If you're a movie-loving Australian resident, and you're also constantly dreaming of overseas getaways, odds are you have the country's annual film festival lineup to thank. In March, the French holiday cravings kick in courtesy of the relevant cinema showcase. Then, it's time for Spanish fantasies beamed down from the silver screen. A trip to Germany comes next, followed by a whole heap of Scandinavian vacation cravings — and, when September hits, prepare to start wishing you're in Italy. Yes, it's Italian Film Festival time again, and it's doing the rounds with quite the lineup — including everything from Italian box office hits and Sophia Loren-starring classics through to a documentary about a shoemaker to the stars helmed by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria's Luca Guadagnino. As the fest always does, it's touring its just-announced program around the country, kicking off in Sydney, then heading to Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Byron Bay, all between Tuesday, September 13–Sunday, October 16. This year's IFF will open with Belli Ciao, which did huge box office business in Italy. It both stars and is co-written by comic duo Pio D'Antini and Amedeo Grieco, who play once-inseparable friends who went their own ways after high school — Pio leaves for Milan, Amedeo stays in their hometown — and now reunite, complete with a north-versus-south culture clash. Among there, highlights include The Hummingbird, an ensemble drama with Nanni Moretti (Three Floors) and Berenice Bejo (Final Cut), which hits IFF fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival; drama Lord of the Ants, about the controversial 1960s trial of intellectual Aldo Braibanti, which screens direct from its Venice Film Festival competition debut; and The King of Laughter, which features Toni Servillo (The Hand of God) as actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta. From the documentary selection, two big titles stand out. The aforementioned Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams focuses on Salvatore Ferragamo, while Ennio — The Maestro sees director Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) pay tribute to legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone (The Hateful Eight). Elsewhere on the bill, there's rom-com Breaking Up in Rome, homecoming drama Nostalgia, play-to-screen adaptation The Great Silence, the fairground-set Swing Ride and prison The Inner Cage — the latter of which also features Servillo. In fact, he pops up again in Casanova's Return, as an acclaimed Italian director making his last movie about Casanova. More than 25 films grace the full lineup — including blasts from the past, such as closing night's Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni-starring Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. To celebrate the centenary of filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini's birth, three of his iconic movies — all adaptations of literary works — will screen as well, with The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights and The Decameron all getting big-screen showings. ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: Tuesday, September 13–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Central, Palace Norton St, Palace Verona and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney Wednesday, September 14–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Thursday, September 15–Wednesday, October 12 — Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Pentridge Cinema, The Astor and Cinema Nova, Melbourne Wednesday, September 21–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane Wednesday, September 21–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide Thursday, September 22–Sunday, October 16 — Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema, Perth Friday, September 23–Sunday, October 9 — Palace Byron Bay The 2022 Italian Film Festival tours Australia between Tuesday, September 13–Sunday, October 16. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
It's that time again, film and television fans: awards season. Shiny trophies are given to deserving actors, directors, writers, producers and more, and the best and brightest movies and TV shows get the recognition that they deserve. Each year, it all starts with the Emmys in September — aka Hollywood's night of nights for everything that airs on a screen that's small, rather than big. If you really love your TV, then you probably react to the annual gongs like Leslie Jones when Regina King won Best Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie at today's ceremony. Or, maybe you're as joyous and shocked as Jen Svendsen, the girlfriend of Glenn Weiss, when the latter proposed to her during his acceptance speech for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special for his work directing the Oscars. Hosted by Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost and Michael Che, the night saw Che give out reparation Emmys to black talents who were overlooked in previous years, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen took everyone through the history of the awards, and #MeToo earned more than a few mentions. Trophy-wise, a number of long-term hits picked up gongs — yes, Game of Thrones won Best Outstanding Drama — while newcomers and overlooked favourites did, too. Of course, some series were cheated. We'll never forget the fact that the third season of Twin Peaks barely received any nominations, or that David Lynch didn't win best director. But, regardless, we've all still got plenty to add to our must-see list. Hope your couch is comfy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkxxnqStVbk BARRY What it's about: Assassins are people too in Barry. Actually, the eponymous post-traumatic stress-afflicted sniper turned hitman-for-hire is also an aspiring actor trying to take classes in Los Angeles, after stumbling upon his new calling during a job. He's also attempting to cope with his disorder, and hoping to get out of the murdering game. Bill Hader has never been better than in this dark comedy, which he also co-created, co-wrote and directed episodes of — with Henry Winkler also memorable as Barry's acting coach. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Bill Hader), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Henry Winkler). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL What it's about: In New York City in 1958, Miriam 'Midge' Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) has become accustomed to waiting in the wings while her husband tries his hand at stand-up comedy. Then she takes to the stage herself, and this blend of comedy and drama follows the revolutionary aftermath. Picking up best comedy or musical TV series and best lead actress in a comedy or musical TV series at the Golden Globes, too, it's the latest show from Gilmore Girls and Bunheads mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino. Won: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Rachel Brosnahan), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Alex Borstein), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Amy Sherman-Palladino), Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Amy Sherman-Palladino). Where to watch it: Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgTtyfgzGc0 BLACK MIRROR What it's about: What isn't Black Mirror about, really? Dreaming up creepily dystopian futures based on society's ever-increasing dependence on technology, the Charlie Brooker-created anthology series has touched upon everything from social media to drones to political scandals to bringing back the dead, and that's just a handful of topics. In its fourth season, it specifically explored toxic fandom in Emmy-winning episode U.S.S. Callister, which looks like a comic take on Star Trek but delves into much darker — and also funnier — territory. Won: Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special (William Bridges, Charlie Brooker). Where to watch it: Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7vrC95RwB8 AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE What it's about: It's all there in the name with the second series of anthology effort American Crime Story, which turns real-life crimes into on-screen dramas under the guidance of Glee and American Horror Story executive producer Ryan Murphy. Where the first season covered the OJ Simpson case and won a heap of Emmys, this time around it's the 1997 shooting of fashion designer Gianni Versace that's in the spotlight, with a cast that includes Édgar Ramírez as Versace, Ricky Martin as his long-term boyfriend, Penélope Cruz as his sister Donatella and Darren Criss as the man responsible for a tragic killing spree. Won: Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Ryan Murphy), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Darren Criss). Where to watch it: Foxtel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMUiRYoc76A GODLESS What it's about: In the town of La Belle, New Mexico, most of the men have been killed in a mining accident, leaving the women to hold the fort, hold firearms and just generally hold their own. Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery and Nurse Jackie's Merritt Weaver do just that, while Jeff Daniels plays a gun-toting outlaw and Skins' Jack O'Connell co-stars as the partner he's trying to hunt down. Set in the 1880s, and produced by Steven Soderbergh, clearly this is a western — and a seven-episode mini-series as well. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Jeff Daniels), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie (Merritt Wever). Where to watch it: Netflix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIn_MH8_2ig THE AMERICANS What it's about: Spanning six seasons and finishing up earlier in 2018, The Americans takes viewers into the thick of the Cold War during the early 1980s. Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) seem like the perfect ordinary couple, with two kids to match and a life in suburbia, but they're actually KGB officers living undercover and spying on the US for Russia. Drama ensues, clearly, in a period-set series that was a critical hit across its entire run. Spy twists, turns and thrills aren't relegated to the big screen, after all. Won: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Matthew Rhys), Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Joel Fields, Joseph Weisberg). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLRcgftdh3w WESTWORLD What it's about: Imagine a theme park that takes you to another world (and no, regular amusement parks don't count). At Westworld, attendees feel like they've stepped back to America's wild west, all thanks to a completely immersive park filled with human-like androids that talk, shoot, drink and do plenty of other things as well. It's a fantastic premise, which proved the case when author Michael Crichton turned it into a movie back in 1973, and still remains true now. And with Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Thandie Newton and James Marsden among the robots — or 'hosts' — wandering around, HBO's take on Westworld also comes with a stacked cast. Won: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Thandie Newton). Where to watch it: Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME2umFQ_xBA THE CROWN What it's about: It's the biographical show that made everyone interested in the royal family again, not only thanks to its behind-the-scenes dramas, but courtesy of its stellar cast. Across the first two seasons of this period drama, Claire Foy transforms into a young Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith into her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, starting with their marriage in 1947 and covering their lives until the early 1960s. Foy dedicated her award to her fellow actors, who have all been replaced for the series third and fourth seasons, with Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies taking on the central roles. Won: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Claire Foy). Where to watch it: Netflix.
Tucked away on a quiet street in Collingwood, Loose Leaf is the dream project of Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler. With a combined portfolio that includes backgrounds in horticulture, permaculture and design, the pair harmonise creativity with a deep-rooted connection to the natural environment in their multi-use space. Loose Leaf operates as a thoughtful retail space for flowers and plants, as well as a studio for Wona to bring to life her organic sculptural practice and teach seasonal workshop classes. “We want people to use the space in a non-retail sense as well," she explains. “If we could make it like an indoor park that people might want to hang out in, that would be pretty cool.” The minimal aesthetic of the white-walled, high-ceilinged warehouse space is balanced by an abundance of natural life. Plants thrive in every corner, hang from the ceiling (almost as though levitating) and climb the walls. An ever-changing offering of seasonal flora fills the front of the space, where Wona creates and sells her masterful bouquets and arrangements. While the botanical haven is certainly an aesthetic delight, Charlie and Wona believe strongly in the greater therapeutic benefits connecting with nature can provide. “There are physical health benefits of having plants in your house," Charlie explains. "They can filter the air by taking out gases and chemicals so it’s healthier to breathe, but there’s also research to show that they can improve mental health”. “I’ve always been interested in horticulture therapy,” Wona adds, “When something is dying and you can bring it back to life, it makes you feel so good. It’s beautiful to watch the life cycle of something.” You need only step off the street into their bright space to feel the benefits; it might even work its magic when you're standing across the road. Despite the location only a hop, skip and a jump away from the hubbub of Smith Street, the air feels cleaner upon entering Loose Leaf. The incredible internal landscape combined with Wona and Charlie’s genuine desire to share their passion for “reconnecting with nature” allows their space to feel warm and welcoming. Sharing a cup of tea with the pair amongst their plants seems to be the perfect antidote to the stress of the daily grind. As well as the physical environment, Loose Leaf will be releasing a publication as a continuation of the voice of the space. “For the first year we plan to do a series of single theme based publications,” Charlie tells me. “We like the idea of connecting creativity and nature together, and letting each one inspire themselves." After making more than one trip to Loose Leaf to hang out with the always helpful and humble couple, Concrete Playground asked Charlie and Wona for a few ideas on how to be the best plant owner you can be ahead of the indoor season. Know Your Ability to Commit As far as picking your perfect plant friends, like any relationship, a lot depends on how much you are willing to give. With both high and low maintenance options for any environment, there’s no need to fear keeping something alive other than yourself. In fact, some plants prefer to be left alone. “One plant we’ve got is called the Zanzibar Gem, and the marketing is that it ‘thrives on neglect’,” Wona assures me. “It can deal with low light conditions and not much water." The Zanzibar Gem is added to my mental greenhouse. “We’ve spent a few years researching what works and doesn’t for us from our perspective," she says. "A lot of our plants we’ve picked because they are easy to care for and have actual signs of when they need to be watered or when they need fertilising." Of the choices in their home, she says, “[the plants] will start to talk you in very obvious ways … for example with Devil’s Ivy, the leaves will start to get droopy when it needs water. They can deal with a little more neglect … although we don’t encourage people to neglect their plants!” Location, Location, Location Equally as important as choosing a level of care you’re willing to commit to is the area and conditions your plants will be living in. “It really depends on what room they’re in”, says Charlie. “If you think about it in an outside sense, you get plants growing in the canopy of a jungle with very low light, or you can get plants growing in the desert with lots of sun and not much water”. He adds, “We have microclimates all around our house … the north of your house might feel a bit like Spain, but on the southern side it might be a bit more like Hobart. You can pick the right plant for each microclimate." Give a Little Lovin' In terms of caring for your greenery, things like fertilising and repotting can help extend the life and size of your plant. It's important that you look after your little guy (or don't, if it's a Zanzibar Gem). “Potted plants need fertilising because they’re not getting the nutrients replenished like they do nature, like when it rains or when trees drop their leaves," Charlie told me. "Inside plants obviously don’t get that so you need to give them some plant food. “By growing the size of the pot you’ll allow the roots to get bigger, and … there’s normally a direct reflection with what’s above the soil from what’s below” I admitted I had never repotted a plant. “Massage at the edge of the pot to help the plant come out more easily," he says. "You can massage the roots a little bit to help loosen them, put the plant in the new pot with the new soil.” Charlie and Wona's excitement for sharing the Loose Leaf love is tangible and inspiring. And while I may not be ready to commit to maintaining the exotic indoor jungle I envision just yet, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to bring the pot plants in my bedroom back to life.
