This article is sponsored by our partners, Wotif.com. Writer Benjamin Law recently performed a glorious piece of erotic fan fiction about his two culinary idols, Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer. We'll spare you the gory details, but the story involves a fair bit of verjuice and self-saucing pudding. The two food goddesses both call South Australia home, because, basically, that's where the good food and wine is. Restaurateurs in Adelaide respect the exceptional produce and wine at their doorstep. Here are ten who are doing it very nicely indeed. BISTRO DOM South African born chef Duncan Welgemoed brings the best of his training under Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal to Bistro Dom on Waymouth Street in the CBD, where he’s serving up French-inspired cuisine such as steak tartare ($19.90) and duck with boudin noir, apple and cinnamon ($39.90). While Welgemoed has a keen interest in the science of cooking, you’ll see no clouds or foams here; his focus is on showing off the produce, unadorned and simple. Bistro Dom boasts a truly varied wine list of French, German and boutique local wines. Make sure you have a crack at the Alpha Box and Dice ‘Tarot’ from McLaren Vale — an elegant blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Tempranillo. 24 Waymouth Street, Adelaide Street ADL and Orana A two-part venture from chef Jock Zonfrillo, together Street ADL and Orana span two levels, offering two unique dining experiences within the one venue. Downstairs is Street ADL; it's informal, casual and accessible, offering up ‘Australian street food’ such as pulled kangaroo sangas, cheeseburgers, Goolwa pipis and lamingtons. Venture upstairs, however, and it's a whole different story. Orana is delicate, intimate (it only seats 25 guests) and very much a fine dining experience. The food continues to tread the line of Australiana, with Zonfrillo paying homage to rich flavours of the land. 285 Rundle Street, Adelaide RUBY RED FLAMINGO Ruby Red Flamingo has an ever changing menu of Italian share plates and a blackboard wine list with Italian wines including Nero D’Avola. Snuggle down in front of their open fireplace with a comforting favourite like macaroni with eggplant and smoked mozzarella or osso bucco risotto. 142 Tynte Street, North Adelaide Peel Street Tucked away on Peel Street (go figure) this restaurant may not look like it's got a lot going on, but once you step in, see the food slapped on the concrete bench, let the smell of freshly baked goods hit your nostrils and take a seat, there'll be no desire to ever leave. Open from 7.30am on weekdays and serving up dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Peel Street has quickly become a favourite amongst city dwellers — particularly those who frequent the small bar scene in the adjoining streets. If you like what you see on the counter, order 'from the concrete', or otherwise order something bigger 'from the blackboard'. Whatever you go for, you won't be disappointed. And you will be taking a muffin, pie or cupcake on your way out. 9 Peel Street, Adelaide Gin Long Canteen Gin Long has been open for little over six months, but already it's a favourite. You might be hard off getting a seat on a Friday or Saturday night; don't let that deter you because this is possibly the closest Adelaide comes to modern Asian. As well as rice paper rolls and betel leaf cigars, expect to chow down on gin long wings, nom nom barramundi, spicy caramel chicken and sticky braised pork belly. The cocktail list makes it extra fun, and the whole space is spot on — worth the wait, if you ask us. 42 O'Connell Street, North Adelaide MAGILL ESTATE RESTAURANT Magill Estate is the showcase restaurant for Penfolds wines just out of the city in the Adelaide foothills. Head chefs Scott Huggins and Emma McCaskill deliver an ever changing degustation menu designed to show off the Penfolds range (and not just the '51 Grange) starting off with calamari, chlorophyll and preserved lemon and finishing with South Australian Mayura wagyu with radishes and mustard. 78 Penfolds Road, Magill PRESS FOOD AND WINE Press Food and Wine is a new addition to the Adelaide dining scene, and a very welcome one. The two-level restaurant on Waymouth Street is at once homely and elegant. Head chef Andrew Davies prides himself on in-house pickling and curing and their custom-made chargrill. A la carte and degustation menus are on offer, with sophisticated starters such as king fish and pickled radish ($21) and heartier mains such as house-made pappardelle with blue swimmer crab ($29). 40 Waymouth Street, Adelaide EROS OUZERI Eros Ouzeri is a bit of an Adelaide institution. The grand daddy of Rundle Street, its cafe is home to the best damn kataiffi in town and the restaurant proper will sort you out with classic Greek mezze fare such as grilled haloumi, octopus and gyros as well as heartier mains such as lamb shoulder ($29.90) or a charred Angus fillet with mustard skordalia ($35). All this deliciousness is accompanied, of course, by a robust, SA-faithful wine list. Head in for a lunch banquet ($45) and let the famously hospitable Eros staff welcome you to the fold. 277 Rundle Street, Adelaide The Grace Establishment Located on The Parade — which is generally busy with shoppers and alfresco diners, but don't let that put you off — The Grace Establishment is a nice option for a sit-down lunch without breaking the bank. Relatively new and still very shiny, it's part bar, restaurant and beer garden, meaning you can sit indoors or out for a charcuterie board, plate of Kinkawoona mussels or a hearty SA sirloin. 127 The Parade, Norwood GOLDEN BOY RESTAURANT Golden Boy Restaurant popped up last year to feed the hungry punters at the Botanic Bar at the East End of the city and it has quickly become a destination in its own right, serving honest, home-style Thai food in a relaxed setting. Open till midnight, Golden Boy offers the perfect late-night fix of spicy chicken wings and pork belly — you can lick your fingers in style. 309 North Terrace, Adelaide Words by Lauren Vadnjal and Jessica Keath. Peel Street image courtesy of Kristina Dryža via Facebook.
There's a reality TV show for everything and, via the 2014–9 series Wahlburgers, that includes burger joints owned by actor Mark Wahlberg and his brothers. Fancy eating the chain's fast food fare, rather than just watching it? After opening 52 stores in the US, Canada and Germany so far, Wahlburgers is launching Down Under. The first place that'll be serving up the chain's burgers, shakes, beers and 'wahlbowls' — aka burger ingredients, but without the bun — is the Sydney CBD. Folks in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane can all expect to tuck into the brand's bites to eat, too, and New Zealanders as well. Just where Wahlburgers will be opening in NZ hasn't been revealed, but the chain will be launching 20 stores across the two countries. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wahlburgers 🍔 (@wahlburgers) If the Wahlberg name has you thinking about movies — with Mark starring in everything from Boogie Nights to Instant Family, and his co-owner and brother (and ex-New Kids on the Block member) Donnie Wahlberg also featuring in The Sixth Sense and the Saw franchise — then that won't change at Wahlburgers' Aussie and NZ joints. The chain's venture Down Under is a collaboration with United Cinemas, and some of the former's sites will be located within the latter's picture palaces. United Cinemas currently operates venues at Narellan, Collaroy, Warriewood, Avalon and Opera Quays in Sydney, Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, Craigieburn in Melbourne, Indooroopilly in Brisbane and Rockingham in Perth, so that's where you might be getting your Walhburger fix; however, Walhburgers will be opening stand-alone stores as well. Just when the chain will launch hasn't been revealed, but news.com.au is reporting that the first store in Sydney's Circular Quay will be open in the next few months — and that the restaurants will play up the movie theme. [caption id="attachment_796269" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Michael Rivera via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Wahlburgers is also co-owned by chef Paul Wahlberg — another Wahlberg sibling — and, given its name, the chain decks out its sites with photos and memorabilia from the brothers' lives. If you happen to remember that Mark Wahlberg was in the music business before he started acting and, as part of his hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, he released the 1991 single 'Good Vibrations', then you might be wondering if Wahlburgers serves Sunkist — because it's referenced in the lyrics. Based on its US menu, the answer is no, but fingers crossed that changes Down Under. Wahlburgers is set to open in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and New Zealand — we'll update you with exact locations and dates when they're announced, and you can keep an eye on the chain's website and Facebook page in the interim. Top image: JJonahJackalope via Wikimedia Commons.
Grief. Asking for forgiveness. Moving forward. Thematically, that's the initial three-season plan for Shrinking, Apple TV+'s Jason Segel (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty)-, Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny)- and Jessica Williams (Road House)-starring comedy series about therapists endeavouring to help their patients while rarely having all of the answers to their own problems. Audiences will get to see at least that journey from this kind-hearted gem, which was co-created by TV veteran Bill Lawrence fresh off Ted Lasso's success, teaming up with the soccer-themed hit's Brett Goldstein, aka Roy Kent, as well as Segel. Just as Shrinking's second season started airing in mid-October 2024, the show was renewed for a third season. "That is the beginning, middle and end of this story, without a shadow of a doubt. And I think people know from what I do that there has to be an undercurrent of hope and optimism in there," Lawrence tells Concrete Playground. "I'm not going to say everything would be nicely cut and dried, but I'm not sure people would ever watch my shows again if the end of this was 'Jimmy moved into the mountains and decided to be sad and alone forever'. You know what I mean? 'Don't even bother trying!'." Lawrence, who was also behind Spin City in the 90s, Scrubs and Cougar Town in the 00s, plus 2024 newcomer Bad Monkey, isn't saying that's all there'll be to Shrinking's on-screen journey — there's a way forward if, once season three rolls around, it earns another renewal again from there. "We knew that that was the end of this particular story. I think that's what's fun about television now, is you tell stories with a beginning, middle and end. Doesn't mean that the show can't go on, it just means if we go beyond these three seasons, I treat it like a book," he advises. "Bad Monkey, there's another book by Carl Hiaasen with some of the same characters, at least the ones that aren't dead. It's a completely new story, with a completely new inception point, and I love it just as much as the previous one. So I love the idea of doing that with a TV show like this, hopefully." Since its early 2023 debut, Shrinking has spent its time with Segel's Jimmy Laird, Ford and Williams as his colleagues Paul Rhoades and Gaby Evans, plus Jimmy's teenage daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell, AfrAId), best friend Brian (Michael Urie, Goodrich), patient Sean (Luke Tennie, CSI: Vegas), and neighbours Liz (Christa Miller, Head of the Class) and Derek (Ted McGinley, The Baxters). When the show began its tale, Jimmy was consumed by loss and pain after the death of his wife in a car accident. With Alice, he'd largely been absent since tragedy changed their lives forever, and his friends had been picking up the slack. With the folks paying him for his professional assistance, Jimmy then began trying to push them out of their comfort zones. "I think one of the things that actually was a real breakthrough for me from participating in the show is understanding that one of the real pitfalls of therapy is getting caught in a weekly loop of talking about your problems, but not actually trying to change them. I hadn't really thought of that," Segel explains. "You have people who've been in therapy for years and years and years, but haven't really made any progress. And so I think that that's one of the things that was frustrating Jimmy, is feeling like his patients were caught in a rut — and 'what do I start doing to change your behaviour? What do we do that's actionable today?'. So that's been really cool, and I think it's been cool for the viewers, too, to think about it in that way." Shrinking is another of Lawrence's series with hug-inducing levels of warmth at its core, as Ted Lasso was so welcomely. As with Scrubs, it finds both deep emotion and humour in healthcare's vicinity. And as everything on his resume since Spin City has been, it's about the families that we make not just through the bonds of blood. Vulnerability sits at its heart, too, which Segel appreciates, especially as the Freaks and Geeks, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, How I Met Your Mother star's concept of what that means has evolved over his quarter-century-plus acting career. "I think that my idea of vulnerability has become more sophisticated as I have gotten older," he notes. "When I was a young man, to me the most-vulnerable thing was doing full-frontal nudity during a breakup, and that's just literally vulnerable. But I think that in this show, I've started to realise more and more that real grown-up vulnerability is saying 'I'm afraid' or saying 'I'm struggling and I need help'. Asking for help, what a vulnerable thing. And so I think that you'll see a lot of characters committing real acts of vulnerability and bravery by asking each other for help." Shrinking's 12-episode second season picks up with Jimmy being confronted with consequences from his new strategy for therapy, and Alice — and everyone else — concerned that he'll return to his self-destructive spiral. As it digs into seeking not just assistance but forgiveness, it also brings Goldstein (The Garfield Movie) in front of the camera, and forces its characters to begin reckoning with what it truly means to even think about allowing yourself to forge a path beyond past sorrows, mistakes and fears. How does Lawrence approach his now-trademark mix of emotional complexity and comedy, including while championing kindness? How crucial is Segel's involvement, especially in conveying details that don't need to be written on the page? And how did Ford come to be onboard? What does Segel learn working beside the acting icon — and how does he tackle a project when he's so intricately involved off-screen? We chatted to Lawrence and Segel about all of the above and more. On Making Sitcoms with Emotional Complexity, Including Ted Lasso and Shrinking Both Heroing Kindness, Self-Belief and Asking for Help Bill: "Everybody that you get to talk to that does what I do, they without a doubt had influences and idolised different shows and writers when they grew up. And for me, I grew up on that type of TV. People forget, because they aren't as old as I am, M*A*S*H was this show that was like the biggest show in America — a sitcom that would be broad and silly and goofy, and it would turn on a dime and you would find yourself sobbing about a patient that passes away or a story that you didn't see coming. You'd just get blindsided. And I always gravitated to TV like that. Even The Office, which I think is so brilliant and silly, and Michael Scott is a ridiculous character, they somehow found ways that he could still turn on a switch and hit you emotionally. I like shows like 30 Rock and Veep, which are a testament to amazing joke-writing, and sardonic and satire, and I wish I could do them — I can't. But I got very lucky. I knew with the show Scrubs that I wanted to try and do this, and see if you could do shows with big comedy that then would maybe sometimes have hairpin curves into emotional depth. And I remember when I tried to sell Scrubs, one of the executives that I sell to said 'I'm not sure you can do broad, silly comedies and then make people care — like, a fantasy, and then make people care if a patient lives or dies or not'. And I used to say 'I think you can, if you just turn the lights down and play some indie music'. I was joking, but it turned out to be right. I think there's a lot of people out there that laugh their way through pain, and I think that's why maybe sometimes these shows work, hopefully." On Shrinking's Focus on a Therapist Trying to Help Others While Needing Help Himself Jason: "I think that just on its face, the premise of somebody practising therapy while they themselves are going through a nervous breakdown is an electric idea. That's what comedy is, right? It's setting up these two opposing walls, and comedy is the space in between. Forgetting Sarah Marshall's about a guy trying to get over a breakup and running into his ex and her new boyfriend. It's these things in opposition to each other. So someone trying to help other people get well while they themselves are not well, it's just a great place to start." On the Balancing Act Between Silly Comedic Moments and Deep Emotion That Touches Audiences Bill: "It could be disastrous. I'll tell you right now, the stuff I've done in my career that's failed, have failed because of our inability to navigate those moments, and it just ends up seeming inauthentic. And without patting myself on the back, because I have very little to do with it, there's a chemistry to a TV show. Shows like this work often because the cast, there's actors and actresses top to bottom on Shrinking and on Ted Lasso and on Scrubs that have the ability to be making you laugh and being goofy and silly one second, and then to literally gather themselves and take a breath, and be pulling at your heartstrings the next. It's a special talent for actors and actresses. One of the great gifts of this stage of my career is getting to watch Harrison Ford do that. I knew what a great actor he was. I didn't know how funny he was. And I certainly didn't know how smooth he'd be at making the turn from one spot to another." Jason: "I think that we try to stay, if this makes sense, as true to life as possible, because my experience of life is it's not a whole bunch of hugging and learning. It's clunky and awkward, and the great thing about having friends you really trust and believe in is, yeah, there's some hugging and learning, but there's also a whole lot of 'get off your ass, we're going out to dinner'. There's a lot of 'dump that guy, he's a you-know-what?', as opposed to sitting around moping. 'Let's get revenge on him', you know. This is the way I think we actually behave — we make each other laugh and we hold each other by the hand and drag each other along. And so I actually think it's easier than it might seem, that the more honestly you write, the funnier it is." On Getting Harrison Ford for His First Main Role in a TV Comedy — and Learning From Him Bill: "I gave him my soul. He's a mystical creature and I signed my soul away. No, he's not. It's still crazy. When I was 25, I created the show Spin City with my mentor with Gary Goldberg, and the fact that Michael J Fox was doing it, I couldn't comprehend it. It was the first big job I ever had and he turned out to be exactly the type of person that you would hope he would be being a fan. And I did not expect to have that experience again as a guy in my 50s. And Harrison, to his credit, he's like 'yo, man, I'm trying new stuff. I've never done a TV show. I've never done a comedy'. A couple months ago he's like 'I've never done a Marvel movie'. I'm like 'you work harder than anybody I know, and you're 82'. It makes you almost feel guilty if you're ever complaining about being tired. It's been a career highlight for me that I did not expect to have at this point in my life." Jason: "Harrison and I both want this thing to turn out great, and we both work really hard and do our prep and all that stuff. But one of the things I learned from Harrison is that I really feel a sense of ownership and stress about it turning out well. And I think one of the things that I've learned from Harrison is 'hey kid, you've earned the right to trust knowing that you're good at this, and it's going to be good. You don't have to be scared until it's good. You know it's going to be good. You've done all the work. You know you're good at this. Do your prep. Show up. Nail it. It's going to be good'. That has been really helpful for me, because I'm sort of holding my breath until the finished product comes out and I like it. And I would enjoy myself a lot more in this job and in this life if I just had a little more ease about it always seems to work out. I still haven't bought that lesson yet. 'What if this time it doesn't?', you know." On the Importance of Segel's Casting — and What He Can Convey with His Face That Doesn't Need to Be on the Page Bill: "We talked a little bit about what the prototypes for my shows are. And he's such an inherently likeable actor. I'll tell you something I haven't told everybody. We made it a joke in the writers' room. He's playing some heavy stuff, and the tendency for writers is to overwrite it, to have characters say 'I'm really sad' or to say 'that thing that you did hurt me'. And Jason, one time, one time only, we said 'do we have to write this line or can you do it with your face?' — and he's like 'oh, I can do it with my face'. That has become shorthand in the writers' room. He's so good that we're like 'do we have to, can we go home, or do we have to write something here? It depends whether or not Jason can do it with his face'. But even though it's a joke, I watch some of these stories play out on his face and see what he's doing. Man, he's so good. He's so good and such a talented writer and just a good guy. Don't tell him I said it, but I really like him." On Segel Co-Creating and Co-Writing Shrinking, as Well as Acting Jason: "It's interesting because that's been actually the majority of my career, is writing something and shepherding it from the beginning, and so I'm very comfortable and familiar with that idea. I think that one of the benefits it has, for this show in particular, is that I get to quarterback the scenes when I'm on set that I'm in, knowing what we're trying to accomplish from a more bird's-eye view than you have when you're an actor for hire. I also love just being an actor for hire on projects where I do that. There's something very relaxing about it, because you're like 'most of this is somebody else's problem'. But I think that when I'm on Shrinking, I feel very protective of it. And I want it to be great and I want to help my castmates shine, and I just love it very, very much." On Families of Circumstance Sitting at the Heart of Lawrence's TV Shows, From Spin City and Scrubs to Ted Lasso and Shrinking Bill: "Found family, definitely. Mentorship, definitely. Oh shoot, I just do the same thing over. No, I'm joking. I cherish it in my own life. I was an only child. I built worlds around me of people that I loved and loved spending time with, and a family as well. And I think one of the things that maybe lay people don't know about Hollywood, because Hollywood's got a bad rap — deservedly so in some cases — but the positives are most people got in due to mentorship, and the best experiences people have involved found family and building a community on a show or a play or a movie. I still spend time with the cast and crew of Scrubs, not because we're working together, but because I sincerely love them. And I'm only good at writing what I know. So it's either writing about that or writing about a guy who's deathly afraid of his wife. She's so good. I'm just kidding. I'm just trying to get a laugh. She's awesome, man." On Segel Always Drawing Upon His Personal Life, Whether He's Writing, Acting or Both Jason: "I would say that everything that I participate in the writing process, or act in, is drawn from my personal life. It's the only way I know how to make art. I don't think we manifest it out of nowhere. I think it's more about transmutation. Like, what comes in and then what do you turn it into? I don't think that the kind of grief that we're exploring needs to be specifically about having lost a partner. I think it's the same kind of grief we experience from a big breakup. I think it's the same kind of grief we felt after COVID when there was lost time, when all of a sudden two years of our lives were gone and we'll never get them back. And so, yeah, there are moments in the exploration of Jimmy getting over losing his wife when I think about breakups, or I think about paths of my life that could have been taken that I didn't take, things that will never be that I really believed were going to happen. So I think it's all personal. That's the only way I know how to do it." On Segel's Favourite Shrinking Character Jason: "It may be surprising, but my favourite character is Derek, Ted McGinley's character, because to me, he is the best of us. He represents being unencumbered by doubt. He's just a guy who wants everyone to be having a good time. Don't sweat the small stuff. I wish my life felt more like that. I wish that my life felt more like how Derek feels on a day-to-day basis. Like 'oh hey great, we get to take a drive today? Oh, hot dogs — great!' What a way to live, right?" On What Gets Lawrence Excited About a New Project After Making TV for More Than Three Decades Bill: "I think that the day that I'm not excited to get paid to write stories for a living, I will go teach and hang it up, because I don't need any extra juice to get me going. I'm so lucky to do this. The only other job I ever had was painting the houses, and I wasn't that good at it. And so I hope people know that I'm grateful every day. I think the thing that makes me excited to do it now is I get to work with young people that want to get into this industry. I get to work with people that still show up and are like 'wow, a TV show!', and it's impossible to be cynical and jaded when you get to be around that. I get to talk to people like yourself that, I would argue, would not be doing this unless they grew up as TV and movie nerds like I did, and wanted to talk about all this stuff. I didn't expect to have a career renaissance in my 50s, but I'm going to ride it out as long as I can, and until people realise that they've made a grave mistake, and just keep having fun and working with friends." Shrinking streams via Apple TV+. Read our review of season one.
