The start of the week is always rough, but when you've got something to look forward to in the evening, it makes the day that little bit easier. Book in for a creative night out at Cork and Chroma in South Brisbane to make your Monday a memorable one with two things that go stupendously well together: art and wine. At this 'paint and sip' studio you'll be free to wield a paintbrush in one hand and clutch a glass of Pinot in the other. The focus here is on having fun, so book in — don't forget to BYO (they supply the glasses) — and let your inner creative run free. Each session runs for around two-and-a-half to three hours.
If a luxury getaway is on the cards this summer, NSW has a stunning new outback accommodation option to add to your wish-list. Set on a 9000-acre family-run, third generation beef and sheep property near Warialda in the state's north (about seven hours from Sydney and five from Brisbane), the newly launched Faraway Domes promises a luxury secluded escape, with the added bonus of a minimal carbon footprint thanks to an off-grid power supply. Designed to be able to create its own natural heating and cooling, the self-contained geodesic dome structure fits two and is kitted out in style. You're sure to feel right at home with the luxury four-poster king size bed, a proper bathroom, open-plan living area with TV and, if you choose, a full kitchen stocked with your choice of gourmet eats and ingredients. Meanwhile, a surrounding elevated deck (complete with an outdoor bath) takes full advantage of those sweeping rural views, ideal for nights spent sipping wine under the stars. When you're not living it up in your gorgeous temporary home, you'll find plenty nearby to keep you entertained — Macintyre Falls, Copeton Dam, Cranky Rock Nature Reserve and the Ceramic Break Sculpture Park are located all within an hour's drive of the dome. Faraway Domes currently just has one dome on the property, with plans to construct more in the future. Faraway Domes opens for bookings today with a one-night stay priced at $372. You'll find it at 405 Munsies Road, Warialda, NSW.
Image: "The Kiss" by Pablo Picasso in the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. REUTERS/David Gray The Art Gallery of New South Wales is among six Australian galleries to share their collections with the online community via Google Art Project. The project, launched last year, allows art enthusiasts to view the great artistic works of the world, all from the convenience of their computer screen. The Art Gallery of NSW has now launched 415 of its most notable works, including a wide sampling drawn from every aspect of its collection. Included are works from the gallery's Australian, Indigenous, Asian and European collections. All of the pieces are featured in incredible high-resolution detail, revealing brushwork and other elements that are undetectable by the naked eye. 250 of these works are accessible through the website's 3D gallery walkthrough. "To think," says Anne Flanagan, acting direction of the Art Gallery of NSW, "that while a person here at the Gallery is viewing a work, someone else, anywhere in the world, can also be viewing the same work with such crystal-clear definition." Other participating Australian galleries include the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Museum, and Griffith University's Rock Art Research Centre. They have joined the efforts of 151 cultural institutions in 40 countries, under Google, to transform the art-viewing process, and to make fine art universally accessible.
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.
They can't all be good ones: Baz Luhrmann movies, that is, although almost all of them are. There's one outlier on his resume, though — one film that definitely doesn't live up to the others. That flick: Australia. Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby and Elvis are all spectacular. Despite combining two of the nation's biggest actors with one of its biggest filmmakers, 2008's Nicole Kidman- and Hugh Jackman-starring Australia definitely isn't. But if you ever wondered what it might look like with a bit of tinkering — actually, a lot of re-cutting and re-imagining — you're about to find out. Faraway Downs will be the end result, a six-part miniseries that's destined for streaming queues in the near future. It's set to drop in the US via Hulu sometime during America's winter, which means that it'll hit Disney+ Down Under — at around the same time, hopefully. "I originally set out to take the notion of the sweeping, Gone With the Wind-style epic and turn it on its head — a way of using romance and epic drama to shine a light on the roles of First Nations people and the painful scar in Australian history of the Stolen Generations," said Luhrmann in a statement, as per The Hollywood Reporter. "While Australia the film has its own life, there was another telling of this story; one with different layers, nuances and even alternative plot twists that an episodic format has allowed us to explore. Drawn from the same material, Faraway Downs is a new variation on Australia for audiences to discover." If you need a refresher on Australia's plot — and therefore Faraway Downs's plot, too — it follows English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman, The Northman) after she comes into possession of an Aussie cattle ranch. To save it from cattle barons, she enlists the help of a drover (Jackman, Reminiscence). That's just the overall gist, however, given that the sprawling movie also spans World War II and its impact, as well as the country's historical treatment of Indigenous Australians. Fittingly given the name — and as usually proves the case with Luhrmann's flicks — the cast includes a who's who of homegrown talent. As well as Kidman and Jackman, plus Brandon Walters (Mystery Road) as Nullah, everyone from Essie Davis (Nitram), Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) and John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) to Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano), Jack Thompson (High Ground) and David Wenham (Elvis) features, as does the now-late David Gulpilil (Storm Boy) and Bill Hunter (The Cup). Exactly how long each episode of Faraway Downs will run for hasn't yet been revealed — but at 165 minutes, the movie it's remixing wasn't short. Check out the original trailer for Australia below: Faraway Downs is due to hit Hulu in the US sometime in America's winter — and Disney+ Down Under. We'll update you with an exact date when it announced. Via The Hollywood Reporter.
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.
Keen on all things innovative when it comes to technology and culture? Suffer from pangs of envy when SXSW kicks off on the other side of the planet each March? Jetting around the world to get your fix mightn't be realistic; however, thanks to Brisbane's newest festival, it's no longer necessary. Say hello to Myriad. Coming to Brisbane Powerhouse from March 29 to 31, Myriad might be in its first year, but that hasn't stopped the fest from going big. More than 100 speakers from over 20 different countries will ponder the future of culture, health, money, cities, and work and play — aka the event's five key themes — with more than 2000 people expected to head along to listen. Still playing the numbers game, more than 100 startups and 75 investors will be represented at the kind of gathering that aims to bring technology's best and brightest together in the one place. As for what everyone will be chatting about, topics include the intersection of fashion, robotics and technology; future business trends such as shaking hands with robots (yes, expect to hear robots come up quite often); tech advancements everywhere from Estonia to Chile; 3D-printed body organs; things that you can learn from Spotify and Tinder; drones; and the future of sex (you know that robots will get a mention here too). In addition to the discussion component of the program, Myriad also features a variety of interactive experiences, such as an art exhibition that explores sexual violence and women's rights through augmented reality, an exclusive V8 racing installation, and a series of collaborations with fellow Brissie fest BIGSOUND. That might sound like a massive amount of interesting pieces all jammed into two and a half bustling days; however consider organisers and Myriad cofounders Murray Galbraith and Martin Talvari up to the task. Galbraith was behind Melbourne's Pause Fest in 2015, while Talvari was formerly one of the guiding hands at Slush, the Helsinki startup event with more than 17,500 attendees. Myriad takes place at Brisbane Powerhouse from March 29 to 31, 2017. For more information, visit the festival website.
The Mornington Peninsula is now home to a gluten-free brewpub thanks to Twøbays Brewing, which opened the doors to its Dromana taproom in December 2018. The public tasting room is set amongst the production brewery, which began operation in 2017. It's stainless steel tanks are visible from the brewpub side, and the entire facility overlooks the picturesque Arthur's Seat. Founder and beer enthusiast Richard Jeffares was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2016 and became inspired by similar gluten-free taprooms found in The States. Jeffares signed on head brewer Andrew Gow, who's resumé boasts 20 years in the business, including at Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Mountain Goat and Five Islands in Sydney's Wollongong. While most beers use gluten-containing malted barley, Twøbays instead uses gluten-free millet, rice and buckwheat — imported from Colorado and California — in all its beers. The brewpub has launched with a range of seven core and specialty tap beers, including an easy-drinking pale ale; an English-style extra special bitter dubbed Local Knowledge; Gose Against, a German-style gose brewed with coriander, salt and lime; and a mid-strength ale called Little Arthur. To try a few at once, patrons can nab a four-pony tasting paddle. Apart from brews, there's locally produced Quealy wine and Ten Sixty One cider to enjoy. And, adding to theme, there's also a woodfired oven slinging gluten-free pizza. The taproom is a cash-free environment, though, so make sure you come with card in hand. Twøbays also sells its pale ale and IPA online — both of which are endorsed by Coeliac Australia. If you're a keen home-brewer, Twøbays is already selling and shipping its gluten-free brew packs and malts across Australia. Find Twøbays Brewing Co at Unit 1, 2 Trewhitt Court, Dromana, Victoria. Opening hours are Friday from 3–8pm, Saturday from 12–6pm and Sunday from 12–5pm. Updated: June 3, 2019.
In her book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron describes meeting people who are concerned about being too old to start learning an artistic pursuit. Her answer to the question, ‘But do you know how old I will be by the time I learn to really write or play an instrument or act?’ is ‘The same age you’ll be if you don’t learn to play at all.’ Hal Lasko is one artist who sees age as no barrier. Having just turned 98, and diagnosed as legally blind, he spends ten hours a day painting with Windows 95’s Microsoft Paint program. This year has seen his debut exhibition, and according to Colossal, his work has been described as a 'collision of pointillism and 8-bit art'. An array of pieces is available for sale online. Affectionately nicknamed Grandpa, Lasko was born in Taledo, Ohio, on July 28, 1915. After commencing work as a graphic designer, he was called to draft directional and weather maps for bombing raids during the Second World War. Once the bombing stopped, he returned to design, working for the likes of General Tire, The Cleveland Browns, Goodyear and American Greetings. Evenings would be spent painting. However, it wasn’t until retirement that Lasko could find enough time to focus entirely on art. And he was in his late 80s before he learnt how to use Microsoft Paint. Vision loss came in 2005, with the onset of wet macular degeneration. In the video below, documentary maker Josh Bogdan takes a journey through Lasko’s creative world. [via Mashable]
The last bastion of the phone-free two hours, the theatre, might be about to crumble. Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre this week announced that they'll be trialling special seating for social media users, internationally dubbed 'tweet seats', at select shows. Carlton indie theatre La Mama is already all over it, having set aside four tweet seats per show for their upcoming work RAT, and they're even free. Considering we've been live tweeting everything else — from films to talks, concerts and dinners — is the distinction around theatre an artificial one that's been destined to fall away? And is there any benefit to be gained from allowing us to whip out our phones mid-show? The Malthouse announcement has met with some backlash, even on Twitter. Popular opinion is, if you're live tweeting a performance, you're living the kind of hollowed-out half-life that means you may as well stay home and plug into the Matrix. But this is a personal value judgement and not a reason, practically or conceptually, against allowing others to make Twitter a part of their theatre experience. I struggle to express coherent thoughts for half an hour after a film or movie, let alone have any desire to do so while it unfolds and trade away the sense of immersion that comes with live performance. But that's just me, and that's just the shows I've seen. How about a small show built to feed off real-time responses? How about a big, bombastic opera that can't count on the nosebleed section being highly engaged? The LA Times technology blog attributes the first instance of live theatre tweeting to a 2009 staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore in Kansas — and it was a more constructive affair than you might assume. Audience members in the 100 special seats of the final performance could access tweets from the show's artistic director about the production, scenery and story unfurling on stage while tweeting their own questions and comments. It was an aid to their enjoyment of the piece, not unlike an audio tour of an art exhibit. Or the special features on a DVD. Or a post-show Q&A, during the show. It's since become common in the US and UK, mainly for ballets, operas and symphony concerts. With conditions tightly controlled — you don't want to distract the real-life cast and crew who need darkness to do their jobs properly — and the agreement of the individual creative team, theatre might continue to become a road more tweeted. But then there's this argument from Alex Roe, artistic director of New York's Metropolitan Playhouse, perhaps the most focused takedown of how your tweeting might affect other people's enjoyment: "Part of the whole theatrical experience is the thought of being present in the company of the rest of the audience and the actors," Roe said to NPR. "To me, the thought of encouraging people to tweet during a performance is necessarily a violation of that agreement." That might just be the tweet-seat deal-breaker.
Whether you're buying flowers for your nearest and dearest, such as your mum or your partner, or you'd just like to have something floral brightening up your house, the real kind always come with an expiry date. Fake flowers exist, of course, for those who like permanent petals — but they're not as fun as the block-built type in Lego's new Botanical Collection. Part of the brand's growing range for adults — because we're all well past pretending that Lego is just for kids — the Botanical Collection currently features two items. For a bouquet that'll never die, the 756-piece flower bouquet kit includes a number of different blooms that you can bunch together however you like. If you're more of a bonsai kind of person, an 878-piece set that features one of the miniature trees is also available. For those keen on vibrant flowers, the flower bouquet box includes pieces to make blooms based on roses, snapdragons, poppies, asters, daisies and grasses, all in different colours and shapes. In fact, because this is the first kit of its type, it features blocks in hues and shapes — including 17 realistic-looking petal pieces — that Lego hasn't ever used before. The stems come in different lengths, measuring up to 36 centimetres, and you choose which flowers sit at which height. The petals and leaves are also customisable; however, if you want a vase to put them all in, you'll have to find that elsewhere. In the bonsai tree set, you'll obviously build a bonsai. Yes, it's that self-explanatory — but you'll also make a black pot for it to sit in and a wooden stand for it as well. You can pick between green leaves and cherry blossoms while you're putting it together, and it's up to you how you arrange them as well. If you fancy a bit of pink in warmer months and something earthier when winter hits, you can do that as well. Both kits cost $89.99, although the bonsai one is temporarily out of stock after they both launched on January 1 this year. Lego is also moving towards being more green with its pieces, not just with the designs they can be used to make — and announced that it was starting to produce sustainable blocks made from plant-based plastic back in 2018. You'll find some in the Botanical Collection sets, fittingly, as made from sustainably sourced sugarcane. Plus, as well as catching the eye, Lego's newest products are designed to help you destress and get mindful — something that the brand has been promoting for adults for a few years now. For more information about Lego's new Botanical Collection, including the flower bouquet and bonsai tree kits, head to the company's website.
