It has been more than two years since City Winery opened its doors in Fortitude Valley, giving Brisbanites something they didn't know they were missing. Wineries and the inner city don't traditionally go hand in hand, but this vino-loving venue found a way. A vineyard was never going to pop up just a stone's throw from the CBD, of course, so it sources its grapes elsewhere, then does the barrelling, bottling and serving in Wandoo Street. The concept has clearly been a hit, because City Winery keeps expanding — first with an initial cellar door on Edward Street, and now with a new site at Eagle Street Pier. Open since early May, the latter also includes a second cellar door, but combines it with a wine bar and bistro. So, you can now drop by the riverside spot to pick up a bottle, have a drink or sit down for a meal. If you're opting for the latter, the venue's menu changes seasonally, has been designed with sharing in mind and heroes sustainably farmed local produce. At the moment, think: beetroot scotch eggs ($18), dagwood dogs made out of carrots ($6), charcuterie ($12–14), a selection of cheeses ($14–38) and, from the small list of mains, mushrooms with polenta ($28), fish paired with a kiwifruit sauce ($32) and miso beef short rib ($34). Drinks-wise, City Winery's Gerler wines all feature on the beverage list, naturally. If you're after something other than vino, local craft brews are also on the menu, alongside spirits and cocktails. Located opposite the Coffee Club, the Eagle Street spot also offers wine tastings, wine-blending workshops and food-and-wine pairings. For parties, you can book out the private dining space for you and 17 of your mates as well. And if the decor looks familiar, that's because you've clearly been to City Winery's original digs — with the Eagle Street bar and bistro designed to ape the OG site's layout and atmosphere.
To live in the US right now must be to live with a constant question: am I in a Nathan Fielder show? There are more pressing queries troubling America, but viewers of the Canadian comedian's The Rehearsal can be forgiven for wondering if he or his disciples are lurking over their shoulder. In this brilliant HBO doco-comedy, studying ordinary folks is a key part of the premise — as much as rehearsing life, the promise that's right there in the series' name. One goes with the other; how do you prepare for every outcome that might occur in a tricky IRL situation if you don't also examine the people who play into it, and their traits? Forget simulation theory, which has caused plenty to wonder if life is a computer program (especially after The Matrix franchise's popularity; see also: documentary A Glitch in the Matrix). Instead, The Rehearsal gives rise to Fielder theory. That needs both unpacking and working up to, but never quite knowing if anything could be one of Fielder's scenarios is a side effect of watching. Early in The Rehearsal's first episode — with season one available to stream in full via Binge in Australia now, and via Neon in New Zealand from Saturday, August 27 — Fielder meets Kor Skeete. A Jeopardy!-watching, trivia-loving New Yorker, he has an issue he's seeking help with, answering an ad asking "is there something you're avoiding?". Skeete has been lying to his bar trivia team about his educational history, claiming he has a master's degree, and wants assistance in coming clean. His biggest worry: how his pal Tricia might react, and if it'll end their friendship. That's The Rehearsal's opening problem-of-the-week setup, because Fielder is a problem solver — or that's the persona he portrays in his on-screen guise. Puppet master; a Wizard of Oz-type impresario; investigator of the human condition; Willy Wonka, which Skeete calls him: they all fit as well. Before he assists Skeete, Fielder asks if he's ever seen his past work. Skeete says no, despite saying television is his favourite trivia subject — and his response to what Fielder explains next will likely mirror anyone who comes to this with the same fresh eyes. First, some background: until now, Fielder was best known for Nathan for You, in which he helped companies and people using his business school studies. Fielder played a version of himself, and the result is a reality comedy. It's something that has to be seen to be truly believed and understood, and it's both genius and absurd. In The Rehearsal, Fielder is back as himself using his skills to help others. He's also starring in/writing/directing a reality comedy, this time letting his subjects rehearse big moments. Skeete wants to bare all to a pal, Angela is keen to explore parenthood and Pat is trying to resolve a family feud over an inheritance, for instance. The show's crew even build elaborate sets, recreating the spots where these pivotal incidents will take place, such as the bar where Skeete will meet Tricia. Fielder hires actors to assist, too. And, adding yet another layer, Fielder also steps through the same routine himself, including rehearsing his initial encounter with Skeete with an actor. So when he's asking Skeete if he's seen his work, he's already done so in a replica of Skeete's apartment, with someone else playing the man he's now talking to — and he's cycled through every possible reaction. If you've ever thought life was a big performance, and every single thing about interacting with others — and even just being yourself — involves playing a role, you'll find much to think about in this gripping, funny, often unsettling, quickly addictive series. There's reality TV, and then there's the way that the deadpan Fielder plays with and probes reality. While both can induce cringing, nothing compares to this. But in a true Fielder touch, rehearsals like Skeete's are rehearsals themselves. You could call the first season a rehearsal for the already-greenlit second season of The Rehearsal, but Fielder also uses his time with Skeete and Pat as trial runs for the big trial run that runs through five of the season's six episodes. That parental pondering? It's too big a social experiment to conduct in just one chapter, and there's too much to it for Fielder to simply orchestrate the whole experience. The Rehearsal's faux family scenario comes courtesy of Angela, who wants to give motherhood a test. Her biological clock is ticking, so she's keen to see if she should pursue being a mum. Staunchly Christian and conservative, she'd want to be married. She also only sees herself living the homesteader life and being self-sufficient in the country. Fielder sets her up in a farmhouse in rural Oregon. To condense 18 years of parenthood down into mere weeks, he has Angela's fake child age in three-year increments, jumping from a baby to a toddler and so on. And to make the process seamless, he hires a lineup of child actors to play the part, swapping them out in shifts as required by labour laws. Later, after a failed attempt to locate a co-parent, he steps in himself. At its entry level, seeing the extremes that Fielder and his crew go to in arranging each rehearsal is mesmerising (a hefty HBO budget assists). So is spying the detail on display, the flowcharts plotting out every potential response, and the rehearsals behind each rehearsal — and watching how the show's subjects react. But it swiftly becomes apparent that The Rehearsal isn't even primarily about the people Fielder is helping and interacting with, including actors he puts through his own acting school (dubbed 'The Fielder Method') and a child who takes the pretend parenthood situation to heart. Fielder's series is always concerned with human nature, how it can be constructed and interpreted, and the role that screens play in telling and manipulating stories; however, it's also about Fielder himself, and the way everyone interacts with the world. Fielder is an awkward presence, but also both candid and calming (has unease ever been this easy?). He's frank about not really feeling emotions the way he thinks he should, and that others don't respond to him the way he'd like. ("I'm not good at meeting people for the first time. I've been told my personality can make people uncomfortable," he offers early on, like a self-aware Larry David who's intrigued to do better.) He's pulling his own strings, in what he himself describes as "puzzles of my own devising" — and he's determined to test his own assumptions, the character he plays as himself, and the way that others see him. He unpacks reality TV in the process, especially by laying bare the process. He tests and probes social conventions, questioning what's real and what we happily manufacture. He makes viewers query what they do themselves, and why, along with him. The Rehearsal is all of that and more, and unfurling its layers, games and insights is one of 2022's finest television experiences. Check out the trailer for The Rehearsal below: The Rehearsal streams via Binge in Australia now, and via Neon in New Zealand from Saturday, August 27. Images: courtesy of HBO.
UPDATE: Thursday May 6, 2021 — New COVID-19 restrictions have been announced. We'll keep you updated on this event as the situation changes. For the latest information, visit NSW Health. More than ever, we're looking for opportunities to immerse ourselves in another universe for a few hours. Luckily, that's exactly what you can do this summer when the hit Frozen the Musical premieres in Sydney. The stage production, based on the legendary 2013 Disney animated film, opened on Broadway in 2018 and proceeded to break box office records. After a US tour in 2019, the production is expanding to international markets with Sydney as its first stop this summer. Why was our city the lucky chosen destination? Perhaps the producers took the advice of everyone's favourite snowman Olaf when he sang "the hot and the cold are both so intense. Put 'em together, it just makes sense." If the cultural phenomenon has somehow passed you by until now, Frozen was inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen tale The Snow Queen, and it tells the story of Princesses Anna and Elsa. At the latter's coronation to become Queen, she accidentally reveals her magical powers to control and create ice and snow and inflicts an eternal winter on her kingdom, Arendelle. She flees to the North Mountain and, while singing the iconic ballad 'Let it Go', builds herself an ice castle in which to hide. Anna sets out to find her sister, proving the bonds of sisterhood can overcome all obstacles. The musical adaptation brings the beloved story to life before your eyes with opulent costumes, stunning sets and awe-inspiring special effects. All of your favourite tunes from the film will be performed — including 'For the First Time in Forever' and 'Love Is an Open Door' — plus 12 new songs as the stage production expands upon the film's narrative. The Sydney production has an all-Australian cast, led by Jemma Rix (Wicked) as Elsa, Courtney Monsma (Aladdin, Six) as Anna and Matt Lee (Mary Poppins) as the lovable Olaf. As we live in uncertain times, there are flexible ticket options available, which might suit those planning to travel to Sydney especially for the show. The Capitol Theatre also has a COVID-19 safety plan in place, in accordance with NSW Health. Frozen the Musical is running from Tuesday, December 1, 2020 to Sunday, May 23, 2021. Tickets start at $49.50 and can be purchased via Ticketmaster. Images: Frozen the Musical, Original Broadway Cast, Deen van Meer, courtesy of Destination NSW.
Since 2020, fans of cowboy-themed ice cream have had two options: lick your way through a classic ol' Bubble O'Bill on a stick as you've always done, saving the bubblegum nose for last (of course), or tuck into a Bubble O'Bill tub. That's all well, good and tasty, but frozen desserts can't keep a lasso over the fictional, confectionery-based Old West figure — because Bubble O'Bill Easter eggs are now a sweet treat that truly exists. Set to hit the shelves at Woolworths on Wednesday, March 16, the 160-gram chocolate eggs aren't shaped like their namesake, however. They're regular old egg-shaped, but with swirls of strawberry marbling, pieces of caramel and chewy berry pieces mixed into the Chocolatier Australia chocolate. Love the gumball part of Bubble O'Bills? Of course you do. And they're still included in the Easter egg version, with five found inside once you crack open all that chocolate. Turning a beloved Streets ice cream into an Easter egg isn't just the domain of Bubble O'Bill, either. Returning to both Woolies and Coles this year is the Golden Gaytime Easter egg, which sports the same toffee flavour as the frosty dessert and comes coated in Golden Gaytime crumbs. And, it's available now. Yes, Easter is still more than a month away — hitting on Sunday, April 17 in 2022 — but that just means you've got plenty of time to stock up, or to mark the occasion for weeks in advance. Being an adult means eating Bubble O'Bill and Golden Gaytime Easter eggs whenever you like. Find Bubble O'Bill Easter eggs at Woolworths stores from Wednesday, March 16, costing $10 each. Golden Gaytime Easter eggs are available at both Woolies and Coles now.
Break out the martinis and prepare for a shaken but not stirred Boxing Day — Bond, James Bond, is coming to your lounge room. On Wednesday, December 26, Stan will become home to all 24 official films in the espionage franchise, which means one massive movie marathon is on the cards. Sean Connery smouldering his way through everything from Dr. No to Diamonds Are Forever, Roger Moore stepping into 007's shoes between Live and Let Die and A View to A Kill, Timothy Dalton's two-film run in The Living Daylights and Licence To Kill — they're all included. So is Pierce Brosnan's stint as the secret agent between GoldenEye and Die Another Day, and Daniel Craig's four contributions to date since Casino Royale. Aussie actor George Lazenby's one-movie appearance as Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service is also on the bill. A 25th movie, Never Say Never Again, will also hit Stan on the same date. Made in 1983, it stars Connery as the suave spy. But, because it was made by a different company from the rest of the Bond movies, it's not considered part of the official franchise. If you're particularly keen to rove your eyes over every single detail — and every villain, Bond girl, gadget and opening credits sequence too — Stan is streaming the flicks in 4K. And even if you're not wowed by revisiting the franchise in an impressive resolution, this marks the first time the entire franchise has made its way to an Aussie streaming platform. Find the Bond franchise on Stan from Wednesday, December 26,.
Art galleries are places of creativity and tranquility. At the Queensland Art Gallery, it's regularly a place for yoga and meditation too. It makes sense — you're in a space known for its peace and quiet, and for contemplation and serenity. Breaking out your best downward dog pose or sitting in mindful silence just seems like a natural thing to do, really. We don't recommend showing off your flexibility just anywhere, of course. Instead, make a date with QAG's Mindfulness Yoga sessions. If you'd prefer chasing zen another way, you will find a chilled atmosphere across both the venue in general; however, there are specific Mind/Body Meditation classes as well. The dates change each month, with 2022's remaining yoga sessions scheduled for 6pm on Wednesday, September 7; 8.45am on Sunday, September 18; 6pm on Wednesday, October 19; 8.45am on Sunday, October 30; 6pm on Wednesday, November 2; and 8.45am on Sunday, November 20. That gives you the option of starting your day or winding down at the QAG. For finding your bliss another way, a meditation class is scheduled for 8am on Friday, September 16. Led by Yasuyo Anne Uehara, the classes are open to all skill levels — and bookings are essential. Yoga costs $16 for gallery members and $20 otherwise, while meditation will set you pack either $10 or $15, based on the same categories. Images: Mindfulness Yoga led by Yasuyo Anne Uehara, holistic counsellor, life-long meditator, and mindfulness yoga teacher, Queensland Art Gallery, 2022 / Photograph: Brad Wagner, QAGOMA.