UPDATE, April 24, 2021: The Witches is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. What's the one thing that every movie remake has in common? No matter how it turns out, the original film still exists. So, if the latest version doesn't cast a spell, you can return to the old one — revisiting it, appreciating it anew and steeping yourself in nostalgia in the process. Of course, film remakes aren't supposed to inspire viewers to flock back to their predecessors. While that possibility is a silver lining for movie buffs, it isn't the outcome intended by filmmakers. But, it's exactly what The Witches circa 2020 delivers. Writer/director Robert Zemeckis has everything from Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit to Castaway and The Polar Express to his name, and he co-wrote the screenplay here with Black-ish and Girls Trip's Kenya Barris and Pan's Labyrinth and The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro; however, their main achievement with The Witches is reminding everyone just how great the 1990 adaptation of Roald Dahl's book still is. No one should need a new movie to jog their memories; since hitting screens three decades ago, the Anjelica Huston-starring version of The Witches has been a creepy, dark and weird children's (and kidults') favourite. And it's definitely all of those things, as it should be — and not just because it's about witches who hate children to the point of attempted genocide. The Witches tells a tale about kids realising that all isn't what it seems in the world, and that danger, trouble and pain can lurk around any corner. It tears open the idea that life is always safe, happy and fun like it's ripping off a bandaid. This happens in a child-friendly away, of course, but it's meant to be unsettling, unnerving, upsetting and strange. On the page and in every screen adaptation, The Witches does start with a boy losing his parents in a car accident and being uprooted to a new place and a new life as a result, after all. This fresh iteration kicks off that way, too, as narrated by Chris Rock as the older version of the film's unnamed young protagonist (Jahzir Bruno, The Christmas Chronicles 2). It's 1968, and the boy in question moves to Alabama to live with his grandmother (Octavia Spencer, Onward), who struggles to coax him out of his grief-fuelled fog. But they bond over her shocking revelation: that witches exist, they're everywhere, they despise children and she has experience with them. Also, once a witch sets their sights on a kid, it never lets up. That's why, after one crosses the boy's path, grandma whisks him off to "the swankiest resort in Alabama", where she's certain they'll be safe among rich white folks. Of course, she couldn't have predicted that the group of women that have taken over the Grand Orleans Imperial Island Hotel's ballroom — the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, apparently — are all witches. Or, that the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway, Dark Waters) is in attendance, unveiling a plan to turn every kid in the world into a rodent via a potion called 'Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker'. Much that has endeared The Witches to readers and viewers over the years remains in the latest film — but tinkering with the details and tone makes an unfortunate impact. Brimming as it is with bright colours and overdone CGI, the new iteration of The Witches favours gloss and shine over chills and potential nightmares. It's the cosy and smooth version of the story, and the lack of sharp edges is noticeable. Zemeckis and company try to add scares in various ways, yet struggle with every attempt. The film's villains, especially the Grand High Witch, are given over-sized Joker-esque smiles teeming with jagged teeth, for example, but they just look cartoonish. At every turn, if there's a way to make something more blatant while also less disconcerting, The Witches always takes that choice. Its reliance upon special effects — to levitate the Grand High Witch, and for its talking children-turned-mice — also speaks volumes. Everything here is overt to an in-your-face extreme, and also far less intricate and much more bland. See also: the two significant narrative shifts, as designed to bring weight to the tale. This remake is set in the US, in the south and in the 60s, and its two lead characters are Black Americans. Via these changes, Zemeckis, Barris and del Toro endeavour to tap into historical horrors, as part of Hollywood's current reckoning with America's past. Alas, this slick film doesn't have anything much to say about either decision. Racism is a part of the on-screen world, and it's noticeable that the hotel's staff are all people of colour while its guests are almost exclusively white; however, rather than making an important point, these elements just seem like a calculated effort to make the movie more topical. Indeed, The Witches pokes fun of the portly Bruno Jenkins (Codie-Lei Eastick, Holmes & Watson), the other boy staying at the hotel, far more than it attempts to serve up even a cursory exploration of its grandmother-grandson central duo's experiences due to their race. It might be unfair to think that some remakes only eventuate because a studio executive thought it was time to wring some more cash out of a beloved story, but that's how The Witches feels. It's simultaneously broader and tamer — including Hathaway's over-the-top performance, although she does appear to be enjoying herself immensely — and it radiates big pantomime energy. Spencer and Bruno give the movie a hefty dose of heart, even when the latter is lending his voice to a critter with a tail. Stanley Tucci, Hathaway's The Devil Wears Prada co-star, is suitably amusing at the hotel's put-upon manager. But there's a lack of overall magic in The Witches, either of the twisted or charming type — unless sending viewers clamouring to find wherever the original is currently streaming counts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ekw85OqJck
It's the season that originally wasn't going to happen, telling the story that's still ongoing IRL, wrapping up a seven-year run for a star-studded regal drama that's proven a royal hit. On Thursday, December 14, The Crown will come to an end with the final six episodes in its sixth and last go-around. The focus in the just-dropped trailer for this big wave goodbye: the changing attitudes towards the British monarchy and what Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton, Downton Abbey: A New Era) sacrificed when she became a sovereign. The Peter Morgan (The Queen)-created show's farewell began in mid-November, with the release of the first four episodes of season six. Accordingly, this final run also began by paying plenty of attention to the relationship between Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) and Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla, Moon Knight), including the tragic events of their trip to Paris. Now, the remainder of the season keeps exploring the aftermath to take the award-winning series to its conclusion. On the way: Prince William (Ed McVey) going back to Eton, then attending St Andrew's University and forming a crush on Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy). The Crown's last hurrah will also include Princess Margaret's (Lesley Manville, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris) stroke and lifestyle changes, and the Queen entering her ninth decade, as well as what that means for Prince Charles (Dominic West, The Pursuit of Love). Stepping into William and Kate's shoes, McVey and Bellamy are both screen debutants playing a couple whose tale has never been away from the headlines — and digging into the part of this narrative that even those with zero interest in the royal family know from such incessant coverage. Season six's cast also includes Luther Ford (short Dream Between) as Prince Harry, Olivia Williams (The Father) as Camilla Parker Bowles, Jonathan Pryce (Slow Horses) as Prince Philip, Claudia Harrison (Delicious) as Princess Anne and Bertie Carvel (Dagliesh) as Tony Blair. When The Crown began, it kicked off with Queen Elizabeth II's life from her marriage to Prince Philip back in 1947. The first season made its way to the mid-50s, the second season leapt into the 60s, and season three spanned all the way up to the late 70s. In season four, the royal family hit the 80s, while season five hopped to the 90s. News around the show's fifth and sixth seasons has changed a few times over the past few years. At the beginning of 2020, Netflix announced that it would end the royal drama after its fifth season. Then, the streaming platform had a change of heart, revealing it would continue the series for a sixth season after all. Check out the trailer for the second part of The Crown season six below: The second part of The Crown's sixth season will hit Netflix on Thursday, December 14. Images: Daniel Escale, Netflix / Leftbank.
Everyone likes being spoiled at Christmas. This year, when it comes to taking a holiday, Australians will also be spoiled for choice. The nation's borders are reopening to international travel from November, and overseas destinations have started announcing when Aussies can make the trip again — so if you haven't already booked a getaway to Fiji, or jumped on flights to London or the US, you can now make a date with Thailand. On Friday, October 22, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled a list of places around the globe — covering 45 countries and one territory — that it is deeming low-risk in terms of travel restrictions. So, if you hail from one of these 46 places, you'll be permitted into Thailand from Monday, November 1. And yes, Australia is named. Other countries identified include New Zealand, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea. The list is set to be revised again in mid-November and at the beginning of December, so it's expected to grow again soon. Folks from these low-risk nations will be allowed to enter Thailand, with three options available — including ditching quarantine if you've been double-vaccinated. For the unvaxxed, either ten or 14 days quarantine still applies, depending on whether you're arriving by air or land. For the double-jabbed, there's two choices. You can take a PCR test within 72 hours of travelling, then undergo another one upon arrival and wait in a designated hotel for one night until you get a negative result. Or, you can take advantage of the country's 'Sandbox' scheme. It lets you stay in designated 'Sandbox' provinces around the country for seven days — in Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi and more — undertaking COVID-19 tests upon arrival and again on day six or seven of your trip. After that week, passes you can then venture elsewhere in Thailand. Qantas has already revealed that it's restarting travel from Sydney to both Phuket and Bangkok, too, kicking off on Wednesday, January 12 and Friday, January 14, respectively. That news came before Thailand's border announcement, however, so fingers crossed that flights might recommence even earlier now. For more information about Thailand's reopening plan, head to the Thai Government's website and Facebook page.
First, hobbits tuck into breakfast. Then, they enjoy second breakfast. In fact, in both JRR Tolkien's books and the movie adaptations that've brought them to the screen so far, they like their meals frequently and with the smallest of gaps between them. That seems to be an approach that Prime Video is taking to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, its upcoming Middle-earth series, too — at least when it comes to dropping sneak peeks at the long-awaited show. The Rings of Power seems like it has been in the works forever, because it's now been 21 years since the first of The Lord of the Rings movies had everyone rushing to cinemas, obsessing over hobbits and elves, and saying "precious" too many times — and, it's also been five years since it was initially revealed that a TV series was in the works. The show will drop in September, starting on Friday, September 2, but early glimpses have been as rare as a pacifist orc until this month. Now, in the space of just a fortnight, Prime Video has dropped not just one, not two, but three new trailers. The latest arrived during San Diego Comic-Con, aka the reason that other big fantasy titles such as Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and game-to-screen adaptation Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves have also released trailers this week — and it's the longest look at The Rings of Power yet. It also provides the most complete overview of the show's storyline, which jumps back into Middle-earth's Second Age, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the first time. In past trailers — including the initial sneak peek back in February — gorgeous settings, elves, dwarves, harfoots (aka hobbit ancestors), stormy seas, strange skies, cave trolls, raging fires and orc battles have all popped up. This new trailer pieces together more of the plot around them. The focus: the rise of Sauron, how that gave rise to the rings and the impact across Middle-earth. Also seen in the new sneak peek: more orcs, and even a balrog. The Rings of Power features a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark, Saint Maud) and a young Elrond (Robert Aramayo, The King's Man), too — and, this time, New Zealand's natural splendours stand in for the Elven realms of Lindon and Eregion, the Dwarven realm Khazad-dûm, the Southlands, the Northernmost Wastes, the Sundering Seas and the island kingdom of Númenór. Amazon first announced the show back in 2017, gave it the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and set its premiere date back in 2021. In-between, it confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies. Rather, as per the show's official synopsis, it follows "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. The series will "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness," the synopsis continues. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. That's a hefty tale to tell, and The Rings of Power has amassed a hefty cast to tell it — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the other actors traversing Middle-earth are Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing) as Arondir, Nazanin Boniadi (Bombshell) as Bronwyn, Owain Arthur (A Confession) as Prince Durin IV, Charlie Vickers (Palm Beach) as Halbrand and Sophia Nomvete (The Tempest) as Princess Disa. There's also Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. Check out the latest The Rings of Power trailer below: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022. Images: Matt Grace / Ben Rothstein.
