Making its return after a year hiatus, the German Film Festival is set to shower Brisbane's screens with the latest and greatest in Deutsch cinema. And we really do mean latest and greatest — opening night's true tale The Silent Revolution premiered at the Berlin Film Festival mere months ago, while closing night will celebrate Wim Wenders' newly restored Wings of Desire, the exceptional 1987 effort about angels in Berlin. Screening at Palace Centro from May 31 to June 10, the rest of the lineup spans from stars to snow to psychological thrills, plus everything from biopics to road trips to a beloved German comedy trilogy. Explore the tension of a new couple taking to the mountains in Three Peaks, laugh at the Fack Ju Göthe franchise — about an ex-con trying to get his loot back and unwittingly becoming a teacher in the process — or catch Gutland's account of an outsider just showing up in a small town, featuring Phantom Thread's breakout talent Vicky Krieps. Other highlights include's Mademoiselle Paradis, which delves into the story of blind piano player Maria Theresia von Paradis; 303, a flick that follows a pregnant student driving to reunite with her boyfriend; and 2017 German box office hit Paula, a biopic about artist Paula Modersohn-Becker. Or, step into a dark fairy tale with Heart of Stone, or test your nerves with crime thriller Four Hands. Plus, if you have any young movie buffs in tow, the festival is also screening a children's program called Kino for Kids.
Been meaning to get into stargazing but don't know where to start? This could be your gateway event. On Wednesday, March 23, you can join thousands of Aussies attempting to smash the World Record for Most People Stargazing Simultaneously Across Multiple Locations in Roma Street Parklands. There is lots of starry-eyed fun going down across the country, but the Roma Street Parkland celebrations kick off at 7pm. There'll be a little something for stargazers of all levels, with Dr Karl and Jimmy Giggle on hand to host the proceedings. From 8pm, catch the ABC's live stargazing broadcast on the huge outdoor screen, hosted by Julia Zemiro and physicist Brian Cox. There'll also be telescopes available to order, and food trucks on hand in case all that gazing leaves you feeling peckish.
When Welcome to Bowen Hills gifted Brisbane a new permanent food truck hangout, it borrowed its successful concept from Melbourne's Welcome to Thornbury — and that's not the only Victorian culinary wonder it's bringing up north. If you're a fan not only of chicken, but of "really fucking hot" chicken, then start rejoicing, because Belles Hot Chicken is finally coming to town. It's handy the chain has its own food truck, which is a regular at Welcome to Thornbury. In its meals-on-wheels guise, the east coast favourite will make its first Brissie appearance at Welcome to Bowen Hills across May 25 to 27. Yes, that includes serving up tasty nuggs at the Gregory Terrace precinct's latest niche food fest, aka the upcoming Chicken Nugget Festival. For those new to Belles, the chain operates three spots in Melbourne and three in Sydney, serving up Nashville-style poultry and natural wine. Menu highlights include chicken sandwiches, chicken sliders, chicken and waffles, and chicken pieces served at five different levels of spiciness.
It's a problem that every whisky aficionado is happy to have: so many amber-hued tipples, so little time. Don't just resign yourself to the fact that you can't possibly taste them all, though. Firstly, no one likes a quitter. And secondly — and more importantly — there's nothing to lose by giving your dram-drinking quest a red hot try. Celebrating the annual occasion that is World Whisky Day, the Osbourne Hotel will be doing their bit to assist your noble endeavour, with six hours of sampling, sipping and drinking on the agenda from midday on Saturday, May 19. Plus, in welcome news if your love of the good stuff doesn't match your bank balance — tickets are only $15, which includes your first tasting of either scotch or bourbon. There'll be a range of Australian, American, Canadian, Scottish and Irish varieties on hand, so you can enjoy both whisky and whiskey, with each brand coming up with their own cocktails as well. While you're there, you can also learn about the basics in small masterclasses. Yep, here, you'll drink, talk and breathe whisky all afternoon.
Combining art classes with alcohol: it's a classic example of taking something that's great and making it even better, and it's what Cork & Chroma is all about. For three days only, Brisbane's source of boozy creativity is boosting its wine-fuelled sessions even further — by taking its paint and sip sessions to Good Food Month's Night Noodle Markets. Between Wednesday, July 25 and Friday, July 27, you can head to what's likely to be the busiest spot in the city, get comfy at an easel, drink Brand's Laira vino and snack on Asian canapés. And, you'll be doing it all at the South Australian winery's Night Noodle Market pop-up cellar door. The classes run from 6–8pm, and include talented folks giving you expert art advice, as well as all the supplies that you'll need on the evening. Tickets cost $55, bookings are essential — and expect to whip up a painting inspired by Brand's Laira's Coonawarra home. Drink wine, paint pictures of a wine region... it makes sense, really..
For a few days, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can't charge them, they don't run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won't smash when you drop them and have them lost forever. Yes, Lifeline Bookfest is back for another round of vintage bargains and startling ranges of everything from Australian Women's Weekly Cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica, with the mid-year sale running from Saturday, June 23 to Sunday, July 1. If you're been before, you'll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram and multiple versions of Harry Potter, and you'll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. Prices range from cents to the big bucks — bring a trolley and your glasses and absorb yourself in books. Or, head along after work on Friday, June 29, when Bookfest is pairing late-night shopping with live tunes.
If you didn't check out Gelato Messina's Creative Department last time it made it to Brisbane, then this August is the perfect time to do so — because the gelato fiends are adding truffles to all their dishes. In conjunction with Parksbourne Produce and Oakfield Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is crafting a special seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation for just two weeks. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with this time around? There's a whole new menu, and it's filled with the ingredient in question. Expect truffle oil with grapefruit and ginger granita; truffles with oysters and Kiki kosho sorbet; truffle mousse with eucalyptus jelly and strawberry, hibiscus and berry pepper sorbet; and smoked and cured duck egg yolk gelato with shiitake, celeriac and truffle foam. You'll also be trying the black truffle gelato with potato and parmesan risotto, which comes with truffle oil-infused oolong tea — plus the caramelised oak gelato with truffle and passionfruit souffle. Tickets are $160 per person and, based off how quick these things sell out around the country, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP.
