When the new year rolls around, we like go all Nostradamus on you and make some predictions. Since January, we've guessed at where you'll be going, what you'll be reading and what you'll be watching. Now, we're going to have a crack at what you'll be putting in your mouth this year — and how you'll be doing it. In 2016, we put our money on inhalable cocktails, algae, goats and veganism, among other developments. This year, our crystal ball is giving us Star Trek-level craft beers, boozing on the sand (legally) and lots of eating naked. Here are ten tasty trends you won't be able to avoid in 2017. SCIENCE-INSPIRED CRAFT BEERS Gastronomers like the inimitable Heston Blumenthal have been infusing fine dining with science for years. And now, brewers are following in his footsteps. In the past few months alone, we've reported on a beer that glows in the dark created by a NASA biologist, a brewery in London that makes bespoke beer based on your DNA and a couple of Danish beer-loving buddies who figured out how to make instant craft beer by freeze-drying their favourite tipples. We're both terrified by, and excited about, what might be next. LEGAL DRINKING IN BARS ON THE BEACH We hope. Look, this one isn't exactly a new trend — it's done daily all over the world. But, here in Australia, despite having 10,685 beaches, we're hard pressed to find a bar where we can simultaneously feel the sand between our toes and knock back a cold one, without getting arrested. However, Fremantle's Bathers Beach House fought the law last year and surfaced with Australia's first liquor license for alfresco beach dining (and drinking). Let this be the beginning of something beautiful and nationwide. WILD FERMENTATION WINE Wild fermentation wine has been around for many, many years and is still a big thing in Europe. But, like many age-old agricultural methods, it's often been replaced in Australia with human intervention, usually for the sake of speed and quantity. Now, though, winemakers are winding back the clock, in the pursuit of better, more interesting flavour profiles. To cut a long story short, the wild fermenting of wine involves allowing the grapes' naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria do the job of breaking down sugars, rather than adding copious amounts of yeast to make it happen more quickly. You can read more about wild fermentation wine over here. CLOTHING-OPTIONAL RESTAURANTS When London's first naked restaurant, The Bunyadi, popped up in London in June, the waiting list for reservations hit 46,000 before you could disrobe. This prompted radio journalists Jo Stanley and Anthony 'Lehmo' Lehmann of Melbourne's Gold 104.3 FM to ask whether Aussies would get nude with the same gusto. After being inundated with willing naturists, the duo hosted a packed-out, clothing-free, pop-up at The Noble Experiment on May 26. While the weather's still warm, why not get some practice in with a picnic at one of Sydney's five best nudist beaches? 3D-PRINTED RESTAURANTS When you're not eating food in the nude, you'll be sitting on 3D-printed chairs at 3D-printed tables, holding 3D-printed cutlery, eating 3D-printed meals. This trend also kicked off in 2016, when Food Ink, the world's first 3D-printed restaurant popped-up in London from July 25-27. In 2017, the eatery is embarking on a world tour and, yes, Australia, is on the itinerary, with a visit to Sydney promised. Expect a multi-course, gourmet experience. [caption id="attachment_567134" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Butter.[/caption] RESTAURANT-STYLE EATING AT HOME Chances are you'll be treating your own home more and more like a restaurant this year. In other words, you'll be sitting at your own dining table, eating chef-prepared meals, without doing any dishes and paying for it. This trend is, of course, partly due to the launch of UberEATS, which happened in Melbourne in February 2016, in Sydney in July and in Brisbane in October. Meanwhile, you can't have missed those BMX champs disguised as Deliveroo cyclists dominating the city streets during the past little while. Mind you, they could well find themselves out of a job before too long, given that Domino's completed its first ever pizza delivery by drone in November. [caption id="attachment_601488" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Saint Peter by Nikki To.[/caption] ALL THE FISHY BITS If all the home delivery options in the world couldn't keep you on your couch and venturing out to proper restaurants is still high on your agenda, then we reckon you should get ready to face all the fishy bits. By that, we mean that more and more chefs are adopting a 'head-to-tail' philosophy. And, because fish, unlike cattle, don't have bits that can be turned into clothing, it'll be down to the customer to eat them more comprehensively. Silvereye (RIP) served up an impressive whiting skeleton, while, at Paddington's Saint Peter, the menu has lately offered salt-baked pumpkin with seeds and scales (yep, fish scales), as well as John Dory liver. PLASTIC-FREE DINING France made headline news in September 2016 when the Government officially announced its plan to ban all plastic plates, cups and utensils from 2020. Given that Australians use about one billion disposable coffee cups per year (and that's only coffee cups), it's probably time we followed suit. However, instead of waiting for legal changes, some venues have been taking matters into their own hands. In November, Brisbane's Crowbar announced its intention to phase out plastic straws, while, in January 2017, Sydney's This Must Be The Place invested in metal spoon-straws, to give drinkers an eco-friendly option. [caption id="attachment_608563" align="alignnone" width="1280"] 4 Pines.[/caption] BARREL-AGED BEERS When you're not drinking beers that could've featured in Star Trek, you'll be lingering over those given the most old-fashioned of treatments: barrel ageing. These brews are made in the usual way, then, for a year or so, popped into a barrel that's contained whiskey or muscat or some other beverage, infusing them with more complex flavours. Manly-based brewers 4 Pines are already onto this trend, having opened Public House — a venue entirely dedicated to barrel-aged brews — in Newport in December. And Young Henrys recently brought us Craic and Barrel, a limited release Irish Red Ale aged in Jameson whiskey barrels. [caption id="attachment_549443" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Project Botanicals.[/caption] MATCHING COCKTAILS WITH MEALS Matching wines with dishes is as old as the hills, of course, but cocktail matching is now becoming a thing. One of the biggest champions of this over the years has been Project Botanicals, which is bringing gin-based matches to Australians via a pop-up in Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden this March. Meanwhile, Sydney's Owl House offers an impressive, cocktail-driven degustation menu, with pairs including Pambula oysters and a cynar spritz (cynar, grapefruit, sparkling wine), as well skirt steak (potato, beer, egg, smoked chilli) and a "Buttered Fashion" (butter-infused Bulleit bourbon, honey, bitters).
Growing, changing, adapting and evolving are all a part of getting older, as The Triffid clearly knows. The Newstead venue has only just turned two, but it has seen plenty of change over the years, from a new deck area to additions to its local music-loving mural — and now, to its Sunday sessions. Over the summer of 2016-17, The Triff's beloved end-of-weekend hangouts will be switching up their blues and roots focus — or, reshaping it, to be exact. Prepare for a dose of good ol' Americana-style acoustics at the aptly re-named Americana Sessions. Every week from 2pm, a new dose of folk, country, rhythm and blues, just plain blues and old time rock 'n' roll will serenade your eardrums. With a lineup that features Catherine Britt, Harry Hookey, Heartworn Highways, Dana Gehrman, Josh Rennie-Hynes and Matt Henry, you can bet on one thing: having a chilled, guitar-twanging good time.
It has only taken a year or so, but Brisbanites have a new tradition: flocking to food trucks and feasting on their delicious treats. It's easy, tasty and can be put into practice any old time. Indeed, barely a day goes by without cuisine-cooking vans converging on a park, corner or street. This week, a certain Swedish retailer becomes the latest place to satisfy your appetite — and yes, there's more than meatballs on the menu. Taking over the Ikea Logan Forecourt, Eats and Beats turns a pop-up event into a party, with a little help from all the mobile eateries you know and love. That'd be King of the Wings, Little Back, Sushi Neko Food Van, Fiery Deli, Vira Lata Food Truck, Viva Paella, Pizzantica, Puerto Taco, Yummi Fruit Ice-Creamery and Grandmas Kiwi Kitchen, just to name a few. Dave Power, Neighbour, Inigo and PocketLove will provide the mood-setting music, so all you need to do is turn up. Who knew heading to Ikea could be so enticing? Image: Pizzantica.
Our phones have a lot of uses these days. While they were once merely a means of communication, they are now a great way to fill time or catch up on current events as well as the perfect crutch in an awkward situation. Need to fill an unbearably long silence or look like you're doing something while alone at a party? Just whip out an iPhone. But all of these new uses seem to defeat the original purpose of the device. With a smartphone glued to the palm of our hand, can we still maintain any meaningful communication face-to-face? A new photo series entitled 'The Death of Conversation' suggests not. Picturing friends, couples and dinner dates entranced with the screens of their phones but ignoring each other, these works by London photographer Babycakes Romero are all too familiar. It's something you see everyday. Don't feel too embarrassed. We're all guilty of it. This is what inspired the photographer to create the series. "I saw that smartphones were becoming a barrier to communication in person," he told Buzzfeed. "I saw how people used it as a social prop to hide their awkwardness, to fill the silence, but as I continued to observe and document this modern phenomenon I felt that the devices were actually causing the awkwardness and the silence." There's been a growing awareness of this problem over the past few years especially. Many musicians including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Prince now ask their audiences to put their phones away and "be in the moment"; some restaurants even ban their customers from taking photos of their food. "[Using your phone] is a form of rejection and lowers the self-worth of the person superseded for a device," said the artist. "I have nothing against technology at all but I feel it is starting to affect social cohesion, and we need to know when to switch it off or we will become permanently switched off from each other." Though this behaviour is now common all over the world, it may not be as bad as it first appears. Many theorists think this kind of criticism is unfounded. With this kind of constant digital companionship, aren't we in fact being more social than ever? It's for you to decide. But, at first glance, the evidence is pretty damning. Via Buzzfeed. All photos via Babycakes Romero.
It's time to kick off your boots and relegate cardigans to the back of the cupboard: summer is almost upon us. When it comes to sunshiny good times, we're kind of experts here in the land of Oz. From coastal escapades and balmy starlit parties to adventures through our epic and varied landscapes, we've got plenty of awe-striking experiences to discover when the weather is fine. Many of these splendid excursions are best enjoyed with a rejuvenating tipple. So, if you're after a fresh beverage to colour your summer, why not check out the flavourful range from new-to-the-scene Mosey Fruity Beer. These zippy brews provide the refreshment of a poolside beer enlivened with fruity, tropical tang. To spruce up these three classic summer experiences, just add a few cans to your bar fridge or moveable feast. GRAB YOUR MATES FOR A PARK HANG AND CHEESE BOARD It's safe to say that, after the last few years, we appreciate picnics in the park and group hangs like never before. Whether you're chilling with your best mates every other day or are in dire need of a catch-up, a romp around the park in the sunshine is sure to boost the communal serotonin. If you want to elevate it to a fancy affair, delegate menu items to construct an epic picnic. Naturally, you'll need cheese — from crumbling fetas to sharp cheddar, nut-based vegan delights and explosive blobs of burrata, a well-appointed cheese board is a luxury that can be enjoyed by the masses. Make sure each member of the picnic party adds to the spread. You'll want to tick off cured meats, pickled veg, fresh fruits, nuts and every chip and dip imaginable. And of course, there are the drinks. Locate a glorious patch of grass where booze consumption is allowed and load up your portable mini bar — making sure to add a blueberry Mosey Fruity Beer to the collection. It imbues the classic crispness of a lager with the summer-fresh essence of ripe blueberries for a flavour combination that'll sit happily in any picnic mix. If you prefer your picnics with some background beats, Mosey's got you sorted with a bop-heavy playlist ready to go. GET THE FAM TOGETHER FOR A POOLSIDE BARBECUE As the days grow longer and the breezes warmer, Aussie families naturally congregate by the barbecue for practice runs before the big Christmas bash. While we aren't all blessed with a sparkling backyard pool, there's surely a distant aunt or pretty-much-family-at-this-point friend with a chlorinated or salty oasis for you to dive bomb. So, don your cossies, dig the noodle out of storage and stock your chilly bins ready for an epic family get together. Fun is the aim, so be sure to come ready for a few rowdy matches of backyard cricket, an ultimate frisbee sesh and competition-heavy shoulder wars in the pool. These festive occasions with the cousins you haven't seen in yonks inevitably involve impressive chargrilled feasts. The lime Mosey Fruity Beer is the perfect complement to rich cuts of lamb, stacks of potato bake and the essential pavlova finisher. Any beer bitterness is stripped away, so you can enjoy the citrusy hit of lime alongside the warming palate a crisp lager is known for. The brew is just as well paired with a plate of fresh prawns — what more could you ask of a family feast under the summer sun? And in case you're lacking in the tunes department, Mosey has a premixed playlist that will keep the vibes high. END THE WORK WEEK WITH BEVVIES AND A VIEW On struggle street as you limp towards Friday afternoon after a massive week of work? Hold onto the promise of knock-off drinks with the work gang. We all know how demoralising it can be when you're stuck toiling away while the weather is blissful, especially if you take a peek at the 'gram and see folks of leisure surfing waves or soaking up the sunshine in luxe holiday destinations. But, rest assured, your time will come. Start the weekend early with celebratory Friday arvo drinks and snacks. You'll want to seek out the most scenic spot for your well-deserved session to eke the most out of the fading afternoon light. If your office has a balcony — or you work somewhere with a slick bar area or cute garden — stake out your chill-out station. Then, pass around a few cans of passionfruit Mosey Fruity Beer to get things started. It's an easy-drinking brew with a summery sweetness that'll delight drinkers of all sorts, regardless of whether you're into sessionable lagers or extravagant cocktails. Match this sweet refreshment with some salty good times in the form of fried chicken or a simple-yet-crowd-pleasing bag of chippies — and an equally punchy playlist. C'mon, you've earned it. Armed with a four-pack of Mosey Fruity Beers, you'll be ready to make summer yours. To find out more about the juicy bevs, head to the website. Images: Chester Newling
Break out the waffles: Amy Poehler is coming to Australia. If you're a Parks and Recreation fan, nothing less than eating breakfast foods non-stop between now and the end of May will do to celebrate. The actor behind Leslie Knope — and Saturday Night Live legend, and voice of Joy in both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 — has a date with Vivid Sydney, heading to the Harbour City for an in-conversation event that'll see her chat through her career. Inside Out 2 releases in cinemas in mid-June, so it'll receive plenty of focus when Poehler gets talking — so much so that the Sydney Opera House evening that'll be moderated by Zan Rowe will include a 30-minute first-look at the film. But her work spans far and wide beyond the animated Pixar franchise, including to films such as Baby Mama and Sisters, writing the hilarious Yes Please and unforgettable Golden Globe hosting gigs with Tina Fey. [caption id="attachment_793108" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC[/caption] Poehler's session will take place on Monday, May 27, making it one of the early highlights of the festival. It comes after 2023's Vivid Sydney also featured a massive screen-focused in-conversation session, welcoming The White Lotus' Jennifer Coolidge and Mike White.
Nothing says you're sorry like a pom pom. If you haven't heard that saying before, don't worry. We might've just made it up, but we're simply following in Rachel Lynch's footsteps. Since September 2015, Lynch has been the go-to gal for woollen tokens of apology after making her own, letting it loose on Instagram and watching the world take notice. Her fluffy balls of remorse inspired others to follow suit, resulting in an ongoing community art project and The Print Bar's Apomogy exhibition. The former, like the underlying concept itself, is as straightforward as it sounds: all manner of people craft their own pom poms, attach their candid confessions, and then post them off to be included in the artwork. The latter showcases the project as it currently stands, complete with multi-coloured bundles and hand-scrawled notes galore, as well as workshops to help apologetic folks whip up their best creations. Who knew saying sorry could be so much fun?
If there’s one thing we’ve come to know about ourselves it’s that we love a good gimmick. Whether it’s a nautically-themed gastropub or an entire cafe built on Pantone colour palettes, we can’t get enough of the weird and the wonderful. And so it’s no surprise that we’re squee-ing in anticipation of the Brisbane Festival's bizarre food-meets-theatre offering Fear and Delight. Created by Strut & Fret, the theatrical culinary event has been making waves in the news for the last few days, mainly because of the inclusion of food artists Bompas and Parr's so-called G&T Cloud Experience, first opened in London last month. This, in layman’s terms, means 'a room filled with a cloud of humidified gin and tonic which is consumed through the skin and eyeballs'. Yep, breathable booze. As expected, some are delighted with the prospect and others are fearful, while some people are just downright ready to party. Health experts have been lining up around the block to offer their opinion on the phenomenon. Professor Jake Najman, of the University of Queensland’s Drug Research and Education Centre, told the Guardian that rapidly absorbing a carcinogenic chemical is a big no-no. To be fair to the Professor, downing six Jaeger bombs and a Big Mac every Saturday night could also be considered near to carcinogenic but that certainly doesn’t stop us. However Najman also admits that not too much is known about the effects of inhaling alcohol, so bottoms up! Or bottoms out or however it is you toast in this new landscape of possibility. Celebrated internationally for such foodie happenings as an anatomical whisky tasting, a DNA-matching cocktail bar and a huge pagan feast at this year's Dark Mofo, Bompas and Parr are no strangers to controversy. Parr told Bloomberg that humidified drinking is "a new way of experiencing drink, and it’s social because it’s an immersive shared environment. You all have the same flavour sensation. Alcohol tastes better, with more nuances. You can detect more subtle flavours when it is humidified". What a time to be alive! But don’t worry about overdoing it on the alcohol-infused vapour, as Fear and Delight director Scott Maidment says that patrons would have to stand in the cloud for 40 minutes to absorb the equivalent of a large gin and tonic. So even if you get naked and do laps of the room, you won’t end up too drunk to watch the show afterwards. It really adds a whole new layer of meaning to #vapelife. Brisbane Festival’s Fear and Delight runs 4-25 September at South Bank Culture Forecourt. Grab tickets here.
The teenagers of Point Place are at it again: hangin' out down the street, that is, usually in the Forman family basement. This time, decades have passed on- and off-screen since the world first met a group of high schoolers happily doing the same old things they did last week in the fictional Wisconsin town. Netflix's new That '90s Show picks up just over 15 years after That '70s Show's timeline, embracing all that the mid-90s had to offer from raves and Alanis Morissette's initial fame to video stores and Donkey Kong. (Yellowjackets isn't the only series going all-in three decades back right now.) For viewers, the 1995-set series arrives 17 years after its predecessor said farewell. The years might've changed, but the basics stay the same in a wave of familiar places, faces, scenarios and themes — and the overall formula. From 1998–2006, Eric Forman (Topher Grace, Home Economics), girl-next-door Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon, Orange Is the New Black), and pals including Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher, Vengeance), Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis, Luckiest Girl Alive) and Fez (Wilmer Valderrama, NCIS) earned That '70s Show's attention as they chatted through their hopes and dreams, got stoned frequently, and tried to work out who they were, who they loved and what they wanted. Now, doing the same is Eric and Donna's 14-year-old daughter Leia (Callie Haverda, The Lost Husband), plus the new friends she makes while visiting her loving, supportive but sometimes embarrassing empty-nester grandparents. It's during a July 4th weekend stopover at Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp, WandaVision) and Red's (Kurtwood Smith, The Dropout), aka her dad's childhood home, that Leia finds something she doesn't have in Chicago: peers that truly understand her. Despite dashing Eric's dreams of a father-daughter space camp trip just as Red is informing him and Donna that they're now "upstairs people", Leia decides to stay in Point Place for the summer. As perky as ever, Kitty is thrilled to have the house — all levels — filled with kids once more. The perennially cantankerous Red doesn't share or even feign her enthusiasm, but he is eager to start threatening another generation with an emphatic kick in the rear — and to call them all "dumbass". Those new teens? The elder Formans' neighbours Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide, Four Kids and It) and Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables) — one a feisty riot grrrl getting Leia to rebel for the first time in her life, the other the airhead successor to Michael Kelso — and their existing friends. There is a genuine Kelso, too, in the form of hunky ladies' man Jay (Mace Coronel, Colin in Black & White), who's firmly his dad's son. Rounding out the gang: the witty Ozzie (Reyn Doi, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar), the openly gay member of the group, and Nate's super-smart girlfriend Nikki (Sam Morelos, Forgetting Nobody). Including recognisable character traits and the entire new pot-smoking, basement-dwelling crew's dynamic, as well as their hijinks — and spanning the chaos brought by Gwen and Nate's mother Sherri (Andrea Anders, Ted Lasso) as a replacement for Eric's elder sister Laurie, plus the return of the same theme tune (but given a decade-appropriate makeover), the stoner circle and each episode's interludes — That '90s Show is the blatant doppelgänger of TV sequels. Reviving teen-centric hits from decades back is one of pop culture's favourite recent trends, covering everything from Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl to Bel-Air, but this comeback is deeply determined to give exactly what worked the first time — and for 200 episodes at that — another spin. In a series developed by That '70s Show creators Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner alongside their daughter Lindsey Turner and also That '70s Show producer Gregg Mettler, cue layer upon layer of nostalgia — for That '70s Show and for the new series' own titular decade alike. Entertainingly for fans of the original, That '90s Show's love of nods and references to its predecessor is as vast as Eric's still-buzzing love for Star Wars (see: Leia's name, and Eric's job as a professor exploring the religion of Star Wars). Obviously, the Netflix continuation couldn't be called That '90s Show if it didn't embrace its namesake as well, complete with references to Clerks, Home Alone and Free Willy, and a Beverly Hills 90210-inspired fantasy sequence. The extra dose of nostalgia? Not only getting viewers thinking about That '70s Show and the 90s, but recalling watching it in the 90s and 00s, and also wading through its affection for the 70s at the same time. Here, nostalgia and familiarity are in, making any big new moves is out — other than for Leia when she decides to stay with Kitty and Red the summer, putting herself out there to make new friends and chasing her heart. Sticking with what this franchise knows could've been unambitious and straightforward, but it couldn't suit both That '70s Show and That '90s Show better. Before it made stars out of Grace, Prepon, and the now-married Kutcher and Kunis, a considerable part of the first series' appeal was its low-key vibe; it was a show to hang out with, just as its main players did with each other while they navigated recognisable and relatable suburban teen life. This follow-up knows not to depart from that key trait, just as it knows that the mechanics of being in high school haven't shifted no matter how long has passed. Could this be a continuation of That '70s Show if the old gang didn't show up at various points, including the OG Kelso, Jackie, now-celebrity hairdresser Fez and always-high hippie Leo (Tommy Chong, Color Out of Space)? Of course not. Could this new series escape the temptation to have Leia fall for Jay and use that will-they-won't-they situation as one of its ongoing threads? Of course not again. That '90s Show is an endearing, laidback, easily bingeable throwback all the same — well-cast, too, although Doi and Morelos deserve more focus if it returns for a second season — and one that gets its levels of dripping nostalgia exactly right. Case in point: when it opens, it's with Kitty dancing in her kitchen to the apt 'Groove Is in the Heart', that 1990 Deee-Lite hit that hailed back to the 70s. Check out the trailer for That '90s Show below: That '90s Show streams via Netflix. Images: Patrick Wymore/Netflix © 2022.