Celebrating the release of last year’s album Stranger, Kelly Clarkson will hit cities across Australia singing new tunes and fan favourites like Already Gone, My Life Would Suck Without You and Because Of You. As the tail end of a year spanning over fifty dates worldwide, the Australian shows of the Stronger tour are gifted by high expectation, with long lists of praise for the previous dates raising them upwards. Kelly Clarkson will dazzle fans. Her simple but versatile performances are all about the music, pulling on heart-strings and transforming the pain behind her writing into something exquisitely beautiful.
Is there anything better than a day out in the sunshine, a cool breeze blowing in your hair, a cuddle from your beloved, a glass of wine in one hand and a piece of cheese in the other? Probably not. Only one thing could really make it better - some incredible musicians to watch and listen to! Essentially this is what A Day on the Green is: food, wine, friends and great music. Now in its eleventh year, A Day on the Green has brought some incredible acts from overseas to Australia, and also coaxed some fantastic Australian acts out of retirement. In previous years performers have included Chris Isaak, Diana Krall, Tom Jones, Ronan Keating, Mark Seymour, Wendy Matthews, The Whitlams, Lionel Ritchie and so many more. This month at Sirromet Winery, punters can see one of the best line-ups yet, with the consumnate musicians Daryl Hall and John Oates strutting their stuff alongside iconic band Icehouse and the likes of Husky, up-and-comers from Melbourne. Take a trip to the 80s and back with a wine in hand.
It's been 17 years since Hae Min Lee was tragically killed. And 16 since Adnan Syed went to jail for her murder. But now, almost two decades later, a Baltimore judge has granted Syed a re-trial. His lawyer, Justin Brown, tweeted the news earlier this morning, which was around 4.30pm on Thursday, June 30, Baltimore time. WE WON A NEW TRIAL FOR ADNAN SYED!!! #FreeAdnan — Justin Brown (@CJBrownLaw) June 30, 2016 Syed was, of course, the subject of Sarah Koenig's true crime podcast Serial, which had every man and his dog weighing in on complex legal evidence when it aired back in late 2014. Since the podcast's circulation, Syed — who has always maintained his innocence — has been able to push his case for post-conviction relief. In February he was granted a post-conviction hearing, in which it was argued that his original defence lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez, was negligent in the way she conducted the case. And on Thursday, Judge Martin Welch granted Syed a new trial on his defence counsel's failure to cross-examine a cell tower expert about the reliability of the data that placed him near the burial site. Anyone who's listened to the podcast knows that the cell tower data was one of the most complicated (and bloody confusing) pieces of evidence in the trial. This is Judge Welch's order, as posted by Serial about an hour ago: So what does this mean? Well, it means Syed's defence counsel have a lot of evidence to gather before an undoubtedly lengthy trial, which hasn't been given a date yet. And, surely, it means another season of Serial? Via The New York Times.
Live in New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland? Craving a doughnut right about now? There's a very good reason for those hunger pangs. All three states have been affected by Melbourne's latest COVID-19 cluster — the one that saw the city go into lockdown for two weeks, and only just ended — but today, Friday, June 11, the country's entire east coast has recorded zero new locally acquired cases. Yes, it's a doughnut day across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and across the rest of their states as well. Twelve months or so ago, if you uttered that term, you were probably using it in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of the past year, however, the term now refers to this welcome COVID-19 milestone. https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1403120157711605764 All three states use slightly different timeframes when it comes to their 24-hour reporting periods — NSW cuts off at 8pm the previous day, for instance, while Victoria counts up until midnight — but the results are the same regardless. In Melbourne, it's the first zero day since the current cluster began. So, it's the first since Monday, May 24. Obviously, with lockdown just finishing last night, that nice round figure is very happy news. While neither Queensland or NSW have had big case numbers lately, the big fat zero is still significant there as well. On Wednesday, it was revealed that two people from Melbourne had driven through NSW and Queensland to the Sunshine Coast, with one then testing positive. The second person then tested positive on Thursday. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1403182248707256320 At the moment, Victoria has 75 active cases, which includes both locally acquired and those in hotel quarantine. NSW has 26 cases being treated at present — and in Queensland there is currently 15 cases. Of course, this doesn't mean the war is over in any of the three states, or around Australia — but it is a very welcome development after the past few days and weeks. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health. For more information about COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Department of Health website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in the Queensland, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website.
Jesus Christ Superstar is coming to Australia. The record-breaking Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera tour de force has been travelling around the globe for more than 40 years and is landing Down Under this June. It is not arriving as fans of the musical would expect, either, with the production reimagined for post-millennial society, with Twitter, Occupy protests and bankers all making an appearance. Whilst it may be slightly modernised, it has lost none of its charm, receiving rave reviews throughout its recent UK run. Resurrecting John Farnham's 1992 Jesus on stage will be Ben Forster, a role he won after performing on Andrew Lloyd Webber's reality TV show Superstar. Also starring and adding some Australian flavour are Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot and Deal or No Deal's Andrew O'Keefe as King Herod, and the cast also features a Spice Girl. That's right, 'Sporty Spice' Melanie C will be portraying Mary Magdalene. If you still need convincing, the Pope himself approved the musical. So if you want to see a musical with a papal seal of approval it will be in Brisbane on June 11, 12 and 18 and tickets are selling fast.
When clouds start gathering in the sky, rain keeps pouring and storms hit, ever wonder what life would be like if something other than water streamed down from above? Everyone has — and now that idea has become a reality. Meet the world's first tequila-dripping rain cloud. Yes, this visible mass of minute droplets really is made of tequila, unleashing its boozy goodness first as a mist and spray that condenses inside a plastic container, and then as rain that drips down from the whispy structure. All anyone keen for a drink needs to do is stand by with a shot glass in hand. Bring your own lemon and salt. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRa17gCjyiW/?taken-by=visitmexico Unsurprisingly, you won't find the tequila cloud in sky — instead, it's located in a Berlin gallery as part of a promotional campaign devised by creative agency LAPIZ to entice German tourists to Mexico. Sure, it sounds like something out of Parks and Recreation; however it doesn't come with vodka in the form of a flash of light or whisky turned into lotion. Synchronised with the weather outside, the cloud actually starts raining showers of tequila when its natural counterparts in Berlin do the same with good old fashioned H20. The project follows in the footsteps of the agency's melting billboard, which turned ice into snow with the simulated power of the Mexican sun to show Berliners what they were missing (and to try to convince them to book a holiday). Via Food & Wine / The Huffington Post.
Hamilton isn't the only hit musical from the past few years that took a few cues from the past, paired a well-known chapter of history with toe-tapping tunes and made on-stage magic. Another theatre show that did just that: Six the Musical. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End, the musical takes inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been — because even if you don't know much about Britain's past kings and queens, you likely know that Henry VIII had six wives. The Tudor monarch's love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years — including 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — but this one takes the pop part rather seriously. It's presented as a pop concert, in fact, with Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. A five-time nominee at the Olivier Awards, Six the Musical has already played Australia, thanks to a 2020 season at the Sydney Opera House. Making a comeback, it's joining the long list of musicals doing the rounds this year and next — alongside Hamilton, Come From Away, Moulin Rouge!, The Phantom of the Opera, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Jagged Little Pill, to name a few big-name shows gracing Aussie stages either now or in the near future. Hitting up Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022 — with exact dates to be revealed for all cities — Six the Musical will welcome back four 2020 cast members for its new tour. Kala Gare (Rent) returns as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) will reprise her role as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) will step into Anne of Cleves' shoes again and Catherine Parr will be played by Vidya Makan (Green Day's American Idiot) once more. They'll welcome new co-stars Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical), as Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard, respectively. SIX THE MUSICAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2021–22: Brisbane — QPAC Playhouse from November 2021 Sydney — Sydney Opera House from December 2021 Canberra — Canberra Theatre Centre sometime in 2022 Adelaide — Her Majesty's Theatre sometime in 2022 Melbourne — Comedy Theatre sometime in 2022 Six the Musical will play Brisbane's QPAC Playhouse from November 2021, the Sydney Opera House from December 2021, and Canberra Theatre Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide and Melbourne's Comedy Theatre in 2022. Tickets for the Brisbane and Sydney seasons will go on sale in August — to join the waitlist, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
Brie Larson makes a great Captain Marvel. She's even better as Elizabeth Zott. Since winning a Best Actress Oscar for 2015's Room, Larson's resume has largely been filled by the blockbuster end of town — see: Kong: Skull Island, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Fast X and The Marvels — but it's been screaming for a part like Lessons in Chemistry. In her first non-franchise on-screen role since 2019's Just Mercy, she turns executive producer, too, guiding a page-to-screen adaptation of Bonnie Garmus' bestseller that needs her performance as its star ingredient. A chemistry genius and then a TV cooking show host who is forced to battle sexism as both, Elizabeth is as complicated as the holy-grail project that she works in secret as a lab technician, and as the recipes that she later perfects for television audiences. Regardless of whether you've read Lessons in Chemistry's 2022 source material or are coming anew to Apple TV+'s small-screen version, which has been streaming episodically since October and can be binged in full from Wednesday, November 22, Elizabeth is magnificent to watch because Larson steps into her shoes so completely. The character is direct, determined and conscientious. She's not just nonplussed about being likeable, but near-allergically averse to that being her primary goal. She's curious and dryly funny, too, albeit careful about who she's open with. But being serious and rightly cautious about how 50s and 60s America routinely disregards women doesn't mean that she's anything but authentic, whether she's asserting what she's always held dear, navigating life's traumas or finding space for others in her life. Early in the series, Elizabeth's quest to whip up a flawless lasagne has her up to her 78th attempt — and layers are just as crucial for Larson in playing the show's protagonist. When Lessons in Chemistry begins, it's with a brief jump forward to cameras and adoring viewers, with Elizabeth's Supper at Six series an established hit. It'll take half of the broader show to get back to TV cooking with no-nonsense science explanations, an appreciation for domestic duties and an uplifted fanbase, but the opening burns an imprint, signalling that its lead character's days of being expected to make coffee for male-only Hastings Research Institute scientists are numbered. Although Elizabeth has a master's degree in chemistry, her Southern Californian employer cares little about that, or that she's the smartest person on their books, because she lacks a Y chromosome. Instead, they scold her for after-hours experiments — the only time that she can delve into her own work — and lack of interest in the company beauty pageant, and trot out a misogynistic go-to: that she isn't smiling enough. It's at Hastings that Elizabeth meets Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range), who inhabits another world when it comes to respect, yet resides on the exact same non-conformist turf. As the reason for much of the institute's funding, he's the organisation's science rockstar as long as he's bringing in grant money. Like Elizabeth, it's solely the work that he's interested in, not the hoops and hoopla around it. Thanks to her research into abiogenesis, aka the origins of life from organic compounds, they're swiftly professional partners. Coming as a surprise to both, they're soon living together in Los Angeles' Sugar Hill, alongside rescue dog Six-Thirty (named after his daily wake-up time). She likes orderly melodies, while he thinks best to jazz. Her ideal lab has everything in its place, but his is where he showers and scatters around saltine crumbs. In both developing the series from the book and penning or co-penning half of the episodes, Little America and Jury Duty creator Lee Eisenberg lingers on how Elizabeth and Calvin jostle as they fall in love, experiencing existence's unpredictability in the process. The tale from there leans on the latter, especially as the reality that so few of life's variables can be controlled becomes baked in via an array of ways. Selling Tupperware, turning her home kitchen into a lab, Supper at Six, becoming a mother to Mad (played by sincere first-timer Alice Halsey as a seven-year-old): these are all sprinkled into Elizabeth's story, too. Unlike in the novel, so is the efforts of her neighbour Harriet Sloane (Aja Naomi King, How to Get Away with Murder) to fight against the razing of their mostly Black area for a freeway. "Look how much things have evolved" is rarely the statement made by period-set TV dramas. With Lessons in Chemistry, just as with Mad Men and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel before it — and dramedies Minx and GLOW as well — spotlighting what is and isn't different between a bygone era and now, and how much the second proves the case, simmers throughout. As Elizabeth faces sexist barriers in chemistry and TV alike, as a single woman and then mum, and while pursuing her career and stressing the importance of cooking, it's plain to see the barriers and prejudices that blocked 50s and 60s women at every turn. As legal aide Harriet campaigns against her neighbourhood being demolished, and the discrimination that bulldozing a predominantly Black part of town represents, Lessons in Chemistry makes the same observations regarding race. Thinking that these issues have disappeared with the period's gorgeous decor and costuming is missing the point. This handsomely and heartfeltly made series might pepper change's inevitability across its tale from start to finish — and speak about it in multiple big moments — but it also spies what happens when nothing moves or shifts. Letting that truth percolate is as much its mission as positioning Elizabeth and Harriet as aspirational feminist and activist heroes, even if Harriet's worthy subplot feels like it's been shoehorned in (because it has) and is deserving of its own entire drama (as it is). Lessons in Chemistry is a comfortable and compelling underdog story about pluck, passion and proficiency versus the patriarchy and oppression, then, but with some bite. That said, it still opts for the massively misguided move of letting Six-Thirty turn narrator, aping the book's similar approach and enlisting the voice of BJ Novak (Vengeance). Barking up A Dog's Purpose's tree is thankfully over fast. Although never free of imperfections, as little in life, science or the culinary arts is, Lessons in Chemistry keeps bubbling — and charming. As the plot finds room for leaps back into Elizabeth and Calvin's respective painful histories, Mad to turn detective, pondering science versus faith, and women's liberation and civil rights pushes, it also benefits heavily from its key casting. Larson doesn't just lead expertly, but also shares wide-eyed affection with Pullman, who has inherited his dad Bill's (The High Note) charisma; a supportive rapport with the luminous King, who steals every scene that she's in; and a heartwarming bond with young find Halsey. Chemistry is on display in multiple ways, including in making watching Lessons in Chemistry a richer experience than reading it. Check out the trailer for Lessons in Chemistry below: Lessons in Chemistry streams via Apple TV+.