Western Sydney could use a love letter right now, and that tribute arrives in Here Out West. The product of eight up-and-coming screenwriters from the area, it celebrates a place that has spent much of the past year garnering attention for a reason no one wanted: thanks to the tighter rules applied to the region during Sydney's four-month stretch of stay-at-home conditions in 2021, it was home to New South Wales' strictest lockdown of the pandemic to-date. Thankfully, COVID-19 isn't this movie's focus. Instead, as told in nine languages — Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Kurdish, Tagalog, Turkish, Vietnamese, Spanish and English — and helmed by five female filmmakers, Here Out West dwells in everyday lives. It champions by seeing and recognising, and by trumpeting voices that have always been there but are infrequently given a microphone. Of course, as thoughtful and meaningful as Here Out West is — and as welcome a move it makes with sincere multicultural representation in Australia — it really shouldn't stand out as much as it does. There shouldn't have needed to be a concerted effort to champion western Sydney voices to make a film like this. It shouldn't grab attention as a rarity, either, and it shouldn't feel so timely because of the events of the last 12 months. Here Out West does all of these things because it's an outlier in Australia's homegrown filmic output, but it also clearly makes a case that's already apparent and inherent anyway: that presenting more than just the stereotypical image of Australia, and opting for a genuine picture of the country as it actually is instead, should always be the baseline and status quo. Opening shots of suburban houses and looping highways set the scene: viewers aren't journeying to an Aussie beach or the nation's parched outback expanse, aka two of the prevailing visions of this sunburnt, sea-girt continent on-screen. Rather, Here Out West unfurls its octet of intertwined vignettes in spaces far more ordinary — not to downplay the importance of surveying western Sydney, but to clearly note that these are its daily playgrounds. It's here that mothers have babies, neighbours look after the kids next door, grandmothers worry about their grandchildren, dads struggle to connect with their sons, and sport and food are among the ways that people come together. It's here that adults bicker among themselves over love, and with their parents about their futures. It's where lives begin and end, and where folks with dreams both big and modest also try to start anew. And yes, all of these scenarios are covered by the film's narrative. Initially, Here Out West spends time with Nancy (Geneviève Lemon, The Tourist), who takes care of her eight-year-old neighbour Amirah (debutant Mia-Lore Bayeh), but wasn't actually planning to help out today. She has a newborn granddaughter to meet — one that the authorities are planning to take away, so Nancy makes a drastic decision that'll ripple throughout the community across the movie's one-day timeframe. In the film's second segment, hospital carpark security guard Jorge (fellow first-timer Christian Ravello) is brought into the wider story, and also gets a snapshot chapter of his own. His instalment then intersects with friends Rashid (Rahel Romahn, Moon Rock for Monday), Dino (Thuso Lekwape, Book Week) and Robi (Arka Das, Babyteeth), who run through the streets arguing about Rashid's cousin. Next, their section links in with Ashmita (Leah Vandenberg, The Hunting) and her dying Bengali-speaking father back at the local hospital. Returning to specific spots comes with territory, because it comes with living anywhere; paths cross, people are drawn to the same busy and central locations, and some facilities — such as Here Out West's pivotal hospital — are always a hive of activity in any community. That truth continues to drive the film as it meets Kurdish refugees Keko (De Lovan Zandy) and Xoxe (Befrin Axtjärn Jackson), who are hoping to make a new beginning that still involves his penchant for music and her skills hand-weaving carpets, before jumping to Tuan (Khoi Trinh) and his brother Andy (Brandon Nguyen), who possess varying ideas about what it means to be Vietnamese Australian. Then comes a glimpse at nurse Roxanne's (Christine Milo, It's a Cult!) day as she works a double shift and misses her family in The Philippines. And, there's also Winnie (Gabrielle Chan, Hungry Ghosts) and Angel (Jing-Xuan Chan, Neighbours) as the mother and daughter close their Chinese restaurant for the last time. The common threads linking Here Out West's chapters are the ties that bind everyone: family, place and hope. But writers Nisrine Amine, Das (who acts as well as pens his section of the film), Bina Bhattacharya, Matias Bolla, Claire Cao, Dee Dogan, Vonne Patiag and Tien Tran find their own takes on the movie's common elements, sometimes by drawing from experience — and, unsurprisingly, the feature frequently feels personal. That sensation connects each of the picture's segments, too, with every section peering intimately at western Sydney residents, their lives and their emotions, and showing both the specific and the universal in the process. That isn't a revolutionary overall approach, and has long made so many stories strike a chord on pages, stages and screens, but the way that Here Out West uses such sparks of recognition is equally astute and moving. As directed by feature first-timers Fadia Abboud, Lucy Gaffy and Julie Kalceff, as well as the more seasoned Ana Kokkinos (Blessed) and Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Here Out West also charts a route that most anthologies do — because not every part matches the last or next. Each of its eight vignettes bring engaging people to the screen, and function as perceptively drawn character studies, but there's more to some than others. That's as fitting as the movie's naturalistically shot look, however, because that too reflects the reality that Here Out West so determinedly channels. Some tales are slight, others are immense and plenty sit in-between, but in this powerful, authentic, diversity-celebrating ode to western Sydney, they're all worth telling and sharing.
We all know there are items we shouldn't be stockpiling right now, but when we're all spending more time at home than usual it's probably a wise idea to stock up on some creature comforts — whether that's making a long list of shows we're planning to binge watch or stocking up the cellar with our favourite wines. Online cellar door Naked Wines launched in 2012 with the aim of connecting at-home wine drinkers with winemakers across Australia and New Zealand. Since then it's grown to include more than 53 winemakers and more than 100,000 'wine angels' — people who pay $40 a month to their Naked Wines account to use as credit to support the wineries they like and to receive discounts on bottles of vino. And those winemakers include the likes of Enfant Terrible from Adelaide Hills, Le Petit Mort from Queensland's Granite Belt and Hilltops, NSW, plus Blindside from Margaret River. You can order cases of six, 12 or 15 bottles. If you're based in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, Naked Wines could be winging their way to you by the next working day. For Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, delivery is within two-to-four business days. It's also free delivery for members if you're in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, however there are delivery costs of up to $20 outside of those cities. And, as we're all in need of a little comfort right now, we've partnered with our friends at Naked Wines to offer first-time Naked Wines customers over 18 a $100-voucher to spend on your next case of wine. Simply head to this link to make your purchase and double-check the conditions below. To use the voucher you must be 18 years or older. The voucher entitles first-time Naked Wines customers to $100 off their first order of 12 bottles. All orders are a minimum of 12 bottles, and a minimum spend of $155.88. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. *Next day delivery is available to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth metro areas for orders placed before 3pm. Naked Wines does not ship to Northern Territory. Delivery not included. Offer is subject to change. See website for full Terms and Conditions. This story includes affiliate links, which means Concrete Playground may receive a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. This does not influence our editorial recommendations or content. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Traipsing through a decaying apartment complex, getting his rotting teeth checked, and munching on roasted dog leg: all part of an ordinary day for Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston). It wasn't always this way though. Just three months earlier, the surgeon was a fresh resident in the gleaming tower, filling his new home with boxes, meeting his neighbours, and talking about starting over with a clean slate. He soon discovers, however, that a strict hierarchy rules the titular structure, and when it starts to falter, so does anything resembling a civilised existence. All it takes is a power outage and an unauthorised dip in a communal swimming pool for classes to clash and all hell to break loose. Welcome to the world of High-Rise, with director Ben Wheatley and his regular screenwriter and co-editor Amy Jump bringing the dystopian vision of J.G. Ballard's cult 1975 novel to the screen. They're the perfect pair for the task, particularly in light of their previous output. Psychological horror Kill List, murderous black comedy Sightseers and hallucinatory historical thriller A Field in England all examined the bleak and brutal side of the human psyche. If those films aren't the ideal stepping stones towards exploring the mayhem of the masses when left to their own devices, then we don't know what are. The eponymous property's descent into anarchy runs in parallel to Laing's ascent through its social ranks, though the smooth, suave newcomer proves a friend to those who inhabit all levels. He mingles with seductive single mother Charlotte (Sienna Miller), who lives directly above him, as well as documentary filmmaker Wilder (Luke Evans) and his pregnant wife Helen (Elizabeth Moss), who dwell several stories below. Much to the dismay of the folks that consider themselves at the top of the pecking order, he also befriends Royal (Jeremy Irons), who created the block and resides in its penthouse. Just as Wheatley and Jump are the best off-screen team to make High-Rise scale the satirical heights its seeks, so too is Hiddleston the ultimate leading man for the job. Managing to lure the audience into the twisted tale while still making sure that his protagonist keeps a little distance from the disorder around him, the actor proves as fascinating a point of focus as the film's true main character: the building itself. Given the attention-grabbing antics that take place within its walls, that's saying something. Indeed, as the alcohol flows freely, the sex grows more debauched and petty arguments spiral rapidly out of control, everything plays out like a big, bold, busy bash that slowly turns oh-so-sour. With dance sequences aplenty and the increasingly frequent sight of ordinary life turning to the stuff of nightmares, Wheatley ensures that every frame of High-Rise looks the part as well. Whether crafting a quick-cut montage out of carnage and carnality, or switching between a sublime Portishead cover of ABBA's SOS and Clint Mansell's ominous score, the '70s-set film proves a slick but festering affair in its aesthetics and themes from start to finish. It's little wonder that it's also incredibly divisive. If you don't adore the film's deliciously dark and unashamedly scathing depiction of humanity, you'll probably abhor it.
