UPDATE, Thursday, March 28, 2o24: Oppenheimer is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Cast Cillian Murphy and a filmmaker falls in love. Danny Boyle did with 28 Days Later and Sunshine, then Christopher Nolan followed with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Dunkirk. There's an arresting, haunting, seeps-under-your-skin soulfulness about the Irish actor, never more so than when he was wandering solo through the empty zombie-ravaged streets in his big-screen big break, then hurtling towards the sun in an underrated sci-fi gem, both for Boyle, and now playing "the father of atomic bomb" in Nolan's epic biopic Oppenheimer. Flirting with the end of the world, or just one person's end, clearly suits Murphy. Here he is in a mind-blower as the destroyer of worlds — almost, perhaps actually — and so much of this can't-look-away three-hour stunner dwells in his expressive eyes. As J Robert Oppenheimer, those peepers see purpose and possibility. They spot quantum mechanics' promise, and the whole universe lurking within that branch of physics. They ultimately spy the consequences, too, of bringing the Manhattan Project successfully to fruition during World War II. Dr Strangelove's full title could never apply to Oppenheimer, nor to its eponymous figure; neither learn to stop worrying and love the bomb. The theoretical physicist responsible for the creation of nuclear weapons did enjoy building it in Nolan's account, Murphy's telltale eyes gleaming as Oppy watches research become reality — but then darkening as he gleans what that reality means. Directing, writing and adapting the 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin, Nolan charts the before and after. He probes the fission and fusion of the situation in intercut parts, the first in colour, the second in black and white. In the former, all paths lead to the history-changing Trinity test on July 16, 1945 in the New Mexico desert. In the latter, a mushroom cloud balloons through Oppenheimer's life as he perceives what the gadget, as it's called in its development stages, has unleashed. Pre-Los Alamos Oppenheimer is all nervy spark, whether he's excited about a Cambridge lecture by Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh, Death on the Nile), meeting other great minds in his field around Europe, taking his learnings home from to start the US' first quantum mechanics class, or cultivating what'll later be disparaged by a security clearance-decreeing Atomic Energy Commission panel as a far leftwing mindset. He's electric when an animated ideological chat with Communist Party member Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh, The Wonder) leads to slipping between the sheets for a tumultuous affair. When he meets botanist and biologist Kitty (Emily Blunt, The English) in the smoothest of sexual tension-dripping conversations, his inertia gets her answering "not very" when he asks if she's married. Determination mingles in, too, when Lieutenant General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon, Air) thunders into his classroom on a recruitment mission for top-secret work in a race to beat the Nazis. And, it lingers as the ball is put in motion, then keeps rolling, to construct the most fateful ball of them all. Post-Hiroshima and Nagasaki Oppenheimer is solidified in his certainty that his big bang, then the others that America's military detonated swiftly in Japan once they knew it worked, is on the wrong side of history. He's fragmented, though, by the response to his horror — including the McCarthy-esque committee mercilessly scrutinising him, his colleagues and others closet to him, while deciding whether they'll still give him access. Amid the political fallout for Oppenheimer's advocacy for scaling back afterwards, AEC commissioner Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr, Dolittle) is weaved in, also answering dissecting questions. Oppenheimer is a talky film, sound and fury echoing as heatedly in its words as when blazing light fills the screen. Both the discussions-slash-interrogations and the incendiary moment that forever altered all incendiary moments are impeccably, immaculately, thrillingly and viscerally staged. Nolan identifies chain reactions, and creates them. As he slams the movie's two parts together with his Tenet editor Jennifer Lane's exacting splicing — also letting the contrasting segments lensed so meticulously by Oscar-nominated Dunkirk cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema fling closer and bounce apart, and linking everything with Black Panther Oscar-winner Ludwig Göransson's evocative and relentless score — he crafts his most complex and complicated film yet. His subject demands it. Oppenheimer follows, digs into memory and can't sleep with what's happened. It notices what grows in darkness, shifts reality, reaches for the cosmic and hops through time, too, all in its own ways. It plays like a culmination of Nolan's work as a result — it's certainly made like exactly that — as its namesake tries "not to set the sky on fire", as Groves tells him, then attempts to kill the terrible threat of burning skies as a power-boosting military tactic. If someone told Nolan not to set the screen alight and aglow with his 12th feature in 25 years, and his second about World War II in six, he didn't listen — be it with his resonant ideas, his execution or his stars. He paints a fiery portrait of America, especially in monochrome. He unpacks the lengths that humanity will go to to gain control and garner recognition, and the grave costs. He fires moments at the screen that just keep expanding in impact, and combining like Dunkirk's onslaught from land, air and sea. An early gripping scene involving Oppenheimer as a student, an apple and cyanide is one. So is the immediate expectation to lead the cheering after the Trinity test, just as the full meaning of what's occurred dawns, in a sequence that uses dissonant sound to immersive and galvanising effect. And, piercing too is the rat-tat-tat of the interrogation dialogue. Murphy is spectacular, and has never been better as Nolan stares so intimately and contemplatively at his revealing face. How joyous it is to see Downey Jr, also never better, actually act again — his astounding, awards-destined performance is meaty, mesmerising, and something that's been sorely missed. Oppenheimer's is an explosive cast, also spanning Blunt at her steeliest; pivotal contributions by Josh Hartnett (Black Mirror), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon) and David Krumholtz (White House Plumbers) as fellow scientists; and the influential Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Macon Blair (Reservation Dogs), Dane DeHaan (The Staircase) and Alden Ehrenreich (Cocaine Bear) among the lawyers, military and political aides. Present, too, each in small but significant parts: three consecutive 2017–19 Best Actor Academy Award-winners in Manchester by the Sea's Casey Affleck, Darkest Hour's Gary Oldman and Bohemian Rhapsody's Rami Malek. Nolan deploys them all in a film that bellows, billows and blasts. Watching, and plunging into Oppenheimer's mind, isn't a passive experience.
Did Hollywood have a disagreement with its past, get a fortune cookie predicting the future, feel an earthquake shudder, then wake up back in the 80s and 00s? Based on two new flicks heading to cinemas, yes, it must've. Because everything old is always new again in Tinseltown — a trend that's bringing Cruel Intentions, Twilight and Harry Potter back, too — both Freaky Friday and Beetlejuice are scoring sequels. Unlike those big-screen sagas and their upcoming TV versions, this pair of films is getting movie follow-ups — and they're set to feature members of their original casts as well. For Freaky Friday 2: Freak Harder (which won't be its actual name), that means reuniting Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis with Lindsay Lohan (Falling for Christmas) two decades later. With Beetlejuice 2: Electric Boogaloo (again, not its actual name), Michael Keaton (Morbius) and Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) are back with the poltergeists. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the Freaky Friday news, noting that Elyse Hollander will pen the script. Story details haven't been revealed, but body-swapping is bound to feature given that's what Freaky Friday has always been about. Drinking, dancing, getting angry that your mum won't let you go to your band's big audition, eating those enchanted cookies — perhaps that'll all get worked in as well. For this franchise, it all started with 1972 book by Mary Rodgers, then the 1976 Jodie Foster (The Mauritanian)-starring first movie adaptation, and also a 1995 remake with Gaby Hoffman (C'mon C'mon). After 2003's beloved Curtis- and Lohan-led take, horror flick Freaky gave the idea a spin in 2020. Freaky Friday 2 doesn't have a release date yet, but Beetlejuice 2 does: September 6, 2024 in the US. It'll continue the story started in Tim Burton's 1988 hit Beetlejuice, with Wednesday favourite Jenna Ortega playing the daughter of Ryder's Lydia Deetz. As Variety reports, Justin Theroux (White House Plumbers) is also among the cast. You don't need a Handbook for the Recently Deceased in your ghostly hands to get excited, but you might spend time with folks with one, which is what happened with the original flick's Barbara and Adam Maitland (GLOW's Geena Davis and Dr Death's Alec Baldwin). In the first film, viewers also saw what happened when that pair started to suspect that they're no longer alive, a new family moved into their house (including Schitt's Creek's Catherine O'Hara) and they decided they needed a 'bio-exorcist'. The Freaky Friday sequel doesn't yet have a release date, while Beetlejuice 2 will release in September 2024 — we'll keep you updated as more details are announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety.
Australia's first Mondrian hotel is already rather bougie, combining high-end design, stellar dining and beachfront views that never get old. Yet this five-star addition to Burleigh Heads has a brand-new escape, Nourish & Flow, that marries coastal bliss and restorative self-care in a single experience, now bookable until Monday, November 30. Made for times when you want to focus a little more on yourself, this serene accommodation package at Mondrian Gold Coast offers wall-to-wall peace and rejuvenation. Staying overnight in a luxury room, it includes two tickets to Mondrian Moves — Sunday Flow or Mindful Mondays — so you ease into the day with ocean air, boundless sunlight and regenerative yoga or pilates. Then, guests gain access to the hotel's Himalayan salt room to add some detoxifying goodness and dopamine-boosting encounters to their visit. Meanwhile, you're welcome to explore Mondrian Gold Coast's magnesium pools and fully kitted-out gym 24/7, ensuring you can maximise your relaxation throughout your stay. Back in your room, guests also receive an indulgent Synergie Skincare gift pack, plus there are numerous optional extras to consider. Think touchless therapy at CIEL Spa or thoughtfully balanced menus at in-house restaurants such as LiTO and Haven. With a stunning shoreline also on your doorstep, expect Nourish & Flow to deliver serenity at every moment. Images: Mietta Eve.
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
There aren't many events where you can learn about crowdfunding, press freedom, investing, acting, pro surfing, science, the future, robotics, astronaut diets and New Zealand tourism all from the same lineup — and also about neuroscience, cyber intelligence, ethical leadership and sustainable food as well, and more. SXSW Sydney will present sessions on or featuring experts on them all when it returns for its third year. In its first lineup drop for 2025, the event has unveiled 40 of its speakers, also spanning topics such as quantum physics, the future of work and how the creative industries are evolving. GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan is one of the folks on the roster, taking to the stage between Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19, 2025. So is former foreign correspondent Peter Greste, whose arrest and imprisonment in Egypt fuels new Australian film The Correspondent. Girls That Invest founder Simran Kaur, Crazy Rich Asians actor Remy Hii, former pro surfer and current World Surf League Commissioner Jessi Miley Dyer, Science Vs' Wendy Zukerman, Women's National Basketball League CEO Jennie Sager and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki are also among the initial names. There's not just more on the list now — ethical technologist Andi Mastrosavas, Silicon Valley Robotics' Andra Keay, neuroscientist Dr Ariel Zeleznikow-Johnston, space nutrition expert Flávia Fayet-Moore, Black Excellence Fund co-founder Kyah Bell, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy, actor Shuang Hu (Future Date), filmmaker Neil Sharma (Heartbreak High), screen producer Julie Eckersley (Erotic Stories) and The Conversation CEO Lisa Watts, for example — but more to follow. Among its 1600 sessions and events, 2025's SXSW Sydney will include over 400 conference sessions, alongside 150-plus professional development sessions. "You'll experience dynamic keynote sessions, powerhouse panel discussions and hands-on industry workshops that deliver practical skills you can apply immediately," said SXSW Sydney Head of Conference Fenella Kernebone about this first peek at 2025's program. [caption id="attachment_971190" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] "With a focus on innovation, leadership strategies and experience-driven learning, you'll gain fresh perspectives to help you implement meaningful change in your organisation. This first release of speakers is just the beginning — prepare to build an even more comprehensive toolkit as we announce many more industry leaders," Kernebone continued. After initially making leap to the Harbour City in 2023, then returning in 2024, this annual massive music, technology, screen and gaming festival will also boast more than 300 gigs, 95 film screenings and 150 games on its 2025 bill. Those program details haven't yet been revealed; however, once SXSW Sydney starts dropping announcements for the year, as it has now, they keep coming right up until the event takes place. [caption id="attachment_971189" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] Already in 2025, the fest has advised a number changes, all designed to give more people more reasons to head along. One: additional free programming. Another: more flexibility with ticketing. On the fest's Sunday date this year, for instance, Darling Harbour will become a hub of family-friendly entertainment. Fancy hitting up the Innovation Expo without bothering your wallet? That'll now be on offer on the Saturday. As for ticketing, the single-day conference pass will set you back $295 and get you access to more than 75 sessions. The full-week pass to the conference and festival starts at $495. Plus, for movie lovers who you just want to see one flick, you can now do so for $25. SXSW Sydney's festival wristbands are back, though, giving access to either the screen, music or games showcases. [caption id="attachment_953712" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923316" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923287" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_967878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2025 will run from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Nina Franova/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
The dusty expanse of a post-apocalyptic world. Life before everything changed forever. Bunker existence. Giant robotic suits. All of the above are set to feature in Fallout season two — as they did in the show's first season — and Prime Video has just dropped a series of first-look images to give viewers a glimpse at what's in store. After premiering in 2024 and becoming one of the platform's top-three most-watched shows ever, notching up more than 100-million viewers globally, the game-to-screen hit is returning for its second season in December 2025. There's no exact release date yet, and there isn't a trailer so far either, but you can get a peek via the new pictures from upcoming episodes. Yes, this is a blast — as was the news earlier in 2025 that Fallout has already been renewed for a third season. Clearly, if you bring a massively beloved video game to TV in the right way, as season one did, then viewers will come flocking. We all know that that worked for The Last of Us as well, with its second season already airing this year and a third also in the works. For season two of Fallout, audiences can look forward not only to picking up where season one's finale left off, but to venturing through the Mojave wasteland to New Vegas — and to more time spent with stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Walton Goggins (The White Lotus) and Aaron Moten (Emancipation) as Lucy, The Ghoul and Maximus, respectively. When it dropped its initial eight episodes in 2024, Fallout took its cues from the games that first debuted on computers back in 1997, with three released sequels, a fourth on the way and seven spinoffs all following. The live-action television iteration follows Lucy, a lifelong vault-dweller, who leaves her cosy underground digs to navigate the irradiated wasteland that earth has remained for two centuries after the nuclear apocalypse. Crossing her path: bounty hunter The Ghoul, who has ties to life before the devastation; and Maximus, an aspiring soldier with the Brotherhood of Steel, who don those huge mechanical outfits. In this nightmarish future, a hellscape filled with mutants, wild west vibes and plenty of violence awaits beyond the bunker that the optimistic Lucy, daughter of Hank (Kyle MacLachlan, Overcompensating), who oversees Vault 33, has always called home. Bringing the chaos to life is a behind-the-scenes team featuring Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, as well as Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (Silicon Valley) as writers and co-showrunners. And yes, Bethesda Game Studios has a hand in it as well. There's no trailer for Fallout season two yet, but you can check out the trailer for season one below: Fallout streams via Prime Video. Season two will arrive in December 2025 — we'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Read our review of season one, and our interview with Walton Goggins, Ella Purnell and Aaron Moten. Images: courtesy of Prime Video.
Plenty of people have gotten into plenty of trouble in Collins Place. In its revamped guise, expect the hijinks to continue — but now, they'll involve boozing in a renovated former police station, rather than spending a stint inside for law-breaking behaviour. The heritage-listed Queenslander's past gives Little Big House its name, of course; however this new watering hole is all about the present and future. First announced in late October, and located in the still-developing Southpoint precinct at the end of South Bank's Grey Street, LBH comes courtesy of the Matt Moran-led hospitality group Solotel. In fact, it's their third Brisbane venue after Aria and Riverbar & Kitchen. Raised above Grey Street next to the train station, the two-level Queenslander instantly stands out from the crowd with its city views, cruisy vibe, and creative food and beverage menu. Not bad for a building that dates back to 1889, and also counts stints as a Ship Inn, a Spaghetti House and a squatter's den among its history. Most drinking spots want to be known for their relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere, and LBH certainly delivers — from the open front and side balconies, that benefit from the cooling river breeze, to the downstairs karaoke room, where groups can belt out a tune (and slap on a brightly coloured hat) for free. A pink pool table with an adjacent big screen for sports also takes up one room, while DJ booths are found on both floors. More than a few house parties are planned, because you don't call a pub Little Big House without hosting a few packed-to-the-brim shindigs. Like most pubs, however, the venue is really all about sitting down at a table, forgetting your worries and hanging out with your mates. Accordingly, whether a Sunday session is in full swing or the verandahs are peppered with lunchtime diners, LBH has the menu for it under head chef Mathew Fulford (ex Stokehouse, Qualia). Beef burgers, hot smoked salmon salad and minute steak all make for easy but satisfying meals, with the two on-site rotisseries also pumping out chicken and porchetta — with chips, or on rolls. As great as that all sounds, it's the chicken parmi spring rolls that are sure to become a favourite. Other nibbles include kingfish and avocado tostadas, lamb sausage rolls and fish fingers, plus ice cream sangas for dessert. When it comes to booze, two bars — one upstairs, one downstairs — have plenty to offer, including a limited-time-only beer collaboration with Sydney's Young Henry's. A light summer beverage that goes down fast and smooth, their brew goes by the name of Queenslander (what else?), and is only available on the premises. Further beverage highlights range from two types cocktails in a can (Feels Like Apple Pie and Grape Expectations), frosé slushies and jugs of rosé sangria, to the Salty Sailor and the Garden Tonic (aka, LBH's takes on the espresso martini, complete with popcorn and toasted marshmallow, and the G&T, with elderflower, cucumber, lime, mint). An array of Champagne, rosé, reds and whites (six of the first two, eight of the second) round out the drinks list. Decor-wise, the old meets the new in the restored fixtures, custom-painted flora and fauna murals, and adorable fake dog sitting by the front door. Throw in a heap of outside seating on the lower floor — overlooking the street, and under palm trees and umbrellas — and many a Brisbanite will have found their new laid-back go-to. Making the place even better, a kiosk out the front will serve food and coffee to those merely moseying on by, and once the train station renovations are complete, sauntering in pre- or post-commute is bound to become common. Find Little Big House at 18 Southpoint, 271 Grey Street, South Brisbane. Check out the venue's website and Facebook page for further details. Images: Atlanta Bell and Sarah Ward.
