Anywhere Theatre Festival is back in Brisbane for another year of impressive, imaginative and spontaneous performances. With a vision to propel theatre outside the traditional stage spaces, Anywhere Theatre is providing exactly that. It's a smart, simple concept appealing to a logical yet creative notion. You don’t need a big expensive stage to have a big performance. They maintain an any time, anywhere type of experience for anyone who wants it. So you're thinking, this sounds fun but how exactly does it work? Don't fret, we've got you covered! This ten day theatre festival is packed with instructions and options of how, when and where to enjoy its incredible experiences. Because each performance location is different, you must check out their website to determine what show and what setting you're after. There is an amazing array of options for you to choose from. You don't need to be a theatre buff to enjoy this event. It's a festival for everyone. Get out to experience and explore the unique, outer theatre venues of Brisbane. With many performance mediums to appeal to almost anyone, there is sure to be a performance and location that fits you. We recommend: The Gremlins - Gravity Is Only The Beginning (pictured), The Alleyway Project and 'Merica.
Any weekend is a good weekend to shop for plants at the Brisbane Markets, the old faithful of the Brissie market scene. That said, Saturday, October 7 will be better than ever thanks to a returning event: Plantapalooza. It's the fourth time that the Rocklea spot has held a plant festival and, running from 6am–1pm, that's something to get excited about. You'll still find the venue's regular 100-stall-plus market array, but it'll be joined by thousands of extra indoor and outdoor plants, as well as plenty of flowers and succulents — and demonstrations from horticulture experts to help you put your green thumb to work. Spring is well and truly in swing, so if you've been putting off getting into the garden, here's your motivation. Or, if you'd like to brighten up your house with a potted piece of nature, here's your chance as well. Remember: there's absolutely nothing wrong with giving a name to your favourite houseplant. Entry costs $2, or $6 with premium parking.
If you fancy yourself a bit of a cocktail connoisseur, Lûmé is about to jump to the top of your must-visit list. Last night, bartender Orlando Marzo, from the South Melbourne restaurant, was crowned the world's best bartender. Which means Melbourne is now officially home to some of the tastiest cocktails in the world. Marzo took out the gong at the World Class Bartender of the Year competition in Berlin, where he beat more than 10,000 other bartenders from around the world for the prize. World Class, which is in its tenth year, is the biggest bartending competition in the world and culminates in four days of finals, during which Marzo impressed judges with a particularly notable Zapaca rum aperitif in a challenge called 'Before and After'. You might see this pre-dinner tipple pop-up on Lûmé's menu one day very soon. Before Marzo heads back Down Under to join the ranks of Australia's bartending elite — which includes Maybe Frank's Andrea Gauldi, who took out best bartender in Australia at last year's competition — he'll be travelling the world, making cocktails and judging competitions. When he's back, we'll let you know what drinks has plans to serve up at the South Melbourne restaurant and what pop-ups he plans to host. Who knows, he may even follow in Gauldi's steps and open a bar. You can check out the full list of past and present winners at the World Class website. Image of Lûmé: Josie Withers, Visit Victoria
While hovercars, podracers and a McDonalds on Mars may not be a yet be a part of our lives, they are for artist Joel Pedersen. An artistic prophet of sorts, Pedersen uses his work to explore the balance between far-fetched ideas and realism, asking timeline-twisting questions that ponder the space between technological fantasies and their feasible existence. With that in mind, Pedersen's latest exhibition, Space People, showcases a make-believe future set in the American Southwest. In his work, Pedersen lets real-life locations meet the latest and greatest tech wizardry in a means that seems half realistic. His pieces provide a believable snapshot of a place where technology, the future, the unreal, the paranormal and the extraterrestrial combine. And it's not as if these are things that are reserved for likes of Bill Gates and Richard Branson. They're as much a part of the transport infrastructure and industry supply chain as they are integrated into the domestic lives of the people living there. Space People is made up of a selection of prints spanning Pedersen’s vast body of composite images. It exhibits at This Must Be The Place until January 8.
First, the bad news: if you don't already have a ticket to Laneway Festival 2025 in Brisbane to see Charli XCX, Djo, Beabadoobee, Clairo, Barry Can't Swim, Remi Wolf and more, they've completely soldout. Now, some good news: in the Queensland capital, Laneway is throwing an official afterparty. The small club show features STÜM, nate sib and more — and it's your next chance to get in on the Laneway action. The date for the shindig is obviously the same as the Laneway date. Accordingly, you'll be heading to The Brightside on Saturday, February 8. Brisbane's gig also features DJ Ivan Berko and Cyber DJs. Tickets are limited — so, like all things Laneway, getting in fast is recommended. As for the festival itself, if you've been lucky enough to nab tix, its lineup also features BICEP doing their CHROMA AV DJ set, Olivia Dean, Eyedress, Skegss, Hamdi, Joey Valence & Brae, 2hollis, Ninajirachi, Julie, Girl and Girl, and more. [caption id="attachment_711489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Brightside[/caption]
For Tyza Stewart, the essence of his art lies in personal experience and portrayal. Tyza as a Clown, Tyza Getting Changed, Tyza Trying to be Agile — these paintings may as well be selfies, minus the narcissism because they're art. From self-portraits to self-professions, his pieces play out questions around the human body and gender; confusing just as much as they create conversation. Some pieces play with feminine facial features on masculine bodies, others present armpits unshaven, make-up full fledged, and faces of transparency that could belong to hims, hers or both. It's all a little anti-heteronormative, but mostly resisting our society's narrow values of what it is to look like a person. So while pornography may portray unrealistic ideas of the human body, Tyza takes anatomic-displacement to the next level. You catch his work at Heiser Gallery from the August 5 to 30. If you don't leave Tyza's exhibition a little more open minded, you'll at least walk away asking, "Why doesn't mine look like that?"
So far the Trashbags club night may have only occurred once, but those in charge certainly know how to create a lasting and memorable impression on picky Brisbanites. Following on its success at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney, it's not surprising that Trashbags Brisbane already looks to be a prominent fixture on the 2011's club night lineup. From the location choice of Monastery Nightclub through to the international star DJs, every selection for the nights are made to create the best possible experience. Lucky for those who missed out last time, Trashbags is back on Saturday 4 June with GTRONIC headlining and it’s sure to be a big one. Currently touted as one of the world’s best producers, GTRONIC is bringing his DANCE MACHINE WORLD TOUR to Brisbane for the very first time. In a class of his own, his work is instantly recognisable as soon as he drops the first beat. On the night he’ll be supported by K.Oh!, Noy, Jmac, Killafornia, Alex Terrell & Wil E.
If saying goodbye to 2020 has you feeling festive — and feeling like heading out for a drink and a feed with mates, too — we don't blame you. And while we don't doubt you've already hit the town a few times since Queensland's hospo scene started back up again, Australian Venue Co's sites around the city are giving you even more reason to go out for a catch up when January hits. From Friday, January 1–Sunday, January 31, 22 venues are taking 50 percent off your total bistro bill from 5–6pm daily. No joke. It's a short daily window, but a wallet-friendly one. The catch? You'll have to order food with your beverages. To get the deal, you just have to download the AVC app here or use the Mr Yum mobile ordering platform, hit up one of the venues between 5–6pm and claim the 50 percent discount off your bill. And, you can nab the deal multiple times while it's running, if you're keen on a few cheap meals. Australian Venue Co's Queensland's Happy Days promotion is available at the below Brisbane sites (and, although the company has other venues in Brissie, if it's not on the list, the 50-percent-off deal isn't available): Buffalo Bar, Brisbane Bonny View, Bald Hills Darling & Co, Paddington Kingsleys, Brisbane Finnigans Chin, Keperra Carindale Hotel, Carindale Cannon Hill Hotel, Cannon Hill Oxley Hotel, Oxley Jindalee Hotel, Jindalee Newnham Hotel, Mt Gravatt Springlake Hotel, Springfield Lakes Lord Stanley Hotel, East Brisbane Regatta Hotel, Toowong — but not at the Regatta Boatshed Everton Park, Everton Park Kenmore Hotel, Kenmore Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Cleveland Sand, Cleveland Fitzy's Waterford, Waterford The Royal Nundah, Nundah Waterloo Hotel, Fortitude Valley The Wickham, Fortitude Valley Fridays, CBD
Star-crossed lovers, belonging to warring families in fair Verona, playing out that balcony scene… this could only be Bill Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Is a spoiler warning needed? The ending of this 400+ year old play is legendary for spilling forth many a tear duct, and/or enraging those who would shout “but he could have just waited five more minutes!” Queensland Theatre Company once more brings Brisbane one of the most famous tragedies ever written. The enduring story of two infatuated teenagers shows no sign of becoming out-dated. Romeo Montague meets Juliet Capulet at a party, and they fall in love at first sight. However, their romance is fractured when the conflict between their families reaches its peak when Romeo is driven to kill Juliet’s cousin. The lovers then make plans to reunite in secret, but instead encounter devastating consequences. The classically dramatic play features universal truths of love, justice, human passion and sacrifice, and it is no wonder that audiences throughout history have been enthralled by it. Theatre veteran Jennifer Flowers directs hot young things Thomas Larkin and Melanie Zanetti as the doomed duo. This production boasts a night of theatrical extravagance, performed in the QPAC Playhouse with a cast of twelve.
UPDATE, AUGUST 13, 2020: Eleven Rooftop Bar is temporarily closed, with Maya Mexican taking over the space on a pop-up basis. Eleven is a lucky number for some, and it might just prove a lucky place for many. Brisbane rooftop bar Eleven has a sky-high vantage point from the eleventh floor of 757 Ann Street, looking out over Newstead to the CBD. If surveying the city from up above isn't your thing, then devouring share plates with your mates probably is — while enjoying bottle service, and sitting in a semi-private booth. Owner Jason Coats has transformed the place with a laidback feel by day that transitions into a cultured party vibe by night. In order to achieve that, he has taken inspiration from a few overseas jaunts, such as rooftop bars in Istanbul, luxe party venues in Bali and spots in Ibiza. The result is a Mediterranean-inspired bar and restaurant that offers a modern European share plate menu and handcrafted cocktails. Images: Pandora Photography.