With The Big Short and Nightcrawler still fresh in moviegoer's memories, Money Monster isn't the first film to ponder the impact of the global financial crisis, or peer into the television business in times of trouble. Nor is the best, boldest or even most star-studded contemplation of either topic. Instead, it's a solid thriller that may repeat a few statements we've already heard, but does so with a stellar command of tension and tone. If the pressure-fuelled dramas of the '70s combined with the beat-the-clock action efforts of the '90s, something like Money Monster would be the end result. Lee Gates (George Clooney), the host of the financial TV program that gives the movie its name, certainly seems like a remnant from another decade. His show would've been huge in the late '00s, and his exaggerated on-screen persona, loud proclamations, cheesy costumes and skimpily clad back-up dancers along with it. But a week after one of Gates' hot stock tips crashes, Money Monster's live broadcast is hijacked by the gun-wielding Kyle Budwell (Jack O'Connell). The Queens delivery guy has lost all his savings, wants answers, and is willing to strap a bomb to Gates' chest to get them — while the world, and the show's director Patty Fenn (Julia Roberts), watch on. Screenwriters Jamie Linden, Alan DiFiore and Jim Kouf are content to litter their script with more than a few convenient, predictable developments: Gates knows the failing company's head honcho (Dominic West), Budwell has a pregnant girlfriend at home, and Fenn is about to jump ship for a job at a rival network. However director Jodie Foster (The Beaver) proves determined to let the unease of the situation, and the performances it inspires, drive the film. The result is a film that's stressed and enraged from beginning to end, content in the knowledge that its audience feels the same. Foster endeavours to capture the incredulous, furious reaction the bulk of the population had to recent economic circumstances, channeling it into one heightened scenario and bearing witness to the fiery results. Every technical choice, be it the grey sheen of the film's visuals, the swift speed of its editing or the terse beats of its score, is calculated to promote a very precise mood. Even when the formula behind the film is obvious – and even with Foster offering a few humorous moments to lighten things up – Money Monster still delivers an urgent, edge-of-your-seat experience. She's aided in her efforts by the top work of her cast. Playing charismatic and controlled, Clooney and Roberts demonstrate why they've stayed at the top of the acting game for so long, though it's O'Connell that commands attention. Against his high-profile co-stars, he proves a bundle of raw, restless energy perfectly suited to the film's tone.
It's New Year's Eve in a year ending with a nine, which always means one thing. We're not just looking forward, but backwards — reminiscing about the decade that's just passed, its highlights, and how much has changed over the past ten years. As well as serving up plenty of drinks, Blind Tiger's NYE party is getting nostalgic by working through the best songs from 2010–19. All the tunes that you've been tapping your toes to will get a spin from 7pm, all while you eat, drink and say farewell to one hell of a year and one huge decade. The bar's more than 100 gins will also help. Entry is free, although bookings are recommended — and there'll be champagne specials all night. If you live in Brisbane's inner west, heading to The Gap watering hole is also a great option if you don't want to venture into the city or Valley for the night. Images: Blind Tiger.
If crowds aren’t your caper, but fine food is, then you'd best treat yo'self this New Year's Eve. At E'cco Bistro, you can sit back and relax, enjoy a six-course menu and end 2015 while savouring all things tasty. A glass of Louis Roederer on arrival will certainly set the mood, but this event is all about the culinary creations of head chef Simon Palmer. Start with crab and watermelon salad, then work your way through chicken liver parfait with chambord jelly and cranberries, as well as slow-cooked heirloom carrots with toasted tahini cake, buffalo curd and dukkah. There's more — including confit ocean trout with puffed fish skin, pomegranate, rye and tahini yoghurt, roast lamb with glazed eggplant, green tomato, labna and mint, and strawberries and cream. Don't worry, it's okay if your mouth is watering while reading this.
It has only been five years since the Stones Corner Festival launched, unleashing a day of food and music on the inner east; however it has swiftly become one of the city's must-attend street fests. With the 2018 event fast approaching, they've announced the first taste of things to come on May 6. And, like last year, it comes local legends and a beer garden. In fact, the latter was such a hit when it was introduced in 2017, that this year it's going to be even bigger. Leading the music lineup is Custard, once more turning the festival into a celebration of one of the city's best and longest-running bands. They'll be joined by The Mavis's as part of a 20th anniversary reunion tour celebrating their ARIA-nominated 1998 album Pink Pills, plus Screamfeeder, Diana Anaid, Shag Rock, Eliza & The Delusionas and The Brains Trust, with others set to be added before the event. As for that huge outdoor drinking area on the corner of Logan and Old Cleveland roads, expect it bring together a host of breweries and wineries, including a ticketed VIP experience with Canadian Club & Byron Bay Brewery. Food trucks, market stalls, a petting zoo and a range of activities will round out what's shaping up to be another great day out, all on a Sunday that's oh-so-conveniently before a public holiday. Image: Stones Corner Festival.
You can tell a lot about a person's culinary choices by their favourite TV shows. For example, if you're a Parks and Recreation and Stranger Things fan, then we're guessing that you're also a lover of waffles. Leslie Knope and Eleven haven't tucked into red, bubble-shaped batter concoctions, however — but at Brooklyn Depot, you can. Made from red velvet batter, they come with chicken, so they're the perfect option if you've in the mood for some breakfast for dinner. Pair them with some lobster mac and cheese or cheeseburger empanadas from the burger chain's latest menu, and then go for a mosey around South Bank afterwards to ease your greasy guilt.
The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is back for 2015, showcasing the best of Russian cinema from Vladivostok to Moscow. The largest festival of Russian filmmaking anywhere outside of the motherland, this year's lineup features a wide mix of genres and includes a program stream dedicated to classic and contemporary war films. Because nobody makes war movies like the Russians. Headlining the program is Dmitriy Meskhiev's Battalion, which tells the real-life story of the First Russian Women's Battalion during the height of WWI. Other films in the sidebar include 1959's Oscar-nominated Ballad of a Soldier, and Alexei German's 19756 epic 20 Days Without War, as well as the recent Russian-Ukrainian co-production Battle for Sevastopol — which opens the festival in Brisbane. Moving beyond the canon fire, other standouts on the program include Teacha, a thriller about a high school teacher holding her students hostage, and Sunstroke, a three-hour historical drama about the last days of the Russian Empire.
The annual Brisbane International Jazz Festival is back, and is set to steam up your chilly winter days. Australian and International jazz artists alike will be in town over three days of jazz jiving. A variety of award-winning acts will be leading the show, including jazz vocalist Erin Dickins, two-time Grammy Award-winner Ernie Watts, plus crowd favourites Trichotomy, The Vampires and Vince Jones Band. There are free events scattered around the program of events, however tickets for select shows should be bought sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment. The following links will take you to the appropriate sites to purchase tickets: Vince Jones (Friday May 31) , Ernie Watts Quartet (Saturday June 1), Trichotomy featuring Stephen Magnusson + The Vampires (Saturday June 1), Erin Dickins (Sunday June 2). There will be a number of venues showcasing the festival – for the full line up and details, visit the official website.
Victoria's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And, like last year, it's also bringing the decadence to you. Whether you're a Melburnian who can't make it to one of the three venues outside of town, or you're located elsewhere and you really love hot chocolate, the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie in Bellbrae and the Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie are churning out at-home kits filled with creative hot choccie flavours. Like this year's physical fest, there's a wild range of flavours — and whichever you choose, you'll receive couverture flavour-infused melts, a giant marshmallow and interactive elements to add to your choice of hot milk at home. Wondering which inventive flavours will tempt your tastebuds? The 2022 lineup is as OTT and indulgent as ever — and as tasty. Kicking things off: the Top Gun, which comes with red, white and blue marshmallow, as well as a jam-filled donut and dark choc moustache. Keeping things movie-themed, there's also a Hocus Pocus hot choc as well. Or, you can pick from salted caramel pretzel, honeycomb macadamia kronut, Iced Vovo and Milky Way hot chocolates — and vegan caramel surprise as well. The kits are available to order throughout August, and there's a flat-rate shipping fee of $15 to anywhere in Australia.
When Boxing Day rolls around each year, it brings sales, heat, a huge food hangover from Christmas lunch and a reminder to take down your festive decorations. Increasingly, it also sparks the beginning of the annual hot cross bun debate. Should those baked morsels of bread pop up on supermarket shelves the moment that the Christmas merriment is over? Does selling hot cross buns before the new year epitomise commercialism at its worst? Or should the tasty treats simply be available all-year-round, voiding the whole argument? Now, there's a new question to be bandied about: should you opt for traditional hot cross buns in a variety of flavours, or should you enjoy your them in ice cream form? Yes, the latter exists thanks to Woolworths, with the supermarket chain giving the whole notion of slinging hot cross buns at this time of year a summery twist. Currently available in stores, the limited-edition dessert features raisins, Australian cream and a ripple of flavour that tastes like hot cross buns. That's good news for everyone who loves their Easter treats in classic mode with fruit baked in, and bad news for anyone who prefers chocolate, salted caramel or basically anything other than raisins in their rolls. The tubs of hot cross bun ice cream aren't quite as decadent as New Zealand's version — a hot cross bun impaled on a waffle cone then filled with ice cream, which became available in 2018 at Auckland's Giapo. Still, if you love a good hot cross bun regardless of the time of year, then it just might be the new dessert to get you from summer until Easter. Image: Dallas Kilponen/PPR.