What would the global culinary scene of the last 20 years be without René Redzepi? Whether or not you've had the good fortune to dine at Noma since 2003 — including at its pop-ups in Sydney, Kyoto, Tokyo and Tulum — the mind behind the three-Michelin-starred Copenhagen eatery has helped shape the restaurant industry in the 21st century. For more than half of that time, the Danish kitchen wiz has also been cooking up a television docuseries that asks similar questions, but about the ingredients that we consume. What would the world be without chilli? What is the impact of our appetite for tuna? How has salt helped shape our history? Bananas, pigs, rice, coffee, corn: in Apple TV+'s Omnivore, they're all also in the spotlight. It was over a decade ago, when Noma was firmly established as a sensation — it's been voted the planet's best by The World's 50 Best Restaurants five times, from 2010–12, and also in 2014 and 2021 — that Redzepi came up with the idea for the series that debuts on streaming on Friday, July 19, 2024. As happens with renowned chefs, TV offers were coming his way, but never for the type of project that'd see him happily spend time away from his celebrated fine-diner. Taking inspiration from natural history documentaries, especially David Attenborough-fronted greats such as Planet Earth, gave rise to a show that treats the nutritional staples that fuel humanity with the same care and reverence. [caption id="attachment_966274" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ditte Isager[/caption] With Redzepi leading the way within the series and Australian ex-Noma Chief Operating Officer Ben Liebmann an executive producer — the latter alongside Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown alum Matt Goulding — Omnivore's first season whittles down its key ingredients to the eight mentioned above. "It was a giant process," Redzepi advises Concrete Playground in an interview with both him and Liebmann. More than 120 choices were under consideration, but that's one of the program's delicate balancing acts. Another is in the buffet of stories and details that it dishes up about each type of food, telling viewers the origins and history of every ingredient, stepping through the impact and importance at both a mass and a personal level, unpacking the relationship between the item in question and the climate, and recognising that none of it exists in a vacuum without having ripples around the planet. Just like off-screen, of course, Redzepi knows how to create a winning recipe. As it travels the globe, pairing meticulous footage of each ingredient's life cycle with portraits of folks whose existence revolves around them, this isn't a talking heads-led show. It observes. It appreciates. Redzepi is also heard more than he's seen. It's his second television project in as many months, however, as everyone who watches The Bear — so, everyone — will know. Given how long that Omnivore has been simmering, that timing is purely coincidental. Also, even being in The Bear briefly took some convincing. "It's a nice to have, not a need to have, for me," he shares. "I only did it because they really asked me to. I know them very well. We've known them long before The Bear was a thing, and they were in Copenhagen and they shot all these scenes, and they said 'hey, can we please have you there?'," Redzepi tells us. "And I wasn't going to be in the show. I said 'I don't know how to act. Don't ask me this.' But then they they thought it would be a great idea, and I did it. And then many people mentioned it, even though I just look at the guy for a second. I guess it's a good thing for Omnivore that that happened, and perhaps they were right in saying 'no, no, you should be briefly in there." [caption id="attachment_966275" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Ditte Isager[/caption] 2024 isn't just a big year for Redzepi in the TV realm. Before 2025 hits, he'll bid farewell to Noma 2.0 — the restaurant's guise since 2017, after it reemerged following its closure in 2016 — and say hello Noma 3.0, a test kitchen and food laboratory in its latest reinvention. Working on Omnivore has helped cement the new direction for Noma, Redzepi explains in our chat. He also credits Liebmann, whose stint at Noma from 2015–22 sits alongside working on television franchises such as MasterChef, Grand Designs and Idol, with to ensuring that it came to fruition. Ahead of Omnivore dropping its first season in full, ready for a binge that'll make you hungry for chilli, tuna, salt, bananas, bacon, rice, coffee and corn — perhaps not all at once — we spoke with Redzepi and Liebmann about what gets them excited about new projects beyond Noma, the original idea for the series, taking inspiration from Planet Earth, coming up with the right recipe for the show, picking which foods to focus on and Noma's future. Always wanted to know Redzepi's can't-live-without ingredient, too? We discussed that as well. On What Gets Redzepi and Liebmann Excited About New Projects Beyond Noma René: "I think when you get to be part of something groundbreaking, which I think Omnivore is. Being a part of a groundbreaking project with a network that believes in you, working with some of the best people on a project on a subject that I genuinely believe in, that also teaches me so much about a world that I've been in for the past 30 years — that is inspiring. And that really gets me excited when the scope is so amazing, like with Omnivore. That really does inspire me to do something like this." Ben: "I think I've heard René talk about over the years, just that simple idea of stepping outside of one's comfort zone. An opportunity, in this instance, in terms of using media and storytelling to perhaps reach a broader audience, a broader community, than we would otherwise be able to in person — about sharing knowledge, sharing hope, sharing inspiration. And with a series like this, hopefully creating a conversation and potentially hopefully creating a movement around it. I think that's still that power of media and, in this instance, what makes the project so exciting." On What Inspired Omnivore a Decade Ago — and the Original Vision René: "I can't remember if it's like 11–12 years ago or whatever, but it's a while back, and it was at a time when Noma was getting to be known around the world. We had rocket fuel on, and when that happens, you very quickly get offered TV. And I was. I was supposed to be judges in competition shows or travel. I think there was a show called Fire and Ice, and I had to travel around Scandinavia with a celebrity and teach them how to cook and stuff, and show them where to eat. And I guess it was never enticing enough for me to step out of my work. I was also very happy doing that. But it did make me think 'iIf I was ever to do this, what would I do?'. And that's when Omnivore started as a seed: a show that would have the same respect, dedication, care and sophistication towards what we eat as you would see in the great nature documentaries like Planet Earth. If we can show a beetle with so much attention and care, why can't we do that with rice? And thus inspiring people to be more inspired about what they eat and how they eat, and make them more curious about this wonderful world of food — make them hopefully realise that food is the most amazing thing on earth, besides basic nutrition. It's who we are. It's what made us. It was always the genesis of the idea. And when Ben came aboard, that's when we finally could put the pieces together. Because if I would have run it, it would never have happened because I would have tried to run it like you built a menu. It's like 'okay, we have this idea, in seven months it should be on camera, right? It should be on TV?'. That's how I would have thought about it." Ben: "I think from my side, when René originally shared the concept for it, it for me was just so intriguing. It was such a simple but yet powerful idea. And I think what intrigued me was that it had not been done before, which was in itself a very Noma thing of trying to do things that hadn't been done before. Certainly standing on the shoulders of giants in terms of programs that had inspired us in the years before, but trying to elevate, let's call it, food media. Although in some ways this isn't food media. It's this extraordinary kind of combination of food and natural history, but I think it was that amazing challenge and opportunity to try to create something. And then to build a team, an amazing team, from René and Matt, our partners at Fifth Season and obviously in Apple, somebody who believed in this idea and wanted to help it, help us realise that, was where it all began." On the Excitement, Challenges and Daunting Feeling That Comes with Taking Inspiration From David Attenborough, But with Food René: "By no means are we comparing ourselves to his productions at all. We're just inspired by him and his productions. And yes, it is super daunting. I mean, it's the first time for me. I've never done anything like this. When we do menus at Noma, I've reached a point now where when we set it up, the finals tasting, the entire team is there, the test kitchen team is there, and I think to myself 'we nailed it. I know guests will like this'. I know where on the menu they'll be surprised and be like 'oh, my god, I can't believe this'. You get a sense of that and a feel for that, and it's been a while since I had this feeling that 'okay, I have no clue if people are going to like this'. We are putting it out into the world — there might be 50 people that watch it, you being one of them, and we have no clue if people are going to like it and accept it and be inspired. They might hate it. No, they won't." Ben: "It'll certainly start a conversation. It's interesting you ask about that. I mean, 20–30 years ago, somebody also asked that question of — and we're using the old vernacular here, it was prime-time television — but would audiences sit and watch the migration of the dolphin or the mating of the polar bear on prime-time television? Because there had been nothing like that before. And it showed that audiences are looking for things that inspire them and give them hope and make them think, and start conversations. We're certainly not comparing ourselves to the Planet Earths, but we certainly took inspiration from those. Again, it was that thought of 'could we create this catalyst or this movement around food, and just give people the tools and the information to maybe have them think a little more about where their food comes from, and the impact that it has on culture and community and the planet', etcetera." On Balancing Each Ingredient's History, Impact, Influence, Relationship to the Climate and More René: "It's super hard. That was actually a challenge from the beginning to set the focus right, and to tell eight different stories that somehow still have the ethos and our beliefs in it that food is amazing and everything and the most important thing. But at the same time, to say it with different tonalities and different energies — it was really, really hard. And then also not to step into the realm of over-explaining — let the people that are actually being filmed explain, let the visuals talk, not step into the camera saying 'hey, we're going to show you this' and have 15 talking heads explaining everything — but, in that sense, being a little more adventurous. It is always a challenge to do that when you talk about food, the environment, where things come from, where they belong. It's a delicate balance always, without a shadow of doubt. And we threaded very carefully and hopefully we didn't do anything wrong, but I feel like we've really taken great care and attention to actually thread it carefully, and showcase our ideas and the places on earth with a lot of respect and care. Then ultimately, of course, we want to do that without it all telling the viewer what to do or how to do it. That it's an inspiration for people, that we respect you no matter what you choose to do. We all want the same thing: happiness and a good life. We have very different ways, each of us individually, to actually get there, but we believe in a lot of things when it comes to food — and we want to inspire you to try to see some of that, and see if you can grab some of it and implement it in your daily life. On Choosing the First Season's Eight Ingredients René: "It was a giant process of choosing these eight ingredients. We probably boiled it down from 120 or something like that, and I think we have at least season two also well-researched — of course, we don't know if we're doing season two yet, it depends on if people like season one. The process was long and it was hard. We had to do a lot of research before we actually chose. And then, of course, it's between me and Matt and all the other stakeholders in the show. Ben was heavily involved in that, but there was also other people here at the restaurant, like Devin, that works on the show as well from Noma. We had Fifth Season, the producers at Apple, everyone had an opinion actually. It was like the UN Peace Corps. And we made it happen and we ultimately ended up choosing eight ingredients that — we could have chosen eight world-altering staples, put wheat in there and the potato and so on and so forth, but we felt it would be a little too one note to have too much of that in there. We needed something that was also just about love, like the chilli story is for instance. So it was a long process. It takes a lot of research. And then once you have that, you also have a framework for each of the ingredients to actually start from, that you can explain to the director and to everyone that's involved, and then they go do their thing." On Omnivore Arriving Just as Redzepi Is Preparing to Say Goodbye to Noma 2.0 René: Actually, Omnivore has helped crystallise so many of the thoughts for the new Noma 3.0. When we go into that, we have a desire that we'd spend our team, our network, our 21 years of expertise, all the labs we have, to actually broaden our approach and work with new collaborators, start new projects that impact food in a bigger way than just cooking every night for 50 people. And in that sense, figuring out how to focus, how to bring the scope, how to have a larger scope, Omnivore helped crystallise a lot of the projects that we're going to initiate in Noma 3.0. I feel like I should also say that in Noma 3.0, we will still pop up as a restaurant now and then. When the body of work is ready and we need someone to test it on, then we'll come back and work so hard every minute to be the best of the best of the best. But Omnivore has helped crystalise some of the projects, which actually has been an amazing thing for that reason. And surprising, I would also say, that an added bonus was all that we've learned, all the meaning that we saw and all the interesting people you get to encounter, that they help guide you towards your next path. It's fantastic." On Redzepi and Liebmann's All-Time Favourite Ingredients, If They Could Only Choose One René: "Ben Liebmann, it's easy for me. You will let me know what you think, Ben." Ben: "Well, given that it's 7am here and I'm already on my second cup of coffee, it's probably coffee for me." René: "I was sure is was going to be coffee for you. For me, it's without a doubt chocolate. I cannot live without chocolate. That's for real. There's a little chocolate store in Mexico City called La Rifa. It's the best chocolate for me that exists, and I eat a block of that every day. I just can't be without chocolate." Omnivore streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, July 19, 2024.
Until now, you've probably gone through your life thinking that August 5 is just another day on the calendar. If you like oysters, prepare to have your view changed. When that date rolls around next, it'll happen to celebrate Oyster Day — and so should you by slurping down more than a few, obviously. Alchemy will be doing just that in its riverside Eagle Street digs. Even better: it'll be doing so by offering up $1 oysters. There's no missing numeral in the price, either, so gather your gold coins for a feast of Tasmania's finest. What you decide to pair them with, drinks-wise, is up to you — and you can do so for lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, an after-work tipple or an early dinner. Head by from 12–6pm, and we're betting that both your wallet and tastebuds will thank you. Alchemy's $1 Oyster Day runs from 12–6pm on Wednesday, August 5.
It's hard to go wrong with a sausage sizzle. Bread, snags, sauce, drinks — it's a winning combination. But not all sausages are made equal. The standard variety are all well and good; however sometimes even this simple meal can turn luxe with the right ingredients. So what constitutes a fancy snag? At Stokebar Q's sausage sizzle on Monday, January 27, there'll be lobster and scallop sausages topped with tartare — and we think that counts. Also on the menu: chicken, rosemary and truffle snags topped with sticky shallots, and wagyu sausages with caviar dressing. Each snag will set you back $15 — luxe dish, steeper price — and you can also nab a Balter Lager, XPA or Captain Sensible for $7 a pop. The riverside barbecue will be firing up from midday, and DJ James Wright will be spinning tunes from 2pm. Top image: Stokebar Q.
Many a Brisbane cinephile has had their love of movies cemented — their devotion to film forged, stoked and expanded as well — via a date at the city's major annual ode to cinema. Getting comfortable in a picture palace is always a slice of magic, whichever theatre you're heading to and whatever flick you're seeing, of course. But there's a heightened sense of discovery, plus the heftiest dose of filmic worship there is, that emanates from an event like the Brisbane International Film Festival. With 120 movies on the 2022 bill, it's easy to see why from this year's BIFF lineup alone. Within that mass of movies, all livening up Brisbane's silver screens between Thursday, October 27–Sunday, October 6, anything and everything can happen. A savage satire of wealth and luxury can heave its brutal insights and piercing wonders, as Triangle of Sadness does this year, for instance. A documentary that starts with ridiculous car-parking rules can twist and weave and flat-out astonish, as Mister Organ also does in the 2022 program, too. And the whole festival can begin with Seriously Red's tribute to the one and only Dolly Parton, in a movie that enlists Rose Byrne to play Elvis Presley (yes, in the second Australian-made flick to feature the King of Rock 'n' Roll this year), as BIFF's latest iteration does as well. Any festival where all of this occurs, and more, is a festival worth attending — and BIFF 2022 also has an exquisitely touching Moroccan-set love triangle, an award-winning Afrofuturist musical, and a playful, soju-soaked South Korean musing on creativity among its selection. Oh, and Timotheé Chalamet turning cannibal, in a late addition to the program. Clearly, there's plenty to watch. Covering some of the above highlights and others, here's ten standout flicks from BIFF's 2022 program that we've seen, reviewed and heartily recommend. TRIANGLE OF SADNESS Ruben Östlund isn't interested in keeping his viewers comfortable, no matter how cushy their cinema chair. To watch the Swedish filmmaker's features is to feel yourself reacting — emotionally, always, and sometimes physically as well. It was true of 2014's phenomenal Force Majeure, aka as clever and cringe-inducing a portrait of marriage and masculinity as the 21st century has provided. With dropped jaws over a divisive piece of art within a divisive piece of art, it was true of 2018's The Square, the writer/director's first Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner, too. And, earning him that same prestigious prize again in 2022, it's also wholly accurate of Triangle of Sadness. Make a movie with a shape in its title, score one of the biggest filmmaking awards there is: that's been a nifty formula for Östlund of late. But even if he directs a flick called something like Hexagonal Dreaming next, or anything else with a geometrical bent, and it too nabs that Cannes gong, beating Triangle of Sadness' vomit sequence is highly unlikely. To remind audiences that responding to films and life alike is an involuntary reflex, Östlund shows plenty of his characters doing just that — to existence, and to a choppy luxury cruise. It makes for simply unforgettable cinema, but it's also just one part of Triangle of Sadness and its sublimely shot unpacking of wealth, privilege and social hierarchies. Appearing to be coasting through perfection is an ongoing quest for Carl (Harris Dickinson, See How They