With its riverside location, sprawling pools and all-round laidback feel, South Bank and summer already go hand-in-hand. Just as the weather starts to warm up in Brisbane, the inner-city precinct has welcomed a new attraction — the first Brisbane outpost for Noosa's beloved Happy Pops. If you're new to the Happy Pops experience, it's all about artisanal gelato on a stick, using all-natural, preservative-free Australian ingredients. Think Maleny milk, real vanilla, Belgian chocolate and actual fruit pieces. It also serves up vegan options, using soy, rice and coconut milk, which is good news for folks who don't consume animal products but still love a frosty treat. Customers can opt for a pre-made pop for $7, licking their way through the popular Hokey Pokey (with honeycomb made from Aussie honey, chocolate and caramel sauce), or the dessert mashup that is the Fruit Pavlova (which combines actual pavlova, vanilla gelato, white chocolate, freeze-dried raspberries and passionfruit) — among other flavours. Or, you can design your own for $8.50. You'll just need to choose your base (gelato, sorbet or yoghurt), style of chocolate (full-dip, half-dip or drizzle) and three toppings (including hazelnuts, sprinkles, macadamia nuts, marshmallows, Oreos, M&Ms and Nerds). If you'd prefer a waffle or brownie on a stick, covered in chocolate and then doused in your chosen toppings, that's also on the menu. Waffles are only on offer after 5pm, or all day if it's raining. Happy Pops serves milkshakes ($8), too, plus three kinds of mini-pops for kids ($4.50).
Italian food is useful for a variety of reasons. One is to comfort – there is nothing like tucking into a big bowl of pasta to make all of your cares disappear; the next is to share – antipasti platters and pizza are perfect for a communal dining experience; and finally, for romance – the richly flavoured sauces, the beautiful wine, and the possibility of a Lady and the Tramp moment makes Italian food one of the most sensual meals (never mind the garlic breath). Thanks to our culturally diverse city, Brisbane has many wonderful Italian restaurants to choose from. Here are Concrete Playground’s top picks. Mario Sarti Located in Toowong, Mario Sarti is a Brisbane institution. Around since 1995, this restaurant has been providing Brisbane's western suburb residents with the hearty and delicious Italian food that they deserve. With an extensive menu including Italian specialties such as a mouth-watering carpaccio, and a smoky mozzarella salad, it is their pasta dishes that will truly soothe your soul. Try the Gnocchi Al Forno - house baked ricotta gnocchi, grilled with truffle & fennel sausage, smoked mozzarella, chilli, garlic & Napoli sauce - mama mia, we have a winner! 41 Sherwood Rd, Toowong; 07 3870 4933; www.mariosarti.com.au Bucci Fresh to James Street in 2012, Bucci Restaurant provides a diverse menu with some light yet impressive salads, a large range of pastas on offer, and some exciting mains. The staff are enthusiasts who are keen to help you pick out the perfect matching wine to your dish. For those after a light dish, the salads are unique and full of delicious flavours - try the Il Polpo Arristito - chargrilled octopus with fennel, avocado and tomato. For the meat lovers you must try the Bistecca Di Manzo - rib fillet on the bone with rosemary and anchovy butter sauce - perfectly complementary to a juicy piece of beef. 15 James Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3852 3323; www.buccirestaurant.com.au Popolo Popolo in South Bank is the ideal Italian sharing restaurant. With entrees and mains designed to be shared, this is the perfect place for a great get together with family and friends to connect over delicious food. Using locally sourced produce, Popolo have created a menu full of mouth-watering options, the only arguments you will have at dinner is over what to choose. White bait, sardines or anchovies? Beef or pork? In this instance we recommend the Lattonzolo E Pesche - suckling pig with peaches and anchovy sauce. To die for. 3 Sidon Street, Southbank; 07 3846 7746; www.popolodining.com Beccofino If your mind is set on pizza perfection, then Beccofino in Teneriffe is the place for you. Their pizza menu is so extensive that it is split into 'rosse' and 'bianche' - pizzas with or without a tomato sauce base. Cooked in their wood-fired oven the smell and flavour of these pizzas have the power to teleport you to a small Italian city of your choice, with their authenticity. We highly recommend the Pizzaiolo - tomato, pancetta, ricotta, zucchini and chilli. 10 Vernon Tce, Teneriffe; 07 3666 0207; www.beccofino.com.au Tartufo Located at the Emporium in Fortitude Valley, Tartufo offers a dining experience of the finest quality. For a romantic night out of eating until you practically burst, you must try one of the two degustation options at Tartufo. But really, the degustation is a wonderful option for foodies or for those wanting to have an Italian food awakening. The seven or nine course degustations offer incredible samples of Italian food from carpaccio to risotto to incredible desserts. They also have a regular menu for those who like to steer their own course. 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3852 1500; www.tartufo.com.au View all Brisbane Restaurants.
It's time to get festive beneath one of Newstead's most striking features: the Gasometer. For one night in December, The Market Folk is taking over the eye-catching Gasworks space, bring a heap of stalls with it and helping you finish your Christmas shopping — because, let's face it, no one ever gets 100-percent of their gift buying done too far in advance. From 5–9pm on Friday, December 10, the Gasworks Plaza precinct will be home to plenty of market stalls as the sun goes down, all brimming with items that'd make perfect presents (for your loved ones, and for yourself). If you're wondering just what kinds of things you can expect to pick up, think fashion, art, homewares, ceramics and vintage goods — and plants as well. There'll be a particular focus on Brisbane creatives, too. So, you'll also be gifting them some Christmas cheer by supporting their hard work. [caption id="attachment_758933" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Market Folk[/caption] Top image: Andrew S via Flickr.
It's Halloween, 1968, in the fictional town of Mill Valley. With an opening montage reminiscent of many a movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark shows viewers just what that means. Locals prepare to celebrate the spookiest day of the year, with decorations littering the town. Pumpkins are a common sight, naturally. Horror-obsessed aspiring writer Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti) and her fellow teen outcast pals, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) and Chuck (Austin Zajur) are getting ready to go trick-or-treating, too; however it's the bully they're afraid of that initially proves pivotal. At his family farm, Tommy (Austin Abrams) and his offsiders attack a scarecrow. Under the autumn sky, surrounded by towering crops stretching far and wide, they smash and bash the figure mercilessly. Each blow knocks the straw man around, but it doesn't fight back. It can't — it's inanimate. But that doesn't mean that there won't be repercussions. Based on the 80s and 90s children's book series of the same name, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark doesn't trade in a 'what goes around, comes around' mentality — although Tommy isn't destined for a hero's journey. Rather, director André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe) and his screenwriters (The Lego Ninjago Movie's Dan Hageman and Kevin Hageman, plus Oscar-winning The Shape of Water filmmaker Guillermo del Toro) explore the idea that pain is part of a cycle. Whether you're inflicting, receiving or helping to relieve it, trauma isn't a one-way event or a one-off occurrence. In the film's intermittent narration, Stella explains this in a different way, more befitting the movie's literary origins: "Stories hurt. Stories heal". After a trip to a supposedly haunted local house leaves Stella in possession of a spooky collection of stories, her words start ringing true. Decades earlier, the book belonged to Sarah Bellows, who was brutalised by her wealthy family, locked in the basement and — as the legend goes — lured in kids with eerie tales, then killed them. Stella doesn't necessarily believe the myths, until fresh tales begin writing themselves into the dusty tome in a bloody scrawl. Each new story mentions someone that Stella knows, such as Tommy, Auggie, Chuck and the mysterious drifter, Ramon (Michael Garza), that she meets at a drive-in screening of Night of the Living Dead. As foretold on the page, scarecrows soon seek revenge, monsters shuffle through creepy asylums and stews come seasoned with body parts, among other unnerving incidents. Tasked with adapting short stories, the filmmakers find an effective solution to what could've been the movie's big struggle: moulding standalone tales into a cohesive whole. Working through a selection of the printed collection's chapters, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark still feels episodic. Indeed, each segment could work on its own as a short film. That said, this isn't a cobbled-together anthology linked by loose connective tissue (or, if they've sprung to mind, a Stranger Things or IT rip-off). Delving deep into what each spooky tale means to Stella and her friends, Øvredal gives his framing narrative as much weight as the movie's individual parts. These stories reflect events, emotions, fears and worries in the characters' lives, and tie into the picture's setting and time period. The Vietnam War rages on, Richard Nixon is about to be elected to America's highest office and racism makes its presence known — and, via all of the above, a generation just coming of age begins to realise that horror really exists. When it comes to the tangible frights — the bumps, jumps, creaks and the like — Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark also finds an apt approach. As he demonstrated in both The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Troll Hunter, Øvredal knows that less is often more. When needed, though, he's not afraid to throw severed heads around, unleash a stream of spiders or watch dissembled limbs combine into a demon. He's not averse to pushing his fresh-faced cast to their limits, either, or deploying Breaking Bad's Dean Norris (as Stella's dad) as the fount of all gravitas. But, whether in subtle or overt mode, the film always sticks to its point, showing how frightful sights, and the underlying forces and troubles they represent, can manifest in many forms. Still, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark does tussle with one tricky spot. While vastly darker than Goosebumps, this is an adolescent-friendly affair, sparking an all-too-generic ending and sequel setup. When it takes the easy route in wrapping things up, the movie is at its worst. Thankfully for horror buffs of all ages, that's doesn't spoil the preceding fun. For most of its running time, this is a suitably creepy and thoughtful film, taking familiar parts, twisting them in unnerving ways, and layering its stories with both scares and meaning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYPRyBN3Kz8
Over the past few years, the Victoria Park Putt Putt Course has given itself a themed revamp on several occasions: Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day and Easter all included. Whatever the excuse to get tap, tap, tapping, this Herston spot'll find it — and mini golf-loving Brisbanites are thankful. Fancy getting into the Easter spirit by hitting a few balls around a candy-themed course? That's on offer again now that it's almost that time of year, all thanks to Victoria Park's returning Candyland putt putt setup. From Friday, April 1–Sunday, May 8, the site will sport greens with names like 'Fairy Floss Fairway', 'Ice Cream Court', 'Sugar Shack' and 'Bunny's Hop'. Yes, we're expecting rabbits to feature heavily — plus giant ice creams, Easter eggs, lollipops and other sweet treats. Bookings are essential, with the course open from 6am–10pm daily. Fancy a few holes before work? Want to add some fun to your lunch break? Need something to look forward to come quitting time? They're all options. It's a family-friendly affair, so you'll likely have plenty of company. Tickets cost $22 per adult. Images: Pandora Photography.
