Alex Seton crafts sculptures out of marble, and yet the name of his latest exhibition actively invites audiences to think of paper. That's not by accident. He might be working with a strong substance, but the circumstances he's trying to bring attention to are fragile. The chasm between the large amount of time he has spent making his pieces, and their usual quick, easy and flimsy appearance, is also by design. With 400 carved boats the centerpiece of the show, Paper Armada responds to Australia's current asylum seeker policies. Consider his collection a depiction of complex political and humanitarian issues. The exhibition is also the latest example of Seton's existence as an analogue artist living in a digital world. He's drawn to the sensory and tactile appeal of materials, and believes that powerful emotion is attached to works of art made by the human hand. Gazing at his recreations of paper boats in all their glistening marble glory, it's difficult not to agree with him.
Utes are as ubiquitously Australian as Vegemite, meat pies and nicknames abbreviated to capitulate in the letter O. This is what makes a trip to the legendary Deni Ute Muster a perfect excursion for those keen to experience a classic Australian road trip. The annual event held in the NSW Riverina town of Deniliquin (a 3.5-hour drive from Melbourne) is a celebration of the iconic vehicle. But you don't need to be a rev-head or even own your own ute to get amongst this uniquely Australian shindig. Parked between the Commodores and Falcons, Rangers and Hiluxes, will be a lineup of some of the country's biggest names in music, tasty food pop-ups and the opportunity to do two nights of camping on Friday, 29 and Saturday, 30 September. Expect to spot Jess Mauboy, John Williamson, Missy Higgins and Lee Kernaghan belting out hits over the weekend. Off-stage, entertainment will be provided courtesy of activities like an ice skating rink, Bogan Bingo, camel rides, monster truck rides and a muster sandpit. Tickets start at $310 which also covers camping, so you can bring your own tent or caravan — or simply roll out a swag in the back of your ute. Deni Ute Muster is on from Friday, September 29 to Saturday, September 30 2023. For further details, head to the website.
Share plates are all the rage these days. There’s now a cornucopia of Brisbane restaurants with menus fashioned after the communal dining concept. Though the idea of sharing multiple small plates of food is not unique to Spain – tapas have captured the heart of Brisbane dwellers, and become something of a neat catch-all term in the process. Perhaps you flinch when you see the word ‘tapas’ stamped above a list of foods ranging in cuisines from Spanish to English to Swedish to Korean. Or, you may consider it to be delightfully cosmopolitan. After all, different cultural cuisines have always drawn from each other, and is variety not the spice of life? Peasant Packed even on weeknights, Peasant is loved by many. Housed in the heritage listed Barracks, dimly lit with mural painted walls and secluded tables peppered throughout the leafy outdoor area; Peasant manages an intimate vibe despite its popularity. Tapas are best enjoyed in groups, and this is exemplified by a trip to Peasant. The food is rustic, easy to apportion, easy to eat. The piquillo peppers stuffed with vegetable paella, goats curd and green olive salsa are good to share, though their saltiness and piquancy will definitely make you want to order another drink. No 4 The Barracks, 61 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane Alegria Alegria Mediterranean Bistro and Bar is a Park Road favourite. The restaurant is small but polished and service is warm and hospitable. Being broadly Mediterranean in theme, Alegria’s tapas include not only Spanish staples like the manchego cheese croquettes. Italy gets quite a look in, with dishes like the Vitello Tonnato (rare roasted veal with tuna mayonnaise, capers and mustard greens) and veal 'Osso Bucco' with cannellini beans and white anchovy pangrattato. 11/20 Park Rd, Milton Moda An informal dining restaurant, Moda is elevated by a level of savoir-faire that never comes across as posh. Though definitely not a taperia, their menu includes entree-sized dishes that diners are encouraged to mix and match as share plates. Chef Javier Codina draws on a blend of French, Catalan and Italian influences, with entremeses like duck liver parfait with Pedro Ximenez jelly. For a tapas fuelled afternoon, head down on a Thursday or Friday for the Pica Pica Lunch - $30 will get you five different tapas followed by coffee and petit fours. 12 Edward St, Brisbane Ole Despite Brisbane’s love of tapas, the city is home to a relatively small number of full-blown taperias. Ole is one of the few restaurants to dedicate itself wholly to Spanish tapas and raciones. It has proved a winning tactic; the South Bank institution is a hot favourite any night of the week. The bustling atmosphere certainly puts you in the mood for a few plates of tapas, washed down with a jug of sangria – red of course. Shop B12, Little Stanley Street, South Bank Granada Just a few minutes’ walk from the Cultural Centre bus station, Granada Tapas and Bar accomplishes a zesty mix of Spanish and Mexican cuisine. Granada makes tapas-for-one a more viable option. Single serve tapas (as in one empanadilla on a plate) range in price from $3-$8, with larger portioned raciones are also on offer. Many of the usual suspects are here, alongside some overtly Mexican fare: Baja Taco (soft corn tortilla with whiting fillets, refried beans and tomatillo salsa) and Cerdo en Chipotle (slow roast pork shoulder in chipotle with beans and rice, corn tortillas). 154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane Canvas If you’re heading to this tiny bar in Woolloongabba’s antiques precinct, chances are you’re after a cocktail. As many Brisbanites have discovered, Canvas’ cocktail menu is pretty inspired (not least for the lovely presentation of the physical document itself). As Canvas is first and foremost a bar, the food is a bit more ‘beer snacky’ than at some of the other places on this list. However, what are tapas without a tipple? To make the most of it, try the Tapas and Tequila Tuesday. 16b Logan Rd, Woolloongabba Brew Brew is probably best known to city goers as a handy little coffee nook, or breakfast hidey hole. One of the greatest success stories of council’s laneways project, this cafe makes excellent use of Lower Burnett Lane and it’s hard not to smile at the economical utilisation of space. Just at the base of its alleyway entrance is an express coffee counter – a very popular weekday caffeine pit stop. Venture inside to find the narrow bar and restaurant. Though a lot of the focus is on drinks, there are also some pretty tasty tapas to accompany them. Try the morcilla sausage with mozzarella, tomato and basil. Lower Burnett Lane, Brisbane City View all Brisbane Restaurants.
Here's something that 2023 has that 2022 didn't: a Golden Globes ceremony. In his opening monologue, this year's host Jerrod Carmichael addressed the reasons why, including the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's historical lack of diversity. He also unpacked why he was asked to take to the microphone: "because I'm Black". Sparkling dresses, gleaming tuxedos, almost every famous face ever, plenty of shiny trophies going to worthy talents: that was all a part of the 2023 Golden Globes, which handed out its gongs on Wednesday, January 11 Australian and New Zealand time. So were frank speeches about the state of the industry, and the paths that many of this year's award-winners took to getting the accolades they deserve. When Ke Huy Quan said that "for so many years, I was afraid I had nothing more to offer" — chatting about the gap between starring in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as a kid to making Everything Everywhere All At Once in 2022 — there really shouldn't have been a dry eye in the house. When his co-star Michelle Yeoh spoke about the surprise she garnered when people in the US discovered that she could speak English, the anger was palpable. Yeoh and Quan are just two of this year's Golden Globe winners, emerging victorious from a hefty list of nominees. Covering big- and small-screen contenders, they had ample company. And, among award recipients and presenters alike, the important and entertaining moments kept coming, such as Colin Farrell thanking Jenny the donkey from The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis' Austin Butler asking to be played off to 'Suspicious Minds', Wednesday's Jenna Ortega telling everyone to watch 1962 French New Wave classic Jules and Jim, and Carmichael apologising "as a gay man" to Jennifer Coolidge in response to The White Lotus' second season. Also among the highlights: Carol Burnett Award-recipient Ryan Murphy giving 2022 Globe-winner MJ Rodriguez, the first trans woman to score a Golden Globe, a moment of recognition to make up for last year's lack of a ceremony; Volodymyr Zelenskyy's beamed-in speech; Steven Spielberg talking about finally being ready to dive into his own past directly after flirting with it across his filmography; Coolidge's mile-a-minute run-through of her rollercoaster career, and saying she'd come back for more American Pie; and Quinta Brunson's shoutout to Bob Odenkirk. Next stop for winners of the Golden Globe's film categories: the Academy Awards. Is Australia's own Cate Blanchett set to win her third Oscar, after picking up a Globe for Tár? Can Bollywood gem RRR keep winning fans everywhere it goes? Will 2023 keep being Yeoh and Quan's year, as 2022 was? These are your new questions. Amid all of the above, if you're wondering who and what else nabbed Golden Globes this year, the full rundown is below — and you can also check out our picks for the 15 winners you can watch right now: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES AND WINNERS: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Avatar: The Way of Water Elvis The Fabelmans — WINNER Tár Top Gun: Maverick BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Cate Blanchett, Tár — WINNER Olivia Colman, Empire of Light Viola Davis, The Woman King Ana de Armas, Blonde Michelle Williams, The Fabelmans BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Austin Butler, Elvis — WINNER Brendan Fraser, The Whale — WINNER Hugh Jackman, The Son Bill Nighy, Living Jeremy Pope, The Inspection BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Babylon The Banshees of Inisherin — WINNER Everything Everywhere All at Once Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Triangle of Sadness BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Lesley Manville, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Margot Robbie, Babylon Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu Emma Thompson, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Diego Calva, Babylon Daniel Craig, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Adam Driver, White Noise Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin — WINNER Ralph Fiennes, The Menu BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio — WINNER Inu-Oh Marcel the Shell with Shoes On Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Turning Red BEST MOTION PICTURE — NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE All Quiet on the Western Front Argentina, 1985 — WINNER Close Decision to Leave RRR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — WINNER Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once Dolly De Leon, Triangle of Sadness Carey Mulligan, She Said BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Brendan Gleeson, The Banshees of Inisherin Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin Brad Pitt, Babylon Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once — WINNER Eddie Redmayne, The Good Nurse BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE James Cameron, Avatar: The Way of Water Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Baz Luhrmann, Elvis Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans — WINNER BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Todd Field, Tár Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once Martin McDonagh, The Banshees of Inisherin — WINNER Sarah Polley, Women Talking Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner, The Fabelmans BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Hildur Guðnadóttir, Women Talking Justin Hurwitz, Babylon — WINNER John Williams, The Fabelmans BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Carolina' by Taylor Swift, Where the Crawdads Sing 'Ciao Papa' by Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 'Hold My Hand' by Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice, Top Gun: Maverick 'Lift Me Up' by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 'Naatu Naatu' by Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj, RRR — WINNER BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Better Call Saul The Crown House of the Dragon — WINNER Ozark Severance BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Emma D'Arcy, House of the Dragon Laura Linney, Ozark Imelda Staunton, The Crown Hilary Swank, Alaska Daily Zendaya, Euphoria — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Jeff Bridges, The Old Man Kevin Costner, Yellowstone — WINNER Diego Luna, Andor Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Adam Scott, Severance BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Abbott Elementary — WINNER The Bear Hacks Only Murders in the Building Wednesday BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary — WINNER Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building Jenna Ortega, Wednesday Jean Smart, Hacks BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Donald Glover, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jeremy Allen White, The Bear — WINNER BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Black Bird DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story The Dropout Pam & Tommy The White Lotus — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Chastain, George and Tammy Julia Garner, Inventing Anna Lily James, Pam & Tommy Julia Roberts, Gaslit Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout — WINNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Taron Egerton, Black Bird Colin Firth, The Staircase Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven Evan Peters, Dahmer — MONSTER: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story — WINNER Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus — WINNER Claire Danes, Fleishman Is in Trouble Daisy Edgar-Jones, Under the Banner of Heaven Niecy Nash, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION F. Murray Abraham, The White Lotus Domhnall Gleeson, The Patient Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird — WINNER Richard Jenkins, Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL-COMEDY OR DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES Elizabeth Debicki, The Crown Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Julia Garner, Ozark — WINNER Janelle James, Abbott Elementary Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL-COMEDY OR DRAMA TELEVISION SERIES John Lithgow, The Old Man Jonathan Pryce, The Crown John Turturro, Severance Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary — WINNER Henry Winkler, Barry For further details about the 2023 Golden Globes, head to the awards' website.
