Got a hankering for hot cinnamon doughnuts? The colder weather will do that. Luckily, you can get your hands on a free sweet treat in the coming days, as Donut King is giving away free hot cinnamon doughnuts for National Donut Day on Friday, June 6. There's no catch to speak of — all it takes to score a free doughnut is to head along to your nearest participating Donut King store on the day. There are over 200 locations nationwide, so finding a store filled with tantalising sugary aromas shouldn't be too hard. "The magic of our hot and fresh cinnamon doughnuts bouncing along the conveyor belt and landing in a delicious carousel of sweet cinnamon is the moment we seek to share with our loyal fans every day," says Raquel Hine, Marketing Manager at Donut King. As for what else Donut King is getting up to for National Donut Day, check out the 'Hot Cinni Hotel' — a limited-time collaboration between Donut King and Ovolo Hotels. Taking over suites and several spaces at Ovolo Woolloomooloo in Sydney, expect cinnamon-coloured walls, spice-led cocktails and doughnut-inspired bites for guests and visitors alike.
"We shall fight on the beaches," Winston Churchill told British parliament on June 4, 1940, as World War II raged in Dunkirk. "We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." His impassioned words came at the end of a heated speech, after a heated month of political debate, in the heated early days of the global conflict. Churchill had been Prime Minister of England for mere weeks, and spent that entire time caught up in arguments about the country's response to Hitler. His colleagues wanted to negotiate, but he refused. It certainly seems as though filmmakers have taken Churchill's words to heart over the past 12 months. They won't give up on bringing this tense period to the big screen, whether in movies about Churchill, the Battle of Dunkirk or both. With Their Finest, Lone Scherfig came at it with a light, romantic drama about morale-raising movies. With Dunkirk, Christopher Nolan delivered a stunningly immersive account of war at sea, in the air and on the shore. Australian director Jonathan Teplitzky took a slightly different approach, with intimate biopic Churchill focusing on the lead up to the D-Day landings in 1944. It's not hard to see echoes of the latter film in Joe Wright's Darkest Hour, however, which recreates the cigar-smoking, whiskey-swilling politician's other crucial moment in power. With Gary Oldman in the lead role, Darkest Hour steps through the turbulence that awaited Churchill when he took on the nation's top job in such troubled times. With colleagues Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) and Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane) certain that a peace treaty with Nazi Germany is the only way to save Britain from bombing, mass casualties and catastrophe, he has a considerable fight on his hands. The film includes glimpses of the ordeal at Dunkirk, but speeches, rather than bullets, are the main focus. In between verbal scuffles, Churchill seeks support and advice from his wife Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas), has cautious lunches with King George (Ben Mendelsohn) and initially overwhelms his young secretary (Lily James) with his erratic nature. While both Churchill and Dunkirk are clearly no strangers to cinemas of late, Darkest Hour has one particular weapon all of its own: recent Golden Globe winner Oldman. The veteran actor gives a captivating performance, even coming hot on the heels of Brian Cox's excellent work in Churchill just months ago. Lured out of retirement by Oldman, special-effects makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji creates flawless prosthetics; however it's the man beneath them who always commands attention. Rumbling through terse confrontations, showing Churchill's tender side at home and letting his anxieties seep out in brief, quiet moments, Oldman delivers a vibrant and complicated portrayal not only marked by its impressive imitation, but by the immense range on display. The film as a whole doesn't prove quite as consistent. Tackling Dunkirk for the second time following 2007's Atonement, Wright serves up several acutely judged and thoroughly engrossing scenes, as well as an array of inventively composed shots. Frustratingly though, he also wades into moments of easy comedy and unconvincing sentimentality — most egregiously in a sequence where Churchill takes public transport without his minders and receives some down-to-earth wisdom from his constituents. In his defence, the filmmaker is partly trapped by the straightforward script, with The Theory of Everything screenwriter Anthony McCarten checking all of the expected boxes. Thankfully, Darkest Hour can always rely on Oldman, whose performance stands out above the formula. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKvpSr7p1g
UPDATE, December 1, 2021: The Power of the Dog is screening in select cinemas, and also streams via Netflix from Wednesday, December 1. Don't call it a comeback: Jane Campion's films have been absent from cinemas for 12 years but, due to miniseries Top of the Lake, she hasn't been biding her time in that gap. And don't call it simply returning to familiar territory, even if the New Zealand director's new movie features an ivory-tinkling woman caught between cruel and sensitive men, as her Cannes Palme d'Or-winner The Piano did three decades ago. Campion isn't rallying after a dip, just as she isn't repeating herself. She's 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, Campion 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. That setting is Montana, circa 1925. Campion's homeland stands in for America nearly a century ago, making a magnificent sight — with cinematographer Ari Wegner (Zola, True History of the Kelly Gang) perceptively spying danger in its craggy peaks and dusty plains even before the film introduces Rose and Peter Gordon (On Becoming a God in Central Florida's Kirsten Dunst and 2067's Kodi Smit-McPhee). When the widowed innkeeper and her teenage son serve rancher brothers Phil and George Burbank (The Courier's Benedict Cumberbatch and Antlers' Jesse Plemons) during a cattle-run stop, the encounter seesaws from callousness to kindness, a dynamic that continues after Rose marries George and decamps to the Burbank mansion against that stunning backdrop. Brutal to the lanky, lisping Peter from the outset, Phil responds to the nuptials with malice. He isn't fond of change, and won't accommodate anything that fails his bristling definition of masculinity and power, either. In a career-best, awards-worthy, downright phenomenal turn by Cumberbatch, Phil is all hawkish menace and bravado; he viciously calls his brother 'Fatso', his initial taunting of Peter over paper flowers and effete mannerisms is all the more ferocious for its dinner-table audience, and he's effusive in his admiration for Bronco Henry, the man's man who taught him everything he knows. Indeed, Phil's hyper-masculine air, complete with threatening and mocking banjo-plucking, soon drives Rose to drink. He'd rather still be bunking in with George, as they have for the quarter-century they've run their inherited ranch. He'd rather scare everyone away by failing to bathe, unless he's stealing off to a secret water hole — and by mixing his Yale classics degree into his sneering, too. The key to Cumberbatch's commanding performance isn't softening Phil or playing up his charisma, but conveying the battle of repression and self-resentment raging within; the cattleman has long tanned his own public persona, but he's as complex as rawhide. Adapting Thomas Savage's 1967 novel of the same name, Campion gives Phil's chomping misery ample company: in the sauced Rose, in the intimidating attitude that rolls around the ranch like a stubborn tumbleweed, and in Peter when he returns from his medical studies for the summer. The Power of the Dog lets this unhappy stew fester, adding grit to its brew with each passing scene and deepening its rich character studies in the process. The film's only misstep is pushing George aside, although the fact that his passivity — his main trait alongside tenderness — earns him less attention is an incisive touch. Rose becomes a supporting player as Phil and Peter's initially antagonistic relationship finds deeper dimensions but, in Dunst's hands, this is still an intense portrait of a woman heartbreakingly accustomed to being at others' whims. As a raw-boned young man who proves exacting and steely inside, Smit-McPhee isn't just similarly exceptional — he's revelatory. So much of The Power of the Dog hinges upon loaded moments where little appears to occur beyond interpersonal manoeuvring — where observing Phil, Rose and Peter's fraught dance is the most gripping thing in the film's frames. And while that back-and-forth is compulsively captivating, especially thanks to the feature's tremendous performances, the movie springs an unforgettable kicker that makes everything preceding its final scenes blister anew. Campion hasn't helmed a mystery, but she's masterful at lacing her feature with careful clues. She's meticulous with her unfurling, and with the herd of emotions it unleashes. From the get-go, she's also painstaking in her handling of tone and tension — so much so that there's never a second of The Power of the Dog that isn't on edge, particularly when Jonny Greenwood's ominous score grinds, twangs and bounces, the Radiohead guitarist setting the mood as firmly as he did with There Will Be Blood 14 years back. Westerns frequently canter through conflict, finding quarrels baked into the rough countryside. They also gallop into overt clashes about who's permitted to roam over, control and truly exist upon all that land. The Power of the Dog is a domestic melodrama as well as a western, but it's still a tale of dominance, yearning and survival in a remote place — and of people fighting for space, be it by oozing the macho toxicity expected of powerful white men, seeking safety in a sturdy marriage or extracting one's own path through the muck. Handsomely lensed and hauntingly patient, Campion's film is both classic and subversive, the two extremes that recent examples of the genre tend to oscillate between. Like Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain and Kelly Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff — both soaring modern westerns — it's aware of its past and also firmly of the moment, too. Viewers should expect nothing less of Campion, the first woman to win the Palme d'Or back in 1993 with The Piano — only this year did Julia Ducournau become the second thanks to Titane — and also the second-ever female Best Director Oscar nominee. She's already won Venice Film Festival's equivalent of the latter for her efforts here, and deserves at least another Academy Award nomination as well. Campion approaches filmmaking like she's stitching together a delicate tapestry layered with feeling, texture and insight, and the results are exquisite and immaculate. In this case, she's braided The Power of the Dog as intricately and determinedly as Phil plaits the rawhide lasso he becomes obsessed with — and ensures that it also cuts as sharply and devastatingly as the bull castrations he undertakes with his bare hands. Top image: Kirsty Griffin/Netflix.
When the working week is done, folks just wanna have fun. We're paraphrasing Cyndi Lauper because she knows what she's singing about. If your idea of taking her advice involves listening to ace musos belt out a few tunes, then QPAC's Green Jam has long been the Friday afternoon session you're looking for. All about live music, tasty bites to eat and kicking back in a grassy spot a stone's throw from the inner city, this regular event offers an ace start to your weekend every week, returning for 2021 from Friday, January 8. But, because Shrek the Musical is also hitting up QPAC to start the year, Green Jam is unleashing a 'monster edition' — and running not only on Friday arvos, but on Saturdays as well. Held between 5.30–7.30pm on both Fridays and Saturdays from Friday, January 8–Saturday, February 6, the outdoor songfest takes over the Melbourne Street Green (aka that vibrant patch of turf just past the Cultural Centre walkway) with live tunes — with plenty of street food, of course. The music lineup changes every week and, as for your stomach, it can feast on pizzas, broad bean and feta dip (with warm bread to go with it), and pumpkin and provolone arancini — while sipping spritzes, wine and beer. You'll have to pay for the eating part of the evening (and any bevs you place in your hand), but it'll be worth it.
Richard Phillips was born in 1962 in Massachusetts during a socially and politcally turbulent time. His work as an artist is world renowned, iconic and largely recognisable. The popular large scale and hyper realistic paintings have been shown in numerous galleries including Le Consortium in Dijon, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Tate Modern in London. In short - he's big news. Lindsay Lohan, y'all know and definitely does not need much of an introduction. She's big, big celebrity news. Richard Phillips and Lindsay Lohan may sound like an unlikely artistic pair, but the more you think about what they collectively represent, you realise it makes sense. Richard predominately features women from popular culture in his work and especially loves 'wasted beauty'. And well, what a succinct way to describe Lindsay and her career? For those intrigued, the Institute of Modern Art is currently screening Richard Phillips’ Lindsay Lohan, which incredibly makes her seem almost sane and talented.
Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau) may sit right next door to Australia's east coast, but it's often overlooked when planning an international escape. If you're craving a true reset—without the price tag or jet lag—it might just be the perfect place. New Zealand offers an array of hotspots to choose from, but Auckland is stepping into the limelight with chic new openings and creative, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. From intimate underground Japanese listening bars to coastal wineries where you can (literally) zipline to the cellar door, we've curated a succinct yet heady list of reasons that Auckland is a destination worth landing for. A melting pot of creativity, rich culture, and otherworldly natural splendour—just a short flight away. Island-Hop to Waiheke for Coastal Wines If you're a wine lover and unfamiliar with Waiheke Island, it's time you got acquainted. Home to over 30 boutique wineries, more than 40 kilometres of beaches, art, produce, and some of the country's most breathtaking, rugged vistas. From pristine, golden beaches—like Oneroa, Onetangi, and Palm Beach—to blissful bike rides around the island and award-winning gastronomy, Waiheke is a holiday haven brimming with natural splendour. Embark on a jam-packed day trip or stay for a few days to explore—and sip—everything the island has to offer. But it's also about the journey, not just the destination, right? Luckily, there's an array of vessels ready to level up your 40-minute voyage across the Hauraki Gulf. Seeking a pioneering thrill? Step aboard Fuller360's Kermadec, the world's first state-of-the-art electric hydrofoiling ferry. Its innovative hydrofoil technology allows you to glide above the waves while soaking up panoramic views of Auckland city's skyline and Harbour Bridge, in an experience that's equal parts sustainable and premium. If cruising or sailing atop the water—not gliding above it—sounds more your speed, jump aboard one of Explore Group's premium cruises or sailing experiences. There's an array of different vessels in the fleet, but all allow you to either kick back in comfort, or get behind the helm—you can even relish a rare opportunity to participate as crew on an actual America's Cup yacht. [caption id="attachment_783521" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] EcoZip Adventures, Waiheke Island[/caption] Soar Over Wineries Then Sip at the Cellar Door One of Waiheke Island's most unique experiences soars above its wineries and lush, ancient native rainforest. Zip through the treetops at your own pace, soaking up the serene surroundings with EcoZip Adventures or Man O' War's Forest Flight—a zipline journey spanning three 200-metre ziplines and scenic boardwalks, ending at Man O' War winery for an exceptional wine tasting and hearty seaside meal. Expect gourmet dishes like cured Akaroa salmon with burnt Zany Zeus labneh, crisp apple, gin pickled cucumber, and chardonnay dressing, and 10 Knots Smokehouse fish pâté, served with pickled red onion and pickled cucumber—washed down with a Flagship Flight of four signature Man O' War wines. Descend Into Auckland's Awesome New Underground Bars When it comes to vibey watering holes and buzzworthy openings, Auckland's list is only getting longer. From the beloved New York-style speakeasy Caretaker to the effortlessly refined Euro-inspired restaurant Bistro Sainé, the city's food and drinks scene is flaunting its confidence. But when the lights dim and the city starts to wind down, the real magic begins underground. Two basement newcomers worth descending for? Kemuri Hi-Fi and Ground Wine Bar. Tucked away in the basement at 1 Queen Street is the meticulously designed and intimate Japanese vinyl bar, Kemuri Hi-Fi. Drawing inspiration from Japan, America, and the UK, co-owners Jason Clarkand Vishal Vasan are bringing their worldly smarts to Auckland with a sophisticated yet fun approach to premium drinks. They can whip up almost any cocktail on request—plus, it's where Dua Lipa chose to ring in her birthday while in Auckland, so consider that a stamp of celebrity approval. Ground Wine Bar delivers a more subdued underground experience. The brainchild of two lifelong wine enthusiasts, Alexs Rasputin and Kaiser Wilmar, Ground is devoted to the perfect pour, serving over 50 wines by the glass from a constantly evolving list, boasting both local and international entries . It's an ideal spot for a pre-dinner tipple—or a space to wind down in after a night out on the town. Dine Among the Clouds Auckland is home to many landmarks, but none stand quite as tall as the Sky Tower. At 328 metres, it's one of the tallest structures in the southern hemisphere. But beyond its sheer height, the Sky Tower is a vibrant hub where panoramic views meet world-class dining. The standout? Orbit 360° Dining. This revolving restaurant offers an unforgettable gourmet experience, letting you take your love affair of fine dining higher than it's ever been before. Expect home-grown dishes like Hawke's Bay lamb noisette with kumara, garden peas, goat's cheese, and chimichurri, or fresh Akaroa salmon served with fenugreek cream, broccolini, mussels, and seaweed. It's all paired with punchy New Zealand wines from iconic regions like Waiheke Island and Marlborough—it's truly a memorable feasting moment to savour. If heights aren't your thing, don't worry. SkyCity boasts an inviting string of revered restaurants along Federal Street, including Samoa-inspired Metita and Huami—a contemporary Chinese restaurant that uses New Zealand's first commercial wood-fired duck oven. Immerse Yourself in World-Class Art A city's art gallery can say a lot about the community that surrounds it. If the walls of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki could talk, they'd say Auckland is a melting pot of ideas and creativity that's become Aotearoa's catalyst for cultural change and progress. Home to some of the country's largest and most inspiring visual arts experiences, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki boasts a collection of 18,000 artworks, spanning historic to contemporary, painting to sculpture—and everything in between. This winter, discover masterpieces by some of the world's most visionary artists like Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Vincent van Gogh in A Century of Modern Art. The exhibition explores how these art pioneers transformed modern art into what we know today. Tip: Always check the current exhibitions before your visit as programming evolves seasonally. Wake up in Style at a Boutique Auckland Hotel Stay Where you choose to rest your head on holiday is just as important as the itinerary—a plush bed and impeccable service can bolster a much-needed break into something more memorable. Fortunately, Auckland is a treasure trove of overnighter options. From five-star luxury to endearingly quirky, there's an abundance of boutique stays, alongside trusted global favourites like SO/ Auckland, Hotel Indigo, and QT Auckland. Carving out a new level of sophistication and sustainability is The Hotel Britomart in the heart of the CBD. Bathed in natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows and dramatic ceilings, it's New Zealand's first-ever 'five green-star' hotel—a triumph for inner-city escapism. If you're seeking a slice of local luxury and want to be close—but not too close—to the city buzz, check into Hotel Fitzroy. Nestled in the personality-packed suburb of Ponsonby, this ten-room manor-style abode radiates charm and is designed to give you the best of Auckland living, paired with five-star luxury. Prefer convenient New York-style studios? Check into the Abstract Hotel, located on Auckland's vibrant Karangahape Road ('K' Road). Designed for travellers who want to capitalise on the city's dynamic culture, this boutique stay delivers efficiency without skimping on style. Alternatively, if you're after something completely different, rest your head in an old nunnery at The Convent Hotel. Steeped in character and quirkiness, this pleasantly paradoxical 22-room Spanish Mission-style building blends history with modern decor and eclectic art. Start planning your winter escape and uncover why Auckland is stepping into the shoes of New Zealand's cultural capital. Find out more at the Tātaki Auckland website. By Elise Cullen
For more than a decade, Roomies Arts has supported artists with disability and mental health concerns — helping these artists to overcome the barriers presented by society and the arts world, and to achieve their goals and develop their creative skills. During the pandemic and Australia's transitions in and out of lockdown, the organisation decided to expand its workshops, creating sessions that would help reach more of the general public while people were experiencing increased mental health challenges. One way that the organisation is doing exactly that is through a series of online creative workshops. There are currently four workshops up on the Roomies Arts website — so, you can participate in a still-life drawing session with artist Anne Kwasner, make paper sculptures with visual and performing artist Jeff McCann, upcycle clothing with designer Holly-Jane Cohle, and create air-dry clay figures with mixed-media painter and sculptor Michelle Connolly. The sessions are designed to help you slow down and focus on something relaxing and mediative for a short period, which is something we could all benefit from this year. Each workshop is free to participate in, and comes with a list of materials and items needed to take part. Generally, those lists include household arts and craft items, so they can be easily purchased if you don't have them. To stay up to date with everything Roomies Arts does, follow along at the organisation's Facebook page. That's where you'll also find a live-streamed art class on Saturday, October 16.
From The Crucible and The Craft to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Suspiria, witches just keep working their magic on popular culture. Now they're casting a spell on the Brisbane art world too, all thanks to the UQ Art Museum. The venue's next big exhibition delves into the world of witches, sorcery, rituals and magic — and given the topic, there's plenty to examine. This showcase will feature bewitching historic etchings, enchanting modern-day works that ponder intuition and incantations, and new commissions of the dark and otherworldly kind. Displaying from Friday, March 1 to Saturday, June 29, Second Sight: Witchcraft, Ritual, Power aims to not only explore all things witchy, but to understand why witches continue to conjure up a reaction — be it fascination or fear. Expect pieces that ruminate on everything from collective happenings to the usual elements to peripheral activity, all while challenging prevailing stereotypes. Witches have been known to have second sight, and here you'll give them a second look. The four-month exhibition features works by 11 artists, and entry is free. Image: Naomi Blacklock, Padma. 2018. Performance documentation from NETHERWORLDS exhibition, Spring Hill Reservoir, Brisbane, 9 June 2018. Photo: Charlie Hillhouse. Courtesy of the artist.
It's not every day that one of the world's best bars starts pouring tipples in Brisbane. It isn't every day that you can sip a cocktail out of a treasure chest, either. But both of those things are now a reality at Brisbane's Living Room Bar, which has just kicked off a boozy collaboration with Spain's Paradiso, one of the top watering holes on the planet. That world's-best label isn't just hype; on the World's 50 Best Bars list for 2021, the Barcelona spot came in third. The venue is acclaimed for its striking design (which obviously hasn't made the leap to Brissie) and its elaborate Universo menu (which absolutely has). Wondering what makes a cocktail menu so beloved that it's named one of the globe's standouts? Paradiso's Universo lineup goes big on theatrics; think: glowing green concoctions, tipples in smoky domes, dry ice, light, innovative glassware and one particular drink served in a treasure chest. Created by owner and mixologist Giacomo Giannotti — who was dubbed the Best Barman of Spain 2017, and Best Italian Bartender Abroad in 2019 — these aren't the kind of beverages that you sip without paying any attention. Inspired by the cosmos — hence the menu's name — the Universo range of tipples is led by the Mediterranean Treasure, which goes both savoury and sour with its blend of elderflower, honey, citrus fruits, coriander oyster-leaf sherry. And yes, it's the drink that comes in its own box, with smoke wafting out when you open the chest. Also on the lineup: the Great Gatsby, Paradiso's take on the old-fashioned, which is served in a glass dome with a chocolate and vanilla tobacco cloud (and features Glendronach Port Wood, amaro, white truffle honey and lavender bitters). Or, there's The Big Bang , which blends spiced cane rum, guava liqueur, earl grey tea, pandan, beetroot, clarified lemon juice and almond milk, and is served on a platter of sweets that are meant to mimic the creation of the universe. Plus, The Cloud uses a bit of levitation, with its mix of Amor de Maguey mezcal, Herradura Añejo tequila, Amaro Montenegro, Mandenii La Tonique vermouth, hibiscus and birch syrup topped with an edible coffee cloud. As well as ten tipples from Paradiso, W Brisbane is also plating up Spanish-style tapas such as jamones ibericos with guindilla peppers and picos (Spanish breadsticks); duck pate with davidsons plum compote on rye; and flatbread with hummus, fried chorizo and shrimp. And, it's pairing the sips and bites to eat with live beats every Friday and Saturday night. This is the venue's second huge international collab in as many years, after getting the folks behind London's Oriole Bar and its sibling venues Nightjar and Swift — the latter ranking at number 33 at the 2020 World's 50 Best Bar Awards — to do the honours first. W Brisbane's Paradiso Universo cocktail menu is now available at its Living Room Bar, 81 North Quay, Brisbane. It's open from 4–11pm Monday–Thursday, 11am–11pm Friday–Saturday and 11am–10pm Sunday.
Since HBO first introduced the world to Barry Berkman, the contract killer played and co-created by Saturday Night Live great Bill Hader has wanted to be something other than a gun for hire. An ex-military sniper, he's always been skilled at his highly illicit post-service line of work; however, moving beyond that past was a bubbling dream even before he found his way to a Los Angeles acting class while on a job. Barry laid bare its namesake's biggest wish in its 2018 premiere episode. Then, it kept unpacking his pursuit of a life less lethal across the show's Emmy-winning first and second seasons, plus its even-more-astounding third season in 2022. Season four, the series' final outing which hits Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17, is no anomaly, but it also realises that wanting to be someone different and genuinely overcoming your worst impulses aren't the same. Barry has been grappling with this fact since the beginning, with the grim truth beating at the show's heart whether it's at its most darkly comedic, action-packed or dramatic. In its prior batch of episodes before this farewell season, it went both bleak and deep on what makes its namesake tick, why, and the effects and consequences — and how catching the treading-the-board bug was never going to be a clean and easy solution to stopping being an assassin. The series has never simply been about Barry, though, or solely about his darkest traits and their persistent impact. In his new LA existence, he's surrounded by people who similarly yearn for an alternative to their current lot in life, yet also can't shake their most damaging behaviour. In that burgeoning thespian session all those episodes back, Barry met acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, Black Adam), a former star now mentoring the next generation. Fellow student Sally Reid (Sarah Goldberg, The Night House) also dreamed of escaping into a career spent playing other people, a desire that helped spark a relationship with Barry. But as the show has explored along with its titular figure's tale, Gene started his classes after proving a bully at the height of his career. As Sally's talent has earned her success and fame, including her own series in season three, she's been self-centred, and rude and nasty to everyone around her. Yes, Barry spies their cruelest attributes, too. In season four, it sees how they're always going to be the people they are absent any real willingness to change. Barry's old handler Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root, Succession) and his Chechen gangster pal NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan, Bill & Ted Face the Music) fit the same bill, all while dreaming of new futures as well. Pivotally, Barry doesn't posit that no one can improve, face their flaws and overcome their demons — rather, it spots the vast gap between saying that you will, or have, and how people instinctively act. The show's main quintet have experienced war, loss, abuse, power battles and more, and have plenty of life's horrors to process between them. In past seasons and now in season four, they's grasped onto everything from celebrity, money and glory to parenthood, faith and control as paths to new versions of themselves. But are Barry, Gene, Sally, Fuches and Hank all that different from who they were when Barry started? Have they processed their troubles? Have they stopped taking out their struggles not just on themselves, but on those around them? Hader and his fellow Barry co-creator Alec Berg (Silicon Valley, Curb Your Enthusiasm) keep asking those questions. Barry being Barry, posing such queries and seeing its central figures for who they are is an ambitious, thrilling, risk-taking and all-round exceptional ride in season four. When season three ended, it was with Gene and Jim Moss (Robert Wisdom, Black Bird), the retired-cop father of his murdered police-detective girlfriend Janice (Paula Newsome, CSI: Vegas), putting Barry behind bars — which is where he is when the show's new go-around kicks off. He isn't coping, unsurprisingly, hallucinating Sally running lines in the prison yard, Gene strolling nonchalantly around and his childhood first meeting with Fuches, and rejecting a kindly guard's attempt to tell him that he's not a bad person. With the latter, there's a moment of clarity about what he's done and who he is, but Barry's key players have rarely been that honest with themselves for long. "Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done," says that prison employee, who is also a fan of Barry's work as an actor. Alas, a sea of destructive choices helps turn that idea into a fantasy that the show's characters can't seem to make true. Sally heads home to Missouri following her cancel-worthy season-three rant, but is desperate to do whatever it takes to regain any status she can in Hollywood. Gene wants more attention than he's already getting for capturing Barry, no matter the cost. Fuches says he's torn between putting himself or his ex-protege first, but he also hankers for stature and respect. And while NoHo Hank has made it to Santa Fe with his boyfriend Cristobal (Michael Irby, Mayans MC) after getting free of the Bolivians, there are new schemes to launch. Hader has a swag of awards to his name for his best-ever work across Barry so far, and best start making more room on his mantle for his season-four efforts as an actor, writer and helmer. Barry gets pulled in two extremes in his final run of episodes, with the man behind him unnervingly excellent in both fraying and calm mode. The show's scripting is as bold and complex as it has ever been, and as surreal — a trait that's just as true of its assured and masterful direction. Hader jumps behind the lens on all eight of the fourth-season instalments, which might lack the past go-around's big setpieces but are on another level in using every meticulous visual choice to convey how Barry and company feel. Incarceration scenes say everything with camera movement and precise framing, a simple zoom while staring at Hader's face is downright stunning, empty fields echo with feeling and meaning, and TV rarely manages to be as dreamy yet devastating. There's never been anything less than superb performances from the series' main cast, of course, and nor is there now. Winkler is just as remarkable as Hader at making someone who's such a giant ball of contradictions so compelling, while Goldberg, Root and the always-charismatic Carrigan are gifted weighty arcs — with Goldberg and Carrigan's especially evoking showcase performances. Barry remains a show-business satire, too, including a hilarious appearance by CODA director Sian Heder that's part of a biting caped-crusader parody, plus another big cameo best discovered by watching. It's also still one of HBO's all-time greats, and as sharp and smart as fellow four-season standout Succession. Wealth hasn't been able to make that program's players anyone but who they are, and neither can La La Land here. From its first moment to this last season, Barry has always known that that's a killer concept. Check out the full trailer for Barry season four below: Barry's fourth season streams via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17. Images: Merrick Morton/HBO.
