There's never a bad time to watch a Studio Ghibli film, or a bad place. Thankfully, the cinema world agrees, delivering regular opportunities to catch the animation studio's flicks on a big screen. Still, we're betting you haven't settled in to view one on a shopping centre's rooftop. In news almost as exciting as venturing onto the greenery-filled upper reaches of the Studio Ghibli Museum — which you can absolutely do in Tokyo — this year's BrisAsia Festival is throwing a Lunar New Year Rooftop Party with a screening of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. On February 24, you'll want to head to Sunnybank Plaza and head up to the top of the carpark. The fun kicks off at 4pm, with dragon and lion dancers, lantern workshops, markets, Kpop and plenty to eat, before the film screens when the sun goes down. Entry is free, as is the movie, but bring your wallet to feast on dinner from the nearby restaurants.
Few countries are as geographically diverse as Australia. We have snow-capped mountains, tropical rainforests, red deserts and long-stretching beaches. At these idyllic locations are some of the country's most luxe experiences, letting us explore all that our country has to offer. With the holiday season fast approaching, why not give the gift of travel to the luxury lover in your life? After all, you can't really top a trip away. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to round up ten of indulgent experiences to get your mate (or whoever, really) who loves a fabulous gift. Whether you book them in for a high-flying feed at Australia's most boundary-pushing museum or get them a voucher to a five-star hotel, these experiences provide a much-needed dose of escapism. Play your cards right and you might score an invite, too.
Artists often attempt to picture the world from alternative views and odd angles in order to get a fresh perspective on the quirks and idiosyncrasies of everyday life. For Canadian photographer Laurel Johannesson the world is at its most bizarre and beautiful when viewed through water. While swimming in Lido di Venezia in Italy, Johannesson found herself fascinated by the dream-like world of mirror images, refracting light and warped figures that emerged when she began taking photographs while submerged in water. The resulting photographs provide a mesmerising insight into our world, familiar yet somehow alien in their distortion, with the artist seeing the dream-like vulnerability of the images as alluding to "the equation between desire and voyeurism". And by printing on metallic paper and laminating the images with a thick layer of acrylic, Johannesson was able to enhance the already otherworldly quality of the photographs. For those of us that cannot see the images in the flesh, here is a virtual tour through Johannesson's fascinating new exhibit.
Joining the lengthy list of Brisbane organisations, venues and groups throwing their support behind bushfire relief fundraising efforts, Howard Smith Wharves is dedicating Saturday, February 8 to this immensely worthy cause. On offer is an afternoon and evening of live music, food, drinks, lawn games, table tennis and hanging out on the grass at the riverside precinct, with 100 percent of the proceeds being donated to WIRES, the NSW Rural Fire Service, and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. From midday, Helping Heroes on the Lawn will feature roving entertainment, performances by Samantha Jade and Alfie Arcuri, and pop-up bars serving up Pimms, Aperol spritzes and Moët — plus tasty bites from food trucks CharKOR BBQ, Barcelona Churros and How We Rolls. That's in addition to HSW's usual lineup of places to eat and drink. Felons Brewing Co is donating all profits from sales of its Natural Ale in January and February anyway, and it'll have its fire truck out pouring the tipple in question on the day. Foodback Australia will also be in attendance, manning drop-off stations — so you can donate canned and dry goods to help those who need it.
While some bars are slowly opening in Sydney and Brisbane, many of us are still stirring and shaking our cocktails at home. To help brighten up our time inside — and our DIY cocktails — Adelaide Hills gin distillery Applewood has just released a new pink gin. Dubbed Coral, its name pulls inspiration from two sources. Firstly, the colour — the gin itself is pink, but the bottles have also been hand-sealed with one-of-a-kind pearlescent pink wax. Secondly, the gin has been inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and a portion of sales from the pretty-in-pink drink will go to a charity dedicated to the reef's restoration. The world's largest coral reef system has suffered regular mass coral bleaching, a phenomenon caused by climate change, which kills the reef's algae and starves the coral — but, thankfully, there are charities out there working to regrow and regenerate the damaged coral. Coral gin is made, in true Applewood fashion, using native Australian botanicals: salty karkalla (a succulent found on many Aussie beaches), spicy riberries and sweet strawberry gum. You can serve it as a G&T — garnished with pink peppercorns, if that's something you can get your hands on — or, you can whip up a Coral gin fizz. You'll find that recipe down the bottom. For now, only 800 bottles are available, but the gin is expected to stick around as part of the company's core range in the long term. Coral gin is on sale now for $70 via the Applewood Distillery website, with Australia-wide shipping available. [caption id="attachment_771056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Coral gin fizz[/caption] CORAL GIN FIZZ 60 millilitres Coral gin 30 millilitres pineapple juice 30 millilitres cream Barspoon of molasses (about 1/2 a teaspoon) Three drops vanilla extract Three drops of Wonderfoam Soda Add all ingredients except soda with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake, then remove ice and shake again (called a dry shake). Double strain into a tall glass and let settle. Top with soda and ice.
Long considered Australia's go-to whale-watching spot, Queensland's Hervey Bay is now the world's first whale heritage site, too. Located a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Brisbane, the Fraser Coast city was bestowed the prestigious honours at this year's World Whale Conference, which was held in coastal locale over the past week — receiving the accreditation not only due to its considerable whale population across the second half of each year, but thanks to its respectful and responsible embrace of the animals throughout the community. Established by the World Cetacean Alliance, the Whale Heritage Site scheme aims to recognise places that "preserve cetacean species and their habitats". More broadly, the initiative is designed to promote the globe's most responsible whale and dolphin-watching destinations; help protect marine habitats by supporting local communities, especially when it comes to sustainable practices; and assist the development of spots that depend on the sea, particularly by encouraging folks to appreciate the significance of whales in the area. If you've ever headed north to spy the majestic creatures — or even just for a holiday — it's impossible to spend time in Hervey Bay without being reminded of its whale-focused eco-tourism industry. From July to November each year, humpback whales head up from Antarctica, using the site to rest and socialise on the way to their breeding grounds in the Whitsundays. Then, towards the end of the season, they pass by again on the 5000-kilometre journey back down south — which is when whale-watchers can see mother whales spending time teaching their young calves in the local waters. Naturally, there's no shortage of whale-watching tours in the area. Visitors can also head to the Fraser Coast Discovery Sphere, which, as well as featuring a 12-metre-high whale sculpture and a full-sized reproduction of a whale skeleton, explores and celebrates humpback whales and their place in the region. And, each July and August, the city also hosts the annual Hervey Bay Whale Festival. Already quite the tourist drawcard, the new WHS accreditation is expected to attract more visitors, unsurprisingly. Nearly 60,000 people went whale-watching in the region last year, Fraser Coast Tourism general manager Martin Simons told the ABC. While Hervey Bay earned the first whale heritage site slot, it's not the only spot to receive the nod, with The Bluff in Durban in South Africa named the second WHS site. Other locations under consideration include Vancouver Island North in Canada, Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand, Mosaic Jurubatiba in Brazil and Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Images: Mark Seabury via Visit Fraser Coast.
Sydney is now home to a dedicated Harry Potter-themed store. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to return to Melbourne's stage this year. It looks like a new HP-related TV show is in the works, and Japan is due to score a theme park dedicated to the titular wizard. Yes, if you're a fan of the wizarding franchise, there are plenty of ways to keep indulging your love. Another one is coming, too, thanks to Harry Potter: The Exhibition. If the name sounds familiar, that's because it has existed since 2009 — and came to Sydney in 2012. Come 2022, however, a huge new version will start making its way around the planet, in a partnership between Warner Bros Consumer Products and Imagine Exhibitions. This time, Harry Potter: The Exhibition will cover all things Fantastic Beasts-related, too, if that's how you've been getting your magical fix over the past few years. In total, the big HP showcase will span between 929–1858 square metres, and feature everything from props and costumes from the ten movies to-date to installations that recreate the world of the books and films. While exact details of what'll be on display haven't been revealed as yet, the exhibition is set to "present beautifully crafted environments that honour the beloved characters, settings and beasts seen in the films while exploring the filmmaking magic that brought them to life" according to Imagine Exhibitions' statement announcing the new tour. The company also advises that Harry Potter: The Exhibition will "celebrate the most iconic moments of the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and the expanded Wizarding World". Just where it'll be heading hasn't been announced so far either, but the showcase will tour to multiple regions, including cities in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. So, you can start crossing your fingers that a visit Down Under will be among its stops — or saying "accio exhibition" as often as you like. For now, Australian fans can stream the eight original films as they've just hit Binge. And, for a refresher on how the movies wrapped up, you can also check out the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObK5XD8udk&utm_keyword=referral_bustle Harry Potter: The Exhibition will start its world tour from sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Image: Warner Bros.
Music lovers of Australia, and festival fans as well, we foresee trips to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Canberra or Geelong in your future. That's where The Grass Is Greener is heading this year, with the music, food and arts fest expanding beyond Queensland for the first time — and the event has just dropped its impressive lineup. Leading the bill: Ty Dolla $ign, YG, Zhu and Pnau, all hitting up the festival's four regional locations. The event is particularly pumped to have not one but two of the biggest names in hip hop gracing its stages, as well as one of EDM's global stars and some homegrown heroes. And, it's betting that you'll be just as thrilled to check them out live. Of course you will. One Four, Boo Seeka, Side Piece, Alok and Mashd N Kutcher also have spots on the lineup — and yes, the list goes on. As for when you'll be seeing all of the above, The Grass Is Greener is doing the rounds across the last two weekends in October, starting on the Goldie, hopping down to the ACT, zipping back up to its Tropical North Queensland birthplace, then wrapping up its 2022 run in Victoria. Clearly, it's a big year for the fest, which made its debut in Cairns back in 2016. Expanding to two new cities, covering three states and locking in huge headliners for this year's tour is quite the flex. The Grass Is Greener is also jumping into the NFT space in 2022, integrating NFTs into its ticketing with a limited edition 1,111 NFT Collection. As well as nabbing access to the fest, the NFTs also feature special art that you can use onsite to unlock unique and exclusive experiences that won't be available with physical tickets. THE GRASS IS GREENER 2022 LINEUP: Alok Aluna Boo Seeka Brux Crush3ed Little Fritter Wongo Jordan Burns (live) Market Memories Mashd N Kutcher Maya Jane Coles Mikalah Watego Mood Swing & Chevy Bass Onefour Piero Pirupa Pnau Sidepiece Sticky Fingers TDJ Ty Dolla $Ign Vnssa YG Zero Zhu (DJ set) THE GRASS IS GREENER 2022 DATES: Saturday, October 22 — Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast Sunday, October 23 — Patrick White Lawns, Canberra Saturday, October 29 — Cairns Showgrounds, Cairns Sunday, October 30 — Geelong Racecourse, Geelong The Grass Is Greener will hit the Gold Coast, Canberra, Cairns and Geelong in October 2022. Ticket pre-sales start at 8am on Wednesday, July 13, ahead of general sales from 8am on Thursday, July 14. Head to the festival website for more information. Images: Curdin Photo and Mitch Lowe.