When X Cargo opened its doors last year, it promised a wide variety of activities — not just grabbing a bite to eat and having a few drinks in the city's newest shipping container hangout, but exercise sessions, parties and gigs, too. And while it has been delivering, there's always room for more revelry, such as a weekly date with live tunes. Live From Our Backyard will take place on Thursdays nights from February 21, adding music to your not-quite end-of-week hangout session. The lineup changes weekly, so there's always a new reason to stop by; however Lovegrove will do the honours on opening night. Head along from 6pm to hear melodic notes filter through the air, although it's worth remembering that X Cargo is an all-day affair. If you've got an afternoon spare to score yourself a table for the evening, there's worse ways to bide your time. Image: X Cargo.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. In past years, more than 400,000 Aussies have taken part, and held more than 18,000 sales. While life is a little different in 2021, a huge array of events are still expected to open their doors to bargain hunters, selling more millions items. And, when the event returns across three weekends between Saturday, November 6–Sunday, November 21, online garage sales will also be part of the trail. According, whether you're buying or selling, you have two options: do so in person, or take the virtual route. It's only the second time ever that the Garage Sale Trail is going digital, too. And, digital tutorials are also on the bill, so you can learn everything from DIY wardrobe tips to hosting the best sale. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Brisbane, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood. [caption id="attachment_783811" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Jo Lowrey[/caption] Images: Garage Sale Trail.
It's hard work seeing movies sometimes and it's actually pretty expensive to see just one, let alone a few. Thank your lucky stars because for the first time, the well-loved Flickerfest is in Brisbane showcasing the best shorts films from some of the world's most acclaimed filmmakers. For the past 21 years, Flickerfest has let its freakishly short film flag fly, but we are only having a taste of it now. Not to worry, the cinematic goodness is going to be held over a three night program, testing out the bite sized reels on keen Brisbane audiences. These aren't just any run-of-the-mill home videos, these Australian and international films have been given the nod by the Academy® and BAFTA, and were carefully selected out of the record amount of entries this year - a whopping 2200 (there's usually around 1500). If you lose attention quickly, you're a film buff, or you want to experience world class motion pictures in all their glory, you shouldn't look any further than the Flickerfest screens. It will be money well spent any way you look at it.
Global warming, renewable energy, sustainable farming and animal rights — these are just a few of the big topics on the agenda at this year's Environmental Film Festival Australia. Heading to Brisbane for three days on October 13 after a stint in Melbourne, the seventh edition of this green-themed film fest shapes up as the biggest one yet. Standout films on this year's program include Sonic Sea — about the effects of noise pollution on marine life — and Time to Choose, a climate change documentary by Oscar winner Charles Ferguson (Inside Job). Those of you with iron stomachs might also want to check out Bugs on the Menu, a sustainable food doco about exactly what it sounds like. In Melbourne they're even pairing it with a special gourmet dinner at Grub Food Van. Yum!(?)
Sampology isn't something you can just learn at school, though sometimes I wish it were on the curriculum. Sam Poggioli aka Sampology has moved Peaches to breakdance and has enjoyed success with his remix of PNAU's Baby back in 2008. Of late, the self-named audio visual disc jockey (AVDJ) has been scratching his way to the surface with Super Audio Smashdowns (as awesome as they sound). He madly manipulates video and sound, with excerpts from TV shows, YouTube clips and VHS finds and throws it all together with heavy beats and a cheeky sense of humour. His presence at Surrealism: Up Late will be pretty significant, as he is prime real estate at the mo', I mean, he just finished his US tour, which saw him playing at Texas’ SXSW, and also in New York and LA. As if that wasn't enough, did I mention he's the infamous Jaydos' favourite AVDJ? As the 'Dos said, “you gotta face facts, he's a little wizard. He mixes s-s-s-sound and v-v-v-video. I effing hate most wizards, but he's a top bloke". Can't argue with that kind of logic.
Do your 2020 plans involve heading to the beach, hanging out with your friends and drinking cocktails? If so, you'll want to start the year as you mean to go on. No need to organise a last-minute coast trip, either — Riverbar & Kitchen is throwing a NYE Beach Party so you can sip beverages by the river and pretend you're staring at a sandy shore. On the menu: Coronita cocktails, so prepare to drink Coronita spritzes, corojitos, palomita and corona-ritas. What else would you want to knock back while you're wearing beachy outfits — and trying to win the best dressed prize? Entry is free, live music will get you dancing and, by virtue of Riverbar's Eagle Street Pier location, you'll be in prime fireworks viewing position. Head along on Tuesday, December 31, obviously — with the fun kicking off from 5pm.
Sometimes, waiting in line at a restaurant is inevitable. Heading out to dinner and planning ahead don't always go hand-in-hand, or maybe you're travelling, or perhaps you're simply keen on a particular type of popular cuisine. Of course, no one likes standing about, biding their time and hoping for a table. It might be a part of life, but even the most patient among us can get frustrated — particularly when your stomach is grumbling. Now, thanks to Google's latest feature, you can find out just what kind of delay you're in for — even when you're grabbing a bite to eat on the fly. The technology company has added estimated wait times to Google Search, expanding upon its popular times and live status function. You won't just discover when an eatery is typically busy, or how hectic it is at the moment, but when your chances are of getting a seat. The feature will also be rolled out to Google Maps, in excellent news anyone looking for some nosh while they're in an unfamiliar city or part of town. Almost a million places currently have their wait times included, as based on anonymised historical data, with that number set to increase. And, even if you're just trying to do something simple like treat yourself to something sweet, you can work out if that decadent dessert is really worth the wait.
As happens each and every year, more than a few Australian films will hit screens big and small throughout 2021. More than a few have already actually, given that the year is in its home stretch. Some have proven exceptional, others have earned the exact opposite description and plenty fall somewhere in the middle. But only one happens to be the best Aussie film of the year, as well as the homegrown title that's been grabbing attention since it was first announced in 2020. That movie: Nitram. Read the movie's moniker backwards, and you'll see why it started garnering plenty of notice before anyone had even seen it. Now, Aussies are getting the chance to watch the movie themselves — with the film currently screening in Australian cinemas where they're open, and then heading to streaming service Stan from Wednesday, November 24. When it was initially announced last year, the film sparked debate about whether any feature should explore this traumatic chapter of Australia's past. Now that the end result is here, it's both intense and exceptional, as well as extremely careful about its subject matter. The latter shouldn't come as a surprise given that Nitram reunites Snowtown and True Story of the Kelly Gang filmmaker Justin Kurzel with screenwriter Shaun Grant, who penned both movies. With their two earlier collaborations, Kurzel and Grant amassed an impressive history when it comes to tackling the nation's darker and thornier moments, and that doesn't change here. Only ever referring to the gunman responsible for murdering 35 people and wounding 23 others via the movie's moniker, Nitram steps through the lead up to those events in Port Arthur 25 years ago. Caleb Landry Jones (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) plays the eponymous figure, who lives with his mother (Judy Davis, The Dressmaker) and father (Anthony LaPaglia, Below), and finds a friend in a reclusive heiress named Helen (Essie Davis, Babyteeth). The film isn't specifically about the tragedy of April 28 and 29, 1996, instead focusing on the time leading up to those dates, but every Australian knows where the story goes from there. Earlier in 2021, Nitram became the first Aussie feature to play in the Cannes Film Festival's coveted competition in a decade. It won Jones the prestigious fest's Best Actor prize, too. And you can expect to hear more about it again — and for the movie to collect more shiny prizes — as Australia's film awards season pops up at the end of the year. Check out the trailer below: Nitram is currently screening in Australian cinemas where they're open, and will be available to stream via Stan from Wednesday, November 24. Read our full review.