Run) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, Black Lightning), well-known models-slash-influencers, and the movie's focal point. When they take to the sea among the uber rich, they're still working the requisite angles (and snapping everything for Instagram from every angle). But then, under the captain's (Woody Harrelson, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) watch, being stranded on an island becomes their fate — and the way that Östlund satirically carves into the resulting chaos is equally hilarious and and astute, even when his film is both obvious and hardly subtle. THE BLUE CAFTAN In The Blue Caftan, a tailor's hands say everything that needs conveying about how he holds himself in the world. That garment-maker is Halim (Saleh Bakri, My Zoe), and he plies he trade in the Moroccan city of Salé, in a humble store overseen by his no-nonsense wife Mina (Lubna Azabal, Rebel). Refusing to use machines, Halim is meticulous in his work. He's patient, careful and thorough, as one needs to be in the painstakingly detailed job of hand-embroidering women's traditional tunics. As a result of his precision and artistry, he isn't short on customers — and that rigour and commitment seeps from him like breath whether he's letting Mina run the show; training Youssef (first-timer Ayoub Missioui), the apprentice brought on to help meet the demand for his exquisite wares; or finding ways to deal with his feelings, including the pull he feels towards his new protege. For her sophomore feature after the also-tender and moving Adam, writer/director Maryam Touzani again makes a delicately layered and intricately woven film — a movie that digs deep into a subject considered taboo in Morocco, too, via an exceptionally well-observed triple character study. If her pictures say everything they need to about the filmmaker herself, then Touzani clearly values intimate and weighty connections, examining the needless pressures enforced by antiquated attitudes, the bonds that spring in such complex circumstances, and heartbreakingly poignant pictures about that list. She both appreciates and elicits sensitive performances, too, with Adam alum Azabal again superb under the helmer's gaze, and Bakri just as wonderful. It's no wonder that The Blue Caftan, with its resonant tale, rich cinematography and willingness to surprise while remaining emotionally raw as well, has been chosen Morocco's 2023 Best International Feature Oscar contender. ARMAGEDDON TIME What's more difficult a feat: to ponder everything that the universe might hold, as James Gray did in 2019's sublime Ad Astra, or to peer back at your own childhood, as the writer/director now does with Armageddon Time? In both cases, the bonds and echoes between parents and children earn the filmmaker's attention. In both cases, thoughtful, complex and affecting movies result. And, as shared with everything he's made over the past three decades — The Yards, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z among them — fantastic performances glide across the screen, too. Here, in a portrait of a pre-teen's growing awareness of his privilege, the world's prejudices, the devastating history of his ancestors, and how tentative a place people can hold due to race, religion, money, politics and more, young stars Banks Repeta (The Black Phone) and Jaylin Webb (The Wonder Years) manage something remarkable, in fact, more than holding their own against a reliably excellent Anthony Hopkins (The Father), Anne Hathaway (Locked Down) and Jeremy Strong (Succession). Repeta plays sixth-grader Paul Graff, Gray's on-screen surrogate, and Armageddon Time's curious and confident protagonist. At his new public school circa 1980, he's happy standing out alongside his new friend Johnny (Webb), dreaming of being an artist despite his dad's (Strong) stern disapproval and disrupting class whenever he can to his mum's (Hathaway) dismay — and outside of it, he's happiest spending time with his doting grandfather (Hopkins). But Paul will start to understand the luck he has in the world, hailing from a middle-class Jewish family, compared to his black, bused-in friend, even if that comfort is tenuous, too. And, he'll keep seeing the way the world has Johnny at a disadvantage in every way possible, from their instantly scornful teacher to Paul's own parents' quick judgement. As lensed with the look and feel of a memory, Armageddon Time is clear about the small moments that leave an imprint, and the small deeds left undone that cause craters. It's a powerful work from a filmmaker surveying happy and sorrowful slices of the past, and doing so with unflinching eyes. MISTER ORGAN A single tweet has sparked many things for many people; however, the chaos started by a social-media missive from New Zealand journalist and filmmaker David Farrier has few parallels. In 2013, he commented on Twitter about a friend parking their car at Auckland's now-closed Bashford Antiques, then weathering an unpleasant experience: the threat of towing, instant abuse, and an immediate demand for $250 in order to be allowed to leave. Farrier next began writing articles about it all, and what seemed like a clamping racket, in 2016. In his first piece, he covered being asked by his employer three years prior to delete his tweet, too. But his own ordeal was only just beginning, because his ordeal involves Michael Organ. "You pay a soul tax for every minute you spend with him," Farrier notes in the documentary he's made about all of the above, complete with far more twists than anyone can imagine going in — and watching Mister Organ, the feeling behind that observation is starkly apparent. As well as helping impose onerous conditions on folks parking outside an antiques store, and becoming the owner's constant companion in the process, claiming to be royalty is also part of this tale. Organ has defended himself in serious court cases, and assisted with bringing legal proceedings against others, including Farrier. His web of interpersonal dealings, as fleshed out through discussions with ex-housemates and acquaintances, brings bewildered and infuriated interviewees into the doco. Finding someone to say a kind word about him is almost impossible, other than the endlessly talkative Organ himself. For newcomers to this situation, it's best to get the ins and outs by watching, stolen boats and all, because no description does them justice — but Farrier's time with Organ, as he tries to get to the bottom of his story, never fails to surprise. Viewers of filmmaker's Tickled and Dark Tourist will easily glean why he was drawn to tell this tale, though; for starters, it's another disturbing, perplexing, so-messy-it-can-only-be-true slice of life. THE NOVELIST'S FILM Bong Joon-ho won all of the Oscars for Parasite. Park Chan-wook has enjoyed a cult following since Oldboy, as he should, and just directed one of the films of the year with Decision to Leave. Saying that Squid Game was an enormous hit for Netflix is like saying that everyone wishes they lucked into a windfall of cash — aka oh-so-obvious. Clearly, South Korea's film and TV scene is having a moment on the global stage right now, although it's been responsible for fantastic work for far longer than the past few years. In this current wave of affection, though, Hong Sang-soo deserves some love as well. Indeed, he deserves plenty. There's always an opportunity to appreciate his talents, given how prolific the Hill of Freedom, Right Now, Wrong Then, Yourself and Yours, The Woman Who Ran and On the Beach at Night Alone filmmaker is; he's nearing 30 features since 1996 now. And yes, The Novelist's Film deserves that attention and appreciation wholeheartedly. Hong's usual obsessions are all present: alcohol, conversation, musings on creativity, a focus on small moments and acknowledging twists of chance. Plenty of his familiar stars feature also, such as Lee Hye-young (In Front of Your Face), Kwon Hae-hyo (Hotel by the River) and Kim Min-hee (Introduction). And, the black-and-white film is shot in his usual observational, mostly fixed way, sports a playful sense of humour, and ebbs and flows with naturalistic dialogue. That said, the director never makes the same movie twice — his ability to wrangle so many recurrent elements into something new and freshly revealing each time is one of his biggest strengths. In The Novelist's Film, that involves following the titular writer (Lee) when she crosses paths with a filmmaker (Kwon) she was supposed to work with in the past, and a famous actor (the always exceptional Kim) who has stopped appearing on-screen — and deciding, amid loaded and insightful chats, including about artistic freedom, to make an experimental short film herself. ROBE OF GEMS In the very first moments of her very first feature as a director — after working as an editor on films such as 2012's Post Tenebras Lux and 2014's Jauja — Natalia López demands her audience's attention. She earns it and ensures it as well, and looking away while Robe of Gems unfurls its story is impossible afterwards. To kick things off, a patient and painterly glimpse at the rural Mexican landscape comes into sight, fading up and bringing more and more dusty grey details with it with each second. Then, without the frame moving, a frenetic man is seen bashing and slashing through the plants. Next, it becomes apparent that there's a reflection as part of the image. And, it's also quickly evident that viewers are seeing someone else's vantage as they look on at the landscape. In fact, a couple peers out, in the middle of getting intimate (and immediately before flinging wooden furniture around, strewn pieces flying everywhere). With the 'start as you mean to go on' maxim in mind, it's a helluva opening. López does indeed begin as she goes on, in a film that scored her this year's Berlinale's Silver Bear Jury Prize. The pivotal villa belongs to Isabel's (Nailea Norvind, Julia vs Julia) family, and offers somewhat of a respite from a marriage that's splintering like that thrown-about furniture, with the clearly well-to-do woman settling in with her children Benja (first-timer Balam Toledo) and Vale (fellow debutant Sherlyn Zavala Diaz). But tension inescapably lingers, given that the onsite caretaker María (newcomer Antonia Olivares) is unsettled by the disappearance of her sister, a plot point that makes a purposeful statement. The police are investigating, the cartel has a local presence, corruption is an ever-present force, and the gap between the wealthy and not-so is glaring. Progressing carefully from that powerhouse opening, Robe of Gems quickly seeps under your skin — and as its first visuals make abundantly clearly, every second is a marvel to look at. NEPTUNE FROST Films can break boundaries, chalk up firsts and give audiences something they've truly never seen before every single day, and in plenty of ways — but there really hasn't ever been anything like Neptune Frost until now. Helmed by poet and musician Saul Williams with playwright Anisia Uzeyman (Dreamstates), who co-direct together, the Rwanda-set sci-fi musical won the inaugural Bright Horizons Award at this year's Melbourne International Film Festival for being so bold and inventive. It's been attracting well-earned acclaim as it makes its way around the international film festival circuit, too, for its visionary — and vastly experimental — approach to filmmaking as an artform. This is a movie that thrums with a beat and a pulse that's firmly steeped in its Afrofuturist vibe, style and thinking, and that approaches time, space and gender with the utmost fluidity. It's also a feature that never makes the obvious move, or the straightforward one, or the visually and acoustically standard one — and doesn't hold back with its on-screen trip or wide range of targets alike. Narrative-wise, Neptune Frost meets its hacker namesake (first played by Elvis Ngabo, then Cheryl Isheja) in world rife with division — and where authority is enforced with a heavy hand, and exploiting both resources and people is the status quo. This is a story of an awakening and a resistance, with voiceover stressing how the intersex Neptune's whole existence truly kicks in at the age of 23; however, it's also a tale about technology and its costs, connection, information, life's twists and turns, and seizing power against oppressive forces such as capitalism and colonialism. Nothing is wasted, including being subtle about the film's points. Every second ripples with potency, with artistry, and with the determination to celebrate Black, African, queer, avant-garde and boundary-pushing perspectives at every turn. The end result: simply mesmerising, although there's nothing simple about Neptune Frost. GLORIAVALE Exploring the story of the religious community that shares its name, New Zealand documentary Gloriavale makes for stunning, gut-wrenching and infuriating viewing. It's a year for NZ films that earn that description — see also: Mister Organ above — but this true tale was always going to stand out and leave an imprint. Given that it involves chatting to survivors of the cult-like organisation, particularly excommunicated members relaying their heartbreaking experiences, being aghast at their ordeals is a natural reaction. Feeling angry that this can happen is, too, including as the film charts legal proceedings to bring Gloriavale's horrors to light. What has gone on behind closed doors, in a closed community, in the West Coast-based sect heartily requires this type of exposé — and with brother and sister John and Virginia as their key interviewees, filmmakers Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth (reteaming after 2019's Camino Skies) are up to the task. The specifics date back to the late 1960s, when the organisation was founded and started drawing in members, who were soon living under the sect's strict beliefs. Here, for instance, women are expected to work all through their waking hours to keep Gloriavale running — not even sitting down for meals — and cramming the group's many families all under one big roof is the norm. Also, when sexual abuse claims arise, including with children as victims, blame is directed everywhere but the accused perpetrators. As Gloriavale steps through details like these again and again, it's unsurprisingly harrowing from the outset. Archival footage from within the community only adds to the distressing mood, and charting the legal cases ups the drama, but the accounts of what's gone on at the titular place would be damning and gripping as is even if Grady and Smyth only had talking-head interviews at their disposal. THE PASSENGERS OF THE NIGHT The Passengers of the Night gleans its title from words uttered by talkback host Vanda Dorval (Emmanuelle Béart, Margaux Hartmann) — words used to greet her listeners and callers in the evening's deepest hours. Heard in fits and spurts, the Radio France program is the film's glue; however, it's not its focus. Without it, Elisabeth Davies (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sundown) wouldn't have a job when her marriage breaks down. She also wouldn't meet teenager Talulah (Noée Abita, Slalom), who becomes a guest first on the airwaves, then in the Davies family's home, including befriending Elisabeth's daughter Judith (Megan Northam, Robust) and son Mathias (Quito Rayon Richter, Dark Heart of the Forest). But writer/director Mikhaël Hers (Amanda) is interested in the titular phrase as an emotional concept far more than its mentions within the movie's narrative. Aren't we all travellers in the darkness, riding our journeys until light breaks again? That's the path Elisabeth takes, too, from election night 1981 when the feature begins, through to the end of the decade. Amid cinematography and a soundtrack evocatively steeped in all things 80s, Gainsbourg is luminous as a woman initially adrift when the life she thought she'd always live crumbles, then navigating her first-ever jobs, then committing to forging a new existence. Indeed, there's a spark in all three of The Passengers of the Night's key performances, spanning Abita's resilient but vulnerable turn as the drug-addicted Talulah and Richter's earnest work as the high schooler who's quickly smitten as well. Hers has built a layered feature, and one that keeps reaching towards the light wherever it can — surveying and understanding the joys of a night out dancing, of sneaking into a cinema, of new love, of moving past old regrets and the like. The Passengers of the Night beams brightest as a character study of Elisabeth, though, and her efforts to reclaim her sense of self post-divorce. LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE To create is to become immortal. Write something that's hopefully committed to print or pixels forever, or direct a film that'll ideally keep reaching eyeballs in some format year after year, and a part of you — the part you've invested in time, sweat, tears and creativity — lives on eternally. That notion haunts playful and perceptive Filipino genre-bender Leonor Will Never Die, which understands the power that making a movie has both for the talents involved and the audiences watching. The eponymous Leonor Reyes (Sheila Francisco, Gulong) is an action-film director, albeit one whose heyday is behind her. She stopped stepping behind the camera after a tragedy, and her family has suffered in the aftermath. With her husband Valentin (Alan Bautista) gone and her favourite son Ronwaldo (Rocky Salumbides and Anthony Falcon) dead, only her other offspring, the concerned, discontent and constantly critical Rudie (Bong Cabrera), remains at her side. But Leonor still types away her ideas, and fantasises about how they'd turn out — including when she's knocked unconscious in an accident, only to wake up inside one of her scripts. To create something, such as a film, its screenplay or both, is also to become a deity in a way. That concept also lingers over Leonor Will Never Die, too, because we're all gods over our own existences. When first-timer feature writer/director Martika Ramirez Escobar has her protagonist thrust into a space that should only dwell in the character's head and pages, this constantly twisting feature ponders agency, control and the power of our choices — and, often, the lack thereof. It explores escapism and wish fulfilment as well, all while proving an inventive and pulpy action flick itself, a thoughtful family melodrama, a rumination on life and regrets, a musing about grief and, frequently, an absurd comedy. Case in point re the latter: Leonor, the cinema-obsessed filmmaker, is knocked into her coma by a falling TV. Once you've seen the film, you'll realise that that sounds like something she'd dream up herself. Looking for more BIFF recommendations? We've taken a look at a couple of others already this year. So, you can also check out our thoughts on Piggy and Mass. The 2022 Brisbane International Film Festival runs between Thursday, October 27–Sunday, November 6. For further information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival website.
Big names from Australia and overseas. A new stage dedicated to dance music. A health and wellness zone with guided meditation and ice baths. With the returning lantern parade, too, as well as Steven Bradbury hosting the Great Australian Pineapple Toss and the onsite ferris wheel offering a helluva view, that's how The Big Pineapple Festival is making the most of its 2025 event. Taking place on Saturday, November 1, the Sunshine Coast is marking its ten-year anniversary with Hilltop Hoods, The Cat Empire, The Jungle Giants and PNAU leading the bill, as well as Polaris, SIX60, Hands Like Houses, MKTO, Rum Jungle and Thelma Plum. Superlove Arena, that purpose-built haven for electronic tunes, will feature Baauer, Bushbaby, Anna Lunoe B2B Nina Las Vegas, KLP B2B Mell Hall, Little Fritter B2B Wongo, Paluma B2B Kessin, Shimmy and Raw Ordio. And Betty Taylor, Beckah Amani, HEADSEND and IVANA are also on the fest's lineup as well, all helping the event back up being named the Festival of the Year for the fourth time at the 2025 Queensland Music Awards. For those keen to dance in the shadow of a giant piece of tropical fruit — and one of Australia's most-famous big things — hitting Pineapple Fields in Woombye also comes with the option of camping, whether you'll be bringing your own tent, hiring one onsite or glamping. The Big Pineapple Festival 2025 Lineup Hilltop Hoods The Cat Empire The Jungle Giants PNAU Polaris SIX60 Hands Like Houses MKTO Rum Jungle Thelma Plum Baauer Bushbaby Anna Lunoe B2B Nina Las Vegas KLP B2B Mell Hall Little Fritter B2B Wongo Paluma B2B Kessin Shimmy Raw Ordi Betty Taylor Beckah Amani HEADSEND IVANA Select images: Claudia Ciapocha / Charlie Hardy.
