Fancy seeing one of Brisbane's most popular spaces in a completely new light? Or, to be more accurate, with more than 8000 square metres of lights flickering over the top of its lush greenery? As every home renovation-focused TV show has told us time and time again, a splash of colour can make a world of difference — and, at Roma Street Parklands' returning Enchanted Garden, it can turn an already picturesque space into a glorious festive wonderland. This is a family-friendly affair, and it's back from previous years. That said, there's a big difference in 2021: it's no longer free. You'll pay $7 to head along and stare up at all that dazzling brightness — all between Wednesday, December 1–Thursday, December 23. And, once you're in, you can soak up the luminousness for as long as you like. Attendees shouldn't go expecting the kind of setup that you've been ignoring on every street corner in Brissie's suburbs. Lights will twinkle and decorations will sparkle; however, this isn't a tacky DIY display. Nope, not at all. Instead, there'll be a lighting trail that uses LED fields, holograms and 3D-printed birds, all spread across 11 different activations. That said, a word of warning: people love all things glittery, so prepare to have as much company as is permitted in these chaotic times. If you're organised enough, you can always pack a picnic, arrive early and enjoy dinner beforehand. Plus, you can BYO drinks to one of the few public places that allows them in our fair town — although Roma Street Parklands' licensed areas are only licensed until 8pm. Food trucks will also be onsite at the Celebration Lawn and Lakeside Lawn from 4pm daily if you don't get around to taking care of your own nosh, and The Garden Room will also be doing meal options. Tickets go on sale at 11.30am AEST on Thursday, November 4.
It's the business with one of the best names we've come across — and it's been one of Brisbane's favourites for a few years now. On Sunday, March 31, it'll also be one of the reasons you should mosey on over to Portside Wharf for the precinct's annual Cheese & Champagne Pop-Up. Yes, we're talking about The Cheese Pleaser, those purveyors of a certain dairy product. If you've bought any of its sharp or creamy wares before, you'll know that it well and truly lives up to its moniker. At Portside, this cheese fiend store isn't just showcasing artisan cheeses, although it'll be doing plenty of that (don't worry). It's also teaming up with Gusto da Gianni and Moët & Chandon to showcase great bites and beverages, all set to the sounds of some rocking live music. The result is the kind of event that you'll want to bring a picnic blanket to, then settle in for an afternoon of drinks, tunes and $15 French cheese platters. That's right, this pop-up won't just be yum — it'll be fun, too. And, it's taking place on the wharf. If you're in the area in the week leading up to the pop-up, too, Portside's retailers will be offering cheesy specials all week. Think cheese platters, cheese gnocchi, cheesy naans, smoked salmon and parmesan sushi, and haloumi breakfast burgers. Image: Portside Wharf.
How many characters wear bathrobes in Pulp Fiction? Which airline does Jackie Brown work for? Where will you find Minnie's Haberdashery? How many Vega brothers are there? Did Mr Yellow help rob a jewellery store? If you know all of the answers to these questions — and everything else about the writer/director's slate — then you know where you should be on June 15. It's Super Happy Fun Show Tarantino Edition time at Sabotage Social, meaning that you can put your QT love to good use to win cash and prizes. Who knew that rewatching Reservoir Dogs, Django Unchained, Death Proof and Inglourious Basterds over and over again would come in so handy? So, dance on in like Mia Wallace at Jack Rabbit Slim's — and prepare to slay more enemies than The Bride. Basically, channel your inner Uma Thurman for a night of questions, answers, fun and merriment. Waxing lyrical about royales with cheese, Madonna songs and bounty hunting is completely optional.
These big award shows are a funny business. Everything is so manicured and over the top. Everyone from every film or TV series you've seen seems to be there, but they're not quite right. They're not the character you really know them as, or they're too liquored up to look like anyone at all. Since the internet has risen up and eaten most of our free time, these shows have become a bit of a smorgasbord though. We don't really care about the glitz or the glamour of it, we kind of just want something funny to post on our Twitter feed. Every great joke or horrible mistake becomes well-known within minutes. Did something embarrassing happen to Matt Damon? Was Jennifer Lawrence being funny? Did Tina Fey and Amy Poehler channel Britney and Madonna for an on-stage kiss? In the interest of saving time, the answers to those questions are yes, yes, and unfortunately no. Here's your cheat sheet for the rest. 1. The Red Carpet Went Horribly Wrong Red carpets are usually pretty awkward. Most stars really just want to get inside to the open bar, and most reporters seem gloriously starstruck or out of their depth asking inane questions about manicure styles or the benefits of open toed heels versus closed. But this year's pre-show entertainment took awkward to a whole new level when E! Entertainment broadcasted some inappropriate 'fun facts' during their live stream of the event. These included 'FUN FACT: Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991' and 'FUN FACT: Robert Redford was stricken with polio as a child.' As if that wasn't enough of a dampener, the red carpet also suffered a small flash flood after a sprinkler malfunctioned. Luckily that was before the ceremony, and after a small delay Ryan Seacrest resumed his post as the weird plasticky go-to man, and stars like Elisabeth Moss rebelled the ceremony in their own small ways like flipping off the obligatory mani-cam. Go team. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y-XGTLfaG3Y 2. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Killed It This was always going to happen. Although it's always hard to shake images of Liz Lemon and Leslie Knope from your mind, these girls were perfect together last year and rekindled the magic for an impressive second show — they even called it in their opening monologue (duologue?): "When something kinda works, you keep doing it till everybody hates it." I don't think that will be any time soon however as all their one-liners hit the marks hard. Targets included George Clooney as they stated "Gravity [was] the story about how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age." Jonah Hill also got a dig off the back of his upcoming release The Wolf of Wall Street: "If I wanted to see Jonah Hill masturbate at a pool party, I would have gone to one of Jonah Hill's pool parties." Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tom Hanks (or Tam Honks) and Matthew McConaughey also got a mention, but do yourself a favour and watch the whole thing here. 3. People were still making fun of Matt Damon Matt Damon was another mark hit in the opening monologue when Poehler said, "Matt, on any other night in any other room, you would be a big deal. But tonight — and don't take this the wrong way — you're basically a garbage person." Being the good sport that he is, when presenting on stage he then followed up with, "It's me, the garbage man. The garbage man who didn't bring his glasses. Fantastic." We know it's cruel, but there seems to be something so satisfying about making fun of this man. Team America was released nearly 10 years ago now, and he's done nothing to deserve it, but it's still so hard to say his name with a straight face. 4. Jennifer Lawrence was there (and she won) 2013 has already been deemed the year of J-Law, but we don't see the hype dying anytime soon. Right from the beginning she was causing a fuss as the entire internet exploded with something to say about her dress. So what if it's Christian Dior? She knows we love her. We have to knock her down a peg or two every so often just like we would an annoying little sister going to the formal. Before making it through the door, she already reclaimed her throne as queen of GIFs as she snuck up on Taylor Swift and joked about pushing her over. She then won Best Supporting Actress for her role in American Hustle, and followed it up with a press conference saying she needed to "catch up on her drinking". She'll be our dream babe forever. 5. People Were Drunk This is more of an educated guess than a hard observation, but hey, Emma Thompson threw her shoes over her shoulder and downed a martini on stage, Amy Poehler kissed Bono and Tina Fey compared Leonardo Dicaprio to a supermodel's vagina. I wish there was more context to each of these things, but that's really about all we can offer. Time to grab some icecream & switch over to #GIRLS — mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 13, 2014 6. Mia Farrow used Twitter to its full catty potential Woody Allen was a winner (of sorts) at the year's show as he received a lifetime achievement award. Star of his cult classic Annie Hall, Diane Keaton accepted the award on his behalf and praised in particular the women of Woody Allen's filmic world. "They struggle, they love, they fall apart, they dominate, they're flawed. They are, in fact, the hallmark of Woody's work," she said. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the women of Woody's life off-screen as his ex-wife Mia Farrow took to Twitter and decided his tribute the perfect moment to tune out and catch the season premiere of Girls. No one can really blame her. 7. Things Got Awkward It wouldn't be an awards ceremony without someone overstaying their welcome during the speeches. This year, that cringe-worthy crowning moment belonged solely to Jacqueline Bisset. After winning Best Supporting Actress in a TV Mini-Series for her work in Dancing on the Edge, Bisset embarked on a strange bumbling journey into the unknown that was presumably just as painful for her to deliver as it was for us to watch. Problems on stage continued as an autocue failed for Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie, and Andy Samberg didn't have a speech at all after winning Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He then strangely copped a kiss on the lips from Modern Family's Julie Bowen. Awkward star contact continued when P. Diddy gave Bono a hug that was clearly a little off consensual. (We could watch that GIF forever.) 8. The Right People Won There's nothing more infuriating than sitting through an entire awards show, then seeing the cheesiest and least exciting shows take home the prizes. There's obviously going to be some disconnect between your opinion and that of the Hollywood Foreign Press, but still — it's nice when everything works out. Aside from J-Law, other winners included Breaking Bad for Best TV Drama and Bryan Cranston for his role in the lead. After their shocking loss at the Emmy's last year, this win seems the perfect way to see off the prolific show after its final episode late last year. Aaron Paul even summoned one final "Yeah, bitch," before leaving the stage pleasing millions of internet users worldwide. The top acting awards rightfully went out to Leonardo Dicaprio for The Wolf of Wolf Street and Cate Blanchett for her amazing work in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine, and the top films were American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave. Amy Poehler finally got commended for her work as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation, and most importantly of all, both Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory received nothing. A good night was had by all.
If you have been through grade eight drama, or have watched Whose Line Is It Anyway, then you will know the theatre sports game where one person starts a scene, and as the next person jumps into the scene, they create their own new storyline, and so on. Apply this theory to music composition, and you have Ten Hands. Brisbane-based group Topology have created their latest piece of work collaboratively through a series of recorded collective improvisations. After each recording the members would listen independently and then write out the best moments and bring these to rehearsal. The quintet would play each annotated piece of music, rehearse these and then continue improvising until they formed a one hour long piece, which is Ten Hands. Don’t miss this astonishing performance on Thursday and Friday 2-3 August at the Powerhouse.
Today, the award-winning Balter Brewing Company became the latest in the ever-growing line of independently owned Aussie breweries that've been snatched up by the big guys. The Queensland brewery released this statement on its website today, announcing that it had been bought by mega company Carlton & United Breweries (CUB). The multibillion-dollar company already owns the likes of Budweiser, Corona, VB, Stellar Artois and (of course) Carlton Draught — and it has already snatched up some other local craft heroes, including Pirate Life and 4 Pines. CUB is currently owned by the even larger Belgium-based beer corp AB InBev, but that might soon change if a proposed $16 billion acquisition by Asahi goes ahead. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5qqoNHlS1o/ Craft brewers have been slated by beer aficionados for 'selling out' to big producers in recent years, and comments on Balter's Facebook post show some fans' disappointment and concern about maintaining the quality of the beer. But, over at Balter, the owners are promising that not much will change. Head Brewer Scotty Hargrave (ex-Stone & Wood) will stay on in his role and, in the statement — which directly addresses the sell-out mentality — the team has reassured customers that "the beer will stay the same". "Yes, we've sold the business, but no we haven't sold out," the team said in a collective statement. "Tomorrow we'll still show up to work with the exact same team, with same mindset and values that have made Balter to what it is today." The contract with CUB is meant to ensure minimal corporate interference overall, with the team saying: "The only reason we started chatting with CUB was their commitment to keep Balter largely as is. CUB have put that in writing and we'll hold them to it." As well as the brew team, the in-house marketing, warehouse crew and owners are all staying on board, too. According to the team, the sale will help manage the brand's exponential growth, and pay back the initial investment to the 46 families who helped get Balter off the ground. So what does the sale mean for you? Not much, initially. As to be expected with CUBs massive reach, you can expect to see a whole heap more Balter in big name venues around town, too. But, in turn, it might also mean that some independent-only bottle shops, bars and pubs may no longer stock Balter at all. If you're worried that the quality of the beer will stay the same, the only thing you can do is wait and see — the team itself is inviting cynics to try a tinnie in a month's time and see if they can spot the difference. And if you want to only buy local, you still have plenty of independent breweries to choose from. Balter is by no means the only craft producer to have been snapped up this year — beloved gin brand Four Pillars was acquired by another beer behemoth Lion in March, and a second Queensland favourite, Green Beacon, was bought by Asahi in August.
At the 2024 British Film Festival, when you're not watching movies starring Saoirse Ronan, Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh and Barry Keoghan, you'll be catching the latest performances from Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter. There's never any lack of big-name talents gracing the screen at Australia's annual celebration of the UK's latest and greatest contributions to cinema, but this year's is particularly jam-packed — so much so that there's not just one feature boasting Ronan among its cast, but two. Blitz, which sees the Foe, Little Women and Ammonite actor team up with 12 Years a Slave, Widows and Small Axe filmmaker Steve McQueen, is the British Film Festival's 2024 opening-night film. Playing Down Under fresh from also launching the London Film Festival, the period drama heads back to World War II, and starts the fest's month-long run at Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from Wednesday, November 6–Sunday, December 8 with one of the year's must-see movies. At the other end of the festival, the also highly anticipated We Live in Time will close out the event. Pugh (Dune: Part Two) and Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven) lead the romance from Brooklyn filmmaker John Crowley, which follows a couple's relationship across a decade. The second Ronan-led flick on the full 2024 British Film Festival comes courtesy of page-to-screen adaptation The Outrun, where the four-time Oscar-nominee plays a recovering addict — and there's plenty more highlights on the program from there. Hard Truths sits in the fest's centrepiece slot, reuniting iconic director Mike Leigh (Peterloo) with his Academy Award-nominated Secrets & Lies star Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Surface). Also boasting the coveted pairing of an impressive helmer and an exceptional on-screen talent: Bird from Andrea Arnold (American Honey), which is where Keoghan (Saltburn) pops up. As for Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), he stars with Juliette Binoche (The New Look) in The Return, a British spin on Homer's Odyssey — and also in papal thriller Conclave with Citadel's Stanley Tucci, Killers of the Flower Moon's John Lithgow and Spaceman's Isabella Rossellini. Law (Peter Pan & Wendy) plays King Henry VIII opposite Alicia Vikander (Irma Vep) as Katherine Parr in Firebrand, while Brosnan (The Last Rifleman) and Bonham Carter (One Life) feature in romance Four Letters of Love. Other standouts include the century-hopping dark comedy Timestalker from Garth Marenghi's Darkplace alum Alice Lowe, the Gillian Anderson (Scoop)- and Jason Isaacs (Archie)-led The Salt Path, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (You Hurt My Feelings) facing death in Tuesday, and Kelly Macdonald (Operation Mincemeat) and Damian Lewis (Billions) in vampire comedy The Radleys. For music fans, there's a dedicated themed sidebar featuring both Blur: To the End and Blur: Live at Wembley Stadium — one about the band's most-recent chapter, the other a two-hour concert film — as well as the Led Zeppelin-focused The Song Remains the Same and The Rolling Stones-centric The Stones and Brian Jones. This year's British Film Festival is also peering backwards via retrospective sessions of Ratcatcher, the debut feature from You Were Never Really Here's Lynne Ramsay; the Bonham Carter- and Dame Maggie Smith (The Miracle Club)-starring A Room with a View; and classic British historical dramas such as A Man for All Seasons, Heat and Dust, The Lion in Winter and Kenneth Branagh's (A Haunting in Venice) Henry V.