Since Saturday, July 31, 11 Local Government Areas in and around Greater Brisbane have been back in lockdown, with new locally acquired COVID-19 cases identified in the region. The first case was linked to Indooroopilly State High School and, unsurprisingly, the list of exposure sites has been growing ever since — especially across Brisbane's western suburbs. You know the drill from here, because naming locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited is key element of Queensland's containment strategy, and has been since early 2020. The list has been expanding rapidly over the weekend, and includes one big and notable venue — one that's been named an exposure site a few times now. Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, aka the biggest shopping centre in Brisbane's west, is the highest-profile location to join the list over the weekend. A positive case visited Indro on Thursday, July 29, with seven specific shops within the centre identified as exposure sites. If you went to Myer between 8.50–9.30am, Seed Heritage from 9.20–9.35am, Target between 9.25–9.50am, H&M from 9.45–10.10am, Target again from 10–10.15am, Kmart between 10.10–10.45am, Stacks Discount Store from 10.35–10.50am and/or Country Road between 10.45–11am, you've been at a close contact spot. That means that you need to get tested ASAP and then self-isolate, regardless of whether you receive a negative result — and you'll need to remain in isolation for 14 days, too. Two sets of female toilets at the centre are on the list as well — on level two near Forever New from 8.45–8.50am and on level one near JB Hi-Fi from 10.50–10.55am. They're casual contact spots, so folks who were also there at the same time will need to get tested and self-quarantine until they receive a negative result. Indooroopilly Shopping Centre has also been named as a low-risk venue from 8.30–11am and 3.10–3.30pm on Thursday, July 29, which requires getting tested ASAP, then monitoring for symptoms. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1421766009023700992 Other places of note currently named as exposure sites include two spots at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, multiple areas of the University of Queensland, Aldi at Oxley, Coles at Moggill, and a heap of bus routes. Schools are a big focus this time, with not only Indooroopilly State High School but also Ironside State School, St Peters Lutheran College, Brisbane Boys Grammar and Brisbane Girls Grammar also identified. For the full list, head to the Queensland Health website. As always, the usual advice regarding COVID-19 applies anyway. So, requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms in general are still in effect, as they have since March 2020. Queensland currently has 53 active cases as last reported on Sunday, August 1. Residents of the 11 LGAs under lockdown are currently only permitted to leave their homes for four permitted reasons; however, getting tested for COVID-19 is one of them. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the Queensland COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
What do the Australian comedy scene, YouTube, international festivals, Netflix, wine and picture books all have in common? Aunty Donna have conquered them all. Here's another thing to add to that list: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. The Chris Pine (Don't Worry Darling)-, Regé-Jean Page (The Gray Man)-, Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious 9) -and Hugh Grant (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre)-starring film doesn't just bring of Stranger Things' favourite role-playing game back to cinemas — it does so in Australia with Aunty Donna among the cast. Since forming over a decade ago, the Aussie comedy troupe led by Zachary Ruane, Broden Kelly and Mark Samual Bonanno hasn't stopped making audiences laugh — in-person in Australia, online and around the world; while watching the side-splitting Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun; over a $30 bottle of wine literally called '$30 Bottle of Wine' and while flicking through Always Room for Christmas Pud. Later this year, they'll get folks giggling over their upcoming ABC sitcom Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe, too. But for now, playing corpses revived by Pine, awakening from their eternal slumbers to talk about century-old battles and cats, does the trick first. Aunty Donna are no strangers to Dungeons & Dragons. Back in 2017, on YouTube Channel Insert Coin, they gave D&D an Aunty Donna twist in a now-classic sketch — one that did for owlbears what 'Morning Brown' has for calling your wake-up cup of caffeine "morning brown". And, a couple of years back, they also endeavoured to create their own D&D monsters. How did those comic ties to Dungeons & Dragons lead to Aunty Donna playing undead in Hollywood's latest D&D flick, and the latest movie based on Hasbro's toys and games after the Transformers series, the GI Joe films, Battleship, Power Rangers and more? We chatted to Ruane, Kelly and Bonanno about their new on-screen stint, comedy goals, D&D podcasts, missing out on the first Fast and the Furious movie, visiting cemeteries, flatlining and getting buried alive. So, just a normal Aunty Donna chat, then. ON LIVING THE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DREAM Zachary Ruane: "We'd talked about it at length. So, when we first got together as a comedy group, we made a list of goals. This was at a Starbucks in…" Broden Kelly: "Melbourne." Mark Samual Bonanno: "Southern Cross Station." Zachary: "We sat down and we had a list of goals. One of them was a comedy festival show. And on that list was 'if Hollywood ever moves towards a more IP-dependent business structure and Paramount teams up with Hasbro to reboot the Dungeons & Dragons franchise, we' — and this is on the list — 'we would like to do voice work for the Australian release of that film'. We didn't think it was going to happen. I'd pretty much given up on that dream. And then, when we got the call from Paramount, I wept." Mark: "You wept for days." Zachary: "I wept for days." Mark: "It was too much." Zachary: "It was a very emotional experience for me, because that was the final thing to cross off the list, you know — so a really big moment for me and for all of us in our careers." ON COMEDY'S FONDNESS FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Broden: "When I started, I'd never played Dungeons & Dragons before. I only knew it as a board game from the 80s. But being in comedy, Dungeons & Dragons is constantly just adjacent to it. There's so many funny people doing podcasts about it. So if you're in the comedy world — I'd never played it but I've been on every podcast about Dungeons & Dragons. And what it is, it seems to be just a community of people who are very warm and welcoming, and it's a world where you can do everything and nothing's wrong, which is just really fun and cool. It nurtures creativity. It nurtures imagination. Even just from doing this, we've seen how warm that community is." Zachary: "I should say, the film isn't just for those fans. It's really for everyone. It's a romp, it's an adventure." Mark: "Well, it's not about people playing D&D, is it? It's a fun…" Zachary: "It's a romp." Mark: "It's a fun romp set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Owlbears..." Broden: "I didn't know an owlbear until I did that sketch, and now I feel ashamed that I didn't know an owlbear before." Mark: "Don't be ashamed!" Zachary: "We watched the film with a big Dungeons & Dragons fan, and she was telling us all the little references. She was saying 'oh, they got perfect and that right'. And then I was like 'that's so crazy' because that was her experience, but then for me who hasn't played it that much, I just had a great time. It's really funny and fun." ON HOW AUNTY DONNA CAME TO BE IN A DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MOVIE Broden: "Well." Zachary: "Well." Mark: "Well, they just kept knocking at our door until we said yes. [To Zachary and Broden] How many times did we turn them down?" Zachary: "We were initially offered the part of — Broden was offered the part that Chris Pine plays in the film, I was offered the Michelle Rodriguez part. Which is funny because I was also offered that part in the first Fast and the Furious film, and I turned it down. And if I had known what franchise would become — oh my goodness!" Mark: "Sometimes you just miss your shot with those kinds of things." Zachary: "Yeah, absolutely. [To Mark] And then you were up for which part?" Mark: "For every other part in the film." Zachary: "So it was going to be a three-hander." Mark: "Originally it was going to be a vehicle for Aunty Donna to promote our YouTube channel — and we were just like, 'we're so busy'. We were so busy. [To Zachary and Broden] What did we have on?" Broden: "A birthday party or something." Mark: "Yeah, we had a party, and we were going to do half a run at Edinburgh Fringe. A two-week run at Edinburgh Fringe." Zachary: "And then when they folded in the Dungeons & Dragons layer to it, because originally it was just a sketch series of ours, it just became a little too big for us. And we said 'you know what, I'm going to handball this to the real professionals over at Hollywood'. And you'll see the film, you'll see — you're going to have a great time." ON PREPARING TO PLAY CORPSES REVIVED BY CHRIS PINE Broden: "I went to a lot of cemeteries, and it didn't do the trick. So I went back with a shovel, and someone stopped me — but I was going to get in there and really…" Mark: "That was me. I was like 'Broden, if you start digging up corpses to play this role, for this role, even though I know that's under false pretences...'. [To Broden] Because you love robbing graves, don't you?" Broden: "Yeah. Yeah. You can't go back from that." Zachary: "We call him da Vinci. He loves robbing graves and drawing really intricate drawings of the bodies." Mark: "Oh and of flight machines." Zachary: "Like Leonardo da Vinci. Me, I flatlined. I did some flatlining, like the movie Flatliners starring Kiefer Sutherland. So I stopped my heart until I was through the tunnel, and then I was reanimated. So I was able to experience death and coming out of it. And I think you'll see that with the corpse when I go [groans and gasps loudly]. That's from a real place." Mark: "Perfectly recreated." Zachary: "Yeah." Mark: "Broden and I ended up — I just buried myself in my backyard, Broden came and dug me up. It was kind of like a role play." Zachary: "How apropos." Mark: "How apropos! [To Broden] And then did you get enough out of that Broden, that experience?" Broden: "Yeah, so we do that every Saturday morning now, where we…" Mark: "Chuck on Cheez TV." Broden: "Yeah, I'll bury Mark in a garden with a little straw out for air." Mark: "Yeah." Broden: "And then I'll dig him up." Mark: "It's just for lunch." Broden: "And then we'll go have lunch at a cafe, or…" Mark: "That's what Hollywood is so great for: bringing friends closer together." Zachary: "I don't flatline anymore. I discovered that there's a darkness in the other realm and I realised that I had to stop." Sarah Ward: "Just like the movie." Aunty Donna [in unison]: "Just like the movie." Check out the new Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves trailer below: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves opens in cinemas Down Under on March 30.
Brisbane Festival is back for 2023 throughout September, and it's returning with a bang — with Riverfire's fireworks, in fact. After moving the sky celebration to the beginning of its annual run in 2022, the citywide arts event is brightening up the heavens to start off spring again this year. Get ready to look up on Saturday, September 2. The fireworks display has now settled into its new slot after a chaotic few years, which saw it scaled back in 2019, then replaced with a light and laser show in 2020 due to the pandemic, and finally returning in 2021. Initially, Riverfire moved dates to shift out of school holidays. No matter when it's held, more than 500,000 people usually attend. If you've been to South Brisbane when it's on — even hours earlier — you will have seen the masses of people to prove how popular it is. Head anywhere with a decent vantage over the river and crowds await. Need a few recommendations? River Terrace at Kangaroo Point is the number-one spot to hit up for the best panoramic view. There's also South Bank, of course, as well as the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Captain Burke Park and Wilson's Lookout — plus the Riverside Centre and the City Botanic Gardens, too. Even if fireworks aren't usually your thing, you might still be interested in the Riverfire shindigs that always pop up on the night, with bars around town usually throwing plenty of parties with quite the lit-up backdrop. This Brisbane tradition will start its entertainment at 5pm this year, with the fireworks blasting from 7.05pm from 15 locations, which includes five barges, two bridges and eight city rooftops. The display fling up the most fireworks that the event has ever featured, weighing in at an 11-tone gross.
One of 2023's big blockbusters ended by leaving viewers wanting more, and by design: when Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One wrapped up its 163 minutes of espionage antics, everyone already knew that Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two was on its way. Originally, the latter was meant to arrive in June 2024, less than a year after the first film. But audiences will now need to wait until 2025 — including to see Tom Cruise's (Top Gun: Maverick) latest batch of death-defying stunts. Instead of hitting cinemas on June 28, 2024 in the US, the eighth flick in the spy franchise now has a May 23, 2025 release date. Down Under, that likely means a move from June 27, 2024 to May 22, 2025, given that movies release here on Thursdays rather than on Fridays in America. Both The Hollywood Reporter and Variety are reporting that the film's name may change as well. So, chaotically, it mightn't be called Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two, although it will still follow on from Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One. The change of dates comes amid Hollywood's ongoing actors' strike, adding a new big-name flick to the list of films moving back their releases. Another second part that's done the same: Dune: Part Two. Hollywood's on-screen talents are on strike to fight against diminishing residual payments for performers, and to establish firm rules about the future use of artificial intelligence in the industry, among other improvements to working conditions. When they took action in mid-July, SAG-AFTRA's members joined their counterparts in the Writers Guild of America, who were striking since May but have since resumed work. On Paramount's slate, the next Mission: Impossible isn't the only film that's shifting dates. A Quiet Place: Day One will also now release in June 2024, not March — and the next SpongeBob SquarePants movie will move from May 2025 to December 2025. As for what's in store Mission: Impossible-wise, you can bet that world-hopping intrigue, explosions, chases, fights and Cruise wearing masks all pops up when Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force team return. So will a cast that also includes Simon Pegg (The Boys), Ving Rhames (Legacy) and Hayley Atwell (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness). There's no trailer yet for the next Mission: Impossible, but you can check out the full sneak peek at Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning — Part One below instead: The next Mission: Impossible movie will release in cinemas Down Under on May 22, 2025. Read our review of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. Via: Hollywood Reporter / Variety. Images: Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Wake up, Prime Video viewers: come October, your streaming queue is getting nostalgic. If The Wiggles can top the Hottest 100, take their rainbow-hued skivvies to Mardi Gras and motor their big red car to the same Falls Festival as Little Nas X, then of course they can be the subject of a new documentary that'll hit the online service this October. First announced in 2022, Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will tell exactly the tale you think it will, following the group's career over more than three decades, including the new levels of fame and popularity that 2022 sent their way. Sure, Dorothy the Dinosaur mightn't need an origin story, but OG Wiggles Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt are getting one, with Sally Aitken (Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) directing. Also featured: never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, too. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will arrive on Prime Video on Tuesday, October 24; however, that isn't the film's first stop. Before that, it'll enjoy its world premiere at the first-ever SXSW Sydney, showing as part of the event's Screen Festival. At the fest, The Wiggles in attendance for this trip down memory lane — their own, and everyone in Australia's as well — including for Q&As and performances. "When we first formed The Wiggles more than three decades ago, our aim was to educate and inspire children through music, and that continues today," said Field back when Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles was first announced. "Looking through the archives has brought back so many incredible and emotional memories, from our first shows for 30 children to touring America and the world, playing to arenas. It's been such an incredible and evolving journey and we can't wait to share our story with everyone." "At first glance, the notion of preschool teachers selling out Madison Square Garden is downright absurd," said Aitken. "What a phenomenal story for a director to unpack: how did a group of teachers become like The Beatles for preschoolers? I have been entertained and moved in making this film, discovering an amazing journey of self-belief and the power of purpose. The Wiggles' story comes with heartache and joy, reinvention and the wisdom of children. So grab your tissues and your smiles, because with intimate interviews and unique, behind-the-scenes moments, I hope you see the individuals behind the iconic sweaters — musicians and artists driven by genuine passion, resilience, reinvention and joy." There's no trailer for Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles — we'll update you when one drops. Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles will stream via Prime Video from Tuesday, October 24.