Unlimited seafood is something worth clearing an afternoon for. Unlimited mussels — well, that's something worth a road trip as well. On Sunday, July 29, prepare to head on down to the Miami Marketta on the Gold Coast, because that's where you'll find as many molluscs as you can devour over the course of four hours. A Festival of Mussels will unleash a horde of new season blue-lipped mussels from 1-5pm, with everything included in the $30 online / $35 on-the-day ticket price. There'll also be an oyster bar, although you'll have to pay extra if you're keen on slurping down some shucked seafood. And, if you don't want anything from the ocean for some reason, woodfired pizza and a selection of desserts will also be on offer. Because it is a festival, there'll also be live music to get everyone in the mussel-eating mood. But, let's face it: if you're heading to an event serving up all-you-can mussels, you're all ready primed. And hungry, of course.
It's very easy being green at The Plant Market — and picking up something green, finding something green to put it in and eating something green as well. Brisbane's latest botanical-focused pop-up, the event is taking over the Albion Peace Centre from 10am–2pm on Saturday, August 4, complete with stalls upon stalls of green wares. There'll be plants, obviously. Indoor, outdoor, small, established: they're all on offer thanks to The Botanist, with cacti, fiddle leaf figs and rubber plants a highlight. There'll also be ceramics by Billeta Wood, plus brass pots and vases, vintage wall planters and plant stands. Or, pick up a kokedama and a macrame hanger from Luvia Designs. When you aren't choosing a new green baby to take home with you — or re-homing it on-site at the market's potting station — you can nab yourself some botanical acrylic earrings from September Creative, or snack on cactus cookies and macarons cooked up by Hansel & Gretel Cakes. To top it all off, there'll be a coffee van. You'll need energy for all that browsing and buying, after all.
If you're a beer-loving Brisbanite fond of venturing to Melbourne, then you've probably sipped one of Stomping Ground's yeasty brews. And, you've probably got a hankering for their inventive flavours — a Zoolander-themed Orange Mocha Frappucino Nitro Cream Ale, anyone? Even if you're a newcomer to the Collingwood brewery and beer hall's tipples, there's no need to hop on a plane to get a taste this weekend. On Sunday, June 10, Stomping Ground is heading north to take over the taps at The Mill on Constance. In response, the Fortitude Valley venue is throwing a garage party. It's all about the beer, really, thanks to the kind of brews you don't taste everyday. If the vanilla-laced Boston Cream Donut Nitro Ale doesn't wet your whistle, then the caramel and chocolate Upside Down Brown Ale might — or the German-style Laneway Lager, citrusy Hop Stomper IPA or good ol' Passionfruit Sour.
Every Monday night, Salt Meats Cheese Gasworks serves up slices upon slices of pizza — and a few extra slices just for good measure. While that might sound like a regular evening at the Skyring Terrace eatery, there's nothing like an all-you-can-eat night. But if you're a vegan, you might've been holding back. Fancy as much pizza as you can handle, but without any animal products? Then mark Tuesday, June 19 in your diary. From 5pm, SMC will serve up unlimited vegan slices for $20. "Does this look like someone who's had all they can eat?" isn't something you'll be saying, so calm your inner Homer Simpson. The only catch is that you'll have to buy a drink as well, but you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. As for the pizza lineup, patrons can choose from six varieties, including margherita with not-zzarella cheese, eggplant with basil salsa, roasted potato with garlic and rosemary, and pumpkin with spinach and walnuts. Or, opt for the vegetariana, which combines tomato, zucchini, eggplant and roasted red capsicum — or the absolute must-taste slice that is the truffle and mushroom.
Between Thursday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 15, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs an extra gift. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, their daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to either of the chain's two Brisbane locations in New Farm and Petrie Terrace across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you a fiver, plus an online booking fee of $1.50. Want to see Mission: Impossible — Fallout with your friends on a Saturday night? It'll cost you $6.50 in total. Keen to laugh your way through The Breaker Upperers after work one afternoon? Still $6.50 all up. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for little more than the price of a cup of coffee, so you will want to nab your tickets online and pay the fee. And if you're wondering what $5 Movie Week is all about, Palace is about to launch its new rewards club. Consider this the first reward — although you don't need to be a member to benefit. Image: Palace Barracks.
Good Food Month is here for 2018, which means it's time to jump around town and enjoy the best meals and beverages that Brisbane has to offer. Or, you could just block out every weekend morning across the month and make plans to tuck into the best meal of the day — with unlimited mimosas and bloody marys. That's what Pourboy is serving up on Saturdays and Sundays throughout July, with the venue's Bottomless Boozy Brunch running from 10am–2pm. It's the drinks that won't stop at the South Brisbane eatery — well, at least within the allocated time slot. Food-wise, you can choose from one of four breakfast options. Seeing your morning slide into the afternoon with a drink in hand will set you back an affordable $39 per person. Unsurprisingly, bookings via email or phone are highly recommended, so gather the gang and plan ahead.
Three days. One pub. Plenty of German-themed food, beverages and entertainment. That's what's on the agenda at the Regatta's German Festival, which comes to the Toowong hangout between Friday, October 12 and Sunday, October 14. As you've no doubt noticed, the shindig takes place during the month that's all about brews, pretzels and pretending you're in Europe — so you may as well grab a stein and say "prost!" to the occasion. To help, expect German musicians to play a spritely tune, while a selection of draught and bottled beers, and German liqueurs and wines will also assist. Upping the ante even further, there'll be a jägermeister ice luge, too. The food menu has yet to be revealed, but you can safely start salivating over pork and baked treats, two staples of every German-themed menu. It all takes place in the Regatta's laneway, and entry is free. You'll still have to pay for whatever you'd like to eat and drink, but it's cheaper than a plane ticket.
