Salomon is turning things up in Sydney with another free community event, this time featuring TikTok-viral DJ and producer Disco Lines. And in more good news for broke boys, this immersive no-phones gig is completely free. Taking over Moore Park's Liberty Hall Courts from 6.30pm on Wednesday, March 4, there's no need to worry about capturing the moment. Instead, Salomon is pulling up with a team of photographers, with a photo album shared with all attendees the following day. View this post on Instagram What's more, those who arrive in their own Salomon kicks have the chance to score priority entrance. Just get down early to be among the first 100 guests, and you'll secure a prime position for the show. Colorado-born Thadeus Labuszewski, aka Disco Lines, has been on a meteoric rise in recent years, driven by huge social media buzz and a string of dance-floor hits. So, get ready to party to tech house bangers, like 'No Broke Boy' and 'Baby Girl' as part of this unforgettable midweek session.
The latest addition to Merivale's portfolio, Palmer & Co. is a gorgeous hiding place. Tucked into the underground level of what was once a throbbing, sticky nightclub in the heart of Sydney's CBD, the venue has been transformed beyond recognition into a glowing little cove that exudes the sumptuous glamour and devilish secrecy of the 1920s prohibition era. Whilst perhaps not the most inspired of concepts, every detail of Palmer & Co. speaks of Merivale's signature polish, and the bar's clandestine feel echoes the theme of secrecy. Embraced by exposed brick walls, heavy timber surfaces and the intimacy of low, golden lighting, you are enveloped immediately by a sense of sophistication as your enter Palmer & Co. This is a bar for grown-ups. You are invited by the staple Merivale beauties, in flapper dresses and all, to make your selection from the extensive menu of spirits and cocktails, embellished by photographs harking back to days of dapper criminals in three-piece suits and girls who could neck a bottle of bourbon and look graceful doing it. Palmer & Co. offers a small selection of bar snacks, including spicy chipolatas ($12) and charcuterie share boards ($18 for 2), but this is not really a dinner spot. I suggest you eat beforehand because, if you are anywhere near as susceptible to Palmer & Co.'s hypnotic sway as I was, it will be hours before you emerge again. Appears in: Sydney's Best Underground Bars for 2023
One of Potts Point's beloved diners enters a new era, with Franca Brasserie evolving simply to Franca. With an abbreviated name and a renewed focus, Franca will move towards a more relaxed rhythm of hospitality, while maintaining its philosophy of generous cooking and convivial dining. "Our clientele has always guided our approach. The original concept was classical, individual courses. But somewhere along the way, almost every table became shared. We've been watching our guests for seven years, and this is us following their lead," says founder Andrew Becher. The slight name change reflects a return to the original meaning, 'lingua franca', being the shared language that historically connected cultures across the Riviera. Under Becher's guidance, the next stage in Franca's offering is considered a refinement rather than a reinvention. Executive Chef José Saulog leads the kitchen with a menu that blends classic technique with coastal Euro influences. "The flavours and spirit of coastal Europe, crystallised through classical French technique — that was always the vision for Franca. We feel the time is right to rediscover this, and we have drawn in flavours from Spain, Italy, North Africa and beyond. The result is generous, confident food that we feel suits this city and suits this space," says Saulog. Diners will snack on the likes of crab toast and mushroom parfait, before sharing generous plates of duck lasagne with foie gras, béchamel and preserved tomato and Bonito with confit ratatouille. Group dining will become the focal point with two shared menus designed for parties of eight or more to sample the best the menu has to offer. Drinks are no afterthought in the Euro-inspired dining room. The wine program, curated by Waldeck Ray and Riley O'Doherty, moves confidently between Europe and Australia and is built around the table, rather than the individual, with a focus on bottles rather than glasses. The signature aperitif, an ice-cold mini martini with wakame vermouth, a fresh oyster and caviar, is the ultimate way to start a meal at Franca, setting the tone for an elegant yet relaxed evening out. Images: Supplied. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Though there is certainly no lack of Yum Cha options in Sydney, few reach the towering proportions achieved by Haymarket's The Eight. Experience a modern fusion of Cantonese cuisine on the top floor of the Market City complex in this cavernous restaurant that can seat 750. And don't worry, the quality of restaurant's cuisine is just as great. Its name originates from the combination of eight schools of traditional Chinese cuisine used at the restaurant. Founder Henry Tang embraces a contemporary take on Cantonese dining while still keeping the heart and principles of his Hong Kong roots. Presented by the Zilver group, The Eight celebrated its ten-year anniversary last year and has truly come of age. If Zilver sounds familiar to you, it was the name of a similar restaurant owned by the group of the same name, which closed after three decades along with a long string of other Chinese restaurants within Sydney, including legends like Golden Century and Marigold. For those who were able to visit Zilver before its closure, The Eight could be described as its polished, less traditional cousin. The stylish dining area is lined with LED lights and plush furniture, and complete with a wall made up of entirely screens. The venue can be converted for large events, and any of the five private dining rooms offers a space for more intimate gatherings. Don't let the grandeur distract you from the cuisine. The extensive list of traditional fare is well worth its affordable price, and the live seafood standout. Whether you choose banquet style or a la carte, anything off of The Eight's lacquered menu will impress. Choose from live Lobster, King Crab, or Mud Crab (market price) served with whichever sauces you prefer for a must-try dining experience. However, their Yum Cha is the undisputed start of the show, offering the classics you expect and love at a reasonable price. With over sixty choices from their menu and a wide range of desserts, choose from classics like prawn or scallop dumplings and BBQ pork buns. While you're there, don't forget to order their renowned roast duck, and top it off with delectable mango pancakes.
From within the heritage-listed walls of a former Rose Bay church, aambra brings the fire, ritual and generosity of Levantine cooking to one of Sydney's most striking dining rooms. After sitting dormant for more than a decade, the 120-year-old landmark on Old South Head Road — whose foundation stone was laid in 1904 — has been reimagined as a 140-seat restaurant that leans into both history and spectacle. Behind the transformation is owner Cristian Gorgees, who spent more than three years working with DS17's Paul Papadopoulos to respectfully restore the building into a smart, contemporary dining space. Inside, sunlight filters through original stained-glass windows onto custom Italian marble floors in warm burgundy and peach tones, while Venetian plaster walls are adorned with custom lighting and a statement art deco mirror. Overhead, a sculptural brass-and-linen light installation draws the eye up to the 10-metre-high cathedral ceiling, with a glassed-in mezzanine private dining room floating above one half of the space. Out back, an alfresco garden space with olive trees, lounge chairs and a multi-level wraparound deck offers a relaxed counterpoint to the drama inside. [caption id="attachment_1053488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vincent Yeung[/caption] Running the length of the room, an open-plan bar and kitchen gives diners a front-row seat to the open-flame grill. The refined, share-style menu draws on centuries-old family recipes from Gorgees' Iraqi heritage alongside flavours from Lebanon, Jordan, Cyprus and Egypt, with Executive Chef Gianluca Lonati (Nour) at the helm. Start with snacks like smoked oyster taramasalata, raw beef with lupini and baharat, or a Moreton Bay bug borek with daggah ghazzawieh, before moving to small plates like a tuna kibbeh nayeh, tongue shawarma skewers and woodfired chicken manti with whey. Larger dishes include whole blue grouper masgouf with tamarind and tomato, a dry-aged carob duck crown, merguez-stuffed lamb saddle and an 800-gram wagyu rib eye cooked on the bone. Drinks are equally expressive, with sommelier Sasa Savic curating a 130-plus-bottle wine list alongside playful signatures like a watermelon martini, arak elderflower spritz and jaffa margarita — all just as suited to slow afternoons in the garden as they are to lingering dinners inside. [caption id="attachment_1053489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vincent Yeung[/caption] Images: Vincent Yeung.
Across four seasons of Stranger Things so far, entering a rift to the Upside Down hasn't transported anyone Down Under. But jumping into the hit Netflix series' world keeps proving a reality in Australia — first via one of those portals popping up in Bondi back in 2022, and next courtesy of Stranger Things: The Experience, which has just locked in its Aussie debut at Luna Park Sydney as part of Vivid's 2025 program. Luna Park Sydney and immersive experiences based on Netflix shows keep going hand in hand of late; from the end of 2024, the Harbour City tourist attraction also hosted Squid Game: The Experience, letting small-screen fans dive into another streaming smash. Stranger Things: The Experience will run from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14. The must-attend event falls into the Ideas portion of Vivid's lineup. Get ready to visit 1986 — and also Hawkins, Indiana, of course — in what promises to be an interactive stint of Stranger Things-loving fun. Locations from the show are part of the setup, as is a supernatural mystery. And yes, you can expect to feel nostalgic, even if you don't have your own memories of the 80s because you hadn't been born yet. Stranger Things: The Experience isn't just about visiting recreations of settings that you've seen while watching Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, The Electric State) and the gang. The installation features its own storyline, where playing along means trying to save Hawkins from yet another threat. And yes, you will take a trip to the Upside Down. You'll also be able to drink themed cocktails. Based on its time in other cities, Demogorgons and/or Vecna might await, too, along with Christmas lights, Scoops Ahoy and Surfer Boy Pizza. The experience initially opened in New York in 2022, and has enjoyed dates with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, London, Paris and São Paulo since, with a Rio de Janeiro stint also on the way. Hanging out for new Stranger Things back in your Netflix queue? That's due to happen in 2025, when the show's fifth and final series arrives — although there's no exact release date as yet.
When it comes to cafe fare, true tastiness and robust healthiness do not always collide. However, Black Seed Eatery has perfected the match. Opened in June 2018, this sleek eatery is bringing dishes made with fresh produce and spiked with super foods to Parramatta's rapidly evolving food scene. Designed by Al & Co Haus of Design, the space is a naturally lit refuge, filled with shiny mirrors, Scandi-inspired blonde timbers and lush pot plants. To start your day right, tuck into the quinoa salsa — asparagus, sweet corn kernels and avocado, topped with a fried egg and shallots on organic sourdough — or a baked field mushroom layered with crispy pancetta, poached egg, rocket, balsamic and parmesan on organic sourdough. That said, the menu isn't only about looking after your vital organs. Come lunch time, you can get a bit more indulgent with a Black Seed Beef Burger (beef, onion, cheese, cos lettuce, tomato and house-made sauce) or buttermilk fried chicken with slaw and spicy mayo. There's also a bunch of artisanal baked goodies, created in partnership with Luxe Bakery. Meanwhile, Toby's Estate is supplying the coffee beans and has spent many hours working with the Black Seed team to come up with a smooth, rich, unique house blend. Images: Terence Chin
Deus Bar & Kitchen is the only show in town for the Camperdown dinner crowd – and they're getting a lot of love for it. The once Deus Cafe has been completely reimagined by Andy Ruwald (founder of The Bucket List) and James Prier, who were brought on board by Deus Ex Machina founder Dare Jennings to relaunch the dining space. While the cafe is still open for breakfast and lunch, the dinner service is a new niche for Deus — and the locals couldn't be happier about. The new digs embrace their corner location on Parramatta Road while also (somehow) blocking out the highway hustle and bustle. The leafy shrubs placed at each window — along with the warmly-lit, moody interior — help give the space a relaxed and welcoming nighttime atmosphere. But the biggest change at Deus is the dinner and drinks service. The concrete bar and open kitchen both have seating for casual patrons, and the custom-made, comfy bar stools are designed to withstand long conversations over more than a few drinks and bar snacks. The cocktail menu focusses on tweaking the classics, and is well-executed. While their version of a bloody Mary ($18) could (and did) convert a BM nonbeliever, the Scorpio VI ($18) is our personal favourite. A jalapeño margarita is given a cold weather spin with the addition of a house-made 'winter syrup', made with spiced rhubarb stalks from the kitchen. But it's the dinner menu that really lets Deus flex its newfound culinary muscles, with Head Chef Tom Walton (ex-Bistro Moncur) running the kitchen. The dishes stem from Walton's experience and upbringing; Middle Eastern flavours run throughout the menu, while his French training shines in dishes like the superb beef tartare ($17). A super delicate dish, it has a complex flavour and texture combination of harissa, almond and pickled onion. If you're lucky enough to have the option of the mussels special, don't skip it. Served in a broth of Young Henrys cider and with a side of shoestring fries perfect for dipping, it's a truly a knockout dish. Chef Walton is as creative as he is skilled, and this is evident in his chicken crackling ($14), which is inventively served as a cracker-like vessel for spoonfuls of fresh kingfish and smoky eggplant. The hummus is not exactly what you'd expect either — it comes gorgeously plated and topped with pomegranate seeds, almonds, feta, crispy chickpeas and mint ($16). If you're really going for a winter warmer, their roast Bannockburn chook is just that ($20 half, $39 whole) and a signature dish for the restaurant. The whole, slow-roasted quince dessert ($12) is another must-try winter menu item; tart and savoury, the dish is balanced by the silky sweetness of the crème fraîche. In this way, the food matches Deus' whole atmosphere: warming, welcoming, and simply well done.
The year feels like it's flying by, with the Easter holidays already upon us. While you might have plans for the long weekend, you could also lock in an adventure a little further away, with Scoot's latest sale helping you escape the oncoming cold months Running from Tuesday, March 31–Sunday, April 5, Gotta Scoot Tuesday is stacked with highlights. And with the price of fuel seemingly going up and up, it might just be cheaper to head to the airport rather than getting in the car anytime soon. If Thailand is calling your name, there are discount fares to help you reach your destination. Flying from Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, you can head to Phuket via Singapore for $178–$245. However, you might swap the Andaman Sea for the Gulf of Thailand, with flights to Koh Samui via Singapore departing Perth, Melbourne and Sydney for $250, $300 and $315, respectively. Here, island hopping is made easy, especially with nearby hotspots like Koh Tao. If Vietnam still needs to be checked off your travel bucket list — or if another visit is overdue — Scoot is departing from Perth for Ho Chi Minh City via Singapore for $182, from Sydney for $230 and from Melbourne for $240. Although there are hundreds more flights to explore, one last highlight is Denpasar via Singapore. Whether you're Bali-bound or headed to one of 17,000 or so other Indonesian islands, departures from Melbourne start at $245, while Sydney flights start from $250. Travel dates span various periods from April 13, 2026–March 26, 2027, with the sale ending on Sunday, April 5 at 11.59pm. Head to the website for more information. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWZ6P1rWy4 FIRST COW Gone are the days when every image that flickered across the screen did so within an almost square-shaped frame. That time has long passed, in fact, with widescreen formats replacing the 1.375:1 Academy aspect ratio that once was standard in cinemas, and its 4:3 television counterpart. So, when a director today fits their visuals into a much tighter space than the now-expansive norm, it's an intentional choice. They're not just nodding to the past, even if their film takes place in times gone by. With First Cow, for instance, Kelly Reichardt unfurls a story set in 19th-century America, but she's also honing her audience's focus. The Meek's Cutoff, Night Moves and Certain Women filmmaker wants those guiding their eyeballs towards this exquisite movie to truly survey everything that it peers at. She wants them to see its central characters — chef Otis 'Cookie' Figowitz (John Magaro, Overlord) and Chinese entrepreneur King-Lu (Orion Lee, Zack Snyder's Justice League) — and to realise that neither are ever afforded such attention by the others in their fictional midst. Thoughtfully exploring the existence of figures on the margins has long been Reichardt's remit, as River of Grass, Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy have shown as well, but she forces First Cow's viewers to be more than just passive observers in this process. There's much to take in throughout this magnificently told tale, which heads to Oregon as most of Reichardt's movies have. In its own quiet, closely observed, deeply affectionate and warm-hearted fashion, First Cow is a heist movie, although the filmmaker's gentle and insightful spin on the usually slick and twist-filled genre bucks every convention there is. Initially, after watching an industrial barge power down a river, First Cow follows a woman (Alia Shawkat, Search Party) and her dog as they discover a couple of skeletons nearby. Then, jumping back two centuries and seeing another boat on the same waterway, it meets Cookie as he's searching for food. Whatever he finds, or doesn't, the fur-trapper team he works with never has a kind word to spare. But then Cookie stumbles across King-Lu one night, helps him evade the Russians on his tail, and the seeds of friendship are sown. When the duo next crosses paths, they spend an alcohol-addled night sharing their respective ideas for the future. Those ambitious visions get a helping hand after the Chief Factor (Toby Jones, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom) ships in the region's highly coveted first cow, with Cookie and King-Lu secretly milking the animal in the dark of night, then using the stolen liquid to make highly sought-after — and highly profitable — oily cakes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcOP5kQrABk WRATH OF MAN With revenge thriller Wrath of Man, filmmaker Guy Ritchie (The Gentlemen) and actor Jason Statham (The Meg) reunite. The pair both came to fame with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, repeated the feat with Snatch, then unsuccessfully tried again with Revolver, but they've spend the past 16 years heading in their own directions. During that stretch, the former subjected the world to his terrible Sherlock Holmes films, fared better with left-field additions to his resume like The Man From UNCLE and Aladdin, but didn't quite know what to do with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. The latter has become an action go-to over the same time — with both forgettable and memorable flicks resulting, including three Fast and Furious movies and a stint scowling at Dwayne Johnson in the franchise's odd-couple spinoff Hobbs & Shaw. Thankfully, now that they're collaborating again, they're not just interested in rehashing their shared past glories. From Wrath of Man's first moments, with its tense, droning score, its high-strung mood and its filming of an armoured van robbery from inside the vehicle, a relentlessly grim tone is established. When Statham shows up shortly afterwards, he's firmly in stoic mode, too. He does spout a few quippy lines, and Ritchie once again unfurls his narrative by jumping between different people, events and time periods, but Lock, Stock Again or Snatch Harder this isn't. Instead, Wrath of Man is a remake of 2004 French film Le Convoyeur. While walking in someone else's shoes turned out horrendously for Ritchie with the Madonna-starring Swept Away, that isn't the case with this efficient, effective and engaging crime-fuelled effort, which finds its niche — and it's a new one for its central duo, at least together. Statham plays Patrick Hill, the newest employee at the Los Angeles-based cash truck company Fortico Securities. On his first day, his colleague Bullet (Holt McCallany, Mindhunter) dubs him H — "like the bomb, or Jesus H," he says — and the nickname quickly sticks. H joins the outfit a few months after the aforementioned holdup, with the memory of the two coworkers and civilian killed in the incident still fresh in everyone's minds. So, when gunmen interrupt his first post-training run with Bullet and Boy Sweat Dave (Josh Hartnett, Penny Dreadful), they're unsurprisingly jumpy; however, H deals with the situation with lethal efficiency. Cue glowing praise from Fortico's owner (Rob Delaney, Tom & Jerry), concern from his by-the-book manager (Eddie Marsan, Vice) and intrigue about his past from the rest of the team (such as Angel Has Fallen's Rocci Williams and Calm with Horses' Niamh Algar). Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MGhAbSsKtQ LAND Pitting humanity against nature is one of cinema's favourite setups; however, when movies dwarf a lone soul in their expansive surroundings, then watch them try to survive, the medium endeavours to explore exactly what makes us tick. The mere sight of a single figure attempting to endure against the elements can send a potent message, reminding viewers of how small we each are compared to the planet we live on, how fleeting our existence ultimately proves in its lengthy history and how witnessing one day following the next is never a given for anyone in any situation. Like everything from Into the Wild and The Grey to All Is Lost and Arctic before it, Land conjures up these ideas and themes within its hauntingly beautiful frames. It also boasts the space and patience to ponder the impressions our traumas and tragedies leave, too. None of these notions are new or unique, and Jesse Chatham and Erin Dignam's (Submergence) screenplay doesn't ever pretend otherwise or treat them as such. Rather, this thoughtful drama knows that it's traversing well-worn and universal territory, and that films past and future will continue to walk similar paths — but director and star Robin Wright (Wonder Woman 1984) is also well aware that continually interrogating and reevaluating why we're here, where we fit into this world, what we choose to do with our lives, and how we change and evolve along the way is what makes us human. In her filmmaking debut after helming ten episodes of House of Cards over the years, Wright plays Edee, a woman who can only see one way to cope with the type of pain, loss and heartbreak that has forever upended life as she once knew it. With a trailer filled with tinned and dry food, she escapes to the Wyoming wilderness, where nothing but a rustic cabin, clear lakes, trees and mountains as far as the eye can see, and the occasional animal awaits. But when a bear destroys her food supplies and the region's frosty winters prove punishing beyond her expectations, Edee struggles to find the peace she seeks. Enter the kindly Miguel (Demián Bichir, Godzilla vs Kong), a kindred spirit with his own troubles to work through, and with his own draw to the land as well. When done badly, movies about finding solace and strength in the great outdoors threaten to turn the "nature is healing" trope into a movie, but Land isn't that feature. It doesn't unravel a romance against cinematographer Bobby Bukowski's (Irresistible) scenic imagery, either. Instead, it watches as Edee works through the minutiae of her chosen new existence, faces challenges, rediscovers the value of having even just one person to reach out to and slowly comes to terms with who she is after all she's been through. Wright's internalised performance is phenomenal, and although its final act moves too quickly, this is always a compassionate, poignant and affecting film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrpibk1CgUw CLIFF WALKERS 2016's Matt Damon-starring The Great Wall might've threatened to prove otherwise, but when Zhang Yimou makes a movie, it usually demands attention. The Chinese filmmaker's 1988 debut Red Sorghum won Berlinale's Golden Bear, 1991's Raise the Red Lantern remains stunning on multiple levels, and 2002's Hero, 2004's House of Flying Daggers and 2018's Shadow remain dazzling examples of the wuxia genre at its finest. With new release Cliff Walkers, the acclaimed director toys with an espionage narrative. Jumping into the spy realm is new for him, but when the film starts with sweeping shots of snowy Manchukuo — a Japanese-controlled state in China's northeast in the 30s and 40s, and the site of a death camp that's pivotal to the story — it's clear that he's behind the lens. Indeed, these frosty moments are so visually striking that, when the white landscape gives way to terse, tense altercations on trains and then within the city of Harbin, feeling disappointed is an instant side effect. Zhang has a meticulous eye for streets and interiors, too, however. And, for secret exchanges and fraught chases also. Benefiting from the filmmaker's regular director of photography Zhao Xiaoding as well, there isn't a single shot in Cliff Walkers that doesn't demand attention. Even the sight of fallen snow collecting in the brims of the hats worn by the feature's characters boasts its own beauty. Within its eye-catching frames and amidst its entrancing era-appropriate production design, Cliff Walkers tracks four Chinese operatives who've been tasked with rescuing a survivor of a massacre at the Manchukuo camp from the Japanese authorities — a job that's filled with peril from the outset. After parachuting into the snow in the feature's vivid and alluring opening, Zhang (Zhang Yi, The Eight Hundred) and Lan (Liu Haocun, A Little Red Flower) tackle one part of the mission, while their romantic partners Yu (Qin Hailu, The Best Is Yet to Come) and Chuliang (Zhu Yawen, The Captain) are paired up and saddled with the other. It's the 30s, and double-crossing, double agents and danger all follow, as does betrayal, heartbreak, tests of loyalty and hard choices. The film that unfurls doesn't overflow with surprises, plot-wise, but Zhang and first-time feature screenwriter Quan Yongxian focus on the details, making every coded interaction and suspenseful altercation as gripping as the movie's multi-layered cat-and-mouse games. After his previous picture, One Second, was pulled from the 2019 Berlinale at the last moment — officially due to "technical difficulties" — Cliff Walkers' patriotic leanings don't come as a shock; however, it doesn't dampen the film's visual splendour or involving narrative, either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24umxshK1f8 TWIST Forget watches, calendars and social media reminders that tell you what you were doing on this day years ago whether you like it or not — when it comes to conveying the passing of time, the entertainment industry has a surefire tactic. There's nothing quite like seeing the now-grown child of a famous face start appearing on-screen to make you realise how quickly the seconds, minutes, hours and more melt away. Twist is the latest film to have that effect, thanks to the first-time lead actor that plays the titular Charles Dickens-penned character. Rafferty Law looks exactly like his father, sounds like him and has the same stare that's worked so well for the latter for years, including in The Third Day and The Nest of late. He also appears here opposite Michael Caine, who Jude Law co-starred with in 2007's Sleuth; however, this isn't quite the start to his big-screen career that the younger Law would've hoped for. A modern version of Oliver Twist that reframes the famed orphan as a freerunner and graffiti artist who leaps between London's rooftops and tags the tallest of buildings, it's the update that no one could've asked for — including the teenage audience it's targeting. And, at a time when even Guy Ritchie is moving on from his usual bag of tricks with Wrath of Man, it enthusiastically follows in his decades-old footsteps. Presumably director Martin Owen (Killers Anonymous), screenwriters John Wrathall (The Liability) and Sally Collett (The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud), and the seven other folks given either idea or additional material credits just couldn't handle living in a world where Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Dickens hadn't crossed paths. There are no gruelling orphanage scenes in Twist, but there is a criminal mastermind called Fagin (Caine, Tenet), a gang of light-fingered pickpockets led by Dodge (Rita Ora, Fifty Shades Freed) and an abusive villain named Sikes (Lena Headey, Game of Thrones). When the eponymous teenager falls into their company, he's rightly apprehensive; however, he just wants to belong, even if that means becoming part of an art heist. If it wasn't for fellow building-leaping crew member Nancy (Sophie Simnett, Daybreak), Twist mightn't fall in as thickly with the thieves as he does. But Owen and his fellow creatives never let a cliche pass by. Similarly, as their hero and his new pals plot to pilfer paintings from gallery owner Losberne (David Walliams, Murder Mystery), the film doesn't miss an opportunity to spout hackneyed dialogue, fill its soundtrack with oh-so-literal choices and throw in more parkour whenever it seems that a few minutes might tick along without it. Caine should've left his Dickensian escapades to The Muppets Christmas Carol, while everyone else should've expended more than a couple of seconds thinking about this flimsy wannabe caper. And, while Rafferty Law's presence might remind the audience that time passes so quickly that multiple generations of families keep popping up on our screens (see also: Scott Eastwood in Wrath of Man, Lily-Rose Depp in Voyagers and John David Washington in Tenet, just to name a few), Twist makes its 88-minute running time feel like an eternity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN9RO5SnnCs THE DEVIL HAS A NAME In one of the many courtroom scenes in The Devil Has a Name's second half, Californian almond farmer Fred Stern (David Strathairn, Nomadland) takes the stand in the $2 billion lawsuit that he has brought against Shore Oil. He's demanding compensation for the poisoning of the land beneath his property for the past ten years, and the questioning and corresponding testimony turns to matters of intention and knowledge — with Stern pointing out that the energy behemoth mightn't have deliberately contaminated his farm initially, but it also didn't change its ways once it discovered the environmental effects of its actions. Instead, regional director Gigi Cutler (Kate Bosworth, Force of Nature) sent a flunky (Haley Joel Osment, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) to try to buy Stern off. The latter's foreman Santiago (Edward James Olmos, Mayans MC) immediately questioned the motives behind the deal, but it took the sight of toxic water streaming out of his shower to inspire Stern to fight. As told in flashbacks by a whisky-swilling Cutler to Shore Oil's slimy CEO (Alfred Molina, Promising Young Woman), the resulting battle sees lawyers both crusading (Martin Sheen, Judas and the Black Messiah) and corporate (Katie Aselton, The Unholy) become involved, a villainous fellow company employee (Pablo Schreiber, First Man) endeavour to derail Cutler, Stern's property threatened and Santiago's undocumented status given a public airing. Olmos also directs The Devil Has a Name, working with a script by first-timer Robert McEveety. Just like the company at its centre, their film has an intention-versus-reality problem. Taking its cues from the very real water contamination wars in Central Valley, passion, anger and a worthy point pump through the feature. But The Devil Has a Name isn't merely the latest in a long line of sincere dramas about corporate exploitation of natural resources and the very real consequences for everyday folks, as seen with Dark Waters, Promised Land and Erin Brockovich. Thanks to its overboiled tone, Bosworth and Molina's scenery-chewing, Schreiber and Osment's utter cartoonishness, and its eager bluntness, it strives for the comic causticity that Thank You for Smoking applied to the tobacco industry and I Care a Lot to legal guardianship. Finding a sense of balance between earnest and darkly comedic isn't Olmos' strength, though, and nor is pairing social activism with exaggerated melodrama. It doesn't help that Reynaldo Villalobos' (Windows on the World) cinematography always appears to be moving, with little reason, or that Bosworth is only ever asked to be in femme fatale or hysterical mode. When any combination of Strathairn, Olmos and Sheen share the screen, however, it's easy to see how The Devil Has a Name would've worked without its soapy, over-the-top quirks — but that's not the movie that Olmos has made, sadly. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15 and April 22. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident and The United States vs Billie Holiday.
Beloved pub The Erko received a welcome facelift in 2023 and, with it, a refreshed menu that uses produce from its own in-house garden and the Erko Road Community Garden a few doors down. The kitchen is now under the stewardship of head chef Ethan Robinson (ex-Chiswick). Robinson has reimagined the classic pub grub fare with a seasonal menu. Highlights of the starters section include the seared haloumi with quince local honey and fresh rosemary, served in a piping hot cast iron pan; egg yolk-topped steak tartare; and fried chicken sliders with house-made hot sauce and urban honey. For mains, you can't go past the chicken schnitzel or succulent lamb rump plated up with white bean and bacon fricasse. Vegetarians aren't forgotten with the 'Cheeky Pea' falafel burger and casarecce pasta. You can leave things up to the chef and opt for the $45 chef's choice tasting menu, available for groups of two or more, or time your visit to take advantage of one of the daily deals, such as $2 oysters every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm. For dessert, you can choose between the moreish (and massive) pear crumble with vanilla ice cream or the freshly baked peanut butter, dark chocolate and sea salt cookie. If your pooch is with you and hungry, you can order house-made dog biscuits, a muesli bar or even a raw beef tartare for the fancy pups. The crew have a considered collection of wine available in its drinks list and on-site bottle shop. You'll find diverse drops from across Australia, with a few international tipples showing up, plus there are plenty of natty wines and biodynamic drops to choose from. For a proper good deal, grab a one-litre squealer of Alpha Box & Dice vino for just $25 — and when you bring back the bottle, you get $5 off your next refill. The watering hole has plenty of Aussie craft beer alongside the usual draughts and signature and classic cocktails. There are a few intriguing non-alcohol beverages, too. Opt for the house soda made with 'Ethan's leftover syrup', which changes with the seasons, or a twist on an iced tea made with Ireland's favourite brew: Barry's Gold. Perch yourself at the bar, out in the beer garden or at one of the many candlelit seats in the main bar area to enjoy this year-round favourite. Image credit: Steven Woodburn, Orlaith Costello
On a hot day in the back streets of Enmore, finding shade in somewhere other than a stifling warehouse space is indeed a treat. Enter the Golden Barley. Family owned and run for 25 years, the pub maintains its original Art Deco exterior from 1939 — while the interior is a smart mix of traditional Aussie boozer/beer haven and modern bistro sure to please any patron. If that's not enough, the Barley's trump card is its beautiful beer garden — it runs down the entire length of the pub and has multiple spaces for groups of all sizes. The thick canopy of native trees offers plenty of shade and a few choice rays peak through to provide ample light and warmth, hard to believe such a leafy oasis exists in the busy streets of the inner west. With St Peters' Indoor Climbing Gym just around the corner, the Barley is the perfect place to grab a post-climbing beer (good selection of local craft and old favourites) and relax with a bowl of sticky chicken wings ($14). Images: Katje Ford.
Australian Cinémathèque is the cinema within Brisbane's GOMA — and because it's a member of the International Federation of Film Archives, they have access to the best film archives in the world. There are films you won't see on the big screen anywhere else in Australia, and many of the sessions are completely free. On Wednesdays and Fridays (cheap date night, anyone?), Australian Cinémathèque shows flicks from its eclectic range. From contemporary arthouse to historic cinematic fails, rediscovered restored works to cult classics, experimental styles to international oddities — and even silent film featuring live musical performance — a trip here is an absolute must for any true cinephile. Image: John Gollings
This boutique bookseller where to go when you're looking for a fresh read to get absorbed in while the weather is cooler. Browse through the brightly lit shop and marvel at the huge bookshelf that takes up the entire back wall. The shop beholds an extensive collection of cookbooks, a huge fiction section and hot-off-the-press new releases. As for the name of the shop, it pays homage to Irish playwright and poet Oscar Wilde. Image: Arvin Prem Kumar
With a decade of degustations under his belt, British-born chef Nelly Robinson needs no introduction to Sydney diners. At his flagship restaurant NEL, Robinson's carefully crafted and often theatrical multi-course cuisine has earned him a reputation as a culinary showman, and at first glance, the menu of his latest venture shares the same show-stopping hallmarks of this signature mode of cooking. However, a closer look reveals Winstons — a tasting menu restaurant dedicated to championing British fare — as a departure for this trailblazing restaurateur. Rather than leaning into whimsy and wow factor, Robinson's first new venue since opening NEL in 2015 channels a more intimate, nostalgic spirit with a seven-plate meal (priced at $85 per person) that is as much a memoir tracing Robinson's personal and professional history as it is an homage to the flavours and culture of the UK. This venue within a venue is the fine-dining concept at the Nags Head Hotel in Glebe — a classic corner pub that has been pulling pints in Sydney's Inner West since 1836. While there are plenty of boozers in Sydney that can claim to have an excellent food offering, Robinson insists Winstons is the first true gastropub in Australia. While this might raise an eyebrow or two, Robinson's definition follows in the lauded footsteps of the chef-led pub ventures that have thrived in the UK, including Heston Blumenthal's Michelin-starred The Hind's Head in Bray, Jason Atherton's pioneering nose-to-tail diner The Blind Pig and The Three Fishes, helmed by Robinson's former mentor Nigel Haworth. "I was training with Nigel [Haworth] when I was 17 and that's when he decided to open the first gastropub in the UK. I was fortunate enough to be part of that opening team, so seeing that you can take restaurant-level food and do it like that, in that setting, that's been in my brain ever since," Robinson shares. However, it wasn't until the owners of The Nags Head, Momento Hospitality, approached Robinson about a collaboration that this decades-old dream was finally realised. The fitout is traditional but refined, resisting the low-hanging fruit of pub trinkets and hokey trimmings that could make the space feel like a parody. Parquet flooring, polished wood finishes, forest green leather banquettes and a collection of antique prints set the scene without stealing it. The meal begins with three snacks honouring quintessential British flavours. A delicate tart of prawn dressed with caviar is a light, bright mouthful of the sea to awaken the palate followed by a rich twist on coronation chicken, featuring a gently spiced filling between two slices of fried bread. Finally, a scotch egg, with a perfectly fudgy quail's egg yoke at its centre, brings the first course to a close with perhaps the most faithfully produced dish of the evening. For better or worse, stodge is an unavoidable part of many British dishes, but Robinson proves that there is a place for dense, hearty textures when executed with finesse. A bread course of pillow-soft crumpets is transformed into one of the menu's best bites courtesy of whipped chicken-fat butter topped with a chook skin crisp. With his clever and inventive degustations at NEL, Robinson has shown time and again that he is as much a storyteller as he is a chef. This is also true at Winstons, where the menu is liberally seasoned with personal resonances and touching anecdotes. The most charming of these has inspired a verdant and delightfully sweet pea soup, topped with golden-brown crumbed leek fritters, in tribute to Robinson's grandfather, whose questionable attempts at the same recipe often turned out to be more sludgy than soupy. Given its stature as the world's second-best dish of 2023, according to the TatseHunters of The World's 50 Best Restaurants judging panel, it was all but inevitable that Robinson's beef cheek Wellington would be the main event of Winstons' debut offering. The meat is marinated in black, pink and pepperberry peppercorns, slow-cooked for 15 hours and pulled into succulent shreds before being wrapped in a mushroom duxelles and parsley pancake and finally encased in spelt pastry. While purists might wince at shredding the meat instead of using a solid loin, it's hard to fault a dish that delivers such depth and balance of flavour — a Wellington truly deserving of its world-leading status. Another story Robinson shares with his diners comes in the form of a melting ginger parkin — a humble slab cake from the chef's native Yorkshire. This sticky, slightly spiced treat was one of the first dishes Robinson ever attempted as a child, so it seems more than apt that at a restaurant that draws so essentially from his fondest food memories, the meal should end where this visionary chef began. Images: David Griffen
Blackwattle Bay might not be anywhere near the Aegean Sea, but Hamsi Taverna brings the spirit of a Turkish seaside tavern to the new Sydney Fish Market. One of the flagship dining venues of the $836-million development, the (naturally) seafood-forward restaurant comes from chef Somer Sivrioğlu — Anason, Maydanoz and a co-host of MasterChef Türkiye — and channels the rhythm of relaxed coastal dining, from lingering lunches to breezy evenings by the water. Named after the Black Sea anchovy, Hamsi centres its menu on market-fresh seafood cooked over flame. Expect a lineup of generous, share-friendly plates, from a procession of crudo and mezze — think: oysters with sumac mignonette, poached prawns with taramasalata and pistachio, and house pide topped with pickled anchovies and cherry tomatoes — to larger signatures like baked vodka-sauce conchiglie with spanner crab, charred lobster with sujuk butter and swordfish steak finished with veal demi-glaze. Elsewhere, a handful of familiar dishes from Sivrioğlu's other venues appear in reworked form, including kadayif prawns with muhammara, imam bayildi and chargrilled whole fish with lemon butter. To drink, an extensive wine list balances Australian producers and Old World European bottles, while an impressive by-the-glass selection encourages exploration. The airy dining room, designed by Alkot Studio, leans into its waterfront setting with marine-toned interiors and an open kitchen that keeps things humming. By day, the venue works as a pitstop for shoppers and market visitors — come evening, when the lights lower and the mood shifts, it's primed for golden-hour cocktails and breezy dinners as DJs spin coastal beats.
For all Sydneysiders looking for good fortune, prosperity and a bit of fun, Darling Harbour's Lunar New Year celebrations are the place to be. With a huge lineup of fun activities, there's something for everyone at this cross-cultural celebration of the Lunar New Year — experience dragon boat races, lion dance performances or simply explore the tranquil Chinese Garden of Friendship. Lunar New Year Jet Pack Shows Coming to Cockle Bay on Saturday, February 1 and Saturday, February 8, the Lunar New Year Jet Pack Shows will see amazing lion dances, which will also light up the streets throughout the festival, and epic jet-propelled stunts. There will also be special Lunar New Year fireworks after the Jet Pack Shows. Chinese Garden of Friendship Everyone's favourite Darling Harbour oasis, the Chinese Garden of Friendship will host loads of events and activities, including serene tea ceremonies, red envelope giving and snake craft for the kids, paper art installations by Benja Harney and zodiac readings, just to name a few. There will also be a Twilight Garden Party on Friday, January 31 and Friday, February 7 with live performances by contemporary jazz band, Zodiac and delicious eats from One Dining. Entry to the Garden is $12 for adults and $8 for children. Concession rates are also available. Dragon Boat Races One of the most anticipated events of the Darling Harbour Lunar New Year, the Dragon Boat Races will take over Cockle Bay between Friday, February 7 and Sunday, February 9, where over 3,000 paddlers will battle it out. Expect ornately decorated 12-metre-long dragon-themed boats and plenty of cheer-worthy action. The Artistry Festival Tumbalong Park will transform into a global village with The Artistry Festival from Friday, February 7 to Sunday, February 9. Indulge in Asian arts, food and culture, pop-up workshops including street art and a game of mahjong and performances by artists like Justice Crew and DJ Blink. If you head down to Pier St Underpass on the weekends during the festival, you will also find community dance, art and athletic groups from Chinese folk to martial arts demonstrations. Lunar Feasts Luckily, to fuel all the fun, Darling Harbour has over 150 dining spots to suit every taste and budget. Enjoy dumplings from Harajuku Gyoza Beer Stadium, noodles from Kao Kao and seafood from Vogue Cafe, among plenty more. Shortstop Coffee & Donuts will also be serving up Lunar New Year special treats including a Mango & Black Sesame Donut, filled with mango jam and dipped in a fresh mango glaze. We're already salivating. Find out more by visiting the Darling Harbour website to see the full program. Images: Supplied.
