Everyone has multiple aspects to their personality. Everyone has wondered what would happen if they were all able to interact. No, we're not the only ones. We know you've come across duality, doppelgangers and fractured identities on screen, on the stage and in stories, because artists, writers and actors just can't seem to get enough of the concept. Dark Horse Theatre Group is the latest, courtesy of The Serpent’s Book of Lamentations. The production's title might sound like a fairytale, but its content proves a bit more intriguing. Here, a playwright fashions a tale for all the inner parts of his mind to perform, then watches as they audition, share their experiences and challenge each other to duels, games and battles. It's the type of complex and contemplative show that combines poetry and pantomime — and it's certain to appeal to at least one part of every person in the audience.
Some people take the easy approach to eating and drinking, enjoying whatever comes their way. Some people take things a little more seriously, searching for the perfect blend of the delicious and the refreshing. There's nothing wrong with either method, of course. If you fall into the latter category, though, then you'd best head to Brewski's regular food and brew extravaganza. The name says it all; they don't call it a dinner of oddities and curiosities for no reason. Here, the sublime and the surprising come together to create the ultimate taste sensation. Where else are you going to sample farmhouse ale with smoked sea salt and oyster mushrooms while enjoying a dish to match? That's just the beginning, with the first event of the year — delightfully anointed the funk edition — stepping through four other courses. This time around, Jester King, Brasserie Fantome, Nogne O and Prairie Artisan Ales will be taking care of the tipples, with Brewski’s head chef Tim Sharp whipping up the mouthwatering morsels.
A festival dedicated to listening? You probably think you've been there and seen that before. MESMERISM isn't just a music event, however. Don't expect bands on stage, crowds standing around, or the hustle and bustle that you're familiar with. In its autumn outing, MESMERISM is dedicated to the aural experience, rather than just the acts that make our heads hum and the melodies that make our feet dance. An offshoot of sound and visual artist Luke Jaaniste's residency at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts throughout 2015, it offers a series of sonic immersions of ambient noise designed to entrance your body, mind and soul — or, 'full-body listening', which might just be our new favourite term. You'll enter an emptied out, darkened performance space filled with cushions, where you can lie down, sit or walk around — the choice is yours. On Friday night, you'll bathe in wave propagations and sonic palpitations. On Saturday, you'll consume experimental electronica and beat-based music as a fully spatial experience. Whether you go along to one or both, prepare to have your perspective changed. This isn't just sound — it's art.
Given that the Anywhere Theatre Festival is now in its fifth year, you probably know what it is all about by now. If you didn't before, you did the moment you read its name: this is a festival for theatre that could happen anywhere. Sure, it sounds simple — but anywhere really does mean anywhere. Yoga studios, Boggo Road Gaol, cafes, bookshops, bars, bowls clubs and markets are all set to become playgrounds for the next breed of eccentric, experimental physical theatre, dance and circus. The festival program does feature 57 productions and 337 performances in 24 Brisbane suburbs, after all.
You've probably heard of Oedipus, the fellow from Greek mythology who killed his father and married his mother. He's been the butt of many jokes for centuries, and even has a psychological complex named after him. But, what if he lived today? And what if he was your next-door neighbour? What would he do, and how would you react? Playwright Daniel Evans has wondered just that, and then turned his train of thought into a striking new work. He even won the 2014-15 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award for his efforts, and now you can judge his updated take on this classic tragedy for yourself. Oedipus Doesn't Live Here Anymore follows the famed figure through the sleepy cul-de-sacs of modern Australia. One of the most infamous families in folklore becomes the most gossiped about family on the block, and audiences will be forced to reconsider not just the tale at the heart of it all but how today's communities tackle topics everyone would rather not talk about.
Prolific Japanese sludge-psychedelic noisemakers Boris are well acquainted with sounds of every type. They've released 19 albums full of them in the past 20 years — spanning from doom-laden metal to feedback-heavy acid rock — culminating in last year's release, with the you-can’t-say-they-didn’t-warn-you of a title Noise. It's a far cry from J-pop (though the trio have been known to dabble in it), but still a sound inspired by Japan. "Every street in every city is flooded with massive noise, from people talking, the constant playing of uncomfortable commercial music, so many conflicting sounds in one space," bassist/guitarist/vocalist Takeshi told the SMH. Last time Boris made it to Australia they played their 2002 cult classic record Flood in its entirety. If you manage to bag a ticket to their Crowbar show this month, come prepared for eardrum-popping experimental soundscapes as dense as their discography is in releases. Don't forget your earplugs. Supported by Dreamtime + Grieg.
She takes publicity stills from noir films and gives them her own spin. He is inspired by natural surroundings. Together, they are Jane Ianniello and Sergio Ianniello — and Noirscapes & Naturescapes is their shared art exhibition. Yes, Hollywood glamour, bizarre backdrops and beautiful scenery combine in a show befitting its rather excellent name. If it sounds like it's full of contrasts, that's because it is. The images themselves, the styles and techniques the artists favour, and even the materials and types of paint they each use, couldn't be more different. And yet, the Brisbane-based artists have stumbled upon a combination as daring and dramatic as the '40s and '50s movie thrillers Jane takes inspiration from, and as rich and textured as Sergio's nature scenes as well. It's simultaneously bold, bright, surreal and scenic. Think of it as a walk through film history and a walk in the park all in one.
We've all grown up on film and television shows telling us that sound and space just don't mix. "In space no one can hear you scream," the 1979 science fiction classic Alien told us, and that's only one example; however, Queensland-based artist Ali Bezer wants to prove otherwise. In her latest exhibition, A Noisy Kind of Resonance, Bezer brings the sonic signatures of intergalactic items — think planets, stars, nebulas, comets, asteroids and more — to life. Well, to be more accurate, she interprets an array of eerie and dissonant cosmic noises and turns them into physical objects. You won't be hearing the echoes and static that Bezer contends actually fills space — you'll be staring at it. It all springs from her ongoing, practice-led research into how contemporary experiences of noise can be encapsulated through works of art, and yes, it does look as interesting as it sounds.
