If you've ever been to a gig featuring an Australian band, streamed their tracks, read a book by a local author, hit your nearest theatre for a play or musical, wandered through an exhibition, or enjoyed an Aussie movie or TV show — and, of course, you've done some and probably all of the above — then you've interacted with Australia's arts industry. These aren't the only ways that the nation's creatives have an impact, and this country of ours wouldn't be the place it is without them. So, the Federal Government has unveiled a hefty package of support: a new $286-million National Cultural Policy. Announced on Monday, January 30 by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for the Arts Tony Burke, the fresh policy has been badged "a new chapter in Australia's cultural story". The aim: to help boost the $17-billion industry that's generally been underfunded in the past, and has suffered through a particularly tough period during the pandemic — an industry that employs around 400,000 Aussies. Today we've got big news for the Australian arts and entertainment industry – and for fans of the incredible work we produce here. We're supporting the industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it creates, after a decade of neglect and missed opportunities. pic.twitter.com/MVV5wjFLFK — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 30, 2023 The National Cultural Policy outlines the government's plan for Australia's arts, entertainment and cultural sector over the next five years — and it's full of big inclusions, from upping support, creating new institutions and helping ensure that Aussie stories reach our screens in today's streaming-heavy times. "Our new cultural policy Revive will provide the support Australian artists need to thrive and grow," said the Prime Minister. "I am excited by the potential it will unleash, and to see our extraordinary and diverse Australian stories continue to be told with originality, wit, creativity and flair. It builds on the proud legacies of earlier Labor governments that recognised the importance of art and culture to Australia's identity, social unity and economic prosperity." [caption id="attachment_836832" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alice Springs gallery, Tourism NT[/caption] Among the big-ticket items, a new National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs and an Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Perth are worth getting excited about — with the former receiving $80 million in funding and the latter $50 million. The policy puts a significant and needed focus on First Nations art, including legislation to stop fakes and their impact. A creative workforce strategy specifically for Indigenous Australians will be developed as well, and $11 million will go towards establishing a First Nations Languages Policy Partnership between First Nations representatives and Aussie governments. Also on the list: creating four new bodies in the arts space, including a First Nations-led body to give Indigenous Australians autonomy over decisions and investments. It'll be part of a new organisation called Creative Australia — aka the Australia Council for the Arts, but renamed and upgraded, and given an extra $199-million in funding over four years. Creative Australia will also span Music Australia, which'l be dedicated to contemporary music industry and receive $69.4 million; Writers Australia, for writers and illustrators creating new works, nabbing $19.3 million in funding; and a new $8.1-million Centre for Arts and Entertainment Workplaces, which'll be devoted to making sure creative workers get fair wages, work in safe spaces and are protected from harassment and discrimination. [caption id="attachment_885816" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Genesis Owusu and members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra by Alex Turley.[/caption] And, in important news for Australia's screen industry, a long-sought-after Aussie content quota for streaming platforms is also part of the National Cultural Policy, starting no later than July 1, 2024. "During that time online streaming platforms have taken off, but our Australian content obligations haven't. I know we can do better," said Burke on social media, noting that there's currently no requirements for the array of streaming services available Down Under to invest in Aussie movies and shows. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tony Burke (@tony_burke_au) Among a hefty list of inclusions, the National Cultural Policy also covers an extra $11.8 million in funds for the National Gallery of Australia to tour its collection around the country; a $12.9-million digital lending rights scheme, which'll earn money for authors, illustrators and editors when their works are borrowed from libraries; splashing $8.5 million in more cash into the Regional Arts Fund; and continuing Festivals Australia. For more information about Australia's new National Cultural Policy, head to the Australian Government's website. Top image: Splendour in the Grass, Savannah van der Niet.
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company Bondi are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
Between 2010–2017, Melbourne was ranked the most liveable city in the world. In 2023, it's the most liveable city in Australia — yet again. The Economist Intelligence Unit compiles an annual Global Liveability Index, with the Victorian capital coming in third in the latest list. In fourth place? Its usual homegrown rival Sydney. Cue battles across state lines about whether Melbourne or Sydney is the truly best place to live, plus international recognition for Australia's two biggest cities. And, for residing Down Under in general. Only Canada had more places in the top ten in 2023, with three, while Switzerland also scored two. When Melbourne was dethroned from top spot in 2018, Vienna in Austria emerged victorious, earning the honours from 2018–20, then again in 2022 and now once more in 2023. Getting the love in 2021? New Zealand's Auckland, which came equal tenth this year. The full top ten features Vienna at number one, Copenhagen in Denmark in second place, then Melbourne and Sydney in third and fourth, plus that big Canada and Switzerland block — Vancouver in fifth, Zurich in sixth, Calgary and Geneva sharing seventh, and Toronto in ninth place — then Auckland and Osaka, Japan both in tenth. Melbourne's placing sees it rise from tenth in 2022, while Sydney came in 13th last year. And if you're wondering about other Aussie cities, they all zoomed up the rankings, too. Perth and Adelaide now share 12th spot, up from 30th and 32nd respectively, while Brisbane sits 16th after coming in at 27th in 2022. Asia Pacific cities were big movers overall, which the report credits to "a shift towards normalcy after the pandemic". Also rising: Auckland, which went up by 25; fellow Aotearoa city Wellington, lifting 35 places to sit in 23rd; and Hanoi in Vietnam, which moved up 20 spots. Regarding Melbourne and Sydney's soaring fortunes again, which sees them take the spots that Frankfurt and Amsterdam enjoyed last year, the report notes that the Aussie cities "bounced up and down the rankings during the pandemic" but "have seen their scores in the healthcare category improve since last year, when they were still affected by COVID waves that stressed their healthcare systems". As for why Vienna came out on top once more, "the city continues to offer an unsurpassed combination of stability, good infrastructure, strong education and healthcare services, and plenty of culture and entertainment, with one of its few downsides being a relative lack of major sporting events," advised the report. "The same is true of Copenhagen, another frequent high performer that has kept its position in second place from last year." The annual index ranks cities on stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment, giving each city a rating out of 100. Vienna achieved a score of 98.4 overall, with Melbourne receiving 97.7 and Sydney 97.4. At the other end of the list, Damascus in Syria scored 30.7, ranking in 173rd spot. To read the full Global 2023 Liveability Index, head to the Economist Intelligence Unit's website.
Already home to Gelato Messina's original Brisbane store and Lune's only local croissanterie so far, South Brisbane just welcomed another tastebud-tempting spot: Lisboa Caffe, purveyors of flaky, tasty, widely beloved Portuguese custard tarts. Setting up shop on Hope Street, the bakery's new bricks-and-mortar home is now serving up pasteis de nata — those coveted egg custard pastries — and pairing them with Padre coffee, all at a cute, white-tiled, hole-in-the-wall joint. On the menu at Lisboa Caffe in Brisbane: custard tarts, obviously, as well as Nutella, goat's cheese, chicken and herb, and walnut and honey tart varieties. So, you can go for both sweet and savoury options. And, if you're keen for a bite-sized snack, the custard tarts also come in miniature versions — and Portuguese almond tarts are also on offer. The tiny venue has been in the works since 2021, but Covid delayed it's coming out. Now, it has finally become a reality. Lisboa Caffe's permanent shopfront comes after its signature treats proved big hits at markets around southeast Queensland, and among the pastry range at plenty of local cafes. In other words, if you're a fan of custard tarts, you've probably already tried them. 2023 marks eight years since owner Joe Rocha first started Lisboa Caffe back in 2015 to share his Portuguese culture with Brisbane, focusing on custard tarts as an anchor. And as the name makes plain, Rocha always had dreams of setting up a cafe. Joining South Brisbane's growing lineup of sweet treats is clearly just a welcome bonus. Images: Markus Ravik.
On TV screens over the past eight years, the residents of the Seven Kingdoms have fought many a fight over a single piece of furniture. But just as Game of Thrones isn't any old fantasy series, the Iron Throne isn't any old chair. As fans of the epic HBO show know — and readers of George RR Martin's books, too — it's the seat reserved for the realm's ruler. It's also the term used to refer to GoT's monarchy overall. Plenty of folks have sat on the Iron Throne. Plenty have died trying. Dragons, zombies and giants have all been used in the ongoing battle for the famous seat, and that's before the popular series airs its eighth and final season. Just who'll end up perched upon the grey, pointy item won't be unveiled until GoT returns in April; however GoT aficionados can plonk themselves down on one first thanks to HBO's For the Throne scavenger hunt. Since March 19, the US network has been scattering Iron Thrones at various locations around the world and asking the general public to find them. There's six in total, but other than enticing GoT diehards to discover the chairs' whereabouts, details about the overall quest are being kept suitably secret. Indeed, whether the winners receive anything other than the glory of sitting in the iron throne — and a shiny crown, as based on social media photos — is yet to be revealed. https://twitter.com/GameOfThrones/status/1107642891252436993 At the time of writing, the hunt runs for another 11 days, wrapping up on Wednesday, April 3 unless all of the Iron Thrones have been found before then. Clues for the Throne of the Forest, Throne of the North, Throne of Joy and Throne of Valyria have been revealed so far, comprised of hour-long 360-degree YouTube videos of each in their current surroundings at different times of the day. Three have been located — one in the forest at Puzzlewood in England, another surrounded by snow in Björkliden in Sweden and the third near the Castle of Atienza in Spain. If you've been counting down the days until the series airs its final episodes — starting on Monday, April 15, Australian time — this could be just what you need to fill your time. The new season arrives nearly two years after its predecessor, which premiered in July 2017. And, let's be honest, you've probably already rewatched the first seven seasons so often over that period that you can now recite every line. You've probably also watched and rewatched season eight's full trailer, which only dropped earlier this month. And the other season eight teasers — yes, there's more than one — as well. Check out one of the scavenger hunt clues below, and keep an eye on the For the Throne website and the Game of Thrones YouTube channel for further details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keFHw-VhTjg The first episode of Game of Thrones Season 8 will air on HBO on Monday, April 15, AEST.
Following a big night out, scrolling through your snaps may be part of your morning-after routine, letting you bask in the glory of all those photos immortalising all that fun. Or, hitting up a gig, bar or party just mightn't be complete unless you're filling your socials while you're there. Whether one or both of the above apply to you, neither is out of the ordinary — so much so that heading to a shindig without being able to access your phone is now a novelty. That's exactly the kind of situation that Lane 8's record label This Never Happened is embracing, however, when it tours Australia's east coast with for a series of gatherings. At This Never Happens Presents, you won't have a screen in your hand — or face. You won't be swiping, texting or doing anything else with the gadget we're all addicted to, either. Attendees will have their phones taped upon arrival, because these dance music get-togethers are all about connecting IRL and in the moment. The tour has three stops over one July weekend, starting on Friday, July 14 at 170 Russell in Melbourne, then moving to Sydney's Metro Theatre on Saturday, July 15, before wrapping up at Brightside Outdoors in Brisbane on Sunday, July 16. In each city, you'll enjoy tunes from Le Youth, Sultan & Shepard and PARIS on the dance floor — and you'll just have to rely upon your noggin to remember all the highlights afterwards. These will be This Never Happen's first shows in this part of the world, after launching in 2016, signing artists who've toured with producer and DJ Lane 8, and first hosting parties in 2017 and 2019 elsewhere around the globe. Pics or it didn't happen? Not here. THIS NEVER HAPPENED PRESENTS 2023 DATES: Friday, July 14 — 170 Russell, Melbourne Saturday, July 15 — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sunday, July 16 — Brightside Outdoors, Brisbane THIS NEVER HAPPENED PRESENTS 2023 LINEUP: Le Youth Sultan & Shepard PARIS This Never Happened Presents tours Australia's east coast in July, with ticket pre-sales from 12pm AEST on Wednesday, May 10 and general sales from 12pm on Thursday, May 11.
There's no avoiding the Hottest 100 on Australia Day. Even if you don't still tune in now, you definitely grew up listening to it — and if you fall in the latter category, you probably have fond memories of the great Aussie rock acts that have graced the countdown over the years. The Empire Hotel certainly does, which is why they're dedicating the occasion to the homegrown bands that made the '90s great. Settle in for the sounds of Silverchair, Spiderbait, Jebediah and Frenzal Rhomb — and, if that's not enough, play giant versions of jenga, connect four and chess with your mates.
Four years after adding a new celebration of cinema to Brisbane's annual calendar, Queensland Film Festival returns with perhaps its most ambitious event yet — and its most topical. Running from July 19 to 29, the 2018 festival will not only span high-profile new titles, multiple cinephile-friendly retrospectives and QFF's first gallery installation, but will also boast an overwhelmingly strong contingent of female filmmakers. From opening night's Australian duo of Terror Nullius and Strange Colours (with filmmakers Soda_Jerk and Alena Lodkina in attendance), to festival circuit favourites You Were Never Really Here and The Rider, to a restored print of under-appreciated local coming-of-age horror gem Celia, more than 80 percent of QFF's lineup of 59 features and shorts is either directed or co-directed by women. That includes the fest's showcase on French filmmakers Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, with the pair coming to Brisbane for QFF ahead of their appearance at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Renowned for lurid genre films that toy with everything from horror to crime to spaghetti westerns, Cattet and Forzani's three full-length efforts to date — the psychosexual, psychedelic Amer; follow-up The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears (which actually initially screened at the first QFF back in 2015); and their latest effort Let the Corpses Tan — all feature in the program. From the rest of QFF's 2018 bill, other highlights include Lucrecia Martel's Zama, which marks the long-waited next effort from the acclaimed Argentinian filmmaker; as well as the gorgeously otherworldly The Wolf House by Cristóbal León and Joaquin Cociña — an astonishing piece of stop-motion animation that turns a meticulous and creative art installation into an entrancing movie. And, among the fest's other retrospectives, the festival will celebrate the work of avant-garde Czech director Věra Chytilová, whose subversive comedy Daisies is considered one of the landmark films of the 60s. Anthropologists and documentarians Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel are also in QFF's spotlight, thanks to a program focusing on their observational and immersive explorations of both the natural and man-made world. As part of the latter, GOMA will screen a free, ongoing installation of the duo's work for the duration of festival. Elsewhere, the fest will feature German horror Hagazussa, about women deemed witches during the Dark Ages; An Elephant Sitting Still, the bleak but moving first and last film by Chinese filmmaker Hu Bo; and creative 3D effort Prototype, which ponders both the deadliest natural disaster in US history strikes and the history and future of cinema. Then, closing out the fest is a pair of movies that combine film and sport: documentary John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection and fictional effort Diamantino, about a soccer star coping with everything from neo-fascism to the refugee crisis to genetic modification. Queensland Film Festival runs from July 19 to 29 at New Farm Cinemas, Elizabeth Picture Theatre, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Institute of Modern Art. To view the full program or buy tickets, head to the festival website.