It was in the early 2000s that Melbourne-born jazz/funk band The Cat Empire exploded onto the world stage with its international sound layered with Australian charm. They wasted no time shooting to the tops of the charts with tracks like 'Hello', 'Days Like These' and 'How to Explain'. In 2024, they proved they'd still got it with a debut orchestral tour, partnering up with orchestras like the Sydney Symphony Orchestra to bring a new layer to their sound. In 2026 — the people chant for more, because they'll be doing it again on the 2026 Encore Orchestra Tour. Front and centre on that tour is a return to the Sydney Opera House, where they'll once again join forces with SSO for a three-night run in the legendary concert hall. They'll also be recording a new album during the shows, Live at the Sydney Opera House. Reimagining The Cat Empire's catalogue to a scale only achievable with an orchestra, these shows blend the band's sound with expanded symphonic arrangements by long-time collaborator Roscoe James Irwin. With hints of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, flamenco and global influences, it's the kind of concert experience that reminds you that, as Double J said, "The Cat Empire aren't so much a band, they're a live music institution." Reviewing the 2024 concert, Sydney Arts Guide wrote, "Such musical cooperation from such a range of expert, experienced performers made this concert a special collaboration in which the fluid, accomplished Sydney Symphony Orchestra plus the Sydney Opera House became accessible to even more music lovers than usual." In its review, Scenestr said, "Sydneysiders and those travelling abroad and interstate who attended the show were in for an exemplary night with an ensemble of musicians alongside a conductor and arranger, as well as audio and lighting technicians (all world-class) who made the evening's spectacle enriching and enthralling." Want to sample the sounds before you commit to a ticket? You can listen to the newly released single 'Bulls - Live at Sydney Opera House', recorded during the 2024 concerts and released to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original single. The Cat Empire '2026 Orchestral Encore Tour' will run from September 5–6. Tickets go on sale at 10am local time on Thursday, March 19. Get yours on the Sydney Symphony Orchestra website. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox. Images: supplied
Each autumn, cinephiles across Australia score a super-sized French treat: a feast of flicks hitting the big screen, all thanks to the Alliance Française French Film Festival. In 2025, the festival broke attendance records. For its 37th run in 2026, the festival is stepping up to go even bigger. On the program, expect pictures that span the full depth of French filmmaking. The festival's complete offering is in the dozens, but if you're short on time and ticket funds, several headline titles have been announced as the standout entries you'll be able to watch in cinemas across the country come March and April. [caption id="attachment_1060633" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Stranger, François Ozon[/caption] Leading the pack is The Stranger, a new drama from director François Ozon (Swimming Pool, 8 Women) that adapts a novella by Albert Camus into a black and white tale of a young expatriate charged with murder in 1930s French-colonised Algeria. Then there's a more heart-warming entry, What is Love? from director Fabien Gorgeart (Diane Has the Right Shape) that explores the complexities of love and new beginnings through a couple that must prove to the church that their marriage is fit for annulment. Then there's the bilingual Coutures, directed by Alice Winocour and starring Angelina Jolie, which follows the intersecting, rebellious paths of three women on opposite sides of the runway as they seek solidarity during Paris Fashion Week. [caption id="attachment_1060631" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] DOG 51, Cédric Jimenez[/caption] Amélie Bonnin's Leave One Day is a feature film adaptation of her award-winning short film of the same name, where a promising Paris chef and restaurateur-to-be has to drop everything and return to her small hometown to help her ailing father. Science fiction fans should bookmark DOG 51, where director Cédric Jimenez has envisioned a murder conspiracy set in a dystopian Paris divided by social classes and ruled by an AI program. The Party's Over! from Antony Cordier dives into social issues in a more grounded present-day setting, with a dispute between two parties threatening to upend the beginning of a young corporate lawyer before it even begins. [caption id="attachment_1060632" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jean Valjean, Eric Besnard[/caption] And finally, a supplement to one of the most famous works of French literature, Les Misérables, is Jean Valjean. Stripping back the musical element, this film from Eric Besnard focuses on the origins of the tale's protagonist and the crucial decision that defines his future. [embed]https://youtu.be/D3I_B6Qf__4?si=-kHUvAF7Kwdw5ACo[/embed] The 2026 Alliance Française French Film Festival will run in various theatres in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide from Tuesday, March 3 to Sunday, April 26. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, February 5, visit the website for tickets to screenings at your nearest theatre and the full program. Lead image: 'Coutures' by Alice Winocour
Fancy a little Parisian charm without leaving Sydney? Pioneering hidden bar Door Knock launched their new concept earlier this year, pairing a French-inspired neighbourhood bar with the vibe of an underground speakeasy. Both the venue's decor and culinary offerings underwent a significant transformation — dark, sultry and subterranean, the glow-up certainly lives up to its European inspiration. Still hidden behind an unassuming entrance with nothing but a polished brass pineapple doorknocker to let you know you're in the right place, don't expect the Nordic decor that came before once you get inside. Now, the space has been adorned with vintage French mirrors, herringbone panelling, marble tables, leather seating and dimly lit lampshades. For those who've wandered Paris' streets, there's a good chance you've stumbled in somewhere similar. The menu is also rejuvenated to suit Door Knock's new mood. Led by Head Chef Joe Slakey, dishes are designed for sharing and are likely to change with the seasons. The wine offering has also been rejigged, with an expanded menu highlighting drops from France, Italy and Australia. Signature cocktails evolve based on the bartenders' "current obsessions" but may include the likes of the Bullfighter with tequila, mezcal, apricot, lime and coconut cream. "We're not trying to be a high-end restaurant, we've created an accessible and affordable menu, while not sacrificing on big, bold flavours," says owner John Grace. "It was important for us to pay homage to Door Knock's history, while also ushering in a new era, one which allows you to step off from Pitt St and into another world." Door Knock has introduced a new, invitingly affordable lunch special, commencing on Thursday, October 9. Once you've found the hidden bar, you'll be rewarded with one of Slakey's mains and a glass of wine for just $25. Rotating weekly, choose between scotch fillet, crispy pork belly, crab cakes and beef sliders. The lunch special is available from noon to 3pm on Thursday and Friday. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
In January 2025, Daniel Sorridimi (Cronulla and Bondi's Blackwood) and Joel Bennetts (ex-Fish Shop, Peppe's) unveiled Sana Mediterranean in South Eveleigh. Now, the mates and business partners have bookended their year a second outpost, bringing their 'fine fast dining' concept to Sydney's CBD. Set in the Wintergarden food precinct on O'Connell Street, the new Sana dishes up the hearty bowls, rolls and build-your-own protein plates that have become a staple in the inner south. Flavours from across the Med anchor the offer — the signature Sana bowl, for example, combines lamb mince, pickled zucchini noodles and spiced almonds, while the chicken mayo roll is lifted with pink turnips and Calabrian chilli oil. Most ingredients are prepared in-house by Bennetts, and nothing on the menu tops $19. For the city crowd, the team has added a compact breakfast menu with three new toast options (sourdough or gluten-free), all priced under $10 — like an avo, herb labneh, pickled onion and za'atar option — along with loaded, meat-free bowls featuring ingredients like broccoli rice, mushroom ragu and cavolo nero. Drinks include sugar-free, zero-cal house-made sodas in flavours like blackcurrant and strawberry-vanilla, cold-pressed juices and a ceremonial-grade matcha on tap. And if caffeine's your thing, a $15-per-week subscription gets you bottomless access to the self-serve coffee station, pouring both hot and cold brews.
Each year, an Adelaide beach is taken over by the Nude Games — which is exactly what it sounds like. Maslin Beach was declared Australia's first nudist beach back in 1974, and now the locals embrace this history with a day full of naked fun, hosted by nearby nudist community Pilwarren. Expect three-legged, potato sack and baton races, frisbee and raw egg throwing, doughnut eating competitions and even best bum contests. Soft drinks, bottled water, a sausage sizzle and souvenir stubby holders will be available, with proceeds going back into running the games. While participants are required to come dressed in their birthday suits, spectators are also encouraged to come as nature intended. If heading out in public without a stitch of clothing on sounds like a nightmare, never fear — nakedness is not mandatory, and everyone is invited to enjoy the day at the beach however they feel comfortable.
Navigating the monstrous Barangaroo House is not an easy feat. Should you head straight to the ground floor or climb to level one? Or two? What occasion befits what level? Where can you eat, drink and find the chicken salt martini? Stress not. We've done the hard yards for you — we've reviewed all three levels. So read below, then negotiate the building with ease. [caption id="attachment_651160" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kitti Smallbone[/caption] GROUND FLOOR: HOUSE BAR On the bottom floor is House Bar. Set just above street level and in prime waterfront position, it's the most approachable of the three outlets. Serving tap beer, cocktails and wine, it's all bar service and can get four- or five-deep on a busy night. It's aimed at, and well suited to, after-work drinkers with a mix of high communal tables, stools, and some lower tables, though the design is fairly neutral. The menu hero here is Japanese-stye pub food, well suited to a late lunch on a sunny Friday. Start light with steamed edamame or Sydney rock oysters, or get hot and heavy with chicken wings and miso hot sauce. Choose your main adventure with a rice bowl (pick the protein and sauce, the rest is universal) or step it up with some supremely delish burgers (crispy chicken cheeseburger or pumpkin and coriander katsu) served with chips. Wash it down with a sip from the wine list or any classic cocktail you can remember the name of. What's the deal? The most approachable level. Bar service. Japanese pub food and classic cocktails. When is it open? Monday–Tuesday, 12—10pm, Wednesday–Saturday 12pm–12am, Sunday 12–10pm. LEVEL 1: REKŌDO The next floor up is Rekōdo (Japanese for record). On the menu, expect more stylised Japanese cuisine and signature cocktails. A collaboration between leading hospitality architects H&E and interior design firm Studio Etic, Barangaroo House has lots of successful aesthetic elements, but Rekōdo is an ode to Japanese listening rooms — an intimate, dimly lit space with efficiently spaced seating and space to kick back. The food is equally considered in terms of design. Head chef Michael Dabbs has set up a Japanese-style share menu that caters to large crews and a relaxed dining experience. The style is seasonal, the produce is fresh, and the experience can be traditional or omakase-style. Ease into it with pork belly bao with tonkatsu or Moreton Bay bug with mentai mayo and nori. Keep things light with market sashimi and house soy or charred calamari with anchovy, or go all out with flame tail snapper with koji butter or swordfish skewers with yuzu. The drinks only improve as you ascend Barangaroo House, and Rekōdo goes all in on its Japanese inspiration with wine, sake and an impressive list of specialty cocktails. From the flavoursome Sawayaka (grapefruit infused Bombay Sapphire, honeydew and watermelon Campari, Martini Rosso) to the zesty Yuzu Be Crazy (Four Pillars Yuzu Gin, yellow chartreuse, yuzu, bergamot, pistachio), there's a drink for everyone. And finally, there's the origin of the name. You see, Rekōdo is a vinyl bar in more than just aesthetic. The playlists are curated, the beats are eternal, and the artists are some of the most talented disc jockeys in the game. What's the deal? Vinyl and vibes. Make a reservation. Enjoy the drinks and tunes with company. When is it open? Monday closed, Tuesday–Saturday, 12pm–12am, Sunday 12–10pm. [caption id="attachment_651143" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kitti Smallbone[/caption] LEVEL 2: SMOKE Smoke is at the top of the building. Sydney is fairly low in this sector for a waterside city with our climate, so a great rooftop can never go astray. Although word has definitely got around, and most nights there won't be many spare seats among the well-heeled crowd. The most pleasing element is the dominance of a great big timber deck, with a good amount of indoor and outdoor greenery. The view is beautiful and an ideal time to come is as the sun is setting (just remember your sunnies) – to watch the sky turn from dusk to dark, dotted with city lights. The food direction here is in the menu of Japanese share-style plates. The wines by the glass are impressive, like an excellent Falmet champagne or an Australian Inkwell Primitvo from McLaren Vale. Snacks like sweet and spicy popcorn, yuzu steak tartare with cured yolk, devon and tomato sauce jaffle or crumpets with spanner crab and citrus tell an oddly familiar story. The story's plot becomes apparent when looking at the cocktail menu: nostalgia. At least that's the theme of the spring 2023 menu, with drinks inspired by fresh-cut lawns, hot chips coated in chicken salt and refreshing half-time orange wedges. One thing is clear: the whole development can be summarised in one word: ambitious. It has all the elements of talented designers, sommeliers and chefs, plus an enormous patronage capacity and towering futuristic structural dominance. What's the deal? Head in early. Order one of the custom martinis. And snacks. When is it open? Monday closed, Tuesday 3–10pm, Wednesday–Saturday 3pm–midnight, Sunday 2–10pm.
Not every film that wins an Oscar, earns a nomination for Hollywood's night of nights or gets selected by its country to go in the running for the coveted accolades makes it to cinemas Down Under beyond festivals. A movie can have international fests buzzing as well, yet still bypass a big-screen release in Australia. That's the fate for plenty of features; however, gone are the days when skipping a date with picture palaces was a sign of a bad movie. The streaming era means that a new flick is always dropping on one of the many platforms that are available to Aussie audiences. While they can't all be excellent, that's no different to what does make it to the silver screen. The gems that go straight to home viewing are up there with the gems that do get the movie-theatre treatment — as the highlights from January–June 2024 make clear. There are indeed Academy Award-winners on this list, as well as nominees. Films that'll compete next year, festival favourites, movies with big-name stars or from high-profile directors: they all feature as well. If you haven't caught them on the couch already alongside fellow straight-to-streaming standouts from 2024's first six months, take this as your motivation, whether you're after shattering documentaries, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction comedies, affecting dramas, gorgeous animation or plenty of horror. 20 Days in Mariupol Incompatible with life. No one should ever want to hear those three devastating words. No one who is told one of the most distressing phrases there is ever has them uttered their way in positive circumstances, either. Accordingly, when they're spoken by a doctor in 2024 Oscar-winner 20 Days in Mariupol, they're deeply shattering. So is everything in this on-the-ground portrait of the first 20 days in the Ukrainian port city as Russia began its invasion, with the bleak reality of living in a war zone documented in harrowing detail. Located less than 60 kilometres from the border, Mariupol quickly segues from ordinary life to an apocalyptic scene — and this film refuses to look away. Much of its time is spent in and around hospitals, which see an influx of patients injured and killed by the combat, and also become targets as well. Many of in 20 Days in Mariupol's faces are the afflicted, the medics tending to them in horrendous circumstances, and the loves ones that are understandably inconsolable. Too many of the carnage's victims are children and babies, with their parents crushed and heartbroken in the aftermath; sometimes, they're pregnant women. Directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mstyslav Chernov, and narrated by him with the grimness and soberness that can be this movie's only tone, 20 Days in Mariupol even existing is an achievement. What it depicts — what it immerses viewers in with urgency, from shelled hospitals, basements-turned-bomb shelters and more of the city destroyed day after day to families torn apart, looting, struggling to find food and bodies of the dead taken to mass graves — needs to be viewed as widely as possible, and constantly. His footage has also featured in news reports, but it can and must never be forgotten. Doctors mid-surgery demand that Chernov's camera is pointed their way, and that he shows the world the travesties taking place. The Ukrainian reporter, who has also covered Donbas, flight MH17, Syria and the Battle of Mosul for the Associated Press, does exactly that. He's doing more than ensuring that everyone bears witness, though; he makes certain that there's no way to watch 20 Days in Mariupol, which shows the vast civilian impact and casualties, and see anything but ordinary people suffering, or to feel anything other than shock, anger and horror. 20 Days in Mariupol streams via DocPlay. Society of the Snow It was meant to be a fun trip to Chile with friends and family for a game. When the Old Christians Club rugby union team boarded Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in Montevideo on October 13, 1972, destination Santiago, no one among them knew what would happen next. The plane didn't make it to its destination, as 1976 Mexican film Survive!, 1993 American movie Alive and now Spanish-US co-production Society of the Snow each cover. All three features boast apt titles, but only the latest sums up the grim reality and existential dilemma of crashing in the Andes, being stranded for 72 days in snowy climes with little resources against the weather — or for sustenance — and attempting to endure. Taken from the memoir by Pablo Vierci, aka La sociedad de la nieve in Spanish, only this phrase adorning JA Bayona's (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) picture encapsulates the tremendous effort that it took to find a way to persist, as well as the fact that trying to remain alive long enough to be rescued meant adapting everything about how the survivors approached each second, minute, hour, day, week and month — and also links in with how a catastrophe like this banded them together, doing whatever it took to find a way off the mountains, while reshaping how they contemplated what it meant to be human. Society of the Snow isn't just a disaster film detailing the specifics of the flight's failed trip, the immediate deaths and those that came afterwards, the lengthy wait to be found — including after authorities called the search off — and the crushing decisions made to get through. Bayona, who also helmed the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami-focused The Impossible, has made a weighty feature that reckons with the emotional, psychological and spiritual toll, and doesn't think of shying away from the most difficult aspects of this real-life situation (including cannibalism). This is both gruelling and meaningful viewing, as crafted with technical mastery (especially by Don't Breathe 2 cinematographer Pedro Luque, plus Cinco lobitos' Andrés Gil and Cites' Jaume Martí as editors), built upon brutal candour, and paying tribute to resilience and then some. Its feats extend to its hauntingly acted performances from a cast that includes Enzo Vogrincic (El Presidente), Agustín Pardella (Secrets of Summer) and Matías Recalt (Planners), all contributing to an account of camaraderie and sacrifice that deserves its Best International Feature Film Oscar nomination. Society of the Snow streams via Netflix. The Devil's Bath Suspense and tension, how to cultivate such a strong atmosphere of unease that it feels as if it drips from the screen, the darker side of human nature, sheer existential exasperation: writer/directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala know these things. The Austrian filmmakers are just as well-aware of how to make movies that crawl under your skin as much as distress does with their characters. For that sensation at its very best, see: Goodnight Mommy, their Oscar-submitted 2014 debut (which was then remade in America in 2022). The Devil's Bath earns the same description, too. The duo's first feature since 2019's Riley Keough (Under the Bridge)-starring English-language horror flick The Lodge, it needles deep as it follows new bride Agnes (Anja Plaschg, Axolotl Overkill), who is thrilled to be starting her married life to Wolf (David Scheig, Heribet), even if that joy doesn't seem completely reciprocated. Relationship disharmony bubbles at the heart of this 18th century-set film, but that's not the only force bearing down on a woman that no longer has any agency — and, soon, little hope left simmering as well. Franz and Fiala begin The Devil's Bath with a different scene of domestic struggle. They haunt their viewers from the outset, too. First up, a woman throws a baby over a waterfall, then turns herself in for punishment, knowing that she'll meet her end via decapitation. With that scene as a prologue, it hardly appears strange that Agnes is thrilled to receive a severed finger as a wedding gift — a digit that's meant to bring luck for starting a family. But nothing in the way of good fortunes spring when she's soon away from her other loved ones, left alone in a woodland cottage as Wolf works by day, stuck navigating his disinterest in the bedroom each evening and frowned upon constantly by her new mother-in-law (Maria Hofstätter, Andrea Gets a Divorce). There's history to Franz and Fiala's screenplay, which draws upon real events, and the mood of despair that seeps from returning Goodnight Mommy cinematographer Martin Gschlacht's grey-toned frames sports a can-only-be-true bite to it. There's little sunshine shed on the imagery, or on the way that people treat each other — and there's even more terror in realising that the lines between this arresting picture's vision of the past, even as set within a deeply superstitious and puritanical community, and today are far from faint. The Devil's Bath streams via Shudder and AMC+. Hit Man The feeling that Glen Powell should star in everything didn't start with Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You. Writer/director Richard Linklater (Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) has helped the notion bubble up before as early back as 2006's Fast Food Nation, then with 2016's Everybody Wants Some!! — and now he riffs on it with Hit Man. When viewers want an actor to feature everywhere, they want to see them step into all sorts of shoes but bring their innate talents and charm each time. So, Linklater enlists Powell as Gary Johnson, a real-life University of New Orleans professor who wouldn't be earning the movie treatment if he didn't also moonlight as a undercover police operative with a specific remit: playing hitmen with folks looking to pay someone to commit murder, sting-style. Johnson doesn't just give the gig the one-size-fits-all approach, though. Once he gets confidence in the job, he's dedicated to affording every target their own personal vision of their dream assassin. So, Powell gets to be a polo shirt-wearing nice guy, a long-haired master criminal, a besuited all-business type and more, including the suave smooth-talker Ron, the persona he adopts when Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Arjona, Andor) thinks about offing her odious husband. Hit Man is as a screwball rom-com-meets-sunlit film noir, and an excellent one, as well as a feature based on a situation so wild that it can only stem from fact. Alongside charting Gary's exploits in the position and the murkiness of falling for Madison as Ron, it's also an acceptance that the kind of darkness and desperation needed for a person to want to hire a stranger to kill to make their life better isn't a rarity — if it was, Gary's services wouldn't have been needed. Linklater has been in comparably blackly comic but also clear-eyed territory before with Bernie, the past entry on his resume that Hit Man best resembles. The also-ace 2011 Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda 4)-led picture similarly told a true tale, and also sprang from an article by journalist Skip Hollandsworth. This time, Linklater penned the script with Powell instead of Hollandsworth, but the result is another black-comedy delight brimming with insight. Hit Man is a movie about finding one's identity, too, and Powell keeps showing that he's found his: a charismatic lead who anchors one of the most-entertaining flicks of the year. Hit Man streams via Netflix. Frida For almost a century, the art-loving world has peered at Frida Kahlo. Her self-portraits have stared steadfastly back. You can glean much about a person from how they commit their own likeness to canvas; whether donning a velvet dress, reclining in a hospital bed, standing between curtains, sitting opposite herself, or accompanied by a black cat and a monkey, Kahlo was unflinching. Exhibitions have adored her work, whether she's taking centre stage in her paintings or not, for decades upon decades. Creatives in other mediums have shown the same affection, be it via books (1983's Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo), biopics (2002's Frida, with Black Mirror's Salma Hayek as the artist; before that, 1983's Frida Still Life), operas (as first hit the stage in 1991) or ballets (Broken Wings debuted in 2016). 