Do you have plans for the Queen's Birthday long weekend? If you don't already, you do now. Everyone's favourite Brunswick Street hangout, the Flying Cock, is about to unleash four days of fun befitting the monarch's 89th trip around the sun. That's assuming aristocratic English octogenarians like eating, drinking, dancing and dive bars, of course — but doesn't everyone? Chicken, tacos, sweet potato fries and burgers fit the first part of the bill, cheap beer jugs take care of the second, and live entertainment and DJs until late complete the trifecta. There'll be regal revelry day and night — and even if you're not so fussed about Lizzie, there's still something in this royal-themed celebration for you. Queeny’s Birthday Long Weekend pays tribute to more than just the head of the Commonwealth. QEII might be the guest of honour, should she show up; however, Game of Thrones' Daenerys, music icon Freddie Mercury and any other Queen you can think of will be getting some Flying Cock love, too.
After belting out more than a few tunes in its maiden outing last year, the state's annual celebration of cabaret is back for more music-fuelled fun. Brightening up the Brisbane Powerhouse and a selection of other venues for ten wintry days, it's the only event filled with heart-warming storytelling and fabulous songs. In fact, the 2015 Queensland Cabaret Festival is absolutely overflowing with crooning and comic tales, making deciding what to see a hard task. An '80s and '90s double is probably the easiest choice you can make, the former seeing Michael Griffiths revel in the pop of his teenage years, and the latter guilty pleasures coming courtesy of I Will Survive star Tom Sharah. Elsewhere, audiences can witness rock icon Tex Perkins' take on cabaret, find out the confessions of a Cyndi Lauper stalker, get swept up in the sounds of Cool Britannia and hear the warbling of a celebrity bikini waxer. Yes, this is a festival filled with diversity. Here, as the song says, anything goes.
Lust for Life has already earned the mantle of everyone's favourite combined tattoo parlour, gallery and espresso bar, but it seems like that's just not enough for the Fortitude Valley establishment. They're also one of Brisbane's biggest supporters of creative ladies, as their annual Viva La Femme exhibition makes plain. Could we love them any more? In its fourth year, the creative showcase champions personal views, attitudes and opinions encompassed by the word "woman", as filtered through a rather long list of Queensland, interstate and international talents. That's reason enough to be excited — and that's before even seeing the lengthy lineup of artists celebrate femininity through whichever medium takes their fancy. In true Viva La Femme style, it all launches on June 11 with live music from local songstress Seja and tunes from DJ Black Amex; however this isn't just a one-night affair. The exhibition runs until the end of July, which means more opportunities to bask in the glow of more wonderful women. You can also check out Lust For Life's recent renovations as you're relishing all things girl power.
In May 1968, Paris was burning. Not literally, but with the fire of passionate students rioting for social liberties. They weren't the only ones fighting for their rights, with their demonstrations attracting widespread support. During the fray, they papered the city with a colourful array of posters, making their mark beyond their physical protests. Now, almost 50 years later, artwork from the period tells a story — and it's one that Brisbane collector Ian Thompson has spent quite some time piecing together. For seven years, he's been collating original posters, newspapers, books and more, finding items that weren't meant to last but relate a tale that's certain to endure. For the first time, he's opening his treasure trove of artefacts to Brisbane and sharing the passion contained within them. It's not quite the same as being there, but it's the closest you're likely to get to reliving this stunning chapter of history. Images via Documents from May 1968.
Juliette Binoche stars as an actress adapting to the expectations of her age, Kristen Stewart argues the merits of mainstream entertainment, and Chloë Grace Moretz arrives as the next big thing. In Clouds of Sils Maria, art may appear to imitate life — and it does, and it knows it — but there's more to Olivier Assayas' film than that. Much more. Binoche plays Maria Enders, a screen veteran who first came to fame in the play Maloja Snake by Wilhelm Melchior. Twenty years later, she's poised to pay tribute to the writer and director at an event in Zurich; however, mid trip, news arrives of his death. Supported by her assistant, Valentine (Stewart), she reluctantly agrees to participate in a new staging of Melchior's production, co-starring rising starlet Jo-Ann Ellis (Moretz). Once Maria was the hot young ingénue of the piece; now she's the obsessed older woman. The film may spend much of its time in the titular region — one known, yes, for cloud formations that weave through the mountains like a serpent — yet where Clouds of Sils Maria clearly resides is in the space between then and now in the abstract sense. The past and the present clash furiously before Maria's eyes, as she copes not only with her friend's passing but with saying goodbye to her youth. In scenes between Binoche and Stewart, this couldn't be more apparent, even though the latter is her employee rather than her rival. As Valentine helps Maria run her lines, as they argue over whether Maria should do the play, and as they debate the state of modern filmmaking, they're discussing the gap between the old and the new over and over again. Their interplay also mirrors the tension at the heart of Maloja Snake in its power struggles, its flitting between closeness and distance, and its undercurrent of yearning. Clouds of Sils Maria is a conversation-heavy movie, and not all of that conversation works, particularly anything that stems from the play (the dissections of the material within the material are much more effective). Instead, it is savvy casting that helps Assayas' point come across, and not just in reflecting Binoche, Stewart and Moretz's off-screen realities, but in their talents. The savviest stroke of casting, and the film's best performance, belongs to Stewart. She won a César Award for her role — and became the first American actress to do so in the process. It's not that the Twilight star is a revelation, more that her skills are just so perfectly suited to the part. When the camera isn't focusing on the film's three leading ladies, it has plenty of location eye candy to rove over, and rove it does. Assayas creeps and sweeps through the setting just like the clouds lingering above, the frame — and the feature — always seeming like it is floating. Perhaps that's why Clouds of Sils Maria feels like it washes over the viewer, instead of just being watched. As it uses nature to comment on authenticity and well-known stars to comment on celebrity, perhaps that's why it also feels immersive yet just out of reach, as well.
Welcome to the Awesome Ocean Party, aka the party you never knew you always wanted to go to. Your host is half human and half octopus, and she'll be telling you a tale of love, loss, longing and legends of amphibious family histories at her birthday celebration. At this surreal and silly shindig, you'll share a drink, eat some cake and perhaps make a new friend or two. You'll also enjoy the public premiere of Giema Contini’s first solo work, with one of Brisbane's most celebrated performers branching out after her time working with La Boite Theatre Company, Motherboard Productions and Dead Puppet Society. May 14-16 and 21-23, 7.30pm. This is one of our top five picks of the Anywhere Festival. Check out the rest.
