The annual Orange Wine Festival is back for its 11th run, with ten days of events highlighting the region's sophisticated winemaking from October 13 through October 22. Patrons can expect wine shows, tastings, dinners and educational workshops, all of which showcase the rich diversity of Orange's rich culinary culture. This year's packed-out program includes over 90 events, which are open to all wine lovers, from the connoisseurs to those still getting to know their palate. The region is known for its cool climate which creates wines with bright fruit and deep, balanced flavours, making them some of the best drops in the country. While there are events on every day of the two weeks, signature events include the Festival Night Market, the Orange Wine Show Tasting ($50-$70) and Wine in the Vines ($145).
Whether you work in the industry, or you're just obsessed with everything about it, BIGSOUND is just like a Brisbane-based music lovers version of Christmas. The Foundry clearly feel the same way, which is why their pre-event party comes with a serving of festive spirit. Grinches, don't despair — it's just the name and the night-before levels of excitement they're aping, with the rest filled to the brim with indie vibes and a rock 'n' roll atmosphere. Given that Katy Steele, I Know Leopard, Ayla, Waax, Lanks and Machine Age are in charge of the evening's music, it's safe to say it's going to be a kick-ass event overflowing with good cheer. This event is one of our top five picks of BIGSOUND. Check out the other four here.
With winter finally digging its claws in, there's nothing like a quality, spiced spirit to get you through those long, cold nights. Luckily, Baron Samedi — not only an Haitian voodoo spirit, but a spirit of the liquid kind too — is coming to your rescue. Having popped up in Sydney last month, the good ghost is making his way north to Brissie. You'll find him in residence at West End's London Fields, serving up cockle-warming cocktails featuring Baron Samedi Spiced, ginger beer, lime and bitters, as well as cups of Voodoo Punch. Yet to be acquainted with Baron Samedi Spiced? Well, it's a Caribbean spirit laced with an exotic mix of spices, including vanilla, cacao, cinnamon and Haitian native, vetiver. Its namesake, Baron Samedi, is a master of all trades, from voodoo to guédé to gatekeeper of the afterlife. We're afraid we'd be ruining the fun, were we to let you in on too many more specific details. But we will say that on July 1 and 2 there'll be special appearances from some colourful characters. So get on down to London Fields this winter and experience Baron Samedi Spiced for yourself.
The buzz of January is over and if you need a little motivation to continue with those NYE resolutions, look no further than this activewear sale. Australian clothing company Active Truth is moving warehouses and, to make the move a little easier, is offering 40 percent off sitewide. Active Truth's swimwear and activewear is accessible to beachgoers and gym junkies of all shapes and sizes, with swimsuits, tights, crops, bike shorts and maternity wear all ranging from XS to 3XL. Check out these summery floral tights or this black one-piece swimsuit. As an added bonus, you'll receive free express shipping, so even though we're already more than a week into February, you'll have your new swimsuit at your doorstep before summer ends. Plus, Active Truth is committed to sustainability, supporting the The Seabin Project and making its swimwear from reconstructed recycled fibres, such as discarded fishing nets. If you're keen to snag some new togs, have a look through the catalogue and order before the sale ends at 11.59pm on Sunday, February 14. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Lust for Life has a reputation of nabbing the work of Brisbane’s most interesting illustrators and placing it nicely on their walls, and their latest exhibition showcases the elaborate and skilful work of Tiffany Atkin. With Gyaru, she explores the concepts and representations of femininity within Japanese culture. Having openly admitted to being obsessed with Japan, Atkin describes this exhibition as “Japanfluenced pop illustration with bite.” Think big colours, delicate illustration and lines and patterns that make everything just pop. Atkin’s a bit of a local illustration superstar, and there’s a high chance you’ve already seen her work in action — she designed the logo for West End bar Bosc, does branding for Joyero Jewellry and has work show up every so often in various magazines.
The Church are one of those bands that have been around for what seems like forever. Some might say almost as long as, ahem, Jesus (Yes? No? Okay). Despite this, instead of tiring audiences with years of music and constant touring, they have somehow managed the reverse and their time in the business has only caused a growing fan base. Although they are often on the road, don’t be fooled into thinking that every performance The Church puts is uniform in its structure and song choices. This tour, Future Past Perfect, in particular, is special for the band as it’s a celebration of their 30th anniversary. After touring around both Australia and America this year they have finally returned to Brisbane and it is set to be a joyous occasion. For the first time in Church history they will be playing three of their renowned albums in their entirety, making the cost well worth it. Taking one album from each decade, the 30-year discography span is absolutely sure to provide for every fan the band has.
Whatever is gracing the Gallery of Modern Art's walls at any given time, it's usually stunning. Air, the venue's huge summer 2022–23 exhibition, is no different. Until Sunday, April 23, this thoughtful showcase ruminates on the life-sustaining substance, pondering air's cultural, ecological and political dimensions — complete with floating mirrored spheres, glowing red globes, butterflies aplenty, leafy plants, industrial pipes and a smoky, darkened room you'll never want to leave. Brisbane art lovers know that GOMA's exhibitions aren't simply dazzling to look at. For just a couple of nights each, they usually backdrop fabulous after-dark parties surrounded by all of those creative works. And, in 2023, Air is getting the Up Late treatment from 6pm on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18. [caption id="attachment_884340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tomás Saraceno / Argentina b.1973 / Drift: A cosmic web of thermodynamic rhythms (installation view) 2022 / 15 Aerocene spheres, transparent and metallic mylar, tape, pump with overpressure release, polyester rope, kinetic system, backpack, newspaper, pamphlets, booksand photographic prints on paper / Purchased 2022 with funds from the Neilson Foundation through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: QAGOMA / © Tomás Saraceno / Photograph: Dario Lagana, Studio Tomás Saraceno.[/caption] Get ready to spend two autumn evenings seeing breathtaking installations, drinking, tapping your toes to DJs and listening to live music. A $42-per-night ticket gets you access to the exhibition, as well as the fun. On the lineup: Alice Skye and Clea doing the honours on the Friday evening, alongside DJ nejmere; and Camp Cope, Melaleuca and Special Features taking to the stage on the Saturday night, plus DJ Sonia Cougar. The live tunes will echo across the Maiwar Green, under a marquee, so you'll be hopping in and out of GOMA itself. Plus, there'll be multiple spots to grab a bite and drink around the place at the GOMA Bistro, Newstead Brewing Co Coastal Bar, River Room Bar and Bacchus Wine Room, so a tipple won't be hard to find. Expect live immersive art experiences and workshops, too — including a drop-in session inspired by Jemima Wyman's contribution to Air, which will get you suspending particles yourself by creating a cloud-like collage — and the kind of gallery visit you can't have via daylight. [caption id="attachment_884339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony McCall / United Kingdom / United States b.1946 / Crossing (installation view) 2016 / Two double video projections (20 minutes), haze machine and sound, ed. 1/3 / Commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Gallery of Modern Art. Purchased 2016 with funds from Tim Fairfax AC through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / Collection: QAGOMA / © Anthony McCall / Photograph: Chloë Callistemon © QAGOMA[/caption] Top image: Mona Hatoum / Lebanon/United Kingdom b.1952 / Hot Spot (installation view) 2006 / Stainless steel and neon tube / The David and Indrė Roberts Collection / Courtesy: The Roberts Institute of Art, London / © Mona Hatoum / Photograph: Claudia Baxter © QAGOMA. Updated February 3.
