Somewhere in the multiverse, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is terrific. In a different realm, it's terrible. Here in our dimension, the 28th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe teeters and twirls in the middle. The second movie to focus on surgeon-turned-sorcerer Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog), it's at its best when it embraces everything its director is known for. That said, it's also at its worst when it seems that harnessing Sam Raimi's trademarks — his visual style, bombast, comic tone and Evil Dead background, for instance — is merely another Marvel ploy. Multiverse of Madness is trippy, dark, sports a bleak sense of humour and is as close as the MCU has gotten to horror, all immensely appreciated traits in this sprawling, box office-courting, never-ending franchise. But it stands out for the wrong reasons, too, especially how brazenly it tries to appear as if it's twisting and fracturing the typical MCU template when it definitely isn't. Welcomely weirder than the average superhero flick (although not by too much), but also bluntly calculating: that's Multiverse of Madness, and that's a messy combination. It's apt given its eponymous caped crusader has always hailed from Marvel's looser, goofier and, yes, stranger side since his MCU debut in 2016's plainly titled Doctor Strange; however, it's hard to believe that such formulaic chaos was truly the plan for this follow-up. Similarly, making viewers who've long loved Raimi's work feel like their strings are so obviously being pulled, all for something that hardly takes creative risks, can't have been intentional. It's wonderful that Multiverse of Madness is clearly directed by the filmmaker who gave the world Army of Darkness and its predecessors, the Tobey Maguire-starring Spider-Man movies and Drag Me to Hell. It's fantastic that Raimi is helming his first feature since 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful, of course. But it's also deeply dispiriting to see the filmmaker's flourishes used like attention-grabbing packaging over the same familiar franchise skeleton. Multiverse mayhem also underscored Multiverse of Madness' immediate predecessor, for instance — aka 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. That's the last time that audiences saw Stephen Strange, when he reluctantly tinkered with things he shouldn't to help Peter Parker, those actions had consequences and recalling Raimi's time with Spidey came with the territory. Strange's reality-bending trickery has repercussions here as well, because Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, Sorry for Your Loss) isn't thrilled about her fellow super-powered pal's exploits. Yes, Multiverse of Madness assumes viewers have not only watched all 27 past MCU movies, but also its small-screen offshoots — or WandaVision at least, where the enchantress that's also Scarlet Witch broke rules herself and wasn't still deemed a hero. Multiverse of Madness begins before its namesake and Wanda cross paths after their not-so-smooth moves, actually. Strange's latest escapade kicks off with monsters, moving platforms, a shimmering book, and a girl he doesn't know and yet wants to save. It's a dream, but said teen — America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez, The Babysitters Club) — is soon part of his waking life. Hailing from another dimension and possessing the ability to hop through the multiverse, she's still being chased. Interrupting Strange's brooding at his ex-girlfriend Christine's (Rachel McAdams, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) wedding, rampaging critters reappear as well, while a sinister tome called The Dark Hold also factors in. The mission: save the girl and all possible worlds, aided by Strange's old friend and now-Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong, Nine Days), and via a run-in with nemesis Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Locked Down). An evil book, basically being dragged to hell, reanimated corpses, a scrappy young adventurer, wisecracks, a leading man with the initials BC: they're all Raimi staples, and they're all accounted for in Multiverse of Madness. So is a signature casting move that's to be thoroughly expected, and remains as delightful as ever. Michael Waldron, the writer/producer behind Loki, has scripted the feature with its filmmaker firmly in mind — or tinkered with the screenplay after OG Doctor Strange helmer Scott Derrickson left the sequel — and Raimi has taken those nods and run with them. But magic isn't about conjuring up the easily apparent, as the flick's cloak-wearing protagonist has learned over his time. Off-screen, that's something Marvel rather than its creatives-for-hire need reminding of, and what makes Multiverse of Madness a strategic exercise above all else. (It doesn't help that an inventive, clever and bold blast of multiverse movie, unrelated to the MCU, has beaten the latest Doctor Strange to cinemas by mere weeks. Everything Everywhere All At Once is inescapably chaotic, but gloriously, entertainingly and revealingly so, and never in a checklist-marking way.) Marvel has a pattern, though. It hires directors with distinctive styles and vibes, uses them to differentiate any given MCU instalment from the last, and hopes that counteracts the formula at work. And, it can. Even this many pictures in, great films eventuate that don't completely feel squeezed through an assembly line in every frame; see: Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok, Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, Cate Shortland's Black Widow and Chloé Zhao's Eternals. If Multiverse of Madness wasn't also saddled with other well-used, patently recognisable Marvel tactics, that might've proven true here, too. If only it had. But when a new MCU entry leans on multiple versions of its main figure (again), plus wholly fan-servicing cameos (again) — going for more is more several times over (yes, again) — and then attempts to freshen itself up by splashing around a famed director's beloved touches (again), it's always going to struggle to be convincing. Gleefully pushing obvious buttons and trying to incite easy cheers was No Way Home's main aim as well; Multiverse of Madness fares better, thankfully. It's a lesser auteur-helmed MCU movie and a lesser Raimi-directed film, but it still benefits from the latter doing what he's able to within company-controlled confines. Danny Elfman's (The Woman in the Window) moody score always sets the right tone, and the kaleidoscopic imagery has its dazzling moments — albeit with too many pixels showing in the name of serving up a shiny spectacle. And, in all of its key roles, Multiverse of Madness is still extremely well-cast. Indeed, the scenes that linger are those shared by Cumberbatch with either Olsen, McAdams, Wong or Gomez that call for genuine emotion rather than dwelling on superhero schtick, nefarious villains, multiverse mechanics, incursions, surprise guests and the like. Alas, being gifted more of that, and more of anything that doesn't have to tick 75,000 of Marvel's usual boxes along the way, sadly and frustratingly isn't a reality for this film in our caped crusader-worshipping universe.
Beside Brisbane Festival and BIGSOUND, the Valley Fiesta is one of the most looked-forward to events on Brisbane’s social calendar. It’s not hard to see why. Over two days and nights in late August, the Fortitude Valley precinct is transformed from a regular party hub to super-mega-ultra party hub. Brunswick Street and its surrounds are packed with revellers and live music stages for them to party. This year is looking to be massive for the annual bash, with musical guests coming from everywhere to perform. Peep this lineup: The Preatures, Dan Sultan, Allday, Jeremy Neale, Mosman Alder, The Creases, Remi and heaps more will be taking the stage. It’s going to be, as the kids say, heckers (read: hectic). Before I get ahead of myself, I should also remind you all that there is more to the Valley Fiesta than the music. The Chinatown Mall will be hosting a Chow Down banquet experience, there will be pop-up swap markets for all of you looking for funky new threads and Red Bull will be hosting a Crate Digger Music Market. Amazing right? OMG, I know. Clear your schedule for this weekend and be one with the party – you wont regret it.
My yoga studio has a basketball court below it. During a calming session of yoga, it is not uncommon to hear the piercing screech of a whistle, frequent cheering and the intermittent shrieks of "Great shot Mike!". One time, I kid you not, there was a marching band procession going down, and the instructor had to calmly try and talk over the incessant drumming. Quite un-zen. Flow Silent Disco Yoga seeks to give yoga enthusiasts the exact opposite experience. How exactly does one silent disco yoga? Quite easily with the introduction of wireless headphones. These bad boys give participants a one-on-one with instructor, Flow Athletic co-founder Kate Kendall, while simultaneously pumping out beats from Sydney DJ James Mack. Also, they're neon. This one-off, 90-minute Vinyasa yoga session will see yogis come together at W Brisbane. It's probably your best (possibly only) chance to show off your best warrior pose while simultaneously jiving to some seriously smooth music. Silently. Also on offer: healthy bites and drinks as part of your $55 ticket price, plus a few other treats.
Eye roll-inducingly terrible bumper stickers be damned; no one honks if they're horny in Titane. Revving when aroused is more this petrol-doused body-horror film's style, spanning characters both flesh and chrome. When she's seen writhing in fishnets atop a flame-adorned vintage Cadillac, the stony-gazed Alexia (debutant Agathe Rousselle) is working. She's titillating a Fast and Furious-style car crowd with her sexed-up display, but the car model still seems to hum with every gyration. After wrapping up, murdering a grab-happy fan with the metal chopstick keeping her hair up and then showering off the gooey, gory evidence, she's soon purring rhythmically inside that gleaming vehicle. Yes, in a plot detail that spilled the instant Titane premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d'Or, this is the French car sex flick. How does someone fornicate with an automobile? Not inside or on the waxed hood, but copulating with the vehicle itself? That's one of this pumping piston of a movie's least interesting questions, although Titane does go there. In her sophomore effort after the also-phenomenal teen cannibal film Raw, writer/director Julia Ducournau isn't too interested in those specifics. She splashes the bouncy sex scene across the screen with lights flashing, human and motor pulsating as one, and pleasure seeping like exhaust fumes, but it's hardly the picture's only point of interest. Titane isn't the first feature to flirt with carnality and cars — Ridley Scott's The Counsellor had a gas-fuelled rendezvous less than a decade ago; Crash, from body-horror godfather David Cronenberg, is also steeped in automotive eroticism. But Ducournau's addition to the parking lot shrewdly links mechanophilia with agency and control, particularly over one's feelings and body. First, before cylinders start lustily thrusting, Titane finds the initial growls of Alexia's four-wheeled fascination via a quick race through her childhood. As a seven-year-old (fellow first-timer Adèle Guigue), she enjoys audibly rumbling along with the engine. She also likes kicking the chair in front of her, exasperating her dad (French filmmaker Bertrand Bonello, director of Nocturama and Zombi Child) into an accident. For her troubles, she gets a plate of the titular element inserted in her cracked skull. That steely stare matches the alloy in her head even then. From the outset, Ducournau pairs blood and metal, reshaping her central figure while laying bare her vulnerabilities. She kicks her film into a gear it'll keep shifting into again and again, too, because this is a movie about modifications: physically, emotionally and while trying to claim one's own sense of self. Titane isn't just the French car sex film, clearly. It isn't merely a car sex movie about a woman partly forged from titanium, and with a penchant for piercing her way through those who block her road. Nor is it simply the French car pregnancy flick, with Alexia and the Caddy's tryst bearing fruit — a condition she tries to conceal, especially after more deaths lead her to Vincent (Vincent Lindon, At War), a fire chief who takes her in as his long-missing son. If Ducournau had made her script out of metal, she'd be moulding it in its molten form. She'd be letting it bubble; key to Titane's blistering appeal is its eagerness to let things boil, then brim over, because the feelings and ideas it works with are that scorching. If her feature was a car instead, it'd be that libidinous, fire-emblazoned Cadillac, which arrives with a bang, lures Alexia in and then lets loose. Actually, perhaps Titane would be the oily belly of the hulking vehicle that gets its biggest fan in the family way. Watching here resembles peeking under the bonnet with the engine running, seeing pulleys and belts in action, and feeling heat and energy radiate. That doesn't solely stem from the mechanical imagery, or the savage first half — where fluidly executed killing sprees, broken bodies and a watch-behind-your-hands incident of self-mutilation take on a mechanised air, too. And, it doesn't just emanate from Alexia's swelling stomach, the motor oil oozing from her breasts or, after binding down all signs of femininity in her new life, her scars. As set to both an eerie score and pitch-perfect needle drops, Titane evokes a sensation of witnessing moving parts grind, whirr, interlock and spark. The movie thrums, and it's intoxicating. It isn't always pretty, even with a neon-drenched look that'd do Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn proud, but popping the hood rarely is. As all filmmakers aim to, that's what Ducournau does with her car porn/serial killer/secret identity/gender-bending blend. She opens up her characters, exposes what makes them run and spies what lubricates their gears. Thanks to Rousselle's stunningly physical, near-silent performance, Titane lays bare the workings of a woman who has confronted the hyper-sexualised expectations of her gender by leaning in, and by stabbing. Alexia then grasps comfort by eschewing boundaries, and gaining a surrogate dad who's similarly trapped in his own way. As lensed with an exacting yet empathetic eye by Raw's Ruben Impens — even with its lurid blue and purple hues — Titane sees Vincent's battle to meet the macho standard, too. Shots of him injecting steroids to keep up with the younger firefighters are just as brutal as glimpses of Alexia's distended, strapped-down midsection, if not her bursts of violence. Titane is a ferocious and unflinching thriller, and also beautiful, tender and compassionate. Amid its visceral shocks, it gleans possibilities — in embracing connections, accepting change, breaking free of everything that the world throws at you and, crucially, in seeking power in transformation. Lindon's impact, and that of his soulful, sorrowful eyes, can't be underestimated; if Rousselle is the movie's fuel, he's its oxygen. Ducournau is always in the driver's seat, though. The second woman to ever win Cannes' highly coveted top prize, she packs the film's absurdities into the boot, straps her Raw-established fascination with bodies and identity into the passenger side, puts her pedal to the metal and speeds towards her own cinematic horizon. She veers, swerves and spins along the way, but never crashes — and takes her audience on one helluva ride.
How many dumplings can you eat in one sitting? Would you like to find out? On the last Saturday of every month, Dumpling Republic puts your stomach to the test by offering up a bottomless feast of the dish that gives them their name. Here's how it works at their All You Can Eat Dumpling Night: you arrive and you eat, with a three-course meal on offer. Well, given you can gorge on as many dumplings as you like — in 11 different varieties, served in a particular order, and ranging from pork and kimchi to beef and onion to deep-fried wontons — you could say that there's as many courses as you like too, but non-dumpling entrees and desserts will also be served. Your dumpling-filled evening will set you back $35, and booking in advance is recommended. Two sessions are offered each month, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for details — sometimes they run at 5pm and 7pm, sometimes at 12pm and 6pm.
Sydneysiders, you won't be getting your fix of bright lights this June. You won't be spending a couple of weeks holed up in a cinema, either. But, while both Vivid and Sydney Film Festival have postponed their 2021 events to August, the first month of winter definitely won't be quiet. Clearly seeing an empty slot on the city's social calendar, New South Wales Government's tourism and events agency Destination NSW is putting together a new festival that'll start the chillier season in style. Sydney Solstice is slated to take place from Tuesday, June 8–Sunday, June 20, with a big focus on dining, drinking, entertainment, arts and culture. The fest will take up residence at four Sydney precincts across the 13-day period, delivering a program filled with live music, performances, comedy, workshops, food and drink, exhibitions and installations. So, expect to spend plenty of time in the CBD and surrounding areas (including The Rocks, Circular Quay, Walsh Bay and Chinatown), over at Darling Harbour and its adjacent spots (such as Barangaroo, Glebe, Ultimo and Pyrmont), around the Oxford Street area (including Paddington, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills, Rushcutters Bay, Woolloomooloo, Elizabeth Bay, Kings Cross, Potts Point and Entertainment Quarter) and in the vicinity of Newtown (plus Enmore, Erskineville, Alexandria, Chippendale, Darlington and Redfern). As with most big events announced at the moment, Sydney Solstice is driven by a desire to get more folks out and about around town — and spending money supporting the economy. Destination NSW is particularly focusing on boosting the city's arts and culture, music and entertainment, and food and beverage industries, and also placing a big emphasis on NSW talent. Exactly what's on the lineup hasn't yet been revealed, with Destination NSW currently calling for expressions of interest from businesses interested in taking part — including restaurants and bars, entertainment venues, promoters, and arts and cultural organisations — until early April. The agency is specifically eager for big drawcards that are either completely new, or substantially reimagine or enhance existing activities, as well as other relevant events that can fall under the festival's umbrella. For now, until the program hits, you might want to block out your diary in advance. Sydney joins Melbourne in getting a new winter festival this year — although the Victorian capital's new event, Rising, was originally slated to launch in 2020, but was delayed due to the pandemic. Sydney Solstice will take place from Tuesday, June 8–Sunday, June 20. We'll update you with further details when they're announced — and you can keep an eye on the festival's website, too.
