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.
Haruki Murakami's novel Norwegian Wood is filled with fuzziness, unreliability, landscapes that shift between the real and imagined, and the saturated sensation of tragedy. It's not the easiest thing to adapt to film, but director Tran Anh Hung (I Come with the Rain, The Scent of Green Papaya) has found a rich cinema language for it that's as affecting as Murakami's words. Concrete Playground spoke to him ahead of the film's Australian release. When did you first encounter Murakami's work? It was in '94. This book [Norwegian Wood], it was the first one. Since I really liked it, I didn't want to read other books from him and I didn't want to know anything about him. It's the way I work — I really want to keep my feelings for the book really fresh, and nothing can mix with it … I read his other books later on, during the editing of the movie. And what made you want to adapt Norwegian Wood into a movie? I loved the book because of the character and the story. Because it has to do with love and loss of love and that was a very strong thing, and something that talked to me directly, intimately. It's also about the burdens we acquire in youth that have to be left behind for us to move into adulthood. Tell us about the journey the main character, Watanabe, is on. It's someone who experiences love for the first time. It's a very strong feeling, and then the next day he loses it; Naoko just disappears. And it puts his life in suspense — like he's holding his breath. He's not breathing the same way as before. And when he meets Midori, she offers him her love and he cannot accept it because he has something unfinished with Naoko … [Where Watanabe's journey goes] is very disturbing, but behind it, there is something that is really beautiful, in terms of meaning and in terms of spiritual deliverance. Murakami's works are often regarded as 'unfilmable'. What were the challenges in adapting such a story to screen? There was one thing that was really strong in the book, and that was the feeling of melancholy ... For some scenes I need to give the feeling of something that is a little bit dreamy, that is between reality and dream ... Like the night when [Naoko] comes and kisses him and ask him if he loves her, this kind of scene is very like a dream. And this gives us the feeling that it could be something that will be later a souvenir for Watanabe; it has that texture of a souvenir. And it gives us that feeling of melancholy. And you made the story linear, cutting out the older Watanabe we meet at the beginning of the book? Yes, because if you keep that older Watanabe, then you have that structure of flashback, back and forth between the present time with the older Watanabe, 36 or 39, and the past when he was 20. It will give the audience a feeling of something that is very well known as a structure, so it was not interesting for me to use this. And also because when you go in a movie back and forth, you have to show what in the past influenced the present time. Then you need to create some events, some actions in the present time, because it's not in the book. And that doesn't make sense, because the book is so rich, too rich, I needed to get rid of a lot of things to be able to make a movie, so I'm not going to add some new scenes. And that's why I didn't keep the older Watanabe. You worked with cinematographer Mark Lee Ping Bin, known for his work with Wong Kar-wai (In the Mood for Love). What was the vision the two of you had for how the film should look? What I really appreciate in working with Mark is he has this quality of being really sensual with movement of the camera ... I really need it for all of my movies because I like people to have a really sensual feeling of the image. And I ask everyone to work in a way to make the skin of the actor very obvious — not to enhance it, not to make it more beautiful, but to make it obvious — so that the people wish to touch it, to smell it on the screen. So with Mark I really asked him to use the light in a way so we can feel the skin, because for me, cinema is the art of incarnation. We put ideas and stories, drama in blood and flesh, meaning in the actor. So we need to see the skin very precisely. That's what I'm going for, because I don't like pretty pictures; the beauty must come from the fact the feeling is right, and it's right because its right with the story, with the psychology, with the characters. If everything is right, then it's beautiful. https://youtube.com/watch?v=kYBgsyBwYso
The concept of The Beards is a simple one - A folk-rock band that perform songs exclusively about one subject: Beards. The four men from Adelaide whose lives are solely dedicated to the perseveration, care and up keep of their fabulous facial hair are back and beardier than ever. They love their beards so fondly they have recorded three studio albums in their honour. Their latest debacle, The Having a Beard is the New Not Having a Beard Australian tour will take place across the nation with flocks of facial hair fans gathering to celebrate The Beards return. In celebration of their latest album, The Beards will return to the Zoo once more. There is definitely no denying the expectations of this show. If you're a newbie to The Beards community here it is one more time for you. No matter what age or gender you are, you must bear a beard to this gig. Girls don't even begin to believe that a beard won't go with that new dress you purchased for your next Valley outing - you will be sorry if you don't wear one. Get growing!
In the past few weeks, a bunch of restrictions have come into place in a bid to contain COVID-19 in Australia. Bans of non-essential events of 500 people or larger became events of 100 people, restaurants, cafes and bars across the country have shut and all international and interstate travel has been indefinitely banned. Most recently, new restrictions on social distancing and two-person limits on public gatherings were introduced on Monday, March 30. While restrictions differ state-to-state, federal and state governments have said that Australians should only be leaving their homes for four key reasons: shopping for food and other essential supplies; for medical care or compassionate reasons; to exercise, in-line with the new two-person limit; and for work or education if you cannot work or learn remotely. Those who don't comply with these new social distancing and public gathering rules risk hefty penalties, too, with on-the-spot fines of $1652 in Victoria, $1000 in NSW (with maximum penalties of $11,000 and six months in jail) and $1334.50 in Queensland for individuals. And a heap of people across Australia have already been slapped with fines since these rules were introduced. In Queensland on the weekend, Saturday, April 5, police fined 58 people at a 150-car rally at a warehouse in Rochedale and five men were arrested for travelling to Palm Island, which is a designated remote community that can not be visited for non-essential reasons. Queensland Police also said they were disappointed with the number of people loitering at lookout points in parks and visiting large shopping centres for non-essential needs and would be increasing their presence at these locations. "If you are sitting at a lookout, having coffee in a park, loitering in a shopping centre outside the parameters of the directions, you may be fined," Acting Chief Superintendent Mel Adams of Logan Police District said. "Public safety comes first and we urged people to stay at home." [caption id="attachment_750943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Victoria Police issued 108 fines on Sunday, April 6, alone. While exact details of the fines have not been released, one 17-year-old L-plater was pulled over and fined $1652 while on a driving lesson with their mother, as driving lessons are deemed non-essential in Victoria. In NSW, however, driving lessons are allowed — with either an instructor or a family member — as they fall under 'education'. Last week, a Fitzroy restaurant was also fined almost $10,000 for operating, with the ABC reporting there were six staff working and customers eating and drinking on the premises. Eighteen on-the-spot fines were handed out in NSW on Sunday: one man was charged for ignoring "beach closed" signs at Bondi Beach — he also ignored directions from the police to move on and coughed at an officer; and a women was fined for accompanying a food delivery driver. While the driver was working, the women "was only there because she said she was bored being at home", according the NSW Police. Since the laws were introduced, other Sydneysiders who have been charged include two people in a vehicle who did not have "a reasonable excuse not to be at home", a man who had left his home in order to visit his drug dealer and a man who had ignored two warnings and was found a third time on a Market Street bench eating a kebab. Restrictions are changing every day, you can read more about the state-specific public gathering and social distancing laws in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
When the Australian Government announced its 2020–21 Federal Budget in October last year — later than usual due to the pandemic — it looked more than a little bare for half of the population. But in the newly arrived 2021–22 Budget (which was announced last night, on Tuesday, May 11), $3.4 billion has been committed to supporting women. This time around, Aussie ladies aren't being told that they can just take advantage of new roads and infrastructure. The new Budget does obviously include funding for roads, rail and infrastructure projects — $15.2 billion, in fact — but the money allocated to women's health, safety and financial security isn't insignificant. And, it's being directed towards key areas, including cervical and breast cancer screening programs, endometriosis support, services for women and children who are experiencing violence, and childcare. In the health and wellbeing space, $351.6 million will be spent on maternal, sexual and reproductive health, as well as ageing, chronic conditions, preventative health and mental health. Of that, $100 million will go to cervical and breast cancer screening programs, and $47 million to perinatal and postnatal anxiety and depression services. Endometriosis, which effects at least one in nine Aussie women, will be covered as part of a four-year $5 million package for education and pain management programs targeting the condition. Women's safety is also a big, important and well-deserving focus, with $1.1 billion allocated to initiatives to support victims of domestic violence, and to tackle workplace harassment and online abuse. That includes general support for women and children leaving violent situations, emergency accommodation, and legal assistance services. $20.5 million has been committed to preventing and addressing address sexual harassment in the workplace, $6 million to boost the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, and $26.2 million to online safety — the latter of which covers awareness campaigns, support for children being bullied online, and software that will investigate intimate images that are shared without consent. And, because women in the workplace and childcare are interconnected topics, an extra $1.7 billion will be put towards the latter. It'll cover an increase childcare subsidies for families with more than one child, to become effective from July 2022. Obviously, childcare really shouldn't be badged as just a women's issue — it's a matter for all parents, regardless of gender — but the aim of the funding is to increase women's participation in the workforce. For more information about the 2021–22 Federal Budget, head to the government's website.
Back in July, it was revealed that Byron Bay was getting a brand-new festival that's all about food and culture. That event: Caper Byron Bay Our Food and Culture Festival, which has undergone a name change since it was first announced, but features a hefty program filled with eating, drinking, checking out art, listening to tunes and being merry in gorgeous surroundings. Taking place between Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 13, Caper boasts a hefty culinary component as curated by Chef David Moyle, who has been Chief of Food at Harvest Newrybar since 2020. Highlights include bottomless oysters and bellinis at Balcony Bar & Oyster Co, natural wine-fuelled degustations at Supernatural, distillery tours at Brookie's Gin and a sourdough workshop with Bread Social. Soon-to-open newcomer Bar Heather is doing a five-course dinner with Palisa Anderson, while 100 Mile Table at Stone & Wood is hosting a backyard barbecue — and Treehouse on Belongil is opting for a mix of beats, bubbles and brunch. A farm-to-table feast with The Farm and Three Blue Ducks and The Hut's Spanish fiesta are also on the bill, alongside pop-up yum cha — with the Brunswick Picture House being taken over by Melbourne Chinatown diner ShanDong MaMa on the Saturday and Sunday. Also making the journey, but from Brisbane: Louis Tikaram from Stanley, who'll be part of a cabaret takeover at the same space. Another standout: celebrating embrace Bundjalung Nation's Indigenous culture via a walk on Country tour led by Explore Byron Bay owner and Arakwal woman Delta Kay, then a five-course lunch curated by Karkalla chef and owner Mindy Woods. An 'anti-bad vibes circle' with OneWave Fluro Friday; free exhibitions at Yeah, Nice Gallery, art salon Gallery 7, Gallery 3 and ThomGallery; and horse-riding followed by brunch or lunch at Zephyr Shack are also on the wide-ranging agenda, with more than 30 events filling out the program If you're keen to see where the day takes you in-between the official activities, head to the Caper Village, aka a massive food, beverage, music and art precinct that's set to sprawl across the whole North Byron Hotel in the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate. It'll host live music, DJs and art installations, as well as workshops, panels and talks. Images: Jess Kearney.
This news isn't like rain on your wedding day. It doesn't resemble finding a black fly in your chardonnay. And it definitely isn't anything like hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, either. But, it will have you singing those lines — and it is news that you oughta know, too — because 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill is heading to Australia. The acclaimed production is making its first trip beyond Broadway, in fact, when it hits the Theatre Royal Sydney in September. And, when the curtains are raised, it'll help mark another milestone, reopening the Theatre Royal five years after it closed its doors in 2016. Inspired by Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill the Musical weaves a story around songs from that iconic record. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Famed tracks 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. And, songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. [caption id="attachment_807910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jagged Little Pill the Musical original Broadway cast, Matthew Murphy.[/caption] Just who'll be starring in the show is yet to be revealed, along with the exact season dates. But, narrative-wise, Jagged Little Pill the Musical tells the tale of the Healy family. They struggle their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a tale about social issues relevant to today, but with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Whether Jagged Little Pill the Musical will be a Tony-winner by the time it hits our shores, rather than just a nominee, isn't yet known. Its 15 nominations were all announced in 2020 for the pandemic-delayed 74th Tony Awards, which won't be held until Broadway reopens. Australians keen to see the musical can sign up for the ticket waitlist, and can look forward to watching it in a venue with quite the history. The 1100-seat Theatre Royal is one of Australia's oldest theatres, dating back to the 1870s. But most folks will know it in its current form, after it reopened in the 1970s with a design by famed Australian architect Harry Seidler as a replacement for the old theatre that was demolished when the MLC Centre was built. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh49oFfh1Bw Jagged Little Pill the Musical will play the Theatre Royal Sydney at 108 King Street, Sydney, from September — with exact season dates yet to be announced. For further details and to join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website. Top image: Jagged Little Pill the Musical Broadway opening night curtain call, Bruce Glikas.
