Who said we were running out of space in our urban centres? Berlin has found enough room for a farm in the heart of the city, large enough to supply its inhabitants with tons of fresh produce each month. What better place for a vegetable garden than the roof of an abandoned malt factory, or a fish farm in the factory's empty cylinders once used to dry barley? The 'Fresh From The Roof' project aims to plant 7,000 square metres of crops in this haven above the urban sprawl, fertilised entirely by the excrement of the city-slicking fish below. In return, the plants work to purify the fish tank water, making it the ideal venture for regions suffering water shortages. If only all apartment dwellers could work out how to reside in such utter harmony with their neighbours. The three German entrepreneurs behind Fresh From The Roof have already seen small-scale success, producing lettuce and tomatoes from their prototype for the urban farm built out of a recycled shipping container. But while the large-scale project won't be guzzling too much energy, there's no promise that it won't guzzle plenty of cash. The running cost of the rooftop farm is estimated at a whopping $6.7 million. But with an increasing consumer demand for organic, home-grown produce, and of course that pressing need to get creative in the way we use our space, hopefully this little farm will produce a positive return on investment.
It was one of the biggest celebrity scandals of the 90s, and it's now heading back to screens. When a sex tape featuring Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and her then-husband Tommy Lee was stolen from their home in 1995, then leaked online, it fuelled tabloid headlines (and internet downloads) for years and years. Now, the whole saga has been turned into a drama called Pam & Tommy — starring Lily James (The Pursuit of Love) as Anderson and Sebastian Stan (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as the Mötley Crüe drummer. Even better: streaming platform Disney+ is bringing the eight-part show Down Under in February and, after dropping the first teaser for the series in 2021, it has just unveiled the full Pam & Tommy trailer. James obviously dons the red swimsuit that Anderson was so famous for wearing for 76 episodes of everyone's favourite 90s lifeguard drama, because you really couldn't make a series about her without it. Also, given that the focus is squarely on the couple's intimate recording, how it became public, and the impact it had on Anderson and Lee, things clearly get chaotic rather quickly. In both sneak peeks so far, a mullet-wearing duo played by Seth Rogen (An American Pickle) and Nick Offerman (Devs) can't quite believe what they've stumbled across. That's the main focus of the first trailer, alongside Anderson and Lee's reaction when the tape makes its way out into the world — and the second trailer goes big on the latter. Pam & Tommy's stars firmly look the part — calling James' appearance a transformation definitely fits — and the trailer sports an expectedly hectic vibe. Australian-born director Craig Gillespie has jumped into larger-than-life true tales before with I, Tonya, so he's in somewhat familiar territory. He also keeps being drawn to decades gone by: the 90s here and in I, Tonya, the 80s in aerobics-focused dark comedy series Physical, and the 70s in 2021's live-action Cruella as well. Disney+ will start streaming Pam & Tommy in Australia and New Zealand from Wednesday, February 2, dropping the first three episodes on that date and then streaming the rest week-to-week afterwards. Yes, there's something to add to your 2022 must-see TV list. Check out the full Pam & Tommy trailer below: Pam & Tommy will start screening via Disney+ Down Under from Wednesday, February 2.
The Scratch's motto is "No pretension, no dress code and no pub cover bands". The small bar is a cosy, chilled, shabby-chic addition to Milton's wining 'n' dining Park Road precinct, an area once better known for metre-long pizzas, espressos and relatively diminutive Eiffel towers. All of which stood in the shadow of that commercial brick beer-hemoth, the XXXX Brewery. However, the self-proclaimed dive bar that is The Scratch has helped bring a younger, no-nonsense crowd back to the strip. It is the antithesis of almost anything else nearby, especially the brewery. The Scratch eschews typical brewery/brand relationships (i.e. the same old bland major-chain beer taps you find in, like, every pub) for a constant rotation of their tap beers every few days — all of them flavoursome craft varieties. As you may have guessed, the bar is a fairly beer-y establishment. You feel like you ought to have a beard whenever you walk in the door. Schooners range from about $8-$11. We tried such colourfully titled drops as Western Australian IPA Feral Hop Hog and Queensland's Bacchus Hazelnut Brown. In the past they've had ales infused with anything from chocolate to watermelon and chilli. But fear not, non-beer drinkers — there's myriad ciders, wine and spirits on offer, too. To add to its kerbside collection-furnished glory, The Scratch also offers free BYO food. It makes for quite the boon, with no shortage of great eats within very short walking/stumbling distance. If you're not quite that peckish but wouldn't mind a nibble of somethin'-somethin', the bar also offers free peanuts (proper ones, with the crack-'em-yourself shells still on). For something a little more dessert-y, they sell variously sized cheese platters and ice-cream — in their own house-styled flavours. You guessed it, beer-infused ice-cream heads up the list (with its specific beer flavour changing as regularly as the taps). Or why not try a "Cider Spider" or a stout milkshake? Because ... well, why the hell not. So if you've garnered a hearty thirst after work or on a Saturday afternoon and aren't necessarily wearing your Sunday best, drop on in and support some small, independent brewers.
Without gravity, an elephant and mouse would have the exact same weight. The Biggest Loser would cease to exist and we'd probably all wind up like those blubber people in Wall-E. In fact, gravity is one of those barely considered things that just makes the earth work. If that isn't hefty inspiration for an art show, then we don't know what is. In When Gravity Eludes Me, Doctor of Visual Arts candidate Brian Sanstrom uses poignant sculptural pieces to investigate the merging of institution with individual, and confront the mortality that comes from an efficient, organised system. Offering a testament to the natural human ageing process, his art explores the life-long struggle to assert independence, find a sense of self and understand our place in the world. Excuse the pun, but this is heavy stuff. When Gravity Eludes Me runs from July 14 to August 2 at the Brisbane Powerhouse, with opening night celebrations taking place on July 21.
One of Australia's favourite lit events, Women of Letters, is doing a slight, temporary rebranding, simply by dropping their first syllable. Men of Letters brings to the Zoo stage a huge selection of Brisbane's, hell Australia's, best male writers as they rediscover the lost art of letter writing. Included on a pretty amazing lineup are local hotshots Matthew Condon and Nick Earls. Condon is a regular contributor to QWeekend and penned two of Brisbane's great nonfiction exposes, Three Crooked Kings and Jacks and Jokers. Nick Earls is Brisbane fiction royalty — ask any local reader. He's the author of Australian classic Zig Sag Street, as well as 48 Shades of Brown, Just a Father, The Fix, recently released The Analogue Men and many other bookshelf staples. Also having a hand in the day's letter writing are James Reyne of Australian Crawl (yes, Australian Crawl!), Federal Member for Moreton Graham Perett, music journo Everett True, country singer James Blundell, author Jack Vening, and comedian Geoffrey Windle. Each will be penning and reading a letter to 'The Woman Who Changed My Life'. Doors open at 3pm, and wine, cheese, stamps and envelopes are provided. Grab your finest quill and head along.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are starting to reopen — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane (and, until the newly reinstated stay-at-home orders, Melbourne as well). During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loGLiMU5fuI TENET Christopher Nolan has never made a Bond film. He certainly didn't helm The Matrix franchise, either. But pick and twist aspects of each, including narrative tropes, sci-fi trickery and special effects wizardry, and the writer/director's latest slick, bold, mind-bending action-thriller Tenet is the end product. Spy flick elements are evident from the outset, thanks to a tense, taut, supremely well-executed opening attack on the jam-packed Kiev Opera House. When a gun fires during the chaos, but the bullet returns to the weapon rather than shooting out from it, Tenet's nods to late 90s and early 00s sci-fi are apparent, too. Soon afterwards, a scientist (Clémence Poésy) talks the film's CIA operative protagonist (BlacKkKlansman's John David Washington) through some of the nuts and bolts of the shadowy situation he finds himself in, explaining that inverted objects being sent back through time from the future, that a war is coming, and detailing the reverse trajectory of the bullet — and the Protagonist, as he's literally called, exclaims a Keanu-esque "whoa!" that's particularly memorable. Armed with the relevant background — tidbits the film wants viewers to pay close attention to as well — the Protagonist must hop around the world to stop life as everyone knows it from ending. He has suave handler Neil (Robert Pattinson) for company, but if Tenet's premise sounds a tad vague and convoluted, well, that's the movie's wavelength. As obsessed with time, space, existence and consciousness as much of Nolan's work, the cerebral feature doesn't get any less tangled or labyrinthine, or try to. It boasts the kind of plot that is actually quite straightforward, yet is told in an overly complicated fashion to keep viewers puzzling. Nolan likes messing with audiences' heads, so this shouldn't come as a surprise; however he jumps even beyond Inception's leaps, The Prestige's magic tricks and Interstellar's temporal dilations. As a result, as entertaining and downright spectacular as it is when it's at its action-packed best, there's also a sense that Tenet is bounding forward in some ways, while also needlessly looping back on itself in others. It's stirring, but also laborious. It's designed to overwhelm viewers in an inventive head trip, yet it makes the audience feel like they're working. It's intricate and exacting, and also messy and repetitive. It's a Nolan film through and through, in other words — usually to a mesmerising degree, but too indulgently as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIsEZ2tTavU&t=6s LES MISÉRABLES Almost 160 years since Victor Hugo immortalised the Montfermeil commune in Les Misérables, first-time feature writer and director Ladj Ly heads there to tell a different story. Or, to be exact, his Cannes prize-winning, Oscar-nominated crime-thriller that's also called Les Misérables stops by the spot to explore comparable themes in contemporary France — and to interrogate the reality of life in the Les Bosquets housing estates in one of the capital's banlieues. The latter and their communities have featured in the likes of 1995's La Haine and 2014's Girlhood before, two hands-down French movie masterpieces, but the approach here is especially inspired. Drawing parallels with a globally known, much-adapted, long-popular classic to shine a spotlight on modern-day class and cultural clashes is smart and savvy and, in the hands of a filmmaker from the area who is already known for making documentaries about the area, results in an especially compelling and confronting piece of cinema with revolution at its heart. Every neighbourhood bubbles with stories. So, focusing on Les Bosquets, Ly relays as many tales as he can. With propulsive and fittingly restless energy, his film flits between the locale's cops, kids and gangs — with troubles between all three groups reaching boiling point over the course of two summery and eventful days. The catalysts: familiar prejudices, long-held beefs, a stolen lion, a wrongful shooting and some controversial drone footage. The fallout: considerable. Unrelentingly terse and unafraid to filter real-world unrest through every frame, this Les Misérables is not always subtle; however, given the complicated terrain that it traverses, it needn't be. As a portrait of social tensions drawn from real-life situations, this is a movie of explosive emotional and visceral power even when it's clearly lacking in nuance. As an examination of how one event can escalate, detonate and spark a chain of chaos, and, Hugo-style, how insurrectionary acts come about, it hits hard. This definitely isn't a musical, but Ly's gripping, evocatively shot, deftly choreographed and impressively acted feature is still a rousing cinematic song of angry Parisians. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtCmpNdsA44 THE EIGHT HUNDRED The first Chinese film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, The Eight Hundred delivers exactly what that status demands. That'd be an impressively staged and shot spectacle, and plenty of it. Indeed, this big-budget dramatisation of the October 1937 Sihang Warehouse standoff during the Second Sino-Japanese War (which also formed part of the Second World War) is filled with fights, frays, combat and bloody confrontations to an almost relentless extent. Of course, that's the war movie formula, with the genre routinely endeavouring to steep viewers so deeply in the minutiae of the action that they feel both the mass and the personal toll. In The Eight Hundred's case, that means spending the bulk of its lengthy 147-minute duration with the 400-plus soldiers from the 524th Regiment of the National Revolutionary Army's 88th Division, who hold their ground for four days as the Imperial Japanese Army closes in on and wages an assault on the building — with the latter already overpowering Chinese forces at large during the Battle of Shanghai, and the former now representing China's last stand in the city. Complicating matters tactically, at least for the Japanese, is the warehouse's location. Adjacent to Suzhou Creek, and therefore across from Shanghai's International Settlement, the structure is in full view of the neutral zone. For writer/director Guan Hu (Mr Six), however, that gives the film an extra opportunity to dazzle visually. On one side of the waterway sits carnage; on the other, luxury, shining lights and streets filled with well-dressed onlookers all beckon. Yes, The Eight Hundred is that blunt. Yes, it takes every opportunity to be as blatant as possible on as many levels as possible, too. This is a feature that uses a white horse galloping through the mayhem as one of its overt metaphors, after all, and deploys 'Londonderry Air', aka 'Danny Boy', as its emotive song of choice. Also among its sizeable list of heavy-handed touches: repeatedly making the case for sacrifice and bloodshed in the name of China's glory and greater good, visibly adoring solider point-of-view shots, and offering little in the way of depth amongst its heaving roster of characters. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas, check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13 and August 20 — and our full reviews of The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin and Peninsula.
