Press on James St may be small but it sure packs a punch. A vibrant pink pitaya bowl punch to be precise. With management recently changing hands, Bulimba locals will be sure to recognise the health-conscious style of the new owners — the same duo behind Coco Bliss Superfood Bar. Dig into Press' signature pitaya bowl or a cup of chia seed pudding, then wash it down with a Genovese flat white made with Barambah Organics milk. Be sure to pick up a choc peanut butter cup for the road — before you cry “sacrilege!” know that these babies are completely raw, vegan, dairy free, gluten free and refined sugar free but 100% delicious.
The 2013 brisbanetimes.com.au Good Food Guide, celebrating Queensland’s best food and wine, was released yesterday following Monday night’s much-anticipated launch and awards ceremony. Brisbane foodies waited with bated breath as their favourite restaurants were judged in categories including Restaurant of the Year, Wine List of the Year and Diners’ Choice. The competitive field featured 50 newcomers, including locals Alfred & Constance, Gerard’s Bistro, Pony Dining and Riverbar & Kitchen. Gerard’s Bistro took home the Best New Restaurant award in the end, impressing with its casual elegance and Middle Eastern-inspired menu. Other notable winners were Esquire, taking out Restaurant of the Year; Chef of the Year Alejandro Cancino (Urbane); Cabiria for Best Bar with Food; and BYO Restaurant of the Year Rhubarb Rhubarb. The nationally recognised chef’s hat rating system was used to reward 45 restaurants with one or more hats, but also caused a few upsets with Brisbane’s 1889 Enoteca, Alchemy, Cinco Bistro, Era Bistro, and Reserve each losing their one-hat status. Overall, though, the feeling coming out of the awards night was one of positivity. Good Food Guide editor Natascha Mirosch said, “From our very best hatted restaurants to our cheerful casuals, Brisbane is one of the most exciting places to eat and drink in the country right now.” Mirosch also noted marked trends towards smart casual dining, share plates, and artisan wine and beer offerings. Three Hats Esquire Located riverfront in Brisbane's CBD, this degustation menu changes daily and is filled with innovative and exciting meals created by Executive Chef Ryan Squires. Two Hats Aria Matt Moran and Peter Sullivan's Aria has been a popular fine dining fixture in Brisbane known for its fresh and contemporary food and exquisite wine list to match. Ortiga Ortiga has a Spanish flair that has people coming back time and time again for their incredible tapas, share plates and first-class service. Stokehouse For fine dining on the riverfront, Stokehouse is in a superb location at South Bank with a relaxed vibe and a beautiful contemporary Australian menu. Urbane The seasonal menus bring together fresh produce and molecular gastronomy in flavour combinations sure to surprise and delight. One Hat Bistro One Eleven Bistro One Eleven has beautiful, simple food as is Philip Johnson’s style. The restaurant has a relaxed but elegant atmosphere and is the perfect place for corporate diners to enjoy a very well executed lunch or dinner. Brents the Dining Experience Located in Toowong, Brents is the best suburban French food you can find, with a romantic setting, wonderful food and award-winning service. E'cco Bistro At E’cco you are met with the ultimate dining experience: charismatic and welcoming staff, warm and inviting décor, and faultlessly delicious meals. The Euro Conceived to offer a more relaxed dining experience than its older sister Urbane, the Euro has a brilliant mediterranean-inspired menu with an Australian twist. Gerard's Bistro Gerard's is a restaurant and bar specialising in mezze-style meals with a retro yet exotic space to enjoy. Il Centro A Brisbane icon, Il Centro is known for their signature sand crab lasagne dish and also the award-winning service of restaurant manager Zahir Meher-Homji. Malt Dining An intimate venue in the heart of the CBD, with flavour rich dishes and rustic charm. Montrachet Paddington's favourite French experience is here, with a breathtaking list of French wines and heartwarming and classic dishes. Prive 249 Located at the Sofitel, Prive 249 offers a French-Australian inspired menu in a romantic setting. Public Public has made a huge and incredibly positive impression on Brisbane residents in the last year. Their inventive and flawless menu has diners returning to try their favourite dishes over and over. Restaurant Two David Pugh's long-running restaurant is renowned for their focus on local Queensland produce created into inventive and exciting dishes. Sake For a wonderful all-round experience, Sake serves exceptional Japanese food and offers some of the most delicious and unique cocktails you will taste - think sake! Tank A popular place to dine on the law and order side of town with a focus on local Queensland produce, most popular for a long lunch. Tartufo This classic Italian establishment, is a standout in the popular Emporium complex. Dishes are simple yet stylish and are more than adequate representations of what a typical Italian family would feast on. Vintaged If you want old world hotel charm then Vintaged is the place to go. Channel your inner Donald Draper and pick yourself a delicious slab of meat accompanied by an Old Fashioned.
This April, Broadbeach on the Gold Coast will play host to a fun new addition in Arboria — a huge, blow-up sculpture featuring a walk-through labyrinth of winding tunnels and lofty domes. On exhibition at Kurrawa Park from April 5 to 15 as part of southeast Queensland's new arts festival running alongside the Commonwealth Games, the inflatable structure takes its inspiration from the forest. Incorporating tree-like spaces, stylised leaf patterns and a soundscape from Ecuador's Mindo cloud forest, it creates an immersive, multi-sensory experience for visitors young and old. A maze of pods and domes leads to a stunning central space, where massive columns and soaring Gothic-style windows mirror those of Chapter House at the UK's York Minster cathedral. It's the work of world-renowned group Architects of Air, who've created and exhibited a whole series of these 'luminaria' structures across the globe. Arboria took over Melbourne's Federation Square in January, even delaying its opening due to the city's heatwave. When it comes to the Gold Coast, it won't just bring a wondrous maze to the beachside — it'll do so for free. Arboria will be open from 9am–5pm daily between April 5 and 15. Entry is free, and visit the Commonwealth Games website for further details. Image: Jesus Fernandez via Architects of Air.
Shen Yun presents traditional Chinese culture as it is intended to be—a brilliant blend of beauty, energy and grace. The world’s top classical Chinese dancers, original live music by the Shen Yun Orchestra, animated backdrops and exquisite costumes all work together to take you on a journey to an enchanted realm. See ancient legends of virtue brought to life alongside modern tales of courage. Hear soaring songs by masterful vocalists that will move and inspire. Experience a sense of beauty and enchantment like no other with this unique, thrilling, and unforgettable show for all ages. “It was an extraordinary experience for us and the children... the level of skill, but also the power of the narratives were startling.” – Cate Blanchett
Food fans, rejoice. One of the most anticipated food festivals in Queensland is back this year — Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival. And, to make up for last year's cancellation, it's set to be even bigger and better than previous years. The event will take place from Friday, August 19 till Sunday, August 21 at Apex Park in Woody Point as part of the wider Tastes of Moreton Bay Feastival event. Shining a spotlight on farmers, local producers and the freshest seafood, the event will highlight the abundance of local produce in the Brisbane and Moreton Bay areas. You can expect a line-up of talented chefs and big-name restaurants from throughout the region who'll be doing live cooking demonstrations at the festival. Plus, there'll be live music to enjoy as you gaze over the glorious bay with a local wine in-hand — bliss. Keen to head along? The full program and tickets are now available. For more information and to book your tickets to enter the festival precinct, visit the website.
When Bong Joon-ho makes a new movie, the world takes notice. It has never paid quite as much attention as it has to Parasite, though. Since premiering at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, the twisty Korean thriller has picked up the Palme d'Or, the Sydney Film Festival Prize, a Golden Globe, plenty more awards and nominations, rave reviews and an enormous cult following. And rightly so. It's best movie of the past year — a call we don't make lightly. It seems that no one can get enough of this dark and devious film, its class war between rich and struggling families, and the scathing mayhem that follows. Case in point: more than six months after the film first released in Australian cinemas, it's still showing on big screens around the country. And in the near future, Parasite will be flickering across small screens, too — not just via DVD or streaming, but adapted into a new limited TV series for HBO. As revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, the US network is set to join forces with Bong to turn Parasite into a television show, winning the rights over Netflix. Bong will adapt and executive produce alongside Adam McKay — the director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, its sequel and a heap of other Will Ferrell-starring comedies, who then made the jump to more political and topical fare with The Big Short, Vice and TV's Golden Globe-winning Succession. The final deal on HBO's iteration of Parasite hasn't been done as yet, so there's no word on whether it'll be an English-language remake or a Korean-language follow-up to the film. Casting and timing haven't been revealed either. Parasite marks the second of Bong's stellar flicks to earn a small-screen version, with an American TV show-based Snowpiercer due to hit screens this year — although Bong himself isn't involved with that adaptation. Need a reminder of Parasite's greatness? Check out the film's trailer below or go see it in cinemas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEUXfv87Wpk Via The Hollywood Reporter.
In winter 2024, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is hosting a sales event of most peculiar stock. Strange things they are, full of pages, rampant with words and with covers of the most beautiful colours. You can't charge them, they don't run out of battery, their brightness is unalterable, and they won't smash when you drop them. Lifeline Bookfest is coming back for another round of vintage bargains between Saturday, June 29–Sunday, July 7. It's where you'll find everything from Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks to a bit of cheeky erotica, as well as games, DVDs and puzzles. If you've been before, you'll know there are warehouse quantities of books for sale – your grade five diary is probably hidden under a copy of Shantaram, and you'll come across at least three copies of Cooking with Days of Our Lives. In fact, over this four-day run, more than one million items will be up for grabs. As debuted last year, this round will also feature more than 10,000 comics, manga and graphic novels. Prices range from $2.50 to the big bucks, and you'll have plenty to choose from. Whenever Bookfest hits Brisbane, it always brings hundreds of crates of reading materials with it. You'll still want to bring a trolley and your glasses, obviously, and to clear some space on your shelves at home. And, you'll want to bring your cards, because this Bookfest is cashless. Also, you'll need your own bags, as books won't be wrapped for you this time around. Images: Bookfest.