Chopsticks may rank among the most popular eating utensils on the planet; however the act of turning their disposable casings into art isn't quite as common. Well, not into something meaningful, and as a gesture of thanks. One Japanese waiter started noticing interestingly shaped pieces of paper left behind after meals, decided they were being left as a token of appreciation and started collecting them. That was in 2012 — and now he has more than 15,000 examples. Meet Japanese Tip, the art project that has flowered from Yuki Tatsumi's time working in restaurants. Flowers feature among his collection, but they're just some of the shapes that feature. From bow ties and birds to seahorses and people, the range is as varied as the colours printed on the paper sleeves, which have been found from a similarly diverse array of bars, izakayas, restaurants, cafes, sushi eateries, diners and ramen joints from around the country. Indeed, in the year leading up to March 2017, Yuki visited 47 prefectures around Japan to collect origami wrappers and enlist eateries happy for him to collect the objects that would otherwise be thrown away. An exhibition of 8000 of his pieces was staged in Tokyo this month, with another to follow in 2018. To view a selection from Japanese Tip's collection, head to the project website. Via Lonely Planet. Image: Japanese Tip.
Once again, the famed grounds of Taronga Zoo will come alive with lights and projections when Vivid Sydney kicks off this Friday, May 25. This year, as part of the after-dark light program that takes over various precincts across Sydney, Taronga's set-up will include 19 brand new captivating installations. As the zoo continues its mission to raise awareness and support for endangered species in Australia and Sumatra, this year's Lights Of The Wild gives zoo visitors the opportunity wander the harbourside site after dark, encountering everything from multi-coloured elephants to schools of fish along the way. This year's event incorporates 19 new installations and three revamped ones, including ten 3D transformations of drawings submitted by local school children.Here's a peek at some of the animalistic magic you can look forward to when you visit. The light show begins from the moment you hit the zoo's entrance, stepping through the mouth of this two-storey-high Port Jackson shark. You'll have the chance to snap a photo alongside three giant glowing gorillas for the Vivid Gorillagram installation. See a nine-metre-long goanna emerge from the shadows, then move beneath a weedy sea dragon and cluster of sea turtles by the zoo's piazza. And encounter enormous illuminated bees hanging out among the trees. Multi-coloured crocodiles round out a cast of Aussie natives, along with red back spiders, platypus and echidnas. Other highlights include an award winning animated projection in a 270-degree cinematic experience, by Taronga Centenary Theatre, and an initiative that allows visitors to support Taronga's wildlife conservation work by purchasing a glowing yellow Ties for the Wild ribbon. Vivid Sydney will run from May 25 until June 16, and Taronga Zoo will be open every night of the festival. The experience is ticketed — you can buy tickets to the nightly 5.30pm, 6.30pm, 7.30pm sessions here. Images: Steve Christo.
If a trip to Mexico is on your agenda, then add another stop to your itinerary: Mexico City's Future Forest. The brainchild of Danish artist Thomas Dambo, the installation can be found in the botanical garden of Chapultepec — and, intertwined with the site's natural greenery, features more than three tonnes of plastic waste fashioned into a colourful artwork across a 500-square-metre area. Dambo worked with garbage collectors, their children, local students, inhabitants of orphanages and elderly homes, and other volunteers, taking eight weeks to turn a mountain of discarded plastics into a space people can wander through. Visitors will spy plants, flowers, animals and more, all made out of recycled bottles, containers, tubing and other plastic products. Although it was created as part of the local FYJA festival, it'll remain on display for the near future. As well as drawing attention to the ongoing war on waste — an issue that is seeing single-use plastic bags, coffee cups, takeaway containers and straws slowly phased from general usage, and plastic waste turned into everything from roads to shoes to activewear — the Future Forest also recognises the efforts of workers who collect and sort trash, known in Mexico City as pepenadores. Dambo's designed his project "not only to create awareness of this huge issue, but as a tribute to these everyday heroes, not nearly getting the recognition and respect we all owe them," he states on his website. Image: Thomas Dambo.
Chances are you've had your day in the sun with vodka at some point, whether it's past or present: discovering it as a freshly legal drinker in your late teens, all the way to pairing it with some classy lime and soda and kicking back when the kids have gone to bed. There's surely been a point in your life where you've developed your own personal relationship with the spirit, but how much do you really know about it? To accompany the release of Belvedere Vodka's Single Estate Rye Series, we thought we'd whip up a bit of a guide for you as you sip away — call it a guide for the bluffers among you, those who don't know too much about what you drink, where it's from or why it tastes the way it tastes (here's a spoiler: the last two are closely linked). Read on for a brief vodka-tasting stroll around the European history of the spirit, its variations and flavours and of course, some handy party facts to pull out next time you're sipping a vodka tonic. [caption id="attachment_676552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rye at Lake Bartężek in Poland.[/caption] WHERE IS VODKA ACTUALLY FROM? Contrary to popular belief, vodka didn't originate in Russia. And though it is its national drink (and that of Poland and Ukraine), it's Poland who lays claim to creating the first version of the spirit, having cooked up the first batch during the Middle Ages (potentially as early as the eighth century). Though it's all a little vague, and there is stiff Russian competition when it comes to claiming it as a national symbol, we do know that the name for vodka is thought to come from the Slavic word for water: voda. [caption id="attachment_595919" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] CAN YOU TASTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEAP AND EXPENSIVE? Like any drink, yes. Even if you had the worst palate in the world, chances are you could pick a $20 glass of riesling from a slosh from a box of goon. However with vodka, it's a little different — the spirit is meant to be colourless and not have a very strong odour, making the taste test more of an experiential one. Vodka made from rye, like Belvedere's Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek, is generally more refined and smoother than other cereal grain or potato-based versions. Lesser quality vodka will often have raw materials in them that weren't removed by the distillation process, and these leftovers are indicative of a less pure, cheaper spirit. (It's those distillation leftovers that also create that vodka burn you can sometimes feel.) But again, like any drink, a lot of it comes down to personal preference, and what your tastebuds tell you they enjoy and what they don't. [caption id="attachment_676553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rye field in Forest.[/caption] SO, WHAT IS RYE VODKA EXACTLY? Rye vodka is made by distilling fermented rye grain instead of another base carbohydrate like potato, corn, rice, wheat or molasses. In terms of taste, rye vodka is similar to rye whisky with spicy, peppery notes added by the grain. Though these notes appear more subtly than in the whisky that's been barrel-aged, rye vodka helps break down the idea that vodka is flavourless. Vodka as a whole can vary in taste dramatically due to a number of different factors like the grain or carbohydrate base, as well as the type of still used, whether the spirit was filtered or unfiltered and its terroir (more on that later). VODKA'S COMEBACK In the face of the speciality gin trend (see: pink gin) and the rise of aromatics and brown spirits, vodka is certainly holding its own, but perhaps not as you know it. The new face of vodka is one that debunks the myth that it's tasteless; hence the rise of rye vodka and its varying flavour profiles. Gone is the perception that the spirit is a flavourless drop to get you in a party mood quickly or to be paired with mixers that mask its taste; vodka is increasingly regaining its status as a spirit to enjoy in a considered way. WHAT'S TRENDING? With rye vodkas seeing this rise in popularity, the way we consume the spirit is also changing. This could be because of a key concept in its production: terroir. In terms of rye vodka production, terroir is the theory that soil, climate and topography affect the taste of the rye used. So the vodka from a certain location has its own specific complexity, character and, of course, taste. Look at Belvedere's two Single Estate Rye vodkas from Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek. Smogóry Forest is vast, has short, mild winters and a lot of fertile soil; Lake Bartężek in the north, on the other hand, is cold, with long winters and glacial lakes. These environments impact rye's growth and play an important role in the profile of each. Smogóry Forest vodka, for example, is sweet with notes of salted caramel, honey and white pepper, while Lake Bartężek is fuller, more floral and grassy, with notes of spearmint and toasted nuts. HOW TO DRINK VODKA So now that we've established that vodka isn't the flavourless, colourless liquid you may have once considered it to be, what's the best way to drink it? Well, if you really want to become an expert (or at least learn to taste the differences between different types), down the hatch isn't your best bet. Belvedere recommends trying its Single Estate Rye vodkas neat or on the rocks, sipping slowly to bring out the characteristics of each (just like wine). If you're keen on a mixed drink, however, go for the classic martini or try something with a twist like a vodka old fashioned or rye sour. Experience rye vodka and its array of flavours with Belvedere's Single Estate Rye vodkas from Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek. Top image: Brook James.
Some music festivals fill your calendar for a day or two, or perhaps a week or so at once. Popping up midyear each year for multiple months, Open Season has much longer in its sights. The Brisbane event that's all about getting everyone out and about enjoying the River City's live music scene first launched in 2020, and now celebrates its fifth birthday in 2025 in its favourite way: with a hefty lineup that's not only heading to The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre, the venues behind the series from the outset — or to Winn Lane, where it expanded to in 2024 — but also making the Queensland Performing Arts Centre one of its homes. Six venues, 30-plus live gigs, three months: that's 2025's Open Season setup, no matter what kind of tunes that you're into. Bringing QPAC onboard means adding Sigur Rós' already-announced stint at the South Bank location's Concert Hall with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra to the program, for starters. The partnership also sees First Nations fest-within-the-fest Blak Day Out team up with QPAC's Clancestry, even though the former is taking place at The Princess Theatre. On its bill: Christine Anu is joining the party, alongside Thelma Plum, Miss Kaninna and more acts still to be announced. [caption id="attachment_974235" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alive87 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Indeed, this isn't the full Open Season lineup, either, with the talents revealed so far set to score more company. The names already hitting Brisbane would make any other festival jealous, though, including more from Iceland courtesy of Kiasmos, the Afro Cuban sounds of Ezra Collective, Grammy-nominee Kamasi Washington, Soccer Mommy, Killing Heidi playing their debut album Reflector to celebrate its 25th anniversary, DIIV touring on the back of their latest record Frog in Boiling Water, Cloud Control reuniting for the first time in over ten years and Moktar spinning beats. Pale Jay, Jessica Pratt, Mount Kimbie, Ravyn Lenae, Surprise Chef, MonoNeon: they're all on the lineup as well. You'll also find The Preatures, Skegss, Maxwell Byrne (aka Golden Vessel), Sahara Beck, Pruient, SHOUSE and The Gin Club taking to the stage, plus Handsome and Emma Volard at Quivr's Quiet on Set program. This years' Open Season boasts its own brew, Green Beacon's Open Season Lager, which you'll find quenching your thirst at participating venues during the festival. For bites to eat, King Street in Bowen Hills is serving up deals among its eateries, too. "This program is designed to inspire, to awaken our adventurous spirit, step out of the house and get amongst some seriously excellent live music," said The Tivoli Group Creative Director Dave Sleswick. "Every year, Open Season expands and evolves. This time, with QPAC on board, we're taking over the whole damn city. International icons, national treasures and incredible local talent will take over a variety of intimate and grand venues throughout Brisbane. It's an open invitation for everyone to experience the magic of live performance and the power of community through music." "This is the first time we've partnered with Dave and the team at The Tivoli Group to present performances at QPAC as part of Open Season; it's proving to be a brilliant collaboration, and we love that we're increasing the footprint and audience of this awesome festival," added QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy. "Both QPAC and The Tivoli Group are all about ensuring as many people as possible experience live performance together. We're passionate about presenting both new and emerging artists as well as those established and already loved, and shouting from the rooftops that Brisbane is well and truly a live music capital." "It's thrilling to see Open Season grow every year and the program this year is better than ever. It really is fast becoming a destination music festival for Brisbane and we're very proud to be on board." Open Season 2025 Lineup 1tbsp Accomplice Collective Christine Anu Cloud Control DIIV Emma Volard Ezra Collective Handsome Jessica Pratt Kamasi Washington Kiasmos Killing Heidi Miss Kaninna Moktar MonoNeon Mount Kimbie Pale Jay Purient Ravyn Lenae Sahara Beck Shouse Sigur Rós with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra Skegss Soccer Mommy Surprise Chef The Gin Club The Preatures Thelma Plum [caption id="attachment_995853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maximilian Konig[/caption] Open Season 2025 runs from May–July, with pre-sale tickets available from 8am AEST on Wednesday, March 26 and general sales from 9am AEST on Thursday, March 27. For further details, head to the event's website. Open Season images: Chris Love, Darcy Goss, Kelsey Doyle and Lachlan Douglas.
