War might be (feared to be) breaking out in Europe, a pandemic might still be raging in Indonesia, and America might be as bonkers as ever. But (if you’re anything like us), it’s still easy to find yourself daydreaming about travel.

On that note, these are all the countries you need to get a COVID booster shot to (easily) go to, as per the latest information we could find, as of the time of writing, on Tuesday the 22nd of February, 2022. Because – if you’re going to flit around the globe – you may as well do it as ‘no fuss’ as possible.

This list, we should note, comprises the countries where having a booster shot will make your life significantly easier when travelling there (but that’s not to say you outright can’t go to them without getting your booster. You just have to jump through way more hoops).

Austria

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Austria requires you to have taken your COVID-19 booster shot if 270 days have passed since your last vaccine. Getting your booster also makes you exempt from a pre-arrival PCR test (which non boosted travellers must do before landing in Austria). Travellers who have not received a booster shot must show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours.

Another way of gaining entry to Austria is by showing proof you have previously caught COVID-19 and recovered (you’ll still need to show a pre arrival PCR test if you fall into this camp though, if you haven’t been fully vaccinated). If you’ve been fully vaccinated and have recovered from COVID-19 (and have proof) then you are exempt from a pre-arrival PCR test. Likewise, children under 12 are exempt from showing proof of vaccination or a negative pre arrivalPCR test if they are travelling with a fully vaccinated or recovered adult.

Croatia

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To visit Croatia, getting your booster shot will make your life much easier if your last vaccination was more than 270 days ago. The rule is that you either need to have had your second vaccine in the last 270 days, have had your booster, or, if you are unvaccinated, provide proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival (or a negative rapid antigen taken within 48 hours of arrival).

According to Smart Traveller, to prove you have been vaccinated you need to show a vaccination certificate, such as the Australian International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate or the EU Digital COVID Certificate. Alternatively, you need proof you have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 9 months. If you have a test in Croatia you should remain in self-isolation until you receive a negative result. 

France

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Since the 12th of February 2022, fully vaccinated individuals have been able to enter France without proof of pre-entry testing, even if they arrive from non-EU countries.

The statement of the French Ministry of Interior said, “for travellers vaccinated within the meaning of European regulations, no more tests will be required on departure. Proof of a complete vaccination schedule becomes sufficient to arrive in France, regardless of the country of origin, as was the case before the distribution of the Omicron variant.”

According to Forbes, “unvaccinated travelers are allowed from green list countries (currently the EU, Schengen and EU safe-list countries) with a pre-departure test, whilst unvaccinated travelers from the orange list (everywhere else) must provide an essential reason for travel and would be subject to random testing upon arrival.”

The three ways to prove you are eligible for entry are: a vaccine certificate showing full vaccination, a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 (from 11 days to 6 months prior to your entry date) or a certificate of medical reasons for not being vaccinated.

Children under 12 do not need to present a Covid certificate or a vaccination pass to enter France.

Travel + Leisure reported on February the 7th that all travellers 18 and older who have been vaccinated for more than 9 months will need a booster shot to enter France.

Greece

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According to Smarttraveller: “To enter Greece, you’ll need either a negative PCR test conducted at least 72 hours before travelling or a negative rapid antigen test taken 24 hours before travelling.”

Smarttraveller adds: “Greece has COVID-19 restrictions in place that differ for vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers. You may have difficulty using a non-EU issued vaccination certificate to gain entry to venues (see ‘Travel’). Masks and social distancing are mandatory in all indoor spaces (such as shops and airports) as well as for all outdoor areas.”

Iceland

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Iceland is letting in vaccinated travellers without restrictions, but it’s mandatory for them to be boosted if it has been more than 270 days since the final shot of their initial vaccination series. If you’re going to Iceland you need to show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of your departure. If you have got COVID-19 and recovered within the past 180 days you are exempt from the pre-arrival test.

Israel

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Israel’s definition for “fully vaccinated” now implies getting a booster shot. You are only allowed in as a tourist if you meet this definition. The exception to this is if you were only recently fully vaccinated (within the 180 days prior to your travel to Israel) and so don’t need a booster shot yet, or those who have a medical exemption for not receiving the vaccine.

The Netherlands

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The Netherlands allows a little more leeway than Israel on boosters. But you still need to get one. From February the 1st, the Netherlands has placed a 270-day expiry date on second vaccinations. The upshot? Travellers to The Netherlands must have received their second dose within the last nine months or have had a booster shot.

Singapore

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From February the 14th, if you’re 18 or older, Singapore will only accept you if you have had your final Covid-19 vaccine in the last 270 days.

