Hitting the city with not just a bang, but with a whole heap of banging tunes, this year's Brisbane Festival launches with one hell of a house party. No, you're not destined for the suburbs. Instead, The Tivoli will echo with the sounds of 90s house music, with Groove Terminator leading the charge, GT will perform his famous retro 'House 5 DJ' mix — but he'll have company, too. This show isn't called The Church of House for nothing. Singers from the Gospo Collective and Brisbane's Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts will form a gospel choir, while guest vocalists and other DJs will join in. The party kicks off at 8pm on Friday, September 8 and dressing up to suit the occasion is heartily encouraged. This is a whole different kind of worship.
Having risen to fame by the ARIA-award winning success of her adventures with her brother Angus, Julia is taking the world by the horns in her own right, something she cements in the similarly named title of her debut album, with chilling vocals and a heart on her sleeve style of melancholy storytelling that has seen her more than separated from the echoes of her past. With a voice that bears traces of Bjork, Harriet Wheeler, Kristen Hersh, Jesca Hoop and Alison Shaw, Stone has become somewhat of a feminist icon, with her work transporting her into new and alien territory. Playing tracks like 'And The Boys' and 'For You' from Angus & Julia’s back catalogue and 'By The Horns' and 'Memory Machine' from her own, Julia Stone will mesmerize any audience.
So far this year, Qantas has committed to phase out 100 million disposable items from 2020 onwards — and it's not done with the war on waste yet. This week, it took to the Aussie skies to notch up another milestone: the first zero-waste plane journey. On Wednesday, May 8, the carrier flew from Sydney to Adelaide. That's hardly news, but this flight removed or replaced around one thousand single-use plastic items. Sustainable alternatives were found where possible, and if an eco-friendly version couldn't be sourced, the relevant objects simply weren't included as part of the journey. Teaming up with packaging company BioPak, the airline used fully cups made from plant matter, food containers made from leftover sugar cane pulp, cutlery made from starch sourced from non-genetically modified crops and compostable napkins. It also ditched individually-packaged servings of milk and Vegemite — and collected all packaging for reuse, recycling or composting. At the airport, travellers boarding the flight also used digital boarding passes and electronic bag tags. If that wasn't possible, staff were on hand to ensure that any paper passes and tags were disposed of sustainably. To eliminate the journey's carbon footprint as well, the flight was 100 percent carbon offset. In total, 34 kilograms of waste were saved — with Qantas noting that the route usually creates around 150 tonnes of waste each year. The move comes as part of a widespread push to drastically reduce waste across the air travel industry, which has been gathering significant steam over the past year. In addition to Qantas' efforts, Portuguese charter carrier Hi Fly is aiming to become the world's first no-plastics carrier within the next 12 months, and Etihad flew the world's first long-haul flight free of the pesky products into Australia last month.
Maybe you plan an entire day around them, nabbing your seat by the river as early as possible. Perhaps you head to a waterside bar with the best view before sunset, or you could just scope them out from your nearest lofty vantage. Whichever fits, there's no escaping Riverfire when the end of September rolls around in Brisbane. Part of Brisbane Festival, it lights up the night sky with fireworks — and it'll be back in 2021. In 2019, Riverfire was scaled back. In 2020, it was cancelled due to the pandemic and replaced with a light and laser show. But the event will go ahead as normal this year, with Saturday, September 25 the date to mark in your diaries. It'll operate under COVID-safe requirements, though, so there'll likely be changes to the crowd sizes. Usually, more than 500,000 people attend. Announcing the news, Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina said that "Riverfire has been a wholly inclusive and widely accessible part of Brisbane Festival's program since 1998 — and while some changes are necessary to ensure it is a COVID Safe event, it will once again surprise and delight residents and visitors alike." Full details about the event will be revealed when the Brisbane Festival program is released in mid-July, but it'll obviously be as straightforward as it usually is — with fireworks doing their thing for more than 20 minutes across the evening, and folks around Brissie finding the right spot to look up. As usual, the Riverfire playlist will be simulcast via Triple M, too, while Channel Nine will broadcast the fireworks if you can't get a decent vantage. Even if fireworks aren't usually your thing, you might still be interested in the Riverfire shindigs that always pop up on the night, with bars around town usually throwing plenty of parties with quite the lit-up backdrop. Riverfire 2021 will take place on Saturday, September 25, during this year's Brisbane Festival. Further details will be announced with the full Brisbane Festival program in mid-July.
In the whimsical 2001 film that bears her name, Parisian waitress Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) decides to devote her life to bringing happiness to others in the quirkiest, sweetest, most charming ways possible. The results earned the Jean-Pierre Jeunet-directed effort five Oscar nominations, a slew of other awards and box office success around the world, and turned the movie into everyone's favourite French flick. We know you've seen it more than once. Now, Amélie is back — and the folks behind her latest incarnation clearly want to keep following in her footsteps by spreading joy wherever they can. No, they aren't returning prized childhood possessions, helping people find romance or taking a garden gnome around the world. However, given that they've adapted the beloved film into a stage musical, they're still achieving that aim. The song-filled theatre production will make its way to Broadway in April 2017, with previews the month prior, following its world premiere in Berkeley, California back in 2015, and another run in Los Angeles this December. Hamilton's Tony-nominated Phillipa Soo will jump from one hot hit to what's sure to be another to play the titular role alongside a cast of veteran performers, as directed by Tony-winning Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? helmer Pam MacKinnon. Amélie joins everything from Moulin Rouge to The Bodyguard in making the leap from the screen to the stage — and into must-see theatre lists as well. Just as it's a good time to be a film-loving TV watcher with the likes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and What We Do in the Shadows making their way to television, it is also an excellent to be a movie-obsessed musical attendee. Groundhog Day, Matilda, Singin' in the Rain, Heathers and Carrie have all also received the singing, dancing theatre treatment after all, just to name a few, with musicals of True Blood and SpongeBob SquarePants also slated in the near future. Via Variety.
Fresh from sell-out shows at Adelaide’s Fringe Festival and a manic Asian tour, The Idea Of North return, for one night only, to The Brisbane Powerhouse. Described by the Sydney Morning Herald as “one of Australia’s brightest cultural treasures” The Idea Of North have been mesmerising audiences for nearly twenty years, with sophisticated interpretations of classics and distinctive arrangements of contemporary and traditional tunes alongside extraordinary original material. Made up of four remarkable singers, The Idea Of North are charming and charismatic, with quick wit and stylish banter.
The Intern is one of those films that’s not easily labelled. It absolutely feels like a romcom, especially with writer/director Nancy Meyers at the helm (responsible for the likes of Father of the Bride and It's Complicated), but there’s not really any romance in it to speak of. It’s also a funny film, though you’d fall short of calling it a comedy, and it consistently packs in the feels, only there are too many lighter moments for it to be an out-and-out drama. Ultimately, whether by chance or design, The Intern's indeterminate status actually offers us a neat reflection of the story within it, for this is a story about two individuals — the ‘retiree’ and the ‘working mum’ — both grappling with the expectations and misconceptions that accompany those characterisations. De Niro, the retiree, is a 70-something widower without a purpose. Intelligent, polite and openly uncomfortable with inaction, his character Ben Whittaker applies for (and secures) a place in a senior’s intern program at fashion tech startup About the Fit. Anne Hathaway, the ‘working mum’, is the company’s 30-something founder and CEO, Jules Ostin. Passionate and driven but overworked, Jules is fending off shareholder insistence that she hire a ‘proper’ CEO while simultaneously struggling to keep her family together on account of her relentless schedule and the restless ‘stay-at-home dad’ (another unhelpful label) waiting at home. When De Niro is assigned to be Hathaway’s personal intern, their initially uncomfortable partnership soon develops into an indispensable friendship: he the calming influence on her, and she his newfound sense of purpose. The early scenes in The Intern are enough to give serious pause. De Niro’s ‘old guy in a young person’s tech world’ shtick had the potential to be incredibly hammy, and moments like not knowing how to wake up his laptop or use a USB did not augur well for avoiding the tired ‘analog meets digital’ cliche. Hathaway’s character, too, was immediately unlikeable, wearing her wireless headset and riding her fixed-gear bicycle through the office from meeting to meeting. Thankfully, though, neither concern plays out for long. De Niro’s reserve — that trademark smile and gentle nod that has traditionally masked violent intent — works perfectly as a juxtaposition to the madness of the Gen Y workplace around him. His old-school approach to both work and life endears him to all, as he offers advice from fashion and accessories through to putting down the phone and actually talking to people. Similarly, as soon as Hathaway’s pristine veneer reveals its vulnerabilities, she becomes at once an entirely sympathetic character and a surprisingly cogent representation of the unresolved workplace gender debate. In many ways, The Intern plays out like an adaption of Annabel Crabb’s The Wife Drought or Unfinished Business by Anne-Marie Slaughter, the first female director of policy planning at the US State Department and author of the controversial ‘Why Women Still Can’t Have It All’ essay in the Atlantic. Both these texts highlight the difficulties and hypocrisies surrounding successful women in the workplace, including why we never hear the label ‘working dad’, and — at its heart — this is what The Intern ultimately concerns itself with. There are plenty of laughs along the way, as well as some admittedly saccharine scenes, but mostly this is a heartwarming tale of friendship and a constructive engagement with feminism and gender inequality.
They're red, sweet and juicy — and they're everyone's favourite fruit. They're also grown in abundance around Queensland. Did you know that around 40 percent of the state's strawberries come from the Moreton Bay region? Well, you do now — and you might just want to celebrate that fact. All you need to do is head on over to Sandstone Point from midday on Sunday, September 24 for the returning Strawberry and Dessert Festival. Because you can never have too much of a good thing, this Sandstone Point Hotel event will paint the pub pink with farm-fresh strawberries — and strawberry milkshakes, strawberry ice cream, scones with strawberry jam and chocolate-coated strawberries are all usually on the menu. So is a strawberry-eating competition and a bar serving strawberry-flavoured cocktails. As you might've noticed, this isn't just a strawberry festival. It's a showcase of many a sweet treat as well. Basically, arrive hungry — and wear something stretchy — as you prepare to devour desserts aplenty. Also on the lineup: cooking demonstrations, spanning strawberries and desserts; dessert cocktail-making demos as well; and live tunes and rides for kids. Tickets cost $13.60, and you'll pay for whatever you eat and drink. Images: Sandstone Point Hotel.