Like ramen? Like the brothy noodle soup more when it doesn't include any animal products? So do I Like Ramen. That's the eatery's domain, and the reason that the Gold Coast joint has built up a name for itself — but for three Sundays only, it's bringing its dishes to Brisbane. In fact, it's bringing them to a rather unlikely place in The Coop; however rest assured, there won't be any real chicken in the chick'n white miso (or any bone broth in the boneless broth, either). Other varieties include mushroom in an earthy shiitake and soy soup, kimchi with plenty of spice, and 'mean green', which involves spinach, bok choy and wakame. You can also opt for a combo of any two types, a super-full loaded bowl, or something non-soupy courtesy of deep-fried panko mushrooms or a panko mushroom po' boy. Get slurping from 12pm on August 19 and 26, plus September 2, with ramen on offer for both lunch and dinner. A specially curated array of natural wines will also be available — and if all of that takes your fancy, take note: The Coop will only be accepting walk-ins unless your group consists of eight or more people.
Itching to enjoy the great outdoors, but can't escape the big smoke? Don't worry — you don't need to travel far. Brisbane's Peaks to Points Festival will get you out, about and immersed in natural surroundings without venturing beyond the city. Birdwatching in wetlands behind a Bunnings and taking a bushwalk in suburban parklands are just some of the events on the agenda — alongside spotting koalas, touring tributaries, moseying along mountaintops and planting trees. Workshop-wise, you can also learn about seed preparation and propagation, discover how to turn your kitchen and garden waste into compost, and build nesting boxes for wildlife. Running from July 14 to 29, Peaks to Points is all about showcasing the south side of the Brisbane River, so expect to explore everywhere from Carina, Mount Gravatt and Corinda to Ipswich, Redlands and Logan. It's family-friendly, should you have a little nature-lover in tow — and, even better, the majority of events are free.
A black comedy about neighbours fighting over a tree. A harrowing recreation of the worst incident on Norwegian soil since World War II. A gothic interpretation of a well-known folk tale. A film about an infatuated college student who discovers she has unusual abilities. These are just some of the Nordic films headed to Australia as part of the 2018 Scandinavian Film Festival — and yes, it's shaping up to be a great year for movies hailing from the colder parts of Europe. All of the above titles — the opening night's Under the Tree, Berlinale hit U – July 22, the gorgeously shot Valley of Shadows and the empathetic thriller Thelma — head to the festival after amassing quite the buzz at overseas events, and they have plenty of company. Across the Scandinavian Film Festival's almost month-long tour of the country, between July 10 and August 5, 21 features will grace Australian screens, showcasing everything from the latest award-winners to the career output of one of the region's late master filmmakers. In the first camp falls Border, which is based on a short story by author John Ajvide Lindqvist and just won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes; high-school comedy Amateurs, the recipient of the best Nordic film award at this year's Goteburg Film Festival; and Winter Brothers, a flick about siblings living in a remote region that nabbed nine Danish Academy Awards. In the latter category, viewers can celebrate the life and career of renowned Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in the 100th anniversary of his birth, with six Swedish figures — including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy's Tomas Alfredson — making shorts inspired by the influential filmmaker for compilation effort Bergman Revisited. Other highlights include a semi-scripted cross-cultural comedy about two Danish men trying to set up a dog breeding business in China, aka The Saint Bernard Syndicate, SXSW-standout Heavy Trip, a film about a heavy metal muso spearheading a music festival in a small Finnish town, and The Real Estate, which attacks the chasm between the rich and the not-so in an unflinching fashion. In short: if it hails from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland and it popped up over the past year, it's probably on the lineup.
Everyone in Brisbane has been to the Ekka on more than one occasion, but have you heard of the food and drink-focused equivalent? There mightn't be any rides, sideshows, goldfish, fireworks or flu at the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show; however, there are plenty of tasty delights of the edible and drinkable kind, all vying to be crowned the state's finest in their respective category. Don't worry — if you're wondering why you haven't come across RQFWS before, that's because it's not open to the public. Well, not usually, anyway. Grape Grazing by Night is a delicious, alcohol-infused exception. For one boozy evening on Friday, July 13, more than 1800 wines submitted for the judges' seal of approval can also compete in another taste test: yep, that'd be yours. You'll sample award-winning tipples, snack on cheese, beef, lamb and other canapés, and chat with the experts, all while raising your glass — or several — to the best boozy grape drinks in the country.
If you have a four-legged friend, you'll know that they can brighten your day just by looking cute. If you don't — or you're stuck in the CBD doing the 9-to-5 grind — then scurry on over to Waterfront Place to gawk at the next best thing. Between June 5 and 16, the riverside building is hosting an exhibition by Serenah, the acclaimed pet photographer. With the very apt title It's a Dog's Life, her first showcase aims to celebrate the joy animals bring to our existence. Yes, you should be envious about the fact she's made a career out of taking snaps of her dogs, but don't let that stop you from enjoying the fruits of her dream job. And yes, when you're not fantasising about how you could do the same, you should revel in the sight of Rocco, Ralph, Simon, Garfunkel and Henri looking absolutely adorable.
Maybe werewolves are onto something. Forget their mythical slashing and clawing, and consider their situation in another light: when the moon looms large and bright above, they simply want to head out and have fun. Don't worry, they won't be in attendance at Jade Buddha's Shadow Lounge on June 10 — but the riverside hangout will be following in their footsteps at their Full Moon Party. From 6pm, sitting on the deck and staring at the sky is on the agenda (and eating, drinking and dancing too). You'll have one of the best views in the city, and you'll get a two-hour food and beverage package that comes with canapes, beer, wine, sparkling and Thai bucket cocktails. Tickets cost $35 and cover the revelry until 8pm, with entry free afterwards.
Back in 2012, when Daniel Radcliffe was trying to shake a certain boy wizard from his system, he stepped into a different kind of supernatural thrills. His first post-Harry Potter role saw him take on The Woman in Black — a gothic horror tale that pitted him against a curse and a ghost. And yes, the latter did have quite the fondness for wearing dark clothing. The film adapted the 1983 novella of the same name for the second time, but before The Woman in Black made it to the cinema, it first spooked out the theatre. Because hauntings often keep coming back, it's doing so again, with Brisbane Arts Theatre staging their very own version between June 10 and July 15. If you don't like scary tales about sinister spirits seeking revenge for past ills, you might want to sit this one out. If you love them, then prepare to put your nerves to the test. We're betting that the Petrie Terrace venue will be at their unnerving best for the occasion — it's not every day you put on a show that ranks among West End's longest-running productions, after all.
