The sci-fi romance with a test for The One – but then comes Another One

WATCH / Algorithm method

What happens when you have The One and then meet Another One?

For a generation conditioned to swipe left until we find Ms or Mr Right, we need to believe that technology has an important role to play in romantic compatibility. The more we know about ourselves and our prospective partners, the more likely we are to find The One. But what happens when you have The One and then meet Another One?

This is the question posed in Fingernails, a sci-fi romance film (with a lo-fi aesthetic) directed by Christos Nikou, formerly assistant director to his Greek countryman Yorgos Lanthimos. Like Lanthimos’ The Lobster, Fingernails (Apple TV+; airing now) is set in the near future, where a controversial new technology has been developed to accurately measure whether couples are genuinely in love. Luckily, Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White of The Bear fame), passed the test with flying colours and are now living happily ever after.

Three years into their relationship, Anna is feeling complacent while Ryan is content, happy in the knowledge that their love has been scientifically proven. Then Anna meets Amir (Riz Ahmed) and, suddenly, the science no longer seems to stack up. Thomas Mitchell

READ / English lesson

The Dictionary People tells the stories of the contributors behind the first Oxford English Dictionary, from murderers to naturists.

Lexicographer Sarah Ogilvie dives into the world of words in The Dictionary People ($35), introducing us to the thousands of contributors who helped create the Oxford English Dictionary, the first edition of which was completed in 1928. From porn collectors and murderers to novelists and naturists, these were the volunteer word-hunters who pored over texts to help find the history and uses of different words. Ogilvie, a former editor at the OED, was inspired by discovering the address book of its longest-serving editor, James Murray (who worked in a garden shed called “the scriptorium” from 1879-1915), which contained the volunteers’ details. A reminder that behind every great word is an equally great story. Melanie Kembrey

SHOP / Drip feed

Set and forget: the ingenious planter will aid your favourite green friend’s hydration.

Make sure your plants stay perfectly hydrated with the Cup O Flora self-watering planter ($43). Its ingenious design features two glass chambers: an inner cup for your potted plant and an outer vessel for water storage. Connecting them is a “wick” that delivers water to your plant when it’s thirsty. Thanks to its transparent chambers, you can effortlessly monitor the water level while enjoying the sight of your plant sipping away. Frances Mocnik

LISTEN / Who wore that?

Two friends are on a mission to document every outfit worn on Sex and the City.

Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni struck the motherlode when they started their @EveryOutfitonSATC account on Instagram in 2016, poring over what Carrie, Miranda et al wore on the 94 episodes and two film incarnations of Sex and the City. More than 750,000 SATC-philes followed the LA-based fashion writers’ ruminations on the merits (or not) of power suits, tulle petticoats and vertiginous Jimmy Choos. Inevitably, the concept morphed into a podcast, Every Outfit, which is a broader but equally witty take on the intersection of fashion and pop culture. A recent episode featured riffs on Burning Man fashion, Kim Kardashian’s campaign for Marc Jacobs and Kim (Sonic Youth) Gordon’s closet sale. Overthinky clothes-horses listen in their gazillions. Deborah Cooke

WEAR / Through a lens darkly

Australian clothing brand Viktoria & Woods’ first solo foray into eyewear.

Fashion loves a top-to-toe solution. After flirting with collaborations in the sunglasses space for some time, Viktoria & Woods creative director Margie Woods has finally etched out a range of her own. The four silhouettes ($400) are crafted from plant-based Italian acetate (as opposed to petroleum-derived plastic) and cover all the cool-girl bases, including a cat’s-eye and oversized retro-inspired rectangle. With the price of international labels forever creeping skyward, it’s nice to wrap your face in something luxurious that’s designed right here. Melissa Singer

PLAY / Original scores

Rising stars are on display at the National Emerging Art Prize.

Discover the next wave of Australian artists as 62 painters and 24 ceramicists (including Catherine Tate, creator of the work pictured above) vie for recognition at the third National Emerging Art Prize. With substantial cash rewards on the line – $20,000 for the best painter and $5000 for the top ceramicist – plus mentoring support and a solo exhibition at Michael Reid Northern Beaches in Sydney, this event provides a countrywide platform for unrepresented artists (online and at Michael Reid Art Bar until November 13). With all works available for purchase, you’ll need to be quick to acquire an affordable piece from possibly the art world’s next big sensation. Frances Mocnik

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