When you've opened an Italian joint with a mean negroni menu, a Chinese Peruvian bar and eatery, and a Palm Springs-inspired gin-pouring garden bar, what comes next? If you're Vincent Lombino and Jared Thibault, aka the hospitality industry figures behind The Talisman Group, then you start a European-influenced wine bar and wine shop, too. And, you base all four spots in one location, all in Woolloongabba — giving visitors to South City Square a choose-your-own-adventure food and drink experience. Already, Talisman had Sasso and Casa Chow to its name. South City Wine is its other latest venture, opening when Purple Palm did. As well as a specific focus, it too boasts eye-catching decor that's designed to transport you to the other side of the world, such as marble tabletops, dark timber panelling, brass finishings and oil paintings, plus a heavy use of emerald-green hues. You'll find that colour gleaming brightly from South City Wine's exterior, striped awning and all; yes, its shopfront does indeed look like something you'd see in Europe. The venue also boasts plenty of outdoor seating, including booths, giving it a laneway feel, as well as a long communal indoor table backdropped by a wall of wine. Those vinos have been co-curated by Thibault, and take a global approach. Expect to sip Australian, New Zealand, French, Italian, German, Austrian, Spanish, Greek, Lebanese, American, South African and Argentinian drops from the opening wine list — 15 types of French champagne among them. South City Wine also goes big on French-inspired cocktails, with seven varieties on offer. Standouts include the 'Serein River' with St Germain and rosewater gin, and the 'Apricot Deauville' made with cognac and apricot brandy. Food-wise, the focus is on European bistro bites — and a hefty range of cheese and charcuterie to start, plus tins of anchovies, sardines and yellowfin tuna. Culinary highlights span lemon lime and bitter oysters, scallops crudo, pickled mussels, escargot in garlic butter, chicken liver parfait and venison tartare among the small plates, as well as fish of the day, whole-roasted portobello, and the trusty combo of steak frites among the mains. And, for dessert, there's a maraschino cherry reverse crème brûlée, a mini custard tart topped with berries, and a selection of ice creams and sorbets. "We have dreamt of this concept for many years and hope that South City Wine evokes memories of sitting back and sipping wine at a classic European neighbourhood wine bar," says Thibault. "Like the people of Brisbane, the Talisman Group is a rich melting pot of diversity, and we aim to bring our rich cultural experiences to life with each new venue." Find South City Wine at 5/148 Logan Road, Woolloongabba — open 4–9.30pm Tuesday–Saturday, and also 12–2.30pm Friday–Saturday. Images: Max Homer / Judit Losh.
Celebrating Japan by actually heading to the country is back on the agenda, with the Asian nation's strict border rules finally relaxing. Can't make the trip ASAP? Fancy getting your Japanese thrills in a cinema instead — or until you can hop on a plane? Then Australia's annual touring Japanese Film Festival has timed its return well. As it does every year, this year's JFF has compiled a selection of must-see recent and retro Japanese movies, and will bring its lineup Brisbane in November. There's two parts: a classics series, showing iconic films on 35mm from Friday, November 11–Sunday, November 20 at QAGOMA; and a rundown the latest and greatest flicks the country has to offer, screening from Wednesday, November 23–Sunday, November 27 at Palace Barracks. The 2022 fest will open with historical drama Dreaming of the Meridian Arc, which hops between present-day Japan and the Edo period to tell the tale behind the man who completed the first-ever map of Japan. Also a huge highlight: the retro season's focus on filmmaker Mikio Naruse, with 1954's Sound of the Mountain, 1960's When a Woman Ascends the Stairs and 1964's Yearning on the bill — and showing for free. Back to the recent titles (and the paid part of the program), standouts include psychological thriller Lesson in Murder, which starts when a college student gets a letter from a serial killer on death row; drama In the Wake, about the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011; and the animated Blue Thermal, with the world of competitive gliding soaring onto the screen. Anime Supremacy! is unsurprisingly focused on characters who live and breath anime production; Baby Assassins gives battling the yakuza (and being hitmen) a kawaii spin, and culinary documentary The Pursuit of Perfection follows top Tokyo chefs Takemasa Shinohara (Ginza Shinohara), Natsuko Shōji (Été), Yōsuke Suga (Sugalabo) and Takaaki Sugita (Sushi Sugita). Top image: Baby Assassins Film Partners.
UPDATE: May 18, 2020: Good Boys is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Before the high-schoolers who populate every teen movie start worrying about heading off to college and having sex for the first time, they're tweens with not-too-dissimilar problems. That's the premise behind the familiar but very funny Good Boys, which leans so far into its Superbad-lite status that it has even enlisted Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg as producers. Instead of two horny 17-year-olds, this scaled-down coming-of-age comedy focuses on a trio of sixth graders. Instead of finding its characters on the cusp of graduation, it meets them as they start middle school. And instead of turning up to a lively shindig on a quest to lose their virginity, Good Boys' pre-teen protagonists navigate the age-appropriate equivalent: their first kissing party. The comparisons keep coming, although writer/director Gene Stupnitsky and his co-scribe Lee Eisenberg (the screenwriting duo behind Bad Teacher and Year One) don't just tread in Superbad's footsteps. Good Boys' predecessor boasted more than a little in common with Can't Hardly Wait, which in turn took Dazed and Confused's lead — and they all nodded to American Graffiti before that. Just a couple of months back, Booksmart did something similar too, using a firmly female-focused viewpoint to its advantage. There's not as obvious a point of difference here, with tween and teen boys getting mixed up in almost the same types of situations. But what Good Boys lacks in originality or perspective, it makes up for in charm, sincerity and a stellar cast of young talent. In a few years, Max (Jacob Tremblay), Thor (Brady Noon) and Lucas (Keith L. Williams) could relive these kinds of hijinks at the end of their high-school days — a thought that's probably crossed Stupnitsky, Eisenberg, Rogen and Goldberg's minds — but for now, they just want to be liked by the cool kids in their grade. And that seems possible after the lifelong buddies score a coveted invite to Soren's (Izaac Wang) pashing party. Alas, while Max is driven by his all-consuming crush on classmate Brixlee (Millie Davis), his friends have their own troubles. Thor is desperate to nab a role in the school production of Rock of Ages, but also desperate to seem like he doesn't care, while the gleefully dorky Lucas is struggling with news of his parents' (Retta and Lil Rel Howery) impending divorce. Plus, when the pals aren't trying to brush up on puckering up, they're unwittingly getting involved in drug deals with Max's older neighbour Hannah (Molly Gordon) and her bestie Lily (Midori Francis). Much of Good Boys' humour hits instantly and flows easily, as kids say the darnedest things in highly inappropriate circumstances — searching for "porb" and mistaking sex toys for weapons, for example. As the film's marketing campaign made a point of stressing, this may be a picture about children, but it definitely isn't for them in any shape or form. There's a more resonant layer to the gags, too — which, in a movie that spends plenty of time giggling as its central tweens swear, might not immediately seem the case. To see Max, Thor and Lucas not just face the reality that they're growing up, but explore an adult world that feels so strange and different to their pre-teen grasp on reality, is to remember the confusing ups and downs of going through the same process yourself. That said, this isn't a mere exercise in raucousness and nostalgia shaped around episodic antics, such as skipping school, sipping beers and running away from cops. Like Booksmart before it, Good Boys grounds its jokes, narrative and outlook in today's cultural and societal standards. In other words: goodbye lazy stereotypes and outdated views, and hello inclusiveness, emotional intelligence, and seeing these boys learn to respect women, themselves and each other. Stupnitsky and Eisenberg are still guilty of padding out the picture with a few too many recognisable scenarios, even with its brief 90-minute running time. But their film glows with authenticity nonetheless — because, for all the outlandishness they encounter, these kids always react in realistic ways. As much as Good Boys has an affable, genuine vibe on its side, it wouldn't work quite as well without its three child stars. Room's Tremblay, Boardwalk Empire's Noon and The Last Man on Earth's Williams not only sell their rapport, but play their parts with honesty and earnestness — and without a hint of precociousness. The bike-riding trio also shrugs off a Stranger Things insult, in a line that speaks beyond pop culture's current obsession with plucky children (see also: IT and IT: Chapter Two). Swap Good Boys' crudeness for a dash of the supernatural, after all, and this sweet, breezy and amusing film would fit nicely among all those classic 80s adventures. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeeyM8cRinI
When it comes to space, there's never a bad night to peer at the heavens; however this July might just be a better time than most. Unless you've been trapped under a lunar rock, you'll know that this month marks 50 years since the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon, heralding humanity's first small steps and giant leaps on the Earth's only natural satellite. To celebrate — and to just get Brisbanites staring at the sky anyway — Australian Geographic is hosting stargazing nights at various stores. When you're done with the 9–5 grind on Thursday, July 11, just head along to Westfield Carindale, Garden City or Springfield Lakes and prepare to look up. No bookings are necessary. Simply make your way to your closest spot, take a gander through a few telescopes, chat to experts, and learn more about everything from space photography to star guides. Times and locations vary at each shopping centre — you'll be staring up from a site outside, obviously, including from the car park rooftop if you're going to Chermside.