Cristiano, Neymar and Messi have been rendered as the futurist Incredibles in a new series of illustrations by up-and-coming artist Rafael Mayani. Bringing together twelve of the finest players in the FIFA 2014 World Cup, Mayani brought his playful style — often reserved for stunning, Disney and Nintendo characters — to slick renditions of Marco Reus, Andrea Pirlo, Didier Drogba and more WC favourites. Relatively unknown on the international circuit, Mexico City-based Mayani's talent for sketching footballers is evident in his sfumato charcoal Pele posted on his Facebook page: All twelve of the players feature on a limited edition poster available at Society 6. Devoid of sweat patches, day-old Cheezels and beer-stained couch groove, your World Cup addiction never looked so elegant. Marco Reus Didier Drogba Cristiano Ronaldo Iker Casillas Andrea Pirlo Leo Messi Via Fubiz.
Celebrating both the latest and greatest must-see movies is what film festivals are all about — and Brisbane's returning New Farm Queer Film Festival couldn't be more committed to that remit. The River City's annual showcase of new and classic LGBTQIA+ flicks, the event began back in 2022, proved a hit, and keeps returning year after year with an impressive lineup. On 2024's program from Thursday, October 3–Sunday, October 13: movies starring Elliot Page, Tilda Swinton, Murray Bartlett, Dylan O'Brien and Evan Rachel Wood, plus Gregg Araki's Teen Apocalypse trilogy. 2024 marks seven years since Page (The Umbrella Academy) last featured on the big screen Down Under. Close to You brings that absence from local cinemas to an end, with the film boasting the actor's first male movie role, as a trans man heading home to his family for the first time since transitioning. Swinton (The Killer) features in Problemista, as directed by and also starring Fantasmas and Los Espookys' Julio Torres; The White Lotus' Bartlett and Fantasmas guest star O'Brien are part of the cast for closing night's Ponyboi, which follows an intersex sex worker on the run from the mob; and Wood (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) plays a cheerleading coach in Backspot, with Devery Jacobs (Echo) as the squad's newcomer. This year's NFQFF kicks off with Georgian film Crossing, about a teacher looking for her long-lost niece — and, as another of its big titles, boasts Caught by the Tides from Jia Zhangke (Ash Is the Purest White), which premiered at Cannes back in May. If you haven't caught The Devil's Bath on the small screen yet (or even if you have), a big-screen session of the Austrian standout by Goodnight Mommy and The Lodge's Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala is guaranteed stellar viewing. Plus, including supervillain parody The People's Joker, which gives the caped-crusader realm a queer coming-of-age spin, is perfect timing. Another highlight, Scala!!! tells of the London cinema in the same name. The rest of the documentary's moniker is Or, The Incredibly Strange Rise and Fall of the World's Wildest Cinema and How It Influenced a Mixed-up Generation of Weirdos and Misfits, which gives viewers an idea of the kind of tale it's telling — with iconic filmmaker John Waters among its interviewees. NFQFF's 2024 lineup also features not just one retrospective trio, but two. Araki's Totally F***ed Up, The Doom Generation and Nowhere sit on the bill alongside François Ozon's Criminal Lovers, Water Drops on Burning Rocks and Sitcom. New Farm Queer Film Festival returns for 2024 to New Farm Cinemas, 701 Brunswick Street, New Farm, from Thursday, October 3–Sunday, October 13. Head to the festival website for tickets and more details.
Melbourne-born furniture label Jardan now has a new space in which to showcase its covetable designs, this week opening the doors to its stunning Sydney flagship store on Paddington's Oxford Street. IF Architecture — the Melbourne firm responsible for the likes of wine bar Marion, Cutler & Co's recent makeover and Jardan's Melbourne and Brisbane stores — has transformed the two-storey art deco building once home to Ariel Booksellers into a seriously good-looking showroom, where colour reigns supreme. Reflecting Jardan's own 30-year connection with Australian home life, the interiors of the new store pay homage to the country's most influential art and design families, inspired by their iconic interpretations of Sydney's ever-changing colour palette. To that end, expect tones that speak to the vivid blues of Brett Whiteley's Sydney Harbour painting, the oranges, blues and greens synonymous with Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy's Dinosaur Designs, and the bold colours favoured by celebrated interior designer Marion Hall Best. The store — which is their first in Sydney — will leave design buffs with their jaw on the floor. Even if you're not in the market for some expensive new designer furniture, if you're in Sydney, it's well worth dropping in for a peek. Jardan's new Sydney flagship store is located at 42 Oxford Street, Paddington. For more info, visit jardan.com.au.
Since opening in 2014, The Woolly Mammoth has been a mainstay of the Fortitude Valley nightlife scene. Originally opening as a hip craft beer hall and live music venue, the dark, man cave bar downstairs has received quite the transformation in the past couple of years. Enter Ivory Tusk, a vibrant and eye-popping reimagining of what the much-loved locale could be and ultimately still is. Described best as a brother-sister dynamic, the brother has remained upstairs from its sister as the Woolly Mammoth Mane Stage. Local and Aussie acts from all genres regularly play to intimate crowds here with bands like Violent Soho, Gang of Youths and Boo Seeka all finding their way onto the stage. A full bar is available but food has been left up to the Woolly Mammoth's lil sis to deal with. Make sure to fuel up on Mexican-inspired eats and margaritas downstairs before heading up and taking your place on the D-floor.
At the risk of sounding dramatic, the loss of Agnes Bakery was a tragedy for the Fortitude Valley morning crowd. Like true artists, the Anyday Group decided it was time to reinvent its offering in June. Named for the slow and steady pace they want to create, Idle serves favourites from Agnes Bakery alongside an exciting brunch menu in New Farm. [caption id="attachment_1025698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] The breezy 36-seater dining area usually bursts with a patient crowd, minds occupied by the difficult choice between a pie, a sausage roll or any other buttery creations on the large rectangular counter. Behind the counter, rugged loaves of sourdough and shatteringly crisp baguettes stand proud like trophies, seedy bagels and buns dotted between them. Put simply, if it goes into the oven as dough and comes out delicious, they bake it here. Pantry staples that were available at Agnes are also stocked here. [caption id="attachment_1026125" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied [/caption] Good news: Idle has moved beyond viennoiseries and pastries with a fresh dine-in menu. Bold and hearty, the Baghdad Eggs with labne, cumin-infused burnt butter and a flaky flatbread for dipping stand out. Lighter options include house granola, green poached chicken salad and oxheart tomato toast. [caption id="attachment_1026127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption]
Whether you tuned in the 90s and early 00s as it aired — staying up late in Australia to catch it on free-to-air TV on a weeknight, or taping it to view afterwards — or binged it via DVDs or streaming later, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has never been a television series that audiences watch casually. Jane Schoenbrun and Brigette Lundy-Paine, writer/director of A24 hit I Saw the TV Glow and one of its stars, have both OG fandom and more-recent obsessions covered. Schoenbrun calls the show their "first love", they explain to Concrete Playground. Lundy-Paine only started viewing it for I Saw the TV Glow but misses it now when they're not watching it, they also tell us. Schoenbrun, Lundy-Paine and audiences everywhere have Buffy to thank for a movie that's cast its own glow since its Sundance Film Festival premiere — and across stops at the Berlin International Film Festival, SXSW in Austin, Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival since, too, before reaching Australian theatres in general release. Earning its praise as an instant trans cinema cult classic, the pair's collaboration doesn't just take inspiration from Schoenbrun's affection for a pop-culture phenomenon about a high schooler that the undead feared. One of the standout films of 2024, and from A24's adored roster of flicks overall, it's the source of all-consuming passions itself, while also contemplating that very topic. With their 2021 debut feature We're All Going to the World's Fair, Schoenbrun has already pondered how screen fixations can help mediate identities. Two movies in, they have a niche — and a pivotal one. Their films examine the space where fandom and pop-culture obsessions overlap with alienation, dissociation and dysphoria. They explore how they filtering who you are through an internet or TV fixation can assist in processing those emotions and states, and aid in unlocking something that you mightn't have had the tools to recognise otherwise. Two features in, Schoenbrun has earned their own adjective as well: their films are positively Schoenbrunian. It isn't just the common themes that mark We're All Going to the World's Fair and I Saw the TV Glow as works from the same inimitable voice, but also a shared dreamlike aesthetic, plus a knack for poetic and revealing dialogue. Watching their movies feels like plunging in, being enveloped and experiencing everything that their characters do; it's no wonder that the filmmaker's fare, especially their sophomore picture, is so easy to obsess over. Where We're All Going to the World's Fair follows a teenage girl making connections through an online horror challenge, with the feature digging into dysphoria along the way, I Saw the TV Glow does indeed have a television show at the centre of its plot. In the 90s, teens Owen (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves' Justice Smith, plus Let the Right One In's Ian Foreman as the younger version) and Maddy (Lundy-Paine, Atypical) strike up a friendship over the Buffy-meets-Goosebumps style supernatural series The Pink Opaque. The show is their escape from their adolescent reality, and a coping mechanism — one that Owen, especially, didn't know that he needed. It's also where these new friends feel like they finally see their real selves. Then Maddy disappears suddenly, The Pink Opaque is cancelled just as abruptly, and the 00s come calling. I Saw the TV Glow jumps further forward, too, as it uncovers the different ways that Maddy and Owen embrace — or don't — their authentic identities. The parallels with the egg-crack moment, the term used when someone realises that they're trans, are as bright and clear as the light emitted from every screen that bathes the movie's main duo in The Pink Opaque. Schoenbrun is always about showing rather than telling, though, and about viewers stepping into Maddy and Owen's emotional state with them rather than simply being informed about it. Again basking in 90s nostalgia on the big screen after 2020's Bill & Ted Face the Music — where they played Billie Logan, daughter to Keanu Reeves' (John Wick: Chapter 4) Ted — Lundy-Paine was drawn to the raw feeling evident in Schoenbrun's script, as well as their shared perspectives and experiences. We spoke with both Lundy-Paine and Schoenbrun about TV devotions, inspirations, Schoenbrun thematic and stylistic go-tos, telling personal tales, 90s nostalgia and more. On Falling in Love with Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Then and Now Jane: "I was just obsessed. I had other TV obsessions, but Buffy was the biggest one that I'll ever have. When I think back a bit on it, and I mean this quite literally, I think of Buffy as my first love. The amount that I put into that show emotionally, the amount of headspace it took up, each week waiting for the next episode to air, reading about it online — it was just a total obsession. And in many ways, I think — and the film is exploring this as well — it was a coping mechanism, a way for me to express myself in fiction, in a place that felt safe and outside of the quote-unquote real world. How did I fall in love with Buffy? I was flipping channels on the TV in my parents' bedroom, where I would be relegated when they were watching something on the main TV. And I remember coming across a rerun of the episode from the first season called 'The Pack'. It was the summer after the first season aired, and I was like 'I'm watching this show again next week' — and it just developed from there. I'd say by the second season, it was my favourite TV show. And by the third season, I was spending a lot of time with Buffy. I had tapes. I made my own tapes. I had the episode guides. I posted online about it. It really became almost this like space for me to hide and I just loved it so much. I remember when it was ending, thinking 'oh my god, this is like losing family'." Brigette: "I watched up to season five of Buffy before we started [I Saw the TV Glow], and I just totally fell in love with it. I miss it when I'm not watching it now. I fell in love with the community, and the idea that magic was real — that there was no question. I feel like I watched it kind of as Maddy, but I'll always love it as Brigette with the respect of it isn't mine completely, because I didn't watch it when I was young, but I really love it." On How Schoenbrun Obsessing Over Buffy — and Also Admiring Twin Peaks — Inspired I Saw the TV Glow Jane: "I think the experience that the film is trying to talk about — and it's doing this not only in a plot about 90s television, but through the aesthetics and tropes of 90s genre television — is a youth spent in front of the screen. I was a young queer kid growing up in the American suburbs, and the main thing that got me through that, or the main source of romance and mystery and joy in my life in this place where I think I not only couldn't be myself but I wasn't really being given any information to help me understand myself, the main place that I went looking for myself was in the screen. This is ultimately why I think like a show like Buffy or Twin Peaks became an obsession, because it was somewhere where I could catch a flicker of something more mysterious, something more magical. And I do think in many ways this was a queer experience. The movie, I think, talks about this very specific kind of parasocial relationship with fiction about fandom, about obsession, about searching for truth in fiction before you're ready to look inside yourself. And it's doing this using these genre cues that I learned from rewatching my Buffy tapes obsessively. It's a movie about people who love a show like that, but it's also very much a movie that's set in the heightened world of a Buffy or a Twin Peaks or an X-Files." On Lundy-Paine's Equivalent of Buffy or The Pink Opaque Brigette: "I think the first show that I really loved the way that Maddy and Owen loved The Pink Opaque was The OC. I watched it after it had been released, so I would record reruns from the soap channel. But I was really obsessed with the characters, and I felt like they were my friends — and it was the most devastating thing I've experienced when Marissa died in season three." On Making Films About Mediating Our Lives, and Coping with Alienation and Dysphoria, Through Fandom and Pop-Culture Fixations Jane: "I remember feeling like I've always been an artist, and I've always told myself stories and written screenplays or fan fiction, or anything that I could to be creative. It's a need that I have. But I had so much shame for the longest time about what kind of art I could make that would be authentic and not just a rip off of the things that I love, that would speak from a perspective in a place that that was deeply personal, and that could only come from who I was and where I came from. And a lot of that shame was repression. But there was this moment that was sort of in tandem with my coming out and my artistic awakening, where I kind of realised this cheat — which was they say 'write what you know', but what I know is watching. What I know is staring at a screen. And I think I'm enough of a self-reflective person to understand that that experience isn't all good or all bad, but that it is rife with mystery and ambiance and loneliness, and connection and love and sadness. And it can feel scary and alienating. It has political resonance, and it has personal resonance — and it's sort of the thing that we all do that we don't talk about in our art. It mediates our lives so deeply at this point, that in exploring that and not just exploring that from a political perspective but from my own life staring at a screen, and the way that it intertwined with who I was and what I was hiding from in myself, this just became, like I said, a cheat code of sorts to finally unlock my personal voice as an artist. I find the screen as a symbol just very compelling, both thematically and aesthetically, and it's something that I can return to over and over again without repeating myself so far. I find myself just wanting to dig deeper and deeper into that abyss." On Starring in a Movie That Is So Personal and Specific to Its Filmmaker Brigette: "One of the things about Jane that is so exciting is that they're able to communicate these really, really deep experiences and personal feelings in a way that other people feel a part of. I think that was one of the reasons the film was able to get made, was that in meeting after meeting they told their story, and they talked about what it meant for an egg to crack, which is the term of a trans person realising that they're trans. But also for myself, I had been experiencing the same things or very similar things to Jane, and that was one of the things we connected on when we first spoke — and I think one of the reasons that we trusted each other to make this movie together and to be fully vulnerable for it." On How Lundy-Paine Came to Be Involved in I Saw the TV Glow Brigette: "My good friend for a long time, Sam Intill, they sent me the script because they'd met Jane after seeing Jane's first film at Sundance, and they'd come on to produce this second one in its very, very early stages. And Sam connected Jane and I, and Jane and I just got along really, really well right away. We have a very similar sense of humour and experience, our perspectives of what making movies and what Hollywood meant to us — and the rules that we both wanted to break, and the experiences that we both wanted to help convey to the audience. So that was, I think, maybe two years before production. And then it was pretty locked in for Jane and I that we wanted to work together, and it was just a long process of Jane convincing A24 that that I would play the part. I had done a TV show, but I'm not a huge name and I think that was tricky for A24 to believe. But Jane was like 'no, it it has to be us. It has to be me and Brige'. And I was very grateful for that. And I had the script for a long time because of it, so I was able to like get really deep and comfortable with the words." On Lundy-Paine's First Reaction to the Script, What Resonated the Most and What They Saw That They Could Bring to the Film Brigette: "I think I was just so moved by how real it felt — and how it almost felt like mythology. The emotions of it were coming from such a raw place. And I really liked the way that Jane plays with the sort of shallow, cliched teen dialogue and then moves into a realm of almost subconscious communication to explore the actual meanings of what they're talking about. I think I felt the colours of the film really strongly. I felt this blue and pink neon electric sensation, and I also just knew that it was a character that I really wanted to have in my body, and I was really anxious to get to know her. I think I knew that arc very well. If I was different than Maddy myself — but I know, and I really wanted to free myself in the same ways that she did. So I was able to pull from my own angst and fear and love, and obsession with the stories and the worlds that that Maddy finds safety in." On Schoenbrun's Dreamy, Hazy, Like-You're-in-the-Characters'-Heads Aesthetic Jane: "Film as a dream was something that I was really interested in from the earliest stages of thinking about a language as an artist, like the idea of the experience of sitting in a dark room and seeing this thing — the only thing you can see. I had and still have these recurring dreams where I'll be watching something and then all of a sudden I will be inside of it. There were just these repetitions of interest in the process of travelling from watching something to being synonymous with the screen. There's a shot in We're All Going to the World's Fair where we slowly zoom in on a screen until the screen is no longer a screen, and it's our screen. This feels very trance-like to me. This feels like the process of falling asleep or dreaming. It feels very oneiric, and it's just fascinating to me because I think film is a medium so interested in time and space. Another big influence is the experimental film Wavelength, where we spend the entire movie just slowly moving across the room towards a painting. I find it like such a simple reminder of the power of the medium and perspective in the way that the third eye of the screen can help us understand space in a way that our own eyes can't. I just like it. There's a deepness and a mystery to it that I find myself continuing to chip away at. I could speculate about why I'm drawn to it. I read a really great book of queer trans film theory called Shimmering Images — Eliza Steinbock, I believe. I read this after I had made We're All Going to the World's Fair and it was an entire book of theory written about trans people's aesthetic connection to the shimmer, to liminality, to a space that is very transitory in its essence, and that we find some comfort in that space of transitory self because we relate to it. But I think there are so many resonances and so many reasons why I'm fascinated by haze, and by the screen and liminality and lo-fi aesthetics." Brigette: "I had so much fun with it because it's rare to work with a director who has a vision of such specific pacing and tone. And so we would do these scenes with, as I mentioned, sometimes the dialogue almost feels like canned or cliched, but because of Jane's style and the way that they're playing with that type of dialogue, it's about the pace and the rhythm. So we would have rehearsed a lot, but even when we got to set, we would do the scenes too fast. And so Jane had to continuously slow us down and remind us that it was almost as if we were existing in separate universes from each other, Owen and I. And so Jane would say 'this time, do it and don't even expect him to respond'. And I think that brings out some of that eerie, dreamlike quality." On Lundy-Paine's 90s Nostalgia Bent with Bill & Ted and Now I Saw the TV Glow Brigette: "I think it's something that interests me because it's something that activates a real personal and vital process for the directors or for the people who are making these films. I was born in 94, so I didn't experience too much of the 90s, but I obviously understand what it feels like to be nostalgic for, say, 2010. And so I think working on projects that are set in the 90s, it means a lot because it's the childhood, because it's a real place for the people creating these worlds. And also it just feels iconic. I remember I watched like Fight Club and Donnie Darko while we were filming, just randomly, and both times I was like 'I want to make a movie set in the 90s'. And realised 'ohh we are making a movie set in the 90s right now'." I Saw the TV Glow is screening in select Australian cinemas now, after opening on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Images: A24.
