Missy Higgins may have a home in Los Angeles now, but she'll always be an Australian. She still keeps a place in Broome, where she wrote half of her 2008 album, On A Clear Night.

Back in Australia recently to film Bran Nue Dae, Higgins also took part in a performance video she hopes will help spread the word about keeping industrialization out of Kimberley (the northern section of Australia in which Broome is located), which is being threatened by oil and gas companies that may move in.

"I felt a connection there to my country that I never felt anywhere else in Australia," Higgins said on the video. "It has taught me a real respect for the land and for my country that I never really appreciated before." … continue reading

Thank the goddess for our international readers. We have some hot tips from several this week on what they've been watching in their respective homelands, and it appears that here in America I'm missing out.

AfterEllen.com reader Alice let us know that Peta and Poppy on the BBC soap Out of the Blue recently got engaged. Now, they're sharing duties in preparation for the wedding, which is only two weeks away. (Too many brides in the kitchen? This could be disastrous or, like the best part of lesbian relationships, practical magic.)

Poppy (Katherine Hicks) and Peta (Daisy Betts) are adorable together, and their being together is a non-issue for everyone on the show, except for Poppy's grandma, Olive. It appears that only Poppy's parents were able to make the ceremony, but the women continued to plan for their big day, amid the rest of the drama that comes along with soap operas. They were wed on a recent episode. … continue reading

Movies become ads for tourism when they feature wonderful characters surrounded by vibrant, breathtaking scenery. Australia's Ministry for Tourism knows it's true, and they're banking on Nicole Kidman's forthcoming epic Australia to be the centerpiece of their global marketing campaign in the next year. I'm afflicted with wanderlust in the worst way, so I know Nicole Kidman's film will send me searching for plane tickets to Oz.

Show me a movie with a beautiful woman in a gorgeous place, and I'm trolling Expedia like it's my job.

Meryl Streep and I went to Greece via Mama Mia just last weekend. Yes, the movie was a hot mess, but Streep was as charming as ever. The two us ran along the beach and sang ABBA, with the waves crashing all around us. I have also been to east Africa with Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. Of course, if that danged Robert Redford hadn't shown up, we probably would have had a better time. … continue reading

Epic. Sweeping. Romantic. Such bold declarative descriptions only seem right when you name your film after an entire continent. And, after watching the trailer for the new Baz Luhrmann drama Australia, they seem only fitting. The director’s long-awaited follow-up to Moulin Rouge stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman in an epic, sweeping, romantic drama set in – where else – Australia at the brink of World War II.

With names like Luhrmann, Kidman and Jackman (hey, man, I detect a theme!) attached, the expectations are obviously high. As some of Australia’s highest profile international stars, the trio is no doubt anxious to paint a different picture of the land down under than just a place where women glow and men plunder. So, take a look.

(To see it in high-definition, click here.)

Now, I hate to say this given the talent involved, but the first thing I noticed was the wonderful art deco font used for the title cards. The old-fashioned newsreel feel is fantastic and sets the tone instantly. I had to resist the urge to scour font sites immediately to find and download the typeface. But enough about my unrequited graphic design crush. How about the movie? … continue reading

In a desperate attempt to save itself from eviction, Big Brother Australia has been leading up to this year's show as something new. This week revealed exactly what's up. But first, can I just take a minute to bemoan the passing of Gretel Killeen as host?

I miss ya, Gretel. As hosts of reality TV shows go, you were about the only one I could stomach. Sometimes your flirtation with the house boys made me queasy, but Kyle's ogling of a certain busty female housemate last night nearly brought up the chuck. But ratings drop, and so it's out with the too "mature" and in with the young and new.

Except. This year, Big Brother picked a handful of the normal firm-bodied 20-somethings, but also assembled a wacky lot including a UFO nut complete with Roswell tattoos and — hold on to your seats for this one — a grandmother. I know, crazy. … continue reading

There was a time in 1997–98 when you'd turn on the radio and just about the only tune you could hear was Natalie Imbruglia's chart-topping hit single "Torn." A lot can change in 10 years. For example, the fact that when I read her name online, my first thought was, "Huh. Where's she been?" Also, Imbruglia is all grown up now. I almost didn't recognize her at first glance. (And hey — do people even listen to the radio anymore? Isn't it all iTunes and iPods, anyway?)

It wasn't long, though, before I remembered why we liked her. And by "we," I mean me and all of my lesbian friends in college, most of whom also sported this very haircut. What? It's still cute.

I find it hard to believe, but apparently Imbruglia's amassed enough hits across the past decades to compile a 14-track greatest hits album. Entitled Glorious, it is due to be released later this month. I'm still not convinced she's been around long enough to really qualify for a best-of album, but fine. … continue reading

Tonight's premiere of The Real World: Sydney (10:00 p.m. on MTV) introduces us to Shauvon Torres. She's 24; she's a sex columnist; she's a student at Sacramento State; she's bisexual. She's probably going to keep things interesting.

And you've probably seen The Real World, so I'll spare you the summary. When it first hit the airwaves, I thought the show was the coolest thing ever, but I eventually came to see it as the most incontrovertible proof that growing up is the coolest thing ever. The so-called real world, as envisioned by the series, is often just a shallow, selfish display of drama and whining, with the requisite hot-tub kissing scene thrown in for good measure.

But, well, Shauvon seems kinda cool, as well as kinda hot. Apparently she just broke off an engagement to a man who asked her to choose between him and her career. Reminds me of the time my sister's boyfriend asked her to choose between him and softball. You can guess how that turned out. … continue reading