Holidays are all about getting out of town, forgetting your worries and exploring somewhere new. Well, usually. With so many luxe places to head to in our very own city, your next relaxing break needn't involve cutting into your precious annual leave or trying to get your bearings in an unfamiliar location. Instead, it's staycation time. Designer hotels have been popping up all around Australia with frequency over the past few years, and Brissie is leading the charge. Whether you fancy glorious river views, sky-high pools, vacationing like a rock star or indulging in a bit of old-school glam, there's a place for you. Your first post-lockdown escape awaits. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. While regional holidays within Queensland are now permitted, some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. [caption id="attachment_694714" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sean Fennessy[/caption] THE CALILE, FORTITUDE VALLEY Filled with designer stores, bustling bars and restaurants, and a veteran of the city's arthouse cinema scene, James Street has always radiated a holiday vibe. And the stretch of road that borders Fortitude Valley and New Farm has an excellent place to stay: The Calile. Opening late in 2018, the 175-room spot isn't the first hotel on the street, but it is the first to call itself a resort — and it takes that term seriously. A stunning pool takes centre stage, enticing you to splash the day away. When you're not in the water, cabanas and sun lounges will call your name, and there's an outdoor deck where you can nab something to eat. You can also enjoy a Greek feast at Hellenika restaurant, or hang out in the lobby bar. Back in your room, you'll find a focus on all things natural, including oak furniture, cork floors and sisal matting in the bathrooms, day beds for afternoon naps, linen robes and a minibar stocked from local suppliers. Find The Calile Hotel at 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley. Make a reservation here. EMPORIUM, SOUTH BANK Up until a few years ago, if you were looking for the Emporium, you'd need to head to Fortitude Valley. But, after a bout of musical chairs among the city's accommodation providers, the hotel can now be found at South Bank. The brand sold off one site and built another — and if it's killer views over the river that you're after, then the new location well and truly delivers. Don't worry, it delivers plenty more, too. The 21-storey structure includes 143 rooms all decked out in the expected luxurious fashion, including marble and bronze finishings, mirrored TVs and in-suite wine fridges — and beloved French joint Belle Époque has even made the move, too, setting up shop downstairs. That said, this place is all about the rooftop. If you're feeling flush, you can stay in a poolside cabana suite, which'll place you mere footsteps away from the hotel's top-level 23-metre infinity pool. And, you'll be as close as you possibly can be to The Terrace, Emporium's sky-high all-day bar and eatery. Find Emporium Hotel South Bank at 267 Grey Street, South Brisbane. Make a reservation here. OVOLO THE VALLEY, FORTITUDE VALLEY Back at the Fortitude Valley space formerly known as the Emporium, another hotelier has settled in. In late 2018, Hong Kong-based chain Ovolo made the place its own, giving the 103-room site a huge $55 million facelift — and just casually taking inspiration from David Bowie in decking out its two ultra-luxe suites. Of course, everything is glam at Ovolo the Valley. If you spend a night or several in one of the Rockstar suites, 1970s-esque velvet lounges and a gold bar await. Elsewhere, think rich hues, an overall design that finds its cues in the Valley's streets and laneways, and the eclectic furniture choices that Ovolo regulars have come to expect. The brand's usual inclusions are also on the menu, such as a free minibar with every room (including a lolly bag full of treats), free breakfast with every stay, free wifi, free laundry and free happy hour drinks each day. When you're not enjoying all of the above, head up — that's where you'll find the rooftop swimming pool, gym and sauna. Find Ovolo The Valley at 1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Make a reservation here. THE WESTIN, CBD Brisbanites can be excused for feeling a sigh of relief about The Westin. Now that it exists, the huge hole in the ground that blighted Mary and Margaret Streets for years and years is finally gone. And it's a case of good things coming to those who wait, with the hotel giving the city its very first swim-up bar. The kind of attraction that you'd usually find on an island, by the coast or just somewhere other than an inner city street, the Nautilus is located in the middle of Westin's 300-square-metre swimming pool — and features views over the city, too. Sounds like the only excuse we all need for a staycation in one of the hotel's 299 rooms and suites. Although cabanas, deckside yoga classes, an onsite jazz bar and a 150-person restaurant all help as well. Find The Westin Brisbane at 111 Mary Street, Brisbane. Make a reservation here. [caption id="attachment_702993" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Marriott International Hotel[/caption] W BRISBANE, CBD In 2018, the W Hotel chain made its return to Australia in a big way. Showing just how much of a designer hotel hotspot Brisbane has become, the brand opened its new digs smack bang in the middle of the city. If you're going to make a comeback, you may as well do it with a 312-room structure by the river along North Quay. It's the chain's only site in the country at present (though Sydney and Melbourne outposts are imminent). The views are a huge drawcard, obviously, but this spot has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve. When guests aren't chilling in the decadent pool, which immediately catches the eye with its geometric, black-and-white design, they can grab a beverage at the adjacent waterside bar or have a meal at Queensland's first Three Blue Ducks restaurant. Or, slipping back upstairs and into the ten-gallon drum baths in each room is also an option. And as a bonus, there's also in-suite cocktail stations, so prepare to get mixing and drinking. Find W Brisbane at 81 North Quay, Brisbane. Make a reservation here. OVOLO INCHCOLM, SPRING HILL Ovolo didn't just take over one existing Brisbane hotel and completely revamp it. Making sure its presence is felt in the city, it did just that to two. And, when it renovated and reimagined the nearly 100-year-old Inchcolm in Spring Hill, it unleashed a striking facelift that combines the old and the new. There's no doubting the site's heritage, which is clearly evident from its exterior, but the fresh interior decor goes retro in a raft of different ways. Sit on green velvet couches, sip martinis like you're in 20s-era Paris — and eat free Fantales. Order your drinks from a bar decked out with David Bowie- and Prince-themed crockery, tap your toes to 80s tracks like 'Footloose' and grab a bite from the menu. Up in your room, you'll find spacious suites filled with mod cons, including an Alexa to help you out. Plus, there's Ovolo's free minibar. Find Ovolo Inchcolm at 73 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill. Make a reservation here. THE JOHNSON, SPRING HILL It's been a couple of years since Art Series Hotels made its first foray into Brisbane, and its Spring Hill site lives up to the brand's concept. Every room in the 83-suite property nods to the space's namesake: Sydney-born abstract artist Michael Johnson, whose original paintings and prints grace The Johnson's walls. In a former life, the site was once home to the Department of Transport, although no trace of that bureaucratic past remains. This is a sleek, minimalistic abode that finds its style in the hefty array of art; however, the hotel's pared-back approach doesn't clash with its classy feel. Or with the resort-style 50-metre pool, deck bar and downstairs restaurant, or balcony views over one of the inner city's quietest, leafiest suburbs. Find The Johnson at 477 Boundary Street, Spring Hill. Make a reservation here. THE FANTAUZZO, BRISBANE If you love the idea of The Johnson, chances are this will pique your interest, too. The Fantauzzo is Brisbane's second Art Series Hotel and pays tribute to the world-renowned Australian painter and photographer Vincent Fantauzzo, who has won the Archibald People's Choice Award a whopping four times (among many other accolades). Built into the cliff bordering the CBD and Fortitude Valley, the $100 million site boasts one mighty fine view of the city and the Brisbane river, plus custom furniture, a dark-toned interior decor and six new original artworks by Fantauzzo — plus, 500 others. The pool, overlooking the river, is a definite highlight. But if you manage to tear yourself away from the water, you're super close to the excellent Howard Smith Wharves precinct, which is home to a brewery, overwater bar and slick Greek restaurant. Find The Fantauzzo at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane. Make a reservation here. ALEX PERRY HOTEL, FORTITUDE VALLEY Alex Perry Hotel puts its designer credentials right there in its name. This Fortitude Valley space is decked out with all of the fashion designer's touches. Think rich, dark colours contrasting with gleaming white and natural tones, plus natural light aplenty. And, the rooms are all apartment-style, which always helps in making you feel at home. It might be located in a busy area for boutique accommodation, near both The Calile and Ovolo the Valley, but there's one thing that helps Alex Perry Hotel stand out: its rooftop space. There's a pool, naturally; however, sitting on the astroturf and admiring the sunset is one of the best ways to soak in this gorgeous city. Find the Alex Perry Hotel at 959 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Make a reservation here. FV BY PEPPERS, FORTITUDE VALLEY You can't miss this triangular-shaped structure in Fortitude Valley that purposefully takes inspiration from New York's famous Flatiron Building. Of course, you're not supposed to miss it. But marvelling at its exterior is just the start — although one of its unmistakable highlights is definitely located outside, and up high as well. Lofty pools with a view are on-trend at the moment, but we're not complaining. Here, said splash-friendly spot is U-shaped, and it looks out over the city skyline. You can also book private spa lounges should be you staycationing with a group, and then catch a flick on the outdoor deck. Or, find your bliss in the yoga studio. Find FV by Peppers at 191 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley. Make a reservation here. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: The Calile by Sean Fennessy.
The pandemic isn't something to giggle about, including when it's interrupting the Brisbane Comedy Festival two years in a row. After 2020's event didn't quite go as planned, the annual fest returned to Brisbane Powerhouse this past July, only to be impacted by lockdowns and changing restrictions. So, the event is coming back again in 2021 — this time, to unleash a heap of shows that were affected by the tightened rules and conditions. Welcome to the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2021 Take 2, which'll kick off on Friday, October 29 and pop up on intermittent dates all the way through until the end of May 2022. Big names, local talent, excuses to get chuckling again and again — they're all on the bill. Highlights include sets by Ross Noble, Tom Ballard, Judith Lucy, Jude Perl, Josh Earl and Lizzy Hoo, plus an Aboriginal Comedy Allstars gig, Nat's What I Reckon and sketch comedy show Brisburned. What's better than a month-long comedy festival? A comedy festival that makes a triumphant comeback, then runs covers another seven-month period — obviously.
Add three more names to the hefty list of big music stars heading Australia's way in 2023: Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game. In what's basically a 90s and 00s hip hop and rap fan's dream come true, the trio are teaming up on the same bill for an Aussie arena tour, including hitting the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in autumn. This isn't just any old nostalgia-dripping tour, either. It'll also mark the 30th anniversary of two influential albums: Ice Cube's Lethal Injection and Cypress Hill's Black Sunday. The former was the N.W.A member's fourth solo release, and included singles 'Really Doe', 'You Know How We Do It' and 'Bop Gun (One Nation)', while the latter gave the world 'Insane in the Brain', 'Hits from the Bong', 'When the Shit Goes Down' and 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That'. Expect to hear plenty of those songs get a whirl on Tuesday, March 28 in the River City. For Ice Cube, the tour marks his first visit to Australia since 2018, when he became the first-ever rap artist to headline at the Sydney Opera House. "I love performing in Australia. It's been four long years since my last visit and I can't wait to return for a couple of history-making shows in 2023," said the rapper, aka O'Shea Jackson Sr (and yes, his son O'Shea Jackson Jr did play him in N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton). Ice Cube and Cypress Hill will be joined by The Game, who came to fame in the 00s in the West Coast scene. The US talents will also feature Aussie talent in support, with exactly who else will take to the stage yet to be announced.
Why should kids have all the fun at Christmas? Ripping open a new treat every day of December is the kind of fun that never gets old, which is why some clever characters have created advent calendars especially for adults. Instead of chocolates or toys, you'll count down to Christmas Day with a daily fix of your favourite booze. From beers and wine, through to top Aussie gins, here's our pick of the best advent calendars for grown ups. BEER BEER CARTEL With over 1,000 craft beers at its Artarmon bottleshop and even more online, it's safe to say Beer Cartel knows a thing or two about the big, wide world of ales and lagers. Its 2017 advent calendar features 24 countdown beers, plus that all-important Christmas Day brew, handpicked from top breweries across Australia and overseas. What's more, there's a whopping 20 different beer styles featured in the lineup. Grab yours online, or at the Sydney store. $119.99 CRAFTY BREW Keep your beer standards high this festive season, with Crafty Brew's all-local, all-craft 2017 advent calendar. The online beer boutique has curated a mix of 24 top-notch brews from across the country and decked out each of those cardboard doors with some fun, Great Barrier Reef-themed artwork, so you can countdown to the big day in style. $119 CARWYN CELLARS' CANVENT CALENDAR Add this one to your Christmas list for 2018, folks. This year, the booze experts at Thornbury's Carwyn Cellars threw together an all-Aussie lineup of craft beer tinnies for their Canvent Advent-ure Calendar, made 200 of them, and they've promptly all sold out. For future festive seasons, you can rest assured there's nothing boring in this mix. Behind the 24 cardboard doors of this slab-shaped creation are some of the most impressive and interesting local drops around, from hop-heavy IPA's, to tastebud-tingling sours, and everything in between. $150 WINE HALLIDAY FESTIVE WINE GUIDE For a DIY twist on the traditional advent calendar, we love Halliday's Christmas creation — a free, downloadable round-up of 24 quality wine picks. You'll need to make the journey to your bottle shop to purchase the goods, though it's curated by the tasting team behind the iconic Halliday Wine Companion guide, so you know you're in good hands. This year's version is set to be released around November 20. THE TWELVE WINES OF CHRISTMAS The lead-up to Christmas becomes one extended wine tasting with Secret Bottle's boozy riff on the advent calendar. Dubbed The Twelve Wines of Christmas, this nifty package features 12 tasting tubes of top Aussie wine — all reds, all whites or an equal mix of both. You'll also score tasting notes and access to special future discounts on any drops you love. $86 THE WINE GALLERY While ploughing through a bottle of wine each day for a month seems slightly unreasonable, the new advent calendar from The Wine Gallery boasts a much more manageable 12 bottles, featuring the sommelier-led start-up's highest rating wines of 2017. Yes, it's a mighty handy collection to have on hand during the festive season. Drink a few solo, share some with mates and save a couple for those last-minute Christmas pressies. $285 CIDER BOOZE BUD Those balmy days in the lead-up to Christmas are prime time for cider sipping, so the crew at Booze Bud have put together an advent calendar featuring a selection of Australia's favourite cider varieties. You'll enjoy 25 different bottles and cans, in a range of styles both sweet and dry. This year's lineup is being kept under wraps, though last year's included treats from the likes of Pagan, Jachmann, Batlow and Willie Smith's. Booze Bud also offers a beer-filled version of its countdown calendar. $109.99 SPIRITS MASTER OF MALT WHISKY CALENDAR How does 24 pre-Christmas drams sound? International online spirits retailer Masters of Malt has again dipped into its impressive collection to create the whisky-filled advent calendar of your dreams. The 2017 edition features 24 wax-sealed 3cl serves of whisky, including award-winning drops from around the world and plenty of drool-worthy single malts. There's even one worth £600 a bottle. $213.72 GINTONICA Hardcore gin-thusiasts will be clamouring to get their mitts on Gintonica's all-Aussie gin advent calendar, which features an expertly curated lineup of spirits from 21 of our finest distilleries. In addition to the 24 50mL bottles of local gin, it's got a bunch of great extras, including tasting notes and serving suggestions from the distillers, a map showing 101 Australian and New Zealand gin producers, and cocktail recipes from The Martini Whisperer. $295 CARWYN CELLARS DECEMBER SURVIVAL KIT Depending on your festive season stress levels, Carwyn Cellars' gin-filled advent calendar is either a fun Christmas countdown or a sweet, boozy lifeline, aptly dubbed the December Survival Kit. This one's a celebration of Australian gin, filled with 24 30mL nips from some of the country's top distilleries. You'll be reacquainted with some old favourites and make a few new discoveries as well. $220
If you've never hallucinated a coyote, or simply really really like hot chilli, then get to Kettle and Tin for their annual Chilli Cook Off. If Kettle and Tin's last five cook-offs proved anything, it's that this festival isn't one for the timid of stomachs. Things will really heat up on March 18, when some of Brisbane's best chefs compete to win the event's coveted trophy. The competitors don't mess around, the chilli proves off-the-scale delish and everything from the food to the drinks bites hard. Admission is $20, and includes live music, one free beer and all the chilli you can eat. Our tip: if you're not a fan of spice, BYO milk. The Chilli Cook Off begins at 10am and is expected to run long into the evening, with a zombie dress-up comp, plenty of craft brews and a Bloody Mary bar all part of the fun. If you think you can handle the heat, pack your chilli spoon and head along.