If you happen to have an outfit in your wardrobe that's the same shade favoured by Squid Game's guards, here's a piece of advice: it'd be best not to wear it to St Kilda Beach on the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 2024. A huge 200 people will already be there in that exact attire, with Netflix sending a continent of pink guards to the sandy patch of Melbourne to remind everyone that the hit series' second season is on the way — and soon — in an eerie fashion. When season one proved a massive success, the creepy Red Light, Green Light doll from the show towered over Sydney Harbour. Ahead of Squid Game's second season, the Victorian capital is getting in on the action. If your morning routine involves hitting the beach in Melbourne, you'll clearly have plenty of company — not just from the guards, but from others keen for a glimpse at the pop-up. And if you're located elsewhere in Australia, expect to see photos all over social media. Netflix is promising "a true Aussie takeover", all to celebrate Squid Game season two sliding into your streaming queue on Boxing Day. It might be wise to avoid wearing green tracksuits to St Kilda at the same time that the stunt is taking place, too, to avoid earning the pink guards' attention. Up at Sydney's Luna Park, you'll have another chance to get some IRL Squid Game action — without any murder, of course — when an immersive experience hits the tourist attraction to get you playing Red Light, Green Light from Monday, December 16, 2024. Three years have passed since Squid Game became an award-winning Netflix sensation — for viewers and, in the show itself when new episodes drop, for Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte) as well. Audiences and Player 456 are alike are in for a new round of life-or-death matches when the streaming smash finally returns, although only the series' protagonist will be fighting for survival again while on a quest to shut down this chaos forever in season two. No one watching should ever want Squid Game to end; however, the show itself will wrap up in 2025 with season three. First comes the long-awaited second season to end 2024, though, where Player 456 is back in the game with new fellow competitors for company. Netflix has been dropping multiple early looks at season two, including a teaser trailer to kick off November — and it finished off the month with a new glimpse at what's to come. As the show's protagonist dons his green threads once more for the new season, his new fellow competitors are wary of his motives. Also part of the recent teases: Lee Byung-hun (The Magnificent Seven) as Gi-hun's nemesis Front Man, plus Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) also back as detective Hwang Jun-ho. For season two, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returns as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place; however, a show about a deadly competition that has folks battling for ridiculous riches comes with a hefty bodycount. Accordingly, new faces were always going to be essential — which is where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all come in. Check out the full trailer for Squid Game season below: Squid Game's pink guards are taking over St Kilda Beach in Melbourne on the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 2024. Keep an eye on Netflix's social media for more details. Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Images: No Ju-han/Netflix.
BTS ARMY unite: you've got a new must-visit getaway spot, and Airbnb wants to make your dreams a reality. Fancy getting a dream glow because you're holidaying in the dynamite South Korean estate where BTS filmed season two of their reality show In the Soop? Of course you do — and, if you nab the overnight stay, you obviously have permission to dance. The series' second season dropped back in 2021, so if you always have 'Butter', 'Heartbeat' or 'Fake Love' on rotation in your head, you've probably been eyeing off a stay in PyeongChang for a while. Your chance now comes via Airbnb, with the accommodation service adding to its lengthy list of pop culture-themed one-off experiences — which also includes the Bluey house, the Moulin Rouge!, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine and The Godfather mansion in the past few months. The idea with this listing: letting two BTS fans relax in the South Korean countryside like their idols did. Even if you're not a diehard devotee, it looks like a mighty luxe place to stay. Clearly, you'll get more out of it if you live, breathe and worship the band, given that it's largely decked out as it was during their time there. That includes some of the furniture seen on the show, so you can kick back with a book like RM, float on a unicorn in the pool like Jin and hit the trampoline like Jung Kook. Also included: a karaoke machine, sound system and all of BTS' songs and albums, right up to their latest record Proof; and a specially catered menu, including charcoal grilled Korean beef and tteokbokki. And, because there's seven BTS members, the one-night stay costs just US$7 — which is just over AU$10 / around NZ$11. Sadly, if you score the booking, you'll just miss out on the best spring day ever, with the trip taking place on August 29. If you're keen to make it right all night and stay gold in the scenic estate, you'll need to try to nab the reservation at 12pm AEST on Tuesday, August 2. As with all Airbnb special listings like this, you need to take care of your own travel costs there and back, including airfares — although this one does cover the round trip by car from KTX PyeongChang station to the BTS In the Soop property. For more information about the BTS In the Soop estate listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 12pm AEST on Tuesday, August 2, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Time of Blue.
If your Easter routine usually involves a seafood feast, then you might want to make a date with a certain Kangaroo Point fish 'n' chippery this year — and for the last time before it closes down. From Friday, April 18–Sunday, April 20, 2025, One Fish Two Fish is serving up plenty of the ocean's finest for the occasion, all as part of a $125 four-course meal that starts with seafood platters and remains just as indulgent from there. In the past, One Fish Two Fish has called this yearly feast Great Friday; however, in 2025 it's keeping the specials going for three days. Cue more chances to head along. Those platters are made to share, and come stacked with pacific oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, cooked Mooloolaba prawns, sand crab toast topped with caviar and green-lip mussels. Next, you'll enjoy apple and blackcurrant granita as a palette cleanser, then grilled goldband snapper with fries and garden salad. We've only listed three rounds so far, with the fourth course getting sweet. To wrap things up, you'll be tucking into hot cross bun bread and butter pudding with vanilla ice cream and baked white chocolate crumble. If you're keen to eat in, you'll need to book a spot for one of eight sittings: 11.30am, 2.30pm and 6.30pm on Friday; and 12pm, 2.30pm and 6.30pm on Saturday; and 12pm and 2.30pm on Sunday. A la carte dining is still available if you're keen on a date with One Fish Two Fish, but want to choose your own dishes. There's also a takeaway menu featuring fish 'n' chip fare, complete with a different Easter treat: lobster croissants.
If your mental manilla folder marked 'Yoko Ono' only has that old Simpsons episode in it, read on. For a woman who once inspired so much hate, Yoko Ono has a lot of love to give. Today the 80-year-old is cherished as an artist, musician and peace activist with global influence, but she was, when most first heard of her, Beatles fan enemy number one. She spiked John Lennon's morning English Breakfast with her boho voodoo, they said, and changed the band forever. That's how she was portrayed in that Simpsons ep, too, as the kooky banshee who seduced Barney Rubble away from the barbershop quartet. It's a testament to Yoko's talent, energy and batshit crazy charisma that her legacy transcends that nonpareil historical record. An exhibition of her work is opening next month at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. She's an enigmatic figure, containing multitudes, so here are some facts and figures that might help order your Ono thoughts. She Survived World War II In 1933 Yoko was born into a prosperous family descended from a Japanese emperor. She shuttled between San Francisco and New York as her banker father was transferred, but lived mainly in Tokyo. She was 12 when the city was fired-bombed by the Americans. As many as 130,000 people were killed in two days. I suspect this might be why she doesn't like war so much. She Studied at Sarah Lawrence Like that other eminent feminist Kat from Ten Things I Hate About You, Yoko enrolled at the east coast liberal arts college Sarah Lawrence, studying music. She'd transferred from Tokyo's Gakushuin University, where she was the first woman to enter the philosophy department. It seems she didn't attend many classes though; she was busy writing radical poetry and lying on top of John Cage's piano during his performances in New York. Some of Her Early Artworks Sound Really Cool And some of it sounds crap, but who cares? It was New York in the '60s, what's not to like? John Lennon first met Yoko at a preview of her exhibition in London in 1966. He was taken in by one particular work, in which a ladder leads up to a black canvas on the ceiling; up there was a spyglass on a chain, which revealed the word 'yes' written on the roof, which is great. More recently, she's been installing Wish Trees around the world and inviting visitors to hang wishes, written on little cards, on the trees' branches. It's a bit naff, as evidenced by this note left by Pharrell on the New York installation: "Wishing 4 all who seek to experience the shift of widespread illumination will have the inner stillness to share in the most momentous aspect of the ether." What? Her Honeymoon Was Spent in Bed, Away from War That earnest positivity pulses through most of her pieces, and perhaps none more so than the infamous honeymoon 'Bed-In for Peace'. After they married in Gibraltar, Spain, in 1969, Yoko and Lennon curled up on white fluffy sheets in an airy Amsterdam hotel room and smiled for the cameras. The couple were protesting against the Vietnam War, they told the assembled media, and they thought they could change the world ("start a revolution from [their] bed," is how Oasis put it). The image probably had more artistic impact than political, but that, of course, counts for something. She's still campaigning for peace, on the macro and micro levels; at the MCA exhibition you're invited to write your most honest love letter to your mum. She's a Really, Really Nice Lady, It Seems Asked which artists inspired her today, Yoko gave a big shout out to, well, all artists working today. "I just love anybody that does anything in the art world and the artistic world," she said in an interview. "We just have to keep working and I want everyone in the field to know that we support them." That said, she does single out Lady Gaga for some love. "She has a very lovely bottom," Yoko said of Gaga, after it graced the stage with her. "I think she's wonderful. John would have loved her, because she's an artist, she's fearless and she pushes every limit, which we both always adored. She has played on John's white piano and I think that's wonderful. Life moves on and you embrace it." Yes She Did Design These Pants See you at the merch table at the MCA, boys. Bonus! Just this week Yoko released her hypnotically bizarre and instantly viral music video, 'Bad Dancer', starring her pals the Beastie Boys, Questlove, Ira Glass, Roberta Flack, Cibo Matto and more. One more life achievement down. https://youtube.com/watch?v=d3mvEfON2CI War Is Over! (If you want it), an exhibition of Yoko's work across multiple disciplines, will be on at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from November 15, 2013, to February 23, 2014. The artist herself will also be present.
What did a negroni taste like in the 70s? That's one of the questions that Stan's, the new lounge bar at Howard Smith Wharves, now answers. Here's another: does Cantonese restaurant Stanley need a Hong Kong-inspired watering hole that combines XO sand crab cigars, lobster and truffle dumplings, design-your-own martinis, DJ-spun tunes and a late-night dance floor, all on its second level? The answer to the latter is a hearty yes. A night out at at one of Brisbane's top eateries now doesn't have to start or end with dinner. An evening at Stanley can expand beyond your meal without leaving the premises, in fact. While there's no change to the restaurant's operations downstairs in its heritage-listed 1930s-era former water police building by the river, the upstairs space has relaunched — which is where Stan's comes in. As a result, one of the city's best places to eat is now one of Brissie's must-visit places for a drink as well. Stanley announced its new addition early in September 2024, then opened its doors in October. So, when you're not tucking into a feast of dishes on the ground level — including yum cha daily for lunch — you'll want to head up a floor for beverages over snacks in a newly transformed part of the site. At Stan's, the vibe and the decor take inspiration from Hong Kong — and the idea is to mix old-world touches with modern flourishes as well. Think: jewel-hued furnishings and decor, such as rich red seating and velvet curtains in emerald tones; dark and moody lighting; antique mirrored wall panels, including the back bar; timber aplenty as accents; hand-painted mural walls across the private lounge; and aged brass cocktail tables to sit at. This is also a place to make shapes or simply enjoy the DJ's music picks, thanks to a vintage JBL sound system. The promise for the tunes: extensive and eclectic. The bar has folks on the decks most evenings, and is also hosting album listening sessions in the middle of the week. Turning the space into a late-night dance floor is encouraged. Naturally, cocktails feature prominently on the beverage list — and the approach here is classic-meets-new, too. Martinis and daiquiris are highlights, with the signature martini menu letting patrons pic their gins or vodkas, bitters and extracts to taste. If you're just after spirits and you have some cash to splash, a collection of vintage tipples from around the world, some dating from as far back as the 60s, is also a drawcard. You'll find the range of rare drops on display in a custom-built cabinet, and those 70s-style concoctions as well. Stanley Executive Chef Louis Tikaram isn't just focusing on the main restaurant downstairs now that Stan's is up and running. He's whipped up a new range of Cantonese bites just for the upper floor, designed to match the beverages. Options span steamed lobster and truffle dumplings, rolled peking duck pancakes, rock lobster buns, painted tropical crayfish, fried prawn toast and more, ensuring the venue's luxe vibes come through in its food offering. Find Stan's on level two at Stanley, Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane — open Monday–Thursday 3pm–1am and Friday–Sunday 12pm–1am. Head to the venue's website for more details.
If you've been walking around Sydney in the last week, you may have noticed the fancy new plaques at most street crossings. But what you probably didn't know is that these signs now make up the most comprehensive network of braille and tactile signs in the world. That's right: the entire world. Thanks to the major effort by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the signs were officially launched on Monday, July 4, with more than 2100 braille and raised-letter signs installed at pedestrian crossings in the city. The aluminium panels, which denote street names and building numbers, have been placed next to push buttons at crossing areas. These plaques improve signage and accessibility for the blind and vision impaired, and will allow them to navigate the city streets much more easily. A champion for the vision impaired, Moore is aiming to make Sydney more accessible for both locals and tourists. "The signs make it easier and safer for people who are blind or have low vision to use their city — to have the freedom and the independence of movement that most of us can take for granted," she told Concrete Playground. Basically, she rules. Both Vision Australia and Guide Dogs NSW/ACT are giving this act two thumbs way up and were integral in the program launch. "The design and installation arose from extensive consultation with the community and on-site testing with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT and Vision Australia," says Moore. "My sincere thanks to them for their help in this significant step towards an even more open and inclusive city." Making sure Sydney is accessible to the vision impaired is becoming increasingly important by the year — it is estimated that around 100,000 people suffer from non-correctable vision loss in NSW alone, and that number is predicted to increase by more than 20 percent by 2020. We've been truly impressed with Sydney's initiatives of late – like the fact that we're getting our own entrepreneur school and a permanent School of Life. This new braille network is a massive leap forward for the city's planning and an overall ace move. Nice one, Sydney. Image: Clover Moore via Instagram.
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 starts welcoming new drinking spots with frequency. Thanks to Ballistic Beer Co and Hiker Brewing Co in Salisbury, as well as Helios Brewing Company and Slipstream Brewing Company in Yeerongpilly, there's no shortage of breweries to have a beer at on the southside. And, while you've likely been hopping between them all anyway, Beermuda gives the area's boozy crawl an official spin. Head to any of the quartet from 1pm on Saturday, March 29, 2025, get sipping, then catch a courtesy bus to the other three — and drink more frothy ales at each, obviously. Entry is free, and there'll also be food and live music at each brewery. Plus, you'll be able to just generally soak in the boozy Salisbury and Yeerongpilly vibes. If you remember the event from previous years, you'll know that it was originally called Beermuda Triangle — taking inspiration from the Bermuda Triangle, of course — but when Hiker Brewing joined in 2023, there was no longer just three venues on the route. Buses run from 1–7pm, starting at Helios, then hitting Slipstream, Hiker and Ballistic, then repeating. Beer-wise, there'll be more than 60 brews on offer — and each venue is doing its own thing with food and entertainment.