This post is sponsored by our partners, lastminute.com.au. People don't know much about Western Australia. For something that's the combined size of Texas, Ireland, New Zealand, Japan and the UK, we should really know more than the fact Little Creatures is brewed there, and sometimes they have sharks. But this could be a blessing in disguise. Now you have an entire new land to discover out west, and all for the small price of a domestic flight. Here's our guide of where to go once you touch down. Perth and surrounds The first place people can think of in WA, Perth is not only the sunniest capital city in the world, but also one of the top ten most liveable. It may be pretty isolated from the rest of the country, but that creates a kind of camaraderie among its citizens that Melburnians and Sydneysiders can only dream of. Oh, you're trapped in peak-hour traffic on Parramatta Road? Perth locals are taking a weekend jaunt to Rottnest Island via ferry. What's that? You're in a packed train carriage staring at the filthy brown Yarra? People in Perth are having picnics next to the beautiful, dolphin-dotted Swan River. While visiting, we recommend Cottesloe Beach for some surf, this small bar tour for some culture, and the Swan Valley for some local vino. Also, Fringe World Festival is happening at the moment! Why aren't you there already? Where to stay: Esplanade River Suites if you're on a budget, or Crown Metropol Perth or Best Western Premier The Terrace Hotel Perth if you're splashing out. South West South of Perth lie even more treasures, including the renowned wine region, Margaret River. While just a 50-minute flight from the capital, we recommend you hire a car and drive. It will take about three hours, but as WA has 12,000km of the most beautiful coastline in the world, we're sure you won't be disappointed. Once there, it's all about leisure. Spend all day eating and drinking, then cycling off a few meals around the Margaret River. Where to stay: Kalbarri Edge Resort if you're on a budget, or Smiths Beach Resort or Injidup Spa Retreat if you're splashing out. Broome and the Kimberley To venture even further into the unknown, take a trip up north to these great, sunburnt plains. Here, you can expect camel rides along the beach, cheeky and profitable trips to Broome's pearl farms, and endless hours spent on Cable Beach (with sunscreen, because oh lord, you're much closer to the equator up there). This one is a bit more of a hike from Perth, at either a 2-hour 30-minute flight or 24-hour drive, but it's probably worth it. Taking in the entire Coral Coast could be just the first of your exciting experiences. Where to stay: Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa or The Pearle of Cable Beach. Exmouth and Coral Coast This place is like a real-life Seaworld, but you'll need a few days to see it all. A two-hour flight out of Perth, Ningaloo Marine Park and Cape Range National Park will be your first stops on this trail of aquatic wonder — world-heritage listed prime sites for snorkelling, diving with whale sharks and swimming with dolphins. In fact, every morning at Monkey Mia, wild bottlenose dolphins freely come to the shallows for no more than a pat hello. It's surely some kind of magic. Where to stay: Novotel Ningaloo Resort. Golden Outback Of course, most of this big, sprawling state is desert — the wild outback that our country is known for around the world. If you get sick of being greeted by dolphins every morning and visiting wineries in the afternoon (as unlikely as it may be), the outback could serve as the perfect getaway. First stop: wave rock. This natural anomaly is roughly 2,700 million years old and a true wonder to behold. Alternatively, if you don't like the idea of nature looming over you, you can get on top of it. Hot air ballooning is really popular over the Avon Valley, or you can get an unhindered view of the red terrain with a 14,000-foot skydive. Why not get a little dangerous in our most wild state? Where to stay: Black Wattle Retreat or The Grandhouse York. For more information on flights and accommodation in Western Australia, check out lastminute.com.au.
UPDATE, March 26, 2021: Raw is available to stream via Stan, Binge, Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Cinematic explorations of teen sexuality are fairly common. So is finding the horrific side of adolescent desires and urges. Indeed, there are plenty of scary big screen stories about teens battling their feelings as well as a deadly figure or force, with the filmmakers practically yelling "METAPHOR!" at the audience. But pairing such tales with cannibalism? That's something a little more unusual. Here's hoping that your stomach is empty, because Raw offers quite the filling meal. First, the rotting carcass in the room. When Julia Ducournau's debut feature screened at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, an ambulance had to be called to look after fainting movie-goers. Raw isn't actually the wall-to-wall gore-fest you might have been led to believe, but red bodily fluids do flow freely, severed limbs certainly feature, and downing rabbit kidneys with vodka is one of the more tame occurrences to fill the film's frames. Basically, the film isn't recommended viewing for those who easily get queasy. Thanks to its far-from-standard take on the savagery of growing up, however, it's absolutely vital viewing for everyone else. When the quiet and studious Justine (Garance Marillier) is dropped off at veterinary school by her vegan vet parents, she's awash with both excitement about what's to come and reluctance about leaving her old existence behind. Marillier delivers an astonishingly astute and fluid performance, and you can see both emotions swirling behind her expressive doe eyes. The look remains when Justine is dragged out of bed in the middle of the night as part of a hazing ritual, and when she's forced to attend a raucous, rave-like subterranean party. It flickers strongly when she's told, despite her protests, to eat meat, receiving absolutely no assistance from her older sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf) who also attends the same college. And, when Justine breaks out in a rash soon after gulping back her first mouthful, it positively beams from her gaze. With a ravenous appetite for dissecting what it means to chew upon adulthood when you're still just a teenage girl — one that aptly matches her protagonist's new craving for human flesh — Ducournau slices through the typical cliches to create a film that is both thought-provoking and a sensory feast. Saying that the movie is meaty might seem a little bit easy, but as its writer-director cooks up a distinctive platter of body horror musings – taking inspiration from genre king David Cronenberg while carving out her own space – such an adjective really couldn't be more fitting. To put it simply, if you have the constitution for it, you're going to want to consume every last morsel of Ducournau's film. Your eyes will drink in the visceral thrills that come from the bites and the splatter. Your ears will soak in a score that knows when to keep things simple and when to season with pounding pressure. Finally, your brain will hunger for more as it gnaws upon the onslaught of emotional and physical carnage. Bon appétit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDiVGDmgsFY
If your creative juices are fuelled by hitting the juice, then you've probably taken a class at Brisbane's BYO art studio, Cork & Chroma. You bring the plonk, it'll provide the painting supplies — and give you a theme, as well as some expert instruction. Now, the creative venture will do just that at a second location, just a stone's throw away from its original South Brisbane digs. Making Little Stanley Street its new home away from home, Cork & Chroma has set up a pop-up shop in South Bank, hosting not only its regular classes, but new Drinky Drawy meet-ups, too. Yes, the new addition involves drinking and drawing — wielding a pencil rather than a paintbrush — but the underlying principle remains the same. Both the new sessions and the new semi-permanent spot mark the latest expansion for the business, which was started by Hillary and BJ Wall in 2013, and now includes sites in both Sydney and Melbourne After being asked by the South Bank Corporation to step into the Little Stanley Street location, Hillary said Cork & Chroma was excited to "have the opportunity to transform such a fantastic space offering the people of Brisbane more sessions to paint, sip and enjoy a creative experience". Bookings are currently open for events running until late October — including sessions where families can paint monsters, penguins and robots together, or parents can hit the easel with their teens. Obviously, anyone under 18 won't be partaking in alcoholic beverages. Find Cork & Chroma at 15A Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane — or in its regular permanent digs at 44 Montague Road, South Brisbane.
Throw on your robes, whip out your wand and fly your pet Hippogriff down to the BrisCentre in Paddington, where Pastel Palace will be hosting an enormous Harry Potter themed market. On Saturday March 26, Brisbane will be bustling with all manner of magical folk, selling everything local witches and wizards could possibly need. Even your Muggle mates will be welcome. Just nobody bring any trolls. The entrance to this pop-up Diagon Alley will be open from 1:30pm. Vendors will include Pastel Pixie, Kareki Art, Bonnie's Bathhouse, Enchanted Light and Ruby Kawaii, who'll be selling Potter inspired art, candles, soaps and accessories, as well as merch and memorabilia from the movies. There'll also be magical trivia and a costume competition, to help separate the wizards from the squibs. We just hope someone is stocking Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Most vendors on site will have credit card facilities, but maybe bring a sack of galleons just in case. And if you're busy on the day, don't worry – unsold items will be made available for purchase online after the event. For more information about Pastel Palace's Evening at Hogwarts, go here. Via AWOL.