While it feels like it was only yesterday that we were eating boozy Christmas pud with nan, it's somehow already December (again) — which means, yes, we're almost at the end of 2019. And Brisbane's bar scene has continued to grow at an impressive (alarming?) rate. Not only have new drinking holes popped up across the city — opening everywhere from on top of the Brisbane River to inside historic 1824 buildings — these libation stations are multi-faceted, doubling as breweries, micro-wineries and karaoke joints. So, here are our favourite ten bars to throw open their doors in 2019. Add them to your list. Tick them off. Just as Santa's doing now.
First, Boiler Room announced the news that Brisbane had been waiting for: its debut date in the Queensland capital, arriving 14 years after the London-born club culture-loving outfit first popped up. Then, the event has unveiled another crucial piece of information, aka who'll be hitting the decks at Brisbane Showgrounds this spring. If nothing says warm weather to you quite like dancing in a crowd, here's something for your calendar — with STÜM, Spray, Y U QT, Dr Dubplate and Juicy Romance all on the lineup. They'll be joined by Soju Gang, Neesha Alexander, Scalymoth and Rominndahouse from 2–10pm on Saturday, November 16, 2024. Boiler Room is no stranger to Australia thanks to past stops in Sydney and Melbourne, but hasn't made its way to the River City until now. The word that you're looking for? Finally. The Brisbane date sits between Boiler Room's return to Melbourne in late October and its latest Sydney gig in early December. Both have already sold out. [caption id="attachment_971379" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] Boiler Room Brisbane 2024 Lineup: STÜM Spray Y U QT Dr Dubplate Juicy Romance Soju Gang Neesha Alexander Scalymoth Rominndahouse
The 2020 Queensland Champions Cup tournament is finally happening — in 2022. And although the big event is taking place two years later than planned, it's still set to be one of the biggest events on Brisbane's sporting calendar in 2022. The event with kick off with Brisbane Roar F.C. facing off against Leeds United at the Gold Coast. Then, Brisbane's iconic Suncorp Stadium will host the battleground for a match between English Premier League teams Aston Villa and Leeds on Sunday, July 17. [caption id="attachment_824828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Suncorp Stadium[/caption] Consider yourself a superfan? You can splurge on one of the special packages on offer that include premium food and drinks, exclusive experiences and more. The Queensland Champions Cup will take place from July 14–20. For more information and to book tickets to this unmissable event, visit the website.
Everyone has walked into a bar and fallen for the place instantly, imagining themselves whiling away future hours over several drinks within its welcoming confines. That same sensation hit Range Brewing's co-founder Matt McIver when he was looking for a new space to expand the Newstead-based beer business' footprint. "When we found that space in Paddington, it was literally love at first sight," he tells Concrete Playground. McIver is chatting about Patio, his latest venture with his Range pal Gerard Martin after the pair started their brewery back in 2018. Since then, they also set up shop Melbourne in 2020, and just gave their OG Brisbane location its own pizzeria and barrel hall — the latter to host functions and weddings. But this team isn't done growing yet. "Patio is going to be a neighbourhood craft beer, wine and cocktail bar. It's something that we've wanted to do for a little while, which is have more of a suburban presence in Brisbane, and really latch onto another community that we think a space like that will work in," McIver explains. "We've always wanted to have something with space outdoors, because of the climate that we have here in Queensland — and who doesn't love sitting outside on a patio or a deck? We'd always wanted a space like that where people could come and enjoy our beers." The spot in question: Baroona Road in Rosalie, the former suburb-turned-Paddington locality, in the space that Moga Izakaya & Sushi previously called home. When it opens its doors towards the end of May or in early June, Patio will turn the brick building into an Aussie pub-influenced watering hole. And yes, to make the most of the weather, the focus is on al fresco experiences — including in a leafy beer garden. "It's got a beautiful pavilion-style patio, then a smaller full-sun patio outside. And then a space inside that's like an old 1900s Queenslander, which has been architecturally redone upstairs and downstairs to to fit a couple of businesses in," McIver continues. "Outside doesn't actually require too much of an upgrade, but inside was fully gutted, so we've rebuilt our own space in there, and have designed it ourselves." [caption id="attachment_901789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moga, Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Thanks to Myers Ellyett Architects, patrons can expect both a layout and fitout that pays tribute to the corner bar and the front bar of old pubs, with Melbourne drinking spots an influence. "We're leaning into 80s Australiana vibes with the colours and the styles we've chosen to go with in there, but we really just want it to be a super-comfortable space for people to feel like they're at home, but be out and relaxing having beers — and enjoying a wine or a cocktail," McIver advises. Inside, the venue will feature the bar, cosy booths and window tables, plus burgundy hues and dark oak amid the rustic brick. The mood: warm, welcoming and relaxed, a feeling that is designed to fill the whole place. Range's brews will be pouring through the ten beer taps, naturally, while two others will be devoted to wines that McIver and the team have made with LATTA Vino. More tipples, including wine, spirits and cocktails, will also be available. And, after launching Jacopo's Pizzeria in Newstead, Patio will sling its Roman-style sourdough slices, snacks and sweets. Down the line, there's plans to broaden the menu, too, with a focus on fresh Italian options. Patio is set to open at 2/146 Baroona Road, Paddington at the end of May or beginning of June — we'll update you with further details when they're announced.
Why settle for a tree-house when you can have a tree-in-the-house? We're not talking about your average Christmas decoration, but four storeys of architecture wrapped around a living, adult-sized fir tree. This one may well call for a revision of our top ten tree-houses for grown-ups. A. Masow Design Studio have installed the invention in the Almaty Mountains, Kazakhstan. Cylindrical in shape, the tree-in-the-house features hardwood floors, a spiral staircase and glass walls and ceiling. A hole through the middle provides room for the trunk and branches, as well as a neat method for the disposal of organic waste. According to the designer, Almasov Aibek, the creation offers an immersive natural experience, encouraging us to "feel more fusion with nature and give up some unnecessary conditions and things", and to cultivate "spiritual and creative development ... It was to be a place where you could sit with a friend and discuss ideas and philosophise". A. Masow Design Studio's other visionary works include the isolated, solar-powered ImagineHouse; a minimalist loft in New York City; an energy-efficient art gallery on Manhattan; and a design centre for Astana, Kazakhstan. Via PSFK.
Brisbanites, sipping cocktails on a rooftop overlooking Queen Street Mall — and between splashes, too — is back on your agenda. For years at 72 Queen Street, the level four pool terrace has been one of the CBD's favourite drinking spots. Now part of the Hyatt Regency Brisbane, the space has been given a retro-themed makeover — and, from Wednesday, December 8, it's reopening to the public. Meet Hibiscus Room, which still includes the spot's key features — those views out over the city and the pool, obviously — but now comes with decor and a menu that nods back to the 70s and 80s. Think: coral and green hues, tropical prints, nostalgic dishes and a name that not only references the building's long history, but is also taken from the former venue on its 25th and 26th floors that even hosted The Beatles back in the day. Indeed, this is a site with a lengthy past, and that's undergone plenty of changes over the years. The hotel dates back to 1972, starting off its life as Lennons — a brand that was first established in Brisbane in 1884. Then, it became Next Hotel Brisbane in 2014, before Hyatt took over the spot earlier in 2021. Hisbiscus Room boasts ample seating surrounding its infinity pool, a heap of greenery and a big screen surrounded by leaves, as well as umbrellas to help shade away the sunny days and strung-up fairy lights for twinkling evenings. Accordingly, segueing from daytime hangs to afternoon cocktails and then to evening meals is all part of the experience. And, while it'll operate as a bar and restaurant from Wednesday–Sunday each week, it's also available for private events — including 150-person cocktail parties. Menu-wise, Head Chef Ricky Cheung (Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Nobu Melbourne) is going big on seasonal produce while conjuring up culinary blasts from the past. Moreton Bay bug cocktails and pork Scotch eggs sit on the starters list, while mains include king prawns with chilli and mango salsa, and a casserole du jour that'll serve up a seafood pot during the summer months. For dessert, choices span black forest trifle, crêpes suzette, and rice pudding with butterscotch Hibiscus Room will also host its own regular shindigs — starting with a boozy Boxing Day brunch, and also including a lavish New Year's Eve party. Find the Hibiscus Room on level four of the Hyatt Regency Brisbane, 72 Queen Street, Brisbane — open from 3–late Wednesdays–Fridays, 12pm–late on Saturdays and 3–8pm on Sundays.