UPDATE, June 14, 2020: Devs is also now streaming in full on new Foxtel-run platform Binge. This article has been updated to reflect that change. If you're a fan of watching smart, rewarding, deep-thinking science fiction, then you're probably a fan of Alex Garland's. Originally an author, he initially came to fame as the writer of 90s bestseller The Beach, before moving into screenwriting with the script for 28 Days Later. More screenplays followed, including Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd — but it was his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina that showed the extent of his filmmaking prowess. Annihilation proved a highly worthy addition to his resume in 2018, too, even after it was shuffled onto Netflix rather than screening in cinemas in much of the world. Given his track record so far, any new project by Garland is cause for excitement. This year, direct your enthusiasm towards new series Devs. The writer/director has made the leap to television with a cast led by Nick Offerman, Ex Machina's Sonoya Mizuno, Love's Karl Glusman, American Horror Story's Alison Pill and Bad Times at the El Royale's Cailee Spaeny — and, as currently streaming on Foxtel Now and Binge in Australia, it's a trippy ride into cerebral sci-fi territory. The eight-part show also radiates unease from its very first moments, all while sporting both a mood and a futuristic look that prove simultaneously unsettlingly and alluring. The setting: Amaya, a US technology company that's massive in size yet secretive in its focus, especially when it comes to its big quantum computing project. When Sergei (Glusman) is promoted to its coveted, extra clandestine Devs division, his girlfriend and fellow Amaya employee Lily (Mizuno) is thrilled for him. But when Sergei doesn't come home from his first day, Lily starts looking for answers — including from the company's guru-like leader Forest (a long-haired, very un-Ron Swanson-like Offerman). As intriguing as it is involving — as both Ex Machina and Annihilation were, too — Devs is the kind of series with twists and turns that are best discovered by watching; however as each second passes by, the stranger and more sinister it all appears. Expect conspiracies, tech thrills and big questions, in a series that does what all the very best sci-fi stories do: tackle big existential questions and intimate everyday emotions in tandem, all while asking 'what if?'. Also a highlight is Devs' spectacular set design and overall look, with Garland bringing striking, dark yet vivid images to his first small-screen project. Giant woodland areas, floating cube-like workspaces glimmering in golden hues, shimmering fields, a towering statue of a small child — they're all part of the show's appearance, and its mysteries. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds The first season of Devs is available to stream on Foxtel Now and Binge. Images: FX Networks.
Excellent news for your bank balance: catching Translink public transport across Queensland will soon only cost you 50 cents per journey no matter how far you're going. Sunshine State Premier Steven Miles has announced the price-slashing move, which will kick in on Monday, August 5, 2024 and run for six months, as a cost-of-living relief measure and an effort to reduce traffic congestion. Translink, which falls within Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads, runs a hefty range of services — starting with trains, buses, ferries and trams in southeast Queensland. So for Brisbanites, whether you ride the rails as part of your daily commute, hit the road or hop on a CityCat, you'll be scoring a hefty discount, getting there and home for just $1 a day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Steven Miles (@stevenmilesmp) "We're reducing the cost of all Translink public transport services for six months. This massive cost-of-living relief measure will help bust congestion on our roads," said the Premier on social media, where he announced the 50-cent fares on Sunday, May 26. "I expect this will save Queenslanders thousands of dollars over six months, and encourage more people to catch our fast, frequent and 50-cent public transport," Miles continued in a statement. [caption id="attachment_958245" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Translink also runs buses in Bowen, Bundaberg, Cairns, the Fraser Coast, Gladstone and Gympie — and in Innisfail, Kilcoy, Mackay, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick and The Whitsundays. So, this is a statewide measure. The 50-cent price will apply to everyone, including concession cardholders, but is only available on Translink services. Accordingly, privately operated transport services won't be doing the cheap fares. [caption id="attachment_630654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Thomas via Flickr[/caption] Running for six months, the fare drop isn't a permanent change — but it will help you stop spending more than a fiver to get to and from your job if you work a five-day grind. The Sunday Mail reports that the Queensland Government will reassess the move in early 2025 if Labour is re-elected in October's state election. [caption id="attachment_958247" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_857365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_754201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_749921" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] John via Flickr[/caption] Fifty-cent fares will start across Translink's Queensland public transport services on Monday, August 5, 2024, running for six months. To find out more information about Translink's services, head to the company's website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland.
When an Australian actor makes it big, it can feel as if there's more than one of them. Joel Edgerton, who has been on local screens for almost three decades and made the leap to Hollywood with the Australian-shot Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, is such a talent. He's usually everywhere and in almost everything (such as The Stranger, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Thirteen Lives, Master Gardener, I'm a Virgo, The Boys in the Boat and Bluey in just the past two years), and viewers would follow him anywhere. Dark Matter wasn't written to capitalise upon that idea. Rather, it hails from the page of Blake Crouch's 2016 novel, with the author also creating the new nine-part Apple TV+ sci-fi series that it's based on. But, streaming from Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the show's lead casting leans into the notion that you can never have too much Edgerton by multiplying him in the multiverse. For the characters in Dark Matter, however, the fact that there's more than a single Jason Dessen causes considerable issues. The series' protagonist is a former experimental physics genius-turned-professor in Chicago who's teaching disinterested students about Schrödinger's cat. He's married to artist-turned-gallerist Daniela (Jennifer Connelly, Bad Behaviour), a father to teenager Charlie (Oakes Fegley, The Fabelmans) and the best friend of award-winning college pal Ryan Holder (Jimmi Simpson, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). And, he's been happy living the quiet family life, although pangs of envy quietly arise when he's celebrating Ryan's prestigious new accolade. Then, when another Jason pops up to pull off a kidnapping and doppelgänger plot, he's soon navigating a cross between Sliding Doors and Everything Everywhere All At Once. Everything is a multiverse tale of late; a mere few examples span superhero films and television shows Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Spider-Verse movies, Loki and The Flash; TV gems Fringe and Russian Doll; and the interdimensional animated chaos of Rick and Morty. Dark Matter is also a soul-searching "what if?" drama, exploring the human need to wonder what might've been if just one choice — sometimes big, sometimes small — had veered in a different direction. While a box is pivotal mode of transport like this is Doctor Who, as are all manner of worlds to visit, this is high-concept sci-fi at its most grounded. Neither version of Jason wants to hop through parallel worlds in the name of adventure or exploration — they're simply chasing their idea of everyday perfection. The first Jason chose Daniela and Charlie over devoting his existence to his career, round-the-clock work and only seeing the inside of a lab. Drugging and abducting him to reveal what could've eventuated if he didn't chart that path, the second Jason slides into his life to trade places. The everyman Jason unwillingly gets transported to a plane of reality where he's a famous billionaire — as well as the recipient of prizes and kudos, and also the creator of the technology that's allowing tumbling through the multiverse to happen — while the interloper Jason assumes his spot as a husband and dad. Dark Matter ties into the proverb "the grass is always greener", too, as both Jasons face the ups and downs of the road not taken, mostly for worse not better. For Jason One, if only verdant pastures were all that changed as he urgently attempts to return to his Daniela. With Jason Two's psychiatrist partner and colleague Amanda (Alice Braga, A Murder at the End of the World) for company, anything can await behind the infinite expanse of doors in a dimly light corridor that literalises the quantum state of superposition. Again, though, journeying to dystopias and paradises, and through disasters and futuristic havens while they're at it, isn't the point, even if each of the above makes an appearance. If you've ever felt as if you've been wading through copies of the life that you're meant to have, with nothing completely falling into place as it should, that's Jason One's experience as minor details morph from world to world. Edgerton's job, fittingly, contains multitudes. As the initial iteration of Jason, he plays thoughtful, considerate, dedicated to his loved ones and desperate to find his way back to them — all while tussling with the show's high-tech premise, often while stranded within that endless hallway. As Jason Two, he's a calculating imposter endeavouring not to get caught in the dream reality that he's ruthlessly stolen, but also arrogant in his confidence that he's pulled off his existential heist. A click on the soundtrack signals Dark Matter's jump between Jasons, but it needn't: Edgerton conveys their differences alongside their similarities like an artist painting the same portrait in dissimilar styles, and does so in one of the best performances of his career. Grappling with regrets, possibilities, the haunting knowledge that other futures are always possible and the distress of grasping that you mightn't have appreciated what you had until it was gone, Edgerton isn't the only actor excelling at doing double duty. For Connelly, in a show that spirits someone else off on a quest as another of her on-screen alter egos once was nearly four decades back in Labyrinth — a series where frosty climes and trains also play a part, bringing her last small-screen role on Snowpiercer to mind — shifts in body language say everything. And, they aren't the only cast members serving up layered performances. Braga, Fegley and Simpson are no slouches; in smaller but no less pivotal roles, neither are Dayo Okeniyi (Hypnotic) and Amanda Brugel (Parish). With Wayward Pines and Good Behaviour, Crouch's work has ventured from the page to episodes before — and with his involvement. His latest series has echoes within Apple TV+'s slate, too, because the platform's love of science fiction, twists and mysteries just keeps growing, including with Constellation already in 2024, Silo in 2023 and Severance in 2022. There might only be a lone idyllic realm for Jasons in Dark Matter, but that isn't the case for the streaming service's viewers. An absorbing and addictive trip that's also firmly anchored in relatable yearnings and musings, this Edgerton-led series is one to enthusiastically dive into. Check out the trailer for Dark Matter below: Dark Matter streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