The dream of home ownership has been quietly slipping out of reach for a generation of Australians, and the 2026 federal budget has just moved to change that. Treasurer Jim Chalmers' budget speech confirmed a sweeping overhaul of negative gearing and the capital gains tax (CGT) discount — two tax breaks that have shaped the Australian property market for more than two decades — alongside a new minimum tax rate on capital gains. The government estimates the changes will help around 75,000 Australians achieve home ownership. From July 2027, negative gearing will be limited to newly built homes, and the 50 per cent CGT discount will be replaced with inflation-adjusted indexation — what Chalmers described in his budget speech as a way to "restore the taxation of real gains." Both changes apply prospectively, meaning existing property investors will be grandfathered into the current arrangements. New builds will also retain the option to use the existing 50 per cent discount, as a sweetener to keep investment flowing into fresh housing supply. There's a less-flagged piece in the package: a new minimum 30 per cent tax rate on capital gains kicking in from July 2027, with the same minimum rate extending to discretionary trusts from July 2028. The change applies across asset classes — meaning the reforms reach well beyond residential property into the wider investment market. In his speech, Chalmers framed the changes as long overdue. "Since 1999, house prices have risen over 400 percent, more than twice as fast as average incomes," he said. Earlier in the day, the Treasurer told reporters in Canberra that "the status quo in the housing market and in the tax system is not working for too many Australians." So what does it actually mean if you're trying to buy your first home? Senior economist Saul Eslake told the Nine Network's Today show that the changes weren't a "magic bullet" but could "remove some of the competition" young homebuyers are facing. Eslake said 80 percent of lending to property investors currently goes to existing homes, where investors are "effectively outbidding homebuyers and therefore forcing them to rent." A Parliamentary Budget Office analysis cited by the ABC found 80 percent of CGT discount benefits flow to the top 10 percent of salary earners, while 60 percent of negative gearing benefits go to the top 20 percent. Not everyone is convinced. At a news conference reported by the Guardian, Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said "the Australian people have woken up to the new taxes on the self-starters of this nation", accusing the government of breaking its election promise not to touch negative gearing. The budget also includes $2 billion for councils and state utility companies to deliver the roads, pipelines and wires needed to support construction of 65,000 new homes over a decade. The full 2026 federal budget is now available, with the new property tax rules taking effect from July 2027 — giving would-be investors just over a year to act under the existing rules. Lead image: TBC — editor to source. Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground Newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
A visit to Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast doesn't usually involve frolicking through giant dandelions as they sway in the sea breeze, watching huge coins glisten by the shore, walking through a towering plastic archway or spying an old truck on the sand. For ten days come spring 2024, however, it will. Each year for 22 years now, Swell Sculpture Festival fills a one-kilometre stretch of the coastline with massive artworks — and the aforementioned pieces are just some of this year's highlights. Hit the beach and you'll also spot a tribute to jellyfish, an interactive cube that's inspired by mix-and-match picture books and features Australian native species, multicoloured scarves, fungi furniture and even the GC itself (well, a likeness of it) buried under sand. The list of works goes on, including a large sweet myrtle flower, Aussie blowflies, a sea dragon, breathing exhaust pipes and a sandstone sphere. Some pay tribute to southeast Queensland history. Many explore humanity's impact on the earth. Others honour Australia's First Peoples. There'll be more than 60 pieces in total, all dotted along the sand between Friday, September 6–Sunday, September 15 — with each one putting the regular sandcastles that you might spot on any beach to shame. If this seems like the kind of event that not only engages the crowds of people who hit up Currumbin each spring, but also inspires them, that's because it is. 2024's Swell Sculpture Festival has broken its own record for the most artists involved, eclipsing 350 — with 250 local, interstate and international talents contributing to the sculptures. "Last year we had over 290 artists collaborating and working across Swell — and this year we have over 350 artists, including 250 sculptors working with artists in the main exhibition, which is an unprecedented number," explains Swell Sculpture Festival Co-Founder and Artistic Director Natasha Edwards. "This is an increase of more than 20 percent, with a focus on collaborations this year, bringing more people together to work harmoniously and achieve a common goal of fostering connections, inspiring contemplation and promoting positive change through the language of sculpture," Edwards continues. "Many of the sculptures have an environmental theme, encouraging visitors to step outside their comfort zone and confront the realistic threat our earth is facing in a thought-provoking and gentle way." When they craft the fest's eye-catching sights, Swell's roster of artists use everything from concrete, stainless steel, copper, bronze, wood, glass, plastic and natural fibres to fibreglass, bamboo, wire, silk, stone and aluminium — and plenty of other materials. The many ways that different folks can fashion these substances into new pieces of arts is also among the event's takeaway musings. 2024's festival wants to get patrons engaging more than just their eyes, too, starting with a kayak listening experience on Currumbin Creek. Swell also spans a beachside fringe fest, guided walks, a bar, yoga among the sculptures, tai chi, pilates, drawing sessions, other art and craft classes, a silent disco under the stars, a sing-along and more. Swell Sculpture Festival 2024 runs from Friday, September 6–Sunday, September 15 at Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast. For further information, head to the event's website. Images: Leximagery and Ravel.
Sometimes an exhibition gets gallery patrons exploring one artist's work. Sometimes it pays tribute to a specific person, heads back to a certain chapter of the past, or fills walls and halls around a theme. A particular object might be in the spotlight, or a movie franchise. Then there's The NBA Exhibition, which is celebrating hoop dreams and all things basketball in its first-ever Australian visit. After premiering in Warsaw, Poland in 2021, The NBA Exhibition gets bouncing in Brisbane from Thursday, November 9 — and bounds through basketball history at the same time. Catnip for fans of Air and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this sports-focused showcase is big in scope and size, surveying the culture of hopping onto the court and the lifestyle that goes with basketball, too, in a hefty two-level display. Visitors can traverse 1000 square metres and make their way through 20 themed sections. Created with the National Basketball Association, The NBA Exhibition aims to lure in b-ball diehards, casual followers and folks that haven't thought about the sport since their school PE lessons alike — and attendees of all ages. Looking at basketball memorabilia is part of the presentation, but so is throwing a ball around yourself and, thanks to the virtual and augmented reality aspect of the showcase, taking snaps with your favourite NBA players. So, you can get a photo with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, too — aka the coveted prize that each year's NBA Finals' winner receives — and shoot hoops, see how far you can jump and test your reflexes as well. Fancy a picture showing that you can slam dunk, even if you can't? There's a section of The NBA Exhibition for that. Eager to watch NBA highlights using VR goggles? That's also on the agenda. Keen to get surrounded by iconic NBA moments? That's what the infinity room is for. With names like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal obviously featuring — and Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as well — other elements of The NBA Exhibition include a heap of balls and shoes on display; footwear and hand prints from past and present players; art that was commissioned for a pop-up NBA Gallery exhibit in Sydney in 2022, featuring Australian and First Nations artists; and celebrating NBA players that've made the jump from Australia, which is likely to feature Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze and more. Brisbane's Queens Plaza hosts The NBA Exhibition's debut Aussie stop — just as it did with The Art of Banksy: Without Limits, which also hails from entertainment platform Fever, earlier in 2023. Updated Thursday, November 30, 2023.
UPDATE, July 16, 2021: The Favourite is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Whenever Yorgos Lanthimos' name comes up in film-related chatter, it's usually accompanied by the words 'Greek Weird Wave'. Since Dogtooth earned an Oscar nomination, the director has become synonymous with the offbeat cinema coming out of his homeland — movies that, like the filmmaker's grief-focused Alps, proudly explore life with more than a dash of absurdity. He's since moved on to English-language productions with high-profile stars, but the same strange sensibilities remain baked into his work. That said, perhaps Lanthimos' movies aren't all that odd. Perhaps he's simply stripping away the social niceties that we've all been taught to accept, and exposing human interaction for the transactional exchange that it is. If The Lobster's vision of love or The Killing of a Sacred Deer's tale of a family facing tragedy didn't already make it plain, Lanthimos' films present the world as a constant fight between giving and taking. Rarely has that been more apparent than in The Favourite, where a monarch's lackeys view friendship with a royal as a path to personal glory. So, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz) gives the needy, gout-stricken, often bedridden Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) everything she wants: companionship, love, sex, an ear to hear all of her worries and a steady hand to help rule the kingdom. Well, almost everything. She can't abide the 17 rabbits that Anne treats as her surrogate children for a very sad reason, and she's not afraid to tell the sovereign when her makeup makes her look like a badger. But Sarah also takes, elevating her own power as the country tries to survive the War of Spanish Succession, and then flouting her status over the rest of the scheming court. Into an ostensibly comfortable situation arrives Abigail Hill (Emma Stone), a cousin of Sarah's who has fallen upon hard times. The newcomer's request for a servant job goes smoothly enough, but here's the catch when life is a perpetual tug-of-war: everyone only wants to give if they're going to get something in return. Oozing ruthlessness and cunning despite her innocent facade, Abigail makes herself indispensable to the Queen. Soon, it's the younger woman who's always by the ruler's side. The equally calculating Sarah might be trying to oversee England's military strategies against the French and keep an influential landowner (Nicholas Hoult) in his place, however she still has time to battle it out for Anne's attention and affection. The savage dialogue, each line wittier, bleaker and yet still funnier than the next. The gleeful abandon of polite, ordinary behaviour. The acerbic insights that prove equal parts perceptive and awkward. Thanks to all three — plus an utter disdain for meeting anyone's expectations — being an actor in Lanthimos' films seems like one of the best jobs in the world. Working with a script by first-timer Deborah Davis and Australian screenwriter Tony McNamara (Puberty Blues), Colman, Weisz and Stone all lap up their parts. Colman might've been deemed the lead for awards consideration (and may very well win a deserved Oscar as a result), but this is a stellar three-hander. The trio of talents relish Lanthimos' usual penchant for stilted conversations, as well as his foray into new territory. While a politically charged, 19th century, somewhat slapstick comedy isn't the filmmaker's usual wheelhouse, maybe it should be. As fantastic a director as Lanthimos is of actors, he's also an auteur with a distinctive eye. His movies resemble no one else's — and when he's satirising history in a lavish period picture that also keenly reflects today's political chaos, that fact is blatantly apparent. The Favourite looks the part, with its action largely confined to the Queen's ornately appointed castle, and with its characters donning decadent dresses and powdered wigs. But, using fish-eye lenses to literally give a different perspective, plus wide shots to emphasise the stifling nature of the palace's empty spaces, Robbie Ryan's (American Honey) cinematography is anything but stiff and formal. There's a bite to Lanthimos' approach, of course, as there always is. He isn't just interested in depicting the selfishness and arrogance behind Anne, Sarah and Abigail's twisted triangle. As one hell of a final shot hammers home, he's all about the cost. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2G8SetsNM4
Often when a musician or band announces a world tour, they start with dates in America and Europe, but leave fans Down Under waiting for local details to drop down the track. That isn't the case with Tyler, The Creator's new Chromakopia tour. Mark your diaries: as well as revealing US gigs, plus shows in a heap of European city, the hip-hop and fashion trailblazer has locked in a new trip to Australia and New Zealand. Tyler, The Creator last headed this way on a headline tour in 2022, and played Splendour in the Grass as well, and will now return in August and September 2025 on a five-city, seven-show visit that celebrates a new album also called Chromakopia. That record drops on Monday, October 28, 2024, and has unveiled its first single 'Noid' complete with a music video starring The Bear's Ayo Edebiri. [caption id="attachment_976993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Flickr[/caption] The tour details for your calendar: Auckland's Spark Arena is the first Down Under stop on Monday, August 18. After that, Tyler, The Creator is hitting up Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne for two shows across Friday, August 22–Saturday, August 23; Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney for another two gigs on Tuesday, August 26–Wednesday, August 27; Brisbane Entertainment Centre for one evening on Saturday, August 30; and RAC Arena in Perth on Thursday, September 4. On all local dates, the genre-bending rapper will have Lil Yachty and Paris Texas in support. The Chromakopia tour follows Tyler, The Creator's 2024 Coachella headlining set, on a bill that also included Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat, No Doubt and plenty more. Before 2022 — which marked Tyler's first set of headline shows down under in over eight years — the last time that the star graced Australian shores was for a series of festival appearances over New Years 2020–21, hitting up the likes of Beyond the Valley and Field Day. [caption id="attachment_823369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Demxx via Flickr[/caption] Tyler, The Creator Chromakopia World Tour 2025 Monday, August 18 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, August 22–Saturday, August 23 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, August 26–Wednesday, August 27 ‚ Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, August 30 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Thursday, September 4 — RAC Arena, Perth [caption id="attachment_823366" align="alignnone" width="2556"] Luis 'Panch' Perez[/caption] Tyler, The Creator is touring Australia and New Zealand in August and September 2025. Ticket presales start at 10am local time in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and 12pm local time in Auckland, on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 — with general sales from 10am local time on Friday, November 1, 2024. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Sporting horn-rimmed glasses and a cranky hankering for complaining, Woody Harrelson is clearly having fun in Craig Johnson's Wilson. Channelling his inner Larry David, he plays the cantankerous title character with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, delivering his misanthropic lines with glee. His grouchy protagonist drips with the same attitude he displayed in The Edge of Seventeen, Now You See Me and the Hunger Games movies – and yet not once does it feel like he's following a playbook. But while you could never accuse Harrelson of going through the motions, the same cannot be said about his latest film Here, a world-weary middle-aged grump is content with spitting acid at everything around him, until a series of life-changing events threatens to interrupt his sour status quo. Alas, though it is based on Daniel Clowes' graphic novel of the same name — and as such possesses the same spirit as the cartoonist's Ghost World and Art School Confidential — this big screen adaptation could hardly be more formulaic. That the film can't quite fashion its episodic antics into anything more than obvious observations — about the state of modern society, family and the notion of making a mark — certainly doesn't help. Nor does the unconvincing seesawing between comedy and something more serious. When we first meet Wilson, he's a lanky, bearded package of conflicting impulses and disdain. When he's not admonishing people on the street for taking a shine to his cute pooch, he's annoying strangers by sidling up close and starting intrusive conversations. For a while, he's happy in his unhappiness — but after his only friends move away and his ill dad takes a turn for the worse, he finds himself yearning for a connection. Looking up childhood pals and hooking up with women in the supermarket doesn't work, so he tracks down his ex-wife Pippi (Laura Dern), only to learn that he has a 17-year-old daughter (Isabella Amara). Clowes wrote the screenplay himself, while Johnson previously — and effectively — delved into dysfunction in The Skeleton Twins. Despite this, Wilson simply isn't the winning collaboration it could've been. Instead of providing any real insights into its motley crew of miserable souls, or fleshing them out beyond easy caricatures, the film instead uses its array of characters for eccentric amusement and overt sentiment. An old man doesn't literally yell at a cloud, but it wouldn't feel out of place. The same is true of a big schmaltzy family hug. Of course, if there had been a huge hearty embrace, there's no prizes for guessing who would've been in the middle — and who would've been forced to the edges. Films about curmudgeonly men too often run loving eyes over their protagonists while pushing women to the side. Here, Dern shines brighter than the material asks, while the always-great Judy Greer is squandered in yet another thankless girlfriend role. Ultimately, their treatment is emblematic of a feature that only knows how to do one thing well. Wilson, the man, may serve up great work from Harrelson, but Wilson, the movie, soon proves that 94 minutes in the character's company are far too many. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kudZx_f7-mk
Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor isn't just the domain of Robin Hood. In SBS's new six-part series, it's how a 13-year-old Northern Territory kid not only tries to get by, but endeavours to help his friends, family and others in his struggling community. The cheeky, big-hearted, hoodie-wearing teen's name: Robbie Hood. Giving a classic concept a uniquely Indigenous Australian spin, the idea behind Robbie Hood is both simple and ingenious, like many of the best are. Rather than following an adult outlaw attempting to correct the disparity between the wealthy and the less fortunate, the bite-sized show steps into the life of its eponymous hero (Pedrea Jackson) across its ten-minute-long episodes. In an area blighted by poverty, racism and systemic inequities at every turn — sky-high grocery prices that make meat unaffordable, and a foster-care system that does the bare minimum for kids in need, for example — when Robbie flouts the law, it's for a good reason. His light-fingered ways aren't a weapon in a folkloric class war, but a social-realist reflection of suboptimal conditions in Australia's Red Centre Forget Sherwood Forest, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Little John, Will Scarlett and Maid Marion, then. Instead, in Alice Springs' dusty surrounds, Robbie butts heads with kindly Shane the Copper (Dan Falzon), pals around with the always-hungry Little Johnny (Levi Thomas) and ever-sarcastic Georgia Blue (Jordan Johnson), and has a crush on checkout chick Mim (Tiara Doolan). He's always trying to make life easier for his Nana Mary (Audrey Martin), and, while he calls his boozing, guitar-playing dad (Andy Golledge) a dickhead, his love never falters. Robbie takes the same approach to his hometown — sure, he dubs it a shithole mere moments into the series' first episode, but it's still his home. Set in the lead up to Christmas, the show charts sweltering days, attempts to sneak into the local pool, quests to get enough pre-paid power cards to keep the electricity running and trips to the speedway, with writer/director Dylan River finding humour and heart in every scenario. Indeed, the show's ability to pair an upbeat spirit with an unflinching look at reality is one of its unwavering strengths. Robbie Hood's characters, including its irrepressible, irreverent protagonist, are well aware of their situation, and yet they're never defeated or defined by it. Perfecting that balance and happily dismantling stereotypes in the process, River is helped by his fantastic cast, especially the spirited Jackson — a first-time actor who oozes charisma as the titular thief. The series' expressive cinematography also assists, capturing the everyday minutiae of Alice Springs without a hint of sugarcoating, while also surveying its striking, sprawling desert landscape. River, however, is his own MVP. The young Aussie filmmaker crafts an entertaining and insightful exploration of life in the Red Centre, as partially inspired by his own life as well as the experiences of his friends and family. And, in making perhaps the best twist on Robin Hood yet, he also adds a stellar credit to his growing resume. The son of Samson and Delilah director Warwick Thornton, and grandson of pioneering Indigenous Australian figure Alfreda Glynn, River already has documentaries Buckskin and Finke: There and Back to his name, as well as cinematography credits on his father's Sweet Country and upcoming Adam Goodes doco The Australian Dream. All six episodes of Robbie Hood are available to stream now on SBS On Demand.
The American-style eatery has several outposts in Brisbane, slinging its New York-influenced street food all over the city. Burgers of the classic, cheese, bacon-filled and vegan variety are the main attraction, but there's plenty more on offer like baby back ribs in Bulldog Bourbon sauce or ginger-pepper caramel chicken wings, for example.