The end of the world is happening in Hollywood. This North American summer has already seen Tom Cruise meet Oblivion, Seth Rogen and co scream This Is the End and all of us embrace our wildest apocalyptic fears in our terrible movie heavens. Now with Elysium, the director of District 9, Neill Blomkamp, turns his sights from apartheid South Africa to the interplanetary concern of undocumented immigrants. In the 22nd century, Earth is overpopulated, polluted and diseased. The Third World is now the world, and the rich have fled and founded a new off-planet habitat, Elysium, a floating disc of palm trees and daiquiris where the idyll sun-bake in oblivion and 'medbays' cure all sickness in seconds. The ruined Earth is just in sight over the horizon, where Matt Damon toils away making the terrifying robot policemen that oppress him and the other proles. A cruelly unnecessary industrial accident exposes him to lethal radiation, and now he's the classic John Connor-style everyman hero with nothing to lose. He needs a medbay, and the only solution is to wage an all-out war on Elysium, opening it up to all Earthly "illegals". His war armour transforms him into a man-robot fighting machine — if Aldous Huxley rather than Marvel designed Ironman. Let's face it, Matt Damon is a boss. Not only is he the most bankable actor in Hollywood, he has not given one dud performance, ever. Think about it. The day he does will be the day I weep and quit movie reviewing with a heavy heart and wistful glance in Brad Pitt's direction. Jodie Foster is our steel eyed, fluorescent-toothed and impeccably tailored Bad Ass Neo-Con, Delacourt. Foster is in full-tilt Nicholas Cage mode here, dispensing with naturalism to give a presentation-style performance as a heartless Hawk whose sole job is to keep those pesky illegals at bay and the squeaky clean wealth of Elysium safe. Her henchman Kruger (Sharlto Copley) is a no less than a demented sadist, screeching outrageously abusive one-liners in a full-blooded South African accent. While his boss is the ostensibly civilised policymaker pushing the sleek buttons of war from afar, Kruger is the brutal, gloves-off and knives-out psycho, and together they form both sides of the conservative coin. This gleeful bastard must surely be one of the best baddies in recent movie history, and a hysterical one at that. He injects the film with a blood-red jab of dark humour, and that sense of humour is something that is sorely lacking from the surging majority of Hollywood blockbusters. His one-liners are wonderfully gruesome, real Old Testament stuff. Best of all, it's this Hannibal-style character that allows Blomkamp to really reach beyond the formulaic sameness that characterises most films of this hi-tech genre and deliver some proper twists in the final act. If you've wondered why recent big-shot Hollywood flicks like the $200 million-plus World War Z have been oddly bloodless, in a way that doesn't gel with their ADHD violence, it's because rocketing production budgets ensure that these films need to be rated PG to attract the largest possible spectrum of paying cinema-goers, and that has to mean high school-aged boys and their parents. Elysium has no such qualms — with an MA15+ stamp, it has gross blood to spare and it's all the more satisfying as a result. If there ever was going to be a contemporary director to hijack Hollywood, it's Blomkamp. He delivers blockbusters based in empathy and political smarts that actually aspire to be more than insulting filmic pollution. The state of Elysium suffers from a serious "political sickness, a moral tumour that must be removed". It's an especially crucial message in the weeks leading up to this country's joke of an election and the more open-ended atmosphere of unhooked xenophobic psychosis. Increasingly, being Australian is like having a totally obnoxious and embarrassing mother who's vocally and publicly racist. And homophobic. And sexist. And completely without social skills. The towering blockbusters of the literary realm have often been piercingly thoughtful and critical (here I'm thinking of Brave New World and The Road. It's more than time for movie blockbusters to be the same, to linger in an afterburn of ideas. Elysium is the blockbuster for me. And these mad times. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oIBtePb-dGY
Bookworms, word nerds and literature lovers, rejoice — after a tumultuous couple of years due to the pandemic, Brisbane Writers Festival will be spreading its love for stories, novels, text in general and the act of putting pen to paper (and fingers to keyboards) all around the city again in 2022. And, it's doing so in a big way. For six days in May, the beloved fest will host more than 200 events across town, all to celebrate its 60th birthday. Mark Tuesday, May 3–Sunday, May 8 in your diary, and prepare to have a huge new reading list afterwards — because that's always a hefty part of attending writers festivals. This year's fest comes after a virtual-only 2020 event, and then a hybrid in-person and online fest in 2021. And, in the spirit of getting everyone out and about, it's hosting sessions everywhere from pubs, music venues and suburban restaurants. BWF is also setting up shop at its usual base at the State Library of Queensland, of course, and venturing to a heap of local libraries as well. But the aim is to spread the love as far and wide as possible. Accordingly, plenty of BWF's 2022 locations come courtesy of the Nick Earls-curated Brisbane as a Storied City program, which is new for this year. It not only focuses on local writers and poets, but takes them — and the festival audience — to spots they've drawn inspiration from. So, that means hearing Pig City author Andrew Stafford chat to Yumi Stynes about his book about Brisbane's music scene at The Zoo, and heading to Sunnybank's Landmark Restaurant with Benjamin Law, who'll talk about his memoir The Family Law. It also includes hitting up the RE with writer Rebecca Sparrow for a session about Brissie in the 80s and 90s. Other highlights from the full lineup span the Our Country of Focus initiative, which is all about Aotearoa New Zealand and Pasifika talents; the In Your Suburb program, which takes the fest to libraries around the city; Indigenous writer Tony Birch doing First Word and Last Word festival bookend events; and actor Bryan Brown (Sweet Country) discussing his crime-fiction short story collection Sweet Jimmy. Brisbane will finally welcome Literary Death Match, aka a writers' battle royale, which is heading to The Princess Theatre — and there's also a Mother's Day high tea session at Customs House, a Bluey on the Green picnic for families at South Bank Parklands, and exhibitions that explore the intersection between books and visual arts at the State Library. There is still a small digital component in 2022, if you're keen to play along from home. Plus, the fest has launched a new smartphone app, which is filled with local anecdotes, yarns and story snippets about Brisbane that pop up as you visit different locations around town. Images: J Ruckli.
Saying that things are looking up at Brisbane Powerhouse in 2023 isn't a comment about the arts venue's history. Rather, it's recognition that both peering and climbing upwards have become new fixtures of the New Farm site in a big way this year. First arrived Vertigo, Australia's debut vertical dining experience that gets you eating while hanging off the top of the historic building. Now Dendy Powerhouse has added Brisbane's first-ever permanent outdoor cinema to the precinct. In most parts of Australia, watching a film beneath the evening sky with stars surrounding the big screen is a spring and summer activity. In the River City, it has been too — until now. First announced in mid-2022, Dendy Powerhouse isn't just sticking around. More than that, it's making the most of Brissie's usually warm weather (and hardly cold climes in winter) to screen flicks with the heavens as a backdrop all year round. After confirming its details back in October, the outdoor cinema's projectors started whirring in mid-November, seeing Dendy add a third Brisbane site to its current footprint alongside Portside and Coorparoo. (RIP Dendy George Street, which then became Tribal Theatre and is now sadly no longer a cinema.) Screening on Thursday–Sunday evenings every week of the year, Dendy Powerhouse features the same mix of programming that graces the cinema chain's other locations in Queensland and across Australia. Think: arthouse and mainstream fare alike, and for all ages, with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Five Nights at Freddy's and the remastered version of Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense among the titles getting a-flickering in the near future. Dendy Powerhouse has popped its screen on top of 40-foot shopping containers. For the best sound experience — and so that you're not competing against the sounds of nature, New Farm and Brisbane Powerhouse — patrons use wireless headphones to listen in As for the seating, you recline on outdoor loungers, with 350 of them set up and each featuring cushions for extra comfort. Food-wise, tucking into the usual cinema snacks — including popcorn and choc tops — is on the menu, as is enjoying cheese boxes, wine and beer. Ordering has been made easy, using QR codes for to-your-seat delivery. Catching a movie outside at Brisbane Powerhouse should sound familiar. For years, the New Farm venue played host to Moonlight Cinema, with an outdoor big screen set up outside the site's Stores Building each summer. That annual event has since shifted to Roma Street Parklands. Powerhouse had promised a new outdoor cinema, complete with a major exhibitor running the operations, back when it also announced Night Feast, which has run in both March and October this year, and will keep popping up twice a year — and similarly revealed the Pleasuredome, a new tent-style riverside events space on the Powerhouse's Performance Lawn that arrived in 2022. Find Dendy Powerhouse Outdoor Cinema at 119 Lamington St, New Farm — head to the Dendy website for bookings and more information.
Australians across the country have spent the last year adapting to a slew of changes, including restrictions and lockdowns that keep popping up to slow the spread of COVID-19. Yes, we're all getting really good at the whole social distancing thing. But, even if you have plenty to watch and a go-to list of takeaway joints to keep your stomach satisfied, everyone could always use a top-up of warm and fuzzy feels. Whether you're currently under stay-at-home conditions in Melbourne, or you just need to brighten up your day elsewhere, the good folks at Zoos Victoria have your back. They're still live streaming the daily antics of an assortment of adorable wildlife, from both Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Instead of venturing out to the actual zoo, you can now get your cute animal fix from the comfort of home, by simply jumping online. But WFHers, be warned — these small-screen heartthrobs are pretty much guaranteed to steal hours of your time. You can tune in to watch Melbourne Zoo's three fluff-ball snow leopard cubs as they spend their days playing and exploring alongside mum Miska, or the giraffes being all leggy and graceful, munching leaves pretty much non-stop. Keep an eye out here for some humans of the species zookeeper, too, offering a bit of entertainment of their own. You can also prepare to be charmed by the penguins splashing in and out of their pool, especially old mate Ed the Fiordland penguin, who's apparently quite partial to being in the spotlight. All of these cuties seem to love a good close-up. And over at Werribee Open Range Zoo, it's the lions on show, alternating between roaming their enclosure and getting in some serious sunbaking time. The zoos themselves are currently closed due to Melbourne's seven-day lockdown and, at this stage, will reopen on Friday, June 4 — but even a COVID -19 cluster can't stop you from peering at these critters from your couch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wb6o3QvrxY Catch Zoos Victoria's animal live streams over on the organisation's website and on its social media channels.
"We are nothing without stories, so we invite you to believe in this one." So goes The Wonder's opening narration, as voiced by Niamh Algar (Wrath of Man) and aimed by filmmaker Sebastián Lelio in two directions. For the Chilean writer/director's latest rich and resonant feature about his favourite topic, aka formidable women — see also: Gloria, its English-language remake Gloria Bell, Oscar-winner A Fantastic Woman and Disobedience — he asks his audience to buy into a tale that genuinely is a tale. In bringing Emma Donoghue's (Room) book to the screen, he even shows the thoroughly modern-day studio and its sets where the movie was shot. But trusting in a story is also a task that's given The Wonder's protagonist, Florence Pugh's nurse Lib Wright, who is en route via ship to an Irish Midlands village when this magnetic, haunting and captivating 19th century-set picture initially sees her. For the second time in as many movies — and in as many months Down Under as well — Pugh's gotta have faith. Playing George Michael would be anachronistic in The Wonder, just as it would've been in Don't Worry Darling's gleaming 1950s-esque supposed suburban dream, but that sentiment is what keeps being asked of the British actor, including in what's also her second fearless performance in consecutive flicks. Here, it's 1862, and 11-year-old Anna O'Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy, Viewpoint) has seemingly subsisted for four months now without eating. Ireland's 1840s famine still casts shadows across the land and its survivors, but this beatific child says she's simply feeding on manna from heaven. Lib's well-paid job is to watch the healthy-seeming girl in her family home, where her mother (A Discovery of Witches' Elaine Cassidy, Kila's actual mum) and father (Caolan Byrne, Nowhere Special) dote, to confirm that she isn't secretly sneaking bites to eat. Lib is to keep look on in shifts, sharing the gig with a nun (Josie Walker, This Is Going to Hurt). She's also expected to verify a perspective that's already beaming around town, including among the men who hired her, such as the village doctor (Toby Jones, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) and resident priest (Ciarán Hinds, Belfast). The prevailing notion: that Anna is a miracle, with religious tourism already starting to swell around that idea, and anyone doubting the claim — or pointing out that it could threaten the girl's life and end in tragedy — deemed blasphemous. But arriving with experience with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War behind her, the level-leaded, no-nonsense and also in-mourning Lib isn't one for automatic piety. A local-turned-London journalist (Tom Burke, The Souvenir) keeps asking her for inside information, sharing her determination to eschew unthinking devotion and discover the truth, but the nurse's duty is to Anna's wellbeing no matter the personal cost. Lelio's opening gambit, the filmmaking version of showing how the sausage is made, isn't merely a piece of gimmickry. It stresses the power of storytelling and the bargain anyone strikes, The Wonder's viewers alike, when we agree to let tales sweep us away — and it couldn't better set the mood for a movie that ruminates thoughtfully and with complexity on the subject. Is life cheapened, threatened or diminished by losing yourself to fiction over fact? In an age of fake news, as Lelio's movie screens in, clearly it can be. Is there far too much at stake when faith and opinion is allowed to trump science, as the world has seen in these pandemic-affected, climate change-ravaged times? The answer there is yes again. Can spinning a narrative be a coping mechanism, a mask for dark woes, and a way to make trauma more bearable and existence itself more hopeful, though? That's another query at the heart of Alice Birch's (Mothering Sunday) script. And, is there a place for genuine make-believe to entertain, sooth and make our days brighter, as literature and cinema endeavours? Naturally, there is. Keeping that tale-spinning interrogation going — adding to its layers, too — The Wonder takes cues from the 19th-century 'fasting girls' phenomenon. Some children did indeed claim not to need earthly nourishment as the angel-faced Anna does, and so Donoghue's novel, Birch's screenplay and Lelio's direction now use that chapter of history to muse on far more. All three are well-experienced at using fiction to speak to humanity's needs, wants and deepest yearnings, and their efforts simmer with raw potency when combined. The Wonder is patient and pensive, and also a film of immediate weight and emotion. Birch's winning ways with adaptations, and with dialogue loaded with feelings, continue after the also Pugh-starring Lady Macbeth, plus dual Sally Rooney-based TV series Normal People and Conversations with Friends. When Lady Macbeth cemented Pugh as an on-screen force to be reckoned with only six years ago, it also established the confidence, passion and vigour that's been an essential element of her work since. Those traits shine through again here in a complicated and commanding portrayal, as they have in a stellar list of parts in-between. Once again, Pugh plays challenging with aplomb, as she did so masterfully in The Little Drummer Girl and Little Women. Once more, she wrestles with grief and pain so grippingly that it seems real, as seen in Midsommar. One of the joys of watching Pugh is tracing the lines connecting each entry on her ever-growing resume, and witnessing how an instantly assured and powerful talent keeps building and growing. Another is knowing that nothing — not Marvel movies like Black Widow or wrestling dramedy biopics such as Fighting with My Family, either — ever gets anything but her very best. Even so, seeing her search so unflinchingly for the truth in The Wonder is high among her career standouts. This is an exquisitely led picture, and cast all-round, including the younger Cassidy as the girl finding meaning, having it ascribed to her and navigating life's burdens through her own story. As it follows Lib attempting to unravel Anna's mysteries, The Wonder is also strikingly shot and staged, looking and feeling earthy, aching, haunting and sumptuous. Indeed, Oscar-nominated Australian cinematographer Ari Wegner serves up painterly lensing of both sweeping landscapes and mesmerisingly lit interiors, doing so again after the also-phenomenal The Power of the Dog. As for Lelio, he keeps showing his knack for making every moment land with movie after movie, and his deft touch with his leads. When he ends The Wonder as it begins, back on that film set after a deeply felt emotional crescendo, he also brings another reminder: that being transported by spellbinding tales like this is fleeting but unforgettable. The Wonder screens in Australian cinemas from November 3, and streams via Netflix from November 16.