Rough and tumble Sydney label R.I.P. Society have been hand delivering you the grungiest garage rock, darkest experimental fuzz and DIY post-punk electronica for five whole years — so they've got a few birthday toasts to give. Fronting up a chock-a-block lineup to The Studio, the beloved label has invited some of Australia's best to party down, with some iconic neighbours on top. New Zealand's legendary trio The Dead C will arrive for an exclusive Sydney headlining spot, along with label buds Feedtime, Bed Wettin' Bad Boys, Woollen Kits, Native Cats, Rat Columns, Cured Pink, Holy Balm, Ghastly Spats, Housewives, Constant Mongrel, Half High and Wallaby Beat DJs. Kicking off from 5pm on May 24, this is sure to be one rambunctious afternoon-to-midnight affair at the House. To celebrate the countdown to Vivid LIVE week, R.I.P. Society founder Nic Warnock has put together a solid playlist to kickstart your week and gear you up for the gig; from Melbourne's dark and stormy Constant Mongrel to Sydney's garage electro favourites Holy Balm with some wise words from Warnock himself. Crank it to 11 and bring your birthday wishes to the party. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-v_TibqZYRU Constant Mongrel — New Shapes "Constant Mongrel are redefining the rules of cool. Once, it was a huge indie music no-no to wear your own band's t-shirt while performing. Now, it's all the rage in some progressive Melbourne fashion circles thanks to Tom Ridgewell. New Shapes, new styles and later this year there will be a new 7" EP from Constant Mongrel on R.I.P Society records." Rat Columns — Another Day "A new addition to the R.I.P Society family is Rat Columns, the project of David West who's also the man behind the chic electronic project Lace Curtain and one of the three guitarists in Total Control. While this label has generally been moving towards the darker or the weirder side of the Aussie underground, Rat Columns play earnest, unashamed guitar pop. That's the type of life balance I wanna promote. Their first Sydney show is at the Sydney Opera House, lucky ducks." https://youtube.com/watch?v=mAram_OVcb4 Feedtime — I Wanna Ride "Feedtime are a band that feels like rock 'n' roll whilst creating a sound that's pure and unique to them. Feedtime sound fuckin' tough and but there's also a real depth and sensitivity to their music. 'Avant-garde pub rock' people have described them as, but it's not macho caricature stuff or in any way kitsch or whacky. Their songs are precise yet profound articulations of real life stuff, heavy stuff and everyday stuff. Hearing Feedtime for the first time, reading about their existence in Sydney, as well as how Aberrant operated as a record label was really inspiring." https://youtube.com/watch?v=DJg1h-3HPf8 Holy Balm — Holy Balm Theme "Holy Balm have been a staple in my experience of Sydney music. Through a do-it-yourself attitude and not being afraid to experiment and evolve in an organic manner they've become a empowering, positive experience both live and recorded. A great intersection of DIY post-punk and dance music." https://youtube.com/watch?v=so67hFjgv-A The Dead C — Outside "This is one of my favourite songs ever. Kind has a similar quality to Brian Eno's 'Here Come The Warm Jets', although much more crude and deconstructive. Still, I think this song is really beautiful. The Dead C's music shows that experimental music can be as emotive and invigorating as your standard three minute pop ditty." Catch the R.I.P. Society crew blasting amps at the Sydney Opera House Studio from 5pm on May 24. More details and stubs over here.
Sports fans, Christmas has arrived — the athletic version that comes around every four years (or, in this case five), that is. Events have begun at this year's delayed Tokyo Olympic Games, the opening ceremony officially kicks things off on Friday, July 23, and two-plus weeks of competition awaits. If you're fond of all of the above, there's really not much that could improve the next fortnight. Actually, one thing could make your Olympics-watching couch sessions even better. We have two words for you: free pizza. They're two of the best words that exist, especially when used together — and they describe exactly what Pizza Hut is offering Aussies during this year's games. In total, the fast food chain will be handing out up to 285,000 freebies. Exactly how many it'll dole out depends on one big thing: how many medals Australian athletes win this year. Pizza Hut will give away a heap of pizzas to celebrate the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies, as well as a set amount each day during the games as well; however, it's also breaking some additional slices whenever an Aussie stands on the podium. That means you'll have multiple chances to grab a freebie. First up, there'll be 5000 up for grabs from 4pm on Friday, July 23 to celebrate the opening ceremony. Between Saturday, July 24–Saturday, August 7, another 1000 will be given away daily at 4pm as well. On Sunday, August 8, for the closing ceremony, Pizza Hut will bust out another 5000 at 4pm, too. And, whenever an Aussie wins a medal, it'll add 1000 more free pizzas to its giveaway at 4pm the next day for each gold we take home, another 500 for each silver and another 200 for every bronze. To score your 'za without spending a cent, you'll need to head to Pizza Hut's 'pizzas for podiums' website at 4pm each day. Unsurprisingly, you'll want to get in quick as it's a first in, first served affair. You can only enter twice per day — and, if you win, you'll be sent a voucher code for a large pizza with a pan base. You'll be able to choose from super supreme, barbecue meatlovers, pepperoni lovers, Hawaiian and cheese lovers, and you'll need to redeem before Tuesday, August 31 via a pick-up order. One entrant will also win a year's worth of free pizza — well, Pizza Hut's idea of a year's worth, with one free pizza on offer for 52 weeks — if you need any extra motivation to enter. Pizza Hut will be giving away free pizzas from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8 during the Tokyo Olympic Games. For further information, head to the chain's website.
He wrote about cats wearing hats, grinches stealing Christmas, ham served with green eggs, and a creature called Sam. He was cartoonist Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr Seuss. He jotted down the humorous rhymes and scribbled the colourful images from the books that were a staple of your childhood. All that, you know — but did you know about his secret art? Beyond the 44 children's stories, more than 400 World War II political cartoons, hundreds of advertisements and countless editorials that made him an icon, he also painted and sculpted for his own enjoyment. At The Art of Dr Seuss, both sides of his creative endeavours are on display as Mitchell Fine Art delves into 70 years of Seuss' art history. In the Brisbane return of a project that has toured the world, you can view rare works and buy prints and reproductions. You're also likely to get more than a few rhymes stuck in your head — that's just how Seuss would liked it, after all.
UPDATE, February 8, 2021: The Breaker Upperers is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Breaking up isn't hard to do in New Zealand's latest hilarious comedy. In fact, dumping someone you never want to see again couldn't be easier. For a fee, best friends Jen (Jackie van Beek) and Mel (Madeleine Sami) won't just do their clients' dirty work for them, but they'll come up with an elaborate scenario or even a song. Want to ditch an unwanted boyfriend via a country ditty? They'll start crooning. Certain that a scandal is the only way to stop your wedding? One of them will pretend to be the mother of your unborn child. Need something with a bit more finality? The pair will tell your wife that you're missing, presumed drowned. Welcome to The Breaker Upperers — the name of Jen and Mel's busy Auckland business, as well as the title of van Beek and Sami's astute and side-splitting film. The duo write, direct and star, and they're an uproarious force to be reckoned with. Comedians with considerable resumes on New Zealand television (as well as parts across Taika Waititi's filmography), their first big-screen adventure together doesn't just milk ghosting an ex for laughs. It's also the kind of female-focused buddy comedy that cinema could use considerably more of, telling a tale of thirty-something women who don't have it all together. Moreover, the movie's protagonists aren't chasing the usual romantic fantasy, and don't feel like they should be doing what rom-coms tell them. Actually, ever since Jen and Mel experienced their own respective relationship mishaps, they've each sworn to keep their love lives casual. That's easier for the pessimistic Jen than the amiable Mel, with two specific jobs thrusting their differences into focus. Firstly, the distraught wife of a former client (Celia Pacquola) keeps popping up in their lives — needing a shoulder to cry on, and making Mel start to doubt whether breaking up couples for cash is a line of work anyone should be doing. Secondly, high schooler Jordan (James Rolleston, delightfully asked to play dumb) hires them to dump his smart-talking girlfriend Sepa (breakout newcomer Ana Scotney), causing sparks to fly between the 17-year-old rugby player and Mel. As well as giving van Beek and Sami on-screen gigs over the years, plus directing Sami's one-woman TV show Super City, Waititi has an executive producing credit on The Breaker Upperers. While the brand of dry, awkward Kiwi comedy found in Boy, What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople is alive and well here, this is always van Beek and Sami's movie. They fire off gags and one-liners with such a hit rate that you might miss a few because you're laughing too much. They not only commit to the more outlandish aspects of the picture's humour, but flesh out their characters so they're much more than just a source of jokes. And, in a film with several standout musical moments, they make the best Celine Dion karaoke video you're ever likely to see. A little bit silly, a little bit sweet, yet still thoroughly smart in its ode to female friendship: that's The Breaker Upperers from start to finish. It's the cinematic equivalent of a great (not doomed) romance — hooking viewers instantly like love at first sight, throwing up plenty of joyful surprises and then riding off into the sunset. The film itself doesn't chart that narrative path, but that's the journey it takes audiences on anyway. It's also energetic, well-paced, and delightfully diverse in its appreciation of sexuality, sex positivity, gender, race, culture, body image and going grey at a young age. If it was your date, you wouldn't be asking anyone to break up with it for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-phMlkRiWIg
If action-packed yet artful heist films are your thing — and why wouldn't they be? — Julius Avery's debut feature, Son of a Gun, is bound to tickle your armchair thrill-seeking side. Newcomer Brenton Thwaites is JR, a 19-year-old locked up for a minor offence. While inside, he is taken under the calculating wing of crime boss Brendan Lynch (Ewan McGregor). In an inevitably no-don't-you've-got-so-much-going-for-you! move, JR helps Lynch's crew orchestrate a daring prison escape — and is then invited to join in on the high-stakes heist they're planning next. Things, of course, turn progressively more dangerous. The film is all Aussie — written and directed by Avery (whose short film Jerrycan was a Jury Prize winner at Cannes), and shot in the disparate and desolate landscapes of Melbourne, Perth and Kalgoorlie. It's a nail-biting, chill-inducing thriller you'll need to psychologically prepare for. We warned you. We're offering competition winners the chance to see Son of a Gun with a friend at an exclusive preview screening on Monday, October 13, 6.30pm at Palace Centro (39 James Street, Fortitude Valley). To enter, click here. Son of a Gun officially releases in cinemas from October 16. See the film in style at Palace Cinemas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eTOBcelRo9M
What's the deal with trivia nights based on pop culture commodities? They're awesome, that's what — and they're here to stay. This week, it's Seinfeld's turn. The show about nothing has inspired an evening about everything that made its nine-season, 180-episode run so great. In stellar timing given the news that the man that gave the show its name is touring Australia next year, the fun unravels at the Stock Exchange Hotel. Think of it as Festivus coming early for those who think they know every conceivable detail about the hit '90s sitcom — and about Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine. The gang at Man vs Bear trivia will put your affection to the test, potentially covering everything from soup to sponges, puffy shirts to Pez dispensers, and even the parade of famous faces that played Jerry's girlfriends. Yada, yada, yada — you get the picture. Of course, the bar will also be serving their usual array of drinks, in case those pretzels make you thirsty.