2024's Frida brings Kahlo back to the screen with a new approach that she'd surely approve of: making her directorial debut with this portrait of the iconic Mexican painter, editor-turned-director Carla Gutierrez (who spliced fellow biodocs RBG and Julia) lets her subject speak for herself and her own complexity. Actor Fernanda Echevarría (Ella Camina Sola) actually does the talking, because the treasure trove of materials that Gutierrez has gained access to — illustrated diaries, essays and letters, photos and footage, plus interview transcripts by Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo's Hayden Herrera — doesn't include Kahlo's voice. But the impact remains: this is Kahlo as she saw herself and as she was herself, as she always fought to convey when she was living. Drawing upon Kahlo's art, Gutierrez also uses animation by Sofía Inés Cázares (Daughter From Another Mother) and Renata Galindo (A la mala) to accompany Kahlo narrating her childhood, her medical studies, her life-changing accident at the age of 18, her marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera, her other romantic liaisons, and her thoughts about all of the above and more. It's an inspired touch, and not just in breaking up the black-and-white archival visuals with dances of colour. Seven decades since her death in 1954, Kahlo still feels alive in her work, but the latest raw, rich and deeply resonant documentary to pay tribute to her finds its own way to express and honour that sensation. Frida streams via Prime Video. American Fiction Here's Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison's (Jeffrey Wright, Rustin) predicament when American Fiction begins: on the page, his talents aren't selling books. Praise comes the Los Angeles-based professor's way for his novels, but not sales, nor attendees when he's part of writers' festival panels. And even then, publishers aren't fond of his latest manuscript. Sick of hearing that his work isn't "Black enough", and also incensed over the attention that fellow scribe Sintara Golden (Issa Rae, Barbie) is receiving for her book We's Lives in Da Ghetto, he gets a-typing, pumping out the kind of text that he vehemently hates — but 100-percent fits the stereotype of what the world keeps telling him that Black literature should be. It attracts interest, even more so when Monk takes his agent Arthur's (John Ortiz, Better Things) advice and adopts a new persona to go with it. Soon fugitive convict Stagg R Leigh and his book Fuck are a huge hit that no one can get enough of. Because of the story spun around who wrote the bestseller, too, the FBI even wants to know the author's whereabouts. Deservedly nominated for five 2024 Oscars — including for Best Picture, Best Actor for Wright and Best Supporting Actor for Sterling K Brown (Biosphere) as Monk's brother Clifford — American Fiction itself hails from the page, with filmmaker Cord Jefferson adapting Percival Everett's 2001 novel Erasure. Wright is indeed exceptional in this savvy satire of authenticity, US race relations and class chasms, and earns his awards contention for his reactions alone. Seeing how Monk adjusts himself to a world that keeps proving anything but his dream is an utter acting masterclass, in big and small moments alike. As the film dives into the character's personal chaos, that's where Brown's also-fantastic, often-tender performance comes in, plus Leslie Uggams (Extrapolations) as Monk's mother and Tracee Ellis Ross (Candy Cane Lane) as his sister, and also Erika Alexander (Run the World) as a neighbour who is a fan of his — not just Stagg R Leigh's — work. Don't discount how excellent American Fiction is beyond its literary hoax setup, in fact; as a character study, it's equally astute. American Fiction streams via Prime Video. Fancy Dance Lily Gladstone might've won the Golden Globe but not the Oscar for Killers of the Flower Moon, but her exceptional resume shows every sign of more awards coming her way. Fancy Dance, the other movie to join her filmography in 2023 — it premiered at Sundance that year, but only makes its way to streaming worldwide now — is yet another example of how the Certain Women and First Cow star is one of the very-best actors working right now. Where Gladstone's time in front of Martin Scorsese's lens showcased her mastery of restraint, playing an aunt trying to do what's best for her niece and a sister searching for her absent sibling benefits from her equal command of looseness. Jax, her character, is a pinball. When she bounces in any direction, it's with force and purpose as well as liveliness and determination, but the choice of where she's heading is rarely her own. All she wants is to find Tawi (debutant Hauli Sioux Gray) and protect 13-year-old Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson, Three Pines), but set against the reality that law enforcement mightn't look as enthusiastically for a missing Indigenous woman — or treat one with a record attempting to do right be her family with consideration — that's far from an easy task. Writer/director Erica Tremblay hails from the Seneca–Cayuga Nation, where much of Fancy Dance is set. As Gladstone is, she's also an alum of Reservation Dogs — including helming two episodes — and so is experienced at depicting everyday reservation life with authenticity. Accordingly, her first fictional feature after documentaries Heartland: A Portrait of Survival and In the Turn takes a social-realistic approach in its details, especially when it's simply surveying the space and empathy that First Nations versus white Americans aren't given. Because Jax has a criminal history, child services deems her unfit to look after Roki, or even to take the teen to the powwow where the girl is certain her mum will attend to again steal the show in the mother-daughter dance competition; instead, Jax's white father (Shea Whigham, Lawmen: Bass Reeves) and stepmother (Audrey Wasilewski, Ted) are their choice of guardians. Fancy Dance's protagonist isn't one to simply acquiesce to that decision, and Gladstone makes both her fire and her pain palpable — and her tenderness for Roki, who is weightily portrayed by her Under the Bridge co-star Deroy-Olson, as well. Fancy Dance streams via Apple TV+. Infested For those firmly of the idea that there's no new stories in horror, just fresh takes on well-established sources of fear, Infested isn't here to change minds. Rather, the French movie is the latest poster child for what looking at a tried-and-tested concept anew can do, including while pairing it with up-to-the-moment social commentary. The genre staple here: spiders. When writer/director Sébastien Vanicek begins his feature debut — which he co-scripts with Florent Bernard (Meet the Leroys) — it's with a specific breed of the venomous eight-legged scurrying nightmares unearthed, literally, in a Middle Eastern desert. Within moments of emerging from the earth, the critters make the smugglers that are attempting to capture them pay. Horror fans should clock that Infested nods to classic ways to kickstart a scary flick from the outset, then, bringing The Exorcist's opening scene to mind. Prayer won't help the Parisian banlieue residents soon fighting arachnids for their lives, however, after Kaleb (Théo Christine, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story) innocently purchases a new addition to his bedroom menagerie of exotic pets from a local convenience store. As he disagrees with his sister Manon (feature first-timer Lisa Nyarko) about selling the apartment that they've inherited from their mother, grapples with his grief, trades in sneakers to his neighbours to stump up a buck and is faced with small-minded prejudice just by stepping outside his door, what happens when Kaleb soon has a spider (and quickly, more than one) to track down? The critter he calls Rihanna was always going to escape, so havoc unsurprisingly eventuates. That's not to say that Infested goes through the motions. With energy and style as well as needling suspense, Vanicek makes a creature-feature equivalent of British alien-invasion gem Attack the Block, with shades of Les Misérables — the 2019 crime-thriller, not Victor Hugo-penned tale — and 2022's fellow standout Athena. He also gets his audience squirming. He filters his recognisable setup through welcome eyes. He knows how to make a heightened situation feel real to the deep distress of arachnophobics, and to get terror and tension scuttling through veins. And, he ensures that desperately rallying against forces that won't let you escape, in a setting that embodies that exact notion, proves both urgent and immediate. Infested streams via Shudder and AMC+. Stopmotion One of the most-haunting performances in Australian cinema belongs to Irish Italian actor Aisling Franciosi. She's acted in The Fall and Game of Thrones, I Know This Much Is True and Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter, and Jimmy's Hall and the upcoming Speak No Evil remake before and since, but her deservedly AACTA Award-winning work in The Nightingale — the second feature from The Babadook's Jennifer Kent, which follows a former convict's quest for revenge against a British officer in 1820s Tasmania — is stunning, searing and unforgettable. Also stellar half a decade later: Franciosi's turn in Stopmotion, which hails from the UK, has her playing the daughter of an animation genius and again tasks the immensely talented actor with confronting trauma. It's the product of a filmmaker in Robert Morgan with an uncompromising vision, too, with the English writer/director making his feature debut almost a decade after helming the D Is for Deloused segment in The ABCs of Death 2 with a movie that's never afraid to commit to its eerie chills, psychological thrills and macabre sense of wonder. Franciosi's Ella Blake has spent her entire life being told that her mother Suzanne (Stella Gonet, Breeders) is an unparalleled master at making the dead appear alive — because that's one way to see Stopmotion's eponymous art form. She's also spent much of her existence assisting rather than pursuing her own dreams, including after arthritis robs her mum of being able to use her hands to craft the exacting movements that their chosen medium requires. When the film begins, overwork has Ella fraying. Emotional cruelty has her internally raging, although she won't admit it. Suzanne has a project to finish, demanding her daughter's utmost commitment. When tragedy compounds her stress, Ella escapes into own creative vision instead, conjuring up a twisted fairy tale aided by a girl (Caoilinn Springall, The Midnight Sky) from an apartment neighbouring her new makeshift studio. Saying what Morgan unleashes from there is inventive, powerful and extraordinary — in live-action and animation alike — is an understatement. Stopmotion streams via Shudder and AMC+. Lumberjack the Monster Spanning big-screen releases, TV and straight-to-video fare, Takashi Miike has notched up 115 directorial credits in the 33 years since making his helming debut. Lumberjack the Monster isn't even the latest — it premiered at film festivals in 2023, which means that miniseries Onimusha and short Midnight have popped up since — but it is Miike back in horror mode, where 1999's Audition and 2001's Ichi the Killer famously dwelled. Here, the inimitable Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter Hiroyoshi Koiwai (Way to Find the Best Life) adapt the eponymous 2019 Mayusuke Kurai novel. Its namesake character also exists on the page in the movie itself, in a picture book. This is a serial-killer picture, though, and with more than one person taking multiple lives. A mass murderer wearing a bag over their head and swinging an axe is on a rampage, and lawyer Akira (Kazuya Kamenashi, Destiny) and surgeon Sugitani (Shôta Sometani, Sanctuary) aren't averse to dispensing death themselves. A clash is inevitable, not that the slick Akira expects it, or that his costumed attacker anticipates that their current target will survive his blade, sparking a cat-and-mouse game. Lumberjack the Monster doesn't just weave in fantasy boogeyman stories, offings upon offings, and characters with dark impulses going head to head. The police are on the case, giving the film a procedural layer, as well as Akira motivation to hunt down his assailant first. Science fiction also washes through, with brain-implanted chips and modifying human behaviour both for worse and for better part of the narrative. There's also a moral-redemption element weaved in. Consequently, it's no wonder that this tale is Miike joint. As well as being prolific, Miike loves making his resume the ultimate mashup. To name just a few examples, see: the yakuza action of Dead or Alive, superhero comedy Zebraman, titular genre of Sukiyaki Western Django, samurai efforts 13 Assassins and Blade of the Immortal, period drama Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, video-game adaptation Ace Attorney, romance For Love's Sake, thriller Lesson of the Evil, vampire movie Yakuza Apocalypse and the crime-driven First Love. Unsurprisingly, Lumberjack the Monster is specifically the engrossing — and bloodily violent — Frankenstein's monster of a flick that Miike was always going to relish making when splicing together such an array of elements came his way. Lumberjack the Monster streams via Netflix. The Kitchen He has an Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe for Judas and the Black Messiah. He was nominated for all of the above accolades for Get Out, and should've won them all then, too. His resume spans Skins, one of Black Mirror's most-memorable episodes, plus Sicario, Widows, Black Panther, Queen & Slim and Nope as well. But The Kitchen marks a first for Daniel Kaluuya: his first movie as a director. Hopefully more will follow. Co-helming with Kibwe Tavares — who also notches up his feature debut behind the lens after shorts including Jonah and Robot & Scarecrow, which both starred Kaluuya — and co-penning the screenplay with Calm with Horses' Joe Murtagh, the actor makes a stunning arrival as a filmmaker. The Kitchen's setup: in the year 2044 in London, with class clashes so pronounced that not being rich is basically treated as a crime, a man (Top Boy's Kane Robinson, aka rapper Kano) living in the titular housing development crosses paths with a 12-year-old boy (newcomer Jedaiah Bannerman) who has just lost his mother, with the pair discovering that they have no one but each other as they endeavour to find a way to survive. Robinson's Izy has bought into the social-climbing dream when The Kitchen begins. He'll do so literally if he can come up with the cash for an apartment in a swankier tower away from everything he's ever known within 21 days, a dream that he's been working towards at his job selling funerals. It's at the latter that he meets Bannerman's Benji, who has nowhere to live after his mother's death and no one else to turn to for help. The film's scenario is pure dystopia, reflecting the inequities, oppressions and realities of today as all great sci-fi should. Its intimate emotional core hones in on people attempting to persist and connect, as the genre's best always does as well. Accordingly, this is an impassioned and infuriated portrait of society's gaps as everyone watching can recognise, a nightmarish vision of what might come and a thoughtful character study. As directors, Kaluuya and Tavares excel at world-building, at bringing such rich detail and texture to the screen that viewers feel like they could step straight into its social realist-leaning frames, and at guiding affecting performances out of both Robinson and Bannerman (who adds to the feature's impressive first efforts). The Kitchen streams via Netflix. Orion and the Dark Learning to face life's chaos, or even just recognising that life is chaos, has a particular term when Charlie Kaufman is making movies and audiences do the confronting. Describing something as Kaufmanesque sprang from the screenwriter and filmmaker's stunning run at the end of the 90s and beginning of the 00s — the Spike Jonze (Her)-helmed Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, plus the Michel Gondry (Microbe & Gasoline)-directed Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — and it's stuck ever since. Joining the trio of Synecdoche, New York, Anomalisa and I'm Thinking of Ending Things as well, all three of which he penned plus helmed, is new family-friendly animation Orion and the Dark. A Kaufmanesque kid-appropriate flick? It exists, and it's wonderful. Feature first-timer Sean Charmatz (TV movie Trolls Holiday in Harmony) directs, and Emma Yarlett's 2014 children's book provides the source material; however, this account of a boy afraid of the dark who then meets the literal Dark (voiced by The Afterparty's Paul Walter Hauser) is a Kaufman affair through and through. Also, iconic German filmmaker — and one-time Parks and Recreation star — Werner Herzog (The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft) pops up. Loaned the vocal tones of Jacob Tremblay (The Little Mermaid) as a child and Colin Hanks (The Offer) as an adult, Orion is petrified of sleeping without the lights on. And, just like the kids in Monsters, Inc that are scared of creatures in their cupboards, Orion and the Dark's protagonist is frightened of something real. Dark exists and, alongside Orion's parents (The Fall of the House of Usher's Carla Gugino and Bull's Matt Dellapina), is exasperated by the boy's response to nighttime. He can't help taking it personally, in fact, then offers to assist. For one 24-hour period, as darkness falls around the world, he gets Orion to accompany him on his travels with friends Sleep (Natasia Demetriou, What We Do in the Shadows), Insomnia (Nat Faxon, Our Flag Means Death), Quiet (Aparna Nancherla, The Great North), Unexplained Noises (Golda Rosheuvel, Bridgerton) and Sweet Dreams (Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) to demonstrate that being distressed is unfounded. It isn't just Herzog's involvement and a joke about David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest that prove that this is a movie as much for adults as kids; amid its gorgeous animation, its understanding of existential dread is also that astute. Orion and the Dark streams via Netflix. Spaceman Should astronaut become a dictionary-certified synonym for melancholy? Cinema believes so. Its latest case in point comes via Spaceman, where life temporarily lived above and beyond the earth replaces gravity with loneliness and disconnection for Jakub Prochazka (Adam Sandler, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah). He's six months into a solo trip past Jupiter to investigate an eerie phenomenon in the heavens when this adaptation of Jaroslav Kalfař's 2017 sci-fi novel Spaceman of Bohemia kicks off. His quest is both time-sensitive and celebrated. South Korea is in close pursuit, he's frequently being told by Peter (Kunal Nayyar, Night Court), his contact at ground control — and Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini, Cat Person) happily keeps dialling him in for PR opportunities. As he soars through a strangely purple sky, however, endeavouring to fulfil his mission while pleading for maintenance approval on his crumbling ship, all that's really on his mind is his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan, Maestro). Pregnant and left at home alone, she's no longer taking his fast-as-light-speed phone calls. Then Hanus (Paul Dano, Mr & Mrs Smith) scurries in beside Jakub, demanding attention — as a giant spider in space is always going to. For the best part of a decade now, seeing a live-action movie starring Sandler has meant heading to Netflix. In Australia, even Uncut Gems, his greatest-ever performance, arrived via the streaming platform. Alongside The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) and Hustle, add Spaceman to the list of such features that give their star worthy parts and would've made welcome cinema releases. It isn't new news that Sandler is an excellent actor in dramatic and/or weightier roles, or that his career is more than the Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore-style comedies that he first became known for. Spaceman director Johan Renck (Chernobyl) has cast him expertly, in fact, in this tale of isolation, arrested development, otherworldly arachnids and amorous entanglements. Sending Sandler on an Ad Astra-, First Man- and Solaris-esque trip proves contemplative and empathetic — and, amid spider's-eye flashbacks to his complicated childhood in the Czech Republic, time spent with Lenka on the ground and floating around the film's claustrophobic main setting, also brimming with raw and resonant emotion. Spaceman streams via Netflix. STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces To do justice to Steve Martin's life, career and impact requires more than just one movie. So, the engagingly and entertainingly in-depth, intimate, affectionate and informative STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces explores the comedian and actor's existence in a pair of parts. The first is subtitled 'Then', honing in on his childhood and early stand-up days. The second, aka 'Now', jumps in when he made the leap to movies in the late 70s, which is where The Jerk, Pennies From Heaven, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Parenthood and LA Story comes in — and, of course, includes his tours with his ¡Three Amigos! co-star Martin Short, as well as their murder-mystery-comedy TV hit Only Murders in the Building. The initial half gets Martin narrating, sharing reflections personal and professional as accompanied by archival footage aplenty (and ample tapes of his stints in front of audience). The latter section treats him as an interviewee, with his wife Anne Stringfield, Short, Jerry Seinfeld (who has had Martin as a guest on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee) and Tina Fey (who also co-starred with Martin in Baby Mama) among the talking heads. Behind it all is documentarian Morgan Neville, an Oscar-winner for 20 Feet From Stardom, as well as a filmmaker who is clearly taking his stylistic cues from his subject. That's noticeable in STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces' moniker, for starters — it throws caution to the winds of grammar and title formats just as Martin has to comedy rules, as the two-part film makes plain again and again. No matter how well-acquainted you are with Martin, insights flow freely in this fascinating way to spend three hours surveying the ways that he's made people laugh over decades upon decades, beginning with doing magic tricks and working at Disneyland on his school holidays in the 50s. Revelations bound through about Martin as a person, too; more than once, he notes that his life has felt as if it has played out backwards, and not just because he only first became a father in his 60s. Clips of his stand-up act, and the response to it in the 60s and 70s, are gold. Hanging out with the man who originally was only going to create Only Murders in the Building, not star in it, when he's bantering with Short are as well. STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces streams via Apple TV+. Am I OK? The question in Am I OK?'s title is indeed existential: is Lucy (Dakota Johnson, Madame Web) coping with being a thirtysomething in Los Angeles treading water emotionally, romantically and professionally? From there, more queries spring. Can she — or, more accurately, will she — shoot for more than not quite dating the smitten Ben (Whitmer Thomas, Big Mouth), right down to shaking his hand at the end of their evenings out together, and also for something beyond working as a day-spa receptionist while putting her passion and talent for art on the back burner? Is she capable of breaking free of a comfort zone padded out with spending all of her spare time with her best friend Jane (Sonoya Mizuno, House of the Dragon), including being so predictable that she always orders the same thing at their brunches at their favourite diner? Regarding the latter, she gets a push when Jane agrees to a lucrative transfer to London, splitting the pair for the first time since they were teenagers. Am I OK? is an arrested-development coming-of-age movie, then, and a film about being honest about who you are and want to be. Change comes for us all, even when we've built a cocoon to protect our happy status quo — and, at the heart of this romantic drama, change clearly comes for Lucy. She's forced to consider a path forward that doesn't involve solely being defined as half of a platonic duo. She also confronts the feelings for her coworker Brittany (Kiersey Clemons, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) and the truth about her sexuality that she's never previously admitted. Am I OK? is a coming-out tale, too, but it treats Lucy's stuck-in-a-rut existence and at-first-tentative attempts to embrace how she truly feels holistically, seeing how life's passage inevitably shifts how we see ourselves. If the movie feels more honest than it might've been, that's because screenwriter Lauren Pomerantz (Strange Planet) spins a semi-autobiographical story. Also, the directing team of real-life couple Tig Notaro (2 Dope Queens) and Stephanie Allynne (who helmed Notaro's 2024 special Hello Again) — who met making 2015's In a World… — demonstrate the ideal light-but-delicate touch. Plus, Johnson and Mizuno exude genuine BFF chemistry, with the former again showing why fare such as this, Cha Cha Real Smooth, How to Be Single, The Peanut Butter Falcon, A Bigger Splash, Suspiria and The Lost Daughter, a diverse group of pictures, is a better fit than the Fifty Shades trilogy or a Spider-Man spinoff. Am I OK? streams via Binge. Looking for more viewing highlights? We picked the best 15 films that've reached cinemas in 2024's first half, too, plus the 15 best new TV shows of 2024 so far and the 15 best returning TV shows. We also keep a running list of must-stream TV from across the year so far, complete with full reviews. And, you can check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
Becoming something of a tradition around this time of year, Sydney Restaurant Group is kicking off its winter campaign by offering up to 50 percent off set menus at eight of its most popular restaurants. Slashing prices from Sunday, June 1–Sunday, August 31, now is the perfect time to get the crew together for a long overdue catch-up that leaves considerably more in your wallet. Up first, Postino Osterio's standout sharing menu is available for lunch and dinner on Monday–Friday for $59 per person. Think thinly sliced Blackmore wagyu tonnato, kingfish crudo, homemade egg linguini with charcoal-grilled Morton Bay bug, and beef cheek with bone marrow and pepper puree. Next, luxe waterside spot Ormeggio at The Spit is taking 50 percent off its Tribute to Australian Produce Menu, featuring a five-course feast and snacks. It's available every lunch and dinner until Monday, July 14, with reduced slots beyond this date. Over at Ripples Chowder Bay, its modern Australian cuisine will taste even more special after ordering a three-course set menu plus sides for $59 per person. Plus, it gets bonus points for a priceless harbourside view. Available for dinner Wednesday–Sunday and lunch Monday–Friday, you're welcome to BYO for $16 per bottle. For extra savings, sister venue Ripples Little Manly has three courses and sides for $49, served for lunch from Friday–Sunday and dinner from Thursday–Saturday. In Balmain, The Fenwick's historic stone building and old-world wood beams will house a three-course set menu plus sides for $59 per person. Get down for lunch on Monday–Friday or make a dinner reservation on Sunday–Friday. Then, from its perch above Elouera Beach, Summer Salt's three-course feed offers a rotating lineup of tantalising options, like wild mushroom ragu, crispy pork belly and handmade burrata. With BYO available for $16 per bottle, book for lunch or dinner on Tuesday–Sunday. When cosy Italian cuisine is the vibe, Noi has got you covered in Petersham. They're also serving a three-course set menu, including a side with your main, for $59 per person. Available across all services, BYO is $15 per bottle. Lastly, Chiosco by Ormeggio is making winter that much better with a premium four-course sharing menu plus bread for $59. This offering is available on weekdays for lunch and dinner, but just note that the venue is closed for renos from Monday, June 30–Thursday, July 17. Sydney Restaurant Group's winter discounts run from Sunday, June 1–Sunday, August 31 at various venues across Sydney. Terms and conditions apply — head to the website for more information.