One of the many 80s comedies on Tom Hanks' resume, Turner & Hooch has already been remade in 2021 as a low-stakes streaming series with nothing worth wagging one's tail about to show for it. Still, it gains a big-screen spiritual successor in Dog, Channing Tatum's return to cinemas after a five-year absence (other than a brief cameo in Free Guy, plus voice-acting work in Smallfoot and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part). Sub out a police investigator saddled with a canine witness for an Army Ranger transporting a dead colleague's ex-working dog; swap Hanks' uptight everyman for Tatum's usual goofy meathead persona, obviously; and shoehorn in a portrait of America today that aims to appeal to absolutely everyone. The result: a good boy of a movie that Tatum co-directs, isn't without its likeable and affecting moments, but is also a dog's breakfast tonally. Like pouring kibble into a bowl for a hungry pooch each morning, Dog is dutiful with the basics: a man, a mutt, an odd-couple arrangement between seeming opposites with more in common than the human among them first thinks, and an emotional journey. Comedic hijinks ensue along the way, naturally, although Turner & Hooch didn't involve anyone getting cock-blocked from having a threesome with two tantric sex gurus by its four-legged scamp. Given that Tatum's Jackson Briggs needs to take Belgian Malinois Lulu 1500 miles from Montana to Arizona by car — she won't fly — Dog is also a road-trip film, complete with episodic antics involving weed farmers and fancy hotels at its pitstops. That's all so standard that it may as well be cinema's best friend, but this flick also reckons with combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder of both the human and animal kind, and ideas of masculinity and strength attached to military service. When Dog introduces Briggs, he's working in fast food by necessity — think Breaking Bad's fate for Saul Goodman, with Tatum even channelling the same stoic demeanour — as he waits to get redeployed. All he wants is to head back on active duty, but his higher-ups need convincing after the brain injury he received on his last tour. But his direct superior (Luke Forbes, SWAT) throws him a bone: if Briggs escorts Lulu to their former squad member's funeral, after he drove himself into a tree at 120 miles per hour, he'll sign off on his re-enlistment. Lulu has also been changed by her service, so much so that this'll be her last hurrah; afterwards, Briggs is to return her to the nearest base where she'll be euthanised. Given that Dog is exactly the movie it seems to be, its ending is never in doubt. Accordingly, fretting about Lulu is pointless. The journey is the story, of course, so Tatum and co-director/screenwriter Reid Carolin — also making his helming debut, and reteaming with the former after penning Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL (and the upcoming Magic Mike's Last Dance) — endeavour to make the small moments matter. That's a line of thinking on par with Briggs' readjustment to civilian life, and similarly howling through his burgeoning bond with Lulu past simply playing chauffeur. Yes, Dog is that obvious. An emotional throughline doesn't need to be novel to strike a chord, though, and this film yaps the message loud and clear. That said, it also trades more in concepts than in fleshed-out characters, making an already-broad story even broader. Some films see the universal in the specific (see: 2008's also pooch-centric masterpiece Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams), but Dog isn't one of them — it's too eager to please, and widely. So, when it attempts to rove beyond a feel-good person-and-pupper road-trip heartwarmer, it still goes broad and blatant. Here, caricatures of Portland women sneer at Briggs for his service, military camaraderie and purpose is his be all and end all, and dialogue riffs about "getting our murder on" on deployment. The armed forces are adamant about checking the boxes required for Briggs' return, but care little about his post-war life otherwise — and see Lulu as expendable. And, this is a feature where a gag involving Briggs pretending to be a person who is blind segues into an attack on a Middle Eastern man, as Lulu was once trained to do, which sparks congrats from a racist cop and Briggs' horror. Dog presents rather than significantly interrogates most of the above, however, proving jumbled in both mood and meaning. Tatum, Carolin and co-screenwriter — and former soldier — Brett Rodriguez are far more careful with depicting the effects of war on Briggs and Lulu. Sharing a 14-year history with the subject dating back to 2008's Stop-Loss, which Tatum acted in, Carolin helped produce and Rodriguez worked on as a military consultant, the trio have been building to Dog; they also collaborated on 2017 documentary War Dog: A Soldier's Best Friend, too. Perhaps that's why, even playing a character with plenty of complications but little texture, Tatum still makes Briggs feel lived-in. He's long been great at unpacking and softening engrained notions of machismo — the Magic Mike films dazzle for exactly that reason — and he's as charismatic and graceful at it here as he's ever been. Tatum also conveys the simmering desperation driving Briggs, who only knows how to fight, and the leap it takes to see open himself up to his new barking bestie. Affable, thoughtful, sometimes muddled, a bit adrift: they all describe Dog, and apply to Briggs and Lulu as well. Indeed, it'd be half the movie it is without Tatum, and benefits from a fine supporting turn by Ethan Suplee (The Hunt) as another veteran and dog handler — plus the always-welcome Jane Adams (She Dies Tomorrow) and ex-wrestler Kevin Nash (a fellow Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL alum) as the aforementioned pot-growing duo — as well as never-overplayed canine acting. A familiar but still poignant score from Thomas Newman (The Little Things) also does its part, and the expectedly scenic yet nonetheless vivid cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel (Da 5 Bloods) with it. Dog mightn't convincingly teach its underlying formula new tricks, doesn't always have much bite and rarely knows what to stop shaking its tail at; however, even just for its 101 minutes, it's an easy-enough movie to sit and stay with.
If you've had one high tea, then you know what you're in for — right? That's not the case at W Brisbane's new High Tea of Aus. It comes with a distinctively local flavour. As great at scones and sandwiches are (and then more scones and more sandwiches), this weekend feast takes its cues from Aussie favourites, although not as you know them. Serving up meat pies, lamingtons and milo as part of its spread, the hotel is calling its dishes 'reimagined versions' of these trusty favourites — and you can't go wrong where all three are concerned. Keeping the theme going, other treats whipped up by executive chef Robert Sauer, chef de cuisine Isa Hagstrom and executive pastry chef Nicholas Waring feature Toowoomba free-range eggs, Fraser Island crab and quandong. Running every Saturday and Sunday across two sessions — 11.30am–1.30pm and 2–4pm — the high tea comes with unlimited tea for $55 per person, but can also include Champagne or a martini for $69, or rosé Champagne for $74. Bookings are necessary, and can be made online. Images: Nikki To.
Part of what makes travel so special is making friends with people from all over the globe. Yet staying in contact after you eventually return to the 'real world' is surprisingly rare. Think about the travel pals you follow: how many do you stay in contact with? It doesn't have to be this way. By putting yourself out there and going the extra mile, you can make these short but sweet connections into lifelong friends. This way, when you say 'keep in touch' as you leave for your next destination, it actually happens. Forging friendships on an epic adventure is easy when good experiences are had. Together with Intrepid Travel, we've curated this guide to making lifelong friendships while gallivanting across the globe. Put Yourself Out There You can't always expect friendship to find you. Instead, put in the effort to meet your fellow travellers and introduce yourself to your trip guide and other travellers in your group. You'll bond over new experiences and become closer with your group mates at food markets as you sample new foods. In rousing destinations like Cambodia, you'll find yourself surrounded by travellers from every corner of the globe at landmarks like Angkor Wat. Strike up a conversation with a friendly face; you might just become lifelong friends. Book a Group Tour Sure, taking an international adventure where every decision is made moment-to-moment is exciting. But sometimes, it's nice just to hang back and let someone else figure out the guesswork for you. This is where the beauty of group multi-day tours comes in. Best of all, these experiences are ideal for making friends, as you'll spend hours together roaming the sights and commuting between them. So, pass the time by getting to know each other. Before you know it, your travel bud becomes a close pal. Embrace the Unknown When you're travelling the world soaking up new experiences, finding a way to get out of your shell is essential. Although it might seem daunting at the time, saying yes when you're invited on an adventure by other travellers is the ideal way to form a tight bond. Similarly, inviting others to tag along when embarking on a trip is another way to kick-start friendships with those you meet on the road. In a vibrant country like Morocco, embracing the unknown is the best way to stave off culture shock. Bond Over Local Experiences The people you meet on your travels make some of the most striking memories. Although there's a good chance some just become hazy recollections from late nights on the town, others are a little more meaningful, especially when you connect over incredible experiences. For many, this means delving into local customs. Rather than sticking to what you know, exploring diverse food, art, and traditions means you level up your worldliness together. If you take a colourful journey to Mexico, getting your cultural fix is never far away. Stay in Touch Found a kindred soul on a trip to Turkey? Even the strongest connection won't last unless you commit to staying in touch. Once you're back home and the adventure is over, it's easy for real life to get in the way of lasting friendships. Fortunately, it's never been easier to keep in contact with your new friends. Add them on socials, tag them in pics and reminisce about the good times you shared. By keeping the group chat active, new adventures are bound to appear on the horizon. Plan Your Next Trip Don't wait for the next adventure to come to you. When you're looking to turn travel companions into forever friends, taking the initiative to keep everyone informed about your upcoming trips is the perfect way to organise an overdue meetup. Whether you've planned out a journey to the Southern Balkans or you've worked together with your pals to create an unforgettable itinerary, inviting travel friends near and far to join your adventure strengthens your bond and makes them companions for life. Get out, explore, dive into adventure and find your WOW with Intrepid Travel. Find out more on the website.
For a few weeks this winter, Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James St cinemas will turn extra frosty — on their big screens, that is. Running from Thursday, July 18 through Wednesday, August 7, and marking the event's sixth year, the Volvo Scandinavian Film Festival returns with a suitably wintery showcase of cinema from Europe's coldest climes, featuring 21 films from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. Whether you're keen on irreverent comedies, dark dramas or Nordic noir, they're all on the lineup. If you're a fan of Denmark's most popular film series or one of Sweden's hugely successful crime authors, they're on the program too. Sci-fi, rom-coms, character studies, award-winners, festival hits — the list goes on, because Scandinavian cinema is a diverse realm. The 2019 festival kicks off with laughs, as all good things should, thanks to Danish comedy Happy Ending. Next, it heads to Iceland with direct-from-Cannes drama A White, White Day — the latest film from Hlynur Palmason, the director of SFF 2018's Winter Brothers. Also on the bill: the Stellan Skarsgård-starring, Norwegian-made, Berlinale Silver Bear winner Out Stealing Horses; the spaceship-set futuristic Swedish flick Aniara; and, from Finland, the SXSW hit Aurora, about a party girl who befriends an Iranian refugee. Definite highlights also hail from the thriller domain, as Scandi-loving cinephiles would expect. If you saw the first three page-to-screen Department Q instalments at previous festivals, you can see how the series ends with The Purity of Vengeance, which is now the highest-grossing Danish film ever. For those who've read, re-read and watched everything Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-related, make a date with documentary Steig Larsson: The Man Who Played with Fire, which delves into the late author and journalist's archives. As an added bonus, it's screening alongside a retrospective of the original Swedish Millennium Trilogy films, starring Noomi Rapace. Images: Department Q; A White, White Day; Happy Ending; Out Stealing Horses; Sonja.
Whether you're the type of news junkie that's always abreast of current affairs, or you're more familiar with big international events in passing, Italian-made financial thriller Devils should feel familiar. It's set in 2011, in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, and it plunges inside the toxic investment trading and banking world — bringing Guido Maria Brera's 2014 novel I Diavoli to the small screen. Here, Massimo Ruggero (Alessandro Borghi) heads the trading team at a hugely influential investment bank. But when his mentor Dominic Morgan (Patrick Dempsey) promotes one of his colleagues, Massimo is far from happy. That's just the beginning of this slick series' wheeling, dealing, dramas and thrills, with real-life details weaved into its many subplots. And yes, Devils is also the latest series to star the always-watchable Dempsey, if you've been missing his face from your screen.
California's endless sunshine and awe-inspiring scenery helped establish it as the home of US filmmaking. Nowadays, just about every nook and cranny in the state has appeared on the silver screen, with Hollywood productions making the most of dynamic landscapes and architectural wonders. Ready to see some of pop culture's most iconic scenes in person? We've teamed up with Visit California to highlight ten of the best attractions to visit when you want to geek out on cinematic history. [caption id="attachment_960577" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Hang Tran via iStock[/caption] Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Perched on the side of Mount Hollywood, Griffith Observatory offers incredible views across Los Angeles stretching from downtown to the Pacific Ocean. After dark, it becomes a buzz of activity as free telescopes give visitors glimpses into deep space. Inside, cosmos-related exhibitions dazzle guests. A go-to spot for directors, Griffith Observatory has been the setting for hundreds of productions. You might recall the opening shot of The Terminator, featuring a stark-naked Arnold Schwarzenegger, or a mesmerising musical number in La La Land. Don't miss the James Dean busk to celebrate the observatory's role in Rebel Without a Cause. [caption id="attachment_960579" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Travelview via iStock[/caption] Union Station, Los Angeles Few train stations have appeared on camera more than Union Station. Although it typically serves as LA's major rail terminal, its fascinating combination of art deco and Spanish colonial revival architecture gives it an undeniable gravitas that makes for a powerful scene. In the original Blade Runner, Union Station stands in for Los Angeles Police Station, while The Dark Knight Rises sees it transformed into a kangaroo court overseen by the Scarecrow. Although surprisingly rare, Union Station was simply a train station in Pearl Harbor. [caption id="attachment_961524" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ross G Perry[/caption] Fox Plaza, Los Angeles You might still debate whether Die Hard is a Christmas flick, but there's no doubting where it all began for Detective John McClane. Better known as Fox Plaza, or 2121 Avenue of the Stars, this LA skyscraper is where villainous mastermind Hans Gruber met his match. Yet McClane isn't the only cop to roam this building. In Brooklyn 99, Jake makes the team detour to the fictional Nakatomi Plaza, quoting McClane every step of the way. You can also catch Fox Plaza's exterior in Lethal Weapon 2, connecting more made-up cops to the building's legacy. [caption id="attachment_960584" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Michael Overstreet via iStock[/caption] Bodega Bay, Sonoma County North of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is one of the top spots on the West Coast for whale-watching, peaceful hiking trails and day spas. It's also a must-visit on a cinema-inspired road trip along the coast. Though you might not get that impression from Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 classic, The Birds. After socialite Melanie Daniels follows lawyer Mitch Brenner to Bodega Bay, mysterious bird attacks terrorise the townspeople. Head along to discover how the reality is far more tranquil. [caption id="attachment_961526" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Marie Beschen[/caption] Museum of Western Film History, Lone Pine Western films had a defining role in the development of American cinema, with the desolate surroundings of Lone Pine central from the beginning. Over 400 feature films were shot across the Alabama Hills, the Sierra Nevada and the Owens Valley since 1920, starting with the silent film, The Round Up, starring Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle. Iconic films like Gunga Din, High Sierra and The Lone Ranger have featured the same vast landscape. For a true movie-buff experience, the Museum of Western Film History offers a diverse collection of frontier film memorabilia. [caption id="attachment_960608" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Olga U via iStock[/caption] Alabama Hills, Owens Valley On the outskirts of Lone Pine, the Alabama Hills is where numerous seminal western genre films were captured. Surrounded by towering rock formations and seemingly endless desert, traversing Movie Road with the Sierra Mountains adorning the horizon is a great way to get introduced. Films new and old were shot along this barren stretch, with the likes of The Lone Ranger, Iron Man and Gladiator just some of the best-known. Discover landmark geological wonders rising from the desert like the Mobius Arch, Nightmare Rock and Cyclops Arch. Kansas City Barbecue, San Diego Belt out 'Great Balls of Fire' just like Maverick and Goose in Top Gun at Kansas City Barbecue — the setting for the iconic diner scene. It was discovered by Paramount Studios' location scout ahead of production who liked the atmosphere so much that he returned with director Tony Scott. Situated in the harbour district of San Diego, Kansas City Barbecue serves up jam-packed meat dishes and hearty sides. If the classic diner vibe wasn't enough, the walls are adorned with assorted Top Gun memorabilia and the real piano used in the movie is still there. [caption id="attachment_960613" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Damien Verrier via iStock[/caption] Death Valley National Park, Southwest California Tatooine might seem like a galaxy away in Star Wars Episodes IV and VI, but these otherworldly scenes were shot in the dunes and canyons of Death Valley National Park. Wander into Artist's Palette — a colourful collection of volcanic deposits — just like R2-D2 does in A New Hope. The movie also used one of Death Valley's most impressive vantage points, Dante's View, to capture a panorama of Mos Eisley, a spaceport town filled with scum and villainy. [caption id="attachment_961525" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Courtesy of Flickr[/caption] Hillard House, San Francisco Featuring a masterclass in comedic performance by Robin Williams, Mrs Doubtfire remains an essential childhood film for millions. Many of the jokes might have gone over your head as a youngster, but this 90s classic still has much to say when you watch as an adult. Located in the upmarket Pacific Heights neighbourhood of San Francisco, Hillard House, featured throughout Mrs Doubtfire, still looks much the same. Although the interiors were shot on a soundstage, it's well worth climbing the hills to visit. Plus, the bay views are incredible. [caption id="attachment_960618" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Rebecca Todd[/caption] Muir Woods, San Francisco Bay Delve into Muir Woods to discover a fascinating old-growth coastal redwood forest. With some of these towering trees dating to over 1,000 years old, this ancient landscape is bound to leave you feeling in touch with nature. Throughout the Planet of the Apes series, Muir Woods becomes home to a super-intelligent colony of apes. Although these scenes in the films were captured in Vancouver with the help of a little old-fashioned movie magic, the in-universe setting is a stunning location, easily driven to from San Francisco, and it makes for an unforgettable detour. Start planning your tour of California, America's ultimate playground, today. Header images: B Alberts via iStock, Visit California
For the first time in nearly two decades the work of Archibald and Wynne Prize winner Sam Fullbrook will feature in a major showing at Queensland’s own QAGOMA. The legendary artist, who passed away in 2004, created pieces that exposed the beauty sweeping layers and tonal techniques could draw from simplicity. Delicate Beauty is the fine testament to this work, talent and resistance to overt statements, in exchange for subtle observations. All pieces are exhibited under three main themes – portraits, landscape and the racetrack. The portrait section features many recognisable pieces, including the honest portrayal of Brisbane writer and novelist Ernestine Hill, noted for its slash of red lipstick, and mirage like chromes. Other portraits include those of Fullbrook’s Sydney gallerist Rex, a pink-shirted Brisbane antique dealer and several jockeys, including his Archibald prize-winning red-and-white silked Norman (Whopper) Stephens. Fullbrook was accustomed to choosing themes and subjects that epitomized and toned a certain colour he had in mind, and his landscape paintings tribute this eye for precision in shades, tints and pigments. From the lavender lashings of the Jacarandas in Ford on the Condamine, to the narrow, dulled yet alive greens of Mt Cooroy with Bunya Pines, the stylings of Fullbrook follow an appreciation for the basic elements of art, using the most complex of thinking and techniques. Some 40 paintings are exhibited at Delicate Beauty, drawing from the Queensland Art Gallery’s own collection and supplemented by works from public institutions and private collections. Prepare to be shocked and amazed at how one artist drew moods and spirits hidden to the naked eye, with a palette of colours, and a paintbrush.
