Name a movie made in the 90s, any movie, and odds are that it already has or is about to get a 2020s remake or sequel. Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Interview with the Vampire, A League of Their Own — they're just a handful of recent examples from a list that keeps growing. Indeed, within months, they'll be joined by the initially Woody Harrelson- and Wesley Snipes-starring basketball flick White Men Can't Jump. This time around, 31 years after the OG film had Harrelson and Snipes bouncing and hustling, Jack Harlow is turning actor to lead the movie. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump circa 2023 shows, the musician is joined by Nanny's Sinqua Walls — and as well as shooting hoots, they're arguing about America's greatest living director. Harlow's character votes for Boogie Nights and Licorice Pizza's Paul Thomas Anderson, while Walls shows BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods' Spike Lee some love. Neither filmmaker helms this do-over, though, with Calmatic doing the honours after also directing a House Party remake — yes, another 90s flick — and stepping behind the lens on a heap of music videos, including winning a Grammy for Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road'. The new White Men Can't Jump's sneak peak so far is more about vibe than story, as soundtracked by Skee-Lo's 1995 track 'I Wish'. So, as Harlow and Walls banter, dribble and pit themselves against whoever will take their bet, the lyrics "I wish I was a baller" echo. Penned by Black-ish's Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, 2023's White Men Can't Jump will head straight to streaming in the US via Hulu on May 19, with Down Under release details yet to be revealed — but given it's a 20th Century Studios production, Disney+ seems its likely destination. If you're new to all things White Men Can't Jump, as well as the street court action it featured a significant Jeopardy!-related storyline. The trailer for the new movie doesn't show any signs of bringing that back, sadly. Check out the first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump below: White Men Can't Jump will be available to stream in the US on May 19 via Hulu — we'll update you with a release date Down Under when one is confirmed.
HBO's Cordyceps infection isn't going anywhere soon — not for the seven more weeks that The Last of Us' first video game-to-TV season has left to air, and not for a further season after that either. In excellent news for fans of the PlayStation title, the Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)- and Bella Ramsey (Catherine Called Birdy)-starring show it has inspired, and both, the US network behind it has officially announced that its first massive hit of 2023 will return for a second season. This development is hardly surprising, but still obviously hugely welcome. When it comes to mashing buttons, the 2013 game also inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. Also, even just two episodes in so far, HBO's version has been attracting viewers faster than any sudden movement attracts zombies. When the series' debut episode aired on Sunday, January 15 in the US and Monday, January 16 Down Under — where it screens and streams via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and on Neon in New Zealand — it became HBO's second largest debut ever. The first? A little show called House of the Dragon in 2022. In America alone, The Last of Us' movie-length first instalment has notched up more than 22 million viewers, while its second episode earned 5.7 million viewers just on one night — more than a million than that premiere chapter, and giving HBO its largest-ever growth from week one to week two of any series it has ever made. In other words, even after leaping to television with a huge gaming fanbase behind it, The Last of Us' popularity is spreading. Given how impressive the HBO series' first season is — how thoughtful, character-based, well-cast, and committed to exploring not just what's happening in its contagion-ravaged dystopian world but why life is worth fighting for — that too is unsurprising. For newcomers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, it's set 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. Alongside Pascal and Ramsey, the series also boasts Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate) as Joel's younger brother and former soldier Tommy, Merle Dandridge (The Flight Attendant) as resistance leader Marlene and Aussie actor Anna Torv (Mindhunter) as smuggler Tess. And, Nico Parker (The Third Day) plays Joel's 14-year old daughter Sarah, Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) and Nick Offerman (The Resort) feature as isolated survivalists Frank and Bill, Storm Reid (Euphoria) pops up as Boston orphan Riley, Jeffrey Pierce (Castle Rock) plays quarantine-zone rebel Perry and Yellowjackets' Melanie Lynskey also guest stars. HBO hasn't announced when season two will arrive, but cross your fingers that it drops early in 2024. Check out the full trailer for The Last of Us below: The Last of Us screens and streams via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and on Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from January's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQamk0b0k8 ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI Pondering the conversations that might've occurred between four pivotal historical figures on one very real evening they spent in each other's company, One Night in Miami boasts the kind of talk-heavy concept that'd clearly work well on the stage. That's where it first began back in 2013 — but adapting theatre pieces for the cinema doesn't always end in success, especially when they primarily involve large swathes of dialogue exchanged in one setting. If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar-winner and Watchmen Emmy-winner Regina King doesn't make a single wrong move here, however. The actor's feature directorial debut proves a film not only of exceptional power and feeling, but of abundant texture and detail as well. It's a movie about people and ideas, including the role the former can play in both bolstering and counteracting the latter, and the Florida-set picture takes as much care with its quartet of protagonists as it does with the matters of race, politics and oppression they talk about. Given the folks involved, there's much to discuss. The film takes place on February 25, 1964, which has become immortalised in history as the night that Cassius Clay (Eli Goree, Riverdale) won his first title fight. Before and after the bout, the future Muhammad Ali hangs out with his equally important pals — activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir, High Fidelity), footballer Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge, The Invisible Man) and musician Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr, Hamilton) — with this equally meticulous and moving certain future Oscar-nominee ficitionalising their time together. One Night in Miami is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga0iTWXCGa0 LUPIN Few actors are as charming on-screen as Omar Sy. Ever since the French talent started making a big-screen splash in films such as Micmacs and The Intouchables, he has been a delight to watch. Consequently, the Mood Indigo, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Jurassic World star couldn't be better cast in Lupin — the Paris-set mystery-thriller series inspired by Maurice Leblanc's 1907–36 novels and novellas about the fictional gentleman thief of the same name. Sy plays Assane Diop, who is first introduced as a cleaner working at the Louvre. In flashbacks to recent events and to the character's childhood, viewers learn just why he's at the famous museum, and what has inspired his life of crime as well. The son of a Senegalese immigrant (Fargass Assandé, Eye of the Storm) who once worked for the wealthy Pellegrini family, Assane has a complicated history, plus a mystery to solve, Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace to steal and vengeance to exact. Each chapter of his on-screen tale is slick, engrossing and swiftly-paced, as all heist and espionage affairs should be. Based on his engaging performance, they should probably all star Sy, too. Also influential here, though, is filmmaker Louis Leterrier. His resume has more misses than hits, spanning the first two Transporter movies, The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans, Now You See Me and Grimsby, but he brings a deft touch to this series — as he did to the vastly dissimilar The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Lupin's first five episodes — which comprise the first of the series' two parts — are available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uC7_PFQgCc THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC Remaking the 1981 film of the same name, Indonesian horror movie The Queen of Black Magic takes three men back to the remote orphanage they grew up in. Naturally given the setup and the genre, more than just memories await. Friends Hanif (Ario Bayu, The Bridge), Anton (Tanta Ginting, Hit & Run) and Jefri (Miller Khan, Foxtrot Six) all return to pay their respects to the man who raised them, the ailing Mr Bani (Yayu AW Unru, Brata), and they've each brought their families and spouses along — but when they arrive at the facility, there's no mistaking the eerie feeling that permeates. Hanif, his wife Nadya (Hannah Al Rashid, The Night Comes for Us) and their three children are already a little rattled after an incident during their drive. Soon, the kids are exploring the property and unearthing secrets that have long haunted their father and his pals. Just as swiftly, filmmaker Kimo Stamboel demonstrates that he isn't going to hold back on the bumps, jumps or gore, although fans of his work as part of the Mo Brothers — including Macabre, Killers and Headshot — won't be surprised by his unflinching approach. The writer/director of Satan's Slaves and Impetigore, screenwriter Joko Anwar also helps shape a picture that leans on more than a few horror tropes, but never feels like a by-the-numbers haunted house movie. And, if you'd like to compare it to the original, that's joining this new version on Shudder as well (with the current flick available now, and the initial film arriving on the platform in February). The Queen of Black Magic is available to stream via Shudder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqT77bdfEaA HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY: THE REN & STIMPY STORY When August 2021 rolls around, it'll mark 30 years since a psychotic chihuahua and a kindly cat first brought their chaos to the small screen and changed the way people think about Nickelodeon's animated shows. At the time, there was simply nothing like The Ren & Stimpy Show — and that applies to its dark humour, willingness to shock and often grotesquely detailed visuals, as well as its characters, storylines and jokes. The 52-episode show also proved immensely influential. Without it, SpongeBob SquarePants probably wouldn't exist, in fact. But the history of Ren & Stimpy is filled with both highs and lows, as documentary Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story explores. More than just a nostalgic look back, this chronicle by first-time directors Ron Cicero and Kimo Easterwood covers the series' origins, evolution and success, as well as its behind-the-scenes struggles and eventual demise. It chats with the folks who made it happen to examine why it struck such a chord, and to also make plain the reality of making such a hit. And, it doesn't shy away from the accusations levelled at John Kricfalusi, Ren & Stimpy's creator and the voice of Ren, including not only the difficult working environment that sprang under his watch, but the allegations of sexual abuse and grooming that came to light in 2018. Indeed, the latter could fuel its documentary, but here it adds another layer to the tale of a TV show unlike anything else, and the ego that both made it happen and caused its downfall. Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story is available to stream via Docplay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XByiHpUvrj0 THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS Listening to Nicolas Cage utter profanity is a beautiful thing. Witnessing him on-screen always earns that description, of course. Whether he's running maniacally through the streets because his character is convinced he's a vampire, or he's flirting with subtlety while also playing identical siblings, he's a pleasure to behold — which is why Netflix's decision to task cinema's undeniable king of the unhinged with hosting The History of Swear Words is a smart moves. He opens and closes each episode, and pops up intermittently as an array of comedians and language experts offer their thoughts. He doesn't appear as often everyone watching would like, but he's the comedy series' best feature. He screams "fuck" like no one else, makes jokes about his career, and paints in front of a picture of a peach that nods to Face/Off and one of the most outlandish scenes he's ever been in, too. Without him, The History of Swear Words would've been interesting, rather than entertaining. The fact that it sticks to a very brief exploration of its selected curse words (fuck, shit, bitch, dick, pussy and damn) would've been more obvious. But Cage makes the show as delightful as it can be in its chosen form, even as viewers are left wanting more not only from him, but from the series' examination of profane terms. Of course, deploying The Wire and Da 5 Bloods' Isiah Whitlock Jr. on one specific episode is a pitch-perfect move as well. The first season of The History of Swear Words is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiTFFr5PTJk BUMP Thanks to The Secret Life of Us, Love My Way, Spirited, Puberty Blues and The Time of Our Lives, Australian TV hasn't lacked Claudia Karvan's presence over the past two decades. Bump joins them, with Karvan co-creating, co-producing and also co-starring as schoolteacher Angie Davis. The narrative focuses on Angie's teenage daughter Oly (Nathalie Morris, Black Christmas), though. An overachiever attacking Year 11 with gusto and dreaming of a career working for the United Nations, Oly isn't sure what's going on when she starts feeling pangs of pain one morning; however, after throwing up in the school toilets and being taken to hospital via ambulance, she's soon a mother to the baby she didn't even know she was expecting. That all happens in Bump's first episode, with the Stan series' ten-part first season then charting the aftermath — including the massive changes to Oly's life, to Angie and her estranged husband Dom's (Angus Sampson, No Activity), and to Oly's brooding classmate Santi Hernandez's (Carlos Sanson, Little Monsters) as well. Set in Sydney's inner west, filled with characters who actually act and talk like teens, and offering a refreshingly multicultural view of Australia, Bump finds time for both big and small moments. It doesn't shy away from melodramatic plot developments, but it's also filled with complex, well-written and excellently performed characters, Oly and Angie especially. And, it'll fill the Heartbreak High-sized hole in your life before the new version hits. Karvan did star in The Heartbreak Kid, the movie that series was spun off from, after all. The first season of Bump is available to stream via Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdcTUMGxB0 THE RENTAL If you've ever felt a little unsettled upon checking into a holiday property, Dave Franco and Joe Swanberg understand. The Bad Neighbours, Nerve and The Disaster Artist actor turns filmmaker for the first time with The Rental, co-writing the script with Drinking Buddies, Win It All and Easy director Swanberg — and the horror-thriller that results preys upon the uneasy suspicion that we could be under surveillance when we pay to stay in someone else's house. Charlie (Dan Stevens, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga), his wife Michelle (Alison Brie, Happiest Season), his brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless), and his business parter and Josh's girlfriend Mina (Sheila Vand, Snowpiercer) all decide to head to a picturesque seaside spot for a weekend getaway. Searching online, they find what seems like the perfect place; however, upon arrival, Mina is quickly creeped out by Taylor (Toby Huss, Halloween), the house's caretaker. The vacation goes downhill from there, not only due to Mina's lingering anxiety about their remote abode, but because the two couples' underlying struggles are thrust out into the open. Unpacking the situation, Franco doesn't always find the best balance between the narrative's horror story and its relationship dramas, but he could've focused the film on either element and it still would've proven engaging. The excellent cast help immensely, and so does the commitment all-round to ensuring this isn't just a cookie-cutter cabin-in-the-woods effort. The Rental is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBhlqe2OTt4&t=19s WANDAVISION From Iron Man to Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has notched up 23 big-screen instalments in its 13 years so far, firmly establishing a franchise template in the process. The characters in the spotlight change from film to film, but a clear formula is at work — which is why the mould-breaking goofiness of the Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy movies (Thor: Ragnarok especially) has stood out. New Disney+ series WandaVision also sits apart from the crowd. It's Marvel's biggest swing so far, in fact. It's also the company's first TV show from a hefty upcoming roster of series about characters already established in the MCU (including Loki, Falcon, the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye), and it relies upon viewers knowing Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, Sorry for Your Loss) and Vision's (Paul Bettany, Solo: A Star Wars Story) history; however, its eagerness to do something different is worth applauding. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, it follows its titular couple in their home life. Just how it's able to do that given details already established in the MCU is one of its mysteries. So is the reason behind its approach, with the show aping classic sitcoms such as Leave It to Beaver, Bewitched and The Brady Bunch, as well as the involvement of Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, If Beale Street Could Talk), daughter of Captain Marvel's Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau. So far, WandaVision doesn't always hit its marks — in fact, despite Olsen, Bettany and Kathryn Hahn's (I Know This Much Is True) comic performances, it can be inescapably clunky — but it keeps its audience not only intrigued and invested, but guessing. The first four episodes of WandaVision's first season are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes releasing each Friday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGq5rZi1Pc SERVANT In its first season, which debuted in 2019, psychological horror series Servant introduced a distinctively disquieting scenario. Philadelphia newsreader Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under) and her chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot) hire teenage nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Game of Thrones) to move in and care for their baby son Jericho — but she's really looking after a doll that Sean has been using to replace the infant, after the boy died at 13 weeks old and Dorothy couldn't cope. That's just Servant's setup, too. Initially, it gets its tension from the efforts by Sean, Leanne and Dorothy's brother Julian (Harry Potter's Rupert Grint) to maintain their ruse, and it makes ample use of the concept. Then Leanne's past comes into play, and the show shifts in different narrative directions while also maintaining its focus on grief, secrets, unhealthy family bonds and the way that darkness can fester in close quarters. M Night Shyamalan is the show's executive producer and has directed multiple episodes, but the series takes far more time to explore its creepy tale — and its sprawling claustrophobic brownstone setting — than Shyamalan's twist-heavy features. Servant's just-started second season picks up where it first left off and continues in the same engrossing fashion, all while investigating mysteries old and new. Its first two episodes also benefit from the work of Raw filmmaker Julia Ducournau behind the lens, while Ishana Night Shyamalan keeps things in the family by following her dad into the director's chair on a couple of episodes as well. The first three episodes of Servant's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing each Friday. CULT CLASSICS TO REVISIT AND REDISCOVER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHjOfgMstE DINOSAURS Sometimes, sitcoms about families unfurl their tales via animation, as seen in everything from The Flintstones and The Jetsons to The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers. More frequently, they fall into the live-action category, which the likes of Family Ties, Full House, Fresh Off the Boat and Modern Family can all attest. But only one family-focused TV sitcom in the television history has focused on animatronic dinosaurs. That'd be Dinosaurs, of course. The big early-90s hit is set 60,000,003 years BCE, when earth was home to the supercontinent Pangaea, and it follows the day-to-day lives of the Sinclair family. Patriarch Earl works as a tree pusher for the Wesayso Corporation, which gives you an idea of the show's satirical leanings. His youngest son Baby spouts catchphrases like "not the mama" and "I'm the baby, gotta love me", which is indicative of the series' broad humour and easy gags. The whole concept was conceived by Jim Henson, his company also produced it, and it was as kooky when it first hit screens as it now sounds. It's also a show that everyone who was a kid in the 90s has strong memories of, and it has quite the finale. And, although your much-younger self couldn't have known all that time ago, Dinosaurs also sees Jessica Walter voice one of her many TV matriarchs — before fellow family-focused sitcom Arrested Development and spy spoof Archer, that is. All four seasons of Dinosaurs are available to stream via Disney+. Images: The History of Swear Words, Adam Rose/Netflix; Lupin, Emmanuel Guimier/Netflix.