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 12 that you can watch right now at home. ELVIS Making a biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, trust Baz Luhrmann to take his subject's words to heart: a little less conversation, a little more action. The Australian filmmaker's Elvis, his first feature since 2013's The Great Gatsby, isn't short on chatter. It's even narrated by Tom Hanks (Finch) as Colonel Tom Parker, the carnival barker who thrust Presley to fame (and, as Luhrmann likes to say, the man who was never a Colonel, never a Tom and never a Parker). But this chronology of an icon's life is at its best when it's showing rather than telling. That's when it sparkles brighter than a rhinestone on all-white attire, and gleams with more shine than all the lights in Las Vegas. That's when Elvis is electrifying, due to its treasure trove of recreated concert scenes — where Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) slides into Presley's blue suede shoes and lifetime's supply of jumpsuits like he's the man himself. Butler is that hypnotic as Presley. Elvis is his biggest role to-date after starting out on Hannah Montana, sliding through other TV shows including Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, and also featuring in Yoga Hosers and The Dead Don't Die — and he's exceptional. Thanks to his blistering on-stage performance, shaken hips and all, the movie's gig sequences feel like Elvis hasn't ever left the building. Close your eyes and you'll think you were listening to the real thing. (In some cases, you are: the film's songs span Butler's vocals, Presley's and sometimes a mix of both). And yet it's how the concert footage looks, feels, lives, breathes, and places viewers in those excited and seduced crowds that's Elvis' true gem. It's meant to make movie-goers understand what it was like to be there, and why Presley became such a sensation. Aided by dazzling cinematography, editing and just all-round visual choreography, these parts of the picture — of which there's many, understandably — leave audiences as all shook up as a 1950s teenager or 1970s Vegas visitor. Elvis is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. MOTHERING SUNDAY Is there anything more intimate than wandering around someone's home when they're not there, gently rifling through their things, and — literally or not, your choice — spending a few minutes standing in their shoes? Yes, but there's still an intoxicating sense of closeness that comes with the territory; moseying curiously in another's house without their company, after they've entrusted their most personal space to you alone, will understandably do that. In Mothering Sunday, Jane Fairchild (Odessa Young, The Staircase) finds herself in this very situation. She's naked, and as comfortable as she's ever been anywhere. After her lover Paul Sheringham (Josh O'Connor, Emma) leaves her in a state of postcoital bliss, she makes the most of his family's large abode in the English countryside, the paintings and books that fill its walls and shelves, and the pie and beer tempting her tastebuds in the kitchen. The result: some of this 1920s-set British drama's most evocative and remarkable moments. In a page-to-screen affair adapted by screenwriter Alice Birch (Conversations with Friends) from Graham Swift's 2016 novel for French filmmaker Eva Husson (Girls of the Sun), Jane is used to such lofty spaces, but rarely as a carefree resident. As played with quiet potency and radiance by Young, she's an aspiring writer, an orphan and the help; he's firmly from money. She works as a maid for the Sheringhams' neighbours, the also-wealthy Godfrey (Colin Firth, Operation Mincemeat) and Clarrie Niven (Olivia Colman, Heartstopper), and she's ventured next door while everyone except Paul is out. This rare day off is the occasion that gives the stately but still highly moving film its name as well — Mother's Day, but initially designed to honour mother churches, aka where one was baptised — and the well-to-do crowd are all lunching to celebrate Paul's impending nuptials to fiancée Emma Hobday (Emma D'Arcy, Misbehaviour). He made excuses to arrive late, though, in order to steal some time with Jane, as they've both been doing for years. Of course, he can't completely shirk his own party. Also, the day won't end as joyfully as it started. Mothering Sunday is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. LIGHTYEAR In the realm of franchise filmmaking, "to infinity and beyond" isn't just a catchphrase exclaimed by an animated plaything — it's how far and long Hollywood hopes every hit big-screen saga will extend. With that in mind, has a Pixar movie ever felt as inevitable as Lightyear? Given the main Toy Story plot wrapped up in 2019's Toy Story 4, and did so charmingly, keeping this series going by jumping backwards was always bound to happen. So it is that space ranger figurine Buzz Lightyear gets an origin story. That said, the trinket's history is covered immediately and quickly in this film's opening splash of text on-screen. Back in the OG Toy Story, Andy was excited to receive a new Buzz Lightyear action figure because — as this feature tells us — he'd just seen and loved a sci-fi movie featuring fictional character Buzz Lightyear. In this franchise's world, the likeable-enough Lightyear from director Angus MacLane (Finding Dory) is that picture. Buzz the live-action film hero — flesh and blood to in-franchise viewers like Andy, that is, but animated to us — goes on an all-too-familiar journey in Lightyear. Voiced by Chris Evans (Knives Out) to distinguish the movie Buzz from toy Buzz (where he's voiced by Last Man Standing's Tim Allen), the Star Command space ranger is so convinced that he's the biggest hero there is, and him alone, that teamwork isn't anywhere near his strength. Then, as happens to the figurine version in Toy Story, that illusion gets a reality check. To survive being marooned on T'Kani Prime, a planet 4.2 million light-years from earth filled with attacking vines and giant flying insects, the egotistical and stubborn Buzz needs to learn to play nice with others. For someone who hates rookies, as well as using autopilot, realising he can only succeed with help takes time. Lightyear is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BENEDICTION To write notable things, does someone need to live a notable life? No, but sometimes they do anyway. To truly capture the bone-chilling, soul-crushing, gut-wrenching atrocities of war, does someone need to experience it for themselves? In the case of Siegfried Sassoon, his anti-combat verse could've only sprung from someone who had been there, deep in the trenches of the Western Front during World War I, and witnessed its harrowing horrors. If you only know one thing about the Military Cross-winner and poet going into Benediction, you're likely already aware that he's famed for his biting work about his time in uniform. There's obviously more to his story and his life, though, as there is to the film that tells his tale. But British writer/director Terence Davies (Sunset Song) never forgets the traumatic ordeal, and the response to it, that frequently follows his subject's name as effortlessly as breathing. Indeed, being unable to ever banish it from one's memory, including Sassoon's own, is a crucial part of this precisely crafted, immensely affecting and deeply resonant movie. If you only know two things about Sassoon before seeing Benediction, you may have also heard of the war hero-turned-conscientious objector's connection to fellow poet Wilfred Owen. Author of Anthem for Damned Youth, he fought in the same fray but didn't make it back. That too earns Davies' attention, with Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Sassoon and Matthew Tennyson (Making Noise Quietly) as his fellow wordsmith, soldier and patient at Craiglockhart War Hospital — both for shell shock. Benediction doesn't solely devote its frames to this chapter in its central figure's existence, either, but the film also knows that it couldn't be more pivotal in explaining who Sassoon was, and why, and how war forever changed him (as also seen in his later guise, when he's played by The Suicide Squad's Peter Capaldi). Sassoon and Owen were friends, and also shared a mutual infatuation. They were particularly inspired during their times at Craiglockhart as well. In fact, Sassoon mentored the younger Owen, and championed his work after he was killed in 1918, exactly one week before before Armistice Day. Benediction is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION When Jurassic World Dominion was being written, three words must've come up often. No, they're not Neill, Dern, Goldblum. Those beloved actors reunite here, the trio appearing in the same Jurassic Park flick for the first time since the 1993 original, but the crucial terms are actually "but with dinosaurs". Returning Jurassic World writer/director Colin Trevorrow mightn't have uttered that phrase aloud; however, when Dominion stalks into a dingy underground cantina populated by people and prehistoric creatures, Star Wars but with dinosaurs instantly springs to mind. The same proves true when the third entry in this Jurassic Park sequel trilogy also includes high-stakes flights in a rundown aircraft that's piloted by a no-nonsense maverick. These nods aren't only confined to a galaxy far, far away — a realm that Trevorrow was meant to join as a filmmaker after the first Jurassic World, only to be replaced on Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker — and, yes, they just keep on coming. There's the speedy chase that zooms through alleys in Malta, giving the Bond franchise more than a few nods — but with dinosaurs, naturally. There's the plot about a kidnapped daughter, with Taken but with dinosaurs becoming a reality as well. That Trevorrow, co-scribe Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising) and his usual writing collaborator Derek Connolly (Safety Not Guaranteed) have seen other big-name flicks is never in doubt. Indeed, as a Mark Zuckerberg-esque entrepreneur (Campbell Scott, WeCrashed) tries to take over all things dino, and ex-Jurassic World velociraptor whisperer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt, The Tomorrow War) and his boss-turned-girlfriend Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard, Rocketman) get drawn back into the creatures' realm, too much of Dominion feels like an attempt to actively make viewers wish they were watching other movies. Bourne but with dinosaurs rears its head via a rooftop chase involving, yes, dinos. Also, two different Stanley Kubrick masterpieces get cribbed so blatantly that royalties must be due, including when an ancient critter busts through a door as Jack Nicholson once did, and the exact same shot — but with dinosaurs — hits the screen. Jurassic World Dominion is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE KITCHEN BRIGADE When a chef sticks to a tried-and-tested recipe, it can be for two reasons: ease and excellence. Whipping up an already-proven dish means cooking up something that you already know works — something sublime, perhaps — and giving yourself the opportunity to better it. That process isn't solely the domain of culinary maestros, though, as French filmmaker Louis-Julien Petit makes plain in his latest feature The Kitchen Brigade. The writer/director behind 2018's Invisibles returns to what he knows and does well, and to a formula that keeps enticing audiences on the big screen, too. With the former, he whisks together another socially conscious mix of drama and comedy centring on faces and folks that are often overlooked. With the latter, he bakes a feel-good affair about finding yourself, seizing opportunities and making a difference through food. Returning from Invisibles as well, Audrey Lamy (Little Nicholas' Treasure) plays Cathy, a 40-year-old sous chef with big dreams and just as sizeable struggles. Instead of running her own restaurant, she's stuck in the shadow of TV-famous culinary celebrity Lyna Deletto (Chloé Astor, Delicious) — a boss hungry for not just fame but glory, including by dismissing Cathy's kitchen instincts or claiming her dishes as her own. Reaching boiling point early in the film, Cathy decides to finally go it alone, but cash makes that a problem. So, to make ends meet, she takes the only job she can find: overseeing the food in a shelter for migrants, where manager Lorenzo (François Cluzet, We'll End Up Together) and his assistant Sabine (Chantal Neuwirth, Patrick Melrose) have been understandably too busy with the day-to-day business of helping their residents to worry about putting on a fancy spread. The Kitchen Brigade is available to stream via, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU What's yellow, round, inescapably silly and also just flat-out inescapable? Since 2010, when the first Despicable Me film reached screens, Minions have been the answer. The golden-hued, nonsense-babbling critters were designed as the ultimate sidekicks. They've remained henchman to malevolent figures in all five of their movie outings so far, and in the 15 shorts that've also kept telling their tale. But, as much as super-villain Gru (Steve Carrell, Space Force) would disagree — he'd be immensely insulted at the idea, in fact — Minions have long been the true drawcards. Children haven't been spotted carrying around and obsessing over Gru toys in the same number. The saga's key evil-doer doesn't have people spouting the same gibberish, either. And his likeness hasn't become as ubiquitous as Santa, although Minions aren't considered a gift by everyone. At their best, these lemon-coloured creatures are today's equivalent of slapstick silent film stars. At their worst, they're calculatingly cute vehicles for selling merchandise and movie tickets. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Otto and company (all voiced by Pierre Coffin, also the director of the three Despicable Me features so far, as well as the first Minions) fall somewhere in the middle. Their Minion mayhem is the most entertaining and well-developed part of the flick, but as an 11-year-old Gru tries to live out his nefarious boyhood dreams in 1976, it's also pushed to the side by director Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3), co-helmers Brad Ableson (Legends of Chamberlain Heights) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets 2), and screenwriter Matthew Fogel (The Lego Movie 2). There's a reason that this isn't just called Minions 2 — and another that it hasn't been badged Despicable Me: The Rise of Gru, although it should've. The Minion name gets wallets opening and young audiences excited, the Rise of Gru reflects the main focus of the story, and anyone who's older than ten can see the strings being pulled at the corporate level among the by-the-numbers slapstick hijinks. Minions: The Rise of Gru is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. AFTER BLUE (DIRTY PARADISE) In his 2017 feature debut, French writer/director Bertrand Mandico took to the sea, following five teens who were punished for a crime by being sent to a mysterious island. Sensual and lurid at every turn, The Wild Boys was never as straightforward as any description might intimate, however — and it proved both a tempest of influences as varied as Jean Cocteau, John Carpenter and David Lynch, and an onslaught of surreal and subversive experimentation several times over. Much of the same traits shine through in the filmmaker's second feature After Blue (Dirty Paradise), including an erotic tone that's even more pivotal than the movie's narrative. Mandico makes features about bodies and flesh, about landscapes filled with the odd and alluring, and where feeling like you've tumbled into a dream most wonderful and strange is the instant response. Tinted pink, teeming with glitter, scored by synth, as psychedelic as bathing in acid and gleefully queer, the fantastical realm that fills After Blue's frames is the titular planet, where humanity have fled after ruining earth. As teenager Roxy (debutant Paula-Luna Breitenfelder), who is nicknamed Toxic by her peers, tells the camera, only ovary-bearers can survive here — with men dying out thanks to their hair growing internally. In this brave new world, nationalities cling together in sparse communities, with roving around frowned upon. But that's what Roxy and her hairdresser mother Zora (Elina Löwensohn, Mandico's frequent star) are forced to do when the former meets and saves a criminal called Kate Bush (Agata Buzek, High Life), who she finds buried in sand, and are then tasked by their fellow French denizens with tracking her down and dispensing with her to fix that mistake. After Blue (Dirty Paradise) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SUNDOWN In Sundown's holiday porn-style opening scenes, a clearly wealthy British family enjoys the most indulgent kind of Acapulco getaway that anyone possibly can. Beneath the blazing blue Mexican sky, at a resort that visibly costs a pretty penny, Alice Bennett (Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Snowman), her brother Neil (Tim Roth, Bergman Island), and her teenage children Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan, A Very British Scandal) and Colin (Samuel Bottomley, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) swim and lounge and sip, with margaritas, massages and moneyed bliss flowing freely. For many, it'd be a dream vacation. For Alice and her kids, it's routine, but they're still enjoying themselves. The look on Neil's passive face says everything, however. It's the picture of apathy — even though, as the film soon shows, he flat-out refuses to be anywhere else. The last time that a Michel Franco-written and -directed movie reached screens, it came courtesy of the Mexican filmmaker's savage class warfare drama New Order, which didn't hold back in ripping into the vast chasm between the ridiculously rich and everyone else. Sundown is equally as brutal, but it isn't quite Franco's take on The White Lotus or Nine Perfect Strangers, either. Rather, it's primarily a slippery and sinewy character study about a man with everything as well as nothing. Much happens within the feature's brief 82-minute running time. Slowly, enough is unveiled about the Bennett family's background, and why their extravagant jaunt abroad couldn't be a more ordinary event in their lavish lives. Still, that indifferent expression adorning Neil's dial rarely falters, whether grief, violence, trauma, lust, love, wins or losses cast a shadow over or brighten up his poolside and seaside stints knocking back drinks in the sunshine. Sundown is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE REEF: STALKED In the crowded waters of cinema's shark-attack genre, which first took a hefty bite out of the box office with mega hit Jaws and then spawned plenty of imitators since, a low-budget Australian effort held its own back in 2010. The second movie from writer/director Andrew Traucki after his crocodile-attack flick Black Water, The Reef wasn't ever going to rake in enough takings to threaten the larger fish, but the stripped-back survival-thriller was grippingly effective. As Black Water did with 2020's Black Water: Abyss, the creature-feature helmer's shark film has now be given a sequel — and like Traucki's other franchise, this followup is a routine splash. The filmmaker keeps most of the basics the same, casting out a remakequel, aka a movie about basically the same scenario but with different faces. No, Traucki isn't seeking a bigger boat, or even to rock the one he has. The Reef: Stalked does make one curious new choice, however, stemming from its nine-months-earlier prologue. The film's opening sequences set up a harrowing source of trauma for protagonist Nic (Teressa Liane, The Vampire Diaries), and also clumsily equate domestic violence with the ocean's predators in the process. The aim is to show how Nic and her youngest sister Annie (debutant Saskia Archer) refuse to become victims after their other sibling Cathy (Bridget Burt, Camp-Off) is stalked and savaged in a different way, fatally so, at the hands of her partner Greg (Tim Ross, Dive Club). After finding Cathy herself, Nic is so understandably distressed that she heads as far away as she can, but returns from overseas for a big diving and kayaking trip that was important to her sister. With friends Jodie (Ann Truong, Cowboy Bebop) and Lisa (Kate Lister, Clickbait), plus Annie, they embark on a multi-day paddle — but it isn't long until a different sinister force terrorises their getaway, even if you don't already know what "the man in the grey suit" refers to in surfer slang. The Reef: Stalked is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE PRINCESS Finding a moment or statement from The Princess to sum up The Princess is easy. Unlike the powerful documentary's subject in almost all aspects of her life from meeting the future King of England onwards, viewers have the luxury of choice. Working solely with archival materials, writer/director Ed Perkins (Tell Me Who I Am) doesn't lack in chances to demonstrate how distressing it was to be Diana, Princess of Wales — and the fact that his film can even exist also underscores that point. While both The Crown and Spencer have dramatised Diana's struggles with applauded results, The Princess tells the same tale as it was incessantly chronicled in the media between 1981–1997. The portrait that emanates from this collage of news footage, tabloid snaps and TV clips borders on dystopian. It's certainly disturbing. What kind tormented world gives rise to this type of treatment just because someone is famous? The one we all live in, sadly. Perkins begins The Princess with shaky visuals from late in August 1997, in Paris, when Diana and Dodi Fayed were fleeing the paparazzi on what would be the pair's last evening. The random voice behind the camera is excited at the crowds and commotion, not knowing how fatefully the night would end. That's telling, haunting and unsettling, and so is the clip that immediately follows. The filmmaker jumps back to 1981, to a then 19-year-old Diana being accosted as she steps into the street. Reporters demand answers on whether an engagement will be announced, as though extracting private details from a teenager because she's dating Prince Charles is a right. The Princess continues in the same fashion, with editors Jinx Godfrey (Chernobyl) and Daniel Lapira (The Boat) stitching together example after example of a woman forced to be a commodity and expected to be a spectacle, all to be devoured and consumed. The Princess is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. 6 FESTIVALS Three friends, a huge music festival worth making a mega mission to get to and an essential bag of goon: if you didn't experience that exact combination growing up in Australia, did you really grow up in Australia? That's the mix that starts 6 Festivals, too, with the Aussie feature throwing in a few other instantly familiar inclusions to set the scene. Powderfinger sing-alongs, scenic surroundings and sun-dappled moments have all filled plenty of teenage fest trips, and so has an anything-it-takes mentality — and for the film's central trio of Maxie (Rasmus King, Barons), Summer (Yasmin Honeychurch, Back of the Net) and James (Rory Potter, Ruby's Choice), they're part of their trip to Utopia Valley. But amid dancing to Lime Cordiale and Running Touch, then missing out on Peking Duk's stroke-of-midnight New Year's Eve set after a run-in with security, a shattering piece of news drops. Suddenly these festival-loving friends have a new quest: catching as much live music as they can to help James cope with cancer. The first narrative feature by Bra Boys and Fighting Fear director Macario De Souza, 6 Festivals follows Maxie, Summer and James' efforts to tour their way along the east coast festival circuit. No, there are no prizes for guessing how many gigs are on their list, with the Big Pineapple Music Festival, Yours and Owls and Lunar Electric among the events on their itinerary. Largely road-tripping between real fests, and also showcasing real sets by artists spanning Dune Rats, Bliss n Eso, G Flip, B Wise, Ruby Fields, Dope Lemon, Stace Cadet and more, 6 Festivals dances into the mud, sweat and buzz — the crowds, cheeky beers and dalliances with other substances that help form this coming-of-age rite-of-passage, aka cramming in as many festivals as you possibly can from the moment your parents will let you, as well. This is also a cancer drama, however, which makes for an unsurprisingly tricky balancing act, especially after fellow Aussie movie Babyteeth tackled the latter so devastatingly well so recently. 6 Festivals is available to stream via Paramount+. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and our best new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies from the first half of 2022. Or, check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February, March, April, May, June and July.
The Valley Fiesta is one of the biggest weekends in Brisbane. Overshadowed by only New Years Eve and BIGSOUND, Fortitude Valley doesn’t get more packed. This is a massive feat seeing as our entertainment precinct is rather large. Streets are closed off and live music fans are herded to stages set up in Brunswick and China Town malls, and most venues like to get in on the action. The main attractions are the official Valley Fiesta Stages which are playing host to some serious musical talent. Local acts are playing alongside national favourites, with a wide range of musical styles on display. Also on the cards are special presentations and performances as well as Rooftop Roller Disco. No matter the weather, this weekend is going to be a riot, and best of all, it’s free! No excuses, put on your dancing shows and go have some fun, you deserve it. Here is the list of some (not all!) acts performing this weekend: Architecture In Helsinki Andy Bull Gold Fields Dune Rats Hayden James (Australian Exclusive Premier) Alison Wonderland (DJ Set) The Swiss Wave Racer Jackie Onassis World's End Press Art of Sleeping Tyler Touché The Cairos Charles Murdoch Suburban Dark ft. Jeswon Citizen Kay Palms KLP Mosman Alder Major Leagues
While many of us wish we were jumping on a plane for a week of relaxing at a beachside resort in Saint-Tropez or hopping over to the Cinque Terre for many bowls of pasta and spritzes, the reality is international travel can be a time-consuming and expensive hassle. But, that doesn't mean a glamorous waterfront getaway is completely unattainable. About an hour's drive north of Sydney, you'll find Pittwater, which is surrounded by hundreds of secluded beach houses, charming cabins set right on the water and serene retreats that'll transport you miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. To save you hours of scrolling, we've rounded up a list of the most stunning — and most secluded — Airbnbs located by the water around Sydney's northern beaches. So, book a spot, pack your togs and get ready to escape the city for a weekend of relaxing. Recommended Reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in NSW The Best Tiny Houses You Can Book Around NSW The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Places to Stay in the Blue Mountains The Boathouse, Scotland Island This cosy coastal cabin is the ideal destination for couples wanting to unwind, beachside. It's got character aplenty, with sparkling water views to match. From $440 a night, sleeps two. Boathouse on the Waterfront, Avalon Beach A cheery couples' hideout perched right on the shores of Careel Bay, where just a few steps connect open-plan living with a waterfront jetty. From $995 a night, sleeps two. Secluded Waterfront Cottage, Lovett Bay It doesn't get much more secluded than this bayside retreat for two, which backs onto a lush national park and has water-only access. From $399 a night, sleeps two. Retreat at Coasters, Coasters Retreat Treat your flock to some downtime at this family-style retreat, enveloped by pristine bushland and set just metres from the shore. From $444 a night, sleeps four. The Secret Palm Beach Getaway, Palm Beach At this breezy Palm Beach cottage, the open-plan living space, sprawling deck and infinity pool all boast the same covetable water views. From $700 a night, sleeps two. Sandstone Cottage, Great Mackerel Beach One of Mackerel Beach's original sandstone cottages is now a secluded six-person hideaway with spectacular sunrises to match. From $1100 a night, sleeps six. Cape Mackerel Cabin, Great Mackerel Beach Secure your own patch of Great Mackerel beachfront, boasting an entertainer's dream deck and views that stretch from Palm Beach to the Central Coast. From $635 a night, sleeps six. Tides Reach Boathouse, McCarrs Creek Accessible only by water, this modern nautical cottage feels worlds away from reality. Fresh white interiors and a sun-drenched waterfront deck round out the holiday vibes. From $700 a night, sleeps eight. The Boathouse Retreat, Elvina Bay This peaceful hideaway nestled on the edge of Ku-ring-gai National Park offers stunning views of Pittwater and that cosy tiny home feel without compromising comfort. From $360 a night, sleeps two. The Oyster Shed, Lovett Bay Accessed only by water, this rustic studio on the bay is perfect romantic getaway. This nautical boathouse comes complete with a fire pit, private dock and cosy vibes to spare. From $369 a night. Sleeps two. Top image: Waterfront Boathouse FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When we think of things associated with "fun", lockdown ranks at the very bottom of that list. Memes, on the other hand—pure comedy gold. So if you've been oscillating between "alright" and somewhere south of "fine", here's a little story to brighten up your day. Like most businesses in Sydney's current lockdown, the Art Gallery of NSW has been forced to get creative. Its solution? Pair up artwork from its huge historical collection with Instagram captions that are so clever and on the nose that we here at Concrete Playground expect someone to get a pay rise after all this is over. Seriously. Check out some of the best memes below if you need a giggle. You can also follow the Art Gallery of NSW's Instagram page for more content. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) Top images: Wenceslaus Hollar, after Albrecht Dürer, A stag lying, after Dürer, 1649, etching, Art Gallery of New South Wales, purchased 1979. Photo: AGNSW. David Davies, From a distant land, 1889, oil on canvas, Art Gallery of New South Wales, purchased 1968. Photo: AGNSW. Roddam Spencer Stanhope, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" St Luke 24 v5,1870s, oil, gesso, goldleaf, wax medium, on canvas, Art Gallery of New South Wales, gift of Arthur Moon KC in memory of his mother, Emma, born in Sydney in 1860, the daughter of John de Villers Lamb 1950. Photo: AGNSW.