When you imagine the film that would unite Aussie powerhouse actors Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Jacki Weaver, you probably think gritty outback drama. You don't think violent neo-gothic Bildungsroman directed by renowned South Korean director Chan-Wook Park (Old Boy) and set in wealthy New England. But that's what you get with Stoker, a film that's bewitchingly stylish but anchored by an intense performance from Wasikowska. Wasikowska plays India Stoker, a somewhat sheltered loner of a girl who is deeply sensitive to small sensations — but that's where her commonalities with Amelie end. India, a recreational hunter in her spare time, is not all sweetness. On her 18th birthday, she learns that her loving father (Dermot Mulroney) has died in a car accident. Besides being left with her less demonstrative mother, Evelyn (Kidman) in their big ol' house, she now has to deal with the arrival of her unknown and perturbing uncle, Charlie (Matthew Goode). He is soon followed by his aunt Gwendolyn (Weaver), who appears to have an urgent message to impart to young India. Gwendolyn disappears and we have a movie, where Charlie obsessively draws closer to India while India tries to figure out who she really is. It plays like something of a cross between Hitchcock, The Addams Family and Dexter. The script for Stoker, by Wentworth Miller (lead actor in Prison Break of all things), famously made the 2010 'Black List' of best unproduced screenplays circulating around Hollywood, and although it's trite in parts, it remains fresh and alluring overall. It's real strength, perhaps, is in its gaps and silences, which allow director Park to go to town with the mood, composition and imagery that ultimately make the film so memorable. There's one tracking shot, in particular, where a head of long hair morphs smoothly into a thicket of reeds, that will probably be shown in film schools for a decade to come. Add in a score by Clint Mansell with contributions from Philip Glass, and you have a movie of rare aesthetic brilliance. It's not a total triumph of style over substance, but it's as close as you're likely to get. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NPIi5sHmkAw
Though the news isn't a total surprise to anyone paying attention to Good Charlotte's social channels, or to anyone who spied the mysterious billboards around the nation, Good Charlotte has confirmed dates and venues for a 2026 ANZ tour. As per Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the US pop punk group have today confirmed a lineup of arena shows in Perth, Brisbane, Bendigo, Sydney and Auckland. Joining Good Charlotte for the tour will be fellow US heavyweights Yellowcard, and Australia's own Kisschasy. "Australia is such a special place to Good Charlotte and to me personally, it feels like a home away from home in many ways, and we can't wait to head back there for some big shows," Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden said. "It's been far too long since we've spent time with our Aussie fans, we're all in for a big treat." [embed]https://open.spotify.com/album/5IbeeWff9kyS6ZU67NdyQD?si=uWyoDRgLQK-cBxUnpamSBg[/embed] In a recent interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ in support of their latest album, Motel Du Cap – the US band's first album in seven years – Madden confirmed that they intend to hit Australia in early 2026 for arena shows around the country. "We were trying to surprise dates this year, but it's been too hard with something with the venues or something," Madden revealed. "I don't know. It's been too hard to get dates, whatever the complications have been this year, because we wanted to drop [the dates] around when the record comes. I think it'll be arena shows, so it's harder to move those things around. So I think we're gonna come as quickly as we can at the top of '26." [embed]https://youtu.be/-DfXG1IozRU?si=apjjTG76wTu04Y5d[/embed] "That's what we're talking about right now." Motel Du Cap is the band's first full-length release since 2018's Generation Rx. In 2020, Good Charlotte released the single "Last December." Since then, band leaders and brothers Joel and Benji Madden have focused on various business ventures outside of music, including livestream platform Veeps, Joel's Artist Friendly podcast, and an entire artist management company MDDN. [caption id="attachment_1033843" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Scott Dudelson/Getty Images[/caption] General public tickets go on sale from 11am on Monday, October 20th. Click here for more details and to view all the dates and venues.
Troye Sivan has something to give Australia and New Zealand: his Something to Give Each Other tour, which has just announced 2024 dates Down Under. The Grammy-nominated and ARIA Award-winning 'Rush', 'I'm So Tired...', 'My My My!' and 'Youth' artist has spent the last couple of months playing shows in Europe to sellout crowds. Next, he's hitting America for a co-headline arena tour with Charli XCX. After that, he'll be making an Aussie return for gigs in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, then hopping over to Aotearoa to start off December. The Perth-raised pop star doesn't have the Western Australian city on his roster, starting his Australian leg at The Drive in the South Australian capital instead on Tuesday, November 19. From there, he has a date with Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Thursday, November 21, then with Brisbane's Riverstage on Tuesday, November 26. Last up for Aussies, everything from 'Got Me Started' to 'One of Your Girls' will echo across the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on Thursday, November 28, before it's NZ's turn at Spark Arena on Monday, December 2. Set to get a huge workout: the 2023 album that gives the tour its name, of course, which was Sivan's first since 2018's Bloom, earned a heap of placings on best-of-2023 lists at the end of last year and hit number one on the album charts in Australia. But given that his discography dates back to 2007's Dare to Dream — and includes fellow EPs TRXYE and Wild, plus his debut album Blue Neighbourhood — he has tracks from across almost two decades to bust out. "It's happening..." said Sivan on social media. "Good morning specifically to Australia and New Zealand. I'm home and I have news." View this post on Instagram A post shared by troye sivan (@troyesivan) Sivan will have Nick Ward in support, and is also set to appear at after parties in Sydney and Melbourne, where fans will have the chance to meet him. For more information on that part of the tour, you'll need to keep an eye on vodka brand Smirnoff's Instagram. It's already been a huge few years for Sivan — as a musician, acting in Boy Erased and The Idol, being parodied by Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two) on Saturday Night Live — and now 2024 is getting even bigger. Dance to this, obviously. Troye Sivan Something to Give Each Other 2024 Australian and NZ Tour Dates: Tuesday, November 19 — The Drive, Adelaide Thursday, November 21 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Tuesday, November 26 — Riverstage, Brisbane Thursday, November 28 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney Monday, December 2 — Spark Arena, Auckland Troye Sivan is touring Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2024, with multiple rounds of ticket presales beginning from 10am local time on Thursday, July 11 — and general sales from 12pm local time on Tuesday, July 16. Head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Arden.
I have a secret to confess: ever since I saw A Knight’s Tale many moons again, I’ve always had a sneaking desire to attend the Abbey Medieval Festival. A chance to dress up, attend an old-school banquet and potentially meet my own (literal) knight in shining armor? Who could say no? Held over the 9th and 10th of July, the always-popular event attracts numerous visitors who come to embrace a lifestyle lost long ago. The jousting tournament and Turkish Oil Wrestling pit seem to be marketed as the main attractions, however I think the constant re-enactments would provide the most amusement as well as information on the era. I also wouldn’t pass up any of the medieval cuisine on offer, but that could just be my obsession with food. It may seem like a bit of a drive, but I promise it will be worth it. Hot people in costumes! A falcon show! Delicious foods! And off to Caboolture we go.
Brisbane is known for its glorious sunny days and blue skies, so when it rains, we can be caught off-guard — even with storms and wet weather a regular part of spring and summer. But when the heavens do open, this shouldn't be an excuse to hide in bed under your doona all day. Thankfully, our city is teeming with wet weather-friendly activities, so don't let a bit of drizzle keep you from making the most of Brisbane. Here are some ideas to keep you entertained and sufficiently dry before you consider hiding under your doona forever — binge-watching streaming not included. [caption id="attachment_966493" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] Hole Up in a Cosy Bar — and Do More Than Just Drink At the first sign of threatening weather, gather your best group of drinking buddies and head straight for your local watering hole. Nab a cosy corner, order a few rounds and stay put until the skies clear. Quality booze, food and friends are really all you need, but to take your rainy day pub game up a notch, choose a bar with something to do other than just sit and drink. Mini golf awaits at Holey Moley's CBD, Fortitude Valley, Chermside and Mt Gravatt spots. Or, you can fling electronic darts at Oche. Plus, there's plenty of games at bars-slash-arcades Netherworld, B. Lucky and Archie Brothers. Hurling hatchets is even on offer at Maniax, while Hijinx Hotel at Chermside and Mt Gravatt will get you sleuthing — and endless hours of rain-less fun are guaranteed. [caption id="attachment_820625" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chloë Callistemon[/caption] Get Cultured in a Nice Dry Gallery A rainy day is the perfect opportunity to finally catch that exhibition you've been meaning to see. Escape the elements and step into a haven of vibrant and colourful artworks that will surely take your mind off the wild weather. Some of our go-to inner Brisbane galleries include Artisan, Milani Gallery, Jan Murphy Gallery and the Institute of Modern Art — and the South Bank double that is the Gallery of Modern Art and the Queensland Art Gallery, of course. Spend all day browsing the talent and leave with some newfound inspiration to pick up a paintbrush. Or, if you're eager to marvel at a museum's wares, rather than a gallery's, check out the latest displays at the Queensland Museum. Snuggle Into a Cinema Seat Is there anything better on a rainy day than snuggling up to watch a movie, popcorn in one hand and a glass of wine in the other? The next time it starts to drizzle, swap your streaming queue for a new release at one of Brisbane's best cinemas — whether a new flick is on the agenda, or a retro one. The art deco stylings and warm atmosphere of New Farm Cinemas make it the perfect place to while away a rainy afternoon, beginning with a drink before enjoying an movie on the big screen — and both the CBD-located Elizabeth Picture Palace and the inner west's Red Hill Cinemas from the same folks are worth a visit too. Still on that side of town, Cinebar's cosy Rosalie surroundings make big films feel boutique. Brisbane is the only place in Australia with an Angelika Film Centre — and, with every seat a recliner, you kick back no matter what movie you're keen on. Also among the city's best moviegoing spots: Newmarket's Readings, Coorparoo's Dendy, and Palace's Barracks and James Street venues. Curl Up in a Cafe One of the best places to be on a rainy day is in a window seat at a cosy cafe, where you can watch the rain from a safe, dry distance. Add a cup of steaming coffee (or a glass of wine), a hearty meal and a good book, and you're all set for a delightful day indoors. With Brisbane's cafe scene constantly expanding, there's no shortage of options to choose from. Key requirements include lots of natural lighting, a chilled-out soundtrack and friendly staff. If they're also serving all-day breakfast, you know you've found a winner. And if the vibe is just right, like at moody all-day spot Bar Miette, Picnic's Camp Hill and West End locations, restaurant-meets-garden shop The Green, Lune Croissanterie's first-ever Brisbane site, Doughcraft in Bowen Hills and Mary Street, and perennial favourite Morning After, there's nothing better for a drizzly day. Treat Yourself to a Spa Day Treating yourself every now and then is essential for your health, so use the next rainy day as an excuse to sneak off to the spa for a little dose of zen. Relax and rejuvenate with a facial and massage, or even rope your significant other in for a couple's treatment. Brisbanites looking for spa experiences can pick from The Bathhouse Albion, Contro Wellness, Away Spa at W Brisbane, The Healing Stone at South Bank and Kailo Wellness Medispa at Fortitude Valley — and that's just for starters. Nothing is more luxurious than spending the day wrapped up in a robe, with cucumbers on eyes to complete the experience, of course. For more, check out our full guide to the city's extraordinary spa spots to fill the wet, miserable hours. [caption id="attachment_994860" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Make a Date with the Theatre There's a certain element of romance to the theatre, which always seems to heighten on a drizzly night. The next time it's forecast to rain, book tickets to a show and you'll see what we mean. Whether you prefer the classics or are a fan of more contemporary productions, there's bound to be a theatre in Brisbane with shows suited to your tastes. Our favourites include Queensland Theatre, La Boite and Brisbane Arts Theatre, plus whatever's playing at Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane Powerhouse and the Judith Wright Arts Centre — but they're not the only places worth visiting. Check out Concrete Playground's events guide for what's on this week. Be a Big Kidult Don't let the rain put a dampener on your spirit. Take a break from your busy week of adulting and let your inner kid run wild for a day with some of the best kidult activities in Brisbane. Surely you can't resist a friendly game of laser tag at nostalgic favourite Laserforce or a visit to Timezone that will inevitably stir up some nostalgia (yep, Timezone still exists at Garden City, Indooroopilly and Springfield). Or, you can bring your Mario Kart skills into real life at Slideways. Another way to spend a day inside: trying to sleuth your way out of an escape room. Brisbane has a few options, including Escape Hunt at West End and Arcadium Adventures in Spring Hill. Take a Class If you've been meaning to pick up a new skill for a while — and you didn't perfect everything you hoped to during various lockdowns — a dreary day is your chance to make it happen. Finally learn how to cook your dream dish at Newstead's Golden Pig, get your creative juices flowing with a drink in hand at Cork & Chroma, add some pottery to your life at Mas & Miek Ceramic House or get floral at Soul Pantry. Fancy revamping your exercise routine instead? Get stretchy at Stretch Yoga or hit the skating rink at Rollerfit. Your rainy day activity may even breed a lifelong hobby. Top image: Installation of Haus Yuriyal's artwork including (front to back) Bopa, 2024, Kalabus, 2024, Kamkau Ike (Haus Toktok) 2024 with Yuriyal Bridgeman's Yuri Alai Eagles (ceiling shield paintings) 2024 and Kuman (shield) paintings 2024. 'The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.
Friday nights are now free chicken nugget night at Welcome to Bowen Hills. Kicking off on October 26 and running weekly from 4–6pm, it's your after-work excuse to pair small slivers of poultry with a beverage — because to get the nuggets for nix, you need to buy a drink. You can purchase both boozy and non-alcoholic options, whether you're celebrating finishing the working week or saving the hard stuff until later. Either way, nuggets will be yours. If you'd been feeling the loss of Brissie's chicken pub and it's all-you-can-eat nuggs, this is your substitute. And, on Saturday, October 27, newcomer Harry's Pizza is doing something else chicken nugget-related — putting them on a pizza. You'll have to purchase said pizza, but this is the culinary mash-up you mightn't have even realised that you've been dreaming about. It's available for one day only, from 12pm.
Starting any business is a risky venture, and establishing a hospo business — let alone one that endures and succeeds in the industry — can be an especially challenging endeavour. But don't let that scare you off — there's lots of help at hand, from the community of your team and other business-owners to tech-driven business solutions like Square, who have helped countless companies expand. If you're keen to get your idea off the ground but can't wrap your mind around how and where to start, we've partnered with Square to uncover some advice for new business-owners from the teams behind two longstanding Aussie venues, Melbourne's American Doughnut Kitchen and Sydney's Terminus Hotel. Respect for Legacy and History One of the city's oldest pubs, the Terminus Hotel in Pyrmont dates back to the 1840s and was recently revived by David Mathlin and Binu Katari in 2018. Meanwhile, American Doughnut Kitchen (ADK) has been a fixture of Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market since 1950, slinging fluffy, jam-filled doughnuts for almost seventy-five years. Belinda Donaghey now co-owns ADK's two outlets with Justin Donaghey, after her grandfather Arnold Bridges took over the business 30 years ago. [caption id="attachment_772352" align="alignnone" width="1920"] American Doughnut Kitchen[/caption] When asked about the one thing they would have wanted to know before starting their respective businesses, both Belinda Donaghey and David Mathlin underscored the significance of asking questions about the establishment's history. "As the third generation to be running the business, I wish I had asked my grandfather many questions before he passed," said Donaghey. "Looking back now, I wish I'd asked him about his vision, the challenges he overcame, his approach to business, and so much more." Technology and Simple Systems After stepping in full-time management of the business in 2020 and then ownership in 2023, Donaghey attributes the success of the business to "our strong, established team, our loyal customer base, and the technology that supported our new way of working." She continued, "Just before the pandemic, I introduced EFTPOS through Square Terminals, which turned out to be a critical move as we rapidly shifted to cashless transactions. Card payments quickly became the norm, with cash usage dropping to as low as 10%." Mathlin's saving grace when they first opened the refurbished Terminus Hotel was "training before opening, and a great team." Similarly, Donaghey's advice for what new businesses should focus on before they open is "Systems, and comprehensive training of the team on how to use the systems." She adds, "Keep it simple. There is beauty in simplicity and it is easier to scale when the foundations are strong and simplified." When asked what she would have done differently if opening her business today, Donaghey shared, "We would have invested earlier in software, technology and equipment that was perhaps a little bigger than we needed at the time, so we had space to grow into them without having to change too often as the business needs grew." She adds, "We have done that now, but it took a long time to step into that space and embrace new ways of thinking and working because there was a lot of history of doing things a certain way that didn't involve technology." Community Support Donaghey and Mathlin both emphasised the integral role that the community plays in shaping and growing a business. Mathlin's thoughts on what most new businesses overlook is that "They forget to put the community and customers first." When asked to recall the moment he knew his business was working, Mathlin's response again focused on the people, "We saw good reviews and saw people having a great time at functions." [caption id="attachment_978216" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] Donaghey shared a similar sentiment, "By the time I started working in the business full-time, we were already well-established, with over 60 years behind us. The true test came during the pandemic, when we realised just how special our business was because of the people who continued to support us." She continued, "The messages we received during that time were incredibly heartwarming. Customers shared beautiful memories and it was clear we were bringing joy to people who were isolated from family and friends and disconnected from the world." ADK's success is reflected in their popularity, which is still going strong. "Our weekend queues have become famous — not because our team is slow, but because our popularity has grown so much that people are willing to give us their most precious resource: time. They happily stand in line to get their bag of joy: our hot jam doughnuts. Our business model works. It's simple, it brings people joy, and it's the perfect snack to enjoy while exploring the market." Find out how Square can kickstart your business at squareup.com.
