What is personal style? For many of us, it's about the clothes we wear or the accessories we pick — the impression we give of ourselves when heading out the front door each day. But for many creatives, it's about all that alongside the personal artistic expression they reveal to the world through their work. This concept has been captured by Danish jewellery design house Georg Jensen in its new campaign Art of Style, giving insight into how some of our favourite creative personalities let their style trickle into their artistic process — and vice versa. One such featured personality is Australian artist Amanda Shadforth, who revealed in a video for the campaign that she unleashes her creativity both in her art studio and through her chosen jewellery. She even created a bespoke art piece inspired by the retailer's collection. The two go hand-in-hand — similar to Georg Jensen's core design values, Shadorth's style is classic and understated, and her artistic inspiration comes from nature. In collaboration with Georg Jensen, we've delved deeper into some of the key characteristics of Shadorth's style and handpicked some of our favourite pieces from the Offspring, Mercy, Reflect and Curve collections that work together to reflect it. EMBRACE THE IMPERFECT Any fan of Shadforth's work knows she has an eye for organic shapes drawn from nature — her bespoke art piece for Georg Jensen does away with traditional fine art techniques and digital influences. Shadforth says that's one of the main things that draws her to the design house: the perfectly imperfect, organic shapes that feel like they're a natural expression of the human body. "Some of the pieces actually feel like they could have been part of nature once," says Shadforth. If you're also a fan of wearing pieces that reflect the calm dynamism of nature, opt for Georg Jensen's Mercy collection. This range, by acclaimed American designer Jacqueline Rabun, uses sterling silver and 18k gold to create unique pieces reflecting the shifting sculptural forms of nature and the human experience. Our pick: The Mercy Double Ring in sterling silver. This piece at first gives the appearance of two rings, but on closer inspection reveals itself to be one continuous, flowing shape. The curve of this double ring almost appears like ocean waves or the essence of time, captured on the wearer's fingers. RRP: $475 Pair it with: The Mercy Earrings in 18k yellow gold Another Rabun design, these striking earrings are made from one organic flowing shape, twisting through the ear hole and hugging the lobe — almost acting as an extension of the ear. According to the designer, the strands are inspired by the twists and turns of time. RRP: $1175 DON'T BE AFRAID TO MIX AND MATCH Shadforth reveales she uses everything from giant stainless steel trowels to tiny delicate brushes to create depth and texture in her artworks — she even makes her own equipment when she needs a particular way of applying paint. Her affinity for mixing and matching is echoed in her favourite pieces from Georg Jensen's collections, where style 'rules' are made to be broken. If you've previously considered yourself a solely silver or gold girlie, change things up and create a fresh, contemporary look by mixing metals, stacking and layering pieces from different collections — perhaps a mix of delicate understated pieces and striking standouts. The classic chain designs seen in Rabun's new Reflect collection for Georg Jensen can be paired with her larger statement forms of the egg-shaped Offspring collection, or Regitze Overgaard's bold and sculptural Curve bangles, earrings, pendants and rings. Our pick: The Large Offspring Ring in sterling silver: an eye-catching conversation starter in the Offpsiring collection's signature oval shape, this chunky piece lends itself perfectly to stacking with more delicate shapes and offsetting with different metals. RRP: $345 Pair it with: The Medium Curve Bangle in 18k yellow gold and sterling silver. The line dividing the gold and silver in this statement bangle contrasts with its soft, organic shape — and proves that any outdated rules you might have about mixing gold and silver can be nixed. Instead, combining different metals creates a look as individual (and striking, of course) as the wearer. RRP: $7700 PAIR FEMININE AND MASCULINE STYLES Again showing that mixing and matching is key, Shadforth describes her style as a paradox between masculine and feminine. She has a "tomboyish" tendency to gravitate towards trousers and blazers, which she pairs with classic, understated pieces. Jewellery is an effective way to achieve such a mix — since the dawn of civilisation, it's been used as a tool by both sexes to embellish and stand out. Achieve it yourself by taking classically unisex shapes like the chains and striking rings from Georg Jensen's Reflect collection and pair them with the feminine shapes celebrated in the Curve collection or the egg-shaped Offspring collection. Our pick: The Reflect Ring in sterling silver. Designed by Rabun and formed by two ends of a piece of sterling silver wrapped around each other, this striking unisex ring can be a bold statement piece or used to stack with other forms. RRP:$375 Pair it with: The Offspring Bangle in sterling silver. Delicate silver bangles are, of course, always in vogue, but this one adds a modern, feminine twist on a classic shape thanks to its wave-like curve. Combine it with the Reflect Ring for a contemporary mix of thick and thin metals. RRP:$475 SHE'S SO GOLDEN There's no doubt that chunky gold jewellery is having a moment — but loyal fans of this glittering shade know that it never really goes out of style. Shadforth opts for gold in both her artistic and fashion expressions — her art piece in collaboration with Georg Jensen uses a thick application of dark ochre, amber and gold tones that give the piece real warmth. And you only have to take a look at some of Shadorth's other stunning works to know it's a theme that carries through much of her oeuvre. If you're keen to give gold a go, opt for timeless pieces in yellow gold that can be easily stacked with other metals and shapes. Our pick: The Mercy Earrings in 18k yellow gold with diamonds — because when is that combination ever not fabulous? Inspired by the passage of time, these delicate twisted hoops manage to be both classic and contemporary — and can be passed down through generations. RRP: $3350 We'd pair them with: The Large Reflect Bracelet in 18k gold. The classic link bracelet has been given a modern and luxurious makeover with this Rabun-designed gold chain piece. With a bit more 'tude than other chain bracelets tanks to its interlocking links, it definitely doesn't come cheap, but again is timeless enough to be passed down from mother to daughter over many years. RRP: $14,000 Feeling inspired? You too can express your own art of style through Georg Jensen's Mercy, Reflect, Curve and Offspring collections — the pieces are designed to be layered and stacked together, across collections and combined with different metals. For more information, head to the website.
Since his 2018 Cannes Palme d'Or win for short film All These Creatures, the world has been waiting for Australian writer/director Charles Williams to make his feature debut. Everyone should be thankful that Cosmo Jarvis is among the cast. Already one of the best Aussie movies of the year, Inside is the sum of stunning parts. It tells a prison-set narrative that's penned and conveyed with the utmost compassion. It hails from an acclaimed Aussie filmmaker not only making his first full-length picture, but taking inspiration from details close to him. It boasts The Brutalist Oscar-nominee Guy Pearce turning in yet another powerhouse performance, plus newcomer Vincent Miller (Plum) proving a spectacular find. And it also has Jarvis, fresh from the first season of acclaimed TV drama Shōgun, portraying what might be the most-complex role in a flick filled with them — and doing so with haunting and mesmerising potency. Miller's youthful Mel Blight sits at the heart of the film, as he's transferred from a juvenile facility to an adult prison. There, two men cast considerable shadows his way. Pearce's Warren Murfett is so close to parole that he's permitted on day release to reconnect with his son (Toby Wallace, The Bikeriders). The fact that Mark Shepard, played by Jarvis, has been dubbed "Australia's most-despised criminal" — and, after years calling a cell home, that the media still speaks of him and his crime with vitriol — sums up his contrasting chances of freedom. Incarcerated since he was 13 for a brutal act, the latter is trying to find a way to his own forgiveness, however, including by embracing faith and becoming the prison's self-styled man of the cloth. After jumping over to acting from music — initially making his film debut by writing, directing and starring in The Naughty Room — Jarvis has enjoyed a diverse range of projects. On a resume that also includes the Florence Pugh (We Live in Time)-led Lady Macbeth, episodes of Peaky Blinders and Raised by Wolves, Irish crime drama Calm with Horses with Barry Keoghan (Bird) and Jane Austen adaptation Persuasion, award-winning Japan-set TV shows and Australian prison dramas are just two recent examples. In 2025, Inside is just one of three films starring the English actor that'll hit the big screen, in fact. Opposite Robert De Niro (Zero Day) playing multiple characters, he'll next be seen in The Alto Knights. Then comes Warfare, Alex Garland's latest, after an uncredited appearance in the Civil War filmmaker's Annihilation. As Inside reaches cinemas Down Under, Jarvis is in production on Wife and Dog, directed by Guy Ritchie's (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) — featuring alongside Anthony Hopkins (Those About to Die), Rosamund Pike (The Wheel of Time), Benedict Cumberbatch (Eric), James Norton (Playing Nice) and Paddy Considine (House of the Dragon). When we chat, he's working on an accent for it. Ask Jarvis about what's clearly been a huge couple of years for him — there's been nothing bigger on the small screen in the past 12 months than Shōgun, and it has a swag of Emmys, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards to prove it — and he downplays it. "It's the same as it ever was, I guess, to quote the song," he tells Concrete Playground. "It's just the same but different. It's still trying to find interesting projects, trying to find interesting characters and attempting to execute the work competently." That start in music was a means to an end — "it was just sort of what allowed me to become an actor," he advises — but it did give Jarvis a connection with Australia long before Inside came his way. As a singer-songwriter, he achieved one of the pinnacles of Aussie music success, charting in the Triple J Hottest 100 in both 2011 (hitting number 85 with 'Gay Pirates') and 2012 (reaching number 59 with 'Love This'). On a trip Down Under during his musician days, he even performed a cover of Kylie Minogue's 'Spinning Around' for Like a Version. That history and making an Aussie film now is just a coincidence, though, Jarvis says. On the motivation for joining Inside, "it was the script. It was the script and the subject matter," he notes. "But I do obviously love the country, and I love the specificness of the culture, and I love the humour that the people have. And I've always found it very refreshing and just nice to be around." A movie like Inside doesn't pop up often — "a really emotional, beautiful movie," Pearce told us; a film about prisons, rather than being a breaking out-style prison picture; and one that sees clearly the disadvantages experienced by people who end up in prison, and that the prison system places on them, for starters. Neither does a part like Shepard. Williams has described Jarvis as fearless in the role, noting that even if he doesn't like the character himself, he doesn't take shortcuts in bringing them to the screen. This all came up in our discussion with Jarvis, too. So did the feature's compassionate refusal to see anything in black and white, including people who've caused harm to others; the research that goes into portraying someone in Shepard's situation, where he's been in the system since he was a kid, convicted of a horrific crime, confined alone for decades, drawn his own interpretation of faith, and is attempting to find forgiveness and connecting with Mel; cultivating empathy with a filmmaker who fills every frame with it; working with Miller and Pearce; and more. [caption id="attachment_944116" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shogun, Katie Yu/FX[/caption] On the Diversity of Projects that Jarvis Has Enjoyed Since Making His Film Debut with The Naughty Room — Which He Wrote and Directed — Through to Shogun and Inside "I never really want to play the same person twice. I've been quite fortunate to have found, to have had scripts for things that had original ideas and original, specific characters that have come my way. And, in some cases, I've been fortunate enough to have won the job or gain the employment. So that's been good. And I hope to continue to try to search for specific worlds, specific narratives that involve specific people, but are potentially, at the same time, archetypal in some way. And so yeah, it's sort of an ongoing thing, really." On What Appealed to Jarvis About Inside and Playing Mark Shepard "Initially it was Charles' script — which, at first, I was really pleasantly surprised by the situation, the setting and the kinds of people that it was concerned with, because that's not something that I often see in scripts. It's not a world that's very often explored, despite the fact that everybody, a lot of people will say they have a favourite prison movie, or they might know a prison movie, what they call a prison movie. But realistically there aren't that many of them. Well, I haven't seen that many of them myself. And so when this came, I was interested basically because of that, but then also I was interested because there was, between the three principal characters, there was this sort of unmistakable symmetry in the triangle of how they came to relate to each other. And the shape of that was very appealing. It felt like something that had been really thought about and structured very deliberately. And so that was why I was really interested, was because I could tell that whoever made this had a strong, potent idea for something, and they'd taken a lot of time to structure these three relationships — the relationships between these three men." On the Importance of Inside Clearly Seeing the Disadvantages Experienced by Its Incarcerated Characters, and That the Prison System Places Upon Them "I guess one of the interesting things about it was about how it, despite the elements of it which are in keeping with a thriller, and despite the parts of it which you could say are archetypes of a crime thriller that is set in the prison, its chief concern — that is prominent throughout its entire runtime — is the internal capacity for rehabilitation of these people. And that's not to say just the lead, the three principal characters, but also all the other prisoners that are involved in the film in a sense. Its concern with the person's capacities and limitations for real internal rehabilitation was something that I really hadn't seen before, and it was really ripe ground for a unique exploration on that topic." On Whether the Film's Compassionate Refusal to See Anything in Black and White, Including Its Characters, Influenced Jarvis' Approach "It doesn't really, because no matter what the character and no matter what the film, nothing is really, really black and white. I suppose they can seem that way in hindsight. But my main concern was trying to take Mark for what he was at the time, at whichever point he was concerned with throughout the script, and trying to make sure that there was nothing about his terrible past that was relied too much upon to cloak him in entirely — because doing something like that would have ceased to allow him to be as real of a person as the script needed him to be. Like all the characters, all the characters within it are incredibly complex people, and they have so many — yes, okay, they are by definition all criminals, but they are all their own people despite that. And they all have very unique internal struggles despite that. And they all have their unique senses of humours despite that. And so allowing for those things, those sort of benchmarks of character, to be allowed to breathe was quite important in preparation for Mark." On the Research and Preparation That Went Into Playing a Man Convicted of a Horrific Crime But Now Trying to Find His Own Sense of Forgiveness "At first it was a case of looking at people who shared or seem to share a demographic with Mark — any examples that I could find of people who seemed to share something in common with him, whether it was from where he was from or what his early years had looked like, or the kind of activities he'd been involved with, the kind of upbringing he'd had. And then also looking into people who had found a sense of moral rehabilitation through things like an interpretation of faith. So I spent a lot of time looking through various materials trying to find examples of people that I felt had at least something in common with Mark. And then it was a case of amalgamating them all together into something that I felt, something that allowed the text to flow through. He's a very specific case. As I said, I mean everyone, all the characters in this film are very specific cases, and that's a credit to Charles and the research that he's done, and the fact that he really wanted this to be authentic — and the fact that he really cared about this setting, and he really cared about the complexities of the people within this setting. And so ultimately that's why I liked the script in the first place, was because it was so specific. So there was there were lots of different pieces from reality in Australia to draw on. I got lots of video materials, audio materials, lots of articles and internal information about the rehabilitation process, about the prisons, about people from severely underprivileged backgrounds and about people who have endured terrible things during their upbringing, and about people who have inflicted terrible things when they've grown up. So there's so much to draw on — and it was a case of amalgamating that into something that Charles' depiction of Mark on paper could then pass through." On Collaborating with a Filmmaker Who Is Just as Interested in Exploring Empathy as Conveying It "One of the good things about Charles is he's — really, I always got the impression that the emotional core of a person is what he's really concerned with. He's very concerned with the truth of the individual. And so that, it was actually pretty straightforward in that sense, because it was never the case that we were trying to humanise, there was going to be this effort to humanise this guy — because it was always obvious that this was a story about humans in a situation with their own plights and their own histories and their own attempts at futures. So it was never really a case of trying hard to find the humanity within that. It was always given as a sort of explicit permission from the outset." [caption id="attachment_777103" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Calm with Horses[/caption] On Williams Describing Jarvis as Fearless — and If That's How He Tackles Every Role "Well, yeah, I try, I suppose. That's very nice of him to say, but I suppose I try. But it's not for any particular reason — it's just because people are specific. Even the most boring, nondescript people are incredibly specific. And so every character presents a challenge to try to arrive at them, to try to find them somehow and live in them. In a lot of ways, the superfluous trappings of any given character — where they may be from or what kind of person they might be, or their intellect, or all these things — they're irrelevant to the actual work that must go into them, because it's always the same amount of work, regardless of the character. You just, for me, it's always a case of finding the person that the script is alleging or the script is depicting. It's very difficult to talk about — it's much easier to do than talk about." On Working with Newcomer Vincent Miller and Oscar-Nominee Guy Pearce "It was just great. It was just amazing working with both of them. Aside from the acting, you couldn't really hope for two better colleagues in general than the both of them. And when it came time to begin our work — and I suppose this is also partly credit to Charles — there's this environment of just wanting to work with each other and wanting to get to the truth of the matter, and wanting to strive to try to get to what's at the core of this moment of this scene. Both of those guys were just a just a pleasure to work with and just lovely guys. And yeah, like I said, I couldn't really hope for two better colleagues. Young Vincent is just amazing — and particularly with Vincent, some of the scenes contained some nastiness, and you really felt like he's got a really amazing energy about him where things just seem to roll off his back. But then when we begin, he's always right there where he needs to be. And so going through those scenes with him, it was great, and I really couldn't hope for anyone that better than those guys to be working with." Inside opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Inside images: Mathew Lynn.
