big screen credits — Blunt gives audiences a very particular and highly welcome present. Every part for every actor sees them play characters that are constantly adjusting to their situation, given that's just what life is all about, but watching Blunt convey that experience is quite the gift. As her filmography repeatedly demonstrates, she knows better than most how to weaponise a stare and a pause, convey uncertainty with a shift and a gesture, and use both tone and pace to dig in — and, in a long line of excellent Blunt performances, that knack is on full display in Pain Hustlers. This pharma drama's best star — Chris Evans (Ghosted), Catherine O'Hara (Elemental), Andy Garcia (Expend4bles), Brian d'Arcy James (Love & Death) and Chloe Coleman (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) all leave an imprint as well, but Blunt is the movie's knockout — steps into the shoes of Liza Drake. Relentlessly adapting is the Floridian's normality; she's a single mother to teenager Phoebe (Coleman), who has epilepsy that requires surgical treatment that Liza can't afford, and also lives in her sister's garage while stringing together cash from whichever jobs she can find. It's at one such gig as an exotic dancer, where her talent for sizing up a scenario and making the most of it is rather handy, that Pete Brenner (Evans) crosses her path. He wants more than her barside banter, proposing that she comes to work for him. If he didn't want her to genuinely take it up, he shouldn't have made the offer. Also apparent in Pain Hustlers: the latest on-screen takedown of the pharmaceutical industry and corresponding interrogation of the opioid crisis, aka one of pop culture's current topics du jour. Indeed, in only his second non-Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film since 2007 (the other: The Legend of Tarzan), director David Yates happily relies upon the fact that this realm is common ire-inducing knowledge no matter whether you've read journalist Evan Hughes' coverage of Insys Therapeutics — including 'The Pain Hustlers', a New York Times Magazine article, then The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, the non-fiction book that followed. First-time screenwriter Wells Tower draws upon both, but similarly knows that his fictionalisation rattles around a heavily populated domain. Stunning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed earned an Oscar nomination, miniseries Dopesick picked up an Emmy, and both Painkiller and The Fall of the House of Usher have hit Netflix in 2023 — as will Pain Hustlers — while diving into the same subject. In reality, Insys marketed a fentanyl spray called subsys for pain management, then came under legal scrutiny for adopting a whatever-it-takes approach to encourage doctors to champion the fast-acting, strong and addictive opioid. That's the Pain Hustlers story as well, as intercut early with faux documentary-style chats with the film's characters to make it plain from the outset that there's comeuppance in store for their unscrupulous and infuriating actions. Pete is a hotshot at Zanna, a pharmaceutical startup under the guidance of widower doctor Jack Neel (Garcia) that's spruiking its own mist. In his strip-club employment pitch, Pete doesn't tell Liza that the company's days are numbered if medical professionals keep steering clear of their drug lonafen. During that chat, he also doesn't glean how determined that the ever-enterprising Liza is when she sets her mind on something. From a starting point of zero, Liza boosts lonafen's market penetration to 86 percent quickly in the rise portion of Pain Hustlers' tale. Again, viewers are well-primed that the fall will come, but this is a hustling-fuelled, capitalism-indicting, "what would you do?" type of telling. An amalgamation of a few IRL folks, Liza is the only person who finds an angle into medicine cabinets, getting lonely pain-clinic doc Lydell (James) over the line in no small part thanks to paying him attention. She's also the only character with questions about the corporate-sanctioned move into bribes, false claims, and flouting regulations in the pursuit of more and more success ("grow or die," implores Neel). Hollywood neatness lingers in her arc, as someone with an urgent need for money to help her family and sincerity in her belief that she's slinging a worthy product, while also enamoured with the upgrade from motel living to a palatial apartment, even hiring her mother (O'Hara), and proving exceptional and influential at her task. That's where Blunt, who is also one of Pain Hustlers' producers, couldn't be more crucial — selling every slippery, driven, desperate, calculating, American dream-chasing and well-meaning choice alike. In a version of this film that didn't feature Blunt, everything would suffer, including her co-stars. From Evans in Knives Out- and The Gray Man-esque skeezy terrain (so, worlds away from Captain America) to Garcia getting hopped up on greed, everyone in Pain Hustlers is at their best when they're reacting to her — and, of course, she's equally formidable whether she's in the centre of the glossily shot frame alone or flanked. Making workmanlike contributions, Yates and Tower