Are you due for a ladies' day out? Consider this your sign to rally the girls and lock in a Saturday spent sipping spritzes. While Brisbane is host to several venues that would fulfil the ladies' day brief, The Star Brisbane is a one-stop shop for cocktails, good food and entertainment that rolls long into the evening. Here are the Brisbane venues to add to your ladies' day out list. [caption id="attachment_1021004" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Cucina Regina[/caption] Cucina Regina Cucina Regina is The Star Brisbane's Italian dining destination. From delicious woodfired pizzas to buratta, oysters and share plates, booking a table at Cucina Regina is the ultimate way to kick off the ladies' lunch. If you have a larger group (or just want a long lunch vibe), consider the banchetto (shared banquet). It's $89 per person and means you can focus on your catch-up as the delicious Italian dishes are brought out all afternoon. Sky Deck Situated 100 metres above the city, The Star Brisbane's Sky Deck is the place to watch the sun set and cheers to your mates. Equal parts glamour and good times, grab a crafted cocktail from Cicada Blu post-dinner and soak in the view. If you're looking for a casual dining option, Babblers at The Star Brisbane also has a range of small plates to pair with your apéritifs. You can order any three for $36 (the chef recommends one bread, one dip and one meat for the full tasting experience). During September, you can enjoy the skyline view with a charcuterie platter and two Chandon spritzes for just $49, making it the perfect girls' night out destination. Babblers is walk-in only so make sure you get in early to secure the sunset selfie spot. LiveWire The best ladies' nights are the ones that continue well past the allotted time. If you're hankering for a dance floor or some evening entertainment, make your way to LiveWire. From free concerts (yes, free) to drag bingo and music trivia, LiveWire is located inside The Star Brisbane, meaning you won't need to trek to the Valley for a bit of dancing. See what gigs are available each month here. [caption id="attachment_1021008" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Aloria[/caption] Aloria Also located on the Sky Deck, Aloria is the rooftop restaurant that'll impress your friends. Aloria hosts a curated set menu for just $70 per person. You and your girls can choose from one entrée, one main and sides for the table to share. It's an elevated long lunch that deserves a place on your ladies' day list. There's also a sip and snack menu from 3-5pm, Wednesday to Sunday, if you prefer a lighter catch-up with views you'll remember. Whether you're looking for a new local venue to try or you're planning a girls' weekend away, The Star Brisbane is the city's one-stop playground. Want to discover more venues at The Star Brisbane? Check out the website here. Over 18's only. Drink responsibly. BET WITH YOUR HEAD, NOT OVER IT. Lead image: The Star Brisbane
The Art Gallery of NSW is set to unveil the results of its multimillion-dollar expansion and renovation project later this year. Originally announced in 2017 and officially given a green light in 2018, the Sydney Modern Project is now finally set to be complete before the end of 2022. And, as part of the expansion's opening, the gallery has commissioned original works from nine acclaimed local and international artists. The artists enlisted to create works for the opening comprise an impressive list: Yayoi Kusama, Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Karla Dickens, Simryn Gill, Jonathan Jones, Richard Lewer, Lee Mingwei, Lisa Reihana and Francis Upritchard. Spanning huge artworks from First Nations artists through to intricate installations worked into the building's architecture, the creations will be displayed across the site both indoors and outdoors, with some viewable to the public day and night. Highlights include a floral sculpture from Yayoi Kusama that'll be placed on the new building's terrace, and be able to be seen at all hours; huge wire and iron bags from Waradgerie (Wiradjuri) artist Lorraine Connelly-Northey; and, by Simryn Gill, a life-sized rubbing of a century-old tree that was removed to create the Sydney Modern Project. [caption id="attachment_758872" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama[/caption] A family of fantastical figures inspired by local Moreton Bay fig trees will be created by New Zealand-born artist Francis Upritchard, too — to be installed in the building's Welcome Plaza, greeting those that enter the gallery. Other notable works span a multi-panel painting by Richard Lewer, celebrating the labour and personalities behind the Sydney Modern Project, plus a trans-Tasman sci-fi moving-image work from Māori artist Lisa Reihana. The list of pieces goes on, with the full program of commissioned works available at the AGNSW website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRl_jDVF-eo&t=1s "The extraordinary Sydney Modern Project art commissions connect deeply with our sense of place in Sydney and the architecture and landscape around them," AGNSW Director Dr Michael Brand said. "They'll be some of the first artworks that welcome visitors to our expanded campus, with many able to be experienced night and day." Funded by a $344 million public and private collaboration comprised of $244 million from the NSW Government and $100 million raised by private donations, the Sydney Modern Project will see the AGNSW double its current exhibition space, incorporating an entirely new 7830-square-metre building and a gallery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. It will also add some new elements to the existing building, with new pools, greenery and public spaces being added to the cultural institution's longstanding gallery forecourt. The Sydney Modern Project is set to be completed later this year — we'll update you with an exact opening date when it is announced. Top image: Sydney Modern Project render as produced by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA
So, you want to start your own business. Maybe you're tired of your nine-to-five gig and looking for a change of scenery. Perhaps it's time to turn your side hustle into a full-fledged venture. Or maybe you're still throwing around a few ideas? Whatever stage of the start-up cycle you're at, doing your research is a smart idea. And what better resource to leverage than the entrepreneurs who've paved the way before you? To help you get your big idea off the ground, we've teamed up with Westpac to hear from five powerhouse business owners about the lessons they've learned along the way. These entrepreneurs know the importance of building a strong foundation and staying connected when it matters most, which they do with the help of Westpac's Presto Smart point-of-sale system. This platform is designed with small businesses in mind, delivering reliable coverage, real-time settlements and simple setup to help you get started sooner. RESEARCH AND UNCOVER A GAP IN THE MARKET When we stumble upon a great idea, it's easy to get carried away. But, what makes your offering unique? What competitors will you have to contend with? And, most importantly, are you filling a gap in the market? For entrepreneur, environmental advocate and caffeine enthusiast, Benjamin Young, his business idea was forged over his morning brew. Founded in Melbourne, frank green was launched in 2013, delivering stylish, convenient and well-designed reusable cups and (more recently) bottles. But the journey from concept to cup didn't happen overnight. "The most important thing that we did to bring frank green to life was market research. We looked at why reusable products weren't being used by mainstream consumers," explains Young. "We went through a painstaking process of really looking at what a consumer wanted out of a product. There were a hundred things on our list that we had to tick off before we went live, otherwise we were doing reusable products a disservice." [caption id="attachment_740542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] TAKE TIME TO CONCEPTUALISE YOUR BUSINESS When we're young, the question 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' looms overhead like a dark cloud. One day, we're picking our favourite crayon colour, the next we're diving into four-year degrees, blindly hoping everything will fall into place. And as many of us will now attest, our careers don't follow a linear path. When Luke Powell, head chef and owner of Chippendale's LP's Quality Meats, decided to leave an established gig, he couldn't imagine how his career path would shift and unfold. "It was 2012, I had just left the head chef job at Tetsuya's, and I really wanted to open something but was not sure what," says Powell. By taking the time to scope out the field, Powell slowly uncovered where he wanted to head next. "I decided I would do one last trip to New York for inspiration and stayed at Blue Hill at Stone Barns for one month. They were pulling pigs off the property and turning them into sausages and charcuterie. I had never done anything like that before... I was hooked." BE OPEN TO SHAKING THINGS UP Getting a new business off the ground is the first hurdle. But then, the challenge to remain relevant emerges. Since launching the award-winning Rosebery distillery in 2014, Archie Rose's founder Will Edwards has always been looking at the next move. With a stellar selection of gin, vodka and newly launched whisky, keeping things fresh is his key to business success. "We can be quite restless, and being a young company, we like to explore," tells Edwards. "Some great examples of innovation product-wise are our Virgin Cane Rhum, our Summer Gin Project Bush and Coast Gins and our latest release, ArchieMite, a buttered toast spirit created in collaboration with Sonoma and Pepe Saya butter." Although Archie Rose's core range remains unchanged, Williams believes investing in small-batch releases with likeminded brands is key to staying ahead of the pack. "Collaborations are a huge part of what we do and a key way in which we can present our products in new and interesting ways." [caption id="attachment_709543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jasper Avenue[/caption] IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT As tempting as exploring new avenues can be, it's also important not to lose sight of your original purpose. For Derek Puah, owner of much-loved cafe group Devon changing things up proved one of his biggest learnings during his first years in business. "When we first opened [in Surry Hills], changing the menu too many times and having too many options on there was a big mistake," Puah explains. "While some customers like the variation, others get upset that they missed out on beloved products and menu items." With this wisdom in mind, Puah has gone on to open another three more Devon locations (Barangaroo, North Sydney and Brisbane), plus a new venture, Dopa, in Electric Treat Street in Sydney's Darling Square precinct. His secret to building a successful brand has been sticking to a successful concept and listening to customer feedback along the way. [caption id="attachment_693841" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] EMBRACE THE UNKNOWN AND TAKE A RISK Trying something new can be a daunting experience — it takes guts and grit to keep you going. Backed by the success of their beloved Bronte brunch spot, Three Blue Duck's co-founder Mark Labrooy remembers the moment his team decided to expand their operations. The urge to try something new became an itch they couldn't ignore. "You start wondering, 'I wonder what else is out there?' You have thoughts of exploration and start considering what are you capable of," Labrooy explains. When a new opportunity arose at Byron Bay's The Farm, the TBD team knew they had to take the plunge. "A couple of us relocated up north to Byron, I moved up there… and then we embarked on the project at The Farm," explains Labrooy. He cites the data (which you can get from tools like Westpac's Presto terminal) of how many people were coming through the doors and the capital they were generating making it feel like a safe leap. "If the same opportunity came up tomorrow I would 100 percent do it all again," he says. Now that you have these handy tips, it's time to make the jump. And when it comes time to set up your payment technology, look to Westpac's Presto Smart terminal. It's made for speedy payments, busting queues, reducing keying errors and seamlessly connecting to a range of Point of Sales systems to help you keep track of cashflow. Please note that the above information is intended to be general in nature and should not be relied upon for personal financial use. Request more info and speak to Westpac here. Top Image: Trent Van der jagt.
The name says it all, doesn't it? Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare features a cast of actors performing Shakespeare; however, one of them is always absolutely plastered. A sellout smash in the US and UK, the show finally made its way to Australia a few years back, and it keeps putting on new productions. This time, it's hitting the 2023 Brisbane Comedy Festival with the Bard's greatest romantic tragedy: Romeo and Juliet. Maybe you've seen Baz Luhrmann's movie version from the 90s, which made everyone fall in love with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the famed star-crossed lovers. Perhaps you caught the Franco Zeffirelli-directed 1986 take at school. Or, there was 2013's iteration with Hailee Steinfeld. Whichever fits, you haven't experienced the classic tale like this. Who'll be sloshed when you take your seat? How will that change the lines, scenes, mood and emotion? You'll only know by going along — and no two shows are ever the same. I defy you, sobriety! Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare is putting on three performances at Brisbane Powerhouse, from Friday, April 28–Sunday, April 30.
Whether you're committed to reducing your use of single-use plastics or dedicated to a vegan diet, it's easy to change your consumption habits for the good of the environment — while you're in your own home. Once you venture out, however, there's much that's out of your control. Sure, you've eliminated disposable plastic from your routine, but every business you patronise mightn't have done the same. And you've ordered a vegan meal at your local cafe, but does the place you're eating at use animal products in its decor? On the plastics front, plenty of organisations and brands are starting to do their part, with the likes of IKEA, McDonald's, Melbourne's Crown Casino and Coca-Cola Amatil phasing out single-use items, and one airline pledging to become wholly plastic-free. When it comes to living a vegan lifestyle, Hilton's London Bankside is joining in by opening the world's first entirely vegan luxury hotel suite. Now available for bookings, the room only uses plant-based substances, fibres and surfaces — so you won't find any leather, feathers and wool among its wares. With the suite designed by food artists Bompas & Parr, what you will find is a material created from pineapples. The bed's headboard is made from pineapple leaves, while vegan-friendly fruit leather piñatex features heavily. It's made from the cellulose fibres sourced from pineapples, and is not only used in the upholstered seats, footstools and cushions, but in the room's keycard as well. With no animal products to be found in any of the suite's materials or inclusions, guests will step onto cotton carpets and bamboo floors; sleep on pillows made from organic buckwheat, millet hulls, kapok or bamboo fibres (your choice); grab a snack from the complimentary vegan mini-bar; and use cruelty-free toiletries. When your room is cleaned by housekeeping, they'll also be using vegan products. Even when you're checking in, you'll be doing so at a plant-based counter. And if you're keen to order in, of course the vegan range extends to the in-room menu. Find Hilton London Bankside at 2–8 Great Suffolk Street, London, and visit the hotel website for further details. Images: Hilton London Bankside.
Cities are brilliant. They facilitate things like coffee, sex and conversation. You can get a pizza at two in the morning, you can stumble into washed-up models at the pub, and you can ask your local drag queen where they got their fabulous dress while you stand in line for an ATM. But for all of that, our cities have problems, and increasingly we are realising that the spaces we live in have an unparalleled impact on human health and happiness. There are 7 billion people alive today. By the end of this century there will be 10 billion. And it's estimated that 80 percent of those people will live in cities. "We have to deal with a doubling of urban dwellers in the next forty years. How are we going to make life in these places sustainable?" This is the question asked by Danish filmmaker Andreas Dalsgaard, whose documentary The Human Scale made its Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival last week and will screen at Melbourne's ACMI in June and July. The Problem with Building Cities as Machines In centuries past, cities were built at human walking pace, with the street and the square the fundamental elements of urban life. Think Rome. But things changed radically in the 20th century. Under the influence of modernist architects like Le Corbusier, cities were reconceived as machines for living, with the central functions of work, home and play separated for maximum efficiency. The most important element was the car. Buildings were meant to be glimpsed momentarily as you sped past on the freeway. Think Los Angeles. This has led to perfume bottle cities like Dubai, every building built to impress. They are places that look fantastic from the perspective of a helicopter. But they look rubbish from eye-level. Moreover, they aren't good for people. The cities we are building right now are making people ill. We build out, fostering social isolation and financial hardship. And we build up, when taller buildings inhibit fresh air, exercise and meeting other people. They are, in short, bad for your health. "In the Western world, we created this way of life, and we're now learning that there are huge problems connected with it," says Dalsgaard. "A lot of Western cities look towards Copenhagen and ask 'Why is it that 37 percent of people bike, why is it that you have this wonderful public domain and public life, can we get some of that?' And at the same time we have countries like China, which are developing so fast and copying a way of life which isn't sustainable, both on a human level and environmentally. Then we have the third world, represented by Dhaka — 3 billion people worldwide knocking on the door, about to make the same mistakes." The Human Scale is asking us to consider the ways a human-centred approach to urban planning, design and architecture could address these issues. "There are so many things we struggle with in human society," says Dalsgaard. "We have obesity, we have diabetes, we have depression and anxiety, and a lot of these things are connected with how we live." How to Reclaim Cities for People The central figure of The Human Scale is Jan Gehl, a Danish architect and urban designer who has inspired something of an international movement in urban planning. In the 1960s, Gehl began mapping pedestrian behaviour in Copenhagen. What he saw was that if you make more public space, there will be more public life. The best example of Gehl's vision is Copenhagen. The streets are for people, not cars. Small bars and cafes proliferate, public life thrives, and bicycles and walkers control the pace of life. These measures are more sustainable, not only financially but also environmentally and psychologically. People are healthier, they interact with each other, and they feel a sense of ownership over their own city. "It is so cheap to be sweet to people in city planning," explains Gehl. Because one of the central points of The Human Scale is that the way we are developing now — more cars, more high rise buildings, more energy consumption — is more expensive and dangerous than we can perhaps conceive of. Gehl's approach instead recognises that we can't halt the pace of growth. We have to look at what we have and consider how we do more with less. The Human Scale shows how Gehl's ideas have been adapted successfully in New York and Melbourne. One of the loveliest moments of the documentary is a scene showing a spontaneous snowball fight which broke out in New York's Times Square after it had been pedestrianised according to Gehl's recommendations. It demonstrates a wildness and passion which can only emerge in a city if you have a critical mass of people reclaiming public space. But these changes clash with the short-term interests of industry. "It's a constant struggle," notes Dalsgaard, "and the only way you can struggle is through the public domain. Citizens need to raise their voices saying 'we want this', or 'we don't want this.' If you don't have people doing that, then the poor measure of profit that huge high-rise developments make, they will prevail. And it's not that I'm against profit, I just believe in smart profit and long-term profit. And we have to find ways to fight for that." Why does this matter in Australia? In 2007, The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, commissioned Jan Gehl to create a plan to put life back into Sydney. It aimed to create more public spaces; to encourage small businesses, bars and cafes; to create a vibrant night-time economy; and to introduce cycleways and pedestrianise areas of the CBD, as had been done in Melbourne decades before. "Melbourne understood this thirty years ago," says Dalsgaard. "And that has meant that Melbourne today is a very attractive city, which has out-competed Sydney in many ways." Some of Gehl's proposals have worked in Sydney — it's seen an explosion in small bars due to reformed licensing laws, and events like Vivid encourage people into the streets. But peak industry groups sit at odds with public interest. We see this in the development of Central Park at Broadway, with the looming high-rises gradually blocking out the sunlight. And we see it in the proposed development of Barangaroo, where prime waterfront land which could be used as public space is likely to become Sydney's second casino. When asked about this conflict, Dalsgaard points to the success of Copenhagen's Meatpacking District, a former industrial section of the city (much like Barangaroo), which could have generated a vast amount of money for the government. But instead of selling off the district to developers, Copenhagen decided to keep the Meatpacking District as a place with low rents to encourage creative communities. This has transformed the Meatpacking Distract into the most exciting and innovative part of Copenhagen. "The thing about industry," notes Dalsgaard, "is that it's profit driven, but we have very poor measurements when it comes to long-term profit. It's a huge short-term cost for Copenhagen to decide to do that. But because there's this creative hub, people all over the world now are talking about the Meatpacking District. How do you measure that value?" What The Human Scale demonstrates is that it's dangerous to build just because you can. It shows that governments, industry bodies and architects the world over need to stop creating cities like a self-important child sat at a table with a Lego set, looking down from above. What matters is making cities good for people, making sure they are places that keep us healthy and happy, and which we want to wander, rest and linger in. The Human Scale is screening at ACMI from June 14 to July 4. The Sydney Film Festival continues until June 16.
Movember is un/fortunately coming to an end and men across the country have never felt more masculine or virile. On the other hand, women across the country are counting down the days until December when that upper lip of scuzzy peach fuzz is mercifully removed. As Nick Offerman from Parks and Recreation teaches us "Growing a moustache isn't easy. Nothing incredibly awesome ever is." And while we all know that there are thousands of grieving gentlemen out there whose poor excuses for a handlebar or Magnum PI knock-off leave much to be desired, there are certain men throughout history who give new meaning to the idea of a "lady tickler". So in the spirit of Movember and as a little inspiration for those poor fellas whose final week of furry, nose-warming bliss has fallen well-short of its glorious potential, here are thirteen of history's most magnificent mos that prove that often with great power comes a great moustache. Kaiser Wilhelm I Teddy Roosevelt Pancho Villa Genghis Khan Civil War hero Joshua Chamberlain Walter Cronkite Wyatt Earp Friedrich Nietzsche US President William Taft Salvador Dali Mark Twain US Baseballer Rollie Fingers General Ambrose Burnside
For audiences, Carême is a series to savour: a mix of culinary spiciness, historical intrigue and espionage antics, all whipped together with plenty of sauces in the kitchen and ample sauciness in its characters' private lives. For star Benjamin Voisin (The Quiet Son), the new Paris-set French Apple TV+ series, which debuted on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, is a project that sees him step into a real-life chef's shoes, required dedicated training at a famous school of cuisine, but also gave him the freedom to channel rock stars and invent the show's version of Antonin Carême with few limits. The result for viewers is delicious to watch — and, for its star as well, it's delectable to dive into. Carême's namesake has a claim to fame that the series unsurprisingly plays up. In Napoleonic times, long before Julia Child, Nigella Lawson, Anthony Bourdain, Marco Pierre White and many, many others earned the moniker, he was world's first celebrity chef. The book Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Carême, the First Celebrity Chef is the show's basis — and that tome's author Ian Kelly, who is also an actor (see: The King's Man, The Children Act, Downton Abbey), co-created the streaming drama. Helping behind the camera to bring it to the screen: filmmaker Martin Bourboulon (The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan and The Three Musketeers: Milady), one of the series' three directors alongside Laïla Marrakchi (The Eddy) and Matias Boucard (the cinematographer on Bourboulon's Eiffel, and also here). The 19th century has just arrived and Carême isn't even in his twenties when the show begins, with its protagonist learning his craft and initially discovering his aptitude for baking — and much beyond — in the kitchen of his adoptive father. He's already showing his ambition for far more, too. Then comes a horrific personal turn of events that sees Antonin's status quo crumble. Also arriving: a wholly unexpected invitation to cook for Napoleon (Frank Molinaro, Class Act). But being the personal chef to such a figure sparks another gig, after clergyman-turned-politician Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (Jérémie Renier, The Astronaut) gets Carême spying on the Bonapartes. Liaisons with Joséphine (Maud Wyler, En haute mer), wowing diners with vol-au-vents, undercover quests and basically the period's version of MasterChef are all soon headed his way, amid a romance with Henriette (Lyna Khoudri, The Empire), the lady-in-waiting to Talleyrand's mistress Catherine (Sigrid Bouaziz, Irma Vep) — plus a complicated relationship with fellow kitchen whiz Agathe (Alice Da Luz, And the Party Goes On), and also unwanted interest from police chief Fouché (Micha Lescot, Je le jure). A decade into his career, Voisin adds Carême to a resume that's hopped between the stage and screen — and, with the latter, between both its big and small guises — but now gains what'll always be one of his standout performances. That's no simple feat, given that he was nominated for Most Promising Actor at the 2021 César Awards for his exceptional effort in Summer of 85, won the same category at that year's Lumiere Awards, then collected the César in 2022 for Lost Illusions. Jumping into the past keeps proving a recurring theme for Voisin, and often to the century when Carême was cooking up a storm; not only is that true of Lost Illusions, but also with The Happy Prince beforehand and The Mad Women's Ball afterwards. [caption id="attachment_1001934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Apple TV[/caption] Those rockers that helped Voisin find his take on Carême? "Mick Jagger and Lenny Kravitz," he tells Concrete Playground. What did Voisin learn from the experience of making the series? That answer spans both what the charismatic actor discovered about his chosen field and what he put into his character. "I learned that it's very pleasant," he explains of leading a TV series. "I'd done theatre, stage theatre, and you're there for an hour and a half in front of the audience. But I also did a few movies — there you are there for two hours, a movie is two hours. But here, there is so much time to distill the emotion. On a movie, sometimes I'm asked to go quick into an emotion and out of it again, to be able to face the audience again. Onstage, you only have an hour and a half to tell a story. You don't know that much. In film, you have more time. In series, you have even more time. That, I found great," he advises. "And on Carême's character, I thought it was exciting to be able to offer this — on the one hand, there's this arrogance, but also later on as the series evolves, there's a whole episode about vulnerability and depression and doubt, and then the initial arrogance changes because of that episode." We also chatted with Carême's lead about why portraying the show's eponymous figure appealed to him, the process of learning more about Antonin, whether playing someone thrust to fame at a young age was something that he could connect with, the culinary preparation involved, his run of period-set roles and more. On What Appealed to Voisin About Portraying Antonin Carême "What I liked was the way in which this character, who has trouble with his emotions and he could be something of an introvert, he shows up with self-confidence that's almost arrogance — and you see over the eight episodes how that turns into what chefs should have, that is self-confidence, but also being able to listen to his team. That came out clearly. But I thought his combined love for politics and food, you could see how slowly but surely this young man was going to grow up into an adult. That's what I liked about Carême's character." On Learning More About Carême, and His Role Both as a Chef and in Politics "Well, you know Napoleon, of course — and Talleyrand, two famous characters. I mean, Talleyrand was Napoleon's Foreign Minister and he was Careme's boss, as it were. But that made it even more exciting, because it means I don't need to have a head-on responsibility. You know the character Napoleon. You know how he walks, his gait. As with Careme, you know nothing, so I had a free hand. I read some quotes. I didn't need to read much too about him — a few quotes here and there, to build the character. When he says that things should be as beautiful as they taste, for me, that's plenty to get into the character. But then regarding the body language, the hairstyle, it was great to be able to just make it up and create. We went for the costumes into Mick Jagger or Lenny Kravitz — and nothing to do [with Carême], it makes no sense, but that was my pure imagination. But I thought it was great in this series to have that free hand — I mean, on the one hand, you respect the period, but then you have the freedom to reinvent it." On Whether Voisin Could Connect with Playing Someone Thrust to Fame and Recognition at a Young Age "That's the whole thing, isn't it? This is Napoleon's chef, isn't it — and so, of the greatest public figure? So I do my little series, my little story. It's a huge difference. The one thing I wasn't so keen about — the fame, it was more ambition. There you have this young man who accepts — or young woman — who accepts him or herself as they are, but then there could be criticism and everything, but the main thing is to go to the end of your journey. That's what I could identify with. At the end of the day, you don't want to regret anything, and that reflects my own career in film. People say 'why go theatre?' when I was a kid, and I just believed in it and I went head on, and that enabled me to work without the safety net. And that's the connection, maybe, with the character." On the Preparation Required to Make the Culinary Side of the Role Appear Real On-Screen "You need to work on that, of course. We worked with the actual chef, Christoph, who also teaches in a famous school of cuisine. The school is called Ferrandi, the Ferrandi School of Cuisine. I was able to work with him for two months running, and joined his team and his mates. And he asked me to work not just on basic requirements for the part itself, but many other things in cooking and cuisines, so that my gestures should be really independent. When I go for poultry or whip cream or whatnot, I should know exactly how to go about it. And then my first connection with the part is also costumes. I wanted to have Carême's costumes one month ahead of shooting, so I could identify with that and use it as an apron or something more elegant. I had to be familiar with that. I could see shoes as being very tight, to create some pressure — and you need to go quick, so when you have your feet hurting, it creates even more pressure. That's the sort of thing." On Balancing Carême's Confidence, Impulsiveness, Passion and Seductiveness with His Vulnerability and Yearning, All as He Matures Across the Season "For every character, when you grow up into adulthood and you become a full-fledged person — I mean, Carême, he mourns his parents, so that's pretty evident, but when you leave home, you have to face that. So there is this journey. I don't know if I have a balancing act. Everybody has to find a balancing act. Any human being has got to go through that." [caption id="attachment_1001935" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marc Piasecki/Getty Images for Apple TV[/caption] On Voisin's Run of Period-Set Roles, Not Only with Carême But Also Lost Illusions, The Mad Women's Ball and The Happy Prince "Something happens to me. You think that actors pick their parts, but it's directors that make choices, and then within the directors' choices I make my choice. I probably have a face for a period movie. I don't know. Maybe I don't fit in in modern times. But it's true, the best parts I was ever offered were in period movies — which I love, because the reason we do this is to wear a suit, a costume, the period costume and stuff, and that makes it more pleasant for an actor. And I love for the audience watching to be suddenly immersed in a period and go back 200, 300, even a thousand years back — I find it exciting as a viewer, but as an actor it's even more exciting." Carême streams via Apple TV+.
Adrenaline isn't a standard part of a boozy brunch. No one's pulse is normally racing as they knock back drinks over a mid-morning meal on a leisurely weekend; instead, cruisy vibes are usually on offer. But Vertigo's new Sunday brunch isn't any old brunch, because this Brisbane Powerhouse restaurant isn't any old restaurant — it's located off the side of the New Farm arts venue, 17 metres above the ground. Announced in August 2023, then opening in October the same year, Vertigo is an Australian-first vertical dining experience. A meal here means climbing out to your seat while donning a safety harness, then eating four stories up. Initially, you could only head by for sky-high dinners Thursday–Sunday weekly, but now Vertigo has added champagne brunches on Sunday mornings from 10am to its lineup. On the menu: champagne once you sit down, then fresh fruit and croissants to start. Next, you'll pick between a porchetta and asiago toasted sandwich, spanner crab Spanish omelette, and avocado on sourdough with lime and goat's curd. This brunch features dessert, too, via a death by chocolate flourless torte. You'll also wrap up your time towering over Lamington Street with a coffee. Then comes the second adventurous bit: abseiling off the edge of the building to descent to earth. Once you're back on the ground, you'll sip an Aperol spritz to finish off the experience. The whole thing costs $250, with food provided by fellow Brisbane Powerhouse eatery Bar Alto. Whether you're always on the hunt for new ways to fill your calendar, can't go past a meal with a view, are keen to indulge your adrenaline-junkie side any way that you can or want to see Brisbane from a different perspective, you can tick every box at the riverside venue hanging off Brisbane Powerhouse's industrial facade — satisfying your tastebuds and your stomach while getting your blood pumping. Vertigo's levelled-up meals welcome in tables of two to peer out over Brisbane. There is a big caveat, however, with the restaurant at the mercy of the weather. Something else to note: although you'll get a glass of champers when you sit down, you can't head up if you've been drinking, with everyone breathalysed first and required to return a 0.00-percent blood alcohol reading. [caption id="attachment_921655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Find Vertigo at Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, Brisbane, operating from 5pm Thursday–Sunday — and doing brunch on Sundays from 10am. Head to the venue's website for further details and bookings.
Among the many trends that have popped up in 2020, major film festivals streaming their programs to the online masses ranks among the better developments. It's a one that, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, seemed rather unlikely — Australia's major film festivals want cinemagoers to head along in-person, after all, and soak in the silver screen magic in a darkened cinema surrounded by a movie-loving crowd — but with gathering and venue bans and limits in place to tackle the coronavirus, digital film fests swiftly became a reality for Aussie audiences. The Melbourne International Film Festival's 2020 online version, dubbed MIFF 68 1/2, ran from Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23 — and, in news that should come as a surprise to no one, it amassed quite the audience. In fact, the virtual event and its 100-plus film program nabbed the beloved Victorian fest its biggest crowd yet. Given this is the festival's whopping 69th year, that's quite an achievement. Before the closing weekend had even kicked off, Australians had streamed MIFF's films more than 205,000 times — reaching an approximate national audience of over 307,500. Around 20 percent of those viewers are estimated to have come from outside of Victoria, too. If you're wondering which flicks everyone was checking out, of the top three movies, two — documentary Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky and comedy Paper Champions — were Aussie-made titles. Also popular, accounting for 69 percent of the event's streams until the last three days of the fest, was MIFF's free lineup. It comprised almost two-fifths of the program and, up until the morning of Friday, August 21, notched up 135,000 streams of individual short films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwX2hvgXCI The benefits of an online film festival — or an online component to a major film festival like MIFF — are many. They're also pretty obvious. For people with disability or chronic health conditions, the digital option makes fests far more accessible. The same applies to movie buffs with children, who work shifts, or who simply can't take 18 days, even a few days or just one night off work to watch films. And, as a fifth of this year's viewers demonstrated, folks who live outside of Victoria still want to be involved as well. Of course, that Melbourne was under stage four stay-at-home conditions during MIFF's dates, and still is, would've helped. Also playing a part: the fact that Aussies have become pretty accustomed to staying in and getting their movie fix on the couch this year. MIFF isn't the only Aussie fest taking the online — and national — route in 2020. Among the others, Sydney Film Festival did the same in June, the Revelation Perth International Film Festival held its digital version in July, and the Sydney Underground Film Festival going virtual in September. The Melbourne International Film Festival is set to return in 2021 from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22. Top image: Black Bear.