Missing the vibrant flavours of the Med? Mezepotamia is a new spot in Redfern, bound to satisfy your cravings. Founded by hospitality veterans Enes Yakan and Jessica Paatiño, this upbeat restaurant is bringing a contemporary blend of Turkish and Middle Eastern flavours that not only showcase centuries of culinary heritage, but invite guests to become immersed in the region's enriching spirit. While the restaurant launched in Leichhardt during the tumultuous times of 2021, it forged a dedicated customer base thanks to its signature share plates and welcoming atmosphere. Having made the move from the inner west to the inner south, the restaurant's new home presents an equally alluring space brimming with heartwarming food, wine and communal good vibes. Drawing inspiration from Turkey and throughout the Middle East, Mezepotamia's menu is primed to feed a crowd. Featuring mezze and grilled specialties prepared using traditional charcoal grilling and slow-cooking techniques, the restaurant's respect for culinary heritage translates to vivid dishes where the pleasure of getting together with loved ones is just as important as what's served on the plate. "We wanted to create a space that celebrates the warmth and generosity of Middle Eastern dining," says co-owner Enes Yakan. "Mezepotamia isn't just about food, it's about the experience of coming together, sharing, and enjoying the moment." Leading the kitchen is Mezepotamia's Head Chef Burak Yildirim, who has 30 years of experience serving authentic Turkish, Greek and Italian cuisine, with a few modern additions. Shaping the menu is a range of bright and zesty highlights, from smoky eggplant dip to onion dolma, featuring seasoned beef, currants, pine nuts and aromatic spices. There's also Ali Nazik, where grass-fed aged steak is served over a velvety eggplant purée and finished with chilli butter. Meanwhile, signature cocktails like the Anatolian Highball offer a refreshing mix of raki, pear liqueur, mastic, lemon and soda. Mezepotamia's design is as thoughtful as the cuisine, with a sophisticated blend of traditional and contemporary touches evoking the warm hues of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Expect earthy tones, soft lighting and details that speak to ancient architecture. Perfect for intimate one-on-one dinners or bubbly affairs with friends, the restaurant's bold flavours and lively mood will make this Redfern arrival a bustling spot for an easygoing feast. Mezepotamia is open Wednesday–Thursday from 5pm–10pm, Friday from 4pm–11pm and Saturday–Sunday from 12pm–10pm at 99 Redfern Street, Redfern. Head to the website for more information.
Dappled shade, fluffy clouds, fruity drinks and a picnic basket stuffed with cheese — it's hard to beat a sunny picnic at one of our top-notch parks. Summer may be over, but we'll take any chance we can get to enjoy Sydney al fresco. The only downside is having to make a decision. The city has so many cracking parks and gardens that it can be a little hard to choose at times. To help you out, we've rounded up the prettiest openair haunts for your next park hang, best enjoyed with a picnic rug, some good company, and a few choice eats and drinks from somewhere local. So gather your favourite people, pack a few too many tubs of hummus and plonk yourself in one of Sydney Harbour's many coves, a quiet inner-city park or a secret garden. [caption id="attachment_722294" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vic161015 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] WENDY'S SECRET GARDEN, LAVENDER BAY Wendy's Secret Garden is a small reverie from the buildings and residences that huddle along the shoreline. The garden was created by Wendy Whiteley, the wife of one of Australia's most celebrated artists, Brett Whiteley. After Brett's death in 1992, Wendy got hold of the derelict land belonging to the NSW Rail Corporation adjacent to their house. Channelling a lifetime of artistic endeavour and all her grief, Wendy restored the grounds, transforming it into a beautiful, secluded space laced by winding paths, fig trees, native plants, a flurry of bird life, antiques and esoterica all against the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. While the garden marks the spot where Brett and their daughter Arkie's ashes are buried, the space is always open to the public and is accessed between Clark Park and the Lavender Bay rail shunting yard. SHARK ISLAND, SYDNEY HARBOUR Don't let the dubious moniker frighten you, Shark Island is named after its shape, not any Jaws. Offering arguably one of the best panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the island is a prime spot for a summertime picnic. Sure, it's a little effort to get there — you'll need to jump on a ferry or kayak over — but the idyl is certainly worth the effort. All vessels — including kayaks — need to pay a $7 a head landing fee, too. Amid the lush grassy surrounds, you'll find picnic tables and a spacious gazebo where you can set up camp. Crack a beer, get out the snacks and soak in that stunning vista. [caption id="attachment_750941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] NIELSEN PARK, VAUCLUSE Nielsen Park, and the adjoining Shark Beach, is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled heritage parks in Sydney. With stone steps down to the sand, a wooden kiosk dating back to 1914 and meandering paths through the bushland, it's been beloved of Sydneysiders for well over a century. There's a harbourside walk around to the ridiculously pretty grounds of Strickland House, a former convalescent hospital which is now a public park and popular wedding spot. In the other direction, a loop walk takes you out over Bottle and Glass Rocks with views of the harbour all the way to Manly. Because the beach is relatively protected, with flat surf and a shark net, the park can get particularly busy on the weekend, which is why venturing away from the park and staking out a spot on the rocks can often be a good idea. Nearby Parsley Bay, which is just two bays over, is another great option if the park is too packed. [caption id="attachment_693460" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] BARANGAROO RESERVE, BARANGAROO If you're looking for a fresh picnicking spot, try Barangaroo's public park on the CBD's northwestern foreshore. The reserve consists of six hectares of waterfront parkland with views of the western harbour. The foreshore was constructed in the shape of the natural, pre-1836 shoreline from more than 10,000 sandstone blocks, while the park itself includes lookouts, grassed areas, cycling paths and a natural amphitheatre, along with 75,000 plants native to the Sydney area. With the ol' coathanger to the right and the sparkling suburbs of Balmain, Pyrmont and Darling Harbour to the left, no matter where you look, there's beauty (and heaps of glittering water). What's even better? Barangaroo Reserve is BYO. SUB BASE PLATYPUS, NORTH SYDNEY What was once a wartime torpedo factory and submarine base is now a public space. Located on the harbour between Kirribilli and Kurraba Point in North Sydney, HMAS Platypus is a former submarine base that, after being closed to the public for over 150 years, is now a new foreshore walkway and parkland perfect for picnic. As well as plazas and courtyards, there are plenty of green patches to lay out your blanket — and barbecues, too. Plus, you get some killer views over the water. SOUTH HEAD To experience the full force of nature, make tracks to South Head where you'll find sheer ocean cliffs alongside unbeatable views of the Tasman Sea and Sydney Harbour. If you're keen for a little adventure, you can walk the one-kilometre South Head Heritage Trail to check out red and white striped Hornby Lighthouse and get up close to some 19th century gun emplacements. If hunger strikes, you're only a stone's throw away from Watsons Bay where you're sure to find a place to sate your appetite. But, honestly, a picnic sandwich and that view is all you need. [caption id="attachment_750943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CREMORNE RESERVE, CREMORNE POINT This little park on the lower north shore has one of the best view in Sydney. From it, you get a clear peek at the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the city skyline. On a nice day, you can have a quick dip at the nearby Maccallum Pool, then dry off on the grass with some post-swim snacks and a beverage. The pool is currently closed, but the NSW Government has allowed outdoor pools to reopen (with some restrictions) from Friday, May 15 — so hopefully it's not long till it's up and running again. If you don't live on the north shore, it's best just to get the ferry from Circular Quay to Cremorne Point. [caption id="attachment_750979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] PARRAMATTA PARK, PARRAMATTA Sydney's beaches get so much attention that it's easy to forget the many beautiful rivers our city is home to. Over the past few years Parramatta River has had a serious clean-up, and in January 2015, it became officially swimmable. One of the loveliest spots along the waterway for a sneaky beer is among the birds and green, green grass of Parramatta Park. While you're at it, have a gander around the grounds of Old Government House or stop by the Rumsey Rose Garden and Murray Gardens. CENTENNIAL PARK Centennial Park is the vast stretch of greenery that frames the entrance into much of the eastern suburbs. Designed in the 'European' tradition as a grand Victorian park, with wide avenues so that the gentle-folk of Sydney could promenade in their carriages and 'take the air', Centennial Park has ponds, gardens, statues, heritage buildings, and a steady stream of joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers and horseriders. The park is huge, and for that reason you can nearly always find a spot that's relatively secluded, and you'll also have your pick of scenery. If you want somewhere with pretty green fields, formal manicured gardens or stretches of water you could imagine Hemingway drunkenly fishing upon, you've got it. Centennial Park is really one of the best open spaces in the city, and perfect for picnicking pretty much all year round. Note: the park is currently car-free on weekends till the end of May, so if you're driving you might need to park elsewhere. [caption id="attachment_653289" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] BLACKWATTLE BAY PARK, GLEBE If you're a Glebe local, you've probably spent an afternoon, or several, by the water at this picturesque inner west park. But, if you're a Sydneysider who hasn't been, summer is the best time to check it out. Renowned for its very good dogs — who are permitted off-leash and ready for pats — and sweeping views of the ANZAC Bridge and Rozelle Bay, Blackwattle Bay Park is an ideal spot for a good ol' fashioned barbecue with friends. Kick off your shoes and crack open a bottle while you watch the sunset. Top image: Destination NSW
There's no shortage of Greek restaurants in Sydney, but few channel the spirit of a true village taverna quite like Jimmy's Kitchen. Set within The Rocks' heritage-listed Campbell's Stores, this intimate diner from hospitality veteran Chris Drivas — who boasts more than 50 years in the game — brings the warmth, flavour and heart of a Greek family kitchen to the city's oldest precinct. With just 22 seats and a palette of royal blue and gold against rugged sandstone walls, the indoor-only dining room feels both cosy and celebratory. At its core is the Greek principle of filoxenia, a moral code of generosity, courtesy, and kindness towards guests. The restaurant serves as a heartfelt tribute to Drivas' late father, Jimmy, alongside whom he began working at the age of seven in their native Greece. Jimmy's philosophy — "When customers walk through your door, you treat them like they're coming into your house" — shapes every part of the experience. [caption id="attachment_1041327" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] That sense of home is evident in the tight, one-page menu of classic homestyle dishes. On it, you'll find a standout astakos kritharaki (orzo pasta cooked in lobster and tomato bisque) and slow-cooked lamb kleftiko, as well as inventive small plates like moussaka croquettes, haloumi saganaki and a gluten-free spanakopita baked en croûte. The drinks list is proudly Greek, too, from crisp assyrtiko and bold xinomavro wines to mastiha-infused cocktails and Greek beers rarely found beyond the Med. Overseeing it is Chef Marko Taxidis, now 82 and still moving effortlessly between the kitchen and the floor. A lifelong friend of the Drivas family, Taxidis first worked alongside Jimmy in Sydney in the 1950s and has been part of the family ever since. At Jimmy's Kitchen, he delivers the kind of unpretentious, heartfelt hospitality that never goes out of style. [caption id="attachment_1041329" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] Top images: Leigh Griffiths.
Dimitri's Pizzeria and its eye-catching red-and-white sign had been a permanent fixture on Crown Street since the 70s; while it moved once (around 20 years ago), it had never left the strip — until this year. In July, the Surry Hills pizza stalwart uprooted its tables (literally) and relocated to Oxford Street, setting up shop in the building previously home to Hunky Dory Social Club. Right now, it's just operating on the ground floor, but it plans to occupy all three levels — meaning the pizzeria will eventually grow six times in size. On the ground floor, it's the pretty much the same old Dimitri's, but bigger and better. Owners Ken Williams and Drew Huston have finally gotten their hands on a woodfired pizza oven and are making the type of pizza they've been wanting to do for "a long time". "It's a massive improvement on the pizza we were serving before," says Williams. And Huston agrees: "We're cooking our ideal pizza right now, I reckon." The woodfired oven can get up to 150 degrees hotter than the restaurant's previous oven (meaning the pizzas only have to spend a third of the time inside) and the pair is also making a new 100-percent sourdough base that is fermented for much longer — a minimum of 48 hours. What does all this mean for you? The dough is lighter, easier to digest and a whole lot tastier (and the pizzas land on your table much quicker). The dough is similar to that of Neapolitan-style pizzas, but Williams is quick to point out that their pizzas are not 'traditional' Neapolitan. And while the dough itself is fairly traditional — despite its use of a blend of Australian organic stone-ground flour — the toppings certainly aren't. Expect to find brussels sprouts, honey (from Williams' mum's beehive), radicchio, rainbow chard and even corn atop the pies. As well as the necessary mozzarella, which is stretched daily in-house. The pair plan to alter the toppings with the seasons, too, making the most of short-season produce like pine mushrooms and truffles. You'll be eating all of this on the old Dimitri's tables — which have been repurposed by Williams' brother Lex, a furniture builder and designer — surrounded by exposed brick walls, art, fairy lights and the restaurant's namesake: a striking red neon Dimitri. With a total capacity of around 150 people, the top two levels will be home to "Dimitri's but in bar form", which means Grifter beer on tap and all-natural wines — including the likes of Das Juice, Gut Oggau and Delinquente — and a short and sharp cocktail list. Williams says to expect "really good quality drinks, a chilled atmosphere and good times". These good times will extend to the third-level open terrace, too, where you'll be able to drink looking out on the street below. And on the rooftop — yes, it keeps going — there'll be a garden, where Williams will be growing herbs and some veggies for super-fresh pizza toppings. Images: Kimberley Low. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Pizza in Sydney for 2023
Over the last decade, Sydney's Mexican restaurant scene has had a huge renaissance. Gone are the days of only finding sour cream-laden Tex-Mex offerings and fishbowl margaritas. Now, Mexican food in Sydney is significantly more refined and reflects the dining culture of Mexico itself, rather than the cheese-filled US version. We have stacks of fine-dining Mexican eateries, mezcal and tequila bars, and small neighbourhood grocers slinging some of the greatest house-made tacos and tamales in Australia. To help you find these haunts, we've compiled this guide to the best Mexican restaurants in Sydney. Read on to find where you'll next be woofing down trays of tacos while sipping on fine tequilas and mezcals. Recommended reads: The Best Restaurants in Sydney The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney The Best Indian Restaurants in Sydney The Best Bars in Sydney
Whether you're an old pro at visiting in Tasmania, a trip down south has always been on your to-do list or you're simply exploring your summer getaway options, the Apple Isle is about to welcome a lavish new spot that's tailor-made for Tassie holidays. Set to open in December, The Tasman marks the first Australian outpost for Marriott International's Luxury Collection hotels brand — so this is definitely a treat yo'self type of place to stay. Perched between Hobart's Salamanca Place and Parliament Square — complete with views out over the Sullivan's Cove waterfront — The Tasman will feature 152 rooms. Whichever one you're booked into, it won't be the same as any others on the property, because celebrating the character of the site is one of the hotel's main aims. Given that The Tasman features an original 1840s heritage building, a 1940s art deco building and a new glass-heavy pavilion, it's easy to see why that's such a focus. Some rooms nod in the heritage direction, others embrace art deco — and guests will enjoy original artworks by local creatives, island baths and fireplaces across the property. And, when you're not using the hotel as a base to explore the city, including not only Sullivan's Cove but also Salamanca Market and St David's Park, you can also pop into the onsite restaurant and bar. At Peppina, chef Massimo Mele will be serving up a Tassie take on Italian dishes, and pairing it with old-world hospitality. At Mary Mary, you'll sip cocktails by Proof & Company's Charlie Ainsbury — after finding the bar perched deep within The Tasman's sandstone walls. Price-wise, rooms start at around $400 per night. That said, you can expect to pay around $5000 a night for the Aurora Suite — the hotel's one-bedroom presidential suite, which comes with water views and its own rooftop terrace. The Tasman opens at 12 Murray Street, Hobart, in December 2021 — with bookings currently available from Tuesday, December 21 onwards. For further information, head to the hotel's website.
Maybe you share your home with a very good pooch who likes sprawling out on soft surfaces. Perhaps your live-in company is a frequently slumbering feline who can turn anything — and we mean anything — into a bed. Either way, tell your pet that they're about to get comfier. Tell them to relinquish ownership of any Hommey cushions and throws they've taken as their own, too, because the homewares brand has just released a dog- and -cat-friendly collection. Hommey's first-ever pet range goes big on cosiness, just for your furry friends rather than for you. That said, the line looks so comfortable that you might find yourself snuggling up with your pupper or mouser while atop its soft memory-foam mattresses, resting on its bone-shaped pillows and beneath its cosy faux-fur blankets. First, those beds. Ranging from $159–229 in price, they're available in small and medium sizes, and in an array of colours including olive, cherry, stone, raven, milkshake, lilac, latte, blush, duke, marshmallow, mushroom, coffee, tan and rose. The covers come off so that you can pop them in the wash when your pet has given them a bit too much love, plus they come in either durable boucle fabric or faux fur. For popping on top, the bone-shaped cushions are decked out in almost as many colours, and in the same choice of fabrics. These cost $29 and, depending on the size of your pooch, can even be carried out in their mouth. As well as blankets priced at $49 completing the treat-your-pet set, the Hommey pet collection also spans leads ($49) and collars ($39) in a heap of hues. "Outside of playing with dogs everyday, the challenge of finding the perfect mix of function, style, convenience and affordability has been a fun process," said Hommey Founder and Chief Comfort Officer Justin Kestelman. "We love creating products that work to solve a problem, and over 12 months of development and testing our products with 30-plus owner/pets it's so exciting to see this come to life." The Hommey pet collection is on sale now — head to the Hommey website for further details.
There's nothing humdrum about rum. A favourite with pirates, sailors and scoundrels alike, this rich, golden dram works equally well as a neat shot or for a disorderly night of mojitos. Here's our list of the top destinations for rum-sipping in Sydney, so you can get better acquainted with the spirit of the sea. THE LOBO PLANTATION The Lobo Plantation on Clarence Street will transport you to the glamorous, old world estate of Julio Lobo, a wealthy Cuban sugar trader from the 20th century. Splash out on their Millionaire cocktail ($17), which features a powerful blend of Appleton Estate VX, apricot brandy, sloe gin, lime juice and grenadine, served with a rolled up bank note attached to the stem. Otherwise, cosy into one of the leather banquettes with their Lobo Rum Journal, a 100+ page compendium of rum tasting and production notes which leaves you spoilt for choice. Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence Street, Sydney PAPA GEDE'S Named after the Haitian voodoo spirit of love and laughter, Papa Gede is just one of many spirits in this witch-doctor apothecary bar. Specialising in Caribbean rum and fruit concoctions, the signature drink is The Zombie ($16), a bright and spicy mix of Appleton Estate rum, brandy, Cointreau, grapefruit and falernum (a sugar syrup made with almonds, ginger and cloves). It's strong enough to resurrect the dead, Papa Gede's warns. This is definitely a venue to add to your regular haunts. 348 Kent Street, Sydney EAU DE VIE This dimly lit speakeasy is the darling of Darlinghurst, serving some of Sydney's best rum cocktails (with a glass cabinet of awards to prove it). If you're a mighty fan of the mai tai, try their tiki version, Captain Zissou ($21). This inspired blend is made with Appleton VX rum, grapefruit and passionfruit marmalade, dry fino sherry, freeze-dried mint leaves and liquorice root syrup, vigorously shaken over ice. As a final touch, it's flamed to impart a burnt rum aroma over the top. C'est magnifique! 229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst GRANDMA'S BAR Isn't it time you paid Grandma's a visit? This cosy den of cosmopolitan kitsch on Clarence Street is one of the last places you might expect to find such a vast battery of rum. Just like Grandma, the mai tai ($21) is an oldie but a goodie. Her version uses Appleton Extra Jamaican rum, Creole schrubb (an orange and rum liqueur), orgeat, lime, pineapple and bitters, set alight. Grandma would never let you leave hungry, so tuck into an old-school spaghetti jaffle ($8) while you're here. Basement 275 Clarence St, Sydney THE CUBAN PLACE Directly across from the Queen Victoria Building, The Cuban Place recreates the heydays of 1950s Havana, considered to be the home of the mojito. This classic rum, lime and mint medley is available in three sizes, or you can thumb your way through their extensive rum list, with over 150 entries from around the globe. You can also order a Cuban cigar, something that will surely make the smokers light up. 125 York Street, Sydney THE CLIFF DIVE Decorated with artefacts from the South Seas, this little treasure on Oxford Street features a one-of-a-kind underwater dance floor and tiki bar with a rum focus. To drink, we recommend the Monkey Hat ($25), which combines home-spiced rum, Aperol, passionfruit and lime and is served in a monkey head, just like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. 16-18 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst BUTTON BAR Welcome aboard button bar, a pirate-themed watering hole by the crew behind Pocket Bar and Stitch. There's no X marks the spot at this inconspicuous address on Foveaux Street, but once inside, you'll find a gorgeous, wood-panelled ship's hull with 19th-century long rifles and dripping. The go-to cocktail is the Pleasure Vessel ($17) a tasty, tart combination of Appleton dark rum, Grand Marnier, orange marmalade, fresh grapefruit, lemon and orange blossom water. We're sure ye will love it. 65 Foveaux Street, Sydney MOONSHINE CIDER & RUM BAR Located upstairs in the Hotel Steyne, Moonshine is one of the only pirate bars with an outdoor wooden deck and beachside views, which makes it a breath of fresh sea air. Racks of caged rums line the walls, priced from $7.50 for the house to $40 for a top shelf selection. There's also a stage for live bands and DJs, if you feel like hearing a few shanties. 75 The Corso, Manly
In the former premises of The Sunshine Inn on Redfern Road, an awesome foursome of Bentley and Love Tilly alumni has managed to find some uncharted territory in Sydney's already-saturated Italian cuisine offering. A buzzy, Euro-leaning, "Italian-ish" pseudo-osteria, ATTENZIONE! Food and Wine is the passion project of Felix Colman, the part-owner and operator of Ragazzi and Fabbrica; former Yellow manager Toby Davis; Toby Stansfield of Lola's in Bondi; and Dexter Kim, an ex-Buffet Digital videographer. Before you jump to conclusions, the choice of name has nothing to do with online memes or pickpockets. It's actually a reference to an in-joke between the four partners regarding an Italian friend's mother, who, while visiting her daughter in Sydney, would cry out "Attenzione!" whenever a handsome—and potentially eligible—fella strolled past. Since then, shouting "Attenzione!" has become a go-to callback between the friends, so it quickly emerged as the obvious name for their first venture together. Italian pastas star on the menu, but the food offering is more of a broad-brush homage to the dining cultures of Continental Europe — with a few Asian riffs thrown in for good measure. "We've had some pretty memorable food and drink experiences in Europe," Colman says of the restaurant's melting pot of influences. "Tiny enotecas in Alba that spill out onto cobblestoned streets, noisy backstreet bistros in Paris and too many sunny aperitivos along the Med coast to count. ATTENZIONE! was created to be the buzz and vibe of all those experiences combined." While the menu will be dynamic and shuffle regularly, there will be a few tried-and-true staples fated to be house favourites, such as the pico XL: "an almost obscenely oversized version of pico pasta", according to Stansfield. These fat, juicy strands will be the vehicle for a range of classic sauces, including cacio e pepe and nduja crema with Kinkawooka mussels. Summoning the flavours of a French brasserie, dry-aged dairy cow steaks, courtesy of Emilio's Butcher in Rozelle, will be served with a house-made chopped green onion condiment, while charcoal-roasted free-range chicken with chicory and horseradish channels a more Teutonic energy. And because dessert should never be taken too seriously (sorry grand patissiers), there will be playful, dig-your-spoon-in, crowd-pleasing sweets to finish such as an apple baked in pastry and served with a rich tonka custard, and a pineapple, espresso cookie and whipped ganache sundae. Snacks will also be a specialty at ATTENZIONE!, with a similarly pan-European mingle of influences, such as locally smoked trout pate served with a chicken-skin crisp and a full loaf of fougasse flatbread spread with wildflower butter. Not to be outdone, the wine offering is as loud and wide-ranging as the food. Colman and Davis have compiled a 150-bottle cellar with plenty of homegrown drops but also an emphasis on the team's favourite Italian varietals, Nebbiolo, as well as pours from Barolo, Barbaresco and Piemonte. Expect a substantial by the glass selection, digestifs including grappas, armagnacs and amaros, a streamlined list of classic cocktails and even some funkier natural drops for those who enjoy low-intervention bottles. "Many of the producers we've chosen for our list have really inspired us over our years of enjoying and working in wine," Colman explains. "We're really proud to hero these great people and their incredible wines, they care for the land and the providence of their craft, looking to leave the earth better than when they found it which is very important to us." The fitout, by new Sydney-based interiors studio Coffeyhallet, boasts a vibrant mustard and aniseed palette as well as tactile leather banquettes, dark-stained Bentwood chairs and large mirrors to create a sense of space. The restaurant's decor is intended to be an extension of the lively, relaxed, welcoming vibes that the four owners hope ATTENZIONE! will be known for.