Some cocktails sport names that just scream 80s, even if you weren't around then — or of drinking age at the time. What other decade could've loved a tipple called sex on the beach? Or, there's the Miami Vice, which does indeed share the moniker of a TV show of the era. And while it wasn't invented then, the mix of lemonade and beer that is the good ol' shandy sure did enjoy a mighty fine heyday back when shoulder pads were everywhere. With nostalgia for four decades back having quite the moment right now — see: screens filled with movies about Air Jordans, Tetris and Super Mario Bros — of course some of the top drinks of the 80s are in the spotlight again as well. In fact, they're the beverages of honour at Brisbane's new disco-inspired cocktail pop-up The 86 Club, which'll make its debut in May to celebrate the period in question. [caption id="attachment_707293" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Bear Lodge[/caption] This boozy addition to the River City's social scene actually takes its title from the hospitality term "86", which refers to something that's no longer available; however, it does a nice double duty with its nod to 80s as well. Bartenders and The 86 Club creators Andie Bulley, Blade Deegan, Liam Murphy and Martin McConnell definitely want you to revel in the decade — although, given that their new pop-up also takes its cues from disco, it's clearly gleaning inspiration from the 70s as well. The quartet have branched out from their jobs mixing drinks at Savile Row, The Gresham and Frog's Hollow Saloon, and are teaming up with brands such as Bacardi, Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose, Patron, Marionette and Range Brewing on this side venture. The 86 Club will launch on Sunday, May 7 at Black Bear Lodge, with entry free but wallets required to sip your way through five reimagined 80s cocktails — sex on the beach, Miami Vice and the shandy obviously among them. For a soundtrack, DJ collective QUIVR will be on the decks spinning house and disco tunes. And yes, dancing beneath the disco ball with a cocktail in your hand is firmly on the menu. The 86 Club will host its first event from 7pm on Sunday, May 7 at Black Bear Lodge, with free entry — and we'll update you about further pop-ups when they're announced. Top image: Max MacInnes (@__highlandermax).
When Heartbreak High returned in 2022, the Sydney-set series benefited from a fact that's helped Degrassi, Beverly Hills, 90210, Saved by the Bell and Gossip Girl all make comebacks, too: years pass, trends come and go, but teen awkwardness and chaos is eternal. In its second season, Netflix's revival of an Australian favourite that first aired between 1994–99 embraces the same idea. It's a new term at Hartley High, one that'll culminate in the rite of passage that is the Year 11 formal. Amerie (Ayesha Madon, Love Me) might be certain that she can change after the events of season one — doing so is her entire platform for running for school captain — but waiting for adulthood to start never stops being a whirlwind. Streaming from Thursday, April 11 and proving as easy to binge as its predecessor, Heartbreak High 2.0's eight-episode second season reassembles the bulk of the gang that audiences were initially introduced to two years ago. Moving forward, onwards and upwards is everyone's planned path — en route to that dance, which gives the new batch of instalments its flashforward opening. The evening brings fire, literally. Among the regular crew, a few faces are missing in the aftermath. The show then rewinds to two months earlier, to post-holiday reunions, old worries resurfacing, new faces making an appearance and, giving the season a whodunnit spin as well, to a mystery figure taunting and publicly shaming Amerie. The latter begins their reign of terror with a dead animal; Bird Psycho is soon the unknown culprit's nickname. Leaders, creepers, slipping between the sheets: that's Heartbreak High's second streaming go-around in a nutshell. The battle to rule the school is a three-person race, pitting Amerie against Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween) — one as progressive as Hartley, which already earns that label heartily, can get; the other season one's poster boy for jerkiness, toxicity and entitlement. Heightening the electoral showdown is a curriculum clash, with the SLT class introduced by Jojo Obah (Chika Ikogwe, The Tourist) last term as a mandatory response to the grade's behaviour questioned by Head of PE Timothy Voss (Angus Sampson, Bump). A new faculty member for the show, he's anti-everything that he deems a threat to traditional notions of masculinity. In Spider, Ant (Brodie Townsend, Significant Others) and others, he quickly has followers. Their name, even adorning t-shirts: CUMLORDS. Only on Heartbreak High — or on Sex Education, which it continues to resemble — can a faceoff between SLTs (aka sluts) and CUMLORDS fuel a season-long narrative. For Bird Psycho's campaign against Amerie, the warring factions also provide a handy backdrop, as well as a distraction that has most of the school looking the other way. But Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Spooky Files), who is running for vice captain, is determined to work out who's masterminding the vehement vendetta. Almost everyone is a suspect, especially after an attack comes during the grade's annual camp — well, nearly everyone among the dozen-ish Hartley students that earn the series' focus. The season's romantic threads also push Amerie to the fore, rekindling her romance with last term's newcomer Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, RFDS) until Dubbo export Rowan (Sam Rechner, The Fabelmans), the latest arrival, gets a love triangle burning. Darren (James Majoos) and Ca$h's (Will McDonald, Blaze) relationship has roadblocks to overcome, such as jail and libidos at vastly different speeds. Missy (Sherry-Lee Watson), Sasha's ex, finds herself attracted to someone that she'd never expect. Zoe (Kartanya Maynard, Deadloch), another of season two's additions, spearheads a Puriteen movement that advocates celibacy. As she pieces her life back together after grappling with some of the show's heaviest past storylines, Amerie's best friend Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman) now has Ant pining over her. Hartley's principal Woodsy (Rachel House, Our Flag Means Death), plus Ca$h's nan (Maggie Dence, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and criminal pal Chook (Tom Wilson, Last King of the Cross), round out the season's key players, on a character list that's as jam-packed as the antics filling the series' frames. Heartbreak High is in its lean-in era, where nothing is off the table. Drug-induced declarations, sex in school stairwells, pregnancy and abortion storylines, surprise redemptions, stalkers, childhood traumas, moving out of home, the utter cartoonishness of Voss (who dubs the school a "woke snowflake nightmare", and is the least successful element in the new episodes), busting out the Nutbush: they're all included, as is dancing from OTT to earnest and silly to serious. For creator Hannah Carroll Chapman (The Heights), who is behind the show's 2020s comeback — and also for her writers (Paper Dolls' Marieke Hardy, Sara Khan and Thomas Wilson-White; Safe Home's Jean Tong; Totally Completely Fine's Keir Wilkins; and The Heights' Megan Palinkas) and directors (Seriously Red's Gracie Otto, Mother and Son's Neil Sharma, and Why Are You Like This duo Jessie Oldfield and Adam Murfet) this time around — there's meaning in the season's tonal rollercoaster. Whether skewing light or heavy, entertainingly riffing on Rage or charting the constant quest to work our who you are that everyone endures in their teen years, or bringing Euphoria or the OG Heartbreak High to mind, all of the series' pinballing around explores a formative time when everything keeps seesawing and swinging by intentionally mirroring it. As was true during its debut Netflix stint to awards, acclaim and worldwide viewership, not to mention three decades back when 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid sparked Heartbreak High to begin with, an excellent cast can ride every up and down that the show throws their characters' ways. Weatherall, Yasbincek and McDonald continue their thoughtful and layered portrayals of Malakai, Harper and Ca$h from 2022. Watson and Chapman Parish benefit from meatier storylines and deeper dives into Missy and Spider. Madon, Majoos and Hayden give Amerie, Darren and Quinni walk-right-off-the-screen energy. Rechner makes a meaningful imprint as Rowan, who is never a one-note enigmatic outsider. Investing in them, just like bingeing Heartbreak High season two, is always something that secondary schooling never is no matter what decade you're hitting the books, then the parties: easy. Check out the trailer for Heartbreak High's second season below: Heartbreak High season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, April 11, 2024. Read our review of season one. Images: Netflix.
The secrets trade is booming. Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have proved the incredible consequences of when confidential information shows up where it's not supposed to, as well as the accompanying newspaper sales spikes. Rupert Murdoch no longer wants to rely on the whims of a third party and last week introduced the Wall Street Journal's SafeHouse. SafeHouse is News Corporation's online attempt at replicating the success of WikiLeaks. The website aims to increase whistle-blowing on wrongdoing, whether that be individual, corporate or governmental. The site encrypts your personal information so that your leaking of documents doesn't get back to you (anonymity is offered but not preferred as oftentimes information without a background is useless from a journalistic standpoint). If your information is juicy enough it will get coverage in the Wall Street Journal. So what's the catch? Questions over the motives of establishing such a site have been raised. Rupert Murdoch and his broadcasters have traditionally treated WikiLeaks and Assange with incredible disdain, with Fox News broadcaster Bill O'Reilly saying Assange "is a sleazeball...bent on damaging America". Why the sudden turnaround? Is the Wall Street Journal slighted over the New York Times traditionally getting the better (read: more scandalous and destructive) information from WikiLeaks? Or, as security analysts and conspiracy theorists alike think, is it all a trap? Security analyst, Jacob Appelbaum, was quoted as saying that the site had a "laundry list of amatuerish security flaws", with no guarantee your personal details or anonymity are safe. The website also holds the dubious disclaimer that your identity as a source is anonymous except under "extraordinary circumstances". With no definition of "extraodinary circumstances" provided, what does it entail? Does it include getting asked by the government to give up the information? Does it include selling the source's details to the highest bidder? The absense of such fine print flexibility is what made WikiLeaks what it is - a safe haven for the tell tale and leaker. If not a deliberate trap, the security concerns and disclaimers could make SafeHouse a fruitful hunting ground for a US government who's had enough of people knowing their confidential goings-on. Either way, if Murdoch wants more secrets, he might have to start being a bit nicer to Assange. [via Fast Company]
In its entire concept, Sydney Opera House's All About Women has always pushed girls, ladies and women to the front. So, the fact that the 2023 version of its key feminist festival will feature riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill couldn't be more perfect. That in-conversation event is just the beginning of the event's program, however, with the complete bill also going big on high-profile guests — such as child actor-turned-I'm Glad My Mom Died author Jennette McCurdy and human rights barrister Jennifer Robinson. Former iCarly star McCurdy will chat through her experiences, including growing up in the spotlight, finding her independence and the events that led to her New York Times best-selling memoir, in an Australian-exclusive conversation. After successfully representing Amber Heard in Johnny Depp's UK libel case, Robinson will feature in a panel called 'The War on Women', about fighting for both rights and lives, alongside Egyptian American journalist Mona Eltahawy, Pakistani author and journalist Fatima Bhutto, and Mununjali Yugambeh and South Sea Islander Professor Chelsea Watego. Running from Saturday, March 11—Monday, March 13, All About Women's 2023 festival marks its 11th, and sees the event held across three days for the first time ever — growing again after it only just expanded to two days in 2022, in fact. And, in another significant change for this year, the event's lineup is guided by four festival co-curators. Doing the honours: author, podcast presenter and gender equality advocate Jamila Rizvi; Gamilaroi academic and Tell Me Again author Dr Amy Thunig; feminist social commentator, novelist and writer Jane Caro AM; and Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks and Ideas Chip Rolley. Their full program includes 25 events featuring 60-plus international and Australian artists, thinkers, and storytellers, starting with an evening of storytelling, poetry, dance and music for the fest's Opening Night Gala, hosted by Clare Bowditch and featuring actor Eryn Jean Norvill (The Picture of Dorian Gray), "mother of African contemporary dance" Germaine Acogny, Iranian Australian singer and instrumentalist Gelareh Pour, and Fatima Bhutto. And, it also spans Cult Classic author Sloane Crosley chatting about modern dating with journalist Maddison Connaughton — and a romance and reality TV-focused discussion between Bachelorette Brooke Blurton, Just The Gist podcaster Rosie Waterland, and Gamilaroi and Torres Strait Islander writer and actor Nakkiah Lui. In a session about neurodivergence in women and gender-diverse people, 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame, Heartbreak High's Chloe Hayden, and research psychologist and activist Dr Jac den Houting will talk with Thunig — and a panel examining trying to achieve justice in sexual abuse claims, and the trauma the process can bring, will feature sexual assault law reform advocate Saxon Mullins, criminal lawyer Katrina Marson, Yorta Yorta woman and survivor advocate Amanda Morgan, and lawyer and author Bri Lee. Or, attendees can look forward to Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies scholar Kylie Moore-Gilbert hosting a session on the women-led revolution in Iran, as joined by Pour, scholar and poet Dr Saba Vasefi, and author and journalist Shokoofeh Azar; plus a panel about the body positivity movement's struggles to be genuinely inclusive, featuring Wadjanbarra Yidinji, Jirrbal and African-American former model Sasha Kutabah Sarago, body love activist and podcaster April Hélène-Horton aka The Bodzilla, fashion editor and queer rights activist Deni Todorovič, disability rights campaigner Elly Desmarchelier, and comedian and broadcaster Tanya Hennessy. The list goes on, covering Clementine Ford exploring the history of demonising single women, a session on women's activism through a First Nations lens, diving into starting a family in a modern world, unpacking gendered emotions, and turning Eltahawy's FEMINIST GIANT newsletter into a panel. The Girlboss movement, making tough decisions, the shame often imposed on women and girls, leading movements, a Bikini Kill gig: they all get their time in focus, too. Just like in 2022, the festival will host its sessions in-person for Sydneysiders, and will also live-stream to viewers both around Australia and worldwide — which is ace news if you live outside of the Harbour City. [caption id="attachment_875442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Debi Del Grande[/caption] Top image: Jacquie Manning.