In 2022, Netflix asked a question: what happens when you take the Australian teen series of the 90s and update it to the 2020s, all while riding a huge wave of nostalgia for all things stemming from three decades back? The answer seemed obvious on paper, but there were no guarantees about the new Heartbreak High revival until it actually arrived. The answer, thankfully, was a worthy successor to the beloved 1994–99 hit that every 90s Aussie kid watched. No one said "rack off" to the Sydney-set show's latest run, clearly, or to its new batch of Hartley High teens, or their fresh dose of messy teen lives. Not Aussie audiences, with the series making Netflix's top ten TV shows in the country for the five weeks after its September 2022 release. And, not the streaming service itself, given that it promptly renewed the show for season two. That was last year's news — and, if you've been hanging out for Heartbreak High's return, Netflix has just started confirming season two details. Firstly, you'll be waiting until 2024 for school to be in session again. Secondly, there'll be a couple of new students. Sam Rechner (The Fabelmans) will play country boy and classic cinema fan Rowan Callaghan, and he's destined for a love triangle. Also, Kartanya Maynard (Deadloch) joins the Hartley crew as Zoe Clarke, who has big thoughts on celibacy — she's in favour — as part of a gang of Puriteens. Attention students! Next season, we'll be joined by some new members of the class... Please make them feel welcome at recess 💔 🏫 #HeartbreakHigh pic.twitter.com/jUNGrdb57N — Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) July 7, 2023 On the returning crew, character-wise: Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect), Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson). Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she called on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of the Heartbreak High revival's season one story. In season two, everyone will back for a second term after doing some growing up over the holidays, and Hartley is now the lowest-ranking school in the district. Netflix is teasing that threesomes, chlamydia and burning cars will be distant memory for the gang — but there'll still be teen chaos, of course, or this wouldn't be Heartbreak High. It was back in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s-era take on the Aussie classic, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the Heartbreak High revival's first season below: Heartbreak High season two will arrive sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact date is announced. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
Brisbane has caught a serious case of burger fever, and the pandemic shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Ben's Burgers has taken up residency in Winn Lane (at Flamingo Cafe’s old digs) to help medicate the good people of Brisbane and treat their burger lovin’ symptoms. Ben's Burgers are all about simplicity. From the food to the fit-out, everything is fuss free and fairly fantastic. They’ve got the business of burger building down to a fine art and have only one rule — no alterations. But that’s ok, because why mess with perfection? You can choose BB Classic, BB Special or BB Veg ($11 each), and rest assured that what comes out between two halves of brioche will be fresh, juicy and damn tasty. The BB Classic is exactly that: a classic. The tender, juicy beef pattie is in perfect proportion to the soft and sweet brioche bun, gooey melted cheese, and precisely placed pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard and mayo. This masterpiece is the perfect size to get your mouth around as you enjoy all the fixings all together, bite after bite. Don’t be afraid to make a mess as the succulent juices trickle down your wrists — this is a real burger after all. If you’re one to push the boundaries, why not try the BB special — its foundation is the same tender, juicy beef pattie as the classic, but it comes dressed up in jalapenos and a special sauce — or the BB veg where a whole roasted mushroom replaces the meat. In true American style, you can wash down whichever burg you choose with a cup of housemade cherry cola or ginger ale, or if you’re feeling game, a Hershey’s chocolate milkshake. But it seems Brisbane’s burger urges aren’t restricted to lunch and dinner. From 7am until 11am, Ben's Burgers can satisfy your morning cravings with three breakfast burgers ($7 each) on offer. You’ve got your usuals — bacon, egg, cheese and special sauce, and sausage, egg, cheese and bourbon barbecue sauce — and your unusual: the BB Elvis. Give your arteries a King-sized workout with bacon, peanut butter, banana and maple syrup hugged by a brioche bun.
During its 40 Days of Flavour festival, the Treasury Casino is bring back its popular wine and cheese shindigs — and this one has a little extra fizz. On Friday, April 30, the CBD venue's blend of dairy and drinks also includes bubbles. There's never a bad time to indulge in a big splash of effervescence, after all. Wine, Cheese and Bubbles down between 5.30–7.30pm, and features Australian and international wine tastings, cheese sampling, and a range of canapes and antipasto, too. Sip your way through tipples from Chandon, Robert Oatley, T'Gallant, Dal Zotto and more — and prepare to say "cheers" a whole lot. The tastiness takes place across the Treasury's ground floor, including its courtyard, Ryan's on the Park and The Lab, so expect a starry backdrop and some live entertainment as well. And, this night of drinking and eating is rather affordable as well, with the two-hour package costing $50 per person. Top image: Grace Smith.
For many families in the hospitality industry, children often inherit the beloved restaurants where they spent their formative years. It's not often that you find a hospitality veteran launching a restaurant specifically with his parents in mind. Brookvale's Bazaar and Bar and Sketch Manly founder, Kabir Arora, wanted to give his parents a "real place to land" once they emigrated to Australia from India. "Mum had years of catering experience back in India and deserved a kitchen where she could show off properly," says Kabir. "Dad, BJ, is a numbers guy, so he slid straight into the accounting seat. Sketch became our family project before it ever became a restaurant." If you're not familiar with the curry and craft beer house, Sketch Manly, you've been missing out. The restaurant started with Indian tapas nights that the locals packed out. Throughout COVID, Sketch Manly stayed open every day and nine years into their venture, the restaurant still hasn't closed its doors once. "That's how committed we are to being part of this neighbourhood," says Kabir. "Sketch is what it is because Manly made it that way." Kabir describes Sketch Manly as Indian home-cooking meets a cosy Melbourne bar (despite being in Sydney). "Vibey street energy, hip tunes, and a space built with genuine care for food and drinks," Kabir tells Concrete Playground. Sketch Manly's curries are all Kabir's mum's, Sukh's recipes. "It's simple food done right. Our butter chicken and mushroom korma anchor the menu, and the rest rotates seasonally. No gimmicks. Just home cooking executed properly." Said butter chicken is the "unofficial mascot of Sketch", and Kabir prides himself on their version going back to basics. "Too many Sydney spots have turned butter chicken into dessert, so we went in the opposite direction: tomato, butter, cream, a few spices, and restraint." Kabir's partner, Ivy, has also helped Manly to fall in love with the restaurant's newest dessert: the Chai-misu, an Indian twist on the ever-popular tiramisu. Alongside its food offerings, Sketch Manly is also known for pairing its homemade curries with crispy craft beers. "Spices and a crisp, cold beer are natural mates," says Kabir. "A clean lager cools things down beautifully, but a juicy pale or hazy IPA can actually lift the flavours and make the whole meal pop." Ultimately, the family ethos that began Sketch Manly is what Kabir hopes customers feel after dining in. Similar to eating at your cousin's or mum's place, he says, the family hopes diners leave full, content, happy and planning their next visit. "It's the neighbourhood curry spot where everyone feels welcome," says Kabir. "First-timers, regulars, families, tradies — whoever walks in gets treated like part of the crew. We cook the same way every day, with the same care." So, what's next for the Northern Beaches restaurant? Kabir is setting his sights on more dinner collaborations, hibachi nights, and even an expansion. "And we're finally launching Sketch Goods — small-batch chutneys, sauces, pickles, and other Indian pantry staples we've been quietly perfecting," says Kabir. The idea for Sketch Goods is simple: bring Sketch Manly's beloved flavours into other cafes, delis, pubs, and home kitchens. What began as a family project has turned into a nearly decade-long love affair with the Northern Beaches suburb, and as the Pittwater Road gem expands, it seems Sketch Manly's food and flavours could soon be enjoyed by more than just the locals. Images: Supplied
While visiting Far North Queensland, make a stop at Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest. To give you a deeper understanding of the extraordinary beauty surrounding you, we recommend booking a Ngadiku Dreamtime Walk. After a traditional smoking ceremony, your local Indigenous Australian guide will lead you into a magical forest while sharing Dreamtime stories. You'll get to source and taste bush tucker, learn how to make soap from leaves and see ochre painting in progress, before finishing up with bush tea and damper. On the way out, spend as long as you like beside the spectacular Gorge, where a waterfall plunges into a cool, rushing river. Images: Tourism and Events Queensland
The Japanese have a particular skill when it comes to making useful objects much more compact and convenient. It seems that such skills have extended well into the realm of eyewear, as Menicon Co. has recently revealed with Magic, the world's thinnest contact lens pack. At just '12.5% of the thickness and just 40% of the volume of a conventional pack used to store contact lenses', Magic is thin enough to slide inside your wallet. With such minuscule size, these daily lenses will be much easier to carry around when you're travelling light. The packs have been patterned by designer Yoshihiro Yagi, with a simple black and white print that mimics the daily movements of the sun. Furthermore, the contact lenses contain 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate-Glycerol Methacrylate, which apparently allows for 'superior water retention'. These are set for nationwide distribution in Japan from April 2012. Watch the video below for a real glance at the dynamics of this product. [via PSFK]
Beau is afraid. Beau is anxious. Beau is alone. Beau is alive. Any of these three-word sentences would make a fitting name for Ari Aster's third feature, which sees its titular middle-aged figure not just worry about anything and everything, but watch his fears come true, concerns amplify and alienation grow — and then some. And, in the Hereditary and Midsommar filmmaker's reliably dread-inducing hands, no matter whether Beau (Joaquin Phoenix, C'mon C'mon) is wallowing in his apartment solo, being welcomed into someone else's family or stumbling upon a travelling theatre troupe in the woods, he knows that he's truly on his own in this strange, sad, surreal and savage world, too. More than that, he's well-aware that this is what life is inescapably like for all of us, regardless of how routine, chaotic or grand our individual journeys from emerging out of our mother's womb to sinking into death's eternal waters happen to prove. Aster has opted for Beau Is Afraid as a moniker, with this horror-meets-tragicomedy mind-bender a filmic ode to existential alarm — and, more than that, a picture that turns catastrophising into a feature. Psychiatrists will have a field day; however, experiencing the latest in the writer/director's growing line of guilt-dripping celluloid nightmares, so should viewers in general. Even with Chilean The Wolf House helmers Cristóbal León and Joaquin Cosiña lending their help to the three-hour movie's midsection, where animation adds another dreamlike dimension to a picture book-style play within an already fantastical-leaning flick frequently running on dream logic, Aster embraces his favourite deranged terrain again. He makes bold choices, doesn't think twice about challenging himself and his audience, elicits a stunning lead performance and dances with retina-searing imagery, all while pondering inherited trauma, the emotional ties that bind and the malevolence that comes with dependence. Death, the bonds of blood, life's onslaught of damage, long-kept secrets, wild and weird groups, odd rituals, unnerving altercations: yes, they're all present and accounted for in Beau Is Afraid as well; yes, this is unshakeably and unmistakably an Aster joint. When he slides into suburbia in the second act, he also gets as Lynchian as he ever has — that Beau Is Afraid springs from a ravenous mind fed a diet of Eraserhead, Twin Peaks and Inland Empire isn't in doubt long before Mariah Carey's earworm 'Always Be My Baby' scores a Blue Velvet-esque spin. Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York and Anomalisa, Darren Aronofsky's mother!, Richard Kelly's Southland Tales: they're equally among this movie's melange of peers, ambitious and impressive company that offers a litmus test for viewers. Swimming through someone else's mindscape is never easy, after all, and doesn't Aster love sharing that feeling. Beau Wassermann is an average Joe with a rundown flat in a dilapidated neighbourhood, his therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson, Causeway) on speed dial, and O'Loha frozen dinners — an incredulous mix of Hawaiian and Irish cuisines — for sustenance. He's also the son of a wealthy and controlling businesswoman, Mona (played by American Horror Story's Patti LuPone, plus The Craft: Legacy director Zoe Lister-Jones in flashbacks), another mainstay on his call list (Moviefone, the US number for obtaining cinema session information that's been defunct since 2014, is another). And, he's wracked with stress whenever he leaves his house, which doesn't seem that far-fetched given there's a nude killer dubbed 'Birthday Boy Stab Man' by the news on the loose. That said, after Beau Is Afraid shows its namesake's birth from his perspective, obligatory slap on the rear and all, then meets him nearing 50 and nervous about a trip home, he's just fretful all the time anyway. Thanks to an escalating series of unfortunate events — another string of words that could've doubled as Beau Is Afraid's title; Disappointment Blvd was the actual original moniker — the basis for that apprehension is similarly swiftly apparent. From the tiniest minutiae to the biggest change, Beau's existence keeps getting worse, then bleaker still, then even more grim and hopeless. He's prescribed anti-anxiety pills that he's told absolutely must be taken with water, but doesn't have any and his building's supply is shut off. When he sprints to the convenience store across the road, everyone on his crime-riddled street slips into his apartment and trashes it. Aster begins Beau's malaise in the everyday, but becomes hellish quickly, a pattern constantly repeated when he's hit by a van and taken in by the married Grace and Roger (Only Murders in the Building co-stars Amy Ryan and Nathan Lane), watches that aforementioned theatre production, reflects upon his time as a teenager (Armen Nahapetian, NCIS) on a cruise holiday falling for his first crush (Julia Antonelli, Outer Banks) and seeks answers about his father. In only his second on-screen role since winning an Oscar for Joker, Phoenix plays Beau with deeply internalised sorrow, so much so that spying his shoulders do anything but slump in the character's uniform of pyjamas seems like the most fanciful thing that could happen — and this is a movie overflowing with eccentric, imaginative and absurd touches. It's a fascinating performance, both vulnerable and primal at once, as situations exceeding Beau's foulest terrors keep bubbling. Crucially, whether Beau Is Afraid is in Freudian and Oedipal mode, or bringing Misery or Station Eleven or Lord of the Rings to mind in Aster's unceasingly distinctive way, or having its central figure wrestle naked in the bath, Phoenix is committed to the ride and to being the everyman. He's in an often bitingly funny black comedy as much as he's in a horror flick, and he's both game and empathetic as Beau overtly endeavours yet struggles to keep it together. Ideally, no one watching is discovering intruders perched above their baths and monsters in attics, but they'll always understand Beau's panic, shame, dismay and humiliation. Of course, when Aster gets amusing, it's in largely while getting so distressing that you really can only laugh, as Beau's mushrooming plight forever is. If every possible development in your life is always the most miserable, what else are you meant to do? That's Beau Is Afraid in a smart, dark, cerebral, gut-punching, hope-crushing, relatable, hilarious and horrific nutshell. Aster packs in humour wherever he can, though, demanding the utmost attention to his returning Hereditary and Midsommar cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski's purposefully disorienting frames for slapstick silliness, dick jokes and brief flashes of background wordplay (Asstral Projection and Erection Injection are the names of the peepshows next to Beau's building, for instance). Beau is afraid of it all, and teeming with anxiety over it. He's alone in it all, but that's what being alive is. It'd be the film's biggest surprise if Aster wasn't chuckling — and having the ultimate fever dream.
Peruse a list of 2019's big movies, and you could be forgiven for feeling like Hollywood is living in the past. When it's not serving up Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King remakes, it's extending the Godzilla, X-Men, Men in Black, Child's Play, Toy Story, Spider-Man and Terminator franchises — and putting together a sequel to The Shining. The list goes on, with the new Charlie's Angels the latest to join the fold. Hello, nostalgia- and action-loving movie-goers, obviously. Back in 2000 and 2003, the world didn't really need a couple of films based on the 1976–81 television series of the same name, even if Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu made a great team. Almost two decades later, the world probably doesn't need a third Charlie's Angels movie about a private detective agency, its formidable ladies and their globe-trotting hijinks, either. But the new flick — which both revisits the franchise's familiar scenario with new faces, and reportedly continues on from both the TV show and the the first two films — does boast more than a few potential highlights. Cast-wise, Charlie's Angels circa 2019 stars Kristen Stewart, Aladdin standout Naomi Scott and British up-and-comer Ella Balinska. Like her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, Stewart has made some savvy film choices since farewelling the vampire romance saga, including Clouds of Sils Maria, Certain Women and Personal Shopper — and while this upbeat action flick about kick-ass ladies saving the world clearly shares little else in common with her recent dramatic roles, here's hoping it continues her good run. Elsewhere, Elizabeth Banks sits the director's chair, co-wrote the script and features on-screen as Bosley. Well, one of them — Patrick Stewart and Djimon Hounsou both play Bosley, too. Music fans can also look forward to the soundtrack, with Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey all collaborating on a song, as the film's first trailer reveals. That's a bit of a throwback of its own, given that 2000's Charlie's Angels also featured a killer track, aka Destiny's Child's 'Independent Women'. Catch a glimpse of the new Charlie's Angels in the initial clip below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSUq4VfWfjE Charlie's Angels releases in Australian cinemas on November 14, 2019.