UPDATE: This event has been cancelled due to permit restrictions. Since it opened back in 2001, you've probably done a lot of things on the Goodwill Bridge. Chances are you've walked, jogged or cycled over it, looked out over South Bank, enjoyed the sunset from its vantage point — the list goes on. And yes, you've probably devoured a coffee or eaten a snack, too. But we're guessing you haven't had a full three-course evening meal on it. For $155 per person, Dinner on the Bridge offers up just that, including three courses of gourmet fare with matched wines and twilight views as far as the eye can see. It's the kind of event that could only be a collaboration, with Stokehouse Q joining forces with Cafe on the Bridge as part of Good Food Month for a night — and plenty of food — to remember.
Once upon a time, going to the circus meant walking into a big top, watching clowns pal around and witnessing everything from animals to tightrope walkers in the ring. Today, that's probably the type of experience audiences are least likely to have. That's right — modern circus looks a whole lot different. The twisting, contorting and flipping trickery remains, but that's about all. Indeed, while Pants Down Circus ROCK! boasts trapeze, juggling and hula hoops among its physical feats, it unfurls them all to a pumping rock soundtrack. Both your eyes and your feet will be thoroughly engaged and entertained as you watch acrobatic displays and try to resist tapping your toes to the accompanying tunes. It's the second show for Pants Down Circus, who won the Best Circus in the 2015 Adelaide Fringe. And it's a one-day, two-session-only affair for the four-person troupe, so we'd advise getting in quick.
Think music festivals are dying out? Think again. Sure, plenty of bigger events have called it a day — but as the old guard finish up, they're giving a swathe of smaller, more specialised, boutique, curated fests the chance to carve out their own niche. Since 2014, the two-day Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival has been one such smorgasbord of creative activities, taking place in the Borumba Deer Park in the Sunshine Coast. Instead of ridiculous queues and heaving crowds clamouring for space in an ordinary city showground, you'll find a laidback vibe, a campground surrounded by luscious greenery, and the chance to go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. Oh, and did we mention that it's a BYO festival as well (though no glass is allowed)? Plus, rather than boogying to all the usual bands, you'll check out a combo of funk, soul, disco, pop, rock, jazz, fusion, prog rock, psychedelia, punk and gypsy acts. Visual arts displays are also part of the Jungle Love experience — and, for the first time, panels and workshops will also feature. While this year's lineup is a "watch this space" kind of deal at the moment, we think buying tickets now is a safe bet based on previous outings. In fact, if you get in early, you can subscribe to a payment plan. Yep, this just might be our new favourite festival.
On July 1, Brisbane's late-night entertainment scene will change forever. With new lockout laws kicking in, catching a few gigs, having a couple of drinks and partying away into the early hours of the next morning is going to be a whole lot tougher — and that's before another round of even harsher rules drop next February. Alas, with just days to go, it seems like the legislation really is going ahead, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy one last hurrah before it does. On June 30, a heap of Brissie joints are banding together to throw a final multi-venue extravaganza. Think of it as a celebration of the city's thriving music scene, a showcase its talent and another protest about the forthcoming situation. Oh, and did we mention that it'll cost you absolutely nothing? Black Bear Lodge, The Brightside, The Flying Cock and The Foundry are the places to head to for the aptly named Brisbane's Big Kick On, with each space highlighting just what makes a night out in the Valley so damn great. They'll have a heap of help, of course, courtesy of a lineup that features Baskervillain, Carmouflage Rose, Dumb Punts, Erick Sanders, Golden Vessel, I OH YOU DJs, The Jensens, Lastlings, Leø, Midas.Gold featuring Gallus, Romy, Shady Bliss, Shag Rock, Surfin' Bird, Twin Haus, Zaped x Groszek, Krasnov and Butterlungs. Now that's how you throw a party.
On any given weekend, Brisbanites have plenty of opportunities to pretend that they're on holidays. No, we're not talking about taking a staycation, as fun as that is. Instead, we're encouraging you to embrace the city's busy array of cultural festivals. Come August 12 from 10am to 4pm, it's the Korean community's turn to celebrate the cuisine, culture and everything else that makes their nation great. For one day only, the Korean Cultural Festival will take over King George Square. Expect to fill your stomach at the many food stalls, and then digest your tasty treats while watching martial arts displays. Of course, the list of events and activities only continues, with the whole affair offering attendees a showcase of traditional and contemporary elements such as meals, music and much, much more. In fact, the range of entertainment sums up the combination of old and new perfectly. After you've listened to pan-sori, or Korean singing, you can groove along to some K-pop courtesy of AO Crew & P4pero. Image: AO Dance Crew.
The first Australian solo exhibition by award-winning New Zealand artist Luke Willis Thompson, Misadventure is a celebratory showcase; however it is also much more than that. Chronicling the first five years of his creative efforts, it acts as a time lapse. Each piece provides a glimpse of his emotions, ideas and artistic expressions at a certain moment, allowing viewers to see how things changed and morphed in relation to his next work. Given that Thompson explores the concept of colonial legacy in his output, capturing and then comparing his efforts over a distinctive period certainly leaves a lasting impact. Across three conceptual sculpture and film projects, he ponders racial politics in a reconfiguration of Andy Warhol's screen tests, and examines social traumas in a pair of pieces reflective of complex histories. Separately, each of the trio makes a statement; together, they shout Thompson's thoughts and feelings at the audience. Evoking a reaction to volatile meanings is what he does best, after all — as winning the 2014 Walter's Prize, New Zealand's most prestigious art award, attests. Image: Luke Willis Thompson Sucu Mate / Born Dead, 2016, installation view: Hopkinson Mossman, Auckland. Courtesy the artist and Hopkinson Mossman.