If you're looking for an excuse for your next getaway, new Australian airline Bonza has plenty, including cheap airfares on 25 routes. First announced in 2021 and planning to take to the skies this year, the soon-to-launch carrier has announced the locations it'll be flying to, as well as the legs it'll take between them — with a big focus on regional destinations. When it hits the air, Bonza will service 16 different spots, spanning nine in Queensland, four in New South Wales and three in Victoria. For those heading to the Sunshine State, get ready for trips to Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays. NSW's list covers Albury, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Port Macquarie, while Victoria's features Melbourne, Avalon and Mildura. Given that Melbourne is the only state capital that Bonza will be servicing, the airline's routes largely connect regional spots — heading from the Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour or Port Macquarie to Melbourne, for instance. Indeed, the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne both feature heavily, with the airline set to run 37 flights weekly to the former and 22 to the latter from its roster of locations. Bonza will also base its headquarters on the Sunshine Coast, too. Opening up routes to more of regional Australia was stated as Bonza's aim back when it first revealed its existence last year. "Bonza's mission is to encourage more travel by providing more choices and ultra-low fares, particularly into leisure destinations where travel is now often limited to connections via major cities," said Bonza founder and CEO Tim Jordan, who comes to the airline with 25-plus years experience in low-cost carriers such as Virgin Blue, Cebu Pacific in The Philippines and central Asia's FlyArystan. An exact date that the carrier will start flying its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft around the country still hasn't been revealed as yet, but it hopes to put flights on sale within the next two months. Those fares won't include baggage and seat selection, which'll you need to pay extra for — and it'll be cheapest to do so when you make your booking, rather than afterwards. When it launches, the carrier will take to the skies with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. Bonza is set to start flying in 2022 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. For more information, head to the airline's website. And for its full list of routes, you'll need to download the airline's app for Android and iOS.
For the much of the second half of 2020, the Sunshine State has been off limits to Victorians. Over that period, the status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times — as it has throughout much of 2020 — including shutting out all of NSW, then reopening to all of NSW except Greater Sydney, then recently closing to Adelaide residents. But, finally, Victorians will be able to make the journey north from Tuesday, December 1. Today, Wednesday, November 25, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on ABC News Breakfast that Queensland will reopen its border to all of Victoria from the first of next month — which is less than a week away. The move was flagged in yesterday's similar announcement about reopening to all of New South Wales on the same date, but was contingent on the southern state not recording a new case in the past 24 hours. Victoria has now had 26 consecutive days with zero new cases and yesterday hit the milestone of zero active COVID-19 cases for the first time since February. The Queensland Premier called the announcement "very, very good news" — and said the lack of community transmission of COVID-19, plus testing rates and sewerage testing results, all played a part in the decision. She also noted that the Sunshine State now expects an influx of visitors over the summer holidays. Of course, this is also good news if you're a Queenslander now keen on a Victorian getaway, as you'll be able to head to Melbourne and not have to worry about quarantining on return. The Sunshine State will continue to keep its borders closed to 20 South Australian LGAs for the foreseeable future. Whichever way you're heading, though, you will still need a border pass. It isn't required to leave the state, but you'll need one to enter, regardless of whether you're a tourist or returning resident. To obtain a pass, you'll need to apply online, with each one valid for seven days. For more information about Queensland's border policies, head to the Queensland Government website.
Semi-Permanent is the leading global design event, a creative experience by creatives for creatives. The design world descends on Darling Harbour each year and for 2 days the Sydney Exhibition Centre becomes a showcase for the cream of the world's design, art and media communities. Now in its ninth year of bringing together interesting speakers with interested audiences, this year's speakers are continuing the trend of exceptional local and international speakers, including musician/artist Reg Mombassa, designer Annie Sperling, photographer Corey Arnold and illustrator Kelly Thompson. We're partnering with Semi-Permanent again this year and have 5 x two-day passes to give away (worth $310 each). To win, simply subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Entries close Tuesday, 10th May at 5pm. You won't want to miss out.
While your favourite Thai restaurant and their pad thai will always have your heart, there's something pretty special (and impressive) about being able to recreate those flavours at home. This Saturday, kick your culinary skills into overdrive, and get down to Vanilla Zulu for their Thai Fusion cooking class. During three fragrant, mouthwatering hours crafting your very own three-course meal, build up an appetite learning your way around Thai curry pastes, then demolish your creations feeling fully satisfied with your work. Seasonal availability means that the dishes are always changing, but expect to whip up something along the lines of massaman beef and basil spring rolls, yellow Chiang Mai curry and coconut and lime gelato.
Money can't buy you love, as four mop-topped Brits first sang 59 years ago, but it can buy you tickets to see the music legend who wrote one of the catchiest pop tracks ever released — and co-performed it — play it live in Australia. When Paul McCartney heads Down Under this spring, he'll have a wealth of material to choose from. One of his favourite openers: 'Can't Buy Me Love'. Hitting our shores for the first time since 2017 on his Got Back tour, McCartney will work through a massive catalogue of hits from his time in The Beatles, Wings and also across his solo career. In Brisbane, Sir Paul has a one-night date with Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, November 1. This tour will commemorate almost six decades since the band that helped McCartney make history famously toured Australia in 1964 amid a wave of Beatlemania. In Adelaide all of those years back, it's estimated that 350,000 people lined the streets to get a glimpse of the group, packing the stretch between the airport and Town Hall. McCartney's Got Back setlist has featured everything from 'Hey Jude', 'Let It Be' and 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' to 'Love Me Do', 'Blackbird' and 'Got to Get You Into My Life' from The Beatles across its stops so far. Yes, 'Get Back' gets a whirl. Wings tunes 'Live and Let Die', 'Band on the Run', 'Letting Go' and 'Junior's Farm' usually pop up, too, as does McCartney's own 'Maybe I'm Amazed'. The Got Back tour kicked off in the US in February 2022, wrapping up last year's run with a massive Glastonbury set. McCartney now brings his usual band — keyboardist Paul 'Wix' Wickens, bassist and guitarist Brian Ray, fellow guitarist Rusty Anderson and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr — our way after picking up a Helpmann Award for Best International Contemporary Concert for his last visit. Images: MPL Communications.
‘There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening’, reads the opening line of Anthony Burgess’s scandalous novel, A Clockwork Orange. How ringleader Alex and his band of teenage delinquents do eventually spend their night — on a rampage of brutal assault and rape which ends in the murder of an elderly lady — propels the audience of Action to the Word theatre’s contemporary reimagining of Burgess’s seminal text, directed by Alexandra Spencer-Jones, into an exploration of testosterone fuelled boredom gone awry. Those who may have attempted the novel but baulked at its unfamiliar, somewhat jarring ‘Nadsat’ dialect (an English and Russian hybrid language invented entirely by Burgess and later, in a case of life imitating art, employed by real life gangs following the success of the text) will be grateful for the physicality of the dynamic, all male cast. Where it may be easy to verbally miss what it means to ‘tolchock a chelloveck in the kishkas’, the actualisation of Alex (Martin McCreadie) senselessly brutalising those unfortunate enough to fall under his malicious gaze when he’s looking to break up the monotony of it all cannot be lost in translation. Although a fascination with violence is inherent to the performance, a stylistic emphasis on dynamic dance sequences, accompanied by a modern, high-energy soundtrack, allows some of the more shocking portrayals to remain implied, rather than descend into self-serving vulgarity. This is no coincidence — unlikely Stanley Kubrick’s highly graphic film adaptation, Action to the Word’s stage performance has auctorial integrity, having been developed in association with Burgess, who sought to rectify misconceptions of the text as being designed as an invitation to the disillusioned youth of the world to mirror the rage of his fictional droogs. Unlike the originally published and widely circulated American version of the novel, Spencer-Jones’s stage adaptation remains true to Burgess’s original ending. By privileging the author’s intended sequence of closure, a protagonist whose behavior is undeniably animalistic and barbaric throughout the performance is ultimately humanised — it turns out it was all a case of ‘boys will be boys’ and what Alex really wants is the wife, kid and white picket fence, just like the rest of us. Where Burgess may have intended this to suggest an innate potential for goodness in even the most seemingly depraved members of society, it simultaneously highlights the audience's ability to feel empathy for, and identify with, a violent murderer. When played by the achingly charismatic McCreadie, despite his propensity for kicking heads in and pillaging innocent women, Alex is strangely mesmerising and even appealing — what might be most interesting is what that implies about our own attitude towards aggression, manhood and ‘that old ultra violence’. Just what that wider societal attitude might be remains unclear, although just shy of two years on from the London riots, audiences of A Clockwork Orange will feel that its depictions of the human propensity for violence, aggression and brutality remain as scandalously relevant today they were when first published as a text 50 years ago. While it may leave you unsure of whether whether to take up adult dance classes, attempt (probably feebly) to kick down a street sign or run for cover from the mad, bad world outside, A Clockwork Orange is an immersive triumph of modern theatre that will confront, then refuse to neatly providing answers to all of the terror it raises — real horror show, in all senses of the term.
Birds will chirp, rainbows will form and the sun will shine a little brighter over Brisbane Showgrounds when the award-winning Dog Lovers Show comes to Brisbane for the very first time. The show has been to Sydney and Melbourne for the last few years — and, let us tell you, it involves a lot of pats, licks and parades. And a dedicated puppy cuddle zone. Bounding into the Royal International Convention Centre on the weekend of November 4 and 5 (from 9.30am till 5pm each day), the Brisbane Dog Lovers Show will see thousands of dedicated pooch fans celebrating the noble four-legged monarch of human companionship. There'll be dozens of furry friends available for adoption from rescue groups across Queensland in the Rescue Dog Zone, where you can learn up on what's actually involved with adoption. But hold up, you came here to cuddle pooches. We're getting there. Punters can make their way to the Pat-A-Pooch zone, where you can cuddle up to a wide range of Australia's most loveable and popular breeds from puppy to adult dogs — we're talking uppity dachshunds to fluffball samoyeds, all up in your grill. This has undeniably been the main attraction of the events in Melbourne and Sydney, and gives kitten cafes a run for their money. There's plenty more happening over the two days of furry friended fun. Not sure which type of schnoochie is perfect for you? Sign up for a Perfect Match session where you'll be paired with your ultimate dog breed. Already found your tail-waggin' soulmate? Get some expert tips on training, behaviour, first-aid and nutrition in seminars by some of Australia's big name vets. Plus, there's going to be a doggie kissing booth. Yep, pucker up. Tickets are $20 online or $35 on-site (adult, ages 16 and over). Everything is free (including cuddles) once you have purchased your ticket, obviously excepting food and drink.