UPDATE: APRIL 21, 2020 — This popular bakery is still open for pickups in store and delivery around Brisbane, so you can still get gluten free doughnuts, brownies and salad bowls delivered to your door. Just visit the website to place an order. If you're a fiend for pastries but you're not so keen on gluten, then you're probably a Nodo fan. In addition to its signature dessert dish — gluten-free doughnuts that are baked, not fried — it whips up plenty of other treats. And, it's serving them up at its revamped Newstead cafe, which first opened back in 2015 and has just undergone quite the facelift. It's the latest step for the busy Ella Street spot, which initially started out slinging takeway doughnuts, then expanded to take over the space next door. In its new, concrete-heavy form — think concrete counters and polished concrete floors, plus clean lines and light-filled spaces aplenty — it now boasts an upgraded kitchen and bakery, as well as more seating. There's also table service if you're eating in and a grab-and-go system if you're nabbing a bite on your way out the door. While doughnuts and other baked goods remain Nodo's main focus, the relaunch brings something new, food-wise. That'd be brunch, so prepare to stop by mid-morning. Hungry diners can tuck into baguettes stuffed with crab and egg scramble, kimchi waffles topped with popcorn chicken, souffle hotcakes with yuzu gel and stacked brisket cheeseburgers. Then, wash it down with Coffee Supreme coffee or one of six types of healthy shakes, including chocolate, mint choc chip, coffee and caramel. Just save some room for the doughnuts, obviously.
It may not boast a wizard or a yellow brick road, but the fact that this country is nicknamed 'Oz' is still rather wonderful — or is it? Brisbane artist Camille Serisier looks over the Australian landscape with a critical eye and an absurdist sense of humour, crafting a vision that goes far beyond the usual tourism destination shots. The Wonderful Land of Oz plays with iconic images of fauna, flora and popular destinations, each intrinsically linked to the nation's identity. Serisier's work probes political, social and environmental issues, reflects upon her own experiences, and dissects national mythology. In an exhibition comprised of tableaux vivants — living pictures — as well as a short film, another piece of cinematic history also proves influential. Creating a filmic homage to Georges Melies masterpiece Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon), Serisier crafts her fantastical depictions into a single story that tells of the land beneath our feet but reaches to the skies and beyond in its ambition.
After 2009's piss-poor X-Men Origins: Wolverine, this latest instalment (now the sixth for Hugh Jackman's indestructible mutant) really didn't have a whole lot to live up to. That meant director James Mangold (Walk the Line) could take the story wherever he wanted, and it turns out, he wanted Tokyo. The Wolverine hence takes its plot from one of the character's better known comic book series, 'Wolverine', written by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller all the way back in 1982. It opens with a surprisingly unsettling scene just minutes before the bomb is dropped on Nagasaki, with Logan (Jackman) trapped nearby inside a Japanese POW camp. As the blast-wave spreads, he manages to save his captor's life and sets in motion a chain of events that will see the pair reunited decades later. That surviving soldier — now an elderly billionaire obsessed with his legacy — summons Logan to his deathbed in Tokyo. He craves Logan's healing powers whilst promising in return the one thing Logan can never have: death. "This is my gift, my curse" said Tobey Maguire's Spiderman back in 2002, enunciating the most compelling theme that underscores all good superhero stories. For Logan, immortality is now his torment, but he is not alone in his suffering. His Harajuku-girl escort, Yukio (Rila Fukushima), possesses the ability to foretell a person's death; a mutation that imbues her with a truly haunted existence and makes her character both tragic and engaging. Sadly, she's under-utilised by Mangold, and the only other mutant of note in the film is a statuesque blond known as Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova), whose reptilian mutation is as forgettable as her scenes. Perhaps it's Mangold's background in drama, but the action in The Wolverine was remarkably dull, save for one entertaining sequence on the roof of a bullet train. The problem is, so long as Logan is invincible, the stakes sit at zero, yet when he's vulnerable, he loses the one thing that makes him interesting. By contrast, the quiet, intimate scenes in The Wolverine were much more enjoyable, effectively taking the Wolverine out of the movie and focusing on the man, Logan. And that's what it all boils down to: the Wolverine is a classic loner, a gruff recluse favouring the company of his own haunted memories to that of any other humans, mutant or otherwise. Throughout this franchise he has actively rejected the 'team' and only ever begrudgingly formed unions when circumstances required it. And yet, he is almost certainly that franchise's most popular character. His charmlessness is, in effect, his charm; however, the problem with movies focusing just on him is that his loner persona plays best as part of a wider ensemble. He is never more appealing than when sparring with other X-Men because it gives his isolation context. The promotional material for The Wolverine describes it as "The Wolverine movie fans have been waiting for", and certainly that is factually accurate, since it is the only Wolverine movie currently in cinemas, and until it came out, fans had to wait for it. But was it the one they'd been hoping for? Doubtful; however, if they stay beyond the credits, they'll find good cause to be excited about the next one: X-Men: Days of Future Past. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WEbzZP-_Ssc
A neighbourhood dispute turns into all-out suburban warfare in Bad Neighbours, the raunchy, raucous, rapid-fire new comedy from director Nicholas Stoller (The Five-Year Engagement, Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Adding the word 'bad' to its title in Australia in order to avoid confusion with a certain iconic soap opera, the film marks another sure hit for one-man comic industry Seth Rogen, who slots comfortably into another role that basically amounts to playing himself. Yet it's Rogen's co-stars Rose Byrne and Zac Efron who are the movie's biggest standouts. Indeed, while the advertising material sells Bad Neighbours as a strictly Rogen versus Efron affair, the film is very much a triple act, with the more dramatically inclined Byrne clearly relishing the chance to cut loose. With a cast game for just about anything, Bad Neighbours accelerates from one over-the-top set-piece to the next. It's ridiculous, juvenile and very, very funny. Rogen and Byrne play Mac and Kelly Radner, a newlywed couple with a bouncing baby daughter, whose suburban peace is threatened when a college fraternity moves in next door. Chief dude-bro Teddy Sanders (Efron) seems agreeable enough at first, promising to keep the noise to a minimum and even inviting the couple to the frat's inaugural blowout, where a great time is had by all. But when the partying starts up again the following night and continues into the morning, the Radners decide to call the cops. From there, things escalate quickly. Teddy swears vengeance, and soon the two households are exacting increasingly crass and elaborate acts of sabotage in an attempt to bring the other side down. Screenwriters Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien pack a staggering number of gags into the film's tight 90-minute runtime, although arguably the more impressive feat is that the vast majority of them land. Stoller allows his cast ample room to improvise, but never to the extent that the movie loses momentum. Frankly, the performances are all the better for it. Byrne, in particular, seems to feed off the film's breakneck energy, the Australian actress frequently stealing the show from her more seasoned on-screen husband. Likewise, Efron exhibits great comedic instincts as the antagonistic Teddy, a villain who you simultaneously love to hate and actually genuinely kind of like. That's the other thing about Bad Neighbours: although the script is incredibly vulgar, it's very rarely mean spirited. As insane as their antics are, these characters feel like real people, and as the story careens towards its climax, a big part of you just wants to see Teddy and the Radners hug it out. The biggest part, however, knows that watching them fight is just too damn funny. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4zEUuzj3a2g
If you saw a giant on the street, you'd stare in wonder. Your jaw would drop, your eyes would pop, and you would marvel at the sight in front of you. Once the shock wore off, you'd also be more than a little bit scared. But, if the lumbering creature in front of you actually turned out to be rather nice, you'd probably want to be his friend. In fact, if he was so harmless that he was being bullied by his fellow behemoths, you'd want to help him. That's how orphan Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) reacts when she meets the individual she comes to call the Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance). Roald Dahl's 1982 novel The BFG told this tale, and now so does Steven Spielberg's years-in-the-making film. Given that one penned books that have brightened childhoods for decades, and the other has made movies that achieved the same feat, bringing the two together seems like a perfect fit. Add E.T. screenwriter Melissa Mathison to the mix, and The BFG should be primed to capture hearts and minds alike. Indeed, as the film revels in its state of dream-like awe — and explores the awe-inspiring dreams the titular giant disseminates to the sleeping masses — there's plenty of affection on display. And as it contrasts the friendly antics of the BFG with his cruel, carnivorous comrades with names like Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) and Bloodbottler (Bill Hader), it offers a sweet reminder that seemingly frightening figures can also be outsiders with their own problems. You don't run to the queen (Penelope Wilton) and her offsiders (Rebecca Hall and Rafe Spall) for assistance if you're not in a hefty spot of bother, after all. Alas, amidst the leisurely life lessons about identity and acceptance, gibberish-infused dialogue and more than a handful of fart jokes, there's also an air of calculation. The BFG thinks, dreams and renders everything it can in the biggest possible manner — but, more than doing the source material justice, the CGI-heavy effort also wants to stress its size. There's a difference between employing specific camera angles to ensure that audiences know they're supposed to be wowed, and actually causing that reaction. There's also a difference between contemplating vast emotions and genuinely inspiring warm, fuzzy feelings. Accordingly, while it provides servings of fantastical spectacle and heightened sentiments, The BFG strives a little too hard to capture the usual Dahl and Spielberg magic. Thank goodness, then, for Rylance, who anchors the entire feature with an endearing motion-captured lead performance. After winning an Oscar for his turn in Bridge of Spies, he's the best thing about a Spielberg movie for the second time in a row. Though young Barnhill proves more precocious than poignant, their shared scenes — and the gentle kindness that radiates from Rylance every time he's on screen — are worth the price of admission alone.
Remember back in the '90s when people went crazy for Tamagotchis? They'd take them around in their backpack, forget about them for a couple of hours only to be greeted with a screen full of faeces and a terribly unhappy looking electronic friend. The Domsai is like a Tamagotchi for your desk, minus the annoying electronic beeps and constant need for attention. Designed and created by Matteo Cibic, each Domsai has its own personality. Handmade, blown and individually created to suit your aesthetic needs, they come in both white and gold, and are available for adoption now. Although they will set you back €100, the cactuses within require practically no upkeep and are so Art Deco right now.