Other than Christmas Day's requisite feast, no one likes cooking at the end of the year. If you're not so fond of getting in the kitchen on December 25, that's okay, too. So, as 2020 dwindles to a close, takeaway is firmly on the menu. And if you're keen to both support local eateries and keep an eye on your bank balance, Deliveroo has announced a handy special for the festive season. From Monday, December 21–Sunday, December 27, the delivery service is offering Australians free delivery from a sizeable range of local restaurants. In total across the country, more than 130 eateries and restaurants are on the list — including Gelato Messina, Mary's and Royal Stacks. With Sydney's northern beaches area currently experiencing a COVID-19 cluster — and subject to stay-at-home public health orders from 5pm, Saturday, December 19 until midnight on Wednesday — Deliveroo is also kicking things off early in the region. Free delivery is already available in the area, including from I Love Pizza, BenBry Burgers, Banana Blossom, DeVita: Tastes of Napoli, Chat Thai in Manly and Little L in Mona Vale. To ensure that all of the eateries involved aren't missing out on revenue or left out of pocket, Deliveroo is footing the bill for the free delivery — in terms of the delivery fees, that is. Obviously, you'll still need to pay for whatever you'd like to eat; however, you won't have to fork out more on top to get it brought to your door. If you're in Sydney's northern beaches and you're suddenly hungry, or you're in the rest of the country and you're thinking ahead, orders need to be placed via the Deliveroo app. Deliveroo's free delivery is on offer from Saturday, December 19–Sunday, December 27 in Sydney's northern beaches area — and from Monday, December 21–Sunday, December 27 across the rest of the country — via the Deliveroo app.
As it continues in a push to produce more inclusive exercise gear, Lululemon has this week launched a new range of workout hijabs across selected international stores. The performance and lifestyle hijabs come in two styles available to buy now across New Zealand and Australia, with a third set to launch later this year. Each hijab is made using the buttery soft, sweat-wicking fabric Lululemon is famous for and offers a series of adjustable fits suited to the gym, a home workout or just those humid days of summer. The pin-free Performance Hijab ($55 AUD/$65 NZD) comes in both black and blue, and features an adjustable drawstring so it stays fitted into place while the user is working out — perfect for runners and HIIT lovers. The more traditional Scarf-Style Hijab ($49 AUD/$55 NZD) comes in soft jersey fabric and can be worn tied, twisted or tucked depending on preference. This one might be more suited to lower intensity styles, like pilates and walks. Lastly, the OTM Pull On Hijab ($49 AUD/$55 NZD) which is set to launch later this year, also has an over the head design and can be worn wrapped around the shoulders or tucked into the front of the shirt. Luluelmon certainly isn't the first activewear company to produce a hijab suited to exercise: Adidas has an option available to purchase online with its famous three stripe logo and Nike also has a monochromatic range. Under Armour also has an option with built-in headphone access. It would be great to see more brands follow suit, including locally made and designed options. The Lululemon performance hijab range launched Monday, June 6 and can be found now in select stores across Australia and New Zealand. For more information, head to the website.
If your ultimate Saturday morning is a leisurely Bunnings shopping session followed by a saucy snag in bread, why let the fun end there? Soon, you'll be able to make a proper weekend of it with a new Mercure Melbourne Doncaster hotel set to open smack bang on top of a Bunnings Warehouse. The work of global hotel group Accor and developer Accord Property Group, the unlikely pair are slated to be up and running by late 2021. Located in the heart of the bustling Doncaster Hill precinct, together they'll provide the prime spot for a snag-based staycation. Along with a couple of levels dedicated to retail offerings, the mid-range hotel will boast 183 rooms across six floors with interiors that reference parts of the area's history, including the southern hemisphere's first electric tramway: the short-lived Box Hill to Doncaster tram. It'll have all the usual trimmings you need for an overnight stay, too: a dining terrace, restaurant and bar, rooftop pool, fitness centre and sundeck — as well as a full-size, sparkly new Bunnings Warehouse, of course. And if tools, paint and plants don't offer quite enough retail therapy for you, Mercure Melbourne Doncaster also sits handily adjacent to the huge retail precinct that is Westfield Doncaster shopping centre. Mercure Melbourne Doncaster is set to open at 659 Doncaster Road, Doncaster in late 2021.
Meet Australia's next homegrown franchise: after 2019 film Top End Wedding proved a huge hit, striking a chord with lovers of big-screen rom-coms, Aussie fare, Miranda Tapsell (The Surfer) and seeing the Northern Territory splashed across cinemas, streaming series Top End Bub is set to give fans of the movie more on the small screen. And, the new series now has a trailer. When the newly engaged Lauren (Tapsell) and Ned (Gwilym Lee, SAS Rogue Heroes) made a whirlwind visit to Darwin in the successful flick, it was to get married. Six years later, the two key characters are now heading back to the Northern Territory capital. In Top End Bub, Top End Wedding's central couple enter their next chapter — and a child is indeed involved. Tapsell not only starred in Top End Wedding but co-wrote the script. With Top End Bub, she's in both roles again — and also co-created and executive produced the series with fellow returnee Joshua Tyler (100% Wolf: Legend of the Moonstone). Their new story: sending Lauren and Ned to the NT once more, away from their settled life in Adelaide, to become the guardians of their orphaned niece Taya (debutant Gladys-May Kelly). First confirmed in 2024, Top End Bub is set to span eight episodes — and you'll be watching it soon. The series hits Prime Video from Friday, September 12, 2025. Ursula Yovich (Troppo), Huw Higginson (Ladies in Black), Shari Sebbens (The Moogai), Elaine Crombie (Invisible Boys), Rob Collins (Austin) and Tracy Mann (Home and Away) are also making the leap from Top End Wedding to its new spinoff — and Sebbens and Christiaan Van Vuuren (The Office) direct Top End Bub. In a series that promises banding together for family, grappling with what it means to be a parent, onstage antics and even football — as seen in its just-dropped sneak peek — you'll be watching Brooke Satchwell (Triple Oh!), Guy Simon (The Secrets She Keeps) and Clarence Ryan (Territory) as well. Check out the trailer for Top End Bub below: Top End Bub streams via Prime Video from Friday, September 12, 2025. Images: John Platt / Prime Video.
2022 hasn't been kind to anyone's bank balances, with inflation having a hefty impact on the cost of living all around the world, including in Australia. We know you know this, and so does your wallet. In Sydney in fact, the year's financial struggles have seen the Harbour City reclaim global recognition for being a mighty expensive place to call home, taking tenth place on The Economist Intelligence Unit's annual Worldwide Cost of Living survey. While Melbourne was dubbed Australia's most liveable city in the EIU's Global 2022 Liveability Index earlier in 2022, Sydney has nabbed a less sought-after mantle, after sitting in the same spot back in 2018. Again, it's an exxy time all-round in general, with the survey noting that prices worldwide, in the 172 major cities surveyed, have shot up 8.1 percent year on year on average (in local currencies). That's the biggest jump in the 20 years that the EIU has digital data for. The place on the planet that'll trouble your pennies the most? This year, there's two: New York and Singapore. The pair of cities tied for the top spot, with New York earning the unwanted honours for the first time ever, but Singapore taking the crown for the eighth time in a decade. The two places bump down 2021 leader Tel Aviv to third, with Hong Kong and Los Angeles then sharing fourth spot. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva came in at six and seven respectively, while San Francisco sits at eighth, Paris at ninth and Copenhagen shares tenth place with Sydney. Yes, this means that Sydney is more expensive to live in at the moment than London and Tokyo — two cities that aren't considered cheap at all. In fact, Tokyo dropped down 24 spots to sit in 37th place. As per The Guardian, Sydney's rise from 14th in 2021 to tenth this year isn't the only upward movement among Australia's cities. Melbourne leapt from 16th to 15th, and Brisbane from 36th to 32nd. For further details about the 2022 Worldwide Cost of Living survey, head to The Economist Intelligence Unit's website.
Do your visits to the Sunshine Coast usually revolve around hitting the beach? If so, you're only seeing part of what this Queensland region has to offer. Make a date with the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden in Tanawha until Sunday, October 17, and you can soak in the other side of the Sunny Coast's natural splendour — and see an art exhibition designed to make a statement. At Final Call, six installations have taken up residence among the garden. Accordingly, you'll mosey around, rove your eyes over the greenery-filled scenery and look at creative pieces. And, whey you spot the artworks, you'll be peering at items created in designed to contemplate climate change. The roll call of Queensland artists involved is impressive, with Robert Andrew, Courtney Coombs, Caitlin Franzmann, Courtney Scheu and Itamar Freed all contributing, as well as Judy Watson with Tor Maclean and Aunty Helena Gulash. Checking out Final Call is free, with the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden open daily from 9am–5pm.
Lasagne is a bit like lamingtons, even though the two delicious dishes taste and look absolutely nothing alike. Their one big commonality: if there's an inventive way to twist either in any way, whatever that new bite happens to be is definitely worth trying. Actually, the two foods share something else in common, because Australia's world-famous Lune Croissanterie has also given them both a whirl. It's served up lamington cruffins and lasagne pastries before, but they're both always welcome — and, to start winter 2023, the latter is back. Lasagne, but a pastry? Yes, that's now a real thing that exists — but only for this month, until Friday, June 30, at all Lune stores around the country. That spans Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale in Melbourne, plus South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane. From Armadale, South Brisbane and Burnett Lane only, you can also order its June specials online. So, what are these instantly tastebud-tempting lasagne pastries? Prepare to meet, devour and love the lasagne escargot. It's the second time that Lune has whipped up this particular Frankenstein's monster of a bakery creation — and, as it did in 2022, it's bound to set your stomach alive with deliciousness. Yes, it comes stuffed with bolognese and béchamel. There's also shredded mozzarella cheese, because of course there is. And, that pastry is then topped with parmesan before it goes in the oven. Also on the month-long specials menu: pumpkin pie cruffins. Using a recipe from Lune co-founder Kate Reid's cookbook Lune: Croissants All Day, All Night, this snack fills a cruffin with pumpkin pie custard and maple syrup, then tops it with cinnamon cream and cinnamon sugar. Clearly, there's winter comfort foods, and then there's Lune's winter comfort foods. Ginger molasses croissants and chocolate banana rum pains au chocolat should also get stomachs grumbling. The former stuffs a twice-baked croissant with ginger molasses frangipane, with ginger molasses cookie and cream cheese icing on top. The latter is also baked twice, and benefits from chocolate frangipane, banana jam and rum caramel inside, plus rum-spiked whipped cream and toasted cocoa nibs to cap it off. Still hungry? The pear and chocolate danish pairs chocolate custard and slices of poached pear, while the Coconut Kouign Amann takes its cues from Filipino treat pane de coco, baking in a brown sugar syrup until its caramelised, and being piped with coconut cream caramel. Lune's lasagne escargot are available from all stores — Fitzroy, the CBD and Armadale in Melbourne, and South Brisbane and Burnett Lane in Brisbane — until Friday, June 30. From Armadale, South Brisbane and Burnett Lane only, you can also order them online. Images: Peter Dillon.
This uber-cool barbershop has called Fortitude Valley home for a few years now — first in design firm Wrightson Stewart's workshop and now in its own shopfront on Ann Street. Owner-operator Ryan Reed hails from the Sunshine Coast and has been in the biz for over a decade having honed his craft in London before returning to Brisbane to open his own store. The sleek new space, which Ryan.Co took over in late-2019, is worlds away from the retro barbershops that you're used to seeing. But it suits its trend-forward, inner city location well, with a stripped-back industrial vibe — think bare concrete walls and a largely monochrome palette save for a few indoor plants. Here, you can expect to shell out about $30 for a standard or buzz cut, and $60 for a luxe face shave, and appointments are a must.
Wild swimming holes are plentiful in Tropical North Queensland. And with many of spots hidden down rainforest paths, going for a dip is a top-tier way to immerse yourself in the lush green scenery of the tropics. The Babinda Boulders swimming hole is situated about an hours' drive south of Cairns with ramp and railing access to the main swimming area. Showers, barbecues, and free camping are all available at these emerald-coloured pools that spill over giant granite boulders. Further inland you'll find Lake Eacham in the Crater Lakes National Park in the Atherton Tablelands. The former volcanic crater is now a beautiful turquoise swimming spot where you can enjoy turtle viewing and covered picnic areas after floating in the tranquil tropical waters. Wherever you decide to dip, make sure you follow the on-site safety signs and only swim within designated swimming holes. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
Prepare to say "accio remote!" and get comfier than Hermione Granger in a library. In the latest news that'll keep you glued to your couch this summer — and your latest fodder for an at-home movie marathon — everyone's favourite boy wizard is now working his magic on Binge. You won't need the Marauder's Map to find these enchanting flicks. Since Thursday, January 21, all eight movies in the Harry Potter series have hit the streaming platform, bringing their Hogwarts-set adventures to Australian audiences. If you've watched your DVD copies from the 2000s so many times that they're showing a little wear and tear — or your laptop no longer has a disc drive — this is butterbeer-worthy news. Yes, everything from Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) first visit to Platform 9 and 3/4, the Yule Ball, the Triwizard Tournament, many a fluttering snitch and He Who Must Not Be Named are now at your fingertips. Prime viewing for wizards, witches and muggles alike — all 19 hours and 39 minutes of it. The Fantastic Beasts films haven't joined them, though with wizarding journey keeping its focus on the original franchise. If you're thinking that a time-turner might come in handy over the next few months, we completely understand. And if this sounds like somewhat familiar news, all eight movies were also available on Netflix back in 2019. That's the thing about streaming services, though — unless they're making and funding a movie or series themselves, films and shows can switch platforms as the rights deals behind them change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG37G--drDs&list=PLnpIp0ksj4UlQWQlPaRd6WrI9XSmS6B4u Find Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 are all now streaming on Binge.
Thanks to its line of office towers, it's easy to walk along Eagle Street and forget that the CBD roadway sits right next to the Brisbane River. Indeed, from the street, 145 Eagle Street looks like any ordinary, average, everyday building, complete with the obligatory cafe out the front. Stroll around the back, however, and an eye-catching riverside space awaits — aka the new home of Babylon Brisbane. Heroing Eastern Mediterranean-meets-Middle East cuisine, Babylon already has a Sydney venue, which opened on a rooftop back in 2019. For its Brissie move, the eatery is swapping a sky-high perch for a prime waterside three-level position, which'll play host to a restaurant, outdoor bars and terraces. [caption id="attachment_727048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Babylon Sydney, Steven Woodburn[/caption] From mid-December, Brisbanites will be able to tuck into a bite to eat for lunch and dinner at Babylon's debut Sunshine State spot, which hails from Mantle Group Hospitality (aka the Queensland-based company behind the Pig 'N' Whistle pubs, The Charming Squire, Jimmy's On the Mall, The Sound Garden, The Summit, Tai Tai, Milano and more). The 120-seater restaurant's kitchen will be overseen by Head Chef Ferdinand Sari, who has put together a share-heavy menu with his Babylon Sydney counterpart Robert Taylor. On the Levantine cuisine-inspired lineup: meze, gozleme and house-made breads, plus a heap of wood-fired dishes and a focus on seafood. Also in December, Babylon Brisbane's 14-person private dining room will open; however, both it and the restaurant will have a scenic sibling from early 2023. Although the exact launch date is yet to be announced, the site will also welcome Babylon Gardens in the new year, which is where all of those outdoor bars and terraces come in. [caption id="attachment_727043" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Babylon Sydney, Steven Woodburn[/caption] If you're keen on a drink, you'll have multiple spots to grab a beverage and hang out across the venue's trio of levels, which will cascade down along the river. In total, Babylon Gardens will boast an almost 1000-person capacity, too, so expect it to be busy. The design vibe: sprawling, befitting the space, plus the Babylon look and feel already established in Sydney. The two venues share the same architect in Brisbane's Hogg and Lamb as well, and you can again expect the fitout to take its influences from the titular metropolis of old. [caption id="attachment_727039" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Babylon Sydney, Steven Woodburn[/caption] Find Babylon Brisbane at 145 Eagle Street, Brisbane from late 2022, opening in stages — we'll update you with an opening date when one is announced. Images: Babylon Sydney, Steven Woodburn.