If you haven't made the December pilgrimage to southeast Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival at least once, have you truly celebrated the end of the year to the fullest in Australia? No, no you haven't. Due to the pandemic, however, that hasn't been an option for the past few years — but the beloved festival has confirmed its return to see out 2022 and welcome in 2023. Mark December 27–January 1 in your diary, and prepare to catch a heap of bands, wander between arts performances and get a little muddy. Exactly who'll be playing the fest, which takes place about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, hasn't yet been revealed. But the 2019–20 fest boasted Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers, which gives you an idea of the kind of mix of artists that's usually on the bill. Also typically part of the Woodford experience: over 2000 artists putting on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. Exactly what this year's figures will hit also hasn't been advised as yet, but this is never a small-scale fest. Indeed, announcing the event's return, Woodford General Manager Amanda Jackes advised that "over the past two years, Woodfordia organisers have delivered 1372 shows with 1032 artists over eight national tours and eight multi-day events, to an audience of 20,000 with overnight visitation totalling 50,192. To put this into context, as only one event, Woodford Folk Festival hosts 1800 shows across 25 stages featuring 2800 individual artists and performers to an aggregate audience of 132,000 with overnight visitation totalling 222,356." Beyond the numbers — yes, Woodford is massive — Founder and Director Bill Hauritz said that "this year will see the festival built from the ground up with new ideas, new programming, a new layout but always maintaining the festival tradition of the key corner stones of what has made it so successful for a long period of time." "In the past we have spent a lot of time planning, sometimes two and three years ahead, which we've been unable to do during COVID times," he continued. "Instead, we've been creative in the space and using the time to both restructure our organisation, always making improvements to our considerable systems." The festival will once again take over its Woodfordia parklands base, which now boasts a lake — and is in the process of getting 20 permanent glamping tents installed. And, as always, the fest's lineup will span everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy again, plus spoken word, comedy, workshops, bars, cafes and restaurants. If you're already keen to buy tickets, they're expected to go on sale in mid-June. The 2022–23 Woodford Folk Festival will run from December 27, 2022–January 1, 2023 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. For more information, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
Between the inaugural So Pop festival, drawing names like Vengaboys, Aqua and Lou Bega, and RNB Vine Days, headlined by the likes of Nelly and Craig David, the list of international music heroes hitting Aussie stages this summer is already huge. But it's about to get even heftier, with news that the world's biggest hip hop festival Rolling Loud is set to make its southern hemisphere debut next January. The independently owned one-day event hits Sydney Showgrounds on Sunday, January 27, and while the lineup won't be released until later this week, it's set to be seriously buzz-worthy, if previous years' offerings are anything to go by. Since its first outing in Miami back in 2015, Rolling Loud has expanded to Los Angeles and San Francisco, pulling crowds of up to 135,000 earlier this year. Past sell-out events have seen names like Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, A$AP Rocky, Future, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Post Malone, Migos and Lil Uzi Vert all grace the festival's stage. For Rolling Loud's first Australian foray, young founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif are teaming up with local production and events company HSU Events, who has previously brought us big international headliners for the likes of Midnight Mafia and Knockout Circuz. If you're keen to catch Rolling Loud's Aussie debut, you can sign up now for exclusive pre-sale access. The festival will take over Sydney Showgrounds, Olympic Park, on January 27. We'll fill you in on who's headlining as soon as they're announced later this week. Images: Beth Saravo and Sebastian Rodriguez
Since Netflix officially launched in Australia back in 2015, their buffet of streaming movies and TV shows has lacked one thing: new original local content. Indeed, it took more than two years for the popular SVOD platform to finally announce that they're making their first Aussie series — and, if the Australian government has anything to do with it, there'll be much more where that came from. During a government enquiry into the sustainability of the film and television industry, Department of Communications content head Carolyn Patteson revealed that the department is looking into quotas for Aussie content on streaming platforms. "We recognise that the system we currently have in place is probably not contemporary for our environment, and what we're really starting to grapple with is the online space," she advised. Just how much Australian programming could be required is yet to be discussed; however, under similar quotas for TV networks, local commercial free-to-air television stations must show a minimum of 55 per cent on their main channels between 6am and midnight. Further sub-quotas apply to Australian drama, documentary and kids' programs. A similar idea has been floated in Europe, with a figure of 20 per cent suggested. In the interim, in addition to their recently announced supernatural crime drama series Tidelands, Netflix has also co-commissioned new comedy series The Letdown with the ABC — their third local collaboration after the second season of Glitch and Monkey Magic reboot The Legend Of Monkey. Over at Stan, No Activity and Wolf Creek have flown the flag for local content on the Australian platform so far, with four new shows currently in the works, as well as feature film The Second. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we set the compass to Tropical North Queensland and take a trip to Cairns for a special stay at Crystalbrook Riley. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive four-night travel deal — including in-room entertainment, aquarium access and accommodation in an ultra-refined Urban Room. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Queenslanders have had a good few reasons to celebrate of late: State of Origin wins. A low-intensity heatwave that makes it feel they're never going to break up with summer. First place in a new survey that asked Aussies to rank their favourite local travel destination. And while anyone who's not a Maroons fan probably doesn't want to hear them gloat about their footballing victories, we can certainly support a destination that grants us access to sunny days and balmy nights right now without the need to renew our passports. Pitching itself for consideration is Crystalbrook Riley, a five-star stay that's strategically situated along Cairns' iconic coastal boardwalk. It has some of the best beaches of the world literally at your doorstep. Luxe location aside, Crystalbrook Riley's outstanding amenities are equally impressive. They include a 1000-square-metre swimming lagoon, a private man-made beach, bustling bars and restaurants and some seriously stylish rooms and suites. THE ROOMS The Crystalbrook Riley team is proud to proclaim that its 311 rooms and suites most certainly do not feel like a home away from home. But before you think that's a typo allow us to explain its rationale. Basically, it's because the team believes that leaving your teeny one-bedroom with views over the main road to spend your time away in the same sort of set-up defeats the purpose. Instead, it delivers all of the good things you love about your own house (big beds, comfy couches, steaming hot showers) and adds some oomph by making the design a little more sophisticated, the furnishings a touch more elegant and the kind of contemporary cool accessories you'd find at a boutique homeware store. FOOD AND DRINK If you're in Cairns, you're probably going dedicate a couple of days to super-early-start excursions like the Daintree National Park or the Great Barrier Reef. On those occasions, when you come home exhausted and don't have the physical energy to untangle your salty hair let alone order an Uber, Crystalbrook Riley's own in-hotel restaurants are on hand. The highest rooftop bar in Cairns, Rocco, is all about generous serves, share-style dining and fresh dishes that take inspiration from the Middle East and the Mediterranean and recreate them with fresh regional produce. Highlights include mezza plates featuring freshly shucked oysters, house-made labneh cheese, Far North Queensland grilled tiger prawns, confit chicken and grilled lamb cutlets. Pair them with a smart selection of sweet and savoury cocktails, like the Moroccan-inspired Message in a Bottle, for an experience that is truly unmissable. On the other hand, if you're all about an Asian epicurean experience, then Paper Crane offers a modern menu that makes the most of Tropical North Queensland's fresh ingredients while highlighting the best of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese fare. Signature dishes such as the citrus soy-marinated Tableland rib-eye steak on the bone pair perfectly with Paper Crane's custom cocktails. Just be sure to pace yourself if you have another long day trip planned for the next morning. THE LOCAL AREA Know as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is the place to base yourself if swimming and snorkelling among world-heritage-listed marine life is on your bucket list. Ditto those seeking easy access to the iconic Daintree Rainforest and its soaring green canopies. But beyond its beaches and bushland, Cairns is also a dream holiday destination for those who like to pack their itinerary with drinking, dining and days spent doing a little retail damage. Our suggestions include the tropical treats at Charley's Chocolate Factory, sunset cocktails at seaside bar Salt House, the small boutiques in Oceania Walk or Galleria for high-end designer stores. THE EXTRAS Did you even go on a holiday if you didn't treat yourself to a fancy facial and meditative massage? Although Crystalbrook Riley's Eleme Spa is temporarily closed, guests can still enjoy access to the equally fabulous Eleme Day Spa Crystalbrook Flynn just down the road, where treatments such as couples therapy and detox packages are all available. Additionally, those who take advantage of this exclusive Concrete Playground Trips promotion can enjoy two complimentary tickets to the famed Cairns Aquarium. It's home to the Southern Hemisphere's only two-storey Deep Reef Tank, the 360-degree Oceanarium and Underwater Viewing Tunnel. Guests can spot rare species of sharks, sting rays, crocodiles and more, as they attempt to find Nemo. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
The festive season is upon us, again, which means that Christmas shopping is about to become everyone's favourite pastime. Thankfully, trawling the mall isn't your only option when it comes to finding a gift, either for your loved ones or yourself — or grabbing ingredients for a delicious meal. Returning for another year from 6.30–10pm on Friday, November 29, the Carseldine Markets is hosting a twilight event brimming with the spirit of the season. Get your list ready, because all the art, craft and fresh produce stalls you know and love will be on site, just waiting to help you out of a festive fix — more than 180 of them, in fact. Prepare to tuck into festive treats, too (because you'll need to eat while you browse), as well as ample entertainment. Yes, it's a Christmas wonderland, with the decorations, carols and workshops to prove it. Warning: if you're more of a Grinch than one of Santa's elves, you'd best prepare yourself for an overdose of holiday cheer.
In these cutthroat days of citizen journalism, a single tweet can obliterate a career. Just ask all these people. That which has been posted — and shared 20,000 times — cannot be unposted. And whether you were drunk, feeling sorry for yourself, on some kind of weird ego trip (Anthony Weiner = Carlos Danger?), really bad at conveying irony, genuinely misunderstood or just plain stupid when you penned the fatal line, excuses aren’t likely to get you out of hot water. Precedent suggests that neither your employer nor the angry mob is likely to be too easily persuaded. But if your most ill-thought-through posts are still buried deep in your feed, rather than across the front page of the Daily Mail, there’s hope. A new app by the name of Clear can burrow into your social media past, analyse your history and flag posts that seem inflammatory or offensive. Based on a mix of miraculous algorithms and Watson, a supercomputer created by IBM, the app works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Clear’s creator is a man who’s name you might have seen in the headlines. Earlier this year, EthanCzahor was working on a campaign for Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida and possible 2015 presidentialcandidate, when a flurry of old tweets appeared out of thecyber-ether. One read, “Most people don’t know that Halloween is German for ‘night that girls with low self-esteem dress like sluts.’” And another, “When I burp in the gym I feel like it’s my way of saying, ‘sorry guys, but I’m not gay’.”Czahor lost his job within 48 hours of starting, which was a huge blow for a 31-year-old who’d spent his twenties pursuing a career in politics. From the get-go, Ethan maintained that the tweets were jokes, the meaning of which had become skewed. “I was telling jokes with my friends and they were completely tongue-in-cheek and completely harmless,” he told Time. “But years later after I had forgotten about them, they’d been pulled out of context and it looked terrible.” “You exist in a lot of places on the Internet,” he said. “And I just feel that you have the right to at least know what’s out there, and to take care of it.” Via Mashable and Time.
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.
Flight of the Conchords return home for a New Zealand and Australia tour this winter. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, the goofy halves of this comedy and musical duo, announced the tour on their website, saying, "We are finally returning to Australia … mostly to apologise." Fans seem to agree that there is nothing to be sorry for: the original tour dates have already sold out. Luckily, additional dates have been added; make sure to snatch yours up quickly. The pair returns from a lengthy run of success abroad, including a BBC radio series, HBO television series, film appearances and an Oscar. Tickets go on sale here on Tuesday, April 17, at 9am. Australian Tour Dates: Thursday, 5th July 2012 - Sydney Opera House, Sydney Saturday, 7th July 2012 - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Tuesday, 10th July 2012 - Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle Wednesday, 11th July 2012 - WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong Friday, 13th July 2012 - Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Saturday 14th July 2012 - The Plenary, Melbourne Wednesday 18th July 2012 - Challenge Stadium, Perth
You've heard that good things come in small packages. You've also heard that sometimes, it's the simplest things in life that are the best. They're oft-spouted phrases for a reason, and they ring true at Dutton Park's newest eatery. Think of Little G as a slice of Italian deliciousness that mixes tradition with a few new additions. Little more than a hole in the wall next to Gertrude & Mabel on Gladstone Road, what Little G lacks in size it makes up for in the kind of pizza you'll want to go back for again and again. In fact, since the restaurant opened its doors, its outdoor picnic tables have bustling — and they're not the only area of the place that have gone into overdrive. Dough production has also doubled in response to demand. So just what's inspired such a frenzy? Well, that'd be pizza combinations such as pear, gorgonzola and proscuitto; potato, smoked paprika and roasted garlic; and mac 'n' cheese and lardo. Yum. From the "not pizza" section the menu, feast on a selection of salumi and accompaniments, or brussel sprouts with mozzarella and crackling. And for dessert? Well, let's just say that Nutella arancini is about to become your new favourite treat. Images: Hennessytrill
Everyone loves a one-stop-shop — and if you live around Yeronga way, you're going to love the new addition to Orontes Road. When it opens its doors in late October, Osteria Epoca will offer food fiends a restaurant, cafe and provisions store all in one. We know you can count: that's three reasons to stop by. The trifecta of tastiness is a labour of love for chef Lorenzo Nobilio, so much so that he's starting the venture with his partner Natalie Fraser and her parents. The ex-Bistro Alegria kitchen wiz and Ash + Monties owner's side of the family will get some recognition in a menu that reflects his late grandmother's hearty, homemade food, and in the general neighbourhood vibe the Italian eatery aims to cultivate. Think the kind of place that welcomes leisurely feasts of pasta, bread and more at its osteria, is ideal for a quick wine and a share plate at its cafe, and includes a salumi counter and bar in its alimentari. Nope, you won't be looking for excuses to call in — once you're there, you'll be scrambling to justify leaving. Find Osteria Epoca on Orontes Road, Yeronga from late October. Via The Courier-Mail.
