Some holidays arise from months of planning. Others happen simply because an airline has cheap flights on offer. Both are perfectly acceptable ways to lock in a getaway — and if you're keen for the latter, Jetstar is doing a big 48-hour sale with 400,000-plus fares to Bali, Phuket, Hawaii, Vietnam, Japan and Seoul, among other destinations. Actually, the Australian carrier is doing discounted flights across Australia as well as to international spots — but after the couple of years we've all had, with closed borders both locally and overseas, you're probably (and understandably) itching to venture to other countries. International fares start from $199 return — yes, both ways — because this is Jetstar's 'return for free' sale. Running from 12am AEST on Wednesday, May 4–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, May 5, or until sold out, it's as straightforward as it sounds. Whatever flights you opt for as part of the sale, you'll get the return fare for nothing. Overseas, one big caveat is worth keeping in mind: some destinations, such as Japan, haven't yet opened to international tourists. But if you'd like to book cheap flights to Tokyo or Osaka and back for later in the year and cross your fingers that the border situation changes, you can. Also on the list: fares to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown, to name a few, with 29 international routes covered. Locally, you've got a choice between 59 routes — all with return legs for free — starting from $69. Tickets in the sale are for trips from this coming spring onwards, with exact days varying in each region. There are a few other rules, as is always the case. You have to the same departure and arrival ports for the two fares — so you can go from Melbourne to Honolulu and back, for instance, but can't return via another place or to another city. And, the sale fares don't include checked baggage, so you'll need to travel super light or pay extra to take a suitcase. Jetstar's 'return for free' sale runs from 12am AEST on Wednesday, May 4–11.59pm AEST on Thursday, May 5 — or until sold out.
If a cruisy Byron Bay getaway is your dream kind of getaway, you'll soon have a new place to stay at your favourite vacation spot. After welcoming Hotel Marvell in 2023, the beachside New South Wales town will next see the boutique Basq House join its accommodation options, complete with 32 rooms, communal spaces that encourage guests to hang out and a focus on wellness. Set to open in autumn 2024, with an exact date yet to be revealed, Basq House is pitching itself as an oasis for relaxing, rather than a base for being seen among the always-popular tourist spot's social scene. Accordingly, as well as a place to slumber, the hotel will feature plenty of inclusions for making the most of your accommodation — by the pool, at the bar and on the roof. If you're keen for a splash, the pool will sit in the centre of the property, flanked by sun loungers, cabanas and ample greenery. Some hotel rooms will look out over the glistening water, with others getting a Marvel Street or Fletcher Lane view. Eager for an onsite beverage? The hotel's reception will double as a bar, while there'll also be a lounge room that takes its cues from speakeasies. Prefer to while away your holiday with a book in your hand? That's where the library with its floor-to-ceiling shelves, sofas and fireplace for the winter months will come in. Head up to the rooftop and yoga, meditation sessions and sunset drinks will await, plus stargazing stints. Personal training classes with a view will also grace the hotel's top level, giving guests prime motivation to enjoy a workout while they're vacationing. For de-stressing elsewhere, a wellness centre will reside over multiple levels, featuring massages and floatation tanks as well as ice plunges and infrared saunas. Among the design features and decor, the staircase leading to the rooms will boast a skylight. In the suites themselves, expect high ceilings, natural textures and calming colours. "Our remit was to deliver an authentic hotel with soul and one that stays true to its location. With Basq House, we will place a significant emphasis on strong placemaking; hotel interiors; sensory inputs such as light, sound and smell; out-of-guest-room experiences' and the delivery of pre-emptive service," said David Jones, Director of Jeremy and Jones, which is operating the hotel. Find Basq House at Fletcher Lane, Byron Bay, in autumn 2024 — head to the hotel's website for further details.
When Candace Bushnell first started penning a newspaper column about life, love and sex in New York City back in the early 90s, she couldn't have known what would follow. Those missives sparked a book, plus two prequels on the page. Then came a smash-hit TV series, two movies, a prequel television show and a small-screen sequel. And, there's no signs of all things Sex and the City-related slowing down anytime soon. In fact, follow-up And Just Like That... is guaranteed to hang around for at least one more season, with HBO renewing the show. The series first premiered in 2021, and is currently airing its second season — and now a third has been locked in. "We are delighted to share that since the launch of season two, And Just Like That… ranks as the #1 Max Original overall, and is the most-watched returning Max Original to date," said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content at Max, HBO's streaming service in the US. "As we approach the highly anticipated season finale on Thursday, we raise our cosmos to Michael Patrick King and his magnificent team of writers, producers, cast and crew, who continue to charm us, 25 years later, with dynamic friendships and engaging stories. We cannot wait for audiences to see where season three will take our favourite New Yorkers." "We are thrilled to spend more time in the Sex and the City universe telling new stories about the lives of these relatable and aspirational characters played by these amazing actors. And Just Like That… here comes season three," added King, the series' executive producer, who also worked as a writer, director and executive producer on the original show (and on the two terrible 2008 and 2010 Sex and the City movies). Sarah Jessica Parker (Hocus Pocus 2), Kristin Davis (Deadly Illusions) and Cynthia Nixon (The Gilded Age) star in And Just Like That..., but it isn't just called Sex and the City again for one key reason: Kim Cattrall is largely sitting it out. While she does make a brief cameo in season two, however, the program has been focusing on Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York Goldenblatt and Miranda Hobbes, not Samantha Jones, thanks to off-screen dramas. Other familiar faces abound, though, including John Corbett (To All the Boys: Always and Forever) reprising his role as Aidan Shaw in season two. Mario Cantone (Better Things), David Eigenberg (Chicago Fire) and Evan Handler (Power) have all also returned. Among the full cast: Sara Ramírez (Madam Secretary), Sarita Choudhury (Ramy), Nicole Ari Parker (Chicago PD), Karen Pittman (The Morning Show), Christopher Jackson (Space Oddity), Niall Cunningham (Poker Face), Cathy Ang (My Best Friend's Exorcism) and Alexa Swinton (Old). Cosmos at the ready — again. Exactly when your next excuse to sip vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice will arrive hasn't been revealed, but expect it on Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. And if you've spent any part of the past two-and-a-half decades dreaming about being a fabulously dressed Big Apple writer who seems to do very little work but can still afford a fantasy wardrobe — or if you've just filled it drinking a lot of pink-coloured cocktails — then you'll already be excited. Also, you'll know that when the first season of And Just Like That... arrived to step into Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte's lives and friendships in their 50s, when things are even more complicated than they were two decades ago, it did so 17 years after Sex and the City wrapped up its 1998–2004 HBO run. There's no sneak peek at And Just Like That... season three yet, but you can check out the season two trailer below: And Just Like That... streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. We'll update you with a season three release date when one is announced. Images: HBO.
Take the Fast and Furious franchise's ongoing success and longevity, the current rush to make game-to-movie and -TV show adaptations, and everyone's affection for Stranger Things star David Harbour. Then, throw in the real-life story of a British teen who turned his love of PlayStation racing game Gran Turismo into an IRL racing career. The end result: a movie also called Gran Turismo, which will speed into cinemas this August — taking a Tetris-style approach, too, to bringing a button-mashing favourite to the screen. "Do you really think you're going to take a kid who plays video games in their bedroom, [and] you're going to strap them to a 200-mile-an-hour rocket?" They're Harbour's words, sounding characteristically cranky and unsurprisingly incredulous, in his role as Jann Mardenborough's trainer. Indeed, much of Gran Turismo's just-dropped trailer features Harbour doing his best Hopper schtick while being none too happy about the concept behind GT Academy, which is how the real-life Mardenborough made the leap behind the wheel. For newcomers to the story, and to anything beyond knowing Gran Turismo as a racing game, GT Academy did turn gamers into racers from 2008–16. Players competed through phases, including in real Nissan cars, with each year's winners scoring fast-tracked training to get an international racing license, and usually a competition slot in an international endurance race. In 2011, Mardenborough was one such winner — the youngest, in fact. So, his path from racing virtually to actually hitting the track provides the framework for the Gran Turismo film to offer something more than just speeding cars. They're still a part of the flick, of course, because it wouldn't be a GT movie without them. Alongside Harbour, Gran Turismo features Beau Is Afraid, Voyagers and Midsommar's Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough, plus Djimon Hounsou (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) as his father and Orlando Bloom (Carnival Row) as the marketing executive behind GT Academy. And, although it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-her situation in the trailer, Geri Horner — aka Spice Girl Geri Halliwell — plays Mardenborough's mother. Behind the lens, director Neill Blomkamp adds the high-octane flick to his resume after District 9, Elysium and Chappie. And if you're thinking about past instances of racing video games becoming movies, Need for Speed might've come to mind. Here's hoping that focusing on Mardenborough's story steers Gran Turismo to a better result. Check out the trailer for Gran Turismo below: Gran Turismo releases in cinemas Down Under on August 10.
Ready for it? Whether you danced in the aisles at your local cinema or you haven't yet seen the concert film version of one of the biggest music tours currently traversing the globe, you'll be able to enjoy Taylor Swift: The 'Eras' Tour at home from Thursday, December 14. Swifties, you'll be able to celebrate the pop star and newly crowned TIME Person of the Year's blockbuster film to celebrate the singer-songwriter's birthday. That falls on Wednesday, December 13 in 2023; however, with the time difference, Taylor Swift: The 'Eras' Tour is hitting digital on the Thursday in Australia and New Zealand. If your wildest dreams have been about getting in on Taylor Swift's Eras tour since it was first announced, then the pop superstar comes bearing gorgeous and enchanted news, clearly — including while the movie is still in cinemas. Missed out on tickets to see Swift when she plays Melbourne and Sydney in early 2024? Consider this the next best thing. Look what the world made Swift do: turn her current massive tour into a movie that's also proven a smash, taking in almost $250 million at the worldwide box office since releasing in October, ranking it in the top 20 for takings so far this year. While fans have been able to experience a money-can't-buy view of the 'Shake It Off', 'We Are Never Getting Back Together' and 'Bad Blood' musician's gig — working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular — on the big screen, the extended version is coming to digital. Accordingly, donning your friendship bracelets at home means seeing three songs performed that aren't in the theatrical cut. The IRL Eras Tour kicked off in March in the US, then headed to Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. Next on the list: Japan, Singapore, France, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Canada, a return to the US and, of course, Australia, all in 2024. Check out the trailer for Taylor Swift: The 'Eras' Tour Concert Film below: Taylor Swift: The 'Eras' Tour is still in cinemas, and will be available to rent on digital from Thursday, December 14 in Australia and New Zealand. Read our review.
A sleepy small town. A body on a beach. A local detective trying to solve the case, plus an outsider dropping in to lend their expertise. Viewers have seen this scenario plenty of times before, complete with secrets swirling, a killer lurking among a close-knit community and ample friction between the new arrival and the town's inhabitants — but until now, we've never seen Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan's take on the situation. Anything that The Katering Show and Get Krack!n's duo make is an instant must-see — see: those two very shows — and Deadloch, their newest effort, is clearly no different. Announced in 2022 and set to hit Prime Video from Friday, June 2, this mystery-comedy series is created, written and executive produced by the comic duo, with McCartney and McLennan acting as showrunners as well. They're not listed among the cast, sadly, but The Kates are still back. Another Kate — Kate Box (Stateless) — stars as local senior sergeant Dulcie Collins. When a local man turns up dead on the beach, her life and Deadloch's titular seaside spot are thrown into chaos, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show illustrates. And no, it isn't by accident that the series subverts the usual dead-girl trope that's such an engrained part of these kinds of TV setups, even when they're at their best as in Twin Peaks. Enter Darwin-based senior investigator Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami, The Breaker Upperers), too, who isn't afraid to make a splash as she teams up with Dulcie to get to the bottom of the case. There's also junior constable Abby (Nina Oyama, Koala Man), who couldn't be more eager to join in, all while Deadloch is busy getting ready to launch its annual Winter Feastival — an arts, food, and culture festival. "We are both so thrilled to share the dark, strange little town of Deadloch with the world. We're particularly excited for everyone to meet Dulcie and Eddie, performed by the powerhouses Kate Box and Madeleine Sami, who are far better actors than we'll ever be," said The Kates. "The supporting cast is sublime, the crew are a delight, and the experience of making this story with Prime Video globally on the incredible land of lutruwita (Tasmania) is one we'll never forget." As well as Box, Sami and Oyama, Deadloch's cast spans a heap of recognisable faces, including comedian Tom Ballard, Alicia Gardiner (Wakefield), Susie Youssef (Rosehaven), Pamela Rabe (Wentworth), Kris McQuade (Irreverent), Duncan Fellows (The Letdown), Harvey Zielinski (Love Me) and Shaun Martindale (Sissy). Shot in and around Hobart, Deadloch's eight-episode run also sports a stacked roster of directors: Ben Chessell (The Great), Gracie Otto (Seriously Red) and Beck Cole (Black Comedy). Check out the trailer for Deadloch below: Deadloch streams via Prime Video from Friday, June 2, 2023.
What started with one of the best sci-fi films ever made, delivered two underwhelming sequels, also includes an excellent animated anthology and rightly claims that Keanu Reeves is the one? For the past two decades, we've all known the answer: The Matrix franchise. The science-fiction epic smartly recognises that it's Keanu's world and we're all just living in it — but what if that isn't the case in The Matrix Resurrections? Come Boxing Day Down Under, the series' long-awaited fourth live-action flick — and fifth film overall — will reach screens. Yes, Keanu is back, as is Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) as Trinity. But as the new movie's first trailer showed, and the latest sneak peek keeps teasing, things aren't the same for his on-screen alter-ego Neo. After working with sibling Lilly on the first three live-action films, filmmaker Lana Wachowski was never likely to bring back The Matrix without throwing in more than a few trippy twists, of course. "Maybe this isn't the story we think it is," the new trailer tells viewers — all while reminding us both verbally and visually about the deja vu glitch in the matrix theory. Things get trippy, and quickly. And as well as changes for Neo, it looks as if Trinity has a new role. From the clips so far, audiences can also expect Keanu's John Wick-era look; a version of Neo who can't remember anything about blue and red pills, bending spoons, bullet time and living in a simulated reality in a dystopian future where artificially intelligent machines harvest human bodies for power; an advice-spouting character (played by Mindhunter's Jonathan Groff) who just might be the new Agent Smith; some martial arts moves in a recognisable dojo; and a familiar figure in a new guise. Arriving 18 years after The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions hit cinemas in 2003, this follow-up obviously dives back down the rabbit hole as Neo once again grapples with the Matrix and everything it means for humanity — and also sees Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) return alongside Reeves and Moss. They're joined by Matrix newcomers Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin), Jessica Henwick (On the Rocks), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The White Tiger), Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Candyman). Forget Christmas — Boxing Day can't come soon enough. Check out the latest trailer for The Matrix Resurrections below: The Matrix Resurrections opens in cinemas Down Under on December 26, 2021.
David Attenborough may have turned 94 in 2020; however the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series in 2019 (Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet), appearing at Glastonbury and recently joining Instagram, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to your screen. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world — and, when it hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, it servers up quite the powerful viewing experience. Since the early 50s, Attenborough's stunningly shot documentaries have been awash with revelatory sights and detailed insights from across the planet, sharing the kind of wonders that eager audiences would be unlikely to see or discover themselves otherwise. Now, after becoming a constant, respected and beloved presence in the field, his passionate and vibrant work has earned its place in history several times over. But it might also become a record of a world, and of natural history, that's lost due to climate change. It's this possibility that's behind A Life On Our Planet — that, and the great broadcaster's efforts to motivate a response to combat both global warming and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity blighting the environment. On offer here is an urgent and far-ranging exploration of how our pale blue dot evolved to its current state, what might be in store if we continue down this path, and how and why things could and should change. Determined in his tone, Attenborough calls the documentary his witness statement several times within its frames, and it's as potent and devastating as intended. Bookended by scenes in Chernobyl that are initially designed to illustrate what can happen ecologically when bad planning and human error combine — a situation that, Attenborough posits, applies to climate change as well — A Life On Our Planet is both broad and intricate, and personal and political too. Cycling through the earth's life to-date to provide a snapshot of the planet's predicament, it delivers a comprehensive overview, a raft of telling facts and figures, and a plethora of reflections from its central figure. It also features the now-requisite array of eye-catching footage that Attenborough's hefty body of work has long become known for, served up here to not only revel in its glory and showcase his exceptional career, but to demonstrate what's fading away due to humanity's impact upon the globe. Accordingly, it's impossible not to be moved by the film. If viewers won't listen to Attenborough on this topic, and as he explains what he's seen and where he sees things heading, then they probably won't listen to anyone. In the documentary's latter third, A Life On Our Planet follows in the footsteps of Australian doco 2040, too, by pondering how the world might adapt for the better. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, A Life On Our Planet was originally slated to play in cinemas in April — but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was postponed. It's currently showing on the big screen Down Under now (except Victoria), with the film paired with an exclusive cinema-only conversation between Attenborough and Michael Palin, if you'd rather see its vivid and impassioned sights in a larger format. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64R2MYUt394 David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, at 5pm AEST / 6pm ADST. It's also currently screening in Australian and New Zealand cinemas.