All year, you might have been bookmarking, dog-earing, Evernoting, Goodreads-saving a towering pile of books to read with all that spare time you never seem to properly find on a weekend. It's often a lofty idea, spending a few hours, hours, doing nothing but perusing a solid narrative on your sand-flecked beach towel, shaded by your nifty new beach tent. But folks, summer's officially in full swing and unless you work in radio broadcasting or public transport you're probably about to land yourself with a good few days of holiday lazing. Grab one of our favourite new releases and make yourself comfortable — we've been churning through Man Booker Prize winners, hilarious biographies and homegrown coming-of-age tales aplenty. THE SELLOUT — PAUL BEATTY For a book recommendation you can trust (sorry lusty Aunt Beryl) you won't be disappointed by this year's Man Booker Prize winner The Sellout by Paul Beatty. The plot follows an African American's plight to reinstitute segregation and slavery into his hometown of Dickens (yes, you heard that correctly.) Naturally, it's a satire and Beatty uses his well-developed wit to broach the thornier issues of racial identity, injustice and legacy. Hilarious, sometimes uncomfortably so. Get it before it does actually sell out. — Erina Starkey DO NOT SAY WE HAVE NOTHING BY MADELEINE THIEN If you don't know much about China's Cultural Revolution, you're not alone. It's been half a century since the movement was launched by then-chairman of the Communist Party Mao Zedong, and accounts of what actually happened are hazy; many of them have been suppressed or altered. Madeleine Thien's new novel delves into one part of this tragic time in history, namely the persecution of musicians at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. The book switches between the narration of Li-ling, who is growing up in Vancouver in the '80s and '90s, and the complicated narrative of her father's life in China during the revolution she is piecing together after his death. For such tragic subject matter, Thien is incredibly eloquent and at times even surreal in her writing. It results in a book that is one hell of a compelling read as well as an important incidental history lesson. — Lauren Vadnjal THANKS FOR THE MONEY: HOW TO USE MY LIFE STORY TO BECOME THE BEST JOEL MCHALE YOU CAN BE BY JOEL MCHALE Have you been holding back, not fully realising your potential as the best Joel McHale you can possibly be? Well, put your own unique personality aside for a high-achieving second and brush up on life skills from the Hollywood gadabout behind Community's Jeff Winger. This tell-all memoir's so ambitious and life affirming, it has a trailer. Watch it, or perish in your Joel-McHale-machete-slicing-a-watermelon-midair-less existence. Chapters delve into boyhood head injuries, almost killing Chevy Chase and parental sex lives — you've been warned. — Shannon Connellan THE SECRET HISTORY OF TWIN PEAKS BY MARK FROST It's happening again. That show you love really is coming back in style. Twin Peaks fans have waited 25 years to dive back into David Lynch and Mark Frost's television show, and while the third season won't reach screens until 2017, the latter has gifted us the perfect stopgap. Every one of The Secret History of Twin Peaks' 362 pages is filled with a dossier of details, secrets, and other tidbits that make the town, its mysteries and its eccentric inhabitants even more intriguing (and, just like the owls, little here is what it seems). As a bonus, why not pick up a copy of unauthorised Twin Peaks cookbook Damn Fine Cherry Pie too, and get some Twin Peaks-themed kitchen inspiration. Cherry doughnuts, fish percolator supper or fire walk hot tea smoked salmon, anyone? — Sarah Ward SWING TIME BY ZADIE SMITH Swing Time, Zadie Smith's latest novel, sees the award-winning author trying a few new things. It's her first book with a first-person narrator and it's set partly in West Africa — a departure from her other novels that are primarily set in the US and UK. Like all Smith's books, Swing Time offers a poignant reflection on the messy nature of human relationships and asks a lot of thought-provoking questions. Lyrical, witty, and enthralling, this is a holiday read you won't be able to put down. — Yelena Bide SEINFELDIA BY JENNIFER ARMSTRONG Seinfeldia is a tribute to those who erect a festivus pole every December. It's for people who can't look at a marbled rye loaf without feeling awkward. It's for those of us who make subtle references to the Bubble Boy, the Soup Nazi and the anti-dentite as if its the most natural thing in the world. Written by Jennifer Armstrong, Seinfeldia documents the evolution of one of the most popular sitcoms to grace our TV screens. Armstrong examines its progression from banter in a Korean supermarket, to an unknown struggling sitcom at the risk of cancellation, to the show that has permeated its way into popular culture, decades after it was conceived. The book examines the real-life inspirations for the quartet, and the evolution of the characters (ahem) quirks, as well as the one-off characters who built their careers around their Seinfeld roles. — Natalie Freeland ROLLING BLACKOUTS BY SARAH GLIDDEN Rolling Blackouts is comics-journalism nonfiction by author and artist Sarah Glidden, who follows her news-gathering friends from the Seattle Globalist across 2010-era Turkey, Iraq and Syria. Glidden's reporting flips the camera, showing the harsh dilemmas involved in covering people in danger, working low-budget news and pushing distant editors to publish unsexy, important stories. But this meta-journalism approach is strongest when it takes you behind the scenes of actually getting interviews: the interviewees' aspirations and desperation in talking to reporters, their misgivings and rational anger. Parts road trip, reportage and quick-read comic. — Zacha Rosen THE RED WAKE BY KURT JOHNSON Russia and the USSR is an area that has always felt complex, gritty and interesting to me, and with some old Cold War sentiment creeping back into the news I was super glad to find myself working on a book that took me right to its red heart. The Red Wake draws you in with personal anecdotes and beautiful description and sends you on your way knowing a hell of a lot more about the complicated social and political history of the area, in the style of Anna Funder's Stasiland. More than anything, this book made me want to travel around Russia and the 'Stans, through bleak grey towns still riddled with the bullets of uprisings, to the ruins of Pripyat near Chernobyl, to try to catch a glimpse of a rocket launch in the Kazakh desert, and to a town where abandoned fishing trawlers sit on the now dry bed of the Aral Sea, a gulag or two in the distance. — Lex Hirst (Disclaimer: Lex Hirst works for Penguin Random House, the publisher of this book.) OUR MAGIC HOUR — JENNIFER DOWN Our Magic Hour, the debut novel from Melbourne writer Jennifer Down, is an affecting story of the harsh realisations occasioned by our mid-twenties. Audrey, a cool girl in the truest sense, loses her best friend to suicide, and travels from Melbourne to Sydney and back again, in a journey that mimics her attempts to grasp and process this life-altering event. Down writes equally of significant moments and unremarkable days with sparing beauty. Particularly adept at depiction of place, Down made me wonder if I hadn't sat across from Audrey on the train to Redfern, bumped elbows with her at a bar in Bondi. Down is the kind of writer that you'll be lucky to get on at the ground floor with, she is only going up. — Maggie Thompson. HOT MILK — DEBORAH LEVY Set in the small coastal town of Almería in Southern Spain, amidst the hot desert sand and jellyfish-filled ocean, Hot Milk follows Sophie and her mother Rose as they visit the famed Dr Gomez and his assistant Nurse Sunshine in the hope of uncovering the mystery of Rose's ailing health. This hard-to-put-down novel has a hilarious undertone of sly humour, an enigmatic cast of characters, and a vividly painted landscape that will ensure that even if you can't make it to the beach this summer, Hot Milk will take you there. It's a cracker. — Katie Mayor. HONOURABLE MENTION: FAT BRAD: THE COOKBOOK BY LONG PRAWN Have you ever noticed how much Brad Pitt eats in his movies? He's like some sort of human garbage disposal, slamming down burgers, cookies, chips, Twinkies and whatever else he can find into his (perfect) cakehole. He eats without restraint, without delicacy, as we all should sometimes, and for that reason he's the central figure in a new cookbook called (appropriately but incorrectly) Fat Brad. The team from Long Prawn have collaborated on the project with photographer Ben Clement, PractiseStudioPractise, Tristan Ceddia, Ali Currey-Voumard and Mietta Coventry. The cookbook is a tongue-in-cheek collection of recipes based on Brad's most iconic food moments on film. You'll find instructions for a knuckle sandwich (Fight Club), game bird with taters and Guinness gravy (Snatch), Bellagio Shrimp Cocktail (Ocean's 11), roast turkey drumstick and Grecian salad (Troy) and bloodied roast (Mr and Mrs Smith) amongst others. As well as being straight-up hilarious, the Fat Brad cookbook is also just a really good looking (like its namesake) addition to your cookbook shelf. It's the first in a series of pop culture cookbooks by the Long Prawn crew, so keep an eye out and grab your Fat Brad: The Cookbook here. — Imogen Baker
Jay-Z and Kanye West, Powderfinger and Silverchair, Papa Vs. Pretty and The Vasco Era. See the trend here? This list might be in order of greatness (and current monetary success), but there's also a recurring theme: double headliners. We all love a 2 for 1 deal, and this week's double whammy at The Zoo is no exception. Both Papa Vs. Pretty and The Vasco Era will play equal-length sets and will both showcase songs from their new albums. Papa Vs. Pretty is a name we've all heard rattling around on the radio waves this past year, not only because Triple J has flogged the shit out of their debut album United in Isolation, but also because they've toured with heavy weights The Vines and The Kaiser Chiefs. In a similar position are The Vasco Era who, for the past year, have been riding on the success of their second album, have also enjoyed Triple J love, as well as sweet spots at nearly every Australian festival. What's more, the two bands are being crushed into one tour bus, so fingers crossed for a duet/mashup at some stage during the night! I can’t promise anything on that one though. Another thing, both bands are pretty attractive, so staring at some eye candy is also a bonus, and if you're a dude, just watch them work their magic on their guitars, mmmk?
Soon your canine companion could be the envy of his naked four legged friends, thanks to an unusual and highly adorable collaboration between a pair of local fashion labels and Guide Dogs Australia. On sale from today, Elk and Gorman have created an exclusive dog range of coats and accessories, to help keep your pooch looking on point. For their part, Elk have designed a range of durable high end leather collars and leads. Gorman's contribution, meanwhile, comes in the form of four distinct winter coats in four different sizes and print styles. And yes, before you ask, they've also designed matching coats for dog owners. 100 percent of proceeds from the sale of these new items will go directly to Guide Dogs Australia. "We're proud to be working with such progressive and innovative designers whose great sense of social responsibility will enable us to raise funds for breeding, raising and training more Guide Dogs," said Guide Dogs Victoria CEO Karen Hayes in a statement. "There have been many requests over the years for Gorman to do dog coats in our prints," said Gorman founder and creative director Lisa Gorman. "But this cause gave us very good reason to put it into action." You can pick up some new threads for your pupper at Elk and Gorman shopfronts, or from their respective online stores. Find their websites here and here.
New movies always come out on Thursday. Except for one special week of the year, where they come out on Boxing Day, whatever day that might be. It's just another one of those baffling Christmas traditions of which we're terribly fond. In 2013 distributors will be releasing some of their biggest titles — as well as some oddball underdogs — to duke it out on Australia's mass movie-going day. We've seen them all and can report back that some will ease your festive hangover, indigestion and sunstroke more pleasantly than others. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rETaWDZ57v0 Short Term 12 (Sydney and Melbourne only) For when you're with: people who take an expansive view of 'Christmas cheer' It scores: five stars This SXSW Film Festival winner was number one on Buzzfeed's list of 'movies you probably missed in 2013 but definitely need to see', so if you get in quick, you can make it the no.1 movie you outsmarted Buzzfeed on instead. Short Term 12 is the kind of film that feels like a well-edited version of real life — though probably not a life that is familiar to you, if you grew up in safe, loving circumstances. Compulsively watchable and super emotional, it revolves around the kids and their barely adult supervisors at a temporary foster care facility. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ksrkKXoEJbM The Railway Man For when you're with: people with an even more expansive view of 'Christmas cheer' It scores: four stars Based on true events, The Railway Man tells the story of Eric Lomax — a WWII British signalman forced to work upon the infamous Burma line after the Japanese overran his base. Lomax (Colin Firth) was subjected to extraordinary brutality and torture by his captors, the effects of which continued to torment him decades after the war's end; one conflict over, another unceasing. Events finally came to a head in 1980 when Lomax discovered his chief tormenter was still alive and working as a tour guide in the very complex in which he had dispensed his horrors. For a film that covers some terrifically dark elements in excruciating detail, The Railway Man remains an overwhelmingly tender offering that won't feel at all out of place for the post-Christmas period. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rD8f9kn7D2U Philomena For when you're with: more than just your mum It scores: four stars Be not fooled by the marketing materials, which make the film look like an aged-up version of The Trip with Judi Dench in place of Rob Brydon. (Although, thinking about it, that would be brilliant.) Philomena is a terrifically made, entertaining work that stands head and shoulders above many of the films being forced upon us this Christmas. Based on a true story, Philomena follows ex-political spin doctor Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan), who, in an attempt to revive his journalism career, chases the "human interest story" of Philomena (Judi Dench) an elderly woman searching for her long-lost son, who was taken from her by Catholic nuns. As the pair investigates, the truth behind the forced adoption becomes all the more shocking. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ve8mc6UNSk The Secret Life of Walter Mitty For when you're with: anybody who can silence their inner cynic It scores: three and a half stars Funny, optimistic, life-affirming and full of pretty pictures and massive special effects, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is the ultimate Hollywood product and is something of a passion project for Ben Stiller, who directed, produced and stars in it. The film follows a quiet Life magazine staffer as he learns to seize the day. When Walter can't find a hyped photo negative, which the photographer has described as capturing the "quintessence of life" and which is wanted for the final magazine cover, he sets off on a worldwide hunt, using the few clues he has. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OPVWy1tFXuc The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug For when you're with: the same people with whom you've seen everything Peter Jackson It scores: three stars The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a marked improvement on last year's An Unexpected Journey. For one thing, it doesn't take an hour for something to happen. Instead, after a brief yet engaging flashback to the first encounter between Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Thorin (Richard Armitage), the film explodes into life with a pursuit of the Dwarf Dozen et al, and remains — by and large — a pursuit to the end. This is a film with enough action to entertain and enough Tolkien to satisfy; however, it ultimately feels more 'distraction' than 'attraction'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=TbQm5doF_Uc Frozen For when you're with: children, animation geeks and winter-weather fanatics It scores: three stars When Disney finally bought Pixar in 2006, the deal essentially saw Pixar's creative team taking control of Disney's animated output. Given the strong quality control Pixar has over its products, this was no bad thing. Based loosely on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen — a story Disney has been trying to adapt since the 1940s — the film follows two princesses, one of whom accidentally creates a permanent winter, and the other of whom has to save them from it. It's a far cry from the insufferable toy-selling, pop-culture spewing, catchphrase-ridden films churned out during at the beginning every school holiday period, but nor does it hit the heights of Disney's best output. By Rima Sabina Aouf, Tom Glasson and Lee Zachariah.