Pre-loved fashion is the gift that keeps on giving; one person's sartorial trash really is another's stylish treasure, after all. Hopefully, you'll find the latter at Revive Fashion Festival. Yes, it's an event dedicated to all things vintage and secondhand — or a way to spread the pre-loved love. Popping up at the Cultural Centre Forecourt at South Bank for one afternoon only, Revive is a chance to grab a bargain and garner a heap of great outfit ideas all at once. The city's best best pre-loved and revived clothing stalls will be selling their wares at a pop-up market, but that's only part of the fun. Who doesn't want to watch a fashion parade filled with secondhand savvy, enjoy some live entertainment and feast on bites to eat from an array of the city's best food trucks as well? Plus, you can get some sewing and style tips from the experts to ensure you really are making the most of your wardrobe. The fest is a precursor to National Op Shop Week, which runs from August 21 to 27, so consider it a warm-up for all of the vintage shopping in your future.
Sometimes, timing is everything. For the past few weeks, the whole country has been buzzing about the potential privacy concerns associated with inputting personal information into the nation's biggest data collection exercise, aka the census. Now, in an exhibition that has been planned for some time, Marnie Edminston's latest show ponders the same topic. A FAKE Estate presentation that's taking over Metro Arts, A Plant is a Plant contemplates the ever-growing world of everyday spying, because the days of simply placing bugs in lamps and greenery are well and truly over. Espionage has now moved away from targeted individual activities, and become a continuous enterprise used by governments and corporations to monitor as much of the population as possible. And, via social media, it's something that every one of us plays a part in. Just what that means is something the Melbourne-based Edminston, who is the 2016 Metro Arts ARI in Residence, considers in a collection of pieces about some of the irrational effects of increased surveillance. The exhibition celebrates its opening with a shindig on August 17, and then closes not with a bang but with a critical brunch on September 3. Yes, there'll be plenty of food for thought.
Straight white men. They're the most hard done by group out there, if Mark Latham is to be believed. But Korean-American playwright Young Jean Lee isn't quite so sure. Making its Queensland premiere at La Boite following hit runs in New York City and Melbourne, this whip-smart satire strips back stereotypes for a funny, compelling and at times uncomfortable conversation about gender, class and privilege. Straight White Men follows three adult brothers returning to their widowed father's home in time for the Christmas holidays. Progressive and 'enlightened', these are modern men, aware of the advantages they receive as a result of their gender, race and sexual orientation. They even go so far as to play a homemade Monopoly variant called Privilege. And yet despite their elevated social status, things don't seem to be working out in their favour. Directed by Nescha Jelk, the La Boite season of Straight White Men runs from July 27 to August 31.
If there's one certainty in life, it's that drinking and singing go hand in hand. After a few beverages, everyone likes to belt out a tune. However, there's pub karaoke, and then there's Brewski's latest evening of fun. At Opera in the Bar, Dan Dainton from Victoria's Dainton Family Brewery will be putting his vocal chords to the test — but with the kind of music you don't often hear at Brewski. Expect the visiting brewer to let loose with a few of his operatic favourites. Yes, really. Of course, expanding your cultural horizons isn't the only thing on offer, with plenty of yeasty, foamy goodness coursing through taps. Grab a pint of Samurye Lager, Das Duffel Draftt Alt Bier, Insane Uncle IPA, Bad Daughter Choc Orange Porter and Black Sheep Brunch Stout, and then pull up a chair for the kind of boozy show you really won't see anywhere.
Who doesn't love a pre-fest shindig? It's the best way to express your enthusiasm for an upcoming event — and when it comes to Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival, there's plenty to be excited about. This is a festival where you can swim in a creek while watching bands crank out tunes, after all. After making everyone's laid-back weekend dreams come true by announcing that they're returning for another year, the Jungle team will descend upon The Triffid from 7pm on August 6 to reveal the next big piece of the puzzle. Yep, we're talking about the 2016 complete lineup. Yep, that's why they're throwing a rather epic party to celebrate. It wouldn't be a gathering without some friends to share in the fun, which is where the other great part of the evening comes in: the entertainment. Enjoy sets from past faves BULLHORN, Baskervillain, beneb and PocketLove, plus newcomers Lastlings and Yoste; check out performances by Kimera Visual Theatre and Pent Upglamour Productions; dance to a DJ set by Mood Swing & Chevy Bass; and get a glimpse of new live visual art works curated by The Brisbane Collective. And remember, this is just a taste of the main event to come in November.
It has been a century since the First World War rocked the entire planet. While plenty of time has passed since that conflict changed the course of history, its impact is still felt — as is the toll of every other battle that has raged in the years that followed. Timed to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary, Lest We Forget ponders the lingering effects of combat through contemporary dance and neo-classical ballet. Across a triptych of pieces crafted by a trio of top choreographers, the performance reflects upon the way that war can prove inescapable not only for those who serve, but for those who are left behind as well. And, given that it hones in on something that isn't always easily spoken about, it also provides a physical expression of a difficult topic. Accordingly, in We Who Are Left, Natalie Weir tells personal tales taken from poetry written during World War One. Paul Taylor's Company B explores the small-town repercussions of World War Two via a study of contradictions set to the hit songs of the Andrews Sisters, while Ma Cong's The Best Moments focuses on love, commitment and passion as inspired by The Hours Suite by Philip Glass.