If you're lucky enough to score tickets to Meredith Music Festival in any year via the event's ballot, one of Australia's best fests awaits no matter the lineup. 2025's roster of acts is characteristically impressive, however. On the just-dropped bill: TV on the Radio, Atarashii Gakko! and Perfume Genius, for starters, as well as Thee Sacred Souls, Pa Salieu, HAAi, Bar Italia, Colin Hay and Mildlife. And, there's still more where the came from. Folk Bitch Trio, Saya Gray, RONA. and Omar Souleyman are on the lineup, too. So are Dames Brown, Radio Free Alice, Sam Austins RP Boo, Wax'o Paradiso, Florist and Jack J. Add in Drifting Clouds, Dr Sure's Unusual Practice, Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir, Mouseatouille, Brown Spirits and Lazy Susan on MC duties, and expect a jam-packed three days across Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1017126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sumner Dilworth[/caption] How is the fest crew describing this year's event? "One of the best places on earth to spend a weekend, the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre has been natured and nurtured and then natured again, for the singular purpose of hosting the time of your life," organisers advise. So, expect "a permanent and purpose-built underground wunderland that provides optimal conditions for rarefied reverie", as well as to get "lost in music, lost in one another, for three days and two nights of Sup'ed up saucery". 2025 marks the beloved festival's 33rd year, with this three-decade-plus tradition taking over its namesake Victorian locale to kick off summer. The first round of the ticket ballot for the three-day BYO camping festival opened in July and ended on Monday, August 11, 2025, but you still have a chance to enter. The second round is now open, and you've got until 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 to put your name in. So, book that long weekend, go in the running for tickets, then cross your fingers that you'll be spending a trio of days at The Sup with Tunde Adebimpe and company. [caption id="attachment_1017128" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cody Critcheloe[/caption] Meredith Music Festival 2025 Lineup TV on the Radio Atarashii Gakko! Perfume Genius Thee Sacred Souls Pa Salieu HAAi Bar Italia Colin Hay Mildlife Folk Bitch Trio Saya Gray RONA. Omar Souleyman Dames Brown Radio Free Alice Sam Austins RP Boo Wax'o Paradiso Florist Jack J Drifting Clouds Dr Sure's Unusual Practice Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir Mouseatouille Brown Spirits Lazy Susan Meredith Music Festival returns to Meredith from Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. To put your name in the second round of the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.33pm AEST on Tuesday, August 19. Meredith Music Festival images: Chip Mooney, Leah Hulst, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
"The bear, it fucking did cocaine. A bear did cocaine!" That's it, that's Cocaine Bear. This based-on-a-true-story caper's title really does say it all, and those understandably concerned words in the trailer sum it up perfectly, too. Meet one of 2023's instant must-sees, complete with a ridiculously entertaining sneak peek that utterly perfects the mood a bear doing cocaine deserves. "Apex predator. High on cocaine. Out of its mind." There's another way to sum up this 80s-set flick, which does indeed follow the chaos that ensues when an American black bear unwittingly ingests a hefty package of cocaine in a Georgia forest. Everyone's exclaiming things in response, really — adults, kids, cops and drug dealers in the trailer, and you while you're watching. "It kind of seems like a thing that stays with a man forever," the sneak peek tells us. It's not wrong. Cocaine Bear marks the third feature stint behind the lens by Call Jane actor Elizabeth Banks, after previously directing Pitch Perfect 2 and Charlie's Angels. And yes, the story behind it very much happened back in 1985, after a drug-running plane crashed. Forget Yogi Bear and his penchant for picnic baskets — this growling 500-pound critter is doing blow, then seeking blood. Among those screaming on-screen about a bear doing coke: a stacked cast featuring Keri Russell (Antlers), O'Shea Jackson Jr (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Margo Martindale (The Watcher), and also including Christian Convery (Sweet Tooth), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project) and Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones). Cocaine Bear also marks one of the last films starring the late, great Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark) — and if there's ever been a time for Isiah Whitlock Jr (Da 5 Bloods) to bust out one of his famous "sheeeeeeeit"s, this is it. Cinemagoers Down Under can see the results in February, in what looks like a jaw-on-the-floor kind of good time — from the trailer and the whole 'bear does cocaine' concept, at least. Until then, the film's sneak peak is the wildest thing you'll see all day. Watching it more than once comes with the territory. Check out the trailer for Cocaine Bear below: Cocaine Bear releases in cinemas Down Under on February 23, 2023.
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.
Back in simpler times, say about 30 years ago, it felt like every special occasion was topped off with a slice of Viennetta. Call it nostalgia, but this frozen treat seemed like the height of culinary indulgence, at least compared to the usual scoop of the most generic Neapolitan ice cream imaginable. However, things have changed in the world of dessert, especially since serious ice creameries like Gelato Messina hit the big time. Now that most of us have somewhat higher expectations when it comes to rounding out our meals, inspired creations like the Milo Messinetta offer a throwback bite with a lot more quality. Conceived as the ultimate Aussie summer dessert — and playing on the once-loved Viennetta — the experts at Messina have teamed up with the malt-based favourite to serve a reimagined frozen dessert featuring Milo gelato layered with Milo fudge and chunks of baked Milo cheesecake, finished with Milo crème chantilly. As malty as it sounds, the Milo Messinetta is available for pre-order online from Tuesday, October 14, or for pick up in stores from Friday, October 17–Sunday, October 19. For those seeking even more Messina-Milo goodness, the crew has also whipped up a decadent Milo Dinosaur Sundae for its Keng Eng Kee collaboration.
Long before Photoshop became widely available photo hoaxes were much more noteworthy and had larger repercussions for contriving fake events. Today we are accustomed to seeing completely unrealistic and out-of-this-world scenes on photographic prints, but in bygone days society was a little more innocent. Whether used as propaganda in war times, t0 invent or perpetuate superstitions, to improve appearances, or to make ordinary events appear extraordinary, photo hoaxes have historically changed our perceptions, beliefs and even our actions. Here are ten of the most famous photo hoaxes (appropriately from The Museum of Hoaxes) throughout history. Portrait of a Photographer as a Drowned Man Hippolyte Bayard was angered by the lack of attention and recognition given to his independently developed process of direct positive printing, which was instead focused on his rival Louis Daguerre. In the 1830s during the race to perfect the printing process, Bayard was not remembered as the first to invent photography, yet he is known as the first to fake a photograph. To demonstrate his frustration, Bayard took a faux photo of himself as a suicide victim alongside a note reprimanding those who supported Daguerre as the discoverer of photography rather than himself. President Lincoln Due to Abraham Lincoln's lack of 'heroic-style' portraits, an amateur entrepreneur created the photo of Lincoln on the left by combining two other photographs. By cutting out Lincoln's head from a picture by Matthew Brady and pasting it onto an image of southern leader John Calhoun, this widespread image of a bold President Lincoln was created. The Cottingley Fairies Cousins Frances Griffith and Elsie Wright were playing in the garden of Elsie's Cottingley village home when a group of frolicking fairies seemingly decided to join in on their fun. The series of photos taken by the young girls captured the world's attention, providing 'proof' to many spiritualists that supernatural creatures really did exist. Little did the world know (until 1980) that the fairies were in fact only cardboard cutouts drawn by Elsie inspired by the book Princess Mary's Gift Book. Trotsky Vanishes Leon Trotsky, the second in command to Lenin in Soviet Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, was deported and eventually assassinated in later years after demonstrating open dissent towards Stalin's policies. This photo was taken in 1920, with the original depicting Vladimir Lenin atop a platform speaking to troops at Sverdlov Square and both Trotsky and Kamenev standing beside him on his left side. This picture is one of the most famous images in the many falsified photos using paint, razor and airbrushes as part of Stalin's attempt to eliminate all traces of the 'traitor' Trotsky. Baby Hitler In the 1930s, a photo supposedly showing a baby Adolf Hitler circulated throughout England and America. The menacing scowl upon the baby's face and greasy mop of hair covering its head was distributed by Acme Newspictures Inc. and appeared in a large number of newspapers and magazines. The photo actually portrayed a young american boy, John May Warren, whose cute and and bubbly features had been manipulated to make him look more sinister. The origin of the hoax picture has been traced back to Austria, Hitler's home country, yet the identity of the forger remains unknown. Lung-powered Flying Machine One of the most successful and widespread April Fools jokes in history, this photo was run in the Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung on April 1, 1934 presenting a flying machine run by the breath from a man's lung. Many immediately thought the image to be true and International News Photo distributed the image of this 'new invention' to its American subscribers. This caused the image to go viral, with it even making it into the New York Times. The Surgeon's Photo A few months after the initial media hype following a sighting of an 'enormous monster' by a couple in the Loch Ness, a highly respected British surgeon, Colonel Robert Wilson, came forward with a picture showing a serpent rising out of the water. By far the most famous image of the 'Loch Ness Monster', this photo, named 'The Surgeon's Photo' (due to Wilson's wish to remain anonymous) was debunked in 1994, 60 years after the photo's initial release. 90 year-old Christian Spurling, on the eve of his death, revealed his role in the hoax. At his stepfather's wishes he had created a toy submarine with a sea-serpent head to appear in a photograph, which Colonel Wilson would be the frontman for. The Brown Lady of Raynham By far one of the most famous ghost pictures, the Brown Lady supposedly haunted the walls of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England. The image was taken by two photographers for Country Life magazine, who had been setting up their cameras and apparently saw an unearthly figure floating down the stairs and subsequently snapped a photo. The appearance of the ghost has later been attributed to camera vibration, light entering the lens from the window or double exposure, yet it is unknown whether the result was produced on purpose or was accidental. The Bluff Creek Bigfoot This image represents frame 352 of Patterson and Gimlin's infamous short film about Bigfoot set in Northern California. The pair set out out to make a documentary on horseback about the beast and conveniently managed to capture footage of a female 'Bigfoot' strolling along the river bank. Skeptics argue that this image is obviously just a figure in an ape suit, yet believers counter that costumes and effects were not sophisticated enough in 1967 to create such a believable image. The quality of the film is not good enough to conclusively prove or deny the existence of the beast, so feel free to make up your own mind on the authenticity of the image. The Foetal Footprint One of the more recent photo hoaxes, this image showing the outline of the foot of a baby in utero pressing against a pregnant mother's belly has gained widespread prominence on the internet and elsewhere. Many have been fooled by this miracle photo, but in actual fact, the abdominal wall is too thick and muscular for a foetal foot to be seen so clearly, and the foot itself is also unusually large.
It's a war that's been waged for decades among regional bakeries the country over: who's dishing up Australia's best pie? Whose pastry comes closest to perfection? Which filling reigns supreme? Well, 2023's top dog has officially been named, with Victoria's Country Cob Bakery taking out top honours at this year's edition of Australia's Best Pie and Pastie Competition. While you might have your own thoughts about which pie makes the best road-trip accompaniment, goes down best at the footy or makes for the ultimate comfort food, this nationally recognised contest is run by the experts at the Baking Association of Australia. The 2023 competition saw professional judges sample pies from hundreds of bakeries across three days. And for the fourth time — including in 2018, 2019 and 2020 — Country Cob claimed the top title, this time winning over tastebuds with a Cambodian fish amok pie, which was named the Best Seafood Pie as well. Country Cob not only has form, but has a range of ace pies. Back in 2020, it won for a pepper beef pie creation loaded with local ingredients. In 2019, it came out on top with its caramelised pork and pepper pie — and its satay seafood pie took out the top gong in 2018. It's an impressive run for baker brothers Ryan and Chan Khun, who've owned and operated the bakery since 2016. Over that time, they've won more than 350 trophies and medals for their baked goods. If that doesn't put their bakeries in Kyneton, Boronia and Springvale on your must-visit list, then we only have one conclusion: you hate pies. In 2023, the two backed up their big win with a slew of other awards, including taking out the title of Best Pepper Beef Pie, Best Mushroom Pie and Best Meat Pastie. And if you're new to fish amok — or amok trei (អាម៉ុកត្រី) — it's a Khmer steamed fish curry. Made with a mousse-style texture, and thought to date back to between the 9th and 15th centuries, it's one of Cambodia's national dishes. In pie form, it's clearly now an Aussie favourite as well. Country Cob Bakery is located at 130-132 Mollison Street, Kyneton; 951 Mountain Highway, Boronia; and 890-892 Princes Highway, Springvale — all in Victoria.
Nominated for Best Animated Film at the Academy Awards and BAFTAs, 3D stop-motion comedy, Paranorman, sees a misunderstood local boy thrown into a mad-cap fight with besieging zombies. Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is considered weird in his small town home of Blithe Hollow, and no one, save for his new found friend, Neil (Tucker Albrizzi), believes his supernatural ability of being able to talk to the dead is genuine. All that begins to change when his eccentric uncle tells him of an important annual ritual he must take up in order to protect the town from a curse cast on it by a witch centuries ago. But, once he decides to use his gift to help, things go badly wrong and the dead begin to rise. Norman must struggle to save Blithe Hollow, and discover the horrific truth behind the curse. Written for children this beautifully animated tale may prove too scary for the little ones, but it’ll entertain younger teens, and leave their parents with something to think about.
Get merry for Christmas at The Zoo, with The Phoncurves, Dom Miller and Ben Salter. The founding member of The Gin Club, Ben Salter, has been a solo performer for over a decade, taking the world by storm with a striking vocal range and knack for captivating lyricism that has seen him compared to Neil Finn, Elliot Smith and Nick Drake. Abbie Roberts and Naomi Bunell are The Phoncurves, a Brisbane duo that blend distinct new music flavor with an aftertaste of pleasant nostalgia that sees them use extensive vocal harmonies in their folk pop sound. Dom Miller’s folk bordering indie vibes have seen him draw comparison with The Tallest Man On Earth, Whitley and Eef Barzelay.