Two Australian music legends, one must-attend 2022 tour: now there's some news to come sail your ships around. In November and December this year, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis will bring their Carnage tour home — although if you subscribe to Cave's perfectly named The Red Hand Files emails, you should already know that. An official announcement is bound to arrive sooner rather than later with crucial details such as cities, exact dates and venues, but for now, Cave has shared the tour news himself. "I can see, glowing lovely, glowing redly, a Nick and Warren Australian Carnage tour that has been recently added. This has not yet been announced — and I will no doubt be reprimanded for doing so here on The Red Hand Files — but I can see it there, that bright, red block, beginning mid-November and ending mid-December. This new addition makes me very happy. In fact, quite literally, it brings tears of joy," Cave wrote in the fan email's 184th issue. [caption id="attachment_716220" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Thorne[/caption] The upcoming Australian Carnage run earned a mention amid musings on Cave's other tour dates this year — first overseas on the American Carnage tour with Ellis, and then with the Bad Seeds in Europe. "I am sitting here looking at this year's calendar. My assistant, Rachel, has helpfully laid it out in various child-friendly, primary-coloured blocks. A red block means touring, a blue block means other extracurricular creative stuff, and a yellow block means time off. The year is largely big, red blocks, with some sudden moments of blue, and a little lonely threadbare patch of yellow," Cave explained. Bandmates across several projects since the 90s — including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Grinderman — Cave and Ellis are Aussie icons, with careers spanning back decades. Together, they also boast more than a few phenomenal film scores to their names, including for The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Road, West of Memphis, Far From Men, Hell or High Water and Wind River. When Carnage released back in early 2021, it actually marked Cave and Ellis' first studio album as a duo — and picked them up an ARIA nomination, naturally. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis' Australian Carnage tour will run throughout November and December 2022, with cities, exact dates and venues still to be announced — we'll update you when more details are revealed. Top image: Kerry Brown.
Where each new year will take you can be an existential question. If travel is one of your resolutions, it can also be literal. Will 2024 see you basking in Shibuya's glowing lights in Tokyo? Sipping drinks in the pool by sunset in Bali? Finally taking in the wonder that is Uluru? Enjoying an island break on Hamilton Island? They're all options if you use Virgin's latest big sale as your guide. A hefty 500,000-plus fares are up for grabs as part of the airline's Holiday After the Holidays sale sale, covering a range of Aussie and international spots — the carrier's entire network, in fact. Sticking with home turf, you can head to Byron Bay, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Cairns, Hamilton Island, Uluru, Hobart, Broome and more. And, if you're eager to journey overseas, you can hit up Bali, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tokyo and Queenstown as well. One-way domestic fares start at $49, which'll get you from Sydney to Byron Bay. As always, that's cheapest route. Other discounted flights include Melbourne to Launceston from $59, Brisbane to either Cairns for $105 or Hamilton Island for $115, Brisbane to Uluru from $139, Adelaide to the Gold Coast from $119 and Perth to Hobart from $239. Internationally, the return deals start with Brisbane to Vanuatu from $419, then include Sydney to Queenstown from $435, Melbourne to Bali from $559 and Cairns to Tokyo from $679 among the options. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, there's a range of dates from Monday, January 29–Saturday, November 30, 2024, all varying depending on the flights and prices. As usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's discounted fares are now on offer until midnight on Monday, January 22 or sold out, whichever arrives first. Virgin's 2024 Holiday After the Holidays sale runs until midnight AEST on Monday, January 22 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
When a franchise has spent more than a decade intertwining 20-plus films and multiple TV shows, watching along often becomes a game of 'spot the other superheroes'. Yes, we're talking about the never-ending, always-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, which loves popping as many caped crusaders as it can into its flicks and shows — and serving up surprises, too, beyond the usually sizeable list of main spandex-wearing players that any of its movies or series have already announced. The next film set to do just that: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the 28th big-screen chapter in the MCU, the followup to huge 2021 hit Spider-Man: No Way Home and the direct sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange. It first dropped a trailer last December, back when No Way Home arrived. In fact, that trailer was tacked onto the end of the Spidey flick if you sat through it till the very end of the credits. But now Marvel has released a second sneak peek at Doctor Strange's next adventures — Super Bowl day is always a big trailer day in the US, which is why it's dropping now — and it comes with quite the tease. Already, fans knew that The Power of the Dog Oscar-nominee Benedict Cumberbatch is popping his Doctor Strange cloak back on, as he did in No Way Home. We were also already that this new dive into the mystic arts would include a post-WandaVision Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) — plus Benedict Wong (Nine Days) as Wong, Rachel McAdams (Game Night) as Strange's ex Dr Christine Palmer and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Locked Down) as fellow Master of the Mystic Arts Mordo, too. The new trailer seems to add to the film's cast in a huge way, however, which is exceptional news for anyone that's loved movies based on Marvel comics since other superhero teams were doing big things in the early 2000s pre-Iron Man. The surprise is best discovered by watching, could signal the arrival of a whole heap of other familiar characters into the MCU, and arrives in a trailer that sees Doctor Strange forced to face the consequences of breaking the rules for Peter Parker. Indeed, Wanda points out that the repercussions for his actions appear to have been rather different than the fallout for hers post-WandaVision, and she's really not thrilled about it. Expect Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to serve up will trippy Inception-style imagery, Strange's brooding demeanour and Marvel's usual world-in-peril shenanigans as well, all in a flick that also boasts a nice piece of symmetry. The movie marks the MCU filmmaking debut of acclaimed Evil Dead franchise director Sam Raimi, the man who helmed the original three Spider-Man movies in the 00s, way back before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a glimmer in the comic book company's eye, and obviously long before Doctor Strange and Tom Holland's Spider-Man became pals. Check out the latest Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer below: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in cinemas Down Under on May 5, 2022. Images: Photos courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Whether we're putting stickers on everything because Yayoi Kusama told us to, or drawing on the walls because that's not just allowed but encouraged, everyone loves an interactive art exhibition. It's the reason that installation-based pop-ups filled with ball pits and supremely photogenic backdrops are such a hit, too. So, Museum of Brisbane is taking that idea and running with it at its latest showcase — and while sprinting through the City Hall gallery still isn't recommended, dancing, feeling and otherwise putting your hands on the art definitely is. Running from Saturday, December 10–Sunday, April 16, and free to attend, Play Moves is the CBD museum's largest participatory exhibition to-date, in fact, and it's all about the thing we've each been doing since we were born. Play isn't something anyone grows out of, after all, as the popularity of boozy mini-golf bars and challenge room hotels shows. While this exhibition is family-friendly — and doesn't involve drinks — it shares the same underlying idea that you're never too much of an adult to get creative and have fun. Six major projects comprise Play Moves, each one immersive, interactive and designed for audiences to be a key part in making them what they are. Sure, a giant loom catches the eye just by existing, and so does a fur-lined bathtub. But when you weave on the former and relax into the latter, they're not just objects to view but items to engage with. That loom comes via Slow Art Collective, while Sai Karlen's addition to the exhibition focuses on digital motion tracking. Or, thanks to Counterpilot, a party with dancing pot plants takes over an 80s-style office. Tara Patterden has art lovers focusing on a sound interactive environment, and Michelle Vine has contributed soft cocooned sculptures. Fancy a technicolour party as well? That comes via UnitePlayPerform. You'll discover — and play with — all of the above as you move through the museum's rooms, with the six pieces bringing together six national artists and collectives. Keep an eye out for the venue's events lineup as well, with after-hours sessions and pop-up performances planned for Friday nights. "Play Moves places you at the heart of creative expression and cultural exchange by transforming you from spectator to contributor, inviting you to connect and learn from those around you," said MoB Director/CEO Renai Grace. "It's a dynamic space that can be visited multiple times to watch the exhibition change and grow over time." Play Moves runs from Saturday, December 10–Sunday, April 16 at the Museum of Brisbane, Level 3, City Hall, Brisbane — open from 10am–5pm daily. Images: Katie Bennett.
Winter is upon us, the gloves and beanies are out of storage, and it's time to start loading up on sweets and carbs. That's how every June starts — and, every year, Krispy Kreme wants to help with the latter. How? By giving away an extremely excessive number of doughnuts. You're probably now wondering what constitutes an excessive amount of doughnuts. No, polishing off a packet by yourself doesn't count, at least in this instance. Krispy Kreme's giveaway is going big, with the chain slinging 100,000 original glazed doughnuts in conjunction with National Doughnut Day. Whether or not you're a big fan of food 'days', we're guessing you are quite fond of free doughnuts. To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia on Friday, June 2. That gives you more than 40 places to flock to, with Sydneysiders able to hit up 15 stores stretching from Penrith to the CBD, Victorians needing to visit nine locations from Chadstone to Collins Street, and Queenslanders given eight different doughnut shops to pick from (with the most central in Albert Street in the CBD). And, in Adelaide you have eight stores to visit, while residents of Perth can make a date with one of four Krispy Kreme locations. The National Doughnut Day deal isn't available at BP outlets, 7-Eleven stores, Jesters or Woolworths, or via online orders or third-party deliveries. There's also a limit of one freebie per person, and the giveaway only applies to the original glazed variety. The 100,000 doughnuts will be spread across the participating stores, so you'll want to get in relatively early if you want to kick off your Friday with a free sweet and doughy treat. Obviously, whether you nab one or not is subject to availability. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening in the chain's stores around the country on Friday, June 2. To find your closest shop and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
The Red Bull Music Academy Weekender is gearing up for a second visit to Aussie shores. The globally acclaimed festival announced today that it will return to Sydney from August 31 through September 3, and, if last year's lineup is anything to go by, we're in for one cracking weekend of live music. The travelling event sees a sharp curation of performances, conversations, installations and club nights take over some of the city's best-loved venues, with a careful selection of internationally recognised artists coming together in a celebration of contemporary music. Sydney was lucky enough to be tapped last year, joining previous host cities including Tokyo, Dubai, Vienna, and Stockholm. Announcement of this year's lineup will drop next Tuesday, July 11, with tickets on sale the same day. Last year's program featured a sold out show with Flight Facilities and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, along with a massive club night at Oxford Art Factory and gigs by Stones Throw and Mr Fingers. Red Bull Radio will also be broadcasting live across all four days with a program of conversations, special guests, local stories, and live streams to accompany the tunes. The rest of the country is getting a taste of the action, too — this year's festival will kick off with a little help from the Road to Weekender, a series of events and lectures slated for Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne in the lead-up to Sydney from August 26 through 31. The Red Bull Music Academy boasts a long-held legacy of cultural celebration, fostering musical talent and collaboration across the globe. In Australia alone, the Academy has also hosted stages at Splendour in the Grass and Laneway Festival, as well as put on an industrial rave at Dark Mofo. Red Bull Academy Weekender and Road to Weekender will take over Australia from August 26 through September 3, with both lineups announced and tickets on sale next Tuesday, July 11. Keep an eye on this space for first dibs as tickets will no doubt sell out.
With music videos becoming ever more complex and expensive, entrepreneurs in India are providing aspiring musicians with film clips at a reduced cost. One such musician is Drew Smith, who recently outsourced the video services to a dancing school in Bangalore, India. With a distinct Bollywood feel and guys in Hindu masks, it's quite bizarre but certainly interesting and unique. Smith stated that he turned to India after realising that "the last thing the world needed was another low-budget singer songwriter video." Furthermore, he received the video after just a few emails and phone calls. If you're looking for your big break and sick of recording videos on your iPhone and webcam, India might be your next option for some stimulating visuals. Take a look at Smith's finished product below and see if it caters to your musical style. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DkurGf0e5MU [Via PSFK]
Australian summers aren't known for their mild temperatures, but the past three months have been especially toasty. Sydney experienced a record-tying hot spell to kick off 2018. Melbourne endured its hottest day in five years, and then went and almost immediately smashed that top temperature by surviving its hottest day in ten years. A mid-January heatwave rolled across the country, hitting scorching maximums, while the entire first month of the year was deemed Australia's hottest ever. If you've been feeling particularly hot and steamy, there's a good reason — all of the above instances of sweltering weather helped lead to the nation's warmest summer on record. The period from December to February also earned that label in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, while Tasmania and South Australia persisted through their second-hottest summers ever. In Queensland, it was the state's fourth-warmest summer. Both mean and maximum temperatures for the season were exceeded by significant margins, with each reaching nearly one degree higher than the past record, which was set over the summer of 2012–13. Even minimum temperatures soared, with New South Wales hitting its highest on record for summer away from the northeast and far west — and parts of southern inland Queensland, and central northern and eastern Victoria, doing so as well. Here's how maximums looked across the country: [caption id="attachment_710118" align="aligncenter" width="680"] Bureau of Meteorology[/caption] The findings were announced in the Bureau of Meteorology's official summer summary, which also notes that Greater Sydney's daytime temperatures were generally one to three degrees warmer than normal, that Greater Melbourne's maximums were between 1.5–2.5 degrees warmer than the long-term summer average, and that Brisbane experienced a record run of 46 days at or above 30 degrees, spanning from 10 January to 24 February. In short, your three months of seeking solace in beaches, pools and air-conditioning were completely justified. According to Bureau climatologist Dr Lynette Bettio, "the heat we saw this summer was unprecedented". And as for reprieves from above, "rainfall was also well below average for many places, apart from areas in northern Queensland". Summer might now be over; however that doesn't mean that it's time to pull out your jumpers — most of Australia is forecast to score a hotter-than-average autumn. How hot? For mainland Australian residents, there's an 80 percent chance you'll experience autumn temperatures that are a whole lot warmer than the median. Don't go packing away your pedestal fan just yet either. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
Life hack: pretending that you're still on your best-ever Tokyo getaway (or the dream one you plan to go on when Japan fully reopens to international travel) is a perfectly acceptable way to get through the daily grind. Eating Pocky as a snack works. Hitting up your favourite ramen joint for lunch does, too. Going home to a few post-work cans of -196 — aka the premix from the makers of Strong Zero — definitely fits the bill as well. The ready-to-drink -196 launched in Australia in 2021, with a double lemon variety that you probably sipped ASAP — it sold out when it first arrived. What's better than one such tipple, which hails from Japanese brewing and distilling company Suntory? Two, naturally. Prepare to start knocking back -196 in double grape, again blending shochu, vodka and soda — but with a whole lot of grape flavour. Wondering about the name? That's because the fruit for both varieties is frozen at -196 degrees Celsius, then crushed, powderised and infused with spirits. In Japan, Strong Zero comes in double grapefruit, double ume and double shekwasha, if you're holding out hope for more flavours in the future. For now, you'll be able to pick up -196's double grape variety from the end of October, available in bottle-os nationwide. Suntory's -196 double grape will hit bottle shops across Australia at the end of October.