In the year 2024, some of the most fun to be had with your fellow humans is via the medium of video games, where just about any experience can be found and shared with friends in worlds well beyond our imagination. With the current generation of gaming consoles, we've also got access to technical and creative wonders, many of which offer some truly memorable gameplay experiences to be found alone or with others. We're here to discuss the latter today, so let's talk about six of the most entertaining multiplayer games on the market today. Deep Rock Galactic What do you get when you combine Dwarves, a deep space mining company with heavy quotas, thousands of angry alien bugs and robots, and a deep lack of respect for workplace safety standards? You get Deep Rock Galactic. Created by Danish studio Ghost Ship Games, this first-person cooperative shooter puts you and up to three of your friends in the boots of Dwarven miners, fired deep into the caves of Hoxxes IV — the most valuable (and dangerous) planet in the galaxy. DRG follows an extremely replayable format: pick one of the four playable classes, pick a contract in one of the planet's seven procedurally-generated biomes and do your best to survive. The objectives range from simple ore mining to cleaning up plague-infested meteors and advanced industrial sabotage. The rewards? Money, gear upgrades, stylish clothing for your dwarves and most importantly, beer. Available on PC, Xbox One/Series S/X, PlayStation 4/5 Party Animals Sometimes in games we just really want something silly. That is exactly what Party Animals is: a silly game to be played with silly people. Released in 2023 by Chinese studio Recreate Games, Party Animals echoes the couch-coop beat-'em-up games of old but with a next-gen flair and fresh takes on the genre. In Party Animals, you and up to seven friends step into the shoes of adorable cartoon animals and play games in one of three modes: in Last Stand teams of two punch, kick and fight to be the last team standing; in Team Score two teams compete to achieve the highest score on the same challenge; finally Arcade combines a variety of unique maps and challenges to make things messy for everyone. Every map drops in weapons to help you disarm and knock out enemies. Once dead, you can fight on by periodically throwing in small objects that distract and knock out anyone they hit, friend or foe. Play online against other players or create a private lobby (online or local) for just your friends. The choices are endlessly silly and all yours. Available on PC, Xbox One/Series X/S Helldivers 2 If you've been paying attention to video games in 2024 in any way at all, there's a good chance you've heard of Helldivers 2. A sequel to the 2015 top-down shooter Helldivers, this third-person shooter comes from Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment. You and up to three friends are Helldivers, elite soldiers of Super Earth who are tasked with spreading democracy to the planets of the insectoid Terminids and Terminator-esque Automatons. You'll do so via orbital insertion, heavy firepower and a whole lot of panicked screaming. Mission objectives range from destroying Terminid eggs to rescuing scientists and detonating nuclear weapons, all in the name of freedom. Every mission contributes to a shared community goal. Players work together to liberate planets — and enemies work to prevent them. Once you or your enemies win enough battles, the fight moves to a new planet for every single player. At the time of writing, the developers are working to increase server capacities. Be warned: you may encounter issues. Available on PC, PlayStation 5 Sea of Thieves Your first thought may be, hold on, Sea of Thieves... that came out a while ago, didn't it? It's true, Sea of Thieves was originally released in March 2018 by UK studio Rare, but it's been receiving a steady stream of updates ever since, and this writer, who's played since its release, can personally confirm the game has never been in a better state. Sea of Thieves is an online first-person adventure game, where you and up to three of your friends can crew a pirate ship in a vast playground of ocean dotted by over 70 handcrafted islands. You can sail one of three ships (built for crews of two, three and four) exploring the seas and completing voyages for several trading companies. Each offers different objectives (find buried treasure, track a missing merchant shipment, hunt a crew of undead pirates) and different cosmetic rewards. Since launch, the developers have added new islands, boss fights, voyage types, ship customisation options, weapons, enemies, narrative voyages (some original, some tying in with properties like Pirates of the Caribbean) and much more. Available on PC, Xbox One/Series X/S, releasing on PlayStation 5 on April 30. Moving Out 2 If only moving home was as entertaining as this 2023 game from Sydney developers SMG Studios and Swedish developers DevM Games. Moving Out 2 is the sequel to 2020's Moving Out, a hit coop game that puts players in the shoes of a moving business, entrusting you to carry, drag, pivot, throw and otherwise shift the furniture and belongings of its customers. In each level, you must move a certain number of objects from the home into the van under a time limit while being sure not to break too many things. Some objects, like a picture frame or cardboard box, can be carried alone, but larger items require two or more players to be successfully moved. Moving Out 2 improves on the original title in a few ways, adding singleplayer gameplay and online coop of up to four players (the first only supported local coop), and extra complexities to levels like one-way doors, teleporters and time-limited passages to hinder your efforts. Available on PC, Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch Dying Light 2: Stay Human Originally released in 2022 by Polish developer Techland, Dying Light 2: Stay Human is a sequel to 2014's Dying Light and picks up over 20 years after the events of the first game, with a deadly zombie virus having wiped out civilisation as we know it. The game can be played start to finish in singleplayer or online with up to three other players and is built around two core systems. Firstly, parkour. Dying Light 2: Stay Human is set in a city overrun by zombies and dangerous humans, and you'll need to use every surface and structure to your advantage as you run, jump, dive, roll under, flip over, swing, glide and stunt your way all over town. Secondly, a day-night cycle. The danger exists 24/7, but night sees deadly nocturnal zombie variants take to the streets, making some areas deadlier and others safer than they are during the day. The campaign is layered with choices that literally shape the world, so the city in your friends' games may look very different to your own. Dying Light 2: Stay Human has seen many updates since launch, with various technical improvements made alongside new systems and playable content added. Grab your three bravest friends for this one. Good night and good luck. Available on PC, Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 If you're after more gaming recommendations, check out our most anticipated indie games due for release this year.
In the near future, making the most of Brisbane's sunny all-year-round weather will involve eating, drinking and taking in the River City from 100 metres above, all thanks to the new Sky Deck that's coming to the CBD's $3.6-billion Queen's Wharf precinct. But, if you were hoping to spend this summer towering high, you'll need to change your plans. Last targeting a late-2023 opening, this revamped part of Brissie will now start launching in 2024. Mark April in your diaries: at the time of writing, that's when Queen's Wharf and Sky Deck should start welcoming in visitors. The key word is 'should', because this project has been in the works for at least eight years now. The sooner that Brisbane scores a lofty spot with a restaurant, bar, glass-floor viewing platform, and 360-degree vantage out over the Brisbane CBD, Brisbane River, Mt Coot-tha and Moreton Bay, though, the better. Acting Queensland Premier Steven Miles and The Star's Chief Operating Officer Kelvin Dodt have announced that the final Sky Deck piece has been put into place, with the 250-metre long crescent-shaped platform being lifted in three parts. The first went up in September 2022 and the second in March 2023, before the third this July. "The Sky Deck is poised to become a tourist magnet as the centrepiece of the world-class Queen's Wharf Brisbane development, so to be here to mark this milestone is great," said the Acting Premier. "This will become one of the city's most recognisable skyscapes, elevating Brisbane's already-growing international reputation as a must-visit destination ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Just as importantly, Sky Deck will be for the people of Brisbane as a vibrant public space to enjoy day and night, whether for important occasions, a casual catch up or just to take in the views," added Dodt. When it does open between Alice, George, Queen and William streets, Queen's Wharf's crowning glory will combine bites, sips and taking in stunning views — all sitting atop everything other dining options, hotels, shops, apartments and a heap of public space. While part of one of Queen's Wharf's resident resorts — it's set to feature four hotels — Sky Deck will be open to the public. Also, it isn't small, with a capacity of 1500 visitors at a time. Here, folks keen to scale great heights can also host parties, with an events space part of the setup. Brisbanites, your shindigs are looking up. Specific details about Sky Deck's restaurant and bar, including their menus and operators, haven't yet been revealed; however, that glass-bottomed platform will sit around the midway mark of the structure. From the artists' impressions of the venue, locals and tourists alike can expect ample greenery and crucial outdoor seating elsewhere, the latter giving everyone plenty of places to stop, sit and take in the panoramic vista. Expect Brisbane's Sky Deck to be popular, too. The Queensland Government certainly does, anticipating that an estimated 1.4 million international, interstate and local visitors to the city each year might stop by. As for the rest of the Queen's Wharf Brisbane redevelopment area, it spans across 12 hectares in the CBD, and will include around 50 new bars, cafes and restaurant; a casino; those four aforementioned hotels; approximately 1500 apartments; and a swathe of retailers in a huge new shopping precinct. The full precinct features repurposed heritage buildings, plus the Neville Bonner Bridge and Brissie's first riverside bikeway cafe. For Brisbane inhabitants, Queen's Wharf has been in the making for so long — and the construction around it just seems to be taking forever, too — that it feels like it has always been coming. But "let's meet at Queen's Wharf" is something that'll soon be able to be said, including by visitors. Ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, the River City is transformation central, including tearing down and rebuilding the Gabba; renewing and reinvigorating South Bank, complete with a treetop walk, a permanent handmade goods market and new riverside lawns; making over Victoria Park; and revamping and expanding Northshore Hamilton. Also, a new seven-hectare riverside parkland is set to join South Brisbane, QPAC's fifth theatre is under construction and Kangaroo Point is set to score a new green bridge with an overwater bar and restaurant. Queen's Wharf is slated to start opening in the Brisbane CBD from April 2024. We'll update you when a specific date is announced — and you can find out further details in the interim via the development's website.
After playing to sold-out arenas the globe over, the Black Keys will return to Australia this October. The Lollapalooza and Coachella headliners are bringing their latest album 'El Camino' to six Aussie locations. Though the Black Keys started out humbly as a two-member garage band, their rise to festival and arena headliners is a testimony to their music. Australian fans welcomed the band to Oz in 2003, and have since enjoyed five more Black Keys tours. This tour highlights the band's seventh album in a show which promises to be their best yet. The Black Keys will make appearances in Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and at Perth's Rock It festival. Don't miss out: tickets go on sale after noon today here.