An important topic, tied into a heartbreaking plight, deserves a film that does it justice. In tackling the equality of homosexual partners through the true tale of New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester and her spouse Stacie Andree, Freeheld isn't that film. Instead, it's a feature that knows the significance of the story it's telling and the subject it's covering, but remains happy staying in movie-of-the-week territory. When Freeheld opens, Laurel (Julianne Moore) is one of Ocean County's best cops, giving her job her all alongside fellow officer Dane Wells (Michael Shannon). She's also the type to keep her professional and personal lives separate, until an advanced lung cancer diagnosis forces her hand. Wanting to ensure that Stacie (Ellen Page) can remain in their home when she passes away, Laurel applies for her pension benefits to go to her registered domestic partner. The powers-that-be — the board of chosen freeholders, or the county governing body — decline her request, which inspires Laurel to fight for her civil rights. Though director Peter Sollett (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist) and writer Ron Nyswaner (The Painted Veil) approach their topic with noble intentions and an obvious, earnest dose of sincerity, there's a difference between being sympathetic and being simplistic — and sadly, their efforts strive for the former but side with the latter. Even with a legal fight at the centre of the narrative, there are few complications in Freeheld, and those that exist are designed to push emotional buttons. As a result, the script cycles through a checklist of the expected elements — hospital scenes, unsupportive colleagues, courtroom arguments and an ambitious activist lawyer (Steve Carell) among them — with little in the way of nuance. Audiences aren't ever in the dark about what they're supposed to be feeling, given that the film's soft tones offer a visual reminder of the gently moving territory it's trying to play in. Of course, Freeheld's generic air and approach isn't really conducive to wringing tears out of viewers, although that's what it is clearly trying to do — and what an account of the real-life circumstances should result in. Thankfully, the bulk of the cast fares better. Moore might remain in the same illness-centric territory that won her an Oscar this year for Still Alice, but in early scenes that show the way Laurel has to manage the different parts of her life, she makes the character more than a beacon for a cause. Page makes the most of a smaller part, even though she's very much the supporting player. In fact, she is often overshadowed by the excellent Shannon in a much quieter turn than he's frequently asked to give, and who becomes the feature's preferred point of focus. That's yet another of the odd choices Freeheld makes in its unsatisfying attempt to bring Laurel and Stacie's story to the screen, in an effort that has its heart in the right place, but not much else. For those looking for a film that actually does their tale justice, the short, Academy Award-winning 2007 documentary of the same is a much better choice, with fact winning out over a sentimental, dramatic version.
Ever wondered what Brisbane must've been like during the unpredictable days of World War Two? Well, wonder no longer. The Bulimba Opera takes audiences back to a time when conflict and combat was a reality, as set in the titular, inner-eastern, riverside suburb, and belted out in operatic ballad form. The performance follows Jimmy, who has hit the skies with an important task. He's transporting important documents for General Douglas McCarthy and the war effort; however the threat of air strikes is real and constant. In his tale, a heartbreaking love story and an epic drama unravels. Marking the second innovative artistic collaboration between Blue Roo and Opera Queensland/Open Stage following 2014's well-received Song Circle, The Bulimba Opera offers up a slice of local history — all played out on the stage of a local landmark. The narrative promises to be intimate, and the production promises a spectacle, as well as a cast of powerful voices.
If you have an observant eye, you've might've spotted the work of Brisbane illustrator Niqui Toldi — aka Milkitea — around the place. In the past few years, she has created artwork for The Peel Street Band and The Rational Academy. Her style: well, let's just say you'd know if you'd seen it. Whether you're familiar with her pieces or you're keen to discover a new creative force, Junky Comics' latest artistic foray has you covered. Unbeing highlights her efforts across digital prints, screen prints and paintings, and also marks her first-ever solo show. The exhibition presents a series of personal works that explore inadequacy, vulnerability and anxiety. Individually, each piece is designed to represent a fragment of the incomplete self. As a whole, they add up to much more — including a great showcase of Toldi's efforts, which kicks off with an opening night event on November 6, then runs through until the end of the month.
Brisbanites, prepare to take your love of the outdoors to its fanciest extreme. You'll get some fresh air, party by the river and swing a mallet. That's right — the Royal Croquet Club is about to make its Queensland debut. After wowing Adelaide since 2013 and Melbourne earlier this year, November 6 marks Brisbane's turn to enjoy an all-ages festival dedicated to the pastime many might associate with cult '80s teen flick Heathers. That said, while it may boast four playing pitches spread across South Bank's forecourt, the Royal Croquet Club isn't just about whacking balls around. Think 17 days of food, drinks, music and more summer vibes than you can shake a croquet club at — which is an option here, clearly. The dining lineup offers a fabulous fusion of Asian, all-American and Mexican cuisine. Your stomach will delight at delicious fare from Sin Vida, Miss Kay's, The Defiant Duck, Bao Down Now, The Doughnut Bar and Mighty Mighty, plus La Macelleria gelato and Street ADL bringing their Moroccan-Malaysian tastes up north. Beverage-wise, unique spaces such as the Champagne Bar and Pimms Garden have those particular beverages covered. And then there's the entertainment, including local, interstate and international artists and musicians showering attendees in performances, with details still to be announced. Honestly, even without knowing the full lineup, the Royal Croquet Club already seems to have everything we could want in a late-spring hangout spot: games, sun, shade, tunes and cocktails that won't stop flowing. We'll see you there. The Royal Croquet Club hits the South Bank Forecourt from November 6 to 22. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
The Alliance Francaise French Film Festival is back for its 26th year and with 49 feature films to be screened at cinemas across eight cities, you'd best prepare yourself for everything from the flirting, whimsy, mishaps and misunderstandings that come with French comedy to the passion, ennui, coming-of-age rebellion, thrilling crime and non-conformist romance that come with French drama. Highlights include: gala opening night feature Gemma Bovery, an endearing comedy starring Gemma Arterton that drops the characters of Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary into a small Normandy town; the Saint Laurent biopic exploring the inspirations and struggles of the acclaimed designer Yves Saint Laurent at the height of his career; and Samba, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and star of The Intouchables Omar Sy in a cross-cultural romance that looks at the hardships faced by French immigrants. See more of our highlights in this list of top five films to see at the French Film Festival. The Alliance Francaise French Film Festival is on around Australia in March. Catch it in Sydney from March 3-22, Melbourne from March 4-22 and Brisbane from March 13 – April 1. Read our top five picks of the French Film Festival here.