You can never have too many places to fling bladed weapons at targets, and safely, all while hanging out in viking-worshipping surroundings. Or, that's what the team at Maniax clearly believe. The chain has been offering Australians this exact experience for almost a decade, after launching in 2014. In Queensland, it has notched up five years since initially opening in Brisbane in 2018. And just as that latter milestone hits, it's giving the River City a second venue. Maniax also boasts a Gold Coast site, two in Melbourne, plus one apiece in Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Newcastle — and will launch in Canberra in November 2023. That month is when the brand's second Brissie venue will welcome in hatchet hurlers, with the axe throwing beginning in an Adelaide Street basement from Thursday, November 23. A big drawcard at the new Brisbane location: a full bar and a restaurant. Ragnar & Sons takes its cues from all things vikings, as the venue around it does, and will pour appropriately themed cocktails in drinking horns. As for the food, there'll be house-made pizzas, burgers, and also vegan and vegetarian options. The brisket and pulled pork burgs come highly recommended, while the snack range will feature chips and chocolates if you're not having a meal. The Ragnar and Sons bar concept debuted on the Gold Coast, and also serves up local craft beers, cider and wine, as well as non-alcoholic sips. That said, although Maniax's Brisbane CBD locale will be licensed like Newstead and the Goldie, there are rules given that you're in a place where chucking around sharp implements is the main attraction. There's a limit of three drinks per person during any axe-throwing session — and if you're under the influence, you can't join in. BYO booze also isn't allowed. When it comes to the flinging, patrons will get hurling in special axe-throwing lanes, with the Adelaide Street venue featuring six private lanes with two targets, as well as 12 lanes with single targets. As is always the case, no one lifts a hatchet without being shown the ropes — and taught all the necessary safety essentials, crucially — by one of Maniax's axe-perts first. From there, folks will be able to pick between a range of blade-hurtling activities. The chain's locations do solo and small group sessions, axe-throwing events for larger parties and also date-night options (because the couple that hurls hatchets together stays together). And, if this seems like your kind of sport, it also hosts a competitive league. As for how it all works, it's comparable to darts. Basically, you chuck axes at a board and try to hit a bullseye. Don't even know the first thing about picking up a hatchet? Again, that's completely to be expected, which is why those lessons are included in every session, as well as in the league competition. And, the axe-throwing experts are also on hand to help even when you think you've mastered the basics. You won't need any guidance if you want to sit on Maniax's warrior's throne and take some snaps — including of the helmets, shields, axes and horns around the place — of course. Find Maniax on the basement level at 79 Adelaide Street, Brisbane from Thursday, November 23. Visit the venue's website for further details and to make a booking.
In these tumultuous modern times — these times of Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and The Cursed Child — it's comforting to be able to take it back to basics. Basics, here, meaning the score of the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film played live by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. After a sell-out performance of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone back in April, the QSO are taking us back to 2002 when the second of the eight Harry Potter films came out. It made us cringe (the acting — so bad but so good), reinforced our fear of spiders (Aragog, still terrifying) and — most importantly — float away on a magical adventure thanks to the incredible score by John Williams. For two performances on Saturday, October 7, you'll be able relive the magic all over again when the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre screen the film complemented by a real-time live score by the QSO. Maybe they'll release live owls! Maybe not because that would be chaos. Maybe they'll release live rats? Actually, absolutely not — we all know rats are secretly fat old criminals hiding from magical law enforcement and waiting for the Dark Lord to rise again (lookin' at you, Pettigrew). As you might imagine, tickets are selling like pumpkin pasties so get in quick or spend eternity griping about it like some Moaning Myrtle-type character.
What's Attica without Ben Shewry? The team at Gelinaz! are about to find out. The Melbourne-based head chef of 'Australia's best restaurant' is packing his bags for a huge global chef swap this July. Created by Gelinaz! — the international chef collective responsible for wild, collaborative cook-off stunts — the event will see 37 chefs from around the globe jump on a plane, travel to a new country and serve up their best in another chef's kitchen. They'll even be living in each other's houses, just like that terrible, terrible Wife Swap. It's called the Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle and it's going down on July 9. Shewry is joining one humdinger of an international chef lineup, repping our culinary nation alongside Adelaidean chef Jock Zonfrillo (of Orana). The pair will put their names in the hat with Parisian chef Alain Ducasse (La Plaza Athenee), Tokyo's Yoshihiro Narisawa (Narisawa), Copenhagen's René Redzepi (Noma), NYC's Sean Gray (Momofuku Ko), Charleston's Sean Brock (McCrady's) and San Francisco's Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn) to name a few. The chefs know where they're going, but ticketholders won't know which chef's delights they'll be enjoying until the day. So you could be dining on a Noma or Momofuku-style dish at Attica if you're lucky. Tickets are available to the public, so if you're keen to head to Attica or Orana on July 9 you'd better plan ahead. Tickets go on sale on May 13, but prices haven't been unveiled just yet. Check over here for more details. Here's all 37 Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle participants. Who'll be your chef for the night? Ben Shewry, Attica, Melbourne — Australia Jock Zonfrillo, Orana, Adelaide — Australia Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, New York — USA Sean Gray, Momofuku Ko, New York — USA Sean Brock, McCrady's, Charleston — USA David Kinch, Manresa, Los Gatos — USA Daniel Patterson, Coi, San Francisco — USA Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn, San Francisco — USA Carlo Mirarchi, Blanca, New York — USA Blaine Wetzel, Willow's Inn, Lummi Island — USA Colombe Saint-Pierre, Chez Saint-Pierre, Le Bic — Canada Claude Bosi, Hibiscus — England Magnus Nilsson, Faviken, Järpen — Sweden Peter Nilsson, Spritmuseum, Stockholm — Sweden René Redzepi, Noma, Copenhagen — Denmark Paul Cunningham, Henne Kirkeby Kro, Henne — Denmark Kobe Desramaults, In De Wulf, Dranouter — Belgium Mehmet Gurs, Mikla, Istanbul — Turkey Yoshihiro Narisawa, Narisawa, Tokyo — Japan David Thompson, Nahm, Bangkok — Thailand Bertrand Grebaut, Septime, Paris — France Alain Ducasse, La Plaza Athenee, Paris — France Yannick Alleno, Le Doyen, Paris — France Inaki Alzpitarte, Le Cheateaubriand, Paris — France Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur, Menton — France Alexandre Gauthier, La Grenouillere, Montreuil/Mer — France Ana Ros, Hisa Franko, Kobarid — Slovenia Davide Scabin, Combal Zero, Rivoli — Italy Fulvio Pierangelini, Hotel de Russie, Rome — Italy Riccardo Camanini, Lido 84, Gardone Riviera — Italy Massimo Bottura, La Francescana, Moderna — Italy Massilmillano Alajmo, La Calandre, Venice — Italy Andoni Luis Aduriz, Mugaritz, San Sebastian — Spain Albert Adria, Pakta, Barcelona — Spain Alex Atala, D.O.M., San Paolo — Brazil Rodolfo Guzman, Borago, Santiago — Chile Virgillo Martinez, Central, Lima — Peru Via Grub Street.
Decking the halls with boughs of holly — or whatever other jolly decorations you like — is a standard way to celebrate Christmas. Enjoying a holiday in a caravan decked out like a seasonal dream? That isn't, but you can add it to your list this November. You will need to adore the merriest time of year, obviously. And you'll have to be keen to take an early festive getaway in New South Wales as well. Your Christmas tree-, fairy light- and festive ornament-filled home away from home? Tillie, aka the Christmas caravan, which is available to book via RV rental site Camplify. The service set up shop in Australia a few years back now, and has treated holidaymakers to gin-themed caravans before — but now it's time to take a getaway that's all about Christmas. A vintage caravan that leans into its retro vibe, Tillie sleeps four, and is available at your choice of three Reflections Holiday Parks in NSW: Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks. Whichever one you pick, you'll be paying $125 per night, and the van will be delivered to your chosen site — all decorated, of course — for you. Inside the van, expect those ornaments aplenty. Outside — where it's recommended that you kick back as the sun goes down — fairy lights and Christmas garlands will be wrapped around Tillie. And, you'll even find a wreath on the back of the van, too. No one will be saying "bah, humbug!" here, clearly. You do need to commit to a four-night stay at a minimum, so no need to rush your festive holiday. Also, there's an $80 service fee — and while delivering Tillie to Hawks Nest and Jimmys Beach is free, there's an extra $100 cost for Seal Rocks. All three sites sit along the coast, turning your time with Tillie into a beachy Christmas jaunt. At Hawks Nest, you'll find yourself between Bennett's Beach and the village of Hawks Nest, and also in the vicinity of Port Stephens and Nelson Bay. At Jimmys Beach, you'll be in NSW's Great Lakes region. And at Seal Rocks, a mid-north coast escape awaits. To book Tillie throughout November — with prices from $125 per day, and rentals available at Reflections Holiday Parks at Hawks Nest, Jimmys Beach and Seal Rocks — visit the Camplify website. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Everyone likes being spoiled at Christmas. This year, when it comes to taking a holiday, Australians will also be spoiled for choice. The nation's borders are reopening to international travel from November, and overseas destinations have started announcing when Aussies can make the trip again — so if you haven't already booked a getaway to Fiji, or jumped on flights to London or the US, you can now make a date with Thailand. On Friday, October 22, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled a list of places around the globe — covering 45 countries and one territory — that it is deeming low-risk in terms of travel restrictions. So, if you hail from one of these 46 places, you'll be permitted into Thailand from Monday, November 1. And yes, Australia is named. Other countries identified include New Zealand, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea. The list is set to be revised again in mid-November and at the beginning of December, so it's expected to grow again soon. Folks from these low-risk nations will be allowed to enter Thailand, with three options available — including ditching quarantine if you've been double-vaccinated. For the unvaxxed, either ten or 14 days quarantine still applies, depending on whether you're arriving by air or land. For the double-jabbed, there's two choices. You can take a PCR test within 72 hours of travelling, then undergo another one upon arrival and wait in a designated hotel for one night until you get a negative result. Or, you can take advantage of the country's 'Sandbox' scheme. It lets you stay in designated 'Sandbox' provinces around the country for seven days — in Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi and more — undertaking COVID-19 tests upon arrival and again on day six or seven of your trip. After that week, passes you can then venture elsewhere in Thailand. Qantas has already revealed that it's restarting travel from Sydney to both Phuket and Bangkok, too, kicking off on Wednesday, January 12 and Friday, January 14, respectively. That news came before Thailand's border announcement, however, so fingers crossed that flights might recommence even earlier now. For more information about Thailand's reopening plan, head to the Thai Government's website and Facebook page.
The Yarra Valley is set to score its first big name hotel, with IHG announcing plans to open one of its new 'voco' accommodation sites there in 2021. The 170-room hotel, which has nabbed a hillside address in Lilydale, will feature its own on-site gin distillery, natural amphitheatre, mirrored maze, lavender farm and a providore selling local produce. Across one quirkily designed main building and 20 standalone cabins, it'll boast a gym, a restaurant and multiple bars with views across the region. Less than an hour out of Melbourne, it's in a prime location for visitors hitting the Yarra Valley's famed wine region and is on the way to popular ski field Mt Buller. Launched in June, voco is IHG's newest brand, pitched at delivering accommodation options that are upscale, yet fun. The same group has announced it'll be opening a Holiday Inn in Coburg in 2020, and has plans for 22 more hotels to launch across Australasia. voco is slated to open at 486 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale in 2021.
Summer always sizzles in Brisbane, as do most other seasons, but the temperature won't be the only reason on future trips to Market Square Sunnybank. On the precinct's second floor, taking over the entire level, Seoul Garden will be firing up its grills from Wednesday, December 11, 2024 — or, to be more accurate, customers at the first Queensland venue from the Victorian-born Korean BBQ and hotpot buffet chain will be getting cooking. This is a big addition to the River City in a range of ways. The 300-person-capacity restaurant will sprawl across 800 square metres, which the brand advises will make it the Sunshine State's largest Korean BBQ and hotpot venue. It'll also serve up more than 50 hotpot choices, with 30-plus meat options. And, a visit here means enjoying the all-you-can-eat experience. Amid neon lights that take inspiration from the eatery's namesake, customers will sit at tables with grills, pairing their chosen ingredients with house-made sauces and side dishes. Or, opt for the hotpot buffet or dedicated raw bar — or make a date with all three. Either way, no one should be leaving feeling hungry. This stomach-filling meal will set patrons back $49.90 per person, unless you're taking advantage of the launch lunch buffet special for $19.90. Go with the latter and you'll tuck into the hot food buffet, plus gimbap, salads and sides. In Victoria, where the chain operates in Docklands, Highpoint, Northland and Glen Waverley Century City, Seoul Garden's setup has unsurprisingly proven popular — but its move to Brisbane is its first venture out of the state that it has always called home until now. "We're so excited to bring Seoul Garden to Queensland, and share the authentic flavours and social dining experience that have made our Victorian venues such a success. Sunnybank is a vibrant hub for food lovers, and we can't wait to become a part of this community" said co-founder David Loh. Find Seoul Garden at Market Square Sunnybank, 341 Mains Road, Sunnybank, from Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Head to the brand's website for further details. Images: Elvin Tan Design.
You don't have to do much poking around to find evidence of Brisbane's latest food trend, with poke making itself known all over town. Indeed, Newstead residents now have two dedicated joints to choose from. After Suki set up its third outlet in the suburb just months ago, Cheeky Poke Bar has followed suit. Opening its doors to the new Haven development at 63 Skyring Terrace, Cheeky Poke Bar is the latest venture from the folks behind Portside's Fresh N Wild Fish, aka the place to get seafood and chips in Hamilton. They've extended their love of ocean bounty to a new format — not only in terms of serving up the Hawaiian fish dish, but in setting up a restaurant-bar hybrid that pairs its bites to eat with cocktails. That means a food range that features seven signature bowls, as well as a seven-step make-your-own option. Also on the menu: tacos, miso bone broth, sashimi tasting plates, pork gyoza and taro crisps with wasabi mayonnaise, plus six flavours of kakigori (aka shaved milk ice) for dessert. Drinks-wise, think bright boozy concoctions such as the Cheeky Collins (with gin, rosemary, cucumber and kombucha), Breakfast In Tokyo (with Togouchi whiskey, yuzu, apricot brandy, marmalade, orange bitters and foam), and the Cheeky Friends Bowl (tequila, Chambord, triple sec, citrus, agave, seasonal fruit). As well as beverages featuring its name, Cheeky also boasts kombucha on tap, two types of sake, and a sizeable local beer and wine range. Decor-wise, patrons will find a sea of black, grey, blue and brass inside the 45-seat digs, as well as timber booths, bar tops made from recycled stone, and neon lighting. "I wanted to create a space which elevates your senses, so you can really appreciate the fresh produce and each flavour in every dish," explains owner Sam Demetriou. Find Cheeky Poke Bar at Haven, 63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead. Visit their website and Facebook page for more information.