Seriously, how bad is it when you go to Alfred and Constance and the bar tenders don’t know which drinks are and aren’t Paleo? Or when you leave your Jimmy Choos in your Uber ride? And how much do parents suck when they withhold your trust fund all because you got a little scratch on the Audi. Like, how will you pay for Bali now? Being an upper class white girl isn’t all its cracked up to be, and #FirstWorldWhiteGirls is the hilarious, cultural expose that might as well be called Stuartholme the Musical. Delving into the trauma of being a white girl, this cabaret performance provides an insightful and frighteningly accurate portrayal of the shallow nastiness that comes with too much money, and not enough sense. Drawing on their only privileged upbringings, and private school educations, these spoiled songstresses invite you laugh, vent and share in this crippling pain of the privileged. You can catch #FirstWorldWhiteGirls at The Judith Wright Centre, but you better grab tickets quick – there are a lot of rich girls with mummy’s credit card ready to get in before you.
The incredibly talented Alex Gillies will show off the fruits of his labour at, This Is How Memories Are Made. This marks Gillies' third solo exhibition and showcases his creativity and skills beautifully. An array of intricate wood cuts will be on show and serve to reflect brief moments of history that are shared amongst us. Each image included in the exhibition represents a meticulous process that Gillies undertakes. It may take weeks to produce a wood carving but that is only the beginning. The next part of the process is to print the images which is done by hand. Upon finishing carving and printing, the remaining image will feature rich textures and capture a point in time. This Is How Memories Are Made includes a variety of images from depictions of Wild West folklore to Australian wildlife and much more. Be impressed by both the patience and immense talent of Gillies at his latest exhibition. In the mean time, check out Gillies' diary here to whet your appetite.
If you're a fan of Chinese-Australian artist Zhong Chen, here's some good news. As of November 2017, you'll be able to sleep with his works. The Art Series Hotel Group has just announced their latest venture and it's a five-storey, 100-room number dedicated to him. Named The Chen, the hotel is in Box Hill, 14 kilometres east of Melbourne, within Whitehorse Towers, which, at 36 storeys, is the tallest development outside of the Victorian capital's CBD. Architects Peddle Thorp have taken care of the design, inspired by Chen's King Fu series and, as you'd expect, fun, bold, bright colours rule. There's a bunch of digital archival fine art editions of Chen's works, as well as a stack of originals, including Rooster, fitting because Chen was born in the Year of the Rooster (1969) and the hotel will open in the Year of the Rooster (that's this year). There'll be four in-hotel spots for eating and drinking, including a yum cha restaurant, as well as a gym, events space and rooftop pool. You can also count on the Art Series' usual arty facilities and activities, including tours, libraries, television channels and documentaries, as well as Art Series-branded smart cars and Lekker bicycles available for guests. "I have lived and worked in Box Hill for nearly a decade," said Chen. "I am passionate about my community and its emergence as a cultural powerhouse outside of Melbourne. To have a hotel of such significance, opening in the year of my birth sign, is a true honour. I look forward to meeting guests and seeing how they interact with the hotel and my artworks. It is sure to be a surreal experience." The Chen is due to open in November 2017.
Doing your bit for the environment has never looked quite so good as it does with Frank Green's colourful range of reusable cups. The durable containers are not only helping to quash Australia's single-use coffee cup waste problem, they're also super stylish and beautifully designed. And you've got the perfect excuse to add a couple to your collection (or someone else's) with Frank Green's Virtual Warehouse Sale, offering up to 50 percent off a heap of Frank Green products. From Thursday, March 18 until Sunday, March 21 you'll be able to treat yourself, a friend or your family to a stylish and sustainable cup on the cheap. Head to the website to browse all the sale items and find the best deals. Frank Green is best known for its reusable cup and bottle range featuring the brand's recognisable pastel colour palette and in-built tap-to-pay feature, but its range of stylish and sustainable goods doesn't stop there. The brand also produces homewares like ceramic reusable containers, tea, coffee and stylish ceramic french presses, as well as Disney and Minions-inspired cups and bottle for kids. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
The strengths and weaknesses of Legend can be summed up via two of its key scenes. The first comes about halfway through the film, when infamous London gangster Reggie Kray (played by Tom Hardy) does a flawless impersonation of his twin brother Ron. The thing is, Ron is also played by Tom Hardy in one of those Social Network Winklevae situations. It's just that Hardy's performance is so strong and each character is so defined, you genuinely think of the Krays as two entirely distinct humans played by two very different actors. It's a powerhouse performance showcasing Hardy's imposing abilities, both physically and dramatically. The second scene comes a little earlier. The Krays are lured to a neutral pub under the auspices of negotiating a truce with their gangland rivals, only to discover themselves surrounded and grossly outnumbered. Where most would cower, the Krays respond with a mix of nonchalance and outrage: Reggie pulls himself a beer while Ron storms out, complaining of a half-arsed gunfight without any guns. Seconds later, of course, he returns unseen and together with his brother lays waste to the entire group of thugs. The problem with this second scene (and, in turn, much of the film), is that it’s terrifically entertaining. The music, dialogue, performance and direction all play it light and whimsical — even flippant — despite its confronting savagery (the Krays employ a brutal combination of hammers and brass knuckles). Under certain circumstances, the juxtaposition of violence and comedy in film is defensible, even appropriate, so long as the genre fits (think Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, or Pulp Fiction). Here, though, it’s wildly misplaced. Yes, it successfully conveys the Krays’ character and composure, but this isn’t fiction. The Krays brutalised and murdered their way to the top in real life, and the duty of a biopic is to tell a story as it was, not to glorify it as some might have wanted it to be. And that, in short, is Legend: a film defined by its spectacular performances and misfiring direction. Alongside Hardy, the supporting cast of Emily Browning, David Thewlis and Christopher Eccleston does a decent job despite the middling script, but the overall feeling is one of dullness and disappointment.
Every great exhibition should make you feel like you're surrounded by the artist's work, whether or not it includes giant fairy tale forests or a towering spider. Melbourne-based outfit Grande Experiences takes that idea to heart, turning peering at masterpieces into an immersive 360-degree experience. Fancy seeing Italian Renaissance works, including the Mona Lisa, get the multi-sensory treatment? That's on the company's list in Australia next. When you've ushered the world into Vincent van Gogh's art — getting them not just peering at it but stepping through it — and Claude Monet's as well, what follows? Showcasing Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Titian, Veronese and their peers. Van Gogh Alive proved a smash hit when it toured the country, even hitting up some cities multiple times. Monet in Paris dazzled Brisbane in 2023. Now, come 2024, Italian Renaissance Alive will become everyone's new reason to visit HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast. The idea remains the same as Grande Experiences' other art must-sees, but the works being splashed across the walls, floors and ceilings will now hail from Italy from around the 15th and 16th centuries. And yes, that includes some of the big ones. The Sistine Chapel, The Last Supper, The Birth of Venus: they're all part of Italian Renaissance Alive in a huge way. Given the large-than-life manner in which they're presented, we really do mean huge, too. From Saturday, March 30–Sunday, August 4, 2024, you'll mosey around, spy iconic art surrounding you everywhere you look, and be part of not just a showcase but an experience. So, there'll be light and colour, obviously, but also sound and scents. Providing the soundtrack: Puccini, Verdi and other Italian operatic tunes. Images: Grande Experiences.
UPDATE, November 3, 2021: The Harder The Fall is available to stream via Netflix from Wednesday, November 3. Idris Elba. A piercing gaze. One helluva red velvet suit. A film can't coast by on such a combination alone, and The Harder They Fall doesn't try to — but when it splashes that vivid vision across the screen, it's nothing short of magnificent. The moment arrives well into Jeymes Samuel's revisionist western, so plenty of stylishness has already graced its frames before then. Think: Old West saloons in brilliant yellows, greens and blues; the collective strut of a cast that includes Da 5 Bloods' Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors, Atlanta's Zazie Beetz and LaKeith Stanfield, and If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar-winner Regina King; and an aesthetic approach that blasts together the cool, the slick and the operatic. Still, Elba and his crimson attire — and the black vest and hat that tops it off — is the exclamation mark capping one flamboyant and vibrant movie. Imaginative is another appropriate word to describe The Harder They Fall, especially its loose and creative take on American history. Where some features based on the past take a faithful but massaged route — fellow recent release The Last Duel, for example — this one happily recognises what's fact and what's fantasy. Its main players all existed centuries ago, but Samuel and co-screenwriter Boaz Yakin (Now You See Me) meld them into the same narrative. That's an act of complete fiction, as is virtually everything except their names. The feature freely admits this on-screen before proceedings begin, though, and wouldn't dream of hiding from it. Team-up movies aren't rare, whether corralling superheroes or movie monsters, but there's a particular thrill and power to bringing together these fictionalised Black figures in such an ambitious and memorable, smart and suave, and all-round swaggering film. After proving such a commanding lead in HBO series Lovecraft Country, Majors takes centre stage here, too, as gunslinger Nat Love. First, however, the character is initially introduced as a child (Anthony Naylor Jr, The Mindy Project), watching his parents get murdered by the infamous Rufus Buck (Elba, The Suicide Squad). A quest for revenge ensues — and yes, Nat shares an origin story with Batman. Samuel definitely isn't afraid to get stylised and cartoonish, or melodramatic, or playful for that matter. One of the keys to The Harder They Fall is that it's so many things all at once, and rarely is it any one thing for too long. This is a brash and bold western from its first vividly shot frame till its last, of course, and yet it's also a film about the tragedies that infect families, the violence that infects societies, and the hate, abuse, prejudice, discrimination and bloodshed that can flow from both. It's a romance, too, and it nails its action scenes like it's part of a big blockbuster franchise. As an adult, Nat still has Rufus in his sights. It'll take a few twists of fate — including a great train robbery to free Rufus en route from one prison to the next — to bring them face to face again. The sequence where the outlaw's righthand woman Trudy (King) and quick-drawing fellow gang member Cherokee Bill (Stanfield) take on the law is sleek heist delight, and the saloon clash with marshal Bass Reeves (Lindo) that gets Nat back on Rufus' trail is just as dextrously handled. Nat also has bar proprietor and his on-again, off-again ex Stagecoach Mary (Beetz) on his side, plus the boastful Beckwourth (RJ Cyler, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), sharp-shooting Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi, Briarpatch) and diminutive Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler, P-Valley). Everyone gets their moments, and every one of those moments sashays towards a blood-spattered showdown. It might seem like a pure boilerplate affair on the page, particularly when getting roguish with the western genre — and using it to muse on race — has peppered Quentin Tarantino's resume courtesy of The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained. One of the other keys to The Harder They Fall is how openly and confidently that Samuel knows whose footsteps he's following in, because this is a realm with a past as sprawling as the plains it frequently covets. Seasoned fans can spot the nods in a multitude of directions, including to 60s and 70s spaghetti westerns, and to plenty of other flicks from the same era starring Clint Eastwood. But this is act of reclamation built on the bones of all that's come before, rather than a homage; it slides into a busy field to assert a place for Black cowboys, and does so as beguilingly as Samuel knows how. Perhaps better known as a songwriter and music producer, aka The Bullitts, Samuel brings a thrumming, dynamic, take-charge energy to The Harder They Fall. He writes, directs and composes the movie's soundtrack, too, so that applies across the board. Indeed, the way that he weaves the sounds of hip hop, reggae and afrobeat into a score that also takes cues from the late, great Ennio Morricone — the man behind the music to all of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, as well as an Oscar-winner for The Hateful Eight — perfectly encapsulates his overall approach. Samuel has room for all that's come before, and reverence for it, but he's also committed to challenging and redefining the stories and mythology it represents. The Harder They Fall has purpose, pluck and panache — oh-so-much flair, in fact, that it drips across everything from the cinematography to the production design and dapper costuming. It has pace as well, with its 130-minute running-time whizzing by amid several shootouts filled with rapid-fire bullets and enough strong glares to fuel a franchise of flicks. It also boasts the absolute best posse that Samuel could've hoped for. The Harder They Fall's cast is the kind you build an entire movie around, not that that's the gambit here. It'd be hard to thrust this ensemble together and have something other than a spectacular acting showcase result, but this is a rollicking pleasure with the exact right cast, an abundance of smarts, savvy and style, and an unwavering backbone. Top image: David Lee/Netflix.