For many young Australians the ‘European Summer’ adventure has been somewhat of a rite of passage or pilgrimage. Every year we head overseas in the thousands, chasing long days and never-ending sunsets, crawling into bed just as the sun rises, keen to do it all over again in the next city. With a carefree sense of adventure, we’re game to embrace each culture in any way we can. And what better way than with food? From market stalls in village squares, to boulangeries in Parisian arrondissements, to simple Italian pizza at its best, Australians young and not-so-young are delighting their tastebuds. This year while your friends are off tanning on the beaches of Croatia, climbing the Eiffel Tower and running with the bulls, your brainstorming efforts on how you could change hemispheres for an endless summer each year could use some fuelling. And what better inspiration than a slice of Europe itself? When you can’t go to Europe, why not bring Europe to Brisbane? And so we present to you, in our opinion, the best Brisvegas European food experiences — taking into account taste, atmosphere and authenticity. Best pork knuckle and weiss beer - The German Club If ‘Ja, ja, ja’, ‘noch ein Bier, bitte’ and ‘das schmecht lecker’ are stretching your German vocabulary, chances are you’ll feel right at home in the beer hall of Brisbane’s German Club, where two cultures unite over a love of liquid amber and large hunks of meat. Claiming Brisbane’s best pork knuckle (we agree) and a seriously huge range of German beers, the club’s long beer hall tables will have you swinging in your seat and singing Rosamunda along with an authentic character in Lederhose. Bonus fact: The German Club celebrated 130 years at East Brisbane this year, which goes to show Aussies, beer and meat are a match made in Deutscher heaven. Check out the 1890’s castle they built themselves. Impressive. Notables: Bavarian Beer Cafe, Belgium Beer Cafe Best croissant - Choquette ‘Bonjour!’ will be the first thing you hear, stepping off the street and into this slice of France. What greets you secondly is a display case stacked with reasonably priced petit cakes of all varieties. As tempting as they are, your mission here is a croissant. With a soft and subtle ‘merci beaucoup’ you are off to devour Brisbane’s finest croissant. Offering a huge crispy shell and a soft buttery flesh, we’re onto a winner here. Notables: Le Bon Choix, Flour & Chocolate Best pizza - Sugo Mi Supremo lovers stand back, anyone who has visited Italy would have been either ecstatic or disappointed to find that true Italian pizza equals a thin crisp base and minimal toppings. Think sauce, cheese plus one other ingredient. The good news for the non-minimal eater is that true Italian pizza does well to make each topping shine. Using top quality ingredients, SugoMi’s understated range of pizzas hit the mark with their simplicity and crisp wood-fired taste. Bellisimo! Notables: Beccofino, Piccolo Best tapas and sangria - Ole Bar + Restaurant Say, ‘hola, Ole!’ and order a jug of their finest sangria - red of course, we’re traditionalists. Your mother would approve of the Spaniards, who choose not to drink on an empty stomach, and instead accompany their tipple with some of the finest Mediterranean flavours your mouth can try. With a swish of the wooden sangria spoon, stuff some deep-fried, cream cheese-filled olives down your gob and chase it with more sangria. Ahhh, the temporary mindset of summer is here. Taking your amigos is essential. Notables: Granada, Pintxo Best chimney cake - Kurtosh Cakes If you’ve been to Budapest, you might have been lucky enough to stumble upon a chimney/funnel cake stall. It’s the scent that will draw you in; spiraled rounds of pastry, coated in oil and sugar, are slowly turned over an open fire so the crust goes hard but the inside stays soft. The traditional Hungarian pastry is then rolled in cinnamon, almonds or other toppings, and you’ll happily hand over 1000HUF for the privilege to munch the warm, toasty goodness. Cronut, smonut - this treat has been around for centuries and is still making waves. Fortunately for Brisbanites, Kurtosh Cakes pop up their market stall at the Jan Power Farmers’ Markets weekly. Best pretzel - Brot Anyone lucky enough to have wandered any German city will have surely come across a small red Ditsch shop spitting out fresh and toasty pretzels right before your eyes. Encrusted with jewels of salt, these warm and memorable bread knots are best straight from the oven, and so the challenge here in Brisbane is timing. I’m told around 8am is when Brot eject their pretzels from the oven, and the saying, ‘the early bird gets the warm pretzel’ is uncannily true here; you have to get in quick! Notables: King of Cakes Best spanakopita - Little Greek Taverna Little Greek Taverna is at the top of everyone’s list. With busy tables that spill out onto West End’s well-trodden footpaths and prices that mimic the state of the Greek economy (read: cheap), its atmosphere and authenticity give it a big tick in the right direction. Sit back and relax, let the sounds of the bouzouki take you back to the whitewashed walls of the Mediterranean as you tuck into little spanakopita spirals of joy. For those wondering what on earth spanakopita might be, the feta cheese and spinach wrapped in filo pastry are to Greece what spring rolls are to Thailand. Delish. Notables: The Greek Club,Lefkas Greek Taverna Best gelato - Shlix Nothing says summer in Europe quite like gelato in a cone. The good news for Brisbane is that it’s always good ice-cream weather, and while the frosty treat mightn’t be dripping down your arm this time of year, it just gives you more time to savour the flavour. Made on site, Shlix’s take on Italy’s famous sweet uses only the finest the ingredients and boy does it show. Alongside classics - vanilla bean, hazelnut, chocolate, lemon sorbet - you can find more adventurous ones such as chai, peanut butter, cheesecake, ‘Walnut on a Date’ and ‘Cheeky Cherry’. Notables: Gelatissimo, Gelateria Cremona Best bratwurst - Brat Haus If you’re going to the Brat Haus, you’re going to have a brat time. The humble Lion’s Club sausage sizzle just doesn’t cut it anymore and for those with a taste for the wurst there is no going back. If your team loses at Suncorp, you can swap your sour face for some sauerkraut; armed with a wiener, your day just got better. Keeping it simple, the Brat Haus offers up a classic super-size me bratwurst, spicy knackwurst, cheese kranski and even a vegan sausage all served in a fresh-baked bun with your choice of condiments. They are also licensed. Das ist sehr gut! Notables: German Sausage Hut Best high tea - Room With Roses Room With Roses has English charm down pat. Tucked away in the upper gallery of the heritage-listed Brisbane Arcade, climbing those stairs you know you’re onto something special. With white linen tablecloths, fresh roses, chandeliers and floral, high wingback chairs this is a picture-perfect high tea setting. The balcony overlooks the arcade and if you squint, just for a second, you could turn back the clock to the 1920s. The tea room serves high tea twice daily; think ribbon sandwiches, miniature scones and cakes, savoury tarts and chocolate cake all topped off with the family-recipe for a delectable lemon curd tart. The olde worlde ambience makes Room With Roses an ideal setting for high tea, and they do one of the best in the city. Notables: Stamford Hotel, Customs House Tea
Nearly twelve months after announcing the location for Australia's first Pride Centre, the Victorian Government has revealed the designs for the St Kilda structure. Local firms Grant Amon Architects and Brearley Architects & Urbanists will be responsible for what's certain to prove an important and influential building, both in its appearance and thanks to its status as a dedicated LGBTI hub. The St Kilda outfits were selected from a pool of 18 submissions, with the finished product due to open at 79-81 Fitzroy Street in 2020. The building will house up to ten major resident organisations — including JOY FM, Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Midsumma Festival, the Victorian Aids Council, LGBTQI Multi Culture, Multi Faith, Team Melbourne and the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives — and also offer flexible and multi-use spaces. Among them: a health service, library, training room and meeting rooms, as well as a café and bar, a theatrette and a gallery. "We wanted the winning design to be a building that our LGBTQI community can be proud of owning, a place of celebration and a safe sanctuary," said Jude Munro AO, Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre board. "This design is inspirational and more than satisfies these criteria. Our aim is for the Pride Centre to be a catalyst for the revival of Fitzroy Street and to fit into the St Kilda design vernacular which this design does superbly." Modelled after San Francisco's LGBTI Community Centre, the Victorian Pride Centre will receive $15 million in State Government funding, plus $13 million from the City of Port Phillip. "It will be a space for the community and LGBTI organisations to share ideas, collaborate and celebrate our diversity — it's also at a key site the Pride March goes past," said Minister for Equality Martin Foley. For more information, visit www.pridecentre.org.au
When you can't venture to a crowded pub to watch your favourite sport on the big screen, recreate the best parts of game day in your own home instead. Whether you're into the AFL or NRL, you can take inspiration from these five suggestions to amp up the at-home viewing party to suit your code. We've partnered with leading bourbon brand Jim Beam to bring you tips on entertaining your mates without missing any of the highlights. [caption id="attachment_786097" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] COOK UP YOUR FAVOURITE PUB CLASSICS First thing's first: food. Any good party host knows you need to plan ahead when it comes to feeding your guests, but that doesn't mean you need to spend heaps of cash or lean on the same-old chips and dips combo. Give yourself a theme and opt for handheld, small bites. For example, buffalo wings with blue cheese dipping sauce and loaded potato skins with bacon and sour cream for easy-to-serve snacks that you can prep in advance and your friends can graze on throughout the game. Make a classic hot dog more grown-up with fresh lettuce, jalapeños and mustard, or create a nacho topping station so everyone can serve themselves when they're peckish. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7pS5D5MnYe11rtrRcjeMTk?si=d6yoaggsQnaTvog48eh0IA[/embed] CREATE A PUB PLAYLIST Channel the mood of your local, wherever that may be. If yours usually busts out Powderfinger, Crowded House and Paul Kelly, lean into the theme and create your own playlist that's two parts nostalgia and one part fresh Aussie hits. Or, if you want to pretend you're at the Gabba for this year's AFL Grand Final, pull together a playlist that honours the local acts taking to the stage come Saturday, October 24. Brisbane bands Sheppard and Cub Sport will be performing, along with singer-songwriter Thelma Plum and Rockhampton's blues duo Busby Marou. Plus, Sydney's DMA's and Adelaide-based duo Electric Fields. If you're short on time, head to one of the act's own selections, like DMA's Radio above. More of an Amy Shark fan? The indie-pop star is headlining this year's NRL grand final and the Gold Coast artist has a sweet playlist of equally cool Aussie acts like East, Lime Cordiale and Wafia that you can find here. [caption id="attachment_786936" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Burton[/caption] PULL OUT THE LAWN GAMES When you're drinking at the pub there's often time for playing games and getting competitive — whether that's around the pool table or facing the dart board. Bring a sense of playful competition into your get-together with bocce, giant Jenga, Finska, Twister — or whatever games you might have stored away at home. Create a break-out zone away from the TV so your friends can dive into an active game whenever the mood takes hold. Don't have any games at home? You'll find a good selection of outdoor games at Opus, which has free delivery if you spend over $75, and at Sunnylife, which has a $12 flat rate for delivery. [caption id="attachment_787026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaleidico[/caption] PLAN A SURPRISE PUB QUIZ FOR HALF TIME No one wants to listen to the game analysis come half time, so bring all your sports fanatics together over some brain teasing. Can you name the date of the very first AFL match? What's Daniel Ricciardo's driver number? How many times has Dylan Alcott represented Australia at the Paralympics? Who is Australia's fastest female bowler? No matter what sport you're celebrating on the big screen, you can test your collective knowledge in a quick quiz to lighten the mood. Create one of your own, or hit up the sports quiz of the week from The Guardian, or the ABC's news quiz for a mix of sport and general knowledge. Or, if you want to play along live, Jay's Virtual Pub Quiz runs weekly quiz sessions on YouTube. [caption id="attachment_784939" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] STOCK UP YOUR BAR Rather than making sure there are enough glasses in the house, or having to fight over space in the fridge for cold drinks, make things easier on you and your guests by filling up your bath or a bucket with ice and stocking it with premixed drinks. That way everyone can dip into the bathroom or kitchen for a fresh bevvy when they like, and you don't have to worry about chopping citrus for cocktails, or smashing glasses you don't have time to replace. Jim Beam has a range of premixed drinks to suit all your mates' tastes. You can pick up a pack of seven Jim Beam & Cola cans for $29 at BWS stores. Or go one better and enter Jim Beam's competition to win your own Tiny Stillhouse, which comes decked out with bluetooth speakers, a mini fridge, four bar stools, an esky, bar mats, a Jenga set, a case of Jim Beam and Cola and a bottle of Jim Beam White Label to really up the ante for your next get-together. Top image: Cassandra Hannagan
Co-curators Jay Younger, Professor at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art, and Byron Wolfe, Associate Professor at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, bring some hefty academic weight to this two-part collaborative exhibition. In Cast by the Sun, the works of 32 photographers — all academics or higher research students from the two institutions — have been brought together to collectively examine a central question: what role does place have in artistic practice, and is it more evident in photographic form? It is a question that is served particularly well by the collaborative nature of the exhibition, with each artist’s own experiences arguably driving the direction of their work. When everyone draws from the same spaces, a picture of the cultural and historical identity of those places begins to emerge. Cast by the Sun opens at The Hold Artspace on 29 July, with the exhibition continuing to 15 August. Image: Marian Drew, 'Moon Drawing, Lake McKenzie, Fraser Island' (detail), 2007, giclee print on cotton paper, 90 x 152cm.
Heading to Given Terrace staple Darling & Co is all about hangs in the venue's breezy space, and every Aussie knows that a weekend party isn't complete without a little (or a lot of) bubbly. Happy to oblige, the Paddington spot has launched bottomless prosecco and spritz brunches, which are now on offer every Sunday. And the restaurant isn't simply offering the standard two hours of bottomless booze. Instead, patrons have unlimited access to a fountain. You'll be able to pour your own bubbly and spritzes from its taps throughout the two hours, while enjoying an extensive spread. Find a comfy spot while tucking into an antipasto platter stacked with marinated olives, roasted peppers, bocconcini and watermelon wrapped in prosciutto, your choice of three pizzas, and a side salad. Although your $69 ticket gets you all of the above food and all the drinks for the fountain you like for two hours, the weekly event runs from 12–4pm, so you've got some options in terms of timeslots.
Considering a road trip to the nation's capital? From feeding lions and conquering epic hikes to treating yo'self in palaces of rejuvenation, Canberra isn't short on activities that'll make any mini-break extra memorable. Of course, after visiting the city's museums and galleries and exploring the surrounding wineries and national parks, you'll need somewhere to rest your head at the end of the day. And, you'll want it to tick every box you're looking for — whether you'd prefer a plush glamping bed hidden among the vineyards or a luxurious city nest within stumbling distance of the top-notch nightlife. To help ensure you make the most of your trip to Canberra, we've found seven places to stay that'll tickle the fancy of every type of adventurer there is. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
As part of the flurry of new streaming services competing for our eyeballs, FanForce TV joined the online viewing fold during the COVID-19 pandemic — with the pay-per-view platform not only screening movies, but pairing them with virtual Q&A sessions as well. Now, between Thursday, May 27–Monday, May 31 it's also hosting an online film fest: its third Virtual Indigenous Film Festival. The returning event coincides with National Reconciliation Week, and will showcase five films: High Ground, After the Apology, The Skin of Others, The Xrossing and Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra. That means you can watch your way through an array of Aussie movies focused on Indigenous stories, spanning both dramas and documentaries — and exploring race relations in the process. Sessions will also feature guest speakers, with just who'll be chatting yet to be revealed. And, viewers can tune in on a film-by-film basis, or buy an all-access pass to tune into everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3REMs9I9Tg Top image: High Ground.
When St Jerome's Laneway Festival announces its lineup each year, it gives music fans a hefty piece of good news. But, that's never the end of the story. As well as taking to the stage for the fest's main shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland, plenty of artists on Laneway's bill do sideshows — and the 2024 batch of gigs has just been announced. If you're keen to catch Steve Lacy, Raye, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and AJ Tracey doing their own concerts, now you can. Also on the list: Blondshell, Faye Webster, d4vd, Paris Texas, DOMi & JD Beck and Hemlocke Springs. The one caveat: as can be the case with festival sideshows Down Under, this batch is not only east coast-focused, but almost all about Sydney and Melbourne. Still, you now have more chances to hear 'Bad Habit and 'Escapism', including the former at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall for two big shows — which is where Unknown Mortal Orchestra will bust out their tunes for one night. If you're wondering about Stormzy and Dominic Fike, they're doing exclusive Laneway tours. Accordingly, if you want to see either (or both), you'll only catch them at the fest. Also, Lacy is exclusive to Laneway in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, hence the Sydney-only sideshows. [caption id="attachment_916473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Callum Walker Hutchinson[/caption] LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 SIDESHOWS: BLONDSHELL Friday, February 9 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne Sunday, February 11 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney FAYE WEBSTER Wednesday, January 31 — The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne Thursday, February 1 — Metro Theatre, Sydney STEVE LACY Wednesday, January 31–Thursday, February 1 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA Tuesday, January 30 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Thursday, February 1 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Friday, February 9 — Forum, Melbourne AJ TRACEY Friday, February 2 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Forum, Melbourne PARIS TEXAS Thursday, February 1 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Night Cat, Melbourne DOMI & JD BECK Friday, February 2 — Brunswick Picture House, Brunswick Heads Friday, February 9 — Factory Theatre, Sydney Sunday, February 11 — Corner Hotel, Melbourne D4VD Friday, February 2 — Liberty Hall, Sydney Thursday, February 8 — Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne HEMLOCKE SPRINGS Friday, February 2 — Night Cat, Melbourne Wednesday, February 7 — Oxford Art Factory, Sydney RAYE Wednesday, January 31 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Thursday, February 1 — Forum, Melbourne St Jerome's Laneway Festival will tour Australia and New Zealand in February 2024. Head to the festival's website for further details and tickets. The festival's sideshows run throughout January and February, with ticketing dates depending on the show — find out more via the Steve Lacy tour website, Unknown Mortal Orchestra tour website and Handsome Tours.
