Dig in deep and revive that Saddle Club phase. Whether you're hiding a few Gymkhana medals under your belt or don't know your stirrup from your saddle, there's a horse riding institute to suit any level of experience in Brisbane and its surrounds. You can get friends together and try your luck at riding into a sunset, or go solo like the man from Snowy River — all you need is a pair of jodhpurs, some RMs, and maybe a Telfast or two. RAINBOW BEACH HORSE RIDES One of Australia's most beautiful strips of surf and sand, Rainbow Beach is as pristine a place as any to saddle up and go for a ride. Andrew and Kirsty McCarthy run Rainbow Beach Horse Rides, one of those picturesque little ventures that seems like never-ending fun and the dream of small businesses. With a team of certified trail guides and some of the prettiest and quietest horses this side of the equator, Rainbow Beach Horse Rides is the perfect little adventure for when you've got a free, hot summer's day. SLICKERS HORSE RIDING If there's one thing better than a nice relaxing trail ride, it's a nice relaxing trail ride that involves a stopover at a pub or winery. Slickers Horse Riding at Ocean View (45 minutes drive from Brisbane) offers a variety of different day trips and activities on horseback, such as pub and winery tours, farm stays, moonlight rides and birthday parties. The pub ride kicks off at 10am, with riders travelling down the mountainside to the Crown Hotel for a couple of drinks and big pub meal. The winery ride stops of at Ocean View Estates Winery for a tasting of some great local wines and a cheese board. Good luck staying in the saddle after your third or fourth glass. COWBOY UP TRAIL RIDING The phrase 'cowboy up' refers to that point in time where things are feeling a little tough, and all you can do is dust yourself off and keep trying. And that's what Cowboy Up Trail Riding is all about: a relaxing ride to give you the chance to 'cowboy up' for the rest of your day, week or month. Situated about 20 minutes outside Crows Nest (or a two-hour drive from Brisbane), this trail riding club offers docile horses, comfortable western saddles and the chance to ride through rollings hills that lay ground to magnificent views of mountains and farmlands. Chances are you'll also see a wallaby, deer or native bird or two. If you're looking to up your horse riding game, Cowboy Up also offer cattle musters, office parties, whip cracking lessons and a monthly moonlight ride. HORSE RIDING QUEENSLAND TRAIL RIDES Okay, so you might have to dig deep into your pockets for this one (around $100 per person) but we can give you some solid assurance that it's worth every buck. Horse Riding Queensland are the kingpins of our state horse riding scene — we assume there is a scene — which means they've got sound expertise and know-how to set up the perfect environment for beginners. Situated in Alberton, only a half an hour drive from Brisbane, Horse Riding Queensland is close enough to the city to be a convenient half-day trip, but also shows off beautiful paddocks and Australian bushland without a main road in sight. MARY VALLEY ADVENTURE TRAILS If you're looking for a great combo of rainforest and beachside trail riding, then Mary Valley Adventure Trails can deliver. As a minimum, $120 gets you a half-day ride (around three hours) — but if you're after something more serious, they've also got full day and multi-day rides on offer. You'll get to ride through the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland and witness spectacular views all from up in the saddle. If you're looking to stay a little longer in the area, they can happily recommend accommodation. Added bonus: they also offer trail rides for children and sell gift vouchers if you're stuck for a Chrissy gift. Good luck up there in the saddle, and remember: be a Lisa, not Veronica. Top image: Dollar Photo Club
Come mid-August every year, everyone in Brisbane gets a day off. The scent of dagwood dogs fills the air, every second person has a showbag in their hand, and you might even convince yourself that you're just like Ferris Bueller. While ol' Ferris spent his time eating in a fancy restaurant, looking at art, watching baseball and singing in a parade — among other things — it's okay if you want to do something a bit different. Here's our picks of the ten best things to do for the Ekka holiday — including the night before, because that's when the fun really begins.
Thanks to the putt-putt course and driving greens at Golf Central, plus the DFO shopping centre at Skygate, going to Brisbane Airport isn't just for people with their suitcases packed. Come early 2025, Brisbanites sticking around town will have even more reasons to head by. Fancy a beer at an onsite brewery? A sip of spirits at a distillery? Catching live entertainment at an outdoor amphitheatre? Having a hit around a second mini-golf course, or trying your luck at padel? They'll all be on offer at Landers Pocket. Brisbane Airport is teaming up with Green Beacon Brewing Co and Golf Central on the new addition, which has been badged a "multi-faceted sports and entertainment precinct", and will cater to River City locals and travellers alike. And it'll be big. The Golf Central component alone, which will have a hospitality element, will cater to 800 patrons — and then there's the brewery and distillery, each of which Green Beacon will be running. "This announcement is unbelievably exciting for Green Beacon. The new brewery and hospitality venue will ensure we get our award-winning beers into the hands of more beer lovers than ever before," said Green Beacon General Manager Richard Shrosbery. "Green Beacon has been a part of the Brisbane community at Teneriffe for over a decade, and this expansion will be a huge springboard for our brand. We want to bring people together to connect, talk, laugh and have fun — and we believe this new precinct will enable that." The brewery first began in 2013 as an idea between a couple of mates, and has cemented itself as a Brissie favourite ever since. And yes, there'll be a beer garden at Landers Pocket, so you'll have somewhere to knock back drinks. [caption id="attachment_840975" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Green Beacon Teneriffe, Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Golf Central is clearly increasing in size as part of the new precinct, including by doubling its existing driving range. The second course to tap, tap, tap around will join the new padel tennis courts — and there'll be spaces for parties and other functions, too. "Landers Pocket will deliver a reimagined golf and entertainment experience to our local, interstate and international golfers. There will be something for everyone and we can't wait for this next stage of our evolution to open in early 2025." added Golf Central Managing Director James Cooper. An exact launch date for the new hangout in Brisbane's north hasn't yet been revealed, but fingers crossed that you'll be adding a visit to your summer plans. [caption id="attachment_840974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_816485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Landers Pocket is set to open at 40 The Circuit, Brisbane Airport, sometime in 2025 — we'll update you with more information when it is announced. Keep an eye on the Landers Pocket website in the interim.
Brisbane's drink scene was never lacking, but the arrival of venues like The Alligator Club certainly helped to jumpstart some new growth when things had otherwise slowed down. To bring a bit of zip to the area, The Alligator Club's owners turned to the never-boring energy of a New Orleans-themed establishment. Now, it's a space where "music moves the room, and the bar keeps up" — appropriately on-theme. From the get-go (being the sizeable disco ball dangling above the entrance), the space sets expectations. Exposed brick walls lead past a long leather couch to the table seating, with barstools and wooden seating in front of a curtain-backed stage that's regularly occupied by funk and soul bands to fill out the space with a sonic commitment to the theme. The menu caters to its nature as a live music venue, with dishes that don't distract from anything happening on-stage. The food menu is exclusively pinza (Roman-style flatbread pizza), fries and bar snacks, with six choices of the former that range between a straightforward parsley and parmesan medley all the way up to a luxe serve of lobster, scampi caviar, tarragon, chives, and gold flakes. The drinks lead with cocktails, the so-called 'Alligators Eight' being the mix of house specials, followed by the 'Gone but not forgotten' selection, before champagnes, wines, Slipstream beers and a healthy mix of spirits dominate the remaining choices. No matter what you order, it's available until late, since The Alligator Club is open seven days a week from 5pm to 3am daily, with a special invite offered to hospitality workers — claim a free golden keyring and flash it on arrival to claim exclusive offers from Thursday to Sunday. Browse the live music lineup, pick a night and let the good times roll — New Orleans-style.
Unless you took advantage of Australia's trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand while it was open earlier this year, you've probably forgotten what an overseas holiday feels like at this stage of the pandemic. And with the entire states of New South Wales and Victoria currently in lockdown, and plenty of domestic borders closed as a result, the idea of jetting off overseas probably still seems like a dream. Qantas and its discount airline Jetstar are hoping it'll become a reality before the year is out, however. The Qantas Group, the company behind both carriers, is planning for that to happen in fact. Back in February, the airlines were aiming to start flying Aussies around the globe again in October. Then, in May, that idea was pushed back to December. Obviously, the latter is now inching closer, so Qantas has revealed that it's still working towards getting its international flights back in the air before 2022 hits. At present, those plans depend upon Australia's vaccine rollout, and also the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response — which outlines what Aussies will be able to do once the country reaches various jab thresholds. When 80 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, Australians will be permitted to travel overseas again for holidays under the current proposal. At the time of writing, 31.6 percent of people over the age of 18 have had both doses. Previously, Qantas had revealed its intention to recommence flights to 22 of its 25 international destinations — including London, Singapore and Los Angeles — while Jetstar was intending to resume trips to all of its 13 international routes. In a statement today, Thursday, August 26, the Qantas Group have now advised that it'll be focusing on destinations with high vaccination rates, including Singapore, Japan, the US, the UK, Canada and Fiji. Singapore has previously been floated as a possible candidate for a future travel bubble by the Australian Government. Also, Qantas will put flights for Australia–New Zealand routes back on sale, operating on the assumption they'll be able to resume in mid-December. "Key markets like the UK, North America and parts of Asia have high and increasing levels of vaccination. This makes them highly likely to be classed as low risk countries for vaccinated travellers to visit and return from under reduced quarantine requirements, pending decisions by the Australian Government and entry policies of other countries," said Qantas. "This creates a range of potential travel options that Qantas and Jetstar are now preparing for. While COVID has shown that circumstances can change unexpectedly, the long lead times for international readiness means the Group needs to make some reasonable assumptions based on the latest data to make sure it can offer flights to customers as soon as they become feasible." Obviously, a lot still needs to go to plan for the two airlines to have you jetting off to overseas spots this summer. That's Qantas and Jetstar's current target date, though. Hong Kong flights are targeted to restart in February, too. And, if you're interested in trips to other destinations, Qantas has pushed back its expected takeoff dates in places that have low vaccine rates and high COVID-19 cases — including Bali, Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City and Johannesburg — to April 2022. When overseas flights do resume, Qantas will use digital health passes to verify vaccination and testing status. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has also previously stated that the airline would only allow vaccinated passengers to travel on international flights. Of course, even once international flights are up and running again, you can expect a much lower capacity than pre-COVID travel — Qantas previously said that it's not anticipating a full return to normality until 2024. As part of its efforts to encourage vaccinations — and to help speed up the return to its normal operations — the airline is also currently giving away discounts and frequent flyer points to vaxxed Aussies. To find out more about Qantas and Jetstar's international travel plans, visit the Qantas website.
Agnes isn't just popular – it's one of the restaurants that reshaped how Brisbane dines. Housed inside a dark, heritage brick warehouse in Fortitude Valley, the space feels almost monastic in its focus. There are no gas burners, no conventional ovens — just wood, charcoal and flame. But fire isn't a flourish here; it's the entire philosophy. The open kitchen glows from morning prep through to late service, with chefs cooking almost everything over coals or in wood-fired ovens. The result is food layered with smoke, char and depth – from blistered seafood and dry-aged meats to vegetables transformed by flame. The menu shifts with the seasons, but the through-line remains the same: bold produce, elemental technique and confident restraint. [caption id="attachment_1079144" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anyday Group[/caption] The drinks offering is just as considered. The wine list leans into texture and structure to match the fire-driven menu, while the adjoining wine bar and terrace provide a slightly more relaxed entry point for walk-ins. Inside, the mood is intimate and enveloping, all exposed brick, dark timber and low light. Agnes isn't simply a place to eat. It's an experience built around heat, atmosphere and intent. Book ahead, settle in and let the fire do the talking. [caption id="attachment_1079146" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Callie Marshall[/caption] Images: supplied.
Everyone should have a go-to wine bar within a stone's throw of their house — the kind of spot that's compact but inviting, sports a highly curated vino list and boasts plenty of folks who know what they're talking about while you're getting sipping. Ardo's is that type of place, and it's seemingly on a mission to give every wine lover in Brisbane their own local outpost. When it opened in Hawthorne in August 2023, the chain notched up three sites since the year began. The experience at each Ardo's is the same, just in different areas of Brisbane. So, wine fans in Brisbane's inner east now have easy access to the plonk-slinging chain's carefully selected range of vino, including over pintxos, cheese and charcuterie, on Lindsay Street just off Hawthorne Road. Like its sibling sites, Ardo's Hawthorne is welcoming in patrons in for a glass and a bite, and will also let folks pick up their favourite tipples — or a new discovery — to take home. Offering a selection that you wouldn't just find at any bottle-o is a big source of pride, with Ardo's staff on-hand to chat you through its drops, help you make a choice and impart their expert knowledge. Here, customers can enjoy wines by the glass and the bottle. The lineup rotates, but everything you see on the shelf is able to be drunk on the premises or taken away. As you're getting cosy, you'll also be surrounded by vino all across the walls, plus a wine tap that looks like an altar. And, you'll be tucking into seasonal snacks. There are a couple of new inclusions for Hawthorne, too: gourmet seafood preserves from Conservas, which you can eat into bread and butter, or as a part of a pintxos platter; and Woombye Cheese's dairy goods.
The Corner Store Café in Toowong delivers a truly delightful experience, with homemade sweets, a herb and vegetable patch, and friendly staff. A new patio has been added to the renovated cottage creating a large outdoor eating space, perfect for a breakfast or lunch date. Sipping on an earl grey tea and nibbling on a home made berry muffin you can have a perfectly enjoyable time on your own admiring their flourishing garden. A Concrete Playground breakfast recommendation is the zucchini and haloumi fritter with bacon and poached eggs - the perfect meal to kick-start a productive Saturday. For lunch we recommend the prawn quesadilla – delicious and packed full of flavour. Corner Store is also a great spot to take kids, offering a children’s menu for breakfast and lunch including old favourites like eggs and soldiers. Inside is a vast display cabinet full of wonderful looking treats, savoury and sweet. You can enjoy these at the large wooden table with a paper and some coffee. They also have bunches of flowers to purchase as well as olive oils, sauces and old favourites like Vegemite, honouring their corner store character.
When a TV show or movie hits the screen adapted from the pages of a novel, maybe you're the kind of person who just has to read the book before watching. Perhaps you prefer the opposite, soaking in every minute of the series or film afresh with no knowledge of what's to come, then devouring the source material to spending more time in its world and fill in the details. Whichever best describes your style of page-to-screen fandom, you're welcome at a new Australian event that's all about streaming hits that started as novels. In fact, it's Prime Video's very own book club. You might've noticed that plenty of the streaming platform's recent fare began on the page. It's true of The Summer I Turned Pretty, which is about to drop its third and final season — and of the Culpable trilogy and also We Were Liars, for instance. So, the service is celebrating that fact in Sydney, putting on Prime Book Club LIVE with a number of authors and actors connected to its lineup as guests. The last season of The Summer I Turned Pretty begins on Wednesday, July 16, with the streamer's most-successful original series releasing episodes through until Wednesday, September 17. So, author Jenny Han — who not only penned the books The Summer I Turned Pretty, It's Not Summer Without You and We'll Always Have Summer that the show is based on and is the series' showrunner, but also wrote the To All The Boys I've Loved Before trilogy — will be in attendance. Stars Lola Tung and Rain Spencer (Test Screening) will also be there. Ahead of Culpa Nuestra (Our Fault), the third and final Culpable trilogy flick after films Culpa Mia (My Fault) and Culpa Tuya (Your Fault), reaching Prime Video in October, author Mercedes Ron will also get chatting in the Harbour City. Taking place from 5pm on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Machine Hall in Sydney, Prime Book Club LIVE will boast Lucinda 'Froomes' Price as its host, feature a #BookTok panel, and sport an immersive setup spanning interactive experiences, giveaways and more. The event will also cover We Were Liars — which has an Australian connection thanks to Invisible Boys talent and future The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping star Joseph Zada — and others that fit the page-to-screen mould, including upcoming book-to-screen titles. Attendance is free, but you'll either need to register for a ticket in advance from 12pm AEST on Monday, July 14 or try your luck for one of the limited seats that'll be available on the day. "Prime Book Club LIVE celebrates our prolific book-to-screen storytelling and is a chance for our customers and fans to engage with Prime Video's series and films, and hear directly from talent about how these stories were brought to the screen. We're thrilled to have Jenny Han, Lola Tung, Rain Spencer and Mercedes Ron join us in Sydney for this exciting event," said Hwei Loke, head of Prime Video Australia and New Zealand. Prime Book Club LIVE takes place at 5pm on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Machine Hall, 185 Clarence Street, Sydney, with free tickets available from 12pm AEST on Monday, July 14 and limited seats available on the day. The Summer I Turned Pretty images: Erika Doss © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC / Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Prime Video.
Although it's impossible for viewers to tell while watching it, as over 7000 handcrafted items that took around 20 different artisans 48 weeks to make bring Memoir of a Snail to glorious life — pieces that were used to animate the film's 310,000 individual movements, too — Adam Elliot's latest feature Memoir of a Snail is the result of compromises. Every movie by every filmmaker is, of course. Existence in general is a series of bargains and trade-offs anyway. But the Australian animator's output is so distinctive, so clearly the product of its guiding force's vision, and so deeply moving in its balance of laughs and darkness, that each one plays like it's been lifted from his brain wholesale. It has almost been three decades since Elliot first made stop-motion magic with 1996's three-minute short Uncle, starting what he's dubbed a trilogy of trilogies. The plan: to make three short shorts, three long shorts and three features, all using his instantly recognisable style of animation. The fondness for brown and grey hues, the hand-moulded appearance of each clump of clay, the intricate character studies that see the ups and downs that life takes us all on: they've all continued through his two other short shorts, 1999's Cousin and 2000's Brother, and then in his lengthier efforts. 2024 marks 21 years since Elliot initially went slightly longer with the 23-minute Harvie Krumpet — and two decades since he earned one of filmmaking's highest and most-coveted honours, taking home the 2004 Academy Award for Best Short Animation. Then, six years later, came his debut feature Mary and Max, which continued adding to what's now a swag of more than 100 career accolades. The 21-minute Ernie Biscuit followed in 2015, but Memoir of a Snail arrives 15 years since Elliot first ticked off that debut full-length effort. It too has been boosting his prizes. Upon its premiere at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, it was named the fest's Best Feature. At the London Film Festival, it won the event's 2024 official competition. Memoir of a Snail also opened this year's Melbourne International Film Festival — aptly given that Melbourne plays a key part in its early scenes — on its many fest stops around the world. Unsurprisingly, it's been a whirlwind few months for Elliot when he speaks with Concrete Playground about the movie. "I think this is my seventh film and each one feels like a birth. You just want to make sure the baby has all its fingers and toes, and it's a pretty baby, and no one thinks it's ugly. So it's this sort of very precarious nerve-wracking period. It's no different for any other filmmaker. It's stressful for several reasons. It's not just 'will the film work?', but 'will I have a career to continue on with?'," he advises. "But, I have to admit, not that I had low expectations, but our budget was so much lower than Mary and Max — and so we couldn't afford walking, so we had to do the Muppet technique, and there was a lot of compromises. Everybody worked on award rates. So I didn't think it would be as well received as Mary and Max, but it's still early days, but it seems it seems to be getting a better response than Mary and Max." Elliot continues. "I do find the pressure and the expectation with each film gets greater and greater. I mean, you try to block that out. But the reactions are very consistent. France, then Telluride Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival and Spain, San Sebastian. And even with the language — France and Spain had subtitling — most of the jokes, excluding Chiko rolls, most of the jokes were understood. So that's a big relief. I think the word 'relief' is probably the word I've been using the most for the last couple of months." With Succession star Sarah Snook leading the cast — and Eric Bana (Force of Nature: The Dry 2), Tony Armstrong (Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things), Nick Cave (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) and Magda Szubanski (After the Trial) among the others loaning their voices — Memoir of a Snail tells another of Elliot's outsider tales, focusing on the lonely Grace Pudel. The film unfurls as Grace's reflection upon her life, from her childhood in Melbourne with her fire-obsessed twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Disclaimer) and their widowed father Percy (French actor Dominique Pinon, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon) onwards, as told to a snail named Sylvia. The movie's protagonist has long loved garden molluscs, literally wearing her love for them on her head. She's also largely been happy in her shell, until she meets and befriends the elderly Pinky (Jacki Weaver, Hello Tomorrow!). Elliot coined the term 'clayography' to describe his films, which use his preferred medium to unpack rich stories about his chosen characters — figures that spring from real-life tidbits gleaned from a lifetime love of observing others. The folks in his frames are as detailed and idiosyncratic as anyone living and breathing, and his movies have always proven deeply resonant as a result. We also chatted with the writer/director about his process of building characters, and finding that mix of humour and heart. Similarly part of our discussion: Elliot's initial animation and filmmaking dream, the path to Memoir of a Snail, his approach to writing, casting the movie and more. On Elliot's Initial Animation and Filmmaking Dream — and How Everything That's Come Since Stacks Up Against It "Well, certainly an Oscar was never even in the realm of something I thought would happen, mainly because I thought my films were too arthouse or boutique, or for adults. I never have had a strong long-term ambition. I did come up with this pretentious idea of doing a trilogy of trilogies: three short shorts, three long shorts and three features. I never thought I'd be up to number seven, so I've really only got two left and then I can die. I think I was very surprised at how universal the films have become, and that they haven't really dated. I still get people who have seen Harvie Krumpet for the first time sending me emails. And