Movie buffs of Brisbane, prepare to spend a good chunk of July in a darkened room. After its successful debut in 2015, Queensland Film Festival returns for another year of championing the best in international cinema — and its second annual program is even bigger. In fact, the boutique, curated festival has doubled in size in 2016, with 40 films — aka 20 features and 20 shorts — due to light up the silver screens at New Farm Cinemas from July 15 to 24, and at the Institute of Modern Art at a pre-festival teaser on July 9. Expect everything from gems of the global festival circuit to restored greats, with 19 titles in the lineup screening in Australia for the very first time. QFF 2016 kicks off with a slice of colourful melodrama courtesy of Pedro Almodovar's Julieta, and that's just the start of the festival's ten-day movie frenzy. A collaboration with Studio Ghibli, the dialogue-free animation The Red Turtle comes to Brisbane after premiering in Cannes, as does Morocco-based mountain travelogue Mimosas. Elsewhere, QFF will get loud and terrifying with heavy metal horror film The Devil's Candy by Australian director Sean Byrne, delve into competitive masculinity via absurdist Greek New Wave comedy Chevalier, explore a personal essay of love, loss and a pet pooch called Lolabelle in Laurie Anderson's Heart of a Dog, and take a different look at combat via Guy Maddin's Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton. And then there's the unsettling fable of Lucile Hadžihalilovic's Evolution, the pulpy magic of Anna Biller's The Love Witch, the Guillermo del Toro-championed mystical poetry of Chinese effort Kaili Blues, and Dead Slow Ahead's sci-fi like examination of cargo ships. If some of these titles sound familiar, that's because we've been excited about them for a while now. Plus, because 2016 marks two very important milestones in Brisbane film history, QFF is casting its eyes back to the past as well. First, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the initial Brisbane Film Festival — which actually took place at the movie theatre that eventually became the current New Farm Cinemas — with a screening of Agnes Varda's Cleo From 5 to 7, a selection of shorts and a free discussion panel on fifty years of film fests in the Queensland capital. Then, commemorate 25 years since the now-lost Brisbane International Film Festival started by watching David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch from BIFF's 1999 program.
Whether you live in an airy apartment or spend your time in a cosy cafe, the physical spaces you inhabit are likely to be warm and welcoming. They're a careful product of architecture and design calculated to make you feel comfortable; however not all places boast the same look, feel and atmosphere. Some spaces can be hostile and exclusionary, acting as a deterrent or enforcing forms of power and control. For audiences largely unaccustomed to this relationship with the walls around them, Melbourne-based creative Lachlan Anthony explores the more formidable side of the built environment. Geometric Asylum will turn Metro Arts into the kind of restricted area no one usually wants to find themselves within, imposing limitations on each patron's movement throughout the gallery in order to explore the harsher side of spatial strategy. Wander through the world Anthony has created from July 13, then head back on the exhibition's closing day on July 30 to hear the sculpture, performance and installation artist reflect upon the experience. Image: Lachlan Anthony, Vast Impenetrability, 2015.
Like eating? Like South Bank? Then you're going to love the combination of the two. Yes, it's Regional Flavours time again. If you haven't made it along to the inner-city precinct's signature food and wine festival over the past seven years, don't make that same mistake again. For two days, the length and breadth of the parklands will become a culinary wonderland, complete with themed spaces for all of your favourite taste sensations. At Queensland Taste, you'll find wine, cheese and live music. At the Hunting Club, you'll enjoy beef, lamb and brewed beverages. At the Epicurious Garden, you'll discover where your food comes from. And there's no prizes for guessing what's on offer at Sweet Escape or the Picnic Patch. Want more? How about classes, demonstrations and presentations on everything from recipes for longevity, fuss-free cooking, fancy toast toppings, making Instagram-worthy dishes and turning savoury ingredients sweet, featuring celebrity chefs such as Maggie Beer, George Calombaris, Matt Preston, Adriano Zumbo and Lola Berry? Or a producer showcase where you can shop for the freshest ingredients? Or a long line of food trucks serving up meals for $8 or less? As long as you have a healthy appetite, there's something delicious here for everyone.
For whatever reason, Vin Diesel and the gang have yet to take their globe-hopping Fast and Furious franchise to New Zealand. But if they do, they'll be racing in the tyre tracks of a couple of Mini-focused homegrown films. Back in 1981, Goodbye Pork Pie saw a ragtag bunch of misfits careen across the country's two islands in a tiny yellow vehicle. Driving into remake territory with a newer model, Pork Pie takes the idea out for another spin. When struggling novelist Jon (Dean O'Gorman) fails to win his girlfriend back at a pal's wedding, he decides to try again after she heads down south to Invercargill. Luckily, he crosses paths with Luke (James Rolleston), who's driving a stolen car and fleeing a troubled past. Recently unemployed fast food worker and animal rights activist Kiera (Ashleigh Cummings) soon hops in as well, and the trio of strangers are suddenly on the road to adventure – albeit with the cops hot on their trail, the media going mad, and the entire nation seemingly watching their every move. Will they all become friends, learn life lessons and grow into better people on their journey? Will you see so many shots of a glistening Mini that you'll think you're watching a car commercial? Will the film showcase just as many scenic New Zealand sights as the Lord of the Rings films? The answer to all three of these questions is a resounding yes. Still, what Pork Pie lacks in surprises, it endeavours to make up for in jovial road trip vibes. Put it this way: if you were stuck travelling for a couple of hours with nothing but this movie for entertainment, you wouldn't mind. Even if they don't always prove the best long-haul companions on-screen, it helps that the three central performers make the most of their roles. None of their characters are particularly well-developed, but the genuine rapport between the energetic O'Gorman, charismatic Rolleston and spirited Cummings more than helps pass the time. Writer-director Matt Murphy boasts a significant connection to the original — it was helmed by his father Geoff Murphy, and Matt was part of the crew. It shouldn't be surprising then that the remake focuses on two things that made the first outing memorable: stunts and humour. In terms of the former, prepare for a standout dash through Wellington that happens to involve a coffin, and cars and trains colliding (but not in the way you might expect). As for the latter, it's more warm smiles and light chuckles than belly laughs. The gags are mostly conventional, but then that's Pork Pie to a tee: affable, enjoyable, but not quite as freewheeling and frenetic as it thinks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPJpLfKG1AI
Are you a carnivorous, eat-the-coat-of-arms sort? Think that crocodiles are best served on a plate, rather than roaming across the continent? Keen to sample some of the flora this grand ol' country has gifted us, as well as the fauna? Native & Wild is just the feast that'll let you eat and drink your way across the Australian landscape. On May 8 from 7pm, Catchment Brewing Co.'s latest serves up a dinner that couldn't be more Aussie — and there's not a meat pie or lamington in sight. The menu kicks off with wild boar meatballs with Australian cheddar; wild pepper, black garlic and wild thyme crocodile skewers; and Warrigal greens — and yep, wild is a theme. From there, munch on wallaby fillet with wattle seed syrup and burnt onion, braised rabbit with native veg and bush tomato caprese salad, plus emu schnitzel with outback sea parsley and lemon myrtle, kangaroo sliders with finger lime mayo and quail egg, and charcoal samphire. Aussie spirits, beers and produce will be flowing in abundance, but needless to say, this isn't a meal for vegetarians. Tickets cost $95 per person for the kind of culinary lineup you mightn't come across again.