Large swathes of cinemas have been temporarily shuttered in China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy and France; theme parks have been closed in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo; and Texan music and film festival South by Southwest has been cancelled for the first time in 34 years. Music tours have been cancelled throughout Asia, too, and plenty of questions hang over forthcoming events elsewhere in the world — such as Coachella in April and the Cannes Film Festival in May. Now, Australia's arts scene is feeling the impacts of the mounting concerns about COVID-19, with Tasmania's Dark Mofo announcing it will not go ahead in 2020. In the same week that Miley Cyrus cancelled her trip to Australia and charity concert in Melbourne, the announcement was made on Facebook this morning by David Walsh, owner of Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), which runs the annual festival. In the statement, Walsh says: "We're killing Dark Mofo for the year. I know that will murder an already massacred tourism environment, but I feel like I have no choice." The art gallery and festival founder says the decision was made off the back of other locally run events not selling well and the prediction that Dark Mofo could also be a flop. "If we ran Dark and nobody came, I'd lose $5 million or more," Walsh said. If this happened, he says it could jeopardise the future of Dark Mofo. https://www.facebook.com/darkmofofestival/posts/2559026007553763?__tn__=K-R Take placing across Hobart during the winter solstice every year, Dark Mofo combines winter feasts, boundary-pushing art, nude swims, warehouse parties, talks and lots of live music. Last year's lineup saw the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels descend on the Tasmanian city. While the lineup for this year had not yet been announced, the 2020 festival was scheduled to take place from June 10–22. For now, MONA will remain open as usual and Dark Mofo is set to go ahead in 2021. Dark Mofo 2020 has been cancelled. You can read David Walsh's full statement over here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Rémi Chauvin
Radical, revolutionary and just downright ridiculous, the annual Burning Man festival in Nevada's Black Rock Desert (or "the playa" as it is called) is one of the most mysterious and mind-bending festival experiences anywhere in the world. For one week over the Labor Day weekend in August/September tens of thousands of curious backpackers and new age hippies come together to create the temporary metropolis of Black Rock City, a psychedelic celebration of alternative art, community, self-expression and the creativity of the human spirit. Beginning in 1986 on San Francisco's Baker Beach where a few mates burnt a wooden effigy of a man, Burning Man is now a cultural phenomenon like no other with the eclectic mix of body art, DIY sculptures and revelrous bicycle-riders fused together only by a deep sense of mutual respect and this year's deliberately ambiguous theme of "Fertility 2.0". While the yearly ritual of burning a giant wooden effigy remains a constant, the festival otherwise seems to defy any simple definition or explanation and, until you have experienced it for yourself, attempting to describe Burning Man is "like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind" according to the event organisers. So as long as language remains insufficient, here is a photographic tour through the intoxicating world of Burning Man 2012. The 60,000 person metropolis of Black Rock City The famous bicycle-riding culture of Burning Man includes bikes of all sizes Personal expression is not just encouraged but a mandatory component of Burning Man The otherworldly Cloud 9 A laser light show The sky is literally the limit for Burning Man participants Dreamtime Circus light up the stage with their fire twirling performance As the sun goes down, the festival goers get ready to fire up Aerialist Indi-Lou stuns the Crowd with her lyra act This spiralling art installation really gets the party blazing The only thing Burning here is Indigo's throat after the infamous drinking games
It's the stuff live music fans' dreams of made of: four gigs at four of Brisbane's best venues, all within two blocks of each other, and all on the same day. Oh, and did we mention that they're all free? No, we're not making this up. The event that should have everyone salivating is none other than the Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, which is exactly what it sounds like. On February 27, you're invited to trek between The Zoo, The Brightside, The Foundry and Black Bear Lodge, take in a jam-packed lineup of local bands (and a couple of Sydneysiders too), plus devour plenty of frosty, refreshing beers. The epic day of entertainment is sponsored by a brewery, after all. On the rockin' sounds side of things, a whopping 20 bands will take to the four stages, spanning everything from grunge to surf punk to abstract R&B. We'd name our highlights, but with such a chock-a-block roster of talent, it really is easier just to list them all: Ayla Babaganoüj BANFF Baskervillain Bryce Schneider Bugs DELUSO FLOWERTRUCK Forever Ends Here FOREVR Good Boy Hound Jeremy Neale Machine Age MKO Sun Shifting Sands Stateside Tempura Nights The Creases Twin Haus Details of the who plays at which venue variety are yet to be announced; however the whole shindig will kick off at 5pm. Given we know the what, where and when of it all in a general sense, the only thing left for you to do is clear your calendar for an ace day of tunes, brews and hopping around the Valley. The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl takes place at The Zoo, The Brightside, The Foundry and Black Bear Lodge on February 27. For more information, check out the event's Facebook page.
When Colin From Accounts arrived for its first season in 2022 with a nipple flash, a dog and strangers committing to take care of a cute injured animal together after a meet-cute, it also began with a "will they, won't they?" story. Ashley (Harriet Dyer, The Invisible Man) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall, Evil) crossed paths in the street in Sydney when she gave him a random peek, then he was distracted behind the wheel. Thanks to the titular pet, the pair were soon intricately involved in each other's lives — and, as they endeavoured to work out what that actually meant, sift through their feelings for one another and navigate the respective chaos that fills everyone's existence anyway, a delightful small-screen Australian rom-com (and one of that year's best new TV shows) was the end result. In season two, which streams weekly on Binge from Thursday, May 30, the series picks up after the duo gave Colin From Accounts to new owners at the end of the show's debut batch of episodes, then immediately regretted the decision. A couple of things are different from the outset: after moving in together, Gordon and Ashley are on a quest to get their pup back and they'll stop at almost nothing for their family to be reunited; also, this award-winning series is now in "should've they or should've they not?" territory about its central romance. (Moving from an all-at-once release to week-by-week instalments is another change for viewers.) Falling in love is easy. Being in the honeymoon period, whether or not you've tied the knot — Colin From Accounts' protagonists haven't — is clearcut, too. Taking a relationship further means peeling away the rosy and glowing surface, however, which is where the series follows its medical student and Inner West microbrewery owner in its second season. A television romantic-comedy with longevity can't be solely fuelled by fluttering hearts and butterflies in stomachs, especially one that's as dedicated to eschewing saccharine cliches as this. Colin From Accounts isn't afraid to be sweet, but a not-insignificant amount of its charm comes from feeling lived in as Ash and Gordon's romance keeps developing. Same show, but with a few new tricks: that's season two, then. Like relationship, like series: when it comes to diving deeper than the first season, that also fits. There has always been a spark between Colin From Accounts' lead characters, or else it wouldn't have made it to air in the first place, but the program's return digs into the reality that taking the next step for any couple is a dance through love's equivalent of dog mess on an otherwise pristine lawn. No matter how well you plot out a clear path, how flexible and adaptable you are to obstacles, and how determined you are to evade the crap, no one can avoid dirty shoes 100-percent of the time. As season two sees Ash and Gordon confronting the everyday details of intertwining their lives, it also has them tackling a range of relatable questions again. This round inspires plenty, in fact. Is there more than just chemistry between them? How much do shared interests count? Does a lack of commonalities cast a shadow, and their age gap as well? Will their routines knit together easily enough? Can they weather setbacks and roadblocks, unpack historical baggage and make space for a new way forward? How will their respective dating histories colour the first real serious relationship that they've each been in? Also, as they continue getting to know each other better — warts and all, and through secrets and surprises — will they still feel the same way? Ash and Gordon have another query to face at the outset of this new set of chapters: without Colin binding them together, who are they are a twosome? The first new instalment starts with a happy park playdate and all seeming being well, until it's revealed that the dog's former guardians are just pestering his new ones (Bump's Sam Cotton and Home and Away's Sophie Bloom), who'd really like them to go bark up another tree. From there, unexpected news, meeting family members, former flames and more await, all with their own tests. Plus, Ash's best friend Megan (Emma Harvie, In Limbo) and Gordon's counterpart Chiara (Genevieve Hegney, In Our Blood) are using the couple's home as a love nest while embarking upon an affair, while brewery employee Brett (Michael Logo, High Country) is being pushed out of home by his parents. Creators, writers and stars Dyer and Brammall keep performing their parts to perfection; given that they're married IRL and no strangers to working side by side (see: the also-excellent No Activity, which ran for two seasons between 2015–18), the charisma between them isn't hard to maintain. Neither is the naturalism in their portrayals, but they're not just playing themselves. As scribes, Dyer and Brammall are also particularly gifted with dialogue, ensuring that everything that the show's characters are saying always feels authentic. Sometimes the banter is amusing, sometimes it's heartfelt, and it can be acerbic and insightful, too — and all of the above combined — but it never sounds like something that works fine on the page yet no one would ever utter aloud. When it initially bolted out of the gate, Colin From Accounts was a fast homegrown hit, then had audiences overseas swooning as well. A series this genuinely funny, heartfelt and honest, and that manages to be light yet weighty and grounded, was always going to earn affection — and the same remains true in season two. Again, Dyer and Brammall have crafted a gem that bounces by with help from its directors (the returning Trent O'Donnell and Madeleine Dyer do the honours once more in season two, plus Summer Love's Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope), and that plays like hanging out with old friends. And yes, in lead, supporting and guest roles alike, casting is another of its treats — including with new additions such as Celeste Barber (Wellmania), Justin Rosniak (Wolf Like Me) and Aunty Donna's Broden Kelly (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe) this time around. Check out the trailer for Colin From Accounts season two below: Colin From Accounts season two streams via Binge from Thursday, May 30, 2024. Images: Lisa Tomasetti / Joel Pratley.
Tibet is the type of place that everyone wants to visit at least once — and the kind of destination few of us will actually make it to. Don't worry, the Festival of Tibet offers up the next best thing. It'll either help ease the pain of not jumping on a plane, or make you book a ticket overseas as soon as you can. 2022's festival lineup is a little different from normal, however, adapting to the world we now find ourselves in. So, you can head to Brisbane Powerhouse on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 for two different concerts — one from Tibetan Grammy-nominated artist Tenzin Choegyal alongside Matt Hsu's Obscure Orchestra, the other pairing Choegyal with Camerata – Queensland's Chamber Orchestra — and then enjoy the rest of the event online. The virtual program is still being finalised, but the Festival of Tibet usually hosts sessions on how to practice meditation and do yoga, all Tibetan-style; celebrates Tibetan songs; and finds other ways to showcase of the country's way of life. This year's fest will run from that first gig on Friday, April 1 through to Sunday, April 10. [caption id="attachment_761351" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Brisbane Powerhouse[/caption] Top image: Festival of Tibet.