I'm sure that many of you may have left that Facebook friend request from your boss to 'pending' for the last two years for fear of them seeing photos of you on some disgraceful drunken rampage. Indeed, the vast expansion of Facebook means that virtually anybody can have a splendid visual tour into your weekend behaviour and extra-curricular activities simply by searching your name on a social media website. The clever folk down at Cerveza Norte, a South American beer company, have launched a product that will soon solve these first-world problems faced by many party animals. Named the 'Norte Photoblocker', this little device not only keeps your beverages cool, but detects camera flashes and reflects them back, effectively ruining the photo and leaving your face unidentifiable. The product has been developed to "defend drinkers against unwanted interference from amateur paparazzi and day-after embarrassment." Keep one of these handy devices in your jacket pocket, and whip it out when you feel you've had one too many beverages. Check out the advertisement below for the hilariously melodramatic commentary and potential instances where the Photoblocker would be of use. As stated in the video, you don't want to labelled a "floozy" or "dirty old man." This Photoblocker will allow you to get your creep on without any possibility of solid photographic evidence. [via PSFK]
From Milton to West End, Woolloongabba to Morningside and Fortitude Valley to Newstead, it isn't hard to find a brewery in Brisbane's inner-city suburbs and their surrounding locales. River City drinkers are spoiled for choice, in fact. Maybe it's thanks to the yeast and hops smell that's long lingered over the inner west courtesy of the XXXX factory, but this beer-loving town has never been one to say no to more breweries, especially over the past decade. Brissie loves new spots making beer as much as new bridges. Opening a brewery on Ann Street in the city's CBD feels like an inevitability, then — and Little Miss Sunshine is that place. By the time that July 2024 ends, it'll be pouring brews and serving up Queensland cuisine, all from the back of the ground floor of an office building. Little Miss Sunshine is both a bistro and a brewery. With its name and its vibe alike, it's getting playful — and it wants patrons to drop in for after-work drinks, cruisy weekend sessions, dinner and everything in-between. Although an exact opening date hasn't been announced, hanging out here across the end of winter and beyond will mean either getting cosy inside or making the most of the venue's outside area. Wherever you choose to say cheers, 28 taps will be pouring. The beer lineup hasn't been revealed as yet, either, other than spanning both house-brewed tipples — including small-batch sips — alongside favourites from elsewhere picked by the team. The food menu is also still mostly under wraps, but Moreton Bay bug spaghetti is one example of the Little Miss Sunshine's Queensland-skewing culinary options. There'll be beer-battered barramundi as well, plus Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as beef and chicken shawarma, and lamb kofta. Patrons can look forward to live tunes, too, all in a space that you've probably walked past countless times — especially if you work in the CBD — without considering that a brewery could one day live there. Find Little Miss Sunshine at 80 Ann Street, Brisbane, from sometime in late July 2024 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced. Head to the venue's website, Facebook and Instagram in the interim.
Gather an eclectic group of people in an intriguing place, spill a few secrets, commit a few crimes and watch sparks fly. It's an approach that's worked for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and even the board game Cluedo, and it works a treat for Bad Times at the El Royale. Contrary to the film's moniker, you can expect a rollicking good time with this mystery-thriller, which has devilish fun taking both its sharp narrative and its motley crew of characters on a twist-filled ride — and taking the audience along too, for that matter. On a sunny 1969 day that's soon to turn stormy, Lake Tahoe's El Royale Hotel welcomes four guests to its distinctive surroundings. Checking into the spot smack-bang on the border of California and Nevada are smooth-talking vacuum salesman Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm), jobbing singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), man of the cloth Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and a woman who writes "fuck you" in the ledger instead of her name (Dakota Johnson). Strangers crossing paths for the first time, each has their own reasons for being there, not that anyone is forthcoming. As they assemble in the lobby beneath photos of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and other bigwigs who've stayed on the premises, the young, distracted manager Miles (Lewis Pullman) gives them the spiel: they can slumber in either U.S. state, but rooms in California cost $1 extra and you can't drink in the Nevada lounge, or gamble either since it lost its gaming license. The hotel's divided layout aside (and yes, a line literally runs right through the middle), much about Bad Times at the El Royale initially feels familiar. The basic setup, the use of title cards, the shifting perspectives and fractured timelines, and the air of foreboding in a fading abode all could've stepped out of countless other movies. Thankfully, derivation isn't the name of the game here, although there's one particular film that writer-director Drew Goddard owes a debt to. It's his own last big-screen release, The Cabin in the Woods — and while the filmmaker isn't trying to make the same flick twice by any means, he approaches this slightly over-long 90s-style crime throwback in the same way as his hit horror movie. Both share a sense of playfulness that's highly engaged with their chosen genres, neither follows the routine path, and each comes packed with an energy that's thoroughly infectious. Chris Hemsworth plays a part in both films, although just how the star and his frequently bare chest fit into Bad Times at the El Royale's narrative is best discovered by watching. But, by re-teaming with Goddard, he's once again immersed in an engrossing story that's spun around a fantastic setting — complete with shooting, spying, scandals, bank robbers and cults. While treating a movie's location like one of its characters might be commonplace to the point of cliche, this lively, pulpy and often amusing noir-esque picture wouldn't be anything without its central lodge. From the diorama-like opening scene that buries a secret beneath the floorboards, to roving camerawork that stalks every hidden nook and cranny of the place in a striking fashion, the El Royale proves a slick visual playground for blood-splattered revelations and reversals. Along with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Greatest Showman), roaming the hotel's halls is a well-chosen group of actors, helping to overcome what could've been the film's greatest flaw. Casting can often be a movie's biggest spoiler, instantly signalling that a high-profile name is destined for a more sizeable role than their seemingly small part first indicates — but even when that remains true here, talent such as Bridges and Johnson craft fascinating characters who are more than the sum of their flaws, failings and deceptions. Firmly and delightfully in Kurt Russell-meets-Patrick Swayze mode, Hemsworth is charming to watch in a more straightforward part, however it's Erivo who's having the best time of all. Turning in a performance as powerful as the soulful tracks she's often singing, the Tony and Grammy winner only made her cinematic debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last month. With Bad Times at the El Royale, Erivo checks in to a darkly entertaining affair, and certain big-screen stardom as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU
Unleash your inner badass by tagging local walls, sans spray paint or legal consequences. Wallit is a new app that allows users to leave their digital mark wherever they may be. This 'graffiti' exists only in the virtual world, but the wall in question is connected with an actual, physical location. It's the self-proclaimed "only geo-social app connecting people to places through one-of-a-kind multimedia messages on augmented reality walls." Equipped with location awareness, Wallit lets you record a 'tag' (including text, or video or audio clips) on the virtual version of the actual place you left it. The tag is only visible to other app users when they arrive at the location themselves. With the upgraded 1.1 "super walls" version of the app, tags may also be visible to other users in a similar area; for instance, if you tag a McDonald's, other users will be able to see it as they munch on their burger at another McDonald's. Other users may choose to respond to your original tag, sparking interaction, or, in true street artist style, leave their own two cents to outdo yours. [via Fast Company]
Entertaining things come in small packages in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, at least where Paul Rudd playing Ant-Man is concerned. The character's two solo big-screen outings have wavered between charming and familiar, but whenever the ageless star himself pops up — and wherever, given that he hasn't just been confined to his own franchise within the franchise — he's always proven a treat. So, of course a third Ant-Man movie is on its way, because who doesn't want to give the world more Paul Rudd more often? The MCU clearly does, and that new film is Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which will buzz into cinemas in February 2023. This time, the MCU's insect-sized superheroes — yes, including both Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Rudd, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Hope van Dyne aka The Wasp (Evangeline Lily, Crisis) — are thrust into a secret universe beneath the one they already know and inhabit, and also face a new enemy. The chaotic space? The quantum realm, hence the Quantumania part of the upcoming movie's title. The adversary? Kang the Conqueror, as played by Lovecraft Country and The Harder They Fall's Jonathan Majors. And yes, both pop up in the just-dropped first trailer for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, as do the return of Hope's parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method), plus Scott's now-older daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton, Freaky). Viewers of 2015's Ant-Man and 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp will know that Janet spent decades stuck in the quantum realm, so it's unsurprising that she's a key part of the new glimpse at Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. But, she hasn't told her family and friends everything about the place — as the film is set to explore. The trailer also throws in plenty of goofiness, because that exact vibe helped make the Ant-Man movies stand out in the ever-sprawling MCU. Here, there's an amusing case of mistaken identity to start off this Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania sneak peek. The film marks the 31st film in Marvel's on-screen universe, and the first in its fifth phase — arriving after 2022's already-released Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder, plus the upcoming: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Check out the first Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer below: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits cinemas Down Under on February 16, 2023.
Do you love to eat, drink and/or do fun things in Brisbane? Do you care about how this city evolves? Do you like to put those thoughts and experiences into words (and sometimes pictures)? Then you've got a lot in common with Concrete Playground. We're looking for new writers in the areas of food & drink, arts & culture and shopping & lifestyle. Contributors have the opportunity to write reviews, news, features and/or event previews, and will be paid per contribution. You will need to bring in those talented hands of yours the following: Excellent writing skills A love of and engagement with Brisbane's cultural life Preferably some photography skills (iPhoneography counts) To apply, just get in touch with a short bio and 2-3 relevant writing samples. If you're mainly interested in writing about bars and restaurants, contact Brisbane Food + Drink Editor Daniela Sunde-Brown at daniela@concreteplayground.com.au If you're mainly interested in other things (arts, culture, shops or lifestyle), contact Editor-in-Chief Rima Sabina Aouf at rima@concreteplayground.com.au
My knowledge of life in Korea is limited, but I have heard the Seoul is incredible: filled with unique youth culture, and an amazing nightlife. And for just a short time, without having to board a plane or even leave the city, Brisbane audiences can get a taste of Seoul through the new production Underground. The last piece in the Metro Arts' The Independents 2011 program, Underground is a journey into a hidden ‘speakeasy’ in Seoul. Underground is actually a Korean junk bar that has been transported to Brisbane. The décor is kitsch with lamps, party lights and televisions looping 70s Korean TV dramas. There is a ragtag band of musicians performing island style tunes, and setting the scene for a floor show of epic and exciting proportions. Mixing live music, storytelling and amazing visuals, it will be a night of delights, exploring the underground, if you will, culture of one special city.
When Australians are able to enjoy overseas holidays again, plenty will feel familiar. Booking tickets, planning itineraries, packing suitcases, rushing to the airport because almost no one arrives early — we'll all recognise these steps, and we'll love them. But, more than a few things about hopping on a plane will have changed, too. That'll include wearing masks, using copious amounts of hand sanitiser, social distancing in the airport and verifying our vaccine status. Some airlines, such as Qantas, have already mentioned that they're likely to only allow passengers who've been fully jabbed to take to the air. The Aussie carrier has also announced that it'll be using a digital health pass to check who is vaxxed. And, for everyone coming into the country — Aussies, tourists and other travellers alike — the Australian Government is set to launch a new Digital Passenger Declaration. Remember the physical incoming passenger cards we all filled out pre-pandemic when we were heading back home? (Aka the reason you always needed to have a pen in your bag when you were flying?) They're being ditched, and the new DPD will replace them. So, the new digital pass will capture all the same info, plus your coronavirus jab status. The declaration will also replace the COVID-19 Australian Travel Declaration web form that's been in use during the pandemic. When it's up and running — with Accenture winning the tender to create and operate the DPD, and testing now underway — it'll be able to be filled out 72 hours before you hop on your flight Down Under. And, you'll be able to complete it either on a computer or on your phone, the latter of which will obviously be immensely handy while you're travelling. "The DPD will support the safe reopening of Australia's international borders, by providing digitally verified COVID-19 vaccination details," said Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews in a statement. "This will help us to welcome home increasing numbers of Australians, and welcome the tourists, travellers, international students, skilled workers, and overseas friends and family we've all been missing during the pandemic." Wondering when you might get to use the new digital pass? The Federal Government has already announced that international travel is earmarked to return when 80 percent of eligible Australians have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Further details on how that'll work, and where you'll be able to go, haven't yet been revealed — but Qantas has announced plans to resume its international flights to places with high jab rates from December. Eager to keep an eye on Australia's vaccination rates? We've run through how to do just that. For more information about the new Digital Passenger Declaration, head to the Australian Home Affairs website.