UPDATE, October 23, 2020: On the Rocks is available to stream via Apple TV+. Not once, not twice, but three times now, Sofia Coppola has given the Bill Murray-loving world exactly what it wants. One of the great comedic talents of the past half-century, the Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day star is also a greatly charismatic talent — and, understandably, viewers want to spend more time in his inimitable company. In Lost in Translation, Coppola found a way to take this idea literally, in a fashion. With Scarlett Johansson's unhappy twenty-something doubling as the audience's on-screen surrogate, everyone watching was able to vicariously pal around with Murray's character, a high-profile actor, while taking in quite the tour of Tokyo. In 2015 Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas, the filmmaker let Murray play himself, get jovial and ooze charm. And now in On the Rocks, he steps into the shoes of a debonair playboy art dealer who is determined to help his New York-dwelling adult daughter discover if her husband is being unfaithful. On the Rocks' premise really isn't far removed from Lost in Translation. The film's female protagonist is a decade older this time, her romantic troubles are complicated by both marriage and children, and another bustling city provides the backdrop, but the basic idea remains mostly the same. With Murray as the lively Felix and Rashida Jones as his overstressed offspring Laura, the movie takes them hopping around NYC as they endeavour to ascertain if the latter's workaholic other half, Dean (Marlon Wayans), is cosying up to his attractive young colleague (Jessica Henwick) while Laura is raising their two young daughters. In the process, Felix and Laura chat about anything and everything, covering topics both important and trivial. They eat and drink, and do so in luxe spaces while Felix naturally captivates everyone in his orbit and turns everything into an adventure. Over the course of their investigative escapade, Felix helps Laura work through her struggles, too — although here, their own complicated relationship is actually one of them. There's an immense sense of joy to Murray and Jones' pairing, and not just for Parks and Recreation fans pleased to see the sitcom's Ann Perkins and Mayor Gunderson share screentime (Jones also featured in A Very Murray Christmas as well). Felix and Laura's father-daughter bond has endured years of ups and downs, and nothing between them is perfect, but the actors' rapport makes every warm exchange and awkward moment feel authentic. That's one of the key aspects of On the Rocks, a film that serves up an instant-classic Murray performance on a platter, but never forgets that its story actually belongs to its female protagonist. Viewers spend time with Felix, and therefore Murray, because the movie's main character does — and enjoying the ebbs and flows of the duo's time together, whether cracking open caviar on a stakeout in a convertible or downing cocktails where Humphrey Bogart once proposed to Lauren Bacall, is all the more engaging because it's a back-and-forth tête-à-tête rather than a one-man show. Another way to describe the central dynamic here: lived-in. As proved the case with Lost in Translation, that's as much a credit to Coppola as not only a screenwriter, but as a perceptive creative willing to strip bare her own life experiences, fictionalise them, and create something both thoughtful and moving. The daughter of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now's Francis Ford Coppola, she clearly knows a thing or two about flitting around town with a father with the world at his feet, and it shows — and she's not afraid to admit that she's been cast in her own dad's shadow. When Laura watches on as Felix is pulled over by the police, sweet-talks his way out of a ticket and even enlists their help giving his vintage Alfa Romeo a push-start, in fact, it's easy to imagine the real-life Coppola family equivalent. Of course, this isn't the first time that the younger Coppola has drawn upon what she knows. Lost in Translation took ample cues from her experiences, including time spent feeling listless in Japan, plus the strain with her then-husband Spike Jonze. And, the Los Angeles-set Somewhere's focus on a Hollywood star and his pre-teen daughter found inspiration in her own childhood. Accordingly, On the Rocks follows their lead by tapping into rich personal depths. It may initially seem to tell a slight story, but that appearance is deceptive. The filmmaker is famously fond of relaying tales about comfortable lives and their corresponding problems — see also: Marie Antoinette and The Bling Ring — but she has always been savvy to the ways that women are forced to respond to the men and the world around them. The Virgin Suicides and The Beguiled make this point more forcefully; however, even with a wavering ending, it still lingers here as well. On the Rocks is a film with layers of resonance and insight, but it is also a caper — and a sparkling, banter-filled, often screwball one at that. In other words, it's a delight that blends intimate truths with entertaining moments, and finds poignancy and comedy in daily routines, idle chats with other mothers (including with fellow Parks and Rec alum Jenny Slate), low-key spy antics and sudden getaways to Mexico alike. Murray's general Bill Murray-ness and all-round presence is crucial, obviously. So is the affectionate, glimmering lensing by Philippe Le Sourd (The Beguiled) that makes New York seem like a playground, and the upbeat but still contemplative soundtrack by Phoenix. Indeed, combine all of the above, and this is a Sofia Coppola movie through and through. It's a big call, but if she was ever going to remake the great German father-daughter film Toni Erdmann, this just might be the end result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4p0vjj_C8s
Boasting 64 hectares of public space right in the middle of the city, Victoria Park / Barrambin is a tree-lined Brisbane favourite for everything from leafy strolls and picnics to having a kick and taking the dog for a walk. When the first-ever Outdoor Adventure Festival rolls in, it'll also become home to two days showcasing adventure — it's right there in the name — and nature. On offer: an inflatable obstacle course, meditation, yoga, BMX stunt shows and plenty more. Across Saturday, August 26–Sunday, August 27, from 10am–5pm daily, the grassy Herston patch will welcome in a number of precincts, all offering different activities. At Basecamp, for instance, there'll be ultramarathon training with Andrew Hedgman, Mike from Alone Australia giving outback survival tips, Ben Polson showing people how to become a ninja and Aunty Theresa sharing authentic Indigenous storytelling. At The Great Outdoors, orienteering, archery, trail runs and challenges, disc golf and spikeball will all be on the agenda. And at The Sanctuary, pilates, horticulture and creating fishing nets (another wilderness survival skill) are on offer as well. Entry is free, attendees will want to head on in via Gilchrist Avenue, and there'll be food and live tunes, too. Expect an all-ages crowd for company, and to get your heart racing in the fresh air. [caption id="attachment_818960" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victoria Park[/caption]
If you only know two things about South Korea's film and television industry, then you likely know that it's been responsible for Parasite and Squid Game over the past couple of years. The nation's big- and small-screen output spans much further than that, of course — and, since 2010, Australia has boasted a film festival dedicated to its cinematic prowess. That'd be the Korean Film Festival in Australia, which started out as a Sydney-only event, expanded to Melbourne in its second year, then hit Brisbane in its third outing. Since then, it has made its way to other cities, too, with the just-announced 2022 lineup heading to Canberra as well. Across August and September — starting in Sydney from Thursday, August 18–Tuesday, August 23 at Event Cinemas George Street, and then hitting Melbourne's ACMI from Thursday, September 1–Monday, September 5; Canberra's Palace Electric from Thursday, September 1–Saturday, September 3; and Brisbane's Elizabeth Picture Theatre from Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11 — KOFFIA will screen 13 impressive titles that showcase Korean filmmaking's finest. And while that lineup mightn't be huge numbers-wise, it's still filled with massive names, including two of the biggest movies from any country currently doing the rounds of the international and Australian festival circuits. If you haven't caught up with it at Sydney Film Festival, or don't have it on your Melbourne International Film Festival schedule, make a date with Broker, the latest release from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. The 2018 Shoplifters Palme d'Or-winner has made a movie in Korea — his first Korean-language film, in fact, and it's still exploring the director's favourite topics. That'd be the ties that bind and the connections of family, following two people who illegally take an abandoned infant from a 'baby box facility'. In another drawcard, Broker stars Parasite's Song Kang-ho, who won Cannes' Best Actor Award for his efforts. Also a must-see: Decision to Leave, a noir romance that saw Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook win Cannes' Best Director gong. Anything that the Stoker and Oldboy director helms is worth a look, but the fact that it has been six years since his movie — 2016's The Handmaiden — makes his latest even more exciting. The rest of the KOFFIA lineup spans opening-night pick Special Delivery, a crime-action film from Park Dae-min that stars Parasite's Park So-dam; mystery Hommage, which again features a Parasite alum — this time Lee Jeong-eun — and charts the searching for missing footage from one of the first feature films directed by a South Korean woman; and In Our Prime, with Oldboy's Choi Min-sik as a North Korean defector and mathematical genius working as a school security guard. Or, there's The Roundup with Train to Busan's Don Lee as a cop chasing a killer; the 80s-set Escape from Mogadishu; and Spiritwalker, about a man who loses his memory and wakes up in a different body every 12 hours — and the list goes on. KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL IN AUSTRALIA 2022 DATES: Thursday, August 18–Tuesday, August 23: Event Cinema George Street, Sydney Thursday, September 1–Monday, September 5: ACMI, Melbourne Thursday, September 1–Saturday, September 3: Palace Electric, Canberra Thursday, September 8–Sunday, September 11: Elizabeth Picture Theatre, Brisbane The Korean Film Festival in Australia runs across August and September, touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the KOFFIA website.
Thought bingo was for your nan? Think again. It's also for you — or perhaps, if she's a groovy gran, for the both of you. Hijacking the traditional format of bingo with raves, conga lines and lip sync battles, Bingo Loco is 50-percent one of those strange dreams you get after eating too much cheese and 50-percent just a walloping good time. Come Saturday, February 27 at The Triffid, the MC will keep the night rolling, while confetti showers and smoke cannons go off throughout the evening (perhaps wear your glasses). Bingo ravers will compete for ultimate glory (and prizes) over the course of multiple rounds. In between the traditional bingo games, you'll be expected to groove to classic 90s rave bangers, partake in dance-offs and battle others for lip sync queen titles. Basically, be prepared for many high-octane, energetic activities — gone are the days of simply raising your hand when you've got a full sheet of numbers. Doing your stretches and vocal warm-ups first are advised. You'll vie for prizes, which in the past have included Coachella tickets, mobility scooters (nan, listen up), boats and lawnmowers (maybe for your dad), among other goldmines. Bingo Loco has been running across the globe for a few years and now will trumpet its way around Australia once more, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Australia.
If you're going to set up a rooftop beach club anywhere in southeast Queensland, then the Gold Coast is certainly the place for it. And, as first announced in 2020, the sunny tourist spot did indeed become home to once such sprawling venue in 2021. But what happens when things get wintry, even in a city known for its warm climes? From mid-June through till the end of August, the snow — and a brand-new alpine makeover — will set in at Cali Beach instead. While Surfers Paradise tends to be blessed with year-round sunny weather, even southeast Queensland has been mighty frosty to kick off winter 2022. So, the Cali Beach crew is embracing the change of season with a shift in theme themselves — temporarily, of course. From Friday, June 24 until winter ends, the 5000-square-metre space venue on a fourth-floor rooftop on Surfers Paradise Boulevard is being transformed into a rooftop lodge. It's renaming itself The Rooftop Lodge, in fact. And yes, it's taking the concept seriously, with more than 60 snow-topped trees, fire pits and even fake snow falling across the site. Expect big alpine energy as you wander through a snowy forest the size of a tennis court, complete with a toboggan slide — and when you hit up the huge dome igloo bar within it. The idea is to make patrons feel like they've just slipped into a mountain chalet, which is quite the feat with the Goldie's sun, surf and sand just a stone's throw away. The winter oasis will also turn its Saké Sisters restaurant into an après-ski lodge, spanning both its fitout and its menu. As for the Cali shop, it'll become a chalet bar with fire pits and blankets. And, instead of hopping in the pool, you'll take a splash in two hot tubs. Between dips, there'll be ice hockey as well — because why not? Cali Beach's VIP cabanas are all being decked out as luxury alpine lodges, too, with facades that look the part, more fire pits and ski village-style cosy furniture. So, gathering the gang and hanging out in your own space is still on the agenda — just in a frosty-themed setup, rather than going beachy. Food-wise, the menu will include plenty of winter go-tos, such as charcuterie boards, fondue and marshmallows that you can roast by the fire. Or, sip wintry cocktails and indulge in a shotski, which'll see you downing shots off of a snow ski. The venue's entertainment lineup will also switch to fit the pop-up, including winter costumes — and entry will be free, although you'll be paying to eat and drink. Find Cali Beach Club on the corner of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Elkhorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise. The Rooftop Lodge will be open from Friday–Sunday weekly from Friday, June 24–Sunday, August 28.