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the alternative music scene that came before is unquestionably better than the scene right now. It's something we've all grown up crowing (no matter if we said the same thing a decade ago). So we know that the tendency towards nostalgia and a willingness to make heroes out of drunken twenty-year-olds who only released two records is damn near irresistible. For the semi-autobiographical film Lucky Them, this kind of nostalgia is both the target and the appeal. Loosely based on the experiences of screenwriter Emily Wachtel in the New York music scene, the film is set in Seattle, the birthplace of grunge, and spends equal time exposing nostalgia and falling right into its trap. Lucky Them tells the story of an aimless music journalist, Ellie Klug (Toni Collette), as she searches for an acclaimed Seattle musician, who supposedly died years earlier. Ellie is initially reluctant to uncover the whereabouts of her former lover and music idol, and she struggles to find closure, while her ex-boyfriend Charlie (Thomas Haden Church) films an amateur documentary about her efforts. While the film supposedly runs close to Wachtel's own personal experiences, in taking on the mythology behind Seattle's music history (where director Megan Griffiths lived for many years), the film manages to feel like a broader story of music nostalgia. The character of the lost musician, Matthew Smith, makes references to the early deaths of Pacific Northwest music idols Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith, and the whole film is layered with Seattle alt-rock nostalgia. The soundtrack that plays over the sweeping shots of the wet, dreary landscape hints at riffs from Nirvana's 'All Apologies', and memorabilia lent to the film by the iconic local record label Sub Pop line the walls of almost every scene, from original Mudhoney posters to gold records from the Shins and Postal Service. These pleasant hometown references make Seattle feel like an extra character in the film. Alongside this, Church gives an excellent comic performance as the eloquent but music-illiterate Charlie and the fantastic Oliver Platt appears as Ellie's editor Giles, the surprisingly patient, ageing pot-smoker forced to deal with shareholder demands that he boost circulation in a fading print music journalism industry. All this makes it easier to stick with Ellie, whose relentlessly immature decisions, alongside the uncomfortably petulant tone Collette uses, make it difficult to connect with her. Although there's a surprise cameo that manages to be charming rather than distracting from the story, it's a shame that Lucky Them finishes in almost rom-com cliche terrain. It's enough to make you wish you were watching Charlie's fictional documentary instead, like the real nostalgia junkie that you are.
The skirts were short, hippies were groovy, and if you didn’t love The Beatles, then you loved The Rolling Stones. Teens danced on television shows, and everyone wanted to be a star. Or at least that’s what movies about the '60s have told us. One film in particular has shaped the views of those who weren’t alive at the time, one made in the 1980s yet set two decades prior. Hairspray has been restaged on Broadway and remade featuring Zac Efron, but there’s nothing like the original. John Waters’ cult classic made a star out of Ricki Lake, and also featured the one and only Divine, plus Debbie Harry and Sonny Bono. Don’t miss this rare chance to see the movie on the big screen — and if you can’t resist the urge to tap your toes, you’re in for a treat afterwards. Stick around for more swinging sounds, and music clips too. It’ll be just like stepping back in time, minus the time machine.
Love dance, music and movement, but want to see something different? We don’t just mean a performance outside the norm. We mean something you won’t see the next evening, even if you go to the same show again — and after seeing Assemblies for One Body, you might be inclined to. Dancer and choreographer Rhiannon Newton takes audiences inside a living experiment, with minimalism, simplicity and deconstruction key. In a stripped-back space, Newton improvises an energetic contemporary routine, starting every performance with a new series of repetitive and unconstrained movements. She then breaks her unique dance down into its fundamental components, trying to chart their emergence and decay. Swept up in the same spirit of experimentation, collaborating sound artist Kynan Tan shapes the acoustic field that accompanies Newton’s display, with the entire show played live and taking place inside an installation of eight subwoofer piles. The end result is a shuddering expression of bodies, sounds and space that changes night after night.
Are you ready to laugh? Of course you are — and hopefully your stomach muscles and lung capacity are primed for the next month of funniness, too. That’s right, from February 24 to March 22 it’s Brisbane Comedy Festival time, when the Brisbane Powerhouse becomes the home of humour, and your insides hurt from constant chuckling. It is easy to forget that BCF is still a relatively new event, probably because each festival’s lineup reads like a seasoned comedy roster. In only the seventh year that Brisbane has had its own celebration of hilarity, the best in local talent and a smattering of overseas stars combine once more, with more than 40 acts stepping up to the mic. Ogling the program is the easy part; narrowing down who and what to see is much harder. For that, here are our top ten BCF picks.
You’ve seen him on Would I Lie To You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Stewart Lee’s Alternative Comedy Experience, and now you can see him in person. Paul Foot is so left field, he’s unlike any other comedian to grace the Brisbane Comedy Festival stage — and yes, that’s a good thing. If the unusual title of his show doesn’t let you know that you’re in for something special, perhaps his many awards — including Best International Act at both the Sydney and Perth Comedy Festivals in 2014 — will. And if you’re not familiar with his stream-of-consciousness collection of random thoughts, that might even be for the best. You can only discover him for the first time once, after all.
Naming the sequel to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel probably didn’t cause any headaches or sleepless nights. There’s no unsightly numeral at the end, but the film’s follow-up status is still made clear, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel saying everything a movie title needs to say. It's the same older folks getting up to the same old tricks. The film opens in the United States, the perpetually cranky Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and always-eager Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) trying to convince an American company to fund their expansion plans; however, that’s just window dressing. Soon they return to Jaipur, to their home away from home for more mature travellers, and to the recognisable faces of their long-term residents. Everyone’s problems may be new, be it a job offer, romantic entanglements, health ailments, impressing a hotel inspector, fending off rivals or preparing for impending nuptials, but there’s nothing different about the dynamic. Indeed, anyone who has seen the first movie — or anything any of the high-profile ensemble cast have ever been in — already knows exactly how everyone behaves, and how everything plays out. As will-they-or-won’t-they couple Evelyn and Douglas, Judi Dench is wise and cautious, and Bill Nighy is equal parts charming and sweet, their relationship never in doubt. Lust drives Celia Imrie’s Madge and Ronald Pickup’s Norman into their own silly side-character subplots steeped in matters of the heart. When Richard Gere arrives as the visitor assumed to hold the fate of the new hotel in his hands, he’s as suave and dreamy as he’s ever been on film, and there’s a woman nearby to fall under his spell. These soap-like, sitcom-style antics, and Sonny’s in coping with the competing demands of running a growing business and getting married, ensure much of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel plays out like a subcontinent-set episode of Fawlty Towers. Sadly, missing is the wit and satire that made the TV series such a comedy gem. Instead, the laughs here come from familiarity and predictability, rather than any real comic impulses by returning director John Madden and second-time scribe Ol Parker. Part of what endeared The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to audiences — old more so than young — was the late-stage coming-of-age story mixed with an elderly-but-not-out attitude. Both came dripping with sentimentality and packaged as a glossy travelogue, but the movie struck a chord more often than not, and not just because of its immensely pleasant performers. That’s exactly what The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel attempts, but the feel-good strengths of the first film just don’t stretch that far. Instead, cheesiness and cliches fill in the gaps, including the obligatory dance sequences, lest viewers forget there’s an Indian wedding thrown in as well.