Er, um, wow. From surreal director Terry Gilliam, of Monty Python and left-field movie fame, comes The Zero Theorem, the supposed third film in his trilogy of bizarre dystopias that began with 1985's Brazil and 1995's 12 Monkeys. Though its release on Antipodean shores is yet to be confirmed, today's first trailer release for the film has got us all excited (and maybe a little flabbergasted). The Orwellian sci-fi follows Qohen (Christoph Waltz), an eccentric computer hacker with a whole lot of existential angst. Using a mathematical formula, Qohen's working to solve the zero theorem in the hope that he'll crack the meaning (or lack thereof) of life. But Management continually interrupt his work, sending a teen, Bob (Lucas Hedges), and a love interest, Bainsley (Melanie Thierry), to distract him. Funnily enough, desiring Bainsley might just be the key he'd been missing to understand the complexities of life. The trailer makes The Zero Theorem look equal parts bonkers and mind-bogglingly intelligent all at once. Though it's received mixed reviews, a cast that includes David Thewlis, Peter Stormare, Tilda Swinton, Ben Whishaw and Matt Damon — along with the usual sci-fi commentaries on humanity, technology and politics — makes this an interesting one.
Markets come in all shapes and sizes, just like the wares they sell. They're particular enticing in winter, though. There's something about browsing through stalls on a frosty weekend morning, a warm coffee in hand — and about hitting up a twilight market while the evenings are short, complete with a mulled wine or a cocktail, too. Whether you like shopping or eating — taking home handmade goods to fill your shelves, or coming home with a full and satisfied stomach — you've got options around Brisbane in July and August. Some markets sell creative and vintage wares. Others specialise in food and drinks. Many do a combination of both. Whatever you're looking for, here's 13 to check out.
New York, Berlin … might Sydney soon be on the list of cultural capitals? If all we do is work and play Facebook, will we explode? Marcus Costello finds out by chatting with a man from the future who happens to be in Australia this week for The Future Laboratory's annual trend briefing. Martin Raymond is the company's co-founder and current strategy and insight director, and he had much to share with us on how trend forecasting works, what shopping centres might look like in the next decade, why you shouldn't make that sea change, and, yes, why Sydney might culturally overtake Melbourne yet. This is certainly a bright and early start for me, but you've just got off a plane, how's it for you? I've just come from Burma, which was part work part play. So I'm in good form. Ah, you're an early adopter of 'The New Sublimity' (The Future Laboratory's term for the impending "digital switch-off, back-to-basics, retreat to nature for emotional reboot" among under 25s). Can you explain the concept to me? [laughs] Sure. In happening cities where stress levels and stimulation are high, the next crop to enter the workforce will start building a buffer between work and free time. They'll realise that work-life balance doesn't work when you can work from anywhere and be contactable 24/7. The nomadic lifestyle that the baby boomers considered romantic when they were in their 20s is actually a practical reality for the upcoming generation thanks to remote computing and other technologies. Kerouac's On the Road was recently made into a film and young progressives are moving to places like Berlin where the bohemian lifestyle is seen as a legitimate way of living. So that's the modus operandi of The Future Laboratory: track what culture is being consumed and make predictions. I'm intrigued because a laboratory suggests a place that makes things. Do you think there's an element of causation in trend forecasting — build it and they will come, sort of thing? Can you really spot things before they happen or is it that you see what's bubbling beneath the surface and foresee its rise? Good question. Our methodology is structured in three branches: Intuition, Observation, and Interrogation. It's the same principle you apply to ethnographic or sociological field studies. With these lines of research you can foresee the rise of organic food a decade before it happens, for example. We also have well-honed observation skills and a solid understanding of mimetics, so it's more than blind predictions. Basically, we identify a pattern then look for the anomalies. These anomalies signal the early adopters and innovators. And there are some cities that better allow for these people to thrive, like Seattle, Seoul, Buenos Aires, Berlin. A place like Munich, on the other hand, is not one of those places. [laughs] My sister is part of a very interesting internet start-up in a town just outside Munich where rent is cheap and good skiing is close-by. Perhaps she's the exception to the rule — or maybe she's an early adopter of The New Sublimity — but it makes me think that the big cultural capitals like Berlin/NYC are nearing saturation with creative professionals, making it prohibitively expensive and competitive. Cities like Detroit, I would have thought, are the ones to watch. Good point. The pendulum does swing, and yes, Detroit has the telltale signs, if you know how to spot them,of a city on the rise: empty warehouses for cheap live-in studios, wide open spaces, young people flocking there. It's the same set of factors that gave rise to East London and so many other cities. The next wave of residents to arrive are those who superficially associate with the core activities but who aren't part of it. They're graphic designers, not artists. They'll buy-in once the aesthetic can be commodified. Hipsters, in a word. NYC is eternally cool but can you tell me about other happening — or about to happen — cultural capitals? I would argue that over the next five years Melbourne will become less of a talking point and Sydney will have its time in the sun. Then again, Sydney will rise because its mimicking Melbourne's laneway culture. Los Angles is on the way up. Vienna is a tired, bourgeois, racist part of Austria, but that makes it rife for a shake-up. It's full of old people about to die, which leaves cheap apartments for students. On the other hand, there's Switzerland, where everything is, well, nice. But I say to people, "Why live in a place where there's nothing to annoy you, to challenge you?" Switzerland will never become fashionable. Canada, likewise, will never become fashionable. Isn't the New Sublimity all about "secular spiritualism as consumers take to the land, sea, beaches and mountains in search of meaning, mindfulness, inattentive learning and an emotional reboot"? Switzerland and Canada both abound in natural wonder. [laughs] Nature doesn't have much to do with cultural revolution. People still want to be in cities, but they'll create mental space to get away, or reinterpret the built environment to make spaces for mindfulness. There's a bunch of guys in NY who have set-up bivouacs on rooftops so people can sleep out and experience the sounds, the smells, the stars of the city. In England it's really trendy to spend time away in monasteries — it's different, it's detached, it's cheap. People don't want a full-blown sea-change because cities are good and, let's be honest, interesting people love the concrete jungle, they're not afraid of it. As soon as you exit the city, you exit life. People who live in the countryside tend to be dull; and worse, they believe that they're living the right way. Well, they're not. They're living their way. As a company who consults to retailers, should retailers be concerned that mindfulness is about to wash over their consumers? One of our clients in the UK, Selfridges, has just produced a festival called No Noise which embraced the concept of the New Sublimity. They created rooms within the department store where shoppers could go to relax. So they can revitalise for more shopping. They could do that. But they also had night walks, and walks with philosophers and all kinds of things. They even persuaded brands to remove logos and graphics from their products. Of course, this actually reinforces brand identity because consumers have to consider product design. Yes, you could say it's a cynical exercise in retail marketing, but it's no more cynical than religion. If there's a trend that questions the nature of consumption and you can turn a profit from that as a retailer, well, I think that's a good thing. I'd rather consumers shop with a sense of why they're shopping than with no sense at all. Consumers are clever, they know what's online, and this is a really problem for retailers. The customer base is nomadic like a hobo and what attracts the hobo is the bright glittering light on the horizon and retailers are failing to offer that. Isn't what attracts the hobo a turning away from commercial consumption? That depends on how you define commercialism. At the moment people are spending their money on experiences: theatre, music, food, conviviality. To me, that's commercial and I'm not inclined to separate commerce and culture. As we continue to shop online we are going to expect more cultural experiences from our stores. Rousseau wrote about 19th-century department stores as places of education and imagination; places where someone could go to see the world brought to them. That's how we think about galleries and museums today and how we might think about department stores tomorrow. The Future Laboratory 2013 Australian Trend Briefings will be held in Melbourne on Thursday, February 14, and in Sydney on Tuesday, February 19. Go here for more details.
When a venue is called Winghaus, it's obvious what's on the menu. This chain doesn't just love chicken pieces, however; it also adores sport. So, with for the 2023 Women's World Cup, of course it's celebrating. On offer: games on the big screens, plus slivers of chook with inventive flavours based on the competing soccer squads. Head to the brand's sites — including its Brisbane CBD joint and in Bowen Hills — until Sunday, August 20 for the Winghaus Women's World Cup. Here, you'll feast your way through the football frenzy with chicken salt, maple bacon, salsa brava and curry ketchup wings, plus chimichurri, Korean barbecue, and Manuka honey and lemon. Can you pick which variety goes with which team? The chicken salt is in honour of the Matildas, of course. Ten countries are represented, also spanning the US, Germany, England, Canada, Brazil, South Korea, New Zealand, China and Spain. Prefer a vegetarian version? Cauliflower wings are on the menu as well — and, either way, you'll pay $16–19 for ten pieces, $29–32 for 20, $59–62 for 50 and $109–112 for 100.