It's with a wink and a nod that Ladj Ly names his Cannes prize-winning, Oscar-nominated crime-thriller after one of the most famous French works there is: Les Misérables. And it's with the same irreverent spirit that the first-time feature director lets audiences literally hear the people sing in the movie's opening moments, even though this definitely isn't a musical. Set in 2018, the film's early crowds are belting out 'La Marseillaise'. France has just won the FIFA World Cup, Avenue des Champs-Élysées is alive with soccer fans waving flags and celebrating, and everyone is chanting the national anthem with beaming pride. Shot documentary-style, the city's residents couldn't be more joyous, including when the movie's moniker — literal translation: the miserables — is humorously splashed across the screen. But, despite the ecstatic scenes that kickstart Ly's feature, this is still a rousing cinematic song of angry Parisians. Nearing 160 years since Victor Hugo immortalised the Montfermeil commune, using the Paris district as a key setting in his well-known work, this Les Misérables heads there to tell a different story. Or, to be exact, to explore comparable themes in contemporary France — and to interrogate the reality of life in Les Bosquets housing estates in one of the capital's banlieues. The latter and their communities have featured in the likes of 1995's La Haine and 2014's Girlhood before, two hands-down French movie masterpieces, but the approach here is especially inspired. Drawing parallels with a globally known, much-adapted, long-popular classic to shine a spotlight on modern-day class and cultural clashes is smart and savvy and, in the hands of a filmmaker from the area who is already known for making documentaries about the area, results in a particularly compelling and confronting piece of cinema. Every neighbourhood bubbles with stories. So, focusing on Les Bosquets, Ly relays as many tales as he can. With propulsive and fittingly restless energy, his film flits between the locale's cops, kids and gangs — with struggles between all three groups reaching boiling point over the course of two summery and eventful days. The catalysts: familiar prejudices, long-held beefs, a stolen lion, a wrongful shooting and some controversial drone footage. Anti-crime brigade officers Chris (The Eddy's Alexis Manenti), Gwada (C'est tout pour moi's Djebril Zonga) and the newly transferred Stéphane (Dunkirk's Damien Bonnard) are never far from the trouble, sometimes causing it, sometimes trying to stop it. But two local adolescents also play pivotal parts, with young Issa (debutant Issa Perica) responsible for the jungle cat missing from a visiting circus troupe and shy teen Buzz (fellow newcomer Al-Hassan Ly) the owner of the highly sought-after drone. While Les Misérables takes place just two years ago, Ly, actor and scribe Manenti, and their co-screenwriter Giordano Gederlini (Mother's Instinct) use events from a decade earlier as their basis, with Montfermeil one of the sites of the 2005 French riots. Ly's documentary short 365 Days in Montfermeil chronicled the chaos and the police brutality from the inside, as shot at the time — but here, he dramatises it. It's no wonder, then, that Les Misérables proves unrelentingly terse and always on edge, as well vehemently unafraid to filter real-world unrest through every frame. It's just as unsurprising that it isn't always subtle, but given the complicated terrain that it traverses, it needn't be. As a portrait of social tensions drawn from real-life situations, this is a film of explosive emotional and visceral power even when it's clearly lacking in nuance. Les Misérables makes a range of statements, including pondering the powder-keg banlieue environment, as well as the similarities between the film's cops, children and thugs — all of whom, in their own ways, are trying to get by. Ly contemplates how one event can escalate, detonate and spark a chain of chaos, and, Hugo-style, how insurrectionary acts come about. There's a message in the simple act of calling upon the riots the filmmaker lived through for a movie set years later, too, and it's one of Les Misérables' most potent. The idea that Ly's fictionalised story doesn't just lift details from reality, but that its ins and outs have never stopped being relevant to or reflective of life in Les Bosquets, purposefully hits hard. Also having an impact, and by design: the jittery on-the-ground camerawork that conveys tension, terror and heartbreak in equal measures; and the sky-high, bird's-eye drone footage that reminds viewers visually about perspective and the bigger picture. Indeed, Ly and his cinematographer Julien Poupard (Divines) ensure audiences feel like they're traversing Montfermeil's streets, and that they've seen every corner of the area from every angle as well. The urgent electronic score by Pink Noise does a cracking job of setting the mood, as does the brisk pace set by editor Flora Volpeliere (The Hookup Plan). And, cast-wise, Les Misérables' experienced actors and fresh faces alike all impart a sense of authenticity. By the time all of the above has worked its magic, no one is singing 'La Marseillaise' exuberantly, of course, but viewers have witnessed a stunning film with revolution at its heart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIsEZ2tTavU&t=6s
If only there was a comic about the fast food industry (Aqua Teen Hunger Force doesn't count!) when I started at McDonald's, I could've been contributing scoops for years now! Burger Force is the latest local independent comic that's sure to quench Brisbane's insatiable thirst for new talent. It's about a fast food chain with fries, and wait for it, spies. Oh yeah. We've always thought there was a greater power, us gullible humans. Turns out the rumours are true, masterminds are lurking in a secret bunker below Burger Berserker, ditching fries and sundaes for elaborate schemes to thwart such hilarious things as those damn pesky dating agency execs and cock-rockers. All hope for humanity will be lost unless the elite secret agents can become acquainted with stranger, Mercury, before time runs out. 'Would you like spies with that?' features storyboards and concept art from the strips of filmmarker Jackie's independent comic. Word on the street is that some fancy Aussie actors will be at the launch, as well as Brisbane's own Polytoxic, Briefs and The Brides of Frank. Indulge yourself at the Brew Wine Bar at 5.30pm on June 22 for the opening night celebrations. Burger Force is just like fast food – you know you want it, and it's tasty and fulfilling!
When Gang of Youths announced their upcoming Australian tour, there was something missing: a Brisbane show. There was a method to that madness, however. Rather than head to our fine city for any old gig — or bypass us completely — they're dropping by the Riverstage and just casually launching their own festival. That'd be A More Perfect Union, which will make its debut from 2.30pm on Saturday, November 24. In the fest's maiden outing, the band will be joined by a stellar lineup, with Luca Brasi, Jack River, Thelma Plum and Charlie Collins also taking the stage. Tickets go on sale from 11am on Thursday, August 9, and as well as nabbing entry into the Sydney outfit's very own day of music, you'll also be helping a good cause. From every ticket purchased, $1 will be donated to the Aboriginal Legal Service. Image: Sergey Osipov.
Whether you're the kind of person who likes chasing waterfalls, heading out on a challenging bush walk or venturing to a long stretch of sand for the day, the best all-day adventures are usually enjoyed in summer. And, now our work alarms are set for the year, we're as keen as ever to make the most of summer's sunshine-filled weekends. So, to make sure you squeeze every last drop of the season, we've teamed up with Jim Beam to bring you three essential items to pack on your next adventure. Don't forget the water, your best mates and a sun hat, of course. [caption id="attachment_796762" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kendra Kamp; Unsplash[/caption] SWAP DIGITAL PICS FOR A REUSABLE FILM CAMERA If you're going to make this day trip a memorable one, then you'll need some happy snaps to capture all the best bits. And if you really want to immortalise that time you lived your best lives, why not ditch the digital in favour of a trusty (and very cute) film camera? This classic M35 number from Kodak is full of minimalist retro charm, boasting a fixed-focus lens and manual winding function. Plus, it comes in a range of playful colours that you'll be more than happy to show off while snapping photos of your out-of-town adventures. Be sure to pack a few extra rolls of 35mm film, and you'll be able to relive your day trip all over again when you get the shots developed. You can find a range of M35 cameras on Etsy from $99.35. PACK A LIGHTWEIGHT BEACH TOWEL We all love a good beach visit, but a sandy car for the drive home? Well, that's just never fun. Handily, you can avoid any extra grainy tag-alongs when you pack one of these sand-free beach towels from Aussie label Tesalate. They're made using a special high-tech fabric that repels sand, absorbs water easily and dries extra fast — all handy features when you're packing in a big day of activities. The full-size towels are also super compact, so they'll fit in your swag bag no matter how light you're travelling. And there are stacks of fresh, bold designs to choose from — including this breezy blue number inspired by dancing pool ripples ($79). [caption id="attachment_796763" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur Poulin; Unsplash[/caption] MAKE A BATCH OF PICNIC-READY HIGHBALLS On any good day trip, you'll find yourself stopping somewhere to soak up the sights, whether you're overlooking sparkling ocean vistas, a majestic rainforest or a lush countryside view. And that's the perfect time to kick back and cheers the occasion with a crisp, summery highball. To make yourself a simple yet celebratory drink, prepare a flask of Jim Beam and lemon. Simply pour 15ml of lemon cordial per person and 30ml of Jim Beam bourbon per person into a flask. To ensure it's cool, you can prep the base and keep it in the fridge overnight before adding to a flask. Then, on your adventure, pour a serve of the batched base into your travel cups and top up with soda. You'll be ready to sip when you chance upon the ideal spot. Top image: Jesse Lindemann via Tourism and Events Queensland
UPDATE: JANUARY 31, 2020 — With the outbreak of coronavirus affecting many across the world, the organisers of this Saturday's Lunar New Year Rooftop Party have decided to postpone the event until further notice. Sunnybank Plaza released a statement today saying: "while acknowledging and considering advice from health authorities regarding events and mass gatherings, the celebration will be delayed in order to present a full program, and a more positive experience for all involved." We'll let you know if the festival is rescheduled for a later date. 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. And while you might've done just that to mark the start of 2020, you haven't yet climbed up high to mark the start of the new lunar calendar on a shopping centre's rooftop. As it has for the past few years, this year's BrisAsia Festival is throwing a huge Lunar New Year Rooftop Party. To join in the fun you'll want to head to Sunnybank Plaza on Saturday, February 1 and head up to the top of the Hoyts Cinema carpark. The fun kicks off at 4pm, with dragon and lion dancers, lantern workshops, tea ceremonies, calligraphy classes, K-pop and plenty to eat. Entry is free, but bring your wallet to feast on dinner from the nearby restaurants. Images: Sunnybank Plaza.
If you missed the first Boy&Girl back in April 2014, you can be excused. The seductive pop-fuelled cabaret was one of the surprise hits of the year, and it sold out – fast – just to prove it. If you miss the show this time around, however, you won’t be as easily forgiven. Oscar Theatre Company brings gender-bending back in Boy&Girl 2: Mercury Rising for a steamier second season, and we’re giving you fair warning. Yes, the title intimates a raise in temperature, and with a bigger cast and bolder material, that’s hardly unexpected. A live band and an ensemble of over 30 singers and dancers will take to the stage to push boundaries – in performance, in physicality, and in who plays and sings which parts. Everything from Chicago and Cabaret to Beyonce and Bruno Mars features among the soundtrack, instantly getting pulses racing. This is sexy subversion that you can sing along to. You’ve never seen musical theatre quite like it.