I'm constantly aware of and surprised by how people's suspension of disbelief, how they really do invest themselves in these plasticine blobs. It's hard for me to be objective. I've got a friend who's a GP and she just can't watch animation. She can't pretend to believe these characters are real. I think it's quite humbling to know that people really do give over to the characters and their stories. I thought at this point in my career that maybe stop-motion would be an artform that had disappeared. I was told that when I was at film school — I was told that stop motion was a dying artform and CGI would kill it, but the opposite has happened. Stop-motion is going through a bit of a renaissance or a golden period, and there's a lot of reasons for that, but it's alive." On the Path to Memoir of a Snail "I don't want to refer to Woody Allen, but I will. I've always liked his methodology of just finishing one and going straight into the other, and not getting caught up in the hype and the buzz. And, of course, you have to do promotion as an auteur. And you are part of the marketing campaign and strategy by Madman and the distributors and sales agents. But I'm thinking to the next film, and you've got to practice what you're preaching. In Memoir of a Snail, I'm always talking about moving forwards, moving forwards — and it's literally back to the drawing board. I'm starting to think about the next characters. What are they going to look like? And more so narrative and the story and what type of film I want to do next. I'm one of those lucky few filmmakers who hasn't had to revert to TV commercials or TV series or other forms. I've been very lucky that Screen Australia and the state funding bodies, VicScreen here, perpetually fund me. I know I'm lucky. And I know we're lucky in Australia, even having government support. So, I remind myself that quite often. Having said that, I'm always prepared to criticise the funding bodies because I think they could be doing more. I'm very annoyed they no longer fund short films. I do also worry, just quickly, that each film has a lot of references to previous films I've made, and there's a lot of repeated motifs I bring back. And I do start to worry my films are becoming formulaic and repetitive. I know somebody in IMDb posted a comment 'Adam Elliot's films are all the same'. They're right." On Elliot's Entry Point Into His Films and Approach to Making Each One Stand Out From the Rest "I do start each screenplay, I have to wait until I'm agitated by something or frustrated or extremely curious. And this film, I was going through the death of my father, the grieving process, and also getting rid of all his stuff. He had three sheds full of stuff, so I became fascinated by that. So I do a lot of research. I'm a very slow writer and I have to be enthused and driven by something. I can't just force myself to sit down and write. And sometimes it takes a few years. But when I do start the writing process, I really do become obsessed with it, and I love rewriting and writing. I mean, I could just do endless drafts. I never really ever want to start making the film. I just want to keep writing. I try to create films that I don't see and that deal with subject matter you don't see. And not that I'm trying to shock or deal with taboo subject matter, I just feel that there's things — there shouldn't be rules to animation. I don't want to offend, but I get annoyed when people think that animation is a genre. It's not, it's a medium. There was someone in the audience last night, who was talking about 'oh this film's not for the young children'. The onus is not on me. The onus is on the parents. The film's rated M. And I never get this problem in France and Germany, when I go. They have a long history of adult animation, particularly in countries like Estonia and the Czech Republic, there's a lot of surrealist animation. I think it's a job of a writer and a director to push the boundaries and push themselves. I'm very self-conscious of not just becoming stale. And if the artform of stop-motion has got to survive, it's got to move beyond Wallace and Gromit. It's got to move beyond family-friendly. And there's certainly many other stop-motion artists out there who would love to sink their teeth into an adult animation or an abstract stop-motion film, or an experimental. But of course, the thing that prohibits all this is money. It's a very slow, therefore very expensive art form. And again, I'm one of the lucky few who — every year, there's probably only three or four stop-motion features made. There's only been three in the history of Australian cinema and I made one of the others, Mary and Max. So we're very, very rare." On Finding Inspiration for His Characters in Real Life "I'm self-diagnosed OCD. I haven't had a clinical diagnosis, but I know I am. I'm very, very, extremely neat, and I obsess about detail. And I start with the detail and work backwards. So I don't worry about the three-act structure and the plot and the narrative until much later. I just gather all my ingredients — and I have very detailed notebooks going back decades. I collect quotes, I collect names, I collect sounds, I collect smells. I'm a hoarder of words, I suppose. And I just love going over my notes, and there's so many that I've forgotten that I've written. I also have very long descriptions of people I've just seen on the street. And I invent stories. I write poetry. I went through a period during COVID where I would write a poem every morning before nine o'clock. And so if I ever lost these journals, I wouldn't know what to do because they're my recipe books. It's where I get all my ingredients. I love observing people. I'm always staring at people on public transport. Even today, on the plane, I got caught staring at someone, so I'll probably get arrested, too. 'Why are they wearing those shoes? Why did they choose those earrings? I wonder what their backstory is.' I love backstories. Pinky has this whole backstory that no one will ever know about. It's mentioned briefly in the film, but to create very dimensional characters, I think you really have to go into every layer and dimension of them — because I'm aiming to create authenticity and believable characters. To give them dimension, you have to give them incongruities and contradictions. And it's not a matter of just pinning the character full of all these quirks. They have to be human. They have to have contrast and contradictions. So I'm certainly character-driven more than I am plot- and narrative-driven. On Elliot's Casting Process, Knowing Sarah Snook Was Perfect for Grace and Getting Lucky with Tony Armstrong "Well, I collect voices as well. So I have long lists of people who I think have fantastic voices for animation, or I might be able to use in the future. So I had listened to Sarah's voice, one of her early films, These Final Hours, when she was just starting out. There was the quality I loved. There was a quietness and vulnerability about her voice. So she was in my head very early on. But I did then listen to the Blanchetts and the Kidmans and the Wilsons and all the others, but none of them really ticked the boxes that Sarah did. But there's always a danger, too, that you might have this fantastic voice and then the animators do some lovely animation, and you marry them together and it just doesn't gel for generally an unknown reason. A good example is the very first Paddington film, five or ten years ago, was originally going to be Colin Firth. And they paid him. They cast him and they put his voice to the animation, and it didn't work. So they had to let him go and then in the end, they got Ben Whishaw — and he works beautifully as Paddington. So you never know. And you certainly don't want to have to tell an actor 'sorry, your voice doesn't work'. But I'm very intuitive and I also love non-actors. I do like getting people who — for example, Tony Armstrong, we'd already animated Ken, and I just couldn't find the person I wanted to voice Ken. And then I was watching ABC News Breakfast and Tony came on. And not only did he look like Ken, but he had that bass to his voice, that suaveness. And I thought 'oooh, I wonder if he can act?'. So we got in touch. And my gut instinct was actually he'd work. And it did. But sometimes you can get it wrong. And also, too, with casting, they're not the actors — the actors are the animators. I always remind the actors — I call them my voice, they're loaning us their voices, really, that's what they're doing. And they get paid a lot of money for only a few hours work. So you've got to make sure when they're in the studio, you get exactly what you want. So I do work my actors, my voice talent, quite hard, and we do many, many takes." On Filling Out Memoir of a Snail's Voices with an Australian Who's Who "It ends up being quite eclectic, and luckily we don't have to cast everybody upfront. So we only cast the voices where there's lip-sync. So it's quite leisurely in a way. My producer and I, Liz [Kearney, Sweet As], had a lot of time to go through every casting book and listen to every voice. We listened to everybody from Jimmy Barnes through to politicians. Then in the end, I did some of the voices, Liz did a voice. It's just a lot of experimentation, actually — a lot of just closing your eyes and listening, and watching some clips of animation. Certainly we got our dream cast, I have to be honest. We got pretty much everyone we wanted and thankfully it all worked out. But as I say, it's risky, and sometimes it goes pear-shaped." On Balancing Lightness, Laughs and Hope with Melancholy and Tragedy to Make Audiences Both Laugh and Cry "It's the thing that keeps me awake at night, is the balance, and it has been from day one. I often think 'gee, Adam, why don't why you just doing children's TV?' or 'why are you doing something like Bluey?'. Although Bluey has wonderful darkness at times as well, and is very clever. But yes, it is a balancing act and you don't want to depress the audience. I read somewhere, someone, I think it was on Letterboxd or somewhere, said 'Adam's films are all trauma porn'. And I thought 'oh gee, maybe they are'. I'd hate for my films to be called bleak. There's a lot of bleak Australian cinema. I do try to instil moments that are uplifting — and particularly my endings, I really want the audience to come out of the cinema feeling satisfied and relieved. They might be melancholic. I love that Victor Hugo quote that melancholy is the happiness of being sad. And I wouldn't say my films are sad films, they're melancholic at times, but ultimately I'm trying for them to be life-affirming and uplifting and soulful. A word I use a lot is 'nourishing'. I really want to nourish the audience. What's that horrible quote? Chicken soup for the soul. I think that's what I'm ultimately trying to do, it's empathy, that I'm trying to get the audience to put themselves in my characters' shoes and understand what it's like to be someone with a cleft palate. Or someone who, with Mary and Max, somebody who has Asperger's syndrome, who's being bullied and teased. Bullying and teasing is something that is a thread that goes through all my films, and that's because I was bullied and teased. And in some ways, my films are not revenge but they say to the bullies 'what you do is incredibly hurtful and destructive, and there's a whole lot of us out there who've had to carry this with us our whole lives and deal with it, suffer the consequences'. And I think there's so much animation out there doing other things, pure entertainment. I don't like getting lumped in with adult animation such as South Park and Family Guy. They are adult, but they're different, they're not trying to do the same things I'm trying to do. I do feel often very alone with what I'm doing. I'm surprised there aren't more people doing what I'm doing. I think there's certainly a demographic out there. There's certainly people who really connect with the works. I often get emails — I got an email the other day from a woman who has a cleft palate saying it's the first film she's ever seen that dealt with someone having a cleft palate with sensitivity and truthfulness. So you realise as a director and a writer that you have a degree of responsibility, and that films and cinema, they have a longevity, but they also can have an impact. I wouldn't say we save people's lives. I wouldn't go that far. But it's taken me a long while to fully understand that you can have an impact, and so you better be very mindful of that and be careful what you say." Memoir of a Snail opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
Just an hour or two from Brisbane, you can find a myriad of natural delights spread throughout world-class national parks. From granite boulders and mountain ranges to tranquil rainforests and gushing waterfalls, there's guaranteed to be something for everyone — including when you're trying to make the most of Queensland's hardly frosty winter weather. One-day walks are a great way to maximise how often you get outdoors, especially when busy schedules get in the way of full weekend getaways. They're also perfect for getting a little nature therapy into your week, without having to carry all that pesky camping gear. It's amazing where a few hours of hiking can get you — volcano-forged mountain summits and prehistoric rainforests are just the start. So pick one of the below hikes, pack a backpack and head on an daytripper's adventure. [caption id="attachment_726975" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Glass House Mountains National Park by Ming Nom Chong for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] MOUNT BEERWAH SUMMIT, GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK Mount Beerwah is the Goldilocks mountain of the Glass House range, a famed series of mountains located one hour north of Brisbane. It's a step up from Mount Ngungun, but less intense than Mount Tibrogargan. The hike to the summit takes three-to-four hours return and requires decent rock scrambling skills. After the initial climb, you'll be ogling Beerwah's distinctive 'organ pipes' — a series of massive granite columns, right before the summit. Enjoy the panoramic vistas from the top, and see if you can pick out Mount Coonowrin's distinctive peak. Check the forecast and turn back at the first sign of bad weather — it's dangerous when wet. [caption id="attachment_726974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Purling Brook Falls by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] PURLING BROOK FALLS CIRCUIT AND WARRINGA POOL, SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK Purling Brook Falls is Springbrook's most popular walk, located around 100 kilometres south of Brisbane. Shortly after starting the grade three circuit (four kilometres, two hours), you'll glimpse Gold Coast and Purling Brook Valley from the top of the cliffs. The vegetation gradually changes to cool rainforest before you branch off at the base of the falls for Warringa Pool — which will add another (optional) two kilometres to your trek. Walk through the piccabeen palms to this emerald oasis in the heart of the rainforest. After you've had a dip, head back to the base of the falls and continue the circuit as you gently wind back up to drier eucalypt forests. Unless you need the extra steps, be sure to take the circuit clockwise to save yourself from walking up 265 stairs. [caption id="attachment_726971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Twin Falls Circuit by Matthew Taylor Thomas for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] TWIN FALLS CIRCUIT, SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK Waterfalls galore await you on the Twin Falls Circuit, which you'll find 100 kilometres south of Brisbane. The Twin Falls are so close to the Purling Brook Falls (above) that you should consider doubling up for the ultimate one-day adventure. The grade three track (four kilometres return, two hours) passes Tamarramai Falls before snaking behind Twin Falls, which feeds into a delightful watering hole. It then continues past Tallanbana and Blackfellow falls. One of the highlights of this walk — aside from the endless waterfalls — is the sheer variety of vegetation you hike through, including several types of rainforest as well as montane heaths and open brush box forest. KONDALILLA FALLS CIRCUIT, KONDALILLA NATIONAL PARK Head north from Brisbane for just over 100 kilometres, deep into the Blackall Range, for a day hike that combines top-notch swimming holes with a picturesque waterfall. From the Kondalilli Falls car park, continue down to the bridge and turn right. This class three track (four kilometres, two hours) passes a rock pool at the top of the falls early on. This is a great walk for summer, when you can whittle away the hours swimming and enjoying the valley views. Continue to the base of Kondalilla Falls — which fittingly means 'rushing water' in the local Aboriginal language — before making your way back. [caption id="attachment_726969" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lamington National Park by Jason Charles Hill for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] DAVES CREEK CIRCUIT, LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK Daves Creek Circuit (12 kilometres, four hours) is one of the most botanically diverse tracks in Lamington, located 100 kilometres south of Brisbane. This class four track gets you the most plant bang for your buck per kilometre. As you hike, notice how the vegetation around you rapidly changes — you'll walk through every kind of rainforest, as well as eucalypt and heathland. The track is scattered with lilies, orchids, banksia, wattles, ferns and casuarina, plus a bloom of wildflowers in late winter and spring. There are also two grand lookouts: the first over Woggunba Valley, and the second over Numinbah Valley. See if you can hear the distinctive sounds of the Albert's lyrebird as you hike. Note: Lamington National Park has some closures and alerts to watch out for. For all of the latest updates, head to the Queensland Government Parks and Forests website. [caption id="attachment_726970" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morans Falls Lookout by Jason Charles Hill for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] MORANS FALLS TRACK, LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK Morans Falls is a popular day hike through sweeping valley vistas from the top of Morans Falls and beyond. The site is also located in Lamington, 110 kilometres south of Brisbane, in the Green Mountains section. This is a family-friendly grade four track (4.4 kilometres, 1.5 hours) through the largest undisturbed area of subtropical rainforest in southeast Queensland. The valley views from the top of Morans Falls are a delight, but the views of the falls themselves from further down are a close second. Lamington also has an epic multi-day hike, if you'd like to stretch it out across a couple of days. Note: Lamington National Park has some closures and alerts to watch out for. For all of the latest updates, head to the Queensland Government Parks and Forests website. [caption id="attachment_709179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scenic Rim[/caption] MOUNT CORDEAUX AND BARE ROCK, MAIN RANGE NATIONAL PARK Mount Cordeaux juts out of the perimeter of the Scenic Rim, a 116 kilometre drive southwest of Brisbane. The one-day walk up to the peak of Mount Cordeaux and out to Bare Rock (around 12 kilometres combined) is the best way to admire the Scenic Rim's crescent of impressive ranges and valleys. First, you'll step back in time to walk through the same ancient rainforests that covered the Gondwanan supercontinent more than 180 million years ago. After that, you'll soak up the expansive views of the mountainous ranges from the Mount Cordeaux Summit and then from Bare Rock, which is truly one of the best views in southeast Queensland. In spring, giant spear lilies bloom, with their five-metre long flowering stalks adorned with red flowers. [caption id="attachment_547440" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lower Portals[/caption] LOWER PORTALS TRACK, MOUNT BARNEY NATIONAL PARK Mount Barney is the pinnacle of bushwalking in southeast Queensland, located 130 kilometres southwest of Brisbane. The arduous summit hike is for hardcore hikers, but the range of different walks on offer means that Barney should be on everyone's list. The Lower Portals hike (7.4 kilometres, three hours) is a great way to experience this incredible mountain without all that pesky elevation. The track ends at a swimming hole within a rocky gorge, so be sure to bring your swimmers along if the weather's right. See if you can spot the delightful orange starbursts of the extremely rare Mount Barney bush pea on your walk. This class four track has a tendency to heat up, so head out between April and September. [caption id="attachment_726968" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Girraween National Park by Ben Nott for Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] THE SPHINX AND TURTLE ROCK, GIRRAWEEN NATIONAL PARK Girraween is a spectacular and remote national park, with unusual granite boulders speckled across its landscape. Its name is just as beautiful — it means "place of flowers" in the local Aboriginal language. While it's located just over three hours' drive (260 kilometres) southwest of Brisbane, the walk to Sphinx and Turtle Rock (7.4 kilometres, four hours) is well worth it. The Sphinx is so named because of its massive boulder, which seems to balance impossibly on another. Then there's the gargantuan granite 'turtle shell' rock to see. Come in spring for seas of yellow wattle. Top image: Mount Barney National Park, Tourism and Events Queensland.
It's official: silly season is here once again. And while it's always fun to give (and receive) gifts, the amount of people you're buying for can quickly stack up. Particularly if you're partaking in more than a few Kris Kringles and Secret Santas this year. Whether you scored your work bestie in your office pressie pool or got the formidable task of drawing your mum's name in the fam Kris Kringle even though she insists she doesn't want anything, you want to give great gifts. You also have to adhere to strict budgets, which can be both a blessing and a curse. In partnership with Cashrewards, we've tracked down some A-class items that will suit just about everyone on your gift list — and any budget. Better yet, if you're an ANZ cardholder, you could be eligible for even bigger cash back deals and extra benefits* as part of its Cashrewards Max program. All you have to do is sign in to your Cashrewards account (or sign up for one for free) and link your eligible ANZ debit or credit card. Once you've got your Cashrewards Max all set up, you can score a heap of cash back deals, including at all the retailers on this epic list. $20 AND UNDER Desktop Ping Pong Table ($15.75) A great shout for the office KK, this easy-to-assemble table tennis kit is available via Booktopia. It can be set up anywhere and easily tidied away when the boss walks past, too. Or, if you've got the balls (yes, pun intended), set up an office tournament and leave the memory of awkward Friday afternoon Zoom drinks far behind. This is an affordable, fun and easy option for your work bestie (or the office newbie) that offers just the right level of silliness for your end-of-year workplace festivities. Gingerbread Man Dig Toy ($19.99) There's bound to be at least one proud dog parent in your life — or maybe you want to bypass them and celebrate their adorable pooch directly. Either way, this festive chew toy is the perfect option for fur babies and their parents. Grab one from Petbarn for less than a lobster and voila! You're a thoughtful gift giver and bound to score some appreciative snoot-boopin' time with the pup. $50 AND UNDER Night Rescue Skincare Kit ($30) Got a skincare-obsessed friend? Or someone who just appreciates a good beauty regime? Surely after months spent in lockdown, we can all appreciate the relaxing indulgence of some self-care in the form of a face mask and a glass of wine. If you've got someone deserving of some TLC for Secret Santa, then nab this Laneige Night Rescue Skincare kit from Sephora. It includes three different types of nighttime face masks all designed to leave skin looking clean, refreshed and hydrated. Linen Napkins ($50) Chances are if you're in your late 20s or early 30s, you're already obsessed with Bed Threads. So, surely someone on your Christmas list is into it, too. If you're buying for a foodie then look no further than these lovely flax linen napkins. They're delicate, reusable and sustainable, plus they add a lovely touch of rustic elegance to any table setting. They also come in 11 different colours, so you can pick a hue that you think best suits your giftee's style. $80 AND UNDER Thumbs Up Retro Dance Mat ($60) We've all got that one mate who crushes DDR (that's Dance Dance Revolution for the uninitiated). So, you already know they'll be absolutely stoked with this gift. Essentially a light-up floor mat that lights up for you to follow a dance routine, the Thumbs Up Retro Dance Mat is always a hoot — and retro to boot. To make your life as simple as can be, the game is available from ASOS, too, so you can skip the Christmas shopping crowds all while knowing perfect gift is on the way. C&M James Nylon Cap ($80) There are some major normcore vibes going on with this C&M cap from Stylerunner, so if you know someone who loves Aussie-made minimalist designs, look no further. Lightweight, comfortable and stylish, this not-so-basic basic is perfect for beach days, bushwalks and brunches with the crew, making it a brilliant gift idea for pretty well anyone (including you). $100 AND UNDER [caption id="attachment_814550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Smash Splash[/caption] Red Balloon Experiences ($99–100) If you're going all out and dropping a bit of cash for that special someone, then why not give them a gift they're sure to remember — an epic experience. Red Balloon has all sorts of great gift experience ideas lined up for thrill-seekers, or that person in your life who already has everything. Check out this Splash Room experience in Sydney or Melbourne, where they'll be covered in goggles and overalls, put in a room and given free rein to hurl paint balloons at the walls and create some amazing artistic explosions. If you're in Perth or Brisbane, why not check out one of Red Balloon's scenic helicopter tours so they can see some of the most beautiful parts of their city from way up in the clouds. Or, if you've picked out a wine lover, you can get them a Taste Your Birth Year winery tour in the Barossa (plane ticket's on them, naturally). For more information on Cashrewards Max and its current deals, head to the website. *Cashrewards Max is offered by Cashrewards, not ANZ. A Cashrewards account is not an ANZ account. T&Cs apply.