The Office is reopening — in America, and in the same universe as the Steve Carell (Asteroid City)-led series dwelled in from 2005–13. It was back in 2023 that news dropped of a potential US reboot of the beloved sitcom, and now the project has been given the green light; however, the as-yet-untitled show isn't simply walking into Dunder Mifflin with new staff. Instead, US streaming service Peacock is staying in the same world as the Scranton-set show that itself was a remake — of the original UK version that arrived in 2001 — by moving the mockumentary format to a new workplace. This time, the same documentary crew who spent time with Michael Scott and company will focus on a dying newspaper office in America's midwest, where the publisher is trying to keep the business going with help from volunteer reporters. [caption id="attachment_765735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Run, HBO[/caption] Leading the cast: Domhnall Gleeson, who co-starred with Carell on 2022's The Patient, plus Sabrina Impacciatore from The White Lotus season two. Who they're playing hasn't been revealed as yet. There's no character details at all so far, or anything more on the plot or fellow actors, but Greg Daniels — who created the US version of The Office to begin with, and has also been behind Space Force and Upload — is steering the project behind the camera with Nathan for You co-creator Michael Koman. "It's been more than ten years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock," said NBCUniversal Entertainment President Lisa Katz about the new series. "In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper." [caption id="attachment_870908" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The White Lotus, HBO[/caption] For everyone who has ever had a cringeworthy boss, annoying co-worker or soul-crushing office job, a truth remains apparent, then: this situation, which The Office franchise has understood for more than two decades now, shows no signs of fading away. As well as the UK and US versions so far, other international takes on the show have followed, including an in-the-works Australian series that'll mark the 13th iteration beyond Britain to-date. On its first go-around, the American The Office proved one of the rare instances where a TV remake is better than the original. It was also immensely easy to just keep rewatching, as fans have known for over a decade. Of course, that's what you get when you round up Carell, John Krasinski (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan), Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together), Rainn Wilson (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), Mindy Kaling (Velma), Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls), Ellie Kemper (Happiness for Beginners), Craig Robinson (Killing It) and more in the same show, and let all of them break out their comedic best. There's no sneak peek at the new The Office spinoff so far — it doesn't start production until July — but, in the interim, you can check out a couple clips from the US version below: The new spinoff of the US version of The Office doesn't have a release date yet — we'll update you with more information when it is announced. The Office Australia will stream via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced.
When Christmas and New Year are over, the temptation to hibernate grows pretty strong — so, you're probably going to need a little something extra to tempt you off the couch come January. Handily, online reservation platform The Fork has a winning idea up its sleeve: it's offering a huge five weeks of dining specials nationwide. Kicking off on Monday, January 6, the second ever The Fork Festival will see top restaurants across the country offering sit-down meals for half the usual price. Yep, 50 percent off your total food bill, folks — think of it as the proverbial carrot luring you out of the house. So far, 300 restaurants have signed up, but The Fork is expecting this number to grow to over 500 by January. To snag a half-price meal, you just need to make a reservation through The Fork website or app at one of the participating eateries for any service (breakfast, lunch or dinner) during the five weeks. [caption id="attachment_653288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Boathouse at Blackwattle Bay by Kitti Gould.[/caption] There are some great venues coming to the party, too. In Sydney, you'll find discounted eats at the likes of Eliza Food and Wine, Uccello, The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, Berowra Waters Inn, Butcher and the Farmer and Little Jean. Melbourne spots include Tulum Restaurant, Pascale Bar & Grill and Meat and Wine Co in South Yarra and Hawthorn. Brisbane folk can score discounts at the likes of Corbett & Claude and Malt Dining, and Perth diners should put Hunter and Barrel and Meat and Wine Co. You might want to revisit an old favourite or you could get a little adventurous and road-test somewhere new. Either way, there's ample time to squeeze in a fair few discount feasts before the festival wraps up on February 9. The Fork Festival runs from January 6–February 9. The full list of participating restaurants will be released on the website on January 6. Top image: Eliza Food and Wine, Sydney.
Autumn is still beach weather on Hamilton Island. Getting cosy in Tasmania is one of the best ways to embrace an Australian winter. Celebrating spring or kicking off summer on either the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast, or in Byron Bay, will get you primed for sunny days. With Qantas' latest flight sale, discounting one-million seats across routes to 60 domestic destinations — with 35-plus routes under $150 — they're all options. The airline's usual sale starting price for a one-way fare is $109 — and this time, that'll get you either from Brisbane to Proserpine on the Whitsunday Coast or from Sydney to Byron Bay/Ballina (and vice versa on both routes). Flights between the Gold Coast and Sydney kick off at $119, as do fares from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island. For $129, you can head from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast or Tamworth. Then, specials on the Sydney–Brisbane route begin at $139, as do Sydney–Hobart, Melbourne–Adelaide, Sydney–Bendigo and Adelaide–Whyalla. If you're eager to venture between Melbourne–Sydney or Albury–Sydney, that'll set you back $149. Brisbane–Hamilton Island, Burnie–Melbourne, Orange–Sydney and Melbourne–Mildura fares are all $159. Or, $169 covers Brisbane–Melbourne, Davenport–Melbourne, Adelaide–Mount Gambier and Merimbula–Sydney legs, while $179 will get you from Perth–Geraldton, Mt Isa–Townsville and Griffith–Sydney. For those feeling flush and keen to travel business class, that's also part of the airline's sale, starting at $369 from Brisbane to Proserpine. Wherever you're hoping to vacation, you'll need to be able to travel between Tuesday, April 29–Thursday, June 26, Tuesday, July 22–Thursday, September 18 or Tuesday, October 14–Wednesday, December 10, all in 2025. So, that gives you choices across autumn, winter, spring and early summer trips, although the specifics vary per destination — as always. If this is the answer to your holiday dreams, you'll need to get in before 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, March 2, 2025. And yes, the usual caveat applies: if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. [caption id="attachment_928567" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tasmania, Luke Tscharke[/caption] Qantas' 'The 1 million seat sale' runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, March 2, 2025, or until sold out if prior.
We firmly believe that no one should ever have to settle for weak tea bags, cheap toiletries or anything less than a well-stocked bar downstairs when booking a hotel stay. Thankfully, New Zealand is teeming with boutique hotels that are high on class and have everything you want for a special overnight stay. We've rounded up the boutique hotels and plenty of newcomers that are worth your time. The thick of a global pandemic seems like an unlikely time to open a brand new hotel, but the past few months have seen a surprising number of boutique properties pop up across New Zealand. That's great news for locals, and also for Australians looking for an excuse to take advantage of the trans-Tasman bubble on their next holiday. If you're looking for some inspiration for your next getaway, how about booking a room at Auckland's striking new brick-clad hotel? Dunedin also has its own new five-star boutique worthy of a visit, and there's an attractive design-led property in Wellington, too — and they're just a few of the new places to consider. NAUMI STUDIO HOTEL, WELLINGTON This eclectic new boutique hotel in Wellington's Cuba Street precinct showcases the work of local artists and designers. The 116-room Naumi Studio Hotel Wellington is the fourth property to arrive from Singapore-based private hospitality label Naumi Hotels in New Zealand and, like its sister properties, the Wellington outpost is an absolute feast for the eyes, with bold spaces "inspired from seafaring, the literary world and an enduring love." Guests will see the work of several New Zealand artists and designers. A large-scale floral backdrop in the reception area was created by Art Dep't NZ and is completely covered in gold leaf. Underfoot the botanical theme is brought to life by rugs from painter Karl Maughan, while the lobby features a larger than life floral sculpture from light artist Angus Muir. There are six room types to choose from, and the onsite bar serves up the likes of lychee mojitos and bourbon sours. THE HOTEL BRITOMART, AUCKLAND The striking brick-clad Hotel Britomart was officially the country's first 5 Green Star hotel when it opened last year. That certification marks a commitment to sustainability during the build and the use of eco-friendly materials. It offers 99 guest rooms and five suites — three of which have lush sky gardens and front-row seats overlooking the Waitemata Harbour. Cheshire Architects, who also master-planned the Britomart neighbourhood, looked after the new hotel both inside and out. Inside are "cocoon-like" rooms with timber-lined walls, tiled bathrooms and built-in sofas. Smaller touches include hand-made ceramics, bronze-and-paper table lamps and minibars full of locally sourced treats. You don't have to walk far for a first-class meal, either. The ground floor is home to several new food and beverage offerings, including a seafood-focused restaurant from the Orphans Kitchen team, the new 70-seater from top chef Michael Meredith, and the refreshed outpost of Cafe Hanoi. HOTEL FITZROY, AUCKLAND Privately owned hotel group CPG Hotels is currently in the process of opening a collection of boutique five-star hotels across New Zealand. One of the first under the Fable banner is Hotel Fitzroy. Located just a short walk from the main strip of Auckland's shopping and dining precinct, Ponsonby, the property takes over a historic two-storey villa. A contemporary black-panelled building stands behind the property, bringing the room count to ten. Inside, each guest room has been outfitted with premium soft furnishings, linens and amenities. There's also an intimate library for guests to unwind or enjoy complementary snacks and fine wine. Hotel Fitzroy offers custom experiences including a dedicated host service and tailored activities. While the property doesn't offer an on-site restaurant, guests can order continental or cooked tray service breakfast direct to their room. The complimentary mini-bar is also replenished daily, while the room service menu is available 24 hours. THE DAIRY AND THE CENTRAL PRIVATE HOTEL, QUEENSTOWN The folks from Naumi Hotels haven't only brought their bold, design-led approach to the capital. Queenstown also welcomes two new eye-catching properties from the Singapore-based private hospitality label. Rustic glamour and old-world charm meet in Queenstown's The Dairy Private Hotel, while sister property The Central Private Hotel brings a fresh take on retro postmodernism. At both boutique properties, guests can take their pick from 14 spacious rooms — every space comes with its own bright cacophony of colour. Each property comes equipped with an inviting lounge area and its own complementary drinks hour serving award-winning New Zealand wines. With a nod to its past as Queenstown's original 'dairy' (corner store), The Dairy also offers an old-fashioned sweet selection. Here, you'll also find an outdoor jacuzzi with views across the picturesque Remarkables. FABLE DUNEDIN, DUNEDIN Dunedin's historic Wains Hotel has been given a new lease on life under the new masthead Fable Dunedin. The boutique five-star opening, found just a short walk from the Octagon, brings the Victorian-era hotel into the modern age without losing the glory of its past. Guests are welcomed by a concierge in a top hat and tails, before being guided to one of 50 luxurious rooms or suites that come lined with vibrant, custom-designed carpets and specially commissioned tartan blankets paying homage to the city's Scottish ties. The Press Club restaurant and bar is led by Fable Group executive chef, Jinu Abraham. Abraham has prepared a menu sourced heavily from local suppliers alongside an extensive whisky menu. There's slow-cooked lamb shoulder served with miso-glazed pickles, Otago wild fallow with venison boudin noir, and pork belly matched with scallops. OHTEL, WELLINGTON Just a skip, hop and a jump from Wellington's iconic Oriental Bay, Ohtel is New Zealand owned and operated and was architecturally designed and built by Alan Blundell. After being inspired to create a baby 'design hotel' following a trip to New York in 2000, Alan set about bringing the 10 room, four-storey structure to life. Ohtel is known for its locally-sourced menu offerings, such as freshly baked goods from Pandoro some 300-odd metres down the road, and organic dairy products from Zany Zeus in Lower Hutt. Keep your eyes peeled for their sister site which has recently opened in Auckland's Viaduct. THE INTREPID HOTEL, WELLINGTON New kid on the block and dubbed the 'traveller's hotel', The Intrepid Hotel brings the wide world to Wellington, without the MIQ requirements. Having just undergone earthquake strengthening, the former Cadbury chocolate warehouse, built in 1909, is situated on Ghuznee Street, which means it has some of the city's best bars and restaurants at your fingertips. On that note, be sure to venture around the corner to Pomodoro Pizza, then satisfy your sweet tooth at Lashings. As an added draw, you can forego the kennels and bring your beloved pooch with you because The Intrepid Hotel has set aside a special room — complete with a designer dog bed — to accommodate you and your furry friend. THE MARTINBOROUGH HOTEL, WAIRARAPA A self-proclaimed "beautiful old girl", the Martinborough Hotel is the perfect place to stay once you've braved the sketchy Rimutaka Hill road from central Wellington. This hotel began as a way station for prosperous travellers to and from the South Wairarapa's huge isolated sheep stations back in the 1880s. The hotel was restored back in 1996 to become a hotspot, known for its bar and restaurant, among locals and tourists alike. In the heart of the town centre, this is an easy place to crash after a few glasses of Pinot Noir on your tour of the local vineyards (via crocodile bike, of course). PLUME VILLAS MATAKANA, AUCKLAND CITY If the fast-paced city life is driving you to a near on meltdown, then a peaceful country escape may be just the ticket. An hour drive north from Auckland (depending on the state of the traffic) brings you to the up-and-coming town of Matakana. Here you'll find the quaint-yet-modern Plume Villas. Joining the already established vineyard, restaurant and conference centre, Plume Villas is the latest addition to the family and it is evident that the owners have poured their love into the properties. Plume has all the basic amenities, as well as a petanque court, swimming pool and even a wine library. A great place to stay for a weekend of wine tastings, and of course eating your way around the local Saturday markets. HOTEL DEBRETT, AUCKLAND Hotel DeBrett is an art deco-style, luxury hotel located smack bang in the middle of Auckland City. The hotel offers a range of room styles, each uniquely decorated with eclectic interiors, and the in-house restaurant, DeBretts Kitchen, is also worth a visit, even if just to scope out the grand glass atrium roof overhead. Although, this boutique inner-city hotel is arguably best-known for its decadent 1920s-themed high teas, where the dress code is 'Flappers and Dappers'. Don't fret if your suitcase doesn't include any Great Gatsby-esque attire, because for just $15 you can deck yourself out in a house-provided costume kit containing faux pearls, a feather boa and more. So, in short, there's no excuse for party poopers. THE BOATSHED, WAIHEKE ISLAND If you're wanting a piece of laidback island time luxury then The Boatshed on Waiheke Island is the place for you. This 5-star boutique accommodation is tastefully nautical and there is a range of modern sea-themed rooms to choose from. Each room boasts magnificent panoramic views of the ocean but if you're looking to celebrate a special occasion, we suggest you opt for the Owner's Cottage, which sleeps four. Here, stretching across a generous 210 square metres, you will find three fireplaces, a full chef's kitchen, BBQ, heated pool and to top it all off; a grand piano. QT, WELLINGTON Part art gallery, part eclectic collector's showroom, checking into the QT Wellington is a surreal experience. Situated on Cable Street, opposite Te Papa Museum, this swanky hotel is a treasure trove of oddities. Despite Wellington's fantastic hospitality scene, you're forgiven if you don't want to venture out of the hotel into the wind gusts that whip around Tory Street. There are three stellar options to eat and drink on site. And it's worth noting that the hotel's French-inspired Hippopotamus Restaurant and Cocktail Bar does an exquisite high tea. This is a great activity to schedule for your next weekend away.