CONCRETE PLAYGROUND: In The Guest Edit, we hand the reins over to some of the most interesting, tasteful and (or) entertaining people in Australia and New Zealand. For this instalment, we've enlisted help from Sheet Society founder and interior design extraordinaire Hayley Worley. The Melbourne-based owner and creative has put pen to (digital) paper, outlining the biggest colour and pattern trends of the year, as well as tips on how to incorporate them around your home. HAYLEY WORLEY: The best part of my job is that I get to surround myself with inspirational fashion, interiors and design. While I'm a big fan of staple colours that will never go out of style, I'm equally excited by new, fresh and fashionable prints. It's really important to me and for my creative and design process, that I love and find joy in the things I surround myself with. There's nothing quite like putting on your favourite dress or jumping into a new bed of fresh sheets as a moment of pleasure. My picks for Concrete Playground are all things that have recently made me happy — including making my kids happy too! CHECKERBOARD PRINT This is a huge trend that we don't see going anywhere, anytime soon. If you're looking for an easy place to start, the Sheet Society Margot print is the perfect fashionable update to your bed in a really easy-to-style Camel colour. I've got lots of Sheet Society colours (as you can imagine!) and Margot pairs with pretty much anything. I've currently got it on my bed with Sage and Blush. HAND-PAINTED MOTIFS Sheet Society collaborated with Annie Everingham last year on a beautiful bedding collection, and her latest collaboration with Alemais is such a goodie. Her hand-painted motifs have been used across a wide range of fashion styles and I wore this pink one to my birthday a few weeks ago. It's currently out of stock on Alemais, but is available on Selfridges & Co here. Sheet Society also releases a limited edition collaboration each year and this year we partnered with local artist Lahni Barass, on a collection called Sleep Patterns. It's available here. BLUSH We have a one- and a three-year-old and it's often hard to find kids clothes that are bright or have loud prints. I adore the Aussie brand ByBillie, they've got a really great palette to choose from and a strong range of styles. I recently bought both kids matching Joey Jackets in blush and they are just so adorable. SAGE I've currently got our Sage blanket on, which not only looks great, but it's the extra cosiness I need (and grab for) in the middle of the night. Right in the middle of Melbourne winter, I definitely need to add a few extra layers. It has two layers of our French Flax Eve Linen with a plump quilted wadding inside and feels super lush. Pictured here with a divine Ella Reweti vase. OFF-WHITE I had an absolute blast picking out furniture for our new store in Armadale. Our interior designers, Golden, worked really well and collaborated closely with us to develop a soft furnishing plan that spoke to the Armadale customer, while staying true to Sheet Society. This Gatto lamp, designed by Floss, was one of our 'splurge' items. We also used it in our latest winter campaign, styled with our new-season teal colour. Perfection!
Edgar Wright must own a killer record collection. Weaving the perfect playlists into his films has ranked high among the British writer/director's trademarks ever since he made such a horror-comedy splash with Shaun of the Dead, and his own love of music is frequently mirrored by his protagonists, too. This is the filmmaker who set a zombie-killing scene to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now', and had characters wield vinyl as weapons. He made zoning out the world via iPod — and teeing up exactly the right track for the right moment — a key trait of Baby Driver's eponymous getaway driver. Earlier in 2021, Wright also turned his avid fandom for Sparks into his delightful first documentary The Sparks Brothers, because wearing his love for his favourite songs on his sleeves infiltrates everything he makes. So, the fact that his second film of this year is about a giddy devotee of 60s tunes really doesn't come as the slightest surprise. Last Night in Soho takes its name from an era-appropriate song that gets a spin in the film, naturally. It boasts a cleverly compiled soundtrack teeming with hits from the period, and has one of its central figures — called Sandie, like singer Sandie Shaw, who croons '(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me' on that very soundtrack — seek chanteuse stardom. As Wright is known to do, his latest movie also sports sequences that could double as music videos, and possesses a supple sense of rhythm that makes his picture virtually dance across the screen. It's a feature shaped by music, made better by music, and that recognises that music can make anyone feel like they can do anything. A partly swinging 60s-set thriller that adores the giallo films of the time with equal passion, it also flits between a cinematic banger on par with the glorious tracks it peppers throughout and the movie equivalent of a routine needle drop. Cilla Black, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield: these are the kind of talents that Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie, The Power of the Dog) can't get enough of, even though she's a Gen Z aspiring fashion designer; they're also the type of stars that aforementioned blonde bombshell Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit) wants to follow onto London's stages. Last Night in Soho starts with its wannabe fashionista, who's first seen donning her own 60s-inspired designs in her Cornwall bedroom that's plastered with posters and pictures from the period, and also dancing to 'Peter & Gordon's 1964 track 'A World Without Love'. Soon, Eloise is off to college in the big and, hopefully, working towards the fashion world. Then she meets Sandie, but only in her dreams. Actually, as she slumbers, she becomes Sandie — and navigates her chiffon-adorned quest for stardom, her breathy 'Downtown' covers and her thorny relationship with slippery bar manager Jack (Matt Smith, Official Secrets). Some of Last Night in Soho's most dazzling scenes play with these doppelgänger characters, and with the time-travelling dreamscape where they both exist, as if Wright is helming a musical. The choreography — both by McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, playing chalk-and-cheese roles, and by the film's lithe and glossy cinematography — is stunning. The effect is mesmerising, as well as whip-smart in tapping into the feature's ongoing musing on identity. This is also a horror movie and a mystery, however, so exploring what's behind these nocturnal visions is the primary focus. As a mousy girl bullied by her roommate (Synnøve Karlsen, Medici) to the point of leaping into the too-good-to-be-true Soho attic studio leased by the cranky but obliging Ms Collins (Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones), it's easy to see why Eloise flees into her dreams. But the who, what, why and how of it all — when and were clearly being answered already — isn't as simple as pure retro escapism. Eloise and Wright must share another trait, other than being musicophiles: nostalgia for a time neither was alive to see. In charting Eloise's journey from growing up with her gran (Rita Tushingham, The Pale Horse) to being haunted by evening reveries that begin to infect her days, Wright packs Last Night in Soho with Quentin Tarantino-level references to pop culture of the era. The detail, cast, songs, fashion and borrowings from Italian horror cinema's giallo genre — including vivid colours, plenty of blood and a love of yellow hues, because that's what giallo translates as — all nod backwards cannily. Visually, the film is a lavish wonder, in fact; Chung Chung-hoon, who regularly lenses Park Chan-wook's work (see: Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst, Stoker and The Handmaiden) luxuriates in sights, spaces, textures, mirrors angles, spins and swoops. Wright doesn't shy away from the 60s' sleaze, either, or from nightmarish men, objectified women and the lack of sexual agency for the latter. Scripting with 1917 Oscar nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns, he confronts the seedier side of the period he otherwise places on a pedestal — but his first film about female protagonists is plodding rather than bold in trying to spin a feminist story. Last Night in Soho's lurid, adrenaline-fuelled shimmy with psychological thrills is still engaging, and gorgeous. Its eagerness to takes cues from Mulholland Drive is ambitious, although trying to emulate David Lynch rarely suits anyone. Still, there's more than a whiff of "is that it?" — and of cliche — to how it all culminates. Even with its sensational sense of style, that underwhelming feeling might've invaded more of Last Night in Soho if Wright hadn't cast his leads so well. The 60s icons he's enlisted, including Rigg in her last role, Tushingham and Terence Stamp (Murder Mystery), all play their parts in the plot, but this is McKenzie and Taylor-Joy's show. Again, the scenes that pose the pair as reflections of each other in 60s nightclubs are spectacular. The performances they provide to match share other echoes, too; one initially innocent and wide-eyed, the other confident and determined at first, they find common ground in their characters' vulnerabilities. Life is definitely making Eloise and Sandie lonely, but as the women behind them linger where the neon signs are pretty, things can be great — for viewers, at least. Their efforts won't make audiences forget Last Night in Soho's troubles, but the film is so much brighter with them in it.
IPAs, or India Pale Ales, have enjoyed a huge surge in popularity over the past couple of years. Lately, however, a new sub-style has spawned and enjoyed immense popularity — enter, the New England IPA. Named after a style that originated from the six northeastern USA states of New England, NEIPAs have a cloudy appearance and low carbonation, and feature jammy, juicy flavours of apricot, peach and pineapple alongside the heavy citrusy notes that IPA fans crave. More delicate flavours of hops are embraced here, too, rather than the piney, resiny bitterness favoured by their clear-bodied cousins. The beers characteristically pour a murky, mango colour reminiscent of cloudy fruit juice, and feature similar flavours in a beer context. Here follows this beer snob's top picks of the trending NEIPAs, that'll get your head into the clouds as the last warmth of autumn begins to fade. Jedi Juice is Hop Nation's brilliantly titled take on a beer it brewed for GABS (the Great Australian Beer Spectapular). It was originally a specialty brew, but enjoyed such popularity it was reignited as part of the Footscray brewery's core range. Jedi Juice features a gentle citrus aroma and the palate reveals juicy notes of passionfruit, pineapple, nectarine and grapefruit, with a smooth carbonation and a tangy kiss of bitter hops that punch through at the end. At 7.1 percent ABV, and with a white can packaging featuring a tattoo-sportin', blaster-totin' Princess Leia, the force is certainly strong with this one. Best consumed as fresh as possible. SHOPPING LIST Hop Nation Jedi Juice, 375ml can, $7.50 each (available from various stockists across the country) Sauce Brewing Co Bubble and Squeak, 500ml can, $10 each or $35 for four This beer is typically hazy, smooth and creamy with big citrus and tropical fruit notes (think mango and passionfruit) and a low bitterness. Rounding out at 6.5 percent ABV, it's a supremely well-balanced beer that offers new dynamics with each sip. Feral Brewing Co Biggie Juice, 330ml bottle, $7 each or $23 for four (available from various stockists across the country) This beer represents the popularity of NEIPAs in the mainstream beer scene. Under Amatil ownership, Feral is still brewing its Biggie Juice East Coast IPA. Sitting at six percent ABV, Biggie offers a rich bouquet of floral and tropical fruit aromas that follow through with a juicy punch onto the palate. The finish is smooth, with just a hint of bitterness, and a smooth carbonation that makes for an incredibly moreish drop. Hop Topics is our new bi-weekly beer column keeping you up-to-date with the latest beer trends happening around the country. Dominic Gruenewald is a Sydney based actor, writer and self-proclaimed beer snob. Between gigs, he has pulled pints at all the right venues and currently hosts Sydney's longest running beer appreciation society Alestars at the Taphouse, Darlinghurst.
How many spider-men is the optimal amount of spider-men? Asking for the best Spider-franchise there is: the Spider-Verse series. Sure, 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home messed with multiverse madness, complete with Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland's versions of the titular character — but the stunning 2018 Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse not only got there first, but topped that first. Now, the animated flick's upcoming sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is going one better yet again. Initially set to release in 2022 — and even dropping a first trailer in 2021 — but now arriving in June 2023, Across the Spider-Verse is the first of two follow-ups to the Miles Morales (Shameik Moore, Wu-Tang: An American Saga)-focused franchise. And, it isn't holding pack on its spider-people. Where the initial film gave us a spider-woman, spider-robot and spider-pig, as well as Nicolas Cage as a 30s-era spider-vigilante, this one has another whole onslaught of Spideys heading Miles' way. This time around, the movie's Brooklyn-based friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is slightly older, and also faced with a spider-team, who are keen to protect the multiverse's existence. When there's that many Spideys, agreeing on how to handle things — including a new threat — isn't easy. That's how the clash between Miles and his fellow spider-folk comes about, as animated in the series' usual dazzling onslaught of colour and movement in the just-released sneak peek. Also included amid all the spider-alternatives in the trailer: Miles reuniting with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld, Hawkeye). And, there's Spider-Woman (Issa Rae, Insecure), the Spider-Verse version of The Vulture (Jorma Taccone, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) and the return of Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight). (If you're wondering about Isaac's character, he first turned up in the post-credits section of Into the Spider-Verse, and he's an alternate version of Spidey from a specific Marvel Comics imprint.) The voice cast spans Daniel Kaluuya (Nope) as Spider-Punk and Jason Schwartzman (I Love That for You) as The Spot as well, and Jake Johnson (Minx) is also back as Peter B Parker — alongside Brian Tyree Henry (Bullet Train) as Miles' dad and Luna Lauren Velez (Power Book II: Ghost). Expect to see Miles head into other Spidey realms, too, in a franchise that made every single live-action Spidey film pale in comparison to its initial instalment. Once again produced by The Afterparty's Phil Lord and Christopher Miller — and this time co-written — Across the Spider-Verse will be followed by third film Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse in 2024. There's also a female-focused spinoff in the works as well. Check out the new Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer below: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will release in cinemas Down Under on June 1, 2023.
Home of arty and romantic sleepovers in Australia's capital city since 2013, Canberra's Hotel Hotel has been sold. Owners Molonglo Group recently handed over the keys to Ovolo, an independent hotel company with digs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hong Kong. The Sydney outpost occupies a sizeable chunk of Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, where designer rooms overlook the Harbour. If you're a fan of Hotel Hotel and its steady program of experimental cultural happenings, you'll be pleased to know that the staff won't be going anywhere when the venue officially becomes an Ovolo on 1 March. Unless, of course, they're keen to work for the company in another city. "We are proud to bring our signature concept to the Australian capital," said Ovolo Hotels CEO Girish Jhunjhnuwala. "We believe this venture is the perfect alignment and are delighted to be associated with this property." Meanwhile, the Molonglo Group — which is both a property developer and a production house — has a bunch of Australian and international adventures coming up, involving architecture, design and culture. "We wanted to do something special in both Canberra and Australia; I think we've achieved that," said Molonglo Group director Nectar Efkarpidis,. "Hotel Hotel was the physical manifestation of ideas that we had been exploring for several years about architecture, design, objects and furniture, and how they can help us to evolve and expand Canberra's civic sense of itself with others." Back in August 2017, several of Australia's other arty hotels fell under the ownership of a major international company, when Mantra bought the Art Series for a cool $52 million. Images: John Gollings / Tom Roe.