When the Queensland Film Festival first launched four years ago, it aimed to fulfil a specific niche. With Brisbane's government-funded major film festival scrapped the year prior — seeing the long-running Brisbane International Film Festival become the short-lived Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival — some titles no longer made their way to the city's cinemas. That's where QFF came in. That was 2015. Much has changed since then; in fact, BAPFF is gone and BIFF is back, last year as a Palace-run event and this year overseen by the Gallery of Modern Art. But QFF is still programming films that Brisbanites mightn't have had the chance to see otherwise, as well as championing another worthy cause with its 2018 lineup. Boasting a statistic few other film festival around the world can claim, more than 80 percent of QFF's program is directed or co-directed by female filmmakers. From opening night's Australian double of Terror Nullius and Strange Colours, to a showcase dedicated to distinctive French filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, to festival circuit hits from the last year, women lead the charge at QFF 2018 — which runs from July 19 to 29 at New Farm Cinemas, Elizabeth Picture Theatre, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Institute of Modern Art. It's an astutely programmed lineup, and from the full selection of 59 features and shorts we've picked eight titles to add to your must-see list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONMbWj8u-RA LET THE CORPSES TAN If you've ever seen a feature by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, you'd know it. With an unflinchingly confident sense of their own style, the French duo make movies that not only tantalise the senses, but that value the art of filmmaking like few films do. That's evident in every gorgeously composed shot and energetically timed edit, as well as in each astonishingly precise sound and music cue. After the giallo-influenced Amer and The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears (the latter of which also boasts a superb title, clearly), the writer/directors return with a lurid nod to spaghetti westerns, telling a tale of gold-stealing thieves crossing paths with bohemian artists. Double-crosses and shootouts may litter the narrative — to a heightened extreme, in the first case — but, as always with Cattet and Forzani's work, there's no doubting the sheer artistic and filmmaking spectacle on display. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8oYYg75Qvg YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE After screening at Cannes in 2017 — and deservedly winning Joaquin Phoenix the festival's best actor award for his gut-wrenching performance — it has taken some time for You Were Never Really Here to make it to our shores. Don't worry, this exceptional film is completely worth the wait. It's also one of the best movies of this or any other year. The highly anticipated latest feature from We Need to Talk About Kevin's Lynne Ramsay, the dark effort follows Phoenix's Joe, an ex-soldier and FBI agent turned hitman who rescues children from sex trafficking rings. Unsurprisingly, it's a tense, bleak dive through the mindset of a man coping with several layers of trauma; however neither Ramsay or Phoenix put a foot wrong in a feature that dials up its intense revenge thrills to astounding levels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlrWRttLTkg THE RIDER All Brady Blackburn wants to do is hop back onto a horse. As a rodeo cowboy and gifted trainer, it's what he's compelled to do. Watching him struggle with life without his only passion makes for one of the year's most empathetic, soulful and heart-wrenching efforts, as Brady wades through the aftermath of an in-ring incident that almost killed him. Shot with lyrical images that find tenderness in Brady's story, suffering and situation, The Rider is also a case of art imitating life, with actor Brady Jandreau going through the same scenario himself after meeting writer-director Chloé Zhao back in 2015. Also starring members of Jandreau's family, the result is a contemporary western with a heart as big as America's sweeping plains — told with devastating intimacy, and making certain stars out of both the quietly-spoken, captivating Jandreau and second-time feature filmmaker Zhao. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=570quKmmSF4 CANIBA True crime documentaries might be having a moment, but there are few crimes like Issei Sagawa's — and few documentaries like Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel's Caniba. In 1981, Sagawa killed and ate one of his classmates at the Sorbonne in Paris, only to be declared insane and unfit for trial, then allowed to return to Japan. Filmed in the Tokyo home he shares with his brother and carer Jun, Castaing-Taylor and Paravel get so close to their notorious subject that often only parts of his scarred face fill the purposefully blurry and murky frame. That said, this isn't a film that repeatedly dissects the gory details of Sagawa's ghastly act, but one that's more concerned with his desires and what they indicate about human nature. Still, as the gruesome topic should made plain, this confronting and visceral Venice Film Festival award-winner isn't particularly easy viewing and definitely isn't for everyone, though it's endlessly fascinating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txrlcy2893Q ZAMA Nine years since making her last feature, Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel returns with an effort that matches her reputation: mythic. The acclaimed auteur takes on Antonio di Benedetto's 1956 Argentinean novel Zama to explore the story of an 18th-century Spanish magistrate — the Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Giménez Cacho) of the movie's title — who is stuck in a small South American town, desperately hoping for a transfer and quickly losing his grip on everything. The narrative has plenty to say about colonialism and class, using drama, comedy and tragedy to do so, though it's how Martel conveys its tale and themes that sears this inimitable movie into viewers' brains. As Zama's ideas of his own grandeur are chipped away moment by moment, Zama, the film, charts the opposite trajectory with its exquisite imagery, hypnotic rhythm and distinctive logic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dEksjpe0Ds CELIA Australian cinema is filled with stellar classic titles — films that engage, enthral, say something about our country and showcase the depth of our filmmaking talent. Sadly, the almost-forgotten Celia is rarely cited among such company, although it deserves to be celebrated as one of the best features we've ever had to offer. Set in 1957, its tale is dark, ominous and oh-so-telling as it blends small-town prejudices with fearful childhood imaginings. Written and directed by Ann Turner, the film focuses on an unhappy, grieving nine-year-old school girl (Rebecca Smart) surrounded by a community that's paranoid about communists and unwelcoming to pet rabbits. The kind of coming-of-age horror effort Australia rarely makes, it also looks glorious thanks to the new restoration by the National Film and Sound Archive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5er2UrcUhso AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL In his nearly four-hour debut feature, Chinese writer/director Hu Bo achieves what every filmmaker dreams of: a movie that assembles its parts in such an assured and astute way that changing even one element seems unthinkable. And it's not just the length of his first and only film that makes that such an impressive feat, but the command of tone, the naturalistic yet patient style, and the subject matter. Working with a story from one of his own novels, Hu weaves together intertwined slices of unhappy lives, following four figures miserable in their modern-day Chinese industrial town. Each is going through a particularly bleak day, and all are drawn to a story about an elephant that sits still and ignores the world around it. As a heartbreaking postscript that casts a shadow over every moment of his movie, the author-turned-filmmaker took his own life in October last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id1CwWogrXI DIAMANTINO The timing is certainly right for Diamantino, a Portuguese comedy that won the top prize in this year's Cannes Critics' Week with its over-the-top tale about a fictional soccer star. Alas, when the titular player (Carloto Cotta) loses the World Cup in the final's dying moments, his life becomes anarchic to say the least. He's soon adopting a refugee orphan who actually turns out to be an undercover agent trying to track down laundered money, and also being secretly cloned by the government so that Portugal can create an unbeatable soccer team. It's all as ridiculous as it sounds — but mostly entertainingly so — as first-time filmmakers Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt wholeheartedly commit to their premise, as well as to the accompanying farcical tone. Queensland Film Festival runs from July 19 to 29 at New Farm Cinemas, Elizabeth Picture Theatre, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Institute of Modern Art. To view the full program or buy tickets, head to the festival website.
Calling all sleuths of Melbourne — and of Brisbane, too. If you haven't fulfilled your murder-mystery fix on the big and small screens over the past few years, then you'd best make a theatre date with the world's longest-running play. Here are three questions for you to solve before you get there: what is it, who wrote it and when is it coming your way? The answers: The Mousetrap, the one and only Agatha Christie, and this November in Brisbane — and next February in Melbourne, after first hitting up Sydney from October. Initially premiering in London's West End in 1952, The Mousetrap has been treading the boards in the UK ever since, only pausing during to pandemic venue closures. When theatres reopened in Britain, so did the show. Indeed, when it makes its way to Sydney's Theatre Royal from October, The Mousetrap will do so 70 years to the month that it first debuted. Unsurprisingly, that hefty run means that the show has enjoyed the longest stint for any West End production, and for any play anywhere in the world. So far, there's been more than 28,500 London performances. To answer the other obvious question, yes, it's a whodunnit. The murder-mystery starts with news of a killing in London — and with seven people snowed in at a guest house in the country. They're strangers, which is classic Christie. When a police sergeant arrives on skis, they're told that the murderer is among them (which, again, is vintage Christie). They all have wild pasts, too, and all those details are spilled as they're interrogated, and also try to work out who among them is the killer. Those guests at Monkswell Manor include a pair of newlyweds who run the house, a spinster, an architect who is handy in the kitchen, a retired Army major, a man who says his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist. Naturally, there's another death as they'e all puzzling it over — and a twist conclusion, which audiences have been requested not to reveal after leaving the theatre for seven decades now. Again, it's all Christie all over, which'll be evident if you've seen the recent film versions of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile — or the original cinema adaptations, or read the books, or devoured anything else that Christie ever wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Mousetrap Australia (@themousetrapau) The Mousetrap originated as a short radio play, which was written as a birthday present for Queen Mary. It aired in 1947 under the name Three Blind Mice, after which Christie rewrote it as a short story, then adapted it again for the stage as The Mousetrap. And no, there isn't a movie of it — because Christie stipulated that it can't leap to the screen until at least six months after the West End production closes. Clearly, that hasn't happened yet. In Australia, the play will hit the stage with Robyn Nevin directing and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia producing. Cast-wise, Anna O'Byrne (My Fair Lady, Love Never Dies) will play Mollie Ralston, who owns Monkswell Manor, and Alex Rathgeber (Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) will play Giles Ralston, Mollie's husband. Also set to feature: Laurence Boxhall (As You Like It, Jumpy) as Christopher Wren, a young guest; Geraldine Turner (Present Laughter, Don's Party) as Mrs Boyle, a former magistrate; Adam Murphy (Shakespeare in Love, Aladdin), as retired British military officer Major Metcalf; and debutant Charlotte Friels as the aloof Miss Casewell. Gerry Connolly (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) will pop up, too, as unexpected guest Mr Paravicini, and Tom Conroy (Jasper Jones, My Brilliant Career) will play Detective Sergeant Trotter. THE MOUSETRAP AUSTRALIAN 2022–23 SEASON: From Saturday, October 8, 2022 — Theatre Royal Sydney From Thursday, November 3, 2022 — QPAC, Brisbane From Friday, February 17, 2023 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap will play Sydney's Theatre Royal from Saturday, October 8, 2022, then head to QPAC in Brisbane from Thursday, November 3, 2022 and to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from Friday, February 17, 2023. Tickets for the Brisbane shows start pre-sales from Wednesday, August 24 and general sales from Friday, August 26, while tickets for Melbourne start pre-sales from Wednesday, September 7 and general sales from Friday, September 9. For further details, head to the play's website. Top image: Matt Crockett.
The group chat is blowing up with TGIF memes, the rosé is chilling in the fridge and everyone in your crew has a free Friday night for the first time in what seems like forever. You've decided to treat yourselves to a TV marathon over said rosé, plus a takeaway feast and a side of popcorn for good measure. The only question: what on earth is everyone going to eat? You want something tasty (obvs) but you also want it to be local, fresh and served hot (or cold, depending on your order) upon delivery. Lucky for you, DoorDash has every corner of Brisbane covered with fast delivery from your favourite restaurants. This means you can feast with the whole crew without missing out on the crucial plot points — like every time Ross says "we were on a break".
Online shopping, like Zoom meetings, trying new cooking projects and watching every single thing you can on every single streaming platform, has been a big part of 2020. But if you've been spending your time at home browsing for and buying clothes, you might've noticed that you couldn't purchase anything from Swedish retail giant H&M — because, although it has had bricks-and-mortar shops in Australia for years, it hadn't yet launched its online store on our shores. The key word in that last sentence is 'yet', because H&M have just this week started selling its fashion items online to Aussie customers. You can now head to the company's website and peruse its range of women's, men's and kids' clothing — whether you're in need of some new threads to lounge around in while the world is still returning to normal, or a fresh outfit for your next trip out of the house. https://twitter.com/hmaustralia/status/1318306696536543232 As part of the launch, H&M is also giving customers 20 percent off one purchase if you join its new, free membership program. You'll score the discount online or, if there's a store near you and it's currently open, you can redeem it in-person as well — with the offer available until Sunday, November 1. Members also receive free shipping for orders over $60, and free returns as well. And if you'd rather do your online browsing from your phone, H&M's Australian online store is also available via its app. To shop H&M's online store in Australia, visit the retailer's website or download its app. Top image: ©2014 Rocket Mattler.
A River Without Banks is a wholly drawing exhibition which questions and expands upon the medium while also celebrating the fluidity and precision that drawing allows its masters. There is a certain realism that drawing affords an artist, while also the freedom to construct an image so distanced from reality. Philosophy meets interactivity as works ranging from small sketches to installation pieces fill the exhibition. Featured artists include Tom Brooks, Christopher Handran, Charie Hillhouse, Luke Kidd, Carly Scoufos and Tachika Yokota. The exhibition itself will run until the 14th of December; however, the opening night celebrations will take place on December 6th from 6pm. This exhibition is supported by Media Art Asia Pacific, who facilitate critical ideas, spaces and contexts within art, across Australia and the Asia Pacific regions.
When Super Mario Kart first rolled onto Super Nintendo consoles back in 1992, it came with 20 inventive courses and endless hours of fun. Nearly three decades later, the game has become a beloved phenomenon — not just speeding through desert tracks and rainbow roads, but onto Google Maps and mobile phones, and also into reality. The hugely popular game's next stop? Theme parks. Although an exact opening date hasn't yet been announced — and its launch has already been pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic — in 2021 you'll be able to enjoy a real-life Mario Kart experience as part of the first-ever Super Nintendo World. Initially announced back in 2017, the new site is joining Universal Studios in Osaka, with the park revealing this month that it'll open its latest addition early in the new year. Just what Super Nintendo World will entail has been a source of mystery over the past few years, but more and more details are slowly being unveiled. Yes, Mario Kart features as part of a new ride, with Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative and Vice Chairman Universal Parks & Resorts, calling the racing component "a new kind of attraction". Exactly what that means is yet to be revealed; however, it's safe to assume that fans will be able to strap into some kind of moving kart. What else could a Mario Kart ride feature? [caption id="attachment_785957" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Universal Studios Japan[/caption] Osaka's Super Nintendo World will also take over multiple levels — fitting for a gaming-themed space — and recreate the brand's popular characters and themes, complete with other rides, restaurants and shops. A certain highlight: the world's first Mario cafe, which is actually launching this week, on Friday, October 16, ahead of the rest of the site. Here, patrons will be surrounded by oversized Mario and Luigi hat sculptures, the whole space will be kitted out with a red and green colour scheme, and Mario Kart-style checkered floors will be a feature. As for what you'll be snacking on, there'll be Mario pancake sandwiches and cream sodas, plus other drinks available in 'super mushroom' souvenir bottles. Basically, in general around the venue, you can expect Mario and Mario-related characters to pop up often — with Universal Studios confirming that it'll boast a Yoshi ride, a Mushroom Kingdom, Peach's Castle and Bowser's Castle. "Think of Super Nintendo World as a life-size, living video game where you become one of the characters," explained Thierry Coup, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Universal Creative. "You're not just playing the game; you're living the game, you're living the adventure." With that in mind, the theme park will introduce wearable wrist bands, called Power Up Bands — which'll connect to a special app and allow patrons to interact with the site using their arms, hands and bodies. That mightn't sound all that exciting, but the bands will enable you to collect coins just like Mario does in the Super Mario games. Like the red-capped plumber, you'll also be able to hit question blocks to do reveal more coins. And there'll be collectible items to gather, such as character stamps, which you'll find after achieving various goals. The stamps will also earn you even more coins — so you really will be basically playing Super Mario in real life. You will have to buy a Power Up Band separate to your entry ticket to enjoy that element of the park, though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKCqJ8llKuA While it doesn't give away a whole lot, Universal Studios previously released a new Super Nintendo World song and music video with Charli XCX and Galantis, which they say "showcases the activities based on the real and interactive experiences available at Super Nintendo World". For now, all other specifics remain sparse; however, given that Nintendo's game stable includes everything from Donkey Kong to Tetris and The Legend of Zelda, there's plenty more to play with. Our suggestions: real-life Tetris, where you move bricks around in person, or a Donkey Kong water ride that uses the game's iconic aquatic music. While no one is travelling far at present, Universal Studios is also planning Super Nintendo Worlds for its other parks in Hollywood, Orlando and in Singapore — if you need to add more places to your must-visit list when international tourism starts returning to normal. The latter was just announced last year, and is set to open by 2025. Super Nintendo World is slated to open at Universal Studios Osaka in early 2021 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Top image: Super Nintendo World 'We Are Born to Play' by Galantis ft. Charli XCX.