Godzilla is still big, but the picture around cinema's most-famous kaiju gets smaller in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the Japanese-created creature's new TV series. This ten-episode show sits within the American Monsterverse, which has previously filled movie theatres with 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong — and it hits streaming, arriving on Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, with a scaled-down focus on family drama. People matter in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, far more than they have in any of the US franchise's instalments so far. The folks hopping around the globe chasing the giant critter and its fellow titans are also worth caring about. As a result, there's nothing little about how engaging Monarch: Legacy of Monsters proves. Getting Kurt and Wyatt Russell involved helps. The real-life father-son pair portray the same character — not for the first time; see: 1998's Soldier when Wyatt (Under the Banner of Heaven) was still a child — with not just ease but charisma. That isn't surprising; as the younger Russell's resume keeps demonstrating through Cold in July, Ingrid Goes West, Lodge 49, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and more, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree when it comes to acting talent. Wyatt slips into Lee Shaw's military uniform in the 1950s, Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) plays the retired elder version in the mid-2010s, and jokes reference how well the pivotal figure has aged to make the maths work out (in the later timeline, Shaw has to be in his 90s). Needing to make that gag is worth it for such stellar and captivating casting. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters isn't about Shaw's family, however — at least not as bonded by blood. In 2015, a year after the G-Day events of the 2014 film, San Franciscan teacher Cate Randa (Anna Sawai, Pachinko) is suffering from kaiju-inflicted PTSD and mourning her missing father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story), making a trip to Japan to pack up his Tokyo apartment challenging several times over. There, she finds artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe, 461 Days of Bento), a shared history and links to secret government monster-hunting organisation Monarch. Those ties comes courtesy of a satchel filled with documents that Bill Randa (John Goodman, returning from Kong: Skull Island) is seen tossing into the sea in a 70s-set prologue; having possession of it sparks chaos for not only Cate and Kentaro, but also the latter's hacker ex-girlfriend May (Kiersey Clemons, The Flash). When a shadowy international outfit is on your trail, who can assist? Given that Shaw was a 50s-era colleague of Hiroshi's parents Keiko (Mari Yamamoto, also Pachinko) and Bill (played by Inventing Anna's Anders Holm in the earlier timeline), his help is swiftly needed. Amid Cate, Kentaro, May and Shaw's attempts to evade the "like the CIA, but for Godzilla" operation pursuing their every move, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also dives into Shaw, Keiko and Bill's backstory. Shaw is enlisted into the monster realm exactly because he's enlisted, then deployed to ensure Keiko's safety as she follows her research into strange radiation trails in The Philippines — a phenomena that fellow scientist Bill is also interested in. While the Russells provide Monarch: Legacy of Monsters with its biggest names, and add depth to Shaw's emotional journey by perfecting the same mannerisms and line deliveries — not to mention letting that family charm kick in — series co-developers Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have cast their show well across the board. When beastly behemoths are simply being talked about rather than sighted, the human story never feels like filler padding out the frame until the next monster melee, which stems as much from the performances as the commitment to ensuring that pixels aren't the sole attraction. Each with their own Russell, both groups provide space for everyone's part of the narrative, plus the portrayals that go with it, to make an impact. Screenwriting convenience and cliche comes into play in fleshing out some backstories, but Clemons and Yamamoto especially have no trouble selling it. In addition to excellent casting, the series welcomely makes an even better move: taking the Monsterverse back where all things Godzilla started off-screen, aka Japan. When the creature that has multiple Tokyo statues devoted to it, plus a dedicated store as well, first erupted into cinemas in 1954 to spark a 33-film homegrown saga, it was in the shadow of World War II as an indictment of nuclear conflict's destruction and consequences — and those origins get the most meaningful nod yet in the US franchise through Keiko, Cate and Kentaro. All things Godzilla thankfully haven't moved to America IRL. Godzilla Minus One returns the kaiju to live-action Japanese movies in 2023 for the first time since 2016's exceptional Shin Godzilla, while three animated flicks (2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater) have filled the gap in-between. But there's been an emptiness to the Monsterverse when it has barely cared about that history, even if making titans a worldwide threat and noting that Zilly doesn't respect national boundaries has merit. Call them kaiju, call them titans, call them massive unidentified terrestrial organisms (or MUTO): they're as meaningful as they've always been in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. While the show's main attention might reside with two eras of people on two different searches, Godzilla and its fellow critters aren't ignored. They wander, smash and swim. They cause awe and fear alike. They tower, sleep, destroy and — with Zilly in particular — protect. As Monarch: Legacy of Monsters hones in on people, in fact, it explores the array of reactions that Godzilla can inspire, the range of thinking as well and, as intended for almost seven decades, the self-reflection about atomic bombs and warmongering that the very idea of Godzilla was designed to conjure up. Balancing heart and weight while feeling grounding amid gargantuans isn't a tiny task. Making sure that people and titans are equally as important to the narrative isn't a minor feat, either. Nor is using special effects to wow with onslaughts and dwarf with scale, getting a theme tune echoing into earworm territory almost as much as the stone-cold classic original Godzilla music and making a TV entry to a franchise that plays like the main attraction. Whichever Godzilla tales that Japan spins will always be the kings of the saga, and long may they continue charging onto screens — but Monarch: Legacy of Monsters puts down a giant footprint for Hollywood's dalliance with the atomic lizard, and a much-needed one given that more will only keep coming, including the silver screen's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in 2024. Check out the trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
Last year, the two distinct festivals Mould and Pinot Palooza teamed up for the first time, showcasing — as you can probably guess — the best of Australian cheese and wine. Well, the combined experience was such a hit, this crowd-pleasing duo is running it back once more, bringing together a massive celebration of fromage and fermentation. Presented by Revel, Mould x Pinot Palooza is touching down in five capital cities, including Adelaide for the first time and Sydney after an 18-month hiatus. Meanwhile, the 2026 program will also run four sessions over three days, adding Sundays to the lineup at every leg of the tour. That gives you even more opportunity to explore over 100 Australian cheeses and wines ready to be paired and savoured. On the cheese front, expect the full spectrum of flavours, from funky blues to creamy bries and plenty of stinky samples, accompanied by a huge selection of pinot. So far, the confirmed names for 2026 include festival favourites Milawa Cheese and the bold flavours of Rub-a-Dub, alongside low-intervention innovators Ohkela Wine and sustainable Victorian standouts Mulline Vintners. Beyond the cheese and wine, bars spread throughout each venue will pour top-notch beers, spirits and cocktails, while a host of food producers will be on-site offering ready-to-eat bites, pantry staples and grazing essentials. "Cheese and pinot naturally belong together, and this format gives people the freedom to explore both at their own pace, talk directly with producers, and enjoy the experience without it feeling over-programmed or precious," says Head of Revel, Jess Audus. Mould x Pinot Palooza 2026 Dates: Brisbane: Friday, May 22–Sunday, May 24 at John Reid Pavilion, RNA Showgrounds Sydney: Friday, June 12–Sunday, June 14 at The Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park Melbourne: Friday, July 3–Sunday, July 5 at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Perth: Friday, August 7–Sunday, August 9 at Silver Jubilee Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds Adelaide: Friday, August 28–Sunday, August 30 at The Queens Theatre
Hyrule is heading to the big screen, and Link and Princess Zelda along with it. After almost four decades of mashing buttons to save the magical land, fans of The Legend of Zelda will be able to see the game franchise make the leap to cinemas. Coming off a huge year for film adaptations of its titles thanks to box-office smash that is The Super Mario Bros Movie, Nintendo has announced that it's turning its beloved Ganondorf-battling action-adventure series into a feature. The Legend of Zelda will have something else in common with Nintendo's favourite plumbers: it's getting the live-action silver-screen treatment first. While animation worked well for Mario's latest date with picture palaces in 2023, Link, Zelda and the like will be flesh and blood. Just imagine how Hyrule's stunning landscapes will look. The Legend of Zelda's move into movies will boast Shigeru Miyamoto, Representative Director and Fellow of Nintendo, as one of its producers — alongside Avi Arad, whose resume includes all the Spider-Man flicks (live-action and animated), some X-Men films, early Marvel titles like Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and also Ghost in the Shell and Uncharted. While it's too early for any news on stars, The Maze Runner filmmaker Wes Ball will be directing. And the film will indeed hit cinemas, with Sony distributing — and co-financing the movie with Nintendo. No details about the feature's storyline have been unveiled so far, either. Accordingly, if you're wondering which game or games it might follow — and if your favourite, be it the OG 1986 The Legend of Zelda, 1991 masterpiece A Link to the Past, 1998's Ocarina of Time or 2013's A Link Between Worlds, for instance, might get a nod — there's no answers as yet. "By producing visual contents of Nintendo IP by itself, Nintendo is creating new opportunities to have people from around the world to access the world of entertainment which Nintendo has built, through different means apart from its dedicated game consoles," said the company in a statement announcing the film version of The Legend of Zelda. "By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone's faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible." Given that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom hit Nintendo Switch back in May, 2023 is clearly a big Zelda year, even if the film obviously won't release before 2024 hits. Exactly when it will start showing in cinemas is also among the details that haven't yet been revealed. The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Generally when you order a burger, it doesn't come flying to you at 100km an hour. The thought of that doesn't actually sound very fun or delicious; it sounds a lot like copping a pickle to the eyeball. But at Christchurch's C1 Espresso, high-speed sliders are a reality that doesn't hurt or impede your vision, thanks to an impressive overhead air suction system that delivers your chow straight from the kitchen to your table via pneumatic tube. It's the future, as owner Sam Crofskey puts it. And there is something very Fifth Element about food travelling through clear plastic tubes to get to your mouth, but this system is actually more in tune with the past than the future. Originally operating as a bank — and taken over by C1 after their previous site was destroyed in the February 2011 earthquake — the High Street building was already fitted with old-school pneumatic tubes. After using the vacuum-like system to transport handwritten orders to the kitchen, the next step, naturally, was to stick food up there and see what happened. With the existing tubes not quite big enough for edibles, new, slider-sized ones had to be fitted. They run from the kitchen and along the ceiling before dropping down to arrive at tables that sit up against the walls (and there's even talk of expanding delivery to outside tables through underground tubes). This means the cafe is always whirring, moving and buzzing; people's eyes flicker as they see a cylinder fly past up above and then grin in delight when said cylinder arrives at their table, holding three sliders and piping hot curly fries. "We just thought it was very Willy Wonka or something, and we had to do it," says Crofskey. "It was really important that when people talked about us after the earthquake, that they connected with us in the same kind of way as before ... We had to make sure that people would make the effort to come back." And with most of the city shut down — particularly when they initially reopened in November 2012 — C1 didn't just need a novelty; they needed to do something unique that fit in with their already-established brand and the community. Pioneering the second wave coffee movement since their beginnings in 1996 (back when no one knew what a barista was, according to Crofskey), C1 has always been known for great coffee and breakfast and details like their customised sugar packets that look like crayons and the sparkling water on tap from an old sewing machine. The pneumatic burgers and the decision to open for dinner are another extension of the C1 culture, and a good reflection of Crofskey's approach to hospitality. "We had a chance to reinvent ourselves and, when we reopened, we were deciding who we wanted to be," says Sam. "We didn't want to deviate from our brand — it's still warm and inviting, and a place for the community to come together." But offering breakfast, lunch and dinner isn't the only thing on Crofskey's agenda. Along with the cafe, he also works with a Samoan community to create a sustainable coffee industry in partnership with Women in Business, he bottles and sells OK! fruit nectars that also originate from the region, and he produces his own honey from the building's rooftop beehive and garden. And, with the cafe sharing real estate with a video store, art house cinema and, temporarily, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the space is so much more than somewhere to eat. "We had this idea that we wanted to have this space that people could get lost in for a while, so you can go here and go to the movies, come out and go to the art gallery," says Crofskey. And with plans to turn the upper levels into a boutique hotel, C1 will be like an island for the people of Christchurch. One where the room service is delivered at 100km an hour, of course.
Sky-high dining could be on the menu in George Street, with a new rooftop restaurant planned in the Brisbane CBD. Sitting atop a five-storey podium, the proposed eatery forms part of a development application lodged for The Great Southern Hotel, located down near the Treasury Casino. You'd best start planning a staycation, however, as the lofty dining establishment will be open to hotel guests only. As well as featuring exactly what everyone wants from a rooftop space — that is, a large alfresco area filled with seats and sunshine — the layout includes plenty of greenery, all thanks to an atrium. Designed by Brisbane architecture firm Argo, the entire structure has been mooted as part of an extension to the hotel, with the atrium providing natural light and air (and plant-filled views) to an additional 77 hotel rooms that'll sit within the podium. A ground-floor cafe on George Street, which'll be open to the public, has also been proposed — and, in addition to boasting five green walls, the towering podium is set to be covered in street art. The street-level additions will link in with a potential two-level retail strip connecting Mary and Charlotte streets that has been proposed by the owners of the adjacent buildings. Image: Jorge Láscar via Flickr.