Just when you thought Laneway couldn't add much more to its already-heaving lineup, the festival addition has added a brand new 'street party' into the mix that'll recreate the energy of Laneway's early days. Presented in conjunction with I OH YOU and Red Bull Music, Block Party is set to feature at the Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle editions of the festival, showcasing a banging new lineup in each city. The exact locations of the stages are yet to be announced, though we're told the parties will channel the vibe of the very first Laneway outing that took over Melbourne's Caledonian Lane back in 2004. Which means it'll probably be super crammed. And the lineup's an absolute ripper, pulling together local acts like Sydney-based producer Basenji, hip hop star Jesswar, legendary DJ Andy Garvey, the genre-bending Haiku Hands and dance floor favourite CC:DISCO. Laneway co-founder Danny Rogers says it'll take the festival's offering to a whole new level. "There was such a creative, magic feeling at the original Laneway Festivals. I think it was because of the spontaneity they had," he explained. "I wanted to recreate that same feeling at the 2018 event and this idea just made total sense." Laneway Festival 2018 hits Melbourne on February 3, Sydney on February 4, Brisbane on February 10 and Fremantle on February 11. To buy tickets or to get more information, visit lanewayfestival.com.
Sometimes it seems like most up-and-coming bands gather their inspiration from the same batch of indie artists. If you've grown tired of the monotony, fear not, for some new sounds are coming to Australia soon — Japanese alt sounds, that is. Sonny King of Melbourne rock band Lucy's Crown is eager to show just how great Japanese alternative music can be with Australia's first Japan Music Festival. Featuring bands Jill, 101A, Sparky Quano and Kaimokujisho, King set out to represent the large range of sound that exists in the underground music scene of Japan, from J-Pop to J-Rock. "I was on tour with Lucy's Crown in Tokyo and was astonished just how good the Japanese underground bands were that we played with and thought that Australia should see them," says King. Choosing bands that were enthusiastic about coming to Australia was another big factor in how the acts were chosen. He also took into account how Australian audiences might respond to them. "It was a difficult process because there were so many good bands but we wanted diversity in both music and image and we also needed them to be accessible to the people going to the gigs," says King. Japanese music, especially of the underground variety, is constantly evolving. Yet it still holds onto the roots of the previous musical trend. Bars and clubs that cater to a particular music genre or band are very popular in Tokyo. "There are Ritchie Blackmore bars, Yngwie Malmsteen bars, Jeff Beck bars, clubs and restaurants for The Stones and The Beatles, '60s bars, '70s bars, '80s bars, the list is almost endless," says King. King is optimistic about the future reach of Japanese music in Australia. With the internet becoming such an influential way to get smaller bands heard, it's only a matter of time before musicians from Japan and other similar countries break into international markets. The problem, he says, is the oversaturation now prevalent in the music world. "It's a bit like learning to read and then being taken to a world library and being told to help yourself," says King. "You'd start with what is familiar, Australian, English, American, etcetera. and eventually you'd get around to the Japanese stuff, and that's the same with exploring world music." Though this is only the first Japan Music Festival, King is optimistic about the future. "We already have the foundations in place for next year and are receiving discs from Japanese bands who want to come." With four shows scheduled in three cities, and music and instrument demonstrations happening at select JB Hi-Fi stores, the Japan Music Festival promises music entirely different from the usual festival line-up. For now, King is keeping focused on running a successful first festival. "This is the inaugural event so once it's finished I can sit back, take a look at it with fresh eyes and raise the bar for next year."
Feeling like you need a little more fabulousness in your life? Get set for this summer, when Australia and New Zealand score their very first taste of stand-up from Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness. Emmy Award-nominated television personality, hit podcaster and hairstylist to the stars, the multi-talented Van Ness is bringing his Road to Beijing tour to our corner of the world, hitting Auckland, Christchurch, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in February 2020. Van Ness is perhaps best known for his role in Netflix's new Queer Eye reboot, where he's guru for all things grooming, hair and self-care. He also starred on the popular Emmy Award-nominated Game of Thrones recap series Gay of Thrones, and has a podcast called Getting Curious, which recently took out the iHeart Radio Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast. Outside of all that overachieving, Van Ness is also combining two other passions – figure skating and stand-up comedy – to hilarious effect, for his Road to Beijing stage show. Inspired by a lifelong goal of becoming a figure-skating prodigy in time for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the live show is set to deliver a healthy dose of realness, mixed with plenty of feel-good stand-up. Though it's only his first comedy tour, Road to Beijing has proved a sell-out success, as it hits venues across the UK and the US. [caption id="attachment_671749" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Queer Eye team at Yass in NSW[/caption] ROAD TO BEIJING TOUR 2020 DATES Auckland — The Civic, Sunday, February 16 Christchurch — Town Hall, Tuesday, February 18 Brisbane — BCEC Great Hall, Thursday, February 20 Melbourne — Plenary Theatre, Saturday, February 22 Perth — Riverside Theatre, Tuesday, February 25 Sydney — First State Super Theatre, Friday, February 28 Tickets for Jonathan Van Ness' Road to Beijing tour go on sale at 2pm on Friday, August 2 via TEG Dainty.
It's a question that film festivals face each and every year: how do you kick off? For the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2025, the answer comes courtesy of an award-winner with Australian ties that'll enjoy its Aussie premiere in the Victorian capital. The movie opening the fest on Thursday, August 7: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You starring Rose Byrne (Physical). The dramedy initially debuted at Sundance to significant acclaim, then made its way to the Berlin International Film Festival — and saw Byrne take home that fest's Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. Scoring the opening-night slot at MIFF is no small feat, either, with attendees set to watch its lead portraying Linda, a psychologist struggling with balancing her clients, an ill child and an abyss on her building's roof. [caption id="attachment_1011660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Robertson[/caption] Fellow Aussie Danielle Macdonald (The Last Anniversary) co-stars, as does Conan O'Brien (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Christian Slater (Dexter: Original Sin) and A$AP Rocky (Highest 2 Lowest). Also among the cast: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You's writer/director Mary Bronstein (Yeast). "I am beyond thrilled to be bringing If I Had Legs I'd Kick You to MIFF. That would have been enough, but I am further honoured and gobsmacked to have been selected to open the festival," said the filmmaker. "My film is built around an unprecedented performance by one of the most-talented actors that has ever come out of Australia: Rose Byrne. It is all the more meaningful for me to be able to personally share Rose's soul-shattering work, along with the stunningly raw co-starring performance of fellow Australian Danielle MacDonald, with such celebration and reverence in their home country." "This New Yorker has never been to the other side of the globe before and I can't think of a better way to first experience beautiful Melbourne than through such deep appreciation for not just my film, but cinema in general, as MIFF is known around the world for." [caption id="attachment_1011661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Robertson[/caption] Added MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar, "I'm so thrilled the electrifying If I Had Legs I'd Kick You opens this year's MIFF with some of the most intensely accomplished filmmaking you'll see this year. Urgent, funny, and audacious, we couldn't be prouder that Bronstein's singular vision will set the start to MIFF's 18-day immensity of cinema-going, as we welcome Melbourne audiences back once more to our 300-plus film adventure through the world's imagination." Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 in 2025, and began announcing this year's lineup back in June, ahead of the full program dropping on Thursday, July 10. Other highlights so far include Parasite composer Jung Jae-il coming to Australia to conduct the movie's score live in an Aussie exclusive, Jafar Panahi's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just an Accident, almost-100-year-old masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter performed live, an Australian time-loop comedy involving tequila, a Baker Boy- and Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine)-narrated tribute to David Gulpilil, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind filmmaker Michel Gondry's latest and the world-premiere of natural disaster-focused virtual-reality documentary When the World Came Flooding In. The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, including the full program from Thursday, July 10, visit the MIFF website.
Kangaroo Point's One Fish Two Fish is lapping up the warmer weather with a two-month-long seafood and spritz feast. Eat your way through four courses of the ocean's finest while sipping on bottomless tipples — yep, there's your next leisurely lunch sorted. Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Friday, October 29 right through until Christmas Eve, Fish & Spritz starts as plenty of great seafood meals do: with kingfish ceviche. From there, you'll tuck into an Asian-style crab omelette, then move onto grilled snapper paired with Tuscan salad. The dessert doesn't include seafood — but it will serve up a chocolate gelato trio. Drinks-wise, you'll be able to sip all the spritzes you can across a two-hour period — including watermelon and limoncello flavours. Fish & Spritz runs in two sittings, from 12–2pm and 2.15–4.15pm. Settle in for the whole thing for $99, or stick with the food only for $69.
If getting a double dose of Tom Hardy is the stuff your dreams are made of, then your wishes are about to be fulfilled. In Legend, the man last seen driving vehicles in Locke, Mad Max: Fury Road and London Road transforms into notorious thugs Reggie and Ronnie Kray. And yes, twice the Tom can only be a good thing. Playing the twins who were known for terrorising London in the 1960s, Hardy offers up completely different performances to bring the fearsome duo to life. Reggie was suave and business oriented, particularly when trying to impress the woman, Frances (Emily Browning), he wanted to settle down with. Ronnie was more unpredictable, and though both could be violent, you really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this sibling. Whichever one Hardy is playing, he's impossible to take your eyes off of, which director/director Brian Helgeland — the scribe behind crime dramas LA Confidential and Mystic River — knows how to make the most of. Helgeland also knows how to make the most of his handsome period setting in his engaging addition to the gangster genre. Legend is in cinemas nationally from October 15, and thanks to Studiocanal, we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Dear Concrete Playground Readers, With the growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, we wanted to take a moment to check in. Going out might not be at the top of your to-do list right now, but you can continue to support small, local businesses without leaving your apartment. These businesses have had a tough run of late — battling through the lockout laws in Sydney, the bushfires in regional areas and, now, coronavirus fears — and they need our support now more than ever. Buy from artists who've had their shows cancelled, order gift cards and merch from venues that are struggling or just book in a dinner for that birthday a few months away. Then, when we come out the other side — which we will — we'll be raring to get out there and hit up concerts, food festivals, comedy galas and charity raves once again. And we'll be there with you every step of the way. In the meantime, keep washing your hands — to the chorus of Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts', of course — and get in touch if you have any questions, concerns or just want to chat. Love, CP To stay up-to-date with the events postponed and cancelled in your city, head over here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
No one expects to find good things floating ashore from the East River. Separating mainland Manhattan from New York's outer boroughs, the river is best known for its freezing temperature, its poor hygiene, and its propensity for housing dead bodies. At best, you might find some old fast food refuse; at worst, you become embroiled in a murder trial with the mob. That was until this week when a mysterious grand piano emerged from the water. After being spotted on the Manhattan side of the river, under the Brooklyn Bridge, the piano became an instant hit on social media. New Yorkers showed no hesitation to wade on into the water and give it a spin, and it's basically become a rotating shoot site for Instagram users across the city. Unfortunately (yet understandably) the piano no longer works as it's completely waterlogged. But to focus on that would be to miss the point. If a beautiful grand piano floating mysteriously in the world's nastiest river isn't contemporary art, I quite frankly don't know what is. No details have emerged yet on the piano's origin, and in the absence of anything else we've come up with what we see as the most logical explanation. After a swift fall in album sales and overall relevancy sometime in the last decade, Vanessa Carlton threw her prized piano off the Brooklyn Bridge in a fit of super-human rage and strength. We welcome other theories, but really this is the only thing that fits. Perhaps it's a marketing stunt for her return tour. If that's the case, can we push it back into the tide and forget this whole thing ever happened? Via Gothamist. Lead photo credit: Lauren Yap. Instagram credits: chisophoto and laurenyap.
It's been home to David Lynch's eerie filmscapes, Yayoi Kusama's infinity and obliteration rooms, Gary Carsley's projected jacarandas and Patricia Piccinini's forest of flowers that aren't quite flowers. Soon, it'll welcome a riverbed, a snowman and a suspended installation that visitors can climb through, too. Yes, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art loves an immersive installation — and it has more in store for 2020. Fancy wandering through a labyrinth of red and black wool? That's on next year's agenda. As part of its just-announced 2020 lineup, GOMA revealed it'll host Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles, a showcase focusing on the Berlin-based Japanese artist and her work over the past quarter-century. In an Australian exclusive, the exhibition comes to Brisbane after recently premiering in Tokyo — and while it won't sit 53 storeys up or come with panoramic views of the city, like it did in Japan, Shiota's string-heavy installations are certain to garner more than a little attention. Fashioned from millions of strands, they resemble weaved, maze-like webs and take up entire rooms. The Soul Trembles is the largest-ever solo exhibition by the artist — and although GOMA hasn't revealed just how much of the Tokyo lineup is coming to Brisbane, art lovers can expect an array of sprawling installations, sculptures and video footage of Shiota's performances, as well as photographs and drawings. Highlighting her fascination with intangible concepts, such as memory, anxiety, dreams and silence, the ticketed display will run from June 27–October 5, 2020. [caption id="attachment_750700" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Chiharu Shiota. b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Uncertain Journey (2016/2019). Courtesy: Blain | Southern, London/Berlin/New York. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori. Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.[/caption] After the already-announced Water, which launches this December, The Soul Trembles is the second huge exhibition set to deck GOMA's walls next year — but, as always, there's more to come. In tandem with the Shiota showcase, the gallery will also pay tribute to pioneering Queensland artist Gordon Bennett, hosting the first large-scale display of his work since 2007. And, just a stone's throw away, sibling venue Queensland Art Gallery has two big exhibitions slated for 2020. First, it'll feature a four-month showcase of Mavis Ngallametta's work, highlighting large-scale paintings by the Putch clan Elder. Then, spanning from late 2020 to early 2021, QAG will exhibit an almost five-month survey of documentary photography by acclaimed Queensland-born, Sydney-based photographer William Yang. QAGOMA 2020 PROGRAM: Water at GOMA — December 7, 2019–April 26, 2020. Mavis Ngallametta: Show Me the Way to Go Home at QAG — March 21–August 2, 2020. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles at GOMA — June 27–October 5, 2020. Unfinished Business: The Art of Gordon Bennett at GOMA — June 27–October 5, 2020. William Yang at QAG — September 19, 2020—February 7, 2021. Chiharu Shiota: The Soul Trembles displays at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane from June 27–October 5, 2020. For further details — or to find out more about the gallery's full 2020 slate — visit its website. Top image: Chiharu Shiota b.1972, Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In Silence (2002/2019). Production support: Alcantara S.p.A. Installation view: Shiota Chiharu: The Soul Trembles, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, 2019. Courtesy: Kenji Taki Gallery, Nagoya/Tokyo. Image courtesy: Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photograph: Sunhi Mang.