When one year ends and another begins, looking back is always on the agenda. When summer holidays arrive with lazy days and cruisy itineraries, streaming binges await. Combine the two and you've got a date with 2023's small-screen highlights — but don't just stick to the shows that you saw and loved over the past 12 months. Because no one can watch everything that drops when it drops, you no doubt missed plenty of gems when you weren't glued to your couch. A nun battling AI, Pete Davidson's latest riff on his own life, a new series from Drive filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn and a twist on Sweeney Todd are just some of the fresh 2023 streaming shows that you mightn't have had a chance to catch up with yet, but can now. There's more where they came from. As we did in 2021 and 2022, we've highlighted 15 ace new arrivals over the past year that deserve a place in your streaming queue. Don't spend your break endlessly scrolling through the ever-growing array of streaming platforms — we've done the hard work for you. MRS DAVIS It was back in March 2022 that the world first learned of Mrs Davis, who would star in it and which creatives were behind it. Apart from its central faith-versus-technology battle, the show's concept was kept under wraps, but the series itself was announced to the world. The key involvement of three-time GLOW Emmy-nominee Betty Gilpin, Lost and The Leftovers creator Damon Lindelof, and The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon writer and executive producer Tara Hernandez was championed, plus the fact that Black Mirror: San Junipero director Owen Harris would helm multiple episodes. Accordingly, although no one knew exactly what it was about, Mrs Davis existed months before ChatGPT was released — but this puzzle-box drama, which is equally a sci-fi thriller, zany comedy and action-adventure odyssey, now follows the artificial intelligence-driven chatbot in reaching audiences. Indeed, don't even bother trying not to think about the similarities as you're viewing this delightfully wild and gleefully ridiculous series. There's also no point dismissing any musings that slip into your head about social media, ever-present tech, digital surveillance and the many ways that algorithms dictate our lives, either. Mrs Davis accepts that such innovations are a mere fact of life in 2023, then imagines what might happen if AI promised to solve the worlds ills and make everyone's existence better and happier. It explores how users could go a-flocking, eager to obey every instruction and even sacrifice themselves to the cause. In other words, it's about ChatGPT-like technology starting a religion in everything but name. To tell that tale, it's also about nun Simone (Gilpin, Gaslit), who was raised by magicians (Love & Death's Elizabeth Marvel and Scream's David Arquette), and enjoys sabbaticals from her convent to do whatever is necessary to bring down folks who practise her parents' vocation and the show's titular technology. She also undertakes quite the literal nuptials to Jesus Christ, is divinely bestowed names to chase in her quest and has an ex-boyfriend, Wiley (Jake McDorman, Dopesick), who's a former bullrider-turned-Fight Club-style resistance leader. And, she's tasked with a mission by the algorithm itself: hunting down the Holy Grail. Mrs Davis streams via Binge. Read our full review. A MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD Whichever miniatures are stuffed inside a snow globe, a simple shake surrenders them all to the same fate: flakes falling in their tiny dome. Pop culture's enduring murder-mystery obsession can feel much the same way. When the pieces start raining down in seven-part miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, there's much that instantly feels familiar from a heavily populated field of recent and classics whodunnits. That checklist includes a confined single setting, potential victims cooped up with an unknown killer, rampant secrets and lies, fingers pointed everywhere, Nordic noir's frosty climes, an eerie butler, a wealthy host who might just have the most to lose and, of course, a gifted gumshoe sleuthing through the group. A Murder at the End of the World radiates its own Gen Z Sherlock Holmes vibe, though. That's even how its sharp protagonist is described, and early. In the role of 24-year-old hacker-turned-author Darby Hart, who is invited by billionaire recluse Andy Ronson (Clive Owen, American Crime Story) to an intimate Iceland symposium of bright minds, Emma Corrin (Lady Chatterley's Lover) also turns Agatha Christie. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have put their own intriguing, involving, can't-stop-watching spin on their addition to the genre, as they make clear early. As the duo share writing duties and split time in the director's chair — with Marling also co-starring — they take cues from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Stieg Larsson's sequels as well, all while also sliding their series in alongside Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery; however, the mood, ambition, pursuit of weighty themes, shadowy conspiracies, earnestness and love of telling puzzle-box tales match perfectly with their last show, plus their film collaborations Sound of My Voice and The East. Two timelines unspool: the present-day storyline at the ideas salon, where bodies are soon falling; and the the road trip that Darby took with fellow Reddit-aided citizen detective Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson, Scrapper) to solve the case that fuels her debut novel. Both are compelling; shake this snow globe for more and you won't want to stop. A Murder at the End of the World streams via Disney+. Read our full review. THE CHANGELING It isn't by accident that watching The Changeling feels like being read to, rather than simply viewing streaming's latest book-to-TV adaptation. Landing from the pages of Victor LaValle's novel of the same name, this horror-fantasy series is obsessed with stories, telling tales and unpacking what humanity's favourite narratives say about our nature, including myths and yarns that date back centuries and longer. Printed tomes are crucial in its characters lives, fittingly. Libraries, bookstores, dusty boxes stacked with old volumes, beloved childhood texts, a rare signed version of To Kill a Mockingbird with a note from Harper Lee to lifelong friend Truman Capote: they all feature within the show's frames. Its protagonists Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield, Haunted Mansion) and Emma Valentine (Clark Backo, Letterkenny), who fall in love and make a life together before its first episode is out, even work as a book dealer and a librarian. And, The Changeling also literally reads to its audience, because LaValle himself relays this adult fairytale, his dulcet tones speaking lyrical prose to provide a frequent guide In a show created and scripted by Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel, there's nothing more potent and revealing than a story, after all — and The Changeling believes in the power of tales to capture, explain, transport, engage, caution and advise, too. Aptly, New Yorkers Apollo and Emma meet amid books, in the library where she works and he frequents. It takes convincing to get her to agree to go out with him, but that leads to marriage and a child. The Changeling's astute thematic layering includes Apollo's repeated attempts to wrangle that first yes out of Emma, however, setting up a train of thought that has many future stations. In-between early dates and domesticity, Emma also takes the trip of a lifetime to Brazil, where an old woman awaits by Lagoa do Abaeté. The locals warn the visitor to stay away but she's mesmerised. What happens between the two strangers sends the narrative hurtling, with the lakeside figure tying a red string around Emma's wrist, granting her three wishes, but advising that they'll only come true when the bracelet falls off by itself. The Changeling streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. BUPKIS In its opening moments, Bupkis unloads — twice, in completely different ways, while ensuring there's zero doubt that this is a series about Pete Davidson starring Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson. First, the former Saturday Night Live comedian gets Googling while alone in the basement of the Staten Island home he shares with his mother Amy (Edie Falco, Avatar: The Way of Water). The results about Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Kim Kardashian's ex aren't positive; so, to shake off the unpleasantness of reading '12 Things Horribly Wrong with Pete Davidson', he switches from "scumbro" with "butthole eyes" comments to porn. He's wearing a VR headset, and he's soon deep in self-love. Then his mum walks in. Bupkis clearly isn't wary about getting crude. It isn't concerned about satirising its central figure, either. Instead, this semi-autobiographical dramedy relishes the parody. At the age of 29, Davidson has reached the "you may as well laugh" point in his career, which is hardly surprising given he's spent the past decade swinging his big chaotic energy around. Partway through the eight-episode series, while keen to claim some perks for being Davidson's mother — other than doting on her son, that is — Amy shouts at wait staff that "Marisa Tomei played me!". Add that to Bupkis' gleeful, playful nods to reality. An opening statement before each instalment stresses the difference between fact and fiction, and why the show has the moniker it has, but art keeps imitating life everywhere. There's no switching names, however. Davidson is indeed Davidson, his IRL mum is called Amy and his sister is Casey (Oona Roche, The Morning Show). As in The King of Staten Island, they've been a trio since 9/11, and dealing with losing his New York City firefighter dad still isn't easy. Off-screen, however, Davidson must be a fan of My Cousin Vinny, plus the gangster genre. Hailing from the former as Tomei does, and famed for his performances in the latter like The Sopranos star Falco, Goodfellas, Casino and The Irishman alum Joe Pesci is a pivotal part of Bupkis as Davidson's grandfather Joe — a hilarious and delightful part, unsurprisingly. Bupkis streams via Binge. Read our full review. MATILDAS: THE WORLD AT OUR FEET Passion flows as feverishly through the Australia's women's national football team as talent, and Matildas: The World at Our Feet boasts plenty of examples to show it. Covering the lead up to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, this six-part documentary series sees enthusiasm and emotion everywhere, regardless of who the squad is playing, why or where, and the end score. Kicking goals? Joyous. Winning games? Euphoric. Taking every step needed to do their best at soccer's ultimate contest, especially because it's being held on home soil for the first time ever? A positively peppy and determined task. Inspiring girls across Australia to follow in their footsteps? For Sam Kerr and company, that's what their hard work is all about. To start this doco's sixth episode, Kerr and several teammates chat about how much it means to them to be galvanising tomorrow's female athletes, a topic that pops up more than once across the entire series. In this particular instalment, they also discuss the equivalent influence in their own lives: Cathy Freeman's 400-metre gold-medal run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "We didn't have a role model in women's football, or any sport," shares goalkeeper Lydia Williams. "Watching Cathy Freeman at 2000, that just kind of ignited my dreams," she continues. "At the time, I was just amazed — blown away that every single person in the country could be talking about one person, and she was a female athlete," adds Kerr. "As I sat in my lounge room as a nine-year-old girl and watched her, that inspired me to one, be proud of who I am, but to also follow my sporting dreams to play football for Australia," says fellow striker Kyah Simon. The force of their feelings radiates from the screen, and Matildas: The World at Our Feet's audience beams the same emotions right back at them. Matildas: The World at Our Feet streams via Disney+. Read our full review. LUCKY HANK When Better Call Saul finished its six-season run in 2022, it was the end of an era. Not only did one of the absolute best TV shows of the past decade and the whole 21st century so far wrap up, but the Breaking Bad universe with it for now. And, it meant that the wonderful Bob Odenkirk was no longer on our screens regularly. Thankfully, with the arrival of Lucky Hank, the latter was only a short-lived state of affairs. This dramedy — because everything is a dramedy at the moment — hails from The Office actor/co-writer Paul Lieberstein, adapts Richard Russo's 1997 novel Straight Man, and casts its Undone and Nobody star as a Pennsylvanian college professor. The eponymous Hank Devereaux Jr inhabits a whirlwind of chaos, including underfunding at his university in general, unhappy colleagues in the English department he chairs, students challenging him, a wife that's tiring of academic life and the fact that he's only penned one book thanks to a hefty bout of writers' block. If some of the above sounds familiar, that's because The Chair flicked through similar territory in 2021 — also engagingly, and with Sandra Oh at its centre. Like that series, Lucky Hank thrives through its excellent lead casting, with watching Odenkirk still one of the easiest things in the world no matter what he's in. He has excellent company, including Lieberstein's The Office co-star Oscar Nuñez as Railton College dean, Mireille Enos (Hanna) as his wife, and Diedrich Bader (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) as a friend and co-worker. As a guest star, one and only Twin Peaks legend Kyle MacLachlan is also among the cast. Odenkirk wears middle-aged malaise so devastatingly well, though, which made Better Call Saul one of the best tragedies there is, and helps Lucky Hank prove as thoughtful as it is charming. There's depth to Hank's experiences, too, with Russo's tome based on his own time teaching at several colleges. Lucky Hank streams via Stan. THE BIG DOOR PRIZE Sometimes Apple TV+ dives into real-life crimes, as miniseries Black Bird did. Sometimes it mines the whodunnit setup for laughs, which The Afterparty winningly achieved. The family feuds of Bad Sisters, Servant's domestic horrors, Hello Tomorrow!'s retrofuturistic dream, the titular take on work-life balance in Severance — they've all presented streaming audiences with puzzles, too, because this platform's original programming loves a mystery. So, of course dramedy The Big Door Prize is all about asking questions from the outset. Here, no one is wondering who killed who, why a baby has been resurrected or if a situation that sounds too good to be true unsurprisingly is. Rather, in a premise isn't merely a metaphor for existential musings, they're pondering a magical machine and what it tells them about themselves. Everyone in The Big Door Prize does go down the "what does it all mean?" rabbit hole, naturally, but trying to work out why the Morpho has popped up in the small town of Deerfield, where it came from, whether it can be trusted, and if it's just a bit of fun or a modern-day clairvoyant game are pressing concerns. When the machine arrives, it literally informs residents of their true potential. Crowds flock, but not everyone is initially fascinated with the mysterious gadget. Turning 40, and marking the occasion with that many gifts from his wife Cass (Gabrielle Dennis, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and teenage daughter Trina (Djouliet Amara, Devil in Ohio), high-school history teacher Dusty Hubbard (Chris O'Dowd, Slumberland) is nonplussed. Amid riding his new scooter and wondering why he's been given a theremin, he's baffled by all the talk about the Morpho, the new reason to head to Mr Johnson's (Patrick Kerr, Search Party) store. As school principal Pat (Cocoa Brown, Never Have I Ever) embraces her inner biker because the machine said so, and charisma-dripping restaurateur Giorgio (Josh Segarra, The Other Two) revels in being told he's a superstar, Dusty claims he's happy not joining in — until he does. The Big Door Prize streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. COPENHAGEN COWBOY Ten years ago, Nicolas Winding Refn released his second Ryan Gosling-starring film in succession, won his second Sydney Film Festival Prize, and was a reliable source of dazzling and blisteringly atmospheric crime fare thanks to Drive and Only God Forgives — and also the Pusher trilogy and Bronson before that pair. In the past decade, however, he's only brought one more movie to cinemas. The Neon Demon was a gem, too, and about as Refn as Refn gets, but that was back in 2016. Smaller screens have been beckoning the Danish director, thankfully. He launched his own free streaming service, and also co-created, co-wrote and directed the ten-part, Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick)-starring Too Old to Die Young. Refn's latest effort gets episodic as well, and sees him return to his homeland for the first time since Valhalla Rising — and, while it feels filtered through David Lynch's sensibilities alongside his own, Copenhagen Cowboy remains Refn through and through. The visuals have it, as they always do when this filmmaker is behind the lens. Neon aplenty, how he composes a room, how his characters peer on at the world around them, the use of 360-degree pans, the chilly mood, his overall aesthetic flair: they're all here. So, too, is another of the director's essentials, courtesy of a synth-heavy score by Cliff Martinez. That combination makes an entrancing mix, as it has over and over before, but Copenhagen Cowboy is never simply a case of empty style, sound and vision. Also present is an enigmatic tale, this time about the magnetic and mysterious Miu (Angela Bundalovic, Limboland). Considered a "living lucky charm" and highly sought after for her talents, she's the show's entry point to Copenhagen's criminal underworld. Can she help Rosella (Dragana Milutinovic, also Limboland) get pregnant? What kind of eerie situation has she found herself in? Are her gifts genuine? It wouldn't be a Refn project if questions didn't linger in the pulsating sense of stillness. Copenhagen Cowboy streams via Netflix. IN LIMBO Not to be confused with 2023 Australian film Limbo, six-part Aussie dramedy In Limbo not only takes its title to heart, but also uses the idea as fuel for a supernatural buddy comedy. Indeed, before the first episode is out, Nate (Bob Morley, Love Me) is palling around with his lifelong best friend Charlie (Ryan Corr, House of the Dragon) from the afterlife. The former doesn't know why he's still a presence. The latter is understandably reeling from the tragedy, and initially thinks that spying Nate is just a drunken hallucination. No one else, not Nate's wife Freya (Emma Harvie, Colin From Accounts), eight-year-old daughter Annabel (Kamillia Rihani, The Twelve), supremely very Catholic mother Maria (Lena Cruz, Wellmania) and affable father Frank (Russell Dykstra, Irreverent), can see their dearly-departed loved one as a ghost. It's Christmas, too, in this Brisbane-shot and -set series, and facing the festivities after such a shock is far from easy. While heartily deploying Brisbane Powerhouse and New Farm Park as settings, that's a lot for one show to delve into — and delve it thoughtfully does. Tackling grief, mental health and suicide is never simple, even in a show about someone haunting their best mate, and including when such topics have been increasingly popping up in Australian fare of late (see also: Totally Completely Fine). In Limbo is clearly made with care, empathy and understanding — and, crucially, doesn't attempt to offer any firm answers, instead acting as a conversation starter. At its core, the always-excellent Corr plays a complicated role with charm. That's no surprise given his resume, and he couldn't be better cast. Corr's likeable performance always dives deep into the about-to-get-divorced Charlie's struggle without Nate physically by his side, with Nate now his ghostly offsider and with his own problems, and never brushes past the character's flaws. And, just as importantly as the show's focus on 21st-century masculinity and friendship, Corr makes such a great double act with Morley that filmmakers should be clamouring to pair them up again ASAP. In Limbo streams via ABC iView. Read our full review, and our interview with Ryan Corr. HELLO TOMORROW! In 2022, scam culture was here to stay, as drawn-from-reality hits such as Inventing Anna and The Dropout repeatedly promised. In 2023, playing fast and loose with the truth sits at the heart of Hello Tomorrow!, too, which tells a fictional tale about the deceptions people spin to chase their dreams. The show's beaming face: travelling salesman Jack Billings (Billy Crudup, The Morning Show), the regional manager for BrightSide Lunar Residences, and a passionate pusher of timeshares on the moon. He's this intriguing dramedy's version of Don Draper, but with Mad Men's 60s surroundings swapped for The Jetsons-style robot help and hovering vehicles. There's a The Twilight Zone-meets-Leave It to Beaver feel to Hello Tomorrow!, too, as its characters seek the same thing we all do: a better life. Creators Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen (both Bloodline alumni), also co-writers and showrunners with You're the Worst's Stephen Falk, zoom in further, focusing on the reasons anyone holds onto to hope their lot will improve. Befitting any blend of all of the above series, the look of Hello Tomorrow! is retro-futuristic, steeped in 50s-era visions of what might come. The time and place is an alternative version of that decade, in a suburban enclave called Vistaville, where one of Jack's biggest fibs has its origins. He's summoned back with his crew of hawkers — the gambling-addicted Eddie (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons), promotion-coveting Herb (Dewshane Williams, In the Dark) and resident righthand-woman Shirley (Haneefah Wood, Truth Be Told) — by his mother Barbara (Jacki Weaver, Penguin Bloom) after his wife Marie (Annie McNamara, Severance) is injured by a self-driving delivery van. His son Joey (Nicholas Podany, Archive 81) is struggling to cope, a task made all the more difficult by Jack's absence from his family's lives for decades. He's skilled at sharing stories about his domestic bliss on the moon to customers, but being a happy head of a lunar household is merely one of his go-to falsehoods. Hello Tomorrow! streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Hank Azaria. THE CONSULTANT If there's a question that no employee wants to hear from the person setting company agendas, pulling strings and signing paycheques, it's "what do we do?". In moody and mysterious workplace nightmare The Consultant — which adapts horror author Bentley Little's 2016 novel of the same name, but plays like Severance filtered through Servant — Regus Patoff (Christoph Waltz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) asks a variation of it early. "What do we make?" he queries at CompWare after he arrives amid grim circumstances. The mobile gaming outfit came to fame under wunderkind Sang (TV first-timer Brian Yoon), so much so that school groups tour the firm's office. Then, during the visit that opens this eight-part, excellently cast and supremely easy-to-binge thriller, a kid shoots and kills the company's founder. That doesn't stop Regus from showing up afterwards clutching a signed contract from Sang and spouting a mandate to do whatever it takes to maximise his legacy. Regus is as stern yet eccentric as Waltz has become known for — a suit- and tie-wearing kindred spirit to Inglourious Basterds' Hans Landa, plus Spectre and No Time to Die's