If the team behind the Insidious franchise could have their time again, we're betting they'd make a significant change. You don't need supernatural abilities to pick what they'd fix, with their decision to kill off Lin Shaye's parapsychologist Elise Rainier in the first movie something they clearly regret. In the second film, they brought her back via the spirit world, while the series' third and fourth instalments have gone down the prequel route. It's easy to understand why — as the plucky otherworldly expert tasked with helping ordinary folks battle literal demons, Shaye is the best thing the horror saga has going for it by far. Indeed, thanks to the veteran actress, the Insidious flicks deserve a little more credit than they generally get. After all, how many franchises can say they have a 74-year-old woman as their star? A genre veteran with everything from A Nightmare on Elm Street to Critters to the Ouija movies to her name, Shaye remains as committed to her role as Elise as ever, including this time around. That said, pushing a septuagenarian front and centre can't make up for the series' largely by-the-numbers construction, which grows increasingly apparent with each new chapter. It would take serious mystical abilities to breathe life into the formulaic effort that is Insidious: The Last Key, for example. Directed by Shaye's 2001 Maniacs co-star Adam Robitel, this derivative outing keeps its protagonist around by taking a tried-and-tested path: an origin story. Anchored in Elise's childhood, the movie could easily be subtitled "this time, it's personal". As an introductory segment explains, she was once a girl (Ava Kolker) with special abilities, living near a prison, with a stern executioner father (Josh Stewart) who didn't approve. In the modern-day storyline, Elise is called back to her former home by its current resident (Kirk Acevedo), who's having some paranormal troubles of his own. Set in New Mexico's Five Keys and featuring a ghoul by the name of KeyFace, Insidious: The Last Key is anything but subtle. The paranormal villain also has keys for fingers, and doors and locks are prominent throughout the film. Although he created the series and has penned every instalment to date, Australian actor and screenwriter Leigh Whannell appears to be going through the motions with the flimsy narrative, even when he tries to step into more thematically interesting territory. Part of the movie focuses on abuse and the cycles of violence it can create, but it's treated with the same clunkiness as the supposedly-comic romantic subplot that sees sidekick characters, played by Whannell and Angus Sampson, hitting on a couple of much younger women. Of course, depth isn't something the franchise has ever counted among its strengths. Nor, for that matter, is comedy. Other than Shaye's presence, it has always fared best as a genre exercise. When The Conjuring's James Wan was at the helm of the first two films, what the series lacked in smarts and story, it almost made up for with its well-executed bumps, jumps, shadowy images and unsettling atmosphere. Nodding affectionately to (and borrowing liberally from) iconic horror flicks has always been part of the package too, but Wan's handling of demonic spirits and haunted houses still struck a stylistic chord. Sadly, as this trying, generic effort demonstrates, Robitel doesn't have the same talents with aesthetics or with scares. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV7tKm6JCCU
After three years without sugar, Damon Gameau has come off the wagon in a big, bad way. Intent on uncovering amount of processed sugar in an average Australian diet, the actor-turned-documentary filmmaker puts his own health on the line, consuming the equivalent of roughly 40 teaspoons of sugar a day. The result is a lively and eye-opening documentary on a subject that needs as much attention as it can get. Gameau’s most obvious compatriot is Morgan Spurlock, who likewise put his own health on the line back in 2004 with the Oscar nominated Supersize Me. The comparison is an obvious one, and you’d be right in thinking that That Sugar Film seems suspiciously similar. But where Gameau has an edge is that his focus is on so-called health food. When a man dines on McDonalds for a month, of course he packs on the pounds. But when you get the same results with vitamin water and low-fat yogurt, the story is suddenly very different. Behind the camera, Gameau does everything he can to keep his viewers entertained. Music and colourful graphics are in plentiful supply, giving the film an at times hyperactive quality that fits the subject matter to a tee. Information often comes delivered with the aid of unexpected celebrity cameos, including appearances by Hugh Jackman, Isabel Lucas and Stephen Fry. There’s an initial temptation to dismiss the movie out of hand; after all, Gameau’s diet doesn’t exactly constitute sound scientific method. Yet despite the film’s gloss and gimmickry, Gameau could never be accused of sugar coating the facts. That Sugar Film attacks its subject from every conceivable angle, including sugar’s effect on children’s learning habits, the correlation between high sugar diets and poverty, and perhaps most unsettling of all, the lobbying efforts of billion-dollar food corporations, whose strategies seem frighteningly similar to those of big tobacco. Still, the scariest thing about this doco is the way in which it confronts us with just how much sugar we all consume. In one of the movie's most memorable sequences, rather than eating a day’s worth of sugary food, Gameau simply eats the equivalent amount in white sugar crystals, providing viewers with a visual reference point that’s both funny and revolting. While its message can seem obvious at times, That Sugar Film has the potential to change the way people think and behave. What higher compliment can a documentary film be given?
From the director of Dumb & Dumber, There's Something About Mary and Shallow Hal comes a race-relations drama with five Academy Award nominations to its name. Only a handful of years ago, that would've seemed like one of the most unlikely sentences in the film industry. But Green Book is a Peter Farrelly movie through and through, even if no one gets their tongue stuck to a frosty pole, uses an unconventional type of hair gel or dons a fat suit. It might take its real-life tale seriously, however the same simplicity — and the same penchant for upbeat, easy sentiment — that has characterised the director's filmography remains. Taking to the road across America's Deep South circa 1962, Green Book follows a journey within a journey. As revered classical musician Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and his hired chauffeur Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) venture from town to town on a piano recital tour, this odd couple ventures towards an unexpected friendship. Painfully aware of the discrimination of the time, the reserved, refined Shirley understands the need for a chaperone, but is hardly accustomed to some of his driver's behaviour. For the mouthy, uncouth Lip, a New York bouncer who's happy to treat African-Americans the same way he'd treat an unruly bar patron, working for a black man likewise takes some getting used to. Co-writing the screenplay with Brian Currie (also one of the film's producers) and Nick Vallelonga (son of Tony 'Lip' Vallelonga), Farrelly throws up plot developments like his characters throw fried chicken scraps out of the car window. That's one of Green Book's big scenes, and it's tossed in breezily but lands with a thud. The same is true of much of the movie. Simultaneously light and overt, and shot and styled in the same way, this is a picture that ticks all of the obvious boxes, charts all of the predictable developments and services all of the expected messages. It has a heart, as do most of Farrelly's films, yet it always seems like it's expending most of its energy on stressing its feel-good importance. While scenes that show Tony learning to overcome his own prejudice, saving Shirley from violent attacks and teaching him that stereotypical aspects of black culture may have a basis in truth, they also feel carefully calculated to further the picture's overall vibe. A film that makes Lip the protagonist and Shirley the supporting player, Green Book is also a film that's willing to shape the details to suit its smooth angle on reality. That's far from uncommon in the "based on a true story" game, but even if controversy hadn't sprung up about the handling of specific aspects of Shirley's life (with his family contesting some elements), the movie would've still felt massaged for mass consumption. Indeed, Farrelly has a mould that he's trying to fit, earning and thoroughly deserving the label of this year's Driving Miss Daisy. It's also this year's The Blind Side, aka a picture where a person of colour's narrative is framed through their relationship with a helpful white friend, or saviour. Green Book's questionable approach would've always been apparent, but it perhaps cuts deeper because of the film's biggest success: its performances. Oscar-nominated for their respective roles, Mortensen and Ali truly make the best of the material at their disposal. More than that, they exceed it — as you'd expect from both. In Mortensen's case, there's a welcome looseness to his take on Lip that never feels like he's forcefully pushing buttons or hitting marks, even though the script always is. With likely two-time Best Supporting Actor winner Ali, there's soulful elegance, resounding dignity and quiet vulnerability to his portrayal of Shirley, giving the man what he deserves even if the film around him doesn't. Although a great movie could be made starring the pair, this isn't it. Instead, they lift a polite hug of a picture, one that boils down good intentions to the easiest, most conventional elements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c18JX_RS-Xo
Renowned for creating beautiful, healthy, glorious hair, Tigerlamb has built quite a name for itself in Brisbane, with four salons dotted across the city. Voted Newcomer of the Year in the Australian Hair Industry Awards in 2019, the Coorparoo Square salon is home to some of the most talented stylists in Brisbane, so you just know you'll walk out thrilled with your new 'do. Whether you're looking for a full hair makeover, or just a trim, the team will cater to your needs. Balayage, foils, blowdry, treatments, eyebrow waxing — they do it all. The salon also stocks a range of much-loved brands, including Olaplex, Redken and Kerastase. Images: Kiel Wode
Jimeoin was one of the first comedians I knew of when I was younger - his effortless humour and funny accent made me laugh even as a little tyke. Not much has changed since then. The Irish comedian who us Australians have somewhat adopted over the last couple of decades is back in Brisbane with a crazy ten-show residency at The Powerhouse, delivering his trademark wit and craic. Not to mention the man's cheeky smile, which has also earned him brownie points with da ladeez. Something... Smells Funny is a show that consists entirely of Jimeoin's superb skill – talkin' shit. He talks about everyday life, observations and, for the first time, incorporates a guitar. Jimeoin has impeccable timing and breakneck delivery so there's no doubt that audiences will be lining up to get into these shows - and hey, let's be honest, there's a day that'll suit anyone's schedule. If pissing yourself laughing and having stomach cramps sounds like the cherry on the top of a great year like it does to me, then you pretty much need to see Jimeoin as he flaunts his quirky stand-up style for ten nights only.