If you are planning on exploring the Atherton Tablelands while in Tropical North Queensland, it's worth heading a little further afield to visit nearby Innot Hot Springs. Unlike the modern facilities framing other geothermal pools in the region, Innot Hot Springs is more rustic and untouched. There was once a time where the water was bottled at the Innot Cordial Factory in Townsville and sent to Europe as a natural health remedy. These days, the springs are a little more shallow and sandy, with visitors scooping out deeper holes to sink themselves into. The charming Hot Springs Hotel has lots of character, with cold beer and classic pub meals on offer. Tip: make sure you wear thongs or shoes when walking to the pools as the sand can be very hot.
If it's childhood wonder and extensive marine knowledge you're after, then the Cairns Aquarium is ideal. Home to more than 16,000 specimens and ten different ecosystems, the aquarium is a window into the flora and fauna that call the Great Barrier Reef home — and it's only a stroll from the bustling Cairns Esplanade. Get inspired by daily ecosystem talks, animal presentations, live diver feeds and marine touch'n'talk shows. Or, if a day of underwater wonder sets your stomach rumbling, head to the aquarium's Dundee's Restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal on the Daintree Deck and watch the warm tropical rain fall in an afternoon shower.
This December, you can score a bottle of vino for as little as $8.50 a pop thanks to Vinomofo's Boxing Day Sale. Running from Friday, December 25 till Thursday, December 31, the sale will offer up to 70 percent off a heap of local and international wines — and it'll all get delivered straight to your doorstep for free. So, get ready to stock up on vino to help ring in the New Year. Vinomofo is an online wine company for those who love wine, but without all the pretension that sometimes comes with it. The Melbourne-based company delivers wine to thousands of people around the world — so it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. The Boxing Day sale will see some of the biggest price drops from Vinomofo yet and will include more than 100 wines. It'll be adding additional daily wine deals over the week, too. Think celebratory champagne, epic-value prosecco and plenty of summer-suitable rosé, plus a huge range of white and red varieties — all for a steal. And, to top it off, shipping for all orders purchased in that time period will be free. Score epic wine deals via Vinomofo's Boxing Day Sale — for a limited time only.
Most of us associate printers with ink and paper, but a new 3D printer has more to do with chocolate cupcakes and other delicious desserts. Using syringe technology, the Imagine 3D printer from Essential Dynamics can be filled with a vast array of elements, including plastics, silicone, concrete, and most importantly, chocolate. A representative from the company claims that a cupcake can be made before your eyes in one minute. If you're more of a savoury type, never fear. The Imagine 3D printer can also be filled with cheese. Regular fondue parties will seem tame when compared to the wonders you can create with this. 3D printing has undergone a rise in popularity in the last decade, but I predict that this revelation will soar it into supstardom. Standing at $3000, the Imagine 3D Printer will soon accompany the fridge and the stove as a quintessential kitchen applicance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=_27rOWq61hk [vis PSFK]
Do you live in a dog-friendly house? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you fantasise about hanging around at dog parks with an actual dog? The good folk at Seeing Eye Dogs Dogs Australia need you. They have 50 puppies running around the place at the moment, and they're in need of volunteers to raise them. In other words, they're giving away puppies — but you will need to give them back. If you put up your hand to become a puppy carer, you'll get a puppy for about a year — from around its eight-week birthday to when it turns turns between 12–15 months old. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a seeing eye dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, it's not all just fun, games and cuteness. You'll have to be responsible enough to take care of regular grooming, house training and exercise, and be available for regular visits. A fenced-in backyard is mandatory, too. In return, the organisation provides a strong support network, and all food, training equipment and vet care. You'll also need to be home most of the time — so you won't be leaving the puppy alone for more than three hours a day — and to be able to put effort into training and socialising the pup. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (@seeingeyedogsaustralia) Seeing Eye Dogs Australia is looking for people in several Melbourne areas: in Kensington, Flemington, North Melbourne, Ascot Vale and West Melbourne; in the east to the Yarra Ranges (anywhere south of the eastern freeway); and southeast to Portsea (anywhere south of the eastern freeway). They're also looking in the Bendigo region and surrounding suburbs, too. In Queensland, the Sunshine Coast and north Brisbane are the priority areas. Once the pups reach 12-15 months old, they'll return to Seeing Eye Dogs Australia — and complete their journey to become four-legged companions for people who are blind or have low vision. Keen? You can apply online — and, at 10.30am on Friday, April 23, you can also virtually peek behind the scenes at one of Seeing Eye Dogs Australia's puppy centres. For more information about Seeing Eye Dogs Australia's puppy carers, and to apply for the volunteer roles, head to the organisation's website.
Everyone needs a holiday to look forward to. With 2025 now officially into its second month, and everyone's Christmas breaks feeling like a lifetime ago, planning your next getaway is a self-care essential. Fancy heading overseas, but not too far, to either laze around on a beach or see some mountainous sights? Enter Virgin's latest sale, which focuses on short-haul international flights. Trips to Bali, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and New Zealand this year just got cheaper — and you've got five days to grab a bargain. So, get your suitcases ready and book that annual leave. Fares start at $439 return, and are available until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025, unless sold out earlier. The cheapest option is Melbourne–Queenstown return, but you can also head there and back from Sydney for $469. Next comes Brisbane to Port Vila in Vanuatu from $479, while trips to Bali from Melbourne start at $499 and kick off at $509 from the Gold Coast. Or, get to Queenstown and back from Brisbane from $549 — or to Fiji from Sydney for $569, from Brisbane for $589 and from Melbourne for $599. Other deals include Sydney–Bali from $619, Brisbane–Bali from $659 and Brisbane–Samoa from $689. This sale began at 12.01am AEST on Monday, February 3, 2025, with prices covering Virgin's Economy Lite option. If you're wondering when you'll need to travel, these deals are for periods between Monday, February 17, 2025–Friday, December 12, 2025, with all dates varying per route. As always, inclusions also differ depending on your ticket — and, as usual when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's February 2025 international flight sale runs until midnight AEST on Friday, February 7, 2025 — unless sold out earlier. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
The year has barely started, but one Brisbane's favourite trends is already in full swing, with the city becoming home to a brand new craft brewery. Setting up shop just a stone's throw away from the Story Bridge, Sea Legs Brewing Co has transformed a former industrial warehouse into Kangaroo Point's newest watering hole. Created by five engineering mates, including co-owner Dave Machin, it boasts five of its own beers as well as the facilities to brew plenty more — with Jon Fuchs overseeing the hoppy drops as head brewer. If you're a beer nerd, you'll be excited to know that the spot features a 15-hectolitre brewery that can ferment up to a 9000 litres, as well as an extra 100-litre setup for speciality, seasonal and experimental tipples. And while Sea Legs is focused on its tropical lager, golden ale, pale ale and IPA at present, as well as an interesting sounding oats and lactose-infused milk stout, one-off batches are on the agenda down the track. The inner-city newcomer also serves up the type of bar food that pairs well with a cold one (or several), spanning seven kinds of pizza, three different burgers, katsu bao, fried chicken wings, haloumi chips and build-your-own charcuterie and cheese boards. For those after a beverage that isn't beer, Sea Legs pours 17 different wines and four cocktail jugs as well. Find Sea Legs Brewing Co at 89 Main Street, Kangaroo Point from 12–10pm Sunday to Thursday and 12pm–12am Friday and Saturday. Visit the brewery website for further details.
Being a sports fan involves taking every opportunity you can get to show your love for your chosen team. Attending matches, nabbing all the merchandise, decking yourself out in the appropriate hues: they're some of the easy ways to go about it. If you're particularly dedicated, so is naming a pet after your favourite player or squad. We can't all call a koala joey Matilda, however, like the folks at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have to celebrate the 2023 Women's World Cup. Over the past few weeks, the fortunes of Australia's national women's soccer team have been the best conversation topic there is. How is Sam Kerr's calf? How many goals can Hayley Raso kick? How stunning was that game against Canada? Here's the latest question: how cute is this Gold Coast koala that now shares the Matildas' name? The answer: very. Matilda the koala is now 12 months old, about 25 centimetres in size and has been given her moniker to honour the Aussie squad. "The real Matildas are achieving great things, and many of the staff and volunteers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have been following their journey closely," said Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Koala Specialist Sarah Eccleston. "When discussing a name for the newest addition to our Koala nursery, Matilda was a clear favourite and seemed very fitting." "Matilda is very sweet but also a bit cheeky. She is already making herself known in the nursery, just like the Matildas in the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament," Eccleston continued. At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Matilda was born from the breeding and conservation program, and will soon join it to help the endangered species' future. The wildlife haven is home to more than 50 of its own fluffy-eared marsupials, which visitors can see on a trip to the park or via a daily behind-the-scenes tour, breakfast with koalas sessions five days a week and regular grazing experiences in its koala habitat. [caption id="attachment_912105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shiftchange via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Find Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin — head to the venue's website for further information. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs until Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website.