Yatala's latest retro movie night poses a dilemma. Will you show your 90s love, chat about Bettys and Baldwins, exclaim "as if?" and remember that Paul Rudd doesn't age? Or, will you wish 00s-era Lindsay Lohan was your best friend, wear pink even though it's not a Wednesday and write in a burn book? Of course, if there's a way to show your affection for both Clueless and Mean Girls, then that's an option — both films are on the bill, after all. One borrows from Jane Austen and made a star out of Alicia Silverstone, the other is based on a self-help book and boasts Tina Fey as a screenwriter, and they're each considered high-school movie classics for a reason. They'll also be playing from 7pm on Saturday, October 7 — the same week as Mean Girls day, as fans will know — which sounds like a fetch way to spend your Saturday night. Tickets cost $50 for a carload of six, so gather the gang, jump in the car and motor down the highway.
Dendy Coorparoo's big screens are back in action and, to see out the month of August and kickstart September, the eastside venue is screening a particularly vibrant array of features. Get ready for a nine-movie lineup of top-notch anime — and yes, that means there are plenty of gems. Screening between Friday, August 14–Wednesday, September 2, this Anime Festival will let you feast your eyes on an array of creative delights. On offer: huge Japanese hits Your Name and Weathering With You, the gorgeous and charming films from director Makoto Shinkai; the moving Wolf Children and Mirai from filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda, as well as his The Boy and The Beast as well; and the all-round classic that is Akira. Also on the bill is A Silent Voice, One Piece: Stampede and Dragon Ball Super: Broly — and yes, that's your next few cinema outings taken care of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhHJYjOBCNE Dendy Coorparoo's Anime Festival runs at various times between Friday, August 14–Wednesday, September 2 — check the cinema website for specific session details.
Finally, the lobster pop-up our bank accounts have been waiting for. Y'know... relatively speaking, anyway. It's all happening at Lobster Shack, which is taking over Petrie Terrace — across from the Barracks and right near Fritzenberger — for a very limited period. And, there's even proper Champagne to go with it. For $35, you can experience Maine lobster confit in a freshly baked roll with buttermilk and fennel slaw. The lobster tails are slow-poached in butter before being placed inside a brioche bun. You'll also receive parmesan-dusted truffle fries on the side. If you still don't feel like a baller, you can step up the fancy factor with a glass of Veuve Clicquot on the side for an extra $15. They'll be serving from midday between Thursdays and Sundays across September 6–23. Drop by until 3pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and then again between 5–9pm the same day. Or, head along from 12–9pm on the weekend. Just remember: the lobster is only available until sold out each day.
Named one of the best places in the world to visit in 2022, southeast Queensland's Scenic Rim region isn't short on highlights, whether it's gorgeous scenery or farm-fresh produce you're after. Keen on the latter but can't make the trip south from Brisbane on Saturday, May 6?Don't worry — Bee All Natural, Canungra Creek Finger Limes, Cauldron Distillery, My Mountain Farm and more are coming to you. Save the road trip for another weekend — instead, head to the Farm Gate to City Door Scenic Rim Markets: Mother's Day Edition at the Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct. It'll operate from 8am–12pm, serving up everything from fruit and vegetables, honey straight from the hive and cheese through to craft beer, boutique spirits and fresh ice cream. You can also nab handmade bath and body products, as well as some seedlings to help start your own garden. This country-meets-city event returns to Breakfast Creek Lifestyle Precinct after debuting in 2022 — and, if it gets you thinking about holidaying in the Scenic Rim, there's a stall for planning that as well. Live music will provide a soundtrack, plus Mica Brasserie will be doing coffees. Feel like hitting the river afterwards, and tucking into some of the produce you've just bought? GoBoat and its picnic boats is also right there. And, because this market is all about Mother's Day, expect plenty of gift ideas, as well as a yoga class from 7.30–8.30am.
When Bob Dylan last toured Australia, it was billed as a 'once in a lifetime' experience. And, for all those who went, it was. It's just that now fans will be get the opportunity to have another such experience, because the legendary tambourine man will return to Australia for a national tour this August. This tour will be less exhaustive than his 2014 effort, with Dylan set to do eight shows — one in Brisbane on August 24, as well as one in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Wollongong, and two back-to-back shows in Melbourne. He will draw on his incredible 60-year career — which spans 36 studio albums and countless hits — for the shows, so you better start praying to the music gods that your favourite makes it onto the setlist. Dylan may be 76 years old, but he has certainly showed no signs of slowing down as he approaches 80. In 2016 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature and, just this year, he oddly released his own whisky. But still, it could be the last chance you get to see this living legend perform live. His last tour sold out, so don't wait too long to get your hands on tickets.
Round up the Avengers, call all your SHIELD buddies and pick up your mighty mjolnir. It's time to hulk out at Brisbane's Marvel Trivia night, rove your hawk-like eye over plenty of questions about the huge film franchise and snap out answers faster than Thanos can snap his fingers. If you've caught all 22 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date, watched every TV show and basically dedicated the past 11 years to this superhero-filled realm, then it's an evening that you've been training for. And if you're down with flerkens, wish you'd visited Wakanda, and know the difference between Peter Parker and Peter Porker, then you'll be in your happy place. Taking place from 7pm on Tuesday, May 28, the MCU trivia onslaught comes right in the middle of the series' two latest instalments — Avengers: Endgame and the forthcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home. Man vs Bear will be doing the quizzing, St Lucia's Red Room is your secret base for the night, and there's more than $600 in prizes on offer.
Throughout the pandemic, treating ourselves to Gelato Messina's desserts has become a tasty self-care go-to, and the chain has been releasing quite the lineup of special sweet treats — its own takes on Viennettas and Iced Vovos included — to help. Now, after a chaotic few weeks weather-wise across Queensland and New South Wales, the gelato brand is putting its OTT dishes to great use in another way, raffling them off to raise cash for flood relief. Buy a $10 ticket, go in the draw to win Messina treats, gelato tubs, chocolates, vouchers and merchandise: that's what's on offer until 11.59pm on Sunday, March 20. The gelato chain is hosting its own raffle, with $5000 in desserts and prizes up for grabs — in 150 packs filled with more than 60 of the brand's limited-edition wares. Those aforementioned Messinettas and Iced Vovo bavarians are included, with 2o of each on offer — and 20 of Messina's Basque cheesecake hot tubs as well. There's also 20 1.5-litre gelato tubs, 30 sets of its pick 'n' mix choccies, and five $150 Messina vouchers. Messina socks, caps, hoodies, t-shirts, sweatshirts and balm — they're all on the list as well. Tickets can be bought online, with 100 percent of the profits to be split between Australian Red Cross and Vinnies flood appeals across NSW and Qld. Winners will then be notified on Monday, March 21. Eating gelato, assisting folks in need: that's the best and most helpful way to enjoy dessert. Gelato Messina's flood appeal raffle is selling tickets until 11.59pm on Sunday, March 20. Head to the Messina website for further information.
It's not an exaggeration to say that there's no pool in Brisbane quite like the Spring Hill Baths — and if you're going to take a spring- or summer-time dip, there's really no better spot. The heritage-listed venue dates back to 1886, making it quite the institution. It was the city's first in-ground pool, and has remained a splash-about mainstay ever since. Opening at 6.30am every weekday, it's the kind of place that you'll be happy to jump out of bed for when the sun starts streaming through the windows. Within its sturdy walls, the water is crisp, the grandstand seating oozes charm and the day is calm. Happy swimming. Image: Brisbane City Council.
Not all tribute nights are created equal. First, there's the kind of collection of covers that you'll find at every suburban pub. Then, there are the affectionate odes that eventuate when a great music venue gathers a bunch of the country's best bands and asks them to craft their own homage. It's the latter that the Triffid has made their own in their less than two years of operation, with everyone from Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, The Cure, Pink Floyd and The Clash getting the loving treatment. On July 23, they'll be riding the lightning, heading off to never-never land and offering justice to all at their latest event — as long as you're a Metallica fan, that is. With each act playing four of the heavy metal behemoth's tracks and two of their own, Whiskey & Speed, Smoking Martha, Old Fashion, Simon Gardner and Fuzzpilot will take to the stage to show that when it comes to rockin' out and thrashing about, nothing else matters. Yep, their guitar riffs and growls will provide the fuel, the fire and that which you desire. If you don't make it along, expect the bell to toll for you.
For 125 million film and television lovers around the world, Netflix's two-note intro sound is synonymous with one thing: settling in to watch an episode or movie on your TV at home (or on your computer during your lunch break, or on your phone during your commute, let's face it). Soon, however, it could also echo through cinemas, with the streaming platform apparently looking into buying its own theatres. First reported by The Los Angeles Times regarding the sale of one particular US chain — Landmark Theatres, which Netflix ultimately opted not to purchase — the potential move would assist the company in achieving two things. Firstly, it could give the company a bigger footprint within the entertainment landscape. Secondly, it'd provide a cinematic outlet for its films. And, as you might've noticed, there's no shortage of the latter. Indeed, whether it's snapping up flicks at festivals, funding them from the get-go or saving the day when traditional distributors want to back out of putting their movies in theatres — as happened with both The Cloverfield Paradox and Annihilation earlier this year — Netflix's slate of originals is only growing. It has released more than 20 so far this year, and will more than double that number by the time December comes to a close. In total, Netflix will spend up to $8 billion on content in 2018 alone, and CEO Reed Hastings has recently said that's not enough. You mightn't think screening their films in cinemas would be important to the streaming behemoth, but playing in theatres is absolutely essential for one thing: collecting Oscars and other industry accolades. And they're starting to do just that, with Netflix's Icarus picking up the Academy Award for best documentary this year, while drama Mudbound garnered four nominations. Both had a short cinema run, something that's a necessity to meet the Academy's criteria. But, unsurprisingly, few existing theatre chains are eager to screen flicks that are also available on the streaming platform at the same time or shortly afterwards. On the international front, it's a battle that saw Netflix withdraw its films from this year's Cannes Film Festival, after the fest announced it had banned flicks that wouldn't also play in French cinemas. Part of the prestigious event's requirements is that movies also screen locally; however France also stipulates that a film can't make its way to home entertainment platforms, be it DVD or streaming, for three years after its big-screen appearance. Obviously, that doesn't work for Netflix. Last year, Okja was available online a month after it premiered it Cannes, while the Noah Baumbach-directed, Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller-starring The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) released in October. Just how far Netflix will pursue their cinema prospects is yet to be seen, but the company isn't known for doing things by halves. At present, reports centre on opening theatres in the US, with no word on any international plans. Via The Los Angeles Times.