In 2001, Rolling Stone writer Guy Lawson published the extraordinary article: 'The Stoner Arms Dealers: How Two American Kids Became Big-Time Weapons Traders', and the response was predictably one of outrage and surprise. The entire story seemed preposterous, impossible, far too crazy to believe. As it turns out, it was precisely that quality that enabled its two subjects to get away with the impossible for so very long. David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, two Miami-based Jewish boys in their mid-twenties, had become high-end international arms dealers, most famously landing what came to be known as The Afghan Deal – an exclusive USD$300 million contract to supply the US-backed Afghan forces with weapons, equipment and one hundred million rounds of soviet-era AK-47 ammunition from Albania. Two guys, mid-twenties, and Packouz's previous job was as a part-time masseuse. Such is the subject matter of War Dogs by director Tod Phillips (The Hangover), chronicling Packouz (Miles Teller) and Diveroli's (Jonah Hill) astounding ascent to the big leagues of international weapons trading, as well as their inevitable fall. The title, War Dogs, refers to the nature of their particular profession: scrambling for small-scale arms contracts posted by the Pentagon to help redress the constantly undersupplied forces in the disastrous Iraq and Afghan theatres. Described as "eBay for weapons dealers", these contracts were sourced off a website containing tens of thousands of Pentagon requests for tenders. By focussing on the jobs too small to interest the major players, Packouz and Diveroli were able to amass a small fortune in a remarkably short space of time. Broken up into chapters with names like "God Bless Dick Cheney's America", War Dogs is at pains to show us the corruption of the American Ideal and the toxicity of unrestrained capitalism – both decades-old points long since made in every form of media, and laboured here with an especially heavy hand. With its Americana rock soundtrack, freeze frames and bro-tasctic dialogue, the film plays like a wannabe Big Short or Wolf of Wall Street, yet lacks the emotional drive or dramatic tension to ever really deliver. Neither funny enough to be a comedy, nor serious enough to land as a drama, it instead ends up somewhere in the middle (a fate similarly suffered by the recent Tina Fey project Whiskey Tango Foxtrot). Overall, far too much time is spent on the overtly amusing and entertaining elements of the boys' earlier days, leaving the heart of this remarkable real-life tale – a deal gone awry, double-crosses and a friendship in free fall – to the final stages only. As an indictment on the arms trade, it likewise barely scratches the surface, opting instead to focus on the absurdity and corruption of the political system that enables it. Admittedly, that narrative is a compelling one, revealing a level of bureaucratic absurdity not known to most members of the public. Still, when compared to 2005's Lord of War, which dealt with similar material, this more recent offering emerges as the undisputed weaker of the two. Bland, unimaginative and ill-befitting the extraordinary story behind it, War Dogs feels like an amazing opportunity gone begging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwh9c_E3dJk
The Cunnamulla Bushlands are perfect for a relaxed wander that puts you amongst the region's incredible natural beauty. This site is divided into ten ecological sections, with a charming one-kilometre walk that ensures you experience each one. Right at the end, you're rewarded with a peaceful place to sit in the wetlands. Here, striking native animals also run wild. You won't have any problem finding kangaroos with Cunnamulla recognised as having one of the largest populations in Queensland. Plus, the area is also known as a great place to see emus taking a stroll. Image: Mark Gillow, Flickr
"I hope it scares the shit out of you!" declared both Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe at the Sydney premiere of The Mummy, confirming that this was indeed to be a darker, more adult take on the successful movie franchise – a horror film harking back to the heady days of Val Lewton and the 1930s Gothic monster flicks that helped put Universal Studios on the map. Only...The Mummy is also peppered with comedic moments, meaning it's really better described as a horror comedy in the vein of Shaun of the Dead or Cabin in the Woods. However, its leading man Nick Morton (Cruise) is also a special forces recon soldier whose opening scene sees him dropping hellfire missiles on Iraqi insurgents. So really it's a horror comedy action film. Also, right after that opening scene we meet Cruise's on again off again love interest and globe-trotting archaeologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis). Horror comedy action romance? Of course this all happens after we've already seen the Universal icon transform into the 'Dark Universe' logo, establishing The Mummy as the studio's opening salvo in the expansive, world-building game heretofore occupied by Marvel and DC. That makes this a horror comedy action romance franchise-founder. Ugh. No wonder it all gets a little lost in the details. In short, The Mummy is a movie guilty of overreach. Whether by studio interference or filmmaker miscalculation, it tries to achieve an impossible number of simultaneous feats, peppering you with character cameos (Crowe plays Dr Henry Jekyll and the other guy as well) and breadcrumbs for future franchise instalments (Bride of Frankenstein is next in line, followed by The Invisible Man, Dracula, The Wolfman and all the other Gothic-era classics). All this, while also trying to tell a story of its own. That it feels like it happens in that order of priority is perhaps the movie's biggest problem, because on its own the actual mummy stuff is pretty darn solid. In the title role we find this time a female mummy, Ahmanet, portrayed by the wonderful Sofia Boutella (Star Trek Beyond). After her assured reign over Egypt is suddenly wrenched from her by the birth of a baby brother, Ahmanet forms a pact with Set, the God of Death and embarks upon a killing spree before being entombed alive and erased from history. Erased, that is, until Cruise and his sidekick Chris (a clumsy, unnecessary turn by New Girl's Jake Johnson) stumble upon the sarcophagus and awaken the beast from her twenty centuries of stony sleep. From that moment on, The Mummy is a film with an identity crisis. Its mummy affairs are entertaining, action-packed and even occasionally scary, particularly through the employment of zombie henchmen reanimated by Ahmanet after she's sucked out their life force. The comedy doesn't really fit with Cruise's performance, and he has zero chemistry with Wallis, but at least the film delivers engaging set-pieces – more so than, say, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2. Unfortunately, the Dark Universe stuff proves far more problematic. So much is mentioned yet left unexplored, and not in a way that can simply be excused as foreshadowing. As the Marvel superhero movies have repeatedly demonstrated, a single 10 second shot at the end of a film's credit sequence can capably tease all that is to come in future films without detracting from the story being told in the present. Left to its own devices, The Mummy might well have soared as a classic monster movie from a bygone era. Instead, it's a confused jumble of scenes and characters that undermine and trip each other up at every possible turn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzorZUuZqEI
Cunnamulla and the surrounding Shire of Paroo are steeped in history with the land occupied by the Gunya people long before the township's foundation. Nowadays, you can explore this history through the Cunnamulla Heritage Trail, which documents tales about the characters and buildings that forged this captivating outback community. There's great insight into the town's folklore throughout the trail. For instance, the Robber's Tree was climbed by wannabe bandit Joseph Wells as he tried to escape the police after he attempted to pillage the Queensland National Bank in 1880. Meanwhile, the towering bronze figure of the Cunnamulla Fella captures the spirit of 1950s bush characters recounted in Slim Dusty's namesake tune. Start your explorations at the Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre. Image: Tourism and Events Queensland
If the individual movies a director makes can be seen as chapters from an ongoing book, then consider Noah Baumbach the author of a sharp, sweeping coming-of-age chronicle. Whether dissecting mature malaise in Greenberg, the attempts of a twenty-something to find her place in life in Frances Ha or the clash of the two in While We're Young, he remains fascinated with the process of growing up at any stage. In Mistress America, Baumbach offers another instalment on his beloved topic, all while re-teaming with Greta Gerwig. Almost by design, their previous collaboration — both co-writing, him directing and her starring in Frances Ha, as remains the case here — looms large over their latest effort. Consider Frances Ha the fate that could've befallen Mistress America's teenager Tracy (Lola Kirke) after college if she hadn't crossed paths with her stepsister-to-be Brooke (Gerwig), or the past that might've delivered 30-year-old Brooke to her current predicament. The two are brought together by their parents' impending marriage, with Tracy seeing Brooke as the big sis — and guide to life, both in New York and in general — she's never had. They're opposites: Tracy is quiet, lonely and wants to be a writer; Brooke is confident, constantly talks about herself and has an endless array of future plans. As they spend more time together, the seeming differences between the two become less pronounced. That fact isn't lost on Tracy, who starts to imagine Brooke as 'Meadow', the deeply flawed character in her new short story. While finding commonality in Baumbach's films has become unavoidable, that doesn't make his work any less enjoyable or astute. There's a level of comfort to Mistress America's return to the filmmaker's well-traversed terrain, as well as his trademark intelligence and energy. Here, as in the rest of his efforts, he's fleshing out recognisable ideas and anxieties, but done so with slightly different parts. And while the overall message is starting to sound a little repetitive even as it remains accurate, the individual elements still have plenty of charms. The feature is at its best in its wonderful midsection, where it plunges into a superbly executed farce. When a series of circumstances sends the not-quite-siblings plus some of Tracy's friends (Matthew Shear and Jasmine Cephas Jones) on a road trip to Connecticut to visit Brooke's former boyfriend (Heather Lind) and BFF (Michael Chernus), Baumbach takes his favourite themes into shrewd, smart and incisively funny screwball territory. In some of the best sequences the director has committed to the screen, infectious laughter ensues, as does insight and urgency that the rest of the film can't quite match. Of course, that plays into Baumbach's usual oeuvre: what is a coming-of-age story, and his entire output, if not an examination of how to keep going after pivotal moments and turning points?