Think floral art and the likes of Martha Stewart, Preston Bailey and your aunty who did that flower arranging course might pop into your head. Think refined, disciplined, unique, and delicate floral art, and only one name should come to mind: Lucy Culliton. She’s won the Portia Geach, Mosman and Kedumba drawing prices and is part of the National Gallery of Australia, Australian Parliament House and the Gold Coast Art Centre collections. In 2012, her exhibition Bibbeluke Flowers was a sell-out, and her newest, Weeds of the Monaro and Others, is likely to receive the same reception. The paintings of Culliton stem from an artistic contentment she’s found in her home and garden, and her collections of work reflect everything from it’s blooming beauties to its pests. It was through constant weeding, that Lucy discovered the wonder, intricacy and inherent beauty of the flowers, shrubs and weeds she was pulling out. While paterson’s curse, dandelions, deadly nightshade and thistles were a pest, and had no place next to the petunias, Lucy found a happy home for them in striped milk jugs, chinese vases and jars, they became obvious subject to paint. The Hold Artspace will be hosting Weeds of Monaro and Others for three days only from August 20.
Before there was a Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were Fantastic Four movies. The first two to earn a big-screen release arrived in 2005 and 2007, with the latter hitting the year before Iron Man kicked off the MCU. Now, add the Stan Lee- and Jack Kirby-created superhero quartet to the list of characters who are being brought into the Marvel fold. The next Fantastic Four is set to reach cinemas in 2025 as part of the franchise's sixth phase. That Disney has been planning to bring Fantastic Four into the MCU isn't new news. In fact, it's been on the cards for a few years, enabled by the Mouse House buying 20th Century Fox. But since it was announced, it's sparked a whole heap of speculation about casting Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm — aka Mister Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Disney (@disney) Exactly who'll be getting fantastic this time around has just been revealed, with Disney dropping the news for Valentine's Day 2024 in the US. It's a starry list, starting with Pedro Pascal — who adds the MCU to his resume alongside the Star Wars realm (thanks to The Mandalorian) and game-to-TV smash The Last of Us — as stretchy group leader Richards. He's joined by Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), who'll bend light as one of the Storm siblings; Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), who'll get fiery as the other; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), who is no one's cousin here, but will instead get huge, rocky and super strong. Directed by WandaVision, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Succession's Matt Shakman, the new Fantastic Four is now set for a Thursday, July 24, 2025 release Down Under. [caption id="attachment_885020" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Last of Us via HBO[/caption] Pascal and company are taking over from two past big-screen takes on the superhero team. In the 2005 and 2007 movies, Ioan Gruffudd (Harrow), Jessica Alba (LA's Finest), a pre-Captain America Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers) and Michael Chiklis (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) starred. Then, in 2015, Chronicle filmmaker Josh Trank gave the group a spin — still outside of the MCU — with Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Kate Mara (Black Mirror), a pre-Black Panther Michael B Jordan (Creed III) and Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers). As everyone who caught this year's Super Bowl trailers knows — so, everyone — Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, Faraway Downs) are also joining the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine, and also thanks to Disney purchasing Fox. Since dropping on Monday, February 12, the debut trailer for the film has become the most-watched trailer ever. There's no trailer for the new Fantastic Four yet, obviously, but you can check out the sneak peeks for the past three Fantastic Four movies below: Fantastic Four is set to release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Top images via HBO, Apple TV+, Netflix and FX.
Brisbane, gather your comrades and say hello to our newest late-night eatery and bar. You may have seen construction going down on ol’ Alfred St, but surprise surprise – the new kid on the block is not part of the A&C, Alfredos, Limes and Kwan Brothers cluster – but he is certainly ready to conquer his territory. Sourcing gin not from your grandmother’s top shelf, but from around the globe, Dutch Courage Officer’s Mess (DC for short) is here for the gin enthusiasts and out to woo new lovers. Any old-hat notions about gin shall be erased to make way for specialty gin-based cocktails and a 240-plus list of spirits and liqueurs in this British colonial-themed bar. Owner Matthew Hilan, a former Air Combat Officer in the RAAF and former executive director for Union Bank of Switzerland, says the venue is inspired by a period in history where military formality during the day would give way to carefree partying, socialising and unwinding at night in campaign tents and mess halls. The late-night bar will be open until late on Fridays and Saturdays featuring a share plate menu inspired by the colonial outposts of the British Empire in 19th century, and more than 240 liqueurs and spirits to wet the whistle including tasting flights and a ‘DC Passport’ to take you around the world. Friday, June 20 is the night to start exploring – we think we’ll start with the Spice Trade Punch.
When it premiered at Sundance in January this year, Spaceship Earth wouldn't and couldn't have seemed as topical as it does at present. The documentary's subject: Biosphere 2. If the name isn't familiar, it refers to a biodome in the Arizona desert that played host to eight inhabitants for two years in the early 90s — all isolating themselves from the world by choice, in the name of silence, to see if a closed-off, fully self-sustaining vivarium could work. Yes, it sounds like pure sci-fi. We can guarantee that this is 100-percent reality, however. Exploring a tale that has to be seen to be believed, filmmaker Matt Wolf takes viewers through the unusual and fascinating experiment — wth the help of a treasure trove of archival material, as well as present-day interviews from many of the folks involved at the time. While it would've been very easy to play up the outlandishness of the whole project (indeed, as seen in media clips from the era, many an onlooker did), this doco approaches Biosphere 2 and the passionate people who made it happen with thoughtfulness and appreciation, in what proves a supremely interesting and engaging film. And, if you'd like to check it out, you can do so for without paying a cent as part of the new Visions, Speculations and Dystopias: A Deep Dive Into Spaceship Earth event hosted by The Capitol in Melbourne. There are multiple components, all free and all online — and streaming the movie is one of them. You'll need to RSVP to get sent the details, and then you can view it at your leisure in the lead up to three virtual events. The first, a watch party, takes place at 7.30pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 4. After that, you can catch a panel about whether humanity should leave earth, as held at 5.30pm AEDT on Thursday, November 5, and then check out a masterclass with Spaceship Earth's director Matt Wolf at 10am AEDT on Friday, November 6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGvYFB6GHRY
When it comes to eating at a restaurant, everyone broadly knows what to expect. You mosey on in, sit at a table, chat with whichever wonderful person happens to be sharing the meal with you, make plenty of eye contact over wine and dinner, and spend ample time soaking in the eatery's vibe and decor. That's the general process we've all been through countless times. Now, imagine what your dinner would be like if there were no lights. Actually, you don't need to imagine — you can simply head along to The Mix Bar's new Dining in the Dark series. There'll be food, drinks and everything else that goes along with the experience, but absolutely no illumination. The idea behind the concept is to heighten your other senses — taste, obviously, but also smell — and allow you to experience dinner in a completely new and different way. If you're keen, tickets cost $75 for a three-course sitting, with the Woolloongabba spot turning the lights out on select Thursdays — on August 22, September 12 and 26, and October 17 and 24. Image: The Mix Bar.
The last time that Black Mirror released new episodes, no one had ever heard the terms COVID-19 and ChatGPT, the world hadn't been through a huge lockdown due to a pandemic, Succession was only one season in and Twitter had a far less chaotic owner. They're just a few ways to answer the show's new question, with Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi hit getting tweeting for the first time since 2019 to start teasing its upcoming sixth season. That social-media query: the very apt "what have we missed?". Obviously there are plenty of ways to respond, which Black Mirror creator quickly Charlie Brooker did. 🤔 — Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) April 25, 2023 Those four words from the official Black Mirror Twitter and that one emoji from Brooker is all that's been pumped out into the ether about the show's return, but it's enough to get excited about given that it breaks the series' four-year silence. Wondering when you might be staring at your own black mirror again to watch Black Mirror? That still hasn't been announced. News about Black Mirror's next go-around isn't new, of course, and has been doing the rounds since 2022. Last year, Variety also named a heap of cast members, including Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Paapa Essiedu (Men), Josh Hartnett (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Aaron Paul (Westworld), Kate Mara (Call Jane), Danny Ramirez (Stars at Noon), Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother), Auden Thornton (This Is Us) and Anjana Vasan (Killing Eve). Back when the sixth season was confirmed, how many more grim dystopian tales were on their way hadn't been revealed, however, and that's still the case now. That said, it's expected that the new season will run for more than season five's mere three episodes — and apparently each new instalment is being treated as an individual film. Black Mirror fans will know that the series has also released a direct-to-streaming movie, aka the choose-your-own-adventure-style Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, back in 2018 between seasons four and five. How exactly will the series manage to be even more dispiriting than reality over the past few years? That's increasingly been one of its dilemmas — and noting that something IRL feels just like Black Mirror has become one of the cliches of our times — but this'll be the mind-bending effort's first round of episodes following the pandemic. No one has ever watched the Brooker-created series for a pick-me-up, though. Since first hitting the small screen in 2011, Black Mirror has spun warped visions of where technology may lead us — and, no matter what tale the show has told so far across its 22 instalments (including that interactive movie), the picture has usually been unnerving. So, imagine what the program will cook up after what we've all been living through since it last aired. Brooker has already riffed on COVID-19 in two Netflix specials, actually: Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, which offer satirical and star-studded wraps of both years with mixed success. For something completely different, he also jumped back into choose-your-own-adventure content with animated short Cat Burglar, which hit Netflix back in 2022, has viewers play through it as a thieving feline called Rowdy and gets you to answer trivia questions to advance the story. While you're waiting for Black Mirror's sixth season to arrive — and a release date for it — check out a trailer for season three episode San Junipero below: Exactly when Black Mirror season six might hit Netflix is yet to be revealed. We'll update you when further details are announced.