It feels like I woke up one day — sometime in the last six months — with a mysterious pull towards the occult. Witchcraft, tarot, crystals: things that once felt "woo woo" and faintly contrived suddenly began to feel ritualistic. The lines between meditation and manifestation blurred into something I'd more readily describe as secular spirituality. My friends and I sincerely gift each other carefully chosen crystals imbued with particular properties. Everyone seems to have an oracle deck of choice. I know of more than one bride who has quietly tasked an Etsy witch with guaranteeing sunshine on her wedding day. Like most trends I seem to absorb by digital osmosis, it probably began with TikTok (or, more specifically, "WitchTok"). Yes, there are the cursed tarot readings that appear on your FYP when you're at your most emotionally fragile, but it runs deeper than that — it's women speaking about matriarchy; women talking about intuition, cycles, and reclaiming control; women gathering online in ways that could, theoretically, be described as covens. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade; in Australia in 2023–24, an average of one woman every eight days was killed by an intimate partner; and by 2026, the word "manosphere" has entered global common parlance. Surveying what it feels like to be a woman right now, I do have to wonder if a modern witchcraft revival is less about Ouija Boards and gothic aesthetics, and much more about female autonomy, intuition, and collective power. "Witchcraft" as a covert disguise for fourth-wave feminism. [caption id="attachment_1079397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fiona Horne[/caption] Witchcraft has always resurfaced at moments of rupture. It crests when institutions feel brittle and women sense that something is shifting beneath them. In the 1970s, it threaded through second-wave feminism. In the 1990s, it returned via underground punk grrrl movement, The Craft and a generation of teenage girls learning to name their anger. In 2026, it is back again — algorithmic, aesthetic and quietly radical. And few people understand that arc better than Fiona Horne. Long before Etsy witches and TikTok tarot, Horne publicly identified as a practising witch in the late 1990s, publishing Witch – A Personal Journey at a time when the word still carried real stigma. She had already been in the public eye as the frontwoman of Def FX, but stepping "out of the broom closet," as she has described it, positioned her as a lightning rod for modern witchcraft. "I never get asked if I worship Satan anymore," she tells me, reflecting on the cultural shift. "I never get asked if I'm a white witch or a black witch or a good witch or a bad witch. There's just more understanding now. People know that a witch is someone who honours nature as sacred, who recognises a Goddess as well as a God, who does spells and rituals to help and heal themselves and others." Nearly three decades later, Horne is releasing her 17th book, Coven – Where Witches Gather, alongside a companion oracle deck, and embarking on a national tour designed to bring witches — and the witch-curious — together in person. "The alchemy that occurs when we come together is really potent," she says. "There's something that happens in a circle that doesn't happen alone. We celebrate seasonal rites together. We create intentional circles. We support each other. It's about ethical gathering. It's about boundaries. It's about leadership. It's about healing. It's about remembering that we're not meant to do this alone." If fourth-wave feminism is about collective voice, witchcraft offers up collective ritual — but these days, it doesn't always look like a candlelit circle. Michelle Cook is a psychic, medium and practising witch who also hosts the podcast How to Witch, Bitch!, described as "an overview of witchcraft for the new and experienced alike."In a fitting crossover, Fiona appeared on the show while travelling in Egypt, and the two Australian witches' conversation drifted less toward spectacle and more toward what modern practice actually looks like. "[It used to be] the kid on her own in the corner of the classroom getting down into the bush and doing some spells. And now all of a sudden — it's so massive," says Horne. View this post on Instagram A post shared by How To Witch, Bitch! (@howtowitchbitch) In 2026, the next generation of teenage witches is discovering the craft not through dusty metaphysical bookstores or even '90s cult-classic movies, but through TikTok and Spotify. The music streaming platform has reported dramatic surges in manifestation-themed playlists and spell-inflected audio — some up nearly 300 percent in recent years — suggesting that ritual language hasn't disappeared. It has simply migrated. "If words are spells [that's why it's called spelling], then songs could be your ritual. Your playlist could be your altar," says Cook. "The energy you listen to is the energy you're inviting in." The coven, in other words, might now look like a shared Spotify link. The altar is portable, the circle digital, the incantation algorithmically delivered. But the resurgence runs deeper than algorithms, Cook insists. "Women are looking for something that they feel they have control over. They're looking for something that's theirs. Something that says, 'I can influence my world. I can choose what I bring in.'" That search for agency sits squarely within the concerns of fourth-wave feminism. When bodily autonomy is contested and social contracts feel unstable, reclaiming power at a symbolic level becomes both personal and political. Lighting a candle will not rewrite legislation; gathering in a circle will not dismantle patriarchy, but it does create a space where women's voices are centred rather than mediated. Horne articulates witchcraft less as spectacle and more as ethics. "The core laws are simple," she explains. "Do what you will, but do not harm. Do not interfere with another's free will. And understand that what you send out returns. There's accountability in that. There's responsibility." #witchtok That distinction matters in a marketplace increasingly eager to monetise magic. In February 2026, VICE reported that Etsy had begun removing sellers offering spellcasting services, despite the platform's longstanding prohibition on selling supernatural outcomes. Sellers described the move as abrupt, even likening it to a "modern witch hunt." The policy itself was blunt: you can sell a candle, but not the promise that it will fix someone's life. "[It was] preying on fear," Cook says plainly of some online spell-selling spaces. "That's not what this is meant to be. It's not about dependency. It's not about giving your power away to someone else and saying, 'Fix it for me.' It's about coming back to yourself." And the archetype itself has shifted. "When we think of a witch, we think of a woman who is in power, who's in control of her life," says Horne. "If we were describing a man, it would be great. But when we're describing a woman, suddenly it's a bad thing. So reclaiming that word matters. It matters that we say, 'Yes, I'm powerful. Yes, I trust myself.'" Strip away the iconography of pentagrams, cauldrons, and altars, and this message feels like the quiet core of the revival: not supernatural intervention so much as authority redirected inward. In that sense, witchcraft begins to look less like rebellion and more like recalibration — akin to meditation, mindfulness, or even some forms of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Maybe it's more about hope, or control, or a combination of both. Is modern witchcraft just accessible, secular spirituality dressed up in a velvet cape? If history is any guide, this wave will crest and quieten again. The aesthetic may change, the algorithms will pivot, but the underlying impulse remains evergreen and essential — women gathering, naming their experience and refusing to relinquish authority over it. FYI I wrote this piece while listening to my own Spotify spell playlist. When in Rome. Images: Larnce Gold
After a couple of years spent staring at screens our brains are pretty thirsty for some lush green scenery. We are in the mood for tumbling waterfalls, secluded swimming spots and remote rainforest hikes that make us feel like we're living in an endless summer. Luckily for us, Tropical North Queensland fits the bill nicely — and you won't have to renew your passport to get there. In this part of the world, summer lives on a little longer with refreshing tropical rains and warm autumn days. The national parks are a little quieter and the waterways run a little deeper during this time of year, making it the ultimate time to explore the rainforest from top to bottom. From canopy walks, to castles and kayaking — there are plenty of ways to experience the rainforest this autumn.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7eZEZHRrVg PENGUIN BLOOM Nature is healing in Penguin Bloom, but not in the way that 2020's most famous meme has taught us all to expect. This Australian drama tells the story of Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts, The Loudest Voice), a nurse who becomes paralysed from the waist down due to a tragic accident during a Thailand vacation. Then, while adjusting to being in a wheelchair upon her return home, she finds solace in the company of an also-injured magpie chick. Her three young sons Noah (Griffin Murray-Johnston), Rueben (Felix Cameron) and Oli (Abe Clifford-Bar) name the bird Penguin. They're keen to look after it until it recovers, something they're unable to do with their mother. But the strongest bond between human and magpie forms between Sam and Penguin, albeit reluctantly at first. Traumatised by her experience, pushing her husband Cameron (Andrew Lincoln, The Walking Dead) away, subjected to her mother Jan's (Jacki Weaver, Never Too Late) fussing, and struggling with the changes from her old life — so much so that she's barely able to look at photos from the past — Sam is angry, upset and unhappy. She's hurt, and not just physically. As enjoying the presence of and caring for a pet is known to do, however, she finds hope, purpose and perspective via her new feathered friend. Describing Penguin Bloom's plot is bound to make anyone think that it's a piece of fiction conjured up by a screenwriter, but the Glendyn Ivin (Last Ride)-directed movie is based on real-life events — with scribes Harry Cripps (The Dry) and Shaun Grant (True History of the Kelly Gang) adapting the book by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive. Still, overcoming that manufactured, formulaic, sentimental feeling is the movie's chief obstacle, and one that it can't completely manage. In her first homegrown role since 2013's Adore, Watts puts in a film-lifting effort. The several exceptionally trained birds by her side all do too, vying with their high-profile co-star for the feature's best performance. And the rapport between human and magpie is as touching as it should be, ensuring that you don't need to have sat in Sam's exact seat or seen the world through the picture's wheelchair-height cinematography to understand the impact that Penguin has on her emotional and mental wellbeing. But, as most Australian films that that focus on a human-animal connection have been (with 2014's Healing a rare exception), Penguin Bloom is firmly a family-friendly affair. Movies that are suitable for all ages should genuinely earn that term, engaging adults as much as children; here, though, chasing that feat involves sticking to a noticeably easy, straightforward and simplistic template even when the film does strike a chord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Fr1M2fjY0&t=26s ONLY THE ANIMALS Murder-mystery Only the Animals starts with a killer opening image, featuring a live goat being worn like a backpack. The animal is slung over the shoulders of a cyclist as he rides through the streets of the Côte d'Ivoire city of Abidjan, and the unique picture that results instantly grabs attention — for viewers, even if it doesn't appear to interest anyone in the vicinity on-screen. This involving French-language thriller doesn't explain its attention-grabbing sight straight up, though. Instead, it jumps over to the Causse Mejean limestone plateau in southern France, where snow blankets the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and — unrelated to the weather — a number of locals are icily unhappy. Indeed, farmer Michel (Denis Ménochet, Custody), his insurance agent wife Alice (Laure Calamy, Call My Agent!) and Joseph (Damien Bonnard, Dunkirk), one of her clients, are all far from content before word arrives of a shock death in the area. Doing house calls is part of Alice's job in the small, close-knit community, and it sees her embarking upon an affair with the awkward Joseph, who has shut himself off from everything beyond his property after his mother's passing a year prior. The surly Michel barely seems bothered about his marriage, spending all his time in the office attached to his cattle-feeding shed ostensibly working on the farm's accounts. When the grim news spreads, it has implications for all three. Adapting the novel Seules Les Bêtes by Colin Niel, writer/director Dominik Moll (News from Planet Mars) and his frequent co-screenwriter Gilles Marchand switch between Only the Animals' characters and relay the details from their perspectives. First, Alice's take on the situation graces the screen. Next, it's Joseph's turn. Waitress Marion (Nadia Tereszkiewicz, The Dancer) earns the third chapter, which charts her hot-and-heavy rendezvous with Evelyne (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Let the Sunshine In), the woman who'll turn up dead — while the final and longest segment belongs to Armand (debutant Guy Roger 'Bibisse' N'Drin), without the goat, as he tries to catfish his way to riches, success and the girl of his dreams. A whodunnit, Only the Animals tasks its audience members with sleuthing their way through its fractured tale, all to discover who is responsible for Evelyne's demise and why. Thanks to its multiple parts, it also gets viewers guessing about events that initially appear unrelated, and how they'll end up linking into the broader story. But the suitably cool-hued film is filled with other questions, too, ruminating on the primal nature of love and pondering the ways in which pursuing it — or chasing a mere moment, however fleeting, with someone else — can lead down immensely complicated paths. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5xoxzO9bRQ&feature=youtu.be DAWN RAID When Danny 'Brotha D' Leaosavai'i and Andy Murnane set up their own record label in the late 90s, they took its title from a bleak chapter in New Zealand's history. During the 70s and 80s, early-morning round ups were deployed by the government to locate and detain Pacific Islanders who had overstayed their visas — a racially motivated tactic that left a strong imprint in South Auckland, where Leaosavai'i and Murnane grew up. Accordingly, by using Dawn Raid as moniker for a venture that supported Polynesian artists, the duo were reclaiming and repurposing a problematic term. Their clothing line, also under the same name, was filled with slogan-heavy apparel that did the same thing with other words. And, as their business empire grew quickly to also encompass stores, bars and even a barber shop, the pair employed the same irreverent, enthusiastic, passionate but carefree approach at every turn. The local impact was considerable, launching careers, giving aspiring musicians a pathway and inspiring hope throughout the local community as well. But, as the new documentary that's also called Dawn Raid makes clear, Leaosavai'i and Murnane's entrepreneurial spirit and can-do attitude sent them on a complicated rollercoaster ride. Their rise was meteoric; their struggles, when they came, were just as significant. Filmmaker Oscar Kightley details Dawn Raid's tale, paying tribute to the label's influence and the artists that it brought to the public's attention as well — including hip hop group Deceptikonz; its members Savage, Mareko and Devolo, who have each pursued solo careers; singer Aaradhna; and R&B duo Adeaze. The filmmaker may have already been well-acquainted with Leaosavai'i and Murnane after the pair oversaw the soundtrack to Kightley's big 2006 hit Sione's Wedding, but he still takes a warts-and-all approach to their ups and downs. It'd be impossible to do justice to their story otherwise and, as the movie's main interviewees, Leaosavai'i and Murnane are just as frank and willing to discuss both the good and the bad. They need to be, of course; it's their experiences after meeting in business school, overcoming troubled childhoods, lucking into some of their success and making as many fortunate choices as mistakes that makes the documentary particularly compelling. Indeed, Kightley doesn't need to amass much more than talking heads, archival footage and music videos to unfurl Dawn Raid's history, or to keep viewers interested. Still, he not only skilfully weaves together this engaging and comprehensive chronicle, but also knows when to give particular incidents from the company's past — like Savage's surprise viral hit when his single 'Swing' was used in the movie Knocked Up — the spotlight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_T0F36YEi0&list=PLB5pxwdW-CtP4EVTJe_bHhQ-iBR8mBeBS THE MARKSMAN If film stars are ever able to digitise their likenesses, then let CGI versions of themselves do the acting for them, Liam Neeson could end up with an even longer list of forgettable action flicks on his resume. That idea for that kind of technology stems from the 2013 movie The Congress, which didn't feature Neeson — but, perusing much of his recent output, you can be forgiven for wondering if letting a computer insert him into however many Taken ripoffs that Hollywood seems to need would be any different. For now, Neeson keeps performing the usual way. And, he keeps making movies that call upon his particular set of fist-throwing, villain-dispensing skills more than the talents that saw him receive an Oscar nomination for Schindler's List. The good news with The Marksman is that it's an improvement on 2020's Honest Thief; however, it's also yet another thoroughly by-the-numbers movie that only seems to exist so that it can star Neeson. This time around, he plays a retired marine-turned-Arizona rancher who lives near the Mexico border, has spent his time since his wife died reporting illegal crossings, and earns a drug cartel's bloodthirsty interest after he helps the fleeing Rosa (Teresa Ruiz, Narcos: Mexico) and her 11-year-old son Miguel (feature debutant Jacob Perez). Neeson's character, Jim, isn't the type to let murderous thugs hunt down a boy — or to trust that they won't still get to Miguel in police custody, even with his own stepdaughter Sarah (Katheryn Winnick, Vikings) on the force. So, in an inversion of the role that cemented Neeson as a 21st-century action star, Jim takes the kid on the run in an effort to deliver him safely to relatives in Chicago, all while both assassins and the cops try to hunt them down. Unsurprisingly, The Marksman trades in routine action scenes, but it thankfully does so in an unflashy way. It's far less subtle about its patriotic imagery; when Jim is told that the bank is selling off his house, the cringeworthy scene sees him deliver a speech about serving his country and working hard all of his life while grimacing sternly and wearing an American flag slung over his shoulder. It's the type of dialogue you might expect Clint Eastwood deliver and, in case you weren't thinking about him during the film, writer/director Robert Lorenz even has Jim and Miguel watch a clip from the actor's 1968 western Hang 'Em High. The filmmaker has a history with Eastwood, actually, directing him in 2012's Trouble with the Curve and working on a long list of Eastwood-helmed movies. Lorenz doesn't have ties to John Wick, but that doesn't stop him borrowing a little from that franchise as well — and stranding Neeson in a passable-enough but always derivative movie several times over in the process. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26; and January 1, January 7 and January 14. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig and The White Tiger.
Since 2017, Revel Brewing Co has been brewing and pouring yeasty beverages at the river end of Oxford Street in Bulimba, and drawing a crowd away from the suburban hustle and bustle of hotspot's main strip. But these beer fiends clearly have a theory: two eastside breweries are much better than just one. Accordingly, since late 2021, Revel has also been operating at its second venue in Morningside — a sprawling spot in a century-old riverside factory in the fast-growing Rivermakers precinct. The company's new site was once the Commonwealth Acetate of Lime Factory, which dates back to the 1920s and was involved in making wartime ammunition. It even has a history linked to Revel's beverage of choice, with August de Bavay, who was commissioned by the Queensland Government to design and build the factory more than a century ago, a chemist, distiller and brewer. Now, the patch off Colmslie Road is home to a striking brewpub. Brisbane beer lovers will find heritage-listed features aplenty — brick, cement and timber aplenty as well — as part of a precinct-within-a-precinct that Rivermakers has dubbed its Heritage Quarter. The old factory is also set to house Bavay Distillery, giving drinkers options when it comes to tipples. But if it's a few brews that you're after, including under umbrellas and fairy lights, then Revel is the place for it. In addition to a beer range that spans an XPA, IPA, hazy IPA, pale ale and lager among its core range, the brewery's Rivermakers digs serve up a food menu filled with share options, burgers and hearty mains. Start with karaage chicken tenderloins, frickles or cauliflower wings — or tuck into antipasto platters for up to four — and then opt for a cheeseburger, a fish burg made with crumbed barramundi fillets or a plant-based burger. There's also grass-fed sirloin, pan-fried barra, nachos, and both traditional chicken schnitzels and parmigianas. With its laidback outdoor space — grass beneath your feet included — Revel's second home also hosts regular events, including trivia on Thursday nights. Or, head along on a Sunday afternoon for live acoustic tunes from local musos, games and platter deals. And yes, if you want to do an eastside brewery crawl in this neck of the woods, that's easily an option. As well as its close proximity to the OG Revel, Revel Rivermakers is also just up the road from BrewDog at Murarrie. Find Revel Rivermakers at 82 Colmslie Road, Morningside – open 4–9pm Thursdays and 12–9pm Fridays–Sundays.
Drawing attention away from any one of Timothée Chalamet (Wonka), Zendaya (Euphoria), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), Rebecca Ferguson (Silo) or Josh Brolin (Outer Range) isn't easy, let alone from all five in the same films. And yet, the desert expanse that's roamed across by the stars of Denis Villeneuve's Dune franchise demands notice above everyone and everything. The person guaranteeing that viewers not only spy the sand stretching as far as the eye can see, but feel its impact: Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser. On both Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, his work for the Blade Runner 2049 director ensures that audiences spend ample time with Chalamet and company as well. The two movies are as intimate as they are epic. But these pictures couldn't exist without their namesake receiving such prominence. Sand isn't just sand in Dune, or to Fraser. With Dune: Part Two, Frank Herbert's books now reach cinemas for the third time — David Lynch's 80s adaptation came first — but they couldn't value golden grains more highly even when they were only playing out in readers' imaginations. In the Dune realm, all that siliceous substance is spice, also known as melange. It powers interstellar travel, extends lives and expands consciousness. It's only found on Arrakis, the planet that Chalamet's Paul Atreides is sent to live on in Dune: Part One when his father (Oscar Isaac, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) is installed as its new ruler. It's hardly astonishing, then, that past overseer Baron Vladimir Harkonnens (Stellan Skarsgård, Andor) isn't thrilled about losing control of such a treasure trove. It's similarly unsurprising that the Fremen, Arrakis' Indigenous population, is determined to fight for their home and destiny. Spinning this story for cinema was always going to be a sandy endeavour, with Fraser's skills pivotal. For Dune: Part One, which stunned with its spectacular desert-swept visuals and set the bar stratospherically high for its sequel, he won the Best Cinematography Oscar. "You become an expert in the dunes," he tells Concrete Playground about not just making the first film, but also returning for Dune: Part Two. He didn't shoot the initial flick with its follow-up in mind, however — or even dream back when he lensed his first-ever feature, 2005's Jewboy, that this is where his career would take him, or to an Academy Award-nomination for Lion before his Dune win. Bright Star, Let Me In, Zero Dark Thirty, Foxcatcher, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Mandalorian, The Batman, The Creator: they're all also on Fraser's resume. "It's funny because, it's going to sound a little bit weird, but I just didn't think full stop," Fraser shares about his mindset when he was initially starting out. "Whenever I was doing a movie when I was younger, or even now, frankly, it's one foot in front of the other as opposed to a master plan. I wish I was smart enough to be in that Dune world of plans within plans, and manipulating events to my end. But really what I was just trying to do was just trying to do the best job of the thing that was sitting right in front of me." "So no, I can tell you that right now, when we were filming in Bondi for that movie, on a bus in Bondi" — for Jewboy, that is — "that I categorically was not ever thinking about the possibility of doing something like Dune. That was never on my radar. Obviously I knew what I liked, and I knew the films that I loved. And it just became a a race — or a game, I should say — of doing what I love doing. And then if I was doing what I love doing, and then doing the best job that I could, then hopefully that then leads to the next thing that I love doing. And that's kind of how the career's gone. It's a little bit of a simplistic way of describing it, but that's a genuine, honest take on it," Fraser continues. To say that his career is going well is an understatement. Now that Fraser has returned to Dune — including showing moviegoers what Arrakis and all of its sand looks like under an eclipse, and also bringing the planet of Giedi Prime, which dwells beneath a black sun, to the screen — he'll next shoot the Dark Knight again on The Batman Part II. We chatted with the cinematographer about his work on both Dune films to-date, his Oscars recognition, how daunting it is to try to back up his Dune: Part One accolades on Dune: Part Two, his new expertise on sand dunes, taking Arrakis and Giedi Prime from the page to the screen, and more. [caption id="attachment_774009" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dune: Part One. Image: Chiabella James. Copyright: © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On Lensing Dune: Part One Without Presuming That Fraser would Be Returning on Dune: Part Two "You never take anything for granted, and doing a movie is a miracle. People talk about us as a species having evolved, that's kind of a miracle — because there's a million things that could have gone wrong with a film getting up and going, but then there's another million things that could have gone wrong with me being able to do it. I could have been committed on another project. Denis may have chosen to to use another cinematographer, as is his right and he should and could, to create something different. Because that's what he he does — he casts his crew like he cast his actors. And so there's a whole myriad of reasons why I may not have been able to do Part Two. So I wasn't necessarily doing Part One on the proviso that I do Part Two. I was trying to make — as Denis was — Part One as good as possible, and do the best job for my director as possible. Then, with Part Two — obviously, we knew there was more of the story, but it's not dissimilar to to something like Rogue One. You know there's more to the story because the Star Wars universe is bigger than just Rogue One, but you don't make Rogue One thinking there's going to be another one or a series. You make the best thing you can." On Winning an Oscar for Dune: Part One — and Receiving a Nomination for Lion Before That "I love Lion, as I know a lot of people do. There's a lot of love out in the world for Lion. So, to have done that — the recognition is interesting, because the recognition from my peers is really important, and particularly peers that I respect and know. There's been a few events in my life where I've been given a pat on the back by people that I respect, and that's what effectively the Oscars are. A nomination for that is that exact thing. It's a pat on the back by your peers. And the win itself is, of course, icing on the cake, but that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is the nomination, because it basically says that of the movies of that year, that your peers feel like you are in the top five — and that's a big deal. For a kid from Melbourne who used to shoot short films and music videos with his buddies, to have made the top five film of the year for two years, I guess, now — two nominations — that's a big deal to have kudos from your peers, that I think's quite, quite fantastic. And also as a pat on the back to not just me, but also my director. Because if you recall in that year, Garth Davis directed Lion and that's a pat on the back to him. And Denis in the year that Dune was nominated, it's a massive pat on the back to him." On Being Daunted on Dune: Part Two After the Accolades and Acclaim Earned by Dune: Part One "Suddenly there's hype behind it. If it'd just been people going 'yeah, good one, that's great', well Part Two, you've got nothing to lose. But going into Part Two for us meant that we had everything to lose. Suddenly the stakes where a thousand times higher because everybody was going 'well, that won all these awards, this has got to be better'. Now, I will say just on the record, there have been many, many movies that have not won Academy Awards that are incredibly deserving — and there are many, many that have that aren't. So winning an Academy Award, in my opinion, is not always for the best film, out of respect for other films that don't win. But there is an inbuilt kind of consensus that that becomes the best film of the year. So therefore we were like 'alright, well all of us basically won that year'. Myself, and Patrice [Vermette, Foe] the production designer, and Paul [Lambert, First Man] the effects supervisor, and Joe [Walker, The Creator] the editor — we all kind of went 'gulp, we've got to make this better'. We want to make it better for ourselves anyway, and for the director anyway. But we're now like 'okay, now we've got to make it better better better better better'. Again, regardless of what it does in the awards season, I feel like we've made it better. I think every department stepped up. I didn't think that was even possible, frankly — that the design could be any better than last time or the VFX could be better than last time. But it is. And it was. And we did. And it felt better." On Becoming an Expert in Sand Dunes "What happens that I've learned — so here is the the masterclass of the sand dunes, if anybody wants to go out and shoot sand dunes — is that the time of day is critical. So you might be scouting a place in the morning where the sun's coming from east and you might not love it. You might dismiss it as a location. But you're driving past there in the afternoon, and the way the sun works its way across the the tops of the sand dunes and backlights the wind, it can change the location massively. Often at the beginning of our journey, back in 2019–2020, we would scout at the wrong time of day — or we would scout at a time of day that we weren't shooting. And we soon came to realise that 'okay, when this is scheduled, let's scout when it's scheduled, and that's the afternoon'. Which, in hindsight, is logical, and I'm surprised it even took us the couple of days it took us to figure that out. But yeah, I've become a bit of an expert when it comes to what the sand dunes are going to look like with the right light." On Giving Arrakis a Different Colour Palette for Dune: Part Two "We didn't want to start the movie the same way that that Part One ended. And it was a very deliberate, very deliberate process. Denis obviously had a really long time to think about this film — because even though I had done The Batman between the two Dune films, he had not. He was finishing Dune: Part One and he was preparing Dune: Part Two. So he had a lot of time to think about it, and he came to me and said 'I don't feel like we should start this the same way we ended'. And he said 'should we consider doing this as a night scene?'. And you know, I read the script, and a night scene for that scene would have been technically really tough, in the desert with lights. It would have been not only tough — nothing was impossible, of course — but I don't think the end result would have been as good. So we looked at day for night options. We looked at other ways to film it, to make it look different. And I found a filter that that cuts out a lot of blue and green light — not all of it, just a part of it, so it changes the spectrum, and it felt a little bit reddy-orange, but it still had colour. And we went 'perfect, that's what this world looks like when there's an eclipse'. So we said 'okay, we have the ability to to make an eclipse whenever we want'. And so we went 'let's start the film with an eclipse'. The funny thing was, we didn't plan for this, but during our time filming that sequence there was actually an eclipse in Jordan. Not to that degree — but we did a shot, we had our splinter unit DP Christoph with the long lens filming the sun, and so he did film the eclipse. I think there might be shot of the actual eclipse that we filmed in the film." On the Striking Look of House Harkonnen's Giedi Prime "Again, it's conversation with Denis. So Denis said 'listen, there's a fight scene. Feyd-Rautha [played by Elvis' Austin Butler] is gladiator, and there's a fight scene, and it's outside in a gladiatorial environment — but it can't look like Arrakis'. You think about all the gladiator films you've seen, and they're all on sand, aren't they? And they're all under the sun. So you would be confused if it looked like Gladiator or something, because it would be too similar to Arrakis. I'm not sure if this is in the book or not, but Denis wanted to create a a black sun for that world. And I was like 'wow, okay, what does the black sun do? Does it suck light out? Well, if it does, then it's black. It's a black hole.' But we were like 'no, it sucks the colour out. It emits an infrared light, but it sucks all the colour'. All work that's outside — the sun, effectively anything that's hit by sun or the effects of sun — is an infrared type of light with no visible colour. There are some scenes where it's inside in Giedi Prime and it's muted colours, but it's not black and white. When anybody comes from the Baron's box, for example, when they're inside in artificial light, let's call it, it's colour. It has colour. But then when they get hit by the sun, they become just this white, almost-ghoulish kind of effect. The benefit of that was that it really helped us tell that story of why the Harkonnen look the way they do — why they look so pale, and why they have alopecia, and why they have such gaunt, pale, pasty skin. It's because they don't get any of the ultraviolet from from the real sun. That's a backstory that never gets discussed in the movie, but hopefully with an audience it starts to become logical that you go 'okay, I get why they're so white and they need protection in the desert, because they can't handle the UV'. On Balancing the Epic and the Intimate On-Screen "I love extremes. I love dramatic extremes. I'm visually quite dramatic, I would like to think. So there's nothing more fantastic to me than seeing a closeup, then cutting to an extreme wide [shot] and seeing scale and grandeur that we possibly can't even imagine. It's something that I love about the Star Wars series. These guys get on the Millennium Falcon, which is massive, and then the Millennium Falcon flies up close to the Death Star, which then the Millennium Falcon becomes tiny. It's all about scale. It's people that we know get into something big, and then that big thing flies into something even bigger, which is beyond belief. It's hard to imagine that scale. As humans, we rarely come across scale that that absolutely floors us. I know people start talking about things like the Grand Canyon, they start talking about massive structures — massive earth-mining machinery, about the scale of those things that just literally blow their mind. So with filmmaking, we have that ability to create this scale that's beyond beyond this world, but mindblowing. Like those worms, I mean, those worms are beyond massive." On Making a Third Dune Film If It Comes to Fruition "Absolutely. I love working with Denis, so anytime Denis asks me to do a movie, I'll be there if the stars align — I'd be absolutely there. How it would look is a different story. I can't tell you what that would be, and that's what's fun about the process of discovering what a film is. Because Part Three would not look like Part One and Part Two. It would look different, and I don't know how that would be different at this point, which is fun because it means you got to work it out — and we could be talking again in whenever it comes out, five, ten years, whatever. If I get the chance to shoot it, then I'd love to talk about how different we made it. But at the moment, I don't know. It's a funny thing. I would love to do it. And if it comes off for me and the timing's right, fantastic." Dune: Part Two opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two.
