If you know anything about the golden era of Hollywood, then you'll have heard of Edith Head. Today celebrated as the single most significant costume designer in the history of cinema, she spent nearly 50 years working at Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios, dressing the stars and starlets of the era in nearly 1000 movies. She also holds the records for the most Academy Awards won by a woman (eight, by the way — no big deal). The Costume Designer exhibition at Bendigo Art gallery draws from the archives of Paramount, the Collection of Motion Picture Costume Design and private collections, collating over 70 costumes designed by Head from the 1930s to the 1960s. You'll see designs from classic films like Vertigo and Sunset Boulevard and costumes worn by iconic performers including Veronica Lake, Gloria Swanson, Olivia De Havilland, Dorothy Lamour, Jane Russell, Hedy Lamarr, Fred Astaire and Yul Brynner. Costume lovers should definitely make the trip for this rare opportunity to see these seldom-displayed designs. Image: Edith Head and Hollywood, 2017, installation view, courtesy Bendigo Art Gallery.
Start your long weekend with an extra spring in your step — and an extra-special cup of coffee. When Good Friday rolls around, Bessa Coffee dedicates the day to damn good caffeinated brews. And while celebrating the occasion hasn't been straightforward during the pandemic, this buzzing occasion is going full steam ahead on Friday, April 15. As long as you roll out of bed before midday, you'll want to head to Little Cribb Street, which is where the Milton hangout will be whipping up a black coffee menu that'll have you pumped until Easter. (Don't worry, cuppas will be available in different sizes, so you will be able to sleep — and try them all.) On the Black Coffee Friday lineup are brews by Archer Specialty Coffee, Coffee Supreme, Light Coffee, Parallel Roasters and Passport Specialty Coffee, including on a five-coffee tasting platter. As for a soundtrack, that'll come courtesy of the Rodrigo Santiagio Trio. Who said public holidays were for sleeping in? You can also tuck into brunch while you're there thanks to Neighbour and Roesti Revolution.
We've all done it at least once: wandered around Roma Street Station or its general vicinity, hunting for somewhere to eat. Somewhere that isn't just the usual food court, or one of the places along the roadway that change with unfathomable frequency. Thanks to the just-opened Nest Restaurant at Hotel Jen, that perpetual search has finally come to an end. You won't find anywhere as nice in this part of the city, or with such a mouthwatering menu. Serving Asian fusion-style food day and night, Nest calls itself a haven — and looking at its eclectic oriental vintage décor, that seems a fair call. This isn't just a spot for a quick bite, although that's certainly an option, as is takeaway. You can savour a meal, have a few drinks after work, or lounge around with your friends on a lazy weekend afternoon. Design-wise, Nest has made some artistically bold choices. A definite highlight is the Lantern Tree, a 100-year-old fig tree lit up with 200 red Asian lanterns. Nest offers 300-degree views of this good luck symbol, as well as quite a nice vantage over the city. You won't venture up there, but the top of the building is another important Nest space. Courtesy of their own organic Sky Garden, the herbs and vegetables making prominent appearances in Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and Vietnamese-influenced feasts are picked fresh daily to make the journey from rooftop to plate. If $12 street food lunches and a 19-dish-plus Asian tapas selection don't get you rushing in the door, then one of Nest's upcoming events just might. Enjoy week-long Chinese New Year celebrations, or learn from an international master chef at a cooking class. Find Nest Restaurant on Level 2 at Hotel Jen at 159 Roma Street, Brisbane. Visit their website for more information.
With social distancing and public gathering rules in place across the country, Mother's Day is going to look a little different in 2020. While the annual celebration of mums isn't usually associated with fried chicken, KFC is, this year, bucking the trend and launching a 'mum-umental' celebration of chook. This Mother's Day weekend, KFC is slashing 25 percent off its entire menu — and delivering it to your door. So, order some finger lickin' good chook and Zoom your mum to tell her you love her (and maybe send her a gift, if you haven't already). The limited-time offer is available from select KFC stores nationwide and runs from Saturday, May 9 till midnight on Monday, May 11. To get your hands on some cheap 11 secret herbs and spices, head to Menulog's website or use the Menulog app and enter KFC4MUM at checkout. The deal is only valid when you spend $30 or more. While your food is on its way, you can meditate with KFChill, a wellness website that lets you unwind to the sound of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. Yes, it'll make you hungry. You can't road trip to the world's first drive-thru-only KFC or marry your loved at the famed chicken chain this weekend, but 25 percent off a Zinger Burger, Original Recipe Chicken and potato and gravy is sure to lift your spirits. Plus, Popcorn Chicken is a pretty good snack for when you're binging Tiger King or streaming this year's Oscar-winning flick. KFC is offering 25 percent off its entire menu via Menulog from Saturday, May 9 to 11.59pm on Monday, May 11. To order, head to the Menulog website and enter KFC4MUM at checkout. The deal is only valid for orders of $30 or more.
Matt Smith’s Brisbane Roar and Jacob Burn’s Perth Glory meet in round twelve of the Hyundai A-league. With Brisbane currently one up from the bottom of the table and Perth around mid-way, neither team are on top form at the moment, with just seven wins between them after eleven games. The two teams have met once so far this season. Their first round matchup in October saw Perth avenge their tragic grand final defeat to Brisbane last year by winning one-nil. Brisbane haven’t won a game since round nine, but can they turn the tide against Perth? Find out Friday at Suncorp Stadium.