Mary, Queen of Scots is a film steeped in two time periods, yet firmly of the times. A historical drama set in the 16th century as two female monarchs battle for supremacy, it's also a movie that could've only been made today. The true tale itself has graced the screen before, but the angle favoured by this interpretation of the story is straight out of the #MeToo era. As much as Mary, Queen of Scots tells of its titular ruler (Saoirse Ronan) and her conflict with her cousin Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), it also explores the forces pitting them against each other and putting them in their places. When Mary returns to Scotland after a childhood spent in France, she regains her throne and sets her sights on her other birthright. The only legitimate child of King James V, she boasts a claim to England, even if Elizabeth already wears that crown. What follows is a quest for sovereignty by two relatives as different as they are alike. Mary is a teenage Catholic open to love, life and birthing a successor to both kingdoms, while Elizabeth is a Protestant who refuses to marry and isn't expected to bear an heir. But they're each headstrong, intelligent and passionate, and determined to fight for what's theirs regardless of the obstacles in their path. In a movie filled with men unhappy about serving the fairer sex, including Mary's disapproving half-brother (James McArdle), a scare-mongering religious leader (David Tennant) and Elizabeth's duplicitous chief advisor (Guy Pearce), there's no doubting how cruel the world can be to a woman in power. While political manoeuvring and machinations drive Mary, Queen of Scots' plot, confident first-time director Josie Rourke works with screenwriter Beau Willimon (House of Cards) to focus on the bigger picture. Behind both queens stands a line of wolves in sheep's clothing, complying with their rulers to the bare minimum and trying to push their own agendas. If the male posturing and plotting didn't ring so true, it might've felt like a forced, convenient modern revision designed to highlight that women still struggle to be taken seriously, even if their troubles are finally getting more attention. Sadly, men attempting to tear down female leaders hasn't gone out of fashion in the past five centuries. A veteran of the London stage before this, Rourke knows where the strength of the story lies. Although her handsomely mounted picture is based on the biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart and clearly favours the Scottish monarch over her cousin, Mary's struggles are deepened by the comparison to Elizabeth. Indeed, through skilled, fluid cross-cutting, the film convincingly closes the gap between two women who only actually share one scene. Their face-to-face, when it comes, is climactic, emotional and memorable (not to mention strikingly staged by Rourke and her team), but Mary, Queen of Scots places them face-to-face from start to finish, in a manner. History branded Mary and Elizabeth competitors; this version of history sees them as kindred spirits. Still, for all of Mary, Queen of Scots' successes, it ultimately mirrors the plight of its protagonists: striving for greatness, and to make an impact, yet often weighed down. It's a fine, meaningful film that could've been stellar, but sometimes makes its minutiae feel routine and elongated. After a while, the letters back and forth, the scheming and strategies, and the fears and the threats all bleed into each other, even for those already familiar with the details. Thankfully, the same can never be said of 2018 Oscar nominees Ronan and Robbie, each worlds apart from their respective acclaimed roles in Lady Bird and I, Tonya. One is plucky and idealistic, the other fierce yet silently fraying, and both are tinged by exhaustion and frustration — not from squaring off against each other, but from simply fighting to exist. Any movie would be lucky to have them, and their equally timely and timeless vision of women holding their own. Mary, Queen of Scots is lucky to have both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEC-F8cBD9s
Do you prefer popcorn or choc-tops? Frozen coke or post-mix? Drama or comedy? Action or horror? These are all questions you need to answer because you need to be ready for the cinematic fiesta that is about to take place. The Brisbane International Film Festival is on again, and it might be the most comprehensive and diverse iteration of the festival ever experienced. Taking place in cinemas all over Brisbane, BIFF (what a great acronym) will be screening dozens of films ranging from home-grown flicks to obscure international fare. Do yourself a massive favour and check out the program online. Decide if you prefer documentaries or short films, world cinema or Australian efforts and buy a ticket (or ten). Don’t miss out on one of the cultural highlights of the year. And if you really need a hand choosing from the extensive list, we have gone ahead and made a list of ten films that you need to see.
A college student leaps from sorority life to law school, and a group of aspiring performers take the first steps towards a career in singing and treading the boards. Combine the two, and Legally Blonde: The Musical is the end result, as presented by the Brisbane Academy of Musical Theatre. That's right, you'll witness Elle Woods head to Harvard with her cute chihuahua, Bruiser in tow — initially chasing her ex-boyfriend Warner, but eventually following her own path. She'll bring more than just her love of pink to the prestigious institution, and learn more than just legal knowledge. We know that you're probably already quite familiar with the content — perhaps you've watched the 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon, or maybe you've been along to the Tony Award-nominated, Olivier Award-winning production before. You won't be familiar with the players, though, but that might be short-lived. Here, a cult classic gets another on-stage run, and the next generation of talent continues their journey towards becoming stars.
Forget The Big Bang Theory — in The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco well and truly leaves her long-running stint in the popular (and just-finished) sitcom behind. Exactly what her character does for work won't come as a surprise given the mini-series' title, but the fact that she wakes up in a Bangkok hotel room next to a dead body and then finds FBI agents on her trail when she returns to New York sparks a mighty big mystery. If it sounds familiar, perhaps you've read Chris Bohjalian's 2018 novel of the same name. Before it even hit bookstores, Cuoco's production company snapped up the rights to turn it into a thrilling TV show. Accordingly, it's clearly a passion project for the actor and executive producer, and promises to treat audiences to an array of twists and turns.
You don't need to tell Concrete Playground that Brisbane is indeed a concrete playground. When it comes to exploring this city of ours — showcasing everything that's on offer and celebrating all the different ways to make the most of all that Brissie boasts — that's our entire motto. For the next seven months, the Brisbane City Council's Outdoor Gallery agrees with us, too. We'd suggest that it concurs all year round, but it's only hosting an exhibition called Play/ground from Friday, September 9, 2022–Sunday, April 16, 2023. As always, this new splash of art is filling a heap of locations around the CBD with eye-catching work — as the Brisbane City Council's Outdoor Gallery has for years now. And yes, Play/ground is devoted to Brisbane as a concrete playground, with the participating artists providing pieces that tell visual stories about their relationship with the city; their routines as they move throughout it daily; and how they're pursuing a life that's grounded, joyful and playful. They're the ideas you'll ponder in spots as varied as King George Square Car Park, Ann Street and Fish Lane, with 11 Brisbane-connected artists are unveiling 37 pieces. You'll find their creations in light boxes, banners and outdoor display cases — and some are being projected across Howard Smith Wharves. The artist lineup spans Arkie the Label, Daniel Sherington, Emily Devers, Kelsey Doyle, Kirsten Baade and Loretta Lizzo, plus as Man&Wah, Maxim Chikanchi, MUCHOS and Yin Lu. As for where to else to visit, Edward Street plays host to some of the exhibition's works, and hitting up a laneway — including Eagle Lane, Irish Lane, Edison Lane, Giffin Lane and Hutton Lane — is recommended. Or, you can check out the Museum of Brisbane screen as well. There's also a launch party at Howard Smith Wharves from 5.30pm on Friday, September 16, with Devers DJing.