There's no doubting that Death and Other Details loves whodunnits, or that it's made with a murderers' row of them in mind. Playing "spot the nod" is one of this ten-part Disney+ series' games. Sleuthing along with its plot is the other, obviously. So, as an odd couple with an age discrepancy team up to attempt to solve "a classic locked-room mystery" — the show even calls it such — among the preposterously wealthy on holiday, and on a boat at that, where everyone has a motive and a battle over who'll seize control of a family business is also taking place, gleaning what creators and writers Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss (who also worked together on Stumptown) have been reading and watching isn't a puzzle. Nudges and references are regularly part of the murder-mystery genre anyway; here, they sail into a tale that's also about what we remember and why. Recalling Agatha Christie's oeuvre, its movie adaptations — complete with Kenneth Branagh's recent spate — and especially Death on the Nile is as blatant as knowing that no one onboard Death and Other Details' SS Varuna will be exactly who they appear. Thinking about Only Murders in the Building, Knives Out, Poker Face and The White Lotus is also instantly easy. So is pondering Succession, with narratives about business empires passing down the reins bound to pop up as frequently as detective capers even now that the HBO hit is over. But when other films and shows earn a wink here, Death and Other Details also digs into the purpose behind the minutiae that sticks in our memories. It's a savvy yet risky gambit, getting viewers ruminating on how they spy patterns and filter their perspectives, too, while chancing coming off as derivative. Mostly the series bobs in the first direction; however, even when it sways in the second, it still intrigues its audience to keep watching. That seemingly mismatched pair: Imogene Scott (Violett Beane, God Friended Me) and the Hercule Poirot-esque Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin, Homeland), with the second regularly dubbed "the world's greatest detective". Most folks might believe that label, but Imogene does not. The duo shares a history spanning two decades, from when she was a child (Sophia Reid-Gantzert, Popular Theory) mourning the shock killing of her mother that he couldn't solve. Back then, Rufus was on the case at the behest of the wealthy Colliers, who work in textiles, employed Imogene's mum as a personal assistant to patriarch Lawrence (David Marshall Grant, Spoiler Alert) and took the girl in when she had no one else. Now, both Rufus and Imogene are guests on a cruise chartered by them — she's there as basically a member of the family; he's accompanying the Chuns, with whom the Colliers are in the middle of a billion-dollar business deal. The entire decadent jaunt is in aid of getting crucial signatures, securing the Colliers' future and anointing Lawrence's daughter Anna (Lauren Patten, a Tony-winner for Jagged Little Pill) as the next CEO — she hopes. Death and Other Details doesn't lack in people taking to the seas, though, not only including the aforementioned characters. Chun matriarch Celia (Lisa Lu, American Born Chinese) and her granddaughter Eleanor (Karoline, Dead Ringers), Lawrence's dutiful spouse Katherine (Jayne Atkinson, Baby Ruby) and coked-up son Tripp (Jack Cutmore-Scott, Oppenheimer), Anna's paranoid former-journalist wife Leila (Pardis Saremi, Hell of a Summer) and the Colliers' slimy long-serving manager Llewellyn Mathers (Jere Burns, NCIS: Los Angeles) are all onboard. So is ship owner Sunil Ranja (Rahul Kohli, The Fall of the House of Usher). The unruly Keith Trubitsky (Michael Gladis, The Company You Keep) is also among the passengers, until he's found dead via a harpoon in his cabin. Everyone is eventually a suspect, from a pool that features Washington Governor Alexandra Hochenberg (Tamberla Perry, They Cloned Tyrone), the politically influential Father Toby (Danny Johnson, The Equalizer) and his social-media star son 'That' Derek (debutant Sincere Wilbert), Jules (Hugo Diego Garcia, Touchées) from the vessel's security outfit, and hospitality head Teddy Goh (Angela Zhou, Promising Young Woman) and her sister Winnie (Annie Q Riegel, Kung Fu) as well. But fingers initially point in Imogene's direction, after she's caught on camera in the victim's room not long before he met his end. Rufus, who she's furious to see but has been tasked with looking into the matter until Interpol arrives, can assist — and wants her help cracking the mystery in turn. No one needs to be badged "the world's greatest detective" to pick that their current situation and Imogene's mother's murder have connections. "Pay attention: details matter," advises Rufus early, with Death and Other Details endeavouring to fill its frames with tidbits that prove that notion. And there are tidbits; just like the lengthy list of folks associated with the show's two cases, there's no shortage of backstories, links, twists, detours, motives, secrets, lies, affairs, clues and other finer points. Although not everything convincingly earns its place, the non-stop flow gives Imogene and Rufus plenty to dive into, in the present, common past and much in-between. And while the extravagant ocean liner that the bulk of the current-day timeline is set upon doesn't seem to be in a hurry to get anywhere, the series' plot is pacy and bouncy, never letting a moment drag. Death and Other Details' jumps backwards are always tied to memories and, in another choice that could've sunk or swum — thankfully, it's the latter — often insert Imogene into the recollections. Accordingly, the act of scouring one's brain and scrutinising someone's story for aspects that've might've been overlooked receives a visual representation. The underlying idea isn't just a passing theme, either. That almost everything is subjective isn't a unique revelation, but examining the distortions of our minds, what we choose to see and to block, and what recurs again and again, is particularly potent in unpacking grief and trauma. Such is Imogene's tale, which Death and Other Details never forgets even as it luxuriates on an opulent ship, splashes around sunnily and glossily shot sights, and also steams into the eat-the-rich realm. As the investigators sifting through a motley crew of players with their own idiosyncrasies, Patinkin and Beane unsurprisingly leave the biggest imprint among the cast. Ever-reliably great, he's in classic gumshoe and Columbo-type mode, while she's shrewd and determined. The contrast — as familiar as it is — works a charm. Indeed, as the series coasts entertainingly along, wanting more of Rufus and Imogene sleuthing together, and more of them stepping beyond their present boat-bound scenario, is the main takeaway. For now, their maiden Death and Other Details' voyage boasts much to keep audiences wanting to continue breezing along with them. Check out the trailer for Death and Other Details below: Death and Other Details streams via Disney+ from Tuesday, January 16. Images: Hulu.
Has every famous actor ever popped up in a Marvel movie at one point or another? With Captain America: Brave New World marking the saga's 35th film — and with entry 36 on its way via Thunderbolts*, then flick 37 courtesy of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, all before July 2025 is out — it can feel that way. So when the comic-book company-turned-cinema powerhouse announces the cast for one of its Avengers movies, there's plenty of talent to call upon. The ensemble for Avengers: Doomsday has just been revealed, and it's a stacked bunch. Set to be the 38th Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, Avengers: Doomsday will hit the big screen in autumn 2026 — Thursday, April 30 Down Under — which means that it's still over a year away. But expect Robert Downey Jr (The Sympathizer) rejoining the franchise, a few folks who've been in past Avengers films, recent additions to the fold and familiar X-Men faces, and more. [caption id="attachment_866265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jasin Boland. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel advised Downey Jr's return, fresh from him becoming an Oscar-winner thanks to Oppenheimer. Although the last time that he was in an Avengers picture, he played Tony Stark aka Iron Man — a role he portrayed in ten MCU movies — this time he's stepping into Victor von Doom's shoes. That, fans already knew before the rest of the Avengers: Doomsday cast was unveiled. It's a big list from there, starting with Chris Hemsworth (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) and Tom Hiddleston (Loki), alongside Anthony Mackie (Twisted Metal), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), Paul Rudd (Only Murders in the Building), Letitia Wright (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and Winston Duke (The Fall Guy) among those with Avengers experience. [caption id="attachment_877485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.[/caption] Get ready to see a number of faces a couple of times over the next year, given that Wyatt Russell (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), Florence Pugh (We Live in Time), David Harbour (A Working Man), Hannah John-Kamen (Breaking Point) and Lewis Pullman (Salem's Lot) will hop from Thunderbolts* to Doomsday. Pedro Pascal (Gladiator II), Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), Joseph Quinn (A Quiet Place: Day One) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) will do the same from The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Simu Liu (Last Breath) returns from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Danny Ramirez from Captain America: Brave New World and Tenoch Huerta Mejia from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Channing Tatum (Blink Twice) was in Deadpool and Wolverine, and will keep adding to his MCU resume. As Beast from the X-Men movies, Kelsey Grammer (Paper Empire) joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Marvels, while Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Picard) brought Professor Charles Xavier to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — and they're back again now. [caption id="attachment_973924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 MARVEL.[/caption] Ian McKellen (The Critic), Alan Cumming (Drive Back Home), Rebecca Romijn (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), James Marsden (Paradise): they're on the list of X-Men stars — actors bring Marvel comics to the screen before the MCU even existed, but in films that were their own franchise until now — that are also part of Doomsday. Now that Disney owns Fox, which previously was behind the Deadpool, X-Men and Fantastic Four flicks, it's bringing characters from all of the above into its ever-sprawling screen saga. So, that's Thor, Loki, Captain America, Bucky Barnes, Ant-Man, Shuri, M'Baku, John Walker, Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Ghost, Robert Reynolds, Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm, Shang-Chi, Joaquin Torres, Namor, Gambit, Beast, Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Mystique and Cyclops covered. After helming Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo (The Electric State) are back as well, directing not just Avengers: Doomsday but also 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. Check out the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement video below: Avengers: Doomsday releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Top images: photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney // Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © 2025 MARVEL. // Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
Enter one of Yayoi Kusama's infinity rooms, including the Japanese icon's brand-new Infinity Mirrored Room–My Heart is Filled to the Brim with Sparkling Light at the National Gallery of Victoria, and it appears as if the artist's work goes on forever. A great exhibition dedicated to Kusama evokes the same sensation. Accordingly, when you're not staring at a seemingly endless celestial universe while enjoying a world-premiere piece from the talent that's been unveiled for the first time ever in Melbourne, you'll still feel as if Kusama's touches are everywhere around you. Simply titled Yayoi Kusama, NGV International's big summer 2024–25 showcase features 200 works, so there really is enough Kusama art to envelop attendees in dots, mirrors, balls, tentacles, pumpkins, flowers, rainbow hues and her other beloved flourishes. With ten immersive installations, the exhibition breaks the world record for the number of such pieces by the artist assembled in one spot. The showcase is also the largest-ever Kusama retrospective that Australia has ever seen. Open since Sunday, December 15, 2024 and running until Monday, April 21, 2025, Yayoi Kusama has taken over the St Kilda Road gallery's entire ground floor with a childhood-to-now survey of its subject's creative output. With the artist reaching 95 years of age in March 2024, there's eight decades of art on display. Some pieces have never been seen Down Under until now. Some are sourced from private collections, and others from Kusama's own personal stash. In advance of the exhibition's launch, Melbourne welcomed Kusama's five-metre-tall dot-covered Dancing Pumpkin sculpture in NGV International's Federation Court. Outside the gallery, Kusama's Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees wrapped the trunks of more than 60 trees in pink-and-white polka-dotted material before Yayoi Kusama opened its doors, too. Now comes the chance to explore the complete showcase, which is also one of the most-comprehensive retrospectives devoted to the artist to be staged globally. Forget booking in a trip to Kusama's Tokyo museum for the next few months, then — all that Melburnians need to do is stay local, and Australians elsewhere just need to head to the Victorian capital. Other highlights include NGV International's glass waterwall going pink, but with black rather than white dots; Kusama's new version of Narcissus Garden, which dates back to 1966 and features 1400 30-centimetre-diameter silver balls this time around, sitting in front of the waterwall and in parts of Federation Court; and the yellow-and-black spheres of Dots Obsession hanging over the Great Hall. Then there's the artist's sticker-fuelled, all-ages-friendly The Obliteration Room, where audiences young and old pop coloured dots everywhere — 'obliterating', as Kusama calls it — to cover an apartment interior that's completely white otherwise. Flower Obsession is another participatory piece, returning from the 2017 NGV Triennial. Again, you're asked to add to the work. Here, red flowers are applied to a domestic space — and again, obliterating it is the mission. If you adore the artist's way with mirrors, you'll want to see 2016's Chandelier of Grief, which features baroque-style chandelier spinning within a hexagon of mirrors; 2013's Love Is Calling, where tentacles in different colours spring from both the floor and the ceiling; and 2017's The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, which gets viewers peering at glowing pumpkins as far as the eye can see through a small peephole. In Invisible Life, convex mirrors line a twisting and multi-hued corridor. With its six-metre-tall tendrils — which are covered in polka dots, naturally — the yellow-and-black The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe from 2019 is striking without using a looking glass (or several), and makes its Australian premiere. Prefer flowers instead? Set within a dotted space, All My Love for the Tulips, I Pray Forever from 2013 sees a trio of giant tulips loom over audiences. Overall, Yayoi Kusama steps through the artist's 80-plus years of making art via a thematic chronology. While a number of pieces hail from her childhood, others are far more recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s; plenty from the past four decades: they all appear. Any chance to see Yayoi Kusama's work in Australia is huge news, and reason to make a date — including travel plans, if needed. Here's another drawcard: the NGV has also added Friday-night parties to the mix, kicking off on Friday, December 20, 2024 for some pre-Christmas fun, then running for 18 weeks until Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Visitors and artworks in the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photos: Danielle Castano, Sean Fennessy, Tobias Titz and Kate Shannassy. Updated: December 16, 2024.
If you're acknowledging the right sources, you'll know dance was invented in 1984 in a small midwestern town in Illinois by one Kevin Bacon — it's textbook history. Since then, dancing has become one of our most basic of human needs, so you shouldn't ever need an excuse to put on your red shoes and dance the blues. But sometimes you need a little push, and often the only reason you really need to get down is that Brisbane has some A-grade dance floors — with top-notch DJs and beat-heavy music to match. It's well and good to go out for a nice quiet drink, but sometimes you've just got to get gussied up, lose the shame tingles and pretend you're auditioning for Step Up 7. To get your second left foot right, we’ve listed a few of Brisbane's best spots where you can raise your glass, flip your hair back and break out The Elaine the way Larry David intended: with not a care in the world. Black Bear Lodge This Fortitude Valley dance stop is the kingpin of entertainment that rarely receives the credit it's due. From intimate live gigs to DJs that will happily play Fleetwood Mac's Tusk in its entirety, you can't really get away with sitting still at this cosy (often rather crazy) upstairs joint. Occasionally, the venue plays host to those uppity gigs where everyone is a little 'too cool to function' — prompting little more than a gentle sway — but when the beats are high-flying, with lights so dim you can get away with anything, even those with most cuffed of jeans can find themselves lost to the rhythm of the night. Level 1, 322 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley Lefty's Old Time Music Hall Lefty’s provides the most hospitable, all-encompassing dance floor in Brisbane, hands down. One moment you might be jigging with a suit, the next throwing down organised moves with your life-of-the-party sister. Lefty's age range starts at 18-year-old newbies giving their brand new IDs a workout, and catapults up to 60-year-old legends who remember when Cash was the real deal and Brooks wasn't ironic. Drinks aren't cheap but they’re high quality, as is the atmosphere, live music and overall moves — so break some. 15 Caxton Street, Brisbane Ric's Ric's Bar is home to the ultimate Neapolitan dance scene. You want a spot of trashy Potbelleez and electro-buzz, trek upstairs. You want The Smiths, Stones (Rolling or Roses) and a bit of Beck, stick downstairs. You want live music, come early. You want a dance floor filled with the dazed and confused, stick around till late. Testament to Ric’s dance floor is its tolerance — knock someone, they’ll probably smile at you and apologise. Head along on Thursday for $4 drinks and the kickass realisation that you do actually swing your like Shakira (according to the Ric's wall mirrors and that fifth rum and coke). 321 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley No Lights, No Lycra Are you so self conscious about your dancing you confine it to bedrooms, bathrooms and empty supermarket aisles? Then fear no more, No Lights, No Lycra is a worldwide phenomenon occurring locally at the Colossus Reception Lounge. The deal is simple (and the clue's in the title) — there’s no lights, no lycra, no dance steps to learn and no teacher; it’s all free movement. NLNL is a completely daggy, ego-free way of shaking out your stresses of the week and practising those killer moves you've been hiding for so many years. Check out the website for the next event. 71 Jane Street, West End Cloudland Cloudland has long been one of Brisbane's most ooh-la-la establishments, with at least one friend in every circle holding a tale of being turned away by security for not wearing a suit. But lapels and ego should be swapped for rhythm and tap shoes on Thursday nights, because you can catch live music from 7pm and take free salsa lessons between 7 – 9pm. But that's not all, every Wednesday night from 8pm you can twirl into free swing dance lessons by Empire Swing and live '30s-inspired music by Seventh Avenue Swing Band from 9pm till late. 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley Rumpus Room If you're reluctant to head to the city, Valley or anywhere on that side of the river, then Rumpus Room is your go-to. This back-to-basics venue holds all the wilderness of the Valley, right in the middle of West End amongst all your favourite restaurants. With drinks at West End prices, Rumpus Room is perfectly situated so you can have a pre- or post-dinner dance — it’s the type of floor that’s never not inundated after 9pm. Bless the West. 56 Russell Street, West End The Bank This isn't a joke. Give credit where credit is due. The Bank (now known as Brunswick & Ann) has long been catering to Brisbane's rap-demigods and Ginuwine-worshippers (who doesn't like a healthy fist-pump?). What's more, the drinks here are ridiculous — this might be the only dance floor left in Brisbane entirely fuelled by jelly shots, vodka slushies and lychee Cruisers. Obviously, don't come to The Bank with your nan or conservative buds — and don't come here sober for that matter. This is just one of those little gems that's long been making people cringe, when they should be jumping in and getting well crunk. 336 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Let’s be honest here, Brisbane is pretty underrated by the rest of the ‘it’ towns in terms of who has and who has not got the coolest markets. Sure, we might have a lot of markets consisting of marquee-style stalls selling handmade soaps, dream catchers and heat packs, but we have so much more too. With the weather getting milder every day now, there is no better time to discover some of the best markets around without the fear of being baked alive in the process. So without further ado, here is Concrete Playground's guide to the best markets in our city. 1. Finders Keepers Markets When: Bi-Annually (Autumn/Winter & Spring/Summer) The Finders Keepers Markets are some of the most highly sort out markets in Australia and Brisbane is lucky enough to play host twice a year. The free markets showcase the work of amazingly talented emerging designers and artists from all around Australia and New Zealand. The whole event is like walking around in a real life Frankie Magazine – a lot of awesome design with just the perfect amount of kitsch mixed in for good measure. With a laidback festival feel, the markets even have great live music, a café/ bar and amazing food stalls. It’s clear that there is an incredible passion for high quality, independent design that’s consistent throughout the markets and which they maintain year after year. If you are looking for one-offs and high quality unique pieces you can’t find anywhere else, the Finders Keepers Markets are definitely for you. 2. Suitcase Rummage When: First Sunday of every month, 12pm – 5pm. On the first Sunday of every month, Reddacliff Place plays host to the Suitcase Rummage – a market that, as the name might suggest, encourages you to make like your grandma and have a rummage through goods sold from old suitcases. There’s so much wonderment to be had with retro finds, unique artwork, bric-a-brac, clothing, books, jewellery, seconds, records, cupcakes…you name it! Not only will you find all of these goods at a bargain price, you are also welcome to swap or have a bit of an old fashioned haggle. Make sure you head down early to find all the best stuff before some other savvy individual gets there first. You can also register to sell your own suitcase full of goods. 3. Black Markets at Black Bear Lodge When: First Saturday of every month, 12pm – 5pm. Remember the Troubadour? So many memories, I go all fuzzy inside and start giggling like a schoolgirl with the amount of nostalgia locked away in that place. Although the Troubadour might be gone, in its stead is the wonderful Black Bear Lodge – a mix of the old Troub covered with smatterings of Twin Peaks style deco. Going all gooey inside at the thought? Well there’s more! Black Bear Lodge is more than just an indie hot spot for nightlife and live music, they also play host to artisan markets every month. These aren’t your regular markets, which typically cater to girls and crafty types. The Black Markets feature records, poster art, zines, handmade guitar pedals and collaged shirts along with local emerging fashion and designers. Curated by the girls at Velvet Pins, the markets are a collection of some of the most eclectic goods in Brisbane. Come enjoy a coffee or boutique beer and soak up the snuggly cabin style vibe whilst browsing some covetable wares. Black Bear Lodge is sure to bring about a nostalgia all of its own in years to come. 4. Bleeding Heart City Markets When: First Friday of every month, 10am – 4pm. City markets seem to be enjoying a moment in the sun at the moment as CBD inhabitants relish in the opportunity to purchase something found outside the surrounding chain stores. The latest market to pop up in the area is courtesy of Bleeding Hearts Cafe and Art Gallery, an artisan retail store dedicated to funding charitable and community enterprise. The Bleeding Hearts Markets take place on the first Friday of every month and will offer an assorted mix of handmade items and art from local artisans, who will set up shop along the gallery veranda and in the front garden. Get your hands on some new and exclusive prints, illustrations, jewellery, accessories, children's clothing and toys and meet the talented people responsible for these clever crafts. 5. Kerbside Markets When: Sundays monthly, from 12pm. We all remember the days when the Brunswick St Valley markets were actually good. Or maybe we were just young and naïve. Either way, there is another alternative to get your Valley market fix on a Sunday afternoon. The Kerbside Markets are a monthly Sunday afternoon laneway market held at the uber cool Kerbside bar on Constance St. Not only do the markets manage to incorporate a distinctive mix of vintage wares with both booze and BBQ goodness, there’s also no bulk imported cheap stuff in sight. Chill out at the bar, take a couch seat or filter through the loveliness on offer. With 20+ stalls, there’s sure to be something that tickles your fancy. 6. Junk Bar Trash and Treasure Markets When: Monthly, 10.30am – 3.30pm Junk Bar, a living room-esque hole-in-the-wall bar, has got everything you need for it to be your new favourite hang out. It’s got good music, walls covered in forest wallpaper, an assortment of vintage lamps and couches, a delicious array of cocktails and bonus points for its fringe of the City location. This Ashgrove-based home-away-from-home also plays host to monthly trash and treasure markets where you can score some of the finest vintage finds and off casts. Stall holders utilise the unique space and furniture of the bar in a creative way to best show off their wares which include one-of-a-kind vintage and pre-loved clothing, records, art, bric-a-brac, books, jewellery, hand-made items, badges, greeting cards, vintage photos and cameras. Get out of the house without feeling like you really left at all. 7. Brisbane Vintage Fair When: Annually in March Maybe it’s the collective nostalgia or the desire to reuse and recycle that draws people to vintage attire? More realistically, the love for vintage is probably inspired by the knowledge that fashion will never again be as good as it was in the yesteryear. Whatever your reason for loving vintage fashion, Brisbane’s vintage aficionados can get their fix of fashion at the Brisbane Vintage Fashion Fair at Eagle Farm Racecourse. Whether you're seeking a specific vintage item, just want to add some difference to your wardrobe or just get amongst the colourful crowd, this fashion fair is set to have something for everyone. With best-dressed comps, vintage tunes and bubbly at the bar you can dip back into the past and grab yourself a fabulous gem. Vintage fashion never gets old. 8. West End Twilight Markets When: 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month, 4pm – 9pm. Despite the often-questionable locals and hordes of hippies, West End just can’t seem to shake its laidback cool vibe. Plus, those West Enders sure know how to throw one hell of a market. Already renowned for their wonderful farmers' markets, West End also play host to the West End Twilight Markets. A specialty marketplace, the West End Twilight Markets feature a diverse mix of treasures, food and live performance. Every second Saturday afternoon you can head down to the reclaimed Hangar on the corner of Wilson and Boundary streets for an enchanting evening. With a unique focus on sustainability, engagement and local talent, these markets are a wonderfully relaxing event filled with community spirit and all sorts of ethical, fair-trade, one-of-a-kind goodies to be found. 9. Young Designer Markets at South Bank When: First Sunday of every month, 10am – 4pm. If you’ve never been to the Young Designer Markets in South Bank and you have in any way associated them with the regular South Bank Markets, forget it. While the South Bank Markets are the home of the lame middle-aged marquees selling candles and tie-dye fisherman pants, the Young Designers Markets are where you go to find some of Brisbane’s hottest up-and-coming student designers before the make it big. Consisting of over 40 stalls of clothing, accessories, homewares, object design and art, you are also getting the chance to meet and buy direct from the talent. Show your support for our bourgeoning fashion and design scene whilst scoring one-of-a-kind pieces from Brisbane’s incredibly talented youngsters. 10. BrisStyle Indie Markets When: Every second month, 5pm – 9pm. If you prefer your markets twilight style, then Brisbane has another edition to add to the growing list of night time markets. The BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets are the perfect place to find all sorts of crafty handmade trinkets and oddments galore, browsing by lantern light at our very own King George Square. BrisStyle is a collection of talented crafters and designers from Queensland who sell their wares through Etsy, but these creatives want more than just an online presence so every second month they set up shop in the heart of the city to show their wares to all under the stars. Meander through the stalls of over sixty emerging and established local artisans, all 100% hand made in Australia.
Even in 2020, the most unpredictable of years, the end of November marks two things: the shift to warm summer weather and an influx of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. While we may not celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia that doesn't mean we can't enjoy some outrageous deals in the lead-up to the holiday season. To help you sort through all the emails and Facebook ads you're being served up right now, we've collected a few of this year's biggest sales in one place for you — so you can pick up between 20 and 70 percent off a new gym outfit, mattress or reusable cup.