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0UbkJD2KDY FRENCH EXIT "My plan was to die before the money ran out, but I kept and keep not dying — and here I am." When asked about her strategy as she faces financial ruin, that's Manhattan socialite Frances Price's (Michelle Pfeiffer, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) frank response. Her fortune has dwindled, the banks are about to repossess everything she owns and she doesn't know what her now-precarious future holds; however, she's most annoyed about having to answer her financial advisor's exasperated questions. Conveying Frances' reply with little else but spikiness otherwise, Pfeiffer turns this early French Exit scene into a deadpan masterclass. The character's candour, irritation and sharp edges are all personality traits, rather than specific reactions to her current predicament, and Pfeiffer makes it clear that she'd still be spitting out acerbic retorts with the same poker face if Frances had been queried about absolutely anything else. She frequently does just that afterwards, in fact, and she's a caustic delight in this wry exploration of a familiar topic: weathering life's many disappointments. Widowed for a decade, and happy to keep cultivating an eccentric reputation as the years go on, Frances hasn't dedicated even a second to tangibly preparing for her present lack of funds. That said, she soon has another plan. Surreptitiously selling off her belongings as her accountant advises — and viciously haggling over commission rates in the process — she rustles up what cash she can and absconds to Paris, where a friend's empty apartment awaits rent-free. There, she reverts to her old approach. Once her remaining money has been frittered away on wine, coffee, and oversized tips to anyone and everyone, she doesn't see the point of going on. But her dysfunctionally codependent relationship with her twentysomething son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges, Waves), his on-and-off romance with his secret fiancée Susan (Imogen Poots, Black Christmas), and a new friendship with the lonely and besotted Madame Reynard (Valerie Mahaffey, Dead to Me) all add unexpected chaos to Frances' scheme, as does a cruise ship fortune teller (Danielle Macdonald, Unbelievable) and a runaway cat who just might be her reincarnated husband. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP2MlPwflX4 SAINT MAUD If humanity ever managed to cure or circumvent death — or even just stop being despairingly afraid of our own mortality — the horror genre would immediately feel the difference. Lives are frequently in peril in films that are meant to spook and frighten. Fears of dying underscore everything from serial killer thrillers and body horror flicks to stories of zombies, ghosts and vampires, too. Indeed, if a scary movie isn't pondering the fact that our days are inescapably finite, it's often contemplating our easily damaged and destroyed anatomy. Or, it's recognising that our species' darkest urges can bring about brutal and fatal repercussions, or noting that the desperation to avoid our expiration dates can even spark our demise. Accordingly, Saint Maud's obsession with death isn't a rarity in an ever-growing genre that routinely serves it up, muses on it and makes audiences do the same whether they always realise it or not. In an immensely crowded realm, this striking, instantly unsettling feature debut by British writer/director Rose Glass definitely stands out, though. Bumps, jumps, shocks and scares come in all manner of shapes and sizes, as do worries and anxieties about the end that awaits us all. In Saint Maud, they're a matter of faith. The eponymous in-home nurse (Dracula and His Dark Materials' Morfydd Clark) has it. She has enough to share, actually, which she's keen to do daily. Maud is devoted to three things: Christianity, helping those in her care physically and saving them spiritually. Alas, her latest cancer-stricken patient doesn't hold the same convictions, or appreciate them. Amanda (Jennifer Ehle, Vox Lux) isn't fond of Maud's fixation on her salvation or her strict judgements about her lifestyle. She knows her time is waning, her body is failing and that she needs Maud's help, but the celebrated ex-dancer and choreographer does not want to go gently or faithfully in that good night. Instead, she'd much prefer the solace that sex and alcohol brings over her palliative care nurse's intensely devout zeal. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=794vlC_wKJQ WHITE RIOT In 2020, as the world faced a crisis unlike any other in living memory, Gal Gadot led a bunch of fellow celebrities in an Instagram sing-along to John Lennon's 'Imagine'. The aim: to inspire a planet full of people grappling with suddenly living under lockdown. As no one could avoid (especially when we all had so little else to do and spent so much time glued to the news), the result was actually awkward and cringe-inducing. Perhaps punk rockers should've been trying to lift our spirits instead. Or, they could've used their talents and instruments to draw attention to a plethora of worthy causes — as Rock Against Racism did in the mid-to-late 70s. When right-wing views began to spread across Britain, a group of music lovers including Red Saunders, Roger Huddle, Jo Wreford and Pete Bruno decided to take action, waging a campaign to battle prejudice and discrimination. They didn't just choose to fight back via their favourite art form as an excuse to host gigs, though. From Eric Clapton to Rod Stewart, many of the country's music megastars of the era had all offered support to extremist views, and publicly. So, corralling a lineup of bands to help counter anti-immigration rhetoric became RAR's number one task, with the aim of bringing music fans together and discouraging them from adopting racist attitudes. Combining contemporary interviews, archival chats, a lively soundtrack, and a wealth of footage and photographs of its efforts in action nearly half a century ago, documentary White Riot chronicles RAR from its formation through to its 100,000-attendee 1978 national carnival — where The Clash, Tom Robinson Band, X-Ray Spex and Steel Pulse all played. Despite the movement's name, everything from reggae and soul to jazz and funk was also welcome. Britain's music lovers responded in a big way, travelling across the country to attend its gatherings and show their support for RAR's inclusive anti-hate message. Fluidly directed by first-time feature helmer Rubika Shah, White Riot steps through the grim reality of life in Britain at the time, to provide context to RAR's emphatic response. The film shows the abhorrent viewpoints uttered by politicians and their proponents, and the way in which Nazi imagery was worked into the far-right National Front party. Dense with detail, it also demonstrates how standing up to fascism was an almost-revolutionary act. If the footage had allowed it, Shah and co-writer Ed Gibbs could've made an entire docuseries about RAR and would've kept viewers glued to every second. In just 80 minutes, however, White Riot delivers a vital history lesson on a crucial piece of activism — as well as a reminder that inflammatory rhetoric always demands a response. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQaIf-Erj94 CRISIS Crisis examines America's opioid epidemic by piecing together three individual, occasionally overlapping tales. It also hits cinemas two decades to the month that the film it strongly resembles took home four Oscars. At the turn of the 21st century, Steven Soderbergh's Traffic focused on illegal narcotics rather than prescription pills, but the similarities between it and this pensive thriller from Arbitrage director Nicholas Jarecki are both striking and inescapable. Here, undercover DEA agent Jake Kelly (Armie Hammer, Rebecca) has been working to bring down a fentanyl smuggling operation. His sister Emmie (Lily-Rose Depp, The King) is an addict, so yes, it's personal. Also struggling is architect Claire Reimann (Evangeline Lilly, Avengers: Endgame), who has been hooked on oxycodone since an accident, attends support meetings but finds herself tested when her teenage son goes missing. Then there's Dr Tyrone Brower (Gary Oldman, Mank), a university professor who funds his research by testing new products for pharmaceutical companies. After his colleagues let his lab's trial of a new, supposedly non-addictive painkiller run a few days longer than asked, they discover that it can be fatal in mice — which company employee Dr Bill Simons (Luke Evans, Angel of Mine) is eager to keep quiet. Michelle Rodriguez (She Dies Tomorrow) also plays Jake's boss, Greg Kinnear (Misbehaviour) gives Tyrone a hard time as his disapproving college dean and Kid Cudi (Bill & Ted Face the Music) pops up an FDA employee on the latter's side — with Crisis lacking in neither stars nor good intentions. Writer/director Jarecki can't shake the familiar feeling that lingers throughout the film, though. Viewers have seen everything peddled here before, and with far more surprises and subtlety. If you've paid any attention to news headlines over the past few decades, you'll already know how insidious opioid use has become, and how ruthless and destructive the industry behind it is, too. Still, as well as evoking a been-there, seen-that sensation, Crisis often hits its emotional marks. A movie can connect easy-to-spot dots, hit obvious points vehemently and repetitively, and follow a predictable narrative — or narratives, in this case — and still offer up stirring moments and engaging performances. No one will be mentioning Crisis in another 20 years if another crime-thriller attempts to follow in Traffic's footsteps, but as 2021's take on the topic, it's watchable albeit unshakeably generic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hfUomtqljs THE GRIZZLIES When newly graduated teacher Russ Shepherd (Ben Schnetzer, Saint Judy) is sent to Kugluktuk, in the frosty Nunavut in Canada's north, he has two self-serving aims. By working in a remote area as part of a program that rewards anyone willing to take such postings, he's able to to pay back his school tuition fees. He's also hoping to use his time to secure a permanent spot at a prestigious private school down south. But Russ is still unsettled when he realises how few of his students are eager to engage in his lessons. Principal Janace (Tantoo Cardinal, Stumptown) doesn't enforce attendance, in fact, knowing that the school's pupils have chores to complete at home, families to provide for and traditional ways to uphold. She doesn't like to push the teens out of their comfort zones either, with the town's youth suicide rate the highest in North America, and dealing with intergenerational trauma also part of life in the community. Already a lacrosse devotee, Russ decides to try to start a school club to get his students motivated — a task he's instantly told will fail. But while the popular Zach (Paul Nutarariaq, Iqaluit) is initially apprehensive, as is hunter Adam (feature first-timer Ricky Marty-Pahtaykan) and the reserved Kyle (Booboo Stewart, Let Him Go), their involvement in the sport has an impact. Directed by feature debutant Miranda de Pencier, and scripted by Moira Walley-Beckett (Anne with an E) and Graham Yost (Justified), The Grizzlies draws upon the the true story of the team that gives the film its name. While steeped in reality, it also leans heavily upon the inspirational sports underdog playbook — but this rousing movie is never weighed down by its tropes or predictability. Strong, complicated performances from Nutarariaq, Marty-Pahtaykanv, Stewart and Emerald MacDonald, who plays the school's most conscientious student, all help immensely. Their characters wade through familiar beats, but they're never one-note. Indeed, The Grizzlies doesn't shy away from complexity on multiple levels, including in depicting the lack of hope blighting Kugluktuk's teenagers, as well as the path their lacrosse journey takes. And, while the role of Russ could've played into white saviour cliches, the film stresses his naiveté, his mistakes and the fact that he has as much to learn, if not more, from his students and the broader community. Icily scenic cinematography that roves over the area's arresting but harsh terrain, and a sensitive yet never mawkish approach also add texture to feature that earns its heart, spirit and warmth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c85aXHth_uQ&feature=youtu.be UNSOUND In Unsound, Finn (feature first-timer Yiana Pandelis) and Noah (Reece Noi, When They See Us) meet by chance. When the latter wanders into the club for Sydneysiders with hearing impairments that the former runs in the city's northern beaches, a connection springs, although both enter the relationship with other things on their mind. Attendance at the neighbourhood centre has been waning, and the locals complain about Finn's weekly dance parties. Tucking his long hair up under a cap while he stands behind the DJ decks by night and helps children learn Auslan by day, Finn is also slowly taking steps to cement his identity as a transgender man. As for the British-accented Noah, he's just arrived in Australia after touring the UK with his pop singer mentor Moniqua (Christine Anu), and his mother Angela (Paula Duncan, Neighbours) has hardly given him a warm welcome. So, Unsound follows Finn and Noah's romance, but that's just one of the things the film is interested in. While both lead characters receive ample screen time, Finn's experiences as a person who is deaf and with his transition are frequently thrust to the fore. That's a welcome move — not because Noah's efforts to step out of his absent father's shadow, take his career seriously and cope with his often-dismissive mum don't deserve attention, but because inclusive movies about trans men and people who are hearing impaired are rarely this thoughtful (and rarely exist at all, really). Directed by TV veteran Ian Watson (Heartbreak High, Home and Away) and penned by Ally Burnham (Nice Package), Unsound might bring both 52 Tuesdays and Sound of Metal to mind, which are excellent movies to even remotely resemble; however, this small feature with big ambitions and a heartfelt impact is always its own film. Absent touristy Sydney shots that constantly remind you where it's set, and favouring a low-key, lived-in aesthetic instead, it dedicates its running time to plunging into Finn's life and portraying it authentically, a task that it doesn't lose sight of even for a minute. The texture and detail in Burnham's script, especially in fleshing out the movie's characters, isn't just admirable but essential. It's little wonder, then, that Pandelis always makes Finn feel as if he could walk off the screen — although the performer also deserves ample credit. Noi also more than does his part justice, in a well-cast film all-round (see also: scene-stealer Olivia Beasley as one of Finn's colleagues, and a grounded turn from The Boy From Oz star Todd McKenney as Finn's father). And, the use of sound to convey the joy that Finn and his friends feel at their Saturday night dance parties is one of the picture's many astutely calibrated touches. Unsound opened in Sydney and Brisbane cinemas on March 18, after screening in Melbourne from February 11. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah and Girls Can't Surf.