When the director and lead of one of 2021's best Norwegian films — and best movies from anywhere that year — joined forces again, of course the Scandinavian Film Festival needed to get the resulting picture on its program. Accordingly, Sentimental Value from The Worst Person in the World filmmaker Joachim Trier, once more starring Renate Reinsve (Presumed Innocent), is one of the big highlights at 2025's Australian showcase of cinema from the Nordic region. Stellan Skarsgård (Andor) and Elle Fanning (A Complete Unknown) also feature, and the results won this year's Cannes Grand Prix (the award below the Palme d'Or). At the Scandinavian Film Festival, Sentimental Value is getting the centrepiece treatment. Movies from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland are always in the drawcard at this Aussie fest — so a Norwegian spy drama to kick things off in 2025, then an Icelandic black comedy to wrap things up, are both on the itinerary. This year's national tour will hit Brisbane across Wednesday, July 23–Thursday, August 14 at Palace James St and Palace Barracks. Launching the fest: Number 24, the latest from The Burning Sea and The Quake director John Andreas Andersen, recounting a true espionage tale from World War II. The aptly named Grand Finale comes in at the other end, spinning a Reykjavik-set story about a struggling chamber orchestra's efforts to endure. Alongside Sentimental Value, Quisling: The Final Days is another of the festival's big-name titles, this time from The King's Choice and Utoya: July 22's Erik Poppe, with the trial of its controversial namesake head of state the film's focus. Cannes favourites, blasts from the past, laughter-inducing fare: they're all on the lineup, then. Add watching Björk's daughter in her first feature role, multiple dates with Danish actor Trine Dyrholm (The Girl with the Needle) and celebrating the 25th anniversary of a Swedish romantic-comedy to the list, too. The first comes courtesy of The Mountain, a coming-of-age and road-trip flick starring Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir Barney. Dyrholm pops up in both the healthcare-centric Second Victims and the David Dencik (Other People's Money)-co-starring Beginnings. And Jalla! Jalla! is marking its quarter-century milestone. Audiences keen to spend Australia's winter feasting their eyes on colder climes from the other side of the world can also look forward to the Faroe Islands-set The Last Paradise on Earth and heading into an Icelandic seafood restaurant with Odd Fish. Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Riders of Justice) leads Way Home, about a Danish father endeavouring to save his loved ones. With heist effort The Quiet Ones, Denmark's biggest-ever robbery makes its way to the screen. Finnish relationship dramedy Sudden Bursts of Emotions, the nation's great Heikki Kinnunen playing 'The Grump' in Long Good Thursday, three siblings returning to the house they grew up in in Everything Must Go, the couch-surfing antics of Live a Little, the beer-brewing sisters of 100 Litres of Gold, My Father's Daughter's focus on a Sámi teenager: add them to your Scandinavian Film Festival list as well.
Why head home from work for a single Wednesday night tipple when you could drop by the Paddo for more than 100? That might come pretty close to describing the inner-west mainstay's usual drinks menu; however, come August 23, the Paddington Tavern wants red wine lovers to taste as many as possible. You don't call a boozy shindig The Big Red Night without offering up a huge range of crimson vino, after all — and yes, there really will be more than 99 bottles of wine on offer (without the singalong, we're guessing). Taking over the downstairs Squeeze Club, the evening will see grape-based goodness flow freely for your sipping and tasting pleasure, plus finger food to help line your stomach. Attendees will also receive a Plumm glass to take home with them, which is included in the $42 ticket. You'll be a red wine connoisseur in no time, with the souvenir to prove it – and, likely, the tannin-stained lips.
It's that time of year again. The temperature's rising, festivals are coming up left right and centre - and it's hard enough choosing which festival to attend, let alone which event to go to when you get there. In a generous gesture, The Courier-Mail once again have made your life that much easier by providing their epic Spiegeltent (spiegel=mirror in German, FYI). It's here for three weeks during the 15th Annual Brisbane Festival, and is a Belgian-esque, cabaret club-inspired, fantasy dome. The favourite venue of the Festival will take residency in King George Square for 22 days and nights and has a packed line up: with stand-up comedy, indie rock, soul, jazz and reggae on the bill. The first night is set to go off with a bang as Clairy Brown and The Bangin' Rackettes + Sweet Jelly Roll DJs will be rocking 60s style all through the night. Other guests sharing the love in the ol' Spiegz are Kimbra, Emma Louise, Andy Bull, Josh Thomas and Sam Simmons, just to name a few. Also in attendance will be Lior, comedy trio Tripod, and Syl Johnson (who's currently in a copyright battle with Kanye and Jay-Z). Who knows what sort of wonderful shenanigans you will get up to within the almighty Spiegeltent? Enter through the velvet curtain and be immersed in a wonderland of heart and soul, whilst sipping on a quiet few and indulging in a showcase like no other.
Expect this weekend spectacle to bring a beacon of hope to Brisbane's skyline during this year's festival. Sunsuper Night Sky is a large-scale light and laser installation, with accompanying sound by acclaimed audio-visual artist Robin Fox. More than a dozen rooftops across Brisbane CBD will light up every Friday and Saturday night, from 7–9pm, from September 4–26. Each one hosts an interconnecting and pulsing laser beam show set to an ethereal soundtrack. You'll be able to see it dance across the skies from vantage points across the city, so take an evening stroll or cycle to catch the light artwork from afar.
It is often said that drawing is the ultimate artistic skill. It reveals the abilities of the artist to produce an image with the most simple of tools, the marker (pencil, charcoal, graphite) and the blank page. The new summer exhibition at GOMA ‘Matisse: Drawing Life’ is the most comprehensive exhibition of Henri Matisse’s drawings and prints ever mounted. It reveals that even before he added colour and paint, Matisse could make amazing imagery with merely a brush and a canvas. This exhibition brings together works from international, national, and private collections to reveal the breadth and depth of the drawings Matisse created. It reveals the style that Matisse developed in his works, and how this evolved. Alongside the exhibition there is a film program and although Matisse’s engagement with cinema was limited, there are a number of films showing the artist working in his studio. This is could be one of few chances to see the amazing scope of Matisse’s artistic skill.
Lambda is getting an American invasion, with an appearance from Baths in amongst his exciting world tour. He first made his music debut with Cerulean, a stunning record that gained much attention and praise after its release 3 years ago. Since then the expectations of this stunning singer have skyrocketed, with his second album Obsidian defying possibilities by outing his initial offering which only amplified the collective musical respect he demanded and deserved. Baths has just returned from a whirlwind tour through Europe and the United Kingdom, and he will be preparing for an extended visit to the United States; come and see him at his peak, riding the high of success and amongst his readying for some of the biggest shows of his career. He is joined by the highly rotated Tincture, the pair proving a complimentary match for your listening pleasure. Be sure to head to Oztix as soon as possible to secure your spot in the crowd that will stir jealousy amongst the avid music fan.
If you've ever wanted to see Mr Burns sing, here's your chance. Okay, so Harry Shearer probably won't actually belt out 'See My Vest' or 'We Do (The Stonecutter's Song)', however getting to witness the man who gives provides Springfield's most ruthless millionaire with his voice live and in the flesh is still worth the price of admission. The multitalented Shearer, who also starred in This is Spinal Tap, isn't the only attraction here. He's sharing the stage with his real-life partner Judith Owen, and tackling topics of fame, celebrity, politics, religion and relationships through song. In the words of a certain power plant owner: excellent. This is one of our five top picks from this year's Queensland Cabaret Festival. Read the full list.
Bakehouse Buns is the sister restaurant to Ipswich's legendary Bakehouse Steakhouse, serving up home-style classics such as cheeseburgers with caramelised onions, and crumbed pork cutlets with apple cabbage slaw. The dessert menu is similarly impressive, with the kind of sweet treats that you would find at your favourite country bakery, such as lemon meringue tart, baked cheesecake and banoffee pie. All of this, and you don't even need to fill up the fuel tank (or fight over the Spotify playlist).