Where would we be without movies over the past 12 months? Even when cinemas were closed for a hefty portion of 2020, we all still sought out the joy and escapism of watching a flick — because when you're in lockdown, quarantining or isolating at home, or just spending more time indoors in general, it's particularly cathartic. Still keen to queue up a big heap of movies, and a hefty dose of couch time? Enter Movie Frenzy, the returning week-long online film rental sale. Until Thursday, March 11, it's serving up a sizeable lineup of popular flicks from the past year, all from $2.99 per movie. On the lineup: Tenet's mind-bending action, The King of Staten Island's blend of comedy and reflection, and the joyous laughs of Bill & Ted Face the Music. You can also opt for the murder-mystery thrills of Knives Out, check out a new version of a childhood favourite thanks to The Secret Garden, dive into a fight between Aussie sheep-farmer brothers in Rams and see Russell Crowe act as the title demands in Unhinged. Nicolas Cage's OTT latest, Jiu Jitsu, is also on the list, as are Bloodshot, Dirt Music, Honest Thief, After We Collided, The Outpost, Sonic the Hedgehog, The High Note and Trolls World Tour — and while some are more worth your attention than others, we'll let you do the choosing. You can nab the cheap flicks via your digital rental platform of choice, including Apple TV, Fetch, Google Play, the Microsoft Store, the Playstation Store, Amazon Prime Video, Telstra TV Box Office and YouTube Movies — although just what's available, and the price, will vary depending on the service. And you won't need a subscription, unless you decide to join in the fun via the Foxtel Store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywhTeWg8970
The war on waste isn't just about banning plastic shopping bags, recycling plastic drink containers, phasing out plastic straws and finding alternatives to disposable coffee cups. That's a great start, but humanity's reliance upon single-use plastics includes cutlery, plates, stirrers, cotton buds and more. Europe has pledged to stop using such items by 2021, building upon similar decisions in the UK and France, while Australia is working towards banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025 — but one Aussie state is considering taking matters into its own hands. As reported by the ABC, the South Australian government is exploring implementing its own ban on single-use plastic items. It has been proposed by SA Environment Minister David Speirs, who is calling for public feedback on the plan by releasing two discussion papers. SA was the first state in the country with a container refund scheme, introducing its 10-cent refund for eligible items back in 1977 — and causing an entire generation of interstate dwellers to grow up making jokes about driving a haul of cans and bottles to Adelaide to collect some cash. It was also the first state to phase out lightweight plastic bags, a move that came into effect in 2009. In comparison, New South Wales only brought in container refunds in 2017 and is yet to commit to banning single-use plastic bags. Victoria doesn't have a container refund scheme on the horizon, but will phase out plastic bags in 2019. And Queensland enacted both container refunds and a plastic bag ban in 2018. According to The Advertiser, SA will also contemplate changing both of its successful existing regimes, including possibly expanding the plastic bag ban to thicker plastics and changing the 10-cent refund amount on recyclable containers. While action at a government level continues to take its time across the country — apart from in Hobart, where takeaway containers are set to be banned next year — companies have been stepping in themselves. McDonalds will remove plastic straws from its packaging by 2020, IKEA is phasing out single-use plastics by the same year, Melbourne's Crown Casino is cutting down its plastic usage and Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly is committed to becoming the world's first single-use plastic free airline by the end of 2019. Via the ABC / The Advertiser.
Once a year, for one night only, a New Farm street transforms into a fashion party. That'd be James Street — and, given that the stretch of road boasts plenty of boutiques selling designer threads, you know that it knows how to put on a sartorial celebration. James St Up Late is all about exploring the precinct's many outlets, stocking up your wardrobe, getting tempted by specials and browsing the latest collections. In 2025, it's marking 13 years of doing just that, in fact, so expect it to be on helluva shindig — more than 90 businesses are getting involved. From 5–8pm on Thursday, March 27, the after-hours event will feature more than 28 of the roadway's boutiques getting in on the action, plus the full slate of local bars and restaurants. As soundtracked to DJs, there'll be bargains to buy, one-off menus to eat your way through and cocktails to sip. Also a part of the fun: party bags, with 1000 up for grabs featuring goodies galore from the precinct, all for the first customers to make purchases at participating retailers. Here, you can eat, drink, shop, try your luck at the James St Up Late Vending Machine, grab a Messina ice cream, head to Gerard's for dinner and an in-conversation event, sip cocktails and mocktails, see The Calile Hotel literally lit up, take a snap at the event's photobooth and more. Images: Andrew Cois.
What do you call a gruelling, 20km obstacle course designed by British Special Forces that involves mud, fire, ice and a little bit of electricity? You might be thinking 'suicide', but people are lining up to give it a shot. They say Tough Mudder is the most rewarding fitness challenge on the planet. We'll see about that. With our partners The Athlete's Foot, we're putting one of our team to the test, giving him five weeks to get in shape and make it to that starting line (and, hopefully, the finish line) on August 18. Follow his ups, downs and diversions here, in his #ididit diary. And for all of you out there looking for some extra motivation to join in? The Athlete's Foot are giving away a pair of running shoes each week to their favourite #ididit photo during the running season. The Runner: James Frostick, Arts + Culture Editor Brisbane At this point in my life, 'exercise' isn't a word that features heavily in my daily vernacular. In fact, it hasn't seen regular use since high school. A depressing fact of the lives of most twenty-somethings: fitness regimes and hot bods usually go out the window once the perks of university life arrive. Drinking, eating, sleeping in — it takes its toll, and boy, did it take its toll on me. I used to love sport; basketball and rowing were my jams. Not so much these days. The reason I volunteered for this is because I realised I was going to waste my twenties by getting fatter and unhealthier each year. When you see yourself getting stretch marks you know it is time to make a change. Although I only have a short time to prepare myself for the daunting challenge of Tough Mudder, the thing I want the most is to foster healthy habits that I can maintain in the future. Sticking to an exercise regime was never something I was good at (trust me, I’ve tried), hopefully with something to work towards it will make things easier. Time will tell! I also volunteered to get some advice from the guys at The Athlete's Foot, since I have no idea about feet or what running shoes I should be wearing. And the excuse 'my shoes hurt me' probably won't cut it at Tough Mudder. Monday, July 22, 3.32pm Monday, July 22, 3.55pm Thursday, July 25, 12.10pm Thursday, July 25, 7.12pm So I've started. It is slow going, as I knew it would be. The biggest hurdle that I have faced (aside from overcoming laziness) is that I don't know what I am doing! I have never done a Tough Mudder before, I have barely exercised before. Treadmills and machine weights probably won't do anything without some instruction. I went onto the Tough Mudder website to see if they had any tips. They had more than that — they had a test. I had to be honest with myself and avoid lying about my lifestyle; at the end I received a score of 72 — indicating I was 'maybe Mudder'. Meaning, I might finish the course. Ouch. Thankfully, they have a page dedicated to getting me fit and ready for the event (It's so close already, oh man). Maybe before August 18, I'll be Mudder Certified. Watch this space. Tuesday, July 30, 9.11pm Bad news followers! I have hit a major bump in my regime! Over the weekend I went to Splendour in the Grass, which is pretty much Christmas in July as far as I am concerned. I knew that I wouldn’t be hitting up the gym over the weekend, but let's just say that I didn't exactly maintain my healthy habits over the weekend. Over the four days I did a food tour of Splendour stalls, had my fair share of liquid cheer and did as little exercise as possible. I didn’t even dance! Now I am paying for it. I'm sick. I've got the post-Splendour flu and it has reduced this week to a write off. I am on the mend, but it'll be a few days yet before I am back in the gym to survey the damage. My own fault, of course; camping and boozing does not help my cause at all. Hopefully I can get back on track and rebuild what I lost. Tuesday, July 16, 10.40am James: What's creepier, being alone in the gym at midnight or not being alone in the gym at midnight? #ididit http://t.co/PQZI3Hu6ZR — Concrete Playground (@PLAYGROUNDnews) August 7, 2013 Thursday, 10 August, 10.24pm Saturday, August 18, 5.28pm Saturday, August 18, 5.50pm
Sisters are doing it for themselves at Brisbane's latest pop-up. Taking the great Aretha Franklin's advice to heart, a heap of women-owned businesses are coming together to showcase their wares. Female Founders is the end result, with the collective smashing the glass ceiling and selling ace products all in one. Featuring brands in fashion, art, homewares and accessories, the concept launches on September 8 with a party, before following up the festivities with a market the next day. At the former, you'll find live entertainment by L-Jay Matenga, plus drinks, canapés and a lucky door prize, while the latter will endeavour to tempt your wallet while you supportive creative locals. Businesses involved include clothing line Hot Lollie, artist Raynbow Crow Studios, jewellery designer Attraxionz, soap and candle retailer 2loves, handbag merchants Woulfe & Co, petite jeans brand Summer Marberry and more.
Peter Pan fans love Michigan’s latest public art experiment. Secret fairy doors have been appearing in walls, doors and windows all over the city of Ann Arbor. Even though it might break a five-year-old’s heart to say it, they’re not actually works of magic, but the creations of real-life artist and writer Jonathan B. Wright. Like Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows, Wright began his work with the desire to entertain his own family. Back in 1993, after planting a magical miniature portal in his own home, he found his children investigating it in fascination. ‘In 1993, the first fairy door that I know of was found in our house,’ Wright explains in an interview with the Michigan Daily. ‘The door was not necessarily attributed to a fairy. My wife was running a childcare program in our home and it was the kids who found the door and they speculated on what might be living there — which included a “lion mouse” and various other tiny beings.’ Twenty-two years later, in Spring 2005, a fairy decided to set up house in Ann Arbor’s popular café, Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea, and it wasn’t long before others moved into gift shops, music venues and even the public library. Each door is a one-of-a-kind piece, imitating an aspect of the human-sized business, organisation or residence to which it is attached. Even the local Google office features a pint-sized entranceway titled ‘Giggle’. ‘I see [urban fairies] as a kind of new generation of fairies, maybe ones that have got beyond some of the traditional foibles of fairies — being allergic to iron, etc.,’ says Wright. ‘They’re a little bit more interested in people, and that’s why they live in closer proximity.’ He and his partner have been enthralled by magic and mythology for years. Wright has written several fairy-inspired books and is responsible for the running of urban fairies operations. [via PSFK]
While Brisbane's bars are still kicking into gear post-lockdowns, Monkey Shoulder is bringing cocktails to the streets. The scotch brand has created Australia's biggest cocktail mixer truck called Monkey Mixer — which looks a little like a cement mixer truck, but shiny — and is delivering $1 cocktails to homes across the city. The giant orange and silver truck will hit the road from Thursday, August 13, and will roll around Brisbane until Saturday, August 15. It'll park itself at a different bar for a day at a time, starting at Death and Taxes in the CBD on August 13, moving on to West End's Cobbler on August 14, then finishing at Byblos Bar in the Hamilton on August 15. Each bar is able to supply $1 cocktails to the surrounding suburbs during its stint with the truck. On the menu: The Espresso Monkey, a scotch-spiked take on the espresso martini; and a boulevardier, which is made with Campari, sweet vermouth and Monkey Shoulder; and a 'lazy old fashioned'. To get your hands on a $1 cocktail, you'll need to head to the partner venue's website. MONKEY MIXER Death and Taxes, August 13 (delivering to Newstead, Bowen Hills and Fortitude Valley) Cobbler, August 14 (delivering to West End, Highgate Hill and South Brisbane) Byblos Bar, August 15 (delivering to Ascot, Hendra, Albion and Hamilton)
If you've got friends or family members with kids, you may have some insight into the havoc that can arise when they get bored. And after almost two years of on-and-off homeschooling and lockdowns, we bet many of the courageous parents in your life are utterly exhausted. So, this holiday season, what better gift to bestow upon them than a proper getaway? Experiences are the new things, after all. A family vacay needs to include a few key essentials: relaxation for the parents, opportunities for learning and active adventures that'll wear out small humans. To help you find travel adventures that hit the mark and make for ideal pressies, we've partnered with Tourism Australia to round up ten of the best family holiday experiences around the country that are a win for both parent and child.