After the work-week marathon, holing up at home all weekend can be mighty tempting, especially as the cooler weather approaches. And while technology has gifted us with the amazing ability to get both food and entertainment without changing out of our PJs, you might still feel like fresh air and socialising. So, every Friday and Saturday, swap the hermit life for an outside hangout. The Sound Society is an initiative that fills South Bank Parklands with music, with live tunes echoing through different parts of the inner city spot depending on the day and date. If a cruisy Friday evening or slow Saturday afternoon accompanied by a soundtrack is your style, this is the place to head — picnic blanket in hand. Most Fridays, you'll be making your way to the River Quay Green either from 4–6pm or 5–7pm, with times changing depending on the week. Come Saturday, you'll want to make a date with the Rainforest Green from 2–5pm — and, it's also the location for some Friday sessions as well. Of course, you can BYO snacks and, if you're heading to the River Quay gig, you can even BYO booze. The lineup changes for each show, but the laidback vibe, free price and leafy views all remain. On the bill in the coming weeks: Rose Rogers, Modeo, Georgia Corowa, Joe Geia, Joseph Vea, Jamie-Lee Dimes, The Urban Sea, Hayden Hack, Andrea Soler and other musicians presented by the Queensland Conservatorium.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are nine that you can watch right now at home. THE KILLER A methodical opening credits sequence that's all about the finer points, as seen in slivers and snippets, set to industrial strains that can only stem from Trent Reznor, with David Fincher and Andrew Kevin Walker's names adorning the frame, for a film about a murderer being chased. In 1995, Se7en began with that carefully and commandingly spliced-together mix — and magnificently. Fincher and Walker now reteam for the first time since for The Killer, another instantly gripping thriller that starts in the same fashion. It also unfurls as a cat-and-mouse game with a body count, while sporting an exceptional cast and splashing around (exactingly, of course) the full scope of Fincher's filmmaking mastery. This movie's protagonist is detail-obsessive to a calculating degree, and the director bringing him to cinematic life from Matz's graphic novels of the same name also keeps earning that description. The Fight Club, The Social Network and Mank helmer couldn't be more of a perfectionist about assembling The Killer just so, and the feature couldn't be more of a testament to his meticulousness. Fincher's love of crime and mysteries between Se7en and The Killer has gifted audiences The Game, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mindhunter, which have always felt like different books from a series rather than a director flipping through the same tome over and over. So it is with Michael Fassbender's long-awaited return to the screen after a four-year absence — X-Men: Dark Phoenix was has his last credit before this — which sees Fincher and his star aping each other in an array of ways. As well as being oh-so-drawn to minutiae, as the eponymous character reinforces in his wry narration, this duo of filmmaker and fictional assassin-for-hire are precise and compulsive about refashioning something new with favourite tools. For The Killer, it's fresh avenues to fulfill his deadly occupation until everything goes awry. For the man who kicked off his feature career with Alien³ and now collaborates with a Prometheus and Alien: Covenant alum, it's plying his own trade, too. The Killer is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. PAST LIVES Call it fate, call it destiny, call it deeply feeling like you were always meant to cross paths with someone: in Korean, that sensation is in-yeon. Partway through Past Lives, aspiring writer Nora (Greta Lee, Russian Doll) explains the concept to fellow scribe Arthur (John Magaro, The Many Saints of Newark) like she knows it deep in her bones, because both she and the audience are well-aware that she does. That's what writer/director Celine Song's sublime feature debut is about from its first frames to its last. With Arthur, Nora jokes that in-yeon is something that Koreans talk about when they're trying to seduce someone. There's truth to her words, because she'll end up married to him. But with her childhood crush Hae Sung (Teo Yoo, Decision to Leave), who she last saw at the age of 12 because her family then moved from Seoul to Toronto, in-yeon explains everything. It sums up their firm connection as kids, the instant spark that ignites when they reunite in their 20s via emails and Skype calls, and the complicated emotions that swell when they're finally in the same place together again after decades — even with Arthur in the picture as well. Song also emigrated to Canada with her parents as a pre-teen, but achieves that always-sought-after feat: making a movie that feels so intimately specific to its characters, and yet resonates so heartily and universally. Each time that Nora and Hae Sung slide back into each other's lives, it feels like no time has passed, but that doesn't smooth their way forward. Crafted to resemble slipping into a memory, complete with lingering looks and a transportingly evocative score, this feature knows every emotion that springs when you need someone and vice versa, but life has other plans. It feels the weight of the roads not taken, even when you're happy with the route you're on. It's a film about details — spying them everywhere, in Nora and Hae Sung's lives and their faces, while recognising how the best people in anyone's orbits spot them as well. Lee, Yoo and Magaro are each magnetic and magnificent, as is everything about this sensitive, blisteringly honest and intimately complex masterpiece. Past Lives is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE CREATOR Science fiction has never been afraid of unfurling its futuristic visions on the third rock from the sun, but the resulting films have rarely been as earthy as The Creator. Set from 2065 onwards, after the fiery destruction of Los Angeles that could've come straight out of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, this tale of humanity battling artificial intelligence is visibly awash with technology that doesn't currently exist — and yet the latest movie from Monsters, Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards couldn't look or feel more authentic and grounded. That isn't a minor feat. And, it doesn't simply stem from making a sci-fi flick with heart, which isn't a new move. Don't underestimate the epic yet intimate impact of seeing bold imaginings of what may come that have been lovingly and stunningly integrated with the planet's inherent splendour, engrained in everyday lives, and meticulously ensure that the line between what the camera can capture and special effects can create can't be spotted; The Creator hasn't. So, as undercover military operative Joshua (John David Washington, Amsterdam) is tasked with saving the world — that go-to science-fiction setup — robots walk and talk, spaceships hover, and everything from cars to guns are patently dissimilar to the planet's present state. Flesh-and-blood people aren't the only characters with emotional journeys and stakes, either, with AI everywhere. Even if The Creator didn't tell its viewers so, there's zero doubting that its events aren't taking place in the here and now. Edwards and cinematographers Greig Fraser (The Batman) and Oren Soffer (Fixation) know how to make this flight of fancy both appear and seem tangible, though. Indeed, The Creator earns a term that doesn't often come sci-fi's way when it comes to aesthetics: naturalistic. Also don't underestimate how gloriously and immersively that the film's striking and sprawling southeast Asian shooting locations not only gleam, but anchor the story. The Creator is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FINGERNAILS In the world of Fingernails, 'Only You' isn't just a 1982 pop song that was made famous by Yazoo, is easy to get stuck in your head, and is now heard in this film in both French and English. It's also the philosophy that the first English-language feature by Apples filmmaker Christos Nikou has subscribed its characters to as it cooks up a sci-fi take on romance. In a setup somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes' claims to have revolutionised blood testing (see: The Dropout), Fingernails proposes an alternative present where love can be scientifically diagnosed. All that's needed: an extracted plate of keratin, aka the titular digit-protecting covering. At organisations such as The Love Institute, couples willingly have their nails pulled out — one apiece — then popped into what resembles a toaster oven to receive their all-important score. Only three results are possible, with 100 percent the ultimate in swooning, 50 percent meaning that only one of the pair is head over heels and the unwanted zero a harbinger of heartbreak. When Fingernails begins, it's been three years since teacher Anna (Jessie Buckley, Women Talking) and her partner Ryan (Jeremy Allen White, The Bear) underwent the exam, with the long-term duo earning the best possible outcome — a score that's coveted but rare. Around them, negative results have led to breakups and divorces as society's faith is placed not in hearts and souls, but in a number, a gimmick and some tech gadgetry (one of the sales pitches, though, is that finding out before getting hitched will stop failed marriages). As their friends go the retesting route — satirising the need for certainty in affairs of the heart pumps firmly through this movie's veins — Anna hasn't been able to convince Ryan to attend The Love Institute as a client. She's soon spending her days there, however, feeding her intrigue with the whole scenario as an employee. When she takes a job counselling other pairs towards hopeful ever-after happiness, she keeps the career shift from her own significant other. Quickly, she has something else she can't tell Ryan: a blossoming bond with her colleague Amir (Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal). Fingernails is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. FAIR PLAY Getting engaged isn't meant to be bloody, but that's how Fair Play starts: with joy, love, passion and bodily fluids. What is and isn't supposed to happen is a frequent theme in writer/director Chloe Domont's feature debut, an erotic thriller set both within the heady relationship between Emily (Phoebe Dynevor, Bridgerton) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich, Oppenheimer), and also in the slick, fast-paced, high-stakes world of New York finance — familiar territory for its Billions alum filmmaker, who also has Suits and Ballers on her resume. The blood arrives via a bathroom tryst at Luke's brother's (Buck Braithwaite, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin) wedding. He pops under her dress, she has her period, he drops the ring that he was going to propose with, she says yes, and next they're betrothed and fleeing out the window to go home. Staged to feel woozily, authentically romantic, the occasion seems perfect to this head-over-heels pair anyway, even if it leaves their clothes stained. Yes, Domont is playing with symbolism from the outset. Lust isn't a problem for Emily and Luke, clearly, but they've become experts at keeping everything about being together away from work out of necessity. The duo each chases big dreams at the same hedge fund, which has a firm no-dating policy for its employees. So, when they wake up, dress and step out the door the next day, they go their separate ways to end up at the one place — and Emily's finger is glaringly bare. Then something that they've both been hoping would happen does: a portfolio manager sitting above their analyst positions is fired. Next comes a development that they've each felt was meant to occur, too, with the word spreading around the office that's led by the icy Campbell (Eddie Marsan, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) and his yes-man flunkey Paul (Rich Sommer, Minx) that Luke is in line for a promotion to fill the new vacancy. But when it turns out that it's Emily that's getting promoted instead, everything changes. Fair Play is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. PAIN HUSTLERS Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer) is Pain Hustlers best star. Chris Evans (Ghosted), Catherine O'Hara (Elemental), Andy Garcia (Expend4bles), Brian d'Arcy James (Love & Death) and Chloe Coleman (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) all leave an imprint as well in this pharma drama, but Blunt is the movie's knockout. She steps into the shoes of Liza Drake. Relentlessly adapting is the Floridian's normality; she's a single mother to teenager Phoebe (Coleman), who has epilepsy that requires surgical treatment that Liza can't afford, and also lives in her sister's garage while stringing together cash from whichever jobs she can find. It's at one such gig as an exotic dancer, where her talent for sizing up a scenario and making the most of it is rather handy, that Pete Brenner (Evans) crosses her path. He wants more than her barside banter, proposing that she comes to work for him. If he didn't want her to genuinely take it up, catapult his employer to success and have them in murky territory, he shouldn't have made the offer. Also apparent in Pain Hustlers: the latest on-screen takedown of the pharmaceutical industry and corresponding interrogation of the opioid crisis, aka one of pop culture's current topics du jour. Indeed, in only his second non-Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts film since 2007 (the other: The Legend of Tarzan), director David Yates happily relies upon the fact that this realm is common ire-inducing knowledge no matter whether you've read journalist Evan Hughes' coverage of Insys Therapeutics — including 'The Pain Hustlers', a New York Times Magazine article, then The Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup, the non-fiction book that followed. First-time screenwriter Wells Tower draws upon both, but similarly knows that his fictionalisation rattles around a heavily populated domain. Stunning documentary All the Beauty and the Bloodshed earned an Oscar nomination, miniseries Dopesick picked up an Emmy, and both Painkiller and The Fall of the House of Usher have hit Netflix in 2023 — as will Pain Hustlers — while diving into the same subject. Pain Hustlers is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. IT LIVES INSIDE What's more terrifying than standing out at high school? It Lives Inside scares up an answer. Here, fitting in with the popular kids has haunting costs — literally — as Indian American teen Samidha (Megan Suri, Never Have I Ever) discovers. Her story starts as all memorable movies should: with a sight that's rarely seen on-screen. While beauty routines are familiar-enough film fodder, watching Sam shave her arms, then use skin tone-lightening filters on her photos, instantly demonstrates the lengths that she's going to for schoolyard approval. Among the white girls that she now calls friends, she also prefers to go by Sam. At home, she's increasingly hesitant to speak Hindi with her parents Inesh (Vik Sahay, Lodge 49) and Poorna (Neeru Bajwa, Criminal). And when it comes to preparing for and celebrating the Hindu ritual of puja, Sam would rather be elsewhere with Russ (Gage Marsh, Big Sky), the boy that she's keen on. It Lives Inside's frights don't spring from razors and social media, or from shortened names and superficial classmates; however, each one underscores how far that Sam is moving away from her heritage. Worse: they indicate how eagerly she's willing to leave her culture behind, too, a decision that's affected her childhood bond with Tamira (Mohana Krishnan, The Summer I Turned Pretty). As their school's only students with Indian backgrounds, they were once happily inseparable. Now Sam considers Tamira a walking reminder of everything that she's trying to scrub from her American identity. Keeping to herself — skulking around clutching a jar filled with a strange black substance, and virtually hiding behind her unbrushed hair — the latter has become the class outcast. So, when she asks Sam for help, of course no is the answer, a response that sparks consequences in this unease-dripping feature debut from writer/director Bishal Dutta. It Lives Inside is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM Before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Seth Rogen and his regular behind-the-camera collaborator Evan Goldberg had more than a few hands in Sausage Party. Lewd and crude isn't their approach with pop culture's pizza-eating, sewer-dwelling, bandana-wearing heroes in a half shell, however. Instead, the pair is in adoring throwback mode. They co-write and co-produce. Platonic's Rogen also lends his vocals — but to warthog Bebop, not to any of TMNT: MM's fab four. That casting move is telling; this isn't a raunched-up, star voice-driven take on family-friendly fare like Strays and Ted, even when it's gleefully irreverent. Rather, it's a loving reboot spearheaded by a couple of patent fans who were the exact right age when turtle power was the schoolyard's biggest late-80s and early-90s force, and want to do Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo justice. Affection seeps through Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem as pivotally as ooze, the reason that there's even any adolescent marine reptiles that aren't at all like most of their species, and are also skilled in Japanese martial arts, within the franchise's narrative. Slime might visibly glow in this new animated TMNT movie, but the love with which the film has been made is equally as luminous. Indeed, the Spider-Verse-esque artwork makes that plain, openly following in the big-screen cartoon Spidey saga's footsteps. As it visually resembles lively high school notebook sketches under director Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs the Machines) and Kyler Spears' (Amphibia) guidance, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem feels exactly like the result of Rogen and Goldberg seeing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, wondering how Leo and company would fare in a picture that aimed for the same visual flair, then making it happen. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. A HAUNTING IN VENICE Poirot goes horror in A Haunting in Venice. As unsettling as it was in its pointlessness and indulgence, Death on the Nile's moustache origin story doesn't quite count as doing the same. With Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) back directing, producing and starring as the hirsute Belgian sleuth for the third time — 2017's Murder on the Orient Express came first — Agatha Christie's famous detective now gets steeped in gothic touches and also scores the best outing yet under his guidance. The source material: the acclaimed mystery writer's 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. Returning screenwriter Michael Green (Jungle Cruise) has given the book more than a few twists, the canal-lined Italian setting being one. Venice makes an atmospheric locale, especially on October 31, in the post-World War II era and amid a dark storm. But perhaps the most important move that A Haunting in Venice makes is Branagh reining in the showboating that became so grating in his first two Poirot movies. In relocating to the sinking island city and withdrawing from the whodunnit game, his new status quo when the film begins, A Haunting in Venice's Poirot has already done his own toning down. It's 1947, a decade after the events seen in A Death on the Nile, and bodyguard Vitale Portfoglio (Riccardo Scamarcio, The Translators) helps keep life quiet by sending away everyone who seeks the sleuth's help. The exception: Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey, Only Murders in the Building), a Christie surrogate who is not only also a celebrated author, but writes crime fiction based on Poirot (with Fey slipping into her shoes, she's a playful source of humour, too). When the scribe comes a-knocking, it's with an invite to a séance, where she's hoping that her pal will help her to discredit the medium, Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once), who has the town talking. Then there's a death, pointed fingers and a need for Poirot's skills. A Haunting in Venice is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September and October, too. You can also peruse our best new films, new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies of 2023 so far