Fresh off his US headline tour, Kilter has returned to Australia's sandy shores with a studio album in tow. Over the last few years, the artist has outgrown his position on the outskirts of Australia's electronic music scene to become an established EDM up-and-comer. With his new album, Through The Distortion, Kilter delivers seven previously unheard tracks alongside critically acclaimed singles 'They Don't Know Us', 'Count On Me' and 'I Hear You'. Its sound is typically versatile, showcasing Kilter's ability to blend elements of dancehall, garage, breakbeat, hip-hop, big beat, R'n'B, electro and chill. What's more, the album features collaborations with a selection of his favourite Australian musicians, including LANKS, Yaw Faso and Woodes. Along with his new album, Kilter has gifted fans with a massive antipodean tour taking him across Australia and New Zealand in September. And it just so happens that you can go in the running to win a double pass to either his Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane show. We're offering you the chance to win a heap of Kilter-related prizes, including double passes to his Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane shows, a meet and greet and a tonne of merch. TOUR DATES Brisbane — Friday, June 23rd, 2017 at The Triffid Melbourne — Friday, July 7th, 2017 at Prince Sydney — Saturday, July 8th, 2017 at Max Watts Whether you've been a Kilter fan from the beginning, or you've recently joined the bandwagon, enter your details below to go into the draw to win big. [competition]624378[/competition] Image: Maclay Heriot
It's fair to say that MasterChef Australia winner and media personality chef Adam Liaw is a national treasure. When he's not blessing us with insights on Twitter or presenting cooking shows on TV that make our tummies grumble, he's off collaborating with flavoursome chip brand, Red Rock Deli. And on Wednesday, May 15, Liaw will be hosting an intimate secret supper for 20 guests. The location remains a secret for now — as does the menu. All we know so far is that the three-course menu will be inspired by Red Rock Deli's newest flavour — Limited-Edition Thai Red Chilli and Creamy Coconut. [caption id="attachment_718821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] It's all very hush-hush — but we've done some prying. First up, Liaw did tell us that the menu is 'a journey in three parts'. The first dish will hero chilli, while the dessert will incorporate the creamy texture of coconut. For the main, you can expect both flavours to be featured. We also know that Liaw's knowledge of Asian cuisines is extraordinary — he was born in Malaysia to an English Singaporean mother and Hainanese Chinese father and is the Goodwill Ambassador for Japanese cuisine — and he loves bringing elements from these cuisines into his cooking. "The one thing I always come back to is not how different they are, but how much common ground there is. Every cuisine has its comfort foods, sweet treats, grilled meats and balanced tastes. Once you understand the context of the food, the ingredients can be combined and integrated to create something new," he told us. [caption id="attachment_659258" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chaco Bar, Leticia Almeida[/caption] So, in trying to crack the menu code, we thought we'd find out a little about the Asian restaurants that Liaw visits in Sydney (and the dishes he orders) for inspiration. He name-dropped a few of his recent favourites, which may give us an idea of what to expect. First up: wagyu carpaccio with sea urchin, parmesan and truffle — a bold flavour combo — from Darlinghurst's Chaco Bar. And, if you're feeling brave, Liaw recommends the 'char-siu' roasted Glacier toothfish from Mr Wong. What is a Glacier toothfish? And why do we want to eat it? It just goes to show that a menu item that starts with 'char-siu' (which is traditionally served as barbecued pork) can end however it likes and, if Liaw suggests it, we'll give it a go. He also mentioned Mama Mulan's Mongolian-style lamb ribs with cumin and the Moo ping marinated pork skewers with jim jaew from Khao Pla as inspirational dishes. [caption id="attachment_611319" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mr Wong[/caption] Rounding out Liaw's top six were hot pot chain The Dolar Shop and Ho Jiak — both in Haymarket. "[They're] doing fantastic things with modern, creative Asian food while still understanding Australia's love of authenticity," he says. From Dolar Shop, he rates the Sichuan broth, whole big eye ocean perch and sweet potato noodles. You had us at whole big eye ocean perch, Mr Liaw. Adam Liaw's Secret Supper is now sold out but we've still got two tickets to give away. To be in with a chance, head this way. And, while you wait for the big night to roll around, you can get cracking on this Liaw-certified recommendation circuit. Top Image: Kitti Gould.
Walk into most bottle shops and the script is predictable: fluorescent lights, shelf after shelf of labels you've seen on billboards, a transaction that begins and ends at the register. But scattered across Brisbane's suburbs, a collection of independent wine stores is rewriting that story — one handwritten tag, one tasting table, one conversation at a time. Tony and Tanya Harper know Brisbane's hospitality scene inside out. They've spent decades on the floor, as well as in wine judging and food media. When they opened Craft Wine Store in Red Hill in 2012, it was with one clear rule: if a wine appeared in chain advertising, they didn't stock it. The strategy wasn't just contrarian; it came from decades of watching Queensland's liquor retail scene flatten into a monoculture of familiar brands. "There were hundreds of retailers all selling the same beer, wine and spirits," Tanya Harper remembers. "We wanted to offer something more interesting." [caption id="attachment_808928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Craft Wine Store Coorparoo. Credit: Kiel Wode.[/caption] Craft quickly became a pioneer, introducing Brisbane drinkers to producers that are now household names: Four Pillars, Stargazer, Stone & Wood, Unico Zelo and more. It also set a new standard for how bottle shops could feel. Both the original Red Hill space and the 2018 Coorparoo store were designed to be warm, tactile and human-scale. Red Hill's rambling nooks contrast with Coorparoo's sleek rectangle and central cold room, but both invite browsing and conversation. The design of each shop was highly intentional, and "entices folk to think a little more broadly," Harper says, "like a bookshop." That philosophy now defines Brisbane's independent retail scene, though creating these spaces in Queensland isn't easy. Queensland's liquor laws have long favoured big players — publicans, then national supermarkets — through expensive, restrictive commercial hotel licences. But the newer wine merchant licence offers small windows of creativity: the ability to taste, sample and linger, more European cave than bottle-o transaction. [caption id="attachment_1038760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] L.P.O. Neighbourhood Wine Store. Credit: Matt Pettigrew.[/caption] For Dan Wilson, co-owner of LPO Neighbourhood Wine Store in Tarragindi, that licence was the key to coming home. After opening his third restaurant in London, Wilson returned to Brisbane in 2021. "From the moment I got back, I wanted to open something like LPO," he says. "In London, places like this were where I built community. They were gathering points for people with strange and very emotionally-laden passions." To qualify for the wine merchant licence, Wilson made his own Queensland wine. He reached out to friends Sam Cook and Alistair Reed at Konpira Maru in the Granite Belt, and produced a skin-contact Verdelho called SQUID — named in honour "of the chaotic mess of doing something new with no legs." [caption id="attachment_1038763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] L.P.O. Neighbourhood Wine Store. Credit: Matt Pettigrew.[/caption] Having opened in March 2025, LPO now occupies a former post office in a strip of shops Wilson calls "quintessential Brisbane suburban beauty." Eight to 12 bottles are open daily for tasting, blurring the line Brisbanites are used to seeing between retail space and bar. "All the wines are there for education, for conversation and for fun," he says. "We're all about discovery, education and that little touch of joy a new experience can bring." Liz and Ian Trinkle took a similar approach with Wineism, which opened in late 2021 in the Albion Fine Trades precinct. The venue operates as both bar and bottle shop, grounded in Ian's years as a sommelier at Aria Brisbane and Howard Smith Wharves. The industrial-chic design mirrors the neighbourhood's creative edge, while the constantly evolving wine list is built on relationships and taste. [caption id="attachment_1038774" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wineism. Credit: Supplied.[/caption] "I think people generally have great palates," Ian Trinkle says. "They can taste the difference between mediocre, good and great once it's in the glass — but they often lack the vocabulary that comes with years of tasting experience. The romance of wine is also its mystery. Part of my job is to make it less mysterious." Before Wineism, Trinkle was already teaching the internationally recognised WSET courses. That educational approach carries through, whether you're asking about a bottle at the bar or signing up for the weekly wine education classes. "There is so much appetite for education," he says, citing the volume of WSET enquiries he receives every week as proof. [caption id="attachment_1038770" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wineism. Credit: Supplied.[/caption] At Craft, education takes the form of weekly tastings that have become part social ritual, part neighbourhood event. "They're equal parts socialising and learning," Harper says. "Lots of chatter, plenty of familiar faces and always a few new ones." Across the city, independent bottle shops — including Cru Bar & Cellar on James Street, The Reserve Cellar in Wilston, and The Wine Emporium in Newstead — host free weekly tastings of wines, spirits and beers, arguably the best way to expand your palate in Brisbane: follow them on Instagram or subscribe to their newsletters, turn up, talk to the people pouring, and taste what's new. These shops assume you're curious, not just thirsty. Conversation replaces transaction. They also make it possible for small producers to reach drinkers who might otherwise never discover them. [caption id="attachment_637497" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Cru Bar & Cellar. Credit: Anwyn Howarth.[/caption] "Fifteen years ago, Tanqueray No.10 was considered premium," Harper says, emphasising how it now sits among hundreds of local and imported options — a reflection of how tastes have evolved. "Independent bottle shops exist to fulfil the thirst that they've helped create," she continues. "People have become bored with big, familiar brands and are seeking different experiences." In a state where alcohol consumption is still shaped by legacy licensing policies and supermarket dominance, every independent shop that opens represents both persistence and possibility. These businesses aren't just selling good booze — they're teaching, tasting, and transforming how Brisbane drinks. Need more vino inspiration? Check out the Best Wine Bars in Melbourne or discover How to Decode a French Wine List.
What do candles, lip balm, lube and body wash all have in common? Here's the tastiest answer: buy a particular kind and they'll get you a-hankering for dessert. Because Gelato Messina adores ice cream-flavoured everything and it also adores collaborations, the sweet treat chain has spent the past few years teaming up with Maison Balzac, Lanolips, Standard Procedure and now Sundae Body — with the latest partnership serving up gelato-flavoured shower foams. Launching on Tuesday, April 11, and only available via Priceline and Messina and Sundae Body's websites, this new range lets Messina fans get their fix in body wash form. Get ready to get lathering in four flavours: strawberries and cream, lemon meringue pie, raspberry sorbet and lamington. Messina's affection for the humble lamington clearly knows no bounds, and nor should it — after the brand turned the coconut-covered cake into gelato, then sticky scrolls, chocolates and gelato bars, before now this. As its growing range of merchandise and other non-edible items shows, it's just as dedicated to spreading the ice cream love in as many forms as possible. And, to getting your tastebuds craving its gelato when you're scenting your home, protecting your smackers, slipping between the sheets and bathing. The limited-edition Sundae x Messina collection is made in Australia, featuring vegan and cruelty-free formulas based on Messina's gelatos, and also free from parabens and sulphates. Each shower foam comes in a container inspired by the dessert chain's waffle cones, too. And, if you'd like to try all four, Sundae Body is selling bundles featuring one of each for $68. "It's not every day you can take Messina into the shower and come out sparkling clean. We've loved creating four gelato-flavoured body washes and can't wait to get these into your hands to enjoy," said the Messina team. "Sundae Body is all about serving you delicious-smelling and fun everyday products and we couldn't think of a better brand to align with than Gelato Messina," advised Sundae Body co-founder Lizzie Waley. The Sundae x Messina collection is available from Priceline stores, the Messina website and Sundae Body's website from Tuesday, April 11.
The jolliest time of the year is almost here. And, that means the most festive movie-viewing window of the year is nearly upon us, too. We all know that it wouldn't be Christmas without rewatching a heap of suitably themed flicks, whether you've loved Elf since you can remember, prefer a classic such as It's a Wonderful Life or will only watch Die Hard — but Stan is hoping that you'll add a new Australian comedy to your end-of-year rotation. Sometime around Christmas, the streaming platform's subscribers will be able to watch festive Aussie flick A Sunburnt Christmas. And yes, you are probably just now realising that Australian doesn't actually have that many Christmas films to its name. This newcomer will join the likes of Bush Christmas, both the 1947 and 1983 versions; the animated Around the World with Dot; and recent horror movies Red Christmas and Better Watch Out — and it seems to be really leaning into the fact that it's a seasonal Aussie film. Directed by Christiaan Van Vuuren (Bondi Hipsters, The Other Guy), A Sunburnt Christmas follows a group of kids who mistake a runaway criminal for the real Santa. Daryl (Snowtown and Acute Misfortune's Daniel Henshall) happens to be dressed appropriately, red suit and all. He has also just crashed a van full of toys. But as well as not being Father Christmas, he's being chased by a mobster called Dingo (Animal Kingdom and Ride Like a Girl's Sullivan Stapleton). Kids, crims, hijinks — if you're currently thinking about Home Alone or Bad Santa, that isn't surprising. But these children live on an outback farm with their a single mother (The Gloaming's Ling Cooper Tang), and neither Joe Pesci nor Billy Bob Thornton are anywhere to be seen. The all-ages-friendly flick doesn't yet have a release date, but you can obviously expect it to hit your streaming queue just as you're breaking out the eggnog. A Sunburnt Christmas will be available to stream via Stan later in 2020 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
Geelong may not strike you as an obvious destination for a weekend away. The small port city is currently straddling that awkward growth stage between small town and bustling metropolis. As such, it manages to feel like both. Although Geelong wears the vestments of a big place, it still treats you like a small town would. You don't feel anonymous (an odd feeling for veteran city dwellers) and people look you in the eye while genuinely questioning how you are and what you're doing in town. Nowhere is this more pronounced than the food and art scene, hidden away on the quiet side streets of the small city. The cheap and abundant studio space makes it a paradise for creatives, weirdos and anyone who errs on the side of the non-commercial — this relatively small pond attracts some remarkably big fish. Some of Melbourne's best foodies, chefs, entrepreneurs and taste-makers have forsaken the big city in favour of a smaller scene where gimmicks are left at the train station and what shines through is something surprisingly authentic. Leave all that big city pessimism at home and let V/Line (or your car down the M1) carry you to the unexpected cultural oasis of Geelong. Whether you devote your whole weekend to Victoria's second largest city or a few hours on your way down the Great Ocean Road, here's what to do when you get there. [caption id="attachment_569243" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Craft Space[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Before heading down to Geelong, you may want to fast for a few days — there is some serious eating to be done here. Your first port of call should be Craft Space on Little Malop Street. Craft Space is, as the name suggests, a cafe-craft hybrid. You'll find tubs of markers and zines strewn across the mismatched (but colour-coordinated) furniture, a mint green La Marzocco espresso machine filling the back corner and sweet ornaments lining every nook. There's no stone left uncrafted — even the pot plants have been knitted. It's a haven for people who like to occupy their hands while catching up over organic, small batch tea and boutique cakes by Melbourne's Little Bertha. It's a warm little nook and the owners operators Cathy Slarks and Loretta Davis are the kindling in the hearth. The welcoming pair also run craft workshops most weekends and make a mean, towering chocolate milkshake. [caption id="attachment_573393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Hot Chicken Project[/caption] Once night falls it's just a hop, skip and a jump over the way to the Hot Chicken Project for dinner and a bit of atmosphere. Hot tip: undo your pants as you walk through the door (no one will judge). You may feel a sense of déjà vu as you glance the menu as HCP is owned by Aaron Turner, who previously engineered Belle's Hot Chicken on Gertrude Street. The menu is conceptually similar – a hero serve of southern fried chicken (as spicy as you can handle) and a down-home side (think turnips, greens and coleslaw) for $16. The simplicity of the menu works in its favour as the entire wine list is paired for salt, crunch and spice. It's dominated by light, fruity wines from some of Australian's most innovative winemakers — and if you're not literate in wine speak, your best bet is to ask a staff member to choose a wine for you. They know their stuff. We highly, highly recommend indulging in a side of the crispy chicken skin (drizzled in honey, hot sauce and thyme) because you will see God. The place is usually buzzing on the weekend, and with plans to expand into the next shop front, HCP can only get better with time. If you're hankering for a cold one after that, drop into the Little Creatures Geelong Brewery for one straight from the source. [caption id="attachment_569247" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Freckleduck[/caption] The final must-eat destination on your Geelong tour is Freckleduck. The sweet corner café is light, airy and — dare we say it — produces the best coffee in Geelong. The pumpkin smash, served with tortillas, roasted pepitas, fresh asparagus, onion jam and prosciutto ($17) is a salty, sweet and crunchy affair and absolute heaven on a plate. They've just announced plans for a brother venue in Belmont, so we're clearly not the only ones feeling it. [caption id="attachment_569246" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lola's Kitchen at Boom Gallery[/caption] SEE AND DO Geelong's art scene is intimate. There aren't new openings every night of the week with free flowing Champagne and lines around the block full of hungry young social climbers desperate to be seen; instead, it's more of a community of makers, painters and creatives who quietly and rigorously curate thoughtful and provocative shows. That's what first strikes you as you enter a Geelong gallery — the exhibitions have been created by locals, for locals. And secondly, you might be a little surprised at how many of them there are. There's a lot more art galleries nestled in Geelong than meets the eye — you'll find them hidden in quiet corners, behind demure shopfronts and residing in rustic warehouses. Boom Gallery should be your first stop. From the centre of town, grab an Uber (yes, Geelong has Uber) out to the Rutland Street address and make your way down the row of warehouses to the end. The gallery itself is curated by Ren Inei, whose name you may recognise from some of the works on the walls. They just wrapped up a phenomenal show about local legend William Buckley (of the saying 'Buckley's chance') and one called PLAY, a unique exhibition by Melbourne furniture designers Dowel Jones that encourages attendees to play with their creations. Inei may be a curator, but his attitude is more docent — turn up on any day of the week and you'll likely find him getting amongst it, hanging out with exhibiting artists in the café, chatting with visitors and giving personal insights on the show. Boom also has a small, chic café attached the gallery space named Lola's Kitchen which serves up bite-sized tacos and smooth coffee. For details on current and upcoming exhibitions, go here. [caption id="attachment_573394" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Boom Gallery[/caption] The National Wool Gallery in the centre of town is another must-do. While the museum is housed in the former Dennys Lascelles wool store and chronicles the history of Australian wool in more detail than strictly necessary, the space also hosts some amazing (and random) exhibitions, including the current Wildlife of Gondwana. While you're in the city centre, make sure you stop in at the Geelong Gallery too, a stately old building which has enough clout to host the bigwigs of Australian and international fame. The current exhibition — Land of the Golden Fleece, running until June 13 — is a retrospective of one of the big names in Australian landscape impressionism, Arthur Streeton. The exhibition is beautifully curated and as much about Streeton's life as it is about his works. If you don't want to leave without a souvenir, make your way our to the Mill Markets. They're a little way out of town, but if you've got a car (or just a strong will for vintage shopping) it's well worth trekking to. It's a two-storey veritable paradise of vintage clothes, books, antiques and weird shit, and your bound to find something to at least consider buying. But if you're worn out with food, art and busyness, a picnic basket and veg out session in the lush Johnstone Park is the perfect way to round out your stay. LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS Geelong is about one hour from Melbourne. You can drive (the M1 makes it a cinch) or take a V/Line train from Southern Cross to Geelong Station. The city isn't bursting with hotels, but the Mercure Geelong is situated in the centre of town and Airbnb is (as always) your friend. Imogen Baker travelled as a guest of Tourism Greater Geelong & the Bellarine. Top image: Little Creatures Geelong Brewery.