It's funny, you might think the crossover between people who love geek stuff and people who love art stuff would be small, but not so. GRAPHIC Festival at the Sydney Opera House has been proving the crude stereotypers of the world wrong for four years now with its melange of comics, animation, illustration, music, multimedia and storytelling. Not only does the festival pull audiences, it puts on some of the most new and daring events in the country, which in past years have included Gotye's live animated album preview for Making Mirrors and Elefant Traks' Dr Seuss-inspired concert. The headliners are here in abundance in 2013, and they're mainly drawn (ha) from the world of comics. The man most credited with introducing comics as a 'serious' medium and Pulitzer Prize winner for Holocaust-themed Maus, Art Spiegelman, will present a hybrid of slides, talk and music in a performance specially commissioned for the festival. The event, called WORDLESS!, will see Spiegelman share his own history while expounding on the depth comics are capable of. Same room, same day: Grant Morrison — legendary writer of such titles as Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Invisibles, New X-Men and All-Star Superman — will be in conversation with Gerard Way (former My Chemical Romance frontman, now award-winning comic artist). Morrison's not the only Arkham Asylum alumnus either; there's idiosyncratic artist Dave McKean. Best known for his collaborations with Neil Gaiman, he also designed the beasts in two of the Harry Potter films and created more than 150 album covers. And he makes music — six songs of which appear with three stories and a stack of images and film in 9 Lives, his Australian premiere performance during GRAPHIC. Also in the mix are Seth Green (Oz! Scott Evil!) and Matt Senreich of Robot Chicken; Wolverine and Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein leading a workshop; The Incredibly Short Film Festival (it's GIFs, of course); The Cinematic Orchestra in full flight; and Radio National's Radio with Pictures team-up of homegrown artists and storytellers. They don't say it on their promo material, but what you should understand is that GRAPHIC is like arty Comic-Con, and you don't need to be an uber-fan to feel part of the party. There are few events quite like it in the world. The festival runs from October 4-7 and tickets are on sale on Friday, August 2, at 9am from the Sydney Opera House website.
Our society seems to be developing an obsession for sleeping in places that are not our beds. Are our lives so busy and so constantly on the go that the notion of getting your 8 hours in the quiet comfort of your bedroom sometime between dusk and dawn is becoming impractical, unrealistic and just plain outdated? A range of designs over the past few years seem to be pointing to our desire to harness modcon's to make going to sleep - the concept, the verb - unnecessary and obsolete and instead, in its place, enable us to take sleep with us wherever we go. it seems survival of the fittest is all about adaptation, with new designs allowing our weary bodies to adapt to our demanding lifestyles. Athanasia Leivaditou has added a new incentive to staying late at the office through her latest offering - an office desk that can convert into a bed. The white, seemingly innocuous, everyday office desk masks deep within its belly a 2m x 0.8m x 0.73m escape to the Land of Nod complete with a small flat screen TV. Leivaditou pointed to the contraction of our lives to fit into the walls of our office as the inspiration for her design. If your occupational allegiance is tied not to an office but to mobility, you may want to invest in an OSTRICH. Designer Kawamura Ganjavian states that it is a combination of a pillow, cushion, bed and garment that offers "a micro environment in which to take a warm and comfortable power nap at ease" with a "soothing cave-like interior" into which we bury our heads and hands in mimicry of the habits of the aforementioned large flightless bird. If you want to take the concept of portable sleep vessel one step further, perhaps try out Forrest Jessee's Sleep Suit, which, for all intents and purposes, transforms you into a walking sleeping bag. It was designed as a facilitatory aid to the adoption of an alternative sleep cycle whereby you take frequent naps over the course of a day rather than having a big greedy sleep at night. The pleated foam construction enables the user to hear, eat, breathe and see, as well as, at the user's discretion, keel over whenever and wherever for a comfortable and safe snooze. Mixing literal instrumentality with aesthetic absurdity, these designs simultaneously allow us to adapt to our evolving circumstances as well as, possibly, making us question whether the need for such adaptations is an indication that it is our lifestyles themselves that need changing.
Wearing your heart on your sleeve might not be all that cool, but wearing your love of ramen proudly emblazoned on your chest? Well, that's completely acceptable. In fact, the designers at Japanese casual-wear retailer Uniqlo wholly encourage the idea, who've just released a line of covetable ramen-print t-shirts. The fresh designs are part of the label's latest spring/summer t-shirt drop, working the theme 'wear your world' with authentic pop culture images from around the globe. The ramen collection is a nod to Japan's most iconic ramen joints, including Ippudo, Menya Musashi, Setagaya and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. Some, like the t-shirt for Ebisoba Ichigen, feature bright bowls of noodle soup, while others are printed with recognisable restaurant logos. Other Uniqlo pop culture collections to hit Aussie stores include one called 'The Brands', one devoted to 80s American movies and an art-meets-fashion tribute, SPRZ (Surprise New York + Eames). The t-shirts are retailing for $19.90, but if you're in Brisbane or Sydney, you can try and nab a free one at the collection launches. Brisbane's Queen Street Mall store will be running giveaways tomorrow — Saturday, October 6 — from 11am–3pm, while Sydney's Pitt Street location will do the same the following weekend, at Saturday, October 13. Uniqlo's Wear Your World ramen t-shirts are available now for $19.90 each. You can purchase them from all Australian stores or online here.
It's that time of year again. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy sale return for its next online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm on Tuesday, March 17 — and, this time around, it's focusing on Aussie businesses in need. The site's inaugural Places in Need event arrives on the heels of Australia's devastating bushfire season and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This double-whammy has hit the travel sector hard, and Click Frenzy plans to aid local businesses through its quarterly sale. As of 7pm, you'll have access to the usual array of bargain deals on airfare, holiday packages and accommodation, as well as on experiences, tours, car hire and travel insurance. Over 500 deals will be on offer, with big names like Virgin Australia, Travel Online, Flight Centre and Klook all on board. Those deals will specifically focus on a combination of lesser-known Australian gems and well-traversed destinations where tourism is especially low. Of course, in this period of uncertainty, it's not expecting travellers to book a trip for next week. Instead, there'll be flexible dates and cancellation terms — with the intention that consumers will hold onto their vouchers or book for future dates. Now for the deals: expect 70-percent-off Flight Centre packages, 50-percent-off Travel Online destinations, 20-percent-off Hamilton Island stays and 25-percent-off Metro Hotels across Australia. [caption id="attachment_765150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shotever Jet Boat[/caption] A few of the New South Wales-specific offers include $400-off luxury stays at White Sand Jervis Bay, a free private tour of biodynamic vineyard Lark Hill Wines, a $100 voucher in Bundanoon (when staying at Fulford Folly) and one-night-free accommodation at Redleaf Carriages in Fitzroy Falls. There's also $30 off Sydney-based experiences via Klook, including the Harbour Bridge Climb, skydiving and hot air balloon bookings. Now may be a time to tick these off your bucket list. Other featured deals around the country include one-night-free stays at Waverley House Cottages in Lake Entrance, Yarranungara Yurt Retreat in Oxley and Aurora Ozone Hotel on Kangaroo Island (which was devastated by the bushfires. And the Mansfield Zoo in Victoria is offering adult camping for child prices. And if you're a member (or want to register for free), you get additional benefits, including early access to all of the deals. There's no official 'end' time to the sale this year, either so you'll have extra time to explore and book. Choose wisely. Click Frenzy's Places in Need kicks off at 7pm on Tuesday, March 17. You can find all the tasty travel bargains here. Check each individual deal for exact terms and conditions. Top image: Kangaroo Island by Isaac Forman
Bring any group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, and one thing just might happen: a murder, at least if whodunnits of the page and screen are to be believed. Agatha Christie loved that exact setup, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does the clearly Christie-inspired Knives Out franchise. Yes, the latter is a franchise now, with sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery due in cinemas for one week only mid-November, then on Netflix on Friday, December 23. Once again, Daniel Craig (No Time to Die) returns as Blanc, Benoit Blanc, in the first of two followups planned by the streaming platform — and after a first teaser trailer back in September, the film has just dropped its latest sneak peek. "Alright, when's the murder-mystery start?" is still a fabulous line, as it was in the initial trailer; however, this time there's a bit more context. The movie's cast — Craig, obviously, plus Edward Norton (The French Dispatch), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision), Leslie Odom Jr (The Many Saints of Newark), Jessica Henwick (The Gray Man), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Thor: Love and Thunder) — are in Greece, and they're about to play a murder-mystery party game. Then, there's an actual real dead body complicating their fun. If you saw the original — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how it works from there. There's a lavish setting, that aforementioned big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. Is the culprit Bautista's Duke Cody on the yacht? Hudson's Birdie Jay in the games room? Hahn's Claire Debella by the pool? You'll have to watch to find out, with the film getting sleuthing in cinemas between Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29 — a month before the movie heads to streaming. And, you'll want to get in quick, as it's only showing on the big screen for that one week. After that, you're back to waiting for an early Christmas gift at home. Just like its predecessor, Glass Onion is both written and directed by Rian Johnson, with the filmmaker moving onto the franchise after 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi — and still indulging his love of on-screen puzzles, as shone through in Brick and Looper as well. Check out the full trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery below: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will hit Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29, then become available to stream via Netflix from Friday, December 23. Images: John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
Each year, the advertising world's mad men and women descend on Cannes for a week-long jaunt on the Riviera. Aside from likely providing the world with more instances of cocaine use by aged executive creative directors than any other event in the world, the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival showcases the world's best commercial creativity across a variety of mediums, including TV, print, outdoor, PR and online. The proliferation of new media channels and the growth of social media has made an already cluttered marketing world a dangerous place to be for cowardly chief marketing officers and the brands they steward. Last year, Old Spice made headlines for their ability to engage consumers in a campaign that repositioned a tired brand in one fell swoop via innovative use of social media. But what lay at the heart of the campaign was its ability to make an emotional connection with audiences through humour. Ads, after all, are a like people: the ones you love and hate are the same ones you remember. This year's best 15 ads were decided over the weekend, with the Grand Prix being awarded to the 'Write The Future' campaign launched by Nike during last year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Here they are, ordered according to how they impressed us here at Concrete Playground HQ. https://youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0 1. 'Force' by Volkswagen Agency: Deutsch Los Angeles https://youtube.com/watch?v=dBZtHAVvslQ 2. Cannes Grand Prix 2011: 'Write The Future' by Nike Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam https://youtube.com/watch?v=xdOoJjvr0GM 3. 'Braids' by H2OH! Drink Agency: BBDO Argentina https://youtube.com/watch?v=CoxCF1xZ7Pk 4. 'After Hours Athlete' by Puma Agency: Droga5 New York https://youtube.com/watch?v=2qD_PiZAz6k 5. 'Premature Perspiration' by Axe Agency: Ponce Buenos Aires https://youtube.com/watch?v=TLgetLmlggA 6. 'The Entrance' by Heineken Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam https://youtube.com/watch?v=VFFnfHQhg-s 7. 'Shoelace' by Otrivin Nasal Spray Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Geneva https://youtube.com/watch?v=DtCU43MteYY 8. 'Slo Mo' by Carlton Draught Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne https://youtube.com/watch?v=8I550mx8QlI 9. 'See The Person' by Scope Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne https://youtube.com/watch?v=T3guZ7dMAkc 10. 'Born Of Fire' by Chrysler Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland https://youtube.com/watch?v=BKnhyhm3GdQ 11. 'Office' by Mexican Insurance Institution Association Agency: Ogilvy Mexico https://youtube.com/watch?v=nCgQDjiotG0 12. 'Chrome Speed Tests' by Google Agency: Google Creative Lab New York https://youtube.com/watch?v=Oech5Rpom2g 13. 'Cage Cop' by Skittles Agency: BBDO Canada https://youtube.com/watch?v=lZqrG1bdGtg 14. 'Dead Island Trailer' by Deep Silver Agency: Deep Silver https://youtube.com/watch?v=k0fm3JS4p8U 15. 'Demo Slam: Chubby Bunny' by Google Agency: Google Creative Lab New York [Via Mumbrella]
Some Pixar movies bring childhood obsessions to big screen, as seen in the Toy Story and Cars films. If you loved monsters as a kid, the Monsters, Inc flicks definitely also count. Other features made by the beloved animation studio explore exactly what it feels like to be a child — as seen in the wonderful Inside Out, of course, and now in the company's upcoming release Turning Red. We say 'upcoming', and that is indeed accurate — but after both Soul and Luca hit streaming over the past six months, the studio's next movie won't release until March 2022. So, you'll be waiting a while to get another dose of heartwarming animated cuteness. Based on its just-dropped first trailer, Turning Red looks like it'll be worth it, though. Marking the first feature from writer/director Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her delightful 2018 short Bao, Turning Red takes its moniker literally. Many Pixar flicks do, of course (see also: Finding Nemo, Up, Brave and Onward, for instance). Here, 13-year-old Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her movie debut) is an ordinary teen who gets embarrassed by her mum Ming (Sandra Oh, Killing Eve) fairly often, and can find adolescent life a bit overwhelming. So far, so relatable — but when she's overexcited by all of the above, Mei Lee also happens to turn into a fluffy red panda. If you're thinking about the Hulk but red, female, younger and more adorable, that's the kind of vibe the trailer gives. Disney does own both Pixar and Marvel, so that isn't a big leap. Just how Mei Lee copes with her sudden transformations is exactly what the flick will cover, obviously — and, at this stage, viewers will be able to see the end result in cinemas next year rather than on streaming. Check out the trailer below: Turning Red is slated to release in Australian cinemas on March 31, 2022. Top image: © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Gone are the days when vegans and vegetarians had no other option than to order a side of vegetables from every takeaway menu that was placed in front of them. With the number of plant-based eaters (and meat-free Monday enthusiasts) on the rise, restaurants are catching on and offering delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes that'll give your carnivorous mates food envy. Brisbane is home to plenty of amazing restaurants that cater to the vegos among us — those who are just looking for a meat-free meal every now and then. With the help of DoorDash, we've compiled a list of places to order delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes, so the next time you're grabbing takeaway you can ditch the bowl of vegetables and treat yourself to some karaage popcorn tofu or a plant-based burger that's just as good, if not better, than the meat variety.