A moscato made with beer hops. Chenin blanc infused with pine resin. Queensland's only wine fermented in terracotta. They're some of the wildly delicious drops made by Australia's just-announced Top 50 winemakers for 2020, as chosen by Young Gun of Wine (YGOW). Running since 2007, the annual award showcases the up-and-coming wine labels and winemakers pushing the boundaries and making some damn-fine wine. The Top 50 were chosen by the industry's leading chefs, winemakers and sommeliers, including Louella Mathews of Sydney's Bibo Wine Bar, Mona sommelier Pip Anderson, Charlotte Hardy of Charlotte Dalton Wines and wine critic Nick Stock. And, full disclosure, I was also a judge — so I can personally vouch for these wines. If you're currently self-isolating, working from home or are just wanting to spend a little more time indoors at the moment, this list has arrived at a helpful time — you now have 50 wine labels to drink your way through, from the comfort of your apartment. On said list, you'll find 17 winemakers from Victoria, 14 from SA, six from NSW/ACT, WA and Tasmania, and one from Queensland. Dirty Candy Wine's Daniel Payne, Con-Greg Grigoriou from SA's Delinquente Wine Co, Frederick Stevenson's Steve Crawford, Alexander Byrne from Noisy Ritual in Victoria, Le Petite Mort's Andrew Scott from Queensland are some of the makers whose wines you'll be wanting to 'add to cart' right now. You'll have a chance to chat to some of these winemakers while you taste their wines, too — and for free. Because of current health concerns surrounding COVID-19, YGOW has cancelled its usual in-person tasting events, but, instead, it'll be hosting a series of virtual events in May. The free online series will see you chatting to winemakers and industry experts from your bed, couch or even bath while sipping on vino. You can sign up for those over here. Once you've tasted some of the wines from the list and chatted to some of the winemakers, you can vote in the People's Choice Award, which is open until June 1. Everyone that votes will get a $50 Langton's voucher — so, yes, you can purchase even more wine. The winners, including the People's Choice, Best New Act, Winemaker's Choice, Danger Zone and Young Gun of Wine, will then be announced on Monday, June 1. You can check out all the winners below: [caption id="attachment_765181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Some of the 250 wines that were tasted and judged for YGOW. Photo by James Morgan[/caption] YOUNG GUN OF WINE 2020 TOP 50 NSW/ACT Daniel Payne from Dirt Candy Wine, Hunter Valley Angus Vinden from The Vinden Headcase, Hunter Valley Steve Mobbs from Dreaded Friend/Wallington Wines, Central Ranges Will Gilbert from Gilbert, Orange/Mudgee Tom Ward from Swinging Bridge, Orange Samuel Leyshon from Mallaluka, Canberra District QLD Andrew Scott from Le Petite Mort, Granite Belt SA Sholto Broderick & Louis Broderick from Basket Range Wine, Adelaide Hills Dylan Lee from Bird in Hand, Adelaide Hills James Hamilton from Golden Child, Adelaide Hills Michael Sexton from Main & Cherry, Adelaide Hills Sarah Adamson from Scout Wines, Adelaide Hills/New Zealand Tarrant Hansen from Spider Bill Wines, Adelaide Hills Alyson Tannenbaum from Vinteloper, Adelaide Hills Andre Bondar from Bondar Wines, McLaren Vale/Adelaide Hills Charles Seppelt & Skye Salter from Paralian Wines, McLaren Vale Mauricio Ruiz Cantu & Benjamin Caldwell from Somos, McLaren Vale Con-Greg Grigoriou from Delinquente Wine Co, Riverland Ansel Ashby from Gatch Wine, Riverland/Adelaide Hills/Clare Valley Steve Crawford from Frederick Stevenson, Barossa Valley Eden Valley/Adelaide Hills Nick Dugmore from The Stoke Wines, Kangaroo Island TAS Jonathan Hughes from Mewstone Wines, Tasmania Greer Carland from Quiet Mutiny, Tasmania Gilli & Paul Lipscombe from Sailor Seeks Horse, Tasmania James Broinowski from Small Island Wines, Tasmania Ricky Evans from Two Tonne Tasmania, Tasmania Hugh McCullough from Wellington & Wolfe, Tasmania VIC Chris Catlow from Sentio, Beechworth Raquel Jones from Weathercraft, Beechworth Natasha Webster from Empire of Dirt Wines, Geelong Ben Mullen from Mulline, Geelong Justin Purser from Dhiaga, Mornington Peninsula Glen Hayley from Kooyong/Port Phillip Estate, Mornington Peninsula Tara & Matthew Campbell from Mattara Wines, Mornington Peninsula/Grampians Alexander Byrne from Noisy Ritual, Victoria Chris Bendle from DCB Wine, Yarra Valley Tim Perrin from from Oakridge Wines, Yarra Valley Hadyn Black from Black & Ginger, Great Western/Grampians/Henty/Pyrenees Leighton Joy from Pyren Vineyard, Pyrenees Chris Dilworth & Loique Allain from Dilworth & Allain, Macedon Ranges Renata Morello from Lyons Will Estate, Macedon Ranges Ben Ranken from Wilimee, Macedon Ranges Bart Van Olphen from Chalmers, Heathcote/Mildura Jonathan Ross from Micro Wines, Geelong/Barossa Valley WA Alexi Christidis from Chalari Wines, Perth Hills, Swan Valley Garth Cliff from Vino Volta, Swan Valley/Swan District/Geographe/Perth Hills Natasha Arthur from Arthur Wines, Margaret River Dylan Arvidson from LS Merchants, Margaret River/Frankland River Remi Guise from tripe.Iscariot, Margaret River Kim Tyrer from Galafrey Wines, Mount Barker You can sign up for Young Gun of Wine's Top 50 virtual events here and vote in the People's Choice Award before June 1 here. To purchase the above wines, head to the individual wine label's website or order from online bottle shops such as Drnks, P&V, Vinomofo and Blackhearts & Sparrows.
Earlier in 2020, when social distancing and public gathering rules were in place across the country, KFC did everyone a solid by offering up free home delivery for the first time ever Down Under. Life is slowly returning to normal now, but the fried chicken chain is bringing back the deal anyway — so you can round up your housemates again and tuck into those 11 secret herbs and spices. The reason this time: State of Origin. KFC's free delivery will be available across the next three Wednesdays to coincide with this year's postponed games — so on November 4, November 11 and November 18. The great news is that you don't have to care about the matches, or watch them, to get that chicken brought to your door without paying extra. The free delivery is simply available all day on each of those three days, from open till close at your local store. The limited-time offer is available nationwide, too — and there is no minimum spend required. To get your hands on some finger lickin' good chook with no added cost, you'll just need to head to Menulog's website or use the Menulog app. And while your food is on its way, you can meditate with KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. KFC is offering free delivery across Australia on all orders via Menulog, with the special available on Wednesday, November 4, Wednesday, November 11 and Wednesday, November 18. To order, head to the Menulog website and or use the Menulog app.
Set your GPS to The Record Exchange, then let all notions of modern technology melt away at this nostalgic musical mecca on Adelaide Street in Brisbane's CBD. Home to some 250,000 records (no, that's not a typo) and over 10,000 CDs, the store is an ideal spot to while away an hour, browsing the latest new releases and getting nostalgic with a look through the retro gems. If you've got some musical gems lurking in your CD wallet or record crate, The Record Exchange buys and trades. So gather up your old CDs and get down there on Thursday afternoon. Flick through some vinyl and pick yourself up some analogue tunes while you're at it. Image: Anwyn Howarth.
David Sedaris, you made a fool out of me! Three years ago I was reading your book ‘When You Are Engulfed in Flames’ on a bus and I snorted, hooted and cried with laughter, like a creature for whom ‘being human’ was a new concept. It was so bad that I had to put your book away, but this did nothing as the memories of your words, your perfect New York accent ringing in my ears, and an unhinged snort escaping persistently from my nose and mouth. Despite the fact that David Sedaris made a mockery of me, I would still encourage all and sundry to get to the Brisbane Powerhouse next week to see one of his rare live shows. Basically if you haven’t already realised, David Sedaris is very funny. His books are hilarious, but when you hear him tell his stories live he takes his hilarity to a whole other level! His is not PG humour – family, love, politics, sex, drugs, rock n’ roll – and every little and big thing in-between. All topics are all approached with his particular brand of brazen comedy, but it is fantastic - he actually says what we all think.
Wandering around a market while the sun shines is all well and good, but there's something extra appealing about the nighttime variety. Happening every Friday and Saturday night in Brisbane's north BITE Markets fits the bill. And, it serves up plenty of food, because that's what every night market attendee really wants. A trip to Nolan Drive in Morayfield comes with a little something extra on Friday, November 26 and Saturday, November 27, however — because that's when the BITE Christmas Markets is adding some seasonal cheer to the place. This is a family-friendly affair complete with carols, Santa and entertainment for kids, but if you were thinking about hitting up a market anyway and you love Christmas, consider it a two-for-one kind of event. Expect the usual array of food, and likely some festive-themed treats. Opting for the sweets lineup — cakes, doughnuts, churros and poffertjes and the like — is perfect for this time of year, of course. A shipping container setup like Hamilton's Eat Street — complete with landscaping and a dining precinct — BITE Markets showcases local talents, so prepare to feast on meals whipped up by the best producers, food creators and artisans in the area, too. Entry costs $3 for adults — and for those driving north, there's more than 600 car parks onsite.
It's not every day that you can help your fellow Brisbanites by having a couple of brews, but come Saturday, March 5 at Oche in Fortitude Valley, that's exactly what's on the agenda. After a tough week of wild weather and flooding, the Constance Street spot is putting on a karma keg, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross Flood Disaster Appeal If you grab a brew any time on Saturday, 100-percent of your money will be donated to this very worthy cause. Buy several — whether you're shouting your mates or settling in for the long haul — and you'll be putting even more of your cash in the hands of those who need it. Oche is teaming up with Stone and Wood on the karma keg, so that's the beer you'll be drinking. And, as comes with the concept, it's a pay-what-you-like setup — but the more you splash out, the more cash will be raised. Oche opens from 12pm–12am on Saturdays, if you're wondering when to pop in.
It's lucky that Chris Pine is so likeable in Wonder Woman 1984, or the scene where his character wanders around in the titular year and marvels slack-jawed at the advancements of the period would be unbearably cheesy. It's still cheesy, and inescapably so. He's wearing a bumbag, so it has to be. But, it's also engagingly performed. The look on his face: wonder. The A Wrinkle In Time star once again plays American pilot Steve Trevor, who was last seen in 1918 in Wonder Woman. He's now a man thrust far beyond his own time, and he has much to marvel at. But this sequence also acts as a stark reminder, sending a message to the audience about the film they're watching. No matter how much returning director Patty Jenkins and the powers-that-be behind the DC Extended Universe hope that Wonder Woman 1984's viewers share the same expression — and how much they believe that simply making a sequel to their 2017 blockbuster is enough to cause it — the movie doesn't earn much more than a resigned sigh. When it hit cinemas three years ago, the first movie about Princess Diana of Themyscira — also known as Diana Prince — stood out. Even though the DCEU started five years after the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC bested its rival by focusing on a female character in its fourth film (for Marvel, it took 21 pictures, only achieving the feat with 2019's Captain Marvel). DC didn't waste its opportunity, either. Wonder Woman isn't a mere cookie-cutter superhero flick, just focusing on a character of a different gender. It champions understanding and emotional intelligence, handles its engaging origin story with sincerity and warmth, and unfurls an adventure where both strength and vulnerability exist in tandem. It also relays a fulfilling tale; a sequel was inevitable, but the initial feature didn't just whet the audience's appetite for the next, plus all the other caped crusader films certain to follow. In other words, Wonder Woman bakes the traits that make its eponymous figure something special into its story and approach, and is all the better for it. In contrast, Wonder Woman 1984 has Diana (Gal Gadot, Justice League) tell everyone again and again that being truthful is far more important than anything else — after an opening scene set among her matriarchal society of Amazons, where she learns the lesson as a girl (Lilly Aspell, Holmes & Watson) during a high-stakes competition against older women. And, with the brightly hued film arriving after a year almost starved of franchise-related comic book tales (other than the pre-pandemic opening of Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and the long-delayed release of The New Mutants), this sequel has also decided that more is more in the easiest of fashions. Wonder Woman 1984 doesn't spin the most complicated story, but it's so repetitive and meandering across its 151-minute running time that it's needlessly bulky, muddled and weighed down. A few notable scenes aside, its glossily shot action sequences share the same dragged-out, overblown sensation. Jumping forward almost seven decades within the Wonder Woman films' timeline, Diana has taken up an anthropologist job at the Smithsonian, and turned swinging through malls on her Lasso of Truth to fight crime into her side hustle. But then insecure archaeologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) starts working beside her, gets tasked with assessing a mysterious gem, and lets Donald Trump-esque infomercial salesman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian) take the strange object home with him. It's no ordinary rock, however. It grants wishes, so Maxwell wants to take advantage of that power — and, unknowingly, both Diana and Barbara have already uttered their dreams aloud while holding the stone. These fantasies come at a cost, of course, even before Maxwell uses his to try to take over the world. Yes, in the script penned by Jenkins, Geoff Johns (Aquaman) and Dave Callaham (Zombieland: Double Tap), a magic rock drives the plot — and the aforementioned, overstressed idea that truth triumphs over all, too. Accordingly, it's no wonder (pun intended) that Wonder Woman 1984 feels padded out. And, with Steve's return, Maxwell's hunger for domination and Barbara's transformation into comic book character Cheetah all demanding attention, it's little surprise that Wonder Woman herself is rarely the main attraction. The film misses her, even though she's supposed to be its protagonist. Perhaps that's why the movie opts for spouting the same maxim over and over, instead of sharing her characteristics. It's harder to make a feature that reflects its chief figure when that ostensible point of focus is so often pushed aside. It's far easier to stick to a broad template, stretch it out and assume everyone will just be pleased that Wonder Woman is back in a movie that bears her name. Wonder Woman 1984 also shares Captain Marvel's struggle, because it's so generic that it doesn't ever do its central character justice — or do much more than deliver a paint-by-numbers tale set in a decades-ago era with a woman as its primary superhero. Perhaps serving up lacklustre, formulaic flicks about male and female caped crusaders alike is Hollywood's idea of equality? Viewers are always left wanting more here, because Gadot demands it. She's immensely charming and graceful as the warrior queen — radiating empathy and decency with an earthiness that should clash with Wonder Woman's shining armour and golden tiara, but doesn't — and navigates tightly choreographed stunts as deftly as big emotional moments. She's nicely paired with both Pine and Wiig, the latter first as a friend and later an adversary, but Gadot sparks her own wonder. Wonder Woman 1984 certainly knows how to trot out well-worn beats packaged as part-upbeat heroism, part-social satire, but it just doesn't realise where its true strengths reside often enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW2E2Fnh52w
After blockbuster exhibitions in 2017 and 2019, The National: New Australian Art — an epic contemporary Australian art exhibition held across three major Sydney galleries — is back. Due to open on Friday, March 26, the program will feature works from 39 emerging, mid-career and established artists at the Art Gallery of NSW, the MCA and Carriageworks. At the helm for this edition of the biennial set of exhibitions are Matt Cox and Erin Vink (AGNSW), Abigail Moncrieff (Carriageworks) and Rachel Kent (MCA). Each gallery will exhibit a unique and distinct collection of new Australian art from artists such as Abdullah MI Syed and Lauren Berkowitz, plus artistic collective such as A Constructed World and the Karrabing Film Collective. The exhibitions will run simultaneously across the three galleries, all kicking off on the same date but finishing at various times until Sunday, September 5. Find out more at The National's website — and find out which artists are being exhibited at which galleries via the MCA, AGNSW and Carriageworks. [caption id="attachment_804284" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bilirubin Bezoarn, 2019, installation view, photographer: Christo Crocker[/caption] Top image: Zan Wimberley
Maybe you loved her on Saturday Night Live. Perhaps you adore Parks and Recreation like it's a member of your family. Or, you could've watched and rewatched Baby Mama and Sisters over and over again — or binged your way through Making It, her competitive crafting show. However you became an Amy Poehler fan, 2021 is shaping up to be a great year. The talented comedian and actor is co-hosting the Golden Globes again with Tina Fey, Parks and Recreation has just hit Netflix and, come early March, Poehler's latest movie will also make its way to the streaming platform. That flick is called Moxie, and it both co-stars Poehler and marks her second stint as a feature filmmaker. It also heads back to high school — because popping up in Mean Girls, which Tina Fey wrote the screenplay for, clearly wasn't enough of a blast from the past. Poehler obviously isn't packing her school bag. Instead, she plays the mother to a teenager, Vivian (Hadley Robinson, I'm Thinking of Ending Things). The 16-year-old has always been quiet and studious, and tried to to avoid attracting any unwanted attention from her classmates. But, after finally realising that she's had enough of the toxic behaviour that runs rampant at her school, she takes a few cues from her mum's past, starts an underground zine and starts fighting for change. From the just-dropped first trailer, Moxie slides easily into the high-school genre; however, it also gives it a riot grrrl spin. Plus, as well as Poehler and Robinson, the film's cast includes Alycia Pascual-Peña (Saved By the Bell), Lauren Tsai (Legion), Patrick Schwarzenegger (Daniel Isn't Real), Josephine Langford (After We Collided), Clark Gregg (Agents of SHIELD), Ike Barinholtz (The Hunt) and Marcia Gay Harden (The Morning Show) — and it's based on the he novel by Jennifer Mathieu. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf34qI1hjKU Moxie will be available to stream via Netflix from Wednesday, March 3. Top image: Colleen Hayes/Netflix © 2020