UPDATE, August 21, 2022: Cyrano is now available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. It can be swift and bold like a lightning strike, too, or it can linger, evolve and swell like a gentle breeze. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, all of the above happens. The latest adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, this time as a musical via playwright Erica Schmidt's own song-filled on-stage version, lends its attention to two men who've fallen for the plucky Roxanne (Haley Bennett, Hillbilly Elegy) in opposite ways. Charming soldier Christian de Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr, The Trial of the Chicago 7) gets the fast-and-infatuated experience, while the movie's namesake (Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot), a poet also handy in battle, has ached for his childhood pal for as long as he can remember. Roxanne's two suitors make a chalk-and-cheese pair, with their contrasting approaches to matters of the heart — specifically, to winning her heart and helping ensure that she doesn't have to marry the rich and ruthless De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) to secure her future — driving much of Cyrano's drama. Also present and accounted for, as all takes on the tale have included (see also: 80s rom-com Roxanne with Steve Martin, the Gérard Depardieu-starring Cyrano de Bergerac, 90s rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs with Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo, plus recent Netflix teen flicks Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Half of It): insecurities about appearance, a way with words and a ghostwriting gambit. Short in stature given Dinklage's casting, Cyrano can't even dream that Roxanne could love him. But he wants her to be happy above all else and knows that she's smitten with Christian, so he secretly lends his romantic rival his letter-penning abilities to help woo her by lyrical prose. This Cyrano may have a different reason for not believing that Roxanne could reciprocate his feelings, even as she gets giddy over the correspondence he scripts for Christian — traditionally, a large nose gets in his way — but his slow-and-steady affection is especially apt in this particular film. The latest period piece from Joe Wright, it slips into the British director's resume alongside Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Anna Karenina, and initially seems as standard a silver-screen staging of Cyrano as a musical as he could reliably muster. But all three of those aforementioned movies are stunning in their own ways, especially the gutsy Anna Karenina. Unsurprisingly, his newest feature is as well. Doing his best work since that Tolstoy adaptation, and clearly back in his comfort zone after Pan, Darkest Hour and The Woman in the Window, Wright lets Cyrano take its time to bloom and blossom. And, when it flowers partway through, it makes viewers realise that it's been a gorgeous gem of a film all along. Like on-screen love story, like surrounding flick, basically. That said, the routine air that initially seems to float through Cyrano's first act can't have been by design. Rather, the film winds up to its full heart-wrenching powers so patiently that it appears a tad too expected while its various pieces are being put into place — a fact hardly helped by how often this exact narrative or variations of it have made it to screens — until it's just simply and unshakeably wonderful. Wright doesn't change anything in his approach, helming a handsome, detail-laden, rhythmic piece of cinema from the outset, but the emotions that truly make the movie sing strengthen minute by minute. And yes, when it all clicks in just so, it's with its three main players literally crooning, conveying so much about their huge, swirling, all-encompassing feelings that normal dialogue couldn't have done justice to. That swooning sensation — because this is a feature that it's easy to tumble head-over-heels for — helps answer the obvious question that needs asking whenever a famed tale gains songs. That query: why? Wright and screenwriter Schmidt, the latter of whom is married to Dinklage and wrote her crooning-heavy stage version for him in 2018, reply by making it rousingly plain how much yearning and desire resides in each musical number. The movie's tunes come courtesy of The National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner, fresh from their efforts scoring C'mon C'mon, and prove worlds away from big, barnstorming Broadway numbers. Emotionally sweeping, they survey the full range from longing to heartache, while also navigating an immensely tricky task: relaying what simmers inside each character that not only goes unspoken, but isn't inked in the feature's back-and-forth love letters. Thank goodness for not just Wright's finessed handling of these musical scenes, which lets those sung-about feelings echo with weight and heart-swelling resonance, but also for his clear passion for the musical genre. This marks his first entry, although both rhythm and music have been key to so much of his back catalogue — not the least of which being spy thriller Hanna with its melodic Chemical Brothers score — and he whirls properly into the fold like he was always meant to dance there. Even when no one is singing, Cyrano has the soul of a musical in its lush staging, Seamus McGarvey's (Bad Times at the El Royale) fleet-footed cinematography, the pace instilled by Valerio Bonelli's (The Woman in the Window) lithe editing and its performances. It has its own beat and vibe, and every element drums and hums along in time. Also trilling the right tune, regardless of whether they're singing (which they each do well): Dinklage, Bennett and Harrison Jr. Australia's own Mendo still gives exceptional villain, and darkly and cunningly so; however, being enamoured with Cyrano's main trio is inescapable. The decision to cast Dinklage and Bennett straight from the stage production is a winner. He imparts melancholy, wit and spark into his romantic lead, as he so consistently did in Game of Thrones, too, while she ensures that Roxanne's quest for a big and fulfilling life — and love — cuts deep. And, as much chemistry buzzes between the two, enlisting Luce and Waves' standout Harrison Jr as the man between them is another masterstroke. Indeed, Cyrano adores Roxanne and Christian's romance as much as it feels its eponymous figure's pining, loves his rhapsodic words and wants his heart's desire to come true — and sharing it all comes, gradually but still overwhelmingly, with the cost of admission.
When the term 'kidulting' gets thrown around, it usually means one thing: taking a pastime that you enjoyed when you were a child and adding alcohol. It's why we have boozy mini golf bars, cocktail-slinging arcades and beer-serving bowling alleys, all aimed at adults. And at the latter in May, you can also add free gigs — and free brews and ten-pin, too — to the equation. Your destination: Strike Bowling, which is bringing back its Live on the Lanes concert series. The shows first took place in 2018, returned in 2019, but were then put on hold during the pandemic — and this time, they're going on the on the road. Live on the Lanes will hit up Strike QV in Melbourne, QV Wintergarden in Brisbane and Wintergarden King Street Wharf Sydney across Wednesday, May 11–Friday, May 13. But before you going marking your calendar, this is the kind of show you need to win tickets to. Entries open between 9am Thursday, April 7–11.59pm Wednesday, May 4 via the Strike Bowling website. If you nab a freebie, you really will get everything covered — the music, the beer and your time hurtling balls down the lane. Touch Sensitive will taking care of the tunes, hopping up on stages in each city that'll be set up on top of the alley. And those free lagers will come courtesy of Byron Bay Brewery — which is obviously something to say cheers to. LIVE ON THE LANES 2022: Wednesday, May 11 — Strike QV, Melbourne Thursday, May 12 — Strike Wintergarden, Brisbane Friday, May 13 — Strike King Street Wharf, Sydney Live on the Lanes tours Australia's east coast between Wednesday, May 11–Friday, May 13. For more information, or to enter to win tickets between 9am Thursday, April 7–11.59pm Wednesday, May 4, head to the Strike Bowling website.
The bright lights and debauchery of the Las Vegas strip are fun, but there comes a time when you need some natural sun and nutrients that don't come from a complimentary bowl of nuts. That's where Vegas' whole other identity comes in. This alter ego has a sense of adventure, a taste for quality fare, and of course, is still a little bit wild — aka, it's worth getting to know. [caption id="attachment_635169" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] H. Michael Miley via Flickr[/caption] TAKE A SCENIC RUNNING TOUR If you're looking for a legal way to get high in Vegas, this is it. With the choice to explore a changing range of different areas — the historic side of the strip, downtown, the Valley of Fire and Hoover Dam have all been featured — Las Vegas Running Tours will show you a completely different side of Vegas. Catering to runners of all levels, this is a chance to see Vegas from a vastly different perspective to most tourists. Guided by Jimmy, who simply loves to run, the tours last 4-5 hours, generally cover four different trails and include pick up from your hotel, snacks, water and some sweet merch. Our tip: while it's not always on offer, a visit to The Valley of Fire is like travelling to another planet. And given that it's where they filmed Star Trek: Generations, this is no exaggeration. Characterised by multiple tones of red rock formations, exploring this place on foot is pretty spectacular. [caption id="attachment_635170" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sake Rok[/caption] ENJOY A DIFFERENT KIND OF DINNER AND A SHOW AT SAKE ROK Sake Rok takes the concept of dinner and a show to a new level. Professional dancers first, waiters second, the staff jump between taking your order and bursting into an all-singing, all-dancing rendition of some of the '90s greatest hits — think the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. When the music starts, all the staff get into it, even the traditionally-trained Japanese chefs in the open plan kitchen. Basically, nobody takes themselves too seriously here. It may sound kitsch, but if you don't mind things that are a little over the top, this place is a lot of fun — and a great place to start your night. From the graffitied walls painted by local artists to the food itself, Sake Rok is a sensory overload. Classic sashimi dishes get kicked up a level with a dusting of truffles, ordering a sushi platter is a spectacle in itself thanks to a roaring, smoking Godzilla, and the vegan-friendly menu features a crispy rice version of avocado toast. And, for a really good time, get involved with a sake bomb or a punch bowl. While American serving sizes are usually too much, when it comes to dessert at Sake Rok, it's nowhere near enough. Their specialty honey toast is the love child of waffles and brioche toast, doused in honey and piled with ice cream. It's dense and fluffy in parts, and crunchy on the outside, which means it's the perfect consistency for unnecessarily mopping up every last bit of honey. [caption id="attachment_635171" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Angie Ortaliza Photography via EAT Cafe[/caption] ROLL OUT OF BED FOR A QUALITY BRUNCH In Vegas, you can get anything you want — for cheap and in excess. That includes an $8 rump steak, 99 cent margaritas and the Octuple Bypass Burger from downtown's aptly named Heart Attack Grill, which is just shy of 2 kilograms of meat. What's difficult to find is the kind of breakfast us Aussies take for granted. Luckily, EAT Cafe know that a serving of chicken and waffles that defies nature isn't necessarily the way you always want to start the day. The kind of place every traveller hopes to find, this is where locals go for brunch. They do pancakes with chicken-apple sausage and maple syrup, a killer BLAT with chipotle mayo, and eggs any style with smoked bacon, chive potatoes and toast. Plus, for those nursing a hangover, the more sizeable truffled egg sandwich with wild mushrooms, chives, feta and bacon will set you straight. FIND THE HIDDEN SPEAKEASY AT THE COMMONWEALTH For some, The Commonwealth is a rooftop cocktail bar overlooking downtown Vegas. But for those in the know, it harbours a speakeasy under its floorboards. And while it's not the best kept secret — the number to book a table is listed on the website — once you're in, The Laundry Room feels like the real deal. Resembling an underground bunker adorned gilded artworks, a wooden bar and top-notch spirits, you can easily imagine the city's upper echelons enjoying countless salubrious nights here. Not much has changed, but now they have a rotation of flavoured popcorn to snack on. If The Laundry Room really had stepped out of times gone by, you'd expect the drinks to be served strong and straight up, but thankfully that's not the case. The cocktails here befit the ornate setting. Served in traditional crystalware, the green chartreuse and fresh honey lemon sour with muddled strawberries may appear a light choice, but that's until the blowtorch comes out to top it off with an absinthe-torched rosemary sprig. And if you're after a beverage with impact, go the Mighty Tiki Joe. Topped with the cap of a Gifford Caribbean pineapple, this sweet and substantial mix of light and dark rums, ginger liqueur, lime and pineapple juices with mint and habanero bitters makes a grand entrance — it comes out smoking. Main image: Thomas Wolf
If you live in Adelaide, you probably already think your city is the best place in Australia. For two days this spring, music fans across the country will share that view, too. Come November, the South Australian capital will play host to a brand-new — and huge — music festival called Harvest Rock, and it boasts one helluva lineup. Headlining the bill is Jack White, with The White Stripes frontman playing his only Australian show — and, at Rymill Park and King Rodney Park across Saturday, November 19–Sunday, November 20, he'll be joined by plenty of international talent. The Black Crowes, Khruangbin and Groove Armada are all on the roster, as are The Lumineers and Hot Chip. Yes, that's a lineup worth planning a weekend in Adelaide for. From the local contingent, Crowded House will bring a hefty dose of nostalgia — don't dream it's over indeed. The Avalanches sit among the other big drawcards, as do Courtney Barnett, You Am I and Tones And I. [caption id="attachment_865436" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mia Mala McDonald[/caption] Hailing from Secret Sounds, the crew behind Splendour in the Grass, Harvest Rock's two-day run will also place a big focus on the other part of its moniker: food. That'll include a dedicated stage for chef and bar stars to showcase their skills, a clear marquee serving up curated bites by chef Jake Kellie (arkhé, Burnt Ends), and a food truck park. Plus, the bar lineup is being curated by Australian wine critic Nick Stock, and features Archie Rose Distilling Co pouring spirits, wine tastings at a cellar door pop-up, a beer hall and a champagne bar. One watering hole will be a LGBTQI+ space, too, and there'll also be a booze-free bar for anyone keen on avoiding a post-fest hangover. HARVEST ROCK 2022 LINEUP: Jack White Crowded House The Black Crowes Khruangbin Groove Armada Sam Fender The Lumineers Tones And I The Avalanches Courtney Barnett Kurt Vile Angus & Julia Stone The Teskey Brothers Hot Chip Goanna Genesis Owusu The Living End Cat Power You Am I Meg Mac Marlon Williams Holy Holy Alex Cameron Ruby Fields Allen Stone Electric Fields TOWNS Slowmango Harvest Rock will take over Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka and King Rodney Park / Ityamai-itpina, Adelaide, on Saturday, November 19–Sunday, November 20, with tickets on sale from 9am AEST on Wednesday, August 24. Top image: Paige Sara.
If you feel like the general cost of living is on an endless journey upwards, well, you'd be right on the money (or lack thereof). In news that's surprising to pretty much no one, Sydney and Melbourne have again outdone themselves, both trumping their earlier positions on an index of the world's most expensive cities. The list, which is one of many that index cost of living, is put together by the world's biggest price aggregation website Numbeo. This year sees Sydney shoot to number 32, soaring past last year's ranking of 41, and Melbourne also surged ahead, moving from last year's 77th position to become the world's 64th most expensive city in 2018. The Gold Coast was the least expensive local city in the index, ranking at 180. To create the Cost of Living Index, Numbeo looked at a range of factors, surrounding things like food, lifestyle, housing, salaries and taxation. Hamilton in Bermuda topped the list, followed closely by five different Swiss cities. In the breakdown, Sydney's hefty rental prices were named the 16th highest in the world, with a one-bedroom city apartment averaging $2619 a month. If that makes you cringe, spare a thought for London (ranked 10th on the rent index) where the same sort of pad costs $2876 a month, or the top-ranking city of San Francisco, where you'd be forking out $4113. Meanwhile, Hobart was named Australia's most expensive city for dining out and 26th in the world, with a two-person feed at a mid-range restaurant averaging about $100. In this lineup, Perth ranked 46, while Melbourne and Sydney clocked in at numbers 79 and 80 respectively. When it comes to the average cost of a new set of wheels, Sydney ranked 188th in the world, with Perth edging in at number 202. Canberrans have it better than any other Aussie city in this department, taking out 226th ranking. To check out the full list, visit numbeo.com.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein will never stop being a gothic-horror masterpiece, or inspiring stories across the page, stage and screen as well. The latest: Poor Things, the next film from acclaimed Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos, and his long-awaited first release since 2018's excellent The Favourite. Also back: that regal drama's Oscar-nominated supporting player Emma Stone. The Cruella star didn't end up clutching an Academy Award for her past performance under Lanthimos' guidance, and nor did her co-star Rachel Weisz (Dead Ringers) or the filmmaker himself; instead, they watched on as Olivia Colman (Empire of Light) emerged victorious for her leading part. But Stone and Lanthimos made a winning pair anyway, in what was one of the former's very best performances of her career. It's no wonder that they're teaming up again — or that the just-dropped first Poor Things trailer looks mesmerising, eerie and stunning. Poor Things adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, but the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats are as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things features Willem Dafoe (The Northman) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. The film will hit cinemas in the US on September 8, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under. Poor Things jolts Stone's career back onto the screen a few years away, too — Cruella released in 2021, and only The Croods: A New Age, Zombieland: Double Tap and TV's Maniac sit on her resume since The Favourite. Check out the first teaser trailer for Poor Things below: Poor Things doesn't currently have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is confirmed. Image: Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your snow trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. The South Island of New Zealand is enjoying some epic snow this year, attracting a huge local and international crowd to test out the slopes. To capture this season in all of its glory, New Zealand Tourism is using ‘dronies’ — mini drones with cameras attached to them — to photograph the skiers and snowboarders so they can take a little something back with them. That means, what a mere three months ago sounded like an April Fool's Day prank is now spectacularly real. The drone begins recording with a close-up of you being king of the mountain, then it swiftly flies backwards, widening the shot to include the surrounding snowy mountains and beautiful South Island landscape. The videos last for about eight seconds, and it seems like a much wiser option for a photo-op than carrying a camera in your pocket only to crush it if/when you ungracefully stack it on the mountain. Once the video is taken they’ll send it to you so you can share it via social media using #NZdronie. If you’re heading to New Zealand while the powder is still fresh we’d happily wage a bet that your snow selfie will make more then a few friends/colleagues/family members tingle with envy. And really, isn’t that what a selfie is all about? NZ Tourism is the first country to use dronies on their slopes, and they will be flying all over the South Island between July and August. Some of the destinations they plan to pop into include Coronet Peak, Cardrona, Mount Hutt, Mount Cook, Queenstown and Lake Tekapo. For more info on the NZdronie, or to find out where they’re located, head to the 100% Pure New Zealand Facebook page.