At two locations in Victoria, and over in New Zealand as well, the Peninsula Hot Springs crew have made bathing in relaxing warm water reason enough to book a holiday. Now, the team wants travellers to think about hitting the outback Queensland town of Cunnamulla in the same way. The spot has just become home to Cunnamulla Hot Springs, which the local Paroo Shire owns but Peninsula Hot Springs Group is running. If your idea of bliss is a lengthy soak in a stunning location, you have a new getaway spot to pop on your agenda, then. Perched right by Warrego River for the ultimate in scenic surroundings, Cunnamulla Hot Springs boasts seven geothermic pools. First announced in 2023, it launched at the beginning of February 2024. The $11.7-million, five-star site — which came to fruition with contributions from both the federal and Queensland state governments — is the largest-funded project that the Paroo Shire Council has ever undertaken. Getting Peninsula Hot Springs Group to look after day-to-day operations means capitalising upon its expertise honed elsewhere, however. As well as Peninsula Hot Springs, of course, it has Metung Hot Springs in East Gippsland to its name, plus Aotearoa's Maruia Hot Springs. In Cunnamulla, bathers slip into pools surrounded by native trees, and featuring mineral- and vitamin-rich water taken from and heated naturally by the artesian basin underneath. Learning about the latter around your soak is also part of the experience — calming your body and feeding your mind at the same time. Each of Cunnamulla Hot Springs's bathing spots sport different temperatures, so you can get steamy, opt for a stint in the chilled plunge pool or both. One has been specifically built to be shallow, so that folks sitting in it can gaze at the stars in the most immersive way possible. In the state-of-the-art complex, a sauna and a steam room is also part of the setup, as is an area for salt scrubs and clay masks. Fancy taking a dip by sunrise or sunset? That's on offer as well, to make the most of day's cooler temperatures. Dawn bathing starts at 6am, while a twilight soak is on offer from 5–9pm on weekdays. Patrons aren't merely surrounded by Cunnamulla's landscape as they sit; everything about Cunnamulla Hot Springs has taken its cues from its environment, with Cox Architects on design duties. Think: earthy colours, and using stone and ironbark timber among other natural materials — plus the thermal waters, of course. When it was announced last year, Cunnamulla Hot Springs was named as a highlight on the Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide, which is filled with things to do inland in the Sunshine State. Queensland isn't just about beaches, rainforests and the tropics, even if that's what it's best known for. So, the bathing venue joins everything from starlight river cruises in Longreach and Winton's Australia Age of Dinosaurs Museum through to the Southwest Queensland Indigenous Cultural Trail and a heap of national parks (and other outback spas and baths, including in Julia Creek, Bedourie, Quilpie, Mitchell and Yowah). If you're now planning a trip to Cunnamulla, it's around a nine-hour drive west from Brisbane, with flights via Rex, and also boasts an outback river lights festival; the Artesian Time Tunnel, which explores the Artesian Basin's history; and safari-style glamping — among other attractions. Find Cunnamulla Hot Springs at Lot 5 Ivan Street, Cunnamulla, Queensland — head to the venue's website for bookings and further information. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If peering at an artist's work is the same as peering into their soul, then staring at a self-portrait is like peeking through a wide-open window. Perhaps Rembrandt believed this? The 17th-century artist certainly loved putting his likeness on paper, whether he was picking up a brush or pencil, or getting etching. Perhaps you can ponder this very notion at Rembrandt — True to Life, which is bringing the Dutch Golden Age master's works to Melbourne's NGV International to brighten up Australia's winter. From Friday, June 2–Sunday, September 10, the St Kilda Road gallery will be home to a wide-ranging exploration of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn's work — so expansive, in fact, that it's the most-comprehensive Rembrandt exhibition to display Down Under in 25 years. On loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, 1659's Self-Portrait is one of the star attractions, and one of around 80 images of himself he's thought to have made. Created when the artist was 53 (and three years after he'd declared bankruptcy), it sits alongside ten etched self-portraits. Combined, they let True to Life attendees chart how he saw himself, and conveyed his soul to the world, over three decades. Etchings comprise a significant portion of the NGV's ode to Rembrandt, with more than 100 from its own collection at the heart of the impressive retrospective. In addition to helping to detail his self-perception, they showcase his innovations as a printmaker and also illustrate how widely and deeply he splashed around his artistic talents. If you're heading to a Rembrandt exhibition, you want to see his paintings, of course, an instinct that the showcase capitalises upon. Thanks to pieces borrowed from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Louvre in Paris, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and the Teylers Museum in Haarlem as well, the artist's prints are placed in context with his paintings. You'll see how they're connected no matter the subject or theme as True to Life steps through not just his portraits, but also his landscapes, scenes of daily life, depictions of religious motifs and nudes. Among his scenery-focused works, his largest landscape etching The three trees, which dates back to 1643, is a drawcard. From his pieces that hone in on the human form — never idealising them — Diana at the bath, an etching from 1631, is another highlight. Taking its cues from passages from the Gospel of St Matthew, 1648's well-known piece The Hundred Guilder Print is also on display as part of the exhibition's survey of Rembrandt's fascination with faith. His two largest prints similarly fall into the same category: The three crosses from 1653 and Christ presented to the people from 1655. Because the artist transformed them both by making continuous adjustments, True to Life shows them in two different states — early and late side by side. Images: Installation view of Rembrandt: True to Life on display from 2 June-10 September at NGV International, Melbourne. Photos: Tom Ross.
When Drake plays his first Australian shows in eight years on his 2025 Anita Max Win tour, he isn't just dropping in for a few dates. Since first being announced in November 2024 for a run in February, the Canadian artist's trip Down Under keeps being extended. Now, he's even sticking around at the beginning of March, adding new shows in Sydney and Brisbane. That makes five gigs in the Harbour City and three in the Sunshine State capital. Drake will play Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17, then on Wednesday, February 19–Thursday, February 20, and now on Friday, March 7 as well. In Brisbane, he's headed to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Monday, February 24–Tuesday, February 25, and also on Tuesday, March 4. Yes, you're now going to have 'Hotline Bling', 'Too Good', 'Passionfruit', 'Nice for What', 'In My Feelings', 'One Dance' and 'Laugh Now Cry Later' stuck in your head. Drake last hit the stage in Australia in 2017 on his Boy Meets World tour. Also on the five-time Grammy-winner's Australian itinerary this time: two gigs at RAC Arena in Perth and four at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. The Degrassi: The Next Generation star and platinum-selling singer is fresh off his 2023–24 It's All A Blur Tour, which saw him chalk up over 80 soldout shows in North America. Last time that he played to Aussie audiences, Drake had four studio albums to his name: 2010's Thank Me Later, 2011's Take Care, 2013's Nothing Was the Same and 2016's Views. He's doubled that since, so expect tunes from 2018's Scorpion, 2021's Certified Lover Boy, 2022's Honestly, Nevermind and 2023's For All the Dogs, too. The Anita Max Win tour's initially announcement wasn't new news if you'd been paying attention to Drake's social media, where he'd been teasing details — but it keeps expanding. Drake's 'Anita Max Win' Tour 2025 Australian Dates Tuesday, February 4–Wednesday, February 5 — RAC Arena, Perth Sunday, February 9–Monday, February 10 + Wednesday, February 12–Thursday, February 13 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, February 16–Monday, February 17 + Wednesday, February 19–Thursday, February 20 + Friday, March 7 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Monday, February 24–Tuesday, February 25 + Tuesday, March 4 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Drake is touring Australia in February and March 2025, with tickets to the new Sydney and Brisbane shows on sale from 1pm local time on Wednesday, January 15. Head to the tour website for more details. Images: The Come Up Show via Flickr.
Brisbanites already have plenty of excuses to hang out in, on, near and around the water. This is the River City, after all. But come May, you'll have another reason to hit the brown snake when GoBoat splashes into town. The Denmark-born company has been busy launching its eco-friendly picnic boats in cities all over Europe over the past few years, as well as in Canberra, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. Now, after announcing it was setting up shop in Brissie in recent months, bookings are now open for its local debut — so start getting excited about cruising along the river in a different way. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the Scandinavian-designed vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don't require a boating licence, making for some fun, fuss-free sailing sessions. In a win for the planet, they also run on silent, pollution-free, electric engines, and are crafted from a mix of reclaimed timber and recycled PET bottles. Each of the contemporary GoBoats clocks in at 18-feet long, boasting a central picnic table with room for eight people (and all the necessary snacks and booze). And despite what you might be thinking, they're even affordable enough to fit your budget — simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will start at around $14 per person, per hour. That's $109 hourly for the first hour, but the longer you book, the cheaper it gets. The Brisbane fleet will set sail from Breakfast Creek, with bookings available from Monday, May 24. And, the company's vessels are pet-friendly — surely you've got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt. GoBoat will start operating from Breakfast Creek in Brisbane from Monday, May 24. For further details and to book, head to the company's website. Top image: Lean Timms
Surfers of Melbourne — all 300,000 of you — don't go anywhere. Come Easter, the first waves will be rolling through Australia's very first surf park. And, no, you won't have to drive all the way out to Torquay or the Peninsula. Instead, Urbnsurf Melbourne will be located on a huge site in Tullamarine, just near the airport. Plans for the park first surfaced way back in 2016, and Urbnsurf has today announced that the park has installed its wave generator. That means it will be pumping out surf by April, with a view to be open to the public by spring this year. At the moment, the site is still a hole in the ground — but when it opens, the two-hectare lagoon will power up to 1000 waves per hour, day and night. And you'll get a choice of waves. Want to ride nothing but perfectly-formed right-handers for an hour? Or would you prefer a random selection, like what you'd experience in the ocean? You'll be able to take your pick. According to Urbnsurf founder Andrew Ross, "every wave has six different take-off spots", which equates to 3600 surfable positions every hour. The waves are created by Wavegarden technology, which was developed by a Spanish engineering firm of the same name. So how does it work? Basically, the waves come from an 85-metre pier that runs down the centre of the lagoon (which you can see in the image below). A series of pistons located on the pier then push the water to the left, then to the right, to create the waves. Ross likens the movement to "moving your hand back and forward like a shark's tail". [caption id="attachment_707250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Urbnsurf lagoon under construction.[/caption] If you're worried about the amount of energy needed to drive such an operation, take comfort in the fact that Urbnsurf aims to run on 100 percent renewables within the first 12 months of opening. From the get-go, the rest of the facility's built environment — which includes a beach club, loads of eateries and a retail space — will be partially solar powered (with the rest sourced from renewable sources), and water will be sourced from storm water stores near the airport before being treated and filtered. Once the lagoon is filled, the team will then enter a testing period — if you're a keen surfer, you can sign up to give it a test drive before the park opens to the public in spring this year. The ability to create waves means that the park will be built for both pros who are looking for steep, barrelling waves and novices looking for a safe place to get their start in the surf. "Becoming a great surfer is all about getting waves under your feet," says Ross. "But, in Melbourne, the nearest waves are over an hour away. Unless you set up your life so you can get down there regularly, it's difficult to progress as a surfer, without dedicating decades of your life to it." At Urbnsurf, Ross predicts, most novices will stand on their board within an hour and ride across the green face within two. And not only will you get guaranteed waves — you won't be fighting for them. The park holds 84 riders per hour. And, should you get seriously hooked, you'll be able to enter amateur competitions, maybe with (or against) your mates. When completed, it will be the fourth commercial wave park in the world, and the first in Australia. But not for long. Urbnsurf has already has plans for a Sydney park approved, and it's also lodging a development application for a site in Perth. Another park has also been proposed for regional Queensland. https://vimeo.com/256710737 Urbnsurf is due to open in spring 2019 near Melbourne Airport. You can sign up to test out the surf park before it opens on the website. Top image: Wavegarden San Sebastian, by Ed Sloane. All images courtesy Urbnsurf.
It was one of the best new shows on television — well, streaming — in 2022. It's the reason that everyone has been exclaiming "yes chef!" for the past six months. It's also the source of your beef sandwich obsession, deliciously so. And, it just picked up star Jeremy Allen White a shiny Golden Globe. That'd be The Bear, the first season of which ranked among the most stressful but stellar ways to spend four hours-ish last winter. Expect the show to repeat the feat when the chilly season hits this year, too, because that's when this dramedy gem will return for its second season. The Bear was renewed for season two before the show even made its way Down Under, after debuting in the US in June, then reaching Australia and New Zealand via Disney+ at the end of August. Whether audiences here will experience a delay again in 2023 is yet to be seen — hopefully not, given that it's now an established success — but either way, the series will return in America during our winter. FX's The Bear S2 premieres early summer, with 10 episodes. Only on @hulu. 🐻🥫#TheBearFX @TheBearFX pic.twitter.com/Y5QUBTlzcj — FX Networks (@FXNetworks) January 13, 2023 US network FX, which screens The Bear stateside, announced the news on social media — confirmed that season two will run for ten episodes. That's two extra servings of chaos surrounding Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (White, Shameless) and his culinary endeavours. While season one already saddled him more than his fair share of troubles and struggles, there's no way that season two is going to a cruisy dream for the kitchen ace. If you missed the first season, it jumped into the mayhem after Carmy took over The Original Beef of Chicagoland, his family's business, after his brother Mikey's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) suicide. Before returning home, the chef's resume spanned Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. Accordingly, trying to bring that fine-dining level of meticulous to a neighbourhood sandwich shop didn't go smoothly. That's just the beginning of the story, in a series that truly conveyed what it's like to work in the hospitality industry — including navigating a restaurant kitchen's non-stop intensity. Yes, the mood is anxious from the outset, with The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) starting the series as he definitely meant to go on, but still expertly managing to balance drama and comedy. Also a crucial part of the show: the rest of the impressive cast, such as Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Dropout) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend; Ayo Edebiri (Dickinson) as new sous chef Sydney; Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar; and Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. You've now got a few months to perfect your sandwich-making skills, ready for The Bear's second helping. Check out the trailer for The Bear season one below: The Bear streams via Disney+. We'll update you with an exact season two release date when one is announced. Read our full review of season one.