Thanks to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child gracing both the stage and the page, and the film adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them making its way to movie screens, 2016 has offered plenty of opportunities to step back into the magical world of everyone's favourite wizard. Of course, there's a difference between eagerly heading to the theatre, ripping through a book or rushing off to the cinema, and entering a real-life Hogwarts-style school. HP fans, you might want to book a flight to Utah. Blackburn Academy of the Magical Arts is the passion project of Springville artist Benjamin Lee Roche, as inspired by J.K. Rowling's finest creations. And, as he puts the finishing touches on the kind of Harry Potter-themed home makeover that even the most enchanted among us would need an army of house elves to pull off, he's opened the abode's Gryffindor-centric bedroom to Airbnb travellers. Yes, you can spend a night or several in a room decked out like a cross between the Gryffindor common room and Harry Potter's dorm room — and you won't even have to exclaim "alohomora!" to get in. You'll also be able to access what's described as "an immersive environment meant to inspire imagination," complete with "multiple exotic animals that are available to see and potentially interact with". Decor-wise, the house includes hanging candles to mimic Hogwarts' Great Hall, as well as spaces dedicated to different magical arts. In addition to Airbnb bookings, it's currently open for tours and parties, with actual classes teaching divination, potions, calligraphy, care of magical creatures and more on the horizon. Via Daily Herald.
Renowned Aussie gin distillery Four Pillars is at it again, with a brand-new creation headed soon to our bottle shop shelves. You're familiar with the label's cult favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin, which sells out like fire with each new year's release, right? Well, the team's calling this newcomer their finest creation since that purple-hued icon first launched back in 2016. So, break out some martini glasses and let the excitement begin. The soon-to-launch Olive Leaf Gin has already earned itself some hype, having nabbed a gold medal from the 2020 World Spirits Competition held in San Francisco in March. Now, it's gearing up for a proper Aussie debut, with a fitting early September release date happening just in time for your spring cocktail quaffing sessions. This one's an all-natural savoury gin, crafted using cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and three different varieties of olive leaf, all harvested from the legendary Cobram Estate. There are plenty of classic Australian botanicals in there to round out the fun, too, including lemon myrtle, macadamia, fresh lemon and grapefruit. [caption id="attachment_780046" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Benito Martin[/caption] Four Pillars' experts reckon the Olive Leaf Gin goes alright alongside some rosemary and lemon in a Spanish-style gin and tonic. But of course, with all that savoury, olive-infused goodness, this drop's true calling is in a nice, cold martini. Co-Founder and Distiller Cam Mackenzie recommends putting 60 millilitres of it to work in a gibson, stirred down with ten millilitres of both dry vermouth and dry sherry, and garnished with a couple of cocktail onions. Four Pillars Olive Leaf Gin will be available across Australia from early September. You can nab a 700-millilitre bottle for $85. Images: Benito Martin
Whilst Splendour may not be an option like last weekend, you can still enjoy the ear candy on offer this week from the likes of HAIM, Dive In and Horroshow. 1. 'The Wire' - HAIM HAIM have perfected the art of teasing. The L.A. sisters have been one of the most deservedly hyped bands of 2013, having delivered last year's treats including 'Falling' and 'Forever'. Everyone is waiting for the (hopefully) imminent announcement of their first full album, and whilst on our shores for Splendour in the Grass last weekend they released 'The Wire', suggesting the time is nigh and that it will be everything we hoped for and more. 'The Wire' begins slowly as all the band's songs generally do, but it builds into a layer of harmonies and strong beats that will have you putting this on repeat for weeks. 2. 'Let Go' - Dive In This UK foursome from Glastonbury are relatively unknown, not even cracking 500 likes on Facebook yet. However, if they keep serving up audio meals like 'Let Go' then they could soon be playing their hometown festival sooner rather than later. With pop hooks plucked straight from the '80s, this is a song for all seasons and occasions. 3. 'Hearts Like Ours' - The Naked & Famous The New Zealand electro-pop band is back. After touring their debut album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, globally for two years, they sat down and recorded their much-anticipated follow-up In Rolling Waves, due for release September 13. Luckily they have given us 'Hearts Like Ours' to tide us over until then, a sprightly single with a mammoth chorus, a formula now synonymous with the band. Expect to hear this track on every summer-related television commercial later this year. 4. 'All Night' - Icona Pop The emerging Swedish queens of pop anthems are at it again. After their smash hit 'I Love It' received worldwide acclaim, they have now treated all of us to their next production set to take over party playlists, 'All Night'. This song will literally keep anyone and everyone dancing all night long with its simple beat carrying the infectious melody all the way through to the morning where you can look forward to their new album This Is...Icona Pop dropping on September 24. 5. 'Unfair Lottery' - Horrorshow Aussie hip hop heroes Horrorshow have been hard at work the past few years. The boys from Sydney's inner west have been busy touring the country, sometimes by themselves and sometimes alongside their musical brothers in Spit Syndicate and Jackie Onassis, and all of this has meant fans have had to wait almost four years for a new album. However, today saw Kings Amongst Many hit stands and 'Unfair Lottery' is the leading track, giving a lesson in lyricism to all ready to listen.
Penélope Cruz didn't score an Oscar this year for Parallel Mothers. Her husband Javier Bardem didn't win one for Being the Ricardos, either. And, just a couple of years ago, Antonio Banderas also didn't nab a shiny Academy Award for Pain and Glory — but the three acclaimed actors are all winners at the 2022 Spanish Film Festival. The annual cinema showcase spotlights not just Spanish but also Latin American cinema, and it's back for another Aussie tour throughout April and May — hitting up Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from Thursday, April 28–Wednesday, May 18. On the bill: 34 movies that hail from both regions, or tie into them in one way or another, including several with Cruz, Bardem and or Banderas at their centre. Kickstarting this year's Spanish Film Festival with the Cruz- and Banderas-starring Official Competition must've been the easiest programming choice in the fest's history. A filmmaking satire, it casts Cruz as a famous director entrusted to bring a Nobel Prize-winning novel about sibling rivalry to the screen, and enlists Banderas as a Hollywood heartthrob. Throw all of that together and it's clearly film festival catnip, as the movie's berths at overseas fests such as Venice, Toronto and San Sebastián have already shown — and it'll enjoy its Australia premiere as the Spanish Film Festival's opening night pick. The aforementioned — and sublime — Parallel Mothers is also on the lineup after releasing in Aussie cinemas earlier this year, if you missed it then. And, so are two Cruz-Bardem collaborations: Jamón Jamón, the pair's first film together, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2022, and 2017's Loving Pablo, which sees Bardem play Pablo Escobar. Of course, the Spanish Film Festival spans plenty of movies that don't star Spanish cinema's best-known acting names, too — with 2022 Goya-winning political drama Maixabel, fellow Goya-recipient Mediterráneo: The Law of the Sea, psychological horror flick The House of Snails, road-movie comedy Carpoolers, and the coming-of-age-focused Once Upon a Time in Euskadi also on the program. Or, there's Girlfriends, about childhood pals reuniting; dramatic thriller The Daughter, which hones in on a pregnant teen; mother-daughter drama Ama; the Himalayas-set Beyond the Summit; and The Cover, about a pop star impersonator. From the Cine Latino strand, ten films hail from the likes of Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic — including rom-com The Big Love Picture, thriller Immersion, the footballer-centric 9 and Goya-winner (yes, another one) Forgotten We'll Be. Plus, the lineup also includes Language Lessons, which is directed by and starring Natalie Morales (The Little Things), and also features Mark Duplass (Bombshell) — with the pair navigating an online setup to play a Spanish teacher and her student. And, there's sessions of the Spanish-language version of Disney's Encanto as well.
When Super Mario Kart first rolled onto Super Nintendo consoles back in 1992, it came with 20 inventive courses and endless hours of fun. Nearly three decades later, the game has become a beloved phenomenon — not just speeding through desert tracks and rainbow roads, but onto Google Maps and mobile phones, and also into reality. The hugely popular game's next stop? Theme parks. Although an exact opening date hasn't yet been announced, by July this year you'll be able to enjoy a real-life Mario Kart experience as part of the first-ever Super Nintendo World. Initially announced back in 2017, the new site is joining Universal Studios in Osaka — and it's due to launch before this year's Tokyo Olympics, which run from July 24–August 9. Just what Super Nintendo World will entail has been a source of mystery over the past few years, but details are slowly being unveiled. Yes, Mario Kart features as part of a new ride, with Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative and Vice Chairman Universal Parks & Resorts, calling the racing component "a new kind of attraction". Exactly what that means is yet to be revealed; however it's safe to assume that fans will be able to strap into some kind of moving kart. What else could a Mario Kart ride feature? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKCqJ8llKuA Osaka's Super Nintendo World will also take over multiple levels — fitting for a gaming-themed space — and recreate the brand's popular characters and themes, complete with other rides, restaurants and shops. Expect Mario and Mario-related characters to feature heavily, with Universal Studios confirming that it'll boast a Yoshi ride, a Mushroom Kingdom, Peach's Castle and Bowser's Castle. "Think of Super Nintendo World as a life-size, living video game where you become one of the characters," explained Thierry Coup, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Universal Creative. "You're not just playing the game; you're living the game, you're living the adventure." With that in mind, the theme park will introduce wearable wrist bands, called Power Up Bands — which'll connect to a special app and allow patrons to interact with the site using their arms, hands and bodies. That mightn't sound all that exciting, but the bands will enable you to collect coins just like Mario does in the Super Mario games. Like the red-capped plumber, you'll also be able to hit question blocks to do reveal more coins. And there'll be collectible items to gather, such as character stamps, which you'll find after achieving various goals. The stamps will also earn you even more coins — so you really will be basically playing Super Mario in real life. You will have to buy a Power Up Band separate to your entry ticket to enjoy that element of the park, though. While it doesn't give away a whole lot, Universal Studios has also released a new Super Nintendo World song and music video with Charli XCX and Galantis, which they say "showcases the activities based on the real and interactive experiences available at Super Nintendo World". For now, all other specifics remain sparse; however given that Nintendo's game stable includes everything from Donkey Kong to Tetris and The Legend of Zelda, there's plenty more to play with. Our suggestions: real-life Tetris, where you move bricks around in person, or a Donkey Kong water ride that uses the game's iconic aquatic music. Can't make it to Japan any time soon? Universal Studios is also planning Super Nintendo Worlds for its other parks in Hollywood, Orlando and in Singapore. The latter was just announced last year, and is set to open by 2025. When Super Nintendo World launches at Universal Studios Osaka, it'll join Japan's growing list of pop culture-themed attractions — including the towering Godzilla and Gundam statues, a forthcoming Godzilla attraction that you'll be able to zipline into, the existing Studio Ghibli Museum, the in-progress Studio Ghibli theme park, Tokyo Disney Resort in general and the Japanese park's upcoming Toy Story hotel, to name just a few. On the international theme park scene, it's also a great time to live out your love for your favourite films, shows and games. As well as all of the above, both Walt Disney World and Disneyland in the US opened Star Wars theme park zones last year, a Star Wars hotel is also coming to Walt Disney World in 2021, and a Marvel hotel is slated for Disneyland Paris. Super Nintendo World is slated to open at Universal Studios Osaka in July 2020. Top image: Super Nintendo World 'We Are Born to Play' by Galantis ft. Charli XCX.