If you're the type of movie buff who likes watching new release films on the big screen, popcorn in one hand and choc top in the other, then your viewing habits have undergone some drastic changes in recent weeks. First, upcoming blockbuster flicks started postponing their release dates due to COVID-19. Then, cinemas across Australia began closing — initially by choice, and then by government decree. As a result, no one is gathering in a darkened room to soak in some movie magic from the silver screen any time soon. In the US, a number of studios have been making the leap to online releases, as a way of still letting audiences access and watch their latest films while everyone is staying home. Australian distributors have been slower to take the same jump, but now Roadshow Films has announced that it's fast-tracking a heap of its recent flicks to digital — so you can catch Margot Robbie's chaotic antics in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), check out the Michael B. Jordan-starring legal drama Just Mercy or get a dose of Guy Ritchie's latest British crime caper The Gentlemen all from your couch. In total, 12 recent big-screen releases have been earmarked for digital rental, although some — Joker, Hustlers and The Good Liar — were already available via home entertainment formats anyway. Other titles include entertaining Karate Kid-style Aussie go-karting flick Go!, which stars Richard Roxburgh as an ex-champ reluctantly mentoring an eager teen; Clint Eastwood-directed true crime drama Richard Jewell, about the bombing at the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta; and Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, the partially crowdfunded big-screen spin-off from the beloved Australian mystery TV series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbHkNiIyl3I Most of these movies were still in theatres when cinemas started closing in Australia. Some, such as Ben Affleck vehicle The Way Back — where he plays an alcoholic former basketball star who starts coaching his old high school's team — had actually only started screening at the beginning of March. Either way, being made available to watch at home so quickly marks a big change for the local film industry, with films usually only jumping to DVD and streaming 90 days after they first hit cinemas — although Netflix movies such as Roma, The Irishman and Marriage Story, plus Amazon titles like Brittany Runs a Marathon and The Report, have all been challenging that fixed window in recent years. For Roadshow, it'll be dropping different films online from different dates, with rentals via GooglePlay and iTunes. Check out the full list of titles and dates below: Joker: available now Hustlers: available now The Good Liar: available now Go!: available now Midway: available now Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn): available Saturday, March 28 Just Mercy: available Saturday, March 28 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears: available Monday, March 30 The Gentlemen: available Tuesday, March 31 Richard Jewell: available Wednesday, April 1 Motherless Brooklyn: available Wednesday, April 1 The Way Back: available Wednesday, April 15 Roadshow's fast-tracked films are available to rent via GooglePlay and iTunes. To find out further details, visit the distributor's website. Top image: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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.
Massive screen, massive occasion, massive movies: that's the equation when IMAX Sydney reopens its doors after a seven-year absence. How do you relaunch one of the biggest cinema screens in the world, which measures 692 square metres and will start shimmering before film lovers' eyes again from Wednesday, October 11? With Avatar: The Way of Water, Barbenheimer and Taylor Swift's Eras concert tour flick. Trips to the pictures in Sydney are getting huge again, with the Darling Harbour venue reopening in its newly rebuilt form after closing down back in 2016. The entire building was demolished, and was originally meant to get its projectors running again in 2019, then in 2021; however, that clearly didn't happen. Giant things come to cinemagoers who wait, it seems. That screen really is large. It's not quite as big as IMAX Melbourne, which is the world's largest, but it's still mammoth. And, it sports a 1.43 picture ratio, which means giving viewers up to 40-percent more image. Cue more need for speed when Top Gun: Maverick graces the screen during the venue's opening week, more of Barbie's pink hues and Oppenheimer's tension (including in perfectly timed Barbenheimer doubles), more humans battling AI in The Creator, and more of one of the world's biggest pop stars onstage for Swifties to enjoy. The new IMAX Sydney's setup is also IMAX's most-advanced theatre experience so far, spanning 4K laser projection using a system with a new optical engine and custom-designed lenses. Thanks to a range of proprietary technology, viewers can expect the images to be brighter, too, with increased resolution, deeper contrast and the widest range of colours that IMAX has seen. As for the sound, that's being piped through a 12-channel setup. At a site run by EVT — the hospitality company behind Event Cinemas, Moonlight Cinema, the Skyline Drive-In and the State Theatre; the arrival of surround-screen viewing Down Under; a heap of bars and restaurants; QT Hotels, Rydges and other hotel chains; plus IMAX venues in Auckland and Queensgate in New Zealand, as well as IMAX Karlsruhe in Germany — moviegoers have four choices when it comes to seating. In addition to standard seats, you can get comfortable in a full recliner, cosy up with your plus one in a couples' recliner or go with a private box for up to four people. The latter is perched on an elevated platform, and comes with exclusive food and beverage options There's 430 seats in total, on par with the old venue. And, the range of bites and drinks overall has scored a revamp courtesy of a marketplace experience. Before your movie starts, you can kick back in the lounge — and, of course, IMAX Sydney sports a full-service bar. "The opening of IMAX Sydney showcases EVT's commitment to bringing world class entertainment experiences to Australia. With Laser by IMAX, our new seating options, and our food and beverage offering, we are setting a new benchmark for immersive cinema entertainment that captivates the senses," said EVT CEO Jane Hastings. "We are very excited to partner with EVT for our long-awaited opening of IMAX Sydney in Darling Harbour, which is historically one of our best performing locations globally and a cultural centre of this beautiful city," added IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond. "IMAX Sydney immediately joins the ranks of our flagship locations and, with its state-of-the-art IMAX technology, breathtaking design and Event Cinemas renowned cinema expertise, is a shining example of what the theatrical experience should aspire to." Future flicks set to hit IMAX Sydney's enormous screen include Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, Marvel Cinematic Universe entry The Marvels, The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Napoleon, Wonka and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. And if you live outside of Sydney but are the kind of cinephile that can't pass up a trip to the movies when you're in a different city, IMAX Sydney is a new film-loving tourist destination, too. IMAX Sydney will reopen at Darling Harbour, 1/35 Wheat Road, Sydney, from Wednesday, October 11 — head to the cinema's website for tickets and further information.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia wrapped up last Friday after showcasing the best of local fashion design against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour. Noticeably absent this year were big names Lover, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, as well all as our well-shod friends from across the ditch like Kate Sylvester and Stolen Girlfriends Club, but often it's the emerging designers who put on the most impressive shows. To celebrate five days of more laser lights and short shorts than you could poke a complimentary bottle of San Pellegrino Aranciata at, here are five exciting local labels to familiarise yourself with immediately. 1. MICHAEL LO SORDO To say rising cool kid Michael Lo Sordo’s show at The Apollo was highly anticipated would be a sweeping understatement. Sydney-based Lo Sordo recently took out the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award for his prodigious grasp of construction, and lived up to the hype with a meticulously tailored collection of soft white shirting, coloured metallic tees and knockout party dresses with graphic prints and gladiator detailing. Buy his pieces at Maubourg, Roots & Wings Design or Adelaide’s Chasing Nel. 2. KAYLENE MILNER Among the six talented graduates showing at the highly anticipated TAFE show was Kaylene Milner. Milner has just been selected for an internship with Diane von Furstenberg, and it's thanks to this patchwork-luxe collection juxtaposing earthy furs with vibrant colours. The young designer also has a gutsy back story — she was flipping through a 2007 Vogue during a uni lecture when she decided to ditch musicology in favour of whipping up a portfolio to submit to the prestigious TAFE. Previous designers to have made their runway debut at the Innovators show include Dion Lee and Emma Mulholland, so expectations are justifiably high. 3. AJE Design duo Edwina Robinson and Adrian Norris staged a confident runway debut which mixed sequins, mesh, fishtail skirts and scalloped micro hemlines — sometimes all at once — without sacrificing the label’s nonchalant elegance. Among the many standout pieces was a heavily sequinned mermaid-inspired gown, fittingly anchored by beaten leather boots with the tongue hanging out. Aje is stocked in Desordre in Sydney and Strada in Noosa. 4. CHRISTOPHER ESBER Most 23-year-olds are navigating life one mistake at a time, but Christopher Esber is not most 23-year-olds. The young Sydney designer was one of the standout newcomers at Rosemount Australia Fashion Week last year, consistently proving himself worthy of the hype that has surrounded his collections since he debuted alongside Dion Lee in 2008. Esber’s clothing is characterised by minimalist design, meticulous tailoring and luxurious fabrics, and this season he's all about clinical whites offset by delicate sheer fabric. 5. AN ODE TO NO ONE Few things kick of a runway show like a holographic laser light display, but you don't want the theatrics to outshine the clothing. Luckily An Ode To No One designer Adi Setiadi is a sartorial genius. Last year he penetrated a market saturated with digital prints by rendering his own in trippy 3D, and this time he paraded an army of sci-fi bombshells in Tron-esque geometric dresses, sharply tailored pantsuits and silks that rippled like water. Setiadi cut his teeth working for iconic Aussie designers Akira and Nicola Finetti before starting An Ode To No One in 2008, but his futuristic aesthetic is all his own.
Documentaries exist. Movies that clearly tell made-up tales exist, too. But sometimes the line between fact and fiction on the big screen isn't quite crystal clear. Some films take a real-life story and spin it into a drama, in fact, as this year's big Oscar-winner Nomadland did. The fantastic feature is based on a non-fiction book, and costars a number of folks who truly do live the nomadic lifestyle depicted, but also focuses on a fictional character played by the great Frances McDormand. It's movies like Nomadland that Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art is focusing on between Sunday, July 18–Sunday, September 5, all as part of its latest free film program. In Pursuit of Truth is filled with flicks that blur the lines between truth and fiction — and yes, Nomadland is indeed showing. Also on the bill: Sarah Polley's personal Stories We Tell, which dives into her own family history; Skate Kitchen, which follows an all-girl skate group in New York, and turns the real-life crew into fictional characters; and I'm Not There, which plays with Bob Dylan's life story — and sees everyone from Cate Blanchett to Heath Ledger help out. Or, Kate Plays Christine charts actor Kate Lyn Shiel's preparations for a fictional feature film role as a real-life reporter who committed suicide on television, Taxi Tehran sees filmmaker Jafar Panahi turn cab driver and film the experience, and F is for Fake lets Orson Welles interrogate illusion, truth, art and lies. Screenings run on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and on Saturdays and Sundays during the day.
Our Flag Means Death might be no more, after the pirate rom-com was cancelled after two seasons, but getting giggling at Rhys Darby is still on the agenda. The New Zealand comedian has hardly been away from the screen for more than 15 years, ever since Flight of the Conchords became one of HBO's best-ever sitcoms, so he's been inspiring laughs for years. For the first time in nearly a decade, however, he's returning to the stand-up stage — and he's coming to Australia. Fans can expect gags about AI, robots, dads wearing tight jeans and more — and the mix of absurdity and insights that have always marked Darby's brand of comedy — when The Legend Returns tour plays Brisbane's Princess Theatre on Wednesday, April 30. [caption id="attachment_915747" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Our Flag Means Death, Nicola Dove[/caption] Between calling band meetings on Flight of the Conchords and finding love while swashbuckling on Our Flag Means Death, his career has spanned everything from The X-Files, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Wellington Paranormal to Sweet Tooth, SpongeBob SquarePants and Monsters at Work on the small screen. On the big screen, Darby has also been a frequent presence, thanks to The Boat That Rocked, What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Jumanji: The Next Level, Uproar, Next Goal Wins and plenty more. [caption id="attachment_980410" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gage Skidmore via Flickr[/caption]
Over the past 47 years, in this very galaxy, how much Star Wars merchandise has been collected? Not even a Jedi could probably give a definitive number. Making its Australian premiere, The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition doesn't answer that question either, but it is giving fans of the space-opera franchise a glimpse at a hefty range of Star Wars memorabilia — one of the planet's largest private collections of replicas, in fact. The force is strong here, and so is love for everything in the George Lucas-created big- and small-screen saga. Soaring into Melbourne from Saturday, November 23, 2024, and then set to tour the country afterwards, The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition features Star Wars starships, lightsabers, droids, creatures and even battles. An entire section is about the dark side, with Sith obviously starring heavily, while another is called The Jedi Temple. Some pieces are life-sized. Others are detailed models. Either way, Star Wars will surround attendees everywhere they look. This isn't an official showcase, however, with only private works featured. The Fans Strike Back: Exhibition finally heads Down Under after past stops in New York and Los Angeles in the US, and also London, Madrid and Paris in Europe. After Melbourne, it's displaying at The District Docklands.
Father's Day is just around the corner, and — considering it's been one helluva year so far — you may be thinking about getting your dad something a little special. Melbourne travel brand July wants to help you go the extra mile this year and is throwing in a bunch of extras. July offers up premium luggage, backpacks, suitcases and overnight bags — and you'll nab a whole heap of freebies when you order your dad a gift through the online shop this year. First up, you'll be able to add custom-printed, personalised lettering to your luggage of choice — for free. Your gift will also come with a complimentary Orbitkey leather key organiser (worth $45). All shipping to Australia and New Zealand is absolutely free, too, which is especially useful if you don't live near dad. Simply shop the Father's Day gift edit to get started. On the list are the Carry All backpack and weekender bags, along with Carry On and Checked wheeled luggage. All of the travel bags are custom embroidered too. And each one comes in heaps of colours, including black, blue, green and beige. July luggage comes with a lifetime warranty (plus five-year warranties for all travel bags) to boot. While dad might not be going on any overseas jaunts just yet, we're sure he's planning a road trip, beachside escape or mountainous adventure in Australia for sometime in the near future. And a fresh set of luggage will be just the ticket when he finally gets to jet off. To shop the Father's Day gift edit, head to the July website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Brisbane Festival's theatre lineup has been shining especially bright in recent years, after the world-premiere adaptation of Boy Swallow Universe played at the River City arts and culture festival in 2021, then fellow page-to-stage hit Fourteen did the same in 2022. Following them in 2023 is a musical comedy from the songwriting team behind Muriel's Wedding The Musical: Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, who are taking the fest to Bananaland. Created by the pair after their success treading the boards with everyone's favourite Porpoise Spit resident, Bananaland focuses on 21-year-old Ruby. She has her own protest band called Kitty Litter, which accidentally becomes a hit with preschoolers. Penned by Nuttall and featuring a score composed by Miller-Heidke, with the duo joining forces on the show's musical numbers, Bananaland promises a warmhearted but incisive exploration of chasing dreams — and an ode to performing live. Charting Kitty Litter's path to following in The Wiggles' footsteps, Bananaland is taking over QPAC's Playhouse from Saturday, September 16–Sunday October 1 [caption id="attachment_902687" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jo Duck[/caption] Production images: Darren Thomas.