Like seafood? Given Brisbane is drenched in sunshine for most of the year, and that it's a river city between two glorious coastal hotspots, that's far from surprising. Make River Quay Fish your next dinner destination then. No prizes for guessing what it serves, or what kind of body of water it's near, though. In fact, you've probably been to this South Bank spot before, when it was known as Cove Bar & Dining. With a change of name comes a change of menu and focus, much to the delight of anyone keen on dropping by the breezy space and munching on the ocean's finest. That includes dine in and takeaway offerings such as oysters, smoked trout salad, salt and pepper calamari, and good ol' beer battered fish of the day, plus white anchovy bruschetta, whiting tacos and grilled Moreton Bay bugs. The menu also boasts pan-fried Huon Valley salmon, Portuguese stew with oven-baked fish and chorizo, and fries with rosemary sea salt, for those after something different. Yep, prepare to be in seafood heaven.
Been spending the first half of 2021 pondering the future? Given how the past year has panned out, that's only natural. But in the early hours of Friday, June 25, you might want to look to the skies as well — and feast your eyes on this month's noteworthy lunar sight. For folks located Down Under, this is when you'll see this year's 'strawberry' full moon. According to NASA, it could also be considered a super full moons, with different publications split on the matter. If you choose to deem it a supermoon, you'll know that they aren't particularly rare — one occurred back in April, and then another took place in May — but there are still plenty of reasons to peer upwards this time around. If you're wondering what else you need to know, we've run through the details below. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. June's full moon is called a strawberry moon not because it's pink or red — it isn't — but because that's when strawberries traditionally ripen in the northern hemisphere. Of course, it's currently winter in the southern hemisphere, but the name still sticks. And, if you're going with the supermoon school of thought, that name applies to a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. Again, they're not all that uncommon — whether or not you want to claim this one as a supermoon. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Friday, June 25. In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the moon will be full at 4.39am according to Timeanddate.com. In Adelaide, that time moves forward half an hour, so it'll take place at 4.09am — and in Perth, it'll be earlier still, at 2.39am. Those times refer to the exact full moon time. Of course, the moon will still be visible in the sky before then — and looking rather full, even if the exact minute hasn't arrived. So, if you'd prefer to take a gander at a more pleasant hour on Thursday, June 24 or even in the evening on Friday, June 25, that's understandable. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies. So, city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. If you can't get a clear vantage, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming from the skyline above Rome from 5am AEST on Friday, June 25 . The 'strawberry' full moon occur at 4.39am AEST on Friday, June 25 along Australia's east coast — although the moon itself will be visible in the sky all evening before that. For further information, including about timing, head to Timeanddate.com.
Australian activewear and maternity wear brand Active Truth has just launched its new line of leggings, bike shorts and crop tops with the help of Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru designer Bobbi Lockyer. The hand-painted design featured on the limited edition Brolga line of activewear is currently available via the Active Truth website and shipping is free worldwide. Based in Port Hedland, Western Australia, Lockyer created the clothing line in order to celebrate strong women. "In our Dreaming about Brolga, she was a beautiful girl obsessed with dancing. Dancing was her only love and nothing distracted her," Lockeyer said. "I like to think of Brolga as a headstrong woman, passionate and determined, going for her dreams. This is why I chose to paint brolga feathers for this design, to symbolise women with our strengths, passions and show that we are going for our dreams." Lockyer also photographed the campaign herself, shooting some of the strong women in her life sporting the line out in the red dust and salt flats of her hometown. The activewear line is supportive of women of all shapes and sizes, available in sizes small through to 3XL. The Brolga line is also available in Active Truth's popular maternity wear range. These leggings can be worn through every trimester, as well as post-natal. Stevie Angel and Nadia Tucker, the duo behind Active Truth, have created a compression fabric that provides secure support and is especially designed to help ease some of the pains and strains experienced during pregnancy. The tights will stay in place throughout your workout, too, and the compression fit assists in reducing leg swelling and soreness to boot. All Active Truth orders come with a 30-day return policy and free express shipping and exchanges worldwide. The clothing company also offers customers the option to include their traditional First Nations place name when entering their address during the ordering process. Check out the full range of Brolga activewear and maternity wear here or you can browse the whole range of Active Truth activewear, maternity wear and swimwear online now. 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.
Returning to Australia with all the flair of a growling octogenarian swirling a glass of wine in one hand, the brilliantly manic Dylan Moran has announced his brand new comedy tour Off the Hook will be stopping at 12 locations across the country this July to August. The Irish comedian, who won our hearts as the creator and star of Black Books, is celebrated across the globe for his brilliant brand of rambling, brutally sharp stand-up comedy. Though you may hear Moran most frequently described as "curmudgeonly", the charm and intelligence of his manic comedy are hypnotic as he bombards audiences with his thoughts on everything from ageing and politics to kids, love and misery. Moran is coming to Australia straight off the back of a stint touring around the less likely locales of Kiev, Moscow and Kazakhstan — as well as becoming the first Western comic to perform in St Petersburg — with his surly ways winning him acclaim along the way. Bringing an always entrancing stage presence of slurring insights and bizarrely poetic complaints, broken by hysterical cackling and sips of wine, Moran's tour promises you comedy of the highest, most unpredictable kind. DYLAN MORAN'S OFF THE HOOK AUSTRALIAN TOUR Tickets on sale 10 March 10am Friday 10 July Riverside Theatre, Perth, WA Tuesday 14 July Civic Theatre, Newcastle, NSW Saturday 18 July Sydney Theatre, Sydney, NSW Thursday 23 July West Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart, TAS Saturday 25 July Princess Theatre, Launceston, TAS Monday 27 July State Theatre, Melbourne, VIC Tuesday 4 August QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane, QLD Saturday 8 August Convention Centre, Cairns, QLD Tuesday 11 August Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT Saturday 15 August Royal Theatre, Canberra, NSW
When the full Sydney Film Festival program for 2025 is unveiled in early May, approximately a couple of hundred movies will sit on the lineup. The 18 revealed so far give cinema obsessives a great taste of what's to come, however, if you're already keen to add flicks to your must-see list. A month before the complete roster of titles arrives, the fest always provides a sneak peek to whet appetites. In this year's batch: Barry Keoghan's new Irish thriller, the Australian premiere of a homegrown animation that had this year's Berlin International Film Festival talking, a documentary about John Lennon and Yoko Ono, another about Marlon Williams, a Tilda Swinton- and Michael Shannon-starring post-apocalyptic musical, intimacy coordinators getting the doco treatment and more. SFF has revealed 16 movies that'll be screening around the Harbour City between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, joining two previously announced when Vivid Sydney dropped its 2025 program. Thanks to the latter, movie lovers should already know that the Justin Kurzel (Nitram)-directed documentary Ellis Park is on the bill, complete with an evening celebrating its subject — and Aussie music icon, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds collaborator, Dirty Three founder and frequent film-score composer — Warren Ellis. And, the fact that speculative fiction experience Planet City: Live will be part of the film-worshipping fun shouldn't be new news, either. Now comes a range of pictures that long-term Festival Director Nashen Moodley describes as "a cross-section of the bold storytelling and distinctive voices" that SFF will champion in 2025 for the event's 72nd year. "From inventive new Australian work to major prize-winners from the international circuit, these films reflect the ingenuity and diversity of cinema today," he continued. Boasting both Keoghan (Bird) and Christopher Abbott (Wolf Man) in its cast, and focusing on rivalries in rural Ireland, Bring Them Down is one of the starrier inclusions among SFF's features. With Swinton (The Room Next Door), Shannon (The Bikeriders), George MacKay (The Beast) and Moses Ingram (Lady in the Lake), The End from The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence's Joshua Oppenheimer is another. One to One: John & Yoko adds Lennon and Ono to the bill, with filmmaker Kevin Macdonald directing his attention towards the pair's 1972 benefit concert in Madison Square Garden, and the director also returning to music after 2018's Whitney and 2012's Marley. As for Williams, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao e Rua — Two Worlds hones in on the recording of his first album in te reo Māori. The winner of 2025's Teddy Award in Berlin, Australian animation Lesbian Space Princess joins the local contingent, bringing its tale of a monarch-to-be's efforts to save her ex-girlfriend from incel aliens to Sydney. Buddy comedy Fwends is also on the list, and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature after picking up two accolades at SFF's Dendy Awards for short films in the past four years. Then there's documentary Make It Look Real, turning the lens on intimacy coordinator Claire Warden as she works on Aussie movie Tightrope. SFF's doco contingent is already huge, aided by the one-film movie marathon that is 14-hour picture Exergue — on documenta 14, which is set inside the 2017 edition of the documenta art exhibition in Germany and Greece. Audiences will watch it in four- to five-hour segments. Still on the factual side of the program, there's also Speak, about five American high schoolers getting ready for a public-speaking competition; Farming the Revolution's account of 12 million Indian farmers protesting over 13 months; and Sundance's World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize-winner Mr Nobody Against Putin, where a Russian teacher chronicles the propaganda in his school during his country's invasion of Ukraine. Also playing SFF after picking up a gong at Sundance: DJ Ahmet, which collected the World Cinema — Dramatic Audience Award for its story about a teenage North Macedonian villager. Obex didn't add anything to its trophy cabinet at the Park City festival, but it did premiere its jump back the 80s — and into a video game, where a man is trying to find his dog — there. Rounding out Sydney Film Festival's picks so far are Singaporean thriller Stranger Eyes, 2025 Berlinale Grand Jury Prize-winner The Blue Trail and the Cannes-selected On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, so movies about a mourning couple searching for their baby, a trek through the Amazon and a Zambian family, respectively. For the rest of the 2025 lineup, start counting down the days until Wednesday, May 7. Sydney Film Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at cinemas across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information and tickets — and check back here for the full lineup on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
For over a month now, nothing has been flickering across Yatala Drive-In's big screens. Come Labour Day long weekend, though, that's going to change. The beloved openair cinema is reopening its doors for three evenings of movies under the stars — all while everyone is social distancing in their cars, of course. For three nights between Saturday, May 2–Monday, May 4, movie buffs can jump in their vehicles, head halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and check out three films — with each of the venue's trio of fields showing one movie each night. That means that you can get spooked out by the latest version of The Invisible Man, watch Vin Diesel get fast and furious in a different way in Bloodshot, or indulge in some super-speedy nostalgia with Sonic the Hedgehog. As always, your night at the flicks will cost $35 per car, which covers up to six people. You can also pay an extra $40 and receive a feast of snacks to munch on while the movie plays. If the three-day opening is a success, the drive-in will look to keep opening every weekend. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSBsNeYqh-k Queensland will start easing some of its stay-at-home restrictions from 11.59pm on Friday, May 1, allowing recreational drives within 50 kilometres from home — which is great news for folks eager to head to the drive-in. The venue will also be implementing some new rules and procedures, however, to keep everyone safe and healthy. They include contactless entry, hand sanitiser stations, restricting capacity to 50 percent or less, only making restrooms available for emergencies, and limiting the candy bar to ten patrons at a time. Keeping in line with social-distancing requirements, cinephiles are asked to only attend with folks they live with, or with one person who doesn't live in the same household. If you're choosing to go out and support local businesses, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
The past couple of years have left us all feeling a little jibbed on the travel front, especially when it comes to jetting off overseas. But finally, things are looking up, bookings fill us with a little less dread and that long-forgotten pastime of international air travel is back on the menu. And if you've been particularly hankering for a trip to the USA, United Airlines just made it even easier to get your well-deserved holiday fix. The airline has kicked off new flights between Australia and the States, leaving East Coast punters totally spoiled for choice. Newly partnered with Virgin Australia in a codeshare arrangement, United is now flying Sydney to Houston and Brisbane to San Francisco. Other services that have recently launched or resumed include direct routes from Melbourne to San Francisco and to Los Angeles, and daily direct flights from Sydney to both of those US cities as well. It's a huge win for East Coast travellers keen to jet off on a far-flung adventure without the fuss of any pesky stopovers adding extra hours and effort to the trip. And of course, it means improved access to other Aussie cities, too. United is also upping the frequency of a bunch of its existing Aussie routes. In fact, by the end of 2022, the airline will be flying more than 40 direct US flights from Australia each week, across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. That means you've got more options for a speedy Stateside jaunt than ever before. Of course, thanks to the new team-up with Virgin, Velocity Frequent Flyer members can not only earn points on their United flights, but they've got access to benefits like priority check-in and boarding, and extra baggage allowance when they fly. And if you really want to up the ante for your USA getaway, there's the United Polaris business class service, where you can revel in the luxury of comfy lie-flat seats, generously sized entertainment screens and cute suitcase-inspired amenity kits filled with skincare goodies from Sunday Riley. [caption id="attachment_882756" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Polaris[/caption] United Airlines has expanded its flight offerings between Australia (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and multiple US cities. For all the details and to book a flight, see the website.