It never gets all that cold in Brisbane. It doesn't snow, for instance. But it's still fun to pretend it's frostier than it is. One way to do exactly that: In the Snow at Customs House, which sets up igloos and wintry decor by the river each year. It's the Queen Street venue's regular seasonal makeover when the mercury drops, and it comes complete with see-through domes for you and your mates to hang out in — while peering at the river and knocking back a range of Veuve Clicquot tipples. Or, if you'd prefer cocktails for your chalet-style waterside hangs, the Berries and Bubbles pairs raspberries, lemon juice, Belvedere Pure and Veuve Clicquot Brut, while the Hennessy Old Fashioned goes for Angostura bitters, sugar and an orange twist. Espresso martinis and martinis are also on offer. Open Thursday–Sundays weekly from Friday, May 13 until the end of winter — operating from 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays — the pop-up is also serving up a selection of bites to line your stomach. Start with up to four cheeses with truffle honey, or the baked whole brie. There's also oysters, rabbit rillettes, crumbed cauliflower and mac 'n' cheese croquettes. Or, there's the always-popular Moreton Bay bug croissant, too, which you can also pair with truffle fries. Just rocking up, walking in and enjoying the Aspen-inspired vibes is more than welcome, but you can also book igloos for between six and ten people — with a minimum spend of $80 per person.
The beauty of a degustation is in the surprise. Eating this way is a roller-coaster of emotion — the excitement of each dish arriving, and the sorrow as you polish it off. Thrills like these keep the foodies coming back for more. In Brisbane's two-hatted restaurant Urbane, the menu consists of just two options. Diners can choose between set menus of either five or eight courses, with the option of matched wines available. If you're looking to sample just one one or two dishes, you're out of luck. This place is degustation only, baby. Everything about Urbane is very clean and minimalist — from the decor, to the menu — it all has a luxurious subtlety about it. But for somewhere with such a regimented menu it was a nice surprise to see a completely vegan menu on offer. The waitress even picked up on a throw-away comment I made about a food intolerance and made the effort to cater. The menu read 'snacks' to start, and what proceeded was a micro degustation. If you're new to this kind of thing, the snack dishes will be hard to wrap your head around, but trust me, they're as delicious as they are slightly comical sounding. Before the five courses even start to come out we're presented with kombucha (a kind of fermented tea), wafer thin, long and skinny potato crisps coated in sesame seeds, avocado and capsicum on a quinoa cracker, what we can only describe as tomato water — surprisingly delicious and incredibly refreshing — a bowl of nicely balanced silken tofu, buckwheat mousse and parfait. Then, finally, we're on to the first true dish — burnt quinoa stacked inside delicate cucumber bowls were a great mix of salty and refreshing — best mixed with the apple, buckwheat and micro herbs for maximum effect. On to the octopus with Jerusalem artichoke and finger lime. These unusual ingredients pull together for a stunning dish, with perfectly crisp and tender octopus. Third, the veal sweetbreads, completed by caramelised leek, onion and a smoked eel broth. Somehow in my long love affair with both steak and oysters, I have never thought to combine the two. How I mourn those wasted years. Urbane's wagyu steak with an oyster, oyster emulsion, bone marrow and sorrel is simply a triumph. The steak was melt-in-your mouth perfect, and elevated first by the the thick sauce. And last but not least was another delicious cold treat with a twist — a citrusy dessert of freeze-dried mandarin with honeycomb sourced from Urbane's rooftop hives, and fresh grapefruit at the bottom. Tiny leaves of bush basil scattered on top send the occasional blast of unique flavour through your mouth, both balancing out and awakening it further to the sweetness in the rest of the dish. A native fruit tea infusion and some surprisingly traditional but well-executed petit fours were the perfect finisher for a delicious experience. Urbane uses seasonal produce with a constantly evolving menu. Executive chef Alejandro Cancino produces an every-changing degustation of east meets west eats that will delight and surprise, and we think the restaurant certainly deserves the accolades it has earnt.
The Australian Open is a marathon, not a sprint. Anyone who's wandered through Melbourne Park on a January afternoon, sun blazing, sunscreen melting, knows that by the time the night sessions roll around, you can easily be running on fumes. Whether it's your first time at the tournament or you're trying to perfect your route, here's how to do the Australian Open like a pro. Preparation Is Key The Australian Open blends the tennis tournament with fashion activations, street-style snaps, and many chill-out zones to relax with friends. While you may be tempted to don your most stylish outfit, preparation and comfort are key to feeling fresh enough to witness tennis history. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Australian Open (@australianopen) Wear comfortable shoes that can help you get from one end of the grounds to the other. Dress in breathable linens or cottons, and don't forget to pack your sunscreen and hat (sunscreen is also available to the public around the venue). Packing a light overshirt in case you suddenly find your courtside seat directly in the sun's glow is also an expert tip. If you have tickets for afternoon and evening games, you'll want to feel as comfortable as possible, so preparing your outfit and bag beforehand will ensure you're not caught out (and sun-stroked) by the final late-night game. The Midday Reset If you do have an AO day out planned, look for pop-ups that can help you to reset. There are loads around the grounds that specialise in makeup touchups, fashion outlets (if you need a change of shirt), and grooming booths to keep you feeling fresh. On Saturday, January 24, the OneBlade Barbershop will set up at the Southbank Spillway for walk-ins, with two barbers on hand to provide a free trim, edge, or close facial hair shave using the Philips OneBlade. Looking sharp is Philips' shout this Australian Open. Choose hairstyle inspiration from the icons board featuring sporting stars, including Nick Kyrgios and the Honeybadger. You don't need to make a booking in between matches. Just rock up, scan the QR code and secure your spot from 9am–4pm. You can also spin the prize wheel to score giveaways like the Philips Nose Trimmer NT1000, the Philips OneBlade Original Blade, exclusive merch, mini fans and more. A DJ will be playing next to the Philips barbershop throughout the event as well to keep the AO energy high. The pop-up is designed to keep you feeling fresh and on-trend, all while soaking up the stylish atmosphere of the Australian Open. Pace Your Rally Between the AO's heat and party-like energy, it's easy to forget to pace yourself. Whilst sipping your Aperol Spritzes and sampling the many food stalls, don't forget to drink water. It'll be hard to stay awake for the final showdown at 11pm if you're dehydrated. Looking for some food and beverage recommendations to keep the energy up? Several crowd favourites are back in 2026, including the famous Peach Melbourne peach and vanilla soft serve. The Grey Goose Lemon Ace cocktail also returns, available freshly mixed or ready-to-drink from the revamped Courtside Bar. You can sip on Canadian Clubs in their lounge area or check out the much-loved AO Frappe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hector's Deli (@hectors_deli) Beyond the Courtside Bar, Melbourne Park transforms into a food festival with the likes of Japanese-inspired favourite Suupaa serving konbini classics like onigiri, katsu sandos, noodle bowls and its cult Suupaachiki fried chicken. Over in Garden Square, Melbourne institutions take centre stage, with Hector's Deli making its AO debut and Entrecôte serving French-inspired classics. By staying hydrated, taking a moment to reset at the activations, and snacking your way around the tournament, you can keep cool and soak up Melbourne at its best. Good luck. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Concrete Playground Melbourne (@concreteplaygroundmelbourne) Image credit: Supplied
You don’t call a movie 10 Cloverfield Lane without trying to get your audience guessing. With JJ Abrams in the producer's chair, there's an immediate game afoot. Just how will it connect to Cloverfield, the 2008 found footage creature feature he was also involved in? That's just one of the questions the movie inspires, though in truth it might be the least interesting. Given that the film spends the bulk of its time in a bunker with a suspicious Mary Elizabeth Winstead and a possibly hostile John Goodman hiding from what may or may not be an apocalyptic attack, there are plenty of other things to contemplate. Here's two: is Howard (Goodman) telling the truth when he tells Michelle (Winstead) that he's keeping her underground for her own safety? Or is the paranoid doomsday fanatic using his survivalist obsession for more nefarious means? When an accident brings the two together, Michelle can't help doubting Howard's true motives after she wakes up injured, semi-clad and chained to the wall. He spins a story about global devastation, which fellow cellar dweller Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) backs up. However, even when the trio settles into a tentative routine of dinners and board games, she can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. Indeed, Michelle might pretend otherwise — and prove determined and resourceful when needed — but there's no mistaking her anxiety and uncertainty. Those emotions aren't hers alone, with 10 Cloverfield Lane forcing viewers to share in her uneasiness. Hiding as much as they make plain, first-time director Dan Trachtenberg and writers Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken and Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) sustain a pressure-cooker atmosphere and an air of mystery. Through canny camera placement, fine-tuned framing, savvy editing, a foreboding score and a willingness to take its time, the claustrophobic thriller has great fun teasing its audience. Maintaining a balance of playfulness and suspense also helps counter any similarities to Room or even The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt — and while shades of everything from Psycho to War of the Worlds are also evident, the film's path is its own. Forget the shaky visuals and sprawling nature of its predecessor, too. In an effort Abrams has labelled a "spiritual successor" to Cloverfield rather than a sequel, the images are stable, the focus tight and confined, and the menace more psychological than monstrous. Of course, Goodman ensures the threat of physical terror never quite dissipates, in his most substantial role in years. His richly textured performance is only one part of the on-screen equation though, with Winstead's reactions equally as precise and persuasive. Watching the two face off over what's going on and why they're there — with a mostly affable Gallagher in the middle — makes it easy to forget that there's the bigger puzzle of the feature's name to ponder. They're so effective, as is the film in keeping the mood tense and the surprises coming, that 10 Cloverfield Lane proves gripping irrespective of any monster movie ties.
Perched amid the cafes and restaurants of leafy Leicester Street in Coorparoo, Sunday Society is a boutique homewares and interior design store that has become a go-to for locals and not-so-locals alike. Stocking a range of much-loved homeware brands including Globe West, Jones & Co and Sage and Clare, the store has attracted the attention of various interior magazines and the likes of Australian design trio, Three Birds Renovations. Browse a curated selection of rugs, lamps, bed and bath essentials and outdoor furniture to add relaxed flourishes that emanate the essence of this shop's namesake to your own place. Need a little help in the styling department? Let the in-house interior design stylist guide you and transform your house into a home. They'll create a look that is uniquely yours and tailored to suit your taste, lifestyle and budget, so you can get that Sunday feeling at home, every day. Each piece has been selected with that very feeling in mind, which is evident from the moment you step inside the store, or browse online.
Cunnamulla might be 850 kilometres from the nearest beach, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of the country's best sandboarding adventures in the heart of the outback. While the climb to the top of these natural lofty dunes is a little tough, your efforts will be well rewarded with a thrilling ride down the slopes. A selection of local tour companies transport travellers to and from the nearby sand dunes, and also provide all the gear you need to surf these granular waves. Plus, the dunes offer awesome views of the surrounding landscape, ensuring you can fully appreciate the scale of the outback. Looking for a tour company? Start your search at the Cunnamulla Fella Visitor Centre. Image: Bernard Spragg, Flickr
Taco Bell did it. Mark Wahlberg's Wahlburgers and fellow burger joint Five Guys, too. And now Wendy's is officially following suit. Add the square burg-slinging fast-food franchise to the list of American joints making the jump Down Under, with The Wendy's Company announcing that it has locked in a master franchise agreement with Flynn Restaurant Group to launch a heap of Aussie outposts. And we do mean a heap: 200 stores, in fact, as slated to open by 2034. The news comes after Wendy's started making moves to hit our shores in 2022, enlisting Australian franchise consulting firm DC Strategy to work with the burger brand to come up with an Aussie strategy. And, it follows the success of a 2021 Wendy's pop-up in Sydney, where it handed out free burgs and desserts. Indeed, Wendy's announcement mentions the one-day pop-up's success among the reasons for giving Australia a couple of hundred places to nab its burgers within the next 11 years. It's expected that the stores will largely start launching from 2025, with other timing yet to be announced. Exactly where Wendy's will set up shop also hasn't been revealed. "Australia is a strategic market for long-term growth for Wendy's. Flynn Restaurant Group has incredible experience in the restaurant space, and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with them," said Abigail Pringle, President, International and Chief Development Officer of The Wendy's Company, announcing the Aussie move. "They have a strong leadership team, great culture, vast industry knowledge, success with our brand in the US, and we are confident that Flynn Restaurant Group is the right partner to unlock growth for Wendy's in Australia." Flynn Restaurant Group and Wendy's have history, with the former already running nearly 200 of the latter's outposts across five US states. Also on Flynn Restaurant Group's plate in America: operating Applebee's, Taco Bell, Panera, Arby's and Pizza Hut restaurants. When Wendy's hits Australia, it won't be the only food joint with that name. Across 120 venues in Australia and New Zealand, that moniker also graces a South Australian-born ice cream chain which is now known as Wendy's Milk Bar. With more than 7000 stores worldwide, the American Wendy's is one of the globe's biggest and most recognisable burger chains. While most of its outposts are scattered across the US, the chain also has over 1000 international locations in countries like New Zealand, Canada and the UK. The first Wendy's was opened by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio in 1969. It quickly grew due to the popularity of its burgers and iconic Frostys, growing to over 1000 restaurants in its first nine years of operations. Those square burgers, the ice cream-meets-thickshake combos, perhaps the chain's French toast sticks and pretzel cheeseburgers, too: start looking forward to eating them in Australia. [caption id="attachment_811853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] PRNewsfoto/The Wendy's Company[/caption] [caption id="attachment_869874" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sharon Hahn Darlin[/caption] Flynn Restaurant Group is set to develop 200 Wendy's restaurants across Australia by 2034. Check out Wendy's announcement for further details.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image might be all about celebrating screen art — peering at films and TV shows, stepping into virtual reality and showcasing the talents that've made such a huge impact, for instance — but that doesn't mean that the Melbourne-based venue doesn't appreciate nature. The world around us can look stunning projected as large as a cinema can allow. David Attenborough has turned his documentaries about the planet into their own spectacular genre, too. And the natural realm can provide experimental artists with quite the playground to ponder, as Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature is set to unveil. This just-announced world-premiere exhibition will see art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast unveil a showcase of works that muse on trees, black holes, cells, breathing, space, science and more. Hitting ACMI from Thursday November 23, 2023–Sunday, April 14, 2024, Works of Nature spans five major pieces that aim to deeply contemplate and appreciate humanity's role in nature, and just nature overall. And, these aren't tiny pieces — all digital, they're aiming to inspire awe in both their size and content. [caption id="attachment_917015" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists[/caption] This is the London-based MLF's first major showcase in Australia, adding a stint Down Under to appearances at the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals, the Istanbul Design Biennial, Lisbon Triennial and the V&A and Design Museum in their hometown. That impressive history is matched by a significant lineup of names involved with MLF's immersive Works of Nature pieces. Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) lends her narration, director Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life) executive produces, while Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood (Licorice Pizza) and fellow acclaimed composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Last and First Men) are among the talents providing music — the latter's work continuing to entrance after his passing in 2018. Daisy Lafarge provides poetry, while Jon Hopkins, Meredith Monk and Howard Skempton also contribute tunes. [caption id="attachment_917016" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Evolver', 2023, courtesy of the artists and Wave Museum.[/caption] Whether you're a Melburnian or have a trip to the Victoria capital in your future, you'll be able to see the meditative Evolver, which uses Blanchett's voice to journey through the human body, breath, the origins of cells and the cosmos — and Distortions in Spacetime, which heads to a black hole's edge. Or, there's the large-scale Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest, a video installation about the Amazon's kapok trees. Thanks to The Tides Within Us, oxygen is in focus again via six static pictures. And with We Live in an Ocean of Air, MLF explore how that last word in the piece's moniker connects life on earth. [caption id="attachment_917019" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest', courtesy of the artists and Sandra Ciampone.[/caption] "ACMI is thrilled to bring the work of Marshmallow Laser Feast to Australia for the first time. This exhibition reflects the power of large-scale moving image works and creative use of projection technologies to produce immersive experiences that demonstrate how our bodies and the natural world are so intrinsically connected. Works of Nature is an unforgettable experience that can inspire us to work towards a better future," said ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan, announcing the exhibition. "Our artistic practice is a constant journey of discovery into the world beyond the limits of human senses. Our passion for ecology, astronomy, and technology has driven us to collect tree data in the Amazon, explore the sound of black holes and scan the entirety of the human body in microscopic detail, then transforming these explorations into transcendent, immersive experiences," added Ersin Han Ersin, MLF Partner and Director. "We are excited to share our work with ACMI's audiences and to engage in a conversation about the beauty of the natural world and the wonders of the universe." [caption id="attachment_917012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature, 2023, photo by Eugene Hyland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917018" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'We Live in an Ocean of Air', courtesy of the artists.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917013" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature, 2023, photo by Eugene Hyland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest', courtesy of the artists and Sandra Ciampone.[/caption] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature will display at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Thursday November 23, 2023–Sunday, April 14, 2024 — head to the ACMI website for further details or to get tickets. Top image: Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists.