Just as not all movies are created equal, neither are all stints on screens. The big, in budget and attendance, stick around. The small, in audience awareness but not in artistry or effort, might not stay that long. Such a cinema environment sees many gems fall by the wayside in the battle for viewer hearts and minds – many that rank among the year’s best, too. So which 2014 films should you have perhaps taken a chance on instead of just seeing the latest shiny blockbuster? Here’s ten that local box office performance tells us you most likely missed, but really shouldn’t have. THE BABADOOK Jennifer Kent’s debut feature is one of the best among Australian efforts, horror films, and haunted house fright fests — both of this year, and of all others. Alas, in a nation that rarely embraces anything spooky on the big screen en masse, it came and went quickly, though what it lacked in local attention it is now making up for in international acclaim. Such recognition is mere window dressing for a movie that allows its equally touching and terrifying content to make its own statement as it charts a single mother’s troubles when her six-year-old son finds fear in a formidable figure that springs from the page into his bedroom. The style, the story and the scares can now continue off-screen, too, courtesy of a crowd-supported production run of the pop-up book at the centre of the chills. Read our full review. ALL THIS MAYHEM Great dramas are made of the same ingredients as this stunning homegrown true tale, a rise to fame, a fall from grace, seeking glory at all costs, and getting mixed up with the wrong things among them. In Eddie Martin’s documentary, all this and more is wrapped up in a roller-coaster ride that starts in the Melbourne suburbs, reaches the heights of the international skateboarding scene, and comes crashing towards its conclusion with the tragedy of what might have been in different circumstances. For those unfamiliar with the story of brothers Tas and Ben Pappas, the film offers the best account you’ll ever experience. For those aware of the details, devastation still emanates from a feature suitably straightforward in structure and shattering in sentiment. Read our full review. FORCE MAJEURE While audiences flocked to Gone Girl’s twisty take on marriage and masculinity, a Swedish couple holidaying in the French Alps with their kids spawned the same musings in just as cynical and striking a fashion. Force Majeure begins with a seemingly impending avalanche, in the face of which, a man runs away as his family looks on. Watching the aftermath as the central pair fight in public yet drift apart in private is not only astute but also amusing in its insights. Writer/director Ruben Östlund has crafted an acerbic comedy of discomfort that says everything about the most intimate of interpersonal relations, with a mastery of form to match the complexity of theme. Read our full review. MY SWEET PEPPER LAND One feminist western – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, which also earns many other descriptors, too – is starting to appear at Australian festivals and in niche screening runs; however, this year also brought another to local screens. Writer/director Hiner Saleem and actress Golshifteh Farahani combine to chart a teacher’s fight for independence in male-dominated Kurdistan, both excelling with the material. Also fuelling the narrative is a policeman’s quest for a new existence free from his gun-slinging past. In this tale of two outsiders endeavouring to establish their own identities and exert power over their own dominion, all the tropes unravel amid a desolate landscape, and given the parallels with the nation’s sociopolitical climate, the film ranges beyond its adopted genre. Read our full review. THE MISSING PICTURE Wading through the past to get a grasp on his – and Cambodia’s – present, filmmaker Rithy Panh attempts to fill in the gaps in his own and well as the collective memory. With the assistance of sculptor Sarith Mang, he assembles figurines and dioramas of clay and wood to restage scenes from his childhood, the fleetingly beautiful and the inescapably brutal among them. The documentarian earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film for his efforts, his latest offering continuing his prolonged fascination with the state of his country. As modest as it is meticulous, and as moving and illuminating, too, this is a picture that shouldn’t be missed. Pun intended. THE DARK HORSE Stories similar to the real-life circumstances of Genesis Potini have been seen before on screen, steeped as they are in a relatable arc of redemption. What James Napier Robertson’s film perfects is the mindset of the troubled chess prodigy turned coach to marginalised youth, in every expressive image and atmospheric sound, and in a tone that never loses hope – just like its inspiration. Formula might seethe through the underdog story, but so does authenticity. The feature swept the recent New Zealand Film Awards for its earnest and emotional efforts, with acclaim rightfully thrown the way of star Cliff Curtis and supporting actor James Rolleston (worlds away from the work he is best known for, his titular role in the charming Boy). Read our full review. THESE FINAL HOURS When this Australian apocalyptic effort made its world premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2013, it set audiences ablaze with excitement for its fresh cinematic talent and its invigorating approach to the end of the world. Fast forward to a year later, and the flames spluttered when Zak Hilditch’s debut earned a general release, a response that doesn’t reflect the skill and style of the movie. Nathan Phillips plays against type in a story not of special deeds but of looking beyond a selfish, self-serving mindset. As his protagonist, James, journeys from nihilism to humanism upon a road trip through Perth’s suburban streets — motivated by the lost, lonely girl he decides to help — he evokes a quiet awakening not just for the character but for a new Australian classic. Read our full review. SON OF A GUN Not even the lure of Ewan McGregor enticed patrons into theatres for Julius Avery’s first feature, another film coming out of Western Australia. As a veteran criminal masterminding a jailbreak, then caught in a web of mobster manipulation, the Scottish actor rightfully commands attention — but so do his co-stars, Australia’s own Brenton Thwaites as the innocent immersed in underworld dealings, and Swedish actress Alicia Vikander as the obligatory love interest. Yes, there’s no escaping the film’s fondness for standard crime caper cliches as it navigates prison hierarchies, daring heists and dalliances with Russian gangsters, but its embrace of its genre exceeds what could’ve just been an ordinary assembly of average parts. Avery also shows a knack for set pieces and a confidence with pace and tone that keeps everything moving beyond the familiar. Read our full review. NYMPHOMANIAC Lars von Trier doesn’t make films to cater for all tastes, to be certain. Danish cinema’s enfant terrible earned the label after making many a feature considered unpalatable by broader audiences. Four hours of his work may be an endurance test for some (and that’s the short version of his latest effort); however, his frank dissection of female sexuality demands to be seen. Lust eclipses love as the driving mechanism in the experiences of Joe as she grows from a girl into a woman, ever-aware of her carnal impulses. Some chapters hit the mark better than others, just as some performances — from a cast that includes Stacy Martin and Charlotte Gainsbourg sharing the lead role, as well as Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf and Jamie Bell — suffer the same fate, yet the end product is never anything less than engrossing. Read our full review. OUT OF THE FURNACE A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it run in Australian cinemas excuses many from failing to cross paths with the latest feature from Crazy Heart writer/director Scott Cooper. Though he again steeps his story in the struggles of those striving for something more but continually restrained by their circumstances, here he places his stumbling characters in the midst of small-town malaise, post-war apathy and generational inertia. Excellent work from Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson lies at the core of an intimate, intricate effort played out with a brooding look and feel from start to finish. Also strong is the sense of conviction that helps patch over thematic similarities with other films.
For more than two decades now, the sound of much in the science-fiction, fantasy and horror genres on-screen — small and big alike, and across not only TV and movies but also video games — has hailed from Bear McCreary. The show that kickstarted his career: Battlestar Galactica. In his mid-twenties, McCreary began living his score-composing dream when assisting on the 2004 miniseries led to a job on the 2004–09 TV series that followed. Next came Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, another entry on a resume that's now filled with bringing his own sonic spin to well-known realms again and again. With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., McCreary stepped into Marvel's orbit, for instance. Before it was a television sensation, The Walking Dead came from graphic novels. Outlander stems from the books of the same name. Everything from the Snowpiercer TV series and Isaac Asimov adaptation Foundation through to prequel series The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, streaming's Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Halo as a television show — plus movies Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Child's Play, and both 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Cloverfield Paradox — also fit. "I did the show for The Omen," McCreary notes to Concrete Playground, mentioning more. "I did a game in the Star Wars universe." "That's quite a list," he continues. "It's funny, now that you put it all together, it's like 'wow, maybe more often than I haven't, I've been'," McCreary says of his long lineup of projects based on recognisable titles so far. "But that really is a commentary on our industry today, which involves so much recycling of older IP." [caption id="attachment_1013960" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Timothy Norris/Getty Images for The Recording Academy[/caption] For God of War and God of War Ragnarök, McCreary has two BAFTA Games Awards. His three Grammy nominations in three successive years — 2023–25 — come from Call Of Duty: Vanguard, God of War Ragnarök again and the latter's DLC pack God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla. The Emmys have recognised his work on Human Target, Black Sails and Outlander with nominations, and on Da Vinci's Demons with a win for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. McCreary has also scored five films in a row for director Christopher Landon: Happy Death Day and its sequel Happy Death Day 2U, Freaky, We Have a Ghost and 2025's Drop. He's been reading scripts for the upcoming third season of The Rings of Power when we chat, and his efforts are now echoing from the third season of Foundation, too. But 2025 has also been about a first for him; although he's far from new to performing his music in concert, he's been embarking upon his first proper tour. After dates in Europe and North America across April and May, McCreary is playing four Australian dates between Wednesday, July 23–Monday, July 28: at The Forum in Melbourne, Sydney's Enmore Theatre, Eatons Hill Hotel in Brisbane and Perth's Astor Theatre. [caption id="attachment_1013953" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ted Sun[/caption] When you primarily compose for the screen, what does it mean to be able to play your music live to an audience in concert? "There's a fundamental thing about making music that I love and crave. And when you write music for the screen, you get it in a weird way — and that is that audience feedback," McCreary advises. "You get it over time. You get it online, interacting with people out in the world that may figure out who you are — but for the most part, you don't experience your music with other people. You just sort of trust that it's out in the universe and people like it or they don't; they're having an experience." "So I wanted that visceral, immediate sense of community and interaction. And playing music live for an audience, it happens immediately. You can feel it. There's an electricity in the air. And I was craving that. I had performed a lot, maybe 15 years ago, when I had done Battlestar Galactica — I performed that music live with increasing frequency. And I sort of stepped away from that in order to solidify my career in film, television and video games. But it was time to get back to it. It was time to get back to my roots," he says. Australian audiences aren't just being treated to music from many of the above titles live when McCreary takes to the stage, however. In 2024, he also released The Singularity, his star-studded debut rock album. How did his big break on Battlestar Galactica help lead him to here — and before that, how did being self-described lifelong "soundtrack-collecting nerd" and "sci-fi/fantasy/horror nerd", too, as well as the type of kid who recorded the soundtrack to Back to the Future in the cinema as a six year old, set him on this path? We also spoke with McCreary about that, finding inspiration for his projects, the intimate relationship that audiences have with music for the screen, evolving the sound of a series, repeat collaborations, a future stage musical and much, much more. On Battlestar Galactica Becoming McCreary's Big Break "I really have to go back to when I was five. I was obsessed with film music, even when I was five or six years old. I started collecting soundtracks. I started trying to write my own music when I was like seven or eight. And by the time I was 13, I was writing music all day, every day — and bringing in everybody around me that I could. My friends in high school, I would force them to be in bands and come over to record. When I got to college, I started doing student films with increasingly large student orchestras. Anybody that I met that could make a movie or play an instrument, I tried to work with them. So by the time I was an assistant on Battlestar Galactica at the age of 21, 22, I'd put in my 10,000 hours a couple times. So as I recall, I had the opportunity to score one episode of the show while they were looking for a real composer — because no television series of that scale would hire an unproven 23-year-old child. Whether or not I'd worked on the miniseries, I mean, it just didn't matter, they were looking for somebody else. And I did the first episode of the show — I did work with Richard Gibbs [The Simpsons, 10 Things I Hate About You] on the miniseries and learned a lot during that experience, and contributed some to the sound of Battlestar Galactica. And then I had the chance to do one episode, and I guess the rest is history. I remember at the end of that episode, the producer sat me down and said 'well, why don't you come in tomorrow? Let's take a look at the next episode'. And there it was." On Why McCreary Was Drawn to Film Scores as a Child "When I was a baby, my mum would take me to movies. She took me to movies that you shouldn't take a baby to go see — dramas like The Natural and Gandhi. I saw The Empire Strikes Back when I was two. I was so small that I think I wasn't tall enough to see over the seat. My mum would set her purse down, because the flip seat would otherwise smash me. So I do think that for some of these movies, I sat there staring at the back of a chair, listening to the movie. And when I was six, a film called Back to the Future came out. And that one really caught my ears. And I asked my mom to take me a second night. So we went back the next night after I saw Back to the Future. This time, I snuck in a cassette recorder — my little Fisher-Price cassette recorder — and I held it up over my head and I recorded the movie so that I could hear the music, and fast forward past all that annoying dialogue and sound effects. So even at age six, I was trying to filter out the other sounds in a film so I could hear what was going on in the music. Why that is, I don't know. But you can easily imagine how you take a kid that's wired that way, and I'm definitely on path to become a soundtrack-collecting nerd, which I still am — if you combine that with the piano playing that I started learning at that time, it was almost like 'ohh, it's chocolate and peanut butter, let's put those together. I can use those skills to explore this passion'. So it really was something I knew that I wanted to do from a very young age." On Where McCreary's Inspiration Comes From, Especially When Working on Projects with Such Pivotal Source Material "I definitely feel very fortunate that I can take on projects that inspire me. And every once in a while somebody will call me about a project, and I will confess to them that I think their story is really solid and their vision is really clear, and I'm just not excited by what they want and that they deserve to have someone who's passionate about the kind of story they want to tell. That happens pretty rarely, because I started my career with Battlestar Galactica. And then I went to Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and then The Walking Dead and Outlander and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And I've worked with Godzilla and Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and God of War. I grew up a sci-fi/fantasy/horror nerd, so I very much planted my career in the orchard I wanted to grow in. So I'm very fortunate to be inspired by the material that I'm offered, but also I am inspired by going back to the music that I loved as a kid. I think there's some scientific truth that the ages 12 to 16 are where our brains form, and we form a bond with media at that age that is lifelong. And I do find myself returning to that material and even applying it to modern material. When I scored The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, I was inspired by Howard Shore's music for the films to a degree, but I was 21 when those came out. I was more inspired by James Horner [Titanic, Avatar], John Williams [Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park], Basil Poledouris [Conan the Barbarian, Starship Troopers], Jerry Goldsmith [Planet of the Apes, Star Trek], Ennio Morricone [The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West]. I think if you put my scores for Rings of Power up against those older scores from the 80s and 90s, there's a more obvious connection there. That's where my heart lies. So I want music to make you feel the way the music from my childhood made me feel." [caption id="attachment_794091" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jackson Lee Davis/AMC[/caption] On Thinking — or Not — About the Intimate Relationship That Audiences Have with Music for the Screen "I try not to think about that, because it adds undue pressure. Ultimately, my job is I need to write that scene and make it work, and if I start thinking about writing something that transcends that, it just adds undue pressure. When I wrote The Walking Dead main title, if I had been thinking 'well, this needs to last 15 years — or more, the rest of your life. This little idea, is it good enough? Is it good enough to last forever?', I would freak myself out, right. 'No, it's not. It can't be that good.' No, I just needed to tell this 30-second story for The Walking Dead main title. And that 30 seconds arguably is the most-successful 30 seconds I've written in my entire career. So I try not to think about those things, but I am grateful for those transformative relationships, because I have those. So many of my favourite scores are for films that I have not seen as many times as I've listened to the scores. Or the scores transcend even the movies. The movies not might even be that good, but the scores become invaluable to me. And I try to have space in my heart for being grateful for that. If that happens, if I can write this scene, do my job, but also be open to the fact that maybe some six-year-old kid will hear that and want to record it and listen to it again — if I could be part of somebody else's journey the way that Alan Silvestri [Back to the Future, Predator] or Elmer Bernstein [The Magnificent Seven, Ghostbusters] inspired me — that's a pretty magical thing. And I try to be grateful for the possibility without applying pressure to myself that I have to do that." On the Sense of Responsibility That Comes with Working on Projects with Inbuilt Fanbases Attached Because They've Existed in Some Form Before "That definitely comes with, I don't want to say pressure, but a thing to be mindful of. And I always try to look at something through the lens of a fan and deliver what is most effective for the most-passionate fans, and yet will not be distracting or kitschy for someone who does not know that material. I think I was very successful in that in particular with Battlestar Galactica and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Both had big, brassy fanfares that were — in one, the Godzilla march was written in the 50s by Akira Ifukube; Battlestar Galactica was written in the 70s by Stu Phillips, obviously as a response to Star Wars. And nothing could have been further from the trend in scoring when I did Battlestar or Godzilla than big brassy marches. But in both cases, I struggled and found ways to very earnestly and lovingly take that music and bring it into something that sounds very modern — that doesn't sound like a cameo or an homage, it just sounds like the score. And if you know, you know. And that's what, I guess, I pride myself on that. I try to be very respectful of the older material, and maybe part of it is karmic — eventually people will be doing new versions of all these things, right? I'm a steward of this material for a while, and I hope at some point in the future, when somebody does a remake or continuation of something I worked on, that I'll be afforded the same consideration." On the Thrill of Being Able to Add Your Voice to a Genre or Title That You've Always Loved, Like Fantasy and Lord of the Rings "It's pretty incredible. It's almost unlike anything else. Just earlier today, I was reading scripts from the new season. And I've had the same experience every time I read the scripts: 'I get to do that? I get to do that! Wait, I get to do that!'