When most folks scream, they're not powering up their life force, or ki, in battle. Most folks aren't Dragon Ball Z's Goku, however. If you're a fan of the anime, you've probably wished you were at least once or twice, and bunch of gatherings at Australian public spaces will let you scream out your non earth-saving frustrations. Yes, 'Scream like Goku' sessions are a real thing, and they're exactly what they sound like — which, we're certain will be loud. Starting in New York last week, Dragon Ball Z aficionados have been amassing around famous landmarks and letting their voices be heard. We'll let you decide whether they're endeavouring to fend off Frieza, trying to become a Super Saiyan, or just yelling their love (or all of the above). A host of other US sites are slated to follow, as well as Singapore — and Australian Dragon Ball Z fans have been quick to jump into the mix. The first local session is scheduled at 4pm tomorrow, Saturday, September 9, at none other than the Sydney Opera House — because if you're doing to scream in public, you'd better make it count. Over 3000 people have said they're attending in the Facebook event, with another 10,000 'interested'. More gatherings are planned for Sydney's Hyde Park on September 23, and Newcastle's Nobbys Beach on September 24, while Melbourne's Federation Square joins the fun on September 10 — almost 5000 people are planning to rock up to that one. Someone has started a campaign to get screamers to the Wheel of Brisbane on October 7, but so far there's not many potential attendees. Dressing up is encouraged, even if you just throw on something orange. If you're not sure how you should be screaming, let this build up some inspiration. Even if you're not a Dragon Ball Z fan, screaming at the top of your lungs with hundreds of other people is bound to be cathartic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRsjCWNXtRE Image: Leticia Almeida.
September in Brisbane means three things: ace weather, ample things to do and a sky full of fireworks. And, while Brisbane Festival can't claim credit for the climate, it gets all of the love for the latter two. Taking over every space it can – including the heavens – the annual celebration of arts, culture, music, performance, film and more turns the ninth month of a year into a party. Traipsing around the central hub that is Arcadia, getting immersed in an indie theatre wonderland, and looking up at Riverfire are just the beginning. From September 9 to 30, this year's fest promises all of that and a whole lot more. If your calendar isn't full, you're not trying hard enough. But if you do need some help, let us pencil in these ten must-sees from the stacked Brisbane Festival 2017 lineup.
Why have a drink at ground level when you can sip cocktails with a sky-high view? Why indeed. Thanks to Brisbane's love of rooftop bars, grabbing a beverage at great heights has become one of the city's favourite pastimes — and there's always room for one more lofty watering hole, isn't there? In news so fresh, the bar in question doesn't even have a name yet, 200 Adelaide Street is the latest address to flirt with turning its roof over to tipples. Developers have lodged an application to transform the heritage-listed building's top floor. Sure, it's only seven storeys up, but, given that the site sits on the corner of Adelaide and Edward Streets next door to Anzac Square, it'll boast quite the scenic vantage point. As well as the obvious boozy offerings, the proposed 323-square-metre venue will also a kitchen, plus a variety of eating and drinking spaces spanning high bar tables, lounge seating and casual dining. Landscaping-wise, a hanging garden is planned to give the place a suitably sub-tropical atmosphere, as well as plenty of other greenery around the site's edge and on trellises. Yep, when Brissie embraces a trend, we sure do go all in, with the Adelaide Street bar slated to join other recent high-rise additions such Sixteen Antlers, Sazerac, Eleven and Eagles Nest. We can only assume that someone's cooking up a rooftop burger and doughnut bar somewhere around town. Now that'd be the ultimate combination of everything that this city loves. Via BrisbaneDevelopment.com.
Ever wanted to hear the music of Leonard Cohen echoing around a lake, watch contemporary ballet performed on a floating stage in the middle of an estuary, or see an opera staged at a wildlife sanctuary? Dreamed of eating dinner with a character during a performance? Or gazing at bodies flying into the sky on one of Queensland's most famous beaches? Well, even if you haven't, here's your chance. Gold Coast's Bleach* Festival has announced its 2016 lineup — and it includes all the above, and more. Yes, it's the three-week-long Brisbane residents should jump in their cars and make the trek down the highway for this March. When it comes to coastal weekend fun of the music, arts, theatre, dance and performance kind — and of the taking creative ventures to exquisite natural locations kind, too — this annual multi-arts fest has you covered. It does boast more than 50 events, including eight world premieres, after all. That bustling schedule includes Horizon with Angels, that is, that combination of Cohen, acrobats and Evandale Lake you didn't know you were hanging out for. Mid-water dancers form part of Shifting Sands, a celebration of the cultures, communities and characters that shape Currumbin Estuary. Opera Selvaggio also graces the beachside suburb, with The Voice finalist Naomi Price heading to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to belt out soaring renditions of opera and musical theatre's most popular pieces. Then there's Saltwater — which comes complete with a meal with the play's protagonist — plus The Last Blast, which lets Gold Coast dance company The Farm loose on the shoreline of Surfers Paradise. If that's not enough, a concert and songwriting workshop with festival special guest Ben Lee, an outdoor projection gallery named Luminaries, and a free street party at Palm Beach are also on the Bleach* bill. Because a great festival is all about variety. Bleach* Festival Gold Coast runs from March 4-20. Visit their website to check out the full program. Images: Darcy Grant.
If you're a Brisbanite who prefers a vegan diet, then you might want to stop by Vintaged Bar and Grill. We're well aware that the inner-city restaurant is best known for its steak and burger-heavy selections, but they're now offering up something special for non-carnivorous diners too. Yes, much to the delight of herbivores looking for a fancy meal, the Hilton's signature eatery has expanded their remit. Animal product-free entrees, mains and desserts are now available — and three of each, in fact — from their just-released dedicated vegan menu. First up, you can feast on beef tomato filled with tomato concasse, truffled white polenta and exotic mushrooms, or miso roasted eggplant with toasted sushi rice. Follow that up with chana masala, brick pastry vegetable roulade, or 12-grain and pulse cauliflower risotto, and then top it all off with a chocolate berry whip with berry snow, apple and rhubarb crumble with cinnamon sorbet, or coconut rice pudding with mango and minted tapioca salsa. And here we were thinking that meat-focused restaurants and vegans didn't mix. Whether you make a three-course dinner out of it, or just stop by for one dish, the new offerings help solve a problem all vegans will be all too familiar with. Getting dragged to a place that specialises in big slabs of flesh and finding the meat-free offerings a wasteland of 'sad salad' is now a thing of the past. About time, really. Find Vintaged Bar and Grill at the Hilton, 190 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane, or check out their website.
Every sweet treat needs a matching beverage to go with it — and if doughnuts that are actually good for you are your idea of the former, then a cold-pressed juice probably takes care of the latter. Nodo Donuts and Pressed Juices are certainly hoping that's the case. The two brands have just banded together to open their own one-stop healthy snack shop on Elizabeth Street, after all. It's news sure to delight CBD workers in search of a tasty afternoon tea alternative, as well as anyone with a hankering for something nutritious while they're passing through the city. Yes, your 3pm attack of the munchies can now involve naturally gluten-free, artisanal, baked or raw orbs of goodness in flavours such as pumpkin maple and 'Cha Cha Chai', and sips of liquid fruitiness of the zesty and earthy variety. And, you only have to go to one place to get them. The joint venture continues an exciting year for Nodo, who've already evolved from selling their wares at cafes and markets to opening their own Newstead bakery. And yes, their banana, maple cream cheese and caramelised pecan breakfast doughnuts are on the menu at their inner-city digs. Yes, stopping by multiple times a day is completely acceptable. Find Nodo Donuts and Pressed Juices at 300 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane. Check out the Nodo Donuts and Pressed Juices websites for more information.
Brisbane’s own Powerhouse Theatre is playing host to the Australian premier of A Doll House, the reimagination of Ibsen’s classic by Ireland’s Pan Pan Theatre. In a brightly creative spin on the old tale, Pan Pan’s adaptation brings the play to modern day, where we find ourselves in the middle of Christmas with Nora Helmer, who is busying herself with presents and decorations and spending the money her husband hasn’t yet earned as the new bank manager. The symbolic and simple set brings forward the true tales this story can tell – examining relationships, social conventions, what it means to be human and the changes we make to discover who we are. This poignant story is only on for a short time, and is recommended for those over 15 years of age. There will also be a free Q & A session following the Saturday and Sunday performances, which should prove worthwhile bring hosted by the folks of one of Ireland’s premier theatre companies.
In a continuation of the Brisbane Festival arts showcases, Metro Arts presents Mould. The solo exhibition by local visual artist Richard Stride is one which displays his interests in opposing forces and tensions he observes within the built environment. Stride’s works seek to question the role of geometry and structure in the contemporary human experience, particularly surrounding our conception of simplicity and complexity, order and disorder. Mould furthers this notion, and considers the relationships within construction formwork. He does so with mixed mediums to look at notions of control, investigating the double meaning of the exhibition title. It is just one of many immersive and intriguing art pieces on display for the Festival, and is sure to ask all the right questions.
Everyone is familiar with the warm and fuzzy feeling experienced when returning to your own home. Whether it be after a long day at work or a holiday, there is something special about being in the comfort of your cosy abode. The new homeware label Cubbylove fosters this special connection and aims to make your house feel as homely as possible through their charming handcrafted textiles and decor. Magdalene Bufalino is the creative genius behind this sweet label. She has put her heart and soul into making cushions, wall hangings, bunting and a huge array of cute and colourful creations. If you thought cuddly Cubbylove couldn't get any more delightful, the brand strives to please Mother Earth through the use of environmentally friendly materials. Celebrate the launch of this unique label with Cubbylove's launch night at West End's The Box. Enjoy a drink and some yummy goodies at this intimate event and pick up a little treat for your cherished home.