Brisbane has seen a dumpling invasion in the last year. Prior to this, dumpling enjoyment was restricted to a trip out to Sunnybank or a meal of yum cha in Chinatown. Now we have trendy and delicious dumpling places scattered so thickly throughout the city that it is hard to walk 100 metres without the allure of these little bundles of joy drawing you in. It is for this reason that Concrete Playground has narrowed down our top five dumpling places in Brisbane. Happy Little Dumplings This Happy Little place located in the vibrant James Lane is as joyful as its name suggests. With complimentary bottomless Jasmine tea and fillings such as Prawn Har Gow - plump prawns with a hint of bamboo, it’s little wonder that they had to open a second store (the original HLD is located in Bulimba for all the south-siders out there!). If you do however overdose on dumplings (impossible!) the desserts on offer are a must try. If you can’t choose between the mango pancake and the black sticky rice pudding, you might like to take both home, surround yourself with soft furnishings, indulge and let the blissful food coma take over you. Shop 10, 65 James St, Fortitude Valley; 07 3854 0741; www.littledumplings.com.au Harajuku Gyoza Things to bring to Harajuku Gyoza: 1. Your inner anime character 2. A sense of celebration. 3. An empty stomach. 4. Paracetamol for your ear-ache afterwards. From the minute you step through the giant heavy sumo-like door, you are greeted with a loud “Irasshaimase!” Japanese for “Welcome, come in!”. The gyoza (dumpling) menu is impressive and for all the lovers of these parcels of pleasure, the apple gyoza dessert is a bucket-list worthy treat. Without a doubt, Harajuku Gyoza is renowned for its fun atmosphere and gorgeous staff equipped with some serious pipes, don’t believe me? Order a shot of celebratory Sake and watch what happens. 394 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3852 4624; www.harajukugyoza.com Brunswick Social Every wild night out in the Valley should begin and end with dumplings. Lucky for you, Brunswick Social provides a classy yet relaxed atmosphere with it’s indoor subdued décor and soft lighting. With dumplings and drinks aplenty, it’s a wonder why you would even stray from this place. The chicken and chive dumplings as well as the chicken sui mai are stand outs. Talk about the stock market over fish cakes or plan your next boozy encounter over a Singapore Sling. Whatever you fancy, it’s guaranteed you’ll probably end up back here for a midnight fix anyway. 367 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley; 07 3252 3234; www.thebrunswicksocial.com Sono Portside Wharf One might scoff at the mention of this place and wonder how on earth the humble dumpling and fine dining go together. Sono Portside offers it’s guests a modern yet traditional Japanese dining experience, and where would Japan be without it’s glorious gyoza? Although there is plenty of posh nosh to choose from on the menu, Sono’s pork and chive gyozas are grilled to perfection and offer undercover dumpling devotees a quick fix from the fancy food on offer. 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton; 07 3268 6655; www.sonorestaurant.com.au Bamboo Basket The dumpling chefs at this restaurant might as well be rockstars. It’s often one finds themself casually walking the streets of Southbank only to stop and stare through the glass windows of Bamboo Basket’s open kitchen and marvel at the craftsmanship of these heroes. Within minutes and with origami-style precision, bite-sized dumplings are formed right in front of you. You shed tears. You have just witnessed a miracle. The real wonder of nature however, happens once you enter the restaurant and partake in the delicious Shan-Dong style dumplings or any of it’s pan-fried friends on the menu. Prepare yourself for endless choices and your very own food baby at the end of the night. Shop 1003 - 1004/199 Grey Street South Brisbane; 07 3844 0088; www.bamboobasket.com.au
Father’s Day is coming up and we all know that dads can be hard to please. Or maybe they just don’t really care. After years of receiving socks and ties as gifts, maybe they gave up on an exciting Father’s Day years ago. Here at Concrete Playground we want to make sure that if nothing else, your dad’s stomach is satisfied on his special day. So here are our suggestions of the top five spots to take your old man. Mundo Churrasco If your Dad is the type of guy who likes to chew on jerky and mop up his steak juices with bread, then this Brazilian barbecue is the perfect place for him. Located in Bardon and open for lunch and dinner, Mundo Churrasco is a meat lover's dream. Order the ‘churrasco’ for an all-you-can-eat option with endless sides being topped up throughout your sitting. Waiters walk around with slabs of beef, chicken, and pork on large skewers and slice the meat off for you at the table, and keep coming until you politely decline. Not for the faint of heart, this meal is great for dad but you may end up with the meat sweats afterwards. Lure on Latrobe This destination ticks the ‘outdoor’, ‘laidback’, and ‘absolutely delicious’ boxes. Often found with a line up out the door, Lure’s popularity is well deserved. The food is amazing and the staff are welcoming and fun. If your Dad is an up and at ‘em kind of guy then this is the perfect place to go to break your fast. Get there early and influence your dad to get the breakfast burger. It's a guaranteed winner, and very reasonably priced so you can afford to pay. Archive Some dads have simple wishes, which may include a chicken schnitzel and a good pint of beer (or five). If this sounds like your old man then you have to take him to Archive in West End. With $10 chicken schnitzels, it leaves you open to try some of the unique boutique beers that they have on tap. There is always a great vibe, and live musicians singing foot-thumping hits. To take your dad back to his rocking youth, Archive is the place to go. Corner Store Café If your father is a green thumb then he will enjoy investigating the garden at Corner Store Cafe. Overlooking a herb and vegetable patch, Corner Store covers all of the ‘dad’ classics including burgers, curries, and a bowl of mussels for the seafood lovers. With food that never disappoints, your dad will be feeling very special after this Father’s Day lunch. Hundred Acre Bar If you have a large group to organise for Father’s Day then consider heading to the Hundred Acre Bar in St Lucia. With a diverse menu for both breakfast and lunch, including kids specials, the whole family will be pleased with your choice. Overlooking the rolling green St Lucia Golf Course and amongst their well-groomed gardens, it is a beautiful spot to enjoy a meal with the family…followed by a round of golf for the enthusiasts.
This year's Melbourne Cup is fast approaching, so it's time to start thinking about which glitzy locale has your name on it. To help you make your choice, here's a cheat sheet for four parties happening at four stand-out venues: the Regatta Hotel, the Boundary Hotel, Fridays Riverside and Riverland Brisbane. At the top of the list is the Regatta, which is hosting the annual Level 1 Cup Gala plus the new Level 2 Extravaganza, the most exclusive event in Regatta history. The latter is hosted in the brand new Glenolive function space and verandah (pictured below), with luxury food and drinks plus access to the rest of the hotel. To wrap up the day, head underground to the Walrus Club for the best afterparty north of the river. [caption id="attachment_870401" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Those with a taste for history should consider the 158-year-old Boundary Hotel, which is hosting its annual Cup Day celebration. There's two available packages, each including a variety of food and drink options. The luxe $169pp gala is inclusive of live music and a good view of all the fashionable fascinators, while the $200pp luncheon adds a 3-course meal to the mix. If Fridays Riverside is your go-to, put together a group for the epic two-course share meal and three-hour beverage package. It'll be a great way to enjoy the day as you take in the live music and entertainment throughout the venue. Need we say dress your best? The freshest fit can win some sweet prizes. Riverland will be giving its street kitchen vibes a premium cup day makeover to bring you a prime posi for the arvo. Make the most of the event with canapés, music and the coveted Fashion on the Field prizes. This Melbourne Cup, the Regatta Hotel, Boundary Hotel, Fridays Riverside and Riverland are playing host to a range of festivities. For more information, head to the websites.
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 back again, playing one last-ever Brisbane show. 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? In Brisbane, he'll light up Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, January 21. 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'. 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'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVBCG6ThDk Image: Ben Gibson.
Art, design, food and shopping themed festivals have long made happy home in Brisbane - a city of foodies, art-lovers and culture huggers. But even our most established festivals would have trouble rivalling the newest design fun-fair in town; a) because it’s beyond innovative and b) it’s got some seriously a-grade world play going on. Containerval is the newest, edgiest mix of pop-up retail shops, performance spaces and food stalls that will be gracing the Northshore banks of the Brisbane River. Just a quick CityCat stop from just about anywhere, this festival will transform shipping containers into vibrant stalls, that will house everything thrifty, nifty and gifty – and then just about as many tasty treats as you can fit in a shipping container. A few big musical names will also be jumping on board – Sampology, Tom Thum and Michelle Xen are just a few people who’ll, assumedly, be hoisted onto shipping containers and made to perform. Containerval will be open Fridays to Sundays, with the exception of the third and final weekend when it will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday to incorporate Brisbane International Film Festival’s open-air cinema extravaganza. Words really can’t describe the layout, ideas and creativity Containerval has got going for it – have a good look at the photos here and check out the festival program here.
As well as its prime riverside spot on Brisbane Powerhouse's ground level, the city's new all-day watering hole boasts something that most other bars don't: one hell of a tomato juice bill. Now open in the space that was previously home to WATT Bar and Restaurant, Proud Mary slings southern-inspired fare and bloody marys as its drink of choice. Other cocktails, craft beers and wines are also on offer, but there's no doubting what the house favourite is. Choose from five different types of bloody mary, both as single drinks and in jugs to share — or tuck into a $45 five-course bloody mary brunch every Saturday, with optional bottomless booze (for an extra $30), too. Focusing on New Orleans-style and other French-influenced southern meals, Proud Mary's culinary lineup is heavy on both seafood and comfort. Think oysters with gazpacho, king salmon ceviche and oyster po'boys sliders, plus griddled crab cakes, pork belly sandwiches, and poutine with cheese curds and gravy. On the share platter front, you can build your own brisket tortillas, opt for a spread of the ocean's finest or feast on buttermilk fried chicken. Opening at 9.30am on weekdays and 8am on weekends, the brunch menu features croque monsieurs and madames, with specific weekend-only additions including goat's cheese tartine burgers, and hazelnut and almond-filled omelettes. And if you'd like a little entertainment with your meal, Proud Mary's will also host live music every weekend — between 2–6pm on Saturdays and 1–5pm on Sundays. Find Proud Mary on the ground floor of Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm, open from 9.30am–9pm Mondays to Wednesdays, 9.30am–9.30pm on Thursdays, 9.30am–10.30pm on Fridays, 8am–10.30pm on Saturdays and 8am–9pm on Sundays.