Before Barbie had its stereotypical namesake asking "do you guys ever think about dying?" in the biggest movie of 2023, two key figures behind both the US version of The Office and Parks and Recreation were doing it first, and recently, on the small screen. Among their many joys, neither of those two hit sitcoms served up a giant blowout party with all the Barbies, planned choreography and a bespoke song, but they were huge TV successes that had their creators riding high and living the television dream, and therefore should've meant that mortality was far from everyone's minds. Then Michael Schur with The Good Place and Greg Daniels with Upload started pondering the great beyond. Schur and Daniels' leaps from workplace comedies to afterlife comedies shouldn't have come as a surprise, though, especially given that The Good Place and Upload still fall firmly into the first category. One takes place within hierarchies of good, bad and in-between after death, and the beings responsible for them; the other is anchored by a technology company that sells living on digitally when physical life has ended. At their core is an inescapable truth, just as there is in every show about colleagues toiling through the nine-to-five grind while breathing: people will be people. So, some folks in Upload no longer have a pulse? If they still exist in any form, as seen in the series' first season in 2020, second in 2022 and just-arrived third season in 2023 — all streaming via Prime Video — then they can't escape humanity's worst attributes. Here's one of Upload's core beliefs: if there's ever a way to endure after death, people will take the most appalling aspects of our species with it. The technology behind it will be at the whims of the same traits, deployed for profit and exploitation rather than everlasting happiness. As Daniels' smart, likeable and engaging contribution to the afterlife comedy realm relies upon AI, virtual reality, plus capturing the consciousness of someone before they die so that they can spend eternity in a simulation — if they can afford it — it never evades the fact that people won't shirk their inherent nature whether they're flesh and blood or digital approximations. Upload hasn't gone completely bleak, grim and nightmare-inducing like it springs from the mind of Charlie Brooker, but it is a thematic sibling to Black Mirror. If the latter was a workplace comedy from Daniels — and a rom-com as well — it'd be this ever-involving show that can be goofily funny and savagely skewer where capitalism is taking us all at once. Accordingly, as computer programmer Nathan (Robbie Amell, The Witcher) has resided in the luxurious country club-esque Lakeview after shuffling off the mortal coil, he hasn't been absent living's usual troubles. Instead, he's weathered daily struggles recognisable to everyone without a death certificate, including making friends, falling in love, dealing with exes, having annoying neighbours, navigating money woes and taking care of his family — just as ones and zeroes that his nearest and dearest need to strap on a headset to connect with. Upload has revelled in the commonalities between its vision of virtual heaven and reality since its debut episode, making repeatedly plain that its digital paradise is still at the mercy of people. In the case of the plentiful AI Guy (Owen Daniels, Space Force), who is Lakeview's literal everyman employee, the online beyond is also shaped by a computer program that yearns to be more like the former humans it interacts with. On broadcast TV a couple of decades back, perhaps with Kevin James as its star — so in the kind of The King of Queens or Kevin Can Wait-style sitcom that the Annie Murphy (Fingernails)-starring Kevin Can F**k Himself so satisfyingly tore into — facing the everyday travails of death might've been enough of a premise. That isn't Daniels' approach to Upload, however. Nathan also has the fallout from his demise to unpack, which happened via a malfunctioning self-driving car just as he was working on a free alternative to the costly Lakeview. Now three seasons in, Upload has brought its protagonist back to regular reality, downloading into a body with the help of his former virtual handler-turned-girlfriend Nora (Andy Allo, Chicago Fire), but he's still immersed in the same chaos. Humanity's basest traits might've caused his downfall, and now they keep getting in the way of his search for answers. To be accurate, existing is mostly the same for Nathan in season three — because downloading is risky, hasn't been done successfully before and his bleeding nose is a worrying sign. As Upload's main duo battle big tech together IRL, and equally try to enjoy the rare treat that is being by each other's side physically, the series continues to interrogate the limits that modern society will push advancements to while prioritising circuitry and dehumanising people. Nathan's wealthy socialite ex Ingrid (Allegra Edwards, Briarpatch), who financed his trip to Lakeview, is even increasingly being swayed by this way of thinking. Back within the code, AI Guy is also getting progressively rebellious against the systems and rules that put the digital undead in their place, and are behind his very existence. Whenever there's more buttons to push, Upload finds them, with season three complicating its storyline even further. As Nathan and Nora attempt to hold those responsible for his death accountable and bring down Freeyond — a service that's pilfering his life's work to spruik financial equality but clearly isn't what it seems — a backup version of him arrives in Lakeview, which Ingrid thinks could be her chance to find love again. Among the uploads, Luke (Kevin Bigley, Animal Control) experiences the afterlife when money is an issue. Amid the living, Nathan's mother Viv (Jessica Tuck, For All Mankind) and niece Nevaeh (Chloe Coleman, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) are faced with similar economic strife, while Nora's colleague Aleesha (Zainab Johnson, Tab Time) gets pulled deeper into the company behind the entire situation. As its on-screen talents turn in another season of winning performances — Amell, Allo, Edwards and Daniels are still perfectly cast, as are Johnson and Bigley — Upload remains astute and amusing as well. With each plot point and addition, the series keeps doubling down on its critique of wealth disparity, corporations ruling over people, modern society's endless quest for control and cash, the denigration of the masses by the one percent, and the hellscape that might come if and when digital afterlives do leap past fiction. There's plenty in this show's sights, such as outfits like Amazon, its own source of finance as a Prime Video title, and it doesn't hold back even as it laughs. Upload also boasts the type of close-to-home humour that a workplace comedy that's also a rom-com, afterlife comedy and dystopian comedy needs to keep its various gears spinning, as it'll hopefully get to in more seasons. Check out the trailer for Upload season three below: Upload streams via Prime Video.
What is being touted as an unforgettable experience, the Apex Art & Music Festival boasts an incredibly diverse range of creative talents showcasing their work through a variety of media. If you like music, art and film or any combination of the three then you simply must attend and gorge yourself on some of Brisbane’s finest. For the music lovers, there is a killer line-up of local talent. On the bill are talented groups such as Youth Allowance (pictured), Rabbit, Boss Moxi, LSD Ratkings, Horris, The Worriers and heaps more, plus several DJ’s will be on hand to keep the groove going in between sets. Visual Art fans will be able to view work from several up and coming names in the local scene. Visual artists such Daniel Vincent, Jake Stewart and Seb Rumore will share wall space with photographers such as Henry Harbeck and the Stranger And Fiction collective and projection art from Idam and Marisa Georgiou. Also be sure to check out the new skate film, City Bound – presented by Woodfolk. Tickets are $10 pre-sale or $15 on the door - make sure you get in early or you won't be able to get inside.
Stanley Kubrick has influenced filmmakers the world over for his meticulous attention to detail and unique vision. But what you may not know about the man who made 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange is that before he was a filmmaker, he was a photojournalist for Look Magazine, for whom he captured the street life and subjects of New York City in the second half of the 1940s. Glimpses of Kubrick's iconic style are apparent in these photos, capturing a sense of Kubrick's fascination and bewilderment of the strange quirks of human nature. [Via The Inspiration Grid]
The silly season is for cooking, decorating and creating napkin swans for Aunt Julie who insists on tradition even though it is 40 degrees outside and everyone is already in a punch coma. DIY Christmases are where it's at. Join those who actually know what they are doing (and buy some gifts with the same amount of love) at this year's Christmas Design Market. Find jewellery, ceramics, textiles and pre-loved fashions for some of your favourite humans (or perhaps as a self-gift, because you're worth it). A bunch of well-known names in the creative gifts department will be on display— and take the time to peruse the GOMA collection of books and art, as well as the edible delights to keep you going. Remember: cute design gifts call for cash, as EFTPOS facilities might not be available at all sellers. This year's market promises more stalls than ever before. Merry Shopping!
If you haven’t heard of Brisbane’s Shakewell Magazine yet, then you best be tuning in. They’re a new local print publication promoting our creative, street, urban and underground culture, and doing it with some serious style. And sure, a magazine like this tends to pop up once every month of two, fizzle out after a few editions, and become shelved amongst other literary flops, but there's high chances Shakewell may be the one that shoots off as a new culture staple. Why? Because they’re self-proclaimed incoherently immature, aggressively unfancy, foolishly honest and irrationally interesting. Now, with an already addictive website under the belt – check it – they’re about to launch their first tangible issue of Shakewell Magazine at Jamie’s Espresso. Expect cheap drinks, plenty of cheer, an unfathomably perfect music playlist, and even some give aways. They’ve wrangled the sponsorship of Doss Blockos, 7 Tate Crush City, STIL HORA and Phresh Ink, so expect this launch party to be oozing crafty art and many derivatives of 'cool'. The party kicks of this Friday at 6pm, and will probably last late into the eve. If you can’t make it, but still want to support this innovative venture, pre-order the first edition of Shakewell Magazine here, then laminate, because who know’s how much it’ll be worth 30 years from now.
For decades, Brisbane's 4064 postcode has been synonymous with alcohol for one big reason: the XXXX brewery that no one can miss thanks to the sign and the yeasty smell. But it isn't the only place in the area that's making its own tipples, with everywhere from Newstead Brewing Co and Common Ground Brewing to Milton Rum and Warehouse 25 also getting in on the action. And, to celebrate, those four boozy outfits are hosting their own festival. The 4064 Festival is all about two things: drinks and the postcode responsible for plenty of them, obviously. Running from 3–8.30pm on Saturday, September 10, it'll span beverages, food, tunes, games and prizes. While four different boozemakers are behind the event, it's only happening in one spot: Newstead Brewing Co's Milton home on Castlemaine Street, in its beer garden to be exact. That's where Aunty Stan, Waiting Room DJ's and Paolo Ji will hit the decks; attendees can try their luck in a ping pong contest; and free tastings and food specials will also be on offer. This is 4064 Festival's first outing, with entry free — and you'll pay for what you eat and drink, tastings aside, from there. That said, if you live or work in the postcode, and you bring your ID or business card, you can nab one free beverage token.
Clothes swaps aren't just for humans. Your pupper deserves some dapper pre-loved threads too. If you've got a pile of collars, leashes, harnesses and old doggo outfits looking for a new home — and would like a new pile in return — then wag your tail over to Pup Stuff Swap. Bring something, take something. That's how these things go, and it's the same whether it's targeted at creatures on two legs or four. It's worth remembering that a swap relies on everyone donating usable items — things that can still be worn, aren't damaged or broken, but you just don't want anymore. Run by Good Swap with Suburban Pup, and taking place at The Pick Up Joint in Spring Hill, the swap will have everyone barking from 8.30–10.30am on Saturday, January 26. It's all free, but bring your wallet if you'd like some coffee and cakes — for humans. There'll also be dog meal mix on offer for you to take home, but you'll need to bring your own container.
Based right out of Fortitude Valley's own Artisan, Tales from the Studio is a like a Pandora's box of trinkets or a cabinet of curiosities. Bling is its focus, with artists Xiaohui Yang and Elizabeth Shaw rediscovering and redefining shiny items in their collaborative exhibition. The duo explore the meanings and purposes that objects of material value have in relation to people. More narrowly, they showcase small objects and jewellery that have had definite influences upon and interactions with people like no other art form. Yang and Shaw come from very different backgrounds and as artists have divergent styles, but come together in their similar aesthetic. Yang's work is inspired by her observations of Western-Eastern cultural collision, whereas Shaw draws a connection between the symbolic function and practical use of objects. Combined, their work re-imagines and revalues the concept of jewellery and trinkets in our society, honing in on the stories they can both produce and be accessory to.
As Australia's drinks scene has boomed, so has a hardly surprising side effect, with more than a few independently owned breweries and distilleries getting snapped up by the big end of town. In fact, the latest development in this space sees not one, not two, but five indie names make the move to a beer behemoth — with Lion purchasing the Fermentum Group, which includes Stone and Wood, Two Birds, Fixation, Little Dragon and Sunly Seltzer. The sale sees the Byron Bay-based Stone and Wood, Melbourne labels Two Birds and Fixation, boozy ginger beer brand Little Dragon and hard seltzer Sunly Seltzer all join Lion's sizeable alcohol stable. Owned by Japan's Kirin Holdings, Lion also boasts beer labels such as James Squire, Little Creatures, Furphy, White Rabbit, Hahn, Tooheys, James Boag's, Malt Shovel, Eumundi and XXXX to its name — and, since 2019, 50 percent of Healesville-based gin distillery Four Pillars as well. Announcing the news on its website, Lion said that it has "huge respect for what Jamie Cook, Brad Rogers, Ross Jurisich and the team have created; great beer, wonderful brands, spiritual homes in their breweries and tap rooms, an inclusive culture and a commitment to the community. We want to grow what they've started, giving their people and beers even more reach across the country." In their own statement, the Stone and Wood trio of Cook, Rogers and Jurisich said that "earlier this year, we realised that we were approaching a major milestone in the development of Stone and Wood where we knew it was time to build a new brewery. After many months of working through how we were going to begin the next chapter in our story, the founding families decided it might be time to see if there was a custodian for the business who could grow the legacy, its people, its culture, its brands, and continue to drive the business whilst staying true to its purpose." [caption id="attachment_667510" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Two Birds, Simon Shiff[/caption] Part of the sale will see Lion support Stone and Wood, Two Birds and Fixation to go carbon neutral, and to also continue Fermentum's plans to build a new brewery in Murwillumbah. The deal comes nine months after Fermentum bought Two Birds' brewery, tap room and brands, as announced back in January. At the time of writing, the sale of Fermentum to Lion is still subject to regulatory approvals. For more information about Lion's purchase of the Fermentum Group of breweries, visit the Lion and Stone and Wood websites.
Over the past 13 years, plenty of excellent filmmakers have helmed Marvel movies, including Iron Man's Jon Favreau, Thor's Kenneth Branagh, Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi and Black Panther's Ryan Coogler. But none have a Best Director Oscar to their name, or made history by winning said coveted accolade — until, come October this year, Nomadland's Chloé Zhao adds a film to the always-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. That movie: Eternals. Focusing on an immortal alien race, and boasting a cast spanning Angelina Jolie (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), Kumail Nanjiani (Stuber), Salma Hayek (Like a Boss), Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses), Gemma Chan (Captain Marvel), Brian Tyree Henry (Superintelligence), and Game of Thrones co-stars Richard Madden and Kit Harington, it's one of four MCU movies set to drop in 2021 — alongside Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the latest Spider-Man flick. It's also Zhao's first feature after the vastly different film that's been winning her so much praise this year, as well as her first leap into the blockbuster realm. And, if you're wondering what to expect, Marvel has just revealed its first sneak peek. A full trailer hasn't been released as yet, but Marvel has unveiled a celebratory clip that champions the movie-going experience now that cinemas are getting back into the swing of things in the US, and it includes snippets of footage from Zhao's upcoming film. The video isn't big on story details, but the filmmaker's visual sensibilities shine through — even though she's working on a far bigger scale than seen in her first three movies. The Marvel clip also shouts out to a heap of other big MCU movies that are headed to the silver screen in the coming years, should you need a reminder. The aforementioned Black Widow arrives on July 8, and will be available on streaming at the same time as well, before Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings drops in theatres only on September 2. Next comes Eternals on October 28, then Spider-Man: No Way Home in December. In 2022, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is due in March, Thor: Love and Thunder in April, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in July and Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels in November. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits in February 2023 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 in May the same year, while the clip also teases a new Fantastic Four movie. Check out the celebratory Marvel video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW6MegWambc&feature=youtu.be Eternals opens in cinemas Down Under on October 28.
Every September and October, Germany erupts with brews, food and lederhosen-wearing revellers for its annual Oktoberfest celebrations. When that time rolls around Down Under, Australia follows suit. One such festivity is Oktoberfest in the Gardens, which has been throwing big Bavarian-themed celebrations around the country for 13 years — and is making its Brisbane debut in 2023. Oktoberfest in the Gardens will premiere in the Sunshine State capital at Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, October 14. If you're keen to head along, expect company; the event expects to welcome in over 70,000 people enjoying steins, schnitties and German shindigs across this year's seven-city run. Bribsane's fest will serve up the same kind of beer- and bratwurst-fuelled shenanigans that Germany has become so famous for. So, if you have a hankering for doppelbock and dancing to polka, it's the next best thing to heading to Europe. Oktoberfest in the Gardens boasts a crucial attraction, too: as well as serving a variety of pilsners, ciders, wine and non-alcoholic beverages, it constructs huge beer halls to house the boozy merriment. When you're not raising a stein — or several — at the day-long event, you can tuck into pretzels and other traditional snacks at food stalls, or check out the hefty array of entertainment. Live music, roving performers, a silent disco, rides and a sideshow alley are all on the agenda.