Birds of Tokyo are that rare breed of band. You know, the type that can get played on Nova and B105 yet still maintain their indie credibility enough to stay on Triple J without being mocked by the general listeners. I’d say it has something to do with the genius of the band members themselves, as their current tour sounds like a pretty homegrown - as well as super awesome - idea. Birds of Tokyo: Closer is an attempt for the band to hark back to their days of yore when they were just starting out. Personal, sweaty shows where the audience is close enough to touch the band and really be a part of the experience. Front man Mr Kenny also wants to see “the whites of their eyes”, which sounds a little creepy to me. But hey, each to their own! The Brisbane leg of this tour will be happening at The Hi-Fi, which is a pretty good choice for an up-close and special gig. However fans should act quick as this looks certain to sell out. It will also be your last chance to see the band for a little while, as they are planning to hibernate all through summer within the cooler confines of a recording studio.
The ongoing fight against housing shortages is moving into its next stage for Brisbane, with Brisbane City Council (BCC) announcing the next stage of its aptly titled 'tall over sprawl' strategy that will inject high-density housing into key Brisbane suburbs. There's a sense of urgency to the plans, which are being rapidly assembled to get out ahead of a project 1.5 million people who'll be making Brisbane home over the next 15 years. BCC Chair of Planning, Adam Allan, told the ABC that 600 people are moving to Brisbane every week, and that BCC is looking to upgrade the housing offering with surgical considerations. "We need housing in lots of different ways; one bedroom units, studios, town houses, so what we are trying to do is with our planning is to set the city up in a way that provides housing for everybody," Allan explained. [caption id="attachment_821469" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Wikimedia Commons[/caption] With these factors setting the stage, BCC is taking a "sky's the limit" approach, having announced three key areas last week that will be rezoned for affordable, multi-storey housing developments. All three areas are already suburban hubs, with shopping and transport readily accessible. The smallest ceiling will be 15 storeys in Nundah, followed by 25 storeys in Indooroopilly and a peak of 30 storeys in Carindale. In this economy, a major priority for the proposals should be affordable living, but that's a tall order for developers. Not only is Brisbane one of Australia's most expensive cities to live in, it's expensive for developers to provide new housing as well. In fact, as reported by the ABC, post-pandemic construction costs are leading to most new apartments being luxury properties — and having luxury price tags — just so developers can break even. [caption id="attachment_1092006" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] iStock[/caption] The labour opposition within BCC is urging that the plans need more affordability aspects, a sentiment echoed by Greens MP Michael Berkman — who told the ABC that the planning system is rigged for developer profitability. "We have seen the state LNP government remove any existing mandates for affordable housing and they are doing all of this simply because it improves developer profits," Berkman explained. Berkman added that the tall over sprawl plan "is going to do nothing to even touch the tip of the iceberg on the housing crisis. If we do not address this meaningfully now with the Olympics on the horizon it is going to be a housing catastrophe." Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
If you went to The Warehouse Project's first-ever Australian dates in 2024, then you experienced a slice of history, as one of the dance-music world's favourite events finally made the leap Down Under. The Manchester rave scene mainstay's Aussie debut clearly went well — so much so that dates have just dropped for a return visit in 2025. The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Fred again.., Skrillex and Happy Mondays have played it. De La Soul, Aphex Twin, Carl Cox and deadmau5, too. For dance music fans, and just music fans in general, The Warehouse Project's fame extends far past its UK home. For its second Australian trip, the event is again hitting up Sydney and Melbourne, this time across Thursday, April 24–Friday, April 25. [caption id="attachment_943879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] © Photography by Rob Jones for Khroma Collective[/caption] Melbourne's PICA will welcome The Warehouse Project for the second time; however, Sydney's event is taking place at Hordern Pavilion in 2025, after setting up shop at Munro Warehouse in Sydney Olympic Park in 2024. This year's events are one-day affairs in each city, too, rather than two nights apiece as happened last year. This remains a two-city tour, though, so if you're keen on hitting up The Warehouse Project in Australia and you live somewhere other than Sydney or Melbourne, you'll need to plan an interstate trip. The Manchester institution's Aussie debut in 2024 came after initially going international in 2023 in Rotterdam and Antwerp. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Warehouse Project (@whp_mcr) As for who'll be on the lineup this time, that's still to be revealed — but whoever does the honours, they'll follow on from Mall Grab, Bonobo, HAAi, Kelly Lee Owens, Paula Tape, dj pgz, Krysko, Effy, Jennifer Loveless and DJ Dameeeela in 2024. It was back in 2006 that The Warehouse Project first unleashed its club nights on its birthplace, kicking off in a disused brewery and then moving underneath Manchester's Piccadilly station, in a space that's also been an air-raid shelter — and also to a warehouse that dates back to the 1920s. Now, it calls former railway station Depot Mayfield home when it's on in its home city. The Warehouse Project Australia 2025 Thursday, April 24 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Friday, April 25 — PICA, Melbourne [caption id="attachment_943890" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mayfield Depot, Rcsprinter123 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The Warehouse Project returns to Australia across Thursday, April 24–Friday, April 25, 2025, with presale tickets from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, January 22 and general sales from 11am AEDT on Wednesday, February 5 Head to the event's website for further details. Top image: Rob Jones for Khroma Collective.
When The Favourite took a chapter of 18th-century history, filtered it through a witty and twisted sense of humour, and brought it all to life with lavish sets, luxurious costuming and a high-profile cast, it instantly attracted attention — and became one of the best films of 2018. Now, The Great is here to roll out the same format on the small screen, this time swapping English royalty for a famed Russian empress. And, sporting savage, satirical humour in spades, it works just as well. The moniker 'the Great' has popped up plenty of times in Russian history; however there's no doubting who it refers to in this instance: Catherine, formerly Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg of Prussia. As played by Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon, Mary Shelley, Galveston), she hasn't yet ascended to greatness when The Great begins. But, by the time the show's first episode finishes, she's firmly plotting her path. Sent to Russia to marry reigning emperor Peter III (The Favourite and True History of the Kelly Gang's Nicholas Hoult) and solve her family's money troubles, the educated and idealistic Catherine arrives in her new homeland with a romantic vision of life, her nuptials, her place in the kingdom and her adopted country in general — especially its treatment of women. Alas, instead of marital bliss and being regarded as an equal, she's soon betrothed to a vain, arrogant, brattish ruler who'd rather binge-drink vodka, shoot bears, throw parties and start wars to prove his manliness than spend any real time with his new wife. He's also the kind of guy who describes himself as possessing "a gentle heart and massive cock", then pauses to make sure his ever-present entourage of ass-kissing noblemen furnish him with praise and laughs. It's no wonder, then, that when Catherine describes her hopes and dreams for a tender and ecstatic wedding night, her caustic but loyal maid Marial (The Aeronauts' Phoebe Fox) only barely manages not to roll her eyes. The reality of the royal couple's first evening together is definitely no one's fantasy, with Peter thrusting away while he chats to his best friend Grigor (Bohemian Rhapsody and Top End Wedding's Gwilym Lee) about shooting ducks. Created and written by The Favourite's Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning co-scribe Tony McNamara — and based on the Australian playwright, screenwriter and director's 2008 Sydney Theatre Company stage production of the same name — The Great serves up acerbic laughs from the outset, and doesn't let the mood drop. That means sharp, sly and thoroughly self-aware dialogue, an irreverent and cheeky tone, and having ample fun with real-life details. Indeed, The Great's title card notes upfront that the show tells "an occasionally true story". The broad strokes of Catherine's life remain in place, including her progressive plans for Russia and her quest to topple her husband in a coup; however slavish devotion to history is far, far less important than dark comedy, laugh-out-loud lines, a willingness to get silly and viewing Imperial Russia as a farce. Entertaining, engaging and very easy to binge, The Great also benefits from pitch-perfect casting. In her first comedic role, Fanning is equally luminous, intelligent and calculating, especially when she's scheming her way to the top. But, while the series isn't called Peter III (or "no Peter the Great", as he's dubbed in one episode), Hoult constantly steals the show as the demanding and impetuous frat boy emperor. Also deserving attention: the delightfully sarcastic Fox, Lodge 49's Adam Godley as the manic Archbishop, Hoult's fellow Skins alum Sebastian de Souza as Catherine's approved lover, Iron Fist's Sacha Dhawan as her chief co-conspirator and Australian actress Belinda Bromilow as Peter's offbeat aunt. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vLgpdXz0g All ten episodes of The Great's first season are available to stream via Stan in Australia and NeonTV in New Zealand. Top image: Ollie Upton, Hulu
Back in January, you should've already marked your diary for one of the dance-music highlights of 2025: The Warehouse Project making its second trip to Australia. Now, it's time to discover who'll be spinning tunes while you make shapes. Partiboi69, Hector Oaks, X-Coast, Miss Bashful, Carla Martinez: they're all on the just-dropped lineup. If you went to The Warehouse Project's first-ever Australian dates in 2024, then you experienced a slice of history, as this Manchester-born rave-scene mainstay finally made the leap Down Under. The event's Aussie debut clearly went well, hence the return for a second year running. The Warehouse Project is again hitting up Sydney and Melbourne, this time across Thursday, April 24–Friday, April 25. The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Fred again.., Skrillex and Happy Mondays have played it overseas. De La Soul, Aphex Twin, Carl Cox and deadmau5, too. For fans of dance music, and just music fans in general, The Warehouse Project's fame extends far past its UK home. For its second Australian trip, Melbourne's PICA will welcome The Warehouse Project for the second time; however, Sydney's event is taking place at Hordern Pavilion in 2025, after setting up shop at Munro Warehouse in Sydney Olympic Park in 2024. This year's events are one-day affairs in each city, too, rather than two nights apiece as happened last year. This remains a two-city tour, though, so if you're keen on hitting up The Warehouse Project in Australia and you live somewhere other than Sydney or Melbourne, you'll need to plan an interstate trip. The Manchester institution's Aussie debut in 2024 came after initially going international in 2023 in Rotterdam and Antwerp. It was back in 2006 that The Warehouse Project first unleashed its club nights on its birthplace, kicking off in a disused brewery and then moving underneath Manchester's Piccadilly station, in a space that's also been an air-raid shelter — and also to a warehouse that dates back to the 1920s. Now, it calls former railway station Depot Mayfield home when it's on in its home city. "After the incredible success of last year's debut, we're excited to revisit Sydney and Melbourne to build on the magic we created. Once again, we'll be pulling out all the stops in production and bringing a mix of both international and domestic artists to two special venues," said The Warehouse Project Co-Founder Sam Kandel about the event's Aussie comeback. "With the special atmosphere the Australian crowd creates, we know this will be an experience that resonates long after the music stops." The Warehouse Project Australia 2025 Dates Thursday, April 24 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Friday, April 25 — PICA, Melbourne The Warehouse Project Australia 2025 Lineup Partiboi69 Hector Oaks X-Coast Miss Bashful Carla Martinez The Warehouse Project returns to Australia across Thursday, April 24–Friday, April 25, 2025, with general ticket sales from 11am AEDT on Wednesday, February 5. Head to the event's website for further details. Images: Duncographic / Jordan Munns.
When it comes to being photogenic, Queensland has the formula perfected. Especially on its beaches, just look at that tropical white sand, the azure water and bright green forests that meet it. Perfection. And abundance, too — with Australia's second-largest coastline and just over 1,700 recorded beaches. With numbers like that, choosing favourites might seem like an impossible task. We've made a selection for Brisbane's best beaches, but to look at the rest of the coastline, we've turned to the experts. That job falls to Lonely Planet, who have shared with us their picks of the best beaches in Queensland and why — which you can read in full (alongside the other states' highlights) in their new Best Beaches Australia guide. [caption id="attachment_1075518" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Shutterstock[/caption] Lady Elliott Island, Southern Great Barrier Reef Few islands have a comeback story quite like this remote coral cay at the southern tip of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Stripped almost bare by guano miners in the late 1800s, with new growth prevented by goats placed on the island to ensure food for shipwrecked seafarers, Lady Elliot Island had been reduced to little more than a field of compacted coral by the mid‐20th century. A small resort was opened on the degraded island in 1969 and a DIY revegetation programme commenced. But it wasn't until Peter Gash, Lady Elliot's current custodian, took over in 2005 that the regeneration of the island shifted into high gear. Its forest ecosystem has since been largely restored, providing a haven for seabirds and even marine life as nutrients seep through the 'beach rock' and fertilise the fringing reef. Run almost entirely on renewable energy, the island's low‐key eco‐resort has a minimal effect on this rich habitat. One of the best ways to enjoy the 42‐hectare (104‐acre) island is to walk around the crushed coral and sand beach encircling it, which takes about 45 minutes without stops. The eco‐resort is located on the east‐facing 'sunrise' side of the island, where a shallow reef stretches towards the horizon, and durable plastic sunloungers provide a comfortable seat for quiet contemplation as the sun rises above the Coral Sea. You can only snorkel here at high tide, when you're likely to meet a few turtles. Can you hear that crackling sound? It's a sign of a healthy reef. Head clockwise around the island and look out for rare red‐tailed tropicbirds nesting under the octopus bushes lining the shore. As you round the southwestern corner of the island, see its 1893 lighthouse towering over the west‐facing 'sunset' beach. This part of the beach is a launchpad for snorkelling and diving adventures in deeper waters, with mere steps separating you from your next manta ray encounter. As the sun begins its evening descent, overnight guests gather here to watch the sky light up with a cool drink in‐hand and the sand between their toes. Getting there: Lady Elliot Island is only accessible by a small aircraft flight from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane, or the Gold Coast, arranged by Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort as part of your visit. Day trips are possible, but a longer stay is recommended to enjoy the island to the fullest. [caption id="attachment_1075521" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Shutterstock[/caption] Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island It might surprise first-time visitors to this Great Barrier Reef gateway hub to discover that Cairns/Gimuy is not a beach destination – its muddy foreshore is more popular with coastal birds. But with Fitzroy Island on its doorstep, it doesn't need to be. Before sea levels rose around 9500 years ago, Aboriginal groups could walk to this small, hilly island 5km (3 miles) from the mainland to fish, gather food, and hold ceremonies. Now a national park, Fitzroy Island offers a classic tropical‐island experience just 45 minutes from Cairns. Ferries arrive at Welcome Bay, where a 1.2km (0.75‐mile) return shaded rainforest track leads to small, undeveloped Nudey Beach which, despite its name, isn't clothing‐optional. Bookended by granite boulders, with turquoise water lapping its crunchy white‐coral sand, the setting is sublime. There's good snorkelling off the northern end of the beach, with pretty patches of hard and soft corals visited by angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and wrasses, along with the odd green turtle. Getting there: The Fitzroy Flyer ferry runs three daily services between Cairns and Fitzroy Island in both directions. There is a resort with two restaurants and a campground on the island. [caption id="attachment_1075520" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Shutterstock[/caption] Balding Bay, Magnetic Island/Yunbenun Queensland may be the only Australian state or territory lacking an official nudist beach, but that doesn't stop locals and visitors to Magnetic Island's Balding Bay (Yunbenun to its Traditional Wulgurukaba Custodians) from getting their kit off here. It takes a bit of effort to get to the state's best‐known unofficial nudist beach – the 2.8km (1.7‐mile) return track from neighbouring Horseshoe Bay is very steep with many steps; sturdy footwear is recommended. But it's all part of the experience – keep an eye out for orange‐flanked rainbow skinks basking on the rocky path. Upon reaching the remote‐feeling bay, where a small arc of golden sand settles between granite‐boulder headlands, diving into the tropical water is de rigueur, clothed or not (outside the November to May stinger season). While the Great Barrier Reef protects Balding Bay from powerful waves, be mindful that help is at least a 40‐minute hike away. Getting there: Magnetic Island is a 20‐ to 40‐minute ferry ride from Townsville. Bring your car or e‐bike, or take a bus from the Nelly Bay ferry dock to Horseshoe Bay (p32), 7km (4.5 miles). The track to Balding Bay begins at the eastern end of Horseshoe Bay. [caption id="attachment_1075519" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Shutterstock[/caption] Low Isles/Wungkun, Port Douglas Captain Cook's log described the 'small low island' he sighted from the Endeavour on 10 June, 1770, and set about giving it an unimaginative renaming. In reality, the Low Isles off Port Douglas have been known to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji and Yirrganydji peoples for centuries as Wungkun, an important cultural site and Dreaming place. A teardrop of sun‐kissed sand with an 1878 lighthouse rising above a cluster of palm and casuarina trees, the smaller of the two coral cays that comprise the Low Isles was made for a day on the beach. A string of permanent umbrellas provides much‐needed shade on sultry Tropical North Queensland days, and a reef – part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – begins just steps from the shore. There are 150 corals for snorkellers to count, along with turtles, reef sharks and a cornucopia of tropical fish. Not just a pretty reef, this rich marine ecosystem has played an important role in global reef science. The world's first scientific study of a coral reef was undertaken here in 1928, with subsequent studies helping scientists understand how reef systems decline, recover and change over long periods of time. With boat tours from Port Douglas taking as little as 15 minutes to make the 15km (9.3‐mile) journey to the island, it's perfect for visitors looking for a taste of the Great Barrier Reef but lacking the time for a full‐day trip to the outer reef. Visit on a calm, sunny day for the best snorkelling conditions, ideally at high tide, and don't stress about crocodiles, with only three glimpsed out here in as nearly as many decades. Not much of a snorkeller? You can circumnavigate the 1.6‐hectare (4‐acre) island in as few as 15 minutes. Automated in 1993, the island's lighthouse no longer requires a keeper, but the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBMPA) appoints a new set of caretakers roughly every two years to ensure the Low Isles' natural and heritage values are maintained. If this sounds like your dream job, keep an eye on GBMPA's Facebook page. Getting there: Port Douglas is 67km (41.5 miles) from Cairns/Gimuy, which has an international airport. Port Douglas–based operators offer a variety of Low Isles tour options, from speedboat snorkelling tours that return you to the marina in less than 2.5 hours, to leisurely catamaran sojourns. These excerpts were supplied by 'Lonely Planet' from their 'Best Beaches Australia' guide — available online and at bookstores near you now. Images: supplied
For many, gelato has assumed ice cream's mantle as the height of iced indulgence. Lower fat content, less air incorporated during the churning process and a lower serving temperature all contribute to its smooth, elastic allure. And plenty of folks argue that these differences — especially in the preparation process — give gelato a more intense flavour. But ice cream will always have its diehard fans. It's frosty, creamy and sweet — how could it not? So, if you prefer its rich dairy goodness and light consistency, many old-school ice cream vendors also await you. Indeed, in the gelato, ice cream and sorbet game, there's variety out there. Feeling spoiled for choice? Below are our favourite purveyors of chilled confectionery in the River City — Brisbane's best ice cream and gelato, in fact — whether you like it in a cone, in a cup, on a stick, in a sandwich or as part of a decadent sundae. Recommended reads: The Best Beaches in and Around Brisbane The Best Waterfront Bars and Restaurants in Brisbane The Best Beer Gardens in Brisbane Goodtimes Gelateria, Howard Smith Wharves If pastel colours make you think of gelato — and make your stomach rumble — then prepare to indulge at Goodtimes. The Howard Smith Wharves dessert spot serves its scoops from a pink counter that'll make you crave ice cream aplenty. And that's exactly what you'll get here, with a 22 flavours to choose from at any given time. A few of our top picks include the cassata (candied citrus fruit), the apple pie (freshly baked pie folded through cinnamon gelato), and the plum and yoghurt. Given that you'll be enjoying this frosty treat by the water, you can't really go wrong. If you want even more Goodtimes in your life, the shop also hires out a gelato cart for private events. Gelato Messina, South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley Remember that feeling you had as a kid when Christmas finally rolled around? That mix of excitement, enthusiasm and an inability to decide just what you should do first? That's what walking into Gelato Messina's two Brisbane stores feels like. Inside the chain's South Brisbane and Fortitude Valley shops, you'll find display cases filled with flavours of Messina's finest. Flavour-wise, the range spans popular best-sellers like salted caramel and white chocolate, the tasty pandan and coconut sorbet, and a mint choc-chip so distinctive, the staff will ask you if you've had it before. Yes, it's okay to want to try everything. You're only human, after all. Happy Pops, South Bank Already a hit in Noosa, Happy Pops made the jump to South Bank in 2019 — and tastebuds around Brisbane were pleased. Instead of in a cup or cone, these artisanal gelato creations come on a stick and are available in a heap of flavours. Specials have included rum and raisin, rocky road and white chocolate, cookie dough and macadamia. If you like to get creative, you can also design your own gelato pop in store. Yep, just think of the possibilities. Apart from all that gelato, Happy Pops also offers warm brownies and choc-chip cookies on a stick, plus gelato shakes. [caption id="attachment_703343" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Milani Caffé e Gelato[/caption] Milani House of Gelato, Hamilton A Hamilton mainstay, Milani House of Gelato is one of Racecourse Road's must-visit spots, whether you're heading by after dinner or making gelato your main meal. The Brisbane gelato spot has picked up a host of awards over the years, nabbing honours at the Australian Dairy Awards, the Australia Dairy Product Competition and the Queensland Royal Food and Wine Show. The panna cotta ranks among its most decorated creations, though you can't go wrong with dolce latte, pistachio or one of its many chocolate bar-inspired varieties (think: Snickers, Mars Bar, Bounty and Crunchie gelato). Milani also dishes up lavish (and customisable) sundaes, if that's your thing. But given the store's prime location, prepare to have plenty of company. Lick! Ice Cream, Petrie Terrace and Graceville After 11 years as a dessert company, Lick! Ice Cream took the next step in 2015 and opened its own Graceville store — and it also boasts an outpost in Petrie Terrace. The Lick! claim-to-fame is its Ekka-style strawberry ice cream, available all year round. In case anyone is after something different, the Brisbane ice cream store's rotating range spans an array of signature creations. Must-tries include peanut butter chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and bubblegum and marshmallow, as well as Nutella. For summer, tuck into one of the refreshing sorbets, with flavours such as green apple and ginger, mandarin and mint, and passionfruit and lime. La Macelleria, Teneriffe, West End and Woolloongabba Simply eating gelato is obviously a delight, but what if you learnt how to make your own? As well as serving up delicious scoops, La Macelleria Gelateria in West End hosts regular workshops in the art of gelato. Roll up your sleeves, listen up and become your own gelato-maestro. Best of all, you get to take home the fruits of your labour, which means you'll have gelato for the week (or as long as it lasts). La Macelleria also has Brisbane ice creameries in Teneriffe and Woolloongabba. Yep, these authentic Italian-style desserts have plenty of fans all over the city. Head to its OG site, however, if you're keen to order and pickup one of its ace gelato cakes. Nom Nom Natural Gelato, Bulimba If you're fond of sweet, frozen dairy treats, head to Bulimba, where an array of top-notch flavours await. Combining Maleny dairy milk and cream with the best ingredients, Nom Nom Natural Gelato's nom-worthy range includes all the usual suspects, plus heaps of specialties. Think salted pistachio, cookies and cream, caramelised macadamia and fresh mint chocolate. There's also vegan gelato on offer — including the soy-based crème brûlée and dark chocolate — plus a wide range of fresh and fruity sorbets to tuck into. Gelateria Cremona, Rosalie A long-term Rosalie favourite, Gelateria Cremona is Brisbane's home of Christmas pudding gelato at the right time of year. But you can also grab everything from cappuccino and liquorice to durian and bush lemon flavours, too. Plus, granitas are on offer each summer — think: watermelon and chocolate flavours — and refreshing sorbets like mango and blood orange rotate seasonally. In fact, the highly regarded Baroona Road gelato cafe serves up a constant rotation of out-of-the-box options, so you'll find something different on each visit. The scoops here are silky and delicious and, as for the place itself, it has a charming ice cream parlour vibe. Sugo IT, Bulimba Dine in at Bulimba's Sugo IT, and you can follow up your pizza or pasta with a bowl of gelato. Keen to simply drop by for a few scoops? You can do that as well. At the back of the restaurant, down a hidden side alleyway, you'll find a deli and ice creamery that's all about gelato and sorbet made the traditional way. Nab a cone of peanut butter and chocolate or a cup toasted marshmallow — or opt for a tasting bowl of four small scoops if you just can't decide on one flavour. Some flavours stick around, others rotate, and take-home packs are also on offer. It doesn't purely specialise in the frozen stuff, but it is still home to some of the best ice cream and gelato in Brisbane. Anita Gelato, West End When West Village revamped its chosen patch of West End, it took over a site of significance. From 1928–1996, the Boundary Street spot was home to the Peters Ice Cream Factory, which churned out frosty dairy desserts for seven decades. That's why, to mark the precinct's past, West Village has also hosted an ice cream festival — and it's also home to Anita Gelato. The international chain already had stores in Barcelona, New York, San Juan, Tel Aviv and Sydney, but its West Village spot marks its first Queensland shop. Its specialty: boutique handmade gelato, with more than 150 flavours in its range. That hefty lineup includes yogurt and sorbets, too, as well as its organic, sugar-free, fat-free, soy-based and real cream-based gelato. Top image: Happy Pops.