The settings vary, and the motley crew of characters involved, too, but many whodunnits share the same premise. Take a ragtag group of folks, pop them all in the same spot, kill one off and then start asking questions — that's it, that's the formula. It works for boardgame Cluedo, it worked for Agatha Christie and her lengthy list of Hercule Poirot novels and stories, and it's also been behind everything from Knives Out and The Translators to Only Murders in the Building in the past few years. So, when Apple TV+'s new murder-mystery series The Afterparty kicks off, it's familiar by design, but this streaming bash is just getting started. Adding a new comic sleuthing series to your queue, and filling that Only Murders-shaped hole in your life, this eight-part show sports a killer cast: Sam Richardson (Detroiters), Ben Schwartz (Space Force), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Dave Franco (If Beale Street Could Talk), Tiffany Haddish (The Card Counter), Jamie Demetriou (The Great) and John Early (Search Party). It's also home to a savvy spin on its oft-used scenario. Rather than skewering true-crime podcasting, this quickly addictive comedy from writer/director Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) toys with a basic truth. We all know that every tale differs depending on the perspective, so The Afterparty has fun with the idea. Of course, whodunnits always hinge upon this exact fact, as many an interrogation scene has demonstrated. Miller has also clearly seen iconic Japanese film Rashomon, which is famed for baking the notion into its whole story. And, considering that The Afterparty's big murder takes place after a school function, there's a touch of Big Little Lies at play here as well. That said, with his directing partner Phil Lord, Miller has made a career out of getting smart and funny with familiar parts (see also: 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, plus Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs). That's firmly still the case with his latest venture into TV, following writing for How I Met Your Mother, directing the pilot of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and executive producing The Last Man on Earth. The Afterparty's setup: at the afterparty (obviously) following his 15-year high-school reunion, obnoxious autotune-abusing pop star Xavier (Franco) winds up dead on the rocks beneath his lavish mansion. Everyone is shocked but no one is overly upset, which gives determined Detective Danner (Haddish) plenty of suspects. With her partner Culp (Early), she starts grilling Xavier's former classmates one by one to find out who's responsible, with most of the show's episodes dedicated to a different person. The interrogations begin with the sensible Aniq (the always-great Richardson), who was hoping to finally make a move on his schoolyard crush Zoe (Chao), only for his night to get sidetracked well before anyone got murderous. After Aniq's version of events, Danner hears from Zoe's macho ex Brett (Barinholtz) in The Afterparty's second episode, which takes the show further into the couple's seemingly chalk-and-cheese — and now very much over — marriage. Next comes Aniq's best bud Yasper (Schwartz, riffing on Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio without being quite as ridiculous) and his dreams of leveraging his connection with Xavier, who he used to be in a ska band with, to launch his own music career. The fourth episode focuses on Chelsea (Glazer), who has been the class outcast since a high-school scandal. And, in the fifth, those teenage days get their time in the spotlight. Miller doesn't just switch between perspectives episode by episode, or give most of his well-known cast their moments to shine — a task that Richardson, Barinholtz, Schwartz and Glazer are all up to, and Chao and Haddish in the series' sixth and seventh episodes, too. He also styles each of The Afterparty's chapters after a different genre, so the show filters its sleuthing comedy through rom-com tropes, action-movie conventions and musical flourishes (yes, that's Schwartz's High School Musical-esque focus episode). Psychological thrillers also get a look in, as do teen party flicks. The list goes on. Whodunnits have long played with other genres, but Miller's addition to the fold layers them all together like a murder-mystery onion. The cast is top-notch. The writing is clever. Surprises arrive frequently, and the throwaway gags — including the jokes involving Xavier's film career, cameos from other famous faces and magnificent 80s yacht-rock references included — are simply glorious. If Apple TV+ wasn't dropping episodes weekly following the show's initial three-chapter launch, The Afterparty would be an easy binge, although going the week-to-week route extends the fun. There's also a great time to be had with the series' genre- and viewpoint-bending touches, which help the show twist in its own directions, tell its tale with flair and approach its entire premise with a savvy sense of humour. Bringing is own vibe to the murder-mystery party, this is one streaming shindig well worth attending. Check out the trailer below: The first five episodes of The Afterparty are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new instalments dropping weekly.
If you're the type of traveller who chooses their hotels for the perks and extra inclusions, then you might want to put Tasmania's newest place to stay on your radar. Mövenpick Hotel Hobart marks the Swiss brand's first site in Australia — and if either the chain's name or its country of origin have you thinking of sweet treats, yes, they're part of the hotel's offering. Between 4–5pm daily, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart celebrates chocolate hour. That's when you'll receive a free dessert — such as an eclair, brownie or truffle — when you purchase a chocolate-flavoured cocktail, mocktail or affogato. If you fancy tucking into something sweet at another time of day, you'll also be able to book in for a chocolate-tasting package. And, Mövenpick's hotels serve the brand's line of food and beverages, which means that Mövenpick ice cream is on the menu as well. One of more than 80 of the chain's sites worldwide, Mövenpick Hotel Hobart also boasts 221 guest rooms across levels three to 18 — because you need somewhere to enjoy its sweets. Located near the city's waterfront, the venue has been decked out with nature design-inspired interiors that take inspiration from Tasmania, with Jaws Architects doing the honours. Think: wall panelling, furniture, fabrics and colours that have all been selected to the local landscape. For guests in the mood for more than just chocolate, cocktails and ice cream, the hotel is home to Tesoro Modern Italian restaurant, and also has a big focus on nutritious breakfasts. You can start your day with a shot of juice or yoghurt blended with fresh fruit and vegetables, or with other health-focused dishes. Facilities-wise, there's also a function space that can cater for up to 100 people and a gym — and, inside some guest rooms, you'll be treated to panoramic views over Hobart, too. Find Mövenpick Hotel Hobart at 28 Elizabeth Street, Hobart — and head to the chain's website for bookings and other information.
It's an interesting experience to watch a film when you know exactly how it's going to end. And when that end is tragedy, it's more interesting still. In the case of Fruitvale Station, Ryan Coogler's debut feature film, we're aware from the word go that the film culminates in the fatal shooting of a young man. Don't fret, it's not a spoiler: the movie opens with the camera phone footage of the shooting captured by witnesses. It's an interesting way to open the film, as you become instantly aware of the gravity of the movie. You have just witnessed a man die, and you are about to see why. Twenty-two-year-old Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) was shot in the back by police officers in the early hours of New Year's Day, 2009, and Fruitvale Station lays out his final hours. The film tracks Grant's relationships with the major players in his life — his mother, his girlfriend, his daughter. The audience is allowed, in a somewhat voyeuristic way, to look into the life of a regular guy. A life that ends up being cut far too short. The film itself is beautifully made. It's filmed entirely with a handheld camera (much like another Sundance Winner, Beasts of the Southern Wild), which adds to the effect of the audience bearing witness to a life, not a story. The camerawork also mimics the actual footage at the start of the film, lending a certain truthfulness to the entire piece. The score is played down and sombre, and so doesn't detract from the dialogue, the plot and the actors at all, while still building a mood of dull dread. The actors are phenomenal, with Jordan (from The Wire and Friday Night Lights) tenaciously capturing the character of a young man yearning for a second chance. In support, The Help's Octavia Spencer is the perfect picture of a concerned and loving mother, and 29-year-old indie star Melonie Diaz is beautifully heartbreaking as Grant's girlfriend, Sophina. The film was produced by screen legend Forest Whitaker and has cleaned up on the awards circuit, including taking out the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The events that transpired at Fruitvale Station featured heavily in the US headlines, detailing the questionably unsubstantiated murder of a young man by law enforcement officers. Oscar Grant's death was a terrible tragedy, and Fruitvale Station carries that emotion onto the silver screen. A film of unmet redemption, it's a stunningly made, deeply emotional story that will have you glued to your seat and, perhaps, wiping away tears. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ceVVVils8z4
Known for their explosive sound and film clip spews, DZ Deathrays have gone from dirty Brisbane garage duo to playing some of the most lucrative high profile support and festival slots both in Australia and overseas. They’ve even been named the 4th most exciting new act of 2012 by NME, an incredible tick of approval from the music makers and breakers. Returning home to Australia in early November 2011 after a gruelling touring schedule, the pair ventured into the studio to record their debut LP with Richard Pike (PVT) and Neil Coombe at the White Room Studios in Mt Nebo. The 13 track Bloodstreams LP has now been released to the masses and the guys are taking it on the road. As part of the tour DZ Deathrays head home to Brisbane to headline The Zoo. Supported by local party collective, Velociraptor. This 12-piece group not only play infectious pop, but actually also feature DZ’s Shane and Simon as part of their gang. Apparently DZ are moving abroad for good, so don't miss this chance to see them on local soil becuase they may not be back for a while. You wont regret partying with this insanely high-energy duo.
If you firmly believe that you can never have too much Idris Elba, then you have most of the planet for company. Right now, the Hijack-watching world and streaming service Apple TV+ are also firmly in that camp. After the British actor's high-octane thriller series hit the small screen in 2023 and swiftly hooked viewers, the platform has announced that it will return for a second season. And yes, Elba will be back — although what'll be testing his negotiation skills this time is yet to be revealed. In its first season, Hijack featured the Beast, Three Thousand Years of Longing and Luther talent as Sam Nelson, a veteran negotiator who was on his way home to the UK from Dubai when terrorists took over the flight. Accordingly, it was up to the actor that everyone would like to see as 007 tries to try to get everyone to their destination safely, all in a series that took place in real time. Nelson's onboard tasks switched from relaxing in the air to trying to talk his captors down, let authorities on the ground know what was happening and minimising casualties. If you're not only thinking about Bond but also 24, that's the right wheelhouse. And yes, non-stop tension does go down smoother when Elba is looking calm and collected under pressure, a fact that helped make the series one of Apple TV+ most-popular dramas last year. Created by Criminal's George Kay and Jim Field Smith — with Kay also behind Lupin — Hijack's first season also boasted Elba as an executive producer, a role that he'll retain again when it returns for its second season. Field Smith will again be the show's lead director as well. "I was floored by the overwhelming audience response after season one. It's top secret what new situation unfolds for Sam Nelson but I can assure you we will bring the high-octane back!" said Elba, announcing the show's renewal. Alongside the show's storyline for its second season, when Hijack will return hasn't yet been announced, and neither have any co-stars that'll feature opposite the series' The Harder They Fall, Fast and Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, The Suicide Squad and Thor: Ragnarok alum leading man. Fingers crossed that whatever the scenario, and whoever else features on-screen, another quickly addictive nail-biter results, even if you'd expect that it won't focus on Idris Elba on a plane again. Check out the trailer for Hijack season one below: Hijack streams via Apple TV+ — and season two doesn't yet have a release date. Read our full review of season one.