We get it, sometimes you don't want to go home straight away. Whether you've had a fun shopping date with the girls or just finished chair-dancing the night away at a gig, there are nights when you want to eke out the fun for just that little bit longer. It mightn't be obvious where to head to first, so we've teamed up with Maker's Mark to bring you eight cocktail bars in Brisbane that have great tipples and good vibes for when you want to make the magic last. [caption id="attachment_734843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas[/caption] AFTER GOING TO A GIG, POP INTO MRS BROWNS FOR AN OLD-FASHIONED There's something about seeing your favourite band live that makes you want to keep the night going. Just a short stumble from The Triffid, Mrs Brown's Bar & Kitchen has become somewhat of a Brisbane institution in recent years for its lively vibe and impressive menu. Stop in for a nightcap after your next gig — it has a particularly good old-fashioned that pairs nicely with its bar snacks, including chicken and cheese spring rolls and korean fried cauliflower. AFTER LATE-NIGHT SHOPPING, HEAD TO THE BOOM BOOM ROOM Whether you're getting a head start on your Christmas shopping, or you're simply browsing for a new outfit, late night shopping is thirsty work. Extend your trip into the city with a cheeky tipple at one of the many bars situated a stone's throw from Queen Street Mall. Our pick? The Boom Boom Room — Brisbane's coolest basement bar. Housed under swanky Donna Chang in a heritage-listed 1920s bank, the venue has recently undergone a transformation into an izakaya, and with that comes a more relaxed, moody restaurant and bar vibe. It also has an extensive cocktail menu so you can get your whiskey fix to round off your night. Ask for a Maker's Mark in a whiskey sour or manhattan. [caption id="attachment_794652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Elevate[/caption] AFTER SEEING A BLOCKBUSTER FLICK, DEBRIEF AT NEARBY AT SIXES AND SEVENS You've seen the latest release at New Farm Cinemas and you're desperate to talk about it before heading home. Instead of calling an Uber, wander down to Fortitude Valley fave At Sixes and Sevens. The venue's charming white facade takes pride of place on James Street, with a relaxed, laidback atmosphere indoor and out. You'll find icy cold beers and cider on tap, classic cocktails and light eats like house-made onion rings, popcorn chicken served with yogurt and fermented chilli sauce, or artisanal cheeseboards perfect for sharing. [caption id="attachment_755182" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] AFTER SEEING AN EXHIBITION AT GOMA, HEAD TO THE TERRACE FOR A NIGHT CAP South Bank is a lively hub of activity, with Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and plenty of restaurants and bars for late-night antics. After seeing Water at the Gallery, seek out first-class views of the CBD skyline. As Brisbane's premier openair rooftop bar and restaurant, The Terrace boasts unrivalled views and, importantly, a team of talented bartenders just waiting to mix up one of their specialities. Peckish? Pair your cocktail with a bite to eat from the Asian-inspired menu, featuring soft shell crab tacos, wagyu short rib pancakes and wasabi fries. AFTER A TWILIGHT BIKE RIDE, COOL OFF AT MR PERCIVAL'S Summer is here, and that means long afternoons spent riverside. When you're out for a twilight bike ride along the river, stop in for a cheeky drink at octagonal bar Mr Percival's. As you cool down, order a whiskey cocktail and take in the views. This jewel of the Howard Smith Wharves' crown is renowned for its relaxed atmosphere and prime position over the river. Take your pick from woodfired pizzas and burgers to king prawns and coral trout mains. AFTER A ROMANTIC PICNIC, MAKE YOUR WAY TO GERARD'S BAR Is there anything more romantic than a park picnic? Yes, there is actually: continuing onto a cool bar for a cocktail to keep the night going. There's certainly no shortage of bars close to New Farm Park, but in our humble opinion, you can't go past a whiskey sour at Gerard's Bar. Tucked just off James Street, Gerard's is home to Middle Eastern-inspired fare and an enviable collection of signature cocktails. Perch yourself inside at the bar or outside for a more casual experience. [caption id="attachment_769028" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jorge Flores[/caption] AFTER KARAOKE AT BLUTE'S, HEAD TO SAVILE ROW FOR A WHISKEY Belting out sub-par renditions of the classics at live karaoke bar Blute's will leave you in need of a good drink afterwards. Look no further than Fortitude Valley's famed whiskey bar Savile Rowe. Hidden behind an unassuming and unmarked bright orange door on Ann Street, Savile Row is all about low lighting and leather booths. The real showstopper, however, is the back bar stacked tall with some 750 spirits, spotlighted by a statement chandelier. While you're here, order a whiskey drink made with Maker's Mark, such as a mint julep, sour or old-fashioned. [caption id="attachment_681171" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] AFTER A SCORING A STRIKE, FINISH UP AT THE GRESHAM When your Christmas party plan is a night at the ten-pin bowls alley, you should have a cocktail bar up your sleeve for afterwards. The Gresham is an experience loaded with charm. From the limestone walls to polished furniture, the venue is just made for savouring a couple of fancy cocktails. Our pick is a Tip of the Hat (Maker's Mark, pandan, cherry-flavored liqueur, port and chocolate bitters). Find out more about Maker's Mark and how to make an old-fashioned, here. Top image: The Boom Boom Room
It's a dilemma as old as walls themselves. Do you use the space to hang something stunning? Or put in shelves to hold your books and gewgaws? Finally there is a solution that allows for both form and function. Riveli art shelves are a brilliant idea, formed of modular shelf units that can fold up against the wall, revealing the artwork on the underside. Even better, you can customise it with your own works and change them with your moods as you can slide your own images in and out, or attach them with magnets. And if you're the sort of person who always favours function over form, you can insert other materials, like mirrors or white boards to create a supremely functional set of shelves... or just use them to play an elaborate game of noughts and crosses. [via Core77]
Yabun Festival is an annual event held on January 26 at Victoria Park in Camperdown, on Gadigal Land. It's the largest one-day celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in Australia. This year's festival will be a closed event due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Despite this, it'll be more accessible than ever, as it will be live streamed online, allowing people from across Australia and the world to tune in. This year, Yabun (which means "music to a beat" in Gadigal language) is taking place across three venues. The Yabun Stage, located at the Seymour Centre, will host performances from 12–5pm, featuring the likes of Vic Simms, Barkaa, Emma Donovan and Kobie Dee. As well as being live streamed, the event will have a small crowd in attendance — tickets can be won in the lead up to the event via Koori Radio. At its usual home of Victoria Park, Corroboree will feature a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony, as well as dance performances from groups Gawura, Koomurri, Buuja Buuja, Gomeroi Dancers and Ngaran Ngaran. It'll be live streamed from 11am–4pm. The Speak Out stage will be live streamed from the New Law Building at the University of Sydney from 12.30–4.30pm. Speak Out will host three panel discussions on themes of love, justice and success, with panelists including Pastor Ray Minniecon and Lynda June Coe. Another core part of the annual festival is the market stall, which have been taken online, too. Here, you can shop for art, jewellery, food and drink from storeowners that would usually set up within the festival. You can also shop for merchandise from the past three years of Yabun and support the festival and Koori Radio by donating to help ensure both continue to operate for years to come. To access the live-stream, head to yabun.org.au. Top image: Yabun Festival 2017
Late in 2018, Felons Brewing Co. gave Brisbane a gift we didn't know we needed: the city's first CBD riverside brewery. And while it has been welcoming in beer lovers for more than a year now, the boozy Howard Smith Wharves spot is hosting an open day on Sunday, January 26. It did the same last year, so this looks like an annual tradition now. Running from 11am, the event will take beer-loving patrons on a tour of the facilities courtesy of free walkthroughs until 5pm. Attendees can also expect demonstrations, live tunes, DJs and giveaways, plus a day of hanging out on the brewery lawn. When you're not peeking behind the scenes, you can nab yourself a pint of one of Felons' popular limited-edition brews: its Charcoal Pineapple Sour. Consider yourself warned though — there's one keg available. Prefer a Natural Ale? All profits from that specific tipple in January and February are being donated to Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and WIRES.