Gone are the days when watching a new television series meant sitting down at a set time to glue your eyes to the small screen, or programming your VCR to record said show for later. If you can remember back then, then you'll know that gone are the days where viewing everything you want to felt somewhat achievable, too. Thanks to the ever-growing array of streaming platforms, we're now utterly spoiled for choice, with new choices dropping all the time — and constantly demanding your attention. Sadly, we just can't watch every TV show ever made when they first arrive. Realistically, we can't all view every series ever anyway — but we can catch up with the greats. That's one of the handy things about summer holidays: the flow of newcomers does slow down, even if only for a few weeks, and plenty of the year's standouts beckon. When it comes to excellent episodic fare, 2022 was no slouch. Ace new shows hit with frequency over the past 12 months, so much so that you likely missed some. With that in mind, we've rounded up 15 stellar 2022 arrivals that mightn't have made their way to your streaming queues yet, but should as soon as you have the time — and, if you've already seen them, definitely deserve a rewatch. THE LAST MOVIE STARS Filmmakers adoring filmmakers is basically its own on-screen genre. Six-part documentary limited series The Last Movie Stars gives that idea a different spin: actors loving actors. Here, Ethan Hawke turns director, not for the first time — see: films Blaze, Seymour: An Introduction, The Hottest State and Chelsea Walls — to show his affection for the inimitable Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Unsurprisingly, he has a wealth of company, some chatting through their fondness for two Hollywood talents like no other and some contributing by giving voice to interview transcripts. For a memoir that didn't eventuate, Newman and Woodward compiled chats by a who's who of showbusiness during their careers; however, they also had the tapes destroyed. Cue George Clooney voicing Newman's chats, Laura Linney doing Woodward's, and everyone from Oscar Isaac, Sam Rockwell and Mark Ruffalo to Rose Byrne and Zoe Kazan also subbing in for other famous names. That's where The Last Movie Stars' audio comes from, echoing with insightful discussions given the emotion they deserve. Hawke also includes new zoom chats with his players, as well as with Martin Scorsese, his daughter and Stranger Things star Maya and more, but his engrossing and probing series is head over heels for pairing those recreated interviews with archival footage. Staring at Newman and Woodward is easy, as is celebrating them and their relationship. This isn't just a case of deserved worship, though, but shows its subjects as real people rather than just stars — all while exploring Hollywood at the time, stepping through their careers and contemporaries, and overflowing with clear-eyed warmth. Hawke doesn't avoid tricky traits or truths, and this in-depth doco is all the more enlightening and compassionate for it. Whether you already treasure Newman and Woodward or you've always wanted to know more about the two legends, this is a movie buff's pure and utter dream. The Last Movie Stars streams via Binge. THE AFTERPARTY Only Murders in the Building isn't the only new comic murder-mystery series worth streaming from the past year or so. Joining it is The Afterparty, which also sports a killer cast — this time Sam Richardson (Detroiters), Ben Schwartz (Space Force), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Dave Franco (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Tiffany Haddish (The Card Counter) — and a savvy spin on an oft-used gimmick. Rather than skewering true-crime podcasting, this quickly addictive comedy from writer/director Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) toys with the reality that every tale differs depending on the perspective. Whodunnits always hinge upon that fact, and Miller has also clearly seen iconic Japanese film Rashomon. And, considering that its big murder takes place after a school function, there's a touch of Big Little Lies at play, too. With his directing partner Phil Lord, Miller has made a career out of getting smart and funny with familiar parts, however, and that doesn't change here. The setup: at the afterparty following his 15-year high-school reunion, obnoxious autotune-abusing pop star Xavier (Franco) winds up dead on the rocks beneath his lavish mansion. Enter the determined Detective Danner (Haddish), who starts grilling his former classmates one by one to find out who's responsible. Her interrogations start with the sensible Aniq (the always-great Richardson), who was hoping to finally make a move on his schoolyard crush Zoe (Chao) — and after his version of events, Danner hears from Zoe's macho ex Brett (Barinholtz) in The Afterparty's second episode, then from Aniq's best bud Yasper (Schwartz, riffing on Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio without being quite as ridiculous), and so on. The cast is top-notch, the writing is clever, there's much fun to be had with its genre- and perspective-bending premise, and the throwaway gags are simply glorious. The Afterparty streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. MO For three seasons on Ramy, Mohammed Amer has played Mo, the diner-owning cousin to the show's namesake. For those three seasons, including 2022's batch of episodes, he's also been part of one of the best and most thoughtful shows currently streaming, especially when it comes to the immigrant experience and telling Muslim American stories. Instead of just co-starring in an art-imitates-life dramedy inspired by someone else's existence, however, Amer has taken a leaf out of Ramy Youssef's book with Mo — a show with the same underlying concept, as co-created by Amer and Youssef. This time, the pair draw upon Amer's background rather than Youssef's. So, Amer's on-screen alter-ego is a Palestinian living in America. He's a refugee, in fact, who fled the Middle East when he was a child and sought asylum with his family. His US home: Houston, Texas. IRL, every one of these points is drawn from Amer's existence, as fans of his Netflix standup specials Mo Amer: The Vagabond and Mo Amer: Mohammed in Texas will recognise. That's the history behind Mo, with the series' eight-episode first season honing in on its protagonist's attempts to gain US citizenship. Mo Najjar (Amer, Black Adam), his mother Yusra (Farah Bsieso, Daughters of Abdul) and brother Sameer (Omar Elba, Limetown) have been waiting two decades to have their cases heard — another detail ripped from reality — and trying to forge new lives while remaining in legal limbo has long since taken a toll. Spanning losing jobs, trying to find a new one as an undocumented American resident, the Najjars' family dynamic, pain from back home they haven't processed, the weight of cultural traditions and expectations, and Mo's relationship with Mexican and Catholic mechanic Maria (Teresa Ruiz, Father Stu), there's no shortage of detail and drama to Amer's passion project. Indeed, every second of the series feels as personal and authentic as it clearly is, and does far more than merely give Amer his own Ramy. Mo streams via Netflix. LOOT Aptly given its title, new Apple TV+ sitcom Loot doesn't look cheap — or sound it. It's partly filmed in one of America's biggest private homes, an enormous mansion with 21 bedrooms, five pools, a bowling alley and a cinema. It's filled with well-known needle drops that come quickly and often, with one episode featuring three Daft Punk tracks alone. It couldn't scream louder or drip harder with excess; the series is about a mega-rich tech whiz's wife who gets $87 billion in their public and messy breakup, after all. And, it is inescapably made by a company that's a big technology behemoth itself, and has been splashing stacks of cash to build its streaming roster (see: The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Severance, Physical, Prehistoric Planet, Foundation, The Shrink Next Door, Shining Girls, Slow Horses, Lisey's Story and more). Loot is also clearly a satire, however, and a canny, warm and funny one at that. The premise: amid being gifted a mega yacht for her birthday, then jumping to a party in that aforementioned sprawling home, Molly Novak (Maya Rudolph, Big Mouth) discovers that her husband John (Adam Scott, Severance) is cheating on her. Post-divorce, after that huge settlement and a stint of partying around the globe with her assistant Nicholas (Joel Kim Booster, Fire Island), she gets a call from Sofia Salinas (Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose), the head of the foundation she's forgotten bears her name (and even exists). With Molly's drunken decadence all over the news, the charity is finding it difficult to do its work. So, the organisation's namesake decides to ditch the revelry — and her married moniker, becoming Molly Wells — and put all that dough to better use. She also commits to playing an active role in how her funds can truly help people. Loot streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. TOKYO VICE Seven years after making his most recent movie, aka 2015's Chris Hemsworth-starring Blackhat, one of America's best directors is finally back behind the lens. Thief, Heat, The Insider and Collateral filmmaker Michael Mann only helms Tokyo Vice's pilot, but what a tone-setting debut episode it is — as stylish and gritty a piece of television as you're likely to stream any time soon, in fact. Mann also serves as the eight-part book-to-screen series' executive producer, which explains why its slice of neon-lit Japanese-set noir always feels like it bears his fingerprints. Of course, the show isn't shy about its links to the director, who also executive produced the original 1980s TV series Miami Vice, and wrote and directed the 2006 big-screen remake. That said, Tokyo Vice's moniker actually stems from Jake Adelstein's memoir Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, about his years writing for Yomiuri Shimbun as a non-Japanese journalist. Nonetheless, everything about the HBO-backed program feels as if it was always fated to end up in Mann's hands. Adelstein was Yomiuri Shimbun's first foreign staff writer, with Tokyo Vice exploring his quest to cement himself inside the publication from the bottom up. As played by West Side Story's Ansel Elgort, Adelstein always stands out, as does his dogged determination to chase the stories he's explicitly instructed to ignore. Murders don't happen in Japan, he's told. What he's witnessing screams otherwise, though. So, he starts spending his own time investigating, befriending Tokyo organised crime division detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) for guidance, and also getting close to club hostess and fellow American-in-Tokyo Samantha Porter (Rachel Keller, Legion), plus jaded Yakuza enforcer Sato (Shô Kasamatsu, Love You as the World Ends). Elgort is the weakest part of the series, but that also suits the overall narrative and its focus on the city's underworld — and everything around him, including Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim: Uprising) and Hideaki Itô (Memoirs of a Murderer), is stellar. Tokyo Vice streams Paramount+. Read our full review. PACHINKO When novels are turned into movies, there's usually a sense that's something is missing, no matter how fantastic the film proves. That's understandable; when you compare the time it takes to unfurl a story on the page with the usual running time of a feature — even a lengthy one — not everything can make the leap from book to screen. Named for the gambling machines that fill Japanese arcades, Pachinko turns author and journalist Min Jin Lee's award-winning text into an eight-part series instead, and it's a canny and clever move. So too is getting filmmakers Kogonada and Justin Chon to direct four instalments apiece, both coming off fantastic work via After Yang and Blue Bayou respectively. And, adding to the smart and savvy choices made by this immediately engrossing series, which unfurls a sweeping, 20th century-set, multi-generational tale about struggle, resilience and endurance: casting always-wonderful Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung — as well as newcomer Kim Min-ha as the younger version of her character. Youn and Kim play Sunja (and, as a child, first-timer Yuna does as well), who anchors a story that's both impressively sprawling and devastatingly intimate. As a girl, she grows up in Japanese-occupied Korea, a fact that shapes every part of her young life. When she's older, she moves to Japan — and by the time that she's a grandmother, that's where the bulk of her existence has unfolded. Jumping between different periods, Pachinko charts how the shadow of colonial rule has lingered over not just Sunja but the family she's brought into the world, including in the 80s where her grandson Solomon (Jin Ha, Devs) works in finance in New York and her son Mozasu (Soji Arai, Cobra Kai) has made his way thanks to the titular game. Splashing an epic story told with emotion, resonance, insight and elegance across the screen, this is at the pinnacle of novel-to-screen adaptations. Pachinko streams via Apple TV+. BLACK BIRD 2022 marks a decade since Taron Egerton's first on-screen credit as a then-23 year old. Thanks to the Kingsman movies, Eddie the Eagle, Robin Hood and Rocketman, he's rarely been out of the cinematic spotlight since — but miniseries Black Bird feels like his most mature performance yet. The latest based-on-a-true-crime tale to get the twisty TV treatment, it adapts autobiographical novel In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. It also has Dennis Lehane, author of Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River and Shutter Island, bringing it to streaming. The focus: Jimmy Keene, a former star high-school footballer turned drug dealer, who finds his narcotics-financed life crumbling when he's arrested in a sting, offered a plea bargain with the promise of a five-year sentence (four with parole), but ends up getting ten. Seven months afterwards, he's given the chance to go free, but only if he agrees to transfer to a different prison to befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser, Cruella), and get him to reveal where he's buried his victims' bodies. Even with new shows based on various IRL crimes hitting queues every week, or thereabouts — 2022 has seen plenty, including Inventing Anna, The Dropout, The Girl From Plainville and The Staircase, to name a mere few — Black Bird boasts an immediately compelling premise. The first instalment in its six-episode run is instantly gripping, too, charting Keene's downfall, the out-of-ordinary situation posed by Agent Lauren McCauley (Sepideh Moafi, The Killing of Two Lovers), and the police investigation by Brian Miller (Greg Kinnear, Crisis) to net Hall. It keeps up the intrigue and tension from there; in fact, the wild and riveting details just keep on coming. Fantastic performances all round prove pivotal as well. Again, Egerton is excellent, while Hauser's menace-dripping efforts rank among the great on-screen serial killer portrayals. And, although bittersweet to watch after his sudden passing in May, Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark) makes a firm imprint as Keene's father. Black Bird streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. I LOVE THAT FOR YOU It works for television networks greenlighting new comedies, and it works for viewers picking what to watch, too: take one of Saturday Night Live's extremely amusing ladies, give them their own show, see laughs and smarts follow, profit. I Love That For You actually boasts two such talented women, although they didn't crossover during their SNL stints: Molly Shannon and Vanessa Bayer. The latter plays Joanna Gold, who has always dreamed of being on SVN — Special Value Network, that is. When she was a kid (Sophie Pollono, Small Engine Repair), she was diagnosed with childhood leukaemia, and obsessing over her idol Jackie Stilton (Shannon, The Other Two) as she sold anything and everything helped as a distraction. Now an adult, Joanna still wants to do exactly the same, and leave her job alongside her dad (Matt Malloy, The Sex Lives of College Girls) at Costco behind. But when she gets the chance, she pulls an unimpressed face during her first on-air stint that kills sales, so she says her cancer has returned to avoid getting fired. On paper, that's