From March the 14th, this is predicted to apply to travellers aged 12 years and older. The way around it? Get your booster and you will continue to be deemed fully vaccinated beyond this stretch of time.

Spain

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From the 1st of February 2022, Spain will only accept travellers who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 within the last 270 days. “Those who received a second dose more than nine months ago must get a booster to enter, which must be administered more than 14 days before travelling,” news.com.au reports.

Switzerland

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“Like Spain, travellers hoping to visit Switzerland must do so within 270 days of receiving their second dose of the vaccine. Nine months after that, they must have a booster jab to visit,” (news.com.au).

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The post All The Countries You Need A Booster Shot To Visit appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Surf’s up, sun is shining: welcome to the West Coast.

The state of California boasts plenty of stylish men. With a climate that feels summer-all-year round, a Californian’s fashion repertoire is a little more parred-down compared to his East Coast friends in New York. Whether in Los Angeles, San Francisco or deep down south in San Diego, we’re here to dispel the myth that Californian’s only wear flip-flops (thongs), shorts and tanks (singlets).

Since we’re freshly arrived from inspecting the dapper gents in London, let’s take a look at the best looks coming out of hot and sunny California.

How To Dress Like A Californian

Californians are proud of their cities and love the fact they can dress both fun and light. They are also very patriotic to their American heritage, reworking the decades of the past like the Fifties, Seventies and Nineties into their current wardrobe.

What’s most refreshing is their promotion of colour and pattern – the latter is not your typical understated prints, but more large retro illustrations and floral graphics that catch your eye. The free-spirited vibe doesn’t dismiss tailoring either; instead replacing heavy wools and checks for plainer, cream-hued linens for a suit that can be worn all year round.

Casual Denim Look

Sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between the real celebrities and the faux when walking down the streets of LA. With a real mixing of fashion and rock ‘n’ roll, everybody looks famous.

Men dress like leads from an indie band, decked out in washed denim jackets, shades of black and band-tees with logos that parade their taste in music. Heavy duty boots such as Dr Martens dominate the streets, while Nineties flannel shirts are whipped around the waist, channelling the likes of Kurt Cobain.

Californian Summer Suiting

Because the Cali weather calls for it, summer suiting is the go-to tailoring look; for both the LA-elite and the San Fran hipster. Lighter fabrics like linen and seersucker are common jacket threads, maintaining their suave fit and cut in a double-breasted style for a little bit of Europe, too.

The trendy even opt for a shorts-and-blazer number, with untucked granddad shirting, suede derbies and boutonniere for a bloom of colour. No-socks and dark shades cap-off the californian sartorial-ism.

Retro Shirts

With the Seventies making a trend resurgence in recent years, the natural retro vibes of the Californian gent has never been so welcome. The second-skin, slim fit of the vintage print shirt is a key look. Rather than shop for used clothing, Californians invest in contemporary labels, which choose to recreate this summery ease of nostalgia.

Pastel hues such as lemon and pink form the base colour, splashed with illustrations of people, sports, and iconic places. Another favourite is the fern print, iconic with the disco decade. But you won’t see it paired with denim flares; more retro aviators and a fedora.

White Tops & Bottoms

California, especially around Hollywood, is never short on familiar faces. And in a bid to standout from the black, leathered rockers, a breed of LA-ers are taking to pure and simple forms of all-white.

For daywear, a plain white tee, tucked into slim-fit white denim acts as a blank canvas for these men, letting their tattoos pop. Nights call for a little bit of accessorising with the white-dominated look, letting the the hi-top trainers feature in ultra-clean brightness.

Californian Streetwear

With weather that permits casual garb to be worn year-round and L.A.’s relaxed approach to living, a lot of men wear tongue-in-cheek outfits, indicative of sports vibes meeting the grime of the street. Puffy jackets meet drop-crutch pants and sneakers walk the streets. This Californian style is a mesh of American subcultures and styles that can feel out-there at times, but genuinely works for the LA natives.

Western Menswear

Western Americana rides supreme in California. Expect to see suede (sometimes fringed) across bomber jackets and coats; the muddy browns matched by the wooly felt that make up a full-brimmed hat. Denim is a key look here; crossing onto jeans in a rich, royal hue, as well as western-styled button-up shirts that shine stark white stars taken straight from the national flag.

Click through the slideshow for the best Californian brands for men.

The post Secrets To Dressing Like A Californian When You’re Not One appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Formula 1 fans are just itching for season 4 of the docuseries F1: Drive To Survive to drop on Netflix but they’ll be even more impatient after Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, teased how “insane” Season 4 is.

