A Halloween without pumpkin is no Halloween at all, so South Bank's Little Stanley Street likes going all out. A few years back, the inner-city stretch first conjured up Trick or Treat Little Stanley Street, an October street party that's all about getting into the spooky spirit and splashing around plenty of orange-coloured vegetables. After a pandemic-sparked hiatus, the event is making its big return in 2023. We hope you like pumpkins, because this fest does. Indeed, when it makes its comeback across Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28, Trick or Treat Little Stanley Street is bringing back its pumpkin patch. After you pick the perfect gourd, you can take it home with you — for decoration as it is, or for carving into a jack-o-lantern — for a fee. That's not all that this event has to offer, especially if Halloween or just being the vicinity of so many pumpkins makes you hungry. Attendees can settle in at one of the eateries along the South Bank roadway to enjoy a meal that matches the mood, themed cocktails, dishes and all. A heap of bars and restaurants will be embracing the Halloween vibe, whether you're keen on a witches hat margarita at Ahmet's over a roast pumpkin and spinach pide, voodoo people punch at Baba Ganouj — or a zombie juice mocktail if you're not partaking in the hard stuff — or Brooklyn Depot's Satan's wing roulette (aka five buffalo wings and one with Fugheddaboudit hot sauce). Ahmet's is also doing free Halloween bellinis for anyone in costume, while spooky sangria in various guises is on offer at Baba Ganouj, Vici Italian, Ole Spanish Restaurant and Mucho Mexicano. Bloody margaritas are also a common fave at the latter three joints. If Halloween to you means scary movies — or films with horror themes that aren't necessarily fright-inducing — then you'll want to hit up the Little Stanley Street South Lawn during Trick or Treat Little Stanley Street. A big screen will be set up playing all-ages-appropriate titles such as Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride, The Addams Family and Casper. Also on offer from 5–10pm on both days: a trick-or-treat trail, Halloween decorations everywhere, a ghost train, roving entertainment and craft workshops for kids. Yes, this is a family-friendly affair, so expect plenty of little trick-or-treaters for company. Attendance is free, but registering in advance is recommended if you're keen to head along. Trick or Treat Little Stanley Street takes place from 5–10pm on Friday, October 27–Saturday, October 28 on Little Stanley Street and the surrounding area. Head to the South Bank website or the event's Facebook page for further details.
Along the 1200 kilometres of coastal glory that stretches between Perth and Exmouth, you can dive with whale sharks, meet some of the friendliest dolphins you'll find anywhere, visit the oldest living fossils in the world, get to know sea lions, lose yourself snorkelling in beachside coral gardens and drink as many cocktails at sunset as you can handle. With all the spectacular views, but much less of the population of Australia's east coast, the Coral Coast provides one wild, beautiful road trip. Here's our guide to making the most of seven days behind the wheel. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are limitations on where you can go on a holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_773124" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] DAY ONE: PERTH TO GERALDTON, 420KM From Perth, follow Indian Ocean Drive north. Two hours brings you to the white-sanded fishing village of Cervantes. From here, you can stroll among meadows crowded with wildflowers, nip out to local islands to laze about with sea lions and marvel at The Pinnacles — 30,000-year-old limestone formations within the desertscapes of the Nambung National Park. For the next 200 kilometres, the road hugs the coast, slipping through a collective of laidback beachside towns. Once you hit Geraldton, you'll be ready for a windsurfing lesson among ideal conditions and an over-water sunset, accompanied by a good dose of western rock lobster. It's arguably the freshest, tastiest seafood in Australia. [caption id="attachment_773133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australia's Coral Coast[/caption] DAY TWO: GERALDTON TO CARNARVON, 480KM By the time you reach your next destination, Carnarvon, you're in tropical WA. On the fertile plains of the Gascoyne River, more than 170 plantations produce over 4000 tonnes of bananas and 1300 tonnes of mangos annually, plus tomatoes, grapes, capsicum and more. That's why Carnarvon is known locally as the 'salad bowl of Western Australia'. Wander through lush farms before heading to a local restaurant to indulge in the seafood of your choice: prawns, scallops, crabs and fish are delivered to your plate direct from the sea. Your evening should also include a sunset stroll along the fascine. If you're there on a Saturday morning between May and October, visit the Growers Market, where farmers and producers pour in from all over the region to peddle their wares. [caption id="attachment_773142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Tourism Western Australia[/caption] DAY THREE: CARNARVON TO EXMOUTH, 370KM Make your first stop the Quobba Blowholes, just 75 kilometres north. Slamming against the coast with a mighty force, the swell is pushed through narrow rock openings and sea caves, creating spectacular water jets that spout as high as 20 metres. To decompress afterwards, pop just one kilometre south, where you'll discover a calm coral lagoon, known as The Aquarium, for swimming. Once you reach Exmouth, you're on the edge of the Ningaloo Reef. Kick back on idyllic beaches, jump aboard a glass bottom boat tour, join a snorkelling expedition or, if you're there between March and July, go diving with whale sharks. This would be a good point to treat yourself to a night of comfort at the Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort or go all out with a night at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef Safari Camp. [caption id="attachment_773135" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] DAY FOUR: EXMOUTH TO CORAL BAY, 150KM Your return journey south starts with a short day on the road. There's so much to do along this section, it's best to keep driving time to a minimum. What makes the tiny town of Coral Bay so special is that an extraordinarily beautiful section of the Ningaloo Reef is accessible just a few metres offshore. Make tracks to Five Fingers Reef, then simply pop on your snorkelling gear and dive in. To step the action up a notch, take a 20-minute walk from Main Beach to the shallow waters of the local reef shark nursery, where hundreds of sharks gather between October and March. [caption id="attachment_773146" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] DAY FIVE: CORAL BAY TO SHARK BAY, 580KM Follow the Northwest Coastal Highway as far as the turn-off to the Shark Bay World Heritage Drive. Your first adventure along here — the stromatolites of Hamelin Pool — transports you 3.5 billion years back in time. You're looking at the oldest type of living fossils to be found anywhere on the planet. Also definitely worth a stop are the 70-kilometre-long Shell Beach and the dazzling views from Eagle Bluff. Come evening, Monkey Mia has a friendly school of bottlenose dolphins waiting to make your acquaintance, and there are ample opportunities for waterfront cocktails. [caption id="attachment_773139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nature's Window, Tourism Western Australia[/caption] DAY SIX: SHARK BAY TO KALBARRI, 390KM At Kalbarri, the Murchison River runs into the Indian Ocean. Hop aboard a river cruise and go kayaking or canyoning among the steep gorges of the National Park. Hikers will enjoy the eight-kilometre Loop Track, which begins and ends at Nature's Window. Short on time? Visit the two new skywalks, which project 17 metres and 25 metres over the rim and 100 metres above the gorge. Alternatively, stay coastal with your own beach house at Kalbarri Seafront Villas and enjoy stunning walking trails, the legendary Jacques Point surf break and, between June and November, humpback whale spotting. Finish up your day at an outdoor cinema and start the next one with pelican feeding. [caption id="attachment_773950" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oakabella Homestead, Tourism Western Australia[/caption] DAY SEVEN: KALBARRI TO PERTH, 570KM Your seventh and final day brings you an inland experience in the form of the National Trust town of Northampton. Reach it via the coast, taking in the magnificent ocean views south of Kalbarri, or cut straight east through the Kalbarri National Park, keeping a lookout for thorny devils as you go. At Northampton, you can check out a bunch of renowned Western Australian attractions, including the state's oldest public railway and Oakabella Homestead and Tea Rooms. Afterwards, return to the coast and take your pick of sleepy villages for exploration, including the twin towns of Dongara and Port Denison, and the tranquil harbour of Jurien Bay. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Tourism Western Australia.
Exploring a city while staring at your phone might seem counter-intuitive, but it's how most of us wander through the world these days. If you're a Melburnian looking to play tourist in your own town or a visitor to the Victorian capital trying to find your way around, you'll soon have an excuse to keep checking the screen that's always glued your hand: a guide to the city that's also a game. Announced this week by the Victorian Government, 64 Ways of Being is an app that helps users see the sights of Melbourne, with a focus not only on the CBD, but on the surrounding suburbs out to Braybrook in the west to Elwood in the south. While you're spotting things around you, the free app will combine augmented reality, public art and games design to show exclusively commissioned artworks on your screen. Expect rotating live theatre performances, street art and digital AR elements to pop up on your phone. More than that, 64 Ways of Being has a playable component. It's not just about letting users spy special artworks via the app — it's about encouraging you to catch 'em all. If you've long had enough of Pokemon Go, consider this the touristy alternative. The aim is to get everyone exploring as much of the city as possible, obviously, but we all know that the lure to keep upping your tally will be hard to ignore. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrW3lMLF3Hx/ The Victoria Government will invest $950,000 in the app, which is expected to launch in 2020. A collaborative effort by Dr Troy Innocent, a Victorian artist, educator and coder; games studio Millipede; and 'one step at a time like this', a performance collective, 64 Ways of Being will be designed to allow new artworks and locations to be added in the future — including the possibility of rolling out the app to other cities. For further information about 64 Ways of Being, check out the project's Instagram feed. Images: Visit Victoria, Roberto Seba / 64 Ways of Being.
At the end of 2019, Brisbane scored a brand new music festival, with Wildlands focusing on dance, electronic and hip hop, and showcasing a heap of local, Australian and international talent. The event boasted an impressive pedigree, too, hailing from the teams behind Melbourne's Beyond The Valley and Perth's Origin Fields fests. And, it filled Brisbane Showgrounds for one mighty big day. Wildlands didn't return before 2020 is out, because that's just what last year was like — but, come Sunday, December 26–Monday, December 27, 2021, it'll be back in the same spot as a two-day affair. There'll be just one stage per day, so you can see absolutely everyone. And each day will be ticketed separately. As for who you'll be checking out and dancing along to, the lineup unsurprisingly focuses on all-homegrown talent, as headlined by Golden Features, Lime Cordiale, Cosmo's Midnight, The Veronicas and What So Not. Mosey along to one day, or both — the choice is yours. WILDLANDS 2021 LINEUP Day 1 — Sunday, December 26 ChillinIT Dena Amy Golden Features Godlands JK 47 Lastlings Lime Cordiale LUUDE Mallrat Masked Wolf Running Touch ShockOne Sophiegrophy Spacey Jane Sycco Willaris. K Day 2 — Monday, December 27 CHOOMBA Cosmo's Midnight Crooked Colours dameeeela Eves Karydas George Alice jamesjamesjames Motez Nina Las Vegas SAFIA Skin On Skin Telenova Torren Foot Triple One The Veronicas
Brisbanites, you now have plans for 2032. Australians who reside elsewhere, you're going to want to make a trip to the Sunshine State that year, too. After first being named the preferred location back in February, and then earning the International Olympic Committee Executive Board's endorsement in June, Brisbane has just received the official tick of approval — and has been announced as the host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today, Wednesday, July 21, the full International Olympic Committee voted to choose the 2032 host, with Brissie emerging victorious. Given how the past few months have panned out, this result was expected; however, that doesn't make it any less exciting. The 2032 games will take place between July 23–August 8, 2032 at a range of venues not just in Brisbane itself, but around southeast Queensland. Brissie's bid included clusters of venues in the city, on the Gold Coast and on the Sunshine Coast. As revealed in April, the Gabba will also undergo a huge revamp in preparation for the games, which'll basically involve tearing the stadium down and rebuilding it again. https://twitter.com/iocmedia/status/1417763724291497989 It has been a big year for Brisbane, sports-wise, with the city making history last October by becoming the only place outside of Melbourne to ever host an AFL Grand Final. It's been a big few years for southeast Queensland, actually, given that the Gold Coast hosted the Commonwealth Games back in 2018. The 2032 games will be the first held in Oceania since 2000 — when Sydney did the honours, as every Australian remembers. It'll also mark just a 32-year gap between Australia's most recent hosting slots. The Olympics were first held on our shores back in 1956, in Melbourne. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1417764096678653952 Brisbanites can expect fireworks lighting up the sky tonight in celebration, as the Premier revealed in the lead up to the announcement. They're being set off from river barges and CBD buildings, and Brisbane's buildings, bridges and City Hall are also being lit up in green and gold hues as well. The news comes as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics — delayed from last year due to the pandemic — kick off this week, running through until Sunday, August 8. Paris is on hosting duties in 2024, while Los Angeles will take the torch in 2028. Brisbane will host the 2032 Olympics from July 23–August 8, 2032. For further information, head to the Games' website. Top image: IOC/Christophe Moratal.
When John Safran was making his comedy/doco program John Safran vs God for SBS in 2004, his segment on Catholicism included a guest spot from South Melbourne Catholic Priest Father Bob Maguire. It was one of the show’s standout moments: the sardonic Father Bob playing off Safran’s nebbish persona like they’d just come off a 30-week Neil Simon run on Broadway. The relationship continued in television and radio, and Father Bob’s increasing media profile led to him to become every non-Catholic’s favourite Catholic: an outspoken priest who seemed unafraid of offending the Church with his opinions. Because of Bob's notoriety, it's not unreasonable to approach this documentary with trepidation. Would the film simply be repeating what we already knew about Bob? Would it be more suitable for a crowd who’d never heard of him? The film does play to an audience unfamiliar with Bob’s extraordinary personality, but even those who are fans of the man will find much to learn here. And it’s actually Safran who goes unexplained throughout the film. He appears sporadically — most satisfactorily as 'Death' in a beachside callback to Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal — without much comment. This is not necessarily a bad thing; enigmatic figures are an underrated tool for fostering audience intrigue. But it's Father Bob who is the star of the show. Filmed over the period during which the Catholic Church was trying to forcibly eject him (deeming him "too old" at age 75), In Bob We Trust documents the opinions and work of a man who seems to understand the fundamental message of Christ better than many of his counterparts. Not only that, but he puts it into practice. His well-fostered grumpy persona is the perfect conduit for what seems to be a genuine frustration at the Catholic Church's attitude towards women, gays, refugees, the poor, etc. He nearly explodes at the idea of having to explain to his superiors why he keeps spending money on the less fortunate. Lynn-Maree Milburn again proves herself a masterful director, following her superb documentary Autoluminescent: Rowland S Howard in 2011. She confidently steps back when the scene demands it but isn’t afraid to ramp up the production values (jump cuts, non-diegetic music and anything that dares to threaten the film’s verisimilitude with artifice) when needed. Father Bob continuously insists that he himself should not be the message, and the film’s central thesis largely bears this out: Bob is presenting to us the reason and the ideal of Catholicism, what it should be and what it could be. He does not particularly wish to be venerated, and the film respects that whilst slyly paying tribute to a man of extraordinary grace, intelligence, wit and compassion.
It's been one year since The Star Brisbane's grand opening, and the impressive lineup of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues is a strong pick for tourists and locals looking for a group outing destination. Whether you're rounding up your friends for a birthday dinner, chasing pre-concert cocktails, or looking for a dance floor, we've partnered with The Star Brisbane to highlight the top on-site spots where you can prove that everything's better when shared with friends. Aloria Perched on The Star Brisbane's Sky Deck, 100 metres above the CBD, Aloria is perfect for groups who want to celebrate in style. The carefully selected local seasonal produce shines in this Australian-European kitchen — where Queensland-sourced seafood will get your mouth watering, while the 'cellar in the sky' features a curated wine list with a river view to match. Cucina Regina What's more Italian than long tables and share-style plates? Cucina Regina is The Star Brisbane's Italian dining destination and ideal for groups looking for a feast. With wood-fired pizzas and homemade pasta, here, you can enjoy classic flavours with modern flair in a family-style meal. You can even book the private dining room for more formal functions. Just don't forget the tiramisu. Sokyo Is Asian food what you're looking for? Sokyo is The Star Brisbane's sleek and signature Japanese restaurant. The small plates encourage communal dining, with a menu by Executive Chef Alex Yu featuring dishes such as sashimi, wagyu, snapper and Sokyo's signature rolls. Pair this with bright cocktails and a sophisticated setting, and it's a great option to add to your "accomdates-groups" list. Cicada Blu If you want a scenic bar in Brisbane's CBD, pull up a stool at Cicada Blu. The open-air Sky Deck bar boasts unparalleled views and a menu of botanical cocktails like the Gin & Jam, Golden Hour Fizz, and the indulgent Cocoa Highlands with chocolate-infused Glenfiddich. For groups, shared cocktail carafes make it easy to sip and socialise—making Cicada Blu a go-to for laid-back gatherings with a view. Fat Noodle Wanting to book in a meal before your group karaoke or clubbing? Fat Noodle is built for groups who hunt for bold, explosive flavours. The street food-inspired share plates are perfect for splitting across the table and the fun atmosphere will keep the energy high before your next Brisbane night out. LiveWire LiveWire is The Star Brisbane's entertainment precinct. Whether you're joining in on trivia, enjoying the sparkle of drag bingo, or catching live music from headline acts like Havana Brown, Ladyhawke, and Groove City, there's something to keep all your friends entertained. The bar features a range of classic cocktails and beverages, space to dance, and a place to hang out once you've eaten your way through The Star Brisbane. For more group options, check out The Star Brisbane's website. Over 18's only. Drink responsibly. BET WITH YOUR HEAD, NOT OVER IT.
