When beer brewers Killer Sprocket and Kaiju teamed up to make KaKS Cotmari, they bottled a malty science experiment and featured a menacing creature on its label. But that wasn't to be their only foray into monster movie territory. Now, as part of Brewsvegas 2016, they're holding a movie night — and you can be there to watch, witness and taste the results. Knocking back a beverage by both companies is a must, of course; however watching their film of choice is just as important. In fact, the former will help you enjoy the latter, as The End pops on a classic Japanese flick and lets Killer Sprocket's brewer-slash-comedian Sean and Kaiju's resident funny guy Nate provide their own commentary. The ticket price includes the film, a beer and a plate of gyoza on arrival.
It's the stuff beer lovers' dreams are made of. In fact, it's the kind of event that really does seem too good to be true — that is, ten whole days of celebrations dedicated to the amber liquid we all know and love. Stop pinching yourself: Brewsvegas is real. So real, in fact, that it'll be taking over the town from March 11 to 20 for a third year of grassroots, community-minded, beverage-based fun. Whatever your preferred beer is — and whoever your favourite brewer may be — you'll find them both here as part of the action. After a massive launch party gets the shenanigans started, it's time for everything from bar hops to river cruises, table tennis tournaments to pinball wizardry, and cocktail making comps and dessert drinks too. Working your way around the world in 18 beers, having a pint to raise money for animals in need, enjoying a live music Sunday sesh, and shining the spotlight on female brewers is also on the lineup, as well as our top five picks of the sudsy showcase. Yes, there's plenty on offer that you'll be saying cheers to.
First things first: if you're going to combine karaoke with feminism and need a name for the resulting event, you can't get any better than Femioke. If there was ever a term bound to inspire the proud and passionate singing of many a pro-girl anthem, it's this one. Expect to do plenty of that at Femioke, whether the likes of the Spice Girls, Aretha Franklin, TLC, Cyndi Lauper or Beyonce gets your vocal talents flowing. As emceed by Metro Arts’ Amy-Clare, the event isn't only interested in belting out favourite feminist tracks, however — it's also about taking back misogynist songs. Think of it as a DIY-style sing-along, an all-inclusive feminist event and a safe space to celebrate International Women's Day — complete with a cash bar because every great karaoke session needs a tasty tipple. The event also acts as an after party for the We Need to Care forum, presented by artist-run initiative and feminist collective LEVEL. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Tibet is the type of place everyone wants to visit — and the kind of destination few of us will actually make it to. Don't worry, the Festival of Tibet offers up the next best thing. It'll either help ease the pain of not jumping on a plane, or make you book a ticket overseas as soon as you can. Learning how to make your own mala, practice meditation and paint and cook, Tibetan-style, will do that of course. And there's more where that came from. For the eighth year running, the event celebrates the resilience and optimism of a people and culture under threat through a showcase of the country's way of life. That includes a screening of the documentary Bringing Tibet Home, which delves into the nation's tentative state, plus a concert of traditional Tibetan songs and dances. We'd recommend the Karmic Imprints – Liberation Through Seeing exhibition as well. Nothing will help you understand the plight of the Tibetan people like witnessing artworks from some of the most prominent and sometimes controversial contemporary Tibetan artists from around the world.
If you've got it, flaunt it — and Claire Marshall certainly has it. The legendary Brisbane-based choreographer has showcased her smooth moves on the stage and screen for over a decade now. She's worked on sold-out productions, countless tours, and music videos for the likes of Darren Hayes, Kate Miller-Heidke, Megan Washington, Little Birdie, The Sleepy Jackson, John Butler Trio, Savage Garden and George Michael. Her latest show, Flaunt, explores female sexuality, representation and empowerment through a dazzling display of dance. Presented in the round with performers on perspex above the audience, Flaunt combines the smoky haze, glittering lights, myriad mirrors and thrilling soundtrack of a nightclub with contemporary, bold and gutsy dance. If the name sounds familiar, that's because Flaunt first popped up as part of Brisbane Powerhouse's SWEET creative development program for independent performance-makers and companies back in 2014. The show's initial run sold out, so don't delay this time. You don't want to see another type of flaunting — aka your mates, boasting about their tickets — if you missed out.
You've probably heard about Brisbane in the '80s. Under the conservative Joh Bjelke-Petersen government, times were tough — particularly if you were an arts lover, creative practitioner, or just liked going out and having a good time. With dark days like that not that long ago in the city's past, it's little surprise that Brisbane's current hustle and bustle still inspires wonder from those who lived through it. It wasn't all bad news, though. Many artists left, but some persevered, hung out at One Flat, A Room, That Space, The Observatory, and John Mills National, and tried to make a go of it. ephemeral traces: Brisbane's Artist-run Scene in the 1980s documents the latter category: the progressive folks who dug in their heels, attempted to ply their trade and created an arts scene around those five key spaces. Through artworks, documentation and other bits and pieces, the exhibition delves into their artist-run activity and examines the projects, publications and places at the centre. Yes, getting all nostalgic about retro pop culture and art might be common, but this is a truly different kind of '80s flashback. Image: Jeanelle Hurst, Highrise Wallpaper, 1988. Documentation of the project 'InterFace 88: City as a work of art', Brisbane. Collection of Jeanelle Hurst.
They said this. They did that. They think something is cool. They're outraged about another topic. In today's internet age, with everyone always online and broadcasting their every move via social media, we live in a time of "they". But who are these anonymous figures constantly lurking in our digital lives, and what role do they play in contemporary visual culture? No, that's not a question only Fox Mulder would ask. Charlie Donaldson and Spencer Harvie's mutual fascination with all things conspiratorial may play a big part in Memory Foam Never Forgets; however here, their obsession with the faceless "they" isn't a sign of paranoia or a subject for the X-Files. Sharing an interest in imagined characters and narratives, insane inventions and popular culture phenomena — and sourcing hundreds of different images from the internet — they're simply trying to get to the heart of our ever-connected modern-day reality, as well as the many things that come with it. Their exhibition is an attempt to make sense of the world, as audiences can discover throughout the installation's March 30 to April 16 run, or hear directly from the duo themselves at an artists' talk on April 6.
First, the good news: Brisbane has a brand new cheese club. Run by a group of cheese lovers keen to share their affection for everyone's favourite dairy product, it delivers monthly bundles of the types of international cheeses you won't find on any ordinary supermarket or deli shelf. Now, the even better news: Cheese Therapy isn't just about ordering online and waiting for your next batch of creamy goodness to arrive. Events are also part of the equation. You can't start a cheese club without actually getting a bunch of folks in a room to eat, drink and be merry, after all. March 16 is the date that these cheese dreams become a reality, complete with not one but two launch functions. Jump between cheese stations, nibble on a piece of sharp cheddar or a slice of gooey brie, and enjoy a matching wine. Plus, none other than Peter Russell-Clarke is the special guest. He'll be saying g'day to cheese and helping you relive your memories of '80s TV cooking shows.