Season 4 will take viewers behind the scenes and show how the drivers and teams prepared for 2021’s season; arguably the best F1 season to date. Horner confirmed that the latest Drive To Survive season focuses on the incredibly tense World Champion title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen that made last year’s F1 season so exciting.

“This season is insane because of the rivalry between Lewis and Max.”

Hamilton and Verstappen, after an incredible 22 races, were tied on points and the last race – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – determined who would win World Champ; of course, the title ultimately went to Horner’s racer, Verstappen. Horner praised Verstappen and even claimed he was a better driver than Hamilton.

“[It was] a massive, massive achievement for Max and the team… he is the best driver in the world.”

Horner went on to praise Drive To Survive for increasing F1’s popularity as a sport.

“What it’s done for the sport is phenomenal.”

Season 4 of Drive to Survive will be available to watch on Netflix Australia from March 11th. And in the meantime, you can watch the trailer below.

Read Next

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The post Red Bull Formula 1 Boss Reveals What To Expect From ‘Drive To Survive’ S4 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Breitling is increasingly positioning itself as the revhead’s brand of choice. The iconoclastic independent Swiss watchmaker has always been closely associated with aviation and cool planes, but recent releases – especially new editions of their classic Top Time chronograph – have started to embrace other forms of internal combustion engined transport.

First, we’ve got the Top Time Classic Cars Capsule Collection (try saying that three times fast), which celebrates some of the most iconic American muscle cars ever made. We also saw Breitling team up with Deus Ex Machina, the legendary Australian motorbike custom shop, on a special Top Time limited edition, too.

Now, Breitling has joined forces with a legendary British motorbike brand, Triumph, on yet another retro-inspired, revhead-approved Top Time collection in order to celebrate Triumph’s 120-year anniversary… And as much as Aussie pride would have us defend the Top Time Deus, we reckon these new models might just be the prettiest Top Times yet.

Check out the new Breitling Top Time Triumph below.

What makes the Breitling Top Time Triumph (ref. A23311121C1X1) so pretty, then? Well, it’s its dial. Ice-blue, the dial features a distinctive brushed finish with a retro bow-tie motif that’s been nicknamed “the Zorro dial” by Top Time collectors. Ice- or light-blue dials are really in right now in the luxury watch world, and the Top Time Triumph is a particularly tasty example.

RELATED: The ‘Gelato’ Colour Trend Taking The Watch Industry By Storm

Other details enthusiasts will approve of are the old-school Breitling and Triumph logos that sit subtly at 12 and 6 o’clock and how the casebacks are etched with a detailed design sketch of Triumph’s parallel-twin engine. Under the hood, the thoroughly modern, COSC-certified chronometer Breitling Caliber 23 movement powers the capable chrono.

As part of this release, Triumph is launching 270 co-branded motorcycles – the Speed Twin Breitling Limited Edition, which features an ice-blue paint job reminiscent of the watch. Buyers of the fire-breathing café racer will have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive version of the Top Time Triumph, the Speed Twin Owners’ Limited Edition (ref. A233111A1C1X1), which features a sunray dial instead of a Zorro dial and an engraved caseback featuring the individual number of the bike.

Retailing for AU$7,590, the Breitling Top Time Triumph is just that – a triumph – and is available for pre-order at Breitling’s online boutique here.

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The post Breitling Continues Their ‘Revhead Revolution’ With New Motorbike-Inspired Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

London has become a cultural melting pot in the last ten years, breeding an eclectic variety of stylish men who walk the city’s streets. We’ve got the inside knowledge on how to dress like a Londoner.

With an anything goes attitude to style, a man can wear whatever in London and onlookers won’t take a second look. But such liberties doesn’t mean that dwellers of the English capital are haphazard toward appearances; it’s more they have perfected several specialty looks. From the dapper to the outlandish, men in this city know who and what they are; showing just how important confidence is when it comes to style.

Our last stop was New York, now jump on our digital private jet to find out how the Poms get it done.

Savile Row Suits

The Savile Row gent frequents London’s tailoring strip for a made-to-measure suit, as often as he gets his hair cut at his local barber. Knowing one suit is never enough, this London man founds his style on perfect-fit jackets – in single or double-breast – and isn’t shy on bringing in working traditional additions like a waistcoat, lapel pin and pocket square.

Breaking up the dreariness of typical navies and greys (and the British weather), this Londoner has a penchant for patterned ties and coloured socks – the latter tucked away in British leathered monk shoes and tassel loafers.