Johnny Depp: is there anything he can’t do? Increasingly, the answer is yes, there’s plenty. Or, maybe it’s more about what he shouldn’t do. For proof, see his recent filmography. From being a mainstay in Tim Burton’s movies, to playing Pirates of the Caribbean’s Jack Sparrow, to nodding nonsensically in disguise in Tusk, Depp’s career has become a parade of almost-indistinguishable quirky characters. He pulls silly faces, talks in a ridiculous voice and stumbles around as though he might fall over at any moment. The premises and predicaments change, but the former 1980s 21 Jump Street teen idol doesn’t, apart from costumes and make-up. Mortdecai provides yet another example, with Depp the eccentric art dealer of the title. He comes from wealth – complete with a stylish wife, Johanna (Gwyneth Paltrow), and a loyal manservant, Jock (Paul Bettany) — but owes the British government £8 million. To maintain his lifestyle, he agrees to help old pal, romantic rival and MI-5 agent Martland (Ewan McGregor) recover a stolen painting shrouded in mystery. A Russian assassin and Nazi treasures also feature. The farcical film kicks off with calamity, ripping off Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as a Hong Kong casino rendezvous ends in a shootout, and doesn’t improve from there. Disaster is key to the plot, with Mortdecai an awkward mix of Mr. Bean and The Pink Panther’s Inspector Clouseau, wreaking havoc wherever he goes — including Moscow and Los Angeles. Disaster is also the only outcome possible for a movie that thinks overripe cheese and cheap port are the height of humour, labels one of its three prominent female characters as a nymphomaniac, and wrings many of its jokes out of gag-reflex reactions to moustaches. “You look like you have a vagina on your face,” Johanna tells Mortdecai in response to his hairy top lip. Yes, really. To be fair to filmmaker David Koepp, who previously worked with Depp on Secret Window, he is taking his cues from existing material. 1973 novel Don't Point that Thing at Me started a series about the oddball aristocrat, but whatever cartoonish joys it may have had are lost in this energetic but overworked update. The flimsy script by Eric Aronson, best known for co-writing rom-com On the Line starring NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, doesn’t assist matters. If Mortdecai was trying for a manic, frantic combination of smugness, superficiality, and stupidity, then it succeeds — though surely that wasn’t the aim. As for Depp, he is as committed as ever, but also as tiresome. Sharing zero charisma with his co-stars makes every second he is on screen seem like an eternity; and while Paltrow, McGregor, Bettany, Jeff Goldblum and Oliva Munn easily overshadow him, they do so as stale stereotypes, and clearly bored and unhappy. Mortdecai, the man and the movie, just isn’t something anyone wants to spend time with. Chalk it up as one of the same supposedly comedic efforts Depp makes too many of, and everyone else should be running far away from.
Friday the 13th. Yes, it's the title of a horror classic (plus several terrible sequels and Kelly Rowland-starring remakes), but it's also an excuse to watch some seriously frightening films. The date’s namesake might not be on offer at The New Globe’s night of scary cinema, but you won't go wanting for scares in this round-up of unusual suspects. Australia's best addition to the genre in years, The Babadook, kickstarts the evening for all those who missed it on the big screen last year (and we know there's quite a few in that camp). Then, settle in for a marathon of devilishly delicious '80s trash horror flicks that promise to live up to their label. Because going to the gym isn't steeped in enough dread, Killer Workout sees fitness aficionados killed off one by one. In The Deadly Spawn, alien creatures try to satisfy their taste for human flesh in a small town. To cap things off, find out just why cult classic The Toxic Avenger is the B-grade superhero movie to end all B-grade superhero movies.
One day, you might just be able to say that you saw Tessa Waters way back when. You’ll be able to tell your friends that you witnessed her talents before the certain rising star was a household name, although the way she’s winning awards at the moment — including the Brisbane Powerhouse Award for Most Outstanding Comedy at the Melbourne Fringe 2014 — that might be soon. What it is like to be a woman is her current topic of discussion, something that more than half the population can understand, and the other half should listen to. In her usual clowning-around style, there’ll be booty-shaking, bedazzling costumes and hilarious one-liners as she jumps into the funny side of feminine mystique.
In his third motion picture as writer/director/star, comedian Chris Rock is the funniest he’s been in years. But then again, that’s not saying much. While comedy fiends will always remember Rock for his fearless, foul mouthed stand-up routines, his movie career — particularly in recent times — has smacked of safer choices. Madagascar and Grown-Ups are hardly the best outlets for one of the greatest living comedians to work his magic — which is a big part of why Top Five feels like such a pleasant surprise. A smart, self-effacing send-up of the entertainment industry, the film, like most of Rock’s best material, feels at least partly autobiographical. Rock plays Andre Allen, a comedian turned Hollywood superstar and recovering alcoholic, best known for his role in the million-dollar Hammy the Bear franchise. Unfortunately, Allen’s funny bone has been blunted since going sober, and his first attempt at a ‘serious’ film — playing Haitian slave revolutionary Dutty Boukman — is shaping up to be a box-office bomb. Even more out of control is his upcoming televised wedding, to Kardashian-esque reality star Erica Long (Gabrielle Union). Enter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), a sardonic, whip-smart writer for the New York Times, who’s been assigned to profile Allen over the course of a single day. Although initially suspicious of Brown and the Times, whose resident film critic has made a career out of tearing his movies to shreds, Allen soon finds himself opening up to the writer, as the pair begin to trade stories while walking around NYC. In a lot of ways, Top Five feels like the work of an artist finally free to speak in his own voice. From Allen laying out his theory about the racist undertones of Planet of the Apes to debating his agent (Kevin Hart) about whether a black man can get fired for using the N-word, the writing here feels like vintage Rock: free-flowing, profane and absolutely hilarious. He also manages to insert two of the most gleefully obscene on-screen sex acts this side of Nymphomaniac. Without going into details, let’s just say you’ll never be able to look at a bottle of chilli sauce the same way again. Dawson makes for a worthy comic counterpart, the playfully antagonistic chemistry between her and her director/co-star helping keep the film on track. Beyond this central pairing, Rock stacks the deck with a ton of famous faces, from Tracy Morgan to DMX. The highlight, though, is at Allen’s ribald bachelor party, where he receives marital advice from Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg and Adam Sandler. Frankly, the site of a balding Seinfeld making it rain is worth the price of admission alone. If we have any complaint of Top Five, it would be a lack of internal structure; in a lot of ways the film feels more like a collection of scenes than it does a cohesive whole. Still, when they’re all this damn funny, it’s sort of difficult to object. Where Rock’s career goes from here is anyone’s guess. Regardless, it’s nice to have this reminder of just how good he can be.