an extremely tricky premise. In lesser hands, it'd be downright horrible. As well as being a comic gem here, in SNL, and in everything from I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson to Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Bayer had childhood leukaemia herself — and if she didn't, and wasn't also one of I Love That For You's creators and writers, it's highly likely that this series wouldn't work. Thankfully, instead, it takes the same approach that Bayer has clearly always taken since her teenage experience, using humour in clever, sensitive, sincere, amusing, savvy and sometimes surreal ways. The show keeps demonstrating why its setup is worth tackling, too, asking questions about trying to live a normal life and work out who you are after surviving such a diagnosis; how and when sympathy is genuine, earned and milked; and guilt on several levels. It's also an entertaining workplace comedy and a takedown of consumerism, greed and the fact that anything, including sob stories, are for sale if there's something to be sold. And, of course, Bayer and Shannon are dynamite in their shared scenes. I Love That For You streams via Paramount+. THE PATIENT In one of 2022's new streaming standouts, Bad Sisters, Brian Gleeson tries to get to the bottom of a suspicious death. In another, The Patient, Domhnall Gleeson plays a serial killer. The two shows have more differences than commonalities, but it's clearly a great time for the Frank of Ireland-co-starring Gleeson brothers and twisty tales about crime. For Run's Domhnall, he co-leads a show about a murderer who enlists a therapist to try to stop his homicidal urges. Sam Fortner does indeed sit in Alan Strauss' (Steve Carell, Minions: The Rise of Gru) office and seek his help, but as well as hiding his eyes and face behind sunglasses, he keeps his real name, the bulk of his personal details and bloody pastime to himself. It's only after Strauss wakes up chained in Fortner's house that the latter feels comfortable enough to come clean and truly ask for assistance, albeit under terrifying circumstances for his captive. Domhnall Gleeson's on-screen resume isn't short on highlights, including Ex Machina and Brooklyn. Carell's has blatantly boasted many, spanning both comedies (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and The Office, obviously) and dramas (including his Oscar-nominated work in Foxcatcher). Accordingly, it should astonish no one that they're both instantly gripping in The Patient, as their characters bounce off of each other in inherently grim circumstances; however, they're each also in career-best form. The psychological-thriller series works as two commanding, textured and high-stakes character studies as Fortner demands Strauss' professional best, and ensures he isn't capable of refusing — and works through their respective baggage cat-and-mouse-style from there. In fact, it hits its marks so well that the show's concise format (each episode clocks in at between 20–25 minutes) keeps viewers wanting more. The Patient streams via Disney+. KILLING IT Killing It starts with a pitch. It's the first of many because that's just life these days, the show posits. Adding another sitcom to his resume after The Office, Ghosted and his beloved Brooklyn Nine-Nine guest spots, Craig Robinson keeps his first name as a Miami bank security guard with big aspirations — if he can rustle up some startup funds. His vision: owning a saw palmetto farm and living the American dream, because he believed his dad back when he was told as a kid that hard work and perseverance always pay off in the USA. For $20,000, he plans to buy land in the Everglades, then sell the fruit to pharmaceutical companies, who'll use it in prostate medicines for the lucrative health market. But when his branch manager won't give him a loan, and his life spirals soon afterwards, he begins to realise how America really works for everyone who isn't ruthless, wealthy or both. Striving for a better life, styling yourself to meet society's expectations, getting brutally trampled down: that's Killing It, which hails from B99 co-creator Dan Goor and executive producer Luke Del Tredici. It's a perceptive and savvily funny series about aiming for a shiny future to escape the swampy present, but getting stuck slithering in a circle no matter what you try. And, it's also about literally killing snakes, a money-making scheme that Craig comes across via Uber driver Jillian (Claudia O'Doherty, Our Flag Means Death). She's a chatty Australian who swings hammers at pythons because it's a profitable business — and because there's a contest awarding $20,000 to whoever kills the most. If The Good Place was wholly set in Florida and followed down-on-their luck folks chasing glory by slaying pythons, and also made exceptional use of the well-paired Robinson and O'Doherty, this'd be the end result. Killing It streams via Stan. Read our full review. WELCOME TO CHIPPENDALES Scandals are to the true-crime genre like loose bills are to erotic dancers: virtually essential. On-screen stories about real life can exist without getting into ripped-from-the-headlines territory, of course, and performers who disrobe onstage can do their job without crumpled notes being thrust their way. Still, some synergies just work. In 2022, TV writer and producer Robert Siegel has happily mined sordid chapters of the past for two new streaming series, and how — first with the instantly watchable and engrossing Pam & Tommy, and now with the just-as-easy-to- Welcome to Chippendales. The second sees him survey the eponymous male stripping business, of course, showers of dollar notes and all. And for viewers who don't already know the details behind the world-famous touring dance troupe and its West Los Angeles bar origins, as started by Somen 'Steve' Banerjee back in the 70s and earning ample attention in the 80s, the full rundown has far more than scantily clad guys aplenty, lusty women, and bumping and grinding to an era-appropriate soundtrack. Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals) plays Steve, who rustles up the cash to start his own backgammon club by working in a service station for years. His dream place: cool, suave and sophisticated, and somewhere that Hugh Hefner might want to hang out. When a rush of patrons doesn't eventuate, the male dancer idea springs after a night at a gay bar with club promoter Paul Snider (Dan Stevens, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and his playboy model wife Dorothy Stratten (Nicola Peltz Beckham, Holidate). But as business partners change, choreographer and Emmy-winning producer Nick De Noia (Murray Bartlett, Physical) gives the troupe its crowd-pleasing moves, Steve kinds a kindred spirit in accountant Irene (Annaleigh Ashford, American Crime Story) and costume designer Denise (Juliette Lewis, Yellowjackets) comes on board, this twists into a tale of money, envy, squabbles over power and ultimately murder. And yes, both Nanjiani and Bartlett are riveting to watch — as are the dance routines De Noia conjures up. Welcome to Chippendales streams via Disney+. INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE When Louis de Pointe du Lac met Lestat de Lioncourt, his life forever changed. His death did, too. That's the story that Interview with the Vampire tells and, by committing it to the page in 1976, Anne Rice's existence was altered for eternity as well — although not quite in the same way, naturally. The author has been known for her Vampire Chronicles series ever since, and its debut entry was adapted into a Brad Pitt- and Tom Cruise-starring 1994 movie before getting a do-over now as a television series. Obviously, the late Rice doesn't share her characters' lust for blood, or their ability to thwart ageing and time. Still, her famed works keep enticing in both readers and viewers — and this latest novel-to-screen version is a gothic series worth sinking your teeth into, especially thanks to its willingness to take on race, to embrace queer themes, to get playful and humorous, and to splash a sweepingly rich iteration of its now well-known tale across streaming queues. If you've seen the film, you'll know Interview with the Vampire's basic gist, although there has been some tweaking. Nonetheless, Louis (Jacob Anderson, aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm) and Lestat (Sam Reid, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) meet in New Orleans, where they're both drawn to each other — and soon the former joins the latter in sleeping in coffins, avoiding daylight and (reluctantly) feeding on people. The series has the titular chatting happen in today's times, however, as a continuation of the movie's first conversation. Yes, this version of Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian, Succession) has been there and done this before. That didn't turn out so well for him, so he's reluctant about a repeat discussion, this time in Dubai. But Louis still has quite the story to unfurl, including covering been a Black man trying to make his way in the bayou at the turn of the 20th century, what it's meant to join the undead, his complicated relationship with Lestat, and the arrival of Claudia (Bailey Bass, Psycho Sweet 16) as part of their bloodthirsty family. Interview with the Vampire streams via AMC+. THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH Who'd want to try to step into the one and only David Bowie's shoes? Only the brave and the bold. Two people earn that description in The Man Who Fell to Earth, the new TV sequel to the iconic 1976 movie that starred the music legend in the role he was clearly born to play: an alien who descends upon earth and ch-ch-changes history. Bill Nighy (Buckley's Chance) is charged with taking over the character of Thomas Jerome Newton and, thankfully and with style, he's up to the task. Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) slides into the same kind of part that Bowie owned in the original, however, as fellow extra-terrestrial interloper Faraday. He's this follow-up's newcomer to the planet, and he's just as destined to do big things. That's not a spoiler — early in the first episode, Faraday addresses a massive crowd like he's Steve Jobs announcing Apple's latest product, and The Man Who Fell to Earth's tech success uses the occasion to spin his origin story. Who'd want to try to pick up where one of the best sci-fi films ever made left off? That'd also be the brave and the bold, aka Clarice creators Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman. Drawing inspiration from silver screen gems is obviously the pair's niche of late, but it's worth remembering with this new effort — which takes its cues from Walter Tevis' 1963 novel of the same name, too — that Kurtzman was also behind exceptional 2008–13 sci-fi series Fringe. Indeed, The Man Who Fell to Earth 2.0 feels like the perfect use of his talents, with the series thinking big and brimming with urgency in its vision of a world that might only be able to be saved by a spaceboy who truly cares about stopping climate change's damage. To follow through with his mission, though, Faraday also needs the help of former MIT physics whiz Justin Falls (Naomie Harris, No Time to Die). The Man Who Fell to Earth streams via Paramount+. OUTER RANGE Some shows commence with a dead girl wrapped in plastic. Others begin with a plane crash on a spooky island. With Outer Range, it all kicks off with a void. On the Abbott family ranch in Wyoming, in the western reach that gives the show its name, a chasm suddenly appears. A perfect circle swirling with otherworldly mist and resembling an oversized golf hole, it's just one of several troubles plaguing patriarch Royal (Josh Brolin, Dune), however. There is indeed a touch of Twin Peaks and Lost to Outer Range. A dash of Yellowstone, The Twilight Zone, The X-Files and whichever family-focused prime-time soap opera takes your fancy, too. As a result, while Royal is visibly disconcerted by the unexpected opening staring at him in an otherwise ordinary field in this intriguing, quickly entrancing and supremely well-acted eight-part series — a show that makes ideal use of Brolin especially — he has other worries. His rich, ostentatious and increasingly madcap neighbour Wayne Tillerson (Will Patton, Halloween Kills) suddenly wants a parcel of the Abbotts' turf, claiming mapping inaccuracies. One of Tillerson's mouthy and entitled sons, Trevor (Matt Lauria, CSI: Vegas), ends up in a bar spat with Royal's sons Rhett (Lewis Pullman, Top Gun: Maverick) and Perry (Tom Pelphrey, Mank). And there's also the matter of Perry's missing wife, who disappeared nine months back, leaving both her husband and their young daughter Amy (Olive Abercrombie, The Haunting of Hill House) searching since. Plus, into this sea of faith-testing chaos amid such serene and dreamlike scenery, a stranger arrives as well: "hippie chick" backpacker Autumn Rivers (Imogen Poots, The Father). She just wants to camp for a few days on the Abbotts' stunning and sprawling land, she says, but she's a key part in a show that's a ranch-dwelling western, an offbeat enigma, an eerie sci-fi, a detective quest and a thriller all at once. Outer Range streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. THE GIRL FROM PLAINVILLE Whatever she's in, and whether she's the star of the show or a supporting player, Chloë Sevigny's face always tells a tale of its own. That's been true in everything from Kids and Boys Don't Cry through to Big Love and We Are Who We Are, and it remains that way in The Girl From Plainville — the new eight-part true-crime miniseries led by The Great's Elle Fanning that's based on the death of Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy III in 2014. Here, Fanning plays Conrad's long-distance girlfriend Michelle Carter. It's due to the her actions that the situation has been known as "the texting suicide case" for almost a decade — garnering not just local but international attention, and earning a HBO documentary, I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs Michelle Carter, back in 2019. Fanning is fantastic in what proves an eerie character study, but the looks that Sevigny, as Conrad's mother Lynn, shoots her way scream rather than simply speak volumes. Inspired by Jesse Barron's Esquire article of the same name, The Girl From Plainville tells a tough tale, starting with Conrad's (Colton Ryan, Dear Evan Hansen) suicide in his truck in a Kmart parking lot. It was his second attempt to take his own life, although he'd promised Lynn that he wouldn't do it again — and when his death was investigated, police discovered text messages sent to him by Michelle, including a plethora of words encouraging him to follow through. In 2015, she was indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter for "wantonly and recklessly" assisting the suicide. In 2017, her trial took place. The outcome is now a matter a history, which the complicated, captivating and gripping The Girl From Plainville builds up to while also unpacking Michelle and Conrad's relationship. The Girl From Plainville streams via Stan. Read our full review.
There's something particularly enticing about spring in Brisbane. The baking summer heat hasn't arrived quite yet, the flowers are in full bloom and we all just want to spend all our time outdoors. And, between Friday, November 12–Sunday, November 14, Brisbane Powerhouse also happens to be livening up your spring by hosting three nights of free sunset tunes. Yes, that's how you make the most of the season. At Spring Sounds at Sunset, you'll listen to jazz, blues, folk and world music, all while getting comfy on the riverside venue's performance lawn. This is the kind of afternoon shindig that calls for packing a basket, grabbing a rug and gathering the gang. You'll need to sort out who brings what to eat, of course — but Brisbane Powerhouse will take care of the music. On the lineup: Tibetan Australian artist and composer Tenzin Choegyal on Friday, joined by folk singer LT, and a collaboration between jazz ensemble Trichotomy and alt-country singer-songwriter Danny Widdicombe; Dusty Miles singing the blues on Saturday, alongside jazz vocalist Kayleigh Pincott and world music ensemble Cigany Weaver; and Indigenous R&B musician Chris Tamwoy on Sunday, as paired with the Balkan and Mediterranean sounds of East of West, as well as Hussy Hicks. Spring Sounds at Sunset kicks off at 5pm on the Friday and Saturday, and at 3pm on the Sunday. Top image: Xenica Ayling.