So, you've found that special forever someone – someone who deals with your drama, puts up with your quirks and shares your passion for all the important stuff, like, say, fried chicken. Well clearly, there's just one thing left to do, and that's to seal the deal at your very own official KFC wedding. Yep – the international fried chicken brand has cooked up yet another idea we never knew we needed and has launched its own wedding service, exclusive to Australia. For real. Fried chook obsessives across the country now have the opportunity to get hitched in finger lickin' matrimony, with KFC already taking applications for its unique service. All couples, regardless of gender, sexual preference or religion, are invited to apply, by summing up their need for a KFC wedding in 200 words. There's no time to waste, though – only six lucky Aussie duos will get a call-up, with the weddings taking place from October 2019 to May 2020. So what's involved in the ultimate KFC nuptials, you ask? Well, you can bank on a KFC-themed wedding celebrant (we assume Colonel Sanders), a KFC photo booth for those all-important happy snaps, music, decorations and customised KFC buckets. And of course, the lucky newlyweds will get to dive into some freshly cooked KFC chicken hot from the KFC food truck. We can only hope the bride will be throwing buckets instead of bouquets and there'll be plenty of wet wipes to go around. It was this time last year that KFC launched a cheeky meditation website featuring the soothing sounds of chicken frying. If you're keen to kick off married life with some secret herbs and spices, you can apply for your own KFC wedding here.
Get excited, festivalgoers: Pitch Music & Arts is returning to Grampian Plains in 2025, complete with a jam-packed roster of talent. Joy Orbison, Honey Dijon, Funk Tribu, 2manydjs: they're all on the just-announced bill. So are Daria Kolosova, SPFDJ, 999999999, Shanti Celeste, FJAAK, Lady Shaka and Job Jobse, with the list going on from there. When Victoria's March long weekend arrives each year, music lovers have two reasons to head out of town — or head to the state from interstate — for a few days of tunes. Both are beloved parts of the cultural calendar. Both are such a hit that you need to enter a ballot to get tickets. And just as Golden Plains has already done, Pitch Music & Arts is locking in its 2025 details. Everyone should make the trip to the Grampians at least once, and here's as ace an excuse to do so as any: the return of the much-loved camping festival, which will host its eighth edition, taking over Moyston again. Next years' festivities are happening from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11. Not only will its three stages play host to a sparkling lineup of local and international musical talent, as always, but the tunes will be backed by a hefty program of interactive art and installations. Basically, no matter who makes it onto the bill, attendees are in for a very big, very busy four days. Joy Orbison's 'flight fm' and 'better' were used in teaser videos for 2025's fest, which was indeed a huge advance lineup hint. You can also look forward to catching Gabber Eleganza, BASHKKA, Funk Assault, Baraka, ISAbella, Ogazón, southstar, Midland, Dax J, Anetha and plenty more, including Osmosis Jones, Moopie, DJ PGZ, Stev Zar, Jennifer Loveless and Mabel. The ticket ballot is currently open until 9am AEDT on Monday, November 25 — and is a necessity after the last three festivals all sold out — and you can get also excited about a bigger Pitch One stage, Pitch Black getting a revamp and the Resident Advisor stage's red orb being part of the fun again. Pitch Music & Arts has revealed its arts lineup as well, unveiling it alongside the music lineup for the first time, and it's also stacked. Think: Adnate, Anatolik Belikov, Ash Keating, Builders Club, Clayton Blake, EJ Son, ENOKi, Georgia Treloar, Henry Howson & Ambrose Zacharakis, Jaqui Munoz, Joan Sandoval, Lukas Rafik Mayer, ØFFËRÎNGŠ (aka Melissa Gilbert), Petra Péterffy, Rachel Lyn & Cameron Trafford, Raquel Villa, Reelize Studio, Sam Hayes, TERRAIN, Tetrik and UnitePlayPerform. In between all of the dance-floor sessions and arty things, festivalgoers will again be able to make themselves at home in the Pitch Pavilion, which is where yoga classes, meditation and sound baths usually help patrons unwind. The local-focused Club Serra will be new in 2025, championing homegrown talent. Pitch Music & Arts 2025 Lineup 2 LUBLY 2manydjs (DJ set) 6 SENSE 999999999 Anetha Audrey Danza BADSISTA Baraka (LIVE) BASHKKA D. Tiffany Daria Kolosova b2b SPFDJ Dax J Diffrent DJ Fuckoff DJ Gigola DJ Paulette DJ PGZ b2b Moopie Ed Kent Ela Minus Elli Acula Fadi Mohem FJAAK (LIVE) Funk Assault Funk Tribu Gabber Eleganza presents the Hakke Show GiGi FM Guy Contact Honey Dijon ISAbella Jennifer Loveless Job Jobse Joy Orbison Kasper Marott Kia Kuzco (LIVE) Lacchesi Lady Shaka Leo Pol Maara Mabel Maruwa Mia Koden Midland Mikalah Watego Miley Serious Naycab Ned Bennett Objekt Ogazón Ollie Lishman Osmosis Jones Pablo Bozzi Pegassi Shanti Celeste southstar Stev Zar Sugar Free Surf 2 Glory Taylah Elaine The Illustrious Blacks Trym VOLVOX Y U QT Pitch Music & Arts returns to Moyston from Friday, March 7–Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, or to enter the ballot before 9am AEDT on Monday, November 25, 2024. Tickets in the first ballot tier will go on sale at 6pm AEDT on Monday 25th November, with tickets in the second on sale at 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 26 — and any remaining tickets at 6pm on Tuesday, November 26. Images: Duncographic, William Hamilton Coates, Max Roux and Ashlea Caygill.
February 2018 marks four years since the lockout laws hit Sydney's entertainment precinct. In that time, venues have shut up shop (like Hugos Lounge, which directly attributed the lockout laws to its closure), others have closed and reopened under new ownership (The Flinders and The Lansdowne, among them) and Kings Cross, once the nightlife hub of the city, has turned into a ghost town after midnight. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have rallied in opposition to the laws. Regardless, the NSW Government has given no indication that it will make any huge changes to them. The only consolation has been a half-hour extension of trading hours for businesses hosting live events. Sure, it's better than nothing — but it hasn't been enough to restore Sydney's nightlife to what it once was. That's why entrepreneur Paul G Roberts, founder of Fashion Industry Broadcast and Style Planet TV, decided to make a documentary titled After the Lockouts. When Roberts, who previously ran Melbourne night club Checkpoint Charlie, first moved to Sydney in the late 1990s, the nightlife was, in his words, "amazing". "You were spoilt for choice," he says. "You could go out from sunset to sunrise, seeing bands, going to clubs, going to cool bars...it's really not the same anymore." But, rather than mourn and complain, he wanted to get to do more research on the matter. So, with a camera crew in tow, he spent most of 2017 researching, studying media representations, speaking to venue owners and travelling to cities around the world, to find out how they manage busy nighttime economies without lockouts. "I wanted to cut through the spin and get down to the facts, the evidence," he says. After the Lockouts gains authority with interviews with some of Sydney's leading nightlife figures, including Keep Sydney Open's hardworking Tyson Koh, Mark Gerber (Oxford Art Factory), Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room), councillor Jess Scully and Dave Evans, former owner of Hugos Lounge, which closed down in mid-2015 due to revenue loss following the lockouts. There's also a tour of Amsterdam with night mayor Mirik Milan, who, since 2014, has overseen the city's nocturnal happenings. The documentary doesn't seem to include any interviews with any NSW Government spokespeople. Through the doco, Roberts also poses alternative solutions to the laws — that is, strategies for reversing the laws and renewing the city's vibrant all-night scene. "I'm very confident that anyone who sits through the whole film will walk out with a new perspective," says Roberts. "There are so many people doing a Herculean job to fight the lockout laws...but there needs to be a united voice. There needs to be an ongoing campaign to put pressure on the government. The film is just the first part of a multi-pointed campaign." After the Lockouts will premiere at a private gala screening tonight, February 1. The plan is to then roll it out across cinemas and the Internet. For more info, visit afterthelockouts.com. Image: After the Lockouts.
With the recent mammoth announcement for this year's Splendour in The Grass, there's no doubt that some punters are already planning their list of must-sees and bathing in anxiety over possible timetable clashes. With this being said, we at Concrete Playground have compiled our list of the five most essential acts to catch at this year's Splendour instalment. Keeping in mind that there's a tonne of bands on the line-up, and we only have space for five, so don't be upset if we haven't included your most respected idols. However, feel free to hurl abuse and/or musical knowledge in the comments section. Have a look at our picks below. Who knows, you might find your new favourite artist. 1. AT THE DRIVE-IN While The Mars Volta and Sparta both have their dedicated fanbases, neither group comes close to matching the sheer power of post-hardcore powerhouse At The Drive-In. Minds were blown when the group reformed and appeared on the line-up for this year's Coachella festival, and now Australian fans will also be treated to the live experience. With an abundance of afros, quirky dance moves and furious convulsion-inducing tracks, this will be nothing short of epic. Please, for the love of God, see this band. 2. SMASHING PUMPKINS If you're still fond of the dreary teenage years that you spent smoking cigarettes and hating "the man," then Smashing Pumpkins will be right up your alley. As one of the biggest alternative bands to hit the nineties, their appearance will undoubtedly draw alot of older, angrier people to Splendour this year. Even if you hate their music, you should go along, stand in the front row and yell multiple quotes from the Simpsons episode that they featured in. 3. THE SHINS Having appeared on The OC and the roster of the highly-regarded Sup Pop Records, The Shins have become a staple in every hipsters iTunes library. Crafting indie tunes with youthful pop appeal, the sheer catchiness of their catalogue will resonate well with audiences at Splendour. Having just released their fourth album Port of Morrow earlier this year, fans can expect a slice of fresh material as well as old favourites. 4. AZEALIA BANKS Azealia Banks comes straight outta New York - the same city that produced vicious female emcees like Lil' Kim, Remy Ma and Foxy Brown. Banks has been one of the most hyped artists of 2012, having collaborated with production heroes Major Lazer and gaining recognition on BBC and NME. If you ever need proof that females can spit a verse, catch Banks in her element at Splendour. Alternatively, you could go see Nicki Minaj when she visits in May - but I don't think that's as acceptable. 5. SEEKAE This electronica trio have been causing significant waves over the past few years, and their inclusion on this year's line-up is indicative of their rising popularity. From their humble beginnings in Sydney's indie scene, they've grown to even be featured on an advertisement for Hyundai. With sounds that are mellow yet strikingly powerful, catch these guys getting real ambient in Byron Bay. Will appeal to chilled fans of instrumental hip-hop and dubstep (whatever that term even means anymore).
Call it Red Light, Green Light. Call it Statues. Call it Grandmother's Footsteps. Whichever name you prefer, how good are you at playing the game that gets folks a-sneaking, ideally without being caught? Now, how would you fare trying to creep forward while avoiding being spotted when Young-hee is lurking? Squid Game fans, if you visit Luna Park Sydney from this summer, you'll be able to find out. The Harbour City tourist attraction has announced the next experience that's heading to its big top, which has been hosting the dazzling projections of Dream Circus since relaunching after a revamp in late 2023. From Monday, December 16, 2024, just in time for the Christmas holidays and Squid Game season two's arrival on Netflix on Boxing Day, Squid Game: The Experience will get everyone playing Red Light, Green Light with Young-hee — and also busting out their marbles skills, then walking over the glass bridge. Get your green tracksuit ready. Front Man will be there to dare you to take the Squid Game challenges IRL, which obviously won't notch up a body count like in the series — and won't be televised like reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge. Some games will be inspired by the Netflix program. Others will be brand new. You'll only know if Squid Game: The Experience takes any cues from the thriller's second season, though, if you drop by after Thursday, December 26. With the experience running Friday–Sunday weekly, players can take part individually, or in groups of up to 25. As you work through the challenges, which get harder as you go along, you'll earn points. Another difference from the series: if you get eliminated from a game, you'll still be able to take part in the challenges that follow. Alongside Red Light, Green Light, marbles and more, Squid Game: The Experience includes a post-game night market with Korean snacks on the menu thanks to SOUL Dining. Fingers crossed that there'll be sugar cookies as a snack. You'll also be able to nab some merchandise, such as clothes and collectibles, to take home. And yes, Young-hee has popped up Down Under before, with a 4.5-metre, three-tonne recreation of Squid Game's eerie animatronic figure with laser eyes making its presence known also in Sydney back in 2021. [caption id="attachment_975032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Netflix[/caption] Squid Game: The Experience arrives at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, from Monday, December 16, 2024. Head to the venue's website for more information and to join the waitlist ahead of ticket sales from Tuesday, November 4, 2024.
In recent years, Disney has bet heavily on a simple idea: fans of its classic animated films will flock to new live-action versions. So far that gambit has proven accurate, with Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast all doing big things at the box office — and in the coming months, Dumbo, The Lion King and Aladdin are set to join them. Everyone's favourite flying elephant hits cinemas in mere weeks, while moviegoers will be feeling the love again come mid-year; however, a certain Arabian tale will soar onto screens right in the middle. If you've ever found a magic lantern, rubbed its gleaming sides and asked a supernatural being to remake this childhood favourite, your wish is now coming true. If you pleaded for Guy Ritchie and Will Smith to be involved as well, then there's your three wishes taken care of. Yes, Ritchie, the filmmaker behind Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, the awful Robert Downey Jr-starring Sherlock Holmes movies and the very forgettable King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, is in the director and co-writer's chair for this journey to a whole new live-action world — and in good news, there's no signs of Cockney accents, rhyming slang or over-stylised action scenes in Aladdin's just-released first full trailer. As for Smith, he's stepping into the role of Genie, originally made famous by Robin Williams' energetic voice work. In other words, he's turning from a man in black to a spirit in blue. Aladdin's overall story will be familiar to anyone who has seen the 1992 movie, with an Agrabah street urchin once again trying to win over the Sultan's daughter and thwart a scheming sorcerer, with the larger-than-life Genie on hand to help. Canadian actor Mena Massoud (The 99) plays Aladdin, and Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) steps into Princess Jasmine's shoes, while Dutch star Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) takes on the role of Jafar. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foyufD52aog Aladdin opens in Australian cinemas on May 23, 2019. Images: (c) 2019 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Back in 2019, Scottish craft beer giant BrewDog finally made the leap to Australia, setting up its first local brewery by the river in Brisbane. But its reputation had preceded it to our shores, and not just due to its yeasty brews. When you make craft beers for dogs, launch the world's first craft beer airline and open the world's first craft beer hotel, you're bound to garner plenty of global attention. If you're a beer-drinking dog owner who loved the idea BrewDog's boozy, pooch-friendly place to stay — which is fitting called The DogHouse — that's understandable. Still, making the trip to Columbus, Ohio in the US with your four-legged best friend mightn't have topped your to-do list. Thankfully, BrewDog has just announced that it's opening its second craft beer hotel, and on our own shores. Ideally, by the end of 2022, Aussies will be able to bunker down for the night at The DogHouse Brisbane. An exact site hasn't been confirmed as yet, but it's likely that the hotel will make its home right next to BrewDog's existing Brisbane brewery DogTap, which is located in Murarrie. It'll feature up to 30 rooms, which'll each come decked out with shower beer fridges — because why wash without a brew in your hand? — and in-room draft beer taps filled with Aussie-brewed Punk IPA. And, taking your pupper along is 100-percent on the agenda at this eco-friendly place to stay. [caption id="attachment_803135" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The DogHouse Columbus[/caption] Plans for The DogHouse Brisbane were revealed as part of BrewDog's new blueprint for its operations Down Under over the next two years — and the company has much more in store. As previously announced, it's looking to ramp up its local presence, with a new bar slated for the Brisbane CBD, and new venues on the cards in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. The latter sites will also include their own microbreweries, so they can make their own beer on the premises. While 2021 was previously announced as a launch date, it is now expected they'll be up and running between now and 2023, with further locations on the Gold Coast and in Newcastle also being considered. In Brisbane, BrewDog's beer campus is also undergoing a few more changes — including adding a bigger outdoor seating area with shaded seating to its riverside terrace, and expanding the brewery by installing a pasteuriser. In great news for lovers of hangover-free brews, that new piece of equipment will help the company broaden its alcohol-free beer range, which'll soon include Punk AF, Hazy AF and its raspberry AF sour, Faux Fox. The taproom is also getting an extra 100 square metres of private event space, the walk-in takeaway shop will be expanded and there'll be a larger kitchen. [caption id="attachment_800310" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brewdog DogTap Brisbane[/caption] Announcing the news, BrewDog's ANZ CEO Ed Bott said: "we are extremely grateful for the outstanding support we have received in Australia since we landed Down Under. It's been a pretty wild ride so far, but we have ambitious plans for Australia and New Zealand, building a fast-paced sustainable business that can be a force for good. We can't wait to bring our relentless obsession with incredible craft beer to the rest of the country and for our Punks to be able to head to their local BrewDog bar and get their paws on our freshly brewed Aussie beers". BrewDog is also keeping its crowdfunding initiative, Equity for Punks, in place in Australia until Wednesday, March 31. Pledging your support can help speed up the company's plans to open a bar in your city, too — with the brewer noting that if more than 500 Equity Punks join from the same city before the current deadline, it will open a BrewDog bar there within the next three years. The DogHouse Brisbane is expected to open sometime in 2022, while new BrewDog sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are on the cards between now and 2023. We'll update you when further information come to hand. For now, you can keep an eye on BrewDog's website for details. Top image: The DogHouse Columbus.
