Whenever the craving for a taste of France strikes, C'est Bon has Brisbane covered. Five mornings a week, it functions as a creperie over breakfast and brunch, making spanner crab- and confit duck-topped crepes made with buckwheat flour from Brittany. When lunch hits, and dinner as well, its a la carte menu includes lobster tarts, pigs head terrine, Paris-style gnocchi and blackcurrant gateau. And for drinks with a view (particularly wine and cocktails over Appellation oysters and croque monsieurs), the Woolloongabba favourite also boasts a rooftop bar called Ooh La La. It's no wonder that the Stanley Street eatery remains one of Brisbane's best restaurants. A hospitality hub that's happily several venues, it's also home to Le Bon Bar and the Garden Terasse — patrons enter through the former as they start their C'est Bon experience. At the latter, an elevated area for al fresco dining and functions awaits. [caption id="attachment_837435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitch Lowe[/caption] Also a highlight: C'est Bon's trolley full of events, whether it's a lobster and caviar flambé cart once a week, an excuse to hero botanicals for World Gin Day, Sunday lunches, visiting interstate French joints taking over and Bastille weekends, or fondue nights, crepes over yoga, festive feasts and bakery pop-ups. Whatever the occasion, seasonal Queensland ingredients take pride of place in French dishes, as paired with the beautifully curated wine list from boutique and family vineyards (and a hefty amount of champagne). The chef's tasting menu is a must-try, spanning seven courses with optional matched wines from either Australia or France. Top image: Mitch Lowe. Appears in: The Best Restaurants in Brisbane
Home to raindrop cakes, Nutella gyoza and salted caramel gyoza, Harajuku Gyoza clearly likes getting creative with its sweet treats. The chain is fond of trying out new things with its savouring dumpling range, too, as its experiment with mac 'n' cheese and pepperoni pizza versions showed — but it obviously has a soft spot for the kind of desserts you won't find on any old menu. Right now, the Australian gyoza brand is serving up a new menu item that turns lemon meringue into gyoza. You'll find lemon curd stuffed inside each dumpling, and mini meringues perched on top. And, if your stomach isn't already rumbling, they come crispy fried and dusted with icing sugar. Just like the chain's marshmallow gyoza from earlier this year, the lemon meringue dumplings are joining the chain's dessert lineup in plates of five, which'll cost you $10. And if you fancy tucking into the new gyoza after devouring two old favourites — cheeseburger gyoza, which is stuffed with burger pieces, aged cheddar, onion, pickles, mustard and tomato sauce; and mozzarella gyoza, which is filled with the obvious, then deep-fried and sprinkled with Twisties salt — that's up to you. Harajuku Gyoza's lemon meringue gyoza are now available at all Australian stores — at Darling Harbour in Sydney; at South Bank and the CBD in Brisbane; and in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.
Everyone loves heading overseas for a holiday, but no one likes spending more time actually getting from point A to point B than they absolutely have to. So, before the pandemic grounded international getaways from Australia for the better part of two years, Qantas had been working to make stopovers a thing of the past — introducing direct flights from Perth to London, and exploring the possibility of doing the same from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. While those non-stop east coast legs are currently on hold, the Aussie airline has just announced a new direct trip — and the only flight that'll connect Australia to continental Europe. Between June and October 2022, the carrier will fly return from Perth to Rome three times a week. And yes, that timing is 100-percent aimed at letting Australians take full advantage of European summer holidays. The new flights will technically end and begin in Sydney, with a stopover in Perth — and they'll be more than three hours faster than the current quickest travel time from Australia to Rome. That means fewer hours spent in transit, and more to actually soak in Italy. It also means spending a big unbroken block of time in the air, which still sounds a bit like science fiction after so long without international travel. If that's your 2022 plans sorted — why just have an Australian summer when you can enjoy Europe's warmest season as well? — tickets for the new route have gone on sale, starting from $1785 return. The Sydney–Perth–Rome flights will debut on Wednesday, June 22, and are currently scheduled to run until Thursday, October 6. And, if you're keen to head elsewhere on the continent, you'll be able to use Rome as a connection point to fly to 16 other European destinations, including Athens, Barcelona, Frankfurt, Nice, Madrid and Paris — and 15 spots in Italy, Milan and Venice among them. Also, if you fancy flying into Rome but coming home from London, or vice versa, Qantas will let you combine the two direct routes on the one return ticket. Qantas' new Australia–Rome direct flights will fly from Wednesday, June 22–Thursday, October 6. For more information, or to book tickets, head to the airline's website.
Whether you're getting comfortable in your own tub, settling into a spa or hitting up some hot springs, there's something particularly soothing about sitting in a body of steaming water. It's the type of pastime that delivers a pool full of bliss no matter the weather — but, just as the frostiest time of the year has rolled around, Queensland's far north now has a new place to go and soak away your worries. Talaroo Hot Springs has just opened in Mount Surprise, which is located in the Shire of Etheridge — in a region also known as the Savannah Gulf. It's further north than Townsville, but not quite as far up as Cairns. If you need more specifics, it's about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from the latter. You'll be heading inland here, though, and not along the coast. Once you've made the trek, warm water awaits. The site takes advantage of the location's natural geological features, which includes mounded terraces and, obviously, hot springs. This part of the country has been linked to the Ewamian people, its Traditional Owners, for thousands of years — and, in its pools, the surface water temperature reaches up to 68 degrees Celsius. Visitors have two options: take a tour of the hot springs, which includes a dip, or hop into one of the venue's manmade soaking pools that are filled with geothermal waters. If you opt for the former, you'll be taken around by an expert guide, you'll walk across the boardwalk surrounding the springs, and you'll go for a soak. If the latter appeals, you can book in a private 40-minute session for up to four people, and enjoy both the warm water and the scenery in the process. Also part of Talaroo Hot Springs: a camping ground and caravan park, so you have somewhere to stay; a yarning circle hosted around the fire pit each evening by Ewamian locals; and plenty of self-guided activities such as walks to the nearby Einasleigh River, and spotting both wildlife and birds. The springs just opened back in June, after a five-year push to bring the site to fruition. "Since the Native Title determination in 2013 we have been working towards creating tourism, economic development and employment opportunities and that plan is now reaching fruition at Talaroo," said Sharon Prior, General Manager of Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation. Talaroo Hot Springs is located at Gulf Development Road (Savannah Way), Mount Surprise, Queensland. For further information, head to the venue's website.
The Colonel's finest chook pieces have helped line many a stomach before a big night out. They've proven tasty in the boozy early hours of the morning, too, and also when a hangover strike the next day. KFC isn't usually eaten at a nightclub, however, but the fast-food chain itself is changing that for one night only in Sydney. From the brand that's done 11-course fine-dining degustations, Peking Duk-led festivals, weddings, cocktails, ugly Christmas sweaters for humans and pets alike, and a soothing playlist of chicken frying and gravy simmering — which is genuinely relaxing — of course a place to hit the dance floor with KFC in hand is next on the list. Dubbed The Fried Side Club, it's popping up from 8pm–3am on Saturday, October 21 at a secret venue in central Sydney. And yes, it comes with free chicken. There'll be tunes, too, courtesy of Luude — which means hearing 'TMO (Turn Me On)' as well as his 'Down Under' remix — plus Kinder and Foura. So, you'll make shapes and eat chicken. If someone decides to give the 'Chicken Dance' a spin, it'd be mighty fitting. The Fried Side Club will also be selling KFC x Luude t-shirts and KFC footwear (yes, sliders will come in there, too) both at the club and online, with proceeds going to the Black Dog Institute, ReachOut Australia and Whitelion. The reason for KFC setting up a temporary nightclub is to launch Luude's Zinger sliders, a new menu item that's served in pairs featuring two varieties. One uses chilli relish, the other KFC's Supercharged sauce — and both include half a Zinger fillet. They'll be given out free all night at The Fried Side Club, so no need to grab dinner before showing up. "KFC has been a staple on the diet forever — so when they reached out to partner on a project, I was 100-percent keen," said Luude. "We're setting up a secret club that is a replica KFC store, you've even got to go through the fridge to get in — it's sounding wicked. They've also let me create a secret menu item too, so you'll be able to ask for Luude Zinger sliders all over Australia. A childhood dream collab." If you're eager to head along, you'll need to grab a ticket, which are available from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 4. Everyone who nabs a spot will be told the secret location 48 hours out. And if you just want to try Luude's Zinger sliders without experiencing a KFC nightclub, they're available from now until Monday, October 30 via the secret menu on the KFC app. The Fried Side Club will pop up from 8pm–3am on Saturday, October 21 at a secret venue in central Sydney — get tickets from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 4.
Another year, another excuse to head into colourful surroundings, take a heap of photos and pack your social feeds with colourful snaps. First, the Sugar Republic team brought its original pop-up dessert museum to Brisbane. Then, it set up The Selfie Lab, recognising exactly why people flock to such supremely photogenic surroundings. Now, for two weeks to end winter and start spring, the same crew is setting up Colour in the City. The overarching theme this time: dazzling hues and plenty of them, all to add some brightness to this time of year. And, as the installation's name also makes plain, it's heading into the CBD, setting up shop in and around Queen Street Mall from Friday, August 26–Friday, September 9. To enjoy this one — and to take a year's worth of Instagram pics while you're at it — you'll be embarking upon a walking trail, hitting up a number of empty shopfronts that are getting quite the temporary makeover. In total, there'll be seven spaces to wander through, as well as a pop-up funhouse in the Wintergarden called the Pastel Palace. First, the shopfronts. Some will sit on Adelaide Street, too, and you'll also want to make a trip to Edward and Albert streets. And, if you haven't scoped out the lower-ground levels of the Myer Centre and Queens Plaza, add them to your list as well. That's where you'll find smiley faces beaming, a pink-hued floral wonderland, glowing neon art and street poster art that's been given a positive twist. Or, you can peer at a traditional candy shop, or channel some optimism against a Singin' in the Rain backdrop. And, there'll also be a hidden plant wall to hunt down. Once you've moseyed to all of the above Colour in the City stops, wrapping things up at the Pastel Palace will give you more reasons to grab your camera. There, you'll be greeted by a pastel ball pit, a confetti shower and a positive message wall, as well as a rainbow-coloured shaggy hanging that'll sit outside. While you'll probably remember forking out an entry fee for Sugar Republic's past installations, this one is completely free.
Add another huge festival to your calendar, and thank Norwegian DJ Kygo in the process. Not only is the 'Stole the Show', 'Here for You', 'Stay' and 'It Ain't Me' talent one of the headliners at Palm Tree Music Festival when it makes its Australian debut in 2023 — the former bedroom producer is also behind the whole shindig, creating it with his manager Myles Shear. Until now, the fest has played The Hamptons, New York, Cabo, Mexico and Croatia, and proven a hit in the process. Next year, it'll add a trip Down Under to its itinerary for the first time ever, rolling into Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in mid-March. While Kygo brings the fest some sizeable star power, he's not its only high-profile DJ doing the honours for the event's maiden Aussie run. Also hitting the decks is Tiësto, aka one of the biggest names in electronic music in the world for the past couple of decades. From initially getting mainstream attention back in 2000 with his remix of Delerium's 'Silence' through to his 2020 hit 'The Business' and 2022's Charlie XCX collaboration 'Hot In It' — and plenty in-between — the Dutch DJ will have quite the back catalogue of tracks to mix into his set. With its holiday-friendly name, it should come as no surprise that Palm Tree Music Festival takes inspiration from Kygo's stints touring the world. Expect a cruisy vibe set to EDM's greatest and latest, too. Also joining the bill so far, heading to Showgrounds Dome in Sydney, Brisbane's Riverstage and Melbourne Showgrounds: Lost Frequencies, Sam Feldt and Frank Walker. A lineup of local talent will be announced at a later date. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Palm Tree Music Festival (@palmtreefestival) PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: Tiësto Kygo Lost Frequencies Sam Feldt Frank Walker PALM TREE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Friday, March 10 — Showgrounds Dome, Sydney Saturday, March 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane Sunday, March 12 — Melbourne Showgrounds Palm Tree Music Festival heads to Australia in March 2023. Tickets presales start at 11am AEDT on Friday, October 14, with general sales from 10am AEDT on Thursday, October 20. For more information, head to the festival promoter's website. Top image: Ss279 via Wikimedia Commons.