Only one movie about a Griswold family getaway has ever hit the screen without Lindsay Buckingham's 'Holiday Road' echoing. What does the Nobody 2 trailer boast that National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation doesn't, then? That earworm of a tune, plus plenty more. The sequel to 2021's Nobody, aka the film that enlisted Mr Show with Bob and David, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul great Bob Odenkirk in a John Wick-esque part — its screenwriter Derek Kolstad created the Keanu Reeves (Sonic the Hedgehog 3)-played character, in fact — this is still a movie about a seemingly mild-mannered family man who had a previous life as an assassin. It's another chapter in a tale that acknowledges that those skills aren't just in the past, too. But it also takes Odenkirk's Hutch Mansell on holiday. "Let's just say the first film was a moody winter — this one will be a colourful summer," Timo Tjahjanto tells Concrete Playground. The Indonesian filmmaker is in the director's chair on Nobody 2, which is still an action-thriller. That said, it adapts to its protagonist and his loved ones — including his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen, Gladiator II), children (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent's Gage Munroe and Harland Manor's Paisley Cadorath) and father (Christopher Lloyd, Hacks) — going on a getaway, as the just-dropped sneak peek demonstrates. The resort setting, the tropical attire, arcades, pool noodles and boat rides: they're all part of it, as is Hutch trying not to let discovering that the Mansells' destination is an old bootlegging route ruin their break. "I love moody winter. My films have always been very moody and very often depressive," Tjahjanto advises. "But I think a good challenge for me right now is 'how do we make this violent world of Hutch Mansell collide with this burst of summer vacation — like this burst of 'the family wants to have fun in this water park'?". He continues: "that's our approach to it, visually and tonally". Again, that comes through in the picture's debut glimpse, which features a number of sights that could've sprung from a Vacation or any other holiday-set movie, except for the frenetic fights everywhere from elevators to those aforementioned arcades and boats. The first time around, Nobody also operated as a character study. When you have multiple Emmy-nominee Odenkirk in the lead — and partly riffing on events that happened to him, with the franchise coming to fruition after his own home was broken into — that's the ideal approach. In Nobody 2, set four years after his altercation with the Russian mob, now the story broadens its focus to Hutch's nearest and dearest as well. The setup: the Mansells head away because Hutch begins to realise that his children are growing up and he's barely spending any time with them, so making the kind of memories that only family time can conjure up is in order. Nobody 2 is Tjahjanto's first full Hollywood picture. He's no debutant, though. For more than a decade and a half, Tjahjanto has been adding features to his resume, both solo and as part of the Mo Brothers with fellow Indonesian filmmaker Kimo Stamboel (Dancing Village: The Curse Begins). Together, they're behind 2009's Macabre, 2014's Killers and 2016's Headshot. Tjahjanto on his lonesome also contributed segments to American horror anthology flicks The ABCs of Death, V/H/S/2 (co-helming with The Raid, The Raid 2 and Havoc's Gareth Evans) and V/H/S/94. Plus, he's directed Indonesian pictures May the Devil Take You and its sequel May the Devil Take You Too, alongside The Night Comes for Us, The Big 4 and The Shadow Strays. He's also been attached to Train to Busan remake The Last Train to New York, and is helming The Beekeeper 2. How has that charting that path assisted Tjahjanto with hopping onboard Nobody 2? How did being able to ask Odenkirk's advice along the way — and co-star Sharon Stone's (The Flight Attendant) as well — help, too? And, like audiences watching, was seeing his lead in action-hero mode part of the appeal of the job? Tjahjanto spoke with us about all the above, plus his approach to stepping into a world already established by the initial Nobody, the action setpiece he's particularly keen on viewers to enjoy on a big screen, the theme of duality flowing through the feature, balancing tone and more. On Whether Seeing Bob Odenkirk as an Action Hero Was Part of the Appeal of Directing Nobody 2 "Yes — and also, in a way, we even try to dig deeper than that. So basically, look, we know by now, in the first film, that Bob can do action, right? But I think what's appealing to me is also that when Bob becomes an action man, he doesn't specifically transform himself into this one-dimensional action hero. He's not the all-knowing, the guy who thought about ten steps ahead — or like 'this is what I'm going to do'. He's not a fully in-control hero. And that's what I like about this character, Hutch Mansell. It's really, yes, he was on top of his game at some point. But now that he is a father of two kids, he's a husband, how does he juggle all these things? And often the greatest moment comes from the time in the film — especially in the second film, you'll see — when things are becoming out of control. And I love that. I never have any interest to make a protagonist who doesn't have any flaws. As a matter of fact, the more the protagonists have all these cracks, and sitting on a ship that is slowly sinking and he's trying to throw away all the water with a little cup, that's when it appeals to me. And that's pretty much what happens to the character here in this film." On How Tjahjanto Approached Taking on a World That Was Already Established in the First Film "The easy answer will be to sit very closely with Bob. Not a lot of people know that the first film is also sort of based on what happened to Bob in real life — the whole idea that he was confronting this thing that happened in his house, when somebody broke into his house. So he exorcised that sort of, I guess, trauma, by writing a script or writing a story. And in this one, he knows Hutch Mansell more than anybody else. And I think it's always good to sit with him and just really be like 'Bob, I don't want to overstep you, but how do we evolutionise Hutch Mansell as a character?'. And we found the fine line between 'well, in order for us to make him grow, we also need to make the family grow — we also need to sort of put the family at the centre of it all'. So that's what we did with this second film. We no longer tell a story about just Hutch Mansell. We also tell a story about Becca Mansell and Brady and Sammy, his kids. And then there's also grandpa and the brother Harry [RZA, Problemista]. So it's really a family affair in the end. " On the One Particular Nobody 2 Action Scene That Tjahjanto Is Most Excited for Audiences to See on a Big Screen "I think they definitely will have a smorgasbord, a buffet, a buffet table of different action setpieces in this film. But I'm definitely proud of the boat fight, just because how technical it is to achieve. We really shot that fight scene inside that boat, in a real location. When we read it in the script, we all had the unison sort of talk, like 'yeah, we're going to do it in the studio with the green screen'. But by the end of it, we decided that 'you know what? Let's torture ourselves further, let's really shoot it in a boat by down by the river'. So that's what we did. And sometimes we'll watch it on post, we'll watch it and Bob will say 'can you imagine this Timo, like we really did this?'. So it's great. I'm proud of that scene and I hope people will enjoy it, too." On the Kind of Direction You Give an Actor Like Bob Odenkirk When They're So Linked to a Film — Not Just Starring, But Writing and Producing as Well "I think the beauty is, I think I always think 'you know what, I'm a much darker person than Bob, I feel'. So I think sometimes there will be times when 'Bob, can I make you do this?'. And then he'll ask me 'aren't we being a bit too much, Timo?'. And then it's like 'you know what, Bob, let's do your take first, and after that, let's do a couple steps darker, you know?'. And that's always fun, just because we'll find the balance of like 'aaah all right, there you go'. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. And it's fine. I think the beauty will come when we both realise why I want things to be in a certain way — because, especially a lot of this film, it's about duality. So there's the doting father and husband who's trying so hard to please his family; to have this beautiful, magnificent memory; to be on a vacation. Because he realised his son's getting older, his daughter as well. Soon they'll be going to college and all that stuff. So there is that real-life issue that he's facing. But at the same time, we've got to remember this is also a man capable of violence. So I think the whole Jekyll-and-Hyde sort of play, it's really something that we both were kind of like 'okay, let's see where's the fine line between the father and the seasoned killer'. On How Tjahjanto's Decade and a Half-Plus of Directing, Both Solo and as Part of the Mo Brothers, Has Led Him to Nobody 2 "I would say I always approach every new project as if I haven't done anything before. I think that's my best preparation, just because that way I'll be very prepared. It's like a kid who's going to a chemistry test for the first time — you better bring the whole table and all that stuff. Because that's the only approach that I feel will prepare you for being from a small pool, suddenly jumping into this Olympic-size, ocean-size pool that is the Hollywood industry. And I always say it's always good to be very prepared. And when I talk to somebody who's in such a different calibre, such as Bob Odenkirk or Sharon Stone, it's always good to realise being a director, yes, you have to know a lot of things, but you should never be afraid to be sort of like 'hey Sharon, what do you think about this? Do you think there's a take that you think is interesting?'. Or even to Bob. These people have been around for decades, and sometimes it's also a situation where, as a director, I'm learning from them." Nobody 2 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
Walking through a cathedral made of 100,000-plus lights, moseying beneath a canopy of glowing multi-coloured trees, wandering between ribbons of flashing beams — you'll be able to do all of this when Lightscape heads to Australia for the first time in 2022. Originally meant to debut Down Under in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, the after-dark light festival will be taking over the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria — Melbourne from Friday, June 24–Sunday, August 7, beaming away from 5.15pm Wednesday–Sunday. While the leafy Birdwood Avenue spot is already extremely scenic, to say that Lightscape will be brightening up the place is quite the understatement. Prepare to see the garden illuminated by immersive and large-scale installations scattered along a 1.8-kilometre route, including sparkling trees, luminous walkways and bursts of colour that look like fireworks. A big highlight: large-scale works like Winter Cathedral, the aforementioned installation that'll feature more than 100,000 globes and make you feel like you're being bathed in radiance. Lightscape comes to Australia after taking over gardens across the United Kingdom and the United States. Developed by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, it's understandably proven a huge success — and more than two-million people wandered along its glowing trails last season. In Melbourne, Lightscape will also commission local artists to create works that'll celebrate the city's culture and nature — giving the after-dark light festival a local touch. Fingers crossed for pop-up food and drink stalls scattered throughout — selling, we hope, mulled wine to keep hands warm during the chilly winter nights. Lightscape will light up Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, from Friday, June 24–Sunday, August 7. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
With every endeavour, there comes a time when you're faced with difficult decisions. Whether it's scaling back, making a major change or trying something different, it's important to know when and how to make a tough call that just might benefit you in the long run. So how do you know when you're making the right choice? There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but we sought out some advice from two Sydney venues who have become beloved local fixtures in the industry, in partnership with Square. Good Ways Deli started slinging sandwiches in Redfern in 2021 and quickly developed so much of a following that they opened a second outpost in Alexandria the following year. The Barber Shop is a fair bit older, having opened in 2013. The city speakeasy is known for its extensive collection of 700-plus gins and has been voted Australia's Best Gin Bar by Australian Bartender Magazine four times. The Barber Shop's co-owner Mike Enright and Good Ways' co-founder Jordan McKenzie share their wisdom on making big changes, unexpected surprises and what they've learnt along the way. [caption id="attachment_960054" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Credit Cassandra Hannigan[/caption] The Barber Shop on Closing the Actual Barbershop The Barber Shop was, aptly, concealed behind a fully operational barbershop that served clients during the day. However, after consistent losses from that portion of the business, the team decided to shut down the front of the venue. "We closed our actual barbershop at the front of the bar. The barbers are a completely different business to hospitality. It was taking up too much time and we barely broke even post-covid," said co-owner Mike Enright. "It meant that we could focus on the bar and not have our bottom line suffering by the losses it was making." When asked whether it was a tough call, Enright answered: "We had to make a few redundancies, but it was a smooth transition." He elaborated, "We tried hard and long to keep that part of the business operating and I didn't want to let it go, but it was the best decision in the end." Did it work? "The space is now a prop for the bar. It still looks like a barbershop but with no cutting hair, which is a shame. It used to be a great business pre-covid." But, Enright added, "It turned out exactly as planned — the losses and the stress of trying to run two businesses disappeared." Another benefit of closing the barbershop was that Enright was able to devote more attention to producing events, which he says are "another source of additional income for us and great promotion for the brand." Thanks to Square, these events, whether on or off-site, can go off without a hitch. "The Tap-To-Pay on iPhone is super useful," Enright shared. "We always have a device to take payments on." Good Ways Deli on Choosing to Bake Their Own Bread Good Ways Deli had been making their own bread for about a year when they made the decision to commit to baking on a bigger scale. "We started to think about what made Good Ways what it is and how we could double down on that. Baking bread in house is a labour of love for a sandwich shop, and we needed a way to make it worthwhile and differentiate us from the market," shared co-founder Jordan McKenzie. McKenzie recalled when they shut down the store to renovate the space. "To make this change we had to close the shop for four days — we ripped apart the bar and benches, and rebuilt them in a way that left more space for a deck oven and a bigger mixer. Our trades came in and upgraded the services to account for the new equipment. It was an ambitious feat in the timeframe we gave ourselves and sleep wasn't really factored into the equation, but we got it done!" So how did they make this decision? "We looked at our business plan and what we'd done up until now, and what would take it to the next level. You can't do everything you want to do when you first open, so change is inevitable," said McKenzie. "We knew that quality, healthy and sustainably minded food were core values for us, and the health benefits of slowly fermented sourdough breads were a big draw in a growing sandwich scene." Once the decision has been made, it can be another challenge entirely to get the staff and customers on board. "We have regular staff meetings to communicate our values and why we have them, but people who come to work at Good Ways can see what we do and it really resonates. There is strong buy-in." As for the customers, "we have some messaging on the website and through social media, but for the most part, we try to let our actions speak. The fact that you can see the bread being made as soon as you walk in really helps," explained McKenzie. Was it a success? "I don't know if I'd pin it as the game-changer, but it's definitely been a step forward for us in this long walk." McKenzie added, "The fact that not only Tom and I, but all of the team are still excited to eat a sandwich for lunch every day after four years is testament to that." McKenzie's additional piece of advice was: "Cafes and restaurants are well-oiled machines that rely on repetition to hone efficiency, so whenever you make changes there will always be teething issues. You can't have business without problem-solving though, so get on with it!" He went on to say, "Ask people smarter than you for advice, plan well and crack on. When you find the problems, fix them." Find out how Square can kickstart your business at squareup.com.
When Jamie Campbell wore a dress to his high school dance, he couldn't have known what would come next. In 2011, his story hit the small screen thanks to TV documentary Jamie — Drag Queen at Sixteen. In 2017, it became an acclaimed West End stage musical, nabbing five Olivier Award nominations in the process. And in 2020, the show is finally heading to Australia for a huge national tour. Premiering at the Sydney Opera House in July before hitting up Western Sydney, Wyong, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide between September 2020–February 2021, Everybody's Talking About Jamie tells Jamie's coming-of-age tale, complete with an upbeat pop score by The Feeling's Dan Gillespie Sells. Drawn from reality but universal in its emotions and resonance, it's a story of friendship, being yourself and overcoming obstacles such as bullies and prejudice. Here, Jamie New is a 16-year-old living in a council estate in Sheffield in Northern England. He's teased about his sexuality by his classmates, but dreams of attending prom in drag. And, despite the taunting and the small-minded attitudes around him — except from his supportive mum and his loyal friends — he's determined to make that dream a reality. In the Australian production, Fan Girls' James Majoos will play Jamie and Helen Dallimore will play his mother, with the rest of the cast including Simon Burke, Elise McCann, Shubshri Kandiah, Christina O'Neill and Harry Targett. The musical's Aussie run couldn't be better timed, too, with a movie adaptation of Everybody's Talking About Jamie due to hit local cinemas in early December. EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE 2020-21 AUSTRALIAN SEASON Sydney — Saturday, July 18–Sunday, August 30, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House Western Sydney — Friday, September 4–Sunday, September 13, Sydney Coliseum Theatre, West HQ Wyong — Monday, September 28–Sunday, October 4, The Art House Melbourne — Friday, October 9–Sunday, October 25, Arts Centre Melbourne Brisbane — Friday, November 13–Sunday, November 29, QPAC Canberra — Friday, December 11–Sunday, December 13, Canberra Theatre Centre Perth — Friday, January 22–Sunday, January 31, 2021, His Majesty's Theatre Adelaide — Friday, February 5–Sunday, February 14, 2021, Her Majesty's Theatre Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3mjSUeOg5g&feature=youtu.be Everybody's Talking About Jamie's Australian season will premiere at the Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre between Saturday, July 18–Sunday, August 30, before touring to Western Sydney from Friday, September 4–Sunday, September 13; Wyong from Monday, September 28–Sunday, October 4; Melbourne from Friday, October 9–Sunday, October 25; Brisbane from Friday, November 13–Sunday, November 29; Canberra from Friday, December 11–Sunday, December 13; Perth from Friday, January 22–Sunday, January 31, 2021 and Adelaide from Friday, February 5–Sunday, February 14, 2021. To join the ticket waitlist, visit the production's website — with Sydney ticket pre-sales starting at 9am on Wednesday, March 11 before general public sales open at 9am on Tuesday, March 17. Top images: Alistair Muir / Johan Persson.
When an arts festival gifts its chosen city with shows, it also brightens up the darkness whenever its program spills into venues and spaces around town after night falls. Many such fests like taking that idea literally. At Brisbane Festival, for example, after-dark light event Lightscape was on the lineup in 2023 and 2024, getting the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens glowing. The same fest is heading to the same place in 2025, but with something different: the fiery Afterglow. Brisbane is hosting the world-premiere run of this luminous experience, which is part of the 2025 Brisbane Festival program. Across Friday, September 5–Saturday, September 27, Afterglow is filling one of the River City CBD's leafiest parts with fire sculptures and candlelit installations, and also live performances. [caption id="attachment_1008781" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] If you want to be among the first on the planet to enjoy it, you'll need to be in the Queensland capital. Brisbanites, there's some bragging rights for you. At Afterglow, you'll wander. You'll follow the flame-lined 1.4-kilometre path through an inner-city patch of greenery. You'll soak in the work of fire artists, too, and you'll watch the evening blaze away in the process. The experience runs every 15 minutes each evening across its dates from 5.45pm. The trail is family friendly, and also accessible. Images: Mellumae and Sean Dowling, Andrew Ogilvy, Sony Music Entertainment.
Vintage furniture and ceramics are sold alongside an eclectic range of handbags, jewellery and novelty gifts at this unique Gabba store. AbFab is defined by its quirky, kitsch and fabulous wares that seemingly fill every available space in the room. Where else in Brisbane can you buy the world's first toothpaste and mouthwash invented for King Louis XV, alongside Australian designed fashion and accessories, and Hunter the Grunter chew toys for dogs?
Your mates have flocked to the Mediterranean coast. Your boss is sailing around Croatia. Heck, even your parents have jetted off for a week of sun, sand and piña coladas in Hawaii. And here in Oz, we're sloshing and shivering our way through another winter season But, there's plenty of reason to rug up, get out and explore our own backyard. Even if it's chilly outside. As the mercury plummets, there's no better time to cosy up, glass of wine in hand, and let someone else do the cooking. Or perhaps you're looking for a dose of arts and culture or even something to get the blood pumping? Whatever you're craving, Sydney has a whole stack of blues-busting events, festivals and activities all winter long. To get you started, we've teamed up with InterContinental Sydney to bring you an itinerary that'll make your winter a little bit warmer. Base yourself at the hotel's CBD location and hop from exhibitions and pop-up events to must-see dining spots. We've done the hard work you; all you have to do is get exploring. INDULGE IN A LAND TO SEA BUFFET While on holiday, you should always treat yourself to the finer things. At InterContinental Sydney's Cafe Opera, you'll find a 'land to sea' buffet packed with fresh seafood, locally sourced meats and a new Asian cuisine station. Enjoy Sydney Rock oysters, prawns, green-lipped mussels and a selection of sushi, then fill up on roast meats sourced from NSW's Southern Highlands like lamb shoulder, pork belly and beef rump. You can choose to go for lunch from Wednesday to Friday or enjoy the 'deluxe experience' over the weekend. Our tip? If you're visiting on a weekend, stop by from Friday night to Sunday (all day) for a luxe seafood offering of Balmain bugs, blue swimmer crab, salmon sashimi and grilled whole salmon available lunch and dinner. Plus, if you choose to lunch on the weekend, you'll also get free-flowing sparkling wine and soft drinks with your meal. The Land to Sea Buffet is available from Wednesday 12pm to Friday 2.30pm for $69 per person and from Friday 5.30pm to Sunday 10pm for $99 per person. Kids ten and under eat free. InterContinental Sydney is also offering 20% off food till October 13, 2019. WATCH AN OPERATIC MASTERPIECE AT THE OPERA HOUSE It's a Sydney icon that welcomes 8.2 million visitors every year. Some would say it's the most popular house in the country. But, for Australians, it's often the most overlooked of attractions. Take in all of the Sydney Opera House's glory with one of the world's most famous love stories. Madama Butterfly is the bold new production by choreographer Graeme Murphy, bringing new life to Italian composer Giacomo Puccini's original work. This digital production uses 12 huge high-definition LED panels to showcase animations and film content, telling the tragic tale of a young Japanese girl's marriage with an American naval officer. Make sure to bring plenty of tissues for this one. Madama Butterfly runs from Friday, June 28 to Saturday, August 10, 2019, and tickets start at $47. [caption id="attachment_679482" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Madeye Photography[/caption] HAVE A CUPPA AT A FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO TEA Blending and brewing are terms typically associated with craft breweries. But, the specialty tea market is just as complex, and you can learn all about it at the Sydney Tea Festival. This one-day event brings dozens of tea specialists and lovers to Sydney's multi-arts centre Carriageworks for workshops, tastings and a bustling tea market. Sample specialty loose leaf tea, relax in the Brew Lounge and immerse yourself in a world of flavour with educational tastings, demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Once you've worked up an appetite, stop by the on-site food trucks for a sweet or savoury bite to eat. Sydney Tea Festival takes place on August 18, 2019, and tickets start at $16.95. DO YOUR BRAIN SOME GOOD AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW There's much more to science than lab coats and Bunsen burners. And Sydney's annual science festival proves just that. Showcasing some of the globe's leading thinkers, Sydney Science Festival brings researchers, museums, universities and communities together for a week of discovery, discussion and scientific debate. Even if science class was not your thing at school, you'll still find something that intrigues within the festival's lineup of talks, workshops and exhibitions. Picnic beneath the stars (and with reduced light pollution) explore activism in the age of climate change, challenge how you perceive reality at A Night of Illusions and celebrate the female tech visionaries who've played an important role in the history of technology but have been overlooked — until now. Sydney Science Festival runs August 6–18. Find the full lineup here. SEE THE ARCHIBALD AT THE AGNSW If you haven't had a chance to see the Archibald before, now's your chance. The annual portrait prize exhibition is now showing at the Art Gallery of NSW till September 9. This year, you can expect to see the likes of actor David Wenham, three-time Paralympic gold medallist Dylan Alcott plus Sydney-based author, broadcaster and journalist Benjamin Law. The best bit? For just $20 you'll also get to explore the Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibitions, showcasing the best landscape paintings of Australian scenery as well as the best subject, genre or mural painting. The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize 2019 runs till September 8, 2019, and tickets cost $20. And while you're there, opt to catch a double exhibition with tickets to The Essential Duchamp for an additional $16, running till August 11, 2019. Plan to stay at InterContinental Sydney on your next trip to the Harbour City. Enjoy up to 30 percent off your stay if you book before August 5, 2019 and check-in before September 30, 2019. To book, visit the website here. Updated: July 22, 2019.