Ready to hit the open road? If you're looking to add a dose of wacky charm to your next road trip, follow the lead of our readers who've shared some excellent suggestions for offbeat attractions that'll have you chuckling all the way to your destination. From oversized critters to weird sculptures, here's our guide to the lame (but legendary) stops you won't want to miss — as recommended by you — as well as the nearest The Bottle-O so you can stock up on bevs for a winner of a weekend. [caption id="attachment_697951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The Big Merino, Goulburn NSW No surprise, one of Australia's best famed big things is first on our list: the Big Merino in Goulburn, NSW. This colossal concrete ram stands tall and proud, paying homage to Australia's wool industry and is a favourite for our reader Anita: "It's a baa-rilliant photo op you need for your Insta feed." If you're on a road trip from Sydney to Canberra over the long weekend, you've got no excuses not to pull over for a quick photo opp with this absolute unit. And before you park up at your accommodation in Canberra, swing by The Bottle-O to grab some tinnies and snacks to celebrate your arrival. Closest The Bottle-O: Mitchell [caption id="attachment_944023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australia Rock, David Burke[/caption] Australia Rock, Narooma NSW Are you planning a coastal road trip in NSW for an upcoming long weekend? Head to the coastal town of Narooma and you'll come across the iconic Australia Rock, a natural formation that looks a lot like the outline of this fair country. "Australia Rock in Narooma is an excellent road trip attraction," says reader Ned. "There's also loads of seals or seal lions on the rocks below. Perfect spot to stretch your legs when driving down to Bermagui, where I'll be heading this long weekend!" Stop in at The Bottle-O on the way down so you have ice cold brews to enjoy with your epic coastal views. Closest The Bottle-O: Ulladulla [caption id="attachment_944024" align="alignnone" width="1920"] SapiTerbang via Canva[/caption] Jacob's Ladder, Ben Lomond National Park TAS Feeling brave? Love a driving challenge? How about a seriously steep zig-zagging road that makes a dramatic ascent to a plateau? Make your way to Jacob's Ladder in Ben Lomond National Park for some serious adrenaline-pumping action. "Jacob's Ladder is iconic", says reader Greg. "It's well worth the trip from Launceston." Grab a few cold ones from The Bottle-O in Launceston to celebrate your driving victory after you return safely to your accommodation. Cheers to that. Closest The Bottle-O: Launceston Penguin, TAS No, we're not talking about the cute and cuddly kind – we're talking about the town of Penguin in Tasmania. Tassie has a fun habit of naming its towns and villages ridiculous names — we're looking at you Nowhere Else, Break-Me-Neck Hill, Doo Town, etc. But Penguin really takes the biscuit. "We always make a pit stop in Penguin to snap a pic with the giant penguin statue, and if it's late in the day, you could spot some local fairy penguins making their way to the water," says Penguin-town enthusiast and reader Laura. Grab a meat pie from the local bakery and enjoy a picnic by the beach with some beverages from The Bottle-O in town. Closest The Bottle-O: Penguin [caption id="attachment_944026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Pineapple, Alpha via Flickr[/caption] The Big Pineapple, Woombye QLD Planning an escape to Noosa Heads or up to Rainbow Beach for the long weekend? Hop on the Bruce Highway and make a stop at the endearingly retro Big Pineapple in Woombye, not far from Nambour. This fruity landmark is a true Aussie icon, and our readers reckon it's worth the detour for the cheesy photo op alone. "Of the Big Things in Oz, it's definitely my top choice for a road trip detour," says reader Aidan. There's even a heritage-listed Pineapple Train through the sugar cane there, which might just be the most Queensland thing in existence. Closest The Bottle-O: Maroochydore [caption id="attachment_944027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pete Jones via Flickr[/caption] Tin Horse Highway, Kulin WA If the outback is calling you this long weekend, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more lame (with all due respect) but still legendary road trip detour than the Tin Horse Highway in Kulin, WA. This stretch of road is lined with homemade tin horses, each more ridiculous than the last. "The tin horses get more amazing the further your drive because the locals have been one-upping each other for decades," says reader Scott. "There's a slide made of tin horses, a horse riding a horse, and so much more." What started as a lark is now a fully-fledged competition with prize money, bragging rights and more tin horses. Now there are over 60 horses out there to discover. Take in a stretch, then you can debate your favourites when you pitch up at your campsite over a cold one from The Bottle-O. Closest The Bottle-O: Byford [caption id="attachment_944028" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Burke[/caption] The Giant Koala, Dadswell's Bridge VIC If you're travelling around The Grampians for the long weekend, you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't head south to Dadswell's Bridge and pay your respects to the Giant Koala. Towering over the surrounding countryside, this oversized marsupial is a legendary and ever so slightly cursed sight for any road tripper. "Nothing can prepare for looking into those wild red eyes," says reader Kate. "it reaches into your soul. Best Big Thing. No contest". Recover from the soul-piercing eyes as you relax as the sun sets over the mountains at your campsite with a much-needed bev from The Bottle-O. Closest The Bottle-O: Sebastopol [caption id="attachment_944029" align="alignnone" width="1920"] GrainCorp Silos at Sheep Hills, Artist Adnate, Credit Aaron Powell[/caption] Silo Art Trail, VIC We received a lot of recommendations for Silo Art, from the cockatoo-clad silo on Kangaroo Island to Newdegate in WA. But one state copped more recommendations than any other and that is Victoria. Whichever direction you head from Melbourne, you'll have plenty of silos to add to your roadside attraction list. "I love the Silo Art Movement. I've knocked off ten around Melbs and I'll be heading further into regional VIC to check off a few more this long weekend," says reader Michelle. And don't forget to pick up some drinks at The Bottle-O to enjoy while admiring your snaps when you reach your accommodation. Closest The Bottle-O: Doreen Wherever the road leads you on your weekend adventuring, find your nearest The Bottle-O and stock up on some standout bevs. Ready to start planning? Head to the website. Top image: David Burke
Apparently if you’re a ‘nogoodnik, drop out, glue sniffer or gentlemen sailor’, your presence is not only requested, but required at Woodland for the Flavours of Skuzz festival this weekend. That said, I’m sure if you don’t fit the above description you’ll still be embraced by all attending; these people appear like the open minded type. Flavours of Skuzz seems more than willing to welcome any and every type of garage rock in existence. The eleven-hour festival has a lineup of 25 of garage’s best from Bristown and beyond – we’re talking Slug Guts, Velociraptor, Blank Realm, The Vee Bees, Straight Arrows, HOSS and more. Nogoodnik or not, the Skuzz lineup has all the distortion you’ve been needing to warm up your cold soul in these winter months. As a party like this doesn’t come around very often, I would suggest putting on your most comfortable shoes, purchasing a ticket, and earning the right to say you attended. Maybe leave the gluestick behind though. It’s not such a good look in 2011.
Peanut butter and jelly, that beloved lunchbox combo, was a trendsetter. Before every other food mashup anyone can possibly think of started tempting tastebuds, it had the concept down pat. You know how the idea works, because it just keeps happening: take two edible items that don't usually go together, mix them into one dish and, voila!, a new culinary marvel has emerged from Frankenstein's kitchen. The latest such dishes: pizza burgers and burger pizzas, all courtesy of a collaboration between OTT burg joint Milky Lane and Crust pizzas. How you feel about it will probably depend on how you normally react to decadent burgers and fruit on pizza. So, you're either ravenous already or instantly know it's not for you. A Hawaiian pizza, but as a burger? Milky Lane's beef burg, but as a pizza? You can try both for a limited time. They're two of the key offerings during this team up, which hits menus at both brand's stores Australia-wide from Tuesday, August 30. Over at Milky Lane, there's that pineapple pizza-inspired burger, called the 'Notorious P.I.G.'. It comes with a double-smashed beef patty on a cheese, bacon and pineapple milk bun, and is then topped with mozzarella, streaky bacon, shaved leg ham, Mexican shredded cheese and deep-fried pineapple. Or, you can opt for the 'Peri J Blige', which mashes up Crust's peri peri chicken pizza and Milky Lane's chicken burger. That means southern fried chicken on a peri peri milk bun, alongside peri peri sauce, red capsicum strips, mozzarella, Napoli sauce and mixed Italian herbs, with a deep-fried mozzarella patty on top. If you're heading to Crust instead, their pizza-burger hybrids span 'The Big P' and the 'Chic-Kanye'. The first takes its cues from a Milky Lane favourite, and combines slow-cooked pulled pork, ground beef, caramelised onions and mozzarella on a barbecue base with an onion-ring crust. It then adds dill pickles, maple bacon bits, a Mexi cheese mix and Milky Lane's signature burger sauce. Crust's second special pays tribute to one Milky Lane's chicken burgs, featuring fried chicken tenders coated in Milky Lane's southern seasoning, as well as bacon, caramelised pineapple, roasted potato and mozzarella. That's all popped on a barbecue base, and topped with maple bacon bits, a Mexi cheese mix and Sriracha aioli. Yes, just reading the above should make you hungry. Milky Lane and Crust's mashup menu is available at both brand's stores Australia-wide from Tuesday, August 30 — for a limited time.
When Gelato Messina and Standard Procedure first joined forces back in 2022, the pair got saucy. Because getting sweet and slippery with Messina's frosty sweet treats wasn't enough, the two companies teamed up on gelato-flavoured lube — finger bun gelato-flavoured at that — as a limited-edition product. In 2023, the duo has reunited for another collaboration, this time focusing on the best weather to eat ice cream. Beach trips and ice creams have always gone hand in hand; however, mango, pineapple and vanilla gelato-scented Standard Procedure x Messina SPF50+ is new. Standard Procedure x Messina's sunscreen might be launching just in time for summer, dropping on Tuesday, November 21, but it's an all-year-round product. Stopping skin damage from the sun's rays isn't only necessary when the weather is warm. That said, like the lube, the new Messina merchandise is a limited-edition product — so nabbing some quickly is recommended. Each 250-millilitre bottle comes filled with high UVA and UVB protection, and adds to Standard Procedure's range of sunscreens. When you get slipping, slopping and slapping — and smelling like gelato — you'll be doing so with a non-greasy product that doesn't leave a white cast. Expect to feel hungry with those dessert scents emanating, with Messina's Summer Standard flavour — which includes mango swirls — the inspiration for the aroma. You can grab a bottle online now via both Standard Procedure and Messina, and also Qantas, plus at Messina and Sephora stores in the near future. Standard Procedure x Messina's sunscreen is available now via the Standard Procedure and Messina online stores, plus Qantas Marketplace. It's also on its way to Messina's physical outposts and Sephora's shelves.
One of Australia's first big music festivals of 2024 is no longer going ahead as planned, with Rolling Loud announcing that it won't be returning Down Under in January as previously announced. Mere weeks after revealing that it'd hit our shores again for the first time in five years, but after several delays in unveiling its lineup, the world's biggest hip hop festival has postponed its next Aussie jaunt. "We appreciate the love from all of our fans who are looking forward to Rolling Loud's return to Australia. We were hyped to bring the full Rolling Loud experience to our Aussie fans. Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control, we're unable to give you a show that lives up to the Rolling Loud standard, so we are left with no choice but to postpone the festival to a later date," said festival organisers in a statement. "To those of you who have already bought tickets, we appreciate you. All ticket holders will receive an automatic, full refund. If your details have changed, or you have any refund enquiries, please contact your point of purchase." "Australian fans, we still got you: Rolling Loud will still be hosting a variety of smaller arena shows in early 2024. More info on that coming soon." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rolling Loud Australia 🇦🇺 (@rollingloud.au) As the statement advises, exactly when Rolling Loud will roll out its full festival experience no longer has a date, but it won't be at at Sydney's GIANTS Stadium on Friday, January 26 or Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday, January 27. Also, details of the smaller arena shows that'll pop up instead haven't been revealed, either — including where, when and who'll be on the lineup. Rolling Loud last came to Australia in 2019 with a Future-led lineup in Sydney, which is the only time that it has made the trip. The 2024 tour was set to extend the festival's footprint to Melbourne as well. Since its first outing in Miami back in 2015, Rolling Loud has expanded to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, and also to Thailand, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and Portugal as well. Past sellout events have seen names like Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Post Malone and Migos all grace the festival's stage. At 2023's Miami event, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti led the bill, with Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice and 21 Savage also on the roster — and Turnstile becoming the first-ever rock band to hit the fest. Rolling Loud's postponement comes as The Weeknd just did the same with his Aussie tour, which was meant to kick off in November. Rolling Loud will no longer hold its full festival experience in Australia in January 2024, but has promised smaller arena shows in early 2024 instead. For more information, head to the festival's website. Images: Beth Saravo and Sebastian Rodriguez
This week sees the premiere of the latest effort from renowned indie filmmaker, Spike Jonze, and it's as spectacularly bizarre as you would expect: a stop-motion animated short film that ends with two felt skeletons having sex all over the bookshelves of Paris' Shakespeare & Co. Mourir Auprès De Toi (roughly translated as 'to die by your side') reveals the filthy, filthy things that happen at night when all the world's booksellers are innocently sleeping. After the lights have been turned off, Macbeth, voiced by Jonze, a sprightly skeleton, unstitches himself from the cover of his book with the aim of reaching the bed of the doe-eyed redhead in a nightgown across the shelf, ostensibly Dracula's Mina (voiced by French singer Soko, famous for threats of murder). On the way he's waylaid by the malevolent whale from Moby Dick, forcing Mina to tear a slit in her nightgown and set out to rescue him. The film concludes with the aforementioned skeleton sex, a little post-coital cigarette smoking and a baby. It's amazing. Mourir Auprès De Toi is the product of the collaboration between Jonze and Olympia Le-Tan, a French accessories designer with a penchant for creating literary bags. Le-Tan channelled her talents into hand-crafting the 3000-odd felt parts that make up the books lining the shelves of Shakespeare & Co., Paris' infamous English-language bookshop and haunt of luminaries such as Ernest Hemingway and William S. Burroughs. While the film premiered in May of this year at La Semaine de la Critique in Cannes, it had its official online premiere this week.