Retailer of classic silhouettes, every season basics and generally good garb COS will open its first store in Queensland later on this year — setting up shop in Brisbane. Owned by the H&M Group, COS already has presences in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. With six stores already offering the brand, the Brisbane store will make one for every day of the week (if you're so inclined). Founded in 2007 in London, COS now has 231 stores worldwide. It opened its first Australian store on Melbourne's Elizabeth Street in 2014 and has been supplying us with sleek and minimalist, yet fundamentally wearable clothing ever since. Details at the moment are limited, but watch this space. In the meantime, check out its latest campaign, full of elegant and functional two-piece suits that would make anyone feel powerful — even if you're just popping down to the shops.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Rekorderlig. Whether you want to board in your bikini in Californian sunshine, conquer some of the most extreme territory in the European Alps or rehearse your newly acquired Snowboarding 101 skills on friendly slopes, there’s a snowboarding spot somewhere on this planet of ours that’s made just for you. Here’s our pick of the world’s ten most exciting, beautiful and terrifying destinations. MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CALIFORNIA, US If you fancy hitting the slopes in your boardies or bikini, Mammoth Mountain is the place to do it. You can realistically expect 300 days of sunshine and clear skies out of every 365. Plus the snow season lasts ten months, kicking off in October yet not seeing the final flakes melt until July. While you’re cruising around Mammoth’s 3,500 or so acres or testing your prowess on the 6.7 metre Super Duper Pipe, there’s a chance you’ll catch snowboard champ Shaun White in action — it’s his preferred training ground. NISEKO UNITED, JAPAN Welcome to the second snowiest resort on the planet. The first, if you’re wondering, is Mount Baker, which you’ll find in Washington state. Most seasons, the slopes of Niseko United (situated on Hokkaido Island) are covered in a minimum of 15 metres of the white stuff. The Japanese skiing authorities are astoundingly relaxed about their guests going back country, so freeriding is the order of the day. That said, it’s an awful lot safer with a guide leading the way. Boarders of all levels will find a trail to keep them keen and floodlights mean Niseko is open until 9pm. ST ANTON, AUSTRIA For freeriders, St Anton is Europe’s holy grail. There are 180 kilometres of marked off-piste possibilities, featuring challenging steeps, open tree-lined glades and powder to die for. If, however, your preference is to stick to tried and tested trails, you have 280 kilometres to play on. That said, St Anton is certainly a destination for boarders of intermediate ability and above. Novices are likely to find it scarier than a Freddy Krueger movie. THREDBO, AUSTRALIA For a world-class experience that doesn’t involve long-haul flight prices, there’s Thredbo. The beginningest of beginners can rehearse their moves on the utterly non-threatening, 12 degree-angled Friday Flat before stepping things up on the resort’s gloriously wide, tree-fringed intermediate trails. And for hardcore carvers, there’s the rest: vertical drops, naturally formed jumps, wind lips, sizeable powder bowls and some of the finest off-piste terrain this side of the equator. If your muscles ache after a day on the slopes, a swim in the Rekorderlig Hot Pool should put you right. VERBIER, SWITZERLAND For some of Switzerland’s most extreme snowboarding, Verbier is your destination. To get the most out of it, you need to be on top of your game — you’ll be boarding alongside some of Europe’s most passionate and skilled riders. One lift pass enables access not only to Verbier but also to four other linked resorts — Val de Bagnas, La Tzoumaz, Veysonnaz and Nendaz — meaning 400 kilometres of trails. For beginners, Nendaz is the best bet. TIGNES, FRANCE This resort, situated at 2,100 metres, was one of the first in France to roll out the red carpet for the snowboarding community. While skiers in other places were warily guarding their territory, the Tignes crew was begging baggie-panted ones to come carve it up. The variety of terrain — both in terms of piste action and sheer visual beauty — is mind-blowing. There’s a glacier, a lake and runs to suit all shapes, sizes and ability levels. MOUNT BACHELOR, US Mt Bachelor might not have the steeps necessary to thrilling adrenalin junkies, but what it does have is some of the cruisiest, most enjoyable freeriding in to be found anywhere — which means that you can revel in the freedom of going off-piste without having to be as wary as you do in other places. Plus, if you want to brush up on your freestylin', there are three terrain parks and a half pipe to keep you happy. CHAMONIX, FRANCE For rugged mountain tops and that je ne sais quoi, Chamonix is the one. It's one of France's oldest resorts and was the site of the very first Winter Olympics back in 1924. Rough and ready is the vibe — there's less infrastructure in comparison with other places — but if you're keen on atmosphere and some opportunities for wild adventure, it's hard to beat. WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND Boarding on New Zealand’s expansive, uncluttered snow fields is a bit like surfing on an impossibly white, open sea. It’s often rather surreal, ridiculously fun and incredibly liberating. Rather than having to follow fellow boarders and skiers down particular trails, you can choose your own adventure. Plus you’re nearly always treated to the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps. From Wanaka, you can reach Cardrona, Treble Cone and Snow Park NZ easily, meaning you can pack three resorts into one mighty vacation. WHISTLER-BLACKCOMB, CANADA This one comes as no surprise, right? The thing is, it’s not exactly possible to compile the world’s top ten snowboarding spots and leave out Whistler-Blackcomb. As far as North America goes, it’s the jewel in the Snow Queen’s crown. Between them, the two mountains offer 8,171 acres of snowboardable land. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a newbie or a pro. For views worthy of a Peter Jackson trilogy, Whistler’s got the goods. For more Narnia-esque tree-lined runs, the world-famous Nintendo Terrain Parks and the second biggest vertical drop on the planet (at 5,222 feet), head for Blackcomb.
It has been more than a year since Three Blue Ducks made the move to Brisbane, opening its first restaurant north of the New South Wales border. All year round, it serves up impressive meals with views to match, with the latter coming courtesy of its North Quay digs — but this winter, it's also dishing up hearty roasts. If there's a hearty comfort food that's better suited for cooler weather, we're yet to find it. Here, the roast comes with roast will coffee-rubbed brisket, rosemary potatoes, dutch carrots, roasted garlic, and zucchini and mint salad. Your $38 meal also features with a glass of wine, and you can pick from Quealy Pinot Grigio, Quealy Pinot Noir or Riot Wine Co Rosé. Unsurprisingly, this is a Sunday special, running from midday each week — and available for both lunch and dinner. Just remember to head in for a feast while it's still officially winter, because the roasts will stop at the end of August. Image: Three Blue Ducks.
Retailer of classic silhouettes, every season basics and generally good garb COS will open its first Queensland next month — setting up shop on Queen Street. Owned by the H&M Group, COS already has presences in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. With six stores already offering the brand, the Brisbane store will make one for every day of the week (if you're so inclined). Founded in 2007 in London, COS now has 231 stores worldwide. It opened its first Australian store on Melbourne's Elizabeth Street in 2014 and has been supplying us with sleek and minimalist, yet fundamentally wearable clothing ever since. The new two-storey Wintergarden store will open on November 16 and will fill 474 square metres with clothes, accessories, underwear and shoes for women, men and children. It'll launch with the new spring summer 2018 collection, which features lots of soft tailoring and structured draping in greens, whites, creams and navy. COS Brisbane will open on Friday, November 16 at Wintergarden, 171–209 Queen Street, Brisbane.
UPDATE, September 17, 2020: The Red Turtle is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Amidst the swirling chaos of streaming waves and thunderous seas, a lone man struggles to survive. Clinging to the remnants of his wrecked vessel, he's almost enveloped by the sound, fury and force of the water, his status as a mere speck in the ocean never in doubt. When he washes up on a deserted island, he finds himself similarly dwarfed by his surroundings. Sand stretches as far as the eye can see, as the taunting tide laps at the coastline. Cavernous nooks and crannies appear inviting, yet also threaten to swallow him whole. The foliage bears fruit, but little comfort. Welcome to the detailed natural realm conjured up by Dutch-British illustrator-turned-animator Michael Dudok de Wit in his feature filmmaking debut, The Red Turtle. That his Cannes Un Certain Regard special jury prize-winning effort is a co-production with beloved Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli — their first-ever such collaboration, in fact — gives an indication of the beauty and intricacy on offer. However, as magical as the movie's hand-drawn sights appear, this is a tale designed to evoke a different kind of wonder: not for an adventurous, fantastical journey, but for the complicated splendour that springs from man's relationship with the world around him. So it is that the unnamed figure explores the space that has become his new home, before swiftly turning his attention to fashioning a raft to escape back to civilisation. Alas, each attempt is stymied, particularly when an enormous red turtle starts to interfere. It's this new companion that reveals another side of our hero's predicament, and prompts the film's elegant probing of the nature of human existence — though the specifics are best discovered by watching. Part of The Red Turtle's potency comes from its simplicity, although it is far from a simple film. Instead, it's a feature that embraces conflict and contrast, and finds vast depth in defying expectations. It's largely dialogue-free, yet rages with noise and swells with the sounds of composer Laurent Perez Del Mar's gentle score. Though focused on one man's plight, its eye-catching imagery hones in on the texture of every scurrying crab, splash of water and blade of grass around him — and never fails to stress its protagonist's place in the world. While brief at 80 minutes, it fills every second and frame with emotion. Similar stranded situations have graced cinema screens before. Tom Hanks conversed with a volleyball in Castaway, while Paul Dano bonded with the corpse of Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man earlier this year. With that in mind, The Red Turtle proves enchanting not because it's novel, but because it's rich, dense, and delicately devastating in its examination of the parts of life that truly matter. Take a chance, and let this beautiful film sweep you away.
Australia, you will feel it coming after all: in what's been a chaotic time for fans keen to see Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye Down Under, the musician is finally bringing his After Hours Til Dawn tour this way. Come October 2024, the Canadian singer-songwriter and The Idol star will hit the country for four gigs, playing two in Melbourne, then another two in Sydney. The details for your diary: The Weeknd will take to the stage at Marvel Stadium in the Victorian capital across Saturday, October 5–Sunday, October 6, then do the same at Accor Stadium in the New South Wales capital on Tuesday, October 22–Wednesday, October 23. Missing from the rescheduled tour dates is a Brisbane stop, which is no longer happening "due to schedule and logistical constraints", tour promoter Live Nation has advised. [caption id="attachment_970220" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hyghly Allene[/caption] It was this time last year that The Weeknd announced that his latest massive stadium tour was on its way to both Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2023 — even adding extra shows before general tickets went on sale — only for it to be postponed just two weeks out "due to unforeseen circumstances" without new dates being set. Then, in April 2024, the tour was cancelled for the time being, with ticketholders receiving refunds. "The Weeknd After Hours Til Dawn Tour for Australia and New Zealand is still in process of being rescheduled," said a statement on the Ticketek website earlier in the year, leaving hope then that the tour might be announced again in the future. "Whilst we continue to work through the rescheduling process with the artist, tickets for the existing 2023 tour will be cancelled. All purchased tickets will receive a full refund," the message continued. Revealing the new Aussie shows now, The Weekend said that he feels "a strong pull to perform in Australia before moving on to the next chapter" and that he wanted "to make sure you all know I hadn't forgotten about you". "When I return now, it will be the right time, and I promise it will be such a special experience. I can't wait to see you all!" his announcement about the new dates continued. Mike Dean, Chxrry22 and Anna Lunoe will join The Weeknd Down Under. And if you've spotted that there's no New Zealand gigs this time around as well, his stop in Aotearoa is no longer on the schedule, just like Brisbane. An arena spectacular, The Weeknd's global tour began in 2022, notching up soldout shows far and wide. In the UK, The Weekend saw 160,000 folks head to London Stadium across two nights, smashing the venue's attendance record. And in Milan, he became the first artist to sell out the Ippodromo La Maura for two nights. Those feats are just the beginning. In Paris, the 'Starboy', 'I Feel It Coming', 'Can't Feel My Face', 'The Hills' and 'Blinding Lights' artist scored Stade de France's biggest sales this year — and in Nice, the 70,000 tickets sold across his two shows are the most in the city's history. The reason for the whole tour, other than just because, is celebrate The Weeknd's 2020 record After Hours and its 2022 followup Dawn FM. Obviously, he has been playing tracks from 2013's Kiss Land, 2015's Beauty Behind the Madness and 2016's Starboy as well. The Weeknd's 'After Hours Til Dawn' Tour 2024 Dates: Saturday, October 5–Sunday, October 6 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Tuesday, October 22–Wednesday, October 23 — Accor Stadium, Sydney The Weeknd is touring Australia in October 2024 — and if you had tickets to his cancelled 2023 dates, you can nab new tickets via the past purchaser presale from 12pm in Melbourne and 1pm in Sydney on Wednesday, August 21. Other presales start from Thursday, August 22, with general sales from Monday, August 26. Head to the tour website for more information. Top image: Rafael Deprost.