Urban Luxe Streetwear

In a throw back to Nineties hip-hop, the urban look has infiltrated London (particularly in the east and south) with Londoners mixing the once shapeless, homey look with relaxed, luxury pieces for a modernised take. Working an immense amount of black and grey, the muted hues are often contrasted with macro-prints (think camouflage or cartoons) and textural accessories such as badges, pins and personalised logos.

How to dress like a Londoner? Bottoms are casual – from jogger pants to basketball shorts – and sneakers, in retro silhouettes, are key to maintaining the street urban feel. Accessories are the big investments here, with leather totes and folio holders taking pride of place under the arm, matched by equally sophisticated headwear such as felt hats in natural colours.

Sophisticated Sloanie

A ‘sloanie’ is a term that refers to someone from Sloane Square – one of the richest parts of London. This type of gent is big on luxury brands; the best of King Road boutiques displayed on his trim body like a walking mannequin. But, the sophisticated sloanie is understated about his extravagance; opting for non-logo items that show his appreciation for superior English wool, cashmere and silk, and British cuts and silhouette.

When not at black tie event in Chelsea, the sloanie is in a constant state of ‘smart casual’, meaning a morning coffee will require some form of leather footwear: tailored trousers (denim or chinos) and structured jacket or coat. He has a penchant for coordinating, too – be it tonal colouring blocking with outerwear, knits and pants, or matching his tan belt with slip on leather loafers in light chestnut.

Eastside Black & Leather Jackets

The pioneers of punk, East London holds true to its anarchic roots with lads rocking all-black looks, with leather and metallic hardware details. Not to be stuck in the past, today’s East London guy takes a fresh approach to style, layering sharply cropped biker jackets with chunky zips and clips.

An important style tip on how to dress like a Londoner, crew-neck tees, roll neck sweaters and plaid flannels add a Nineties Nirvana feel, on always-leather shoes – switching between super-comfortable creepers in patent leather and derby boots or Dr Martens. A scoop beanie or reversed snap-back crowns the off-duty model’s casual style.

Heritage London Hipster

It wouldn’t be a style review without mention of the hipster. In London, the trend-obsessed lad adopts a British heritage demeanour. A quirky step-up for Savile Row, the heritage hipster is a fan of tailoring – adopting silhouette references from past decades. The Twenties, Forties and Seventies are prominent with wide-legged trousers in post-war wool, through to high-waisted flat fronts in bold pinstripes.

Click through the slideshow to see the best London men’s fashion brands – new and old.

The post Dressing Like A Londoner When You’re Not One appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Girard-Perregaux has long been one of the most innovative watchmakers on the planet. These days, they’re perhaps best known for their mechanical marvels, like the mind-blowing Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges they released last year, or their popular Laureato luxury sports watch. Traditional high-end Swiss watch stuff.

But one of the storied brand’s most iconic watches is one that’s quite untraditional: the ref. 9931, better known by its nickname, the Casquette. Born in 1976 in the midst of the quartz crisis, the avant-garde Casquette was a real departure from form for not just Girard-Perregaux but the entire Swiss watch industry.

An electronic piece with a unique and eye-catching side-mounted LED display, the Casquette brought the fight to the LED and LCD Hamiltons and Seikos that were taking over the watch industry at the time. Even today, its stands out as an exemplar of 70s design… But sadly, it was only produced for a few years, and nice examples are very rare today.

That’s why the watch world got so excited when they saw Girard-Perregaux’s offering at Only Watch last year – a forged carbon revival of the Casquette from the 70s. Surely they wouldn’t go to all the effort to dig the Casquette out of the archives for just one piece? Well, our instincts have just been proven right. Meet the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 (ref. 39800-32-001-32A): the coolest watch of the 70s, back and better than ever.

While the Casquette 2.0’s design stays true to the 70s original, it features a few key innovations. The original ref. 9931 was available in steel, gold-plated steel or a polymer called Makrolon, but the Casquette 2.0 is crafted from black ceramic and titanium. This gives the watch an exceptionally low mass of 107g, making it exceptionally ergonomic. The ceramic bracelet also features a rubber interior for even more comfort.

Like the original, the 2.0 tells the time on demand rather than being on constantly – LEDs sap a lot of power. Girard-Perregaux makes the claim that assuming the pushers are pressed on average 20 times per day, the battery should last for 2 years. Not bad.

The original Casquette was a time-only piece, but the 2.0’s new GP03980 movement additionally boasts a month and year display; a chronograph function; an additional time zone and a ‘secret date’ function, which allows the wearer to save a memorable date of the wearer’s choosing, which can be shown each day at a time specified by the wearer. Perfect if you forget your wedding anniversary or your mum’s birthday.