While Chris Anderson was a big deal at TED's local TEDxSydney this year, the stars of the day were the regular TED speakers. Talks on the sign-reading skills of bees, the need for random selection to the senate, how coral fits in with the Transit of Venus and the unremarkable things that kill us all made for attention-grabbing stuff. Concrete Playground had the chance to chat briefly with three of these speakers, their fields covering whether to feel safe around robots, where grownups can get an imaginary friend and how to explain quantum theory to schoolkids. Hugh Durrant-Whyte is a former roboticist now working at NICTA in Everleigh. In his talk he explained not the future of robots, but what robots are already doing. He talked to us about the shape of robotics now and in the future. You said once before that you were a bit of a luddite. Is that still true? I don't have a mobile phone, I don't drive a car. I don't have a driving license. If that's a luddite: I'm a luddite. Why do you love robots? What got you into the field? Well, they're cool. As an engineer, I think what really drives you is making a difference. And it's so clear to see that in robotics. What do real robots look like? What sort of variety is there? Really anything. Imagine a machine: whether it's a car, or an aeroplane, or something that looks human-like, or indeed is perhaps just an arm, or just legs, or just a head. Any of those can be a robot. Because a robot in the end is simply this idea — that you observe what's really happening in the world, using sensors, vision for example. And you use that to decide what you're going to do, whether you're going to pick something up, manufacture a car, fly in a particular direction or drive down the street. And that makes a robot. It's the fact that it adapts to the world, or is capable of adapting to the world. So, it doesn't need just rules like you have in a normal computer program. Autonomy is a key word in this: without human intervention. The crucial thing in the perception part of it, is to be able to detect failure and to be able to autonomously recover from that. If you can do that then you can get a robot like the Port of Brisbane ones that have now operated for 5 years non-stop, 24 hours a day. All of them without ever going wrong. You have to be able to detect and recover from all failures. Not just the ones you model, but "unknown unknowns". Which is the challenge. When I was growing up I was a big fan of Isaac Asimov. And what me feel safe about robots was basically because I had this model of the three laws of robotics. Why should I feel safe about robotics with real robots? I'm not sure you should feel safe, I think it's fair to say. How far do you push robots? It's a tricky question. But it's a tricky question with all technology. We do have things now: these drones, the UAVs. They don't actually decide to shoot [for] themselves, a person does that. But, let's be honest here: you could probably figure out how to do that bit. There's a fine line there. And, sending robots to war? I don't know. Skynet must be something you end up talking about a lot? I think the bigger question people ask you about, in truth, is job loss. This brings us back to Ludd. We have gone through industrial revolutions for 300 years that have gradually automated things, and robotics is in some sense the logical conclusion of that. The other Chris Anderson was saying that as different things become abundant, you get new scarcity. I agree. I think that indeed is the case. The one thing, personally, that slightly worries me about it, now that I'm not really in robotics any more, is… Robots are replacing groups that are least able to actually retrain. Or use their lives in some productive other manner. So I no longer work in robotics: if that isn't clear. Evan Kidd researches imaginary friends. In his talk, he explained their value for children. Once parents understand what he has to say, they often ask how they can get one for their own kids. He talked to us about where grown-ups fit in. What's the difference between me liking Doctor Who or Joss Whedon's super-hero movies and me having an imaginary friend? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's fantasy play. And these behaviours — like being, for instance, into science fiction, or things like Star Trek, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even Twilight — these provide fantasy elements that are exactly like fantasy play with children. Except, what you're doing really is not inventing it. But when you get to things like fan fiction and things like that, that's exactly what it is. Do you know the comedian Amy Sedaris? She would go on Letterman all the time and talk about her imaginary boyfriend Ricky. These behaviours don't go away. They just change. So often what you would find, for instance, in elderly couples, when one has died, the other will continue to talk to their dead spouse. And not in a creepy way, but in a way to keep their relationship with them alive. And that's exactly the same thing as what's happening with an imaginary friend in some way. It's just a really nice way — through really what is fantasy, but has a beginning in reality — of keeping warm and nice feelings available to you. Michelle Simmons runs the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. What does that mean? She works to make quantum computing practical. What does that mean? She works to make computers run incredibly fast. In keeping with the global TED's new focus on education, she talked to us, very quickly, about how she explains science to a younger audience. Do you normally talk to non-scientific audiences? I do a lot of talking in schools. Teenage or younger? All the way down. At the university of NSW we have an outreach group, and for years I've told them I'm very keen to talk to schools. It's actually the most enjoyable part of everything I do. Over the years I think people have tried to dumb science down for them. And I don't think you need to. What sort of things do you tell them? The same things you were saying here? I actually add probably even more technical details than I would have had at the [TED] talk. I think the thing they don't appreciate is that we lead science in Australia, internationally. And I think they're just not aware of that. They just think that we're following other people. My field is quantum physics, and in Australia we're working on silicon quantum computing, we've got people doing optical quantum computing, people doing communication in the quantum medium, we've got astrophysics, we've got Brian Schmidt talking later today. What he does is world-leading. I mean: every area that I know in Australia is world leading. Leading image of Chris Anderson by Fe Lumsdaine, Lumsdaine Photography. Image of Hugh Durrant-Whyte by JJ Halans. Image of Evan Kidd by David Clare, First Light Photography. Image of Michelle Simmons by JJ Halans.
Shane Delia hasn't farewelled Melbourne, where his flagship restaurant Maha has been one of the Victorian capital's go-tos for Middle Eastern flavours for almost two decades, and where his fellow eateries Maha North, Maha East and Jayda also reside. That said, the acclaimed chef and restaurateur has still made a leap familiar to Queenslanders: heading from the southern city to the Sunshine State. Brisbane is now home to a first on his resume, with Layla Delia's debut restaurant in this part of the country. 2025 has been waiting for this, after news arrived in 2024 that Delia was set to launch his first Brissie venue — and first in Queensland as well — in the Thomas Dixon Centre, Queensland Ballet's base, in West End. Open since Friday, March 28 in the heritage-listed section of the building, Layla continues its guiding force's Middle Eastern focus, but pairing the rich, bold, spice-fuelled dishes on the eatery's evolving menu with local Queensland produce. "I'm honoured to open Layla as my first venture in Brisbane, a city that is continually showing ambition as a vibrant new culinary destination in Australia," said Delia about the launch. "There's so much incredible produce in Queensland that you can't get anywhere else in the world. It's been a lot of fun experimenting with ingredients that I'm not typically known for — kaffir lime, ginger, lemongrass. I'm excited to test something new at Layla," he continued. "We'll be exploring spice in an inventive way, but we're not here to educate people. At the end of the day, Layla is about bringing people together around the table, sharing really tasty food and memorable experiences," Delia also noted. "It has been amazing working alongside Shane, learning from him and his unique approach to spice, and coming up with what we believe is a new offering to Brisbane's dining scene," added Simon Palmer (ex-Black Hide by Gambaro, -Urbane, -Gerard's Bistro, -E'cco Bistro), Layla's Head Chef, who worked with Delia on the restaurant's menu. Whether you're visiting before a show, for a date or to celebrate an occasion — and whether you opt to sit in the main dining room or make the most of the outdoor courtyard — diners can look forward to both a la carte and banquet options, the latter with drink pairings on top if that also tempts your tastebuds. King crab with coriander, lime, charred pineapple and smoked pepper is one of the starter highlights, as is Hervey Bay half-shell scallop with carrot hummus. Or, there's pistachio-crusted Brisbane Valley quail and arak-cured kingfish among the small plates. Getting the whipped smoked hummus or fragrant sweet eggplants if you're going with Layla's signature flatbread brushed in toum and fennel seed za'atar is recommended. There's few strangers left to butter chicken, but habibbi butter chicken gives the dish Layla's own twist courtesy of Moroccan spices, and is part of the mains menu. Prefer an eight-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder with smoked eggplant, roast lemon and za'atar sauce instead? That's another choice among the large dishes designed to share, as is the coal-grilled swordfish T-bone with burnt orange and saffron. And for dessert, if you're not tucking into the whipped kanfeh with lemon verbena syrup and pine nut ice cream, you can give the watermelon and rosewater granita a try — it also comes with chocolate mousse, Turkish delight jam and peppermint crisp ice cream. Sommelier Darcy Curnow (Rockpool Bar & Grill, Delia Group) has put together a 150-bottle wine list, opting for tipples that suit the Brisbane climate. Think: "crisp whites, vibrant rosés, and elegant, lighter-bodied reds", he advises. The cocktail range heroes native Queensland ingredients, with both boozy and non-alcoholic sips on offer — and if your chosen concoction isn't on the menu, the bar staff will make it happen. A small selection of beer and cider helps round out the beverages, as do a few arak and raki choices if you're keen on anise-flavoured spirits. In a structure with more than a century of history, dating back to 1908, a moody vibe permeates inside, complete with dim lighting, exposed brick walls, walnut timber, touches of brass, blue velvet upholstery and blue terrazzo floors. Outdoors, Melbourne-based architecture outfit Studio Y — which also worked its magic on Delia's Jayda, plus Stomping Ground Brewery, Nick & Nora's, Brick Lane Market and Starward Distillery & Bar — has gone with softer hues, greenery aplenty, beige umbrellas and stone-topped tables in the sunlight. Delia joins the list of well-known hospitality folks setting up shop in Queensland in the past year or so, after Adrian Richardson launched BŌS, and Andrew McConnell opened both Supernormal and Bar Miette. Layla is a partnership with Queensland Ballet, with Delia Group teaming up with the former's hospitality partner VenuesLive. The restaurant anchors the Thomas Dixon Centre's dining options, not only adding to the performing arts precinct but helping it become a new arts and hospitality hub. Equally new to this patch of West End: cafe Tom's Kitchen, which started welcoming in patrons in mid-March. Find Layla at the Thomas Dixon Centre, corner of Montague Road and Raven Street, West End — open from 5.30–10.30pm Tuesday–Wednesday and from 12–10.30pm Thursday–Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details and reservations. Images: Jason Loucas.
It's not every day one of Brissie's best-loved pubs turns 127. And if there's one thing that Breakfast Creek Hotel knows how to do, it's celebrate a special occasion. You know this. You've dropped by for a birthday party. You've had the full steak and beer experience. Sure, everyone's been there and done that before; however The Creek Carnivale isn't the waterside watering hole's usual shindig. Bringing a taste of Brazil to Brisbane, they're throwing an evening of fun, food and frivolity — and raising money for breast cancer research and the PA Research Foundation at the same time. Yes, handing over $130 for a ticket supports a good cause and helps you have a great night out. And with a 5-hour food, beverage and entertainment extravaganza on offer, including traditional Brazilian performers, dancers and musicians, food popups, tequila-infused cocktails and a themed lawn and marquee area, there's plenty of merriment to be enjoyed.
Australia has a long and illustrious history of banning, restricting or causing an almighty fuss over perfectly reasonable things. The newest incident is the banning of American director Travis Mathews' film I Want Your Love, which was brought to national attention this week when James Franco filmed himself sitting on a sofa in a Hawaiian shirt, declared the banning as "really silly" and posted it to YouTube. I Want Your Love, which was due to screen at both Brisbane and Melbourne's Queer Film Festivals was rubber stamped with the letters RC — Refused Classification — by the Australian Classification Board. The reasons for the board's decision were the film's depictions of explicit gay male sex. But the film is not pornographic, or extreme. Mathews explains that he "sought to capture honest and intimate depictions of modern gay life with everyday men". A film gets given an RC rating if it depicts scenes "in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults". Yet the Australian Classification Board can be wildly inconsistent in what they see as morally offensive. Last year, a documentary called Donkey Love screened at Sydney and Melbourne's Underground Film Festivals about the special love between Colombian men and their donkeys. Within the first five minutes, a man was having sex with a donkey. It wasn't refused classification. The board maintains that they don't censor, they classify. While this is true, it remains a fact that when the board gives a film, publication, or game an RC rating it cannot be distributed in Australia, effectively censoring it. In what follows, we walk you through some of the most infamous incidences of head-shaking and pearl-clutching in Australia's censorship history. Ern Malley In the 1940s, Sydney poets James McAuley and Harold Stewart wrote a series of poems and submitted them to the journal Angry Penguins under the name Ern Malley. The poems were written to embarrass the journal and 'prove' that modernist poetry was nonsensical. But in the meantime, the police had impounded editions of Angry Penguins and the poems, on the grounds that they were obscene. So commenced the most ridiculous obscenity trials Australia has ever seen. The police took issue with the poem Night Piece, for instance, because "apparently someone is shining a torch in the dark, visiting through the park gates. To my mind they were going there for some disapproved motive ... I have found that people who go into parks at night go there for immoral purposes." Lady Chatterley's Lover Many of the best pieces of 20th-century literature were banned in Australia, including — but by no means limited to — Ulysses, Portnoy's Complaint, Lolita, and everything ever written by Henry Miller, Jean Genet, and William S. Burroughs. One of the most infamous banned books was D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, which describes scenes of explicit sex and delights in its use of the word 'cunt', seen as likely to cause the good ladies of Mosman and Toorak to collapse in a faint. In fact, not only was Lady Chatterley's Lover banned, but the book about censoring the book, The Trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover, was also banned. Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom In 1975 Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini released Salò, a film inspired by the Marquis de Sade. Due to scenes of extreme sexual violence and sadism, the film was immediately banned in Australia, as well as many other countries. The cult arthouse film became a cause celebre for Australia's anti-censorship campaigners and was eventually deemed suitable for screening in 1993. Then, five years later, in the early years of the Howard government, the ban was reinstituted. It was only in 2010 that Salòwas given an R18+ classification and made available on DVD. Grand Theft Auto It was only at the start of 2013 that video games could be given an R18+ classification in Australia. Before, anything that exceeded MA15+ was automatically banned. Grand Theft Auto was continually subject to this problem. In 2002, Grand Theft Auto III was withdrawn because it allowed players to have virtual sex with virtual prostitutes, and then violently murder them. It was re-released when the ability to solicit sex was removed, but players were still perfectly free to violently murder prostitutes if they so wished. Explicit sex also caused the Vice City and San Andreas editions of the series to be withdrawn. Ken Park In 2003, Ken Park, an American arthouse film, was refused classification by the board. The film, which had been due to screen at that year's Sydney Film Festival, was banned because it portrayed real-life sex scenes involving characters that were supposed to be minors (the actors weren't actually minors). In defiance of the ban, Ken Park was given a public screening at Balmain Town Hall, but it was shut down by the police. Among those arrested was Margaret Pomeranz. They arrested Margaret Pomeranz. Need anything more be said? The Peaceful Pill Handbook In 2007 pro-euthanasia campaigners Philip Nitschke and Fiona Stewart published The Peaceful Pill Handbook, intended to give the elderly and seriously ill information about the legal and moral aspects of suicide as well as how-to instructions for painless and non-violent suicide methods. After an appeal by Right to Life, the book was pulled from the shelves. While The Peaceful Pill Handbook is available in other countries, there remains a ban on both importing and distributing the book in Australia. Bill Henson While Bill Henson's photography wasn't banned, the mainstream media gave it a red-hot go in 2008. The scandal occurred when the police shut down an exhibition at Sydney's Roslyn Oxley9 gallery after accusations that the images of young girls displayed in the exhibit were pornographic. Henson was cast as a paedophile by the likes of Miranda Devine and had Kevin Rudd declare the photographs "absolutely revolting". Despite the uproar, the Department of Public Prosecutions dropped the case after Henson's images were declared "mild and justified" and given a PG rating by the board, in one of the most sensible decisions they ever made. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-3rbDIsT4f0
We all know the type: the seemingly regular folks who love nothing more than a crack-of-dawn start time. The people that live for early mornings and consider 7am a sleep in. They're busy saluting the sun and chugging a green juice while the rest of us are waging war on the snooze button. So for those chipper early birds — we love you, we truly do. For those among us that prefer sunset over sunrise, however, Brisbane is a completely different place. We don't need that extra-strong coffee to get us charged up, because we're enjoying the other end of the day and raising a toast to Brisbane's finest spots for a sundowner.