Every five years, Australia undertakes a national census to collect information about everyone in the country. It focuses on people, obviously. But a similar annual initiative takes a snapshot of the nation's birdlife — and, in the perfect event for a year that's seen us all literally spending plenty of time in our own backyards, you can take part. It's called the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, a descriptive moniker that tells you exactly what you'll be doing. From Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 25, all you need to do is head outside — into your yard, out on your street, at your local park, at the beach or wherever else you're likely to spy some birds — and spend 20 minutes counting all the winged creatures you can see. You'l need to note not only the number of birds, but also the types of each species. By spotting everything from magpies, rainbow lorikeets and kookaburras to whatever that bird is that sits outside your window and trills noisily to wake you up each morning (we've all been there), you'll be helping out BirdLife Australia, the country's largest bird conservation organisation. In its effort to stop bird extinctions and protect birdlife in general, the charity is committed to better understanding which flapping critters are found where throughout the nation. So, with that in mind, it has been running the Aussie Backyard Bird Count since 2014. To participate in the countrywide bird survey, you can either submit your count online via the event's website, or download the free Aussie Bird Count app and provide your data that way. BirdLife Australia asks that you only count birds that you can identify, rather than guessing what type of bird is fluttering around your yard — but both the website and the app include a field guide to help. [caption id="attachment_786211" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sydney Park Wetlands, City of Sydney[/caption] The Aussie Backyard Bird Count runs from Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 26. For more information, visit the event's website.
Residents of southeast Queensland, your plans for the near future might be about to change — depending on how many people you're keen to spend time with and where. The Sunshine State is tightening COVID-19 restrictions again in 11 Local Government Areas, effective 1am tomorrow, Tuesday, June 29. And yes, these new rules have been announced just three days after Queensland last loosened restrictions, and only a day since it first started to bring them back in. Basically, whatever you have planned from tomorrow onwards, you're going to want to check the latest rules — because they've shifted a few times in just a few days. Announced today, Monday, June 28 by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the next batch of restrictions will come into effect in the Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan, Redlands, Ipswich, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim, the Lockyer Valley and Somerset LGAs. In these areas, at-home gathering limits are going down to 30 — which is a change from the cap of 100 that was announced yesterday. Another area where the last rules that were announced 24 hours ago are being altered: density caps in hospitality businesses. They'll go back to one person per four-square-metres indoors and one person per two-square-metres outdoors — although venues smaller than 200 square metres will be permitted to welcome in one person per two-square-metres with a cap of 50 people. Seated consumption is back, too, so you'll only be able to eat and drink while sitting. Dancing is banned again, because we all need to feel like Kevin Bacon in Footloose once more. And, weddings and funerals can only have 100 people — with only 20 people allowed on the dance floor at once at the latter. Masks will be mandatory again in indoor spaces outside of your own house, too. That means you'll need to cover up in places such as shopping centres, public transport, hospitals, aged care facilities and churches. And, you'll need to mask up in workplaces where you can't maintain physical distancing. You'll also need to always carry a mask with you when you aren't at home as well. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1409290934785691648 Something that isn't changing: capacity for ticketed and seated events. So, you'll still be able to hang out with more folks in the great outdoors — and at galleries, museums, convention centres, theatres, gig venues and cinemas. Outside, there's no longer a limit on how many people can gather. For venues with seated and ticketed capacity, they can fill to 100 percent. At today's press conference, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said that the rules aren't tightening for ticketed and seated events "because I know how well people have been managing their COVIDSafe plan. So 100-percent capacity where it's ticketed and seated. Otherwise, it's one per four square metres if people are standing and mingling, because of that risk." Two new local COVID-19 cases were identified in Queensland in the past 24 hours, including one with the more contagious Delta variant. That's why restrictions are being tightened, the Premier noted. Yesterday, three community acquired cases were reported, covering both Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. As always, Queenslanders are asked to keep social distancing, and maintaining the hygiene practices that have been in place since March 2020. You're also requested to keep checking the state's list of exposure sites — and to get tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
If you've seen and loved the show Girls, then you know what a character Lena Dunham is. Her work on the big screen is equally amusing. The one-woman-wonder wrote, directed and starred in Tiny Furniture, a clever and amusing coming-of-age dramedy about a bright but lost young woman coming to terms with her stagnant life. In Tiny Furniture, 22-year-old Aura (Dunham) moves back into her artist mother's Tribeca loft after graduating from university. With a useless film degree, a boyfriend who's left her for Burning Man, a dying hamster and no job, Aura is a desperate for someone to tell her what to do. Luckily, her imprudent childhood friend (Jemima Kirke from Girls) and some feckless love interests (including Alex Karpovsky, also from Girls) are thrown in the mix for plenty of roguish escapades. Through gritted teeth and a forced smile, Aura puts her self out there, lands a job at a crummy restaurant and tries to make something of her life like any other twenty-something in New York City. With a witty cast of characters — including her real-life mother, sister and best friend — Dunham's story hits close to home (and was actually filmed in her parents'). Winning Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and Best Screenplay at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards, this indie darling has all the salty, satirical and sardonic humour that captivated us even before Girls. Tiny Furniture is available on DVD and digital download on October 23. Thanks to Transmission Home Entertainment, we've got five DVD copies to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=GuD6wF_GPOY
Before Monday, March 28 comes to a close Down Under, Hollywood will have anointed a new batch of winners. After months of chatter — almost two since the nominations were announced, in fact — and even longer still of speculation, the Academy Awards will shower accolades upon its 94th round of recipients. Sweeping revisionist westerns, heartwarming animated hits, sci-fi spectacles, history-making documentaries: amid the gorgeous gowns, snappy monologues and sweet speeches that'll inevitably come with 2022's Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes-hosted ceremony, they're all in the running. Yes, the list goes in. And, in a bonus for movie lovers in Australia, you can watch 36 of this year's nominated features right now. Some are showing in cinemas, others are streaming, and a few give you options for either big- or small-screen viewings — and here's your pre-Oscars binging rundown on where to see them all. ON THE BIG SCREEN: BELFAST Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Kenneth Branagh), Best Supporting Actor (Ciarán Hinds), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Our thoughts: Warm, cosy, rosy, charming, feel-good: typically when a film spins its story during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, none of these words apply. But with Belfast, Kenneth Branagh has made a movie set in its eponymous city when the Protestant-versus-Catholic violence was a constant sight, and also helmed a Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe and Judi Dench-starring feature that's about a childhood spent with that conflict as a backdrop. Where to watch: Belfast is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. CYRANO Nominations: Best Costume Design Our thoughts: Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, all of the above happens — and, with director Joe Wright helming a handsome, detail-laden, rhythmic piece of cinema starring a fantastic Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr, this musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac truly sings. Where to watch: Cyrano is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. DRIVE MY CAR Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Ryusuke Hamaguchi), Best International Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay Our thoughts: Forget Green Book and Driving Miss Daisy, American Oscar-applauded films similarly about drivers, passengers and unexpected camaraderie — Drive My Car is in a lane of its own. Filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi takes his central pair and his audience on a patient, engrossing and rewarding trip that cuts to the heart of dealing with life, love, loss, pain, shame and despair, and also sees how fickle twists of chance unavoidably dictate our routes. Where to watch: Drive My Car is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. FLEE Nominations: Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, but that blend alone isn't what makes Flee special. Writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen has created one of the best instances of the combination yet, all to share the story of an Afghan refugee who was once a kid in war-torn Kabul, then a teenager seeking asylum in Copenhagen, and now talks through the astonishing ups and downs in his tale. Where to watch: Flee is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. LICORICE PIZZA Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson), Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: Paul Thomas Anderson's ninth feature births two new on-screen talents, both putting in two of the past year's best performances and two of the finest-ever movie debuts. In this sublime tale of friendship, romance, hanging out and navigating the 70s in San Fernando Valley, that's evident from the first grainy 35-millimetre-shot moments, as Alana Haim (of Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour Hoffman) do little more than chat, stroll and charm. Where to watch: Licorice Pizza is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. PARALLEL MOTHERS Nominations: Best Actress (Penélope Cruz), Best Original Score Our thoughts: Parallel Mothers is classic Pedro Almodóvar, but nothing about that description ever simply unfurls as expected. Once again, he puts Penélope Cruz at the centre of his frames, paints with the vibrant-toned costume and set design that make his movies such a blissful sight for colour-seeking eyes, and focuses on mothers of all shades navigating life's many difficulties — and the result is one of his best films so far. Where to watch: Parallel Mothers is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. IN CINEMAS OR AT HOME: DUNE Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Our thoughts: A spice-war space opera about feuding houses on far-flung planets, Dune has long been a pop-culture building block. It's always been something special, too — but as he did with Blade Runner 2049, writer/director Denis Villeneuve has once again grasped something already enormously influential, peered at it with astute eyes, built it anew and created an instant sci-fi classic in the process. Where to watch: Dune is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. ENCANTO Nominations: Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, Best Song Our thoughts: Five years after Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney first teamed up on an animated musical with the catchiest of tunes, aka Moana, they're back at it again with Encanto. To viewers eager for another colourful, thoughtful and engaging film — and another that embraces a particular culture with the heartiest of hugs, and is all the better for it — what can the past decade's most influential composer and biggest entertainment behemoth say except you're welcome? Where to watch: Encanto is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+,Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. HOUSE OF GUCCI Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama about the titular fashion family, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Where to watch: House of Gucci is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. KING RICHARD Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Will Smith), Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: Stepping into Venus and Serena Williams' childhood as aspiring tennis stars, King Richard mostly lobs around smaller moments — and it's a tale about imperfections, struggles and contradictions in the pursuit of excellence, too. It spies the sporting greats' formative years through their father (Will Smith), but still steps through life-defining events for the entire family — and the end product is an easy win, though, rather than an all-timer Where to watch: King Richard is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Nominations: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design Our thoughts: Don't mistake the blaze that starts Nightmare Alley for warmth; in his 11th film, Guillermo del Toro gets chillier than he ever has. A lover of gothic tales told with empathy and curiosity, the Mexican filmmaker has always understood that escapism and agony go hand in hand — and here, in a carnival noir that springs from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel and previously reached cinemas in 1947, he runs headfirst into cold, unrelenting darkness. Where to watch: Nightmare Alley