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear," Buddy (Will Ferrell, The Boys) tells Jovie (Zooey Deschanel, Physical) in end-of-year staple Elf. The musical version of the hit festive flick takes that idea to heart. Debuting on Broadway in 2010, it brings the beloved movie to the stage with a swag of merry songs. Fourteen years later — and 21 years since cinemas first discovered Elf's seasonal fun — Elf: The Musical is finally making its Australian premiere. Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall is standing in for both the North Pole and New York City across Thursday, December 19–Sunday, December 29, 2024, as Buddy goes on a journey of self-discovery. If you've seen the film, as almost everyone has, you'll know the storyline already; however, unless you've caught Elf: The Musical overseas, including a West End season in 2015–16, you haven't seen it like this before. Buddy isn't an elf, but he was raised by them — and he doesn't realise that he isn't like Santa's other helpers until he grows up. Cue his trip to the Big Apple to discover who he is, and also who he wants to be, as first told in a movie directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Jon Favreau before he helmed Iron Man, The Jungle Book and the photorealistic version of The Lion King. The stage adaptation's Aussie debut comes courtesy of Sydney's most-famous venue and John Frost for Crossroads Live, with the pair serving up the ideal way to get jolly in the Harbour City this festive season (as well as a gift of an excuse to take a festive-season trip to the New South Wales capital if you reside elsewhere across Australia). Elf: The Musical boasts a book by Tony Award-winners Thomas Meehan (who also helped bring The Producers, Hairspray, Cry-Baby and Young Frankenstein from picture palaces to theatres) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), plus songs by Tony Award-nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin (more film-to-stage veterans courtesy of The Wedding Singer). Starring Gareth Isaac (Grease the Musical) as Buddy, Simon Burke (Wicked) as Walter Hobbs, Brianna Bishop (Grease the Musical) as Jovie and Lara Mulcahy (MAMMA MIA!) as Santa, the Australian run is being staged as a concert production, in a presentation designed for Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall. Images: Daniel Boud. Updated Monday, December 16, 2024.
It's happening again. If you're fond of staring at the heavens with your own two eyes to see a stunning sight, you'll want to spend Thursday, October 17, 2024 looking up. Another supermoon is upon us, with the best time to see it arriving after sunset Down Under — so if you train your peepers upwards this evening, you'll be in for a glowing show. While super full moons aren't particularly rare — several usually happen each year, and one occurred in August 2024 as well as in September — there's still a a good reason to peer upwards this time around. If you're wondering why, we've run through the details below. [caption id="attachment_598533" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Andrew C via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] What Is It? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. They're not all that uncommon — and because October 2024's supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), it's called a super full moon. It's also a hunter's moon, too, which refers to the time of year in the northern hemisphere. This is the time when hunting was undertaken to store meat for the coming winter in the other half of the world. Of course, that doesn't apply in the southern hemisphere, but the name still sticks. This supermoon is also the closest of 2024 — which makes it the brightest of 2024, too. [caption id="attachment_769713" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA/Joel Kowsky[/caption] When Can I See It? As mentioned above, your best time to look at the harvest supermoon is from sunset on Thursday, October 17, 2024, although it'll officially be a full moon at 10.26pm AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne, 9.26pm AEST in Brisbane, 9.56pm ACDT in Adelaide and 7.26pm AWST in Perth. The moon always appears full for a few days, however, so if you already thought that the night sky looked a little brighter this week, that's why. To catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside when it gets dark to feast your eyes on a luminous lunar sight. Head over to timeanddate.com for the relevant moonrise and moonset times for your area. Where Can I See It? You can take a gander from your backyard or balcony, but the standard advice regarding looking into the night sky always applies — so city-dwellers will want to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the absolute best view. Sunset arrives at 7.10pm AEDT in Sydney, 7.39pm AEDT in Melbourne, 5.56pm AEST in Brisbane, 7.31pm ACDT in Adelaide and 6.29pm AWST in Perth Via timeanddate.com. Image: Elekes Andor via Wikimedia Commons.
Whether you're zipping from Sydney to Melbourne, or settling in for the long haul on the mammoth Perth–to–London flights, travelling by air comes with a significant environmental cost. As well as fuel usage and the considerable carbon footprint, planes are a hotbed for disposable items. Those plastic utensils you're using to tuck into your breakfast? The cup you're sipping your in-flight wine from? The wrapping around your blanket? All single-use plastics. To help counteract the hefty amount of environmental waste created by soaring through the sky, airlines have started changing their ways — such as Portuguese charter outfit Hi Fly, which has pledged to become the world's first plastics-free carrier within the next 12 months. Now Australia's own Qantas is following suit, announcing a plan to cut its waste by 70 percent by the end of 2021, including eradicating 100 million single-use plastic items from its flights and lounges each year from 2020 onwards. On their way out: 45 million plastic cups, 30 million cutlery sets, 21 million coffee cups and four million headrest covers each year, which'll all be replaced by sustainable alternatives. In the case of coffee cups, for example, they'll be swapped for versions that can be recycled or composted. Qantas has already ditched plastic wrapping on its pyjamas and headsets, and gotten rid of plastic straws altogether. It's also scrapping unnecessary paper, so that means using digital boarding passes rather than physical versions as well. The changes will come into effect across Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar, and while the company recognises that some single-use plastic objects don't have a ready-made substitution (highlighting some wrappings used for hygiene purposes, as well as heat-resistant containers deployed in meal preparation), it's endeavouring to find solutions there as well. It has a history in the eco-conscious space, at least where fuel is concerned — using mustard seeds to fuel its Melbourne–to–LA flights, and dabbling with fuel derived from cooking oil before that. As part of the new waste reduction move, Qantas aims to become the world's first airline to reuse, recycle and compost at least three-quarters of its general refuse. "In the process of carrying 50 million people each year, we deal with more than 30,000 tonnes of waste," said Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce in a statement. "That's the same weight as about 80 747 jumbos."
Come 2022, Studio Ghibli's very own theme park will become the most adorable place on earth — but until then, a new Bangkok restaurant is competing for the ultra-cute crown. Called May's Garden House Restaurant, the eatery is not only named after My Neighbour Totoro's protagonist Mei, but also takes its cues from Studio Ghibli's bewitching movie. In fact, it's the first officially licensed restaurant dedicated to the beloved Japanese animation house and its enchanting films. The only other space that comes close is the onsite cafe at the existing Studio Ghibli museum outside of Tokyo; however, the only way to eat at the Japanese site is to nab a ticket to the museum itself, which has to be booked months in advance. [caption id="attachment_677216" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] May's Garden House Restaurant[/caption] In Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Ghibli lovers can enjoy a meal surrounded by Totoros, including a giant, huggable version by the entrance; and tuck into dishes, such as susuwatari-shaped balls in a matcha bath, lattes dusted by Totoro chocolate, mini Totoro steamed buns and a general array of other themed bites. May's Garden House Restaurant also serves up a selection of Thai cuisine, such as crispy chicken wings, soups, curries and fried rice with seafood, should you need something to go with your Catbus cake. Of course, even if you opt for a meal that doesn't immediately reference Ghibli, you'll find an appropriate trinket on your table. [caption id="attachment_677217" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] May's Garden House Restaurant[/caption] While at the Thai spot, you can also wander through the figurine-filled garden, sit beneath gorgeous stained-glass windows, look over the boat pool, peruse the library, walk through two halls and just get spirited away by the restaurant's assorted memorabilia. Or, you can spy two new, exclusive Ghibli-style characters — birds called Colko and Peeko, they were designed by Ghibli producer and co-founder Toshio Suzuki. He helped support the restaurant's creation after reportedly becoming fond of owner May Kanyada's chicken wings. Unsurprisingly, visitors are advised to reserve a table at least two weeks prior to their visit, with tucking into Totoro treats proving rather popular. For more information about May's Garden House Restaurant, visit the eatery's Facebook page or Instagram feed. Via SoraNews24. Images: May's Garden House Restaurant.
As someone who spends a lot of time indoors (that's where the internet is), I can understand that leg itch, the twitch, that feeling of needing to go outside, and do something that really makes you feel alive. Some people jump out of planes, or wing suit down huge mountains. Those particular activities might be a bit much for some, but to celebrate the release of Berlin Syndrome, a film that really gets the blood pumping, we've come up with a list of activities to get you fired up without the risk of severe injury or death. GET OUT OF AN ESCAPE ROOM The premise of the escape room is simple enough. You're in a room, now escape it. The devil, as always, is in the detail. Escape room themes can be anything from an asylum to a gaol cell or a haunted house — anywhere that's going to get your brain imagining every possible outcome. And you're going to need your brain, if you ever want to get out of the room (jokes, of course you can leave whenever you want, if you're chicken). You and your team solve the clues, and break yourselves out.There are heaps of rooms around Brisbane, like Exitus by Strike at Wintergarden, or Escape Hunt in the West End. TACKLE A TEETERINGLY HIGH WALL While there are many who would argue that the point of climbing to the top of a cliff that you're just going to abseil down is a little counter productive, these arguments would tend to come from those who've never done it before. Rock climbing gets you going for a number of reasons — the fear of falling, the drive to push yourself to the top, and that feeling of the only other alternative, halfway up, is a leap of faith. Which we all know is a terrible idea. You see them pretty much every day, so have a crack at climbing the cliffs at Kangaroo Point. SEE A MODERN THRILLER IN A DARK CINEMA Based on a novel of the same name, the film follows Australian photojournalist Clare (played by Teresa Palmer) as she embarks on her first solo trip to Berlin. While travelling, she meets and begins a passionate romance with charismatic local man Andi. Their relationship soon takes an unexpected and sinister turn—she wakes one morning to discover that Andi has left for work and locked her inside his apartment, with no intention of ever letting her leave. Filmed on location in Berlin and Melbourne, the film is a thoughtful, psychological thriller written and directed by Australian Cate Shortland (who also directed the critically acclaimed Somersault). It examines tough topics such as emotional manipulation, gaslighting and Stockholm syndrome in a provocative fashion, leaving the audience with a new outlook on the relationship that can occur between captor and captive. Berlin Syndrome opens in Brisbane cinemas on April 20. GO WHITE WATER RAFTING WITHIN THE CITY There aren't many more things that'll get your heart rate up faster than careening down a choppy river at blistering speed in a boat that's made out of the same material as a raincoat. But don't worry, you get a helmet. While it might not be an activity for the faint of heart, white water rafting is a real thrill, kind of like canoeing but with an insane sugar rush. It's all about working in teams to overcome the problem which, in this case, is water that is trying to kill you (nah, you'll be safe, don't worry). You'll have to make the trek up north for these experiences, however, as the whitest of water is up Cairns way. GO CANYONING WITHIN A RELATIVELY QUICK DRIVE OF THE CBD There are many ways to the bottom of a canyon, but the fastest is by abseiling down with the assistance of some well placed ropes and a few sturdy carabiners. The real rush comes at the exact moment you step out, backwards over the precipice, and all over a sudden gravity has never been more apparent. Leaning back, you take that first step off the rock face and, boom, that's living. As usual, RedBalloon has you covered for an excellent experience in the Beechmont. Berlin Syndrome will be released in cinemas nationally on April 20 — watch the trailer here.
In US, the middle of 2024 has been dubbed the "summer of Shyamalan". The seasons don't fit Down Under for such a catchy alliterative term to apply, but it's still a big time for the Shyamalan family on the big screen. In August, M Night Shyamalan's Trap, his 16th feature, has a date with cinemas. One of its stars: Saleka, aka M Night's eldest daughter, with the IRL R&B singer playing a musician in the serial-killer thriller. Cinephiles needn't wait until then for a Shyamalan-driven horror movie, though, with the Ireland-set and Dakota Fanning (Ripley)-led The Watchers marking the film directorial debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan. Ishana isn't new to the genre that's clearly in her genes — she says that working in it "felt very inevitable", she tells Concrete Playground — after initially making an imprint as a director and writer on TV's Servant, which M Night was the showrunner on. But this is her first feature, and it both continues the family tradition and champions her own interpretation of eerie screen stories. Based on the novel by AM Shine, The Watchers embraces the gothic side of horror as it unfurls its story in an expansive forest that's a beacon for stray souls. Fanning's American-abroad Mina finds much among its trees, including Madeline (Olwen Fouéré, The Tourist), Ciara (Georgina Campbell, Barbarian) and Daniel (Oliver Finnegan, We Are Lady Parts); a bunker called The Coop that's their only form of shelter; and the titular creatures who observe their every movement each night. When the woodland won't let you leave, no one can escape it by daylight and danger lurks at night, however, Mina and her new roommates risk being consigned to remaining lost. If Mina's moniker seems like a clue that there's a twist coming — another Shyamalan trait — it springs from Shine's pages. The character has a sister called Lucy, though, a change that Ishana did make in adapting the book for the screen. Yes, there is indeed a surprise at the film's core as it charts its characters attempting to work out why they're stranded, what's watching them and how to leave the remote thicket peppered with warning signs about points of no return, and also darkened burrows in the ground, but nods Bram Stoker's way are an illustration of how Ishana has taken her influences from far beyond her dad's filmography. "It was actually a very unintentional thing," she explains of the names. "I didn't think about Dracula until much later, and I think it's one of those things where you're subliminally inspired by various things. I realised I had named the sister Lucy later, and I was like 'oh my god, those are the two names'," she notes. "But gothic literature and just gothic art in general was a big, big influence and driving factor of this particular movie. It's a style that I love, and I think it's just so, so wonderful and fun. So I very much structured the story to feel like a gothic piece — so I think it's all just intertwined in that way." [caption id="attachment_961260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marion Curtis / Starpix for Warner Bros.[/caption] Still, viewers can be forgiven for spying what Ishana has inherited from M Night on The Watchers, and where a lifetime of having a father making horror movies has shaped her as a filmmaker. The writer/director behind The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, The Visit, Split and Glass is also one of the picture's producers. Supernatural horror movie? Tick. An inescapable sense of tension as suspense drips? Tick again. Audiences waiting for the pieces of the film's puzzle to fall into place? Tick once more. Narrative-changing revelations? A haunted feel to the feature's lead performance? A strong visual command? Just keep ticking. One thing that Ishana, who was a second-unit director on her dad's Old and Knock at the Cabin, definitely hasn't continued is M Night's fondness for popping up on-screen in his own movies. "Absolutely not. I'm very afraid being in front of the camera. There was one thing I was thinking I could do as a joke, but then I was like 'that's not me — I can't, I can't cameo'," she says. She was keen to give her father a part, but it didn't pan out. "I wanted to put him in the movie actually, but I didn't get to do it." What did Ishana learn from being surrounded by filmmaking from birth? From working on Servant, too? Was getting behind the lens always her path? Why did Shine's book strike a chord? Also, how was Studio Ghibli great Hayao Miyazaki an influence? With The Watchers opening in Australian cinemas on Thursday, June 6 and in New Zealand on Thursday, June 13, we spoke with Ishana about all of the above and more, including about this Shyamalan-heavy period at the flicks, telling original tales and the expectations that come with her surname. On How Writing and Directing Episodes of Servant Prepared Ishana for Making Her First Feature "It was such a wonderful, wonderful experience for me. I think coming right out of film school and going to Servant, I was very much able to treat that as a second film school. And I think just the style of the show, being so restrained and limited, gave all the filmmakers on that project the ability to play with form and technique as your main languages there. So I really felt throughout each episode that I was able to think very specifically about those base elements of filmmaking, like shot-making and what specifically I wanted to get out of these performances. That was very much, I think, an archetypal film experience for me." On Ishana's Initial Response to AM Shine's Book "The book was brought to us by a producer to read it for consideration. I had no context to know what it was about, just had the cover and the synopsis on the back, and just started reading it — and it was just something that I felt incredibly locked in on. I thought it was just such masterful storytelling within the book, and had all of these tonal elements that I was interested in playing with in my exploration of the genre space as well. And then by the end of the book, it becomes this really masterful depth-specific world. And I just fell in love with it, so it felt inevitable in that way." On the Shared Feeling of Claustrophobia That Simmers in Both The Watchers and Servant "I think the process has been very much about leaning into my own fears — which, yeah, I'm afraid of finding myself in situations like that. As a human being, your mind just goes to those places of 'what if I was trapped somewhere? What if I couldn't get out?'. So those ideas I think all felt very, very, quite real and and relatable to me. I haven't thought too much about if that's something that's specific to me or just what I feel. Overall, I think I often have anxiety of being stuck in various forms of my life. One of my main fears as I navigate the world is being trapped in some feeling or with people that I'm scared of. So that is definitely something that I feel quite personally in my life — always the feeling of needing to get out of a place and the ability to move." On Ishana's Approach to Cultivating a Mood and Vibe in Horror "To me, I think the guiding principle was always to just lean into the visuals and energies that I felt love for, that I felt seduced by. A lot of times, horror or survivalist pieces like this have a very similar aesthetic, which is bleak and stripped down. So I was really interested in exploring that same feeling, but in much more maximalist, grandiose visual language. So that was one of the most-interesting things about it to me — how do you create a tone that feels completely fresh in this experience that we've seen a lot in film?" On Playing with Shadows and Light Visually in The Watchers — and Using Imagery to Reflect the Film's Themes "It became very clear to me early on that the movie hinges on daylight and darkness, and that contrast between between light and dark, which is obviously a very classical painterly technique to use — that chiaroscuro approach to the work. But it very much was embedded into the concept of the movie. Even on the book, on the novel itself, the tagline is 'stay in the light' there. So I was really interested in playing with that element of it. I had talked a lot with my DP [Eli Arenson, Lamb] and my production designer [Ferdia Murphy, The Last Girl] about creating this very classic, literal. stage-like approach to our hero space in the movie, which is The Coop, which you see as where they've been trapped. So that was very much something that we went in and wanted to do, where it was distinctive pools of light that our characters are moving in and out of, and it feels like they have that feeling when you don't really control the space that you're in." On Considering Hayao Miyazaki a Source of Inspiration for The Watchers "I grew up watching the Miyazaki films and they, throughout my life, have been a very spiritual thing for me. So I'm always aspiring to mimic that feeling that I feel when I watch them, which is one of wonder and innocence. I felt when I read the book that it had exactly that thing, which is this sense of a character going on an adventure and experiencing a new world. That was very, very exciting for me and gave me a lot of peace to know that I could enter the filmmaking space with something that felt really wondrous to me — so more in the vibe of what I'm trying to achieve with the movie, which I think just carries you into other worlds and hopefully, hopefully has that same feeling." On Deciding to Go Into the Family Business of Filmmaking "It was something that came to me much later in life as I was about to go to school and deciding what I wanted to do as my future. I'd always move through different art forms and known that I had wanted to be an artist in some way — and then it was only later in my life when I was able to even visualise the possibility of myself being a filmmaker. It came very much as a product of all the various things that I love doing going up. And so it felt very much like a surprise to me that this was the thing I was interested in." On What You Learn When Making Movies Is All Around You From Birth "My whole life has been a process of watching and listening to my dad as he's moved through his creative journey, and that's been just so wonderful, I think, to see the morals that he's built and the preciousness with which he regards the art form. So I really think I could've come into filmmaking already with that emphasis on technique and approach to the art-making process. So it was really wonderful, I think. I tried to honour his approach to filmmaking, which is respecting it as much as possible, and that it takes an incredible amount of emotional stability and persistence and work. I really am lucky that I have that visual to touch base with when I'm struggling with the experience myself." [caption id="attachment_961268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marion Curtis / Starpix for Warner Bros.[/caption] On The Watchers and Trap Forming a Season of Shyamalan It's very interesting. He and I talk about it all the time because it is so anomalous, I think, that there's these two movies are coming out so close to each other. They're very, very different movies. They exist in completely different spaces, which I think is quite cool that they're not of the same world. All things happen for a reason, so my hope is that they can both artistically speak to each other and can communicate. But overall it's just a wonderful thing that we have this space within a giant summer to put out two original movies — I think that's just a wonderful, wonderful thing." On the Shyamalans Making Original Movies at a Time When Existing Intellectual Property and Long-Running Franchises Dominate "It's a different world for sure, and I'm definitely pondering it all the time. I think both he and I value that classical experience of going into theatre with a bunch of people who are different than you and watching something very specific that you didn't know anything about, and feeling the same way about it. I think we both believe that there is this power of a collective original experience where you're seeing some fresh cutting-edge stuff. It's definitely something that I will try to preserve that space as well. And I see a lot of other young filmmakers doing the same, so it makes me quite hopeful for the future of movies, that we can have all different flavours of things." On the Expectations That Come with Ishana Following in M Night's Footsteps — Especially in Horror "The genre for me felt very inevitable. It's just always the art that I've been drawn to and that I've made has played in this slightly darker space. So that felt there was no other option for me than to enter a similar space to him. There's definitely opinions and expectations — and I think I love that feeling. There's something to prove, and having to cut my own space into the creative spirit is a really intriguing challenge for me. So I'm just trying to do the best I can and be as creatively honest as possible, and then I hope things things will go as they should." The Watchers released in Australian cinemas on Thursday, June 6 and hits New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, June 13. Read our review.