If your spring routine usually involves bar-hopping around Brisbane — and around Fortitude Valley in particular — while listening to up-and-coming musicians, then you must already a devotee of BIGSOUND. The music-fuelled celebration takes over the Queensland capital every September or October, albeit virtually in 2020. And this year, it's back as a physical festival. Between Tuesday, September 7–Thursday, September 9, Brissie will once again become Australia's live music hotspot — even if a Melbourne survey generally claims otherwise. When BIGSOUND hits the city in its in-person format, it typically seems like every venue in Fortitude Valley is filled with bands, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest tunes and talent the country has to offer. Expect 2021's iteration to be no different. The three-day program will include conferences, live festival showcases, secret shows and official parties, with around 150 musicians taking to the stage and showing the industry why they should be pointing their ears their way. While specific lineup details won't be revealed until closer to the event, attendees can look forward to an Indigenous showcase and a women in music event on BIGSOUND 2021's opening night. Also on the bill: tunes galore, as well as talks about everything from changing industry and audience dynamics and the post-COVID world to inclusivity and gender equality. Announcing the event's return for 2021, QMusic CEO and BIGSOUND Executive Producer Angela Samut said that this year's program will "provide the chance for us to collectively grieve the losses the industry has faced over the past year, and celebrate the treasure trove of Australasian talent that has been incubating throughout this time." She continued: "our commitment to rebuilding a stronger, safer, more inclusive industry as we emerge from COVID has never been greater, and BIGSOUND is once again stepping up to the plate as the place where people come to discover the future of music and to be part of the future of music." [caption id="attachment_809942" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kymie at BIGSOUND 2019, by Lachlan Douglas[/caption] Past BIGSOUNDs have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Tash Sultana and Courtney Barnett to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Methyl Ethel and The Jungle Giants, so its program is usually a very reliable bellwether of current and up-and-coming talent. If you're keen to attend the BIGSOUND conference within the broader program — and hear its talks and speeches — it'll run on Wednesday, September 8 and Thursday, September 9. And if you're an artist looking to take part in the event in general, applications are now open until May 28. BIGSOUND 2021 will take place between Tuesday, September 7–Thursday, September 9 in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For more information — or to apply to take part if you're an artist — visit bigsound.org.au. Top image: David Byrne.
Home to raindrop cakes, Nutella gyoza and salted caramel gyoza, Harajuku Gyoza clearly likes getting creative with its sweet treats. The chain is fond of trying out new things with its savouring dumpling range, too, as its experiment with mac 'n' cheese and pepperoni pizza versions showed — but it obviously has a soft spot for the kind of desserts you won't find on any old menu. From Thursday, April 1, the Australian gyoza brand is serving up a new menu item that turns marshmallows into gyoza. You'll find them stuffed inside each dumpling, and also sprinkled on top. And, if your stomach isn't already rumbling, they'll come dusted with icing sugar and paired with Nutella sauce as well. The fried and crispy marshmallow gyoza are joining the chain's dessert lineup in plates of five, which'll cost you $10. And if you fancy tucking into the new gyoza after devouring two old favourites — cheeseburger gyoza, which is stuffed with burger pieces, aged cheddar, onion, pickles, mustard and tomato sauce; and mozzarella gyoza, which is filled with the obvious, then deep-fried and sprinkled with Twisties salt — that's up to you. Harajuku Gyoza's marshmallow gyoza will be available at all Australian stores — at Darling Harbour in Sydney; at South Bank and the CBD in Brisbane; and in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast — from Thursday, April 1.
According to Dean Sewell — Moran Prize winning photographer and part of the Oculi collective — there was this duffel bag. Inside it was a banner a hundred foot long, decorated with two words. This was on the maiden voyage of the Sydney to Hobart ship, the Spirit of Tasmania. There was strict security. Four passengers waited to get on as that security looked at the huge lump of canvas inside their bag. It was a spinnaker for a yacht, claimed the four men, and time consuming to fold back up. The security guards considered if it was worth unrolling for a closer look, squeezed it a little, and let it through. As the ship pulled out, most passengers and security wandered upstairs. Amid empty decks, the four men clipped themselves onto the boat, jumped over the side and unfurled their banner. The four had spent months preparing for the stunt, doing photo recon on the boat and practicing abseils down the side of a car-park at the University of New South Wales. They had even made sure the banner's font matched the writing on the side of the ship. And as they unrolled the result, Dean Sewell was across the harbour on a water taxi taking photos for the Sydney Morning Herald. He had been covering these men, part of the activist group the Lonely Station, since the previous year. A highly-skilled successor to BUGAUP, the group would meticulously rework ads into satire, leaving a much more political message in their place. As time went on Sewell became involved in the group's actions, and his photos form the basis of a new exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, Culture Jammers. Dean recently sat down with Concrete Playground to talk about the Lonely Station, photography and the usefulness of good rope skills. What happened after the banner dropped? They ripped the four Lonely Station guys off the boat. A police launch met up with the pilot launch, took 'em back and processed them. They wore a $6,000 fine for it. Who were they? The Lonely Station was a pretty loose collective of artists, environmental activists and legal minds, about 2004 to 2007. I think it was really born out of the environmental movement. A couple of them were arborists, highly skilled abseilers. So that allowed them to pull off all these actions. You can search globally for culture jamming, you'll be hard pressed to find anything the size of the works these guys were doing: they were hanging off building tops, off boats, all sorts of things. I think they were just looking at giving people a moment of pause. Being that circuit breaker. The spin cycle was in overdrive and they just really wanted to stop it, if only just for a moment in time, to let people recalibrate. Did you have a go at it? I did partake in some things. I think there were times when I was behind the camera, and other times I was taking an active role in producing work. What sort of things were done? One my favourites was a Vodafone billboard at Kingsford Smith Airport. They used that now infamous image from Abu Graib. They climbed up in early hours of morning, abseiled off, put it on, even had ropes dangling off the fingers. It looked very authentic. There was a sub quote under the main slogan, How are you? Underneath that they wrote "Liberated!" They got to hammer the telco company, and at the same time send a message straight to Canberra. It was on the evening news on Channel Ten. Vodafone got hauled over the coals. Vodafone had pulled a stunt, maybe twelve months earlier, where they'd had a guy arrange secretly to run onto a football match naked in New Zealand. It was great. So, the question put to them was "Is this a stunt you guys did? Because if so, it's in really poor taste." You've said that, as a photographer you look for 'the extraordinary in the ordinary.' For me that's the challenge in photography. Exacting something special out of the mundane, ordinary situations. A lot of people think that photographers chase around incredible things. We do sometimes, fantastic and incredible situations. But also it's the ordinary that attracts us. So becoming a full time paparazzo doesn't appeal? The interesting people are real people. The people living out in the middle of nowhere. Living quite humble lives, just in suburbia. Mostly no-one ever hears of these people. You go sit in a pub in outback Queensland or go up to the Corner Country. That's where you find really interesting people. They're normally not in front of you walking a red carpet. One of the images I got, I was just coming back from Cockatoo Island with my friends. We went to the Biennale on Cockatoo Island. And I took a picture on a the ferry. I won the Moran photographic prize with that. You'll see a lot of photographers take flight, chasing this and that. "Oh, it's too boring here, nothing happens here." And they want excitement or thrills or something. I just think I have a certain level of responsibility to document the issues here. You got these interesting, cosmopolitan suburbs of bustling, thriving places. They've got character. You know, you go to Auburn: where all these enclaves of culture exist. And for me, the most interesting cultural scene here is the Inner West, Marrickville, those areas. All the artists collectives. Underground stuff. It's thriving. Leading image of Dean Sewell (c) Tamara Dean. Images Spirit of Tasmania and Helping You Communicate Better (c) Dean Sewell.
UPDATE, September 17, 2020: Captain Marvel is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. From the vibrance of Black Panther to the desolation of Avengers: Infinity War, 2018 was a milestone year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The superhero franchise ushered viewers into a thriving new world, then destroyed much of the MCU's existing realm. It also surpassed its 10th year and clocked up its 20th movie, too. Now comes a landmark event that should've arrived far sooner: the sprawling series' first film about a female protagonist. But cause for excitement soon becomes cause for shrugged shoulders with the average and underwhelming Captain Marvel. In terms of representation, the importance of simply seeing the iconic character on screen can't be underestimated. It's about damn time, honestly, especially after DC Comics beat Marvel to the punch with Wonder Woman. And the well-cast Brie Larson makes an engaging, inspiring Captain Marvel — a self-assured, no-nonsense hero who shines brightly and won't let anyone get in her way, but is also caring, tender and supportive when it comes to the people who matter. The movie also makes history behind the lens thanks to Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind's Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, with Boden becoming the MCU's first female director. Still, a generic film about a kick-ass female hero finally getting her due is still just that: generic. Before Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) becomes the universe's latest potential saviour, she's a woman waiting for action on the planet of Hala. Trained by Starforce commander Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), and told by the Kree civilisation that she's bound for bigger things, she's itching to use her powers — glowing hands that shoot beams of light — but can only control them when she's also able to control her emotions. Then a dangerous mission goes awry, sending the intergalactic soldier hurtling to earth. It's 1995, so she crashes through the roof of a Blockbuster, goes incognito in a Nine Inch Nails shirt, and a fresh-faced, eye patch-free Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) doesn't quite know what to make of the situation. The fact that Danvers is being followed by shape-shifting extraterrestrials, called Skrulls, complicates matters considerably, as do the vague flashes of a former life as a US Air Force pilot that she can't otherwise remember. The film throws more characters at its eponymous figure, such as a long-lost best friend (Lashana Lynch), a mentor (Annette Bening) with a link to Danvers' past and a Skrull (Ben Mendelsohn) with an Aussie accent (aliens can sound like they're from anywhere, after all). Mendo can never be described as routine, however seeing him pop up in another unchallenging Hollywood role cuts to the heart of Captain Marvel's struggles. So too does the movie's competent but unmemorable action scenes, standard visuals and overall texture for that matter. Apart from championing a female Marvel protagonist in a big and thoroughly deserved way, little about the film feels unique. That includes its throwback vibe (swapping Guardians of the Galaxy's 70s and 80s schtick for the 90s), fish-out-of-water narrative (classic Thor), and buddy-comedy laughs (as seen recently in Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: Homecoming). Plus, while there's always room for a cute cat, even the scene-stealing Goose isn't that far removed from the mischievous tree known as Groot. Captain Marvel also falls victim to a curse that has plagued DC films more than the MCU. There's a reason that this tale is reaching screens mere weeks before Avengers: Endgame, with Captain Marvel serving up an origin story and slotting a key puzzle piece into place just in time for the next big flick. The same was true for Black Panther's pre-Infinity War release, but where the franchise's visit to Wakanda offered a vivid diversion from the Marvel playbook, this dalliance with Danvers always seems overly calculated. When the film isn't laying the groundwork for its immediate follow-up, it's diving into the series' past to explain things that don't need explaining — as a movie from a galaxy far, far away, aka Solo: A Star Wars Story, did last year with similarly passable but unremarkable results. And when Captain Marvel wants to evoke a warm, happy mood, it leans heavily and noticeably on 90s nostalgia. TLC, Hole, Garbage, No Doubt and Nirvana music cues, while welcome, have rarely felt so forced. Indeed, at times Captain Marvel plunges further than generic, coming off as a wasted opportunity. There's much that hits the mark, including the refreshing focus on friendship instead of romance, as well as the can-do female empowerment message. But there's also much about this MCU instalment that contentedly treads in familiar footsteps, dresses up the recognisable in barely different packaging and avoids embracing a distinctive flavour of its own. As the comics have made plain for more than four decades, when Carol Danvers soars, she flies high and blazes her own path. And yet, perhaps laying the groundwork for Endgame, the film that finally brings her to the big screen seems happy just to let her show up, rather than allowing her to make a real impact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc
Food is glorious for a whole heap of reasons. It's tasty and it provides much-needed sustenance, for starters — and nothing brings people together like a good meal. That's the principle behind A Taste of Belonging, the latest event in the State Library of Queensland's Belonging series. On April 22, sitting down for a three-course dinner becomes a meaningful culinary experience, complete with an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Iranian, Chinese and Venezuelan cuisines, and insights into the history and culture behind each dish. Plus, the entire mouthwatering feast will be whipped up by Wandering Cooks and Alphabet Cafe based on recipes shared by the Romero Centre's migrant communities.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. SHE SAID Questions flow freely in She Said, the powerful and methodical All the President's Men and Spotlight-style newspaper drama that tells the story behind the past decade's biggest entertainment story. On-screen, Zoe Kazan (Clickbait) and Carey Mulligan (The Dig) tend to be doing the asking, playing now Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. They query Harvey Weinstein's actions, including his treatment of women. They gently and respectfully press actors and Miramax employees about their traumatic dealings with the Hollywood honcho, and they politely see if some — if any — will go on the record about their experiences. And, they question Weinstein and others at his studio about accusations that'll lead to this famous headline: "Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades". As the entire world read at the time, those nine words were published on October 5, 2017, along with the distressing article that detailed some — but definitely not all — of Weinstein's behaviour. Everyone has witnessed the fallout, too, with Kantor and Twohey's story helping spark the #MeToo movement, electrifying the ongoing fight against sexual assault and gender inequality in the entertainment industry, and shining a spotlight on the gross misuses of authority that have long plagued Tinseltown. The piece also brought about Weinstein's swift downfall. As well as being sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York in 2020, he's currently standing trial for further charges in Los Angeles. Watching She Said, however, more questions spring for the audience. Here's the biggest heartbreaker: how easily could Kantor and Twohey's article never have come to fruition at all, leaving Weinstein free to continue his predatory harassment? In a female-driven movie on- and off-screen — including director Maria Schrader (I'm Your Man), screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Small Axe) and cinematographer Natasha Braier (Honey Boy) — She Said details all the moments where the pivotal piece of reporting could've been forced to take no for an answer, something that Weinstein wasn't known for. At the NYT, assistant managing editor Rebecca Corbett (Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects) and executive editor Dean Baquet (Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) are always supportive, starting when Kantor picks up the story, and continuing when she brings in Twohey fresh off an investigative article into Donald Trump's sexual misconduct. But, unsurprisingly, the women made victims by Weinstein are wary. Many also signed non-disclosure agreements. Kantor and Twohey's pitch: by speaking out and ideally going on the record, they can assist in ensuring that what they endured doesn't happen to anyone else. Knowing the end result, and the whole reason that She Said exists, doesn't dampen the film's potency or tension. Instead, it heightens the appreciation for the bravery of those who spoke out — at first and afterwards — and the care with which Kantor and Twohey handled their task. The two reporters knew that they were asking women to revisit their darkest traumas, make their worst ordeals public and take on a man who'd been untouchable for decades (with the spate of NDAs and settlements with many of his targets to prove it). Even Rose McGowan (voiced by The Plot Against America's Keilly McQuail) is hesitant; she's mentioned but not quoted in the final piece. Persevering to bring Weinstein's crimes to attention, Kantor and Twohey keep digging, and keep trying to persuade their potential interviewees — and She Said doubles as a lesson in compassionately and respectfully doing just that. Read our full review. BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS Everyone wants to be the person at the party that the dance floor revolves around, and life in general as well, or so Alejandro González Iñárritu contends in Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths. In one of the film's many spectacularly shot scenes — with the dual Best Director Oscar-winning Birdman and The Revenant helmer benefiting from astonishing lensing by Armageddon Time cinematographer Darius Khondji — the camera swirls and twirls around Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho, Memoria), the movie's protagonist, making him the only person that matters in a heaving crowd. Isolated vocals from David Bowie's 'Let's Dance' boom, and with all the more power without music behind them, echoing as if they're only singing to Silverio. Iñárritu is right: everyone does want a moment like this. Amid the intoxicating visuals and vibe, he's also right that such instances are fleeting. And, across his sprawling and surreal 159-minute flick, he's right that such basking glory and lose-yourself-to-dance bliss can never be as fulfilling as anyone wants. That sequence comes partway through Bardo, one of several that stun through sheer beauty and atmosphere, and that Iñárritu layers with the disappointment of being himself. Everyone wants to be the filmmaker with all the fame and success, breaking records, winning prestigious awards and conquering Hollywood, he also contends. Alas, when you're this Mexican director, that isn't as joyous or uncomplicated an experience as it sounds. On-screen, his blatant alter ego is a feted documentarian rather than a helmer of prized fiction. He's a rare Latino recipient of a coveted accolade, one of Bardo's anchoring events. He's