There's no summer like a Sydney summer. From long days spent underneath beach umbrellas to leisurely lunches with friends, Sydney looks best when drenched in sunshine. If you're looking for a summer plan to fill your weekends with, the waterfront Mosman restaurant, St Siandra, is bringing back its much-loved deck chairs by Business & Pleasure Co. to its private beach this summer. Running from Friday, January 2 until Tuesday, March 31, every Wednesday to Sunday, the pop-up allows diners to settle into deck chairs right on the beach with uninterrupted harbour views and the full menu delivered right to your seat. From fresh seafood and Mediterranean-inspired share plates to summer-ready cocktails and chilled wines, you can order the best of St Siandra to your own private beach with just a tap of your phone. Talk about a luxury staycation. Secure your spot on St Siandra's private beach by booking in advance. The beach deck chairs are available to book in two-hour sessions in groups of two to six. Given the luxury of this offering, spots are limited, so it's best to lock in a few summer days with your friends and family ASAP. Inside, away from the sandy shores, St Siandra's continues to exude vacation vibes with a menu that's an ode to holiday dining and the flavours of the Mediterranean. Freshly caught seafood plays a starring role on the menu, which has been designed by head chef Sam McCallum. His experience is evident in his commitment to sourcing the highest-quality produce and ingredients, with a preference for local suppliers wherever possible. Visually, the vacation vibes don't end with the restaurant's beachfront location either. Touches throughout combine to transport you to Europe at its summery best. Every seat in the restaurant boasts views of the water, conspiring with the warm-hued, Amalfi-inspired interiors by interior designer Sally Taylor, featuring furniture sourced locally and from Italy. Together, it all beguiles guests into momentarily forgetting they're in fact in Mosman, not the Mediterranean. So much so, it's even possible to sail straight into St Siandra's private beach aboard your own (or a rented) vessel and disembark immediately into an awaiting deck chair or a seat inside. Whether you're planning a leisurely long lunch or just looking to soak up the sun in style, this unique Sydney experience blends barefoot luxury with laid-back Sydney coastal energy. See you on the deck chairs. See out summer from a beachside deck chair and book now at St Siandra. Image credit: Supplied
Three-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone has done it again with his 2012 film Savages. Based on Don Winslow's bestselling crime novel, it is a brutal, ferocious and sexy look into the lives of two marijuana growers. Taking place in glamorous Laguna Beach California, this crime thriller film follows two best friends' successful and homegrown marijuana business, where they produce some of the best marijuana ever developed. When the powerful Mexican Baja Cartel finds out about their business, a war breaks out. The two best friends, played by Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson, must take part in a savage battle against the cartel to save the girl (Ophelia, played by Blake Lively) that they both love and, oddly enough, share. Savages has elements of just about every film genre, including crime, drama, mystery, suspense, thriller and romance. The star cast includes Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson, Demian Bichir, Benicio del Toro, Salma Hayek, John Travolta and Emile Hirsch. Thanks to Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we have five DVD copies of Savages to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au.
A slasher premise. A script by Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. A cast member of Party of Five being terrorised. That setup worked well twice in the 90s, first with Scream and then with I Know What You Did Last Summer. Indeed, when they each initially released, sequels followed in both instances. Here's the latest part of the trend: both franchises have made or are making 2020s-era returns after jumps to TV with flicks sharing the same name as the original movies in each saga and featuring OG cast members. First came 2022's Scream. Next arrives 2025's I Know What You Did Last Summer. Once again, Jennifer Love Hewitt (9-1-1) follows in Neve Campbell's (The Lincoln Lawyer) footsteps — and as Scream did, I Know What You Did Last Summer picks up with a mix of familiar and new faces. As the just-dropped trailer for cinema's return to Southport illustrates, Freddie Prinze Jr (The Girl in the Pool) is also back. Being stalked for their past misdeeds this time: Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio), Jonah Hauer-King (The Tattooist of Auschwitz), Tyriq Withers (Me) and Sarah Pidgeon (The Friend). If you're a fan of 90s horror getting a new lease on life, we know what you're doing this winter Down Under, then, with the new I Know What You Did Last Summer hitting the big screen on Thursday, July 17, 2025. You'll also already be well-aware of the basic setup: a group of friends are involved in a car accident, someone dies, but they cover it up and vow not to tell anyone. A year later, of course that secret haunts them, as does a vengeance-seeking killer. The new film layers in the fact that this has all happened in the past, with the quintet in focus needing help from two survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997. Enter Hewitt and Prinze Jr, as part of a cast that also includes Billy Campbell (Mr & Mrs Smith), Gabbriette Bechtel (Idiotka) and Austin Nichols (The Six Triple Eight). Starting as a 1973 novel, which Williamson adapted into the first 1997 film, I Know What You Did Last Summer initially spawned two sequels: 1998's I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and 2006's I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer. In 2021, an I Know What You Did Last Summer TV series ran for one season. On the franchise's return to the big screen, Do Revenge filmmaker Jennifer Kaytin Robinson directs — and continues her connection with the OG I Know What You Did Last Summer cast, given that Sarah Michelle Gellar (Dexter: Original Sin) featured in that 2022 movie. Check out the trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer below: I Know What You Did Last Summer releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Almost four years after officially launching its streaming platform in Australia, Amazon Prime Video has expanded its range of viewing options — by bringing the company's online video store Down Under, too. Now, cinephiles can rent or buy a movie via the service's video-on-demand shop. And, you can access its lineup without signing up for a subscription membership. If you're eager to rent the likes of A Quiet Place, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Lion King, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, you'll find them all available — with a focus on recent release and blockbuster titles. That means that next time you're looking to check out a new-ish flick, you can add Amazon to the list of places to watch it digitally on a pay-per-title basis, alongside Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Amazon's VOD selection spans films from big studios such as Disney, Warner Bros, NBCUniversal, Sony, Paramount and Lionsgate, as well as Australian distributors Transmission and Madman. Accordingly, if you're not in the mood for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, you can go local and check out Mystify: Michael Hutchence instead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRIFR3hkIpo Rentals start from $3.99, and remain valid for 30 days — although you'll only have 48 hours to watch once you press play. As for purchases, they start from $12.99. Australia joins France, Italy, Spain and Canada in receiving the VOD service, with Amazon's online video store already up and running in US, UK, Germany and Japan. Viewers can access the Prime Video Store via the service's website, or through the Prime Video app on televisions, Android mobile devices and game consoles. If you're eager to check out Amazon's original movies and TV series, though — such as Hunters, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Tales from the Loop — you'll still need to subscribe to the streaming platform. To rent or buy a film via Amazon Prime Video, visit the Prime Video Store website.
For some, Birdees is an unforgettable institution. For others, perhaps those memories are better forgotten. Regardless, Brisbane nightlife icon Birdees is reborn after a five-year hiatus, and it's bringing a slightly more grown-up approach to its next chapter. Tucked below Fortitude Valley's Beaumont Beer Garden, this once untamed dance floor looks fresher than ever, with a multi-million-dollar renovation trading in the sticky floors for an elevated experience. Carved into an old factory, a full-scale redesign blends this industrial history with forward-thinking features destined to produce bigger and better nights. Think immersive lighting, layered textures and a state-of-the-art sound system bound to shake the whole neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the entertainment lineup will overflow with curated DJ talent, live performances, retro tunes and underground house parties every Friday and Saturday night. In fact, the new Birdees plans to be much more than just a raucous club frequented by late-night revellers and sun-seeking backpackers. Instead, expect an ode to music culture past, present and future, where innovation and nostalgia combine. The reimagined spot will focus more on audiovisual artistry, serving up a mix of house grooves, nostalgic R&B tunes and high-energy techno sets that celebrate the best of rhythm and creativity. "Birdees is our love letter to music and the people who live for it," says Group General Manager Danny Webster-Clamp, who guided the venue's new approach. "It's where old-school soul and new-age sound collide, creating something Brisbane has never seen before." Slotting into the recently opened Aussie-inspired Beaumont Beer Garden, this multi-level layout gives the place a dynamic atmosphere. When you need a breather, head upstairs to the Beaumont's terrace, primed for chilling out beneath festoon lighting and the night sky. This might be the perfect time to tuck into the gastropub-style fare, ranging from skin-on chips dusted in Vegemite salt to wagyu rib fillet with Granite Belt red wine jus. Back at Birdees, the party will keep on keeping on throughout the night. Decked out with various spaces perfect for tailoring your shenanigans, slide into a cosy booth or challenge your pals at the pool tables. Of course, a sprawling dance floor will heave into the early morning. But this time around, Birdees regulars will notice this upbeat stomping ground doesn't have quite the same slightly concerning bounce. Birdees is open Friday– Saturday nights from 9pm–3am at the Beaumont Beer Garden, 608 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Head to the website for more information.
The Swiss Alps has an impressive one. Canada's famed Whistler Bowl does as well. And now New South Wales' Kosciuszko National Park has just scored a spectacular suspension bridge, too. Head to this just-opened spot in the Snowy Mountains and you'll be walking across a record-breaking structure, in fact — because it takes the crown as Australia's highest suspension bridge. How high? Located between Guthega and Charlotte Pass in the Snowies, the new bridge sits a whopping 1627 metres above sea level. It's included in a new nine-kilometre track in the national park, and will eventually be part of the 55-kilometre Snowies Alpine Walk — which is opening in stages, with this marking the second leg. "The Snowies Alpine Walk is putting New South Wales on the map for multi-day hikes, and it'll be a must-do walk for anyone who loves Tasmania's Cradle Mountain Overland Track" said NSW Minister for Environment James Griffin, announcing the bridge's opening. "In fact, I reckon it'll be a strong competitor with the Overland," the Minister continued. Make the trek and you'll not only be moseying across the highest suspension bridge in the country — you'll be taking in the stunning scenery, including the alpine and sub-alpine landscapes that are unique to the Snowy Mountains region. Showcasing that terrain and its natural features, and helping cement the Snowies as a must-visit tourist destination, is understandably a key aim of the $17 million in funding that's been put towards the Snowies Alpine Walk by the NSW Government Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Fund program. At the federal level, an extra $10 million has come from the Australian Government's Regional Recovery Partnerships program, which is targeted at the fourth stage of the trail. Just when the third and fourth legs will open hasn't been revealed, but the third will span from Charlotte Pass through to Perisher, and the last from Perisher to Bullocks Flat. For more information about the Snowies Alpine Walk, and the new bridge between Guthega and Charlotte Pass, head to the National Parks and Wildlife Services website. Images: Boen Ferguson / Department of Planning and Environment.
Sorry Australia and New Zealand, you can't feel it coming after all — Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye and his planned 2023 tour of both countries, that is. Just over two weeks out from his first scheduled gig Down Under as part of his visit, and after having to put on more shows to meet demand before tickets even went on sale, the musician has postponed his trip. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must reschedule the Australia/New Zealand tour. New dates will be announced next year and current tickets will be valid for the new shows," advises a statement on the Live Nation website, which is credited as a message from The Weeknd to his fans. "Refunds will be available for those unable to attend the new dates. Deeply disappointed but can't wait to be there with you!" the statement continues. "We understand fans will be disappointed, and Live Nation is focused on working with The Weeknd to secure a new tour schedule. We will make a further announcement as soon as possible," added Live Nation Australia and New Zealand. The Canadian singer-songwriter and The Idol star was due to play two shows at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium from Monday, November 20–Tuesday, November 21 to kick off the tour, then head to Sydney for three gigs at Accor Stadium from Friday, November 24–Saturday, November 25 and on Monday, November 27. After that, he had four shows locked in for Marvel Stadium in Melbourne: on Friday, December 1–Saturday, December 2 and Monday, December 4–Tuesday, December 5. Then, it was meant to be Eden Park in Auckland's turn from Friday, December 8–Saturday, December 9. An arena spectacular, The Weeknd's global tour has been notching up soldout shows far and wide. In the UK, The Weekend saw 160,000 folks head to London Stadium across two nights, smashing the venue's attendance record. And in Milan, he became the first artist to sell out the Ippodromo La Maura for two nights. Those feats are just the beginning. In Paris, the 'Starboy', 'I Feel It Coming', 'Can't Feel My Face', 'The Hills' and 'Blinding Lights' artist scored Stade de France's biggest sales this year — and in Nice, the 70,000 tickets sold across his two shows are the most in the city's history. The reason for the whole tour, other than just because — and when it does make its rescheduled trip Down Under — is to celebrate The Weeknd's 2020 record After Hours and its 2022 followup Dawn FM. Obviously, he'll be playing tracks from 2013's Kiss Land, 2015's Beauty Behind the Madness and 2016's Starboy as well. Just like new dates, there's no word yet if Mike Dean and Chxrry22 will still be supporting The Weeknd's Australian and NZ gigs when they do happen. THE WEEKND'S 'AFTER HOURS TIL DAWN TOUR' 2023 — POSTPONED DATES: Monday, November 20–Tuesday, November 21 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Friday, November 24–Saturday, November 25 + Monday, November 27 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Friday, December 1–Saturday, December 2 + Monday, December 4–Tuesday, December 5 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, December 8–Saturday, December 9 — Eden Park, Auckland The Weeknd is no longer touring Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2023. The shows will be rescheduled, with new dates yet to be announced — head to the tour website for more information.