Spring in Brisbane means many things: jacarandas blooming, and their purple flowers scattering around the streets; knowing that the city's five chilly days for the year are well and truly behind us; and the citywide arts and culture event that is Brisbane Festival, for starters. As part of the latter, it's also when Riverfire brightens up the Brissie night sky, usually to end the fest — but in 2022, it'll be helping start the fun (and the month) instead. After a chaotic few years for the annual fireworks display — which was scaled back in 2019, then replaced with a light and laser show in 2020 due to the pandemic — Riverfire will move to the beginning of Brisbane Festival this year. So, it'll liven up the place on Saturday, September 3. If you're the type of person who plans your entire day around staring upwards, mark your diaries now. The reason for the shift of dates: to move the event out of school holidays. Still, if you don't have kids, you might still be looking forward to beginning Brisbane Festival with a pyrotechnics display, rather than farewelling it. Of course, no matter when it's held, Riverfire always attracts a crowd. Usually, more than 500,000 people attend, and South Brisbane sports the masses of people to prove it — as does anywhere with a decent vantage over the river. As always, the Riverfire playlist will be simulcast via Triple M, too, while Channel Nine will broadcast the fireworks if you can't get a decent view. Even if fireworks aren't usually your thing, you might still be interested in the Riverfire shindigs that always pop up on the night, with bars around town usually throwing plenty of parties with quite the lit-up backdrop. Full details about the this year's Riverfire won't be revealed until the Brisbane Festival program is released later in the year, which usually happens around mid-July. Obviously, it'll be as straightforward as it usually is — with fireworks doing their thing for more than 20 minutes across the evening, and folks around Brissie finding the right spot to look up. Riverfire 2022 will take place on Saturday, September 3, during this year's Brisbane Festival. Further details will be announced with the full Brisbane Festival program later in 2022.
After sending Brisbanites to great heights at Lina Rooftop and Soko Rooftop, and serving them Italian dishes at Mina as well, Potentia Solutions Leisure is now welcoming fans of Latin American cuisine into its latest venture. Meet Rumba, which takes inspiration from Cuba, was first announced back in January, and is now trading on St Paul's Terrace in Argentinian eatery Evita's old site. It's a case of farewelling one favourite and welcoming in another for the hospitality group; new year, new focus, clearly. Rumba goes heavy on tequila cocktails and bites to share amid colourful but raw decor. The atmosphere: relaxed yet boisterous, and stripped back while soundtracked by Latin jazz. Azulejo prints and bright hues cover the place, and there's even the remnants of a car in a hole in the wall. Vibe-wise, a roster of DJs and bands help set the mood, too, in the kind of space that's worlds away from Lina and Soko's luxe rooftops — but proves lively and enticing in its own way. On Fridays, that includes a mariachi trio, while a Columbian reggaeton night is also on the venue's roster. Of course, the big drawcard is the food and drinks spread, which spans kingfish ceviche, tune poké tostadas, corn with chipotle mayo and spicy chicken wings among the smaller options. There's also guacamole platters for two; empanadas made with smoky ground beef, olives and chimichurri; grilled octopus with yellow beetroot; and beef brisket, battered fish and braised lamb tacos. And, for dessert, diners can tuck into a share spread of churros, dessert empanadas with mascarpone and apple, and lemon and tequila sorbet. To wash all of the above down with, the 22-drink cocktail list features sangria jugs, rum and sparkling wine Cuban bowls, two fruity frozen options and pisco sours. Or, there's a small range of beer and wine, a larger spirits collection, and four options for bottle service. Rumba also does a daily 5–6pm happy with $10 cocktails and $15 beer jugs, plus$25 all-you-can-eat tacos on Thursday nights. Feel like a night brunch? That's what it's dubbing its $69 Wednesday evening specials, which spans a five-dish banquet over two hours, plus wine and beer for the same period — and a slushie or spritz on arrival. Find Rumba at 365 St Paul's Terrace, Fortitude Valley, open 5pm–late Tuesday–Saturday.
In 2020, the Melbourne International Film Festival hosted its largest festival to-date — when it came to the size of its audience, that is. Taking place last August when the city was in lockdown, the fest attracted plenty of eyeballs to its online-only lineup. This year, however, Melburnian movie buffs will also be able to head to a cinema to get their film fix. MIFF isn't ditching digital in 2021, though. Instead, it's going hybrid — so watching at home from wherever you happen to be around the country and attending in-person in Victoria will both be options. Just what will be available virtually and what you'll need to see in a theatre hasn't been revealed, but the fest has just announced 32 titles that it'll be showing one way or another between Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22. Also, this year's MIFF will be expanding its physical footprint, hitting up not only the usual CBD venues but also suburban and regional spots as well. As for what you'll be seeing, so far the festival has named a hefty number of homegrown movies. Topping the list: the supremely powerful opening night pick The Drover's Wife The Legend Of Molly Johnson, which'll become the first movie by a female Indigenous filmmaker to ever open the fest. Directed by and starring Leah Purcell (Wentworth), the film will launch MIFF 2021 in quite the potent fashion, with this exceptional reimagining of Henry Lawson's 1892 short story making its Aussie premiere after initially debuting at SXSW back in March. Purcell first turned The Drover's Wife into a play and then a book, and thankfully she isn't done forcing audiences to reckon with the country's colonial history and its impact upon First Nations peoples and women just yet. Another big Australian name, and one that'll bow at MIFF after playing at the Cannes Film Festival: the already-controversial Nitram. Read the movie's title backwards and you'll know why it has sparked a reaction long before it even hits the screen. Here, Snowtown and True Story of the Kelly Gang filmmaker Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant reunite on a drama about the lead up to the events in Port Arthur 25 years ago — with Caleb Landry Jones (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) playing the titular figure. [caption id="attachment_815946" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nitram[/caption] Other notable local titles include Anonymous Club, a Courtney Barnett-centric documentary about creativity; political thriller Lone Wolf, which stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey (Hotel Mumbai), Stephen Curry (June Again) and Hugo Weaving (Hearts and Bones); and Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, which chronicles Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter's performance with Paul Grabowsky's Australian Art Orchestra, and comes to MIFF at around the same time as it'll screen at this year's Sydney Film Festival. This year, the two events overlap — SFF is being held two months later than usual — so cinephiles can expect the fests to share more a few more movies in common than usual. From MIFF's international slate, Petit Mamam leads the bill — and, given that it's the latest film from Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Céline Sciamma, it's an instant must-see. Other standouts include tweet-to-screen comedy Zola, Oscar-nominee Quo Vadis, Aida?, Japanese relationship drama Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy and documentary Hopper/Welles, which charts a boozy 70s conversation between Dennis Hopper and Orson Welles. MIFF will also screen Pedro Almodóvar's (Pain and Glory) latest, a short called The Human Voice that stars Tilda Swinton, and also marks the Spanish auteur's English-language debut. And, it'll host a Hear My Eyes session as the fest often does, this time screening Aussie great Two Hands. The full festival lineup will be revealed on Tuesday, July 13, which is when you'll be able to start planning out your August viewing schedule — and your trips between the fest's 2021 venues, which include Comedy Theatre, the Forum, RMIT Capitol Theatre, ACMI, Kino Cinemas, Hoyts Melbourne Central, Coburg Drive-In, The Astor, Palace Cinemas Pentridge, The Sun Theatre and Lido Cinemas. The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 5 to Sunday, August 22 at a variety of venues around Melbourne. For further details, including the full program from Tuesday, July 13, visit the MIFF website.
Kawaii alert: Hello Kitty and her adorable entourage are opening a colourful cafe in the heart of Melbourne. Opening on Friday, May 9, the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe will be the first of its kind in Australia, bringing Sanrio's most iconic characters to life through food, art and, naturally, super-cute design. Popping up at Melbourne Central, this immersive, multi-zone experience merges Japanese pop culture with a bold dose of Melbourne flair, and is no doubt set to become a must-visit spot for fans of Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, Kuromi and My Melody. The whole concept has been brought to life by a team of Australian creatives, including art director Eddie Zammit — who was behind the striking visual identity for Hello Kitty's recent Chadstone pop-up — and illustrator Travis Price. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eddie Zammit (@eddiezammit) Inside, you'll find four themed spaces, each dripping in pastel tones and Sanrio references aplenty. At the centre of the action is Cinnamoroll World, an ode to the eponymous cinnamon roll-tailed puppy. You can also explore the Friends Garden, where bespoke illustrations of Sanrio characters share the spotlight with Melbourne Central's iconic Clock and Coop's Shot Tower. In a rush? Stop by the Hello Kitty Corner, ideal for a quick, but no less cute, refuel to break up the shopping with a takeaway coffee and pastry. On the menu, you'll find appropriately kawaii Japanese-inspired picks, like strawberry sandos, fresh rainbow poke bowls and character-themed bento boxes that feel more like collectibles than meals. And that fourth themed space? That'd be a gift shop, stocked with limited-edition merch you won't find anywhere else. Think: embroidered patches, tees, plushies, key rings and monthly drops, all designed by Aussie creatives to celebrate the mash-up of the Hello Kitty world and Melbourne's creative energy. "This one-of-a-kind experience is a true celebration of two icons — Hello Kitty and Friends, and the vibrant city of Melbourne," says Silvia Figini, Chief Operating Officer Sanrio (EMEA, India and Oceania) and Mr Men (Worldwide). "We're proud to have seamlessly blended Sanrio's beloved aesthetic with Melbourne's unique spirit and creativity." The Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe opens on Friday, May 9, at Melbourne Central. For more info, head to the Melbourne Central website.
First, it was COVID-19 that threw Queensland's music festivals into chaos. Now, the recent spate of devastating weather is having an impact on the scene. For Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival, the latter means ditching its plans to take over a secret Fraser Coast spot across the Labour Day long weekend, with the event now moving to September instead. "It's unfortunately now not possible to hold the festival at the Gootchie site safely as we originally planned," said Festival Director Raymond Williams in a statement. "We were so looking forward to seeing our vision come to life next month, and it's a real bugger to have to change pace and reschedule." "Thankfully, we're already experienced in dealing with setbacks like these since the pandemic started," Williams continued. "The silver lining is we now have more time to create an even more immersive wonderland that will be safe and accessible for all." [caption id="attachment_843588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Savannah van der Niet[/caption] Music fans, you'll now have some free time between Friday, April 29–Sunday, May 1 — and you'll be venturing north from Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. The event will still take place in Gootchie, and still offer festival-goers something other than ridiculous queues and heaving crowds clamouring for space in an ordinary city showground. Among Jungle Love's drawcards: a laidback vibe, a campground surrounded by luscious greenery, and the chance to go for a swim in the creek while you watch a gig. Oh, and did we mention that it's a BYO festival as well (though no glass is allowed)? Jungle Love announced its program back in February; however, that'll likely now change due to the new dates. "We're working with our suppliers, partners and performers to retain as many amazing acts as possible," said Williams. Still, get ready for visual arts displays, circus, cabaret, theatre, workshops, knocking back those BYO beverages and plenty of tunes — just later in 2022 than originally planned. Jungle Love Music & Arts Festival will now take place from Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4 at a secret location in Gootchie, Queensland. For more information, head to the festival's website. Top image: Lauren Crabbe.