known to make ambitious works with hefty titles — False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is both the IRL movie's subtitle and the name of Silverio's last project — and he's been largely based in the US for decades. Yes, parallels abound. While dubbing Bardo as semi-autobiographical is one of the easiest ways to describe it, simplicity isn't one of its truths, even if the film champions the small things in life as existential essentials. Another easy way to outline Bardo: Silverio faces his choices, regrets and achievements as that shiny trophy looms, and ponders where his career has taken him, who it's made him and what that all means to him. From the filmmaker who first earned attention for telling narratives in a fractured, multi-part fashion (see: his debut Amores Perros, plus 21 Grams and Babel), and lately has loved roving and roaming cinematography that unfurls in the lengthiest of takes (see: Birdman and The Revenant), this was never going to be a straightforward affair, though. And so he weaves and wanders, and has the silver-haired Silverio do the same, while weighing up what's brought them both to this point. Bardo opens by visibly recalling Birdman, with a bounding force casting a shadow upon an arid land, but it's an early glimpse at a house from above that encapsulates Iñárritu's approach best. The home initially resembles a miniature, which Silverio then flits through — and, given its lead often segues between places and times like he's stepping through a doorway, the movie functions in the same manner. Sometimes, he's in a hospital corridor as his wife Lucía (Griselda Siciliani, The People Upstairs) gives birth to a baby boy who whispers that the world is too broken for him to want to live in, and is then pushed back into the womb. Or, he's picturing how a big TV interview with a bitter ex-colleague could go wrong, or shrinking down to childhood size to chat with his deceased father. Sometimes, Silverio is in Los Angeles holding a bag of axolotls, or striding through Mexico City streets that are empty except for corpses. Read our full review. GREENHOUSE BY JOOST When Joost Bakker helped pile 3000 kilograms of clothing waste in Melbourne's Federation Square in April 2022, all to draw attention to fast fashion, he viewed the project with his usual optimism. "Even if it's just one person who walks through that structure and gets inspired and comes up with a solution — that's what's so exciting," the renowned zero-waste campaigner noted. Those exact words could've been uttered about the venture at the centre of Greenhouse by Joost, too. A three-storey home made entirely out of recyclable materials that don't generate waste, and designed to operate as a closed food system with everything catered for onsite and not a scrap spared, it predates his spotlight on the textile industry. Clearly, it boasts the same sustainability focus. In fact, Bakker could've said the same thing about past pop-ups in the same spot over more than a decade, including fellow waste-free eateries also called Greenhouse since 2008. Scratch that — it isn't merely likely that the Dutch-born floral designer and activist could've expressed the same sentiments; it's certain he must've. Eliminating waste is Bakker's passion. Not wasting any time trying to put that aim into action is just as much of an obsession. His work doesn't merely talk the talk but walks the walk, and attempts to help the world see how crucial it is to reduce humanity's impact upon the earth. The habitable Greenhouse is quite the undertaking, though, given its purpose: building an abode that two people can get shelter, food, water and energy from, all in one cosy and clever self-sustaining ecosystem. Chefs Jo Barrett and Matt Stone (ex-Oakridge Wines) agreed to do the residing, and to put Bakker's Future Food System to the test. They were named among the world's 50 best next-generation hospitality leaders in 2021 for their efforts, for what's a vital, pioneering and fascinating enterprise. It's no wonder that filmmakers Rhian Skirving (Matilda & Me) and Bruce Permezel (The Obesity Myth) — both directing, the former writing and the latter lensing — were driven to document it. Shot since the conception and building stage, then chronicling the COVID-19 setbacks, the logistical and setup woes, and the daily reality of living in the structure, it's also no wonder that the resulting Melbourne International Film Festival Audience Award-winner makes such compelling viewing. Greenhouse by Joost is both a record and an aspirational tool: it shows what can and has been done and, as Bakker always hopes, it wants to get everyone watching following in his, Barrett and Stone's footsteps. Of course, for most, money will be a very real and practical obstacle. There's no doubting that Greenhouse stems from considerable resources, both in finances and time. But that's the thing with ambitions: they have us shooting for the stars, breaking our goals down into everyday pieces and finding ways to make even small parts of them happen. Evoking that exact response when it comes to making life's basics sustainable — what we eat and drink, where we stay and sleep, and how we power it all — is Bakker's aim, too. With Bakker as the film's on-screen guide, Greenhouse by Joost does just that itself as well, stepping through the idea and the execution like it's laying out a roadmap for its audience to chart. Viewers won't walk out of the doco ready to move into their own such dwelling, but learning plenty about the ingenious design, the bits and pieces that go into it, and the work required — to get it up, ready and operating smoothly, and also to have it function as a small-scale restaurant — comes with simply watching. Although the cooking, serving, welcoming in eager diners and sharing the titular building comes later in the movie, obviously, it's a crucial piece of the project overall and of Skirving and Permezel's feature. How much more doable does just living in the Greenhouse and taking care of yourself seem compared to running it as a mini eatery? Oh-so-much. How much easier does putting some of its principles to use in your own home seem, too? The answer remains the same. Read our full review. MILLIE LIES LOW A scene-stealer in 2018's The Breaker Upperers, Ana Scotney now leads the show in Millie Lies Low. She's just as magnetic. The New Zealand actor comes to the part via Wellington Paranormal, Shortland Street, Educators and Cousins — and the film first debuted at festivals before her role in God's Favourite Idiot — but it's an exceptional calling card. It isn't easy playing someone so committed to making such utterly questionable choices, yet remaining so charmingly relatable; however, that's Scotney's remit and achievement in this canny, savvy and amusing comedy. It also isn't easy to pull off the timing needed to highlight the hilarious side of Millie's hijinks, while ensuring that her woes, hopes and everything that's led her to lie low but lie about living it up remain understandable; consider her entire portrayal a masterclass in just that. Scotney plays the film's eponymous Wellington university student, who panics aboard a plane bound for New York — where a prestigious architecture internship awaits — and has to disembark before her flight leaves. She says she isn't anxious. She also says it isn't an attack. And by the time she realises what she's done, she's alone in the airport, the aircraft has departed and her own face beams down at her from a digital billboard. Even getting that Big Apple opportunity had made her the toast of the town, and huge things were meant to await, hence the ads and publicity. Now, a new ticket costs $2000, which Millie doesn't have. Admitting that she hasn't gone at all — to her family, friends, teachers, school and the NZ capital at large — wouldn't cost her a thing, but it's a price she isn't willing to pay. First, Millie endeavours to rustle up the cash from her best friend and classmate (Jillian Nguyen, Hungry Ghosts), and then her mother (Rachel House, Heartbreak High). Next, she hits up a quick-loan business (run by Cohen Holloway, The Power of the Dog) but is still left empty-handed. Millie's only solution, other than admitting the situation and facing the fallout: faking it till she makes it. As she searches for other ways to stump up the funds, she hides out in her hometown, telling everyone that she's actually already in NYC. To support her ruse, she posts elaborate faux Instagram snaps MacGyvered out of whatever she can find (big sacks of flour standing in for snow, for instance) and scours for every possible spot, building feature and poster that can even slightly double for New York. There's a caper vibe to Millie's efforts skulking around Wellington while attempting to finance the ticket to her apparent dreams. Sometimes, she's holed up in a tent in her mum's backyard. Sometimes, she's putting on a disguise and showing up at parties in her old flat — eavesdropping on what her mates are saying in her absence, and spying on the boyfriend (Chris Alosio, Troppo) she's meant to be on a break from. While she's doing the latter, she's also reclaiming the car she sold pre-trip to use as loan collateral, because she's that determined to get to America and leave her nearest and dearest none the wiser. Making her feature debut, director and co-writer Michelle Savill has more than just a laugh and a lark in her sights, though, as entertaining as Millie Lies Low's namesake's antics are. There's a caper vibe to the picture of Millie's supposedly perfect existence that she's trying to push upon herself as much as her loved ones as well, like she's selling herself on an unwanted fantasy. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on August 4, August 11, August 18 and August 25; September 1, September 8, September 15, September 22 and September 29; October 6, October 13, October 20 and October 27; and November 3 and November 10. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future, Bosch & Rockit, Fire of Love, Beast, Blaze, Hit the Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Orphan: First Kill, The Quiet Girl, Flux Gourmet, Bodies Bodies Bodies, Moonage Daydream, Ticket to Paradise, Clean, You Won't Be Alone, See How They Run, Smile, On the Count of Three, The Humans, Don't Worry Darling, Amsterdam, The Stranger, Halloween Ends, The Night of the 12th, Muru, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, Black Adam, Barbarian, Decision to Leave, The Good Nurse, Bros, The Woman King, Sissy, Armageddon Time, The Wonder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Velvet Queen.
Since Disney got its lightsabers out again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, a galaxy far, far away has rarely been far from screens. That includes on streaming, where the force has proven particularly strong across three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. The next Star Wars show on its way: Ahsoka, which will give warrior, outcast, rebel and Jedi her own series from August. Rosario Dawson (Clerks III) returns as the limited series' titular figure, after playing the part in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. If you're new to the character, she was Anakin Skywalker's padawan before he became Darth Vader — and, here, she's an ex-Jedi Knight who is determined to battle a threat to the post-Empire galaxy. Her latest exploits will hit Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Ahsoka follows animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, too, plus fellow animated show Star Wars Rebels — because yes, this franchise about a galaxy far, far away will keep spreading far and wide in this one. From the latter series, Star Wars aficionados will spot rebel crew member Hera Syndulla and former bounty hunter Sabine Wren. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the former in Ahsoka, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Guns Akimbo) steps into the latter's shoes. Also among the familiar characters: fellow Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels, with Eman Esfandi (King Richard) doing the live-action honours — and Grand Admiral Thrawn, too, as played by Lars Mikkelsen (The Kingdom). Ahoska's cast includes Ray Stevenson (RRR) and Ivanna Sakhno (The Reunion), plus David Tennant (Good Omens). Also, reports have been bubbling for years about Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin, as he did in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is Disney+'s first series focused on a female Jedi; indeed, as a character, Ahoska has long been one of the few women among the franchise's Jedi ranks, dating back to 2008. Off-screen, The Mandalorian writer/director/executive producer Dave Filoni writes and executive produces Ahoska, with Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck also doing the latter — all seasoned Star Wars veterans. Check out the first teaser trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Every evening between now and October 2, Alice Springs will be the brightest place in Australia. Lights will illuminate a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the nearby MacDonnell Ranges, and luminous artwork will be projected onto the city's desert sands — and yes, that's just the beginning of the region's glowing wonders. Both form part of Parrtjima – A Festival in Light, which holds the honour of being the nation's first Indigenous festival of its kind. Showcasing contemporary and traditional Indigenous art, culture and stories using light and sound, it's also Australia's biggest-ever light installation. It is created by the Northern Territory Government and local artists in collaboration with AGB Events (aka the folks that light up Sydney each year for Vivid), after all. Visitors won't just celebrate Aboriginal culture by basking in the glory of a glimmering 300-million-year-old land mass — they'll also play a part in choosing just how the Ranges come to glowing life. An interactive component, called Range of Expression, allows festival-goers to pick their favourite colours and then see them projected onto the vast landscape. Looking down rather than up, Grounded immerses attendees in a sequence of artworks symbolising the return of Indigenous art to the country. The festival also features three light-filled caterpillar installations that tell the Yeperenye Dreamtime story, as well as five illuminated '50s-style skirts covered in watercolour landscape paintings by Alice Springs artists, including Albert Namatjira's granddaughter Lenie Namatjira. And while Parrtjima only brightens up the outback for ten nights, it's hoped that it'll become an annual drawcard. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until October 2 in the Alice Springs Desert Park, Norther Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
If you're an Australian or New Zealander who has spent the COVID-19 pandemic fantasising about a Greek getaway, your dream holiday is now one step closer. As part of the European nation's gradual reopening to tourists, Greece has revealed that it'll allow visitors from 29 countries to enter the country from June 15, including from Australia and New Zealand. As announced by Greek Minister of Tourism Haris Theocharis, Greece's borders will reopen in mid-June to residents from Down Under, as well as to folks from Albania, Austria, Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia, Japan, Israel, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Oman, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Finland. That list of countries is expected to expand from July 1. In a statement, the minister advised that "the list of 29 countries was formed after a study of the epidemiological profile of the countries of origin of tourists". Australia and New Zealand both currently boast low coronavirus case numbers — an average of 12 new cases each day in Australia over the past week, and only one active case in NZ as at 9am on Friday, May 29 — with the two nations now easing out of their respective lockdowns. Flights will be allowed into Athens and Thessaloniki airports, the Greek Minister also revealed in an interview, and visitors could be subject to sample COVID-19 testing. The news comes as Greece continues to ease its coronavirus restrictions, with the country's reopening plans announced in early May, and limits on leaving the house, exercising, shopping, work and schools gradually lifting. Restaurants and year-round hotels will be allowed to open from June 1. Of course, being allowed to enter a foreign country such as Greece is only one part of the equation for eager travellers from Down Under. Being allowed to leave Australia or New Zealand for a holiday is another matter entirely. In Australia, a travel ban is still in place, with Aussies unable to depart the nation unless they seek an exemption from Home Affairs. And in New Zealand, the government still currently advises that all New Zealanders do not travel overseas at present. For further details about Greece's eased tourist restrictions, visit the Greek Ministry of Tourism website.
In 2013, three women escaped from a home in Cleveland, Ohio, then shocked the world by revealing they'd been kidnapped and kept prisoner by one man for over a decade. It's hard not think that their harrowing tale may have played a part in the conception of writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller, Split, which begins in a very similar fashion. Three young girls, all in their teens, are drugged and abducted in broad daylight outside of a shopping mall, only to wake up imprisoned in a bunker with no idea where they are, who took them, or why. That is, until they meet Dennis. Played by James McAvoy, Dennis is a cold, meticulous and physically brutal force. He's nothing like Patricia, the matronly British lady (also played by James McAvoy), who assures the girls they'll not be touched or harmed in any way. Then there's Hedwig (played by...James McAvoy) who's just a small boy who loves to dance to Kanye, and Barry (James McAvoy) a fashion designer constantly reassuring his shrink that everything's under control and…well…you get the idea. Rest assured though, this isn't some sort of Eddie Murphy costume romp where he's playing every character. Rather, McAvoy plays a collective of 23 distinct personalities competing for 'the light' within the body of one man named Kevin. Within this extraordinary case of DID (dissociative identity disorder), some personalities want the girls freed, whilst others appear to be preparing them for the arrival of the yet unseen 24th identity which they refer to only as 'the beast'. The burden of carrying the film, unsurprisingly, sits almost exclusively with McAvoy, whose performance more than rises to the challenge. Shyamalan actually filmed each of Kevin's identities as though they were portrayed by a different actor and the technique absolutely pays off. Each one feels different, and you soon think of them accordingly. Some you fear, others you warm to and none feel at all like the man playing them. The other performance of note comes from Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch). Introduced as a loner from the opening scene, Casey resists the others' suggestions of attempting an escape in favour of befriending the more approachable identities within Kevin, sparking additional conflict within an environment already dripping with tension. Taylor-Joy's a terrific actress with a long future ahead of her, and it's her scenes with McAvoy where Split is at its best. Filmed almost entirely in extreme closeups – a device that leaves audiences wondering what unseen menace might be lurking just off screen – McAvoy's unpredictability keeps the levels of menace high, while Taylor-Joy's enormous, soulful eyes speak volumes when words aren't (or can't) be spoken. Ever since The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan has been plagued by the expectation that his films will feature an unpredictable twist, a promise on which he's been mostly unable to deliver. Depending on your perspective, the finale of Split either sheds itself of that expectation entirely or doubles down and hits you with something even larger. Maybe it's both. Either way, the end result is almost certainly Shyamalan's best film since his breakout; a welcome return to form and an exciting precursor to whatever comes next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TouqfIsiI
If spending your summer holiday lazing opposite a palm tree-lined beach sounds like something you have to go overseas to do, guess again. The Reef House Boutique Hotel and Spa is an award-winning luxury beachfront stay in Palm Cove where you can experience that balmy (and palmy) escape without needing to dig out your now dusty passport. Your stay here includes a drink on arrival, complimentary twilight refreshments, poolside cocktail service and access to the fully stocked Honesty Bar where you can help yourself to your favourite drinks. There are also cocktail classes, wine tasting, beachfront yoga, an adults-only tranquility pool, jacuzzi, day spa, unlimited bicycle use and a library to keep you occupied in case you get tired of oscillating between relaxing by the pool and dining at the impressive Reef House Restaurant.