The Belligerents may not want to be in our arms, but we sure as hell want to be in theirs. This local Brisbane band has long been one of the most talented, best dressed clique on our music scene, and their I Don’t Want to be in Your Arms tour is your chance to see them in the flesh. If you don't think you've danced to The Belligerents before, chances are high you’ve heard their stuff. Two years ago they made waves with 'Steal Money', and since they’ve been touring, producing and writing just as many jam-jacked songs. They’ve got a cranky beach vibe going on – like when you get sand in your togs. It’s surfer rock, meets psych, with a bit of heart and angst. Some of their tunes are rough and heavy, other’s are as light and free falling as half the band's hair cuts. Now, The Belligerents will be hitting the Black Bear Lodge stage for the 'I Don't Want to be in Your Arms' single launch. Local goal-kickers Baskervillain and The Jensens will be supporting – if you haven’t checked out The Jensens’ 'Shark Thunder' then quit mucking around and listen. Tickets are only $10 and you can grab them here.
From the youthful rough and tumble of 1973's Mean Streets, to the bona fide masterpiece that is 1990's Goodfellas, to the Boston-set crime machinations of 2006's The Departed, Martin Scorsese's filmography is filled with gangster movies. Throw in 1996's Casino as well, and the acclaimed director has basically become synonymous with the genre. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his latest film once again steps into the mobster fold — or, given Scorsese's penchant for working with the same actors over and over again, that it tasks a heap of familiar faces with getting down and dirty in America's criminal underworld. In the pipeline for years (since back before 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street, in fact), The Irishman corrals Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel into quite the true tale — of organised crime in the US post-World War II, as experienced by union official and hitman Frank Sheeran. De Niro plays the main role, while Pacino plays notorious union boss Jimmy Hoffa, with the movie particularly interested in the ongoing mystery that is the latter's disappearance. If that's not exciting enough, there's also the fact that Pesci — who won an Oscar for Goodfellas — makes his first on-screen appearance in almost a decade. The rest of the cast features plenty of big names, too, including Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Jack Huston and Jesse Plemons. And, because The Irishman's story spans decades, there's also the movie's use of 'de-ageing' special effects, with De Niro and Pacino playing their characters in both their younger and older versions. With the film releasing via Netflix sometime this spring, the fact that a filmmaker of Scorsese's calibre is making a huge, star-studded, potentially Oscar-worthy movie for the streaming platform is also notable, as well as a sign of the times. For those keen to see the great director's first flick since 2016's Silence on a big screen, watch this space (and probably cross your fingers, too). The Irishman will premiere at this year's New York Film Festival in September, and receive a limited theatrical release in the US; however, whether Netflix will pop it into cinemas Down Under has yet to be revealed. Check out The Irishman's first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3hh68LpkWQ&feature=youtu.be The Irishman will hit Netflix sometime this spring — we'll update you with a release date when it's announced.
Kitty Green doesn't just direct films that demand attention; she makes movies where paying the utmost notice to small moments and details couldn't be more pivotal. With her 2013 debut Ukraine Is Not a Brothel, she deployed her documentarian's eye to explore protest group Femen with revealing and probing intimacy. With 2017's bold and unforgettable Casting JonBenet, Green honed in on the minutiae that can swirl around a crime — especially when true crime has become its own genre, sparking non-stop theories even decades later — all while structuring her picture around holding auditions for a film about the infamous case that shares the feature's name. The Melbourne-born filmmaker moved into fiction with 2019's The Assistant, and now stays there with The Royal Hotel. The shift has still seen Green unpacking reality. The Assistant is a #MeToo movie set in a film production company's office where sexual harassment at its head honcho's hands has become distressingly normalised. The Royal Hotel sprang to life after Green watched Australian documentary Hotel Coolgardie, about two Finnish women encountering the worst of Australia's drinking culture while working in Western Australia's Denver City Hotel, with the director then inspired to dramatise the situation. Diving into insidious everyday horrors in topical thrillers: that's Green's fictional niche right now, even with both The Assistant and The Royal Hotel born from facts. Getting three-time Ozark Emmy-winner Julia Garner playing women confronted with problematic gender dynamics and power imbalances in ominous spaces is also her current terrain — as is peering as closely and intently as Green can. "People keep asking about how my background in documentary helps, and I'm not sure it does really," Green tells Concrete Playground about taking her cues from Hotel Coolgardie this time around, and how her time making docos factors in. "I mean, I think maybe it affects what I watch and my references, and what sort of inspires me." "I really like the close stuff. I like movies that are about these tiny moments. That's something you can't really do in documentaries, because have to stay wide because you don't know what will happen. But with a fiction film, you can really hone in on a facial expression or gesture or a glance — these kinds of little moments that can make you know that a woman in that space feels very uncomfortable, but often get missed by the environment at large. So I was able to amplify those moments with a fiction film." The Assistant spends a day in the life of Garner's Jane, lingering claustrophobically in her New York workplace as the junior staffer navigates the impact of her boss' actions, as well as the hostilities engrained in the industry for women in general. The Royal Hotel finds its terrors in an outback pub where backpackers man the bar, with Garner's Hanna and Jessica Henwick's (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) Liv the latest arrivals at the titular mining-town watering hole. In both, unsettling men surround young women doing a job, with The Royal Hotel's male cast reading like a who's who of Australian talent. In her first Aussie-made feature, Green enlists Hugo Weaving (Love Me) as the pub proprietor, with Toby Wallace (Babyteeth), James Frecheville (The Dry) and Daniel Henshall (Mystery Road: Origin) among the regulars. "It's been good to have it back home," Green explains of the film, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, also played Toronto and London, then opened the first-ever SXSW Sydney Screen Festival and the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival. "Honestly, we screened it in the US, in Canada, in Spain and in the UK, and I feel like while they seem to really enjoy it and it seemed to play really well, I think it there's an element, a lot of kind of nuances, that they miss. There's a lot of Australian humour that they don't really pick up on over there." With The Royal Hotel now showing in Aussie cinemas — and The Assistant a must-see since it first arrived a few years back — we spoke to Green about taking inspiration not only from Hotel Coolgardie, how her two fictional features pair well together and the importance of casting, as well as adopting a female perspective on Australia's drinking culture, working Kylie Minogue's 'The Locomotion' onto the soundtrack and the hope to do a third film with Garner. ON BEING INSPIRED TO MAKE THE ROYAL HOTEL AFTER WATCHING HOTEL COOLGARDIE "I was just immediately struck by Hotel Coolgardie, and just the dynamics at play in it. And I had seen Australian drinking culture on film before, but I haven't seen it through the eyes of two young women, foreign women, who didn't understand the rules of it and were trying to make sense of it. So that to me was really interesting and great territory for a film to take place. It became the jumping off point for our screenplay. I worked with co-writer Oscar Redding (Van Diemen's Land), who lives in regional Australia. The two of us threw around a lot of the dialogue and figured it out that way. But mostly it's based on our own experiences of being in pubs and seeing things happen, and stories our friends told us. You basically soak a bunch of things up, it sits in your brain, and then you figure out what you want to use, and what's fun and what works, and what adds to the tension. It's definitely never one thing. It's all come from a few different places, I think." ON THE ROYAL HOTEL'S PARALLELS WITH THE ASSISTANT "You always want a challenge with the next project you take on, but I also liked the idea that I could work with Julia again. It was something I knew could work in a similar way — that is, a character trying to make sense of her environment. But with The Royal Hotel, everything is up. Everything is wilder and weirder and stranger — a lot more noise and craziness. So it was a fun challenge to take on." ON RETEAMING WITH JULIA GARNER FOR THE SECOND FILM IN A ROW "We worked really well together on The Assistant. And often we don't get the biggest budgets in the world, so we have to work quite quickly. So there's a shorthand that we have, we have this ability to communicate — you don't have to discuss things at length. We get each other, in a way, so that really works. So I was hoping to work with her again, and this project, when I saw Hotel Coolgardie, I was like 'ohh this could be a role for Julia which is interesting to me' — putting her in that environment was interesting to me. So yeah, it just fit. I dragged her out here, and she did it, which was great. She was excited about the project. I think landing here, we drove them [Garner and Henwick] straight out to the middle of nowhere, and I think they were a bit freaked out for a moment there. We kind of had to live the movie a little bit. We put them up in pubs nearby our shooting location, so they really had the full experience — which, I think they had a great time, but it took them a second just feel comfortable in the place and figure out who the people were. Yeah, it took a minute, but they really, honestly, they had such a good time, the two of them. They were so happy." [caption id="attachment_927983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Royal Hotel[/caption] ON CASTING THE ROYAL HOTEL'S MEN "The set was a pretty warm and loving place. When you call cut, it feels very safe. That was something we intentionally tried to create, which was making sure we cast the right men, essentially, to play those roles — who understood the sensitivity of the material. I think we got the right people and it was able to feel good for everyone. We wanted them all to feel a little different. We wanted them all to have their own energy. They all bring something something different. And they're all wonderful and warm and kind lovely people, which was great, too. We knew we needed someone cheeky and young to play Mattie, and Toby Wallace was available and a sweetheart, and understood what we're trying to do. Then James [Frecheville], I'd loved in Animal Kingdom, so it was exciting to get to work with him. And Dan [Henshall] was in Snowtown and was absolutely terrifying, so I knew that he could deliver in terms of Dolly. We have fun with that because I think Australians come to it with that understanding. Americans don't, but they still find him really intense. He's not like that in real life, though. Somehow we convinced them all to say yes, and put ourselves together a lovely group." ON SEEING AUSTRALIA DIFFERENTLY BY EXPLORING THE OUTBACK AND COUNTRY'S DRINKING CULTURE THROUGH THE EYES OF WOMEN "That became the agenda, I guess, in a way, but it wasn't a political thing. It was more just this is a story I want to tell, and this is something I have experienced in ways, and it felt real and it felt honest. It was about getting the right collaborators who understand what you're doing. I know that when we were pitching it around, people wanted more violence, they wanted Wolf Creek, but we weren't going to give them that. You have to just find the right partners that understand the project, and the mission statement, and once you've got the right collaborators, it should fall into place, really, from there." ON AVOIDING TURNING HANNA AND LIV'S EXPERIENCES INTO WOLF CREEK "We were looking at the type of behaviour that's the entry point for sexual violence — like how do we prevent it from ever getting to that point? And so the film is about trying to figure out when you can speak up for yourself, when you can say no before the behaviour crosses the line — just when it's dancing on the line. So the aim of it is to prevent that sort of behaviour from ever happening. If we can be a little more responsive a little earlier, then maybe we can create safer spaces for everyone. Essentially, this is the conversation that we want to have." ON PUTTING THE ROYAL HOTEL'S AUDIENCE IN HANNA'S SHOES "That's what they do really have to. They do that with The Assistant, too. I think a lot of these, it's about the behaviour that gets missed in big spaces like that where there's a lot going on. It can be someone creepy, but other people wouldn't really notice it — but Hanna's character would. So it's giving audiences a glimpse of what it's like to be that person behind the bar who's a little worried and feeling a little uncomfortable and not sure how to express it." [caption id="attachment_927984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Royal Hotel[/caption] ON A QUINTESSENTIAL AUSSIE PUB AS A SETTING, BACKDROPPED BY THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE "When you're coming to a project, it's about what's the right environment for some drama and some tension, and I think an Aussie pub is a great one. Not only is it for the interior of this pub, and the claustrophobia of it and all these men — there's 60 miners in that pub and two young women serving them, just that kind of dynamic is interesting to me — but also the exteriors, and this idea that they're in the middle of nowhere in the remote setting adding to that tension, and the isolation making it feel a little terrifying. It just was a really great starting point for a story. The isolation really adds to the tension. It's nice to keep a lot of the action in the bar, and to feel that claustrophobia of being kind of trapped in there. But also the idea, that even though they're not claustrophobic outside, it's somehow just as terrifying but for very different reasons. The contrast of the two spaces was really interesting to play around with. I haven't made an Australian film since film school, so it was nice, if I'm going to make an Australian film, to take advantage of the uniqueness of the landscape and play around with that." ON GETTING KYLIE MINOGUE'S 'THE LOCOMOTION' ON THE SOUNDTRACK "It was about going 'if you're going to teach some foreigners about Australia, where do you begin?'. And so Kylie Minogue, swimming in a water hole, seeing a kangaroo — ticking a few of those boxes." ON POTENTIALLY MAKING A THIRD FILM WITH GARNER TO ROUND OUT A THEMATIC TRILOGY "We would love to do a third one. We've just got to figure out what that should look like and how to get that done, and how to make sure it's a little different. If we're going do it again, we need to play around with it. I mean, hopefully we get to get a chance to do it. It'd be great to work with Julia again." ON WHAT GETS GREEN EXCITED ABOUT A PROJECT "It has to feel like something — often it's something like a gut instinct, and it's something that I feel in my bones, like a story that needs to be told. And often it's because I haven't seen it elsewhere, or it's something that I want say. With The Assistant, we were looking at the larger picture — the news was focusing on Harvey Weinstein and we were saying that we want to look at something wider, like at the systemic problem, sexism in the industry, and how that creates an unsafe workspace and contributes to all of that sexual violence. So then with The Royal Hotel, it was looking at, I guess, just looking at my own discomfort in some of those spaces and how we can voice our concerns a little more, and kind of ripping that apart. Generally, it's just something that gets me interested in something [where] I feel like 'oh, I want to say something here'. That's the starting point, and then there's a lot of people involved. It takes a village to get a movie to the screen, so it changes as it goes, but often I go in with the kernel of an idea that I think is interesting." The Royal Hotel opened in Australian cinemas in November 23. Read our review. Images: Neon / Transmission / See-Saw Films.