There's something unwaveringly, undeniably appealing about French cinema. Whether you're hooked on the industry's characteristically stunning cinematography, rawness of storyline, or you simply prefer watching films in a language other than English, French films continue to prove some of the world's most captivating. Haven't watched much French cinema? Lucky for you, and hardcore Francophiles, the annual Alliance Française French Film Festival is just around the corner, starting in Sydney on March 7 with a strong 45-film lineup. While you're waiting for the festival to begin, whet your appetite with a few older releases you might have missed from the last year or so. All five of these films capture stories that are often ignored in mainstream media and will make you cry, laugh, and reflect. BANDE DE FILLES (GIRLHOOD) Set in the banlieues (suburbs) of Paris, Céline Sciamma's Girlhood follows Marieme (Karidja Touré), a teenager who drops out of school and joins a badass crew of fellow young, black, female dropouts. A beautiful celebration of black femininity and female friendship, this award-winning coming-of-age story screened at Cannes in 2014, then received four nominations at the 40th César Awards, including Best Director for Sciamma and Most Promising Actress for Touré. Available to stream on Stan, to rent on Dendy Direct, Quickflix, Google Play and Microsoft. QUAND ON A 17 ANS (BEING 17) This touching story by André Téchiné and co-writer Céline Sciamma explores the sexual awakening between two French teenagers who, on the surface, couldn't be more different. The relationship between Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein) and Thomas (Corentin Fila) is intimately-observed and full of a raw electricity that you can almost feel through the screen — making its Golden Bear nomination at the Berlin International Film Festival a no-brainer. Pack your Kleenex for this one. No streaming available now, rent on iTunes, Microsoft, Google Play and Pathe. DHEEPAN This timely film by revered director Jacques Audiard tells the story of three Sri Lankan refugees who pose as a family to receive asylum in France. Its title character (played by Antonythasan Jesuthasan) is a former Tamil militant who hopes to build a new life and forget the horrors of his past. Awarded the Cannes Palme d'Or in 2015, the film is a compelling snapshot of the contemporary immigrant experience in Europe. Available to stream on Stan and Foxtel Play, to rent on Dendy Direct, Quickflix, Google Play, PlayStation and Microsoft. DIVINES The winner of the 2016 Cannes Camera d'Or, Houda Benyamina's directorial debut is an exhilarating drama that centres on the intense friendship between two young women, Dounia (Oulaya Amamra) and Maimouna (Déborah Lukumuena). Confronted by their limited prospects in the outskirts of Paris, the pair soon fall into drug dealing, attracted by the opportunity to make a quick buck. Oscillating gracefully between moments of sheer joy and pain, this powerful social commentary is packed with memorable scenes. Prepare yourself for the gut-wrenching, if somewhat over the top, ending. Available to stream on Netflix. LA BELLE SAISON (SUMMERTIME) Set in the 1970s, this stirring love story between farm girl Delphine (Izia Higelin) and radical feminist Carole (Cecile De France) is an ode to self-liberation and discovery. On a whim, 24-year old Delphine decides to leave her rural town and move to Paris, where she meets — and falls in love with — Carole, a Spanish literature professor and feminist activist. Directed by Catherine Corsini, the film skilfully captures the complexities of navigating individual desires with familial and societal expectations. If you've seen a streaming/renting option let us know, otherwise buy from Palace Cinemas' shop. Watch them all before the Alliance French Film Festival kicks off. Want to win tickets?
When The Incredibles first leapt onto cinema screens 14 years ago, it earned its title several times over. Exploring the exploits of a super-enhanced family trying to live a normal life, the movie served up an all-ages superhero story with smarts and heart. Moreover, the savvy Pixar flick successfully predicted two things. Back in 2004, when no one had even heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man was played by Tobey Maguire and Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy hadn't yet made its mark, The Incredibles pre-empted society's current love of caped crusaders. Indeed, that film began at a time where spandex-clad folks like Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) and Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) are constantly seen, heard and talked about. But it also foresaw the flipside to this obsession, recognising that the public's love of costumed crime-fighters has its limits. In the world of the movie, everyone listing 'saving the world' as their occupation was banned when the world had had enough. If you've been caught up in superhero fever over the past decade, only to catch a case of superhero fatigue as more and more comic book heroes soar across our screens, you can surely recognise all of the above. In fact, blending fantastical elements with relatable components was one of The Incredibles' greatest super powers. Caped crusaders are just like us, the picture made clear – attempting to juggle their personal and professional lives, battling to achieve their dreams, and fighting for their place. And while long-awaited sequel Incredibles 2 repeats the same basic premise, the franchise's canny ability to combine cartoon antics with cutting societal commentary ensures this is no mere rehash. Picking up where the first film left off, Incredibles 2 sees its central family — Mr. Incredible aka Bob Parr, Elastigirl aka Helen, and kids Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner) and Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) — trying to fend off burrowing, bank-robbing villain The Underminer, then coping with the aftermath. No one is happy about their efforts, and the fact that people with enhanced abilities are still illegal means a life without crime-fighting awaits. Enter telecommunications company head Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener), with a plan to restore the heroes to their former glory. With Elastigirl leading the charge, the siblings have masterminded a rebranding campaign designed to make super folk popular again. And, thanks to body cameras and media appearances, this revolution will be televised. Drama comes in the form of an incredibly apt nemesis: Screenslaver, who interrupts Elastigirl's broadcasts with mind-controlling signals and raves about humanity's reliance on screens. Accordingly, Incredibles 2 slings statements about today's social media saturation, the valuing of appearances, and the fact that we live in a society where someone is always watching — for better or worse. It's a movie about the power of perception, one that rallies against making, filming or viewing something simply because you can. They're all observations that apply to the picture's specific story, to the broader superhero realm, and just to life in general. Plus, thanks to a subplot following Bob's attempts to hold the fort at home while Helen is off championing the caped crusader cause, the film also has plenty to say about gender equality and the role of women. Still, none of this would mean anything if returning writer-director Brad Bird didn't pair his story with engaging action, a playful tone and genuine emotion. Although not for people who are sensitive to flashing lights, an early strobe-lit confrontation ranks among the most inventive scenes in a superhero flick — animated or live-action — while an altercation between Jack-Jack and a racoon is just as memorable. Filled with both zippy battles and quiet character moments, Incredibles 2 mostly gets the balance right, even if it does feel a little padded towards the end. Interestingly, Bird (whose CV also includes The Iron Giant, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland) is the only person in Pixar history to assume total control for scripting and helming any of the company's features without any co-writers or co-directors. The result is not only one of Pixar's original standout movies, but its best sequel in nearly a decade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5qOzqD9Rms
Every film is a portrait of ups and downs, no matter the genre. Without change and complications, plus either a sprinkling or a shower of chaos, there's little in the way of story for a movie to tell. In just three features, each hitting cinemas Down Under in successive years since 2022, Macedonian Australian filmmaker Goran Stolevski has demonstrated how deeply he understands this fact — and also that life itself is, of course, the same rollercoaster ride. So, when Housekeeping for Beginners starts by jumping between a joyous sing-along and a grim doctor's visit, he lays that juxtaposition between existence's highs and the lows bare in his third picture's frames. He has form: You Won't Be Alone, his folkloric horror film set in 19th-century Macedonia, segued early from new life to a witch's fate-shaping demands; Of an Age, a queer love story that unfurls in Melbourne, kicked off by flitting between dancing and a desperate against-the-clock rush. In You Won't Be Alone, the shapeshifting Wolf-Eateress who chose an infant to be her protege was played by Anamaria Marinca, the Romanian actor who has proven an unforgettable screen presence ever since the one-two punch of 2004's TV two-parter Sex Traffic — which won her a Best Actress BAFTA — and 2007's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning film 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days. Stolevski reenlists her assistance for Housekeeping for Beginners, and also illustrates his awareness of another immutable fact: that the eyes of Anamaria Marinca relay tales all by themselves. Here, they're weary but sharp and determined. They're devoted yet fierce, too. They possess the unrelenting gaze of someone who won't stop fighting for those she loves no matter what it takes, and regardless of how she initially reacts, a path that her social-worker character Dita is no stranger to traversing. That aforementioned crooning comes courtesy of precocious five-year-old Mia (newcomer Džada Selim), her rebellious teenage sister Vanesa (fellow debutant Mia Mustafa) and the charming Ali (Samson Selim, another first-timer), the young man who newly shares their Skopje abode. Everyone, including Vanesa and Mia's mother Suada (Alina Șerban, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn), dwells under Marinca's Dita's roof — with the latter not just cohabitating with her girlfriend and her kids, but turning the house that she inherited into a refuge for those that North Macedonian society frowns upon. Ali is the latest lover of Dita's longterm gay roommate and friend Toni (Vladimir Tintor, Kumovi), hanging around after an app hookup. Young lesbians Elena (Sara Klimoska, Tin Kamp), Flora (Rozafë Celaj, Sophia) and Teuta (Ajshe Useini, yet another newcomer) also call the spot home. Being queer isn't a criminal offence in Housekeeping for Beginners' setting, but both same-sex marriage and adopting children by LGBTQIA+ couples are illegal. In the country's class system, being anything but Macedonian is also hardly greeted with warmth; Dita is Albanian, while Suada, her children and Ali are Romani. This motley crew is navigating each and every day the best that they can together; however, their safe space has grief in its future. It's Suada and Dita who attend the medical appointment at the movie's start, with Suada diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer. Her one wish: that Dita adopt her girls, and also get married to and play happy families with Toni, who is Macedonian, so that Mia and Vanesa will be free of the stigma that Suada has always had to weather as a Roma woman. Stolevski is a plunge-in director — and screenwriter and editor, again taking on all three roles on Housekeeping for Beginners as he did on Of an Age. He dives into lives already in action and motion, crafting films that feel like they're dropping in. Ups and downs have preceded the events that his movies spin into their plots, then, and more will follow after his flicks tap out. Accordingly, he isn't one to spoon-feed specifics and context. The dynamics between his characters in Housekeeping for Beginners are revealed to audiences naturally, as are the setbacks and discrimination they encounter, often as viewers spend time in Dita's always-noisy, always-bustling home. While this isn't a one-location picture — Šutka, the Skopje municipality that's the world's only local administrative area with Balkan Romani as its official language, also features heavily — it is a film where observing its key figures in surroundings both comforting and challenging conveys as much as dialogue. Putting Marinca at the fore, a mix of grace and intensity beaming from her performance as Dita, was always going to rank among Stolevski's best choices in a feature filmmaking career that's already filled with stellar casting (see: Constellation's Noomi Rapace, Bad Behaviour's Alice Englert and Elite's Carloto Cotta in You Won't Be Alone; and also Swift Street's Elias Anton, Eden's Thom Green and Savage River's Hattie Hook in Of an Age). He's also a detail-driven director, making emotions and complexities plain in decisions as simple as the arrangement of people at a wedding and where the camera peers (or doesn't) when someone is speaking. And, again and again, he guides portrayals to match. From Șerban, he gets blistering power, with Suada explosive from the moment that she questions whether her medical treatment is being shaped by her ethnicity. Džada Selim, Samson Selim and Mustafa are all discoveries, too, breathing realism and vitality into the movie's youngest hearts and minds. Roving and intimate cinematography from Naum Doksevski (Sestri) also ensures that watching Housekeeping for Beginners feels akin to stepping inside it — and pondering the same questions that Dita, Suada, Toni, Ali and company each are. As the film that was selected as North Macedonia's Oscar contender in 2024's Best International Feature category (The Zone of Interest won) rides just a sliver of the ups and downs that its characters will face in their days, albeit significant ones, it gets them examining what comprises a family. There might be no such thing as a smooth-sailing journey from birth to death, or a surefire way to avoid heartbreak and loss, for anyone. There certainly isn't within Housekeeping for Beginners, which can also skew darkly comic when it comes to the bureaucratic hoops that require jumping through. But as Stolevski charts in his third movie about yearning for a place to belong, it's the people that you share those travails with day in and day out that makes a household.
Watching a film can transport you to another place — and, at Palace's Brisbane venues on January 26, it can transport you to another period, too. Heading to either Palace Centro or Palace Barracks on Australia Day will feel like jumping back to a time when movie tickets were only $5. Can't remember a trip to the flicks being that cheap? Neither can we. The one-day-only offer is the perfect way to celebrate the public holiday, particularly if you're avoiding the heat and sitting in a darkened room is among your favourite pastimes. Sure, you might already have other plans — but who isn't tempted by the thought of going to the cinema for a fiver? The lineup of films is certain to prove just as enticing, with everything from The Hateful Eight and Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens to The Big Short and Carol currently screening. Catch new Aussie effort Looking for Grace on its opening day, or check out an advance preview of Oscar contender Room. At $5 per ticket, if you time it right, you can probably watch all of the above.
This article is sponsored by our partner, Toshiba. Acclaimed around the world for its delicate complexity, Japanese cuisine has an attention to detail that is exquisite. No wonder it’s seen as an art form to many. Consequently, the dining scene is equally as impressive, in every sense of the word. Yes, they have 32 Michelin-starred restaurants in the country, but it's not all fancy, elegant and expensive. Think complete opposite to fine dining. Think of cafes where you can pat owls, restaurants where you throw your rod out of the boat and fish for your dinner, and cafes where French maids serve you chicken katsu and write ‘love’ on it. These places will literally change your notion of what is possible in the culinary showground. For a seriously Japanese experience that's a little closer to home, check out Toshiba's Pop-Up Zushi Roller-Coaster, a totally free and fantastic dining set-up on for a limited time only. Dine with a furry friend Created by a Finnish artist back in 1945, the Moomins are a fairytale family of white, roundish hippopotamus-like creatures that live in Moominvalley. We all know that Japan has paved the way for these kinds of things, with Hello Kitty cafes left, right and centre, so it’s only natural that a Moomin cafe exists in Tokyo. And Moomin fans will hit the roof. From the cutlery right through to your food, everything is in the shape of Moomin, and if you're a solo patron, you can even dine with a giant stuffed Moominpapa as your companion. It’s Moomin madness. Don’t be surprised if you end up talking like Thingumy and Bob. "Hmmmm….this yushi is really summy", etc. Dine with a feathered friend Cat cafes are so 2013. The quirky hangout craze in Japan now is places where you can drink your coffee with some friends — of the feathered sort. Owl cafes have become quite the hoot (excuse the pun) since Fukuro no Mise in Tokyo gained popularity in 2012. And we’re talking real owls here. Here you can eat your owl-inspired food while patting a barn owl. Understandably, this is not normal interaction for owls and humans, so there are strict guidelines to follow once you’re inside, such as washing of hands, not talking too loudly and having a staff member present should you want to hold one. The queues can get lengthy due to number restrictions, so make sure you don’t get too excited once you're in; it could send them into a flutter. Fish for your Food Like the idea of fishing for tea, but not hanging out in a dinghy for hours in the hopes of catching a feed? Zauo restaurants in Tokyo are taking fresh seafood to the next level. Ushered to a seat in the boat-shaped area, you can then request a fishing rod and some bait and commence fishing for your dinner from the moat beneath, swarming with various kinds of fish. The rule is that once you’ve caught it, you’ve bought it. So be careful should you be the adept trawler — you better hope that ¥16,000 ($170) lobster you snagged is tasty. There is fun in this though; the whole restaurant cheers you on if you’ve had success. Furthermore, the chef can prepare it however you like. Alternatively, if your patience is wearing thin and you feel like a floundering angler, simply order direct from the menu and beat the others to it. Dine on a cute, fake train Railway enthusiasts, unite! Little TGV is one of Tokyo’s distinctively themed cafes, with train-themed decor and booth seating similar to that of a railway carriage. A model railway chugs around the eatery, and as well as train-shaped food, the menu is inspired from railroads and trains all over the country. A cross between an izakaya and a maid-cafe, this place runs along the same lines, with waitresses dressed in train conductor uniforms. This, however, doesn’t mean it’s solely male clientele; Little TGV is popular with both local and foreign patrons wishing to soak up some of the cutesy/randomness of Japanese culture. High-speed sushi No longer do you have to wait five minutes till that California roll glides past you again. The high-tech sushi train at Uobei is all about delivering dishes via a high-speed chute. Customers place their order from the computer touch screen from their bench and within 60 seconds the high-speed rail sends the sushi careening down the chute, stopping right in front of you. After you’ve taken the plates (maximum three on one rail at a time), a simple press of a button sends the dishes flying back to the kitchen. Not quite sure how your green tea could fare at this speed, but that is what we call fast food.
There's never a bad time of day to find yourself in Rosalie, as the area's newest establishment knows. If the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, you're probably after breakfast or lunch. Once evening hits, it's all about dinner and drinks. The Brass Barrel, Baroona Road's latest cafe, bar and gastropub, caters for both occasions inside confines so cosy — complete with wooden bar stools, tiled tables and leather bench seating — that they're contained within a rustic picket fence. And, they serve up their slightly British-themed meals and drinks with a twist, as even a quick glance at their menu demonstrates. Instead of chicken wings, you'll find chicken ribs, for example. Their signature beef burger rests on a black brioche bun, while their eggs benedict comes braised pork and sriracha. Cocktails such as The Grape Escape, Glazed & Ginfused and Beatnik Hemmingway mix everything from plum bitters to gummi bears to beetroot with alcohol. Or, grab a Brass Barrel Lager on tap; basically, if a dish or drink has the restaurant's name in the title, you can't go wrong.