It's happening again, musical fans: Wicked is returning to Australia. That statement also applies to a mighty magical chance to see the smash-hit show for cheap. Yes, TodayTix is doing another of its ticket lotteries. When a big musical heads our way, there are often two reasons to get excited: the fact that the particular stage show is coming Down Under, and possibly getting to catch it without breaking the bank. That budget-friendly option has spanned everything from Hamilton and Moulin Rouge! to Mary Poppins and Tina — The Tina Turner Musical in recent years — and now it's Wicked's turn. This is an enchanted opportunity to enjoy The Wizard of Oz-inspired show at a discount, with tickets costing just $45. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the TodayTix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each week for the next week's performances. The lottery will go live at 12.01am AEST every Thursday morning, and is already up and running for its first week. Then, the winners are drawn after 1pm on the following Wednesday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via TodayTix, too. Opening in Sydney on Friday, August 25, Wicked returns to Australia two decades after composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman initially took a book that gleaned its influences from The Wizard of Oz, put it to music and turned it into one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century. Even if you haven't seen the blockbuster show before, including on its past Aussie run from 2008–11, then you've likely heard of it. Following the Land of Oz's witches — telling their untold true tale is the musical's whole angle, in fact — Wicked has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Story-wise, Wicked starts before The Wizard of Oz and continues its narrative after Dorothy Gale lands, adapting Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The text itself has sold 5.5 million copies, including five million since the musical first opened. Here, before Dorothy blows in, two other women meet in the Land of Oz: Elphaba and Galinda. One will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other will become Glinda the Good Witch. Exactly why that happens, and how, and the pair's relationship from rivals to unlikely friends to grappling with their new labels, fuels the show's tale. There's no word yet if Wicked will also hit up other Aussie cities, with only a Sydney season locked in so far. Pop on your ruby slippers and click your heels three times in hope that'll defy gravity in Melbourne, Brisbane and more afterwards — or make a Harbour City date ASAP. Wicked will open its Australian-premiere season at Sydney Lyric from Friday, August 25. To enter the TodayTix $45 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Joan Marcus.
Brisbane comes alive in summer. Riverside bars and restaurants fill up with people taking advantage of longer days, barbecue smells waft throughout the city's parks and arts and culture venues host all manner of summer events. Yes, you can certainly run away to beaches along the coast for spectacular nature-filled getaways. But when you want a city break, this is the ultimate way to do it. From sunup till sundown, here's how to spend a weekend in the River City when you're treating yourself to a weekend break, whether it's your first time visiting or you're a Brisbanite looking to make the most of what the city has to offer. [caption id="attachment_698056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane Powerhouse's Wonderland Festival[/caption] FRIDAY Kick off your weekend Brisbane break by finding a premium sunset spot. We have two easy options for you. First off, there's Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Head up here to watch the sun go down over Brisbane's skyline, so BYO picnic hamper. Another one of our favourite ways to experience Brisbane's vibrant sunsets is by heading down to the water. You can walk alongside the river or hang at one of the many bars that dot its banks, but we think you can go one step better by going on a leisurely sunset kayaking tour. Operators like Adrenaline and River Life have guides who'll take you to the best sunset viewing spots. An unbeatable sunset view is an ideal prelude for an evening experiencing Brisbane's thriving arts and culture scene. Head to Fortitude Valley comedy bar Blute's Bar to see big Aussie names working on new material as well as newbies who may just surprise you with true silliness, Brisbane Powerhouse for a diverse array of both international acts and the best of Brisbane's local alternative arts scene, or QPAC for a big-ticket stage show. [caption id="attachment_875466" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Motion Dining[/caption] SATURDAY If you didn't go too hard the night before (or if you stayed up all night long), we say you should sneak in a sunrise viewing from Mt Coot-tha. Seeing Brisbane and its surrounds slowly wake up to the sun's golden glow is a magical experience — and one that's only a 15-minute drive from the CBD. From here, make your way to the Powerhouse Farmers Markets, and browse over 120 stalls showcasing all kinds of foodie delights. Expect fresh farm produce, flowers and artisan products, as well as food trucks and coffee kiosks — more than enough, in other words, to set you up for a big day of exploring. Next, take your bounty to the adjacent New Farm Park (pictured below). This is one of Brisbane's oldest and largest parks, so you won't struggle to find a secluded spot where you can graze well into the afternoon — while doing some sly people watching as well, of course. [caption id="attachment_876238" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael (Unsplash)[/caption] Suitably fuelled, hop on the ferry from New Farm Park and head to South Bank and the impressive Gallery of Modern Art. Here you'll find a whole host of exhibitions and film screenings showcasing the work of local and international artists as you see firsthand just how far Brissie's arts and culture scene has come in recent years. If you're wanting to take a glimpse at Brisbane's burgeoning local arts scene, head up to Fortitude Valley to spot some eye-catching street art. We recommend you take it at your own pace, exploring the local area with a self-guided tour. Once you've got your art fix, the sun will be starting to dip and you'd have likely spent a lot of time on your feet. Our tip: unwind in style with cocktails and bar snacks at The Charles', set within the luxurious surrounds of The Westin Brisbane. Settle in for a sundowner at this sleek lobby bar an antipasto platter that'll whet your appetite for dinner. Once you've warmed up the cogs of your stomach, it's time for dinner — and why not treat yourself to an evening of local produce? You can do just that at the stylish Motion Dining, where executive chef Peter Iwanczyk oversees a diverse menu that puts locally sourced ingredients front and centre. Whether you take a seat at the chef's table overlooking the theatre of the grill or you nab an al fresco riverside table, you'll be treated to some of Queensland's freshest seafood, premium steaks and more. [caption id="attachment_827832" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Three Blue Ducks[/caption] SUNDAY Sundays are made for taking it easy. That's why our go-to Sunday morning activity in Brisbane is a leisurely stroll through the City Botanic Gardens. This centrally located park is an oasis of calm located right on the river. Take your time wandering the grounds, taking in the views with a necessary coffee in hand. For brunch, it's all about Three Blue Ducks. This restaurant's ethos centres around paddock-to-plate dining — that means everything you get is locally sourced, seasonal and respectfully prepared. It's also pretty damn tasty, so you'll quickly understand why this is one of Brisbane's favourite breakfast destinations. Walk off your brunch by visiting Brisbane's much-loved Riverside Markets. Every Sunday, this patch of the riverbank transforms into a mini festival with live music, food trucks and stall after stall selling local wares. Pick up a few last-minute souvenirs here, bringing some memories of this Brisbane city break back home with you. Looking to make the most of your next city break? Find your home away from home with Marriott Bonvoy. Book your stay now at the website. Top image: Brisbane Local Marketing (Unsplash)
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, then you might want to make a date with a certain Kangaroo Point fish 'n' chippery this year. From Friday, March 29–Sunday, March 31, One Fish Two Fish is serving up plenty of the ocean's finest for the occasion, all as part of a $95 four-course meal that starts with seafood platters and remains just as indulgent from there. In the past, One Fish Two Fish has called this yearly feast Great Friday; however, in 2024 it's keeping the specials going for three days. So, the name still applies, but it's a whole-weekend deal. That means more chances to head along. Those platters are made to share, and come stacked with pacific oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, cooked Mooloolaba prawns, blue swimmer crab and green-lip mussels. Next comes pineapple and mint granita as a palette cleanser, then grilled goldband snapper with Amalfi salad. We've only listed three rounds so far, with the fourth course getting sweet. To wrap things up, you'll be tucking into hot cross bun bread and butter pudding. If you're keen to eat in, you'll need to book a spot for one of five sittings: 11.30am–1.30pm, 2–4pm and 5.30–7.30pm on Friday; and 12–2pm on both Saturday and Sunday. There's also a takeaway menu featuring fish 'n' chip fare, and a different Easter treat across Saturday–Sunday: $25 lobster croissants.
All across Australia, accommodation is popping up in unlikely places. There's the glamping set-up on top of a Melbourne CBD shopping complex, and — for the more low-brow traveller — a tent pitched on some dude's balcony for $90 a week. And now, in a more architecturally-sound and downright genius move, the Doma Group have erected their newest hotel on top of a four-level carpark. The site, which is located in the Parliament House suburb of Barton, was designed to accommodate 489 car parks for Canberra commuters. But rather than just being a place to house cars, Doma thought it would be an ideal spot to house humans as well. Working with Redgen Mathieson Architects, they've made clever use of the space and created 120 rooms over the fifth and sixth levels of the structure. There are also two very slick common areas, which have great views over Parliament House and Canberra, and might just be an ideal spot to run into a pollie or two. The hotel is another addition to Canberra's boutique accommodation selection, which includes the East Hotel and the much-lauded HotelHotel. Rooms start from $119 a night — and yes, fluffy robes are included. Little National Hotel is located at 21 National Circuit, Barton, Canberra. Find out more here.
It brought Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance saga to the big screen. It helped make Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson superstars. Indeed, for its two biggest names, it saw KStew go soaring to everything from Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper to Charlie's Angels, Crimes of the Future and Spencer — earning an Oscar nomination for the latter — and RPatz going from The Rover and Good Time to High Life, Tenet and The Batman. And, now, The Twilight Saga is making a comeback. The undead don't die, after all, and neither does much in the pop-culture realm. No big movie franchise ever says goodbye these days, with making the leap to the small screen one sticky trend at the moment. The Marvel Cinematic Universe did it, as has the rival DC Extended Universe. The Star Wars realm took the jump, too. So did The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter, IT and The Conjuring series are also on their way. There's also a John Wick show in the works — and yes, the list goes on. With Twilight, Lionsgate Television is in early development on a small-screen version, as per The Hollywood Reporter. That said, it apparently hasn't yet been decided whether this'll be a spinoff from the OG books and the movies that initially brought them to the screen, or if it'll take the remake route like HBO's new Harry Potter show is set to. Either way, given their careers right now — see: all those films mentioned above — it's probably safe to say that Stewart and Pattinson won't be involved. Of course, there's zero word on casting for Twilight's television iteration so far, with only writer and producer Sinead Daly (The Get Down, Dirty John, Raised by Wolves, The Walking Dead: World Beyond and Tell Me Lies) named as being involved and Meyer also expected to have some input. Exactly when the Twilight TV series will arrive, and where it'll air or stream, similarly hasn't been revealed. Forgotten what the five vamp films cover? They start with teenager Bella Swan (Stewart) moving to the small town of Forks, Washington, where she meets and falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen (Pattinson). This romance between a human and a vampire isn't particularly straightforward, otherwise there wouldn't be four books and five movies devoted to it. In cinemas, Twilight also starred everyone from Taylor Lautner (Cuckoo), Anna Kendrick (Alice, Darling) and Dakota Fanning (The First Lady) to Michael Sheen (Good Omens), Rami Malek (Amsterdam) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World Dominion). There's no sneak peek at the Twilight TV show yet, understandably, but as well as the original Twilight trailer above, plus the New Moon trailer, you can watch Eclipse and two Breaking Dawn trailers below: The TV version of Twilight doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
That soothing feeling that sweeps over you when you spy a cute canine, spend too much time watching internet cat videos or even just spot a picture of a newborn animal — that's the feeling at the heart of Australia's newest wellness sessions. Sure, you've been to kitten yoga and puppy pilates, and they're both great. But we're guessing that you haven't tried meditating with baby goats or getting mindful with soft, cuddly lambs. Currently held in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, with plans to expand to the Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Melbourne in the near future, attendees at Karmably's classes attempt to find inner bliss while they're surrounded by rescued baby farm animals. In short, it's the best way to de-stress when life's got your goat. After all, who can remain overwhelmed, exhausted or annoyed when they're sharing their chill-out session with actual goats? The classes focus on relaxation techniques, and boast names such as Breathe In & Bleat Out and Breathing and Baa-ing, which gives you an idea of just what's in store. Those heading along can expect three parts to each session: mindful stretching, meditation and snuggling the four-legged participants. If you're wondering where the concept came from, it was inspired by organiser Berenice Tan's own experiences trying to find something other than the usual mindfulness classes within Australia. Unimpressed with the options already available, she flew to Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco "and experienced every meditation class under the sun," she explains. "Funnily enough, I heard about goat yoga and laughed it off as something ridiculous I wasn't interested in trying." Upon returning to Brisbane, Tan began to research animal therapy and, after learning of the benefits (and realising that everyone loves cute critters), her sessions with goats, lambs and even piglets were born. The bliss goes both ways, too — with Karmably not only helping humans to relax in a fun manner, but also assisting animals in need. Tan works with sanctuaries, rescue centres, and organisations such as Harmony Hooves Healing Hearts, Brisbane Pony Parties and My Little Farm Friends. They're all outfits that raise baby creatures who have either been rejected by their mothers or lost their mums in other ways, and hand-rear them until they can be adopted out as pets to families who live on suitable properties. After setting up shop in August, classes in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast are already selling out two months in advance. To meet the demand, they're now held every weekend at various locations, but reserving a spot early is a necessity. Folks in Sydney and Melbourne should watch this space — although New South Wales is no stranger to combining wellness with farm animals, with the state home to a goat yoga retreat just last year. Karmably hosts Breathe In & Bleat Out and Breathing and Baa-ing meditation and mindfulness sessions at a variety of Brisbane and Gold Coast venues — visit the Karmably Facebook page for further details.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Rekorderlig. Chris Sörman has a pretty enviable lifestyle. As a pro snowboarder and member of the Beautifully Swedish Collective, he travels the world's most dreamy alpine regions and makes them his playground. Here he lets us in on what it's like to live in a permanent winter wonderland and why he never gets tired of going home to Sweden. How did you get into snowboarding? I was, as a kid, into all kinds of sports. Skateboarding was my main thing and I was living the lifestyle with baggy pants and dreadlocks listening to Wutang. When I was eight snowboarding came into my life and I fell in love from the first moment. I decided shortly after that to become a professional in that area. It's worked out pretty good so far. What is the greatest thing about snowboarding for a living? To be able to wake up every single day and do what you like the most in life with your best friend. I wish that for every single person on this earth. Who or what inspires you? A bunch of people have been a big inspiration to me during my ten years as a professional, people both inside and outside of the snowboarding industry. They could be very good snowboarders or just a random person with a good way of looking at life. I am always trying to capture the best of people into myself to create the best possible me. What do you like to get up to most when there's no snow around? I like to do a lot of different things. I am actually a bit of a 'workaholic'. I always have my hands full with different business ideas and projects. I love the feeling of being busy! You've also had a huge hand in a number of Pirate Movie Production films. How did you get into that and how big a role do you play behind the camera versus in front of the camera? Definitely had a bigger role in front of the camera. I mean, I am a snowboarder, not a director. But I definitely always have my input when it comes to angles and stuff like that. But it's not up to me to make that final call. In the end my mission is to always deliver high-class riding. I have spent many seasons filming with Pirate Movie Productions. They are now the biggest snowboard movie company in Europe, so it's pretty cool to have been part of it pretty much since day one. Why do you think snowboarding and film go so well together? I just think people enjoy watching it. I mean it looks like a lot of fun, right? Sometimes it's crazy and people like to watch things that are a bit crazy. The sun is shining, snow is flying and we are doing big jumps — what's not to like. You seem to have boarded in some pretty amazing places. Where is your favourite place to hit the slopes or film and why? I always get this question, and it's always the same answer. Where my friends are, that's where I have the most fun riding. Doesn't matter if it's on the big mountains of Austria, a small hill in Sweden or somewhere in Japan. It's not about the surroundings; it's about the people you're with. Is the travel and the lifestyle of a professional snowboarder such as yourself as amazing as it seems? Most of the time I really enjoy it, but for sure it has its bad sides as well, like anything in life — being away from family, travelling alone, no time for relationships and your sleep and health can really be affected when you're travelling, you have no structure in your life. Everybody has a favourite travel memory that will live with them forever. What's yours? So many! But when I won the Burton European Open back in 2005, that is my biggest and best memory from my career. You get to travel a lot but your home country of Sweden is pretty beautiful. What are your favourite things about her? I will never move from Sweden. I don't really know why? I have been to many countries all over the world in my life and they all have their specialties. Away is good, but home is always the best! Sweden is my home. You know what I'm saying.