Everyone loves a boozy brunch. Everyone loves pancakes. That makes combining the two one of the simplest ideas there possibly is. And, you can thank the smart folks at The Wickham for putting the concept on their Saturday menu. The best way to show your gratitude: heading along and getting stuck into a stack, obviously. As part of the Fortitude Valley pub's spring and summer Palm Springs pop-up, it's doing weekly boozy bottomless pancake and drag brunches every Saturday. From midday each week, the pancakes won't stop. And yes, they come with both maple syrup and jam. There's also a two-hour drinks package included in the $59 price, plus entertainment from The Wickham's bevy of drag queens. Bookings are essential, as you can expect that this brunch is going to be popular. Who doesn't want to gorge on pancakes, getting sipping, watch a show, sit in deck chairs and be surrounded by California-style theming?
They say everything in moderation but not this season. How can you keep things in check when Brisbane's throwing a cheese festival, an ice cream festival and not one, but three festivals dedicated to beer? You can't. So lean in and get amongst it. Have your cake (and your camembert and chocolate gelato) and eat it, too.
Arachnophobes, beware — a heap of creepy-crawly eight-legged creatures are descending upon Queensland Museum. As part of the site's next big exhibition, the South Brisbane spot is turning its walls and halls over to spiders of all shapes and sizes. More than 200 specimens will be on display, including 12 live species. Yes, that means there'll be real, living, prowling Sydney funnel webs, trapdoors, hunstmans, redbacks and tarantulas. Don't worry — they'll be behind glass. Obviously, if the mere thought of these arachnids fills you with terror, this showcase won't be for you. Feeling brave? If you're keen to get playful with the critters, Spiders – The Exhibition will also include interactive elements. You'll be able to hold a wolf spider in your hands (virtually, of course), challenge a peacock spider to a dance-off, peer at a web-slinger's insides via 3D scanning technology and get caught in net-casting spider's web (for a photo, naturally). Running from December 6, 2019 to May 4, 2020, the exhibition will showcase spider ecology in all of its facets — from reproduction, to their specialised jaws and silk, to their venom, to their adaptive qualities — all drawing upon expert research. Queensland Museum is actually known as a bit of a spider-hub, so its arachnologists will be putting their own skills on display, and doing whatever a spider buff can. Image: Robert Whyte.
In 1931, Harold Bell Lasseter died in a desolate corner of the outback while searching for a fortune he claimed to have stumbled upon years before. Or at least, that's how one version of the story goes. The fantastical tale of a seven mile stretch of quartz reef filled with gold has lingered in Australian folklore, while its supposed discoverer has been alternately praised as a visionary and denounced and denigrated as a fraud. But more than eight decades later, one man still clings to Lasseter's legend: his 85-year-old son Bob, who has spent the bulk of his life searching for the reef in the hopes of clearing his father's name. A story of obsession and the allure of a tale well told, Lasseter's Bones is directed by British documentarian Luke Walker, a young man who, like so many others, heard murmurings of Lasseter's precious metal and came looking. Together, he and Bob follow the same track that Harold did, battling the same rough terrain and unflinching heat that slowly turned sceptical prospectors against the man who promised to make them rich. Bob and Luke prove a likeable if fairly unlikely duo — two men separated by generations but united by a single, common goal. But as the journey continues, Walker's faith seems to wane, especially after discovering evidence suggesting not only that Lasseter never found gold but that he may have faked his own death and escaped his investors to America. Ironically, while the theoretical purpose of a documentary is to expose or elucidate the truth, Lasseter's Bones demonstrates how difficult — not to mention, how undesirable — that task can sometimes be. Even as Walker presents multiple versions of Lasseter's story, it's obvious which one he and everyone else prefers. After all, who wouldn't want to believe that there really is gold out there, somewhere? That Lasseter never abandoned his family, but rather died trying to provide for them? That poor, kind, eccentric, optimistic Bob hasn't wasted his life, all on the word of a charlatan? Lasseter's Bones never gives us a solid answer. Rather, it suggests we might be better off believing the dream. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BC1vBos_kHo
If you still feel like cooking after midnight, take the party to Funny Funny Korean and whip up a hotpot or barbecue the whole squad can enjoy. Funny Funny's grill-ready meat and vegetables platters, including a pork intestine special — don't knock it till you've tried it — lets you do a late-night meal your own way. For those who'd rather just eat, try the famous KFC — Korean Fried Chicken — with beer, a bibimbap or stir fry noodles. Or, just split some dumplings and a shallot pancake for a satiating snack. Funny Funny also has daily specials, like pork stews and sashimi, and provides the usual kimchi and banchan (side dishes). Relaxed but vibrant, the Korean eatery is open from Monday to Saturday, serving the nighttime crowd until 1.30am every night.
Tea drinkers are an eclectic group that have come into their own of late. Their beverage of choice has quickly gained momentum from a drink favoured only by grannies and maths teachers, to a trendy liquid sipped out of fashionable cups by equally fashionable people. The Tea Centre is a perfect example of just how far tea has come. Featuring shelves and shelves of tea leaves along with a multiple page menu, the centre is the ideal place for tea lovers and tea novices to come together to try and test the numerous potions available. Hidden in the city's refurbished Albert Lane, The Tea Centre offers drinkers a relaxed nook to enjoy a quiet sip in Brisbane's CBD. Paper lanterns dimly light the red walled venue, while the shelves packed with tea leaves, pots and saucers provide an avenue for visual curiosity and tempting take home purchases. Patrons are seated along the window under decadent brass ceiling fans and are set the difficult task of choosing a tea to order. From classic blends,to green teas, Jasmine teas, flavoured concoctions, herbal and fruit infusions, The Tea Centre doesn't make the ordering process very easy but there is a sense of adventure in trying something new or unusual. To accompany your warm cuppa The Tea Centre offers a selection of sweets and savouries. For a light lunch try the delicious toasted wraps or Focaccia, or for a sweet treat order the sticky date pudding, macaroons or chocolate cake. For the traditionalists out there, the centre's scones are incredibly popular and have been known to sell out during a busy day.
Choose life. Choose celebrating a movie that defined the '90s, made Ewan McGregor a star and instantly made everyone's favourite flicks of all time list. Choose spending 2017 revelling in all things Trainspotting. Film fans already have long-awaited sequel T2: Trainspotting (which is scheduled for a February release) to look forward to, and now theatre fans in Australia can choose something else: Trainspotting Live. Choose 75 minutes of intense, immersive page-to-stage antics, as based on Irvine Welsh's 1993 novel about Edinburgh heroin addicts, and first adapted for the theatre in the UK back in 1995. Yes, that means that Harry Gibson's award-winning original stage version was written before Danny Boyle's iconic 1996 movie — and you haven't really experienced the story of Renton, Begbie, Sick Boy and company until you've seen it acted out, live and in person, right in front of you. Transporting its all-Scottish cast and their distinctive accents to Adelaide from February 17 to March 19, Melbourne's fortyfivedownstairs from March 22 to April 13, and Brisbane Powerhouse from April 19 to 22, Trainspotting Live does more than that — it also brings the audience into the show, starting with an extended rave, and even including the infamous 'Worst Toilet in Scotland' scene. It's no wonder that the production has been selling out shows in London, and earning rave reviews for its no-holds-barred approach. The fact that it's being staged by In Your Face Theatre should give you an indication of what you're in for. Welsh — that is, the man who literally wrote the book, plus a sequel, prequel and Begbie-focused spin-off, and recently floated the idea of a TV adaptation — called Trainspotting Live the "best way to experience Trainspotting", in case you needed any more convincing. Just don't go confusing it with the BBC television program of the same name, which is actually about looking at railways. Trainspotting Live plays in Adelaide from February 17 to March 19, at Melbourne's Fortyfivedownstairs from March 22 to April 13, and at Brisbane Powerhouse from April 19 to 22, 2017. For more information, visit the production website.
Let's face it: nothing beats Mum's cooking. That is, unless she delivers up fresh, comforting, 'good for you' meals to your door and cleans up afterwards. In which case, give her break. There's an alternative. (And, for the record, you should always be doing the dishes anyway.) Youfoodz is a new healthy food delivery service that, quite simply, delivers yum, nourishing food to your door. Without you having to lift a finger — other than placing the order, of course. The Brisbane startup is all about fostering a healthy lifestyle by creating cleaner alternatives to Aussie favourites, such as their bacon and egg bagel and superseed-crusted fish and sweet potato chips. The 45 meal options are promised to stay fresh seven to nine days in the fridge, and the delivery turn around time is as little as 12 hours. As if healthy, prepared meals delivered fast aren't good enough, Youfoodz also makes sure you won't go broke, with most meals priced at $9.95 each. Cheap and healthy don't generally go hand-in-hand — especially for Sydneysiders who are accustomed to paying $19 for a salad — but healthy, fresh and cheap food for under a tenner? That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. From brekkie to dinner and all the snacks and drinks in-between, Youfoodz have all the bases covered. The menu may use all of the buzzwords — chia seeds and quinoa get a mention — but also means that everyone can get in on the fun. Even if you're dairy or gluten free. They're now spreading their wings beyond Brisbane to deliver to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as major grocers across Australia. So go ahead and tuck into their new summer menu, which includes meals like the sesame pork summer salad and the pesto and pumpkin chicken salad. Mum would most definitely approve. Concrete Playground readers can get their first Youfoodz meal for free by entering the code YF-FreeMeal at checkout. To order your meal and view the full menu, head to youfoodz.com.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and put on that festival you've always wanted to give a red hot go? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of ten bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. For Brett Louis, co-founder and curator of Melbourne's ambitious festival Sugar Mountain, a 'Sine Metu' way of life is the only way. Thanks to Brett's meticulous curation over the years, Sugar Mountain has broken new ground with its blend of music, art and food — redefining what a festival can be (without fearing it won't work). We had a chat to Brett about his own business of taking chances. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Brett's being a total legend and helping us give away a VIP Sugar Mountain Experience for two, so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Enter here to win.