Topping off a year that saw his super-hit Somebody That I Used To Know end up on seemingly permanent repeat on the waves of more or less every radio station in the world, Melbourne multi-instrumentalist, Gotye, will bring his sell-out smash world tour to an end this December, with a series of homecoming shows. Multi-platinum selling single 'Somebody I Used To Know', followed by the newer singles 'I Feel Better', 'Easy Way Out' and 'Save Me', saw the Belgian-Australian singer songwriter take over the world, moving on from the domestic success of his 2006 release Like Drawing Blood, to take his third album Making Mirrors to phenomenal success worldwide. His series of homecoming concerts will see Gotye and his ten piece band play to local audiences for the first time since he first topped the major charts last year.
Everyone loves Byron Bay, but there are so many northern New South Wales towns to explore outside of the tourist hotspot with just as much charm — if not more. When you want to escape it all, plan a road trip down the coast to towns like Fingal Head, Kingscliff, Casuarina, Cabarita Beach and Brunswick Heads. And when you truly want to tune out, book into the Kyoto Mountain Lodge where you'll sleep among the trees, which is just 15 minutes away from Brunswick Heads. Surrounded by a rainforest sanctuary, this retreat has a fully equipped kitchen, fast internet and an indoor fireplace. The location is considered a 'primitive campsite' — you'll need a four-wheel drive to get to its location atop a mountain — but once you're there the views over the rainforest and the outdoor showers will make the trek well worth its while.
Whether you're treating yourself to a staycation or travelling further afield, no one likes going on holiday without their four-legged best friend. That adorable pooch isn't just your trusty companion at home, but in general — and, as every dog lover knows, those barking cuties like doing everything you do (and 100-percent think they can, too). At QT Hotels & Resorts across Australia and New Zealand, your dog can now come for a luxurious sleepover with you, with the chain going pet-friendly. Book yourself and your pupper in for a night, and you won't be the only one ordering off the dine-in menu or scoping out the mini-bar, either. Now on offer at all of QT's sites, the chain's Pup Yeah! fur-friendly stays include a night's accommodation for you and your doggo, an in-room menu specifically for woofers, a pooch-friendly mini bar offering and designer canine bedding. The doggy food range is overseen by the brand's head of treats — Nic Wood in Australia and Jiwon Do in NZ — and includes steak tartare with raw beef, mushrooms and egg yolk; bone marrow risotto with bone broth and crispy pigs ears; and chicken livers and pork necks on wholemeal toast with chicken gravy. Fancy a pupper dessert? There's also a bacon ice cream sandwich, made from bacon ice cream, dried liver and oat biscuits. If your canine has dietary requirements, QT also has appropriate options thanks to Eden Bondi — including vegetable terrine, sweet potato meatballs, and pupcakes with watermelon. And, in the mini-bar, there are also treats from pet bakery Woof Gateau for Aussie dogs, while NZ pooches can snack on bites from Wellington dog bakery Smack Bang. Bedding-wise, in Australia your pupper will be reclining in comfort thanks to a Nice Digs sleep set — and Wolves of Wellington is doing the honours in NZ. Some QT sites are even doing dog treatments at their onsite spas, such as pedicures, mud masks and blow dries. If you're now thinking of planning an indulgent getaway with your pooch, you'll just need to make sure it weighs less than 20 kilograms. Packages start at $450 per night, which includes bedding, a water bowl and a dish for your doggo from the in-room menu. For more information about QT Hotels & Resorts' Pup Yeah! dog sleepovers — and to book a stay — visit the chain's website.
When a movie premieres at the Cannes Film Festival, the literal applause it receives makes headlines. It happens every year — and at fellow major international film fests such as Berlin and Venice, too — with reports detailing the number of minutes that the audience put their hands together for while on their feet. Back in May 2024, The Apprentice was no different. While the time spent clapping varied depending on the source, this was still a story. But there was also another tale that followed swiftly after the feature's debut, as it was likely always bound to: the response from its subject to this unofficial biopic, or at least from his campaign, including a cease-and-desist letter attempting to stop anyone else from seeing it. The Apprentice's title tells everyone the who and the why of this situation. Before he was America's 45th president, Donald Trump spent over a decade hosting the reality-TV series that shares its moniker with Ali Abbasi's new film. This isn't a chronicle of Trump's time on the show, or in the Oval Office afterwards, however. It isn't just an unsanctioned big-screen Trump biography, either. Making his first English-language feature after 2016 Danish horror film Shelley, the Oscar-submitted 2018 Swedish standout Border and 2022's Persian-language serial-killer thriller Holy Spider, Copenhagen-based Iranian Danish filmmaker Abbasi also doesn't simply step through Trump's origin story in the 70s and 80s — although it chronicles his start in real estate, his relationship with his father and his marriage to Ivana. The movie's pitch-perfect name hones in on the most-crucial element of the picture: that this is a portrait of chasing power seen through a mentor-protege relationship. Trump is the apprentice. His guide: New York City attorney and political fixer Roy Cohn, who first came to fame in the 50s investigating suspected Communists with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Abbasi digs into how Cohn helped shape Trump, including the three rules of winning passed down from the former to the latter. Those tenets: first, attack, attack, attack. Then, admit nothing and deny everything. And lastly, claim victory while never ever admitting defeat. It's impossible to watch these rules outlined in The Apprentice — or even read them on the page — and not spot how they still dictate Trump's actions today. That's one of the film's many astute moves. Another: casting Sebastian Stan (Dumb Money), who gives one of his two phenomenal performances for 2024 alongside A Different Man, as Donald Trump. Seeing him anchor the familiar Trump mannerisms, speech patterns, talking points and attitudes — details that anyone who has even just spotted the IRL figure on the news across his political career in passing will instantly recognise — in the younger version of the man, an iteration brought to the screen with complexity, is both haunting and uncanny. Equally exceptional: a can't-look-away Jeremy Strong in his first post-Succession part as Cohn, in another of the film's performances that demands awards attention. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Oscar-nominee and Bodies Bodies Bodies star Maria Bakalova also leaves an impression as Ivana. And Abbasi remains one of the most-exciting directors working today in every choice that he makes throughout The Apprentice, including deploying a visual approach that scrapes away any gleam from his take on Trump at every moment. "I think we've been quite restrained," Abbasi tells Concrete Playground about the movie, talking about the instant backlash and the complicated response he knows it will continued to receive. "If we wanted to be controversial, we have ample, ample opportunities to be so." We also chatted with the director about the quest to get the film made and seen, building a portrait of someone that everyone in the world has an opinion of, why he wanted to bring this tale to the screen, getting Stan onboard, and the importance of diving into Trump and Cohn's relationship. On the Diverse Responses to the Film's Premiere, Including the Cannes Standing Ovation and the Trump Campaign's Reaction "It's sort of the same in a way. What do they say, you have to grab a compliment whenever, wherever you find it, whichever way you find it, in whatever form you find it? I think if the Trump campaign thinks that this is the worst — they have an actually really funny formulation, they're saying this is 'pure fictionalised trash'. And I'm like, that's a very general sentence you can basically write in the beginning of every feature film. It's pure fictionalised trash — that's a punk-rock way of saying 'this is the movie'. And look, I think we've been quite restrained. I think this is a quite a restrained movie. I do not understand where people talk about controversy, controversial. If we wanted to be controversial, we have ample, ample opportunities to be so and to do so, and include stuff. I mean, with this guy, the sky is the limit, right. And therefore it's a little bit difficult for me to understand. Of course, we're the underdogs in this game. We just want to get the movie released. So any help, any publicity is appreciated. I don't mind. But on the intellectual level, when people talk about this as being controversial, provocative and the Trump campaign bashing us, I'm like 'have you actually seen the movie? You know, you come out, I would say, much better than you might have'." On Building a Complex, Three-Dimensional Portrait of Someone That Everyone in the World Has an Opinion Of "There's this fable about this father and son, and they have this donkey and they want to go over a river or something like that. They try one way and then someone comes and says 'no, no you can't tie the donkey like that. You have to do it upside down'. And they do it upside down and they say 'no, no, it if you do it upside down, it's going to drown and die in water. You have to do it from the side'. And anyway, it ends up that the donkey goes in the water anyway and drowns. It's a little bit like this movie. It's impossible to get that balance because everyone has an opinion about this donkey. And especially, I think, I really see this acutely in the US. Because I feel like it's impossible, almost, for the Americans — at least, for the critics — to see this as a movie. They either hate the idea of a Trump movie or they think it's not enough — or they think there's nothing new about him that they couldn't read about. So it's a vicious cycle. It feeds itself. And in in reality, I think the only balance that matters is the balance of three dimensionality of character and the authenticity of character. Do I deeply care if we hurt Donald Trump? No, I don't give a fuck, you know. He doesn't care. Why would I care? But I do care about what I feel is fairness. I don't want us to either work for him or work against him. Everyone has different agendas around him and around this sort of political minefield we're living in, and I'm this one guy who actually does not have an agenda either way for against. My agenda is a humanist agenda. I think it's interesting to investigate these people, and the time and the political apparatuses which they're part of." On What Appealed About Bringing This Story to the Screen After Abbasi's Past Films Shelley, Border and Holy Spider "I think what was exciting about this project was the fact that it it's not an American movie — it's about America. And as someone who grew up in Iran, I have this really special relationship to America. I mean, Iran was an American colony until 79. And then after that, we became the archenemy and America became the great satan. And we had this very tense relationship. I think that if you grow up in the Middle East, you have a different view of American politics. You don't really see the difference between Democrats and Republicans in the same way. The outcome is the same. The outcome would end up being a bomb on your head anyway. So I think this this sort of tension and fascination got me curious about American politics, obviously, and the American political system, and this social Darwinism that sort of runs through a lot of things in in American society — this sportifying of everything, so to speak. Even the debates, I don't know if anyone can come up with any single substantive point from the last Trump-versus-Harris debate, but everyone was like 'who won? By what margin did they win?'. But I think there's also something more, there is another complexity in in this story — it's not a Trump movie. It's about this very formative relationship, which Trump is obviously part of. But it's also equally about Roy Cohn, who's as colourful character and as exciting a character, and not as in plain sight as Trump is. And how through this relationship, Trump becomes the person he is. In that way, again, it's also my chance of studying or investigating the system they're operating." On Finding the Right Actor to Play Donald Trump — and Getting Sebastian Stan Onboard "I think for me, casting is like 80 percent of my job. That's also why I am really, really picky and it takes very long time for me to cast my movies, because really once you cast someone, there is not a whole lot you can do about that choice on set either way. And I meant this in a sincere way. It's not a criticism, it's not a problem, but it's something — it's a commitment, I guess. That's a good way of putting it. And that commitment was something that Sebastian definitely paid to this. We start talking about this 2019. And then movie evolved and fell apart few times. It fell apart right after January 6, I remember, as an example of the times. And I think in a way, it is a difficult part to prepare for — not only on a technical level, not only in terms of research and all that, but also mentally. I think I went through a version of this with Holy Spider myself. I was like, the movie itself is one thing, the consequences of making the movie is something else. So I had to mentally prepare to do Holy Spider for many years before I actually made it. I think it's