There's getting away. And then there's disappearing to your own private, tiny house in the wilderness — miles from any sign of human interference. Meet Unyoked, a new, Australian independent accommodation option that lets you do just that. Importantly, this is not a hotel. Founded and run by twins Cam and Chris Grant, the off-the-grid experience brings you the convenience and comforts of four solid walls, alongside the adventure, spontaneity and closeness-to-nature of camping. Here's how. With the help of designer/builder Alice Nivison and builder/eco-consultant Richie Northcott from Sydney design studio Fresh Prince, the brothers have designed and built two tiny houses — both sustainable and solar-powered. They've been placed in secret patches of wilderness on private properties, in the middle of nowhere. Anytime you want to flee the city, disconnect and recharge, all you have to do is book one and jump in your car. Both houses are no more than two hours' drive from Sydney. "We grew up camping and hiking," the Grants say. "But once we started to work full-time, we noticed we weren't doing that as much. We were spending too much time in the grind. Unyoked came about because we wanted to get back to nature." The idea is that, rather than having to wait for your annual vacation, you can add a nature escape to your regular routine. "We wanted to give people more of a balance ... to give them the chance to get off the grid, but without necessarily having to go to Nepal," the Grants say. The houses aim to "make you feel like you're part of the environment". Think timber, oversized windows, solar power, composting toilets and a blissful lack of wi-fi. At the same time, though, simple comforts are taken care of, so you get a cosy bed, kitchen appliances, firewood, coffee, milk, herbs and the like. Plus, the locations have been carefully selected. "We went through a detailed process of finding the right properties," the Grants say. "There's a set criteria. Each property must be secluded, away from the sight or sound of any human-made elements and have wildlife." For example, the first-built tiny house, which is named Miguel, sits on a 300-acre property, surrounded by 400-year-old rainforest, waterfalls, walking trails and kangaroos. Unyoked aims to make sure your stay is a bit of an adventure, by keeping the exact address of your chosen house secret until two days before you're due to set off. You'll be given a vague idea of the location, but nothing more. "We want people to feel like they were walking in the wilderness and suddenly came across a cabin." More Unyoked tiny houses are on their way — Melbourne's next. https://vimeo.com/202315726 Images and video: Samantha Hawker.
Already home to gelato, doughnuts, Mediterranean cuisine, Hungarian pastries, Greek eats, the second outpost of one of Brisbane's favourite cafes and more, West End's West Village has just added a new culinary go-to to its lineup: Ippin Japanese Dining. Initially announced in 2022, and welcoming in patrons since Wednesday, April 12, it's the first Brisbane venture from Sydney restaurateur Kenny Lee, owner of the New South Wales capital's Kuon Omakase, Allta and Funda restaurants — and he has brought his popcorn lobster with him. That beloved dish from down south sits on a seafood- and meat-heavy menu heroing Queensland produce, plus products imported from Japan, in a space that also takes the same mix-and-match approach. Located in West Village's Garden Pavilion, Ippin's decor ties into its both its culinary influence and its setting, featuring minimalist Japanese design but working with the timber and brickwork that's prominent around West Village. Also a supremely Brisbane touch: the greenery views, including peering down on openair lawn The Common from its second-floor perch. Diners ascending above West Village's hustle and bustle — literally, given the levelled-up location — to the 140-seater will tuck into Japanese eats overseen by head chef Tatsuya Miwa. With owners Helen Lea and Jane Ma, too, Miwa and Lee have devised lunch and dinner menus that feature traditional seafood starters, sides, mains and desserts. You can kick off your visit with that famed lobster fare or karaage chicken, for instance, then enjoy wagyu beef tataki, soft-shell crab rolls, chargrilled octopus and yuzu panna cotta. If you're fond of bites from the robata grill — wagyu, chicken and prawn skewers; miso-marinated toothfish; honey, coriander and mint duck breast; and 48-hour dry-aged coral trout, to name a few options — your tastebuds will also be tempted. The same goes for raw bar fans, with 12- and 24-piece sea-to-table sashimi sets on offer, plus a salmon-only ten-piece set. Or, go for kingfish carpaccio, and catch-of-the-day sushi sets in six or 12 pieces. The dessert lineup also spans to dark chocolate hemispheres filled with red fruits and topped with raspberry icing, plus caramel puddings. No matter when you drop by, with the restaurant open for lunch from Friday–Sunday and dinner Monday–Sunday, sake is a big drawcard, sitting alongside a lineup of cocktails and spirits, and a list of Australian, French and Italian wines. So, expect to sip Umenoyado's fruit-flavoured sakes (think: peach, orange, lychee and pineapple), yuzu whisky sours and Matcha-gronis (made on matcha-infused gin, matcha powder, Midori and vermouth), plus a range of Japanese gins and whiskies. Although the entire space is both secluded, diners can also choose between two private dining spaces that seat ten–12 guests.
Here's an excellent way to spend Halloween: watching the exceptional slasher flick that is the OG Halloween, aka one of iconic filmmaker John Carpenter's masterpieces, as well as the movie that helped make Jamie Lee Curtis a star. But when October 31 rolls around — or the month of October in general — you might want to expand your viewing. Sure, the Halloween franchise has plenty of entries, including a brand-new one in cinemas right now (and some excellent, some terrible and some average ones). It isn't the only worthy of your eyeballs while you're carving pumpkins, eating candy and dressing up in the most frightening costume you can conjure up, however. Every year, a whole heap of unsettling and unnerving flicks reach screens big and small. Every year, they spook us out all year round. But this is the time to binge them — and we've come up with a killer streaming marathon solely based on 2022 horror movies on the various platforms now. If your idea of a perfect Halloween this year involves getting reacquainted with that groove on your sofa and binging your way through the latest and greatest eerie flicks that are currently offer, here's ten that'll do the trick. You'll need to supply the treats, obviously. X In new slasher standout X, the eponymous letter doesn't simply mark a spot; it isn't by accident that the film takes its moniker from the classification given to the most violent and pornographic movies made. This is a horror flick set amid a porn shoot, after all, and it heartily embraces the fact that people like to watch from the get-go. Swaggering producer Wayne (Martin Henderson, The Gloaming), aspiring starlet Maxine Minx (Mia Goth, Emma), old-pro fellow actors Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect 3) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi, Don't Look Up), and arty director RJ (Owen Campbell, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) and his girlfriend/sound recorder Lorraine (Jenna Ortega, doing triple horror duty in 2022 so far in Scream, Studio 666 and now this) are counting on that truth to catapult themselves to fame. Hailing from Houston and aroused at the idea of repeating Debbie Does Dallas' success, they're heading out on the road to quieter climes to make the skin flick they're staking their futures on, and they desperately hope there's an audience. X is set in the 70s, as both the home-entertainment pornography market and big-screen slashers were beginning to blossom. As a result, it's similarly well aware that sex and death are cinema's traditional taboos, and that they'll always be linked. That's art imitating life, because sex begets life and life begets death, but rare is the recent horror movie that stresses the connection so explicitly yet playfully. Making those links is Ti West, the writer/director responsible for several indie horror gems over the past decade or so — see: cult favourites The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers — and thrusting a smart, savage and salacious delight towards his viewers here. Yes, he could've gone with The Texas Porn-Shoot Massacre for the feature's title, but he isn't remaking the obvious seminal piece of genre inspiration. X streams via Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Running for 53 minutes, Werewolf by Night is more a standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe special than a movie. It's the first release of its type for the sprawling comic book-to-screen behemoth, and it makes the case for more like it. In fact, if you've been feeling fatigued by average big-screen MCU releases lately, it also makes the case for more variety and experimentation in the Marvel blockbuster realm in general — because when the usual mould gets tinkered with in a significant way, and not just with a goofy vibe like Thor: Love and Thunder, something special like this can result. The mood is all horror, in a glorious throwback way, complete with gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. The focus: hunting for monsters, which does, yes, involve bringing together a crew of new characters with special traits. Thankfully, that concept never feels formulaic because of how much creepy fun that Werewolf by Night is having, and how much love it splashes towards classic creature features. That monochrome look, and the shadowy lighting that comes with it, clearly nods to the ace monster flicks of the 1930s and 1940s; composer-turned-director Michael Giacchino (who provided Thor: Love and Thunder's score, in fact), must be a fan, as we all should be. His filmmaking contribution to the MCU takes its name from comic-book character Werewolf by Night, which dates back to the 70s on the page — but if you don't know that story, let the same-titled flick surprise you. The plot begins with five experienced monster hunters being summoned to Bloodstone Manor following the death of Ulysses Bloodstone, and told to get a-hunting around the grounds to work out who'll be the new leader (and also gain control of a powerful gem called the Bloodstone). That includes Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal, Station Eleven), plus Ulysses' estranged daughter Elsa (Laura Donnelly, The Nevers). Everything that happens from there — and before that — instantly makes for pulpy and entertaining viewing. Werewolf by Night streams via Disney+. HELLBENDER Meet the Adams family — no, not the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky characters that've featured on pages and screens for decades (including in two terrible recent animated flicks), but the filmmaking collective comprised of couple Toby Poser and John Adams, plus their daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams. The quartet might be missing a letter from their well-known counterparts' names, but they're just as fond of all things horror. Case in point: their second feature Hellbender, a self-financed gem that's both a spellbinding tale of witchcraft and a clever coming-of-age story. It starts in a house in the woods, and also spends most of its time there. It includes the arrival of an unexpected stranger, shattering the status quo. But formulaic and by-the-numbers, this must-see isn't. In making exceptional use of its setting, and of a cast that's primarily comprised of Adams family members, it's also a masterclass in lockdown filmmaking. In the most expected aspect of Hellbender, the film's name does indeed refer to a punk-metal band, with 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams, The Deeper You Dig) and her mother (Toby Poser) its sole members. No one else has ever heard them play, either, given that Izzy is both homeschooled and confined to the family's sprawling mountainside property, as she has been since she was five. Her mum tells her that she can't venture into town or around other people due to a contagious autoimmune disease; however, when a lost man (John Adams) wanders their way and mentions that his teenage niece Amber (Lulu Adams) lives nearby, Izzy gets the confidence to go exploring. As both written and directed by three out of four Adams family members — all except Lulu — Hellbender proves an impressive supernatural affair from its opening occult-heavy prologue through to its astute take on teen rebellion. Here's hoping this Adams family spirits up more DIY horror delights soon, too. Hellbender streams via Shudder and iTunes. FRESH Finally, a film about dating in the 21st century with real bite — and that's unafraid to sink its teeth into the topic. In this hit Sundance horror-comedy, Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, and once again gets entangled in a romance that'll leave a mark; here, however, the scars aren't merely emotional. Swiping right hasn't been doing it for Fresh's protagonist, as a comically terrible date with the appropriately named Chad (Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin) demonstrates early. Then sparks fly the old-fashioned way, in-person at the supermarket, with the curiously offline doctor Steve (Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy). Soon, he's whisking her away to a secluded spot for the weekend — a little too swiftly for Noa's protective best friend Mollie's (Jojo T Gibbs, Twenties) liking, especially given that no one can virtually stalk his socials to scope him out — and that getaway takes a savage and nightmare-fuelling twist. If Raw met Ex Machina, then crossed paths with American Psycho and Hostel, and finally made the acquaintance of any old rom-com, Fresh still wouldn't be the end result — but its tone stems from those parts, as do some plot points and performances, and even a few scenes as well. First-time feature director Mimi Cave doesn't butcher these limbs, though, and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Ibiza) doesn't stitch them together like Frankenstein's monster. As anchored by the excellent Edgar-Jones and Stan, there's care, savvy, smarts and style in this splatter-filled, satirical, brutal, funny, empowered and sweet film. Its twists, and its cutting take on predatory dating, are best discovered by watching, but being turned off apps, men and meat in tandem is an instant gut reaction. Fresh streams via Disney+. PREY No stranger to voicing iconic lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger uttered one of his best-known phrases yet 35 years ago, in a franchise that's still going today. "If it bleeds, we can kill it" has been quoted frequently ever since — even by champion AFL coaches — and it's no spoiler to mention that it pops up again in the latest Predator film Prey. Trotting out that piece of dialogue won't surprise anyone, but this fine-tuned action-thriller should. It's one of the saga's best entries, serving up a lean, taut and thoughtful kill-or-be-killed battle set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The Predator series hasn't been big on highlights over the years — Predator 2 is forgettable to put it nicely, 2010's Predators is effective, 2018's The Predator favoured its throwback vibes above all else, and the two terrible Alien vs Predator cross-over films are best left forgotten — however Prey not only breathes new life into it, but paves a welcome path for more. (Bring on a Prey sequel ASAP.) The overall premise remains the same, with the franchise's ruthless, brutal and technologically advanced alien species using earth as its hunting ground as the series has already established — and showing zero concern about leaving a body count. Trained healer Naru (Amber Midthunder, The Ice Road) is the first to notice that something is awry this time, spotting the predator's spaceship in the sky and taking it as a sign to follow her dream to become a hunter herself. Alas, that isn't the done thing. In fact, she's spent her entire life being told that she can't be like her brother Taabe (first-timer Dakota Beavers), and should focus on her assigned role instead. Now, even with an extra-terrestrial foe wreaking havoc, she's still dismissed at every turn. Midthunder plays Naru as a fierce, determined, persistent and resourceful force to be reckoned with, while writer/director Dan Trachtenberg — co-scripting with Jack Ryan's Patrick Aison — gives all things Predator the taut focus, canny shift and fresh feel he also gave the Cloverfield saga with 10 Cloverfield Lane. Prey streams via Disney+. WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR "Hey guys, Casey here. Welcome to my channel. Today I'm going to be taking the World's Fair Challenge." So says We're All Going to the World's Fair's protagonist (feature newcomer Anna Cobb) twice to start this absorbing horror film, to camera, in what makes a spectacular opening sequence. Next, an eerie wave of multicoloured light flashes across her face. Watching her response brings the also-excellent She Dies Tomorrow to mind, but Casey has her own viral phenomenon to deal with. She's doing what she says she will, aka viewing a strobing video, uttering a pivotal phrase and then smearing blood across her laptop screen — and she promises to document anything that changes afterwards, because others have made those kinds of reports. Written, directed and edited by fellow feature debutant Jane Schoenbrun, the instantly eerie and intriguing We're All Going to the World's Fair is that record. Schoenbrun's film is more than that, however. It also charts the connections that spring and splinter around Casey just by joining the online trend, where her videos spark others in return — and the spirals she goes down as she watches, which then sparks a response in her own way, too. A portrait of isolation and alienation as well, while chronicling the after effects of playing a virtual horror game, We're All Going to the World's Fair is also a picture of an always-recorded world. Take your lockdown mindset, your social-media scrolling, all that Zooming that defined the beginning of the pandemic and a gamer vibe, roll them all together, and that's still not quite this arresting movie — which keeps shifting and evolving just like Cobb's enigmatic and evocative performance. The entire flick earns that description and, not that it needs an established name's tick of approval, the fact that The Green Knight and A Ghost Story director David Lowery is an executive producer speaks volumes. We're All Going to the World's Fair streams via Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. HELLRAISER Horror remakes and sequels are a bit like Halloween itself: even if you're not a fan, they always keep coming. First, a key rule about giving beloved old flicks a do-over or a years-later followup: the originals always still exist, no matter how the new movies turn out. Now, a crucial point about Hellraiser circa 2022: it's never going to be the OG picture, but it's still visually impressive, eager to get gory in bold and inventive ways, well cast and also happy to muse thoughtfully on addiction. And yes, there's a note of warning included in that above assessment of a film that arrives 35 years after Clive Barker's first stab at the series, and following nine other sequels. Directed by The Night House helmer David Bruckner, the new Hellraiser is stylish with its violent, bloody imagery, but it also still loves ripping flesh apart — and serving up a grisly nightmare. For newcomers to the Hellraiser fold, beware of puzzles. The moving box here is oh-so-enticing — that's how it gets its victims — but it's also a portal to a hellish realm. That's where demonic, frightening-looking beings called Cenobites dwell, and they're eager to haunt and terrorise the living. (Yes, that includes the ghoulish Pinhead, whose aesthetic really is all there in the name.) Accordingly, this Hellraiser movie kicks off with millionaire Roland Voight (Goran Visnjic, The Boys) obsessed with the box, and his lawyer Menaker (Hiam Abbass, Ramy) luring in new people to get torn to pieces. Then, six years later, recovering drug addict Riley (Odessa A'zion, Good Girl Jane) and her boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey, The Terminal List) find the cube in their possession. When it claims the former's brother Matt (Brandon Flynn, Ratched), she's determined to work out what's going on — and, while never full of narrative surprises, the brutal imagery sears itself into viewers' memories. Hellraiser streams via Binge. MASTER Taking cues from Jordan Peele's Get Out and Donald Glover's Atlanta, as well as from old-school horror classics such as Rosemary's Baby and The Shining, college-set horror-thriller Master isn't lacking in well-known influences. It also isn't afraid to let the imprint left by its obvious predecessors visibly ripple through its frames. But being overly ambitious in stitching together a story that so clearly owes a debt backwards is one of this film's few missteps — that and being so brimming with ideas that not everything gets its due. Excavating the institutionalised racism that festers in the American university system is a big task, though, and first-time feature writer/director Mariama Diallo doesn't hold back. There's a slow-burn eeriness to this intense Ivy League-steeped affair, but also a go-for-broke mentality behind its dissection of deeply engrained prejudice and weaponised identity politics. Regina Hall (Nine Perfect Strangers), Zoe Renee (Black Lightning) and Amber Gray (The Underground Railroad) play Gail Bishop, Jasmine Moore and Liv Beckman, respectively — three women of colour at a New England uni, Ancaster, with a long history. The school's past is almost exclusively tied to white administrators and students, of course, so much so that Gail is the first Black head of the college, or master. Her appointment comes as Jasmine arrives and gets allocated to a dorm once inhabited by the college's first-ever Black pupil, whose tale ended in tragedy, and as popular professor Liv tries to earn tenure. Diallo balances racial politics and the supernatural with skill; yes, the former, and the way that 'diversity' is paid lip-service to boost the university's prestige, is far more chilling than the otherworldly bumps and jumps, but both play a key part in making this a smart and haunting feature. Master streams via Prime Video. GLORIOUS During his seven seasons on HBO's slinky supernatural drama True Blood, and in his 223 episodes on Home and Away before that, Ryan Kwanten navigated any actor's fair share of wild scenarios — and soapy and melodramatic, obviously. In Glorious, he's firmly in out-there territory, but as a troubled man conversing about life, love, loss, loyalty, the universe, gods, men, women and plenty more in a dank and grimy rest-stop bathroom. So far, so straightforward. Unexpected connections and cathartic chats can happen in all manner of places with all manner of people, after all. But Wes, Kwanten's character, is conversing with a glory hole. There's a powerful deity behind it, but all that Glorious' protagonist and the audience see is glowing neon light emanating from the circle between cubicles, and a pulsating orb of flesh hanging below the stall walls. Filmmaker Rebekah McKendry (Psycho Granny), plus screenwriters David Ian McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring), Joshua Hull (Chopping Block) and Todd Rigney (Headless), aren't shy about their Lovecraftian nods; not thinking about the sci-fi author's brand of cosmic horror and its focus on unfathomable terrors is impossible. Indeed, this'd make a fine double with Color Out of Space — a sincere compliment given that phantasmagorical delight is adapted from the author's words, while this feels like it should've been. Aided by cinematographer David Matthews (Jakob's Wife), McKendry cements the film's clear tribute via its aesthetic and atmosphere, with vibrant pink hues contrasting with the grotty bathroom, and the claustrophobic setting doing the same with the vastness emanating from Ghat, Wes' talkative new acquaintance. That JK Simmons (Spider-Man: No Way Home) lends his distinctive tones to the movie's pivotal voice does much to set the mood, understandably, but Kwanten's layered performance, a twisty narrative and an inspiredly OTT premise executed with flair also make Glorious memorable. Glorious streams via Shudder. SCREAM Twenty-six years ago, "do you like scary movies?" stopped being just an ordinary question. Posed by a wrong-number caller who happened to be a ghostface-masked killer with a fondness for kitchen knives, it was the snappiest and savviest line in one of the 90s' biggest horror films, and it's now one of cinema's iconic pieces of dialogue. It gets another whirl in the Scream franchise's fifth movie, which is also called Scream — and you'd really best answer it now with the heartiest yes possible. Taking over from the late, great Wes Craven, who also directed 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3 and 2011's Scream 4 but died in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett task their next generation of slasher fodder with showing their devotion to horror with all the subtlety of a masked murderer who can't stop taunting their prey. That'd be a new Ghostface, who terrorises today's Woodsboro high schoolers, because the fictional spot is up there with Sunnydale and Twin Peaks on the list of places that are flat-out hellish for teens. The same happened in Scream 4, but the first new attack by the saga's killer is designed to lure home someone who's left town. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera, In the Heights) hightailed it the moment she was old enough, fleeing a family secret, but is beckoned back when her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega, You) receives the feature's opening "do you like scary movies?" call. Soon, bodies are piling up, Ghostface gives Woodsboro that grim sense of deja vu again, and Tara's friends — including the horror film-obsessed Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown, Yellowjackets), her twin Chad (Mason Gooding, Love, Victor), his girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar, Jappeloup), and other pals Wes (Dylan Minnette, 13 Reasons Why) and Amber (Mikey Madison, Better Things) — are trying to both survive while basically cycling through the OG feature again, complete with a crucial location, and sleuth out the culprit using their scary movie knowledge. Everyone's a suspect, including Sam herself and her out-of-towner boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid, The Boys), and also the begrudging resident expert on this exact situation: ex-sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette, Spree). The latter is the reason that morning show host Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Cougar Town) and initial Ghostface target Sidney Prescott (Skyscraper) make the trip back to Woodsboro again as well. Scream streams via Binge, Paramount+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. Looking for more things to watch? Check out our monthly streaming roundup, as well as our rundown of recent cinema releases that've been fast-tracked to digital home entertainment of late.