UPDATE, December 20, 2021: Happiest Season is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Heading home for the holidays and stepping into a sea of interpersonal dramas is a familiar on-screen set-up, as a new movie every Christmas or so reminds us. By now, then, we all know the formula. Adult children make the pilgrimage to their parents' place, rivalries and animosities flare up, secrets are spilled, chaos ensues and, by the end of the film's running time, everyone has learned something. Happiest Season fits the template perfectly. With the merriest time of the year in full swing, the Caldwells converge on the Pennsylvanian family home, with their celebrations given an extra edge due to patriarch Ted's (Victor Garber, Dark Waters) mayoral campaign. His fastidious wife Tipper (Mary Steenburgen, The Book Club) insists on snapping every moment for his Instagram feed, all as stern eldest daughter Sloane (Alison Brie, GLOW) arrives with her husband (Burl Moseley, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), two children (Asiyih and Anis N'Dobe) and plenty of unspoken tension in tow; zany middle sister and aspiring fantasy writer Jane (Mary Holland, Between Two Ferns: The Movie) is largely ignored; and Pittsburgh-based political journalist Harper (Mackenzie Davis, Irresistible) returns with the girlfriend, Abby (Kristen Stewart, Charlie's Angels), that none of her relatives know about because she hasn't come out to them yet. If someone other than The Faculty, Girl, Interrupted, Veep and The Handmaid's Tale actor-turned-filmmaker Clea DuVall had made Happiest Season, the above paragraph would accurately reflect the feature's character hierarchy — because Sloane would take centre stage, and Harper and Abby would hover around the narrative's edges. But DuVall did make Happiest Season and, with co-writer Holland, she flips the movie's focus, even while still sticking with a well-worn general premise. Accordingly, this festive flick resembles a comfy sweater that often gets a wear, but seems welcomely different on this particular occasion. As Aussie queer teen rom-com Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt) also demonstrated this year, it shouldn't be so subversive to take an overused genre that's heavy on recognisable tropes, then strip away the engrained heteronormativity. But it is, in both high school-set romances and movies about meeting your partner's parents over eggnog. After filling the credits with details of the formative stages of Harper and Abby's relationship, the feature introduces them properly as they're touring local Christmas lights. The towering Harper is giddier than one might expect of someone of her age, but the calmer Abby isn't fussed about the season after losing her parents when she was a teenager. When the former asks the latter to come home with her for Christmas, though, Abby gets excited. She wants to pop the question anyway, and figures there's no time or place better to make the festive-loving Harper her fiancée — although her best friend John (Dan Levy, Schitt's Creek) points out that asking Harper's dad's permission beforehand is hardly a progressive step. It isn't until Happiest Season's central couple has almost reached the Caldwells' that Abby discovers Harper's subterfuge. Not only do Ted, Tipper and company not know that Harper is gay and in a relationship, but Abby is asked to pretend she's straight as well (yes, one gag literally places her in a closet, because of course that happens). In the broad strokes, the movie doesn't serve up any surprises. But like moving its focus to Harper and Abby, this Christmas rom-com is all about the details. Amid the sibling struggles, the re-emergence of old flames both male (Jake McDorman, What We Do in the Shadows) and female (Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation), and the always-hectic whirlwind that surrounds every seasonal family affair — and every attempt to run for political office, too — Happiest Season explores two crucial themes in a meaningful way. First, it unpacks the performative nature of human existence, where too often we're all trying to match other people's perceptions and expectations without consistently remaining true to ourselves. And, it also interrogates how coming out isn't a simple or straightforward act, even in seemingly loving circumstances. These are weighty ideas and, while Happiest Season is light and jovial overall, it doesn't sugarcoat its heavier moments. It doesn't devote all of its running time to them either, but DuVall and Holland's script finds a delicate balance — with the part played by Holland herself at first seeming to be the movie's most overtly exaggerated role for comedic effect, but eventually proving more thoughtful, for instance. It's easy to see how the screenwriting pair could've turned this into a different picture, with the initially tentative friendship that springs up between Abby and Plaza's Riley, and the commonalities they feel as women who've been pushed aside so Harper could maintain a lie, 100-percent begging for an entire movie of its own. But DuVall never forgets the task that she has clearly set herself: to make a queer meet-the-parents Christmas comedy. The film's warm-hued, Hallmark-style imagery never lets the audience overlook the fact that Happiest Season willingly sticks to a formula in order to update it, either. Also apparent is just how well Stewart and Davis anchor the movie's generic and more soulful elements alike. This shouldn't come as a surprise, with Stewart picking most of her post-Twilight roles astutely (see: Clouds of Sils Maria, Certain Women, Personal Shopper and Seberg), and Davis always a memorable addition to any cast. In their hands, their characters feel lived-in. So does Happiest Season's central relationship, especially as it navigates considerable ups and downs, including an ongoing series of questionable decisions by Harper. Steenburgen, Plaza, Levy, Brie, Garber — they're all reliably great, too, but it's likely this LGBTQIA+-friendly dose of merriment wouldn't have found the right mix of festive familiarity and emotional substance with other leads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_jjELPpKkk
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-M4qEmF268 FREAKY Blumhouse Productions has already turned Groundhog Day into a horror flick via Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U. It gave 70s TV series Fantasy Island an unsettling makeover, too, with downright awful results. Now, it's Freaky Friday's turn. Body-swap movies span far beyond films starring Jodie Foster (in 1976) and Lindsay Lohan (in 2003), but given that Freaky sets the bulk of its action on a Friday, it's clearly nodding in the obvious direction. The movie begins with a prelude on Wednesday the 11th (yes, not only will most of the chaos go down on a Friday, but it'll happen on Friday the 13th). In the opening scene, four small-town high schoolers do what teens do in the first moments of slasher flicks: talk, party and make out in an empty old mansion, then get killed by a mask-wearing psychopath. Before the quartet meets that fate, its members explain who is responsible. The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn) is known to have terrorised the area but, due to a lack of recent murders, the serial killer has mostly become an urban legend of late. Not only is the Butcher real, as writer/director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day and its sequel) and his co-scribe Michael Kennedy (Bordertown) quickly show, but he steals a cursed Aztec dagger that lets him swap bodies with his next victim. So, when shy teen Millie (Kathryn Newton, Big Little Lies) crosses his path, she wakes up in his very tall and male guise the next morning — and vice versa. That's great news for the Butcher, who can now blend in with the adolescents that he likes to murder. It's a troubling predicament for the bullied high schooler that suddenly looks like him, though. Given that Freaky sports a big twist right there in its premise, no one should expect a surprise-laden narrative here. It does add some depth to its high-concept horror-comedy idea, including calling out society's accepted notions of male power and making it plain that women are never seen in the same fashion, but the movie proves a patchwork affair overall. In other words, sometimes things fall into place entertainingly, and sometimes they don't. The slick, fast-paced flick is particularly engaging when it ramps up either the gore-splattered horror or the over-the-top comedy, though, and it sports top-notch lead casting choices. Indeed, without either Vaughn or Newton, it might've resembled The Hot Chick meets the worst Nightmare on Elm Street sequels rather than Freaky Friday meets Friday the 13th. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW_3aaoSOYg HILLBILLY ELEGY Adapted from the 2016 memoir that shares its name, Hillbilly Elegy is filled with Acting and a Message. Yes, those words should be capitalised. It's an awards-seeking showcase for its two big-name stars, Amy Adams and Glenn Close — neither of whom have an Oscar on their mantles despite 13 nominations between them (six for Adams, seven for Close). It's also a sombre-toned, melodramatic attempt to explain, presumably to the so-called 'coastal elites' that are often characterised as the enemy of ordinary Americans by certain sections of the country's media, that folks crudely nicknamed 'hillbillies' or 'rednecks' are people, too. And, although Ron Howard sits in the director's chair and screenwriter Vanessa Taylor also co-wrote The Shape of Water, Hillbilly Elegy is about as subtle as an Appalachian-born grandmother yelling at teenagers to get off her porch or she'll shoot them. That's something that happens in the film. There's a difference between unpacking stereotypes and propagating them and, despite its obvious intentions, Hillbilly Elegy falls firmly in the second category. A deglamourised Adams plays drug-addicted ex-nurse and single mother Bev. With just as much frizzy hair, Close steps into the shoes of Bev's mother, Mamaw, who gave birth to her when she was 13. Their lives haven't been easy, although they've each constantly strived to do what's best for their poverty-stricken family. Adams and Close give big, overt performances that make their character's struggles known in every fierce glare and public meltdown, but even their visible efforts — and the work they're putting in is always forcefully apparent — can't lift this simultaneously earnest and bland affair. The true tale is all actually seen through the eyes and memories of Bev's son and hardworking Yale law student JD (Gabriel Basso, The Big C). When his mum overdoses while he's trying to secure a summer internship with a prestigious firm in DC, he heads back home, looking back on his childhood (where the character is played by Paterson's Owen Asztalos) across both the hill country of Jackson, Kentucky and also the downtrodden Middletown, Ohio in the process. The real-life JD literally wrote the book, but all those words inspire here is formulaic, mawkish, over-the-top and often fittingly beige-hued awards-bait that noticeably says little about the world that it so superficially feigns to explore. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYUO1xmwxTQ THE COMEBACK TRAIL It's never a great idea to fill a screenplay with verbal references to cinematic masterpieces gone by. If your movie doesn't come anywhere near close to matching Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho or Orson Welles' Touch of Evil, for instance, you've already inspired an unflattering comparison. Those classic titles are mentioned early in The Comeback Trail, and it's well and truly evident by then that this comedy will never sit in their company. Its predecessor certainly doesn't, with this Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones and Zach Braff-starring, 1970s-set film based on a 1982 movie of the same name. Here, De Niro and Braff play an uncle-nephew pair of movie producers, Max Barber and Walter Creason, who are known for making average-at-best flicks and even inspiring protests at their premieres — and it doesn't take long for viewers to wonder if the inescapably cheap-looking The Comeback Trail is indicative of the terrible and unsuccessful features pumped out by its central pair. After the aforementioned picketing of their latest release, the duo owe $350,000 to gangster Reggie Fontaine (Freeman). Max could sell a beloved script to a rival producer (Emile Hirsch) to rustle up the funds; however, he stumbles upon another plan instead. Soon, he's in even more debt to Reggie, but with a scam in mind — setting up a suicidal old western star, Duke Montana (Jones), for a big accident so that he can claim an insurance payout. Naturally, nothing pans out as it's supposed to, in a film filled from start to finish with laugh-free moments. Max and Walter try to explain to their female director (Kate Katzman) that she's a bad fit because they're making a manly film, which was never going to be funny. Max gets kicked by the horse he's trying to use to injure Duke, and that inspires zero hilarity, too. Contrived, predictable, strained and grating, The Comeback Trail squanders the three acting veterans among its cast. In fact, it makes you wish they'd be more selective with their on-screen choices. De Niro has worked with filmmaker George Gallo before, with the latter writing 1988 comedy Midnight Run, but their reunion couldn't be more painful — and De Niro couldn't be further away from his excellent efforts in The Irishman just last year. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive and Brazen Hussies. Top image: Hillbilly Elegy via Lacey Terrell/Netflix.
Melbourne's revered croissant experts at Lune are at it again, this time with an exclusive cruffin (that's a cross between a muffin and a croissant for you uncultured beasts). For two days only on the Saturday and Sunday of January 20-21, head into any Lune location in Melbourne or Brisbane to grab yourself "The Magic", a cruffin created in partnership with Visit Victoria to pay tribute to Melbourne's iconic coffee scene. To create The Magic, the flaky, buttery pastry is injected with a rich, aromatic Square One coffee cream. It's then adorned with a delicate dusting of Mörk chocolate, a swirl of coffee and vanilla buttercream, and a sprinkle of toasted cocoa nibs. Lune is no stranger to crafting the perfect pastry, so you'll want to get in quick if you're keen on tasting one for yourself. All Lune locations are open from 8am–3pm, but these gems might be snapped up well before closing, so it's a race against time and other pastry fiends if you want to nab one (or a half dozen). Remember, early bird gets the magic cruffin. Good luck! Lune has locations in Melbourne (Armadale, Fitzroy, Melbourne CBD) and Brisbane (Brisbane CBD, South Brisbane). All Lune stores are open 8am–3pm.
Brisbanites are used to going to Fortitude Valley to get sweaty among colourful lights, and to a pulsating soundtrack. Normally, though, that doesn't involve popping on boxing gloves. But making your next exercise session feel like a night hitting the clubs is the whole remit of Hustle Boxing, the Sydney workout favourite that's just launched its first Queensland studio. Hustle initially opened in Sydney in 2019 courtesy of business partners Tim McGann and Simon Maree, who were keen to give Australia an inclusive, accessible and premium venue for boxing group fitness classes. When it comes to ditching the usual vision that hopping into the ring inspires, the end result definitely packs a punch — including in its sleek new 400-square-metre Brisbane space on Brookes Street. Decor-wise, black walls, pops of colour and bright-hued LED lighting are a big feature, in a venue with high ceilings and a minimalist approach thanks to architect Tomas Scerbo. But Hustle's Valley digs also sport two things you won't find in a nearby bar or music venue: floor-to-ceiling windows to let natural light in, and murals paying tribute to Aussie sporting legends — including Shane Warne and Cathy Freeman. Also helping the vibe are curated playlists by Flight Facilities' Hugo Gruzman, plus commercial-grade lighting and a nightclub-quality sound system. That's what you'll be listening to and standing under when you hit up one of Hustle's personal fitness stations, which feature individual LED displays with instructions for your workout, and also store equipment for your session, such as weights, sliders and resistance bands. Trainer Andrew Papadopoulos oversees Hustle's training programs, with strength and conditioning a huge focus — as well as full-body functional boxing exercises. Expect to combine cardio, speed, and dynamic- and strength-themed routines — and, thanks to its brand-new Hustle Track, to hit the treadmill or floor. This fresh addition to the chain has its own dedicated room filled with treadmills, and also hosts 'Tenzing' classes named after Tenzing Norgay, the first Sherpa to scale Everest. Yes, running at an incline is on the cards. If you're not usually the most sporty or exercise-conscious of folks, part of the reason for Hustle's eye-catching design and club-inspired atmosphere is to make the joint accessible to everyone — regardless of your fitness, skills and past boxing experience. Introductory offers start at $25 for five days, or ten-day unlimited training passes for $49 — and Hustle's other boxing and track classes also take their names from famous figures. So, you might find yourself taking an eight-round 'Jagger' session or the hefty 16-round endurance-testing class that is 'The Godfather'. There's also the 'Denzel', which'll have you going smooth and easy on the treadmill; the 'Rihanna', where heading uphill is the aim of the game; and the 'Bolt', if you're a fan of running as fast as possible. Find Hustle Boxing at 100 Brookes Street, Fortitude Valley — open 5am–6.30pm Monday–Friday and 8am–11pm Saturdays.