Heroing Eastern Mediterranean-meets-Middle East cuisine, Babylon started serving up dishes and drinks in Sydney back in 2019, pairing its bites and sips with a prime rooftop location. Making the leap north, the chain has opted for a similarly stellar destination for its Brisbane debut: a riverside spot on Eagle Street in the CBD. Meet Babylon Brisbane, which started welcoming in diners on Wednesday, December 14 after announcing its arrival back in November. This newcomer is opening in stages, giving the city multiple launches for one venue — starting with the now-up-and-running 120-seat restaurant and 14-person private dining room. Before summer is out, the 400-square-metre eatery will also be joined by three levels of cascading bars and terraces, which is a massive addition to both Brisbane's inner city and Eagle Street's riverside stretch. Still an eye-catching waterside restaurant is a huge drawcard already, especially going into holiday season. The place to head: around the back of 145 Eagle Street. Brisbanites can now tuck into lunch and dinner at Babylon's Sunshine State locale, which hails from Mantle Group Hospitality (aka the Queensland-based company behind the Pig 'N' Whistle pubs, The Charming Squire, Jimmy's On the Mall, The Sound Garden, The Summit, Tai Tai, Milano and more). The kitchen is overseen by Head Chef Ferdinand Sari, who has put together a share-heavy menu with his Babylon Sydney counterpart Robert Taylor. On the Levantine cuisine-inspired lineup: meze, gozleme and house-made breads, plus a heap of dishes cooked over wood and charcoal on a three-metre-long mangal (aka a Turkish grill) — or on two rotisseries — and a big focus on seafood. Sari and Taylor have split Babylon Brisbane's menu into three sections: flora, fauna and ocean. The first includes wood-fired pumpkin kebabs with coriander, lime, Aleppo chilli and muhammara; spiced fried cauliflower with Ras el Hanout, lemon, black tahini, almond and parsley; and wood-roasted broccolini with harrisa tarator, walnuts and pomegranate molasses — as well as everything from pan-fried haloumi to baked rice pilaf. Among the fauna selection, highlights range from wood-fired chicken skewers with kisir, tomato and yoghurt to slow-cooked lamb shoulder with garlic labneh — and also wood-fired angus beef hunkarbegendi-style with chilli butter and radish. And, that seafood lineup features locally sourced king prawns with harissa, raki, lemon and soft herbs; wood-grilled Fraser Coast squid with muhammara, yoghurt dill and lime; and half-shell scallops with salmon caviar. Folks dining in groups can also choose from two set menus, sharing either nine or 12 dishes (for either $75 or $95 per person). For dessert, sweets options span chocolate tahini with caramel sponge, sesame and Turkish coffee ice cream; a range of house-made baklava with walnut pistachio and chocolate; and Turkish delight. If you're keen on a drink, pick between 12 beers on tap and ten by the bottle, a hefty lineup of wines and a 12-strong cocktail list that's filled with standouts. The spritz choices feature elderflower, grapefruit, peach and apricot, and Babylon has even turned baklava into a boozy concoction. Or, try its twists on the sour (made with Yeni Raki), margarita (with mezcal, agave, chilli and green capsicum) and espresso martini (a Turkish take featuring Turkish coffee and cardamom-infused Metaxa 7 brandy, chocolate liqueur, orgeat and cold brew). As overseen by Brisbane's Hogg and Lamb, the architects behind the Sydney venue, the design vibe riffs on the Babylon look and feel already established down south while still taking its influences from the titular metropolis of old. Think: terracotta brick screens, red marble tabletops, mahogany chairs and pink banquettes, plus a ten-metre green marble bar. Although the exact launch date is yet to be announced, the site will also welcome Babylon Gardens in the new year — sometime early in 2023, before summer is out — as part of its next stage. Yes, that's where all of those outdoor bars and terraces come in. If you're keen on a drink with a view, you'll have multiple spots to grab a beverage and hang out across the venue's trio of levels, which will cascade down along the river. In total, Babylon Gardens will boast an almost 1000-person capacity, so expect it to be busy. Find Babylon Brisbane at 145 Eagle Street, Brisbane — open 11am–11pm Sunday–Wednesday and 11am–12am Thursday–Saturday. Images: Steven Woodburn.
Brisbane might already be swarming with burger joints, but there's always room for one more, particularly when Ze Pickle is involved. Not content with offering up epic servings of meat and salad-filled bread (and doughnuts) on the Gold Coast, in Fortitude Valley and via their own food truck, they're setting up a third Queensland joint in Camp Hill. Currently under construction, but due to start slinging their famous creations in August, Ze Pickle is headed to the corner of Martha Street and Newman Avenue to deliver burgs, burgs and more burgs, as well as 12 taps pumping out frosty craft brews. Menu-wise, expect all of the favourites: the Ya Mum (with wagyu beef patty, ze fries, jack cheeze and truffle butter), Doughnutfukwitdis (with Nutella-smoked bacon, and using a Doughnut Time doughnut instead of a burger bun), and King Jong Illest (crispy fried chicken tossed in barbecue salsa roja, k-town slaw and pickles), of course — as well as their chocolate nachos (house-made chocolate tortilla chips, marshmallows, ice cream and brownie salsa) and Oreogazm (deep fried Oreos in doughnut batter with ice cream and liquid Nutella) for dessert. The new Camp Hill digs will mark the slowly growing chain's fourth store across the country, with Surry Hills also getting New South Wales-based burger lovers in on the action. And, it seems that they're not done expanding yet, with The Courier-Mail reporting that a fifth venture us being scouted down south for Sydney's northern beaches. Find Ze Pickle Camp Hill on the corner of Martha Street and Newman Avenue, Camp Hill from August. For further details, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page.
This very galaxy's next spell in the Star Wars universe is on its way, and it's teasing adventure, alliances, battling the dark side, and giving warrior, outcast, rebel and Jedi Ahsoka Tano her due. After dropping its first sneak peek back in April, Disney+'s aptly named Ahsoka has finally unveiled its full trailer ahead of its August streaming arrival. The attitude: "once a rebel, always a rebel". Since Disney got its lightsabers out again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, this franchise has rarely been far from screens. That includes at home, where the force has proven particularly strong across three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. Now, it's Ahsoka's turn to hit the queue, with Rosario Dawson (Clerks III) returning as the limited series' titular figure after playing the part in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. If you're new to the character, she was Anakin Skywalker's padawan before he became Darth Vader — and, here, she's an ex-Jedi Knight who is determined to battle a threat to the post-Empire galaxy. "Anakin never got to finish my training," she notes in the new trailer. "I walked away from him." When it hits Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23, Ahsoka will follow animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, too, plus fellow animated show Star Wars Rebels — because yes, this saga just keeps spreading far and wide. From the latter series, Star Wars aficionados will spot rebel crew member Hera Syndulla and former bounty hunter Sabine Wren. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the former in Ahsoka, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Guns Akimbo) steps into the latter's shoes. Also among the familiar characters: fellow Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels, with Eman Esfandi (King Richard) doing the live-action honours — and Grand Admiral Thrawn, too, as played by Lars Mikkelsen (The Kingdom). Ahoska's cast includes Ray Stevenson (RRR) and Ivanna Sakhno (The Reunion), plus David Tennant (Good Omens). Also, reports have been bubbling for years about Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin, as he did in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is Disney+'s first series focused on a female Jedi; indeed, as a character, Ahoska has long been one of the few women among the franchise's Jedi ranks, dating back to 2008. Off-screen, The Mandalorian writer/director/executive producer Dave Filoni writes and executive produces Ahoska, with Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck also doing the latter — all seasoned Star Wars veterans. Check out the trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Mother's Day begins with Sandy (Jennifer Aniston) being told by her ex-husband Henry (Timothy Olyphant) that they need to talk. Instantly, the mother of two becomes convinced that he wants to rekindle their romance. In fact, it turns out that he has actually married the much-younger Tina (Shay Mitchell). As he breaks the news, an expression washes over Aniston's face – a mix of discomfort, dismay and barely concealed disgust. Fittingly, if the actors on screen could gaze back at you in the audience, they'd see the exact same look plastered across your visage too. Mother's Day's pedigree explains part of its troubles, with the feature offering up the latest slice of holiday-oriented schmaltz in the wake of Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve. Director Garry Marshall returns once again to intertwine tales focused around a special occasion, serving up bite-sized snippets of stories that are supposed to embody the meaning and spirit of the date in question. So far, so standard. Unfortunately, the movie's problems far exceed those of its predecessors. Corralling famous talent, giving them very little to do, and even asking one — Aniston again — to shout most of her dialogue at herself, does not fit into the recipe for a successful film. Neither does clichéd scriptwriting straight out of a sub-par sitcom or soap opera, or bland visuals that look like they were made for television as well. As competing narratives unfold, you may find yourself wondering if you've seen all this before in the low-budget TV realm. Frankly, that's charitable. Other vignettes include sisters (Kate Hudson and Sarah Chalke) coping with their redneck parents (Margo Martindale and Robert Pine) as they react with racism and homophobia to their daughters' respective relationships, and a widowed father (Jason Sudeikis) commemorating the titular event a year after the death of his wife Dana (Jennifer Garner). There's also an aspiring comedian (Jack Whitehall) attempting to convince the mother of his daughter (Britt Robertson) to marry him, and a TV shopping entrepreneur (Julia Roberts) plagued by maternal issues of her own. Marshall's filmmaking sensibilities might have waned considerably since his '80s and '90s heyday, but one thing has remained constant: subtlety isn't his strong point. But at least his earlier features put some effort into evoking an emotional reaction, be it weeping at Beaches or indulging in the fantasy of Pretty Woman. Here, a checklist of contrived dramas and coincidences — two surprise reunions, hospital visits and meet-cutes, plus a wedding, a runaway motor home and a man buying tampons — are supposed to do the trick instead. It shouldn't come as a surprise that it all proves as dull and laughter-free as it sounds. Indeed, by the time Mother's Day has devolved to the point of making unnamed bystanders exclaim "I love babies!" and "I can't wait to see what they do for Father's Day", viewers will have spotted that initial look of discomfort not just on Aniston's face, but on the faces of every single cast member as well. Finding love and acceptance might be the main aim for these one-note characters, but the film they're stranded in is never going to inspire that response. If you're looking for a movie to take your mum to this Mother's Day, almost anything else would be better.
UPDATE, October 29, 2020: Paterson is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Who knew that watching the ebb and flow of an ordinary life could be so illuminating and soothing? Jim Jarmusch, that's who. If ever there was a movie that's destined to become contemplative comfort viewing, it's the new effort from the director of Dead Man, Coffee and Cigarettes and Only Lovers Left Alive. In Paterson, the daily grind of waking, working, talking with friends and loved ones, walking the dog and hanging out in a bar offers plenty of food for thought, particularly for anyone keen to peer beyond the surface of seemingly average, expected occurrences. In one of the movie's numerous instances of mirroring and symmetry, the film's title refers to many things. It's the name of a bus driver (Adam Driver) in New Jersey, as well as the name of the town where he was born, raised and still lives. It adorns the vehicle he steers from Monday to Friday, and the weighty tome by one of his favourite poets that sits on his desk. Paterson has a way with lyrical turns of phrase, too, which he jots down as he follows his usual schedule. Sometimes he takes inspiration from snippets of chatter he overhears between bus passengers, or interactions with strangers as he walks home from work. Sometimes he reflects upon his modest but happy relationship with his enthusiastic wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), who styles their house in black and white patterns, bakes cupcakes and decides to learn the guitar. Jarmusch's features have always flirted with the poetic, preferred minimalism and intimacy, and frequently found beauty in the commonplace. In that way, Paterson is the latest example of the writer-director doing what he's done best for more than three decades. However it's also an astute, insightful ode to everyday creativity and contentment. Over the course of eight days, Paterson's waking hours appear to repeat the same cycle and yet also reveal crucial slivers of difference. While many movies try to paint their protagonist as an everyman, this one goes a step further. Even when he's noticing twins all around him, trading verse with children or chatting with strangers about great writers, everything feels purposefully warm and familiar. Indeed, Paterson proves the kind of movie that overflows with recognisable details, and immediately resonates for that very reason, while also gazing deeper into existential matters. It brims with grace, affection and solace, but avoids sugarcoating the reality it depicts. Oozing gentle emotion, the work of Driver, outstanding Iranian actress Farahani, and scene-stealing Cannes Palm Dog-winning canine Nellie is pivotal in perfecting that balance. Often ranging from soulful yet commanding, energetic yet yearning, and cute yet probing in turn, the trio offer an engaging glimpse of the colour and quiet contrasts inherent in an ordinary life. Add Jarmusch's fondness for evoking the literary art form at the film's centre wherever he can — in the visual harmony evident in every image, in the rhythm of the movie's pacing, and including text on screen — and Paterson couldn't be more meditative or more moving. The film is a revealing character study, a reminder to recognise the small stuff that comprises much of our existence, and an appreciation of the ups and downs of living, all in one.