The annual Brisbane Artist-Run Initiatives (BARI) Festival aims to shine a light on artist collectives who practise and exhibit outside commercial gallery spaces. This year, the Judith Wright Centre has been added to the list of venues set to host pop-up exhibitions around Brisbane City and Fortitude Valley. These installations will be curated by four artist-run initiatives at various times. SMALL LAKES – Friday 5 October, 7pm to 10pm. DIAGRAM – Monday 8 – Friday 12 October, 11am to 5pm. They will also host a closing event on Friday 12 October, 6pm to 8:30pm. POST DATUM – Tuesday 16 October, 11am to 5pm / Thursday 18 October, 2:30pm to 6pm (with an opening event from 6pm) / Friday 19 October, 10am to 1pm. INHOUSE ARI – Opening Friday 26 October, 6pm to 9pm / Saturday 27 October, 11am to 5pm. They will also be opening their shopfront window projections nightly between Monday 22 and Friday 26 October from sunset. The festival will be running for most of Ocober, so make sure you check out a few of these exhibitions!
If you've been making plans to revamp your style, but haven't been able to rustle up the coin, here's your chance. For two weeks, Hugo Boss will be hosting a mega sale at its outlet stores. You'll be able to score a further 50 percent off a massive range of premium clothing — from comfy t-shirts and soft sweaters to suave suits and women's dresses. Whether you're after a suit for a special occasion or looking to level-up your wardrobe, Hugo Boss's end-of-year outlet sale will have you sorted for a fraction of the fashion label's usual prices. You'll have to get in quick to score though, with the sale running from Wednesday, December 16 to Friday, January 1. Hugo Boss end-of-year outlet sale will run from Wednesday, December 16 to Friday, January 1. To find your closest outlet store, visit the website.
In the name of its protagonist, and the pain and fury that threatens to parch her 12-year-old existence, Del Kathryn Barton's first feature scorches and sears. It burns in its own moniker, too, and in the blistering alarm it sounds against an appalling status quo: that experiencing, witnessing and living with the aftermath of violence against women is all too common, heartbreakingly so, including in Australia where one woman a week on average is killed by her current or former partner. Blaze has a perfect title, with the two-time Archibald Prize-winning artist behind it crafting a movie that's alight with anger, that flares with sorrow, and that's so astutely and empathetically observed, styled and acted that it chars. Indeed, it's frequently hard to pick which aspect of the film singes more: the story about surviving what should be unknown horrors for a girl who isn't even yet a teen, the wondrously tactile and immersive way in which Blaze brings its namesake's inner world to the screen, or the stunning performance by young actor Julia Savage (Mr Inbetween) in its central part. Savage also has a fitting moniker, impeccably capturing how ferociously she takes on her starring role. Blaze, the Sydney schoolgirl that she plays, isn't always fierce. She's curious and imaginative, happy dwelling in her own dreamy universe long before she flees there after witnessing a rape and murder, and then frightened and fraying while also fuming. In how she's portrayed by Savage, and penned by Barton with co-screenwriter Huna Amweero (also a feature first-timer), she's intricately fleshed out, too, with every reaction she has to the assault proving instantly relatable — especially to anyone whose life has been touched by trauma. We don't all see dragons made out of fabric, felt, feathers, papier-mâché and glitter, helping us through times good and bad, but everyone can understand the feelings behind that dragon, which swelter like the creature's fiery breath. Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, Blaze isn't — although Jake (Josh Lawson, Mortal Kombat), who Blaze spots in an alleyway with Hannah (Yael Stone, Blacklight), has his lawyer (Heather Mitchell, Bosch & Rockit) claim that his accuser knows nothing. With the attack occurring mere minutes into the movie, Barton dedicates the feature's bulk to how her lead character copes, or doesn't. Being questioned about what she saw in court is just one way that the world tries to reduce her to ashes, but the embers of her hurt and determination don't and won't die. Blaze's father Luke (Simon Baker, High Ground), a single parent, understandably worries about the impact of everything blasting his daughter's way. As she retreats then acts out, cycling between both and bobbing in-between, those fears are well-founded. Blaze is a coming-age-film — a robbing-of-innocence movie as well — but it's also a firm message that there's no easy or ideal response to something as awful as its titular figure observes. The pivotal sequence, lensed by cinematographer Jeremy Rouse (The Turning) and spliced together by editor Dany Cooper (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) to be as jarring and unflinching for Blaze's audience as it is for Blaze, is nightmarish. Avoiding agony and anguish isn't Barton's way — and it can't be with this subject matter. While never as harrowing in the same manner again, Blaze is styled by its artist-turned-writer/director in the same expressive, impressionistic way from start to finish, so that watching its frames flicker feels like diving inside its lead character's heart and mind. That internal realm is a place where a pre-trial proceeding erupts into flames spat from Blaze herself, via a tiny white dragon figurine she places between her teeth. Unsurprisingly, that's a spectacular and gloriously cathartic sight. Barton isn't afraid of symbolism, but she's also allergic to emptiness; not a single image in her kaleidoscopic trip through her protagonist's imaginings is ever wasted. As set to a soundtrack that's soulfully moody and brooding as only Nick Cave can be one minute, then psychedelic and soaring with The Flaming Lips a short time afterwards, the contents of Blaze's brain and soul is where cogs turn — not literally, not once, but in processing everything that the pre-teen has seen and felt. It's where she glimpses a corpse turned mesh and material, then spies a tiny girl climb a ladder out of its mouth, in one of the movie's many mixed-media moments. It's where tiny kissing ceramic animal figurines morph into something more, fleshy tongues waggling, and where putting her feet in a sandbox transports her to the beach. And, it's where thoughts and emotions can better be distilled through surreal stop-motion animation and puppetry, and via that towering pink-hued dragon that any child would want as their pal and confidant, and with hallucinogenic collages that everyone who has seen Barton's other art will immediately recognise as springing from her head. If Barton took on Where the Wild Things Are, Pete's Dragon or A Monster Calls, all of which deal with sadness and tragedy through fantasy as well, it'd look like this — well, as a starting point. As brilliant and deeply affecting as all three of those films are, Blaze is always bolder and darker. It's more enraged, audacious, unsettling and astounding. It stresses that hardship is what shapes us but not what solely makes us, but it's a gut-punch rather than a heartstring-tug of a feature (by design; facts and figures about femicide are purposefully worked in). Barton emphasises that surviving is both a battle and a feat, that coping through art is a balm, and that seeing and speaking are pivotal acts. In other hands, though, Blaze might've resembled another recent feature that plunged into distress, and a headphone-wearing adolescent feeling it, that's also helmed by a big-name Aussie debuting as a director after coming to fame in a different medium. Thankfully, however, similarities with Sia's Music end are superficial. Big things deserve to await Savage, who never lets Blaze forget that it's about a living, breathing, hurting, loving person, and about the screaming, receding, dreaming, needing and steaming that characterises her response to such an ordeal. In support, Baker offers a sublimely judged mix of care, stress and uncertainty, playing a dad who knows he doesn't have all the answers, because no one can — and Stone, in her crucial and devastating part, is phenomenal. Big things have already come Barton's way in the art world, but they deserve to shower over her for this also, which comes after short films The Nightingale and the Rose and Red. Blaze is brutal and beautiful, blunt and labyrinthine, and a trip, a heartache, an escape and a release. When its namesake asks why she ends up temporarily institutionalised but Jake hasn't been, the movie makes one of its points as loudly as it can, but every inch of every frame already says everything.
Contrary to popular belief, tennis isn't always that boring. If you've ever been forced to watch it by your parents or boyfriend, you can suddenly feel your eyes going from one side of the screen to the other, and before you know it you're on the ground doing the Lleyton Hewitt “C'mon!”. The Brisbane International tennis tournament may not be one of the best known sports competitions, but it doesn't been it's any less important. The Queensland leg of the ATP World Tour 250 Series is integral to tennis itself, and is scheduled just before the Australian Open. In the years since its inception in the 70s, Brisbane has played host to thousands of talented professional players, including Andy Roddick, the aforementioned legend Lleyton Hewitt, Kim Clijsters, Martina Hingis, Samantha Stosur and Anna Kournikova. Tickets are quite cheap and the tournament runs for a whole week, so there'll be plenty of chances to see your favourite stars in action over these holidays. You'll be cheering along with a big home crowd, and who knows, you might even spy some celebrities.
The World Press Photo Foundation is a global platform connecting professionals and audiences through raw visual journalism and storytelling. The organisation was founded in 1955 when a group of Dutch photographers organised a contest to expose their work to an international audience. Since then, the contest has grown into the world's most prestigious photography competition and global travelling exhibition. The 64th edition of the World Press Photo Exhibition will touch down in Brisbane this year and be on display at Brisbane Powerhouse from Saturday, June 26–Monday, July 18. The winners from this year's contest were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed 74,470 photographs by 4315 photographers from 130 countries — with more than 150 images from 45 photographers in 28 countries included in the exhibition. Taking top honours for 2020: Mads Nissen's First Embrace. The COVID-19 pandemic was always going to play a part in this year's batch of winners, with the image showing 85-year-old Rosa Luzia Lunardi being embraced by nurse Adriana Silva da Costa Souza at the Viva Bem care home in São Paulo, Brazil. This will be on display alongside other finalists, such as Luis Tato's stunning image of locust swarms in Kenya — and eye-catching images in other categories, such as contemporary issues, the environment, general news, nature, portraits and sports. [caption id="attachment_812191" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The First Embrace © Mads Nissen, Denmark, Politiken/Panos Pictures[/caption] Top image: Fighting Locust Invasion in East Africa © Luis Tato, Spain, for The Washington Post.