It's not every day you see Poison Ivy making out with Captain America, William Shatner ranting about UFOs or people paying cash money for 30 seconds with Orlando Bloom, but Comic Con is truly a universe of its own. Taking over Sydney Exhibition Centre on Glebe Island this past weekend (and Brisbane's Convention and Exhibition Centre last weekend) with thousands of hardcore geeks, curious tourists and entire families all dressed as Superman, Oz Comic Con is Australia's answer to the mighty American flagship event for enthusiasts of all things nerdtastic. A truly judgement-free realm of total escapism and investment in fantasy, Oz Comic Con saw packed out panels squealing at Buffy cast members, new Nintendo Wii U consoles tested by know-it-all Rainbow Roadmasters and more corsets than the Pirates of Penzance. Here's what we took away from the two-day convention — aside from a serious swag of busty, lycra-clad costume party ideas. William Shatner Believes in UFOs Nothing says Comic Con like watching William Shatner talk about the early Star Trek days and UFOs. Trekkies came out of the woodwork to live long and prosper with the sci-fi legend, who took a moment to seriously rant about the existence of life in other dimensions. In a totally dad-like Shatner ramble, the 83-year-old spoke of a ignorant radio show host of yesteryear. "He said, 'Do you believe in UFOs?' and I said, 'Do you know who you're talking to?'" Delving into a seriously epic speech about human ignorance, Shatner preached to the Spock-eared choir on this one. "We don't know what we don't know we don't know... If we can suspend our disbelief about a Czechoslovakian bearded acrobat, why can't we suspend our disbelief about UFOs?" Image: Dark Age. Khal Drogo Goes for Port Adelaide In one of the most surprisingly great panels of the whole weekend, Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa had the (primarily female) crowd in the palm of his giant, giant hand. Kicking off his panel session with an unexpected rant about AFL and a loud "Fuck the Sydney Swans," the 35-year-old Hawaiian powerhouse continuously ended every response with a loud, growling "PORT POWER!" and a fist pump. Also wore only a pink spotted fluffy sock for that horrific wedding night scene in Game of Thrones but changed to a white one because Emelia Clarke was laughing too much. Yeesh. Image: Javis Wong Buffy Fans Are Intense. Like, Really Intense. Whenever anyone asks a question at Comic Con, it's actually the most awkwardly adorable thing in the world — cold sweats, shaky voices, "I'm your biggest fan" pre-question rants. During a morning panel with Buffy stars Nicholas Brendon (Xander) and Emma Caulfield (Anya), one particular fan asked the pair if they'd had any freaky experiences with their fans (and let's be honest, Buffy fans tend to be more intensely hardcore Fans than most). While Brendon explained he's had limited stalker vibes or hate mail due to his character, "My character was always in the friend zone. People don't get weird over friends," Caulfield has been bullied on social media, abused in person and even cursed by a fan. Cursed. Like, Practical Magic cursed. Lightening the mood, Brendon then went on to say he'd tap co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, which got weird. "She was 14. Then she did that magazine shoot. Then she wasn't 14 anymore. I would hit... that... hard. Would you hit that?" Yikes. Image: Rob Johnston. The Army Thinks Call of Duty Fans Will Make Good Soldiers In one of the most sort-of-genius branded stalls at the event, the Army Reserve were on site for the weekend to recruit the biggest, most fearsome commandos in Sydney for the defence force: gamers? We guess this was some kind of weird hope of transforming the best Modern Warfare players into actual soldiers, but... really? Comic Con is Really Truly About Unbelievably Epic Costumes Because just look at these totally homemade creations. This is months and months of glueing, pasting, crafting — not to mention most of these punters had been awake since 4am painting themselves. Bloody legends. Finally, our personal favourite. MILHOUSE.
Cannes may be the world's most prestigious film festival, but it sure can be predictable. First of all, you can guarantee there will be a host of big name auteurs strutting around with A-list celebrities, you know the films will largely be about war or poverty — and yes, the critics will of course go crazy for them. With all the glitz and the glamour that comes with such prestige, you can't help but yearn for a little more intrigue. So, to combat all the glowing end-of-festival reports written by the world's best critics, here's a list of the festival's oddities — the things we didn't really see coming. Jean-Luc Godard is still alive, and he's messing with our minds Okay, this may sound insensitive but we just had no idea this guy was still around. It's not totally unreasonable either. Now at age 83, this legendary auteur of the French New Wave has officially reached the time usually reserved for shuffleboard and cryptic crosswords. If he was still making films, we'd kind of expect them to be dawdling black and white tales of an elderly intellectual's battle against his noisy young neighbours. Instead Godard's offering to this year's festival, Goodbye to Language, was a daring formal experiment. In terms of plot, the film is unsurprisingly lacking. In fact Indiewire summarised it simply as a film about a couple and a dog: "She wears clothes only very rarely ... he likes to talk about shit while taking a shit, and the dog is drawn to [some] water." But the buzz around the film came from its unexpected use of 3D technology. At one point in the film, the audience was presented with what reviewers described as "a headache-inducing blur". However, when viewed with one eye closed a clear picture comes into focus. When opening the other eye, a different picture comes to the fore. Who would have thought Godard would be the one to bring Magic Eye books into cinematic reality? Films can basically be shot with Instagram now Another noted formal innovation was by the 25-year-old Canadian wunderkind, Xavier Dolan. His prize-winning film Mommy was shot in an unprecedented 1:1 ratio — the same square size as your average Instagram video. Following the story of a single mother and her 15-year-old son who suffers from ADHD, the film coincidentally shared the Grand Jury Prize with Jean-Luc Godard's Goodbye to Language. The move has created an understandable buzz in the filmmaking industry and has been given incredibly positive reviews by critics and audiences alike. It's been reported that this tight field of vision intensifies the action of the film and gives an effective lens to the character's struggle with ADHD. Not to give anything away, but the screen ratio does however change to full-screen in moments of happiness during the film. It sounds a little corny, but with such a huge prize and stacks of audience approval, Dolan must pull it off pretty well. Ryan Gosling made a film and it sucked I know it seems impossible. Ryan Gosling is supposed to be some kind of superhuman specimen capable of anything except eating cereal, but apparently he's not that great at directing either. Lost River was his very first foray into the director's chair. At first it seemed promising — he recruited his buddies Eva Mendes and Christina Hendricks onto the cast, and the film made its way to Cannes. But after being universally panned by both audiences and critics, it's officially being labelled a flop. Following a single mother's struggles in a new city, the film has harshly been described as both "a student film with an A list cast" and "a cacophony of meaningless motifs stumbling round in service of a plot best summed up by 'woman decides to move house'". Yikes, sorry RyRy. Cinema is dead (according to Quentin Tarantino) We really should have seen this one coming. Between throwing whole scripts away and making films that are basically one giant in-joke, Quentin Tarantino does have a reputation for being a bit of a diva. But before entering a screening of his cult hit Pulp Fiction, the legendary director threw a bit of a hissy fit about digital film. "The fact that most films now are not presented in 35mm means that the war is lost," said Tarantino. He complained that screening films in a digital format is basically the same as watching television in public. "What I knew as cinema is dead," he said. Soon after, Tarantino announced new plans to create a TV miniseries from the unused footage of Django Unchained and did a little dance on the red carpet. So, who knows what this guy will do next. Sometimes sex scenes with Robert Pattinson pay off We know that's an unfair way to put it, but it's true all the same. This year Julianne Moore has won a Best Actress award for her role in David Cronenberg's Maps the the Stars — a satirical filmic look at Hollywood in which Moore has sweaty car sex with Pattinson. Obviously she also entirely deserves the award for her unflinching portrayal of an ageing Hollywood starlet, but seriously... who thought some vehicular good times with RPattz could get you a top gong at Cannes? Better luck next time, KStew.
It can be a little tricky finding a quick eat in the city that’s not going to break your calorie counter. Sushi, Maccas and cafe focaccias become dangerous temptations when the lunch whistle sounds. But with a quick trip to Thrive on George you’ll find it’s quite possible to have that mad-dash lunch and eat it too. Thrive on George is one of few cafes that understands the urgency of CBD lunching, and caters to it welcomingly. You can be in and out with a sandwich in under a minute and don’t have to worry that it’s going to be of 7-Eleven staleness. And if it’s not a sandwich you’re after, grab a baguette, roll, salad, soup, yoghurt, apple, pack of dried fruit and nuts, muesli and DIY toast, all with a side of peace of mind. It’s worth sticking around and waiting for a smoothie, juice or coffee. The juices here aren’t filled with exotic berries or ancient kale or superfoods; they’re as stock-standard as they come, but that’s what’s makes them delicious. There’s nothing better than an orange juice made from nothing but oranges, or a quick apple and watermelon to fend off Ekka flu. The latest edition to Thrive's banquet of options is a dine-in menu that shows off everything from pancakes to open grills. If you’ve got some extra time in the morning, give the Breakfast Turkish ($9.90) a go, or if you’re trying to cut down on those types of food, opt for the macadamia and cranberry muesli ($8.90). Prices aren’t as painfully CBD as you might expect — you can grab a coffee during their happy hour for a couple of bucks; sandwiches, rolls and baguettes are never over ten; and every so often they have pretty delightful sandwich and smoothie deals. There’s nothing overtly la-dee-da about Thrive, but it knows its market and caters to it to a tee. There’s little rush and even less waiting time here, even on a Monday at 1pm. It’s not because Thrive isn’t popular or a lunch staple for many; it’s just they know how to keep the ball rolling and customers happy with food that's fresh, tasty and better than a $2.20 piece of sushi.
Nature lovers, listen up. Australian Geographic has put together an exploration of the plants and animals that help make this country of ours what it is, with Our Country going big on the multi-sensory experience. When it hits Brisbane from Saturday, March 11–Sunday, May 7, the exhibition will let visitors wander through 40-plus screens that reach up to six metres tall, with its super-sized projections spanning across 1200 square metres and featuring works by 25 accomplished cinematographers. Here, attendees will encounter mist, starry night skies, all creatures big and small, and a 360-degree soundtrack. You'll feel like you're stepping across the nation's stunning landscape, rather than simply through the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Yes, that's a big part of the point. Each screen will be present previously unseen footage collected from over 100,000 hours in the field from the lineup of cinematographers, which includes Peter Nearhos, a frequent collaborator of David Attenborough. Nearhos has worked on documentaries such as One Life and David Attenborough's Tasmania, and it's exactly this type of close-up look at Australia's wildlife that you can expect to revel in. Emmy Award-winner Karina Holden (Love on the Spectrum) was tasked with the challenge of whittling down this footage, curating an intimate look at ecosystems across the country. Bustling bushland, expansive desserts and vibrant rainforests all make an appearance. Also featuring contributions by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, sound designers and performers, this is Australian Geographic's first-ever multi-sensory experience. Tickets are available for $34.90 for adults, $24.90 for kids under 16 and $94.90 for families. Images: Ben Broady. Updated April 17.
No one ever needs an excuse to escape their daily routines with a stint of mini golf, ten-pin bowling, laser tag or karaoke, but on Tuesday, September 6, Funlab's venues are giving you a mighty great reason to anyway. That's when the company's Day of Fun rolls around for 2022, and lets you get putting, rolling, shooting, singing and puzzle-solving for $5 a pop — all to help Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation. All day at its nine locations across Brisbane (and 54 Australia-wide), Funlab will donate all of its proceeds to the charity, which provides early-intervention mental health services to 12–25 year olds across Australia. So, you'll be aiding your own headspace — tap, tap, tapping your way around an indoor mini golf course will do that, for instance — and also showing some love to a great cause. Funlab's Brisbane's sites include multiple Holey Moley and Strike Bowling joints, plus B.Lucky and Sons — and the $5 deal covers bowling, darts, laser tag, escape rooms, karaoke, an hour of games and nine holes of golf (all at $5 per activity). Booking in advance is recommended. Obviously, if you'd like to add a few drinks — these venues serve plenty — that'll cost you extra. [caption id="attachment_681171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption]
If Brisbane's hospitality scene was to design the perfect Sunday, we're betting that it'd involve non-stop drinks and a tastebud-tempting spread of bites to eat. In fact, plenty of the city's eateries and bars already devote the last day of the weekend to that exact combination. Rita's in Teneriffe is the latest to join the bottomless brunch setup, and it's doing so in its signature style: with tacos and tequila-heavy cocktails. Every Sunday from 10am–2pm from February 6 onwards, you can stop by the inner-north newcomer for an unlimited serving of speciality margarita jugs and a selection of four tacos — with flavours varying on each each week. Fingers crossed that one of the edible options includes the kransky taco, which is Rita's ode to the humble Bunnings snag. But, even if that isn't on the menu when you make a bottomless brunch visit, you'll still get something tasty from the venue's blatantly unorthodox Australian-influenced taco lineup. Your Sunday feast will set you back $65 per person, and you can either book in advance or just walk in.
During its decade-long tenure at the edge of Post Office Square, Rush has accumulated a steady stream of loyal regulars with its sophisticated yet relaxed style. On Fridays from 5pm you'll find the bar spilling out into the Post Office Square green, where you can kick back to live music as you wet your whistle. The restaurant menu features a range of salads, burgers, pizzas and mains that make great accompaniments to a Friday cocktail.
Those currently working from home have probably seen two major changes to their routine: less shoes and more snacks. To help with the latter, Australia's much-loved biscuit maker Arnott's has been opening its vault and releasing some of its coveted recipes — for the first time in history. So far as part of the snack expert's Big Recipe Release, it has unveiled its Monte Carlo, four-ingredient Scotch Finger and Iced VoVo recipes. Next up is a decadent twist on everyone's favourite chocolate-coated bikkie: the Tim Tam. While the company hasn't revealed exactly how to make the beloved biscuit, it is sharing how you can whip up salted almond Tim Tam brownies — aka the kind of snack you probably didn't know that you were craving until right now. This recipe has been put together for home bakers by Arnott's Master Baker Vanessa Horton, and timed to celebrate a very apt occasion: World Baking Day, which falls on this Sunday, May 17. Of course, while that's a great excuse to make Tim Tam-flavoured brownies, you can obviously cook them up whenever you like — and however often, too. As you'd expect, you do, in fact, need flour to make Tim Tam brownies, but we've rounded up some of the spots selling the essential ingredient across the country, which aren't supermarkets. Australia's oldest baker will continue to release a new recipe for one of its famous biscuits every week until social distancing regulations are lifted. Next up, will it be the Mint Slice? Pizza Shapes? Tim Tams themselves? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, though, here's the Tim Tam Brownie recipe: SALTED ALMOND TIM TAM BROWNIES Melted butter, to grease 120 grams dark chocolate, chopped 120 grams butter 1 1/2 cups (400 grams) caster sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup (120 grams) plain flour 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 200 gram packet of Arnott's original Tim Tam, chopped 1/2 cup almonds, chopped 1/2 teaspoon sea-salt flakes Method Preheat oven to 180ᵒC (or 160°C fan forced). Grease a square cake tin (20 x 20 centimetre) and line with baking paper. Place chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, then stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Stir sugar into the chocolate mixture, then add the eggs one at a time — stirring well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking powder in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir through Tim Tam pieces. Pour batter into prepared tin. Spreading evenly, sprinkle with almonds and sea salt flakes. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Set aside to cool completely. Cut into pieces and serve.