the same for Sebastian. I think maybe the one good thing that came out of all these years of waiting and rebuilding the project was he had time to mentally prepare for the fact that he is doing this person who's extremely polarising — and the aftermath, which is also going to be polarising — and it hasn't even started yet. I think we're going to see the real reactions when the movie comes out. It's different for me. I'm an outsider to this political system, to the US. I can't say I'm an outsider to Hollywood anymore, because now I'm part of it. But I have a sort of a safety distance. If everything goes wrong, if shit hits the fan, I'm still in Copenhagen — and that's not the case for Sebastian. That's not the case for Amy [executive producer Baer, Purple Hearts] and Gabe [screenwriter Gabriel Sherman, Alaska Daily], who started the project. These are people who are taking real risks with this. As much as I don't understand the controversiality and the risk of it, I do know that I'm not the audience. I'm not the masses — that would be seen very differently." On The Apprentice Living Up to Its Name by Unpacking Roy Cohn's Influence on Donald Trump "It's a little bit of a Frankenstein story in a way, like how the monster is created by the master. But in that case, I think politically speaking, I think it's very wrong to refer to Donald as a monster. Because that would also imply that there's a monster in town and there are some other innocent people who are not. And in fact, that's really not the case. I think anything that the opponents are accusing Trump of doing, they have done themselves in some degree, one way or the other. The argument is here is not that 'oh, there are some fine people on both sides' or everything is relative. I don't think it's relative. I think there's some stuff, like when he comes and says 'people are eating dogs', that's a despicable, stupid, racist, fascist thing to say. That's not relative. That's black and white. But in terms of the dynamics of it, back to Roy Cohn, I think that in the movie as in reality, he had an outsized influence on how Donald became the person he is, and how he learned to navigate and pull the levers of power. And also, most importantly, maybe, how to deal with media. Once you know the rules, you can see how he's on a daily basis using those rules. And there's something interesting about these characters, because in a way, they are pretty punk rock. Punk rock is not something you associate with the right that much — mostly anarchist leftwing, that vibe of it. But when you look at these people, they do what the fuck they want. They establish rules. They tear the rule book. They're colourful. They don't care. And I think that maybe in terms of mentality, that was maybe also a big contribution from Roy. You know, you don't have to give a shit about people. If you say something wrong in an interview, double down, triple down, quadruple down. Who cares? Fuck them, you know?" The Apprentice opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 11, 2024.
Measuring almost 50 metres tall and 40 metres wide with an estimated age of over 500-years-old is the Curtain Fig Tree — the crown jewel of the Curtain Fig Tree National Park located in the picturesque Atherton Tablelands. The tree was named after its beautifully draped aerial roots that hang from above and is easily accessible via a 10-minute stroll along a timber boardwalk. The park is open 24 hours a day which offers the opportunity to spot nocturnal wildlife in the evening. Or, if you venture there during daylight, look out for the brightly coloured double-eyed fig parrots that are often seen feeding in this area. Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
Charles and Ray Eames had a bit of a backwards Lannister twins problem. Everyone thought they were siblings. Both were famous for their innovative design work, but people who hadn't met them would just go on ahead and assume they were brothers. They weren't. They were husband and wife. Nowadays they're often best remembered for designing chairs. They did, for sure, make some wonderful chairs. But it wasn't just furniture where they excelled. The Eames office designed almost everything. The Eameses' work was so either ahead of its time or so timeless that lots of its products are familiar objects today. The Eameses' grandson, Eames Demetrios, is about to make a brief visit to Sydney at both the Sydney Film Festival and for Vivid Ideas to talk about both his grandparents' work and his own. To help you get your head around the breadth of their combined output, we've assembled just a few examples of the family's pioneering work. Chairs The Eameses spent over a decade experimenting with shaping wood. They'd invented a surprisingly striking splint out of moulded plywood for the US army during the Second World War. When they'd moved into their new apartment in 1941, their idea of fun was to squeeze a plywood moulding machine into their spare bedroom. They'd made it themselves out of scrap wood and a bicycle-driven pump and called it 'Kazam!'. They took turns riding the bike. After the war they moved to a real studio at 901 Abbot Kinney Boulevard in LA and stayed there for the rest of their working lives, still working with plywood. One of the products of their iterative wood obsession, in 1956, was the Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The lounge was designed for furniture company Herman Miller. While the lounge chair still looks pretty space age, their Molded Plywood Chairs (below) are much more familiar. The Eameses' work in chairs went on to be so successful that today these pieces just seem, well, normal. The SFF Hub plans to have a bunch of these Herman Miller chairs on display over the duration of the festival. The Eames' Lounge Chair and Ottoman will be there, as will the Moulded Plywoods and a new version of the classic Shell Chair. You can place an order for a chair online, though, it should be noted that the price is usually where these chairs' similarity to school chairs suddenly ends. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0 The Long Zoom The beginning of Contact does it, as does the end of Men in Black: the almost-infinite, long zoom across the universe has been a movie staple since the '90s. The shot was pioneered by the Eameses in their 1977 film Powers of Ten, which ostensibly explored the geographic power of adding and subtracting a zero to long numbers. As the film whips out from the Chicago lakeside into the depths of space, and back again, its effortless play with scale and relentless zoom whip you into a exponential sense of pleasant disbelief. Charles Eames had done some film work, though Hollywood didn't end up being his thing. But, about the time George Lucas had the predecessor to ILM filming their Death Star in a parking lot — and well before computer-based special effects — the Eameses were polishing off a nine-minute tracking shot that traversed the known universe. Eames Demetrios will be presenting Powers of Ten alongside a selection of his grandparents' extensive corpus of short films at Eames on Eames, including Design Q&A ("known to specialists") and Music of the Fifties ("just never seen" and "fascinating because it is, in many ways, the beginning of the music video"), not to mention a restored version of the multiscreen Glimpses of the USA. Multiscreen In an age where lining up multiple screens is about as hard as putting two phones side by side, it's hard to imagine how big a deal it was to see a multiscreen image. During the cold war, the USA put on an American trade exhibition in a Moscow park, which would later become famous for the 1959 Kitchen Debate between then Vice-President Nixon and the Soviet leader, Premier Khrushchev. Not too far away from this culinary power centre, the Eameses had been commissioned to make "a major propaganda exercise designed to inject the elixir of consumerism into the heart of the Soviet empire". So they made a film. Glimpses of the USA was a massive array of seven screens designed to overwhelm Muscovites with the breadth of experience in American life. Seven landscapes, seven cityscapes or seven people popped across the screen, in quick succession. It was designed to dazzle: and it worked. Apparently, the final sequence was so powerful it brought tears to even Nikita Khrushchev's hardened eyes. Interactive Museum Exhibitions Interactivity doesn't give you bragging rights at museums these days. But in 1975, though computers had come a long way since the President of IBM ostensibly said "I think there is a world market for about five computers," they were still pretty much unheard of for the museum experience. Ray and Charles Eames put together a concept film for a makeover of New York's gargantuan Metropolitan Museum. They laid out a vision of a connected experience, where visitors could call up their favourite artwork on a computer and its display would automatically show them related items from the collection. Back then, this vision didn't wash. Reports from 1977 talk about electronic controversy: "concerns about an art museum weakening its raison d'etre by activities not concerned with the experience of original art but, instead, films, facsimiles and electronic gadgetry." The funding was withdrawn, and the touted makeover never happened. Nowadays, this 'electronic gadgetry' is just called the Metropolitan's 'website'. Innovator in the Centre Reviewing the recent documentary, Eames: The Architect and the Painter, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott compared the Eameses' influence to Steve Jobs' for the sheer breadth of the influence their design work on our everyday lives. Scott took this comparison further, saying they were also happy to be the centre of the credit: "Like Walt Disney — and like Steve Jobs — Charles Eames did not share credit. His name alone went on the studio's products." Eames Demetrios disagrees. His counterpoint to Scott easily works through the details of his grandparents' crediting history, with the opinion that a story like Charles' alleged surprise that Deborah Sussman wanted credit for Day of the Dead is "demonstrably untrue". But he adds, "I don't think it was told in malice, because it represents an emotional truth, which is that it is a very hard to feel you are getting your due when you are living/working inside someone else's worldview — especially a powerful one like the Eameses." In the absence of space for his full reply here, Demetrios points to the chapter '901 Culture' in his book An Eames Primer for more detail. A Virtual World Eames Demetrios' films started out relatively tame. Common Knowledge presaged the production method of local film 52 Tuesdays, by giving a documentary portrait of dozens of people every few weeks for a year in 1988, but he "kept thinking it would be really amazing to be able to visit a story physically. To create a parallel world that people could visit." Demetrios created the virtual world of Kcymaerxthaere, a story whose locations have leeched across out of fiction and into the physical world. "It is kind of like a novel with every page in a different place," he says. "Most of the installations are markers (in bronze or stone) that tell a piece of the story." Since 2003, the project has installed 99 sites across 22 countries. There are ten in Australia. He has aspirations to install one in the Red Centre but is open to suggestions from Sydneysiders about a site closer to home. "The key is that we need permission to install the marker permanently (or for at least 99 years)," he adds. Sydneysiders can take a turn at interpreting this world at Storytelling to Generate Fresh Perspectives at Vivid on Sunday, June 7. Eames will be telling some stories from Kcymaerxthaere, after which participants will be invited to make their own "disputed likenesses" (images based on the stories) on postcards to be sent off to previous participants. Local participants will get postcards from other workshops before too long. Melburnians can check out a Kcymaerxthaere exhibition opening at Pure and General from June 11. Good design is good hosting is good grandparenting Charles Eames saw the designer as a host, focused on getting the details right for the recipient of whatever thing he was designing. This need to design "to the need" is pervasive in the Eameses' work and its cultural spread is echoed in modern tech firms' ambitions to sweat the details. It's the same sort of obsession with details at the heart of the story of Steve Jobs anxiously calling Vic Gundotura to tweak the yellow in a Google logo. "Charles and Ray are far more famous today than they were in their lifetimes," says Demetrios. "The notion of a rockstar designer did not exist then." Their legacy is only now getting some of the mainstream attention it deserves, three years after the release of the documentary Eames: The Architect and the Painter. But it wasn't just their design skills that lasted. Their parenting and grandparenting skills kept two generations of children interested in working to preserve their legacy. Demetrios also sees time with his grandparents as the roots of his design education. "My theory is that we learned about design backwards when we were growing up — we learned all the lessons about life that we now realise were lessons about design too. Things like the fact that Charles and Ray were excellent hosts. Picnics were important; presentation was important; experience was important. "As we are older, we understand that they were teaching by example one of their key ideas: 'The role of the designer is essentially that of a good host, anticipating the needs of the guest.'" 'Interactive display' image, actually a multitouch sequencer, by Daniel Williams. The couple's grandson Eames Demetrios will be guiding audiences through a screening of some of his grandparents' short films during the Sydney Film Festival at Eames on Eames and getting a few thoughts off his chest at Vivid Ideas.