If you didn't already have plans from 11.30pm on Saturday, June 23, you do now. And if you did, change them — or factor sending a whole lotta love Queen Bey's way into your schedule. Reacting promptly, impulsively and passionately is just something Beyoncé inspires, and has been doing so for almost two decades. You probably don't even remember a time before Bey ruled our airwaves and screens. Thanks to The Foundry's Dangerously in Love 15th Anniversary Party, you won't have to. Expect all of the hits from the 2003 album — her debut solo record, and the one that made sure we were all crazy in love with all things Bey. We're guessing you can also expect her other solo tracks, and even some songs from her Destiny's Child days — plus all of the epic dance moves that go with them. No, it's not Bey's b'day, but you'll be feeling like Sasha Fierce, as well as drunk in love with the pop idol in the spotlight. The joint will be jumpin' jumpin', and we're not telling you what to drink to celebrate the occasion; however you might want to mix it with lemonade.
Maybe you're looking for a way to celebrate Easter. Perhaps you've noticed that Albion's French-inspired restaurant and bar Hervé's has almost notched up a year of business. Whichever you'd like to mark — including if you're keen on both — Hervé's Laneway Session has the answer on Sunday, April 9. That date is Easter Sunday, which means that appropriate bites will be on offer at the Craft'd Grounds spot. Think: seafood, including oysters, baked Tasmania scallops and salt cod croquettes; lamb on a spit, served with either flatbread or cauliflower and tabbouleh; and custom chocolate desserts such as hot cross and choc cross buns, plus warm chocolate brownies. [caption id="attachment_896088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] You'll pay for what you eat; however, drinks-wise, there's a two-hour unlimited package, spanning wine, beer and Hervé's spritzes, for $59 from 12–2pm. Other beverages are available afterwards, of course. The shindig runs till late soundtracked by DJ-spun tunes, with dancing encouraged — and, yes, as the name suggests, it's all happening in the Craft'd Grounds laneway. [caption id="attachment_879387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Full Stop Social Media[/caption] Top image: Full Stop Social Media.
In a bid to contain the last coronavirus outbreak, the Queensland Government mandated the wearing of masks across Greater Brisbane in late March, and then expanded some face covering rules statewide, too. The requirements were given a slight tweak when April started, but wearing a mask has been part of daily Queensland life throughout this month so far — until 6am hits tomorrow, Thursday, April 15, that is. At the moment, if you're spending time indoors somewhere other than your house, you need to wear a mask. They must be worn in all indoor spaces other than your home, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, on public transport, in taxis and ride share vehicles, and outdoors when social distancing isn't possible. But, from 6am on Thursday, April 15, covering your face will no longer required unless you're at an airport or you're flying. The Queensland Government still advises that folks should carry a mask with them, though, to use in crowded places when you're not able to social distance. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1382107083324084225 The change was announced by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk alongside a heap of other easing restrictions. Queenslanders will be able to have 100 people over to their houses, gather outdoors in groups of any size, dance both indoors and outdoors, and stand up to eat and drink at bars and clubs, too. The usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms still apply, though — as they have since March last year. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Die! Die! Die! exploded onto the music scene with a powerful display of DIY compositions and authentic punk ethos. Their self-titled debut was produced by legendary producer Steve Albini, and ever since, Die! Die! Die! Have honed their brand of sharp and fast punk to the point where it is being hailed as some of the best punk music currently around. Their fourth studio album, Harmony, saw the band record in France, and continues the upward trajectory of their career as their sound develops in complexity and energy. Brisbane music fans lucky enough to have witnessed Die! Die! Die! in the past know that their riotous sound transfers well to the stage, so it will be a nice treat to experience that energy as it relates to their new material. Die! Die! Die! will be supported by Royal Blood.
You are cordially invited to Relief on the Runway, where fashion meets charity. In celebration of Glory Box’s first birthday, they will be hosting a fashion parade with all proceeds going to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery. Hitting the runway will be some of Glory Box’s finest garments, artwork from local artists up for sale, burlesque performances and live music. Glory Box is an independent seller of new and vintage fashions, so you can do your part for charity while also planning your next fashion fix. Tickets include entry into a prize draw and a night filled with entertainment, a licensed bar and dumplings. However, if you cannot attend but would still like to contribute, you can do so via the charity website. Remember: all ticket purchases and donations are tax deductible.
If there's ever a time to stampede into the Elephant Hotel, it's a long weekend. For the folks at the Wickham Street mainstay, a state-approved break from the weekday grind is cause for much merriment — which is why they've perfected the public holiday eve block party. The English-style establishment held their first such shenanigans back in April, and it went down such a treat that they're breaking out the streamers and balloons for another go around. Okay, there might not be decorations, but there will be plenty of fun. Just add celebrating the Queen's Birthday to the list of things the Elephant does well, like pub food that doesn't taste like pub food, and bringing meat tray raffles into Fortitude Valley. They also excel when it comes to music, as all pub-based block parties should. Local legends the Medics have scored the headline spot alongside fellow Brisbanites Babaganoüj, with Good Oak, the Bacchanales, Good Boy and Walking Bird joining them in a jam-packed lineup. Now that's how you celebrate a public holiday. Image by Alex Bowler.
If you like your comedies black and brooding, you probably like the work of Martin McDonagh. On the big screen, he spent time In Bruges with Colin Farrell, then had him dally with Seven Psychopaths. On the stage, he has won numerous prestigious awards for his plays — including for The Pillowman. That the latter revolves around a writer, a collection of short stories that bear quite the resemblance to a spate of real-life crimes, and a police interrogation room in a totalitarian state gives an indication of why this is one of McDonagh's biggest hits. That it uses razor sharp, rapid-fire dialogue to explore themes such as oppression, control and censorship also fits. In fact, if ever there was an example of McDonagh at his best, this theatre production would be it. Come for the devilish laughs, stay for the absurdist smarts — and to see the entertaining efforts of one of the great modern playwrights.
Charlotte Smith has a wardrobe most can only wish for. Inherited from her godmother, Doris Darnell, Smith’s collection is valued at over a million dollars, containing thousands of pieces dated from 1790 through to 1995, with originals from Dior and Chanel. The vast collection inspired Smith to author two books, Dreaming of Dior and Dreaming of Chanel, sharing the stories of the women who wore the clothes before they came into her possession. But words are not enough – reading about a Chanel suit is not the same as being able to see a Chanel suit in the flesh. And so the QUT Art Museum is bringing these stories to life with the Dreaming of Chanel exhibition. Curated by Nadia Buick, Dreaming of Chanel showcases 40 pieces from the Darnell collection, bringing Smith’s stories to life and giving lovers of fashion a glimpse into the collection that most can only dream of. The exhibition runs every day from August 26 to October 16, giving you 51 chances to ogle and dream about a Chanel collection of your very own.
Step inside Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art this summer and you'll be whisked away to another world where forests sprawl, mirrors beckon and otherworldly creatures linger, all thanks to the South Brisbane venue's entrancing Fairy Tales exhibition. Head along specifically across Friday, January 19–Sunday, January 21, however, and you'll find a Fairy Tales Festival taking over the site — making an already-magical way to spend a few hours even more entrancing. Like the exhibition — plus much in its accompanying movie program — the three-day fest is an all-ages affair. Catering to attendees big and small, it spans pop-up performances, drop-in drawing sessions, storytelling and other activities over one big weekend. The centrepiece is still the items and art lining the gallery's walls, including pieces by Yayoi Kusama and Patricia Piccinini, as well as a costume that David Bowie wore in Labyrinth, but you can pair your wander through the halls with getting interactive. [caption id="attachment_936493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Henrique Oliveira, Brazil b.1973 / Corupira 2023, commissioned for 'Fairy Tales', installation (detail), Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane 2023 / Plywood, tapumes veneer and tree branches / Courtesy: Henrique Oliveira / © Henrique Oliveira / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA[/caption] Once Upon a Chime, aka Patience Hodgson, Joel Woods and Lake Kelly, will be singing fairy tale-inspired tunes on the Maiwar Green Stage twice daily. A Villain's Tale will also hit up the same spot, with the performance told by a misunderstood villain. They're both free to attend, and you don't need a ticket to Fairy Tales itself to enjoy them. The same is true of watching Jim Henson's The StoryTeller television series at GOMA's Australian Cinematheque. That said, some parts of the fest do require an entry pass for the exhibition, such as hearing Brisbane Fairy Tale Ring reimagine classic fairy tales in the River Room — and picking up a pencil. [caption id="attachment_936492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Costumes (costumier) / 'Yellow dress with hood' costume from Mirror Mirror 2012, installed in 'Fairy Tales', Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane 2023 / Silk taffeta, polyester, nylon tulle, synthetic taffeta / Collection: The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA[/caption] Top image: Anish Kapoor, India/England b.1954 / Red and Black Mist Magenta 2018, installed in 'Fairy Tales', Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane 2023 / Stainless steel, lacquer / Collection: The artist / © Anish Kapoor. DACS/Copyright Agency, 2023 / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.