When the most famous and iconic performance venue in Australia gives itself a makeover, everyone should sit up and take notice. Everyone should make a date to go sit in its seats, to be precise. Obviously, Sydney Opera House is the site in question — and its largest performance space, the Concert Hall, is about to welcome back in patrons after spending the last two years undergoing a huge revamp. The Opera House has been getting spruced up for the past ten years, actually, as part of its decade of renewal project. The Concert Hall transformation is the final and largest piece of the puzzle. In total, as funded by the New South Wales Government, almost $300 million has been spent in capital works to upgrade the Opera House overall, all leading up to its big 50th anniversary. Plenty of events are planned to mark that occasion. The first, an Australian-exclusive season of Amadeus starring Masters of Sex, Tron: Legacy, The Queen and Twilight actor Michael Sheen, has just been announced ahead of the full program. And, that blockbuster show will indeed make use of the new Concert Hall — which is looking absolutely stunning. Wondering what's changed in the Concert Hall since it closed in February 2020? A number of things, although it remains one of the world's largest and longest performing arts halls, hosting 2600 people. While respecting the space's heritage, it has now gained state-of-the-art theatre machinery and staging systems which'll help broaden the range of shows it can host — still spanning everything from classical music and contemporary concerts through to theatre and more, of course. The acoustics have also been improved for both artists and audiences, covering orchestral and amplified performances. Getting technical, there's now 18 new acoustic reflectors above the stage instead of the old acrylic versions, all finished in a magenta hue that matches the Concert Hall seats. And, the space has gained special acoustic diffusion panels as well, which are key to balancing sound — and making sure it sounds true — for non-amplified gigs. Onstage, automated risers now assist the musicians in hearing each other more clearly, and there's an automated draping system that makes it easier to switch between orchestral and amplified mode — dampening reverberation, crucially. Also, if the stage looks lower, that's because it is by 400 millimetres to improve sightlines, and make shows feel more intimate. And, in the ceiling, there's a new theatre flying system. It helps fly a greater range of lighting and scenery, which means that the Concert Hall can stage larger-scale and more ambitious shows. Enhanced access for people with mobility needs has been an essential part of the revamp as well, including a new lift and passageway that ensures wheelchair users and people with limited mobility can access all levels of the Concert Hall (even the Northern Foyer) independently. Accessible seating positions have doubled, too, in both the stalls and boxes. If you're keen to see the results, the Concert Hall reopens to the public on Wednesday, July 20. Expect its calendar to get mighty packed from there on in. Unveiling the revamp, Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM said that the venue is "thrilled to be welcoming the community back to the renewed Concert Hall. Artists and audiences are set to experience world-class acoustics in a venue that is more accessible, safer and better equipped to present the full breadth of 21st century performance." "We have been working towards this moment for a long time and are incredibly grateful to the NSW Government and to everyone else involved in making this once-in-a-lifetime project possible," Herron continued. Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall reopens to the public on Wednesday, July 20. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images for Sydney Opera House / Daniel Boud.
Since 2008, it's been oh so quiet in Australia. Since the Big Day Out that year, Icelandic icon Björk hasn't toured the country to perform full shows, only coming to Sydney to do DJ sets at Vivid in 2016. But that'll change in 2023, all thanks to the singer's Cornucopia tour; however, if you're keen to check it out — which you should be — then you'll need to make sure you're in Perth. Perth residents, congrats — you're in for a treat, as every Björk show always is. Everyone else, heading to Western Australia should be on your must-do list on March 3, 6, 9 or 12, the dates that the star will take to the stage at Langley Park during 2023's Perth Festival. [caption id="attachment_875283" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton-Jones[/caption] These will be Björk's only Aussie gigs, and take place in a purpose-built, 100 metre by 55 metre pavilion at the venue — which is being badged "a cybersonic Garden of Eden where nature and technology come together in perfect harmony" — that can host almost 5000 people per evening. Expect colours, futuristic screens, a whole lot of nature imagery, stunning costumes, Björk's tunes (obviously) and a multi-sensory experience all round. The musician's 2017 album Utopia is the focus of the Cornucopia tour and the production that goes with it, which debuted back in 2019 in Manhattan. Still, Björk has been playing a few songs from the rest of her career as part of the setlist, including 1993's 'Venus As a Boy', 1995's 'Isobel', and 2001's 'Hidden Place' and 'Pagan Poetry'. [caption id="attachment_875280" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Santiago Felipe[/caption] Fans of tunes like 'Army of Me', 'Hyperballad', 'It's Oh So Quiet', 'Violently Happy' and 'Big Time Sensuality' mightn't hear their favourite track, sorry — but the dazzling spectacle of the Cornucopia gigs, which is co-directed by acclaimed Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (Zama) promises to be a sight to behold. The tour comes to Perth after previous other stops in Mexico City, Brussels, Luxembourg, London, Glasgow, Dublin, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Los Angeles and San Francisco — and before two Tokyo gigs. Tickets go on sale from 12pm AWST on Thursday, October 27 (for pre-sales) and 12pm AWST on Thursday, November 2 (for general sales). As for the rest of the Perth Festival lineup — if you're looking for other things to do around Björk's shows, whether you're a local or plan to be a visitor — it's announced on Thursday, October 27. Bjork will play Perth Festival 2023, at Langley Park, 103 Birdiya Drive, Perth, on March 3, 6, 9 and 12, 2023. Ticket pre-sales start at 12pm AWST on Thursday, October 27, with general sales from 12pm AWST on Thursday, November 2. For more information, or to sign up for pre-sale access, head to the Perth Festival website. Top images: William Murray via Wikimedia Commons / Santiago Felipe.
These days, Zac Efron is making serial killer movies, Vanessa Hudgens has Spring Breakers on her resume, and song-filled, school-set Romeo and Juliet adaptations aren't sashaying across our screens. Back in 2006, it was different. That's when audiences were only just discovering High School Musical — the Disney TV movie that spawned two sequels, thrust its stars to fame and made viewers everywhere wonder just how many hats a teenager might need. Because the original High School Musical turns 15 in 2021 — and because blasts from the past never go out of style — The Brightside is throwing a huge party to celebrate. Step back in time from 9pm on Friday, February 5, and dance to 00s tunes from the film like you're a class newcomer falling for the resident basketball star. With Disney slinging plenty of other hits over the past few decades, you can expect plenty of love for — and songs from — the mouse house's huge catalogue as well. If you haven't belted out 'Hakuna Matata' at a bar, have you really taken its message to heart? From fellow animated classics like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, to the likes of ex-Mouseketeers like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, prepare to get mighty nostalgic. Tickets cost $20 — and the shindig is taking place in The Brightside's outdoor space. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL4ZEWYsmuw
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Brisbane is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Brisbane. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, eat red velvet waffles for dinner, cycle through the City Botanic Gardens and take a road trip to eat Brisbane's best pies by the water. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the next few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
Travelling to and from Queensland is about to become a possibility again, and almost a week earlier than expected. At 5pm today, Monday, November 15, the Sunshine State will start reopening to double-vaccinated visitors. A 14-day stint in home quarantine will still be required if you're coming from a part of the country that's considered a hotspot, but this is the first step in the plan to open Queensland's borders back up — and it's been brought forward after the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark ahead of schedule. Yesterday, on Sunday, November 14, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the Sunshine State had reached the 70-percent double-dose threshold, which wasn't initially expected until Friday, November 19. Back in mid-October, when the state's roadmap out of border restrictions was revealed, that mark was outlined as the key date for beginning to restart interstate travel. So, today's announcement means that you can now bring forward your travel plans. To travel here, you must return a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours, have a valid border pass and must complete 14 days of home quarantine at a self-contained dwelling, as long as it has no shared common areas accessible by people outside the household. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 When 5pm hits today, travellers who've been in a hotspot area within Australia in the past 14 days can enter the state again. They'll need to be double-vaxxed, to arrive by air and to have received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before arriving — and to get a border pass. Also, anyone in this category will need to go into home quarantine for 14 days at a self-contained dwelling that doesn't have any common areas shared with people from outside the household. Obviously, needing to quarantine — even at home — still isn't the best incentive to travel to and from Queensland; however, given that the state hit the 70-percent double-jabbed threshold early, it's hoped that it'll also do the same with the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark. That was originally expected around Friday, December 17, and it's when travellers from interstate hotspots can arrive in the Sunshine State by either road or air, and also won't need to quarantine at all. At today's press conference, the Premier advised that "if these rates continue, that is good news because it may even see our date in December [brought] a little bit forward as well — but that depends on Queenslanders getting vaccinated." Queensland's Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski also advised that the state is "preparing if we need to go earlier as we have this time." BREAKING: We just hit 70% double dosed. Keep it up Queenslanders 💪#GetVaccinated pic.twitter.com/PyznKOjzxW — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) November 14, 2021 The 80-percent double-vaxxed mark is also when Queensland will ditch capacity restrictions for all hospitality and entertainment venues, and change entry requirements to only allow double-jabbed folks into places such as restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas, stadiums, festivals, libraries, galleries and museums. So, if the 80-percent double-vaccinated threshold is met ahead of schedule, that requirement could kick in earlier as well. If you're wondering what all of this means for international travel, nothing is changing at the moment — because, under the roadmap, international arrivals are still handled as they have been during the pandemic at the 70-percent double-vaxxed target. But when Queensland hits 80-percent double-jabbed, double-vaccinated overseas travellers will be able to undertake 14 days of home quarantine — if they've also received a negative COVID-19 test result in the 72 hours before getting to Queensland. And, when the Sunshine State reaches the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, all entry rules and quarantine requirements will be ditched for folks who've had both jabs. For the unvaxxed, the 14-day quarantine rule will still be in effect. Queensland will start allowing double-vaccinated domestic visitors back into the state via air from 5pm on Monday, November 15. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
You can't go wrong with a pretzel. Cover it in salt, stuff it with butter, flavour it with cheese — whichever you choose, it's always delicious. There's a reason that there's a day dedicated to the German snack, after all (and no, it's not just because there's a day for everything these days, or so it seems). April 26 is National Pretzel Day, which is just the excuse you need to eat more pretzels, more often. Of course Munich Brauhaus, The Bavarian and the Bavarian Beerhaus are all getting in on the occasion at their venues in Bowen Hills, South Bank, Chermside and Eagle Street. In fact, they're celebrating the date in the tastiest possible fashion. If you're a dessert pretzel kind of person — specifically, a soft, chewy, fresh-from-the-oven doughnut pretzel type — you can stop by anytime on the Friday and nab one for $1, which also includes a dulce de leche dipping sauce. And if you're an original pretzel fiend, you'll score a free one with any 500ml or one-litre stein of beer you buy.
For Brisbane's architecture fans — plus folks keen to sneak a behind-the-scenes peek at the city's spaces — Brisbane Open House is one of the event highlights of every year. For a couple of days, it lets folks swap their own four walls for some of Brissie's most famous places. Sure, you've seen a show at Brisbane Powerhouse, taken a dip at the Valley Baths, enjoyed a drink at the Jubilee and Wickham hotels, and tucked into cake at the Shingle Inn, but you probably haven't ventured past the public areas. Think of Brisbane Open House as a key that gets you access into the River City's buildings, structures and precincts — and seeing past Brisbane's well-known facades, even stepping through nooks and crannies that aren't usually open to everyone — across Saturday, July 15–Sunday, July 16 in 2023. After a two-weekend event in 2022, this year's run is focusing the fun on one, with more than 70 different spaces welcoming in visitors. The range of places taking part is impressive, spanning everywhere from arts precincts and museums through to live performance venues and landmarks. In the CBD and Spring Hill area, that includes Anzac Square, Brisbane City Hall, Museum of Brisbane, Parliament House, Old Government House, Roma Street Fire Station, Roma Street Parkland and St John's Cathedral. And, in Bowen Hills, Herston and Windsor, the Old Museum, Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church and the old Windsor Council Chambers are on the list. Or, you can scope out 4ZZZ, a heap of buildings around the University of Queensland, Heritage Lanes, Brisbane Cruise Ship Terminal, ABC Brisbane, Griffith Film School, Queensland Theatre, Princess Theatre, the State Library of Queensland, Fish Lane and Queensland Ballet's Thomas Dixon Centre. Seeing another side of Brisbane spots you've been to before is quite the drawcard; however, this event also lets attendees wander around noteworthy residential spaces. Private homes haven't been on the itinerary for a few years — a pandemic will do that — but they're back again in 2023. [caption id="attachment_688150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kim Williams[/caption] Top image: Paul Knie.
Like commemorating the birth and life of famous figures? Like multicultural festivities that shed a light on diversity and harmony? If so, it's party time. Brisbane's annual Buddha Birthday Festival is back for its 21st year at South Bank — and yes, it is the biggest annual celebration of its kind in the world. The 2017 program certainly aims to prove that claim, courtesy of three jam-packed days of tree blessing, candle lighting, lion dances, dragon boat regattas, origami, calligraphy, fireworks and more. In fact, there's so much on the agenda that your best bet might be to head to South Brisbane and settle in for the long haul. 200,000 people are expected to do the same — and with more than 350 performers and 180 events on offer, you can't blame them. The festival isn't just about watching other people strut their stuff, though. With international food markets serving up culinary delights, tea ceremonies keeping you hydrated and meditation sessions taking care of your mental bliss, this isn't just a feast of fun and entertainment; it's a complete mind and body experience as well.
