When The Westin opened in Mary Street, finally filling the CBD's giant hole in the ground, it brought with it Brisbane's first swim-up watering hole within a body of water. That was great news for everyone planning a luxe staycation — and now it's great news for everyone, with Nautilus Pool Bar open to the public from Friday–Saturday until the end of April. The hotel has anointed its weekend shindigs with the moniker of Endless Summer, which is a mighty apt term given how toasty warm it still is in our fair city at this time of year. Cool off with a dip and a drink, with your $20 ticket including both. Beverage-wise, you'll get one spritz cocktail, boutique wine or craft beer. You can keep reaching to your wallet for further tipples, and you can lounge around on the daybeds while you're sipping — and between splashes — too. Endless Summer runs from 3pm on Fridays, and from midday on Saturdays and Sundays, with bookings essential.
Sofia Coppola is not the first director that comes to mind when you think Disney. In fact, with her consistent focus on complicated and dreamy sadness — see Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides and Somewhere — she seems like the perfect buzzkill to all the joy and greatness that Sebastian the crab worked for all those years ago. Nonetheless, this divisive filmmaker is currently in negotiations to direct a live-action adaptation of the classic Hans Christian Anderson tale. Deadline reports that the script has already gone through multiple drafts from Kelly Marcel (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Abi Morgan (Shame) and is currently in the hands of Caroline Thompson (Edward Scissorhands). With that in mind, it's safe to assume the film will in fact be a darkly sexual story that may or may not feature either Johnny Depp in BDSM gear or Michael Fassbender in no clothes. Although this will Coppola's first feature where she didn't write the screenplay, it's easy to see how her brand of 'beautiful and bothered young things' will work seamlessly with the original story. Ariel is, after all, a girl with problems. She's besotted with a boy she can't have, she's split between two worlds, and the story finishes with her taking the less than lovely form of sea foam (I'd warn for spoilers but, hey, you've had over 100 years to read it). As ridiculous as it first sounds, we're actually excited by the news. Now all that's left is to decide whether Kirsten Dunst or Scarlett Johansson would make the better hipster Ariel.
Watching a film can transport you to another place — and, at Palace's Brisbane venues on January 26, it can transport you to another period, too. Heading to either Palace Centro or Palace Barracks on Australia Day will feel like jumping back to a time when movie tickets were only $5. Can't remember a trip to the flicks being that cheap? Neither can we. The one-day-only offer is the perfect way to celebrate the public holiday, particularly if you're avoiding the heat and sitting in a darkened room is among your favourite pastimes. Sure, you might already have other plans — but who isn't tempted by the thought of going to the cinema for a fiver? The lineup of films is certain to prove just as enticing, with everything from The Hateful Eight and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens to The Big Short and Carol currently screening. Catch new Aussie effort Looking for Grace on its opening day, or check out an advance preview of Oscar contender Room. At $5 per ticket, if you time it right, you can probably watch all of the above.
This Christmas, all you need is love — plus a festive little cabaret that showcases all of the hit tunes from Love Actually. It's the way to celebrate the season when you're not just leaving the seasonal favourite flick on repeat at home. Yep, that's Christmas Actually. Created by the folks behind Rumour Has It and Lady Beatle, Christmas Actually features all of the tracks that've become synonymous with this merry time of year — including Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You', naturally. Songs by Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, The Beach Boys and The Beatles are all on the bill as well — and, to help belt them out, Price will be joined by Luke Kennedy, Irena Lysiuk, Doron Chester, Scott French, Mik Easterman, OJ Newcomb and Luke Volker. There'll even be more than one nativity lobster, plus a jolly mood and a whole room full of festive cheer. That room is Brisbane Powerhouse, where Christmas Actually plays its 2024 season from Tuesday, December 10–Sunday, December 15. Get excited by revisiting Love Actually's trailer below. 'Tis the season, after all. Top image: Katy Bedford.
With its latest movie-fuelled event, Underground Cinema is hoping that you've never felt like this before — and that you love Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a much-loved 1987 romantic drama. As part of the outfit's new Immersive Cinema spin-off, it's promising to plunge cinephiles into the world of Dirty Dancing. And give you the time of your life, presumably. Hitting outdoor venues for three nights in each Sydney and Melbourne in March 2019, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience won't just screen one of Swayze's biggest film roles, but will recreate the world of the popular film. That means that attendees will travel back to 1963 in spirit, check into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, and enjoy a day of painting classes, volleyball, croquet and — of course — dance lessons. You can probably also expect a stint of carrying watermelons, as well as a talent show. It all ends with a sunset screening of Dirty Dancing on the big screen. You'd be just a fool to believe that's all that's on the agenda. Actors and dancers will roam around like the wind, and, food and drink-wise, Americana-style eats and several pop-up bars slinging summery cocktails are on offer for those with hungry eyes (and stomachs). You'll also be able to wander through recreations of Kellerman's famous fictional spaces, from the staff quarters where Francis 'Baby' Houseman gets her first taste of dirty dancing, to the studios where she learns all the steps from and starts swooning over Johnny Castle, to the restaurant where nobody puts Baby in a corner. Like the film version of Kellerman's, the event is also an all-ages affair — Underground Cinema's first that'll welcome families and kids along. And everyone is encouraged to dress up like it's the 60s, although appropriate footwear for dancing is a must. Tickets are available in two tiers, with the $89.90 'Kellerman's Guest Experience' giving you access to all of the above, and the $129.90 'Time of My Life Package' (naturally) also letting you sashay in via express entry, nab a premium elevated viewing spot, explore secret spaces and take a group dance class with one of Kellerman's dance instructors. Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience will take over The Domain in Sydney on March 15–17, and Flemington Race Course in Melbourne on March 22–24, 2019. Tickets for members go on sale at midday on Thursday, November 15, with general public tickets available from 10am on Monday, November 19.
Given the Fast and Furious franchise's title, you'd think that driving speedily and passionately is what this big-budget film series is all about. Chaotic and OTT car antics play a hefty part, as the 2001 original, its seven sequels to-date and its 2019 spin-off have all shown via a constant onslaught of hectic stunts. But if there's one thing that this Vin Diesel-starring and -produced saga loves just as much as vehicular mayhem, it's family. Over the years, Diesel's Dominic Toretto has extended the term 'family' to include not only his girlfriend-turned-wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), her husband Brian (the late Paul Walker) and their various offspring, but their extended motley crew of fast-driving pals as well. Dom talks about family rather often, usually over a few Coronas with said friends and family. The gang has even faced off against a family of adversaries, courtesy of brothers Owen and Deckard Shaw (Luke Evans and Jason Statham), and their mother Magdalene (Helen Mirren). So, when it comes to Fast and Furious 9, it's unsurprising that the franchise is leaning heavily on one of its favourite concepts. Obviously eye-catching, jaw-dropping stunts also feature — complete with a rocket car (yes, really) — but somehow, the saga hasn't expended all family-related options just yet. As both the initial trailer back in early 2020 and the long-awaited, just-dropped second trailer for the delayed flick reveals, the villain this time is John Cena, who joins the series as Dom's younger brother Jakob. When the film hits cinemas in June after being postponed for more than a year due to the pandemic, don't expect a happy sibling reunion. This flick's outlandish set pieces will pit Dom and the crew against Jakob, who has teamed up with returning criminal mastermind Cypher (Charlize Theron). Basically, they could've called this film Fast and Furious: More Stunts and More Family, which is exactly what both trailers so far serve up. Of course, that's what's made this franchise a huge box-office success for two decades now — and those action scenes, while typically defying logic, physics and gravity, are always expertly, astonishingly and entertainingly choreographed. As well as Diesel, Rodriguez, Brewster, Cena, Theron and Mirren, Fast and Furious 9 also stars franchise mainstays Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris, plus Game of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel (who joined the series back in 2015's Furious 7 and is now considered part of Dom's family). And, it features the highly anticipated return of Sung Kang as Han, which is quite the narrative development if you've been following every quarter mile this series has ever sped across. After a two-film absence, the movie also marks the return of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6 director Justin Lin. Check out the new trailer for F9 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzVw9QTBKJk Fast and Furious 9 releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday, June 17. Image: 2021 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Summer barbecues, plenty of cold beverages and whiling away a few hours all go hand-in-hand, including at South Bank's resident German eatery. While the warm weather is here — okay, while it's officially supposed to be here, aka from now until the end of February — Munich Brauhaus is getting into the sweltering spirit with a free daily fry-up. The two-level beer hall will get the barbie pumping every day between 4–6pm, with snags free for those hanging out in the biergarten. They won't cost a cent if you're in the venue elsewhere as well, but you'll need to head outside to pick up a sausage. The Free Summer BBQ does come with one condition; however it's an easy one to fulfil. To take advantage of the deal, you do need to buy a drink — but it can be any type of drink. Knock back some frosty frothies, or opt for something softer if you'd prefer.
Every week over at its Gasworks store, Salt Meats Cheese serves up all-you-can-eat pizza. Yes, it's as delicious as it sounds. If you're a vegan and you've been holding back, the eatery has you covered too. SMC mightn't ditch animal products as often, but when it does, it's something special. Next occurring on Tuesday, December 18, SMC's bottomless vegan pizza feast is back once more — and again, it includes unlimited vegan pasta as well. All you need to do is book a table in advance, with sittings available from 5pm. The pizza and pasta free-for-all will set you back a highly affordable $20, and while you'll also have to buy a drink, you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. For an extra $5, you can also opt for all-you-can-eat gluten-free vegan pizza as well. Finding decent slices that cater to dietary requirements is hard enough, let alone devouring as many as you feel like in one sitting, so expect this to be popular. Updated December 17.
How do you celebrate an occasion linked to a British monarch? With a day of knocking back more than a few British beers — obviously. That's what Bacchus Brewing Co. have in store on Saturday, October 1 anyway, courtesy of their second Harvey's Real Ale Beerfest. As the name suggests, the day-long drinking extravaganza is dedicated to Harvey's Brewery, who are actually the oldest independent brewery in Sussex. Bacchus will be pouring four of their best brews, as well as their own English-themed creations — and they'll be putting on a ploughman's lunch as well.
Clare Bowditch is a pretty busy lady. She writes killer songs, acts in Offspring (haters be quiet, that show is incredible), runs Big Hearted Business (a company aiming to help creatives make money and vice versa), has two kids and boasts a knack for making you feel like you're the only person in the room when she performs. This is rather good news for you, because she's coming to the Powerhouse. Bowditch is lacing up the tour boots this July for her Winter Secrets Tour, the perfect lure to get out and about in the middle of winter. We probably should have mentioned she has eight successful albums and a 15 year music career to pack on the tour. Why should you go? Because Bowditch describes the shows as an 'Interactive Co-Creative Transformative Absurd Joyful Experiences between Audience and Performer'. How can you say no to that? Ex-Magic Dirt frontwoman turned solo artist, Adalita, will be the opening act in each state with tunes from her latest album All Day Venus. She'll also be joining Bowditch onstage for a joint performance. Bowditch is continuing her Winter Secrets tour tradition. One local musician in each state is getting the chance to join Bowditch on stage to perform one of her songs and be in the running to win $1000. Hello music career. This year, the song to nail will be 'I Thought You Were God'. Winners will be announced closer to each date. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aqppMH8_uYQ
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and now we've scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. Debuting this autumn, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2018 are Canberra favourites Safia, Indie pop darlings San Cisco and Brisbane rockers Dune Rats, along with other local legends Holy Holy and Ruby Fields. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop's set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally-focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. Catch it at Tweed Heads' Ebenezer Park on March 17, Torquay Common in Torquay on March 31 and then on April 14 at Margaret River's Three Oceans Winery. First release tickets for The Drop are $75, available here for Tweed Heads and Torquay, and here for Margaret River. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au.