Not quite in the festive mood just yet? Prefer to do your shopping closer to the date? Planning on leaving your Christmas preparations until the last minute? Then pencil the year's must-attend Yuletide markets into your calendar: Christmas on Cribb. Sure, Christmas on Cribb is just what the Milton Markets call their seasonal shindig, which takes place on December 21 from 4pm to 10pm. And sure, you've been to markets before. But, their festive event boasts plenty to get excited about. Here, you'll get your food and gift plans sorted, and lap up music and entertainment while you're there. This Cribbmas, you can also enjoy everything from gourmet cakes to artisan wares at more than 180 stalls, spanning bites you'll want to eat on the night, fresh produce for your big feast, and presents for your loved ones (and yourself). Plus, there'll be three pop-up bars on-site, in case you need a break from the browsing and buying — or an extra excuse to feel merry.
Florence Foster Jenkins is a tale of talent and tenderness. The real-life American socialite might've infamously lacked the former, but the movie that shares her name overflows with the latter. Just as her ghastly attempts at singing sprang from her devotion to music, a "profound communion" as she called it, filmmaker Stephen Frears (The Program) is driven by affection and empathy for his eccentric subject. There's a reason that she packed out Carnegie Hall, earned a dedicated following, and inspired four plays, a documentary and now two feature films: Jenkins' passion is just that contagious. Her enthusiasm also explains why people clamoured to her shows, starting with private recitals for pals and graduating to the prestigious gala concert she was determined to stage. When the film first spies Jenkins (Meryl Streep), she's in her element, with an adoring crowd watching on and loving husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) waiting in the wings. It's only when she hires pianist Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg) to accompany her operatic warbling that the extent of her inability to carry a tune becomes apparent. McMoon can barely hide his dismay, let alone keep tickling the ivories as she croons, and viewers are expected to share his reaction. And yet Florence Foster Jenkins isn't actually about the fact that its namesake can't sing. It's about what drives this fascinating woman, and how those who love her help her chase her dreams. Unlike the cruel streak that troubled recent French film Marguerite, which told a fictionalised version of the same scenario, Frears' take on the story couldn't be warmer. Even Jenkins' many eccentricities, as illustrated via the extravagant outfits she wears, her distinctive taste in decor, and her obsession with eating bathtubs full of potato salad, are met with kind-hearted humour. Here, tone is key. There's a difference between laughing with someone as opposed to at them, which Frears understands even when he's highlighting the more farcical aspects of the story. With a critic (Christian McKay) determined to expose Jenkins' flaws, and Bayfield's mistress (Rebecca Ferguson) lurking around, there's certainly ample absurdity and drama on show. In one of his best performances in years, Grant proves the best indicator of how the movie chooses to treat each development, be it silly, serious or sweet. With the ideal balance of gracefulness and glossiness, nothing escapes his gaze — and whether he's being comforting or charming, he hits all the right notes. Of course, Frears' loving approach couldn't have proven as sincere as it does without the committed work of his leading lady, who's in screwball comedy rather than awards-chasing mode. Streep may have demonstrated her vocal talents in Mamma Mia and Ricki and the Flash, but now the applauded actress appears to be enjoying herself doing exactly the opposite. Indeed, while it might threaten to overstay its welcome slightly, and clearly favours broad appeal over intimate details, Florence Foster Jenkins achieves the synergy between its central figure, lead performance and guiding force that all biopics seek. And unlike it's protagonist, it barely misses a beat.
Thanks to the events of the past year, you've probably forgotten what an overseas holiday feels like — unless you've either already taken advantage of the newly opened trans-Tasman travel bubble with New Zealand, or you've made plans to hop across the ditch sometime soon. Don't go pulling out a map of the rest of the globe just yet, however, because the folks at Qantas and Jetstar have just announced a delay to their plans to start flying to other international destinations again. Initially, the airlines were hoping to begin soaring to a number of overseas spots in October. Qantas had outlined plans to recommence flights to 22 of its 25 international destinations — including London, Singapore and Los Angeles — while Jetstar was intending to resume trips to all of its 13 international routes by the same projected date. The Qantas Group, the company behind both carriers, has since updated that timeframe, announcing that it's now hoping to restart its international flights to places other than NZ in late December this year. The change follows recent forecasting by the Federal Government, which noted that Australia's borders wouldn't reopen to international travel until at least mid-2022 — as well as the fact that the nation's vaccine rollout hasn't been proceeding as quickly as originally advised. So, a lot still needs to go to plan for the two airlines to have you jetting off to foreign lands this summer. That's Qantas and Jetstar's current target date, though. It has been more than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic first forced Qantas and Jetstar to suspend international flights, which happened back in March 2020. There has been talk of other travel bubbles, however, including a possible one with Singapore — with Qantas Group saying that it remains "optimistic that additional bubbles will open once Australia's vaccine rollout is complete to countries who, by then, are in a similar position." The airlines will contact anyone who has already booked flights from October onwards, but notes that "recent levels of uncertainty meant international booking levels were relatively low." When overseas flights to spots other than NZ do resume, you might not be able to fly until you've received your jab, with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce previously stating the airline would only allow vaccinated passengers to travel on international flights. The airline is also currently trialling digital health pass apps, such as Common Pass and IATA Travel Pass, which contain information about a passenger's COVID-19 status, testing and vaccinations, on current international repatriation flights. Of course, even once international flights are up and running again, you can expect a much lower capacity than pre-COVID travel — Qantas previously said that it's not anticipating a full return to normality until 2024. To find out more about Qantas and Jetstar's international travel plans, visit the Qantas website.
If your days spent working from home and social distancing could do with a few more adorable animals, you'll be happy to know the internet is filled with many. Melbourne's zoos are live streaming their penguins, leopard cubs and giraffes, Sydney's aquarium brought us playtime with Pig the dugong and the Wild Life zoo is prepping for cuddles with quokkas. At a Queensland wildlife sanctuary, however, one of Australia's cutest native marsupials is the star of the show: the koala. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary has temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it does have 15 webcams running. Yes, 15. And eight of them are dedicated to observing the sanctuary's 130 koalas, 24/7. So, you can watch them eating, climbing, hanging out with each other and, mostly, sleeping. Koalas sleep for about 18-20 hours a day, so you will see many many sleeping furry boys and girls. https://youtu.be/6TYHWQt1YV0 While they are sleeping, though, you can tune into some of the other live-streams, which follow the sanctuary's dingo puppies (awww), reptiles, platypus and birds. There are also a few highlight reels if all the residents are particularly quiet. As the koala cams are running all day, every day, we can't promise this won't put a slight dent in your productivity, but we can promise that it'll help brighten up your day every so slightly. Check out Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary's webcams over here.