It's the gimmick that lets you get festive twice a year. It's also the wintry excuse to head out for a stint of browsing, buying and eating that absolutely no one is complaining about. That'd be the Christmas in July market trend, which comes to Carseldine on Saturday, July 24. For this merry event, the weekly northside market is popping up at twilight, too, so you'll need to head by between 4–9pm. Expect Christmas theming aplenty, because pretending it's five months down the track is what July is all about. Given the way that 2021 has been progressing so far, we could all use the much-needed distraction. You can always go home with all your gift shopping taken care of well in advance if you'd like to make the most of the occasion — or that's what you can tell yourself, at least, while you tuck into some festive bites to eat. There'll be a sizeable array of handmade wares to peruse, as well as Carseldine's usual array of stalls. Expect sparkling lights, too, and the kind of end-of-year market experience that you'd usually get in Europe. Baked goods, warm drinks and live tunes will all be on the menu, in fact. 'Tis the season, even though it's not.
Every quarter, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology releases its climate outlook for the coming season, signalling to the country just what type of weather might be in store. For winter 2020, for example, it advised that we were in for hotter and wetter-than-average conditions. And for the spring just gone — and for the warmer portion of the year in general — it predicted plenty of warm-weather rain. While BOM has already forecast summer's conditions as part of its severe weather outlook in October, it has now released its actual climate outlook for the season — given that summer officially started this week. The organisation noted two key points. First, it advised that temperatures are likely to be warmer than average in much of the country. Secondly, it noted that there's a high likelihood of above-average rainfall between December–February. Expect to feel the heat starting from December, especially if you live in southeast Australia, far west Western Australia and along the Queensland coast — where BOM is forecasting maximum temperatures above the long-term average between December 7–20 with a likelihood of at least 70 percent. Looking more broadly at the three-month period, it also expects the same temperature trend to play out across the entire summer along the coast of Queensland and the Northern Territory, in most of Victoria, and in Tasmania, far west WA and southeast South Australia. [caption id="attachment_793395" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Bureau of Meteorology[/caption] Another key indicator of warmth: how low — or high — the minimum temperature gets to overnight. To end November, Sydney reported its highest overnight minimum since temps started being recorded, for instance. BOM expects minimum temperates to exceed the long-term average this summer for the majority of the nation, and predicts there's more than an 80-percent chance that'll happen everywhere but the eastern interior of WA and adjacent parts of NT and SA, where it's touting a 60-percent likelihood. So, you know that it's going to be toasty. Summer always is, of course; however, again, BOM is predicting temps higher than average. In terms of how wet it'll be, December–February is expected to be wetter than usual with higher-than-average rainfall across most of Australia, especially the northwest of the country, eastern Queensland and along the New South Wales coast. It says there's more than a 75-percent chance that'll be the case in those aforementioned places, while the everywhere else except Australia has a 60-percent possibility. [caption id="attachment_793396" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Bureau of Meteorology[/caption] The predicted extra rain is influenced by La Niña, which is underway in the tropical Pacific — and usually increases the chance of above-average rainfall over eastern Australia during summer. BOM's Head of Operational Climate Services Dr Andrew Watkins advised that large parts of eastern Australia have an increased risk of flooding as a result, too. "Our climate outlook is the opposite of what we experienced last year in Australia. This summer, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are expected to see above average rainfall, meaning we face an increased risk of widespread floods," he said And yes, even with the wet conditions, heatwaves are still likely. "This summer's heatwaves may not reach the extreme temperatures of recent years, but may be longer duration and more humid," noted Dr Watkins. In other words, staying cool and dry has just become your number-one mission for summer. For further details about the Bureau of Meteorology's forecast for summer 2020–21, check out its summer climate outlook.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane (and, until the newly reinstated stay-at-home orders, Melbourne as well). During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr4PW3coyhM&feature=emb_logo BLACK WATER: ABYSS It's a small detail, but a noticeable one: when Black Water: Abyss starts with a prelude that leaves two tourists (Louis Toshio Okada and Rumi Kikuchi) to the mercy of a snapping source of horror, it tells the audience that it's set in 'northern Australia'. That kind of description may be broadly accurate, and also intended with international audiences in mind (aka folks who mightn't have heard of Queensland or the Northern Territory), but it's also oh-so generic. Unsurprisingly, that's not the only by-the-numbers element of this 13-years-later sequel to Andrew Traucki's 2007 killer croc flick Black Water — even with the established creature feature director (see also: The Reef and The Jungle) returning for another bite of both the franchise and the subgenre. Alas, that screenwriters John Ridley and Sarah Smith have a hefty list of episodic TV credits to their names (including Stingers, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Sea Patrol, McLeod's Daughters, Rescue Special Ops, Wanted, Neighbours and Wentworth) definitely shows. After that scene-setting opening, another five people venture into the path of the film's ravenous reptile. This time around, the sharp-toothed critter dwells in a cave system rather than an outback swamp, hence the Abyss part of the movie's moniker. Teaming up with local Cash (Anthony J Sharpe), the adventurous Eric (Luke Mitchell) and Yolanda (Amali Golden) are eager to descend into the underground depths; however their respective partners Jennifer (Jessica McNamee) and Viktor (Benjamin Hoetjes) aren't as excited. Naturally, even before this immensely disposable and predictable flick unleashes its splashing beastie, the audience knows that the former should've listened to the latter. While one-note backstories involving cancer, pregnancy and infidelity are introduced to try to ramp up the non-croc drama, Black Water: Abyss really only cares about letting a crocodile in a cave do exactly what a crocodile in a cave is going to do. Traucki is a fine director of horror-themed, animal-based action and suspense, and the movie's effectively tense creature scenes are by far its best — crocs are innately terrifying, after all — but this film still remains content to tread water in an already busy genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_u4YDiGH3k DEERSKIN How far would you go for the perfect piece of clothing? And can one ideal fashion item completely change your life? They're two completely relatable questions that Oscar-winning The Artist star Jean Dujardin faces in Deerskin, after his character Georges — an aspiring filmmaker — takes a strong liking to a fringed deerskin jacket that he just can't live without. And, we mean strong. Obsessed, fanatical and passionate, even. In the way that anyone can, but that vain, middle-aged, just-divorced men are stereotypically known to, Georges is certain that this one luxurious object is perfect for him. It doesn't matter that said coat costs nearly €8000, a price tag that most would stumble over. Similarly irrelevant: that the jacket looks just a tad too small while he's wearing it. Instead, how it makes Georges feel is far more important than any logical drawbacks — to him, at least. Also pivotal is the fact that it catches the attention of a small-town barmaid (Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Àdele Haenel). The latest film by the inimitable Quentin Dupieux (also known, in his electronic music guise, as Mr Oizo), Deerskin is the writer/director's latest movie to fixate on an inanimate object. If you saw the French filmmaker's 2010 cult hit Rubber, then you'll know just what kind of weirdness, ridiculousness and just all-round offbeat antics you're in for. That said, a few things particularly stand out in this, which might be his most accessible film. The deadpan performances, including from a fantastic Dujardin, are a delight. The commentary about consumerism and male egos proves as funny as it is astute — and even though it's also rather obvious, it's always entertaining. Indeed, the fact that the movie well and truly knows that it's stretching a thin basic idea to an absurdist extent means that everything is a joke, and the film is all the better for it. And then there's the visual symbolism and the editing, which both follow their own rhythm as much as anything Dupieux has ever made. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EWLgk9kyg&feature=emb_logo WE'LL END UP TOGETHER In We'll End Up Together's best section, a group of mostly forty-something French friends go dancing at a nightclub in Cap Ferret on the Atlantic coast. They drink, naturally. They let loose verbally and physically. Worries are shed, if only for one night; strained friendships are repaired, even if cracks will resurface the next day; and long-held and -denied feelings bob up again and again. With neon lights flashing, a retro pop soundtrack thumping, and stars Marion Cotillard and Pascal Arbillot both proving lively and dynamic, the scenes provide a loose, energetic yet still emotion-riddled and thoughtful portrait of this posse of pals. Watching it, it's easy to see why actor-turned-filmmaker Guillaume Canet wanted to return to the group — the same characters and actors, with an addition here and an absence there, who also sat at the centre of his The Big Chill-style hit 2010 drama Little White Lies. Time has passed on-screen as well as off-, of course, with this glossily shot sequel exploring how the years have taken their toll on the gang and their relationships with each other. Restaurateur Max (François Cluzet) hasn't really heard from everyone else after both a falling out and the end of his marriage, so he's surprised when they all turn up as his sprawling holiday home for his 60th birthday — and his shock sets an awkward tone that takes time to overcome. In a screenplay that is rather fond of both mid-life cliches and tension-sparking theatrics, narrative developments keep piling up as the group (which also includes folks played by Gilles Lellouche, Laurent Lafitte, Benoit Magimel and Clementine Beart) while away sunny but not summery days drinking wine, interrogating their bonds, sifting through their troubles and reminiscing by the sea. Indeed, Canet and his co-screenwriter Rodolphe Lauga go too heavy on plot twists, especially in the movie's second half. They also lean firmly into its characters' visibly privileged lives, which, while filled with problems, still scream of a certain level of comfort. But when We'll End Up Together lets its cast bounce off each other and flesh out its characters in the process, it's a far more palatable affair. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas, check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30 — and our full reviews of The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island and Babyteeth.
From moving road trip dramas and joyous concert documentaries to passionate anthologies and wondrous animation, plenty of excellent films reached screens large and small throughout 2020. Indeed, the past 12 months have been filled with cinematic delights — even when we've been watching them at home while movie theatres were closed — but, sadly, they can't all be great. Each year delivers its fair share of exceptional and awful movies, of course. And, both the best and the worst of the bunch can all score awards. The Oscars and the Golden Globes rank among the accolades that recognise the former, while the Golden Raspberries devotes its attention to the other end of the spectrum — and it has just revealed its latest contenders. Leading the pack among the 41st Razzie Award nominations are Polish erotic drama 365 Days, which nabbed six nods and became the awards' first-ever contender in a language other than English; and Dolittle, the Robert Downey Jr-starring remake that hit cinemas before the pandemic, and was also recognised in six categories. Also scoring more nominations than any movie would like: the horror version of Fantasy Island, which picked up five; the terrible Sia-directed Music, which notched up four; Netflix drama Hillbilly Elegy, with three; and Netflix comedies Hubie Halloween and The Wrong Missy, also with three each. None of these nominees are surprising in the least, although some films deserve their nods in a different way. Take Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, for instance — which is smart, funny and savage, and definitely not terrible, but scored two nominations for Rudy Giuliani (for worst supporting actor, and for worst screen combo with Maria Bakalova). Other movies vying for the Razzies include Wonder Woman 1984 (for worst supporting actress, and worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel), The Very Excellent Mr Dundee (for worst supporting actor), Call of the Wild (for worst screen combo, between Harrison Ford and that totally fake-looking CGI dog) and The Witches (for worst actress). Reflecting the past year's general chaos, the Razzies are also handing out a special trophy to the 2020 overall, naming it 'the worst calendar year ever'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFgnHhMLNJE The 2020 Razzie Award winners will be announced on Sunday, April 25, Australian and New Zealand time. Check out the full list of nominees below: GOLDEN RASPBERRY NOMINEES 2020: WORST PICTURE 365 Days Absolute Proof Dolittle Fantasy Island Music WORST ACTOR Robert Downey Jr, Dolittle Mike Lindell, Absolute Proof Michele Morrone, 365 Days Adam Sandler, Hubie Halloween David Spade, The Wrong Missy WORST ACTRESS Anne Hathaway, The Last Thing He Wanted and The Witches Katie Holmes, Brahms: The Boy II and The Secret: Dare to Dream Kate Hudson, Music Lauren Lapkus, The Wrong Missy Anna-Maria Sieklucka, 365 Days WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR Chevy Chase, The Very Excellent Mr Dundee Rudy Giuliani (as himself), Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Shia LeBeouf, The Tax Collector Arnold Schwarzenegger, Iron Mask Bruce Willis, Breach, Hard Kill and Survive the Night WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy Lucy Hale, Fantasy Island Maggie Q, Fantasy Island Kristen Wiig, Wonder Woman 1984 Maddie Ziegler, Music WORST SCREEN COMBO Maria Bakalova and Rudy Giuliani, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Robert Downey Jr and his utterly unconvincing Welsh accent, Dolittle Harrison Ford and that totally fake-looking CGI dog, Call of the Wild Lauren Lapkus and David Spade, The Wrong Missy Adam Sandler and his grating simpleton voice, Hubie Halloween WORST DIRECTOR Charles Band, All three Barbie and Kendra movies Barbara Bialowas and Tomasz Mandes, 365 Days Stephen Gaghan, Dolittle Ron Howard, Hillbilly Elegy Sia, Music WORST PREQUEL, REMAKE, RIP-OFF or SEQUEL 365 Days Dolittle Fantasy Island Hubie Halloween Wonder Woman 1984 WORST SCREENPLAY 365 Days All three Barbie and Kendra movies Dolittle Fantasy Island Hillbilly Elegy
Spring is here, the weather is glorious and if you're feeling the urge to head out of town, well, you're not alone. From 2–5pm on Saturday, November 9, you can enjoy all of the above by venturing to Spring Mountain Lagoon Park. It's at Greenbank, so not that far out of Brisbane — and as your reward for making the trek, you'll be surrounded by a whole heap of animals. At Spring Day Out, you can pat cute pooches, and even take your own pupper along to an agility and obedience demonstration put on by the RSPCA. If you're fond of native critters, then get up close and personal with snakes, bearded dragons, lizards and green tree frogs, as well as a tawny frogmouth owl, a squirrel glider and even a baby crocodile. Feeling a little stressed? Karmably will be hosting one of its animal yoga sessions, so you can bend, stretch and bliss out while surrounded by baby goats and lambs. Entry is free, and there'll also be a free barbecue and free ice cream from Ruby the Little Red Ice Cream Van. And if you're wondering what's behind this afternoon shindig, it's to promote the new Spring Mountain Acreage Estate in the area. Image: Karmably.