For the best part of the past six years London artist Ben Wilson has spent his days painting pieces of chewing gum that have been stuck to the ground. Wilson transforms these sidewalk blemishes into miniature works of art. The paintings range from animals, landscapes, portraits and even messages to pedestrians. Unsurprisingly his chewing gum art has turned him into something of a local celebrity, meaning he also does paintings on request for members of the local community - including apologies to girlfriends, thank you messages from managers to employees, a R.I.P. painting for a deceased postal worker and even a marriage proposal. Despite this, Wilson has received some police interference including one arrest. Charges were quickly dropped after dozens of people wrote letters of support and Wilson was able to convince the police that it was not him actually sticking the chewing gum to the ground. To create it all, Wilson first softens the chewing gum with a blowtorch then sprays it with a lacquer and finally applies three coats of acrylic enamel. The works usually only last one or two years depending on conditions but this does not bother Wilson, as in his words "everything is transitory, what's important is the creative process." Images via Flickr users Jansos, Tezzer 57 and r3cycl3r [via Gizmodo]
Gracing pages for almost a century — plus screens big and small for decades — Winnie-the-Pooh has done many things in his time. Ever since AA Milne first conjured up the honey-loving, walking-and-talking teddy bear back in the 1920s, Pooh has enjoyed plenty of adventures, usually involving Christopher Robin and his Hundred Acre Wood pals Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga and Roo. And, of course, the cuddly critter's efforts to eat as much of his favourite foodstuff as possible have also earned more than a little attention. We've all seen the cartoons — and the toys — and watched films such Goodbye Christopher Robin and Christopher Robin in recent years, too. So far, so adorable. That said, Winnie-the-Pooh's next outing is set to prove anything but. Called Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, it's a slasher film. Yes, really. And, it'll turn Pooh and Piglet into serial killers — and carve into everyone's childhoods in the process. No, the idea that Pooh might turn murderous hasn't ever crossed anyone's minds before — he's a honey-fiending teddy bear who doesn't wear pants, after all — but that's changing thanks to director Rhys Waterfield. And if you're wondering about the tone of the film, other than horror, the filmmaker's other upcoming titles include Firenado, Sky Monster and Rise of the Loch Ness. Yes, viewers will clearly be in B-movie territory here — as the premise makes plain as well. The setup: after seeing their food supplies dwindle as Christopher grew up, Pooh and Piglet have spent years feeling hungry. They've turned feral, in fact, even eating Eeyore to survive. So when Christopher returns, it sets the pair on a rampage, which leads to them a rural cabin where a group of university students are holidaying. We've all seen what usually happens from there, even if this is the first time that it'll involve an iconic kids character. The phrase you're looking for: "oh bother". Whether Winnie-the-Pooh exclaims those two words is yet to be revealed, but you could probably put money on them getting uttered at some point. Exactly when Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey will reach screens Down Under, and where, also hasn't yet been announced — and the film's release date in the US and UK is also yet to be set at this point. Wondering why something that's usually so sweet and innocent is being given the creepy, bloody, eerie horror treatment — turning Winnie-the-Pooh into a killer, no less? It's because the character has just entered the public domain in America. Disney no longer holds the copyright, and no one can now hold the exclusive intellectual property rights over the character, opening the door for wild interpretations like this slasher flick. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are released. Images: Jagged Edge Productions.
Christmas lunch is arguably the most important meal of the year. Get it right, with a beautiful ham as the centrepiece, and it is almost guaranteed that the day will run smoothly, ending with everyone in food comas whilst watching Miracle on 34th Street. Get it wrong, though, and it is likely that you will have a host of cranky family members ready to divulge some vindictive secrets and burn down the Christmas tree. Ensure that this year's festivities populate the family albums for all the right reasons by purchasing a Christmas ham of the highest quality from Victor Churchill and marinading it in the ham glaze you'll get as a gift when paying with your MasterCard® card. Victor Churchill's Christmas ham legs range from $95 for a half leg to $185 for a full leg. The delicious deal with complimentary glaze is all thanks to MasterCard's Priceless Sydney program and should be taken advantage of given the cut the butcher is using this season. Their Kurobuta Christmas hams are some of the most delicious and succulent cuts ever tasted, combining the very best European haute cuisine and Aussie character. So if you want to be the toast of the family and make this Christmas one to remember, head down to 132 Queen Street, Woollahra and order your Victor Churchill ham as soon as possible. This offer is strictly subject to availability while stocks last, so pay now and save Christmas Eve for that last-minute gift shopping instead. Visit the Priceless Sydney website to see more locally famous offers.
HBO — the makers of Game of Thrones, Girls, Veep, The Newsroom, True Detective and everything else you love — have just announced they are launching a web-only streaming service in 2015. The service will be sold as a stand-alone product, meaning you won't need a cable subscription to access it. Just think: this time next year you could legally be watching Game of Thrones. Well... sort of. Not really. Like all things excellent, access will be a little tricky for Australians. Though details are still vague, we do know that the service will only be offered to those in the US. But, just like what happened with Netflix, that premise seems unlikely to stop Australian viewers. Though blocking your location to pay for these services remains largely untested in the eyes of the law, it's thought that around 200,000 of us are using it to get our greedy little hands on the latest season of Orange Is the New Black. Australian problems aside, this move is a huge step for the cable TV industry. Showing an understanding of our selective viewing habits that are increasingly moving online, this new service will allow people to pay for the shows they want to watch without purchasing a big expensive bundle. "[This] is a large and growing opportunity that should no longer be left untapped," said HBO CEO Richard Plepler. "It is time to remove all barriers to those who want HBO." Using what we hope was an intended pun, he said the company was about to go "beyond the wall". As this has only just been announced, details are scarce. We don't know yet how much the service would cost or how it would handle its programming. When the idea was discussed before by analysts, it was suggested that HBO should stagger their quality content by making shows available online six months after their original air date. Speaking for every GoT fan out there with a basic understanding of torrenting, I would like to say on the record that that's a bad idea. Either way, it's an encouraging step in the right direction that's bound to result in a hefty debate. Hopefully it's a conversation that catches on in Australia too. Though ABC's iView and SBS On Demand are proving super handy — SBS just gave us access to a catalogue of 400 free films! — it's going to be a while until we get something as amazing as totally legal online HBO down under. Via Recode and The Guardian.
This year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras brightened up the Harbour City back in February and March, complete with help from The Wiggles — but today, Friday, June 24, marks a huge milestone for the event. On this day back in 1978, Sydney's first-ever Mardi Gras was held. So, to celebrate, what better day to create a human progress pride flag on the Sydney Opera House steps? That glorious display has already happened, taking place around lunchtime today. That said, like most things in life these days, there are photos. Nearly 1000 Sydneysiders lined up on the steps for the multi-hued display, arranged in colourful lines beneath one of the city's — and Australia's — most recognisable landmarks. [caption id="attachment_859007" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] As well as commemorating the date, the flag was created — albeit temporarily, obviously — in the lead up to Sydney WorldPride in 2023. The New South Wales capital will host the global event from February 17–March 5 next year, which'll span 17 days and 300-plus LGBTQIA+ festivities. Included on the Sydney WorldPride bill: the Mardi Gras Parade, of course. It'll make its way down Oxford Street for the first time in three years, after the pandemic scuppered its usual plans and sent it to the SCG in 2021 and 2022. Sydney WorldPride will also feature a huge opening concert hosted by Courtney Act and Casey Donovan, pride villages set up in sections of Crown Street and Riley Street, a giant weekend-long street party on Oxford Street, a Bondi beach party that'll turn the iconic sandy stretch into a club for 12,000 people, and a Blak & Deadly First Nations gala concert. [caption id="attachment_859015" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Getty Images[/caption] Plus, there'll be a dance party in The Domain for 10,000, which is being dubbed as the biggest LGBQTIA+ outdoor dance party in Australia; a pride march, sending 50,000 people across the Sydney Harbour Bridge; and huge queer show Rainbow Republic, again at The Domain, this time with six hours of live music, DJs and performances spanning both international and local acts. The Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference is also on the bill, as is a six-night First Nations gathering space at Carriageworks — and Ultra Violet, an inclusive LGBTQIA+ women's party at Town Hall. Yes, it's going to be huge — and it's expected that more than 500,000 people will participate. [caption id="attachment_859017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Getty Images[/caption] Sydney WorldPride will run from February 17–March 5, 2023. For more information, or for general ticket sales from 9am AEST on Friday, July 15, head to the event's website. Images: Daniel Boud / Getty Images.
Following the tragic death of Apple innovator Steve Jobs, a digital book containing his 'best' e-mails has been released. Letters to Steve: Inside the E-mail Inbox of Apple's Steve Jobs has been compiled and commentated by Mark Millan, a technology writer from CNN who has gathered the e-mails through various forums and blogs. Importantly, there are also some 'never-before-published e-mails' which are featured. It is said that this book will offer fans an insight into the character of Jobs, a passionate man who often replied to customer queries himself. It also shows his deep connection with his own products, as Millan notes that "he’d write long missives about Flash or the H.264 video codec or the Objective-C programming language." Millan also goes into great detail to analyse Jobs' online communication. He notes that "he was also inconsistent about whether he’d sign his name or include 'Best' in his sign-off signature. Some of the sources I interviewed for the book believed he had assistants help him with his mail, but I didn’t find any evidence to support that." At $2.99, this is a cheap read that will appeal to the most dedicated Apple technology enthusiasts. [via Mashable]
Sure, you've seen a love story before — but have you seen the love story that launched a thousand others? That'd be Vis and Ramin. Before Tristan fell for Iseult, Lancelot gushed over Guinevere and Romeo courted Juliet, the latter chased after former. In the ancient Persian epic thought to date back to the 1st century AD, the titular young lovers tried to thwart their feuding families — and no, things didn't end happily. In fact, the influential tale is so jam-packed with rebellion, the rejection of social standards and challenges to inherited political structures that it has been banned in Iran since the Islamic Revolution. No wonder newly established Iranian-Australian theatre company Baran has chosen to stage a new take on the story, redeveloping Vis and Ramin as a bilingual, multimedia contemporary performance experience. Nodding to history both past and present, the production analyses misconceptions of Iran and Iranian women, and interrogates the contemporary politics of the Middle Eastern country — and tells a tale as old as time as well.
UPDATE, November 30, 2020: Upgrade is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Watching Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) is quite the sight to behold. Forget the terrible name, which sounds like it belongs to a Mad Men ad agency rather than a person — with his convulsive moves, the mechanic turned quadriplegic turned killing machine is positively hypnotic. Filmed by writer-director Leigh Whannell in a style that's somehow both twitchy and fluid, Grey dispatches with his enemies with super-human ease, combining the cool efficiency of John Wick with the technological flair of RoboCop and The Terminator. Indeed, alongside the body horror cinema of David Cronenberg and the thrilling science-fiction of John Carpenter, it's easy to spot Upgrade's action and sci-fi influences. Played with grim-faced precision by Tom Hardy-lookalike Green, Grey is not someone you'd want to mess with. But the character's flying fists aren't completely under his own control. Paralysed after a self-driving car crash and a subsequent attack by vicious thugs, he's now the recipient of a brain implant that has re-enabled his limbs. Called STEM, it's an experimental advancement designed by a young tech wiz (Harrison Gilbertson) who seems like he's up to no good, even though he's claiming he wants to assist. The fact that the secret chip has a mind of its own — or, rather, a voice (Simon Maiden) that compels Grey to hunt down the gang that killed his wife (Melanie Vallejo) — doesn't help matters. Bone-crunching, blood-splattered revenge is a dish best-served with an AI sidekick in Upgrade. Although the concept might sound more tired than wired on paper, it makes for a sharp, sleek and savage wander into genre territory. Every element that initially seems worthy of an eye-roll — pre-accident, Grey is vocal about his hatred for all things digital, for example — soon raises a smile thanks to the film's pulpy execution. Weapons immeshed into the human body? A villain that sneezes computer chips? A man virtually talking to himself for the entire flick? It all works. And while Upgrade comes from the mind of someone who has seen everything from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Blade Runner to Her and Ex Machina, Whannell has dreamed their various parts into his own new creation. There's a scene, part-way through the movie, that couldn't better encapsulate Upgrade's charms — or its savvy ability to combine its numerous sources of inspiration into an engaging vessel all of its own. It's not the most inventive of the film's many set pieces, but it makes a firm and fitting impression nonetheless. Grey awakens from an operating table, STEM freshly inserted into his spine, and Upgrade has an "it's alive!" moment. Riffing on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is hardly new — nor is taking cues from James Whale's 1931 film that brought the novel to the screen. And yet here, it really couldn't be more apt. Upgrade is a thoroughly 21st-century incarnation of the 200-year-old tale about a man reborn from cobbled-together parts, this time including both flesh and circuitry. It's also a movie put together in the same dice, splice, borrow and reuse fashion. Furthermore, Upgrade proves a much more effective use of Whannell's skills than the Insidious and Saw flicks, the two franchises that brought him to fame after initially reviewing movies on ABC TV's Recovery. Instead of serving up by-the-numbers gore and spooks, there's smarts behind this gleeful mashup of genre staples — not to mention passion, personality, a swift pace, a gorgeous red and grey colour palette, and slick yet gritty futuristic visuals. To be fair, Whannell wrote rather than directed most of his previous hits (and also co-stars in the Insidious films), with the underwhelming Insidious: Chapter 3 his only other credit behind the lens. You'd never guess that Upgrade sprang from the same person, which might just be the biggest compliment you could pay this entertainingly schlocky cyberpunk action-thriller. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEnRNIvEKu8
Veneziano Coffee Roasters is giving you a mighty good reason to get out the house and explore some of Brisbane's greatest cafes. The West End relaunched in 2022 after hefty renovations, opening up its warehouse and cafe space so that patrons can make the most of getting their caffeine fix in a coffee joint that's also roastery. Expect to see the behind-the-scenes magic happen while you're drinking your warm beverage of choice, all in a space that can seat 50 inside and 16 outdoors. Veneziano's revamped site is airy, light and bright with white surfaces aplenty, plus glass walls that let you peer from the dining space to the coffee roastery and warehouse. And it's also now home to training studios and a cupping lab — running sessions for both professional baristas and folks keen to make their best coffee at home. The renovations come more than a decade after Veneziano opened in West End in 2009, with alterations made to the Montague Road spot with its Richmond headquarters in Melbourne and Surry Hills cafe in Sydney in mind. The aim: to ensure that stopping by is about more than just getting a buzz, turning it into an interactive coffee experience. The food here is classic breakfast dishes with a fresh spin, while coffee-wise, Veneziano's Soar is the house blend. Expect honey, pineapple, cherry and chocolate malt notes in your cuppa — but this will change seasonally. Or amid plenty of other options, there's a rotating range of microlots which are served via filter pour-over, plus a limited-edition selection of nanolots.