There's never a bad time to head to the cinema, but Sunday, January 19 might just be a better day than most. Make a trip to the movies any time on that specific date, and $2 from your ticket will be donated to charities helping bushfire-affected communities. A joint collaboration between most Australian cinemas and distributors — aka the folks who show movies, and those that make them available to screen — the day-long event will support the Salvation Army Bushfire Appeal, the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery and the RSPCA Bushfire Appeal. Most cinemas in Brisbane are participating — which includes all Palace, Event, Dendy, Readings, Cineplex and Hoyts locations, plus the , among others. Wondering what to see? Spend a few hours with standouts such as True History of the Kelly Gang, Little Women and 1917, enjoy the all-ages hijinks of Jumanji: The Next Level or see Guy Ritchie fall back upon his British crime caper ways with The Gentlemen. You can also experience the catastrophe that is Cats for yourself, travel to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker or watch a Californian couple try a different way of living in inspirational documentary The Biggest Little Farm.
Every year, when Lunar New Year hits, Brisbane's Multicultural Community Centre celebrates with its annual Technicolour Chinese New Year Night Market. The highlight: food and plenty of it, with a packed lineup of vendors and food trucks serving up everything you could want to feast on for the occasion. Arriving hungry is just sensible, really. In addition to satisfying your stomach, the market will feature live performances — including lion dances — as well as a firecracker show. And, among the stalls, you'll also find handmade goods whipped up by local crafty folks. Eat, be entertained and take home some goodies. 2020's market takes place on Saturday, February 1 from 4–9pm at the Multicultural Community Centre in Newmarket. Entry is free, and you can even take home a few prizes. Hope the Year of the Rat has you feeling lucky.
For much of Brewsvegas, hopping around town — and making your way between as many Brisbane bars, breweries, pubs and other watering holes — is on the agenda. Sometimes, though, you just want to sit in one place, have a great meal and enjoy an inventive lineup of paired beverages. Enter Felons Brewing Co's Sour Grapes Dinner. Because it's part of a beer festival, brews are still on the menu; however they'll be of the sour kind. You'll sip your way through four — and four rosés, too — while eating a four-course dinner. Felons' head brewer Tom Champion, executive chef Patrick Friesen and head sommelier Ian Trinkle have all joined forces to create the food and drink lineup, which includes smoked trout, grilled prawn salad, honey-glazed duck and a selection of cheese for dessert — plus cherry and raspberry-flavoured brews. Head along from 6.30pm on Tuesday, March 17 — and it's recommended that you nab your $90 ticket in advance, as it's bound to be popular.
Whether through Lewis Carroll's words, via Disney's original animated movie or thanks to the recent, colourful live-action flicks, Alice in Wonderland has long earned a place in audiences' hearts and minds. At The Stamford Plaza's next themed event, the classic tale will also secure a place in fans' stomachs. A decadent Mad Hatter's High Tea will do that. Across two weeks of dates that no one will want to be late for, the CBD venue is putting on 18 wondrous sessions, taking place from 10.30am–12pm and 1.30–3pm between Monday, April 6–Thursday, April 9 and Tuesday, April 14–Friday, April 17 — plus morning sessions on Friday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. The appropriate decorations will transport attendees down the rabbit hole (aka into the hotel's River Room); however, given that the celebrated story is filled with snacks that scream 'eat me' and drinks adorned with 'drink me', the food and beverage spread is the main attraction. Each 90-minute sitting includes a jelly station, popping candy, a chocolate fountain, and an edible garden (and yes, the latter is of the dessert, not salad, variety). Also on the menu: sweet and savoury bites that include 'un-birthday' cake, Cheshire Cat-themed cookies, jam tarts, carrot pots, mac 'n' cheese, cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches, and quiche. Drinks-wise, expect appropriately labelled beverages asking you to drink them — including bubbles — plus tea and coffee. Dietary requirements can be accommodated by notifying the Stamford when booking, with attendance costing $59. Given the theme, and the fact that this is open to all ages, it's best to make like the white rabbit when it comes to securing your spot, as this will sell out. If you need some more motivation to hop along, the trailer for the original animated Alice in Wonderland will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWspqy0hhqk Top image: Stamford Plaza Brisbane.
Meat is off the menu — and all other animal products, too — at Haven Newstead's new fortnight-long food event. At Haven Goes Vegan, the precinct's retailers are celebrating plant-based dishes, and plenty of them, all between Monday, March 16–Sunday, March 29. Focusing on locally grown and produced ingredients, there's an array of options for hungry Brisbanites to choose from. Any day during the two weeks, you can nab a $20 vegan deal at Betty's Burgers, which includes a vegan burger, vegan fries and a vegan shake — only at Newstead, that is. Or, on specific dates, you can choose between vegan all-you-can-eat pizza and pasta at Salt Meats Cheese, a vegan long lunch at e'cco Bistro and vegan chocolate cake at Jocelyn's Provisions. If you fancy doing more than just eating, pick between two classes and pick up some new skills. Free daily sessions will teach you to whip up buckwheat and red lentil lasagne, as well as an apricot pistachio cake, while SMC is hosting a 'go green with Italian vegan cuisine' ticketed masterclass. Top image: Betty's Burgers.
For months, Brisbanites couldn't leave the city. Other than via streaming, we couldn't enjoy live tunes either. Now that restrictions on both are easing, Airwaves: The Drive-In Music Festival is here to make the most of it — by hosting a music fest on the Sunshine Coast that's all about watching ace talent from the comfort of your car. Hitting up the Nambour Showgrounds between Friday, July 10–Sunday, July 12, the new festival will unleash three nights of live music, with a different lineup on offer each evening. The Dreggs, Sahara Beck and Toxic Fox will kick things off on Friday, with The Chats, Bugs and Being Jane Lane taking over on Saturday. Then, come Sunday, Pierce Brothers, Oka and Salt & Steel will hit the stage to wrap it all up. It's your excuse to head out of town and head to a gig — and to have a unique experience while you're at it. Pre COVID-19, no one would've imagined that drive-in concerts and music festivals would be a thing. Now, they're part of our new reality. If that's not motivation enough, Airwaves will also sport an outer space theme; think astronaut ice-cream to snack on, flying saucer-style decorations scattered around the place, decking out the venue like a space station and encouraging attendees to dress appropriately. Tickets for each night are being sold separately — ranging from $206.80–329.20 per car per night depending on how close to the stage you'd like to park — with 275 car spaces available every evening. And if you're wondering about COVID-19 safe measures, the fest will feature contactless ticketing, food delivery to your car, hand sanitiser for everyone and the enforcement of 1.5-metre social-distancing requirements. Airwaves: The Drive-In Music Festival takes place on Friday, July 10 from 6–10pm, Saturday, July 11 from 6–10pm and Sunday, July 12 from 4–8pm, with tickets on sale now.