Inspire packed halls to erupt with laughter, travel around picturesque locales while eating meals with Steve Coogan, and imitate everyone from Tom Jones to Michael Caine. Yes, there's much that Rob Brydon can do. He can also hold his own on every British panel show ever made, play a traffic warden in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and make his voice sound like it's echoing from a box. But not even this multi-talented Welsh comedian can keep Swimming with Men afloat. Brydon's latest big-screen outing wants to bob along the surface of the offbeat sports comedy pool. It wants to paddle around casually, making viewers happy without making too big a splash. Alas, this by-the-numbers comedy sinks quickly, as you might expect given its premise: The Full Monty, just with synchronised swimming. The mix of curiosity, amusement and puzzlement that synchronised swimming sometimes sparks ("really, this is actually a sport?") is Eric Scott's (Brydon) starting position. To be fair, he's similarly bewildered by much of his routine life. The closer that his local councillor wife Heather (Jane Horrocks) seems to get to her colleague Lewis (Nathaniel Parker), the more blustered Eric becomes, and the more his son Billy (Spike White) revels in the uncomfortable situation. Gin doesn't cure his despair, however a dip in the local pool just might. In the beginning, Eric only notices the amateur synchronised swimming squad because they have the wrong number of members, and naturally he's an accountant. And yet it's not all that long until he's joining their ranks. The difference between formulaic comedy done well and formulaic comedy done badly is often a matter of mood and energy. With Swimming with Men reaching cinema screens at the same time as the also straightforward Fighting with My Family, that couldn't be more evident. The pair have their commonalities and their contrasts. Both are based on documentaries — 2010's Men Who Swim, about an all-male Swedish team, in this case — and both tell standard underdog tales. Each focuses on a vastly dissimilar sport, and has its own target market in mind. But the flat, dull feeling that Swimming with Men evokes is all a matter of tone and spirit; specifically, it doesn't have much of either. Instead, the film presents a forced feel-good vibe, a strong desire to swim in Calendar Girls and Brassed Off's slipstream, and very little to make it stand out. Skimming along the surface of its male malaise theme, it also boasts a rote group of hardly fit and heavily discontent blokes surrounding Brydon: Rupert Graves plays the slick one, Adeel Akhtar is the cynic, Jim Carter is sensitive, Daniel Mays is both hot-headed and stressed, and Thomas Turgoose is the token troubled youth. No one is at their best, and while treading water is an essential part of donning speedos and doing eggbeater kicks, the cast does so both literally and figuratively. Screenwriter Aschlin Ditta doesn't give anyone much choice, saddling them with easy, lazy humour and zero trace of character development. Also wading half-heartedly is director Oliver Parker. Trading the teen-centric St. Trinian's flicks for the silliness of Johnny English Reborn, and then for the middle-aged antics of Dad's Army and Swimming with Men, he's happy to take the dullest, most obvious route through the movie. It's the filmmaking equivalent of slowly paddling laps rather than busting out any acrobatic moves — and while you can swim freestyle leisurely with a smile, it's always going to remain the same old stroke. When the film reaches its big climax, a synchronised swimming contest, it almost seems like Parker realises how little excitement he has put on the screen. Rather than relishing the performance, appreciating this odd bunch of unlikely men banding together and doing their best, or eagerly celebrating their achievement, he keeps jumping to shots of the watching crowd. They might be enthused, but after such a bland affair, it's difficult to share their sentiments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pzvyIZdXTY
UPDATE, November 26, 2020: Diego Maradona is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Football god? Addict, scoundrel and swindler? Diego Armando Maradona has been called all of the above. From champion to crook and superstar to scum, he's been labelled better and worse, with his status as a walking contradiction rarely lost on anyone in his orbit. The famed Argentinian soccer player himself recognises it. During his playing heyday in the 80s and 90s, he was known to tell people that he was Maradona on the field but Diego away from the spotlight. In Asif Kapadia's probing documentary about the sportsman, Maradona's career is further summarised by another juxtaposition: "a bit of cheating and a lot of genius". While that sentiment applies broadly, the line refers specifically to his "hand of god" moment in the 1986 World Cup. During a quarter-final against England, he scored a pivotal goal by illegally using said appendage. Argentina won the game and went on to claim the entire tournament, all with Maradona as team captain. He knew what he'd done, as he admitted years later and again explains in Diego Maradona. Anyone under the misapprehension that sports players always stick to the rules — and never do whatever they can, testing the limits to see what they're able to get away with — might well be shocked. But that's Maradona, especially when he was the world's most acclaimed and expensive player, an international headline staple, and a hero not only on home soil, but in Naples where he ruled the turf for seven seasons. He describes his chosen sport as "a game of deceit", after all. In setting his sights on the polarising footballer, Oscar-winner Kapadia does what he's always done so expertly in his other celebrity-centric documentaries. In Senna and Amy, the British filmmaker trawled through a treasure trove of archival material to tell his subject's stories, knowing that their own words — and their own actions at the height of their respective success — will say more than anything else can. The same overall approach applies to Diego Maradona, but three crucial differences distinguish the director's latest picture. Maradona is still alive, firstly. His voice, not just from then but now, features prominently in the film as a result. Lastly and most importantly, his isn't a gone-too-soon tale of tragedy. If they were still here today, Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse's own contrasts might've become more evident, however their deaths gave their lives a recognisable narrative. Still kicking, even if he's long, long past his prime goal-scoring days, Maradona can't follow the same distinct trajectory. Faced with this predicament, Diego Maradona leans into the inescapable truth. It doesn't seek to celebrate, condemn, lionise or lament, but to present Maradona as he's been perceived by the world — both as one of the greatest soccer players of all time (if not the greatest player of all time), and as a womaniser, drug abuser and crony of the Italian mafia. Although the film focuses primarily on the decade surrounding his SSC Napoli stint, he's also seen as a stocky kid who grew up in absolute poverty, then a multi-millionaire living the life of luxury. He's the breadwinner from his teenage years onwards, and a man quick to squander a fortune. Colleagues, coaches, trainers and other industry folk lavish praise on Maradona's immense speed, skill and football smarts, then call out his arrogance, selfishness and swagger. He adores his family, but happily turns his back when scandal wafts through the air. In both his personal and professional lives, the list goes on; in fact, the doco can't cover it all. If his story was fiction, the endless incongruities would seem like overkill. If it was a soccer match, a commentator would dub it a game of two halves. As Senna and Amy have so grippingly demonstrated, there's something equally fascinating and relatable about famous figures whose plights have ended sorrowfully — stars who've soared and then crashed in the most final way, all while chasing their dreams. The same applies to someone as contradictory as Maradona, who embodies humanity's competing, fighting urges in one incredibly well-known package. Whether you're a diehard soccer fan, you flinch at the thought of calling the world game 'football' or you couldn't care less about sport at all, it's this truth that holds viewers' attention in Diego Maradona. As the movie delves into the eponymous Argentinian's life for two hours, it lays bare Maradona's labyrinthian nature. And, while his highs and lows have reached far beyond the levels that most will ever experience, who doesn't feel like they're multiple things all at once? Mirroring the grainy footage at his disposal, Kapadia doesn't smooth out Maradona's edges. The footballer is never a sympathetic hero in this entertaining and insightful film, nor a clear-cut villain. If maintaining that balance sounds like a significant feat given all that's known about Maradona and all there is to his tale, it's one that the director handles with his usual storytelling and technical prowess. Corralling the same crew that worked on his past two docos (particularly editor Chris King and composer Antonio Pinto), he weaves his audio and visuals together with silkiness reminiscent of Maradona's own on-field best. With revealing interview snippets heard rather than seen, and the picture steadfastly maintaining its gaze on its main man through both media clips and home videos, Kapadia crafts a jam-packed yet nuanced and thoughtful portrait. Yes, that's a juxtaposition again. Even decades after his career triumphs and subsequent fall from god-like standing, Maradona will never shake them, as Diego Maradona unpacks with aplomb. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjfeSdHP2ZQ
Finding a host of tasty Indian dishes in Brisbane isn't hard to do, but finding healthy yet hearty meals is another matter. Boasting vegan as well as gluten-, nut- and dairy-free options, that's the gap It's Mirchi Healthy Indian Restaurant hopes to fill from its base on Paddington's busy Given Terrace. Even a quick glance at their menu shows that they're on the right track. Dining wise, whether eating in or taking away, that includes nutritious takes on all the usual curries, complete with a choice of free-range chicken and organic lamb. Salad and vegetarian concoctions comprise a substantial portion of their offerings, alongside snacks such as roasted — rather than fried — poppadoms, and the delicious delight that is their avocado milkshake. It's not all about the food at It's Mirchi, though, with the figure behind the feast just as important as what she's cooking up. One of Australia's finest female Indian chefs, Urvashi, heads up the restaurant's kitchen in a departure from the typically male-oriented profession — and she's not just defying convention but sharing recipes handed down from her mother. That sounds like boundary-breaking, wellbeing-friendly yumminess.
Many things have graced GOMA's walls and halls, from dots everywhere to weird and wonderful fields of not-quite-flowers. Between Monday, November 12, 2018 and Sunday, April 28, 2019, so will a secret jacaranda garden of sorts. Sure, it's easy to spot the eye-catching trees across the city at this time of year; however this creative exhibit will surround you with purple. Gary Carsley's Purple Reign is part of the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, and it's blooming inside the gallery for five months. It's designed for children, but great art can bring out the kid inside all of us. It can also make everyone want to take a whole heap of photos. The interactive piece is inspired by R Godfrey Rivers' 1903 painting Under the jacaranda, and projects gorgeous blossoms of purple onto the space's walls. There's also animated video and touchscreens, letting attendees — especially the younger ones — really play with and dive into the artwork. Image: Installation view of 'Purple Reign'. / Photograph: Natasha Harth, QAGOMA.
As one of southeast Queensland's two go-to beach-filled holiday spots, the Sunshine Coast is known for its sun and sand. But as well as being perched right on the ocean, the region also boasts rainforests and farms in extremely close proximity. That places it among Australia's most unique food and drink regions, gives it an interesting culinary landscape and makes it a prime location for a festival that's all about eating and drinking. Bites, beverages, basking in everything that makes the Sunshine Coast ace: that's The Curated Plate's remit, and has been since it kicked off back in 2019. Returning for 2023, the festival now runs for ten days, spanning Friday, July 28–Sunday, August 6, to celebrate all of the culinary goodness that this coastal pocket has to offer. On the lineup: more than 100 events featuring 300-plus local producers and suppliers, as put together by 52 local businesses and event organisers. The festival's program takes place in venues across the region's hinterlands, rainforests and beaches, giving attendees the full Sunny Coast experience. Heading along means feasting your way from Caloundra to Coolum, Maleny to Mooloolaba and Buderim to Beerwah, including at bar crawls, overwater picnics and farm-to-fork experiences. 2023's highlights cover MooloolaBARS, which is exactly what it sounds like across one beer- and beverage-heavy day; picnics in the Maroochydore Wheel House on Bradman Avenue, with food and booze taken care of for you; and a day spent eating at Falls Farm and Mapleton Public House. Or, there's the return of the Sunshine Coast Asian Food Festival, a zero-waste garden-to-plate lunch, and Moffat Beach Brewing's beer and barbecue degustation dinner. The festival is also championing First Nations food experiences, such as at a series of bush tucker river cruises by Saltwater Eco Tours, and a four-course dinner featuring native Australian ingredients — hand-picked garnishes from the Sunshine Coast hinterland included. Also on the lineup: a kombucha workshop, classes on plant-based cooking and oyster shucking, and a session about combining whisky, tequila and chocolate. Or, there's a boozy brunch heroing locally grown oyster mushrooms, bottomless high teas, trawler-to-table cruises that obviously go heavy on seafood and farm open days.
When writer Diablo Cody, filmmaker Jason Reitman and actor Charlize Theron first teamed up for 2011's Young Adult, it really couldn't have worked out better. Charting the exploits of a thirty-something ex-prom queen returning to her home town, their acerbic and amusing movie served up a perceptive portrait of arrested development. Joining forces again for Tully, the trio have another aspect of adulthood in their sights, this time exploring the ups and downs of motherhood. It's not Cody and Reitman's first stab at the subject, given that the pair initially worked together on teen pregnancy comedy Juno. But if they'd like to keep pumping out films about different life stages every couple of years, please, no one stop them. In Tully, Marlo (Theron) is a mum of two who's days away from giving birth to her third child. Unsurprisingly, she's already utterly exhausted. When her new bundle of joy arrives, she's even more stressed and tired, with her husband (Ron Livingston) hardly a hands-on dad. Enter a gift from her well-off brother (Mark Duplass), albeit one she's reluctant to accept at first. He's adamant that a night nanny will change her life, and when serene and soothing twenty-something Tully (Mackenzie Davis) arrives on her doorstep, Marlo soon discovers that he's right. Tully doesn't just take care of the baby each evening so that Marlo can sleep. From cleaning the house and cooking cupcakes for the kids to providing much-needed pep talks and sharing sangrias, Tully takes care of Marlo too. The scenario inspires rich performances from a particularly raw Theron and a suitably sparkling Davis — the former committed to conveying the hardships of maternity in all of its unglamorous glory, the latter calm and kind as Tully brings Marlo back from the brink of desperation. The pair complement each other perfectly, while fleshing out their characters with the type of detail that can only be drawn from reality. As Theron switches from weary to anxious to utterly fed up, the star couldn't offer up a more relatable picture of parenthood. As Davis embodies the caring yet carefree figure every woman has wished she could be, she helps show why such fantasies are ultimately just that. Indeed, while the film couldn't feel more authentic than when Theron is in unhappy wife and mum mode, it kicks into another gear when its two leads share the screen. Cody's script segues from relaying honest truths about being a mother to exploring the importance of female connections, and neither element should be underestimated. Few flicks lay bare the struggles of postnatal depression in such frank but funny terms, and even fewer present complicated, unconventional but unconditionally supportive bonds between women. The writer's usual cynicism is ever-present, recognisable to anyone who's seen the screenwriter's previous films; however if she actively set out to refute every mainstream depiction of idealised mums and stock-standard gal pals, she's nailed it. That said, Tully is likely to divide audiences, all thanks to one decision that this review won't spoil. A bold choice that initially seems like Cody and Reitman might be taking the easy way out, it's actually one of the movie's most astute moves, as well as a development that the director's naturalistic, roaming visual approach subtly builds up to. Tully shows that mums don't stop being people when they usher new life into the world. It firmly demonstrates that everyone needs support. It warmly depicts women looking after each other. More than all of that — and most importantly — the film probes society's willingness to believe that mothers can do it all, often single-handedly. Admitting how ridiculous that expectation is would upset the long-held status quo, but this movie happily takes aim at the idea in a smart, savage and still empathetic fashion. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Cody wrote the script after having her own third child, or that this excellent ode to self-care ranks among her finest, most mature pieces of work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9iVra2kdD4
There's a big, white container coming to South Bank. But, like most shipping containers in the city, it's not being used to transport furniture. And the word 'séance' will be written on the side in black. It's kind of ominous. Séance is actually a new installation where participants take a seat inside the tiny space, put on a headset and place their hands flat on the table in front of them. The lights go out and the container enters complete darkness. For the next 20 minutes, participants are fed 'suggestible information' through their headsets. You're probably thinking that there's something dark or supernatural about the whole thing — and going by the name, we don't blame you. But the installation's organiser assures us that 'séance' is simply a French word meaning 'session' or 'sitting'. And so Séance is a sensory experience that looks at the psychology of a group sitting together. Despite not being a horror or supernatural-themed piece, it's a scary indicator of how easy it is for confusion, information overload and the people siting right next to us to affect our judgment. Artists David Rosenberg and Glen Neath (who have collaborated in other sensory deprivation projects before) are the creative masterminds behind the project, which has been described as 'disorienting' and 'deeply unsettling'. It's not recommended for the claustrophobic or the easily frightened. The spooky installation visited Sydney and Melbourne late last year, and is now descending on the Treasury Brisbane Arcadia, South Bank, from September 8–29 this year as part of the 2018 Brisbane Festival. Séance is open daily, and runs three times an hour. Tickets cost $20 each and you can purchase them through the website.