The world’s biggest international live music event is almost upon us. There are no tickets, no seating, no supports and no headliners, just music – everywhere. Fete de la Musique is held in 350 cities around the world on the same day every year, and its message is simple: make music everywhere. 2011 marks the fourth year of Brisbane’s involvement in the festival, with 215 acts crooning and tuning all over the city from 7am ‘til midnight. Expect the unexpected with Fete de la Musique – the beauty of this event is that performances are held everywhere. Forget the stage in the middle of Queen Street Mall, the Fete performers are more likely to play on a bus, the shopping centre, the library, the street, even the CityCat will play venue on the day. Fete de la Musique is the one event this year that you literally cannot miss - you won’t be able to. Look out for Bang Bang Boss Kelly and Pear and the Awkward Orchestra! Where will they be? The Goodwill Bridge? Central Station? A… hair salon? Find out on Tuesday.
If holidaying at sea sounds like your kind of vacation, then cruise ships boast plenty of attractions, including scenic journeys across the ocean, buffet meals, booze and a plethora of spots to laze by — or in — a pool. But there's one thing they haven't featured until now: onboard roller coasters. That's about to change thanks to one cruise ship company. Come 2020, Carnival Cruise Line will debut its Mardi Gras vessel, which will include a 240-metre electric roller coaster called Bolt. The ride will soar nearly 60 metres above sea level, using a two-rider, motorcycle-style vehicle. And, it'll navigate twists, turns and drops at speeds of almost 65 kilometres per hour. Basically, the vessel upgrades cruise ships from floating resorts to floating theme parks — so if you've ever visited Luna Park, Dreamworld or Funfields and wished that all of their attractions were on a boat, now you're in luck. If you're keen on the idea but not so fond of the zooming speed, you'll be pleased to know that the latter is adjustable. No matter how fast you choose to go, you'll have your photo taken mid-ride like on most coasters. Named after the cruise line's first ever ship from back in 1972, the 5200-passenger Mardi Gras will be based out of Port Canaveral in Florida — and just where the vessel's itinerary will take it, and how much a trip will cost, has all yet to be revealed. The company also has two other ships with SkyRide attractions, which involve pedalling around a suspended course in a go-mobile, as well as liners with water slides and aerial ropes courses. For more information, visit the Carnival Cruise Line website. Image: Carnival Cruise Line.
Two Little Boys follows the series of unfortunate incidents that make up Nige (Bret McKenzie) and Deano's (Hamish Blake) long-term mateship. Things get tricky when Nige accidentally runs over and kills a Scandavian soccer star. He has no one to turn to but Deano and, unfortunately, Deano is not the kind of guy to turn to in a time of crisis. The mishap leads to more unfortunate events with hilarious and bizarre consequences. Directed by Robert Sarkies and based on the novel by Duncan Sarkies, Two Little Boys is a cheeky comedy bound to make you laugh and appreciate the one of a kind relationship between two best mates. Thanks to Hopscotch, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Two Little Boys. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
UPDATE: MARCH 18, 2020 — Organisers have announced that all remaining sessions of the 2020 Alliance Francaise French Film Festival have been cancelled from Thursday, March 19 — hopefully to be rescheduled at a later date, but with further details to be decided down the line. The decision comes "following the Australian Government's additional restrictions on non-essential social gatherings". Ticket holders will receive a full refund. 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. In one of the films screening at this year's Alliance Française French Film Festival, Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) takes his obsession with a deerskin jacket to quite the extreme. In another of movies on the 2020 program, Eva Green (Penny Dreadful) rockets into space, playing a single mother who's also the only woman in the European Space Agency's astronaut training program. And, in yet another flick showing at the fest, voodoo, a secret literary society and a Haitian teen all combine. In other words: no matter what kind of French film you're looking for, you'll likely find it on the event's 31st lineup. If you're eager to catch the three aforementioned movies, then put Deerskin, Proxima and Zombi Child on your must-see list. There's more where they came from, of course, with the 2020 festival screening 49 new and classic French flicks when it tours the country from March 10. It all begins with Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano's The Extraordinary, which dramatises the real-life efforts of Frenchman Stéphane Benhamou — who runs his own Parisian shelter for autistic youth who aren't cared for by the system otherwise. And, when the fest comes to a close, it'll do so with comedy The Bare Necessities. In the Cannes-premiering title, a radio show agony aunt in a small village is completely unaware that her adult sons have been calling in with their own problems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIsEZ2tTavU Other highlights: Xavier Dolan's Matthias & Maxime, which stars the acclaimed Mommy filmmaker as one of two friends forced to confront their feelings for each other; Oscar-nominee Les Misérables, about clashes between cops, teens and gangs in Montfermeil; and the 1968-set How to Be a Good Wife, which sees Juliette Binoche run a housekeeping school that prepares teenagers to become housewives. Or, French film lovers can catch Farewell to the Night, where The Truth's Catherine Deneuve is forced to deal with her grandson's radicalisation; Invisibles, a comedy abut an illegal women's shelter; and rom-com Room 212, the latest movie by Sorry Angel's Christophe Honoré. For those particularly interested in How to Be a Good Wife, this year's fest is putting on special bushfire-relief sessions in all capital cities that'll donate 100 percent of the ticket sales to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal and Rural and Remote Mental Health — so you see a movie and support a good cause. The same will be the case with In the Name of the Land, a drama about French farmers. Elsewhere, French and Russia trade nuclear threats in submarine thriller The Wolf's Call, a secret manuscript sparks a twisty whodunnit in The Translators, and life in 90s Afghanistan gets animated in book-to-screen adaptation The Swallows of Kabul. Because TV is increasingly finding a place on the film festival circuit, small-screen fans can also feast their eyes on the first three episodes of French series Vernon Subutex, which stars Romain Duris as an ex-record store owner trying to work out what to do next with his life. The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from March 10, screening at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace from March 10–April 8; Melbourne's Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from March 11–April 8; Perth's Palace Raine Square, Cinema Paradiso, Luna on SX, Windsor Cinema and Camelot Outdoor Cinema from March 11–April 8; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from March 18–April 14. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
Perched by the river between George Street and North Quay, Brisbane Quarter is already home to Chinese, Italian and Thai restaurants, coffee and bubble tea joints, W Brisbane and its bars, and fine diner Three Blue Ducks. But the growing CBD precinct still has room for a new addition: Japanese eatery Tenya, which'll open its doors in early September. The new restaurant comes courtesy of hospitality veteran Tony Cheng, who already has Sunnybank's Hana Zushi Japanese Restaurant to his name. This time, he's pairing modern-style dishes with a lengthy drinks list, with more than 85 types of sake and Japanese whisky on Tenya's menu. Obviously, the riverside views over to South Bank will also be a big feature. When it welcomes in patrons, Tenya will usher Japanese food fans into a space that seats 240 in total, complete with an eye-catching curved bar. The inside dining room caters to 120, the outside area seats 80, a VIP room and function area holds 20, and ten seats are available in the Kaiseki and Omakase room — which is where diners can watch the chefs prepare their dishes. Opt for the latter, and you'll also be eating a bespoke meal created using whichever seasonal ingredients are available that day. On the regular menu, Head Chef Yang Zhao's kitchen will cook up everything from sushi, sashimi, tempura and udon noodles to $45 three-course set lunches — and an array of rolls that'll include ocean king prawn, soft shell crab and flamed grilled beef. For dinner, Kagoshima wagyu, salmon tartare and char grilled cuttlefish are a highlight. And, drinks-wise, all that sake and whisky will be joined by Japanese-inspired cocktails, more than 250 wines from around the world, and a range of spirits, beers, soft drinks and tea. Tenya will open at Brisbane Quarter, 300 Queen Street, Brisbane in early September — we'll update you with an exact date when once is announced.
Next time you bust out your trivia skills, you'll do more than vie for bragging rights among your mates. At Fur Get Me Not's Animal Trivia Night Bushfire Fundraiser, you'll also be helping critters affected by the current Australian crisis. In other words, you'll be showing your love for all creatures great and small in two ways. Battle it out for trivia supremacy while answering animal-themed questions, and know that your entire $20 entry fee will be donated to WIRES Australian Wildlife Rescue. Given the extent of the current devastation, WIRES has been especially busy assisting wildlife over the past few months. [caption id="attachment_756832" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Fur Get Me Not[/caption] Know everything there is to know about animals, and eager to do your part via a competitive quiz? You'll want to head along at 7pm on Saturday, February 1. You'll also need to book in advance — and if you don't have seven friends to make a team of eight, prepare to make some new two-legged pals on the night. Attendees can BYO food and drinks, including booze — and cash to take part in other fundraising games on the night.
It's that time of year, Brisbanites: time for every patch of this city to play host to festive-themed markets. No matter where you're moseying, you won't be far from a collection of stalls selling plenty of gifts — including Woolloongabba's South City Square from 9am–1pm on Sunday, December 5. That's when The Market Folk is taking over the place, putting on a Christmas Pop-Up Market that'll be filled with stocking-stuffers. We hope that your loved ones like clothes, jewellery, ceramics, plants, pots, homewares and art, because you'll find it all here. These markets will have a big focus on design, too, so you won't be browsing and buying just any old wares. As well as the shopping, there'll be live music and food trucks — because every gift-purchasing expedition needs a soundtrack, and also makes you work up an appetite. Plus, it all tales place in a brick-lined, industrial-style space, which'll make you feel like you're wandering around a European-style market.
Earlier this year, we introduced you to Unyoked, an Aussie startup that lets you stay in your own tiny house in the wilderness. Now we'd like you to meet Redleaf, a 280-acre property in the Southern Highlands where you can sleep in an 1890s train carriage surrounded by gumtrees and birdsong. "We wanted a way of sharing this beautiful life we've created — to give people an opportunity to spend a weekend in fresh air, enjoying nature," says Katrina Sparke, who's lived at Redleaf for nine years with her partner Sam and their four children. While the Sparkes were contemplating how to do just that, they stumbled across a disused train carriage in a collector's junkyard in Sydney's northwest. Two cranes and a truck later, it was delivered to their property, which was already operating as a free-range farm, supplying suckling pigs and eggs to some of Sydney's best restaurants, including ARIA and Chiswick. Katrina set about restoring the carriage, now called #343, to its former glory. "It was pretty old and derelict, and needed a huge amount of work," she says. "But much of the original timber, silky oak, was still inside." That meant a whole lot of sanding, polishing and patching up with local river oak. To that backdrop, Katrina added a tin-pressed ceiling a la the 1890s, premium linen, lush cushions, a velvet couch and a marble-tiled bathroom. The aim was to capture the carriage's history, but also to provide touches of luxury. Outside, there's a barbecue and a fire pit to keep you warm on cold nights. The set-up is entirely off-grid and solar-powered. If you'd like something a little more modern, there's a second carriage, born in the 1920s and now known as #1238. "It's quite stylised — a bit like something out of Harry Potter," says Katrina. "The main room is entirely taken up by the bed." At the other end, there's an original train seat, a kitchenette and a deck with a barbecue, overlooking rolling paddocks. When you're not relaxing in your carriage of choice, there's a creek, swimming hole and waterfall to explore, as well as nearby trails for walking and mountain biking. You can also find out a bit more about how the Sparkes run their independent farm. "I want people to come to Redleaf and experience a unique break," says Katrina. "There's no TV and no wifi. It's about getting back to the things that are important in life." Redleaf Farm is located 20 minutes south of Bowral, off Redhills Road in Fitzroy Falls. The carriages start at around $280 per night — #343 can be booked here and #1238 here. For more info on the farm, visit redleaf-farm.com.