prescribe only the expected otherwise. Apart from stressing that their movie isn't advocating pushing pills (well, sprays in this instance), their doco-leaning segments are gimmicky, even when they survey patients with horror stories. Pain Hustlers is still engaging enough, though, but it's the picture's terrifically cast lead that's compulsive to watch. When Liza, Pete and company — Jay Duplass (Industry) and Amit Shah (Happy Valley) are among Zanna's other employees — are making bank, the lonafen playbook isn't far removed from their competitors. In a film that recalls The Big Short and Martin Scorsese's work, there's a raging case of like plot, like movie as blatant as a bright-orange pill cylinder. Pain Hustlers doesn't just tread in Dopesick et al's footsteps, but in Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street's as well. Liza could be a sibling to Erin Brockovich's namesake, too, with the performance to match. And, as it trades in horrific details yet never goes full horror like The Fall of the House of Usher, Succession also lingers. In one of Evans' great scenes, in fact, he takes to the stage in costume and raps the drug's praises. He's decked out like a lonafen spray, but he's firmly and gleefully in Kendall Roy territory. It's an entertaining moment, but also underscores the difference between watchable and spectacular.
It may be hot outside, but it's not quite 'our city in summer' until the Sydney Festival starts up on January 9, bringing with it a tidal wave of performance, music, art and other festivities. Its 2014 program is a massive conglomeration of 104 events, featuring 722 artists from 80 companies across 17 countries. Look out for a much bigger festival garden (so big, in fact, it's now the Festival Village) in Hyde Park, the return of music venue Paradiso at Town Hall and everyone's favourite duck, and a version of Stonehenge that you can bounce on. Yes, bounce on. But above all, Sydney Festival is about getting the most appealing, innovative and agenda-setting international performing arts works to visit our town. This year there's nothing topping the spectacle of Dido & Aeneas. This 'underwater opera' starts with a dance in a 7500L water tank and moves on to sumptuous feats of dance, costume, singing, music and stagecraft. But La Voix Humaine promises to floor with conversely little — one woman pleading down the phone line to an ex-lover. There are plenty of other acclaimed international theatre, dance and circus works with experimental, thrilling or just plain WTF twists. Magic/theatre show Bullet Catch calls for you to pull the trigger, Othello: The Remix is a charming "ad-rap-tation", Tim Crouch's I, Malvolio puts a Shakespearian underdog in the limelight (we recommend going on the adults-only late show on January 18), La Cucina Dell'Arte comes from a sixth generation carnie clan, and Forklift features dancers who also hold heavy machinery licences. Leading the music program, Amanda Palmer will be playing ten solo shows in the intimate surrounds of The Spiegeltent, in the middle of all-hours hangout the Festival Village. Palmer has become an object of much debate after her incredible success at crowdfunding her latest album, but whatever you think of that whole deal you cannot deny she is a fascinating performer. Another headline event is Big Star’s Third, where the cult album will be played in all its broken, twisted beauty by an all-star band for one night only. Guitar hero Kurt Vile is playing in two formats at this year’s festival: a solo “special midnight performance” in the Circus Ronaldo Tent, and again with his band, The Violators, at Paradiso at Town Hall. And then there's Amadou & Mariam’s Eclipse (a “live, multi-sensory experience in pitch darkness telling the amazing story of the blind couple from Mali that includes scents inspired by Mali and their second home Paris pumped into the building”), a collaborative performance with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) and Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, etc), and dozens of other exciting acts. Even the classical music program is phenomenal. Finally (and almost entirely free!) is the visual art program. The focus is on large-scale, multimedia and installation-type pieces that pack an impressive visual punch. Christian Boltanski’s mega installation Chance will make full use of the architecture and size of Carriageworks and will chart births and deaths across the globe. Slovakian artist Roman Ondak is teaming up with Kaldor Public Art Projects to present a trio of performative works, including his 13 Rooms hit Swap. And that life-size bouncy Stonehenge hogging Hyde Park? That's Sacrilege by Jeremy Deller, direct from the 2012 London Olympics cultural program. For full details and to buy tickets see the Sydney Festival website. And don't get despondent if your show of choice is sold out — last-minute $25 tickets to nearly all events are available at the Tix for Next to Nix booth on the day. Want more Sydney Festival events? Check out our top ten picks of the festival. Or follow what we're seeing as we see it in our Sydney Festival Diary. By Rima Sabina Aouf, Hugh Robertson and Rebecca Speer. Image by Prudence Upton.