UPDATE, October 29, 2020: Halloween is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The boogeyman is back, and his warped face mask, stolen mechanic's overalls and gleaming kitchen knife too. But Michael Myers' return isn't the entire point of the latest (and second greatest) Halloween. While the creepy convicted killer stalks the streets of Haddonfield, Illinois as if he's never left, Jamie Lee Curtis' resourceful and determined Laurie Strode is back as well — and in the current version of events, she's spent four decades preparing for this very moment. Once a 17-year-old babysitter targeted by an escaped criminal asylum patient on October 31, Laurie is now a silver-haired, gun-toting grandmother. Living in a compound-like property in her hometown, she's so intent on facing her attacker that she has dedicated years to this very purpose. Laurie's now-adult daughter Karen (Judy Greer) resents her for the impact that it had on her childhood, while teenage granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) is caring but concerned. Regardless, Laurie knows that Michael will come for her — and when he again breaks free en route to a new psychiatric facility, she's proven accurate. Carnage ensues, just as it did in John Carpenter's original slasher classic. As Haddonfield trick-or-treats like it's any other Halloween in any other place, Michael adds more notches to his body count, Laurie lies in wait and Allyson follows in her grandmother's footsteps like it's 40 years earlier. Directed by David Gordon Green (Stronger) and co-written with frequent collaborator Danny McBride, 2018's Halloween knows how to incite bumps, jumps and screams, many of which will be gloriously familiar to seasoned Halloween buffs. But, with Carpenter's blessing and a new musical score from the horror maestro and composer, this take on the franchise also knows how to carve its own path. Now reaching its 11th instalment, Halloween unleashes the series' fourth different timeline, ignoring everything else except the initial 1978 flick. Black Mirror just announced that it's making a choose-your-own-adventure episode, but this franchise has been doing it for decades. Viewers can pick the cultish thread that eventually connects the first five sequels (including the Michael-free Halloween III: Season of the Witch), Laurie's first big return in Halloween: H20 and its terrible follow-up Halloween: Resurrection, or Rob Zombie's two remakes, however the series' next chapter is the most thrilling, perceptive and satisfying. Green and McBride are clearly fond of Carpenter's seminal work, stripping the saga's underlying suburban nightmare back to its terrifying basics, while contemplating the consequences of terrible trauma. Their film recognises the scariest fact of life: that truly awful things happen for absolutely no reason, and that they cast a dark shadow. That makes 2018's Halloween a powerful account of the ways that horrific acts shape the lives of survivors, as well as a celebration of women rallying to reclaim their own story. Nothing robs inexplicable terror of its potency quite like its intended victims refusing to be defined by fear. Thankfully, this Halloween isn't just thoughtful — it's thoroughly entertaining, even when it's hitting recognisable notes. Balancing the old and the new is a game that this sequel plays as well as Michael plays cat-and-mouse, from subverting genre tropes initially established by the series, to lovingly nodding to its many predecessors. When the true crime podcasters (played by Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees) who kickstart the film's narrative visit Haddonfield's cemetery, and when Laurie calls new doctor Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) the "new Loomis", franchise devotees will want to cheer. When the movie turns Laurie into Michael's boogeyman, rather than vice versa, everyone will want to applaud. Of course, as plenty of horror shockers have demonstrated over the last 40 years — including a few Halloween follow-ups — it's not enough to simply work through the Halloween checklist. While 2018's Halloween does that with finesse and fondness that goes beyond mere fan service,it also feels the part thanks to its unsettling atmosphere and ample blood splatter. There's lingering menace in Michael Simmonds' (Nerve) cinematography, both when it's mirroring old shots from the original and bringing its own flourishes. Collaborating with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies, Carpenter's score reworks the iconic synth and piano-heavy music that has served the series so well, but with a suitably bleaker tone. They both contribute to the sequel that Carpenter's seminal picture has deserved for all of these years. That said, 2018's Halloween does present a conundrum. It's the perfect culmination to the long-running franchise but, more than any other chapter, it leaves the audience pumped for more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL_I2vNwkXQ
After premiering at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and doing the circuit of North America's best film festivals, The Whistleblower is finally hitting Sydney screens next week. The Whistleblower is a political thriller based on the real-life experiences of Kathryn Blokovac, a Nebraska Cop who, while working as a paid UN peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia in 1999, uncovered a underground sex-trafficking industry. The film follows Blokovac as she risks her job and personal safety to investigate into the human trafficking she witnesses, discovering some very ugly truths about the people around her in the process. Ultimately, The Whistleblower is about the very worst of humanity - corruption, expolitation and the abuse of power - yet is also a story of an average person who demonstrates extraordinary courage in order to do the right thing. Starring Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, David Strathairn and Monica Bellucci, The Whistleblower brings together a stellar cast in what promises to be a confronting yet engaging cinematic experience that will stay with you for some time to come. To win one of ten single passes to see The Whistleblower, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=r2EZe5KOrGs
Russian cinema was relatively unknown in Australia until the Russian Resurrection Film Festival came along. This year the largest festival of Russian cinema outside of the mother country is celebrating a decade of cinematic offerings, returning to silver screens across the nation this July and August. Whilst originally appealing primarily to Russian expats, the festival has grown immensely in popularity, now fascinating a broad audience of cinephiles and Russophiles. The lineup for this year's anniversary event features a collection of Russian cinematic riches, intricately blending the contemporary and the classic. It will showcase 18 new films, including two world premieres, Marathon and The Geographer. Other contemporary highlights include the animated delight The Snow Queen — which tells the heartwarming tale of a quest to save family, art and the hearts of people everywhere — and Legend No. 17, the highest grossing Russian film in history, which explores the life of ice hockey legend Valery Harlamov and how he captivated a nation. If you prefer a classic take on Russian cinema, then check out the retrospective program on celebrated producer/director Valery Todorovsky. It features his cult hits My Stepbrother Frankenstein, Vice and Hipsters, among others. The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is in Melbourne from July 3-16, Sydney from July 24 to August 7 and Brisbane from July 26 to August 4 — and thanks to the festival, we have 10 double passes to give away per city (passes valid for a film session of your choice). To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=jpfcuU6taTE Image from Hipsters.
A new community case of COVID-19 has been identified in Brisbane, with the Queensland Government announcing a list of venues that residents need to note. Today, Friday, March 26, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed that a 26-year-old man from Stafford has tested positive to the coronavirus — and that he has been out in the community while infectious since last Friday, March 19. If you visited Mamma's Italian Restaurant in Redcliffe between 12.30–3.10pm on Sunday, March 21, you need to quarantine immediately for 14 days and contact Queensland Health for further details. And, even if you get a test for COVID-19 and receive a negative result, you'll still need to remain in isolation for the fortnight. Next on the list are some big sites — and, if you attended any of them on the dates and around the times outlined, you should get a test for COVID-19 immediately and quarantine until you receive a negative result. This applies regardless of whether you have any coronavirus symptoms or not at present. So, that's the requirement if you were at Carindale Shopping Centre between 12–2.16pm on Saturday, March 20, Market Organics in Newmarket from 2.45–3pm the same day and Baskin Robbins in Everton Park between 9.20–9.25pm that same night. It also applies to visits to Genki Mart, Alderley from 10.30–10.46am on Sunday, March 21, Guzman y Gomez's Stafford drive-thru from 12.20–12.25pm on Monday, March 22, Bunnings in Stafford from 12.40–12.50pm the same day, Aldi Stafford from 8.30–8.45am on Thursday, March 25 and Nundah Respiratory Clinic from 11.15–11.40am also on Thursday. Also, Gasworks Plaza in Newstead and KFC Everton Park have been named as low-risk sites. If you were at the former from 9.50–10.20am on Sunday, March 21 and the latter's drive-thru from 7.55–8pm on Monday, March 22, you need to monitor for symptoms, get tested if any arise and then isolate until you get a negative result. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1375247837676462080 In response to the current case, Queensland is changing some of its restrictions. All hospitals, aged care and disability services in the Brisbane City Council area and Moreton are now closed to visitors for the time being. Also, Brisbanites are being requested to wear masks in crowded areas, such as events and on public transport. Premier Palaszczuk said that the government will be keeping the public updated over weekend, but no other restrictions are changing for now — even though authorities are yet to ascertain how the current patient acquired COVID-19. "We did just have an outbreak over the last couple of weeks in South Brisbane, so there is a chance it is linked to that one. We won't know until we get the gene sequencing result," said Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young. The usual advice applies throughout the Brisbane area — including maintaining a 1.5-metre distance from other people, washing your hands thoroughly, and the standard social distancing and hygiene tactics that have been in place for the past year. If anyone in Brisbane has even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms, they're asked to get tested as soon as possible. "Anyone who lives in Brisbane who becomes unwell in the next 14 days, if you are going out and about your normal business, you might be visiting in other parts of the state, it is important that you come forward wherever you are in Queensland and get yourself tested," said the Premier. Queensland currently has 69 active cases of COVID-19, including the one community case, from a pandemic-wide total of 1437 to-date. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Since 1987, if you've wanted to hit up South by Southwest, then you've needed to visit Austin in Texas. In October 2023, however, that'll no longer be the case. In what was perhaps Australia's biggest cultural news of 2022, the acclaimed tech, innovation, music, gaming, screen and culture festival and conference announced that it'll stage its first-ever non-US event in Sydney this year — and it's just added a bunch more musicians and speakers to its lineup. Headlining the latest announcement is a new featured speaker, who will be talking at the event's music-industry conference. Chris Lee (also known as Lee Sung-Su) is the Chief A&R Officer and former CEO of SM Entertainment, a K-pop powerhouse. Lee and the label have played a part in popularising breakout K-pop stars like aespa (who recently dropped a Sydney-heavy promo for their new album), SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet and NCT. Two of the biggest annual parties from SXSW Austin have also joined the program. Dr Martens and Vans slide in alongside local legends Young Henrys as major sponsors, bringing their respective music hubs — Dr Martens Presents and House of Vans — to the debut Australian festival. Both showcases are regular occurrences over in Texas, pulling big-name guests to perform, with past lineups including the likes of The Stooges, Denzel Curry, ODESZA and Wolf Alice. More artists have been added to the live music lineup, which already boasts previously announced acts Redveil, Connie Constance, Otoboke Beaver, Ekkstacy and Los Bitchos. The majority of the new announcement is dedicated to the first local Australian acts to join the program, with Teenage Joans, Phoebe Go, MALI JO$E, Ashli, Andrew Guruwiwi Band, Alter Boy, Mi-Kaisha, VV Pete, Rum Jungle and Golden Vessel's side project 1tbsp among the 18 Aussie additions. There are also seven fresh international names, including New Zealand's Soaked Oats, Japan's Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie, South Korean's HYPNOSIS THERAPY and American indie-pop star Wallice — who recently supported The 1975 on their Australian tour. [caption id="attachment_899225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie[/caption] "The lineup features an essential array of styles, ranging from post-punk, jazz and experimental pop to club-tinged hip hop, R&B and indie folk," says Claire Collins, SXSW Sydney's Head of Music. "It is a vibrant snapshot of the undeniably exciting next wave of talent from across the globe, from Western Sydney to the Top End, South Korea to the UK, and beyond. We can't wait to reveal more in the coming weeks and months." The first lineup announcement back in February included American futurist, The Genesis Machine author, and Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb as the festival's first-ever keynote speaker. Webb will be joined by other featured speakers like Ben Lamm and Andrew Pask, who'll discuss their work on the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger; Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist of Canva and former Apple Chief Evangelist, who'll talk evolving tech; lawyer, writer and filmmaker Larissa Behrendt, fresh from helming Richard Bell-focused documentary You Can Go Now; and Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sharif. [caption id="attachment_899226" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Teenage Joans[/caption] SXSW Sydney will all take place between Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 within a walkable precinct within the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more. Think of the fest's footprint as a huge hub, with festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations popping up everywhere. So far, venues named include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. Attendees can hit up the SXSW Sydney Conference, which is where those keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions come in — more than 400 of them. And, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions, which is all about innovative and emerging tech and entertainment companies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Plus, at the Startup Village, up-and-comers from all industries and sectors will have space to meet, present and chat. SXSW's arts fests will span the SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival, which will be focused on live music venues in central Sydney — and the SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival, complete with more than 100 local and international independent games to play at venues (alongside demonstrations, launches performances, exhibitions and social gatherings). Movie and TV lovers, get excited — because the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just a film fest. There'll be flicks to see, including at red-carpet premieres; episodic content; and digital, XR and social content. Expect Q&As and panel discussions with the folks behind them as well. Can't wait, whether you're a Sydney local or planning to head along from elsewhere in Australia — or New Zealand? Platinum and industry badges are already available at early-bird prices, with more ticketing to come. SXSW SYDNEY 2023 — SECOND LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: FEATURED SPEAKERS: Chris Lee (aka Sung-Su Lee) SXSW SYDNEY MUSIC FESTIVAL: 1tbsp Alter Boy Andrew Guruwiwi Band Ashli Dean Brady DICE dust Elle Shimada MALI JO$E Mi-Kaisha Mikayla Pasterfield Milku Phoebe Go Teenage Joans Vv Pete PANIA GO-JO Rum Jungle Hans. hanbee Soaked Oats Nuha Ruby Ra Wallice HYPNOSIS THERAPY Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie Joining: KEYNOTES: Amy Webb FEATURED SPEAKERS: Andrew Pask Ben Lamm Guy Kawasaki Jack Reis Kyas Hepworth Larissa Behrendt Manal Al-Sharif Michael J Biercuk Per Sundin Que Minh Luu Robyn Denholm Rohit Bhargava Sam Barlow Sean Miyashiro Sheila Nguyen Sung-Eun Youn Tom Verrilli Yiying Lu Yoomin Yang SXSW SYDNEY MUSIC FESTIVAL: Connie Constance Ekkstacy Los Bitchos Otoboke Beaver Redveil SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Behold a mystical race of Golden Age Hollywood stars-come-slug people. Springing from the allied imaginations of a mother-daughter duo, these hand-drawn portraits ingeniously wed the most mesmeric of faces to the most spazzy of Tyrannosaurus Rex stump arms. Proving that great and surprising art is often born from unlikely collaborations, illustrator Mica Angela Hendricks initiated the project in an accidental kind of way because her four-year-old always sets her beady eyes on her mum's luxe art supplies. When Hendricks recently tried to reserve a flashy new sketchbook for her own use, her crafty daughter Myla retaliated by appropriating classic mummy-language: "If you can't share, we might have to take it away if you can't share." Reluctantly, Hendricks allowed the wily kid to add a body to the elegant female head she'd just drawn. The result, a magnificent dino-woman, is rightly described by Hendricks on her blog as "carefree". A series of mother-daughter collabs followed, creating a funny little world of amoebic slugs and astronaut beavers with high-society noggins which somehow come across as believable beings. (I am fondly reminded of a young nephew who once claimed he had an imaginary friend called 'Prawn-Egg' with "the head of a prawn and the body of an egg". It would be great to see that illustrated.) Hendricks' blog post about the project reveals the amusing creative competitiveness between Myla and her, and how the activity has taught her to be less rigid in creative undertakings: "Yes, some things (like my new sketchbook) are sacred, but if you let go of those chains, new and wonderful things can happen. Those things you hold so dear cannot change and grow and expand unless you loosen your grip on them a little ... Most importantly, I learned that if you have a preconceived notion of how something should be, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE DISAPPOINTED. Instead, just go with it, just ACCEPT it, because usually something even more wonderful will come out of it." The logical next step would be to invent backstories for these characters with details supplied by both artists, to produce a very original book that would inspire kids and adult artists alike. See more of Mica and Myla's images on Mica's blog. Via Colossal.