The space at 22 Wyandra Street in Newstead was never going to stay closed for long. When Carl's Bar and Bistro shut its doors at the address back in September 2022, the City Winery crew got busy filling the venue with new ventures. First came a seasonal bar and bottle shop over the holiday period, and now Ardo's is making the spot its own for the long haul. City Winery is behind Carl's, too, which initially opened to give the team an outlet before its Wandoo Street flagship in Fortitude Valley launched. When it was announced that Carl's was moving to a yet-to-be-revealed new location, it company also advised that something different would make the most of the popular Wyandra Street berth — and now Brisbanites can check out the end result. Ardo's is a neighbourhood wine bar and bottle shop, so patrons can peruse its curated range of vino while getting sipping onsite over pintxos, cheese and charcuterie — or pick up their favourite tipple or a new discovery to take away. Offering a selection that you wouldn't just find at any bottle-o is a big source of pride, with Ardo's staff on-hand to chat you through its drops, help you make a pick and impart their expert knowledge. Open for after-work drinks Tuesday–Friday and from lunch onwards on weekends, the venue does wines by the glass and the bottle to enjoy while you're settling in. The lineup rotates, but everything you see on the shelf can be drunk onsite or taken away. As you're getting cosy, you'll be surrounded by vino all across the walls, a wine tap that looks like an altar, and neutral colours aplenty amid feature pink stone. The food menu is all about being communal, with bar snacks inspired by pintxos — so bites to be washed down with a glass or several. Currently available, although this lineup also rotates based on availability and the seasons: baby beet and goat's cheese tartlets, blue cheese mousse with baby fig on sourdough, smoked salmon mousse with crispy capers and salmon skin on brioche, and both mini lemon meringue and Mississippi mud pies. [caption id="attachment_883133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] City Winery's seasonal pop-up at Wyandra Street.[/caption]
Australia's longest running exhibition and art prize of its kind, the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) was established in the early 1980s when the commercial popularity of Aboriginal art was just starting to develop. The coveted award not only offers one of the biggest prizes for First Nations artists in the country, but it also aims to highlight the diversity and evolution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and its various forms. This year, there are 65 artists who have been selected as finalists for the seven awards, which have a total prize value of $80,000. So we've partnered with Telstra to give you a rundown on seven impressive artists that we think you should get to know better — and support — as they share their artistry with the world. Make sure you visit the NATSIAA website on Friday August 7, from 6pm, to watch the Awards presented live by host Brooke Boney. VICTORIA'S MULTI-TALENTED ARTIST CASSIE LEATHAM Inspired by walking the country near her two-acre property in Central Gippsland, Taungurung woman Cassie Leatham, from the Kulin Nation, is a true slashie. She's an artist, designer, weaver, dancer and educator. Leatham is hoping her second entry in the Telstra NATSIAA — a woven artwork that tells the creation stories passed to her by her elders — connects with the Award's judging panel. 'Nugal-ik Liwik Bundjil (My Ancestors Creation Story)' features a mix of pipe clay, emu fat, wattle sap, stringy bark, mud, ochre, sand crystals and wedge-tailed eagle feathers. The artist says her goal is to maintain cultural practices, with her dream being to create a teaching centre on her property to keep her culture alive. WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S KNIFE WELDING ILLIAM NARGOODAH Emerging artist Illiam Nargoodah is gaining acclaim for continuing an ancient tradition. Based out of Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region, the 23 year old uses his skills to create knives by hand from found objects, crafting every part of the knife from handle to blade. Upholding knowledge that runs in the family, the young artist has been learning alongside his father — a leatherworker — since he was a young boy. The artist's first Telstra NATSIAA entry consists of several special knives that were crafted out of metal objects and artefacts collected on community station properties near his home. QUEENSLAND'S VISUAL ARTIST RYAN PRESLEY Using the iconographic traditions of Christian art as his launchpad, Marri Ngarr man Ryan Presley has his second entry in the Telstra NATSIAA this year. It's a political work that depicts the "beauty, resistance and everyday heroism of Aboriginal people today", he says. 'Crown Land (till the ends of the earth)' mixes oil, synthetic polymer and 23 karat gold on canvas. Presley, who was born in Alice Springs and now lives in Brisbane, is known for creating works that reference the impacts of colonisation on First Nations people, and the devastation of country and wellbeing from industries such as mining. CANBERRA-BASED SHELL ARTIST KRYSTAL HURST Proud Worimi woman Krystal Hurst brings the strength of the women in her family, and her ancestors before her, to her art. Working with banded kelp shells, bitjagang (pipis), fishing line and seaweed, Hurst has created a layered necklace for this year's Telstra NATSIAA. This is her second time entering the Awards, and the jewellery maker's artwork references an enduring connection to the sea and the continuation of knowledge passed on through generations. Hurst grew up on the Mid-North Coast and she continues to tell the stories of her people through her jewellery, and via weaving workshops that she runs at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. SOUTH AUSTRALIA MOTHER-DAUGHTER PAINTERS BETTY AND MARINA PUMANI Winner of the Telstra NATSIAA 2016 Telstra General Painting of the Year, Betty Kuntiwa Pumani enters the awards again this year — but this time in collaboration with her daughter Marina Pumani. Based in Mimili, a remote community in the APY Lands of South Australia, the mother-daughter duo has made two paintings that celebrate matriarchal knowledge. Painting Antara, a special site for the women in their community, Marina adds her knowledge to this particular diptych, referencing Maku Tjukurpa (the witchetty grub songline), which is central to all of Betty's paintings, marked by her signature use of vibrant reds. NEW SOUTH WALES DISRUPTOR AMALA GROOM Mixed media artist Amala Groom is the only New South Wales-based artist to make the finalist list of this year's Awards. Based out of Bathurst, the Wiradjuri artist has re-appropriated a beaten up print of a famed painting by Frederick McCubbin — a prominent member of the Heidelberg School movement — found discarded in a parking lot during the bushfire crisis, earlier this year. Groom's piece 'The Fifth Element' is a "conceptual intervention into the Australian canon of art history", she says. It comments on the uncertainty of our current times and remind us of ngumbaay-dyil — that 'all are one'. ARNHEM LAND TEXTILE ARTIST DEBORAH WURRKIDJ A previous Telstra NATSIAA finalist, Maningrida-based artist Deborah Wurrkidj has this year created a woven sculpture that reflects a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris taken in 2019. Alongside four other artists from the Bábbarra Women's Centre, Wurrkidj was asked to exhibit her artwork at the Australian Embassy in Paris, which was then profiled in Vogue. This new work, woven from memory, is inspired by the Eiffel Tower. Wurrkidj says, "I saw that tower and I thought I'll go back to Maningrida and I'll make her. Yes, I can weave that tower in our way, our Aboriginal way, not balanda [a white/European] way. And I did it." Find out more about the upcoming Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. Top image: Krystal Hurst
Some events feel like they've always been part of Brisbane's cultural scene, and Stones Corner Festival is one of them — even though it'll only host its eighth fest when it returns in 2023. That's the sign of something special, with this street party swiftly becoming one of the city's must-attend festivals. Come Sunday, April 30, Stones Corner Festival will once again unleash a day of food and music on the inner east. And when that happens, the event is going big. On the lineup: Art vs Science, local legends Resin Dogs and the retro stylings of Yacht Rock Revival. They'll be joined by Good Will Remedy, Jem Cassar-Daley, John Hanley & The Hurricanes, Dusty and Andy Martin. As well as dancing in the street, you can also expect more than 20 craft breweries pouring beers. Your Mates Brewing Co, 4 Pines, Slipstream, Balter, Eumundi, Brookvale Union, Stone & Wood and Green Beacon will be doing the honours, and Burleigh Brewing, Newstead Brewing, Young Henrys, Heads of Noosa and Better Beer will be on hand as well. Eating-wise, a heap of food trucks will pop up to keep your stomach lined — including with burgers, paella, tacos and pizza. And as for what else awaits on the corner of Logan and Old Cleveland roads — and during the Labour Day long weekend, handily — there'll also be market stalls via The Market Folks. If you're planning a big one, that public holiday the next day is oh so convenient. Also, this is a great day out for your pooch, too, because dogs on leashes are welcome. And, entry remains free, but giving a gold coin donation to the MND and Me Foundation is recommended.
Spring is only one month in, but we already know where and when St Jerome's Laneway Festival will help wrap up summer come February 2025. If you like ending the warmest part of the year with a day of tunes at one of the most-beloved music fests in Australia and New Zealand, grab your diary now: the event started by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio in the mid-00s has announced its dates and venues. Laneway has also revealed another pivotal detail — no, not the lineup yet, but when its roster of talent will drop. If you're all about who'll be playing, you'll find out on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. For now, just know that Laneway has locked in returns in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland, all at familiar venues. Western Springs in Auckland is the first stop on Thursday, February 6, before the Australian dates kick off on Saturday, February 8 at Brisbane Showgrounds. Next comes stints at Sydney Showground on Sunday, February 9, then Melbourne's Flemington Park on Friday, February 14 — which is one way to spend Valentine's Day. After that, the festival hits up Bonython Park in Adelaide on Saturday, February 15, before finishing its 2025 leg on Sunday, February 16 at Wellington Square in Perth. Stormzy, Steve Lacy, Dominic Fike and Raye were among this year's Laneway headliners, while HAIM, Joji and Phoebe Bridgers did the honours in 2023 — if that helps you start speculating who might follow in their footsteps in 2025. Laneway joins the list of events locking in their comebacks after a tough year of cancellations across the music festival scene. Also returning: Golden Plains, Bluesfest (for the last time), Wildlands, Good Things, Lost Paradise, Beyond The Valley and Meredith. Laneway Festival 2025 Dates and Venues Thursday, February 6 – Western Springs, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau Saturday, February 8 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane / Turrbal Targun Sunday, February 9 — Sydney Showground, Sydney / Burramattagal Land & Wangal Land Friday, February 14 — Flemington Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri Biik Saturday, February 15 — Bonython Park, Adelaide / Kaurna Yerta Sunday, February 16 — Wellington Square, Perth / Whadjuk Boodjar St Jerome's Laneway Festival is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2025. Head to the festival's website for further details, and to register for ticket pre sales (which kick off at 10am local time on Tuesday, October 15, 2024) — and check back here for next year's lineup when it drops on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 Images: Charlie Hardy / Daniel Boud / Maclay Heriot / Cedric Tang.
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. BODIES BODIES BODIES The internet couldn't have stacked Bodies Bodies Bodies better if it tried, not that that's how the slasher-whodunnit-comedy came about. Pete Davidson (The Suicide Squad) waves a machete around, and his big dick energy, while literally boasting about how he looks like he fucks. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Oscar-nominee Maria Bakalova plays the cautious outsider among rich-kid college grads, who plan to ride out a big storm with drinks and drugs (and drama) in one of their parents' mansions. The Hunger Games and The Hate U Give alum Amandla Stenberg leads the show as the gang's black sheep, turning up unannounced to zero fanfare from her supposed besties, while the rest of the cast spans Shiva Baby's Rachel Sennott, Generation's Chase Sui Wonders and Industry's Myha'la Herrold, plus Pushing Daisies and The Hobbit favourite Lee Pace as a two-decades-older interloper. And the Agatha Christie-but-Gen Z screenplay? It's drawn from a spec script by Kristen Roupenian, the writer of 2017 viral New Yorker short story Cat Person. All of the above is a lot. Bodies Bodies Bodies is a lot — 100-percent on purpose. It's a puzzle about a party game, as savage a hangout film as they come, and a satire about Gen Z, for starters. It carves into toxic friendships, ignored class clashes, self-obsessed obliviousness, passive aggression and playing the victim. It skewers today's always-online world and the fact that everyone has a podcast — and lets psychological warfare and paranoia simmer, fester and explode. Want more? It serves up another reminder after The Resort, Palm Springs and co that kicking back isn't always cocktails and carefree days. It's an eat-the-rich affair alongside Squid Game and The White Lotus. Swirling that all together like its characters' self-medicating diets, this wildly entertaining horror flick is a phenomenal calling card for debut screenwriter Sarah DeLappe and Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn (Instinct), too — and it's hilarious, ridiculous, brutal and satisfying. Forgetting how it ends is also utterly impossible. The palatial compound where Bodies Bodies Bodies unfurls belongs to David's (Davidson) family, but it's hurricane-party central when the film begins. That said, no one — not David, his actor girlfriend Emma (Wonders), the no-nonsense Jordan (Herrold) or needy podcaster Alice (Sennott), and definitely not Greg (Pace), the latter's swipe-right older boyfriend of barely weeks — expects Sophie (Stenberg) to show as they're swigging tequila poolside. She hasn't responded to the group chat, despite claiming otherwise when she arrives. She certainly hasn't told them, not even her childhood ride-or-die David, that she's bringing her new girlfriend Bee (Bakalova) along. And Sophie hasn't prepared Bee for their attitudes, all entitlement, years of taken-for-granted comfort and just as much mouldering baggage, as conveyed in bickering that's barely disguised as banter. When the weather turns bad as forecast, a game is soon afoot inside the sprawling abode. Sharing the movie's title, the fake murder-mystery lark is this crew's go-to — but, even with a hefty supply of glow sticks (handy in the inevitable power outage), it doesn't mix too well with booze, coke and Xanax. The essentials: pieces of paper, one crossed with a X; everyone picking a scrap, with whoever gets the marked sliver deemed the perpetrator; and switching off the lights while said killer offs their victim, which happens just by touching them. Then, it's time to guess who the culprit is. That's when the mood plummets quickly, because accusing your friends of being faux murderers by publicly checking off all their shady traits will do that. It gets worse, of course, when those bodies bodies bodies soon become literal and everyone's a suspect. Read our full review. MOONAGE DAYDREAM Ground control to major masterpiece: Moonage Daydream, Brett Morgen's kaleidoscopic collage-style documentary about the one and only David Bowie, really makes the grade. Its protein pills? A dazzling dream of archival materials, each piece as essential and energising as the next, woven into an electrifying experience that eclipses the standard music doco format. Its helmet? The soothing-yet-mischievous tones of Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane/The Thin White Duke/Jareth the Goblin King himself, the only protective presence a film about Bowie could and should ever need and want. The songs that bop through viewers heads? An immense playlist covering the obvious — early hit 'Space Oddity', the hooky glam-rock titular track, Berlin-penned anthem 'Heroes', the seductive 80s sounds of 'Let's Dance' and the Pet Shop Boys-remixed 90s industrial gem 'Hallo Spaceboy', to name a few — as well as deeper cuts. The end result? Floating through a cinematic reverie in a most spectacular way. When Bowie came to fame in the 60s, then kept reinventing himself from the 70s until his gone-too-soon death in 2016, the stars did look very different — he did, constantly. How do you capture that persistent shapeshifting, gender-bending, personal and creative experimentation, and all-round boundary-pushing in a single feature? How do you distill a chameleonic icon and musical pioneer into any one piece of art, even a movie that cherishes each of its 135 minutes? In the first film officially sanctioned by Bowie's family and estate, Morgen knows what everyone that's fallen under the legend's spell knows: that the man born David Jones, who'd be 75 as this doco hits screens if he was still alive, can, must and always has spoken for himself. The task, then, is the same as the director had with the also-excellent Cobain: Montage of Heck and Jane Goodall-focused Jane: getting to the essence of his subject and conveying what made him such a wonder by using the figure himself as a template. Nothing about Bowie earns an easy description. Nothing about Bowie, other than his stardom, brilliance and impact, sat or even stood still for too long. Driven by themes and moods rather than a linear birth-to-death chronology, Moonage Daydream leaps forward with that same drive to ch-ch-change, the same yearning to keep playing and unpacking, and the same quest for artistry as well. Taking its aesthetic approach from its centre of attention means peppering in psychedelic pops, bursts of colour, neon hues, and mirrored and tiled images — because it really means making a movie that washes over all who behold its dance, magic, dance. That's the reaction that Bowie always sparked, enchanting and entrancing for more than half a century. In successfully aping that feat, Morgen's film is as immersive as an art installation. Exhibition David Bowie Is has already toured the world, including a 2015 stint Down Under in Melbourne; Moonage Daydream sits partway between that and a Bowie concert. This gift of sound and vision is as glorious as that gig-meets-art concept sounds — and yes, live footage beams and gleams throughout the documentary. Among the snippets of interviews, smattering of music videos, melange of clips from cinema touchstones that reverberate on Bowie's wavelength in one way or another, and scenes from his own acting career on-screen and onstage, how could it not? During his five years, fittingly, spent making Moonage Daydream, Morgen had access to the original concert masters, from which he spliced together his own mixes using alternative angles. Zooming back to the androgynous space-alien Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars tour is exhilarating, including when the feature's eponymous song explodes. Jumps to the 90s, to the Outside and Earthling tours, resonate with awe of a more grounded but no less vibrant kind. The Serious Moonlight segments, hailing from the 80s and all about pale suits and glistening blonde hair, see Bowie relaxing into entertainer mode — and, amid discussions about his wariness about making upbeat tunes, mastering that like everything else. Read our full review. TICKET TO PARADISE Here we go again indeed: with the George Clooney- and Julia Roberts-starring Ticket to Paradise, a heavy been-there-done-that air sweeps through, thick with the Queensland-standing-in-for-Bali breeze. The film's big-name stars have bounced off each other in Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Money Monster before now. Director Ol Parker has already sent multiple groups of famous faces to far-flung places — far-flung from the UK or the US, that is — as the writer of the Best Exotic Marigold flicks and helmer of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Enough destination wedding rom-coms exist that one of the undersung better ones, with Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder, is even called Destination Wedding. And, there's plenty of romantic comedies about trying to foil nuptials, too, with My Best Friend's Wedding and Runaway Bride on Roberts' resume since the 90s. Hurriedly throw all of the above into a suitcase — because your twentysomething daughter has suddenly announced she's marrying a seaweed farmer she just met in Indonesia, if you're Clooney and Roberts' long-divorced couple here — and that's firmly Ticket to Paradise. As The Lost City already was earlier in 2022, it too is a star-driven throwback, endeavouring to make the kind of easy, glossy, screwball banter-filled popcorn fare that doesn't reach screens with frequency lately. It isn't as entertaining as that flick, and it certainly isn't winking, nodding and having fun with its formula; sticking dispiritingly to the basics is all that's on Parker's itinerary with his first-timer co-scribe Daniel Pipski. But alongside picturesque vistas, Ticket to Paradise shares something crucial with The Lost City: it gets a whole lot of mileage out of its stars' charisma. A quarter-century back, David (Clooney, The Midnight Sky) and Georgia (Roberts, Gaslit) were the instantly besotted couple impulsively tying the knot (if Ticket to Paradise is successful enough to spawn more movies, a prequel about the pair's younger years will likely be on the list). Alas, when this film begins, they can't stand to be anywhere near each other — room, city or state — after splitting two decades back. With their only child Lily (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick) graduating from college, they're forced to play faux nice for a few hours, but squabble over the armrest, then get publicly competitive about who loves their daughter more. This wouldn't be a rom-com led by Clooney and Roberts if schoolyard teasing logic didn't apply, though: they fight because sparks still fly deep down. And they keep verbally sparring when Lily announces a month later that she's met Bali local Gede (Maxime Bouttier, Unknown) on a getaway before she's supposed to put her law degree to its intended use, and that she'll be hitched within days. If another template that Ticket to Paradise happily follows is to be believed, parents don't respond well to their kids plunging into matrimony, especially without notice. David and Georgia are no different, desperately wanting to stop Lily from repeating their own mistakes and willing to zip halfway around the world to do so — hence the feature's airfare moniker. They attempt to unite over sabotaging the wedding, but old habits die hard amid tussling with biting dolphins, stealing rings and putting up with Paul (Lucas Bravo, Emily in Paris), Georgia's younger, deeply infatuated boyfriend. Amid drunken beer pong matches and daggy dances to 90s tracks, plus getting stuck in the Balinese jungle overnight as well, older feelings die harder still, of course — and a ticket to surprises or fresh material, this clearly isn't. Read our full review. CLEAN "It's a shock to the system. It's a change to the everyday, regular routine. It's where the unhappy gene comes out — and it's a sign of the times today." That's the gloriously candid and empathetic Sandra Pankhurst on trauma, a topic she has literally made her business. Later in Clean, the documentary that tells her tale, she describes herself as a "busy nose and a voyeur"; however, that's not what saw her set up Melbourne's Specialised Trauma Cleaning. For three decades now, her company has assisted with "all the shitty jobs that no one really wants to do," as she characterises it: crime-scene cleanups, including after homicides, suicides and overdoses; deceased estates, such as bodies found some time after their passing; and homes in squalor, to name a few examples. As she explains in the film, Pankhurst is eager to provide such cleaning services because everyone deserves that help — and because we're all just a couple of unfortunate turns away from needing it. The 2008 movie Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) and Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise) fictionalised the trauma-cleaning realm; if that's your touchstone at the outset of Clean, prepare for far less gloss, for starters. Prepare for much more than a look at a fascinating but largely ignored industry, too, because filmmaker Lachlan Mcleod (Big in Japan) is as rightly interested in Pankhurst as he is in her line of work. Everything she says hangs in the air with meaning, even as it all bounces lightly from her lips ("life can be very fragile", "every dog has its day, and a mongrel has two" and "life dishes you out a good story and then life dishes you out a shit one" are some such utterances). Everything feels matter of fact and yet also immensely caring through her eyes, regardless of the situation that her Frankston-headquartered employees are attending to. Sometimes, STC does confront harrowing and grimy messes that could be ripped straight out of a crime drama, but ensuring that the families don't have to swab up themselves after a gory incident is a point of pride. Sometimes, it aids people with disability or illness by playing housekeeper when they can't, or sorts through a lifetime of possessions when someone has turned to hoarding. There's no judgement directed anyone's way, not by Pankhurst or the crew of committed cleaners who've formed a family-like bond under her watch. It takes a particular sort of person to do this gig, everyone notes, and the group is as sensitive and considerate as their boss because most have experienced their own hardships. They can also see what she sees: "everyone's got trauma; it's not the demographic, it's the circumstance". Pankhurst's company and tale isn't new to the public eye, thanks to Sarah Krasnostein's award-winning 2018 book The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay and Disaster — and both there and here, the role she has played and the fortitude she has displayed while sifting through her own personal traumas earns merited attention. Mcleod keeps his focus on STC for the film's first third, aided by Pankhurst's frank insights, but the many layers to the business, its workers and its clients are paralleled in her own multifaceted story. Clean takes her lead, though; never within its frames does Pankhurst offer up a simple assessment of herself, other than saying she'd liked to be remembered "as a kind human being — nothing more, nothing less". As a transgender woman who was adopted at birth, grew up in an abusive household, married and had a family, performed as a drag queen, undertook sex work, survived rape and drugs, transitioned, and became one of Australia's first female funeral directors, nothing about her can be deduced to a few mere words. 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 June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30; and July 7, July 14, July 21 and July 28; August 4, August 11, August 18 and August 25; and September 1 and September 8. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday, Ali & Ava, Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6, Sundown, The Gray Man, The Phantom of the Open, The Black Phone, Where the Crawdads Sing, Official Competition, The Forgiven, Full Time, Murder Party, Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future, Bosch & Rockit, Fire of Love, Beast, Blaze, Hit the Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Orphan: First Kill, The Quiet Girl and Flux Gourmet.
If you're spending a night in a hotel for a romantic evening away from your own sheets, W Brisbane wants to give your next visit to the riverside spot a buzz. Because it's that time of year where everyone's thinking about love and lust (like that's not happening everyday anyway), the inner-city hotel is transforming its suites into sexual wellness havens. And as well as nabbing access to an in-room lingerie selection, you'll also get to play with a mini bar filled with sex toys. Whether you're enjoying a Brissie staycation or you're in town from further afield, you you can book into the hotel chain's new 'love your buzz' package, which is on offer in partnership with Lovehoney Australia. It's available from Monday, February 14 (of course) up until Thursday, March 31 — and while it doesn't come cheap, with prices starting at $1569, hopefully you and your partner will be coming into quite the pleasurable stay. As well as that $800-plus mini bar filled with sex toys and the Lovehoney lingerie — both complimentary — the room includes access to a 'sexologist concierge' service, which lets you book in a free phone consultation through sexologist Chantelle Otten's clinic. You'll also be able to watch a dedicated on-demand streaming service filled with educational sexual wellness videos (so no one will be blushing over in-room movie rental charges), and listen to playlists that've been curated by sexologists and sex coaches to get you in the mood. The package features champagne on arrival as well, plus breakfast for two in your room and a bath soak — because you'll be staying in one of W Brisbane's luxury suites, which has a tub. If you do celebrate Valentine's Day, this is quite the way to do it. And if you're after something slightly less pricey, there's also a 'what the buzz' package from $969 (yes, we meant it when we said slightly cheaper) that comes with a night in a luxury suite, champers upon arrival, a bubble bath, in-room brekkie for two and a Lovehoney couples sex toy kit. For more information about W Brisbane's 'love your buzz' and 'what the buzz' packages, or to book a room before Thursday, March 31, head to the hotel's website.
Miranda July is many things. She is a writer, filmmaker, actor, artist, app maker, and bona fide A-grade nutcase, and now a fashion designer. Teaming up with outlandish leather specialists Welcome Companions, this queen of quirk has created something pretty unique. 'The Miranda' is a specialty item that's been touted as a "millenial survival kit"; an all-purpose bag for the modern manic pixie dream girl. While it appears relatively normal from the exterior, this bag really comes alive on the inside. It boasts somewhat regular compartments for things like emergency cash, bobby pins and medication, but it also asks you to carry a USB drive of "ultra top secret projects", a tiny security blanket and a singular almond "in case of low blood sugar". In place of business cards, the owner of The Miranda carries around offbeat calling cards about theft and personal lubricant. Unsurprisingly, the inspiration for the bag came from July herself. After agreeing to collaborate on the project, July approached designer Laurel Conseulo Broughton with fistfuls of miscellaneous junk. "These are the things I always have with me," she said. The project grew quickly from there. Retailing for $1725, The Miranda is hardly something to be picked up on a whim. Half fashion and half wearable art, the bag is a bit of a collector's item; a definite budgetary stretch for July's usual rung of doe-eyed twentysomething admirers. Regardless, a girl can dream. This thing strikes the perfect balance between functional and neurotic. We can't help but want one. Via PSFK and New York Times.