While the end result might not be particularly impressive, you have to hand it to the folks behind Goosebumps, the film version of R.L. Stine's best-selling book series that everyone read as a kid. Director Rob Letterman (Gulliver's Travels) and writer Darren Lemke (Turbo) not only manage to capture a sense of nostalgia, but they also solve what must've been one of the biggest problems of the adaptation process. With 62 initial novels and more than 100 spin-offs published, choosing which tale to bring to the screen can't have been easy. Their solution? Bundle together as many as they can, then wrap them all up in a big meta-textual package. Indeed, Goosebumps both follows the formula set out on the page — i.e. a few kids find themselves in a scary situation — while still providing plenty of twists. The latter come in a couple of forms, including inserting Stine himself into the mix. Given that each of the printed volumes followed different characters, he's the series mainstay, after all. Here, played by Jack Black, he's a seemingly eccentric neighbour with a daughter, Hannah (Odeya Rush) he doesn't let wander far, and a bookshelf filled with locked manuscripts. When high-schooler Zach (Dylan Minnette) moves in next door to Stine with his widowed vice principal mother (Amy Ryan), he's more interested in Hannah than her father. In fact, he has no idea who Stine is, though he gets curious when the author tells him to stay away. After hearing screams, Zach thinks something sinister is afoot and is determined to investigate. With his new pal Champ (Ryan Lee) in tow, he breaks into Stine's house, opens some of his books and accidentally unleashes their spooky contents onto the world. Enter Slappy the living dummy, the abominable snowman, a giant mantis, a pink blob, an invisible boy and a whole host of garden gnomes to terrorise Zach and the gang. Yes, Goosebumps goes for the more is more approach to their monsters. Unfortunately, here, it doesn't really pan out. Fans of the novels might be pleased that their favourite foes make their way into the movie; they're less likely to be impressed with the scattershot and over-the-top way in which that's achieved. If it feels like the filmmakers have thrown everything they can at the screen, that's because they have. It makes for a jam-packed 103 minutes, with no time wasted jumping from one creepy encounter to the next. However it also makes for a chaotic array of set pieces and little else. Some scenes hit the mark, including the kitchen-set gnome attack. But they do so at the expense of fleshing out the characters, establishing a mood of anything other than silliness, and thoughtfully exploring themes of loss and inner turmoil. When Black hamming it up is among the feature's few highlights — doing double duty as the voice of Slappy, and saddled with some terrible one-liners as a result — then you know you're in trouble. Rereading the books would be a much more enjoyable alternative.
RAW started in the US, migrated to Australia and has been providing steady platform to some of our most ambitious emerging artists to date. And while the term ‘emerging’ may be a tenuous, lazy label to throw on someone with a Joy Division tattoo or a Soundcloud, this creative group have filtered down the best to provide a healthy crop of local talent. Encompass is their latest instalment of said talent, and promises dozens of acts, names and talents who will humbly show off the craft they’ve made a life perfecting. Music-wise, songstress Deena, pop-friends Go Van Go and easy listening equines Bad Pony will be providing the tunes. Visual art by Jessie Bird, Scott Hynd and Erin Michelle – plus a heaped handful more – will be on display for all those with an eye for skill. Live make-up displays, film by Mikey Hill, as well as a photography and fashion showcase (pictured: clothing label, Hunting Faith) will be adding to this big bang of artistic explosion. Tickets are $15 pre-sale, so get in quick and discover what’s up and coming in our local creative scene.
Last night was the official launch of new place in town, Next Door Kitchen and Bar. Built with the aim of having a 1920's speakeasy feel, Next Door is going to be a unique new addition to the South Bank family. Harun Gencerler known for Ahmet's and Olé (both in South Bank) is the brains behind this new establishment. “Our goal is to create a cocktail bar with an emphasis on shared dining.” He said. Things you can expect on the menus include oysters with gin and cracked pepper, Gangster chicken wings, flash fried shrimp to start; and whiskey beef cheeks, pulled duck leg and slow-cooked lamb neck to share. Venue manager David Yates said the cocktail list had been designed to tell the story about the advancement of the modern cocktail. “The cocktail menu has been divided into three prohibition-inspired categories,” Mr Yates said. "Moonshine and Marketplace, Bootleggers and Baptists and Housemade Hooch (shared cocktails)." The decor has the 1920s classic style including smooth timber, vintage decor and mirror detailing. To make the most of your New Year Eve you should book in for a night of burlesque, dinner and undoubtedly prohibition-era debauchery. Shop B11 Little Stanley Street; 07 3846 6678; www.nextdoorkitchenbar.com.au
If you're a film buff, then you're also a travel buff. Even if you don't venture further than your nearest cinema, you're often journeying to other countries when you sit down to watch a movie. Thanks to the Cine Latino Film Festival, the sights and sounds of Latin America await Australian filmgoers in November, taking them on a trip to Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. Australia's second Spanish-language film festival (after the Europe-centric Spanish Film Festival), the Cine Latino Film Festival will bring 26 titles from Central and South America to Aussie screens from November 14 to 29. The fun kicks off with You're Killing Me Susana, a marital comedy featuring Mexican star Gael García Bernal. Other highlights span a variety of genres and nations. Audiences can check out Inseparables, the Argentinian remake of French film The Intouchables, or get an authentic glimpse into prison romance in the Dominican Republic with Woodpeckers – about inmates from neighbouring jails communicating via their own form of sign language. Elsewhere, Cannes Critics' Week hit Gabriel and the Mountain combines documentary and drama to tell the true tale of a Brazilian traveller; Tales of Mexico asks eight filmmakers to spin stories about Mexican history; and Lost North tracks a man trying to find his girlfriend across the 900 miles between Santiago and the Bolivian border. Other notable titles include Peruvian musical-comedy Crazy in Love, Colombian paramilitary thriller Guilty Men, and Ecuador's submission to next year's foreign-language Oscar category Such is Life in the Tropics, about a battle between a land owner and squatters. The festival will also shine a particular spotlight on Argentinian and Mexican filmmaking in two specific program strands. The latter is a collaboration with the Hola Mexico Film Festival, while the former will thrill fans of familiar faces, with The Secret in Their Eyes star Ricardo Darín playing an Argentinian president in The Summit, and Gloria's Paulina García going soul searching in The Desert Bride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gALX8_SHP68 The 2017 Cine Latino Film Festival will screen at Sydney's Palace Norton Street and Palace Verona from November 14 to 29, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como and Palace Westgarth from November 16 to 29, and Brisbane's Palace Centro from November 16 to 29. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Playing ice hockey isn't a regular part of growing up Down Under — even when it's frosty outside — but watching a ragtag team of underdogs try their best on the ice has been a childhood staple since the 90s. The reason: the Mighty Ducks franchise. The three Emilio Estevez and Joshua Jackson-starring films hit screens between 1992–6, and have remained nostalgic favourites ever since. The trio of movies also spanned an animated show back in 1996; however, as fans experienced earlier this year, that's not the franchise's only leap into television. Because everything old is new again — including making that observation, because it just keeps proving relevant — Disney+ brought back Mighty Ducks back courtesy of new series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and its first season started streaming back in March. If Karate Kid can live on via the small screen, then so can this other beloved sports-focused saga, it seems. And like Cobra Kai, Game Changers brought back a familiar face when it debuted its ten-episode first season. That'd be Estevez, who reprises his role as Coach Gordon Bombay. Sadly, Jackson isn't involved this time around, perhaps because he was busy with the vastly dissimilar Dr Death — but Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham features as the mother of a hockey-loving boy who helps him create his own team. Aimed at all ages — so at kids just discovering Mighty Ducks for the first time, and adults with fond memories — the show firmly, eagerly and unmistakably follows the underdog formula established in the films. The series is set in Minnesota, where the Mighty Ducks are now a big deal, 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) gets cut from the team because they don't think he's good enough, and he and his mom (Graham) bring together their own crew in response — with the help of Bombay, of course. If that's your idea of top-notch nostalgic viewing, you'll be pleased to know that the series has just been renewed for a second season. Yes, there'll be more ice rink escapades, as The Hollywood Reporter reports. Exactly when the new episodes will hit Disney+ hasn't yet been revealed, but you can add it to your future watch list anyway. Check out the full trailer for the show's first season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZTouNvgPCM&feature=youtu.be The second season of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers doesn't yet have a release date; however, the first season is currently streaming via Disney+. Via The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Disney+.
Step into the strange and seductive world of Greek cinema as it lights up the screen at Palace Cinemas in Brisbane, as well as locations around the country. Now in its 23rd year, the latest edition of the Greek Film Festival boasts an expectedly eclectic program, ranging from fiction features to documentaries and a couple of Australian productions as well. The festival will begin with an opening night screening of Worlds Apart, a romantic anthology film from writer-director-actor Christopher Papakaliatis co-starring Oscar winner J.K. Simmons. It's one of a number of critically acclaimed contemporary films on the bill, with skewering social satire Chevalier and darkly comic thriller Suntan both deserving of a look. Other highlights including a pair of local productions by Greek-Australian filmmakers, in bold religious drama Sacred Heart and medicinal marijuana documentary A Life of Its Own.