I often listen to things that our Lord Mayor Campbell Newman says. I also use his campaign slogan 'Can do Campbell' in everyday life. That's why I feel I must implore you to do as he says and explore your creative, right brain at one of Brisbane City Council's free Art Bites programs. Tailored especially for the beginner, each workshop is different, encouraging aspiring artistic types to try their hand at a variety of different art forms throughout March and April. Like most things Campbell-related, this one was a winner, and 11 of the 15 workshops have already been booked out. Do not fret though, there is still time to find your true calling, whether it be tap dancing in Musgrave Park (make sure you bring hard soled shoes!), or hip hop street dancing in Calamvale with the crew from Elements Collective. Just make sure you book ahead, as places are limited. Try something new, it's what Campbell would have wanted. To book your place call (07) 3403 8473. Tap Dance When: 10am - 12pm, Saturday, 2 April Where: Jagera Arts Centre at Musgrave Park, 121 Cordelia Street, South Brisbane Hip Hop Street Dance When: 6.30pm - 8.30pm, Wednesday, 13 April Where: Salvation Army Centre, Cnr Beaudesert Road and Kameruka Street, Calamvale
The West End Film Festival was founded in 2009 and is back for another year. It brings an array of short films to the fore and recognises the efforts of the talented filmmakers through various awards. This year, 15-20 of the best short film entries will be screened in a large warehouse space behind the eclectic Rumpus Room bar. The films range from an animation about two young Indigenous boys entitled Jack and Jones to a short film, Bat Eyes, which is about struggling to deal with our former selves. Tales of heartbreak, war, friendship and forgiveness will be shown as well. Awards up for grabs include Best Film judged by Industry, Best Film Judged by Community and Indigenous Filmmaking Award. Support the immensely talented filmmakers and actors of Brisbane in this exciting event. The competition is strong and the event is always jam-packed with eager film buffs, so secure your tickets here.
Lost Movements, a not-for-profit, artist-run initiative is coming together for the fourth time to present an eclectic mix of artists, spoken word, performers and musicians. These events are varied and inclusive: they involve not only varied types of expressive art, but those who attend are encouraged to participate. Lost Movements aspire to rekindle the free-spirited and playful experimentation of music and art and how they interrelate. The various disciplines, including burlesque dancing, slam poetry, body art, live art and music are purposed to create a space where artisans may feed off the passions and energy of others. Grab your tickets on the door to see the bands, live art, theatre, acrobatics, projection art and more for what’s shaping up to be a regularly inspiring showcase.
Imaginary Landscapes, brought to you by the Brisbane City Council and Room40, is a transformation of Hutton Lane in the heart of Brisbane City. Step into an imaginative and evocative audiovisual journey that traces the edges of the Pacific Ocean, the great uniting body of water that traces the east coast of Australia. Using the Brisbane River as the linking point to the Pacific, as well as a platform for the works of audio and visual artists, Portland’s Grouper, Room40’s own Lawrence English, Makino Takashi (Japan), Paul Clipson (USA), Eugene Carchesio (Brisbane), Scott Morrison (Victoria) and more, plus performances. The exhibition seeks to project visions of ourselves and our place on the Pacific rim, refocussed through the lenses of the artists. It will include static installations, evolving video works and audiovisual interactions, sound and interactive installations. Don’t miss the chance to see Brisbane’s inner city transformed into an evolving mini-ecosystem.
While self-determination, hope, and ear-to-ear smile, might, but probably can’t make your dreams come true, there’s one technological innovation that very much can. Whether it’s a world of elephants wearing True Religions, or the heartfelt story of a widowed father’s plight to find his only son in an ocean of doubt brought to life on screen, animation is essentially what dreams are made of. It would fair to assume then, that this year’s International Animation Festival is going to have audiences dreaming like they've never been to sleep before. From 12pm to 5pm, the State Library of Queensland will be screening a selection of films - some beautiful, some dark, a few deeply depressing, and even more that’ll have you spinning like a kid dizzy on lemonade – in a showcase of local and international talent. There’ll also be some talks of animation thrown in to the schedule, as well as discussions, and an early segment dedicated to all things local. 12noon–1.40pm: Enjoy locally grown Australian animations 2.15pm–2.45pm: On-stage discussion looking at the past, present and future of animation 2.45pm–5pm: Discover animation from across the globe Have a sneak peak of a few films on show here: The Holidays Exposed, Herman Blue: The Pumpkin Comic, Aldar and the Gray Wolf and Buckethead.
Thurston Moore of critically acclaimed art-rock band Sonic Youth is touring nationally during October, playing tracks from his latest record Demolished Thoughts, as well as some of his solo back catalogue. He’s been recognised as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and formed Sonic Youth with Lee Ranaldo and Kim Gordon in 1981. Based in New York, the band released sixteen studio albums, garnering praise for such groundbreaking records as Daydream Nation and Goo, which impressed even the musically elite. Now travelling solo, Thurston has spent recent times touring his latest album, an intensely personal record, which has been dubbed a work of art as much as it is a musical treasure. Australian fans rejoice: in addition to his performance at the Melbourne Festival, Thurston will be appearing in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, as well as Brisbane.
The talented minds of women in Brisbane are to be celebrated by a new and exciting event. Welcome to Vulvapalooza! We are woman, let us entertain you. Head along to the revved-up performance spaces within the New Globe Theatre for a smattering of live entertainment choices. Kristy Apps, Switchblade Suzie, Love Like Hate and Nikolaine Martin will have your live music cravings satisfied. Joy French is the name behind the live art exhibition. Cabaret by Tricky Boombang and Animalinda will leave you a little hot under the collar, while Litea Barbara Fuata as DJ SUMA will have you spinning all night long. This is sure to be a unique and memorable evening; be sure to take advantage of the discounted offer for pre-bought tickets. Buy online or by ringing 1300 762 344.
The fourteenth instalment of the free Mono series is coming to Brisbane from March 21, presented by Room40 and IMA. It combines the talents of Montreal’s transportive dronescaper Tim Hecker alongside Germany’s own Pole, who’s "bowel-shaking dub bass lines" and "crispy glitch-ridden riddims" is the fabric of legends. These two visionaries of electronic music are coming together for the first time on Australian shores since the Open Frame Festival of 2007, and between them have since seen their own music releases and critical praise from the likes of Pitchfork, Uncut Magazine and a Juno award for 2011’s best Canadian Electronic Music Album (Pole) and a long string of evocative live performances (Hecker). Don’t miss a rare (and free) appearance by the lads who are paving the way of electro, in a setting not often used for musical performances.
Metro Arts is showcasing Melbourne based artist Timothy Kendall Edser's performance based installations in his exhibition, Tension 17. His artwork uses the available gallery space to push his body to the limits and to explore the ideas that are aligned with masculinity. Edser's thought provoking exhibition will leave you questioning the societal formation of masculine identity and its implications. This exhibition is part of the Tension series, which sees the artist challenging the physicality of his body and using the gallery space in an intimate way to best portray his installations. Tension has been exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Malaysia, Italy and Berlin. This accomplished artist completed his Bachelor Fine Arts (Visual Arts) with Honours at QUT in 2002 and has since worked in the arts within the areas of performance, installation, sculpture and new media. Be inspired by this unique exhibition by the immensely talented Timothy Kendall Edser.
Charisma forgives many sins. In film, especially, it can gloss over just about everything, from a dull storyline to glaring plot holes. Even terrible dialogue can be salvaged if the person delivering it has enough personality. And right now in Hollywood, there is no greater force of personality than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The man is a strategic reserve of charm, sweating out more charisma in a 20 minute gym session than most people possess in a lifetime. Alas, not even he can save Rampage. Based on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, Rampage is another entry into the Big Dumb Fun genre – except for the fact that it's critically lacking in Fun. Like the source material, the movie's story centres upon several animals being exposed to a genetic editing vapour that rapidly transforms them into giant, city-destroying monsters. Chief amongst these creatures is George, an albino gorilla rescued from poachers and raised by his protector, Davis Okoye (Johnson). It is during this duo's few quiet, tender moments that Rampage is at its strongest, giving the story heart and Johnson his only decent lines ("The poachers shot at us, and missed. I shot back…and didn't"). Mostly, though, Rampage is a movie about people shooting at massive monsters and those monsters fighting back. To be clear, blockbusters like this have their place. Kong: Skull Island, the original Pacific Rim and the most recent Godzilla film are three fine examples of the genre done right. They each embraced their absurd premise and treated it with the same care and consideration you'd see in a period drama, offering their audiences fleshed-out characters, coherent stories and dialogue that does more than simply tell us what's happening (or what's about to). In Rampage, on the other hand, nearly every piece of key character information is literally read off a tablet in a single scene, while the scientific and technical jargon is crammed into a few ludicrous sentences that no human would ever actually say. It's the laziest form of writing and embraces every cliché in the book, from TV news reports conveniently filling in plot gaps, to the absurd corporate villains spending most of their time simply explaining to each other what they're doing as if all of their years of prior planning somehow came together without an actual discussion. In the lead role, Johnson does his level best to keep things grounded, but finds himself consistently hampered by braindead dialogue that rarely rises above "dude this" or "bro that" (at one point he actually gets shot in the gut only to reappear moments later and pass it off by suggesting it "probably missed all of his vital organs". He then comfortably pilots a helicopter, flirts with the girl and sprints through collapsing skyscrapers). Naomie Harris, for her part, has one sincere bit of backstory that briefly elevates the plot into something compelling, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan (another charismatic powerhouse) can't be accused of holding back in his wildly over-the-top performance as the Texan cowboy turned secret government agent. Their combined scenes at least give Rampage some degree of credibility – although whatever good work they do is fast undone by Malin Åkerman and Jake Lacy as the inexplicably villainous villains high up in their penthouse office. Rampage is a movie about big things tearing down buildings, and that's fine. But unless you're made to actually care about the people inside those buildings, then the stakes are about the same as watching toddlers stomp on sand-castles: pretty soon you just want the tide to come in and wash it all away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coOKvrsmQiI
Put down your croquet mallet, plaster on your best game show host smile and grab a slushie: it's Heathers' dance party time, again. As part of Valley Fiesta, the fun-loving folks at Black Bear Lodge are celebrating one of the most very films of the 80s once more, and the whole decade in general of course. Big hair, blazers with shoulder pads and giant red scrunchies are a must. Complaining about everyone you know called Heather — that's optional. Whether you channel your inner Veronica or JD, or broaden your remit to other cult flicks of the era, you certainly won't lack in fashion inspiration in what will definitely be a night of big fun. The party's DJs won't lack in ace retro tracks to spin, either. Whatever will be, will be, after all. So, what's the regular event's damage? It's free, it starts at 11pm on Friday, August 31, and drinking blue beverages isn't recommended. Be there, or be a pillowcase — or be jealous much.
Green thumbs, your season is here — and so is your market. Each year, the folks at Native Plants Queensland put on a get-together that showcases, celebrates and sells the splendour of Australia's native flora. When it comes to the latter, we mean that literally. For the two days of September 16 and 17, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha become even more of a greenery-filled wonderland than they already are, with speakers, stalls and plenty of plants for the buying. From acacias to banksias, eucalyptus to ficus, and syzygium to zoysia, if it's an Aussie wildflower or native growth, you'll likely find it at the Spring Wildflower Show and Native Plants Market. For those looking to spruce up their garden with some local colour, there's no better place to look. And for those just after a glimpse of some eye-catching nature, it's the perfect reason to head to the bottom of the mountain. Both seedling tubes and mature plants are on offer, including specimens you won't find at your usual nurseries, plus advice from the experts. Entry costs $3, and yes, shopping prices are ultra-low as well. Image: CSIRO.