You've watched him judge many a culinary creation on television, and now it's South-East Queensland's turn to taste one of Australia's top chef's own kitchen wizardry. Yes, George Calombaris is setting up shop on the Gold Coast — and eyeing venues in Brisbane as well. Anyone keen on a jaunt down the highway can satisfy their hunger pains at his first permanent Queensland venture, which is also his first outside of Victoria. The sixth store in his Jimmy Grants chain will set up shop in Robina Town Centre and serve up Greek-style dishes aplenty. Just thinking about the likes of prawn and honey filled souvas, roast beetroot salads, slow-roasted lamb shoulder and baklava ice cream sandwiches should be enough to get your mouth watering. That's a pretty great way to mark three years since the first Jimmy Grants opened, though Queenslanders will have to wait until late October or early November to get their fill. And, it might not be the Calombaris' only Queensland eatery in the works. When the MasterChef judge was in town in July for Regional Flavours, The Courier-Mail noted that he was searching for restaurant sites in Brisbane. Fingers (or tastebuds) crossed. Find Jimmy Grants at Robina Town Centre from late October or early November. Keep an eye on the Jimmy Grants website and Facebook page for more information.
First, Emilia Pérez picked up three awards at Cannes. Now, the musical crime comedy from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust and Bone) — which stars Karla Sofia Gascón (Harina), Zoe Saldaña (Special Ops: Lioness) and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) — has made history at the Golden Globes. Earning ten nominations for 2025's ceremony, it has now beaten Barbie's 2024 record for the most nods by a musical or comedy in a single year. Emilia Pérez is also the most-nominated film among 2025's just-announced batch of contenders. Down Under, add the movie to your must-see list for January — plus The Brutalist and Conclave, too, with the former scoring seven nominations and the latter six. So, that's monumental historical dramas and papal thrillers covered. 2024 Palme d'Or-winner Anora and body-horror gem The Substance picked up five nods apiece, while Wicked joins the contenders with four. The Golden Globes not only recognise big-screen highlights but also small-screen excellence, with The Bear topping the TV pool with five nominations. Next comes Only Murders in the Building and Shogun, both picking up four. Nobody Wants This, Baby Reindeer, Disclaimer and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story also earned some love, each collecting three nominations. As always, you can consider the roster of nominees a handy to-watch list ahead of the winners being announced on Monday, January 6 Australian and New Zealand time — which means also getting excited about the upcoming Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two)-starring Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown; appreciating not one but two Sebastian Stan performances, given that he's nominated for both The Apprentice and A Different Man; and catching up with Mr & Mrs Smith, Slow Horses, Abbott Elementary, Hacks, The Penguin, Ripley and True Detective: Night Country if you haven't seen them already. Ahead of dropping on Boxing Day, the second season of Squid Game also scored some attention — if you weren't already keen enough for the Netflix smash. On the homegrown front, Australians are among the nominees thanks to Memoir of a Snail's recognition in the Best Motion Picture — Animated category, plus acting nods for Nicole Kidman for Babygirl, Guy Pearce for The Brutalist, Cate Blanchett for Disclaimer and Naomi Watts for Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans. Although every round of nominations for every awards has its highlights and omissions, the Golden Globes' standout choices include remembering to give Challengers some affection (including Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for its propulsive score), nominating two female filmmakers in The Substance's Coralie Fargeat and All We Imagine as Light's Payal Kapadia for Best Director, making room for the gorgeous dialogue-free Flow in the animation camp, putting Pamela Anderson among the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama competitors for The Last Showgirl and Demi Moore in the equivalent musical or comedy field for The Substance, and the supporting actor Succession battle between Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain and Jeremy Strong for The Apprentice. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list of nominations: 2025 Golden Globe Nominees Best Motion Picture — Drama The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Nickel Boys September 5 Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Anora Challengers Emilia Pérez A Real Pain The Substance Wicked Best Motion Picture — Animated Flow Inside Out 2 Memoir of a Snail Moana 2 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot Cinematic and Box Office Achievement Alien: Romulus Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Deadpool & Wolverine Gladiator II Inside Out 2 Twisters Wicked The Wild Robot Best Motion Picture — Non-English Language All We Imagine as Light Emilia Pérez The Girl with the Needle I'm Still Here The Seed of the Sacred Fig Vermiglio Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama Pamela Anderson, The Last Showgirl Angelina Jolie, Maria Nicole Kidman, Babygirl Tilda Swinton, The Room Next Door Fernanda Torres, I'm Still Here Kate Winslet, Lee Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama Adrien Brody, The Brutalist Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown Daniel Craig, Queer Colman Domingo, Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes, Conclave Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Amy Adams, Nightbitch Cynthia Erivo, Wicked Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez Mikey Madison, Anora Demi Moore, The Substance Zendaya, Challengers Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain Hugh Grant, Heretic Gabriel Labelle, Saturday Night Jesse Plemons, Kinds of Kindness Glen Powell, Hit Man Sebastian Stan, A Different Man Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez Ariana Grande, Wicked Felicity Jones, The Brutalist Margaret Qualley, The Substance Isabella Rossellini, Conclave Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Yura Borisov, Anora Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce, The Brutalist Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice Denzel Washington, Gladiator II Best Director — Motion Picture Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez Sean Baker, Anora Edward Berger, Conclave Brady Corbet, The Brutalist Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light Best Screenplay — Motion Picture Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez Sean Baker, Anora Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain Coralie Fargeat, The Substance Peter Straughan, Conclave Best Original Score — Motion Picture Volker Bertelmann, Conclave Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist Kris Bowers, The Wild Robot Clément Ducol, Camille, Emilia Pérez Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Challengers Hans Zimmer, Dune: Part Two Best Original Song — Motion Picture 'Beautiful That Way', Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus, Lykke Zachrisson, The Last Showgirl 'Compress / Repress', Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino, Challengers 'El Mal', Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez 'Forbidden Road', Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Kiss The Sky', Delacey, Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi, The Wild Robot 'Mi Camino', Clément Ducol, Camille, Emilia Pérez Best Television Series — Drama The Day of the Jackal The Diplomat Mr & Mrs Smith Shogun Slow Horses Squid Game Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy Abbott Elementary The Bear The Gentlemen Hacks Nobody Wants This Only Murders in the Building Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Baby Reindeer Disclaimer Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story The Penguin Ripley True Detective: Night Country Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Drama Kathy Bates, Matlock Emma D'arcy, House of the Dragon Maya Erskine, Mr & Mrs Smith Keira Knightley, Black Doves Keri Russell, The Diplomat Anna Sawai, Shogun Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series — Drama Donald Glover, Mr & Mrs Smith Jake Gyllenhaal, Presumed Innocent Gary Oldman, Slow Horses Eddie Redmayne, The Day of the Jackal Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun Billy Bob Thornton, Landman Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy Kristen Bell, Nobody Wants This Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Ayo Edebiri, The Bear Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along Jean Smart, Hacks Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy Adam Brody, Nobody Wants This Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Jason Segel, Shrinking Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jeremy Allen White, The Bear Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country Cristin Milioti, The Penguin Sofía Vergara, Griselda Naomi Watts, Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans Kate Winslet, The Regime Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television Colin Farrell, The Penguin Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer Kevin Kline, Disclaimer Cooper Koch, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Ewan McGregor, A Gentleman in Moscow Andrew Scott, Ripley Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role on Television Liza Colón-Zayas, The Bear Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Dakota Fanning, Ripley Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer Allison Janney, The Diplomat Kali Reis, True Detective: Night Country Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role on Television Tadanobu Asano, Shogun Javier Bardem, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Harrison Ford, Shrinking Jack Lowden, Slow Horses Diego Luna, La Máquina Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television Jamie Foxx, Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was Nikki Glaser, Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die Seth Meyers, Seth Meyers: Dad Man Walking Adam Sandler, Adam Sandler: Love You Ali Wong, Ali Wong: Single Lady Ramy Youssef, Ramy Youssef: More Feelings The 2025 Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, January 6, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
Back by popular demand, The Naked Magicians are bringing the cheek back to Brisbane’s Powerhouse to bare all as part of their internationally-renowned performance. Christopher Wayne and Mike Tyler leave nothing to the imagination with their act of style, raunch, wit and pure talent that will leave you in stitches as much as in a state of constant blushing. They promise the, ahem… full package; no need for hats, capes or misdirection, just a lot of R-rated full-frontal illusions. They’ve been selling out shows to millions of audience members all keen to discover just where they’ll be pulling the bunny out from. Be quick to secure your tickets, as this is sure to be the hottest show in town, unashamedly good fun and unlike anything you’ve seen before. Check out the discounts available for group bookings, or treat yourself to the VIP package. It’s safe to say these lads will have lots up their sleeves… well, sort of.
Death Valley – named in the Californian Gold Rush era after several pioneers perished in its conditions – is the hottest, driest place in the United States. Despite its seemingly barren environment, it is also a place of great biodiversity and stunning beauty. It is this side of Death Valley that Brisbane photographer Richard Muldoon showcases in his latest exhibition. The landscape unfolds in a dramatic wash of colour, with cloud-ringed mountain ranges giving way to undulating sand dunes and vast salt plains. Muldoon’s ability to capture both the hostility and serenity of the area earned him the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers' title of Queensland Professional Photographer of the Year. While the landscape takes centre stage, Muldoon doesn’t shy away from human intrusion; despite its inhospitality, Death Valley receives more than one million visitors per year. The presence of tourists in Muldoon’s photographs is a reminder that few places in the US exist in isolation, no matter how forbidding the environment.
The early life of David Helfgott was commemorated in the award-winning movie, Shine, but many fans of the treasured musician say that you haven’t appreciated his talent unless you’ve seen it in person. This rare opportunity to see the internationally acclaimed and loved pianist is one worth seizing. His triumphant story and exuberant passion have led David Helfogtt to international and chart-topping success – his performances are reportedly captivating to all who witness them. His Brisbane performance will see him interpret compositions by JS Bach, Beethoven and Franz Liszt - big names in classical music, played by one of the biggest names in contemporary classical performance. Get a ticket and get along to QPAC for a night of memorable music.