If you love movies and the magic that goes into making them, it's easy to get spirited away when you head to the cinema. Come late August, however, that will definitely prove the case, because Studio Ghibli's moving castles, cat buses and cute balls of fluff are taking over screens around Australia. From August 24, the acclaimed and adored Japanese animation house will be floating across movie theatres thanks to a month-long Celebrate Studio Ghibli showcase. The jam-packed program spans all 22 of their gorgeous flicks plus a behind-the-scenes documentary. Yes, that means devouring everything from Hayao Miyazaki's early efforts such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, to perennial crowd-pleasers My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, to later efforts like Ponyo and The Wind Rises. Of course, while Miyazaki might've become synonymous with the studio he helped build, he's not their only filmmaking force — as doco The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness demonstrates. Ghibli's other stars also get their time to shine, with the likes of Isao Takahata' Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Tomomi Mochizuki's Ocean Waves, Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns, and Gorō Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill also on the bill. Basically, whichever Ghibli movie is your favourite, you'll get the chance to revisit it on the big screen. Plus, Melburnian Ghibli fans can also catch 15 titles on 35mm during the showcase's stint at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, doing justice to their eye-catching artistry. Celebrate! Studio Ghibli screens at various cinemas around Australia from August 24 to September 25. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the showcase website.
UPDATE, January 15, 2021: Ride Your Wave is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. In the type of scene familiar from many a film, 19-year-old Hinako (voiced by Rina Kawaei) frolics around a seaside spot with her boyfriend Minato (Ryota Katayose). In the scenic Japanese city of Chiba, the pair chat, laugh, stroll and sightsee, as plenty of couples have in similar situations. Actually, this duo does so twice. The first time plays out exactly as everyone expects but, occurring well into Ride Your Wave, the lovestruck duo's repeat romantic rendezvous comes with a twist. In the kind of image that can only really be brought to the screen via animation, Hinako isn't spending time with Minato in the flesh the second time around — instead, she's dragging around an inflatable porpoise filled with water that, when she hums the pair's favourite song, manifests her boyfriend's spirit from beyond the grave. Basically, Hinako is now dating a ghost in the guise of a blow-up aquatic mammal — a spectre that can appear in anything else that's wet, such as a glass of water and even a toilet bowl, too. It's a heartfelt yet clearly strange sight, and it's an image that filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa builds his whole sweet, sensitive and charming movie around. Already known for offbeat and distinctive animated efforts such as Night Is Short, Walk on Girl and Lu Over the Wall, the Japanese director blends his fondness for weirdness with a perceptive exploration of love and loss that belongs in the same company as huge recent global hits Your Name and Weathering with You. As brought to life, vocally, by former Japanese pop idol Kawaei and fellow local pop star Katayose (whose boy band, Generations from Exile Tribe, provides the film's pivotal — and extremely catchy — tune), Hinako and Minato's story begins much earlier. Initially, she's a surf-obsessed newcomer arriving in town to study oceanography, while he's a dutiful local firefighter. They cross paths on several occasions — she frequently hits the waves near his fire station, as he just-as-frequently notices — but they don't properly connect until Minato comes to Hinako's rescue when her apartment building is set ablaze. And, if tragedy didn't strike, perhaps they would've simply lived happily ever after. As Ride Your Wave astutely realises, though, those kinds of blissful, uncomplicated tales aren't the norm for everyone. Japan's plethora of big-screen animated gems have always received ample praise for their visual prowess; given how gorgeous and glorious everything from Studio Ghibli's greats to Yuasa's own filmic back catalogue looks, that's understandable. But movies such as Ride Your Wave don't surf their way into viewers' hearts based solely on eye-popping imagery alone. At their best, these films ripple with emotional depth and resonance — and while there's much about Ride Your Wave that threatens to veer into cheesiness at times, it remains an insightful, moving and charming example of the genre. On the surface, it might appear to be just another supernatural teen romance; however from the moment that Hinako is forced to face her future alone, this is a thoughtful, delicate and observant portrait of a woman struggling with one of the worst things that can happen. As whimsical as it might sometimes seem — and as it definitely sounds on paper — there's a rich vein of melancholy in Hinako's escapades with Minato's spirit. As she continues to hold onto him in any way she can, Yuasa and screenwriter Reiko Yoshida (A Silent Voice, Okko's Inn) show a raw and profound understanding of grief, its all-encompassing impact and the reality that, to those in mourning, absolutely everything reminds them of the person they're missing. Everyone who has lost someone has returned to places they once visited together and seen memories of happier times linger at every corner. Everyone in the same position has felt their heart skip a beat when a significant song plays, too. As well as being cute and quirky, the literal inflatable porpoise in Ride Your Wave's frames gives these common and relatable experiences a physical dimension. Don't go expecting this film to receive a live-action remake any time soon, of course, not that any animated movie ever needs one. Disney might currently be obsessed with turning its cartoon hits into flesh and blood (or photorealistic approximations), but Japan's animators are well aware that their chosen medium is far more expressive — especially when it comes to matters of the heart. There's a rhythm, flow and glow to Ride Your Wave that perfectly captures its protagonist's complicated situation, and that simply wouldn't translate to any other format. There's also the feeling that, through its seemingly fanciful narrative gimmick, Ride Your Wave tackles tough emotional terrain with unflinching, heart-swelling honesty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMB7SpEvxOI Image: ©Ride Your Wave Film Partners.
You can finally take those lung-belting ABBA sing-along sessions from the car to the next level — by taking them to the drive-in. On Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10, Yatala's resident automobile-friendly cinema is dialling up the volume for a Mother's Day weekend ABBA-thon — which promises the ultimate socially distant vocal workout for fans of the Swedish pop superstars and their iconic tunes. The main attraction: a screening of the ABBA-filled musical flick Mamma Mia!, where punters can jam along to favourites like 'Dancing Queen', 'SOS' and 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'. Head along at 8.30pm on Saturday night or 6pm on Sunday evening. And, given the occasion, you might want to bring your mum. As always, your night at the flicks will cost $35 per car, which covers up to six people. If you choose to wear sparkly jumpsuits, well, that's obviously up to you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkN-A00WLYE Since reopening over the Labour Day long weekend, the venue has implemented some new rules and procedures to keep everyone safe and healthy. They include contactless entry, hand sanitiser stations, restricting capacity to 50 percent or less, only making restrooms available for emergencies, and limiting the candy bar to ten patrons at a time. Keeping in line with social-distancing requirements, cinephiles are asked to only attend with folks they live with, or with one person who doesn't live in the same household. If you're choosing to go out and support local businesses, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice and social-distancing guidelines from the Department of Health.
Lightsabers, caped crusaders, fast cars and fairy tales — if you went to the cinema this year, we're betting that you saw at least one of the above. And, if you caught more than a couple of flicks, you probably roamed your eyes over creepy clowns, cheeky spies, immersive accounts of war and an acclaimed Aussie drama as well. From Star Wars, Wonder Woman, The Fate of the Furious and Beauty and the Beast, to It, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Dunkirk and Lion, they're the movies that Australians flocked to in 2017. Of course, they had company. Nearly 400 films were released onto Aussie screens over the past 12 months, and even the biggest cinephiles among probably skipped a couple. Based on box office figures, here's ten we think you might've missed, and should make the effort to catch up with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDiVGDmgsFY RAW One of the year's best films, under-seen or otherwise, is also one that arrived with a bloody splash. When Raw premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016, audience members reportedly fainted during its tale of a vegan teenager turned cannibalistic college student — and while they might've been overreacting, the French film isn't for the gore-averse. What it is, rather, is an unforgettable and visceral take on the savagery of growing up from first-time writer/director Julia Ducournau. She's matched in talent by her leading lady Garance Marillier, who makes viewers understand both the reluctance and excitement that comes with going to university, breaking free from her usual personality and casually snacking on severed limbs. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J5jcPqfYss PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN 2017 was a wonderful year — for films with 'wonder' in the title, at least. While Wonder Wheel is completely missable, and Wonderstruck only played select festivals, Wonder Woman kicked superhero ass. And, it wasn't the only movie about the famous comic book character to make it to cinemas, or the best. In Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, movie-goers received the origin movie they didn't know they needed, following the story of Diana Prince's creation by William Moulton Marston. The psychologist turned comic book author (Luke Evans) took inspiration from his own life with his wife (Rebecca Hall) and live-in girlfriend (Bella Heathcoate), as relayed with passion and personality by writer/director Angela Robinson. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLdhN4oMxCQ BAD GENIUS Mark our words: in the next couple of years, an English-language version of this Thai thriller will reach our screens. A high-stakes high-school exam flick, it's smart and slick, funny and fast-paced, tautly made and tension-filled — and it turns a situation we can all relate to into a nail-biting heist caper. Straight-A student Lynn (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) is the misbehaving high-achiever of the title, who first hatches a plan to make money by feeding her classmates test answers, and then bands together with her customers to cheat the biggest test there is. The premise was taken from reality, and part of the movie was shot in Sydney, but the real highlight is Bad Genius' lively style and thoroughly entertaining narrative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2RYbGgBQeM THE LOST CITY OF Z Because these things always come in pairs, The Lost City of Z is one of two 2017 features that send former film franchise heartthrobs into the jungle. It's the only one you won't want to end, however. Robert Pattinson plays second fiddle to Charlie Hunnam in this account of geographer and explorer Percy Fawcett's life, and to James Gray's astutely measured direction, as well as cinematographer Darius Khondji's lush and striking images. Indeed, Hunnam does some of his best work as the man determined to find the fabled locale, while Gray shows that his skills apply not only in urban settings, but to vast Amazonian wilds too. A visually precise and painterly effort result, one that's an existential adventure, a lush-looking portrait of feverish obsession and an engaging biopic all in the same mesmerising package. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SMmn5fu2oI WINTER AT WESTBETH This Australian-directed, New York-shot documentary only received a tiny cinema run earlier this year, so you can be forgiven for missing it. That said, if you were a fan of Bill Cunningham New York or Iris, or like factual looks at real-life creative types doing what they love — and wearing their eccentricity on their sleeves — you'll want to redress that oversight as soon as possible. A small film that leaves a big imprint, it focuses on three elderly residents of Manhattan's Far West Village for retired artists, each coping with their advanced years by immersing themselves in their chosen fields. Guided by their tales, Aussie filmmaker Rohan Spong crafts an insightful and empathetic doco that's never anything less than revelatory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih9P0QCCrUw IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD With gorgeous watercolour animation and a bittersweet but graceful approach, In This Corner of the World turns a dark chapter of the past into a thing of beauty. That applies both emotionally and visually, in a film that enchants even as it delves into life in World War II-era Hiroshima. Teenager Suzu Urano (Non) finds things forever change when she weds a naval clerk in 1943 and moves to city where he's based; however, history dictates that more is still to come. It's the type of multi-layered wonder that Studio Ghibli would usually make, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that writer/director Sunao Katabuchi worked as an assistant director on Kiki's Delivery Service. His work here is certainly worthy of the comparison. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eByhbavkA6E HEAL THE LIVING In her third film, French writer/director Katell Quillévéré wades into tricky waters, but never forgets to admire life's beauty. Given that organ donation is her main topic, that's a simply stunning feat. Based on the book of the same name, Heal the Living follows the many people affected when a 17-year-old surfer's existence is cut short: his grief-stricken parents and girlfriend, the medical professionals charged with his care and the ailing woman in another city who might get a second chance through this tragedy. As well as the sensitive handling of the subject matter, the detailed depiction of hospital routines and the spot-on charting of intricate, intimate emotional terrain, the feature boasts movingly lyrical sensibilities, and a mastery of both poetic and clinical imagery. A word of warning: if you've ever been through something similar, you may find the experience especially devastating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zzw4Lmej9s THE VILLAINESS John Wick: Chapter 2 and Atomic Blonde aren't 2017's only ace assassin films. From South Korea, say hello to The Villainess. The latest in a long line of kinetic, frenetic action flicks from the country's shores, it follows a woman trained to kill, forced to lend the government her skills and sporting one heck of a backstory. If it sounds familiar because you've seen plenty of similar fare — Luc Besson's La femme Nikita and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill included — don't worry; this isn't a mere walk down a well-worn path or an easy clone. Understandably, it's the fast and furious displays of carnage that particularly stand out thanks to director Jung Byung-gil's high-octane approach, as well as a memorable score. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_eP39tXW0 SCHOOL LIFE Did a teacher change your life? Did you discover your true passion at school? Even if you answered no to both of those questions, there's no doubting the influence that education has on our identities — not just in the things we learn, but the people we encounter and the experiences we go through. Still not convinced? Let Irish documentary School Life show you. Set at a boarding school, it's a movie about many things: bright minds facing the future, dedicated teachers determined to do their best at their important task at hand, and two specific veterans still shaping the next generation as their own days fade. As they step through all of the above, documentarians Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane find the right balance between observation and emotion, and between affection and insight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cTenw8uVSw SONG TO SONG Love him or hate him, no one makes movies like Terrence Malick. As a result, when it comes to his dream-like explorations of human existence, you're either on his whisper-soundtracked, roaming camera-shot, attractive actor-starring wavelength, or you're not. Song to Song won't change anyone's minds, but those eager to go along for the ride will find the iconic filmmaker in top form in this particularly prolific phase of his career. Partially set and shot at SXSW, and featuring Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Iggy Pop and Patti Smith (among others), Song to Song proves an intoxicating dance-filled picture with oh-so-pretty folks coping with the complexities of love and life. Read our full review.