Winn Lane is the little laneway that could – while some of our beautiful city laneways disappear, Winn goes from strength to strength, taking part in a huge rejuvenation and now home to some of Brisbane’s best – Flamingo Café, Little Jane St, Sunday Social, Tym’s Guitars, The Outpost and last, but certainly not least of all, Nine Lives Gallery. The new Nine Lives has been busy since moving into their new nook in January and have sincehosted exhibitions for Westside Tattoo, Simon DeGroot, Max Doyle, Alex Kopps and Alex Knost. Next on the Nine Lives agenda is Nine Wives – an exhibition that borrows its name from the old riddle, I Went To St. Ives. The husband in the riddle originally had nine wives, but as time went on, it was changed to seven. Nine Wives explores this idea of domestic folklore and tradition transforming through generations, with each of the nine artists creating artworks that respond to each of the nine rooms that make up a home. Nine Wives will exhibit sculptures and installations by Rebecca Ross, Carolyn V Watson, Simone Eisler, Dord Burrough, Zoe Porter, Sue-Ching Lascelles, Kristy Morgan, Lucinda Wolber and Dhana Merritt, and is curated by Mariam Arcilla and Megan Cope.
Aloha! Following the unfortunate closure of City Studios, Brisbane’s newest creative studio space The Thought Fort, is now open and ready for business. Located on Wickham Street, The Thought Fort exists as a creative hub for writers, designers, programmers and more to think, work and create in a shared space. The Fort’s presence is yet to “officially” exist though, so what better way to officially inaugurate the space than to have a luau launch party? Yep, for one night this Valley studio will transport you to the warm sunny beaches of Honolulu for their launch party - palm trees, a tiki-emblazoned deck, flower leis ahoy! At this luau launch, you can share a scorpion bowl or dance a little bit of hula, all while meeting and greeting some of Brisbane’s most exotic and tropical creatives. Dress in your best Hawaiian shirt, throw on a grass skirt and say e komo mai (welcome in Hawaiian - obviously) to The Thought Fort!
Above a modest store in a crumbling seaside suburb of Naples, a neon-lit sign bears the word 'Dogman'. In a place that's unshakeably grey in both its look and its mood, it's the shiniest thing in sight. The term refers to Marcello (Marcello Fonte), who makes a living grooming neighbourhood pooches, but it's fitting for reasons beyond those instantly apparent. Spending his days doting over dogs, the small-statured, mild-mannered Italian is the leader of the pack, although only among his faithful four-legged friends. Whenever hulking thug Simone (Edoardo Pesce) barges through his door — usually sniffing out cocaine, and never willing to leave until he's found his fix — Marcello dutifully acquiesces to the human equivalent of a growling pit bull. Returning to the lives of crime that have served much of his filmography so well — acclaimed 2008 mob movie Gomorrah, most notably — writer-director Matteo Garrone leans into the obvious in Dogman. This isn't a blatant or overstated film, however it doesn't shy away from comparing the behaviour of men with that of dogs. One kindly and subservient, the other snarling and vicious, Marcello and Simone adhere as much to the animal kingdom's laws as they do to man's. In Simone's case, the ex-boxer's primal need for instant gratification trumps everything else, be it loyalty, camaraderie, or an awareness of right or wrong. Of course, this is Marcello's story, and so it becomes a tale about aiming to please, bouncing back from mistreatment and learning when to bare one's teeth. The pint-sized underdog has clearly learnt more than a thing or two from his constant canine companions. Garrone starts charting Marcello's plight when his life couldn't be more routine. He works, sharing many a smile with many a mutt. He relishes the time he's given with his adoring daughter (Alida Baldari Calabria), dreaming of taking her far away for a fantasy getaway. And, as well as supplying Simone with drugs, he follows him through bars and on smash-and-grab jobs. While Marcello doesn't have much and he's visibly lonely, he's content to make do with the status quo — he's a good lapdog to his hefty pal, and he's proud about being well-liked by the community. Then, in unrelenting alpha mode, Simone keeps upping the ante. When Marcello isn't defending his bullying buddy from fed-up local shop-owners or saving him from revenge hits, he's sneaking back into the site of one of their burglaries to rescue a chihuahua that the callous behemoth shoves in a freezer. But as Simone keeps imposing his might, even the inexplicably devoted Marcello has his limits. It's a dog-eat-dog world in this grim, gritty drama, which takes the broad thrust of its narrative from a 31-year-old true tale. Both the film's insights and its real-life basis may seem standard on paper, and yet that's never the case on-screen, with Dogman as driven by the current state of Italian society — and of the global community — as it is by a headline-grabbing crime. Blending tense thrills with neo-realist observations, Garrone ponders not only the choices of his protagonist, but the world that's placed him in such a position. Indeed, in its own way, this is a movie about nature versus nurture. Anchored by a devastatingly powerful character study, Dogman examines how Marcello's inherent, overtly affable personality is battered and tested by his bleak, trying situation. Winning the 2018 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor prize for his efforts, Fonte is a whirlwind as the initially perky, increasingly put-upon, eventually perceptive Marcello. He sports the perfect hangdog face for the job, but it's his ability to simultaneously plumb poignant depths, express unfettered earnestness and evoke a sense of lightness that marks his performance as something truly special. Whether Marcello is bathing a huge, howling dog or facing his brutish supposed friend, he's never a one-note character. Dogman is never a one-note movie, either. It offers up a straightforward, even fable-like message, yet it never takes the expected path or lets its bark outshout its bite. Ever the detail-oriented director (and keenly scrutinising every inch of his rundown Neapolitan setting to prove it), Garrone builds a potently layered portrait around two simple truths: even the most well-meaning yap can fall on deaf ears, and a friendly pup is eager to please until it isn't. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd77T20zjHw
Another week, another film, another hero clad in spandex. For the past decade and a half, Hollywood has churned out an unrelenting stream of superhero movies. Some, like Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight or Joss Whedon's first Avengers film, manage to rise above the pack. Others, like the laughably self-important Man of Steel or the disastrous new Fantastic Four, scrape the bottom of the barrel. The rest, for the most part, are merely okay. More to the point, almost all of them stick to the same predictable playbook in which everything is taken way, way too seriously. That's where Deadpool promises to be different. This long awaited film about the popular Marvel antihero arrives in cinemas on the back of an absolutely ingenious marketing campaign, one that stresses to punters unfamiliar with the character that he is anything but your typical superhero. Decked out in red, wielding katanas and a big ass gun, Deadpool swears, cracks jokes and murders his enemies with glee. Not only that, but he knows he's in a movie, and frequently delivers his X-rated quips directly to the camera. Most importantly, he's entertaining. He doesn't mope about his dead parents, or whinge about how great power means great responsibility. In an era of increasingly reluctant and angst-riddled crusaders, he makes being a superhero look fun. That's not to say that director Tim Miller has reinvented the wheel. The same familiar narrative formula is still very much at play here, even if the specifics are different. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a low-level mercenary whose life with his prostitute girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) seems doomed after he is diagnosed with terminal cancer. A lifeline comes in the form of an offer from a shady organisation, who promise to make Wilson indestructible. Unfortunately, the process also leaves him horribly disfigured, looking roughly akin to – in his own words – "a testicle with teeth." And when the people behind his transformation inevitably betray him, he's left with no choice but to become the one thing he never thought he'd be: a hero. So yeah, Deadpool isn't exactly the second coming of the genre. Luckily, it's also so relentlessly enjoyable that its flaws are easy to forgive. The script, by Zombieland co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, is absolutely brimming with knowing, foul-mouthed humour – indeed, this is much more a rude, crude, fourth-wall breaking comedy than it is a standard action film. There are dick jokes and pop-culture gags aplenty, but the biggest laughs come from references to Deadpool's fellow superheroes. When a couple of ancillary X-Men try and convince Deadpool to meet with Professor X, he asks whether they mean James McAvoy or Patrick Stewart. The writers also lay mercilessly into the recent Green Lantern movie, which of course starred none other than their own film's leading man. Frankly, it's hard to fathom that Reynolds ever wore another costume, since it feels like Deadpool is the role he was born to play. His performance is the other big reason the movie works as well as it does, his irreverent, snark-laden line delivery helping keep us on side with a protagonist whose behaviour is totally reprehensible. Not that you'd want him any other way. Hell, we'll take this nutcase over that bland boy scout Superman any day of the week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIM1HydF9UA
In The Post, journalists strive to source, confirm and publish reports about a government cover-up spanning several decades. In America's highest office, and among the connected and influential, the powers-that-be attempt to silence the story. It's a true tale, and one that couldn't be more relevant today. At the moment, if the media tried to reveal something as significant as the Pentagon Papers — which detailed the lies four consecutive US administrations told the public about the country's involvement in the Vietnam war — we all know what would happen. Tweets would fly, thick, fast, and probably misspelled. "Fake news!" they'd scream, over and over again. If you're not familiar with the real-life scandal that rocked Washington in the early 1970s, it all starts with marine turned military analyst Daniel Ellsberg (Matthew Rhys) and a treasure trove of leaked classified documents. Once The Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks) begins to suspect that their rivals at The New York Times have a big scoop in the works, the two newspapers battle it out to piece together the story. The Nixon administration pushes back, placing publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) under considerable pressure to kill their investigation. While the government accuses the press of violating espionage laws and causing irreparable damage to American security, the journalists stand by their belief in the First Amendment as well as the importance of speaking truth to power. Complicating matters further is the paper's impending stock offering, with the board and investors nervous about possible controversy. There's perhaps never been a better time to make a movie about an attack on the freedom of the press, or the need for the media to scrutinise the workings of the country's leaders. That feeling is inescapable while watching The Post, to the point that many of its rousing speeches could easily be uttered today. That said, director Steven Spielberg dedicates the bulk of the film's time to the procedural business of reporters doing what they do: chasing leads, combing through documents, butting up against deadlines, and more. Tracking their hard work, as well as the difficult decisions and fierce opposition that comes with it, the drama is solid, smart and polished. Working together for the first time in their long and illustrious careers, the same can be said of the movie's two stars. The Post is an ensemble effort, with Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts and Sarah Paulson all fantastic in pivotal parts. But the central performances of Hanks and Streep are particularly instrumental in the film's hard-earned thrills. Hanks ensures Bradlee's hard-nosed determination shines through, while Streep brings quiet courage to a trickier and ultimately more resonant role. Among The Post's many timely subjects, the dismissive treatment Graham endured as the first female publisher of a major American paper does not escape attention. Nor does her fortitude in fighting back. With Spielberg in the director's chair, working with a script by first-timer Liz Hannah and Spotlight Oscar-winner Josh Singer, none of the above should be surprising. Increasingly at home making serious-minded dramas as the decades go by — see Lincoln and Bridge of Spies in recent years — the filmmaker's handling of tone and pace suits the story and subject matter perfectly. With frames filled with period detail and steely hues (the picture was shot by his now 16-time cinematographer Janusz Kaminski), Spielberg favours an old-fashioned, no-nonsense approach that nonetheless proves thoroughly rousing. And really, how better to handle a movie like this. This tale might be history, but these days it feels like anything but. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1VcCv9JOPQ