There's never a bad time for ice cream, the sweet treat fiend that lurks inside of us all often whispers. It's certainly one of the main thoughts running through your mind when you're heading to a gelato parlour at 9.30am on a Saturday morning. Of course, Gelato Messina isn't any old purveyor of frosty goodness — and their Gelato Appreciation Classes aren't any old excuse to eat dessert for breakfast or brunch. If you've ever stood in front of the counter at one of their 15 Australian stores — or their sole venture in Las Vegas — and wondered just which flavour you could possibly choose because they all look so delicious, then their Gelato Appreciation Class will be your idea of a damn good time and then some. In short, you can taste them all. Messina lets customers do that anyway, but no one really tries 40 or so types in one visit. After you've spent a morning finding out how the magic is made and eating the kinds of dishes they don't scoop up everyday, however, you'll feel compelled to sample every single variety on offer. When you sit down in the Messina classroom, as well as being greeted by your own Messina recipe book, you'll discover that there's more than 5000 flavours in their catalogue thanks to the ever-changing array of experimental specials that pop up each weekday. That's just one of the insider titbits Messina's chefs share over the two to two-and-a-half hour session. There's definitely more where that came from. On an autumn morning, a cosy room of 16 ice cream-loving folks sat in Brisbane's brand new Gelato Messina store in South Brisbane to watch and learn how fior di latte gelato, strawberry sorbet and the famous Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom cake are made — and try them all, and even more. Held as part of their array of events alongside hands-on gelato-making workshops and their seven-course Creative Department dinners, Messina pitch the classes as part degustation, part look behind the scenes, and it's a description that fits. At one moment, you'll be watching a Messina staffer make gelato and talk you through the process — and then you'll be scooping and devouring small bites of the fresh-churned goodness. The next, you'll be finding out that the machine in Messina's Sydney headquarters pumps out a massive one-and-a-half tonnes of gelato per hour, and your stomach will grumble on cue. Then, you'll be tucking into one of several desserts. Perhaps you'll get one that comes in a tuna-like tin, and features smoked brown butter gelato, milk chocolate namelaka (aka a Japanese ganache-like substance), compressed apple and flourless chocolate sponge, for example. Over a fun, relaxed session, you'll keep eating, listening and learning — and hearing amusing anecdotes, including one that involves their Fitzroy digs being mistaken for a nightclub thanks to its hefty line down Smith Street. Prepare for stories about Messina's new dairy farm, the ratio of air that's whipped into their gelato, and even their future plans. Indeed, if you're a big fan, that's almost as ace as all of the gelato you'll be munching on. And, as well as the recipe book and a Lister Messina tote, attendees get a takeaway pack stuffed with gelato to take home. Arrive hungry, but don't expect to leave that way. Gelato Messina hold their Gelato Appreciation Classes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane throughout the year, with tickets available via their website. Bookings are now open for their first Brisbane sessions, which will be held on July 15, August 19 and September 23.
It's no wonder Uluwatu translates to "rock at the end of the land", with its instantly recognisable cliffscapes and edge-of-the-earth drama. For the wellness-inclined traveller prioritising panoramic views and scenic natural landmarks, Uluwatu could be the perfect Balinese hiatus. Situated on the southwestern tip of Bali (the Bukit Peninsula), this beach-abound surfer's paradise has reached icon status. South of the airport, Uluwatu exudes laidback, coastal, rugged energy, and self-care offerings in spades. Here, we walk you through all the must-stay accommodation spots to book, the places to move your body, and some extracurricular activities to help recalibrate a busy mind. If you're ready to embark on a holistically nourishing journey, we've done the groundwork for you — all that's left to do is take the plunge. WHERE TO STAY Alila Villas Uluwatu Architectural majesty, considered wellness offerings and breathtaking ocean vistas are the hallmarks of Alila Villas. A reverent oasis, Alila spans private pool villas that range from 300 sqm to 3,000 sqm. Perched dramatically on limestone cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, this luxe location has proximity to famed surf spots and the Uluwatu Temple. Dreamt up by award-winning sustainable architects WOHA, polished interiors meld modern style with traces of Balinese storytelling. Alila's renowned open-concept design brings the natural world in, to show off endless blue. Surrender yourself to culinary grandiosity with various in-house dining options, such as The Warung, Cire and Sunset Cabana Bar. Panoramic views with your wholesome traditional Balinese plates? That's the norm here. Elegant health-based offerings define Alila, with 'A Day of Pure Wellness' preplanned for you on their service menu. This 10-12-hour itinerary is a specialty of the utopic destination. Begin with a sunrise private yoga session followed by a flavourful breakfast overlooking the ocean, followed by a series of deeply therapeutic rituals, through to a nourishing lunch for restoration of inner balance. Lastly, succumb to soundhealing, chakra work and reflexology designed to instil harmony within. Umana Bali A nod to Bali's heritage and a stride toward its future, Umana's name comes from 'Uma': the word for ancient Balinese rice paddies. Rooted in a deep respect for human connection, Umana has a commitment to impression-making, people-first stays. Nestled 70 meters upon the staggering limestone cliffs of Uluwatu, Umana Bali is located a short 35- minute journey from Ngurah Rai International Airport Enveloped by the verdant landscape on the southern tip of Bali, Umana features 72 villas (all complete with private pools). Opulence is embodied here, as well as limitless activities to embark on: the Uluwatu Temple, renowned surfing locations and tranquil beaches. A multitude of food and beverage offerings are proudly served at Umana, including Commune Restaurant (all-day dining), Oliverra (speciality restaurant), Pad Pool Bar, Mer Lounge and Uma Beach House. From sunrise to moonlight, there is something to entice every traveller. And if you're craving a day of uninterrupted seclusion, imagine waking to a gourmet in-villa floating breakfast. Laden with fresh tropical fruits and nourishing fare, this special service is not just a meal, but an exalted initiation into a day of holidaying well. If you aren't already allured, may we point you in the direction of the innovative wellness sanctuary at Umana. In the contemporary spa, embrace Bali's cultural traditions with a modern twist. There is a vast spectrum of daily activities on offer, from sound healing and soul blessing ceremonies, to consultations with a local spiritual leader for profound insights into past lives. For movement, turn to the 24-hour Duplex Fitness Center, indoor yoga pavilion, steam room, sauna, cold and hot tubs, as well as a spa pool. The Asa Maia This luxury wellness retreat transforms any holiday into a rewarding self-care journey. Poised within a private enclave in Uluwatu, The Asa Maia curates bespoke rituals, mindful service and eco-conscious design. Merely a stroll from Bali's iconic beaches and surf swells, this central accommodation offsets the vibrancy of Uluwatu with intentional tranquility. Atmospheric bliss is expected as you enter this 10-suite-only destination, built from restored 100-year-old Javanese Gladaks. The exclusivity of The Asa Maia makes it an idyllic honeymoon destination, or a true hideaway for the solo traveller seeking peaceful dwellings. Here, the idea is deliberate disconnection for restorative reconnection. The dining repertoire includes an on-site restaurant and bar boasting fully organic, seed-oil-free, vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian cuisine offerings. Rest assured, The Asa Maia holds nourishment as the highest priority, reflected through sustainable ingredients and treasured local recipes. With wellness at its very core, The Asa Maia has programmed an award-winning lineup of therapies including massage, indulgent facials, full-body gua sha detoxification and more. Delight at a Himalayan salt and infrared sauna, and subterranean hot and cold pools adjacent to an inviting outdoor fire pit zone. Six Senses Uluwatu If looking out from an infinity pool onto expansive blue sounds like a dreamscape worth pursuing, consider Six Senses Uluwatu for your next Balinese sojourn. This high-end choice balances privacy, ease of access (being 35 minutes from Denpasar airport) and a paradisiacal position on Bali's rugged coastline. Respecting the footprint of cultural design, every space here is enriched by Indonesian artifacts, heritage details and warmth, immersing guests in the spirit of Indonesia. The resort's architecture marries minimalist design with tropical influences and local materials. Embrace uninterrupted views, terraces and quiet pockets of garden at this wellness mecca. With generous food offerings, guests might rarely contemplate leaving the vicinity. Rocka celebrates farm-to-table dining and international culinary techniques, while Watu Steakhouse showcases premium steak and fusion dishes in a refined setting. Crudo is fittingly flaunting sushi and ceviche, and the Cliff Bar has Mediterranean-esque bites with drawcard scenery. The Six Senses Spa is top-tier, with Balinese-inspired treatments in spades. There are holistic wellness programs to detox, improve sleep quality and uplift the spirit, often personalised with smart health screening tech. The standout facilities include a relaxation area, sauna and steam rooms, a dedicated yoga pavilion and a fitness haven set within verdant gardens. Guests can partake in daily yoga and meditation or signature rituals like Balinese massage and scrubs for an all-bases-covered approach to mind and body renewal. WHERE TO TRAIN Bambu Fitness Touted as one of Uluwatu's most established fitness destinations, Bambu Fitness is relished by surf enthusiasts, athletes and disciplined movers. It's all about functional training and works towards serious results, minus the intimidation. Openair spaces are spliced by raw timber, concrete and tropical greenery. Move freely in capacious training zones and lock in for purposeful sessions that prioritise community. This is a wellness playground for the nomad needing an invigorating gym moment between bouts of relaxation. Bambu's program fixates on strength, conditioning and injury prevention, offering a drop-in class model suited to busy travellers wanting ease in their Balinese itineraries. Whether you're lifting or lightly jogging, every breath here mixes with ocean air streaming through, making it as visually compelling as it is functional. Era Pilates The first on-demand reformer pilates studio has arrived right in the heart of Bingin. At Era Pilates, it doesn't matter what time your flight lands or takes off, because this self-led studio utilises screens above each reformer bed for autonomous classes (that retain expertly curated lesson plans). You can plug in and plug out whenever is most convenient, regardless of jetlag or timetables. This boutique setting is very bright and minimalist, showcasing timber floors and copious light. Every inch of Era feels primed for your next travel TikTok or Instagram inclusion, while retaining a sense of stabilising calm. Reformer Pilates is the bread and butter offering, with a library of instructor‑led video sessions you can choose from rather than set group times. Whether you're leaning into strength, flexibility or tone, each session has been constructed by the pros to maximise movement quality (and burn). 360 Move At 360 Move, holistic training, community and recovery is housed under one bold roof. A true fitness hub, this tight-knit community advocates for growth and connection, as well as performance for travellers who need more than a treadmill. If you're after motivation and a bustling environment full of like-minded individuals, 360 Move is the antidote to mainstream gyms. A visually engaging interior combines indoor and open-air zones with dedicated areas for strength, cardio and speciality classes. Movement is medicine in this gym. 360 Move's schedule is sprinkled with Hot Pilates, HIIT, functional conditioning, 'Stronger' strength sessions and gym access with all the best equipment and free weights. La Tribu A pillar of Uluwatu's yogi community, this renowned yoga studio emphasises consistency, presence and accessibility. All levels of expertise are welcomed with open arms — all that's required is a determined mind and positive energy. With the philosophy of "looking at life with the eyes of a child", La Tribu is about finding courage and passion in the everyday. Leaping into the unknown with a zest for play is the idea. The space is reflective of this idea, with abundant natural textures and warm finishes that feel like an extension of the wild outdoors. Classes feature functional strength, breathwork, yoga and mobility sessions. There is a deep appreciation for body awareness here, with balance training and soft flows ever available. It's an ideal pitstop for travellers looking to temper form with fluidity for a gentle reset. There's also surf‑specific conditioning and personalised coaching available — making it ideal for finessing your skills out of the water. A holistic approach is heralded at La Tribu, with a slew of recovery sessions and physiotherapy options available via partner facilities. After all, regeneration is just as important as exertion. WHAT TO DO The Istana In sync with the clifftop oases we've already covered, The Istana is an elevated (literally and figuratively) movement retreat built for inner healing and multifaceted slow days in Uluwatu. Yoga decks overlook the vast ocean, framed by sculptural architecture and open sky. This context alone will be sure to quieten the busy traveller's perspective before their return to routine. Movement sessions at The Istana can be matched with chef-made, wellness-driven meals utilising the creme de la creme of local seasonal produce. On the never-ending program, enrol in sound healing workshop experiences at 'The Temple of Sound', or 9D Breathwork Down Regulation experiences. There's even Sound Dome Mantra Healing, Karmic Cleanse workshops and so much more, making The Itsana a wellspring of meditative modalities. Pura Luhur Uluwatu & Cliff Path Ritual Walk Perched atop the Bukit Peninsula, Pura Luhur is one of Uluwatu's most iconic sea temples. Beyond sightseeing, travellers can plan a meditative walk along the cliffside paths for an itinerary inclusion that fuses movement with meaning. The temple sits dramatically above the Indian Ocean, embellished with limestone cliffs, frangipani trees and dreamlike vistas. A bucket list location for pensive, low-impact hours spent reflecting, this path invites quiet reflection to the score of crashing waves. Time your visit for sunset to transform the journey into a contemplative ceremony, with guided experiences on offer to enrich your understanding and appreciation of this sacred Balinese jewel. BaliSurf.Pro Surf Lessons Whether you're an avid wave-chaser or total amateur, BaliSurf.Pro has a diverse array of expertly guided surfing lessons across the Bukit Peninsula. For an unconventional wellness adventure, travellers can connect through active movement and natural wonders, while potentially giving something entirely new a brazen go. Lessons take place against Bali's beloved coastal landscape, with white-sand beaches and wide horizons. Meeting points are varied, but typically include Dreamland. Different spots are allocated to best suit ability, the changing tidal conditions, and the individual traveller's goals. BaliSurf.Pro hosts private, semi-private and group surf sessions, all including board hire, rash vest and sun protection to ensure a smooth and confidence-building experience. The surf in Bali isn't purely about the waves — it's an invitation to focus on rhythm, breath and presence, while tapping back into nature's bounties to think about something greater than oneself. Rest assured, receptive instructors are on hand to guide you through the fundamentals while helping you stay grounded and exhilarated by the sea. For more information to help with planning your next trip to Bali, visit Bali Tourism Board here. By Genevieve Phelan Image Credits: Supplied
The next time you watch two of Disney's best-loved animated hits, you won't be belting out "it's the circle of life" and "let it go" (or trying to resist the urge to sing along while sitting in a crowded cinema). When The Lion King Reo Maori and Frozen Reo Maori hit theatres in Australia and New Zealand in 2022, they'll still include everything that's made audiences adore both movies over the years — and both films will be dubbed in te reo Māori as well. The Mouse House has announced that it's creating and releasing new Māori-language versions of The Lion King and Frozen in conjunction with NZ company Matewa Media, after Moana Reo Māori proved a big hit. Producers Chelsea Winstanley (Jojo Rabbit) and Tweedie Waititi (Moana Reo Māori, Rūrangi) are behind the new releases, and have started work on giving the two Oscar-winning flicks a new voice. "It was always our dream to dub more Disney films that our tāmariki love into te reo Māori. We are extremely thrilled to continue this journey with The Walt Disney Company — it clearly demonstrates their commitment as a company to diversity and inclusion," said Winstanley. It might seem like a straightforward change, but the importance of giving audiences access to beloved tales in different languages — and, for New Zealanders, in the country's Indigenous language — really can't be underestimated. And, it's hardly common practice, but Moana and now The Lion King and Frozen are leading the charge. Viewers will be able to check out the results in June and September 2022, with The Lion King Reo Maori releasing first to commemorate Matariki (Māori New Year) and Frozen Reo Maori hitting cinemas around Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week. Presumably, the films will also then head to Disney+ — which is where you can stream Moana Reo Māori right now. Trailers for The Lion King Reo Maori and Frozen Reo Maori don't yet exist, understandably, but you can check out a video for Moana Reo Māori below instead: The Lion King Reo Maori will hit cinemas in June 2022, and Frozen Reo Maori will follow in September 2022 — we'll update you with exact dates when they're announced.