Don't say that you don't have anything to watch between Friday, March 1–Monday, March 11, or that you've only got the usual couch-viewing options. Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival is back for 2024, which isn't just wonderful news for Sydney's cinephiles. Thanks to the event's returning online component, it's also ace for folks located outside of the Harbour City. A feast of queer cinema coming to your chosen small screen. As always, the lineup of movies that Sydneysiders can catch at MGFF's in-person sessions is far larger than its online program — but you can still join in from home no matter where in Australia you're located. For cinephiles watching on from the couch, choices include All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White, the Berlinale Teddy Award-winning love story about two men dealing with Nigeria's anti-gay laws; Mexico's All the Silence, centring on a CODA (child of deaf adults) and her girlfriend who is deaf; F.L.Y., which sees two exes living under the same roof during the pandemic; and Mutt, which won Lio Mehiel a Special Jury Award-winner at Sundance for their performance. Or, opt for drama Old Narcissus about getting older in Japan, with a 74-year-old children's author finding connection with a sex worker. You'll also be able to stream several shorts packages online, including sessions dedicated to Asia Pacific, comedy, gay, non-binary and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, transgender and sapphic films. The My Queer Career short film fest will hop online as well, featuring seven films competing for $16,000-plus in prizes.
Just a few short years ago, heading into the office five days a week was the norm — and Brisbane's CBD had the foot traffic (and just general traffic) from Monday to Friday to prove it. But with working from home a necessity during lockdowns, and also now remaining a part of our pandemic-era lives, the inner city isn't as busy and bustling as it once was. Over the past year, a few different initiatives have popped up to entice Brisbanites back into the CBD, including handing out free coffees, offering the chance to win free public transport for a whole year and turning off parking meters. After summer's Omicron wave, the Property Council of Australia, Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Government have teamed up on another: giving away more than $40,000 in prizes, including staycations, beer, dining vouchers, shopping vouchers, free parking and free public transport. Here's how it works: between 1am on Tuesday, March 8 and 3pm on Thursday, April 7, you'll need to go into the CBD on at least ten different days — and you'll need to attend one of several participating buildings and precincts. Then, you'll need to scan in via a QR code. Once you've clocked up ten days of visits, you'll be in the running. Properties involved include Howard Smith Wharves in general, Felons Brewing Co at HSW, The Myer Centre, Wintergarden, The Regent, Central Plaza One and the Riverside Centre. You can also head to a heap of other CBD addresses — spanning plenty of spots on Eagle, Albert, George, Adelaide and Ann streets, among others. [caption id="attachment_812925" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Prize-wise, there a multiple layers of goodies, which means multiple chances to win. But, to go in the draw for the major prize — which is worth over $36,000 and includes a year of free parking, a year of free public transport, a year of free beer, an $800 gym membership, a $1100 Neuron scooter pass, a $2000 CBD staycation voucher for Crystalbrook Vincent at Howard Smith Wharves, $2500 in dining vouchers, $1300 in coffee vouchers, $2500 in other food and beverage vouchers, and $3000 in shopping vouchers — you need to notch up those ten daily visits. Or, there are also weekly and daily draws, which you can enter by just scanning in once. On offer: a month of free parking, a month of free public transport, and various coffee and retail vouchers. BNE VIP runs from 1am on Tuesday, March 8 to 3pm on Thursday, April 7. For further details, head to the initiative's website.
Here's a jolly good way to spend your summer: hitting up a regency era-inspired, spritz-slinging English garden at Lutwyche's Crown Hotel. Right up until the end of February, the recently revamped pub is giving itself a makeover, complete with wisteria and ivy — and you can spend Brisbane's sultriest days hanging out there. The Spritz Garden Pop-Up is a collaboration with French vodka label Grey Goose, so that's obviously what you'll be sipping. Head by any day you like to scope out the decor and the drinks menu — or, you can make a beeline to two specific events. Thanks to bottomless garden brunch sessions at 12–2pm on Saturdays, your weekend plans now involve 90 minutes of non-stop spritz teapot cocktails, plus a brunch dish — think: black truffle toasties, croque madams, prawn rolls, yellowtail kingfish topped with caviar, and confit duck — for $69 per person for a 90-minute sitting. And, on select dates — next at 1pm on Saturday, December 10 — there's also freshwater pearl jewellery-making classes — with tickets costing $65 per person to make one piece of jewellery, $85 for two pieces and $105 for three. Clearly, it's all very much influenced by Netflix's Bridgerton, and by the current regencycore trend. So if that's your thing, this'll be bliss.
Another year, another impressive milestone notched up by 4ZZZ. Time flies when you're playing top tunes and offering the River City its own local alternative station, obviously, with Brisbane's community radio favourites celebrating its 47th birthday in 2022. We can't stress how fantastic staying on the air for that long is — and clearly the 4ZZZ crew agree. So do The Brightside, with the venue turning into party central for one big evening. The radio station first started broadcasting on December 8, 1975, and 4ZZZ's 47th Birthday Party is happening on that exact same date this year. [caption id="attachment_711489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Brightside[/caption] It's the perfect way to show your love for a local icon, and an excellent Thursday night activity, too. Plus, the event keeps the focus on great homegrown music — aka exactly what listeners love about the station — with The Double Happiness, Ethan Enoch, PhD and Sali Eri are taking care of the tunes. Tickets cost $15 for subscribers and $23.50 otherwise, and doors open at 6pm. Top image: John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons.
Melbourne might be where Lune Croissanterie started its world-acclaimed pastry empire ten years back; however, Brisbane is where it has branched out with not just two bakeries, but also a wine bar. That tipple-slinging venue: Butler, which started serving drinks in mid-2022, and is now teaming up with its sibling for a day of pizza pastries and Italian natural vino. Sunday, December 11 marks the first time that Lune and Butler have joined forces, which makes their Fun in Pizzopoli events worth attending for that fact alone. Of course, the pairing of wine and pizza — the former from Fun Wines, with Giorgio De Maria doing the pouring; the latter baked fresh by Lune, with a special menu for the day — is a mighty hefty drawcard as well. Those tipples will be summery, while the Lune pizza escargots will be inspired by two of Italy's most popular pizza toppings. So, there'll be a margherita pizza dubbed 'pizza alla Giorgio', which'll feature anchovies, capers and oregano. And, Lune's cult-favourite cacio e pepe escargot will also be on offer. Rounding out the menu — and helping line your stomach — is a small range of classic Italian antipasti. Fun in Pizzopoli is taking place over two sessions: from 2–5pm and 5.30–8.30pm. And, tickets include entry and two pizzas, with wine being sold by the glass.
When Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art fills its halls with art on a particular subject or theme, or by a certain artist, it doesn't just stop at drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations. That's the joy of being an art gallery with your own cinema — pairing what's on display upon those white walls with movies mean to be enjoyed in a darkened space. Accordingly, free exhibition Still Life Now comes with an also-free screening program, with Still Lives also musing on existence. Here, must-see movies such as Flux Gourmet, The Death of Mr Lazarescu and The Lobster anchor a program that contemplates life, death and transformation, with the rotating array of flicks showing on Sundays from October 9, 2022–March 12, 2023. The lineup falls under four sections, with 'Stillness' seeing the beauty in the everyday, as epitomised by features such as Coffee and Cigarettes and 24 Frames. Then, in 'Excess', indulgence and extravagance is in the spotlight, which is where the likes of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and Carnivore Reflux come in. 'Transition' explores life, death and rituals attached to both, with a lineup that includes A Pigeon Sat on A Branch Reflecting on Existence and Vitalina Varela. And 'Transformation' favours films about the natural meeting the unnatural, including Death Becomes Her and Little Joe. And yes, there's two films actually called Still Life — Jia Zhangke's 2006 title and Sima Urale's 2001 effort — on the bill.
For cinephiles who like their movies dark, twisted, offbeat and out there, Monster Fest has been a beloved name on Australia's festival circuit for more than a decade. The event started back in 2011 as a Melbourne-only showcase of weird and wild cinema, and has expanded to hit up Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, too — because everyone deserves a strange and surreal (and sometimes chilling and horror-fuelled) night or several at the pictures. In 2022, Monster Fest is back for another whirl, although you're forgiven if that idea sounds familiar: earlier in the year, it hosted weekender mini fests to sate movie buffs' appetites. Now, it's time for the full festival experience, which unfurls over four days in Brisbane, again highlighting the latest and greatest in genre filmmaking. If it's a horror, sci-fi or thriller movie and it's destined for a cult following, you'll likely see it here first. When it arrives at Event Cinemas Myer Centre from Thursday, December 8–Sunday, December 11, Monster Fest 2022 will kick off with the Yuletide terrors of Christmas Bloody Christmas, which features a robotic Santa malfunctioning, then going on a murderous rampage. 'Tis the season and all that. From there, other standouts include Stephen Dorff- and Emile Hirsch-starring The Price We Pay, which begins with two criminals on the run and gets deadlier from there; The Offering, about a family battling an ancient demon; and Swissploitation flick Mad Heidi, which has its namesake fight fascist rule in a grindhouse frenzy. Or, there's On the Edge, the latest from American Mary filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska; Subject, the sophomore release by Australian Watch the Sunset filmmaker Tristan Barr; and Ribspreader, another Aussie effort, this time about getting rid of smoking — and smokers. Closing night features Kids vs Aliens, a coming-of-age sci-fi/horror effort that sees a house party gatecrashed by visitors from another galaxy as directed by Hobo with a Shotgun's Jason Eisener. Elsewhere on the lineup, even though the idea of people fighting to survive their way through a building isn't new by any means — see: High-Rise, Dredd and The Raid, for starters — French film Lockdown Tower is giving it another go. A must-see for everyone: the special presentation of Friday the 13th Part III to celebrate its 40th anniversary, as screening in 3D and 4K. And a word of warning: if you like your movies happy and chirpy, this clearly isn't your kind of festival. For everyone else, settle in.
When the Coen Brothers turned Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men into a big-screen neo-western crime thriller, they made one of the best movies of their lengthy career. It's hard to improve on perfection, but the famous filmmaking duo managed it with their multiple Oscar-winning adaptation – and now Brisbane Festival is endeavouring to follow in their footsteps. At this one-off Brisbane Hear My Eyes event, Aussie rockers Tropical Fuck Storm (aka Gareth Liddiard, Fiona Kitschin, Lauren Hammel and Erica Dunn) will add an extra layer to the acclaimed Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin-starring flick by playing their own original score while the film screens. After premiering the performance to huge success in Melbourne last year, this unique night of music and movies finally comes north, hitting up The Tivoli on Thursday, September 26. Prepare to watch a ruthless killer unleash his worst in a modern classic that's both grim and poetic — and prepare to hear anarchic psych-rock sounds (and watch the band belt them out live) at the same time. Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 21, with pre-sales from Wednesday, June 19.