is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SPENCER Nominations: Best Actress (Kristen Stewart) Our thoughts: Spencer joins Kristen Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. The new regal drama should do just that, of course, given its subject — but saying that director Pablo Larraín has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. Where to watch: Spencer is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Spider-Man: No Way Home isn't without its charms; Tom Holland and Zendaya's chemistry still sparkles, it's a definite treat to see Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina back in the fold, and, as blasts from the pasts keep popping up, director Jon Watts cleverly juggles the varying tones of all three different web-slinging franchises. But this spider-sequel is always happiest when it's trying to catch the audience's claps and cheers just like flies. Where to watch: Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Our thoughts: Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. With this swooning, socially aware remake of one of cinema's favourite stories about star-crossed lovers, the veteran filmmaker pirouettes back from the atrocious Ready Player One by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Where to watch: West Side Story is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Nominations: Best International Feature, Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: Capturing the relentlessly on-the-go sensation that comes with adulthood, as well as the inertia of feeling like you're never quite getting anywhere that you're meant to be, The Worst Person in the World is filled with running scenes that paint a wonderfully evocative and relatable image. Those are apt terms for Norwegian writer/director Joachim Trier's latest gem overall, actually, which meets Julie as she's pinballing through the shambles of her millennial life. Where to watch: The Worst Person in the World is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. VIA STREAMING: ASCENSION Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Starting with factory recruitment on the streets, then stepping into mass production, then climbing the social hierarchy up to the rich and privileged, Ascension explores employment, consumerism and the everyday dream in China. Observational to a mesmerising degree, it lets its slices of life and the behaviour, attitudes and patterns they capture do the talking — and what a smart, telling, incisive and surreal story they unfurl. Where to watch: Ascension is available to stream via Paramount+. ATTICA Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Half a century after the infamous Attica uprising at the New York jail — which ended with 33 inmates and 10 correctional officers dead, all most all at the hands of law enforcement — this intelligent, compassionate and powerful documentary asks prisoners who were there to share their stories. Entwined with archival footage, it isn't an easy watch, but it's not just grim and infuriating but gripping and essential during every second. Where to watch: Attica is available to stream via Paramount+. BEING THE RICARDOS Nominations: Best Actor (Javier Bardem), Best Actress (Nicole Kidman), Best Supporting Actor (JK Simmons) Our thoughts: If Aaron Sorkin's name is attached to a project, film or TV alike, plenty of talk always ensues. That's no different in this Sorkin-written and directed biopic about Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) — which focuses on a difficult time in their marriage, and in their sitcom I Love Lucy, but largely just makes viewers wish that they were watching that television series and the real-life Ball instead. Where to watch: Being the Ricardos is available to stream via Prime Video. CODA Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), Best Adapted Screenplay, Our thoughts: CODA, the sophomore feature from writer/director Sian Heder (Tallulah), takes its cues from 2014 French hit La Famille Bélier — and it's a rare example of the remake bettering the original. Following 17-year-old Ruby Rossi's (Emilia Jones, Locke & Key) struggle to balance her commitments to her family, all of whom are deaf, with her dreams of attending music school, it's filled with warmth, naturalism, engaging performances and a welcome lack of cheesiness. Where to watch: CODA is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. COMING 2 AMERICA Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: Coming 2 America might make knowing jokes about pointless sequels made decades after original hits, but that winking attitude doesn't make this 33-years-later sequel to Coming to America any better. This time around, Eddie Murphy's Prince Akeem of Zamunda has to grapple with becoming king, finding out he has a 30-year-old son and realising that his country's patriarchal traditions need dismantling, and laughs are thin from start to finish. Where to watch: Coming 2 America is available to stream via Prime Video. CRUELLA Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: A killer dress, a statement jacket, a devastating head-to-toe ensemble: if they truly match their descriptions, they stand the test of time. Set in 70s London as punk takes over the aesthetic, live-action 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella is full of such outfits — but if the Emma Stone-starring affair was a fashion item itself, though, it'd be a piece that appears fabulous from afar, but can't hide its seams. Where to watch: Cruella is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DON'T LOOK UP Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: On paper, Don't Look Up sounds like a dream. Using a comet hurtling towards earth as a stand-in, Adam McKay parodies climate change inaction and the circus that tackling COVID-19 has turned into in the US, spoofs self-serious disaster blockbusters and enlists a fantasy cast. But he's still simply making the most blatant gags, all while assuming viewers wouldn't care about saving the planet, or their own lives, without such star-studded and glossily shot packaging. Where to watch: Don't Look Up is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE Nominations: Best Actress (Jessica Chastain), Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: Not for the first time, the eyes have it, but then they always have with Tammy Faye Bakker. The second film called The Eyes of Tammy Faye to tell the 70s and 80s televangelist's tale, this biopic, frequently puts its namesake's OTT and instantly eye-grabbing peepers in focus. That's apt, given the Jessica Chastain-starring flick hones in on perspective; however, it'd be a better film if it pondered what she truly saw, or didn't. Where to watch: The Eyes of Tammy Faye is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FOUR GOOD DAYS Nominations: Best Original Song Our thoughts: Based on a true tale and coming to the screen via a Washington Post article, Four Good Days isn't subtle — but Mila Kunis and Glenn Close's performances still hit the mark with power and empathy. They play a mother and daughter, the former a ten-year heroin addict trying to get clean for the 15th time, the latter her long-suffering mother, and both wading through a lifetime of woes in search of a brighter future. Where to watch: Four Good Days is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. FREE GUY Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Free Guy is a big-budget, star-led movie that primarily exists to answer two not-at-all pressing questions: what would The Truman Show look like if it starred Ryan Reynolds, and how would that 1998 classic would fare if it was about massive online video games instead of TV? In the process, it's firmly Hollywood's equivalent of mass-produced soft furnishings emblazoned with self-help platitudes and designed to sit on as many couches as possible. Where to watch: Free Guy is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE HAND OF GOD Nominations: Best International Feature Our thoughts: The Hand of God isn't a Diego Maradona biopic; however, Paolo Sorrentino's film takes its name from the soccer star's move during a 1986 World Cup match, where he used his hand to score a goal and helped win the game. Based on the filmmaker's own youth, it also tells of a time when the player was a deity to the not-yet-movie-obsessed future Italian cinema great — and the life-changing personal dramas that occurred with that soccer worship in the background. Where to watch: The Hand of God is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE LOST DAUGHTER Nominations: Best Actress (Olivia Colman), Best Supporting Actress (Jessie Buckley), Best Adapted Screenplay Our thoughts: Watching Olivia Colman play a complicated woman is like staring at the ocean: it's never the same twice; it couldn't be more unpredictable, no matter how comfortable it appears; and all that surface texture bobs, floats, swells, gleams and glides atop leagues of unseen complexity. The Lost Daughter is the latest example, and it's exceptional, with actor-turned-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal making a bold directorial debut bringing Elena Ferrante's novel to the screen. Where to watch: The Lost Daughter is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. LUCA Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Even when Pixar makes a minor delight, like Luca, its usually swims well beyond most of the other family-friendly fare that gets pumped in front of young eyes. Set in Italy over a resplendent summer, this coming-of-age tale might be the closest that Pixar ever gets to making a Frankenstein movie. Forget the whole coming back from the dead part; instead, teenage sea monsters Luca (Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) just want to belong. Where to watch: Luca is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Fighting the robot apocalypse has rarely been as fun on-screen as it is in this feel-good, family-friendly (and family-loving) animated delight. Artificial intelligence takes over, the world's technological gadgets enslave humans, and it's up to a film-obsessed teenager and her quirky family to save the day, work through their baggage and ensure that humanity has a future — all of which makes for smart, funny, warmhearted and savvily playful viewing. Where to watch: The Mitchells vs the Machines is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. NO TIME TO DIE Nominations: Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Our thoughts: James Bond might prefer his martinis shaken, not stirred, but No Time to Die doesn't quite take that advice. While the enterprising spy hasn't changed his drink order, the latest film he's gives its regular ingredients both a mix and a jiggle. The action is dazzlingly choreographed, a menacing criminal has an evil scheme and the world is in peril. But, there's more weight in Daniel Craig's performance, more emotion all round, and a greater willingness to contemplate the stakes. Where to watch: No Time to Die is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE POWER OF THE DOG Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Jane Campion), Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Best Supporting Actor (Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee), Best Supporting Actress (Kirsten Dunst), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Our thoughts: Jane Campion has never helmed anything less than stellar, and she's immensely capable of unearthing rich new pastures in well-ploughed terrain. With The Power of the Dog, the New Zealand director is at the height of her skills trotting into her latest mesmerising musing on strength, desire and isolation — this time via a venomous western that's as perilously bewitching as its mountainous backdrop, and is also teeming with stunning performances. Where to watch: The Power of the Dog is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Featuring a vibrant animated spectacle that heroes vivid green and blue hues, a rousing central figure who is never a stock-standard Disney princess and lively voice work, Raya and the Last Dragon boasts plenty of highlights. It embraces southeast Asian culture with a warm hug; it's always detailed, organic, inclusive and thoughtful, and never tokenistic; and it benefits from the pitch-perfect vocal stylings of Awkwafina as the playful, mystical half of the film's title. Where to watch: Raya and the Last Dragon is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: In Marvel's 25th film, Simu Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however, but it's always entertaining. Where to watch: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SUMMER OF SOUL (...OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Much of Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) involves stunning archival footage, as recorded more than five decades ago and never seen since, capturing live performances by an astonishing lineup of musicians at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Directed by Questlove, consider this glorious documentary an act of unearthing, reclamation and celebration, then. It's a gift, too — and a phenomenal one. Where to watch: Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. TICK, TICK... BOOM! Nominations: Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), Best Film Editing Our thoughts: Lin-Manuel Miranda's filmmaking directorial debut, Tick, Tick… Boom! charts theatre composer Jonathan Larson's (Andrew Garfield) path to the autobiographical one-man-show that shares its name — before he went on to make a little production called Rent. It's a loving ode, albeit an inescapably overexcited one. And it's also clearly a case of art imitating life, with Larson's enthusiasm for the art form he cherished so feverishly coming through strong. Where to watch: Tick, Tick... Boom! is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH Nominations: Best Actor (Denzel Washington), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design Our thoughts: Bringing Shakespeare to the big screen is no longer just about doing the material justice, or even letting a new batch of the medium's standout talents give their best to the Bard's immortal words. For everyone attempting the feat (a list that just keeps growing), it's also about gifting the playwright's material with the finest touches that cinema allows — and this version of Macbeth, directed solo by Joel Coen, bubbles not only with toil and trouble but with all of the above. Where to watch: The Tragedy of Macbeth is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review.