As any design blog will tell you, the future is a land where nature marries technology. Oh yes friends, we will have our green skyscrapers, our moss-festooned techsessories, and our Alderaan-like organic cities full of people wearing microchipped decorative ferns on their heads. Probably. And how will we light the interiors of this utopian Ewok village? With glow-in-the-dark plants, of course. Here's the twist: thanks to biotech company Bioglow, the future is now, except for the head ferns. The secret of Bioglow's glowing plants is autoluminescence, the ability to generate light without any externally supplied substrate. That means no UV lights, no chemicals, no dyes and no electricity. After years of development, Bioglow has now perfected a plant with the power of autoluminescence, a truly exciting advance in the search for alternative and sustainable sources of light beyond electricity. It's also a beautiful idea visually, conjuring images of an Avatar-like world of illuminated foliage. Amusingly, the Biglow autoluminescent plant is actually called the Starlight Avatar. Apparently the strength of its glow best resembles starlight. So how does it work? The Starlight Avatar is just like a firefly or deep sea jellyfish, with light-giving properties embedded in its cellular make-up. Back in 2010, a molecular biologist named Dr Alexander Krichevsky published his research regarding light-emitting plants in the journal PLOS One. Technology entrepreneur Tal Eidelberg quickly got on board, and the collaborators worked on increasing the lumen-power of their prototype. Now you can even score a Starlight Avatar for yourself (if you have a lot of spare change to bid on pioneering technologies) by registering for the early February auction of 20 of the autoluminescent indoor plants. They're available only in the US though, so get your people over there onto it, stat. Via PSFK.
Prior to 2020, if someone told you that Chess the Musical was a very real thing that definitely exists, you could've been forgiven for being a little perplexed. But it does and, with everyone obsessed with the chess-focused Netflix series The Queen's Gambit over the past few months, it's hitting QPAC's Concert Hall between Tuesday, June 8–Thursday, June 10. Chess the Musical actually dates back decades, first hitting London's West End in 1986. In line with that era, it's set against the background of the Cold War. Here, Soviet and American forces both try to use an international chess championship for political gain, and manipulate the outcome. The tale that also involves a love triangle, between Hungarian-born refugee Florence Vasse and two chess grandmasters. If you thought that singing about chess mightn't be all that exciting, ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus wrote the tunes, while Ulvaeus and musical veteran Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King) penned the lyrics. And, if you've ever heard 80s tracks 'I Know Him So Well' and 'One Night in Bangkok', they actually hail from Chess the Musical. Keen for a glimpse of what you're in for? Check out the video for Elaine Page and Barbara Dickson's 'I Know Him So Well' below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2SDInk6voA
To help brighten up your newsfeed a little, Sydney's Sea Life Aquarium is live-streaming playtime with its resident dugong, the adorably named Pig. Who, yes, likes to eat a lot. Pig was found and rescued as a baby dugong in north Queensland after he'd been separated from his family. While the aquarium tried to release him back into the wild, Pig washed up on shore (again) and they decided to keep him. He's now one of only two dugongs in human care, globally. At 10.45am AEDT on Friday, March 20, you can watch Pig splash around, play with toys and hang out and with his keepers Emma and Kerrie via Sea Life Aquarium's Facebook page. It's the feel-good content we need right now. Thankfully, this isn't the only live-stream the aquarium is planning. Keep an eye on future cute (and maybe slightly scary) content, including possible shark feedings, penguin hangs and tropical fish tours. [caption id="attachment_762120" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sea Life Sydney[/caption] Live Stream: Playtime with Pig the Dugong is taking place at 10.45am via Sea Life Aquarium's Facebook page.
After sell-out shows in the UK, everyone's favourite Queen rock anthems are coming to Australia this September, with four candlelight gigs coming to Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. While British rock band Queen still performs occasionally (bar the iconic Freddie Mercury) under the name "Queen + Adam Lambert", you can now can experience the band's musical genius as they once were, thanks to The Concert by Candlelight series. Returning for its fourth year, the series will host a live rock band and a cast of singers all the way from London's West End, busting out the group's legendary tracks set against the backdrop of hundreds of flickering candles. For those on the east coast, Queen by Candlelight will kick things off at Darling Harbour Theatre at ICC Sydney at 7.30pm on Friday, September 12. The show will then take the stage at The Great Hall at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on Tuesday, September 23, before making the journey west to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, September 26. The shows are one night only in each location. While it might not be the members of Queen themselves, with world-class singers and a live band taking to the stage to play iconic ballads like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "It's a Kind of Magic" and plenty more, it's the closest thing to the real deal you can get. So get in quick; we have a feeling these tickets aren't going to last long. Queen by Candlelight will be held in September in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. Performances start at 7.30pm. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Images: Supplied.
Adapting movies into TV shows doesn't always work. But when it does, as the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wet Hot American Summer and Westworld have all shown, it can turn into something spectacular. Australia has its very own example, too, in the form of beloved 90s teen drama Heartbreak High — which started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid. Screening for seven seasons and 210 episodes between 1994–9, Heartbreak High was the high school-set Aussie show of the 90s. It was filled with now-familiar faces, including Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television. So the news that it is making a comeback is very welcome indeed. Netflix has already brought back the original show by adding it to its streaming catalogue, so you can now revisit the influential series whenever you like. But the platform is also going one better and rebooting it for the 2020s — courtesy of a new series that will be "inspired by the original 90s series, but totally reimagined for a new generation" it announced in a statement. You will need to wait until 2022 to watch it, though. And, the show's first season will only span eight episodes. Also, just who'll be in it — and whether it'll take the lead of other rebooted teen shows, like the recent new version of Saved By the Bell, and bring back a few of its original stars — hasn't yet been revealed. Still, if you're feeling nostalgic, you've now got a new series to add to your 2022 must-watch list. And yes, Netflix knows that the new show will attract plenty of fans of the original. Revealing the news, Netflix's Director of Originals in Australia Que Minh Luu noted that "we haven't had a rebellious Australian YA series on screen since the original Heartbreak High, so this is well overdue. The new Heartbreak High is for young people in Australia today to feel seen — showcasing their stories, senses of humour and aesthetics to the world, and reminding everyone that they are much, much cooler than us. It's also for the 90s kids, fans of the original series who remember what it's like to feel understood by a TV show, then racking off." Need a quick glimpse of the original? Revisit its opening credits (and get its theme song stuck back in your head) below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZMKNxI4Izc The new version of Heartbreak High is set to hit Netflix sometime in 2022 — we'll update you when an exact launch date is announced.
Just a couple of hours drive west of Cobbold Gorge, in the heart of Ewamian Country, you will find the First Nations-owned Talaroo Hot Springs. The hot springs formed over millions of years and the Ewamian people believed in the healing powers of these emerald waters which form the focus of many Dreamtime stories. The underground water is 68 degrees celsius when it enters the pools, cooling as it flows across the rippled travertine terraces. And although you can't enter these natural hot springs, the site features four private soaking pools with water from the springs which can be accessed via a timber boardwalk on a First Nations-led tour. Purpose-built just last year, Talaroo's outback caravan park and campground features powered and unpowered sites, a camp kitchen and a glowing fire pit. Future plans include the addition of five eco-friendly glamping tents for the ultimate in outback luxury. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
End your working week as you plan to go on — with a fine spread of food and wine. Keen to sample the latest bites on Aria's menu? Eager for a trip to the riverside restaurant, but don't want to make a whole night of it? Ticking both boxes, that's where Trial Fridays come in. On certain Fridays between 5.30–7pm, this Brissie mainstay is getting into the tasting and testing game with a five-course selection that focuses on new food and wine trends. You'll snack your way through canape-sized dishes and pair them with two glasses of vino, all while hearing Aria's experts chat about the meal. Attendance costs $65, and the event is proving a hot Friday arvo ticket. While the season is now in full swing, it's sold out until Friday, March 22 — and takes place on April 5 and 26, plus May 3, 17 and 31.
Gone are the days when seeing a theatre show always meant sitting in a seat, directing your eyes at the stage ahead and passively engaging with whatever erupts in front of you. That's still a mainstay of the industry, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it — a stunning production will always draw you in — but theatremakers are also embracing new formats, new ways to immerse audiences and interactivity. Take Adrift, for instance. Running at Metro Arts from Wednesday, November 9–Saturday, November 19, it delivers instructions to attendees via headset, plunging them into a mystery and a game as well. And, it's also a musing on nature and isolation, all in one creative package that also involves dolphins, whales, lighthouses, special effects including light design, and far from your usual time at the theatre. [caption id="attachment_756923" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Blight[/caption] Metro Arts Company in Residence Counterpilot is behind Adrift, as devised by director/co-writer Nathan Sibthorpe, lighting effects and technical designer Christine Felmingham, and sound designer and composer Mike Willmett — as well as co-production designer and technical designer John Felmingham, co-production designer Sarah Winter and co-writer Toby Martin. Running two sessions daily, at 6.30pm and 8.30pm, Tuesday–Saturday within its season dates, Adrift wants its audience to be part of the story — and to be deeply steeped in its sound design. It also weaves its tale in the face of a potential mass extinction event. Yes, you don't experience theatre like this every day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Counterpilot (@counterpilot_)
Already the home of Kabuki Teppanyaki, and enticing in travellers and locals alike, Brisbane's riverside Stamford Plaza has expanded its culinary range. Diners can now mix up their Japanese feasts with a trip to La Boca, the hotel's new Argentinian eatery that takes ample advantage of the site's prime CBD location. As well as that riverfront perch, Argentinian grilling and cooking techniques are the star of the show at La Boca Bar and Grill, which also joins sibling venues in Sydney and Adelaide. At Brisbane's outpost, those South American culinary methods are unleashed upon local Queensland produce — much of which the ends up on the parrilla grill. La Boca opened its doors over summer, and does breakfast, lunch and dinner service seven days a week — all with that Argentina-meets-Australia blend. Here, you can pair short ribs with pecan- and toffee-stuffed dessert empanadas, and sip Argentinian sangria and mango chilli margaritas. Or, opt for grilled octopus with potato salad, a half-split grilled spring chicken, and burnt Basque cheesecake with strawberry gelato. The lunch lineup heroes sweet corn and cheese empanadas, grilled chorizo in chargrilled flatbread topped with pico de gallo salsa, and wagyu rump with truffle fries. Come dinner, seafood is a hefty focus, including Moreton Bay bugs with paprika and garlic, and grilled rock lobster with butter and lime. Or, there's a citrus-heavy red emperor dish, and two barramundi options. Also a highlight: the asador menu, where you can choose your pick of meat — pork belly, dry-aged lamb shoulder, wagyu shoulder blade and grain-fed scotch fillet — to be slow-cooked over the wood fire pit. And, La Boca also does meat- and seafood-stacked platters to share (one including asador dishes and saltbush lamb sausages, the other mixing the ocean's finest in chilled and parrilla-grilled forms), serves up Australian and Argentinian wines, and features orange espresso cocktails and roasted sugarcane daiquiris among its drinks selection.