Turning a night in into a great night out, the ten finalists in the Hottest Hotel Bar category at the inaugural Smith Hotel Awards will quench any thirst. Night-owls, cocktail-connoisseurs and boutique-bar-hoppers rejoice: these top-shelf watering-holes have views worth Instagramming, barmen worth befriending and drinks worth remembering. Teetotallers beware. Winner, Hottest Hotel Bar: Ace Hotel New York Where: 20 West 29th St, New York What: Rock ’n’ roll retro Designed for the cool cats, the Ace Hotel New York has art-lined walls, a Gibson guitar and turntables for wannabe rock-stars in most rooms, as well as a dining den, the Breslin, helmed by Spotted Pig founders April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman. Decked out like a classic Park Avenue apartment, the hotel’s bar plies thirsty hipsters with craft beers and spirits, homemade pickle juice (yes, really) and tasty bar snacks. Cocktails — crafted by master mixologist Sasha Petraske, of Milk & Honey fame — are best enjoyed from the comfort of a distressed Chesterfield. Runner-up, Hottest Hotel Bar: The Zetter Townhouse Where: 49-50 St John’s Square, London What: Modish magpie’s nest More glam grande dame than Miss Havisham, The Zetter Townhouse is a fanciful find inspired by the fabulous (and fictional) Great Aunt Wilhelmina. From the intricate free-hand paintings that adorn lift doors to the repurposed vintage-magazine wallpaper and top-floor rooms with headboards crafted from Victorian carousel trappings, Wilhelmina’s ‘house’ delivers a hefty dose of eccentricity — much like the lady herself. Moonlighting as the reception desk, the Lounge has done away with run-of-the-mill menus and is bringing tinctures, bitters and herbal remedies back in vogue. Behind the apothecary-style bar, cocktail-maestro Tony Conigliaro uses home-made cordials and infusions to create wicked liquid delights, including the signature Master at Arms (named for Wilhelmina’s dalliance with a solider). Second runner-up: Fasano Rio Where: Av. Viera Souto 80, Rio De Janeiro What: Club tropicana Unleash your inner Gisele and strut supermodel-style into Fasano Rio. With a glass exterior, section of private beach and white marble pool on the roof, this bossa nova-chic stunner has long been seducing Rio’s model-elite and international jetset. Forgo your free flip-flops and dress to seriously impress at the hotel’s ground-floor bar, Baretto Londra: a sleek tribute to the hotel owner’s favourite city. This dimly lit watering-hole has low tables housing chilled bottles of premium vodka, cool leather chairs and glossy dark wood panelling. No wonder it’s a Rio institution. Hotel Omm Where: Rosselló, 265, Barcelona, 08008 What: Architect-designed dynamite In a city touched by the hand of Gaudi, Hotel Omm boasts an eye-catching façade: small, white rectangular slabs with slits for thin windows and small balconies protected from the blazing Barcelona sun. The rooftop terrace has a swimming pool and views perfect for armchair tourists; the spires of La Sagrada Familia and swirls of La Pedrera’s roof can be checked off without leaving the comfort of a sunlounger. Moo, the brainchild of the Michelin-approved Roca brothers, is an informal and health-conscious restaurant serving Catalan haute-cuisine with each half-portion dish accompanied by a carefully selected wine. Moo’s cocktail bar and lounge, OmmSession is sleek and sexy, graced with international and local DJs who play until sunrise. 101 Hotel Where: 10 Hverfisgata, Reykjavik What: Ice-cool metropolitan A monochromatic marvel, Reykjavik’s 101 Hotel has its own gallery, is dotted with cutting-edge art and proves a minimalist ethos is anything but dull. After a day’s worth of geyser-gazing and Blue Lagoon-paddling, the bistro-inspired favourites — think burgers and fresh fish — served in the spaceship-style 101 Restaurant & Bar are spot-on for weary Skidoo-sledders. In the sleek and glossy bar, elegant white stools line up like pale soldiers at the Starck-style long communal bench; for an intimate tipple, drinks can be taken in the cosy lounge where grand leather sofas are clustered around an open fireplace. Public Chicago Where: 1301 North State Parkway, Chicago, Illinois What: Mid-century reincarnation Once hosting paparazzi-attracting clientele — Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, don’t you know? — Public Chicago hasn’t lost its edge; it’s as cool as ever, has views worth leaving home for and a lively bar scene where the international glitterati congregate. All rooms at Public have floor-to-ceiling windows, but the rooftop suites are corkers, named for icons like Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra. At night, the Pump Room’s bar becomes bubbly and vibrant, offering tapas-inspired small plates, specialty cocktails and international draught or bottled beer. If ‘being seen’ isn’t your thing, mosey over to the mellow Library with its comfy couches, Vermeer-esque art and the same liquid offerings as its buzzier counterpart. The Standard Downtown LA Where: 550 South Flower Street at Sixth Street, Los Angeles, California What: High-rise hedonistic HQ A downtown playground in a mid-century architectural landmark, The Standard Downtown LA attracts the Golden State’s buff, bronzed and beautiful. With decor crying out to be a Sixties film set, all rooms are helpfully descriptive, from ‘Cheap’ to ‘Big Penthouse’, with ‘Gigantic’ and ‘Wow’ sandwiched in the middle. Weekends have a distinctive nocturnal energy as the young and hip flock to the lobby and bar for head-nodding beats and cleverly crafted cocktails. The rooftop is the beating heart of this pleasure dome: by day, curl up in the shaded waterbed pods or stretch out on a sunlounger by the come-hither pool; as the sun disappears over the red Astroturf deck, the dance floor fills and nightly DJs pump out hip-hop, crunk, disco, soul and Eighties hits. Park Hyatt Tokyo Where: 3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, Greater Tokyo Area What: Celluloid sophisticate Play out Scarlett and Bill’s kooky courtship at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, a handsome high-rise that eyeballs an impressive city skyline and the white-capped peaks of Mount Fuji. Accountants will wince at the Shinjuku location; Shibuya’s shopping district boasts chicly dressed windows tricked out with designer labels. For your fill of people-watching, seek out the New York Bar & Grill, atop the hotel’s 52nd floor, and scroll through the menu’s roll call of coveted flavours: foie gras, Japanese kasumi duck and Oscietra caviar. Budding sommeliers can work through the 1,600 wines on offer — some exclusive to the hotel — or would-be Coppolas can sip a LIT (Lost in Translation), crafted from sake, sakura liqueur, schnapps and cranberry juice. Berns Hotel Where: 8 Näckströmsgatan, Stockholm What: Historic nightlife palace A beloved party pad, Berns Hotel has swanky Scandinavian style and deliciously cosy rooms. Berns has its own concert hall (recently graced by pop princess Rihanna) as well as Gallery 2.35:1, an electronica nightclub with pulsating bass. Berns Asiatiska is a gilded eatery with plush velvet chairs and dazzling chandeliers, serving sophisticated Asian-inspired fare and Asian brunch on weekends. For a night of liquid refreshment, float between the Terrace in summer for schnapps and the exclusive veranda on the second floor, or weave your way through the designer-clad revellers in the maze of happening bars. Karma Kandara Where: Jalan Villa Kandara, Banjar Wijaya Kusuma, Ungasan, Bali What: Cliffhanging couture With the azure Indian Ocean and an emerald jungle as its neighbours, Karma Kandara catapults relaxation into a higher stratosphere. Tucked away in lush tropical gardens, each villa has a plunge pool and pavilions set around a secluded courtyard. Dance barefoot at Karma Beach Bali’s barbecue beach parties or recline with a fruity concoction or ice-cold beer on the stretch of private beach. Have a hankering for a pinot or chardonnay? Veritas is the glass-clad wine bar that boasts Bali’s first Enomatic wine dispenser, dark-velvet club chairs and spectacular coastline views. Sitting on a sun-blessed rooftop, Temple Lounge & Bar is the dreamy Moroccan-inspired drinking hole, complete with shisha pipes and Middle Eastern grazing plates. Still thirsty? Head to Mr & Mrs Smith for more boutique hotels to whet your whistle.
UPDATE: May 1, 2020: Ad Astra is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. When humanity soars into space, what do we hope to find? Every mission beyond the earth has considered this question, as has almost every movie on the subject. Now, it bubbles inside James Gray's Ad Astra. Initially in this thoughtful and thrilling near-future set film, the answer seems simple. A dedicated astronaut whose calm nature earns him ample praise, Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) has been tasked with literally following in his long-lost father's (Tommy Lee Jones) footsteps. But this quest couldn't be more complicated, with Roy trying to stop a threatening series of interstellar power surges, working through his issues with the assumed-dead dad he's always tried to emulate, and grappling with his place in a mysterious, expansive universe. In his earthbound but also stellar 2016 film The Lost City of Z, Gray contemplated a comparable conundrum, telling the true tale of British explorer Percy Fawcett's trek through the South American jungle. Focusing on another adventurer on both an external and internal journey, it couldn't have been a better precursor to Ad Astra, with the two movies sharing aching parallels. Wherever humankind is stranded, we're just trying to make sense of it all, the filmmaker posits — and whether we're stuck in lush tropics or desolate space, we're holding a mirror up to our souls. Seemingly sparse yet filled with endless intricacies, space suits Ad Astra's protagonist. While Pitt's measured narration gifts viewers a window into his character's head, Roy isn't forthcoming about his feelings otherwise. Again and again, he takes mandatory psychological evaluations, utters what he knows he's supposed to and passes with flying colours. In flashbacks, he's distant with his wife (Liv Tyler), and when he's joined on his new mission by one of his father's old friends (Donald Sutherland), he's unfazed. That said, Roy is unsurprisingly unsettled to learn that his dad might still be out there, and still trying to find extraterrestrial life instead of reclaiming the life he left behind. The fate of the world may be at stake, but a sea of internal turmoil accompanies his venture via the moon to Mars, all to beam his father a government-approved message. Co-writing Ad Astra's script with Ethan Gross (TV's Fringe), Gray paints Roy as someone equally fixated and haunted. Conflict rages both around and within him, as a man so accustomed to control faces existence's many uncertainties. Sometimes, the film launches physical obstacles into his path, as seen in expertly staged scenes involving rampaging moon pirates and savage space travellers. Often, of course, the hurdles are intellectual, psychological, ideological and emotional. Forty years ago, Apocalypse Now depicted a similar struggle, which won't be lost on Ad Astra's audience — but as exceptional as Francis Ford Coppola's war epic is, the comparison doesn't quite do Gray's feature justice. Ad Astra also shows signs of 2001: A Space Odyssey's influence, as all sci-fi flicks have for the past half-century; however its vision of space — complete with rampant capitalism and ol' fashioned human ruthlessness — is definitely its own. The movie also possesses its own weight and texture, as firmly entwined with its leading man. Turning in sublime performances in consecutive films, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor (and also one of Ad Astra's producers) proves a commanding choice to navigate Roy's journey. Pitt's ability to simultaneously eat and emote has long been noted but, here, it's his talent for conveying so much through a silent, searching stare that ripples across the galaxy. Enlisting the ever-excellent talents of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (Dunkirk), Gray gives viewers plenty of time to gaze at Pitt's increasingly weary face and its quiet depths. Always a detail-oriented director, he peers just as intently at distant planets, gleaming spaceships and empty nothingness, these entrancing visions speaking volumes as well. Indeed, Ad Astra is a patient and exacting movie. It never lets a moment — or a frame or a plot development — go to waste. When it sends Roy hurtling from a towering space antenna early in the piece, for example, the sequence serves multiple purposes. As well as showing the astronaut's immense grace under pressure, it astutely illuminates the tenuous nature of his and all existence. Breathtaking, tense and gripping, the huge plummet couldn't better encapsulate this mesmerising and moving film, too — a movie that reaches for the stars, grasps them, but knows that every leap comes with a fall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCNKuB93BA
You don't have to go to Tokyo to enjoy an immersive Japanese experience. You can, of course. You should — at some point. There's really nowhere else in the world quite like it. But if you're eager to eat like you're already there, watch performances and take part in cultural activities, you can save yourself the airfare at the Matsuri Japanese Festival. Your bank account will thank you, and you'll take care of that travel nagging envy for an afternoon. A one-day celebration coming to Mount Gravatt Showgrounds from 12–5pm on Saturday, September 8, it's Brisbane's own ode to the country that brought us sushi, katsu, yakitori, sake, matcha lattes and more. Expect to find more than a few things from that list on offer, and plenty of things to see and do as well. Admission is free and, like every great cultural festival, you can expect a little bit of everything that makes Japan so ace.
Sometimes, you just want to jump up, jump up and get down. Or jump jump in general when things are wiggity, wiggity, wiggity wack. Tingalpa's BOUNCE Trampoline Park is the place where you can make that happen. Actually, you'll be able to go ahead and jump ('80s musicians were in the know, too) in more ways than you probably think. Free jump over 50 interconnected trampolines — which includes tumble tracks — and then literally bounce up the wall. Or, put a spring in your basketball step while you jump to slam dunk, test out your air sports moves on the soft big bag, play trampoline dodgeball and take to the X-Park Adventure Challenge Course. Yes, that's a real thing.
Given its title, Avengers: Endgame was always going to feel like a finale. Marvel's huge superhero blockbuster wasn't just the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War, complete with the eagerly awaited response to the snap heard around the movie-loving world, but marked the penultimate film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's third phase. It also said goodbye to a few beloved characters, and left viewers uncertain about the future — because, while Spider-Man: Far From Home was always going to arrive afterwards to cap off the current portion of the now 11-year, 23-title saga, no films beyond this point had been officially announced. Until now, that is. With San Diego Comic-Con in full swing — and dropping trailers to everything from Cats and IT: Chapter Two to The Witcher and Snowpiercer quicker than fans can probably watch them — Marvel has finally unveiled just what it'll be thrusting in front of audience's eyeballs for the next few years. Almost of all of its just-revealed titles were already known in some shape or form, primarily due to casting news, the hiring of certain directors and the programming slated for Disney's new streaming platform, Disney+. Now, it's all 100-percent confirmed. On the big screen, cinema-goers will have a bit of a break from Marvel's huge franchise until May 2020, when Black Widow will drop — giving Scarlett Johansson's character a long-awaited solo movie, with the prequel helmed by Australian Cate Shortland (Berlin Syndrome), and co-starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz and Ray Winstone. It'll be followed by The Eternals in November, which'll focus on a species of humanity that originally created sentient life. The Rider's Chloe Zhao sits in the director's chair, while Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek and Brian Tyree Henry star. Come 2021, fans have three films to look forward to, starting with newcomer Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings in February. Marvel's first Asian-led flick, it focuses on the Master of Kung Fu, boasting Short Term 12's Destin Daniel Cretton behind the lens, and is led by Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) as the titular character, as well as Hong Kong great Tony Leung and Awkwafina. Next arrives two massive sequels: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which hits in May, and Thor: Love and Thunder, which'll bow in November. Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong will return to the former, alongside filmmaker Scott Derrickson, and with Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlett Witch also popping up. As for the latter, it'll once again bless viewers with the combo of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, which is what everyone wants after Thor: Ragnarok (and even after Men In Black: International, too). Even better — Taika Waititi is back as both the film's writer and director (and, presumably, as Korg as well). Natalie Portman will also be making her return to the franchise, with her character Jane Foster becoming the female Thor. Marvel will also be making a new Blade film starring Mahershala Ali as the undead vampire hunter, plus sequels to Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, as well as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Now that Disney — which owns Marvel — also owns Fox, it'll try its hand at another take on the Fantastic Four, as well as a new strand of X-Men movies. Here's hoping the last two improve on their most recent predecessors. If that's not enough caped crusader antics, a heap of Marvel's previously announced Disney+ series now have release windows. In August 2020, you'll be able to binge on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, focusing on Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan's characters. Then, 2021 will bring WandaVision (about Olsen's Scarlett Witch and Paul Bettany's Vision), Loki (complete with Tom Hiddleston) and Hawkeye (about Jeremy Renner's arrow-slinger, and introducing comics character Kate Bishop). Via: Marvel Studios / IndieWire / The Verge. Top image: Avengers: Infinity War. Marvel Studios 2018.
After a huge 2011 - a new album and a year long world tour, the Arctic Monkeys landed in Australia post-Christmas. The band is back in Sydney this week to perform two sold-out shows and, lucky for us, the perfectly coiffed and sonorous toned lead singer, Alex Turner, took time out to chat to Concrete Playground's Rachel Fuller about counting down to 2012, Sydney and his current obsession - motorbikes. Hey Alex, thanks so much for chatting to me today and lovely to meet you. Hey Rachel, no worries. You too! I was down in Tassie for Falls and saw you guys play on the 30th, thanks for a great show! Yeah, it was a great festival, a great couple of days. We hadn't played for a while so we were a little rusty but it was good to get back into it. And you brought in the New Year at Lorne? What song did you go with? Yeah, well it was a bit of a fucking mess, it was all a bit confused. We were meant to go off and we thought there was going to be a countdown. But it was ok, we went off and then came back on and we played Fluorescent Adolescent and it was fine. Everyone was drunk and having fun – us included – so it really didn't matter in the end. My friends and I were talking about the logistical nightmare in getting all the bands from Tassie to Lorne and vice versa. Was it total chaos in the time-space continuum? Or are you guys just used to the back to backs? Sure, I mean, we flew the morning after the show and then had to get a coach from Melbourne to Lorne. It was a bit of a drive. And did you get to walk around the festival at all and see some other acts? Not really. We saw Aloe Blacc. No one else. But the kids were loving it. The kids! You must be totally exhausted after such a huge year of touring. After all this time have you perfected some sort of balance between the highs of performing and finding down time? Yeah, well we had a great year and we are really enjoying playing live. On top of that we have had a good response to the new record so we are having a buzz. But how do you sustain the buzz? Well, when I say buzz I mean internal buzz. We have got into a good rhythm and a good place this year. Really, we have hit our stride. And we have really been enjoying playing in the States; we have played there a few times this year. And you are heading back in a couple of months? Yeah, we will be supporting the Black Keys and we are huge fans of theirs. You are obviously a really talented songwriter, Alex, do you ever imagine yourself branching out and writing longer pieces, away from music? No, I don't think so. I don't think I am really capable of writing anything else. I'm happy with the song. And lastly, since you guys have been to Sydney quite a few times, is there anything you are really looking forward to getting up to whilst you are here? Yeah, well we have had loads of good times, too many to mention, Rachel. I had my birthday there once, down at the beach. I think we are just really looking forward to playing. I might try surfing, I keep saying that, but now might be the time. One thing we will be doing will be going to this place called Deus Ex Machina, they have this thing on. That's cool, I know the guy that runs Deus. Oh yeah? What's his name again? Dare Jennings. That's right. And he started Mambo, right? Yeah. So I am guessing you have a motorbike? Yeah. And Deus pretty much has the coolest bikes in the world. Yeah, the coolest! Well, you have fun Alex and best of luck for your Australian shows over the next couple of weeks. And thanks for your time! Thanks Rachel, we will, catch you round.