Nobody in their right mind could fault a café that tops its cappuccinos with real grated chocolate. That alone would be reason enough to love Moray Café, but luckily for locals, there are plenty of other reasons as well. Nestled into the greenery of riverside New Farm, the Moray Café feels like it's a million miles away from the hubbub of Fortitude Valley. The indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Moray Street and Merthyr Road is the perfect spot to enjoy a late start to the day. But let's get back to that coffee. Moray Café roasts its own own blend—Reverends Fine Coffee—on site. As for that grated chocolate… well, it pushes a good coffee into amazing territory, so be sure to order a cappuccino. The breakfast menu at the Moray Café is a welcome change to the standard bacon and eggs you will find elsewhere in town. Asian-influenced dishes such as the sweet Japanese omelette with salmon and pickled carrot ($15), the Vietnamese coconut crepes with pork and egg ($16), and the Indonesian sambal tofu ($15.50) are light options flavoured with fresh herbs. For a Mexican vibe, try the chipotle scrambled eggs with black bean and corn salsa ($15) – a bold breakfast best enjoyed with generous hits of lime and coriander. And of course, if you are a bacon and eggs devotee, you can get them (with Turkish toast and relish) for $12. Best of all, breakfast is served until 3pm for those late risers.
Traipsing through a decaying apartment complex, getting his rotting teeth checked, and munching on roasted dog leg: all part of an ordinary day for Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston). It wasn't always this way though. Just three months earlier, the surgeon was a fresh resident in the gleaming tower, filling his new home with boxes, meeting his neighbours, and talking about starting over with a clean slate. He soon discovers, however, that a strict hierarchy rules the titular structure, and when it starts to falter, so does anything resembling a civilised existence. All it takes is a power outage and an unauthorised dip in a communal swimming pool for classes to clash and all hell to break loose. Welcome to the world of High-Rise, with director Ben Wheatley and his regular screenwriter and co-editor Amy Jump bringing the dystopian vision of J.G. Ballard's cult 1975 novel to the screen. They're the perfect pair for the task, particularly in light of their previous output. Psychological horror Kill List, murderous black comedy Sightseers and hallucinatory historical thriller A Field in England all examined the bleak and brutal side of the human psyche. If those films aren't the ideal stepping stones towards exploring the mayhem of the masses when left to their own devices, then we don't know what are. The eponymous property's descent into anarchy runs in parallel to Laing's ascent through its social ranks, though the smooth, suave newcomer proves a friend to those who inhabit all levels. He mingles with seductive single mother Charlotte (Sienna Miller), who lives directly above him, as well as documentary filmmaker Wilder (Luke Evans) and his pregnant wife Helen (Elizabeth Moss), who dwell several stories below. Much to the dismay of the folks that consider themselves at the top of the pecking order, he also befriends Royal (Jeremy Irons), who created the block and resides in its penthouse. Just as Wheatley and Jump are the best off-screen team to make High-Rise scale the satirical heights its seeks, so too is Hiddleston the ultimate leading man for the job. Managing to lure the audience into the twisted tale while still making sure that his protagonist keeps a little distance from the disorder around him, the actor proves as fascinating a point of focus as the film's true main character: the building itself. Given the attention-grabbing antics that take place within its walls, that's saying something. Indeed, as the alcohol flows freely, the sex grows more debauched and petty arguments spiral rapidly out of control, everything plays out like a big, bold, busy bash that slowly turns oh-so-sour. With dance sequences aplenty and the increasingly frequent sight of ordinary life turning to the stuff of nightmares, Wheatley ensures that every frame of High-Rise looks the part as well. Whether crafting a quick-cut montage out of carnage and carnality, or switching between a sublime Portishead cover of ABBA's SOS and Clint Mansell's ominous score, the '70s-set film proves a slick but festering affair in its aesthetics and themes from start to finish. It's little wonder that it's also incredibly divisive. If you don't adore the film's deliciously dark and unashamedly scathing depiction of humanity, you'll probably abhor it.
With the recent spurt of public holidays, weekends have never been more packed with party fun-times. But just because we now have to wait 'til the Queen's birthday to enjoy another blissful long weekend doesn't mean we can't keep getting the most out of our days off. Held at Oh Hello and hosted by Cheated Hearts, there is a new kid on the block in the world of Sunday sesh's that'll brighten your weekend. Its name is Lucky and it is premiering this weekend with its first Sunday evening packing a punch. From 8pm onwards there will be DJs such as Snatcher, Frankie Trouble and Lu-na making sure the weekend vibes don't end prematurely. The monthly event is designed for lovers of house and will set you back 10 bones for entry. Get in the party zone with Frankie Trouble's sweet mix.
Get ready to hop into the mosh pit like its the 90s and early 00s at massive alternative, metal and punk music fest Good Things, which is living up to its name with its ace 2022 lineup. Headlining the tour are Bring Me The Horizon and Deftones, plus NOFX — who'll be playing 1994's iconic album Punk In Drublic in full. They'll also be joined by The Amity Affliction, Gojira and Millencolin, spanning everything from Queensland favourites to infectious Swedish punk. Oh, and just none other than Australia's own TISM playing their first live shows in 19 years. Will TISM take to the stage naked? That's now the question of the summer. 'Tis the season — and the times in general — for Ron Hitler-Barassi and company to drop their clothes but keep their masks, after all. Whatever they're decked out in, or not, expect plenty of legendary Aussie songs. Expect to have 'Greg! The Stop Sign!', 'Whatareya' and 'Ol' Man River' stuck in your head right now as well, obviously. Good Things' impressive bill also features Kisschasy playing 2005's United Paper People in full, fellow Aussie faves Regurgitator — because, just like the 90s and 00s, it wouldn't be a festival without them — and Lacuna Coil, Soulfly, ONE OK ROCK, 3OH!3, Cosmic Psychos and more. The fest is headed to Brisbane Showgrounds on Sunday, December 4. Whether you're a yob or a wanker, you'll want to be there. GOOD THINGS 2022 LINEUP: Bring Me The Horizon Deftones NOFX (performing Punk In Drublic in full) TISM The Amity Affliction Gojira ONE OK ROCK Millencolin Polaris Sabaton 3OH!3 Blood Command Chasing Ghosts Cosmic Psychos Electric Callboy Fever 333 Jinjer JXDN Kisschasy (performing United Paper People in full) Lacuna Coil Nova Twins RedHook Regurgitator Sleeping With Sirens Soulfly The Story So Far Thornhill
Does your must-see movie list just keep growing, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball — especially after splashing cash around over Christmas, your summer holidays or both? Call Dendy Cinemas' latest special a case of great timing, then, with the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem. You will need to head down to its Southport venue, however. Every day from Thursday, January 26–Wednesday, February 1, you'll only pay $5 for your movie of choice at the 11-screen complex, which only opened less than a year back. Buy online or buy at the box office — either way, you'll nab a bargain. With everything from newly minted Oscar-nominees Triangle of Sadness, The Fabelmans, Tár, Babylon and The Banshees of Inisherin through to M3GAN, Avatar: The Way of Water, Emily and A Man Called Otto currently screening, there's plenty to watch if you're keen to spend as much time in a darkened room as possible. A caveat: the offer isn't available for special events, previews, special screenings or Dendy Arts sessions, but remains valid for everything else. Also, there's a booking fee if you do purchase via the internet.
UPDATE, December 20, 2022: Everything Everywhere All At Once is available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Imagine living in a universe where Michelle Yeoh isn't the wuxia superstar she is. No, no one should want to dwell in that reality. Now, envisage a world where everyone has hot dogs for fingers, including the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon icon. Next, picture another where Ratatouille is real, but with raccoons. Then, conjure up a sparse realm where life only exists in sentient rocks. An alternative to this onslaught of pondering: watching Everything Everywhere All At Once, which throws all of the above at the screen and a helluva lot more. Yes, its title is marvellously appropriate. Written and directed by the Daniels, aka Swiss Army Man's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, this multiverse-hopping wonder is a funhouse of a film that just keeps spinning through wild and wacky ideas. Instead of asking "what if Daniel Radcliffe was a farting corpse that could be used as a jet ski?" as their also-surreal debut flick did, the pair now muses on Yeoh, her place in the universe, and everyone else's along with her. Although Yeoh doesn't play herself in Everything Everywhere All At Once, she is seen as herself; keep an eye out for red-carpet footage from her Crazy Rich Asians days. Such glitz and glamour isn't the norm for middle-aged Chinese American woman Evelyn Wang, her laundromat-owning character in the movie's main timeline, but it might've been if life had turned out differently. That's such a familiar train of thought — a resigned sigh we've all emitted, even if only when alone — and the Daniels use it as their foundation. This isn't a movie that stays static, however, or wants to. Both dizzying and dazzling in its ambitions, the way it brings those bold aims to fruition, the tender emotions it plays with and the sheer spectacle it flings around, Everything Everywhere All At Once is a magnificent dildo-slinging, glitter cannon-shooting, endlessly bobbing and weaving whirlwind. Everything Everywhere All At Once is the movie version of a matryoshka set, too. While Russian Doll nods that way as well, the possibilities are clearly endless when exploring stacked worlds. Multiverses are Hollywood's current big thing — the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, the Sony Spider-Man Universe and Star Trek have them, and Rick and Morty adores them — but the concept here is equally chaotic and clever. It starts with Evelyn, her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's Short Round and The Goonies' Data) and a hectic time. Evelyn's dad (James Hong, Turning Red) is visiting from China, the Wangs' daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) brings her girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel, The Carnivores) home, and IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween Kills) is conducting a punishing audit. Then Evelyn learns she's the only one who can save, well, everything, everywhere and everyone. There's a great gag in that revelation, playing smartly yet savagely with perspective — because Everything Everywhere All At Once is all about how we choose to see things. Imagine trudging over to your local tax department, trolley full of receipts in hand and possible financial ruin in front of you, only to be told mid soul-crushing bureaucratic babble that it all means nothing since the very fate of the universe is at stake. But, at the same time, imagine realising that it's the simplest things that mean the most when space, time, existence and every emotion possible is all on the line. Although that isn't how a different version of Waymond puts it to Evelyn, it's what sparkles through as she's swiftly initiated into a battle against dimension-jumping villain Jobu Tapaki, discovers that she can access multiple other iterations of herself by eating chapsticks and purposefully slicing herself with paper cuts, and gets sucked into a reality-warping kaleidoscope. For Evelyn 1.0, everything the film throws her way is overwhelming, unsurprisingly. The Daniels have done a stellar job of ensuring viewers feel the same. Everything Everywhere All At Once splashes around more gleefully overstuffed absurdity than even a 139-minute-long movie can usually handle, but relentlessness is part of the point. When you're making Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse meets Inception meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets The Matrix meets Hong Kong marital-arts cinema, a notion few folks in any multiverse could dream up, havoc comes with the territory. As shot by Larkin Seiple (Swiss Army Man) and edited by Paul Rogers (Scheinert's solo flick The Death of Dick Long) with unfaltering flair that's 100-percent designed to overload the senses, that on-screen anarchy is what makes the movie so immersive and Evelyn's plight so relatable. And, it's essential to anchoring the feature's 'nothing matters, everything is fleeting, revel in the small stuff' mantra. While it was penned for Jackie Chan, Yeoh is the movie's chosen one well beyond the script. Her casting lets the Daniels see acting stardom in one of Evelyn's other lives, but it's her flexibility and grounding that's crucial. Everything Everywhere All At Once walks such a thin tightrope between the raucous and the ridiculous that plenty could've faltered. In another universe, it did. But always beating away at the centre of this film in this reality, amid the countless costume changes, hairstyles and all (with enormous credit due to the inventive behind-the-scenes teams), is Yeoh. She deploys the quiet ferocity that's marked her performances for four decades, and twists through everything from existential malaise and intergenerational trauma to the everyday struggle that is living a life, including as a mother and wife, that's worlds away from your hopes and dreams. Yeoh is a joy to watch in whatever is lucky to have her — including Last Christmas, Boss Level, Gunpowder Milkshake and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings recently — and her work here shakes her entire career to-date together, then lets the best, boldest and most bizarre possibilities shine. Everything Everywhere All At Once is a tribute to its lead as much as anything else, but it's also so much else: a marvellous calling card for Hsu, a glorious return for the exceptional Quan, and a movie that makes weird and wonderful use of Curtis, too. It's an anything-goes free-fall through interdimensional mania where everything does and can happen — as brilliantly choreographed — and a clear-eyed examination of the ties and troubles of family, of uprooting your existence to strive for a future that mightn't come, and of weathering the mundane and the sublime in tandem. It's a whirl, a swirl, a trip, a blast and a juggle as well and, in this universe, the Daniels wouldn't have it any other way.