Most of Australia might've spent the bulk of 2020 at home, but that doesn't mean that we didn't notice the temperature. And if you were feeling rather toasty across the 12 months, there's a reason for that — with the Bureau of Meteorology revealing in its just-released Annual Climate Statement 2020 that we just lived through one of country's warmest years since records started being kept. Only three years on record were hotter than 2020, with the past 12 months ranking fourth. Australia's warmest year on record came the year prior, in 2019, while 2013 ranks second. If you're wondering what that means for temperatures in 2020, the overall averaged mean temperature for the entire country across the year sat 1.15 degree above average. In all states in 2020, as well as the Northern Territory, both the mean maximum and minimum temperatures were also higher than average. BOM reports that days were especially warm in Sydney, Hobart and Darwin, and nights were toasty in the same three cities, plus Canberra and Brisbane. Yes, we know that Australia is a sunny place, and has sweltering summers. But that warmth was also spread across the year, with January, February, April, June, August, September and November sitting in the ten warmest on record when it comes to a variety of markers — such as the mean, maximum and minimum temperatures for those months. November 2020 was also the warmest November on record, before summer even hit, while the entirety of spring earned that status as well. If you noticed that the three of the top four warmest years listed above all fell in the last decade, there's a reason for that as well. "The mean temperature for the ten years from 2011 to 2020 was the highest on record, at 0.94 degrees above average and 0.33 degrees warmer than the previous ten years," said Senior Climatologist Dr Lynette Bettio. Dr Bettio also notes that increasing temperatures is a worldwide trend. "Globally, every year from 2013 onwards has been among the ten warmest on record, with 2016 and 2019 being the hottest," she says. "2020 was among the top three" on a global scale, she advises, which happened "despite the onset of La Niña, which has a suppressing effect on global temperatures". In Australia, La Niña usually means more rainfall, cooler daytime temperatures south of the tropics and warmer overnight temperatures in the north. In terms of rain, 2020 was actually close to average, BOM says; however, the western parts of Western Australia, southeastern Queensland and western Tasmania all received below average rainfall. For more information about the Bureau of Meteorology's Annual Climate Statement 2020, head to BOM's website.
First, the great news: come July, beef sandwiches will be back on the menu. Watching season two of one of the best new shows of 2022, and a Golden Globe-winner at that, will be as well. On Wednesday, July 19, The Bear is set to return Down Under with its latest episodes, taking viewers back to Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto's (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless) Chicago sandwich shop — one that, based on the teasers and trailers for this new serving, is undergoing plenty of change. Disney+ will drop all ten episodes of season two at the same time, ready for prime mid-July binge sessions. Obviously, you know what you should be eating while you watch. But, if you don't want to know what happens in advance, you might want to avoid the internet until then. This Thursday, June 22, American audiences will get the full season, saying "yes chef!" to The Bear's return a month before Australian and New Zealand viewers. Of course, more of The Bear is still more of The Bear, no matter it arrives. Also, Australia and NZ experienced a delay when season one premiered in 2022 as well. Then, however, the show was new and untested — now, it's one of the most-anticipated streaming meals of 2023. From its sneak peeks so far — and from where season one left off — season two sees Carmy take a new path with the family eatery that he returned to run after his brother's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) death. This new round of intense kitchen and interpersonal chaos will see its head chef keep dreaming of levelling up the humble beef-slinging business. Trying to bring a fine-diner's level of meticulous to The Original Beef of Chicagoland didn't go smoothly in season one, though, and endeavouring to completely transform the restaurant was always going to be peppered with mayhem in season two. Get ready to devour requests for cash, tight timelines, constant construction noise, cooking experiments, visits to culinary school, awkward interviews and t-shirt typos. And, of course, an array of dishes being whipped up and instantly whetting appetites off-screen. The show's full season two trailer also adds Shiva Baby and Booksmart's Molly Gordon to the cast — and, although he hasn't been seen in an early glimpses, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul great Bob Odenkirk will also be guest starring. Gordon and Odenkirk join not only the exceptional White, but the rest of The Bear's impressive roster of talent, such as Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Dropout) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend; Ayo Edebiri (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) as sous chef Sydney; Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar; and Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. If you missed the first season, it jumped into the mayhem after Carmy took over the diner. Before returning home, the chef's resume spanned Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. That's just the beginning of the story, in a series that truly conveyed what it's like to work in the hospitality industry — including navigating a restaurant kitchen's non-stop pressures. Yes, the mood is anxious from the outset, with The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) starting the series as he definitely meant to go on, but still expertly managing to balance drama and comedy. Check out the US trailer for The Bear season two below: The Bear season two will stream via Disney+ Down Under from on Wednesday, July 19. Read our full review of season one.
What's better than an annual ice hotel that lets frost-loving travellers stay in snowy surrounds every winter? A chilly accommodation provider that offers all of the above all year round. After falling into the former category since 1989, Sweden's Icehotel has made the leap to the latter. Yes, that means that you can now head to the village of Jukkasjärvi, check into rooms moulded from snow and ice, and enjoy keeping cool — in several senses of the word — every day of the year. Unsurprisingly, it's the world's first permanent place to stay of its kind, and there's more in store for anyone visiting the not-so-humble abode on the banks of the Torne River 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. The new venture covers 2,100 square metres and features 20 ice suites, a champagne ice bar and an ice art gallery. Among the sights you'll see within the appropriately named Icehotel 365's frosty -5°C walls: private saunas and spas for an added touch of warmth in such cold surroundings, and artist, architect and designer-fashioned rooms inspired by everything from fairy tales to dancing — and featuring ice chandeliers and winding ice staircases, too. Plus, the gallery also boasts the largest permanent art exhibition north of Stockholm. Stopping the year-round attraction from turning to slush is when summer comes and near-constant daylight hits is a solar-powered undulating roof that achieves a particularly impressive feat: harnessing the warmth from above to maintain the requisite cold state below. That makes the venue sustainable as well as icily spectacular, in case it needed any more drawcards. Icehotel's seasonal section will continue as normal, with the non-permanent part of the site built when the weather starts to cool each year and then melts when the sun comes out. And with good reason: in previous years, artists have crafted rooms that riff on Tron: Legacy, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, 1920s cult horror film The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, UFOs and giant sea monsters, to name a few previous themes. For more information about Icehotel, visit www.icehotel.com. Images: Asaf Kliger.
Everybody wins — you, me, our fair nation — when six experienced winemakers join forces to create unique vintages out of the Hunter Valley and then take their finest drop on the road. Caravan of Courage, the ingenious pop-up wine bar creation of Next Generation Hunter Valley, enjoys its third incarnation this year with the apt title One More for the Road, boasting a selection of 24 wines to titillate the palette. Formerly setting out northwards from Melbourne in a big green bus to secret locations all over Australia, this time around Next Generation have taken to the skies, heading south from Brisbane on May 3. Over the subsequent month they'll deliver classy boozing to the lucky folk of Newcastle (Saturday, May 4), Sydney (Friday, May 10), Canberra (Thursday, May 16), and Melbourne (Friday, May 17). What makes Next Generation Hunter Valley special? It's a collective of six prized stables (David Hook Wines, Thomas Wines, Meerea Park Wines, Mistletoe Wines, De Iuliis Wines and Margan Wines) that share a commitment to the future of the Hunter Valley, melding old, well-established vineyards with contemporary winemaking practices. In true Aussie style, Caravan of Courage embodies the larrikin spirit, and you can get to know the wines better by meeting the personalities behind them — David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Rhys Eather, Nick Paterson, Mike De Iuliis and Andrew Margan will be in attendance. Ever broadening the scope of their imperialist tipple agenda, they're rumoured to have their sights set on Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania for upcoming pop-ups. Tickets to One More for the Road are $35 (available here). The Brisbane launch takes place on May 3, 6-9pm at Loft West End (100 Boundary Street, West End, 4101). Updates are available by following @nextgenhv #COC2013 on Twitter and becoming a fan on Facebook.
It's happening again: every now and then, Jetstar gives travellers a mighty fine reason to head to Japan (if the country's long list of existing drawcards, including its food scene, teamLab's digital art gallery and Studio Ghibli's very own theme park, to name a mere few, aren't enough already). When the Australian airline drops discounted fares to Tokyo and Osaka, they get snapped up quickly, too. If a getaway to either city is exactly what you need before 2025 is out, then, take note. The Australian airline usually has a sale of some description on offer at any given time; however, this one is only about discounted fares to Japan. This isn't among the carrier's return-for-free sales, but prices start at $249 one-way, still nabbing you a considerable bargain. Whichever of Tokyo and Osaka that you decide to fly into, Jetstar's new special will take you there while being nicer to your bank balance. The sale kicks off at 12pm AEST on Monday, May 19, 2025 for Club Jetstar members and at 12am on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 otherwise. Then, you've got until 11.59pm AEDT on Friday, May 23, 2025 to book, unless the discounted flights are sold out earlier. This round of bargain fares covers direct flights from Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney, plus connecting flights out of Melbourne (Tullamarine) and Adelaide. The cheapest price will get you from Cairns to Osaka, while Cairns to Tokyo costs $279. Brisbane fares start at $309 to Osaka and $429 to Tokyo, while Sydney's are $339 and $394 to the same cities. Melbourne's prices are $377 and $407, and you'll pay $394 and $424 from Adelaide. While travel dates vary, early October through to mid-December 2025 is among them. The normal Jetstar caveat applies, of course, as well as the standard advice to pack light: as is usually the case with airline, checked baggage is not included. Jetstar's Japan sale kicks off at 12pm AEST on Monday, May 19, 2025 for Club Jetstar members and at 12am on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 otherwise, running until 11.59pm AEDT on Friday, May 23, 2025 — unless it's sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
There's never a bad time to party while you're perched above the rest of the world, especially when there's a new year to celebrate. December 31 isn't the only time to do just that, of course, with Brisbanites able to climb up high from 4–9pm on Saturday, February 4 to mark the start of the new lunar calendar on a shopping centre's rooftop. As it has in the past, the 2023 BrisAsia Festival is throwing a huge Lunar New Year Rooftop Party. To join in the fun you'll want to head to Sunnybank Plaza and head up to the top of the Hoyts Cinema carpark. Expect dragon and lion dancers, lantern workshops, Asian pop and plenty to eat. Expect to feel like you're at a traditional lantern festival, too, but without leaving Brisbane. Past years have featured tea ceremonies, calligraphy classes and more — and fireworks are always a big highlight. Entry is free, but bring your wallet to feast on dinner from the nearby restaurants.