For years, Foxtel has been Australia's main source for HBO series, airing everything from Game of Thrones, Westworld and Succession to Chernobyl, Veep and Big Little Lies. And, if you weren't signed up to the pay TV service, that meant streaming your favourite shows via its online platforms — such as the now-defunct Presto and the currently available Foxtel Now. From Monday, May 25, Aussie TV fans will have another option: new streaming service Binge. While Foxtel Now isn't going anywhere, the Foxtel-run Binge works more like Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video and their long list of competitors. So, rather than replicating Foxtel's channel packages via an online platform, requiring you to pick and choose different options depending on whether you're eager for sport, movies or drama, as Foxtel Now does, with Binge you'll pay a flat fee to gain access to everything. On the TV lineup: all of the aforementioned HBO programs, plus older faves such as The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Sex and the City and Girls. After HBO's new US streaming service HBO Max launches in the US on May 27, Binge will also feature scripted shows from the platform, such as the new Gossip Girl reboot. And, working with companies such as WarnerMedia, NBCU, FX, BBC and Sony, it'll boast plenty of other highlights — including classic comedies like Seinfeld, The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation; crime thrills thanks to Law & Order and NCIS; new releases like Breeders and Mrs America; documentaries such as Planet Earth; and competitive series including the Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman-hosted Making It. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWFiFfrbY0 Kicking off with more than 10,000 hours of content, Binge's catalogue will also feature a heap of movies — think flicks from the Fast and Furious, Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible and DC Universe franchises; films from directors such as Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino; and newcomers like the Hugh Jackman-starring Bad Education. And, if you're eager for recommendations — and not just from an algorithm — it'll include curated collections that'll steer you in different viewing directions. You can also select 'binge' or 'surprise me' options, which'll do the choosing for you. Price-wise, Binge will cost $10 per month for one SD screen, $14 per month for two HD screens and $18 per month for four HD screens, with a two-week free trial also available when it kicks off. Users will be able to access the service online, and via Android TV, Apple TV, Telstra TV, Chromecast, tablets and mobile devices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuB2VNA8MLQ&feature=youtu.be Binge launches on Monday, May 25. For further information — or to sign-up — visit the platform's website. Top image: Game of Thrones, Helen Sloan.
Just can't wait for another date with The Lion King in one of its many guises? For more than three decades now, since the original animated flick first arrived and became a beloved favourite — as well as a box-office smash and an Oscar-winner — no one has had to. Movie sequels followed, as well as a photorealistic remake with its own prequel. Spinoffs and TV shows have popped up, too. For almost 30 years, The Lion King has also taken to the stage. No stranger to Australia, the film-to-theatre musical has just announced a new date Down Under in 2026. Let's call it the circle of stage productions: a local version of The Lion King initially trod the Aussie boards in 2003, then a second take arrived in 2013. Just as both of those two tours did, the new production will open in Sydney. In fact, it's playing at the same venue, the Capitol Theatre, that The Lion King first roared into when it made its Australian theatre debut. So far, only a month has been announced in terms of timing, with The Lion King set to open in April 2026. No other cities or dates have been revealed as yet, but prior productions have taken the story of Simba, Mufasa and Scar beyond the Harbour City. In the past, almost four-million audience members have enjoyed the show Down Under. Worldwide, that number is more than 120 million, all watching a performance that's played more than 100 cities in 24 countries, and is the biggest-grossing title in history. On the stage, The Lion King is as acclaimed as it is popular, including collecting six Tony Awards in 1998, Best Musical among them — and making its OG director Julie Taymor the first woman to receive a Tony for Direction of a Musical. Can you feel the love tonight? This theatre hit has, repeatedly. [caption id="attachment_990210" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Deen van Meer, Disney[/caption] "Every time we return to Australia, we are reminded of the region's considerable talent pool, both onstage and off, and we can't wait to gather a talented and exciting company for The Lion King," said Disney Theatrical Group Executive Producer Anne Quart and Managing Director Andrew Flatt, who have been with The Lion King onstage since its 1997 US premiere. "We are thrilled to welcome The Lion King back to Sydney, the place where it all began in Australia over 20 years ago. The Walt Disney Company ANZ is proud to be one of only three places in the world where, alongside Broadway and the West End, we self-produce musicals, directly employing hundreds of Australian theatre professionals," added The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand Senior Vice President and Managing Director Kylie Watson-Wheeler. [caption id="attachment_803460" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matthew Murphy, Disney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_803461" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joan Marcus, Disney[/caption] The Lion King will open at the Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket, Sydney, from April 2026. For more details, and to join the ticket waitlist, head to the production's website. Top image: Matthew Murphy, Disney.
Dubstep? Fuhgeddaboudit. Call me biased (I am a Kiwi, so you're probably right) but New Zealand artists have been making big waves recently in musical fields that have nothing to do with dubstep or flying anything, whether Conchords or Nuns. Here are ten of our favourites, which while in name might seem alarming (hello Cut Off Your Hands and Die! Die! Die!) are really very pleasant to listen to. https://youtube.com/watch?v=c-36lCKovBg 1. UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA One of the best things to come our of New Zealand in the early '00s was The Mint Chicks, an experimental noise rock/schizo-pop trio who once played a gig so loud that part of the St James Theatre complex actually fell down. The psychedelic spin-off formed by Ruban Nielson is just as good, albeit a little lighter on the ears. https://youtube.com/watch?v=gQSiiNrW8P4 2. OPOSSUM Ruban's brother Kody (also ex Mint Chicks) own pop-sych project is Opossum, a more polished musical venture that also features Michael Logie and solo singer Bic Runga. See the video for single 'Blue Meanies' above, which comes from their excellent just-released album Electric Hawaii and features Kiwi model/ultimate babe Zippora Seven, and see them live this Friday in support of Jinja Safari. https://youtube.com/watch?v=sIDCRga1LjI 3. LAWRENCE ARABIA Blending the quintessentially Kiwi sounds of Flying Nun with influences ranging from classical songwriting to 1970s West Coast Americana, James Milne played bass in The Brunettes and the Ruby Suns before his alter ego Lawrence Arabia was born. His quirky low-key songs have earned him praise in New Zealand for years, but it was a move to London (and a job selling Kiwi goods to homesick expats) that allowed him to gain global recognition. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Uq7aVOzRQow 4. ELECTRIC WIRE HUSTLE Wellington's Electric Wire Hustle have created a rather unique sound fusing hip hop, psychedelica, funk and soul. They're currently giving Europe a taste of their famously colourful live show (the Northern Hemisphere jumped on board the EWH bandwagon back in 2007), but unfortunately their Australian shows are considerably more sporadic. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LAJBwXcexxc 5. CUT OFF YOUR HANDS Cut Off Your Hands find influences in both the late '70s post-punk of Talking Heads and Gang of Four and the poppier sound encapsulated by the aforementioned Mint Chicks and This Night Creeps. The five-piece employ busy musical textures and soft harmonies to create a sound far more pleasant than the name suggests. Late last year the band toured Australia off the back of their album Hollow, which was recorded in Brent Harris' Auckland bedroom and mixed in Sydney. https://youtube.com/watch?v=46A3fqahGlM 6. SURF CITY Don't be confused by the name, Surf City has little to do with the also-good-but-different sound of Wavves, Best Coast, Beach Fossils and Surfer Blood. They were originally called Kill Surf City before they found out another band had already seized that tag, and while the earlier name is a bit sinister it's well suited to the darker, janglier spin they put on an indie surf rock sound. We're eagerly awaiting the follow up to 2010's Kudos. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bsAAZwLPGBg 7. THE VIETNAM WAR 'High Window' is a single from Auckland's alt-country kids The Vietnam War. Though a debut effort the album rattles along like a rollicking, jovial, booze-stained war veteran (in the best way possible), and the video injects some welcome roadside Americana into the Kiwiana outfit. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EKlm-PM-hMc 8. GLASS VAULTS Two boys from rural Manawatu who met at university in Wellington, Richard Larsen and Rowan Pierce make lush textural pop that sounds like nothing else coming out of the windy city. They are best known for 2010's Glass EP (and for recording it on Rowan's grandmother's farm) but new single 'Crystallise', the first offering from their upcoming debut album, promises that the best is yet to come. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4Jf4dwzTx_c 9. DIE! DIE! DIE! Thought their roots are in hardcore punk and their vocals deliciously abrasive, Die! Die! Die! put their own twist on noise pop with rhythms and drums that are both tight and danceable. As indefatigable as their name suggests, these guys are relentless at the gigging in between spitting out albums and will be playing a particularly exciting show at The Standard on Thursday 23 August. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1fdwOd5ACyU 10. STREET CHANT Street Chant has been gigging around Auckland's K Road since 2007, brought into being by a teenage binge drinker, a girl who hated her current band and the fully sick drummer from Don Julio and the Hispanic Mechanic. Since then their sharp, ballsy brand of punk has been winning over fans everywhere from Auckland to Texas, where they drew a massive crowd playing SXSW with The Naked and Famous. The girls also have super rad wardrobes.
The musical everyone has been talking about, the most diverse acting lineup ever, and a huge haul for Australian movies: yes, the 89th Oscar nominations have been revealed. It's the time of year when film almost becomes a sport. Who will win? Who'll miss out? What do historical stats indicate? Does Meryl Streep get nominated just for waking up in the morning? What does Amy Adams have to do to get some attention? The questions go on. Surprising absolutely no one — particularly after its hefty Golden Globes showing — La La Land is the big favourite with a record-equalling 14 nominations, including for Best Picture, Best Director (Damien Chazelle), Best Actress (Emma Stone) and Best Actor (Ryan Gosling). The last time a movie managed that, it was that little romantic boat tragedy known as Titanic, with 1950 drama All About Eve the only other effort to achieve the feat. Like terrible Celine Dion songs, the film industry's love of watching two very attractive and talented actors sing and dance will (deservedly, in our opinion) go on. The hit musical will compete for the Academy Awards' top prize against a host of other multiple nominees. Also showered in recognition: Arrival and Moonlight (eight nods each), Manchester by the Sea (six nods, including Best Actor frontrunner Casey Affleck), Fences and Hell or High Water (four nods each), and Hidden Figures (three nods). Thinking local, only a year after Mad Max: Fury Road won big, Aussies have come out in force once again. For the first time ever, two Australian films are in the running for Best Picture, with Mel Gibson's war flick Hacksaw Ridge and heartwrenching true tale Lion also scoring six nominations apiece. The former also picked up recognition for Best Director (Gibson) and Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), while the latter gave Nicole Kidman her fourth nomination (for Best Supporting Actress), and anointed Dev Patel for best Aussie accent (okay, Best Supporting Actor, but seriously, his Australian twang is spot-on). And then there's Tanna which, released here in 2015, was shot entirely in Vanuatu, and earned Australia its first-ever Best Foreign-Language Film nomination. The other big story is an departure of #OscarsSoWhite, with the acting field making history. After previous year's awards have been called out for a lack of diversity amongst nominees, for the first time, every single acting category features a person of colour, including Fences' Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, Loving's Ruth Negga, Moonlight's Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris, Hidden Figures' Octavia Spencer, and Lion's aforementioned Patel. Elsewhere, Barry Jenkins is up for Best Director for Moonlight, while the film's editor, Joi McMillon, became the first black woman nominated in that category. About time. The 89th Academy Awards will take place on February 27 Australian time, and will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Here's the full list of nominations. OSCAR NOMINEES 2017 BEST MOTION PICTURE Arrival Fences Hacksaw Ridge Hell Or High Water Hidden Figures Lion La La Land Manchester By The Sea Moonlight BEST DIRECTOR Damien Chazelle, La La Land Barry Jenkins, Moonlight Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester By The Sea Denis Villeneuve, Arrival Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Isabelle Huppert, Elle Ruth Negga, Loving Natalie Portman, Jackie Emma Stone, La La Land Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Casey Affleck, Manchester By The Sea Denzel Washington, Fences Ryan Gosling, La La Land Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Viola Davis, Fences Michelle Williams, Manchester By the Sea Naomie Harris, Moonlight Nicole Kidman, Lion Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Mahershala Ali, Moonlight Jeff Bridges, Hell Or High Water Dev Patel, Lion Lucas Hedges, Manchester By The Sea Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR Kubo and the Two Strings, Travis Knight and Arianne Sutner Moana, John Musker, Ron Clements and Osnat Shurer My Life as a Zucchini, Claude Barras and Max Karli The Red Turtle, Michael Dudok de Wit and Toshio Suzuki Zootopia, Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY Arrival, Bradford Young La La Land, Linus Sandgren Lion, Greig Fraser Moonlight, James Laxton Silence, Rodrigo Prieto ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN Allied, Joanna Johnston Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Colleen Atwood Florence Foster Jenkins, Consolata Boyle Jackie, Madeline Fontaine La La Land, Mary Zophres BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Fire at Sea, Gianfranco Rosi and Donatella Palermo I Am Not Your Negro, Raoul Peck, Rémi Grellety and Hébert Peck Life, Animated, Roger Ross Williams and Julie Goldman J.: Made in America, Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow 13th Ava, DuVernay, Spencer Averick and Howard Barish BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Extremis, Dan Krauss 1 Miles, Daphne Matziaraki Joe's Violin, Kahane Cooperman and Raphaela Neihausen Watani: My Homeland, Marcel Mettelsiefen and Stephen Ellis The White Helmets, Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING Arrival, Joe Walker Hacksaw Ridge, John Gilbert Hell or High Water, Jake Roberts La La Land, Tom Cross Moonlight, Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR Land of Mine, Denmark A Man Called Ove, Sweden The Salesman, Iran Tanna, Australia Toni Erdmann, Germany ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING A Man Called Ove, Eva von Bahr and Love Larson Star Trek Beyond, Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo Suicide Squad, Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE) Jackie, Mica Levi La La Land, Justin Hurwitz Lion, Dustin O'Halloran and Hauschka Moonlight, Nicholas Britell Passengers, Thomas Newman ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG) 'Audition (The Fools Who Dream)' from La La Land ; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul 'Can't Stop The Feeling' from Trolls; Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster 'City Of Stars' from La La Land; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul 'The Empty Chair' from Jim: The James Foley Story; Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting 'How Far I'll Go' from Moana; Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN Arrival; Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Paul Hotte Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them; Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Hail, Caesar!; Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh La La Land; Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco Passengers; Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Gene Serdena BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Blind Vaysha, Theodore Ushev Borrowed Time, Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj Pear Cider and Cigarettes, Robert Valley and Cara Speller Pearl, Patrick Osborne Piper, Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ennemis Intérieurs, Sélim Azzazi La Femme et le TGV, Timo von Gunten and Giacun Caduff Silent Nights, Aske Bang and Kim Magnusson Sing, Kristof Deák and Anna Udvardy Timecode, Juanjo Giménez ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Arrival, Sylvain Bellemare Deepwater Horizon, Wylie Stateman and Renée Tondelli Hacksaw Ridge, Robert Mackenzie and Andy Wright La La Land, Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan Sully, Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING Arrival, Bernard Gariépy Strobl and Claude La Haye Hacksaw Ridge, Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace La La Land, Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee and Steve A. Morrow Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, David Parker, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Mac Ruth ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS Deepwater Horizon, Craig Hammack, Jason Snell, Jason Billington and Burt Dalton Doctor Strange, Stephane Ceretti, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli and Paul Corbould The Jungle Book, Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon Kubo and the Two Strings, Steve Emerson, Oliver Jones, Brian McLean and Brad Schiff Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel and Neil Corbould ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer Fences, Screenplay by August Wilson Hidden Figures, Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi Lion, Screenplay by Luke Davies Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water, Written by Taylor Sheridan La La Land, Written by Damien Chazelle The Lobster, Written by Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou Manchester by the Sea, Written by Kenneth Lonergan 20th Century Women, Written by Mike Mills
If your weekend morning plans always involve tucking into the best meal of the day — brunch, obviously — then congrats, you're human. Fancy adding unlimited mimosas and bloody marys to the mix? Of course you do. That's what Pourboy is serving up every weekend, on both Saturdays and Sundays, with the venue's Boozy Brunch running for two-hour sittings between 10am–2pm. It's the drinks that won't stop at the South Brisbane eatery — well, at least within your allocated time slot. Food-wise, you can choose one thing from the brunch menu, from a daily-changing lineup that could include the likes of sardines on toast, banana pancakes, a harissa chicken burger and a spin on eggs benedict that also features carrot. Seeing your morning slide into the afternoon with a drink in hand will set you back an affordable $60 per person. Unsurprisingly, bookings via email or phone are highly recommended, so gather the gang and plan ahead.
Given its title, audiences could be forgiven for thinking that The Promise is a Nicholas Sparks-penned romance. It's not, although in truth this tale of love in the time of the Armenian genocide isn't all that different from the sappy fluff the author of The Notebook, The Lucky One and The Choice tends to peddle. Indeed, the latest effort from writer-director Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) has a one-track agenda: bringing an attractive couple together, tearing them apart and then forcing them to overcome horrific obstacles in an attempt to reunite. Oscar Isaac and Charlotte Le Bon play Armenians during the First World War. He's Mikael, a poor village apothecary who agrees to marry a local girl so he can use the dowry to pay for medical school in Constantinople. She's Ana, a well-off tutor who was raised in Paris. When sparks fly, there's plenty of complicating factors keeping them apart — including his betrothed back home and her boyfriend Chris (Christian Bale), an arrogant but fearless American journalist. Then there's the matter of the Ottoman Empire's campaign of violence against their people, which hinders Mikael and Ana at every turn. If it sounds as though we're downplaying the horrors inflicted on the Armenian population, that's because we're taking our cues from the film. The Promise never pushes the Turkish military's eradication efforts to the side — in fact, there's plenty of bleakness and brutality on display. Yet by using the conflict as a backdrop for a sweeping love story, the end result is the same. Given that the movie is billed as the first major feature to explore these particular events, that's obviously an problem. It really should go without saying that such an awful chapter of history doesn't need to be packaged as a grand romance to evoke an emotional reaction, and that it clearly deserves more considered, thoughtful treatment. Of course, filmmakers have been pairing love and war for as long as they've been making movies. The problem is that The Promise doesn't even try to find the right balance. Instead, it turns a rising death toll into a glimmer of hope that the central duo will find a way to be together. When you think about what that could mean for the other players in their overlapping love triangles, it all seems not only calculated, but highly disrespectful as well. Two factors at least help The Promise look the part, even if it struggles elsewhere. Handsome cinematography gives the movie the requisite epic sheen, while Isaac, Le Bon and Bale all put in solid performances. There's energy in their portrayals that isn't evident in the material otherwise, although sadly the trio can't completely enliven bland characters. Rather, they're stuck being the best things about a film that doesn't know the difference between having good intentions and actually following through on them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxjkuy3c3Lw
Sometimes, life delivers the perfect script. At its 2025 edition, Sydney Film Festival has notched up that feat. Each year since 2008, the Harbour City's major annual cinema celebration has featured its own Official Competition, awarding the picture judged the most "audacious, cutting edge and courageous" the Sydney Film Prize. Fresh from winning the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident now has SFF's top accolade to its name as well. At Sydney Film Festival's Together-led opening night, it was announced that acclaimed Iranian writer/director Panahi was one the event's special guests — and that he was already in the New South Wales capital. Given that he has been subjected to filmmaking bans, travel restrictions, arrests and imprisonment in his homeland across his career, this was no minor development. During the fest, not only did It Was Just an Accident screen, but featured retrospective Jafar Panahi: Cinema in Rebellion highlighted every single one of the filmmaker's movies. Now, at SFF's closing-night gala — with Splitsville 2025's final flick — Panahi has collected the event's major accolade, accepting it at the State Theatre in person. It Was Just an Accident was picked as 2025's Sydney Film Prize-winner by a jury led by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel (Ellis Park) as president, plus his The Narrow Road to the Deep North talent Thomas Weatherall, the latter's Heartbreak High co-star Rachel House, Hong Kong-based producer and distributor Winnie Tsang and Marrakech International Film Festival Director Melita Toscan du Plantier. If you're in the Harbour City between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20 when Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings hit Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Panahi's awarded movie is among the titles receiving encore sessions. The filmmaker's latest picture follows a family on a road trip — and, at SFF, follows Parasite as the only two flicks to have taken home both the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Sydney Film Prize. Iranian features have now won SFF's top gong, which awards a $60,000 cash prize, a record-breaking three times. Asghar Farhadi's A Separation claimed the accolade in 2011, then Mohammad Rasoulof's There Is No Evil did the same in 2021. Other previous winners span There's Still Tomorrow (2024), The Mother of All Lies (2023), Close (2022), The Heiresses (2018), On Body and Soul (2017), Aquarius (2016), Arabian Nights (2015), Two Days, One Night (2014), Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012), Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008). "It has been an honour and a privilege to watch cinema for the past ten days. To be amongst audiences who love and guard this powerful expression, are champions for experiences which are transforming and transcendent. To Nashen [Moodley, SFF's Festival Director] and the Sydney Film Festival team, thank you for inviting us to be part of what has been an enormously successful festival," said the jury in a statement. "We want to acknowledge the powerful and assured first-time films within competition. There were many and we were astonished by their confidence, authenticity and swagger. This new wave of international filmmakers are pushing the boundaries and connecting to cinema in original ways. It is their perspective which moved us and opened our hearts to stories which felt deeply personal and true. There was a push towards testing the form, taking real risk to find new ways to challenge cinema," the jury continued. "In these times of great conflict and uncertainty, it is more important than ever that filmmakers are given the freedom to express what they see around them. The films we watched led with empathy, compassion and kindness. The directors trusted that their stories would make us feel first, connect to a personal point of view, they were political but human first." "The winner of the Sydney Film Festival for 2025 embodied all these qualities, a courageous film with a deep soul and a powerful sense of forgiveness. It has outstanding performances and an understated authority which is brimming with truth." The 2025 recipients of SFF's full suite of annual prizes was also revealed at closing night, including for documentaries and shorts. Songs Inside nabbed the Documentary Australia Award, with Aussie filmmaker Shalom Almond (Prisoners and Pups) emerging victorious — and with a $20,000 cash prize — for exploring the impact of a music program on women prisoners. Fellow homegrown doco Floodland, which shines a spotlight on Lismore, scored Jordan Giusti the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award. Canadian filmmaker Lisa Jackson (Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier) received the $35,000 First Nations Award for Wilfred Buck, about its namesake Cree educator in Northern Manitoba, while Big Bang Sound Design's Wayne Pashley and Libby Villa collected the $10,000 Sydney-UNESCO City of Film Award. In the Dendy Short Film Awards, this year's applauded titles include Faceless for Best Live Action Short Award, and also Best Practitioner for its music and sound designer Josh Peters; Yoram Gross Animation Award-winner The Fling; and Mates, which saw Rory Pearson named as Best Director and share the Rising Talent Award for Screenwriting with co-scribe Marcus Aldred-Traynor. [caption id="attachment_1009303" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Belinda Rolland © 2024[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening four days of encores via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Jafar Panahi images: Tim Levy.
As 2025's Sydney Film Festival announced at its closing-night gala, if you caught Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident at this year's fest, then you saw the latest winner of the Sydney Film Prize. If you sat down to Songs Inside, Floodland and Wilfred Buck, you also watched 2025's recipients of the event's Documentary Australia Award, Sustainable Future Award and First Nations Award. There's more accolades where they came from, too — this time decided not by juries, but by festivalgoers. If you voted in SFF's 2025 Audience Awards at the fest's highest-selling year in its history, then you had a hand in selecting the picks for Australian feature, Australian documentary, international feature and international documentary — plus their runners up. Over 23,000 votes were received across the four fields, with the winners showcasing the breadth of flicks on offer at this year's festival. Aussie animation Lesbian Space Princess — which features The Pitt's Shabana Azeez among its voice cast — added the Best Australian Narrative Feature Audience Award to its growing haul, after collecting the Teddy Award at this year's Berlin International Film Festival. Its counterpart in the international field: All That's Left of You, about a Palestinian family in the occupied West Bank. In the documentary categories The Raftsmen and Prime Minister took out the top prizes, the first for chronicling an effort to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1973 and the second for a portrait of Jacinda Ardern. "These four films are powerful examples of the fantastically diverse kinds of storytelling that move, inspire and connect with audiences," said Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley. "Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs' Lesbian Space Princess is a singular achievement in animated cinema. This wildly imaginative feature is hilarious, heartfelt and unapologetically out there — and our audiences adored it." "The Raftsmen is a gripping and meditative exploration of adventure and human endurance. Chadden Hunter's evocative storytelling, blending archival 16mm footage with survivor testimony, brings to life one of the great oceanic journeys in modern history." "Cherien Dabis' All That's Left of You is sweeping in scope and deeply personal in its portrayal of love, loss and legacy. Tracing seven decades of Palestinian history through one family's experience, it is an emotionally resonant and beautifully crafted film that left Sydney audiences spellbound," Moodley continued. "Finally, Prime Minister offers a rare and deeply human look behind the scenes of political leadership. With unprecedented access, this nuanced portrait of Jacinda Ardern captures a leader navigating major global and national crises with empathy and resolve — clearly something that resonated with audiences in these times." Dark comedy Birthright, Sundance Audience Award-winner DJ Ahmet, the World Porridge Making Championship-focused The Golden Spurtle and Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize recipient Cutting Through Rocks all claimed the runner-up spots. Sydney Film Festival Audience Award Winners Australian Feature Winner: Lesbian Space Princess Runner up: Birthright Australian Documentary Winner: The Raftsmen Runner up: The Golden Spurtle International Feature Winner: All That's Left of You Runner up: DJ Ahmet International Documentary Winner: Prime Minister Runner up: Cutting Through Rocks Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick until Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website.