Radiohead do things a little differently to most bands. When they released In Rainbows in 2007 using a pay-what-you-think-is-fair approach to selling records, they engineered a recalibration of the music world as a whole and showed us that it wasn't the industry that was dying after all, just the traditional businesses and approaches within it. Since then bands have created their own TV shows and asked fans to make their albums for them, technology companies have launched music services and broadcast entire music festivals live, and Radiohead has continued to produce some of the most consistently innovative work of them all. The band premiered a broadcast of The King of Limbs 'Live From The Basement' on Spanish TV over the weekend, and it has now surfaced online. Whilst no Australian air date has been announced, you can watch the entire performance here, including new tracks 'The Daily Mail' and 'Staircase'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8byXSML4bY
Peanut butter and whiskey may not be your first choice of flavour combinations. But once you take that first sip, you'll realise it opens up a whole different way to drink. Skrewball is the first brand to blend American whiskey with peanut butter, which has lead to a nutty sweet creation with just enough salt to keep things balanced. This innovative whiskey has incited a flavour revolution globally and opened up endless possibilities for creative cocktail variations. But unlike most novelty spirits, it doesn't need a full bar setup to be useful. You can drink it straight, mix it with one ingredient or take it a step further. Here are five ways to give it a proper go, starting simple, then building up from there. Let's dive in. The Salty Nuts Shot This one's as simple as it gets: just pour a shot of Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey in a salt-rimmed glass. It's probably the best way to taste the whisky on its own and the salt helps bring out the roasted flavour and tone down the sweetness. It's not subtle, but it is fun. And once you try it, it'll probably make more sense why this whisky has taken off. Get the recipe Nutty Cola Whiskey and cola has always been a classic, and Skrewball slides into the combo pretty comfortably. The caramel in the cola blends with the peanut butter flavour to give you something sweet, a little nutty and very easy to drink. Add a squeeze of lime if you like it sharp. This one's good for people who want to try something different without overthinking it. Get the recipe Nutty Transfusion This is where things start to get a bit more interesting. Known as the Nutty Transfusion, this combo pairs Skrewball with grapefruit juice, lime juice and a splash of ginger ale. It's bright and bitter, which cuts through the richness of the whiskey. It's also easy to adjust to your taste. Just add more grapefruit for extra bite, more ginger ale for fizz, or more Skrewball if you're into the sweeter side. Get the recipe Skrewball Ice Cream Less cocktail, more dessert in disguise. To nail this recipe, all you have to do is drop a scoop of coffee ice cream into a glass of Skrewball, add a couple of coffee-infused ice cubes and call it a day. It's cold, creamy and just boozy enough. If you're craving an affogato after dinner, this will do the trick. Get the recipe Try it With… Basically Anything Once you've had a taste of peanut butter whiskey, it's not hard to start experimenting. Skrewball works surprisingly well with ingredients you might already have on hand, like soda water, coconut milk, sour mix, iced coffee, and other flavoured liqueurs. It doesn't always need to be complicated, sometimes it's just about swapping it in where you'd usually use a regular whiskey, and seeing what happens. Get more ideas Whether you're a whiskey fanatic or just want to mix something that tastes good and impresses your guests, now you've got five excuses to try that bottle. Just don't be surprised if it ends up being your new favourite. Explore more Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey recipes on the website.
He has been gamboling around the Melbourne indie scene for years with Crayon Fields, but it is Geoffrey O'Connor's debut solo effort, Vanity Is Forever, that has garnered most attention since its release in October. The album, full of sultry synthesisers and insinuating stories, has gotten a lot of people talking, and more than a couple of girls swooning. Now, Geoffrey O'Connor is bringing his polite heartbreaker brand of cool to Sydney. Concrete Playground spoke with O'Connor ahead of the launch of his new album, Vanity Is Forever, at Goodgod on Friday, November 18, and his summer shows at Laneway Festival 2012. How long did it take to piece together Vanity Is Forever? Three long, blissful years. How has making a solo album differed from what you've done before with Crayon Fields and Sly Hats? The preparation was a lot different. I guess when you are developing a song with a band you become focused on presenting it in a particular way. I had the freedom to re-record and re-work these songs many times, often discarding months of work. It's something you can't really do in a group situation. There are a lot of '80s pop sounds on the record. Was that a deliberate move or did the '80s influence just come naturally? It was more that I deliberately set out to make a very synthetic sounding record, which I guess is why certain aspects of it evoke the '80s. Even the acoustic instruments on the record - such as the acoustic guitar, string sections and drums - have all been treated in such a way that they sound a little otherworldly and synthetic. A lot of the songs on Vanity is Forever are very romantic and tell stories of complicated relationships. Are the songs inspired by personal experience or is it all just made up? They are all based on personal experience and observations. I love speculating about people's lives, especially their romantic lives - it's how I get my kicks. There is a slight fantasy element as well, but that is only to spice things up. When drawing from personal experience I omit certain details and exaggerate others to make out I'm a cooler guy, but there is still a strong resemblance between what happens on and off the record. What was it like touring with Jens Lekman this year? One of the best experiences of my life. A lot of fun. The touring crew were really interesting, cool people and I really enjoy long drives through the US. We watched Australian coming-of-age movies in the van which was funny - Puberty Blues, The Year My Voice Broke. All the shows were in incredible venues too - a synagogue, an 'ethical society', and a Masonic Hall in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. What are you looking forward to most about playing the Laneway Festivals this summer? I love playing festivals, especially outdoors - you can wear sunglasses on stage and pour water on gigantic drunk guys. I'm really looking forward to seeing EMA, The Drums, The Horrors and Anna Calvi too. Even missing bands due to laziness or chattiness can be a blast too. I get a real kick out of drinking backstage, knowing the faint rumble in the background is a band I'd otherwise sell my mother to see. The video for 'Whatever Leads Me To You' is amazing. What inspired the whole aesthetic and the goldfish in a cocktail glass, amongst other things? Thanks! The goldfish in a glass was inspired by when I went to an opening party for a bar and they had oyster cocktails - which seemed equally decadent and disgusting. I'm interested in the way extreme decadence can often involve flirting with something that can seem otherwise quite repulsive - so I thought I'd make my own little concoction. What can we expect from your Sydney show at Goodgod? More specifically, will you be wearing the sunglasses on stage, because I'm sure that would please everyone. Ha! It's not something I normally do, but if I come across some shades on the night I'll put them on for sure. It will be me, duelling synthesisers and a set of kaleidoscopic laser beams to keep us all in time. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0fztmXL9INY
It's been nine years since Jet Black Cat Music set up shop in West End — so, to celebrate, it's hopping over to the other side of town and throwing a huge block party. Come Sunday, March 1, 2020, Brisbanites will find Fortitude Valley's Costin Street overflowing with tunes, markets and food at the day-long Nine Lives Festival, which'll kick off at 11.30am and run right through until late. On hand to help: Aldous Harding, Angie McMahon, Julia Jacklin, Allah-Las, Kevin Morby, Kikagaku Moyo and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, with music taking over three indoor and outdoor stages. Dance in The Tiv's main space, catch female and gender non-conforming artists at What's Golden, and check out a heap of other bands in the carpark. While you're outdoors, you'll also be able grab a bite from a food truck or at the onsite sausage sizzle, browse the stalls and go trawling the crates for records. And, while the fest takes its name from a famous (but completely fictional) feline trait, this is a dog-friendly affair — so you can book your pooch a ticket, too. They will have to stay outside, though. Tickets go on sale at 11am on Friday, October 25, with human tickets starting at $99.90 and doggo tickets costing $19.90.
Even after a couple of years that've seen everyone spend far more time at home than normal, there are still only so many hours in the day to devote to your streaming queue. Sadly, you simply can't watch everything — which is why everyone has a list of classic shows they've always been meaning to get around to, and they definitely want to see, but just haven't managed to press play on yet. When a company like HBO makes such a wide array of series and so frequently, you can be forgiven for failing to keep up, after all. Need help knowing what to prioritise? Not sure where to start, or what shows you'll instantly realise that you should never have lived without for all these years? We've teamed up with streaming service Binge to take care of your next five viewing choices, picking the programs that you know you should've gotten to by now — and that you can spend your summer catching up on, including via a 14-day free trial for new customers.
If you're finding yourself with a decent amount of time on your hands this winter, you've come to the right place. Podcasts will keep you entertained through all of life's most mundane tasks (hello, cleaning) while also giving your brain a treat. So, here are the six best podcasts to listen to right now according to Concrete Playground's writers. SUZ TUCKER: Editorial Director, NBA obsessive (even follows summer league) Recommends: Ear Hustle. I've recently gotten very into this nonfiction series called Ear Hustle. It's not new but it's new to me. It's about the experience of being incarcerated in the US prison system, hosted by a former inmate of California's San Quentin State Prison and an artist from the area. Each episode is about life in or after prison, addressing topics like maintaining relationships while in the joint, solitary confinement, getting a job after jail and prison sex — all completely fascinating. It's a strange time to be listening to stories with confinement at the centre, but the show is always interesting and often surprisingly uplifting. MELANIE COLWELL: Branded Content Editor, performed in the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony Recommends: Sexy Stories. First things first: if you're not already following Melbourne-based sexologist Chantelle Otten on Instagram, go do it now, then come back. Done? Cool. On to her podcast, which she released in August 2020. Furthering her mission to empower people in all things sex (education, health, self-esteem, etc.), Sexy Stories sees Otten read erotic literature submitted by listeners. It's audio porn, quite literally. Less capable hands could've treated these tales as sordid but, with Otten on the mic, they are instead a celebration of every kink, fantasy and exploit. Plus, Otten has just about the sexiest voice I've ever heard. Listen with your partner, listen alone, listen to distract yourself from a really mundane task (trust me, you'll be very distracted). Just maybe don't save it for a long car trip with your parents or kids. [caption id="attachment_821096" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied, photo by Jess Gleeson.[/caption] BEN HANSEN: Staff Writer, once had swine flu Recommends: Tough Love. As was the case with so many around the world, former Triple J host Linda Marigliano's world was completely warped by the pandemic. Plans to move to the US for her career and to live with her boyfriend were shot forcing her to reconsider everything. Marigliano takes us through a profoundly open and honest look at her life from her long-distance relationship and the process of freezing her eggs when faced with the uncertainty of when she will see her partner again, to her career, self-worth and moments spent with her grandma she may not have experienced if she had moved overseas. It's a touching and relatable look at life over the last year. COURTNEY AMMENHAUSER: Branded Content Producer, can crochet a jumper Recommends: Pieces of Britney. If you watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears earlier this year, the BBC Radio 4 series Pieces of Britney is excellent companion listening. Essentially, it's a fictional audio drama inspired by true events that is stitched together with facts. With Pandora Sykes at the wheel, the eight-part series weaves archival audio and interviews with fiction written by playwright Katie Hims to tell Britney's story. Hims' uses creative license to bring to life parts of Britney's past that have previously been described in interviews or have been alluded to in the past — some more fictitious than others — and somehow, this speculation works. Each part feels qualified and the subtle yet dynamic sound design keeps you hooked. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Culture (@theculture.pod) CORDELIA WILLIAMSON: Branded Content Manager, waited on Billie Eilish once when working in hospo Recommends: The Culture, The Teacher's Pet, The High Low, Dolly Parton's America. I wouldn't call myself a podcast buff, but when I like a series, I fall hard. I've soaked in the bath, with a glass of wine, listening to Pandora Sykes and Dolly Alderton's witty and oh-so-British pop-culture podcast The High Low; sat in the dark and binged The Teacher's Pet; and hit the highway with the nine-part exploration of the Dollyverse, Dolly Parton's America, blaring from the speakers. Now, with much more time on my hands (thanks COVID-19), I've been walking — a lot. And as I plod along, I've been listening to numerous podcasts. My top choice: The Culture. Hosted by Osman Faruqi, the show has only been around for a couple of months, so it's easy to make your way through the back catalogue. In particular, there are two episodes I recommend: 'How Western Sydney is redefining hip-hop' and 'How a four-year-old song became the biggest hit in Europe'. Whether you're deep in the Aussie music scene or just bop along to Top 40 tunes, both these episodes will hit close to home. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Casefile: True Crime Podcast (@casefilepodcast) NIK ADDAMS: Branded Content Manager, was taught the 1, 2 Step by Ciara herself (and has the video to prove it) Recommends: Casefile, My Dad Wrote A Porno, The Allusionist I probably don't make as much time for podcasts as I'd like to, but when I do listen I fall back on old faves. Casefile remains unmatched in its detail describing the most shocking true crimes from around the world, while The Allusionist is an utterly charming listen that never fails to put a smile on my face while exploring the intricacies (and idiosyncrasies) of the English language. I'm also super excited about binging the latest season of My Dad Wrote A Porno — Rocky Flintstone surely is one of the world's most misunderstood geniuses. Top image: Framing Britney Spears.
You've seen the animated movie, watched the photorealistic (and CGI-heavy) remake and hummed along to the stage show. You know all the words to 'Hakuna Matata', and you instantly get nostalgic whenever the phrase "circle of life" comes up in conversation. The next item to tick off on your list, Lion King fans? Sipping your hot beverage of choice out of Frank Green's Lion King-themed keep cups (and saying "no worries" to doing the environment a solid in the process). Teaming up with Disney, the sustainability-focused Australian brand is launching a limited-edition range of cups and reusable bottles inspired by the 90s flick and its beloved characters. Design-wise, you can choose between Rafiki's cave painting of baby Simba, the future king's face, adult Simba or, back in his cub days, the young lion with Timon and Pumbaa. There's also an animal-print option, if you can't quite bring yourself to choose between the other styles. The cups and bottles come in different hues depending on the design, so you could be drinking coffee from a coral-coloured bottle or a khaki-toned cup. You also have choices regarding size, with each design available in small (295 millilitres) medium (595 millilitres) and large (one litre). Priced between $46.95–64.95, The Lion King range joins Frank Green's other Disney-themed wares, which also includes Winnie the Pooh, Frozen and Wall-E — and both Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The new designs hit the brand's online shelves from Tuesday, May 18, but you can pre-order now until stocks run out. Once you have one in your hands, it's up to you whether you want to hold your coffee over your head like you're standing atop Pride Rock. Frank Green's Lion King range is available to preorder now, before going on sale from Tuesday, May 18.
Hungry? Thirsty? Been in the vicinity of any bars and restaurants in Brisbane of late? Have you noticed a trend? Of course you have. While you’ve been nursing a glass of whiskey, swilling a beer and munching on a burger or a hot dog. All over the city, everything American is in. Nestled among the eateries and hangouts on South Bank’s Little Stanley Street, The Manhattan Line is the latest addition to the US-obsessed lineup. The atmosphere might have the vibe of seedy dive-bar mixed with Brisbane’s penchant for outdoor spaces, covered in graffiti inside and sprawling onto the footpath outside; however, the menu is a Yankee-lover’s delight. Specials come and go, so there’s always something new on offer, but New York-style street food is The Manhattan Line’s specific niche. Think chilli dogs, string fries with aioli, and buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce. To drink, if you’re not wondering which American whiskey to choose, you’ll want to pick from a list of themed cocktails, or knock back a good ol’ old fashioned.