You might have one that needs a bit more attention than you have time to give. Or maybe a flowerpot on your apartment balcony could be the best you can muster. Either way, there’s something about gardens that continues to appeal, and not just to those with green thumbs. For decades, centuries and even longer, people have found making order out of nature soothing, whether trying to tame a patch of land or nurture a plant to grow. As have artists in committing images of gardens onto canvas. QUT Art Museum’s latest exhibition tracks this tendancy from the 16th century onwards, while trying to understand the allure of enforcing humanity’s will over nature. The result is a collection of new and old work that ties cultivating greenery to the meaning of life — and perhaps proves that looking at a picture of a garden is as therapeutic as walking around one.
Every year, the folks at Bacchus Brewing Co. brew up something special for Christmas. That'd be their choc cherry stout Bo Jangles, aka the ideal beverage for feeling festive. 'Tis the season for drinking and feeling merry, and all that. And each year, the folks at The Scratch serve up this Yuletide blend — this year is no different. In fact, they'll have 100 litres flowing through their taps, with the concoction in question featuring quite the mix of six- and 18-month barrel-aged elements, as well as raspberry and spiced rum flavours. The word you're looking for is yum.
When the first Reds, Whites, Blues and Brews took place in August, it was supposed to be the inaugural outing of an annual event. Less than three months later, it's all happening again. It seems that Brisbane just can't wait for another combined beer garden, music festival and wine showcase. Not that you can blame us; who doesn't want to enjoy a taste of South Australia at South Bank, as well as an afternoon of drinking, listening to bluesy tunes and devouring tasty meals from the city's best food trucks? The timing is right, too. Who isn't in desperate need of an alternative to the usual pre-Christmas chaos? Beverages from Greg Cooley Wines, Pikes and The Clare Valley Brewing Company will help you cast the silly season far from your mind, while King of the Wings, Pizzantica, Vira Lata and The Bun Mobile will distract your tastebuds. That just leaves Harry Hookey, Fiona Boyes, Luke Dickens, Matt Ross, Mitch King, David De Vito and Tarscha Waddington to provide the soundtrack — and with that lineup, you know that they'll deliver.
Everyone needs to start somewhere, whether it's running an event, performing at or attending one. Organised by Backbone Youth Arts, that's the aim of the 2high Festival. It offers an unofficial training ground for festival workers, artists, administrators and leaders in the industry — and you get to share in the entertaining and informative results. See what this year's team has put together under the theme 'Vital Signs' — with its roster of talent promising to show plenty. Spanning all the art forms you can think of and more, 2high has assembled a diverse array of up-and-comers to revel in all things creative, including the usual endeavours and the not so. Everything takes place at Metro Arts, and there's a heap of activities and shows to choose from, ensuring everyone can join in the fun. Learn about the history and science of glitter, discover the optimal conditions for intimacy, and listen to the always excellent advice about not reading the comments — and yes, as always, that's just the beginning. Or better yet — get a festival pass and try them all.
Did you spend your childhood wishing that Jurassic Park wasn't just a movie (or a book that spawned a movie and box office-smashing sequels)? Us too. While that dream is yet to become a reality, Queensland University of Technology has created the next best thing. Welcome... to the digital Dino Zoo. It's exactly what it sounds like: a two-storey installation that lets hyper-realistic, full-sized versions of prehistoric creatures roam wild, with the floor-to-ceiling screens acting like a glass enclosure. It's also much, much more than that. Dino Zoo doesn't just offer the world's first ever opportunity to interact with ten dinosaurs — including the largest flying reptile ever to live, and Australian critters with names like Muttaburrasaurus and Australovenator — but combines video game wizardry with scientific knowledge. What does that mean? Well, these dinos not only look the part, but act it as well. They've been designed to simulate real creatures, with each species vested with artificial intelligence. Watch Stegosaurus and Triceratops make their own decisions about moving, hunting, grazing and resting — and, if you're lucky, recreating parts of your favourite film. We can't promise that you'll be fleeing from a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but we can promise that you can pretend to. With data gleaned from real-life fossils instrumental in the project, Dino Zoo also features a digital dig pit that lets audiences uncover prehistoric bones, an interactive Earth timeline that visualises tectonic plate movement throughout history, and an 'Earth mass extinction simulator' — eek. Basically, it's all the virtual dino fun aficionados could ask for — and everyone loves dinosaurs, after all. Yes, yes they do. Just ask all the folks that flocked to see Jurassic World, which mightn't have been the sequel fans of the original were hoping for, but it still made more than $52 million at the local box office. Image: Erika Fish, QUT.
When it comes to movie genres at their best when viewed on the big screen, few can challenge the western. The wide-open vistas, the golden colours, the frenetic gunfights, the galloping horses and rolling wagons — they've all help define the concept of true cinematic majesty. Everyone at the Gallery of Modern Art's Australian Cinémathèque clearly feels the same way, as their latest program proves. For two months, they're opening their doors to a ride through the exploits of cowboys, lawmen, wanderers and villains. Everything from classics such The Searchers and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, iconic efforts The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and El Topo, plus more recent fare like Mystery Road and Django Unchained fits the bill, as well as the twists on the genre seen in Seven Samurai and Mad Max 2 too. As always, the lineup also features music and movie presentations, including live sound effects in a unique performance event session of Buster Keaton's Go West. Now that's something to saddle up for and canter towards. Image: Production still from Django Unchained, 2012 / Director: Quentin Tarantino / Image courtesy: Sony Pictures.