Take Takeshi's Castle, Super Mario World, Masters of the Universe and Dragonball Z, mix them all together, then make that glorious combination happen IRL: that's Quest of Chaos, which is set to pop up on the Gold Coast this spring. Taking its cues from retro video games, Japanese game shows and old-school animation, it's an obstacle course that's also a huge interactive art installation, and it's a just-announced highlight of this years' SPRINGTIME. The free Surfers Paradise music festival was initially announced in 2021, then made its debut in 2022 with tunes, a skate park, live art and performance installations. Earlier in 2023, the event revealed that it was returning for three days of entertainment by the beach, with BENEE, Matt Corby and Bag Raiders headlining across Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3. Now, it has started unveiling its just-as-impressive arts lineup. Doing the honours with Quest of Chaos is Shock Therapy Arts, who also led the festival's arts contingent in 2022 with The Cleaners. The group is swapping flinging paint-filled balloons with a giant slingshot for its brand-new participatory piece, which has been commissioned just for SPRINGTIME. Players will work through obstacle-course challenges to attempt to defeat King Chaos and his crew — aka "interdimensional troublemakers" — on Surfers' famous sand. "It has been a fun, creative experiment to see what the fusion of these things look like as an installation on the beach," said Shock Therapy Arts' Hayden Jones. "At the end of the day, it's all about facilitating a fun experience and making people laugh. We're honoured for Quest of Chaos to be the first ever newly commissioned installation by SPRINGTIME, following on from the success of our work The Cleaners at last year's festival." Also on the arts lineup: Korean Australian artist YEAHYEAHCHLOE, who'll create art in real time for SPRINGTIME's audience, plus Malara Rise, aka Britney and Stefanie Noffke, who'll create a unique mural about their connection to the festival's location just for the event. As previously announced, the live music bill will take over both beachside and streetside spaces around Surfers. There'll be two stages, also hosting Babe Rainbow, Boo Seeka, Eliza & The Delusionals, grentperez, Sunshine & Faith Disco Choir, Sycco and more, while the Vans skate team will be back to get rolling. SPRINGTIME MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Bag Raiders BENEE Matt Corby Babe Rainbow Boo Seeka Eliza & The Delusionals grentperez Sunshine & Faith Disco Choir Sycco Austin Mackay Bella Amor Betty Taylor Big Fuzz Bill Durry Chutney Dizzy Days Daste. Girl & Girl Greatest Hits Jason Van Miert Lemaire Matonii Sabio Mitch Santiago N'Jaane Pure Milk Radolescent The Vultures Taleena Tomorrow's Forecast YB. SPRINGTIME Music Festival will take place across the weekend of Friday, September 1–Sunday, September 3. For further information, head to the festival website. SPRINGTIME 20222 images: Bianca Holderness. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The Big Pineapple Festival boasts a lineup worth travelling an hour out of town for. John Butler Trio, The Jezabels, Violent Soho and Dune Rats are just a few of the bands who will be making their way to Nambour for one of this country's juiciest music events. We suggest you pull out the swag and get prepping. If you had a seriously deprived childhood and have no idea what or where the Big Pineapple is, it's on the Nambour Connection Road. It's literally a 16 meter high yellow thing surrounded by 400 acres of farm. You can't miss it. This is the festival's third year, with the previous two selling out. To meet the growing demand, they've moved venues; while last year's festival was at the Big Pineapple, this year's festival will be across the road from it. So just find the yellow thing then rotate 180 degrees. And if the usual festival attire seems a bit too easy for you, The Pineapple Festival is running a competition to find the craziest outfit on the day. The winner will receive two nights accommodation at the Beach Club Resort Mooloolaba and two half-day whale watching passes.
For the past couple of years, Woolloongabba's South City Square has played host to a sprawling market setup every now and then — and it's back. Get ready to browse your way around a collection of stalls selling plenty of items from 10am–2pm on Sunday, October 23. That's when The Market Folk will once again take over the place, putting on a spring pop-up. We hope you like clothes, jewellery, ceramics, plants, pots, homewares and art, because you'll find it all here. Expect a big focus on design — so you won't be browsing and buying just any old wares. More than 45 local boutiques will be selling items, and it all tales place in a brick-lined, industrial-style space — which'll make you feel like you're wandering around a European-style market. As well as the shopping, live music and creative workshops are also on the bill. There'll be bites to eat as well, thanks to a range of food trucks.
When you've already filled Brisbane with towering bubbles, Antarctic icebergs and giant bird nests, what comes next? For Curiocity Brisbane, everything from cats and robots to seesaws and seven-metre-tall living artworks are on the agenda for 2023. This annual festival doesn't just celebrate art, but showcases its intersection with science and technology — it does fall into World Science Festival Brisbane's program, after all — and it has quite the array of pieces planned for its next event. 2023's Curiocity Brisbane will run for 12 days from Wednesday, March 22–Sunday, April 2, featuring a lineup of interactive works delivered by Queensland Museum Network and curated by Jay Younger — 14, in fact, from artists around the globe. To enjoy the full (and free) program, Brisbanites will need to hit up several inner-city destinations. South Bank Parklands will host seven installations, plus another at the Cultural Centre. The CBD will also welcome a piece, while four others will pop up at various schools. And, there's also a digital-only inclusion. Among the highlights, feline fanciers will be keen on Cat Royale by the UK-based Blast Theory, which'll be meowing in the Queen Street Mall. Livestreamed from the other side of the globe, it features three cats living out a life of leisure. So, yes, doing standard cat things. The catch? Their utopia is controlled by robots, with a dedicated artificial-intelligence system watching them eat, sleep and play — and learning what they like. Prefer seeing how robots interact with each other? A habitat for them is also part of the program, thanks to Hochschuh and Donovan's Cybernetic Intimacy. It focuses on 15 semi-autonomous droids and, like Cat Royale, peers on. This one also has its robots craft a real-time soundtrack, and ponders how species communicate with each other. Or, on South Bank's Little Stanley Street Lawn, Curiocity attendees can seesaw up and down thanks to Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey's PIVOT. It features a field of what's being called "semi-intelligent seesaws", because the park equipment talks, sings and creates conversations with its riders, all by listening for texts and replying via word recognition. Other standouts include Simone Eisler's seven-metre-tall The Climate Wars, as inspired by the myths of the Trojan Horse and Noah's Ark; Amplify/Defy by Indigenous artist Jennifer Herd, which explores camouflage and speaks out against the silencing of First Nations' perspectives; and T.H.E.M., a collaboration between Interactive Media Collective and Griffith University that's about electronic and human kinetic energy. Plus, there's Martin Edge and The Culture Crusader's I SEE Martin Edge, which uses augmented-reality playscapes to focus on inclusive cultural experiences for young people who are neurodiverse. Curiocity Brisbane will pop up around the city between Wednesday, March 22–Sunday, April 2, 2023. For further information, head to the World Science Festival website.
If you've had one high tea, then you know what you're in for — right? That's not the case at W Brisbane's new Sunshine State High Tea. It comes with a distinctively local flavour, which the venue's Living Room Bar has done before; however, this one is all about Queensland. As great as scones and sandwiches are (and then more scones and more sandwiches), this thrice-weekly feast uses native ingredients to dish up bites inspired by the state it's being served in. That means strawberry gum, macadamia, rosella, wattleseed and more, all heroed in a spread that tells a Sunshine State story. Sweet options include the beach-themed salted caramel mousse with chocolate and macadamia sand jewel; the exotic sunset marshmallow tart, which nods to Brisbane's golden sunsets; and a native spice-infused earl grey mousse, a dessert that takes its cues from Queensland thunderstorms. On the savoury list: lobster brioche buns featuring seafood from Townsville, Yeppoon spanner crab on rye and Toowoomba free-range egg sandwiches. There's also a speciality cocktail called The Ray to My Heart that's made with Milton silver rum, Malibu, clarified coconut and pineapple — and meant to evoke tropical North Queensland's climate. Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am–3pm, the high tea costs $70, or $90 with a cocktail and $99 with champagne upon arrival.