Into every few years, reports of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer comeback are born. Five years ago, a Buffy spinoff was in the works, for instance; however, like an undead bloodsucker and making daytime plans, nothing happened. But the just-announced Slayers: A Buffyverse Story is different. In fact, it's due to arrive within weeks, in mid-October. And, it's getting a heap of the show's original cast back together. Audible is behind the new entry in the Buffy realm — which, yes, means that it's arriving as audio only, not a new season of the beloved television show or a movie. But more Buffy is more Buffy. Also, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story has a fangtastic point of focus: bleached-blonde vampire Spike, with James Marsters (Runaways) returning to the role. Dropping on Thursday, October 12, the Audible original is the first ever to be set in the Buffy universe. Yes, everything in pop culture is a universe these days. This will jump into the leather-loving vamp's tale ten years after the events seen in Buffy the Vampire Slayer's final episode. Of course, fans will know that Spike's story also already took him over to TV spinoff Angel, too. Joining Marsters for Slayers: A Buffyverse Story is a who's who of Buffy stars, even if Sarah Michelle Gellar (Wolf Pack) isn't one of them. Nor are Alyson Hannigan (Office Race), David Boreanaz (SEAL Team), Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl) or Alexis Denisof (How I Met Your Father). That said, Charisma Carpenter (Going Home) is back as Cordelia, Anthony Head (Ted Lasso) as Giles, Juliet Landau (Claws) as Drusilla, Emma Caulfield Ford (WandaVision) as Anya and Amber Benson (The Nightmare Gallery) as Tara. Benson also co-wrote and co-directed the Audible original, scripting with Christopher Golden (who has penned a number of Buffy books), and helming with both Golden and Kc Wayland (the We're Alive podcast franchise). Danny Strong (Billions) is back as Jonathan as well, plus James Charles Leary (A Room Full of Nothing) as Clem. Slayers: A Buffyverse Story will also bring Laya DeLeon Hayes (The Equalizer) into the Buffy fold as 16-year-old slayer Indira Nunnally. With their ten-years-later tale, Benson and Golden have penned a story about Spike in Los Angeles, where he's pretending to be evil but it's just a cover. Then Indira blows the ruse, leaving Spike to both mind her and try to find her a watcher. The reason there's no Buffy Summers? Slayers: A Buffyverse Story also brings in parallel realm where Cordelia is the only slayer. And her big bad? That's where Drusilla comes in. "I'm ecstatic to be back with my dear friends for this next chapter in the Buffyverse, as we take listeners on a familiar but unexpected journey chock full of horror, passion and mischief," said Marsters, announcing Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. "I'm excited for old and new fans to experience this beloved world of vampire slaying like never before, brought to life through immersive audio storytelling." The latest Buffy chapter comes after not just the seven-season series that aired from 1997–2003, or spinoff Angel, but also the 1992 movie of the same name before them. There's no trailer for Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, but you can get a blast from the past with the TV series trailers above and below: Slayers: A Buffyverse Story will be available to listen to via Audible on Thursday, October 12.
In 2017, one filmmaker had viewers around the world swooning. From the moment that Luca Guadagnino's big-screen adaptation of Andre Aciman's Call Me By Your Name premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and then the Berlinale, it wowed audiences, made a star out of Timothée Chalamet and had everyone talking about Armie Hammer's dancing skills. So the news that the acclaimed director is serving up another Italy-set coming-of-age drama is firmly — and understandably — cause for excitement. This time, Guadagnino is doing so on the small screen, courtesy of new HBO mini-series We Are Who We Are. It's set in 2016, and follows two American teenagers living on a US military base with their parents. Jack Dylan Grazer (IT: Chapter Two) stars as 14-year-old Fraser Wilson, a new arrival from New York with his mothers Sarah (Chloë Sevigny, Queen & Slim) and Maggie (Alice Braga, The New Mutants) — while first-timer Jordan Kristine Seamón plays Caitlin Poythress, a veteran of living on the base with her older brother Danny (Spence Moore II, AP Bio), father Richard (Scott Mescudi, aka Bill & Ted Face the Music's Kid Cudi) and mother Jenny (Faith Alabi, Cold Feet). Also featured in this eight-episode tale of friendship, teen angst, first love and finding one's identity are Francesca Scorsese (daughter of iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese), Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier (Synonyms) and Sebastiano Pigazzi — with the cast blending well-known names and faces with plenty of newcomers. We Are Who We Are started airing in the US back in September, which is when SBS revealed it would be screening it, too — via SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand. Now, the Aussie broadcaster has announced just when the show will make its local debut, screening weekly on TV from 9.30pm on Tuesday, November 3 and dropping the entire season online at the same time. If you're in the need of a virtual trip to Northern Italy, as directed by the filmmaker also behind I Am Love, A Bigger Splash and the 2018 Suspiria remake — and co-written by Guadagnino with Paolo Giordano (The Solitude of Prime Numbers) and Francesca Manieri (Daughter of Mine) — then add this to your future must-watch list. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VAQ6LdnKs&feature=emb_logo We Are Who We Are will screen on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand from November, airing weekly on TV from 9.30pm on Tuesday, November 3 and dropping its entire season online at the same time. Top image: Yannis Drakoulidis/HBO.
Everyone has a favourite Roald Dahl book, and there are so many great ones to choose from: Matilda, the Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and amongst the very top favourites has to be James and the Giant Peach! Now, instead of just reading and imagining this glorious story, you can see it all brought to life on stage by Harvest Rain Theatre Company at QPAC! To recap the story of James, his parents are tragically killed and so James is sent to live with his awful Aunts, Spiker and Sponge. James thinks he is trapped, until one day he meets an old man who gives him a bag full of magic, which James accidentally spills near a peach tree and so begins his sea adventures aboard a giant peach. James makes friends with his peach inhabiting neighbours, Centipede, Earthworm, Grasshopper, Spider, and Ladybird, and together they head for New York and a host of new adventures. This will be a super fun production for kids, but also for all of the older ones amongst us who simply loved the imagination of Roald Dahl’s books as children. Belinda Heit, Sandro Collarelli and Dash Kruck are amongst the fantastic cast; basically with these guys leading the way, it is sure to refresh your memory in style. Get on board the peach and off we go!
Grocery shopping with Grandma just got real serious. It has just been announced that infrared shopping trolleys will be introduced at IGA stores in Brisbane in February, following successful trials over the past few months. These trolleys feature LCD screens which can locate items within the store, notify you of current specials, and scan your items so you can keep within your budget. If that wasn't enough, trackers in the supermarket ceilings can locate your trolley and let you know which aisle you're in. Keep your fingers crossed for these super-intelligent trolleys to appear at a store near you. Handling one of these four-wheelers means that choosing your cereal won't be a chore, it will soon become a hobby. [via Gizmodo]
UPDATE: MARCH 24, 2020 — Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has provided further details about the state's border closure from midnight, which comes into effect on Wednesday, March 25. "Unless you are returning home to Queensland, or you are coming to Queensland for an essential purpose like work or a medical appointment, or freight issues, then the border is closed to you," she announced. "People should stay in their own state — and where, as far as possible, they should be staying in their suburbs and as much as possible staying at home." The closure covers all Queensland borders, including access via road, rail, sea and air. Police will be stationed along border highways, and will meet travellers arriving at airports. Anyone who is allowed to come into Queensland without an essential purpose will be required to self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of whether they have symptoms of COVID-19. Exemptions to border closure requirements apply for freight, travelling to and from work, compassionate grounds, medical treatment, court orders including family court, emergency vehicles and emergency workers. For folks who live in the Queensland–New South Wales border region around Coolangatta and Tweed Heads, they'll be allowed to cross the border for essential purposes — such as the aforementioned reasons. Permits or stickers are currently being considered, with further details about the practical requirements set to be announced before the border closure comes into effect. In the latest attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Queensland, the state's borders will close from midnight on Wednesday, March 25. The decision was made by the state's cabinet, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today, Monday, March 23, via social media — with specific details due to be revealed on Tuesday, March 24 following a meeting of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee. https://www.facebook.com/annastaciamp/photos/a.632302466800934/3031242743573549/?type=3&theater The Premier has flagged that there will be exemptions to the border closure, although just what they'll be hasn't yet been unveiled. In order to keep the flow of goods coming into the state — including, crucially, food — the ABC notes that freight is expected to be exempt. The Guardian reports that the border restrictions will apply to 'non-essential' visitors. That means Queensland residents will still be able to return to the state; however upon arrival, they'll need to self-isolate for 14 days. To be allowed across the border, it's expected that all other arrivals will need to prove that they can self-isolate for 14 days. Queensland has already partially shut its borders, with the state's western border with the Northern Territory closed over the weekend to help protect the Territory's remote Indigenous communities from the coronavirus. As of Sunday, March 22, 259 Queenslanders have tested positive for COVID-19. The Queensland border closure follows a number of other strategies across Australia to contain the pandemic, with limitations and restrictions updating frequently. Both New South Wales and Victoria have also announced shutdowns of non-essential services, while Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory have already announced or implemented border closures. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
It's summer, or close enough to it. The temperature is warm, hot or scorching, or somewhere in-between. You can hear the sounds of someone splashing around in a cool, refreshing pool — but those noises aren't coming from your own swimming spot, because you don't have one. Many Australians can relate to this scenario each and every year (and, depending on where you live, maybe even most of the year round). Thankfully, it's a situation that Swimply is designed to counter. Even better: the pool-sharing service is relaunching Down Under at exactly the right time of year. Swimply first debuted locally in 2019, after getting up and running in the US and Canada before that; however, we all know what's happened in the world since then. Now, with Australians facing a summer without restrictions, the service is here to help you out if you don't have a mate with a pool, don't know your neighbours well enough to just pop by for a dip or live too far away from your local waterhole is too far away — and you're stuck trying to chill out in the bath or under the fan in the sweltering heat. Operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Perth, Adelaide and select regional areas, Swimply is a fairly typical sharing economy-style platform. One person rents out something they have and don't use all the time, while another person with a short-term need reaps the benefits. In this case, the service lets folks with pools lease out their backyard swimming spots when they're not in use, and helps people without pools find a place for a splash, all via an iOS and Android app. If you fall into the latter category, you can hire a spot by the hour. You can also look for pools with specific facilities and inclusions — such as chairs, lounges, towels, wifi, a changing area, access to a bathroom, a barbecue, a shady spot to sit under, night lighting, pool toys and heated waters. Some allow pets, while others are fine with parties and alcohol. Before booking, you can also scope out just how many guests you can bring (and whether kids are allowed), as well as how private the pool is from the neighbours. That said, it proves most cost-effective if you're splashing around with mates, with the cost set by the owner. Prices start at $25 per hour, but those fees vary. Some hit $100, and there's plenty around the $50–70 mark. Still, if you're keen to hop in a pool — and a private one, rather than your local public spot — Swimply gives you options. Swimply is now available to download on iOS and Android.
Grabbing everyone's attention with one shiny promise, then delivering something else as well: if you've ever watched Black Mirror, then you've seen that exact situation play out several times among its many tech nightmares. When the dystopian saga's seventh season arrives, that setup just might apply to the show itself, too. A sequel episode to season four's Star Trek-riffing USS Callister episode has long been promised, but a follow-up to choose-your-own-adventure movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch also appears to be part of the six-instalment return. Black Mirror season seven now has a trailer, and Bandersnatch's Will Poulter (The Bear) and Asim Chaudhry (Industry) are part of it. The next chapter in Charlie Brooker's can't-look-away take on how humanity's use of gadgets and innovations can go devastatingly wrong also has an official release date. In excellent news, you'll be plugging in soon, on Thursday, April 10, 2025. The new episodes will drop two years after 2023's sixth season, which is a short gap in Black Mirror terms given that there was a four-year wait after season five. Season seven's batch of Black Mirror episodes is also bigger than the past two seasons, serving up six instalments — which only season three and four have done in the past. As teased by the trailer, the show's seventh season has artificial intelligence in its focus — and everything from a black-and-white realm and wearable tech to Peter Capaldi (Criminal Record) chatting about expanding minds on offer along the way. From USS Callister, Cristin Milioti (The Penguin), Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko), Billy Magnussen (The Franchise), Milanka Brooks (The Windsors), Osy Ikhile (All American) and Paul G Raymond (Deadpool & Wolverine) are all back. Across the rest of the season, the cast also includes Awkwafina (Jackpot!), Emma Corrin (Nosferatu), Rashida Jones (Sunny), Chris O'Dowd (The Big Door Prize), Issa Rae (American Fiction), Michele Austin (Hard Truths), Tracee Ellis Ross (Candy Cane Lane), Harriet Walter (Silo), Patsy Ferran (Mickey 17), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers) and more. And if you're wondering whether Brooker took any inspiration from his headline speaker gig at the first-ever SXSW Sydney in 2023, you'll need to watch the new season to find out. Chatting with Netflix, he has promised "a mix of genres and styles". Also "they're all sci-fi stories — there's definitely some horrifying things that occur, but maybe not in an overt horror-movie way. There's definitely some disturbing content in it." Check out the trailer for Black Mirror season seven below: Black Mirror season seven will stream via Netflix from Thursday, April 10, 2025. Read our review of season six, and our interview with Charlie Brooker.