Everyone likes being spoiled at Christmas. This year, when it comes to taking a holiday, Australians will also be spoiled for choice. The nation's borders are reopening to international travel from November, and overseas destinations have started announcing when Aussies can make the trip again — so if you haven't already booked a getaway to Fiji, or jumped on flights to London or the US, you can now make a date with Thailand. On Friday, October 22, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled a list of places around the globe — covering 45 countries and one territory — that it is deeming low-risk in terms of travel restrictions. So, if you hail from one of these 46 places, you'll be permitted into Thailand from Monday, November 1. And yes, Australia is named. Other countries identified include New Zealand, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea. The list is set to be revised again in mid-November and at the beginning of December, so it's expected to grow again soon. Folks from these low-risk nations will be allowed to enter Thailand, with three options available — including ditching quarantine if you've been double-vaccinated. For the unvaxxed, either ten or 14 days quarantine still applies, depending on whether you're arriving by air or land. For the double-jabbed, there's two choices. You can take a PCR test within 72 hours of travelling, then undergo another one upon arrival and wait in a designated hotel for one night until you get a negative result. Or, you can take advantage of the country's 'Sandbox' scheme. It lets you stay in designated 'Sandbox' provinces around the country for seven days — in Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi and more — undertaking COVID-19 tests upon arrival and again on day six or seven of your trip. After that week, passes you can then venture elsewhere in Thailand. Qantas has already revealed that it's restarting travel from Sydney to both Phuket and Bangkok, too, kicking off on Wednesday, January 12 and Friday, January 14, respectively. That news came before Thailand's border announcement, however, so fingers crossed that flights might recommence even earlier now. For more information about Thailand's reopening plan, head to the Thai Government's website and Facebook page.
Those seeking free WiFi will no longer need to spend hours lurking in their local McDonald's thanks to the development of 4sqwifi, an application that uses Foursquare to locate WiFi spots and give you their passwords. Apostolos Papadopoulos and Giannis Poulakas are the pair behind the app, and state that their vision is be "everywhere and always connected." They also stress that the product is still in its development stage, although a version is currently avaliable for free from the iTunes store. Features in the first version include "venue check-in, Twitter/Facebook sharing, in-app tip section for each venue so people can add WiFi passwords within 4sqwifi, map view and hell knows what more." The app works worldwide, and will be perfect for those who seek some urgent urban bandwidth. [Via TechCrunch]
The Blake Prize for Religious Art sounds like it should be a very serene, pious exhibition of artworks - classical images of angels and the nativity scene. That assumption would be wrong. Remember the ‘Osama bin Christ’ controversy, anyone? In fact, The Blake Prize is one of the most controversial contemporary art competitions on the calendar. It’s an annual prize named in honor of highly regarded British poet and artist William Blake who was a radical visionary in his day (he passed in 1827). It is open to a diversity of artistic styles, and encourages disparate styles and religious exploration. Entries in this year’s Prize are once again varied in style and subject matter, from photographic triptychs to sculpture and traditional indigenous works. There is also a lovely touch of controversy with a Drag Queen Christ on display. Lucky Brisbanites can see it all! For the first time in ten years the 60th Blake Prize has returned to Brisbane, and will be exhibited for almost two months at the QUT Art Museum. So get down to Gardens Point and prepare to be shocked, offended amazed and challenged by this unique art exhibition. Image credit: Brian Robinson, As the rains fell and the seas rose
If there's ever a range of films that proves that every movie deserves to be seen in a cinema, it's Studio Ghibli's output. If you had your first experience with Spirited Away or My Neighbour Totoro at home, then felt compelled to catch a retrospective showing at your local picture palace, you'll understand. Indeed, Australian theatres get it, too, given how often the Japanese animation house's movies return to the silver screen. The Imaginary isn't a Studio Ghibli release, but it has a Ghibli pedigree. The second feature from Studio Ponoc after 2017's Mary and the Witch's Flower, it's both directed and penned by Ghibli alumni — the latter of which founded Ponoc. It made its Aussie debut on streaming this year, but is now getting a well-deserved big-screen outing at the 2024 Japanese Film Festival as one of its must-see titles. The just-dropped lineup for this year's JFF will give audiences the chance to see this enchanting tale about imaginary friends — 2024's third such film after Blumhouse horror movie Imaginary and the John Krasinski (A Quiet Place Part II)-directed IF, and the best of them — as well as nine other new Japanese features. The latest flicks out of its country of choice are just one part of the JFF setup, however. In four of its five cities, audiences will also enjoy a retrospective season that focuses on classics by Shohei Imamura, a two-time Palme d'Or winner courtesy of The Ballad of Narayama and The Eel. Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney will receive the full festival treatment, while just the new releases will play Perth. The festival kicks off with its retro sessions in the nation's capital in late September, before making its way around the country throughout October and into November. [caption id="attachment_971203" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Let's Go Karaoke! Film Partners[/caption] Opening the fest: Mom, Is That You?! , a mix of heartwarming comedy and workplace commentary from prolific director Yoji Yamada (Kinema no Kamisama). Other highlights include chaotic karaoke antics in Let's Go Karaoke!, with a choir boy and a yakuza striking up a friendship over singing lessons; fellow manga adaptation Sand Land; World War II-set historical drama Shadow of Fire; and rom-com Our Secret Diary. Or, there's more laughs via A Samurai in Time and The Dancing Okami, with the first paying tribute to samurai stuntman Seizo Fukumoto and the second inspired by an IRL tourism campaign — and also thrills via Matched and Out, following a wedding planner who connects with a suspected serial killer without knowing via online dating, plus a former juvenile gang leader's quest for redemption. [caption id="attachment_971204" align="alignnone" width="1920"] MIRAIEIGASHA[/caption] 2024 marks the Japanese Film Festival's 28th year in Australia — and the event's in-person lineup comes after its online program screened in the middle of the year. "Australia has always been a second home to Japanese film, with an exponentially growing audience captivated by Japanese cinema every year," said Manisay Oudomvilay from The Japan Foundation, Sydney, announcing the 2024 JFF bill. "Each of the featured films this year dissects the common human experience from a uniquely Japanese perspective, which will resonate with everyone regardless of their familiarity with Japanese culture." [caption id="attachment_971205" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sand Land Film Partners[/caption] Japanese Film Festival 2024 Dates: Canberra: Latest releases: Wednesday, October 9–Tuesday, October 15 at Palace Electric Special series: Tuesday, September 24–Wednesday, September 25 and Saturday, September 28–Sunday, September 29 at NFSA Perth: Latest releases: Monday, October 14–Tuesday, October 22 at Palace Raine Square Brisbane: Latest releases: Thursday, October 17–Tuesday, October 22 at Palace Barracks Special series: Monday, October 7–Wednesday, October 16 at QAGOMA Melbourne: Latest releases: Monday, October 21–Tuesday, October 29 at The Kino Special series: Thursday, October 31–Sunday, November 3 at ACMI Sydney: Latest releases: Thursday, October 24–Monday, October 28 at Palace Norton Street and Palace Moore Park Special series: Wednesday, October 9–Sunday, November 10 at AGNSW [caption id="attachment_971206" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Dancing Okami Film Partners[/caption] The 2024 Japanese Film Festival tours Australia from September–November. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website. Top image: Studio Ponoc.
The first time was the charm. The second time, too. And, there's no doubt that the third will be as well. However many seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under that Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand want to put in our streaming queues, they're all certain to be fierce, fabulous, bright, bold and sassy — including the show's just-confirmed return in 2023. Yes, your viewing plans for next year got better, even if RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under doesn't have an exact season three airdate as yet. The Australian and New Zealand version if RuPaul's Drag Race debuted in 2021, then sashayed our way again in 2022. Keep it coming, obviously. Exactly who'll be donning eye-catching outfits, navigating dramas and vying for glory next hasn't been revealed yet either, but a new lineup of drag queens will endeavour to follow in Kita Mean and Spankie Jackzon's footsteps — after Mean took RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under's first season and Jackzon did the honours in season two. Whoever gets the gig, they'll be joined by RuPaul, of course — who takes on hosting duties again — with the judging panel also featuring Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson in the first two seasons. "I'm so excited for season three of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under! Australasian drag is spectacularly sickening, and I can't wait for a new cast of queens to flash their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent," RuPaul said, announcing the third season. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch the next batch of Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of Mean, Jackzon and US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Before it made the leap Down Under in 2021, the US version of RuPaul's Drag Race had already been on the air for more than a decade, first premiering in 2009 — and wholeheartedly embracing its mission to unearth the next drag superstars ever since. The original US series aired its 14th season in 2022, so this is a program with proven longevity. It has also spun off international iterations before, including in the UK — where it's also hosted by RuPaul — plus in Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. There's no trailer for season three yet, of course, but you can watch the Drag Race Down Under season two trailer below: RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will return for a third season in 2023 on Stan and TVNZ — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
After taking the world by storm with her explosive brand hip-hop and pop, Nicki Minaj has solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with on the global music scene. Nicki hit Australian shores in May during her ‘Pink Friday’ tour, selling out venues in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Now her tour has been ‘reloaded’ and she is back for some more, bringing special guest Tyga along for the ride. 13 million Twitter followers and millions upon millions of Youtube hits can’t be wrong, Nicki Minaj is at the top of her game. If you are after equal parts aggressive frenzy and stylistic pop, look no further. Remaining tickets are now $70, get some before they are gone.
European holidays are back on the cards once more, though pretty soon you won't even need a passport to embark on an authentic Italian culinary adventure. Italy's famed artisan marketplace concept Mercato Centrale is heading Down Under, opening its first-ever outpost outside of the homeland in Melbourne. With sites in Rome, Turin and Milan, along with the original Florence location, the brand now has its sights set on the Victorian capital. It's in the process of transforming the three-storey, 3500-square-metre McPherson's building on Collins Street into a grand Italian homage to artisanal food, set to launch late-2022. Founder Umberto Montano launched the first of these sites back in 2014, setting out to deliver an artisan-led marketplace that works as a shared platform, shifting the focus away from any individual branding and onto the producers and their craft. Artisans are handpicked and work as solo operators within the market, with just one representative for each food product. And it gives smaller or emerging producers a shot at showcasing their wares without the huge overheads of opening a traditional shopfront. "Instead of trying to just profit from it all, Umberto developed this platform that creates opportunities and exposure for artisans who just love their food, that love what they're producing," explains Eddie Muto, the local hospitality expert who's spearheading Mercato Centrale's expansion into Australia. Muto knew Montano's concept would be the perfect fit Down Under — and for Melbourne — and he's spent the past six years driving a local iteration. "People will come along and have an urban picnic if you like," Muto tells Concrete Playground, explaining how the ground floor market space will work. "They'll go and get a little bit of salumi, a little pasta, some bread. In the morning, they've got the bakery, they can have croissants and Italian pastries. And then they can order at their table for drinks." Visitors will be able to see the artisans at work making everything from fresh mozzarella to hamburgers, lending an interactive element to the experience. Mercato Centrale's lower level will also be home to the main bar, in addition to a dedicated cocktail bar and an artisan bottle shop. Of course, there'll be an espresso bar, too, with cheaper coffees for those who stand and sip their caffeine at the bar, European-style. [caption id="attachment_856980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mercato Centrale Milan[/caption] Meanwhile, the second level is set to play host to a sit-down Italian restaurant filled with timber and marble; designed "to feel like home", as Muto explains. And the third floor is earmarked for an event and function space. Mercato Centrale is also positioning itself as a hub for arts and culture, so expect a jam-packed calendar of social and creative activities to come — which is worth noting for future Melbourne trips. And there'll always be live tunes to soundtrack your market adventures, from acoustic gigs to weekend DJ sets. "What we're hoping to achieve is that as soon as you step in the door, it'll be like stepping into Florence or Milan or Rome," muses Muto. "So you might walk up and ask for a panino in English and they'll respond to you in Italian!" Find Mercato Centrale Melbourne at 546 Collins Street, Melbourne, from late 2022. We'll share more info as it lands. Top Images: Mercato Centrale Rome, Milan, Turin and Florence.
Being a kid and loving spooky movies was glorious in 1993. That year three decades back gave the world two beloved all-ages-friendly flicks that have become October staples ever since — and, in one case, suitable festive viewing as well. One came with Tim Burton's name attached. The other told everyone to run amok, amok, amok. Now, to celebrate their 30th anniversaries, both The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus are returning to cinemas. Moviegovers can see Jack Skellington's antics on the big screen Down Under again from Thursday, October 12, and the Sanderson sisters wreaking havoc from Thursday, October 19. As for which actual picture palaces are playing the films, and at what times, you'll need to check your local — but nostalgia and family-friendly scares will be whirring through the projectors once more. With The Nightmare Before Christmas, filmmakers Tim Burton and Henry Selick (Wendell & Wild) served up one of the most enchanting holiday films to hit the big screen — and one that doubles as both Halloween and Christmas viewing. It's Burton's name that everyone remembers; however, a pre-Coraline Selick is actually in the director's chair on The Nightmare Before Christmas, which charms with both its offbeat story and its gorgeous stop-motion animation. Burton came up with the narrative though, because Jack Skellington only could've originated from the Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands filmmaker's brain. Imaginative, original and engaging (even as it nods to Dr Seuss a few times), it still remains a treat for all ages. [caption id="attachment_921880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Disney.[/caption] The Hocus Pocus franchise is no stranger to comebacks, given that it dropped a 29-years-later sequel on streaming in 2022, with a third film also on the way. Helmed by Kenny Ortega before the director gave the world the High School Musical movies, the OG flick was the first to enlist Bette Midler (The Addams Family 2), Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That...) and Kathy Najimy (Music) as Winnie, Sarah and Mary Sanderson — and to unleash them in modern-day Salem. Back then, someone lit the black flame candle, which resurrected the 17th-century sisters in the movie's world — and had viewers warned about locking up their children. If you have "twist the bones and bend the back" stuck in your head just thinking about it, you're obviously a fan. Check out the trailers for The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus below: The Nightmare Before Christmas is returning to cinemas Down Under from Thursday, October 12, and Hocus Pocus from Thursday, October 19 — head to your local cinema for details. Images: Matt Kennedy. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
In 2022, Melbourne's Axil Coffee became the envy of caffeine-slinging joints around the country, officially being recognised as the home of Australia's National Barista Champion. That's no minor feat, and the Victorian-based chain has now backed it up, earning the same gong in 2023. Fresh from receiving this year's accolade, with Jack Simpson joining 2022 winner Anthony Douglas, this coffee brand is now heading north. What does a Brisbanite do when the home of Australia's best barista for two years in a row steams into the River City for a five-day trip from Wednesday, May 24–Sunday, May 28? Prepare to get caffeinated, obviously. [caption id="attachment_869967" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony Douglas[/caption] Douglas was also named the 2022 World Barista Champion, and he'll be coming to Brisbane to make coffee and for a meet-and-greet session from 4–7pm on Thursday, May 25. Yes, there'll be coffee samples at that event, focusing on Axil's signature series. The place to head: InterSection Project, also known as Coffee Anthology, in the Brisbane CBD. Axil will take over the guest coffee bar from 7.30am–3.30pm on weekdays and 7.30am–2pm on weekends. Make a date from 4–7pm on Friday, May 26 and there'll also be a latte art smackdown to give all that coffee-sipping an extra buzz. [caption id="attachment_888452" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Butler[/caption] Top image: James Butler.