All in all, it’s a very cool update to a 70s icon that brings some great 21st century innovations to the table. Just like the original, it’s a refreshing change of pace and a real statement piece… Also like the original, it’s destined for a short production run. A limited edition of only 820 pieces, it retails for US$4,700 and is currently available for pre-ordering at Girard-Perregaux’s online boutique here.

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The post Girard-Perregaux Revive The 70’s Coolest Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Last week, we reported on how Felicity Ace – a 650-foot-long car carrier containing thousands of luxury vehicles including Porsches, Bentleys, Audis and other Volkswagen Group vehicles (including Lamborghinis, we can now confirm) – had mysteriously caught ablaze in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, near the Azores. Read that story here.

It’s a bit of a catastrophe. In a press release sent out on Monday, British insurance firm Russell Group has estimated that around US$438 million worth of goods were on the ship, including US$401 million of cars and goods vehicles. They’ve calculated that Volkswagen will sustain US$155 million of losses from the incident, too. Ouch.

What’s even worse is that the fire is still burning. While the Portuguese air force has been able to successfully evacuate the ship’s crew, the ship’s cargo, the Portuguese navy and firefighters haven’t been able to put out Felicity Ace’s flames.

While it’s still a mystery how the fire started, what isn’t a mystery is why it’s still burning. Turns out the ship was carrying a bunch of electric vehicles (EVs) – and they’re what’s complicating the whole situation.

João Mendes Cabeças, captain of the nearest port in the Azorean island of Faial, has told Reuters that lithium-ion batteries in the EVs on board the ship are “keeping the fire alive,” and specialist equipment is needed. to help put out these battery fires.

The dilemma facing firefighters is threefold. Firefighting teams have so far only been able to fight the fire from outside by cooling down Felicity Ace’s structure as it’s still too dangerous to go on board.

They can’t use water because adding weight to the ship could make it more unstable, and traditional water extinguishers do not stop lithium-ion batteries from burning, the report elaborates.

RELATED: Luxury Car Brands Are Recording Record Sales… Despite Australia’s Car Shortage

While EVs are widely considered safer than conventional internal combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles – they’re not filled with things like petrol and oil – the liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion (or ‘li-ion’) batteries are volatile and also potentially flammable. An external force such as a car crash or a manufacturing fault can also lead to chemical leakage.

Let’s be clear: it’s yet to be determined whether or not an EV or EVs caused the Felicity Ace fire, but batteries that have since caught alight are certainly keeping it going.

In a statement, the ship’s operator, MOL Ship Management (Singapore) has said the ship “remains stable” and that it’s not leaking oil, but that it is drifting further away from the Azores. Hardly a pretty picture.

Let’s just hope that they’re able to extinguish the flames and start to salvage the vessel… If not to recover the valuable cars that are stuck inside, but to prevent an environmental tragedy. All in all, it’s a bit of a shitshow. We’d rather it was Putin’s superyacht that was on fire…

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The post Porsche Cargo Ship Fire Still Blazing Because Of Electric Car ‘Quirk’ appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Batman, which was released earlier this year, follows Bruce Wayne in his second year of being the crime-fighting vigilante Batman.

Robert Pattinson, of Tenet, Water For Elephants, Remember Me, and the Twilight saga fame, stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman and the film focuses on Batman making new allies, including Catwoman and James Gordon, so he can take down The Riddler; a serial killer who live-streams his murders of Gotham City’s elite citizens.

If you loved The Batman as we did, and want to now watch all other Batman films – you’re in luck. We’ve ranked every live-action Batman film and listed where you’ll be able to watch them in Australia.

13. Suicide Squad

5.9 IMDb score, stars Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie & Viola Davis, Action, Adventure & Fantasy, released in 2016

This movie is ranked last because Batman is hardly in it and it isn’t that great of a film. Suicide Squad follows a super-secret government agency as it recruits dangerous, incarcerated supervillains to protect the world.

Suicide Squad leaves a lot to be desired, plus Batman, played by Ben Affleck, only appears in a few brief scenes.

Where To Watch: Netflix Australia, Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

12. Joker

8.4 IMDb score, stars Joaquin Phoenix & Robert De Niro, Crime, Drama & Thriller, released in 2019

Joker is an origin story for Batman’s greatest nemesis in the comics, The Joker. Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck and the film follows how Arthur, an aspiring stand-up comedian with mental health issues, becomes The Joker.