UPDATE, August 18, 2023: Bound Festival will no longer be going ahead for 2023. Next time that you hit the beach, Ash Grunwald and Phil Jamieson could provide the soundtrack, wine-fuelled picnics might be on the agenda and brews in a beer hall could await. When you're not tapping your toes, eating and drinking, yoga and meditation sessions might be ensuring that you're as relaxed as possible — all amid the sand, surf and sun of Burleigh Heads. There's no coulds or mights about any of the above actually accuring at Bound Festival, which will take place from Friday, September 22–Sunday, September 24. The only question? If you're set to soak them in. This three-day event will combine food, wine, music and wellness on the Gold Coast, returning for a second year but under a new name. If the general concept sounds familiar, that's because it happened in 2022 as Burleigh Festival. The destination again: Justins Park on the Burleigh Heads Foreshore. And, yes, all those bites, sips, tunes and relaxation sessions are setting up shop right by the water once more. Ash Grunwald, Phil Jamieson, Felivand, Apricot Ink and Golding are all locked in behind the microphone, with additional music acts to be announced, including a headliner to close the main stage's lineup on the Sunday. If it's the culinary part of the program that has you most excited — other than the setting, which is always a drawcard — Bound Festival hasn't unveiled its vendors as yet; however, the focus is firmly local. Standout Burleigh and Gold Coast eateries will serve up dishes, covering meals considered local specialties and international cuisines. And, the picnic precinct will revolve around cellar doors and serve ample cheese, brews aplenty will be on offer in the beer hall, and non-alcoholic options will get their time to shine as well. Games and a barbecue spread are also on the agenda — and, as for the wellness activities, they'll score their own dedicated zone. Also featuring: HIIT sessions, plus discussions about finding your bliss. There, too, the full lineup is still to come. BOUND FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Ash Grunwald Phil Jamieson Felivand Apricot Ink Golding more to come Bound Festival runs from Friday, September 22–Sunday, September 24 at Justins Park on the Burleigh Heads Foreshore, Burleigh Heads. For further information, head to the event's website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Brisbane at present. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. CANDYMAN Who can take tomorrow and dip it in a dream? 'The Candy Man' can, or so the suitably sugary earworm of a song has crooned since 1971. What scratches at the past, carves open its nightmares and sends them slicing into the present? That'd be the latest Candyman film, a powerful work of clear passion and palpable anger that's crafted with tense, needling thrills and exquisite vision. Echoing Sammy Davis Jr's version of the tune that virtually shares its name across its opening frames, this new dalliance with the titular hook-handed villain both revives the slasher franchise that gave 90s and 00s teen sleepovers an extra tremor — if you didn't stare into the mirror and utter the movie's moniker five times, were you really at a slumber party? — and wrestles vehemently and determinedly with the historic horrors that've long befallen Black Americans. It'll come as zero surprise that Jordan Peele produces and co-penned the screenplay with writer/director Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) and writer/producer Win Rosenfeld (The Twilight Zone). Candyman slides so silkily into Peele's thematic oeuvre alongside Get Out and Us, plus Peele-produced TV series Hunters and Lovecraft Country, that his fingerprints are inescapable. But it's rising star DaCosta who delivers a strikingly alluring, piercingly savage and instantly memorable picture. Alongside bloody altercations and lashings of body horror, razor blade-spiked candy makes multiple appearances, and her film is equally as sharp and enticing. In a preface that expands the Candyman mythology — and savvily shows how the movie has everyday realities firmly on its mind — that contaminated confectionery is thrust to the fore. In 1977, in the Cabrini-Green housing estate where the series has always loitered, Sherman Fields (Michael Hargrove, Chicago PD) is suspected of handing out the laced lollies to neighbourhood kids. Sent to do laundry in the basement, pre-teen Billy (Rodney L Jones III, Fargo) soon comes face-to-face with the man everyone fears; however, after the boy screams and the police arrive, he witnesses something even more frightening. Jumping to the present (albeit absent any signs of the pandemic given Candyman was initially slated to release in mid-2020), Cabrini-Green is now Chicago's current poster child for gentrification. It's where artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen) and curator Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris, WandaVision) have just bought an expansive apartment, in fact. They're unaware of the area's background, until Brianna's brother Troy (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Generation) and his partner Grady (Kyle Kaminsky, DriverX) start filling them in on the legend that's long been whispered across the local streets — and, struggling to come up with ideas for a new show, Anthony quickly clasps onto all things Candyman for his next big project. Read our full review. ANNETTE Dreamy and dazzling from its first moments, rock opera Annette bursts onto the screen with a simple question: "so may we start?". As the opening credits roll, the long-awaited latest film from Holy Motors director Leos Carax addresses its audience before it poses that query — via an unseen announcer who tells viewers "you are now kindly requested to keep silent, and to hold your breath until the end of the show" — but the movie doesn't begin to truly kick into gear until the filmmaker himself asks if things can get going. Images of a recording studio flicker, with Carax on one side of the glass and Ron and Russell Mael, of art-pop duo Sparks, on the other. Carax tells his real-life daughter Nastya that the fun is about to commence, and the Mael brothers start singing and playing keyboard, with a band around them. Soon, however, everyone is on their feet and spilling out into the street, with the feature's stars Adam Driver (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), Marion Cotillard (We'll End Up Together) and Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) joining them in the glorious, song-fuelled, sing-and-walk scene. No one is playing a character here yet, but they're all still playing a part. They're finally coming together for the big spectacle that is this eagerly anticipated film — which has been in the works since 2016 — and they're setting the vibe in a bold and sensational way. The tune is pure Sparks, with the pair both composing the movie's music and writing the feature itself with Carax. The tone bubbles with the pair's avant-garde sensibilities, too, and the whole song echoes with the promise of remarkable things to come. Nine years ago, Carax gave the world a once-in-a-lifetime gem. Annette is a different film to Holy Motors, obviously, but it gleams just as brightly and with the same beguiling, inimitable, all-encompassing allure. There's an ethereal, otherworldly quality to Carax's work — of heightening reality to truly understand how people feel and act, and of experimenting with artforms to interrogate them — and that sensation seeps through every second of his gleefully melodramatic musical, which deservedly won him the Cannes Film Festival's Best Director award. Everything about Annette has been turned up several notches on every setting, from its lush and lavish imagery to its cascade of toe-tapping, sung-through tunes that keep propelling the narrative forward. Every character detail, both external and internalised, has been amplified as well. This is a movie where Driver's Henry wears the same shade of green over and over like a uniform, beaming his envy at every turn. It's a film where sex scenes involve singing, as though they're the only way these characters can really convey their innermost emotions. And, it's a feature where the titular character — the baby born of standup comedian Henry McHenry (Driver) and opera star Ann Defrasnoux's (Cotillard) mismatched but passionate and all-consuming love — is played by a marionette. This is a tragedy and a fairy tale, in other words, as it charts how Henry and Ann "love each other so much", how their dissimilarities tear them in different directions, and how Annette comes into their lives but can't save them from stormy seas. Read our full review. DON'T BREATHE 2 When a horror film spawns a sequel, it often resurrects the villain rather than reunites with the hero for an obvious reason: watching a familiar murderer terrorise new victims is a far easier formula to replicate, and to sell, than tasking the same protagonist with surviving an unnerving ordeal again and again. There are exceptions; typically when the Halloween franchise works best, it brings back both Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, for instance. Some movies also tweak the template slightly, as seen with Don't Breathe 2. This five-years-later follow-up to 2016's grim, gritty and effective genre hit once again focuses on 'The Blind Man', aka Norman Nordstrom, and not only because it makes the most narrative sense. This second effort also brings him back because Stephen Lang (The Good Fight) put in such an imposing and memorable performance as the wrong person to burgle the first time around. Unsurprisingly, there's a purposeful, unshakeable but still unpleasant level of discomfort that comes with siding with a killer who had also kidnapped and forcibly impregnated a woman in the last feature — and tried to do the same thing to one of its home invaders — and it just plays as disconcerting rather than edgy. This is a movie about the lesser of two evils, though, after a shady criminal gang led by the sinister Raylan (Brendan Sexton III, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie) breaks into Nordstrom's home with designs on the now-11-year-old girl, Phoenix (Madelyn Grace, Grey's Anatomy), he's been raising as his daughter for the past eight years. Helmed by directing first-timer Rodo Sayagues, who co-wrote the initial feature with filmmaker Fede Alvarez (The Girl in the Spider's Web) and does so again here, Don't Breathe 2 still unleashes much the same violent mayhem in much the same setup. Nordstrom's home is infiltrated, and he subsequently battles back against the culprits — but this time to genuinely save Phoenix, rather than to try to keep someone captive and his secrets safe. The mechanics of the sequel's new cat-and-mouse standoff favour muscular and sinewy physical confrontations as its predecessor did, and rely heavily upon Lang embodying those exact traits. He attacks, reacts and helps bring the gore with almost-preternatural, action hero-esque precision, but it all expectedly feels repetitive now that the series is being given a second spin. One area where the film doesn't repeat itself: its soundscape. Don't Breathe 2 isn't as fussed with toying with acoustics as much, to the movie's detriment — so, gone is the anxiety of feeling that that every noise could spell doom for Nordstrom and Phoenix, even though hiding and keeping silent still plays a large part in the story. And, thanks to the big dose of orchestrated unease that stems from the choice to set two grimy adversaries against each other, tension is mostly absent. Don't Breathe 2 doesn't bother to engage any shades of grey lurking within Nordstrom, either, or truly make its audience question what makes a hero and a villain. Accordingly, as experienced with 80s-era direct-to-video sequels — which this film resembles at every moment — it's hard to care who survives when the movie barely cares about anything but following a formula itself. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; June 3, June 10, June 17 and June 24; July 1, July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29; and August 5, August 12 and August 19. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Fast and Furious 9, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, In the Heights, Herself, Little Joe, Black Widow, The Sparks Brothers, Nine Days, Gunpowder Milkshake, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Old, Jungle Cruise, The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect and The Night House.
Get ready to chow down on mouthwatering Neil Perry hamburgers. Since opening in Sydney's World Square in October 2014, the celebrity chef's high-end fast food joint Burger Project has become a favourite with Sydney foodies, serving up a variation of his iconic Rockpool beef burger at a fraction of the price. The burger joint has since expanded to Melbourne and, after announcing back in May last year that Burger Project will be coming to Brisbane, Perry has finally opened the doors. You can find the new store on ground level at the new Southport precinct in South Bank. The venue, which boasts big floor-to-ceiling windows, has room for 60 burger fiends inside and another 30 outside. So, what exactly do they serve at The Burger Project, anyway? Well, Perry is sticking closely to the winning World Square formula, so you can expect a variety of tried-and-tested tasty burgers including the Magic Mushroom, the spicy fried chicken katsu and of course the classic American cheeseburger. For dessert, dive into one of their decadent ice cream creations such as the Blueberry Pie or The Bounty Hunter with vanilla bean ice cream with chocolate sauce, toasted coconut and crushed meringue. The Brisbane Burger Project will also be the first outlet to offer breakfast. They'll switch out their regular menu for bacon and egg (and mushroom and egg) burgers, BLTs, potato gems and coffee from Melbourne's Market Lane from 8–11am daily. The South Bank store is the eighth Burger Project to open around the country, and the first in Brisbane. Neil Perry's Rockpool Group was acquired by the Urban Purveyor Group last year, and, as the newly formed Rockpool Dining Group, they plan to open more stores here this year. By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
Since the beginning of time, humans have always matched food with wine. Jesus broke bread with vino, the Vikings had their salted fish and mead, the French have cheese and champagne and the Italians cicchetti and aperitivo — a pairing we've all enjoyed more than a few times this summer. If you've spent the last few months like we did, cured meats, olives, vegetables in oil, cheese and the like have become a diet staple, especially when paired with a spritz or even simpler, a crisp glass of prosecco. As we move into autumn, there's no need to lose this little evening, pre-going out ritual — even if that summer sun starts to slip away. To help you take the magic of this molto buono pairing from the bar terrace and into your home, we've partnered with the wine aficionados at Dal Zotto and crafted five cicchetti to serve with the new Dal Zotto prosecco. Before your next night out, grab a few friends, a bottle of bubbles and kick back at your own at-home aperitivo hour. Red and white gingham tablecloths are entirely optional. CURED MEAT AND CHEESE TOASTS The zesty flavour of the prosecco cuts through the rich flavours of the meats and cheese. Plus, making it DIY limits prep time so you can easily plate, serve, eat and go. — preferred cured meats (spicy salami, salumi, prosciutto, bresaola, etc.) — preferred cheeses (provolone, parmesan, mozzarella, gorgonzola, etc.) — baguette, sliced about 2 centimetres wide and toasted Plate the meats, cheeses and bread together for everyone to construct themselves to their preference. Just make sure to keep the bubbles flowing. PANCETTA WRAPPED PRAWNS This upscale version of shrimp on the barbie is crunchy and rich and contrasts beautifully with the ripe fruit flavours and crisp acidity of prosecco. — 16 raw prawns, deveined — 8 pancetta rashers — aioli (serves four) Preheat the oven to 200°C and cut the rashers in half lengthwise. Wrap each prawn in a pancetta slice and place on a baking tray and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Serve with aioli and well-chilled prosecco. BRUSCHETTA This classic is an oldy but a goody — and requires minimal effort. All you'll need is a toaster, chopping board and well-sharpened knife. Oh, and a glass of prosecco for while you're constructing. — 4 large slices of ciabatta — 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped — 2 garlic cloves, crushed — 2 red onions, diced — 3 cloves garlic, minced — 1/2 cup of basil, chopped — pepper and salt, to taste — balsamic and olive oil, to drizzle (serves four) Toast the ciabatta until almost burnt, then oil the bread. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, then divide the mixture evenly onto each piece toasted slice. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and garnish with basil leaves. Serve alongside a glass of prosecco immediately. PESTO ESCARGOT No, we're not eating snails. It's just a tasty pastry which has a cute snail-like (spiral) appearance, and the bitey parmesan and pesto counter the bubbly prosecco perfectly. — 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted — 3 tablespoons basil pesto — 1 cups parmesan cheese, grated (makes about 12 pieces) Preheat the oven to 180°C, then line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Roll out the dough and spread the pesto and cheese evenly over the pastry. Then, roll the sheet tightly into a long scroll and slice evenly into 12 pieces. Lay each piece on the tray leaving 2 centimetres between each roll, and bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy at a snail's pace over the afternoon with a bottle of bubbly, of course. ANTIPASTI SKEWERS Prosecco and antipasto are like old-timey best mates; they're always better together. The acidity of the prosecco counterbalances the saltiness of the olives and the creaminess of the mozzarella. — prosciutto — bocconcini — pitted olives — grape tomatoes — marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved — basil leaves — skewers Add each ingredient onto a skewer, alternating colour and taste as you go. Arrange all the skewers on a serving platter, drizzle with olive oil and serve with a glass of prosecco. Keen for more fizz? Plan a mini city break up north and visit Noosa Boathouse, Noosa Surf Club or Black Bird for a glass of bubbly perfection — or head to Sofitel in Noosa between April 16–28, where Dal Zotto has an Easter activation planned. Exact details are still TBC, so keep an eye on the Dal Zotto Instagram account for announcements.