Beloved by budget-conscious shoppers, German-born discount supermarket chain Aldi has been slinging its groceries across Australia for over two decades. But for its next big Aussie move, it's setting up shop for just two nights — which'll be filled with ridiculously affordable gin, wine and cheese. As Aldi's devoted customers well and truly know, you can get plenty of things at the company's stores for cheap — not only food, but everything from beds and kettles to games and snow gear as well. On the culinary side of things, that includes dairy products and, in some states, vino, too. So to show them off, Aldi is launching a two-evening-only Sydney bar. Called The Trophy Room, it'll nestle into 111 Elizabeth Street and host just four seatings, with sessions from 5–6.30pm and 7.30–9pm on both Friday, July 15–Saturday, July 16. You'll need to nab a ticket to get in, with bookings opening at 9am on Friday, July 8. Expect plenty of competition for a spot, though — the fact that your entire visit will only cost you $4.41 is certain to attract a crowd. Yes, you read that price correctly. No, there's no missing numeral, and the decimal point isn't in the wrong place either. For less than a fiver per person, you'll get a gin cocktail upon arrival, then a tasting selection from Aldi's wine range, plus a cheese platter featuring Aldi cheeses to line your stomach. The reason for the pop-up, and the super-cheap price? To showcase Aldi's affordable and acclaimed wines, and its just-as-reasonably priced award-winning cheeses, all at a time when inflation is seeing supermarket prices rocket. The Trophy Bar is also designed to be replicated at home — the menu, that is — given that Aldi's vinos would start from $0.83 a glass if they were priced individually, and max out at $2.49 a glass. As for its cheeses, the chain advises that its triple-cream brie would cost $0.56 for a single serve, while a smooth blue cheese would be priced at $0.62. Aldi's Trophy Room will pop up at 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney from Friday, July 15–Saturday, July 16. Bookings are limited, and open at 9am on Friday, July 8.
The 80s were a booming time for teen movies, but one film from the era will always stand out from the crowd. Like protagonist, like picture, clearly. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) might be the most popular student at his suburban Chicago high school, but he's not one for blending in — even when he's skipping school with his anxiety-riddled best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and laidback girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), all while their principal is on their tail. Almost 35 years since it first reached cinemas, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has become not just a classic but an iconic flick — and, no matter how many times you rewatch it, it's easy to see why. Written and directed by the great John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club), it's as amusing as it is entertaining. And yes, it'll have you wanting to sing 'Twist and Shout' in a parade.
They call it Tina — The Tina Turner Musical, oh Tina — The Tina Turner Musical — and, while it finally arrived in Australia in May, it now has more dates around the nation. After premiering in London back in 2018, this stage ode to the music icon that's had Aussies dancing to 'Nutbush City Limits' for decades will tour Down Under, following up its current first local stint in Sydney with seasons in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne. No, it isn't taking to the stage in a church house, gin house, school house or outhouse — or on highway number 19, either. But Tina — The Tina Turner Musical will obviously have Crown Theatre, Festival Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Princess Theatre enjoying Turner's greatest hits in one massive show. The list of musical numbers includes 'Nutbush City Limits', naturally, as well as everything from 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Proud Mary' through to 'Private Dancer' and 'What's Love Got to Do with It?'. Tina — The Tina Turner Musical has made its trip Down Under courtesy of TEG DAINTY, Stage Entertainment and Tali Pelman, in association with Tina Turner herself before her passing in May this year. Announcing the show's stint on our shores back in 2022, the singer said that "Australia has always shared abundant love with me, going back to my early concerts in the late 70s through the uplifting partnership with the National Rugby League. It is very special for me that we will be reunited." "The joy, passion and message of resilience in my musical is so important now as ever. Thank you from the bottom my heart for welcoming me with open arms once again," Turner continued. The singer didn't mention her appearance in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, but she is indeed part of the beloved Mad Max franchise, too. In Australia, The Lion King, We Will Rock You, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Ragtime and Moulin Rouge! The Musical star Ruva Ngwenya plays Tina, with In the Heights, Fame: The Musical and fellow Moulin Rouge! The Musical alumni Tim Omaji as Ike Turner. Penned by Tony Award-nominee and Pulitzer Prize-winner Katori Hall, plus Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, and directed by fellow Tony-nominee Phyllida Lloyd, Tina — The Tina Turner Musical clearly has quite the story to tell. The show steps through Turner's life and fame, including growing up in Nutbush, Tennessee, the hard work that led to her career, all of those aforementioned hits, her 12 Grammy Awards, her volatile time with Ike and her huge solo success. If you're a fan, Turner herself summed it up — yes, it's simply the best. "I first heard about the possibility of a stage musical portraying Tina's life eight years ago and I immediately reached out to Tali Pelman at Stage Entertainment. At that point there was no script and no book; however, I was hooked on the idea of it," said TEG DAINTY CEO Paul Dainty about Tina — The Tina Turner Musical. "We have been on that journey ever since, and here we are today announcing the Australian tour! Australians love this theatrical masterpiece which tells the story of Tina's life, of empowerment and success, and is ultimately the best music industry comeback story of all time." TINA — THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL AUSTRALIAN DATES: Now until Sunday, December 31, 2023 — Theatre Royal, Sydney From Tuesday, February 27, 2024 — Crown Theatre, Perth From Wednesday, April 24, 2024 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide From Sunday, July 2, 2024 — Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane From Tuesday, September 24, 2024 — Princess Theatre, Melbourne Tina — The Tina Turner Musical is currently playing in Sydney, and will tour the rest of Australia in 2024. For more information and tickets, head to the musical's website. Images: Daniel Boud.
The Ryan Renshaw Gallery unveiled a new exhibition that s currently adorning the walls and floors of the fortitude valley art space. Fauxpas brings together five great artists who specialise in being unspecialised. Each multi-disciplinary artist has contributed a series of pieces that bring a vibrant aesthetic that is a real treat to look at. All five artists, Antoinette J. Citizen, Charles Dennington, Matthew Greaves, Genevieve Reynolds and Jared Worthington have been selected seemingly due to their energetic work which exudes colour and light in a way that aligns closely with a pop based aesthetic - albeit one with its own modern flavour. Painted landscapes have been adusted, household items have been reappropriated and space has been manipulated to create a unique and intruiging exhibition. Each artist is worth keeping an eye on, if only to see where their surreal imaginations produce next. Faux Pas is running until the 7th of September.
They played a couple in Drive opposite Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy). They bickered their way through New York's 60s-era folk scene in Inside Llewyn Davis, too. Now, after teaming up for acclaimed filmmakers Nicolas Winding Refn and the Coen brothers, Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) are reuniting on-screen again, this time to lead the cast in Netflix's feuding anthology series Beef. A second season of the acclaimed show is officially on the way, so get ready for more grievances. This time, the new eight-episode run will focus on a young couple who sees a fight between their boss and his wife, and the aftermath, which takes the drama into a country club as well. Everyone has petty feuds. That's one of the truths behind the the Golden Globe-, Emmy-, Gotham, Screen Actors Guild Award-, Independent Spirit Award and Producers Guild Award-winning series, which brought squabbling strangers into everyone's streaming queues in 2023 and became one of the best new shows of the year in the process. Beef was initially meant to be a once-off, but plenty more people could always disagree, argue and hold grudges on-screen — and, soon, some more will. Earlier in 2024, Jake Gyllenhaal (Presumed Innocent) and Anne Hathaway (The Idea of You) were rumoured to be starring in Beef's second season, which would've been a reunion for them as well — see: Love & Other Drugs and Brokeback Mountain — but Isaac and Mulligan are doing the honours instead. Back then, it was also reported that Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) and Charles Melton (May December) could be among the cast that's taking over from Steven Yeun (Nope) and Ali Wong (Paper Girls), with that part still happening. If you missed season one of the Lee Sung Jin (Dave)-created Beef, it followed Danny Cho (Yeun) and Amy Lau (Wong) after they got in a fender bender, then neither handled it well. Cue a feud that they can't shake, infiltrating their lives and relationships. If their quest for revenge each other just fizzled out, there obviously wouldn't be a series. Part of Beef's ongoing beef in season one stemmed from a comedy staple: putting opposites together and seeing what springs. Danny is struggling as a contractor and isn't happy about it, while Amy lives a seemingly idyllic life thanks to her success as an entrepreneur. They both share a need to get back at each other, though — and to see through their clash to the end. Lee is back for season two as the show's creator, while Yeun and Wong are onboard as well as executive producers. There's obviously no trailer yet for the second season, but check out a clip from Beef season one below: Beef season two doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are locked in. Beef season streams via Netflix — read our review. Top image: The Card Counter, courtesy of Focus Features / ©2021 Focus Features, LLC.
When Paul Kelly has taken his Making Gravy tours across Australia around Christmas in past years, the gigs have proven a hot ticket. That shouldn't come as a surprise given how beloved 'How to Make Gravy' is, so much so that there's a movie inspired by it heading to streaming this festive season. But only the songwriting legend's 2025 tour will see him reach a huge milestone, playing his biggest-ever live shows not only at home but in New Zealand as well. The August and September tour will also feature Kelly's only gigs for the year, so consider them a chance to get excited about Gravy Day 2025 — which falls on December 21 — early. He's heading to nine cities, starting in Perth before hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Adelaide and Melbourne in Australia, and then crossing the ditch to play Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The Aussie icon will be celebrating his new album Fever Longing Still, which releases on Friday, November 1, 2024, but he'll also be busting out beloved tracks from his 40-year-plus career. Accordingly, expect to hear everything from 'Dumb Things', 'To Her Door', 'Before Too Long' and 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' through to 'Leaps and Bounds', 'From St Kilda to King's Cross' and 'When I First Met Your Ma'. It was back in 1981 that Kelly's first studio album Talk hit record stores — and the ARIA- and APRA-winner has been a mainstay of the Australian music scene ever since, whether unpacking the nation in his tunes, giving everyone a Christmas tradition, singing about well-known figures or anything in-between. Kelly is hitting the road with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on his Australian shows, as well as Fanny Lumsden as the opening act on home soil and Reb Fountain doing the same in Aotearoa. And, of course, Kelly's band will be performing with him, with Peter Luscombe on drums, Bill McDonald on bass, Dan Kelly and Ash Naylor on guitar, Cameron Bruce on the keys and Jess Hitchcock contributing vocals. Paul Kelly Australia and New Zealand Tour 2025 Tuesday, August 26 — RAC Arena, Perth Friday, August 29 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, August 30 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, September 2 — MyState Bank Arena, Hobart Thursday, September 4 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Saturday, September 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, September 9 — Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Wednesday, September 10 — Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Friday, September 12 — Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Paul Kelly is touring Australia and New Zealand in August and September 2025. Ticket presales start from 3pm local time on Monday, October 28, 2024, with general sales from 3pm local time on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Mona Foma, Moshcam.