2023 ain't nuthing ta f' wit: it's the year that Wu-Tang Clan are returning Down Under, after all. After the hip hop legends kicked off their NY State of Mind tour with Nas in 2022, they're bringing the 2023 leg to Brisbane — and it's still a joint affair. Two of the biggest names in the business since the 90s — with Wu-Tang Clan first making a splash with their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and Nas doing the same with 1994's Illmatic — will play one show at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday, May 12. These Aussie dates are the first gigs in the 2023 tour, too, after its 2022 leg hit up more than 25 cities. This year's run is just as epic — after its stint Down Under, it heads through Europe and then back to the US. Along the way, fans can enjoy Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna taking to the stage three decades after they first came to fame — and Nas sharing the mic as well. Over that time, Wu-Tang Clan have dropped seven further albums from a fill discography that, including solo records by its members, notches up more than 85 full-length releases. Their tours pull from the whole lot, as set against that ever-present Wu-Tang 'W' — and honours the deceased Ol' Dirty Bastard as well.
Already one of Brisbane's best Japanese eateries, Howard Smith Wharves' Yoko Dining wants to be one of the city's best Japanese bars as well. Five years after first opening, the waterside venue has given its top level a revamp. Meet B-SIDE, its new upstairs record bar — and get ready for vinyl-spun tunes, boozy slushies, and everything from chicken miso ramen and miso caramel soft serve to tuck into. For years, if someone said that things were looking up in Brisbane, they were probably talking about the Queen's Wharf precinct with its 100-metre tall Sky Deck, or the city's embrace of rooftop bars over the past decade or so. Over at HSW, however, levelling up is now also on the agenda (and not just due to the broader precinct's own plans to add a new nine-story hotel to the site, plus a music hall, overwater pool, and waterside food and drinks deck). B-SIDE is one of two new additions to the riverside spot in October 2024 alone, alongside the Hong Kong-inspired Stan's above Cantonese eatery Stanley — each from beloved restaurants revamping their second levels. Welcoming in patrons from 5pm daily, B-SIDE takes inspiration from Tokyo in a number of ways. Firstly, Yoko Dining as a two-storey izakaya already owes the Japanese capital's similar joints a debt, so its record bar not only embraces that idea but runs with it. Menu-wise, however, B-SIDE is also nodding to the kind of fare that you'll find in Tokyo train stations. For bites to eat, diners can also enjoy wagyu katsu sliders, prawn rolls on milk bread and kizami wasabi octopus — plus sashimi (with kingfish, tuna, ocean trout, Hokkaido scallop, ocean trout and eel the choices), Japanese potato salad, tuna tataki and chicken karaage. The tunes come via DJs hitting the decks every night. On Monday evenings, 80s and 90s tracks are set to echo at the bar's retro vinyl sessions. On Sundays from 8pm, discounted rates for hospitality workers who show their RSA card are on offer. B-SIDE's drinks lineup has another impressive name involved: Matt Whiley, best-known of late for his acclaimed low-waste Sydney bar Re (which placed 46th in 2021's World's 50 Best Bars list and made the 51–100 longlist in 87th spot). Fresh from whipping up a sustainability-focused cocktail menu across town in Brisbane at W Brisbane's Living Room Bar, he's done the honours for B-SIDE, where slushies and highballs feature prominently. Images: Nikki To / Dexter Kim.
What happens when New Zealand's own Rose Matafeo (Baby Done) takes on British romantic comedies? In 2021, the answer was Starstruck. It's the rom-com sitcom that doesn't just fit the genre, but also loves it, unpacks it, and knows how to adapt its tropes in a smart and hilarious way. In fact, it was a delight in its first season, and then again in its second run in 2022. Here's hoping that when September rolls around, it'll prove the same once more in season three. One of the best of new shows of its debut year and best returning series of its second year, Starstruck was renewed for a third shot of love in London last year — and now the latest season arrives when romance is usually in the air, aka spring Down Under. This time, Matafeo's Jessie is single after breaking up with famous actor Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), and now navigating what that all means. No matter who's starring in them, when and where they're set, and whether they're showing on the big or small screen, romantic comedies do adore telling tales about trying to hold onto a good thing. Two people meet, fall for each other — whether immediately or eventually — and work through whatever it takes to enjoy their romantic bliss: that's it, that's the genre's familiar formula. It's a setup that TV series Starstruck has been both adhering to and interrogating over its run so far, too, but the show is branching out narrative-wise when it returns in Australia via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6 and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ from 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2. If you're new to the series, New Zealander Jessie didn't realise that Tom was so well-known when they met. Once she was aware, that fact was inescapable as they tried to make their fairy tale relationship work. And yes, before the show entered its post-Tom era (although he still pops up) as its just-dropped season-three trailer notes, Matafeo — who stars, writes and created the series — well and truly knew that Notting Hill got there first. To-date, the series has proven a wonderful showcase for Matafeo, and also a savvily smart exploration of rom-com tropes as well, embracing and subverting them as needed. Nodding to romantic comedies such as The Graduate, Love Actually and Bridget Jones' Diary has also come with the territory, amusingly, affectionately and astutely so. Matafeo co-writes Starstruck with fellow comedians Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, with Matafeo and Snedden also directing the third season. Check out the trailer for Starstruck season three below: Starstruck season three will stream in Australia via ABC iView from 9.30pm on Wednesday, September 6 and in New Zealand via TVNZ+ from 8.30pm on Saturday, September 2. Starstruck's first and second seasons are available to stream in Australia via ABC iView and in New Zealand via TVNZ+. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season — and our full review of its second season, too. Images: Mark Johnson/HBO Max.
Think Lunar New Year, and you likely think Chinatown. That's understandable — but it's not the only Fortitude Valley spot celebrating the occasion. Over at Bakery and California lanes, the two patches of pavement are putting on a Lunar New Year party. There'll be food. There'll be booze. There'll be lion dances, live music and roving performances as well. On Saturday, February 1, 2025, the festivities for the Year of the Snake will get into full swing with a lively laneway shindig. Fat Dumpling will be serving up its titular dish (naturally), Gung Ho! Dumpling Ramen Bar will also help fill your stomach, and Chicken of Rock will similarly be doing its respective thing. Also on offer: cocktails and other boozy beverages at the two laneways' bars. All that celebrating is thirsty work, after all. Plus, there'll be lion dances and live music — and you're just a short stroll from the rest of the Valley's celebrations. Top image: Fat Dumpling.
As every Brisbanite knows, the city's public transport leaves plenty to be desired. If you're not waiting for buses that don't show up or being routinely forced to catch overcrowded trains, you're wondering why there's no buses at all or why half the city's railways are out of action over a weekend. Or, you're simply dreading the impending Commonwealth Games rail nightmare. One of the solutions that's been bandied around over the past few years is the Brisbane Metro, and it's getting closer to coming to fruition. Promising services every three minutes during peak periods, it will comprise two high-frequency lines linking existing busway stations and spanning 21 kilometres. That's the original proposal, with an extension also mooted — not only running from Eight Mile Plains and Roma Street on one line, and between the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and the University of Queensland on the other, but also including Chermside, Carindale and Springwood. A new underground station at the Cultural Centre at South Bank is part of the plans as well. This week, the project was given high priority status on Infrastructure Australia's priority list, "which is used by governments to guide future infrastructure investments," the Brisbane Metro website explains. It's the only Queensland proposal in that category, and it boosts its chances of securing the funding it needs. More news is due in April, when the Brisbane City Council is set to reveal its Brisbane Metro draft design report. Don't start expecting to speed around the city just yet, however — as long as funding and approvals are received, formal procurement activities are expected to commence mid-this year, but construction isn't slated until 2019 to 2022, with services commencing in 2023. Still, with a high-speed Brisbane to Sunshine Coast train route also part of a separate proposal, the city's public transport options might soon get quite the boost. For more information, head to the Brisbane Metro website.
Fact #1: Brisbanites love going out for breakfast. The booming breakfast scene is prompting locals to ditch dinner splurges in favour of their earlier, sunnier counterpart. Fact #2: Brisbanites love their fitness. You can barely swing a cat in this city without hitting a boutique gym, cross fit centre, HIIT workout station, boot camp group, boxing ring or personal trainer. So, you might ask how does one navigate the convergence of these two often conflicting lifestyle choices? We love to exercise and also to venture out for brekkie, but might not want to delve into in the pancake vs. waffle debate every time. Luckily local restauranteurs and cafe owners have cottoned on to this trend, so we've handpicked the best healthy breakfast venues in Brisbane (including spots you might not have given thought to before) to satisfy calorie conscious folk. Mondo Organics This West End hideaway seeks to educate patrons about the benefits of organic eating with both a café and cooking school on site. Sourcing high quality produce and offering a menu that changes seasonally, you can expect whole egg omelettes with superfood fillings, free range bacon and poached eggs and deliciously juicy garlic mushrooms that provide your daily dose of B vitamins. 166 Hardgrave Rd, West End; (07) 3844 1132; www.mondo-organics.com.au Sourced Grocer What was once the dream of childhood friends Jerome Batten and Louis Joseph is now realised as a neighbourhood grocery and café in the heart of Teneriffe. A bustling hub for early risers and weekend breakfasters, Sourced Grocer is all about providing good, nourishing food, sourced locally and delivered fresh to your tastebuds. Choose from options like bircher muesli with berries and zingy Granny Smith apple; or wholesome homemade toast served with piles of fresh avo and lemon, smoked salmon or omega 3-packed sardines. 11 Florence St Teneriffe; (07) 3852 6734; www.sourcedgrocer.com.au Double Shot Espresso The duo behind Double Shot Espresso are well versed in the hospitality trade, having been in the game for years (head chef Michael De Laurence also mentored Matt Moran, a small but significant fact fully realised on your first bite). The menu is split into breakfast and 'eggs and things', making it easy to navigate the lighter options. The focus is on simple, delicious food prepared fresh using high quality ingredients and produce; from a fruity bircher, berry granola or greek yoghurt served with stewed rhubarb and ginger compote; to the 'Parisian Breakfast' of boiled egg, toast and preserves, yoghurt, fresh berries, a glass of orange juice and tea or coffee. (Plus we all know that French women don't get fat…) 2/125 Oxlade Drive, New Farm; (07) 3358 6556 Nutrition Station The perfect pit stop for city suits making the mad dash to work, either straight off the train or post gym sesh. Situated at the Queen Street Mall entrance of the Wintergarden complex and open seven days a week, Nutrition Station's menu is designed by internationally recognized dietary nutritionist and resident 'diet doctor' at Men's Health, Moodi Dennaoui. Expect to find a series of protein and supplement-packed shakes, super smoothies, froyo and nu bowls of acai and pitaya. Wintergarden 171-209 Queen St, Brisbane; 0401502242; www.nutritionstation.com Felix Espresso Tucked away in Burnett Lane this tiny venue serves a select menu of fresh, locally sourced, organic dishes made with love on site. Grab your daily dose of healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats with the fresh avocado on organic sourdough topped with homemade labna and lemon pepper, or dive into a 'Bircher Jar' filled with chia seeds, gluten free Maleny yoghurt, fresh fruit and nuts. 50 Burnett Lane, Brisbane; (07) 3161 7966 Kitchen Sanitarium A Brisbane CBD icon, Kitchen Sanitarium has been serving up wholesome, healthy breakfasts for over a century. Offering vegan, nut free, gluten free and low GI menu items, dishes here come packed with fibre, antioxidants and superfoods. Enjoy free range eggs, organic sourdough or the kitchen's own muesli with superfood chia granola (a signature blend of sesame seeds, chia seeds, almonds, pepitas, honey and rolled oats), while you people-watch before that 9am meeting. Riverside Centre 145 Eagle Street, Brisbane; (07) 3221 7988; www.kitchensanitarium.com.au; image credit: Kitchen Sanitarium Primal Pantry As far as paleo and gluten free cafés go, Primal is definitely up there, promising diverse, interesting and tasty options for breakfast. There are plenty of 100% grain-free muesli, toast and pancake options (all made with nuts, eggs or coconut as alternatives) and regular specials like almond porridge with mixed berry compote and nut crumb. And if you're still dubious of the paleo diet, the 'Caveman Plate' bursting with meat and protein is sure to sway you… Cnr Florence & Macquarie Street, Teneriffe; (07) 3252 5960; www.primalpantry.com.au Kiss the Berry These guys are seriously #killingit with a huge social media following and hungry hoards lining up at their Eagle Farm Markets stall every Sunday. Their focus is on the power of the acai bowl, with a signature blend of frozen acai berries, strawberries, banana and a dash of apple juice topped with crunchy golden granola. All you have to do is choose a serving size, fresh fruit toppings and add a sprinkling of your chosen superfood. A healthy gem in a sea of carb-loaded market stall temptations, city folk can now get their acai fix at the just-opened Kiss the Berry café on Creek Street. Eagle Farm Markets and 9 Creek St, Brisbane; www.kisstheberry.wordpress.com Photography: Mimi Hyll
If only there was a comic about the fast food industry (Aqua Teen Hunger Force doesn't count!) when I started at McDonald's, I could've been contributing scoops for years now! Burger Force is the latest local independent comic that's sure to quench Brisbane's insatiable thirst for new talent. It's about a fast food chain with fries, and wait for it, spies. Oh yeah. We've always thought there was a greater power, us gullible humans. Turns out the rumours are true, masterminds are lurking in a secret bunker below Burger Berserker, ditching fries and sundaes for elaborate schemes to thwart such hilarious things as those damn pesky dating agency execs and cock-rockers. All hope for humanity will be lost unless the elite secret agents can become acquainted with stranger, Mercury, before time runs out. 'Would you like spies with that?' features storyboards and concept art from the strips of filmmarker Jackie's independent comic. Word on the street is that some fancy Aussie actors will be at the launch, as well as Brisbane's own Polytoxic, Briefs and The Brides of Frank. Indulge yourself at the Brew Wine Bar at 5.30pm on June 22 for the opening night celebrations. Burger Force is just like fast food – you know you want it, and it's tasty and fulfilling!