What'd happen if the Hulk was a teenage girl, and turned into a giant, fuzzy, super-cute red panda instead of going green and getting ultra-muscular? Or, finding a different riff on the ol' werewolf situation, if emotions rather than full moons inspired a case of not-quite-lycanthropy? These mightn't be questions that most folks have ever even thought of, but writer/director Domee Shi certainly has — and they're at the core of Pixar's Turning Red, her debut feature after winning an Oscar for gorgeous 2018 short Bao. As many of the acclaimed animation studio's movies do (see also: Finding Nemo, Up, Brave and the Cars franchise, for instance), Turning Red takes its title literally. But, for the second time in the past year following 2021's Luca, it sees Pixar ask a question that isn't simply "what if toys/bugs/monsters/vehicles/fish/superheroes/rats/robots/dinosaurs/elves had feelings?" (or even if feelings had feelings themselves, or if souls did as well). It still ponders a spin on that notion, wondering what'd happen if red pandas sported human-style emotions; however, the Disney-owned company has also been musing on people becoming other kinds of critters of late, with particularly astute and endearing results here. Now streaming on Disney+ after bypassing cinemas completely, Turning Red spends its time with 13-year-old Chinese Canadian high-schooler Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her movie debut). The year is 2002, and she loves three things: meeting her strict but doting mum Ming's (Sandra Oh, The Chair) expectations; hanging out with her pals Miriam (Ava Morse, Ron's Gone Wrong), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Never Have I Ever) and Abby (Hyein Park, also Bao's story artist); and ridiculously popular boy band 4*Town. And while her mother doesn't approve of her friends or her taste in music, and would prefer for her to either be at school or helping out at the family's temple at all times, Mei has become quite accustomed to juggling everything that's important to her. Then, after a boy-related mishap — Mei realises that she has a crush on a 17-year-old convenience store clerk, but Ming finds out and embarrasses her in public — the red panda appears. Mei goes to bed feeling normal, albeit angsty and upset, then wakes up looking like a cuddly creature. Like werewolf tales about teenage boys tend to be, Turning Red is all about puberty and doesn't hide it, with Mei forced to face the new version of herself that's awakened overnight. This is both Pixar's 25th full-length flick and its first solely directed by a woman, and the result is one of the studio's instant classics; when the company isn't throwing love towards childhood obsessions such as toys, monsters and cars, it also adores exploring what it feels like to be a kid — and Turning Red fits the mould perfectly. Of course, while it's easy to spy commonalities among Pixar's 27 years of movies so far, it rarely makes blandly formulaic fare. That's one of its key skills, after all: throwing around familiar parts, premises and patterns, but almost always making whichever movie eventuates feel new, thoughtful and specific. That remains the case with Turning Red, which is as savvy and delightful as the very best entries on the studio's resume. A charming coming-of-age effort, it flows with warmth and insight as Mei navigates an array of hugely recognisable high-school antics — being certain that you stand out, getting teased, wanting to go to concerts, developing your own interests, growing away from your parents and forging your own identity all included — while also grappling with sometimes being a red panda. Indeed, as struggles and pressures mount, and their protagonist yearns for the space to work out who she really is and what she truly wants, Shi and her co-scribe Julia Cho (Halt and Catch Fire) have also penned a tale of teen rebellion. The movie's heavy use of crimson hues represents many things, from its chosen animal to raging hormones, and a feisty can-do temperament sits high on the list. This is a Pixar movie that asks "has the red peony blossomed?" when Ming thinks that Mei has gotten her period, rather than turned into a red panda, for instance — if there was any doubt on how eagerly and openly it embraces everything that growing up means for teenage girls. It's a film that finds the relatable in the specific in a cultural sense, too, giving Toronto's Chinese community a hefty embrace, pondering generational trauma, and also creating an on-screen world that both looks and feels lived-in. And, it's as joyous about boy bands and their status as an object of obsession for adolescent hearts and minds as the wonderful Aussie documentary I Used to Be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story was as well. Bright, perky but never generic animation brings Shi's vision to life, and a soundtrack peppered with boy band-style songs by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell (the latter also voicing one of 4*Town's members) helps set an upbeat tone. But don't mistake all that gloss, those earworm tunes and that endearing red panda for fluff, though: Turning Red has sweetness, soul and smarts, and it's another of Pixar's gems. Check out the trailer below: Turning Red is available to stream via Disney+ from Friday, March 11. Top image: © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
If you're a dog person, being surrounded by wagging tails and beaming pooch faces is one of the happiest feelings in the world. Here's another: doing your part to assist animals in need. Each year — a pandemic hiatus aside — the RSPCA's Million Paws Walk combines the two, asking Brisbanites and their puppers to go for a stroll to help raise funds for an obviously extremely worth cause. Come Sunday, May 26, this endorphin-sparking mosey returns for 2024, taking over the Forgan Smith Lawn at the University of Queensland in St Lucia. Whether you're keen to dress up for the occasion — in a matching outfit to your four-legged bestie, of course — or just pop on your sneakers and usual workout attire, then join in from 10.30am (with registrations from 8am). Entry costs $17.50 for adults and $15 for concessions, with the money raised going towards RSPCA Queensland's work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. In addition to the exercise, you and Rover can browse a heap stalls afterwards, listen to live tunes and grab a bite to eat from food trucks. There's also dog competitions and games as well. Can't make it to UQ? Check out the full list of venues around Queensland. Top image: Call of the Wild Pet Photography.
Does a cocktail, meal or cup of coffee taste better when it's served up in stunning surroundings? It shouldn't, but interior design is still a pivotal part of the hospitality experience. So recognises the Australian Interior Design Awards, which also highlights spectacular decor in shops, workplaces, homes and public settings — and the annual gongs have just revealed 2024's shortlisted venues. Now in its 21st year, AIDA has found more than a few bars, restaurants, cafes, houses, offices, retailers and the like that it considers supremely stylish. This year's shortlist includes 222 projects from around the country (plus a few overseas that spring from local talent), which is a record for the awards. Not all of them are hospo joints, of course; however, the next time that you're keen to hang out in chic digs while you get sipping and eating, you'll have more than a few choices. And, the same goes for whenever the urge to browse and buy strikes, too. [caption id="attachment_949107" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wolf Dining and Bar, Brock Beazley[/caption] Hospitality design contenders include Capella, Longshore, Bar Besuto and Hanasuki in Sydney; Reine and La Rue, The Ritz-Carlton, The Lyall, Antara 128, Enoteca Boccaccio and Purple Pit in Melbourne; and The Wolf Dining and Bar and the revamped Gerard's in Brisbane. South Australia's Pinco Deli, Fugazzi Basement and Evergreen Cafe also made the cut, as did Ember Bath House, Lawson Flats, Canteen Pizza and Yiamas in Western Australia. In the retail design category, Dissh Bondi, Sydney's LeTAO and Gelato Messina Newtown are up against Melbourne's Pidapipó Laboratorio and G McBean Family Butcher, to name just a few places on the shortlist. And, the public design field includes UQ Brisbane City, Art Gallery of New South Wales' library and members lounge, and stage three of Geelong Arts Centre. [caption id="attachment_929402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Capella Sydney, Timothy Kaye[/caption] The rundown goes on in all fields, which means that — as proves the case every year — there's no shortage of strikingly designed new, revamped and refurbished places demanding your attention around around the country. This year's winners will be announced in-person at a dinner the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney on Friday, June 14. [caption id="attachment_922655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Antara 128, Haydn Cattach[/caption] [caption id="attachment_905603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Longshore, Jason Loucas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_927271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Enoteca Boccaccio, Peter Clarke[/caption] [caption id="attachment_928198" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LeTAO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gelato Messina Newtown, Jack Fenby[/caption] For the full Australian Interior Design Awards 2024 shortlist, head to the AIDA website. Top image: Como Restaurant by Cieran Murphy.
It has been a couple of years since Brisbane's Metre Market transformed into The Market Folk, and since the latter started holding regular markets at Coorparoo Square, too. In 2021, they're still going strong. Whether you're an inner east local, or you're always looking for an excuse to browse and buy independent goods somewhere around town, they're a great weekend go-to. Head along from 9am–1pm on Sunday, February 21 to next get your fix, and to treat yo'self to more than a few nifty items and objects in the process. More than 40 stalls will be showcasing everything from fashion and food to arts, homewares and design items. There'll also be skincare, accessories and eco products as well. Back in the day, the pre-worn rack sales were a big highlight of Metre Market, and they've stuck around here as well. So, you can rehome someone else's unwanted threads, find yourself with a new outfit and save more textiles from going to landfill.
Landlocked surfers of Melbourne, rejoice — Australia's first surf park is finally filled with water and almost ready to start makin' waves. And it's a lot closer to the city than Torquay or the Peninsula. Urbnsurf Melbourne will open in Tullamarine, near the airport, just 16-kilometres north of the CBD. Plans for the park first surfaced way back in 2016 and, while the team was initially hoping for a spring opening, Urbnsurf has today revealed that the park is now filled with water, will start pumping out surf in the coming weeks and is set to open its doors to the public by summer this year. At the moment, the site is a very still lagoon — but when it opens, the two-hectare space will power up to 1000 waves per hour, day and night. And you'll get a choice of waves. Want to ride nothing but perfectly-formed right-handers for an hour? Or would you prefer a random selection, like what you'd experience in the ocean? You'll be able to take your pick. According to Urbnsurf founder Andrew Ross, "every wave has six different take-off spots", which equates to 3600 surfable positions every hour. [caption id="attachment_744979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy Urbnsurf and Ed Sloane[/caption] So how does it work? Basically, the waves come from an 85-metre pier that runs down the centre of the lagoon. A series of pistons located on the pier then push the water to the left, then to the right, to create the waves. Ross likens the movement to "moving your hand back and forward like a shark's tail". The ability to create waves means that the park will be built for both pros who are looking for steep, barrelling waves and novices looking for a safe place to get their start in the surf. At Urbnsurf, Ross predicts, most novices will stand on their board within an hour and ride across the green face within two. And not only will you get guaranteed waves — you won't be fighting for them. The park holds 84 riders per hour. And, should you get seriously hooked, you'll be able to enter amateur competitions, maybe with (or against) your mates. If you need a break between sessions on the water, Urbnsurf will also be home to hot tubs, beach cabanas and a new two-storey restaurant by the owners of Sydney's Three Blue Ducks. And it's hoping to host a heap of live gigs, art shows and cultural experiences, too — we'll let you know when any are announced. If you're not in Melbourne, you'll be happy to know that a second Urbnsurf is set to open at Sydney Olympic Park in 2021. Urbnsurf is due to open in this summer near Melbourne Airport. You can sign up to test out the surf park before it opens on the website. Images: Courtesy Urbnsurf and Ed Sloane
How many times have you booked a relaxing holiday away, only to find yourself unable to disconnect from your phone and not actually relaxed at all? Well, pause that infinite scroll and make your next escape an off-the-grid adventure. by hitting up one of the best tiny cabins in Australia. A stay at one of these remote cabins in Australia will leave you no choice but to chuck your phone in your bag and forget about it till you're back in mobile range, utterly relaxed and refreshed. We're doing this for your own good. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, there are a wealth of tiny cabins in Australia to explore at any time of year. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Dog Friendly Accommodations in Australia [caption id="attachment_720725" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Riparide[/caption] VICTORIA Tea Tree Hill Beach Shack was created with all the important creature comforts in mind — it's a stone's throw from the beach, plus it has an indoor (and outdoor) fireplace and an outdoor bath. Set in stunning Venus Bay, this Victorian tiny cabin is surrounded by stellar secluded beaches and coastal landscapes but also features luxurious amenities and top-quality furnishings to lounge on. It's perfect for those who want to ensconce themselves in the worlds of fishing, stand-up paddleboarding and staring at a fire contemplating life. Plus, Wilsons Prom is just an hour or so away, so you can easily head out for a day trip. And upon your return, you can snuggle in beside the fire with a complimentary whisky or port in hand. [caption id="attachment_720717" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] NORTHERN TERRITORY Thirty kilometres from Alice Springs, Ooraminna Station Homestead is about as far off the beaten track as they come. Set on 600 acres of red Aussie outback, the small homestead lies between the MacDonnell Ranges and the Simpson Desert and has four cabins available to rent — the Stone Cottage, the Timber Cabin, the Tin Cabin and the Log Cabin. Bushwalks, bird watching and camping under the stars are optional extras, but very much encouraged. Wander around the station and you'll come across an old movie set, where you can pretend you're in your own spaghetti western, a billabong, cattle and plenty of native wildlife. And if you're worried about getting lost during your stay, in lieu of Google Maps, there's resident dog Scruffy to guide you through your off-the-grid exploring. NEW SOUTH WALES Essentially a very, very fancy caravan, the stunning JR's Ecohut holds two people and everything you and your travel buddy will need for a weekend in luxurious seclusion — including jaw-dropping 360-degree views of the Kimo valley. Although teeny tiny, the space is well-designed and highly functional, set with a bed, dedicated workspace, kitchen, heating as well as an indoor fireplace. You can sleep snug under the stars, overlooking the 7000 acre Kimo farm and Murrambidgee river flats. Plus, brekkie is included. Just look at it, there's no doubt it is one of the best tiny homes in Australia. [caption id="attachment_720720" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] QUEENSLAND Known for its glorious sun and lush rainforests, Queensland and its northern parts are well worth the trip, and this tiny Rainforest Creek Cabin makes it even more so. Smack bang in the middle of a rainforest, with birds singing at you and a stream bubbling nearby, it's the type of place where you'll close your eyes and think you're on a yoga retreat in Bali. There's no internet, no reception and no screens in sight at this tiny cabin in Queensland — just a bed, kitchenette, a deck with glorious views and an outdoor shower and toilet. So, you're getting back to basics in the Australian tiny home set among some lush tropical surrounds. Located just a six-minute drive from the artistic little town of Maleny, with a few restaurants, coffee shops and galleries to poke your head into, it's a great spot for those wanting the best of both worlds. TASMANIA If it's rustic, seaside vibes you're after, Tasmania should be at the top of your list. Worth crossing rough seas for, Swansea is a town with under 900 residents and a seriously chill coastal vibe. And it's in this little town where you'll find the quaint Scarecrow Cottage. Built in the 19th century, this tiny cabin in Tasmania features a cosy indoor fireplace and it's completely wifi-less. Plus, you get complimentary wine and chocolates upon arrival. What's more, if you can pull yourself away from the fireplace, it's just a casual five-minute stroll to Swansea's shops and historic colonial buildings. If you're up for a hike, Freycinet National Park is just a short drive away, too. Top image: JR's Ecohut.