After heading to Australia earlier this year for a one-night-only show at the Sydney Opera House, Margaret Atwood is heading Down Under once again in early 2020. This time, though, she'll be hitting up six Aussie cities (Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Hobart and Perth) as well as Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. The Canadian writer also has some very exciting new material to discuss — her long-awaited sequel to 'The Handmaid's Tale', called 'The Testaments'. Released 34 years after the original, the novel is set 15 years after Offred's final scene and is narrated by three female characters. Since it's release in September, 'The Testaments' has already garnered one of the world's biggest literary awards, the Booker Prize, which it won jointly with Bernardine Evaristo's 'Girl, Woman, Other'. As well as discussing her award-winning new novel, the seminal 1985 book and the captivating TV drama it inspired, Atwood will chat about her life and career, and the rest of her very extensive body of works. While it seems this talk won't be quite as political as her SOH conversation, it's likely Atwood will dip into topics such as extremist politics, feminism and climate change — they are themes that are brought up time and time again in her fictional works, after all. It'll be an interesting, if not eyebrow-raising, talk — as well as being an obvious advocate for women's rights, Atwood has came under fire for her controversial take on the #MeToo movement and her reluctance to call The Handmaid's Tale feminist. It's said the talks will also have a Q&A segment, so putt on your thinking hats and get some questions ready. [caption id="attachment_751168" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Margaret Atwood via Wiki Commons, Image credit: Mauro Rico/Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación[/caption] IN CONVERSATION WITH MARGARET ATWOOD 2020 DATES February 10 — Wellington, Michael Fowler Centre February 11 — Auckland, The Civic February 12 — Christchurch, Christchurch Town Hall February 16–17 — Sydney, ICC February 19 — Canberra, Canberra Theatre Centre February 22 — Brisbane, QPAC Concert Hall February 23 — Melbourne, Arts Centre Melbourne February 24 — Hobart, Wrest Point March 1 — Perth, Riverside Theatre Tickets for In Conversation with Margaret Atwood go on sale Monday, November 25. Image: Jean Malek
Harrison Ford fans, rejoice: first came the legendary actor's debut regular small-screen role in western drama 1923 late in 2022, then arrived his second such part in comedy Shrinking, and 2023 will also deliver his fifth big-screen stint as Indiana Jones, too. But when Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny arrives midyear, complete with Ford donning the famous hat once more, his new co-star will prove just as exciting: Fleabag favourite Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Hitting cinemas in late June 2023, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny heads back to the 60s, and uses the Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union as a backdrop. And, as both the movie's initial trailer back in 2022 and its just-dropped new sneak peek during the Super Bowl both show, he has his goddaughter in tow — with Waller-Bridge's Helena even dropping in to rescue the hero archaeologist in the latest clip. Wondering what else is in store? As well as Ford, Dr Henry Walton 'Indiana' Jones Jr's famous headwear and that whip — two different looks at Ford, actually, including Indy in the film's present day and Indy in the past, with the movie using digital de-aging technology — there are Nazis to battle and the famous John Williams-composed theme soundtracking the action as well. The archaeologist's latest outing does bring in a few changes to the series, however. Firstly, Steven Spielberg isn't in the director's chair for the first time ever, handing over the reins to Logan and Ford v Ferrari's James Mangold. And, George Lucas doesn't have a part in the script, either with Mangold co-scripting with Ford v Ferrari's Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. Cast-wise, expect the return of John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, too, plus Antonio Banderas (Official Competition), Mads Mikkelsen (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore), Thomas Kretschmann (Das Boot), Toby Jones (The English), Boyd Holbrook (The Sandman) joining the on-screen talent alongside Shaunette Renee Wilson (Black Panther), Oliver Richters (The King's Man) and Ethann Isidore (Mortel). When it crusades across the big screen from June, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will arrive a whopping 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, 39 since Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and 34 since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (and 15 years after Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull). And yes, if it's a big blockbuster franchise, it stars Harrison Ford, and it debuted in the 70s or 80s, then it's always coming back to the screen — as Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens and its sequels have, as well as Blade Runner 2049. Check out the latest teaser for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny below: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases in cinemas Down Under on June 29, 2023. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
UPDATE, May 16, 2021: You Were Never Really Here is available to stream via Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Never has a beard felt as important as it does in You Were Never Really Here. Mottled with grey and sporting the texture of steel wool, it's visibly abrasive. It looks scratchy to touch, and as though its coarse mess would grate against the skin underneath. That skin belongs to Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), though he's troubled by more than his choice of facial hair. In fact, the desolation in his eyes and the menacing heft of his frame suggest that his shield of bristles is thoroughly by design. An assassin who rescues young girls from sex trafficking rings — and who's haunted by his own childhood abuse, as well as his past as a soldier and FBI agent — he coats his chin with a wiry nest partly as armour, partly in order to feel something. The fourth film by directorLynne Ramsay, You Were Never Really Here inspires intricate dissections of every element within its frames — and every aspect of its brooding protagonist, too. Charting Joe's latest assignment, it's ostensibly a crime thriller, but it's really a character study of a despairing man. As the filmmaker demonstrated in We Need to Talk About Kevin, her movies relay their narratives with a minimalistic but expressionist touch. They plunge viewers into their protagonist's headspace with distorted flourishes, yet offer up only what they need to. You Were Never Really Here achieves this with jarring flashes of Joe's memories, with shots that box people in using their surroundings, and with a ragged, raging score by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood. It also does the same just by staring at Joe, and letting audiences soak up his broken yet brutal presence. First seen finishing a job in Cincinnati (and trying to finish himself as well), Joe is a man of few modes. Usually he's ruthless and task-oriented, whether arranging his next hit, buying the hammer he'll wield or deploying his deadly skills. When he's at his Queens home with his elderly mother (Judith Roberts), he's kind and caring, a tenor he reserves only for that situation. In-between, he's fighting a war inside — one that he can temporarily put at bay by saving exploited children or by playfully singing with his mum, but can never completely win. The suicide attempts continue, fuelled by emptiness and isolation, although something holds him back. Then Joe is enlisted to rescue Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov), the pre-teen daughter of a New York senator (Alex Manette), and his world goes astray. Early in the piece, Joe takes a cab from a job, but this isn't merely an updated Taxi Driver. He speaks little and swings a hammer, but the film isn't a riff on Drive. He even watches Psycho with his mother — and recreates its infamous screeching noise and stabbing motion outside of his bathroom — but that's not where this is heading either. As boilerplate as You Were Never Really Here might sound with its tormented protagonist, avenging storyline and penchant for violence, this isn't a picture that walks in anyone's shoes other than Ramsay's own. The writer-director has long delved into the lingering echoes of trauma, not only in the dense and complex Kevin but in her earlier efforts Ratcatcher and Morvern Caller too. If other flicks spring to viewers' minds when watching You Were Never Really Here, that's purely because Ramsay has only made four features in two decades — and, criminally, her last came out seven years ago. While it's a distinctively immersive Ramsay creation, You Were Never Really Here isn't a film that's big on plot. The novella it's based on numbers less than 100 pages, after all. But if Joe's tale is concise in the hands of author Jonathan Ames (Bored to Death), then it's positively stripped bare on the screen in the bleakest, tensest yet also most rewarding way. There's freedom in such an economical approach — the freedom to build an entire world around Joe's festering pain, to show why he'd rather just disappear, and to explore how the agony he can't shake shapes his entire reality. Indeed, You Were Never Really Here is disarmingly effective in conveying how post traumatic stress disorder burrows into the deepest recesses of someone's mind, controls their every move, and casts an enormous shadow over everything that they see and hear. And, of course, why it might spark them to lurk both at the edges of society and behind a scruffy beard. Playing Joe, Phoenix won the Cannes Film Festival's best actor prize for more than just his appearance. His is a powerfully wounded performance, a portrayal that wears the character's internal distress as openly as the scars that cover his back and arms. Phoenix boasts a resume filled with damaged figures, be they vicious in Gladiator or sweet in Her, and he's the ideal actor for Ramsay's intense and exacting film. Smashing skulls, cradling bodies in a stream, slurping milkshakes — no matter what he's doing, he's as gripping and galvanising as he's ever been. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQyDaGWQ43w
If Harry Potter and Singing in the Rain were mashed up, this gadget would be the key prop. It might look like a magic wand, but it acts like an umbrella. By sucking in air at one end and pushing it out at the other, the motorised head creates a jet airflow, pushing raindrops away from you. Hence, you’re kept dry, without the inconvenience of carrying around a soggy piece of fabric that will invariably whack your fellow pedestrians in the face. Created by Nanjing-based inventor Chuan Wang, the air umbrella is currently funding on Kickstarter. It began life as a prototype back in November 2012. Wang then spent time working with PhD graduates from the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics to reduce the size, while maintaining an effective level of airflow. A controller at the base of the handle enables the user to manipulate the umbrella’s force, to meet the rain’s intensity. With ten days to go, the Kickstarter campaign has exceeded its target goal, thanks to 97 backers pledging to the tune of $10,283. Three sizes are available, the ‘A’, which is selling for $88; the ‘B’, priced at $98; and the ‘C’ at $108. The smallest measures 30 centimetres and weighs in at 500 grams, while the largest is extendable, to a length of 80 centimetres, and weighs 850 grams. The invention has some weaknesses. For one, it looks dodgy as. Dyson should really put this sleeker concept into production. Two, it eats battery life faster than Facebook for iPhone. Despite the significant size of the rechargeable lithium pack, umbrella ‘A’ offers only 15 minutes of protection at a time, while ‘C’ provides 30 minutes. Via PSFK.
Whenever someone mentions bingo, the immediate thought goes to old ladies and fellas sitting at fold-out tables in a seniors hall. Move over legs eleven, there's a new cliché in town... Bogan Bingo. It sounds impossible, but somehow it really is inevitable. We've heard of Hipster Bingo, but what is it about Bogan Bingo that sets it apart from the imposters? The Sit Down Comedy Club, or the Paddo as your inner bogan might say, is renowned for its hilarious gigs and is now channelling that energy into a project that is sure to revive the dusty game of bingo. Even if you've tried to push it to the back of your mind, the standard rules will apply, however on the announcement of 'bingo!', you may or may not be obliged to dance on the way to claiming your prize. The prizes are said to be awesome, but then again they also have a disclaimer saying they may not be awesome, so there's an added element of surprise thrown into the mix. There'll be 80s rock all night, as well as an air-guitar competition, making Bogan Bingo less about winning something and more about having a good time on one of the bleakest nights of the week. Get down to the best bingo night in Brisbane and ditch your work clothes for some flannies, ruggers and pluggers. Durries and mullets are optional.
In what may be the ultimate fusion of practicality and style, Brookstone are now selling cufflinks that offer both Wi-Fi when plugged into devices and two gigabites of storage. These magical miniatures will be perfect for frequent overseas travellers who need quick internet access, and nine-to-fivers will decrease their danger of leaving their most important work at home. Furthermore, if you ever need to undergo an investigative spy mission, these will be a perfect place for you to store all the secret documents and images you can collect. After all, nobody ever suspects your cufflinks of housing information. There are other products which offer just the USB storage, which hold up to four gigabytes. You can also engrave these for that personal touch. Sitting at around $250, these cufflinks will undoubtedly please fashionable tech geeks and businessman ballers. [via Mashable]
Like beer? Like monsters? Like your brews named after creepy critters, with bottle, can and label artwork to match? Horror-loving drinkers, there's never been a better time to pair your beverages with your fondness for all things scary — but from 12pm on Saturday, October 22 will be even better than usual thanks to Netherworld's Monster Menagerie Beer Festival. The returning event will bring together eight yeasty tipples, strange creatures and stellar collaborations, all for a day of boozing fun. And if you're wondering why it takes place in October, just think about it for a second. 'Tis the month of Halloween, after all. Everyone from Aether Brewing Co and Kaiju to Black Flag to Happy Valley will be involved, with Netherworld serving up orange miso lagers, cherry blossom sours, cumquat yuzu pilsners and more. Tickets cost $35, which include a tasting paddle featuring each and every one of these beastly beers, as well as a limited edition enamel pin and five game tokens. Top image: Cole Bennetts.
"Attention players: you will now compete for our biggest cash prize in reality-show history." They're the first words spoken in the new teaser trailer for Squid Game: The Challenge, aka the competition series that was always going to happen when Squid Game became a massive Netflix success. Once more, 456 players come together. And, they will indeed compete to win $4.56 million. There's no murder this time, however — nor fictional thrills. If you're one of the hordes of viewers who watched Squid Game when it instantly became one of the best new TV programs of 2021, as we all are — and you thought that playing hopscotch, marbles, sugar honeycombs and tug of war sounds like fun, too — then you'll understand the concept at the heart of Squid Game: The Challenge. As seen in the just-dropped new sneak peek for the show, the whole pesky compete-to-the-death angle is missing, obviously, but everything about the series looks exactly like its inspiration otherwise. The red and green tracksuits, the games, the decor and, yes, the notorious Red Light, Green Light doll: they're all accounted for. The reality competition TV show received the green light back in 2022, after the streaming platform had also confirmed that a second season of Squid Game itself was on its way. In June 2023, Netflix also announced that Squid Game: The Challenge would arrive in November. The service has now gone one better, locking in Wednesday, November 22 as the spinoff's launch date. How does it work? Again, you already know the details. Those 456 folks — all ordinary people, and not actors — will try to score $4.56 million by playing a series of games inspired by the extremely fictional South Korean thriller, as well as a few new additions. Also, competitors will be eliminated as the games go on, and forming strategies and alliances will play a huge part. So, Squid Game: The Challenge is clearly designed to get as close to the OG Squid Game as possible, just without the body count. It's all being overseen by a Front Man, too, because of course it is. The results will unfurl over ten episodes, in what Netflix has dubbed "the biggest reality competition series ever". Well, it certainly has the biggest cast. Making a gripping and brutal TV show that satirises capitalism, then bringing its games into real life does sound like something that might happen in Squid Game itself if the show was getting meta. As for the second season the OG series, Squid Game's dramatised return doesn't yet boast a release date, but it does have a heap of cast members locked in. Lee Jung-jae (Deliver Us From Evil) returns as the show's protagonist Seong Gi-hun, while Lee Byung-hun (The Magnificent Seven) will be back as the masked Front Man as well. They'll be joined by Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho, plus Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place. A show about a deadly competition that has folks competing for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount, which means that new faces were always going to be essential in Squid Game season two. Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) will all join the series, but Netflix is keeping quiet about their characters at the moment. Check out the latest teaser trailer for Squid Game: The Challenge: Squid Game: The Challenge will hit Netflix in on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix — we'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Images: Netflix.