"Your little cinematic universe is about to change forever." That's how Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) describes being asked to enter the Marvel realm in the first trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine. After that, he calls himself "Marvel Jesus". How true the Merc with a Mouth's words will prove won't be known until July 2024, when the full film hits cinemas — but the trailer itself has already made history. Disney premiered the debut sneak peek at the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving this year, during the 2024 Super Bowl — so, on Monday, February 12 Down Under. Within 24 hours, it had become the most-watched movie trailer of all time, notching up a whopping 365-million views. The game itself also became the most-watched Super Bowl ever, attracting 123.7-million viewers in America alone to see the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers to win back-to-back titles. (And, yes, to also see Taylor Swift watching along before she brings her Eras tour to Australia.) But on top of the folks who caught the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer during the game, another 240-million-plus people sought it out online. Announced in 2022, Deadpool & Wolverine gives the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe something that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool will officially become a part of the MCU. So will X-Men hero Wolverine. So, they're about to become the franchise's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Hugh Jackman (Faraway Downs) are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine is part of the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Also starring: Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World), Morena Baccarin (The Endgame), Rob Delaney (Argylle) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), as well as Leslie Uggams (American Fiction) and Karan Soni (Miracle Workers). Check out the first Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below — if you haven't already or you're keen to again: Deadpool & Wolverine will release in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Every Friday night between July 5 and August 23, one patch of Brisbane will boast flames, snow, warming food, toasty booze, ice-themed stage shows, fire performers, a snow globe photobooth, music, markets and more. That place: Rocklea's Brisbane Night Markets, as part of the weekly event's eight-week Fire & Ice Food Festival. Running from 4–10pm each Friday, this fest gets into the swing of winter — because even though it's never all that frosty in this sunny city of ours, it's always fun to pretend. Here, snow machines will make you think you're somewhere colder, while fire pits will heat you up. Plus, when you're not eating creme brulee crepes and Gaytime ice creams that've been wrapped in marshmallows and then torched (and served with Nutella), you can drink pumpkin spiced lattes, craft brews and mulled wine. The food lineup also includes low-and-slow cooked pork knuckles, Philly cheesesteaks with chilli marinade, wood-fired pizzas, flame-roasted meatball subs, and bacon s'mores with bacon strips, chocolate and toasted marshmallow, so arrive hungry. Entry costs $2.50, and ugging up is recommended — you'll be getting wintry in a huge warehouse.
The war on waste is here to stay, especially in the cafe scene; however, even the most environmentally conscious among us can stumble. Perhaps there's a stash of reusable cups sitting on your desk, because you never seem to have one with you when you're ordering a coffee. Maybe you haven't invested in a takeaway container yet. Or, you could prefer the convenience of a swap-and-go system, where there's always a clean cup waiting. Thanks to Green Caffeen, West End has welcomed its first reusable coffee cup sharing network — and, in even better news, it's free. Already up and running across much of the nation, the scheme has just hit the inner city spot this month. Around a dozen cafes are currently taking part, which gives you options next time you grab a cuppa. Here's how Green Caffeen works: you download the app to sign up, grab a cup at your local participating cafe and then drop it off next time you're getting a brew — while nabbing your next coffee in a new cup. Each container comes with a barcode, so they're simply scanned in and out. You can scan out two at a time, in case you do still forget to bring your cup with you. And if you've had one in your bag for 15 days, you'll receive an email reminder to take it back (although most folks can't go without a caffeine hit for that long). Brisbanites can take advantage of the program at Morning After, The Gunshop Cafe, The Three Monkeys, Lettuce Eat, Fit Box Wholefoods Cafe, West End Bakehouse and Posto, as well as Ash and Monties, Sol Bakery, Musgrave Park Swim Centre, Eros Cafe and Mu'ooz. A few other spots around town have also jumped onboard, including 13 different venues in and around St Lucia, the Valley Pool, Number 68 and Newstead Organics in Newstead, the Cat Cuddle Cafe in Lutwyche, King Kong Coffee in Eagle Farm and Mug Shots Espresso in Sandgate. Made in Australia, Green Caffeen's cups are made from BPA-free polypropylene — and they're currently available in 686 cafes around the country. For more information about Green Caffeen, head to the scheme's website.
Brisbanites, if you like cruising the river, you'll soon will be able to head to Breakfast Creek to hop on an eco-friendly picnic boat — all thanks to Denmark-born outfit GoBoat. But if you're keen to enjoy a meal, a few drinks and the general experience of floating on the river with your mates before then, you can, because the company has popped up in Kangaroo Point first. You can still look forward to GoBoat's official launch a bit further north of the CBD, or you can jump the gun and jump aboard in the city first. Yes, it's time to start getting excited about cruising along the river in a different way, with the vessels setting sail from Dockside Marina for a limited time. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the Scandinavian-designed vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don't require a boating licence, making for some fun, fuss-free sailing sessions. In a win for the planet, they also run on silent, pollution-free, electric engines, and are crafted from a mix of reclaimed timber and recycled PET bottles. Each of the contemporary GoBoats clocks in at 18-feet long, and boasts a central picnic table with room for eight people (and for all the necessary snacks and booze). And despite what you might be thinking, they're even affordable enough to fit your budget — simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will start at around $15 per person, per hour. That's $119 hourly for the first hour, but the longer you book, the cheaper it gets. And, in great news for your pooch, the company's vessels are pet-friendly — surely you've got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt. Images: Lean Timms. Updated August 17.
From piecing together messages or wondrous discoveries hidden among the stars, to using the constellations as a guiding force for navigation, or simply sitting back and admiring the view, stargazing has proven to be an enduring hobby. To honour this, Vivid Sydney is taking to the skies with the return of its stunning annual drone shows, in partnership with the Australian Traffic Network. Across six nights from Sunday, May 28, you'll be able to look up and witness over 1000 drones lighting up the night sky to create the biggest drone show the Southern Hemisphere has seen to date. Written in the Stars will take audiences on a visual exploration of space, delving into the natural world of our solar system by featuring awe-inspiring landscapes from the Sun through to Jupiter — along with some unexpected stops and visitors. A rework of Gustav Holst's 'The Planets' by Peewee Ferris will soundtrack the shows, available via the Cinewav app (which you can download here), to heighten the experiential journey. And you'll be able to marvel at these sights for free. Catch the recurring light shows from 9.10pm from your vantage point of Circular Quay or The Rocks. This event will only light up Sydney Harbour for six nights throughout the duration of Vivid Sydney 2023. Written in the Stars is running from 9.10pm on Sunday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 31 then June 4th, 7th, 12th and 14th. For more information, visit the website.
From clowns to furry critters to dolls, 80s and 90s pop culture drew plenty of scares from childhood staples. Decades later, Hollywood is conjuring up plenty more by bringing it all back again. With the IT remake not only working a charm back in 2017, but releasing a star-studded sequel later this year, the folks behind it are reviving another old favourite: Child's Play. While the horror franchise released its last instalment, Cult of Chucky, as recently as 2017, the new Child's Play is starting all over again. Remaking the original 1989 movie, it'll re-introduce the world to the psychopathic flame-haired plaything with a lust for murder. This time, the toy will terrorise Aubrey Plaza, who plays a young mother to a son who comes into possession of the knife-wielding doll. Whether you've seen any of the seven other Chucky flicks or are too creeped out by the idea to watch, you can probably guess where the story goes — this time, however, the murderous plastic moppet has been updated for the 21st century. And if you're excited about the character's comeback, then you'll be just as excited to know that even more is in store, with a Child's Play TV series also in the works. Check out the unsettling first trailer for the new Child's Play movie below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFy8ZgLd574 Child's Play releases in Australian cinemas on June 20, 2019.
When Sunset Song opens, Chris Guthrie (Agyness Deyn) reclines in a field of wheat, her golden locks matching the crops around her. The young Scottish woman both stands out and blends in — and as her gentle narration tells of her heart beating in this land, it's clear that no other option is possible. Just as the ground around her will be plucked bare during the harvest and then grow another bounty, repeating the same cycle over and over again, so will her tale continue to wither and blossom. Chris is the daughter of a farmer, and as resilient as the rural patch of earth she can't tear herself away from. It's that concept of strength and endurance that sits at the heart of Terence Davies' latest feature, which the writer-director adapts from the 1932 Scottish novel of the same name. Time passes, as the filmmaker stresses in the changing colours of his nature-filled visuals, in circular shots that sweep around the property, and in elegant transitions between pivotal moments. And still, as both tragedy and happiness flavour Chris' days, she remains. Set in the early 1900s, the particulars of the plot test that notion, starting with Chris' cruel father (Peter Mullan). When he's not imposing his might upon Chris' brother (Jack Greenlees), he's forcing himself upon her mother (Daniela Nardini) and creating more mouths to feed as a result. After a series of tragedies, it's his shadow Chris tries to escape – not by giving up her home, but by bringing it back to prosperity. Then she starts to notice local lad Ewan (Kevin Guthrie). But just like everything around them in a time characterised by poverty and blighted by the Great War, their romance will change with the seasons. With the quiet, devastating The Deep Blue Sea the last listing on Davies' resume, the British filmmaker is no stranger to simmering stories that whisper their emotions. In fact, his 40-year career is full of them. Sunset Song doesn't shy away from its condemnation of the ways in which men shape Chris' existence, nor from celebrations of her determination to fight to make her own choices. Nevertheless, his approach remains as subtle and low-key as ever. Indeed, it's his masterly way of drawing strength from episodic events and understated sentiments that makes the sensitively crafted film seethe with such potency. The patient pace and painterly images mark the feature as one of Davies' best, but it's his perceptive casting choices that likewise prove pivotal. Better known as a model, Deyn brings a composed but never passive or impenetrable air to her protagonist that couldn't encapsulate the underlying narrative better. Guthrie's previous screen credits may be similarly sparse, but there's a sense of rawness simmering within his character's struggle to choose strength over weakness. Never dwarfed by Mullan's intensity, together their performances capture just the balance of harshness and beauty that this moving tale demands.
On any given weekend, you'll find a Brisbane bar, pub or other boozy establishment hosting a festival somewhere around town. We all know what those kinds of events are about — and while celebrating beer, wine, gin, whiskey or whichever alcoholic tipples take your fancy is all well and great, healthier alternatives also deserve their time to shine. Like having a few drinks, but prefer to do so with low- or no-alcohol beverages? Whether you're giving your liver a rest for a month, you're often the designated driver or you're staying away from booze for health, cultural or other reasons, the Healthy Hedonism Festival has your back. As the name suggests, this day-long fest is all about treating yo'self while still taking care of yourself. Taking over X Cargo from 8am on Sunday, February 2, the event will feature a heap of brands and companies in the wellness, mindful drinking and sober space — such as Lyre's Spirit Co, with its non-boozy spirits; Gold Coast-based Sobah, who sling alcohol-free craft beers; and mixer outfit Fever-Tree. Aperol will also be there, so expect spritzes, while Heineken's no-alcohol beer is also on the menu. Plus, the day will include fitness and wellness classes — think swimming, boxing and yoga. Also on the bill: DJs, food and guest speakers chatting about a range of topics. Tickets start at $59, which includes a gift bag, a cocktail on arrival, access to more than six classes, and sessions on healthy snacks and making cocktails.
Lust For Life Gallery are once again playing host to the annual exhibition which celebrates women in art, Viva La Femme. Twenty female artists will have their work on display, with mediums varying from mixed media to conventional painting to photography to drawing — each work full of life and showcasing a different vision of femininity and what it is to be a woman. There will be a performance by Lisa Fa'alafi, a Pacific performance artist who will be bringing humour, political satire, costume design and analysis of pacific heritage together to create a surely amazing piece of theatrical art. Artists on display include but aren’t limited to Rose Brixton, Kellie Jagoe, Cherie Barben, Rachel Hanwick, Kim Wheeler, Tiffany Atkin, Symone Male, Molly Shields, Candice Tomlinson, Vanessa Perske, Eleisha Boevink and Sundari Vanwolf. Bring a gold coin for donation and enjoy a night celebrating the achievements of women in art. All genders welcome!