'Squito', as the 'throwable panoramic camera ball' is officially known, is the brainchild of Boston-based inventor Steve Hollinger. Packed with three cameras, an IMU (inertial measurement unit), a microcontroller, an image processor and sensors, the tennis ball-sized piece of first generation genius promises to take video to yet another new level. And yes, it might unleash a torrent of Facebook selfies from unimaginable angles, but what's more interesting about Squito is its potential to assist in search-and-rescue missions, reconnaissance, architectural development and mapping. Built to function in all kinds of conditions, including darkness, fog and smoke, it can be used in disaster zones to detect injured and trapped victims. Squito's sensors determine the relationship between its rapidly moving apertures and the subject concerned, so that images can be joined to form a panorama. Moreover, video stabilisation is possible, and photos and footage are sent to a nearby computer, tablet or smartphone via wireless communication. 'Throwable camera innovations are accelerating with advancements in sensor and imaging microelectronics,' Hollinger explains. 'And with the advent of low-cost, high-speed cameras for outdoor recreation, an affordable throwable camera is finally within reach.' Want one? Unfortunately, the Squito is not yet up for sale. Hollinger has a second patent, but he's looking for 'camera companies, investors and individuals operating on the cutting edge' to get involved. [via Hypebeast]
Cancelling events seemed to be a thing of the past, specifically, of 2020. But if this Delta variant has taught us anything, it's that we aren't out of the raincheck-woods just yet. Luckily, TEDxSydney will be gracing our laptop screens virtually on Friday, September 17. Speakers will connect with audiences via a bespoke interactive platform to make the event as pandemic-proof as possible. The one-day event is jam-packed with diverse guests celebrating some of the brightest minds in Australia's science, technology, business, design, entertainment and innovation spaces. Over four sessions, there will be workshops, panel discussions and performances, all broadcast from the Sydney Opera House. The theme for 2021 is Possible — diving into conversation, debate and action around what is possible in today's world. Speakers and performers include Australian of the Year 2021 Grace Tame; writer, poet and human rights activist Sara Saleh; co-founder and CEO of sustainable foodtech startup George Peppou; Indigenous strategist Shelley Reys AO and songwriter-computer scientist duo Uncanny Valley. Standard registration is $180 and concession/NFP registration is $120, or you can get the full VIP experience for $1,000. You can register for TEDXSydney Possible here. [caption id="attachment_822853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Uncanny Valley, one of the guests of Ted x Sydney's Possible.[/caption]
Hungry? Thirsty? Been in the vicinity of any bars and restaurants in Brisbane of late? Have you noticed a trend? Of course you have. While you’ve been nursing a glass of whiskey, swilling a beer and munching on a burger or a hot dog. All over the city, everything American is in. Nestled among the eateries and hangouts on South Bank’s Little Stanley Street, The Manhattan Line is the latest addition to the US-obsessed lineup. The atmosphere might have the vibe of seedy dive-bar mixed with Brisbane’s penchant for outdoor spaces, covered in graffiti inside and sprawling onto the footpath outside; however, the menu is a Yankee-lover’s delight. Specials come and go, so there’s always something new on offer, but New York-style street food is The Manhattan Line’s specific niche. Think chilli dogs, string fries with aioli, and buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce. To drink, if you’re not wondering which American whiskey to choose, you’ll want to pick from a list of themed cocktails, or knock back a good ol’ old fashioned.
Head On Photo Festival is back for its 11th year — but, this time, it's digital. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the (normally) citywide photography festival will be a predominately online event for 2020. The internationally acclaimed festival is running from May 1–17 as planned but with the entire program launching as a digital platform on the Heads On website, including all photography and other interactive events. Overall, there are 110 exhibitions, plus over 80 artists talks, panel discussions and webinars which you can check out for free. As usual, the exhibition features contemporary photography, portraiture and photojournalism. This year, artists from more than 12 countries are exhibiting, including France, Guatemala, Japan, Greece, Germany, South Korea, The Netherlands, the USA, the UK, China, Canada and (of course) Australia. On Friday, May 1, The Head On Photo Awards were announced, with Australian photographer Marcia Macmillan's 'Whimsical Warrior' taking home the landscape award and 'The Gift' by Fiona Wolf-Symeonides awarded the 2020 Portrait Prize. Australian photographers Jon Frank and Nick Moir and international artists Jouk Oosterhof and Paul Carruthers also took home prizes. [caption id="attachment_769244" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marcia Macmillan, 'Whimsical warrior'[/caption] Other highlights include Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Renée C Byer, who travelled across four continents and captured the faces of people living on $1USD per day; mythological imaginings by Guatemalan economist and artist Astrid Blazsek-Ayala; a documentation of Melbourne's violent race rallies between 2014–2018 by photojournalist Jake Nowakowski; images of the Athens's drag queen scene by Greek photographer Nikolaos Menoudarakos; and snaps of Bondi's underwater marine life by Australian photographer Matt Smith. Work by heaps of other award-winning artists will be on display, too, including British photographer Professor Richard Sawdon Smith, German documentarian Robert Harding Pittman and two-time Walkley Award-winner Dave Tacon. As far as catching the festival in person, Head On also plans to launch a scaled-back version across venues in November, so keep an eye on this space. Images: Dave Tacon, 'Cirque le Soir'; Nick Moir, 'Run'; Nikolaos Menoudarakos; Matt Smith, 'The Martian'; ; Janie Barrett; Renée C Byer; and Fiona Wolf-Symeonides, 'The Gift'. All images courtesy of Head On Photo Festival. Updated May 4, 2020.
Until now, COVID-19 testing in some Australian states and territories has been restricted to specific hotspots, frontline occupations and to those with symptoms, but as of today, Friday, April 24, any Australian with any cold or flu symptoms can go and get tested for the disease. In a press conference after today's national cabinet meeting, Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said, "every state and territory has now broadened their testing criteria ... anybody with acute respiratory symptoms — cough, sore throat, runny nose, cold symptoms, flu-like symptoms — can get tested." NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian echoed this sentiment in a statement released earlier in the day, urging "anyone in NSW who has COVID-19 symptoms", including mild symptoms, to come forward and get tested. "Testing is key to reducing community transmission and dealing with local breakouts," said the Premier. "And this is critical if we are going to lift any restrictions." https://www.facebook.com/NewSouthWalesHealth/photos/a.232420926957256/1279885778877427/?type=3&theater Expanding Australia's COVID-19 testing, beyond those who are just symptomatic, is one of the conditions outlined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week for the relaxation of social distancing and public gathering restrictions. Even if these conditions are met, the restrictions are set to stay in place for at least the next three weeks, until mid-May. The government has said testing is important to the containment of COVID-19 as it allows them to quickly identify cases, track who infected persons have been in contact with, and prevent community outbreaks. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, it's recommended that you contact your local GP, or call the 24-hour National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080, and visit a COVID-19 respiratory clinic. Once you've been tested, you must home isolate until you've received your test results, and then head to an emergency department if your condition deteriorates. To find your local COVID-19 clinic, head to the NSW, Victoria or Queensland Government websites. To find out more about the status of COVID–19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
When you're a single player in the arduous dating game, swiping can get old fast. You spend all your time sifting through the timewasters and sleazeballs, while your true love potentially slips through your too-busy-swiping fingers. Thankfully, lovers, there's a new app on the block pulling out all the stops to ensure you have a quality dating experience. The Inner Circle is a unique dating platform that brings together like-minded singles — online and offline. Turns out looking for love can be fun, after all. We've broken down the key features of the app below and paired them with a date idea for you to enjoy with your new flame. Bring on the lovefest. [caption id="attachment_637902" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katje Ford.[/caption] NIGHTS OUT The Inner Circle brings members face-to-face through unique events. You can rub shoulders with other singles while enjoying a night out with friends. For a similar vibe, take your date to pub trivia and get to know them within a social setting — and maybe nab a sweet cash prize. It's a win-win, literally. Sydneysiders, head to the Botany View Hotel in Newtown for Thursday trivia with a cash prize. Melburnians, make tracks to The Penny Black for trivia in the beer garden, and Brisbanites, you can catch beer-garden trivia at The Wickham. NO CATFISHING With its involved screening process, The Inner Circle cuts out any risk of catfishing. Basically, all the rotten fish are thrown back to sea. See a literal representation of this and plan a date to go fish picking with your partner. Then, spend the evening cooking your catch with your other 'good catch' while enjoying a glass of crisp riesling. For an upscale fishmonger experience, head to the Fish Butchery (Sydney), run by the Saint Peter crew. Or, for a no-frills affair, head to Ocean Made (Melbourne) or The Fish Factory (Brisbane). PERFECT PAIRINGS The Inner Circle's dedicated team carefully considers each and every application to ensure members are well suited, much like pairing a good wine and cheese. To channel the same meticulous attention to detail and to sample some tasty treats, take your date to a cheese and wine tasting. There are loads of fromageries around, but we suggest, Formaggi Ocello in Sydney, Milk the Cow in Melbourne and Fromage the Cow in Brisbane. If all goes well, grab some gooey delights and vino to go and enjoy them together back at home. ON THE GO The Inner Circle has a ton of travel features that make it is easy to use at any time. So you have access to the best, even when travelling. Take your date on a scenic hike; it's a great way to get to know someone while you both enjoy a nice rush of endorphins from the exercise and get a dose of vitamin D. No matter where you are in Australia, you can always find a good trail. Check out our guides for Brissie, Melbourne and Sydney, then get planning. NO SWIPING Forget about the awkward left and right swipes that have started to hurt your fingers. Say goodbye to RSI. The Inner Circle has no swiping, which means your hands are free to do other fun things, like dabble in pottery or craft a terrarium. Plan a phone-free date with your new main squeeze and not only will you enjoy the use of both hands, but you'll pick up a new skill, too. To relive that pottery moment from Ghost and try your hand at ceramics, head to Bea Bellingham (Sydney) or Céramiques Elsternwick (Melbourne). Or, if you'd prefer something more organic, make a succulent-filled mini-garden at Work-Shop in Brisbane. Get off the tired, old dating apps and jump into The Inner Circle. Sign up here and get exploring.
Already home to the best beach in the world for 2024, Palm Cove in Queensland's north now also boasts the best hotel in the South Pacific — and also Australia — for this year. The first accolade arrived back in March, when the Sunshine State locale near Cairns topped Condé Nast Traveller's beach list. The second has just dropped via Tripadvisor, as part of its Best of the Best Hotels ranking in its 2024 Travellers' Choice Awards. The celebrated hotel: The Reef House Adults Retreat Palm Cove, which takes over the top spot on both the South Pacific and Aussie Tripadvisor lists after coming second to Pinetrees Lodge on Lord Howe Island in 2023. That said, while it earned plenty of local love, it didn't make the global 25, which Pinetrees Lodge managed last year. [caption id="attachment_901977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Reef House Adults Retreat Palm Cove[/caption] The Reef House was applauded for its beach access, onsite pools, calming atmosphere and well-appointed rooms, if you're now thinking of heading north for your next getaway. Queensland is also home to the second-best hotel in both the South Pacific and Australia, with that honour going to Emporium Hotel South Bank in Brisbane. It's been a big year or so for showering the Sunshine State with affection, with Brisbane named one of the best places to go in 2024 by The New York Times, travel guide Frommer's also selecting the city as one of 2024's best spots to visit, TIME putting it on its world's greatest places list for 2023, and the World's Best 50 Hotels picking The Calile as its only Australian and Oceanic entry in its inaugural countdown in 2023. [caption id="attachment_952781" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emporium Hotel South Bank[/caption] On Tripadvisor's South Pacific rankings for 2024, Australian hotels scored six of the top ten spots, including MACq 01 Hotel in Hobart in third place, Next Hotel Melbourne in fifth, Quest Orange in sixth and Zagame's House in Melbourne at tenth. They had company from two Fijian places to stay — Tokoriki Island Resort in fourth place and Six Senses Fiji at ninth — as well as the seventh-ranked Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts and eighth-placed Sojourn Apartment Hotel Riddiford in Wellington in New Zealand. The Aussie-only list filled its top six positions with the local hotels named above, then found a spot for Pinetrees Lodge this year, plus Element on Coolum Beach, Terminus Apartment Hotel in Newcastle and The Tasman in Hobart to round out the top ten. The full top 25 spans accommodation in Tamworth, Sydney, South Perth, Adelaide, Echuca and Canberra, too. [caption id="attachment_866700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MACq 01 Hotel[/caption] Globally, the best place to stay is Hotel Colline de France in Gramado, Brazil — with OBLU SELECT Lobigili in Malé, Maldives coming in second; La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa in Hoi An, Vietnam sitting in third; Adiwana Suweta in Bali, Indonesia taking out fourth; and Iberostar Grand Packard in La Habana, Cuba notching up fifth spot. From there, it's back to the Maldives via Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa on Fasmendhoo Island, then to La Siesta Classic Ma May in Hanoi in Vietnam, Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya in Mexico, Padma Resort Ubud in Bali and finally Sofitel Mexico City Reforma back in Mexico. Next time that you're planning a vacation or a staycation, you've clearly got options. Tripadvisor's rankings are based on reviews on its platform, with its hotel lists joining its beach picks for 2024, which were announced in February. Manly Beach in Sydney was the only Aussie spot in the top ten, coming in seventh place. [caption id="attachment_952780" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hotel Colline de France in Brazil[/caption] Top Ten Hotels in the World 2024: 1. Hotel Colline de France — Gramado, Brazil 2. OBLU SELECT Lobigili — Malé, Maldives 3. La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa — Hoi An, Vietnam 4. Adiwana Suweta — Bali, Indonesia 5. Iberostar Grand Packard — La Habana, Cuba 6. Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa — Fasmendhoo Island, Maldives 7. La Siesta Classic Ma May — Hanoi, Vietnam 8. Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya — Akumal, Mexico 9. Padma Resort Ubud — Bali, Indonesia 10. Sofitel Mexico City Reforma — Mexico City, Mexico [caption id="attachment_952783" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Reef House Adults Retreat Palm Cove[/caption] Top Ten Hotels in the South Pacific 2024: 1. The Reef House Adults Retreat Palm Cove — Palm Cove, Australia 2. Emporium Hotel South Bank — Brisbane, Australia 3. MACq 01 Hotel — Hobart, Australia 4. Tokoriki Island Resort — Tokoriki Island, Fiji 5. Next Hotel Melbourne — Melbourne, Australia 6. Quest Orange — Orange, Australia 7. Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts — Bora Bora, French Polynesia 8. Sojourn Apartment Hotel Riddiford — Wellington, New Zealand 9. Six Senses Fiji — Malolo Island, Fiji 10. Zagame's House — Melbourne, Australia [caption id="attachment_952782" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emporium Hotel South Bank[/caption] Top 25 Hotels in Australia 2024: 1. The Reef House Adults Retreat Palm Cove — Palm Cove, Qld 2. Emporium Hotel South Bank — Brisbane, NSW 3. MACq 01 Hotel — Hobart, Tas 4. Next Hotel Melbourne — Melbourne, Vic 5. Quest Orange — Orange, NSW 6. Zagame's House — Melbourne, Vic 7. Pinetrees Lodge — Lord Howe Island, NSW 8. Element on Coolum Beach — Coolum Beach, Qld 9. Terminus Apartment Hotel — Newcastle, NSW 10. The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel — Hobart, Tas 11. Goonoo Goonoo Station — Tamworth, NSW 12. Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Chippendale — Sydney, NSW 13. The Henry Jones Art Hotel — Hobart, Tas 14. Treasury On Collins — Melbourne, Vic 15. Quest South Perth Foreshore — South Perth, WA 16. Majestic M Suites — North Adelaide, SA 17. Quest Echuca — Echuca, Vic 18. Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury — Adelaide, SA 19. Alcyone Hotel Residences — Brisbane, Qld 20. Vibe Hotel Hobart — Hobart, Tas 21. Little National Hotel Sydney — Sydney, NSW 22. Lancemore Crossley St — Melbourne, Vic 23. East Hotel — Canberra, ACT 24. Deco Hotel Canberra — Canberra, ACT 25. Park Hyatt Melbourne — Melbourne, Vic [caption id="attachment_901978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tokoriki Island Resort[/caption] For more information about Tripadvisor's 2024 Travellers' Choice Awards, head to the service's 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.