This film is a must-watch for die-hard Batman fans as it’s well-written and Phoenix’s performance is phenomenal but Joker ranks low on this list because Batman never technically appears; however, there is a brief scene featuring Bruce Wayne as a child.

Where To Watch: Netflix Australia.

11. Justice League

6.1 IMDb score, stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher & Henry Cavill, Action, Adventure & Fantasy, released in 2017

Bruce Wayne/Batman, played by Affleck, teams up with Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg to protect the Earth from a deadly threat. Essentially, this is the DC version of the Marvel film The Avengers but it just pales in comparison.

Affleck is not a good Batman in terms of performance but he’s not entirely to blame; the film’s thin plot didn’t really give him much to work with. The film’s somewhat enjoyable but you’ll probably check Insta a few times while ‘watching’ it.

Where To Watch: Stan, Binge and Foxtel Now.

10. Zack Snyder’s Justice League

8.1 IMDb score, stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher & Henry Cavill, Action, Adventure & Fantasy, released in 2021

Ever since Justice League was released there were rumours that a better version of the film existed called the ‘Snyder Cut’ (this is because Snyder stepped down from Justice League during production due to the death of his daughter and Joss Whedon took over; arguably why Justice League was tonally a mess). In 2021, Warner Bros. was pressured to release Snyder’s original cut of the film.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is better than the 2016 version but only slightly. It’s way too long and, again, Affleck is just not the best Batman.

Where To Watch: Binge and Foxtel Now.

9. Batman & Robin

3.8 IMDb score, stars George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chris O’Donnell, Uma Thurman & Alicia Silverstone, Action & Sci-Fi, released in 1997

Look, I understand ranking this hot mess of a film higher than the two Justice League films may annoy some Batman fans but I’m sorry this movie is so bad, it’s good. Camp and over-the-top, you’ll laugh so hard at Batman & Robin (despite it not being a comedy).

Honestly, if you have a few beers or glasses of wine and then watch Batman & Robin with your mates, I guarantee you’ll have a good time.

Where To Watch: Netflix Australia, Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

8. Batman Forever

5.4 IMDb score, stars Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman & Chris O’Donnell, Action & Adventure, released in 1995

Batman, played by Kilmer, teams up with a young circus acrobat, Robin to fight and protect Gotham City from Two-Face and The Riddler. Again, this film is camp, over-the-top, and almost comical but it’s still an enjoyable film!

Despite being slightly better than Batman & Robin, you’ll probably still need a few beers and your mates to have a good time while watching Batman Forever.

Where To Watch: Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

7. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

6.4 IMDb score, stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams & Jesse Eisenberg, Action, Adventure & Sci-Fi, released in 2016

Batman and Superman battle in this film as, thanks to a few misunderstandings, they don’t realise that they’re both good guys. That’s a super simplistic summary of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice but the plot really is that simple; including the ridiculous ‘Martha’ solution (if you’ve seen the film, you’ll know what I’m talking about).

Don’t get me wrong, the movie does have some great moments and this is the film where Affleck gives his best Batman performance (although it’s still not as good as Christian Bale’s or Michael Keaton’s).

Where To Watch: Netflix Australia, Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

6. Batman: The Movie

6.5 IMDb score, stars Adam West, Action, Adventure & Comedy, released in 1966

Batman: The Movie was the first-ever full-length Batman theatrical film. Based on the TV series that also starred West as Batman, the movie follows Batman and his faithful sidekick, Robin take on four supervillains to save the world.

Sure, Batman: The Movie is exaggerated and lighthearted but it’s intended to be that way; you’ll thoroughly enjoy Batman: The Movie for nostalgia reasons.

Where To Watch: Batman: The Movie is only available to rent or purchase but you can do so on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, the Microsoft Store and YouTube.

5. The Dark Knight Rises

8.4 IMDb score, stars Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Morgan Freeman & Michael Caine, directed by Christopher Nolan, Action, Crime & Drama, released in 2012

The last film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises is a fantastic film but just (in my opinion) not as good as the first two. The film sees Gotham City terrorised by Bane and Batman decides to come out of retirement to intervene.

As grounded and gritty as the first two in Nolan’s trilogy and with a well-written plot, daring action scenes and excellent performances from the entire cast (except for Cotillard’s infamous death scene; sorry for the spoiler) The Dark Knight Rises truly is a great Batman film.

Where To Watch: Paramount+.