What begins and ends with two massive gigs, will light up the sky three times a night, and includes everything from unsettling shipping container installations to a kaleidoscopic house of mirrors and a mind- (and body-) bending circus? That'd be this year's Brisbane Festival, which will feature nearly 600 performances across a huge 22 days when it returns between September 8–29. Marking his fourth stint as Brisbane Festival's artistic director, David Berthold has curated a stacked program of almost 70 shows for the 2018 lineup — featuring more than 1000 artists, taking over 17 venues, and serving up 100 performances for free. As always, the fest's lineup spans the full array of arts, culture, performance and music events, so if you're keen to catch an inventive new play every night at the returning Theatre Republic — or schedule your life around gigs at Brisbane Arcadia — then you're about to become mighty busy. Certain highlights include Séance, which has spooked out audiences in Sydney and Melbourne, and now comes to Brisbane to unleash its immersive sonic scares in 20-minute bursts; Horror, the already-announced production that's like bringing a frightening film to the theatre; and the return of House of Mirrors, aka the reflective labyrinth you'll want to get lost in once again. Or audiences can witness Homer's Illiad turned into a memorial for fallen soldiers in Memorial; catch the world premiere of LIFE the show, the latest cabaret-fuelled circus effort from Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO's Strut & Fret; and watch eight same-sex couples tying the knot in a joyful garden street party celebration. Want more? There's Peter Grimes, the acclaimed opera by Benjamin Britten, as well as Hamnet, which stars an 11-year-old who takes on Shakespeare by playing the bard's abandoned son. Over in Home, a house will be built on the QPAC Playhouse stage each night, with the process turning into a party. And thanks to A Force at Flowstate, a public artwork will evolve moment by moment and day by day, adding materials that have flowed through the space — and holding free workshops so that everyone can take part. Music-wise, Brisbane Festival's two bookending gigs at the Riverstage will get things started with Ball Park Music and San Cisco on September 8, and then cap it all off with Violent Soho, Meg Mac, Methyl Ethel and WAAX on September 29. In-between, Brisbanites can catch sets by Tkay Maidza, Yothu Yindi and The Treaty Project, Sarah Blasko, Destroyer, Polish Club, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Jen Cloher and Eskimo Joe — the latter with Brisbane's chamber Camerata. The list keeps going, with classical pieces combining with Circa's acrobatics in En Masse, puppet show Umami Mermaids exploring the world of mutated sea sirens, and pianist Sonya Lifschitz working her fingers as historical footage of the likes of Joseph Stalin, Ai Weiwei, Bertolt Brecht, John F. Kennedy and Julia Gillard screens in Stalin's Piano. And while it all comes to an end with Riverfire's usual bright display of blazing fireworks — for the 21st year, in fact — a thrice-nightly light show called River of Light will also illuminate the city, featuring giant spirals of water, coloured lighting and rainbow-hued lasers along the river at South Bank. Brisbane Festival runs from September 8–29 across Brisbane. For the full 2018 program, or to book tickets, visit the festival website.
Britain's two Queen Elizabeths have enjoyed their fair share of film and TV depictions, aided by Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Margot Robbie, Helen Mirren, Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton and more — to name just a few — but they're not the only royals of that first name to grace the screen. While the spelling differs slightly and she's played as more of a Diana-style people's princess in her latest stint in cinemas, Empress Elisabeth of Austria (also Queen of Hungary) has received several celluloid and pixel resurrections of her own. Corsage ranks among the best of them, as famed as Austria's Sissi films from the 50s are and as recently as Netflix's The Empress hit streaming, in no small part due to two other outstanding women. One is Luxembourgish actor Vicky Krieps (Bergman Island), who is shrewd, wry and wily as the Bavarian-born wife to Emperor Franz Joseph I. The other is Austrian writer/director Marie Kreutzer (The Ground Beneath My Feet), whose handsomely staged and smartly anachronistic feature is no mere dutiful biopic. Corsage's lead casting is the dream it instantly seems on paper; if you're wondering why, see: Krieps' scene-stealing work opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in 2017's Phantom Thread. Here, she's been earning deserved awards — the Best Performance prize in the 2022 Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard section among them — for a portrayal that never feels like she's stepping into someone else's shoes or jumping back to the past for a part. Krieps is, naturally. Also, given that Sissi lived between 1837–1898, viewers have no way of knowing how close this characterisation is. But Krieps' fierce, dynamic and layered performance goes far further than easy impersonation, or providing a period-appropriate rendering of the Empress based on how history dictates that women of the era behaved (or what flicks set then or focusing on regal women back then have served up before). Corsage is a portrait of a lady, after all, and not of a time. There's nothing old-fashioned about Sissi in Krieps and Kreutzer's hands, although the predicament she's in when Corsage kicks off wouldn't have been new in her day: approaching a big midlife milestone birthday and feeling agitated about it. "At the age of 40, a person begins to disperse and fade," the Empress herself offers. It's 1877, her then 23-year marriage to Franz Josef (Florian Teichtmeister, Vienna Blood) is no longer lit by sparks, her young daughter Valerie (first-timer Rosa Hajjaj) disapproves of her every move, and much attention — her own and beyond — is upon her appearance. So, she flits restlessly. She can travel, circling around Europe. She can ride, exercise, pal around with friends and reconnect with old lovers. She can enjoy the company of men such as Louis Le Prince (Finnegan Oldfield, Final Cut), who directs his motion-picture camera her way, and horseman Bay Middleton (Colin Morgan, Belfast). She can play the starlet part, but also seethe with frustration about the largely decorative nature of her position. Some of the above genuinely happened. Some of it didn't. The same applies to other aspects of Kreutzer's narrative from start to finish. Fidelity to facts isn't Corsage's primary or even secondary concern, refreshingly so. Also, the film doesn't bother itself with the notorious end to her son's story, with Crown Prince Rudolf taking his own life in a suicide pact. He's still in the movie (as portrayed by Aaron Friesz, Freud), but his tale isn't his mother's. Endeavouring to set a historical figure free from their corset — which is what corsage means in French, not flowers for a formal occasion as the term refers to in English — this flick isn't bound by accuracy or the lives of others. Sissi was bound enough anyway and not just by bodices cinching in her waist down to 19.5-inches and less, as Corsage finds ample ways to make plain. In too many situations and for far too long, to be a woman is to be the subject of scrutiny — and doesn't Corsage know it. Sissi's roles as a wife, mother, Empress and representative of her countries are the source of constant fixation from all and sundry, with nothing ever pleasing everyone or even anyone much. Her exterior earns the same public obsession. The fact that she shares it is both an indictment of the ridiculous pressure she's subjected to and, in the complicated way of disordered eating, a bid for control. Corsage isn't here to simply spin woe, however. It's too playful and subversive for that. What it recognises again and again is how little agency Sissi had, how she was constantly defined by how she looked, and how one might process, cope with and rally against that truth. A haircut isn't just a haircut here, for instance, but an act of release and rebellion that also inspires tears among her attendants. Against restrained period fare and reverent on-screen biographies, Corsage is an act of rebellion, too. It isn't quite Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette nor Pablo Larraín's Spencer, but belongs in the middle of the pair. Accordingly, cue the flouting of 19th-century-only sights and sounds, plus a firm focus on conveying Sissi's inner state with every tool at the picture's disposal. Visually, Kreutzer and cinematographer Judith Kaufmann (The Audition) let modern details remain among the movie's settings — doors, lights, powerpoints, mops and more. On the soundtrack, French singer Camille of 'Ta Douleur' fame gets poppy, and covers of Kris Kristofferson's 'Help Me Make It Through the Night' and The Rolling Stones' 'As Tears Go By' get a workout. This tale is timeless, Kreutzer emphasises. The Empress' stresses, sadness, struggles and spirit are as well, her film continues. Corsage's point of interest is Kreutzer's familiar point of interest: women just wanting to be who they are but constrained by society's rules and expectations. 2019's The Ground Beneath My Feet and 2016's Krieps-starring We Used to Be Cool before that don't toy with real-life figures, but they unpack the same idea. That's an age-old reality, Corsage also reinforces, whether it's sticking close to its star's face, sometimes beneath striking face veils; surveying the punishing act of dressing as an Empress again and again; or stepping back to take in her lavish attire and surroundings, seeing what the world around her sees. Then, when this perceptive treasure comes to its inventive end, it's with an utterly unforgettable reimagining — which, yes, is this feature from the get-go.
In 2014, Argentinian artist Amalia Pica undertook a residency at Gashaka Gumti National Park in the rainforest of Nigeria. During her stay, she observed the lives of chimpanzees, particularly their methods of communicating and their use of tools. In 2017, she followed up with a stint at Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art in Colorado, exploring the concept of inter-species communication and working with leading primatologists. please open hurry synthesises the results of her residencies into an exhibition, with her Institute of Modern Art showcase turning chimp communication — between themselves, and with other species — into art. Planet of the Apes and its many sequels and remakes, it isn't, as Pica takes a considered and creative look into her chosen field of interest. Reflecting the two parts of her research, the exhibition displays in two parts. First, see her Nigerian-inspired efforts until January 14, and then come back after February 2 for the next chapter. Image: Amalia Pica, Taller / Workshop, 2017. Tools made by chimpanzees out of forest wood to extract food such as honey or insects, felt pen, nails. Dimensions variable.
I'm no kidnapper. I've never tried and, unless this film critic thing really falls through, I hopefully never will. That said, were I to give it a crack, I can't help but think the overarching guideline for a successful 'grab' must be that my victim isn't dead by the time I get him. But look, I'm getting ahead of myself here. To the movie... In 2013 the world found itself subject to a ridiculous 'White House Being Taken Over By Terrorists Only To Be Saved By One Gritty Muscled Dude' genre battle between Olympus Has Fallen and the far superior White House Down. Now, three years later, we get London Has Fallen – the sequel to the former nobody was calling for. Starring Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, London Has Fallen chronicles a devastating series of attacks throughout London on the morning of a state funeral, with the goal of assassinating world leaders and kidnapping the US President (Aaron Eckhart). Ah. There we are again. Kidnapping. I guess I'm just saying I'd be reluctant to use explosives near my target because of the potential for hurting him. I probably wouldn't, for example, instruct one of my generic 'international terrorist' henchmen to spend several minutes simply lobbing rocket-propelled grenades directly at the President's car. Or his hiding spot. Or his face. Anyway, minor side point. London Has Fallen boasts arguably the most outstanding supporting cast of Academy Award winners and nominees asked to do nothing but stare at a screen. Morgan Freeman, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo and Angela Bassett all shine for the several seconds that they're given in the White House Situation Room, and... Sorry. Not to get sidetracked again, it's just – they shoot his helicopter down. The President's helicopter. While he's in it. From an aviation safety standpoint alone, statistically that's a huge risk to take when you want to capture him alive. It's like using a nuke to get the toy out of a Kinder Surprise. As for the script, the terrorists speak in advertising slogans like "Vengeance must always be profound, and absolute", while Butler's hero Banning consistently spouts racist gems like "why don't you go back to Fuckheadistan or wherever it is you came from?" In fact, London Has Fallen is so astoundingly jingoistic and overtly xenophobic, you half-expect the credits to conclude with "Paid for by Trump 4 President". Plus...they just shoot at the President all the time. Especially when he's in cars. And then they ram those cars with garbage trucks, even before they know whether or not he's wearing a seatbelt. And it's not as though seatbelts are a guarantee of survival in a major collision... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsOdX7NcJs
Strolling along a jetty is one of life's simple pleasures. Decking stretches from the shore out over the ocean, the water glistens as far as the eye can see, and the breeze — because there's always a breeze — is instantly refreshing. And, no matter where in the world you happen to be, the experience always feels comfortably familiar. The scenery might be different, but there's not much about moseying along a pier that changes from place to place. Well, that's usually the case. At Australia's new structure in the Eyre Peninsula city of Whyalla, in South Australia, the whole jetty concept has had quite the upgrade. The basics are still the same — it's still a platform that juts out over the sea, of course, and you still walk along it and soak in the coastal splendour — but this one has a huge circle in the middle, as well as LED lights along its handrails. If you're thinking about immediately adding it to your must-visit list, that's understandable. Instead of running in a straight line as most piers do, this $7.8-million concrete jetty boasts a loop in the centre — and visitors have to walk either one way or the other along the circle to get to the end of the structure. The design isn't symmetrical, which means you have two options: take the shorter, more direct route as you head to the big square platform at the jetty's tip, or meander along the lengthier arc for a leisurely spot of wave-watching. If you decide to wander along the entire jetty — walking the full circumference of the loop, as well as the straight sections at either end — you'll cover 315 metres. You'll also venture 165 metres out from the shore. In addition, you'll have ample space, as the whole thing is 4.5 metres wide. For accessibility purposes, a 45-metre ramp is currently under construction as well. [caption id="attachment_784064" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of the jetty[/caption] Officially opened on Wednesday, September 16, the Whyalla Jetty is the only jetty of its kind in the southern hemisphere — and given its eye-catching look, it's easy to see how that's the case. The design was selected by the local community to replace the old pier, which was destroyed by a fire in 2019 but was set to be superseded by the new jetty anyway. And, in picking a new structure, these SA residents have chosen well. To keep the jetty visible at night, bespoke lighting has been installed in its top brushed steel balustrade, too, with each 50-centimetre section of railing including a five-centimetre LED pod. So, as well as standing out due to its shape, this pier lights up the night. It has been built to last at least 80 years, so expect those lights to glow for some time. Visitors can meander along the jetty's expanse, obviously, as well as fish off the side; however, jetty jumping is strictly forbidden. There aren't any ladders or steps to take you down to the water either — so once you're up there, you'll be looking down at the sea from above. Find the Whyalla Jetty in Whyalla, on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula. For further details, visit the Whyalla City Council's website.
In 2022, The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were meant to share the same Splendour in the Grass bill. Karen O's band didn't make it to what became Splendour in the Mud, but the two groups have shared plenty before — and for decades. Their maps have overlapped since pre-9/11 New York, when both were formed in the turn-of-the-millennium indie-rock wave, then surfed it to success and worldwide fame. Both The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were born of the Lower East Side pre-gentrification. Both spun in the same orbit as late-90s saccharine pop and Y2K nu-metal rock gave way to electrifying guitar riffs and an explosive sound that'd become a whole scene. Both are led by charismatic singers who came alive onstage, but also found chaos and challenges. Alongside Interpol, LCD Soundsystem, The Moldy Peaches, The Rapture and TV on the Radio, both now sit at the heart of documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom. Based on Lizzy Goodman's 2017 book Meet Me in the Bathroom, an oral history that focuses on exactly what its subtitle says it does — Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001–2011 — this is a fond look back at bands setting the room on fire and rolling heads as one century gave way to the next. While the film isn't about just one or two groups, it returns to The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs again and again, and not simply because they're two of the early 00s' biggest NYC post-punk, garage-rock revival names. Listening to The Strokes' first record, 2001's Is This It, is a jolt and a buzz. With Julian Casablancas behind the microphone, it thrums and hums with the energy of hopping between bars, gigs and parties, and with the thrill of a heady night, week, month, year and just being in your 20s. Hearing O's voice is galvanising — intoxicating as well — and has been since the Yeah Yeah Yeah's self-titled EP, also in 2001. It's no wonder that directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern just want to keep listening, and also inhabiting that vibe. Meet Me in the Bathroom jumps around like a mixtape — or, befitting the period, like illicit tunes acquired by Napster and LimeWire, tools that aren't irrelevant to this story. Before technology changed the radio star again, making global fandom easier, better, faster and stronger, the movie's bands had to come to fruition in the first place, however. Lovelace and Southern start with images of the Manhattan skyline, and of New York's subway system. They hero Andy Warhol, Lou Reed and Blondie, ticking through New York icon after New York icon. They position The Strokes, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and company's arrival as the next step and, by using such familiar NYC mainstays, they mark Meet Me in the Bathroom's key players as era-defining legends who were always going be legends. Before this, Lovelace and Southern's best-known film was Shut Up and Play the Hits. In that James Murphy-centric doco about what was then LCD Soundsystem's last gig at Madison Square Garden and in this alike, the directing duo are patently enamoured with their subjects. That doesn't dampen or discount Meet Me in the Bathroom's passion and insights, not for a second — but the film is preaching to the long ago-converted rather initiating 00s-period indie-rock newcomers. There's a wistfulness beyond nostalgia to the movie as well that's a few strums away from being out of tune. The years have passed, naturally. It'll never be the advent of the 21st century again, short of time-travelling DeLoreans or phone booths. Still, The Strokes' last album arrived in 2020, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol released new records in 2022; they're all still together and still touring. In a counterpoint to Meet Me in the Bathroom's confidence that this talent in this town was always going to lead to this tale, The Moldy Peaches' Adam Green voices early doubts: "I remember thinking maybe New York isn't the kind of city anymore that produces iconic bands." The film wouldn't exist if the names it surveys hadn't made their mark, of course, and helped ensure their scene made a mark. Viewers know that going in, but watching the process via archival footage, home movies and gig snippets from the time, much of it handheld and atmospheric — and hearing from Casablancas, O, Murphy, Green, Interpol's Paul Banks and more — is as immersive and transporting as Lovelace and Southern want it to be. A like-you're-there sensation kicks in; Casablancas looking so fresh-faced assists, plus O talking through how fronting a band helped her work out who she was. (Her comment that there were no women in rock leading the way beforehand aren't as spot-on.) O is a fascinating, mesmerising, don't-want-to-look-away point of Meet Me in the Bathroom's focus. The movie does peer elsewhere, but the audience wants it to swiftly return. Her transformation from a quiet girl with an acoustic guitar from New Jersey to a rock goddess doesn't just feel fated, but earned. Her honesty, especially when chatting about the solace from racism and sexism she sought in music, then the treatment that women in rock receive, is pivotal to making Meet Me in the Bathroom more than a vivid effort to revisit a time, place, mood and scene. Also, her candour sits in contrast to Casablancas, who the doco gravitates towards as the world did, but conveys most of what he's going to by saying little. The bigger The Strokes get, the less comfortable he is. And, given that everything in the film's frames comes from back in the day, that's without Casablancas knowing that two decades later this documentary would take its name from a track from The Strokes' second album. Affectionate, in the moment, revealing, reverent: Meet Me in the Bathroom hits all of those notes. It also covers much, from Y2K predictions to 9/11 and its aftermath, sweaty club shows to internet-enabled album leaks, and whirlwind tours through to struggling to get deals and records out. With editors Andrew Cross (Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World) and Sam Rice-Edwards (Whitney), Lovelace and Southern structure the film by feel more than anything else. There's a timeline to this time capsule, but in flitting from one band to the next and back again, choosing where to linger — including an indulgent midsection spent charting Murphy's switch from producer to LCD Soundsystem frontman — and picking what to leave out, mood seems the biggest influence. That's music, though, as anyone who has happily lost themselves to The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on a heaving dance floor or among a jostling festival crowd knows, as does Meet Me in the Bathroom.