For almost a quarter-century, Jamie Oliver has been sharing his culinary tips with audiences worldwide. This November, he'll dish up a chat about all that time spent in and around kitchens — on-screen, by releasing recipe books and thanks to his stint in the restaurant business — at Sydney Opera House. The Naked Chef, Oliver's Twist, Jamie's Kitchen and Jamie's Comfort Food star is heading back Down Under for an Aussie-exclusive discussion, returning to the Harbour City after selling out a talk at the same venue in 2015. Back then, Oliver brought his Food Revolution with him, and cooked up a storm live while making his Opera House debut. This time, he's in conversation with Melissa Leong about the 24 years since The Naked Chef first hit television — and all the pukka cuisine he's whipped up since. "Every time I visit Australia it feels like a big old hug — it's a real home away from home for me and I'm so excited to be back this year for this event." said Oliver, announcing the chat. "I can't wait to sit down with you all for good chats about good food and good times, have a laugh, and take some questions from the audience. And, it is such a privilege to be at the Sydney Opera House, what a setting. I hope to see you there." While there's clearly no shortage of topics for Oliver to touch on when Saturday, November 11 hits, when he takes to the stage in the famed venue's Concert Hall — the British chef has those two-plus decades of TV shows, those 70-plus eateries in 22 countries, and oh-so-many recipes to mention, for starters — this once-off event is timed around two specific things. Firstly, he's launching a campaign about creating "a happier, healthier world through the joy of food". And secondly, he's just released his new cookbook 5 Ingredients: Mediterranean. Attendees at this Sydney-only talk will also learn what keeps Oliver inspired and motivated, why he loves cooking so much and about his passion for getting in the kitchen. He's the latest big-name chef discussing his career onstage in Australia this year, following on from Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, Oliver's fellow Brits Marco Pierre White and Nigella Lawson, and viral recipe queen Alison Roman. Jamie Oliver in conversation with Melissa Leong will take place in Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall on Saturday, November 11, 2023 — with ticket pre-sales fro 9am on Wednesday, August 23, and general sales from 9am on Thursday, August 24. Images: Jamie Oliver Enterprises / Paul Stuart.
Brisbane's BlackMilk Clothing is well known for its pop culture-themed attire, releasing everything from Star Wars outfits to Harry Potter activewear in the past. Unsurprisingly, anything designed around the Boy Who Lived always proves popular — so much so that the company is launching another collection, this time specifically inspired by Hogwarts' houses. Whether you're keen to deck yourself out in red Gryffindor tartan pants, don a Slytherin letterman jacket with a snake embroidered on the back or pop on some blue Ravenclaw leggings, you'll be able to do just that. You'll be able to opt for some gold-hued Hufflepuff pieces, too, of course. Spanning trousers, dresses, leggings, crop tops and coats — including pants for both men and women, sports jersey-style shirts and hoodies as well, and overalls adorned with Harry Potter-themed patterns — it's a fresh treasure trove of items for wizarding fans to spend their galleons on. It's the real, official deal, with the School's Out range also featuring other pieces that won't make you feel like you're in training for the Triwizard Tournament, such as sheer and skater tunics in appropriately enchanting prints. A full preview of the collection is available on the BlackMilk website, with the magical selection going on sale at 7am on Tuesday, August 20. Items are available until sold out — and, yes, that often happens quickly. For more information about BlackMilk Clothing's Harry Potter School's Out range, head to their website.
UPDATE, Tuesday, March 11, 2025: Alliance Française French Film Festival's Brisbane 2025 season was delayed due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred; however, Palace Barracks and Palace James St are open as at Tuesday, March 11, and opening night will take place on Friday, March 14. Each autumn, Brisbane movie lovers score a super-sized French treat: a feast of flicks hitting the big screen, all thanks to the Alliance Française French Film Festival. In 2025, the fest marks its 36th year. On the lineup: 42 pictures that span the breadth and depth of Gallic filmmaking. So, when you're not enjoying the latest version of the The Count of Monte Cristo, you'll be diving into France's newest black comedies, then plunging into French drama and seeing a restored masterpiece. In the River City, the fun runs through the first month or so of autumn with the full 42-title program playing until Tuesday, April 8 at Palace Cinema James Street and Palace Cinema Barracks. Kicking off the fest: opening night's Tahar Rahim (Madame Web)-starring Monsieur Aznavour, about singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour — which has been doing big business in France, selling 1.8-million-plus tickets. From there, the highlights keep coming, right through to closing night's rom-com In the Sub for Love. The aforementioned The Count of Monte Cristo features Pierre Niney (The Book of Solutions) in the lead and takes AFFFF's centrepiece slot, while Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 great Army of Shadows arrives in 4K Down Under after premiering its restored version at Cannes 2024. Or, catch a 50-years-later remake of Emmanuelle, this time starring Noémie Merlant (Lee) and Naomi Watts (Feud), with Audrey Diwan (Happening) directing — or see Mélanie Laurent (Freedom) and Guillaume Canet (All-Time High) portraying Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI in their final days in The Deluge. Plus, Meet the Leroys is a road-trip dramedy that marks Charlotte Gainsbourg's (Alphonse) latest film, while Prodigies delivers a tale of sibling rivalry with Emily in Paris' Camille Razat. Viewers can also look forward to The Divine Sarah Bernhardt, with Sandrine Kiberlain (Meet the Barbarians) as the eponymous actor; All Stirred Up, a comedy focusing on a customs officer on the border between Quebec and the United States, plus her daughter's attempts to win a cooking contest; and Riviera Revenge, where an affair almost four decade prior sparks a quest for vengeance in the French Riviera. Elsewhere, How to Make a Killing features regular AFFFF face and Call My Agent favourite Laure Calamy (The Origin of Evil), as does My Everything; Louis Garrel and Vincent Cassel (co-stars in the 2024 festival's The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan and The Three Musketeers: Milady) team up in Saint-Ex, about Argentinian pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; When Fall Is Coming is the latest from acclaimed director François Ozon (The Crime Is Mine); and nonagenarian filmmaker Costa-Gavras (Adults in the Room) delivers the personal Before What Comes After. Or, get excited Beating Hearts, which is helmed by Gilles Lellouche (Sink or Swim), stars Adèle Exarchopoulos (Inside Out 2) and François Civil (The Three Musketeers), and played at Cannes International Film Festival 2024 — as did the music-loving My Brother's Band from The Big Hit writer/director Emmanuel Courcol. Also in the Cannes contingent are a range of movies exploring the stories of a courier facing a interview to obtain residency, plus artist Niki de Saint-Phalle, a midlife crisis, pastoral France and being a teenager amid Corsican gang politics, aka The Story of Souleymane, Niki, This Life of Mine, Holy Cow and The Kingdom.
Giant fluorescent orange fluffy birds, 30 ft high dogs shooting lasers from their eyes, costumes made entirely of marijuana leaves and onstage fake fellatio on a man wearing a Bill Clinton mask. Whatever you think of pop's favourite shock poppet, Miley Cyrus' Bangerz tour has been one of the global Tickets To Have. Now the Wrecking Baller is bringing Bangerz to Australia this October. Kicking off in Melbourne on Friday, October 10 at Rod Laver Arena, Cyrus will embark upon a five-date tour of epic visual proportions. Incapable of being able to stop, Cyrus will then head to Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth for what will most likely be Australia's most 'grammed tour since Beyonce's recent run. Tickets are going for $99.90 to $149.90, plus booking fees. Dainty Group presale tickets kicks off at 10am local time on Friday, June 20. General public tickets via Ticketek go on sale Monday, June 23 at 10am. Miley Cyrus Bangerz tour dates: Melbourne - Rod Laver Arena, Friday, October 10 Brisbane - Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Wednesday, October 15 Sydney - Allphones Arena, Friday, October 17 Adelaide - Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Monday, October 20 Perth - Perth Arena, Thursday, October 23
It's not often that a new Brisbane eatery delivers a taste of New York and a nod to the Gold Coast all at the same time, but that's what Joe's Deli is now serving up on Albert Street in the CBD. The Italian American-style street-food diner takes its culinary cues from Big Apple, and its vibe as well. But before the brand set up shop in the River City, it cemented itself as a favourite down in Broadbeach. Joe's Deli's expansion to Brissie was announced midway through 2023. Since Saturday, September 2, it has been up and running in its second digs — and serving up meatball subs, cubans, hoagies, tempura prawn po' boys and Italian flatbreads, plus pickles and chips as sides as well. In spreading not just sandwich fillings but its footprint, the Glitter Strip favourite isn't just for the weekday lunch crowd. Midday meals are definitely on the menu; however, this isn't solely a midday haunt. All those sandos — and Joe's Deli's 90's hip hop playlist and NY-inspired booth seating — now grace an 80-seat eatery that's also a bar, boasting an extended booze offering. Accordingly, along with the chain's newest meat slicer getting to work, the venue is going big on beers and ciders from local breweries, plus organic wines, seltzers, Soda& mixers and pre-mixed margaritas. The Albert Street store also features laneway dining, as well as the brand's newest merchandise and clothing range. Fancy a Joe's Deli t-shirt, hat, bag or beer mug? That's the current line, and it's getting a boost. Food-wise, the selection there has also received a revamp, with hot dogs now sticking around permanently. Where the sangas range includes both Sicilian and Southern fried chicken, the hot dogs lineup covers Brooklyn-style, sloppy joe and chilli dogs. A fish 'n' chips option with beer-battered snapper also graces the menu, plus a lobster roll. Whether you now know where you'll be spending your lunch breaks or you have a new after-work go-to in mind, the dessert lineup with cookie sandwiches and two-tone, liquid Nutella and brûlée marshmallow cheesecakes has hit Brisbane, too. Find Joe's Deli at Shop 7, 123 Albert Street, Brisbane CBD — open from 11am–9pm daily.
Norths Leagues Club is a classic spot to catch up with friends and family at any time of day. In the main restaurant – The Precinct – you'll find a menu divided into four distinct sections: Italian, The Grill, Asian and Smokehouse. Fresh, seasonal produce is a common factor across all the meals, which include pub classics and more. In the recently renovated cafe, The Avenue, all-day offerings are brought to the table. On weekends, a breakfast offer for $10.90 is served from 9–10am and includes menu favourites like eggs on toast, a classic bacon and egg roll or honey and cinnamon granola with yoghurt and fresh fruit. At lunch, the chicken karaage slider or Moroccan chicken salad are fan favourites for lighter options. And there's a late-night menu that features a Turkish lamb wrap, teriyaki pork rice bowl, honey chicken and crunchy chips served from 9pm until close for the night owls. Located in Kallangur on Brisbane's north, the space was originally known as Pine Rivers RSL. Following a rebrand in 2001, the community has maintained a strong connection to the RSL and is currently the main sponsor and sister club to Norths Devils Leagues Club.
Come October, the $20 notes you'll be stuffing in your wallet will look a little different — a new design for the lobster has just been release, and it's hitting tills around the country in just eight months. Australia's banknotes have been getting a makeover since September 2016, when a different $5 note started doing the rounds. It was followed by a revamped $10 in 2017, then $50 in 2018 — and now a sparkling fresh $20, which will hit the streets in October 2019. The upgraded design will celebrate Mary Reibey, an Australian convict-turned-merchant, shipowner and philanthropist, as well as John Flynn, the founder of what is now known as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. They're both recognised in several ways on the new notes, with not only their portraits displayed prominently, but with images one of Reibey's Port Jackson schooners and Flynn's aircraft leaving a Broken Hill homestead, as well as microprint featuring an excerpt from Flynn's book The Bushman's Companion. As well as changed artwork (albeit keeping the same colour scheme and same celebrated Australians as old notes), the new $20 boasts the same improved security features as the new $5, $10 and $50 notes, which are largely aimed to stop counterfeiting. A clear window running from top to bottom is the most obvious, and contains a number of features such as a reversing number and flying kookaburra. And, in great news for the vision-impaired, the new series of legal tender has a tactile feature to help distinguish between different denominations. As happened with the other denominations, the rollout will happen gradually, as will the withdrawal of old $20s — which you can obviously still keep using. And as for the final Aussie banknote yet to receive a revamp, the new $100 is due to be released in 2020.