Drinking a beverage and watching a band ranks among life's simplest pleasures. Enjoying one of 130 craft beers and ciders from 32 independent brewers, while being entertained by British India, Busby Marou and more — now that's how you take something great and make it even better. Ensuring a good time is had by all is part of the aim of the Beer InCider Experience in its 2015 iteration. Well, that and showcasing the best in brews and music, plus throwing in some delicious food and fun entertainment options. To line the stomach, at least nine local food trucks such as will do their bit, offering up everything from pizza to tacos. Those looking for something a bit different might want to try the gourmet tasting lunch, or perhaps Gelateria Cremona and Rocks Brewing Co beer gelato. Then, work it all off with a bout of Berlin-style ping pong or putt putt, or stand around and chill to the sights of roving burlesque performers. Yes, this truly is the ultimate in drinks-focused music festivals.
They told us that boys don't cry and that they wanted things to be just like heaven. They fell in love on Fridays, hopped into a mint car and dialled a wrong number. They're The Cure, the enduring English rockers who helped define the gothic rock genre. They're also the well-deserving subjects of the Triffid's latest icon-focused evening. After offering up odes to Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac, the Newstead hotspot breaks out the hairspray, black outfits and ample eyeliner for a night with a more melancholy mood. And what better name for it than Lovecats, a Tribute to The Cure, referencing the hit single everyone can't help but sing along to. As always, some of Brisbane’s finest talent will share their interpretations, including The Jensens, Baskervillain, Eden Mulholland, Silent Feature Era and Garrett Kato. Each act will play four songs by The Cure, plus two originals of their own. Given the music they're working with, there's no doubt you'll want to be close to them — and who knows, they might want to take pictures of you.
When it comes to the long-running animated television sensation that is South Park, there are two kinds of people. There are the ones who just watch and laugh along, and then there are the others. They know how many times Kenny has been killed and can rattle off all the celebrities ever featured or mentioned in all 257 episodes. It's the latter obsessive types that Beach Burrito Fortitude Valley is seeking for their latest trivia competition. For one night only, South Park's biggest fans can battle it out for supremacy while eating tasty Mexican food. They can also express their love for Trey Parker and Matt Stone's comic creations by dressing up, and win prizes for their efforts — and for emerging victorious in the contest of the facts and tidbits of course. Orange hoodies count, though you might want to make sure it doesn't cover your mouth if you want your answers to be heard.
You've heard about the seven deadly sins, and you can probably name them. You've also likely watched the David Fincher film — aka the movie that knocked Gwyneth Paltrow's head off. We're guessing that what you haven't done, though, is seen lust, pride, envy, wrath, gluttony, greed and sloth explored through dance. Well, now you can, because Natalie Weir and Expressions want to change that. The internationally acclaimed choreographer and the Australian dance company have joined forces to unleash ancient sins on the modern world. In their hands, the fleet of foot will demonstrate our darkest desires and delve into the recesses of the human condition through breathtaking movement. Think age-old immoralities combined with contemporary choreography to spotlight the inherent frailty and imperfections that exist within us all. Think a world first, too, with this edgy, spicy production unveiling its wicked charms for the first-time ever in Brisbane.
For some, the Ekka public holiday means braving the crowds at the show. For highschoolers, if often means another tradition: their senior formal. For everyone who's already been there and done that, the Brightside is putting their spin on the classic coming-of-age celebration by throwing their yearly prom. Frock up in your finest, fanciest attire, collect your date in style and then prepare to make some memories — while dancing the night away, pulling faces in the photobooth and drinking spiked punch. Hollywood Heartache, Set The Record, Stateside and In Eyes will provide the live pop-punk soundtrack, and make sure you stay until midnight, as that's when 2015 Brightside prom king and queen will be crowned.
Time to brush the cobwebs off your novelty gumboots and gear up for some serious footstomping at the Red Deer Music and Arts festival. The annual overnight BYO (couches and booze) and camping festival returns to the Ed Hope and Mucho Bravado Ampitheatre stages for another solid marathon of national, emerging and local bands — and legendary festival favourites Frenzal Rhomb are at the top. Locked in for October 3 beneath the pretty, pretty D’agular ranges of Mt Samson, Red Deer has invited Australia's punk ratbags Frenzal to headline one humdinger of a lineup, from synth-pop goalkicker Andy Bull to NZ dub legends Salmonella Dub Soundsystem. Queensland's best local bands have pride of place on the bill too, with the likes of Hey Geronimo, Ayla, Mosman Alder, WAAX and Cheap Fakes set burst a few eardrums. True to BYO form, Red Deer allows you to BYO booze (no glass), couches and camping gear. And of course, the festival's not just about music. They'll be selling jungle-themed cocktails at the Stolen Rum Jungle Bar, Northside arts company Party Artworks will be hosting art workshops, there'll be food and market stalls, and there's going to be a Flight or Flop frisbee tournament, because FUN. RED DEER FESTIVAL 2015 LINEUP: FRENZAL RHOMB ANDY BULL SALMONELLA DUB SOUNDSYSTEM HEY GERONIMO AYLA MOSMAN ALDER WAAX CHEAP FAKES WE ALL WANT TO ROLLS BAYCE DJS BAD PONY ISAAC CAVALLARO MACHINE AGE SUNDOWN JURY ERIN JANE + RESIDENT ACTS THE LYRICAL THE DASHOUNDS BLAKE THOMPSON [DJ SET] Red Deer Festival 2015 is happening on October 3 beneath the D’agular ranges of Mt Samson, northwest of Brisbane, approximately 35 kms from the CBD. Tickets on sale now. For more info and tickets, head to the website.
After the success of their earlier event — and to celebrate what has become known as Mean Girls day — the Brightside is throwing another film-focused party. Yes, not being there would be social suicide. Yes, revisiting the correct usages of 'fetch', 'grool' and 'ESPN' is just part of the fun, as is channelling your inner queen bee and donning your best pink outfit — even on a Saturday. The movie will be playing on repeat, but watching and rewatching its blistering take on teenage life isn't the only way you can indulge your Mean Girls love. You can drink buckets of Glen Coco and enjoy candy grams. You can dance just like it's the Spring Fling to party and punk tunes from the Brighty DJs. And you can prove your devotion by battling it out in a Man vs Bear-hosted trivia quiz. Everyone gets a mathletes or plastics badge at the door, of course.