As anyone who's seen the doco Amy knows, during Amy Winehouse's troubled final years, the media was excruciatingly obsessed with her drug and alcohol issues. But, a new exhibition, arriving in Melbourne later this year, is bringing us another perspective. Titled Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait, the show covers four concepts: faith, fashion, music and London life. Expect to see loads of never-before-seen-in-public objects, such as family photos, dresses (including the dazzling Luella Bartley number that Winehouse wore at Glastonbury 2008), cookbooks, stories, records and musical instruments. Acting as soundtrack will be a mixtape Winehouse put together at the age of 13. The exhibition was conceived and curated by Amy's brother, Alex, and sister-in-law, Riva, in collaboration with the Jewish Museum of London. Since premiering in London in 2013, it's travelled to San Francisco, Vienna, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam, and, right now, it's at the London museum, Camden. Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait arrives at the Jewish Museum of Australia, St Kilda, on October 22 and will show until March 22, 2018. Via The Age. Image: Amy.
Sure they can't compete with the '60s, '70s or '80s in terms of powerful speeches, Sean Connery or gravity-defying perms, but the '90s don't have nothing to offer — and we're not talking in double negatives. This was the decade of music that was all about having fun and going to (drug-free) parties, and now that today's musical landscape is drenched in weightier lyrics it seems there's a yearning to grab this carefree innocence by the high waist of its mom jeans. In the last few months S Club, Aqua, The Vengaboys, the Backstreet Boys and, most recently, East 17 and Shai, have all staged moderately successful comebacks on our shores. C&C Music Factory and Hanson are scheduled to follow suit. Matching outfits and half-shaven eyebrows or not, here are ten more pop groups of the '90s that could, in theory, if you just wish hard enough, have an Australian tour on the horizon. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4NO-h9PFum4 1. STEPS Before synth-pop, there was techno line dance. Steps were manufactured in the late '90s in order to release '5, 6, 7 8' as a one-hit wonder, but the band stayed together for five years before splitting up in 2001. A decade later they eschewed reality television to reform for a four-part documentary series titled Steps: The Reunion, which apparently some people actually watched — Series 2 (Steps: On The Road Again) aired on Sky Living in April this year, following the band as they embarked on their sellout 22-date UK tour. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qZUn-KtTNmA 2. FIVE Formed by the guys behind the Spice Girls and signed by Simon Cowell, Scott, Ritchie, J, Abs and Sean were just made to take out Best Pop Act, Best British Band, Best Single, Best Album and Best Haircut (go Scott!). Apparently J's locks weren't quite so popular, because after an extended hiatus the group announced this year that they would reunite without him ("Four will make you get down now…") https://youtube.com/watch?v=UvjLgjtJKsc 3. B*WITCHED Were B*Witched the ultimate '90s role models? Not only did they reject mini dresses in favour of cultivating a tomboy image, but they taught millions of kids to speak French. Sure the girls were dropped by their record company only four years after the release of 'C'est La Vie', but in an interview in December 2008 Sinead said a reunion was not out of the question. And now that double denim is totez fashun, 2012 could just be the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4gAsPT-vgeM 4. 98 DEGREES Aren't these dudes just so real? 98 Degrees formed independently and were later picked up by a record label rather than being manufactured, and refined their harmonies while working as a landscaper, a bouncer, a take-out delivery boy and a stripper. Rumours of a reunion show for the second half of 2012 were denied by Nick Lachey, but Lachey also said he would stay married to Jessica Simpson forever and ever — so there's always hope. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-KmOd3i7s 5. N*SYNC In 2002 N*SYNC went on a "temporary hiatus" while High Tenor Justin Timberlake went about getting crazy famous, and though Lance Bass said in 2007 that the group had definitely broken up, their website continues to keep fans updated on the various members' projects. Could their next one be a reunion? https://youtube.com/watch?v=zDKO6XYXioc 6. BOYZ II MEN What the boyz lack in matching parachute pants and neon accents they make up for in commercial success, selling more than 60 million albums worldwide and smashing the record held by Elvis Presley by staying at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 13 weeks. Bass singer Michael McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues but the remaining members continue to dispense emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies as a trio, releasing their most recent studio album Twenty last year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7eul_Vt6SZY 7. BOYZONE Original member Stephen Gately tragically died of natural causes while on holiday in Majorca in 2009, two years after the band made a miraculous comeback, but the remaining members continue to keep the deliciously cheesy magic alive. Their 2010 track 'Gave It All Away', written by Mika, actually charted on our shores, and 2013 will see them tour a new album to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band forming. https://youtube.com/watch?v=64xah1qYBYI 8. A1 Just shimmying under the metaphorical limbo stick are British-Norwegian pop group A1, who's first single 'Be the First to Believe' reached #6 in the UK singles charts right as the decade came to a close. The boys split in 2001 when Paul Marazzi decided to take his frosted tips and penchant for road worker orange elsewhere, before staging a December 2009 comeback that led to a string of new singles. 'Just Three Words' was released only last month, featuring Pakistani pop singer Annie Khalid. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k6BU6Nb_vDM 9. THE CORRS Talk about making your parents proud. While most young adults have trouble hanging around their siblings long enough to finish a meal, The Corrs have released five studio albums, including the multi-platinum Talk on Corners. They are also all actively involved in philanthropic activities, and only took a hiatus because two of them are raising families. Considering the recent surge in popularity of folk music — The Corrs' brand is a mix of pop and traditional Celtic folk — perhaps it's a good time for that hiatus to end? https://youtube.com/watch?v=qgi3PkouMxs 10. SIXPENCE NONE THE RICHER The Dawson's Creek soundtrack wouldn't have been the same without them, and neither would the '90s. After reuniting in 2007 and playing a headline slot at something called Greenbelt Festival in the UK, loyal fans including Perez Hilton are still waiting for the album that was originally scheduled to drop in 2010. But with a new release date of August 7, a tour might not be far behind.
After the disrupted domestic-only ski season in 2020 — and with travellers from Australia permitted to enter New Zealand without quarantining from mid-April 2021 — thrill-seekers from both sides of the ditch could be hitting NZ's pristine slopes from as early as June. That means it's less than 70 days until NZ Ski's fields, including Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown and Canterbury's Mount Hutt are up and running for winter. The operator has plenty going on this season, including opening the country's first eight-person chairlift and night skiing events. Mount Hutt is set to be the first to open from Friday, June 11–Sunday, October 17. It will be open seven days with capacity on the mountain increased thanks to the brand new Nor'west Express eight-seat chairlift. With a ride time of only two minutes, the lift will have capacity to carry up to 3000 skiers per hour. It also features a loading carpet to assist those who are new to using chairlifts. The field's full moon skiing event will also return. Coronet Peak will be open from Saturday, June 19 right through until Sunday, September 26. The ski field plans to operate its popular after-hours night skiing events every Wednesday and Friday from June 25 onwards. The 48th dog derby is also on the cards. Fellow Queenstown favourite The Remarkables will be open every day of the week from Saturday, June 26 through to Sunday, October 17. The mountain's Sugar Bowl development includes two brand new trails and a new snowmaking system mean better snow coverage on the Serpentine side of the mountain. Cardrona Alpine Resort's Olympic-sized superpipe will be open from Saturday, June 12 until Sunday, October 17.. The ski field is also adding another chairlift to its network, which opens up a new major section of skiable terrain on the southern face. Sibling ski field Treble Cone is scheduled to open from Saturday, June 26–Sunday, September 26, and for cross-country skiers and snow-shoers, Cardrona's Snow Farm is intending to open for the 2021 winter from Friday, June 18–Sunday, September 19. The largest ski area in the nation, Mt Ruapehu, is preparing to open its Happy Valley (Saturday, June 5), Turoa (Saturday, July 3), Whakapapa (Saturday, July 3) fields, too, which will give skiers and snowboarders access to the mountain's natural pipes, steep chutes and vertical drop of 722 metres. The alpine village says the opening will be subject to snow conditions. With the quarantine-free trans-Tasman travel bubble set to open from Sunday, April 18, a rise in visitor numbers is expected across all fields. All ski field 2021 season plans are dependent on snow conditions, as well as COVID-19 guidelines and expectations set out by the New Zealand Government. For more information about NZ's ski fields, head to the various websites for Mount Hutt, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona Alpine Resort, Treble Cone, Snow Farm and Mt Ruapehu. Images: NZSki.
When a festival as bold and colourful as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras turns the big 4-0, as it will next year, you can rest assured there will be no skimping on the birthday celebrations. And indeed, the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House will light up hot pink this Friday, November 3, to help launch the festival's milestone 2018 program. "Mardi Gras is 40 years young and we can't think of a more fabulous way to announce our full program than by painting the most iconic building in Australia pink," said Terese Casu, Mardi Gras Arts CEO. While this unmistakable (and well-timed) message lights up the skyline at sunset, there'll be equally dazzling scenes down on the Opera House Forecourt, as the full 2018 Mardi Gras lineup is unveiled at an invite-only launch party. Since its first historic outing in 1978, Mardi Gras has grown into a 17-day celebration of equality, self-expression and pride, recognised the world over. See the Sydney Opera House sails light up hot pink at about 7.40pm this Friday, November 3. Tickets to Sydney Mardi Gras 2018 go on sale the same day — grab yours here.
New South Wales being as big as it is, it should come as no surprise just how varied the communities and events calendar can be. If you're committed to travelling across this wide land in search of a good feed, let us do the hard yards for you. Throughout the year, there are food festivals of all shapes, sizes and menus happening across the state, so we've partnered up with Destination NSW for this definitive list of events you'll need to add to the agenda. As of autumn, we're fast approaching the annual celebration of luminescence and warmth that is Vivid Sydney, conveniently timed to fend off the cold and dark nights of winter. Beyond the obvious attractions of bright lights and exclusive experiences, a great many foodie-centric events are booked across the state, too.
Peak TV is here to stay, it seems — and that doesn't just describe what we're watching, but how we're viewing it. Sitting down on the couch to watch a television show as it airs has long gone the way of the dodo, and in these these DVR, online catch up and Netflix-heavy times, we have more options than ever. That isn't stopping the world's number one source of cat videos, aka YouTube, from getting in on the action. In fact, they're aiming to make improvements. Keen to stream whatever live television you want, whenever and wherever you want, and on whichever device you want? Record every minute of TV you possibly can, without worrying about storage space and data limits? Access all of those saved programs even if you're far from home? Enter YouTube TV, a live television service that aims to do all of that, offering YouTube's own alternative to cable TV and the growing number of online streaming options. For $35 a month, US customers can get their fix of more than 40 channels, spanning entertainment, reality, sports and news options. Six accounts are included with each membership, as is access to YouTube Red Originals; viewers can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time; and all recordings sits in the cloud, which is how you're able to tape as much as you want and then play it anywhere on any device. Everything can be viewed online, via Chromecast and on both Android and iOS. For anyone outside of America, there's a catch, unsurprisingly — as yet, YouTube hasn't announced any plans to make the service available beyond the U.S. If you don't already have enough TV to watch or are tempted by unlimited recording, add it to the "wait and see" list.
What starts with a progress pride flag-raising ceremony, officially opens with Kylie Minogue and Charli XCX, then ends with MUNA and G Flip? What features the long-awaited return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street (with new viewing areas), more than 45 rainbow artworks all around town and a monumental pride march with 50,000-plus people walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, too? In other words, what'll make Sydney the centre of the queer universe from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, and make history in the process? Sydney WorldPride, the first WorldPride ever held in the southern hemisphere, and basically a mega Mardi Gras — and your unmissable reason to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the New South Wales capital in early 2023. Plenty of the above has been giving everyone reasons to rejoice for a while now; however, the Sydney WorldPride crew has just dropped the full event lineup. In-person, the team has done so with Bondi Beach's first-ever gigantic rainbow sand sculpture — which is on display until sunset today, Wednesday, November 9, if you're in the neighbourhood and keen to check it out — but this is a program worth getting excited about for the next 100 days until Sydney WorldPride arrives. Charli XCX has indeed joined the opening concert lineup, as has Jessica Mauboy, both of whom will perform alongside Kylie Minogue. Also welcome news: more tickets have been released for the previously sold-out gig, although don't expect them to stick around for long. At the Domain Dance Party mid-fest — another huge highlight — Kelly Rowland will headline‚ with DJ Dan Slater curating the bill, and DJ Suri and DJ Isis Muretech among those on the decks. And, the Bondi Beach Party on March 4 will turn the famed stretch of sand into an openair club for a casual 12,000 people, dancing by the water from dusk. If that's not enough to start making plans — a staycation or vacation via Concrete Playground Trips and its seven different Sydney WorldPride packages, perhaps? — overall the fest will feature more than 300 events over 17 days, making it the largest-ever LGBTQIA+ festival ever held in the region, too. Still on numbers, that hefty total includes 19 official major events, 68 WorldPride Arts experiences, 17 WorldPride Sports events and 192 Pride Amplified community events. That's a massive lineup to sift through, so here's the short version: wherever you are in Sydney during WorldPride, expect the festival to be in the vicinity. The list of standouts worth mentioning is similarly sizeable, including the gigs at Sydney WorldPride's at Marri Madung Butbut (Many Brave Hearts): the First Nations Gathering Space — such as the Klub Village party and performance, the Miss First Nation drag contest, and exhibition Bloodlines, which honours artists lost to HIV/AIDS. There's also the impressive WorldPride human rights conference, which is the largest of its kind ever held in the Asia-Pacific as well, and will span three days. Also, Queer Art After Hours will head to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and its new building; the Mardi Gras Film Festival returns for its 30th fest, complete with a big focus on Asia-Pacific cinema and a day of free outdoor screenings; and the Queer Formal is back. And while some Mardi Gras favourites, such as the official 10,000-person Mardi Gras Party at Hordern Pavilion and the Mardi Gras Laneway at The Beresford and Hill Street, have already sold out, there's clearly plenty more where they came from. The WorldPride Arts lineup alone spans exhibitions by Paul Yore and Dylan Mooney, the first dedicated exhibition of Australian queer artist David McDiarmid's photos, lesbian divorce comedy Blessed Union, the Australian premiere of Choir Boy by Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, and installation Eulogy for the Dyke Bar — which will indeed operate as a bar — for instance. And, there's a 24-hour dance piece, a comedy night hosted by Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under's Coco Jumbo, and Powerhouse Museum's showcase of Sydney's leading LGBTQIA+ artists, designers, makers and performers as well. Sports-wise, 17 different activities will be featured, spanning everything from roller derby, ten-pin bowling, soccer, ice hockey and basketball to wrestling, swimming, golf and dragon boating. Then, throw in a Pride Climb on Sydney Harbour Bridge, LGBTQIA+ history walks and a Sapphic Literary Lounge at Watsons Bay Library, all from the Pride Amplified part of the fest. That program covers gin dinners, events in spas and pop-up fetish bars, and a world-record attempt at the biggest disco dance class, too, and there's more still to come. Sydney WorldPride will run from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, 2023. For more information, head to the event's website. Making Sydney WorldPride plans? Concrete Playground Trips has a heap of exclusive packages on offer, including tickets to and accommodation around the Opening Concert, Domain Dance Party, Bondi Beach Party and more.