Once upon a time, an inner city coffee snob was on her way to visit family in the suburbs south of the Brisbane river. During her journey, a cute shop front on Holland Road caught her eye. Filled with vintage recycled furniture, fresh flowers and enough reading material to satisfy her magazine addiction it was the waft of freshly baked strawberry and apple muffins which lured her in. Two cups of perfectly brewed soy flat whites and a ham and cheese toasted croissant later, this little snob may have just fallen in love with Stomp Espresso, the name of this bright and cheery cafe. Moral of the story: never judge a suburb by it's fast food chains and mega malls, for a charming little cafe in the midst of all this adversity may just win your heart (and your stomach).
4ZZZ are pulling out all the stops for their Radiothon this year. Not only do we have HappyFest to look forward to, but we also have a massive session of fierce, live music on Sunday. Taking over The Underdog will be dozens of bands including Stone Chimp, Sons of the Soil, The 52 Pickups, Weezal. Eat City, Sabrina Lawrie & the Hunting Party (pictured), Flangipanis, Dirty Liars, Le Murd and heaps more. Also, there will be a 4ZZZ themed menu for those of you who like something tasty to go with their live music. Entry is cheap ($12), and even cheaper ($10) if you have subscribed to 4ZZZ (the perks are real) so get in early and stay for a massive night of music. Make sure you head to the 4ZZZ website to check out the event details or to become a subscriber. 4ZZZ is an institution and a massive provider of entertaining events in Brisbane – let’s keep it around.
Yabun — which means "music to a beat" in the Gadigal language — is an annual festival featuring a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent. Held each year on January 26 in Camperdown, Sydney, on Gadigal Land, the festival consists of Corroboree, performances from First Nations musicians, a marketplace, discussions and speeches. After two COVID-impacted years, the festival is returning to its regular programming in Victoria Park. The musical lineup features a mix of up-and-coming and longstanding songwriters and performers. Heading up the musicians are Tia Gostelow, Aodhan, Denni and DRMNGNOW, who will be joined by Robert K Champion, Kyarna Rose and Matty Walker. In addition to the live music, there'll be traditional cultural performances, panel discussions and heaps of activities for adults and kids alike. There will also be a bunch of art, design and activist stalls for you to peruse. If you can't make it down, you can also watch via a live stream on the festival's website or tune into the yearly broadcast of the festival on Koori Radio 93.7fm. It all kicks off at 10am and will run until 10pm.
What happens when two cousins played by Kieran Culkin (Succession) and Jesse Eisenberg (Fleishman Is in Trouble) honour their grandmother and explore their family's past by heading to Poland? Eisenberg himself asked that question, then turned the answer into the Sundance-premiering and now Jewish International Film Festival-bound A Real Pain. The actor not only co-stars but writes and directs the dramedy, his second feature behind the lens — and Australian audiences can see the results when JIFF returns for 2024. This year's festival is back to finish out the year, screening in seven cities, including across Thursday, November 7–Sunday, November 17 at New Farm Cinema in Brisbane. Just like its fellow major cultural film fests, such as its French, Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian and Japanese counterparts, JIFF's 2024 slate is jam-packed. Movie lovers can choose between 41 features, two TV shows and a showcase of short films, with the festival's titles hailing from 17 countries. Eisenberg and Culkin aren't the only big names on the lineup. Closing night's Berlin-set The Performance, which is adapted from an Arthur Miller short story and tells of a Jewish American tap dancer, stars Jeremy Piven (Sweetwater). The fest's centrepiece pick Between the Temples features Jason Schwartzman (Megalopolis) as a cantor and Carol Kane (Dinner with Parents) as his former elementary school music teacher. And in White Bird, which hails from a book by the author of fellow page-to-screen effort Wonder, Helen Mirren (Barbie) and Gillian Anderson (Scoop) pop up. Well-known folks are also in the spotlight in documentaries Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, Diane Warren: Relentless and How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer — and acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, The Trip movies) is on the lineup via British Mandatory Palestine-set historical thriller Shoshana. Then, there's TV series Kafka, arriving a century after the death of its namesake. Highlights across the rest of the program include documentary The Commandant's Shadow, about The Zone of Interest-featured Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss' son Hans Jürgen Höss meeting with survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch; Tatami, following a female Iranian judo athlete played by Arienne Mandi (The L Word: Generation Q), with Guy Nattiv (Golda) and Zar Amir Ebrahimi (last seen on-screen in Shayda, and also co-starring here) co-directing; television's Auckland-set Kid Sister; and Aussie doco Pita with Vegemite: An Israeli Australian Story.
What happens outside an upstate New York strip club at 10am on an ordinary weekday? Nothing — nothing good, or that anyone pays attention to, at least — deduces the unhappy Val (Jerrod Carmichael, Rothaniel) in On the Count of Three. So, he's hatched a plan: with his lifelong best friend Kevin (Christopher Abbott, The Forgiven), they'll carry out a suicide pact, with that empty car park as their final earthly destination. Under the harsh morning light and against a drably grey sky, Carmichael's feature directorial debut initially meets its central duo standing in that exact spot, guns pointed at each other's heads and pulling the trigger mere moments away. Yes, they start counting. Yes, exhaustion and desperation beam from their eyes. No, this thorny yet soulful film isn't over and done with then and there. There are many ways to experience weariness, frustration, malaise and despair, and to convey them — and On the Count of Three surveys plenty, as an unflinchingly black comedy about two lifelong best friends deciding to end it all should. Those dispiriting feelings can weigh you down, making every second of every day an effort. They can fester, agitate, linger and percolate, simmering behind every word and deed before spewing out as fury. They can spark drastic actions, including the type that Val and Kevin have picked as their only option after the latter breaks the former out of a mental health hospital mere days after his last self-harming incident. Or, they can inspire a wholesale rejection of the milestones, such as the promotion that Val is offered hours earlier, that everyone is told they're supposed to covet, embrace and celebrate. On the Count of Three covers all of the above, not just with purpose but with confidence, as well as a much-needed willingness to get messy. It knows it's traversing tricky terrain, and is also well-aware of the obvious: that nothing about considering taking one's own life is simple or easy, let alone a laughing matter. Working with a script by Ramy co-creators Ari Katcher (also a co-creator of The Carmichael Show) and Ryan Welch, Carmichael doesn't make a movie that salutes, excuses or justifies Val and Kevin's exit plan. His film doesn't abhor the emotions and pain behind their choices either, though. Instead, this is a complicated portrait of coping, and not, with the necessities, vagaries and inevitabilities of life — and a raw and thoughtful piece of recognition that the biggest standoff we all have is with ourselves. Rocking a shock of dishevelled bleached-blonde hair, and looking like he hasn't even dreamed of changing his wardrobe since the early 00s, Abbott could've wandered out of Good Time as Kevin — he and Robert Pattinson could/should play brothers some day — including when he's staring down Val with a gun. First, On the Count of Three jumps from there to the events leading up to it, including an earlier attempt by landscaping supply store worker Val in the work bathrooms, his response to hearing about that aforementioned climb up the corporate ladder. In hospital, Kevin is angry; "if any of you knew how to help me by now, you would have fucking done it!" he shouts. But when the time to shoot comes, it's him who suggests a reprieve to take care of a few last items — revenge being his. Calling On the Count of Three a bucket-list movie isn't quite right, because there's a difference between checking off your wildest dreams and working through the essentials that gnaw at you. Accordingly, and in its nervy, restless, go-go-go energy, too, the film is in day-in-the-life territory — focusing on Kevin's score to settle with a child psychologist, Dr Brenner (Henry Winkler, Barry), from his past, and Val getting his issues with his slippery dad Lyndell (JB Smoove, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Natasha, the woman he thought he was going to marry (Tiffany Haddish, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), off his chest. In-between, its main twosome relive minor past glories, whether it's breakfast at a favourite diner or returning to the dirt-bike park job they loved as teens. Those guns have to go off in one way or another, though; Chekov demands it. If On the Count of Three wasn't so deeply felt — so bitterly, unapologetically dark as well — and anchored by such compelling performances, it could've easily gone astray. Tragicomedy isn't straightforward, or simple to pull off. But Carmichael shows his skills as a director (he has TV documentary Sermon on the Mount and a Lil Rel Howery comedy special among his past helming credits otherwise) by skewing both intimate and wide. The film's one-on-one exchanges are candid and revelatory, while pivoting to tensely staged car chases and shootouts still feels natural. The crime-thriller sheen of Marshall Adams' cinematography helps, as does Owen Pallett's evocative score (especially during a climactic pursuit). And, that bickering, bantering, ride-or-die dynamic between the exceptional Abbott and the devastatingly understated Carmichael is captivating to watch. It's a great time for seeing two well-paired actors bouncing off of each other and wanting more — see also: Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in the vastly dissimilar See How They Run — but On the Count of Three's on-screen chemistry is hardly surprising. Abbott keeps going from strength to strength in complex parts, such as James White, Black Bear and Possessor, while Carmichael knows how to match vulnerability with truth, as his comedy special Rothaniel made plain. Such a key factor here is balance, the elusive concept that Val and Kevin are searching for even if they don't necessarily know it. It bubbles through in the movie's comic moments, too; when On the Count of Three chuckles, it directs is humour at Val cathartically screaming along to Papa Roach's 'Last Resort' in such on-the-nose circumstances, Papa Roach in general, the way that minutiae always gets in everyone's way — whether they're planning to see another day or not — and only starting to live when you want to die.
Some days you just want a quick, no-fuss dip close to home. Ithaca Pool in Paddington is the most convenient way to cool off, making it perfect for last-minute plans. This 25-metre outdoor pool has lap lanes for the serious swimmers, plus a recreational space for the casual splasher. Relax post-swim in the grassy park and shaded areas beside the pool, kicking back with an ice cream or cold drink from the cafe. Then again, it's so close to Caxton Street, you can just shower and head straight out to the bars.
In 1947, one country became two and the world was forever altered. Following centuries of governance by the British, India was divided into distinct, independent territories along religious lines. One would still be known as India. The other would become Pakistan (and later, Bangladesh as well). Unsurprisingly, it was a massive task requiring significant contemplation and causing considerable repercussions, both for the officials charged with overseeing the partition, and for the locals who would be forced to live with the change. Such a chapter of history seems an obvious candidate for a dramatic film treatment — and that's just what Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha delivers, stepping through the upheaval and exploring just how the two groups coped in such a turbulent period. But while she focuses firmly on the emotional toll of the partition, it's hard not to think that the director has actually missed the best story. Viceroy's House concludes on a rather touching personal note, explaining that Chadha's own grandmother lived through the events depicted on screen. Frankly, you could be forgiven for wishing she'd told that tale instead. Instead it's the last British head of India and his staff that drive the narrative of Viceroy's House. Accompanied by his wife Edwina (Gillian Anderson) and daughter Pamela (Lily Travers), Lord Louis Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville) tries to negotiate an arrangement for the future of the sub-continent that keeps the various conflicting parties and his English superiors happy. Meanwhile, within Mountbatten's luxurious Delhi mansion, servant Jeet (Manish Dayal) yearns for his childhood sweetheart Aalia (Huma Qureshi), a situation complicated by the fact that he's a Hindu and she's a Muslim. Accordingly, a quest to determine the shape of two nations and a Romeo and Juliet-style affair combine, albeit somewhat awkwardly at times. Jumping between bureaucratic manoeuvring and matters of the heart isn't always packaged with the smoothest transitions, and doesn't give either side of the story much depth. Nevertheless, Chadha's main aim, of examining the ramifications for the country as well as its people, is successfully achieved. The film wrings most of its feeling from its many contrasts, be they ideological, political, religious or romantic. Standard as it all might be, Viceroy's House still proves a handsome effort. Think lush visuals and a rich score, plus fine performances. Downtown Abbey's Bonneville stays nicely in familiar territory, while Anderson couldn't be more enjoyable to watch. She mightn't be the movie's main star, but she's given the job of embodying its chief message of rising above prejudice and finding the right path in times of turmoil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4ZnofZJCD8
No one has ever just wanted to eat one lonely little chicken wing. Few among us have ever stopped at two, three or less than half a dozen, for that matter. One of the easiest dishes to consume copious amounts of, wings have inspired many a dedicated eatery — and all-you-can-eat joint Chook Wings and Beer is Brisbane's latest such establishment. The newest eatery from the folks behind Phat Elephant, Phat Boy, Chapter IV, Asian Republic and Brisbane Chai Thai, this chicken haven is the city's new go-to for endless piles of its eponymous food. Now open in The Hamptons' former site on Gerler Road at Hendra, it serves up all the pieces you can handle (and, let's be honest, probably more pieces than you should) for $21.90. You'll also be feasting on unlimited sides as part of the buffet, which includes fries, fried rice and salads. And for covering and dipping those wings, eight sauces will be available, with buffalo, barbecue, and sour cream and chive all on the lineup. Fancy something other than wings? Both beef and chicken burgers are available, as well as teriyaki chicken and Japanese curry with chicken. And, with beer also part of Chook Wings and Beer's name, it's serving up a hefty selection of brews — think James Squire, VB, Corona and more, plus a selection of ciders.