Holidaymakers love staying in them. TV shows sing their praises. Everyone has wondered what their days would be like if they lived the tiny house life. Expect to explore that train of thought at the National Gallery of Victoria until April 2025, all thanks to the latest temporary addition outside the NGV International on St Kilda Road in Melbourne: Home Truth, the NGV's Architecture Commission for 2024. How big does the average Australian home need to be? How many tiny houses could fit in the space that a standard Aussie abode takes up? These mightn't be the normal questions that anyone tends to ponder when they visit an art gallery, but it's the query that Home Truth wants everyone to contemplate right now. First, you'll see and enter a standard-sized Aussie house. Inside, you'll then find an abode of much smaller size — and you'll notice the difference between the two. Each year, the NGV unveils a site-specific pop-up construction that experiments with design concepts while musing on subjects of public importance. This year's pick is a tiny house — which wouldn't sound out of the ordinary if it wasn't a pint-sized abode within the frame of the average Australian home, and if drawing attention to the contrast wasn't its aim. Created by Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Breathe, Home Truth continues the firm's focus on sustainable architecture that'll endure and has a purpose — and, since Wednesday, November 13, it's getting NGV visitors walking through a house-within-a-house labyrinth. The larger building represents the average 236-square-metre Australian residence. Nestled within it, the smaller-scale home is designed to spark conversations about alternative modes of housing. To get from one to the other, visitors enter via the larger house's garage door, then wander through rooms and hallways. When you reach the tinier home, you'll feel like you've hit the centre of a maze. Attendees will notice two different materials distinguishing each abode, too, with the bigger spot constructed from framing pine and the smaller house from the waste-made and silver-hued saveboard — offering up a comment on how homes are currently built in Australia as well. "Through its clever play on scale and materials, this thought-provoking work of architecture sparks a fascinating conversation about housing and sustainability in this country," explained NGV Director Tony Ellwood when he announced the 2024 Architecture Commission back in September . "Home Truth speculates that overconsumption of space and materials translates into ecological and social consequences — for both us and the planet. But importantly, it offers a provocative vision of a new way of thinking about building — seeing the value of living in spaces that are of smaller scale — a vision that prioritises people and planet," added Ewan McEoin, NGV's Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture. Home Truth follows 2023's stunning pick (This is) Air, a giant inflatable sphere that breathed, as created by Australian architect Nic Brunsdon with Sky Castle, Airship Orchestra, Cupid's Koi Garden and Lost Dogs' Disco' ENESS. The 14-metre-high piece did indeed expand with air, then release it — so, yes, it inhaled and exhaled all day — to get everyone thinking about humanity's need for and relationship to air, how essential it is, how dependent we all are upon the element, how finite it is and how its quality is being impacted. In the past, NGV's Architecture Commission has also seen a colourful mini Parthenon, a bright pink pool to wade through, a bamboo garden with its own deck and an unforgettable pink carwash pop up, all as part of an initiative that started in 2015. 'Home Truth' by Breathe is on display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne until Sunday, April 27, 2025 — head to the NGV website for further details. Images: installation view of the 2024 NGV Architecture Commission: Home Truth by Breathe. on display from 13 November 2024 until April 2025 at NGV International, Melbourne. Photo: Derek Swalwell.
Filmmakers frequently trade in dreams and reality, plus the space where the two meet, clash and contrast. Directing a movie that's steeped in the daily actuality of being a woman in Mumbai, Payal Kapadia does exactly that with her first fictional feature. In All We Imagine as Light, three nurses go about their lives in India's most-populous city — big-smoke existences that appear independent, but are dictated by patriarchal societal norms, class and religious stratifications, and the growing gentrification of the nation's financial capital. Making the leap from documentary to narrative films after 2021's A Night of Knowing Nothing, Kapadia sees her characters' plights with clear eyes. Her 2024 Cannes Grand Prix-winning picture isn't afraid to embrace their hopes and desires, however, or to be romantic and poetic as well as infuriated and impassioned. Head nurse Prabha (Kani Kusruti, Maharani), her younger colleague and roommate Anu (Divya Prabha, Family), and their elder co-worker Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam, Snow Flower) all seem to be enjoying their own paths. In everything from where they live to who they love, though, their choices aren't completely their own. Hailing from Kerala, Prabha is married to a husband that she barely met before they wed, and who now works abroad in Germany. As she tends to the wounds and helps with the woes of others, the life that she so desperately wanted has failed to come to fruition. While fellow Malayali nurse Anu is carefree and in love, her boyfriend Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon, Mura) is Muslim, so their romance plays out in secret — and simply finding somewhere to be intimate is a constant mission. Maharashtrian Parvaty faces moving back to her Ratnagiri village due to Mumbai's changing skyline, with her chawl earmarked for demolition in favour of a high-rise, and her rights to her home given little consideration. For spending time with Prabha, Anu and Parvaty in this character- and mood-driven rather than story-driven gem — for juxtaposing the perceptions and the truths about their existences, too, and of women who head to Mumbai to forge their careers in general — Kapadia cemented herself as one of 2024's cinematic revelations. Awards and nominations have kept following. When it received Cannes' second-most prestigious annual prize after the Palme d'Or, so coming in behind Anora, it did so after becoming the first Indian film in 30 years to play in the renowned festival's official competition. From there, All We Imagine as Light earned two Golden Globe nods, with its guiding force a Best Director nominee. Oscar buzz lingers, even if the film wasn't selected by India as its submission for the Best International Feature category. Another tick of approval, among many, came when Kapadia's picture was named as one of Barack Obama's ten favourite movies for 2024. Is this response all that the writer/director dared to imagine when All We Imagine as Light first sprang to mind as a student project? "No, of course not," Kapadia tells Concrete Playground. "I took some time to raise the funding for this film. It was raised using a lot of funds from public institutions all over Europe, so it was a long process that they have there, and you just want to be able to make the film. That's your main priority. So we were just slowly, slowly building the budget to be able to shoot it. For us, everything has come as such a bonus — the making of the film itself was such a great, great thing for us that we, at points, would think 'are we going to be able to do it?'. Because it really takes time and that's fine. I appreciate the process. But you don't really think of what will happen. You hope, of course, that it'll do well and people will see it. But this was quite unexpected, I have to say." "I'm really so grateful," Kapadia also advises, while recognising that the fact that she's still just one of two women contending for the Best Director Golden Globe at 2025's ceremony — alongside The Substance's Coralie Fargeat — should be a relic of the past, as should cinema's poor history of appreciating female filmmakers. "And it's not just about women and a gender thing, but representation in all ways. There is diversity that needs to be there in representation, which is people of all races and castes and class. If selection committees were more diverse, I think this problem would not exist," Kapadia notes. All We Imagine as Light isn't just helping to push diversity in filmmaking accolades to the fore, but also the diversity of Indian cinema with audiences outside of the country itself. "I think in India, we have a very self-sustained ecosystem of cinema." Kapadia says. "I think that the West needs to start looking more at Indian cinema and accepting that there are different ways. There are different ways of acting. There are different ways of performance. We come from a very theatrical, sometimes melodramatic background, and that is also a way. So I think that the diversity of Indian cinema is not restricted to Bollywood. There is Tamil cinema, which is absolutely incredible; Malayalam cinema, which is really doing very avant-garde stuff; and, of course, Telugu cinema has now travelled with RRR and things like this." What did it mean for All We Imagine as Light to break a three-decade drought for Indian films in Cannes' competition? How did the film evolve from an idea for a graduation film? Kapadia also chatted with us both — as well as what influenced the movie's narrative elements, and inspires the filmmaker in general; the many layers to the script, and how to balance what is told visually versus what's conveyed in dialogue; how the writer/director's non-fiction filmmaking background had an imprint; bringing a different vision of Mumbai to the screen; and more. On All We Imagine as Light Being the First Indian Film to Play in Competition at Cannes in 30 Years "I think it was really great that we were in competition. It's also a bit scary, because it's your first fiction movie and it's competing with all these big directors who you've admired and who you studied at film school. So you're a bit nervous, like 'oh my god, what is it going to be?'. So I think for for me it was a lot of nerves, and I was a bit like 'will I be, will it …', about standing up to all these expectations of this thing about 30 years. But the truth is that in India, we do have — like this year, there was an Indian film in every section in Cannes. And that's really great because I think that having not having a film in 30 years is a bit of a disappointment for us as Indian filmmakers. I think that Indian films have been doing really well in other festivals. And a lot of competitions, in Venice and Locarno, there's more or less always an Indian film. So I think this 30-year pressure was a bit overdue, in that it should have had more Indian films. But yeah, I was nervous that I hoped that the film would be accepted and wouldn't feel like it was not worthy of being there." On the Movie's Evolution From Student Project to Earning Global Attention and Accolades "I had to make my what we call a diploma film at the Film and Television Institute of India. I had a very two-page thing about two two women who are friends, roommates, but have two different ideas of morality, and this was the starting point. But it was a very short 20-minute thing. And I had already thought that they should be nurses. So I was spending a lot of time trying to do more research about nursing. That's when I realised that I couldn't have done this in 20 minutes. I knew nothing. I needed more time to to think about all these things, to really explore this subject. I felt that 20 minutes was not enough. So I put it aside. But at that time I already got in touch with Kani Kusruti, to play the younger nurse at that time because it was eight years ago. And then I stopped the project and I did something else for my diploma. And I had put it aside for some time, and then I thought I should get back to it. A few years later, I got back to it and I started doing more research, meeting more people, spending a lot more time working on the details of the script. I was also making another movie at the same time, A Night of Knowing Nothing. So it was an on-off thing that I was doing, coming back to this film from time to time. And as I met more people, I got more stories that made it into the film, with all the interviews that I did and all of the young women I spoke to — and some part of myself, growing older also, because I went from being from the younger nurses age to the older nurse's age in the span of all this time. And I think that as you grow older, your perception of things also changes, of course. So my gaze also began to change a bit. And finally, this is the film that you see." On Where the Movie's Main Narrative Elements Sprang From, Including Focusing on Three Women Across Generations, Classes and Languages "I was thinking a lot about this question of friendship, and how certain friendships are very big city-driven. These people probably couldn't or wouldn't have met, or wouldn't have been friends, if it wasn't for Mumbai. For example, when you live in a city like Mumbai, you have to have a roommate — because it's really expensive, and sometimes you just have the roommate because you need to fill up the slot of the bed next to you because you need somebody to pay half the rent. So that's an odd kind of relationship, because you might not get along with this person. You don't want to be their friend. But now you're stuck with them for the 11-month lease. So that's a unique friendship. So Prabha's Anu's boss, in a way. She's the head nurse. But now she's stuck with this girl who is very different from her — and they are age-wise also different from each other, and their perspectives to life are very different. I was interested in this juxtaposition of two people who are so different in their way of thinking, but have to share a room, and what could come out of this relationship. And even Parvaty, who works with Prabha now, she's Maharashtrian and she speaks a different language. And they would not have met if it wasn't for Mumbai, because she would never have gone to Kerala. And there's nowhere else that Prabha would have probably gone. So that friendship is also unique because, again, it's a very Mumbai friendship between a Maharashtrian woman and a Malayali nurse. So I wanted to kind of have these unique friendships, which are, for me, very Mumbai friendships, in the film. And the character of Parvaty wasn't really that important when I started writing the film, but as I began to do more research into the housing situation — which for me was something that I had seen, but I hadn't delved into in a big way — I felt that it was something that I had to really address in the film." On Layering the Impact of Societal Expectations, Cultural Clashes and Gentrification Upon the Film's Characters Into the Script "It was quite a balancing act, because if you have three different trajectories, it's always a bit difficult to balance. And what we shot was a lot more than than you see in the film, of course. But I think we had a good editor, and along with him, we were finding that balance between the three stories and how they reflect on each other. How Parvaty doesn't feel lonely, even if she doesn't have a family — she doesn't want to go live with her son. While Prabha is somebody who's been so obsessed with the idea of a family, of a husband, and how that reflects on her — and how Prabha sees how free Anu is. And Anu is just a young girl, and she just wants to have sex with her boyfriend. It's a very fundamental thing. And the city doesn't really allow that. So I was thinking of it that it's not individual stories, but how they reflect on each other and what they gain from each other's interactions with them. It was a difficult thing — and I also feel sometimes that I could have had a longer film, but my producer was like 'two hours is good enough'." On Drawing Upon Kapadia's Background in Non-Fiction Filmmaking "The way that we shot the film has a lot of non-fiction process to it. When I was writing the script, my same cinematographer shot my previous movie also, which was the documentary. So while I was writing the script, we would go out into the city and we would both shoot. Then we would come back and we would analyse what we chose to shoot, as if we were making a documentary — because in a documentary you can shoot a lot, and then you can come back and edit it, but in fiction, everything is fixed. So we have to understand how we want to look. So we did a lot of tests of how our gaze should be towards the city. How do we feel about the lensing, and the camera movement, the feeling of space? So we thought a lot about these things, and that came from documentary, because we were shooting like documentary in our research. And we also, I spoke to a lot of people at this time, like 100, 200 people, at least. Some people, I thought I will cast them in the film, so I would call them for screen tests, but then that ended up just being long conversations and no possibility of acting, but just conversations in the afternoons. So I wanted to keep some sense of that in the film, those interactions somehow, to keep them as well. So we came up with this thing of putting a small, short documentary-like footage in the beginning and in the middle of the film — and giving it a sort of sense of a city symphony. And just talk about how diverse Mumbai really is. It's a city that is made by people who come from outside. There was nothing there. It was a bunch of islands. Only the Koli people lived there, and the British came and they reclaimed the land, and invited people to come to live and work there to create a new port. So the fundamental idea of this city is that it's made up of people who are not from there, and I wanted to highlight that somehow." On What Was Most Crucial for Kapadia to Convey About the City That She Was Born in, Then Came Back to as an Adult After Going to School Elsewhere "The multilingual quality of the city. And also one of the things that is very important to me was the trains. Because it's what you end up seeing the most, because you spend a lot of time in the transport. And they become a space for a lot of different interactions — or relationships of the ladies compartment, where you make friends. You see the same people, you don't know them but you always nod because you know you'll see them tomorrow. And you try to think about their life outside of that compartment. But for those two hours, you are in that journey together. And all these things, I think a lot about. Maybe I'm too romantic about it, but I don't know, it's how I feel. Also this question of gentrification was important to me, and the right to people owning property, and who has this right. I feel I could have made another whole film about it, because it's so complicated and there is so much anger that one feels towards this situation. I wanted to also in a visual way talk about that. So you always see the buildings and then also the smaller houses and the slum area all together in a frame, and I wanted to give a visual sense of what the city is." On Knowing What to Convey Visually and Where to Let Dialogue Tell the Story "This is a real struggle. It's something that, as a filmmaker, you think about a lot because you don't have the visuals exactly on paper. You can't exactly say what they will be. And you have to rely a bit on the writing of the visuals and of the dialogue for the person who's giving you the grant to be able to understand it. But for me, I can put an image of the city and I know what I'm thinking. So this is a big, big issue for me, about finding that balance. And finally, when I'm editing, it's when I actually realise the balance and I can let go of a lot of information — which is being, I hope, conveyed visually and it doesn't need to be told in lines. But its a big balancing act and I hope to get better and better at it because sometimes I feel — it's complicated, I have a complicated relationship with this." On the Guidance That Kapadia Gave Her Cast When They're Tasked with Revealing Complicated Characters Via Actions and Expressions as Much, If Not More, Than Dialogue "We we did a lot of rehearsals before shooting. For three weeks, we we all stayed together. We did it like a theatre workshop. So we worked on each of the characters' body language, on how silences are — and we did a really fun exercise, which was that we did many scenes where the actors would play the characters, but between dialogues say what the character is thinking. So if there was silence, you would hear what Anu's mind is going on, thinking to herself about — let's say how she's planning something or how she's bored or whatever. So we would do these exercises where the thoughts were all spoken out, so we all know how to think about it. And the actors are really, really great, and they brought in a lot of their own thoughts about this, and I think it was way beyond what I had even thought. It was really collaborative and rich process for me." On What Inspires Kapadia as a Filmmaker "Everything inspires me. I think that that's the privilege of being a filmmaker, that life seems more interesting than cinema, and I want to make films about everything all the time. It's crazy. I feel, I think just being in the world and seeing the world around you, really everything is so inspiring. And for me, my films are also about very daily things, so that is why daily life for me is is my inspiration." On the Importance of Conveying Prabha, Anu and Parvaty's Ongoing Fights for Agency "It was really what you're saying, that it is these tentacles of this patriarchal society that still hold you down, and in spite of being financially independent and physically away from the family, it is something that is for me, certainly, a real pity. It's a matter of genuine anger. Because I've seen it in people in my family as well, and girlfriends around me, and it's something that always just makes me very frustrated. So I wanted to bring out that frustration in the film and say that at least if this society is failing us in so many ways, if we could find some utopian-like space where we could all connect, at least in a way that is beyond our immediate identity and beyond our immediate morality, to at least be supportive of one another — it's a small move, but it's, for me, a big one." On How the Film's Sometimes-Romantic, Sometimes-Clinical Aesthetic Adopts Its Characters' Different Gazes "I wanted to shoot the film from the gaze of the characters. So for Anu, whenever we see her and Shiaz, the city seems very nice. They're walking through the Mohammed Ali Road and eating kebabs and the beautiful lights, and the smoke coming out. Because I think cities are better when you are with a friend or when you are with a lover. If you are in that mood, then somehow things look better. They might not be, but it's how it is. You don't mind sitting in a really crowded public bus — you don't mind that there is traffic because it means you'll have a little bit more time together. And these very normal things that would annoy you suddenly become okay. So I wanted to have that kind subjectivity to the film, whenever we are with Anu and Shiaz, then we also feel delighted at everything. And if you see the city through the wet droplets, that all looks so. Then with Prabha, it's more about the daily grind. She's not going to look at how beautiful it is, but just go from one place to the other, and it's a functional look. And for Parvaty, there is a sense of this complete injustice, feeling that she's going to be thrown out of a place that she's been calling home for 22 years. So I was trying in some senses to have a different gaze to the city, because I think it is all these things. It is a place of freedom for a lot of young women. It is a place of anonymity and that anonymity gives freedom. But it's also a harsh reality and a difficult city. So I was hoping that through these different gazes these layers came out." All We Imagine as Light opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 26, 2024.