Sunshine all year-round, a 130 million-year-old rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, deserted islands, crocodiles — Queensland's 7000 kilometres of coastline has it all. Needless to say, narrowing down the state's hundreds of beautiful beach camping spots to ten was no mean feat, but we've given it a damn good shot. Whether you like to park your tent among crowd-free wilderness, on an exotic island or between the sand and a cocktail bar, there's a pitch for you. Right here. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. While regional holidays within Queensland are permitted, some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. Some of the beaches on this list are not patrolled by lifeguards. To ensure you stay safe, head over to Tourism Australia for its latest tips on water safety. [caption id="attachment_702559" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CYLINDER BEACH, NORTH STRADBROKE ISLAND For proximity to Brisbane and stunning scenery, make North Stradbroke Island your pick. There are a stack of beachside campsites and among the best is Cylinder. Pack your board — there are waves. When you're done with ruling the surf, go koala spotting, stroll along North Gorge walk or play pool with watery panoramas at the Beach Hotel. Facilities are pretty posh — you can count on showers, toilets, barbecues, picnic tables and nearby cafes and restaurants. Book before you go. [caption id="attachment_746537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Boustead via Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] INSKIP PENINSULA RECREATION AREA, INSKIP Tossing up between waves and still water? Go to Inskip Recreation Area — a 500-metre wide peninsula — and you won't have to decide. Spend all morning fumbling about on your board and all arvo doing nothing on your lilo. When you need coffee and people, Rainbow Beach is just a 15-minute drive away (check out our weekender's guide here for things to do in town). The campground is divided into four sections, which are named after local shipwrecks, with varying levels of accessibility and comfort. You're welcome to take your dog, as long as he or she sticks to the leash and watches out for crocs (as should you). Reservations are necessary. [caption id="attachment_741600" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lake McKenzie via Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] FRASER ISLAND If you're on a beach camping safari, make World Heritage-listed Fraser Island your next stop after Inskip — boats for the biggest sand island in the world leave from Rainbow Beach and take just ten minutes. There are over 30 campsites and your choice will depend partly on how scared — or not scared — of dingoes you are. To sleep within a dingo deterrent fence, book at Central Station, Dundubara, Lake Boomanjin or Waddy Point. For epic sunrises, pitch at Eastern Beach. For a wilder adventure, go for Western Beach or Great Sandy Cape. Whichever you choose, there are all sorts of escapades to be had, including swimming in Champagne Pools and Lake McKenzie to wandering along Seventy-Five Mile Beach. [caption id="attachment_746565" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Glastonbury via Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] MISSION BEACH, CASSOWARY COAST About halfway between Townsville and Cairns — and on the way up to Cape Trib — is the Mission Beach area. There are a number of council-run campgrounds and caravan parks here, but head straight to Kurrimine Beach for a prime beachfront posi. This site is pretty well set up — powered sites with access to a laundry, hot showers and toilets are available along with some unpowered sites in peak season. You can't book, so turn up early in the day and hope for the best. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] WHITEHAVEN BEACH, WHITSUNDAY ISLAND Whitehaven's seven-kilometre-long perfect arc of white sand is The Whitsundays' poster girl. And, thanks to her handy campground, you can join her for a sleepover. Protected by shady coastal eucalypts and beyond the clutches of mobile coverage, let your days pass by in a hammock haze — when you're not swimming in Blue Lagoon-esque waters or walking to Hilltop Inlet, that is. To get here, catch a boat from Airlie Beach. Facilities are limited to hybrid toilets and picnic tables. There's a cap of 36 campers across seven pitches, so bookings are essential. [caption id="attachment_746553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SANDY BAY, SOUTH MOLLE ISLAND To the west of Whitsunday Island lies South Molle Island, a laidback refuge that has managed to fly under the radar of commercialisation. Its most popular campsite is Sandy Bay, a peaceful stretch of sand on the west coast, with room for 36 campers. Get active on hiking and mountain biking tracks or relax into some gentle beachcombing. The northern end of Sandy Bay is a lovely spot for snorkelling — do be mindful of stingers, though. To reach South Molle Island, catch a ferry from Airlie Beach or Shute Harbour. Campsite facilities are limited to toilets and picnic tables. [caption id="attachment_702583" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] THE WRECKS, MORETON ISLAND Another convenient trip from Brisbane is Moreton Island, just north of Stradbroke. The Tangalooma Wrecks campground is a short walk or drive (via 4WD) from the ferry landing and, as the name suggests, is within view of a series of shipwrecks. The difference between these and most others along Australia's east coast is they were deliberately sunk to create a break wall. Happily, they make for excellent snorkelling and diving, too. Moreton Island National Park is home to miles of pristine beaches, rocky headlands, creeks, lagoons and wildflowers. Facilities consist of cold showers, hybrid toilets and untreated running water. Book in advance. [caption id="attachment_746559" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia/Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] COOLUM BEACH, SUNSHINE COAST If your camping vision involves starting your day with a swim and ending it with a three-course feast, then get out your pegs at Coolum Beach Caravan Park. You'll have direct access to patrolled surf, as well as to all the luxuries of bricks-and-mortar living just across the road in Coolum's town centre. Try Canteen or Raw Energy for eats and Gelato Mio for dessert. Stay long enough to check out the local area, especially Noosa National Park. Facilities are top-notch — expect hot showers, toilets, a camp kitchen, laundry and wifi. [caption id="attachment_746620" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Conway National Park by Timothy Wakeham via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] SWAMP BAY, CONWAY NATIONAL PARK Don't let the name deter you. This precious campsite, found within Conway National Park and 12 kilometres from Airlie Beach, has space for four tents only and incredible views of Daydream Island. The only catch is that it's a two-kilometre walk in and the beach is pebbly (so don't forget your reef shoes). Give yourself enough time to explore Conway — there are awe-inspiring rainforest walks to conquer, waterfalls to visit, extraordinary panoramas to soak up and crocs to dodge. Make a booking before you go and don't imagine anything fancy in the way of facilities. All you'll be getting is a pit toilet, picnic tables and, in case the weather turns against you, a shelter shed. [caption id="attachment_743612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cape Tribulation by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] NOAH BEACH, CAPE TRIBULATION Noah Beach campground, 80 kilometres north of Port Douglas, puts you smack-bang between the 130-million-year-old Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. It's the only place on the planet where two World Heritage-listed areas find themselves face-to-face. You'll be sleeping 50 metres from the beach sheltered by forest canopy, but do prepare for basic facilities — tap water and bio-cycle toilets are all you'll be getting. There's no mobile coverage and bookings are crucial. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Mission Beach by Matt Glastonbury via Tourism and Events Queensland.
To help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19, a number of hygiene measures are recommended. We all know them by now. They include frequently washing our hands and using hand sanitiser, maintaining 1.5-metre social distancing and staying home if you've experiencing even the slightest of symptoms. Wearing masks is another tactic, but the approach within Australia has varied state by state throughout the pandemic. They were first mandated in Melbourne back in mid-July, and were made compulsory in some indoor situations in Greater Sydney at the beginning of 2021. In Queensland, they'll be required for the three days that the Greater Brisbane area is in lockdown from Friday, January 6–Monday, January 11, in response to the first community case of the new, more contagious COVID-19 strain in the country. When it comes to flying, because social distancing can be difficult and you're sat in close quarters in a confined space with other people for a period of time, mask usage has long been recommended — but it'll now be mandatory, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today, Friday, January 8. The new rule was adopted by the first Australian national cabinet meeting for 2021, alongside a number of other changes made in reaction to the new COVID-19 strain. The mask mandate applies to all domestic flights within the country, and to international flights to and from our shores as well. For domestic flights, only children under 12 won't have to don a face covering. Folks will have to wear masks for not only for the duration of their flights, but at airports as well, including airports overseas for those about to hop on flights to Australia. The rules cover international air crews, too, who will now be required to undergo a COVID-19 test in Australia every seven days or upon arrival, with the exact requirement to be determined by each state. Compulsory pre-flight testing for international travellers coming to Australia has also been adopted by the national cabinet, as part of "a set of improved measures to tighten the end-to-end process of international arrivals in Australia," said the Prime Minister. "Travellers to Australia must return a negative COVID-19 test result prior to departure to Australia," he advised; however, there "will be exemptions in extenuating circumstances. This could include for seasonal workers from amber-risk countries where there is limited access to testing, with mitigation of testing on arrival in Australia". Australia is reducing caps on international arrivals in some states as well — in New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland — by 50 percent until February 15. In NSW, a weekly cap of 1505 will be in place, while WA's will be 512 and Queensland's will be 500. Quarantine workers will also be subject to changed requirements, moving nationally to daily testing. National cabinet is taking an expansive view of the term 'quarantine worker', and the Prime Minister said that "states are encouraged to take as broad a definition of that as they can, as is done in many states — that would extend to transport workers for people going to quarantine, not just those who are the cleaners or others directly involved in that process, medical staff and so on." As for when this'll all come into effect, the Prime Minister advised that the changes will be implemented "over the course of the next week — and the compliance arrangements that sit around that will be put in place by the Commonwealth and the state governments". For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Diaries out: Good Things, the Australian music festival that's boasted the reunited TISM, Bring Me the Horizon, The Amity Affliction, NOFX, Millencolin, Devo, Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizkit, Corey Taylor and Pennywise on its lineup across its past two years, will return to the east coast in December 2024 to kick off another summer. There's no word yet on who'll be taking to the stage, but you can save the date, with the fest again playing Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Good Things runs over a single weekend even though it hits up three cities, and that's remaining the same in 2024. First up is a Melbourne stop on Friday, December 6, before heading to Saturday, December 7 and Brisbane on Sunday, December 8. Venues haven't been revealed yet either, so whether Good Things is again taking over Centennial Park, Flemington Racecourse and Brisbane Showgrounds is yet to be confirmed. Wherever it sets up shop in 2024, both its past rosters and the parts of town that it has popped up in demonstrate that this isn't a small affair by any measure. 2023's fest also featured Bullet for My Valentine, Taking Back Sunday and I Prevail, plus Enter Shikari, Pvris, Behemoth and Sepultura — and, on the local front, Spiderbait, Frenzal Rhomb, Jebediah and Eskimo Joe. Accordingly, whoever does the honours in 2024 is following in some mighty hefty footsteps. There's no word yet as to when more details will be unveiled, so watch this space. 2022's lineup dropped in June, while 2023's arrived in August. Good Things follows fellow touring fest Listen Out and Brisbane-only event Sweet Relief! in locking in a 2024 return in what's been an immensely difficult year for music festivals, with Groovin the Moo announcing its dates then cancelling, and Splendour in the Grass sadly doing the same. Good Things 2024 Dates: Friday, December 6 — Melbourne Saturday, December 7 — Sydney Sunday, December 8 — Brisbane Good Things will hit the Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in December 2024. We'll update you when the lineup is announced and tickets go on sale — head to the festival website for more information and to sign up for the event's mailing list in the interim. Images: Kane Hibberd.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2020 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on Friday, April 24 in South Australia and travel through Canberra, Bunbury, Bendigo and Townsville before finishing up in Maitland on Saturday, May 9. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning recent Hottest 100 favourites San Cisco, Dope Lemon, E^ST, Slowly Slowly, Tones and I and Mallrat to up-and-comers like Kira Puru, Ruby Fields and WAAX. International talent like Bhad Bhabie, Kelis, Clairo, recently reformed 90s rock band Supergrass and Darude — who'll you'll most likely recognise from his hit track 'Sandstorm' — will take to the stage alongside Aussie legends Gang of Youths, The Cat Empire and The Veronicas. After hosting Australia's first (and second) ever pill-testing trial in Canberra, Groovin the Moo's ACT festival will take place in Exhibition Park for a second year. Despite many protests and petitions supporting it, pill testing is still a much-debated topic around the country. Here's the full lineup: GROOVIN THE MOO 2020 LINEUP AJ Tracey Bhad Bhabie Blanco Brown The Cat Empire Channel Tres Clairo Darude Dope Lemon E^ST Gang of Youths Hayden James Kelis Kira Puru Mallrat Manu Crooks Maxo Kream Ruby Fields San Cisco Slowly Slowly Sugarhill Gang Supergrass Tones and I The Veronicas WAAX YBN Cordae GROOVIN THE MOO 2020 DATES & VENUES Friday, April 24 — Adelaide Showground, Wayville (SA) Saturday, April 25 – Exhibition Park, Canberra (ACT) Sunday, April 26 — Hay Park, Bunbury (WA) Saturday, May 2 — Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Bendigo (VIC) Sunday, May 3 — Murray Sports Complex, Townsville (QLD) Saturday, May 9 — Maitland Showground, Maitland (NSW) Tickets for GTM in Bendigo, Bunbury and Canberra will go on sale at 8am on Tuesday, February 11, and Maitland, Wayville and Townsville will be released the day after at 8am on Wednesday, February 12. For more info, go to gtm.net.au. Image: Mackenzie Sweetnam
There is no "just Ken" in the Barbie realm. IRL, there wouldn't be a Ken at all if Barbie hadn't become a hit toy first. And in the live-action movie that's about to see both dolls hit the silver screen, Ken is very much — and very comically — an offsider. Wondering how the plaything that Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) is bringing to life feels about that? In the latest trailer for Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring Barbie, the beach-loving figure belts out a song to explain what it's like to be the man behind the tan. Barbie is now just over a week from hitting cinemas — as one part of the unofficial Barbenheimer double, given that Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer also releases on the same day — and it's still dropping sneak peeks. The latest is all about La La Land's Gosling crooning in a series out eye-catching outfits, and across a range of playful backdrops. So, yes, just with singing, it's firmly a trailer for a film that is having a whole lot of fun with its toybox-to-screen setup. The new clip follows not one, not two, but three other glimpses so far, all with ample lashings of pink, and showing that life in plastic mightn't be as fantastic as it seems. Also featured across the promotional campaign to-date: giant blowout parties with planned choreography, Ken's constant devotion, existential musings, and a trip to the real world for answers when the Barbie movie's main namesake realises that she no longer float off of her rooftop — and also that her usually arched feet have become flat. Marking actor-turned-director Gerwig's third solo stint behind the camera after Lady Bird and Little Women, and not only starring but produced by Babylon's Robbie, Barbie looks set to show that even dolls living in a dreamland struggle with life's big questions — and, yes, even Ken. Splashing as much humour as pastel hues throughout its frames, Barbie is scripted by Gerwig and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach — her helmer on Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise, and real-life partner — and boasts a cast that's a gleaming toy chest of talent. Plenty of those on-screen stars help fill the feature with Barbies, including Issa Rae (Insecure) as president Barbie, Dua Lipa (making her movie debut) as a mermaid Barbie, Emma Mackey (Emily) as a Nobel Prize-winning physicist Barbie, Alexandra Schipp (tick, tick... BOOM!) as an author Barbie and Ana Cruz Kayne (Jerry and Marge Go Large) as a supreme court justice Barbie — plus Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as diplomat Barbie, Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) as a Barbie who is always doing the splits, Hari Nef (Meet Cute) as doctor Barbie, Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy) as a Pulitzer-winning Barbie and Sharon Rooney (Jerk) as lawyer Barbie. There's also a whole heap of Kens beyond Gosling's singing, yearning version, including Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Ncuti Gatwa (the incoming Doctor Who) and Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie). And, Michael Cera (Arrested Development) plays Alan, Emerald Fennell (The Crown) plays Midge, Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) is the narrator, America Ferrera (Superstore) and Ariana Greenblatt (65) are humans, Jamie Demetriou (Catherine Called Birdy) is a suit, Will Ferrell (Spirited) wears a suit as Mattel's CEO and Connor Swindells (Sex Education) is an intern. Check out the latest trailer for Barbie below: Barbie releases in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023.
With the rise of the mp3 and the gathering of the cloud, the concept of physically owning your music has gradually begun to disappear. Yet for many music lovers, the tactile nature of analogue media still holds a powerful nostalgia. How else do you explain last year's record-breaking vinyl sales? But while the record may have experienced a bit of a resurgence as of late, what about the humble audio cassette? Well, it turns out there may be a market for that too. Inspired by the success of Record Store Day, Cassette Store Day is a celebration of all things magnetic tape and plastic. Its third iteration is set for October 17 — and for the first time, the southern hemisphere is getting in on the action. Australian label Rice Is Nice and New Zealanders Arch Hill Recordings will join Germany’s Mansions & Millions, America’s Burger Records and original UK founders Suplex Cassettes, Kissability, and Sexbeat in organising the 2015 edition, an international party marked by a slew of events, sales and releases. Last year saw such big name artists as Karen O and There Might Be Giants drop tapes for the occasion, among more than 300 others. Of course, not everyone is so enamoured with these chunky slabs of plastic. Last year Tone Deaf penned an article titled ‘Why International Cassette Store Day is Stupid’, arguing that the event is simply nostalgia taken too far. And look, the killjoys may have a point. Although vinyl fans insist that records sound ‘warmer,’ it’s a lot harder to make that argument for the compact cassette. Still, anything that gets people supporting local music stores is okay by us. Besides, who doesn’t secretly want an actual mixtape from their crush? CASSETTE STORE DAY AUSTRALIAN RELEASES Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit Summer Flake — Time Rolls By EP Bloods — Work It Out Ocean Party — Light Weight Step-Panther — Strange But Nice Dollar Bar — Paddington Workers Club Dollar Bar — Hot Ones Red Riders — Drown In Colour Demos The Finks — Lucklaster Fraser A. Gorman — Slow Gum Ouch My Face — Bunyip Raindrop — Crowded Brain EP Rice Is Nice Records — Vol. 3 Mixtape (various artists) Ft. Blank Realm (unreleased), Black Zeros, Tired Lion, Lowtide, The Living Eyes, Pearls, Love of Diagrams, Day Ravies, Us The Band, Zeahorse, White Dog, Weak Boys Wonrowe Vision — Triple Cassette Mortification — Scrolls Of The Megaloth Double Cassette Barrow-man — Dog Tales Betty & Oswald — King Of Bohemia Tutu and the Bodyrockets — The Ballad of Bonnie Bigfish Hills Hoist / Piqué — Cool Change / Kitty Australian labels and store owners that want to be part of this year’s Cassette Store Day can apply via Rice Is Nice starting from July 11. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Kicking goals, winning hearts, starring in a docuseries, inspiring statues, making history on the field and on TV: in 2023, the Matildas have been doing it all. Next, the Sam Kerr-captained squad has been immortalised by the Australian National Dictionary Centre, inspiring Australia's latest Word of the Year. 'Matilda' has been chosen as the Australian National University-based organisation's pick of 2023 thanks to the Tillies' huge successes, plus the devotion they've inspired across the country. With huge crowds heading to the team's games at the Women's World Cup, then backing it up at the recent Olympic qualifiers — and millions of people watching the former on TV as well — the words 'Matildas' and 'Tillies' have certainly been uttered countless times by most of us this year. [caption id="attachment_912965" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liondartois via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] "The team name (Matildas, or Tillies for short) and singular form (Matilda) were everywhere as Matildas mania swept the country, with Australians transfixed by every minute of play," advised the Australian National Dictionary Centre in a statement announcing its new Word of the Year choice. And if you're wondering about the word's history in Australia, "from the 1880s, matilda was one of the names for a swag, a bag of possessions carried by an itinerant man looking for work," explains the Centre's Director Dr Amanda Laugesen. "These days most people would only know this in relation to the song Waltzing Matilda." "It's only since the mid-1990s that the women's soccer team has been called the Matildas, but after this year's World Cup the word has once again cemented itself in the Australian lexicon." [caption id="attachment_913693" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Matilda emerged victorious from a shortlist that also included 'noer', 'yesser', 'truth-telling' and 'hallucinate', with the first three linked to this year's referendum for the Australian Indigenous Voice to Parliament. In 2022, 'teal' was the Word of the Year, with 'strollout' getting the nod in 2021, 'iso' in 2020 and 'voice' in 2019. For more information about the Australian National Dictionary Centre's word of the year, head to the centre's website.