How will Sex Education climax? That's the big streaming question for September, when the hit Netflix series returns for its fourth season and also says farewell. How will Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield, Flux Gourmet) and his friends fare at a new school? What happens when he has a fellow teen sex therapist also giving his peers advice? How stressed is Eric (Ncuti Gatwa, the next Doctor Who) about making a good first impression among his new classmates? What will university in the US bring for Maeve (Emma Mackey, Barbie)? Add those to the queries that'll be answered on Thursday, September 21. Back in July, Netflix announced two things: that Sex Education would finally drop new episodes this spring, but that this'd be its big finish. Following a teaser trailer at the same time, the platform has now revealed a full sneak peek at how the show will wrap up its roll in streaming's sheets. As always, a whole lot of teen drama and chaos is on its way. Since 2019, Netflix has taken viewers to the fictional Moordale Secondary School, where Otis followed his sex-therapist mum Jean's (Gillian Anderson, The Great) lead and started helping his schoolmates with their romantic and sexual struggles — as he himself tussled with his own troubles, and also with his feelings for Maeve. When Sex Education unveils its last run, the series will move the action over to Cavendish Sixth Form College. Queue plenty of the trains of thought outlined above, as well as big changes, new beginnings and new challenges. When Sex Education creator, lead writer and executive producer Laurie Nunn announced that the show was saying goodbye, she said that the series' team "wanted to make a show that would answer some of the questions we all used to have about love, sex, friendship and our bodies. Something that would have helped our inner teenagers feel a little less alone. It's been overwhelming seeing how the show has connected with people around the world, and we hope it's made some of you feel a little less alone, too." "This was not an easy decision to make, but as the themes and the stories of the new season crystallised, it became clear that it was the right time to graduate," Nunn continued about bringing Sex Education to an end. As well as Butterfield, Anderson, plus Barbie co-stars Gatwa, Mackey and Connor Swindells, Sex Education will also see Aimee-Lou Wood (Living) back as Aimee and Kedar Williams-Stirling (Small Axe) as Jackson — among other familiar faces. Helping them say cheerio: Schitt's Creek favourite Dan Levy, Thaddea Graham (Doctor Who), Lisa McGrillis (Last Night in Soho), Marie Reuther (The Kingdom), Jodie Turner Smith (White Noise) and Eshaan Akbar (Spitting Image). Check out the full trailer for Sex Education season four below: Sex Education season four will stream via Netflix from Thursday, September 21. Images: Samuel Taylor / Netflix.
FOMO — Australia's clash-free, one-day summer festival — is back for a fifth year. This year, it's making its return to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and it has just dropped its full lineup. Texas-via-California rap collective Brockhampton is the first of multiple international acts to be announced for the event, which has previously hosted the likes of Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Kali Uchis. Led by Kevin Abstract, and formed through an online forum, Brockhampton is a modern day boyband made up of rappers, directors, photographers, engineers, producers, graphic designers and DJs. The group last performed here in 2018, touring the country with Listen Out festival. [caption id="attachment_724680" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brockhampton[/caption] Joining Brockhampton will be Canadian producer Kaytranada, who's set to drop a new album before heading down under, and US rapper Lizzo, who'll be bringing her catchy hits 'Juice' and 'Truth Hurts' — as well as other bangers off her just-released album Cuz I Love You — to Aus for the first time ever in January. Other big names on the lineup include French singer Madeon, UK rapper Octavian and, from the local contingent, hip-hop artist Chillinit and Sydney producer Ninajirachi. While we've just hit winter here in Aus, we've also just hit festival announcement season, so expect a heap more summer music events to drop their lineups in the upcoming weeks — Spilt Milk and Grapevine Gathering have already dropped theirs, too. FOMO 2020 LINEUP Brockhampton Kaytranada Lizzo Madeon Jax Jones Octavian Rico Nasty Meduza Chillinit Whipped Cream Dombresky Ninajirachi Plus triple j Unearthed and local artists TBA FOMO 2020 DATES Saturday, January 4 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Sunday, January 5 — Elder Park, Adelaide Saturday, January 11 — Parramatta Park, Sydney Sunday, January 12 — Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne FOMO will take place in January 2020. Pre-sale tickets are available from 9am on Wednesday, July 3 — you can sign-up for those here. GA Tickets will drop at 9am on Monday, July 8. Top images: Jordan Munns. Updated July 1.
Fresh from curating Laneway's gourmet food menu, acclaimed Longsong chef David Moyle will join Flinders Island residents for the inaugural Food and Crayfish Festival. Taking place across April 14 and 15, the weekend festivities will focus on a special long lunch, celebrating the wealth of fresh produce and ingredients available on the island. To cook up a storm, Moyle has invited fellow chefs James Viles from Biota, Mark LaBrooy from Three Blue Ducks, and Matt Stone and Jo Barrett from Oakridge Wines to join him in creating the April 14 beachside feast. In line with the festival's first theme —Mother Nature + Human Nature — the quintet will spend a week on the island visiting local producers, foraging and diving to create the perfect menu. "It is such a great treat as a chef to be able to cook dishes directly from the location and connected to the land you are standing on" Moyle noted. Because all great meals need a nice drop to go with them, sommelier Alice Chugg from Hobart bar and bottleshop Ettie's will join the chefs, matching their culinary delights with a selection of Tasmanian wines and beverages. Fish for the festival will come from the island's only crayfish fisherman, 74-year-old Jack Wheatly, who captures the ocean's bounty like his father and grandfather before him. Other celebrated ingredients to be incorporated into the festival include saltgrass lamb, wallaby and mutton bird. The exact beach location of the lunch will be revealed 48 hours before the event, taking into account the microclimate. Islanders will lend chairs from their own dining tables for the event, and the local 'Men's Shed' is crafting the long tables for the lunch. Open to only 100 'off-islanders', tickets for the lunch — which has a dress code of barefoot cocktail — are currently available for the grand price of $240. Flinders Island Food and Crayfish Festival takes place across April 14 and 15 on Flinders Island. Visit www.visitflindersisland.com.au for tickets and further details. Image: Kara Hynes.
Australia's first Angelika Film Centre. Italian bar and eatery Sasso, Chinese Peruvian joint Casa Chow, Palm Springs-inspired gin-pouring garden bar Purple Palm, and European-influenced wine bar and wine shop South City Wine. Two holes in the wall, one a La Macelleria gelateria and the other taqueria Los Felix. They're just some of the reasons to drop by South City Square in Woolloongabba — and, if you have a hankering for Japanese rice bowls, so is Uncle Don. The chain already boasts eateries in Paddington and West End slinging donburi and, with its newest location, it has brought 20-plus variations of the dish to its biggest venue yet. You'll find Uncle Don catering to up to 100 guests in the Logan Road precinct, complete with both indoor and outdoor seating — to begin with, for lunch Wednesday–Friday and also on Sundays, and for dinner Wednesday–Sunday, but seven-day trading is on the way. On the menu, Uncle Don splits its donburi offering into seven sections: seafood, chicken, beef, pork, vegetable, curry and keto. Within each, a heap of choices await. So if you're having a hard time picking between salmon sashimi and baked salmon, grilled eel, chicken katsu, karaage and egg, grilled duck, wagyu steak, crispy pork, shiitake mushroom and scrambled egg curry varieties, for instance, that's understandable. Among the starters, lotus root chips with miso pumpkin dip, a tower of eggplant chips, pork gyoza, parmesan chicken karaage and pork katsu sandos are all options. And for dessert, there's also a don — a matcha tiramisu don, which is made with mascarpone ice cream, honeycomb, biscuits and matcha syrup.
The Australia Day Long Weekend has crept up again, and this year you hardly have to scrape the bottom of the Vegemite jar to find something to fill it with. Whether you’re up for some serious betting on cockroaches, jumping around to the strains of a pink-haired rock star, or would just prefer to sit quietly with a beer and roast chook roll, there’s little Brisbane isn’t offering this weekend. THE BRIGHTSIDE'S AUSTRALIA DAY EVE Brightside proved itself in 2014 to be incapable of doing wrong when it comes to live performance. True testament to this is their Australia Day Eve lineup, which rivals that of any major music festival on our horizon, and at a good price to boot. The party includes sets by dream-spinning, rock demigod Ariel Pink, New Zealand indie-rock pioneers The Clean, our mate American singer/songwriter How to Dress Well and eletro-wizard Dan Deacon. From the local circuit, Tincture, Primitive Motion and Thigh Master will also welcome in the public holiday. Tickets online are $56.10, but a few boutique outlets, such as one on Winn lane that rhymes with ScoutMost, may be selling them a little cheaper. You didn't hear it from us. AUSTRALIA DAY AT SOUTHSIDE TEA ROOM Australia Day isn't just about the beers and beats at Southside Tea Room — though there will be plenty of those. In a huge celebration, kicking off at 10am, they'll be firing up their famous Red Robbin Supper Club food truck and feeding people with some good ol' Aussie grub. In the words of van chef Rory Doyle, "The plan is to fire up the rotisserie and roast some chickens over hot coals, then smash that sweet meat onto white rolls with some rich gravy to complete an Aussie classic, Roast Chicken Roll. You can't have a chicken roll without hot chips and we'll be serving them with our version of "chicken salt"!" Cue uncontrollable salivation. VOTE YES FOR ABORIGINES SCREENING Directed by Frances Peters-Little and produced by Denise Haslem, Vote Yes for Aborigines is an iconic documentary on the 1967 referendum and will be projected for audiences this Australia Day at the Broncos Leagues Club. Interrogating the success of the Referendum and addressing debates about what is meant by Australian citizenship and values, the 52-minute film provides a window into a history we may not all be 100 percent versed on. After the screening, Peters-Little will lead a discussion on the film and the issues that arise in it. THE TRIFFID HOTTEST 100 PARTY Every year, bars, pubs and clubs around Brisbane attempt to host a Hottest 100 Party, assuming their only duty is getting the radio station right. The Triffid are going over and beyond, with a Hottest 100 Party that’ll will have punters up and dancing from lunch time till the early hours of the morn. Brisbane rockers Millions will be performing a live set later in the evening, and beers and burgers will be for sale in the beer garden. Chow down on a tasty dinner and listen out for whether Tay makes it to that number 1 spot (or any spot). GREAT AUSTRALIAN BITES How do some Mooloolaba king prawns with chilli pork floss sound? Or fresh-out-of-the-oven arancini balls? Paired with an Aperol Spritz or Pimms Cup and some sun-struck live music? Sound like your perfect Australia Day? Then why not have a whole weekend of it! River Quay’s finest restaurants – Aquitaine Brasseries, Cove Bar & Dining, Popolo and Jetty — are popping up food stalls in the area across the whole long weekend (Friday to Monday), showing off their finest treats. River Quay is that little, vibrant, riverside hot spot on the Southbank side of the Goodwill Bridge. Check out the line up of music, and prepare your stomach for the best. COCKROACH RACES AT THE STORY BRIDGE HOTEL If you’ve got a taste for creepy, crawly and quirky Australia Day celebrations, then the Story Hotel can cater accordingly. Back for 2015, the 34th annual Cockroach Races are throwing this iconic hotel into a real spin, with live music, DJs, giveaways, delicious Aussie food and ice cold drinks. Entry is a gold coin, and it costs $5 to 'buy' a cockroach, with prizes going to the most original name, best dressed and winners. It might get a little competitive, but if you’ve seen Rocky 2, you’ll be more than prepared for the hysteria that may ensue. THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BACKYARD BARBECUE AT RIVERBAR AND KITCHEN Riverbar and Kitchen is celebrating Australia day in true Aussie style – heavy emphasis on the style. Between the delicious BBQ and the 3pm thong tossing competition, there’s nothing but true-blue class being shown over at this riverside party spot. They’ll be offering up $30 buckets of Pale Ale and Hill Cider, as well an Australian-inspired menu that doesn’t skimp on quality – think grilled haloumi and eggplant salad ($10), lamb skewers ($10), Merguez sausage in a bread roll ($10) and a garlic prawn roll ($12). Pair your bite with one of two refreshing Aussie-inspired drinks — there’s the Brookvale Ginger Beer Slushy for $10, and the Pavlova Martini for $17. THE CITY SOUNDS While Monday might be a public holiday, Queen Street Mall is still expected to be buzzing, not just with time-free shoppers but wonderful music. In a special Australia Day weekend lineup, City Sounds will be dotting some of Brisbane’s favourite performers around the mall. Make sure to stop and have a listen. On the Friday, expect singers Angharad Drake, ukulele blues-fiend Ofa Fanaika and electro-artists Maberley & Petein. On Saturday there's Brisbane singer Black Indie, eclectic tribal performer Matt James, blues band Dezzie D and the Stingrayz; Sunday will show Bree Bullock, Ciderhouse, and The Boxties; and six-piece reggae band Kingfisha will be on show for Monday. HOTTEST 100 CRAFT BEERS AT THE SCRATCH We might as well wrap this up with Brisbane's largest celebration to the opiate of choice for every bearded quaffer — craft beer. And if there's one place that's going to provide appropriate homage to this sweet elixir, it's Milton's The Scratch. For Australia Day, they'll be counting down Triple J's Hottest 100, with the top 100 craft beers of 2014 alongside. They'll also be serving up Australian BLT dawgs — a delicious sausage with bacon, lettuce, tomato, relish and caramelised onion served on a roll. It's a match made in craft-brew heaven.