One of the best directors to ever step behind the camera. Two of the absolute top living actors. An unnerving true tale. A Cannes-premiering film. That's a helluva combination — aka Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, events in the 1920s in Osage County in Oklahoma and Killers of the Flower Moon. And, if you're not already excited, a third trailer for the soon-to-release movie has just been unveiled. Every Scorsese film is worth waiting for, but Killers of the Flower Moon has been decades in the making. The nonfiction book that the acclaimed director's latest film adapts also steps a century back, detailing a time when members of the Osage Nation became wealthy through oil, then targets for white interlopers. To bring this real-life story to the screen, the filmmaker has finally united DiCaprio and De Niro in one of his full-length flicks, too, after spending decades working with both separately. The end result, and Scorsese's first feature since 2019's The Irishman, premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival in May. Next, it's headed to cinemas Down Under in October and then Apple TV+ after that. De Niro and DiCaprio have been in so many of the legendary director's movies that it's rare for any of his titles to not include one or the other. The former's run gave viewers gangster masterpieces such as Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino; also spans the iconic Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The King of Comedy; and covers musical New York, New York and thriller remake Cape Fear, too — and, of course The Irishman. The latter began leading Scorsese's films in the early 2000s, kicking off with Gangs of New York, then starring in The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Wolf of Wall Street. That's a mighty impressive resume for both actors, and for their favourite helmer. Killers of the Flower Moon is actually the second time that De Niro and DiCaprio have joined forces for Scorsese, but the first time in one of his features, with the pair playing themselves in the director's 2015 comedy short The Audition. The actors also have a past on-screen beyond that thanks to the non-Marty helmed This Boy's Life in 1993, back when DiCaprio was still a teen. Its main talents aside, Killers of the Flower Moon has looking backwards on its mind as well. As seen in the initial teaser in May, then the first full trailer and now this just-dropped next sneak peek, the film jumps into a series of real-life of murders. DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Certain Women standout Lily Gladstone play Ernest Burkhart and Mollie Kyle, a couple that gets caught up in the investigations surrounding the mounting killings — with Burkhart facing off against his scheming uncle William Hale (De Niro, Amsterdam). The deaths start when oil turns the Osage Nation into some of the richest folks on the planet, and quickly, which attracts the wrong kind of notice — attention fuelled by greed and envy, and resulting in manipulation, extortion and homicide. Killers of the Flower Moon surveys that story through Burkhart, Kyle and their romance, while also taking in the bitter resentment (and worse) expressed by Hale. Scorsese also co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth (Dune, and an Oscar-winner for Forest Gump), adapting David Gann's 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. And, movie co-stars Jesse Plemons (Love & Death), John Lithgow (Sharper) and newly minted Best Actor Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale). Oh, and Scorsese himself, albeit in a small part. Check out the latest trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon below: Killers of the Flower Moon releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 19, and will then stream via Apple TV+ at a later date — we'll update you with streaming details when they're announced.
If there was a Morpho machine IRL rather than just in The Big Door Prize, and it dispensed cards that described the potential of television shows instead of people, this is what it might spit out about the Apple TV+ program that it's in: "comforting". This mystery-tinged existential dramedy is filled with people trying to discover who they are and truly want to be after an arcade game-esque console appears in their small town out of nowhere, and the series is both thoughtful and charming. In making the leap from the page of MO Walsh's book to the screen not once but twice now, The Big Door Prize has always also proven both cathartic and relatable viewing. Timing, dropping season one in 2023 as the pandemic-inspired great reset was well and truly in full swing, is a key factor in why the show resonates. Last year as well as now — with season two debuting on Wednesday, April 24 — this is a series that speaks to the yearning to face questions that couldn't be more familiar in a world where COVID-19 sparked a wave of similar "who am I?" musings on a global scale. Everyone now knows the scenario, then, before even watching a minute of The Big Door Prize. Everyone has been living this concept for half a decade. For viewers, of course, it was the drastic change of life as we know it due to a deadly infectious disease that got the planet's inhabitants probing how we're each meant to spend our lives — and to pine for an easy response at a time that's been anything but. Nothing IRL is doling out "royalty", "superstar" and "liar" in white lettering atop a gorgeous shade of blue, though. Actually, the Morpho in The Big Door Prize isn't anymore, either. The difference for the residents of the US midwest locale of Deerfield in the show's second spin: their path no longer simply involves pieces of cardboard that claim to know where the bearer should be expending their energy, but also spans new animated videos that transform their inner thoughts and hopes into 32-bit clips. Some snippets link to memories dating back decades. Some present alternative futures. Each ushers in a new wave of contemplation — because the focus of The Big Door Prize is how high-school teacher Dusty (Chris O'Dowd, Slumberland) and his neighbours react to the clairvoyant contraption and the information that it imparts. When the machine first made its presence known, Irishman-in-America Dusty was cynical. Initially, he held back as everyone clamoured for their business card-sized fortune. When he finally relented, he was unimpressed with the results: "teacher/whistler", the gizmo decreed about his destiny. Now, in a place where the Morpho remains the number-one talking point, he's taking the same route as everyone else in his community. As his wife Cass (Gabrielle Dennis, The Upshaws) and daughter Trina (Djouliet Amara, Fitting In) both are, Dusty has given in to letting the Morpho steer his decisions. Another question that The Big Door Prize poses: if being guided in the right direction was as straightforward as putting a quarter into a console, could you resist? Whether Dusty is making moves that'll impact his marriage, or his restaurant-owning best friend Giorgio (Josh Segarra, The Other Two) is leaping into a new relationship with Cass' best friend Nat (Mary Holland, The Afterparty), uncomplicated happiness rarely follows in this astute show. So when Dusty and Cass deem the Morpho's visions, as the townsfolk dub them, a sign that they need some space to stop being stuck in a rut, it isn't the move they think it will be. As their friends and acquaintances also hold up the Morpho up as a source of wisdom, the same keeps proving true. Trina's relationship with Jacob (first-timer Sammy Fourlas), the twin brother of her deceased boyfriend; Jacob's own efforts to grapple with loss and being without his sibling; his widowed father Beau (Aaron Roman Weiner, Power Book III: Raising Kanan) exploring echoes from his childhood; Cass' mum and Deerfield mayor Izzy (Crystal Fox, The Haves and Have Nots) working through her relationships: they all chart the same course. The Big Door Prize's tech element could fuel a Black Mirror instalment. In fact, The Big Door Prize is as concerned with what humanity does with the inventions that we create to better our existence as Charlie Brooker is. But bleakness never swirls through the mood here. Rather, this is a curious and empathetic series. While season two of the David West Read (Schitt's Creek)-developed show still treats its magical machine as a puzzle for characters and viewers to attempt to solve — and, especially through bartender Hana (Ally Maki, Shortcomings) and local priest Father Reuben (Damon Gupton, Your Honor), still ponders why the Morpho exists, how it knows what it knows and where it comes from — it firmly digs deeper into the quest for answers that we all undertake while gleaning deep down that there's no such thing as a simple meaning of life. In season two as in season one, it's no wonder that The Big Door Prize keeps feeling like staring in a mirror, then — and that it keeps constantly intriguing as well. When Dusty and company each return to the apparatus that holds such sway, they're greeted by a message: "are you ready for the next stage?". The show's audience may as well be asked the same. After 2023's episodes established The Big Door Prize's characters — and with Mr Johnson (Patrick Kerr, Search Party), who owns the store where the Morpho materialises, also among the main figures, there's no shortage of them — 2024's revisit can examine why they respond to the promise of knowing their life's purpose as they do. Not in its style of humour, but in its portrait of a town's eclectic residents, there's a Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons and, yes, Schitt's Creek vibe as the show unlocks another level of potential. It also helps that The Big Door Prize is extremely well-cast, starting with being well-led by O'Dowd. He isn't new to portraying a state of arrested development — going back to The IT Crowd, his resume is built upon it — but he turns in as sincere a performance as he ever has as someone beginning to confront the term. Everyone in Deerfield was cocooned in their routines, sometimes contentedly and sometimes not, before the Morpho appeared. Now, whether sporting oversized personalities (Segarra still steals every scene he's in) or as naturalistic as characters come (Amara, Fourlas, Maki and Gupton fall into that category), they're all fluttering towards finding light in their lives. The Big Door Prize knows that the story is in the journey, crucially — and if it continues flying, viewers will want to stay along for the ride. The Big Door Prize streams via Apple TV+. Read our review of season one, and our interview with Chris O'Dowd and Josh Segarra about season two.
UPDATE: June 14, 2020: Amazing Grace is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play and YouTube. In January of 1972, Aretha Franklin walked into Los Angeles' New Temple Missionary Baptist Church, stood in front of Reverend James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir, and started singing. For two nights, she turned a place of Christian worship into somewhere heavenly for everyone — because you don't need to have faith to recognise a transcendent experience. Those lucky enough to be there, including Mick Jagger and Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts on the second evening, were understandably ecstatic. As the Queen of Soul recorded her latest gospel album, the crowd sang and cheered, with many moved to tears. And, for nearly half a century, their joy was the stuff of legend. Music fans, even those who don't consider themselves aficionados of the genre or who weren't yet born, have long wished they could've been there That envy wasn't just sparked by stories, or by the success of Franklin's resulting album, which is still the biggest-selling disc across her entire recording career. In addition, it stemmed from wondering what could've been. As the two shows left attendees rapturous, filmmaker Sydney Pollack recorded the whole thing with the intention of turning it into a documentary, however technical problems and legal issues got in his way. After 47 years and a lot of wrangling, the concert doco now exists. It's a case of better late than never, obviously. An exceptional film, as well as a hefty reminder about the importance of following standard filmmaking procedures (Pollack didn't use clapperboards while he was shooting, making it immensely difficult to synchronise his audio and visuals), Amazing Grace was definitely worth the wait. Directed by Pollack but brought to completion in the years after his 2008 death by editor Alan Elliott, this is a concert doco of the highest order. For the first time, the entire world can watch one of the finest performances by one of the finest singers ever to unleash their vocal cords — and understand why Franklin, this record and the shows it sprang from are all so revered. There's nothing quite like seeing someone at their very best, which Amazing Grace firmly demonstrates. And yet, the movie's power runs much deeper. This is a snapshot of collective reverence, respect and euphoria, radiating from Franklin's passionate gaze, floating through the air with her melodious voice and infecting everyone in earshot. Solely focusing on its star and those in the room with her, it's a portrait not just of two memorable gigs, but of the way that great art transforms those making and witnessing it. The act of peering intimately at Franklin, who manages to seem both serene and determined whether she's holding a prolonged note or taking a moment's pause, is truly one of bearing witness. So too is seeing the effect that she has on her audience when she's belting out a tune (when she's not singing, she barely says a word). To appreciate all of the above requires something that every concert demands, yet is becoming all too rare, especially with today's gig-goers increasingly filming on their phones first and watching the show in front of them second. Amazing Grace is a testament to many things, including Franklin and her prodigious talent, a community not often seen on-screen, and the perseverance required to actually get this movie into theatres — but it also proves an ode to simply being in the moment. When you're so lost in what you're doing that nothing else matters: that's what Amazing Grace immortalises. The world around Franklin and her on-lookers could've completely disappeared and no one would've have noticed — not the charming Reverend Cleveland, who emcees the proceedings; not her father CL Franklin, who kicks off the second night with a few words; and not even Pollack, who is sometimes spotted flitting around the church. Capturing this is one thing; conveying it to Amazing Grace's viewers and making them feel the same way is another entirely. Both feats are achieved here, perhaps never more so than when Franklin unfurls all 11 minutes of the documentary's titular track. How sweet the sound — and sight, and experience — indeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N7WthSspQ4
Not that you need any extra incentive to do your bit for the environment, but here's a fun one anyway: your mates at Victoria Bitter have just started a new program that lets Aussies swap their excess solar energy for beer. Under the VB Solar Exchange initiative, locals can turn the power bill credit earned by their home's solar panels into a few icy cold brews, rather than simply selling it back to the grid. Specifically, VB is offering participants in its program a slab of beer for every $30 worth of energy credits they rack up. And, those brews will be delivered straight to your door, too. Of course, not just any old beer lover can get involved — and there are a few tight eligibility requirements to meet. First, you'll need to already have solar panels and be connected to the grid as a residential customer in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria or South Australia. You'll also have to switch over to VB's chosen energy retailer, Diamond Energy. And you'll obviously need to be over the age of 18, so you can properly enjoy the spoils of your solar swapping. If you do tick all the boxes, you can register your interest over at the website and then sit back and wait to hear if you've been accepted into the program. Once in, you'll earn yourself a VB for every $1.25 of credit generated — and a slab once you've clocked up enough for 24 beers. Participants can track their progress as they go, with beers delivered to your door quarterly. That said, VB's producer CUB is only accepting 500 people into the program. It's also only handing out a maximum of 30 slabs per person each year, with debit cards sent out to cover the remaining credits. So if you're keen, don't wait too long to sign up. CUB is set to reinvest the solar credits back into the Solar Exchange program, as well as using a portion to hit the company's broader sustainability targets. The program is the latest in a suite of initiatives by CUB's parent company Asahi Beverages, as part of an ambitious sustainability program. It's committed to being powered by 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025. Registrations for the VB Solar Exchange are open now. Head to the website to check if you're eligible and to sign up.
Put down your So Fresh CD. Crack open your teenage piggy bank. Keep practicing your Usher slide glide. Because afull-blown R&B frenzy is set to sweep the nation this November as live party tour RnB Fridays returns for five mammoth shows. Descending on stadiums in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide between November 9 and 17 (not all on Fridays, mind you), the event has managed to pull a pretty serious lineup of international music legends straight from the 90s and early 2000s. Heading the bill is none other than singing, songwriting, dancing superstar Usher, in what will be his first Aussie shows since 2011. He'll be joined by hip hop queens Salt-N-Pepa, rappers T-Pain and Lil Jon, mononymous ladies Eve and Estelle, Grammy Award-winning trio Naughty By Nature, Fatman Scoop and 'Pony' Ginuwine. All of them. Together. In one show. Ticket prices are as momentous as the lineup, with each one starting at $109.90. If you fancy really splashing out, you can opt for $349.90 platinum package — it comes complete with a commemorative lanyard, express entry, front-row real estate and the chance to meet Usher himself. RnB Fridays Live at will hit Melbourne's (soon-to-be) Marvel Stadium on November 10, Brisbane Showgrounds on November 16 and Spotless Stadium in Sydney on November 17. Pre-sale tickets are up for grabs from Tuesday, August 15, with general admission on sale from August 20. Image: Mushroom Creative House.