Fancy seeing one of Brisbane's most popular spaces in a completely new light? Or, to be more accurate, with more than 40,000 different lights flickering over the top of its lush greenery? As every home renovation-focused TV show has told us time and time again, a splash of colour can make a world of difference — and, at Roma Street Parklands' Enchanted Garden, it can turn an already picturesque space into a bright, festive wonderland. This is a family-friendly affair, and it's returning from previous years. That said, it's a bit different in 2020. Firstly, it'll run on select dates between Friday, December 4–Sunday, January 17 — every day except Mondays and Tuesdays up until the week of Christmas, then every day until December 23, then returning from January 1 from Wednesday–Sunday. So, it'll initially be part of the city's Christmas fun, then it'll keep the merriment going into the new year. The reason for all of the above? Capacity limits and social distancing, of course. You'll also need to select a 45-minute time slot (starting at 6.30pm, 7.15pm, 8pm and 8.45pm) and nab a ticket. The first batch, up until Christmas, have actually already booked out — but you can join the waitlist. The second batch, for post-Xmas viewings, will become available from 9am on Friday, December 11. Attendees shouldn't go expecting the kind of setup that you've been ignoring on every street corner in Brissie's suburbs. Lights will twinkle and decorations will sparkle; however, this isn't a tacky DIY display. Nope, not at all. That said, a word of warning: people love all things glittery, so prepare to have as much company as is permitted in this chaotic year. If you're organised enough, you can always pack a picnic, arrive early and enjoy dinner beforehand. Plus, you can BYO drinks to one of the few public places that allows them in our fair town — although Roma Street Parklands' licensed areas are only licensed until 8pm. Food trucks will also be onsite from 5pm daily if you don't get around to taking care of your own nosh.
Whether or not making movies has ever been your goal, everyone knows that some film achievements that are just the dream. Getting into SXSW is one of them. If you're from Australia, and from Sydney at that, having your first feature play at Sydney Film Festival ranks as highly. Amy Wang has now notched up both thanks to Slanted, which premiered at Austin's OG version of SXSW in March, then made its Aussie debut at SFF. Was this the dream for Wang? "100 percent. Yes. Yes. Growing up — and I went to film school here in in Sydney as well — there are those film festivals like the Cannes, the Sundances and SXSWs, where you're just like 'wow, even to just play'," she tells Concrete Playground. "I think they choose ten films or eight films to play in competition at South By. I remember that day. I had a friend who had a film that played at South By the previous year, and they had said they got their acceptance email around the beginning of December. So I just had this inkling. I was like 'if I don't get this email today' — it was a Friday — 'then it's probably a no go'. And I got it. It was so surreal for sure. Just so happy." That's how Wang discovered that she'd be unveiling her body-horror satire about a Chinese American teen's desire to be like her peers at her US high school — plus the lengths the character goes to to achieve that aim — in America. For her troubles, she took home 2025's SXSW Narrative Jury Award. Playing Sydney Film Festival is another treasured milestone. "In many ways, I am even more excited to show it in Sydney," she notes. "Growing up in Sydney, I would go to Sydney Film Festival every year since I was a teenager. So I've been to the State Theatre so many times, lined up outside. It's such a prestigious venue." Slanted's first Aussie session did indeed play at the grand venue at the heart of SFF. It's a US-set and -made film, but screening in Australia is a homecoming because its Chinese Australian writer/director has taken inspiration from her childhood experiences right here. The story of Joan Huang (Shirley Chen, Dìdi) isn't far from Wang's own growing up, when she was teased and attacked due to her race, she advises. Well, that setup has its parallels, at least. With Slanted, the filmmaker takes that trauma and transfers it into a world of prom queens and blonde obsessions, crafting a biting exploration of such a nightmare — one where Joan is convinced that the radical step that is "racial transformation surgery" is her only choice. When Joan walks her school's halls, she strolls past photos of past tiara-wearing teens, all blue-eyed and fair-haired. Her bedroom walls are filled with pictures of blonde celebrities. On her phone, she changes her own image with filters. Lightening her tresses IRL follows. Upon arriving in America with her family (Starring Jerry as Himself's Fang Du and The Afterparty's Vivian Wu) as a kid (Kristen Cui, Knock at the Cabin), she was mocked quickly, cementing the idea in her impressionable young mind that assimilating with her classmates was the ideal option. Also as a child, courtesy of her dad's job as a high-school janitor, she discovered prom queens and the adoration that the title brings. So, when a company called Ethnos slides into adolescent Joan's DMs with a proposal, securing all of her fantasies — and befriending the most-popular girl in school (Amelie Zilber, Grown-ish), too — appears closer to becoming a reality. If this sounds like a "be careful what you wish for"-esque setup, that's because it is as Slanted also works Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire star Mckenna Grace into its cast as Jo — and as Wang digs into the desire to belong, its costs, caucasian-centric beauty standards, white privilege and class clashes. Wang knows that this is well-populated territory in general, but "nobody had really done what I've done", she reflects. "Even around White Chicks, for example, it's still the same actors. And obviously Freaky Friday is another example of a body-swap kind of film, but with this, still it's the same person. And it's to do with race, and that's something I think that hasn't really been touched. Obviously a lot of people have been comparing the film to The Substance, which is a little similar as well in terms of themes, but still different. I think it was just the race aspect of it — the fact that it's so personal to myself — that's how I made it different and my own." Was the process of penning and helming Slanted cathartic for its guiding force? "100 percent. 100 percent. I use film and I use writing and directing to work through my own trauma, I think, and it's been deeply cathartic," Wang shares. As much of a focus is ensuring that everyone else that has ever felt like Joan does can see that others have been there. "I made this film so that people didn't feel alone," Wang continues. "And I could express a story about somebody who maybe the majority of Australians or the majority of Americans don't really think about — and to do it an entertaining way so that they are entertained, but also are made to think and reflect on themselves." Wang's path to Slanted spans studying at the American Film Institute, winning accolades for her short film work before her feature's SXSW triumph — 2017's Unnatural picked up a gong at the Cannes Lions — and diving into a sequel to a Hollywood hit. When Crazy Rich Asians 2 makes its way to cinemas, it'll do so with Wang as its writer. Netflix's From Scratch and The Brothers Sun are also on her resume so far. We chatted with Wang about her Slanted journey to date, the movie's response, having an Australian perspective on US teendom and more, including the picture's balancing act, its crucial casting, the visual approach and more. [caption id="attachment_1008985" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy E. Price/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images[/caption] On How the 12 Months Since Making Slanted Have Panned Out for Wang "Oh my gosh, it's been nuts. It is kind of crazy to think — like even today on my phone, you know how your iPhone sometimes gives you memories of the last couple of months? I hadn't even started shooting this time last year. So we shot June–July. I think I flew back to LA — because we shot in Atlanta — I flew back to LA in August to start post. And it's been pretty fast, when I think about it. And it was — I mean, it's still crazy. We delivered the film like three days before we premiered. I'm sure SXSW hated us with that. So it was kind of non-stop until the premiere. The night before, I couldn't sleep because I was so nervous. And then we had such a great reaction after that first screening. I thought the festival will tip you off if you win anything, but they don't. I wasn't even going to even go to the awards night. And I just rocked up in a t-shirt and jeans. Other people were dressed up in dresses and suits and everything, and me and my husband were just sat in the back. It was the most-crazy experience, and so I'm still pinching myself." On Whether Wang Expected the Type of Response That Slanted Has Been Receiving "I think I wanted for this response, and I'm really happy that that I've received it. There was definitely a part of me that was a little bit afraid. I like to push buttons with all of my films, the scripts that I write — and in a way, I do like a bit of controversy within the stuff that I do. So I think I was more afraid of that of — like would people take it the wrong way? Would people get offended? But surprisingly it's been — you always get the random Letterboxd reviews or even film critics critiquing the film, but the majority have been so amazing and supportive. I remember after my premiere at South By, when I was walking to the afterparty, there were multiple people who came up to me with tears in their eyes and just telling me about how much they related to the story. And these were Americans. I'm even more excited to see the reaction in Sydney, because, again, the film came from my own experience growing up in Sydney. And Australia, Sydney in particular, has such a huge Asian population. So I'm so interested to see how people relate to the film." [caption id="attachment_938017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Levy[/caption] On How Slanted Evolved From Wang's Childhood in Australia — and Why It Embraces the US as a Setting "The reason why I set it in America was because I moved to America in 2015 to go to film school at AFI. And I ended up staying and working in LA. And it felt, at the time when I came up with the concept, like all of my connections, my career, was really in the US. So I knew I needed to adapt the story that I had in my head to a US audience — because all the money, all of the filming crew, cast, everybody, would have been US-based. So that was really the main reason. If I had written a story that was in Australia, I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to get it made in the Australian bubble. The story is very closely based on my own life. Growing up in Sydney, I, unfortunately for a really long time — and even now to a degree, I think we're all still working towards fully embracing and accepting who we are — but as a teenager, I definitely was very, very aware that I looked very different. And I received a lot of, I wouldn't say very violent attacks, but definitely had people throw things at me, follow me around, say very, very horrible racist, just blatantly racist things to me. And it really just made me feel ashamed of my culture, what I look like, and made me want to look like the blonde surfie girls who I went to high school with, who were the always the most popular. And I remembered wanting to — I didn't grow up very wealthy, I would nag my mum to get me Billabong boardies and those types of bags to fit in a little bit more. And I'd get so ashamed over the lunches my dad would make me, because the kids would tease me about how badly they smelled and how weird they looked. I'm happy that I went through it, because it's made me who I am. And I'm just really happy that I was able to make a film that I think connects to a lot of people who have experienced very similar things — even if you're not Asian Australian. I think everybody feels in some way as an outsider." [caption id="attachment_1008986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gilbert Flores/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images[/caption] On Whether Having an Outsider Perspective in the US Assisted When Satirising the Prom and American High Schools "Yes, absolutely. You definitely hit the nail on the head. I feel like I was able to really satirise America because I'm not American. And growing up in Australia, growing up on American films and American TV, I think I had that separation and I was able to make fun of it. And also, I think what is cool is because I've been living here so long, to also firsthand experience the ins and outs and the intricacies of American society. I didn't, when I was in Australia, I never knew that American kids did the Pledge of Allegiance. And it was so shocking to me. I remember when I was doing research and visiting high schools in California, and they would all do the Pledge of Allegiance — and I was like 'what? What is this?'. And it just felt so bizarre. But to an American, it's what they grew up with, so they wouldn't question it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by SXSW (@sxsw) On Finding the Right Tone When You're Making a Satire with a Clear Sense of Humour, But That Comes From a Personal Place — and Is a Body-Horror Film, Coming-of-Age Movie and Family Drama as Well "I feel like it's interesting because I didn't really think too hard about — I definitely thought about the tone a lot, but in terms of weaving all of these things together, I didn't think 'ooh, I have to have some body horror in there, I have to have some satire in there'. I think the satire came organically because the initial concept was just 'oh, what if a Chinese girl turned herself into a white girl?' — and so that concept itself was so absurd and surreal that it just automatically steps into that satirical tone and zone. And then, the reason why I'm a filmmaker is because of films like Fight Club and Seven — David Fincher in particular. My favourite filmmaker is Michael Haneke. And I grew up watching a lot of Cronenberg. So I love dark material. And it just makes sense — I wanted to make a film about learning to accept who you are but in a nightmarish storyline, so it just makes sense to see the repercussions of what happens when you decide to transition into something so drastic." On the Importance of Also Digging Into Class Clashes "That's just another theme that I'm very passionate about, because I don't come from a lot of money. And both of my parents are very working class, don't have any association with the film business. And especially coming out to LA, not really having anything, going AFI — which is a great school, but really being surrounded by a lot of people who do come from a lot of money, or has a famous dad or whatever. Especially in the film industry, in Hollywood, I think, I'm constantly surrounded by people who are just wealthier. And I think that's just something that I'm very aware of. Again, I'm really happy with everything I've been through because it always informs my work, but classism and race, those are definitely things that I just am very aware of — of my own differences and of society in general, the wealth disparity, especially in America." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shirley Chen (@shirleylchen) On the Importance of Finding the Right Joan in Shirley Chen and the Right Jo in Mckenna Grace "I found Shirley first. I watched a lot of auditions. And I'd always known of Shirley, cause I've seen her in Dìdi, I'd seen her in this great short called Krista, I think that also played the South By. And then she did Beast Beast, which is a great film as well. She just had such a naturalistic, kind of edgy vibe about her that I just loved. And I remember watching her initial audition just being like 'fantastic, I've found my person'. And then we had lunch and got to know her a little bit. So I knew I had to find Joan first. And then from Shirley, getting to know Shirley a little bit more, I figured out 'okay, this is her general vibe, this is her energy', and I needed to find someone who could match that. And I met with Mckenna — and same with Shirley, I'd seen Mckenna in obviously Ghostbusters, but I saw her in A Friend of the Family, The Handmaid's Tale. She's just an incredible young actress. We also had lunch, and she just told me how much she related to the script — and really blew me away with her interpretation. And after that meeting, I was like 'yeah, she's the one'. After I cast the two of them, we did a lot of rehearsals and body-language imitating exercises and things like that, to really make sure they feel like the same person." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mckenna Grace (@mckennagraceful) On How Chen and Grace Worked Together to Play the Same Character — and Take That Figure on a Shared Emotional Journey "They did so much homework. I know they had shared playlists and really used music to tie themselves, the both of them, together. But I did a lot of exercises. I had Mckenna follow Shirley around, copy how Shirley ate, how she walked, how she danced — all sorts of little fun exercises I came up with. And we also figured out one thing in the movie, that both of them will squeeze their nose, and that was something that really tied it together. And that's something I used to do and my dad used to do. So I think that was a really easy tic that they both really caught onto. And sometimes even on set, I would forget and then they would add it into the scene, and I'd be like 'oh, this is amazing'. So they just they did the work. And Shirley would be on set when Mckenna would be on set, and vice versa, because we'd obviously shoot their scenes intersectionally, so that really helped as well." On Mixing Naturalism and Surrealism in the Film's Stylistic Approach "So my DP and I — my wonderful DP Ed Wu [Mother of the Bride] — we had this almost like a map that's one to ten. One was the most grounded, realistic types of films, like Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold types of films. And then on the other end of the spectrum were the Sorry to Bother You kind of way-more out-there-visually satire. And so with each scene, we'd be like 'okay, this scene, it's sitting more in the one to two', which is more the Andrea Arnold kind camp. But then some scenes, like when we're in Ethnos, definitely ventured more into that hyper-real, Being John Malkovich kind of world. So we had that communication during set, in pre-production as well. And sometimes it was hard, because there would be some scenes where it would go back and forth a little bit. The first half might be more of a one, but then the second half is a ten. So those were a little bit more difficult to really nail. But I think the music was also really big thing. Shirley Song [XO Kitty], she's a fantastic composer." On How Short Films, From Scratch, The Brothers Sun and Writing on Crazy Rich Asians 2 Helped Lead Wang to Her Feature Debut "I was never much of a writer when I got into AFI, to be totally honest. I had always wanted to direct and I went to the American Film Institute for directing. And it was my second year when I really started getting into writing, because a graduate came back and was like 'if you don't want work at Starbucks after you graduate, you're just not going to get paid to direct anything for a very long time, so you need to learn how to write'. So that advice really stuck with me. And that's kind of what I did. So I think that on the writing side, just writing for a lot of studio films — I sold scripts to Paramount and Netflix and all sorts of places. It definitely helped me craft the screenplay in the best way. And then for directing, I think it was just I really enjoyed my experience at AFI. It taught me a lot about directing. And you're just really drawing from personal experiences, and you take apart films. And I made a lot of short films back in Sydney. And all of that experience I think really contributed to making this feature." Slanted is screening at Sydney Film Festival until Sunday, June 15, 2025. Head to the fest's website for more details.