Move over tea with the Queen — the coffee in London has improved so much over the last few years even Lizzy would ask for a flat white over an English breakfast. We sacrificed the money we were saving for a house deposit to taste coffee all over the city, and here are five coffee shops worth hunting down while you're in town. [caption id="attachment_622923" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Levent Ali via Flickr.[/caption] MONMOUTH COFFEE, COVENT GARDEN Monmouth is the grand old dame of London coffee, and has been pumping out caffeine since 1978. And even though Monmouth likes to keep things fresh with an ever-changing selection of house-roasted beans, some things will never change, like the house blend, the queues and the fact that Monmouth makes the best coffee in Old Blighty. We've heard good things about the filter, but we only tried the flat white, because, well, why change when you're onto a good thing? Queen Lizzy gets it. [caption id="attachment_622924" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Espresso Room via Instagram.[/caption] THE ESPRESSO ROOM, BLOOMSBURY The Espresso Room is so small it could double as Harry Potter's cupboard under the stairs, so it's a good thing you don't need much space to pump out great coffee (as the Japanese know). This Bloomsbury coffee shop is unsurprisingly known for its espresso, but for our money (too much of our money, to be honest — coffee here is more expensive than home), the flat white is where the magic is. Not too milky, not too strong — it's the best thing this side of getting a letter from Hogwarts. [caption id="attachment_622927" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bex Walton via Flickr.[/caption] KAFFEINE, FITZROVIA You'll need coffee after spending time on London's most insane shopping artery, Oxford Street. Luckily Kaffeine is just a street or two behind the insanity, serving up damn fine coffee in a damn fine looking coffee shop. This is the place to go if you want a taste of classic Australian espresso-based coffee in London; you won't find American- and Scandi- style filter here. You can even grab an Anzac biccie to snack on if you're feeling seriously homesick. TIMBERYARD, SEVEN DIALS Timberyard is buzzing at all opening hours, and not just because of the free Wi-Fi — the coffee here, although although on the expensive side of things, hits the spot. The flat white is strong, flavoursome, with just the right kick of calcium. Grab a seat — try for one of the hotly contested window spots — and the staff will bring your coffee over on a wooden chopping board (because timber yard, geddit?). You'll want to stay for coffee number two. Your tastebuds will thank you, even if your wallet does not. ALLPRESS, SHOREDITCH You go to Kaffeine for a taste of Australia, but for a taste of New Zealand, head straight to one of Allpress Espresso's two cafes in Shoreditch. Founded in Auckland, Allpress is swiftly taking over the world, with cafes in Australia, Japan and London. And you can taste exactly why: their coffee is one of the best, wherever in the world you find it. The Shoreditch cafe has the antipodeon design look down-pat, with white walls and exposed pale timber. The espresso-based coffee, which uses Allpress roasted beans, is delicious, of course.
As we're sure you've heard, Japan has quite a reputation as a travel destination. But even beyond the most hyped experiences — like eating endless bowls of ramen in Tokyo, walking among cherry blossoms with views of Mount Fuji, feeding deer in Nara — the country has an incredible array of lesser known regions that, if you cover, will take your holiday from great to practically life changing. For instance, the region of Tohoku in Japan's northeast is one of the country's less travelled but no less impressive destinations. It presents visitors with outstanding dining, unique stays and natural landmarks that'll blow your mind. So, if you truly want to make your next trip to Japan one to remember, consider riding the shinkansen (bullet train) just a couple of hours north of Tokyo, where you'll discover a wealth of experiences that you likely weren't aware existed (until now). VISIT AN ANCIENT EARTHQUAKE-PROOF PAGODA Found throughout Yamagata Prefecture, the Three Mountains of Dewa are considered some of the holiest anywhere in the country. And while Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono each provide a spectacular setting to explore during sun or snow, only the foremost has a 600-year-old pagoda buried deep within its cedar forest. Make your way down Mount Haguro's famous 2446 stone steps and you'll soon be surrounded by towering cedar trees. After a short walk, you'll come across the so-called Five-Storey Pagoda, which features an interior wooden pendulum that counteracts the shock of an earthquake. The pagoda dates back to the Heian Period (794–1185) and was rebuilt in the late 14th century — and it's been standing strong ever since. DO A FOUR-DAY PILGRIMAGE WITH A MOUNTAIN MYSTIC You'll also have the chance to reconnect with nature in the most fascinating way possible within the holy Three Mountains of Dewa. Link up with a mountain mystic such as Master Hoshino — a white-robed priest who teaches the ancient Japanese mountain religion known as Shugendo — and you'll learn about a range of traditional techniques to refresh your body and soul. This practice is called yamabushido. During your four-day 'journey', you'll hike a series of sacred trails, stay in a pilgrim lodge and try waterfall meditation. Shugendo dates back to the eighth century and combines elements of Shinto, Buddhism, Animism and mountain faith to explore ways to reduce excesses in day to day life. Here, you can try it for four days and see how you go. PRETEND YOU'RE WALKING ON THE MOON AT THIS EPIC CRATER Set along the border of Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures, Mount Zao features some of Tohoku's most spectacular scenery. Besides the steaming hot springs and sprawling ski resorts that dot the landscape, the area's biggest draw is the renowned Okama Crater. Surrounded by three soaring mountaintops, the active volcano's distinctive shape has earned it the nickname of the 'cauldron'. Great to visit all year long, Mount Zao's steep landscape comes alive with alpine flowers during summer, while autumn reveals a charming smattering of red and yellow vegetation that contrasts with the turquoise crater below. SEE CONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS FROM YOKO ONO AND YAYOI KUSAMA Japan's well known for its forward-thinking tech innovations, but it's also the birthplace of some of the world's greatest contemporary artists. Featuring a permanent collection of 38 commissioned projects, the Towada Art Center, in Aomori Prefecture, is dedicated to showcasing many of the nation's top artists, alongside some international superstars, too. Inside, you'll come across an eclectic mix of installations by the likes of Yoko Ono, Ron Mueck, Yayoi Kusama and Ana Laura Aláez, among many others. With the gallery's airy, purpose-built design linked intrinsically with the outside world, there's a range of striking exhibition rooms, a café and a collaborative art space to explore. DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF SAKE AT A 400-YEAR-OLD BREWERY The precise origins of sake might still be something of a mystery, but who better to guide you through its ancient history than a producer who's been making it for more than 400 years? Situated in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, the Toko Sake Museum highlights the work of Kojima Sohonten, a renowned sake brewery that, 24 generations on, is still owned by the original family. Inside the museum, you'll be guided through the traditional brewing techniques and tools that provide the foundation for the brand. Meanwhile, in the adjoining shop, you'll get to sample a variety of sakes and umeshu, a plum liqueur that'll please your tastebuds. STAY IN A HOTEL INSPIRED BY YAMAGATA'S NATURAL BEAUTY Shigeru Ban is perhaps one of Japan's more famous architects and was the brains behind some of the world's most beautiful buildings. Having moved to Yamagata in 2014, Ban was struck by the natural beauty of the area and soon set about translating this into the design of the Shonai Hotel Suiden Terrasse. With everything but the foundation and the building's core made out of wood, the entire two-storey structure is designed to sink into the surrounding rice fields, making for one very peaceful stay. Featuring stunning views of the mountains and fields in the distance, the hotel also has a luxe onsen and a restaurant serving local produce. SAMPLE JAPANESE VINO AT A RENOWNED WINERY Japan might be most famous for its rice wine, but those who love the grape-based variety are in for a treat — if they know where to look. During your visit to Tohoku, drop into Takahata Winery, in Yamagata Prefecture, and take your pick from some stellar vintages, which are produced from grapes surrounding the property or on a nearby farm. Inside the shopfront, you'll come across award-winning wines ranging from chardonnay and pinot noir to cabernet sauvignon. Plus, there's a host of locally produced cheeses and snacks to pair with your wine. Need more reasons to visit Japan's stunning Tohoku region? For more travel inspiration and to start planning your adventure, head this way. Top image: Okama Crater by Σ64 via Wikimedia Commons.
My my, how can you resist this? MAMMA MIA! The Musical is bringing its Greek-set onstage party back to Australia in 2023 — and if you're a musical fan, an ABBA devotee or perennially keen to indulge in 70s nostalgia, you'll want to be there. By now, the hit production is well-known around the world, including from previous Aussie runs. It has spawned not one but two movies, too. And, its tale of a young bride-to-be's quest to find her father before her wedding will liven up Sydney Lyric from next autumn. So far, only a Sydney season has been locked in for MAMMA MIA! The Musical's Australian return, starting in May 2023. For folks outside the Harbour City, cross your fingers that this restaging of the popular 2017 production will also take its romantic chaos and 22 ABBA tracks around the country — or, you'll need to take a chance on a Sydney trip. Here we go again with one of the biggest jukebox musical hits of the past quarter-century, as seen by over 65 million people worldwide so far. The story, as theatre audiences have enjoyed since 1999, follows 20-year-old Sophie, who is about to marry her fiancé Sky on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. It's her dream for her dad to walk her down the aisle, but courtesy of her mother Donna's old diary, she learns that her father could be one of three men: Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin or Harry Bright. Calling all dancing queens, obviously — with that track, the titular number, and everything from 'Money, Money, Money', 'Thank You for the Music', 'Super Trouper' and 'The Name of the Game' to 'SOS', 'Does Your Mother Know', 'Waterloo' and 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' featuring (and 'Take a Chance on Me', 'The Winner Takes It All' and, of course, 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do', too). The new Australian run hails from producers Michael Coppel, Louise Withers and Linda Bewick, plus Helpmann Award-winning director Gary Young, choreographer Tom Hodgson and musical supervisor Stephen Amos. Exactly who'll be playing Sophie, Donna, Sam, Bill and Harry hasn't yet been revealed — but if you already know and love the show and the soundtrack, that won't matter. MAMMA MIA! The Musical plays Sydney Lyric from May 2023, with tickets on sale from Thursday, November 24. For further details or to join the waitlist, head to the production's website. Images: James D Morgan.
Hungry? Thirsty? If you're not already, you will be soon. With everything from everyday deals to special sit-down dinners on offer, just perusing the program for Brisbane's annual Good Food Month is enough to inspire a healthy appetite. That's what happens when the city turns itself over to all things food and drink-related from July 1 to 31, after all. Prepare to rush to and from every restaurant and cafe you can think of (and a few you can't) while consuming all manner of delicious morsels. And if that sounds like you're being spoiled for choice, well, you are — but perhaps our ten top picks of events to attend can help you out.
Martin Scorsese has made not one but two documentaries about him. I'm Not There had six actors, including Cate Blanchett (The New Boy), play him. The Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis couldn't take a fictional tour of the 60s folk scene without getting its protagonist watching him onstage. Ever since 1967 docos Don't Look Back and Festival, Bob Dylan has been no stranger to the screen — and now he's getting the music biopic treatment again, this time with Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two) picking up a guitar. With the curls and the gaze — and the early 60s-era wardrobe, too — Chalamet looks the part in the just-released first trailer A Complete Unknown. He also sings the part, busting out 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall'. The Wonka and Bones and All star transforms into the music icon at the start of his career, hence the movie's title. The feature's focus: how Dylan became a sensation. In a film directed by Walk the Line helmer James Mangold — swapping Johnny Cash for another legend, clearly — A Complete Unknown charts Dylan's rise to stardom. The folk singer's early gigs, filling concert halls, going electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival: they're all set to be covered, with his famous performance at the latter, due to be the narrative's culmination. Take note of the date that this trailer dropped, both in the US and Down Under: the 1965 Newport Folk Festival took place in July, with Dylan performing acoustic songs on July 24 and playing electric on July 25 — so, on the same dates 59 years ago. As well as Chalamet, Mangold (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) has enlisted Edward Norton (Asteroid City), Elle Fanning (The Great), Monica Barbaro (Fubar), Boyd Holbrook (The Bikeriders), Dan Fogler (Eric), Norbert Leo Butz (The Exorcist: Believer) and Scoot McNairy (Invincible) among the cast. A Complete Unknown releases in US picture palaces in December 2024, with cinema dates Down Under yet to be confirmed as yet. Check out the trailer for A Complete Unknown below: A Complete Unknown releases in US cinemas in December, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you with more details when they're announced. Images: courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
A backstage tribute to an iconic TV series. The sequel to a huge horror hit. Amy Adams transforming into a dog. A portrait of an indie band as unique as the group itself. Disquieting filmmaking becoming a family affair. If you're heading to SXSW Sydney in 2024, you'll be able to tick all five of the above boxes, all in the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival's headline slots. When it returns for its second year, the film- and TV-focused fest within the broader SXSW Sydney will feature Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements. Everything except the latter is a new addition to a program that's been unveiling titles on its roster for a few months, so you've now got more movies to fit into your schedule across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20. Directed by Juno, Young Adult, Tully and Ghostbusters: Afterlife's Jason Reitman, Saturday Night recreates how SNL's first-ever episode came to be. The Fabelmans' Gabriel LaBelle plays Lorne Michaels, leading a cast that includes Dylan O'Brien (Fantasmas) as Dan Aykroyd, Ella Hunt (Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1) as Gilda Radner, Matthew Rhys (IF) as George Carlin and Matt Wood (Instinct) as John Belushi as well. Also featuring in Saturday Night: Finn Wolfhard (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Rachel Sennott (The Idol), Kaia Gerber (Palm Royale), JK Simmons (The Union), Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza), Lamorne Morris (Fargo), Nicholas Braun (Dream Scenario) and Willem Dafoe (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice). And yes, at SXSW Sydney, the film is indeed screening on a Saturday evening. If you got creeped out by Smile back in 2022, you won't be surprised that the unnerving flick has spawned a new chapter. This time, Naomi Scott (Anatomy of a Scandal) stars as a pop star caught up in the chaos around the worst grin you can see. To chat about it, returning director Parker Finn is heading to the fest to present the film, too. Nightbitch hails from The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood filmmaker Marielle Heller, and stars Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) as a stay-at-home mum who turns canine. And as for the already-announced Pavements, it sees filmmaker Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell) focus on the band Pavement via an experimental blend of documentary, narrative, musical and more. Then there's The Front Room, aka one of two upcoming pictures from the Eggers family. While The Witch, The Lighthouse and The Northman's Robert Eggers has his own take on Nosferatu on the way, his siblings Max and Sam have made their feature directorial debut with this A24-backed and Brandy (Best. Christmas. Ever!)-led affair about a pregnant woman doing battle with her mother-in-law (Kathryn Hunter, Poor Things). One of Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements will screen nightly across the fest's Tuesday–Saturday dates. Wondering about the Monday? There's more news to come, with SXSW Sydney's 2024 Screen Festival opening-night film still to be announced. Elsewhere, as seen in past lineup announcements, 2024's SXSW Sydney Screen Festival spans cults, cat-loving animation and Christmas carnage thanks to Azrael, Ghost Cat Anzu and Carnage for Christmas. Movie lovers can also look forward to Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led mom-com Babes; Audrey starring Jackie van Beek (Nude Tuesday); coming-of-age tale DiDi; the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls); and Inside, which features Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders). There's also doco Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird, spending time with At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala; Teaches of Peaches, which goes on tour with its namesake; the Lucy Lawless (My Life Is Murder)-directed doco Never Look Away about CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth; Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted) and Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets) lead western-thriller The Thicket; and Aussie documentary Like My Brother, about four aspiring AFLW players from the Tiwi Islands. The list goes on, with The Most Australian Band Ever! about the Hard-Ons, That Sugar Film and 2040 filmmaker Damon Gameau's Future Council, and Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker also set to screen. SXSW Sydney 2024 runs from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details.