There are so many things we love about BYO dining. You get to drink your favourite beverages at a fraction of the price, everything feels that little bit more relaxed, and the night usually leads to friends swapping drinks, sharing food and getting a little extra chirpy around the dinner table. The only problem is that BYO is usually synonymous with wine, and if you're not a big wine drinker you often feel like you have to bring a bottle of red to look 'fancy' when really you'd love to crack open an ice-cold beer. We're helping you out of this predicament by tracking Brisbane restaurants that allow you to BYO beer. Now you can go to a lovely restaurant and crack into your favourite tinny without fear of judgement or having to pretend you're enjoying the rosé.
Eat at Fish Lane's Southside in South Brisbane, or at Rick Shores in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, and you'll likely grab a serving of dumplings with your meal. Some feature lobster and prawns. Some come stuffed with truffle pork or chilli crab. The bite-sized favourite is a staple of both restaurants, but it isn't the star attraction at either. For a place with that focus, the team behind the two beloved eateries is opening Central next. Set to welcome patrons through the doors from October 2024 in the Piccadilly Arcade building on Queen Street in Brisbane's CBD, this 80-seater subterranean restaurant will indeed be central in the River City. It also takes inspiration from its namesake district in Hong Kong. Southside Executive Chef Benny Lam, one of Central's driving forces alongside Southside's General Manager Maui Manu and co-owner David Flynn, has worked in the favourite tourist destination, and now aims to bring some of the parts of it that he loves to Brisbane. "The food. The living style. Sometimes I miss it. The rush in that city can be so much, but I really enjoyed that energy, every day," Lam explains. "The thing about Hong Kong, you eat out just about every night of the week. Maybe you leave the office about 7pm but you don't go home. You go to a dumpling bar or noodle restaurant — they're that third place." "You walk and you explore and there's stuff happening everywhere and it draws you in," adds Flynn. "We want Central to be that total sensory experience that we love so much about Hong Kong, but channelled into Brisbane, bringing together two cities that we love." If Central can be that kind of space for Brisbane, the pair will be happy. The menu is set to do its part, with the dim sum range the highlight. Peking duck potstickers and prawn har gao will sit beside chicken steam buns and a wonton soup that's poured at diners' tables — and if you're keen to hang around for a bigger dinner or just have a snack on your way elsewhere, Central can cater for it. Among the other options, which mix Cantonese meals with western influences: drunken chicken with aged shaoxing rice wine, plus red date and golden sesame; ginger and shallot lobster with e-fu noodles hot out of the wok; and South Australian abalone served with XO butter and smoked bottarga. Smoked foie gras with youtiao, aka Chinese fried dough, plus Davidson plum will equally tempt tastebuds, as will Goolwa pipis not only with crispy egg noodles but also prosciutto XO sauce. Char siu pork and roasted half duck feature as well — and if you go for another classic in the sweet and sour pork, you'll find it dished up in half a pineapple. Whatever you pick — dim sum, raw plates, barbecue and more — it'll be whipped up in the venue's raised kitchen. After helping revamp Gerard's Bistro, architect and designer Jared Webb of J.AR OFFICE has turned his attention to Central, where granite and timber will be heroed among exposed-rock walls. The lighting will remain low, befitting the restaurant's underground berth. Another inspiration comes from one of the space's past guises. Primitif Cafe called it home in the 50s and 60s, with jazz and poetry a feature. "It will have that feeling you have in Hong Kong, of the basement restaurant. Our motto with Jared has been to 'embrace the cave'. He responded by designing a space with tiered areas that allow people to have different sight lines through the venue with the kitchen and bar as centre stage," advises Flynn. "It's about capturing that spirit of Primitif, but also the rich, colourful nightclub history of 1970s and 80s Hong Kong — places like Disco Disco, this amazing nightclub that's still remembered fondly in that city." As for the drinks, sommelier Peter Marchant — also the Group Wine Director — is overseeing a wine list of around 30 drops that can be mixed and matched with the food menu. Available by the glass, half glass and bottle, it's set to span both Australian and overseas tipples, and also vino from producers doing new and exciting things in the industry. The cocktails will nod to the Hong Kong nightclub scene, as well as to Primitif, including a house harvey wallbanger, a Sichuan Martini Sidecar and a nitrogen-compressed piña colada. Find Central at 340 Queen Street, Brisbane, from sometime in October — we'll update you when an opening date has been announced. Keep an eye on the venue's website for more details.