If you're a fan of that famous blend of chocolate and hazelnut, and you're prone to looking at food snaps on Instagram, then you've probably come across Tella Ball Dessert Bar over the last two years. The Nutella-slinging cafe has made quite the name for itself since it started making spherical cinnamon doughnuts filled with the good stuff, then placing them on top of milkshakes — then whipping up ridiculous creations like Nutella kebabs and Nutella lasagne. Now, they're finally bringing their Nutella-drenched wares to Queensland. Setting up shop in Surfers Paradise, TBDB's first jaunt this far north serves up the full array of Nutella sweet treats. The state's Nutella lovers can now indulge in their favourite dessert spread in a 54-seat space at The 4217 on Beach Road, a block away from the tourist area's main Cavill Avenue strip. As well as the aforementioned Nutella-laden extravaganzas, the menu includes doughnut fries, Nutella sliders, doughnut ice cream cones, Nutella-drizzled pancakes, red velvet Nutella waffles, hot chocolates filled with Nutella and Nutella cheesecake. Even TBDB's standard Tella balls come in an array of different flavours, from Gaytime to Oreo to Ferrero Rocher to lamington. If you're not that much of a Nutella fiend — or have an allergy — you'll find chocolate pasta (made from crepes), a variety of milkshakes, house-made gelato, Tim Tam pancakes, and ricotta and blueberry waffles among the non-nutty offerings. It's the kind of place where the word Nutella might lose its meaning from overuse, but your tastebuds really won't care. And for Queenslanders that don't live on the Gold Coast, TBDB are calling the Surfers spot their first Queensland store — so here's hoping that means more, including in Brisbane, will follow. Find Tella Balls Dessert Bar at The 4217, 10 Beach Road, Surfers Paradise. Head to their Facebook page for further information.
Obsession-worthy desserts and Gelato Messina go hand in hand, whether you can't get enough of the brand's revolving ice cream lineup or you're especially fond of its one-off treats. Here's one of the latter to tempt your tastebuds, and take you all the way back to your tuckshop days: a new cookie pie, this time in a honey joy version. No need to eat cereal for breakfast — instead, you can get your fix in this indulgent dessert, which'll also clearly serve up plenty of nostalgia. It features a choc chip cookie base, vanilla custard and crunchy honey joys. The word you're looking for? Yum. It's been a couple of years since the gelato chain first introduced its cookie pies to the world in 2020, and it sure does love bringing the OTT dessert back over and over. No, we're not complaining. We all need an extra dose of sweetness every now and then, clearly, including during a particularly frosty winter. Hang on, a cookie pie? It is indeed a pie, but it's made of cookie dough. And it serves four-to-six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, whacking it in the oven for 20–25 minutes at 160–180 degrees , so you get to enjoy that enticing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. This time around, the Frankenstein's monster-style honey joy cookie pie really is exactly what it sounds like — and you can buy it by itself for $28, or in kits with some of the cult ice creamery's famed gelato to go along with it. You can opt for a 500-millilitre tub for an extra $12, a one-litre tub for an additional $21 or a 1.5-litre tub for an extra $23. If you're keen to get yourself a piece of the pie, they're available to preorder online on Monday, August 1. And, because Messina's specials always prove popular, the brand staggers its on-sale times. Accordingly, folks in Queensland and the ACT are able to purchase at 9am, Victorians at 9.15am, and New South Wales customers split across three times depending on the store (with pies from Surry Hills, Bondi, Randwick and Miranda on sale at 9.30am; Brighton Le Sands, Tramsheds, Parramatta and Darlinghurst at 9.45am; and Darling Square, Newtown, Norwest, Rosebery and Penrith at 10am). The catch? You will need to peel yourself off the couch and head to their local Messina store to collect your order. The pies will be available to pick up between Friday, August 5–Sunday, August 7. You can preorder a Messina honey joy cookie pie from Monday, August 1, to pick up from all NSW, Victoria and Queensland Gelato Messina stores.
Twelve nights of street food eats, a one-off feast in the art gallery, a celebrity chef dinner at 2018's best restaurant, a celebration of young chefs and a huge array of lunch specials. They're the first things on the menu at this year's Good Food Month in Brisbane, with the city-wide culinary celebration set to return for the entire month of July. Actually, the delicious spread of foodie events will extend beyond the month, all thanks to the annual favourite that is the Night Noodle Markets. It's back in 2019, obviously, complete with stalls from Hoy Pinoy, Waffleland, Gelato Messina, Shallot Thai, Bangkok Street Food, Bao Brothers, What the Pho and more. And, it'll run from July 24 to August 4, once again taking over the South Bank Cultural Forecourt. [caption id="attachment_630137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bec Taylor[/caption] While the full Good Food Month program won't be unveiled until June, a handful of other highlights have also been revealed. Leading the charge, is a collaboration between GOMA and much-awarded Melbourne restaurant Lûmé. The one-off six-course dinner will feature dishes by both the venues' chefs as well as matched wines and beers — and it'll be held inside the actually gallery. Or, you can head to a dinner by MasterChef winner Adam Liaw at Donna Chang, which was awarded Concrete Playground's Best New Restaurant last year. From the tried-and-trusty part of the lineup, the Young Chef's Lunch is back for another round, once again showcasing Brissie's emerging chefs. And the Let's Do Lunch series returns, offering $45 lunches at some of the city's best restaurants. If the above events have already whet your appetite, consider them the entree before the main meal. Nope, you won't be short on food options come July — and you won't be left hungry, either. Good Food Month Brisbane takes place between July 1 and 31 at various venues around the city, with the Night Noodle Markets running from July 24 to August 4. The full program will be released in June, and tickets to the just-announced events go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, May 14 — visit the event website for further details. Top image: Bec Taylor.
Shaking beef isn't a great name for a restaurant, but Lúc Lắc is, and still allows the latest addition to Brisbane's Queen's Wharf precinct to nod to one specific dish in its moniker. That meal: Bo Lúc Lắc, which brothers Adonis and Nehme Ghanem, Ghanem Group's directors, came across on a research trip to Asia. They're aiming to make their new venture as memorable and as vibrant as they found the traditional Vietnamese staple — and as flavoursome. First announced in July, and serving customers since Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Lúc Lắc joins the list of Ghanem Group venues in Brisbane. Its sibling eateries and bars: Donna Chang, Boom Boom Room, Bisou Bisou, Iris Rooftop, Byblos Bar & Restaurant and Blackbird Bar, Dining & Events. Here, a combination of Vietnamese and Thai tastes await, starting with the dish that gets its nickname from the motion used when it's in the wok. Lúc Lắc's take on its signature features Kampot peppered wagyu beef, cherry tomatoes and capsicum. It's just one of the restaurant's must-tries, however. Under Ghanem Group Executive Chef Jake Nicolson and Lúc Lắc Head Chef Dann Rowell (ex-Balfour Kitchen & Bar, Longitude 131°, Silky Oaks Lodge and Southern Ocean Lodge), the range of options includes escargot and pork spring rolls, tumeric-marinated swordfish and a Vietnamese-inspired twist on tiramisu, too. Steamed and braised duck leg bao, pork bun cha, and wagyu skewers with sweet soy glaze and chilli lime butter are among the smaller dishes, while Singapore-style noodles, lemongrass-braised pork belly, and goat curry with sweet potato and Thai basil are heartier choices. Or, tuck into the roasted red duck curry with lychee and bean sprouts. Fancy fried chook? Lúc Lắc's version poaches the chicken in house-made masterstock first, then batters and fries it before adding a shrimp paste caramel. "The menus are inspired by Vietnam and Thailand, taking the best of those worlds and combining them into something super-exciting. Guests can explore a delicious pairing of local produce and Asian flavours," notes Nicolson, while also pointing out the importance of local produce. "For example, we've incorporated tropical Queensland fruits such as pink pomelo, green mango, green papaya, jackfruit and dragonfruit; splashes of house-made nahm jim and nuoc cham dressings; scatterings of locally produced Thai basil, perilla, Vietnamese mint, and coriander; and sprinklings of roasted peanuts, toasted rice and fried shallot." The 159-seat site within The Star Brisbane also operates as a place for drinks till late, when DJs provide a soundtrack. For beverages, patrons can choose from a 19-option cocktails list, with 15 boozy concoctions and four without the hard stuff. A handy tip: the Thai iced tea comes in both alcoholic and virgin varieties. Asian beers and international wines, including a riesling from the Clare Valley's Rieslingfreak made especially for Lúc Lắc, are also on offer. Design-wise courtesy of Space Cubed Design Studio, Lúc Lắc's subtropical decor features floral fabrics, brass and animal prints, all chosen to leave an imprint. If you eat indoors, you'll be in the 58-seat main area with booths — and the bar made from jade onyx stone slabs. Outdoors, 46 guests can get cosy. "We played with different materials that are very much used in Asia like rattan, and went with warmer timbers and brass lighting to create an atmospheric mood," explains Sophia Klemenz Ghanem. "The silhouettes of the pieces we selected are sculptural and varied, playing with geometric forms. We wanted to combine softer curves with sharper lines to create tension and interest." Find Lúc Lắc at The Star Brisbane, Queen's Wharf Road, Brisbane — open 12pm–late daily. Head to the restaurant's website for more details.
In a river city like Brisbane, eating, sipping and kicking back by the water — or in sight of it — is the hospitality holy grail. That's true along Eagle Street, where waterside restaurants and bars pair their menus with impressive vistas. And it's a big drawcard at Tillerman, the CBD roadway's latest addition, which has just opened its doors inside Riparian Plaza. A restaurant can't get by on views alone, of course. Tillerman's riverfront location includes a vantage over the river across to the Story Bridge, with that sparkling vision able to be glimpsed from all tables. But restaurateurs Andrew and Jaimee Baturo, plus Naga Thai chef Suwisa Phoonsang, want their food and drink offering — and the just-opened venue's decor and mood, too — to be as much of an attraction. Initially announced in August and now serving customers from lunch onwards from Tuesday–Saturday, Tillerman marks the latest collaboration between the Baturos and Phoonsang, after Naga Thai has shut its doors at Eagle Street Pier — the fact that the riverside precinct is being torn down to make way for a new $2.1-billion development will do that. Clearly the trio can't get enough of that part of the CBD, or the waterfront. And this time, nestled into the mezzanine level between Madam Wu and River Bar, they're focusing on seafood, that watery backdrop and a relaxed holiday-style vibe. "Locations like this don't come around very often and Tillerman gave us the idea of designing a restaurant where you can be transported, maybe through the charm of the coastal menu, or simply admiring the exceptional view in comfort with a glass in hand," said Andrew Baturo. "Tillerman's been created for the warm Queensland climate and will you'll want to stay all day." First, the decor — with Brisbane's Hogg & Lamb taking cues from travel across a timber-heavy setup that seats guests at both high and low tables, banquettes and mini booths. Spotted gum features heavily around the 120-seater space, the main bar spans ten metres in legnth, and floral and botanical prints help add a breezy, comfortable feel. Textured porphyry stone sits among the floorboards, too, and pendant lighting adds a glow. Plus, three backlit portholes draw the eye while adding a touch of nautical theming. For folks looking for an intimate dining experience with their nearest and dearest, there's also a glam private dining room behind a sheer copper curtain, with a wine wall lining one side. In the kitchen, Phoonsang has designed a menu that's guided by fresh, premium seafood, rather than a particular cuisine or culture — but the culinary range takes inspiration from the best dishes found around the world. Highlights include Fremantle octopus carpaccio, salmon jerky, kingfish with crepes, fish of the day served with nuoc cham, Balmain bugs and salt-baked Murray cod, spanning both small bites and mains. Tillerman doesn't only serve up seafood, though. Among the other standouts: wagyu flanks, chicken roulade, pork spare ribs with dark rum and candied cherry tomatoes, and goose frites with cherry vinegar. And, for dessert, choices cover rum and raisin deep-fried ice cream, lemon meringue pie, and chocolate mousse with brown butter, confit-spiced pear, peanut praline and cocoa sorbet. The drinks lineup also nods in a clear direction: the world's oceans and waterways, fittingly. With that in mind, Tillerman's signature martini is called is the Mariner Martini, and uses Never Never Oyster Shell Gin. Or, there are four types of daiquiris built on Plantation 3 Stars white rum, plus six gin and tonics. Flavours to look out for include earl grey, lemon and fennel, musk, and watermelon and cucumber among the daiquiris, and elderflower, hibiscus and rosemary in the G&Ts. The vino offering spans 30 wines via Coravin from a 150-tipple list all up, with whites from Veneto and Margaret River, pinot noirs from the Mornington Peninsula, and reds such as grenache and chilled provencal rosés a big feature. And, as well as bubbles, the sherry and port selection gets a hefty focus, while the full drinks range also covers beer, cider and spirits. Find Tillerman on the mezzanine level inside Riparian Plaza, 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane — open from 11.30am–2.30pm Tuesday–Saturday for lunch; 3–5.30pm Tuesday–Saturday for drinks, snacks and starters; and 5.30pm–late Tuesday–Saturday for dinner. Food images: Judit Losh.