This Saturday, June 6, rallies will be held across Australia in protest of Black and Indigenous deaths at the hands of police, both locally and in the US. Held in solidarity with the protests currently happening in the States — in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis — and in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the Brisbane rally is also a call to action on the systemic mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by police. Since 1991's royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, another 432 Indigenous Australians have died in custody, including Dunghutti man David Dungay Jr, who's 2015 death draws many parallels to that of Floyd. Organised by the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, the Brisbane protest is called Black Lives Matter — Stop Black Deaths in Custody Meanjin. It'll be held from 1–5pm, starting at King George Square. While Queensland's COVID-19 cases are declining, we're still in the midst of a pandemic and rally attendees are encouraged to practise social distancing measures, with the organisers saying everyone should wear a mask, stand as far apart as possible and do not attend if they are feeling unwell. If you have even mild symptoms, it's strongly encouraged you go and get tested. If you can't attend, but would still like to do your part, you can donate to an Indigenous Australian charity or organisation — including to the family of Dungay Jr, who are currently raising money to cover legal costs — and educate yourself on Australia's Indigenous history. To help start with the latter, here are 13 films by Indigenous Australian filmmakers you can stream.
UPDATE: June 21, 2020: Like a Boss is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Comedies about women kicking ass in the workplace — overcoming sexism, ageism and other barriers, and generally demonstrating their business savvy — comprise a tiny genre. Based on its most recent additions, you can be forgiven for wishing it was even smaller. Where the smart and amusing 9 to 5 once sent three tenacious ladies on a quest for revenge against their misogynist boss, its latest successors all serve up easy, lazy tales paired with muddled messages. Exhibit A: the beauty industry-set I Feel Pretty, which judged as much as championed the allegedly average-looking Amy Schumer. Exhibit B: Second Act, where Jennifer Lopez plays a working-class manager determined to show her worth beyond her modest background, but only after lying to land a lucrative makeup company job. Exhibit C: newcomer Like a Boss, where women running their own cosmetics businesses are too busy acting petty and irrational to make sensible or even just realistic decisions. If you've noticed a similarity between the last three films, yes, they're all set in makeup companies. That's another reason this current breed of ostensibly empowerment-driven movies belongs in the bin. Hollywood might think it's using a field known for focusing on appearances to celebrate the opposite idea — that it's what's inside that counts — but it's really just making vapid, superficial and unfunny films that insult women's intelligence. No one needs a thematically linked cinematic universe about ladies who work in cosmetics and learn their real inner worth. Cinema chains might want one so they can host 'chicks at the flicks' sessions, hand out makeup samples and charge more for tickets, but audiences can grasp the underlying message without the beauty-driven angle. And yet, these movies keep coming. Worse: they keep insisting that the packaging does actually count, arrogantly assuming that no one would glean their purported wisdom if it wasn't juxtaposed against the cosmetics world. As an opening montage of Mia (Tiffany Haddish) and Mel's (Rose Byrne) 22-year friendship shows, Like a Boss' protagonists have always dreamed of working in the beauty industry. With their own makeup store and top-selling cosmetics kit, they've made that childhood wish come true. The duo also party and live together, to the point that they brush their teeth simultaneously while swapping Barack Obama fantasies — but, with Mia creative and pushy and Mel meek and practical, their business is in financial trouble. Conveniently, in swoops mogul Claire Luna (Salma Hayek) with an offer to bail them out. Requiring a considerable stake in the company in return, she secretly wants to steal their business for herself. Cartoonish from the moment her carrot-hued hair sweeps into frame — "my head is not little; it's just that my breasts are humongous," she snaps — Hayek's villain says much about Like a Boss. She's the titular figure suddenly ordering Mia and Mel around and pitting them against each other, and she fits every inane stereotype there is about women breaking the glass ceiling. Ruthless, catty and erratic, she plots evil schemes while balancing on towering heels and wearing tight dresses, with the film making fun of her appearance, her ambition and — in a painfully prolonged scene — her accent. It's grating to watch, and it typifies how contemptuously Like a Boss treats its characters. Indeed, add squandering a great cast to the film's many missteps. Despite the visible efforts of Haddish and Byrne, their central pair remains just as paper-thin. The usually reliable comedic actors work hard, but choking energetically and hurling over-the-top insults aren't the same as depicting fleshed-out people — and, when their characters aren't being belittled by Claire, they're being criticised by their wider circle of friends (Ari Graynor, Jessica St Clair and Natasha Rothwell) about their life choices. As for other supporting players Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie), Billy Porter (an Emmy winner for Pose) and Karan Soni (Miracle Workers), they're only asked to serve one comic purpose each. The ditzy employee who blurts out inappropriate things, the sassy gay man who tells it like it is and the compliant minion — they're all accounted for. Given the movie's premise and script, none of its performers ever stood much of a chance. It's hard to understand what first-time feature writers Sam Pitman and Adam Cole-Kelly are trying to achieve — although their pitch was bought as a Bridesmaids-style vehicle for Haddish after Girls Trip became a hit, so perhaps everyone simply thought she'd carry the feature. It's hard to see what filmmaker Miguel Arteta saw in the project either, or brings to it for that matter. When he directed Hayek in 2017's Beatriz at Dinner, the result was a dark and scathing exploration of class differences in America's current political climate. With Like a Boss, however, he just serves up broad laughs about women working, competing and acting like clichés. Even when the film tries to evoke blunt guffaws about a very relatable idea — that even the most successful ladies don't always have it together — it still proves weak and unconvincing. In fact, those aspects of the story feel clumsily tacked-on. Like its recent predecessors, this mess of a supposed comedy only achieves one feat: contradicting itself. No matter how forcefully Like a Boss pushes the 'it's what's inside that matters' mantra, every element of this superficial movie sadly screams the exact opposite. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW9TtXgLOew
Turning glass containers into plant-filled miniature landscapes, terrariums aren't all that difficult to make. They're an achievable craft project that doesn't require too green a thumb, look great, and can fit in homes of all shapes and sizes. But who wants to whip up a regular ol' terrarium when you can add a splash of Studio Ghibli magic to your pebbles, moss and other plants? At the Totoro Terrarium Workshop, you'll learn all the terrarium basics, including the art of terrarium landscaping, everything you need to know about mosses and lichens, detailed info about tropical species and how to care for them long-term. As the name indicates, you'll also discover how to turn your new creation into an ode to My Neighbour Totoro. As fans of the movie will already know, it's basically screaming out for the terrarium treatment. Your $89 ticket includes all of the above, as well as everything you need to make a Totoro-themed terrarium — with Botanicals by Bella hosting the session at West End's All the Green Things. Book your spot for Tuesday, March 24, with the workshop running from 6.30–8.30pm. Then, be prepared to get spirited away. Top image: Botanicals by Bella.