Since 5pm on Monday, March 29, residents of Greater Brisbane — which spans the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas — have been under the region's second three-day lockdown of 2021. The reason: a new COVID-19 cluster that has arisen over the past week, and also spread to Byron Bay. Thankfully, only a small number of new local cases have been identified in the past two days. Yes, that's excellent news. Accordingly, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced that the stay-at-home conditions will end today, Thursday, April 1, as planned — and they'll actually lift five hours earlier than initially slated, with the lockdown now ending at 12pm. So, Brisbanites will be able to leave their homes again once midday hits today — for any reason. The time has been shifted forward to avoid chaos on the roads this afternoon as the Easter long weekend begins. "I understand a lot of families in the Greater Brisbane have made plans, and the last thing we want to see are accidents on our roads at 5pm this afternoon into the evening," said the Premier. "So, if you have plans, the lockdown is lifted from 12 noon today and I encourage people to take care on the roads." https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1377400015308562435 But, as happened after January's lockdown, new restrictions will come into effect. They'll limit what you can do, where and with how many people. And yes, banning dancing again is one of them. When Greater Brisbane went into lockdown on Monday, a number of rules were put in place across the rest of Queensland — and, as predicted at the time, they're now coming into effect in Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands from 12pm today. They'll now apply across the entire state for the next 14 days, finishing at 12pm on Thursday, April 15. There 30-person limit on at-home gatherings is back, and that cap includes folks who live with you. And, as well as banning dancing, standing up at cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs has been scrapped again. So, to eat, drink and hang out, you'll need to be seated. Businesses will also have to operate under the one person per two-square-metres rule. Outdoor events, including those planned for the Easter long weekend, can go ahead — but only if they have a COVID-19-safe plan in place. That said, wearing masks is required where social distancing isn't possible. Masks are sticking around in many situations, in fact. You'll always have to carry one with you, for starters. Plus, they must be worn in all indoor spaces other than your home, all indoor workplaces unless it is unsafe to do so, on public transport, in taxis and ride share vehicles, and outdoors when social distancing isn't possible. The usual requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms all apply, too, as they have since March last year. Queensland Health is maintaining an active register of locations that have been visited by positive COVID-19 cases, which you can check out on its website. You can also check out this nifty map that uses Queensland Health's data. Extra testing clinics have been set up around the states — and you can find a rundown of clinic locations online as well. The Greater Brisbane area will come out of lockdown from 12pm on Thursday, April 1. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. More details about the lockdown and associated restrictions can also be found on the Queensland Health website.
As was the case with recent release The Walk, Lance Armstrong scandal pic The Program is a film burdened by having the documentary that preceded it set a near-impossible standard for anything better. Comprehensive, compelling and absolutely exasperating, Alex Gibney's The Armstrong Lie was an exceptional piece of honest and meticulous journalism in which Lance Armstrong’s own performance proved to be a breathtaking piece of dramatic fiction. What The Program does offer, however, is a peek inside the conversations and moments that not even Gibney could record – despite his unprecedented access. Why? Because even Armstrong knew better than to let his own videographer record all the actual doping sessions and illegal deals. How the steroids were obtained, how they were snuck into France, how the cyclists took possession, used and then disposed of them - all of this is covered in great detail in The Program, as are as the methods used to defeat the drug testing that followed. As Armstrong, Ben Foster is note perfect. Beyond his remarkable physical similarity to the disgraced cyclist, Foster absolutely nails the camera-ready smile and rehearsed laugh used by Armstrong to mask both his rage and unrestrained ego. Practising in front of a mirror, we see Foster repeating again and again that he “has never tested positive for steroids”, a technical truth amidst a monumental lie that perfectly demonstrates the semantic and psychological art behind what officially became “the most successful doping program the sport [had] ever seen”. Perhaps the only great disappointment with The Program is the lack of time given to the largely unheralded role played by David Walsh – the Sunday Times sports journalist who doggedly and almost single-handedly pursued the Armstrong deception amid unbelievable resistance from every imaginable corner. Played by Chris O’Dowd, Walsh endured manifold lawsuits, professional humiliation and even abandonment by his closest friends and colleagues for investigating a fairytale that was plainly too good to be true. But while O’Dowd receives far too little screen time, The Program still does a good job of explaining why few were eager to question Armstrong’s mythic success. Given his contribution to the global expansion of the sport and the inspiration he provided for cancer sufferers via the Live Strong foundation, it's not hard to understand why we were all so keen to believe the lie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfp859pcM0
Sometimes the only way to break the chaotic cycle of inner city living is to ditch it all for a weekend away in nature. Whether you're after a coastal getaway or a hinterland escape, camping is your answer to a rejuvenating, back-to-basics holiday. Though you'll be swapping solid bed for solid ground, camping doesn't mean you have to rough it. In fact, you can take a little bit of home comfort with you without disturbing the wildlife or ruining the fun. To help inspire you, we've partnered with Jim Beam to bring you three camping must-haves to make your nights under the stars all the more special. UPGRADE YOUR BREKKIE WITH A WAFFLE MAKER Gone are the days of charring a piece of bread on a stick and calling it breakfast. When you're next setting off on a canvas adventure, pack a Davis & Waddell Square Waffle Maker (available from Bunnings for $29.95) and you'll really impress your camping buddies come sunrise. The waffle maker is best used on gas or electric cooking tops, and you don't have to stick to the recipes included in the pack. If waffles aren't your thing, use it to heat up banana bread or get creative come dinner time with this recipe for pizza. The waffle maker's compact size makes it a handy cooking device without taking up too much space in your snack compartment. BRING THE TUNES, WITHOUT BRINGING DOWN THE VIBE Yes, looking out over serene landscapes and settling into a good book by a campfire are all part of the appeal of camping. But sometimes you want to soundtrack that natural setting with a few sweet tunes of your own. No camping trip would be complete without a bluetooth speaker and a banging summer camp playlist. We think this mini bluetooth speaker by Lexon ($59.94 from Top3 by Design) is just the right size to fit into your tent for listening to spooky mystery podcasts or placed on a small camping table for when you're cooking over flames. It's rechargeable with a USB and you can control it via bluetooth up to ten metres away. Pro tip: download your playlists and podcasts before heading to your campsite, in case you're caught with patchy wifi reception. [caption id="attachment_796860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrea Piacquadio; Pexels[/caption] PACK A QUICK AND EASY DRINK FOR SUNSET SESSIONS Refreshments are essential to a good camping trip, and after drinking agua all day you'll want to enjoy something a little stronger come sundown. Bring a bottle of Bickford's Peach Iced Tea cordial, a bottle of Jim Beam and soda water and you'll have the necessary ingredients to whip up a quick beverage for the whole crew when you're relaxing by the campfire. It's super simple, perfectly balances the flavours of the bourbon and you don't need to haul any fancy equipment with you. Each Jim Beam and Peach Iced Tea is made with 15ml of cordial, 30ml of bourbon and topped up with soda. If you're fancy enough to be camping with a bag of ice, add it to your cup before topping up with soda and give it a quick swirl. Otherwise, it's ready to enjoy, fireside. Top image: Unsplash
The name says it all, doesn't it? Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare features a cast of actors performing Shakespeare; however, one of them is always absolutely plastered. A sellout smash in the US and UK, the show finally made its way to Australia a few years back, and it keeps putting on new productions. This time, it's hitting the 2023 Brisbane Comedy Festival with the Bard's greatest romantic tragedy: Romeo and Juliet. Maybe you've seen Baz Luhrmann's movie version from the 90s, which made everyone fall in love with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the famed star-crossed lovers. Perhaps you caught the Franco Zeffirelli-directed 1986 take at school. Or, there was 2013's iteration with Hailee Steinfeld. Whichever fits, you haven't experienced the classic tale like this. Who'll be sloshed when you take your seat? How will that change the lines, scenes, mood and emotion? You'll only know by going along — and no two shows are ever the same. I defy you, sobriety! Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare is putting on three performances at Brisbane Powerhouse, from Friday, April 28–Sunday, April 30.
Saltburn. Priscilla. Dune: Part Two. Anyone But You. Madame Web. Immaculate. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The Color Purple. Drive-Away Dolls. As that list illustrates, a trip to the movies Down Under over the past few months has generally meant seeing a cast member of Euphoria, such as Jacob Elordi, Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer and Colman Domingo, on the big screen. Enjoy them there, because they won't be back in the HBO TV show that helped make them huge stars for a bit longer. Production on Euphoria's third season has been delayed, Deadline and Variety report. Scripts are still being worked on, but shooting has been pushed back — so much so that Euphoria's cast are free to keep adding to their resumes beyond the award-winning series for the time being. "HBO and Sam Levinson remain committed to making an exceptional third season," a HBO spokesperson told both American publications in a statement. "In the interim, we are allowing our in-demand cast to pursue other opportunities." There's no word yet regarding when the cameras might start rolling on season three, but it's hoped that it will still arrive on HBO sometime in 2025. That's when the US cable network was aiming for anyway, as it noted when it outlined everything that's on its lineup in 2024 and 2025. Obviously, though, there's a big difference between Euphoria's third season hitting in January, mirroring the timing of season two — or arriving in June, which is when its first season premiered. If it takes its cues from the two specials between season one and two, that'd mean dropping in December 2025. Euphoria's on-screen talents have been busy since season two aired. Schafer's new horror movie Cuckoo premiered at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, Elordi has been back in Australia making miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Zendaya swings a racquet around in Challengers in April. Also, Domingo was nominated for an Oscar for Rustin, while Storm Reid won an Emmy for The Last of Us. Maude Apatow has been doing voice work on Pantheon, and Dominic Fike was in Earth Mama — and played Laneway. Apparently the idea of doing a movie instead was floated, but giving Euphoria a third season remains the plan. Given the passage of time — come 2025, it will have been three years since season two, and almost four if season three doesn't arrive till the end of the year or later — it's also being reported that the show's main characters will no longer be in high school. There's obviously no trailer for Euphoria season three yet, but you can watch HBO's 2024–25 roundup trailer below: Euphoria season three doesn't have an exact release date yet — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Deadline / Variety / The Hollywood Reporter. Images: Eddy Chen/HBO.