The Rocks is hoping to serve up all your Christmas-time needs in its neighbourhood — from bespoke gifts and decorations to joyful meals and festive drinks. The weekend Christmas Markets will run every Thursday through Sunday from December 5–22. The festive vies and street food will accompany the gift stallholders — from the latter, expect artisanal presents like handmade jewellery, wooden toys, locally made Christmas decorations and independent designer prints. A pop-up Christmas bar will supply you with a much-needed festive beverage — think Champagne cocktails and French wines. It'll serve up plates of oysters, and you're welcome to bring in food from the market to eat over a drink. The Rocks' usual shops will be done up in your standard red-and-green, silver-and-gold hues, too. And the local bars and pubs have you covered post-shopping, from craft brews at Endeavor Tap Rooms to cocktails on Mrs Jones terrace. [caption id="attachment_698011" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] The Christmas Markets will be open from 10am–9pm each Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In the pandemic's early days, Disney skipped cinema releases for three films — Soul, Luca and Turning Red — due to lockdowns, restrictions, and picture palaces either temporarily closing or having capacity limits. Instead, all three movies went straight to streaming platform Disney+. Wish you'd gotten a silver-screen experience while viewing this trio — or any one of them? Enter the new Pixar Film Fest to give you that chance. From Thursday, February 22–Wednesday, March 13, for a week apiece at various locations around Sydney, it's debuting Soul, Luca and Turning Red in cinemas for the first time Down Under. Oscar-winner Soul sports a premise that resembles Inside Out, which has a sequel arriving on the big screen in 2024. Instead of emotions having emotions, souls do. Rather than Amy Poehler (Moxie) doing voice work, Tina Fey (Mean Girls) does. And director Peter Docter (Up) helmed them both. But Soul is definitely its own feature — and takes quite the existential trip as it follows aspiring jazz musician-turned-music teacher Joe (Jamie Foxx, The Burial) after an accident where his soul leaves his body.It's releasing in cinemas from Thursday, February 22–Wednesday, February 28. Next up is Turning Red, which'll get projectors whirring from Thursday, February 29–Wednesday, March 6. The setup: what'd happen if the Hulk was a teenage girl, but became a super-cute red panda? Or, finding a different riff on the ol' werewolf situation, what if emotions rather than full moons inspired a case of not-quite-lycanthropy? Rounding out the lineup is Luca, which is similarly about transformation. This one takes place in Italy over a gorgeous summer, also spins a coming-of-age tale and nods to Frankenstein as well. Here, teenage sea monsters Luca (Jacob Tremblay, Orion and the Dark) and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer, Shazam! Fury of the Gods) just want to fit in, but know that the village they decide to call home wouldn't accept them if they don't take on human form. Cinemagoers can catch it from Thursday, March 7–Wednesday, March 13.