What do films about bickering neighbours, wannabe heavy metal bands and a boy wandering through the forest all have in common? They're on this year's Scandinavian Film Festival bill. While the annual event always surveys the cinema output of a variety of countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, namely — it also dives into movies on a range of topics. Case in point: one title explores the college exploits of a teenager with supernatural abilities, but it's definitely not the kind of movie that you're thinking of, and another tracks youths trying to survive a mass shooting. They're some of the highlights of the 2018 fest, which tours Australia between July 10 and August — and if you'd like to hear more, keep reading. The full lineup includes everything from border patrol officers and Saint Bernards to icy westerns and an extremely different take on capitalism-drive class clashes. From all of the above and more, here are our six must-sees. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJghTR5y9U0 UNDER THE TREE It sounds like a storyline on any routine soap opera: two neighbouring families get into a turf war over the most ordinary of issues. And yes, as the title suggests, it's a tree. Overhanging branches aren't the only things casting a shadow over these particular lives, however, as marital woes, Ikea, family pets and more become involved in this bleak but hilarious study of bad behaviour. One side acts, the other retaliates, and the film's various spats escalate, although the emotions at the movie's core always remain believable and relatable. As well as featuring a number of impressive performances by Icelandic talents, especially from veteran Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Under the Tree represents another winning effort from writer/director Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson. Like his earlier feature Either Way, which was remade as Prince Avalanche, don't be surprised if this gets the English-language treatment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi2N-DFfe7Q THELMA The best super-powered film of the past year doesn't involve Wonder Woman, Black Panther or any other Marvel or DC characters. We're not saying that the big end of town hasn't turned out some great caped crusader flicks (and some terrible ones, too) over the last 12 months or so, but Thelma plays with extraordinary abilities in a completely different manner. The latest work from Oslo, August 31st and Louder Than Bombs' filmmaker Joachim Trier, it's a thriller about a college freshman (Eili Harboe) who copes with her new Oslo surroundings — and adjusts to her new bond with fellow student Anja (Kaya Wilkins) — in ways that surprise, astonish and truly cut to the heart of being a confused, anxious soul in a troubling world. Part sci-fi, part horror, part coming-of-age effort, the end result is a piercing exploration of identity that looks as impressive as it feels. HEAVY TRIP They're the world's first symphonic, post-apocalyptic, reindeer-grinding, Christ-abusing, extreme war pagan, Fennoscandian metal group, as they describe themselves, but these four Finnish villagers don't quite know how to chase their dreams. After 12 years of rehearsing in a slaughterhouse basement, the twenty-somethings finally record their own song — and after accidentally drenching a Norwegian festival promoter with a barrel of blood, Turo (Johannes Holopainen) starts telling everyone that they've scored a huge first gig. What happens next both follows the expected path and throws in plenty of unexpected incidents, altercations and antics, with the comedy caper including everything from a love triangle to grave-robbing to sailing on a viking ship. Still, even when it veers into silly territory, Heavy Trip remains inventive, heartfelt and very amusing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2WRsAyC-K4 VALLEY OF SHADOWS The gothic horror tradition is alive and well in moody, brooding Norwegian effort Valley of Shadows, which proves as haunting and gorgeously gloomy as its title suggests. The film might send a youngster trampling through creepy surroundings, but it carves its own path away from the current Stranger Things-inspired trend and its various offshoots. In fact, anything that seems familiar in the narrative is soon eclipsed by this confident and unnerving movie's commanding tone, as well as its eye-catching 35mm-shot images. Story-wise, the debut by writer/director Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen follows a six-year-old's (Adam Ekeli) foray into a nearby forest in search of his runaway dog, and the folklore-like events that eventuate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0RaGwzqLBE WINTER BROTHERS Danish drama Winter Brothers has won multiple awards for its cinematography, and it's immediately easy to see why — shot on 16mm film and casting its lens over snowy landscapes, remote homes, dark mines and the general inner workings of industrial settings, it's never less than striking to look at. As a study of masculinity left to fester in an isolated environment, it's also an emotionally powerful piece, winning Best Picture at the Danish Academy Awards for its troubles. Examining the lives of two miner siblings (Elliott Crosset Hove and Simon Sears) as they engage in a spat with their neighbours (yes, that seems to be a theme this festival) and make moonshine, this tense, textured movie knows exactly how it wants its viewers to feel. Helping perfect the ideal unsettling mood is a score that knows when to drone with ominous purpose, and knows when silence says everything it needs to. U — JULY 22 There's nothing new about recreating a harrowing real-life event from the perspective of those who were there, and giving audiences an on-the-ground view of their horrifying experiences. There's nothing new about adopting that approach when it comes to mass shootings either, or just generally unravelling a tense and terrifying situation in a single shot. Still, Norwegian effort U — July 22 finds the best way to plunge viewers into the thick of one of the most traumatic incidents in the country's history. On the eponymous date in 2011, a right-wing extremist gunned down 69 of the 500 attendees at a youth summer camp on the island of Utøya, with filmmaker Erik Poppe following one 19-year-old's efforts to survive. Lead actress Andrea Berntzen is fantastic as the desperate young woman searching for her sister, and for a way to make it out alive, in a feature that's never easy to watch but remains heartbreakingly engrossing — and important — from start to finish. The Scandinavian Film Festival tours the country between July 10 and August 5, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from July 10–29; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay and Palace Westgarth from July 12–29; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from July 19 to August 5. For the full program, visit the festival website.
The occasions may change, but whatever the date or festivities, the Brightside has partying Brisbanites covered. On April 16, they're throwing an Easter Sunday shindig the only way the know how: with a few bevs and live tunes. It's the music that's the main attraction at this ticketed gig, with Deez Nuts, Rare Words, ENDLESS and Valhalla Mist on the bill. That means things will be getting heavy with punk, rock and hardcore. After a couple of days of light relaxation and overindulgence, perhaps that's just what you'll be in the mood for.
If seeing movies and TV shows you love pick up shiny trophies is your preferred form of sport, congrats — awards season is here for another year. We're never too far away from Hollywood's latest opportunity to celebrate itself, given that the Emmys were only a couple of months back. But the period between December and March tends to be the entertainment industry's version of Christmas (or until April in 2021, given that the Oscars happened later than usual). Accordingly, it's that time of year for the Golden Globes, which has just announced its latest batch of nominees. That said, if you're keen to actually watch a heap of people collect their accolades come Monday, January 10, Australian and New Zealand time, think again — the ceremony won't be televised due to multiple controversies surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the organisation behind the awards, and whether it'll stream somewhere (and if any celebrities will actually show up) hasn't yet been revealed. The list of films and series competing still spans plenty of 2021 favourites — covering both the big and small screens, because the Globes likes to have it both ways. Among the cinema fields, Jane Campion's phenomenal western The Power of the Dog leads the charge with seven nods, a feat only matched by nostalgic Kenneth Branagh-directed drama Belfast, which was inspired by the filmmaker's own childhood. And in the TV categories, Succession picked up five nominations, Ted Lasso and The Morning Show nabbed four, and a heap of shows — including Squid Game — picked up three. The Power of the Dog received Australian funding — and from New Zealand, too — so there's a local tie to this year's nominees. Campion also scored a nod for Best Director for the film, and Aussie actor Kodi Smit-McPhee earned a spot among the Best Supporting Actor nominees. Still staying local, Nicole Kidman is a Best Actress in a Drama contender in the cinema fields for playing Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos, while Succession's Sarah Snook scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination in the TV categories. A heap of other excellent flicks and shows earned some love as well — including a Best Drama nod for Dune, a Best Comedy nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, acting recognition's for the latter's first-timers Alana Haim (yes, of Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of the Philip Seymour Hoffman), plus a trio of nominations for The Great, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building. Other highlights span the Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical nod for Annette's Marion Cotillard, Lupin's two showings, and Jennifer Coolidge's recognition for The White Lotus. Plus, after making history in 2021 for nominating three women for Best Director for the first time ever — after only ever nominating seven other female filmmakers in the Golden Globes prior 77-year run — the awards have given not only Campion but also The Lost Daughter's Maggie Gyllenhaal some love this time around. If you're wondering what else is in the running, here's the full list: GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Belfast CODA Dune King Richard The Power of the Dog BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Lady Gaga, House of Gucci Kristen Stewart, Spencer BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Mahershala Ali, Swan Song Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Will Smith, King Richard Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Cyrano Don't Look Up Licorice Pizza Tick, Tick … Boom! West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Marion Cotillard, Annette Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza Jennifer Lawrence, Don't Look Up Emma Stone, Cruella Rachel Zegler, West Side Story BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Leonardo DiCaprio, Don't Look Up Peter Dinklage, Cyrano Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom! Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza Anthony Ramos, In the Heights BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED Encanto Flee Luca My Sunny Maad Raya and the Last Dragon BEST MOTION PICTURE — FOREIGN LANGUAGE Compartment No. 6 Drive My Car The Hand of God A Hero Parallel Mothers BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Caitríona Balfe, Belfast Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Ruth Negga, Passing BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar Jamie Dornan, Belfast Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Denis Villeneuve, Dune BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Adam McKay, Don't Look Up Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE Dune Encanto The French Dispatch Parallel Mothers The Power of the Dog BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Be Alive', King Richard 'Dos Orugitas', Encanto 'Down to Joy', Belfast 'Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)', Respect 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Lupin The Morning Show Pose Squid Game Succession BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Uzo Aduba, In Treatment Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show Christine Baranski, The Good Fight Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale MJ Rodriguez, Pose BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Brian Cox, Succession Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game Billy Porter, Pose Jeremy Strong, Succession Omar Sy, Lupin BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY The Great Hacks Ted Lasso Reservation Dogs Only Murders in the Building BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Elle Fanning, The Great Issa Rae, Insecure Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish Jean Smart, Hacks BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Anthony Anderson, Black-ish Nicholas Hoult, The Great Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Dopesick Impeachment: American Crime Story Maid Mare of Easttown The Underground Railroad BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jessica Chastain, Scenes From a Marriage Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision Margaret Qualley, Maid Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Paul Bettany, WandaVision Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage Michael Keaton, Dopesick Ewan McGregor, Halston Tahar Rahim, The Serpent BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick Andie MacDowell, Maid Sarah Snook, Succession Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Kieran Culkin, Succession Mark Duplass, The Morning Show Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso Oh Yeong-su, Squid Game The 2022 Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, January 10 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Top image: The Crown, Des Willie/Netflix.