For the third time in the 2020s, Fatboy Slim is heading to Australia to break out 'Right Here, Right Now', 'The Rockafeller Skank', 'Praise You' and plenty more dance-floor fillers. After touring the country in 2020 and 2023, the dance music legend is returning in March 2025 on a five-stop trip, four of which will get him spinning tunes in wineries. Trying to dance like Christopher Walken, pretending you're in Cruel Intentions, being transported back to the late 90s and early 00s: that's all on the agenda again. So is making shapes to DJ Seinfeld, CC:DISCO! and Jennifer Loveless, who'll be supporting the British legend at all five gigs — including at Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton on Sunday, March 23. [caption id="attachment_975624" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Selbymay via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Cook has been making music since the 80s, but took on the name Fatboy Slim in the mid-90s, starting with 1996 record Better Living Through Chemistry. His 1998 album You've Come a Long Way, Baby was the club soundtrack to end the 20th century — a staple of every 90s teen's CD collection, too. As for 2000's Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars, it gave the world 'Weapon of Choice' and its iconic Walken-starring (and Spike Jonze-directed) video. Fatboy Slim's discography also spans 2004 album Palookaville and 2013 single 'Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat'. [caption id="attachment_897289" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carlos Luna/ Secretaría de Cultura CDMX via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Top images: neal whitehouse piper via Wikimedia Commons / Carlos Luna/ Secretaría de Cultura CDMX via Wikimedia Commons.
Whether 2019 has been the best year of your life or you can't wait to see the back of it, there's always cause for celebration on New Year's Eve. By now, if you haven't made plans to mark the occasion by heading out of town, that means you're staying in Brisbane. Don't worry — this town knows how to put on quite an end-of-year party. Or should we say parties? There are events happening all around town to cater to every party style, whether you're keen on the fireworks, prefer a quiet dinner or want to dance away the year in style. Yep, there are a lot to choose from, so we've teamed up with Australian Venue Co. to bring you seven stellar options.
Brewing up beers on Helen Street in Teneriffe for a decade now, Green Beacon Brewing Co has obviously become known for its selection of yeasty beverages. It's also built up a reputation for throwing shindigs, too — oyster parties, block parties, Oktoberfest parties, you name it — so to celebrate hitting ten years in action, it's unsurprisingly hosting a birthday bash. You know what you'll be drinking here, of course: beer, beer and more beer, naturally. Green Beacon's brewpub will be pouring its usual tipples; however, it'll also be pairing them with tunes and four days of partying. It all starts on Thursday, January 26 with limited-release new beers, live tunes, hourly giveaways and specials. Then, on Friday, January 27, knockoff pints, limited-edition merchandise and a DJ-spun soundtrack are on offer. Fancy two countdowns? Both the Triple J Hottest 100 and GABS Hottest 100 will be in the spotlight on Saturday, January 28. And, amid the fun on Sunday, January 29, there'll be a brunch club from 11am–1pm. Images: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Maybe your nieces and nephews got you onto it, or the other kids in your life. Perhaps you just like all-ages-friendly animation, especially when it's an Australian series about a family of blue heelers. Or, you might've become a convert at one of the hugely popular Bluey live gigs that've been touring the country. Whichever fits, and whether you're a big Bluey fan even without kids in tow or you've always wondered why adults love it as well, Airbnb is bringing the homegrown show to life. As the accommodation platform has done with other pop culture favourites overseas — such as Carrie's Sex and the City apartment and the house from Home Alone — it's putting a replica of the Bluey house in Brisbane up for rent. Two adults and two kids will be able to spend two nights in a home that recreates the Heeler family's abode — but IRL rather than in cute pixels, obviously. Given that the show was created in Queensland, is produced in Queensland and uses Brisbane as inspiration for its on-screen setting, there was clearly only one city that could host this screen-to-reality experience. The Bluey house marks the first-ever Australian location in Airbnb's Only On Airbnb program — aka the part of the platform that lists all those pop culture-themed spots and offers up the type of experiences that money couldn't buy elsewhere. So this time, Aussies don't need to feel envious of their overseas pals. You do have to be ready to spend a couple days immersed in all things Bluey, though. Here's what's on offer: a stay in the house, which is located in suburban Brisbane, between Friday, February 18–Sunday, February 20 for $20 a night; a behind-the-scenes tour of Ludo Studio, where Bluey is created; Chinese takeaway to eat in the backyard; a cake-decorating afternoon, focusing on the show's famous duck cake; and a puppet-making craft session that's all about Bob Bilby. That, and all the work that's been done to make the house look like where Bluey's eponymous six-year-old dog, mum Chilli, dad Bandit and little sister Bingo live. Those decorating touches include the red letterbox, bone-shaped chimney and recognisable bay window, plus other design features — and toys, of course — inside in the rooms and outside in the backyard for kids. If you're keen — and you've got some young relatives to take along with you — you'll need to apply to book at 7am AEST / 8am AEDT on Tuesday, February 15. You'll also need to have a verified Airbnb profile, a history of positive reviews and be aged over 18. Also, no pets are allowed, even while you're celebrating cartoon canines. For more information about Airbnb's Bluey house in Brisbane, or to apply to book at 7am AEST / 8am AEDT on Tuesday, February 15, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Image: Hannah Puechmarin.
John Cage is a pretty big deal. Widely considered to be one the the 20th century's most influential composers, he was a pioneer of electroacoustic music and was a leading figure in the post-war avant-garde movement. That's got to look good on a business card, right? The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts introduces The Cage In Us - a festival celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Cage. Partnering up with Brisbane’s own Clocked Out to present the three-night festival, The Cage In Us will explore the many facets of the life and times of Mr Cage himself. The festival will feature a concert series interpreting some of Cage’s extraordinary chamber music, electronic music and multimedia works. There is also a set of 'Music Circuses' curated by Rebecca Clunn, which sound mighty exciting, as well as John Cage inspired installations, exhibitions and performances from an array of different artists. The big shot team of local, national and international guests will have you so involved in the multi-arts experience you might actually think you've been re-born and returned to Brisbane as John Cage. Supporting both free and ticketed events, The Cage In Us is set to be a storm.
Lush greenery, a sky-high hangout and views as far as the eye can see? Now that's how you end one year in style and start another in the same way. And that's what Eleven Rooftop Bar is throwing together, in great news for anyone looking for a party a few levels above the rest. Literally. Other highlights include the usual party inclusions: five hours of drinks and food, ranging from standard to booth to VIP; fireworks views; the chance to dress up, this time in resort style. But it's the leafy theme — and the promise of aerial acts so high above the ground — that should tempt you. Drinks, trees and sky for miles; what a combination.
There's nothing like the feeling when everything falls into place. We’re talking about those pure moments when the ordinary becomes extraordinary, or when something great and unexpected happens, leaving you with a smile on your face. Luckily these moments normally don't stun you quite so much that you forget to whip out your smartphone, because if you've got photographic evidence, then social-media-savvy beer masters Pure Blonde are offering to deliver the unexpected to your bank account. There's $10,000 in cash up for grabs, and for the chance to win a share of it, just upload a photo from Facebook or Instagram via the competition app on their Facebook page. You'll also get the chance to see your fleeting moment live a longer life in a crowd-sourced video montage using the campaign's best images. Check out the competition here, start digging through your favourite photos, and get your entries in before May 10. Here are a few of the shots we will be entering. Concrete Playground photography by Nick Fogarty
Throughout the last 12 months of gathering restrictions and lockdowns, many music festivals have teased returns, announced dates and even lineups. While a few COVID-safe music events have been able to take place, we've yet to see any of the major music festivals return. Despite this, Byron Bay Bluesfest has been persistent in forging ahead with its plan for its 2021 edition of the festival. Those plans have now been given a provisional green light, with the festival announcing it's been given NSW Government approval to run the festival at 50 percent capacity this April — if no outbreaks occur beforehand. In an announcement made on Wednesday, February 17, Bluesfest Festival Director Peter Noble OAM said, "The NSW Government has indicated that, if the current COVID-19 situation continues in NSW, Bluesfest would be permitted to proceed, following our comprehensive COVID-19 safety plan." [caption id="attachment_800518" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hiatus Kaiyote Bluesfest 2016 by Andy Fraser[/caption] The festival is scheduled to take place over the Easter long weekend, Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm). Under the approved safety plan the festival will run at around 50 percent capacity, all patrons will be required to be seated while watching performances and COVID-19 safety marshals will be on hand to ensure social distancing is maintained. Camping will be allowed to go ahead and face masks will not be required. A full statement on the festival's COVID-safe protocols is expected next week. Following the cancellation of Bluesfest 2020, the festival announced its 2021 dates and lineup back in July. This lineup was later amended after it became clear border restrictions would remain in place for the beginning of 2021 and international acts would be unable to make the journey over. The new all-Australian lineup features Jimmy Barnes, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, John Butler, Hiatus Kaiyote and Kev Carmody. The news follows a turbulent few years for Bluesfest and the NSW music festival industry as a whole. Prior to the cancellation of its 2020 event, Bluesfest had threatened to leave NSW in 2019 citing the governments overbearing regulations surrounding music festivals at the time. The approval of the 2021 festival hopefully indicates a brighter future for the industry, with Noble declaring, "this is a great day, not only for Bluesfest, but also for the Australian Live Music Industry and our unrelenting efforts to get back to presenting Live Music Safely." Byron Bay Bluesfest has been given approval to run Thursday, April 1–Monday, April 5, at the Byron Events Farm. Find all the details and purchase tickets at the Bluesfest website. Top image: Andy Fraser
The clip for Matt and Kim’s single, ‘It’s Alright’, begins with some half-naked horizontal dancing and ends with a pillow fight. What happens in the interim might teach you ‘a few things’, according to the New York-based dance punk duo. Quite a few people must’ve been gaining an education, given that the single’s LP, Lightning, debuted at Number One on the iTunes Alternative Chart. What’s more, Matt and Kim’s Twitter account has been receiving an abundance of responses to their #itsalrightxxx campaign. According to lead singer/keyboardist, Matt, who chatted to Channel V, it’s all about ‘trying to spread the word (of how to spice things up)’. Fortunately, for Antipodeans looking for some tips, distance won’t be a barrier for too much longer, with Matt and Kim coming out to play Groovin’ the Moo, as well as headline shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The scary thing is that their live performances are reputed to be even more explosive than their recordings. Look out.
For years it’s been rumoured that Brisbane’s music scene was getting better and better and now we have incontrovertible proof that it is. FOMO, a boutique festival set up by locals BBE and Steven Papas, just dropped their lineup and it’s killer. The brand new January 2016 festival has quite the eclectic electronic bunch teed up, headlined by RL Grime, Jamie xx and local lads Flight Facilities. Joining them are bigtime internationals like Boys Noize, Skepta , Keys N Krates and Mr. Carmack, balanced out by a solid local lineup including Tkay Maidza, Anna Lunoe and UV Boi. Like Jungle Love, the Sunshine Coast's BYO camping festival, FOMO has nailed the boutique festival vibe. Held over one day, the festival is happening on Saturday, January 9 at Riverstage, which Brissie locals know means one thing: one stage, no clashes. This is exactly what you want at a small festival to make the most of your ticket. FOMO 2016 LINEUP: RL Grime Flight Facilities Jamie XX Boys Noize Skepta Mr Carmack Keys N Krates Tkay Maidza Anna Lunoe Benson UV Boi
The Wire isn't an anthology series in the traditional sense. It focuses on the same Baltimore police detectives each season — as led by Dominic West and Wendell Pierce — but sees their investigations overlap with a different element of the city's daily life. In the first season, it peers into illegal drugs. In the second, sea freight and the ports are in the spotlight. Across subsequent seasons, the focus falls on city government, the education system and newspapers. Dense, intricate, devastatingly smart and oh-so-involving, the result is one of the best shows that HBO has ever made — and a series on par with The Sopranos in terms of its influence. It was created and primarily written by former Baltimore police reporter David Simon, so it knows its stuff. Also, among its A+ cast, keep an eye out for particularly exceptional work by Idris Elba and a very young Michael B Jordan (and for Isiah Whitlock Jr's over-extended pronunciation of "sheeeeeeeee-it".
They're the masters of immersive thrills, such as smash-hit shipping container installations Seance, Coma and Flight — also known as the Darkfield series. But not even the folks at Realscape Productions are immune to the realities of pandemic life. They're currently locked down with the rest of Melbourne, putting their nerve-jangling real-life projects on hiatus until later in the year. Luckily, in the meantime, Realscape and Darkfield (UK creators) have teamed up for a brand-new audio experience fans can enjoy from the comfort of home. They did just that a couple of months back with Double, and now they're doing so again with Visitors — which, although delivered remotely once again, is still geared to be every bit as creepy and unsettling as its IRL predecessors. Launching on Tuesday, October 6, Visitors will be presented via the producers' new digital project Darkfield Radio. Like its siblings, it plunges participants deep into an immersive experience by perplexing the senses — this time, with the use of a 360-degree binaural sound, played through your own headphones. Visitors is aimed at groups of two, and starts with another two folks as well — a dead couple who invite themselves into the your home. They're eager to escape their current state, even if only temporarily. "We didn't know where else to go," they'll tell you — and then you'll each hear two different sides of the story. To listen along, you'll need a $22 two-person ticket, and to book a spot at 8pm, 9pm and 11pm AEDT on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. While this is clearly a great thing to add to your October must-do list — 'tis the spookiest time of year, after all — Visitors will run until the end of December. Visitors runs at 8pm, 9pm and 11pm AEDT on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Tuesday, October 6 until the end of December.