There is never a bad time to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But if the urge strikes while you're actually sitting through a movie — and that sudden desire is sparked by glimpsing scenes from the beloved late 90s and early 00s TV show playing in said movie — that's not a great sign. It's a reality with The New Mutants, however, with the latest entry in the X-Men series letting its audience see Buffy clips on more than one occasion. Never subtly deployed, the snippets link in with the film in a number of ways, because this too is about a ragtag group of teens with supernatural abilities fighting off a range of baddies. In fact, one of the many villains in The New Mutants closely resembles the demons in Buffy's famed dialogue-free episode. In case you don't spot that yourself, the movie serves up scenes from the show that overtly stress the similarities. That's the level this long-delayed franchise flick is operating on: happily derivative, happy to call attention to how derivative it is, and seemingly unconcerned if it leaves its viewers desperately wishing they were watching a television program from more than 20 years ago instead. The 13th film in the X-Men saga, The New Mutants kicks off with a traumatic incident involving Native American 16-year-old Dani Moonstar (Another Life's Blu Hunt). She survives the chaos that destroys her reservation but, when she awakens in a hospital run by Dr Cecilia Reyes (Kill Me Three Times' Alice Braga), she can't remember any of the details. She also isn't permitted to leave. Dani is told she's in a facility for kids just like her and, given the franchise and the film's name, the meaning is clear. Her fellow patients (Emma's Anya Taylor-Joy, Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams, Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton and Trinkets' Henry Zaga) are all well-aware of their extra-special skills, though. Dani doesn't even know what she's capable of — but the fact that her arrival coincides with a series of unsettling altercations that target her new pals gives everyone a few clues. By trapping five teenagers in an eerie, inescapable facility, trying to placate them by promising that they'll soon be able to venture to greener pastures if they just dutifully stomach what they're being subjected to for now, but taunting them with pain and terror while they wait, The New Mutants' entire premise explains exactly where the X-Men franchise currently sits — unintentionally, yet rather astutely. Logan aside, things haven't been great for the series of late. Actually, that's an understatement. Fans have sat through average and awful chapters in the hope that something better will come in the future, only to be met by more of the same (or worse). Yes, Deadpool and its sequel were hits, but squarely of the one-note, overdone, easily tiring variety. And the less remembered about the overblown and underwhelming X-Men: Apocalypse and the instantly forgettable Dark Phoenix, the better. A routine mashup of teen, horror and superhero tropes, The New Mutants doesn't improve the saga's fortunes. To be accurate, though, it doesn't really try to. As directed and co-written by The Fault in our Stars filmmaker Josh Boone with co-scribe Knate Lee, it takes a concept that's equal parts The Breakfast Club and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, adds in angsty adolescents just coming to terms with their hormones and superpowers, and serves up a thoroughly flat and by-the-numbers affair. The film's troubled history is well-documented, with the movie first announced five years ago, cast four years ago and shot three years ago, then pushed back release-wise several times over a period of almost two and a half years — but, now that The New Mutants has finally reached screens after surviving cast member changes, script rewrites, reshoots, the Disney acquisition of Fox and the pandemic, that messy journey to cinemas proves the most interesting thing about it. Endeavouring to mutate the familiar superhero formula in even the slightest way is a worthy aim, of course, which is one of the reasons that the very idea of this film has always stood out. The Marvel characters that The New Mutants is based on date back to the early 80s on the page, and giving them a horror-driven spin has seemed an inspired choice since the movie was first announced. Alas, combining one genre's cliches with another's, as the end result does, hardly makes for entertaining viewing. Indeed, although it's suitably moody in the stock-standard way seen in every creepy psychiatric facility-set flick, The New Mutants is generic to an oppressive extent. Filled with up-and-comers circa 2016, the movie's cast can't particularly help either. Williams tries, and the sensitivity she brings to shapeshifter Rahne Sinclair is noticeable. With Moonstar, she also navigates a romantic subplot that touches upon the film's most thoughtful (albeit still glaringly obvious) point — that the persecution of mutants because they're different mirrors plenty in our reality, including the treatment of queer teens. But, with Taylor-Joy in cartoonish territory as Russian sorceress Illyana Rasputin, and Heaton and Zaga simply hitting their respective characters' one note over and over again, any slivers of depth, substance or just plain interest that The New Mutants does manage to rustle up are short-lived. Also fading fast: any hopes that, 20 years since the first X-Men movie released, this franchise has much life left in it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vJhUAOFpI
'ZomRomComs'. That's what you get when you add zombies to romantic comedies. First came Shaun of the Dead, then Zombieland and now Warm Bodies, a delightful Romeo and Juliet meets Frankenstein tale, in that two star-crossed lovers must overcome deep-seeded family prejudices, and that Romeo is a monstrous zombie. The undead are, of course, very much the flavour of the month right now. The Walking Dead is a consistent ratings winner on TV, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead is about to receive a huge Hollywood remake and video games like Dead Rising, Dead Island and Resident Evil continue to dominate the market. Even crazy drug addicts dropping 'bath salts' are opting for some face eating instead of the hoary old break-and-enter routine. For the first time, though, Warm Bodies presents us with a story told from the perspective of the zombie. That zombie is 'R' (Nicholas Hoult), and his Juliet is 'Julie' (played by Australian actress Teresa Palmer). R is just your everyday teenage boy, grappling with your everyday teenage problems: a changing body, crippling social isolation and a tendency to grunt instead of speak. He's also a zombie, but instead of being scary that's mostly just a source of embarrassment. R's charming and self-deprecating narration throughout the film provides a constant source of laughter, particularly with self-aware lines like: "……God we walk slowly!" It's a sublime mix of dark comedy and tender romance, centred on a familiar yet infinitely more appealing relationship than Twilight's Bella and Edward. Warm Bodies also features a killer soundtrack, including classics from Guns N' Roses, Bruce Springsteen, John Waite, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan. More often than not, the tunes are set against flesh-tearingly gory scenes and the juxtaposition is terrific. The film also features a wonderful supporting cast of John Malkovich, Dave Franco and Rob Corddry, whose performance as a frustrated zombie businessman attracts most of the remaining laughs. Ultimately, Warm Bodies is a clever, unexpected and undeniably entertaining film. The simple plot satisfies on most fronts and Hoult is perfectly cast as the awkward zombie lover, managing to imbue his soulless corpse with an extraordinary amount of heart and compassion. For an adaptation that openly acknowledges its Shakespearean underpinnings, this has somehow still emerged as one of the most original stories of the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=07s-cNFffDM
The original Assassin's Creed video game was a sublime blend of world design, innovative mechanics and thrilling gameplay. While high-octane action was available, stealth was definitely favoured as the most useful mode of play, and almost always proved the most gripping. The game's story centred upon a technological breakthrough that allowed direct descendants of an ancient assassin's guild to revisit the memories of their ancestors, essentially re-living their darkest and most dangerous endeavours in order to ascertain the location of a long-lost relic. While some time was spent in the modern world, the lion's share was spent inside the machine, allowing the gamer to experience all the exhilaration of exploring and causing chaos in the age of Renaissance Europe. The film adaptation, by contrast, makes the same ill-conceived decision that doomed the third instalment of the Matrix trilogy, in that it spends far too much time in the real world at the expense of everything that made its source material so innovative and engaging. Worse, when inside the 'Animus', the focus is almost entirely on action, meaning there's almost none of the signature stealth assassination that made the gameplay so tense. Overly-coreographed and devoid of tension, these periodic action scenes depict the assassins as mostly ineffective killers who spend most of their time running away from far superior fighters. Perhaps the greatest disappointment, however, is that Assassin's Creed boasts an outstanding cast whose talents are almost entirely wasted. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson and Charlotte Rampling are all tasked with delivering exposition-heavy drivel and/or cringeworthy clangers like "Welcome…to the Spanish Inquisition". Truly, the only line that earns a non-ironic laugh and feels genuine to both the film and the actor who delivers it comes about halfway through the film, when Fassbender looks around, laughs to himself and mutters: "What the fuck is going on?" You'd be hard-pressed to find a more fitting tagline to slap on the posters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfJVoF5ko1Y
On any given Saturday morning across Brisbane, plenty of pooches can be found descending upon the city's markets. Come 6am–12pm on Saturday, October 19 in Carseldine, dog lovers and their BFFs will be doing what they usually do — with the added bonus of attending the northside spot's returning Barktoberfest. What do cute canines have to do with celebrating this time of year? Nothing, but don't let that get in the way of a dapper doggo-friendly morning out. As well as the usual food and fresh produce, an array of pet-related stalls will ramp up the fun to bark-tastic levels — plus a puppy parade and a pawparazzi photo contest to determine just which four-legged friend is the most adorable. And, if you don't have your own pupper nipping at your heels, and you'd like to, the Animal Welfare League Queensland will also be hosting a dog adoption zone onsite. Yes, you can take your pets to this market or come home with one. Or, if you're looking to add to your furry brood, you could even do both. UPDATE, OCTOBER 16: Due to Brisbane's stormy weather on Saturday, October 12, Barktoberfest was delayed by one week, with the event now taking place on Saturday, October 19. This event listing has been updated to reflect that change.
In the humble espresso martini, caffeine and booze combine in glorious style. But why just drink regular ol' coffee-flavoured cocktails in elongated glasses when you can try inventive types? There's a time and a place for traditional concoctions, of course. There's also a time and a place to sip salted caramel espresso martinis, Nutella espresso martinis and jaffa versions as well. Throw in coconut tipples, honeycomb varieties, a fruit-and-nut combo and something called an 'outback espresso' (featuring Australian white spiced rum with spices and bitters), and that's the eight-cocktail menu for Riverland's riverside Espresso Martini Fest back in July. The event was such a hit, it's returning for a second event — Espresso Martini Fest: Espresso Harder. Drop by from 11am on Friday, October 11, with the festivities in full swing all day — and with the site's range of street kitchens cooking up food to match until 9pm. Live music will also be on the menu from 5pm, followed by DJs, because all that caffeine will give you plenty of energy to expend. And while it should go without saying, if you don't like your beverages with a considerable buzz, then this isn't the event for you.
Brunch ranks among everyone's favourite meals all-year-round, but it's especially enticing in spring. Flowers are blooming, the shadow of winter is lifting (even Brisbane's barely cold winter) and everyone is chirpy — and in the mood to pair a mid-morning meal with unlimited beverages. For folks fond of shiraz, the Osbourne Hotel's next brunch is definitely a winner. The wine varietal will be flowing freely at the venue's Shiraz Showdown: Barossa Bottomless Brunch, as paired with your choice of shiraz-inspired food items, too. Only the vino side of the event is bottomless, but, let's face it, that's the main thing that everyone wants anyway. And, all of the drops will hail from the South Australian valley. If that sounds like your ideal way to spend the first Saturday of the season, then pencil in September 7 in your diary. The event kicks off at 11am, with tickets on sale now — if you nab an early bird special, you'll only pay $45, with the price rising to $60 once the first lot has sold out.