Brisbane has seen a dumpling invasion in the last year. Prior to this, dumpling enjoyment was restricted to a trip out to Sunnybank or a meal of yum cha in Chinatown. Now we have trendy and delicious dumpling places scattered so thickly throughout the city that it is hard to walk 100 metres without the allure of these little bundles of joy drawing you in. It is for this reason that Concrete Playground has narrowed down our top five dumpling places in Brisbane. Happy Little Dumplings This Happy Little place located in the vibrant James Lane is as joyful as its name suggests. With complimentary bottomless Jasmine tea and fillings such as Prawn Har Gow - plump prawns with a hint of bamboo, it’s little wonder that they had to open a second store (the original HLD is located in Bulimba for all the south-siders out there!). If you do however overdose on dumplings (impossible!) the desserts on offer are a must try. If you can’t choose between the mango pancake and the black sticky rice pudding, you might like to take both home, surround yourself with soft furnishings, indulge and let the blissful food coma take over you. Shop 10, 65 James St, Fortitude Valley; 07 3854 0741; www.littledumplings.com.au Harajuku Gyoza Things to bring to Harajuku Gyoza: 1. Your inner anime character 2. A sense of celebration. 3. An empty stomach. 4. Paracetamol for your ear-ache afterwards. From the minute you step through the giant heavy sumo-like door, you are greeted with a loud “Irasshaimase!” Japanese for “Welcome, come in!”. The gyoza (dumpling) menu is impressive and for all the lovers of these parcels of pleasure, the apple gyoza dessert is a bucket-list worthy treat. Without a doubt, Harajuku Gyoza is renowned for its fun atmosphere and gorgeous staff equipped with some serious pipes, don’t believe me? Order a shot of celebratory Sake and watch what happens. 394 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley; 07 3852 4624; www.harajukugyoza.com Brunswick Social Every wild night out in the Valley should begin and end with dumplings. Lucky for you, Brunswick Social provides a classy yet relaxed atmosphere with it’s indoor subdued décor and soft lighting. With dumplings and drinks aplenty, it’s a wonder why you would even stray from this place. The chicken and chive dumplings as well as the chicken sui mai are stand outs. Talk about the stock market over fish cakes or plan your next boozy encounter over a Singapore Sling. Whatever you fancy, it’s guaranteed you’ll probably end up back here for a midnight fix anyway. 367 Brunswick Street Fortitude Valley; 07 3252 3234; www.thebrunswicksocial.com Sono Portside Wharf One might scoff at the mention of this place and wonder how on earth the humble dumpling and fine dining go together. Sono Portside offers it’s guests a modern yet traditional Japanese dining experience, and where would Japan be without it’s glorious gyoza? Although there is plenty of posh nosh to choose from on the menu, Sono’s pork and chive gyozas are grilled to perfection and offer undercover dumpling devotees a quick fix from the fancy food on offer. 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton; 07 3268 6655; www.sonorestaurant.com.au Bamboo Basket The dumpling chefs at this restaurant might as well be rockstars. It’s often one finds themself casually walking the streets of Southbank only to stop and stare through the glass windows of Bamboo Basket’s open kitchen and marvel at the craftsmanship of these heroes. Within minutes and with origami-style precision, bite-sized dumplings are formed right in front of you. You shed tears. You have just witnessed a miracle. The real wonder of nature however, happens once you enter the restaurant and partake in the delicious Shan-Dong style dumplings or any of it’s pan-fried friends on the menu. Prepare yourself for endless choices and your very own food baby at the end of the night. Shop 1003 - 1004/199 Grey Street South Brisbane; 07 3844 0088; www.bamboobasket.com.au
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company West End are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
While we may not envy the Spanish economy at the moment, it is hard not to covet their history of great architecture and innovative design. And that envy is sure to continue with the recent completion of the Metropol Parasol, not only the world's largest wooden structure but also one of the most beautiful. Designed by Berlin-based architecture Juergen Mayer H, the inspiration for the building came from a 2004 design competition brief which aimed to provide the people of Seville with an architectural heart and a distinctly urban space for the 21st century. The design also had to take into account some recently unearthed ancient roman ruins in the ground beneath. Mayer's winning structure does all of this, as well as housing a market place, a restaurant, walkways and panoramic views of the city, becoming a mecca for locals and architectural buffs alike. New technology was integral in both the design and production processes. The light sculptural curves and flow of the building were largely influenced by digital technology, while the interconnecting wooden panels used to create this effect are held together by a new — and one would imagine — some very strong glue. Marrying aesthetics and functionality, the Metropol Parasol has provided the city of Seville with a new focal point. And some much needed shade.
The last time that Emma Stone made a movie with Greek Weird Wave director Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018's excellent The Favourite was the end result. The Cruella star earned an Oscar nomination for her troubles, deservedly so, and the filmmaker's style and sense of humour gained a wider audience. Indeed, the made a winning pair, in what was one of the former's very best performances of Stone's career. Accordingly, it should come as no surprise that they've reteamed again. Also far from astonishing: that another unique movie looks set to hit screens. This time, they've traded regal dramas for a riff on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein — which will never stop being a gothic-horror masterpiece, or inspiring stories across the page, stage and screen. And, while Poor Things doesn't actually use that f-word, it looks mesmerising, eerie and stunning in both its initial and just-dropped trailers. Also, Stone is clearly playing a version of Frankenstein's monster. Poor Things adapts Alasdair Grey's 1992 award-winning novel, but the parallels with Shelley's mother-of-all horror greats are as obvious as a bolt of lightning. The focus: Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected by an unorthodox scientist, distinctive in her mannerisms afterwards and eager to learn about a world that isn't quite sure how to react. Continuing the movie's top-notch casting — and Lanthimos' in general, as seen in everything from Dogtooth and Alps to The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer as well — Poor Things features Willem Dafoe (The Northman) as the tinkering Dr Godwin Baxter; Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) as Duncan Wedderburn, a slick lawyer that Bella runs off with; and also Ramy's Ramy Youssef, plus On the Count of Three co-stars Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott. Poor Things jolts Stone's career back onto the screen a few years away, too — Cruella released in 2021, and only The Croods: A New Age, Zombieland: Double Tap and TV's Maniac sit on her resume since The Favourite. Viewers Down Under will get to see how this surreal-looking take on a literary masterpiece turns out on October 12. Check out the full trailer for Poor Things below: Poor Things will release in cinemas Down Under on October 12. Image: Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
You can pop along to the zoo any day, but seeing a wild thing in its native habitat is far more exciting — although, it's admittedly slightly trickier. While spiders and mozzies don't have too much trouble making themselves known, our cuter, fuzzier, more loveable creatures are shy, shy, shy. Whether you want to lunch with a 'roo, catch penguins on parade, swim with a whale shark or spot a platypus, there are plenty of places around this big ol' country of ours that will help make that dream you've been harbouring since your mum read you Blinky Bill come true. Just remember, you're heading into their territory — you can look (and make awwwing noises), but don't touch. Or feed them. Or do any shitty stuff. Basically, let them do their thing and enjoy being a quiet observer in the presence of 100% adorable animals. If you can do that, here's where to find them. FOR KANGAROOS: PEBBLY BEACH, MURRAMARANG NATIONAL PARK, NSW Finding a kangaroo in the wild isn't difficult. In fact, far too many of the unsuspecting, headlight-blinded creatures hang out on country roadsides. But if you want to meet a particularly friendly bunch, head for Murramarang National Park's Pebbly Beach, near Batemans Bay, about four hours' drive south of Sydney. But be warned: they might well expect to share your lunch. FOR LITTLE PENGUINS: SUMMERLAND BEACH, PHILLIP ISLAND, VIC Come sunset every evening, Victoria's little penguins waddle along Phillip Island's Summerland Beach to rest after a hard day's fishing at sea. These tiny guys are the smallest type of penguin on the planet. To prevent disturbance, viewing is organised by Phillip Island Nature Parks. You can jump on a platform, opt for a skybox or take a ranger-led eco explorer tour. [caption id="attachment_553183" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Arturo Pardavila III via Flickr[/caption] FOR KOALAS: KENNETT RIVER ON THE OTWAY COAST, GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC There's only somewhere between 43,000 and 100,000 koalas left in the wild in Australia, so they're not easy to spot. But one place where you're pretty much guaranteed to find them is along the Otway Coast section of Victoria's Great Ocean Road. Your best bet is to pull over in Kennett River, 174 kilometres west of Melbourne, and take the Kennett River Koala Walk, starting on Grey River Road. [caption id="attachment_552453" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Didier B via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR AUSTRALIAN SEA LIONS: SEAL BAY CONSERVATION PARK, KANGAROO ISLAND, SA Due to widespread hunting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Australian sea lion is one of the world's rarest seals. Thankfully, the surviving population is now protected in a few places, including Kangaroo Island's Seal Bay Conservation Park. Sheltered bays and beaches provide plenty of spots for seals to rest — in between fishing and teaching babies to swim. You can get amongst it with self-guided tour or one with a tour guide. [caption id="attachment_552418" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jolene Faber via Flickr[/caption] FOR QUOKKAS: ROTTNEST ISLAND, WA European invasion didn't do much for the poor old quokka, whose mainland population has suffered over the past couple of centuries. But, on Rottnest Island just off the coast of Perth, it's a different story. Thanks to a distinct lack of predators and loads of food, the cat-sized marsupial is thriving, with latest counts at 12,000 or so. However, you can't feed them, as it tends to poison them — and if you see anyone behaving like these jerks, let someone know. [caption id="attachment_552450" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Martin Pot via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR NUMBATS: TONE-PERUP NATURE RESERVE, PEMBERTON, WA In the 1980s, Australia's numbat population reached a near-extinction low of 300. The only places where they'd managed to survive were two reserves in south-west Western Australia: Tone-Perup and Dryandra Woodland. Today, they have been re-introduced to a few more sanctuaries around the country and their numbers have slightly increased — but to see them in their natural habitat, you'll need to go to one or the other. Understandably, numbats aren't particularly extroverted, so be prepared to wait. Give yourself more time with an overnight stay — there are a few accommodation options in the reserve. FOR WHALE SHARKS: NINGALOO REEF, WA Between April and July, hundreds of whale sharks head to Ningaloo — Western Australia's answer to the Great Barrier Reef — to feed their 18-metre long bodies on generous plankton feasts. Despite their mammoth size and disconcerting name, they're gentle creatures and you can swim alongside them without fearing for life or limb. It's not a free-for-all though — the human to whale shark ratio is generally limited to 10:1 and travelling with a tour group is mandatory. Every May, Exmouth hosts its annual Whale Shark Festival. [caption id="attachment_552409" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Manuel Heinrich via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] FOR TURTLES: HERON ISLAND, GREAT BARRIER REEF, QLD In November every year, two of the world's most vulnerable turtle species — green turtles and loggerheads — head to the Great Barrier Reef's Heron Island to nest. If you're staying nearby, all you have to do is wander down to the beach to see them. That said, the folks on Heron Island are fiercely protective of their precious guests, so strict guidelines apply to turtle watching. Keep your distance and don't flash lights in the sweet little critters' eyes — it confuses them. FOR PLATYPUSES: BROKEN RIVER, EUNGELLA NATIONAL PARK, QLD After numbats, the platypus is the hardest animal on this list to find. You need to patient, quiet, still and willing to hang around at either dawn or dusk. To make your mission easier, try your luck at Broken River, in Queensland's Eungella National Park. Right near the picnic ground, you'll find a platypus-dedicated viewing platform. FOR CROCODILES: MARY RIVER, NEAR KAKADU NATIONAL PARK, NT You won't catch any sane person swimming in Mary River — two hours' drive east of Darwin — as there are more saltwater crocodiles here per square metre than there are anywhere else on Earth. (Salties, by the way, are the killers — the freshies aren't so bad.) The good news is, you can watch them from a safe distance by taking a boat ride. Top image: Craig Siczak via Flickr.
A new name has joined Brisbane's ever-growing craft beer scene, but The Brew Baron Beer Co isn't exactly a new brewery. Instead, it's a fresh guise for West End's Parched Brewing. This is a case of new owners, new moniker and new fictional character to base the brand around, but the same brews and space on Montague Road. Brad Sayer, Rita Ferraro and Gibran Ferraro Firmo purchased Parched back in June, then set about giving it a revamp. That's where the changed title comes in for this husband, wife and stepson trio, as well as the baron figure. Sayer and Ferraro have overseen the fresh direction — including new additions to the brewery's home — while Gibran has deployed his skills as a chef to spearhead a food menu makeover. First, the space: if you're keen on whiling away an evening with a cue in your hand, you'll want to head straight to the pool room. On the way is a brand-new deck, too, for cruisy drinking sessions. And if you're eager to watch sports as you knock back a few cold ones, big-screen TVs have joined the site, while leather chesterfield couches will be in place by the time that September is out. Live music is also making a comeback at The Brew Baron Beer Co, echoing from the Brew Stage from 2–5pm every second Sunday. Prefer trivia over a tipple instead? That's now a Thursday-night staple from 6.30pm, and is free to enter. As for the food, Gibran has taken inspiration from his South American heritage, which comes through in both flavours and dishes among a heap of pub classics. Think: pork tacos with chipotle mayo and chilli con carne nachos, for starters. The menu also includes karaage chicken tacos, tempura prawns, five types of burger, seven styles of pizza, fish 'n' chips, and both schnitzels and parmigianas. Or, there's the birramisu pie, which pairs ten-hour braised beef cheek with peas and mashed potato. Drinks-wise, The Brew Baron Beer Co's sips include pale ale, lager, IPA and a hazy IPA, plus a peach and raspberry sour. Matt Wolfe remains as Head Brewer, with developing new brews part of his remit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Brew Baron Beer Co. (formerly Parched) (@brewbaronbeerco) "My wife, stepson and I have purchased the brewery, and made the changes that we think will improve things, for our customers" said Sayer, The Brew Baron Beer Co's Managing Director. "Gibran, is a qualified chef, and has led improvements to the food menu by using fresher ingredients, introducing his native South American flavours and adding more value-for-money pricing. In the brewhouse, we've been fortunate to keep long-standing great brewer Matt Wolfe, but given him greater autonomy to do what he does best — brew great beers." "And we've changed the customer area to provide a more engaging and comfortable experience. Finally, our customers will find Gibran and/or me onsite, at all times, so they can approach us and share their thoughts directly with us." "The brewery remains a small, West End family-owned and -operated business. With the support of the West End community, we'll continue operating and supporting it." Find The Brew Baron Beer Co at 391 Montague Road, West End from 12pm–late Wednesday–Sunday.