Obsessing over mysteries is human nature. We're hard-wired to piece together puzzles, trawl through murky terrain and look for answers; in fact, you could say that's what life is all about. Gothic tales understand this. They take audiences to dark, strange, far-from-straightforward places, and as a rule we're more than willing to go along. They unsettle, unnerve and ooze with unease — and that's precisely what makes them so alluring. These are the sensations conjured my My Cousin Rachel as it immerses viewers in a story of love, death, money and mistrust. For Philip (Sam Claflin), that's also the feeling he gets from the film's title character (Rachel Weisz), his cousin by marriage. When she arrives at the Cornish estate he'll inherit upon his upcoming 25th birthday, he's bubbling with anger and intent on vengeance, believing that she murdered her husband. And yet Philip soon finds himself mesmerised by the new woman in his life, even if he can't quite quell his suspicions. A Gothic romance penned by Daphne du Maurier back in 1951 (and first brought to the screen one year later), My Cousin Rachel leans into its enticing climate of wariness; this is a movie where a stiff gust of wind leaves everyone shaken, and where flickers of candlelight cast telling shadows. Writer-director Roger Michell (Le Week-End) successfully bathes every frame of the film in tension, using his handsome period staging to further the mood. A grand old house in the English countryside — and one typically seen during the daytime, too — has rarely elicited such feelings of seductive discomfort. Simmering beneath the feature's mastery of tone, however, is an exploration of both the power of perception and the battle of the sexes. It shouldn't escape attention that Philip is quick to condemn a woman he doesn't know based purely on conjecture, nor that he mostly changes his mind — becoming determined to help her, and unable to hide his affection — when she pays him attention. Similarly, noticing the response that Rachel receives for wanting to live her own life, have her own money and make her own decisions is crucial. Indeed, for all of its talk of potential poisonings, subterfuge and betrayal, as well as its pondering of Rachel's true nature, perhaps the most perturbing element of the film is the bewildered reaction directed towards her for daring to be independent. Is she a killer? Does she deserve Philip's doubts? They're questions that My Cousin Rachel asks; questions that Weisz's inscrutable performance makes it impossible to answer. Ambiguity is often the key to Gothic narratives, drawing you in to themes and situations that have no easy answers. Weisz expresses that conflict perfectly. That probably wouldn't have been the case in another actor's hands, but, as she's made a career of doing, she inhabits the role of Rachel so completely that it's hard to imagine anyone else doing it justice. While Claflin does well playing the naive but stubborn Philip, the movie's real point of interest is right there in its name: an enigmatic woman, the talented actress that brings her to life, and the mystery that follows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C-q7by64mA
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including 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, 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. JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION When Jurassic World Dominion was being written, three words must've come up often. No, they're not Neill, Dern, Goldblum. Those beloved actors reunite here, the trio appearing in the same Jurassic Park flick for the first time since the 1993 original, but the crucial terms are actually "but with dinosaurs". Returning Jurassic World writer/director Colin Trevorrow mightn't have uttered that phrase aloud; however, when Dominion stalks into a dingy underground cantina populated by people and prehistoric creatures, Star Wars but with dinosaurs instantly springs to mind. The same proves true when the third entry in this Jurassic Park sequel trilogy also includes high-stakes flights in a rundown aircraft that's piloted by a no-nonsense maverick. These nods aren't only confined to a galaxy far, far away — a realm that Trevorrow was meant to join as a filmmaker after the first Jurassic World, only to be replaced on Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker — and, yes, they just keep on coming. There's the speedy chase that zooms through alleys in Malta, giving the Bond franchise more than a few nods — but with dinosaurs, naturally. There's the plot about a kidnapped daughter, with Taken but with dinosaurs becoming a reality as well. That Trevorrow, co-scribe Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising) and his usual writing collaborator Derek Connolly (Safety Not Guaranteed) have seen other big-name flicks is never in doubt. Indeed, too much of Dominion feels like an attempt to actively make viewers wish they were watching those other movies. Bourne but with dinosaurs rears its head via a rooftop chase involving, yes, dinos. Also, two different Stanley Kubrick masterpieces get cribbed so blatantly that royalties must be due, including when an ancient critter busts through a door as Jack Nicholson once did, and the exact same shot — but with dinosaurs — hits the screen. What do Star Wars, Bond, Bourne and The Shining have to do with the broader Jurassic Park film saga, which started when Steven Spielberg adapted Michael Crichton's book into a box-office behemoth? That's a fantastic question. The answer: zip, zero and zilch, other than padding out Dominion as much as possible, as riffs on Indiana Jones, The Birds, Alien, Mad Max: Fury Road, Austin Powers, the Fast and Furious movies, cloning thrillers, disaster epics and more also do. In nearly every scene, and often at the frame-by-frame level, another feature is channelled so overtly that it borders on parody. And, that's on top of the fact that recycling its own history is just Dominion 101. There's no theme park, but when it's mentioned that dinosaurs are being placed in a sanctuary, everyone watching knows that the film's human characters will get stranded in that spot, trying not to be eaten by a Tyrannosaurus rex and the like. From all of the above, a loose narrative emerges — an overstuffed and convoluted one, too. A few years on from 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, people are endeavouring to co-exist with dinosaurs. Unsurprisingly, it's going terribly. Run by Mark Zuckerberg-esque entrepreneur Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott, WeCrashed), tech company BioSyn owns that safe dino space in the Italian Dolomites, although palaeobotanist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern, Marriage Story) and palaeontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill, Rams) also tie the firm to giant dino-locusts wreaking existence-threatening havoc. Plus, ex-Jurassic World velociraptor whisperer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt, The Tomorrow War) and his boss-turned-girlfriend Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard, Rocketman) head BioSyn's way when the adopted Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) — who links back to the first Jurassic Park thanks to Forbidden Kingdom's ridiculous storyline — is snatched. Oh, and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum, Search Party) works there, as does cloning whiz Henry Wu (BD Wong, Mr Robot). Read our full review. A HERO With apologies to Bonnie Tyler, cinema isn't holding out for a hero — and hasn't been for some time. The singer's 80s-era Footloose-soundtrack hit basically describes the state of mainstream movies today, filled as screens now are with strong, fast, sure and larger-than-life figures racing on thunder and rising on heat. But what does heroism truly mean beyond the spandex of pop-culture's biggest current force? Who do we hold up as role models, and as feel-good champions of kind and selfless deeds? How do those tales of IRL heroism ebb, flow and spread, too? Pondering this far beyond the caped-crusader realm is Asghar Farhadi, a two-time Oscar-winner thanks to A Separation and The Salesman. As is the acclaimed Iranian filmmaker's gambit, his latest movie is intricately complicated, as are its views on human nature and Iranian society. As Farhadi has adored since 2003's Dancing in the Dust — and in everything from 2009's exceptional About Elly to his 2018 Spanish-language feature Everybody Knows as well — A Hero is steeped in the usual and the everyday. The 2021 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix-winner may start with a sight that's the absolute opposite thanks to necropolis Naqsh-e Rostam near the Iranian city of Shiraz, an imposingly grand site that includes the tombs of ancient Persian rulers Xerxes and Darius, but the writer/director's main concerns are as routine, recognisable and relatable as films get. One such obsession: domestic disharmony, aka the cracks that fracture the ties of blood, love and friendship. A Hero sprawls further thematically, wondering if genuine altruism — that is, really and wholeheartedly acting in someone else's interest, even at a cost to oneself — can ever actually exist. But it charts that path because of the frayed and thorny relationships it surveys, and the everyman caught within them. When A Hero begins, calligrapher and sign painter Rahim Soltani (Amir Jadidi, Cold Sweat) is no one's saviour, victor or ideal. While he definitely isn't a villain, he's just been given a two-day pass from an Iranian debtor's prison, where he's incarcerated over a family financial feud. Owing 150,000,000 tomans to his ex-wife's brother-in-law, he's stuck serving out his sentence unless he can settle it or his creditor, copy shop owner Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh, Capital), agrees to forgive him. The latter is unlikely, so with his girlfriend Farkhondeh (debutant Sahar Goldust), Rahim hatches a repayment plan. She has stumbled across a handbag filled with 17 gold coins, and together they hope to sell it, then use the proceeds to secure his freedom — except, when they attempt to cash in, they're told that their haul won't reach anywhere the sum they need. Instead, with a mixture of guilt and resignation — and at Farkhondeh's suggestion — Rahim decides to track down the coins' rightful owner. Cue signs plastered around the streets, then an immensely thankful phone call. Cue also the prison's higher-ups discovering Rahim's efforts, and wanting to cash in themselves by eagerly whipping up publicity around their model inmate's considerate choice. The media lap it up, as do the locals. Rahim's young son Siavash (newcomer Saleh Karimaei), a quiet boy with a stutter that's been cared for by his aunt Malileh (fellow first-timer Maryam Shahdaei), gets drawn into the chaos. A charity that fundraises to resolve prisoners' debts takes up the cause, too. Still, the stern and stubborn Bahram remains skeptical, especially as more fame and attention comes Rahim's way. Also, the kind of heroism that's fuelled via news reports and furthered by social media is fickle above all else, especially when competing information comes to light. Read our full review. BENEDICTION To write notable things, does someone need to live a notable life? No, but sometimes they do anyway. To truly capture the bone-chilling, soul-crushing, gut-wrenching atrocities of war, does someone need to experience it for themselves? In the case of Siegfried Sassoon, his anti-combat verse could've only sprung from someone who had been there, deep in the trenches of the Western Front during World War I, and witnessed its harrowing horrors. If you only know one thing about the Military Cross-winner and poet going into Benediction, you're likely already aware that he's famed for his biting work about his time in uniform. There's obviously more to his story and his life, though, as there is to the film that tells his tale. But British writer/director Terence Davies (Sunset Song) never forgets the traumatic ordeal, and the response to it, that frequently follows his subject's name as effortlessly as breathing. Indeed, being unable to ever banish it from one's memory, including Sassoon's own, is a crucial part of this precisely crafted, immensely affecting and deeply resonant movie. If you only know two things about Sassoon before seeing Benediction, you may have also heard of the war hero-turned-conscientious objector's connection to fellow poet Wilfred Owen. Author of Anthem for Damned Youth, he fought in the same fray but didn't make it back. That too earns Davies' attention, with Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Sassoon and Matthew Tennyson (Making Noise Quietly) as his fellow wordsmith, soldier and patient at Craiglockhart War Hospital — both for shell shock. Benediction doesn't solely devote its frames to this chapter in its central figure's existence, either, but the film also knows that it couldn't be more pivotal in explaining who Sassoon was, and why, and how war forever changed him. The two writers were friends, and also shared a mutual infatuation. They were particularly inspired during their times at Craiglockhart as well. In fact, Sassoon mentored the younger Owen, and championed his work after he was killed in 1918, exactly one week before before Armistice Day. Perhaps you know three things about Sassoon prior to Benediction. If so, you might be aware of Sassoon's passionate relationships with men, too. Plenty of the film bounces between his affairs with actor and singer Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine, Treadstone), socialite Stephen Tennant (Calam Lynch, Bridgerton) and theatre star Glen Byam Shaw (Tom Blyth, Billy the Kid), all at a time in Britain when homosexuality was outlawed. There's a fated air to each romantic coupling in Davies' retelling, whether or not you know to begin with that Sassoon eventually (and unhappily) married the younger Hester Gatty (Kate Phillips, Downton Abbey). His desperate yearning to hold onto someone, and something, echoes with post-war melancholy as well. That said, that sorrow isn't just a product of grappling with a life-changing ordeal, but also of a world where everything Sassoon wants and needs is a battle — even if there's a giddy air to illegal dalliances among London's well-to-do. Benediction caters for viewers who resemble Jon Snow going in, naturally, although Davies doesn't helm any ordinary biopic. No stranger to creating on-screen poetry with his lyrical films — or to biopics about poets, after tackling Emily Dickinson in his last feature A Quiet Passion — the filmmaker steps through Sassoon's tale like he's composing evocative lines himself. Davies has always been a deeply stirring talent; see: his 1988 debut Distant Voices, Still Lives, 2011's romance The Deep Blue Sea and 2016's Sunset Song, for instance. Here, he shows how it's possible to sift through the ins and outs of someone's story, compiling all the essential pieces in the process, yet never merely reducing it down to the utmost basics. Some biopics can resemble Wikipedia entries re-enacted for the screen, even if done so with flair, but Benediction is the polar opposite. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching and Mothering Sunday.
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. Arriving from the pages of Victor LaValle's novel of the same name, this new 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. The Changeling also literally reads to its audience, because LaValle himself wants to relay this adult fairytale. He doesn't appear on-screen with book in hand, but his dulcet tones speaking lyrical prose provides a frequent guide. "Once upon a time" gets uttered, naturally. Declarations that stepping through someone's story says everything about who they are echo, too. Deploying the author to say his own words here and there is an evocative and ambitious choice, and one that has the exact desired effect: this series doesn't just flicker across the screen, but burrows into hearts and minds. Within its narrative, The Changeling regularly muses on being caught between memories and dreams. Viewing it takes on that same sensation. Getting LaValle reading is savvy as well, then, helping the show's audience share a key sliver of Apollo and Emma's experience. Debuting on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 8, The Changeling believes in the power of tales — to capture, explain, transport, engage, caution and advise. 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. They're how we share ideas, express emotions, pass on information and keep records. They spark our imaginations, help us make sense of the world and offer pure entertainment. As Apollo and Emma learn on an eight-episode first-season journey filled with haunting mysteries, told with eerie intrigue and painted through gorgeously entrancing imagery, they also convey warnings and encapsulate our darkest truths. 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 — and while 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. In-between early dates and domesticity, she takes the trip of a lifetime to Brazil, where an old woman awaits by Lagoa do Abaeté. The locals warn Emma 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 isn't a fairytale purely because it involves wishes. It hasn't been badged as an adult version of folklore's short stories just because it's set in the Big Apple this century — Apollo and Emma meet in 2010 — and centres on a couple's tumultuous relationship, either. Where the pair's romance takes them next is right there in the show's name, a term used to describe a baby that's believed to have been swapped out by fairies; however, knowing that, and that witches, curses, monsters and underground cities also pop up, is just scratching the surface of their tale as well. LaValle and now Marcel understand that happy endings, when they do come, are merely a minor part of the narratives that we call fairytales. Amid their supernatural elements, horror and trauma always lurks. That's true of everything from Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood to Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Beauty and the Beast, and of The Changeling. LaValle and Marcel's inspirations sprawl further, including to Greek myths, Scandinavian folklore, US history, Ugandan traditions, One Hundred Years of Solitude and Rosemary's Baby. The Changeling digs into parenthood's joys and stresses, especially for mothers. It lays bare the societal pressures, expectations and threats levelled at women constantly — and the myriad of male forces and reactions. In not only Apollo and Emma's story, but also in Apollo's mother Lillian's (Violent Night's Alexis Louder when she's younger, American Horror Story's Adina Porter when she's older), the series is intricately steeped in the immigrant and the Black American experiences. Courtesy of a stunning late episode solely devoted to Lillian, it recalls Angels in America while expanding upon the many tragedies inflicted upon folks on the margins. Directors Melina Matsoukas (Queen & Slim), Jonathan van Tulleken (Upload), Dana Gonzales (The Handmaid's Tale) and Michael Francis Williams (David Makes Man) make The Changeling as complex aesthetically as it is narratively and thematically. When the show's visuals glow, that's never solely a stylistic choice. When its imagery is shadowy and hazy, the series isn't just employing an easy way to get ominous. Meticulously framed, lit and composed, The Changeling knows the oft-quoted old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, ensuring that every single frame deepens its storytelling. Sometimes that results in sights so unsettling that they're difficult to shake. At other times, Apollo and Emma's antics are positively ethereal to behold. It takes immense performances to weather everything that The Changeling throws at its characters, and to also guide audiences through each twist, turn, leap and jump. To fans of Short Term 12, Get Out, Sorry to Bother You, Uncut Gems, Knives Out, Atlanta and The Harder They Fall, it'll come as no surprise that Judas and the Black Messiah Oscar-nominee Stanfield is exceptional — soulful, simmering with emotion whether Apollo is falling in love or living a nightmare, and electrifying in his gaze alone. Backo, Porter and Louder are also excellent, anchoring a multifaceted portrait of both womanhood and motherhood. When she pops up midway, Malcolm in the Middle great Jane Kaczmarek is equally brilliant. What phenomenal storytellers this series has amassed. What an enthralling tale they help read to viewers, too. Check out the trailer for The Changeling below: The Changeling streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, September 8.
There's no prizes for guessing why Beenleigh's Distillery Road has its name. All you need to do is look for the red building on the banks of the Albert River, where Beenleigh Artisan Distillers has sat since 1884. The heritage-listed site is no longer just a go-to for fans of spirits, however. It's also home to a restaurant serving pub-style dishes that often come slathered with — what else? — rum sauce. Order the signature beef ribs, the corn ribs and sticky pork belly bites and you'll be eating rum condiments whether or not you've opted for the eatery's beverage of choice to wash down your meal. Thanks to the dessert lineup, you can also finish your lunch or dinner with rum liqueur coffee creations. And yes, from mojitos using Beenleigh Artisan Distillers' white rum and a distiller's iced tea made with spiced rum through to a rum sour, rum old fashioned and rum-based twist on the espresso martini, the drinks list goes heavy on rum as well. Seating 80, Beenleigh's new Distillery Restaurant heroes not only its favourite tipple, but also local produce and Aussie flavours. Other dishes to try include spicy chicken wings, brisket and veggie burgers, char-grilled chilli garlic squid and a 300-gram Darling Downs porterhouse steak. Plus, the sweets range spans a meringue stack paired with dragonfruit compote, as well as a sticky toffee pudding with burnt orange caramel, coffee and wattleseed gelato. Seasonal sips feature alongside the distillery's regular cocktails on the drinks list, plus seven of Beenleigh Artisan Distillers' own drops. El Toro's tequilas, vodka and gin from 23rd Street Distillery, Bearded Lady bourbon, Vale and Fox Hat brews, and Queen Adelaide and Beresford wines round out the libations. Fancy not only stopping by for a meal and a drink, but for rum tastings, tours of the distillery and masterclasses? That's also available.
The campaign to change the date of Australia Day to, well, any day other than January 26 — on account of the undeniable pain it causes Indigenous Australians — has been long fought. In recent years it's even been joined by local councils and the Greens and, now, local broadcaster Triple J has made a symbolic move away from the day of 'celebration'. The radio station will move the date of its annual Hottest 100 countdown to January 27 in 2018. About time. Around this time last year Triple J copped a cavalcade of requests to change the date of the countdown, which culminated in the station throwing open a survey of how listeners would feel about the change. The results were enough to make Triple J change its mind — 60 percent of listeners said they supported moving the date. In Triple J's official statement, it recognised that the Hottest 100 has become a symbol in the debate about Australia Day. "The Hottest 100 wasn't created as an Australia Day celebration. It was created to celebrate your favourite songs of the past year," it said. "It should be an event that everyone can enjoy together — for both the musicians whose songs make it in and for everyone listening in Australia and around the world. This is really important to us." It's a symbolic change, but an undoubtedly important one. The countdown on Saturday, January 27 will be followed by the Hottest 200 on Sunday, January 28. Voting will open on Tuesday, December 12. You can read all the details here.