If you've ever worn a little black dress, then you owe Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel a big thank you. Depending on your choice of suit, bag and perfume, you might owe her some gratitude there as well. The French designer's influence upon 20th-century fashion extends far and wide — and, even though she passed away in 1971, her imprint can be felt in the 21st century as well. So, when the NGV International sends some love her way at its next blockbuster exhibition, it'll have plenty to cover. Displaying at the St Kilda Road gallery from Sunday, December 5, 2021–Monday, April 25, 2022, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will arrive fresh from its current stint at Paris' Palais Galliera. Its stop in Melbourne is its first international jaunt, in fact. On show will be pieces from the French venue, as well as from the Patrimoine de Chanel, the fashion house's heritage department. More than 100 garments will grace the NGV's walls and halls, with the exhibition charting her career. You'll also be able to see what Chanel achieved with perfume, jewellery and accessory design, too. Some pieces will date back more than a century, given that the fashion icon opened her first boutique in Deauville in 1912, before making the leap to her own Parisian couture house in 1918. Expect to check out everything from black threads — obviously — to lace gowns, wool jersey and tailored tweed suits, and an array of beaded garments. As you peer at Chanel's designs, you'll see how womenswear developed, and both how and why she's left a mark that still lingers today. [caption id="attachment_819495" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gabrielle Chanel (designer). Dress, spring–summer 1925, silk guipure lace, silk organza flower. Patrimoine de Chanel, Paris. Photo © Julien T. Hamon.[/caption] The NGV is also adding its own Chanel pieces to the exhibition, such as a white lace Evening dress that dates back to 1933, and a shirred red silk velvet and marabou-lined evening cape from around 1924–26. They'll form part of a showcase that's split into themed sections, with different parts devoted to her early work, the way her design language evolved in the 1920s and 1930s, the iconic scent that is Chanel No 5, and how the brand's pieces have favoured a look best described as "austere luxury". Also getting their own themed strands: suits, accessories and jewellery. To launch Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, which will be ticketed — and will be the first-ever exhibition in Australia that'll solely focus on Chanel's contributions to fashion and culture — the NGV is bringing back its black-tie NGV Gala, which'll take place on Saturday, December 4. [caption id="attachment_819496" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gabrielle Chanel, c. 1930s, photograph by André Kertész. Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine. Photo © Ministère de la Culture–Médiathèque del'architecture et du patrimoine, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /André Kertész. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria.[/caption] Announcing the exhibition, NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM said that "there is no bigger name in 20th-century fashion design than Gabrielle Chanel. Her originality, timelessness and elegance forged a radically modern vision of fashion and a singular style. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will be expansive, visually sumptuous and will reveal the achievements and enduring legacy of the extraordinary French fashion designer." If you decide to wear a little black dress while you're checking out all things Chanel this summer, you'll likely have plenty of company. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will display at the NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 5, 2021–Monday, April 25, 2022. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the gallery's website. Top image: Anne Sainte-Marie in a Chanel suit, photograph by Henry Clarke, published in Vogue US, 1955, retouched by ARCP. ParisMusées. © Henry Clarke, ParisMusées /PalaisGalliera/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2021.
For half a century now, hit musical The Rocky Horror Show has been astounding. And, with the Richard O'Brien-created production lasting that long, perhaps time really is fleeting. Either way, whenever this sci-fi/horror musical hits the stage — and wherever — a glorious kind of madness takes its toll. From Saturday, September 2–Saturday, September 23, Queensland audiences can listen closely — and watch Jerry Springer: The Opera, In the Heights and & Juliet Olivier Award-winner David Bedella as Frank N Furter put his hands on his hips, then bring his knees in tight, too — when the famed musical plays The Star on its huge 50th-anniversary tour. The Rocky Horror Show's brand-new Aussie run kicked off at Theatre Royal Sydney in February, then made its way Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth. There's no word yet on a Brisbane season, so if you're keen to do 'The Time Warp' along with the production without leaving the Sunshine State, you'll need to make a date with the Gold Coast. On offer: the tale that theatre audiences have loved for five decades — and movie-goers as well, thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the uninitiated, the story involves college-aged couple Brad Majors and Janet Weiss getting a flat tyre, then wandering over to an old castle to ask for help. That's where they discover an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania, plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments. Since first premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries — and over 30 million people have seen songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before — and missed the live broadcast from Sydney back in March — this is your turn to join in. Images: Daniel Boud.
Summer is well under way and 2015's just rocked up to the party — what better way to celebrate than with an ice cold beverage. We've searched, navigated and tested the best of Brisbane's new bar scene and the report card is looking good (though beer goggles may have caused easier marking). From rooftop bars to beer gardens, live music venues to secret hideaways, we present the ten best new bars of summer 2015. BROOKLYN STANDARD The first thing we noticed stepping through the CBD laneway door simply marked 'BAR' was the blast of cold air conditioning. Perfection. Take the stairs down to Brooklyn Standard, your newest CBD summer hideout. With a killer live music lineup, American beers and free table pretzels, it seems sometimes the coolest summer bars can be found underground. Eagle Lane, Brisbane WOOLLY MAMMOTH ALEHOUSE Mammoth indeed! This whopper of a venue didn't just take over the Mustang Bar. Upstairs connects through to the old Woodland/Coniston Lane stage now known as Mane Stage. The equally large 'green room' behind it has become just that— the Garden Bar; a Hamptons-style tropical oasis with greenery, clashing patterns, white wood and Pimms on tap. Use the fake green to play bocce or engage in game of giant jenga. During the day, the space is bright and airy — the roof shutters open to let the best of Brisbane's sunshine in. 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley SOLEIL POOL BAR The area once known as Bacchus pool bar has recently underwent a makeover and relaunched as Soleil Pool Bar, a new summer spot in South Bank to be enjoyed by Brisbanites from sunrise to sunset. Tan on the pool deck or lounge around the main bar while DJs spin summer soundtracks of and a team of mixologists stir, shake and serve a brilliant array of cocktails. Soleil invites you to enjoy a poolside party vibe with a little bit of glamour as Brisbane settles in for a summer of fun in the sun. Rydges South Bank, corner of Grey and Glenelg Streets, South Bank GYPSIES WAGON We love a good bar in suburbs, and there is none hotter than Gypsies right now. Space-wise, the intimate diner consists of a dining room out front, and a bar, lounge and ample boardgames in the back. Take your pick from craft beers, bourbon-based cocktails, and of course, the signature Pisco Sour. Sometimes staff can make or break a venue, and Gypsies Wagon have nailed the perfect mix of friendly and knowledgeable, creating a welcoming space that's not at all intimidating. Let it be known, you may not make it out without a spot of Fireball Whisky. 3/281 Pickering Street, Brisbane BUFFALO BAR There's a new cowboy in town and he's serving up plenty of exactly what you hoped for — buffalo wings. Chow down on your choice of 12 flavours of wings with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce while sipping on the finest US craft beer, whisky and custom cocktails. New bars mean new surprises, and when we turned up there was a rockabilly three-piece nailing it in the corner. If you want your drinks al fresco, take it out back to the big beer garden. 169 Mary Street, Brisbane COMMUNAL BAR AND EATHOUSE Been to Brisbane Square lately? Yeah, you know that daggy space under the library? The shop spaces have been gutted and one side has just opened as Communal, with wood-fired pizza, burgers, share plates, cocktails jugs, craft beer and four white wines on tap (yes, on tap. It’s a thing now, catch up). The other side is now home to Meat & Eat, Chow Down and Cafe Brisbane. Time to gather your friends and #getcommunal. 266 George Street, Brisbane City NEXT HOTEL Take the elevator to level four. We've found your new favourite rooftop. Overlooking Queen Street Mall, this openair rooftop is the perfect place to catch the last rays set beyond South Bank. Get a snack, grab a cocktail, and pretend to talk on the phone as though you've flown in from somewhere far away and are here for important business over the weekend — yep, make yourself at home. And if you're game, take a dip in the lap pool. Go on, we dare you. 72 Queen Street, Brisbane YARD BIRD Because one food-serving, craft beer-peddling ale house is never enough, the fine folks at Yard Bird have added to its flock. Yard Bird Paddington also offers the same lunch and dinner meals patrons of the Fortitude Valley hang-out have come to know and love. We're talking chicken wings, pizzas, burgers and nachos, among other Tex-Mex nibbles, all made to be washed down with one of the eight beer and cider tipples on tap — or thirty or so others in the fridge. 208 Given Terrace, Paddington UP ON CONSTANCE Finally Brisbane. Finally we are starting to build a solid collection of rooftop bars. With an average of 263 days of sunshine per year, it seems silly that we hadn't thrown the tops off them all earlier. Up on Constance sits at the top of the new Tryp Hotel in Fortitude Valley, so start downstairs with a tasty feed at Chur Burger before heading on up for some topless drinking. 20 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley THE TRIFFID Just hearing about The Triffid makes us wants to pump our fists in the air. Former Powderfinger bassist John Collins has helped turn an old commercial aircraft hangar into a state-of-the-art music venue with a firm focus on bringing the best international, national and local acts to its stage. Talk about a win-win all round. You'll catch us having a sneaky bev and burger in the beer garden before the show. 7-9 Stratton Street, Newstead MILK FACTORY KITCHEN AND BAR It seems live music is having another heyday in Brisbane. The Milk Factory is doing it all — music, food, drinks — with a nautical twist. Let your inner pirate choose from one of the many rum-based cocktails and set sail for Japan, then Hawaii, then perhaps Korea with an ever-changing world-inspired menu. We wish we could say they only support pirate-rock bands, but that would be going overboard (sorry). 48 Montague Road, South Brisbane
What’s better than having an espresso bar in an old loading dock? Adding a gallery space out the back, obviously. That’s just what happened at Loading Dock Espresso – they’ve joined forces with the Sunny Coast’s Just Us Gallery and have created yet another space in Brisbane to look at lovely works of art – with the added perk of easily acquiring a perfectly brewed cuppa joe in case your caffeine levels drop to unmanageable lows. Just Us throws its doors open this Friday (actually, rolls up the rickety garage door), and it’s going to be a little something special. Exhibiting for the first time outside of his homeland of the U! S! A!, Scott Toepfer brings his Furthest Horizons exhibition to the Dock, coinciding with the Australian launch of his book, Chasing Horizons. With a penchant for capturing the idyllic American West, Toepfer works for the likes of Converse and Harley Davidson and has had work featured in Monster Children, amongst many others. It’s the American dream! The upcoming weather is perfect for a road trip to nowhere, and after viewing Furthest Horizons it’ll seem like you’re on Route 66 as opposed to the M3.