Whether you're a city slicker or certified survivalist, enjoying life on an outback station is an unforgettable experience. Fortunately, the areas surrounding Cunnamulla are home to a number of historic farmlands that welcome visitors for outdoor adventures and backcountry camping. One such example is Franc Villers Station, which features serene unpowered camping sites alongside a picturesque dam. Here, you're welcome to fish, swim or just relax in the country air. Meanwhile, Nulla Station offers camping along the Warrego River right beside a wildlife reserve, with a network of tributaries and rocky outcrops offering self-guided explorations. Head to the website to choose from a variety of accomodation options. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
While some bars are slowly opening in Sydney and Brisbane, many of us are still stirring and shaking our cocktails at home. To help brighten up our time inside — and our DIY cocktails — Adelaide Hills gin distillery Applewood has just released a new pink gin. Dubbed Coral, its name pulls inspiration from two sources. Firstly, the colour — the gin itself is pink, but the bottles have also been hand-sealed with one-of-a-kind pearlescent pink wax. Secondly, the gin has been inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and a portion of sales from the pretty-in-pink drink will go to a charity dedicated to the reef's restoration. The world's largest coral reef system has suffered regular mass coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by climate change, which kills the reef's algae and starves the coral — but, thankfully, there are charities out there working to regrow and regenerate the damaged coral. Coral gin is made, in true Applewood fashion, using native Australian botanicals: salty karkalla (a succulent found on many Aussie beaches), spicy riberries and sweet strawberry gum. You can serve it as a G&T — garnished with pink peppercorns, if that's something you can get your hands on — or, you can whip up a Coral gin fizz. You'll find that recipe down the bottom. For now, only 800 bottles are available, but the gin is expected to stick around as part of the company's core range in the long term. Coral gin is on sale now for $70 via the Applewood Distillery website, with Australia-wide shipping available. [caption id="attachment_771056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coral gin fizz[/caption] CORAL GIN FIZZ 60 millilitres Coral gin 30 millilitres pineapple juice 30 millilitres cream Barspoon of molasses (about 1/2 a teaspoon) Three drops vanilla extract Three drops of Wonderfoam Soda Add all ingredients except soda with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake, then remove ice and shake again (called a dry shake). Double strain into a tall glass and let settle. Top with soda and ice.
On several occasions this year, Fortitude Valley's resident shipping container hangout has teamed up with the One Day crew to throw a music-fuelled shindig. Now, the inner-city spot is bringing the fun on a regular basis. Going out on its own, X Cargo's weekly block party is pumping out hip hop and R&B tunes from 3pm every Sunday — so you can kick back and make shapes more often. Also on the agenda: cheap eats, plenty of drinks and a basketball competition, which means you won't be hungry, thirsty or lacking in something to do. Of course, you can just sit back under an umbrella, chat with your mates and enjoy the last of the afternoon sun while soaking in a cracking soundtrack, if that's what you'd prefer. That's what the last few hours of the weekend are made for, really. X Cargo Block Party takes place on every Sunday — and entry is free. Image: X Cargo. Updated: November 4.
He gave The Social Network five stars, Hostel none, famously refused to grade Romper Stomper, and declined to cover Wolf Creek 2 at all. But how would David Stratton rate a documentary about his own life and love of film? It's a question we'll never know the answer to, although the fact that we're all wondering speaks volumes about the veteran film critic's impact. It also explains why there's now a doco about him and the Australian cinema landscape he has helped shape for more than half a century. Let's face it — for most Aussie film and television viewers, movies and David Stratton go hand in hand. For 28 years on SBS's The Movie Show and then ABC's At the Movies, he dissected the week's big screen releases on the small screen, with much of the country tuning in to catch his insights and hear his banter with co-host Margaret Pomeranz. He'd profess his hatred for shaky cam, she'd sigh "oh David," and their back-and-forth would make a conversation about an average film much, much more interesting. They even have their own board game. And while that might've all come to an end, the movie buff's movie buff isn't done sharing his love of cinema. Indeed, from the end of May, he'll talk audiences through the best flicks Australia has to offer in a three-part TV series. Consider David Stratton: A Cinematic Life the feature-length appetiser. Directed by experienced television helmer Sally Aitken, the documentary endeavours to do two things: step through Stratton's life and career, and explore a selection of influential Australian titles. The former comes complete with tales of the critic's cinema-obsessed youth, photos of his pre-beard days, a glimpse inside his catalogue of movie notes (which he refuses to digitise), and a number of famous faces popping up to sing his praises, including Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Mad Max director George Miller. To achieve the latter, the film takes Stratton around the country to visit locations immortalised on film while diving into explorations of the titles in question – from outback horror Wake in Fright and beloved comedy Muriel's Wedding, to the roadway thrills of the original Mad Max and the relatable warmth of The Castle. Understandably, there's plenty to fit in — the British-born Stratton arrived down under for what was supposed to be a two-year visit, became the director of the Sydney Film Festival for 18 years, and was the subject of ASIO interest thanks to his trips to overseas film festivals. Similarly, with around 100 flicks earning a mention, there's no shortage of movies in the spotlight. Using one as a gateway to the other, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life does an impressive job of weaving its two points of focus together. Hearing about Stratton's fascinating experiences will make you want to discover more (thankfully, his 2008 autobiography I Peed on Fellini can help fans do just that), while discovering his thoughts on an array of local films will make you want to dedicate the foreseeable future to an Aussie movie marathon. Deftly edited and filled with affection, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life is the kind of film the man himself would likely give several stars and probably more. We reckon Pomeranz would feel the same way, although here we have to be content with her commenting on her former sparring partner's shoes. Yes, that's another reason the documentary is worth watching. Come for the moving tribute and informative trip through Aussie film history, stay for the long-awaited David and Margaret reunion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoTbplWKvOg
When there's an occasion worth celebrating, Brisbane Quarter joins in. So, now that Lunar New Year is upon us for 2025, the inner-city precinct is doing just that. The CBD spot is marking the Year of the Snake with a day of roving lion dances and — in great news for your stomach — special menu options for a couple of weeks. For the dances, you'll need to make a date on Wednesday, January 29. The performance is free, taking place at 7pm. Between Tuesday, January 28–Monday, February 10, gathering the gang is recommended at Brisbane Phoenix. The restaurant is doing indulgent group feasts across the two weeks, including a ten-course version for six or ten people — for $1688 and $2288 respectively. On the menu: flaming lobster, salmon sashimi salad with flying fish caviar, steamed scampi, black moss dried scallop and oyster, slow-cooked pork hock with truffle oil and more. Fancy an a la carte selection instead? That's also an option. [caption id="attachment_939762" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudia Baxter[/caption]
2023 marks a mere five years since Netflix released its first-ever Australian original series, with Tidelands hitting the streaming service three years after it officially launched Down Under. That supernatural drama didn't usher in a non-stop influx of new Aussie content. While older local titles sit among the platform's catalogue, freshly commissioned fare such as Heartbreak High and Wellmania is still fairly rare. But Netflix's small pool of homegrown Australian projects has locked in a few more additions, with four just-announced newcomers on their way. The novel-to-screen adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe is also in the works, but that was initially revealed almost 18 months back. Following it to your queue will be another book-to-TV effort, an outback family-feud tale and two movies — one starring Delta Goodrem and the other a documentary about ONEFOUR. First, your future binges: The Survivors and Desert King (although they're just working titles, so those monikers might change). The first is heading to Netflix from the pages of Jane Harper's text of the same name, while the second sounds like it wants to give Succession-meets-Yellowstone a Top End spin. Neither have casts as yet, or release dates. [caption id="attachment_905971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Force of Nature, Narelle Portanier[/caption] Yes, Australia's screen industry currently loves bringing Harper's works to the screen. The Dry proved a massive smash, after all, and that flick's sequel Force of Nature will hit cinemas when Hollywood's actors' strike is over. The Survivors isn't linked to either movie by anything but author, so there's no Aaron Falk this time. Instead, the Tasmanian-set story follows families still coping with the loss caused by a massive storm in their seaside town 15 years earlier, then faced with a new murder. As for Desert King, it will be set on the world's largest cattle station, which the Lawson family runs. When the property is left without a firm successor, the fights start — and everyone from billionaire miners and desert gangsters to Indigenous elders and other cattle barons get involved. Netflix will get bonus points from audiences if they manage to get Sarah Snook to star. [caption id="attachment_914014" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Netflix © 2023[/caption] With the streamer's upcoming Aussie movies, Goodrem has been born to give her acting chops another try, this time in a romance called Love Is in the Air. There's no word on whether the film will feature Delta singing John Paul Young's Aussie song of the same name, which first released in the 70s and became a hit again in the 90s thanks to Strictly Ballroom. What is known, however, is that the flick is about a seaplane pilot who falls for the man who's meant to be tanking her business — and that it'll be filmed in the Whitsundays. ONEFOUR: Against All Odds will tell its namesake's story, including the drill rap group's huge popularity and the police taskforce attempting to stop them performing. "The story of ONEFOUR is one of the most significant cultural moments in recent Australian history. It's about the changing face of this country and who gets to have a voice in it," said writer/director Gabriel Gasparinatos. "Australia markets this sunkissed image of itself and it's so important to show it's not all like that, and that there is another side to this country the world is only just starting to see. I'm so grateful to ONEFOUR for trusting us with their story and to Netflix for bringing it to the global audience it deserves." Announced previously, Netflix is also making a second season of its Heartbreak High revival, as well as Surviving Summer. The former is due in 2024 and the latter this September. And, for kids, Eddie's Lil Homies is on its way, based on childrens' books by former AFL superstar Eddie Betts, and following an eight-year-old Eddie and his friends. Netflix's just-announced new Australian projects don't yet have release dates — we'll update you when more information is announced. Top image: The Dry.
Staying at QT Gold Coast is a luxe experience, with the hotel chain serving up its characteristically distinctive version of beachy chic. That's one of the accommodation brand's key traits, matching each of its sites to its surroundings. QT Sydney's glorious gothic look and QT Melbourne's impeccably polished vibe wouldn't suit Surfers Paradise, after all, and the latter's coastal cool wouldn't match anywhere else either. Here's something else that mightn't quite fit at any other QT: the Gold Coast venue's new qtQT rooftop cabins. The chain has converted an otherwise unused lower-level rooftop into an urban oasis, complete with tropical gardens, firepits and six laidback spots for guests to stay — and get away from it all in the middle of the Glitter Strip. Designed by Nic Graham, a regular at working with EVT — QT's parent company — each cabin can welcome in two guests. So, you and your bestie / other half can book one for a blissful vacation, or you can gather the gang and reserve all six at once. Fancy heading along solo? This is the place for that as well. And, QT sees it as a drawcard for retreats and weddings, too. Whoever you're visiting with — or not — you'll find a stay that's designed to help you unplug, with each cabin featuring its own private balcony. They all come equipped with I Love Linen robes, a bed decked out with I Love Linen sheets and Drift candles for ambience, plus board games and coffee table books. That said, you can switch off as much or little as you like. If you still want to use the qtQT cabins as a base to explore the Goldie, the hotel's newest addition has its own 'curator of sunshine' to organise activities for you. Other onsite options include stargazing by those aforementioned firepits, enjoying an aperitivo in the same place, meditating and tucking into a meal al fresco dining area The Terrace — which'll host both bespoke feasts and communal dining experiences. There's also a lawn called The Landing which looks out over the ocean, and is touted as an ideal picnic spot, place to salute the sun with an early-morning yoga session or a breakfast hangout. And, during your stay — with rates starting at $359 per night — you'll also have access to the hotel's pool precinct. QT is launching qtQT on the first day of summer, after all, with bookings open now for trips from Thursday, December 1. Or, you can head to the onsite SpaQ, or eat cooking, eating and drinking at either sushi-making or whisky-tasting sessions at onsite Japanese restaurant Yamagen. The new qtQT concept is also QT's way of testing out a big travel trend, given how popular tiny homes and cabins have proven over the past few years. "When designing the overall QT Gold Coast upgrade, we identified a previously unused lower-level rooftop. We had been exploring the world of tiny accommodation and standing there as the sun set, we knew this would be the perfect location to trial our interpretation of this experience, the QT way," said EVT CEO Jane Hasting, announcing qtQT. Find qtQT at QT Gold Coast, 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise. qtQT is open for bookings for stays from Thursday, December 1. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
For the past 23 and a half years, one woman has shaped the musical tastes of Brisbane. And over the past five in particular, she's helped unearth a wealth of talent, including Jeremy Neale, Babaganouj, WAAX and Baskervillain. It should come as little surprise, then, that the quartet of bands are keen to pay tribute to Joc Curran. As the original co-founder and manager of The Zoo, she played no small part in helping their careers, as Farewell to Joc From The Last Five Years recognises. It's the sendoff every beloved venue head deserves, showcasing the music and the vibe that's made the Ann Street mainstay what it is under Curran's reign. And it's not the only goodbye event in her honour, with The Zoo also hosting 23.5 — A Dual Celebration to mark Curran's departure and welcome her replacement Pixie Weyand; however with that all-star homage selling out in record time, it is the only farewell shindig with tickets still available.