When a supermoon graced the skies in April, you probably trotted out to your backyard to stare at the heavens. And, you might've nabbed a decent-enough look at the impressive lunar sight. But if you'd like to get a bit closer to the astronomical body during this month's next supermoon — the second and last for 2021 — you now have the option of jumping on a plane. On Wednesday, May 26, Qantas is running a special supermoon flight — and yes, its sole purpose is to let its passengers get a better look at the moon. Not only will the date bring a supermoon, but there'll be a full lunar eclipse as well. That's when the Earth gets between the sun and the moon, covering the latter with its shadow and giving it a reddish hue. If you'd like to take to the skies, rather than just peer up at them, you'll need to be in Sydney. Just one supermoon flight is departing from Sydney Domestic Airport (T3) at 7.30pm, and only just over 100 seats will be available. Passengers will hop onto a B787 Dreamliner, then take a three-hour trip over the city — including Sydney Harbour — complete with a stint cruising above the clouds at 43,000 feet for maximum moon viewing. The lunar eclipse is due to begin at 6.47pm, reach its maximum at 9.18pm and end at 11.49pm, according to Timeanddate.com, so you'll be in the air at the absolute best time. Before departing, you'll also enjoy a cocktail party in the Qantas business lounge from 5.30pm. And, once you're onboard, you'll eat, drink, lock your eyes on the window and listen to CSIRO astronomer Dr Vanessa Moss — who'll be giving a live commentary, and also working with the pilots in advance to design the optimal flight path. Unsurprisingly, tickets for the supermoon flight don't come cheap — starting at $499 for economy, $899 for premium economy and $1499 for business. To offset the environmental impact of taking to the sky purely to get a closer look at the moon, Qantas will offset 100 percent of the flight's carbon emissions. Qantas' supermoon flight will depart Sydney Domestic Airport (T3) at 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 26, with tickets going on sale at 12pm on Tuesday, May 12.
Perhaps you enjoyed Netflix's Heartbreak High revival and can't wait for its second season. Maybe you're fond of Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun instead. Or, via Stan, Bump, Black Snow, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram might've sat among your homegrown highlights. When you're getting cosy on the couch streaming something filled with Australian faces, accents and places, these titles likely stood out, too, because they're a rarity. Aussie content comprises a tiny portion of digital platforms' catalogues, which has been the case since Netflix officially launched in Australia back in 2015; however, that's about to change thanks to Australia's new streaming content quotas. First, some background: for Aussie commercial free-to-air television and pay TV stations, programming is subject to quotas requiring a certain contingent of each channel's content to hail from Australia. Such rules haven't applied to streaming services so far, though, even as more and more have popped up Down Under. So, for years, there's been a hefty to push to change the situation, placing the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and more under similar content rules. A green paper on the topic was published in late 2020, and a heap of well-known Aussie talents helped raise attention to the cause back in 2021. Now, the Australian Federal Government has confirmed that streaming content quotas are coming as part of its just-announced National Cultural Policy. "It's been ten years since the last National Cultural Policy. During that time, online streaming platforms have taken off, but our Australian content obligations haven't. I know we can do better," said Minister for the Arts Tony Burke on social media. Accordingly, the new $286-million National Cultural Policy locks in streaming content obligations, which it deems pivotal given there is "an increasing consumer trend away from broadcast and subscription television services to online subscription content". "In 2020–21, for the first time, Australians were more likely to have watched an online subscription service than live or recorded free‑to‑air television," the policy continues — saying what plenty of us already know from our own viewing habits. As a result, the Federal Government has committed to introducing "requirements for Australian screen content on streaming platforms to ensure continued access to local stories and content", and will do so by July 1, 2024. Beforehand, Burke will consult further with the industry, which'll be the focus for the first half of 2023, before legislation implementing the Aussie content quota for streaming platforms is put in place. What the quota might look like in terms of hours of Australian shows and movies required, or percentages of streaming services' roster of content, hasn't yet been revealed. Still, the aim is clear: more Aussie series and films on all of those platforms constantly competing for your eyeballs, and in the near future. Past proposals, including the Make It Australian campaign with backing from Blaze's Simon Baker, Hungry Ghosts' Bryan Brown and Justine Clarke, and Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt)'s Marta Dusseldorp — and more — have lobbied for all streaming services operating in Australia that have at least 500,000 subscribers to spend 20 percent of their local revenue on new Aussie dramas, documentaries and content for children. Some streamers have put more cash into developing original local stories already, doing so voluntarily, but now they'll all be required to — and to boost an overall buffet of movies and TV shows that has noticeably lacked new Aussie content from the get-go in the process. Indeed, it took more than two years for Netflix to finally announce that it was making its first Australian series, Tidelands, after it launched on our shores. For more information about Australia's new National Cultural Policy, head to the Australian Government's website. Top image: Heartbreak High, Netflix.
“Film in the hands of a great filmmaker has the power to change lives; the power to bridge cultural divides; the courage to explore and tell our stories; to inform and entertain; to deliver better understanding into hearts and minds.” The Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSAs) are back for 2012 in all their diversity and richness. This year the QPAC playhouse will play host to filmmakers from over 30 countries in attendance for what is regarded as one of the region’s highest honours in film. Over the past five years, 180 films have been nominated for a prestigious APSA, all of which have and have been expected to exhibit its own unique story in its own way, based in its country of origin. To catch the APSAs, tune into the live webcast from 7pm.
The days are dwindling down, and you've come to a stressful realisation: you've left your Christmas shopping until late in the season again. Let's face it, you're not alone. Thankfully, trawling the mall isn't your only option when it comes to finding a gift or grabbing ingredients for a delicious meal. Returning for another year from 6–10pm on Friday, December 14, the Carseldine Markets is hosting a twilight event brimming with the spirit of the season. Get your list ready, because all the art, craft and fresh produce stalls you know and love will be on site, just waiting to help you out of a festive fix. In 2017, there was more than 180 of them,. Prepare to tuck into festive treats, too (because you'll need to eat while you browse), as well as ample entertainment. Yes, it's a Christmas wonderland. Warning: if you're more of a Grinch than one of Santa's elves, you'd best prepare yourself for an overdose of holiday cheer. Image via Carseldine Markets.
If you love your AFL and you're a mad-keen Marvel Comics fan, today is a pretty good day. That's because, in a partnership with The Walt Disney Company Australia that few saw coming, Melbourne's Etihad Stadium is set to be renamed Marvel Stadium. An eight-year agreement between Disney and Melbourne Stadiums Limited will see the iconic Docklands sporting ground switch to its new moniker from September 1 this year — just in time for the AFL Grand Final. On top of the name change, the rebranding will also see a "premium" Marvel retail store installed on-site, and punters can prepare to see a number of brand activations when visiting the ground. "It is a brand dedicated to audience experiences, which firmly aligns with our vision to create incredible experiences for fans," said Melbourne Stadiums Limited CEO Michael Green said in a statement. "This partnership will allow us to take the stadium atmosphere to the next level and create memorable experiences for a vast array of audiences and we look forward to delivering a truly game-changing experience." Yeah, we never thought we'd see our interests in AFL and Marvel combine either.
Summertime comes with a whole heap of perks and benefits befitting hot weather, and pool parties come in pretty high on that long list. If you sadly don't have the pleasure of taking a dip whenever you wish, you might like to read on as Limes Hotel have planned your perfect pool party afternoon. Starting at 1pm, the chilled afternoon will include sets from Limes Hotel regular DJs. Stick around to catch Kolombo weave his magic and conjure up the very best in summer vibes. His successful singles, 'Get So Hot' and 'What Could Make Me Think' have helped earn his place in the house music spotlight. Keep cool this Saturday afternoon while you combine the very best things in life – drinks, a pool and great music. Grab your swimsuit, order an Espresso martini and let Kolombo provide the soundtrack to your balmy Saturday night. Tickets are available via Auditree.
Heading to one of the many markets around Brisbane is a weekend tradition, especially for those keen to stock up on fresh, tasty treats for the week ahead. For residents of the inner west, it's now something they can do closer to home, courtesy of the brand new Red Hill Farmers Markets. Every Sunday morning from May 31, Ithaca Tafe will turn into market central, foodie heaven and all things in between. Featuring produce supplied by farmers and sourced locally, with a strong focus on all things spray-free, this is where everyone serious about their meals is going to want to be. For culinary wizards, gourmet goodies including deli lines, fresh seafood and premium meats are the drawcard, though those fonder of eating than cooking will find plenty to devour on the spot. Those more interested in the non-edible things in life can survey the arts and crafts stalls, or browse for fashion, jewellery and gifts. Shopping is only part of the fun, of course, with live music and other activities also on offer. It's a dog-friendly event, too, so you can take your pet pooch along. This is the fourth venue run by Mark Power, a veteran of the farmers markets game. Regulars at Carseldine, Nundah and Kuraby know just the kind of goodness they're in for. Everyone else: prepare for an artisanal explosion. From May 31, find the Red Hill Farmers Markets at Ithaca Tafe, Fulcher Road, Red Hill, every Sunday from 6am until 12noon. Visit their website for more information. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Think Capri, and you likely think of the island off Italy's coastline. Southeast Queensland also boasts the Isle of Capri, however, in the Nerang River on the Gold Coast. And it's there that you'll find your next spot for Southern California-meets-Mexican eats while peering at the water, with newcomer Isla Cantina opening its doors. Back in mid-2022, the Capri on Via Roma shopping centre was snapped up by Mulpha Hospitality Group, who is behind this new restaurant and bar as well. Isla Cantina is nestled next to Edgewater Dining & Lounge Bar, can welcome in 100 people, and sports a coastal-appropriate earthy and airy fitout by Brisbane-based architect and interior designer Simone Barr from DAARC — and, amid greenery and neutral hues, those views. Mark Marshall, Mulpha's Area Executive Chef for Queensland, has overseen Isla Cantina's culinary lineup, which unsurprisingly goes heavy on seafood given the venue's location. Fried red snapper tacos are a particular highlight, sitting alongside spanner crab tostadas, snapper ceviche, cachaca- and lime-cured ocean trout, and yellowfin tuna tiradito. If you're keen to venture beyond the ocean's finest, eight-hour slow-roasted lamb barbacoa, adobe barbecue chicken, and flank steak paired with bone-marrow butter, fire-roasted onions and tomatillo salsa are also on the menu, plus jackfruit carnitas. For dessert, options include barbecue pineapple, as well as the sweet-and-spicy blend that comes with chocolate and chipotle mousse. And, you'll also lean into a melange of flavours in the cocktail range, which is filled with drinks ready to be sipped on Isla Cantina's breezy deck. Authentic Mexican cocktails lead the show, margaritas obviously included, and also the paloma, and the beer-based chelada and michelada.
Erotica fans Australia-wide are celebrating the return of World Movies Channel's adults only program, Summer of Sin. Starting in December, it's a 62-night festival of all things intimate, with a sexually charged film screening at 9.30pm every single night until January 31. Before you ask, yes, Christmas Day's included. 2011 Spanish film The Sex of the Angels has that one covered. Moreover, New Year's Day will see a coital marathon kicking off at midnight, with 24 hours of films played back-to-back. In December 2012, the initiative saw a 49 percent increase in the channel's audience. This year, the formula that proved so irresistible to so many is being reapplied — a combination of classics and new international films, never-before-seen in Australia. In the words of the organisers, "We've scoured the darkest and dirtiest corners of the cinematic world for a line-up of the sexiest premiere films." Pretty much every fantasy or fetish gets a look-in, from swingers' parties to alien abduction. Here's our top 5. Young and Wild (Chile, 2012) When: Friday, 13 December 2013 (Australian television premiere) & Wednesday, 15 January 2014 This playful, raunchy, stylish film centres on 17-year-old Daniela (Alicia Rodriguez), who can't stop thinking about sex. Raised in a strict, wealthy, religious family, she expresses herself through her blog, Young and Wild, where she records her most outrageous desires and experiences. Call Girl (Sweden, 2012) When: Wednesday, 18 December 2013 (Australian television premiere) Inspired by true events involving Swedish politicians and prostitutes, this crime film is one of the more serious items on the Summer of Sin menu. A teenage girl's entry into prostitution exposes widespread hypocrisy at governmental level. Intimacy (France, 2000) When: Thursday, 26 December 2013 (Australian television premiere) & Saturday 18 January Every Wednesday afternoon, Jay (Mark Rylance), a failed-musician-turned-bar-tender, meets a woman (Kerry Fox) for brief, rough, wordless sex. One day he follows her home and discovers more than he bargained for. Kiss Me (With Every Heartbeat) (Sweden, 2011) When: Wednesday, 8 January 2014 Mia has always lived a straight life, and is about to enter an engagement with her partner, Tim, when she falls in love with her stepmother's gay daughter, Frida. An irrepressible mutual attraction develops between the two women, leading to a sensual affair. Elles (France, 2011) When: Friday, 31 January 2014 (Australian television premiere) Obsessive, middle-aged, unhappily married journalist, Anne (Juliette Binoche), receives an assignment that carries her into the risky yet seductive world of Parisian student prostitution. She gets to know two independent young women whose erotic adventures carry them into dangerous and unpredictable territory. Read our review here.