. I'm giddy. It's like a joyous experience. It fills me with joy. I've never really felt pressure, except in the second season, I think, when I wrote a song called 'Old Tom Bombadil' — I did feel the weight there. Tom Bombadil [played by Rory Kinnear, Toxic Town] appears in the show. He's a beloved character who goes very deep in the lore. If you loved these movies and you don't know who we're talking about, that's how deep it goes. He was not in the Peter Jackson films. Probably the most-glaring omission from those films. So for him to be in our show is a big deal — and he sings. When you read the book, like half his dialogue is in verse. And I realised that aside from writing a song for a television show, I was potentially codifying, in an official adaptation of Tolkien's material, a melody for Tom Bombadil that people would hear in their heads when they read Fellowship of the Ring. That is the first time that I've really felt that weight — of working outside the medium. I'm not even thinking about the show. He appears very briefly in the show. It's not really that big a deal. But the idea that if this melody is good, it might resonate with people the next time they read Fellowship of the Ring — and at that time I was writing it, I was reading it to my daughter. And so before the show even came out, I got to give it a test run. When we got to the Tom Bombadil pages and I caught myself going 'ohh, he started to sing. Should I? Should I try it? Should I try my melody? Here it goes'. And I just rolled those lyrics right off the tip of my tongue, using that melody, and it worked. And I was pretty happy. I was pretty happy with that." On Bringing a Sense of Weight, Urgency and Epicness to a Score, Such as Foundation "I am still looking to the masters that I grew up listening to. And in the case of Elmer Bernstein, I came of age with him as a mentor. I knew him personally. I think it's fascinating your question — because how does the Foundation main titles start? Sparkling flutes and clarinets. Cellist. Glockenspiel. This very light, delicate, sparkling cloud of particles. It's not heavy at all. And you get acclimated to that texture — and then halfway through, when the bottom drops and suddenly 'boom', now we're getting epic. It feels more epic, because I actually reacclimate your sense of frequencies. I sort of took those frequencies away for a while. So it's through that kind of contrast that I think you can achieve real dynamics and emotional impact. And with Foundation, that's the name of the game. We're telling a story that takes place over like a millennium, and asking the audience to keep track of characters spanning centuries. So I'm really trying to tread lightly where I can, so that I can come back in with devastating impact." On Evolving the Sound of a Series Across Multiple Episodes and Seasons "I have found I have to be very open-minded. Not evolving the sound is much harder for me than evolving it. Granted, I've never done like a Law & Order show that goes on for my entire life and is very similar every week, so I'm already taking on shows where the characters change a lot. And look, my first show was Battlestar Galactica, and I learned this real fast — I had a theme for Starbuck [Katee Sackhoff, Fight or Flight] and I really wasn't looking ahead. So she escapes from the planet in episode 104, big triumphant moment, and I've got this theme that I kind of decided 'oh, that's her theme'. And then in the eighth episode, she starts torturing this guy, Leoben [Callum Keith Rennie, Star Trek: Discovery]. And suddenly I'm realising the range that our show has, and we are creating complex characters. Just four episodes later, after her triumphant fanfare, I wanted to use that same theme but tell a very different story — and I had to really work because I hadn't prepared for that. I really wasn't looking ahead. So having learned from that, I am often looking ahead now. Knowing what's coming really helps, but also just being flexible. You don't always know what's coming. Certainly when I started the first episode of Walking Dead, no one would have been talking about season ten. No one would have been thinking 'in a dozen years'. We were just thinking 'we've got six episodes here, how can we we stretch this formula for six episodes? Here we go'. And I ended up doing 100, I don't even know — I've lost count. Many, more than 100." On Returning Collaborations with the Same Filmmaker, Such as Christopher Landon's Movies From Happy Death Day to Drop "I adore Chris Landon. I love that relationship. And so many of my favourite composers had these long-term relationships. And I've studied their scores. I think subconsciously, we all have. Spielberg-Williams. And George Lucas and John Williams. Hisaishi and Miyazaki on all the Studio Ghibli movies. Danny Elfman and Tim Burton. Fellini and Rota. There are so many more. And we start understanding that this director's style, this director's voice, is aided by this composer's sound. And with Chris, he is the feature film director with whom I have worked the most. We've currently done five films together in the span of not ten years. So I cherish that relationship. And I'm always trying to keep up with Chris. He is such a visionary. He's always combining different genres. It's a slasher and teen drama. Now we're going to throw in Back to the Future time travel. Now I'm going to do Freaky Friday meets Friday the 13th. And I'm just like 'okay, okay, hold on. Hold on, Chris. Give me a minute. Let me catch up. Let me catch up with you'. Drop was — maybe it was in some ways the easiest, and in some ways the hardest, because it completely shook up the rhythm. I read his script for Drop, and I called him and I said 'Chris, I think you're just making a movie — you're making a movie with one tone. I can't believe it. This is essentially a high-concept 90s thriller. That's it'. And he goes 'yeah, isn't it fun?'. So it really took me a minute to recalibrate and just do one genre with Chris Landon. That was a nice, welcome surprise. [caption id="attachment_1013961" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images[/caption] On the Ultimate New Composing Music Challenges for McCreary "I think to be completely honest with you, I am so grateful to have worked on all of the things that I already described. Any one of those is a dream project. I think it's why you can see me working in other mediums where I am not established — where I'm the very small fish in a big pond. I put out my first metal record last year, The Singularity. And on that I collaborated with Serj Tankian from System of a Down, Slash, Jens Kidman from Meshuggah, Kim Thayil from Soundgarden, Corey Taylor from Slipknot and all these people. And I learned so much about rock 'n' roll. And I've been working on a show, a musical intended for Broadway, working with some incredibly talented people for the last six, seven years. We're going into a number of readings over the next two years. And again, I'm learning on the job — and how to write a Broadway show. So in many ways, when it comes to being fundamentally challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone, I kind of am looking at records — and I made a graphic novel out of The Singularity — and just other mediums. Because as fun and thrilling and exhilarating as scoring film is, I've been doing it professionally for 20 years. And if you factor in all my childhood experiments with trying to do it, I mean it's 30 years, right? So if you give me footage and tell me what you want, I have a lot of experience, no matter what the footage is, in doing that. So I think also ultimately, that's why I'm going on the road — is it's another huge challenge, just suddenly bringing this music out on the road, bringing it to an audience and playing it for an audience that maybe isn't used to hearing this music live. That's really scary. I feel like I'm up on the tightrope there. So those are the kinds of projects I think you'll see me adding to my portfolio as time goes on. But I love I love scoring. It's like my happy place. I've been working on a movie all week for a director I've never worked with before who I admire greatly and it's just, it's the best feeling. So you know me, I'm just multitasking and juggling all this stuff all the time." Bear McCreary is touring Australia between Wednesday, July 23–Monday, July 28, 2025 — head to his website further details and the tour website for tickets.
After a few months of constant changes when it comes to COVID-19 rules, requirements and restrictions, folks in southeast Queensland won't need to adjust their behaviour again until at least 4pm on Friday, September 24. When Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last announced amendments to Queensland's restrictions towards the end of August, she noted that the new requirements would be effective for at least two weeks, and that they'd be assessed fortnightly moving forward. Today, Friday, September 10, marks that first review point — and, as the Queensland Government has just revealed, everything that's currently in place is staying that way for another fortnight. Since July, southeast Queensland has weathered quite the rollercoaster ride. The area has been through two separate lockdowns, and seen strict rules put in place after each stay-at-home stint, with requirements tightening and easing multiple times. Over the past two weeks, though, the region has been enjoying some of the most relaxed rules it's had for a while — and that'll remain the case now for the next two weeks as well. You always know things are getting loose when dancing is allowed (goodbye, Footloose) — as it is under current rules. As you've no doubt enjoyed over the past fortnight, there's also no longer be any limits on how many people can gather outdoors in public spaces. And, at home, the 100-person cap is in place. [caption id="attachment_680578" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Retro's[/caption] For indoor premises — including hospitality businesses such as clubs, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as galleries, museums, convention centres and places of worship — the one person per two-square-metres density limit is in effect. Where these types of venues are ticketed and have allocated seating, they can fill those areas to 100 percent, too, as can cinemas, theatres and live music venues. Also, eating and drinking standing is allowed — hello, vertical consumption — so there's something else to say cheers to. Stadiums are back to 100-percent capacity for ticketed events with allocated seating (yes, it's football finals season). Indoor events can also either fill to 100-percent if seated and ticketed, or stick to the one person per two-square-metres rule if not. 📢 Mask wearing requirements will remain in place for South East Queensland until 4pm 24 September. For more information about what restrictions are in place, visit https://t.co/P0YcPprxOb pic.twitter.com/FPvOuAKKcf — Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) September 10, 2021 Masks are still staying for now, however. Queensland has a standing mask mandate for flights, airports and stadiums, so you'll always need to mask up there — and, for another fortnight at least, they're mandatory on public transport, in ride shares and while waiting for both; in all indoor spaces other than your own home, including hospitality businesses, unless you're eating and/or drinking; in schools; and outdoors if you can't remain 1.5 metres away from people who aren't part of your household. Also, you will still need to always carry a mask with you. In general, Queenslanders are asked to keep social distancing, maintaining the hygiene practices that have been in place since March 2020, and checking the state's list of exposure sites — and to get tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms. And yes, these restrictions will be keep being reviewed again fortnightly from this point onwards, if you're wondering when the rules could relax again. Southeast Queensland's current COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place until at least 4pm on Friday, September 24. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Atlanta Bell.
Australia keeps going dotty for Yayoi Kusama — and this time, one of the Japanese artist's dot-filled installations is sticking around on a permanent basis. Acquired by the National Gallery of Australia earlier this year, Kusama's pumpkin-focused infinity room The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens is now on display at the Canberra gallery, opening today, Saturday, December 1. The piece was first exhibited in 2015 and last seen in Australia earlier this year, in Brisbane as part of the Gallery of Modern Art's Yayoi Kusama: Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibition between October 2017 and February 2018. Comprised of a mirrored cube filled with yellow, dot-covered pumpkins, it's a quintessential Kusama work. Whether you're a devoted fan who considers visiting the artist's own Tokyo museum a bucket-list moment, or someone who has simply placed stickers around one of her obliteration rooms, you would've noticed that dots and the concept of infinity are crucial to her art — "our earth is only one polka dot among a million stars in the cosmos," she says. Inside the cube, the bulbous vegetables appear to create an endless field thanks to the shiny surface. On the outside of the cube, the structure's mirrored exterior reflects the yellow-and-black walls in the surrounding installation room — again, making it appear as though the pattern stretches on forever. The acquisition was made possible via a gift to the NGA from Andrew and Hiroko Gwinnett. "It has long-been my ambition to see a major contemporary Japanese artwork housed in Australia's national collection," said Andrew in a statement. "Kusama's playful installation is a legacy that will keep giving for generations to come." Find The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descended into the Heavens at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes, Canberra. Images: Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO HEAVENS 2015 — Installation view at The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN). © Yayoi Kusama. Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo/ Singapore/ Shanghai. / Courtesy of National Gallery of Australia, installation view.
Perhaps, unsurprisingly for the Sunshine State, the Brisbane food scene tends to be geared towards early birds rather than night owls. Spots open after the witching hour with sit-down service and good quality nosh seem few and far between. So, we've rounded up a comprehensive list of Brisbane's flavoursome feeds to fight the post-midnight munchies, from mega burgers to Korean barbecue and even all-night breakfast faves. Whether you need comfort food or a quick caffeine refuel, the city has some gems offering both. If you find yourself scrambling for scrumptious repast after midnight, these are the places you need to round off your evening with a full belly.
How do you say goodbye to one of Australia's great music festivals? Bringing together as many local acts as possible, filling the event's stages with homegrown talents, is one excellent option. When Bluesfest bids farewell with its 2025 fest, it'll also have help from international artists, but so far the lineup is jam-packed with Aussie names. It's the end of an era, and it's going out with some impressive assistance. Come April 2025, Crowded House, Ocean Alley and Vance Joy will lead the roster of talent getting behind Bluesfest's microphones in Byron Bay for the last time, as already revealed back in August. The festival has now dropped its second lineup announcement, which adds everyone from Hilltop Hoods and Budjerah to Kasey Chambers and The Cat Empire to the bill — and there's more on the list now, and still more to come. [caption id="attachment_969986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] On their return to Bluesfest, Hilltop Hoods will headline Sunday night lineup. Also no strangers to the event: Xavier Rudd and John Butler. From there, the bill also features Miss Kaninna, Velvet Trip, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, CW Stoneking, Lachy Doley Group, Ash Grunwald and Kim Churchill. The new additions will join Tones and I, Gary Clark Jr, Rag'n'Bone Man, RY X, Allison Russell, Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram and plenty others across Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20, 2025. Another announcement is on its way soon, which is when international artists will start hitting the roster. [caption id="attachment_969990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Mayers[/caption] "While this lineup focuses on our homegrown talent, it's still a strong blues and roots announcement, staying true to the heart of what Bluesfest has always been about. I can't begin to tell you how many incredible artists have reached out, wanting to be part of our final festival," said Festival Director Peter Noble about the second Bluesfest 2025 lineup drop. "Scores of amazing talents from across the country have thrown their hats in the ring. It's a testament to how special this festival is to the Australian music community. As much as I would love to include everyone, there are only so many spots we can fit into one lineup." "That said, I'm thrilled to welcome back some of our all-time favourites. You can't say no to artists who have helped shape this festival over the years, including Hilltop Hoods returning after a 20 year gap — and how can we be doing a best of Bluesfest without Xavier Rudd, John Butler, The Cat Empire and the incredible Kasey Chambers, alongside some rising Australian stars who represent the future of our music scene? This mix of legendary performers and up-and-coming talent is what makes this announcement so special and uniquely ours." The festival has been showered with affection since news arrived, also back in August, that it was planning to wrap up after the 2025 event. An ePetition has been launched by New South Wales MP Tamara Smith, asking the NSW Government to put together a rescue package for Bluesfest — a petition that'll be debated in the state's parliament if it hits 20,000 signatures. "It's been truly humbling to see how much Bluesfest means to so many of you. While the future remains uncertain, I am encouraged by the petition that's been raised to keep the festival going by our state member of parliament. There's real hope that with your continued support, and the backing of our community, we might just keep the Bluesfest legacy alive for generations to come," advised Noble. Bluesfest 2025 Lineup: First announcement: Crowded House Vance Joy Ocean Alley Tones and I Gary Clark Jr Rag'n'Bone Man RY X Allison Russell Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Brad Cox Here Come the Mummies The California Honeydrops Marc Broussard Pierce Brothers Taj Farrant Fanny Lumsden 19-Twenty WILSN Cimafunk Neal Francis Second announcement: Hilltop Hoods Xavier Rudd John Butler The Cat Empire Kasey Chambers Melbourne Ska Orchestra CW Stoneking Budjerah Lachy Doley Group Ash Grunwald Kim Churchill Miss Kaninna The Beards Velvet Trip FOOLS ROSHANI Sweet Talk The Memphis Three featuring Fiona Boyes, Jimi Hocking and Frank Sultana [caption id="attachment_969988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Cotgreave[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_867504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kurt Petersen[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 will run from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. Early-bird tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website.