Australia's most prestigious portrait award, the Archibald Prize is one of the country's most anticipated annual arts events, making a huge splash across the Aussie creative scene each year. For the past few years, the event has announced its finalists in early May, then revealed its winner around a week later — and unveiled its exhibition at the Art Galley of NSW at the same time. In 2020, however, the Archibald has been postponed, with new dates yet to be revealed. It's the latest event affected by the growing spread of COVID-19, as well as Australia's various efforts to stop the illness — including banning outdoor gatherings with more than 500 people, banning indoor gatherings with more than 100 people, and implementing a limit of one person per four square metres in inside spaces and venues. In a statement on the Art Gallery of NSW website, the venue announced that "due to COVID-19, the gallery intends to hold the 2020 exhibition later this year". That applies not just to the Archibald, but to the Wynne and Sulman Prizes — which recognise the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture and the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project, respectively. At present, entries have been suspended for all three prizes, with dates for submission and delivery of entries to the prizes postponed. [caption id="attachment_721079" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lindy Lee by Tony Costa.[/caption] In 2019, Sydney painter Tony Costa took out the Archibald with his oil painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — marking the first time in the award's 98-year history that a portrait of an Asian Australian has taken out the coveted prize. The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibitions will no longer open on May 9 at the Art Gallery of NSW. For further details, visit the gallery's website. 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.
Western Australia is known for its stunning beaches, incredible nature, top-notch eats and plenty of excellent vino. So, it's no wonder some of the best chefs and sommeliers from around the globe want to come Down Under this spring. Come November, rockstar chefs and wine experts will flock to Western Australia for an epic food and wine fair — Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac. Taking over the Swan Valley, Perth and Margaret River for ten days (Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 17), the event is an extravaganza of long lunches, cruises, wine tasting sessions and masterclasses. You can count on more than 50 events featuring more than 50 world-class talents. Coming from the UK, Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White will host a one-off dinner at Swan Valley's Sittella Winery. You'll also find him at the new Gourmet Feast in the Valley, which will run from Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10. The weekend-long shindig of food, music and workshops will also host Jess Pryles (author of Hardcore Carnivore), Christian Stevenson (aka DJ BBQ), DJ-chef Yo Levins and Aussie band The Rubens playing live. Plus, you can expect artisan producers and wineries, hands-on activities, masterclasses and a lineup of Perth's best food trucks, too. Head down to Margaret River and you can also hit up a barbecue on the beach with the famed Momofuku empire's executive chef David Chang or a twilight vegetarian degustation at the idyllic Margaret River's Secret Garden, hosted by WA chef George Cooper (Tiller Dining) and Amanda Cohen from New York's Dirt Candy. You can also join chef Mark Best (ex-Marque) on a luxury catamaran to cruise around Geographe Bay, Margaret River, from Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17. With plenty of food, wine and culinary stars hitting our western coast, a trip over could be a hot option before diving into summer. There's plenty more food and wine frivolity in store, which you can check out in the festival's massive programme over here. Tickets to Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac go on sale at 9am on Thursday, July 18. To see our picks of the best events to check out at this epic food and wine festival, head here. UPDATE: MONDAY, AUGUST 5 – Western Australia Gourmet Escape is hosting a one-off event in Sydney. On Tuesday, August 13, you can join WA chef Luke Mangan, Gage Roads Brewing Co's chief brewer Aaron Heary and Annabelle Coppin from the Pilbara's Outback Beef, plus Sydney-based wine expert Mike Bennie for a four-course dinner at The Hilton Hotel Sydney's restaurant, Glass Brasserie. Kicking off at 6pm, the event is a celebration of Western Australian produce, with tickets costing $123 per person. Tickets include four courses matched with Gage Roads brews or with optional pairings of Margaret River wines available as an alternative. For tickets, head here.
The beloved drive-in theatre simply refuses to fade into nostalgic memory. After bursting onto the scene in the late '50s, then relatively disappearing after being widely condemned as being unsustainable and obsolete, drive-ins have more recently had a resurgence becoming a novelty way to re-watch your favourite films and re-live the golden era. With drive-in theatres few and far between on the Brisbane scene, where can a crazy kid turn to get their Happy Days on? Our Village Foundation plan to bring back the good old days with a unique drive-in event as part of this year’s Pine Rivers Festival. Everyone’s favourite retro stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John will be setting the scene as this year’s festival sees 70’s classic Grease as the movie of choice. Aside from inevitable sing-along’s, the night will also include $2 amusement rides, food stalls and a Rock n’ Roll Diner to get you in the retro mood. There’s no need to employ some shifty friends-in-boot smuggling either as entry is only $5 per car or FREE for walk-ins. Don’t be stranded at the drive-in, bring along your whole crew! Gates open at 5pm with the movie beginning at 7pm.
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols should never be far from anyone's ears — but there's listening to the iconic 1977 punk album, the only studio record from Sex Pistols, and then there's hearing it played live in full. Down Under in 2025, Australian music lovers will be treated to that very experience, with the group locking in a tour. Band members Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock are heading this way in April, as part of a project dubbed Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter. As the band's moniker makes plain, this is a case of punk figures joining punk figures, as first happened back in August 2024 for fundraiser gigs in London. Clearly the setup worked. This will be Sex Pistols' first trip this way in almost 30 years, since 1996 — this time pairing drummer Cook, guitarist Jones and bassist Matlock with Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes alum Carter on vocals. The group have announced seven stops, including at Brisbane's Fortitude Music Hall on Wednesday, April 9. John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, the band's well-known former lead vocalist, was last part of their lineup in 2008 — which is when Sex Pistols last toured before 2024. Hearing Never Mind the Bollocks live and in full almost five decades since its original release means hearing 'Anarchy in the UK', 'God Save the Queen', 'Pretty Vacant', 'Bodies', 'Holidays in the Sun' and more. If this feels like an incredibly rare chance to experience a slice of music greatness, that's because it is — and if you need any more motivation, Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter's UK gigs earned rave reviews. Top image: Henry Ruggeri.
While social distancing and public gathering rules are still in place across the country, some companies are starting to look to the less-restricted future. Qantas yesterday said interstate travel could be back on the cards by July, Restaurant and Catering Australia wants hospitality venues reopened in June and, now, Falls Festival has announced it's powering ahead with plans for its New Year's festival — with some big changes. In a statement released this morning, Falls Co-Producers Jessica Ducro and Paul Piticco said they'd decided to push ahead with the end-of-year festival. "As Australia heads towards the recovery phase of COVID-19 we have decided to move forward with optimism, and work towards presenting our Dec 2020/Jan 2021 event in a way that will best bolster Australia's live music industry," the statement said. Details of the summer festival, which usually takes places at Tassie's Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, North Byron and Fremantle, are scarce for now, but the duo has announced one big change: an all-Aussie lineup. With Australia's borders currently closed and even travel between just Australia and New Zealand "still some time away", keeping the lineup local does seem the smart choice — and it has the added bonus of helping Aussie musicians, many of which have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. According to website I Lost My Gig, Australian music industry workers have lost approximately $340 million worth of income since the crisis began. Falls Festival hopes it'll be able to help support some of those impacted with its locally focused festival. "We have some of the most exciting acts in the world and this special 'home grown' edition of Falls will ensure that money stays in our local economy, providing maximum financial benefit for the Australian music community – artists, management, crew, agents, roadies, production etc — as well as the thousands of contractors and suppliers who rely on our events for their income," Ducro and Piticco said in the statement. The festival will also help raise funds for Support Act, a charity delivery crisis relief services to those in the music industry. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_04sZGhybw/ It's positive news for those in the industry and music fans alike, but the the festival is not yet set in stone. Two-person public gathering rules are still currently in place in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and Australia's ban on non-essential mass gatherings of over 500 people was one of the first restrictions implemented — way back on March 13, 2020 — so could, if we're to work backwards, be one of the last lifted. The Australian Government has also said some level of social distancing measures will need to remain in place until a vaccine is found, which Federal Science Minister Karen Andrews told the ABC earlier this week was still 10–15 months away. So, if the festival is to go ahead, it could look a little different — and a have a lot less punters in tow. Falls Byron usually has around 25,000 attendees, while Falls Lorne has 9000. Last year, the music festival was impacted by the bushfires, with the Lorne leg cancelled one day in because of extreme and hazardous weather. Falls Festival is hoping to go ahead in December 2020/January 2021. We'll let you know if and when more details are announced.
Brisbanites, if catching a bus is in your future on July 27 and 28, then we have good and bad news. The city's bus drivers are going on strike again. However, before they stop work, they'll also be refusing to collect fares for an entire day. First, the good news. On Thursday, July 27, hopping on a Brisbane City Council bus service at any time throughout the day will cost you nothing. Translink, the Queensland Government body with responsibility for public transport, states that you should still swipe on and buy paper tickets from machines, but — according to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union — bus drivers on-board won't be taking your money or checking that you're using your Go Card. Then, come Friday, you'll also be saved the cost of a bus fare between 2pm and 6pm — but for a completely different reason. That's when bus drivers will strike to end the working week, so you might want to make other plans for getting around town that afternoon. The move is part of a continuing campaign by the RTBU's Queensland Branch for safer buses, a fair wage increase and modern rostering practices, and also marks the third day of industrial action in two weeks. If you were up early last Tuesday and Wednesday, you might've noticed that buses were absent from the roads between 4.30am and 6.30am — but given the peak-hour timing of the forthcoming strike, this one is bound to make a bigger impact. Image: Andrew Thomas via Flickr.