If you've done your dash with the dalgona coffee and all those failed attempts at sourdough, here's a little culinary project that might just revive your kitchen-weary soul. The minds over at global sauce company Heinz have released recipes for a series of unconventional ice creams — dubbed Creamz — starring some of the brand's most iconic condiments. Yep, mayo ice cream is a thing and it can be on the menu at your house this weekend. Over on its UK website, Heinz is now selling a range of ice cream-making kits, filled with all the ingredients and equipment needed to whip up a batch of these frozen 'Creamz', crafted on the likes of its salad cream and barbecue sauce. Unfortunately, the DIY packs are only available to UK locals, but the recipes themselves are free to download from anywhere in the world. Basically, all you'll need to do is stock up on milk, double cream and sweetened condensed milk, grab an extra bottle of your favourite Heinz condiment, and jump in the kitchen to give those crafty folk at Messina a run for their money. You can have a crack at variations like the Ketchup Creamz — which apparently works a treat topped with meringue and raspberry coulis — and a mayo-infused edition they reckon pairs well with apple and blackberry compote. Or perhaps the barbecue sauce number is more your speed, garnished with some maple syrup and crispy bacon bits. Wherever your sauce obsession lies, we recommend you clear some space in your freezer — things are about to get a little crazy. You can find all five of Heinz's Creamz recipes over at the website.
Whether you think that David Brent was awful, awkward or a bit of both, Britain doesn't have a monopoly on cringeworthy bosses. Accordingly, after the original UK version of The Office proved a huge hit two decades ago, more versions of the workplace comedy were always going to follow around the world. The American series became even more popular, and everywhere from Canada, France and Germany to Israel, India and Poland have similarly given the idea a go. Next stop: Down Under, thanks to the just-announced The Office Australia. This'll be the 13th international take on the show, and it's coming to Prime Video sometime in 2024. Yes, the fact that it has Australia in the title is already a bit clumsy. Clearly, the Aussie spinoff gets the brief. Move over Brent, and also Michael Scott — it's now Hannah Howard's turn to become the manager no one wants but everyone has worked for. Played by actor and comedian Felicity Ward (Wakefield), she'll oversee a packaging company called Flinley Craddick. And, when she receives news that head office is shutting down her branch — with everyone working from home instead — she's determined to keep her team together. Obviously, that won't go smoothly, or there'd be no sitcom antics to be had in The Office Australia. Joining Ward is a hefty cast spanning Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Shari Sebbens (Preppers), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Susan Ling Young (Barons), Raj Labade (Back of the Net), Lucy Schmit and Firass Dirani (House Husbands). The Office Australia's eight-episode first season will shoot in Sydney from June, then stream globally next year, with an exact launch date yet to be revealed. Whenever it arrives, surely a stapler is going in some jelly again. This'll mark the first woman-led version of the franchise, with The Office Australia also featuring an impressive roster of female talent off-camera, including lead setup director and executive producer Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers), plus head writer and executive producer Julie De Fina (Aftertaste). There's no trailer yet for The Office Australia, but you can check out clips from the UK and US versions below: The Office Australia will stream via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced.
There's nothing shameful about texting back "nah can't, busy" when it's basically three degrees outside and you can't feel your toes. There's also nothing shameful, we say, in embracing the part of you that yearns for cosy nights in. That part that is more than happy to spend weekends wrapped in a blanket, comfort food in hand — or better yet, a nip of something stronger to help keep you warm. Spend this winter with Jimmy. No, not that Hinge dude you went on a date with last year, but Jimmy Brings, the alcohol delivery service/a cold winter night's best friend. Not only will the service deliver your prefered drops to your door, but this season, it's also running a doppelganger competition till Thursday, August 8. If you or a mate happen to look like Jimmy himself, enter the competition via Instagram, and you might find your face plastered on the service's vans. And with such fame, you and a friend of your choice will both get a six-month supply of Jimmy Brings ($150 per month). Start checking out your friends with glasses and scruff, stat, and in the meantime, here's how to have a good time this winter without leaving your home. CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY + THE PARTY STARTER BUNDLE Possibly the greatest party game (and often most incendiary right after Monopoly), Cards Against Humanity isn't for the faint-hearted, your nan or anyone who isn't prepared to have their dating life, political beliefs and general being thrown under the bus. But as long as you know that nobody you're playing with is a flat-earther or anything, Cards Against Humanity might be just the ticket to kicking off a fun night of hibernating (a hibernight, if you will). Pair it with Jimmy Brings' party starter bundle to really get your creative juices flowing. Complete with one chardonnay, one pinot noir, a six-pack of Coronas, two bottles of coke, chips and nuts, the pack will have you carding 'til the wee hours (or until the first person storms out). [caption id="attachment_609970" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fonda by Brook James.[/caption] MEXICAN FOOD + THE SPARKLING JIMMARITA BUNDLE Forget about your numb lil toes and rewarm your hands by getting them around some spicy Mexican eats. Order yourself some tacos from Fonda in Melbourne or Sydney or the chilli con carne from Pepe's Mexican, all available on UberEats for maximum hibernation points (boss level unlocked by getting your housemate to answer the door instead of you). Pair your muy bien feast with Jimmy's Jimmarita bundle: one bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila, one bottle of prosecco and two limes, which can also be used to dress your tacos a little more. [caption id="attachment_716662" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colleen Hayes.[/caption] WINE COUNTRY ON NETFLIX + THE CRISP WHITE BUNDLE Netflix, aka Our Winter Lord and Saviour, is currently streaming Wine Country, the new film from Amy Poehler. The Parks & Rec funny lady brings her mates along for the ride, too, with Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch and even Tina Fey showing up to help her guzzle wine at a weekend getaway she throws for her friend's 40th birthday. There's a lot of day drinking and scheduled fun — and women living their best lives — and you can join 'em from the comfort of your own home. Order in Jimmy's Crisp Whites bundle, featuring four greatest hits of sauvignon blanc and pinot gris, and invite over four of your galpals (or boypals). [caption id="attachment_729110" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The National: 'I Am Easy to Find' cover art.[/caption] THE NATIONAL'S LATEST ALBUM + A PINOT NOIR American rockers The National are high in moodiness and low in fi, making them the perfect band to spend a cold night in with — so why not let Jimmy join you? Maximise the broody, rainy vibes with a bottle of medium-bodied South Island pinot noir from Central Otago, with "sagacious tannins"; let Matt Berninger's resonating vocals wash over you by listening to the band's new album, I Am Easy To Find. Nothing like doing some solid introspection by getting yourself lost in the flood of A. red wine, B. the rain outside and C. emotions from the very emotion-inducing indie rock band. (Every person has at least one break-up song from the back catalogue, surely). Feeling things can be living your best life, too; here's to solo bedroom therapy. [caption id="attachment_729109" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shetland still.[/caption] BINGE WATCH SHETLAND + A DRAM OF GLENLIVET WHISKY Atmospheric TV show Shetland is set in the wild Scottish Isles and follows a detective inspector investigating murders on the island of Shetland. Set off the longing in your heart to retire to an obscure island by binging the first three seasons (they're all on Netflix, with season four currently showing on ABC iview) and resolutely ignoring the "are you still watching?" question the streaming giant will ask you when you get elbow deep in murder mystery. Pair your binge with a neat Glenlivet — Jimmy will bring you an entire bottle for sipping as you try to figure out whodunnit. If you're hibernating this winter, do it right with good entertainment, your mates and Jimmy Brings. Download the Jimmy Brings app to get started, and keep your eyes peeled for that Jimmy doppelganger. It could land you and a mate a six-month supply of Jimmy Brings. To enter the competition, follow @jimmybrings on Instagram and tag your doppelganger photo with #jimmybrings before Thursday, August 8, 2019.
Brisbane certainly isn't short of sublime parks to while away the days in and Newstead Park is definitely up there on the list. With sweeping views of the brown snake, palm trees and a gorgeous rotunda, you won't be hard-pressed to find a nice spot to lay your picnic blanket out on. While it's not a wet area (so you can't knock back any beers), the park features an Alice Through the Looking Glass-themed playground, heaps of lawn space and a river walk that stretches far in both directions — basically, there's plenty of room for activities that don't involve rosé. If grazing in one spot all day is not your thing, the spacious and breezy area is also home to Newstead House, Brisbane's oldest surviving residence. The heritage-listed European building runs as a museum and events space (by appointment only at the moment) making it a perfect historic interlude to picnicking. Images: Kiel Wode
The second biggest country music festival in the world — after Nashville, nonetheless — Tamworth attracts tens of thousands of boot scooters every January. It's a ten-day shindig that takes over the entire town with outdoor concerts, pub gigs, bands, singer-songwriters, buskers, whip crackers, sheep dogs and every other element of country living you can think of. Best of all, much of the program is free. So, if you're on a budget, park your tent at Riverside Park and go wandering from gig to gig, without spending a cent. Every night, Toyota Park hosts a massive free concert under the stars, including the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final and the Toyota Busking Championships. Alternatively, splurge on a major show, like the Golden Guitar Awards (where pretty much all the best country stars of the year play a song or two). Or, if you're more into country mixed with contemporary sounds, check out the Cake & Cordial Sessions, which feature indie singer-songwriters, or Late Nite Alt, where secret acts play until 1.30am. Last year's crop included Henry Wagons, Shane Nicholson, Harmony James and the Wilson Pickers.
UPDATE, May 17, 2021: Shoplifters is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Quantity and quality, as alike as the two words sound, have long been pitted as opposites. To be prolific is to be imperfect, or so the thinking goes, although Hirokazu Kore-eda just keeps blowing that idea out of the water. The writer-director's latest release is his eleventh since the turn of the century and, in a hefty collection of intimate, moving movies that includes Nobody Knows, Like Father, Like Son and Our Little Sister, the Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters is one of the best. There's really no such thing as a bad Kore-eda film, even when he steps into slightly different territory, as with last year's less-acclaimed crime flick The Third Murder. But his rich and poignant new family drama is almost disarmingly affecting (and effective), showcasing the height of the Japanese filmmaker's prowess. The family that steals together, stays together in Shoplifters. Daily pilfering — and other petty crimes and grifts, as well as regular pension cheques — enable father Osamu (Lily Franky), mother Nobuyo (Sakura Andô), grandmother Hatsue (Kirin Kiki), aunt Aki (Mayu Matsuoka) and son Shota (Jyo Kairi) to survive in their tiny, overpacked cottage on the outskirts of Tokyo. On the way home one winter evening after giving their light fingers a workout, Osamu and Shota spy a slip of a girl cold and shivering on an apartment balcony, and soon young Yuri (Miyu Sasaki) is in their care too. While Osamu and Nobuyo's choice to keep the bruised and starving child could be construed as kidnapping, she's just so happy with them. In time, Yuri also proves rather skilled in the family business. 'Family drama' is a loaded way to describe Shoplifters. It's accurate — more accurate than can be conveyed without giving too much away — but the two words barely scratch the surface of Kore-eda's film. Seemingly straightforward in its narrative and themes, but thoroughly complex in the depths it reaches in both its story and sentiments, Shoplifters doesn't simply ponder one family's tough but loving existence. Rather, it contemplates exactly what makes a family. On more than one occasion, a character wonders whether blood or choice forge a stronger bond, a notion that couldn't be more important as the movie's ups and downs play out. Integral to that train of thought is Kore-eda's clear-eyed exploration of an oft-ignored aspect of Japanese society, at least on screen: the realities of life on the country's margins. As embodied by the film's central clan, the poor and the struggling aren't ignored here. They're literally stealing to get by, and they're never denigrated for it. Nor does the movie judge them for their decision to unofficially adopt someone else's child. The cast, which includes some of Japan's great acting talents, deserve a wealth of credit for building textured, layered characters that cannot be pigeonholed — people who feel like they could've walked off of the street and into Kore-eda's naturalistically shot picture. It's not just financial stress that drives Franky's patriarch, for example, but a desperation to connect that's evident every time that Shota steadfastly refuses to call him dad. And it's not just caring for one's elders that cements Kiki's grandma at the head of the family, a truth that's always apparent on the now-late actor's face. Of course, Franky, Kiki and the rest of the movie's stars have the good fortune to be performing for Kore-eda, one of the most empathetic and humanistic directors in the business both in Japan and around the world. Tissues should come with tickets to his films, not because he overtly pulls at the heartstrings, but because he peers so generously at everyone within his frames. Indeed, the kindness that he shows, and the space that he gives his characters, has a quietly overwhelming impact. Here, the filmmaker is at his best when he's cramming Shoplifters' family into their cramped villa, and observing their interactions, emotions and motivations in such close quarters. Every moment of their lives is tainted by hardship and harshness, but every moment is also a tender revelation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOOcpb48Oyo
Six years after launching its first-ever store in Sydney, salad chain Fishbowl has finally made the move north. Since mid-July, Brisbanites can now head to Newstead to tuck into the brand's Japanese-inspired bowls, with its debut Queensland outpost opening at Gasworks. For newcomers to Fishbowl, the chain heroes fast but healthy vegetable-filled bowls, all revolving around its range of house favourites. So, you can enjoy its original salmon sashimi number, its coconut chicken bowl and a warm 12-hour braised brisket option — among other varieties — but personalise it by choosing from brown rice, sushi rice, glass noodles, mixed cabbage, mixed leaves and soba noodles as bases. Down south, where Fishbowl operates 22 stores in Sydney and five in Melbourne, the company serves up more than 10,000 bowls of its most popular dish — The OG, that salmon sashimi bowl with kale, savoy, beets, shallots, edamame, red onion, roasted sesame dressing, seaweed salad, tobiko and crispy shallots — every week. Since first making its name in Bondi in 2016, back when founders Nathan Dalah, Nic Pestalozzi and Casper Ettelson were all uni students, the brand has clearly expanded its footprint considerably. But it's not just about tucking into bowls; Fishbowl has also set up run clubs and created its own surf team, and also opened smoothie and salad bar Side Room, seafood eatery Fish Shop and takeaway joint FSH MKT. Images: Nikki To.
A holiday at a luxurious resort in Thailand is usually relaxing. For Walton Goggins (Fallout), Carrie Coon (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Jason Isaacs (The Crowded Room), Michelle Monaghan (MaXXXine), Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale), Parker Posey (Mr & Mrs Smith) and more in The White Lotus season three, however, getaway bliss might prove elusive. In 2025, TV viewers will find out what the hit anthology series has in store for its latest batch of travellers. Fancy a sneak peek now? HBO has dropped a new teaser trailer for its upcoming slate. The latest glimpse at what the US network has on the way covers a heap of series, so The White Lotus season three only features briefly. But Goggins peers at the sights, Bibb and Monaghan mosey through a crowd, and Posey and returning cast member Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone) also pop up, while Lisa from BLACKPINK welcomes guests. Exactly when The White Lotus returns hasn't been revealed as yet, other than sometime in 2025. Also arriving next year, and also debuting never-before-seen footage in the clip: IT prequel series Welcome to Derry, season four of Hacks, season two of The Rehearsal, a new show led by Bottoms and Saturday Night's Rachel Sennott, two-part documentary Pee-Wee as Himself, The Righteous Gemstones season four, Peacemaker season two, The Pitt with ER veteran Noah Wyle, Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)-led FBI series Task and Tim Robinson (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) comedy The Chair Company. The second season of The Last of Us, new Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, season three of And Just Like That... and season three of The Gilded Age also feature in the trailer, albeit without any new material, with each series joining the list for 2025. You can spot scenes from Dune: Prophecy, season three of The Sex Lives of College Girls, the animated Creature Commandos and limited series Get Millie Black, too, each of which are 2024 releases. From 2025's lineup, newcomer Duster with Lost's Josh Holloway and season two of Conan O'Brien Must Go score a look as well. Where Australians will be watching all of the above is yet to be revealed, however, given that HBO has confirmed that its own streaming service Max will launch here sometime in the first half of 2025. Watch HBO's new 2024–25 roundup trailer below: The shows highlighted in HBO's new trailer will arrive across the end of 2024 and in 2025. At present, the bulk of the network's programs stream via Binge in Australia and on Neon in New Zealand. Images: HBO.