Ernst Stavro Blofield. He first darkens CompWare's door in the thick of night, when only ambitious assistant Elaine Hayman (Brittany O'Grady, The White Lotus) and stoner coder Craig Horne (Nat Wolff, Joe vs Carole) are onsite, and he won't take no for an answer. There's no consultant job for him to have, Elaine tells him. There's no business to whip into shape, she stresses. By the next morning, he's corralling employees for an all-hands meeting and telling remote workers they'll be fired if they don't show up in-person within an hour, even if he proudly doesn't know what CompWare does — or care. From there, The Consultant gets creator Tony Basgallop, who is also behind Servant, doing what he loves: kicking off with a blow-in, unsettling a group already coping with tragedy and reordering their status quo with severe methods. Both of his current shows lace the chaos that follows with nods towards the supernatural, too, and both ask what bargains we're willing to make to live the lives we're striving for. The Consultant streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE HORROR OF DOLORES ROACH It takes place in New York, not London. The era: modern times, not centuries back. Fleet Street gives way to Washington Heights, the demon barber to a masseuse nicknamed "Magic Hands", and pies to empanadas. There's still a body count, however, and people end up in pastries as well. Yes, The Horror of Dolores Roach namedrops Sweeney Todd early, as it needs to; there's no denying where this eight-part series takes inspiration, as did the one-woman off-Broadway play that it's based on, plus the podcast that followed before the TV version. On the stage, the airwaves and now via streaming, creator Aaron Mark asks a question: what if the fictional cannibalism-inciting character who first graced penny dreadfuls almost two centuries back, then leapt to theatres, films and, most famously, musicals, had a successor today? Viewers can watch the answer via a dramedy that also belongs on the same menu as Santa Clarita Diet, Yellowjackets and Bones and All. Amid this recent feast of on-screen dishes about humans munching on humans, The Horror of Dolores Roach is light yet grisly, but it's also a survivalist thriller in its own way — and laced with twisted attempts at romance, too. That knowing callout to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street comes amid an early banquet of knowing callouts, as The Horror of Dolores Roach begins with a play based on a podcast that's wrapping up its opening night. Newspaper clippings in actor Flora Frias' (Jessica Pimentel, Orange is the New Black) dressing room establish that the show takes its cues from a woman who got murderous in the Big Apple four years prior, and helped get unwitting NYC residents taking a bite out of each other. Meet the series' framing device; before the stage production's star can head to the afterparty, she's face to face with a furious Dolores (Justina Machado, One Day at a Time) herself. The latter isn't there to slay, but to haunt the woman spilling her tale by sharing the real details. Two decades earlier, Dolores was a happy resident of Lin-Manuel Miranda's favourite slice of New York, a drug-dealer's girlfriend, and a fan of the local empanada shop. Then the cops busted in, The Horror of Dolores Roach's namesake refused to snitch and lost 16 years of her life. When she's released, gentrification has changed the neighbourhood and her other half is nowhere to be found. Only Luis Batista (Alejandro Hernandez, New Amsterdam) remains that remembers her, still in the empanada joint, and he couldn't be keener on letting her stay with him in his basement apartment below the store. The Horror of Dolores Roach streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. HIGH DESERT In High Desert, the always-excellent Patricia Arquette (Severance) leads a private investigator comedy that dapples its jam-packed chaos under California's golden sun, against the parched Yucca Valley landscape and with an anything-goes philosophy — not to mention a more-mayhem-the-merrier tone. She plays Peggy Newman, who isn't letting her age get in the way of perennially struggling to pull her life together. That said, when the eight-part series starts, it's Thanksgiving 2013 and she's living an upscale existence in Palm Springs, with gleaming surfaces abounding in her expansive (and visibly expensive) home. Then, as her husband Denny (Matt Dillon, Proxima) jokes around with her mother Roslyn (Bernadette Peters, Mozart in the Jungle), and her younger siblings Dianne (Christine Taylor, Search Party) and Stewart (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) lap up the lavish festivities, DEA agents swarm outside. Cue weed, hash and cash stashes being flushed and trashed, but not quickly enough to avoid splashing around serious repercussions. A decade later, High Desert's protagonist has been sharing Roslyn's house and trying to kick her addictions while working at Pioneertown, a historical attraction that gives tourists a dusty, gun-toting taste of frontier life. Peggy would love to step back in time herself when she's not pretending to be a saloon barmaid — to when her recently deceased mother was still alive, however, rather than to her glitzy post-arrest shindigs. Still angry about being caught up in a drug bust, Dianne and Stewart have zero time for her nostalgia and a lack of patience left for her troubles. Their plan: to sell Roslyn's abode with no worries about where Peggy might end up. Her counter: doing everything she can to stop that from happening. High Desert doesn't just embrace the fact that living and breathing is merely weathering whatever weird, wild and sometimes-wonderful shambles fate throws your way; in a show created and written by Nurse Jackie and Damages alumni Jennifer Hoppe and Nancy Fichman, plus Miss Congeniality and Desperate Housewives' Katie Ford, that idea dictates the busy plot, too. High Desert streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. TOTALLY COMPLETELY FINE In Thomasin McKenzie's breakout role in 2018's deeply thoughtful and moving Leave No Trace, she played a teen being the responsible one while living off the grid with her PTSD-afflicted father. She turned in a magnificent performance in a film that also earns the same description — one of that year's best — and a portrayal that rightly ensured that more work came her way. In Totally Completely Fine, the New Zealand actor is again excellent, as she's been in Jojo Rabbit, The Justice of Bunny King, Old and Last Night in Soho in-between; however, this six-part Australian series, which makes ample use of its Sydney setting, casts McKenzie as the least responsible among her siblings. Vivian Cunningham's elder brothers John (Rowan Witt, Spreadsheet) and Hendrix (Brandon McClelland, Significant Others) are conscientious and family-focused, respectively, while she has internalised her bad decisions to the point of thinking that she ruins everything. But then her grandfather passes away when she's at a particularly low moment, wills only her his cliffside house and also leaves a note saying that she'll learn what to do with it. When Totally Completely Fine begins, Vivian is close to saying goodbye. Soon, she discovers that her inherited home is a destination for others feeling the same way. Creator Gretel Vella (a staff writer on The Great, and also a scribe on Christmas Ransom and Class of '07) doesn't shy away from a a tricky topic, as her definitely-not-totally-completely-fine protagonist becomes an unofficial counsellor to strangers — like runaway bride Amy (Contessa Treffone, Wellmania) — who step into her yard planning to commit suicide. This character-driven series doesn't ever reductively posit that only struggling people can help struggling people. Instead, it sees life's difficulties everywhere, the many ways that folks attempt to cope and don't, and the parts that others can have in that journey. McKenzie's performance is pivotal, selling the deep-seated grief that has defined Vivian's life, the chaos she's embraced as an escape, and how telling others that they have something to live for is both complicated and crucial. Totally Completely Fine streams via Stan. BAD BEHAVIOUR When high school is hellish on television, sometimes that happens literally; Buffy the Vampire Slayer's teens did their studies above a hellmouth and Stranger Things' crew is constantly trying to avoid the Upside Down. In Bad Behaviour, hell is the girls of Silver Creek, the wilderness campus of an exclusive all-female boarding school where young women decamp to spend a year learning resilience away from the wider (and supposedly wilder) world. It's where Joanna Mackenzie (Jana McKinnon, We Children From Bahnhof Zoo) attended on a scholarship, sharing a cabin with Alice Kang (Yerin Ha, Sissy) before they cross paths again ten years later — Jo striving to become a writer, but paying the bills in hospitality; Alice a musical prodigy-turned-global classical star. While Jo doesn't have fond memories of her year away, she's shocked at Alice's frosty reception. Indeed, she'd always thought that the domineering Portia (Markella Kavenagh, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) was the bully of their dormitory, making her own experience a nightmare. But this blast from the past gets Jo rethinking her own behaviour. Adapted from Rebecca Starford's book of the same name by Pip Karmel (Total Control) and Magda Wozniak (Neighbours), with Corrie Chen (New Gold Mountain) directing, Bad Behaviour is spot-on about the Mean Girls-meets-The Lord of the Flies realm it navigates. Starford's tome is a memoir, after all. For anyone who has ever been or known a teenage girl — so, everyone — this four-part series feels deeply lived-in, even if you've never attended a private school, let alone such an education institution's remote campus. With McKinnon, Ha and Kavenagh all delivering potent performances, and the latter making a memorable antagonist, the mood is equal parts tense and reflective. As Bad Behaviour flits between Jo's time at Silver Creek, including the thrall that Portia held over her, and her adult awakening to who she really was while she was there, it's unafraid to face stark truths about our teenage demons as well. Bad Behaviour streams via Stan. Check out the trailer.
Three Australian venues have just landed on one of the world's most influential dining roundups, and it's a strong sign that the country's restaurant scene isn't just thriving, it's setting the pace. Each year, Condé Nast Traveler drops its Hot List, honouring the most exciting new restaurants across the planet. The 2026 edit leans into everything from intimate, boundary-pushing dining rooms to heavyweight hotel restaurants, and this time around, three standout Australian venues have cut through the noise. Feu, Byron Bay In Byron Bay, Feu is doing things more than a little differently, and clearly, it's getting the right kind of attention. Housed within the new Belongil precinct (and behind a 6,000 bottle wine room) from Shannon Bennett, this fine diner ditches the traditional menu entirely. Instead, diners choose their key ingredients (this could be anything from Moreton Bay bugs to premium chocolate), select from a tactile collection of ceramics, then leave the rest in the kitchen's hands. The result is a highly personalised degustation that's proven to be equal parts theatrics and precision. With alumni from Noma in the mix and even Chris Hemsworth reportedly a fan, Feu has quickly become one of the country's most talked-about bookings. Book now, the waitlist is about to get long. Yiaga, Melbourne Down in Victoria, Melbourne's most ambitious new restaurant, Yiaga has wasted no time cementing its status. Helmed by chef Hugh Allen, who's also leading Vue de Monde, the venue picked up a swag of accolades within months of opening. Set within the verdant surrounds of Fitzroy Gardens, Yiaga is as much about craftsmanship as it is cuisine. The kitchen turns out a hyper-detailed, distinctly Australian degustation, where ingredients like Blackmore wagyu and wild-foraged wakame meet intricate design touches, from custom tableware to hand-built interiors. It's high-concept dining, executed with exactitude. Golden Avenue, Brisbane In Brisbane, Golden Avenue is carving out its own lane as a lush, Middle Eastern-inspired dining destination in the highly competitive Edward Street eating district. Created by the team at Anyday (Agnes, hôntô, The French Exit) the venue blends bold architecture with vibrant, share-style dining. A menu of wood-grilled Spring Bay mussels, housemade labneh wrapped in vine leaves, and a dessert that fuses rose, pistachio and mochi, it's impressive without being overworked, and generous without losing its polish. Landing on the Condé Nast Traveler Hot List isn't just a pat on the back, it's a global endorsement. And with three very different venues making the cut, it's clear Australia's dining scene is firing on all cylinders right now. But we already knew that, didn't we? Imagery: Supplied | Instagram
If your group chat hasn't involved wild theories about "The Boy In White" yet, you're missing out on the biggest supernatural thriller of the last decade. Luckily for you, the first three seasons of the highly acclaimed FROM series are available on Stan right now, and the season four premiere is coming on Monday, April 20, so there's absolutely time to get into the series that's got everyone talking, speculating and widening their eyes with every twist and turn. FROM kicks off when the Matthews family — father Jim (Eion Bailey), mother Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno), daughter Julie (Hannah Cheramy) and son Ethan (Simon Webster) — drive into a town they can't leave. And they're not the only ones. They soon discover that everyone who lives there is trapped. While it may look like an average midwestern town in America (albeit ten times creepier), it is anything but. Of course, being trapped anywhere indisputably sucks, however, that portion of this nightmare isn't even the worst of it. As the town tries to figure out why they're trapped in this unknown postcode, they must also dodge (and try to defeat) what comes out of the surrounding forest to threaten their survival and ultimate escape. Come sunset, the town's sheriff, Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau), orders everyone inside to stay safe from "creatures" who roam the streets. At first, they don't look so scary. They cosplay as everyday people who look like they're stuck in the 1950s, including repeat offenders like a waitress, cowboy and librarian. Their human appearance allows them to deceive and trick the residents into letting them inside, and, once they're close enough, the monsters don't just kill them, they will torture them for their own deranged pleasure. With windows bolted shut to stop the temptation to let them close, it gives audiences the same heart palpitations as Birdbox while also screwing with your head (and imagination) in the same way Lost did throughout the early 2000s. In fact, if FROM sounds like Lost to you, it might be because it's from the same producers behind that game-changing series: Jack Bender and Jeff Pinkner. While the same notion of being trapped exists (this time in a Middle America town versus an island) — and they've retapped Perrineau for another leading role (he played Michael Dawson in Lost) — the show is vastly different while delivering on a feeling we've been craving since that plane crash all those years ago. The twists, turns, revelations and puzzle-piece context have viewers mind-mapping and brainstorming for the answers, and there's serious character investment with both existing residents and the new ones welcomed along the way. Oh, and FROM promises better reveals and answers than the conclusion of Lost, and with everything we've learned so far about the town and its residents, it's definitely looking like that expectation will be lived up to. The first three seasons of FROM are available only on Stan, each with ten episodes to send your living room spiralling into wild curiosity. Get into it quick and you'll be all caught up for the highly anticipated Season 4 in no time, premiering only on Stan this Monday, April 20. Episodes drop weekly, so you can become part of the fun (and mad theorising) in real time. So, if you've been craving a mystery box drama, then FROM might just be the mind-screw you've been looking for. Just be warned: you might not be trapped in a town with monsters keeping you up at night, but the mysteries of this show sure might. The brand new season of 'FROM' premieres April 20, only on Stan. Images: Stan
North King Street's run of heavy-hitting openings isn't slowing down, and the latest arrival comes with some serious cred behind it. Piqu is a new Southeast Asian diner from chefs Jihwan Choi (ex-Momofuku Seiobo, Callao) and Nicola D'Angela (ex-Osteria di Russo & Russo, Callao). The pair met on the tools locally, bonding over a shared obsession with Southeast Asian food, particularly Thai, and Piqu is the spicy-sweet result. The pair have curated a menu that leans into bold, punchy flavours, grounded in technique but not afraid to veer off-script. The name sets the tone. Derived from 'piquant', Piqu is all about sharp, spicy, tangy food that grabs your attention as they land on your table. In the kitchen, things are kept hands-on. Mortar and pestle work is central, with herbs like galangal, coriander root, chilli and garlic pounded fresh to build the foundations of each dish. Smaller dishes include a raw tuna that riffs on Thai laab, mixed with beetroot and orange nam jim (that spicy, sweet, sour dipping sauce that makes Thai dishes sing), then wrapped up in lettuce cups. From there, the menu moves into bigger, richer territory. A riverine rump cap is served over a deeply spiced massaman curry with kipfler potatoes, deliberately less sweet than the versions you'll find around town, and dialled up with birdseye chilli heat. Then there's the fried spatchcock, coated in red curry and nodding to Choi's time at Momofuku Seiobo, delivering crunch and depth in equal measure. Drinks follow the same brief. Cocktails pull from Southeast Asian flavours with a Thai-inspired Peanut Colada alongside sharper, citrus-driven options to pair with bar snacks, while the wine list has been handled by Alice Massaria (Wine Concept), whose CV includes players like The Gidley and Bistecca. The space itself mirrors the approach. It's intimate, unfussy and easy to walk past if you're not paying attention, a contrast to the food coming out of the kitchen. Inside, subtle details reference the menu, from sketches of chillies and limes to a slightly cheeky, hand-painted Last Supper-style artwork featuring the chefs (and a few unexpected Pulp Fiction cameos, why not?). It might be one of the more understated openings on the strip, but make no mistake: Piqu is another all-star addition to North King Street's ever-growing lineup, and one that's unlikely to stay under the radar for long. Imagery: Trent van der Jagt
If you've ever had a coffee at Cuckoo Callay, a Middle Eastern brunch at Nour or a charcoal chicken feast at Henrietta, you'll find Lilymu familiar. There's pink neon on the walls, hibiscus in the cocktails and friendly staff on the floor. But, it's also markedly different to any of Ibby Moubadder and Jorge Farah's other restaurants. To start: it's not on Crown Street. In fact, it's on the other side of the city, in Parramatta Square. And it's not Middle Eastern. This time, the duo is, with the help of ex-Mr Wong chef Brendan Fong, serving up contemporary takes on Chinese and Southeast Asian dishes. As you'd expect from Fong, the dumpling are great. So good, we suggest ordering a round of the tom yum prawn dumplings swimming in bright refreshing soy, lime and chilli dressing as soon as you sit down. While you're ordering entrees, the crispy fried quail. This crispy golden bite-sied bird is bursting with enough flavour to put your favourite fried chicken joint to shame. [caption id="attachment_792832" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black garlic mie goreng[/caption] Larger dishes continue with pipis in XO sauce (market price), beef cheek massaman with the requisite kipfler potatoes and roasted duck with Laos sausage. But the dish you've likely heard the most about (and seen pop-up regularly on the 'gram) is the mie goreng. Coming loaded with black garlic and bean sprouts, and topped with an egg yolk, it's rich and indulgent. It'll also leave you almost too full for dessert — almost. You can round out your meal with mascarpone parfait, coconut sorbet or one of the liquid desserts, including a Lilymu espresso martini and an affogato martini with vanilla ice cream. Those who prefer their cocktails slightly more savoury — and earlier on in the meal — will find solace in the spiced margarita or the sour plum negroni, made with Four Pillars' always-popular Bloody Shiraz Gin. [caption id="attachment_787138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Images: Nikki To Updated Friday, March 31, 2023. Appears in: The Best Restaurants in Sydney The Best Degustations Under $100 in Sydney
Push open the door at Bart Jr and the first thing you'll notice is the welcoming hum of banter. It only takes a quick glance around the room to see that this is a place that lends itself to a long session of good conversations over shared meals, a couple of glasses of wine, or a cocktail or two. Bart Jr — the second Redfern venue from the Scout's Honour crew — has kept it simple when it comes to the wine list. There's one of everything, all served by the glass, and, for the most part, they're all locally grown and often biodynamic. If you're looking for a red or white to bookend a long day, the Vinteloper Watervale Riesling from the Clare Valley ($11) and the Lethbridge Ménage a Noir Pinot Noir from Geelong ($12) are excellent wines to start with. There's also a number of local craft breweries on rotation on tap and in the fridge. You may be sat right alongside other diners or even perched next to them on a communal table, but this isn't a boisterous all-in drinking session — while being inclusive, everyone is engrossed in their own worlds. In this way, Bart Jr epitomises the friendly local, right down to the Redfern-focused photography series by a local artist. This friendliness of sorts even extends to the bar's namesake, which refers to a local and notoriously loose cat named Bart who roams the neighbourhood leaving a trail of lovers behind him. Given that he's inspired genuinely friendly service and food that's made with affection, Bart, we support your lifestyle — and we recommend you down a Dirty Aperol in his honour. Like most of the cocktails on their list, this one takes a classic and adds a Bart Jr twist — in this case, the addition of olive brine brings together the spritz and the martini, giving a new kick to the summer staple. As we've said, the food here is designed to be shared. Adding some glamour to the light and casual vibe, you'll be using a gold knife and fork to tuck into a plate of sheeps' milk haloumi generously topped with burnt honey, rosemary, currants and hazelnuts ($18). And while this may seem decadent, Bart Jr's menu strikes the balance between being rich and flavourful, but not overpowering. Take the gorgonzola dolce on toasted sourdough ($18) — topped with an abundance of greens, radishes, caramelised onion and fennel, this dish has strong creamy flavours while still keeping it fresh. A must-order. We recommend chasing your hit of dairy with the beef carpaccio with anchovy cream, pickled onion, fried capers, chives and pine nuts ($22) and the charred brassica in miso and egg yolk ($16), which, rather than just being a veggie side, is a dish unto itself. It's this next-level bar food, casual seating and dedication to good drinks, that makes Bart Jr a no-brainer for catch-ups with mates. Images: Katje Ford.