Think the Gold Coast is just beaches? Think again. Just over an hour's drive from Brisbane, you'll find a freshwater mountain creek in the Currumbin Valley. The pools are a network of connected waters, winding around bushland and rocks to form mini-swimming holes that vary from wadeable to 'my feet can't touch the bottom'. You could spend all afternoon exploring the nooks and curves of this creek and scrambling around rocks and waterfalls. Or, just pick your ideal spot for floating around and stay there. There's lots of space to share — which is a good thing because this is a popular spot. Refuel with a barbecue or picnic on the lawn under the lush, tropical slopes of the forest. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
Snow place like home, right? Here at CP, we're excited for winter playtime. Whether you can't wait to hit the slopes again or you're a curious first-timer, we know just the snow-covered playground that will hit the spot: Thredbo. Just a 5 and a 1/2 hour drive from Sydney, winter holiday goers congregate to the alpine village in their masses for the longest ski runs in Australia (when the mountain is fully covered in snow). And we've got the lowdown: where to stay, where to re-fuel, and where to party in your snow boots. Athol Got a lot of friends? This cosy, rustic self-contained chalet sleeps up to 12 people with a perfect communal layout for a big group. Gather round the open fire, sprawl out on the balcony and dig in to some hearty food at the canteen-style dining table. Diggings Terrance, Thredbo Village; Athol website Banjo Townhouses Each townhouse is a modern apartment with one or two bedrooms and beautiful views of the mountains. Loft units have their own slow-burning wood fire: lush! Banjo Drive, Thredbo Village; stayz.com.au/93085 Bernti’s Mountain Inn Bernti's is restaurant, hotel and nightlife all rolled into one. This European-style boutique inn has 30 rooms (and a rather entertaining host in Donna), gourmet food and a popular al fresco deck. Why would you ever leave? 4 Mowamba Place, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6332; berntis.com.au Black Bear Inn In the heart of Thredbo, and at the centre of all the action, this traditional lodge and restaurant has rooms to rent from single to family-sized. It’s a stone’s throw from the shuttle stop, plus never-ending German beer at the Inn. 30 Diggins Terrace, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6216; blackbearinn.com.au Thredbo Alpine Hotel Thredbo Alpine Hotel is boutique accommodation with the pick of rooms or chalets for an easy, comfortable stay at the base of the Kosciuszko chairlift. Thredbo Resort Centre, Thredbo Village; 1300 020 589; Thredbo Alpine Hotel Moonbah Hut A short 30 minute drive from Thredbo, and 15 minutes from Jindabyne town, Moonbah Hut is in a whole world of its own. This completely isolated, unique stone hut is fully equipped with underfloor heating, a rocking chair and fluffy robes for a romantic getaway. Jindabyne; (02) 6457 8311; moonbahhut.com Paringa Self contained, all the mod-cons and a shuttle bus on your doorstep, Paringa apartments are two bed units plus loft space, the obligatory balcony BBQ and a Swedish sauna. (02) 6457 7030; skiinskiout.com.au River Inn Priding itself on being a ski-in, ski-out hotel, River Inn has modern rooms and suites with plenty of extras, like wireless, a heated indoor pool and laundry service. 4 Friday Drive, Thredbo Alpine Village; (02) 9369 3010; riverinn.com.au Rockpool Lodge Like a little luxe? When only 5 star will do, Rockpool Lodge is a good pick. It’s got the spa, faux fur throws, sauna and champagne on chill (okay, we can’t guarantee the last one, but you get the picture). (02) 6457 7132; rockpoollodge.com.au Kareela Hutte Breakfast, coffee, champagne or cellar door, Kareela Hutte is a well-loved haunt for skiers and boarders on their up or down the mountain. On the Supertrail at 1810m altitude; (02) 6457 6099; kareelahutte.com.au Merritts Mountain House On-slope marketplace dining, from fresh juices and salads to stews, soups and strudel. Merritts uses artisan produce to create lovingly homemade food, conveniently located between slopes. Top of Merritts chairlift at 1660m altitude; (02) 6457 6084; merritts.com.au Black Sallee's Nestled amongst the gum trees off Crackenback Supertrail, Black Sallee's is famous for its hot chocolate, European beer selection (try the Maisel's Weisse) and schnapps. The service is quick, so you’ll be shoop shooping again in no time. At the top of Snowgums chairlift; (02) 6457 6439; Black Sallee's Bullwheel Bar & Bistro Laying claim to being Australia’s highest bar and bistro, Bullwheel has quick snacks and warming drinks, as well as German wheat beers, gluhwein and schnapps. At the top of Kosciuszko chairlift at 1937m altitude; (02) 6457 6019; Bullwheel Bar & Bistro Bernti’s Tapas Bar Serving a gourmet selection of international tapas, from smoked trout bruschetta to veal schnitzel, Bernti’s has al fresco dining and plenty of wine and beer to wash it down with. 4 Mowamba Place, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6332; berntis.com.au/tapas-bar The Knickerbocker Pan fried market fish, duck confit, spinach and ricotta dumplings... Yum! Riverside Cabins, Diggings Terrace, Thredbo; (02) 6457 6844; theknickerbocker.com.au The Terrace Relaxed fine dining: head chef Karen Forsstrom, formerly of Sydney’s Kingsleys restaurant, cooks up the finest ingredients to serve up her handcrafted menu. The Denman Hotel, 21 Diggings Terrace, Thredbo; (02) 6457 6222; thedenman.com.au The Wildbrumby Open daily for breakfast and lunch, the kitchen at Wildbrumby schnapps distillery door has a hearty selection of soups, pates, sandwiches and burgers - all created using local produce. Cnr of Wollondibby Rd and Alpine Way, Jindabyne; (02) 6457 1447; wildbrumby.com Apres Bar For a sophisticated start to the night, head to Apres Bar at The Denman. Cocktails, retro decor and tapas. The Denman, 21 Diggins Terrace, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6222; thedenman.com.au/bar Schuss Bar A little more laid-back, the Schuss Bar has live music and entertainment every night throughout winter. Threadbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200. Thredbo Alpine Lounge Bar From 12 noon to midnight, the Alpine Lounge Bar is the place to kick-back and enjoy a coffee (or something stronger) beside the fire. Relaxed vibe, live music and great views. Thredbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200. The Keller Looking to party late into the night? Revellers migrate to Thredbo’s famous nightclub. Thredbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200.
Since its debut in 2022, Always Live has quickly become a loud and proud voice for sharing everything great about contemporary music and highlighting outstanding venues from Geelong to Gippsland and Ballarat to Bendigo. The stage is set for a 2024 return, with a huge range of artists set to hit venues all over Victoria from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, December 8. Leading the program is the Australian debut of genre-defying performer and artist Anyma, who's fresh off a record-sold-out six-show residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. Accordingly, the largest screen in the southern hemisphere will be set up for the show at Flemington Racecourse. [caption id="attachment_969884" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Other headline acts include Californian punk rock group The Offspring, who are bringing their famous punk energy to the stage for a one-night-only show. Tina Arena will perform at Mornington Racecourse in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her breakout album Don't Ask. Meanwhile, Victorian-based singer Missy Higgins will conclude her national tour with a show at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. A massive LGBTQIA+ party is kicking off in Port Melbourne, headlined by Irish artist Roísín Murphy alongside a set of global and local artists alike. Rockers St Vincent will hit two classic venues: Palais Theatre in St Kilda and Her Majesty's Theatre in Ballarat before returning to Melbourne for 'An Intimate Audience with St Vincent'. This one-of-a-kind show is a half-concert, half-dining experience and takes place in The Aviary, Crown Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_969882" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Simon Fazio[/caption] The program truly goes on and on and on, with shows from Chet Faker, Jack White, Baker Boy, The Rions and many, many more. You'd best start preparing a plan to hit as many shows as possible. Always Live 2024 runs from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, December 8, at venues across Victoria. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website.
Don't already have a date with Taylor Swift's Eras tour booked when it hits Australia in February 2024? Perhaps it won't be a cruel summer after all: more tickets are releasing on Friday, November 10. When Sydney and Melbourne stops for Swift's career-spanning showcase were announced back in June, it sparked a rush for seats. Before general sales even started, the 'We Are Never Getting Back Together', 'Shake It Off' and 'Bad Blood' musician had announced an extra gig in both cities. And, the Victorian Government even declared her Melbourne stint a major event so that anti-scalping legislation would apply to tickets. So, the response has clearly been huge — and now Swifties will have another chance to head along. Tour promoter Frontier Touring has announced that additional tickets will drop across all Aussie concert dates, with the Sydney shows releasing their extra tickets at 10am and the Melbourne shows doing the same at 4pm — all AEDT. Included among the new batch will be seats with a partially obstructed side view, with prices starting at $79.90. There'll still be limited tickets in the new release, but accessibility options will also be on offer. Expect another busy Ticketek day, obviously, with the singer-songwriter's Australian shows already garnering "historically unprecedented demand". Swift is playing the MCG in Melbourne across Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18, and then heading north to hit the stage at Sydney's Accor Stadium from Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26. At all gigs, she'll have Sabrina Carpenter in support. [caption id="attachment_907314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ronald Woan via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That blank space in your calendar that you were hoping to fill with Swift working through her entire career so far, playing tracks from each of her studio albums in a three-hour, 44-song, ten-act spectacular? You now have another attempt to do so. Sadly, Swift still hasn't added concerts in any other cities across Australia — as Frontier has previously advised, "no further dates will be added for the Australian tour". This'll be Swift's first tour Down Under since 2018, when she brought her Reputation shows to not only Sydney and Melbourne, but Brisbane and Perth, too. And if you're wondering what's in store, then you clearly haven't seen Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour as a movie, aka a concert film of her latest shows that's been screening in cinemas Down Under since October. TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR AUSTRALIAN DATES 2024: Friday, February 16–Sunday, February 18 — Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Friday, February 23–Monday, February 26 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Taylor Swift will bring The Eras Tour to Australia in February 2024. Additional seats will go on sale on Friday, November 10 — at 10am AEDT for Sydney shows and 4pm AEDT for Melbourne shows. Head to the tour website for further details.
Move over Sunshine Castle, aka Bli Bli Castle: while the family-favourite tourist spot was likely your number-one place to visit in the Sunshine Coast town when you were a kid, the new Bli Bli Hotel is here to take that mantle among adults. Only opening its doors in late October, the three-level pub has arrived just in time for southeast Queensland's sunniest stretch with a fresh venue to sip drinks, including on the rooftop terrace with a retractable ceiling. Patrons can get both an indoor and outdoor experience on Bli Bli Hotel's highest level, then, given that the roof can be open or closed. The terrace takes its cues from the Mediterranean, as does the bistro it's attached to. The two spaces also feature decor that gleans inspiration from the Australian bush and North America's Sonoran Desert — so, thanks to designer Diana Challinor, think: an utter lack of stainless steel and chrome, with natural textures, terracotta and sage blue hues, hand-blown glass chandeliers and Aussie bush wallpaper instead — plus a central pink blossom tree that reaches four metres in height. The overall look screams cruisy, relaxed Sunshine Coast vibes, which is Maeva Hospitality's aim. "This venue is a testament to the collective support of the Sunshine Coast community and we are thrilled it's finally arrived," said company director Scott Armstrong. Previously known as Sunshine Coast Hotels, Maeva Hospitality is launching its new name with Bli Bli Hotel, while adding the venue to a slate that covers Parklands Tavern, Brightwater Hotel, Baringa Tavern and The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast. Also behind the spot: the Deery family, which owns both the Story Bridge Hotel and the Woodford Hotel. While the terrace is a clear drawcard, the hotel also features a sports bar, plus a gaming lounge and bar downstairs. The sports bar has its own food menu filled with pub grub-style options, including double beef burgers, 12-hour slow-roasted rib-eye on a toastie, chilli beef nachos, chicken schnitzels and parmigianas, and sweet potato fries — for starters. Highlighting Australian flavours and local ingredients, and cooking up dishes on a live-fire grill, the bistro and terrace boasts picks such as wood-roasted prawns, smoked ricotta, four kinds of steak, pizzas, smoked lamb shoulder and wok-fried chow fun egg noodles, plus wood-grilled stone fruit for dessert. And for drinks, take a pick from a wine selection that spans ten-plus varieties, many with multiple tipples, as well as a cocktail list with espresso martinis, old fashioneds, margaritas, mojitos and non-boozy sips. Find the Bli Bli Hotel at 310 David Low Way, Bli Bli — open 10am–2am Monday–Sunday, with bistro hours from 11.30am–2pm and 5.30pm–8.30pm Monday–Tuesday and 11.30am–8.30pm Wednesday-Sunday. Images: Lumea.
UPDATE, September 4, 2020: Paddington 2 is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Break out the marmalade, slather it on a sandwich and stash it under your hat in celebration, because Paddington is back. In 2014, the Peruvian mammal journeyed from author Michael Bond's pages to his first movie adventure, and the resulting blend of heartwarming sweetness and madcap goofiness proved an utter delight. Three years later and we're pleased to report that the follow-up is every bit as much of a joy. As with its predecessor, this sequel adores its furry protagonist every bit as much as generations of readers have, and is determined to bring that love to his latest big-screen excursion. But it's also committed to being entertaining; to jovial jokes, smart sight gags and well-meaning silliness. In short, it'll leave you sporting the biggest, sincerest of smiles. Picking up where part one left off, Paddington 2 sees the eponymous bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) still happy with the Brown family, both in their hearts and in their home. Risk analyst Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is annoyed about losing out on a promotion, his wife Mary (Sally Hawkins) is preparing to swim the English channel, teenage daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) has started her own neighbourhood newspaper and son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) is reinventing himself at school. As for Paddington, he's trying to purchase an antique pop-up book for his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) back in the jungle. Working odd jobs helps raise the cash he needs, but soon two problems present themselves. The first comes in the form of famed theatre actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), who is after the text as well. The second arises when the prized tome is suddenly stolen. Quicker than our hero can stuff a toothbrush or two into his ears, Paddington 2 jumps from a carnival to prison to touring London's famous landmarks. With a jailbreak, some amateur sleuthing and a train-top chase included, it's a busy 103 minutes as the talking bear falls victim to prejudice, befriends a burly jail cook (Brendan Gleeson) and tries to restore order. Despite this, however, the movie never feels over-stuffed. Nor is it lacking in visual treats, be it the exceptional CGI work used to bring Paddington to life, or the gorgeous animation that takes viewers through a pop-up world. The film offers up such a feast of precise, playful and picturesque imagery that it's easy to imagine Wes Anderson sitting at the helm. Indeed, if the man behind Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel had a British counterpart, it'd be Paddington director Paul King. Before he steered the series' maiden movie outing, the filmmaker directed all 20 episodes of The Mighty Boosh as well as the similarly surreal comedy Bunny and the Bull, and the offbeat sensibilities of both shine through here. Witty, whimsical and filled with wonder, in King's hands the film is a comic caper that offers a warm hug and a fierce rib-tickling at the same time. It also finds room to make a gentle statement about the merits of inclusiveness — a message that feels extra important given the current climate in Paddington's adopted England, as well as the world at large. All that's left is for the cast to ace their roles, which is exactly what they do. The returnees remain in fine form, with Whishaw's vocal work proving a particularly perfect match for Paddington's famed kindness and politeness. Grant, meanwhile, hams things up spectacularly, turning in his best and most enjoyable performance in years. Moreover, there's an expressiveness and physicality to his efforts that could've worked just as well in a silent movie — as could've much of the immensely bearable fun throughout the film. Everyone talks, of course, but Paddington 2 serves up an array of well-executed nods to cinema history, along with the feeling that it'll be joining all of those classics soon enough. It's not only the best family-friendly flick of 2017, but one of the best of the year in any genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aQR1oc3E40
If all you want for Christmas is a trip further than your own backyard — or city — Virgin's latest sale is here to help. Jumping in on all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday discounts set to tempt your wallet over the next few days, the airline is slinging 700,000 cheap flights for both domestic and international destinations. So, whether you're keen to see your mates interstate or head overseas on a holiday, you've got options. Among the domestic routes, one-way fares start at $49 — which'll get you from Sydney to Ballina, from Melbourne to Hobart, or from Adelaide to either Hobart or Launceston, for instance. Other sale flights include Brisbane–Launceston from $59, Sydney–Maroochydore from $65 and Melbourne–Gold Coast from $79. And if you're wondering when you'll need to travel, you can book trips between January 1–March 30, 2022. Internationally, return fares cover getaways to either Bali or Fiji — including from Sydney (from $509 to Bali and $459 to Fiji), Melbourne ($479 and $489) and Brisbane ($489). They're available for travel between March 27–June 23, 2022, with Virgin Australia set to resume its short-haul international services in the coming months, starting with Fiji flights from December 16. As always when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. They went on sale today, Friday, November 26; however, they're only available until midnight AEST on Monday, November 29 or sold out, whichever arrives first. Only some fares cover seat selection and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in August that it is now splitting its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers. Wearing masks on flights also became mandatory in Australia in January. And, depending on where you're travelling to and from — both domestically and internationally — you'll obviously need to check border restrictions and any entry requirements. Virgin's Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale runs from today, Friday, November 26–Monday, November 29 — or until sold out. Find out more about current Australian border rules via the Australian Government's Health Direct website and its Smart Traveller website.