Now that you're firmly back at the desk, you're probably spending half the day wistfully dreaming up travel plans for 2026 and beyond. But perhaps it's time to transform these fantasies into reality, with IHG Hotels & Resorts offering a host of new stays ready to anchor your journey. With the global hotelier launching five properties in Victoria and New South Wales over the past 12 months, at least five more are set to be revealed throughout the rest of 2026. Adorning the Coastal Walkway, InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach was unveiled in December 2025, inviting guests to experience its oceanfront rooms and suites alongside the signature Shutters Restaurant & Bar, guided by renowned chef Rick Stein. This March, the second phase of the hotel will open, adding an infinity pool with a poolside bar, a breezy day spa and the members-only Club InterContinental lounge. Also opening in March is Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton. Situated on the fringe of Melbourne CBD overlooking Lincoln Square, guests will have easy access to Carlton's much-loved dining and cafe scene, with spots like The Lincoln and Assembly a short stroll away. Of course, the tram is also on your doorstep, so making plans for a night at the theatre or game day at the 'G is equally straightforward. Yet these openings aren't just limited to Melbourne and Sydney. With tourism to the NT skyrocketing in recent times — overnight trips were up 19 percent last year, the most growth of any state — IHG is gearing up to open voco Darwin Suites in April 2026. From this comfortable base in the city centre, you can conveniently hit up the Mindil Beach markets during a long weekend vacation or get to and from the Darwin Convention Centre if you're on the clock. Although not quite in the Top End, Townsville will also welcome a new hotel to Far North Queensland. Arriving in mid-2026, Holiday Inn Townsville will open its doors in the CBD, right amid the Flinders Street nightlife hub. Located near other local hotspots such as Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Queensland Tropics Museum and Townsville Yacht Club, this 93-room hotel will also feature modern all-day dining and flexible event spaces. Rounding out the Australian openings, the South Coast is primed to receive a new stay, with Crowne Plaza Shell Cove Marina also scheduled to open in mid-2026. Making the most of its stunning marina and ocean views, guests can unwind on the pool deck while feasting on fresh, locally sourced cuisine. Then, take in the sunset from the promenade or wander just a few minutes around the cove to the pristine Shellharbour South Beach. Head to the website for more information about opening dates and hotel amenities.
For the last 35 years, the Thomas Dixon Centre in West End has been a leading cultural hub, best known as the home of Queensland Ballet. Now, with the addition of Tom's Kitchen, the precinct's culinary side is on the rise, featuring a produce-driven menu that brings an 'adagio' approach — meaning 'controlled grace' in ballet lingo — to local ingredients and seasonal flavours. This cuisine is balanced against a flexible all-day cafe concept, where guests are welcome to swing through for a quick coffee, an easygoing breakfast or a nourishing lunch that leaves them feeling whole again. Designed around a bright, inviting space and a leafy garden courtyard, this heritage-listed spot will become an obvious choice for West End locals, ballerinas and far-flung visitors alike. Launched in partnership with VenuesLive, a leading hospitality and venue management service, Tom's Kitchen has a diverse menu primed for crowd-pleasing meals and bites. For instance, The Forager features market mushrooms, nduja, salted ricotta and a poached egg on sourdough, while The TK Smash is a stacked cheeseburger with smashed beef patties, provolone, pickles and house fries. To elevate the experience, Tom's Kitchen has carefully selected its suppliers. Coffee drinkers will be happy to know ST. ALi beans are tamped and brewed fresh, adding even more quality to your meal or takeaway. Meanwhile, Sprout Artisan Bakery's slow sourdough is the cafe's go-to bread for its brekkie and beyond dishes, with a selection of classic pastries in the cabinet. "Tom's Kitchen is more than just a cafe; it's a place that ignites creativity and encourages conversation. Whether you're stopping in for your morning coffee, grabbing a quick bite or indulging in a leisurely brunch, there's something for everyone to enjoy," says VenuesLive CEO Daryl Kerry. There's also the chance to stock up on items used in the back of house, as Tom's Kitchen rounds out its offering with a thoughtfully stocked pantry filled with superior staples. From top-notch craft wine and beer to tasty sauces, preserves and freshly roasted coffee beans, transporting a little culinary creativity from the cafe to your home is made simple. In fact, the flavours might be so good, you can't resist a pirouette.
Buying gifts for the men in your life can feel hard at the best of times. Whether you're buying for your brother, partner or dad, we've rounded up some of the top gifts for men with a little bit of help from Amazon to help you out. We've sought out goodies for tech lovers, outdoorsmen, and gamers, as well as the men who like a bit of luxury. Plus, if you've left gifts to the last minute, Amazon has some of the latest delivery days out there, which is good news for those of us who tend to resort to last-minute Christmas shopping. 1. Pocket Knife The ROXON M2 Mini Storm 14-in-1 Multitool is a man's dream come true. Made from premium stainless steel, with a smooth, lightweight design and ceramic glass breaker, this is the ultimate handyman's accessory. While small, it has 14 functions, including a knife, a nail file, pliers and wire cutters, just to name a few. 2. BOSCK Watch A casual watch that also looks the part, this classic business watch from BOSCK is a simple gift for those who love their accessories. The watch features a striking black strap made of stainless steel, is designed with five layers of hinges and a folding buckle and features a 40mm watch diameter, high-accuracy quartz movement and a classic three-eye dial design. Oh, and it's waterproof. Comfortable, convenient and durable. What more could you want? 3. Retro Game Console The ultimate blast from the past, this retro console from CZT takes us right back to endless days spent gaming days as a kid. Take it anywhere and play until your heart's content. The Tetris-esque game may be simple, but it's a formula that's survived for a reason. All you have to do is move and flip the blocks left and right to create a complete line. Choose from four colours including green, purple, pink and blue. 4. Gamepad 3D Illusion Lamp This one's for the more hard-core gamers out there. The Gamepad Illusion Lamp from the Attivolife Store is a lamp or night light in the shape of a game controller, made with laser engraving on an optical acrylic plate to create an epic 3D illusion. With 16 colours, four kinds of flashing and adjustable brightness, this little thing is the ultimate way to elevate a dark corner of a room or add some extra decoration. 5. Electronic Accessories Carry Case For the men in your life who need help when it comes to organisation, we got you. Enter the electronic travel organizer. It comes with three dividers, so you can organise all those chargers, batteries and hard drives in a way that works for you, with no more tangles. Made from Oxford Fabric and with a soft, spongey inside, the case will also protect all your prized gadgets. A perfect gift for men who travel a lot or are just a little OCD. 6. Camping Hammock A gift for the camping aficionados out there, this portable camping hammock from Lineno is the ultimate way to combine outdoor fun with a bit of relaxation. Simply find some trees to hook it onto and use it as a bed or perch in it for a momentary swing. And when you're not hiking or camping, the hammock also makes a nice addition to the backyard or balcony. 7. Beer Mug Does Dad already have more stubby coolers than he can keep track of? Why not mix it up with a beer mug? The Stanley Adventure Big Grip Beer Stein keeps beer cold for two hours and keeps iced beer cold for an impressive 20 hours. Made from stainless steel with a heavy-duty handle, this mug can hold up to two cans of beer, which is more efficient, really. It can also keep hot drinks warm for up to one hour, perfect for mulled cider or even a cup of coffee in the morning. 8. Nespresso Essenza Mini The De'Longhi Nespresso Essenza Mini single-serve capsule coffee machine is a generous gift for the men in your life who may be known fondly as coffee snobs. The compact, sleek design of the machine is simple and easy to use, with a 19-bar high-pressure pump and fast heat-up system, so coffee is ready in under 30 seconds. Because Nespresso offers a wider variety of coffees, this machine is the way to go if you're not 100 per cent sure how your dad, uncle or father-in-law likes their coffee. And this is not something you want to just assume and, god forbid, get wrong. 9. Smart Ball A gift for all the football-lovers, soccer-lovers, or whatever you want to call it. This Smart Ball Bot is the next generation of the game – relying on state-of-the-art sensors to track and tackle the ball to test your football skills. There are three-speed modes to accommodate all skill levels, and it features an in-built LCD score tracker which keeps track of your current score and records your highest achievements. We can't think of any sports fanatic who wouldn't be happy seeing this under the Christmas tree this year. 10. Asēdos Perfume Often, the last thing he has on his list to buy, you can never go wrong with gifting a man a new perfume or cologne. This Spicy Pepper EDP Spray from Asēdos is our pick. Known for their inclusive, gender-neutral vegan fragrances, this scent features Calabrian bergamot and pepper, with middle notes of Sichuan pepper, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, geranium and base notes of ambroxan and cedar. It lasts between four to six hours and is small enough to keep in your pocket or bag. Images: Supplied. This article contains affiliate links, Concrete Playground may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on our site.
Good news hasn't been easy to find among Australia's music festival scene in 2024, but Strawberry Fields is bucking the trend. The annual fest on the banks of the Murray River is only just dropping its lineup now, on Monday, July 8, but it's already almost at ticketing capacity. Some events are all about who's taking to the stage. Some boast a setup and setting worth spending a weekend in no matter which acts are on the bill. Strawberry Fields doesn't skimp on talent, of course, but its location is a hefty drawcard all by itself. That spot: Tocumwal in New South Wales, where the regional weekend-long party sports not just multiple stages pumping out tunes in leafy surroundings, but also a bush spa. Having a soak between sets is worth entry alone. So far, 95 percent of Strawberry Fields' tickets have been snapped up — a huge feat that was achieved in a mere three hours — but more are going on sale from 9am on Tuesday, July 9. If you're lucky enough to secure your attendance from now, you won't be locking in a music-fuelled getaway across Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17 sans lineup. The just-unveiled roster of acts is massive, including DJ EZ, KiNK, Daddy G from Massive Attack and Seun Keuti & Egypt 80 just for starters. Some will make the Wildlands stage their temporary home, such as Sam Alfred, SWIM, DJ Theo Parrish and DJ TSHA among the other names. Others, like Jaubi, KOKOKO! and Soichi Terada, will hit up The Grove stage. The Deep Jungle stage will welcome Circle of Live's Australian debut, plus DJ Paula Tape, Sébastien Léger and Township Rebellion. And over at expanded The Beach stage for 2024, which will indeed get you making shapes while in the river, Physical Therapy leads the charge. Also, a showcase from Japan's underground scene is sure to be a highlight. Beyond the tunes, a new amphitheatre is part of this year's fest, focusing on performance art, lifestyle and chilling out; the bush spa now boasts a sauna; and a special projection art installation will pay tribute to Nick Azidis. Also, the Moroccan Bedouin lounges and tea ceremonies will be running in the festival's Mirage Motel space again, plus the glamping options are back to make your weekend as lavish and as low-maintenance as possible. For another year, if you happen to be born on this year's festival dates, you can register to score a free ticket. Happy birthday to you indeed. Tickets for locals come at a discount, too, costing half the regular price if your postcode is in the Berrigan Shire. In addition to all of the above, Strawberry Fields lays claim to being one of the country's most-sustainable festivals, doing the environment a solid while unfurling its fun. It is powered by biodiesel fuel as well as solar power, its rewash revolution system has diverted over 200,000 single-use plastics from landfill, composting toilets are provided and all transport is carbon offset via Treecreds. Strawberry Fields 2024 Lineup: DJ Afrodisiac Aldonna Babycino Bertie Byron Yeates College of Knowledge DJs Daddy G (Massive Attack) x Don Letts Dameeeela DJ EZ DJ Pgz featuring Ecstatic Mob Dr Banana Ed Kent Emmyk & Tilly Hiroko Yamamura Jordan Brando B2B Luke Alessi Kia Kim Ann Foxmann Laura King Livwutang Lovefoxy Marie Montexier Mikalah Watego Minyerra Mothafunk Naycab Niks Nooriyah Paula Tape Physical Therapy Pnny Poli Pearl Rainbow Disco Club featuring Kikiorix, Sisi, Kuniyuki (live) Rona. B2B Dima Sam Alfred Sébastien Léger Simona Castricum Sky High Trio Soul Clap Stev Zar Suze Ijó SWIM Theo Parrish Township Rebellion TSHA U.R.Trax Vanna Zjoso Live Alisa Mitchell Cinta Circle of Live featuring Kuniyuki, Sebastian Mullaert and Sleep D Evening News Harvey Sutherland Immy Owusu Jaubi Jupita Kaiit Karo X Kee'ahn KiNK Kobie Dee Kokoko! Mandeng Groove Mildlife Miss Kaninna Pataphysics Sachém Sarita Mcharg Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 Sinj Clarke Soichi Terada Tarabeat x Mz Rizk Versace Boys Viken Armen Wulumbarra Xmunashe Zfex & Ausecuma Beats Zourouna [caption id="attachment_887378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Hamilton-Coates[/caption] [caption id="attachment_887377" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Hamilton-Coates[/caption] Strawberry Fields 2024 will take place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, July 9. Head to the festival website for further details. Strawberry Fields images: Duncographic.
Sometimes in The Whitsundays, sometimes outside the Sydney Opera House, sometimes in the rooftop carpark of a Melbourne Woolworths, thousands of people have disrobed for Spencer Tunick. The New York-based artist stages naked installations in public places that also become nude photography works. He's filled Bondi beach, Federation Square, Munich's Bavarian State Opera, a patch of the Nevada desert and many more places with folks sans clothes, too — and, in both 2023 and 2024, he's turned his attention to Brisbane as well. Tunick first hit the Sunshine State last November for a piece called TIDE by the Brisbane River, which formed part of 2023's queer arts and culture-focused Melt Festival. On a spring Saturday, more than 100 participants shed their attire for the camera by the water. Before that installation even took place, it was revealed that he'd back in 2024 for an installation now called RISING TIDE. It too is part of the same fest, and it also involves another Brisbane landmark: the Story Bridge. [caption id="attachment_973212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] TIDE, Spencer Tunick[/caption] On Sunday, October 27, 2024, the famous river crossing will welcome thousands of naked volunteers. Accordingly, it isn't just traffic that will bring the structure to a standstill this spring. For the shoot, the stretch across the water is closing to cars. If you're keen to get your kit off for the camera — and be part of history — there's no limit to the number of people who can take part. RISING TIDE is just one way to engage with Tunick's art in Brisbane this year, however. The other: the just-announced TIDE Exhibition, featuring images from his debut in the River City. It'll display at Brisbane Powerhouse from Saturday, September 28–Sunday, November 10, also falling into Melt, featuring projected video from the installation. [caption id="attachment_970675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane, Spencer Tunick[/caption] The TIDE Exhibition marks a few firsts for Tunick as he celebrates 30 years of making his style of art, over which period he's staged more than 100 installations. This is his first-ever Australian exhibition, and it's the first time that his work will be on display for the public. The single-channel video at the heart of the TIDE Exhibition not only includes imagery from the shoot by the Brisbane River, but also stories from participants. "Creating TIDE was a very special experience, and I hope the exhibition will speak to diverse groups of people. It is a privilege to be making art that centres around the LGBTQIA+ community with all its beauty and vibrance," advised Tunick. When RISING TIDE was announced, the artist said that "the series will hopefully speak to diverse groups of people, and everyone navigating their way through the difficult challenges of our current world". "This challenging work on the Story Bridge marks the second in my two-part series in Brisbane scheduled one year apart, in 2023 then 2024. It is the first time I have ever worked on installations with the same institution for an extended two-year project. This will allow me to deeply explore the city, its light, environment and its people." [caption id="attachment_973211" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney, Spencer Tunick[/caption] [caption id="attachment_973210" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Barcelona, Spencer Tunick[/caption] [caption id="attachment_926439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gateshead, Newcastle, England by Spencer Tunick.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_874950" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dublin, Spencer Tunick[/caption] [caption id="attachment_926442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jay Cull[/caption] Spencer Tunick's TIDE exhibition displays from Saturday, September 28–Sunday, November 10 at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm. Spencer Tunick's 2024 Story Bridge installation RISING TIDE takes place on Sunday, October 27, 2024 during Melt Festival. Head to the festival website to register to take part. Top image: Spencer Tunick.
For many, pyjamas are defined by what they're not: not quite stylish enough to leave the house in but not quite ratty enough to toss out. After a bout of burnout, Sheet Society founder Hayley Worley took a six-month hiatus — it caused her to reconsider the practice of rest. Then, she started thinking about a wardrobe to match. "Things really fell into place when I started to really understand the power of rest. That whole girl boss culture totally consumed me," Hayley shares. "Rest synthesises everything that is going on in your world. It showed me that pausing is actually where a lot of the magic comes from. I want people to take ownership of this rest time and dress for that occasion." When it comes to sleep, Hayley is something of an expert: Sheet Society has been releasing chic bedding in natural fabrics for nearly a decade. That fabric-forward sensibility — paired with the designer's fashion production know-how from stints at Ted Baker and Tiger Mist — shines at Resting, her loungewear label that debuted last month. Hayley initially imagined a resort-ready take on sleepwear that wouldn't look out of place on The White Lotus. Set in a different ultra-luxury destination every season, the TV show is known for its elegant holiday wardrobe: think floaty designer dresses, printed silk shirts and linen pants. "We were going to lean into [the sort of] resting you do on a holiday," Haley says. "You spend a lot of money on swimwear and beachwear for a holiday, but you spend a lot of time in your pyjamas." Ideas were flying — palm prints and hotel merch were on the vision board — but the first drop was pared back to focus on Resting's three signature fabrics. Years of experimenting and engineering fabrics for a good night's sleep at Sheet Society had laid the groundwork for Resting. "We've got so much rigour around product testing because people wash their sheets so much. The fabrics and function are 100 per cent in our wheelhouse," she says. For example, breathability is a non-negotiable for sleep: it allows the body to regulate temperature overnight, which is why heat-trapping polyesters and other synthetic materials are ruled out. While the material science draws directly from Sheet Society's bestselling sheets, thoughtful adjustments were made for movement and comfort. Eden sheets were reworked with a lighter cotton, and elastane was added to the Miller Jersey to allow for stretch. It took almost three years to refine the bedding fabrics for wear and to "put the icing on the cake" with the design choices, Hayley says. Each of the three signature fabrics serves a different style across the 30-piece collection. A classic blue pinstriped combo is crafted from lightweight woven cotton that lends a tailored look, while the cloudknit jersey tanks, tees, and boxer shorts (watch out for the adorable polka dot print) lean into activewear territory. The most luxe-feeling pieces, like a chocolate-brown slip dress and a smart shirt-and-shorts set, are made of a patented bamboo lyocell. Stunning drape aside, the fabric mimics a soft yet weighty satin, minus the staticky feel. A well-curated outfit can be telling of a person's mood, their personality, and even the company they keep. That's the beauty of personal style — and Hayley sees Resting as a way to bring that same self-expression into the home. Dress up Hayley's favourite Resting piece — a cherry-red jersey mini dress with cosy long sleeves called the Marnie — and it wouldn't look out of place at a wine bar. "I think there's a big trend at the moment, which is pyjama dressing. [You can wear] your pyjamas at night, but then also putting a heel on or building some necklaces and getting out of the home with that intimate dressing," she says. "It's so fun. It just feels like, fuck yeah, I'm doing this for me. You're not making yourself uncomfortable, you're not squeezing yourself into a tight dress." You can shop the Resting collection via Sheet Society now — available online or in-store. Images: Supplied
Remember when hotels were just for vacationing and staycationing in? Of course you do. That's still the standard setup, but Hijinx Hotel isn't really a hotel. Newly opened on the top level of Chermside shopping centre, it's actually an OTT challenge room bar with an accommodation theme. Think: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel mixed with Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, all with puzzles and games to play inside its doors (and drinks to sip while you're doing so). Hailing from Funlab — the company behind Strike, Holey Moley, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons — Hijinx Hotel first launched in Sydney in mid-2022. Then, last December, it opened its doors in Surfers Paradise as well. Now it's Brisbane's turn, and in a space that's been undergoing quite the revamp — with Event Cinemas sporting a hefty makeover (complete with a glam new bar) and boozy mini golf venue Holey Moley another recent addition. If you're new to the concept, it takes all that eye-catching and nostalgia-dripping theming, then uses it to give the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist. Throw in cocktails and it's aiming to be the ultimate in kidulting fun, aka Funlab's adult-focused twist on sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Opening its doors at Chermside on Friday, March 31, Hijinx Hotel forms a mini game-fuelled — and 350-person-capacity — precinct alongside Holey Moley. On the challenge room side of things, patrons can expect ten game rooms filled with entertaining things to do. That includes two brand-new spaces that haven't been seen at other sites: Battleship, based on the submarine-themed game, which involves trying to sink ships for points; and Cute as a Button, a new version of its Who Meme game, where you'll solve cartoon puzzles that feature characters from your childhood. Chermside also boasts the Big-style piano room with a giant keyboard across the floor, ball pits and a giant version of Scrabble. Basically, the whole site is a bar decked out like a hotel, but getting attendees to complete challenges rather than get a-slumbering in its various spaces. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around Brissie permanently. And, it's home to bars for cocktail-drinking opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and just generally overflows with homages to movies and board games from the 80s and 90s. Shaking off your regular routine is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. That all starts when you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar, which is full of colour and surrealist touches. Instead of merely checking in, though, that's where you'll find cocktails. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, you gain access by heading to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. Also a highlight: those creative cocktails, breaking up all that kidulting with drinks like the Bubble and Pop and the Penthouse Party. Some of the venue's tipples are designed to share, most of them look ace on your Instagram feed, and there's also a range of non-alcoholic drinks — and food to line your stomach. Now that Hijinx Hotel is open at Chermside, Funlab sports 14 venues across Queensland, all aiming to make you forget your age. Find Hijinx Hotel at Chermside shopping centre, on the corner Gympie and Hamilton roads, Chermside, from Friday, March 31 — and head to the Hijinx Hotel website for further details.
No one in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales will forget the first week of March 2025, thanks to Tropical Cyclone Alfred wreaking havoc with the region. Sandbags, empty supermarket shelves, warnings to shelter, wild winds, incessant rain, widespread power outages, heartbreaking flooding, events cancelled and venues closed: autumn's initial days have delivered them all. And, if you've been at home just trying to get through it, you might've missed work, affecting your bank balance. For communities impacted by the cyclone, on Monday, March 10 the Australian Government announced financial support via the Disaster Recovery Allowance — with applications open from 2pm local time on Tuesday, March 11. Folks in 14 Local Government Areas in Queensland and 17 Local Government Areas in New South Wales can apply if they're an eligible worker or sole trader and have lost some or all of their income as a direct result of Alfred's presence. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character. That's exactly what we've seen in the past week in Queensland and New South Wales. My message to these communities in this difficult time is we've got your back and will support you through the recovery," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announcing the support. To be eligible, your income must've fallen below the average Australian weekly income due to the floods, which is approximately $1975.80. More details are available from Services Australia. In Queensland, residents and those who work in Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Southern Downs and Sunshine Coast are covered. In NSW, the same applies to Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond, Tenterfield and Tweed, plus the locality of Lord Howe Island, including any islands situated within a three-nautical-mile radius. Hardship grants including $180 per person for immediate essentials such as food, clothing and medicine, and $150 per person for losing essential services at home for more than five days in a row, have also been instituted in the Sunshine State for those in directly impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred in the Redland, Gold Coast and Logan City council areas. More information is available via the Queensland Government. Applications for the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred Disaster Recovery Allowance open at 2pm local time on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. For more information, head to the Services Australia website. For details of Queensland's hardship grants, head to the Queensland Government website.