Over the past decade, Sydney Film Festival's opening-night movies have included Goldstone, The New Boy and We Don't Need a Map, all Australian titles from Indigenous directors. It's too early to say what 2024's fest will launch with to mark the cinema celebration's 71st year; however, First Nations filmmaking will firmly be in the spotlight via a brand-new cash prize that joins the event's slate of awards. SFF will now be home to the world's largest cash accolade for Indigenous cinema: the $35,000 First Nations Award. Set to debut at the 2024 festival, which runs from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16, the prize will be handed out in Sydney but is open to films from around the world — shorts as well — as long as it is featured in Sydney Film Festival's annual First Nations program strand. "The First Nations Award is more than a celebration of unique storytelling; it's a crucial investment in the future of Indigenous cinema. By offering this level of support, we hope to encourage more First Nations filmmakers to share their stories, enriching the film industry with diverse perspectives and voices," said SFF's long-running Festival Director Nashen Moodley. "This award aligns seamlessly with Sydney Film Festival's long-standing commitment to fostering cultural diversity and amplifying Indigenous narratives." "It is entirely fitting that the Sydney Film Festival, which for so long has been a champion of First Nations stories and storytellers from around the world, now offers the largest single cash prize for First Nations film globally," added SFF Chair Darren Dale. "This prize will inspire, motivate and reward established and emerging First Nations filmmakers with the promise that their art is important, is valued and will be seen." The First Nations Award is supported by Australian production company Truant Pictures, and joins SFF's annual gongs alongside the annual $60,000 Sydney Film Prize, the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award, the $20,000 Documentary Australia Award and the range of Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films. If you're a First Nations filmmaker with a movie that you'd love to be considered to screen at this year's SFF, and to go in the running for the new award, you have until Friday, March 1 to submit. Sydney Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information, head to the festival's website. Images: Tim Levy / Luke Latty.
The book-to-film adaptations of the Hunger Games have been entirely faithful to the series in that each one has been worse than the last. That's not to say that either of Catching Fire or Mockingjay Part 1 is a bad movie, it's just that neither stands up to the gritty suspense and honest emotion of the original. Then, of course, there's the issue of 'Hobbitification'. In Mockingjay Part 1 we find yet another example of a final book being split over multiple films; a plainly commercial shakedown that in recent times rendered both Twilight and Harry Potter's penultimate instalments dull and wildly inferior to the rest of each series. To this film, though, and Mockingjay Part 1 picks up where Catching Fire left off. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is now recovering in a rebel bunker surrounded by the remnants of 'District 13' — the infamous breakaway district responsible for the insurrection that ultimately led to the establishment of the Hunger Games. Katniss's defiance of President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has inspired sporadic rebellions throughout the country, but they're in danger of dissipating unless she can truly unite the people and spark an out-and-out revolution. Her new role, then, is to become an instrument of propaganda at the hands of Plutarch (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and the exiled President Coin (Julianne Moore). It all seems straightforward enough, but you have to remember Katniss is a teenager and, as such, seems required to dial the angst up to 11 and establish herself as a petulant little shit in possession of an unbelievable level of naive selfishness. It's put to her in no uncertain terms that if she’s unable to unite the people, the people will die, yet her focus remains squarely on her captured — would-we-call-him-boyfriend? — Peeta Mellark. Never mind the loving, courageous, selfless (and, let's face it, better looking) Gale (Liam Hemsworth) right by her side; for Katniss it's Peeta or bust. Here, then, is the bulk of Mockingjay Part 1: the rebels exploit Katniss, the Capital taunts Katniss and Katniss sulks and cries. Save for one SEAL Team 6-esque raid on the Capital, very little actually happens in this movie. "It’s the worst terror in the world — waiting for something," explains President Coin, and therein lies a stinging rebuke of the entire film. Again, it’s not necessarily a bad movie, it's just that you have to wade through a lot to uncover the fine performances and sporadic, gripping scenes. Lawrence, as always, does well with the limited material, though of the younger actors it's Hemsworth's understated yet simmering turn that most impresses. Moore's performance is an intriguing one, too, presenting Alma Coin as an uncomfortably uninspiring public speaker who yet proves herself a consummate general when the stakes are raised. In a film largely engaged with a clumsy 'actions vs words' debate, it's a welcome, nuanced portrayal. The star of this film, however, is Elizabeth Banks as the unhappily exiled ex-socialite Effie Trinket. She and Hemsworth both pack enormous depth into their limited screen time, offering a genuine range of emotions. Its shortcomings notwithstanding, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 will undoubtedly crush at the box office, though it's hard not to feel like you could miss this film entirely and wait for Part II without skipping a beat.
Laughing in a doubled-over, can't breathe, feels-like-you-have-a-stitch kind of way isn't a planned thing. It happens spontaneously. It happens without warning. It happens at times and from sources you mightn't expect. That's what Brisbane Comedy Festival's After Hours component is all about when it returns for 2023: making the humorous magic happen in a different fashion, away from the usual routines, well-oiled jokes and hilarious shows that unleash the same comic gems night after night. Taking over The Studio at Brisbane Powerhouse on Saturday evenings throughout the fest — on May 6, May 13 and May 20, to be exact — this always-changing late-night show is a chance for everyone involved to get loose. As for who that might be each evening, well, that's part of the surprise. The lineup changes weekly, and tickets to this variety show cost $25.
When Flee won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, it collected its first accolade. The wrenchingly affecting animated documentary hasn't stopped notching up deserving acclaim since. A spate of other gongs have come its way, in fact, including a history-making trifecta of nominations for Best International Feature, Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature at this year's Oscars, becoming the first picture to ever earn nods in all three categories at once. Mere minutes into watching, it's easy to glean why this moving and compassionate movie keeps garnering awards and attention. Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, but that blend alone isn't what makes Flee special. Writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen (What He Did) has created one of the best instances of the combination yet — a feature that could only have the impact it does by spilling its contents in such a way, like Ari Folman's Waltz with Bashir before it — however, it's the tale he shares and the care with which he tells it that makes this something unshakeably exceptional. Rasmussen's subject is Amin Nawabi, an Afghan refugee using a pseudonym. As his story fills Flee's frames, it's also plain to see why it can only be told through animation. Indeed, the film doesn't cover an easy plight — or a unique one, sadly — but Rasmussen renders every detail not just with eye-catching imagery, but with visuals that flow with empathy at every moment. The filmmaker's protagonist is a friend of his and has been for decades, and yet no one, not even the director himself, had ever previously heard him step through the events that the movie chronicles. Amin is now in his 40s, but he was once a kid in war-torn Kabul, then a teenager seeking asylum in Copenhagen. His life to-date has cast him in other roles in other countries, too, on his journey to house-hunting with his boyfriend as he chats through the ups and downs for his pal. That path — via Russia and Sweden — is one of struggle and acceptance. It's a chronicle of displacement, losing one's foundations and searching for a space to be free. It's also an account of identities fractured and formed anew, and of grasping hold of one's culture and sexuality as well. Flee explores how global events and battling ideologies have a very real and tangible impact on those caught in their midst, a truth that the feature's hand-drawn look underscores at every turn. And, it's about trying to work out who you are when the building blocks of your life are so tenuous, and when being cast adrift from your family and traditions is your status quo. It's also an intimate portrait of how a past that's so intertwined with international politics, and with the Afghan civil war between US-backed rebels and the nation's Soviet-armed government, keeps leaving ripples. Plus, Flee examines how someone in its complicated situation endures without having a firm sense of home, including when acknowledging he's gay after growing up in a place where that wasn't even an option. Clearly, Flee is many vivid, touching, devastating things, and it finds an immense wealth of power in its expressive and humanistic approach. There's a hyperreality to the film's animation, honing in on precisely the specifics it needs to within each image and discarding anything superfluous. When a poster for Jean-Claude Van Damme's Bloodsport can be spied on Amin's 80s-era Kabul bedroom, for instance, Rasmussen draws viewers' eyes there with exacting purpose. There's impressionistic flair to Flee's adaptive style as well, with the movie firmly concerned with selecting the best way to visually represent how each remembered instance felt to Amin. A scene set to A-ha's 'Take on Me' presents a fantastic example, especially given that the Norwegian group's pop hit is famed for its animated music video — something that Rasmussen happily toys with. Flee uses its music cues bewitchingly well across its entire duration. The sounds of Swedish duo Roxette are never unwelcome echoing from screens large and small, as everything from Pretty Woman and Long Shot to Euphoria have capitalised upon, and the use of 'Joyride' during a plane trip is a sublime masterclass in emotional juxtaposition. And, when the movie lays bare its most stunning sequence in a club where Amin wholeheartedly embraces his sexuality, it's immaculately soundtracked to Daft Punk's 'Veridis Quo'. Flee isn't the first feature to lean on that particularly enchanting song to such strong effect, after Eden did as well, but the tune's use here is nothing short of divine. Of course, any movie can whip up a killer soundtrack, but it's how these songs are deployed to so perfectly encapsulate exact slices of Amin's life that's repeatedly phenomenal. We all listen to music to help us process the world, and our traumas. We're all drawn to images to aid in doing the same, and we each have recollections of life-changing events that are tied to pop culture — the songs we heard, the movies we loved and the like. Flee is as skilful as films come at conveying this sensation, which is a coming-of-age staple. Yes, that's another genre that this animated documentary biography, which boasts actors Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) among its executive producers, also slots into commandingly. How astoundingly it achieves everything it sets its mind to is breathtaking, especially the feat that it its number-one aim: giving Amin's plight the attention, justice, respect and room to resound that it deserves, all while making it clear that this is just one of countless refugee stories with similar complexity. Evocative from its first glimpses to its last (including when it weaves in IRL footage from news clips and protests), Flee overflows with individual successes, be it scenes that glow with potency, animation choices that express a world of feeling, pitch-perfect needle drops or the pure details of Amin's life. Every description they earn applies to each second of this poignant and shattering feature, too, which manages something truly extraordinary overall. To peer into Amin's eyes, as painted here with nothing but lines, shapes, colours and pixels, is to feel like you're staring deeply at the flesh-and-blood Amin. Flee takes us home to him, while mirroring the reality that home has been a constantly shifting concept for its subject, and for everyone else who has shared even part of his journey. No wonder this film proves so innovative, sincere, heartbreaking, harrowing and poetic in tandem, and also simply astonishing.
2024 is the year that Supernormal will stop being a one-city restaurant, with the famed Melbourne eatery from acclaimed chef Andrew McConnell making the leap to Brisbane. The expansion has been in the works since 2022; however, those plans have just gotten bigger. While one new venue from McConnell is great, two is even better — which is what 443 Queen Street in the River City CBD will welcome. Perched between the Queen Street Mall and Howard Smith Wharves, the site that the culinary figure is turning into his Brissie base sits on the riverfront, boasting views of the Brisbane River and the Story Bridge. It's the kind of location that you want to make the most of, so McConnell is. Alongside Supernormal, Bar Miette will set up shop. [caption id="attachment_867912" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supernormal Melbourne[/caption] McConnell and Jo McGann have announced that the watering hole will sit on street level, so above Supernormal — but still benefit from that riverside perch and those vistas. Accordingly, while you're getting comfortable at the European-inspired terrace bar, you'll be in a killer spot whether you're stopping by for breakfast or cocktails. Operating seven days a week, starting with morning coffees, Bar Miette will feature an indoor-outdoor and a relaxed vibe. From the curved bar, not just your caffeine fix and boozy concoctions — including a hefty wine list — but also brekkie dishes, salads, seafood and charcuterie will be on offer. [caption id="attachment_867911" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supernormal Melbourne[/caption] While either venue has an exact launch date as yet, they're slated to open midyear. On staff at both venues: Jason Barratt (Paper Daisy, Rae's at Wategos, Attica and Stokehouse) as Executive Chef and Alex Tuckett (Frida's Field at Nashua, Harvest at Newrybar, Pilu at Freshwater) as Venue Manager. Aesthetics-wise, Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of Sydney's ACME were already on design duties for Supernormal Brisbane, and are also doing the honours for Bar Miette. "The spaces are coming together beautifully, and we cannot wait to share these equally extraordinary, yet very different, offerings in the coming months. Bar Miette is classically European and a fitting juxtaposition to Supernormal," said McConnell about the two openings. Both Supernormal and Bar Miette will hero local produce from Queensland farmers and fishers — and also foragers — with Supernormal seating around 120 diners both inside and out — including in a private dining setup. While the menu hasn't yet been revealed, Supernormal Brisbane restaurant will plate up contemporary Australian dishes that also take inspiration from McConnell's time in both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Fingers crossed that Melbourne's marinated claims, New England lobster rolls, Hunan-style beef tartare and whole roasted flounder make the jump. Supernormal Brisbane and Bar Miette are set to open at 443 Queen Street, Brisbane in mid-2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced. For more information about Supernormal Melbourne, head to the restaurant's website. Images: Supernormal Melbourne, Nikki To / Jo McGann / Kristoffer Paulsen.