In 2019, the Great Barrier Reef gained a new addition, as well as a new way to enjoy its natural underwater delights. When the Museum of Underwater Art installed its first artworks in December, it became the southern hemisphere's first attraction of its type — and yet another reason for everyone to add visiting Australia's tropics to their travel bucket list. Two artworks were put in place at the time. The first, Ocean Siren, is located 30 metres offshore from The Strand jetty at Townsville and actually towers above the water; however, it interacts with live water temperature data from the Davies Reef weather station, then changes colour in response to variations as they happen. The second Coral Greenhouse, definitely lurks below the sea. And, until now, that meant that visiting it was a bit of a problem. As part of an official launch of the Museum of Underwater Art's first phase, folks can now take a tour of Coral Greenhouse — with recreational divers and snorkelers able to access the work from Saturday, August 1. The tours are being run by Adrenalin Dive Townsville and Pro Dive Magnetic Island, who'll help you see and swim through this striking sculpture. Down the track, SeaLink Queensland, Yongala Dive Burdekin and Orpheus Island Resort will be able to take you for a splash, too. [caption id="attachment_778364" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Curnock[/caption] And it is striking. Coral Greenhouse sits 18 metres below the waterline on the John Brewer Reef off Townsville, measures 12 metres in height and weighs around 58 tonnes. It's made out of stainless steel, neutral marine grade cement and zinc anodes, and it does indeed look like a greenhouse. In fact, it's an underwater building. It's also filled with more than 20 sculptures, many resembling local school children — and has been made to both stand up to wave pressures and cyclones, and remain visible to divers and snorkelers. Most importantly, it isn't just a greenhouse in name, with the piece featuring coral garden beds. With that in mind, Coral Greenhouse is also designed to "offer opportunities for scientists, marine students and tourists to engage in action-based learning and to conduct globally important research on coral reef restoration and new technology," marine sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor notes. The creator of the Museum of Underwater Art, he sees this particular work as "an interface into our underwater world" and a way "to tell stories of the Great Barrier Reef, and for people to understand what a fragile, beautiful and sacred space it really is". [caption id="attachment_778365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matt Curnock[/caption] In total, four pieces are planned for the Museum as part of its aim to highlight reef conservation, restoration and education — with two more sculptures set for Palm Island and Magnetic Island in the future. Palm Island's forthcoming installation will connect the spot's the cultural story to the land and sea, according to the MOUA's website, and is expected to be in place by the July 2021. As for the Magnetic Island artwork, it's working towards a December 2021 unveiling. Of course, while the first tours of the underwater museum have officially kicked off, not everyone can get into Queensland. The Sunshine State has, at writing, closed its borders to all of Victoria and greater Sydney. Find the Museum of Underwater Art off the shore of Townsville, Queensland. For more information, visit the museum's website. To book a tour, head to the Adrenalin Dive or Pro Dive Magnetic websites. Images: Matt Curnock
Sydney, it's your time to play the most entertaining game of "what if?" there is, especially if you love classic tales, pop songs and sensational musicals. Whether you studied it in high school or just obsessed over Baz Luhrmann's glorious 90s movie, everyone knows how Romeo and Juliet ends — and it doesn't conclude happily for either of its eponymous star-crossed lovers. But what if it didn't wrap up that way? What if Juliet lived to love again? And what if her experiences from there, after thwarting theatre's greatest tragedy, involved a whole heap of earworm tunes from the last couple of decades? The answer to how all of that might turn out already exists, all thanks to Olivier Award-winning jukebox musical & Juliet. A hit in London's West End since 2019, it remixes the iconic love story in multiple ways — tinkering with its narrative and throwing in all that toe-tapping music. And, it's coming to the Harbour City in 2024. The acclaimed show arrived in Melbourne in February 2023, with Australia only its second stop outside of the UK following Toronto. Now, it's taking its Shakespeare-meets-pop spectacle to more Aussie locations, locking in a run at Sydney Lyric Theatre from Tuesday, February 27–Sunday, June 2, 2024. A Perth run at Crown Theatre has also been confirmed from Saturday, December 30, 2023–Thursday, February 8, 2024 — Brisbanites, cross your fingers that the River City also gets a spin. If you're now thinking "wherefore art thou?" about & Juliet's setup, it picks up after the ending we all know doesn't eventuate. And, it muses on what might happen if Juliet could choose her own fate instead. That scenario involves Anne Hathaway — no, not that one — and her husband William Shakespeare, and features songs by Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Robyn, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Kelly Clarkson and more. Tunes that get a spin: 'Larger Than Life', 'I Want It That Way', '... Baby One More Time', 'Show Me Love', 'Oops!... I Did It Again', 'As Long As You Love Me', 'Stronger', 'I Kissed a Girl', 'Since U Been Gone', 'It's My Life', 'It's Gonna Be Me' and a whole heap of others. The common factor between them all is Swedish songwriter Max Martin, who penned or co-penned every track on the musical's soundtrack. As well as Martin's involvement — including as one of & Juliet's co-creators — the musical features a book by the Emmy-winning Schitt's Creek writer and The Big Door Prize creator David West Read. And if you're wondering about the show's shiny Olivier Awards, it was nominated for nine for its West End debut season, and nabbed three: for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical. Down Under, Lorinda May Merrypor plays Juliet, while Rob Mills is Shakespeare, Amy Lehpamer steps into Anne's shoes and Blake Appelqvist gets his Romeo on. Also in the cast: Casey Donovan, Hayden Tee, Jesse Dutlow, Yashith Fernando, Georgia Anderson, Jade Delmiguez, James Elmer, Riley Gill, Jerome Javier, Giorgia Kennedy, Jordan Koulos and more. "If there were ever a show and a city that were made for each other it is Sydney and & Juliet, and I am thrilled we are finally bringing them together. This show that celebrates joy, love, diversity and taking chances are the same things that inspire and drive the people of Sydney and we can't wait to share it with them," said producer Michael Cassel, announcing the Sydney season. "& Juliet was such a hit in Melbourne that it completely sold out — I just know Sydney will embrace the show with spectacular enthusiasm." Check out the trailer for & Juliet below: & Juliet will play Sydney Lyric Theatre from Tuesday, February 27–Sunday, June 2, 2024, which includes preview performances from Tuesday, February 27–Wednesday, March 6 with tickets for $79. For more information or to sign up for the ticket waitlist — before tickets go on sale in September, with pre-sales from Monday, September 25 and general sales from Friday, September 29 — head to the musical's website. & Juliet will play Crown Theatre, Perth, from Saturday, December 30, 2023–Thursday, February 8, 2024 — with pre-sales from Monday, August 28 and general sales from Thursday, August 31. Images: Daniel Boud.
Whatever else the past couple of years have served up, it has been an impressive time for folks who like staring up at the sky. 2016 ended with a huge supermoon that had everyone looking to the heavens, then 2018 began with an extremely rare super blue blood moon (a supermoon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse all at once). Next, at the end of July, an epic lunar eclipse will mark the next notable celestial happening. WHAT IS IT? On Saturday, July 28, earth will bear witness to the longest lunar eclipse of this century — with the penumbral eclipse lasting just shy of four hours (236 minutes, to be exact) and the total lunar eclipse spanning 103 minutes. If you're wondering what the difference is between the two (because we're all more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, aren't we?), a penumbral eclipse is when the earth's outer shadow falls on the moon's surface, while a total lunar eclipse involves the moon passing directly into the earth's actual shadow. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT? As well as offering a great excuse to go stargazing, the 103-minute total eclipse pips the 100-minute event that took place on June 15, 2011 — although it falls just short of the 108-minute event on July 16, 2000. That said, eclipses that last this long are rare. When the super blue blood moon came around earlier in 2018, its full eclipse only lasted 72 minutes. In fact, if you miss it, you'll need to wait until 2029 for a 102-minute total lunar eclipse, with others lasting the same duration expected in 2047 and 2094. Nothing that reaches 103 minutes will in length will occur again this century — and no total lunar eclipses of any length will be visible from Australia again until May 2021. During the main event, the moon will also turn a blood-red shade thanks to sunlight that's filtered and refracted by the earth's atmosphere. So as well as a total lunar eclipse and a full moon, it'll be a blood moon as well. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? Australians will be able to spy the penumbral eclipse from 3.14am local time and the partial eclipse from 4.24am, before the full thing at 5.30am. If you're not able to tear yourself out of bed that early on a winter weekend morning, the maximum eclipse will occur at 6.21am. We won't be able to see the end of it, however, as the moon will be below the horizon when the full, partial and penumbral eclipses end (at 7.13am, 8.19am and 9.28am local time, respectively). For the full details, timeanddate.com has put together a handy to-the-minute schedule of when the eclipse will be happening in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. [caption id="attachment_678443" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Sydney total lunar eclipse times via timeanddate.com[/caption] Have your cameras at the ready, obviously — and see if you can outdo the previous big batches of supermoon snaps and super blue blood moon pics. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? Being in the southern hemisphere, we get some of the best views in the world — weather permitting, of course. Everyone in Australia should be able to catch a glimpse, but, even so, if you're living in the city, it would be best to as far away from light pollution as you can. Unsurprisingly, possible showers are predicted for the day in Sydney and Melbourne, which could have an impact upon visibility; however Brisbane is supposed to be mostly sunny. For Sydneysiders looking for a specific stargazing (or moon-viewing) spot, Sydney Observatory will be open from 5am. If you can't get a clear view, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live-streaming what they're calling 'The Night of the Red Moon and the Red Planet' – because Mars will also be visible in the sky — from the skyline above Rome from 4.30am AEST. Via Space.com and timeanddate.com.
The 21st-century has not been kind to the vampire. Between Stephenie Meyer's sparkling high schoolers, the leather-clad killers of the Underworld series and whatever the hell those things in I Am Legend were meant to be, the once noble creatures of the night have been reduced by pop-culture to cringeworthy caricatures. Bela Lugosi must be turning in his grave. Enter Jim Jarmusch, director of Dead Man, Ghost Dog and Broken Flowers, to name just a few. One of the enduring figures of the American indie film movement, Jarmusch has made a career out of minimally plotted, post-modern genre subversions, and his latest work is no exception. Mixing traditional vampire mythology with the director's distinctively aloof brand of cool, Only Lovers Left Alive is a handsome, compelling, meditative take on the lives of the eternal undead. An appropriately gaunt and pasty Tom Hiddleston plays Adam, a centuries-old bloodsucker living on the outskirts of Detroit. A reclusive figure, Adam's only human contacts are a crooked hospital doctor (Jeffrey Wright) who provides him with fresh batches of O-negative, and a wide-eyed rock 'n' roll fan (Anton Yelchin) from whom the vampire buys vintage guitars. Aside from his music, the one thing Adam cares about is his wife, Eve (Tilda Swinton), with whom he is reunited not long after the movie begins. For a while, the immortal lovers live in peace, but their solitary existence is shattered by the arrival of Eve's impulsive younger sister (Mia Wasikowska). Read our full review of Only Lovers Left Alive here. Only Lovers Left Alive is in cinemas on Thursday, April 17, and thanks to Madman, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=ycOKvWrwYFo
What's better than one major Australian structure proudly displaying the Aboriginal flag, hoisting it high for everyone to see on a permanent basis? Two, of course. And what would top that? Three, obviously. Actually, watching that list keep on growing would be even better still — but for now, a new petition is calling for Brisbane's Story Bridge to join the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Melbourne's West Gate Bridge in making the Aboriginal flag an enduring fixture. The e-petition was launched on Wednesday, September 7 by Brisbane City Councillor Kara Cook, who represents the Morningside Ward — and at the time of writing on Thursday, September 8, it has passed 800 signatures. It doesn't only request that the Aboriginal flag take a berth atop the CBD structure spanning from Kangaroo Point over the Fortitude Valley, but also the Torres Strait Islander flag as well. In the online document, Cook notes that "only the Australian flag and Queensland flag currently fly on the Story Bridge", with her petition calling "for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be proudly displayed on the bridge" permanently. Cook raised a motion with Council this week, asking Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner to make the move; however, he declined, saying that the idea was simply stolen from New South Wales — and that the millions it would cost should be used elsewhere. [caption id="attachment_840573" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oliver Lupton via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] The request to add both flags to the top of the Story Bridge comes mere months after the NSW Government installed the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge — following a five-year-long campaign by Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka to get that outcome — and after the Victorian Government quickly did the same with the West Gate Bridge. Also in Aboriginal flag news this year, the Australian Government unveiled a copyright deal at the end of January with Luritja artist Harold Thomas, who designed the symbol, to make it freely available for public use. For more information about the Brisbane petition to fly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags atop the Story Bridge, head to the Brisbane City Council website. Top image: Colin Campbell via Flickr.