The days of Sizzler are long behind us, with the buffet chain closing the last of its Australian eateries back in late 2020, but cheese toast is back on the menu in Brisbane. Let's be honest: the beloved bread dish was the real drawcard tempting diners to the chain (well, that and being able to eat as much dessert as you like). Now, it's making an appearance at Fritzenberger South Bank after the burger joint picked up an original cheese toast machine. This stomach-warming favourite has joined the Little Stanley Street venue's range, but if you'd like to enjoy a piece for free, you only have a week to head by. The cheese toast will be on offer at no extra charge from Monday, June 10–Sunday, June 16, 2024, with a caveat: it's only free if you purchase a burger or a main. Fritzenberger's take on the cheese toast features thick white bread topped with parmigiano reggiano. "We've stayed true to the iconic recipe, but we've used higher quality ingredients to really intensify the flavours," says Executive Chef Sebastien Calais. And yes, the burger spot is promising a cheesy crust and pillowy bread beneath, because every Sizzler cheese toast fan knows that the contrast of textures is one of the reasons that the dish is such a hit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fritzenberger (@fritzenbergerbne) For decades, feasting your way through a Sizzler buffet was a regular part of Australian life. Families headed to the all-you-can-eat chain for special occasions, teenagers went along to gorge themselves full of bottomless soft drink and soft serve (and combine the two, obviously), and absolutely everyone couldn't get enough of the brand's beloved cheese toast. But leading up to 2020, Sizzler restaurants were shutting down around the country. Then Collins Foods Limited, the company that owned and ran Sizzler in Australia, announced that it was shutting down the chain's last remaining stores. Cravings for its cheese toast were never going to fade, however — and now you can pair the dish with burgers. Fritzenberger South Bank is serving up free cheese toast with the purchase of a burger or main dish from Monday, June 10–Sunday, June 16, 2024. Find the eatery at Shop 11 and 12 Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane — open from 11.30am–late daily. Head to the chain's website for further details.
Sick of rooftop bars and microbreweries playing host to your weekend wind down? Looking for something classier than the local pub but want to steer clear of the Valley? From the street, Cobbler Bar doesn't look like much, but opening the door to this specialty whiskey and cocktail bar is like opening the door to a world of Edgar Allan Poe with dimly lit tables, melted red wax candles and floor-to-ceiling wooden shelves filled with not books but every single genre of booze, malt and spirit imaginable. Scan the 300 odd (give or take) whiskies imported from across Europe, Asia and North America, bop your head to the sounds of 50s rock and cast your eyes over the ever-changing cocktail list, which stretches from the traditional to the tropical to the innovative and weird. The interior may be different, and the atmosphere exceptionally hipster-preppy-grunge, but the best part (and what makes Cobbler truly unique) is the BYO policy for food. These guys are so focused on pouring the perfect cocktail or sourcing the best whiskey for your palate that there's no time to think about a food menu. No no. Here, you can bring in as much cheese and quince paste as your heart desires, which leaves professional and skilled bartenders to focus on what they do best.
A Cautionary Tail looks set to be one of the success stories of Flickerfest this year. The short film centres on a little girl born with a tail that expresses her emotions. It's a source of fun while she's a child, but as she grows into an adult, it becomes a problem, stopping her from fitting in the way she wants to. The animation has been embraced every step of the way so far, ensnaring the talents of Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, and Barry Otto and earning massive support through Kickstarter. Now it's making its worldwide premiere at Flickerfest on January 14, screening in the Best of Australian competition program. We sat down with director and animator Simon Rippingale to talk about loss, growing up, and why he had to grow a trayful of grass in his studio. Where did the story of A Cautionary Tail come from? I was writing a script with Erica [Harrison, writer of A Cautionary Tail], and she was hit by a car one night. She was on a little scooter, and it really cleaned her up, put her in hospital. And she was pretty close to losing her leg … which freaked her out because she's a crazy runner, runs everyday, kilometres. She wrote this poem as a way of sort of dealing with this concept of loss. She's really inspired by Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, that sort of dark, rhyming verse thing. So it was kind of like a puzzle for her to work on. The way she writes, they're like puzzles. Like, each stanza's got exactly this number of beats, and how do you tell the story. And it's like other people do sudokus or whatever. That's a beautiful thing from quite a horrible beginning. And then she came to you with the project? She was very keen for it to be a kid's book, and I was keen for it to be a short film. And we fought about that for a little while. And I won. But now it's going to be a book, too. The story also deals with that conflict between conforming to society and just being yourself, something it seems both adults and kids could relate to. It's for both, I think, It's aimed at kids, that sort of pre-teen age bracket … But it's also aimed at adults because the biggest theme of the story is dealing with loss and growing up, the transition from childhood to adulthood. Everybody relates to that. Everybody's chopped their tail off, in a way. We all had to get jobs and pay bills and most of us have to, you know, be normal. The animation is incredible. Tell us about your techniques. Everything you see in the film is made of miniatures. There were 21 miniature sets built, at my art studio out in Summer Hill … I built all the miniature sets with a team of set builders, some of them are professional props makers from the film industry, a couple of them are graduate students from Enmore Design School, who are doing miniatures there. We shot the miniatures without characters in them and edited the film without the characters on the screen, which is a bit tricky … Then we went into the character design process. All the characters are generated in 3D and animated in Maya. And then a compositing team put it all together. It looks like a lot of detail went into the miniatures — a lot of hands, a lot of hours. It was a massive job, about three months of intensive work. But it was really fun, I loved it … All the organic things you see in the film like grass and leaves and trees are all real. They're real bark, and the grass I grew in a big tray. The sets were plopped on the grass and filmed like that. What are some of your animation inspirations? Well I love Pixar, for story. They really have raised the bar with storytelling, and the art of storytelling, and the importance of story – prioritising story over other things. And I think other studios have jumped to that tune and now everyone else is catching up to that idea. Also Miyazaki. I love Miyazaki, the Studio Ghibli films. How they've stuck to their style, that 2D, the sort of strangeness of that Japanese style of storytelling, which doesn't quite make sense to us and is a bit different, the narratives are a bit odd. And that's really nice for us, growing up in the West. It's a bit of a window into another way of thinking. And also Tim Burton, that stop-motion, and others. There's an undercurrent of handmadiness that's almost making a resurgence, in your work and elsewhere. Yeah, absolutely, there's been a real resurgence of handmade, stop-motion films, because 3D is so prevalent. It's like vinyl; it's not going to go away. You seem to have had a lot of success with Kickstarter. How was that experience? Kickstarter is an amazing medium and we had a great Kickstarter campaign. It was quite unexpected. We were really surprised at the support from all around the world … The cool thing about it is that you sort of develop your fan base and distribution and marketing when you're at the fundraising stage. So producers love it — you're developing the market while you're raising funds. And that's why you see some big names using Kickstarter? Yeah, there are some big names using Kickstarter, like Charlie Kaufman and Phil Tippett, who are both doing big things, raising money by going outside the studio system, saving them having to sort of justify their ideas on market potential. With crowdsourced funding you don't have to justify to somebody else; you just put it out there and gauge interest yourself. You also held an exhibition at the same time. How did that go? Yeah, we did an exhibition at the Paramount building in Surry Hills, where Heckler Studios have their offices now. Heckler did all the post on A Cautionary Tale and they worked with us and also headspace to do an exhibition and fundraiser. We exhibited some of the miniature sets and prints from the film, we projected some of the work-in-progress animation, and we all got drunk. So real life and the internet came together. Did you see a corresponding bump in the Kickstarter campaign? Yeah, definitely at that time. And we had laptops set up on the night. For the drunk people to contribute. Yeah, so drunk people could get their credit cards out… You certainly got some major celebs involved in this project. Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, and Barry Otto voice the film. How did you get them on board? That was simple — we just sent the project to their agents. We didn't really have an 'in', or know anyone. I think they just responded to the writing. The story is really strong. The poem is beautiful. It's going to come out on iTunes next year at some point and as an e-book. So yeah, the poem itself is sort of what started this whole project off. Everyone responds really strongly to it. The actors who came on board were obviously right at the top of our list. We weren't expecting them to say yes, but they said yes. We were very lucky. And now you're about to have our official premiere at Flickerfest. What's it like to be in the festival? It's great. They've been really lovely and supportive of the film. And it's just very exciting to be showing the film, after so much work. It's a local festival, a great festival. Do you personally find you get something out of the festival experience, versus, say, just finding and watching stuff on the internet? I like checking things out on YouTube, but I also like the cinema experience. I like a big roomful of people and the lights go down, the curtains. It's a bit of a ritual. And it's an experience you share with people. I don't think that's going to go away. And film is still a very relevant medium, even if TV has taken a bit of the wind out of its sails. Those HBO series are just spectacular. But still, the film format is very strong, it's not going away any time soon. And your category is Academy® Accredited, which means if you win, you could be up for an Oscar. That must be exciting? Yes. I'm writing the speech… Who would you thank? My mum.
Brisbane might be tussling with a chillier-than-usual winter in 2022, but that doesn't mean that you should hide away indoors until spring hits. There's still plenty of ace outdoor events tempting folks outside — and listening to jazz for two days by the river is definitely among them. Make a date with Jazz on the Green at Southbank Parklands between Friday, July 29–Saturday, July 30, and you'll be in for plenty of live music — all for free, too. Running from 2–7.30pm on the Friday and 11am–7.30pm on the Saturday, this fest will pair cruisy tunes with a killer view, all on the Riverside Green. Brisbane Jazz Club is taking care of the music, with Emma Pask, Franky Smart, Victor Martinez, Bowery Hot Five, Shannon Marshall and Darren Percival among the acts taking to the stage. You can BYO snacks — or, thanks to South Bank's eateries, there's more than a few food and drink deals on offer. Olé Restaurant is doing prawn, chicken, calamari and chorizo paella for $12 per dish, as well as patatas bravas for $10, plus red wine sangria, mulled vino and cider for $12 a cup. Over at Vici Italian, you can pick up truffle arancini for $8, pick between beef meatballs and lasagne for $12 each, and grab spiked hot chocolates and negronis $12 per cup. And, Hop & Pickle is doing $12 cocktails as well, including warm buttered rum, mulled cider, mocha stouts and espresso porters.
Thirty-five years ago, Spike Lee (American Utopia) directed his fourth film. Following a jazz trumpeter portrayed by Denzel Washington (Gladiator II), Mo' Better Blues started one of cinema's finest filmmaker-actor collaborations. Before that decade was out, the pair also made 1992's Malcolm X and 1998's He Got Game together. Then came 2006's crime-thriller Inside Man. Next, after a nearly two-decade wait, arrives Highest 2 Lowest. Lee and Washington are two of the biggest names in America filmmaking, and they're back in business together, teaming up on a movie that premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and will soon stream Down Under via Apple TV+. Highest 2 Lowest initially dropped a sneak peek back in May, asking if audiences can "handle the mayhem?". Ahead of the A24 flick's cinema release in the US, the picture has just unveiled its full trailer. The latest Lee-directed joint not only sees two icons reunite, but also reimagines the work of another. This time, the two Oscar-winners (Lee for BlacKkKLansman's screenplay, Washington for Glory and Training Day) are reinterpreting 1963 crime thriller High and Low from Akira Kurosawa. In the New York City-set Highest 2 Lowest, Washington plays a music mogul who is about to navigate quite the chaos. His character is renowned for having the "best ears in the business", then is saddled with a ransom plot, while also being faced with a moral dilemma with potentially grave repercussions. Also featuring Ilfenesh Hadera (Godfather of Harlem), Jeffrey Wright (The Last of Us), Ice Spice and A$AP Rocky (If I Had Legs I'd Kick You), Highest 2 Lowest is Lee's first film since 2020, when both Da 5 Bloods and concert movie American Utopia released. The movie has a date with US cinemas from Friday, August 22, 2025, then viewers everywhere — including in Australia and New Zealand — will be able to watch Highest 2 Lowest via Apple TV+ from Friday, September 5, 2025. Check out the full trailer for Highest 2 Lowest below: Highest 2 Lowest streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, September 5, 2025.
If you're the type of traveller who doesn't just plan where you'll be staying and what sights you'll be seeing, but also what you'll be drinking while you're there, then add Australia's latest accommodation option to your dream holiday list. A collaboration between caravan rental site Camplify and The Botanist Gin, The Botanist Van is the country's first gin-themed caravan — and yes, a bottle of gin will be waiting for you when you get there. Nicknamed Mazzy the Van, the holiday spot on wheels has been painted in beachy blue and white hues, while its interiors have been decked out Hamptons-style — with oozing serious 70s vibes one of its aims. The renovated 1979 Viscount Royal vintage caravan comes with a barbecue, an outdoor table and chairs, and an awning, as well as indoor and outdoor games, a beach umbrella and beach towels, and a picnic basket. It's the stocked Botanist Gin bar cart, however, that'll make you thirsty. During your stay, you'll be sipping from a complimentary 700-millilitre bottle of The Botanist gin, a four-pack of Fever Tree tonic waters and Botanicus' flavoured herbal Tea Tube. You'll also be combining all of the above with dried fruit garnishes and other ingredients to make gin cocktails. The Botanist team have some new suggestions for the latter, too, including its own spin on a G&T — so you just need to get mixing and sipping. If this sounds like your kind of getaway, The Botanist Van is available to book from Friday, November 6 through until the end of summer (February 28, 2021) from $140 per night — sleeping four people, and for a minimum three-night stay. You will need to get cosy over a weekend to receive the gin pack, though, as it comes with Friday–Sunday and Saturday–Monday bookings. As for where you'll be having a few drinks, kicking back and getting nostalgic, the van is based on the New South Wales South Coast. It can be reserved and set up on your choice of campsite within 100 kilometres of Flinders — so between Austinmer and Jervis Bay. To book The Botanist Van — with prices from $140 per day, and rentals available within 100 kilometres of Flinders in New South Wales until February 28, 2021 — visit the Camplify website.