It should've been so easy. Everybody loves Christmas films that revel in the raucous side of the season, as the likes of Bad Santa (forget the sequel) and The Night Before demonstrated. Everyone loves Office Space-style workplace comedies as well. Combine the two, throw in a host of funny folks, and the jokes should write themselves… shouldn't they? Perhaps that's the problem with Office Christmas Party — maybe directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (The Switch, Blades of Glory), as well as the six different writers involved with conjuring up the story and screenplay, just assumed that's what would happen. They certainly thought that sticking to a formula as bland and straightforward as the film's title would work, and that mentioning beloved pop culture brands and figures such as Fast and Furious, Mad Men, David Bowie and Prince would rustle up some added affection. Alas, the last time office-based festive antics proved such a mess, it was in Die Hard. We all know how that turned out: fantastic as far as action flicks are concerned, but not so well for the people trapped inside Nakatomi Plaza. Here, a Chicago building inhabited by the local branch of a computing firm provides the site of the chaos. Head honcho Clay Vanstone (T.J. Miller) wants to throw the kind of annual party his dad, the former company head, would've been proud of — not the non-denominational holiday mixer with a gouda-stacked cheese platter that HR rep Mary (Kate McKinnon) is putting together. When his sister and interim CEO Carol (Jennifer Aniston) not only cancels the shindig, but threatens to lay off almost half of his staff, Clay and his chief technical officer Josh (Jason Bateman) spring into action. They plan to woo a possible big-shot client (Courtney B. Vance) by throwing an epic rager, with an inappropriate eggnog delivery system, a basketball star and all-round debauchery included. Great party movies, like the recent Tina Fey/Amy Poehler vehicle Sisters, make you wish you were there. Bad party movies usually make you cringe — and no, that's not what Office Christmas Party actually wants to do. Frankly, it's attempting too much already. With X-Men: Apocalypse's Olivia Munn, Workaholics' Jillian Bell, Saturday Night Live's Vanessa Bayer and The Neon Demon's Abbey Lee also among the cast, the film isn't short on subplots involving professional and romantic troubles. As if that weren't enough, a revolutionary new way to access the internet also plays a significant part in proceedings. Mixing an over-stuffed story, predictably bad behaviour, and Santa suits and Christmas lights aplenty, Office Christmas Party proves the type of supposedly outrageous comedy that feels like it was designed by committee. To be fair, that is how most real-life workplace gatherings of the sort come together, and they don't have the scene-stealing McKinnon to liven things up. Still, a party that's only enjoyable when one specific person pops up will always remain a drag, be it off-screen or on.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane (and, until the newly reinstated stay-at-home orders, Melbourne as well). During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njIoUGIDrwA DIRT MUSIC An adaptation of a beloved novel, a tourism campaign for Western Australia and a soapy, Nicholas Sparks-esque romance: combine all three, and that's the long-awaited big-screen version of Dirt Music. For most of the past two decades, Australian filmmakers have been trying to give Tim Winton's 2001 multi-prize-winning book the cinematic treatment; however, the movie that results doesn't prove worth the wait. Winton's work, and its poetic, descriptive prose, isn't the easiest to turn into a script or movie. The Turning was able to translate short stories into a short film collection, and Simon Baker's version of Breath was soulful, well-acted and found a way to explain, explore and convey the lure of the ocean, but Dirt Music has long been considered difficult to adapt. It's clear why thanks to Gregor Jordan's film. Strip out the lyrical words and spend too long inserting shot after shot of the scenic location, and all that's left is a padded-out love triangle populated by stock-standard tortured souls. Georgie Jutland (Kelly Macdonald) is unhappy in her live-in relationship with commercial fishing magnate Jim Buckridge (David Wenham), so when often-shirtless town outcast Lu Fox (Garrett Hedlund) motors his boat into the patch of ocean she's skinny-dipping in, it doesn't take long for something to spring between them. But the ex-musician turned poacher has a troubled past, as flashbacks to happier times in a band with his brother (George Mason) and sister-in-law (Julia Stone) — and to hanging around his rural house with his niece Bird (Ava Caryofyllis), too — demonstrate. And, when Lu is attacked, he's very quick to take off through WA's rugged outback and to its scenic remote islands. What feels rich on the page is far too thin and flat in the hands of Jordan (Ned Kelly) and screenwriter Jack Thorne (Enola Holmes), and while Macdonald and Hedlund are both great actors (see: Boardwalk Empire and Mudbound), they're hemmed in by the script's lack of depth. Also distractingly noticeable is how heavily Dirt Music stresses its surroundings, and therefore its all-round homegrown nature, while also enlisting overseas talent to play its quintessentially Aussie protagonists. Indeed, at almost every point, this film goes through the motions rather than meaningfully and substantially trying to convey the heart and essence of its source material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgUZ2AHp4rU MISS JUNETEENTH It doesn't take long in the observant, tender but clear-eyed film Miss Juneteenth for a simple truth to arise. Working two jobs and still struggling to get by, Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) hasn't been living the life she wished for as a child, and she's striving to ensure that things are better for her 15-year-old daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze). Also evident: that Turquoise was on a different path a decade and a half ago, after winning the local Miss Juneteenth beauty pageant and earning a scholarship to the historically black college of her choosing. Doing the math, it's easy to work out why Turquoise's plans faltered, and why she's so determined that Kai enter the upcoming pageant, wow everyone, win and make the most of the coveted opportunity. Miss Juneteenth is a movie about choices, though — a movie about grabbing what you can when so much is snatched away or simply out of reach for unfair reasons — and it never forgets that it takes strength and courage to truly understand what the best options are. The feature directorial debut of writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples, Miss Juneteenth makes a careful and graceful effort to balance two ideas: that American society doesn't just have a problematic history with race relations, but that inequality is now engrained in everyday life; and that choosing one's own future, rather than ever simply towing a mandated line, is wholeheartedly worth fighting for even with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way. Turquoise describes her 2004 crown win as feeling "like I was walking into a new life", while Kai would prefer to join her school's dance team and hang out with her boyfriend (Jaime Matthis) than don formal gowns, memorise Maya Angelou poems and learn which cutlery to use when. Little about Miss Juneteenth's message, themes or the clashing predicament the film covers is new, of course. Nor is the time spent watching, with a cynical eye, the pomp and ceremony of the eponymous pageant. And yet this affecting drama always proves keenly observed, sincerely handled and authentic, as aided not only by naturalistic cinematography, but the picture's naturalistic central portrayals — including complex, nuanced performance from Shame, Black Mirror and Little Fires Everywhere actor Beharie. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK3eDfkXBzg SAVAGE Tattoos covering his cheeks, nose and forehead, a scowl affixed almost as permanently, but raw sorrow lurking in his eyes, Jake Ryan cuts a striking sight in Savage. He's a walking, drinking, growling, hammer-swinging advertisement for toxic masculinity — how it looks at its most stereotypical extreme, and how it often masks pain and struggle — and the performance is the clear highlight of the Home and Away, Wolf Creek and Underbelly actor's resume to-date. Playing a character named Danny but also known as Damage, Ryan's efforts also perfectly epitomise the New Zealand gang drama he's in, which similarly wraps in-your-face packaging around a softer, richer core. Savage's protagonist and plot have had plenty of predecessors over the years in various ways, from Once Were Warriors' exploration of violence, to Mean Streets' chronicle of crime-driven youth, plus the bikie warfare of Sons of Anarchy and even Aussie film 1%, but there's a weightiness on display here that can't just be wrung from a formula. That said, although written and directed by feature debutant Sam Kelly based on true tales from NZ's real-life gangs spanning three decades, Savage does noticeably follow a predictable narrative path. Viewers first meet Danny in 1989, when he's the second-in-charge of the Savages, which is overseen by his lifelong best friend Moses (John Tui, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, Solo: A Star Wars Story). The film also jumps back to two prior periods in his life, in 1965 and 1972, to explain why Danny is in his current situation physically, mentally and emotionally. Aided by suitably gritty and restless camerawork that mirrors its protagonist's inner turmoil, Savage packs a punch when it lets that unease fester in quiet moments. It's also particularly astute when honing in on Danny and Moses's complicated friendship, and how pivotal it is throughout their constantly marginalised lives. There's never any doubting that Savage is a movie about family, including the traumas they can inflict, the hurt that comes with being torn away from loved ones at a young age, the kinship found in understanding pals and the concept of brotherhood in gangs, and the feature is at its most affecting when it lets these truths emanate naturally. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB1kzj5xH7g&feature=emb_logo BLOODY HELL All that Bloody Hell's protagonist Rex (Ben O'Toole, Detroit) wants is to ask out bank teller Maddy (Ashlee Lollback, In Like Flynn), but he happens to time his latest attempt to do just that with an armed robbery. The whole ordeal leaves him dateless, turns him into both a viral star and a convicted criminal, and eventually sees him en route to Finland to flee the resulting infamy and attention. There, however, worse awaits. In this Gold Coast-shot film, Rex is American, but he could be forgiven for exclaiming this horror-comedy's title like a stereotypical Aussie, and doing so more than once. Shortly after his arrival in Europe, he's kidnapped, strung up and stuck at the mercy of a twisted Helsinki family with vicious plans — although Alia (feature first-timer Meg Fraser), who doesn't quite in with the rest of her relatives, just might be the only chance he has to both escape and survive. There's an added twist to Bloody Hell, and it stems from a serious case indecision and self-doubt. Whether deciding what to do in the bank or facing a grim situation chained up in a basement, Rex is mighty fond of talking to himself, with director Alistair Grierson (Sanctum) and screenwriter/editor Robert Benjamin bringing this fact to the screen visually — tasking O'Toole with playing two roles, including the cooler, more confident version of Rex that pops up to try to assuage his worries. It's a gimmick in a film that otherwise follows a predictable storyline, but O'Toole's committed dual performances make it work. Indeed, Rex's back-and-forth banter with himself, and the rhythm that springs, comprises many of the movie's best moments. Fraser also shines, in a part that'll hopefully be her springboard to bigger things, and Grierson delivers a slick dose of jumps, bumps, gore and laughs with gusto. This is the type of movie that gels together better the longer it continues as well, after taking time to both set up its scenario and settle into its vibe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvrlkF4TjM LUCKY GRANDMA Lucky Grandma might be the second American-produced film about a Chinese grandmother in as many years, but no one should be mistaking Sasie Sealy's feature writing and directing debut for The Farewell. That isn't a criticism of either movie, both of which offer up something special in their own ways, but rather it's recognition of how their similarities are truly only superficial. Here, the titular elderly woman (Tsai Chin, Now You See Me 2) is first seen chain-smoking and glaring her way through a fortune teller's appointment. When Grandma Wong is told that luck is coming her way — and on a specific day — she's quickly on the bus to Atlantic City. And when she spies a hefty stash of cash in the bag belonging to the gentleman sitting next to her on the return ride home, she barely hesitates. This string of events comes with consequences, however, with local Red Dragon gangsters soon following her every move. To cope, the feisty senior enlists the help of their rivals, the Zhongliang gang, and pays the towering Big Pong (Hsiao-Yuan Ha) to stick by her side as her bodyguard. Chin, who has featured in everything from You Only Live Twice to The Joy Luck Club, is such a gruff, no-nonsense delight to watch in Lucky Grandma — and Sealy smartly lets audiences peer her way closely and regularly. As Grandma Wong tries to evade one set of mobsters with the help of another, and test whether she really is having a stroke of good fortune, Chin navigates both the silly and more reflective aspects of the film's narrative with pitch-perfect precision. There's much to wade through, too. Sometimes, Lucky Grandma is a drama about a widowed woman trying to make the most of what's left of her life. Sometimes, it's a crime caper that's hopping around Chinatown with glee. In Sealy's hands, that combination always works — even if it doesn't seem like it should — and this dark comedy proving both engaging and entertaining. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q4jVzVbkss THE LEADERSHIP From gender equality to climate change, The Leadership charts a course through a sizeable array of topical subjects. Indeed, this jam-packed documentary touches upon everything from toxic workplace behaviour to the destruction of the natural world — so much so that it often feels as if one film won't do justice to everything that it keeps bring up. These topics are all not only important, but thoroughly worthy of standalone investigation; however, they all tie into the feature's primary focus. The main point of interest here is the Homeward Bound program, which takes talented women working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics on a 20-day intensive leadership course while sailing around the Antarctic, with its maiden voyage overseen by Australian leadership expert Fabian Dattner. As Ili Baré's debut feature documentary lays bare, that first trip was eventful and notable in a plethora of ways. Again, there's much to cover — so many ideas to sift through, so many viewpoints to explore and such a wealth of data to share — that it often feels as if The Leadership could go in any direction. The onboard cinematography alone, peering over the Antarctic, could fuel its own film. The tension that springs throughout the voyage could do the same; many a fictional thriller has coasted by on far less. But in unpacking the many challenges facing Homeward Bound's first participants and facilitators, who all take to the seas and head south with the best of intentions, The Leadership hits its mark. This documentary could've simply served up familiar messages amidst scenic icy landscapes, but what it offers instead is a fascinating fly-on-the-wall look at what happens when great, noble and crucial aims — including around lifting up women by women in fields that aren't known for their gender inclusivity — don't turn out as planned. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD_7hl87a3Q THE OUTPOST In The Outpost, in north-eastern Afghanistan circa 2009, a unit of US soldiers stationed in difficult circumstances just try to do their jobs. They're tasked with getting local villagers onside and also stopping the Taliban in the area, a mission made all the more complex thanks to their base's location — with Combat Outpost Keating sitting right in the heart of a valley surrounded by mountains where enemy fighters can easily hide. Still, they persevere. And in telling this true tale about their efforts and the resulting Battle of Kamdesh, The Outpost itself takes the same approach. This is a workman-like film with a clear aim and a no-fuss attitude to making it happen. As tends to be the case with US-focused war films, patriotism plays an unavoidable part, and there's no escaping its occasional lack of nuance (one character calls the part of the world they're stationed in a shithole, and it stands out); however, for most of its two-hour running time, this is a movie more concerned about men in a tough situation just trying to see it through than flag-waving and celebrating the country that put them there. To play its real-life figures, The Outpost features plenty of recognisable faces, including Scott Eastwood (Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Orlando Bloom. Some characters make it through the combat, some don't — and, while death's lingering presence is felt, the film doesn't try to trade in easy tears. Indeed, there's a matter-of-fact air to the lengthy scenes where the unit plans and prepares, fights back when they're under attack, stages dangerous quests and tries to survive the main battle. Adapting Jake Tapper's non-fiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, director Rod Lurie (Straw Dogs) prefers to show the soldiers in action, doing their jobs and attempting to simply get by, rather than continually overtly playing for sentiment. That tactic results in a well-staged, well-performed addition to the always-growing war movie canon. It doesn't quite threaten 1917 as this year's most visually immersive example of the genre, but it's still impressively choreographed and executed. Also, The Outpost constantly benefits from casting Caleb Landry Jones (Get Out, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Dead Don't Die) as the most complicated, conflicted and compelling of the unit's men. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; and October 1. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle. The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Antebellum. Top image: Savage, Domino Films, Matt Grace.
If you live in Brisbane's inner east and love particularly good movies, then you might want to mark December 2016 in your diary. That's when you can head to the flicks a whole lot closer to home, at Dendy's brand new Coorparoo Square cinema. Even if you don't live quite so nearby, you'll still want to check out the city's newest picture house. Not only will the new complex boast seven standard cinemas, but it will also feature three Dendy Premium Lounge screens, too. Think Gold Class meets arthouse, with reclining seats and during-movie dining treats. With their popular Portside venue still up and running at Hamilton, that'll make two Dendy Cinemas operating in Brisbane. If you're feeling a bit of déjà vu, that's because the cinema chain previously had a second location on George Street in the CBD, back before it became Tribal Theatre. Today's announcement also confirms Dendy as the first tenant announced for a Coorparoo development that has been quite a long time coming. More than a decade ago, the spot on the corner of Old Cleveland and Cavendish Roads was a Myer, but other than some short-lived indoor markets, it has mostly lain dormant of late. Three residential towers, a food hall and a retail complex will also be built on the site, with work due to start later this month.
Whether you're a lifelong vegan, you're giving up animal products as your New Year's resolution or you're just partial to a delicious meat-free feast, find a clear January weeknight in your diary. Twice a week, West End's plant-focused eatery Grown is teaming up with Brisbane culinary wiz Alejandro Cancino for a seven-course vegan degustation. Best known for his prowess at Urbane, the Argentinian chef is lending his skills to the pop-up series — and if you've devoured his dishes over the river, you'll be eager for more. Each dinner will focus on seasonal produce, starting from January 16 and also taking place on January 16, 23, 25, 30 and 31. Two seatings are available on each date, at 6pm and 6.30pm. Two options are also available: boozy and sober, with both offering matched drinks for each course. Dinner itself is $120 per person, and bookings are required — by calling or emailing the restaurant.