Jiro is an idealistic young man obsessed with the concept of flight. His poor eyesight means he can never be a pilot, so he becomes an engineer, designing planes that go as fast as is humanly possible. As Japan finds itself embroiled in the Second World War, Jiro falls in love with Naoko, and is torn between his desire to be with her, and his duty to his masters. Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki — best known for classics such as My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo — creates what may be his final film ever. (Miyazaki has announced his retirement many times in the past, and did so in the lead-up to this film. There are claims that he has backtracked this one as well.) If it is his last, it's a fitting coda. It's not difficult to see Miyazaki in Jiro: a single-minded focus with an artistic endeavour to the point of obsession. Despite being based upon a true story, a significant amount of creative licence is taken. This is, counter-intuitively, a good thing. Often, the more reverential a biopic attempts to be, the less interesting a film it is. This is a film about artistic passion, and there are more important truths about life during wartime that are illuminated in a way that a simple recounting of events would not. The film studiously avoids the cliches one would expect from this setup. It refuses to shy away from the questionable decisions made by Japan during wartime, but nor does it allow the idea of the country as the destined defeated to overwhelm what is ultimately a tale of human passion and endeavour. It's hard to think of a more measured film about non-violent people in wartime. Much of the controversy surrounding the film has focused on the fact that the protagonist is developing planes that will eventually becomes those that attacked Pearl Harbour. But that is the exact position of the myopic Jiro, who at one point expresses frustration that the planes must carry weapons and bombs, for they will slow down his masterpieces. And that's the point of the film: that the purity of artistic endeavours are often destroyed by those more concerned with conflict and battle. Madman Entertainment is releasing the film in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. You'll have to check to see which version your local cinema is playing, but if you have a choice, the Japanese language one is always preferable. There's something about the formality and manner of Japanese speech that doesn't translate well into English vocals, and even the most careful redubs often sound silly and awkward. Moments of sincerity can often sound funny, so exercise discretion. On the other hand, the English version has Werner Herzog as a German spy, so you can't really go wrong either way. It's a bold, unapologetic film that is not always completely successful, but there is a confident vision at play, and that is always welcome. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RzSpDgiF5y8
An artist turned filmmaker, Julian Schnabel largely specialises in films about visionary artists, however he can't be accused of settling into a comfortable niche. Whether he's focusing on American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat, exploring the life of Cuban poet and playwright Reinaldo Arenas in Before Night Falls, or examining the experiences of French writer Jean-Dominique Bauby in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Schnabel does more than present straightforward biographical dramas. Rather, his pictures are dedicated to channelling their subject's mindsets with every stylistic touch — to steeping viewers in each real-life figure's perspective as deeply and immersively as possible. There's no formula at play, just an unflinching dedication to capturing each artist's essence. And with the writer-director turning his attention to Vincent van Gogh, At Eternity's Gate hits the mark perfectly. To many, van Gogh's name inspires three well-known details: his Sunflowers still-life paintings, the moody blue swirls of The Starry Night and the liberation of his ear from his head by his own hand. All three rate a mention in At Eternity's Gate, though they're hardly the most crucial aspects of the film. With Willem Dafoe plays the artist with urgent, revelatory intensity (and earning a much-deserved Academy Award nomination for his troubles), Schnabel seeks to understand rather than faithfully chronicle. As written with Jean-Claude Carrière and co-editor Louise Kugelberg, his movie happily draws upon not only van Gogh's personal letters, but on fiction, myths and speculation, including about the artist's death. A suitably post-impressionist portrait of the iconic Dutch post-impressionist, At Eternity's Gate recounts van Gogh's final years — a period of challenge, pain and immense productivity. Feeling adrift in the Parisian art scene, where galleries remain uninterested and his art-dealer brother Theo (Rupert Friend) can't sell his work, van Gogh decamps to the French town of Arles upon the advice of fellow artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac). But if van Gogh hovered on the fringes of his chosen community in the city, he's an outright pariah in his new small-town setting, with his drinking, temper-driven outbursts and psychological unravelling grating against the locals. While Theo arranges for Gaugin to join his sibling's sojourn, the solace of good company proves merely a temporary fix to van Gogh's inner woes. It would've been a revolutionary move, but Schnabel could've trained the camera solely at Dafoe for At Eternity's Gate's entire running time, and he still would've crafted an exceptional film. There's such power to the actor's performance — the power that springs not from force, or from seeing every ounce of effort, but from so convincingly stepping into someone else's shoes. van Gogh's work has always seethed with both passion and fragility. In every stroke, even in his most striking compositions, it seems as if he's feverishly exorcising the visions that are haunting his mind. In the movie's finest accomplishment, its commanding leading man gives flesh, heart and soul to that sensation. Although Isaac is memorable as Gauguin, and both Mathieu Amalric and Mads Mikkelsen make an impression as a doctor and a priest, respectively, Dafoe conveys both the emotional delicacy and the damning turmoil that made van Gogh who he was — and made his art so astonishing. Of course, Schnabel doesn't just train the camera at his star, and his film is all the better for it. How the filmmaker composes At Eternity's Gate's frames is as important as what's within them, with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme wielding the lens almost as if it's a paintbrush. There's rarely a still moment, with the image swirling, roaming and playing with focus in the same way that van Gogh's artwork does. The movie also borrows the artist's use of colour, particularly when gazing upon the French landscapes that he frequently committed to canvas. And yet, Schnabel never forgets that film is an audio-visual medium. His potent visuals say plenty about his complicated subject, but so does his layered soundscape. Staring into Dafoe's penetrating blue eyes, peering at every fleck of dirt and grass that marked van Gogh's life, and marvelling at the painter's pieces only feels complete when the artist's words float like the wind — and when the wind itself conjures up his deep-seated struggle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcPLAz1LG1U
2022's best new TV shows spanned everything from mind-benders like Severance to culinary must-sees such as The Bear, plus the best Star Wars series yet in Andor and Irish black-comedy murder-mystery Bad Sisters. Also among them: feminism, penises and 70s porn for women in Minx. The Los Angeles-set HBO comedy jumped back five decades to follow an aspiring magazine editor as she finally scored her dream job — but for a pornography publisher. What's a Vassar graduate and country club regular to do? If she's Minx's Joyce Prigger, she eventually embraces the opportunity, sees a chance to give women something they've been missing and start a conversation about female desire, and turns the whole enterprise into something special. That's the tale that the series' first season charted, as starring Ophelia Lovibond (Trying) and Jake Johnson (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), created by Ellen Rapoport (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and executive produced by Paul Feig (Last Christmas). What's a pioneering, uproar-causing fictional magazine to do after it's already caused a stir? That's where season two comes in. From Friday, July 21, Minx will return to Stan for a second run, with the earnest Joyce and enterprising Bottom Dollar Publications proprietor Doug Renetti (Johnson) dealing with the mag's success, and how that affects their lives. Also impacted, because this is a workplace comedy as well: Bottom Dollar's former model Bambi (Jessica Lowe, Miracle Workers), Doug's ex-secretary Tina (Idara Victor, Shameless), photographer Richie (Oscar Montoya, Final Space) and Joyce's sister Shelly (Lennon Parham, Veep). As the trailer for season two shows, Joyce, Doug and the crew are back in business; the rest of the media is interested in Minx's rise; and Joyce gets the chance to ask a crowded room if any man knows where the clitoris is. Expansion plans, male strippers, padding junk in the name of stagecraft, Minx billboards: they all pop up as well. Getting Minx back on-screen has been quite the tale itself, after the show was renewed for season two back in May 2022 following season one, then cancelled by HBO Max in December during production. Thankfully, US network Starz then stepped in to save the day, picking up the second season. Check out the trailer Minx season two below: Minx season two will start streaming via Stan from Friday, July 21.
To text, post, like, swipe, chat and livestream, or not to? In today's always-online times, that truly is the question. For wannabe influencer Lucy (Charlotte Nicdao), the answer is simple, much to her friend and housemate Daisy's (Gemma Bird Matheson) growing dismay. The perky, impulsive and attention-seeking Brisbanite isn't going to become famous for living the best version of her life if no one's watching, after all. No, for her dream of internet stardom to come true, she'll need to have her fingers constantly glued to her smartphone's buttons. Welcome to the world of Content, the ABC's new short-form web series, which is dropping episodes on ABC iView and YouTube weekly. With the show playing out on Lucy and Daisy's smartphone screens, that title does double duty. Firstly, it recognises that pumping out an endless stream of texts, DMs, Facebook posts, Instagram pics, Tinder swipes, video chats and other online content is just part and parcel of modern-day living. We're all smartphone addicts, and we might as well admit it, really. But the show unpacks the flipside as well, realising that continually negotiating our existence via an always-connected rectangle might not be the best path to lasting happiness. Lucy and Daisy are each accustomed to a ceaseless sea of notifications lighting up their screens. Working, dating, driving, bushwalking, graduating from uni — regardless of what they happen to be doing at any given moment, their smartphones are in their hands. Lucy takes that notion to another level, however, with her determined quest for glory knowing no bounds. When she hops behind the wheel, she livestreams it. When she crashes, she keeps filming. When the cops arrive at the scene, she's more interested in chatting to her followers than being taken to hospital. And when the video of her accident goes viral and becomes a meme, giving Lucy the moniker '#Flipgirl', it's the best moment of her life. If the above story sounds familiar, that's because it has been splashed across news headlines over the past week. After Content's first episode dropped, footage of Lucy's fictional fender bender hit Reddit, was mistaken for the real thing, and the reaction spread quickly. Art imitated life, then life imitated art, with a show about a millennial going viral almost instantly going viral itself. Created by Ludo Studios, directed by Daley Pearson and Walter Woodman, and written by Anna Barnes, the seven-part series proves equally hilarious, insightful and — as the Reddit incident demonstrates — authentic. It's both a sign of the times and a window into our 21st-century souls. Looking over someone's shoulder to steal a peek at their smartphone screen has become today's ultimate casual act of voyeurism, because the pocket-sized computers are just that integral to our lives. So, with that in mind, Content lets us watch. The end result isn't just equally perceptive and entertaining, although both terms apply. Framed vertically — aka designed to be watched on your own smartphone, naturally — Content is part of a growing trend called 'screenlife'. Relaying narratives purely through computer and phone displays, the technique has driven films such as Unfriended, Profile and Searching. And, as long as we all keep living our lives through our screens like Lucy, that list will only keep growing. Check out the first episode of Content below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALEdgJj1iQI&feature=youtu.be New episodes of Content drop weekly on ABC iView and YouTube.
When it comes to succulent pieces of poultry, Australia boasts plenty, but you know what they say: you can't get too much of a good thing. Trying to help make that case is newcomer 4Fingers, the Singaporean fried chicken favourite that's just brought their crispy chook to our shores. Setting up their first two stores in Melbourne's Bourke Street and at Brisbane's new food precinct at Westfield Chermside (and another set to open on Albert Street in Brisbane soon), 4Fingers is all about farm-to-fork free-range chicken served up in their signature crispy style. It's hand-brushed and prepared to order in wingettes, drumettes and legs. Sure, that's what other greasy chook place offers, but why mess with a winning formula? If you're eager for something different, it's 4Fingers' extra bits and pieces that might motivate you to hop on in. Fancy a katsu sandwich with daily-fermented kimchi coleslaw, crispy chicken chops or chicken, garlic and button mushrooms on an artisanal charcoal bun? You do now. Wings and legs with rice, a selection of seafood and three types of salad are also on the menu. 4Fingers is now open at 189-191 Bourke Street, Melbourne and at Westside Chermside, corner Gympie and Hamilton Streets, Chermside in Brisbane. Another store is set to open at 108 Albert Street, Brisbane soon. For more information, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page. Updates: July 3, 2017.
For a few winter weeks in 2025, Middle-earth is coming to the Gold Coast, but not exactly as everyone knows it. What happens when one of the most-beloved fantasy tales adds singing and dancing? Prepare to find out at The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale. The stage production layers tunes into JRR Tolkien's iconic story, including as its hobbits go on perilous adventures, and it has just locked in the only Queensland stop on its upcoming Australian tour. A Sydney season was announced back in August, with news arriving in October that Melbourne and Perth will also be enjoying a musical LoTR journey. Now comes confirmation of southeast Queensland's turn — only at HOTA, Home of the Arts from Friday, July 4–Sunday, July 20. On screens big and small for decades so far (and into the future, with more TV episodes and movies on the way), hobbits have trekked, ate second breakfasts and attempted to project precious jewellery. Onstage Down Under in 2025, they'll also be marking an eleventy-first birthday, receiving a gold ring, taking a quest to Mordor and attempting to fight evil in The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale. The Harbour City season at the State Theatre comes first, followed by a stop at Crown Theatre in Western Australia from March, then a Victorian stint at Comedy Theatre that starts in April — before the Sunshine State joins in. Dating back to 2006, just after the original live-action movie trilogy, this stage musical was revived in the UK in 2023, opened in the US in July 2024 and will hit New Zealand this November before crossing the ditch. Your guides for the show are the hobbits, of course, as Frodo and company celebrate Bilbo Baggins, then depart The Shire upon a life-changing journey. Thanks to Tolkien, what occurs from there has enthralled audiences for 70 years now, with The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers initially hitting bookshelves in 1954. There's been no shortage of ways to indulge your Lord of the Rings love since Peter Jackson's features — including his Hobbit trilogy — helped fan the flames of pop culture's affection for Frodo, Samwise, Pippin, Merry and the franchise's many non-underground-dwelling characters. Cinema marathons, visiting the Hobbiton movie set, staying there overnight, hitting up pop-up hobbit houses, sipping hobbit-themed beer: they've all been on the agenda. Only The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale is combining all things LoTR with tunes and dancing, however, in a show that sports a book and lyrics by from Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Matilda the Musical, Groundhog Day the Musical), plus original music by Slumdog Millionaire Oscar-winner AR Rahman, folk band Värttinä from Finland and Matilda the Musical alum Christopher Nightingale. The Australian cast has also been announced, including Rarmian Newton as Frodo Baggins, Wern Mak as Samwise Gamgee, Jeremi Campese as Merry and Hannah Buckley as Pippin. Laurence Boxhall is playing Gollum, Andrew Broadbent steps into Elrond's shoes and Terence Crawford is Gandalf — with Rohan Campbell as Boromir, Stefanie Caccamo as Arwen, Rob Mallett as Strider, Connor Morel as Gimli, Conor Neylon as Legolas, Jemma Rix as Galadriel, Ian Stenlake as Saruman and Ruby Clark as Rosie, too. The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale Australian Dates 2025 From Tuesday, January 7 — State Theatre, Sydney From Wednesday, March 19 — Crown Theatre, Perth From Monday, April 21 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne From Friday, July 4–Sunday, July 20 — HOTA, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale is touring Australia from January 2025. Head to the production's website for further details and to sign up for the ticket waitlist. Images: Liz Lauren.