Inspire packed halls to erupt with laughter, travel around picturesque locales while eating meals with Steve Coogan, and imitate everyone from Tom Jones to Michael Caine. Yes, there's much that Rob Brydon can do. He can also hold his own on every British panel show ever made, play a traffic warden in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and make his voice sound like it's echoing from a box. But not even this multi-talented Welsh comedian can keep Swimming with Men afloat. Brydon's latest big-screen outing wants to bob along the surface of the offbeat sports comedy pool. It wants to paddle around casually, making viewers happy without making too big a splash. Alas, this by-the-numbers comedy sinks quickly, as you might expect given its premise: The Full Monty, just with synchronised swimming. The mix of curiosity, amusement and puzzlement that synchronised swimming sometimes sparks ("really, this is actually a sport?") is Eric Scott's (Brydon) starting position. To be fair, he's similarly bewildered by much of his routine life. The closer that his local councillor wife Heather (Jane Horrocks) seems to get to her colleague Lewis (Nathaniel Parker), the more blustered Eric becomes, and the more his son Billy (Spike White) revels in the uncomfortable situation. Gin doesn't cure his despair, however a dip in the local pool just might. In the beginning, Eric only notices the amateur synchronised swimming squad because they have the wrong number of members, and naturally he's an accountant. And yet it's not all that long until he's joining their ranks. The difference between formulaic comedy done well and formulaic comedy done badly is often a matter of mood and energy. With Swimming with Men reaching cinema screens at the same time as the also straightforward Fighting with My Family, that couldn't be more evident. The pair have their commonalities and their contrasts. Both are based on documentaries — 2010's Men Who Swim, about an all-male Swedish team, in this case — and both tell standard underdog tales. Each focuses on a vastly dissimilar sport, and has its own target market in mind. But the flat, dull feeling that Swimming with Men evokes is all a matter of tone and spirit; specifically, it doesn't have much of either. Instead, the film presents a forced feel-good vibe, a strong desire to swim in Calendar Girls and Brassed Off's slipstream, and very little to make it stand out. Skimming along the surface of its male malaise theme, it also boasts a rote group of hardly fit and heavily discontent blokes surrounding Brydon: Rupert Graves plays the slick one, Adeel Akhtar is the cynic, Jim Carter is sensitive, Daniel Mays is both hot-headed and stressed, and Thomas Turgoose is the token troubled youth. No one is at their best, and while treading water is an essential part of donning speedos and doing eggbeater kicks, the cast does so both literally and figuratively. Screenwriter Aschlin Ditta doesn't give anyone much choice, saddling them with easy, lazy humour and zero trace of character development. Also wading half-heartedly is director Oliver Parker. Trading the teen-centric St. Trinian's flicks for the silliness of Johnny English Reborn, and then for the middle-aged antics of Dad's Army and Swimming with Men, he's happy to take the dullest, most obvious route through the movie. It's the filmmaking equivalent of slowly paddling laps rather than busting out any acrobatic moves — and while you can swim freestyle leisurely with a smile, it's always going to remain the same old stroke. When the film reaches its big climax, a synchronised swimming contest, it almost seems like Parker realises how little excitement he has put on the screen. Rather than relishing the performance, appreciating this odd bunch of unlikely men banding together and doing their best, or eagerly celebrating their achievement, he keeps jumping to shots of the watching crowd. They might be enthused, but after such a bland affair, it's difficult to share their sentiments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pzvyIZdXTY
SXSW Sydney is still three months away (yes, we're counting), but the first-ever South by Southwest to be held outside of the US just keeps getting bigger and bigger. So far, the conference-slash-festival has dropped an initial round of speakers, a batch of music highlights and must-attend parties, and details of its gaming strand. Now, it has unveiled more fascinating folks who'll be chatting behind a microphone. The SXSW Sydney Screen Festival hasn't yet revealed what it'll be showing; however, SXSW's Sydney debut has just added a stellar session on First Nations storytelling with three impressive filmmakers on the bill. Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road: Origin) and Jub Clerc (Sweet As) will all take to the stage at The Next Gen Blak Storytellers, which is about Indigenous talents telling 'modern' Blak stories. On moderating duties: Brooke Boney. Also familiar from plenty of screens is Osher Günsberg, who'll be on the SXSW Sydney bill recording an episode of his podcast Better Than Yesterday with a yet-to-be-announced special guest. Hailing from behind the scenes, Gone Girl, The Nightingale, The Dry, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers producer Bruna Papandrea joins the lineup as a featured speaker, as does Binge's Executive Director Alison Hurbert-Burns. And, the SXSW Sessions lineup now includes Silverchair's Ben Gillies talking about creating music videos with AI, plus other talks on video-game collecting at the National Film and Sound Archive, plus death and dying in video games. Another of SXSW Sydney's new high-profile names: Layne Beachley, with the seven-time World Surfing Champion discussing facing retirement at 36 and reinventing herself afterwards. Fellow just-announced speakers include Indonesian Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, plus Expedia Group Chief Technology Officer and President Rathi Murthy. Also joining the program: connecting our minds to hands-free digital devices, e-waste, AI in the workforce, Aussie startups, NFTs, the future of news media, protecting the oceans, swiping right, sessions on lab-grown meat and more. Obviously, all of the above names and sessions — plus others already announced — are still just the beginning of what's promising to be SXSW's massive Sydney arrival. The entire event will happen within a walkable precinct in the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more, with the fest's footprint operating as a huge hub. SXSW will also be packed with festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations popping up everywhere. So far, venues named include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. Attendees can hit up the SXSW Sydney Conference, which is where those keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions come in — more than 400 of them. And, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions, which is all about innovative and emerging tech and entertainment companies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Plus, at the Startup Village, up-and-comers from all industries and sectors will have space to meet, present and chat. SXSW's arts fests will span the SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival, which will be focused on live music venues in central Sydney — and the aforementioned SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival, complete with more than 100 local and international independent games to play at venues (alongside demonstrations, launches performances, exhibitions and social gatherings). Movie and TV lovers, get excited — because the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just a film fest. There'll be flicks to see, including at red-carpet premieres; episodic content; and digital, XR and social content. Expect Q&As and panel discussions with the folks behind them as well. SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Paul Rudd probably has an attic. And in that attic, a dusty portrait of the superstar actor is probably ageing, because the man himself doesn't seem to be. That's a perfectly logical explanation for why the Clueless, Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers, Romeo + Juliet, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Parks and Recreation, Wet Hot American Summer and Living With Yourself actor — and Ant-Man star, too — has looked the same for decades. And, it inspires a question: if you keep Rudd's likeness somewhere in your house, will you stop getting older as well? Will you start looking like Paul Rudd instead? That's a situation no one would complain about. Whatever might happen, a very real book written by Rudd's very fictional Marvel Cinematic Universe alter ego is on its way, so soon you can pop it on your shelf and find out. That tome is Look Out for the Little Guy, as penned by Scott Lang — aka Ant-Man. It's just been announced because a not-at-all-tun movie called Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits cinemas on Thursday, February 16. And yes, this new text will feature in that flick. See the film, buy the fake memoir: that's what's on offer for MCU fans, Ant-Man stans and Paul Rudd obsessives (so, everyone). In Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Lang has penned the book, detailing his time saving the world. Unsurprisingly, the autobiography has proven popular. The Disney-owned Marvel will be hoping the real text does the same, of course, when it hits bookstores on Tuesday, September 5. According to the official synopsis, the memoir steps through "a bracingly honest account" of Lang's "struggles and triumphs, from serving time to being a divorced dad to becoming Ant-Man and joining The Avengers". Readers are also in for "stories of epic battles won and lost, as this everyman turned super hero finally tells all — from the official account of what really happened between The Avengers and Thanos to how shrinking down to ant-size really feels to the challenges of balancing the roles of hero and dad". Look Out for the Little Guy also has a trailer, because Marvel and the Mouse House realise that the best way to sell anything involving Paul Rudd is just giving the world what we want: more Paul Rudd. "In this new book I'm almost certain was not written by me, we pull back the curtain and uncover the man behind Ant-Man: Scott Lang," the actor advises. "Who is he? What's he like? Why does he look so much like me?" Check out the Look Out for the Little Guy trailer below: Scott Lang's Look Out for the Little Guy will hit bookstores on Tuesday, September 5, and is available to pre-order now — head to the Disney Books website for further details. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 16.
When Halloween falls on a Saturday, there's always the urge to start off the spooky celebrations a day early. And when you have the ideal venue for such a party — aka a hotel, which at this time of year we'll say is haunted in hopes of reliving The Shining — then fighting that temptation seems pointless. In throwing their annual Halloween event, the gang at the Limes clearly feels the same way, as they should. This year, due to popular demand, they're doubling up the devilishness and making their ode to the eerie a two-day affair. That means the same number of options await keen patrons: choose the night that suits you best, even if it is the evening before the real deal — or head along to both. Either way, you'll find cauldron cocktails, deadly shots, prizes for the best dressed and barkeeps raised from the dead (or staff pretending that they are, but in the name of the occasion, we'll go along with it).
Sometimes ice cream speaks louder than words. And on the topic of marriage equality, where words of support from 72 percent of Australians hasn't made much of an impact on policy makers, making a statement with frozen dessert is worth a shot. That's what Ben & Jerry's are doing with their latest push in the campaign for Australian marriage equality. They've partnered with The Equality Campaign (formerly Australian Marriage Equality) to ban punters ordering two scoops of the same flavour in their Australian stores until marriage equality is achieved. That's right: no more double scoops of New York Super Fudge Chunk. Using its scoops as a symbol, the ice cream giant is also offering an in-store postal service across their 26 stores nationwide, allowing patrons to write a message in support of marriage equality to their MP — these will then be hand-delivered by the Ben & Jerry's team. The in-store service will only be available from May 22 through June 9, but you can also have your message faxed to your local MP through The Equality Campaign website, which directs you to your specific MP by area code. This small, yet timely move is made in advance of the next parliamentary sitting on June 13 and is meant to keep marriage equality at the forefront of parliamentary debate and make it easier for Aussies to communicate their support of LGBTQI+ rights to the government. The Ben & Jerry's brand has a history of commitment to social justice and has been particularly focused on marriage equality in recent years, notably with their 2013 launch of the I Dough, I Dough ice cream flavour and campaign. The flavour will be back in stores this month to further hit the message home — but only one scoop at a time. The debate around marriage equality has continues to garner support from big brands, with Airbnb's 'incomplete' rings, Skyy Vodka's Cheers to Equality campaign and Qantas CEO Alan Joyce confirming the airline's support of the issue. And, on the opposite side of the equation, let's not forget the consumer boycott against Coopers after The Bible Society released a tone-deaf video trivialising marriage equality. Maybe losing the freedom to choose our own ice cream flavours will force some policy makers to spring into action. The Ben & Jerry's same-flavour ban will be instated across their 26 Australian stores. You can drop off a letter to your local MP at your nearest store until June 9 or send it over via The Equality Campaign website.
When is a Friday night market more than just a market? When it includes all the food, drinks and stalls you'd expect, and live music as well, but also pairs them with fire twirlers, stilt walkers and fortune tellers — and a neon forest and a jumping castle. That's all on the bill at Brisbane's latest way to farewell the working week, Westoria. As the name makes plain, not to mention the list of highlights, it's about to become West End's new after-work go-to. The vibe: weird, wild and wonderful, plus night market-meets-playground as well. Well, that's the mood and attitude that organisers are pushing before the first weekly event on Friday, October 7, which will run from 4–10pm on Jane Street next to the regular West End Markets site. For Westoria, the idea is for different sights, sounds and smells to await at every turn, whether you're keen for a bite to eat, something to sip or to take in the roving performances — or, ideally, all of the above. If it's the culinary side of the markets that has you excited, the food lineup will include Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, Wagyu Blacks, Roll It Ice Cream Co and others. Drinks-wise, beer and wine will be on offer, alongside a signature cocktail called Stardust. Entry costs $4, and the event hails from Goodwill Projects, which has a hefty list of other markets around town to its name, including West End's aforementioned usual markets. If you've ever hit up the weekly Reddacliffe Place Markets in the CBD, too, or the Milton Markets, Nundah Farmers Markets and Carseldine Farmers and Artisan Markets, then you've been to its events. Also on its list: markets in Redcliffe, Caboolture, Beenleigh, Kuraby, Surfers Paradise and HOTA, Home of the Arts. Westoria runs weekly at 120 Jane Street, West End, taking place on Friday nights from 4–10pm from Friday, October 7. For more information, head to the markets' website. Top image: Milton Markets.