Usually when the Easter long weekend hits, music fans descend upon Byron Bay for five days of live tunes. Both in 2020 and 2021, that didn't happen — with Bluesfest cancelled last year when the pandemic began, then scrapped again this year after a new COVID-19 outbreak saw NSW Health issue a public health order to shutter the event. Thankfully for music lovers and festival devotees, the 2021 festival hasn't been ditched completely. More than a month after it was originally due to take place between Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, Bluesfest organisers have announced that it'll move to October instead. So, mark Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4 in your diary. That's another long weekend, although the rescheduled fest will be one day shorter than normal. Once again, the long-running festival will return to Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) just outside Byron Bay. Originally, 2021's event was set to be headlined by Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, Ziggy Alberts and The Teskey Brothers, but organisers haven't made any new lineup announcements yet. The fest will unveil its full new bill sometime next week, and revealed in a Facebook post announcing the new dates that it has "been adding more of Australia's absolute best talent". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bluesfest Byron Bay (@bluesfestbyronbay) Bluefest also advised that season tickets for the festival will go on sale next week as well, with one- and three-day tickets available before that — but no specific dates were provided. Eager music fans can sign up for the waitlist now, and will be notified when tickets drop. Current ticketholders will be contacted by Moshtix with all the necessary information about the new dates, rolling your existing tickets over and getting a refund if you can no longer attend. And, because five-day passes were sold for the April dates, Bluesfest organisers are promising "something very special" for folks with those lengthier tickets during the October dates. Yes, that'll also be revealed sometime next week. Bluesfest 2021 will now run from Friday, October 1–Monday, October 4 at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, Byron Bay. The new lineup announcement is set to be announced sometime next week — to register for the ticket waitlist, head to Moshtix. Top image: Andy Fraser
Back in July, it was revealed that Byron Bay was getting a brand-new festival that's all about food and culture. That event: Caper Byron Bay Our Food and Culture Festival, which has undergone a name change since it was first announced, but features a hefty program filled with eating, drinking, checking out art, listening to tunes and being merry in gorgeous surroundings. Taking place between Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 13, Caper boasts a hefty culinary component as curated by Chef David Moyle, who has been Chief of Food at Harvest Newrybar since 2020. Highlights include bottomless oysters and bellinis at Balcony Bar & Oyster Co, natural wine-fuelled degustations at Supernatural, distillery tours at Brookie's Gin and a sourdough workshop with Bread Social. Soon-to-open newcomer Bar Heather is doing a five-course dinner with Palisa Anderson, while 100 Mile Table at Stone & Wood is hosting a backyard barbecue — and Treehouse on Belongil is opting for a mix of beats, bubbles and brunch. A farm-to-table feast with The Farm and Three Blue Ducks and The Hut's Spanish fiesta are also on the bill, alongside pop-up yum cha — with the Brunswick Picture House being taken over by Melbourne Chinatown diner ShanDong MaMa on the Saturday and Sunday. Also making the journey, but from Brisbane: Louis Tikaram from Stanley, who'll be part of a cabaret takeover at the same space. Another standout: celebrating embrace Bundjalung Nation's Indigenous culture via a walk on Country tour led by Explore Byron Bay owner and Arakwal woman Delta Kay, then a five-course lunch curated by Karkalla chef and owner Mindy Woods. An 'anti-bad vibes circle' with OneWave Fluro Friday; free exhibitions at Yeah, Nice Gallery, art salon Gallery 7, Gallery 3 and ThomGallery; and horse-riding followed by brunch or lunch at Zephyr Shack are also on the wide-ranging agenda, with more than 30 events filling out the program If you're keen to see where the day takes you in-between the official activities, head to the Caper Village, aka a massive food, beverage, music and art precinct that's set to sprawl across the whole North Byron Hotel in the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate. It'll host live music, DJs and art installations, as well as workshops, panels and talks. Images: Jess Kearney.
Spring dips, summers on the sundeck, getting steamy no matter the weather and staring out over the city from a West End rooftop: now that bathhouse chain Soak has made its way to Brisbane, these have all become a reality. The Gold Coast-born company has launched its first site further north, opening in a sky-high perch in West Village. Get ready to chase your bliss in seven spas and mineral pools, while also hitting up the infrared saunas, steam rooms and relaxation gardens. Soak first announced its plans to head to Brisbane back in 2021, aiming to open in the first half of 2022 — but its October launch is a case of better late than never. Those doors open on Monday, October 10, after 18 months spent planning and developing West End's first rooftop bathhouse. There aren't many ways to improve a trip to a wellness spa, but literally dialling things up a level will do it. Accordingly, those dips, steams, massages and LED facials come with a sweeping vista — turning the rooftop spot into an inner-city oasis. "We're ecstatic to be bringing Soak Bathhouse to West End, as we've not seen a bathhouse like this before in a major Australian city," said co-owners Alexis Dean and Niki Dean. "We wanted to bring Brisbane an authentically natural space that prioritises the city lifestyle in a unique way. With the rooftop views overlooking the city, it's the perfect place to have an energising soak as the sun rises or a relaxing soak in the evening when the sun sets." Soak's pools are meant to be shared, so you can book in for a plunge with your mates and use the occasion to treat yo'selves over a catch up. A big part of the vibe at the bathhouse is about being social, hence the communal facilities, capitalising upon a largely untapped niche: turning wellness sessions into excuses to gather the gang. That said, the venue also provides individual services and experiences — catering to relaxing visits for solo patrons looking to disconnect from absolutely everything as much as group hangouts. As well as getting your mates together and soaking in everything the bathhouse has to offer — or doing so during some much-needed alone time, too — Brisbanites can also book in for special occasions. That's great to keep in mind if you have some milestones to celebrate, or just feel like a relaxing birthday shindig. As it also does at its Gold Coast setup at Mermaid Beach, Soak offers both casual pricing and multi-packs — and, like that spot, it's trading across extended hours seven days a week. It's only at West End, however, that you can enjoy the facilities from 6.30am daily, or head along until 10pm each evening. A sunrise soak? A sunset steam? They're all now a reality as well. Soak Bathhouse opens at West Village, level two, The Eaves, 111 Boundary Street, West End, from Monday, October 10 —operating from 6.30am–10pm daily
Everyone likes shopping and hanging out by the water, which Portside's regular markets know and understand — especially when festive season is approaching. If you really like browsing and buying, taking in the riverside air, and having a reason to stop for a bite and a drink, you'll want to head to Hamilton on Sunday, December 3. From 3–7pm, you can shop, stroll, sip and purchase gifts, which sounds like a mighty fine weekend itinerary. A heap of stalls will be offering up everything from art and plants to ceramics and accessories — and more. If you've been to markets at the Gasworks or in Fish Lane, you'll have a firm idea of what you're in for, because The Market Folk is behind all of the above and is running this Portside event as well. To give your shopping a soundtrack, there's usually piano tunes echoing through the Hamilton precinct. And, if those hunger pangs strike — or you're just keen on having a drink — the precinct has plenty of eateries onsite. Images: Claudia Baxter.
Your 2023 getaways just got cheaper — and you'll have a new way to fly off on holidays, too. First announced in 2021, Australian airline Bonza will finally take to the skies in 2023, after securing regulatory approval. The soon-to-launch carrier's aim: opening up routes to more of the country's regional destinations, flying 27 routes to 17 locations, and offering low-cost fares in the process. Today, Thursday, January 12, Bonza CEO Tim Jordan announced that the airline received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). "This is an historic moment for Australian aviation as we get ready to launch the first high-capacity airline in more than 15 years, and the country's only independent low-cost carrier," said Jordan. "With the approval from CASA, 2023 is set to be the year of seeing more of your own backyard for less." With the required tick of approval now in place, Bonza can put flights on sale, starting with fares from its Sunshine Coast base — with flights from Melbourne, where it'll also have a base, set to follow. Passengers will hit the air in planes given names as Aussie as the airline's itself: Bazza, Shazza and Sheila. The airline hasn't yet announced when you'll be able to book, other than soon, but to do so you'll need to download the airline's app. One of Bonza's points of difference will be app-only reservations, unless you're booking via a registered local travel agent. Another: a previously announced all-Australian in-flight menu, spanning both food and craft beer. When it hits the air, the airline will service locations such as Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays in Queensland; Albury, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Port Macquarie in New South Wales; and Melbourne, Avalon and Mildura in Victoria — with a big focus on regional destinations. The carrier's network will see it take passengers to places they mightn't otherwise been able to fly to, with Bonza advising that 93 percent of its routes aren't currently served by any other airline — and 96 percent of them don't presently have a low-cost carrier. Bonza is launching with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. Its fares won't include baggage and seat selection, which'll you need to pay extra for — and it'll be cheapest to do so when you make your booking, rather than afterwards Bonza is set to start flying sometime in 2023 — we'll update you flights go on sale. For more information, head to the airline's website, or download its app for Android and iOS.
New Year's Eve is almost upon us, and it's time to set your plans in motion. Gather your crew, pick your venue, sit back for the fireworks and party your way into 2024. You deserve it. We're here to help you get the ball rolling with suggestions for venues around Brisbane with an epic New Year's offering to light the candle of celebration. The choice is yours, but don't delay; time is running out to secure your tickets. THE REGATTA HOTEL First up, a Brisbane cornerstone, The Regatta Hotel. This institution is synonymous with riverside dining in Brisbane, thanks mainly to a history going way back to 1874 through fires, floods, protests, renovations and more. Riverside is the perfect spot to enjoy the New Year's celebrations, so The Regatta is going all out for 2024 with a Midnight Masquerade-themed night. Running from 8pm to 12am, the night is available through general admission or VIP tickets — both options have a cocktail dress code, and masks are optional. GA guests will enjoy a four-hour beverage package and live music, while VIP guests will head to the second level for beverages and a four-course set dinner before the fireworks. Tickets from $165. FRIDAYS Another tried and true choice for partying by the river is Fridays, the buzzing rooftop bar that has taken a starring role in Brisbane's nightlife. An epic New Year's is all but assured at Fridays. Anyone who's partaken in a vibey riverside bevvy or a sun-soaked work lunch can attest to that. The offering here is one of a late night (obviously), open views of the fireworks, live music, DJs and entertainment and food and drink to fuel the revelry. The package is inclusive, with bottomless house wines, tap beers and even spirits. The food? Canapés, but not party pies and spring rolls — think filet-o-prawn sliders and smoked brisket cottage pies. Tickets from $165pp. RIVERLAND Just next door is another great choice: Riverland (riverside is the place to be for New Year's, let's face it). Time is short, as third-release tickets are already 50% sold out — we told you not to hesitate. Riverland is newly renovated and intends to let the party flow across all three levels of the space. For a New Year's party at Riverland, views are epic and the benefits are inclusive. Expect three hours of roaming canapés, four hours of bottomless bevvies, live music and celebrations to be shared with your loved ones. Tickets from $169pp. THE WICKHAM For our last stop we're heading inland slightly to another institution. The Wickham may have been part of Fortitude Valley since the 19th century, but this pub's attitude is anything but outdated. To send off 2023 and welcome 2024, The Wickham is hosting a heaven-and-hell-themed evening of celebrations and killer live entertainment. Beyond the fireworks, the evening's entertainment will be hosted by RuPaul's Drag Race's Art Simone and Karen from Finance. Other performers pencilled in are Shanny T-Bone, Asphyxia, Chocolate Boxx, Abril Latrene and Ivyy Monroe, and they'll be backed by a live DJ. Dress up accordingly with the heavenly hellish theme, and you stand a chance of winning a best-dressed prize. Tickets from $25pp. For more information and to make bookings for venues and events operated by Australian Venue Co, visit the website.
It may have been violent, sexist and brainless, but when Sin City hit theatres in 2005, it was like nothing we'd ever seen before. Adapted by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez from Miller's pulpy anthology comic-book series, the lurid homage to hard-boiled noir stories was one of the first Hollywood movies to fully embrace digital technology — the directors filmed in front of a green screen using high-def digital cameras before converting to black-and-white in post-production. The content was still tasteless and juvenile of course, but at least it was interesting to look at. Nine years later, they've gifted us with a follow-up. Subtitled A Dame to Kill For, this part prequel, part sequel is certainly a fitting companion piece; equally stylised, equally sadistic and equally dumb. And had it come out in 2006 or 2007, it probably would have been embraced. But it didn't. Revolutionary a decade ago, digital cinematography and effects are now the norm, as are slavish graphic novel adaptations full of manufactured grit. Sin City 2 isn't a particularly inferior film to its predecessor. It's just that, after all this time, the novelty is no longer there. It also doesn't feel as though either Miller or Rodriguez have any interest in pushing the envelope further. Fleeting flashes of colour punctuate the vivid monochrome frame, looking every bit as striking as they did the first time. But the duo never attempts to really build upon the aesthetic of their original — and without the element of surprise on their side, the results are inevitably diminished. The same goes for script, again steeped in sex and vengeance but never actually covering any new ground. In the longest story, Mickey Rourke returns as brutish good guy Marv, who along with two-bit private eye Dwight (Josh Brolin), gets caught up in the machinations of a murderous femme-fatale (Eva Green, unfortunately camp). Then there's Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a smooth-talking card-shark with a grudge against the vicious Senator Roarke (Powers Boothe). Roarke is also the antagonist in the final vignette, one that sees exotic dancer Nancy (Jessica Alba) out to avenge the honest cop who saved her life. It should go without saying that the stories are all varying degrees of stupid. If you're not willing to suspend your disbelief every time Johnny gets dealt an impossible poker hand, or when Nancy takes out an entire battalion of body guards, then the movie falls apart before it even begins. What's harder to accept is Miller's flaccid dialogue. Gordon-Levitt is an immensely talented actor, but no-one can make the word 'ambidextrous' sound cool. There's also no skirting around the movie's attitude towards women, which is unfortunately misjudged at best and flagrantly misogynistic at worst. There is not a single named female character in A Dame to Kill For who isn't either a stripper or a prostitute — and despite what Miller apparently thinks, giving a hooker a bazooka doesn't really mean she's empowered. For the most part, the film is just immature in a boring way. On this issue specifically though, it's genuinely quite unpleasant. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6iFdPcx0W2w
Exploring the world in person isn't on anyone's agenda at present, but that doesn't mean you can't improvise from your couch. After hitting up online tours of the planet's best museums and landmarks, then checking out a heap of travel live-streams, you can now journey around the globe via a heap of Netflix documentaries screening for free on YouTube. Viewers can watch all eight episodes of 2019 nature series Our Planet, which is narrated by Sir David Attenborough — and ventures to 50 countries to explore the huge array of different habitats present across the earth. Or, you can feast your eyes on documentary feature Chasing Coral as it follows a team's efforts to invent the first time-lapse camera that's capable of recording coral bleaching events as they happen. In total, ten different Netflix titles have made the leap to YouTube — meaning that, even if you don't have an account with the streaming platform, you can still watch. The move is part of the company's efforts to help teachers and parents find informative and educational options for children; however viewers of all ages can take advantage of the free material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wGZc8ZjFY4 Other freebies include Ava DuVernay's Oscar-nominated documentary 13th, which explores race relations in America; Knock Down the House, about the campaigns of four women — all progressive Democrats — running for US congress; and the first season of Abstract: The Art of Design, featuring profiles of illustrators, architects, shoe designers, photographers, stage designers and more. Or, you can check out select episodes of Explained, spanning topics such as music, the world's water crisis and cricket, and Babies, which covers the obvious subject — or view three short films, including Academy Award-winner Period. End of Sentence., about access to sanitary products in India; The White Helmets, following volunteer rescue workers in Aleppo, Syria and Turkey; and Zion, about Zion Clark, a wrestler born without legs. To view Netflix's free selection of documentaries on YouTube, visit the streaming platform's YouTube channel. Top images: Our Planet, Netflix.