Every Brisbanite has caught a CityCat at some point. Since picnic boats started motoring up and down the river, you might've eaten lunch while sailing through the city with your mates, too. And, you could've also pedalled a floating bike along the waterway — because, when it comes to making the most of this River City, there's no shortage of options. The next way to cruise down the Brown Snake comes courtesy of Museum of Brisbane, with the CBD venue launching its own boat tours in late 2021. Obviously, you won't be hopping onboard at its usual address. Instead, you'll mosey down to the City Botanic Gardens, then spend three hours floating past historic landmarks. Running every Wednesday and Sunday, the Tides of Brisbane boat tours will deep into Brissie history — verbally, not literally, of course. So, you'll hear about important sites, convict-built structures and more, all while soaking in quite the view. The latter is one of the reasons that new ways to hop on the river keep popping up, after all. This is Museum of Brisbane's first-ever boat tour, following its popular walking options — such as its new public art tour that also launched in 2021. Twenty people can hop onboard at once, and each $120 tour includes a stop at Sea Legs Brewing Co in Kangaroo Point; however, you will need to pay extra for food and drink.
Whether it's predatory behaviour, racial slurs or people being too pushy in a crowded space, there is always behaviour at music festivals that makes people — generally minorities or females — feel unsafe. Like day-to-day life, it's unfortunately part of the experience. But after five women reported being sexually assaulted at the Marion Bay leg of Falls Festival over the New Year period, Laneway Festival has announced it will instate a hotline that punters can call in real time to report harassment or disrespectful behaviour on its 2017 tour. It's the first time Laneway has provided such a service, but it's an extension of the boss ladies of Melbourne band Camp Cope's #ItTakesOne campaign, which they launched last year to call-out and end harassment at gigs. The idea is that it only takes one dickhead to do something to make someone feel unsafe, but it also only takes one person to call them out and stop it. In a video released this week — which also includes Julia Jacklin and Ella Thompson from GL — Camp Cope said they wanted "to ensure everyone at our shows feels valued and important — our music is for anyone to enjoy, and to feel safe and respected while they're enjoying it". If you've got a ticket to Laneway — which heads to Melbourne this weekend and Sydney the next — jot down the number 1800 LANEWAY (that's 1800 526 3929). If you see any shitty or disrespectful behaviour, give it a call. An on-the-ground operator will be able to help you and sort the situation out. Look after your mates and the people around you to make sure everyone has the opportunity to dance their heart out while feeling safe. Image: Andy Fraser.
Jason Schwartzman as a private detective. That's it — that's the show. In Bored to Death, the Wes Anderson favourite plays Jonathan Ames, a Brooklyn-based writer who moonlights as a sleuth, pals around with a comic book artist played by Zach Galifianakis and sees a literary magazine editor played by Ted Danson as his surrogate father figure. Adding another layer of eccentricity: the fact that Bored to Death was created and written by an author also called Jonathan Ames, who later wrote the novella that excellent hitman thriller You Were Never Really Here was based on. But even without that nifty trivia tidbit, this is a delightfully offbeat three-season gumshoe series that deservedly amassed quite the cult following when it initially aired from 2009–11. Also, everyone from Jenny Slate and Kristen Wiig to Patton Oswalt and Isla Fisher co-star.
UPDATE Monday, September 27: Guns N' Roses Australian and New Zealand tour has been postponed to November and December 2022. You can find all the details at the Guns N' Roses website. "Stadium rock is back!" pronounces the tour poster for the newly announced Guns N' Roses tour of Australia and New Zealand. The tour, scheduled for November 2021, is the first international stadium tour announcement since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The eight-stop tour will hit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth, as well as Wellington and Dunedin, between Saturday, November 6, 2021 and Wednesday, November 24, 2021. The idea of stadium shows doesn't feel too far fetched after the latest State of Origin match was played in front of a full crowd following the rolling back of event restrictions in Queensland. New Zealand stadiums are also back to full capacity and Sydney is hosting a pair COVID-safe stadium gigs on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5. The biggest challenge to the tour going ahead will be Australian borders, which remain shut with no clear indication of when they may reopen. It's been a while between drinks for Guns N' Roses fans, with the rock band last touring Australia in 2017 on the Not in This Lifetime tour, the first tour to see founding members Axel Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan all take the stage together in over a decade. Following the tour, the band left fans hanging with Slash tweeting that the band would be back Down Under soon. Three years on and fans are waiting for a November Rain singalong in a packed stadium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC-UaAxE GUNS N' ROSES AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES 2021 Gold Coast – Saturday, November 6, Metricon Stadium Adelaide – Tuesday, November 9, Adelaide Oval Melbourne – Thursday, November 11, Melbourne Cricket Ground Sydney – Sunday, November 14, ANZ Stadium Wellington – Friday, November 19, Sky Stadium Dunedin – Sunday, November 21, Forsyth Barr Stadium Perth – Wednesday, November 24, Optus Stadium Members of Guns N' Roses Nightrain Club will have access to pre-sale tickets on Monday, November 23 from gunsnroses.com. General public tickets are on sale on Thursday, November 26 from Ticketek Australia and New Zealand. Image: Raph_PH via Flickr
Saving water is one of those things that your parents drilled into you as a young kid as you recklessly allowed the tap to run a little longer than you're supposed to. And while water supply has not been under the same scrutiny as global warming of late, it remains a top environmental concern beaten only by climate change and the issue of finding alternative sources of energy. Luckily saving water can be as simple as capturing rainwater in some sort of dispenser to be stored, treated and reused. The Rainbarrel Man Co. builds wood clad, steel banded rain barrels from repurposed material; they use western red cedar wood purchased from local saw mills (usually salvaged lumber). The result is an attractive rain harvesting system that can be paired with a drip irrigation kit or a storm water manager. While the storm water manager allows you to direct the collected water to your bioswale or rain garden, the drip irrigation kit can be used to water your plants at the roots. An added bonus to this is that collecting rain water and reusing it prevents the polluted storm water (which carry pesticides and animal waste) from entering our drains and contaminating natural surroundings. Once your Rainbarrel is installed, you'll need to add a pump system that distributes your stored water around your garden year round. RainPerfect is easy to install, costs just US$139 and converts the sun's rays into sustainable energy. And if you want to take your environmentally habits indoors, Pensar Development's Indulgence concept shower learns your individual shower habits and routines to reduce water usage in the home. Cycles consist of a low-flow initial rinse, followed by warming mist jets before finishing with a second low-flow rinse.
UPDATE, August 23, 2022: Elton John has added extra shows in Sydney, Newcastle and Melbourne due to demand. This news story has been updated accordingly. Some farewell tours seem to last forever — and, thanks to the pandemic, Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour is one of them. Since September 2018, the music star has been saying goodbye all around the globe, including making the trip Down Under already. But what was meant to be his final trip our way resulted in some rescheduled gigs, so he's coming back again. And, because he'll be here anyway, John has added a few extra shows to his schedule. It's been a big few years for the singer, not only with the huge tour — which spans more than 300 concerts across five continents — but with his life story hitting the big screen in biopic Rocketman. He had a massive first round of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Australasia, too, with over 705,000 tickets sold to gigs a three-month period that spanned 34 Australian and six New Zealand dates from November 2019. Missed out then? Keen to go again? Mark January 2023 in your diary. In New Zealand, John will play his two rescheduled gigs at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium, as well as a newly announced show at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch. In Australia, he's adding encore gigs in Newcastle, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Fans can expect to feel the love through all of his hits, including 'Rocket Man', 'Tiny Dancer' 'Bennie and the Jets', 'Crocodile Rock', 'I'm Still Standing' and 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' — especially the latter, you'd expect, on his Saturday shows in Brisbane and Auckland. The concerts will also feature never-before-seen images and videos show from John's 50-year career — well, never seen before the tour — which'll be displayed throughout the show. When the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour comes to an end, John will retire from touring after five decades on the road. If that all sounds rather massive, that's John's career in a nutshell. He's played more than 4000 shows across his career, sold more than 300 million records worldwide and holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time thanks to the 1997 version of 'Candle in the Wind'. In Australia, he'll wrap up his time onstage in Brisbane, playing his 36th-ever Queensland gig — and 233rd in Australia, which comes third to only the UK and US in hosting the most-ever John concerts. In NZ, he's bowing out in Auckland — with remaining tickets to the city's shows on-sale now, and tickets to the encore gigs in Christchurch, as well as in Australia, up for grabs on Monday, August 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVBCG6ThDk ELTON JOHN 'FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD' 2023 TOUR DATES: Sunday, January 8 and Tuesday, January 10 — McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Tuesday, January 17 and Wednesday, January 18 — Allianz Stadium, Sydney Saturday, January 21 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Tuesday, January 24 — Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch Friday, January 27 andSaturday, January 28 — Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour returns to Australia and New Zealand in January 2023. Remaining tickets for the Auckland shows are on-sale now, with tickets to the encore gigs in Newcastle, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane up for grabs on Monday, August 1. There are also pre-sales from Tuesday, July 26. Fore more information, head to the tour website. Images: Ben Gibson.
Back in 2006 IMA showcased Swiss artist Olaf Breuning's two-channel video odyssey, Home. Back with what looks like a handyman video diary or amateur travel documentary (but in a good way) Breuning brings us Home 2 - the mondo-jackass sequel. The clarify, the screening depicts dress up pranks played on natives across the world. In one situation Kerstetter's character wears a gorilla-costume head brilliantly matched with an AC/DC shit to meet the locals of Papua New Guinea. In Japan he persuades passer-bys to post with him to cat masks (see picture) and in Switzerland he strips Swiss men of their traditional Appenzell costumes and gives them to females to wear as drag. The point of this movie you might ask? An apparent need to seek harmony and human connection while finding a home in the worlds of others. Although the effect is total alienation, I guess it works, to some extent. If you missed the first one, it's not a big worry. You can enjoy Home 2 without the introduction of his previous success. If you enjoy light, immature, handy cam comedy - this one's for you.
When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows dropped its last terrible three words on us at the close of the book, all was not well. It would never be well without Harry, Ron, Hermione fighting the Dark Lord in a series of fantastical and wholly engrossing scenarios. But, little did we know, this would not be the end of the Age of Harry Potter. Thanks to the internet and the sheer demand for all things HP, Harry has lived on through new books, fan website Pottermore, the Fantastic Beasts film spinoff series and all manner of events dedicated to the franchise. One of the biggest things to come of the post-Harry Potter era has been Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, of course — aka the West End play that's essentially the eighth book in the series. It first arrived in Australia in February 2019, hitting up Melbourne's Princess Theatre, and proved unsurprisingly popular. And while it's about to return after the city's latest lockdown — from Thursday, November 18, in fact — the production has just announced that its shows from May 2022 will be a whole lot different. Muggles, if you want to see The Cursed Child in its current two-part form, you'll need to accio yourself along before March next year. After that, from May, it'll be taking to the stage in a single one-session showing — condensing its story into one part. Basically, this'll be The Cursed Child reimagined — and it'll hit Melbourne after making its world premiere on Broadway this month. San Francisco and Toronto are also getting one-part versions of the show as well; however, Melbourne will beat them to it. So what exactly is The Cursed Child about? Well, it picks up 19 years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and that abominably cheery epilogue on Platform 9 3/4. Harry is now an overworked Ministry of Magic employee, and the play focuses on both him and his youngest son Albus Severus Potter as they grapple with the past and future. Since debuting in London in July 2016, the production has won a swathe of awards and has proven a repeated sell-out — in the West End, on Broadway and in San Francisco, too. In its Melbourne run so far, it has become the most successful play in Australian history, including attracting 325,000 people in its first year. Melburnians — and other Australian Harry Potter and/or theatre aficionados — can access tickets now for the two-part run of the show, which'll remain onstage until Sunday, March 27, 2022. Tickets for the one-session showings of The Cursed Child will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 16. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will return to Melbourne's Princess Theatre on Thursday, November 18 in its two-part form, running until Sunday, March 27, 2022. It'll then switch to a one-session production from May, with tickets for the latter on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 16. For more information, head to the play's website. Top images: Matt Murphy/Evan Zimmerman for Murphy Made.