They're acting icons with four decades of work to their names. They also each played a part in the delightful Paddington movies — but in different films. We're talking about Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, who finally share the screen in six-part mini-series The Undoing. As married couple Grace and Jonathan Fraser, a renowned psychotherapist and a celebrated children's oncologist respectively, they seem to have the perfect New York City life. The drama's title tells you that change is coming, though. When a woman connected to the ultra-expensive school attended by their teenage son Henry (Noah Jupe) turns up dead, the Frasers' existence begins to unravel. Or, as Big Little Lies writer David E Kelley and The Night Manager director Susanne Bier make clear, perhaps it was already unfurling but Grace and Jonathan just didn't realise. Also starring Donald Sutherland as Grace's father and Edgar Ramirez as the police detective with many a suspicion about the Frasers, The Undoing serves up twist after twist as it investigates not only a crime and a marriage, but the lives of the wealthy and privileged.
After emerging in 2007 with a musical blend of sing-along verses and great pop hooks, Newton Faulkner became a summertime favourite with his sunny songs that were instant hits. A few years on and Newton has just released his third studio album, Write It On Your Skin, which saw the British-born troubadour recording songs in LA to bring about a stripped back DIY feel. To celebrate the album’s release, Newton is hitting the road and touring Australia, taking in all capital cities. The first single off the new album, Clouds, is out now and is a great example of Newton Faulkner’s brand of folk-rock and pop.
Prepare to get hopelessly devoted — again — to Rydell High, summer lovers reuniting at school, leather jackets and Pink Ladies, all across Australia's stages in 2024. Because giving Grease a prequel streaming series isn't enough, the 50s-set musical is returning to its original home, with a brand-new multimillion-dollar theatre production of the five-decade-old show set to be the one that local audiences want next year. Grease is shaping up to be Melbourne's big summer hit, zipping into the Victorian capital's Her Majesty's Theatre like lightening in January. Then, from March, it'll take its retro stylings to Sydney's Capitol Theatre. If you live elsewhere in the country, cross your fingers that these two initial seasons are only the beginning. Everyone knows Grease's plot by now, given how popular the 1978 movie adaptation of the musical rom-com still is, especially Down Under. It is about an Australian transfer student, after all, who falls in love with an American high schooler in California. After it sped from the stage to become a silver-screen classic, it spawned a 1982 Michelle Pfeiffer-starring sequel, too, then this year's Paramount+ show Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. Exactly who'll be slipping into John Travolta (Paradise City) and the late, great Olivia Newton-John's (The Very Excellent Mr Crocodile Dundee) leathers as Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson in the new Aussie production has yet to be revealed, nor has any casting — T-Birds, Pink Ladies and teachers alike. But whoever gets the gig, obviously they'll be belting out all the famous tunes, including the titular 'Grease' and fellow earworms 'Summer Nights', 'Sandy', 'Hopelessly Devoted to You', 'You're The One That I Want', 'Greased Lightnin' and 'Beauty School Dropout'. "I am thrilled that Grease, one of the world's all-time favourite musicals, is returning to Australia in a brand-new production featuring an all-Australian creative team," said producer John Frost announcing the new tour, which is presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia. "Grease has always been about having fun and, coupled with the much-loved songs and choreography, I know that this will be the party musical that everyone is talking about for a long time to come." GREASE 2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From January 2024 — Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne From March 2024 — Capitol Theatre, Sydney Grease will tour Australia in 2024, starting in Melbourne in January. For more information or to sign up for the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website.
There are more than a couple of covert events taking place in the Tasmanian wilderness right now. But as of 2017, there is one less. Two revolutionaries — aliases Spinifex and Dr. Gesundheit — have left the cover of the canopy to declare they're constructing a contingency for the ailing human race. Starting today, they're calling for potential crew members who know — or want to learn — a thing or two about rebuilding societies from the ashes up. So as not to raise suspicion or alarm, the training/selection process has been given the moniker of Newkind Festival. The immersive event purports to be presented by UpUpTrampoline, a group known for creating live art events that pursue social change. The lie is a necessary one. For four days from March 17-20 in a secret location in eastern Tasmania known only as 'base camp', participants will become initiates of the future — the Newkind — and imbued with the skills to navigate the ascent out of the cataclysm. The Newkind are split into six categories — farmers, scouts, healers, administrators, engineers and artists — depending on the contribution one wants to make to the new world. Each group will camp together over the course of the weekend, taking part in lectures and classes on assisting a chastened humanity in rebuilding. For those with skills to share, Spinifex and the good doctor are still accepting applications for volunteers here. At $400 a pop, tickets are pricey. Then again, it includes all meals and the promise of calm acceptance should anarchy begin to shred the lie we call society. The reckoning isn't far off now. Will you be the one left in the desert still searching for phone reception or leading a small band to the only drinkable water for miles? Newkind Festival could be the difference. Newkind Festival will take place in a secret location in eastern Tasmania from March 17-20. Tickets are on sale and can be bought at newkindfestival.com.
End-of-year markets are always excellent for those of us who tend to leave gift purchasing until the last minute — and, thankfully, Etsy is bring its market back to Brisbane in November. Etsy Made Local is a grassroots initiative that celebrates crafters, collectors and artisans in local communities, and provides them with the opportunity to sell their creations both online and in a physical space. So whether you're on the hunt for handmade wares or vintage goods, these guys have got you covered. Returning for the fourth year, the market will take place at the Brisbane Showgrounds on Friday, November 23 and Saturday, November 24 — and because it focuses on the best local talent, every year is filled with different stallholders and unique creations. Supporting creative small businesses and scoring a killer Christmas gift is a win for everyone involved, so head along and get your festive shopping done early, for once.
Since it opened its doors two years ago, the Southside Tea Room has become a Brisbane institution. Thanks to its warm, home-like appeal, kind staff and excellent taste in food, beverages and entertainment, Southside Tea Room has earned rave reviews and garnered a large customer base despite its small capacity and suburban location. Started by two of Brisbane's most loved musicians, Patience Hodgson and John Patterson (both members of the immensely popular band The Grates), Southside Tea Room always had an element of cool but has managed to establish itself as a thriving business enterprise in its own right thanks to the dedication of its owners. The bar/cafe/live venue/chill-out zone is celebrating two years in business and to celebrate, they are throwing a big party. We caught up with co-owner Patience to discuss the challenges and successes they have experienced during SSTR's infancy. What inspired you guys to start Southside Tea Room? US Dive Bars and the hospitality we experienced while touring between 2005 and 2010. What sort of establishment did you want to create in the beginning? What style did you want to go for? We had very little budget so the look of the place had to be very domestic. Everything came from our home and friends' homes, which worked well as we both love dive bars! As far as the running of the shop went, we just wanted to let it grow. We started as a takeaway coffee bar with one table and a large curtain dividing the shop. We didn't know how it was going to work; we didn't have any of the answers. We were slaves to trial, error and budget. The soul of our shop was to let people leave happier than when they arrived. That was the mindset when we opened the doors with each morning. What were some of the challenges you experienced in the early days? Trying to learn everything about anything. Seriously, learning everything! How to do accounting, pricing, budgets, how to cope with your new responsibility etc. It takes a long time to learn how to absorb stress and relearn how to enjoy yourself at a friend's BBQ without thinking about work the entire time. How long did it take for you to find your footing when it came to running a business like this? There were a couple of false readings but roughly one and a half years. You know, houses are built on rock, businesses are built on sand, and the tide is always rising and falling around you, don't get too cocky. Why did you choose to set up shop in Morningside, and not one of the more central entertainment hubs like the CBD, Valley, New Farm or West End? We've always had a connection to Morningside. I studied graphic design at the TAFE there. In the early days we printed a lot of Grates stuff at the copy shop PRBM and we know and love the Barebones guys. Plus we were able to convince the property manager there to give us a go. That was a big obstacle to overcome; lots of agents don't want to rent to lefty looking folk who want to open a bar! Being less developed too, the rent was far more digestible than the entertainment hubs. We also liked the room — besser brick walls, exposed beams and old concrete floors. You've hit the two year mark, are you happy with what you've been able to accomplish in that time period? Yes! It's incredible in retrospect. We did it, we're alive. We're not living at the shop anymore, we've got seven amazing staff members, we've got a dog, people come in at night now. When we think about it like that it makes our hearts near explode. What do you think has been the main ingredient for your success? Really awesome staff, people who love making customers feel welcome, who'll talk to anyone, who work hard. Behind the scenes, using common sense and being conservative about growth, and maybe our Dirty Mayo. People go crazy for it. What do you see in the future for SSTR? More beer taps, more food, more parties - just going forth in the journey. What other places in Brisbane do you enjoy for eating, drinking, partying? The Low Road, Popolo, Picnic, Pho Inn and Scratch Bar! The Southside Tea Room is hosting its birthday celebrations on Friday, May 30. Check it out and take part in celebrating the success of one of Brisbane's best.