It's that time, Brisbanites — time to embrace the change from summer to autumn by having brunch in beer gardens. We're well aware that you can basically do that all year round in our fair city; however when the hottest part of the year starts to fade, you might as well celebrate in the appropriate fashion. The Osbourne Hotel's Bottomless Drink Pink Brunch is definitely approaching the occasion with the right spirit, with the Fortitude Valley venue rolling out quite the shindig from 10.30am–12.30pm on Saturday, March 7. For $49, attendees can choose from a range of luxe dishes and pair them with bottomless rosé and bottomless pink gin spritzes. Yes, the drinks part of the event is unlimited, so prepare to sip your way through plenty of wine and cocktails, too. Food-wise, you can take your pick of one dish from the hotel's brunch menu — which, at previous events, has included truffle scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and poached egg bagels, and maple-smoked bacon and haloumi on sourdough.
Art galleries are places of creativity and tranquility. Twice a month at the Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, they're places for yoga too. It makes sense — you're in a space known for its peace and quiet, and for contemplation and serenity. Breaking out your best downward dog pose just seems like a natural thing to do, really. We don't recommend showing off your flexibility just anywhere, of course. Instead, make a date with QAG and GOMA's Monthly Mindfulness Yoga sessions. The dates change each month, but there's always one session from 8.45–9.45am on a Sunday, and another from 6–7pm on a Wednesday, giving you the option of bending and stretching to start your day or winding down after work. [caption id="attachment_677207" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gallery of Modern Art. Exterior. South & East face. James Turrell artwork.[/caption] Taught by Miriam Van Doorn, the classes combine flow-style yoga and meditation, and are open to all skill levels. Sometimes they're held at QAG, sometimes they're at GOMA — so you won't get tired of the scenery. Bookings are essential, and cost $12 for gallery members and $16 otherwise.
On Tuesday, February 25, Salt Meats Cheese Gasworks is bringing back one of its best all-you-can-eat events: all-you-can-eat arancini and meatballs. Unlike the restaurant's weekly bottomless pizza and pasta feast, this happens much less often, so you'll want to clear your night if the idea is already making you hungry. Tuck into arancini and meatballs in four varieties, including beef, barramundi, falafel and vegan arancini, then smother them in toppings. That's where you can choose from napoletana or carbonara sauce, go traditional with bolognese, opt for mushroom and cream, get super cheesy with four cheeses, or even slather them with truffles — and the list of goes on. Vegan and vegetarian options are available, so everyone can enjoy indulging in as many arancini and meatballs as you can possibly stomach. The night kicks off at 5pm, and costs $25 with a drink purchase. Unsurprisingly, bookings are recommended. And, take note: this is only happening at SMC's Gasworks store. Image: Salt Meats Cheese.
Have you spent the last decade popping your colleagues' staplers in jelly, or covering their desks in gift wrap? When someone makes a comment — any comment — do you answer "that's what she said"? Do you have a soft spot for paper company employees, or for anyone who gets married at Niagara Falls? As soon as you meet people who work in HR, do you expect them to be called Toby? If so, then The Office — the US version — has changed your life, and now it's time to put your secret skills to the test. Michael Scott won't call everyone into Ivory Tusk's conference room on Wednesday, February 19; however the Fortitude Valley bar will host a trivia night from 6pm, so it's almost the same thing. Because Brisbane loves trivia evenings based on sitcoms that Mike Schur had a hand in (think Parks & Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine) more than it loves pulling pranks, it's certain to be a popular evening. The quiz session will run until 9pm, and someone had better break out Jim and Pam's wedding dance — and bring something beetroot-flavoured, ideally from Schrute Farms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryxUeWEcUqE Playing is free, but you'll need to reserve your spot by calling or emailing the restaurant. Also, there'll be $10 tacos on offer as well.
Sometimes, finding bliss is as easy as sinking a cold one. At other times, an energetic bout of bending and stretching hits the spot. Beer yoga combines the two, obviously — and to raise money for the bushfire appeal, it's coming to Brisbane's XXXX Brewery. To answer the question that has probably popped into your head: yes, it's very likely that your exercise session will be scented by the yeasty smell that hangs over the Milton venue. The whole suburb has adopted the aroma, after all. Of course, once you're done testing your flexibility for an hour, you'll smell that beer smell while you're downing a schooner of XXXX Gold. Run by Yoga Flex Studio, the class takes place at 4pm on Saturday, January 18 — and arriving slightly beforehand to get set up is recommended. Bringing your own mat if you have one is, too. Tickets cost $20, with all the proceeds being donated to the Australian Red Cross's bushfire appeal.
Looking for an excuse to head north, up to the Sunshine Coast and into the hinterland? An afternoon of eating, drinking and wandering through a rainforest should do it. That's all on the agenda at the Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, which takes over Maleny's Spicers Tamarind Retreat on Saturday, February 22 with plenty of food, booze and leafy greenery. The plantlife is the easiest part to take care of, because it surrounds the hotel anyway — and provides quite the backdrop for all the culinary fun. As for what you'll be snacking on, ready your appetite for a feast of Asian street food. Lamb-stuffed steamed bao, Asian-style tacos with char sui-marinated slow-braised pork, pad thai chicken wings and Asian-inspired gelato will all be on offer. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping wine, Brouhaha Beer's finest, and ciders and spirits from Noosa's Fortune Distillery, including gin and vodka. Your $99 ticket will nab you a dish at each of the five food stalls, two beverages, access to cooking demonstrations and live music — while for $145 you can also attend a riesling masterclass. Bring blankets and cushions with you, too, for lazing around on the grass between bites.
Next time you stock up your wardrobe with new and pre-loved high-end fashion, you'll be doing so for a good cause. To raise money for the bushfire crisis, Brisbane's super-stylish sartorial community has sifted through its cupboards, and found a heap of upscale and designer pieces to donate, with everything up for sale at the day-long Ltd. Edition Fashion Fun-Raiser. All the proceeds will be donated to communities rocked by the blazes — so if you needed an excuse to get shopping, you've got one. As you're browsing the racks, you can also tap your toes to live music and DJ sets, grab a bite to eat from the onsite food trucks and nab a sneaky drink at the pop-up bar. Block out Sunday, January 19 in your diary — and make plans to head to The Station on Barry Parade in Fortitude Valley between 10am–5pm. If you have your own clothes to donate, you can also do so in advance and help those in need in another fashion — with fashion, too.