When the full Sydney Film Festival program for 2025 is unveiled in early May, approximately a couple of hundred movies will sit on the lineup. The 18 revealed so far give cinema obsessives a great taste of what's to come, however, if you're already keen to add flicks to your must-see list. A month before the complete roster of titles arrives, the fest always provides a sneak peek to whet appetites. In this year's batch: Barry Keoghan's new Irish thriller, the Australian premiere of a homegrown animation that had this year's Berlin International Film Festival talking, a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, another about Marlon Williams, a Tilda Swinton- and Michael Shannon-starring post-apocalyptic musical, intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment and more. SFF has revealed 16 movies that'll be screening around the Harbour City between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, joining two previously announced when Vivid Sydney dropped its 2025 program. Thanks to the latter, movie lovers should already know that the Justin Kurzel (Nitram)-directed documentary Ellis Park is on the bill, complete with an evening celebrating its subject — and Aussie music icon, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer — Warren Ellis. And, the fact that speculative fiction experience Planet City: Live will be part of the film-worshipping fun shouldn't be new news, either. Now comes a range of pictures that long-term Festival Director Nashen Moodley describes as "a cross-section of the bold storytelling and distinctive voices" that SFF will champion in 2025 for the event's 72nd year. "From inventive new Australian work to major prize-winners from the international circuit, these films reflect the ingenuity and diversity of cinema today," he continued. Boasting both Keoghan (Bird) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) in its cast, and focusing on rivalries in rural Ireland, Bring Them Down is one of the starrier inclusions among SFF's features. With Swinton (The Room Next Door), Shannon (The Bikeriders), George MacKay (The Beast) and Moses Ingram (Lady in the Lake), The End from The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence's Joshua Oppenheimer is another. One to One: John & Yoko adds Lennon and Ono to the bill, with filmmaker Kevin Macdonald directing his attention towards the pair's 1972 benefit concert in Madison Square Garden, and the director also returning to music after 2018's Whitney and 2012's Marley. As for Williams, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds hones in on the recording of his first album in te reo Māori. The winner of 2025's Teddy Award in Berlin, Australian animation Lesbian Space Princess joins the local contingent, bringing its tale of a monarch-to-be's efforts to save her ex-girlfriend from incel aliens to Sydney. Buddy comedy Fwends is also on the list, and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature after picking up two accolades at SFF's Dendy Awards for short films in the past four years. Then there's documentary Make It Look Real, turning the lens on intimacy coordinator Claire Warden as she works on Aussie movie Tightrope. SFF's doco contingent is already huge, aided by the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments. Still on the factual side of the program, there's also Speak, about five American high schoolers getting ready for a public-speaking competition; Farming the Revolution's account of 12 million Indian farmers protesting over 13 months; and Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize-winner Mr Nobody Against Putin, where a Russian teacher chronicles the propaganda in his school during his country's invasion of Ukraine. Also playing SFF after picking up a gong at Sundance: DJ Ahmet, which collected the World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award for its story about a teenage North Macedonian villager. Obex didn't add anything to its trophy cabinet at the Park City festival, but it did premiere its jump back the 80s — and into a video game, where a man is trying to find his dog — there. Rounding out Sydney Film Festival's picks so far are Singaporean thriller Stranger Eyes, 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail and the Cannes-selected On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, so movies about a mourning couple searching for their baby, a trek through the Amazon and a Zambian family, respectively. For the rest of the 2025 lineup, start counting down the days until Wednesday, May 7. Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back here for the full lineup on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Guillermo del Toro will be the first to tell anyone, as he did at Neflix's annual Tudum event for 2025, that he's long had an obsession with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, that he's been weaving that affection for it into his work since he first hopped behind the camera and that making his own adaptation of the gothic-horror masterpiece is a dream come true. "This is, for me, the culmination of a journey that has occupied most of my life," the Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker told the crowd on Sunday, June 1, 2025 Down Under. "I first read Mary Shelley's book as a kid, and saw Boris Karloff in what became, for me, an almost-religious stage," he continued while onstage, accompanied by Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight) and Mia Goth (MaXXXine). "Monsters have become my personal belief system. There are strands of Frankenstein throughout my films — Cronos, Blade, Hellboy, big time on Pinocchio, and a long, long [list], et cetera." It's alive, then: del Toro's version of Frankenstein, that is. Audiences will be able to watch the Netflix film from sometime in November 2025, with an exact release date not yet confirmed. Zapped into existence already, however, is the first teaser trailer for the movie, which demonstrates how much its writer/director adores Shelley's now 207-year-old text, all of the love and care that he has taken with bringing it to life, and how well he has cast its characters. Isaac portrays the feature's namesake, aka Victor Frankenstein, the scientist driven by tragedy to attempt to conquer the line between life and what exists beyond it. As the trailer notes, "only monsters play god". As Victor advises himself, "in seeking life, I created death". Also uttered in the movie's first sneak peek, reinforcing its theme: "what manner of creature is that? What manner of devil made him?". Goth is Elizabeth, Victor's fiancée. From there, Christoph Waltz (Old Guy), Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu), Charles Dance (The Day of the Jackal), Lars Mikkelsen (Dalloway) and del Toro regular Burn Gorman (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak, Pinocchio) are also part of the cast. One of the film's biggest names belongs to the actor portraying Victor's creation, however, with Jacob Elordi taking on the role after already adding The Narrow Road to the Deep North to his resume this year. Frankenstein will never stop entrancing filmmakers, as it has James Whale back in 1931 when Karloff played the monster, Mel Brooks (Dracula: Dead and Loving It) with 1974 comedy Young Frankenstein, Kenneth Branagh (A Haunting in Venice) on his 1994 take, Danny Boyle (Yesterday) with his stage adaptation, Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) via Frankenweenie and Yorgis Lanthimos (Kinds of Kindness) in Poor Things, plus Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) with 2026's The Bride!, just to name a few examples. But, based on the first trailer, seeing del Toro take on Shelley's work looks set to dazzle. Check out the initial teaser trailer for Frankenstein below: Frankenstein will release via Netflix sometime in November 2025 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. Images: Netflix.
There are 11,761 beaches in Australia. So it goes without saying that choosing the nation's most epic stretches of sand is no easy feat. Still, we've taken on the challenge. And, having considered the entire coastline, we've teamed up with Jim Beam to come up with ten of the best beaches in Australia so you can book a group holiday — from South Australia's sweeping Coorong Beach, which is one of the longest beaches in the world, to Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, which is famous for its incredible beauty, rather than its length. Remote and not close to major cities, these are not your local favourites — these are the top beaches in Australia. Get your bucket list ready, hit up the group chat (because every beach adventure is best enjoyed together) and start planning your next waterside getaway to at least one of them. Recommended reads: The Best Coastal Spots for Whale Watching Across Australia The Best Islands to Visit in Australia The Best Beaches in Sydney The Best Glamping Sites in Australia [caption id="attachment_694321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] NINETY MILE BEACH, VICTORIA Sometimes, size does matter. That's true in the case of Ninety Mile Beach, which is actually 94 miles — or 151 kilometres — long, making it one of the longest beaches in the world. It runs along the state's northeastern coastline, parallel to the (also epic) Gippsland Lakes. And there are all kinds of adventures on offer. Spend days (and days) wandering along the sand, uninterrupted by rocks or headlands while soaking up the surf and looking out for whales. Visit Ninety Mile's cute seaside towns, like Woodside, Seaspray and Golden Beach. And, if you're a camper who's happy to swap creature comforts for serenity, pitch your tent at Emu Bight, on the shores of Lake Victoria within The Lakes National Park, and use this guide to explore the water. Editors note: Emu Bight is currently closed due to bushfires in the nearby area. Check the government's Emu Bight site for more updated info. [caption id="attachment_743661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] RED ROCK BEACH, NEW SOUTH WALES Some beaches are epic, not only for themselves, but for what surrounds them. Take Red Rock, 30 minutes' drive north of Coffs Harbour. The Australian beach takes its name from its stunning headland, a 20-metre-high formation of 300-million-year-old jasper, also known as red quartz. Much of the sand is backdropped by national park and keen hikers should conquer the 65-kilometre multi-day Yuraygir Coastal Walk — or at least a section of it. If you find yourself needing human civilisation, visit the tiny coastal community of Corindi, where you can camp or stay in a cabin at Reflections Holiday Park. Take your time exploring the area and Red Rock Beach, one of the best beaches in Australia. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] WHITEHAVEN BEACH, QUEENSLAND Whitehaven Beach was famous for its looks even before Instagram existed. Located on Whitsunday Island, this seven-kilometre-long wonder is known for its sand, which, made of silica, is among the whitest, brightest and purest on the planet. To visit, you'll need to climb aboard a tour from Airlie Beach — be it by yacht, powerboat, ferry or seaplane. You'll be sorely tempted to take a dip in the crystal clear waters when visiting Whitehaven Beach, easily one of the best beaches in Australia. And, for extraordinary views of the beach, island and surrounds, get yourself to Tongue Point Lookout. If you'd like to stay overnight, there are several campsites nearby. [caption id="attachment_743612" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CAPE TRIBULATION BEACH, QUEENSLAND Cape Tribulation in Queensland's Far North is where two Heritage-listed wildernesses — the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest — come together. Cape Tribulation Beach is the first one north of the cape, around two hours' drive north of Port Douglas. Begin your adventures at Kulki with a ten-minute stroll to Cape Tribulation Lookout, which looks north over Cape Tribulation Beach, backdropped by mountains. And to add a second sandy spot to your itinerary, take the one-hour Cape Tribulation to Mason's Store walk, for views of Myall Beach. [caption id="attachment_743652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] COORONG BEACH, SOUTH AUSTRALIA This breathtaking stretch of sand forms the southwestern border of Coorong National Park, on South Australia's southeast coast. It runs for around 220 kilometres, between Port Elliot in the north and Cape Jaffa in the south — and it's considered the longest beach in Australia. It's also where the Murray River meets the sea, after a 2500-kilometre journey from the Australian Alps. Just behind Coorong Beach are the Coorong Wetlands, where the original Storm Boy (1977) film was shot. Consider a paddling tour along one of the best beaches in Australia, be it a three-hour sunset fling or a multi-day expedition. Keep your eyes peeled for threatened species, including the orange-bellied parrot, freckled duck and southern bell frog. [caption id="attachment_743610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] 75 MILE BEACH, QUEENSLAND Another beach that's legendary for its awesome size is 75 Mile Beach on K'gari. This sandy behemoth forms most of the east coast of the island — which is the world's biggest sand island — and lies just off the coast, around six hours' drive north of Brisbane. The attractions here aren't just endless sea and sky, but also multicoloured and adventurous. Yes, there are sharks in the water and dingos on land, but the main attraction here is the length of the beach. Consequently, one of the most popular ways to travel 75 Mile Beach is by 4WD tour. That said, you can also go exploring on foot and camp or glamp at the dedicated Beach Camp Fraser Island. And be sure to stop off at Nudey Beach, which was named the best beach in Australia for 2018. [caption id="attachment_743683" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill, Tourism Tasmania[/caption] WINEGLASS BAY, TASMANIA Like Queensland's Whitehaven Beach, Tasmania's Wineglass Bay is known all over the world for its good looks. As you've no doubt guessed, the bay gets its name from its smooth curves, which resemble a wine glass. You'll find one of the beast beaches in Australia on on Tassie's east coast, within Freycinet National Park. To get some perspective, follow the three-kilometre walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout from Wineglass Bay car park. An even more epic adventure is the full-day Hazards Beach to Wineglass Bay Circuit, an 11-kilometre hike that takes in two beaches, wilderness and pretty views. [caption id="attachment_743719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] CABLE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Cable Beach, on the edge of Broome, is best known for its camel rides. Every evening, the humped beasts traipse along the shoreline, delivering tourists to some of the most beautiful sunsets in Australia, if not the world. It's hard to think of a better way to experience Cable Beach. But, if that's not your thing, you can hire a bike and cycle along the sand. Alternatively, settle for relaxing on the sand, swimming or sipping cocktails when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia. As well as its white sand, Cable Beach is famous for its rich red ochre cliffs, which create a striking contrast with the blue, blue sky. [caption id="attachment_743663" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Stanley via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] COSSIES BEACH, COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS Add a bit of island hopping to your beachy bucket list chasing with a quick getaway to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. These magical wonderlands of coral are in the middle of the Indian Ocean, a 4.5-hour flight west of Perth — which is pretty far-flung, but they're still considered an Australian territory. There's no shortage of gorgeous beaches, but one of the most magnificent is Cossies, on Direction Island, which beach expert Brad Farmer named Australia's best beach in his book 101 Best Beaches 2017. Keen snorkellers should definitely spend some time at the Rip, a haven of colourful corals, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, reef sharks and other intriguing underwater creatures. And if you're looking for a place to stay when visiting one of the best beaches in Australia, try nabbing a room at Cocos Seaview. [caption id="attachment_743664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Linear77 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] EIGHTY MILE BEACH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA One of the best things about Western Australia's many beaches is that they come with sunsets. And, on Eighty Mile Beach — which sprawls between Port Hedland and Broome — you get 220 kilometres of them. It's also a marine park, so you can count on plenty of sea life, including dugongs, dolphins, sawfish and flatback turtles, that come here to nest. Spend your time looking out for these and other wondrous creatures, or get into some strolling, swimming or fishing. There are spots to camp, too, including Cape Keraudren Coastal Reserve. Like Jim Beam, surfing and other outdoor adventures are all about bringing people together, so get out there this summer and find your tribe in the great outdoors. Top images: Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.
Before you install that hot tub in your backyard, allow HotTug to welcome you to the future. A wood stove in the front of the boat heats the 2000 litres of water to a toasty temperature. You can rent the HutTug in two different versions, one with integrated electric motor of 2.4 KW and another with outboard engine. The office is located in The Netherlands, but don't panic: international rentals and sales (starting at around 9,000 Euros) are possible. HotTug is available in the standard black but is available in blue and red, too. All you have to do is find some friends, pick a colour and before you know it you'll be hanging out in water submerged in more water.
The inimitable terrain of Julio Torres' mind. Japan from centuries ago. Italy in black and white. Brisbane in the 80s. Another multiverse. Another wasteland, too. These are some of the places that 2024's best new television shows across its first six months have taken viewers — be it with laughs, heart, thrills, scheming, bloodshed, ghouls or multiple Joel Edgertons. No one can say that there's been nothing that's new and good to watch between January–June, then. In today's streaming age, no one can make that claim anyway at any time, because there's always something joining a platform somewhere. So if you don't already have your own list of 2024 highlights, you must've been avoiding the small screen. Don't worry — we're here with 15 recommendations. Do you feel like slinking into a spectacular spy series that's also about a relationship, and puts a Brangelina movie to shame? That's also among our cream-of-the-crop TV picks for 2024's first half. So is the based-on-a-true-story Netflix surprise that got everyone talking — and that no one will forget after they've seen it. Here's the full list, ready for you to binge your way through now or help fill the rest of the year's couch time, whichever suits you. Fantasmas With Fantasmas, creator, writer, director and star Julio Torres welcomes viewers into a world that couldn't have been conjured up by anyone else but the former Saturday Night Live scribe, who then became the co-guiding force behind Los Espookys and filmmaker responsible for Problemista. Torres also leaves his audience grateful that they exist in this particular world, where HBO has given him the means and support to make a comedy series so singular, so clearly the work of a visionary and so gloriously surreal. Fantasmas has no peers beyond Torres' work, other than the patron saint of spilling the contents of your mind and heart onto the screen with zero willingness to compromise or hold back: David Lynch. That said, even that comparison — and the utmost of praise that comes with it — can't prepare viewers for a show where clear crayons are one idea whipped up by the on-screen Julio, another sees Steve Buscemi (Curb Your Enthusiasm) playing the letter Q as an avant-garde outsider, Santa Claus is taken to court by elves (including SNL's Bowen Yang), and series-within-a-series MELF riffs on 80s and 90s hit sitcom ALF but starring Paul Dano (Spaceman) and featuring quite the twist on its alien-adopting premise. As the sets appear like exactly sets but with a DIY spin, star-studded cameos stack up, and absurdist vignettes pop in and out to flesh out Julio's mindscape as much as the futuristic realm imagined by the IRL Torres, there is an overarching narrative at the core of Fantasmas. The series' take on Julio trades in concepts, plus in being unflinchingly himself, but doing anything is impossible without a Proof of Existence ID card in this dystopia. He's on a quest to secure one, which isn't straightforward. In the process, he's also searching for a tiny gold oyster earring, and pondering whether to upload his consciousness and jettison his body. By his side: robot companion Bibo (Joe Rumrill, The Calling) and agent Vanesja (Martine Gutierrez, returning from Los Espookys and Problemista), who is really just a performance artist playing an agent. As phantasmagorical as everything that the show flings at the screen can get, which is very, it also tears into relatable issues such as societal status, class clashes, housing, capitalism's many woes and inequities, and the treatment of immigrants. As purposefully eager as it is to show its crafting and creativity, too, it does so to stress the fact that it's being made by people chasing a dream rather than corporations bowing to an algorithm. Fantasmas streams via Binge. Read our full review. Shōgun Casting Hiroyuki Sanada (John Wick: Chapter 4), Cosmo Jarvis (Persuasion) and Anna Sawai (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) as its three leads is one of Shōgun's masterstrokes. The new ten-part adaptation of James Clavell's 1975 novel — following a first version in 1980 that featured Japanese icon and frequent Akira Kurosawa collaborator Toshiro Mifune — makes plenty of other excellent moves, but this is still pivotal. Disney+'s richly detailed samurai series knows how to thrust its viewers into a deeply textured world from the outset, making having three complex performances at its centre an essential anchoring tactic. Sanada plays Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who is among the political candidates vying to take control of the country. Jarvis is John Blackthorne, a British sailor on a Dutch ship that has run aground in a place that its crew isn't sure is real until they get there. And Sawai is Toda Mariko, a Japanese noblewoman who is also tasked with translating. Each character's tale encompasses much more than those descriptions, of course, and the portrayals that bring them to the screen make that plain from the moment they're each first seen. As Game of Thrones and Succession both were, famously so, Shōgun is another drama that's all about fighting for supremacy. Like just the former, too, it's another sweeping epic series as well. Although it's impossible not to see those links, knowing that both battling over who'll seize power and stepping into sprawling worlds are among pop culture's favourite things right now (and for some time) doesn't make Shōgun any less impressive. The scale is grand, and yet it doesn't skimp on intimacy, either. The minutiae is meticulous, demanding that attention is paid to everything at all times. Gore is no stranger from the get-go. Opening in the 17th century, the series finds Japan in crisis mode, Toranaga facing enemies and Blackthorne among the first Englishmen that've made it to the nation — much to the alarm of Japan's sole European inhabitants from Portugal. Getting drawn in, including by the performances, is instantaneous. Shōgun proves powerful and engrossing immediately, and lavish and precisely made as well, with creators Justin Marks (Top Gun: Maverick) and Rachel Kondo (on her first TV credit) doing a spectacular job of bringing it to streaming queues. Shōgun streams via Disney+. Read our full review. Ripley Boasting The Night Of's Steven Zaillian as its sole writer and director — joining a list of credits that includes penning Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York and The Irishman, and also winning an Oscar for Schindler's List — the latest exquisite jump into the Ripley realm doesn't splash around black-and-white hues as a mere stylistic preference. In this new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 book, the setting is still coastal Italy at its most picturesque, and therefore a place that most would want to revel in visually; Anthony Minghella, The Talented Mr Ripley's director a quarter-century back, did so with an intoxicating glow. For Zaillian, however, stripping away the warm rays and beaches and hair, blue seas and skies, and tanned skin as well, ensures that all that glitters is never gold or even just golden in tone as he spends time with Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott, All of Us Strangers). There's never even a glint of a hint of a travelogue aesthetic, with viewers confronted with the starkness of Tom's choices and actions — he is a conman and worse, after all — plus the shadows that he persists in lurking in and the impossibility of ever grasping everything that he desires in full colour. On the page and on the screen both before and now, the overarching story remains the same, though, in this new definitive take on the character. It's the early 60s rather than the late 50s in Ripley, but Tom is in New York, running fake debt-collection schemes and clinging to the edges of high-society circles, when he's made a proposal that he was never going to refuse. Herbert Greenleaf (filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan, who has also acted in his own three features You Can Count on Me, Margaret and Manchester by the Sea) enlists him to sail to Europe to reunite with a friend, the shipping magnate's son Dickie (Johnny Flynn, One Life). As a paid gig, Tom is to convince the business heir to finally return home. But Dickie has no intention of giving up his Mediterranean leisure as he lackadaisically pursues painting — and more passionately spends his time with girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Dakota Fanning, The Equalizer 3) — to join the family business. Ripley streams via Netflix. Read our full review. Mr & Mrs Smith 2005 movie Mr & Mrs Smith isn't the first time that title adorned a spy caper about a literally killer couple. That honour goes not to the Brad Pitt (Babylon)- and Angelina Jolie (Eternals)-starring, Brangelina-sparking film, but to a 90s TV series. No one remembers 1996's Mr & Mrs Smith, where Scott Bakula (who was not long off Quantum Leap at the time) and Maria Bello (Beef) took on the eponymous parts. It didn't last, with just nine episodes airing and a further four made but left unseen. But its existence gives 2024's Mr & Mrs Smith a full-circle vibe, with Donald Glover (Atlanta) and Maya Erskine's (PEN15) now both adopting the monikers and ushering the premise back to episodic storytelling. Bakula and Bello's Mr & Mrs Smith didn't inspire Pitt and Jolie's; however, the latter did give rise to Glover and Erskine's — and any history isn't mere trivia. Instead, it speaks to a concept that's so appealing that it keeps being reused, whether coincidentally or knowingly, and to an idea that's now being given its full Mr & Mrs Smith due, in line with True Lies and The Americans: that relationships are mysteries, missions and investigations. The backstory behind Glover and Erskine bringing glorious chemistry to John and Jane Smith doesn't stop there, because Mr & Mrs Smith circa 2024 has been in the works for three years. When announced in February 2021, it was with Atlanta-meets-Fleabag hopes, with Glover co-starring and co-creating with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny). Then creative differences with Glover saw Waller-Bridge — who also co-wrote the No Time to Die screenplay and created Killing Eve — leave the project within six months. While it's impossible to know how that iteration of Mr & Mrs Smith would've turned out, whether with more overt comedy, talkier or boasting a darker tone, Glover's interpretation with fellow Atlanta alum Francesca Sloane lives up to the promise of two creatives from one of the 21st century's best dramedies turning their attention to espionage and romance. There's an intimacy, a lived-in feel and hangout charm to this Mr & Mrs Smith, even as it swaps Brangelina's already-wed pair discovering that they're assassin rivals for a duo only tying the knot for the gig. Mr and Mrs Smith streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. Baby Reindeer A person walking into a bar. The words "sent from my iPhone". A comedian pouring their experiences into a one-performer play. A twisty true-crime tale making the leap to the screen. All four either feature in, inspired or describe Baby Reindeer. All four are inescapably familiar, too, but the same can't be said about this seven-part Netflix series. Written by and starring Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, and also based on his real-life experiences, this is a bleak, brave, revelatory, devastating and unforgettable psychological thriller. It does indeed begin with someone stepping inside a pub — and while Gadd plays a comedian on-screen as well, don't go waiting for a punchline. When Martha (Jessica Gunning, The Outlaws) enters The Heart in Camden, London in 2015, Donny Dunn (Gadd, Wedding Season) is behind the counter. "I felt sorry for her. That's the first feeling I felt," the latter explains via voiceover. Perched awkwardly on a stool at the bar, Martha is whimpering to herself. She says that she can't afford to buy a drink, even a cup of tea. Donny takes pity, offering her one for free — and her face instantly lights up. That's the fateful moment, one of sorrow met with kindness, that ignites Baby Reindeer's narrative and changes Donny's life. After that warm beverage, The Heart instantly has a new regular. Sipping Diet Cokes from then on (still on the house), Martha is full of stories about all of the high-profile people that she knows and her high-flying lawyer job. But despite insisting that she's constantly busy, she's also always at the bar when Donny is at work, sticking around for his whole shifts. She chats incessantly about herself, folks that he doesn't know and while directing compliments Donny's way. He's in his twenties, she's in her early forties — and he can see that she's smitten, letting her flirt. He notices her laugh. He likes the attention, not to mention getting his ego stroked. While he doesn't reciprocate her feelings, he's friendly. She isn't just an infatuated fantasist, however; she's chillingly obsessed to an unstable degree. She finds his email address, then starts messaging him non-stop when she's not nattering at his workplace. (IRL, Gadd received more than 40,000 emails.) Baby Reindeer streams via Netflix. Read our full review. Such Brave Girls If Such Brave Girls seems close to reality, that's because it is. In the A24 co-produced series — which joins the cult-favourite entertainment company's TV slate alongside other standouts such as Beef, Irma Vep, Mo and The Curse over the past two years — sisters Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson both star and take inspiration from their lives and personalities. Making their TV acting debuts together, the pair also play siblings. Josie (Sadler) and Billie (Davidson), their on-screen surrogates, are navigating life's lows not only when the show's six-part first season begins, but as it goes on. The entire setup was sparked by a phone conversation between the duo IRL, when one had attempted to take her life twice and the other was £20,000 in debt. For most, a sitcom wouldn't come next; however, laughing at and lampooning themselves, and seeing the absurdity as well, is part of Such Brave Girls' cathartic purpose for its driving forces. If you've ever thought "what else can you do?" when finding yourself inexplicably chuckling at your own misfortune, that's this series — this sharp, unsparing, candid, complex and darkly comedic series — from start to finish. Creating the three-time BAFTA-nominated show, writing it and leading, Sadler plays Josie as a bundle of nerves and uncertainty. The character is in her twenties, struggling with her mental health and aspiring to be an artist, but is largely working her way through a never-ending gap year. Davidson's Billie is the eternally optimistic opposite — albeit really only about the fact that Nicky (Sam Buchanan, Back to Black), the guy that she's hooking up with, will eventually stop cheating on her, fall in love and whisk her away to Manchester to open a vodka bar bearing her name. Both girls live at home with their mother Deb (Louise Brealey, Lockwood & Co), who also sees a relationship as the solution to her problems, setting her sights on the iPad-addicted Dev (Paul Bazely, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) a decade after Josie and Billie's father went out for teabags and never came home. With actor-slash-director Simon Bird behind the lens — alongside first-timer Marco Alessi on one episode — if Such Brave Girls seems like it belongs in the same acerbically comedic