Sure, it's the middle of winter and most of those planned tropical getaways have been put firmly on hold (and relegated to the realm of dreams), but that hasn't stopped the folks behind renowned Sydney distillery Poor Toms from releasing their most holiday-worthy concoction yet: a bright and vivacious piña colada gin. The new drop is a labour of love that's been in the works for a while, taking the team two years to perfect thanks to hero ingredients like pineapple and coconut being notoriously tough to distill. There's freshly juiced pineapples in there, along with some dehydrated fruit, toasted coconut — that's been both distilled and fat-washed in coconut oil — and lots of aromatic extras like pandan, lime and allspice. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDN6gDvDHoy/ As such, there are only a total of 5000 bottles up for grabs, available now at select bottle shops, or from the online store. So, you'll want to be quick if you want to inject some boozy sunshine into your 2020. Fun and fruity, the newly dropped gin is like some international beach vacation, distilled into a bottle. "Our philosophy is about bringing surprise and pleasure to people's lives, however we can," Poor Toms Co-Founder Jesse Kennedy said in a statement. "You may not be able to travel overseas, but you can still have a holiday in your lounge room." The distillery's tasting notes describe a "toe-dip of milky coconut rough" and a "welcome tidal wave of brine-soaked juniper and lime peel". And, obviously, it pairs perfectly with Rupert Holmes' 'Escape (The Piña Colada Song)'. If that's not exactly the kind of vibe we need right now, what is? Poor Toms' Pina Colada Gin is available now at select Victorian and NSW bottle shops, or for Australia-wide shipping via the online store. The 700-millilitre bottle comes in at $77.
With the weather finally starting to warm up, it's the perfect time to embrace seafood, preferably teamed with sunshine, good friends, alcohol and stuffing yourself to the point where a siesta is mandatory. It's also the beginning of the 2013 oyster season, and to celebrate, South Bank Surf Club have joined up with resident oyster farmer Wade McFadgen to host an all-you-can-eat oyster event on Saturday, September 14. They'll be serving up a smorgasbord of fresh Moreton Bay rock oysters, both natural and cooked, with a range of condiments, antipasto, sourdough and chips to go with them. The $75 ticket price covers a drink on arrival, and there'll be discounted Jansz Sparkling, Chaffey Brothers Riesling or Hills Cider on offer too. Live entertainment comes in the form of a shucking demonstration and a performance from Australian singer/songwriter Brant Ward, as well as a major prize for whoever can eat the most oysters on the day. The main event runs from noon to 2.30pm, but the drinks and the music will continue into the afternoon. For bookings contact events@southbanksurfclub.com.au or call South Bank Surf Club on (07) 3844 7301.
If you live your life one stage phenomenon at a time, then 2023 is an excellent year to reside in Brisbane. Already, the biggest musical of the 21st century has finally hit the River City. Soon, it'll be followed by a spectacular spectacular romance that's set in Paris but sports strong Australian links. You'd best pick out your favourite seats in QPAC's various spaces — thanks to this year's blockbuster theatre hits, they're about to get a workout. Or, you could look forward to a circus stunner on ice at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Fancy travelling further afield to check out some of 2023's massive onstage productions? Australia's theatre scene is revelling in everything from reworked Shakespeare to tales as old as time, plus tributes to not one but two iconic music stars. From the stacked calendar of stage shows hitting the country this year, we've picked five absolute must-see highlights to see here in Brisbane — and five to add to your interstate plans as well.
International hotel giant Mantra Group has entered into an agreement to purchase the Art Series Hotels for a cool $52.5 million. The agreement will see the seven Art Series Hotels join the Mantra's ever-expanding family, which currently holds 128 properties and more than 21,500 rooms across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Hawaii. Each of the seven boutique Art Series Hotels is dedicated to and inspired by iconic Australian artists, meaning each location has a distinct personality and aesthetic — some of them even made it into our best boutique hotels feature. There's The Cullen in Prahran, The Larwill Studio in North Melbourne, The Olsen in South Yarra, The Blackman on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, The Chen in Box Hill (currently in the final stages of construction and set to open in November 2017), as well as The Johnson in Spring Hill, Brisbane and The Watson in Walkerville, Adelaide. "This is a rare opportunity to acquire a collection of exceptional hotels and one which is expected to make a significant contribution to Mantra Group's business," says Mantra group chief executive officer Bob East. "These hotels have been operated to the highest standards by a passionate and dedicated team, and we are delighted to welcome such iconic and favoured properties to our growing network of hotels and resorts." The acquisition is expected to be settled later this year.
Typewriters are probably the most-sought after and treasured piece of redundant technology in the sweeping landscape of once lame and now cool thingamajigs, including the cassette tape, the Holga camera and the record player. Typewriters are both beautifully designed and encourage a completely different, more permanent, mode of writing - one which has no 'delete' key. Ardent hipster poets, typography fetishists and Cormac McCarthy are all proponents of the humble typewriter, and with the hysterical wave of appreciation has come a range of design innovations. We've seen artists using the typewriter's punctuation keys to create art and the creation of typewriter apps for your iPhone. We've also seen some terrible, terrible poetry. The latest innovation takes the typewriter to a whole new level. American painter Tyree Callahan has created The Chromatic Typewriter, the world's first fully-functional painting typewriter. The typewriter has been built and submitted for the 2012 West Prize Competition, an annual art prize determined by popular vote. Callahan took a lonely and unused 1937 Underwood Typewriter and replaced the letter keys with colour pads and hue labels. This means that each time a key is pressed, you don't get a letter appearing on the page but a small rectangular pixel of colour. So far the typewriter has been used to create abstract landscape works on paper. The West Prize is still open, so if you feel like giving props to the Chromatic Typewriter you'll need to download the app to the iPhone we're assuming you have and vote there. [Via PSFK]
First, one piece of good news: Christmas is almost upon us. Now, another: because the season is getting into full swing, it's time to hit up every festive market you can find. One way to indulge your yuletide yearnings: the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets Christmas Twilight Market. And, while more than a few similar events will be jingling bells and popping up wreaths between now and December 25, this one also happens to be by the beach. Head on down to The Esplanade from 4–9pm on Saturday, December 9 to shop, soak in the scenic setting, listen to festive tunes and be jolly — all underneath twinkling lights. There'll be a heap of stalls selling everything from handmade goods and fashion items to pet accessories and sweet treats, as well as roving entertainment to help spread the Xmas mood as far along the beachside as possible.
Tricks or thrills? Magic or mystery? Escaping via illusions or eeriness? Whichever appeals, Brisbanites will soon have options at South Bank's Maritime Museum. The riverside spot is welcoming three immersive pop-ups, each making their return to the Queensland capital, and all aiming to give attendees a multi-sensory reprieve from their routines. If you not only like magic, but also cocktails, neon lights and feeling like you're in Tokyo, head to Maho Magic Bar from Thursday, October 3—Sunday, December 8, 2024. As the River City discovered on its past visits, it's a bar, a performance space and a show all in one — all thanks to Broad Encounters, aka the folks behind eerie Edgar Allen Poe-inspired warehouse experience A Midnight Visit, too. Here, glowing lighting sets the mood, cherry blossoms hover above, and sake cocktails and shōchū lead the drinks menu. Also, magic shows happen at your table. An immersive event from the moment that you approach its luminous exterior, it's designed to replicate a night out in Shinjuku, and to conjure up an 'anything can happen' feeling. The ace thing about the setup: whether you adore magic or don't think it's your thing, you'll still be entertained given the atmosphere (and the drinks and those lights) are a massive part of the allure. Still, magic is nonetheless a big part of it. Busting out illusions: a lineup that includes the gender stereotype-busting Kaori Kitazawa, Japanese TV staple Shirayuri, actor and Maho Magic Bar's hostess Spica, sleight-of-hand mixologist Jun Nakamura, the engineering-driven Wambi and close-up magician Sarito. Fancy an atmospheric time in a shipping container or two instead? Enter Darkfield's Brisbane comeback across the same dates, this time with favourites Séance and Flight. The two installations have earned a cult following on previous visits here, around the countries and overseas — and regularly sell out, with more than 300,000 Australians stepping inside to-date. Séance plays on the concept of sensory deprivation, thrusting audiences on a journey into the supernatural realm as they join a medium in trying to contact the spirit world. As the name suggests, Flight takes place on board an imagined plane, sending passengers tripping through dual worlds as they're forced to ponder the many possible outcomes if the cabin suddenly happened to lose pressure. This is a nerve-jangler, for sure, even for those who aren't afraid of flying. Find Maho Magic Bar, Séance and Flight at the Maritime Museum, Sidon Street, South Brisbane, from Thursday, October 3—Sunday, December 8, 2024. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the Maho Magic Bar and Darkfield websites. Images: Realscape Productions, Mihaela Bodlovic, Jack Rintoul, Peter Wallis, Mike King, Anna Kucera and Nathaniel Mason.
Connoisseur of the cocktail? Listen up: Pony Dining is on the hunt for Brisbane's most impressive cocktail-maker. And they're not going to rest until the search is over, the drinks are poured and a cocktail champ is crowned in their Brisbane's Best Cocktail Bartender competition. Starting last week, Pony has extended the challenge to nine of Brisbane's best mixers, from some of the city's hippest bars. The final two (and obvs most exciting) rounds will be held this Sunday and next. And with some of the city's finest masters of the mix in the running, things are sure to be shaken (not stirred) up. Each bartender must create three different cocktails, with the core ingredients of rum, bourbon and coffee. Then, in the final showdown, those still standing will make a masterpiece from sparkling wine before offering up their own personal, signature cocktail. With bangin' tunes, killer drinks specials and a venue that boasts some of the best views in Brissie, the scene is set for a showdown of epic, alcoholic proportions. The Cocktail Competition is currently led by Glenn Morgan of Jungle, with Perryn Collier from Papa coming in a close second. The title will be awarded on November 24, with the winner receiving $2000 in prize-money. Go along this Sunday to hang with our own food and drink editor, Daniela Sunde-Brown, who'll be helping to judge the entrants. The competition is on Sunday, November 17, and Sunday, November 24, from 2pm to 5pm. Entry is free.