The BrisStyle team is a rather busy bunch. A few times a year, it puts on twilight markets in King George Square, but that isn't its only regular event. If you're particularly after a treasure trove of handmade goodies — and who isn't? — it hosts another opportunity to browse and buy that's dedicated to exactly those kinds of objects. Fashion, art, jewellery, homewares — if someone's been using their nimble fingers to make it, then you can probably trade your hard-earned cash for their hard work. In fact, there'll be more than 60 artisans selling their wares. And, while you're shopping, you'll also be able to grab a bite at the onsite cafe and listen to live tunes from local musos. The Handmade Markets always take place on Saturdays, so mark August 28 and October 30 in your calendars now. Head along from 9am–3pm, with it all taking place in the Queensland Museum's whale mall. Image: BrisStyle.
Boy, do we have a giveaway for you. To celebrate the release of the stunning new documentary film Dancer, we're giving away a trip for two to Auckland — return flights and accommodation included. When you get to Auckland, you'll also get to see Sergei Polunin, one the world's most gifted ballet dancers, perform a rare, special guest appearance at the Auckland Arts Festival. From Oscar-nominated director Steven Cantor, Dancer takes a compelling behind-the-scenes look at the life of the magnetic bad boy of ballet, Sergei Polunin. He was the youngest principal dancer in the history of London's prestigious Royal Ballet, and he shocked the world by quitting just two years later and giving up dance entirely. If you're unfamiliar with the ballet world, Polunin was the guy that featured in the beautifully dance-heavy video clip for Hozier's song Take Me to Church. Dancer, by Oscar-nominated director Steven Cantor, is set for national release in Australian cinemas on December 1. Enter your details below and you're in the running. [competition]600295[/competition]
In case we didn't have enough endangered phenomena to worry about, what with the encroaching extinction of the Black Rhino, the disappearance of the Barrier Reef, and the centralisation of indie culture, the United Nations has thoughtfully added a new category to the list. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has this week released a fresh batch of the world's endangered 'intangible cultural traditions'. French-style horse back riding, Chinese shadow puppetry, and poetic dueling in Cyprus were amongst the newly endangered traditions added to the 250-strong list compiled last year. The new additions encompass rituals and art forms passed down orally from generation to generation, lacking any formal documentation system. Recipes and food preparation methods can also be found amongst the UNESCO's list of disappearing acts, including the Japanese ritual of transplanting rice, and the ceremonial Turkish meat dish, Keskek. Those recipe books brimming with scrawled post-it notes and hand-written recipes born of the mind of your Great Great Grandmother just got even more precious. These 'intangible' traditions provide the cultural glue for some of the world's smallest communities, encouraging unity in a world of increasing globalization and cultural dilution. Hopefully awareness generated by the UNESCO list will stop these traditions from pulling a Houdini any time soon.
As COVID-19 continues to spread around the globe, travel is in no one's immediate plans — and the airline industry is responding accordingly. In Australia, that means a huge drop in the number of available flights, both overseas and within Australia, with Virgin Australian announcing that it's grounding aircraft and slashing services for the foreseeable future. According to the ABC, Virgin Australia will suspend all international services and will cut domestic flights by 50 percent from March 30–June 14. The equivalent to 53 aircraft will be grounded. In a statement to the ASX published on the ABC, the company said: "The Virgin Australia Group has today announced a temporary suspension of international services and further cuts to domestic capacity in response to expanded government travel restrictions and increased impacts from COVID-19 on travel demand. As a leading airline group, Virgin Australia will work closely with Government to prioritise bringing Australians home and returning visitors back to their point of origin safely, while maintaining its important role in supporting connectivity and the nation's economy." This decision follows Qantas and Jetstar's move to cut international flights by around 90 percent, and domestic flight by approximately 60 percent, which was announced by the the 100-year-old Aussie airline yesterday. Both moves come in response to Australia's current containment and quarantine measures, including the requirement that all international arrivals into the country must self-isolate for 14 days — and, unsurprisingly, the steeply dropping demand for air travel both internationally and domestically. Worldwide, the scenario is the same. Air New Zealand is reducing its capacity by 85 percent overall, and its trips across the Tasman to Australia by 80 percent. Airlines in America, Britain, Europe, Asia and, well, basically everywhere are taking similar measures — as is to be expected as countries everywhere begin to close their borders. For more information about Virgin Australia's reductions, visit its website. For further details about Qantas and Jetstar's plans, visit the company's website. 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.
Uniquely fusing biological forms with art, Vera Möller’s latest exhibition is a wonderful collection of painted forms, shimmering backgrounds and sculpture. Fictional biological entities surrounded by dappled hazy fluids, hover in movement creating a hallucinatory and fascinating dream world. Each artwork is also given it’s own scientific name to add to the effect of science meets art. Vera’s distinctive subject matter connects her with her past studies. Originally from Germany, she studied and worked in the fields of biology and microbiology, which has clearly influenced her immensely. Since moving to Australia she has studied Fine Arts in Melbourne as well as Philosophy. Through her artwork Vera looks at the distinction between the biologist's role, which is to analyse and measure the natural world, and the possibility for the artist to reflect on such research practices and relationships, viewed within the wider cultural context in which these occur. Combining artistic elements in a surrealist manner, these works will transport you to another world with their detail, fluidity and natural imperceptible energy. Don’t miss this opportunity to see this intelligent and inimitable collection, running until the 14th of April.
The Snowy Mountains has long attracted snow bunnies from across the state, nation and even oceans to play. Though these days the area is buzzing with much more than skiing fresh powder to entertain you. Whether you've never so much as seen snow before, or are a seasoned pro, there's plenty to taste, see and do when you're not flying down the slopes. A big draw card during the winter season is the Snowtunes music festival, returning to Jindabyne this year to host an epic snowy weekend. The breathtaking lakeside town of less than 3000 people is set to explode with music from a swag of Australian and international artists. Unzip your puffer jacket and warm up to some fiery sets from Gang of Youths, Safia, Tigerlily, Mashd N Kutcher, Klingande, Royal and Skeggs — just to name a few. This is not a drill; if you're looking to see this winter out dancing it up to some electro tunes, surrounded by some pretty stunning snowy vistas, you'll want to mark this one in your diary for the first weekend of September. The two-day music festival is just the tip of the 'snowberg', if you will. We've partnered with Destination NSW to bring you a Snowy Mountains getaway cheat sheet, so before, after and between sets, you can pack in as many snowbound activities as possible. [caption id="attachment_632818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK From your road trip to the snow and into the wee hours of après ski, the Snowy Mountains region has a bustling food scene that'll keep you going. Make your first stop Ingelara Farm Truck. This bright blue food truck sits just outside of Bredbo and caters to all your stop, revive, survive needs from coffee to homemade sourdough. And once you've settled in The Snowies, there's plenty more tasty goodies to discover for all budgets. Take a culinary journey down the Alpine Way running between Jindabyne and Thredbo. Stop by award-winning Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery Door and Café for a free tasting of their wide array of schnapps — our picks are the butterscotch and spicy devil's tongue — and stay for the hearty Euro-inspired meals like German smoked sausages, the schnitzel burger and Austrian beef gulasch. Next stop along the way is Crackenback Farm Restaurant. If you splurge anywhere, make it here. The French farmhouse-style cuisine is best enjoyed leisurely by the fireside. And make sure to save room for dessert, because the hot chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream and marinated mandarins will crack even the most seasoned dessert connoisseur. [caption id="attachment_633133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Crackenback Farm.[/caption] If you're based Thredbo village way, take a tour through the brimming offering of eateries, bars, pubs and even a nightclub. Stop by Central 2526 for their dumplings of the day, or wander up to The Denman Hotel for the fanciest cocktails in town. Looking for a mid-ski refuel? The classic drive-thru's got nothing on Eagles Nest. Ski in and out of Australia's highest restaurant perched 1937 metres above Thredbo at the top of Kosciuszko Express Chairlift. The show-stopping 270-degree view pairs nicely with some hearty classics such as a rather generous parmigiana schnitzel, loaded waffles and a cold German beer. DO Of course, a trip to NSW's snow capital wouldn't be complete without a bit of shredding — they don't call it 'Shredbo' for nothing. Whether you prefer one plank or two, investing in lessons for those just starting out or even those in need of a refresher will definitely pay dividends. Thredbo runs two-hour group lessons three times a day at Friday Flat. You'll find solidarity in your fellow students as five-year-olds fly past you down the mountain. Many locals and visitors alike have not ventured beyond the resorts into the surreal wilderness, but K7 Adventures opens this world up with their snowshoeing tours leaving from Thredbo resort. On a clear day, you'll be rewarded with awe-inspiring views across the valley. On a snowy day, the hike across fresh snow is well worth the unexpected beauty of snowy gums and staggering rock formations that emerge from the white silence. You'll feel like you've just discovered frozen Atlantis. K7 also hosts cross-country skiing, photography and ice climbing tours. After carving up the slopes, or just making some casual snow angels, slip on your après-ski boots and get ready for the evening's entertainment at Snowtunes. If you're feeling extra celebratory, opt for one of their sweet package deals like the Snow Worries. As the name suggestions, the festival legends organise it all for you, including a two-day admission ticket, express entry, return bus from Central Station in Sydney to Jindabye, accommodation and brekkie at the Snowy Valley River Inn. You'll be sorted for a full weekend in the snow, without a care to dampen those spirits. And finally, a tough day playing in the snow or burning up the dance floor is sure to take it out of you, so the Lake Crackenback Spa & Wellness Centre is the chilled-out cherry on top of an action packed weekend. Book into a facial, massage or go all in with a spa special like their Winter Day package that sees you massaged, exfoliated and completely relaxed. Go on, you've earned it. STAY To fully immerse yourself in alpine luxury, check in to Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa nestled at the foot of the mountains on the edge of Kosciusko National Park. The striking lake view apartments and mountain view chalets cater up to seven mates, while the expansive grounds are a playground for wildlife and visitors alike. Greet the day with the local kangaroos, try your hand at archery in the afternoon, take a dip in the indoor heated pool pre-dinner, then grab a pizza to-go for some in-room dining with a view from Alpine Larder or dine at onsite Cuisine Restaurant & Bar right on the edge of the lake. The resort also offers a complimentary shuttle bus to the Skitube that connects you via rail to Perisher and Blue Cow. It's also only a 20-minute drive along the picturesque road to Thredbo village. Alternatively, you have the option of staying in one of the several ski-in, ski-out chalets on the fields. The big four resorts – Thredbo, Perisher, Charlotte Pass and Selwyn Snow Resort – all offer a huge array of accommodation for all budgets. Though, many of the best value spots can be found in Jindabyne. Round up your nearest and dearest to rent one of the many large guesthouses there. For a splashy stay, split the bill with sixteen mates and enjoy large, private entertainment areas, fancy tubs and open fireplaces. And for a no frills kind of stay, try The Banjo Patterson Inn and take advantage of their pool table, the onsite Kosciusko Brewery and an energetic Tuesday night trivia. Head to the snow to eat, drink and play, then hit the dance floor at Snowtunes, taking place September 1 and 2.
When you're a bar that nods to all things spooky in your name, and you boast more than a couple of monster-themed pinball and arcade machines, then you're going to like the end of October. Netherworld does, of course. Indeed, the Valley pub celebrates Halloween in the expected style each and every year. So, what's on the agenda? Reflecting the kind of year 2020 has served up, Netherworld is hosting an ongoing Halloween party. Some of us want to mark the occasion on the actual date, and some of us want to have some themed fun across the whole week or so leading up to it. Here, you can do both. Up until and including Saturday, October 31, you can pick your time to drop by and get into the spooky spirit. Get dressed up, and you'll receive a limited-edition enamel pin to go with your costume, too. Then, you can simply hang out, drink, hit up the horror-themed pinball tables, check out the carved pumpkins and eat food to suit the occasion. Beverage-wise, plenty of cocktails will be on offer — and, if you'd like to feel as if you're trick-or-treating, they'll be candy flavoured. [caption id="attachment_669756" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cole Bennetts[/caption]
Next time you pick up a club, order a drink and hit the mini-golf greens at Fortitude Valley's Holey Moley, you'll be able to swing your way around E.T., Stranger Things, Uno and Operation-themed holes — or, if you'd prefer, you can grab a microphone. The popular Warner Street spot occasionally gives its two nine-hole courses a revamp, with the multi-level venue unveiling its latest creations after refurbishing half of them. As well as making over a considerable part of its existing site, Holey Moley has also made two crucial new additions: two 60s and 70s-style karaoke rooms. If you're fond of belting out a tune, you can jump between pretending you're in Happy Gilmore and living out your A Star Is Born dreams by heading into the two onsite singing suites, which can accommodate up to ten people. For those keen to keep tap, tap, tapping away inside the converted old church, the rebadged holes also span zombies, mazes and magic, and come with names such as 'The Loop Hole', 'Par for the Corpse', 'Mazed and Confused' and 'Draw Fore'. While in renovation mode, Holey Moley has also shaken up its menu. Drinks-wise, newcomer On the Green goes heavy on the Red Bull and features a golf ball on top, while fellow fresh addition The Pink Tee blends gin, tequila, spiced rum and cointreau. There's the Duck, Duck Joose, too, which comes served in a bathtub complete with rubber ducks, plus mocktails dubbed the Ginger Ninja and Coco Loco. And, if you need to something to eat, beef nachos, cheese-laden garlic pizza (in both regular and vegan varieties) and a selection of bread and dips now rank among the edible options. Find Holey Moley at 25 Warner Street, Fortitude Valley, open Monday–Thursday 12–11pm, Friday 12pm–12am, Saturday 10am–12pm and Sunday 10am–11pm.