Riveting dissections of realistic situations: that's where siblings Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have made their careers. Continuing in the same finessed, naturalistic vein, Two Days, One Night compels by rendering relatable circumstances without sentiment but with surprises. It follows the attempts of Sandra (Academy Award-winner Marion Cotillard) to convince her co-workers to save her job. To do so, they would need to forgo a cash bonus they've been offered and in many cases need. The precision with which the filmmakers present a feature almost solely comprised of conversations cannot be underestimated, nor can Cotillard's expert efforts in illustrating the fragility of her striving but uncertain protagonist. Small in stature yet striking in its statement, Two Days, One Night took out the Sydney Film Prize at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Two Days, One Night is in cinemas on November 6. Thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have two Dardenne Brothers DVD prize packs to give away, each including a double in-season pass to see the new film. Eight runners up will also get double in-season passes. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), 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 https://youtube.com/watch?v=qxLqaEGZiDY
Three questions, New Year's Eve partygoers: What's your preferred view? Where would you like to pretend to be? Are you in for a concentrated burst of fun, or for the long haul? If you answered river vantages, on the sea and a hefty chuck of time, then set sail for Riverland's Nautical New Year's Eve. The numbers speak for themselves: 50 metres of open-air river frontage, 80 feet of bar space, five authentic street kitchens, five-and-a-half hours of food and drinks, and $180 for the lot. You'll only see 2018 once, after all. Dressing for the occasion — something stripey if you're lazy, whatever nautical wonder you can come up with if you're feeling creative — is encouraged. And, you'll have one of the best outlooks in the city.
This winter, you won't be chasing the sun and soaking in a European summer. That was off the cards last year, too. But, thanks to eased domestic border restrictions and the trans-Tasman bubble, you can spend the chilliest part of the year surrounded by snow. Of course, whether you're planning to ski, snowboard or just build a snowman, you'll need to rug up — and whatever is currently in your wardrobe mightn't do. Each year — except 2020, for obvious reasons — Aldi hosts a big sale on snow gear. Every time it happens, it draws quite a crowd. It's back for 2021, so mark Saturday, May 22 in your diary. That's when you can head to your nearest Aldi supermarket to pick up everything from snow jackets and boots to face masks and beanies. Available at stores across the nation, and made to withstand extreme weather conditions, 2021's range of gear includes six different varieties of snow jackets, which start at $39.99 for something light and go up to $119.99 for windproof and waterproof numbers; four types of snow pants, including one style with adjustable leg and waist cuffs for $99.99; and ski fleece sets, featuring a hoodie and a pair of pants, for $19.99. Boots for both kids and adults start at $19.99, helmets will cost you between $19.99–24.99, and you'll be spending between $4.99–34.99 for masks, beanies, neck warmers, cabin socks, gloves and balaclavas. Kids clothing is part of the deal, too, if you'll be travelling with younger skiers — ranging from $19.99–34.99. Once you're all kitted out, you're certain to stay toasty if you're making the trip to Perisher Valley, Thredbo, Falls Creek, Hotham or anywhere else local where snowy peaks are a feature. If you're hopping across the ditch instead, you'll find plenty of items to stop you getting frosty up at New Zealand's ski fields. The Aldi Snow Gear Special Buys range is available from Aldi stores nationally from Saturday, May 22.
Adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel, the film version of Never Let Me Go is equal parts science fiction and love triangle, with one pretty girl wistfully gazing after the attractive boy who falls for another and remains impervious to her waif-like charms. Starring Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, who both scored Academy Award nominations for their performances, the film has earned itself critical acclaim and a reputation for possibly making you cry. Beginning as a British boarding school jaunt with a period feel, you quickly learn that this is no ordinary school. Instead, it unravels that theirs is a boarding school for clones designed to become organ donors in a dystopian alternate reality where humans create people with the express purpose of killing them. We follow the three main characters through school and into adulthood, as they have to begin to come to terms with the tumultuous feelings they have for each other, while they face the haunting future that awaits them all. We have 30 double passes on offer to the film, which opens on March 31. To enter, make sure you're a subscriber to the Concrete Playground newsletter, and then shoot us an email at hello@concreteplayground.com.au for your chance to win. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EUPsKjdtQSM
Surfers Paradise is turning up the festive cheer this summer with a double dose of its Christmas Twilight Market, taking place across two evenings on Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13. On each occasion, The Esplanade will transform into a glowing coastal marketplace filled with music, lights, performers and over 120 beachside stalls, brimming with artisan makers, handcrafted gifts, independent designers and specialty Christmas treats. Yet the festive atmosphere extends well beyond the market stalls. Families can enjoy festive activities throughout the night, and might even catch a surprise appearance from Santa as he moves through the crowds. Once the shopping is sorted, the celebrations continue with Christmas Flicks and Fireworks. Each night from 7pm, an outdoor cinema will screen a classic Christmas film beside the iconic Surfers Paradise sign, followed by an 8.30pm fireworks display over the ocean. On Friday, the evening screening will feature The Santa Clause, while Saturdays sunset session will show Elf, making both nights ideal for families, couples and anyone in peak Christmas mode. With the market just celebrating its 30th anniversary, this Christmas edition is bound to draw massive crowds once more. Set right by the beach, the location alone makes it one of the most unique festive markets in the country. Looking ahead, the Christmas Twilight Market also marks the start of a long summer of beachside shopping. Surfers Paradise will continue to light up every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 4pm–9pm throughout the season, including Christmas Eve. Free to attend and full of nostalgic charm, the Surfers Paradise Christmas Twilight Market offers two nights of vibrant community spirit, festive entertainment and coastal holiday season magic.
Sporting giant Adidas has outdone itself with the adiZero f50 miCoach, a new soccer boot that boasts state-of-the-art technology. According to the manufacturer, the boot will be able to measure 'key performance metrics including speed, average speed (recorded every second), maximum speed (recorded every five seconds), number of sprints, distance, distance at high intensity levels, steps and stride rates.' Judging by this description, these super-intelligent boots are a serious athlete's dream. The information on the boot can then be stored for up to seven hours, and subsequently uploaded via WiFi or USB to other devices. The thoughtful guys at Adidas have then tapped into the social media aspect of the shoe, as your stats can then be shared with your friends on Facebook, or kept as a record for your own training regimes. You can even compare your own stats with professional (Adidas-sponsored, of course) athletes such as Lionel Messi as they upload their figures. With more features than necessary and more intelligence than you ever thought a shoe could possess, you're probably wondering how much it will cost to get your hands on a pair of these bad boys. They're set to drop in November at a price of $330, which isn't too bad considering that you're pretty much lacing up a computer on your feet. However, keep in mind that the $330 price point is in American dollars and you're probably going to have to fork out a lot more when they eventually land Down Under. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LK_paShxGM8 [Via PSFK]
Discovering Brisbane's queer history is easy at this year's MELT. Just head downstairs to Brisbane Powerhouse's Turbine Studio, walk through the red velvet curtains, enter the cabaret club setup and get ready for an immersive theatre show. Not only pondering the past, but the present and future also, La Silhouette brings the city's LGBTIQ+ scene to the stage by focusing on eight stories of people who've been forced to suffer in years gone by. Running from Thursday, June 27 to Sunday, June 30, The Sui Ensemble's production spends time in a drag queen's dressing room, hearing her secrets; chatting to the police, trying to help an unwell doorman; and in VIP spaces where drinks and games fly freely. The list goes on, in a show that's equally important, eye-opening and entertaining.
Mindfulness practice — achieving the mental state of focusing on the present moment — is gaining popularity as people attempt to regulate their stressful lives. People have turned to everything from meditation to colouring books to achieve mindfulness, but perhaps few people would think of doing a triathlon to achieve inner peace. Take three activities that promote mindfulness — specifically running, yoga and meditation — and you've got yourself a 'mindful triathlon'. Wanderlust 108 has been running these triathlon festivals since 2014, and the standard day has a few main components. First, there's the five kilometre run, although the site reassures you that you can walk instead of running — or even "prance, skip, stroll or strut" — as long as you reach the finish line. After that, theres 75 minutes of yoga accompanied by a DJ set, and finally 30 minutes of meditation to round out the whole-group activities. Once the structured section of the day has wrapped up, participants can also head to activities such as aerial yoga, acroyoga and hooping, or to lunch. It's part exercise, part dance party, part fest — and 100% focused on helping attendees feel great inside and out. Also on the agenda: walking meditation, essential oil classes and the Mindful Marketplace, which will help you take your new blissed-out state home with you. By Siobhan Ryan and Sarah Ward.
If you're flying into or out of Sydney Airport this holiday season, that transit is set to be a whole lot more bearable than usual, thanks to a brand new addition from Archie Rose. The Rosebery distillery has just gifted the Airport's T1 International terminal with a 16-seat pop-up cocktail bar, primed for those pre-flight libations. Aiming to celebrate top Aussie booze, the Archie Rose Cocktail Bar started pouring drinks on Thursday, November 28 — and it's sticking around until February 2020. The custom-designed watering hole serves up a lineup of martinis, manhattans and other signature bottled cocktail creations, crafted on Archie Rose's acclaimed range of gin, whisky and vodka varieties (all of which are made just a stone's throw away, at its Rosebery headquarters). Passengers can also get their hands on the just-dropped Archie Rose x Sydney Opera House Outside and Inside Gins – a twin release celebrating Sydney Harbour's famed architectural icon. As for the space itself, the bar is open yet cosy, with a swag of native plants offering that last little taste of home before you jump on your long-haul flight. Archie Rose is known for its growing range of craft spirits, including the famed Signature Dry Gin, which continues to scoop a stack of international awards. The label is also behind the experimental 'buttered toast spirit', ArchieMite, which Aussies went nuts for when it launched earlier this year. Find the Archie Rose Cocktail Bar at B1045, T1 International Sydney Airport. Images: Kai Leishman
When 2024 began, it started with a beloved Australian book becoming a just-as-loved hit homegrown TV miniseries. When the year comes to an end, it'll do so with an Aussie film about an international pop star releasing in cinemas. It feels fitting, then, that Brisbane-set page-to-screen favourite Boy Swallows Universe and unconventional Robbie Williams biopic Better Man have both scored big among the just-announced AACTA Award nominations — for 2025's ceremonies, but covering 2024 releases. Boy Swallows Universe topped the TV categories, earning a huge 22 nominations. It's up for Best Miniseries, of course, and made history by collecting eight nominations for its stellar actors, the most that any production has earned ever at the AACTAs. Better Man, which makes its way to Australian cinemas on Boxing Day 2024, received the most nods in the film fields — and by picking up a huge 16 of them, it also broke the record. Among the movies, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga nabbed 15 nominations for George Miller's fifth film in the iconic dystopian franchise, the same number that How to Make Gravy scored for its song-to-film journey. Next came horror delight Late Night with the Devil with 14 nominations, then Oscar-winning animator Adam Elliot's gorgeous and heartfelt Memoir of a Snail with 11. They're all up for Best Film, too, alongside Better Man and family-friendly four-time nominee Runt. The television cohort also saw Thou Shalt Not Steal pick up nine nominations, showing some affection for one of the year's absolute-best TV shows. Colin From Accounts and The Artful Dodger collected eight apiece, while Exposure scored seven, Fake picked up six, and Fisk and Total Control earned five each. Even from just the titles mentioned above, it's been not only an excellent year in Aussie film and TV, but a diverse one in terms of the types of tales that've been reaching screens big and small. Everything from mystery sequel Force of Nature: The Dry 2 to dark comedy Audrey, and from detective series High Country to the latest season of Heartbreak High and the Australian version of The Office, too, is also on the nominees list. As for who'll end up with a shiny trophy, the winners will be revealed on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, in tandem with the returning festival with 100-plus that's also celebrating Aussie film and television. Until then, consider the nominations list a great what-to-watch guide for homegrown flicks and shows — Christmess, You'll Never Find Me, Last Days of the Space Age and Territory are just a selection of the other titles in the running. Here's a selection of this year's major AACTA nominations, ahead of the awards' ceremonies on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast — and you can check out the full list on AACTA's website: 2025 AACTA Award Nominees Film Awards Best Film Better Man Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga How to Make Gravy Late Night with the Devil Memoir of a Snail Runt Best Indie Film Before Dawn Birdeater Christmess Just a Farmer The Emu War You'll Never Find Me Best Direction in Film Better Man, Michael Gracey Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller How to Make Gravy, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Lead Actress in Film Laura Gordon, Late Night with the Devil Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail Jackie van Beek, Audrey Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Anna Torv, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Phoebe Tonkin, Kid Snow Best Lead Actor in Film Eric Bana, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil Jonno Davies, Better Man Daniel Henshall, How to Make Gravy Guy Pearce, The Convert Kodi Smit-McPhee, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actress in Film Alyla Browne, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Hannah Diviney, Audrey Kate Mulvany, Better Man Kate Mulvany, How to Make Gravy Ingrid Torelli, Late Night with the Devil Jacki Weaver, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actor in Film Fayssal Bazzi, Late Night with the Devil Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Damon Herriman, Better Man Damon Herriman, How to Make Gravy Richard Roxburgh, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Hugo Weaving, How to Make Gravy Best Screenplay in Film Better Man, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller, Nico Lathouris How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Documentary A Horse Named Winx Every Little Thing Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Otto by Otto Porcelain War The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process Best Cinematography in Film Better Man, Erik A. Wilson, Matt Toll, Ashley Wallen Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Andrew Commis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Simon Duggan Late Night with the Devil, Matthew Temple Memoir of a Snail, Gerald Thompson Best Editing in Film Better Man, Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth, Patrick Correll Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Alexandre de Franceschi, Maria Papoutsis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel Late Night with the Devil, Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Bill Murphy Best Original Song 'Dream On' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Fine' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Forbidden Road' by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Side By Side' by Paul Kelly, Runt 