The idea of utopia is one that has always entranced artists and policy makers alike. Vincent Harding first used the phrase ‘a land that does not yet exist’ to describe utopia in his essay Is America Possible?, an examination of the idealisation of America and how it differed from reality, particularly for African Americans (the line itself was paraphrased from Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again”). The political, physical and personal space between utopia and reality is also explored in art collective Reframed’s annual group exhibition, A Land That Does Not Yet Exist. Eighteen artists have approached the theme from their own politics and frames of thought, interpreting the metaphor of idealism through their diverse artistic practices. The artworks encompass a wide range of mediums, including painting, drawing, photography and sculpture. A Land That Does Not Yet Exist exhibits at White Canvas Gallery from 30 September to 10 October, with an opening night event on 1 October. Image: Bound Narrative 1 by ErynMark.
Fancy yourself a thriller fan? Mesmerised by mysteries? Do you spend your time reading page-turners and trying to piece together the culprit — or, when your head isn't buried in a book, daydreaming about solving real-life cases in stately mansions? If so, Playing Agatha Christie is the Brisbane Writers Festival 2015 event for you. Though a chat about the famous author with psychological crime fiction writer Sophie Hannah — who offered her own entry into the Hercule Poirot cannon in 2014 — already sounds like fun, that's not all this evening promises. At Brisbane's oldest surviving residence, you're encouraged to don pearls, feathers, monocles and moustaches to really get into the good ol' fashioned whodunit spirit. Image via Kgbo.
It's not often that something currently exciting crowds at London's famed National Theatre also starts its run in Brisbane. Throw in the fact that the performance in question is based on a Broadway hit that starred Chris Rock, and to say the production is a rare treat is stating the obvious. The Motherf***er with the Hat is show in the spotlight, making its local premiere at the Brisbane Powerhouse thanks to the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts. If its pedigree hasn't already piqued your interest — and its blending of New York and Brisbane subcultures, or its description as a mix of "Trainspotting, The Birdcage and Bangarra Dance Theatre" — then perhaps its plot will. Amid more than occasional coarse language, the award-winning play by 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winner Stephen Adly Guirgis charts the escapades that eventuate when a piece of misplaced headwear causes relationship intrigue. Expect tough circumstances and tender feelings to combine. Expect the performance to be as heartbreaking as it is hilarious, too.
It's not very often that a taste of Bollywood comes to Brisbane, but that's what's happening for one night only. The Queensland Symphony Orchestra takes inspiration from India's movie industry — as well a certain Oscar-winning effort set in the subcontinent — for the world premiere of their latest work. That'd be the specially commissioned Sitar Concerto by Shahid Parvez Khan, which combines movements from Ravi Shankar’s Symphony No.1 with excerpts from film favourites. Yes, the applauded score by A.R. Rahman’s from Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is among them. As the mix ancient Indian traditions with new musical styles provides a feast for your ears, colour and movement from Brisbane's Dance Masala Bollywood Dance Company will do the same for your eyes. This won't just bring a thriving film style to the City Hall stage — it might just be the closest you'll get to being in a Bollywood movie.
Fireworks Gallery's Up Close brings together three generations of Australian photographers and their intimate, powerful and poignant work. Juno Gemes has been capturing some of Australia's most important moments for over 40 years, and has used her art to advocate, recognise and push respect for Aboriginal Australians. From the 1970s to now, she has captured the generational shifts and historical moments that have played part in Australia's indigenous history. Michael Aird has worked in the area of Aboriginal arts and history for over 30 years, predominantly in archival and curatorial work, and in seeking to counteract the mainstream media's negative depictions of Aboriginal people. Jo-Anne Driessens is a photographer who was adopted into a non-Indigenous family, and through her practice documents her search and connection to her cultural roots. Her primary focus is on Aboriginal women. Up Close amasses their efforts, showcasing some of this country's most important and story-filled works from three of our most renowned contemporary artists. This exhibition runs until December 24.
Thanks to Netflix and Bill Murray, you've probably heard the term "Murray Christmas" quite a bit lately. His seasonal variety special has only been available for streaming for a matter of days, but it has already become a holiday classic. The former Ghostbuster isn't the only one using the Murray name to spread some Yuletide cheer, however. Closer to home, Murray's Craft Brewing Co. are also doing their part. For two days, the award-winning makers of many a fine beverage are taking over the taps at Death Valley. When it comes to tasty ales, pilsners and porters, it doesn't get much more festive than that. On December 11 and 12, eight of Murray's best beers will flow freely, bringing the best of the Bobs Farm-based brewery to Morningside's favourite dive bar. A refreshing pint isn't the only drawcard, though, with Red Robin Supper Truck serving up off-the-menu food pairings. Yes, you'll eat, drink and be merry, Murray style.
Colder weather might be months away, particularly with Brisbane's summery sunshine showing no signs of stopping — but that doesn't mean you can't try to escape the heat by pretending things are much, much cooler. Indeed, Saké is getting positively chilly during February. Well, they are throwing an Ice Festival, after all. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like: a celebration of the frostier side of life, ranging from specialty cocktails to a winter wonderland ice party. While the former are available every night of the week until February 29, the latter freshens up the Eagle Street Pier eatery — complete with a handcrafted ice sculpture, snow covered bar and live DJ — on February 26. A restaurant doesn't need a reason to turn the temperature down, of course; however if you're wondering what has inspired this icy event, rest assured that there's a reason for the chilled shenanigans. The Sapporo Snow Festival took place in Japan earlier this month, and this is Saké's way of joining in the fun. Sounds pretty cool to us.
Sure, few of us are able to spend our Christmas day in France — however, we can do the next best thing. Just bring your appetite for tasty cuisine to C'est Bon. Well, that, and a fondness for French tipples. You'll find both at the Woolloongabba restaurant, with the former all included in the $130, six-course lunch menu, and the latter as an additional pay-as-you-go affair. It might sound expensive, but grilled spring lamb tenderloin, twice-cooked free-range turkey galantine with chestnut mousse, and mango and vanilla parfait is certainly worth it. Plus, it'll work out much cheaper than a trip to Paris.