If you haven't already heard the good word, World Pasta Day is just around the corner. Yep, Friday, October 25 gives you a whole day to celebrate the delicious Italian noodle dish in all its glory. So, you'll want to be tucking into as many bowls as possible. Luckily, The Royal Nundah is serving up bottomless pasta on the day, so you can do just that. This World Pasta Day, the pub's kitchen is giving you the chance to eat your weight in cheesy, creamy and tomatoey goodness. For $25 per person, you'll be feasting on bowls and bowls (and bowls) of unlimited pasta over the course of an hour and a half. There'll be two sessions to choose from — 12–1.30pm or 2–3.30pm — and you can work your way through four different dishes while you're there. Bookings are essential and we recommended claiming your spot ASAP as these are set to fill up fast. To nab your spot, head here.
Brisbane has long been partial to a party boat. The Island did the honours from the 80s through until early last decade, and Seadeck has cruised the river over the past couple of years. Now Yot Club has started sailing into the city's waters, and it's making quite a big splash — as you'd expect from a huge yacht with two bars, a stage, a dance floor and a 400-person capacity. Throwing its next series of shindigs between February–May, the glamorous, custom-built vessel calls itself "the world's first super yacht entertainment venue". It's certainly something that southeast Queensland hasn't seen before, at the very least. Sprawling over two levels, it measures nearly 40-metres long and over 22-metres wide, and blends a licensed floating club and a luxe function space, including room for 200 people to enjoy a sit-down meal. With lounges across an open deck and undercover, a VIP room in the hull, both general and ticketed events set to welcome guests, and the promise of bands and DJs on its lineup, Yot Club wants to be the region's one-stop watery hangout. It serves up more than water, of course, thanks to a menu of classic and creative cocktails, plus brews chilled in the 45-keg-capacity cool room. Yot Club sets off from South Bank's Ferry Terminal One, with tickets starting from $39. Dates vary between Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, May 17, but you can head along for a cruisy Friday night, or enjoy a watery Saturday or Sunday afternoon session. Images: Yot Club. Updated March 10.
Each year when winter hits Melbourne, there is an energy to the city as it comes to life with the annual festival of music, arts and performance, RISING. Running from Wednesday, June 4 to Sunday, June 15, RISING's exciting lineup fills the streets, galleries and hidden corners with 65 events featuring work from over 300 boundary-pushing artists. The exhibits and installations happen nonstop throughout each day, but once night falls, Melbourne is truly invigorated, with a whole new side of the city to uncover. Whether you're a local or just visiting, the festival is an invitation to get out, stay up late, and explore Melbourne at its most vibrant and delightfully unpredictable. Planning a trip? Here's our pick of unmissable experiences to make your Melbourne sojourn an unforgettable one. 'Intangible #form' at The Capitol If you're looking for something fun (and free) to do after dark, Shohei Fujimoto's immersive installation, Intangible #form, at The Capitol is a standout in this year's RISING lineup. Entering the space feels like stepping into a sci-fi dream, with glowing red laser beams shifting and responding to your movements, pulling you into an almost hypnotic state. Open from 4.30pm to 10.30pm daily during the festival, it's one you can't miss. Reed House A good RISING itinerary deserves meals as memorable as the art you'll see. Reed House delivers just that. This Lonsdale Street restaurant sits within a landmark heritage building in the heart of the city, and features a humble menu inspired by British brasseries, which is exactly what you want on a cool Melbourne night. It's the perfect spot to fuel up before a night of performances, or to debrief on your day's discoveries over dinner and drinks. 'Kill Me' — Marina Otero RISING consistently delivers performances that push boundaries, and this year is no exception. This year's must-see is Kill Me, a provocative new performance by Argentine choreographer Marina Otero that (literally) bares all. It's exactly the kind of thoughtful, unapologetic work RISING champions, guaranteed to keep you talking long after the show ends. Night Trade A festival favourite during past years, RISING's Night Trade transforms Melbourne's Howey Place and surrounding laneways into a nocturnal playground. Wander around to discover a mix of music, art, and food, including late-night bites and micro cocktail bars, and experience performance art from artists like Saeborg and Nyege Nyege up close and personal. There's plenty to see — all for free — and it's all set against the backdrop of Melbourne's famous laneways. Apollo Inn Tucked discreetly off Flinders Lane and by the team behind famed restaurant Gimlet, Apollo Inn captures Melbourne's late-night charm with cocktails to match. Dimly lit and always (quietly) buzzing, it's the kind of place you want to end up after an evening of exhibition-hopping, to plan tomorrow's adventures or just soak in the city's after-hours energy. [caption id="attachment_1000969" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] 'Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf' For a little extra rebelliousness, head to the Flinders Street Station Ballroom for Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf – a one-of-a-kind playable art exhibition. This nine-hole mini-golf course is no ordinary game, because each hole is an artwork created by female artists, including Miranda July, Kaylene Whiskey, and Saeborg. The concept is a nod to the rule-breaking 19th century women who invented the game after being refused access to the real course. Open from Wednesday, June 4 to Sunday, August 31, go for a late-night slot and experience the surreal, interactive installations that challenge traditional notions of mini golf. 'Frida Kahlo: In her own Image' at Bendigo Art Gallery If you're keen to keep the cultural exploration going after RISING, you can take a short road trip out of town to Bendigo for Frida Kahlo: In her own image, exclusive to the Bendigo Art Gallery, and make a day of it by exploring the township. Just two hours away from Melbourne CBD, the exhibition offers an intimate look at the iconic Mexican artist's revolutionary life and art. It's the perfect complement to Melbourne's RISING, rounding out your weekend of new experiences. So pick your favourite spots, embrace after-dark adventures, and discover why a winter in Melbourne is genuinely unforgettable. Head to visitmelbourne.com.au to discover more of what makes Melbourne every bit different. Images courtesy of Melbourne. Every bit different. By Jacque Kennedy
Originally, Scarlett Johansson (Asteroid City) and Chris Evans (Pain Hustlers) were set to reteam for Fly Me to the Moon, sans Marvel heroes but with championing America — the country rather than the Captain — still on the itinerary. Every movie can play the "what if?" casting game, whether through attached stars that left for various reasons (scheduling conflicts after the director changed here) or via audiences simply offering their own picks, yet this one isn't helped by the shadow of what might've been. On paper, Johansson and Channing Tatum (Magic Mike's Last Dance), who are also reuniting after the Coen brothers' Hail, Caesar!, are a winning pair. One succeeds more than the other in this 60s-set space-race screwball rom-com that's also about selling US exceptionalism, and joins Operation Avalanche and Capricorn One among cinema's fake missions into the heavens, too. The picture's entertaining-enough fate runs in parallel to its plot: there, for the shadowy government operative who pushes Johansson and Tatum's characters into each other's orbits, a good-enough approximation of the moon landing over the real thing will do. A delight as ever in comic mode with depth, Johansson turns in the type of charming performance that Hollywood could build a series around, on screens either big or small. She's Kelly Jones, a Manhattan advertising executive with the gift of knowing how to pitch whatever she needs to get the client, and then to also get the masses to consume. Director Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon) and first-time screenwriter Rose Gilroy, working with a story by Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls circa 2024's cinematographer) and Keenan Flynn (a producer on Beyoncé's Lemonade), introduce her putting on the whole show. Kelly has dismissive and misogynistic automotive executives in her sights, who think that she's present for refreshments. Aided by a baby bump that augments the act, she has soon convinced them on the merits of spruiking seat belts in sports cars. With backing from the very top of the country, aka Nixon, Moe Berkus (Woody Harrelson, Suncoast) has other plans for Kelly: serving her nation by gifting NASA her spin. Fondness for the fat stacks of cash being spent on all things astronomical are falling out of favour with politicians and the public alike, hence the request — a demand that she can't refuse, really — for Kelly's services. Johansson gleams in Fly Me to the Moon, nailing the boldness that keeps driving her character forward and the banter no matter who she's talking to, while also ensuring that impact of Kelly's shady backstory feels genuine. With Party Down, Hacks and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia alum Anna Garcia as supportive assistant Ruby Martin, she scores her best double act of the movie. But even when he's not breaking into the tune that everyone has stuck in their head just from reading this feature's title, Harrelson is having a ball, far more so than Tatum. As Cole Davis, the straight-arrow hero war pilot-turned-mission commander at Cape Kennedy as the Apollo 11 launch nears, Tatum is instantly in a more-serious register than his co-stars. The job on-screen is literally rocket science — and Cole too has baggage, the details of which crib from actuality with a near-flippancy that borders on tasteless. Sincerity shimmers when Cole initially crosses paths with Kelly at a diner, telling her that she's the most-beautiful woman he's ever seen, and also that she's on fire (again, literally), but there's little room for it when they start butting heads as new colleagues with different agendas. Tatum plays his part like he'd be far happier in a romance without the comic battle. In contrast, Johansson relishes channelling Doris Day against Rock Hudson in the repartee. If this was a TV series, there'd be time for Cole to warm up and settle in; however, the film doesn't boast it even clocking in at a lengthy-and-feels-it 132 minutes. Thankfully, there's still an inherent spark just by getting Johansson and Tatum in the same frame, which keeps Fly Me to the Moon rolling although never soaring. If the idea by Berlanti, Gilroy and company was to make the plot busy to compensate for anything that doesn't fully ignite, they've committed to the concept with thruster-level gusto as the narrative unfurls. Kelly doesn't just have to weave her PR wonders with Cole zipping between glowering and flirting — a gig that's filled with faux engineers and astronauts stepping in for interviews (Henry Smalls, played by Bupkis' Ray Romano, is one scientist who's replaced) and product placement galore — or merely help schmooze naysayers who might scrap the space agency's budget. In secret, in a ploy that she's told to keep that way from Cole, she's also tasked by Moe with the stuff that conspiracy theorists' fantasies have been made of for 55 years: going all Tinseltown, complete with the egomaniacal "Kubrick of commercials" Lance Vespertine (Jim Rash, Loot), to stage the events of July 20–21, 1969 in case history doesn't happen the way it's meant to. It's clear why the movie has magicked up a movie-magic angle, and not only because cinema loves paying tribute to itself. Without it, there's no tension in a will-it-won't-it riff on Apollo 11. Viewers know how the attempt to make one giant leap for mankind eventuated, so whether or not Kelly can retain NASA's funding isn't a suspenseful section of the story. With its showbiz farce, Fly Me to the Moon does more than add drama beyond Kelly and Cole's own will-they-won't-they, though — it has a blast executing the chaos that springs. That said, Berlanti also cements the sensation that he's smashing together competing tones, and also making huge jumps between them. It's easy to see how Fly Me to the Moon would've fared solely with an inside-filmmaking spoof vibe, as 2024's Down with Love or just following opposites-attracting affairs of the heart against a shooting-for-the-moon backdrop, for instance, but its array of elements are haphazardly duct-taped to each other. There's a dream at the heart of the film, of course, which Kelly knows that she's slinging and the feature's dialogue isn't afraid to utter with frequency: the dream of hope, of aiming high and even of dreaming itself, given the realities of the era's wars and political situation. Half a century later, in a world just as uncertain, these notions aren't relics of the past. To those watching, Fly Me to the Moon tries a similar feat as it peers upwards with plenty of Dariusz Wolski's (Napoleon) glossy cinematography — and as Johansson's outfits prove a sight to behold, and also her Saturday Night Live-star husband Colin Jost pops up briefly — by asking audiences to buy into the dream of being affably swept away. While saying that something is so isn't the same as making it so, as the narrative is well-aware, Johansson's efforts come closest to securing liftoff.