Does your wardrobe look like a pit of darkness every time you open it? Can you, like Tom Haverford, tell the difference between obsidian, onyx, midnight, lost soul, rolling blackout, sleeping panther and void? Do you have a heap of black-hued clothing that you're never going to wear again — and that you'd like to replace with new pieces of the same shade? If so, welcome to Goth Swap. Clothes will flow freely between attendees and everyone will go home with new outfits, but don't expect a rainbow of colour here. You won't even find navy, dark grey or so-brown-it's-black pieces in this fashion jumble, which is happening at the absolute best place for it: Morningside's Death Valley. Keeping the mood suitably gloomy, expect goth bangers on the stereo and spooky movies playing as well. It all takes place from 4pm on January 20, and if you can't head along but still want to donate your black clothing, you can drop them off at the bar beforehand.
Heads up, Mother's Day is just around the corner. (It's happening on Sunday, May 9, in case you temporarily forgot.) You can frantically message your siblings later, because there's pressie planning afoot — and we've found a showstopper for your dear ol' mumsie this year thanks to Gelato Messina. Never one to miss an opportunity to experiment with new ways to inhale sweets, Messina has been cooking up quite the delicate novelty dessert for Mum since 2015: an Italian-inspired box of chocolates. These brownie point-winners have been selling out every year since, and they're sure to bring it home again in 2021. An important note, though: while these chocolate bon bons were filled with gelato to begin with, Messina went for an all-chocolate version in 2020. And, that's what's on offer again this Mother's Day. They're made from single origin Ecuadorian chocolate, no less — and, with Messina recently stepping up its in-house chocolate-making capabilities, you'll be tasting some of the gelato chain's new varieties. Each box comes with nine handmade chocolate bon bons in nine different flavours — Davidson plum, earl grey, alfajores, lamington, mandarin white choc, Messina Rocher, strawberry pate de fruit, 80-percent dark chocolate and yuzu white chocolate. So, your mum will have quite the variety to feast on. And hey, if she doesn't like one of the flavours, maybe she'll share it with you. The Mother's Day boxes are going for $49 a pop, and will be available to order from 9am, Thursday, April 22. This year, you'll need to pick them up, too, with the bon bons available for collection between Friday, May 7–Sunday, May 9. Gelato Messina's Mother's Day Bon Bons will be available to order from 9am, Thursday, April 22 for pick up between Friday, May 7–Sunday, May 9.
Named one of the best places in the world to visit in 2022, southeast Queensland's Scenic Rim region isn't short on highlights, whether it's gorgeous scenery or farm-fresh produce you're after. Keen on the latter for festive season, but can't make the trip south from Brisbane anytime soon? Don't worry — Tommerup's Dairy Farm, Valley Pride Produce, Tamborine Mountain Distillery, Cauldron Distillery, Olive View Estate and more are coming to you on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Save the road trip for another weekend — instead, head to the Christmas edition of Farm Gate to City Door Markets at the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct. It'll operate from 8am–12pm, serving up everything from fruit and vegetables, salted cultured butter and cheese through to boutique spirits, local wines and honey straight from the hive. You can also nab handmade bath and body products, such as goat milk soaps. Since 2022, the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct has regularly hosted this country-meets-city event. Iif it gets you thinking about holidaying in the Scenic Rim, there's a stall for planning that as well. Live music will provide a soundtrack — and some of the seasonal treats on offer include ginger- and Christmas pudding-flavoured ice cream, which will also help get you into the festive spirit now.
Has Jennifer Lawrence entered her Jennifer Coolidge era? With the spirit of American Pie lingering over No Hard Feelings like unpaid property taxes — a pivotal part of the movie's plot — the Silver Linings Playbook Oscar-winner and Winter's Bone, Hunger Games, X-Men and mother! star is flirting with that direction and loving it. No one sticks their genitalia in a warm home-baked dessert or talks about band camp in Lawrence's latest film, but it is a sex comedy about an inexperienced teenager that includes parents giving clumsy advice. It also involves getting lucky with an older woman; while Lawrence is only 32 and plays it here, an age gap — as well as the chasms between millennials and zoomers, and with the generations prior — is essential to the narrative. The spirit of Coolidge, a game Lawrence, gags about Hall & Oates' 1982 earworm 'Maneater' — a storyline that somewhat riffs on its lyrics, in fact — and battles over class, generational differences and gentrification: that's No Hard Feelings. Based on a real-life Craigslist ad, it's also the next movie from filmmaker Gene Stupnitsky, who penned Bad Teacher and made his feature directorial debut with Good Boys. Where the latter took a Superbad-esque setup but swapped 17-year-olds out for sixth graders, his second flick as a helmer tells a coming-of-age tale on two levels. Percy Becker (Andrew Barth Feldman, White Noise) is the introverted brainiac whose helicopter parents (Daybreak's Matthew Broderick and Life & Beth's Laura Benanti) want to live a little before he hits Princeton University, while Maddie Barker (Lawrence, Causeway) is the bartender and Uber driver who's been in a state of arrested development ever since giving up her plans to surf California's beaches when her mother got sick. Those taxes? Maddie owes them on her Montauk house, which she inherited from and remains in while the New York hamlet she grew up in is inundated by wealthy holidaymakers. And those tourists? Sweeping in for only part of the year, splashing around cash and causing property values to skyrocket while pushing locals out, they're the reason that Maddie's debt is so hefty. They're also why Percy and his family are in town for the summer. And, in general, those rich interlopers are a prime target for Maddie's anger, unsurprisingly. Still, usually the well-to-do influx helps boost her finances — driving folks around in a vacation town while the weather's right can be lucrative — but her car has just been repossessed, hence an advertisement offering a Buick Regal for dating and sleeping with Percy earning her attention. "These people use us, so why don't we use them?" is Maddie's pregnant pal Sara's (Natalie Morales, Dead to Me) take on the situation. Sporting that exact mindset, Maddie commits. The Beckers want her to bring their shy, reclusive and neurotic son out of his bedroom by taking him to bed — patriarch Laird fondly recalls his own first youthful fling, with Stupnitsky adding an extra layer by having Ferris Bueller's Day Off great Broderick in the role — and Percy has no idea about the deal. Whether Maddie is asking to touch his wiener at his animal-shelter volunteer job, inadvertently getting him suspecting that he's being kidnapped by offering him a lift in Sara's spouse Jim's (Scott MacArthur, Killing It) van filled with machetes and harpoons, teaching him how to drink Long Island iced teas, or taking him skinny dipping by moonlight and fighting the pranksters who try to steal their clothes in the nude, seducing the college-bound young man is far from an easy gig. Co-scripting with John Phillips (Dirty Grandpa), Stupnitsky also has both Percy and Maddie clutch onto the bonnet of speeding cars, and throws in hectic faux prom nights and eventful pre-uni parties; however, the raunchiest thing about No Hard Feelings is largely its premise. Bawdy humour still echoes, especially when Maddie is playing the libidinous part she's being paid to — but, as she genuinely starts to connect with Percy as a friend, so does earnestness. She's initially willing to slip between the sheets to get her life back on track, and pretends to be the stereotypical teen-boy fantasy to do so. He wants to talk, get to know her and build something physical out of a true emotional bond. Of course the film that results seesaws between the ribald and sweet, and of course it's never completely one or the other. That isn't a failure of nerve, but reflects the chaos that is growing up even when you're already supposed to be grown up. No Hard Feelings is rarely as consistently funny as it wants to be, but it'd be far more awkward than it's meant to be if Maddie and Percy weren't so well cast. The luminous Lawrence is a comic dream, no matter if Maddie is cringing at her own behaviour, bluntly decrying teens today and the ultra-rich always, attempting to climb stairs in rollerblades or turning on the sultriness. She serves up a physical comedy masterclass, and long may amusing movies that call upon her laugh-inducing skills keep joining her resume (well, other than the smug Don't Look Up). She's such a natural here that wanting No Hard Feelings to constantly ramp up the OTT antics stems wholly from her performance. (Also, as Coolidge keeps popping to mind, who wouldn't want to see Lawrence in The White Lotus in the future, whether in Thailand or wherever future seasons of the hit HBO series end up.) Feldman, who took time out from high school IRL to play the titular part in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway for a spell and then from uni for this, brings nuance to what could've been a stock-standard nerdy character in other hands. The key to his performance, and to Lawrence's: amid the overtly comic moments, they each know that they're stepping into the shoes of people who are stuck and struggling in their own ways, and they're sincere about having Maddie and Percy work through that together. So, crucially, is the sunnily shot picture itself. Although it's better when Stupnitsky and Phillips put their faith the movie's central portrayals rather than getting thematically heavy-handed, and it's also gleefully formulaic, No Hard Feelings has film-stealing stark-naked brawls, Lawrence in go-for-broke comedic mode, and insight and heart.
The actors have it: in The Whale, Brendan Fraser (No Sudden Move), Hong Chau (The Menu) and Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) are each masterful, and each in their own way. For viewers unaware that this drama about a reclusive 600-pound English professor stems from the stage going in, it won't take long to realise — for multiple reasons, the film's performances chief among them. As penned by Samuel D Hunter (also a writer on TV's Baskets) from his award-winning semi-autobiographical play, The Whale's script is talky and blunt. The movie is confined to its protagonist Charlie's home, and is as claustrophobic as it's meant to be as a result. But it's that key acting trio, with the portrayals they splash through a flick that's a complicated sea of feelings and ideas, that helps The Whale swim when it swims. Yes, the Brenaissance is upon us, showering Fraser in accolades including his first-ever Oscar nod; however, fellow Academy Award-nominee Chau and rising star Sink are equally as powerful. Is it really the Brenaissance if Fraser hasn't ever been too far from our screens for too long? When he was recently stellar in 2021's No Sudden Move, albeit in a supporting part? Given that it's been decades since he's had the space and the feature to serve up this kind of lead effort, the answer remains yes. Slip his The Whale performance in beside standout 2002 thriller The Quiet American — although the latter didn't place The Mummy action star and Encino Man comedic force beneath considerable prosthetics. Fraser doesn't let his appearance here do all the work, though. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who hones in on the stressed and tested as he has so frequently before (see: Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, The Wrestler and mother!), doesn't allow it to, either. At the core of the pair's collaboration is a portrayal that overflows with vulnerability and grief alongside optimism for humanity, and acutely fuses Charlie's emotional and physical states. The character self-mockingly jokes that his internal organs are buried deep, but nothing conceals Fraser's sensitivity. It's with a lone black square that The Whale initially explains Charlie's relationship with the world: on online calls with his students, he's represented by a void of a tile. He claims that his webcam is broken, but he's actively hiding — from his pupils' reactions and from facing his sorrow. Other than these digital lectures, visits from his friend and nurse Liz (Chau) to check on his wellbeing and deliver food, and daily pizza drops from a driver instructed to leave the slices outside, Charlie has withdrawn from everything beyond his first-floor apartment when the film begins. That said, The Whale isn't a portrait of a man who is sad and has shut himself off because he is overweight. Rather, it's an exploration of someone who has an eating disorder because he is heartbroken by a tragedy, relying upon food compulsively to cope, and to process his doubts and regrets over his decisions and their ramifications. Friedrich Nietzsche's aphorism "what does not kill me makes me stronger" is flipped here: after the death of his partner Alan, who he left his ex-wife Mary (Samantha Morton, She Said) and now-teenage daughter Ellie (Sink) to be with, Charlie is using the sustenance we all need for strength and survival as his escape route. His sense of self has been slain by his loss, and so has his willingness to go on. It isn't just to ramp up tension or establish that obesity can spark high blood pressure and heart attacks that The Whale has its central figure doubling over with chest pains while he's masturbating early in the feature. With the film's narrative unfurling day by day, the incident sets a ticking clock, but most importantly it sees Charlie refuse to go to hospital. When she arrives, Liz insists, but he still won't agree. In this specific character study, he's that steadfast — and, even as he tries to reconnect with the bitter Ellie and spouts hope for humankind's ability to care, he's that intensely unhappy without Alan. Indeed, if it wasn't for missionary Thomas (Ty Simpkins, Avengers: Endgame), who conveniently comes a-knocking for the New Life church spouting a message about the end of times, Charlie wouldn't make it to The Whale's second act. Instead of asking the soul-searching young man to phone an ambulance, he makes a request that seems inexplicable while he's struggling for breath: to read aloud from an essay about Moby-Dick. The film gains its title from and shares its sense of search with Herman Melville's famous novel, as Charlie battles the behemoth that is his own complicated, constantly contrasting and conflicted feelings. The link isn't subtle. Again, The Whale isn't usually subtle. For another case in point, hear: Rob Simonsen's (Ghostbusters: Afterlife) emotion-shouting score. But Fraser always conveys Charlie's pain like it's pumping through the actor's own veins, and proves devastatingly and movingly effective at balancing bright-eyed charm with piercing melancholy. While The Whale both demands and deploys Fraser's best — in tender moments, in dialogue-heavy exchanges and in his physical performance alike — it leaves ample room for Chau and Sink to make an imprint. Aronofsky may task his regular cinematographer Matthew Libatique (also a Don't Worry Darling alum) with boxing in Fraser via the constricting Academy ratio, often offering very little visible space around him, but Chau's distressed pal and Sink's cruel daughter remain pivotal to this story. What does it mean to want contentment and safety for a loved one who seeks the opposite for himself? To bear the hurt of someone else's choices? To have either your daily existence or your identity, or both, forged by another's decisions? In Chau's direct, kindhearted but quietly anguished turn, and in Sink's openly, flippantly brutal reactions as Ellie, The Whale compassionately plunges into these questions. It should come as little surprise that Aronofsky's eighth film is at its finest when it lets Fraser, Chau and Sink verbally bounce off of each other — when it's unpacking the feelings boiling in Charlie's grimly lit, amber-hued flat, and examining how every life's ups and downs ebb and flow into others. Finding insights in clashing people, attitudes and concepts is The Whale's approach in general, including in its use of darkness and light; handling of religion and salvation; survey of Charlie's internal and external suffering; and attempts to wade into stress- and binge-eating, consumption as a coping mechanism, and body-shaming responses to any departure from societal standards of beauty. Charlie himself chases meaning in the same type of chaos and contradictions, pinning his hopes as his days wane on a last-minute reunion with Ellie. In that fiery confrontation, as in every single one at the heart of The Whale, nothing is easy.
UPDATE, September 17, 2021: A Star Is Born is available to stream via Paramount+, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's been a decade since Lady Gaga's star was born in a cloud of upbeat pop and outlandish costuming, but with her first major film role, it's happening all over again. Stripped of the makeup, outfits and theatricality that have shaped her stage persona since she told the world to just dance, the singer is a revelation in A Star Is Born — both because of and despite the obvious. Belting out heartfelt ballads and throwaway pop alike, she clearly has the voice for the job. That said, it's how she performs when she's not crooning the movie's catchy tunes that's truly special. Like an actor gaining weight or sporting a physical ailment, wiping the gloss off an existing megastar might seem an acting cliche, however Gaga isn't simply playing tourist with normality. The 'Poker Face' popster plays Ally, who works in hospitality by day and unleashes memorable versions of 'La Vie En Rose' in a drag bar by night. An ordinary woman dreaming big, writing her own songs but never thinking that she'll make it, it's a part that Gaga lives and breathes with earthy, unguarded authenticity — almost as though she's been through it herself. The singer is electric in A Star Is Born's early scenes, as boozy country rocker Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) catches her club act, convinces her to have a drink with him and sparks fly. When he takes her home the next morning, says goodbye and then calls back to her from his limousine window, Jackson says what everyone watching is thinking: "I just want to take one more look at you". And look he does. Thanks to Jackson, his adoring gaze, and his certainty that Ally has both a genuine voice and something genuine to say, her fantasies start coming true. When he sends a driver to take her to one of his stadium shows, brings her out on stage and they duet one of her songs, the movie's title starts ringing true too. Love blossoms also, but Ally and Jackson's tale is one of rising as well as falling. For Jackson, the combination of alcoholism, hearing loss and childhood trauma leave a wound that only cuts deeper as Ally shines and his career fades. An aspiring talent striving to see their name in lights is one of the oldest narratives in Hollywood's book. In A Star Is Born's case, it dates back to 1937 — or 1932 if you count What Price Hollywood?, whose studio almost sued the original A Star Is Born for plagiarism. Across eight decades now, this sweeping tale just keeps hitting the screen, complete with remakes starring Judy Garland in 1954 and Barbra Streisand in 1976. With Gaga leading the charge this time around, it's easy to see why A Star Is Born keeps glowing. A crash course in the highs and lows of the American dream, it's a fantasy where wishes come true, but where everything has a cost. It's also an underdog story, a star-crossed romance, an account of trying to make it in entertainment, a drama about substance abuse and a warning about fame's many ills. Most of all, A Star Is Born is an unashamed melodrama. While that's a term that's been given a bad name of late, wrenching emotion and heightened drama is exactly what this story calls for. Not only co-starring but jumping into the writer and director's chairs for the first time, Cooper doesn't skimp on sentiment, with every passionate kiss, overwhelming moment and tragic development landing with undeniable force. And yet, his film never wallows in sappiness or spoon-feeds its feelings to the audience – even when it charts blatant plot points that even newcomers to the tale will spot, or suffers from bloat in its mid-section. Seamlessly updating the narrative for the 21st century with co-scribes Eric Roth (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close) and Will Fetters (The Best of Me), Cooper understands the power of the material. A Star Is Born has been wowing audiences since the 1930s, after all. It helps that Cooper has a knack for visual storytelling, working with cinematographer Matthew Libatique (Mother!). A Star is Born's imagery sings its own affecting tune, with the actor-turned-director favouring shots that are grounded in the emotion of the narrative. Cooper also does his part as performer, both acting the sorrowful part and holding his own when it comes to his vocals. But his biggest gift to the movie is his willingness to let his collaborators glisten. While A Star Is Born is a definite showcase for a debut filmmaker who stars, croons, writes and directs, it gleams brighter thanks to the space and weight given to its cast. Sam Elliott is in astonishing form as Jackson's equally gruff and tender older brother, Dave Chappelle waxes kind and wise as an old pal telling it like it is, and Andrew Dice Clay is warm and protective as Ally's supportive dad. And, jumping from being one of the world's biggest pop stars to playing one of the world's biggest film roles, Gaga is far from the shallow now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywkF1lj5wyI
Say hello to The Spaghetti House Trattoria's new summer space, and your warm weather go-to for cocktails and cheeseboards. Until the leaves start to fall and the heat begins to cool — or, until March rolls around, given that Brisbane's weather doesn't always play by the rules — Ciao! Bar is popping up for a bit of relaxed fun. If you've ever wanted to drop by for a few drinks, but haven't wanted to settle in for a hearty Italian meal, then make a beeline for this bar next door to the main restaurant. And, if you do want to pair your tipple with some pizza or pasta, you can. You've gotta love a place that can turn quick bevs into a casual meal. Plus, on Fridays and Saturdays, live music will also accompany your visit. Just make sure you get in while summer is in full swing, because, once Autumn hits, Ciao! will be shutting up shop to make way for a new permanent watering hole.