Most of Australia's cinema industry has earmarked July as its relaunch date, aiming to reopen in time for the planned release of Christopher Nolan's Tenet. But if you're a film fan keen for some big-screen fun before that, the country's drive-in theatres are filling the gap — and, given that their whole concept involves folks watching flicks in cars, social distancing is already part of the experience. At the beginning of May, Queensland's Yatala Drive-In welcomed movie buffs and their vehicles back through the doors. After a successful return over the state's Labour Day long weekend, the site halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast has worked its way up to screening films seven nights a week across its three fields. Run by the same team behind Brissie's New Farm, Elizabeth and Red Hill cinemas, Yatala is playing a mix of classics and recent releases. Viewers can pick from retro titles like Shrek, Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride, Jaws and Toy Story, or opt for newer fare such as Jumanji: The Next Level, Bad Boys for Life, The Gentlemen or Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). In Sydney, Blacktown's Skyline Drive-In quietly relaunched over the weekend of May 23–24, selling out its two sessions quickly. It's now officially reopening for regular showings from today, Thursday, May 28, screening from Thursday–Sunday each week (plus a Monday night session on the Queen's Birthday public holiday, too) — with four flicks playing each night. Films on the bill include The Invisible Man, IT: Chapter Two, Spies in Disguise, Joker, Grease and Knives Out, with horror-themed Friday nights and retro programming on Saturdays also on the agenda. Its diner is also back in business, serving burgers, hot chips, choc tops and other snacks. [caption id="attachment_622465" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brook James[/caption] Melburnians looking to catch a flick in their car under the stars will need to wait until 11.59pm on Sunday, May 31 — so, Monday June 1, effectively — which is when Victoria's next stage of eased restrictions kick in. Drive-ins will be allowed to reopen then, with Dandenong's Lunar Drive-In relaunching on that date, Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In doing the same on Wednesday, June 3 and the Dromana Drive-In restarting is projectors on Thursday, June 4. On the various cinemas' lineups: The Fast & the Furious, Shaun The Sheep: Farmageddon, 1917 and Bloodshot at Lunar; Cats, Mad Max: Fury Road, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction at Coburg; and Sonic the Hedgehog, Back to the Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Muriel's Wedding at Dromana. Each of the reopening drive-ins is implementing additional social-distancing measures, ranging from the provision of hand sanitiser stations to asking attendees to take their rubbish home with them. Online bookings are required in some cases and recommended in others, while bathrooms at some sites are only available in emergencies — and candy bar and diner patron limits are being enforced, with some venues delivering snacks straight to vehicles. For more information about each drive-in, or to book tickets, visit the websites for Yatala in Queensland, Skyline in Sydney, and Lunar, Coburg and Dromana in Melbourne. Top image: Yatala Drive-In and Skyline Blacktown
When someone mentions watching horror on-screen at Halloween, eerie, creepy and unsettling films usually come to mind. Do you like scary movies? If so, October is your month to shine each year. But frights, bumps and jumps aren't just served up in 90- or 120-minute doses. On the episodic front, TV has more than a few highlights to add to your list for spooky season viewing. Maybe you like nods to Edgar Allan Poe with a Succession-style twist. Perhaps you can't get enough of Charlie Brooker's tech-fuelled nightmares. Or, you could just love vampires. Whichever fits, there's a new or returning 2023 horror-themed television show to watch his Halloween — and we've rounded up ten must-sees. Also on the list: body horror, fan obsessions, dystopian chaos, dark fairy tales and stranded-in-the-woods cannibalism. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER Of the many pies that Succession's Roy family had their fingers in, pharmaceuticals wasn't one of them. For virtually that, Mike Flanagan gives audiences The Fall of the House of Usher. The horror auteur's take on dynastic wealth gets a-fluttering through a world of decadence enabled by pushing pills legally, as six heirs to an addiction-laced kingdom vie to inherit a vast fortune. Flanagan hasn't given up his favourite genre for pure drama, however. The eponymous Usher offspring won't be enjoying the spoils of their father Roderick's (Bruce Greenwood, The Resident) business success, either, in this absorbing, visually ravishing and narratively riveting eight-parter. As the bulk of this tale is unfurled fireside, its patriarch tells federal prosecutor C Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly, SWAT) why his children (including Pet Sematary: Bloodlines' Henry Thomas, Minx's Samantha Sloyan, The Peripheral's T'Nia Miller, iZombie's Rahul Kohli, The Wrath of Becky's Kate Siegel and The Midnight Club's Sauriyan Sapkota) came to die within days of each other — and, with all the gory details, how. As with The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor before it, plus The Midnight Club as well, Flanagan's latest Netflix series finds its basis on the page. The author this time: Edgar Allan Poe, although The Fall of the House of Usher isn't a strict adaptation of the iconic author's 1840 short story of the same name, or just an adaptation, even as it bubbles with greed, violence and paranoia (plus death, loss, decay and the deceased haunting the livin)g. Character monikers, episode titles and other details spring from widely across Poe's bibliography. Cue ravens, black cats, masks, tell-tale hearts, pendulums and a Rue Morgue. What if the writer had penned Succession? That's one of Flanagan's questions — and what if he'd penned Dopesick and Painkiller, too? Hailing from the talent behind the exceptional Midnight Mass as well, plus movies Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, the series that results is a gloriously creepy and involving modern gothic horror entry. The Fall of the House of Usher streams via Netflix. Read our full review. THE CHANGELING It isn't by accident that watching The Changeling feels like being read to, rather than simply viewing streaming's latest book-to-TV adaptation. Landing from the pages of Victor LaValle's novel of the same name, this horror-fantasy series is obsessed with stories, telling tales and unpacking what humanity's favourite narratives say about our nature, including myths and yarns that date back centuries and longer. Printed tomes are crucial in its characters lives, fittingly. Libraries, bookstores, dusty boxes stacked with old volumes, beloved childhood texts, a rare signed version of To Kill a Mockingbird with a note from Harper Lee to lifelong friend Truman Capote: they all feature within the show's frames. Its protagonists Apollo Kagwa (LaKeith Stanfield, Haunted Mansion) and Emma Valentine (Clark Backo, Letterkenny), who fall in love and make a life together before its first episode is out, even work as a book dealer and a librarian. And, The Changeling also literally reads to its audience, because LaValle himself relays this adult fairytale, his dulcet tones speaking lyrical prose to provide a frequent guide In a show created and scripted by Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks screenwriter Kelly Marcel, there's nothing more potent and revealing than a story, after all — and The Changeling believes in the power of tales to capture, explain, transport, engage, caution and advise, too. Aptly, New Yorkers Apollo and Emma meet amid books, in the library where she works and he frequents. It takes convincing to get her to agree to go out with him, but that leads to marriage and a child. The Changeling's astute thematic layering includes Apollo's repeated attempts to wrangle that first yes out of Emma, however, setting up a train of thought that has many future stations. In-between early dates and domesticity, Emma also takes the trip of a lifetime to Brazil, where an old woman awaits by Lagoa do Abaeté. The locals warn the visitor to stay away but she's mesmerised. What happens between the two strangers sends the narrative hurtling, with the lakeside figure tying a red string around Emma's wrist, granting her three wishes, but advising that they'll only come true when the bracelet falls off by itself. The Changeling streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. DEAD RINGERS Twin gynaecologists at the top of their game. Blood-red costuming and bodily fluids. The kind of perturbing mood that seeing flesh as a source of horror does and must bring. A stunning eye for stylish yet unsettling imagery. Utterly impeccable lead casting. When 1988's Dead Ringers hit cinemas, it was with this exact combination, all in the hands of David Cronenberg following Shivers, The Brood, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly. He took inspiration from real-life siblings Stewart and Cyril Marcus, whose existence was fictionalised in 1977 novel Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland, and turned it into something spectacularly haunting. Attempting to stitch together those parts again, this time without the Crimes of the Future filmmaker at the helm — and as a miniseries, too — on paper seems as wild a feat as some of modern medicine's biggest advancements. This time starring a phenomenal Rachel Weisz as both Beverly and Elliot Mantle, and birthed by Lady Macbeth and The Wonder screenwriter Alice Birch, Dead Ringers 2.0 is indeed an achievement. It's also another masterpiece. Playing the gender-swapped roles that Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) inhabited so commandingly 35 years back, Weisz (Black Widow) is quiet, calm, dutiful, sensible and yearning as Beverly, then volatile, outspoken, blunt, reckless and rebellious as Elliot. Her performance as each is that distinct — that fleshed-out as well — that it leaves viewers thinking they're seeing double. Of course, technical trickery is also behind the duplicate portrayals, with directors Sean Durkin (The Nest), Karena Evans (Snowfall), Lauren Wolkstein (The Strange Ones) and Karyn Kusama's (Destroyer) behind the show's lens; however, Weisz is devastatingly convincing. Beverly is also the patient-facing doctor of the two, helping usher women into motherhood, while Elliot prefers tinkering in a state-of-the-art lab trying to push the boundaries of fertility. Still, the pair are forever together or, with unwitting patients and dates alike, swapping places and pretending to be each other. Most folks in their company don't know what hit them, which includes actor Genevieve (Britne Oldford, The Umbrella Academy), who segues from a patient to Beverly's girlfriend — and big-pharma billionaire Rebecca (Jennifer Ehle, She Said), who Dead Ringers' weird sisters court to fund their dream birthing centre. Dead Ringers streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. SWARM Becky with the good hair gets a shoutout in Swarm. Facial bites do as well, complete with a Love & Basketball reference when the culprit flees. This seven-part series about a global pop sensation and her buzzing fans and stans also has its music icon unexpectedly drop a stunner of a visual album, ride a white horse, be married to a well-known rapper, become a mum to twins and see said husband fight with her sister in an elevator. Her sibling is also a singer, and plenty of folks contend she's the more interesting of the two. Still, Swarm's object of fascination — protagonist Dre's (Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah) undying obsession — sells out tours, breaks Ticketmaster and headlines one of the biggest music festivals there is. And, while they call themselves the titular term rather than a hive, her devotees are zealous and then some, especially humming around on social media. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show's creators and past colleagues on Glover's exceptional, now-finished Atlanta — Nabers also worked on Watchmen, too — couldn't be more upfront about who they're referring to. No one says Beyoncé's name, however, but Swarm's Houston-born music megastar is the former Destiny's Child singer in everything except moniker. In case anyone watching thinks that this series is trading in coincidences and déjà vu, or just failing to be subtle when it comes to Ni'Jah (Nirine S Brown, Ruthless), the Prime Video newcomer keeps making an overt opening declaration. "This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional," it announces before each episode. From there, it dives into Dre's journey as a twentysomething in 2016 who still adores her childhood idol with the same passion she did as a teen and, instalment by instalment, shows how far she's willing to go to prove it. Swarm streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LAST OF US If the end of the world comes, or a parasitic fungus evolves via climate change, spreads globally, infests brains en masse and almost wipes out humanity, spectacular video game-to-TV adaptation The Last of Us will have you wanting Pedro Pascal in your corner. Already a standout in Game of Thrones, then Narcos, then The Mandalorian, he's perfectly cast in HBO's latest blockbuster series — a character-driven show that ruminates on what it means to not just survive but to want to live and thrive after the apocalypse. In this smart and gripping show (one that's thankfully already been renewed for season two, too), he plays Joel. Dad to teenager Sarah (Nico Parker, The Third Day), he's consumed by grief and loss after what starts as a normal day, and his birthday, changes everything for everyone. Twenty years later, he's a smuggler tasked with tapping into his paternal instincts to accompany a different young girl, the headstrong Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Catherine Called Birdy), on a perilous but potentially existence-saving trip across the US. Starting to watch The Last of Us, or even merely describing it, is an instant exercise in déjà vu. Whether or not you've played the hit game since it first arrived in 2013, or its 2014 expansion pack, 2020 sequel or 2022 remake, its nine-part TV iteration ventures where plenty of on-screen fare including The Road and The Walking Dead has previously trodden. The best example that springs to mind during The Last of Us is Station Eleven, however, which is the heartiest of compliments given how thoughtful, empathetic and textured that 2021–22 series proved. As everything about pandemics, contagions and diseases that upend the world order now does, The Last of Us feels steeped in stone-cold reality as well, as spearheaded by a co-creator, executive producer, writer and director who has already turned an IRL doomsday into stunning television with Chernobyl. That creative force is Craig Mazin, teaming up with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also wrote and directed The Last of Us games. The Last of Us streams via Binge. Read our full review. BLACK MIRROR When Ron Swanson discovered digital music, the tech-phobic Parks and Recreation favourite was uncharacteristically full of praise. Played by Nick Offerman (The Last of Us) at his most giddily exuberant, he badged the iPod filled with his favourite records an "excellent rectangle". In Black Mirror, the same shape is everywhere. The Netflix series' moniker even stems from the screens and gadgets that we all now filter life through daily and unthinkingly. In Charlie Brooker's (Cunk on Earth) eyes since 2011, however, those ever-present boxes and the technology behind them are far from ace. Instead, befitting a dystopian anthology show that has dripped with existential dread from episode one, and continues to do so in its long-awaited sixth season, those rectangles keep reflecting humanity at its bleakest. Black Mirror as a title has always been devastatingly astute: when we stare at a TV, smartphone, computer or tablet, we access the world yet also reveal ourselves. It might've taken four years to return after 2019's season five, but Brooker's hit still smartly and sharply focuses on the same concern. Indeed, this new must-binge batch of nightmares begins with exactly the satirical hellscape that today's times were bound to inspire. Opening chapter Joan Is Awful, with its AI- and deepfake-fuelled mining of everyday existence for content, almost feels too prescient — a charge a show that's dived into digital resurrections, social scoring systems, killer VR and constant surveillance knows well. Brooker isn't afraid to think bigger and probe deeper in season six, though; to eschew obvious targets like ChatGPT and the pandemic; and to see clearly and unflinchingly that our worst impulses aren't tied to the latest widgets. Black Mirror streams via Netflix. Read our full review of season six. YELLOWJACKETS For Shauna (Melanie Lynskey, The Last of Us), Natalie (Juliette Lewis, Welcome to Chippendales), Taissa (Tawny Cypress, Billions), Misty (Christina Ricci, Wednesday), Lottie (Simone Kessell, Muru) and Van (Lauren Ambrose, Servant), 1996 will always be the year that their plane plunged into the Canadian wilderness, stranding them for 19 tough months — as season one of 2021–2022 standout Yellowjackets grippingly established. As teenagers (as played by The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse, The Boogeyman's Sophie Thatcher, Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy, Shameless' Samantha Hanratty, Mad Max: Fury Road's Courtney Eaton and Santa Clarita Diet's Liv Hewson), they were members of the show's titular high-school soccer squad, travelling from their New Jersey home town to Seattle for a national tournament, when the worst eventuated. Cue Lost-meets-Lord of the Flies with an Alive twist, as that first season was understandably pegged. All isn't always what it seems as Shauna and company endeavour to endure in the elements. Also, tearing into each other occurs more than just metaphorically. Plus, literally sinking one's teeth in was teased and flirted with since episode one, too. But Yellowjackets will always be about what it means to face something so difficult that it forever colours and changes who you are — and constantly leaves a reminder of who you might've been. So, when Yellowjackets ended its first season, it was with as many questions as answers. Naturally, it tore into season two in the same way. In the present, mere days have elapsed — and Shauna and her husband Jeff (Warren Kole, Shades of Blue) are trying to avoid drawing any attention over the disappearance of Shauna's artist lover Adam (Peter Gadiot, Queen of the South). Tai has been elected as a state senator, but her nocturnal activities have seen her wife Simone (Rukiya Bernard, Van Helsing) move out with their son Sammy (Aiden Stoxx, Supergirl). Thanks to purple-wearing kidnappers, Nat has been spirited off, leaving Misty desperate to find her — even enlisting fellow citizen detective Walter (Elijah Wood, Come to Daddy) to help. And, in the past, winter is setting in, making searching for food and staying warm an immense feat. Yellowjackets streams via Paramount+. Read our full review of season two. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Following in Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's footsteps isn't easy, but someone had to do it when What We Do in the Shadows made the leap from the big screen to the small. New format, new location, new vampires, same setup: that's the formula behind this film-to-TV series, which is now in its fifth season. Thankfully for audiences, Matt Berry (Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown), Natasia Demetriou (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and Kayvan Novak (Cruella) were enlisted as the show's three key bloodsuckers in this US spinoff from the New Zealand mockumentary, all in roles that they each seem born for. The trio play three-century-old British aristocrat Laszlo, his 500-year-old creator and partner Nadja, and early Ottoman Empire warrior Nandor, respectively, who share an abode and the afterlife in Staten Island. In cinemas, the film already proved that the concept works to sidesplitting effect. Vampire housemates, they're just like us — except when they're busting out their fangs, flying, avoiding daylight, sleeping in coffins, feuding with other supernatural creatures and leaving a body count, that is. On TV, What We Do in the Shadows has been illustrating that there's not only ample life left in palling around with the undead, but that there's no limit to the gloriously ridiculous hijinks that these no-longer-living creatures can get up to. It was true as a movie and it's still true as a television show: What We Do in the Shadows sparkles not just due to its premise, but when its characters and cast are both as right as a luminous full moon on a cloudless night. This lineup of actors couldn't be more perfect or comedically gifted, as season five constantly demonstrates via everything from mall trips, political campaigns, pride parades and speed dating to trying to discover why Nandor's long-suffering and ever-dutiful familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén, Werewolves Within) hasn't quite started chomping on necks despite being bitten himself. Berry's over-enunciation alone is the best in the business, as is his ability to play confident and cocky. His line readings are exquisite, and also piercingly funny. While that was all a given thanks to his Toast franchise, Year of the Rabbit, The IT Crowd, Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace history, What We Do in the Shadows is a group effort. Demetriou and Novak keep finding new ways to twist Nadja and Nandor's eccentricities in fresh directions; their characters have felt lived-in since season one, but they're still capable of growth and change. What We Do in the Shadows streams via Binge. Read our full review of season five. SERVANT When M Night Shyamalan (Knock at the Cabin) earned global attention and two Oscar nominations back in 1999 for The Sixth Sense, it was with a film about a boy who sees dead people. After ten more features that include highs (the trilogy that is Unbreakable, Split and Glass) and lows (Lady in the Water and The Happening), in 2019 he turned his attention to a TV tale of a nanny who revives a dead baby. Or did he? That's how Servant commenced its first instantly eerie, anxious and dread-filled season, a storyline it has followed in its second season in 2021, third in 2022, and then fourth and final batch of episodes in 2023. But as with all Shyamalan works, this meticulously made series bubbles with the clear feeling that all isn't as it seems. What happens if a caregiver sweeps in exactly when needed and changes a family's life, Mary Poppins-style, but she's a teenager rather than a woman, disquieting instead of comforting, and accompanied by strange events, forceful cults and unsettlingly conspiracies rather than sweet songs, breezy winds and spoonfuls of sugar? That's Servant's basic premise. Set in Shyamalan's beloved Philadelphia, and created by Tony Basgallop (The Consultant), the puzzle-box series spends most of its time in a lavish brownstone inhabited by TV news reporter Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, Yellowjackets), her celebrity-chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot), their baby Jericho and 18-year-old nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Too Old to Die Young) — and where Dorothy's recovering-alcoholic brother Julian (Grint, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) is a frequent visitor. That's still the dynamic in season four, which slowly and powerfully moves towards its big farewell. Dorothy is more determined than ever to be rid of Leanne, Leanne is more sure of herself and her abilities than she's ever been — in childminding, and all the other spooky occurrences that've been haunting the family — and Sean and Julian are again caught in the middle. Wrapping up with one helluva ending, Servant has gifted viewers four seasons of spectacular duelling caregivers and gripping domestic tension, and one of streaming's horror greats. Servant streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review of season four. THE HORROR OF DOLORES ROACH It takes place in New York, not London. The era: modern times, not centuries back. Fleet Street gives way to Washington Heights, the demon barber to a masseuse nicknamed "Magic Hands", and pies to empanadas. There's still a body count, however, and people end up in pastries as well. Yes, The Horror of Dolores Roach namedrops Sweeney Todd early, as it needs to; there's no denying where this eight-part series takes inspiration, as did the one-woman off-Broadway play that it's based on, plus the podcast that followed before the TV version. On the stage, the airwaves and now via streaming, creator Aaron Mark asks a question: what if the fictional cannibalism-inciting character who first graced penny dreadfuls almost two centuries back, then leapt to theatres, films and, most famously, musicals, had a successor today? Viewers can watch the answer via a dramedy that also belongs on the same menu as Santa Clarita Diet, Yellowjackets and Bones and All. Amid this recent feast of on-screen dishes about humans munching on humans, The Horror of Dolores Roach is light yet grisly, but it's also a survivalist thriller in its own way — and laced with twisted attempts at romance, too. That knowing callout to Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street comes amid an early banquet of knowing callouts, as The Horror of Dolores Roach begins with a play based on a podcast that's wrapping up its opening night. Newspaper clippings in actor Flora Frias' (Jessica Pimentel, Orange is the New Black) dressing room establish that the show takes its cues from a woman who got murderous in the Big Apple four years prior, and helped get unwitting NYC residents taking a bite out of each other. Meet the series' framing device; before the stage production's star can head to the afterparty, she's face to face with a furious Dolores (Justina Machado, One Day at a Time) herself. The latter isn't there to slay, but to haunt the woman spilling her tale by sharing the real details. Two decades earlier, Dolores was a happy resident of Lin-Manuel Miranda's favourite slice of New York, a drug-dealer's girlfriend, and a fan of the local empanada shop. Then the cops busted in, The Horror of Dolores Roach's namesake refused to snitch and lost 16 years of her life. When she's released, gentrification has changed the neighbourhood and her other half is nowhere to be found. Only Luis Batista (Alejandro Hernandez, New Amsterdam) remains that remembers her, still in the empanada joint, and he couldn't be keener on letting her stay with him in his basement apartment below the store. The Horror of Dolores Roach streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more things to watch? Check out our list of 2023 horror movies to stream this Halloween, our monthly streaming roundup and our rundown of recent cinema releases that've been fast-tracked to digital home entertainment of late.
The 4th Brazil Film Festival runs in Brisbane from February 27 to March 3 and presents 10 of the most acclaimed recent Brazilian film productions as well as a selection of short films. Here's a preview of five movies that have us totally intrigued. 1. Heleno is a portrait of real-life 1940s soccer star Heleno de Freito's romantic and professional exploits. Shot entirely in black-and-white, this looks to be a glamorous chronicle of the 'Cursed Prince', complete with well-dressed busty ladies, fast cars, and snappy dialogue. 2. Mulatas. The first word that comes to mind when you think of Brazil is probably 'Carnival'. This doco interviews the women embodying Rio de Janeiro's exuberant Carnival samba culture, the mulatas. Delving beneath the surface of a national symbol, the film explores the stigmas associated with the provocative dance style and its impact on the mulatas' personal lives. 3. Hauling. Sao Paulo is home to a marginalised subculture of professional recyclers, including Claudines, a man who for many years has based his livelihood on carefully salvaging what others would view as junk. He's not the only one, either. This documentary offers a fascinating look at Brazil's recycling underworld, covering both its social and environmental aspects. 4. Highrise. What does life look like from the perspective of the Brazilian upper classes, dwelling high above street level in the penthouses of major cities? Highrise scrutinises the country's social and economic disparities by entering the lofty homes of some of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Recife's wealthiest denizens, interviewing them about their motives for choosing the high life. 5. Amazonia Eterna. The Amazon is the last great forest wilderness, and the balance of its ecosystem affects all life on Earth. This documentary examines the way local inhabitants view their home, its significance and its future. The film will be accompanied by a panel discussion chaired by Green Cross Australia, raising awareness of parallels between conservation issues in the Amazon and Australia. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nq7XsCyZRVI Top image from Hauling by Sean Walsh.
Mr Maps certainly knows how to throw an event. Seriously – throwing a Tennis Party right after Wimbledon, when everyone is already keen for strawberries and cream, Pimms and lemonade, and crisp white tennis bests? There could be no better time. To launch their new single, not-so-surprisingly called Tennis Party, Mr Maps is inviting everyone to join them at New Farm Park Tennis Courts this Sunday. An appreciation of tennis, music and good times is requested. Someone will be commandeering a BBQ and other goodies will be for sale. Plus if you attend you could totally end up famous, as the gig will be recorded for the official Tennis Party film clip. It’s a free all-ages gig, so if your Sunday’s looking a little bland you really have no excuse not to attend, especially if you’re partial to a little game, set and match.
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your weekend agenda, you might want to make other plans. As part of city-wide track maintenance, every line that runs through the Brisbane CBD is experiencing closures until Monday morning — including every single stop from Roma Street to Bowen Hills. The list of impacted stations is considerable, running out to Corinda on the Ipswich line, Murarrie on the Cleveland line, and Yeerongpilly on the Gold Coast and Beenleigh lines, too. Northsiders fare much better, with the track work only extending as far as Wooloowin in that direction. Replacement buses are across the weekend running, though Translink advices passengers to add an extra hour onto their travel time until the first service on Monday. If you're wondering why, the maintenance is part of the preparation for the Commonwealth Games — when another round of delays is slated to come into effect for much of April, this time due to a reduction in the Brisbane schedule so that services can run more frequently to and on the Gold Coast. Via Brisbane Times. Image: Denisbin via Flickr.
A new batch of travellers is checking in, and a third The White Lotus hotel is ready and waiting. As Lisa from BLACKPINK says in both the initial look at footage from season three in a broader HBO trailer and in the anthology hit's just-dropped first teaser, "welcome to The White Lotus in Thailand". Viewers mightn't be packing their bags to head to an exclusive Thai resort, but you can mark your calendar: the acclaimed series returns in mid-February 2025. A getaway at a luxurious hotel is normally relaxing, but that isn't what vacationers find in this show. It was true in the Hawaii-set first season in 2021, then in season two in Sicily in 2023, each with a largely different group of holidaymakers. Based on the sneak peek at season three, that's of course accurate again in the eight-episode run that arrives from Monday, February 17 Australian and New Zealand time. Walton Goggins (Fallout), Carrie Coon (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Jason Isaacs (The Crowded Room), Michelle Monaghan (MaXXXine), Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale) and Parker Posey (Mr & Mrs Smith) are among the folks checking in this time, alongside Sam Nivola (The Perfect Couple), Patrick Schwarzenegger (Gen V), Sarah Catherine Hook (Cruel Intentions) and Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education). Families, couples and friends on getaways: they're all covered by the above cast members. And as Monaghan exclaiming "what the fuck is this place?" indicates, they're in for some chaos. Bad feelings, seeking pleasure but finding pain, threatening to drink oneself to sleep: alongside guns, dancing, judgemental pals, missing pills, snakes, monkeys, ambulances, complaints about gluten-free rice and a body bag, they're all featured in the teaser as well. From season one, Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone) is back Hawaii spa manager Belinda, who advises that she's there on an exchange program. Season three also stars Lek Patravadi (In Family We Trust) and Tayme Thapthimthong (Thai Cave Rescue) as one of The White Lotus' owners and security guards, respectively. Where the Mike White (Brad's Status)-created, -written and -directed satire's first season had money in its sights and the second honed in on sex, eastern religion and spirituality is in the spotlight in season three, which also co-stars Nicholas Duvernay (Bel-Air), Arnas Fedaravičius (The Wheel of Time), Christian Friedel (The Zone of Interest), Scott Glenn (Bad Monkey), Dom Hetrakul (The Sweetest Taboo), Julian Kostov (Alex Rider), Charlotte Le Bon (Niki), Morgana O'Reilly (Bookworm) and Shalini Peiris (The Ark). Check out the first teaser trailer for The White Lotus season three below: The White Lotus returns on Sunday, February 16 in the US, which is Monday, February 17 Down Under. At present, the series streams via Binge in Australia and on Neon in New Zealand. Images: HBO.
As anyone who's ever ridden a bike that's too big or too small for them knows, it inevitably ends in bruises and/or some kind of chronic knee problem (and you just look kinda silly). The problem is that, unlike clothes, bikes usually operate on a two-size scale — so if you don't fit into the pre-defined categories of small or large, you're going to have a bit of a problem finding an affordable two-wheeled baby to comfortably ride around in. To combat this problem, Hungarian designer Tamás Túri has come up with the 3BEE: a bicycle that can be fully customised to your body and its abilities. By using a 3D printing technique, he's able to personalise the bike to your height, measurements, age and physical abilities. So it's made just for you. And before we forget to mention it, this bike is bloody beautiful. It's sleek like a racing bike, but operates as a functional fixie commuter. Its frame is actually hollow, so it's super lightweight, and the curved design means it's easy to pick up and put over your shoulder if you need to carry it inside or up some stairs.
Aaron Hobson has taken some breathtaking landscape photographs of remote locations scattered across the globe, and all without leaving the comfort of his own computer screen. From the haunting energy of undisturbed forests in France to roads that wrap around mountainous Spain, Hobson has captured each of these picturesque moments using Google Street View. Hobson says that he began using Google Street View to discover possible shooting locations for a film, but soon found himself clicking away for miles along deserted roads, all for his own pleasure. He also says that he uses Google Street View in High Definition, so that the photographs only require a few minutes of editing before they are put on show. His work has garnered so much attention that last week his website buckled under the pressure of 50,000 views in one day. This isn't the first time that Google Street View has been used to create an artistic work. Last week we featured the remarkable Address is Approximate, a stop motion animation film by Tom Jenkins. This film uses a clever combination of Google Street View and everyday objects to create a quirky sense of travel and distance. The use of Google Street View by these online explorers proves that the world is now literally in the palm of our hands. [via Mashable]
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. But visitors to the Chippendale space between now and Sunday, August 1 can expect a particularly luminous experience, with its latest eye-catching multimedia exhibition centred around the wonders of light. Showcasing works from 30 artists, Lumen's lineup stretches from interactive light pieces and frozen copper sculptures to video projections and rooms full of LEDs. As well as grabbing attention, each work on display uses light in a thought-provoking, awe-inspiring or fully immersive fashion. The boundary-pushing Zhang Peili, dubbed the father of video art in China, is displaying 2012 Portraits, a series of 14 portraits in which the both the subject and the viewer are blinded by light. Or, there's Yao Chung-Han's DzDz, which invites the audience to stand under movement-sensitive beams of light and create music by using their bodies. And, thanks to Wu Daxin's Ashley's Heart, you'll see copper tubes suspended in the shape of a heart and gradually frozen over the course of the day, creating a unique ice sculpture. Art collective Luxury Logico is presenting two works as part of the exhibition. The first is Solar, a twinkling representation of the sun created using donated desk lamps — while the second, Miniature, is one of the exhibition's showstoppers. The display of LED lights draws upon images from a video reel, with each LED corresponding to a pixel. Both vivid and architectural in its appearance, the work is designed to remind viewers of celestial bodies in the sky, all while cycling through everything from reality TV and ads to soap operas and Adam Sandler movies. Lumen is running over all four levels of the White Rabbit Gallery. As usual with the site's exhibitions, entry is free and there are no bookings, so folks can just rock up and enjoy the art. And, free guided tours are available at 11am, 1pm and 3pm Wednesday–Sunday. Top image: Miniature by Luxury Logico.