It's never too late to learn something new, and we're not just talking about the ins and outs of superannuation. Rather, turning your brain to studying — and possibly launching yourself into a new career — has never been so easy. Open Universities Australia (OUA) helps you find a degree to fit your goals and study it online. So, no matter your physical proximity to the university running the course, or your life commitments, you can make it happen. Whether you're a first-time student, an aiming-to-finisher, or just looking to extend your career options by adding another notch to your belt, we know that half the battle can be figuring out what you actually want to study. Rather than spending hours trying to nut it out, why not use the time you've already dedicated to your favourite television show? Chances are, your favourite genre might give you a pretty good clue as to what you're into. Read on to discover eight possible careers based on a small-screen hit, then go tell your mum that you weren't wasting time after all. YOU LOVE: THE HANDMAID'S TALE Consider studying: Bachelor of Psychological Science and Sociology with University of South Australia (UniSA), Bachelor of Behavioural Studies with Swinburne University or Master of Public Policy and Management with Flinders University. Well, things are pretty bleak at the moment in Gilead. And they have been for June (Elisabeth Moss) since the show — an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name — began. An oft-bleak reflection of parts of our world in the modern day, The Handmaid's Tale isn't a happy watch, but it is an important one — and from it arises a wider commentary on policy, oppression and herd mentality. If you really want to unpack everything that's happening to June, or if the eerily familiar (and frustrating) circumstances have lit a fire in your belly, consider studying a degree in policy, social studies or psychology, available online through OUA. YOU LOVE: BROOKLYN NINE-NINE Consider studying: Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice with Griffith University or a Master of Criminology with Macquarie University. You only need to spend a little time on social media to know that Brooklyn Nine-Nine has become a cult TV offering — there are memes everywhere. The comedy has a surprising amount of heart behind Detective Jake Peralta's (Andy Samberg) antics and the joke-a-minute vibe (if you didn't laugh at that Backstreet Boys cold open, then you don't have a sense of humour). Although it's cloaked in fictional comedy, this show covers some seriously diverse crimes. This, plus the backlog of true crime documentaries on your to-watch list, prove that there are seriously interesting stories out there and some wild stuff that happens in the world. If you want to hustle your case-cracking prowess into a career, explore a degree in criminology with Griffith University. Or, if you've already got a bachelor's degree and notched up some work experience in the field of security, you can jump into a masters with Macquarie University. YOU LOVE: GAME OF THRONES Consider studying: Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) with Curtin University, Master of Writing with Swinburne University or Master of Arts (TESOL) at Bond University. Just because it's over doesn't mean it's really over — the characters of Westeros and Jon Snow's immense sadness can live on in your heart long after the final episode. And we've found a way for you to continue your obsession with the epic fantasy series based on George R.R. Martin's books. You can learn to appreciate the intricacies of the world he created or, even better, create your own Westeros (maybe one where slightly less characters die) by taking on a creative writing course online through OUA. You can start from the very beginning with Curtin University's bachelor degree, which allows you to explore different styles including poetry, short fiction and screenwriting. Or, you can hone your already established craft with a masters with Swinburne University of Technology or Bond University. The latter explores the principles of the English language and will grant you a teaching qualification, too. YOU LOVE: CHERNOBYL Consider studying: Diploma in Science with University of New England or Associate Degree in Engineering at University of South Australia. It's the one everyone has been talking about, and it recently rated the best TV show of all time on IMDb. Chernobyl, which explores the catastrophic incident at a Ukrainian power plant in 1986, breaks down a particularly harrowing chapter of history. The disaster had far and long-reaching consequences and the show gets you thinking about what happens when science and human error combine to fail us. If your brain is ticking over with nuclear reactor designs or chemical equations, it might be time to hit up OUA to embark on a new career in science or engineering. YOU LOVE: SEX EDUCATION Consider studying: Bachelor of International Public Health with University of NSW or Master of Public Health with Curtin University. Netflix's very funny, very sweet British show has basically everything you need for a weekend binge show: good writing, a great cast and a storyline tackling critical gender and sexuality issues among young people. Oh, and Gillian Anderson. Sex Education tells the story of Otis (Asa Butterfield) trying to making it through high school while contending with his mother (Anderson), who is a sex therapist working from home. A show that anyone, young or old, can find something to relate to in, Sex Education is a worthy reminder that health and sexual education should be taught comprehensively to young people. If you think you could fill those very important shoes, considering studying a public health degree with a leading uni online through OUA, which could open you up to career opportunities in government agencies, research or community health programs. YOU LOVE: RICK AND MORTY Consider studying: Bachelor of Arts (Animation and Game Design) with Curtin University or Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) in Games Design and Development with Murdoch University. Yeah, we know — it's a silly one. But it's pretty damn funny. Rick and Morty was created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon, of Adventure Time and Community respectively, and it's not for the underage (or faint-hearted). Following mad scientist Rick and his grandson Morty as they go on interdimensional adventures, the show is wacky, original, and a little gross. But, it may also get you thinking about the rising popularity of adult cartoons, and the animation teams behind their increased profile. So, if you've always had an artistic streak that you'd like to nurture into a full-blown career, have a search through the online options through OUA for animation and game development. YOU LOVE: THE GOOD PLACE Consider studying: Bachelor of Education (Primary, Secondary or Early Childhood) with Curtin University. One of the most clever shows in recent years has to be Michael Schur's The Good Place. From the man who brought us Parks & Recreation and The Office comes a comedy starring Kristen Bell as Eleanor — an unremarkable person during her life on earth who wakes up in The Good Place, or a heaven-like utopia, being shown around by Michael (Ted Danson). Three seasons of moral questions, philosophical quandaries and people just being human ensue. While a lot of it is silly fun, The Good Place does provide a solid vessel for the discussion of ethics, via creative uses, and exploration of belief. It also hammers home, while we watch Chidi attempt to teach Eleanor moral philosophy, that the world needs more good teachers. Live your dream and explore your own moral questions by becoming one. YOU LOVE: SUITS Consider studying: Bachelor of Laws with University of New England and Juris Doctor with Flinders University. Pre-prince days for Meghan Markle brought us Suits, an Aaron Korsh-created legal drama focusing on Mike Ross and Harvey Specter, lawyers working at a large firm in New York City. While Mike (Patrick J. Adams) goes in entirely untrained and manages to pull off working large cases without a sweat, we don't encourage that — in fact, we'd strongly urge you to look into a law degree, which you can study online through OUA. Combine your interests in watching endless episodes of Suits (there are nine seasons), besting someone in a verbal argument and, if you like Mike, helping the underdog by getting a law degree. The two-piece suits await. Explore hundreds of degrees from leading Australian universities available online through Open Universities Australia. You could have a new skill by the end of the year. Hop to it.
2020 has thrown many tough questions our way but, for Queenslanders, quite the conundrum is currently upon us. When the state's indoor dance floors reopen — which is allowed to happen from midday on Monday, December 14, as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk just announced — what fancy footwork will you bust out? Which go-to dance move will you use? And what song to do you want to make shapes to? For much of this year, as we've noted several times before, Queensland has resembled the town from Footloose. Kevin Bacon wasn't here, sadly, but dancing was forbidden. That's been changing in recent months, though, with outdoor dancing at music festivals and in beer gardens — and at weddings — permitted since mid-November. Being able to cut a rug indoors is the next step, however, and it is finally here. Whether you want to shake a leg at a pub, club or nightclub, it doesn't matter — they're all allowed to reopen their dance floors. There is a caveat, though, with the one person per two-square-metres rule applying. So you'll be tripping the light fantastic in a socially distanced fashion. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1336798511791140864 And if you're wondering about the timing of the news — and of dancing inside making a comeback — yes, the fact that it's the most festive and celebratory part of the year has something to do with it. Health and Ambulance Services Minister Yvette D'Ath said that "it is because of everyone's hard work and cooperation with public health directions that we will now be able to can-can at Christmas parties and rock around the clock as it strikes 12 on New Year's Eve". Obviously, you can choose other dance styles (and other ways to describe your dancing), if you prefer. Queensland has now hit 86 days without community transmission of COVID-19, and currently has 22 active cases. For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
At this point, it's not really a surprise when Uber announces some strange, attention grabbing promotion. Sometimes they bring you ice cream. Other times, it's puppies. And this Australia Day/Invasion Day/January 26, they're delivering the most important (and oft-forgotten) addition to any barbecue: bags of ice. Now, there's a heap of things to do for tomorrow's public holiday — we've put together a handy list for Sydneysiders, Melburnians and Brisbanites. You can attend one of the rallies happening around the country, head to a Survival Day festival, take the opportunity to learn up on Australian history or simply go to see an Australian film (Lion just got a heap of Oscar noms), but if you're attending a barbecue, this delivery service might come in handy — especially when you run out of ice and all your mates are already four beers in. Starting from 11am on January 26, UberEATS users in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide will be able to log onto the app and, by typing 'backyard hero', see all the locations selling bags of ice and order one. If you've never used Uber before, use the code 'backyard hero' for free ice — otherwise it'll cost you $10. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Brisbane's busy market scene loves an occasion. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that Christmas markets are a massive thing around town, including at Redcliffe's regular excuse to get shopping by the sea. Indeed, only the Redcliffe Christmas Twilight Market will take you browsing and buying by the Redcliffe jetty. Fancy a merry theme and an ace waterside location? That's on offer from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 9. Also on the bill: a whole Christmas wonderland set up, complete with fireworks, festive-appropriate decorations all over the place, and music and live entertainment to fit the mood. And, a heap of food stalls serving up bites to eat, and drinks, also to suit the theme. Entry is free, but you'll want your wallet for all that browsing and buying — there's usually hundreds of stalls to peruse. And yes, dressing up is welcome for this wander along Redcliffe Parade till 9pm.
If you're a Queenslander with a hankering to visit Adelaide — or vice versa — then you'll know that your plans have been out on hold for the past month. Back in mid-November, when 17 COVID-19 cases were identified in the South Australian capital in a 24-hour period as part of a new cluster, the Sunshine State declared the area a coronavirus hotspot. And, as a result, Queensland closed its borders to the SA city. Yesterday, Monday, December 7, the Queensland Government announced that it'll reopen to folks from the 20 Local Government Areas in Adelaide from 1am on Saturday, December 12 — but only if there are no new unlinked cases of COVID-19 between now and then. If that eventuates, Queensland will be open to the entire country, after letting folks from all of New South Wales and Victoria head north since December 1. As Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young explained, December 12 will mark 28 days since the first case in Adelaide's cluster — if you're wondering why the state is working towards that date. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1335840749888315392 At present, anyone visiting Queensland from Adelaide has to receive an exemption and then go into quarantine for 14 days. Queenslanders returning home from the SA city must self-isolate for a fortnight, too. The news came as the Sunshine State marked 83 days since its last community-acquired case of COVID-19. Still, the need to continue to be careful in these pandemic-afflicted times was stressed as part of the announcement. So, the usual rules regarding hygiene, social distancing and getting tested if you display any possible COVID-19 symptoms all still apply throughout the state — as restrictions keep easing, and with the new border restrictions with SA. For more information about southeast Queensland's COVID-19 border restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
2023 ain't nuthing ta f' wit: it's the year that Wu-Tang Clan are returning Down Under, after all. After the hip hop legends kicked off their NY State of Mind tour with Nas in 2022, they're bringing the 2023 leg to Australia and New Zealand — and it's still a joint affair. Two of the biggest names in the business since the 90s — with Wu-Tang Clan first making a splash with their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and Nas doing the same with 1994's Illmatic — will play four shows in total on their Aussie and Aotearoa visit. They're the first gigs in the 2023 tour, too, and all in May, kicking off in Auckland before hopping across the ditch for stops in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The 2022 leg hit up more than 25 cities, and 2023's is just as epic — after its stint Down Under, it heads through Europe and then back to the US. Along the way, fans can enjoy Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna taking to the stage three decades after they first came to fame — and Nas sharing the mic as well. Over that time, Wu-Tang Clan have dropped seven further albums from a fill discography that, including solo records by its members, notches up more than 85 full-length releases. Their tours pull from the whole lot, as set against that ever-present Wu-Tang 'W' — and honours the deceased Ol' Dirty Bastard as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wu Tang Clan (@wutangclan) WU-TANG CLAN AND NAS 'NY STATE OF MIND' TOUR 2023: Tuesday, May 9 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, May 12 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, May 13 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Sunday, May 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wu-Tang Clan and Nas tour Australia and New Zealand in May 2023, with pre-sales from 11am local time on Friday, March 3, and general sales from 12pm local time on Monday, March 6. Head to the Live Nation website for tickets and further details.
At festivals all over the UK this summer, Vodafone has been trialling the new 'Power Pocket'. Built into either a 'Recharge' sleeping bag or a pair of 'Power' denim shorts, the device draws on body heat to charge mobile phones. Vodafone developed the Power Pocket in conjunction with the University of Southampton's Department of Electronics and Computer Science. 'We've been working on printed smart material since the late 1980s,' Professor Stephen Beeby explains on the company's blog. 'But that was high-temperature stuff designed to be used on ceramics. We got into the topic of energy harvesting in the late 1990s, and we brought the two together to make smart materials for harvesting energy. We started on thermoelectric materials in 2003, but our printed thermoelectric material work has only been the last few years.' The smart material is made up of 'thermocouples', a whole bunch of which form a 'thermoelectric module'. One side of this is cold and the other is hot. The introduction of heat creates both a voltage and a current, which, in unison, give rise to electric power. In other words, the warmth generated by sleeping or dancing contrasts with the external cold air. Technically, this reaction is known as the 'Seebeck Effect'. At the moment, eight hours' time in the sleeping bag produces enough energy for 24 minutes of talking and 11 hours on stand-by, while a day's worth of activity in the shorts provides four hours of smartphone charge. [via Inhabitat]
Art/Work is a new Concrete Playground series where we take some time to chat with our local creatives in an attempt to unravel the daily grind behind being an artist. This week we speak with Kate Mitchell, a Sydney-based endurance artist represented by Chalk Horse. She is also one half of the paper cut crazy duo, Greedy Hen. Beware, jealousy pangs coming up, no more day job for this lovely lady! Most days you'll find me having some good times working at the Greedy Hen studio in Surry Hills. Greedy Hen is essentially a multi-disciplinary studio functioning partly as an art collective and partly as a design studio, housing the collaborative works of Katherine Brickman and myself. We make artwork, mostly collage/illustration heavy and it ends up in a whole variety of industries. We share our studio with some top notch people like Elke Kramer, Mikie Inglis and Benja Harney. It's non stop action in there! When I am not there I am having good times working/making from my studio at home. Otherwise I'm at the beach or on a bike. For the most part I spend my week bouncing ideas around with Katherine Brickman in Greedy Hen HQ, nutting out plans of attack and then getting them done the best way we can. We never know what will be in our inbox each morning, but usually there is some job waiting patiently for us! From time to time I work from my studio at home, it's quite a good balance. At the moment I am working on a solo Greedy Hen show which opens on May 5th at Lamington Drive in Melbourne. And currently I have some video works in a splendid group show called Social Sculpture on at Anna Schwartz Gallery at Carriage Works. It's on until May 14th. If money wasn't an issue I'd sail around the world, live on an island, climb some mountains, raft some rapids, make travel documentaries, meet some serious locals, learn to tie knots properly, never live through another winter and just wholesomely get out there and get involved. And realise all art dreams! Being an artist in Sydney is delightful and relentless in equal measure. My neighbourhood is Bronte. There's the beach and the RSL, what could possibly go wrong? I'm quite a fan of sneaking in a good body surf at Bronte beach in the mornings, and then I can't resist a dance off at Good God Small Club. It never fails to deliver.
When the end credits rolled Dune: Part Two when it reached cinemas in February, it clearly wasn't the end of Paul Atreides' story. On the page, in the book franchise started by Frank Herbert in 1965, the tale of sci-fi's spiciest man — and of the planet Arrakis, and the fight to control it — goes on. It will continue on the big screen, too, with a third Dune movie from Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) now officially in development. As Variety reports, Villeneuve will work on the futuristic saga's next flick, which will follow 2021 standout Dune: Part One and this year's first sequel. That's all that's locked in right now, though — but here's hoping that it has a smoother path to picture palaces, after Part One was delayed from 2020 due to the pandemic's early days, then Part Two was pushed back from 2023 during Hollywood's strikes. When the next Dune movie will release, if it'll be called Dune Messiah like the second of Herbert's novels, whether Timothée Chalamet (Wonka) will be back as Paul, if he'll be co-starring with Zendaya (Euphoria) again: none of this has been confirmed at the moment. There might be a wait for more Dune, however, with Villeneuve also potentially adapting non-fiction text Nuclear War: A Scenario into a feature (and maybe making his own Oppenheimer as a result). Dune: Part One picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars, including for Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser. Although 2025's Academy Awards are still almost a year away, expect Dune: Part Two to at least notch up nominations again. Also featuring Rebecca Ferguson (Silo), Javier Bardem (The Little Mermaid), Stellan Skarsgård (Andor), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Christopher Walken (Severance), Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer), Austin Butler (Elvis), Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta), Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future), Josh Brolin (Outer Range) and Jason Momoa (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) across the two flicks so far, Villeneuve's Dune films to-date follow in David Lynch's footsteps. They also manage what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. Dune Messiah has only made it to the small screen before now, in 2003 miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune that included James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) and Susan Sarandon (Blue Beetle) among its cast — plus Alec Newman (The Boys in the Boat) as Paul. There's obviously no sneak peek at the third Dune film yet, but check out the trailers for Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two below: The third Dune film doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Read our reviews of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, and our interview with cinematographer Greig Fraser.