Trivia nights mean gathering your mates around, enjoying a few beverages and trying to convert your respective stores of knowledge into glory. At this particular trivia night, you'll do all that, but there'll be a particular emphasis on your pals. Given that the topic of the evening is a certain sitcom about a band of best buddies, celebrating your chums is the thing to do. Yes, Friends is in the spotlight at Foresters next battle of pop culture tidbits. If you think you know everything there is to know about the show that caused viewers to agonise over whether Ross and Rachel would get together, wish that Joey and Chandler lived next door and get their hair cut like Jennifer Aniston, here's your chance to prove it. Prizes are on offer — and if you want to break out those 90s and early 00s fashions, no one will stop you. Remember, though, it has been 15 years since Friends was on TV, making the contest not just a test of trivia, but a workout for everyone's memories. No one told you that watching endless television reruns could turn out this way. Friends Trivia takes place from 7pm on Thursday, January 16. Registration is required in advance, as is a gold coin entry fee per participant on the night.
If you're one of the scores of Aussie teens who devoured smash-hit flick 10 Things I Hate About You when it first came out — and then about a million times on VHS since — prepare to feel positively elderly. This year, the 1999 movie celebrates its 21st anniversary. Yep, the modern day retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew that had us all swooning over Heath Ledger is more than two decades old. And what better way to mark that occasion than a special drive-in screening of the timeless high school tale? Yatala's movies-on-wheels site is hosting a special throwback showing of 10 Things I Hate About You to its schedule for Valentine's Day, with the film gracing its big screen on Friday, February 14. Prepare to revisit all those late 90s feels as you catch those classic movie moments — from the cheer-worthy smashing of Joey Donner's car to that pre-formal pregnancy suit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVHxKeFZU1s You can pack your own food for the session — Ms Perky would definitely recommend bratwurst — but BYO booze obviously isn't allowed. Otherwise, you can make the most of Yatala's 50s-style diner. Tickets cost $35 per carload, which covers up to six people.
All day, every day that it's open, West End's Covent Garden is firmly in the gin game. Gin and tonics, gin cocktails, gin shots — if you like your alcoholic beverages made from juniper spirits, that's what you'll find here. That remains true from 11am on Saturday, January 25; however the Boundary Street joint is going a little more gin crazy than usual on that date. It's calling the celebration Ginuary, and we recommend that you arrive thirsty. Revamping the event since 2019, this year's shindig will involve four gin degustation stations — slinging tipples from Ink Gin, Four Pillars Gin, Brookie's Gin and Fever Tree. There'll also be ten different types of canapes served between 12–4pm, with all of the above setting gin-lovers back $39. Plus, you can either keep buying gin drinks as you go, or you can opt for a $149 ticket. The latter will get you four hours of unlimited drinks, spanning more than 100 Australian gins — served as 30ml serves with mixer or on the rocks — as well as tap beers, house wines, soft drinks and juices. Highlighting how huge the past year was in the gin world, Covent Garden is compiling a hottest 100 of Australian and New Zealand gins for the occasion, too, complete with a countdown on the day. You can vote online in advance, then hear the results live on the day.
It's BrisAsia time in Brisbane, again. Each year, for the whole month of February, this city of ours celebrates Asian culture — and in great news for your hungry stomach, plenty of food is always on the menu. Expect a heap of bites to eat at the festival's new Valley of Spices event, which takes place from 4–9pm on Sunday, February 9. We hope you like a bit of heat in your meal and some tingling tastebuds afterwards, because that's what you'll be getting. Twelve hawker-style street vendors will be serving up their spicy dishes and, if you want to know how to work your own culinary magic at home — spicing up your own curries, or adding some bite to your homemade dumplings, for example — there'll also be cooking demonstrations. [caption id="attachment_758021" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tanya Dedyukhina via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Taking over the Chinatown Mall for a busy afternoon and evening, the free event will also feature live performances to help celebrate Lunar New Year.
More than eight months since it premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Palme d'Or and sparking a wave of acclaim that's still going, Bong Joon-ho's Parasite is still earning plenty of attention. In fact, even though the South Korean masterpiece opened in Australian cinemas at the end of June last year, it's still — yes, still — screening on the big screen. It actually hasn't stopped showing in theatres in all of that time. Whether you've seen the best film of 2019 already, or you've been meaning to catch up, heading along to a session on Sunday, February 9 is highly recommended. Don't just go to any old screening of the twisty flick, though. On this one day — the day before this year's Oscars, where Bong's applauded movie is in the running for six awards — Parasite will be screening in select cinemas in black and white. Bong has always wanted to make a B&W film, inspired by the works of auteurs such as Jean Renoir, Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa and John Ford. While Parasite was shot in colour, this new monochrome print lets its director live out his dreams. And, it lets audiences experience the movie's thrills, secrets and feuding families in a brand new way. As Bong himself explains about watching it in black and white, "the film felt more realistic and sharp, as if I was being cut by a blade." Brisbanites can check out the B&W version at Dendy Coorparoo, Dendy Portside and Palace James Street. In the interim, watch the trailer below — in colour, though, not black and white: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk
West Village is already one of the greenest parts of West End, and now it's letting you take some plant-life home with you. No, you can't raid the precinct's garden — but you can browse the stalls at the spot's first Plant Market. Looking for something leafy to sit on your window sill? A statement plant for your back deck? Terrariums and kokedamas to place (and hang) wherever fits? Ceramics to spice up your shelves? Succulents and cacti, because they brighten up any space? Good ol' fashioned flowers, just because? Botanical-themed jewellery? Some cactus-shaped cookies? Thanks to a long list of participants including All the Green Things, Max and Mort, Soul Pantry, September Creative, Billeta, Luvia Designs, Succulent Mummas, and Hansel and Gretel Cakes, they're all on offer. Just head on down to the free event from 10am–3pm on Sunday, June 16 — and if you have some plants at home that don't quite suit, could use someone else's love or you're just not feeling, you can bring them along to the onsite greenery adoption centre. At hourly intervals, you can also learn a few tips and tricks at the Plant Market's workshops, including about potted plants, making your own plant earrings, and kokedamas — for a fee between $10–60, and with registration required.
If you've ever wanted to care less about all the things that really don't matter — and, honestly, don't we all — then you've probably read Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. If you're really devoted to the idea, you're probably keen to get stuck into the author's latest book as well, aka Everything is F*cked: A Book About Hope. When the first book hit, it was everywhere. Approachable, brutally honest, not-quite self-help advice will have that effect. It's not about not giving any f*cks. It's about giving the right number of f*cks about the right things. After all, there are only so many one has time to give. You should obviously give a f*ck about Manson's upcoming Australian tour, of course, with the author coming to Brisbane on Thursday, July 18. See the blogger-turned-bestselling writer share his thoughts and insights at Brisbane Powerhouse — and leave giving the number of f*cks that you need to. Tickets go on sale at 1pm, Friday, June 7.