The last time that Joaquin Phoenix appeared in cinemas, he played an overlooked and unheard man. "You don't listen, do you?" Arthur Fleck asked his social worker, and the entirety of Joker — and of Phoenix's magnetic Oscar-winning performance as the Batman foe in the 2019 film, too — provided the obvious answer. Returning to the big screen in a feature that couldn't be more different to his last, Phoenix now plays a professional listener. A radio journalist and podcaster who'd slide in seamlessly alongside Ira Glass on America's NPR, Johnny's niche is chatting with children. Travelling around the country from his New York base, C'mon C'mon's protagonist seeks thoughts about life, hopes, dreams, the future and the world in general, but never in a Kids Say the Darndest Things-type fashion. As Phoenix's sensitive, pensive gaze conveys under the tender guidance of Beginners and 20th Century Women filmmaker Mike Mills, Johnny truly and gratefully hears what his young interviewees utter. Phoenix is all gentle care, quiet understanding and rippling melancholy as Johnny. All naturalism and attentiveness as well, he's also firmly at his best, no matter what's inscribed on his Academy Award. Here, Phoenix is as phenomenal as he was in his career highlight to-date, aka the exceptional You Were Never Really Here, in a part that again has his character pushed out of his comfort zone by a child. C'mon C'mon's Johnny spends his days talking with kids, but that doesn't mean he's equipped to look after his nine-year-old nephew Jesse (Woody Norman, The War of the Worlds) in Los Angeles when his sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent) needs to assist her husband Paul (Scoot McNairy, A Quiet Place Part II) with his mental health. Johnny and Viv haven't spoken since their mother died a year earlier, and Johnny has previously overstepped when it comes to Paul — with the siblings' relationship so precarious that he barely knows Jesse — but volunteering to help is his immediate reflex. As captured in soft, luxe, nostalgic shades of greyscale by always-remarkable cinematographer Robbie Ryan (see also: I, Daniel Blake, American Honey, The Favourite and Marriage Story), Johnny takes to his time with Jesse as any uncle suddenly thrust into a 24/7 caregiving role that doesn't exactly come naturally would. Jesse also reacts as expected, handling the situation as any bright and curious kid whose world swiftly changes, and who finds himself with a new and different role model, is going to. But C'mon C'mon is extraordinary not because its instantly familiar narrative sees Johnny and Jesse learn life lessons from each other, and their bond grow stronger the longer they spend in each other's company — but because this tremendously moving movie repeatedly surprises with its depth, insights, and lively sparks of both adult and childhood life. It's styled to look like a memory, and appreciates how desperately parents and guardians want to create such happy recollections for kids, but C'mon C'mon feels unshakeably lived-in rather than wistful. It doesn't pine for times gone by; instead, the film recognises the moments that linger in the now. It spies how the collection of ordinary, everyday experiences that Johnny and Jesse cycle through all add up to something that's equally commonplace, universally relatable and special, too. Conveying that sentiment, but never by being sentimental, has long been one of Mills' great powers as a filmmaker. He makes pictures so alive with real emotion that they clearly belong to someone, and yet also resonate with everyone all at once. With C'mon C'mon, the writer/director draws upon his own time as a parent, after taking inspiration from his relationship with his father in Beginners, and from his connection to his mother and his own upbringing in 20th Century Women. The conversations that the rumpled Johnny and precocious Jesse exchange might be exactly the kind that adults and children always have — the earnest talks that Johnny has with his interview subjects as well, which help place the movie's musings in a broader context — but that doesn't make them any less perceptive and memorable. The key to the film is the key to its central duo's blossoming bond, to Johnny's rapport with the kids on his podcast, and to everything that Phoenix as Arthur Fleck wanted and demanded: genuinely listening. C'mon C'mon builds wonderfully detailed and intricate character studies by doing just that with Johnny and Jesse — and, albeit in less screentime, with Viv. Trips around the US play like big adventures, including when Jesse keeps wanting to explore NY and laps up a New Orleans street parade, but the contents of late-night phone calls, the newly single Johnny's diary-like recorded dispatches about his days, Viv's maternal routine and Jesse's favourite play-acting game — where he pretends he's an orphan — frequently feel just as immense. As C'mon C'mon observes and unfurls these textured slices of life, it also takes the act of listening as seriously as Johnny does. Mills has directed a gorgeous-looking film, any frame of which would make a postcard-perfect memory — its closeups are revelatory, its wide shots that place its characters in their surroundings while surveying the minutiae around them are transcendent — but his soundscape does just as much essential work. Viewers hear the hustle and bustle, the noise of the street, the silence that lingers indoors and the clattering chaos one small boy can incite. Jesse hears it, too, and soon becomes enamoured with listening through his uncle's headphones as Johnny records on-the-ground material for his podcast. The National's Bryce and Aaron Dessner also layer in a melodic and dreamy score that both sets and suits the reflective and warm-hearted mood, while the soundtrack's jumps between genres — opera, Lou Reed and Lee Scratch Perry included — are dynamic. For all of Mills' outstanding choices with C'mon C'mon, a feature filled with them, the care and love he gives his characters and ushers out of his actors is his biggest feat. Phoenix's endlessly impressive work as a man both exhausted and rewarded by pseudo-parenthood is matched by Norman, who turns in a spontaneous and instinctive performance, and by the ever-reliable Hoffman as a woman constantly striving for her own space beyond her roles as a mother, partner and sister. Indeed, watching them together, and seeing their reactions and responses while talking to each other via phone, is as crucial as hearing every word spoken. Yes, C'mon C'mon listens devotedly, but it's just as committed to simply being in these characters' presence, soaking in all that comes with it, and finding the aching and affecting truth in every second.
If you're in a part of Australia that's sweating through a heatwave right now — Sydney is set to break its record for the most days above 35 degrees in a season — you've probably been visualising trickling streams and cannonballing into a body of water for a few days now. But how about gliding down a waterslide straight into the ocean? A photo posted by Jongkol Palarit (@pookjongkol) on Jan 20, 2017 at 12:23am PST Unfortunately the cooling relief is purely a psychological one, as this slide of slides is located at luxury resort Soneva Jani in Medhufaru (Noonu Atoll) in the Maldives. The moderately-sized waterslide takes guests from the top deck straight into the ridiculously clear blue private waters the resort resides on top of. You can do all this between courses at dinner or drinks on the catamaran nets that are suspended just above the water. The resort, which opened at the end of last year, boasts 25 over-water villas — all of which include their own private outdoor decks, pools, access to the ocean and retractable roofs. If you're already picturing yourself there, note that villas start at a huge $2000 AUD per night, with some even exceeding $10,000 a night. So while going to the Maldives would be a great right about now, we might just have to live in hope that Australia's main swimming spots gets a slide — we can definitely picture one down at Clovelly in Sydney or jutting off the pier at St Kilda.
Anything that Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin can do, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan and now Pinocchio can, too — if by anything you really mean get the live-action remake treatment by Disney, that is. The Mouse House sure does adore giving its animated classics do-overs with actors, realistic CGI or both, and it's now doing just that with the wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy. Indeed, the company's new take on Pinocchio will arrive on Disney+ on Thursday, September 8, Pinocchio has hit screens before with humans rather than pixels filling the frames, including recently via a fantastical Italian movie that starred Roberto Benigni as Geppetto. Also, back in 2002, Benigni made his own version first, but played the titular role instead. The key difference with this new Pinocchio: Disney remaking Disney, although the underlying tale behind every version always hails back to 1883 children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Italian author Carlo Collodi. Disney boasts two big drawcards for its latest remake: America's dad Tom Hanks and filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. The former returns to the screen fresh from getting somewhat villainous in Elvis, the latter opts to give an already-beloved book-to-film story another spin after not faring so well with The Witches, and the pair reteam following everything from Forrest Gump and Cast Away to The Polar Express. Hanks plays Geppetto, obviously. And in the just-dropped full trailer for the new film, he looks the kindly, loving part. As always, the story sees the wood carver build and care for a wooden puppet who then wants to become more than timber, but faces challenges finding his way in the world. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (The Haunting of Bly Manor) voices Pinocchio, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber) does the same with Jiminy Cricket — and the cast also includes Cynthia Erivo (Chaos Walking) as the Blue Fairy, Keegan-Michael Key (The Bubble) as 'Honest' John, Lorraine Bracco (Blue Bloods) as new character Sofia the Seagull and Luke Evans (Nine Perfect Strangers) as The Coachman. Clearly, this is one of those Disney remakes that considers hefty doses of CGI as closer to live-action than animation. No need to wish upon a star to see the end result, Disney fans — and yes, that song does feature, as performed by Erivo. If you're wondering why Mouse House's latest remake is heading to Disney+, and so soon, it'll drop on what the Mouse House has dubbed 'Disney+ Day' — alongside Thor: Love and Thunder's streaming debut, a behind-the-scenes look at Obi-Wan Kenobi, and sing-along versions of Frozen and Frozen 2. Check out the trailer for Pinocchio below: Pinocchio will be available to stream via Disney+ from Thursday, September 8. Images: courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Travelling to and from Queensland is about to become a possibility again, and almost a week earlier than expected. At 5pm today, Monday, November 15, the Sunshine State will start reopening to double-vaccinated visitors. A 14-day stint in home quarantine will still be required if you're coming from a part of the country that's considered a hotspot, but this is the first step in the plan to open Queensland's borders back up — and it's been brought forward after the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark ahead of schedule. Yesterday, on Sunday, November 14, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the Sunshine State had reached the 70-percent double-dose threshold, which wasn't initially expected until Friday, November 19. Back in mid-October, when the state's roadmap out of border restrictions was revealed, that mark was outlined as the key date for beginning to restart interstate travel. So, today's announcement means that you can now bring forward your travel plans. To travel here, you must return a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours, have a valid border pass and must complete 14 days of home quarantine at a self-contained dwelling, as long as it has no shared common areas accessible by people outside the household. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 When 5pm hits today, travellers who've been in a hotspot area within Australia in the past 14 days can enter the state again. They'll need to be double-vaxxed, to arrive by air and to have received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before arriving — and to get a border pass. Also, anyone in this category will need to go into home quarantine for 14 days at a self-contained dwelling that doesn't have any common areas shared with people from outside the household. Obviously, needing to quarantine — even at home — still isn't the best incentive to travel to and from Queensland; however, given that the state hit the 70-percent double-jabbed threshold early, it's hoped that it'll also do the same with the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark. That was originally expected around Friday, December 17, and it's when travellers from interstate hotspots can arrive in the Sunshine State by either road or air, and also won't need to quarantine at all. At today's press conference, the Premier advised that "if these rates continue, that is good news because it may even see our date in December [brought] a little bit forward as well — but that depends on Queenslanders getting vaccinated." Queensland's Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski also advised that the state is "preparing if we need to go earlier as we have this time." BREAKING: We just hit 70% double dosed. Keep it up Queenslanders 💪#GetVaccinated pic.twitter.com/PyznKOjzxW — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 The 80-percent double-vaxxed mark is also when Queensland will ditch capacity restrictions for all hospitality and entertainment venues, and change entry requirements to only allow double-jabbed folks into places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums. So, if the 80-percent double-vaccinated threshold is met ahead of schedule, that requirement could kick in earlier as well. If you're wondering what all of this means for international travel, nothing is changing at the moment — because, under the roadmap, international arrivals are still handled as they have been during the pandemic at the 70-percent double-vaxxed target. But when Queensland hits 80-percent double-jabbed, double-vaccinated overseas travellers will be able to undertake 14 days of home quarantine — if they've also received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before getting to Queensland. And, when the Sunshine State reaches the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, all entry rules and quarantine requirements will be ditched for folks who've had both jabs. For the unvaxxed, the 14-day quarantine rule will still be in effect. Queensland will start allowing double-vaccinated domestic visitors back into the state via air from 5pm on Monday, November 15. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
UPDATE: May 24, 2020: Zombieland: Double Tap is available to stream via iTunes — and via Amazon Prime Video from Monday, May 25. What a delight the original Zombieland was. Led by Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin, and proving witty and wildly creative in handling its gory subject matter, the unconventional zombie road movie breathed new life into a stagnating genre. Featuring playful additions like cutaways to various zombie kills of the week, plus zombie survival rules that were neatly and contextually transposed across the screen during the action, the film paired horror, comedy and a top-notch troupe of actors to deliver an instant cult classic. Fast-forward ten years and many, many zombie films later, and we get Zombieland: Double Tap (with its name serving up a clever play on its sequel status, as well as referencing rule #2: 'the double tap', aka two shots to a zombie's head to ensure that it's truly dead). From the get-go, Double Tap reminds viewers about its trope-subverting approach, with Eisenberg's voiceover thanking the audience for choosing to watch this movie when there are so many other zombie options out there. Funny, yes, but is our allegiance rewarded? Only just. With the team now living safely in the White House, Double Tap finds itself in similar territory to season three of The Walking Dead. The zombies no longer represent much of a threat, meaning that the bulk of the tension comes from interpersonal, human-to-human conflict. Of that, there's a lot to choose from. Columbus and Wichita's (Eisenberg and Stone) romance has entered the ho-hum phase, while the de facto father-daughter relationship between Tallahassee and Little Rock (Harrelson and Breslin) is at once suffocating and frustrating, with both eager to head back out in search of adventure (and people their own age). Sure enough, the group soon splits, setting the film up for a rescue mission storyline — because, inevitably, things go awry. Relegating zombies to the level of mere background nuisance is always a risk, and in Double Tap it doesn't pay off — instead, it sucks much of the energy out of the film. Even the actors seem bored most of the time, leaving it to the movie's new additions to up the ante. Luckily, that's where Double Tap really delivers. Supporting players such as Rosario Dawson, Luke Wilson, Avan Jogia, Thomas Middleditch and Zoey Deutch provide periodic shots of cinematic epinephrine, jolting the film back into life each time it begins to fade. Deutch, in particular, delivers a cracking performance as Ugg-booted, tracksuited mall girl ditz Madison, managing to find incredible range for such a one-note role. Her casual invention of Uber (to the mockery of everyone else) is one of the film's funnier and smarter moments, as is the arrival of Wilson and Middleditch, albeit borrowing heavily from Shaun of the Dead. Directed by the original's Ruben Fleischer (who also helmed last year's Venom), and written by fellow returnees Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick with Godzilla's Dave Callaham, there's just enough in Double Tap to justify its existence, offering smatterings of new material amid the admittedly still amusing trip back to very familiar territory. Stay put, too, for the credits, which gift us a welcome secret cameo from an old favourite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUW5ZYwk2zQ