4. Batman Begins

8.2 IMDb score, stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman & Morgan Freeman, directed by Christopher Nolan, Action, Crime, Drama, released in 2005

Batman Begins provides us with a dark, grounded origin story for Batman. Through Nolan’s skilful direction and well-written story, we see how and why Bruce Wayne became the beloved crime-fighting superhero. Bale as well as everyone else in the stellar cast provides excellent performances too.

Batman Begins breathed new life into the Batman character and not only is it a good film, but it also pays a great homage to the comics.

Where To Watch: Batman Begins is only available to rent or purchase but you can do so on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, the Microsoft Store, YouTube, and Fetch TV.

3. Batman

7.5 IMDb score, stars Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson & Kim Basinger, directed by Tim Burton, Action & Adventure, released in 1989

Keaton truly was an excellent Batman. The actor’s performance is compelling and is highly enhanced by Nicholson’s fantastic performance as The Joker. Burton paved the way for comic book films to be darker and grittier with Batman, and while at times the plot is a tad lacklustre, it’s still one of the best comic book film adaptations of all time.

However, Batman hasn’t aged as well; it’s very clearly a product of the 80s, hence it’s ranking here.

Where To Watch: Netflix Australia, Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

2. Batman Returns

7.0 IMDb score, stars Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer & Christopher Walken, directed by Tim Burton, Action, Crime & Fantasy, released in 1992

It’s rare for a sequel to be better than the original, however, the two best Batman films are both sequels. In Batman Returns, Keaton’s Batman must face businessman Max Shreck and the Penguin, who team up to tarnish Batman’s image and take over Gotham. Plus, Batman encounters the mysterious Catwoman.

DeVito and Pfeiffer really shine in Batman Returns thanks to their excellent performances and, just like in the first film, Keaton is a great Batman. Plus, Burton is in full control of his dark and haunting vision. Overall, Batman Returns is an outstanding Batman film and came extremely close to ranking number one…

Where To Watch: Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

1. The Dark Knight

9.0 IMDb score, stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman & Morgan Freeman, directed by Christopher Nolan, Action, Crime & Drama, released in 2008

Are you really surprised? Of course, The Dark Knight is the best Batman film!

Dark, gritty and grounded in reality, The Dark Knight has a wonderfully complex story, flawless cinematography and direction, awesome action scenes, and superb performances from the entire cast; especially from Ledger, whose iconic performance as The Joker will go down in history as the best film iteration of the villain.

Where To Watch: Stan, Binge, Paramount+ and Foxtel Now.

Only time will tell whether The Batman, in cinemas on March 3rd, will be as good as The Dark Knight.

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The post All Batman Films Ranked & Where To Watch Them appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Trying to figure out where to begin when it comes to crypto investing can be pretty daunting. New investors often find themselves overwhelmed by a sea of new and jargon-filled information about blockchains, decentralisation and whatever web3 is. This often leaves new crypto enthusiasts feeling more confused than when they started. 

That’s why we’re going to start at the very beginning – choosing a trustworthy exchange to buy, sell and hold your crypto assets. 

Today, we’re going to take a very honest look at everything that you need to know about the Aussie-owned crypto exchange: BTC Markets. 

What is BTC Markets?

BTC Markets is one of Australia’s longest-running and most well-established crypto exchanges. It was founded in 2013 by software engineer Martin Bajalan. Since opening its doors, BTC Markets has offered Australian crypto investors access to the primary digital assets in the crypto market, currently offering 18 unique trading pairs. On BTC Markets, Australian investors can purchase a selection of mostly large-cap crypto assets such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP) in Australian dollars. 

To get a better understanding of BTC Markets, let’s use a classic pros & cons list to weigh up the verdict.

Pros & Cons of BTC Markets

Pros

• Good Platform for Australian Users: One of the biggest setbacks for Australian users when navigating other exchanges like Binance or Crypto.com is that prices are natively denominated in US Dollars. While this might be fine for more advanced users, most everyday Aussie crypto investors just want to be able to transact easily in AUD. BTC Markets makes this possible with AUD only transactions and viewing. 
• Low Fees: One of the main advantages of BTC Markets is its low-fee structure that decreases with the amount of cryptocurrency purchased. The initial fee for AUD to cryptocurrency trading fees begins at 0.85% for transactions of up to $500 and tapers down to as low as 0.1% for transactions of $5 million AUD and above.
• Crypto Staking: BTC Markets allows for investors to access crypto staking products, meaning that you can earn additional money by locking up your crypto assets for a certain period of time. 