Whether he's delving into revenge noir, taking on Italian giallo horror or spinning a cinematic story about a haunted dress, it's safe to say that no one makes films quite like Peter Strickland. That's the type of statement that every director aims for, but the proof is in the British auteur's distinctive frames — and in their immensely textured combination of images and audio. From 2009's Katalin Varga and 2012's Berberian Sound Studio, to 2014's The Duke of Burgundy and 2018's In Fabric, you can pick one of Strickland's features just by looking at and listening to a mere snippet of it. The same rings true with his electrifying concert film, Björk: Biophilia Live, too. If you're keen to discover his wonders for yourself, all five movies will screen at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art across a three-day retrospective dedicated to the filmmaker. Four of Strickland's audio works will also play, so you can realise just how masterful his use of sound is, especially when he's not pairing it with visuals. The added bonus: Strickland himself is also coming to Brisbane, and will chat about his work across a 60-minute in-conversation session following a screening of In Fabric. Presented by GOMA's Australian Cinémathèque in partnership with the Queensland Film Festival, it's a rare chance to see an inimitable film talent discuss his craft — and cinephile catnip.
If you like beer and you live in Brisbane, then you've probably noticed a trend in recent years. In fact, you've probably been making the most of it. That's to be expected when a certain patch of turf just outside the inner city starts welcoming new drinking spots with frequency. Thanks to Range Brewing, Green Beacon Brewing, Newstead Brewing Co and The Triffid, there's no shortage of bars to have a brew at in Newstead — and while you've likely been hopping between them all anyway, The Beermuda Revival Tour gives the suburb's pub crawl an official spin. Jumping down the above list of places from 2pm on Saturday, June 15, it'll take you between all four spots, slinging frothy ales at each. Your $35.10 ticket gets you a beverage at every spot, plus games, prizes and a spot of plogging — which is a combination of jogging and picking up litter, and must go better with brews. There'll also be a sausage sizzle and live music, as well as just generally soaking in the boozy Newstead vibes.
Keen to escape the cold weather in a cinema, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball? Call Dendy's latest special a case of great timing, then. For the weekend spanning Friday, June 14 to Monday, June 17, its Portside and Coorparoo cinemas is offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem — as long as you purchase tickets to one of five flicks, you'll only pay $6. Just which flicks you have to choose from depend on where you go. At Portside, you can go to a whole new world with Aladdin, ponder spy history with Red Joan or finish out a superhero saga with X-Men: Dark Phoenix. At Coorparoo, Aladdin is on the agenda too, as is the director of That Sugar Film's hopeful new climate change doco 2040 and monster mayhem with Godzilla: King of the Monsters. You can score the cheap tickets in person at the cinema or online (although the latter will cost you an extra $1.50 booking fee). The deal is valid for all sessions of all of the above films at the specific locations across all four days.
If you're one of those people who's always meaning to give blood, now might be the perfect time to roll up your sleeve. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service needs 99,000 new donors, and so they're hosting Australia's first 24-hour donate-a-thon — with some bloody great incentives to get you through the door. A CBD donor centre on Edward Street will be open for 24-hours from 7pm on Thursday, June 13 through to 7pm on Friday, June 14 (aka World Blood Donor Day). To encourage you to donate, there'll be live music, live magic and free food. Oh, and you'll be helping to save up to three lives. We all know it's important to have a bite to eat after giving blood, and for once it'll be more than just a cookie and a party pie. Celebrity chef Richard Ousby (previously at Stokehouse) will be serving up pulled pork 'donor' kebabs with salt and vinegar veggie chips and a whipped cheese dip. And Gelato Messina have created a new flavour just for the occasion — blood orange cheesecake gelato with red velvet cake and raspberry puree. How very fitting.
Between Thursday, June 13 and Tuesday, June 18, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs an extra gift. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, its daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to one of the chain's two Brisbane locations — Barracks on Petrie Terrace and James Street in the Valley — across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you $7.50, plus an online booking fee of $1.50. Want to see Rocketman with your friends on a Saturday night? It'll cost you $9 in total. Keen to laugh your way through last year's Lavazza Italian Film Festival favourite, My Big Gay Italian Wedding, after work one afternoon? Still $9 all up. After another excuse to stare at Chris Hemsworth on the big screen? Go see Men In Black: International for (yup, you guessed it) $9. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for cheap, so you will want to nab your tickets online here and pay the fee. With the cold well and truly here, seek refuge in either Palace across Brisbane and see some of the hottest movies showing on the big screen this season. Image: Palace Barracks.
Everyone in Brisbane has been to the Ekka on more than one occasion, but have you heard of the food and drink-focused equivalent? There mightn't be any rides, sideshows, goldfish, fireworks or flu at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show; however, there are plenty of tasty delights of the edible and drinkable kind, all vying to be crowned the state's finest in their respective category. Don't worry — if you're wondering why you haven't come across RQFWS before, that's because it's not open to the public. Well, not usually, anyway. Grape Grazing by Night is a delicious, alcohol-infused exception. For one boozy evening on Friday, July 12, more than 1800 wines submitted for the judges' seal of approval can also compete in another taste test: yep, that'd be yours. You'll sample award-winning tipples, snack on cheese, beef, lamb and other canapés, and chat with the experts, all while raising your glass — or several — to the best boozy grape drinks in the country.
There's no shortage of markets happening around Brisbane — pick a day, pick a spot, and you'll likely find a bunch of stalls selling a range of wares. One thing that you won't usually come across, however, is a market dedicated to authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts, crafts and experiences, which is what the two-day-only Meeanjin Markets is offering. After first popping up last year, the city's first all-Indigenous market is back, just in time for a mid-year shopping spree. Taking place at Reddacliff Place, the markets will highlight the work of local Queensland creators, while also celebrating the sights, sounds, creativity and flavours of the Australian bush. That means there'll be dance, music and workshops — as well as plenty to buy. Drop by from 9am on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.
The single greatest cult film this side of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is coming back to Brisbane for a timely Friday night engagement. With The Disaster Artist taking audiences behind the scenes not that long ago, and Greg Sestero hitting up our fair town last year, The Room never gets old — and it's back once again. Described by critics as "the Citizen Kane of Bad Movies", with one critic comparing the film to "being stabbed in the head", Tommy Wiseau's The Room is an indescribable mess of plot holes, non-sequiturs, blurry camerawork and soft-core sex scenes, topped off by some of worst performances ever put to film. So naturally, we're recommending you go and see it. Of course, the truth is that no one really sees this movie. Rather, they experience it. Screenings of The Room are fully interactive, with audience members screaming lines of dialogue, dressing up like their favourite characters and hurling plastic spoons at the screen. This behaviour is actively encouraged by screening organiser Kristian Fletcher — in fact, he'll even be providing cutlery at the door. The cinema bar will be open ahead of the screening, something you should probably take full advantage of. The Room screens twice on Friday, June 7, at 67pm and 9.30pm, with tickets costing $15.