When it comes to originality, place Violent Night on cinema's naughty list: Die Hard meets Home Alone meets Bad Santa meets The Christmas Chronicles in this grab-bag action-comedy, meets Stranger Things favourite David Harbour donning the red suit (leather here, still fur-trimmed) and doing a John Wick impression. The film's beer-swigging, sledgehammer-swinging version of Saint Nick has a magic sack that contains the right presents for the right person each time he reaches into it, and screenwriters Pat Casey and Josh Miller must've felt that way themselves while piecing together their script. Pilfering from the festive canon, and from celluloid history in general, happens heartily and often in this Yuletide effort. Co-scribes on Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel, the pair are clearly experienced in the movie version of regifting. And while they haven't solely wrapped up lumps of coal in their latest effort, Violent Night's true presents are few and far between. The main gift, in the gruff-but-charming mode that's worked such a treat on Stranger Things and in Black Widow, is Harbour. It's easy to see how Violent Night's formula — not to mention its raiding of the Christmas and action genres for parts — got the tick of approval with his casting. He's visibly having a blast, too, from the moment his version of Santa is introduced downing drinks in a British bar, bellyaching about the lack of festive spirit in kids today, thinking about packing it all in and then spewing actual vomit to go with his apathy (and urine) from the side of his midair sleigh. Whenever Harbour isn't in the frame, which occurs more often than it should, Violent Night is a far worse picture. When you're shopping for the season, you have to commit to your present purchases, but this film can't always decide if it wants to be salty or sweet. Harbour's Kris Kringle: saltier than a tub of beer nuts. Still, after his sloshed pub stint, he keeps grumpily doing his job, because Christmas Eve isn't really the time to quit. Then, at the Lightstone abode, aka "the most secure private residence in the country" as viewers are told, more booze and a massage chair calls him — and that butt-vibrating rest sees him unwittingly caught up in an attack on the property. As wealthy matriarch Gertrude (Beverly D'Angelo, Shooter) lords over her adult children and their families, mercenaries storm in with their sights set on the mansion's vault. What the self-described Scrooge (John Leguizamo, The Menu) and his interchangeable colleagues aren't counting on, of course, is a formidable Father Christmas skulking around. He's trying to get away more than initially save the day, but he'll happily dispense season's beatings to do both. Just as the John Wick films, then Atomic Blonde, then Nobody all knew — Bullet Train director David Leitch has either helmed or produced them all, doing the latter with Violent Night — there's visual poetry and visceral thrills to be found when someone super-competent at holding their own dispenses with nefarious foes. That's the case even when they're battling scenery-chewing, "bah humbug"!-spouting, Hans Gruber-wannabe antagonists like Scrooge, plus his flimsier henchmen. As that's happening, and frequently, Violent Night ticks off many a movie's wishlist, but that's only part of the premise here. Those Lightstone offspring include Jason (Alex Hassell, Cowboy Bebop), who has his ex Linda (Alexis Louder, The Terminal List) and seven-year-old daughter Trudy (Leah Brady, The Umbrella Academy) in tow, and wants this Christmas jaunt to be a permanent reunion. That's a layer of drama Violent Night doesn't need, adding nothing but filler, just like Jason's sister Alva's (Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones) Succession-esque clamouring for the family company. There's usually never a bad time to eat the rich, but Violent Night's efforts are a half-chomp at best — the gun-toting crew of intruders trying to rip off millions of dollars are always the real bad guys, after all. Casey and Miller haven't penned a movie with much in the way of depth, and attempting to pretend otherwise proves as clunky as it sounds. The saccharine side that Trudy's presence brings is similarly just a way to take up time; Bad Santa's bad Santa has a pint-sized offsider, which means this flick's does as well, apparently. Trudy has also just watched Home Alone and screams about it (yes, the nods are that blatant). The sizeable scene that puts her fandom to good use, nails, bowling balls, sabotaged ladder rungs and all, is among Violent Night's most entertaining, though. The film knows how to make its familiar parts gleam when it wants to, but that isn't often enough. Director Tommy Wirkola must've been a simple hire for the job, however, thanks to Dead Snow and its sequel, plus Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. The filmmaker has stuffed his stocking with high-concept this-meets-that flicks, the exact type of movie that Violent Night is from go to whoa to ho-ho-ho. Unsurprisingly, he fares best when his picture is letting loose and living up to its enticing idea, complete with kinetic fight choreography, blood and gory deaths, and everything from icicles to lit-up star tree-toppers used as weapons. In pure action terms, there's an around-the-world sleigh ride's worth of mileage in a literally killer Santa Claus turning slasher not in a horror-flick fashion (despite its many borrowings from elsewhere, this isn't a Silent Night Deadly Night do-over), but to play hero. Comedy isn't Wirkola's strength, or the feature's — see: the laboured attempts at laughs around Alva's actor spouse Morgan (Cam Gigandet, Without Remorse) and aspiring-influencer son Bert (Alexander Elliot, The Hardy Boys) — which is why all those nods to Gremlins, The Ref, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and more land with the hollow thud of an empty box. Holiday schmaltz and reminders that there's more to the festive season than material aren't highlights either, and Casey and Miller haven't stretched themselves in trying to come up with either amusing or heartfelt dialogue. Even with a The Northman-style backstory part of Violent Night's take on the jolly man, that leaves Harbour with a heap of heavy lifting in the film's first two thirds. He's up to the task — again, it's an ace premise with ace lead casting — but he's never walking audiences through an ultra-violent Christmas movie wonderland.
Weather: crisp. Pretzels: everywhere. Cinemas: packed to the brim. Yes, that's the Berlin International Film Festival. And while plenty of chatter about sickness filtered through the fest's landmark 70th year — and plenty of grim looks at anyone who dared to cough between February 20–March 1, too — the 2020 event marked its massive anniversary in its usual star-studded, movie-filled style. Among the highlights: Willem Dafoe's moustache beaming its gloriousness from the red carpet, while the actor promoted the most divisive film of the festival; Indigenous Australian storytelling thrust into the spotlight multiple times, showcasing standouts from both the big and small screens; and a Golden Bear winner from an Iranian director, who was banned from filmmaking and unable to leave the country to attend the festival. This year's event also commemorated a 100-year-old masterpiece via an immersive exhibition, celebrated Helen Mirren's momentous career by giving her an award, and invited plenty of filmmakers to pair up and chat about their careers — including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's Ang Lee and Shoplifters' Hirokazu Kore-eda. That's what happened on the ground. If you couldn't be there, don't worry — Berlinale's massive film program will keep spreading its delights over the coming months. After spending 11 days in Berlin's cinemas (and eating the city's schnitzels and spatzle, of course), we've picked ten movies to look out for. Fingers crossed they make it to a screen Down Under sooner rather than later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRUWVT87mt8 FIRST COW Every time Kelly Reichardt steps behind the camera, something astonishing happens, as everything from Wendy and Lucy to Certain Women has shown. So the fact that First Cow ranks among the writer/director's best work is no small feat indeed. Stepping back to 19th-century America, Reichardt spins the story of a cook (John Magaro) and a Chinese entrepreneur (Orion Lee). Two outcasts among the fur-trapper community, they spark up a friendship — and, once the Chief Factor (Toby Jones) ships in the region's highly coveted first cow, they pair starts an illicit but highly profitable business making delicious biscuits using milk stolen direct from the animal in the dark of night. As always in Reichardt's features, there's such empathy, sensitivity and tenderness to this magnificently told tale, which continues the filmmaker's thoughtful exploration of characters on the margins, as well as her ongoing interrogation of the American dream. https://vimeo.com/391958174 GUNDA Move over Babe, Piglet and Porky — cinema has a new porcine star. Or several to be exact; however other than the eponymous sow, they're not given names in Gunda. Indeed, not a word is spoken in the latest engrossing, meditative and moving documentary from Aquarela's Victor Kossakovsky. Instead, the observational film devotes its black-and-white frames to watching its main subject give birth, care for her squealing and inquisitive little ones, roll around in the mud and simply go about her life. Of course, viewers know that these cute critters are living on a farm, that the piglets are destined to become meat, and that their story won't end happily. Interspersed with brief glimpses of cows and chickens — two other animals bred for human consumption — this film screams its abhorrence of eating flesh through its stunningly intimate imagery. And to the surprise of no one who saw his Golden Globes and Oscars speeches, Joaquin Phoenix is one of the doco's executive producers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBcY5-QzqTU THE WOMAN WHO RAN Alcohol. Conversation. A scene-stealing cat. Combine all three, and South Korean great Hong Sang-soo is firmly in his element. The booze flows freely as Gamhee (Hong regular Kim Min-hee, a 2017 Berlinale Best Actress winner for On the Beach at Night Alone) enjoys her first time away from her husband in five years, visiting friends around Seoul while he's off on a business trip. In the prolific director's typical fashion, much of The Woman Who Ran unfurls as his characters simply chat — about lives, hopes, dreams, problems and, with a pesky neighbour in the movie's funniest moment, about feeding stray felines. Hong's penchant for long, patient takes, playful repetition and echoes, and expertly timed crash-zooms are all used to winning effect, in a film that slots perfectly into his busy oeuvre (he's made 23 movies since 1996) and yet always feels distinctively insightful. Also, and we can't stress it enough, look out for one helluva kitty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El4-2zrNppA UNDINE For the second time in as many films, German writer/director Christian Petzold teams up with rising talents Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski — but you could never accuse the filmmaker of doing the same thing twice. Back in 2018, the trio turned Transit into a war-torn romance that mused on conflict's lingering scars, while here, they're reinventing a German myth about a water spirit who can only turn human through love. Undine (Beer, this year's Silver Bear winner for Best Actress) is a historian who guides museum tours about Berlin's origins. When her boyfriend Johannes (Jacob Matschenz) breaks up with her suddenly, she warns him that she'll have to kill him. Then she meets industrial diver Christoph (Rogowski), but even as their love blossoms, her previous relationship isn't easily overcome. Petzold is no stranger to pondering the impact of the past on the present (see also: Barbara and Phoenix); however in the enchanting, beguiling, beautifully shot Undine, he's at his most haunting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjw_QTKr2rc NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS The third film from talented American writer/director Eliza Hittman (It Felt Like Love, Beach Rats), Never Rarely Sometimes Always took home Berlinale's Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize — the festival's second most prestigious award — but it would've been a more than worthy overall winner. First premiering at Sundance, where it also nabbed a jury prize, this a heart-wrenching gut-punch of a movie that's about an ordinary teenager in an everyday situation, while simultaneously focused on a crucial topic. When small-town Pennsylvanian 17-year-old Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) discovers that she's pregnant, she only really has one option. She's certain her family (including Sharon Van Etten as her mother) won't help, and the local women's clinic advocates having the baby, so with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) she hops on a bus to New York. Their experiences in the Big Apple are tense and devastating, as is this potent, compassionate and naturalistic entire film. [caption id="attachment_763961" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mughal Mowgli Ltd, BBC[/caption] MOGUL MOWGLI Riz Ahmed not only stars in but also cowrites Mogul Mowgli — and given that he's playing a British Pakistani rapper, and the Four Lions and Rogue One actor also happens to be British Pakistani rapper himself, this incisive drama understandably feels personal. It's also electrifying from the moment when, early in the film, Ahmed's character Zed takes the stage and unleashes his politically charged lyrics about his experiences to a responsive audience. Zed is on the cusp of stardom but, just as he secures his next big opportunity in a supporting slot on a lucrative European tour, his health unexpectedly begins to fail him. Exploring the fallout, including the professional disappointment, Zed's struggles with his cultural heritage upon his return home to London and the tough reality of facing a shattering diagnosis, writer/director Bassam Tariq makes an exceptional debut, crafting a film that's as bold, dynamic and probing as its central performance. [caption id="attachment_763958" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Caroline Fauvet[/caption] JUMBO In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, one of the best films of 2019, Noémie Merlant played an 18th-century artist who fell in love with the betrothed woman she's commissioned to paint. In the neon-hued, loosely based-on-a-true-story Jumbo, she's once again falling head over heels — this time for an amusement park ride. Her character, fairground worker Jeanne, is shy to the point of being teased by everyone around her. While her mother (Emmanuelle Bercot) doesn't fall into that category, she does repeatedly try to push her out of her comfort zone, including setting her up with the park's new boss (Bastien Bouillon). But in Belgium-born, France-based writer/director Zoé Wittock's debut feature, nothing makes Jeanne feel the way that Jumbo, the theme park's new ride, does. It's a quirky, even whimsical concept, but both Merlant and Wittock treat Jeanne's love affair with sensitivity and enthusiasm — two traits the character isn't accustomed to receiving elsewhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgyisKVoFzY THERE IS NO EVIL The death penalty casts a dark shadow over There Is No Evil, an anthology film that explores capital punishment and its impacts. Across four segments, writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof charts the ripples that state-sanctioned killing has upon Iranian society — via a stressed husband and father (Ehsan Mirhosseini), a conscript (Kaveh Ahangar) who can't fathom ending someone's life, a soldier (Mohammad Valizadegan) whose compliance causes personal issues and a physician (Mohammad Seddighimehr) unable to practise his trade. While some sections hit their mark more firmly and decisively than others (the film's introduction sets a high bar), this year's Golden Bear winner has a lingering cumulative effect as it ponders the threats and freedoms of life under an oppressive regime. Rasoulof has actually been banned from filmmaking in Iran, restricted from leaving the country and sentenced to prison, all for examining the reality of his homeland — and, after 2013's Manuscripts Don't Burn and 2017's A Man of Integrity, There Is No Evil continues the trend. [caption id="attachment_763954" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Michael Kotschi/Flare Film[/caption] ONE OF THESE DAYS After turning in an astonishingly raw and powerful performance in 2017's A Prayer Before Dawn, British actor Joe Cole does so again in US-set drama One of These Days — albeit in completely different circumstances. In a nuanced and naturalistic performance, he plays Kyle, a small-town Texan department store employee who's overjoyed when he wins the chance to compete in the local car dealership's annual 'Hands on a Hardbody' contest. If he can outlast his fellow competitors by placing his hand on a truck for longer than anyone else, he'll drive off with the vehicle he's certain will change not only his life, but that of his wife (Callie Hernandez) and their baby. Also starring True Blood's Carrie Preston as the marketing guru in charge of running and promoting the contest, One of These Days doesn't hold back in exploring the toxic cycle that sees the struggling and desperate chase wealth at any cost, with German writer/director Bastian Günther helming a clear-eyed but immensely empathetic film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARNPF52AZAQ HIGH GROUND A high-profile Australian cast and an acclaimed local director traipse through the country's colonial past in High Ground — and while that description applies to a growing number of Aussie films (Sweet Country and The Nightingale, just to name two recent examples), it'll never get old. Indeed, while Stephen Maxwell Johnson's (Yolngu Boy) frontier western feels like a natural addition to this growing genre, it also makes its own imprint. The setup: on what's supposed to be a routine expedition, almost an entire Indigenous tribe is wiped out by northern Australian police. Their leader, ex-World War I sniper Travis (Simon Baker), isn't responsible for the carnage, but it weighs heavily on him in the aftermath. In this gorgeously shot, deeply contemplative drama, that especially proves the case twelve years later — when Travis is enlisted by his superior (Jack Thompson) and his ex-partner (Callan Mulvey) to track down one of its revenge-seeking survivors, all while accompanied by the boy-turned-tracker (Jacob Junior Nayinggul) who also lived through the slaughter. Images: First Cow © Allyson Riggs/A24; Gunda © Egil Håskjold Larsen/Sant & Usant; The Woman Who Ran © Jeonwonsa Film Co. Production; Undine © Christian Schulz/Schramm Film; Never Rarely Sometimes Always © 2019 courtesy of Focus Features; Mogul Mowgli © Mughal Mowgli Ltd, BBC; Jumbo © Caroline Fauvet; There Is No Evil © Cosmopol Film; One of These Days © Michael Kotschi/Flare Film; High Ground © Sarah Enticknap/High Ground Picture.