Brisbane is set to score a huge influx of music this festive season, thanks to the city's newest festival: Wildlands. Taking over the Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, December 28, the one-day event will focus on dance, electronic and hip hop, showcasing a heap of local, Australian and international talent. And while the full lineup is yet to be announced, the fest will have an exciting Aussie act among its headliners: Rüfüs Du Sol. The ARIA Award-winning three-piece — who completed a sold-out national tour earlier this year, and made appearances at Coachella and South America's Lollapalooza — have released two chart-topping (and platinum) albums in their short career, with Atlas in 2013 then Bloom in 2016. The song 'You Were Right' — from their second album — also won an ARIA Award for Best Dance Release in 2015. [caption id="attachment_728646" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Rüfüs Du Sol[/caption] Joining the Sydney alternative dance stars — as revealed today, August 1 — will be chart-topping American rapper Tyler, The Creator, who'll be heading to Australia for the first time since releasing his highly lauded album IGOR. Also on the lineup are Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Ella Mai, MC Skepta, funk duo Lion Babe and local producer What So Not. Wildlands already has an impressive pedigree, too — it's the latest venture from the teams behind two other popular Australian festivals, Melbourne's Beyond The Valley and Perth's Origin Fields. The former has played host to the likes of The Kooks, Chance the Rapper, Jamie XX, Stormzy and Mura Masa, while the latter has welcomed Cardi B, A$AP Rocky, Khalid, ScHoolboy Q, Kehlani, M.I.A and Hayden James. Although Wildlands won't simply combine the two interstate festivals into one Brissie-set package, Beyond the Valley's Michael Cristidis does describe the new fest as "bringing the best of the East and West Coast together for one very special day". Still, even if the lineups overlap somewhat, the aim is to give Brisbane a unique fest experience. "I feel that we will be able to create an event that is unique to Brisbane as Beyond The Valley is unique to Melbourne and Origin is to Perth," explains Origin Fields' Saran Bajaj. WILDLANDS 2019 LINEUP Rüfüs Du Sol Tyler, The Creator Ella Mai Green Velvet Jauz Mallrat RL Grime Skepta What So Not 16BL Big Words Claptone Don Dolla Gunma Hobo Johnson & The Lovemakers Jordan Brando Lastlings Lion Babe Made In Paris Shoreline Mafio Willaris K Wildlands hits the Brisbane Showgrounds, 600 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills, on Saturday, December 28. Tickets go on sale to the general public and midday on Wednesday, August 7 with pre-sale starting at 6pm on Tuesday, August 6. Top image: Beyond The Valley. Updated August 1, 2019
UPDATE, December 16, 2022: Top Gun: Maverick will be available to stream via Paramount+ from Thursday, December 22. As dripping with jingoism, machismo, militarism and sweat as cinema gets — and there really was oh-so-much sweat — 1986's Top Gun was a dream of a recruitment ad. The US Navy's aviation program couldn't have whipped up a stronger enlistment campaign in its wildest fantasies. Even if it had, getting Hollywood's gloss, a star who'd still be box-office catnip four decades later and Kenny Loggins' second-best movie tune (slipping in behind Footloose, of course) probably would've felt like a one-in-a-billion longshot. But all of the above, plus a lurid sheen and homoerotic gaze, didn't make Top Gun a good film. Loggins' 'Danger Zone' remains an earworm of a delight, but the feature it's synonymous with took a highway to the cheesy, cringey, puffed up, perpetually moist and aggressively toxic zone. The one exception: whenever Tony Scott's camera was focused on all that flying, rather than a smirking, reckless and arrogant Tom Cruise as a portrait of 80s bluster and vanity. Gliding into cinemas 36 years after its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is still at its best when its jets are soaring. The initial flick had the perfect song to describe exactly what these phenomenally well-executed and -choreographed action scenes feel like to view; yes, they'll take your breath away. Peppered throughout the movie, actually shot in real US Navy aircraft without a trace of digital effects, and as tense and spectacular as filmmaking can be in the feature's climactic sequences, they truly do make it seem as if you're watchin' in slow motion. Thankfully, this time that adrenaline kick is accompanied by a smarter and far more self-aware film, as directed by TRON: Legacy and Oblivion's Joseph Kosinski. Top Gun in the 80s was exactly what Top Gun in the 80s was always going to be — but Top Gun in the 2020s doesn't dare believe that nothing has changed, that Cruise's still-smug Maverick can't evolve, and that the world the movie releases into hasn't either. Early in the film — after Harold Faltermeyer's famous Top Gun anthem plays, text on-screen explains what the titular elite pilot training program is all about, a montage of fighter planes kicks in and then 'Danger Zone' sets an upbeat tone; that is, after the flick begins exactly as the first did — Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Cruise, Mission: Impossible — Fallout) is given a dressing-down. Still as rebellious as his call sign makes plain, he's just wantonly disobeyed orders, flown a ridiculously expensive hypersonic test plane when he's not supposed to and caused quite the fallout. "The future is coming and you're not in it," he's told, and Top Gun: Maverick doesn't shy away from that notion. As its opening moments show, along with a touch too many other nostalgia-steeped touches elsewhere this sequel hasn't wholly flown on from the past; however, it actively reckons with it as well. Still hardly the navy's favourite despite his swagger, megawatt smile, gleaming aviators and unfailing self-confidence — well, really despite his need for speed and exceptional dogfighting skills in the air — Maverick is given one last assignment. His destination: Fightertown USA, the California-based Top Gun program he strutted his way through all those years ago. There's an enemy nation with a secret weapons base that needs destroying, and his talents are crucial. But, to his dismay, Maverick is only asked to teach. Given a squad lorded over by the brash Hangman (Glen Powell, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood), and also including Coyote (Greg Tarzan Davis, Grey's Anatomy), Payback (Jay Ellis, Insecure), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Phoenix (Monica Barbaro, Stumptown), Bob (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range) and the frosty Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller, The Offer), he's tasked with training them to fly like he does, navigate a Star Wars-style impossible path that zips speedily at perilously low altitudes and, ideally, still survive the supremely dangerous mission. Yes, Bradley Bradshaw is a real name this franchise has given one of its characters. And, he's the son of Goose (Anthony Edwards, Inventing Anna), Maverick's beloved wingman in the original movie, whose death he hasn't come to terms with. Also, stressing that chip-off-the-ol'-block link via Hawaiian shirts, a moustache and a barroom 'Great Balls of Fire' singalong is among Top Gun: Maverick's clumsiest and most needlessly wistful moves — second only to its shirtless team-building beach football scene. Luckily, it's easy to excuse some such blatant nods backwards when interrogating why Maverick is like he is, what cost that's extracted from him and those in his orbit, and how he might climb beyond it is one of the film's main concerns. Plus, one of the feature's other blasts from the past, Maverick's reunion with his ex-adversary Iceman (Val Kilmer, The Snowman), couldn't be more movingly handled. Again, recognising that Maverick's heyday, and everything it instilled in him, has long been and gone proves as crucial in this sequel as those sensationally balletic jets swooping and spiralling above. Cruise's heyday as a mega movie superstar isn't yet behind him, though, and Top Gun: Maverick is also better for knowing that his hyper-committed showmanship is now rare. So, Kosinkski leans heavily on the Tom Cruise of it all — aka the spectacle that's a given when he's in action mode — while unpacking the Maverick of it all. That's how the film zooms deeper than the initial flick, especially into its protagonist, with screenwriters Ehren Kruger (Dumbo), Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle) and Christopher McQuarrie (the last two and upcoming two Mission: Impossible movies) imparting a convincing sense of human drama. Top Gun: Maverick still sports patriotism and militarism so thick it'd show up on radar. It's still sweaty, albeit not as much as the Fast and Furious franchise these days. And it still has a thin but charismatic romance, this time with Jennifer Connelly (who gets a winning music moment if you know what she was starring in back in 1986). And yet, it also faces the fact that flag-waving patriotism and testosterone-fuelled bravado are relics. Even better: while Top Gun: Maverick's exploration of loyalty, duty, camaraderie, bromance and facing your mistakes to be a better person comes second to its stunning aerial scenes, none of those themes completely fade from mind when the movie hits the sky. They're meant to up the stakes, and genuinely do. Indeed, Gun: Maverick's underlying emotions feel as authentic as the astonishing visuals that repeatedly defy gravity. With the latter, it comes as no surprise that Kosinkski's TRON: Legacy cinematographer Claudio Miranda does the honours, again delivering an astounding sight. Similarly, that such edge-of-your-seat sequences are stitched together by McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible editor Eddie Hamilton won't raise an eyebrow. Action cinema rarely gets more thrilling than this — and an action movie that's this visibly wondrous and entertaining, knows it's walking in familiar footsteps but puts in a bold effort to make this return trip mean something is electrifying and, yes, breathtaking.
Nazi. Zombies. Those two words alone were probably enough to secure the support of executive producer J.J. Abrams and have him green-light Overlord, the new horror/war flick by Australian director Julius Avery (Son of a Gun). Set on the eve of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the film sees a small troupe of American soldiers parachute into France tasked with destroying a Nazi radar station, only for them to discover a series of sinister, zombie-crafting experiments taking place deep beneath the facility's walls. In terms of the premise, gamers will immediately recognise similarities to both the Wolfenstein and Call of Duty franchises (the latter literally had a title called WWII Nazi Zombies – The Darkest Shore). At times the film tracks so closely to these games both in style and story that you expect the Xbox logo to appear on screen instead of the Paramount one. To the film's credit, though, for every example of borrowed content or tired cliche, Overlord surprises you with nifty subversions of horror-genre tropes and delights in its consistent, sumptuous cinematography. Much of the film's success actually lies in its pacing, and it's a testament to screenwriters Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith that they're willing to be so patient with their eventual zombie reveal. Indeed, it's so long before the first encounter with the undead that the film's trailer borders on misleading and deceptive marketing. Just like the shark in Jaws, we see the monsters in Overlord only after we've seen clues to their existence and their horrific, destructive power. And when at last they do arrive, the wait is (mostly) justified. Immensely strong and grotesquely twisted with sharpened bones protruding through burnt or shredded flesh, the fiends look and feel appropriately terrifying. If there's a complaint to be made, it's that – once revealed – they're deployed far too sparingly. Intentional or not, it's the mortal Nazis and not their flesh-eating compatriots who feel the most sinister in Overlord, and since the peril in the zombie genre traditionally comes from their unstoppable swarm dimension, removing that dynamic feels like a significant misstep. Overlord's characters aren't much for groundbreaking, coming straight from the stock WWII movie playbook. On the Allied side there's wise-cracking Italian-American Tibbet (John Magaro), timid war photographer Chase (Iain De Caestecker), grizzled loner Ford (Wyatt Russell) and pure-of-heart rookie Boyce (Jovan Adepo). On the Axis side, we're given an unapologetically evil commander named Wafner (Pilou Asbaek) who, to his credit, goes all-out in the performance. Also in the mix is French actress Mathilde Ollivier as Chloe, a civilian from the nearby town who helps hide the Americans from the Nazis and whose work is probably the film's standout. Given the film spends so much time in the company of these characters, it's disappointing that it rarely evolves their personalities or digs into their back stories. Still, the performances are above average for a B-movie, and while the film sometimes feels as though it's being pulled between two very different genres, it still has enough going for it to be worth your time and your money. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USPd0vX2sdc
Cafe by day, bar by night — when it comes to eating and drinking, it's our favourite combination. The French Food Shop isn't content with its two-for-one set-up, though. Befitting its Brunswick Street location, it's also a takeaway French fries joint. Basically, whether you're after a substantial brekkie or lunch, an evening tipple or a serving of potato products, the new Fortitude Valley joint has you covered. The fact that the dimly lit hangout does it best to make you feel like you're far, far away from Brisbane, complete with imported wallpaper and photos of the French countryside? Well, that's an added bonus. Not that you need another incentive to mosey on in for a cheesy croque monsieur or jam-packed baguette when the sun is shining, or stacked fries with grilled sausage as the evening gets late. Or one of 50 wines, a champagne cocktail or a French whiskey, too. Actually, if you haven't tried the latter, that should all the reason you need to drop by.
UPDATE: APRIL 21, 2020 — Il Verde is still open for takeaway, so you can pick up pizzas, pastas (including gluten free options) and cannoli to enjoy at home. Plus, if you work in a medical profession, you can get 50-percent off your order. Ever heard of cheese wheel pasta? It's a thing at Il Verde. And it's a thing that you probably want to find out more about. Located in the heart of Fortitude Valley on King Street, Il Verde offer the full gamut of Italian cuisine in an upmarket yet still relaxed (and cheese wheel-wielding) setting. You might want to have your next date night here. Make an advance booking on Tuesday or Thursdays and you and your beloved (or fellow pasta fiend) can have your pasta or gnocchi stirred up in a big melty wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano ($45) and dished up onto your plate. Yep. Dinner includes a glass of wine and a dessert too, so wear your stretchy pants. The non-cheese wheel menu covers all of the bases if you're an Italian food fan. Start by ordering a bunch of antipasti — the wild mushroom or saffron and fontina arancini (both $12), bruschetta nordica ($12) and Caprese salad ($18), would be an ideal place to kick off. Or, if you're in the mood for some pasta there's a four-cheese gnocchi ($24) and orecchiette with Italian sausage and taleggio ($25), among others. Steak lovers will find a rib fillet ($36) ticks all the boxes, and vegetarians will find a pleasing amount of choice among the pasta and antipasti. And pizza? But of course. Il Verde has a slew of rossa (Napoli sauce base) and bianca (white) options.