How many hours have you spent playing the best karting game ever made? Too many? We'll throw a shell at that idea — when it comes to Mario Kart, there's no such thing as too much. In fact, you should race on out of the house and down to Netherworld to play more at their very own speedway. Yes, it's back for the third time. Between midday and 5pm on Sunday, July 7, the Fortitude Valley bar will become a haven for everyone that knows just when to sling a ghost at their opponents — and just how to press buttons in the right order to get an early boost. The Mario Kart-obsessed afternoon is a highly competitive affair, asking you to feel the need for speed as part of the venue's 48-player Mario Kart tournament, which'll take place on the Switch this year. If you're keen to head along and take part, you'll need to buy a ticket, with the $20 entry free including your first drink. There'll be more beers on offer, given that it's all taking place at a bar — and we're assuming that there won't be any banana peels to throw around the place, but maybe watch where you're walking anyway.
Most Brisbanites have driven past the historic, heritage-listed villa that is Hanworth House many a time. You mightn't have ventured off Lytton Road and into the tree-lined property, though — or wandered around drinking plenty of sparkling. Always wanted to do the former, and never even dreamed you could do the latter? Well, now you can. After running as a weekend-long event at Spicers Hidden Vale for the past couple of years, the Effervescence Champagne festival is back. In 2019, it's taking place on just one day, in Brisbane, and with a focus on all things pink, fizzy and from a certain French region. Hence the new moniker, Blush by Effervescence, which makes its revamped debut on Sunday, July 21. Multiple options are available, suiting every kind of Champers fan — well, as long as you like rosé champagne, that is. You can head along at midday for a $295 four-course lunch, with well-known chef Alastair McLeod whipping up a truffle-heavy feast with matched tipples, all in a garden marquee. Or, you can make your entrance at 2.30pm, pay $65 and sip your way around a tasting trail. If masterclasses are your thing, two are on offer too, serving up vintage 1996 varieties for $195 and learning how to cook with the wine in the spotlight for $130.
Clear your window sills, dust off your shelves, and make some space in the various nooks and crannies scattered throughout your house. Trust us — after a trip to Botanicals by Bella's Botanical Extravaganza on Saturday, June 29, you're going to need more than a few places to pop more than a few plants. Another outing for this year (after a similar event in April), the one-day Greenslopes market will be filled with rare and collectible indoor greenery. That includes succulents, and it's always popular, unsurprisingly. Last time, more than a 1000 people turned up. Accordingly, while entry is free, you'll need to register online if you want to mosey along. With the extravaganza kicking off at 9am, tickets are available for each one-hour window until 1pm. Once you're there, you can browse and buy a large range of plant life, whether you need begonias, a ficus or some ivy. This event will be extra special, with Bella releasing super rare plants from her personal collection. Be there, or your indoor garden just won't look the same.
If you haven't already dropped by West Village, West End's newest precinct at the old Peter's Ice Cream Factory site, then here's your new excuse: pizza and pinot. To celebrate Italian Week, the inner-city spot is combining two staples for one tasty night. The word you're looking for? It's bellissimo. From 6–8.30pm on Friday, May 31, Italian-loving Brisbanites will sit under the stars, sip vino, sling back slices and listen to live music that'll suit the mood. Salt Meat Cheese will be providing the woodfired pizzas, as well as a few morsels of premium Italian cheeses, while there'll be two wine options: pinot noir and pinot gris. Tickets for this long table event cost $25, which is a very reasonable outlay for your Friday night dinner. And, obviously, it's much more affordable than what we'd all like to be doing during Italian Week — aka flying overseas.
Discovering Brisbane's queer history is easy at this year's MELT. Just head downstairs to Brisbane Powerhouse's Turbine Studio, walk through the red velvet curtains, enter the cabaret club setup and get ready for an immersive theatre show. Not only pondering the past, but the present and future also, La Silhouette brings the city's LGBTIQ+ scene to the stage by focusing on eight stories of people who've been forced to suffer in years gone by. Running from Thursday, June 27 to Sunday, June 30, The Sui Ensemble's production spends time in a drag queen's dressing room, hearing her secrets; chatting to the police, trying to help an unwell doorman; and in VIP spaces where drinks and games fly freely. The list goes on, in a show that's equally important, eye-opening and entertaining.
Chef Matty Matheson is stepping out of the kitchen and onto the stage, heading Down Under for an expletive-laden speaking tour. Known for his hit TV shows Dead Set On Life and It's Suppertime — and his new New York Times best-selling book, Matty Matheson: A Cookbook — the culinary star and award-winning author will hit up The Triffid on Thursday, June 27. A colourful character famed for his larger-than-life personality, Matheson will be dishing up a his cooking (and life) tips, with an audience Q&A and a meet-and-greet session, too. He's set to serve his home truths on topics like addiction and mental health, the #MeToo movement and its impact on the food industry, and a few of his own life's ups and downs, as well as talking about his new web series, Just A Dash. Audiences will be treated to a true taste of this foodie legend, as Matheson tweaks each show to best represent himself, even down to the soundtrack plucked straight from his own playlists.
A whole century ago, Count Camillo Negroni reportedly sat at Florence's Caffè Casoni, asked for an americano cocktail, and requested that the bartender add some extra booze instead of soda water. The year was 1919, and boozy history was made. Behold: the negroni. To celebrate this momentous milestone occasion, Salt Meats Cheese's Gasworks joint is dedicating a Sunday session to pouring gin, vermouth rosso and Campari cocktails — and pairing them with Italian bites, as well as jazz sounds played by Eddie Ganzani and the Gypsy Family. Drink, eat and tap your toes by popping by between 4–7pm on Sunday, June 23. Your $25 gets you a cocktail, a dish and a mighty fine afternoon, with plenty of beverage and meal options to choose from. On the drinks front, pick between a burnt orange sbagliato, a negroni sour and a smoked café negroni. Food-wise, jaffle bolognaise with parmesan dip, a triple-cream jaffle with truffle and mushroom, sweet chilli oil burrata with salted olives, and a prawn cocktail with orange salt and Tabasco Marie Rose sauce are all on the menu.