Cons 

• Very Small Selection of Crypto Assets: BTC Markets really doesn’t offer much in the way of a selection when it comes to crypto assets. Currently, BTC Markets only offers 18 different tokens, meaning that unless you’re happy with just purchasing Bitcoin or Ethereum, almost any other exchange will be able to offer you more in the way of variety.  
• Not Beginner Friendly: BTC Markets doesn’t have the most intuitive or modern user-experience, and is only really suitable for those with an understanding of market orders and charting. 
• AUD Only Transactions: While pure Australian Dollar deposits and transactions may be great for the fresh new Aussie investor, this feature can end up becoming a little limiting once investors develop more proficiency and become interested in trading. If you’re just looking to buy and sell crypto quickly and easily without any super fancy bells and whistles then this won’t be a problem for you.

BTC Markets Fees Explained

Fees are ultimately how crypto exchanges and platforms make their money, so it’s really important for investors to understand how much they’re paying every time they make a trade. Fee structuring can be pretty tricky, as platforms often like to disguise hidden costs in the form of strange fees.

Here are the main types of fees that users of BTC Markets will come across:

BTC Market Deposit / Withdrawal Fees

Unlike most other exchanges, BTC does not charge a deposit or a withdrawal fee. This means that you can transfer any sum of money into and out of the BTC Markets exchange, without incurring any cost. 

BTC Markets Transaction Fees

There are a couple of different transaction fees on BTC Markets, and they can get a bit tricky if you’re not up to speed with what the different terminology for buying and selling is.

BTC Markets uses a tiered-fee structure that varies between 0.10% and 0.85% depending on the volume traded. The trading fees are quite reasonable compared to other exchanges in Australia, especially when it comes to high-net-worth investors. 

However, for the everyday retail investor, the 0.85% fee is not competitive. Other cheaper Australian alternatives such as CoinSpot, Swyftx and Digital Surge all offer fees between 0.1% and 0.6% for most trades.

For Bitcoin trading pairs (which is when investors use Bitcoin to purchase other crypto assets) BTC Markets uses a maker and taker fee model for traders on the exchange. The trading fees to trade crypto with BTC Markets is between 0.05% and 0.2%, which is fairly standard for BTC trading pairs. 

Is BTC Markets Safe to Use?

No matter your experience level, the security and safety of the platform used to buy and sell digital assets is usually a top concern for crypto investors. BTC Markets is definitely a safe platform to use and takes serious measures to ensure that customer funds are kept safe. 

BTC Markets is registered with AUSTRAC, meaning that it complies to all forms of Australian legislation that prevent financial crimes from occuring on the platform. BTC Markets also takes extremely strong measures to protect its customers cryptocurrency holdings, by storing up to 98% of all digital assets in cold storage. This means that even if BTC Markets were to be hacked and all funds from the online exchange were stolen, the vast majority of assets would remain completely safe. 

All BTC Markets activity is further protected by 2FA (two-factor authentication) that requires investors to enter a code generated on their registered mobile device to sign in to the BTC Markets platform.

BTC Market Alternatives

If BTC Markets isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, there are plenty of alternatives. The alternatives listed here are ranked in order of performance and preference for using Australian Dollars.

• CoinSpot: Australia’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, offering 350+ tokens with competitive fees and high security. You can read our FULL REVIEW of CoinSpot here.
• Cointree: An Australian operated exchange and fully AUSTRAC-regulated. Offers similar features to CoinSpot but with a smaller selection of tokens and slightly higher fees.
• Digital Surge: Another Australian exchange with more than 200 cryptocurrencies that operates natively in AUD. Has a quick verification process but higher fees than CoinSpot.
• Swyftx: Also an Australian platform with more than 260 digital assets available. Swyftx offers slightly lower trading fees and also allows users to ‘stake’ their crypto assets to generate passive income.
• Binance: The largest crypto exchange in the world based on daily trading volume. Binance is oriented more strongly towards non-Australian users and is more suitable for advanced traders looking for niche pairs.
• Coinbase: Possibly the most well-known exchange in the world. Investors can trade a variety of different cryptocurrencies but fees are high and all values are denominated in USD.
• eToro: Offers commission-free crypto trades with the added bonus of social and copy trading.

Overall BTC Markets Conclusion:

BTC Markets is an extremely average platform that is more suited to niche investors looking for a very specific trading experience. BTC Markets is not the best choice for beginners or casual investors looking to gain exposure to digital assets, especially when considering the alternatives such as CoinSpot and Swyftx, which are far more user-friendly for Australian investors. 

Read Next:

• CoinSpot Review 2022: Everything Australian Investors Need to Know
• Best Crypto Wallet: 10 Best Cryptocurrency Wallets In Australia (2022)

The post BTC Markets Review Australia 2022 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.