Films about terminal illness can be a tricky proposition. There’s only so much drama that can be wrung from the mundane inevitability of death, a process that, by its very nature, is so horribly undramatic. Too often do filmmakers and actors make the mistake of overcompensating, wallowing in misery or resorting to cheap emotional manipulation. It’s for its avoidance of these pitfalls, as much as anything else, that Still Alice deserves your attention. Adapted from the novel by neuroscientist turned author Lisa Genova, Still Alice tells the story of Columbia linguistics professor Alice Howland (Julianne Moore). In one of the first scenes we see her, she’s giving a lecture in Los Angeles, when suddenly she finds herself unable to recall a specific word. At first she dismisses the lapse as one of those inevitable side-effects of turning 50. When she gets lost on her regular morning jog, however, she realises something more serious is amiss. A visit to her doctor brings a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s, a disease without a cure. In the film’s lead role, Moore is simply magnificent — she’s already taken home the Golden Globe, and seems a lock to win the Oscar. Alice deals with her condition proactively — at one point she even visits a nursing home, under the guise of finding a room for an elderly parent. Inevitably, however, the illness takes its toll. Slowly, we watch her go from an articulate, passionate, independent woman to a shell of her former self. It’s a heartbreaking transition, and Moore captures every moment — with honesty, nuance and whatever small measure of dignity she can muster. So too do we witness the effect the disease has on the afflicted person’s family. Alec Baldwin gives a terrifically understated performance as Alice’s husband, John, a New York intellectual suddenly confronted with a future he may not be able to accept. Even more impressive is Kristen Stewart as Lydia, the youngest of John and Alice’s adult children. Although she's (rightfully) bemoaned for her wooden performances in the Twilight movies — frankly, no one could make that dialogue sound good — it’s abundantly clear that Stewart has talent. Here, both the actress and her character exhibit a maturity far beyond their years. Credit must also go to the movie's married co-directors, Wash Westmoreland and Richard Glatzer. They’re the perfect fit for the project, having experienced similar medical hardship themselves. Glatzer lives with ALS and is unable to speak, communicating with actors on set via an iPad. It’s their sensitive, compassionate storytelling — channeled by their cast — that ensures Still Alice sticks in your memory even after Alice forgets.
To someone who hasn't spent a heap of time in Brisbane, explaining the allure of the Ekka's famous strawberry sundaes isn't easy. Yes, strawberry ice cream exists year-round in the River City. Yes, anyone can scoop their own onto a cone and top it with a strawberry and some cream whenever they want. But for decades, the pink-hued sweet treats served up at the Royal Queensland Show have been as much of a drawcard as carnival rides, sideshow games, fairy floss and Bertie Beetles — perhaps even more so. The Sunshine State's southeastern corner doesn't just love Ekka strawberry sundaes. It's obsessed with them, as evidenced by the array of other folks who've whipped up their own versions over the years — some also in dessert form, some even boozy. In the latter category in 2023: Ekka Strawberry Sundae Gin from local distillery Granddad Jack's. Yes, this tipple's appeal is all there in its name. Here's how it works: the Gold Coast-born purveyor of spirits, which also has an outpost in Brisbane, has taken fresh strawberries, then macerated them. They're then combined with strawberry jam, vanilla beans, vapour-infused dehydrated strawberries, strawberry cheesecake bars and juniper berries. The end result, when the hard stuff is ready to drink: a liquid strawberry sundae with a kick (and with 40-percent alcohol by volume) that smells jammy and sweet, and feels creamy on the palate. Granddad Jack's recommends sipping the gin with tonic plus a citrus garnish, or in a punch. Whichever you opt for, you'll get the full strawberry sundae experience — those strawberry cheesecake bars are designed to bring a waffle cone flavour, too. This is a limited-edition drop, so much so that the first batch sold out on its first weekend. Granddad Jack's hustled to put together another batch in time for the Ekka's arrival, and the public holiday, which you can purchase now for $95 a bottle. Granddad Jack's Ekka Strawberry Sundae Gin is available to purchase online while stocks last via the distillery's website.
Come mid-August every year, everyone in Brisbane gets a day off. The scent of dagwood dogs fills the air, every second person has a showbag (or a strawberry sundae) in their hand, and you might even convince yourself that you're just like Ferris Bueller. While ol' Ferris spent his time eating in a fancy restaurant, looking at art, watching baseball and singing in a parade — among other things — it's okay if you want to do something a bit different. Here's our picks of the ten best things to do for the Ekka holiday, including the night before (because that's when the fun really begins).
In 1931, Harold Bell Lasseter died in a desolate corner of the outback while searching for a fortune he claimed to have stumbled upon years before. Or at least, that's how one version of the story goes. The fantastical tale of a seven mile stretch of quartz reef filled with gold has lingered in Australian folklore, while its supposed discoverer has been alternately praised as a visionary and denounced and denigrated as a fraud. But more than eight decades later, one man still clings to Lasseter's legend: his 85-year-old son Bob, who has spent the bulk of his life searching for the reef in the hopes of clearing his father's name. A story of obsession and the allure of a tale well told, Lasseter's Bones is directed by British documentarian Luke Walker, a young man who, like so many others, heard murmurings of Lasseter's precious metal and came looking. Together, he and Bob follow the same track that Harold did, battling the same rough terrain and unflinching heat that slowly turned sceptical prospectors against the man who promised to make them rich. Bob and Luke prove a likeable if fairly unlikely duo — two men separated by generations but united by a single, common goal. But as the journey continues, Walker's faith seems to wane, especially after discovering evidence suggesting not only that Lasseter never found gold but that he may have faked his own death and escaped his investors to America. Ironically, while the theoretical purpose of a documentary is to expose or elucidate the truth, Lasseter's Bones demonstrates how difficult — not to mention, how undesirable — that task can sometimes be. Even as Walker presents multiple versions of Lasseter's story, it's obvious which one he and everyone else prefers. After all, who wouldn't want to believe that there really is gold out there, somewhere? That Lasseter never abandoned his family, but rather died trying to provide for them? That poor, kind, eccentric, optimistic Bob hasn't wasted his life, all on the word of a charlatan? Lasseter's Bones never gives us a solid answer. Rather, it suggests we might be better off believing the dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BC1vBos_kHo
A dark Shakespearean crime drama, 2010's Animal Kingdom was one of the most resounding Australian films in years. Not only did it launch the international careers of Ben Mendelsohn and Jacki Weaver, it also heralded the arrival of writer-director David Michôd, a filmmaker whose tightly controlled aesthetic suggested even greater things to come. His sophomore effort is The Rover, a barebones narrative that mirrors his debut in both its technical precision and its nihilistic tone. What's missing, however, is a similarly compelling set of characters. Without them, a pervasive sense of bleakness soon swallows the movie whole. Based on an idea by Michôd and actor Joel Edgerton, the film takes place across desolate stretches of the outback, a decade after Western society has collapsed. While drinking alone in a gloomy roadside bar, a heavily bearded Guy Pearce sees three gun-toting criminals steal his car. The rest of the movie follows his efforts to get the car back. Michôd would have known from the very first word that comparisons to Mad Max were inevitable. Despite this, The Rover is not an action flick. Methodically paced and dripping with menace, the film actually has more in common with something like Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright, which likewise capitalised on the intensity of its outback setting. Meticulous technique — including razor-sharp editing, oppressive sound design, a brooding score and dispassionate cinematography — sets audience members on edge. The violence, when it comes, is sudden, shocking and unglamorous. Yet beneath the craft, the film feels decidedly hollow. Pearce is a great actor, but there's only so much variance he can bring to such a single-minded protagonist. Robert Pattinson, meanwhile, gives a woefully misjudged performance as Pearce's unlikely travelling companion, the slow-witted brother of one of the thieves Pearce is trying to track down. His constant twitching and incomprehensible Southern drawl seem like the efforts of an actor trying desperately to play against type. Good on him for trying, but the fact is it just doesn't work. So the film descends into meaninglessness and futility. Michôd's future world is bereft of human compassion — grandmothers pimp their grandkids, people hunt dogs for food, and our protagonist commits murder without a moment's hesitation. By the time the movie ends, you're left broken and exhausted. And while it takes a lot of skill to achieve that, it never really feels like it was worth it.
Anything the Gold Coast can do, Brisbane can do too, right? Well, maybe not when it comes to beaches — but as far as evening market get-togethers are concerned, we can give it a good try. That's exactly what the Mt Gravatt Marketta is doing. A sibling shindig to the beloved Miami Marketta, it's bringing food from Good Food Catering Co, The Frying Piggy Food Truck, Little Havana Food Truck, Barbecue Mafia, Heven-yah Gelato, Little Wahaca, Samba Catering Co and more to Mt Gravatt Showgrounds every Saturday evening from 4-10pm. Plus drinks and music, of course. And, it's not just the GC that the new event is trying to emulate — it's also a popular hangout on the other side of the river. If wandering around a market, filling your stomach at food stalls, listening to live tunes and grabbing a few beverages sounds a little like Eat Street, that's because it's supposed to.
It's time to party like it's 1999 — over breakfast, of course. The iconic children's morning show that once brought you Dragon Ball Z, Pokemon, Sailor Moon, SpongeBob SquarePants and Digimon while you ate your Coco Pops is back and all grown up. For two days only, hosts Jade and Ryan from Cheez TV will be serving up nostalgia in the form of "letters from the mailbag", a Q&A session, retro console gaming, cartoon shorts and more. Wearing your pyjamas and sending in letters in advanced is highly encouraged — in fact, host venue Netherworld is currently waiting for your handwritten notes and accompanying hand-drawn pictures at 186 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. That's where you'll be headed from 9.30am on December 2 and 3, with $20 tickets including a schooner of anything on tap as well as a bowl of cereal. At the time of writing, only tickets to the Sunday session were available (and they're likely to get snapped up fast), so you'd best get in quick. By Imogen Baker and Sarah Ward.
The year is 2028, and Detroit crime is out of control. At least, that's what we're told. The city, frankly, has never looked better. But trust us: lots of crime. Omnipresent corporation OmniCorp is trying to get its new robot cops approved for use in the US, but Washington won't allow machines to have control over life and death. Enter noted human Alex Murphy, An Honest Detroit Cop who, thanks to a pesky explosion, is now in desperate need of a robotic suit that will keep him alive and also help fight crime. The two were meant to be together! If you haven't seen the original 1987 RoboCop, then fix that right now. It combines the two best things about 1980s cinema: a dystopian science fiction setting and a cop taking out drug dealers and other corrupt cops. But it's remembered as a classic, however, because of how sharply it satirises American culture. It may look like a dumb action film, but it's clever as hell. This 2014 remake is, at least, clever enough to aim for the same target. It opens with a right-wing talk show pundit and a futuristic — but all too familiar — Middle East war on terror. Rather than simply imitating classic scenes from the original, this new film sets out to do its own thing, to update the references, and that attempt is admirable. The problem is that this satire — which we'll come back to — is hung upon a fairly piecemeal story. There's little that propels it forward, and we're never left wondering how things could possibly turn out for our heroes. The mysteries are barely concealed; the nefarious plots, basic; the villains, flagged in the opening scenes. Minutes after the film is over, you'll be left with a few key images, but no idea what actually happened. Joel Kinnaman plays Murphy/RoboCop, and does a decent job with it. Murphy's hardly the most compelling character, but the struggle to maintain his humanity is handled with more care than most films of this ilk would bother with. The rest of the cast is more recognisable, filling out supporting roles with the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K Williams, Jennifer Ehle and Jay Baruchel. The satire, though welcome, ultimately fails. Samuel L Jackson's talk show host gives the feeling that they reverse-engineered a conservative pundit based on Stephen Colbert's famous parody, and his appearances consistently bring the film to a screeching halt. Not only could these scenes be lifted out without any noticeable change to the story, but the film would actually flow better without this particular social commentary. And maybe that's the most trenchant point of all. https://youtube.com/watch?v=xPLSpmAtc1Q
UPDATE, March 4, 2021: Moonlight is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. "At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you're going to be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you," Miami drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali) tells nine-year-old Little (Alex Hibbert). They're warm words of wisdom offered by someone who wouldn't be seen as a substitute father figure in most movies — and given to a shy, bullied boy desperately in need of a guiding hand. Their connection, defying expectations and complicated by Little's crack-addicted mother Paula (Naomie Harris), forms much of Moonlight's first chapter, but their interactions will influence the entire film. As the story progresses, Little grows into awkward teenager Chiron (played by Ashton Sanders), a young man who still struggles with who he is and how he feels. Then, finally, he transforms into the hardened, Atlanta-based Black (Trevante Rhodes), styling himself in Juan's image. He'll keep trying to forge his identity, while grappling with the different visions of masculinity around him, as well as his own sexuality. As he comes of age, he'll also be shaped by his mother's troubles, the nurturing presence of Juan's girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monáe), and his friendship with his classmate Kevin (played by Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome and André Holland over the years). Written and directed by Barry Jenkins from an unstaged play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight is a film of moments and mindsets, one that values sensations and textures more than any other storytelling tool. Jenkins constructs the emotions and experiences of his protagonist from the people, places, dreams and encounters that define him at any given point, plus his ongoing quest to find a persona, a companion, and a space that provides comfort and solace. Narrative-wise, it might sound slight. Thematically, visually and in its performances, Moonlight is a powerhouse. Stressing how things left unseen and unsaid are as crucial as sights glimpsed and words uttered, every frame, look and line of dialogue proves a piece of the puzzle that is Chiron in his various guises. Often, Jenkins and his college roommate turned cinematographer James Laxton make the audience stare into the eyes of their leads, conveying a pain and a yearning that borders on contagious. More frequently, the filmmaking team adopts their character's perspective, gazing into a world teeming with uncertainty. Subjectivity reigns, such as when the dialogue and imagery fall out of synch during moments of distress, or when a painful memory is cast in heightened, almost neon hues. Even when the film peers in from the outside, the little things still matter, be it green blades of grass spied up close, a hand grasping at sand during an intimate exchange, or a man removing the armour-like grill from his teeth. Jenkins seamlessly brings all of the above together, creating a cinematic symphony of the patterns and rhythms that come with deciding who you're going to be. However, he also crafts a sensitive stage for his three lead actors to infuse their protagonist with heart and soul, as a poor, black, queer boy becomes a man. Though matched in every scene by exceptional co-stars — including the charismatic, stereotype-defying work of Ali, as well as the quiet tenderness of Holland — the main trio are never anything less than devastating.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy the next best thing: cronuts. The craze has swept New Yorkers off their feet in a bad romance of demand outweighing supply. The sweet and innocent pastry has turned nasty, becoming a lucrative black market good. And who doesn't love a bad boy? Since Dominique Ansel Bakery in NYC's Soho district gave birth ti the cronut in May, foodies worldwide have been flocking to his store. Customers are known to arrive anytime from 3am, five hours before the store opens, onwards to secure one of Ansel's mini-masterpieces. Not one to be left behind, Brisbane favourite Flour & Chocolate were quick to jump on the bandwagon - and Brisbanites are not complaining. Fast-tracking the idea from the US, they have made this morsel their own and turned the locals-only southside patisserie into a hot Brisbane destination. But what on earth is a cronut? Like a caboodle only edible, the cronut is a hybrid breed of the pastry world. Ansel allegedly wanted to invent a pastry both instantly recognisable to French and American food culture. The cronut is a ring of tasty croissant pastry layered and topped with flavours better-known in donut land - cinnamon sugar, chocolate and salted caramel at Flour & Chocolate. But unlike a donut, the crunchy treat flakes upon impact before your teeth sink into its light pastry layers and soft custard cream. This is what heaven probably tastes like. We'll break the bad news first, our friends at Flour & Chocolate only make cronuts on Wednesdays and Thursdays. But fear not, if you miss out grab a European donut filled with custard, jam, jaffa, salted caramel or sour cherry. These fluffy and sugary rounds of delight also hit the sweet spot. And for the good news, Flour & Chocolate are not the typical suburban bakery. They are artisans of pastry and everything good in the world. If you miss donut days, join them for bagel and brownie Friday. They also do a delicious range of authentic sourdough, their glass cases are constantly full with croissants, brioche, cakes and baguettes, and their window display is likely to be covered in a thin film of drool. Everything is baked using 100 percent organic flour, and for those with an intolerance — some brownies are flourless and the authentic sourdough means it is yeast free. The store also doubles as a fine foods grocer, selling beautiful jams, honey and fresh baked cookies. Flour & Chocolate is a decadent taste of France closer to home. We wish you luck taking home just one treat, I mean surely you'll need one for later anyway, right?