'Streetlights' by Jacob Harvey, Under Streetlights Best Short Film And the Ocean Agreed Before We Sleep Die Bully Die Favourites Gorgo Why We Fight Television Awards Best Drama Series Fake Heartbreak High The Artful Dodger The Twelve Thou Shalt Not Steal Total Control Best Narrative Comedy Series Austin Bump Colin From Accounts Fisk Strife The Office Best Miniseries Boy Swallows Universe Exposure Four Years Later House of Gods Human Error Last Days of the Space Age Best Lead Actor in a Drama Zac Burgess, Boy Swallows Universe Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe Rob Collins, Total Control Brendan Cowell, Plum Sam Neill, The Twelve Noah Taylor, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Lead Actress in a Drama Asher Keddie, Fake Deborah Mailman, Total Control Leah Purcell, High Country Anna Torv, Territory Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe Sherry-Lee Watson, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Acting in a Comedy Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts Aaron Chen, Fisk Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts Kitty Flanagan, Fisk Genevieve Hegney, Colin From Accounts Asher Keddie, Strife Michael Theo, Austin Felicity Ward, The Office Best Comedy Performer Wil Anderson, Taskmaster Australia Aaron Chen, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Anne Edmonds, Taskmaster Australia Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz Guy Montgomery, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Essie Davis, Exposure Rachel Griffiths, Total Control Heather Mitchell, Fake Deborah Mailman, Boy Swallows Universe Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe Asher Yasbincek, Heartbreak High Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe Wayne Blair, Total Control Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe Ewen Leslie, Prosper Best Direction in Drama or Comedy Boy Swallows Universe, Bharat Nalluri Colin From Accounts, Trent O'Donnell Colin From Accounts, Madeline Dyer Fake, Emma Freeman Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan River Best Direction in Nonfiction Television Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet?, Simon Francis Better Date Than Never, Mariel Thomas Muster Dogs, Sally Browning Stuff the British Stole, Marc Fennell The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Tosca Looby, Ben Lawrence Best Screenplay in Television Boy Swallows Universe, John Collee Colin From Accounts, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer Fake, Anya Beyersdorf Fisk, Penny Flanagan, Kitty Flanagan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Sophie Miller, Dylan River Best Cinematography in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Shelley Farthing-Dawe Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Wareham Exposure, Aaron McLisky Territory, Simon Duggan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tyson Perkins Best Editing in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Perry Colin From Accounts, Danielle Boesenberg Exposure, Leila Gaabi Fisk, Katie Flaxman The Artful Dodger, Rodrigo Balart Best Entertainment Program Dancing with the Stars LEGO® Masters Australia vs The World Mastermind Spicks and Specks The 1% Club Tipping Point Australia Best Comedy Entertainment Program Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Hard Quiz Have You Been Paying Attention? Thank God You're Here The Cheap Seats The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Factual Entertainment Program Alone Australia Gogglebox Australia Muster Dogs Stuff the British Stole Take 5 with Zan Rowe The Assembly Best Documentary or Factual Program Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley I Was Actually There Maggie Beer's Big Mission Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye Who Do You Think You Are? Best Children's Program Bluey Eddie's Lil Homies Hard Quiz Kids Little J & Big Cuz Play School: Big Ted's Time Machine Spooky Files Best Stand-Up Special Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? Lloyd Langford: Current Mood Mel Buttle: Let Me Know Either Way? Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Allstars Supershow Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Gala Rove McManus: Loosey Goosey Best Lifestyle Program Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia Gardening Australia Grand Designs Australia Grand Designs Transformations Restoration Australia Selling Houses Australia Best Reality Program Australian Idol Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels MasterChef Australia Shark Tank Australia The Amazing Race The Great Australian Bake Off Best Online Drama or Comedy Bad Ancestors Buried Descent Girl Crush Urvi Went to an All Girls School Videoland
Fred again.. is currently in Australia, as everyone knows thanks to his Tuesday, February 27 announcement that he was playing Sydney Opera House that night. Missed out? As he mentioned on his Instagram, the British producer and DJ didn't make the trip Down Under just for one show. So, he's gone and announced a three-city tour for the rest of his Aussie stay. Melbourne will next welcome everyone's favourite chaotic electronic musician, for three gigs all at Rod Laver Arena. After that, he's heading to the Gold Coast — at a pop-up location TBC — for a single show. Then, it's back to Sydney, this time to Qudos Bank Arena for another trio of gigs. All seven shows are taking place in March, giving fans more notice this time after 145,000 people attempted to get tickets to Fred again..'s Sydney Opera House set. Also, you've been given more warning about tickets going on sale, too. They'll be available to purchase from Thursday, February 29, with times staggered depending on the city. The tour came out of nowhere, after a post to Fred again..'s Instagram showing him boarding a flight with his buddy and collaborator JOY (ANONYMOUS), teasing that they'd be performing wherever the plane landed. Next, he popped up on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, announcing that ultra last-minute performance at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Before now, Fred was last in town for Laneway 2023 alongside Haim, Joji and Phoebe Bridgers, at which time he created pandemonium by performing at a slate of pop-up DJ sets around Australia and New Zealand alongside his festival appearances. At this upcoming shows, he'll be bringing his catalogue of hits, of course. So, if you want to catch 'Delilah (pull me out of this)', 'Marea (we've lost dancing)' and 'Rumble' — and new single 'stayinit' with Lil Yachty and Overmono — this is your latest chance. JOY (ANONYMOUS) will be on supporting duties at all seven shows. Fred again.. Australia 2024 Tour: Monday, March 4–Wednesday, March 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, March 9 — pop-up location TBC on the Gold Coast Tuesday, March 12–Thursday, March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Fred again.. is performing in Australia in March 2024, with tickets on sale on Thursday, February 29 — from 9am AEDT for Melbourne, 10am AEST for the Gold Coast and 1pm AEDT for Sydney. Hit up the tour website for more details. Live images: Maclay Heriot / Daniel Boud, Laneway 2023.
If you're a fan of LGBTQIA+ flicks, don't say that you don't have anything to watch between Friday, February 28–Monday, March 10, 2025. You're not just stuck with usual couch-viewing options, either. The return of Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney also means the return of the event's online component, which is great news no matter where you live in Australia. As always, the roster of movies that Sydneysiders can catch at MGFF's in-person sessions is far larger than its online program — but joining in from home is still filled with highlights. Movie buffs eager to check out the online picks from their couch can look forward to the Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!)-starring Drive Back Home; Aussie effort Heart of a Man, about a closeted Indigenous boxer; a doco about activist Sally Gearhart; Unusually Normal's factual portrait of a family that includes two lesbian grandmothers, four lesbian mothers and one lesbian granddaughter; and a blend of fiction and reality with 2024 Sundance Special Jury Award-winner Desire Lines, among other titles. A number of shorts programs will be available to stream, too, with packages devoted to Asia Pacific, transgender and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, sapphic and more. Black Doves' Ben Whishaw pops up in one of the gay shorts, while Hacks' Megan Stalter appears in one of the films in the comedy lineup.
When a band is just starting out, with just one album to its name, you're treated to most — if not all — of it live in the early days. To get the full-record experience again, though, you normally have to wait for big anniversaries. Bloc Party are celebrating two on their just-announced 2025 tour of Australia and New Zealand: two decades of the group and the same since their debut album Silent Alarm. Hitting up Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, John Cain Arena in Melbourne, Adelaide's AEC Theatre, Perth HPC, Riverstage in Brisbane, Christchurch Town Hall and Auckland's Spark Arena between Friday, August 1–Tuesday, August 12, Bloc Party will play Silent Alarm from start to finish. 'Banquet', 'Helicopter', 'This Modern Love', 'Like Eating Glass': yes, they'll all be on the setlist on this seven-city trip. Bloc Party aren't leaving their other tunes out, though, with the tour featuring not just Silent Alarm's tracks but the band's greatest hits. They do have five other albums to their name, after all: 2007's A Weekend in the City, 2008's Intimacy, 2012's Four, 2016's Hymns and 2022's Alpha Games. If you're a fan, you'll know that it has been more than 20 years since the group first formed, and since the British band scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kapranos — but 20 is a nice round number to commemorate. This makes two Aussie tours in a row now with a point of difference for Bloc Party, after 2023 trip with Interpol. Before that, they last rocked Aussie stages in 2018. Supporting Kele Okereke and company this time are Young The Giant, who'll be playing Australia for the first time in 14 years. Bloc Party 2025 Australia and New Zealand Tour Friday, August 1 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Sunday, August 3 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne Monday, August 4 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, August 6 — Perth HPC, Perth Friday, August 8 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, August 10 — Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Tuesday, August 12 — Spark Arena, Auckland Bloc Party are touring Australia and New Zealand in August 2025, with presales from 9am local time on Wednesday, March 19 and general sales from 9am local time on Friday, March 21. Hit up the tour website for further details. Images: Bruce Baker via Flickr / James Kellegher.
Which Australian city has the best steak joints? Which boasts the top restaurants in general? Which is considered the ideal place to live? May 2024 has delivered new answers to all of these questions (more fuel for interstate rivalries, too), and it has just dropped another handy tidbit: the home of Australia's best bartender for this year. Global bartending competition Diageo World Class shows Aussie talents some love in a couple of ways, including via its Bartender of the Year Australia award — and, after a fierce contest showcasing exceptional mixology, we have a winner. Earning the coveted title this year is Sydney bartender Jake Down from Pleasure Club, one of three Harbour City folks competing in the showdown. In the pool of six bartenders, Perth and Hobart were each represented, too (sorry other Australian cities). Down, Merivale's James Irvine and The Waratah's Tom Opie faced off against each other, and also against Matt Bodycote from State Buildings in Perth, Shirley Yeung from Foxtrot Hospitality Group in Perth and Rohan Massie from Rude Boy in Hobart. Held in Sydney on Monday, May 27, the final stage of the annual drinks competition saw the six Aussie finalists battle it out behind the bar, showing off their skills across three challenges. One had them coming up with new options for traditional whisky serves, working with Johnnie Walker, Talisker and The Singleton. The next involved taking inspiration from their favourite bars while heroing Johnnie Walker Black Ruby. Then, a speed task involving making six classic cocktail serves in six minutes rounded out the contest. Down, whose resume locally and internationally also includes This Must Be the Place, Scout London, Re and Housemade Hospitality, now has a chance to score some more kudos at the global finals in September. He'll shake and stir up a storm alongside 50-plus other international hopefuls in a bid to be named World Class Global Bartender of the Year. "The competition has exposed me to some of the best bartenders in the industry, allowing me to learn and grow alongside incredible talent," said Down about his win. "I'm honoured to be part of our incredible hospitality community and I can't wait to represent Australia in September at the global finals." [caption id="attachment_942593" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pleasure Club, Parker Blain.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_929495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Waratah, Jason Loucas.[/caption] For more information about the Diageo World Class Australian Bartender competition and Diageo World Class in general, head to the Diageo Bar Academy website.
UPDATE, AUGUST 13, 2020: Inception's tenth anniversary season has now undergone so date changes, it almost feels like something out of the movie's twisty plot. It'll now kick off on Thursday, August 13. We've updated this article to reflect that change. With Brisbane's cinemas shutting down for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic — and only beginning to reopen in June — the idea of watching a movie in a darkened theatre in 2020 currently feels a bit surreal. From Thursday, August 13, that'll just be the first level of your dream-like film-going experience. Expect at least four others, with the dreams within dreams (within dreams within dreams) of Christopher Nolan's Inception returning to the big screen. Ten years after it first hit cinemas, the acclaimed mind-bender is back — to mark that anniversary; to help get everyone in the mood for Nolan's new movie, Tenet; and to give film-lovers something else to watch as Aussie picture palaces slowly relaunch. It's actually popping up just a fortnight before Tenet, which has had its Australian release pushed back a few times now. So, has the re-release of this twisty Nolan action-thriller, but now it's locked into the calendar. As written and directed by Nolan, Inception became a fast favourite a decade ago for plenty of reasons, including its dream-hijacking premise, its eye-popping visuals and its fantastic cast. In case you've forgotten the setup, it follows professional thief Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), who steals secret information from his targets' subconscious while they slumber — with help from the likes of Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFNwbQXGMu4 Inception's tenth anniversary season is screening at various cinemas from Thursday, August 13, with exact dates and times differing depending on the venue — check out your local picture palace for details.
The Ryan vs Seth debate incited gang wars (it's all Seth, all the time people, come on). Marissa made our eye twitch with stiff acting and then tore our hearts out in season three (no spoilers hey). Summer retrospectively became our life and style guru. And still, no true O.C. fan can hear Imogen Heap's 'Hide and Seek' without tearing up just a little bit. For everyone whose teenage expectations of life and love were shaped by the O.C. and Peter Gallagher's eyebrows, listen up: Bistrotheque is throwing a huge O.C.-themed party this weekend. Cue Youth Group, Death Cab for Cutie, Eels, Jem, The Futureheads, Spoon et al playing on repeat. Entry is free, so cancel all existing plans and start fashioning an outfit with maximum spaghetti straps and low-waist jeans that are neither skinny nor flared.
Find yourself surrounded by some of the world's brightest journalists at this year's Storyology, coming to Brisbane for the first time at the end of August. Brought to you by The Walkley Foundation, Australia's networking festival of media and storytelling welcomes Australian and international journalists who will be leading talks and lectures on today's big questions around the forever-changing industry. What will newsrooms look like as new technologies arise and develop? How does one go about turning their stories into successful podcasts? How has the 'Trump Effect' impacted media outside of the US? Topics like these and many more will be discussed in conversations lead by Buzzfeed and Google executives, Pulitzer Prize-winning critics and journalists flying in from across the world. Discuss the realities of fake news at The F-word, learn from investigative reporters about Queensland's life of crime and experience Afghanistan through the eyes of a photojournalist at Capturing Afghanistan, with all events held at the Brisbane Powerhouse. The festival kicks off in Brisbane on August 24 with Storyology After Dark for a 'night of great yarns', and will host events for both journos and the general public. Storyology 2017 takes place in Brisbane from Thursday, August 24 to Saturday, August 26 at the Brisbane Powerhouse. See the full program of events and talks here. We also have a full festival pass for two to giveaway. Enter for your chance to win here.