Already in 2024, one huge Australian music festival that calls Byron Bay home has shut up shop, hopefully only temporarily. After Splendour in the Grass announced its dates for this year, then its lineup, only to swiftly cancel mere weeks later, another event that's synonymous with the coastal New South Wales spot is now also taking itself off the town's calendar. Bluesfest is bidding farewell — and its plans to say goodbye are definitely permanent — but it will host a final hurrah in 2025 on its way out. So, the sad news: once Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20, 2025 passes, Bluesfest will be no more. The silver lining is that last fest, a four-day event that'll mark the Easter long-weekend mainstay's 36th year. [caption id="attachment_969990" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joseph Mayers[/caption] "After more than 50 years in the music business, Bluesfest has been a labour of love, a celebration of music, community and the resilient spirit of our fans. But after the 2025 festival, as much as it pains me to say this, it's time to close this chapter," advised Festival Director Peter Noble in a statement. "As I said earlier this year at Bluesfest 2024, next year's festival will be happening and it definitely is, but it will be our last," Noble continued. "To my dear Bluesfest family, I want to make it the most unforgettable experience yet. If you've been thinking about it, now is your last chance to experience our beloved festival." [caption id="attachment_969986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] There's no word yet on who'll be gracing the stages at Bluesfest's swansong, following on from 2024 headliners Tom Jones and Elvis Costello. Since 1990, everyone from Bob Dylan, BB King, Mavis Staples, Robert Plant, Paul Simon, Bonnie Rait and Santana to Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, Mary J Blige, Beck, Midnight Oil and Crowded House have played the fest. And even if you've only ever been to one Bluesfest, you've likely seen Jack Johnson and/or Ben Harper on the bill. The last few years have been tumultuous for the Byron Bay event. 2023's fest lost a number of acts, including King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Sampa the Great, after Sticky Fingers were added to the bill. Bluesfest ultimately dropped the controversial band. And while the fest went ahead in 2022 after two years of pandemic cancellations (and a thwarted temporary move to October for the same reason), it showcased a primarily Australian and New Zealand lineup. [caption id="attachment_969988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Cotgreave[/caption] Bluesfest calling time follows Mona Foma doing the same after its 2024 event — plus a lengthy list of festivals beyond Splendour that've ditched their plans this year, sometimes also without announcing their intentions for the future. Just two years after debuting, Adelaide's Harvest Rock has scrapped its 2024 fest as well. Spilt Milk cancelled its 2024 festivals, while Groovin the Moo did the same after announcing its lineup. Summergrounds Music Festival, which was meant to debut at Sydney Festival 2024, also pulled the plug. As announced in 2023, Dark Mofo took a breather in 2024. Yours and Owls has postponed its next fest until 2025, too, but is hosting a pre-party in October this year. [caption id="attachment_969989" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_969987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LD Somefx[/caption] [caption id="attachment_867504" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kurt Petersen[/caption] Bluesfest 2025 will run from Thursday, April 17–Sunday, April 20 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. Early-bird tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website.
It's been a long wait in Brisbane if you want to rock 'n' roll with AC/DC live. 2025 marks ten years since the iconic Sydney-formed band last took to the stage Down Under. It's also the year, thankfully, that they're making their Aussie concert return. After kicking off in 2024, the group's Power Up tour will play Australian dates, with Brian Johnson, Angus Young and company hitting up Brisbane on Sunday, December 14 and Thursday, December 18. Let there be rock at Suncorp Stadium, then. This is the first time that the legendary Australian rockers have toured Down Under since their 2015 'Rock or Bust' world tour. In November in Queensland capital, Amyl and The Sniffers are onboard in support to make this massive concert even more so, and to give attendees a taste of two different generations of Aussie rockstars. This tour isn't just a fitting homecoming for AC/DC, but comes more than half a century since the band played their first-ever show in Australia. This 2025 gig will be just over a month and a half short of 52 years since that 1973 Sydney debut. Power Up is also the name of the group's 2020 album, their most-recent record — which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, made multiple best-of lists for that year and scored Grammy nominations. For those about to rock, AC/DC's high-voltage current set list spans their entire career, however, including everything from 'If You Want Blood (You've Got It)', 'Back in Black' and 'Hells Bells' to 'Highway to Hell', 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. Images: Christie Goodwin. Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2025.
Maybe you've tried mixing flour, salt, a little red wine and a dollop of tomato sauce. Perhaps you can't look at the last month of the year on a calendar without hearing Paul Kelly crooning "it's the 21st of December" in your head. As a song, 'How to Make Gravy' has been an Australian classic since 1996. It's one of the tunes that the great Aussie singer-songwriter will forever be known for. As a movie, How to Make Gravy is the nation's latest festive film, after musician Meg Washington and writer/director Nick Waterman first revealed back in 2022 that they were adapting Kelly's track for the screen. The song does indeed tell listeners how to make gravy. It also unfurls a story that explores what that sauce, plus the act of sharing it with loved ones over the festive season, means to the tune's protagonist. Kelly crafts the track as a letter from Joe to Dan, reflecting on all of the things that he'll be missing that Christmas due to being in prison. "And give my love to Angus, and to Frank and Dolly — tell 'em all I'm sorry, I screwed up this time," the song advises. "And look after Rita, I'll be thinking of her early Christmas morning when I'm standing in line," it continues. "Tell 'em all I'm sorry, and kiss the sleepy children for me. You know one of these days, I'll be making gravy. I'll be making plenty, I'm gonna pay 'em all back," the tune concludes. How do you make a movie out of 'How to Make Gravy'? For the feature now streaming via Binge since Sunday, December 1, 2024, arriving wth perfect end-of-year timing, Washington and Waterman have spun a tale based around all of the folks that Kelly mentions. The brothers driving down from Queensland, Stella, Mary and Roger: they all pop up, too. The duo has also enlisted an impressive list of actors to bring those figures and new characters to life, such as Kate Mulvany (The Clearing), Damon Herriman (Better Man), Brenton Thwaites (Titans), Kieran Darcy-Smith (Mr Inbetween) and Kym Gyngell (The Artful Dodger), plus French actor Agathe Rousselle from Titane making her first English-language film. Two of its biggest names — and two of Australia's best screen talents — sit at the picture's centre. Daniel Henshall (RFDS) is Joe, author of the pivotal message. Hugo Weaving (Slow Horses) plays Noel, who isn't mentioned in the song. For Weaving, "the song 'How to Make Gravy' means someone wants to be making gravy with their family, so it means someone wants to be at home with their family and they're not," he tells Concrete Playground. "But the promise of the gravy is that when I am back at home with you, I will make lots and lots of gravy. So I'll make up for time lost, and I value my family, I value you and I want to gift you this thing that I can do. And I'm sorry that I've stuffed up so badly that I'm not with you. So that's what both the film and the song mean." Henshall agrees; to him, Kelly's track is about "wanting to be home and not being able to be to" and "missing the people that you love". More than four decades since his first-ever screen credit back in 1980, Weaving's career has taken him everywhere from touring the outback in drag in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (a sequel to which is on the way) to enforcing a robot-dominated world order in The Matrix franchise and playing a half-elven leader in The Lord of the Rings saga. He's starred in Marvel and Transformers movies, too, alongside a wealth of excellent homegrown fare (see: Proof, Babe, Little Fish, Mystery Road, Healing, The Dressmaker, Hearts and Bones, The Rooster and TV's Love Me). Henshall made a chilling imprint in Snowtown, then added fellow exceptional Australian flicks These Final Hours, The Babadook and Acute Misfortune to his resume. On TV, American efforts Turn and Defending Jacob are on his filmography, as are the Aussie likes of Bloom, Lambs of God, Mystery Road: Origin and Savage River. And then there's two Bong Joon-ho movies: Okja and 2025 release Mickey 17. [caption id="attachment_983111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Symons[/caption] How to Make Gravy isn't Weaving and Henshall's first on-screen collaboration. In 2023, The Royal Hotel also brought them together. Before that, 2019's Measure for Measure did the same. With The Royal Hotel and their current team-up especially, they're spending their shared time exploring the complexities of masculinity — in Kitty Green's (The Assistant) film as two of the menacing men at an outback pub, and in How to Make Gravy as inmates. After perpetrating toxic attitudes the last time that they co-starred together, they're now attempting to break free of harmful behaviours. Joe is angry before he starts serving an 18-month sentence. That fury and pain has played a considerable part in sparking his incarceration, in fact. A veteran lifer, Noel has been in similar shoes, but now both oversees the prison kitchen and runs a men's group to help his fellow detainees get in touch with their emotions. The movie version of How to Make Gravy also hops between the events that led to Joe being behind bars and the aftermath the following Christmas — and also between his stint inside and how his family, including Rousselle as his wife Rita, Thwaites as his brother Dan, Mulvaney as his sister Stella, Herriman as her husband Roger, and Jonah Wren Phillips (Sweet Tooth) as Joe and Rita's son Angus, are coping. We also chatted with Weaving and Henshall about their first thoughts when they first heard about the project, its many layers, starring in a movie with such beloved source material, how their paths keep crossing on-screen and digging into the feature's themes. On the Reaction When a Movie Based on an Iconic Paul Kelly Song Comes Your Way Hugo: "Brilliant idea, really excited. Read the script — fantastic version, adaptation, realisation of the source material. And thrilling character for me. So I was all in straight away." Daniel: "Yeah, the idea of being a part of something that means so much to so many was very exciting. And then meeting Nick and Megan and reading their script just made it even more palpable. It was such a visceral script. And what they had done with that, how they moved away from the song, and how they had paid respect to the song and how they'd fleshed out these characters, and how they're dealing with a lot of issues underneath everything without explicitly saying that, I think it was incredibly clever. Much like Paul's music, it's so simple in its structure, but it's so effective. And every time you come to it, you see or feel a bit more. I hope that's what this film does for people as well. I think, for me, having seen it a couple of times now, every time I see a bit more and feel a bit more." Hugo: "The mark of a good film, actually, that. I thought 'oh, is this a different edit?' — and they go 'no, it's the same film that you saw like two months ago'. I said 'I'm sure, didn't you cut that out or put that in?'. 'No, it's the same thing.'" Daniel: "You get a different thing each time." Hugo: "I think it's one of those films where when you see it, you'll see a lot each time". On Whether There's a Sense of Responsibility When You're Starring in a Film That Stems From Such Treasured Source Material Daniel: "Absolutely. And I think that's the initial fear — are you going to ruin someone else's experience of this much-beloved property, this song? But this is an adaptation, and you cross over into understanding that this isn't an imitation, it's an adaptation. So they've taken it and run with it, and now we're focused on making this work from that. We're not going to disrespect the original, but we're going to make this different version inspired by this. So you can focus on that. So the responsibility is now on the film, not to not respect the song, but not being worried about changing someone else's opinion or experience of this song. We're now focused on the film, which is a different thing. It's a fully fleshed idea that's taken from a form in its origin, and now it's in a two-hour format on the screen in real life." Hugo: "Lovely for Paul, too, because he had such a great reaction to it." Daniel: "He did." Hugo: "And I think he feels like his original, didn't he say that 'where it's moved from when I wrote it to now is so great'? And for him that's a liberation, I think. So it's great to get seal of approval from Paul Kelly …" Daniel: "From the originator." Hugo: "… with regard this version of the song. Good to hear. Good to hear." Daniel: "He was very moved, which was really beautiful to see." [caption id="attachment_983112" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Symons[/caption] On Weaving and Henshall's Shared On-Screen History, and How That Helped While Collaborating on How to Make Gravy Daniel: "It's brilliant because, I mean, I'm very fond of Hugo, and so I've learned that that gives me a shorthand in communication, in familiarity, in trust, in friendship. So when we go to do something on the screen, I'm innately more open to it and I'm innately more free to play, and feel comfortable to play and not to fail. And so what a wonderful place to start off, even before we start talking about the work. If you're already coming from that, all of that work that you can only do through experiencing somebody. It's like becoming a friend with somebody. The deeper you go with them, the more the friendship grows. And that's true of the work, too. We become more familiar with each other." [caption id="attachment_983113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Symons[/caption] Hugo: "It's nice, too, being excited by the prospect of working with Dan — having seen Acute Misfortune, for example, which was just such an extraordinary performance, and then getting the opportunity to work with that actor. So you go 'well, I really like what this guy does, and so I hope I'm going to enjoy working with him'. So it's been a really good journey, from Measure for Measure, tiny little scenes we had, to being in each other's orbit on The Royal Hotel — but again, prosecuting intensely toxic male psyches together and talking about that world, the world of The Royal Hotel, and then being able to progress from that toxic world into a another, a world about a more-balanced idea of what family is, and looking at how men can heal themselves. It's been a great journey, actually." Daniel: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, it has." Hugo: "A pleasure." On What Weaving and Henshall Drew Upon to Dig Into Masculinity's Complexities Hugo: "Well, the script initially, and then what that throws up for you, what work you need to do to understand that. So for me it was like 'well, if Noel's done all this work, what work have I done on myself? What sort of psychological pathways have I gone down to understand where I'm at? And what sort of work has this character done? What sort of men's-group work does he have to do?'. So there's all this prosecution of a character that you do before any film. And you can never do enough and then, of course, at some point you've got to just jump in and do it. But always do as much as you can to make that character as complex and as human as possible." Daniel: "For me, it starts with the conversation with the director, and their understanding of the character — and why the character does these things. And then through that conversation, I can state where I'm coming from or what it does for me, or how I respond to that. And I think there's always a thing where at least I try to connect something that's happened to me in my life to something that's happened to the character in their life. And once I understand what that kernel of emotional history is, then you can start to flesh out those very real responses and start to understand them without judgment. I think there's a lot to mine in this character. It's so richly written, so it does begin with the script, obviously. But there's so much more under the surface which, again, was explored through conversation and then personal experience." Hugo: "There's massive backstory …" Daniel: "For all the characters." Hugo: "… for all the characters, actually. And they're just touched on. You get a very strong sense of the father having suicided some years ago, when Joe is a kid. You get a sense of Red's [a fellow inmate] background. You get a sense of Noel's background. You get a sense of Agathe's character's background and mother." Daniel: "Just with that one conversation." Hugo: "So all of these characters, the lives are just hinted at. So you need to find the truth of all of that, and you need to create those stories." Daniel: "That's most of the work, isn't it?" Hugo: "Yeah, it is. And then that brings about 'well, this character thinks in a certain way' or there's an inner monologue happening for them which is very slow or very fast. Every character has an internal world that's significantly different from others, and it's slowly finding that, tapping into that. That's when it starts to get exciting, I think, when you start thinking like that person." Daniel: "Yes." Hugo: "And instinctively feeling like that person." How to Make Gravy streams via Binge. Film images: Jasin Boland.
Once a year, for one night only, a New Farm street transforms into a fashion party. That'd be James Street — and, given that the stretch of road boasts plenty of boutique selling designer threads, you know that they know how to put on a sartorial celebration. James St Up Late is all about exploring the precinct's many outlets, stocking up your wardrobe, getting tempted by specials and browsing the latest collections. In 2023, it's marking 11 years of doing just that, in fact, so expect it to be on helluva shindig — 80 businesses are getting involved. From 5–8pm on Thursday, March 23, the after-hours event will feature all of the roadway's boutiques getting in on the action — including newcomers Bared Footwear, Désordre, MCM House, SIR. and Studio Gallery joining in for the first time — plus the full slate of local bars and restaurants. As soundtracked to DJs, there'll be bargains to buy, one-off menus to eat your way through and cocktails to sip. Also a part of the fun: party bags, with 1000 up for grabs featuring goodies galore from the precinct. Here, you can eat, drink, stockshop, hit up a MCM House party and exhibition, and rub shoulders with Sean Venturi of Venroy, Amy Finlayson from ANINE BING in Calexico, Angelique Andronis of By Baby and Gail Sorronda — and more. Messina is doing a limited-edition flavour for the evening, too, while LOS Bar has a one-night-only margarita mix and The Calile is offering discounted bookings if you want to stay overnight. Images: Andrew Cois.