It's blast from the past time, again — and time to spend a couple of nights journeying back a few decades just by hitting the dance floor. Whether you lived through the 90s rave scene, spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s or just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes, Ministry of Sound will take you there when its huge Testament parties return for 2025. Ministry of Sound itself was around through both eras, so you couldn't be in better hands to get retro via old-school 90s and 00s bangers. The Testament events also toured Australia in 2023 and 2024, and will return for another year — including for two nights in Brisbane on Friday, April 4 and Friday, April 11. Each evening is devoted to either the 90s or the 00s, so you'll need to attend both if you want to make shapes to tunes from both decades. But it's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, which means that fans of late 20th-century beats can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks if that's all that you're keen on, while lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. The DJ lineup is headlined by international acts such as Paul Oakenfold, Roger Sanchez, Felix Da Housecat, Graeme Park, Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, Smokin Jo and Utah Saints. Australia's own John Course, Sgt Slick, Minx and Mark Dynamix are also on the bill, alongside over 60 other names across the tour. Your destination: Superordinary, with the 00s night taking over on the first week and the 90s evening on the second.
Have you ever fallen asleep while reading a classic text, and dreamt of something much more lively? One assumes Seth Grahame-Smith has, given that his main claim to fame is taking iconic characters and mashing them up with the undead. Having already seen an Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter adaptation, a big screen take on his 2009 novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies seemed like only a matter of time. Unfortunately, the film follows in the footsteps of its presidential predecessor, failing to provide either laughs or gory thrills. To be fair, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies makes a much more convincing attempt than Grahame-Smith's take on honest Abe. You can see how writer-director Burr Steers (Charlie St. Cloud) is trying to splice together his seemingly conflicting components. Sadly, you can see the gaps as well. It's not the concept that the film struggles with, but the tone and the requisite balance, never managing to be as funny or as ridiculous as its director so desperately desires. The film concerns the Bennet sisters, trained zombie killers on the lookout for suitable husbands. Second sibling Lizzie (Lily James) is less than enthused about matrimony, despite the pleading of her father (Charles Dance) that she think about her future, and the machinations of her mother (Sally Phillips) to see her daughters married off to wealthy men. As her sister Jane (Bella Heathcote) courts wealthy new neighbour Mr Bingley (Douglas Booth), Lizzie can't help noticing the stern but somewhat mysterious Colonel Darcy (Sam Riley). He's not the only potential suitor in her midst however, with her pompous cousin Parson Collins (Matt Smith) and debonair soldier Mr Wickham (Jack Huston) also making their interest clear. If the above description emphasises the romantic aspects of the story, it's simply taking its cues from the film. Think of it as Pride and Prejudice with a few zombies thrown in as a gimmick; a way to differentiate the movie from the numerous other big screen versions of the tale. Those familiar with Austen's prose might raise a smile as Lizzie's headstrong ways find a perfect outlet in combat, and will likely enjoy scenes of banter paired with physical duels. As a matter of fact, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies offers a surprisingly serviceable interpretation of its original source material. Those after literal brains, however, will find very little in the blood and gore department. What Steers fails to realise is that there's more to a zombie flick than talking about them, training montages, and throwing in a few shots of decaying faces now and then. Given the charm James shows as a feisty heroine fending off flesh-eating foes, it's disappointing she's not given more opportunities for action. Along with the rest of the cast, she does her best to act like she's in the kind of movie Pride and Prejudice and Zombies should be, rather than the one it actually is.
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants. Who stars in a movie that’s as much fun for the young-at-heart as it is for the young-in-years? And perhaps even more so? SpongeBob SquarePants. Yes, that absorbent, yellow and porous fellow is back for his second big-screen outing, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. And yes, it really is entertainment for all ages. Here, the titular Bikini Bottom dweller and fast food fry cook (voiced by Tom Kenny) faces a familiar situation oft-seen in the TV series: stopping villainous rival restaurant owner, the pint-sized Plankton (Doug Lawrence), from stealing the secret formula behind the Krusty Krab's krabby patties everyone can't get enough of. Alas, more sinister shenanigans are also afoot thanks to the scheming of pirate Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas), who has his own plans for the recipe, as well as a magical, future-changing book. In its nine television seasons to date, SpongeBob has always tread that fine line between bright and bizarre, silly and surreal, innocent and absurd, and engaging audiences young and old. The first film based on the series, 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, did the same; however, the latest feature hoists the happy zaniness up another level. Perhaps it is the pedigree of the folks behind the scenes, sharing stints on Rocko's Modern Life and The Ren & Stimpy Show on their resumes. Perhaps it’s the combination of a big heart, an overwhelming sense of openness and a truly offbeat sense of humour. Perhaps, in this instance, it's also the inclusion of a rapping, time-travelling dolphin overlord called Bubbles, voiced by Matt Berry from Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd and Toast of London. If it sounds so out-there that it just might be hilarious, you'll probably find it in the film, including a town turning apocalyptic in the absence of their favourite snack, a war waged with condiments dressed up as a tribute to Mad Max and a superhero whose special skill manifests in controlling ice cream. Think stoner comedy with no mind-altering substances required. Expect 3D antics of the most cheerful kind, interweaving joyful slapstick gags — often based around Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), SpongeBob's starfish best friend — with pop culture references to The Shining and Sergio Leone that are certain to go over kids' heads. And, unlike most similar offerings, such meta musings feel genuine — and genuinely aimed at adults — amid the madcap mania. Living up to the Sponge Out of Water part of its name later in the game, a foray above ground and into live action doesn't fare anywhere near as well as the animated material, coming off unsurprisingly constrained in contrast to the freewheeling underwater revelry — but that's a minor complaint. For fans, spending more time with SpongeBob is always a treat. For the uninitiated, prepare for a cartoon trip that's the very definition of enjoyable, all-ages nautical nonsense.
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to grow, so does the smallest of its superheroes: Ant-Man, the former thief born Scott Lang, who can shrink down to an insect's size when wearing the right technologically enhanced suit. Charmingly goofy and also plain-old charming because he's played by Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door), this petty criminal-turned-caped crusader scampers through his third self-titled film in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania — and the franchise-within-a-franchise ramps up its ambition as more flicks arrive. Ant-Man can expand as well as contract, of course, but that isn't new. What's different, and about as welcome as a sting on bare legs at a picnic, is that the Ant-Man movies are no longer happy being largely standalone jaunts. This threequel has a key series-building task first, foremost and at a giant cost: kicking off the MCU's phase five. The perhaps unofficial job, too: bringing more than a zap of Star Wars into this other Disney-owned behemoth. It's lucky that the Mouse House does have both Marvel and Lucasfilm in its stable, otherwise the latter might be all abuzz about the former's latest release. Anyone who fears that too many blockbusters are becoming too similar won't feel fortunate while watching the new Honey, I Shrunk the Superhero, however, which doesn't ever saddle a character with saying "help me Ant-Man, you're my only hope", but still includes a scene that basically does the exact same thing. That moment is surrounded by shots of zap-heavy fighting in the corridors of an existence-threatening villain's stronghold that could easily be a Death Star, as even the most casual of visitors to a galaxy far, far away will spot. That said, Ant-Man's current escapades aren't happening in the space above, but in the minuscule realm that exists between atoms. At least it isn't called Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Battles. Imagining a world — this very world — where Disney eventually decides to mashup two of its biggest screen properties, and the box office's heftiest hits, is easier than an ant spiriting away strewn food crumbs. It's also a cinch to see Quantumania's similarities to all things Star Wars as the first step in that direction, in fact. Filmmaker Peyton Reed, who directed 2015's Ant-Man and 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp as well, did add two episodes of The Mandalorian to his resume in-between that last flick and Quantumania. But such a blockbuster team-up isn't where this MCU chapter itself heads in its dragging 125-minute running time. Instead, it has the rest of Marvel's phase five to set up, plus a nemesis that'll linger into phase six — so much so that it feels much less interested in Ant-Man than a movie called Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania really should be. That's it's hardly fussed at all about The Wasp, aka Scott's significant other and world-saving partner Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly, Crisis), should come as no surprise, then. In the 31st MCU film's opening beats, Ant-Man is indeed the star of the show. He's a celebrity basking in the fame of being among the Avengers and dealing with Thanos, and he's written a memoir about it — a book, Look Out for the Little Guy, that'll genuinely exist IRL come September. But the bliss of Scott's success gets cut down when he learns that his now 18-year-old daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton, Freaky) has been secretly tinkering with Hope and her ant-obsessed physicist father Hank Pym (Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method). The trio's project: sending signals down to the quantum realm. Hank's wife and Hope's mother Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit) is also unimpressed, given that rescuing her from that microscopic place, where she spent 30 years, was no minor part of the plot of the last Ant-Man entry. Viewers should savour the precious time outside the quantum realm in Quantumania; there isn't much of it. No sooner are the Lang/van Dyne/Pym swarm talking about Cassie, Hope and Hank's experiments than they're all transported to said subatomic space, with working out how to get home far from their only worry. Janet had led the others to believe that all she found when she was gone was nothing upon nothing, but entire civilisations and species, akin to Star Wars' different planets, people and critters with a dash of Dune's and Mad Max: Fury Road's landscapes and themes, lurk below. So does the banished, trapped and genocidal Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors, The Harder They Fall), the time-hopping, world-destroying new adversary who likes annihilating things just because he can — and he desperately and nefariously wants out as well. Various past MCU stars have decried the green-screen acting that's burrowed into CGI-heavy pictures, including Oscar-winners — not for Marvel movies — Christian Bale and Anthony Hopkins. Their complaints haunt Quantumania, a film where almost everything around its cast is special effects, and little that cinematographer Bill Pope (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) could do could salvage the feature's murkiness. Marvel's reliance upon pixels can look stunning, as seen in the first Black Panther, but the quantum realm's got nothing on Wakanda's blandest detail. Any sense of visual marvel has been not only shrunk but dulled. Any sense of anything but dutiful interest shares the same fate. So does the personality that was so crucial to the first Ant-Man, with any signs that Reed once helmed Down with Love and Bring It On absent, and screenwriter Jeff Loveness (Rick and Morty) unsuccessfully attempting to balance comedy with a drudging innerspace-opera epic. Marvel has an offbeat problem: maintaining its sillier, more playful side, which is its better side, has proven a struggle in the Thor franchise and the Guardians of the Galaxy flicks (the third of which immediately follows Quantumania, and looks to be nodding to The Fast and The Furious), too. Although Bill Murray cameos, The Good Place's William Jackson Harper reads minds and Rudd tries his hardest whenever the film dares focus on him, the third Ant-Man is as by-the-numbers and tonally flat as the MCU has ever been. Alongside ditching the upbeat vibes, plus all that open and derivative riffing on another screen saga, the scale-tinkering fight scenes that have been prior highlights make scant impression against surreal backdrops where getting larger and smaller barely seems to matter. Leaning heavily upon the likeable main quintet and a colony of smart ants is Reed and company's solution, but they're all squandered. The formidable Majors lives up to his name, though — one that perfectly fits the pint-sized titular character's big bad, and the figure who'll loom over seven more pictures in two years before 2025's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty arrives. The MCU is going massive on Kang, patently; if only it'd kept the Ant-Man pictures small.