Spring is dating season. Winter's gloom has lifted, the air is noticeably lighter and the glorious sunshine has both flowers and people blooming. In celebration, we're giving away a bunch of $250 Mastercard cards to ensure that you lovebirds have a suitably romantic springtime soirée. It's entirely up to you how you splash the cash, you can splurge on one opulent night out — indulge in dozens of oysters at a top-notch fine diner — or opt for a more conservative approach and spread those five (virtual) pineapples across multiple dates. After all, you don't have to spend big to make a big impression. The late, great Robin Williams once said, "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'". Well, enter the competition below and your springtime parties for two are on us. [competition]695105[/competition] If you're looking for inspiration in the meantime, check out our top five dates for less than $50 in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and consider splitting the bill easily in under a minute with PayID (which uses the Osko payment service). Find out more here.
Come one, come all to Queensland’s biggest combined show for the antique and military wares collector. Sick of guarding your precious antique cans? Sell them! Need more precious antique cans? Buy them! Collectors can buy, sell AND trade from collectors all over Australia in the one place. This event is literally like walking into the biggest and most fantastic second hand shop you’ve ever seen, and it’s got a little something for everyone. Most collectors, no matter their field, can get their fix from hundreds of stalls. If it’s deadly weapons you’re after, the show will host modern and antique firearms, all types of Militaria from all countries, antique swords and daggers and all types of knives. There will be coins, medals, badges and bank notes as well as something more broadly aimed such as china, bronzes, prints, paintings, furniture, silverware, art, jewellery, comics, books and kitchen collectibles. Honestly, there is too much to even mention. If you are a serious collector and don’t head along to this thing, then you might want to consider taking up a different hobby. If you’re still not quite convinced take it from The Simpson’s favourite arms dealer Herman – “nothing says ‘I love you’ better than a military antique”… erm right on Herman!
UPDATE, March 17, 2022: Due to Brisbane's floods, Frozen the Musical was cancelled up to and including Thursday, March 17, reopening on Friday, March 18. The season will now run through until Sunday, May 8. More than ever, we're looking for opportunities to immerse ourselves in another universe for a few hours. Luckily, that's exactly what you can do from February when the hit Frozen the Musical comes to Brisbane. The stage production, based on the legendary 2013 Disney animated film, opened on Broadway in 2018 and proceeded to break box office records. After a US tour in 2019, the production is expanding to international markets — and has already hit up Sydney before coming north. If the cultural phenomenon has somehow passed you by until now, Frozen was inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen tale The Snow Queen, and it tells the story of Princesses Anna and Elsa. At the latter's coronation to become Queen, she accidentally reveals her magical powers to control and create ice and snow and inflicts an eternal winter on her kingdom, Arendelle. She flees to the North Mountain and, while singing the iconic ballad 'Let it Go', builds herself an ice castle in which to hide. Anna sets out to find her sister, proving the bonds of sisterhood can overcome all obstacles. The musical adaptation brings the beloved story to life before your eyes with opulent costumes, stunning sets and awe-inspiring special effects. All of your favourite tunes from the film will be performed — including 'For the First Time in Forever' and 'Love Is an Open Door' — plus 12 new songs as the stage production expands upon the film's narrative. Running from Friday, February 11–Sunday, May 8, Frozen's Brisbane production has an all-Australian cast, led by Jemma Rix (Wicked) as Elsa, Courtney Monsma (Aladdin, Six) as Anna and Matt Lee (Mary Poppins) as the lovable Olaf. General public tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, November 12. Images: Frozen the Musical, Original Broadway Cast, Deen van Meer, courtesy of Destination NSW.
Getting into festive mood? Prefer to do your shopping while the big day is still a few weeks away? Hate leaving your Christmas preparations until the last minute? Then pencil one of the year's must-attend Yuletide markets into your calendar: Christmas on Cribb. Sure, Christmas on Cribb is just what the Milton Markets call its seasonal shindig, which takes place on Saturday, November 28 from 4–10pm this year. And sure, you've been to markets before. But, their festive event boasts plenty to get excited about. Here, you'll get your food and gift plans sorted, and lap up music and entertainment while you're there. This Cribbmas, you can also enjoy everything from gourmet food to artisan wares — and, based on past years, there are usually more than 150 stalls on offer. Grab bites you'll want to eat on the night, produce for your big feast, and presents for your loved ones (and yourself). Plus, there'll be a pop-up bar onsite in case you need a break from the browsing and buying — or an extra excuse to feel merry. Entry costs $2 at the gate, and you can pay $2 more for VIP parking.
On the scale of personal injustices, there are few more contemptible or infuriating misdeeds than taking credit for another person’s work. In the artistic world it’s considered a violation of such repugnance that it’s said to offend one’s very ‘moral rights’, being both ’the right of Attribution’ (the right to be recognised as the creator of an original work) and ’the right against False Attribution’ (the right to prevent someone else from saying your work is theirs). Big Eyes, the latest film by director Tim Burton, is a true story based on one of the most egregious example of that violation in living history. Beginning in the late 1950s, it chronicles the decade-long deception perpetrated by the artist Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) and his iconic ‘big eyes’ paintings. The key word there is ‘deception’, because in reality they weren’t his paintings at all; they were painted by his wife, Margaret (Amy Adams). With millions of dollars made from sales and celebrities the world over seeking their own originals, Big Eyes is a fascinating study in sexual politics and the exponential toxicity of deceit, particularly in an age when the status of a divorced single-mother was tantamount to both social and professional exile. In the leads, Adams and Waltz are both perfectly cast. Adams brings a wonderful sensitivity to the role, capturing the irrepressible passion of an artist and the burgeoning guilt of a woman who chose financial security over artistic integrity. Opposite her, Waltz is pure charisma: a salesman with a cheshire cat grin and an undeniable talent for marketing. The man could sell sand to a desert, then convince himself he invented the sand. ‘Delusional Disorder’ is the medical term for his condition, and its destructive powers are neatly showcased here. This is by far one of Burton’s most understated films, eschewing most of his traditional quirkiness and cartoonish aesthetic in favour of a picture most reminiscent of Ed Wood. Even the score, provided almost inevitably by Danny Elfman, opts for the subtle touch with hardly a whole-tone scale to be heard. That’s not to say there isn’t fantastic design at play, with the set, costuming and even colour choices wonderfully recreating '50s and '60s kitsch. It’s all very pretty, but just like its subject matter, Big Eyes is something of a masquerade: a fetching and uncomplicated visual that belies a much darker truth.
Queensland Health has advised that any Brisbanites who visited a number of eateries and venues in the city's south and West Moreton should monitor their health and immediately get tested if they present any symptoms, with the state's latest COVID-19 case linked to 15 locations. The government body sent out a public health alert last night, on Friday, July 31, detailing the places linked to yesterday's one new case of COVID-19. The new case is a 27-year-old man who dined at the Madtongsan IV restaurant in Sunnybank at the same time as a young woman who was diagnosed earlier in the week, according to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. The list of spots is lengthy, as is the time period affected, with the latter spanning from Sunday, July 26–Wednesday, July 29. In Mount Gravatt, those who visited JB Hifi, Kmart, Mos Burger or Chatime at Garden City Shopping Centre between 4–7pm on July 26 must monitor for symptoms. Visitors to Bunnings in Springfield and Oxley, Nando's Kenmore and Caltex in Wacol or Goodna at various times between July 26–28, must do the same, too. The full list of venues, dates and times is available in Queensland Health's public health alert. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1289156599911604224?s=21 Earlier this week, Queensland Health released a list of venues visited by two Queenslanders who returned from Melbourne via Sydney, failed to self-quarantine and tested positive to the coronavirus. It's asking any Brisbanites who visited the lengthy of spots between Wednesday, July 23–Tuesday, July 28. to immediately quarantine and contact 13 HEALTH to get tested. Queensland Health is continuing to update a master list of venues linked to known cases over here. In response to the new cases, Queensland has closed its borders to anyone who has been to the Greater Sydney area in the past 14 days. The NT has also declared the City of Brisbane, City of Ipswich and Logan City hotspots, and closed its borders to anyone who has visited those areas — as well as other hotspots across NSW and Victoria. As has been the advice for months now, anyone with symptoms — coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath or loss of smell or taste — who lives in any part of Brisbane is also encouraged to get tested and self-isolate while awaiting results. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Image: Westfield Garden City Facebook
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and in 2018 we scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. After returning this year, it's back for its third round of autumnal beachside festivals. Returning from February–April 2020, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it once again follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour — and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave are dance music legends The Presets, Aussie indie-rock chart-toppers Boy & Bear and Brisbane's Ball Park Music, along with other local acts Allday, DZ Deathrays, Kita Alexander and Graace. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop is set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. As well as heading to the official WSL events in Torquay, Margaret River and Coolangatta as it has since 2018 — and forming part of WSL Qualifying Series events Surfest Newcastle and Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in Manly, as it did in 2019 — the fest will also hit Noosa as part of the WSL Noosa Longboard Open. [caption id="attachment_753214" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] THE DROP FESTIVAL 2020 LINEUP The Presets Boy & Bear Ball Park Music Allday DZ Deathrays Kita Alexander Graace THE DROP FESTIVAL 2020 DATES Noosa, Qld — Dolphins Rugby Club, Sunshine Beach, Saturday, February 29 Newcastle, NSW — Empire Park, Saturday, March 7 Manly, NSW — Keirle Park, Saturday, March 14 Coolangatta, Qld — Queen Elizabeth Park, Saturday, March 28 Torquay, Vic — Torquay Common, Saturday, April 11 Margaret River, WA — Barnard Park, Busselton, Saturday, April 25 The Drop tickets go on sale from 6pm AEDT on Wednesday, December 4, with pre-sales available from 6pm, Tuesday, December 3 for folks who register in advance (prior to 6pm, Monday, December 2). For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au. Images: Walk Wild Studio/ Miranda Stokkel / Ian Laidlaw.
Ricardo Cortés, who illustrated the hugely popular adult bedtime reader, Go The F*ck to Sleep, has released a third edition of his previously sold-out book, It's Just a Plant. This book is for the kids this time, but it's just as controversial, telling the story of a young girl's educational journey as she comes to understand cannabis, explained to her by her parents, a doctor and a kind gang of Rastafarians. The book covers difficult concepts like crime and the medical use of drugs in a thoughtful, non-propagandist manner, with beautiful illustrations to accompany. It's also an excellent way to guide your way through the awkward conversation you'll have to have if your kid catches you enjoying a sneaky joint.
Where do all those guns seized from Mexican drug cartels go to, anyway? Sometimes, they go to an astounding mechanised orchestra, constructed fully of decommissioned weapons by artist Pedro Reyes. Working out of media studio Cocolab in Mexico City, Reyes created the work, Disarm, as the latest in a series of weapon-come-musical-instrument transformations. Transformation is the key word: the artist's work takes tools of violence and transmutes them into objects of beauty and music, vaguely reminiscent of how hippies made National Guardsmen's rifles into flower vases during the iconic anti-Vietnam War Flower Power protest. It's an effective sociopolitical critique. An earlier incarnation of the project, Imagine (2012), similarly used remnants of weapons confiscated by the Mexican army. Reyes calls his instruments "the redemption of this metal that could have taken your life or mine". Some of the upcycled, sculptural instruments look like alien robots with a touch of menace about them, while others have elegant lines and an almost organic shape. How do they work as real instruments? Their development was overseen by professional musicians as well as Cocolab's resident tech geniuses, so artistry is just as much a component as machinery. Computerised, they are able to play preprogrammed compositions. Check out the video — the resulting music is not only very cool to listen to, but amazing to watch being produced as the instruments play themselves. The mechanised aspect makes visual patterns that are related to acoustic patterns. Adds Reyes, "It also becomes a visual show because you give plasticity to the musical universe that is hidden inside the computer." Voila: a perfect marriage of art, technology and social comment. Having already been exhibited in London, Disarm is on its way to the Melbourne Festival, where it will be displayed in NGV's Federation Court. Its instruments will be played by an assortment of skilled local musicians, so you'll get to hear all kinds of unexpected improvisations. Who would have guessed a gun could sound so disarming?
Since setting up its local base back in 2019, BrewDog has been serving Brisbanites plenty of cold ones, with the Scottish beer behemoth making this sunny city of ours its Australian home. Over that time, you've probably sat by the river and knocked back the company's brews — but at its annual Collabfest festival, you'll be encouraged to try yeasty bevvies from other breweries. Running from Thursday, October 20–Sunday, October 23, this weekend-long event will celebrate brews from four other beer-making outfits from across southeast Queensland. In 2022, Parched Brewing, Revel, Froth Rookies and Bacchus Brewing are getting some love, and the chosen spots always brew brand new (and unique) beers for the occasion, too — so expect to taste something that you haven't sipped before. On that list: a Monte Carlo biscuit ale, a hemp IIIPA, a coconut cream pie sour and a hoppy Saison. Also, there are two parts to the shindig. First, it all kicks off with a Thursday night launch, which is obviously when the party begins. Then, until Sunday, you'll be able to drop by and drink the Collabfest brews whenever you like. Although BrewDog is making a big deal of teaming up with other brewers, this fest is simply an expansion of its current approach. Already, its DogTap taproom serves up other tipples from the Sunshine State — but when it comes to beer, any excuse for a party will do.