We all know that fast fashion is gross. And yet, we're all familiar with the need to something cheap and quick in a time crunch — often overwhelming our need to not pollute the planet beyond repair. We really don't do well by Mother Earth here in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, every year 500,000 tonnes of fashion ends up in landfill and each Aussie consumes 27 kilograms of textiles. Rhianna Knight believes we can do better, so she started an apparel business that won't leave you feeling shamefaced. The result is Mister Timbuktu and, after a successful crowdfunding campaign earlier this year, it's kicking ass — with its debut collection now available. Mister Timbuktu's outdoor apparel is made from recycled plastics and discarded fishing nets. At the moment, the range is all about quality leggings, raincoats and crop tops, but they'll soon branch into all things outdoorsy, including tents, sleeping bags and puffer jackets. The designs are gorgeous and bright because outdoor activities don't have to be completed in drab natural colours (apologies, Kathmandu, you serve a purpose but there's a new queen on the block). According to Knight, eleven plastic bottles are recycled in each pair of leggings they create. How in the name of activewear is that possible? Well, recycled plastics are collected, shredded into chips, washed, melted into liquid form and then spun into thread that goes on to become your new favourite comfy pants. Science, bitches! The company also puts 20 percent of profits back into helping the planet in other ways: by partnering with both a mental health charity (Waves of Wellness) and the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife. But wait, there's more. Okay, we probably shouldn't get so excited about this part because the rest of the initiative is so phenomenal, but check out the leggings: they have a pocket in the waistband which is the best and most practical thing ever. Thank you for listening to our secret wishes and delivering. For more information, visit Mister Timbuktu's website.
Knocking off early? Andrew McConnell's Bar Miette has a new weekly special that could mean you need to come up with a regular excuse to bid the office farewell. Every Monday–Friday from 3–5pm, this much-loved terrace cafe and wine bar offers freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters for $2 each. Best of all, these decadent morsels go down a treat when paired with the venue's waterfront views. Meanwhile, if you plan to kick on a little later, you're invited to explore a sophisticated grazing menu. Order up anchovy toast, whipped cod roe dip or a round of Sicilian olives to give your afternoon snack platter a fancy boost. As for drinks, Bar Miette has you covered with a rotating lineup of oyster-appropriate cocktails. Think the signature Miette martini, with its brine-forward notes, or the margarita frappé, finished with citrus gelato that effortlessly harmonises with the sea-salt flavours. The wine doesn't miss a beat either, with more than a dozen options poured by the glass and loads more if your catch-up calls for a bottle. Situated above Supernormal Brisbane, Bar Miette's weekly special is as elegantly simple as it sounds. Now, all you have to do is figure out how to skip out on work.
If you're a fan of watching smart, rewarding, deep-thinking science fiction, then you're probably a fan of Alex Garland's. Originally an author, he initially came to fame as the writer of 90s bestseller The Beach, before moving into screenwriting with the script for 28 Days Later. More screenplays followed, including Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd — but it was his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina that showed the extent of his filmmaking prowess. Annihilation proved a highly worthy addition to his resume in 2018, too, even after it was shuffled onto Netflix rather than screening in cinemas in much of the world. Given his track record so far, any new project by Garland is cause for excitement. In 2020, direct your enthusiasm towards new eight-part series Devs. The writer/director is making the leap to television with a cast led by Nick Offerman — and with Ex Machina's Sonoya Mizuno, Love's Karl Glusman, American Horror Story's Alison Pill and Bad Times at the El Royale's Cailee Spaeny also featuring. Due to start streaming in the US in March — with availability Down Under yet to be confirmed — Devs begins with a premise that doesn't sound all that different from Ex Machina. At a quantum computing company called by Amaya, which is run by an unnerving CEO called Forest (Offerman), things don't seem quite right. That especially seems the case to computer engineer Lily Chan (Mizuno), who believes that Amaya is responsible for the disappearance of her boyfriend. The more she investigates, the stranger and more sinister it all appears, as seen in the show's first trailer. Expect conspiracies, futuristic tech thrills, dark yet vivid images and Offerman sporting a long-locked hairstyle that Ron Swanson surely wouldn't approve of — plus, as the series' sneak peek demonstrates, killer set design. Naturally, the bulk of Devs' mysteries are being kept close to Garland's chest until the show premieres, but the initial teaser still paints an immensely intriguing picture. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds Devs starts streaming in the US on March 5 via Hulu, with the series' air date Down Under yet to be revealed. Image: Miya Mizuno, FX Networks.
With new locally acquired COVID-19 cases popping up throughout Queensland over the past couple of weeks, the Sunshine State's response has been rolling out as expected. In southeast Queensland and select other parts of the state, a lockdown is currently in effect, and masks are now required outside of the house. And, as always happens, the list of places visited by people who've tested positive to COVID-19 continues to grow. You know the drill from here, because naming locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited is key element of Queensland's containment strategy, and has been since last year. The list has been expanding in recent days, and includes a number of big and notable sites — especially if you've been to two of Brisbane's big shopping centres recently. Both Chermside and Indooroopilly shopping centres have been named as exposure sites — aka the two biggest shopping centres in Brisbane's north and west. A case visited Chermside on Monday, June 28, stepping into Rebel Sport and Footlocker between 3.20–3.35pm, Country Road between 3.30–3.55pm and Athlete's Foot between 3.55–4.10pm. If you were there at the same time, you'll need to get tested ASAP and then self-isolate until you receive a negative result. And if you were just at the northside shopping centre at all from 3.15–4.20pm that same day, you need to get tested; however, you don't have to self-isolate unless you're experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Indooroopilly's place on the list dates back to Tuesday, June 22, at Coles between 6–6.45pm — and also covers Friday, June 25, at the Commonwealth Bank from 9.55–10.25am and JB Hi-Fi from 10.10–10.25am. Again, if you were there at the same time, you'll need to get tested ASAP and then self-isolate until you receive a negative result. Broader alerts apply to the centre on both days as well, so if you dropped by on the Tuesday from 6–6.45pm or on the Friday from 9.45–10.30am, you must get tested, but self-isolation is only necessary if you have symptoms. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1410134000312610816 Other places of note currently named as exposure sites include gyms in Fortitude Valley and Hamilton, Cotton On at DFO at the airport, Chez Nous Cafe in Roma Street in the CBD, Woolworths Gasworks at Newstead and a number of Virgin flights — for the full list, head to the Queensland Health website. As always, the usual advice regarding COVID-19 applies anyway. So, requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms in general are still in effect, as they have since March 2020. Queensland currently has 42 active cases, with locally acquired numbers increasing in recent days due to four clusters: one around the The Portuguese Family Centre, one relating to a Northern Territory mine worker who returned to Queensland, one involving an employee at the Prince Charles Hospital, and another linked to Sydney's current outbreak via a Virgin flight attendant. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the Queensland COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Google Maps.
Thirty years since Expo 88 lit up the Brisbane River's southern banks, the area we all know as South Bank still has a few luminous tricks up its sleeves. Flowstate is one of them, a new temporary creative space taking over the former Arbour View Café precinct, featuring an immersive digital art installation, an open-air performance pavilion and a grassy relaxation zone. It's the first aspect, JEM by design studio ENESS, that'll immediately capture the city's attention — and have Brisbanites rushing to the South Brisbane parklands. A glowing arc-like structure fashioned from LEDs, it responds to movement, meaning that everyone can influence its display of light and sound. Or, to put it another way, it emits a symphonic and visual experience when approached. In addition to JEM's eye-catching wonders, the 3000-square-metre space will also boast an array of performances, including a year-long free program during its first year of operation. On the just-announced 20-show-plus bill: CIRCA showing off their acrobatic skills in Aura, Dead Puppet Society unleashing their roving installation Megafauna and live, immersive, moonlit orchestra event Song to the Earth. Other highlights include participatory dance performance Planets, South Bank art tour What I'm Here For, and whispered storytelling from Brisbane writers, poets and artists in These Frozen Moments. Find Flowstate at South Bank Parklands near the Epicurious Garden, and visit flowstate.southbankcorporation.com.au for further information.
Palm tree-lined beaches and World Heritage-listed rainforests aren't all that Tropical North Queensland has in abundance — there's an array of tasty treats to experience, too. From tropical twists on classics to award-winning cuisine, there is truly something for every culinary craving in this picturesque holiday destination. To help you curate your must-do dining destinations, we've uncovered ten places in the far north that the locals love. So whether you want a First Nations-led cultural experience, to peel piles of prawns on the back of a docked boat or to discover the delicious tropical fruits, bookmark this for all your food and drink needs in Tropical North Queensland. [caption id="attachment_829657" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] LEARN ABOUT NATIVE INGREDIENTS WITH FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES Walkabout Cultural Adventures is a 100-percent First Nations-owned and operated cultural tour company based on Kuku Yalanji Country, also known as Port Douglas and the Daintree. Owner Juan Walker has been working in the region for nearly two decades and prides himself on offering informative and personalised tours to all guests. Under Juan's expert guidance, you'll discover the wonders of Kuku Yalanji Country, including where two World Heritage-listed sites — the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef — meet. The half- or full-day tours will give you the opportunity to learn about food and medicines grown in the region and how Kuku Yalanji people have managed the land and its natural resources for millennia. You'll also get to sample bush foods, collect shellfish and try your luck at catching delicious mud crab. [caption id="attachment_829896" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] TAKE YOUR PALATE TO PALM COVE FOR LUXE BEACHFRONT DINING If you're looking for beachfront dining while in Tropical North Queensland (and why wouldn't you be?), Palm Cove's Nu Nu Restaurant is a must. With stunning views of the Coral Sea and picture-perfect palm trees framing your vista, this beachfront restaurant will satisfy both your visual senses and your tastebuds. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu boasts a great selection of dishes that embrace locally grown produce. For brekkie, try the crab omelette with a zingy ginger caramel and white pepper broth or Nu Nu's take on bircher featuring pineapple and coconut cream-soaked muesli topped with mango, tropical fruit and toasted coconut. If you stop by for lunch or dinner we recommend starting with a tropical cocktail like the vanilla ginger mojito with Daintree vanilla sugar and a starter of Pacific oysters with finger lime. Then, follow it up with sake-poached octopus with pickled shiitake and spring onion oil or sugarcane-smoked duck with barbecued cabbage and rhubarb. [caption id="attachment_829658" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland / Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] LOAD UP ON FRESH PRODUCE AT THE LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS A trip to the tropics isn't complete without a wander through Rusty's Markets in Cairns. Open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at Rusty's you'll find everything from exotic fruits, tropical tasting plates, freshly baked bread and more. With over 45 years of trade under its belt and more than 180 stalls to visit, there are plenty of reasons locals love to load up on fresh food at this bustling marketplace. The top-tier produce found at Rusty's also attracts many of Tropical North Queensland's finest chefs who can often be spotted roaming the stalls as they source the best locally grown ingredients for their restaurants. Make sure you stock up on fresh fruit for your day exploring the local waterfalls — there's nothing quite like devouring your favourite fruit on a boulder before cooling off at a freshwater swimming hole. [caption id="attachment_829660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] TASTE TROPICAL TWISTS ON AUSTRALIAN CLASSICS AT OCHRE Native ingredients take centre stage at Ochre, a Cairns institution that has been impressing diners with its creative cuisine for almost 30 years. It's a feast for the eyes, too, as its waterfront location on the Harbour Lights boardwalk offers picturesque views of the adjacent inlet and lush mountains beyond, serving as a reminder of the region's rich and abundant food sources. Take it all in as you tuck into signature dishes like salt and native pepper leaf prawn and crocodile with Vietnamese pickle and lemon aspen sambal; char-grilled kangaroo sirloin with sweet potato fritter, bok choy and a quandong and chilli sauce; and wattleseed pavlova with davidson plum sorbet and macadamia biscotti. The dedication to local is also showcased via the drinks offering, which includes an exclusively Australian wine list with over 30 available by the glass, as well as an impressive selection of Australian spirits. [caption id="attachment_829662" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] PIG OUT ON PRAWNS ON BOARD A PARKED FISHING TRAWLER If a tropical holiday gets you prawny for seafood, then push Prawn Star to the top of your culinary list when visiting Tropical North Queensland this summer. Serving fresh, locally sourced seafood right off the back of a repurposed fishing trawler, this fleet of four floating restaurants is an experience that reflects Cairns' laidback lifestyle. The succinct menu showcases the best seafood that Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef has to offer, and includes platters of prawns, bugs, crayfish and oysters that are best enjoyed with simple condiments or juicy chunks of fresh lime. Head to Prawn Star for lunch or dinner from 11am any day of the week and pair your seafood feast with its very own tap Prawn Beer or Prawn Cider available for $7 all day long. [caption id="attachment_829894" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] DIG INTO DAIRY IN THE ATHERTON TABLELANDS The Mungalli Creek Dairy farm in the Atherton Tablelands is much more than cows and pasture — it's one big living organism. With over 30 years of organic biodynamic farming practices under its belt, this family-run farm has mastered the art of cultivating delicious dairy products for decades. At the heart of the property, you'll find The Farmhouse Cafe, which was once the house that owners and brothers Rob and Danny Watson grew up in. Take a seat on the cafe's verandah overlooking the Johnston River Gorge, World Heritage-listed rainforest and Bartle Frere — Queensland's highest mountain — and enjoy a meal loaded with the farm's biodynamic dairy products and locally sourced organic produce. The cafe is also BYO, so take a bottle of tropical wine to pair with one of its cheese platters. Hot tip: make sure you leave room for the crepes — they're a family recipe and are served with Mungalli's luxurious lactose- and gluten-free Broken Nose vanilla ice cream. TRY TROPICAL TREATS AT CHARLEY'S CHOCOLATE FACTORY Charley's name may invoke a well-known chocolatey tale, but the Mt Edna property is as unique as they come — it's home to Australia's only cocoa tree to chocolate bar experience. The concept of showcasing the full chocolate journey at Charley's is the brainchild of Chris and Lynn Jahnke, the husband and wife team who, a decade after uprooting themselves from Melbourne to farm cattle near Mission Beach, planted their first cocoa seeds in 2012. Since then, the pair have crafted a tour at Charley's that is hands-on, hugely informative and most importantly, includes tasting the delicious chocolatey treats. Charley's core products are single-origin 70 percent dark chocolates and milk chocolates with rare Tropical North Queensland flavour combinations like the davidson plum dark chocolate, lemon myrtle milk chocolate, tropical pineapple milk chocolate and beach coconut dark chocolate. [caption id="attachment_829659" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SIP COCKTAILS BY THE SEA AT SALT HOUSE Salt House is a popular waterfront watering hole for locals seeking delicious cocktails by the sea. Marrying inspiration from a custom-built Argentinian wood-fired grill with fresh seafood and local fare, Salt House's menu aims to champion local produce and the exciting flavours of Tropical North Queensland. Sip on a refreshing rainforest sour packed with davidson plum jam before ordering a dozen fresh oysters, followed by mains like gnocchi with woodfired vegetables, ratatouille sauce, blistered tomatoes, coconut feta and pine nuts. If a seaside seafood feast is what you're craving, try the generous seafood sharing platter or the yellow curry loaded with mussels, local tiger prawns and wild barramundi. DINE IN DECADENCE AT TAMARIND If you're craving decadence after a day on the water, Tamarind Restaurant will put a fresh wind in your sails. The multi-award-winning restaurant combines Australian cuisine, local produce and exceptional service for dinner between Tuesday–Saturday. Start with the market fish ceviche and follow it up with the slow-braised duck curry loaded with lychee, caramel pumpkin and spiced peanuts or the abalone ravioli with roasted scallop, lemongrass and ginger. If making decisions is something you like to leave behind while on holiday, opt for the five-course tasting menu to take the work out of it. Want to extend your summer with a trip to the tropics? Time to book a holiday to Tropical North Queensland. For more information and to book your autumn getaway, visit the website. Top images: Tourism Tropical North Queensland
It was back in 2021 that Australian fashion house and boutique store Aje officially jumped into the world of activewear, launching a sub-brand called Aje Athletica. You might've slipped into its high-performance sportswear since, whether you were after sports bras, shoes, leggings, tees, tanks or anything in-between — and also enjoyed its focus on sustainability in the process. Fancy stocking your wardrobe with the label's threads without busting your budget? Meet the Aje Athletica Warehouse Sale, which is hitting Brisbane for the first time ever. It's running from Thursday, April 20–Sunday, April 23, taking over the John Reid Pavilion at Brisbane Showgrounds with four days of bargains. On the racks, you'll find the brand's past-seasons collections going for a hefty discount, with prices up to 70-percent off. And, new pieces will be put out daily, if you're looking for an excuse to head by more than once. The sale runs from 8am–8pm on Thursday, 9am–6pm on Friday, 9am–5pm on Saturday and 9am–2pm on Sunday. It's walk-in only, and there are capacity caps. Also, you'll need to bring your own shopping bag, plus cards — it's a cashless affair, too.