"You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Jack Nicholson's (How Do You Know) version of the Joker asked in 1989's Batman, just because he liked the sound of it. Here's another question: have you ever seen the Tim Burton (Wednesday)-helmed, Michael Keaton (The Flash)-starring classic caped-crusader movie on the big screen with a live orchestra playing its score? Whatever your answer to the first query, you can soon respond to the second with a hearty yes. To celebrate 35 years since the superhero classic initially reached cinemas, Batman is making a silver-screen comeback Down Under to see out 2024 and start 2025 — and in each of its six stops, including in Brisbane, it's giving the film's tunes the symphonic treatment. It's Batman in concert, with the movie playing the Queensland capital across Tuesday December, 3–Wednesday, December 4, 2024 at the BCEC Great Hall, complete with Foreman's Australian Pops Orchestra picking up their instruments as the flick screens. They'll be busting out Danny Elfman's Grammy-nominated score, which is just one of the feature's music highlights. The other: songs by the one and only Prince. As well as marking three-and-a-half decades since the picture debuted, these concert screenings also commemorate 85 years of the character on the page — and have been announced just as Burton and Keaton reteam again for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Keaton's stint in Bruce Wayne's slick suits by day and Batman's cape by night kicked off a big-screen four-movie series that ran from 1989–1997, and also saw Val Kilmer (Top Gun: Maverick) and George Clooney (IF) inhabit the role — a character played elsewhere by everyone from Adam West and Christian Bale (Amsterdam) to Ben Affleck (Air) and Robert Pattinson (The Batman). As part of a global tour of events, only Batman going the concert route so far, not Batman Returns, Batman Forever or Batman and Robin. If you're keen to dress up to attend, that's encouraged — and there'll also be merchandise on sale.
Hot on the heels of opening a 'DIY' restaurant in London, IKEA has Sydney pegged for its next activation. Presumably trying to make shopping for flatpack furniture a little less relationship-ruining, the Swedish company is setting up their next showroom inside one of Sydney Harbour's iconic ferries — and giving two people the chance to spend the night there. The IKEA Harbour Home (as it's so called) will be transformed into a "home away from home" and will undoubtedly be fully decked out with all things IKEA. Depending on how much you frequent the store, some things might look familiar. But the main drawcard here is obviously the harbour — the ferry will give you the chance to go nigh nighs and wake up on the water. Here's hoping for calm seas. Only one lucky person and a mate will get to spend the night on the ferry in October — you can enter here. The prize includes flights as well as a night on the ferry and all meals and experiences as per the final itinerary. If you're in the market for some new Swedish furnishings, it's a pretty sweet way to shop. And for anyone who's made the trek out to one of IKEA's behemoth locations, we can probably all agree that Sydney Harbour is by far the most aesthetically pleasing of the lot.
No matter where you are in Australia, you've probably spent the majority of the year in your own state (if not the majority of the year in your own bedroom), with many states and territories keeping their borders firmly closed. But, the last of the interstate restrictions are starting to ease. With the exception of WA (which is currently open to only the ACT, Queensland and the NT and Tasmania, but is set to open to NSW and Victoria from December 8) and SA residents (who are still unable to visit Queensland), Australians can pretty much visit anywhere in the country without quarantining. To celebrate, Virgin Australia is selling over 60,000 fares to destinations around the country, starting from just $75 a pop. Hang on, Virgin? Yes. The same airline that, just months ago, entered voluntary administration. It has since been sold to US private investment firm Bain Capital, launched a comeback sale in early July and its voluntary administration officially ended on Tuesday, November 17. The 12-hour Happy Hour flight sale kicks off at 11am AEDT today, Thursday, December 3, and runs until 11pm tonight — or until sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on 25 routes to destinations across the country, with travel dates between December 5 and January 19, 2021. If you've been waiting to book Christmas flights home — or a summer getaway — now might be the time. Discounted flights are economy and include seat selection and checked baggage. Some of the routes on offer include Melbourne to Newcastle from $75, Sydney to Brisbane from $95, Adelaide to Sydney from $109 and Hobart to the Gold Coast from $169. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitsunday Beach by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The discounted flights are part of Virgin's relaunched weekly Happy Hour sale series, which will take place every Thursday for the foreseeable future. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers (but wearing them is not mandatory). Virgin is also waiving change fees and allowed unlimited booking changes between now and January 31, 2020. You can read more about its new flexible options over here. Virgin's Happy Hour sale runs from 11am–11pm AEDT on Thursday, December 3. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
If you're thinking of heading to Tassie for Dark Mofo this year, this could be the clincher. MONA has just announced its next big exhibition, Zero — a celebration of Germany's radical artists of the 1950s and 60s. The show gets its name from the term the artists used, collectively, to describe themselves. They didn't identify as belonging to a movement, style or group, but instead felt connected by a "vision of the things", as explained by Otto Piene, one of the founders. "Zero's philosophical foundation was that art was not something to be painfully extracted in solitude, but assembled and constructed with others, using whatever materials came best to hand: metal, cardboard, glass, plastic, cloth, mirrors and smoke," says MONA's Senior Research Curator Jane Clark. "They banged nails, smashed bottles, poked holes and cut up each other's canvases." The show will feature artworks by original Zero artists, as well as those that have since absorbed their influence. These include Heinz Mack, Otto Piene, Günther Uecker and Adolf Luther from Germany; Lucio Fontana, Nanda Vigo, Grazia Varisco, Enrico Castellani and Gianni Colombo from Italy; with Marcel Duchamp, Yves Klein and François Morellet from France; Henk Peeters from The Netherlands; Christian Megert from Switzerland; Jesús Soto from Venezuela; and Yayoi Kusama from Japan. Given that these artworks were often ephemeral, many will be reconstructions. Expect sound effects, music, optical illusions, moving parts, shifting lights and reflective materials. There'll be a particular focus on vibration, which Mack described in 1958 as "resting restlessness…the expression of continuous movement, which we call 'vibration'…Its harmony stirs our souls, as the life and breath of the work." Taking care of curation is Mattijs Visser, founding director of the international Zero Foundation. "Zero is one of the most significant, yet largely forgotten, art movements since the Second World War...Zero needs to be discovered now, while several of their speakers are still with us," he says. Zero will open with a big party on Saturday, June 9 — and it's free for the public to attend (with registration). If you're in town for Dark Mofo — which will run from June 15–24 — it might be a good reason to head to Hobart earlier. The full lineup will be announced on April 6 — we'll keep you updated on that one. Zero will run at the Museum of Old and New Art in Berriedale, Hobart from June 9, 2017 until April 22, 2019. For more info, visit mona. Image: Gianni Colombo: Elastic Space, shot by Matteo Zarbo, courtesy of the Institute for Contemporary Archaeology.
Make your way down the Princes Freeway to immerse yourself in a world of colour and sound at Geelong After Dark this autumn. Now in its sixth year, Geelong After Dark's exciting showcase of art, design and performance will return on Friday, May 3. As night falls, the Gateway City's laneways, hidden spaces and buildings will be filled with innovative art installations, projections, music acts and live performances. If ever there were an excuse to skip the end-of-week work drinks and head out of town, this is it. The festivities will take place across three zones in the CBD, from Johnstone Park, down Malop Street and stretching down to the waterfront. The full program is yet to be released, but this year's theme, 'heighten your senses', gives a small clue of what to expect. Artists have created a number of site-specific artworks to be unveiled on the night — all of which are designed to encourage spectator interaction via touch, sound, taste, sight or smell. One commissioned artwork that filled this brief, Sensory Portals, was built by the city's arts and culture team in conjunction with Deakin University. It involves three separate installations that visitors can step inside and immerse themselves within. Be sure to also keep an ear out for three original songs that will be sampled within a number of the After Dark installations. These songs were written and performed by local unsigned musicians under the Connecting Songs project as an homage to the area. As part of the scheme, these musical groups were also given mentoring opportunities with well-known Australian musicians, including Adalita (Magic Dirt), Mick Thomas (Weddings, Parties, Anything and Mick Thomas and the Sure Thing) and Mark Wilson (Jet). Geelong After Dark will take place from 6–10pm on Friday, May 3. For more information, visit the website. Image: Reg Ryan.
Just when you finally upgraded to the Spotify premium package, Apple announces they're bringing iTunes Radio to Australia. In its first international release after a wildly successful run in the US, this goliath music streaming platform is throwing its hat in the ring against already popular services such as Pandora and Spotify. Boasting a wealth of scientific algorithms to curate personalised listening streams, Apple are basically asking you to, please, for the love of God, start using your iTunes again. The main drawcard Apple has here is its huge catalogue. No longer will the infuriating words 'artist not found' pop up under your search bar; iTunes has pretty much everyone on board. There are over 100 stations programmed including both basic genre offerings ('Dance Radio', 'Pop Hits Radio') as well as specific artist streams (the universal: 'Beatles Radio', the good: 'Yeah Yeah Yeahs Radio', and the meh: 'Bruno Mars Radio'). But, as Apple said in a statement yesterday, "The more you use iTunes Radio and iTunes, the more it knows what you like to listen to and the more personalised your experience becomes." That being said, the service still doesn't have the capacity for music on-demand that Spotify offers. Once you skip tracks, iTunes will take note and avoid that genre of music, but ultimately playlists are curated for you according to what's already in your music library. Like its competitors, the service is free with interspliced ads between tracks, with the option of upgrading. An annual subscription will set you back $34.99, as compared to $39 with Pandora or $11.99 per month with Spotify (although that also includes the capability to download music and listen offline). Also, you can guarantee that every track you listen to will have that guilt-inducing 'buy' button hovering right next to it. While many will stick to their current platforms, it's comforting to see a major player like Apple get on board with such services. At the very least, it's an acknowledgement that our listening habits have changed — a step in the right direction for an industry that's been failing for far too long. iTunes Radio was made available to Australians on February 11. You can access it via your iTunes account.
Good news has been in short supply in 2020, so when something positive comes along, it's worth celebrating. In Victoria, after two tough periods of lockdown this year, the state has just hit an impressive milestone — with no active COVID-19 cases present. That figure comes as the state also hits 25 consecutive days without any new COVID-19 cases or deaths, which is obviously also fantastic news. To put those achievements in context, when Victoria announced on October 26 that it had zero new cases or deaths that day, it was the first time it had celebrated that feat since early June — and that mid-year news was the first time since the start of the pandemic. By mid-August, the states cases had climbed to 687. That was the peak of the second wave, thankfully, and since then, the numbers have slowly been decreasing. The Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services has sent out its daily Tweet with yesterday's numbers and it's what we all want to see: a big fat zero in all four crucial fields. So there are no new cases, no deaths, no active cases and no cases from an unknown source across the past fortnight, either. https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1330996503817703430 Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over, but it is great to hear as Victoria continues to open back up. It's also the first time that cases have hit zero in the state since February. Today's zero new cases places Victoria's total at 20,345, which includes 19,525 people who have recovered from the coronavirus, as per the state's last reported numbers on Monday, November 23. So far, Victoria has conducted more than 3.5 million tests for COVID-19. While restrictions have been easing across the state, the Victorian Government has continued to encourage the state's residents to get tested and respect the rules. The last round of eased restrictions came into effect on midnight this past Sunday, with Victorians no longer required to wear masks outside (as long as you can maintain social distancing) and venue and gathering limits increasing. At-home gathering sizes are set to increase again on Sunday, December 13 — just in time for Christmas. The state has been slowly progressing through a five-step roadmap to COVID-normal since mid-September. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health and Human Services website — and for further details about Victoria's steps for reopening, head to the roadmap itself.
Ever since The Great Train Robbery back in 1903, heist films have been a much-loved part of our moviegoing diet. There's something uniquely thrilling about watching a group of smooth-talking outlaws come together for a caper, especially as filmmakers keep finding new ways to inject new life into the genre. Whether it's crime meets comedy like in Snatch or A Fish Called Wanda, or high-octane action a la Heat and Mission: Impossible, Hollywood has shown time and time again that there's more than one way to separate a mark from their money. To celebrate the release of Logan Lucky, we've put together a list of five very different heist flicks. Consider this essential reading ahead of your next movie night… or if you're planning to rob a bank. LOGAN LUCKY The latest film from the chameleonic Steven Soderbergh, Logan Lucky has been billed as a 'hillbilly heist', and based on the trailer it's easy to see why. Channing Tatum and Adam Driver star as Jimmy and Clyde Logan, two dim-witted brothers attempting to pull off an elaborate robbery during a big money NASCAR race. They're joined by the likes of Riley Keough, Katherine Waterstone and Daniel Craig, whose performance as an eccentric explosives expert looks to be worth the price of admission all on its own. If nothing else, we know Soderbergh is adept with this kind of story, which brings us to the next film on our list… OCEAN'S ELEVEN A rare remake that eclipses the cultural cache of the original, Soderbergh's hugely entertaining 2001 hit remains one of the prototypical heist films of the modern era, as stylish as it is funny as it is wholly unpredictable. They say crime doesn't pay, but boy does Ocean's Eleven make it look fun. Oh, and it also features one of the most impressive, big-name casts in modern movie history. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle… need we go on? An all-female spinoff is in the works for next year, and we could not be more keen. RESERVOIR DOGS The low budget indie flick that launched the career of Quentin Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs is a rare kind of heist film in that we never actually get to see the heist. Instead, the story jumps backwards and forwards in time, between the planning stages and the disastrous aftermath of a diamond robbery gone wrong. The film's graphic violence, distinctive dialogue and non-linear timeline has inspired endless imitations of varying quality — it's not an exaggeration to call this one of the most influential films of the 1990s. And yet, like all of Tarantino's movies, it somehow feels utterly unique. INCEPTION "Your mind is the scene of the crime," teased early trailers for Inception, Christopher Nolan's blockbuster version of an M.C. Escher print. Rightfully celebrated upon release as a smart, original property in a sea of unremarkable franchise films, this epic sci-fi caper — about a group of professional thieves who ply their trade in their victims' dreams — confirmed Nolan as one of the most ambitious filmmakers working in Hollywood today. Sure, some of the exposition may be a little bit clunky, but what Inception lacks in nuance it makes up for in excitement, emotion and sense of scale. Most importantly, like all the best heist films, it totally stands up on second viewing. FAST FIVE The best film in the Fast and Furious franchise, it was Fast Five that helped transform this flagging series into a bona-fide global phenomenon. Street racing takes a backseat as Dominic Toretto and fam instead set their eyes on a $100 million score — one that is ultimately realised via one of the greatest action sequences of this decade, involving a massive bank vault being dragged through the streets of Rio at breakneck speed. Inventive and exhilarating, with a charismatic cast at the top of its game, Fast Five is popcorn entertainment at its absolute finest. Logan Lucky is now showing at cinemas nationally.