It has been more than six months since the Australian Government introduced an effective ban on international travel in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 within the country. And, over that time, there has been plenty of speculation about when jetting overseas might resume — including predictions that the entire global travel industry mightn't return to normal until 2023, and that Australia's borders could remain closed until 2021. When it comes to Australia's prolonged border closure, an exception has been floated, however. Receiving ample chatter over the past few months is the concept of a travel bubble with New Zealand — which would allow international travel between the two countries, even as they potentially remain closed to other nations. Back in June, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham noted that it was under consideration. Now, in a new media appearance on Sunday, September 27, he has said that it could possibly be implemented by the end of the year. Speaking on ABC News, Senator Birmingham advised that he hoped Australia's border would open back up to NZ by the time 2020 was out. "That would just be a great step, and it would prove the work that is being done to make sure this can be done, again, in a safe way — that travellers between Australia and New Zealand can be given corridors and clearances through our international airports without coming into contact with higher-risk travellers who might be returning from other parts of the region and still have to go through quarantine". Of course, this isn't just a decision that Australia can make on its own, as the Minister also noted. "We're making sure we have all the work done, all the preparations there, so that we can safely achieve that bubble with New Zealand. It's up to them as to whether they choose to open up to Australia, but we're certainly making sure that we're prepared and I'm hopeful that could be this year and then maybe set a model for us to look at for any other countries that meet similar high standards." Today, on Monday, September 28, the ABC reports that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also weighed in on the topic — and also mentioned the end of the year. On broadcaster TVNZ, she noted that it might be possible on a state-by-state basis before Christmas. As Brisbane Times reports, that travel might only be one-way, though, with New Zealanders able to come to Australia only. As 2020 has reminded us all over and over again, much can change very quickly during a pandemic — so whether Aussies will be able to head to NZ before the year is out is obviously still yet to be seen. But, if you've been dreaming of leaving the country the moment that any international holidays are permitted again, this might be the ray of hope that you need right now. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. For further information about Australia's current international travel ban, head to the Smart Traveller website.
If the idea of sampling a range of gins from around the world appeals to you, you'd best be planning a trip to Covent Garden sharpish. Drawing on its London namesake for inspiration, the venue is nestled on Boundary Street in West End and is a stunning spot for a first date, a third date, a relaxed Sunday lunch, or late night supper and cocktails. The space positively blooms with beautiful artwork and furniture and there's a fairly stunning backbar just crying out to sit at. Grab a seat, order your first cocktail and then set about the serious business of choosing what you're going to eat. The menu really is best when it's shared, because you can try more of everything. A plate of zucchini fritters ($12) are dressed ever so simply with yoghurt and lemon, allowing the freshness of the zucchini to shine. There's a mezze plate with olives, smoky baba ghanoush, feta, pickles and breads ($17/$32) perfect to graze on pre-dinner, and why not grab a plate of fried squid ($14) for a bit of crispy deliciousness with your drinks? For more serious dinner fare there's seared wagyu ($38) or perhaps pork cheeks with sherry and nashi pear ($22). Helpful staff are only too happy to recommend a drink to suit your food, or some food to suit your drink, and if you simply can't decide on what to get just order the feasting table ($39 per person) which will satisfy everyone. The wine list is restrained but perfectly sufficient, while the cocktail list has to be experienced first hand. Plus, in a delightfully fun twist, you can get high tea ($45 pp) at Covent Garden until 6pm every day with a pitcher of Covent Garden G&Tea and an assortment of sweet and savoury delights. Sounds like Saturday afternoon drinks just got a whole lot fancier. Images: Anwyn Howarth
Like beer? Like monsters? Like your brews named after creepy critters, with bottle, can and label artwork to match? Horror-loving drinkers, there's never been a better time to pair your beverages with your fondness for all things scary — but from 12pm on Saturday, October 22 will be even better than usual thanks to Netherworld's Monster Menagerie Beer Festival. The returning event will bring together eight yeasty tipples, strange creatures and stellar collaborations, all for a day of boozing fun. And if you're wondering why it takes place in October, just think about it for a second. 'Tis the month of Halloween, after all. Everyone from Aether Brewing Co and Kaiju to Black Flag to Happy Valley will be involved, with Netherworld serving up orange miso lagers, cherry blossom sours, cumquat yuzu pilsners and more. Tickets cost $35, which include a tasting paddle featuring each and every one of these beastly beers, as well as a limited edition enamel pin and five game tokens. Top image: Cole Bennetts.
In A Real Pain, as two cousins make a pilgrimage to walk in their dearly departed grandmother's shoes, the concept of alternative possible lives arises. Jesse Eisenberg's second film as a writer/director after 2022's When You Finish Saving the World doesn't hop between timelines science fiction-style; rather, when different pasts or futures come up, it follows a relatable Sliding Doors-esque train of thought about the events and decisions that've shaped David (played by Eisenberg) and Benji Kaplan's (Kieran Culkin, Succession) existences. They're in Poland, where their Grandma Dory grew up, and where they might've too if the Holocaust hadn't occurred. On their guided tour, Benji muses with David about their parallel-universe selves, where they're Polish with beards and everything that they've ever known is completely different. A Real Pain itself is the product of a comparable journey; it could've been a different movie and, originally, it was meant to be. Eisenberg was endeavouring to bring another project to the screen, adapting a short story that he'd penned for Tablet magazine. It was about two friends, not cousins, and instead of Poland they were travelling to Mongolia together. But the Oscar-nominated The Social Network actor, not to mention star of everything from the Zombieland and Now You See Me movies through to TV's Fleishman Is in Trouble, had himself been to Poland. He'd paid tribute to his own family history, visiting the house that his aunt Doris had lived in. He'd also been inspired by that trip to write 2013's off-Broadway play The Revisionist, about a young American man with an older Polish cousin who had survived the Second World War. An ad for "Auschwitz tours, with lunch", which Eisenberg randomly spotted online, helped him pull together influences from all of the above — the screenwriting task that he'd actually set himself, his prior play, his personal experiences and history — into A Real Pain. Audiences should be grateful that it did. Awards bodies have been so far, including via four Golden Globe nominations (for Best Film — Musical or Comedy, Best Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy for Eisenberg, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for Culkin, and Best Screenplay — Motion Picture, again for Eisenberg), plus love from the Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. At Sundance, where A Real Pain premiered, the dramedy took home a screenwriting accolade. Eisenberg isn't just filtering elements of his family's past into the movie, or recreating a trip that he took with his now-wife two decades back. As he did with the Julianne Moore (May December)- and Finn Wolfhard (Saturday Night)-starring When You Finish Saving the World, he's also tapping into his own IRL anxieties. What he's digging into is right there in A Real Pain's name. As he tells Concrete Playground, "I'm trying to examine and ask the question that I ask myself every day: is my pain valid?". When there's such bigger struggles, troubles and atrocities haunting the world beyond the everyday woes of a person with a largely comfortable life, how can someone feel angst and hurt while also confronted with the bigger picture? In A Real Pain, David and Benji were born mere weeks apart and were almost inseparable as kids, and now make a chalk-and-cheese pair — as is immediately evident while the former leaves a series of messages about meeting up at the airport, where the latter has already been contentedly for hours — but both have their own tussles. In their interactions one on one and with others, one is a ball of tension and apprehension, while the other is laidback and charming. (Based on casting, it's easy to pick which is which before even watching, although Eisenberg initially planned to play Benji.) Where David has also settled into adulthood while grappling with his stresses, however, Benji is in a state of arrested development. Their grandmother's passing hasn't helped. At a pivotal moment, chatting over dinner with the pair's tour group — which includes Will Sharpe (The White Lotus) as their guide, plus Jennifer Grey (Dollface), Kurt Egyiawan (The Agency), Liza Sadovy (A Small Light) and Daniel Oreskes (Only Murders in the Building) as fellow travellers — while Benji is in the bathroom, David unburdens his feelings in a powerful torrent. "I love him and I hate him and I want to kill him and I want to be him," he notes, getting to the heart of the cousins' complicated relationship. Earlier, they'd been at Lublin's Old Jewish Cemetery. The next day, they'll visit the Majdanek concentration camp. A Real Pain sees its titular emotion in micro and macro, then, and knows how awkwardly that the two clash. Just as with questioning the legitimacy of routine trials versus all of the worse things in the world, Eisenberg drew that crucial monologue from his own emotions and experiences. "It's also the most-personal part of the movie — and this is a movie that is very personal," he told us. We also chatted with the Rodger Dodger, The Squid and the Whale, Adventureland, The Double, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Vivarium and Sasquatch Sunset star about how A Real Pain came together, working with Culkin — including Emma Stone's advice as one of the film's producers that he shouldn't play Benji himself — and what he makes of his career 25 years after his screen debut in TV series Get Real. On What Keeps Drawing Eisenberg to the Question of 'What Pain Is Valid?' as a Writer/Director, First in When You Finish Saving the World and Now in A Real Pain "I've been in the arts since I'm a kid, and I married somebody who works in social justice. And so anytime time I feel I'm doing well or something, I'm reminded that my wife is maybe working with people in more immediate need than I am. And my mother-in-law ran a domestic violence shelter for 35 years, and was unimpressed that her daughter had been married to somebody in movies. So in that first movie, Julianne Moore plays a woman who runs a domestic violence shelter, and she's kind of unimpressed with her kid, who's her family, not doing anything of social value according to her. And then in A Real Pain, the characters are experiencing this very personal pain. My character has OCD, but medicates it away. And my cousin's character has very dark, dark demons inside of him, but it's on an individual level. And so I thought it would be interesting to put these guys against the backdrop of real historical global objective trauma, like the Holocaust. Because in both movies I'm trying to examine and ask the question that I ask myself every day: is my pain valid? I live in a comfortable apartment with a nice wife and kid, and work, I have a nice job. But yet I still feel miserable all day. And why do I have those feelings? So both movies are exploring that exact question. Questions of privilege versus pain — questions about how is it possible that we could feel bad for ourselves when there are so many worse things in the world? In the case of the first movie, it's about domestic violence, and in the case of this movie, it's the Holocaust. And that's just my preoccupation, which just comes from a very self-centred question of 'why do I deserve to feel self-pity?'. On A Real Pain Coming Together From First Trying to Write a Different Film, Then Seeing an Online Ad for Auschwitz Tours "with Lunch", and Also a Past Off-Broadway Play, Plus Eisenberg's Own Personal History and Trip to Poland "It's funny, my friend and I, he's a writer too, we write next to each other at the library every day, and he always says 'once you're on the downslope of the script, you know it's going well'. 'The downslope' in our lingo is basically just once you get past the point of setting everything up and the things are in motion and everything feels right, kind of resolving everything or maybe it's not resolving anything, but that downslope to the end is really smooth. So the last ten pages of this movie, I wrote, I think, in like five minutes, because my wife was texting me I'm going to be late to pick up my kid, and I was like 'I know, but I know the ending, I just have to..'. [caption id="attachment_985500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Agata Grzybowska. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.[/caption] So I just wrote it really quickly and all this great stuff came out about me hitting him in the airport, and then this just sad ending of me going home to my family and him stuck at the airport, and it just happened because everything had been set up. And it was in my mind, as you mentioned, throughout several other plays and short stories and stuff, and a real trip with my wife. So once I was at that point, where the dominoes were all falling, I knew, 'oh, this is a story that feels complete'. And then I sent it to my parents and they had no idea what they were reading, because I sent it to them, I don't write in screenwriting programs, so I sent them an e-mail with no names above the characters. Anyway, they said 'this is terrible, what did you what did you do?'. And then I made it more official." [caption id="attachment_985499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On What Eisenberg Was Excited About with Working with Kieran Culkin — and Casting Him in a Role That He Was First Planning to Play Himself "I was originally thinking I would play the role of Benji. And our producer is Emma Stone, and she is obviously a very successful producer/actress, and she told me just it would not be a good idea to play a character like that, who's so kind of unhinged and spontaneous, while also trying to direct the movie where I had to be in my other side of my brain of managing a crew. So once I decided I wasn't going to play that role and I was thinking about who could play it, the only person that seemed to me — it's strange, because he's not a Jewish actor — but the only person that seemed to me of my ilk is Kieran. [caption id="attachment_985496" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for The Walt Disney Company Limited[/caption] I don't know what it is, that we're both from New York and speak in this kind of way, and have an energy about us that is similar, but I needed somebody similar and different to me. And Kieran is like me in so many ways and then completely the opposite of me in so many ways. He doesn't feel anxiety about acting. He doesn't think about it. He just wants to get to the set and to just perform. He doesn't want to talk. He does want to analyse it. He doesn't even sleep the night before, and he never wants to rehearse. And he's just comfortable in his own skin. He's now winning, like today, he just won two major awards for the role. I think he doesn't even care. I sent him a congratulations message. He's never going to get back to me. He just takes care of his kids and doesn't care about ambition, fame, success, any money, anything. He lives a really unusual life and it's exactly what I needed for the character. So what we were experiencing on set as colleagues was quite similar to what they're experiencing on set in character." On Capturing the Relatable Dynamic of Loving Someone But Also Hating Them in a Powerful Monologue — and How Pivotal That Moment Was for Eisenberg "Oh, very strangely pivotal in the sense that I was so conscious of the fact that I, as the writer/director, have a monologue in the movie. And I was so panicked about filming it, because I thought I would screw it up, and then I thought 'I don't want the other cast to be sitting there all day while I do this shot of myself'. So the cinematographer and the producer Ali Herting [I Saw the TV Glow, The Curse] basically forced me into doing this long shot that pushes in. We did one take and I was too embarrassed to do it again, because it just seemed indulgent. It's the only take we got. And because I knew I only wanted to one take, I put all the eggs in the basket of it, and so it was very lived in, so to speak. It's also the most-personal part of the movie — and this is a movie that is very personal. We film the movie at my family's house in Poland and it's about my family's history, and yet the most-personal part of the movie is where I say that stuff. Because I guess what I'm talking about is just the way I've felt in my relationships with other guys growing up, just finding people that I'm in awe of — not just guys, also women and family members and all sorts of people — where I have these dual feelings of wanting to be them and kill them at the same time, and loving them and hating them at the same time. I'm living in the shadow of Benji, but in some ways my life has greater stability than his. In most ways, my life has more stability. And so I understand that I've created the life I want, and yet still every time I'm with him he brings up those childhood feelings of envy." On What Eisenberg Makes of His Path From His Screen Debut in TV Series Get Real 25 Years Ago to Everything That's Come His Way Since, Including Writing and Directing "When I was like 16, I got my first professional acting job, which was acting in this TV show. And I'll never forget the audition, all the executives were there, and I remember I was just trying to be funny in front of them. And I was not thinking of myself as a funny person at that point. I was trying to be funny, and people were laughing, like adults were laughing. And I thought 'oh, that's interesting, I wonder if I'm allowed to just be funny the way I want to be funny — it can translate'. I didn't have to be funny like Adam Sandler or something. I could just be funny like myself. So that TV show allowed me to explore, let's say, my own voice as an actor. So that was a really, really lucky experience that no one watched. And since then, I've been very lucky to play roles where I can bring myself to it or bring my own sensibility to certain things, especially in a movie like A Real Pain, which is like my story, and I'm always surprised that anybody likes it. Because when you think of something that's your own, and that's private or artful or creative or something that's funny in your head, you never expect to have any kind of public reaction. But now I've found myself in this very weird position where I get to write stuff and can produce it, and it just feels quite strange because it all still feels very personal." A Real Pain opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 26, 2024. Images: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.