We've known for a while that the Wynnum-Manly area is brimming with the ocean's finest bounty. In fact, we've even suggested going on a fish and chip crawl there. Who doesn't want to mosey between coastal greasy spoons and eat seafood by the seashore at every one of them? Well, the fine folks in the city's east have gone one better: they've made a whole day of fun out of the bayside's fondness for bugs, crabs, prawns, oysters, scallops and plenty of kinds of fish. That'd be the Wynnum Seafood Festival, a community seafood event which started last year, and will take over George Clayton Park overlooking the iconic Wynnum jetty for the second time come October 7. After 15,000 people turned up in 2016, this one promises to be bigger and better than ever. This time around, there'll be a fresh seafood market, a gourmet food tasting area, a cooking stage and an wine and oyster bar, in case you thought the fest wasn't serious about upping the ante. Favourites such as the prawn peeling competition and mud crab race will return, plus live music, cooking demos, panel discussions, workshops, rides and activities, and market stalls.
With Monster Fest showering Melbourne with an annual showcase of horror, thrills and just a bloody good time at the cinema since 2011, non-Victorian genre buffs can be forgiven for experiencing a severe case of film festival envy. Don't worry, the Monster Fest Travelling Sideshow is the cure for that green shade you've been sporting. After taking the best of the festival around to Sydney in March, they're headed to Brisbane in May. From March 12 to 14, Event Cinemas Myer Centre will become Monster Fest's temporary home away from home with a lineup that should excite and unnerve cinephiles in equal measure. Topping the bill is the homegrown thriller double of Hounds of Love and Killing Ground, which will make you think of Aussie actors Stephen Curry and Aaron Pedersen in a whole new way. Also on the Australian front, shark frightfest Cage Dive will make sure you won't want to go near water. Attendees can also catch the Hitchcock-obsessed documentary 78/52, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and find scares on the road in Canada's The Void. Rounding out the program is classic Italian horror Suspiria, plus the 15-years-in-the-making The Evil Within, as well as heavy metal horror The Devil's Candy by Aussie The Loved Ones director Sean Byrne.
For most of us, selecting our preferred type of alcohol is like trying to pick our favourite day of the weekend — we love them all equally. Alas, Cloudland is determined to make everyone decide which kind of best booze is best — or try to, at least — at their second annual Beer vs Wine dinner. After their first battle of the beverages proved a hit last year, the Fortitude Valley venue is once again putting the two tipples to the test from 6.30pm on May 26. Expect four wines and four beers matched with four courses, complete with Craig from Mezzanine and Hugh from Stone & Wood on hand to help. Come prepared.
Are beverages are on your long weekend agenda? Of course they are — and let The Scratch and Your Mates Brewing Co. help you kick off four days without work in quite the boozy style. The latter has a new dark ale. The former has a bar. Combine the two, and it's a pre-Easter miracle. As well as getting to taste the new tipple, everyone who heads along to Milton's finest dive bar from 5pm on April 13 can also help come up with a title for the new brew. There'll be free beer on offer, and more if you win the naming competition.
UPDATE, September 11, 2020: Colossal is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. It may feature a giant creature lumbering around Seoul, but Colossal isn't your typical big predictable monster movie. In fact, there are plenty of refreshing ideas scurrying around within the latest film from writer-director Nacho Vigalondo, who previously taunted Elijah Wood through a computer in Open Windows, and now saddles Anne Hathaway with a lizard the size of a building. Come for the Godzilla-scale antics; stay for an insightful exploration of the destructive tendencies that lurk within us all, as well as an unexpected celebration of female empowerment. When we first meet Hathaway's aimless, out-of-work writer Gloria, she's a partying mess. Tired of her drinking-all-night ways, her boyfriend Tim (Dan Stevens) kicks her out, sending her fleeing from New York City to her empty childhood home. Though it has been decades since she lived in the small town she grew up in, it doesn't take long for her to catch up with former school pal Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), become boozing buddies with him and his friends (Tim Blake Nelson and Austin Stowell), and take a job at his bar. Binging and benders come next, as does the news that a monster has been wreaking havoc on the other side of the world. How Colossal expands its concept from there is one of the many joys best discovered by watching, but it's hardly a spoiler to say that battling demons, both internal and external, sits at the heart of the film. Connecting a trainwreck of a character with a gargantuan reptilian critter doing more damage than a railroad disaster mightn't be the subtlest metaphor, and yet Vigalondo ensures that the link between the two does more than just hammer home an obvious point. Indeed, examining just how one influences the other inspires narrative twists and emotional revelations, giving the movie the heart and smarts to match the size of its towering central figure. Just as it does with its creature feature premise, though, Colossal takes its underlying ideas a step further. Noting that humanity – collectively and individually – can be as ruinous as a hulking kaiju is really just the beginning. It doesn't escape attention that Gloria is surrounded by a bunch of ostensibly well-meaning men who all think that they're helping; realising just how large a shadow they're casting upon her life is crucial to the story. Indeed, this movie doesn't just tear down a city. It attempts to topple gender politics as well. Monsters, male domination and manoeuvring around both provide meaty food for thought, as well as a whole heap of meaningful material for Hathaway and Sudeikis to play with. Actually, their casting is a stroke of genius. Clearly given the lead role with a knowing awareness of how polarising she can be with general audiences, Hathaway fleshes out a protagonist who initially seems a stock-standard flurry of flaws, bad decisions and grating traits. Sudeikis also gets to toy with his usual persona, dissecting a character that seems on the surface like the kind of likeable nice guy he's played many times before. Just like the creature they're dallying with, however, there's more to each of them than it first appears. It takes a particularly inventive way of thinking to weave all of the above together, and to deliver a mighty fine monster flick at the same time. Vigalondo's brain is clearly wired in just the right way. His love for all things kaiju shines through every time his creature makes an appearance, visually boasting more in common with the genre's B-movie roots than its slick Hollywood incarnations. Still, his affection for his intelligent concept and empowering message stomps harder. Talk about a colossal effort. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOMp9sscNVc
Sitting down, taking pen to paper and writing a letter is fast becoming a lost art. Sitting around and talking about words and correspondence is too. Well, almost. If there's one thing that Women of Letters aims to achieve, it's showcasing the merits of both. If there's another, it's doing so with some fantastic women. For the event's ninth Brisbane outing, new host and co-curator Angie Hart plus founding co-curator Marieke Hardy will help prose flow freely as they take over The Zoo from 3pm on June 18. And, they'll have company: actor, writer and theatre-maker, Merlynn Tong, journalist Pip Courtney, theatre director Paige Rattray, film and TV actor Sibylla Budd, youth arts facilitator Claire Christian and criminal defence lawyer Debbie Kilroy. Now there's a squad of formidable females. As is the custom, each will pen a letter, with this session dedicated to the topic of 'A Letter to My Second Chance'. Hear their scribblings, soak up their insights, and drink wine and eat cheese while you do so. Getting tickets asap is recommended, as Women in Letters is always popular.