If your creative juices start flowing after a beverage or several, then you're probably a fan of Cork & Chroma. The BYO art studio has been hosting paint and sip sessions across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne for years — and now it's bringing the boozy, arty fun into your home. From Wednesday, April 1, Cork & Chroma is moving its alcohol-fuelled art classes online, so you can join in without leaving the house. The general setup remains the same, with each session teaching wannabe artists how to paint a specific picture. Whip up a gorgeous midnight scene, capture your houseplants on canvas, busy your brush painting Joshua trees or go manic for mandalas. Sessions cost $20 each, and are hosted by Cork & Chroma's artists — who'll be live-streaming their step-by-step painting instructions from 6.30pm AEST on select weeknights, and at 10am and 2pm on weekends. Classes are currently scheduled until the end of May. And if you're wondering about supplies, you can either use what you've got at home or you can order one of Cork & Chroma's new At Home Studio Kits. The latter comes in three sizes, setting you pack $60 for one person, $100 for two and $160 for four — and includes a range of acrylic paints, two canvases per person, and a palette and a set of brushes each. Pick them up from C&C yourself, or contact them about delivery options. As for the wine, beer, cocktails or whatever other booze gets you in the painting mood, you'll need to provide that yourself, as always. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=50&v=_7wmobTAPWY&feature=emb_title Updated April 25.
Next time you bust out your trivia skills, you'll do more than vie for bragging rights among your mates. At Fur Get Me Not's Animal Trivia Night Bushfire Fundraiser, you'll also be helping critters affected by the current Australian crisis. In other words, you'll be showing your love for all creatures great and small in two ways. Battle it out for trivia supremacy while answering animal-themed questions, and know that your entire $20 entry fee will be donated to WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue. Given the extent of the current devastation, WIRES has been especially busy assisting wildlife over the past few months. [caption id="attachment_756832" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Fur Get Me Not[/caption] Know everything there is to know about animals, and eager to do your part via a competitive quiz? You'll want to head along at 7pm on Saturday, February 1. You'll also need to book in advance — and if you don't have seven friends to make a team of eight, prepare to make some new two-legged pals on the night. Attendees can BYO food and drinks, including booze — and cash to take part in other fundraising games on the night.
Leonardo DiCaprio making his first movie in four years, a swaggering Brad Pitt spitting out wry dialogue, 60s showbiz laid bare, and Australians Margot Robbie and Damon Herriman playing Sharon Tate and Charles Manson — it must be Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. One of 2019's most anticipated titles, the acclaimed filmmaker's ninth stint behind the camera travels back five decades to tell the tale of fading TV star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), his trusty stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt), his neighbour Tate (Robbie) and an industry that's changing fast. Set in Los Angeles in 1969, it's a story that charts the end of Hollywood's golden age, the Manson Family murders and everything going on around Tinseltown at the time. Tarantino loves jumping into the past — thanks to Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, this is his fourth consecutive period piece — but he might've found his ideal niche. For this journey back to fame, fortune and crime gone by, he's also amassed a who's who of the film's titular town. Get ready — it's a long list. Tarantino regulars Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Zoe Bell and Michael Madsen all feature, as well as Dakota Fanning, Lena Dunham, Al Pacino, Timothy Olyphant, James Marsden and the late Luke Perry. Nodding not only to Hollywood's past and present, but to its future, up-and-comers Maya Hawke and Rumer Willis also pop up (they're the daughters of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, and Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, respectively). Basically, Tinseltown today delves into Los Angeles' darker days, a behind-the-scenes Hollywood caper meets US crime history, and Tarantino might've taken some inspiration from the Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! — at least if the ace and amusing initial teaser for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is any indication. The film is set to be premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, before releasing worldwide from late July. Check out the first sneak peek below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsL_spv4yEw&feature=youtu.be Once Upon a Time in Hollywood releases in Australian cinemas on August 15. Image: © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Returning for a second year after a widely-publicised Parklife rebrand, national electronic dance music festival Listen Out has locked in dates for another year. Spearheaded by organisers and promoters Fuzzy (the team behind Field Day, Shore Thing and Harbourlife), Listen Out marked its debut last year to generally upward thumbs and rants about Azealia Banks' smokebomb. Stopping by Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane in spring, Listen Out's so-called 'boutique' set-up will "showcase the best dance music in a small but perfectly formed setting," according to Fuzzy. The nationally-touring festival will return to Sydney's Centennial Park, Perth's Ozone Reserve and Melbourne's Observatory Precinct, with a change in Brisbane venue from Southbank's Cultural Forecourt to the Brisbane Showgrounds. Headlined by staggeringly popular UK duo Disclosure last year with highlights including Azealia Banks (very briefly), AlunaGeorge and Classixx, the roaring pub debates will simmer until the lineup announcement to come. LISTEN OUT 2014 DATES AND VENUES: SYDNEY — Saturday 27 September, Centennial Park PERTH — Sunday 28 September, Ozone Reserve MELBOURNE — Saturday 4 October, Observatory Precinct, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne BRISBANE — Sunday 5th October, The Avenues & Expo Place, Brisbane Showgrounds Full lineup announcement and ticket details to come. Image by Dominic Loneragan.
Having said au revoir to the French Film Festival, it's now time to slip over the border into Spain. Returning to Palace Cinemas around the country, this year's Spanish Film Festival will once again showcase some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed Spanish and Latin American films from the past 12 months. How's that for a cinematic siesta? The festival — which will feature at the CBD's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro in Fortitude Valley — begins with the highest grossing film at last year's Spanish box office: rom-com sequel Spanish Affair 2. Other comic standouts include espionage spoof Spy Time, madcap ensemble My Big Night, and dark domestic comedy Happy 140. Of course, not everything on the program is quite so light and breezy. Critically acclaimed drama Much Ado About Nothing confronts legal and political corruption in modern day Chile, while Ma Ma stars Penelope Cruz in one of her most nuanced roles to date, as a put-upon single mother diagnosed with breast cancer.
He's directed a mockumentary about sharehouse-dwelling vampires in Wellington, one of the most offbeat and adorable fugitive films there is, and the best big-budget blockbuster about a certain cape-wearing, hammer-wielding Norse god- turned-superhero that's reached screens so far. Now, after winning hearts and laughs with not only What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok, but New Zealand comedies Eagle vs Shark and Boy too, Taika Waititi has turned his attention to making fun of Hitler. His latest movie is called Jojo Rabbit, with the beloved filmmaker not only writing and directing, but starring as the Nazi. It's a satire, obviously, following a bullied but nationalistic young German boy called Jojo (newcomer Roman Griffin Davis) who discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace) in their attic. He doesn't quite know what to do, so he asks the obvious person for help: his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler. World War II-set films are a very common sight on the big screen, so if you feel like you've seen every possible take on that period of history, Jojo Rabbit is here to change your mind. As the just-released first teaser for the movie shows, this isn't your usual grim, serious war flick. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, it's being badged as an "anti-hate" comedy, should you need more of an idea of the tone that Waititi is going for. As well as the writer/director himself, the film co-stars the high-profile likes of Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant and Alfie Allen. It's not the only project that Waititi has in the works — it was just announced last week that he'll be directing the next Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder — but it is the only one where he gets Hitler to call himself a lunatic and a psycho. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTqd4yNFuSw Jojo Rabbit releases in the US on October 18 and it doesn't yet have an Australian release date — we'll update you when that changes.
Rebecca Ross' new exhibition, Grid Trip, is an embodiment of the artists time in Rome last year. Her artwork uses the motif of the grid as a way of recording and expressing her travels. Colourful pieces with bold intersecting lines serve to depict select moments in time and map out Ross's travels over the past year. A few of the works on show are finished products that she commenced whilst studying at the British School at Rome. Included in her influences are major fashion houses such as Gucci and Prada, as well as a wide array of artists, making this show an eclectic exhibition. Her artworks reflect the chaos of travelling in an organised way. Each piece encapsulates the colour and scope of her travels whilst recording latitude and longitude. Get lost in the intricate world of Ross' artworks. You can view the vivid colours and carefully thought out complex designs at her exhibition from 19 April – 11 May.
UPDATE: APRIL 1, 2020 — Due to government restrictions on public gatherings, the Suitcase Rummage event on April 4 is no longer going ahead. Instead, Suitcase Rummage is hosting an online market via its Instagram account. You can find more details here. If one man's trash is another man's treasure, then a trunk full of junk may as well be a treasure chest. Suitcase Rummage gets that when it comes to shopping, second-hand reaps the best bang for your buck. For years, it has been hosting regular events around town, and now it's back for 2020. Next happening from 12–5pm on Sunday, February 16 at Brisbane Square, the event will feature a crowd of open suitcases filled with the type of clothes, knick-knacks and craft you probably don't need but definitely deserve. If you can't make it this time around, try again on the first and third Sundays of each month — and, if you've got a pile of unwanted bits and pieces that someone else could love, you could always take your own suitcase along. [caption id="attachment_760661" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Suitcase Rummage[/caption] Those who wanting to sell their wares must register — and it'll cost $25 for a 'stall'. You can bring up to three suitcases, so you can lug in all those shoes you've been promising to wear but certainly will not. Top image: Yan Chen via Suitcase Rummage.