Surry Hills might not be the first place you expect to find an independent smokehouse, but By Kai is exactly that. Originally a stall at the Green Square Markets, this tiny hole-in-the-wall eatery located across the road from the Cricketers Arms Hotel is built around its in-house smoker, with every step taken to produce the highest quality smoked trout. The fish is sourced from the Snowy Mountains and delivered to By Kai in less than 24 hours. From there they're brined, filled with a sprig of rosemary and placed in the smoker where the magic happens, collecting flavour from the hickory pecan wood. Even the wood is locally-sourced and cut with a drop saw instead of a chainsaw in order to avoid contamination. The result is perfectly tender and smokey fish that's used for the restaurant's signature dish — a vibrant Thai noodle salad using herbs from the garden out the front, topped with the diligently prepared trout ($24.50). The salad is the biggest hit on the menu, which can be paired with your daily coffee or a bottle of sparkling yuzu soda ($5). Plus, By Kai is BYO ($5 corkage), so you can nab a spot out in the al fresco dining area and enjoy a spot of smoked trout with your favourite bottle of white wine. Other highlights of the menu include trout croquettes paired with a simple green apple salad and a smoked lemon mayo ($20.50) and the smoked beef toasty which presses swiss cheese, house pickles, tomato chutney and, of course, smoked beef between slices of sourdough ($19.50). There are also take-home provisions sitting up on the counter. As you're settling up, add a smoked lemon to your order which makes the perfect addition to a G&T or salad. Or, take home some prawn oil to spice up your midweek pasta recipe. You may catch By Kai smoked trout popping up at other places around Sydney, as well. The artisan smokehouse already supplies its goods to neighbouring wine bar Lokal, as well as Bang Tang in Potts Point and Bronte Road Bistro. [caption id="attachment_894655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarrad Shaw[/caption] Top image: Jarrad Shaw
One part glam, one part retro and one part mixologist's fantasy, The Roosevelt is an irresistible mix that has long made it one of the eastern suburb's most in-demand cocktail destinations. From the acclaimed team behind Eau de Vie, this buzzy Macleay Street cocktail bar is at once classic and an homage to cocktail culture from the 30s and 40s, and at the same time thoroughly modern with a cocktail menu as cutting edge as they come. Glass cabinets filled with antique cocktail-making accoutrement line the room, swing is the soundtrack and the cocktail menu files its drinks into sections, so you can peruse a range of 'Refreshing', 'Fruity', 'Boozy' or 'After Dinner'. This first category includes the 'Re-Fashioned #4.2' made with Altos Reposado, jalapeño-infused mezcal, Italicus, late harvest wine, cucumber verdita and a white chocolate ice sphere, while the second, third and fourth are home to the Calamity Jane, Moon River and Roosevelt Blazer, respectively. Not content to simply cook up some of Sydney's finest and most imaginative cocktails, The Roosevelt's kitchen also turns out food well worth a look-in. Flavours of all intensity get a starring role here, with bar snacks of smokey chorizo and parmesan croquettes alongside prawn toast with signature Roosevelt sauce and Granny Smith apples. For a bigger bite, tuck in to steak diane, half a kilogram of mussels or potato dumplings. Save room for dessert, too. Specifically, the whisky-caramelised apple tart. The Roosevelt is a glam throwback bar experience that is just as good for the start of your evening as it is for the final nightcap.
Now's the time to rug up at home, so it's a good thing Hommey is just about to launch a winter sale. Known for its cosy organic cotton products — think bedding, robes, pyjamas and more —this range that looks as good as it feels might just have you staying in all season long. Featuring 30 percent off bundles and 20 percent off everything else, you can get in early to this Hommey sale on Thursday, May 14, if you're signed up to the brand's mailing list. If not, the sale goes live to the public, both online and in-store, on Monday, May 18. Keen to stock up? The sale includes Hommey's viral robes, crafted from 100 percent organic cotton and offering a soft but substantial touch. Available in a unisex fit with an adjustable waist tie, you can score one for $103, down from $129. This sale is also stellar for giving your bedding a seasonal sprucing. Hommey's four-piece bedding bundles are up for grabs from $256, originally priced at $366. And for extra comfort under the sheets, new-release pyjamas are priced at $158 for the set, down from the usual $198.
Australia's drinks shelf has rarely looked more interesting. The country's independent distillers, brewers and small-batch beverage makers are leaning into native botanicals, regional terroir and properly considered takes on the ready-to-drink format — and the run of releases coming out of Roma, Broome, Darwin, Beechworth, the Bellarine and the Bass Strait make a strong case for skipping the imported aisle altogether. This edit rounds up fourteen recent standouts from producers across the country, spanning native-driven gins, locally led rum and whisky, agave from the Bellarine Peninsula, a barrel-aged Brisbane Oude Bruin and a smarter wave of cans built for autumn afternoons, long lunches and everything in between. Planning where to drink rather than what to pour? Explore our guide to the best new venues to visit in Melbourne and Sydney right now. Paloma Cans, Papa Salt Co-founded by Margot Robbie and built around native botanicals like wattleseed, hibiscus and a hint of salt, Papa Salt's new Palomas pair the gin with Capi grapefruit soda. Dry, bitter and properly Mediterranean — a 5 percent ABV can that lifts well above the usual RTD shelf. Shop now. Mango Vodka Iced Tea, Subtle Tea Brewed in Victoria using real loose-leaf tea, real fruit and locally distilled vodka, Subtle Tea's Mango pour leans on real mango nectar and a light sparkle for balance. Juicy without being sweet, smooth without being heavy — and the most fruit-forward in the small-batch range. Shop now. Half & Half Raspberry, Doozy Co-created with Sydney Swans players Will and Harry Hayward, Ollie Florent and Isaac Heeney, Doozy's Half & Half is exactly that — half vodka iced tea, half lemonade. The raspberry version delivers nostalgic raspberry-lemonade lift at a sessionable 4.5 percent ABV. Shop now. Vodka Pash Pine Crush, Matso's Born from Australia's most remote brewery in Broome, Matso's Pash Pine Crush is a tropical riff on their original Vodka Lemon Lime — premium vodka shaken through real passionfruit and pineapple at 4.5 percent. Sweet, bold and built for a humid afternoon, gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Shop now. Creamy Raspberry Vodka Cans, Billson's Beechworth's Billson's has been making cordials, brews and tonics since 1865, and Creamy Raspberry is the most unapologetically retro of their vodka range. Think raspberry cream soda — milk-bar version — at a low-key 3.5 percent ABV. Shop now. Vodka + Electrolytes, Neu Australian-made and independently owned, Neu blends premium vodka with electrolytes and natural ingredients in a no-bubbles 330ml can. At 99 calories with low sugar, it's pitched at the crowd that runs at sunrise and parties at sunset — and lands properly different in a samey RTD category. Shop now. Amber Plum Cola, Felons Brewing Co Brisbane brewery Felons is behind some of Queensland's most experimental barrel work, and Amber Plum Cola is their take on the Belgian Oude Bruin style. Aged 22 months across ex-red wine, ex-Starward whiskey and ex-lager American oak, with stewed plum, raisin and vanilla over a clean, lip-puckering tartness. Shop now. Pure Mid-Strength Vodka, Enough Built on a specific premise — full-flavoured spirits at half the alcohol content — Noosa-based Enough makes its Pure Mid-Strength Vodka entirely from Australian wheat. Clean on the nose with a soft white-sugar sweetness, it's a useful bottle for moderating without dropping to alcohol-free. Shop now. Vodka, Speargrass Distillery Distilled in a copper column and filtered through what the maker calls a magnetic mineral vortex, Speargrass is Darwin's craft vodka outfit, and the bottle tastes like its Top End provenance — clean, slightly sweet on the finish, with a subtle citrus lift. Picked up gold at the 2025 Tasting Australia Spirit Awards. Shop now. Signature Agave Spirit, Bellarine Spirits South Geelong distillery Bellarine Spirits was founded by former professional tennis player Glenn McColl, and their Signature Agave Spirit took home gold and the title of World's Best Tequila/Agave Liqueur at the 2025 World Distillery Awards. A reason to rethink which part of the world makes the most interesting agave. Shop now. Native Dry Gin, The Outback Distilling Co Launched out of Roma — 480 kilometres west of Brisbane — Outback Distilling Co builds its Native Dry Gin around prickly pear, roasted wattleseed, native lemongrass, desert lime and lilly pilly. Semi-sweet through the mid-palate with a nutty, chocolate-edged finish. Shop now. Gidley Pinot Noir Gin, King Island Distillery From the Bass Strait outfit behind some of Tasmania's most considered gin work, Gidley Pinot Noir Gin steeps the classic Gidley Dry Gin with 2025-vintage Pinot Noir grapes from Beautiful Isle Wines. Jewelled ruby in the glass, with raspberry, rosemary, blackcurrant and green cardamom — 97 points at the Halliday Spirit Awards. Shop now. Native Spiced Rum, Great Australian Rum Co Great Australian Rum Co's Native Spiced takes a properly local angle on the spiced rum category, infusing Australian rum with native botanicals for a 40 percent pour with depth. Vanilla and caramel on top, native spice tones underneath — easy to mix, considered enough to sip neat. Shop now. Tamarind Whisky, Seven Seasons Founded by Larrakia man and former AFL player Daniel Motlop, Seven Seasons works with native botanicals wild-harvested or sustainably sourced from Indigenous communities. Their Tamarind Whisky has been matured for four years and built around tamarind picked by Aboriginal harvesters — tangy, sweet, and like nothing else on the whisky shelf. Shop now. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence our recommendations, but they may earn us a small commission. For more information, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground Newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Located in the heart of the bustling CBD, Machiavelli Ristorante dates back to 1988, and focuses on brining the finest and freshest ingredients to its menu, while choosing organic whenever possible. Head chef Laurent Cambon has been at the helm since 1994, drawing from his experience working at Paris classics such as L'Arpege and Au Trou Gascon to bring the finest dining experience to Sydney. The interior is a classic Italian eatery, complete with white-washed arches and tiled brick floor. The tables are adorned with classic white tablecloths and the simple wooden furniture helps to draw attention to the main star — the cuisine. Its not hard to picture Don Corleone enjoying a meal here, however with the excellent service and delightful clientele the night is destined to be memorable for only the right reasons. The Machiavelli Ristorante menu here is everything you could expect from a traditional Italian joint that's famed for hosting prime ministers and media moguls. The antipasti menu includes zucchini flowers with ricotta, a caprese salad with vine-ripened tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella and a serving of prosciutto served straight up. For a pasta dish, try the gnocchi gorgonzola or the pappardelle duck ragu in a rich madeira sauce and fresh thyme. They are absolute winners. Mains include the Milanese scaloppine with golden bread crumbs and lemon as well as the deliciously rich and creamy steak diane with butter garlic and Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to pair it all with a glass of red or two and finish off with an adffogato paired with Amaretto or Frangelico. Appears in: The Best Italian Bars in Sydney for 2023
Close your eyes and imagine French cooking. For many of us, our minds will wander to tartare de boeuf, duck à l'orange, croissants, frog legs and snails. Unfortunately, this doesn't cover the full scope of French cuisine. Much of the modern French cuisine, served outside of France, is a hollow caricature of the true nature of its national gastronomy. At Frenchies, however, it's veered away from the dishes that haunt the tourist traps along the Champs-Élysées, and instead, offers a broader adventure into the tradition of French culinary arts. The beers brewed upstairs at Frenchies deserve a review unto themselves and, luckily, there's enough time here to wax lyrically about the raspberry saison. It delicately traipses the fine line between traditional and left of field. Dishes like steak frites served on a broad, white plate, drizzled in red wine jus, with a symphony of hand-cut fries on the side, convey that food must not only be cooked to perfection (it invariably is), but it's got to look great, too. The beef casserole is served with creamy potato gratin dauphinois and is an absolute must-order in the colder months. The wine list, too, is varied to please every palate, and features a host of Australian wines that show off characteristics inherent in French winemaking. Head chef and co-owner of Frenchies Thomas Cauquil trained at Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe. Together with Vincent de Soyres, business partner, fellow French expat and beer expat, he's helping to revitalise the French bistronomy scene in Sydney. But the team didn't stop there. After beer, they set their sights on buttery pastries and cafe fare with their new Frenchies Bakery & Pâtisserie just two doors down. Start your day at the bakery and then, when the sun goes down, hit up the brewery. The Frenchies team has your whole day covered. [caption id="attachment_705409" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frenchies Bistro and Brewery.[/caption] Appears in: The Best Sydney Brewery Bars for 2023
Potts Point is now home to a new micro-deli, and it's slinging loaded sandwiches, salad bowls and smallgoods to the Victoria Street masses. Small's Deli now occupies the hole-in-the-wall that previously housed French restaurant Mère Catherine (for 45 years, no less). New owners Emily Van Loon and Ben Shemesh have revamped the pint-size digs to create an Italian-style delicatessen with freshness as its focus. There's none of that pre-made nonsense here. Instead, all Small's sandwiches are built-to-order, and the offering will change regularly based on seasonality. Famed Bronte bakery Iggy's is the bread of choice, and diners can purchase loaves of the stuff every Tuesday–Saturday from 11am (until sold out). House specialties include the croque monsieur ($13) — double smoked ham and dijon mustard with a blend of comté, béchamel and gruyère cheeses, all served on toasted Iggy's sourdough — and the fan-favourite Florence & the Aubergine ($14): a panini piled with sopressa, eggplant, walnut paste, creamed pecorino and rocket. Other recent sando specials include Le Bateau ($14) with marinated tuna and hard-boiled egg; the Comrade Ovo ($13) featuring 'smooshed' eggs baguette with dill and cornichon remoulade; and the June Bug ($14) a panini stuffed with roast pumpkin, ricotta, and mint and hazelnut pesto. [caption id="attachment_778825" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] The tiny takeaway counter also displays charcuterie and cheeses, which are sliced to order and available from 11am. A daily rotation of salad bowls with house pickles, olives and labneh are up for grabs, too. And, if you're looking for a new morning go-to, head in from 7.30am to grab a pastry and a cuppa — made using Reuben Hills coffee beans. As it's a (very) small space, expect a minimalist fit-out by Son Architecture — think a terracotta tiled counter, concrete floors and stainless steel finishes, plus a chalkboard menu. One wall is lined with shelves and stocked with Small's own preserves, jams and pasta sauces, as well as other smallgoods from artisanal suppliers. While the focus may be on the takeaway counter, there's also one banquet table in the corner for dine-in — if you're lucky enough to nab it. Or, if you're in a rush, make a quick phone call before heading in, and your lunch will be ready and waiting for your arrival. Images: Leigh Griffiths
We know that ambience is what makes or breaks a good swim. After all, being immersed in water is one of the most sensory experiences a human can have – it can soothe, excite, intimidate, challenge and even transcend. A well-designed swimming pool is all part of this encounter as our bodies relinquish control to what we see, hear and feel. If you're thinking of your local 25-metre community pool — don't . There are some incredibly designed, amazingly functional and just downright beautiful pools out there, designed by architects with sustainability, accessibility and even Feng Shui in mind. Whether you're a serious swimmer, design enthusiast, or just a general lover of good aesthetics, these are ten of the best architecturally designed public swimming pools in the world. So pack your one-piece and your goggles, and add these blue beauties to your next overseas itinerary. [caption id="attachment_557381" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Slangen + Koenis Architecten[/caption] 'DE HEUVELRAND' VOORTHUIZEN SWIMMING POOL — VOORTHUIZEN, NETHERLANDS In Voorthuizen, a slopping roofline of blond timber provides the ideal vista for your backstroke. Built as a new facility in an area of development, the building has been designed by Slangen + Koenis Architecten as one large stone block with masses cut out of it — those masses complementing the function and orientation of the pool itself. This bright, neutral interior brings simplicity to slugging laps and, importantly, allows for the pool to be overseen by one employee. Built on a landscaped lawn and surrounded by a forest, you can be assured that swimmers' lungs breathe easy here. [caption id="attachment_557386" align="alignnone" width="1280"] MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects[/caption] REGENT PARK AQUATIC CENTRE — TORONTO, CANADA The revitalisation of Regent Park Aquatic Centre goes hand-in-hand with the transitional community in which it is located. Designed as a local meeting place for many of the area's socially marginalised and migrant communities, this 'Pavilion in the Park' brings an existing outdoor pool indoors for a variety of purposes. The facility's design — done by MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects — reflects this appropriately in a number of ways; the aquatics hall provides spaces for cultural groups interested in private swimming, whilst also being the first facility in Canada to employ the use of universal change rooms which no longer separate males and females. Instead, private change cubicles in common change rooms are used to address cultural and gender identity issues and to enhance safety. [caption id="attachment_557393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Zaha Hadid Architects[/caption] LONDON AQUATICS CENTRE — LONDON, ENGLAND Built by Zaha Hadid Architects for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the naked eye may see a mass of concrete and water at the London Aquatic Centre. Considering the space a bit more closely though, its architectural conception lives in the fluidity of water in motion and the riverside landscapes surrounding Olympic Park. It's an example of what great design can do on a large scale. Created to accommodate over 17,000 spectators, the billowing roof sweeps from the ground upwards to swathe three different pools, but also remains distinctly relevant to the needs of the public in its 'legacy' use after the Olympics. [caption id="attachment_557396" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Camillo Botticini Architect[/caption] CENTRO NATATORIO MOMPIANO — BRESCIA, ITALY Built to reflect its urban environment, this pool is unadorned and pretty much all you need to live out your days of serene swimming. Compact brown clinker bricks cut harsh lines across the horizon to make this facility seem more of an art gallery than anywhere where you'd work up a sweat — and that's perfectly alright with us. The outside also makes its way into the facility's heart, where the bricks continue their precision to render the pool spaces light and effortless. Designed by Camillo Botticini Architect, together with Francesco Craca, Arianna Foresti and Nicola Martinoli, it's great example of how pure functionality can shine without even coming close to boring or bland. [caption id="attachment_557401" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Urbane Kultur[/caption] PISCINE TOURNESOL — STRASBOURG, FRANCE The recent refurbishment (by French architects, Urbane Kultur) of this decades-old pool has brought Lingolsheim, just outside of Strasbourg, into the modern day. Airy and full of natural light, this modish design isn't too far off feeling like it's from the future; the spaceship-like complex is one of over 183 dome-shaped swimming pools built by the French government during the 1980s to encourage more citizens to swim. The dome has been constructed with a self-supporting frame so the inside of the tournesol — that's 'sunflower' in French — is column-free inside. Also inspired by the way sunflowers angle themselves towards the sun, sliding panels within the building allow the structure to be opened during summer. [caption id="attachment_508411" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Neeson Murcutt Architects[/caption] PRINCE ALFRED PARK POOL — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Perhaps the most accessible swimming pool on this list, a visit to Prince Alfred Park Pool should be mandatory for every visitor to (or resident of) Sydney. Designed by Neeson Murcutt Architects as part of the invigoration of Redfern's Prince Alfred Park in 2013, a swim here invites immediate invocation of a long, hot Australian summer at the pool. Built cleverly amongst a 'folded landscape' of native grasses to both protect the green space of this inner urban area and provide swimmers with some protection, the facility is, at once, confined and imposing. Yellow umbrellas and palm trees make this architectural space a little less serious than most, but no less impressive. [caption id="attachment_557409" align="alignnone" width="1280"] DRD Architecture[/caption] AQUATIC CENTRE LOUVIERS — LOUVIERS, FRANCE One for pastel lovers, the aquatic centre at Louviers in France is nothing short of a sorbet dream. Situated amongst landscaped waterways, as well as being nestled against a downtown railway and highway, DRD Architecture decided to draw inspiration from the linear structures of the environment when planning the identity of this project. And it shows. The insides of the facility transmit a fluidity of volume — in lines and in water — to its outdoor spaces, whilst the flux of visitors to centre contribute to this transience. Built in consideration of natural light, energy saving and minimal impact on the environment, Aquatic Centre Louviers is one swimming pool designed for the ages. [caption id="attachment_557415" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Herzog & de Meuron[/caption] NATURBAD RIEHEN — RIEHEN, SWITZERLAND Switzerland is known for its awe-inspiring landscapes, so it makes sense that nature would be front of mind for any architect working alongside the outdoors. Years of unrealised proposals for conventional swimming pools in the town of Riehen finally gave way to the natural approach: a biologically filtered bathing lake. Visitors swim in a naturally filtered lake that is kept clean using aqua plants and layers of soil, sand and gravel, delivering an experience that is free of chlorine and traditional machinery. Whilst the bath — designed by architects Herzog & de Meuron — contributes to the rise in popularity of natural swimming pools across Europe, it also pays homage to the traditional riverside baths of older generations. LEÇA SWIMMING POOLS — LEÇA DE PALMEIRA, PORTUGAL Built in 1966 by renowned Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza, the swimming pools at Leça are today internationally recognised. Graceful and beautiful in its aging, the facility is lowered into the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and provides visitors with a wonderful blur between the natural and manmade. Ocean sounds bounce off the natural stone walls as visitors walk through the sloping entry point, where they are then met with swimming pools built amongst the coastline's natural rock formations. In almost all instances the water level of the pool and ocean appear to be equal, connecting the swimmer with the expanse of their surrounds. [caption id="attachment_557433" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Mikou Studio[/caption] AQUAZENA — PARIS, FRANCE Designed by Mikou Studio for the City of Issy-les-Moulineaux southwest of Paris last year, this is definitely not your ordinary public swimming pool. Whilst smooth concrete walls, rounded windows and doorways with similar curved edges exude a late 1970s feeling, Feng Shui specialist Laurence Dujardin has also contributed to the calm, minimal aesthetic, resulting in a facility that uses the traditions of Chinese space-planning to create a naturally lit, uncluttered and fluid space. In particular, skylights allow daylight to filter through the swimming area, whilst a grassy rooftop solarium sits above. The external walls of the facility also feature undulating wooden slats to reflect the circular movements of water, movement and energy. Top image: AquaZena by Mikou Studio.