Why wait until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to eat, drink and be merry? Saccharomyces Beer Cafe and the folks at Swirl Spit Sniff are in favour of doing all of the above and doing it early — they're putting together a festive dinner. From 6.30pm on December 20, prepare your stomach for quite the feast of food, wine and beer. Four courses are in order, with each accompanied by a matching tipple of both the yeasty and grapey kind. As far as the edible portion of menu is concerned, expect cheese and deli boards, mango prawn cocktails, roast turkey with salad and Christmas pudding with Champagne cream (and expect to feel mighty full at the end, as you should after every seasonal meal). Drinks-wise, everything from Prosecco to Shiraz and lager to Christmas ale will dance across your tastebuds. The whole event will set you back $92.95, but a yuletide spread like this is definitely worth it.
We can't know exactly what every moment in history was really like, but we can imagine. Take the events of 1770 that shaped Australia, for example. Sure, there are plenty of accounts of the first interactions between James Cook and the nation's Aboriginal population; but what was it really like? In a project developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast, East Coast Encounter aims to dive deeper into this chapter of the past. More than 40 pieces by 16 creatives contribute a variety of takes on the significant occasion every Australian learns about in school, courtesy of the work of Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, writers and songwriters. The aim of the exhibition is to bring different perspectives and ponderings together, reflecting upon and recreating the moment that two worlds started to combine. Sounds like plenty to view and contemplate, with East Coast Encounter showing at the Caboolture Regional Art Gallery until January 21, 2017. Image: Gail Mabo, Constellation (2014), Monoprint on paper, 59.5 x 89.5cm. Courtesy of Monsoon Press for Umbrella studio.
She grew up in Brisbane, studied in Paris, lives in New York, and has exhibited everywhere from the Guggenheim Museum to Vienna's Albertina Museum — and now, her work is coming home. After receiving a major gift of her pieces back in 2013, the UQ Art Museum has put together Denise Green: Beyond and Between – A Painter's Journey to showcase the talent of this great Australian-born artist. As the title suggests, expect to feast your eyes on plenty of canvases; however expect to see old efforts as well as recent photo collages too. The collection offers existing fans the chance to reappraise Green's work, while also giving a new generation of Brisbanites the opportunity to discover a local talent. In total, mroe than 100 paintings, drawings and collages produced by the artist will grace the UQ Art Museum's walls, spanning artwork produced between 1972 and 2015. If that sounds impressive, that's because it should — in fact, it's the most comprehensive overview of Green's work ever undertaken in Australia. Image: Denise Green, Woman-Hood, 1977, oil and wax on canvas, 150.5 x 151.0 cm. The Denise Green / Francis X. Claps Collection gifted through The University of Queensland in America, Inc. Foundation. The University of Queensland, 2013. Photo: Carl Warner
Run-DMC did it. Outkast, Kanye, Eazy-E, Snoop, Puff Daddy and Ludacris too. We're talking about rap and hip hop stars channelling the Christmas spirit into their very own festive songs, of course. There's Christmas wrap, and then there's Christmas rap, you see. It's the latter that The Foundry is celebrating at Rap Christmas, as the name really does give away. spacecowboy 4005, Sammrai Samwise, The Archaeologists, Skrub and Syntax Junkies will be slinging words, flinging verse and just being merry, one festive rap at a time. And, because everyone wants to make a night of it at this time of year, that's not all. If you're keen to wet your whistle, there'll also be beer, glorious beer, thanks to the beverage-loving bunch at Young Henry's. Now that's how you put the hops into hip hop.
Break out your best green lycra outfit and get a rum-flavoured ham a-brewing. Throw in a viewing of Lethal Weapon 5, plus a killer rendition of 'Dayman', and you just might be ready. For trivia domination, that is, on one specific subject. Of course, the topic at hand is a certain television sitcom about perhaps the world's worst bar owners. For twelve years now, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has immersed audiences into the devious, darkly amusing and downright odd antics of the Paddy's Pub gang — and if you have a certain sense of humour, you've likely lapped it all up. Now, all that time spent watching and rewatching all 124 episodes to date could win you some glory. Yes, Man vs Bear Trivia is at it again, this time joining forces with The Brightside to quiz everyone senseless about one of the least sensible — yet savagely smart — comedies on TV. Prepare for ample shenanigans and prepare to say "god damn it" a lot, particularly if anyone in your team is called Dee.
It has been twenty years since Kylie Minogue crooned "they called me the wild rose" and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds released one of their best albums. However, you can't just shower affection on something as haunting and evocative as Murder Ballads any old way. You have to do it justice. A bunch of musicians and singers plan to do just that for Wonderland 2016 — and while it might seem as though they'll just be offering up their version of the record, there's surely a reason that this one-off performance has been dubbed music theatre. There's more than a little theatricality in Cave's lyrics and the band's songs, of course, but we think audiences should expect something extra special.