Filled with fiery spanish rhythms and lustrous musical numbers, Francesca Zambello’s stunning production, Carmen, makes its Queensland debut at QPAC. Executed with stunning realism, this opera follows the trials of Carmen, a gypsy woman who is arrested by solider Don José. After being seduced by Carmen, José quickly learns that his attempts to tame this spirited gypsy are futile, and becomes murderously enraged when she leaves him for the great Escamillo. Dangerously presenting the complexities of sex, rebellion and violence, Zambello's production captures the very essence of Carmen. Combining rich and provocative spanish music with the powerful vocals of Kirstin Chávez as Carmen and Konstantin Andreyev as Don José, this stunning performance provides a tantalising feast for all the senses. With scenes that will both shock and touch audiences, this production provides a raw and daring take of the 1875 opera masterpiece. By combining daring, fiery music with the violent, sexual turmoil experienced by the characters, Zambello’s Carmen is truly a theatrical triumph not to be missed.
Back in 2019, the thought of spending August in Melbourne doing anything other than sitting in a darkened room watching movie after movie would've sounded like flat-out cinephile blasphemy. Thankfully, after two pandemic-affected years that put Melbourne International Film Festival's in-person plans on hold not once but twice, that idea won't be a reality in 2022. Yes, the city's major cinema celebration is back in its best guise this year — and it'll have you making grooves in your favourite ACMI, The Capitol, Forum, Hoyts Melbourne Central, IMAX, Kino Cinema and Cinema Nova seats for most of the month. You'd better stock up on healthy mid-film snacks now, given you'll soon have a massive 371 features, shorts and extended-reality titles to watch. You'd best start training for all that time spent sitting down, too. Hitting cinemas for the first time in three years after pivoting online in 2020 and 2021 out of lockdown-fuelled necessity, MIFF is returning to Melbourne's picture palaces with a bang between Thursday, August 4–Sunday, August 21. That's already been obvious since back in June, when the fest unveiled its first 33 flicks for this year, its 70th event — and now that the full 2022 lineup has dropped, it keeps proving accurate. Among the just-announced new highlights, MIFF will boast the Australian premiere of The Stranger, a true-crime thriller starring Joel Edgerton (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Sean Harris (Spencer), as directed by Acute Misfortune's Thomas M Wright; the local debut of Aftersun, another straight-from-Cannes pick led by Normal People's Paul Mescal; a big session of Three Thousand Years of Longing, the Tilda Swinton (Memoria)- and Idris Elba (The Harder They Fall)-starring latest from Mad Max: Fury Road's George Miller; and also David Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future, the iconic filmmaker's first feature since 2014's Maps to the Stars. Also massive: the Aussie premiere of documentary Moonage Daydream. As the title instantly makes plain to fans of David Bowie, it's all about the music icon, with Cobain: Montage of Heck and Jane filmmaker Brett Morgen creating a collage that steps through the singer's life using restored and never-before-seen footage. Or, there's also Decision to Leave, a noir romance that saw Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Stoker, Oldboy) win Cannes' Best Director gong — and documentaries by Ethan Coen (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), making his solo directing debut by surveying Jerry Lee Lewis; and Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name), about shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo. In 2022, MIFF is debuting a new competition, too, which'll boast a $140,000 Best Film Award. Called Bright Horizons, it'll feature 11 movies vying for the prize — including the aforementioned The Stranger and Aftersun, Mexican drug trade drama Robe of Gems, cyber-musical Neptune Frost, Sundance Special Jury Award-winner Leonor Will Never Die, and Aussie filmmaker Alena Lodkina's (Strange Colours) second feature Petrol. The list of MIFF highlights also covers Palme d'Or winner Triangle of Sadness, which satirises the mega rich, is directed by Force Majeure's Ruben Östlund, and marks his second Palme win after The Square; and Broker, the latest from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, who won the Palme d'Or back in 2018 with the sublime Shoplifters. This time, the latter has made a movie in Korea — his first Korean-language film, in fact, starring Parasite's Song Kang-ho, who won Cannes' Best Actor Award — with Broker again exploring the ties that bind and the connections of family. Other Cannes award-recipients in MIFF's program include joint Cannes Grand Prix-winner Stars at Noon, which sees Claire Denis (High Life) direct Margaret Qualley (Maid) and Joe Alwyn (Conversations with Friends) in an erotic espionage tale; Tori and Lokita, which nabbed the Cannes 75th Anniversary Prize for Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Two Days, One Night); Holy Spider, an Iran-set true-crime serial killer thriller by Ali Abbasi (Border), and the recipient of Cannes' Best Actress Award for star Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Tehran Taboo). And, the lineup of must-sees also spans Blaze, a mix of live-action, puppetry and animation directed by acclaimed Aussie artist Del Kathryn Barton; Mass, which follows the aftermath of a school shooting; Australia's own Seriously Red, a SXSW hit about a Dolly Parton impersonator; and One Fine Morning, from acclaimed French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve (Bergman Island). Or, there's Shadow by theatre company Back to Back; War Pony, which scored Zola actor-turned-filmmaker Riley Keough and co-director Gina Gammell Cannes' Camera d'Or; and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, the stop-motion comedy based on the shorts and books of the same name, which screens just before Jenny Slate hits town for Melbourne Writers Festival. MIFF's genre selection is always a treat, and 2022 is no different. That's where you'll find standouts such as Bodies Bodies Bodies, the A24 horror-comedy starring Rachel Sennott, Amandla Stenberg and Pete Davidson; Canberra-shot social media-skewering delight Sissy; and Something in the Dirt, the latest mind-bender directed by and starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (The Endless). The fest is also dedicating its filmmaker retrospectives to Hungarian auteur Márta Mészáros and French-Bosnian writer/director Lucile Hadžihalilović — and, obviously, all of the above and more joins the heap of already-announced flicks, such as opening night's coming-of-age feature Of an Age, a Hear My Eyes session of Chopper, the Aubrey Plaza (Best Sellers)-starring thriller Emily the Criminal, and horror-comedy Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon from A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night's Ana Lily Amirpour. Also, in fabulous news both for Melburnians and for movie buffs interstate, MIFF will still keep its online program in 2022 — an unsurprising move given that in 2020, when it first made the leap to streaming the fest in a big way, it enjoyed its biggest audience ever. This year, MIFF Play will be available from Thursday, August 11–Sunday, August 28, making the festival run for almost a month in-person and digitally, and will show 105 features and shorts. And, during its in-cinema stint, MIFF is going suburban, too, with sessions at Melbourne cinemas The Astor, Lido, Pentridge and Sun Theatre from Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 21 as well. It'll also hit up regional Victorian venues in Bairnsdale, Bendigo, Bright, Castlemaine, Echuca, Geelong, Mildura,Sorrento and Warrnambool during the same dates. The 2022 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 4–Sunday, August 28 at a variety of venues around Melbourne and Victoria, and online. For further details, including tickets from Friday, July 15 — and MIFF member pre-sales on Wednesday, July 13–Thursday, July 14 — visit the MIFF website.
Who'll win orb-topped trophies? Who'll wear what? Who'll make the best, funniest and most rambling speeches? Whenever January hits and the Golden Globes approach for another year, they're the standard questions. Here's another: where can Australians watch the red carpet action and the ceremony? In 2023, the answer to that last query is streaming — and, to be specific, Stan. The Aussie platform has nabbed the exclusive broadcasting rights to this year's Golden Globes, covering both the pre-show and the awards themselves. Both will be streamed live on Wednesday, January 11, starting at 11am AEDT / 10am AEST for the arrivals and 12pm AEDT / 11am AEST for the gongs themselves. [caption id="attachment_884053" align="alignnone" width="1920"] CleftClips via Flickr[/caption] This'll mark the first time that Stan has aired the Golden Globes, which be beamed into your streaming queue from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. On hosting duties: comedian Jerrod Carmichael. Nominated: a hefty list of the past year's best movies and TV shows, because these awards cover both. Among the big-screen contenders sits everything from Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Banshees of Inisherin to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Elvis. On the small screen, The White Lotus, Severance, Only Murders in the Building, Abbott Elementary, Wednesday and more are vying for accolades. Australians have also earned a hefty showing among the nominees, including Baz Luhrmann's Best Director nom for Elvis, and Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman and Elizabeth Debicki all picking up acting nominations (for Tár, Bablyon, The Son and The Crown, respectively). If you're wondering who'll be presenting awards rather than trying to win them, expect to see Ana de Armas (The Gray Man), Billy Porter (Cinderella), Colman Domingo (Euphoria), Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween Ends), Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll), Nicole Byer (Nailed It!) and Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) among the folks taking to the stage. Of course, the fact that the 2023 Golden Globes take place on a Wednesday isn't the best for parties — although they will hopefully liven up the middle of your week. The 2023 Golden Globes will be announced on Wednesday, January 11 Australian time, streaming via Stan from 11am AEDT / 10am AEST for red carpet arrivals and 12pm AEDT / 11am AEST for the ceremony itself. Wondering who's nominated? Read our rundown of this year's nominees.
In the post most likely to give you diabetes, we present the nine best desserts and sweet indulgences in Brisbane. Not for the faint-hearted, or the sugar-free, these nine Brisbane experiences will give you a sugar hit so high you'll have a hangover on the way down. And what will cure such a hangover? A hair of the dog — follow your milkshake crawl with a dessert degustation, then kick the next day off with a boozy brunch and croissant on the go. We dare you. Bacchus five-course dessert degustation Ulmer famously said "life is uncertain; eat dessert first", but we say screw dinner and just eat dessert. Those with a serious sweet tooth and a penchant for fine dining should head to Bacchus for the five-course dessert degustation. Possibly also Brisbane's cheapest degustation (and also in one of its fanciest restaurants), the dishes star everything from raspberry, lemon and chocolate to sticky date and a souffle. The decadent menu will give you change for a $50 and a tummy so full you'll roll down Grey Street afterwards. Take care not to fall in the pool. High tea at Passiontree Velvet Brisbane's newest place for high tea, Passiontree Velvet is here to feed your inner aristocrat, without the pretentiousness. The Carindale store brings more to the bustling shopping centre than just a mid-shop hunger buster; it's an English tea house, Parisian patisserie and a Belgian chocolatier rolled into one, making it a perfect place for a decadent high tea. Everything from Flour & Chocolate Owner/baker Lachlan knows what's up and will have you salivating from the comfort of your bed at 7am on a weekday. Following these guys on Instagram is torture, but often the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning is knowing there may be F&C baked goods on my horizon. The only reason I've started doing the Couch to 5k is to run to this bakery and justify a cronut, or brownie, or croissant (depending on the day). Yes, you have to go in on specific days for specific things — Wednesdays is gonuts (cronuts), Thursdays for donuts, Fridays for brownies, and the weekend is a free for all. The suspense. Marshmallow martini or boozy brunch at Cowch Flaunting itself as Brisbane's first and only dessert bar, Cowch takes the role very seriously. With a freshly launched breakfast menu, it now offers churros from 7am until late every single day. If you're there in the evening, kick on with the Mello Martini. Think cinnamon-infused vodka, Patron XO Dark Cafe and vanilla, topped with cream and finished with toasted marshmallows. Not for the faint-hearted. Desserts till late at Chester St Bakery Desserts till midnight, 'erynight. We know, we're sorry — because now at 10.30pm on a Tuesday you'll know where to satisfy those cravings. Besides the glass cabinets filled with epic amount of delicious cakes, the dessert menu is dishing up Nutella pizza with caramelised banana and toasted marshmallow, waffles with candied bacon and maple syrup ice cream, and honeycomb parfait with a brownie and warm chocolate sauce to name a few. The pastry chefs at Chester Street make everything on site, including all the cakes, fillings, sauces and garnishes from scratch using quality ingredients. We know if you’ve been drinking, well, there is no stopping you or how much cake you’ll devour. Concrete Playground's Milkshake Crawl At the start of the year we wrote about our #milkshakecrawl to uncover the best of Brisbane's milkshakes. Since then we've happily learnt through the grapevine that quite a few of you have been following your destiny and going an expedition yourselves. Go on, get yourself more milk-drunk than a newborn baby and see if you can beat our record of six between three people in one afternoon. La Macelleria Gelato classes Eating gelato is great, but what if you learnt how to make your own? Every Monday night from 5.30-7pm the new La Macelleria Gelateria in Newstead hosts workshops in the Art of Gelato with a Bolognese man. The two owners, both named Matteo, both from Bologna, have the gelato magic inside them that will transport you to the Italian summer of '12. Roll up your sleeves, listen in and become your own gelato-maestro. Best of all, you get to take home the fruits of your labour — gelato for the week! Dello Mano Brownies The claim to fame is that Ashton Kutcher ordered these Brisbane-made luxury brownies to celebrate his birthday in Paris a few years back. But truly, these brownies are divine. Perch yourself atop a padded tin drum stool, a classic French bistro chair or at the coffee bar and you're guaranteed to feel like you too have just stumbled across a corner cafe in Paris. Crunchy on the outside with an intensely gooey centre, these brownies have that wonderful 'not quite cooked through' texture that leaves you in a state of chocolate bliss. Noosa Chocolate Factory One side of the skinny space at The Dark Chocolatier on Adelaide Street is stacked eye-level to floor with little wooden crates holding everything from the pick and mix to small slabs and rocky road. All chocolate is made at the factory in, you guessed it, Noosa by a small team. Worth a sweet $4.50 per 100g, our top picks include the dark chocolate coated freeze-dried strawberries (have to be tasted the be believed), milk chocolate hazelnuts, dark cocoa-dusted almonds, dark chocolate blueberries and the mango-infused white chocolate coated macadamias. Header image: Cowch