2021 isn't over just yet, and none of us have worked through all the new shows currently sitting in our streaming queues. Still, 2022 is already shaping up to be a huge year in television. Stranger Things will finally return, for instance, and The Crown will also unleash its new cast. Oh, and HBO will debut a little prequel to one of its biggest hits ever. Given how successful Game of Thrones proved for HBO — even after its eighth and final season caused plenty of uproar — the on-screen world inspired by George RR Martin's books was never going to simply disappear. Indeed, before GoT even finished, there was chatter about what would come next, with the network first announcing that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided to adapt Martin's House Targaryen-focused Fire & Blood for the small screen as a show called House of the Dragon. Next, it opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration. Of course, all of the above announcements have been happening for so long that it's easy to forget that new GoT-related fare will eventually grace the small screen — starting next year. Although an exact premiere date hasn't yet been announced, we won't merely be talking about House of the Dragon in 2022. We'll also be watching its ten-episode first season. And, thanks to the just-dropped teaser trailer for the series, we can get a glimpse of what's in store right now. HBO released a few images from the show earlier this year, but now they've gone one better. Yes, dragons are mentioned. Yes, everyone looks suitably broody. Yes, the Iron Throne shows up, because of course it does. While the trailer really is just a teaser, viewers can expect to spend more time with flame-breathing scaly creatures and the family that adores them when House of the Dragon arrives in 2022. If you thought the Targaryens were chaotic already, delving into their history — and their love of using dragons to wage wars and claim power — is certain to cement that idea. We all know what happened to the last surviving members of the family in GoT, including Daenerys and her boyfriend/nephew Jon Snow; however, House of the Dragon, like Fire & Blood, jumps back 300 years earlier. Cast- and character-wise, House of the Dragon stars Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour) as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child of King Viserys; Matt Smith (His House) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, the King's brother; Rhys Ifans (Official Secrets) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King; Olivia Cooke (Pixie) as Alicent Hightower, Otto's daughter; and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka 'The Sea Snake', a nautical adventurer from a Valyrian bloodline as old as House Targaryen. These Westerosi folk will all grace a tale that harks back to Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms — which is what started the hefty 738-page first volume in Fire & Blood's planned two-book series — and then works through the family's history from there. Aegon I created the Iron Throne, hence the returning favourite's prominence. And you don't have to be the Three-Eyed Raven to know that this tale involves plenty of GoT's staples: fighting, battles for supremacy and bloodshed. Also set to pop up on-camera: Paddy Considine (The Third Day) as King Viserys, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon and Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) as Mysaria, Prince Daemon's paramour. Behind the scenes, Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal are acting as the series' showrunners. Sapochnik has a hefty GoT history, winning an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award for directing 'Battle of The Bastards', helming season eight's 'The Long Night', and doing the same on four other episodes. As for Condal, he co-created and oversaw recent sci-fi series Colony, and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2018 film Rampage. Check out the first teaser trailer below: House of the Dragon is due to start airing sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.
Are you sick of the dull winter weather that has taken over our southern skies? Is your skin turning pale from the lack of Vitamin D hitting your pores? Do you want to bring back the sun, sand and sea of glorious summer? For those who, like us, answered 'hell yes' to all three, we have collated ten of the best beaches in the Northern Hemisphere that are must-see destinations for people wanting to chase summer around the globe and see some exquisite, exotic foreign places in the process. 1. Shoal Bay, Anguilla With its pinkish-white sand and stunning turquoise water, this two mile stretch of beach is not only one of the most popular beaches in the Caribbean, but also the world. Despite its many villas and restaurants, this holiday destination has not yet been overrun by tourists, so you can still enjoy a relaxing day at this pristine spot before witnessing a dreamlike sunset, seemingly at the edge of the earth. 2. Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Islands Judged the 'World’s Leading Beach' at the World Travel Awards four years in a row, you can be sure that this spectacular beach will not disappoint. Along with white sandy beaches, Grace Bay is also home to some of the richest and most beautiful coral and aquatic life in the world. Unwinding doesn’t get much better than this. 3. Paradise Beach, Philippines Living up to its name, this spot really is a traveller’s paradise. It’s the perfect place to soak up the sun, sip on a coconut cocktail, munch on some delicious Filipino cuisine as you listen to the waves crashing gently on the shore whilst laying in your beach recliner. 4. Phi Phi Islands, Thailand The hype surrounding this picturesque island is not unwarranted. The looming fortress-like cliffs tower over approaching boats, and the beaches are simply beautiful. Of the two islands, Phi Phi Leh and Phi Phi Don, the former remains completely free of inhabitants and the latter totally without roads. 5. Candolim Beach, India One of the longest beaches in the state of Goa, Candolim is a stark contrast to the populated centres of bustling India. It is just south of the famous Calangute Beach, but this beach is much more serene and peaceful. Candolim is a relaxed village containing only smalls inns and hotels, and has also been home for over 12 years to an immovable beached tanker, River Princess. 