Whenever a new exhibition graces the Gallery of Modern Art's walls, it's reason enough to stop by. Until October, two huge and free showcases are doing the honours: one dedicated to Margaret Olley, and the other to Ben Quilty. But, something else exciting happens regularly at GOMA, too. When its major exhibitions are in full swing, the South Bank venue often throws open its doors after hours for a few huge parties. Those shindigs have been badged Up Late for obvious reasons, and they're back. Running from 5.30pm on Fridays between August 2–30, the Quilty, Olley and Turrell Up Late series will bring some fun to winter, courtesy not only of art, but live music, food, drinks, pop-ups and talks. And, they're highlighting something else as well — the gallery's permanent James Turrell light installation, because it's always worth celebrating. Music-wise, the lineup is also cause for cheer, complete with local legends Custard, the hip hip sounds of The Herd, plus Clare Bowditch, Midnight Oil's Jim Moginie and more. Or, you can provide the tunes yourself as part of Pub Choir, which is hitting up the fun for a stint of communal singing.
When July 14 rolls around, France commemorates the storming of the Bastille back in 1789 — and, 230 years on, the celebration is still going strong. The rest of the world joins in too, because everyone loves an excuse to eat cheese and drink wine. Understandable, really. Highly relatable, too. At West End's West Village, marking the occasion definitely involves plenty of dairy. In fact, the inner-city precinct has dubbed its event Fromage, should you be wondering just how much cheese will be on offer. For $35 per person, you'll tuck into cheese grazing boards, sip a glass of bubbles on arrival and listen to French jazz. You'll also start dreaming of a Parisian holiday, we're betting, but that's understandable as well. The Sunday afternoon fun runs from 3–6pm, and nabbing a ticket asap is recommended — it sold out last year. Image: West Village.
It's the Tassie bakery known for its inventive pie flavours — chicken parmigiana, double cheeseburger and Tasmanian scallop, for example — and it's spreading its baked goods empire across Queensland. So, to celebrate, Banjo's Bakery Cafe is inviting Brisbanites to stop by its new Darra digs for a free feed. On the menu: sausage rolls. A thousand of them, to be exact. Whether you haven't had one since your school tuckshop days or you're still partial to these tasty savoury pastries whenever they cross your path, you can get one in your hot little hands on Wednesday, March 25 between 4–8am. Yes, the early bird catches these sausage rolls. As well as needing to be one of the first 1000 customers through the door, you'll also need to make a purchase to grab a freebie. [caption id="attachment_764252" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Banjo's Bakery Cafe[/caption] A Tassie mainstay for more than 35 years, Banjo's new Darra shop on the corner of Ipswich Road and Acanthus Street will also boast a drive-through — so you won't even have to get out of your car to get your pastry fix. Banjo's Bakery Cafe's sausage roll giveaway runs from 4–8am on Wednesday, March 25.
UPDATE: June 10, 2020: Honey Boy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. A Vietnam veteran and ex-rodeo clown who treats his pre-teen son more like a buddy than a child, James Lort is the role that Shia LaBeouf was born to play. He has certainly studied it more closely and carefully than any other part — more than his time befriending shape-shifting aliens in Transformers, undoubtedly — because he spent his whole childhood watching it in action. That's what kids do with their fathers. They don't usually write screenplays about the experience, then step into their own dad's shoes themselves, but that's the situation that LaBeouf is in. Basing Honey Boy on his years as a child actor, and on his father's involvement, the result is an astonishingly personal and revelatory film that continues the American Honey and The Peanut Butter Falcon star's recent stellar streak. The names have been changed — LaBeouf's real-life father is called Jeffrey Craig LaBeouf, and the actor's 12-year-old on-screen surrogate (A Quiet Place's Noah Jupe) goes by Otis — but Honey Boy smacks of emotional authenticity. Even if LaBeouf and first-time feature director Alma Har'el didn't show an older Otis (Ben is Back's Lucas Hedges) being coaxed by his counsellor (Laura San Giacomo) to talk about his dad, the whole film would resemble a therapy session. Honey Boy is that introspective, but it isn't indulgent or needlessly navel-gazing. Rather, this piece of catharsis delves into one rather famous figure's demons while recognising that his experiences have universal resonance. Although we haven't all become Disney TV stars before puberty, we've all had our lives shaped by complicated influences. 'Complicated' may be an easy catch-all term for anything that isn't straightforward; however it definitely applies to Otis and James. As the latter constantly reminds the former, he's the hands-on parent that takes Otis to work, helps him learn his lines and oversees his career. But he's also erratic, haunted by his regrets and struggling with his four years of sobriety. One day, James is regaling everyone with his stories and gags on the set of Otis' TV series. The next, he forgets to pick him up once shooting is done. He also frequently leaves Otis alone in the Los Angeles motel room they call home, argues over just who's the boss — Otis' earnings support the family and he pays James to be his manager, so that's a thorny question — or gets envious over the volunteer mentor (Clifton Collins Jr) who wants to take Otis to a baseball game. LaBeouf frames these incidents as memories, flickering in and out after 22-year-old Otis crashes his car, causes a scene, gets sent to rehab in lieu of prison and is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. In the process, LaBeouf drenches the whole film in the confused emotional state of someone who's scarred by his upbringing (hence the PTSD), yet also appreciates his dad's own problems and just loves his father like every kid does. This isn't an idealised, nostalgic look backwards, or a work of unfettered anger. Honey Boy, like LaBeouf himself, pinballs between multiple extremes. It should come as no surprise that this frank and sincere movie was written while LaBeouf was in rehab himself, and that it always feels like he's confronting issues he knows will never completely be resolved. That's LaBeouf's recent career in a nutshell, both on and off the screen. Growing up in the spotlight, he has acted out his pain in reckless, risky and very public ways — and also channelled it into his art. When he wore a paper bag over his head, declaring "I am not famous anymore", he told the world he was more than just a celebrity. When he live-streamed himself watching a marathon of all of his own movies, he signalled his need to interrogate his history. Both received countless headlines, many dismissing LaBeouf as attention-seeking and vain; however they each exist on the same ruminative and purgative continuum as playing his own dad in a film about his childhood. It's no wonder that LaBeouf's raw performance as James feels so lived-in, whether the character is manic or melancholy, testing his son's love or baring his secrets at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. It's a portrayal based not just on fact, but on a lifetime of feelings — and it's the centrepiece of an emotionally heavy, unwaveringly honest and touchingly heartfelt feature that welcomes viewers into LaBeouf's traumas. That intensity isn't just his alone, though. Jupe and Hedges, two of the best actors in their respective age groups, potently capture Otis' conflict and turmoil. In bit parts, Collins, San Giacomo and FKA Twigs (as a "shy girl" who befriends the young Otis when James is out) also flesh out his volatile world. And, at every turn, Har'el finds an evocative and kinetic way to bring Otis' experiences to the screen, including by giving the whole film a dreamlike, hyperreal look and feel. The movie's first transition between the older and younger versions of the character, blasting each backwards while they're shooting — and while Jupe and Hedges both stare directly into the camera — immediately sets Honey Boy's reflective and expressive tone, and this intimate wander through LeBeouf's heart and soul doesn't let up from there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hroo3-sKc0w