The beauty of a degustation is in the surprise. Eating this way is a roller-coaster of emotion — the excitement of each dish arriving, and the sorrow as you polish it off. Thrills like these keep the foodies coming back for more. In Brisbane's two-hatted restaurant Urbane, the menu consists of just two options. Diners can choose between set menus of either five or eight courses, with the option of matched wines available. If you're looking to sample just one one or two dishes, you're out of luck. This place is degustation only, baby. Everything about Urbane is very clean and minimalist — from the decor, to the menu — it all has a luxurious subtlety about it. But for somewhere with such a regimented menu it was a nice surprise to see a completely vegan menu on offer. The waitress even picked up on a throw-away comment I made about a food intolerance and made the effort to cater. The menu read 'snacks' to start, and what proceeded was a micro degustation. If you're new to this kind of thing, the snack dishes will be hard to wrap your head around, but trust me, they're as delicious as they are slightly comical sounding. Before the five courses even start to come out we're presented with kombucha (a kind of fermented tea), wafer thin, long and skinny potato crisps coated in sesame seeds, avocado and capsicum on a quinoa cracker, what we can only describe as tomato water — surprisingly delicious and incredibly refreshing — a bowl of nicely balanced silken tofu, buckwheat mousse and parfait. Then, finally, we're on to the first true dish — burnt quinoa stacked inside delicate cucumber bowls were a great mix of salty and refreshing — best mixed with the apple, buckwheat and micro herbs for maximum effect. On to the octopus with Jerusalem artichoke and finger lime. These unusual ingredients pull together for a stunning dish, with perfectly crisp and tender octopus. Third, the veal sweetbreads, completed by caramelised leek, onion and a smoked eel broth. Somehow in my long love affair with both steak and oysters, I have never thought to combine the two. How I mourn those wasted years. Urbane's wagyu steak with an oyster, oyster emulsion, bone marrow and sorrel is simply a triumph. The steak was melt-in-your mouth perfect, and elevated first by the the thick sauce. And last but not least was another delicious cold treat with a twist — a citrusy dessert of freeze-dried mandarin with honeycomb sourced from Urbane's rooftop hives, and fresh grapefruit at the bottom. Tiny leaves of bush basil scattered on top send the occasional blast of unique flavour through your mouth, both balancing out and awakening it further to the sweetness in the rest of the dish. A native fruit tea infusion and some surprisingly traditional but well-executed petit fours were the perfect finisher for a delicious experience. Urbane uses seasonal produce with a constantly evolving menu. Executive chef Alejandro Cancino produces an every-changing degustation of east meets west eats that will delight and surprise, and we think the restaurant certainly deserves the accolades it has earnt.
A mainstay of Australia's film festival scene for 22 years, the Moro Spanish Film Festival doesn't just celebrate a single country. It also celebrates a language. With Spanish ranking as the globe's second most popular tongue, this showcase of cinema broadens its gaze across the world — not only highlighting movies from the festive European nation that gives the fest its name but, by joining forces with the Cine Latino Film Festival in 2019, screening flicks from Latin America as well. Consider the end result the biggest bargain there is in the film fest world: two festivals for the price of one. Consider it a hefty lineup of new Spanish-language movies, too, with 32 titles touring the country until mid-May. Overseas award-winners? New voices making their debut? A focus on female filmmakers? They're all on this year's program. So are existential thrillers, queer standouts and classic romps — which each claim a place among our five must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ5qPWgG1H0 ANA BY DAY Seeing double is one of cinema's favourite tropes — from creepy twins to stalking lookalikes to cases of mistaken identity, doppelgängers are all common film fodder. In Ana by Day, the eponymous Madrid woman (Ingrid García Jonsson) finds her life turned upside down when her double arrives, takes over and leaves her to her own devices. It's a tantalising notion, especially when Ana decides to lean into the situation and live the existence she's always wanted. As conveyed by first-time filmmaker Andrea Jaurrieta as well as exceptional star García Jonsson, at the core of the concept sits a simple truth: the struggle to realise who we really are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_PZqilExE CARMEN & LOLA Premiering at last year's Cannes Film Festival, picking up two gongs at this year's Goya Awards, and earning plenty of praise on the queer festival circuit, Carmen and Lola brings an observant, empathetic eye to a tale of romance versus prejudice. The movie's two paramours are also its two victims — and while the setup might feel somewhat familiar, this film has its own spark. Here, a pair of Roman women (Zaira Romero and Rosy Rodríguez) in a Catholic gypsy community defy tradition by falling for each other. Drawing upon her documentary background, writer/director Arantxa Echevarría uses her non-professional cast perfection, conveying the heart-swelling love and heartbreaking oppression that mark the titular characters' lives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKdTPuCgqkU ROJO He mightn't be a household name, but Dario Grandinetti boasts quite the resume, with the Argentinian veteran featuring in everything from Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her and Julieta to twisty anthology Wild Tales. He's also a multiple film festival best actor award winner for his work in Rojo, playing a lawyer navigating the corruption and crime of Granada in the 1970s. Murky, paranoid thrillers were a staple during that decade, and movies both set in and styled after the period keep reaching screens for a reason, as this complex and compelling affair demonstrates. As the film follows its protagonist's entry into a shady world, it delves into the fractured, fraying reality of pre-coup Argentina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0paBosD04mM THE GOOD GIRLS Peering at the lives of the wealthy isn't just about indulging envious fantasies, dreaming of a different existence or watching a cashed-up trainwreck, Real Housewives-style. Rather, whether in satirical or melodramatic mode — and this Mexican comedy-drama operates in both — it's about examining the inner workings of the upper echelons and laying bare a society from the top down. Expect all of the above in Alejandra Márquez Abella's second feature, which follows the wives of her country's richest men in 1982. A wife to Fernando (Flavio Medina) and a mother to three children, Sofia (Ilse Salas) is accustomed to a charmed life, until her and her pals experience the other side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypMOEKJuh8 WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN Breakups, breakdowns, breaking free, blending sleeping pills into gazpacho — that's actor Pepa Marcos' (Carmen Maura) life when she's dumped by her fellow thespian boyfriend Iván (Fernando Guillén). It's also just the beginning of the always spirited, often farcical story that drives this masterful 1988 comedy from Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar. One of the filmmaker's deserved early hits, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is also the film that helped introduce the world to Antonio Banderas' charms. It wasn't the pair's first collaboration; however, this Oscar-nominated, multiple Goya-winning film thrust both the director and his star to greater attention, and it's easy to see why. The Moro Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 16, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 16 to May 8; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 18 to May 8; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from April 24 to May 15; and Perth's Palace Cinema Paradiso from April 24 to May 15. For more information, visit the festival website.
Take a number of similar events, link them together, then get everyone turning hitting them all up into an event itself. To paraphrase the late, great Carl Weathers in Arrested Development: baby, you've then got a crawl or tour going. Pub and bar crawls do it, as do wine walks. Now, so is Australia's first Art Grand Tour, which is popping up to celebrate a heap of exhibitions and art events taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide across the first half of 2024. This is the first time that the Biennale of Sydney, Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art and PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography in Melbourne, all three of which are free to attend, have teamed up in such a way. The idea is encourage not only folks in each event's own city to attend, but to spark multi-stop getaways based on seeing the trio. [caption id="attachment_927824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Felicity Jenkins[/caption] A range of fellow exhibitions and events have also joined in, so the full tour includes Melbourne Art Fair, NGV Triennial and MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando in Melbourne; Adelaide Festival in South Australia; and the Louise Bourgeois exhibition at Art Gallery New South Wales, plus projections on the Sydney Opera House. Think of it as your go-to itinerary for exploring the best art that's on show across Australia's southeast, whether you want to check out famous towering spider sculptures, architectural installations or a room-sized ode to plants. The three key events are reason enough to head to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide anyway — or to play tourist in your own town if you live there. The Biennale of Sydney is celebrating its 50th-anniversary year, embracing the theme "ten thousand suns" and featuring pieces by 88 artists and collectives from 47 countries. And, it's opening White Bay Power Station to the public for the first time in over a century as part of the event, which runs from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10. In SA, the 18th Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art is focusing on the human condition, complete with 24 artists and poets featured. You can head along from Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2. PHOTO 2024 marks its third edition from Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24, with "the future is shaped by those who can see it" the theme tying together 100 free installations and exhibitions, including work by 150-plus artists. [caption id="attachment_940260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view: Troy-Anthony Baylis: Nomenclatures by Troy-Anthony Baylis, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.[/caption] Announcing the Grand Art Tour, Biennale of Sydney Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore dubbed it "an exciting celebration of the power of art to connect, share and bring joy". Art Gallery of South Australia's Director Rhana Devenport described it as "an extraordinary art adventure" and "a rare opportunity to experience these exemplary gatherings of art that push boundaries, and alter your perceptions, and create new memories". [caption id="attachment_940262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] J Forsyth[/caption] For PHOTO Australia Founder/Artistic Director Elias Redstone, it's set to "inspire audiences with immersive art experiences that celebrate human connection as society faces uncertain futures". While the Art Grand Tour has tour right there in its name, there's nothing formal about it — so there's no ticketing packages and the like. Instead, it's a self-guided affair, so make your own schedule and travel plans accordingly. [caption id="attachment_938006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marie-Luise Skibbe[/caption] Art Grand Tour 2024 Events: Sydney Until Sunday, April 28 — Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Art Gallery of New South Wales Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 — Biennale of Sydney, various venues Ongoing — Badu Gili: Celestial, Sydney Opera House Bennelong Sails Adelaide Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2 — Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 17 — Adelaide Festival, various venues Melbourne Until Tuesday, April 7 — NGV Triennial, NGV International Until Monday, March 29 — MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando, Queen Victoria Gardens Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25 — Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24 — PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography, various venues [caption id="attachment_936840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lillie Thompson[/caption] Australia's first Art Grand Tour encompasses events in Sydney and Adelaide until June, Melbourne until March. Head to the tour's website for more information. Top image: PHOTO 2022, Will Hamilton-Coates.