Australian movie lovers, prepare to be spoiled for choice when it comes to getting your next big-screen fix. With Sydney out of lockdown and Melbourne likely to do the same this month, cinemas across the country are about to be inundated with high-profile features — and, with film festivals showing them. One such event getting the projectors whirring is the annual British Film Festival, which'll tour its 31-movie lineup of Brit flicks around the country between Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1. Gracing the fest's titles is a who's who of UK acting talent, so if you're a fan of The Crown's Olivia Colman, Claire Foy and Josh O'Connor — or of everyone from Jamie Dornan, Colin Firth, Judi Dench and Benedict Cumberbatch to Helen Mirren, Michael Caine, Joanna Lumley and Peter Capaldi — you'll be spying plenty of familiar faces. The festival will open with true tale The Duke, starring Mirren and Jim Broadbent, with the latter playing a 60-year-old taxi driver who stole a portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. From there, highlights include the Kenneth Branagh-directed Belfast, about growing up in 1960s Northern Ireland; Last Night in Soho, Edgar Wright's new thriller featuring Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie; romantic period drama Mothering Sunday, with Colman, Firth and O'Connor; and Best Sellers, a literary comedy with Michael Caine and Aubrey Plaza. Or, there's also Stardust, a biopic about the one and only David Bowie — and The Electrical Life of Louis Wan, about the eponymous artist, with Cumberbatch and Foy leading the cast. Opera singing in the Scottish highlands drives the Lumley-starring Falling for Figaro, which also features Australian Patti Cake$ actor Danielle Macdonald; Benediction marks the return of filmmaker Terence Davies (Sunset Song), this time focusing on English poet and soldier Siegfried Sassoon; and Firth pops up again in World War II-set drama Operation Mincemeat with Succession's Matthew Macfadyen. Plus, To Olivia dramatises Roald Dahl's marriage to Oscar-winning actress Patricia Neal, Stephen Fry explores bubbly booze in documentary Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, and novelist Jackie Collins also gets the doco treatment. And, as part of the British Film Festival's retrospective lineup, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon will grace the big screen — the former in a 4K restoration to celebrate its 50th anniversary. BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL 2021 DATES: Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Norton, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Electric, Canberra Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace James Street and Palace Centro, Brisbane Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1— Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1— Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth Wednesday, November 3–Sunday, November 21 — Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay Friday, November 5–Wednesday, December 1 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema and The Astor, Melbourne The 2021 British Film Festival tours Australia between Wednesday, November 3–Wednesday, December 1. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from November's haul. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH FROM START TO FINISH NOW SCOTT PILGRIM TAKES OFF When word arrived that a new version of Scott Pilgrim was on its way, it felt as inevitable as the person of your dreams having a complicated romantic past. That said, making a Scott Pilgrim anime series also felt more fitting than most similar movie-to-TV jumps. Thanks to the manga-style aesthetic that filled Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels, the video game-esque plot about battling seven evil exes and the cartoon vibe that Edgar Wright brought so engagingly to his 2010 big-screen live-action adaptation, imagining how O'Malley and co-writer/co-producer BenDavid Grabinski (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) — plus Wright (Last Night in Soho) again as an executive producer — could bring that to an eight-part animation was instantly easy. And so, called Scott Pilgrim Takes Off rather than Scott Pilgrim vs the World, this series begins as a straightforward Scott Pilgrim anime, introducing the same tale that's been spread across pages and cinemas (and played through via a video game, too) right down to repeated shots and dialogue. Meet Scott Pilgrim again, then. The Michael Cera (Barbie)-voiced twentysomething bassist is once more fated to fall in love with literal dream girl Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ahsoka), who first appears to him as he slumbers, then fight the seven folks who dated her before him. When sparks fly, he also has his own amorous mess to deal with, including that he's dating high-schooler Knives Chau (Ellen Wong, Best Sellers) and remains heartbroken over being dumped by now-superstar singer Envy Adams (Brie Larson, The Marvels). He's still in Sex Bob-Omb! alongside his friend Stephen Stills (Mark Webber, SMILF) and ex Kim Pine (Alison Pill, Hello Tomorrow!). He still gets Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha, Sense8) introducing him to his battles to be with Ramona. Accordingly, just like Kim shouting "we are Sex Bob-Omb!" at the beginning of a set, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off starts with comfortable familiarity. But at the end of its initial instalment, after every detail looks like the graphic novels and film given the anime treatment to the point of feeling uncanny, in drops the first twist. There's reimaginings, and then there's this playful take that adores the comics and movie, pays homage to them, riffs on and even openly references them, but charmingly shirks the idea of being a remake. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off streams via Netflix. Read our full review. LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY Brie Larson makes a great Captain Marvel. She's even better as Elizabeth Zott. In the 2015 Room Best Actress Oscar-winner's first non-franchise on-screen role since 2019's Just Mercy, she turns executive producer, too, guiding a page-to-screen adaptation of Bonnie Garmus' bestseller that needs her performance as its star ingredient. A chemistry genius and then a TV cooking show host who is forced to battle sexism as both, Elizabeth is as complicated as the holy-grail project that she works in secret as a lab technician, and as the recipes that she later perfects for television audiences. Regardless of whether you've read Lessons in Chemistry's 2022 source material or are coming anew to the small-screen version, the character is magnificent to watch because Larson steps into her shoes so completely. Elizabeth is direct, determined and conscientious. She's not just nonplussed about being likeable, but near-allergically averse to that being her primary goal. She's curious and dryly funny, too, albeit careful about who she's open with. But being serious and rightly cautious about how 50s and 60s America routinely disregards women doesn't mean that she's anything but authentic, whether she's asserting what she's always held dear, navigating life's traumas or finding space for others in her life. Lessons in Chemistry starts with a brief jump forward to cameras and adoring viewers, and with Elizabeth's Supper at Six series an established hit. It'll take half of the broader show to get back to TV cooking with no-nonsense science explanations, an appreciation for domestic duties and an uplifted fanbase, but the opening burns an imprint, signalling that its lead character's days of being expected to make coffee for male-only Hastings Research Institute scientists are numbered. Although Elizabeth has a master's degree in chemistry, her Southern Californian employer cares little about that, or that she's the smartest person on their books, because she lacks a Y chromosome. Instead, they scold her for after-hours experiments — the only time that she can delve into her own work — and lack of interest in the company beauty pageant. It's at Hastings that Elizabeth meets Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range), however, who inhabits another world when it comes to respect, yet resides on the exact same non-conformist turf. And it's through him and their romance that she'll meet his neighbour Harriet Sloane (Aja Naomi King, How to Get Away with Murder) in Los Angeles' Sugar Hill, in a series that expands upon the novel as it richly explores trauma and oppression. Lessons in Chemistry streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. RUSTIN After Selma, One Night in Miami and Judas and the Black Messiah arrives Rustin, the latest must-see movie about the minutiae of America's 60s-era civil rights movement. All four hail from Black filmmakers. All four tell vital stories. The entire quartet boasts phenomenal performances, too — complete with a Best Supporting Actor statuette for Judas and the Black Messiah's Daniel Kaluuya, plus nominations for his co-star Lakeith Stanfield and One Night in Miami's Leslie Odom Jr (Selma's David Oyelowo was robbed). Colman Domingo, an Emmy-winner for Euphoria and Tony-nominee for The Scottsboro Boys, deserves to join that Academy Awards list for his turn as Rustin's eponymous figure. His performance isn't merely powerful; it's a go-for-broke portrayal from a versatile talent at the top of his game while digging into the every inch of his part. Domingo doesn't only turn in a showcase effort in a career that's long been absent on-screen leading role, either; he's everything that Rustin hangs off of, soars around, and lives and breathes with. Focusing on Bayard Rustin, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom director George C Wolfe's latest feature already had a riveting and important tale to tell, but Domingo proves its stunning beating heart. Rustin's namesake holds a place in history for a wealth of reasons, but here's one: it was at the event that he conceived, organised and gave almost everything he had to ensure took place that Martin Luther King Jr have his "I Have a Dream" speech. That moment at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 1963 will never be forgotten. Nor should Rustin's efforts in ensuring there was a protest — a historic demonstration with more than 200,000 attendees, in fact— to begin with against overwhelming pushback. Dr King (Aml Ameen, I May Destroy You) is a supporting player in this film, which explores the behind-the-scenes hustle and bustle from idea until the day, as well as Rustin's fight not just against racism but also homophobia as an openly gay Black man (including the battles he's forced to wage among his fellow crusaders for civil rights). Even while only covering a sliver of his subject's life, Wolfe largely takes the traditional biopic route, working with a script by Julian Breece (When They See Us) and Dustin Lance Black (an Oscar-winner for Milk); however, the potency of the Rustin's deeds and struggles, the importance of everything that he was rallying for and Domingo's electrifying lead performance all make his movie anything but standard. Rustin streams via Netflix. THE ARTFUL DODGER For nearly two centuries, everyone has known the Artful Dodger's story. Charles Dickens wrote the character, aka Jack Dawkins, to life in 1838's Oliver Twist — and readers have thumbed through the pickpocket's part of the tale ever since. But what happened once the book's narrative ended? What if Fagin's apprentice was on the straight and narrow 15 years later, living in penal colony-era Australia? What if he was a navy-trained surgeon now plying his trade on the other side of the world from London, and great at it? What if Fagin is still alive despite Dickens' words on the page, and he's the latest convict arrival, complete with a plan that cares little about Dodge's new upstanding reputation? If you're wondering how the Aussie-set The Artful Dodger can exist, that's how: by telling the above story. Australian-made as well, with Jeffrey Walker (The Clearing), Corrie Chen (Bad Behaviour) and Gracie Otto (Seriously Red) directing, it's not an origin story — it's an after story. Two decades on from Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen's Gambit) plays the show's namesake, while David Thewlis (Landscapers) is his former mentor. This eight-part series also enlists a hefty lineup of Aussie talent, from Damon Herriman (The Portable Door), Miranda Tapsell (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe), Susie Porter (Mercy Road) and Tim Minchin (Upright) to Damien Garvey (Troppo), Jessica De Gouw (C*A*U*G*H*T) and Kym Gyngell (Black Snow). Chief among the homegrown actors is Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble) as Lady Belle Fox, daughter of the Governor, and an aspiring doctor herself — not that a female surgeon in the 1850s is approved of. That's the groundwork laid, with Dodge endeavouring to keep on the up and up, even with a shady gambling debt to pay on penalty of losing a hand, which he needs to continue his line of work; Fagin up to his usual scheming, plus ample gloating about how his pilfering instructions helped his protege earn his new calling: and Belle deeply uninterested in just finding a husband no matter what's expected of her. Energetically told, and always entertaining, the end result is anything but an old-school period piece. The Artful Dodger streams via Disney+. Read our full review. THE MARSH KING'S DAUGHTER Daisy Ridley hasn't been on-screen enough in the past four years. After her pivotal role and excellent performance in the three most recent Star Wars movies adorned with Roman numerals — that'd be Episode VII — The Force Awakens, Episode VIII — The Last Jedi and Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker — neither Chaos Walking nor The Bubble have done her justice. The Marsh King's Daughter is her best part since her time as Rey, then, and a film that capitalises upon the resolve that she was so adept at portraying in the sprawling space opera. Here, Ridley is Helena Pelletier, in another flick that has father issues. She's also the titular figure, while Ben Mendelsohn (Secret Invasion) similarly swaps a tale set long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (aka his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story villain role) for something earthbound as that pivotal dad. Divergent and Voyagers director Neil Burger fills out his main cast with Brooklynn Prince (Cocaine Bear), Caren Pistorius (Unhinged), Garrett Hedlund (The United States vs Billie Holiday) and Gil Birmingham (Yellowstone), but it's both Ridley and Mendelsohn who unsurprisingly make this page-to-film thriller worth watching. Here's a two-film trend: British actors named Daisy who were thrust to enormous fame via one big role, then took on American accents in movie adaptations of US books about complicated relationships in swampy surroundings. Where the Crawdads Sing made it to the screen first, of course. In The Marsh King's Daughter, everything that the young Helena (Prince) thought that she knew about her father is shattered when she discovers that their wilderness-based survivalist life in Michigan's remote reaches was been forged from kidnapping her mother Beth (Pistorius) and keeping her against her will. As an adult married to Stephen (Hedlund), and also a mother to Marigold (Joey Carson, House of Chains), the past she's spent decades trying to move on from returns to threaten her new family. Whether or not you've read Karen Dionne's 2017 book has no influence on knowing where this story will go, but Ridley is in sterling form. No one plays shady and downright chilling characters like Australia's own Mendo, too. The Marsh King's Daughter streams via Prime Video. QUIZ LADY Jeopardy! fans, or whichever quiz show takes your fancy, prepare to feel seen. If firing back answers while watching a daily slice of TV trivia or puzzles has ever been part of your routine, Quiz Lady understands, especially if you've ever built your schedule around it and found that half-hour stint your happy place. Since childhood, Anne Yum (Awkwafina, Renfield) has kept a standing date with Can't Stop the Quiz. Now in her 30s, she settles in nightly with her dog Mr Linguine — and she isn't just skilled at responding; rather, she's exceptional. Shy, introverted and terrified of public attention, she's content playing along from home instead of auditioning to give the real thing a go. Thanks to the title of director Jessica Yu (Misconception) and screenwriter Jen D'Angelo's (Totally Killer) movie, however, getting Anne into the studio doesn't come as a shock to audiences. For the character, it involves her mother absconding to Macao from her aged-care facility, leaving an $80,000 debt that local heavy Ken (Jon "Dumbfoundead" Park, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) comes to collect via dognapping, and Anne's chaotic older sister Jenny (Sandra Oh, Killing Eve) secretly filming a video of Anne in prime Can't Stop the Quiz savant mode, which goes viral. For more Jeopardy! nods, Will Ferrell (Strays) plays host Terry McTeer, bringing his sketches in Alex Trebek's shoes in Saturday Night Live's Celebrity Jeopardy skits instantly to mind. Although he's not behind the microphone as he is in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Jason Schwartzman joins Quiz Lady as the long-running Can't Stop the Quiz contestant who desperately wants McTeer's job, with his character feeling like a nod to Ken Jennings. That's all colour and texture, though. At this comedy's core is an adult coming-of-age story and a tale of two sisters finally finding common ground. Without Awkwafina and Oh splashing around their spectacular chemistry as those two squabbling siblings, and selling its slapstick antics and heartfelt emotions alike in the process — both gloriously playing against type, too — Quiz Lady could've easily faltered. With them, it's an entertaining odd-couple effort that's happily silly, frequently amusing and largely entertaining. Quiz Lady streams via Disney+. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE CURSE It has always been impossible to watch TV shows by Nathan Fielder, including Nathan for You and The Rehearsal, without feeling awkwardness gushing from the screen. The films of Josh and Benny Safdie, such as Good Time and Uncut Gems, are such masterclasses in anxiety and chaos — and so astute at conveying life's anything-that-can-go-wrong-will certainty — that viewers can be forgiven for thinking that their chairs are jittering along with them. From Easy A, La La Land and Maniac to The Favourite and Poor Things, Emma Stone keeps proving an inimitable acting force. Combine Fielder, the Safdies and Stone on one series, then, and whatever sprang was always going to be a must-see. Exquisite new dark satire The Curse is also as extraordinary in its brilliance as it is excruciating in its discomfort. As well as co-creating the ten-part series, Fielder and Benny Safdie co-star, co-write and co-direct. Stone joins them on-screen and as an executive producer, with Benny's brother Josh doing the latter as well. The Safdies' regular collaborator Oneohtrix Point Never, aka Daniel Lopatin, gets the show buzzing with atmospheric agitation in one of his best scores yet — even after winning the Cannes Soundtrack Award for his unforgettable work on Good Time. Yes, The Curse is everything that the sum of these parts promises. It's more, in fact, then even more again. It flows with disquiet like a burst hydrant. It fills each almost hour-long episode with a lifetime's worth of cringe. It's relentless in its unease second by second, moment by moment and scene by scene. It's also a marvellous, intense and hilarious black comedy that apes the metal Doug Aitken-esque houses that Stone and Fielder's Whitney and Asher Siegel like to build, reflecting oh-so-much about the world around it. The Curse takes the show-within-a-show route, with the Siegels eager to grace the world's screens as reality TV hosts. Their angle: environmentally sustainable passive homes that only use energy that they create, which Whitney and Asher consider their contribution to their adopted New Mexico hometown of Española. The newly married pair have American pay TV network Home & Garden Television interested in Fliplanthropy, as well as their efforts to green up the community, create jobs for locals, and revitalise a place otherwise equated with struggling and crime stats. Lurking between the couple and HGTV is producer Dougie Schecter (Safdie, Oppenheimer), Asher's slimy and manipulative childhood friend with a nose for sensationalism — particularly when he gets the scent of disharmony among his stars as they try to start a family, get their show on the air, build their gleaming houses, find ideal buyers, honour the area's Indigenous history and overcome The Curse's title. The Curse streams via Paramount+. Read our full review. A MURDER AT THE END OF THE WORLD Whichever miniatures are stuffed inside a snow globe, a simple shake surrenders them all to the same fate: flakes falling in their tiny dome. Pop culture's enduring murder-mystery obsession can feel much the same way. When the pieces start raining down in Disney+'s seven-part miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, there's much that instantly feels familiar from a heavily populated field of recent and classics whodunnits. That checklist includes a confined single setting, potential victims cooped up with an unknown killer, rampant secrets and lies, fingers pointed everywhere, Nordic noir's frosty climes, an eerie butler, a wealthy host who might just have the most to lose and, of course, a gifted gumshoe sleuthing through the group. A Murder at the End of the World radiates its own Gen Z Sherlock Holmes vibe, though. That's even how its sharp protagonist is described, and early. In the role of 24-year-old hacker-turned-author Darby Hart, who is invited by billionaire recluse Andy Ronson (Clive Owen, American Crime Story) to an intimate Iceland symposium of bright minds, Emma Corrin (Lady Chatterley's Lover) also turns Agatha Christie. The OA creators Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij have put their own intriguing, involving, can't-stop-watching spin on their addition to the genre, as they make clear early. As the duo share writing duties and split time in the director's chair — with Marling also co-starring — they take cues from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Stieg Larsson's sequels as well, all while also sliding their series in alongside Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery; however, the mood, ambition, pursuit of weighty themes, shadowy conspiracies, earnestness and love of telling puzzle-box tales match perfectly with their last show, plus their film collaborations Sound of My Voice and The East. Two timelines unspool: the present-day storyline at the ideas salon, where bodies soon start falling; and the the road trip that Darby took with fellow Reddit-aided citizen detective Bill Farrah (Harris Dickinson, Scrapper) to solve the case that fuels her debut novel. Both are compelling; shake this snow globe for more and you won't want to stop. A Murder at the End of the World streams via Disney+. Read our full review. MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS Godzilla is still big, but the picture around cinema's most-famous kaiju gets smaller in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the Japanese-created creature's new TV series. This ten-episode show sits within the American Monsterverse, which has previously filled movie theatres with 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong — and it hits streaming with a scaled-down focus on family drama. People matter in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, far more than they have in any of the US franchise's instalments so far. The folks hopping around the globe chasing the giant critter and its fellow titans are also worth caring about. As a result, there's nothing little about how engaging Monarch: Legacy of Monsters proves. Getting Kurt and Wyatt Russell involved helps. The real-life father-son pair portray the same character with not just ease but charisma. Wyatt slips into Lee Shaw's military uniform in the 1950s, Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) plays the retired elder version in the mid-2010s, and jokes reference how well the pivotal figure has aged to make the maths work out (in the later timeline, Shaw has to be in his 90s). Needing to make that gag is worth it for such stellar and captivating casting. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters isn't about Shaw's family, however — at least not as bonded by blood. In 2015, a year after the G-Day events of the 2014 film, San Franciscan teacher Cate Randa (Anna Sawai, Pachinko) is suffering from kaiju-inflicted PTSD and mourning her missing father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story), making a trip to Japan to pack up his Tokyo apartment challenging several times over. There, she finds artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe, 461 Days of Bento), a shared history and links to secret government monster-hunting organisation Monarch. Those ties comes courtesy of a satchel filled with documents that Bill Randa (John Goodman, returning from Kong: Skull Island) is seen tossing into the sea in a 70s-set prologue; having possession of it sparks chaos for not only Cate and Kentaro, but also the latter's hacker ex-girlfriend May (Kiersey Clemons, The Flash). When a shadowy international outfit is on your trail, who can assist? Given that Shaw was a 50s-era colleague of Hiroshi's parents Keiko (Mari Yamamoto, also Pachinko) and Bill (played by Inventing Anna's Anders Holm in the earlier timeline), his help is swiftly needed. And amid Cate, Kentaro, May and Shaw's attempts to evade the "like the CIA, but for Godzilla" operation pursuing their every move, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also dives into Shaw, Keiko and Bill's backstory. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. FARGO This is a true story: in 2014, Hollywood decided to take on a task that was destined to either go as smoothly as sliding on ice or prove as misguided as having a woodchipper sitting around. Revisiting Fargo was a bold move even in pop culture's remake-, reboot- and reimagining-worshipping times, because why say "you betcha" to trying to make crime-comedy perfection twice? The Coen brothers' 1996 film isn't just any movie. It's a two-time Oscar-winner, BAFTA and Cannes' Best Director pick of its year, and one of the most beloved and original examples of its genre in the last three decades. But in-between credits on Bones, The Unusuals and My Generation, then creating the comic book-inspired Legion, writer, director and producer Noah Hawley started a project he's now synonymous with, and that's still going strong five seasons in. What keeps springing is always a twisty tale set in America's midwest, as filled with everyday folks in knotty binds, complicated family ties, crooks both bumbling and determined trying to cash in, and intrepid cops investigating leads that others wouldn't. Hawley's stroke of genius: driving back into Fargo terrain by making an anthology series built upon similar pieces, but always finding new tales about greed, power, murder and snowy landscapes to tell. Hawley's Fargo adores the Coenverse overall, enthusiastically scouring it for riches like it's the TV-making embodiment of Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter's namesake. That film hailed from Damsel's David Zellner instead, and took cues from the urban legend surrounding the purported Fargo ties to the IRL death of Japanese office worker Takako Konishi; however, wanting the contents of the Coen brothers' brains to become your reality is clearly a common thread. Of course, for most of the fictional figures who've walked through the small-screen Fargo's frames, they'd like anything but caper chaos. Scandia, Minnesota housewife Dot Lyon (Juno Temple, Ted Lasso) is one of them in season five. North Dakota sheriff, preacher and rancher Roy Tillman (Jon Hamm, Good Omens) isn't as averse to a commotion if he's the one causing it. Minnesota deputy Indira Olmstead (Richa Moorjani, Never Have I Ever) and North Dakota state trooper Witt Farr (Lamorne Morris, Woke) just want to get to the bottom of the series' new stint of sometimes-madcap and sometimes-violent mayhem. Fargo streams via SBS On Demand. Read our full review. SLOW HORSES In gleaming news for streaming viewers, Mick Herron's Slough House novel series boasts 12 entries so far. In an also ace development, several more of the British author's books have links to the world of veteran espionage agent Jackson Lamb. That thankfully means that Slow Horses, the small-screen spy thriller based on Herron's work, has plenty more stories to draw upon in its future. It's now up to its third season as a TV series, and long may its forward path continue. Apple TV+ has clearly felt the same way since the program debuted in April 2022. In June the same year, the platform renewed Slow Horses for a third and fourth season before its second had even aired. That next chapter arrived that December and didn't disappoint. Neither does the latest batch of six episodes, this time taking its cues from Herron's Real Tigers — after season one used the novel Slow Horses as its basis, and season two did the same with Dead Lions — in charting the ins and outs of MI5's least-favourite department. Slough House is where the service rejects who can't be fired but aren't trusted to be proper operatives are sent, with Lamb (Gary Oldman, Oppenheimer) its happily cantankerous, slovenly, seedy and shambolic head honcho. Each season, Lamb and his team of losers, misfits and boozers — Mick Jagger's slinky ear worm of a theme tune's words — find themselves immersed in another chaotic case that everyone above them wishes they weren't. That said, Slow Horses isn't a formulaic procedural. Sharply written, directed and acted, and also immensely wryly funny, it's instead one of the best spy series to grace television, including in a new go-around that starts with two intelligence officers (Babylon's Katherine Waterston and Gangs of London's Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) in Istanbul. When the fallout from this season's opening events touches Lamb and his spooks, they're soon thrust into a game of cat-and-mouse that revolves around secret documents and sees one of their own, the forever-loyal Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves, Creation Stories), get abducted. The talented River Cartwright (Jack Lowden, The Gold) again endeavours to show why being banished to Slough House for a training mistake was MI5's error, while his boss' boss Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas, Rebecca) reliably has her own agenda. Slow Horses streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. SCRUBLANDS There's no forgetting Scrublands' opening. There's no chance of not being hooked, either. After a Sunday congregation, as his worshippers disperse, Riversend priest Byron Swift (Jay Ryan, Muru) starts shooting with a sniper rifle. Five men are killed, with the man of the cloth not living out the fray himself. After that introduction, the bulk of this four-part series picks up a year later as the small, remote and deeply drought-stricken town is still attempting to live with an event that it'll never get over. In drives journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold, True Colours), who has been dispatched from Sydney to write about the situation 12 months after the unthinkable occurred. His welcome is mixed, with bookstore owner Mandy Bond (Bella Heathcote, C*A*U*G*H*T) initially frosty, then more open; police officers Robbie Haus-Jones (Adam Zwar, Squinters) and Monica Piccini (Freya Stafford, New Gold Mountain) varying in their cooperation; and resident chief landowner Harley Reagan (Robert Taylor, The Newsreader) blunt but reluctant. Among those who lost husbands and fathers, the response is just as complicated. Recurring among most of the townsfolk: the certainty that the picture painted of the cleric that changed everything isn't what it seems. In the official tale doing the rounds, abuse allegations were levelled at the priest just days before the incident. So, in outside law enforcement's minds, that's the case closed. But Martin is increasingly unconvinced — and, far from writing the "torture porn" that he's initially accused of, starts digging deeper. The list of Australian films and TV shows that involve a big-city outsider galloping in to run through a regional area's problems, struggles and secrets is considerable, including The Dry, Black Snow, Limbo and Deadloch in recent years. Scrublands happily fits the bill. As those aforementioned movies and series have shown, and this page-to-screen effort based on Chris Hammer's novel as well, such as setup can provide the basis for weighty stories, meaningful performances and eye-catching imagery when presented with care, thought and style. As well as being involving and gripping, Scrublands is all of those things. Helming all four episodes, Greg McLean isn't in Wolf Creek or Wolf Creek 2 territory. Scrublands streams via Stan. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from this year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023's first six months, top 15 returning shows over the same period and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies from January–June 2023, too.