It has been a big 24 hours for Queensland, with Brisbane just named the host of the 2032 Olympic Games. And, if you're a Greater Brisbane resident and you're keen to celebrate, you'll be able to do so in more places and with more people from 6am tomorrow, Friday, July 23. As announced today, Thursday, July 22, by Deputy Premier Steven Miles, most of the current COVID-19 restrictions throughout the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim Local Government Areas will ease again in the morning. This was already flagged last week, when the present rules were extended into this week, but it has now been confirmed based on low local coronavirus case numbers in Queensland. Wondering what's changing? Firstly, you'll be able to have up to 100 people over to your house — and there'll be no limits for folks gathering in outdoor public spaces. Another big shift that'll hit at the same time: amending the rules for hospitality businesses, with a one person per two-square-metres capacity cap coming into effect. That'll apply to clubs, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as to galleries, museums, convention centres and places of worship. If these types of venues have seated and ticketed capacity, they can fill those areas to 100 percent, too. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1418011441651601416 While indoor ticketed venues will be able to fill to 100 percent, there will be an exception when it comes to outdoor stadiums. In a change to the usual rules — and to the current conditions — a 75-percent cap will be put in place for outdoor stadiums that can seat more than 20,000 people. So, if you have a trip to the football in your future, you'll be surrounded by a smaller crowd. Weddings can increase to one person per two-square-metres or 200 people. Funerals can proceed under the same conditions as well. When the changes come into effect, they'll bring the Greater Brisbane area in line with the rules currently in place around the rest of the state. Accordingly, all of Queensland will be under the same conditions in almost all situations — except when it comes to wearing masks. Donning face coverings will still be required in the 11 LGAs where they're presently already mandatory. So, if you're in the Brisbane City Council, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim areas and you're not at home, you'll need to keep wearing them until 6am on Friday, July 30. Obviously, you'll always need to have one with you — and you'll still need to wear a mask in all indoor spaces other than your own house, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, on public transport, in taxis and ride share vehicles, and outdoors, unless you're doing vigorous exercise. The government has also advised that masks will now also be mandated in all indoor ticketed venues, including stadiums, theatres and cinemas, statewide. Queensland is also closing its borders to all of New South Wales from 1am on Friday, July 23, which the Deputy Premier said was an important step in order to proceed with easing local restrictions. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1418007960941330432 The Sunshine State currently has 26 active cases, with none reported in the past 24 hours. As always, Queenslanders are asked to keep social distancing, maintaining the hygiene practices that have been in place since March 2020, and checking the state's list of exposure sites — and to get tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Opening this weekend at Fortitude Valley's Institute of Modern Art are two large-scale exhibitions of different intent and form. Brisbane-born artist Gary Carsley has put together an exhibition that blends art and nature in a wonderful display of interactive installation art. Blending indoor and outdoor space, Sciencefictive encompasses two gallery spaces in which audiences can wander through, viewing garden scenes through custom-made apertures, called ‘Moongates’. Each nature scene encourages reflection and ponders the relationship between natural spaces and how it can mesh with our social settings. The Working Life is an ensemble exhibition, with works from numerous artists. It is a reflective series examining the effects of personal troubles and large-scale social calamities. These micro and macro examinations showcase a renewed interest in the aspect of labour and its importance to communities and interpersonal relationships. These international and Australian artists have crafted these works in the years post the financial crisis and utilise film and performance techniques to bring each artistic vision to the fore. The Working Life analyses corporate hypocrisy, fraud and injustice in an effort to create dialogue on the issues surrounding working life. The Working Life features art by Richard Bell, Andrea Fraser, Marianne Flotron, Melanie Gilligan, Jesse Jones, Darius Mikšys, Stuart Ringholt, and Copenhagen-based artist collective, Superflex. The exhibition was curated by Aileen Burns and Johan Lundh. Both exhibitions will open on Saturday, May 31, with special preview drinks at 4pm for IMA members only, followed by a talk by exhibiting artist Gary Carsley.
I think all Brisbane foodies should say a big hooray for Jan Power and her farmer’s markets. When she began the fresh food markets outside the Brisbane Powerhouse all those years ago she definitely changed the face of the Brisbane food scene for the better - instead of having to traverse all over Brisbane to find the best fruit and vegetables, quality cakes, baked goods, delicious cuts of meat, fresh bread, gorgeous flowers and more, Jan put all of this in the one place and the crowds came in droves. In 2010 she added a new dimension to her market empire and brought the farm to the CBD, with farmer’s markets each Wednesday from 9am til 6pm at Reddacliff Place in the city. This wonderful idea brought fresh food to the busy office folk of Brisbane, allowing them to have a delicious, special lunch on a Wednesday, stroll through the markets for a nice little break, and get their food shopping sorted for the week! Jan and the farmers had a rest over the Christmas/New Year period, but are returning next week with gusto. Once again bringing quality, delicious and diverse food to the masses of Brisbane each Wednesday in the city.
Long before the pandemic hit, all manner of books, movies, self-help websites, Instagram feeds and slogan-emblazoned homewares told us that we should all value the little things in life. That message has probably felt particularly relevant over the past year — or, right now, given the spate of lockdowns that have recently swept through most of Australia's state capitals. So, even though it's the very definition of a s small win, scoring a free packet of Tim Tams likely seems especially appealing at the moment. Locked-down residents of Sydney — and folks in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, too — can nab a chocolate biscuit fix on Wednesday, July 7. The occasion: World Chocolate Day. Yes, it's one of those food-focused celebrations that pops up all the time, but it's also an excuse to indulge your sweet tooth. Deliveroo and Tim Tam have teamed up to give away 5000 packets of bikkies. You'll need to order some food for delivery, you'll have to spend at least $25, and you'll need to pick from one of 100 participating restaurants nationwide, too. Also, you'll need to get in early, because the freebies are available until stocks last. Eateries taking part include Bar Luca, the Rashays chain and Johnny Bird in Sydney; Boss Burger Co, Peach's Fried Chicken and Royal Stacks in Melbourne; and Arrivederci Pizzeria, Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers South Brisbane and The Yiros Shop Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. In Perth, Charco's The Flaming Chicken and Kitchen Inn Express are on the list, while Adelaide's Lukuomades and The Potato Project are also taking part — and so are Fricken Fried Chicken and Mama Dough Pizza Shop in Canberra. On Wednesday, July 7, if you order a meal that costs at least $25 from 100 different restaurants, you can score a free packet of chocolate biscuits. For further details, head to the Deliveroo app. Top image: Bilby via Wikimedia Commons.
When 2023 sweeps in, it will have been two decades since composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman took a book inspired by The Wizard of Oz, put it to music and turned it into one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century. When next year arrives, it'll also mark Australian musical theatre fans' latest chance to see that very show right here at home — because Wicked is flying into Sydney next August. Even if you haven't seen the blockbuster show before, including on its past Aussie run from 2008–11, then you've likely heard of it. Following the Land of Oz's witches — telling their untold true tale is the musical's whole angle, in fact — Wicked has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Also huge: its worldwide footprint, playing in 16 countries around the world since its 2003 debut. And, when it makes its way to Sydney Lyric for its latest Aussie run, it'll do so after enchanting itself into fourth place in the list of longest-running Broadway shows ever — even surpassing Cats. Story-wise, Wicked starts before The Wizard of Oz and continues its narrative after Dorothy Gale lands, adapting Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The text itself has sold 5.5 million copies, including five million since the musical first opened. Here, before Dorothy blows in, two other women meet in the Land of Oz: Elphaba and Galinda. One will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other will become Glinda the Good Witch. Exactly why that happens, and how, and the pair's relationship from rivals to unlikely friends to grappling with their new labels, fuels the show's tale. Wicked is being brought to Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B Platt and David Stone — and will also take to the stage again before the in-the-works two-part film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Galinda, and directed by Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians), is due to start reaching cinemas in 2024. Back to the stage show, it's too early for cast announcements — and so far, only a Sydney season has been locked in. Pop on your ruby slippers and click your heels three times in hope that Wicked will tour the country — and defy gravity in Melbourne, Brisbane and more — afterwards. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WICKED in Australia & NZ (@wickedinoz) Wicked will play Sydney Lyric from August 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced. We'll update you with further details when they're revealed. For more information or to join the ticket waitlist ahead of sales starting sometime in November, head to the production's website. Images: Joan Marcus.
"Take a picture of a picture from the past in the present." This directive is the basis for a great new Tumblr project, Dear Photograph. Just a few weeks old, the blog is a collection of photos of people holding up old photographs in the original location the photograph was taken, thereby showing what has changed over the years to striking effect. The idea and execution is relatively simple. In fact, Sergey Larenkov flashed us back to WWII in a similar fashion a few months ago. The end result though is incredibly enjoyable - a sense of pure nostalgia and a chance to look at time passing right before your eyes. Hopefully, with some increased attention more people will be inspired by the project, go out and take their own photos, and build up the collection.
Perpetually moody rockers Sonic Youth are selling some of their vintage equipment and gear in order to raise money for Shelter Box USA, a charity devoted to responding "instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are in most need." The band has already put several items up for sale on eBay with more expected to come in the next few days. For those interested there is a xylophone that was used in the recording of Daydream Nation's 'Kissability', a 1970s Rhythm Ace Drum Machine, a very odd looking glockenspiel, an array of guitar road weary guitar cases complete with band stickers and even a custom-made mixer that was built for the band and used on stage by bass guitarist and vocalist Kim Gordon. So far the best buy looks like the xylophone, which is by far the cheapest item going for just $50. But then again it is hard to go past a vintage 1970s drum machine. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rK9QkjXm0I8
Since launching in 2019 as Brisbane's first inner-city winery, City Winery has always valued accessibility. For a vino experience here, no one needs to leave Brissie. So it should come as no surprise that the team behind the Fortitude Valley wine haven have not only opened a cellar door on Edward Street in the CBD, but also a number of neighbourhood wine bars that double as the same thing in the River City's suburbs. And, it shouldn't astonish anyone that the chain just keeps growing. Ardo's initially arrived in Carl's Bar and Bistro's old Newstead digs to start off 2023. Then, it hit Graceville midyear. Hawthorne followed, and now it's Milton's turn to kick off autumn 2024. The McDougall Street newcomer will begin welcoming in patrons from Saturday, March 9 — and tempting them to swap Milton mangoes for its tipples. "The concept is really that Ardo's becomes your City Winery cellar door, on your doorstep," explains General Manager Doug Gilmour. "At City Winery, we maintain a focus on supporting local communities as well as independent vineyard owners in our winemaking, so it's a natural extension to bring that philosophy to Ardo's." "The concept of a cellar door is so communal, and really embodies what we believe Ardo's Wine to be — a social hub where we can support the community and they can support us." At every Ardo's location, the setup follows the same pattern, giving its new neighbourhood a go-to vino joint that's compact but inviting, sports a highly curated vino list and boasts plenty of folks who know what they're talking about while you're getting sipping. So, at each — including in the beer-centric suburb of Milton — wine fans can enjoy the plonk-slinging chain's carefully selected range of tipples, including over pintxos, cheese and charcuterie to snack on while you're settling in. As well as getting cosy, patrons can pick up their favourite drops — or a new discovery — to take home. Offering a selection that you wouldn't just find at any bottle-o is a big source of pride, with Ardo's staff on-hand to chat you through its options, help you make a choice and impart their expert knowledge. City Winery's vino, which is indeed made in Brisbane, obviously scores pride of place. Whether you're indulging in a drink by the glass or the bottle, the lineup rotates, but everything you see on the shelf is able to be drunk on the premises or taken away. As you're getting cosy, you'll also be surrounded by vino all across the walls — and a wine tap that looks like an altar is usually a big feature. And, you'll be tucking into seasonal snacks. Find Ardo's Wine Bar at 19 McDougall Street, Milton, from Saturday, March 9. Head to the venue's website for more details.