The sophomore film from John Michael McDonagh, Calvary begins with a simple conversation that sets the scene for everything that's to come. As the camera holds on the face of the quiet Father James (Brendan Gleeson), we listen to a man give confession. A victim of childhood sexual assault, the unseen man outlines the horrors that were inflicted on him by one of James's fellow members of the clergy. Now an adult, the man wants justice, but his assailant has long since died. So he has decided to murder James instead, giving the priest until the following Sunday to get his affairs in order. There are certainly similarities between Calvary and McDonough's previous film, the potty-mouthed buddy-cop comedy The Guard. Both feature standout performances from Brendon Gleeson, both have a distinctively un-PC sense of humour, and both populate their rural Irish setting with a collection of colourful characters. Dylan Moran, Chris O'Dowd and Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen play a few of the more memorable townsfolk, any one of whom could be the murderer in waiting. McDonagh's comic pen is incredibly sharp, mixing caustic wisecracks with bemused non sequiturs and moments of perfectly timed profanity. But much more so than in The Guard, the humour here is heavily shaded with melancholy. McDonagh downplays the mystery; there's a feeling that it doesn't really matter who is planning to kill Father James, who does little to avoid his preordained fate. He himself is innocent, but knows that others in his station were not. Perhaps he feels obligated to do penance on their behalf. Certainly, the Irish felt the shock of the Catholic sex abuse scandals more than most. As Father James visits his parishioners for what may be the very last time, he's witness to a community scarred by cynicism and mistrust. His sense of personal isolation is enhanced by the rocky coastal setting, as bleak and unforgiving as it is beautiful. Gleeson's performance is one of the best of his career, full of wit, weariness and dignity. Father James is a good man, and no fool. Yet he's increasingly out of place in a world that is rapidly losing its faith. McDonagh tackles big ideas, from the need (or lack thereof) for organised religion to questions of death, responsibility and forgiveness. Blessedly, whenever things threaten to become too heady, McDonagh grounds them with a moment of deadpan comic relief. It's an incredible tightrope act. Black comedies have a habit of descending into snark, but here the balance feels just right. Tonally, emotionally and spiritually complex, Calvary comes highly recommended. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JErdUGpSYqI
Every actor has one, albeit in various shades, lengths and textures, but sometimes one single hairstyle says everything about a film. Wildly careening in whichever direction it seems to feel like at any point, yet also strikingly sculptural, the towering reddish stack of curly locks atop Penélope Cruz's head in Official Competition is one such statement-making coiffure. It's a stunning sight, with full credit to the movie's hairstylists. These tremendous tresses are both unruly and immaculate; they draw the eye in immediately, demanding the utmost attention. And, yes, Cruz's crowning glory shares those traits with this delightful Spanish Argentine farce about filmmaking — a picture directed and co-written by Mariano Cohn and Gastуn Duprat (The Distinguished Citizen), and also starring Antonio Banderas (Uncharted) and Oscar Martínez (Wild Tales), that it's simply impossible to look away from. Phenomenal hair is just the beginning for Cruz here. Playing filmmaker Lola Cuevas — a Palme d'Or-winning arthouse darling helming an ego-stroking prestige picture for rich octogenarian businessman Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez, Truman) — she's downright exceptional as well. Humberto decides to throw some cash into making a movie in the hope of leaving a legacy that lasts, and enlisting Lola to work her magic with a Nobel Prize-winning novel called Rivalry is quite the coup. So is securing the talents of flashy global star Félix Rivero (Banderas) and serious theatre actor Iván Torres (Martínez), a chalk-and-cheese pair who'll work together for the first time, stepping into the shoes of feuding brothers. But before the feature can cement its backer's name in history, its three key creatives have to survive an exacting rehearsal process. Lola believes in rigorous preparation, and in testing and stretching her leading men, with each technique she springs on them more outlandish and stressful than the last. As Lola, Cruz is a 'find yourself someone who can do both'-kind of marvel. She's clearly starring in a comedy, and her timing, rhythms and line delivery are as fine-tuned as any acting great who has ever tried to amuse an audience — and serve up a hefty reminder that viewers rarely get to see her in such a role — but she perfects the drama of the situation, too. The latter stems from Lola's male leads, who are caught up in a clash of egos, and from the director herself as she keeps eagerly but purposefully pulling their strings. Light, fluid, sharp, smart: they all fit this savvily portrayed character, and never for a second does Cruz feel like she's seesawing too easily, needlessly or temperamentally from comic to serious and back. Earlier in 2022, she was nominated for an Oscar for her sublime performance in Parallel Mothers — an award she deserved to win, but didn't — and although Official Competition couldn't be a more different film, she's just as much of a force to be reckoned with within its frames. Cohn and Duprat might have a little of Lola in them, as well as conjuring her up with fellow scribe Andrés Duprat (My Masterpiece). The Argentine filmmaking duo's rehearsal methods aren't part of the movie, obviously, and it's likely that they didn't wrap their cast in cling wrap as their protagonist hilariously does — but, whatever mechanisms they deployed, they obtain outstanding performances from their key players. This is Cruz's film, but Banderas revels in the chance to cleverly and cannily satirise his profession and industry as much as she does, with the two teaming up yet again after featuring side by side in plenty of Pedro Almodóvar's movies (see: Pain and Glory most recently). The playful teasing is ramped up a level, and there's a greater emphasis on his killer stare, which can flip from brooding to charming to pouting in an instant; however, the result remains remarkable. Martínez plays it relatively straight in-between his co-stars, but is no less compelling; Iván has his own ego battles. Getting Cruz, Bandereas and Martínez bouncing off of each other was always bound to spark something special. They're acting in the service of unpacking acting, and their pitch-perfect portrayals perceptively probe and parody in tandem. The arrogance that comes with fame, the quest for constant validation, the ridiculousness of being a celebrity — they're all targets for laughs, as is the gaping chasm between acting megastardom and everything else. None of these spark new revelations, but Official Competition isn't merely content to get three top talents turning in ace performances to merely state the blatant. Cohn and Duprat's work relies upon acting, and they clearly treasure it as an artform, even as they poke fun at it. The jokes land, but their film also has time to appreciate the emotional toll that goes into a dynamite performance and the sincerity summoned up by the best of the best, all as Lola wrings everything she can out of Félix and Iván. Her tactics, unfurled across their nine-day pre-shoot period, and designed to get the two men to discard their senses of self and become one with their characters, would do Wile E Coyote proud. They're more mischievous than torturous, though — and they're also shrewd and very funny. In one, Félix and Iván argue beneath a giant rock, suspended precariously above them, heightening their anxiety while Lola is thoroughly nonplussed. Another gets them practicing their kissing techniques in front of a bank of microphones so that every sound can be heard and critiqued, with their director ruthless in her scrutiny. In yet another, getting wrapped in plastic together, which both Félix and Iván unsurprisingly abhor, is part of a bold and drastic plan to get the pair to relinquish their reliance upon external approval. What images these three scenarios, and others like them, spark — capturing Cruz and that hairdo, naturally, and so much more. Plenty about Official Competition sounds surreal, and it's certainly how this spectacularly staged and shot feature looks at every moment. Eccentric and meticulous are words that describe Lola and, of course, her coif; they couldn't sum up the movie's production design or cinematography better, too. Here's another that fits: magnificent. Director of photography Arnau Valls Colomer (Lost Transmissions) operates on a Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul level of visual precision, spanning where the camera is placed, the angles it peers on from, the painterly composition of each and every image, and what that level of detail says about an industry that's all about detail. Like the gem it is, everything about this film gleams.
Dust off your sombreros, amigos. The latest international excuse for a good time to reach our shores is Cinco de Mayo — a celebration of all things Mexican (which, if we’re being nit-picky, is really more of an Americanisation than anything but shh, let us party). In celebration, the folks at Corona and Beach Burrito Company Fitzroy are putting together a fiesta, complete with face painting by local street artists and the first ever Taco Time Trials Eating Contest. For the less competitively inclined but equally taco-happy, Cinco de Mayo falls conveniently on a Tuesday, and Beach Burrito Co’s regular $3 taco deal applies, so your pesos’ll stretch further. With what you’ve got left, you can sip salt-rimmed margaritas, down trays of tequila shots (not recommended) or share a bucket of ice-cold Coronas. And, of course, come prepared to smash and whack your way to glory, because they wouldn’t be doing Mexico right without pinatas.
They started as an opening act for the Beastie Boys. They've been fighting the power for almost four decades. They're no strangers to big hats and giant clocks, or for fighting for a worthy cause. They've been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2013. They'll forever come to mind whenever Def Jam and Long Island come up. They're Public Enemy, of course, and they're about to get Australia believing the hype when they bring the noise — and their latest tour — Down Under in October 2024. Chuck D, Flavor Flav and company are playing Eatons Hill in Brisbane on Saturday, October 12. Audiences, you're gonna get yours when the icons take to the stage to play through 37 years of tunes that began with 1987 singles 'Public Enemy No 1' and, yes, 'You're Gonna Get Yours', all from their debut studio album Yo! Bum Rush the Show. Expect tracks from 1988's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990's Fear of a Black Planet — two of the most-influential records of the period, and home to 'Bring the Noise', 'Don't Believe the Hype', 'Rebel Without a Pause', '911 Is a Joke' and 'Fight the Power' — as well, through to songs from 2020's What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?, their most-recent album. For company, Public Enemy have AB Original in support, pairing one classic duo with another in Briggs and Trials — and matching the US group's commitment to social rights activism with an Australian act just as devoted to standing up against injustice. Public Enemy last played in Australia a decade ago, on a 2014 tour that included Golden Plains, plus gigs in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Launceston.