This Christmas, all you need is love — and a festive little cabaret that showcases all of the hit tunes from Love Actually. It's the way to celebrate the season when you're not just leaving the seasonal favourite flick on repeat at home. Yep, that's Christmas Actually. Created by the folks behind Rumour Has It and Lady Beatle, and starring Naomi Price (Ladies in Black, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Christmas Actually features all of the tracks that've become synonymous with this merry time of year — including Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', naturally. To help belt them out, Price will be joined by Mik Easterman, Scott French, Irena Lysiuk, Luke Kennedy, Michael Manikus, OJ Newcomb and Tom Oliver. There'll even be more than one nativity lobster, plus a jolly mood and a whole room full of festive cheer. That room is La Boite's Roundhouse Theatre, where Christmas Actually plays from Wednesday, December 15–Thursday, December 23. Get excited by revisiting Love Actually's trailer below. 'Tis the season, after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWvZEaAdiDg
Across its 12-season order to-date, the best episodes of Bob's Burgers have always resembled exactly what they should: a delicious serving of the meat-and-bread combination that shares the hit sitcom's name. There's a knack to a great burg — to a tastebud-thrilling, so-appetising-I-need-more-now example of this extremely accessible culinary art — and it's all about perfecting the absolute basics. No matter what else gets slotted in (and plenty of other ingredients can), every burger's staples should be the stars of the show. Indeed, a top-notch burg needn't be flashy. It definitely mustn't be overcomplicated, either. And, crucially, it should taste as comforting as wrapping your hands around its buns feels. On the small screen since 2011, Bob's Burgers has kept its version of that very recipe close to its animated, irreverent, gleefully offbeat heart. Unsurprisingly, the show's creators whip up the same kind of dish for The Bob's Burgers Movie, too. It's a winning formula, and creator Loren Bouchard knows not to mess with it while taking his beloved characters to the big screen. Co-helming with the series' frequent supervising director Bernard Derriman, and co-writing with long-running producer Nora Smith, he experiments here and there — in filmic form, Bob's Burgers is a tad darker, for instance — but he also knows what keeps his customers a-coming. That'd be the goofy but extremely relatable Belcher clan, their everyday joys and struggles, and the cosy little world that sprawls around their yellow-hued Ocean Avenue burger joint up the road from seaside fairground Wonder Wharf. Bouchard also knows that if you make something well enough time after time — be it a burger or a TV show that's spawned a movie; both fit — it'll be warmly, reliably and welcomingly familiar rather than just another helping of the same old nosh. With that in mind, it's a compliment to say that The Bob's Burgers Movie could've easily stayed on television, slotting in among the 238 episodes that precede it — but longer. Vitally, however, it doesn't ever simply feel like a few TV episodes simmered together. That can be the television-to-film curse, as Downton Abbey: A New Era demonstrated recently. Thankfully, as The Simpsons Movie and all three SpongeBob SquarePants films so far have also achieved, that isn't the case here. Instead, this super-sized stint in the Belcher family's company sports as much care, attention to detail, plot, gags, character-building moments, in-jokes, puns and musical numbers as a 102-minute portion of Bob's Burgers needs. It features the same colourful animation that works such a treat on TV, with added shadows for a cinematic feel, plus the lively voice acting that's the heart and soul of the show — but it's its own meal, and never merely four servings of fries passed off as something more substantial. As always, the action centres on the film's namesake — the diner where patriarch Bob (H Jon Benjamin, Archer) sizzles up punningly named burgs to both make a living and live out his dream. And, as the show has covered frequently, financial woes mean that Bob and his wife Linda (John Roberts, Gravity Falls) have more to worry about than cooking, serving customers, and their kids Tina (Dan Mintz, Veep), Gene (Eugene Mirman, Flight of the Conchords) and Louise (Kristen Schaal, What We Do in the Shadows). Their solution: a burger, of course. But their bank manager isn't munching when they try to use food to grease their pleas for an extension on their loan. That mortgage also involves their restaurant equipment, leaving them out of business if they can't pay up. As their seven-day time limit to stump up the cash ticks by, Bob sweats over the grill and Linda oozes her usual optimism — only for a sinkhole to form literally at their door. As trusty as Bob's Burgers gets, and still refreshingly committed to depicting the daily reality of its working-class characters, that above setup is the movie's buns. Layered inside are tomato, lettuce, cheese, pickle and beetroot, aka the narrative's well-balanced fillings. First comes a murder-mystery ensnaring the Belchers' eccentric landlord Calvin Fischoeder (Kevin Kline, Beauty and the Beast) and his brother Felix (Zach Galifianakis, Ron's Gone Wrong). Springing from there is Louise's determination to solve the crime to save the diner and prove she isn't a baby just because she wears a pink rabbit-eared hat. Then there's Tina's quest to make her crush Jimmy Jr (also voiced by Benjamin) her summer boyfriend; Gene's need to get The Itty Bitty Ditty Committee, the family band, a gig at Wonder Wharf's Octa-Wharfiversary celebrations; and Bob and Linda's attempt to sell burgs at the amusement park using a barbecue on wheels MacGyvered up by number-one customer Teddy (Larry Murphy, The Venture Bros). Meat-slinging, killer-hunting, carnival-frolicking mania and mayhem is the name of the game — dripping one-liners and puns, too, including the obligatory next-door store gag ("Sew You Think You Can Pants" is the film's offering) — and it all makes the leap to cinemas with well-oiled ease. So does the non-stop onslaught of quick gags, verbal and sight included; the extravagant musical numbers and action-flick-esque setpieces, which are all gorgeously choreographed even though they're animated; and the always-loose vibe that can entertainingly feel like the voice cast are just riffing. And, while it might've felt gratuitous, Bouchard and company's efforts to find space for plenty of the series' motley crew of neighbours and other supporting players is as natural as dipping chips in whatever sauce takes your fancy. Also part of this animated gem: robot aliens who hate music, a village inhabited by Wonder Wharf workers called Carnieapolis, fantasy horse rides, creepy skeletons and an underground lair that Wes Anderson could've dreamt up. And, obviously, the overflowing affection for its oddball family that's always made all things Bob's Burgers as engaging as it is firmly remains on the menu as well — as eagerly sprinkled with fondness for the Belchers' many quirks, their routine woes, and their daily efforts to just get by, be happy, love each other and enjoy their modest existence. Without that, The Bob's Burgers Movie would've just been any old film. With it, it's exactly what viewers have adored for over a decade. This show doesn't need to be your regular dish to fall for its charms, though. Whether it's your first bite or your 239th, it's a delight.
Thirteen years ago, Korea's cinema standouts scored their own showcase Down Under, with the inaugural Korean Film Festival in Australia debuting in 2010. Since then, the festival has kept returning — and expanding — to celebrate both the latest and greatest flicks that South Korea has to offer. It was playing Bong Joon-ho films before Parasite swept the Oscars. It was revelling in Korean thrillers prior to Squid Game becoming an international success, too. It loved Korean genre fare before Train to Busan as well. And, KOFFIA will keep the nation's must-see titles in Brisbane this spring. 2023's festival has a date with the Elizabeth Picture Theatre from Thursday, September 14–Sunday, September 17. Across four days, it'll endeavour to give audiences a new Korean favourite, or several, from a selection that spans everything from murder-mysteries and detective dramas to revenge thrillers and musicals. There's no such thing as a standard Korean film, which is true of every country's movie output; however, this national cinema is mighty fond of twisty tales. Accordingly, it should come as no surprise that Confession is on the 2023 bill. It's a locked-room mystery with an IT company CEO suddenly finding himself the prime suspect. Also on the lineup: The Devil's Deal, which sees a political candidate disqualified, then out for revenge; and The Night Owl, about an acupuncturist who is blind in daylight, can see clearly at night, and witnesses a tragic event one evening. The latter opens the festival, and the directors of both films — The Devil's Deal's Lee Won-tae and The Night Owl's An Tae-jin — are coming to Australia for KOFFIA. Elsewhere, Hero heads back to 1900s Korea to hone in on independence activist Ahn Jung-geun's plight battling Japanese colonial rule — and musical drama Life Is Beautiful sees a husband trying to locate his wife's childhood sweetheart. Or, the standouts also include Switch, where a celebrity wakes up one morning to discover that he's living a completely different life — and romance Nothing Serious, about an aspiring novelist who writes a sex column.