realm as The Inbetweeners and Everyone Else Burns, there's a reason for that, too. Such Brave Girls streams via Stan. Read our full review. Boy Swallows Universe A magical-realist coming-of-age tale, a clear-eyed family drama, a twisty crime and detective thriller, a time capsule of Brisbane in the 80s: since first hitting the page in 2018, Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe has worn its happy flitting between different genres and tones, and constant seesawing from hope to heartbreak and back again, as confidently as readers have long envisaged Eli Bell's wide grin. That hopping and jumping, that refusal to be just one type of story and stick to a single mood, has always made sense on the page — and in the excellent seven-part adaptation that now brings Australia's fastest-selling debut novel ever to the screen, it also couldn't feel more perfect. As played by the charmingly talented Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom), Eli's smile is indeed big. As scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Hotel Mumbai), and with Dalton among the executive producers, the miniseries embraces its multitudes wholeheartedly. Like style, like substance: a semi-autobiographical novel penned by a writer and journalist who lived variations of plenty that he depicts, learned and accepted early that everyone has flaws, and patently has the imagination of someone who coped with life's hardships as a child by escaping into dreams of an existence more fanciful, Dalton's tome and every iteration that it inspires has to be many things in one bustling package. Its characters are, after all. Seeing people in general, parts of a city usually overlooked, and folks with complicated histories or who've made questionable choices — those forced in particular directions out of financial necessity, too — in more than just one fashion flutters at the centre of Boy Swallows Universe. In the Australian Book Industry Awards' 2019 Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year, and now on streaming, Eli's nearest and dearest demand it. So does the enterprising Darra-dwelling 12-year-old boy who knows how to spy the best in those he loves, but remains well-aware of their struggles. His older brother Gus (Lee Tiger Halley, The Heights) hasn't spoken since they were younger, instead drawing messages in the sky with his finger, but is as fiercely protective as elder siblings get. Doting and dedicated mum Frankie (Phoebe Tonkin, Babylon) is a recovering heroin addict with a drug dealer for a partner. And Lyle Orlik (Travis Fimmel, Black Snow), that mullet-wearing stepfather, cares deeply about Eli and Gus — including when Eli convinces him to let him join his deliveries. Boy Swallows Universe streams via Netflix. Read our full review, and our interview with Bryan Brown. Exposure When the words "DO NOT MESSAGE" greet someone that's looking through their friend's phone, curiosity kicks in. When that mysterious contact is spied, plus a list of deleted texts and apologies for unintended hurt, immediately after your best mate has taken her own life and left you to find their body, uncovering the person on the other end of the thread becomes an obsession. Twenty-seven-year-old photographer Jacs (Alice Englert, Bad Behaviour) is all impulse and immediate gratification when Exposure begins, when she's at a rave hooking up with a stranger and dancing with her lifelong BFF Kel (Mia Artemis, Anyone But You). The next morning, everything changes forever, except a haunting truth that no one likes realising when tragedy strikes: our worst moments alter us forever, but they can't fix our worst traits or paper over our other traumas. So Jacs keeps being Jacs as she heads home from Sydney to Port Kembla, where she'll barely let her mother Kathy (Essie Davis, One Day) and Kel's ex Angus (Thomas Weatherall, Heartbreak High) lend their support, and where her self-sabotaging spiral only gains momentum as she attempts to turn amateur, fixated, dogged detective. Pain ran in the family in the aforementioned Bad Behaviour, the 2023 New Zealand film — not to be confused with the 2023 Australian miniseries that streamed via Stan, as Exposure also does — that Englert made her feature directorial debut with, plus penned and co-starred in. The movie told of a former child actor (Jennifer Connolly, Dark Matter) and her stunt-performer daughter working through their baggage around the former's attendance at a new-age retreat. Filmmaking talent also ran in the family, given that Englert is the offspring of Oscar-winner Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog). While she's solely on-screen this time, with Lucy Coleman (Hot Mess) scripting and Bonnie Moir (Love Me) helming, Englert is superb again, including at excavating life's agonies once more. Exposure's moniker applies in multiple ways, spanning the controversial contents of an award-winning snap, facing past distresses, playing sleuth and confronting your own chaos — and it equally fits the raw and rich performance at the centre of this six-parter, which also showcases Davis and Weatherall's typically excellent work. Exposure streams via Stan. The Vince Staples Show It was true when Seinfeld made a series about a real-life standup comedian playing a fictionalised version of himself one of the world's biggest sitcoms in the 90s. It remained accurate when Larry David started riffing on his own existence in Curb Your Enthusiasm — and also when Pete Davidson leapt from making his life movie fodder in The King of Staten Island to turning it into TV in Bupkis. Donald Glover wasn't directly referencing his own career in Atlanta, and neither The Other Two nor Girls5eva bring exact replicas of real-life figures to the screen, but the same idea pumps through them as well: fame or proximity to it doesn't stop anyone from grappling with life's frustrating minutiae. Add The Vince Staples Show to the list, with the five-part series featuring its namesake as a take on himself. Whether or not you know who he is is part of the show's joke. On- and off- screen, he's a rapper and actor. Staples' very real single 'Norf Norf' gets quoted to him in the TV comedy. The fact that he's been in Abbott Elementary is referenced in the debut episode. But just attempting to have an ordinary day doing everyday things in an average way — driving home, heading to the bank, attending a family reunion, visiting an amusement park and returning to his old school — is as impossible for him as it is for us all. Sometimes, Staples' celebrity complicates matters in The Vince Staples Show. It also never helps. Usually, he's stuck navigating Murphy's law, so asking for a loan ends up with him caught up in a robbery, while endeavouring to source something decent to eat at a theme park takes him on an absurdist odyssey that winks at David Lynch and the Coen brothers. Having an entertainment career doesn't stop him from being confused for someone else by the police (Killing It's Scott MacArthur, You People's Bryan Greenberg and The Menu's Arturo Castro) — the same cops who ask for free tickets to his shows while they're locking him up — or ensure that cashiers treat him politely. If it assists with anything, it's with giving Staples a deadpan acceptance that anything and everything might come his way. Twice asked if something interesting happened during his day by his girlfriend Deja (Andrea Ellsworth, Truth Be Told), his reply is "not really", even though viewers have just witnessed the exact opposite in both instances. The Vince Staples Show streams via Netflix. Read our full review Dark Matter When an Australian actor makes it big, it can feel as if there's more than one of them. Joel Edgerton, who has been on local screens for almost three decades and made the leap to Hollywood with the Australian-shot Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, is such a talent. He's usually everywhere and in almost everything (such as The Stranger, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Thirteen Lives, Master Gardener, I'm a Virgo, The Boys in the Boat and Bluey in just the past two years), and viewers would follow him anywhere. Dark Matter wasn't written to capitalise upon that idea. Rather, it hails from the page of Blake Crouch's 2016 novel, with the author also creating the new nine-part sci-fi series that it's based on. But the show's lead casting leans into the notion that you can never have too much Edgerton by multiplying him in the multiverse. For the characters in Dark Matter, however, the fact that there's more than a single Jason Dessen causes considerable issues. The series' protagonist is a former experimental physics genius-turned-professor in Chicago. He's married to artist-turned-gallerist Daniela (Jennifer Connelly, Bad Behaviour), a father to teenager Charlie (Oakes Fegley, The Fabelmans) and the best friend of award-winning college pal Ryan Holder (Jimmi Simpson, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). And, he's been happy living the quiet family life, although pangs of envy quietly arise when he's celebrating Ryan's prestigious new accolade. Then, when another Jason pops up to pull off a kidnapping and doppelgänger plot, he's soon navigating a cross between Sliding Doors and Everything Everywhere All At Once. Everything is a multiverse tale of late, but Dark Matter is also a soul-searching "what if?" drama, exploring the human need to wonder what might've been if just one choice — sometimes big, sometimes small — had veered in a different direction. While a box is pivotal mode of transport like this is Doctor Who, as are all manner of worlds to visit, this is high-concept sci-fi at its most grounded. Neither version of Jason wants to hop through parallel worlds in the name of adventure or exploration — they're simply chasing their idea of everyday perfection. Dark Matter streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. Fallout A young woman sheltered in the most literal sense there is, living her entire life in one of the subterranean facilities where humanity endeavours to start anew. A TV and movie star famed for his roles in westerns, then entertaining kids, then still alive but irradiated 219 years after the nuclear destruction of Los Angeles. An aspiring soldier who has never known anything but a devastated world, clinging to hopes of progression through the military. All three walk into the wasteland in Fallout, the live-action adaptation of the gaming series that first arrived in 1997. All three cross paths in an attempt to do all that anyone can in a post-apocalyptic hellscape: survive. So goes this leap into a world that's had millions mashing buttons through not only the OG game, but also three released sequels — a fourth is on the way — plus seven spinoffs. Even with Westworld' Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy as executive producers, giving Fallout the flesh-and-blood treatment is a massive and ambitious task. But where 2023 had The Last of Us, 2024 now has this; both are big-name dystopian titles that earned legions of devotees through gaming, and both are excellent in gripping and immersive fashion at making the move to television. Fallout's vision of one of the bleakest potential futures splits its focus between Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell, Yellowjackets), who has no concept of how humanity can exist on the surface when the show kicks off; Cooper Howard aka bounty hunter The Ghoul (Walton Goggins, I'm a Virgo), the screen gunslinger who saw the bombs fall and now wields weapons IRL; and Maximus (Aaron Moten, Emancipation), a trainee for the Brotherhood of Steel, which is committed to restoring order by throwing around its might (and using robotic armour). The show's lead casting is gleaming, to the point that imagining anyone but this trio of actors as Lucy, Howard-slash-The Ghoul and Maximus is impossible. Where else has Walton's resume, with its jumps between law-and-order efforts, westerns traditional and neo, and comedy — see: The Shield, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, The Hateful Eight, Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones, as a mere few examples — been leading than here? (And, next, also season three of The White Lotus.) Fallout streams via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten. The Sympathizer Fresh from winning an Oscar for getting antagonistic in times gone by as United States Atomic Energy Commission chair Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr gets antagonistic in times gone by again in The Sympathizer — as a CIA handler, a university professor, a politician and a Francis Ford Coppola-esque filmmaker on an Apocalypse Now-style movie, for starters. In another addition to his post-Marvel resume that emphasises how great it is to see him stepping into the shoes of someone other than Tony Stark, he takes on multiple roles in this espionage-meets-Vietnam War drama, which adapts Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. But Downey Jr is never the show's lead, which instead goes to Australian Hoa Xuande (Last King of the Cross). The latter plays the Captain, who works for South Vietnamese secret police in Saigon before the city's fall, and is also a spy for the North Vietnamese communist forces. It's his memories, as typed out at a reeducation camp, that guide the seven-part miniseries' narrative — jumping back and forth in time, as recollections do, including to his escape to America. As the Captain relays the details of his mission and attempts to work both sides, The Sympathizer isn't just flitting between flashbacks as a structural tactic. The act of remembering is as much a focus as the varied contents of the Captain's memories — to the point that rewinding to add more context to a scene that's just been shown, or noting that he didn't specifically witness something but feels as if he can fill in the gap, also forms the storytelling approach. Perspective and influence are high among the show's concerns, too, as the Captain navigates the sway of many colonial faces (making Downey Jr's multiple roles a powerful and revealing touch) both in Vietnam and in the US. Behind it all off-screen is a filmmaker with a history of probing the tales that we tell ourselves and get others believing, as seen in stone-cold revenge-thriller classic Oldboy, 2022's best film Decision to Leave and 2018 miniseries The Little Drummer Girl: the inimitable Park Chan-wook. He co-created The Sympathizer for the screen with Don McKellar (Blindness) and it always bears is imprint, whether or not he's directing episodes — he helms three — with his piercing style, or getting help from Fernando Meirelles (who has been busy with this and Sugar) and Marc Munden (The Third Day). The Sympathizer streams via Binge. Read our full review. Constellation If a great getaway to a beach, island or faraway city can be life-changing, what does a journey to space do? So ponders Constellation, among other questions. Inquiries are sparked instantly, from the moment that a mother in a cabin in northern Sweden, where there's snow as far as the eye can see but a frost infecting more than just the temperature, leaves her pre-teen daughter to follow a voice. The screams that she seeks out are yelling "mama!" — and what they mean, and why she's abandoning one girl to find another, is just one of the matters that Constellation interrogates. The woman is Jo Ericsson, as played by Noomi Rapace with the maternal devotion that also marked her turn in Lamb, plus the protective instincts that were key in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant as well — and the fierceness that helped bring her to fame as Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo films. Jo, an astronaut, is Europe's representative on the International Space Station when Constellation jumps backwards from its opening icy horror to a different kind of terror. Not long out from returning back to earth, she FaceTimes with her nine-year-old daughter Alice (Rosie and Davina Coleman, The Larkins) and husband Magnus (James D'Arcy, Oppenheimer). Then, something goes bump in the sky. Trauma leaves people changed, too; what if this incident, during which setting foot on our pale blue dot again is anything but assured, isn't the only distressing facet of travelling to the heavens? On the at-risk ISS, on a spacewalk to locate the source of the collision, Jo finds the mummified body of what looks like a 60s-era Russian cosmonaut. There'll soon be another astronaut dead inside the station, destroyed infrastructure, the first escape pod shuttling her three remaining colleagues back to terra firma and Jo left alone trying to repair the second so that she herself can alight home. Where both Gravity and Moon spring to mind in Constellation's initial space-set scenes, plus Proxima in the show's focus on mother-daughter connections (Interstellar, Ad Astra and First Man have dads covered), it's the earthbound Dark that feels like a touchstone once Jo is back among her loved ones. There's a similar moodiness to this series, which also features Nobel Prize-winning former Apollo astronaut Henry Caldera (Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul), who has had his own incidents in space — and there's a feeling that characters can't always trust what they think is plainly apparent to the show, too, plus a certainty that nothing is simply linear about what's occurring. Constellation streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Jonathan Banks. Sugar Colin Farrell's recent hot streak continues. After a busy few years that've seen him earn Oscar and BAFTA nominations for The Banshees of Inisherin, collect a Gotham Awards nod for After Yang, steal scenes so heartily in The Batman that TV spinoff The Penguin is on the way and pick up the Satellite Awards' attention for The North Water, Sugar now joins his resume. The Irish actor's television credits are still few — and, until his True Detective stint in 2015, far between — but it's easy to see what appealed to him about leading this mystery series. From the moment that the Los Angeles-set noir effort begins — in Tokyo, in fact — it drips with intrigue. Farrell's John Sugar, the show's namesake, is a suave private detective who takes a big Hollywood case against his handler Ruby's (Kirby, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) recommendation. He's soon plunged into shadowy City of Angels chaos, bringing The Big Sleep, Chinatown, LA Confidential and Under the Silver Lake to mind, and loving movie history beyond sharing the same genre as said flicks. Softly spoken, always crispy dressed, understandably cynical and frequently behind the wheel of a blue vintage convertible, Sugar, the PI, is a film fan. The series bakes that love and its own links to cinema history into its very being through spliced-in clips and references elsewhere — and also foregrounds the idea that illusions, aka what Tinseltown so eagerly sells via its celluloid dreams, are inescapable in its narrative in the process. Twists come, not just including a brilliant move that reframes everything that comes before, but as Sugar endeavours to track down Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler, Don't Worry Darling). She's the granddaughter of worried legendary film producer Jonathan (James Cromwell, Succession); daughter of less-concerned (and less-renowned) fellow producer Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris, Better Call Saul); half-sister of former child star David (Nate Corddry, Barry), who is on the comeback trail; and ex-step daughter of pioneering rocker Melanie (Amy Ryan, Beau Is Afraid). Trying to find her inspires heated opposition. Also sparked: an excellently cast series that splashes its affection of film noir and LA movies gone by across its frames, but is never afraid to be its own thing. Sugar streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review, and our interview with Kirby and Simon Kinberg. Criminal Record It was accurate with side-splitting hilarity in The Thick of It, as dripping with heartbreak in Benediction and in the world of Doctor Who in-between: Peter Capaldi is one of Scotland's most fascinating actors today. Criminal Record uses his can't-look-away presence to excellent effect, casting him as DCI Daniel Hegarty, one of the eight-part series' two key detectives. By day, the no-nonsense Hegarty is a force to be reckoned with on the force. By night, he moonlights as a driver, seeing much that lingers in London as he's behind the wheel. In his not-so-distant past is a case that brings DS June Lenker (Cush Jumbo, The Good Fight) into his orbit — a case that she's certain is linked to a distressed emergency call by a woman trying to flee domestic abuse, and who says that her partner has already committed murder, gotten away with it and sent another man to prison for the crime in the process. Hegarty contends otherwise, and gruffly, but Lenker is determined to discover the truth, find her potential victim, ascertain whether someone innocent is in jail and learn why every move she makes to dig deeper comes with professional retaliation. This is no odd-couple cop show. It's largely a two-hander, however — and saying that it couldn't be better cast is an understatement. Capaldi is already someone who makes every moment that he's on-screen better. So is Jumbo, which makes watching them face off as riveting as television gets. Passive aggression oozes from the frame when Hegarty and Lenker first confront each other. Tension drips throughout the series relentlessly, but do so with particular vigour whenever its key cops are in close proximity. Criminal Record doesn't waste time keeping audiences guessing about who's dutifully taking their role as part of the thin blue line and who's part of policing at its most corrupt; instead, it lets those two sides that are both meant to be on the upstanding end of the law-and-order divide clash, surveying the damage that ripples not just through the fuzz but also the community. While twists and mysteries are also layered in, they regularly come second to Criminal Record's extraordinary performances, plus its thematic willingness to tear into what policing should be, can be and often is. Criminal Record streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. We also keep a running list of must-stream TV from across the year so far, complete with full reviews.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 13 that you can watch right now at home. CRIMES OF THE FUTURE It takes a brave filmmaker to see cancer and climate change, and think of art, evolution and eroticism in a possible future. It takes a bold director to have a character proclaim that "surgery is the new sex", too. David Cronenberg has always been that kind of visionary, even before doing all of the above in his sublime latest release — and having the Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly helmer back on his body-horror bent for the first time in more than two decades is exactly the wild and weird dream that cinephiles want it to be. The Canadian auteur makes his first movie at all since 2014's Maps to the Stars, in fact, and this tale of pleasure and pain is as Cronenbergian as anything can be. He borrows Crimes of the Future's title from his second-ever feature dating back 50-plus years, brings all of his corporeal fascinations to the fore, and moulds a viscerally and cerebrally mesmerising film that it feels like he's always been working towards. Long live the new flesh, again. Long live the old Cronenberg as well. In this portrait of a potential time to come, the human body has undergone two significant changes. Three, perhaps, as glimpsed in a disquieting opening where an eight-year-old called Brecken (debutant Sotiris Siozos) snacks on a plastic bin, and is then murdered by his mother Djuna (Lihi Kornowski, Ballistic). That incident isn't unimportant, but Crimes of the Future has other departures from today's status quo to carve into — and they're equally absorbing. Physical agony has disappeared, creating a trade in "desktop surgery" as performance art. Also, a condition dubbed Accelerated Evolution Syndrome causes some folks, such as artist Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen, Thirteen Lives), to grow abnormal organs. These tumours are removed and tattooed in avant-garde shows by his doctor/lover Caprice (Léa Seydoux, No Time to Die), then catalogued by the National Organ Register's Wippit (Don McKellar, reteaming with Cronenberg after eXistenZ) and Timlin (Kristen Stewart, Spencer). Crimes of the Future is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. NOPE Kudos to Jordan Peele for giving his third feature as a writer/director a haters-gonna-hate-hate-hate name: for anyone unimpressed with Nope, the response is right there. Kudos, too, to the Get Out and Us filmmaker for making his third bold, intelligent and supremely entertaining horror movie in a row — a reach-for-the-skies masterpiece that's ambitious and eerie, imaginative and expertly crafted, as savvy about cinema as it is about spectacle, and inspires the exact opposite term to its moniker. Reteaming with Peele after nabbing an Oscar nomination for Get Out, Daniel Kaluuya utters the titular word more than once in Nope. Exclaiming "yep" in your head each time he does is an instant reaction. Everything about the film evokes that same thrilled endorsement, but it comes particularly easily whenever Kaluuya's character surveys the wild and weird events around him. We say yay to his nays because we know we'd respond the same way if confronted by even half the chaos that Peele whooshes through the movie. As played with near-silent weariness by the always-excellent Judas and the Black Messiah Oscar-winner, Haywood's Hollywood Horses trainer OJ doesn't just dismiss the strange thing in the heavens, though. He can't, even if he doesn't realise the full extent of what's happening when his father (Keith David, Love Life) suddenly slumps on his steed on an otherwise ordinary day. Six months later, OJ and his sister Emerald (Keke Palmer, Lightyear) are trying to keep the family business, which dates back to the 1800s, running. The presence lurking above the Haywoods' Agua Dulce property soon requires just as much attention, though. Just as Get Out saw Peele reinterrogate the possession movie and Us did the same with doppelgängers, Nope goes all in on flying saucers. So, Emerald wants the kind of proof that only video footage can offer. She wants her "Oprah shot", as well as a hefty payday. Soon, the brother-sister duo are buying new surveillance equipment — which piques the interest of UFO-obsessed electronics salesman Angel Torres (Brandon Perea, The OA) — and also enlisting renowned cinematographer Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott, Veni Vidi Vici) to capture the lucrative image. Nope is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE BLACK PHONE The Black Phone didn't need to star Ethan Hawke. In a way, it doesn't really. Fresh from Moon Knight and The Northman, Hawke is definitely in this unsettling 1978-set horror film. He's also exceptional in it. But, his top billing springs from his name recognition and acting-veteran status rather than his screen time. Instead, superb up-and-comer Mason Thames gets the bulk of the camera's attention in his first feature role. After him, equally outstanding young talent Madeleine McGraw (Ant-Man and The Wasp) comes next. They spend most of their time worrying about, hearing rumours of, hiding from, battling and/or trying to track down a mask-wearing, van-driving, child-snatching villain — the role that Hawke plays in a firmly supporting part, almost always beneath an eerie disguise. Visibly at least, anyone could've donned the same apparel and proven an on-screen source of menace. There's a difference between popping something creepy over your face and actually being creepy, though. Scary masks can do a lot of heavy lifting, but they're also just a made-to-frighten facade. Accordingly, when it comes to being truly petrifying, Hawke undoubtedly makes The Black Phone. He doesn't literally; his Sinister director Scott Derrickson helms, and also co-wrote the script with that fellow horror flick's C Robert Cargill, adapting a short story by Stephen King's son Joe Hill — and the five-decades-back look and feel, complete with amber and grey hues, plus a nerve-rattling score, are all suitably disquieting stylistic touches. But as the movie's nefarious attacker, who has been terrorising north Denver's suburban streets and soon has 13-year-old Finney Blake (Thames) in his sights, Hawke is unnervingly excellent, and also almost preternaturally unnerving in every moment. Whenever he opens his mouth, his voice couldn't echo from anyone else; however, it's the nervy, ominous and bone-weary physicality that he brings to the character that couldn't be more pitch-perfect. The Black Phone is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. OFFICIAL COMPETITION Every actor has one, albeit in various shades, lengths and textures, but sometimes one single hairstyle says everything about a film. Wildly careening in whichever direction it seems to feel like at any point, yet also strikingly sculptural, the towering reddish stack of curly locks atop Penélope Cruz's head in Official Competition is one such statement-making coiffure. It's a stunning sight, with full credit to the movie's hairstylists. These tremendous tresses are both unruly and immaculate; they draw the eye in immediately, demanding the utmost attention. And, yes, Cruz's crowning glory shares those traits with this delightful Spanish Argentine farce about filmmaking — a picture directed and co-written by Mariano Cohn and Gastуn Duprat (The Distinguished Citizen), and also starring Antonio Banderas (Uncharted) and Oscar Martínez (Wild Tales), that it's simply impossible to look away from. Phenomenal hair is just the beginning for Cruz here. Playing filmmaker Lola Cuevas — a Palme d'Or-winning arthouse darling helming an ego-stroking prestige picture for rich octogenarian businessman Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez, Truman) — she's downright exceptional as well. Humberto decides to throw some cash into making a movie in the hope of leaving a legacy that lasts, and enlisting Lola to work her magic with a Nobel Prize-winning novel called Rivalry is quite the coup. So is securing the talents of flashy global star Félix Rivero (Banderas) and serious theatre actor Iván Torres (Martínez), a chalk-and-cheese pair who'll work together for the first time, stepping into the shoes of feuding brothers. But before the feature can cement its backer's name in history, its three key creatives have to survive an exacting rehearsal process. Lola believes in rigorous preparation, and in testing and stretching her leading men, with each technique she springs on them more outlandish and stressful than the last. Official Competition is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING No one should need to cleanse their palates between Mad Max movies — well, maybe after Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, depending on your mileage with it — but if anyone does, George Miller shouldn't be one of them. The Australian auteur gifted the world the hit dystopian franchise, has helmed and penned each and every chapter, and made Mad Max: Fury Road an astonishing piece of cinema that's one of the very best in every filmic category that applies. Still, between that kinetic, frenetic, rightly Oscar-winning movie and upcoming prequel Furiosa, Miller has opted to swish around romantic fantasy Three Thousand Years of Longing. He does love heightened drama and also myths, including in the series he's synonymous with. He adores chronicling yearnings and hearts' desires, too, whether surveying vengeance and survival, the motivations behind farm animals gone a-wandering in Babe: Pig in the City, the dreams of dancing penguins in Happy Feet, or love, happiness and connection here. In other words, although adapted from AS Byatt's short story The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye, Three Thousand Years of Longing is unshakeably and inescapably a Miller movie — and it's as alive with his flair for the fantastical as most of his resume. It's a wonder for a range of reasons, one of which is simple: the last time that the writer/director made a movie that didn't connect to the Mad Max, Babe or Happy Feet franchises was three decades back. With that in mind, it comes as no surprise that this tale about a narratologist (Tilda Swinton, Memoria) and the Djinn (Idris Elba, Beast) she uncorks from a bottle, and the chats they have about their histories as the latter tries to ensure the former makes her three wishes to truly set him free, is told with playfulness, inventiveness, flamboyance and a deep heart. Much of Miller's filmography is, but there's a sense with Three Thousand Years of Longing that he's been released, too — even if he loves his usual confines, as audiences do as well. Three Thousand Years of Longing is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BULLET TRAIN Buy the ticket, take the ride, strap in for an onslaught of frenetic locomotive-bound fights: that's high-octane action-comedy Bullet Train on- and off-screen. Set on a shinkansen hurtling from Tokyo to Kyoto, in as stylised a vision of Japan that anyone not named Quentin Tarantino has ever thought of, this neon-lit adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka's 2010 page-turner Maria Beetle couldn't be more onboard with its central concept. That premise isn't