As the world heard in brief at the 2025 Golden Globes, the path to The Brutalist becoming the acclaimed film it is — it won three awards that evening, for Best Picture — Drama, Best Director and Best Actor — Drama; since, it has earned ten Oscar nominations and nine BAFTA nods — was far from smooth, let alone guaranteed. "Once, a few short months ago, it had the odds very much stacked against it," filmmaker Corbet said in his first speech of the night. "I was told that this film was undistributable. I was told that no one would come out and see it. I was told the film wouldn't work," the actor-turned-director, who previously helmed The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, added in his second stint at the microphone. "No one was asking for three-and-a-half-hour film about a mid-century designer, on 70-millimetre." When The Brutalist premiered at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival, it started lining its trophy cabinet. No shortage of five accolades went its way at the fest, including the Silver Lion for Best Direction. That debut screening was the moment that stars Adrien Brody (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Guy Pearce (The Convert) and Felicity Jones (Dead Shot) realised how a movie that'd always felt epic to them also resonated deeply with audiences, they tell Concrete Playground. "You felt it, you felt it in the room," says Brody, who knows a little about the response from viewers to a feature that grapples with the Second World War's impact. In 2002 at Cannes, he went through a similar experience with The Pianist. In 2003 at the age of 29, he became the youngest-ever Best Actor Academy Award-winner for that picture, a title that he still holds. The Brutalist is epic not just in its emotions — for everyone involved in crafting it and for audiences alike — but also in its ambitions, performances, imagery, and exploration of the harrowing post-war pursuit of the American dream and immigrant experience. The same description applies to its lengthy running time, which includes a 15-minute intermission. It's the monumental feat of a committed filmmaker who worked for years to ensure that the movie came to fruition, and in exactly the way that he wanted it to. While it screens in 70-millimetre, it was shot VistaVision, a format deployed by Alfred Hitchcock on masterpieces such as North by Northwest and Vertigo, and last used in the US for an entire feature with 1961's One-Eyed Jacks. "The shortest answer is really just because it looks better," Corbet shares with Concrete Playground about using VistaVision. "Essentially, what you're doing is you are turning the negative on its side so that you're able to use the length of the celluloid, you're able to use more neg area," he continues. "I actually think it's a great alternative for independent filmmakers that want to shoot on a large format," he notes, while also recognising what every devoted movie lover does: that how a film is made and looks are crucial tools in ensuring that watching pictures on the big screen still thrives. "For me, large formats are the future of cinema. What's funny is that they're both the past and the future. They've been around for almost a century at this point … It gives folks a reason to get off their couch, and I think that's really important in this day and age." Giving the world something to behold is also a key facet of The Brutalist's narrative, with Brody playing Hungarian Jewish architect László Toth. To escape the horrors of the Holocaust, he crosses half the planet to start a new life in America, making Pennsylvania his home while waiting for his wife Erzsébet (Jones) to complete the same journey with their niece (Raffey Cassidy, a Vox Lux alum). Professionally, his past achievements in Europe mean little in the US, however, until being tasked to revamp the personal library of rich and powerful industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Pearce) leads to a stunning commission. For his new patron, László is to design a sprawling hilltop community centre as a memorial to Van Buren's late mother. As grand as The Brutalist is, it's also an intensely intimate movie, as the ways that the Toths are shaped by the traumas of both the Second World War and their efforts to settle in America haunt in every moment. That makes it personal for Brody, whose family made the same trip to the US. "I can relate to the immigrant experience and the hardships and sacrifice and resilience of the many people who have been forced to flee horrific conditions in hopes of finding a new land, and to be welcomed and to find a sense of home. Obviously, you must have heard me speak of my mother and my grandparents' own personal struggles of fleeing war-torn Europe in the 50s and being refugees, and coming to America and starting again, and so I can speak to that. And I can speak to how by reflecting on the horrors of the past we can hopefully gain some perspective and clarity and understanding of how to make the world better in our present. And I think that's what filmmakers are yearning to discover and open a conversation towards," he advises. Brody also sees how personal this film is to Corbet, as the feature's director and co-writer — penning the script with his partner Mona Fastvold (The World to Come) — has never held back from conveying. "If you ask Brady, the creation of this film is very much an exorcism of his experiences in the dynamic of the patronage system as an auteur filmmaker with a sense of being dominated and controlled. I'm merely an actor at this juncture of my life, and I understand that that is a somewhat par for the course. There are things worth fighting for, and the joy and the burden of being a filmmaker is that you are at the helm; however, there are other factors, as you need funding to do great work. I think the key really is just communication and respect. And when that isn't there, it leads to great differences and acrimony." "This is a very emotional work, and deeply committed work. And whenever you're that passionate about anything you have to stand up for what's important and your beliefs. So I relate to it. I also understand nature of the space," continues Brody. We also chatted with him, Corbet, Pearce and Jones about gleaning the magnitude of the film even from the script, how the polarising response to brutalist architecture influenced the movie, unpacking such layered characters, architecture as social commentary, those Venice reactions and more. On Knowing Even Just on the Page That This Was an Epic Project, Yet Also Deeply Intimate — and the Magnitude of What It Was Asking of Brody Adrien: "I think you could just re-interpolate your question into my answer. It's exactly how I feel. It was very much, it was incredibly moving to read for all those reasons. It was quite nuanced and eloquently written and sensitive, intimate and vast in scale, and unique. I mean, there was a built-in intermission and overture, you name it. It was such richly written screenplay. Of course this character has a complexity, and such a range of lived experience that any actor would would kill for this role. I was very, very moved by it. It spoke to me in many ways. It was very ambitious in scale and very challenging, and I was very impressed, and I thought it had great potential." On How the Polarising Response to Brutalist Architecture Influenced the Film — and Also How Corbet Approached the Movie Brady: "Well, two things. I suppose that I really relate to this movement because of the fact that I myself, I make films that are generally somewhat polarising, and they have a very strange construction, and an intentionally jagged one. I deliberately omit second acts and play with structure in ways that I think for some viewers, they find it incredibly frustrating. But I think that that brutalism's radical commitment to both good, clean minimalism, but they take up a lot of space and they're very unapologetic, I think that for me, that's not just what this film is but it's what my films are, and so I relate. And then finally, in terms of how to present it, the difficult thing about architecture is that architecture is inanimate, it doesn't move — and so it is very difficult to make a film on architecture, because even if it it's incredibly glorious, it's nothing like the human face. So I think that for us, we had to find ways of representing architecture, that the film itself had to be a brutalist monument. Because there's only about eight or nine minutes of brutalism in in the entire film's runtime. For me, we are representing our architecture in terms of our forced perspectives and emerging from darkness into the light, in the way that Lloyd Wright would lead people through a space. In a Frank Lloyd Wright residence, you would enter into a small room with very low ceilings and no windows, and this was a place to take off your shoes and hang up your jacket. Then you would ascend a staircase and then boom — it would crack wide open like a cathedral. That's very similar to our opening sequence with Adrien emerging onto the deck of a ship. It's a similar feeling. So we were constantly thinking about ways to represent the architectural experience." On Pearce Making Back-to-Back Films with The Brutalist and Inside Where Complicated and Hierarchical Power Dynamics Between Men Are Pushed to the Fore Guy: "It's just the most-fascinating thing to be interested in, I think. And I find it's not that I'm looking for those roles per se, but just that both the scripts came my way and I was immediately taken by them. Felicity will attest to this one as well, it's just so interesting the way with all the characters, in the way that Brady, who wrote the script with his wife Mona, has a deep interest in the connectivity and the dynamics between people, and the way in which we need each other and the way in which we use each other, and the way in which we sort of rely on each other. All that stuff is is a big part of what this story is, as well as some themes and other great stuff, too. And I think on the film Inside, which is a really emotional, beautiful movie as well — it's a prison movie, these men in prison, very particularly trying to work out who's in charge, where the power sits and shifts, and really it's just fascinating stuff to delve into. Really, as actor, it's sort of the best stuff to delve into, I think." On What Jones Drew Upon for a Film That Examines How Layers of Different Traumas Shape Us Felicity: "I find research incredibly helpful. I like to be quite forensic in terms of understanding the context of the character and the time that they're existing in. And I feel in quite a sort of scholarly way, I like to go from the outside in, so go 'what are the big, themes, ideas, in the script and the character?', and then gradually get more and more detailed as the as time goes on. But when you're actually shooting, you just have to be totally focused on that psychology and intricacy of that person. But what's so great about working with someone like Brady is that he understands the power of cinema to convey ideology. And that's really special to work with someone like that, whether the film has obviously a much bigger socio-political message than its individual components." On the Challenges of the Role, and Making Independent Films, for Brody Adrien: I think the hardest thing about this part is that it went away for a long time. I read this script five years ago and then there was an iteration of it without me and others, and then there was a long period of time and it came around, and I'm very grateful for that. It's very challenging to make independent films. Obviously you have a deficit of resources and a bounty of creative visionary ideas, and you have to make the most complex and eloquent story come to life. And you, as an actor, it really falls on your shoulders quite a bit, because the production being starved of resources pushes you to the limit. So they're constantly forcing calls, meaning there's not much turnaround time, so you're working all the time. And if you have vast amounts of dialogue or heavy emotional scenes day in and day out, it's quite draining. And there isn't sufficient time to really give everything the space that it needs, so you have to make do and be incredibly prepared, especially when you have a very specific dialect to work on and beautiful eloquent dialogue. So there are those issues, but it's not something I'm unfamiliar with. Most films that I've done have been in similar circumstances. And you just do the work. I don't look back at this with — I feel very grateful for it, and I think part of the journey is what you do with those challenges and how you can have them motivate you and, at times, even enhance your own work because of those pressures." On Corbet's Use of Architecture as a Form of Social Commentary, and Also a Metaphor for the Characters Brady: I think that the jumping off point for this film, it came from two books, each from a small press. One was called Marcel Breuer and a Committee of Twelve Plan a Church, which is a memoir that was written by a monk at Saint John's Abbey that observed a lot of the microaggressions that Marcel Breuer was facing, or was up against, when he was building that cathedral. And as a Hungarian Jew in a small American town. Then I also read a book from Jean-Louis Cohen, who's written many, many extraordinary pieces on architecture, and he did the big Corbusier book for Taschen that you see in rich people's living rooms — but he also wrote a book called Architecture in Uniform, which is an extraordinary book about the ways in which post-war psychology and post-war architecture are intrinsically linked. It's also about how buildings were employing materials that were developed for life during wartime, and so a lot of these materials that were developed for the First and Second World War had a big impact even on the construction of these buildings in a more literal way and a less allegorical way. But he also writes about his interpretation of a lot of work from that, and for him, it's a question as well: how cognisant is the artist of what it is that they are expressing, especially with these particularly radical monuments? And so that's what the film for me is ultimately really about. The sort of meaning that his niece imbues the building with at the end of the movie, it may be an interpretation — and he, at that point, he's in a wheelchair and his wife has most likely passed away, and so he's not able to speak for himself. I think that movies and architecture, they are pieces of public art, and people will do with them whatever they will. They paint on them and they will piss on them, and they cherish them and they will tear them down. And at the end of this character's life, you're left with question of 'was it worth it? Why do we do what we do?'. And I don't have the answer to that because I don't know why I continue to make films when it's so frequently an arduous and painful experience. But, you know, I'm already working on the next one." On How Pearce Approached Digging Into Van Buren's Complex Layers Guy: "I never know how to answer the question of how I approach something. I think a lot of it is instinctive. A lot of it is as a response to the script and what I felt was there in the script. There's very clear moments throughout the course of the film where the character almost contradicts himself in behaviour, but in each of those moments, I think he exhibits something that is, to some degree, true to himself — whether he's bombastic and dominating, or whether he's actually sensitive and kind of aware, whether he's being generous or whether he's controlling. All of those things tie in together, and I think that that's what was great about the script for me, was that I felt like I saw all these different elements in this man that Brady and Mona wrote. And so obviously approaching each of those scenes at individual times, it's important to be true to whatever it is that's required in a scene, but also being aware of how he is in the scene previously, and that we want to see contradictions, I think, in characters, but then it needs to feel like a believable leap from from one place to another. Here is somebody who is, I think, deeply sensitive in a way, and kind of aware, but also has a big ego and is driven by his own sense of self-creation. I just felt like I got all of that from the script and obviously in talking to Brady, so it's an internal thing that takes over for me when I'm working, that just hopefully allows me to be authentic with all those different elements." On Jones' Task in Taking Erzsébet From a Woman Who Appears Fragile to a Powerful Presence Standing Up for Her Husband Felicity: This was something that Brady and Mona were really intrigued by, this idea that when Erzsébet arrives, we see how the trauma of being in the concentration camps has manifested itself, and that manifestation is very clearly physical. She's suffering from malnutrition, and in many ways it feels as though Erzsébet has disassociated from herself physically. I think she's been through such trauma that in some ways, she's slightly watching herself in the beginning of the film. And she has such little expectation of other human beings. She decided if you don't have any expectations, then you can't be disappointed. So in that first scene when she meets Van Buren, she has just realises that in quite a Nietzschean way, that this is just a power struggle. Every human interaction to her is a power struggle. So you've just got to work out what someone is potentially, what harm they're going to do to you, and how to mitigate that. But then throughout the film we see her, conversely to Laszlo, we see her health improving. We see her flourishing. And you realise that this woman is a deep pragmatist, and in some ways she's someone who is prepared to embrace the joys of capitalism that America is advertised to offer. And you see her, in some ways, having to deny her own intellectual progression in her work just as a means of getting enough money so that they can make their lives work. By that scene that she has with Van Buren, you see someone who's just refusing for the hierarchy to be financial, that dignity does not come from in any way your perceived financial prowess — it comes from something much deeper." On the Connections That Corbet Sees Between The Childhood of a Leader, Vox Lux and The Brutalist Brady: "They're all virtual histories. The Childhood of a Leader is a post-war film as well, about the six months leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Vox Lux is also about a post-traumatic period of a more-recent world history, about American culture after 9/11 and Columbine, which were such definitive events in the US. So I would say that the films, they all always begin or conclude from — they're all films on the theme of destruction and regeneration. One of my favourite essays is from WG Sebald. I talk about Sebald a lot because I'm really a Sebald fanatic, and I also love VS Naipaul and many, many others, but he wrote this fantastic book called on the Natural History of Destruction, and there are these extraordinary essays about regeneration and trauma, and that just is something that I've always been consumed with." On When Brody, Pearce and Jones First Realised the Impact of The Brutalist with Audiences Adrien: Only in Venice, to be honest. I wish I could say I'm cautiously optimistic. I've realised now that I'm not even very optimistic. I think it's a good defence mechanism. But I love Brady's work, and I knew the great potential of storytelling, and I knew that he had all of the elements to bring this to life. And yet it did exceed my expectations. I think it's a combination of all the creative contributions made on this movie, and how they all lift each other up and hold each other together beautifully. It's quite remarkable. To share that experience in that darkened room in Venice with an audience, and to feel — you felt it, you felt it in the room. Those are really memorable moments in one's career, when all that hard work, and it's not just the hard work of making this film. It is 20 years since I've sat in a room and witnessed that for a film that I was the protagonist in, that spoke to such complexity and touched the people around me to the point where they're weeping and looking at me and in awe of this work. And it's beautiful." Guy: "I think Venice." Felicity: "I think Venice. I think the audience response in Venice was quite a surprise. You expect a nice gentle clap, and it was quite forceful and for quite a long time." Guy: "And it didn't stop. Yeah, it didn't stop." Felicity: "And then we suddenly were going 'oh wow, this'. So yeah, it was in that moment. 'Something has happened here.'" Guy: "I think during the process of filming, of course we'd all read the script and we'd been working with Brady on the phone in conversations beforehand — and it certainly felt like we were part of something special. But I've felt that before on jobs and then the finished film doesn't necessarily live up to it. So I think knowing also Brady's style, he's somebody to be reckoned with as far as filmmaking goes. But yeah, I think Venice really was, I guess, a clear moment to go 'oh, okay'." Felicity: "Yeah, it's amazing how the festival — I mean, it's such an extraordinary festival, Venice, how much they championed this film and the people involved. And I think that gave us the kick off, really." Guy: "It helps that there's a bit of Venice in the end of the movie." Felicity: "Exactly. There's a bit self-interest in it." Guy: "Yeah, pop a bit of Cannes in your film." Felicity: "That was very canny of Brady, in fact, to put a little bit of Venice in it." Guy: "Yes, Cannes-y — Venice-y." The Brutalist opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Brisbane's Eat Street Northshore is following in the footsteps of culinary big-wigs like Brae, Biota and Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel, now boasting its very own onsite kitchen garden. Thought that was a little unlikely, given the precinct's lack of free space? Well, it's all thanks to Canada's Modular Farms Co, which has chosen the precinct as the first Australian location to host one of its state-of-the-art vertical hydroponic farms. With inner-city space at a premium these days, this little beauty is a bit of a game-changer, able to grow food cleanly and sustainably no matter where it's placed or what the climate might be. Eat Street's new addition will allow market vendors to tap into a consistent supply of fresh herbs and veggies from right there on site, minimising food miles and wastage in the process. It doesn't get much fresher than that. What's more, the farm's modular design fits right in with the rest of Eat Street's vibe, working perfectly against that backdrop of repurposed shipping containers. The new vertical farm will supply produce to both Eat Street Northshore and OzHarvest. Images: Chris Jack