The irony about The Wombats is that they are neither wombats, nor are they Australian. They've made two albums and sold plenty of records, and have an unexplained affinity with fat marsupials. Best give 'em a shot, yeah? The Wombats have been steadily growing a neat fan base here and abroad for the last few years, and have finally secured themselves a very respectable spot at the Riverstage, which has played host to the Foo Fighters and Kasabian in recent times, as well as Lily Allen and mega babe Jessie J. Like most bands from Liverpool, they have the sort of jangly pop that can get you moving and singing lyrics like Let's dance to Joy Division and celebrate the irony! and forcing you to make unexplained Facebook statuses about how you are “moving to New York 'cause I've got problems with my sleep”. Christmas has come early, and The Wombats are digging their claws into the Riverstage's epic hall of fame, so you should probably see them before they do a Kings of Leon and sell out the Entertainment Centre.
They're sticky, cinnamon scrolls, drenched in glaze and famous all across the USA. And at the end of last year, they finally became available Down Under when Seattle-born chain Cinnabon opened its first Australian store in Brisbane. Now, a second store is set to open next Friday, February 14. That store — sorry everyone else — is also in Brisbane. While the first one is located in Toombul Shopping Centre, this one will be on the other side of the city inside Westfield Garden City. So both north and south Brisbane will be in close proximity to the sticky baked goods. When it opens next week, Brisbanites will be able to grab a scroll from 8am seven days a week — but be prepared to queue. The Toombul store still regularly has a lengthy line, even two months after opening. Just like the Toombul store, this one will sling a trio of Cinnabon cult classics, including the classic cream cheese cinnamon roll, the popular chocolate-drizzled Chocobon and very extra Caramel Pecanbon. They're available in both mini and large sizes, along with packs featuring either four or nine 'minibons'. There's coffee and lots of sugary drinks to pair with your snacks, too, including a cinnamon bun frappe. [caption id="attachment_755764" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cinnabon Toombul[/caption] If you're yet to get acquainted with the decadent dessert creations, prepare yourself for aromatic, cinnamon-spiked dough made to a long-held recipe, decked out with stacks of signature cream cheese frosting and loaded with extras. They're notoriously tough to replicate. The Australian launch was first announced in January 2019, when family-run Queensland company Bansal Foods scored the Aussie rights to Cinnabon. Cinnabon has been going strong in America since 1985, so it has already picked up plenty of Aussie fans along the way. But this is the first time that we're able to get our hands on those sticky, cinnamon-infused baked goods on home soil. And if you're not in Brisbane, you might just need to be patient. Since opening in December, Cinnabon has run multiple pop-ups around Brisbane and — according to Bansal Foods Group Director Gaurav Bansal — the group is "exploring opportunities to have more pop-ups around the country". In a statement, he also 'promised' to open more permanent bakeries in other cities soon. Cinnabon will open at 8am on Friday, February 14 on level two of Westfield Garden City, Kessels Road, Upper Mount Gravatt.
Marc Maron of WTF with Marc Maron, one of the most downloaded podcasts, is coming to Australia in October, and if you're not there then you are a fool, a foolish fool. For you see, while he is best known for his podcast, averaging 4 million downloads each month and interviewing guests including the POTUS himself, he's just as brilliant alone on a stage, mic in hand, practicing his original craft. If you're not much of a podcast listener (why not? Get on that, they're the best), then you may have caught Maron’s critically acclaimed half-hour scripted series Maron, created, written and produced by Maron himself, on ABC2. Or perhaps his latest special, Thinky Pain, on Netflix. The man is a machine of brilliant cultural output. Get stuck in.
Reading-list inspiration, sorted: even if you've devoured plenty of books by the authors on the 2025 Sydney Writers' Festival program, there's still much more to discover and explore. Whether you're keen to start leafing through pages now or plan to finish the fest with a stacked pile of new material by your bed, get excited — more than 200 events are on the lineup, featuring 40-plus international guests and over 100 Australian talents, and showcasing 34 authors among that group that are releasing new books this year. Sydney Writers' Festival's latest roster isn't just great news for Harbour City literary fans. When it runs from Monday, May 19–Tuesday, May 27, it'll also livestream some sessions around the country, so joining in isn't only about being there in-person in Sydney. Either way, there's something on the program for all reading tastes, fans of a wealth of genres, and attendees looking to hear from beloved scribes and discover their next favourites alike. Taking over Carriageworks, Sydney Town Hall, State Library of New South Wales and other venues around the city, SWF 2025 is also budget-friendly with more than 50 events costing nothing to attend — and 30 of those free sessions are at Carriageworks alone. What opens with Torres Strait Islander writer and activist Thomas Mayo, Yuwaalaraay writer and performer Nardi Simpson, plus poet Lemn Sissay and Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit writer Jeanette Winterson, all responding to the theme 'in this together'? This festival. What closes with Anna Funder examining writing in artificial intelligence-heavy times? This fest again. What includes 2024 Booker Prize-winner Samantha Harvey, Brooklyn author Colm Tóibín and Australian Big Little Lies wordsmith Liane Moriarty as well? Yes, this program. Harvey will chat about the International Space Station-set Orbital, while Tóibín has Long Island, the sequel to Brooklyn, to dig into. Also the creative force behind Nine Perfect Strangers and Apples Never Fall on the page, Moriarty will discuss everyday life stories becoming smash hits with David Nicholls, as well as careers and having a literary family with her sisters Jaclyn and Nicola. Plus, Winterson isn't just part of opening night, but will celebrate 40 years since her debut novel and also explore the impact of AI. Similarly on the SWF 2025 bill: Torrey Peters, the first openly trans woman nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction; Ian Rankin speaking about the 25th instalment in the Inspector Rebus series; plus everyone from The Ministry of Time's Kaliane Bradley and The Safekeep's Yael van der Wouden through to Vanishing World's Sayaka Murata and After You'd Gone and Hamnet's Maggie O'Farrell. You've likely seen actor Harriet Walter in Succession, Silo and Ted Lasso — and This Is Going to Hurt, Killing Eve and Rocketman in the past few years as well — and now you can add this fest to that list, where she'll be unpacking Shakespeare's female characters. Other highlights span Entitlement's Rumaan Alam, Discriminations' AC Grayling on cancel culture, stepping into the world of espionage stories and getting a hankering for pastries — the latter with Flour and Stone's Nadine Ingram, Beatrix Bakes' Natalie Paull and Lune's Kate Reid. The return of the Great Debate is a starry event, featuring Annabel Crabb, David Marr, Nicholson, Matilda Boseley, Justine Rogers, Jennifer Wong and Yumi Stynes. And from there, other topics on the SWF lineup also include the situations in Gaza and Ukraine, sleep, First Nations storytelling, life in exile, queer culture, dwindling workers' rights, Robodebt and Miles Franklin. [caption id="attachment_994843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Reynaldo Rivera[/caption] Sydney Writers' Festival images: Jacquie Manning.
Usually, when Jungle Collective hosts one of its huge sales in Brisbane, it fills a Coorparoo warehouse with indoor plants — and jungle vibes. But on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, it's going virtual with its weird and wonderful pieces of greenery instead. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. You'll just be doing your shopping online via the Jungle Collective website rather than heading in-store. Generally, more than 170 different species tend to be on offer in-person — so here's hoping that hefty range makes the virtual jump. While this is a 100-percent online event, tickets work in a similar way as Jungle Collective's physical sales. Due to expected demand, it'll be held in multiple sessions — with your ticket specifying when you'll need to hop online and start buying. Virtual shoppers will need to register for free tickets in advance from midday on Monday, October 19. As for deliveries, your plants will make their way to you over the following week from Sunday, October 31, with more details given when you make your purchase. Delivery costs $15–40 depending on your area, with orders within 25 kilometres driving distance nabbing free delivery if you spend $100 — and everyone living further away getting $15 off. Or, from its September sale onwards, Jungle Collective is also doing pick-ups as well. You'll just need to be able to head to its Coorparoo digs from 1–5pm on Tuesday, November 3.