Drinks. Food. Music. It's the recipe for a good time — and, if it's a Sunday afternoon, you're sipping on natural wines, feasting on share plates and listening to cruisy jazz, for a relaxing one too. That's King Arthur's serving of end-of-weekend fun, kicking off at 2.30pm every week. If you've only dropped by for a daytime meal or a Friday night dinner in the past, then this is your chance to do something different in the Fortitude Valley favourite. The kitchen will be cooking up a storm until 6.30pm, while the tunes will liven things up until 4.30pm, with Dan Hirsch and Friends on music duties. As always, King Arthur Cafe's farm-to-table ethos remains, as does the all-Australian beer and wine menu to go with it.
Once the weather gets warmer, things get weirder at Brisbane Powerhouse. It's all in the name of art, comedy, theatre, circus, music, burlesque and other kinds of creative, performative fun, of course. In fact, it's all in the name of turning the iconic venue into Wonderland. Not just a wonderland, the Wonderland — the Powerhouse's annual end-of-year shindig, which runs from November 24 to December 11. If you look hard enough, you might just spy a white rabbit, a mad hatter and a girl called Alice. And, even if you don't, you'll find 31 shows in 14 days, which is more than enough to make you look on in wonder.
What's more spectacular than spending time in Brisbane's great outdoors? Heading outside for an event dedicated to the city's multicultural community. Taking place at Roma Street Parklands from 10am on Sunday, October 10, that's MOSAIC through and through. The returning festival will unleash a storm of world music, dance and food — aka the type of storm that brightens things up, rather than darkens clouds. Multiple stages will showcase performances, songs and cultural storytelling, including sets by The Mad Mariachi, Cigany Weaver and Estampa. A drumming workshop will teach you a new skill, too, and the Rock Around the Wok cooking demonstration will see refugee and migrant community cooks whipping up a traditional dish while sharing their settlement stories. Markets will be selling handmade wares, and an array of international cuisine will also be on offer. So, in-between checking out the stages and demos, you can eat and drink your way through a range of food stalls.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. FAST AND FURIOUS 9 Fast cars, furious action stars, a love of family and oh-so-many Coronas: across ten movies over 20 years, that's the Fast and Furious franchise. It might've started out as a high-octane spin on Point Break, but this long-running series has kept motoring across nine flicks in its main storyline, and also via a 2019 spinoff. The latter, Hobbs & Shaw, actually casts a shadow over the saga's latest instalment. Because Dwayne Johnson was part of that sidestep, he doesn't show up in Fast and Furious 9. He's missed, regardless of whether you're usually a diehard fan of the wrestler-turned-actor, because he's managed to perfect the F&F tone. Over his decade-long involvement to-date, Johnson always seems amused in his Fast and Furious performances. He's always sweaty, too, but that's another matter. Entering the F&F realm in Fast Five, he instantly oozed the kind of attitude the franchise needs. He knows that by taking the outlandish stunts, eye-catching setpieces and penchant for family with the utmost seriousness, these films border on comedic — and by navigating five flicks with that mood, he's been the saga's playful and entertaining barometer. Without Johnson, Fast and Furious 9 isn't as willing to admit that it's often downright silly. It's nowhere near as fun, either. Hobbs & Shaw wasn't a franchise standout, but Fast and Furious 9 mainly revs in one gear, even in a movie that features a high-speed car chase through Central American jungles, a plane with a magnet that can scoop up fast-driving vehicles and a trip to space in a rocket car. The latest F&F is as ridiculous as ever, and it's the least-eager F&F film to acknowledge that fact. It's also mostly a soap opera. It leans heavily on its favourite theme — yes, family — by not only swapping in a different wrestler-turned-actor as Dominic Toretto's (Vin Diesel, Bloodshot) long-lost sibling, but also by fleshing out the warring brothers' backstory through flashbacks to their tragic past. Fast and Furious 9 starts with an 80s-era Universal logo, because that's the time period it heads to first — to introduce a teen Dom (Vinnie Bennett, Ghost in the Shell), his never-before-mentioned younger brother Jakob (Finn Cole, Dreamland) and their dad Jack (JD Pardo, Mayans MC). It's 1989, the elder Toretto is behind the wheel on the racetrack, and his sons are part of his pit crew. Then tragedy strikes, tearing the Toretto family apart. In the present day, Dom and Jakob (John Cena, Playing with Fire) definitely don't get along. Indeed, when Roman (Tyrese Gibson, The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two), Tej (Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Show Dogs) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel, Four Weddings and a Funeral) drive up to the rural hideout that Dom has been calling home with wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez, Crisis) and toddler son Brian (first-timers Isaac and Immanuel Holtane) since the events of 2017's The Fate of the Furious, he doesn't even want to hear about the latest mission that demands their help. The only thing that changes his mind: realising that Jakob is involved and up to no good. Read our full review. VALERIE TAYLOR: PLAYING WITH SHARKS Steven Spielberg directed Jaws, the 1975 horror film that had everyone wondering if it was safe to go back into the water — and the movie that became Hollywood's first blockbuster, too — but he didn't shoot its underwater shark sequences. That task fell to Australian spearfisher and diver-turned-oceanographer and filmmaker Valerie Taylor and her husband Ron, who did so off the coast of Port Lincoln in South Australia. If it weren't for their efforts, the film mightn't have become the popular culture behemoth it is. When one of the animals the Taylors were filming lashed out at a metal cage that had held a stuntman mere moments before, the pair captured one of the picture's most nerve-rattling scenes by accident, in fact. And, before Peter Benchley's novel of the same name was even published, the duo was sent a copy of the book and asked if it would make a good feature (the answer: yes). Helping to make Jaws the phenomenon it is ranks among Valerie's many achievements, alongside surviving polio as a child, her scuba and spearfishing prowess, breaking boundaries by excelling in male-dominated fields in 60s, and the conservation activism that has drawn much of her focus in her later years. Linked to the latter, and also a feat that many can't manage: her willingness to confront her missteps and then do better. The apprehension that many folks feel when they're about to splash in the ocean? The deep-seated fear and even hatred of sharks, too? That's what Valerie regrets. Thanks to Jaws, being afraid of sharks is as natural to most people as breathing, and Valerie has spent decades wishing otherwise. That's the tale that Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks tells as it steps through her life and career. Taking a standard birth-to-now approach, the documentary has ample time for many of the aforementioned highlights, with Valerie herself either offering her memories via narration or popping up to talk viewers through her exploits. But two things linger above all else in this entertaining, engaging and insightful doco. Firstly, filmmaker Sally Aitken (David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) fills her feature with stunning archival footage that makes for astonishing and affecting viewing (Ron Taylor is credited first among the feature's five cinematographers). Secondly, this powerful film dives into the work that Valerie has spearheaded to try to redress the world's fright-driven perception of sharks. Like last year's David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, 2017's Jane Goodall documentary Jane and underwhelming 2021 Oscar-winner My Octopus Teacher, this is a movie about being profoundly changed by the natural world and all of its splendour. Read our full review. MARTIN EDEN The last time that one of Jack London's books made the leap to cinema screens — just last year, in fact — it wasn't a pleasant viewing experience. Starring Harrison Ford and a CGI dog, The Call of the Wild forced viewers to watch its flesh-and-blood lead pal around with a needlessly anthropomorphised canine, to groan-inducingly cheesy results. Martin Eden is a much different book, so it could never get the same treatment. With his radiant imagery, masterful casting and bold alterations to the source material, writer/director Pietro Marcello (Lost and Beautiful) makes certain that no one will confuse this new London adaption for the last, however. The Italian filmmaker helms a compelling, complicated, ambitious and unforgettable film, and one that makes smart and even sensuous choices with a novel that first hit shelves 112 years ago. The titular character is still a struggling sailor who falls in love with a woman from a far more comfortable background than his. He still strives to overcome his working-class upbringing by teaching himself to become a writer. And, he still finds both success and scuffles springing from his new profession, with the joy of discovering his calling, reading everything he can and putting his fingers to the typewriter himself soon overshadowed by the trappings of fame, a festering disillusionment with the well-to-do and their snobbery, and a belief that ascribing worth by wealth is at the core of society's many problems. As a book, Martin Eden might've initially reached readers back in 1909, but Marcello sees it as a timeless piece of literature. He bakes that perception into his stylistic choices, weaving in details from various different time periods — so viewers can't help but glean that this tale just keeps proving relevant, no matter the year or the state of the world. Working with cinematographers Alessandro Abate (Born in Casal Di Principe) and Francesco Di Giacomo (Stay Still), he helms an overwhelmingly and inescapably gorgeous-looking film, too. When Martin Eden is at its most heated thematically and ideologically, it almost feels disquieting that such blistering ideas are surrounded by such aesthetic splendour, although that juxtaposition is wholly by design. And, in his best flourish, he enlists the magnetic Luca Marinelli (The Old Guard) as his central character. In a performance that won him the Best Actor award at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Marinelli shoulders the eponymous figure's hopes, dreams and burdens like he's lived them himself. He lends them his soulful stare as well. That expression bores its way off the screen, and eventually sees right through all of the temptations, treats and treasures that come Eden's way. Any movie would blossom in its presence; Martin Eden positively dazzles, all while sinking daggers into the lifetime of tumult weathered by its titular everyman. THE MOLE AGENT At this year's Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences anointed the past year's best documentary, as it usually does — deciding that the standout factual film of the year told a tale about a man and his bond with a sea creature. My Octopus Teacher falls into a busy genre of films about being forever shaped and altered by the earth's natural splendour (see also: Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks), but it isn't the only one of 2021's nominees that demonstrates how unexpected connections can reap rewards, insights and new perspectives. Chilean doco The Mole Agent does the same, albeit in a vastly dissimilar manner. Its focus: an elderly man hired by a private investigator to go undercover in a retirement home. Rómulo Aitken's client suspects that the facility may be blighted by elder abuse, so he needs someone who'll blend in to do his sleuthing. Answering an advertisement for someone aged between 80 and 90, octogenarian and recent widower Sergio Chamy couldn't be more keen for the gig. He doesn't quite have a handle on the technology he'll need to use, despite trying to claim otherwise. Indeed, when he tries to show Rómulo that he can use a smartphone, he takes countless photos while claiming he's snapping none. Still, he's boundlessly eager to distract himself from his grief by taking on a new adventure, making new friends, and even learning a thing or two. For the mostly female residents at El Monte's San Francisco Nursing Home, for Rómulo and for filmmaker Maite Alberdi (The Grown-Ups) alike, Sergio is a dream — even though he's definitely not your usual spy or detective. He doesn't always fulfil his assigned tasks as asked, but he's a delight to spend time with as he endeavours to record what's going on at the home via his hidden camera-equipped glasses and pen. As they explain again and again in candid and lively chats to camera (presumably because they think they're being filmed for a more traditional type of doco), the women he's now sharing a facility with definitely agree that he's a charmer. In fact, Sergio is so charismatic that he fails to simply blend in, observe and report back. He's also a much-needed and -welcomed source of kindness and comfort to the home's residents, many of whom have no other company to turn to, and it's these interactions he largely documents in his dispatches to Rómulo via WhatsApp. Alberdi still charts his overall mission, but his general presence elicits just as much interest. With a crown for king of the home coming his way, and many of his peers fawning of him, there's much to chronicle. In her third film to focus on the elderly (after La Once and short I'm Not from Here) Alberdi sees the change he brings to people who haven't been paid this much attention in years, and also the change the spy gig brings in Sergio — and sharing her affectionate gaze is easy in this thoughtful film. MY ZOE Rare is the film that nods overtly to more than a few of its influences, yet still manages to inhabit its own niche and no one else's. My Zoe is one of those movies. Its first half bears much in common with 2017's exceptional French drama Custody, while its second half takes its cues from the greatest horror novel ever written. That combination works astonishing (and almost disarmingly) well, and nothing here every feels like a mere clone of better material. In the movie's opening section, Berlin-based geneticist Isabelle (Julie Delpy, Wiener-Dog) juggles the struggles of co-parenting with her ex James (Richard Armitage, The Lodge). They both dote on seven-year-old Zoe (Sophia Ally, The Current War), but they also argue incessantly — largely due to James' dour behaviour, cruel demeanour and ludicrous demands. By the time that Isabelle calls him "just an awful human being" in one of their arguments, the audience is already on her side. They settle their custody dispute, but the bickering doesn't subside when Zoe is found unconscious and requires hospitalisation. Eventually, though, Isabelle has another dilemma to navigate, involving a desperate ploy to get back what she's lost, a risk-taking doctor (Daniel Brühl, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) in Moscow and an option his own wife (Gemma Arteton, Summerland) warns against. Directing, writing and starring here — as she's done with Looking for Jimmy, 2 Days in Paris, The Countess, Skylab, 2 Days in New York and Lolo before — Delpy could've made the relationship and tragedy side of My Zoe into a feature of its own, and then done the same with the science fiction-tinged exploration of loss that follows. Blending the two together befits one of her overt sources of inspiration, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, though. For more than 200 years now, the gothic classic has examined how grief leads to drastic reactions, how science can let humans play god in increasingly bold and consequential manners, and how we're hardwired to use the latter to work through the former, as well as our fears of mortality — and My Zoe picks up those threads, interrogates them with today's medical advances in mind, and turns them into quite the haunting piece of cinema. Both sensitivity and realistic emotions linger in both of the movie's halves, and in Isabelle's actions and choices along the way. Delpy directs herself to a fantastic performance, and pairs her efforts with a poised and empathetic perspective throughout. Another savvy move, and one that epitomises how exactingly Delpy has thought through