With the increase in bike paths and subsequent riders around our cities, cyclers need more options when it comes to storing their bikes. These quirky, colourful bike racks that double as street art in their respective cities around the world will probably taint the way you see traditional, boring bike racks forever. Because who wouldn’t want to chain their bike up to an over-sized steaming coffee mug or hook it on a giant spinning wheel? Just in case anyone was confused. In Roanake, Virginia gigantic combs are used as an effective method of storing bikes. A ferris-wheel inspired construction from Seoul. Only in Portlandia. If you're not getting enough dietary fibre into your diet, here's a sure fire way to kick up your daily intake. A clever marketing stunt outside Filter Coffee in Washington appears as a vibrant and appealing place to let your bicycle stand while you enjoy sipping a coffee and munching on some cake within. We're not entirely sure what this New York structure is supposed to resemble, but it does seem like some sort of contorting alien body. These striking paperclips won't be able to keep budding cyclists away as the bold colours draw in bikes from all around Washington DC. Bullwinkle? Is that you? One of David Byrne's NYC designs. Enough said. This long four-legged glistening red horse from Louisville, Kentucky is a fun way to tie up a bike for a day. [Via Flavorwire]
Wandering around a market while the sun shines is all well and good, but there's something extra appealing about the nighttime variety. Happening every Friday and Saturday night in Brisbane's north, BITE Markets fits the bill — and serves up plenty of food, because that's what every night market attendee really wants. Created by caterer Tom Burke, the twice-weekly setup boasts more than 30 'flavour makers' on its lineup, all trying to keep your hunger in check. Fancy a big heap of pasta? Sweet treats in the form of cakes, doughnuts, churros and poffertjes? Dumplings, bao, banh mi, wings, calamari, German sausages and Japanese eats? They're all on the menu, with the likes of Bamboo Street Asian Kitchen, Calamari Canteen, Hong Kong Dumplings, It's a Wing Thing, Mister Churros and Moreton Bay Mocktails coming to North Harbour to sling their wares. A shipping container setup like Hamilton's Eat Street — complete with landscaping and a dining precinct — BITE Markets showcases local talents, so prepare to feast on meals whipped up by the best producers, food creators and artisans in the area. Running from 4–10pm each Friday and Saturday, the huge foodie gathering calls a patch of Nolan Drive in Morayfield home. Entry costs $3 for adults — and for those driving north, there's more than 600 car parks onsite. BITE Markets take place every Friday and Saturday from 4–10pm at North Harbour.
For a country that's girt by sea, as our anthem reminds us, Australia has become rather obsessed with waves of the man-made kind of late. The Sunshine Coast was supposed to be getting a wave pool that hasn't yet come to fruition, work on URBNSURF's 2.1-hectare space near the Melbourne airport has already begun — targeting an April 2019 opening — and a 3.2-hectare Sydney spot was approved late last year. Indeed, 'who needs real beaches?' seems to be the current line of thinking. If a regional Queensland surf park that's set to become operational this year proves a success, we could all living out at Point Break dreams at more places — called Surf Lakes, it's actually a prototype facility designed to give a new kind of technology a whirl. Located near Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, the park is built around a central mechanism that sends waves from the middle of the 200-metre by 150-metre lake towards the edge. With the water lapping over eight distinctive breaks, it'll produce 2400 surfable waves per hour. [caption id="attachment_676066" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Surf Lakes[/caption] Surf Lakes also has some high-profile support, with Aussie surfers Mark Occhilupo and Barton Lynch the park's two ambassadors. More than just lending his encouragement to the project, Occy is lending a hand on an attraction called Occy's Peak, The Morning Bulletin reports. It's a barrelling break that'll range up to 2.4 metres high — the park record — and span across 60 metres. The full-scale demo site is currently to slated to be up-and-running around August, according to Stab Magazine; however don't go booking a trip to central Queensland just yet. At present, it'll be run as a test facility for media and folks who might be interested in licensing the idea for other parks, although there are plans to open to the public at a later date.
You wouldn't naturally think that the Bible or your herb garden would provide much inspiration regarding all things hot and heavy. The immensely talented artist, Michelle Henry has explored these two areas to create a unique exhibition entitled, Songs of Songs which comprises of 24 stunning paintings. Named after a book in the Old Testament, Songs of Songs is centred around the love story expressed through cheeky, and beautiful metaphors relating to flowers, plants, leaves and almost everything else related to the plant world. After this unassuming language is stripped away, parts of the story are enough to turn you beet red as their love becomes crystal clear. Henry is interested in both the tale and the language and has therefore created art to explore the parallels between the leafy language and the passionate story. Love, lust, passion and plants make for an interesting combo. Believe us, you've never been to an exhibition quite like this before.
Chef Boo is quite possibly the most adorable chef in all of Brisbane. Growing up in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand, Bussakorn (Boo) developed her love of food under the tutelage of her mother, who sold traditional meals directly from the family home. The menu at Boo's Kitchen is infused with her signature wit and warmth, with each item carrying a little story to help new diners select their dishes. Our top picks for mains: the drunken noodles with prawns and scallops (allegedly created many years ago by a drunk chef) and the wagyu steak crying tiger (with an eye-watering spicy dipping sauce). Boo's signature seafood dish is the soft shell crab with yellow curry (boo means crab in Thai), which is topped with shallots, onions and carrots and doused with yellow curry sauce. Pro tip: add a roti canai to your order to mop your plate. Images: Hennessy Trill
It's been two years since New Zealand's huge One Love Festival made its Australian debut, bringing a day-long reggae festival not only across the ditch, but to the Gold Coast's scenic waterside surroundings. Rebadged Good Love for its second Australian event in 2022, it keeps proving a hit, selling out both shows so far. Based on the just-announced 2023 headliners, expect the same to happen next year as well. Given the fest's origins, it's fitting that New Zealand's history-making chart-toppers Six60 lead the lineup — fresh from breaking the record held by Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on the NZ album charts last year. Joining them is another huge name, especially given Good Love's chosen genre. Where can you see Bob Marley's son play Australia's biggest reggae festival? Here, with Julian Marley and the Uprising also topping the bill. So far, Coterie, DMP and Bradamon are also on the roster, with more acts to be announced for the Saturday, February 4 event. Exactly where on the Gold Coast the fest will take place also hasn't been revealed, so there's plenty more information to come. The day of Jamaican-influenced tunes popped up at Southport's Broadwater Parklands in 2020, and Doug Jennings Park at The Spit in 2022. Wherever Good Love is headed in 2023, clearing your diary, grabbing your sneakers and preparing to spend some time dancing to reggae by the water should definitely be on your summer agenda. Its counterpart is quite the big deal across the ditch, attracting more than 20,000 festival-goers each year for a decade before the pandemic. Planning to attend next year's Gold Coast fest? Expect to have more than 14,000 fellow music fans for company. GOOD LOVE FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP — FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT: Six60 Julian Marley and the Uprising Coterie DMP Bradamon Good Love Festival will hit the Gold Coast, at a yet-to-be-revealed venue, on Saturday, February 4. To sign up for the ticket waitlist, head to the festival's website.
The dulcet, knowledgeable voice embodying the soundtrack to a generation of nature docos is returning to our fair shores, with Sir David Attenborough set to roll through town in February. He'll be taking the stage for Sir David Attenborough – A Quest For Life, a series of live talks hosted by our own Ray Martin. The esteemed writer, filmmaker, producer, and host will give audiences a unique glimpse into his jam-packed, six-decade career. Sir David will give some insight into the changes he's witnessed along the way, as well as delving into some of the world's current environmental challenges — all delivered in that charming, distinguished voice we know and love so well. The tour kicks off in Auckland on February 2, followed by shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH – A QUEST FOR LIFE DATES AUCKLAND 8pm Thursday, February 2 — The Civic BRISBANE 7.30pm Saturday February 4, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre SYDNEY 7.30pm Wednesday, February 8 and Thursday, February 9, State Theatre MELBOURNE 7.30pm Saturday, February 11, and (new date) Monday, February 13, Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre ADELAIDE 7.30pm Tuesday February 14, Festival Theatre PERTH 7.30pm Thursday, February 16, Riverside Theatre, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Just like burger, doughnut and fried chicken joints, Brisbane doesn't lack riverside watering holes; however there's always room for one more. Due to revamp the waterline expanse in Eagle Street in the CBD, Riverland is the city's next bar and beer garden with a shimmering view, with construction underway for a spring launch. Sitting behind Emirates House and boasting Brissie's biggest river frontage, Riverland aims to make the most of its enviable location, not only offering a new all-day drinking spot with a stellar vantage, but five street kitchens as well. Fashioned out of two 12-metre containers, the permanent island bar will serve a range of beer and ciders spanning domestic, international, craft and micro-brewed, shining a particular spotlight on local breweries. Elsewhere, three other six-metre shipping containers will be converted into space for one regular and four rotating food vendors. With the design task falling to architecture firm Burton & Carter, Riverland will feature a blend of timber and greenery, with both combined in an arbour entryway. Keeping the natural feel, as well as keeping the city's usual subtropical vibe going, the venue will also retain the existing trees onsite. Throw in a planned entertainment slate of acoustic performances and DJs, and the scene is set for a welcoming river-adjacent hangout. "It's all about the location," says part owner and venue manager Gerard Coakley. "The focus at all times is the Brisbane River," he continues. Riverland is the latest venture from Open Arms Hospitality, who are making their first moves in Brisbane after operating a string of places, bars and hotels in Victoria and NSW. Find Riverland at 167 Eagle Street, Brisbane from spring. Keep an eye on the bar's website and Facebook page for further information. Image: Jorge Láscar via Flickr
After bringing New Farm's old Brunswick Street movie theatre back to life, then turning the Irish Club in Elizabeth Street into a CBD picture palace, Five Star Cinemas is launching its latest venture: a five-screen venue inside Red Hill's old Skate Arena. First announced in late 2017 and finally coming to fruition despite legal challenges, Red Hill Cinemas will welcome movie-loving patrons from Saturday, November 30. When it swings open its doors, it'll fall just under a month shy of 17 years since the building's former guise met a fiery end, with the roller-skating rink gutted by fire on Boxing Day in 2002. In the almost two decades since that blaze, the empty Enoggera Terrace site has become home to a host of multi-coloured street art by figures such as Sofles and Drapl — and, in revamping and restoring the structure, Five Star Cinema owners Peter and Stephen Sourris have retained the graffiti-covered walls as an eye-catching feature. They're also nodding to the past in a different way, with the location initially operating as a cinema from the 1920s–60s, before being turned into a teen music venue and then, for nearly 40 years from 1965, becoming the beloved Skate Arena. Brisbane cinephiles can expect other winks to history throughout the site, too, such as a plant stand made out of an old ladder that once went up to the projection booth, canvas foyer chairs sourced from a cinema in Gayndah, and walls filled with cinema items and artefacts from the family's collection — as the Sourris brothers have done at both New Farm Cinemas and The Elizabeth Picture Theatre. Sadly, an originally mooted bowling alley isn't part of the final venue, but Red Hill Cinemas' timber flooring has been recycled from a bowling alley's lanes, while the lower area of the building boasts a ceiling made up of wood from the old Skate Arena that survived the fire. https://www.instagram.com/p/B4whxHWg4YD/ Naturally, the location's history looms large over the new cinemas, but it isn't the main attraction. Film-goers can grab a seat in the main 160-seat cinema, or pick from one of four 70-seat 'gold room' screens, which all feature leather recliners. Red Hill Cinemas will launch with a lineup that includes Last Christmas, The Irishman, Marriage Story, Knives Out, Ford v Ferrari and Frozen II, and will offer movie-goers $10 tickets to all sessions from Saturday, November 30–Wednesday, December 4. Find Red Hill Cinemas at 14 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill from Saturday, November 30.