Summer's set to bring a celebration of queer arts and culture to Brisbane Powerhouse, with the venue announcing plans for a new festival in 2015. From February 5 to 15, MELT will shine a light on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) performance, art, music and film in Brisbane’s answer to Sydney's Mardi Gras and Melbourne's Midsumma. Under the guidance of newly appointed festival director James Lees, a veteran of producing events for Brisbane Pride Festival, Brisbane Carnivale and Brisbane Cabaret Festival, MELT is designed to become a highlight of Queensland’s annual queer and cultural calendar. "The opportunity to bring the first MELT to life is like a dream job to me. I believe in breaking down the artificial barriers that can exist between artforms and artists. I'll be bringing this approach to MELT, as seen through the lens of the ever-evolving LGBTIQ community, which I have also been proudly involved with, and a part of, for many years," says Lees. The Brisbane Queer Film Festival (BQFF), now entering its 16th year, has also been absorbed into the new festival. BQFF will be brought forward from its recent April timeslot to run in February as part of MELT's varied program. MELT is the fourth new festival to join Brisbane Powerhouse’s busy calendar of events under artistic director Kris Stewart’s reign. The inaugural Queensland Cabaret Festival took place in June, carnie-style event Wonderland has its first outing in December, and the digital-centric IRL will be unveiled in May 2015. The Powerhouse also hosts the World Theatre Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival and children’s festival Powerkids. Never a dull moment. MELT runs February 5 to 15 at Brisbane Powerhouse. More details over here. Top image: BQFF.
An eclectic group of modern innovators in soul, R&B and electronica, The Internet is heading to The Tivoli for its first-ever Brisbane headline show this March. Renowned for seamlessly mixing genres, sultry smooth vocals and addictive bass lines, The Internet is an acclaimed five-piece band from the wild west coast of California. The band is headed by one of the most unique and multi-talented humans around, Syd Bennett — a Crenshaw local who's been singing since 11 and taught herself to record, engineer and produce by the age of 15. After two acclaimed but underground albums The Internet released Ego Death a Grammy-nominated masterwork in genre-bending soul music. The group then split up, to each produce their own solo work, then reunited earlier this year to release their fourth studio album, Hive Mind. This March, head to the The Tivoli to soak up the sultry vocals and slinking baselines straight from the source, as the quintet performs a career-spanning set with hits off all four albums. The Internet tickets go on sale to the public at 12pm on Friday, November 2. You can access pre-sale tickets by becoming a My Ticketmaster Member.
Ageing is a privilege. It's certainly better than the alternative. But what if life's physical ravages were condensed and accelerated? What if you were a six-year-old one moment, a teenager a few hours later and sporting middle-aged wrinkles the next morning? That's the premise of Old, which boasts a sci-fi setup that could've come straight from The Twilight Zone, a chaotic midsection reminiscent of Mother!'s immersive horrors, and a setting and character dynamics that nod to Lost. It slides in alongside recently unearthed George A Romero thriller The Amusement Park as well and, with M Night Shyamalan behind the lens, indulges the writer/director's love of high-concept plots with big twists. No one sees dead people and plants aren't the culprits — thankfully, in the latter case — however, surprise revelations remain part of this game. That said, unlike earlier in his career, when the filmmaker might've made the rapid passage of time the final big shock, Shyamalan isn't just about jolts and amazement here. Old has another sizeable reveal, naturally. Shyamalan is still the director behind The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, The Visit, Split, Glass and more, and he likes his bag of tricks. This time, though, he wants to play with and probe his scenario rather than primarily tease his audience and get them puzzling. He wants viewers to experience the minutiae rather than wait for the ultimate unmasking (yes, with his fondness for twists, he'd probably make a great version of Scooby Doo). The notion that ageing brings pain and loss — physical, mental and emotional alike — isn't new, of course. Nor is the reality that death awaits us all, or that we rarely make the most of our seconds, minutes and hours (and days, weeks, months and years). But Shyamalan embraces these immutable facts to explore how humanity responds to getting older and the knowledge that we'll die, and how our worldview is shaped as a result — or, when we're all ignoring our mortality as we typically soldier on day after day, how ordinarily it isn't. Holidaying from Philadelphia — Shyamalan's hometown and usual on-screen setting — Guy (Gael García Bernal, Ema) and Prisca (Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread) have a different ending on their minds as they settle into a luxe resort on a remote tropical island. Their marriage is crumbling, but they're giving their six-year-old son Trent (Nolan River, Adverse) and 11-year-old daughter Maddox (Alexa Swinton, Billions) one last happy vacation before their domestic bliss subsides. The kids have conflicting ideas about how to spend their getaway, but the hotel's manager (Gustaf Hammarsten, Kursk) has a suggestion. He tells the family about a secret beach, and stresses that he doesn't just tip off any old customers about its existence. The fact that they're escorted by mini-bus (driven by Shyamalan, in one of his regular cameos) alongside a few other resort guests undercuts that clandestine claim, but everyone soon has far worse to deal with. With arrogant surgeon Charles (Rufus Sewell, The Father), his younger wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee, Lovecraft Country), their daughter Kara (debutant Kylie Begley) and his elderly mother Agnes (Kathleen Chalfant, The Affair) — and with famous rapper Mid-Sized Sedan (Aaron Pierre, The Underground Railroad), and couple Patricia (Nikki Amuka-Bird, The Personal History of David Copperfield) and Jarin (Ken Leung, a Lost alum) as well — Guy, Prisca, Trent and Maddox quickly discover that time ticks by at a much speedier pace on this supposedly idyllic patch of sand. Also, no matter how they try, they can't manage to leave its oceanside expanse. The bulk of Old charts their reactions, especially as seconds equate to hours and the effects show almost immediately. Not only do the kids grow up fast (which is where Jojo Rabbit's Thomasin McKenzie, Jumanji: The Next Level's Alex Wolff and Babyteeth's Eliza Scanlen come in), but all of the beachgoers' health ailments are expedited, too. Diving in wholeheartedly, Shyamalan mixes stints of body horror with the film's existential woes, all while deploying Mike Gioulakis' (Us) constantly careening cinematography to convey the confusion sweeping through his exasperated characters. When it works — when it's plunging into the mania, discomfort and disorientation caused by time's sped-up slip — Old unfurls with a sense of fluidity, frenzy and thoughtfulness. It contemplates loss on multiple levels, including of health, childhood and life, and it finds vivid images to express the chaos and dismay that springs. Indeed, its depictions of advancing cancer, osteoporosis, loss of sight and loss of hearing are bold and effective. Shyamalan also uses his scenic backdrop cannily, giving his stranded figures and everyone watching a reminder that the planet's beauty will linger unaffected even as a lifetime of dramas play out (climate change isn't part of this scenario, obviously). And, his musings and the imagery they inspire all strike an emotional chord. His smart casting helps at every step as well, led by not just Bernal and Krieps, but McKenzie, Wolff and Scanlen. It's confronting to watch people realise their future is now gone, their squabbles unimportant and their regrets many, just as it's poignant to see young adults who were kids mere minutes ago grapple with coming of age on a rapid timeframe. Still, Shyamalan's beachy nightmare also has its struggles. Adapting his narrative from Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters' graphic novel Sandcastle, he pens dialogue that's descriptive, exposition-heavy and often clunky. His treatment of mental illness as a villainous force is immensely troublesome. As is evident from the get-go, when cocktails are foisted too enthusiastically upon new resort arrivals and a young boy, Idlib (Kailen Jude, Grey's Anatomy), befriends Trent but seems wearied by everything around him, Shyamalan also can't completely resist the urge to force-feed blatantly apparent details. The film's needlessly conspicuous touches don't wash away its thrills, but they do make this a movie that's never as potent as it could be. When it's bonkers, insidious and moving all at once, Old grabs you as firmly as time grabs us all. When it just can't help being too neat, explanation-wise, it treads water rather than seizes the moment.
UPDATE, March 4, 2021: Can You Ever Forgive Me? is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Can You Ever Forgive Me? takes its title from Lee Israel's memoir, but like much in her life, the words aren't completely her own. Israel first penned the phrase in the guise of Dorothy Parker, forging a letter by the famous American poet and writer, and selling it for a handsome sum. For a brief period in the early 90s, that's how Israel made a living. After establishing her career as a celebrity biographer, and earning praise for channelling the voice of her subjects, she couldn't get another book published. So she put those skills to other use, starting with a genuine but embellished thank you note, and segueing into outright — and highly lucrative — counterfeiting. Still, Israel was proud. "I'm a better Dorothy Parker than Dorothy Parker," she boasted. Based on Israel's confessional account of her crimes, Can You Ever Forgive Me? tells this heist-like tale, however it also tells so much more. Directed with an eye for quiet detail by Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) from an evocative and insightful screenplay by Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said) and Jeff Whitty, it's an examination of everything from loneliness to the limits of celebrity worship — the things we do to fill our lives, and the need we have to connect with our idols. The film also charts a complex friendship that acts as a temporary balm for two unhappy souls, and portrays a tender, tentative and troubled romance, neither of which follow any formula. Of course, first and foremost, it's a portrait of the movie's central figure. Even if Israel hadn't dabbled with literary fraud, she could've spawned numerous character studies. Played with a hard veneer and begrudgingly vulnerable centre by a career-best Melissa McCarthy, Israel is passionate about chronicling the lives of great women. With her agent (Jane Curtin) continually brushing her off, she's also vastly under-appreciated. She drinks whisky at the thankless job that pays her bills until she's fired, and at her favourite bar every chance she gets. She refuses to temper her personality to please anyone, or simply get along with anyone for that matter. As becomes clear whenever Israel interacts with the world, she loves her cat more than people — even bookseller Anna (Dolly Wells) on their awkward dates, and even fellow outcast and barfly Jack Hock (Richard E. Grant), who becomes her only friend. Then her beloved feline falls ill and Israel can't afford to take her to the vet, so she gets into the forgery game. Many of Can You Ever Forgive Me?'s delights come from McCarthy, both when she's alone and also sharing scenes with Grant. While Israel was real and her story as well, the screen versions of both come to life in the actor's hands. It's a compelling, awards-worthy performance, one that's played close to the chest to capture Israel's closed-off nature, while remaining expressive in every inch. McCarthy paints Israel as someone who's always herself, even when she's pretending not to be — and when she pals around with Grant's rambunctious, resourceful, up-for-anything drinking buddy, the duo feel like they could walk out of the film and into any dank New York watering hole of their choosing. On the surface, McCarthy's switch from garnering laughs to evoking deep empathy might sound familiar, with plenty of comedians following that path before. And yet, nothing about her work as the misanthropic and purposefully thorny Israel feels routine, which is another of Can You Ever Forgive Me?'s great charms. Heller knows how juicy Israel's tale is, and firmly proves that fact is stranger than fiction. She also knows that this story is a product of a fascinating, complicated and distinctive woman, who both committed the details to the page and actually committed the crimes. Heller may only have two movies to her name, however she's a perceptive, probing and generous director, giving her characters the space they need to shine and fail and experience everything in-between. Indeed, in bringing Israel's life to the screen, Heller and McCarthy have clearly taken her words to heart. The real-life writer bragged about stepping into someone else's shoes so easily and convincingly, and the women leading this fantastic film achieve the very same thing — just without perpetrating a sham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvJIaNsf_bY
For the second year in a row, movie buffs will need to get their Melbourne International Film Festival fix purely from their couches. After the 2020 fest jumped online due to the pandemic, the 2021 event was meant to go ahead as a hybrid of both in-cinema and digital sessions. But then not one but two lockdowns hit, venue restrictions were put in place when the city wasn't under stay-at-home conditions, and the COVID-19 situation in Melbourne in general has kept complicating plans, leading MIFF organisers to scrap its in-cinema screenings. Initially, in-person sessions were set to span the festival's first week or so, before the event closed up online; however, just days before this year's MIFF kicked off on Thursday, August 5, the fest flipped that order and expanded its virtual component. It was due to then add in-person sessions from Thursday, August 12, but that'll no longer be happening. "MIFF's heart was in a return to cinemas this year, and this is a goal that we have pursued with determination to this point," said Artistic Director Al Cossar. "It is with deep sadness and profound frustration that we must take the step of cancelling our Melbourne cinema-based screenings for 2021." This year's MIFF was designed to be able to adapt to changing conditions, given that it was always likely that the pandemic would continue to impact the festival's plans — and so it is well-positioned for the move online. "Despite the duress of this moment, we are proud that elements of our program can still continue," said Cossar. "Through our XR platform, global audiences anywhere can continue their season of MIFF's exciting range of immersive experiences; and, centrally, through MIFF Play we can continue to deliver the very best Australian and international films to audiences not just in Melbourne but right around the country, at a time that it's most needed." Via MIFF Play, the festival is screening more than 90 features, with its catalogue of titles growing in recent days. Exisiting highlights include college-set rom-com Freshman Year, Spanish influencer satire La Verónica, New Zealand thriller Coming Home in the Dark and Norwegian comedy Ninjababy, while the Mads Mikkelsen-starring Riders of Justice and psycho-thriller music mockumentary The Nowhere Inn — featuring Carrie Brownstein and St Vincent — sit among the just-added newcomers. More films are set to become available on Saturday, August 14, too, such as documentary Hopper/Welles, which sees Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles meet and chat back in 1970; Night of the Kings, a prison thriller set on the outskirts of Abidjan; and Stray, a doco about the 100,000-plus stray dogs that rove freely around Istanbul. And, other titles will drop later in the fest, like Australian drama Little Tornadoes, which is co-written by The Slap's Christos Tsiolkas; Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, a documentary exploring the folk horror genre; and closing night's Language Lessons, which takes place via video calls. MIFF's digital platform is available Australia-wide, ensuring that cinephiles around the country — including those in lockdown elsewhere, like in Greater Sydney — can enjoy its lineup as well. That facet of the online program proved popular last year, unsurprisingly, with 2020's virtual festival resulting in MIFF's biggest fest yet, audience-wise. The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs via MIFF's online platform MIFF Play until Sunday, August 22. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