First, the obvious fact: everyone watched plenty of films over the past year. We all ploughed through our streaming queues, checking out everything and anything that each and every platform served up — and we did it for the bulk of 2020. What we didn't do, however, is spend as much time watching big-screen blockbusters. Cinema closures and postponed release dates will do that. Accordingly, unless Tenet whips up a huge box office windfall across the rest of December or Wonder Woman 1984 does hefty business when it releases at the end of the month, 2020's top movie moneymakers worldwide will end up being Chinese action epic The Eight Hundred and, from way back in January, the abysmal Bad Boys for Life. In one rare pleasant side effect of 2020, the lack of supersized Hollywood flicks has meant that a plethora of smaller movies have reached audiences since cinemas reopened Down Under. Some of them might've hit the silver screen anyway, but some wouldn't have — and there are gems in both categories. Alas, even with more on-screen real estate available for these type of films, they didn't all draw crowds. There are many reasons for that, because this hasn't been an ordinary year. But if you're wondering which absolute must-sees you didn't catch in 2020 but should've — including titles released both before and after the pandemic changed this year forever — we've run through the ten best flicks that didn't set the box office alight, but you should add to your catch-up viewing list. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRMPdhQBlWs QUEEN & SLIM No one knows how a Tinder meetup will eventuate, but the events that unfurl in Queen & Slim don't fit into anyone's idea of a dream date. One of the points of this crime drama — which also doubles as a romance and a road movie — is that, for Black Americans, being hassled by the police for no reason isn't an unlikely outcome of a simple night out. After an unnamed criminal defence attorney (Jodie Turner-Smith, Jett) and a Costco employee (Daniel Kaluuya, Widows) chart the above path, they're forced to go on the run across the US, with law enforcement on their trails. The debut feature from music video director Melina Matsoukas (a Grammy-winner for her work on Rihanna's 'We Found Love' and Beyonce's 'Formation'), Queen & Slim knows that it's leads will always evoke comparisons to Bonnie and Clyde. In fact, the script by Master of None star Lena Waithe namechecks the figures in its dialogue. But as its titular characters' lives change drastically, this potent film combines a powerful message, dynamic performances and intoxicating imagery into one supremely stylish, textured and outrage-filled package. It'd be nice to say that Queen and Slim's world changes, too; however, they've always been forced to inhabit a space where their very existence was precarious due to racism, prejudice and police brutality, as every second of this haunting movie stresses. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qn70iqo-4Q MONOS Set in a camp of teen guerrillas, Alejandro Landes' Sundance's Special Jury Award-winning third film Monos follows gun-toting rebels that have barely said goodbye to childhood, but are still tasked by their unseen leaders with holding an American woman (The Outsider's Julianne Nicholson) hostage. Unsurprisingly, even with nothing around but fields, jungle, a cow to milk and occasional enemy fire, little goes according to plan. The relentlessness of modern life, the ongoing unrest in Colombia, and the ceaseless trials and tribulations that plague all teens facing adulthood — they all sit at the centre of this stunning South America-set thriller. Echoes of William Golding's Lord of the Flies are evident (and Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the book that inspired Apocalypse Now, too), but Monos firmly tells its own story. Engagingly lingering between a dark fairytale and a psychological treatise on war, combat and humanity's dog-eat-dog nature, the result is one of the definite standouts of recent years (of 2019, when it premiered overseas and did the rounds of the local festival circuit, and of 2020, when it finally released in Aussie cinemas). That status is assured thanks to everything from the eye-popping landscape cinematography to the needling tension of Mica Levi's (Under the Skin) score and the commanding performances from the young cast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40 IN FABRIC Anyone can make a movie about a haunted house, as many a filmmaker has shown. Peter Strickland could, too — but a feature about an eerie piece of clothing is far more intriguing, fascinating and entertaining. Viewers should expect nothing less from one of cinema's inimitable auteurs, of course, with the lauded British writer/director not only conjuring up narratives that no other helmer ever would or could, but also consistently bringing them to the screen with a distinctive sense of style and mood. It was true of his last two festival circuit hits, Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy. That observation remains just as accurate with In Fabric, aka his haunted dress flick. In London clothing store Dentley & Sopers, bank teller Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Fatman) finds the perfect red dress for her first blind date. It both fits and looks a dream; however, despite her initial delight, she discovers that the fabulous frock has quite the dark side. Fashion items can live many lives, so that's just the start of In Fabric's story — and, also starring Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, I, Daniel Blake's Hayley Squires and The Mighty Boosh's Julian Barratt, this sartorial-focused horror-comedy is a lurid, imaginative and mesmerising gem. It's also the kind of movie you haven't seen before, and won't again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atKsEdLKPLo&feature=emb_logo THE WOMAN WHO RAN Combine alcohol, conversation and a scene-stealing cat in one equally melancholy and charming movie, and not only is South Korean great Hong Sang-soo firmly in his element, but he delivers exactly the type of film that has won him a legion of fans. Given how prolific the director is, it'd be easy to assume that he'll soon run out of ways to combine his usual trademarks. Or, to expect that he'll eventually exhaust all of his ideas. But Hong's features never stop finding new ways to twist his favourite touches, themes and inclusions together (see also: Hill of Freedom, Right Now, Wrong Then and Yourself and Yours). In The Woman Who Ran, booze flows freely. Drinking plenty of it is Gamhee, as played by Hong regular Kim Min-hee (On the Beach at Night Alone). She's enjoying her first time away from her husband in five years, visiting friends around Seoul while he's off on a business trip. In Hong's typical fashion, much of The Woman Who Ran unfurls as the characters simply chat — about their lives, hopes, dreams, problems and, with a pesky neighbour in the movie's funniest moment, about feeding stray felines. His penchant for long takes, playful repetition and expertly timed crash-zooms are all used to winning effect, in a movie that slots perfectly into his busy oeuvre and yet always feels uniquely insightful. Also, and it cannot be stressed enough, look out for one helluva kitty. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srPas4PqCkw BEATS Beats knows how to start with a bang, letting the sounds of Ultra-Sonic's 'Annihilating Rhythm Part 1' echo from the screen in its opening moments. It's a savvy move — if viewers are going to understand just what electronic music means to the film's protagonists, early 90s-era Scottish teenagers Johnno (Cristian Ortega, One of Us) and Spanner (Lorn Macdonald, Shetland), then they need to not only see and hear it, but feel it deep in their souls. The delight on the duo's faces as they listen to the song down the phone to each other says more than swathes of dialogue ever could. Whether you're a fan of the same kind of tunes or not, you'll instantly be brought into the moment and the elation with them. And, from there, you'll ride every up and down this black-and-white film delivers, as the stage-to-screen adaptation from filmmaker Brian Welsh (The Rat Pack) peers into the broader scene just as the UK government was passing legislation to effectively ban raves. Johnno and Spanner are desperate to attend the very events the powers-that-be are trying to stamp out and, when they get their chance to head to what might be their first and last dance music festival, they go for it. Featuring a thumping soundtrack of old-school tracks, Beats serves up an insightful exuberant coming-of-age film from there, as well as a as a thoughtful and reflective social-realist drama. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYl1DVIgbAg SHIRLEY Elisabeth Moss has had a great year. While the Mad Men and The Handmaid's Tale star has enjoyed a fantastic past decade, she turned in two of her best performances yet in 2020. First came The Invisible Man, which twisted the classic horror tale in modern directions, including exploring gaslighting and the lack of willingness to believe women. Then, in Shirley, she stepped into the shoes of horror and mystery novelist Shirley Jackson. This is a movie by Madeline's Madeline director Josephine Decker, though, so it as never going to be a standard biopic about the The Haunting of Hill House author. Indeed, Shirley is drawn from a fictional novel by Susan Scarf Merrell, focusing on Jackson's home life with her husband Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me By Your Name) during a 1964 period when teaching aide Fred Nemser (Logan Lerman, Hunters) and his wife Rose (Australian The Daughter star Odessa Young) come to stay. An agoraphobic, Jackson's routine is unsettled by her new houseguests, although an unexpected connection springs with unlikely kindred spirit Rose. In telling this story, Decker is far more interested in capturing the essence of Jackson and her sensibilities than slavishly sticking to facts, and her film all the better for it. Indeed, this subjective and engaging character study is daring, disarming, dark and, unsurprisingly, anchored by a pitch-perfect lead performance. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB7SpEvxOI RIDE YOUR WAVE When 19-year-old surfer Hinako (voiced by former Japanese pop idol Rina Kawaei) frolics around a seaside spot with her boyfriend Minato (fellow local pop star Ryota Katayose), it's a scene that's familiar from many a film. In the picturesque Japanese city of Chiba, the pair chat, laugh, stroll and see the sights, as plenty of couples have in similar situations. Actually, this duo does so twice. The first time plays out exactly as expected but, occurring well into Ride Your Wave, the lovestruck duo's repeat romantic rendezvous has a twist. In the kind of image that can only really be brought to the screen via animation, Hinako isn't spending time with Minato in the flesh the second time around — instead, she's dragging around an inflatable porpoise filled with water that, when she hums the pair's favourite song, manifests her boyfriend's spirit from beyond the grave. While Ride Your Wave hails from a different filmmaker to big Japanese hits Your Name and Weathering with You, this Masaaki Yuasa-directed film falls in the same heartfelt, gorgeously animated, emotionally sweeping realm. It clearly also has an element of the supernatural to it, focuses on a star-cross'd romance, and delves into love and loss as well. Sweet, charming, sensitive and a joy to look at, it's especially thoughtful when it ruminates on the latter, tackling tough emotional terrain with unflinching, heart-swelling honesty Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hroo3-sKc0w HONEY BOY Following a child star's journey both as a 12-year-old actor (The Undoing's Noah Jupe) in a hit TV show and as a young man (Waves' Lucas Hedges) grappling with his time the industry, Honey Boy boils down easily to a one-sentence description — but this isn't an easy or straightforward film. Just what its protagonist Otis experiences at both ages, and how his youthful time with his ex-rodeo clown and Vietnam veteran dad James Lort (Shia LaBeouf, The Peanut Butter Falcon) leaves an imprint, proves complex, messy and resonant in this intimate feature. It feels personal, too, because it should. LaBeouf isn't just playing any father figure. He's stepping into the shoes of a version of his own dad. And, he's starring a movie that he wrote, that's based on his own journey from Even Stevens to Transformers and beyond. Brought to the screen by first-time feature director Alma Har'el, Honey Boy is raw, reflective and expressive as it wanders through LeBeouf's heart and soul, and it's an intense but rewarding work from everyone involved. 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 penned while LaBeouf was in rehab himself — where Otis heads as well — and that it always feels like he's confronting issues he knows will never completely be resolved. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvrlkF4TjM&feature=emb_logo LUCKY GRANDMA Lucky Grandma might be the second American-produced film about a Chinese grandmother in as many years, but no one should mistake Sasie Sealy's feature debut for The Farewell. Both offer up something special, and their similarities are truly only superficial. Here, the titular elderly woman (Tsai Chin, Now You See Me 2) is first seen chain-smoking and glaring her way through a fortune teller's appointment. When Grandma Wong is told that luck is coming her way on a specific day, she's quickly on the bus to Atlantic City. And when she spies a hefty stash of cash in the bag belonging to the gentleman sitting next to her on the return ride home, she barely hesitates. This string of events comes with consequences, however, with local Red Dragon gangsters soon following her every move. To cope, the feisty senior enlists the help of their rivals, and pays the towering Big Pong (Hsiao-Yuan Ha) to stick by her side as her bodyguard. Chin, who has featured in everything from You Only Live Twice to The Joy Luck Club, is such a gruff, no-nonsense treasure to watch in Lucky Grandma — and Sealy smartly lets audiences peer her way closely and regularly. Sometimes, Lucky Grandma is a drama about a widowed woman trying to make the most of what's left of her life. Sometimes, it's a crime caper that's hopping around Chinatown with glee. In Sealy's hands, that combination always works. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLmvs9Wrem0 COLOR OUT OF SPACE If you're going to task anyone on this earth with finding a blazing rock that has plummeted from the heavens and crashed down at a remote New England property — and in a big-screen adaptation of a short story by horror and sci-fi writer HP Lovecraft at that — you may as well give the job to Nicolas Cage. If you're going to ask any actor to run an alpaca farm and profess their love for the animals, too, you also know that he's just perfect. Thanks to its story about the fallout from said meteor, which turns the sky an otherworldly shade, unleashes both radiation and shape-shifting aliens, and sparks quite the wave of strange events, a film version of Color Out of Space would always garner interest. Cage has made some out-there and seemingly intentionally terrible movies in his career, especially over the past two decades, but this weird and wonderful effort doesn't fall into that category. It's bettered by his presence, because no one does unhinged and manic quite like the Vampire's Kiss, Face/Off and Mandy actor; however, filmmaker Richard Stanley (The Island of Doctor Moreau) turns this wild tale into an off-kilter, hallucinatory, kaleidoscopic, vibrantly pink and purple-hued spectacle. It occasionally lets it get a little too lost in its own delirium and can threaten to become a bit weighed down, but letting Color Out of Space's gleefully bonkers sights, sounds and story developments wash over you is all part of the experience. Read our full review.
Sometimes, celebrating a big occasion means gathering the gang. This Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Snake, Brisbane isn't short on spots to party — and eat and drink — in a crowd. But if you're after a tasty two-person feast to usher in the new lunar calendar, Luke Nguyen's Fat Noodle has you covered, . The Queen's Wharf eatery is serving up banquets for couples — whether you're dining with a date or a mate — starting with wok-tossed lemongrass beef salad. You'll also tuck into Vietnamese spring rolls, chargrilled turmeric spatchcock and braised pork belly with quail eggs, plus prawn, calamari, mussels, diamond clams with tamarind soup. And for dessert? Mango trifle. Running from Sunday, January 12–Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Fat Noodle's Lunar New Year banquets cost $168, and also come with a glass of wine each. While you're onsite at The Star, the full Lunar New Year festivities include a wishing tree, so you can place your hopes and dreams for the year ahead; specials at other eateries around the precinct; and lion dances on select dates.
UPDATE, February 27, 2022: Due to the weather conditions, the Sunday Retro Brunch has been moved to Sunday, March 27. This article has been updated to reflect that change. There really is a day for everything, and here's the latest proof: National Retro Day, aka a day to celebrate the good ol' days, arrives on Sunday, March 27. And if your idea of getting nostalgic simply involves partying like it's the 70s, then the newly reopened Hibiscus Room — which dates back that long — has the brunch session for you. From 12pm, it's hosting a Sunday Retro Brunch. Think: prawns with cocktail sauce, pavlova for dessert, and everything from oysters with Tabasco, eggs benedict, tandoori chicken, lamingtons and a cheese selection as well. And, while the menu is spiriting your tastebuds back in time, you'll be hanging out in a retro-themed rooftop poolside on level four of the Hyatt Regency Brisbane. You'll pay $79 per person for the food lineup, which includes a Four Pillars cocktail upon arrival and live entertainment as well. After that first boozy beverage, it's a pay-as-you-drink setup, with $15 Four Pillars spiced negronis, Bloody Shiraz Gin spritzes and Navy Strength Gin mule among the drinks selection for February.
Like most major cities, there are some well-known must-dos when you visit Canberra for the first time. The Australian War Memorial? Check. The National Gallery of Australia? Obviously. A paddleboat on Lake Burley Griffin? Of course. But once all those major attractions are ticked off the list, what's next? Well, there is more to Canberra than meets the eye. The capital is teeming with hidden gems — think social enterprise cafes, farmers markets and teeny tiny galleries — that locals love to frequent on their days off. And now you can, too. Make the most of your next Canberra adventure with this list of lesser-known spots. Please stay up to date with the latest ACT Government health advice regarding COVID-19.
Luxury spas and wellness clubs are popping up all over Australia right now, but more affordable alternatives are a little more difficult to find. Most of us can't fork out hundreds of dollars a month to relax our stressed-out minds and restore our tired bodies. Enter P3 Recovery, a not-so-spenny Queensland-based wellness brand that's got big expansion plans across the country's east coast. It currently has four locations — two in Brisbane, one on the Gold Coast and now, one in Port Melbourne — but there are over ten more in the works, in big cities and regional towns all along the eastern seaboard. No venue is exactly the same, but you'll likely find infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, hot and cold baths, and a range of therapy treatments — from compression therapy and IV therapy to breathwork classes and contrast therapy. These are available to those recovering from injuries, training to be fitter or simply looking to unwind. Compared to the luxury spas that dominate this kind of comprehensive wellness scene, weekly memberships and individual sessions are somewhat cheaper — but prices do vary from site to site. The entry-level memberships give you access to wet therapy spaces (from about $25–$35 a week), while the incrementally more expensive options let you try more and more of the technologies available — these can get a lot pricier. You can also just book a one-off session if that's more your jam, either by yourself or with mates. P3 isn't as swish as the best spas in Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney, but you don't necessarily need all the bells and whistles when seeking that self-care life. Current P3 Recovery wellness centres can be found in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne, with plenty more locations to come. For more information, head to the brand's website.