every detail: that, if you aren't paying the utmost attention during the first half, you mightn't even realise that the film takes place in the near-future. A FAMILY Just five letters are needed to turn A Family's title into the name of one of popular culture's most famous clans. The Addams crew aren't the subject of this Australian-produced, Ukraine-shot blend of comedy and drama, but it does delve into the creepy, kooky and mysterious anyway. The feature debut of director Jayden Stevens — who co-wrote the script with his cinematographer Tom Swinburn (Free of Thought) — the absurdist gem spends time with the stern-faced Emerson (first-timer Pavlo Lehenkyi). With none of his family around for unexplained reasons, he pays other Kiev locals to play their parts, staging dinners, Christmas parties and everyday occasions. They eat, chat and do normal family things, all for Emerson's camera. His actors (including Maksym Derbenyov as his brother and Larysa Hraminska as his mother) all need to stick to his script, though, or he'll offer them a surly reprimand. Olga (Liudmyla Zamidra), who has been cast as his sister, struggles the most with her role. She's also the member of this little faux family that Emerson is particularly drawn to. Her own home life with her mother Christina (Tetiana Kosianchuk) is far from rosy, with the pair suffering from her dad's absence, so eventually Olga decides that Emerson's role-play game might work there as well. A Family is a film of patient and precise frames, awkwardly amusing moments, and bitingly accurate insights into the ties that bind — whether of blood or otherwise. It's a movie that recognises the transactional and performative nature of many of life's exchanges, too, and ponders how much is real and fake in both big and seemingly inconsequential instances. To perfect all of the above, Stevens walks in Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite), Aki Kaurismäki (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope) and even the usually inimitable David Lynch's shoes. His feature is austere, deadpan and surreal all at once, and smart, amusing and savage at the same time as well. Indeed, if a bigger-name filmmaker had made this purposefully and probingly off-kilter picture, it would've likely proven a film festival darling around the globe. A Family did start its big-screen run at a fest, at the Melbourne International Film Festival back in 2019. Now reaching Australian cinemas after a year that's seen everyone either spend more time with or feel more physical distance from their nearest and dearest, it feels doubly potent. Every lingering image shot by Swinburn — and all of the pitch-perfect performances that he captures — speak loudly to the cycle of yearning and disconnection that comes with being alive, and that never stops being put under a microscope. FROM THE VINE Uprooting to Italy on a whim is bound to change your life, and no one needs a movie to tell them that. Plenty of films keep stressing the message, though; if Under the Tuscan Sun and Eat Pray Love didn't get the idea across, 2020's Made in Italy tried to, and now From the Vine does the same. The only new things that this latest sun-dapped European-set jaunt has to add to its concept: talking vines, and reminders that the corporate world cares for no one and small towns can struggle. So, this movie trades in fantasies and the obvious, and does so several times over. It also relies heavily upon rural Italy's obvious scenic sights, thanks to frequently used drone shots of Acerenza, the quaint Potenza spot where the bulk of the movie is set. Lawyer-turned-car manufacturing company CEO Marco Gentile (Joe Pantoliano, Bad Boys for Life) was born and raised locally, but left as a child; however, it's the first place he thinks of heading when he quits his job after a tussle with the board over sustainability. His wife Marina (Wendy Crewson, The Nest) refuses to go with him, and their daughter Laura (Paula Brancati, Workin' Moms) is certain he's having a midlife crisis — but, after making the trip, reacquainting himself with the locals and setting back into his late grandfather's own vineyard, he realises he's found la dolce vita. From the Vine has Marco and Marina chat about La Dolce Vita, the 1960 classic, and about the Audrey Hepburn-starring Roman Holiday, too — in case the themes and messages the film is going for really weren't clear enough. They are, of course; working with a script adapted from Kenneth Canio Cancellara's novel Finding Marco by screenwriter Willem Wennekers (Buckley's Chance), filmmaker Sean Cisterna (Full Out) loves spelling out as much as possible. Not a single character seems to have a thought they don't overtly state, every plot development is telegraphed as far ahead as the movie can manage, and stressing the apparent idyll by shoehorning in yet another scenery shot happens again and again. Then there's those talking vines, as well as scenes where the adult Marco chats with his grandfather's ghost. Apparently viewers wouldn't understand exactly what's tempting Marco to give up his old existence if greenery and the dead didn't chatter. Although in far less challenging and rewarding territory than his past roles in the likes of Memento and The Sopranos, Pantoliano is the best thing about this dully formulaic flick — a result that also fits a template. Christopher Walken was in the same situation just last week with Percy vs Goliath, in fact. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; and June 3 and June 10. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
If you're craving decadence after a day on the water, Tamarind Restaurant will put a fresh wind in your sails. The multi-award-winning restaurant combines Australian cuisine, local produce and exceptional service for dinner between Tuesday–Saturday. Start with the kangaroo fillet tataki with pepper berry, bush plum and betel spice and follow it up with the slow-braised duck curry loaded with lychee, caramel pumpkin and spiced peanuts or paperbark-roasted salmon with local reef fish ravioli, fried soft-shell crab and lemon verbena emulsion. If making decisions is something you like to leave behind while on holidays, opt for the five-course tasting menu to take the work out of it.
Summer has finally rolled around, and what better time to catch up with your mates than when the sun is shining, the wine is flowing and the silly season is in full swing? If you've been so focused on getting through the year (ditto) and you haven't made a booking yet, we've thrown together a list of excellent catch-up ideas to (not) plan, with help from our mates at Jacob's Creek. Don't miss out on the friends-mas party everyone forgot to organise with one of these ideas. AGNES, FORTITUDE VALLEY If you're looking to impress some out-of-towners or perhaps a new boo with the very best of Brisbane, you must put Agnes on the list. Touted as one of the best new openings in Brisbane in 2020, it's a little bit fancy, a little bit intimate and very suitable for a rendezvous with your favourite humans. The menu is centred around one thing: fire. This means every single dish on the menu has been cooked over woodfire. What better way to prove to your interstate besties that Brisbane really does measure up in the fine dining department? [caption id="attachment_697318" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Grace Smith[/caption] PIG 'N' WHISTLE, FORTITUDE VALLEY There's nothing better than a cheek Sunday sesh during summer. Throw in a stunning Brit-style pub, a glass of vino (or two) and all your best mates, and you're onto a winner. You can't beat Pig 'N' Whistle for a relaxed-yet-classy pub atmosphere, especially the heritage-listed Fortitude Valley location. If the crew is hungry, there are plenty of classic British dishes on the menu, as well as contemporary Australian pub grub. LEFTY'S MUSIC HALL, PETRIE TERRACE Aah, Lefty's. We've all had a night out to remember at this Brisbane institution. So, it was a sad shock when we learned the old-time music hall and its prized whisky sours were going to be leaving us for good last year. Luckily for you and your mates, the hospitality gods have spoken and Lefty's is back up and running again. That's one major win for 2020, and one you should celebrate with a beverage with your besties. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies[/caption] RIVERSIDE GREEN, SOUTH BANK South Bank may feel like a bit of a tourist location to some locals, but we want you to put that idea aside for just a moment. Riverside Green and River Quay Green are two of the most idyllic spots to experience our beautiful river city and, on a summer evening, there's no place that gets a better breeze this side of the Gold Coast. Settle in for a takeaway picnic from one of the nearby eateries, including the likes of Burger Urge, Brooklyn Depot and Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers. The best part is that you're permitted to drink alcohol at Riverside Green between 10am and 8pm. So, grab a bottle of Jacob's Creek Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir and toast some bubbles to getting through 2020. SAME SAME, FORTITUDE VALLEY Do you love Southeast Asian cuisine? Same. One of the brand new restaurants to grace the beautiful Calile Hotel development is here to treat you and your friends to the fresh, fiery and flavoursome tastes of Thailand. If you're heading in with a group of seven or more, we recommend ordering the banquet menu. At just $65 per head, you'll receive seven dishes, from a betel leaf, sticky pork and prawn entree to a coconut panna cotta, watermelon sorbet and peanut dessert. After dinner, head upstairs to Los, the stunning bar serving tasty cocktails. It's the perfect place for you and your mates to shoot the breeze. PASTA CLUB, WEST END When everyone in your group is hankering for big bowls of pasta, Pasta Club in West End is your go-to. By the team that brought you the super popular CJ's Pasta, this Boundary Street joint is all about heroing local, seasonal produce. As a result, the menu changes daily, which means you can't scope out the menu in advance (though you may get sneak peeks on its Instagram). But, in better news, it's BYO. Just grab a bottle of Jacob's Creek — we recommend the Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz — and tuck into some pasta with your crew. TETTO ROOFTOP BAR, EVERTON PARK We may not have been able to enjoy a lavish European holiday this year, but Tetto Rooftop Bar is bringing the best of the Italian Riviera straight to you instead. Located above Corbett & Claude in Everton Plaza's Park Lane precinct, Tetto is a lovely spot to meet with friends over the summer. Combine a striped umbrella, bougainvillea bushes, a cool tipple, a glorious view and all your best mates and you've got the recipe for a Positano-inspired good time. Our sneaky tip? Head in between 4–6pm from Monday to Thursday to watch the sun set with a glass of $5 house beer, wine or sparkling in hand. Reconnect with your friends and family this summer with a bottle of Jacob's Creek. Discover the Jacob's Creek range and purchase a bottle today from all good liquor retailers. Top image: Lefty's Music Hall. Please drink responsibly.
For more than a year now, we've all been paying extra attention to maps — but not just to show us how to get from one place to another. Thanks to all manner of handy online diagrams, we've been using maps to see which venues have been visited by COVID-19 cases, and also to work out how far we can travel during lockdowns. Now, with vaccinations an important focus at this stage of the pandemic, there's also a particularly nifty interactive map that'll help you work out where to get the jab. If you're familiar with COVID-19 Near Me, the statewide map that draws upon Queensland's Government's register of locations that positive COVID-19 cases have visited, then you already know where to head for this new map. It's actually an added function on the existing website, which now comes with two options at the top: exposure sites and vaccination clinics. Like the exposure venues part of the map, the statewide diagram gives locations specific hues depending on how the clinics operate. A grey dot is used if the clinic doesn't take online bookings, a purple dot indicates that it's an AstraZeneca clinic and a blue dot shows a Pfizer clinic. This map isn't run by the Queensland Government — it's just powered by its official data. So, Queensland residents are urged to also check the official Queensland Health website as well. At the time of writing, the map was last updated on Sunday, August 8. At present, all adults in Australia can opt for the AstraZeneca vaccine as long as you give a doctor your informed consent before you go ahead. Since Thursday, June 17, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended the use of AstraZeneca vaccine in people aged over 60 only due to the risk of rare blood clotting disorders that've been linked to the vaccine when given to younger folks. That change followed an early recommendation back in April, which noted the AstraZeneca vaccine wasn't preferred for anyone under 50. But since late June, as announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, anyone of any age, including those under 60, can still get the AZ jab — after making an informed decision by talking to a doctor. For people under 40 who'd prefer the Pfizer vaccine, you need to fall into a specific group to access it at present, as the nation's vaccination rollout hasn't yet opened up the Pfizer jab to that age group. That means that adults aged up to 39 aren't yet eligible to get the Pfizer vaccination unless you're of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; work or live in an aged care or disability facility; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; are pregnant; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. You can check out all existing COVID-19 vaccination clinics at covid19nearme.com.au. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Images: COVID-19 Near Me as of Monday, August 9.
When Westworld finally returns for its third season next month, it's time for a big farewell and a few huge hellos. Firstly, say goodbye to the futuristic show's status quo, with the series finally stepping outside of everyone's favourite android amusement park. Then, prepare to watch a heap of series newcomers — including Aaron Paul. Yes, the Breaking Bad actor is joining Westworld for its next batch of episodes. As seen in the initial trailer for the third season, his new character was promised a better world, but this dream hasn't come true so he's now searching for something real. In the just-dropped full trailer, we see him join forces with Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood), who is free from the theme park's confines, well aware of what she is and undertaking a similar justice-fuelled search herself. When it comes to newcomers, Paul is joined by Vincent Cassel (Black Swan), Lena Waithe (Master of None), Scott Mescudi (How to Make it in America), John Gallagher, Jr (The Newsroom) and Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy) — with Cassel playing a mysterious figure who isn't too fond of Dolores' plans. Obviously, plenty of familiar faces are returning for the third season as well, including Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris and Luke Hemsworth. If you feel like you've been hanging out for new Westworld for years, that's because the show's second season aired back in 2018. If that seems like a long time between android dramas, remember that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the full trailer for Westworld's third season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDJbFA32_QY Westworld's third season will air from Monday, March 16 — screening in Australia on Foxtel.
If you've never hallucinated a coyote, or simply really really like hot chilli, then get to Kettle and Tin for their annual Chilli Cook Off. If Kettle and Tin's last five cook-offs proved anything, it's that this festival isn't one for the timid of stomachs. Things will really heat up on March 18, when some of Brisbane's best chefs compete to win the event's coveted trophy. The competitors don't mess around, the chilli proves off-the-scale delish and everything from the food to the drinks bites hard. Admission is $20, and includes live music, one free beer and all the chilli you can eat. Our tip: if you're not a fan of spice, BYO milk. The Chilli Cook Off begins at 10am and is expected to run long into the evening, with a zombie dress-up comp, plenty of craft brews and a Bloody Mary bar all part of the fun. If you think you can handle the heat, pack your chilli spoon and head along.