Fancy staying in a room that takes inspiration from Pinot or Grigio wines? Or one that looks like a French log cabin? How about bunkering down in a space that a spy might book for the night? Or a nautical-themed abode? Maybe you'd like a room styled after Tavi Gevinson? The list really does go on. Plus, more than that, do you fancy picking from 39 unique rooms yourself? That's the concept at Sydney's newest hotel, The Collectionist. Yes, the Camperdown place is so keen on the whole 'choose-your-own-adventure' idea that it lets guests select their own rooms upon check-in. Billed as the city's "first authentic custom designed hotel", The Collectionist pushes the concept of individualised patron experiences to a whole new level, letting them nab a favourite from the assortment of designer suites on offer. Here, instead of being allocated a random suite, guests at The Collectionist will suss out the available rooms at check-in and choose exactly where they want to spend their stay. Access codes are sent via email and SMS, in another change to the standard process — and from 4–8pm, the hotel hosts welcome drinks for all patrons. Now open in a former warehouse space, the rooms are the product of seven designers from four design studios, plus 13 artists, who spent teamed up to create the unique spaces. It's a concept Collectic Hotels co-founder Daniel Symonds likens to browsing works of art, and no two two rooms are the same, with each boasting its own unique colours, textures and style. It's a great idea if you're in the mood to choose, but probably less than ideal when you're crashing hard after a long-haul flight. Or if all the rooms have already been taken by people who arrived earlier than you. Unsurprisingly, The Collectionist has also done away with the usual room number caper, in favour of eclectic names like the Queenie Fah Fah, Cloud Runner and La Chamber Noir. Just don't expect them all to be your cup of tea. "I would be surprised — and a little disappointed, to be honest — if there weren't some divided opinions on the rooms designs," said Symonds. "We have purposely set about creating rooms that will challenge the 'norms' on hotel room design." The Collectionist Hotel is now open at 9–13 Marsden Street, Camperdown. Visit the hotel website for bookings and further details.
This is about pride. It's about the cinematic experience and it's about discovery. The Brisbane Queer Film Festival is in its 13th year and shows no sign of stopping. Like any film festival, it has something for everyone, but unlike most it encourages the acceptance of sexual diversity in modern culture. The event helps to bring documentaries, shorts, and feature films from all over the world into one festival to encourage people to be who they are and to embrace the liberation this type of festival brings to the greater community. French porn stars, Swedish politicians, American rock stars and Israeli pranksters are all on the big screen at Brisbane Queer Film Festival 2012, where multi-award winning international and local films explore queer life around the world. The opening night party is set to go off, however we all know what we will be there to see - the array of films on offer. There's drama, comedy, thriller, documentaries and shorts, all exploring the daily life and issues of queer society. To celebrate diversity and one of Brisbane's keys to equality in this great land, we have tickets to the opening night party featuring Leave it on the Floor, a raucous and fun movie exploring the LA Ball scene. Email sarah@concreteplayground.com.au for a chance at the free tickets!
If you live, work or study right in the heart of Brisbane's CBD, getting active probably involves hitting the gym, heading for a stroll or run by the river, moseying over to South Bank or enjoying the city's free exercise classes. Fancy breaking up your day with a lunchtime game of basketball? Ending the nine-to-five grind with a nostalgic stint of handball? Giving pickleball a try in your spare time? You'll soon be able to — and for free — thanks to a new addition to the Turbot Street Underpass. That patch of pavement is about to become home to the Brisbane CBD's first-ever sports court — a free facility that'll be open to everyone. The site will be fenced in, in the shade and, thanks to its location, a mere one-minute walk from King George Square — and obviously just a stone's thrown from Roma Street Parkland as well. While basketball, handball and pickleball instantly spring to mind, the new addition to the corner of Turbot and Roma streets — taking over a space that's been used for parking over the years — will be a multi-court space for a number of ball sports. When you need a rest, or if you're just keen to watch on, there'll be bleacher-style seating. The site is being landscaped, too, and surrounded with outdoor artworks. And, for quenching your thirst after working up a sweat, there'll be a drinking fountain. "Through creative planning, we're transforming a pretty ordinary-looking space underneath a road overpass into a fantastic sports court," said Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, announcing the court. "If successful, this model of using planning outcomes to transform nearby underutilised and unattractive spaces into urban sports courts or other kinds of public spaces could be used at other locations across Brisbane." Brisbane City Council has approved the court as an extension to Mirvac's Heritage Lanes precinct at 80 Ann Street, which features 35 levels of office space, plus cafes and eateries on the ground level. [caption id="attachment_896718" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The new sports court at the Turbot Street underpass is due to open by the end of 2023 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
In the two decades that Gelato Messina has been in dessert business, more than 4000 special flavours have made their way through the chain's gelato cabinets around the country. Each year, it releases 260 specials, in fact. Yes, that's a lot of frosty and creamy scoops. To celebrate some of these oldies but goodies, the chain brings a selection of these flavours back every now and then — and, sometimes, it busts out its entire top 40 greatest hits. That's happening again this winter, based on the past year's top flavours, so you'd best make room in your freezer. Lucky Sydneysiders, Melburnians and Brisbanites will be able to treat themselves to a treasure trove of limited-edition gelato varieties. While, in the past, the greatest hits specials have been a buy-in-shop-only deal, the chain went with preordered tubs in 2020 — so no one had to worry about long queues and empty cabinets — and it's doing the same thing again in 2023. Gelato fiends can preorder 500-millilitre tubs of the 40 flavours from Monday, July 10. You'll then need to pick them up from Sydney's Marrickville, Tramsheds, Bondi, Darlinghurst, Norwest, Brighton Le Sands stores; Fitzroy and East Brunswick in Melbourne; South Brisbane in Brisbane; and Braddon in Canberra — all between Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23. Individual tubs are filled with just one flavour and will set you back $19, or you can get three for $54, five for $75, ten for $140 or — if you have the freezer space — 20 for $250. Wondering which flavours are available? Messina has dropped the full list of faves making a comeback — and it's stacked with deliciousness (just like your freezer will be). Fairy Bread (toast and butter gelato with 100s & 1000s) and Robert Blondie Jnr (white chocolate gelato, blondie and white chocolate fudge sauce) will all return in tub form. So will Balls Deep (chocolate gelato with chocolate mud cake and salted caramel fudge) and You Cannoli Live Twice (chocolate crème patisserie gelato with chocolate hazelnut fudge, candied hazelnuts, and crushed cannoli shells), too. Love Messina's takes on other beloved desserts? The Malteaser, Eton Mess, Baked Mango Cheesecake, Have a Gay Old Time, Pavlova, Red Velvet — those Messina flavours are all on the list as well. Good luck trying to choose just one, or even a mere few. Gelato Messina's Greatest Hits will be available to preorder on Monday, July 10 with pick up between Friday, July 21–Sunday, July 23 from Sydney's Marrickville, Tramsheds, Bondi, Darlinghurst, Norwest, Brighton Le Sands stores (orders from 12.15pm); Fitzroy and East Brunswick in Melbourne; South Brisbane in Brisbane; and Braddon in Canberra (orders from 12pm).
Recognised nationwide, the Marie Ellis OAM Prize for Drawing is a significant event on the Brisbane arts calendar. Hundreds of entries are submitted for consideration, showcasing the amount of depth and imagination within our artistic community. Now in its fifth year, the prize exhibition will be one of the best yet. Marie Corella Ellis OAM was an important figure in the creation of Jugglers Art Space (one of Brisbane’s most loved arts hubs), as she resided in the Brunswick Street address, where Jugglers is now situated, for more than 60 years. The 2014 exhibition is directed by Holly Riding (founder of Nancy Zine) and Peter Breen, and will run until the 18th of August. The opening night festivities will include the announcement of the winner and a vote for the People’s Choice Award. This is an important night for many, and everyone is encouraged to attend to support all the selected artists and to witness Brisbane art history in the making. The exhibited artists are as follows: Jeremy Eden, Greer Townshend, David McLeod, Sean Hutton, Anna Bishop, Geoffrey Vagg, Luke Brook, Caity Reynolds, Jude Roberts, Aaron Butt, Lauren Edmonds, Cherie Durant, Bernadette Buscacci, Noel Miller, Tim Fitzpatrick, Birgit Jordan, Erin Kennedy, Tracey Choyce, Kathryn McGovern, Zoe Porter, Xiao Deng, Michelle Roberts, Mattaas Jakku, Lily Halton, Craig McKenzie.
The shock of unkempt hair, the Irish brogue, the misanthropic attitude: there's no mistaking Dylan Moran for anyone else. It was true in beloved British sitcom Black Books, when his on-screen alter ego abhorred mornings, ate coasters and claimed that his oven could cook anything (even belts). And it's definitely true of the comedian's acerbically hilarious live shows. Moran is no stranger to Australia, but if you haven't guffawed at his bleak wit live, he's coming back to Brisbane — to the QPAC Concert Hall, in fact — in 2023 to give you another chance. As always, expect the kind of deadpan gags, wine-soaked insights and blisteringly sharp one-liners that've kept him in the spotlight since 1996, when he became the youngest-ever winner of the Edinburgh Fringe's Perrier Award. On Thursday, May 4–Saturday, May 6, Moran will roll out his latest show We Got This, bringing his grumpily lyrical musings on love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life to the River City. This marks his first full standup show since 2019's Dr Cosmos, which also came our way — and was available to stream earlier in the pandemic, too. Given this tour's title, it's hardly surprising that Moran will be reflecting upon these chaotic times. That might sound like a standard comedy gig these days, but nothing about Moran's comedy is ever standard.
If you're a dedicated cheese fiend who eats, breathes and adores all things dairy, then you don't need an excuse to add it to any occasion. Of course, you'll always appreciate all the help you can get. Taking a Sunday staple, swapping out baked goods for cheese and adding plenty of wine — yes, that fits. Every Sunday from 11am–3pm, Salt Meats Cheese at South Bank is serving up High Cheese. You'll find both savoury and sweet morsels on the menu, all boasting the common ingredient. That's just one of the great things about cheese: it tastes amazing slathered over crackers, and just as great when its part of a cheesecake. [caption id="attachment_758018" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Salt Meats Cheese[/caption] The feast itself will set you back $39 per person; however if you'd like to add some booze, that'll cost extra. For $19 each, you'll sip your way through two glasses of vino — and for $39 on top of your High Cheese fee, you'll swill free-flowing wine for two hours. Updated January 17.
Stepping inside Cloudland is like stepping inside nowhere else in Brisbane. There's no forgetting the feeling of indulgence that comes with visiting the Fortitude Valley mainstay, a vibe that flavours both its look and its lineup of events. That sensation is still on the menu on Ann Street, as it has been for 15 years now; however, a big change has transformed the venue's ground floor, turning the space into new restaurant Cloudland Garden. Consider this a blend of the beloved and the fresh, then — a fitting approach for a site that takes its name from a piece of Brisbane history, aka the dance hall that stood in Bowen Hills from the 1940s through to 1982. Hospitality outfit Katarzyna Group, which is also behind Valley Hops Brewing upstairs plus fellow Valley spots Empire Hotel and Press Club, has kept much of the interior design and artwork in place. That said, new seating and tables now await, plus a remodelled kitchen. And, of course, the lower level has gone all in on operating as an eatery, serving up a Mediterranean-influenced menu that heroes cooking by fire. The aesthetic remains decadent, complete with bespoke hardwood tables that feature solid marble insets, booths, wrought iron appearing heavily (including in pods) and being able to see into where the culinary magic is happening. While hanging out in such luxe surroundings, patrons can expect a lively time mood-wise. Share-style eats may be the focus, but Cloudland Garden hasn't skimped on its cocktail game, with 15 options on offer across both boozy and non-alcoholic tipples. If you're the kind of diner who starts with a drink, you can choose between sips that champion seasonal ingredients, as the food spread does. Go with the Agave Heat Wave for tequila, mezcal lime, jalapeño, coconut water and tajin rim, for instance — or with the Mango Gin Basil Smash for a mix of gin, lemon, mango and basil. The wine list has also experienced a revamp, spanning sparkling, champagne, rosé including sparkling champagne varieties, white, skin contact, red and dessert picks. Valley Hops unsurprisingly supplies the bulk of the beers on tap, but there are bottled brews as well. With Head Chef Alec Kapitz and Executive Chef Andrew Musk leading the charge, patrons have a feast of dishes cooked on an Argentinian parrilla charcoal grill to choose from, such as the wagyu ribeye. Or, the Fremantle octopus gets the woodfired treatment, as paired with smoked labneh and chickpeas. Butterflied spatchcock with chermoula and sorrel pops up among the other highlights, as do seared wagyu beef skewers, kingfish tartare, pan-seared scallops and lion's mane mushroom. And for dessert: malted crème brûlée with orange and pistachio biscotti, Basque cheesecake, charred pineapple with spiced rum and granita — plus coconut ice cream — and a cheese plate. "We want to share the great produce we have available locally, and regionally here in Australia, taking a 'less is more' approach, adding the minimal required to show off each dish and hero the ingredients," said Musk. "It's a charming and traditional approach to cooking, especially with seafood. It emphasises getting back to basics and exploring what can be achieved with a particular product or ingredient when it's exposed to a burst of flavour from the charcoal grill or wood oven," added Kapitz. Find Cloudland Garden Restaurant on the ground floor at 641 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley — open 5–11pm Wednesday, 5pm–1am Thursday, 12pm–1am Friday and 12pm–2am Saturday. Visit the Cloudland website for more details.