Traditionally, Albury hasn't made many a traveller's bucket list. Drivers tend to whizz past on their way to quainter spots, like the gold rush town of Beechworth or the alpine village of Bright. But, over the past couple of years, this 45,000-person city on the northern banks of the Murray River has transformed itself into a destination. There's a blockbuster-capacity gallery, a sculpture trail, a designer hotel, and a slew of new restaurants, bars and cafes. In between art-ing and eating, you'll find mountain biking and paddling adventures a-plenty. So, next time you're racing along the Hume, stop over for a night — or three. Albury lies 462 kilometres southwest of Sydney and 326 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. Let's get into all things Albury. STAY Stretch your legs after the easy drive and check in to one of Albury's best modern stays. With its oversized industrial light fittings, Scandi-inspired high stools, vintage-style bicycles and open plan, the Atura Hotel's foyer feels more like an inner-city warehouse than a hotel lobby you'd stumble across in Albury. And this is just what Atura, a brand belonging to the AHL Group (which also owns QT, Rydges and Art Series) is going for — more art and better design in regional places. The reception 'pod' flows into the bar, where guests crowd around a retro-inspired pool table. The bar morphs into the Roadhouse Grill, dishing up popcorn prawns, braised lamb shanks and local Gundowring ice cream sundaes by night, and buffet breakfasts from 6.30am. Through the glass back wall, black and white NEMO face chairs look over an arc-shaped pool. Keep an eye out for inflatable pink flamingos around the place and Friesian cattle, who drop by occasionally. [caption id="attachment_563142" align="alignnone" width="1279"] Supplied by Atura[/caption] For excellent views of Albury's motley skyline, ask for an east-facing room on the seventh floor. That said, each of the 140 rooms is decorated with the fun yet sophisticated aesthetic informing the entrance. You'll be napping in a king-sized bed, swinging a cat around in loads of space, cleaning up with Malin + Goetz toiletries in a mural-covered ensuite, sipping free coffee from your own machine and tapping into free wifi. To save some dosh, jump on one of Atura's packages, which top up your stay with gallery tickets, cocktails, movies and more. EAT AND DRINK Make your first stop the River Deck Cafe, open daily for breakfast and lunch, and Thursday to Saturday for dinner. You'll find it right on the Murray, among the leafy plane trees of idyllic Noreuil Park. For years, there was only a kiosk here, but in May 2015, Alex Smit, who's been proprietor since 2011, transformed it into a 120-seater restaurant, bringing in Mauritian-born Ludo Baulacky as head chef. Goat's cheese is turned into dollops of pannacotta, carefully arranged among pickled mushroom, baby beetroot, stonefruit and dukkah. For a light lunch, it's a good match with the herby quinoa salad, which comes with candied walnuts, honey dressing, tomatoes and olives. Among the share plates, there's a Milawa cheese platter and a salmon brushcetta with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and caperberries. If you're looking for a hearty main, try the seared barramundi with cauliflower and dill puree, pickle, clams, soy bean and chicken jus. A map in the menu shows you what produce comes from where — one of the River Deck's local mainstays is Rad Growers, a small farm in Bungowannah, twenty kilometres west of Albury. On the main drag, Green Zebra has been making housemade Italian food for 15 years. You can design your own dish by choosing from the pasta, sauce and ingredients menus. Do not stop yourself from ordering the lemon tart for dessert. On Townsend Street is The Proprietor, a friendly, pendant-lit, checkered-floored cafe, serving Padre coffee from Brunswick, and an all-day menu driven by local suppliers. Go for grilled haloumi and dukkah eggs with hummus, salty lemon, watercress and sourdough, or the mushroom toastie, with cheese spread, haloumi, garlic and green sauce. Another of Albury's outstanding new additions is Boom Boom. Tucked away in AMP Lane, this wine bar and eatery feels like a transplant directly from Melbourne. Owner Matthew Carrington has made sure that every element is on point — from the beautifully-curated, globe-spanning wine list to the impeccably-balanced cocktails to the in-house charcuterie and laidback soundtrack. The star share plate arrives crowded with wagyu bresaola, finocchiona-wrapped caperberries, pancetta, pickled grapes and oyster mushrooms. Unwilling to share? Go for a 'Big Thing', like the ling en papiotte with chilli, lemon, coriander and kipfler medallions, or the scotch fillet with potato rosti and tomato bourbon relish. You can relax in the laneway at a table for two, perch at the bar or take over a communal bench. Another dinner option is the long-standing Border Wine Room. If wine bottles could speak, this place could tell a tale or two — the walls are dotted with empty Grange vessels. The a la carte menu changes monthly, while the six-course tasting menu is revamped fortnightly. Keep an eye out for special events — from French wine tastings to chocolate degustations. DO In late 2015, after a $10.5 million makeover, the Albury Regional Gallery reopened as MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury), with a 14-metre-high curved wall and a visionary director named Jacqui Hemsley, who's passionate about getting people excited and engaged. To that end, MAMA is currently hosting its first blockbuster: Marilyn: Celebrating an American Icon, showing till May 8. Live circus is coming up on April 22 and 23, and, on May 21, the MAMA Art Foundation National Photography Prize, worth $50,000, will move in. The gallery also now has its own modern, casual eatery: Canvas. It's hidden away from the main street, overlooking a quiet, grassy square. Concertina windows allow natural light to stream into the high-ceilinged space, and the menu features luxurious twists on classics. Think coddled egg with truffled mushroom duxelle and brioche soldiers, and duck benedict with house-smoked duck ham, brioche, poached eggs, beurre noisette hollandaise and spinach. Canvas is open daily for brunch and lunch, and Wednesday-Saturday for dinner. Back alongside the Murray, you'll find the five-kilometreYindyamarra Sculpture Walk, stretching between Kremur Street and Wonga Wetlands. It's part of the Wagirra Trail, a work-in-progress that will ultimately consist of 70 kilometres of riverside shared paths. Every sculpture — from the giant-sized Maya Fish Trap by Uncle Tunny, Darren Wighton and Andom Rendell, to Reconciliation Shield by Tamara Murray — was created by local indigenous artists and is a response to the river. Whether you walk or cycle, take your mobile, to access augmented reality at each stop. Despite Albury's sizeable population, wild places are easy to access. To get on the river, hire a canoe from Murray River Canoe Hire, who'll drop you eight or 12 kilometres upstream for an easy one-two hour paddle back to town. Prepare to meet cheeky flocks of white cockatoos, cormorants and white ibises — 350 bird species live along the Murray, which, at 2,700 kilometres, is the third longest navigable river in the world, after the Amazon and the Nile. There's also some cracking mountain biking terrain. And, four years ago, elite biker Indi Boer, who's won 19 international and national titles, set up a coaching school named The Fastline Bikademy. If you're a beginner, sign up for a basic skills lesson and by the end of it, you'll be conquering scary dips and powering around corners. Experienced? She'll spend hours helping you to refine your skills, so you can take on tougher rides with more skill and strength. If you're looking for an excuse to head to Albury sooner rather than later, the annual Gold Cup is coming up on March 17 and 18. With more than 15,000 people expected to attend, it's the most popular country race in NSW — and an official public holiday for Albury residents. There'll be live music, craft beers and pop-up stalls peddling local produce. LET'S DO THIS; GIVE ME THE DETAILS By car: Albury is about six hours drive southwest of Sydney, and about three-and-a-half hours' drive northwest of Melbourne. By train: The XPT takes seven-and-a-half hours to reach Albury from Sydney, and three hours and twenty minutes from Melbourne. By plane: QANTAS, Virgin Australia and REX all fly the 80-minute route between Albury and Sydney. REX flies between Melbourne and Albury, taking about an hour. Jasmine Crittenden travelled as a guest of Destination NSW. Images: Peter Saw (unless otherwise specified).
Three days after environmental advocates glued themselves to a pedestrian crossing in Queen Street, the CBD will weather another outcry against Queensland's just-approved Adani coal mine. Come 5pm today, Friday, June 21, a march will head from the top of Queen Street Mall over to South Brisbane, to protest the controversial facility. Led by Uni Students for Climate Justice and Movement Against Destruction, the We Do Not Approve: Stop Adani! rally will leave from Brisbane Square on George Street, travel over the Victoria Bridge and end at the ABC's Brisbane headquarters on Grey Street at South Bank. According to the protest's Facebook page, it's expected to run for two hours until 7pm — which means Brisbane peak-hour traffic will be affected. Whether you're a CBD worker looking forward to quitting time, need to travel through the city on your way home or have plans to head out tonight, you might want to adjust your schedule as a result. Brisbane City Council advises that road closures are likely, including on George, Adelaide and William streets in the city, along North Quay, over the Victoria Bridge and down through Grey Street. Translink also notes that delays and changes to public transport are possible, with the 555 bus already being diverted to miss some CBD stops both inbound and outbound. https://twitter.com/MoveAgainst/status/1141311094826213377 At the time of writing, more than 1200 people have RSVPed to attend the Brisbane event. Simultaneous protests will also be held in Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide. If you're wondering about the march's route, organisers are hoping that the national broadcaster will air the protest live, giving the rally — and the widespread unhappiness about the government's decision to support the Adani project — a bigger platform. For public transport and traffic updates throughout the afternoon and evening, keep an eye Qld Traffic Metro and Translink's twitter feeds, as well as Brisbane City Council's Facebook page. Image: Victoria Bridge, John via Flickr.
Brisbanites, heading to Tokyo just got cheaper, whether it's your first trip or you're planning a return visit to the Japanese capital. Jetstar is rolling out its latest route from Tuesday, October 31, launching a Brisbane–Narita service — its first direct to Tokyo from the River City. The budget airline first announced the news midyear, and now launch day has arrived. On Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the carrier will run five return flights a week from Brissie to the home of Tokyo Tower, the Studio Ghibli theme park, TeamLab's digital gallery and more. From December, that'll increase to daily services. The move makes Jetstar the first low-cost airline to connect the two cities, and sees Jetstar stop flying from the Gold Coast to Narita — with its last service making the trip on Sunday, October 29 — to focus on the Brisbane route instead. Start making holiday plans, then — and not just to Tokyo. Also soon to launch: new international routes direct from Brisbane to Osaka and Seoul, with the trio of legs expected to see Jetstar will cater for more than 480,000 new seats each year out of the Queensland capital. For folks keen on cherry blossoms in Osaka, the carrier will boast four return legs a week from Brisbane from Friday, February 2, 2024. The new Seoul flights will take off the day prior, on Thursday, February 1, 2024, with three return services weekly. Jetstar is still flying to Japan from Cairns as well. Its extra services out of Brissie stem from a partnership with Brisbane Airport, with support from Queensland's Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF), which is joint Government and airport initiative to help kick the state's visitor economy back into gear. Cost-wise, one-way fares currently start at $425 to Tokyo, $363 to Osaka and $329 to Seoul. Jetstar's new international routes to Tokyo from Brisbane start flying from Tuesday, October 31, 2023 — with Osaka and Seoul routes beginning in February 2024. Head to the airline's website for tickets and further details. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If the past few years have you craving something more than the usual — something outside of your house, for starters, and events that don't just feel like the same old thing again and again, too — then prepare to spend some time in a secret Somerset region location. You'll be heading to Jimna, which is where Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival will unleash its 2022 program. Yes, one of southeast Queensland's favourite smaller, more specialised, boutique, curated fests is returning. Since 2014 — with pandemic delays, like all events — Jungle Love has been a smorgasbord of creative activities. Instead of ridiculous queues and heaving crowds clamouring for space in an ordinary city showground, here you'll find a laidback vibe, a campground surrounded by luscious greenery, and the chance to go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. Oh, and did we mention that it's a BYO festival as well (though no glass is allowed)? This year's event will take place between Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. If you've been in previous years, the fest is heading to a new site in 2022, so get excited. Camping is included in the price, and you can level up to glamping packages — in bell tents that sleep up to five people — as well. And, in terms of what you'll be enjoying while you're there, the lineup includes visual arts displays, cabaret, circus, comedy, poetry slams, knocking back those BYO beverages and plenty of tunes. JUNGLE LOVE MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL LINEUP 2022: AYA J Battlesnake Boing Boing Boom Boom Bean Selecta Bud Rokesky Budjerah CityPiss Cloe Terare Dizzy Doolan DJONN Fem Fale Flamingo Blonde Full Flower Moon Band Great Sage Hope D Ivey JB Paterson Jem Cassar-Daley K+Lab Kid Heron King Stingray Koa Lastlings The Lachy Doley Group The Lazy Eyes Life On Earth Lucinda R. Matthew Graham Menajerie mou Mr. Maps Nicole McKinney Nonsemble Pink Matter Pirra Radium Dolls Rhythm Hunters Sahara Beck SCARES Shugorei Tessa Devine Thunder Fox Tjaka Torpid Vetta Borne Images: Bajj Holloway, Liav Shalev, Kyle Golly and Jackson Grice . Updated August 29, 2022.