Brisbane's pubs have started looking a little different, with a heap of watering holes around the city undergoing considerable makeovers over the past year or so. As seen as spots such as Cleveland Sands Hotel, Salisbury Hotel, the Crown Hotel in Lutwyche and Bribie Island Hotel, bars owned by Australian Venue Co have been getting revamp — and The Wickham in Fortitude Valley is about to join them. The 137-year-old heritage-listed pub has just announced a $1.5-million renovation, which'll see its ground-floor bar, beer garden and second floor all transformed. While the refurbishment is under way, the venue has also temporarily closed most of its spaces, effective Monday, August 8, except its gaming room. A reopening date hasn't yet been set, but The Wickham will welcome patrons back in before 2022 comes to a close. When it throws open the doors again, it'll boast dedicated areas for socialising, casual dining, group gatherings and events — and, crucially, for dancing. With Newline Design leading the makeover, the hotel will also sport a modernised look and feel, although exactly what that'll entail hasn't been revealed. That said, Chief Operating Officer Craig Ellison advised that "The Wickham is a Fortitude Valley icon. We want to make The Wickham the best version of itself, and offer Brisbane's LGBTQIA+ community the best experience every time they visit." [caption id="attachment_680674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Smith[/caption] Regulars can also look forward to a new entertainment program — with existing popular weekly events such as trivia and drag bingo returning, of course, as well as guest DJs. The Wickham will continue to host LGTBQIA+ street party Big Gay Day once a year as well. And, under Executive Chef Dylan Kemp, the venue will score a new menu — which will include woodfired pizzas, bar snacks and late-night options, including a sizeable range of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. The Wickham is no stranger to nips and tucks during its century-plus existence, last undergoing a refresh back in 2014, which gave the spot five completely new spaces. The Wickham will reopen its bar, beer garden and studio at 308 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, sometime before the end of 2022 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
Much has happened in the world of Marvel this year. Black Panther started things off on a high, Spider-Man is about to return to its animated roots, and the man who started it all, Stan Lee, sadly passed away. Oh, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe completely changed the game with the snap of a few fingers. We know that you know what we're talking about — Avengers: Infinity War sits atop the box office Down Under for 2018. Of course, ever since the third Avengers movie hit screens, excitement for its follow-up has been feverish to say the least. Now, the first look at Avengers: Endgame has finally arrived — and yes, that's the film's brand new title. It all starts with a despondent Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), before giving a taste of how the remaining heroes are facing their new predicament. Check out the trailer below — and start counting down the days until Avengers: Endgame makes its way to cinemas on April 25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA6hldpSTF8 Plus, if you need a bit more excitement, Marvel also dropped the next Captain Marvel trailer earlier this week — with the first film featuring Brie Larson's superhero arriving prior to Avengers: Endgame, on March 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc
Forget every "find someone who looks at you" meme you've ever seen. When it comes to gazes that'll make you dream of being adored in the same way, Loving just can't be beaten. Jeff Nichols' latest film is affectionate by name and by nature, and so is its central couple. From the moment that the movie opens with the life-changing words "I'm pregnant", Mildred (Ruth Negga) and Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) are clearly head over heels. The looks that they direct at each other at every chance possible, make the extent of their feelings obvious. Neither gets weak at the knees; they're not that kind of people. They easily could though, as could those of us sitting in the audience. Of course, for anyone who has seen Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud or Midnight Special, it won't come as a surprise that Nichols pays such keen attention to their glances. As he's demonstrated in all his films over the past decade, he's a filmmaker who trades in intimate tales that bubble with big emotions. What's more personal, devoted and overflowing with feeling than sending a yearning look someone's way or silently locking eyes? As you watch Negga and Edgerton watch one another, you'll know the answer: nothing. Indeed, as Nichols' delves into the details of the Lovings' real-life romance, it's soon apparent that his quiet, patient approach really couldn't be more appropriate to such an important story. Falling in love in the segregated state of Virginia in 1958 where interracial marriage was against the law, the pair made history with their fight to be together. That said, despite the threats of imprisonment and legal persecution, Loving isn't a big, fist-pumping courtroom drama, although it probably would've been in lesser hands. Instead, taking its cues from the couple at its centre, it's a contemplative, considered, sensitive and sincere account of a relationship attacked from the outside, but never under threat from within. That leaves Negga and Edgerton with a considerable task, though it's one they achieve with the same grace and tenderness that marks the movie from start to finish. Nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, Negga imbues Mildred with growing resolve — not about her marriage, which she never doubts, but about doing what she needs to live the modest life she wants with her husband. One of the many pleasures of the film is seeing Mildred grow more and more confident about taking action against inequality, and witnessing Edgerton's hard-working, plain-spoken Richard grow increasingly enamoured with her passion. They never discuss this, and they don't need to. As with everything in Loving, it's all there in their eyes. Throw in Nichols regular Michael Shannon in a brief but memorable part as a photographer, plus Nick Kroll leaving his usual comedic antics behind in his roll as a civil rights lawyer, and Loving couldn't be more convincingly cast. Add honeyed tones that layer the film's gentle sights with a warm glow, and it couldn't look any better, either. Both help make a subtle yet sweeping effort even more rich and resonant. Ultimately though, it's in conveying the power and significance of Mildred and Richard's love that Nichols' latest movie really shines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7YeyiNVHXY
Unofficial Bridgerton balls have already popped up in Australia, but now it's time for the real thing: The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, which comes with the backing of Netflix and Shondaland. After bringing regency-era vibes to Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver and New York in the US, and also to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, the event is finally letting Down Under fans unleash their inner duke and duchess. For a month between Friday, May 24–Sunday, June 23, Melbourne will be doubling for London high society in the early 1800s, in The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience's exclusive Aussie stop. Step inside Fever Exhibitions Hall on Dawson Street in Brunswick and you'll feel like you're stepping back in time — or into the huge Netflix hit series, at least. Lady Whistledown aficionados will be able to head along every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening to promenade around an immersive setup where a string quartet will be playing live tunes inspired by the show, dancers will accompany the music and live theatrical performances will keep you entertained. You'll also go for a spin in the ballroom yourself at the afterparty. Before then, you'll also hit up Madame Delacroix's modiste and an underground painting studio, then visit with the queen. Actors in period costumes will be wandering around, helping to set the mood — and yes, if you'd like to dress to fit the occasion, and the series, that's obviously heartily encouraged. The drinks list, including cocktails, will be Bridgerton-themed. While your sips aren't included in your ticket, a full bar will be available, as will snacks such as chips and lollies to purchase. Tickets for The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience will be available via presales from 6pm AEST on Monday, April 29 and general sales from 6pm AEST on Tuesday, April 30. The event unleashes its lavishness just after the show's third season arrives, with the first four episodes dropping on Thursday, May 16, then the next four on Thursday, June 13.
Some things change, others stay the same: that's the Yonder Festival story for 2022. This year's event is making a big move, with the three-day music, arts and camping fest relocating from the Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim. The usual jam-packed lineup? That's well and truly accounted for as normal, though, with everyone from Kenta Hayashi, Haiku Hands and Miles Brown to Yirinda, Girl and Girl and Tjaka taking over four stages among luscious greenery from Thursday, November 24–Saturday, November 26. Expect a varied roster of acts to hit the Spiegeltent and Hill Stage, including of Full Flower Moon Band, Safety Club, Life on Earth and Accomplice Collective as well. Dance space Yonderland will feature DJs aplenty, such as Bad Taste House Collective, David Versace, Theyphex Twins, Echo and Bounce, and Jen-E — and the ambient stage The Space Between Notes will be dedicated to two-hour-long sets by Mekema, Imitation Therapy, HHAARRPP and more. Roving and onstage performances will come courtesy of The Cassettes Flash Mob, Highline Australia and Manko the Macaw, turning just walking around the fest into a show. Also, artists as Tori-Jay Mordey, Scott Nagy, Krimsone, Aurora Campbell and Gus Eagleton will paint murals throughout the fest, turning every space into a canvas. [caption id="attachment_871552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hill, Yonder Festival 2021[/caption] Fancy putting your own talents to work? There'll be a paper wildflower-making workshop, plus meditation sessions. Keen to browse and buy? There'll be artisan market stalls. Food-wise, expect boutique stalls, with a focus on local businesses. Wunderbar, the fest's licensed bar, will also be pouring homegrown wares — including cocktails and beers supplied by Felons Brewing Co. If you're new to Yonder, it first started in the Mary Valley on the Sunshine Coast, and is known for its laidback atmosphere, hefty lineup of stellar tunes and performances, camping in scenic surrounds, and swims (including water aerobics) — this time in the Albert River. Also a drawcard: being able to BYO alcohol. Those drinks do need to be in plastic containers, and you can also only show up with a reasonable amount of booze. [caption id="attachment_871551" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arifug, Yonderland, Yonder Festival 2021[/caption] YONDER 2022 LINEUP: MUSIC: Accomplice Collective Bad Taste House Collective Become a Moth Big Dead Blue Screen of Death Boom Boom Bean Selecta Buttercats Chocolate Strings Das Druid David Versace Deceased Estates Deejay Local Support Dentallplan Dorian Echo and Bounce Echowave Eren Fascinator Fatshaudi felix.dance Full Flower Moon Band Girl and Girl Gute Zeit Gal HHAARRPP Haiku Hands Imitation Therapy Jamison Jazz House Jen-E Jungaji Kalopsia Kenta Hayashi Kitch Life on Earth Lithe Lord Fascinator Lucy Francesca Dron Mekema Miles Brown Mumbles Nigel Stephens Phil Smart takeover Platonic Sex Ralfalpha Safety Club SAMMM. Sellma Soul Sleeping SMXG Sonny O'Brien Spirit Lights Stocks Strictly Disco Swiss Mountain Transport Systems Taylah J Theyphex Twins Tjaka The Abstract Human Radio Timothy Fairless Trace Decay TULLIO Update Prayer Yirinda VISUAL ART: Artdosis Aurora Campbell Esquidy Gus Eagleton JB Diz Brown Jordache Kat Han Krimsone Naycha Raw Ink Reuben Zachary Scott Nagy Taneal Theresa Tori-Jay Mordey Trashbinn Art Zaide PERFORMANCE: The Buttery Cowboys UQ Taiko Zen Zen Zo Theatre of Thunder iLiminal Butoh The Cassettes The Feather Collector Highline Australia Manko the Macaw Wild Lotus Project Wild Lotus Project Tez & Tezza VOiiiD Collective Filthy Aliens Images: Ned Martin / Mellumae / Cinderpixx / Mika.
Movie versions of best-selling young adult literature have become an exercise in taking the good with the bad. For every aspect book-to-film adaptations get right — presenting an intricate vision of a dystopian future, and championing strong female protagonists, for example — there are just as many elements that fail to hit the mark. The trend of splitting final instalments into two features typifies the latter, resulting in more screen time but less satisfaction. With The Divergent Series: Allegiant, the series' penultimate chapter proves its worst to date. Indeed, it's little more than filler. Having cottoned on to the manipulated, artificially manufactured status of her closed-in, factionalised Chicago society, series protagonist Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is now determined to discover just what lurks beyond the city's imposing walls. With her trusty band of rebels by her side, including her boyfriend Four (Theo James), brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort) and the duplicitous Peter (Miles Teller), Tris hatches a plan to find the real puppet-masters behind the only way of life she has ever known. Cue a battle between the past and future, right and wrong, and any other opposing forces that returning director Robert Schwentke can throw into the mix. Allegiant endeavours to place its feisty heroine in the grey zone between two sides and mindsets, as illustrated not only by the rift between the crusading Evelyn (Naomi Watts) and the kindly Johanna (Octavia Spencer) back in Chicago, but also in the machinations of controlling newcomer David (Jeff Daniels) out in the wider world. Yet it does so in as blunt a manner as possible. The film is loaded with obvious clashes, be it between the bonds of love and family, moving forward or retaining the status quo, or spaces of dusty desolation and shiny innovation. These conflicts are designed to liven up a narrative that is largely treading water while waiting for the final film, but they're ultimately unsuccessful. Equally problematic are storylines about superior DNA strands, child soldiers and Truman Show-like surveillance, all of which add complication but are never especially compelling. Ramping up the bickering and the subplots also comes at the expense of the series' already tenuous sense of character. If Tris and her pals felt thinly drawn in Divergent and Insurgent, and more than a little similar to their counterparts in the likes of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner franchises, then this time around they're positively flimsy. Once again, that leaves Woodley to act grim and concerned, James to fulfil the eye-candy quota, Elgort to do very little, Teller to steal all the best lines, and all four to look very bored while doing so. Three films in, they're going through the motions, which may as well be the movie's motto. Of course, a big finale is due to be delivered by 2017's The Divergent Series: Ascendant. However with Allegiant's trying aspects clearly outweighing any lingering sense of intrigue about the underlying concept, an important question springs to mind. No, it's not whether the franchise can be redeemed, but rather if we should even care either way.