snakes on a plane, but rather assassins on a train — plus one snake, one of nature's hitmen, actually. Cramming all those killers onto a single engine sparks mayhem, banter and bodies, not to mention chaotic frays in the quiet car and almost every other space. And when it works, with John Wick and Atomic Blonde's David Leitch steering the show, Tarantino and Guy Ritchie alum Brad Pitt as his main passenger, and a lifetime's worth of references to Thomas the Tank Engine slotted in, Bullet Train is as OTT and entertaining as it overtly wants to be. It doesn't always completely work, however; every journey, zipping along on a high-speed train or not, has its dips. Still, there are plenty of moving parts trying to keep the movie in motion — and plenty of plot, for better and for worse in both instances. In his second 2022 action-comedy after The Lost City, Pitt plays Ladybug, who is back riding the hired-gun rails after a zen break packed with new-age self-help platitudes. That's what he spouts to his handler (Sandra Bullock, The Unforgivable) by phone, in-between rueing his bad luck, as he tries to carry out what's supposed to be an easy job. All that Ladybug needs to do is take a briefcase, then disembark at the next station. But that piece of luggage is being transported by British assassin double-act Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The King's Man) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta), as they escort a Russian mobster's son (Logan Lerman, Hunters) home. To up the hitman ante, the shinkansen is also carrying The Prince (Joey King, The Princess) and Kimura (Andrew Koji, Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins), who have their own beef, as well as the revenge-seeking Wolf (Benito A Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny, Fast and Furious 9). Bullet Train is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BEAST Idris Elba fights a lion. That's it, that's Beast, as far as film pitches go at least. This South Africa-set thriller's one-sentence summary is up there with 'Jason Statham battles a giant shark' and 'Liam Neeson stares down wolves' — straightforward and irresistible, obviously, in enticing audiences into cinemas. That said, the latest addition to the animals-attack genre isn't as ridiculous as The Meg, and isn't a resonant existential musing like The Grey. What this creature feature wants to be, and is, is a lean, edge-of-your-seat, humanity-versus-nature nerve-shredder. Director Baltasar Kormákur (Adrift) knows that a famous face, a relentless critter as a foe, and life-or-death terror aplenty can be the stuff that cinema dreams and hits are made of. His movie isn't completely the former, but it does do exactly what it promises. If it proves a box office success, it'll be because it dangles an easy drawcard and delivers it. There is slightly more to Beast than Idris Elba brawling with the king of the jungle, of course — or running from it, trying to hide from it in a jeep, attempting to outsmart it and praying it'll tire of seeing him as prey. But this tussle with an apex predator is firmly at its best when it really is that simple, that primal and, with no qualms about gore and jump scares, that visceral. Elba (The Harder They Fall) plays recently widowed American doctor Nate Samuels, who is meant to be relaxing, reconnecting with his teenage daughters Mare (Iyana Halley, Licorice Pizza) and Norah (Leah Jeffries, Rel), and finding solace in a pilgrimage to his wife's homeland. But Beast wouldn't be called Beast if the Samuels crew's time with old family friend Martin (Sharlto Copley, Russian Doll), a wildlife biologist who oversees the nature reserve, was all placid safaris and sunsets. Beast is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER What do you call a movie filled with giant screaming goats, magic weapons vying for attention like romantic rivals, a naked Chris Hemsworth and a phenomenally creepy Christian Bale? Oh, and with no fewer than four Guns N' Roses needle drops, 80s nostalgia in droves, and a case of tonal whiplash as big as the God of Thunder's biceps? You call it Thor: Love and Thunder, and also a mixed bag. The fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to focus on the now 29-title saga's favourite space Viking, and the second Thor flick directed by Taika Waititi after Thor: Ragnarok, it welcomely boasts the New Zealand filmmaker's playful and irreverent sense of humour — and the dead-serious days of the series-within-a-series' first two outings, 2011's Thor and 2013's Thor: The Dark World, have definitely been banished. But Love and Thunder is equally mischievous and jumbled. It's chaotic in both fun and messy ways. Out in the cosmos, no one can swim, but movies about galaxy-saving superheroes can tread water. Thor Odinson (Hemsworth, Spiderhead) has been doing a bit of that himself — not literally, but emotionally and professionally. Narrated in a storybook fashion by rock alien Korg (also Waititi, Lightyear), Love and Thunder first fills in the gaps since the last time the Asgardian deity graced screens in Avengers: Endgame. Ditching his dad bod for his ultra-buff god bod earns a mention. So does biding his time with the Guardians of the Galaxy crew (with Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper and company popping up briefly). Then, a distress call from an old friend gives Thor a new purpose. Fellow warrior Sif (Jaimie Alexander, Last Seen Alive) has been fighting galactic killer Gorr the God Butcher (Bale, Ford v Ferrari), who's on a mission to do exactly what his name promises due to a crisis of faith — which puts not only Thor himself but also New Asgard, the Norwegian village populated by survivors from his home planet, at grave risk. It also puts Thor on a collision course with his ex-flame Dr Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, Vox Lux), who's changed dramatically since last they crossed paths. Thor: Love and Thunder is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. ORPHAN: FIRST KILL What's more believable — and plot twists follow: a pre-teen playing a 33-year-old woman pretending to be a nine-year-old orphan, with a hormone disorder explaining the character's eerily youthful appearance; or an adult playing a 31-year-old woman pretending to be a lost child returned at age nine, again with that medical condition making everyone else oblivious? For viewers of 2009's Orphan and its 13-years-later follow-up Orphan: First Kill, which is a prequel, neither are particularly credible to witness. But the first film delivered its age trickery as an off-kilter final-act reveal, as paired with a phenomenal performance by then 12-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman in the pivotal role. Audiences bought the big shift — or remembered it, at least — because Fuhrman was so creepy and so committed to the bit, and because it suited the OTT horror-thriller. This time, that wild revelation is old news, but that doesn't stop Orphan: First Kill from leaning on the same two key pillars: an out-there turn of events and fervent portrayals. Yes, a big twist is again one of the movie's best elements. Fuhrman (The Novice) returns as Esther, the Estonian adult who posed as a parentless Russian girl in the initial feature. In Orphan: First Kill, she's introduced as Leena Klammer, the most dangerous resident at the Saarne Institute mental hospital. The prequel's first sighted kill comes early, as a means of escape. The second follows swiftly, because the film needs to get its central figure to the US. Fans of the previous picture will recall that Esther already had a troubled history when she was adopted and started wreaking the movie's main havoc, involving the family that brought her to America — and her time with that brood, aka wealthy Connecticut-based artist Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland, Possessor), his gala-hosting wife Tricia (Julia Stiles, Hustlers) and their teen son Gunnar (Matthew Finlan, My Fake Boyfriend), is filmmaker William Brent Bell (The Boy and Brahms: The Boy II) and screenwriter David Coggeshall's (Scream: The TV Series) new focus. Orphan: First Kill is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE FORGIVEN Patience is somewhat of a virtue with The Forgiven. It would be in it, too, if any of its wealthy white characters hedonistically holidaying in Morocco were willing to display the trait for even a second. Another addition to the getaways-gone-wrong genre, this thorny satirical drama gleefully savages the well-to-do, proving as eager to eat the rich as can be, and also lays bare the despicable coveting of exoticism that the moneyed think is an acceptable way to splash plentiful wads of cash. There's patently plenty going on in this latest release from writer/director John Michael McDonagh, as there typically is in features by the filmmaker behind The Guard, Calvary and War on Everyone. Here, he adapts Lawrence Osborne's 2012 novel, but the movie that results takes time to build and cohere, and even then seems only partially interested in both. Still, that patience is rewarded by The Forgiven's stellar lead performance by Ralph Fiennes, playing one of his most entitled and repugnant characters yet. Sympathies aren't meant to flow David Henninger's (Fiennes, The King's Man) way, or towards his wife Jo (Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye). Together, the spiky Londoners abroad bicker like it's a sport — and the only thing fuelling their marriage. Cruelty taints their words: "why am I thinking harpy?", "why am I thinking shrill?" are among his, while she counters "why am I thinking high-functioning alcoholic?". He's a drunken surgeon, she's a bored children's author, and they're venturing past the Atlas Mountains to frolic in debauchery at the village their decadent pal Richard (Matt Smith, Morbius) and his own barbed American spouse Dally (Caleb Landry Jones, Nitram) have turned into a holiday home. Sympathy isn't designed to head that pair's way, either; "we couldn't have done it without our little Moroccan friends," Richard announces to kick off their weekend-long housewarming party. But when the Hennigers arrive late after tragically hitting a local boy, Driss (Omar Ghazaoui, American Odyssey), en route, the mood shifts — but also doesn't. The Forgiven is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING Timing is everything in Where the Crawdads Sing, the murder-mystery melodrama set in America's Deep South that raced up bestseller lists in 2018, and now reaches cinemas a mere four years later. Its entire narrative hinges upon a simple question: did North Carolina outcast and recluse Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones, Fresh), cruelly nicknamed "the marsh girl" by locals, have time to speed home from an out-of-town stay to push star quarterback Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson, The King's Man) from a fire tower, then resume her trip without anyone noticing? On the page, that query helped propel Delia Owens' literary sensation to success, to Reese Witherspoon's book club — she's a producer here — and to a swift film adaptation. But no timing would likely have ever been right for the movie's release, given that Owens and her husband are wanted for questioning in a real-life murder case in Zambia. Unlike the film, those off-screen details aren't new, but they were always bound to attract attention again as soon as this feature arrived. One of the reasons they're inescapable: the purposeful parallels between Owens' debut novel and her existence. Like Kya, Owens is a naturalist. The also southern-born author spent years preferring the company of plants and animals, crusading for conservation causes in Africa. Where the Crawdads Sing is timed to coincide with Owens' own life as well; it's set in the 50s and 60s and, as a child (played by Jojo Regina, The Chosen) and a teenager, Kya is around the same age that Owens would've been then. Another reason that the ways that art might link with reality can't be shaken, lingering like a sultry, squelchy day: what ends up on-screen is as poised, pristine and polished as a swampy southern gothic tale can be, and anyone in one. There's still a scandal, but forget dirt, sweat and anything but lush, vivid wilderness courtesy of filmmaker Olivia Newman (First Match), plus a rustic hut that wouldn't look out of place on Airbnb. Where the Crawdads Sing is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MURDER PARTY If Amelie and Knives Out combined, the end result would look like Murder Party. If Wes Anderson and Agatha Christie joined forces, the outcome would be the same. It's highly unlikely that first-time feature writer/director Nicolas Pleskof and his co-scribe Elsa Marpeau (Prof T) were ever going to call this feature Murder in the Game-Filled Mansion or Death While Rolling the Dice, but that's the overwhelming vibe. There's an escape room element, too — thankfully, though, nodding towards the Escape Room franchise isn't on the agenda. Murder Party's characters get stuck in intricately designed locked spaces and forced to piece together clues to secure their freedom, and are only permitted to remain breathing by keeping their wits about them, but no one's in a horror movie here. The feature starts with a killer setup: an eccentric crew of relatives, their brightly hued home on a sprawling country estate, an usual task given to a newcomer and, naturally, a sudden passing. Architect Jeanne Chardon-Spitzer (Alice Pol, Labor Day) is asked to pitch a big renovation project to the Daguerre family, transforming their impressive abode so that living there always feels like playing a game (or several). Patriarch César (Eddy Mitchell, The Middleman) already encourages his brood to enjoy their daily existence with that in mind anyway, including dedicating entire days to letting loose and walking, talking and breathing gameplay. But he's looking for a particularly bold next step. He's unimpressed by Jeanne's routine proposal, in fact. Then he drops dead, the property's doors slam shut and a voice over the intercom tells the architect, plus everyone else onsite, to undertake a series of challenges to ascertain the culprit among them — or be murdered themselves. Murder Party is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN If The Phantom of the Open was part of a game of golf, rather than a movie about the club-flinging, ball-hitting, bunker-avoiding sport, it wouldn't be a hole in one. It couldn't be; perfection doesn't suit the story that director Craig Roberts (Eternal Beauty) and screenwriter Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2) are telling, which is as real and as shaggy — as so-strange-it-can-only-be-true, too — as they can possibly come. That other key factor in spiriting dimpled orbs from the tee to the cup in a single stroke, aka luck, is definitely pertinent to this feel-good, crowd-pleasing, happily whimsical British comedy, however. Plenty of it helped Maurice Flitcroft, the man at its centre, as he managed to enter the 1976 British Open despite never having set foot on a course or played a full round of golf before. It isn't quite good fortune that makes this high-spirited movie about him work, of course, but it always feels like a feature that might've ended up in the cinematic long grass if it wasn't so warmly pieced together. When Maurice (Mark Rylance, Don't Look Up) debuts on the green at the high-profile Open Championship, it doesn't take long for gap between his skills and the professionals he's playing with to stand out. In the words of The Dude from The Big Lebowski, obviously he's not a golfer — although what makes a golfer, and whether any sport should be the domain of well-to-do gatekeepers who reserve large swathes of land for the use of the privileged few, falls into The Phantom of the Open's view. So does a breezily formulaic yet drawn-from-fact account of a man who was born in Manchester, later settled in the port town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria and spent much of his life as a shipyard crane operator, providing for his wife Jean (Sally Hawkins, Spencer), her son Michael (Jake Davies, Artemis Fowl), and the pair's twins Gene (Christian Lees, Pistol) and James (Jonah Lees, The Letter for the King). Maurice had never chased his own dreams, until he decided to give golfing glory a swing. The Phantom of the Open is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and our best new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies from the first half of 2022. Or, check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August.
The dots are stunning. The pumpkins, too. Her use of bold colours and shapes is also dazzling. There's another reason that Yayoi Kusama's art is so beloved, however: whether via mirrored infinity rooms, oversized tentacles or getting exhibition attendees putting stickers everywhere, she wholeheartedly embraces immersing her audience. It's true of Dancing Pumpkin, one of her famous gourd sculptures, which is on display in Melbourne right now — and when NGV International's massive Yayoi Kusama exhibition opens in December, it'll prove true again and again, breaking a world record in the process. Since April, the NGV has ben promising that its summer blockbuster exhibition — an Australian-exclusive as well — will be big. Across Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025, it will feature 180-plus works from the acclaimed Japanese artist, in the largest Kusama retrospective that the country has ever seen. Now, the gallery has also revealed that it'll boast ten of the talent's immersive installations, which is the most that has ever been assembled in a single location before. [caption id="attachment_950475" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Chandelier of Grief 2016/18, Tate Modern, London. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts and Victoria Miro. © YAYOI KUSAMA.[/caption] One is a brand-new piece that's world-premiering in Melbourne, so when visitors enter Infinity Mirrored Room–My Heart is Filled to the Brim with Sparkling Light, they'll be among the first people on the planet to experience the work. Inside, the space appears to open into an infinite celestial universe. Kusama's latest creation adds to her ongoing fascination with infinity mirror rooms, which she has been creating since the 60s. See also: 2016's Chandelier of Grief, which features baroque-style chandelier spinning within a hexagon of mirrors; 2013's Love Is Calling, where tentacles in different colours spring from both the floor and the ceiling; and 2017's The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens, which gets viewers peering at glowing pumpkins as far as the eye can see through a small peephole. [caption id="attachment_981012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Dots Obsession 1996/2015 at Kusama's solo exhibition YAYOI KUSAMA: IN INFINITY, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark. YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts © YAYOI KUSAMA.[/caption] Also relying upon mirrors heavily: the newest version of Dots Obsession, a room where the walls are reflective and biomorphic inflatables lurk. And yes, it's meant to inspire existential thoughts — and also feel as if the space goes on forever. Then, in Invisible Life, convex mirrors line a twisting and multi-hued corridor. With its six-metre-tall tendrils — which are covered in polka dots, naturally — the yellow-and-black The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe from 2019 is striking without using a looking glass (or several), and will make its Australian premiere. Prefer flowers instead? Set within a dotted space, All My Love for the Tulips, I Pray Forever from 2013 sees a trio of giant tulips loom over audiences. [caption id="attachment_950473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's The Obliteration Room 2002–present. Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: N Harth, QAGOMA.[/caption] If you went to the comprehensive Kusama showcase at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art back in 2017–18, or to the same site when it has also hosted the artist's The Obliteration Room at other times, then you'll know all about this sticker-fuelled experience. Even if you haven't taken part before, you've likely seen photos of it on social media. In Melbourne as in the other places that it has popped up, this artwork gets you popping coloured dots everywhere — 'obliterating' it, as Kusama calls it — to cover an apartment interior that's completely white otherwise. The idea is to fill every single millimetre with stickers over time. It's an all-ages (and free) part of the exhibition, displaying in the NGV's children's gallery, but expect as many adults there as kids. Flower Obsession is another participatory piece, returning from the 2017 NGV Triennial. Again, you're asked to add to the work. This time, though, red flowers are applied to a domestic space — and again, obliterating it is the mission. [caption id="attachment_950474" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of Yayoi Kusama's Flower Obsession 2017 on display in NGV Triennial from 15 December 2017 – 15 April 2018 at NGV International Melbourne. © YAYOI KUSAMA Image courtesy of NGVImage courtesy of NGV.[/caption] Alongside the ten immersive installations — plus the five-metre-tall Dancing Pumpkin in NGV International's Federation Court — Yayoi Kusama will step through the 95-year-old artist's eight decades of making art via a thematic chronology. Some pieces hail from her childhood. Some are recent. Her output in her hometown of Matsumoto from the late 30s–50s; the results of relocating to America in 1957; archival materials covering her performances and activities in her studios, especially with a political charge, in the 60s and 70s: they'll all appear. Half of the exhibition is devoted to the past four decades — so, pumpkins galore, giant paintings and more. Again, this is a hefty exhibition overall, complete with a new version of Narcissus Garden made of 1400 30-centimetre-diameter stainless silver balls, a Kusama artwork specific to NGV's Waterwall, over 20 experimental fashion designs by the artist, Infinity Net paintings from the 50s and 60s, Accumulation sculptures and textiles from the 60s and 70s, and a recreation of her New York studio. It's one of the most-comprehensive Kusama retrospectives ever staged globally, in fact — and the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving Australia. [caption id="attachment_979066" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's Dancing Pumpkin 2020 now on display for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Sean Fennessy.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950480" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama, 2022 © YAYOI KUSAMA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_979065" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yayoi Kusama's Dancing Pumpkin 2020 now on display for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV International, Melbourne until 21 April 2025. © YAYOI KUSAMA. Photo: Sean Fennessy.[/caption] Yayoi Kusama displays at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Top image: Yayoi Kusama, The Hope of the Polka Dots Buried in Infinity Will Eternally Cover the Universe 2019 at Kusama's solo exhibition Yayoi Kusama: All About Love Speaks Forever at Fosun Foundation, Shanghai. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts © YAYOI KUSAMA.
At night, the public parks of Tokyo’s Shinjuki, Yoyogi and Aoyama districts are to Tokyo as Mt Coot-tha is to Brisbane – the city’s best place to get down with your bad self, at least in the 70s anyway. Photographer Kohei Yoshiyuki would frequent these Japanese parks, equipped with a 35mm camera, infrared film and a flash; with his gear he’d document the clandestine trysts happening behind each bush and bench, as well as the voyeurs who would not only watch, but sometimes participate in the couple’s lewd acts. The images of the exhibition are raw and candid, exposing a side of Japan that is rarely seen. In its original showing in 1979, the lights of the gallery were turned off and visitors were given flashlights to view the life-size images, giving the viewer a similar experience to what Yoshiyuki had during the time of his project. The Park is a thought-provoking documentation into a world that exists not only in Tokyo, but in many cities around the world, but is so taboo it is rarely ever discussed, much less documented in a permanent format. Image credit: Kohei Yoshiyuki
If Brisbane was a man, he'd be rather mysterious to say the least. Sure, up front you might be taken aback by his bi-polar weather patterns (let's celebrate summer...by staying indoors and losing power!) and his Eiffel Tower in the middle of Milton's little Italy (je ne parle pas Italien!). However, take a trip to his suburban ethnic grocery stores and you'd be forgiven for falling in love with his well-travelled and cultured charm. Mr. Brisbane sure knows his haloumi from his Dodoni! Here at Concrete Playground, we've done all the hard work for you, presenting Mr. Brisbane's top 10 ethnic gourmet finds. Hellene Food Brokers Specialty: Olives/Wholesale Hidden in the industrial backstreets of West End, Hellene Food Brokers offers the public top quality products at wholesale prices. Shelves are packed full of Turkish, Greek, and Italian goodies and the smell of spices gets you feeling all giddy inside. You may have to elbow a few eager nannas out of the way to get to the olive bar, but it is well worth it. Wait. Did we just say olive bar? Yes we did. From kalamata to stuffed green olives, a lovely assistant will help you bag your preference from their huge drums of imported salty nuggets. At the back of the store, you'll even find Greek souvlaki BBQ kits complete with rotating motors, so you can DIY your own feast at home. Prices are extremely competitive when buying in bulk, and why wouldn't you want to when everything tastes so good? 2/17 Duncan St, West End; 07 3844 1696; http://www.hellenefood.com.au/ Rosalie Gourmet Market Specialty: Pastries and gifts Otherwise known as Brisbane's boutique food hall, Rosalie Gourmet Market has everything on offer. From the gorgeous fresh flowers that greet you on your way in, the I'll-have-one-of-everything mini patisserie, locally made preserves to the imported Italian boxed chocolates there is absolutely no excuse to walk away empty handed. This is also a great spot to pick up a gift for your food-obsessed friend (or for yourself) as they have a great range of boutique kitchenware. 1/164 Baroona Road, Rosalie; 07 3876 6222; http://www.rosaliegourmet.com.au/ Koz Asian Grocer Specialty: Japanese candy Affectionately known to local university students as the ultimate pre-exam pitstop, Koz is where you will find more Asian snacks than you can Pocky a stick at. For those with a savoury tooth, Koz also offers countless flavours of instant ramen noodles and sachets of Furikake — dry rice condiments made from seaweed and dried fish, bound to make anyone on a tight budget leap for joy. If you are on your fifth week of eating nothing but fifty cent packets of Mi Goreng, then consider this place to take your taste buds to the next level (without breaking the bank.) 85 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane; 07 3220 2677 Kumusha African Store Specialty: Biltong You never know when unexpected guests may arrive at your doorstep. As your mama taught you, it's polite to offer them a cup of tea and possibly something to nibble on. But these days, let's face it, a weak cup of International Roast and stale iced vo-vos just won't cut it. Impress your visitors with South African Biltong wafers and chocolate Romany creams. Kumusha also offers a range of delicious marinades and chutneys, the perfect addition to any BBQ celebration. Stale iced vo-vos be gone! 16/2100 Logan Road, Upper Mount Gravatt; 07 3420 3422; http://www.kumushastore.com.au/ Sourced Grocer Specialty: Middle Eastern Yes, this foodie hipster hang out is awesome. We get it. The food is great and the coffee is pretty damn good too. But did you know that the lovely owners suffer from Middle Eastern fever? It’s a real disease, look it up. It’s right next to Taboulehitis and Hommus Syndrome. Head on over to the back shelves and the evidence is clear: delicious Orange Blossom water from Lebanon, Egyptian Zaatar made from local ingredients, colourful Persian sweets. These are common symptoms of Middle Eastern fever and the only treatment is to stock up on your favourites and consume orally. If you fancy something fresh, Sourced Grocer’s bakery section also carries locally made Afghan bread, perfect as a base for fancy homemade pizzas or as a dipping apparatus to baba ganoush. 11 Florence Street, Newstead; Phone: 3852 6734; www.sourcedgrocer.com.au Banneton Bakery Specialty: Brioche loaf If you can manage to walk through this bakery without physically drooling at their many treats in the window, then we applaud you. If indulging in a tasty breakfast and smooth as silk coffee just isn't enough for you, then Banneton's take-home breads are just what you need to fill that bread-shaped hole in your heart. The brioche loaf, made based on the traditional French recipe of eggs, milk, and butter is so damn popular you may like to call ahead the day before and secure this treasure for yourself. Just a warning though — French toast with this baby will never be the same; birds will sing, unicorns appear at your doorstep, and you will find yourself in a trance of pure bliss. 25 Balaclava Street, Woolloongabba; 07 3393 2111; http://www.banneton.com.au/ Heinz Butcher & Continental Goods Specialty: Smoked meats It seems as though good ol' Heinz has been there since Brisbane was founded. With its antique signs and a shopfront enough to draw in any keen carnivore walking along Stanley Street, Heinz has become a bit of a landmark. It specialises in house-smoked meats and German sausages, and you shouldn't leave here without a few Knackwursts and their signature wood-smoked pork fillet rolled in pepper and herbs. Heinz also offer a selection of ready-to-eat Danish specialties — perfect for those bring-a-plate late-notice dinner parties. 611 Stanley Street, South Brisbane; Phone: 3391 3530; http://www.heinzmeats.com.au/ Hong Lan Asian Food Supplies Specialty: Fresh rice noodles It can happen anytime. To anybody. It can hit you like a fistful of rocks to your pretty little face. Yes, we're talking about the craving of a freshly prepared pad see-ew. Who knows what restaurants are open or nearby when the craving strikes? Lucky for us, Hong Lan Asian Grocer is West End is one of the few places in Brisbane where you can buy fresh rice noodles, silken tofu, kai lan (chinese broccoli), and other fresh herbs without having to make the trek out to Sunnybank. So don't be caught unawares; stock up or spend your 2am cravings thinking of what could have been — a delicious bowl of noodles sitting right there in your lap loving you right back. 56 Vulture Street, West End; 07 3844 4873 Pennisi Cuisine Specialty: Cheese A cheese lovers paradise, Pennisi has an incredible range to satisfy the biggest fanatic from their fresh buffalo mozzarella to their big wheels of Parmiggiano Reggiano. New products are featured regularly and loyal locals are never disappointed as Pennisi is also renown for its consistency in quality. With ample choice, why not bring a basket and fill up before heading out to a nearby picnic spot? There's no doubt your loot will turn heads and bring all the boys to the yard. 17 Balaclava Street, Woollongabba; 07 3891 7643 Maha Latchmi Specialty: Indian sweets Here at Concrete Playground we take no responsibility for getting our readers addicted to the fine delicacies Brisbane has to offer. Be very careful when walking into this little establishment. Maha Latchmi is one of the few Indian shops specialising in desserts and take-home sweets that will have you coming back time and time again. For such a small little shop, the daily variety it offers it quite impressive. As a first-timer, you can't go past freshly made jalebi (deep-fried orange pretzel shaped sweets soaked in sugar syrup) and gulab jamun (deep-fried milk solid dumplings soaked in rose water). If you are looking for a quick fix while trawling the weekend Valley markets, grab one of Maha Latchmi's tasty and filling mango lassis. You've been warned, friends! 24 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3216 0142;
Making the leap from computer screens to gallery walls, digital art is here to stay. Tokyo has a whole museum dedicated to it, and now Brisbane Powerhouse is following suit for a month-long showcase. Displaying in the Visy Foyer and other exhibition spaces, Power to the Pixel runs from Tuesday, January 15 to Sunday, February 17, highlighting the eye-catching work of some of the world's best artists in the medium. Australia, the US, the UK, Brazil and Israel are all represented, with Brisbane games whiz Wren Brier on curation duties. If you've played Jetpack Joyride or Fruit Ninja, then you're familiar with her work. Other featured artists include Melbourne's Paul Robertson, who's particularly fond of geometry and fractals; American Jubilee, who reinvents landscape images in 8- and 16-bit form; and Brazil's Bruno Moraes, who features characters travelling through space heavily in his work. Getting up close and admiring every aspect of these pieces is highly recommended — they've been created one pixel at a time, after all. Image: Paul Robertson.