In what's proving to be a huge year for new places to stay in Brisbane, Fortitude Valley has just welcomed its next addition: The Calile Hotel. Two years in the making — as anyone that spotted the constant construction site on James Street will know — the seven-storey, 175-room spot is calling itself 'Australia's first urban resort'. Yes, that means that going for a splash in the central pool, lazing around in cabanas or on a sun lounge, and eating on the hotel's outdoor deck are all on the agenda. So is hanging out at the spa, which is also open to the general public, and just making the most of Brissie's climate. The white brick design, by architects Richards and Spence, certainly highlights the tropical side of things. Think open-air spaces and breezeways, natural ventilation and plants aplenty, as well as a cool, soothing colour scheme. Inside the rooms, guests will find oak furniture, cork floors and sisal matting in the bathrooms, day beds for afternoon naps, linen robes and a mini bar stocked from local suppliers. Recognising how sunny the city gets, every room is also fitted with motorised blackout blinds. If you need to escape the glow, the in-suite Chromecast and sound bar will help as well. Rooms start from just over $200, with The Calile also featuring nine suites and two premier suites, complete with poolside and terrace-style balconies as well as two private rooftop terraces — for when you're feeling like splashing some cash around. Operated by TFE Hotels Collection, other drawcards include the all-day Lobby Bar, the opening of Hellenika's first Brisbane digs — bringing the Gold Coast's favourite Greek eats to town — and meeting and function rooms that can cater for up to 500 people, including an outdoor amphitheatre. The Calile joins W Hotel Brisbane, the Ovolo Inchcolm Hotel in Spring Hill, the Novotel in South Bank, the new Emporium (also in South Bank) and the revamped Ovolo in Fortitude Valley among the fresh staycation spots opening their doors across the city in 2018. It will boast one unique highlight, too — Ada Lane, a micro-precinct filled with five bars and eateries, that's set to open later this year. Find The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Images: Sean Fennessy.
It's been three years since Brisbane welcomed Wildlands to the city's music festival scene, with the teams behind Melbourne's Beyond The Valley and Perth's Origin Fields fests giving the Sunshine State a big new summer party. Fast-forward to 2022 and the event is returning to see out another hectic 12-month period and welcome in a new one — bringing its 2022–23 tour to Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, January 7, 2023. And, with a focus on dance music, electronic beats and hip hop, Wildlands has quite the lineup onboard to spread its sounds around the inner-city venue, starting with Diplo, Denzel Curry and Dom Dolla. Clearly, alliteration has its fans among the fest's organisers. The Grammy-nominated DJ, American rapper and Australian house music producer will hit all three cities, joined by Yeat, Aitch, Kaytranada, Tkay Maidza, Honey Dijon and BENE. Plus, the bill also includes Yung Lean, Shygirl, Remi Wolf, Kanine and SG Lewis. Wildlands does like going big — its first-ever event back in 2019 featured Tyler, The Creator and Rüfüs Du Sol, after all. In 2021, The Veronicas, Spacey Jane, Cosmo's Midnight and more did the honours. The fest will run over a day per city, hitting up Brisbane after stops in Perth and Adelaide first. And vibe-wise, Wildlands goes with a "vibrant oasis" theme. WILDLANDS 2022–23 LINEUP Aitch BENEE Bicep (live) Charlotte De Witte Cloonee Denzel Curry Diplo Dom Dolla Holy Goof Honey Dijon Jay1 Jesswar JK-47 Jnr Choi JOY Kanine Kaytranada Kee'ahn Kota Banks Mia Rodriguez Memphis LK Ninajirachi Patrick Topping Remi Wolf SG Lewis Shygirl Sofia Kourtesis Tkay Maidza Willo Yeat Yung Lean
This year, Brisbanites have another excuse for enjoying a G&T in a garden — Australia's gin and tonic festival is coming to town. After being postponed from 2021, the Fever-Tree Gin & Tonic Festival is descending upon the Howard Smith Wharves precinct. Mark Thursday, April 28–Sunday, May 1. in your diary, because that's when you can sip your way around this huge tasting event dedicated to the classic tipple. Here, you'll have the chance to sample 20 different gins — from Melbourne's world-renowned Four Pillars to Queensland's Wolf Lane — matched with top tonics from Fever-Tree's range of mixers. Archie Rose, Never Never, Sunshine & Sons and Kalki Moon will all be taking part, too, because the more gin the merrier here. Explore the pop-up Gin Village, Tonic Discovery Bar and Ultimate Gin & Tonic Bar, then grab a snack from one of the restaurant pop-ups, including an oyster and prawn bar — you will be at HSW, after all. Rounding out the fun will be live entertainment, as well as a series of complimentary drink demonstrations and expert-led workshops. Seven sessions are being held: 5–9pm on Thursday and Friday evening; 11.30am–2.30pm and 3.30–6.30pm on both Saturday and Sunday; and 7.30–10.30pm just on Saturday night. Tickets to the Fever-Tree Gin & Tonic Festival clock in at $65 (or $55 if you get in quick), which'll score you entry and six mini gin and tonics.
For the past nine years, Surfers Paradise has played host to the Sand Safari Festival. If you're fond of elaborate, super-sized sandcastles, you've probably attended. In 2021, however, the event is getting a revamp — and hitting the Gold Coast from Saturday, March 13–Sunday, March 21 as the all-new Beyond the Sand Art Festival. Sand fans, relax. You will indeed still see big sand sculptures, including featured pieces along the beach, plus the best and brightest creations on offer at the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships. But, you'll also check out eight large-scale installations, and see artworks on display as part of a beachside art gallery, with the fest setting up its base on the Esplanade from 10am–9pm daily. The big highlight: the world premiere of Lost, the latest artwork by Amanda Parer. Brisbanites might remember her name from 2020's Intrude, which saw six giant seven-metre-tall bunnies pop up at Eagle Street Pier. On the Goldie, she'll be scattering larger-than-life botanicals around Surfers Paradise, focusing on extinct or endangered species, with inflatables and LEDs part of the installation. Beyond the Sand is going with a circus theme this year overall, so there'll also be circus performances, roving entertainment and workshops, too.
Saddle up, folks: Ghost Donkey, the Big Apple's beloved mezcal and Mexican bar, is set to gallop into Australia. The New York-born watering hole will open at Crown Melbourne on Friday, October 20, presenting the city with a rather lovely conundrum: how much mezcal is too much mezcal? Following expansions in Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix and even across the ditch in New Zealand, Melbourne is the latest outpost for the popular bar. When its doors swing open, expect more than 35 kinds of mezcals and tequilas, served in either handmade copitas (and in generous pours) or shot glasses. Accompanying them will be the sort of fresh seasonal fruit and salts that'll make you wonder why you ever sipped the agave spirit any other way. As for food, expect Mexican but with a Ghost Donkey twist. Think: Baja kingfish tacos with a dash of ponzu and sambal, or perhaps nachos topped with wild mushroom and poblano salsa. And let's not forget the cocktails, because what's a bar without its signature drink? Ghost Donkey will serve its namesake cocktail, aka El Burro Fantasma, in a ceramic donkey cup (yes, really), topped with a zesty mix of fresh flowers — and featuring a blend of Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal and Aperol, plus agave, lime, pink grapefruit and chilli. Ghost Donkey isn't just a catchy name. It's an homage to the actual donkeys of mezcal production. In traditional processes, they lug heavy stones over agave hearts, crushing them pre-fermentation. So the bar isn't just a novelty — it's a celebration of Mexican heritage and tradition, splashed with an unapologetically electric design sure to enthral Melburnians and tourists alike. Whether you're a mezcal fiend, a taco enthusiast or simply looking to dip your hooves into something new, Ghost Donkey promises a dash of New York flair, a generous pour of Mexican tradition and a straight-up good time — all in a Yarraside location. Lovely. Ghost Donkey will open at Riverside at Crown (near Clarendon Street), 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, on Friday, October 20.
When it comes to street art, names don't get any bigger than Banksy. And when it comes to street art exhibitions, a new showcase of the artist's work that's making its way to Brisbane is going huge. The first major display of the enigmatic talent's pieces in the River City will feature more than 150 artworks — including infinity rooms and simulations that play with some of Banksy's most famous creations. Mark Thursday, May 4 in your diary, because that's when The Art of Banksy: Without Limits is hitting the lower ground floor at Queens Plaza in the CBD. If you're already excited, you can also mark 10am on Wednesday, March 15 in your calendar as well, as that's when tickets will go on sale. A massive collection of pieces by the art world's chief enigma — including the darkly satirical, overtly political work that has turned the stencil-loving artist into such an infamous icon — The Art of Banksy: Without Limits' 150 artworks will include Banksy's certified art, prints on a heap of different materials, plus photos and sculptures as well. For an immersive experience, there'll be installations — physical and digital — as well as murals and mapping shows. One such installation: a simulation of Dismaland Bemusement Park. Another: that mirrored infinity room. Banksy's recent murals in Ukraine will also get a nod, and one space is devoted to the MV Louise Michel, the 30-metre-long high-speed lifeboat funded by Banksy that patrols the Mediterranean to rescue refugees. There will be reproductions of Banksy's works, too, made exclusively for this exhibition. They'll recreate some of the artist's pieces as made with — of course — stencils. The full list of exactly which works will feature hasn't yet been officially revealed, if you're looking forward to potentially seeing the well-known likes of Flower Thrower, Rude Copper and Girl with Balloon (a version of which was shredded after sale in a highly publicised prank in 2018) — but images of the show's recent stop in Bangkok provide plenty of clues. When it sets up shop in Brisbane, The Art of Banksy: Without Limits will run daily and take between 45–60 minutes to wander through. And yes, you can snap away for the 'gram while you're there. You can probably exit through the gift shop, or a simulation of one, as well. The Art of Banksy: Without Limits will hit the lower ground floor at Queens Plaza, 226 Queen Street, Brisbane from Thursday, May 4. You can also join the waitlist now, with tickets on sale from 10am on Wednesday, March 15.
If it involves design and creativity — whether as graphics and illustration, via filmmaking and animation, in photography and visual data, through writing and publishing, in products and advertising, or as part of spatial and motion design — odds are that you'll find it at Semi Permanent. The southern hemisphere's biggest and longest-running festival dedicated to all of the above, it brings together the brightest minds it can find to unpack its chosen topics. And, in 2023, it'll do just that in Sydney again. This fest has spanned more than 50 events in 13 cities with 800-plus speakers and over 300,000 attendees over its past two decades, and it's back this year as part of Vivid Sydney's lineup. Don't just wander around the Harbour City soaking in the lit-up gardens, gigs and Vivid's first-ever food fest come May and June — hit up Semi Permanent to ponder what goes into making Vivid so stunning, as well as the latest trends and themes in design and creativity overall. Taking place at Sydney's Carriageworks for three days between Wednesday, May 31–Friday, June 2, Semi Permanent 2023 features a stacked lineup of speakers, including Irish writer, academic and disability activist Sinéad Burke, who'll explore accessibility — and filmmaker and architect Liam Young, who focuses on the blurring boundaries between film, fiction, design, and storytelling, especially when it comes to musing on what cities will look like in the future. Plus, journalist, writer, artist and producer Mona Chalabi will dive into how data helps us understand the world, while Iranian American designer FISK founder Bijan Berahim is known for highlighting culture, community and commerce via art and design. Also on the bill: Vogue India's Head of Editorial Content Megha Kapoor, Indigital founder Mikaela Jade, Indigenous artist and poet Jazz Money, and artist, illustrator and animator Chris Yee. Film and TV designer and director Filipe Carvalho joins the international contingent, with the Australian Centre for Moving Image's Seb Chan, Gold Coast artist and screenwriter Samuel Leighton-Dore, motion graphics artist's Mikaela Stafford and photographer and performer Wani Toaishara helping fill out the local crew alongside artist and illustrator Jordy van den Nieuwendijk, designer and artist Evi. O and Semi Permanent 2023's host Namila Benson. That packed roster of talent will examine the theme of 'reformation', a particularly topical subject given the events of the past few years. "We thought the world would seek to build itself back as it was, but it's increasingly clear that our collective future cannot—nor should not—look anything like its past," notes Semi Permanent's Global Creative Director Mitchell Oakley Smith. "We live amidst a once-in-a-generation chance to write past wrongs, reform seemingly immutable practices, and redesign the world in a shape we'd like to see." As always, Semi Permanent will span keynote talks, panels, Q&As and workshops, as well as exhibitions, demonstrations and installations. This year, expect those sessions to touch upon futurism, feminism, First Nations culture and accessibility alongside sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, all while examining Web3's borderless promises, how remote work helps employees claim back their time, and the dismantling of industrial hierarchies and traditions. "In its place, something new is beginning to emerge: new creative languages, new ways to communicate, to create, organise, disrupt, rebuild. New ways to speak, hear, interpret, understand, and connect. Less barriers to entry, and more possibility for brilliance. With all the chips seemingly thrown in the air — which of these do we catch, and which do we let go?," says Oakley Smith. Semi Permanent 2023 will run from Wednesday, May 31–Friday, June 2 at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, Sydney. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the Semi Permanent website.