Since the first Iron Man film in 2008, Marvel has trained superhero fans well. Notching up 33 movies in its enormous cinematic universe with 2023's The Marvels and showing zero signs of stopping, the comic book company has basically taken over the big screen, with this year delivering Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, too — and, as always, there's plenty more flicks on the way. Marvel hasn't just taken over picture palaces. Via Disney+, the small screen is also home to many a MCU story, including Secret Invasion and season two of Loki in 2023. Keen to see your favourite spandex-clad crime-fighters try to save the world in person as well? Along with splashing Marvel's heroes and villains across every screen it can find, that's also coming — and soon. Marvel Universe LIVE! is exactly what it seems — and if it sounds familiar, that's because it was meant to head Down Under in 2020, but then the pandemic hit. So, when it makes the trip to Australia in April 2024, it'll be unveiling its show to Aussie audiences for the first time. Brisbane's season takes place from Thursday, April 4–Sunday, April 7 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. The production takes more than 20 characters such as Spider-Man, The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy, teaming them up on stage and letting audiences marvel (pun intended) at their exploits. Featuring everyone from Iron Man, Thor, Black Panther and the Hulk to Captain America, Doctor Strange and Black Widow, it tasks the beloved superheroes with facing off against some of Marvel's infamous villains, including Nebula, Loki and Green Goblin. And, it packages their antics with video projections, special effects, pyrotechnics, martial arts, and both aerial and motorcycle stunts. The performance is aimed at all ages and, in news that's about as unsurprising as most wisecracks that Tony Stark ever uttered, the show has proven a massive success in the United States, Latin America and Europe. As a result, it was only a matter of time until it hit Australia after its pandemic delay. Obviously, attendees won't be watching Robert Downey Jr (Oppenheimer), Chris Hemsworth (Extraction II), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), Scarlett Johansson (Asteroid City) and Tom Hiddleston (The Essex Serpent) — or any of the many, many other high-profile stars who feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, because that list truly seems endless. But, if you're happy to get your Marvel fix however you can, add this to your 2024 calendar.
One of the reasons that it's so easy to lose yourself at teamLab Borderless, the acclaimed and hugely popular Tokyo digital art gallery that should be at the top of every visitor to Japan's must-visit list, is the way that its stunning sights keep moving around you. No one just looks at art here — they're truly immersed in it. At RISING 2025, expect that same sensation. When Melbourne's annual winter arts festival returns, expect to step into a field of red beams, too. Whether you're a local or hitting up the Victorian capital just for the fest, expect to never see The Capitol the same way again as well. After first announcing that it'd be getting swinging in 2025 — at mini golf, that is, courtesy of an art exhibition that's also a nine-hole mini-golf course that's taking over Flinders Street Station Ballroom — RISING has unveiled its full program. Hailing from teamLab alum Shohei Fujimoto, intangible #form is a massive highlight. The Japanese artist's free installation will take over The Capitol each evening complete with all of that crimson lighting, which'll respond to your movement. Sparking the feeling losing yourself in its beams and hues is 100-percent the piece's aim. With 65 events featuring 327 artists on RISING's 2025 lineup between Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15, intangible #form is just one of the fest's standouts this year. Another comes courtesy of Suki Waterhouse playing her first-ever Aussie shows, which you can only see in Melbourne at the fest. After proving a drawcard in 2024, Yasiin Bey is returning to RISING in 2025, this time joined by Talib Kweli. Still on tunes, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Aotearoa favourite Marlon Williams, septuagenarian grime stars Peter Bowditch and Basil Bellgrave, Black Star, RONA, Soccer Mommy and Japanese Breakfast are also on the bill — as is the return of eight-hour music fest-meets-block party Day Tripper, with DIIV, Mount Kimbie, Annie and the Caldwells, Bktherula, Paul St Hilaire and Bad Vacation taking to the stage. If you haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch before, this is your chance to redress that gap in your theatregoing, with this new Australian production of the rock musical starring Filipino Australian singer Seann Miley Moore. And if you've ever wondered if you could manage to sit still — completely — for 90 minutes, Woopsyang's "do nothing" challenge is part of RISING, and asking festival attendees to participate. Or, catch the Australian premiere of Olivier-winning hip-hop dance work BLKDOG by Botis Seva — and then grab a seat for The Wrong Gods, a new piece by S Shakthidharan, the playwright behind RISING 2024's Counting and Cracking. Celebrating Divinyls legend Chrissy Amphlett via cabaret, hearing sound artist Sara Retallick dive deep into The City Baths as a composition space, dancing again at the return of SHOUSE's Communitas, spotting Melbourne Art Trams' latest iteration rolling around town, embracing a playful stage musing on heartbreak with the appropriate soundtrack: that's all on offer, too. Also on the agenda: peering at large-scale projections that champion Yorta Yorta ancestral connections as they flicker across Hamer Hall, all thanks to Moorina Bonini; discovering what happens when time and sound bend in the void beneath Federation Square; watching six performers work through 36 Shakespeare plays using household objects; and another date with the Bard, with Hamlet staged by a neurodiverse cast. BLOCKBUSTER, also at Fed Square, looks set to live up to its name, giving RISING a free ode to South Asian culture. Think: street food, Pakistani R&B, Punjabi rap, art trucks, workshops and more. To similarly feel spoiled for choice while hitting up just one part of the festival's program, head to Night Trade, which is again part of the program, bringing street, karaoke and microbars to a late-night art market between Capitol Arcade and Howey Place. The list goes on — including Soda Jerk switching from bringing TERROR NULLIUS and Hello Dankness to the big screen to designing a mini-golf hole for the aforementioned Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf. [caption id="attachment_994700" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Woopsyang[/caption] Top images: Mandy Wu, Mathieu Bitton, Eugene Hyland, Katsuyuki Seki, Steven Marr, Ryan Cara, Netti Habel and Remi Chauvin.
From Friday, May 1, 2020 a maximum of two adult Sydneysiders can visit a second household, so you can start planning small dinner parties. Remember, though, that you need to continue to follow the rest of the social distancing and public gathering restrictions. If, like us, you've suddenly realised that you go to bed before 10pm, enjoy a fair slosh of milk in your tea and your ankles crack inexplicably when you stand up or sit down, you might be feeling like you're getting too old for places like 'the club'. Well, we say embrace it; start doing grown-up things like having dinner parties instead. Trust us, you're probably not the only one in your crew who'd much rather be at home on the couch, sipping G&Ts with mates and in bed by a wholesome hour. The days of nice cheese, top-shelf (or close to) alcohol, decent home cooking and adult conversations about the state of the world (you'll need the drinks for this) have arrived. So your dinner party is as successful as it can be, here are some tips. Start by buying some matching crockery, teach yourself to make a good roast and move on down this list. [caption id="attachment_731075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] THE APERITIF Luckily this one is easy. Well, it can be. You can throw together a refreshing G&T — this timeless combination of gin and tonic water isn't to be sneered at — whip up a spritz or get fancy with something slightly more complicated, like a negroni (which is just equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth). If you want go even fancier, we've wrapped up some recipes for run tipples, such as sangria, a basil collins and le grand fizz — over here. [caption id="attachment_689382" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould.[/caption] THE NIBBLES Proven over the centuries, the Italians know what to do with their savoury pre-dinner snacks. So, get your head, heart and stomach around the bellissimo antipasti game. Head to a proper Italian food store to stock up on the goods, because if there's something worth spending most of your week's pay on it's a really, really good pecorino and some deluxe salumi. Try the truly hallowed halls of Mediterranean Wholesalers in Melbourne's Brunswick, the storied Paesanella Food Emporium in Sydney's Marrickville or New Farm Deli in Brisbane's New Farm, which has been operating since 1975. You can also check out our Gin List for some recipe ideas for your pre-dinner eats — and what's more, each one comes with a gin cocktail pairing to try. You're welcome. THE TABLE SETTING Being an adult is all about putting in the effort — think making bread from scratch, remembering to send birthday cards or, you know, finally graduating from the sharehouse vibes and hanging art on the walls. The same thing goes for when you're hosting a dinner party: why not put in just a smidge more effort? Look up how to properly set a table, invest in some cloth serviettes (it's an eco-friendly decision, too) and make place cards for your guests. (Pinterest has approximately 200 million ideas to inspire you.) For the final touch, find every candle and candleholder you may own and scatter them across the table. Just no scented candles, please. You don't want those Glasshouse fragrances clashing with the meal you've thoughtfully prepared. THE LIGHTING Nothing can make a dinner party more uncomfortable than glaring fluorescent lights or the sun setting mid-meal making it almost impossible to see the food on your plate. Ease your way into the darkening evening with soft, warm lighting a la the candle collection above— or just throw a scarf over a lamp and call it décor. Whatever floats your lantern. If you're sitting outside for the evening, set up some candles early on to light once the sun dips beneath the horizon. Oh, and a string or two of fairy lights never goes amiss. THE MEAL It's the pièce de résistance of the evening, the opportunity to impress your friends with your cooking prowess (be it newly learned or well-honed). What you'll serve to eat should come with careful decision. Do any of your guests have dietary requirements? How much time do you have to prep and cook? Does your current salary afford a full roast to feed ten guests? When you've considered all these factors, then it's time to scour Google for the best-rated recipes. We've also delved into our archives to find you some past recipes we've scored from the likes of Sydney's Thievery, Porteño, Big Poppa's and Three Blue Ducks. THE PLAYLIST The first knock or ring of your doorbell may alert you of the fact that you have no music playing yet. Your mind has been kept busy prepping and cooking and primping that the evening's soundtrack hasn't even yet registered. Don't panic — we're here to help. Grab your phone and just chuck this smooth dinner party playlist on for the evening. Erykah Badu and Toto will help you chase away the nerves and comfortably settle into the evening (G&T in hand — you deserve it). https://open.spotify.com/user/concreteplayground/playlist/6SBK5b5pwaqhyGo8scJnQl
Sydney has just scored another stunning boutique hotel, in welcome news for both locals and travellers alike. 202 Elizabeth is the sleek new 38-room accommodation spot that's just joined the likes of The Ace Hotel and Paramount House Hotel in Surry Hills. Each of the guest rooms spread across this refined six-level hotel is uniquely designed, providing an elegant accommodation option in the heart of bustling Surry Hills — and just a few minutes walk from Central Station as well. Hotel owner Diana Ren and designer Lisa Madigan have created a relaxing space filled with organic hues and constructed with sustainability in mind; it's built using cross-laminated timber, a carbon-negative structural material. Each room at 202 Elizabeth is brought to life by playful wallpaper from Kingdom Home Design. On arrival, guests will find a complimentary welcome tea waiting for them in their room. From there, patrons can discover a series of simple pleasures around each room, including robes from Australian designer Piyama, toiletries from Hunter Lab, and a mini bar stocked up with complimentary organic sodas and snacks (both sweet and savoury). Shared spaces around the hotel include a rooftop hangout spot boasting views of the surrounding inner-city streets, a ground-floor courtyard, and a soon-top-open new outpost for Handpicked Wines that will allow you to head in for a wine tasting and take a bottle back to your room or up to the rooftop. The sky-high space will also welcome in locals for morning neighbourhood yoga sessions, ensuring that Surry Hills residents get the opportunity to soak in its panoramic views. Plus, a stay at 202 Elizabeth won't mean leaving Fido or Spot at home. The accommodation is dog friendly, with General Manager Adam Males' french bulldog Sochi appointed the official Director of Pet Relations at the hotel. Puppy turn-down treats will be on hand for any four-legged guests, and Soci has ensured the staff know where all of the best dog-friendly cafes and restaurants are in the area. 202 Elizabeth is now open at 202–210 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Raise a glass to your next four must-visit vino spots: the winners of the 2022 Wineslinger Awards. Every year since 2018, these hospitality gongs have singled out the best places to get sipping, including via a Top 50 list and handing out four trophies. And for this year, ready to help shape your bar choices for 2023, all of the above is now here. Wineslinger isn't actually about vino itself, or bars in general. As the name makes plain, it's focused on watering holes that specialise in wine. Only four awards are handed out each year, covering the best Wineslinger, Best New Haunt, the Maverick prize for venues that push the limits and the People's Choice gong. While the first three awards are voted on by more than 100 industry experts, the latter stems from vino aficionados at home. [caption id="attachment_623526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] Nabbing the big prize this year: Sydney's Dear Sainte Éloise, which was recognised for its focus "on organic and biodynamic producers who work with as little winemaking intervention as possible", as well as its hefty 550-plus wine list. "Over the last five years, owners Matt Swieboda and Nate Hatwell have firmly cemented a new institution to pair with their legendary wine bar, Love, Tilly Devine," said the Young Gun of Wine team, which runs Wineslinger, announcing the win. "There's a by-the-glass list of about 25 – plus saké and fortifieds – with new or featured wines chalked up daily. There's also a low-waste, sustainable undercurrent to the venue that extends to the menu where whole beasts are sourced to utilise every last piece of the animal. And the produce, like the wine, is organic or biodynamic, except for the rare exception." [caption id="attachment_623522" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] The Potts Point spot took out the gong after Melbourne's Embla nabbed it in 2021, and the Carlton Wine Room in 2020. In 2022, Victoria's wine spots made a showing courtesy of the Best New Haunt prize, a rather self-explanatory field, which went to Bar Merenda in Daylesford. In the Maverick category, Perth's Tetsun emerged victorious, marking the second year in a row that the award has gone to a venue in the Western Australia capital. It got the nod for being "a wine bar that steps away from rigid formality to add a splash of fun," the awards advised. "Styling itself as a neo-Italian neighbourhood osteria, the room has a lively, loud and rambunctious atmosphere, which made an immediate impact since opening in the heart of inner-Perth nightlife hub Mount Lawley in mid-2022." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Young Gun of Wine (@younggunofwine) And, the People's Choice went to an Adelaide venue, also for the second year running. The winner: bottle shop and tasting room Bowden Cellars. Just like in 2021, all four winners hailed from different cities. The Wineslinger Awards were created by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards. Where the latter prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, the former is all about excellent and innovative places where vino lovers can enjoy an ace drop. Wineslinger also releases a list of top places to drink wine across the country each year, with 2022's rundown revealed back in November. The 50 spots span everywhere from Sydney's 10 William Street, Monopole and Poly to Melbourne's Bar Liberty, Old Palm Liquor and Public Wine Shop — plus Brisbane's La Lune Wine Co, Maeve and Wineism as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Young Gun of Wine (@younggunofwine) For further details about the 2022 Wineslinger Award winners, visit the awards' website. Top image: Dear Sainte Eloise, Nikki To.
A beach has long sat at the end of Morningside's Colmslie Road. For the past few years, so has Brisbane's newest riverside precinct — and it's about to get bigger. Sprawling across 30 hectares by the water in the River City's inner east, Rivermakers is already home to Revel Brewing Co, Mas & Miek's ceramic workshop and Bavay Distillery. Next comes The Hills of Rivermakers, which is weaving around the site's existing venues to turn the location into a new dining and entertainment precinct. In a year that's already seen Potentia Solutions Leisure open Claw BBQ & Grill, the second of its crab shack eateries, on this side of town at Carindale, the hospitality company that's also behind rooftop bars Lina and Soko, tequileria Carmen and Azteca at Queen's Wharf is now launching its most-ambitious project yet. On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Brisbanites will be able to head to The Hills, where spots to eat and drink will sit alongside a range of things to do. There'll be an urban winery, for instance, as well as an openair cinema. Rivermakers' Heritage Quarter is at the centre of The Hills — a place with history, given that the restored building dates back to 1910, was once the Commonwealth Acetate of Lime Factory and also operated as an armament factory in World War I. Across its lengthy past, this patch of Brisbane hasn't ever been a hub with different culinary zones, however, accompanied by river views. The urban winery will give locally crafted vino some love, pairing drops with charcuterie boards and cheese platters. You'll be able to sit either indoors in the lounge or out under the stars. Fancy a slice instead? The Hills will also feature a pizzeria lab, heroing seasonal ingredients and getting patrons dining on tables and chairs on the grass. Fish and chips will be on the menu at the seafood market, spanning oysters, prawns, calamari and more, while the gelato factory will be on hand to cover dessert. From breakfast through till dinner, the bakery and cafe will welcome in customers. For a coffee fix, The Hills will boast its own roastery. For a beer over pub food, The Roadhouse is your destination. Food- and drink-wise, the list doesn't stop there, but not everything is launching upon opening. Serving up meats, dairy and produce, The Providore will join the site in 2025. Outdoor movies will grace The Hills' cinema screen, where film lovers can sit on bean bags, picnic blankets or on the lawn, and pair their viewing with bites from the onsite eateries. Or, to get up close with animals, head to the pop-up petting zoo featuring alpacas, rabbits, chickens, ducks, goats, guinea pigs, pigs and sheep. For those keen to throw their own celebration, a 400-person events hall is available to book, as is the more-intimate Events Engineers Hut. The openair cinema, lawn and picnic area, and petting zoo can each be reserved as well. The Hills is also planning to deck out the place with seasonal theming, starting — of course — with festive fun across Tuesday, December 17–Monday, December 23. Find The Hills of Rivermakers at 82 Colmslie Road, Morningside from Wednesday, December 11, 2024. Head to the precinct's website for further details.