6. Costa Smeralda, Italy The southern tourist island of Sardinia, off mainland Italy, plays host to some of the most alluring and secluded coves and beaches in the world. The ‘Emerald Coast’ features 80 idyllic bays with pristine beaches, many of which are only accessible by boat. This northern coastline is ensconced in the unspoiled wilderness of Sardinia’s Lisa di Vacca and contains unique panoramic views of the surrounding national parks. 7. Baska Voda, Croatia Baska Voda is a major tourist resort situated along the astonishing Makarska Riviera in Croatia’s south. Lying at the foot of the incredible mountain Biokovo, this 2km long pebbly beach is rich in olive groves and pine woods, making for an interesting and dynamic holiday destination. 8. Maspalomas Beach, Canary Islands The beach comprises of enormous wind-sculpted dunes, located just behind the mesmerising blue sea and soft sand. Divided into four regions, Maspalomas caters for all tastes. The beach offers tonnes of sports and leisure facilities as well as beach bars, restaurants and shops, and though it sits off mainland Africa it is considered the westernmost point of the Sahara Desert. 9. Makena Beach, Maui The iconic Maui Island is one of Hawaii's most popular tourist destinations, and for good reason. Comprising all the qualities travellers crave in a classic Hawaiian beach holiday - surfing, volcanoes, family friendly activities, posh resorts and traditional culture - Maui encompasses the envisioned relaxing yet exciting Hawaiian vacation. Makena is considered by many to be the best stretch of sand on the island. 10. South Beach, Florida Last but certainly not least on the list, is the primary party coastal city, Miami Beach. Featured in countless movies and TV shows, this iconic strip is a must-visit location for those on the quest of following summer around the world. Miami Beach is home to myriad festivals, parties and events, including Art Basel and Winter Music Conference.
We are all well aware of the pervasive effect social media has on our lives in terms of connecting, conversing and sharing with others on an unprecedented scale. Yet there are a whole myriad of other uses that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide, which can have immensely positive effects. Take a look at a few valuable uses for social media sites that you probably didn't expect. 1. Mapping Infectious Diseases Graham Dodge founded a cunning website called Sickweather which ingeniously uses Facebook and Twitter updates to track infectious diseases. Unlike Google Flu Trends, which launched in 2010 and is based off people's searches, Sickweather can actually track the occurrence and locations of specific ailments. Dodge is also optimistic that through the use of event schedules, travel and weather patterns and environmental data, social media will be able to predict the spread of diseases. He has already noted pertinent trends of the spread of disease throughout America, and now hopes to win a $21,000 prize in a government-sponsored competition for a new app, which uses Twitter to warn us about public health issues. So next time you feel a cough creeping up on you, do us all a public service and tweet about it. 2. Helping the Homeless find Equality A study conducted by the University of Dayton has discovered that Facebook provides a refuge for homeless people by making them feel more equal. Everyone on Facebook is equipped with the same services and benefits, whether that be liking, commenting, messaging or uploading photos. This, and the fact that people can't smell if they didn't shower yesterday, or even know that they are homeless, which, says one of the subjects of the study, makes them feel accepted. Facebook is also important in helping them establish community networks, and helping solve practical issues such as where to find social services, a meal or shelter. 3. Tracking Public Opinion Topsy released a new political index last week called Topsy Pro Analytics whereby we can use Twitter to gauge public opinion by searching particular topics or hashtags. The complex technology delves into two years of data from Twitter feeds and is updated in real time. The mass number of results from the search not only reveal the frequency and number of tweets about a topic over time, but it also measures the tone and actual content of the tweets and who is conversing most about it. 4. Getting Your Voice Heard Thunderclap is a new site, which allows users to send out a message. Once enough people tweet it or post it on Facebook (at this stage 500 messages over 5 days) the site reaches its threshold and all the updates are sent out at once. This not only increases the chance of the message becoming a trending topic on Twitter but it also increases chances of people seeing multiple updates on Facebook and paying more attention to it. The tool could be a dream for non-profit organisations and the like to help amplify their message. 5. Educating Conservative Cultures about Sex Social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are transforming the way youth consume their media, even in developing nations such as Ethiopia, Mozambique or Indonesia. Social media is also a great tool in educating young people about safe sex practices and the importance of condoms. Through Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and YouTube videos younger audiences can learn about condom use without the embarrassment of their parent's presence and remain anonymous if they wish to. Through these social media platforms it is significantly easier for youth in these lesser developed countries to access information about HIV protection and family planning and chat about sensitive issues. 6. Engaging a 3000 Student Class The thought of teaching a 3000 strong student cohort would surely be enough to plague any teacher or lecturer with terrible nightmares. But John Boyer at Virginia Tech seems to find this massive class a piece of cake. Boyer introduced a novel system of 'gaming principles' by which students can rack up points to determine their notes. On top of this, Boyer poses regular questions on Facebook and Twitter for his students to respond to and also holds office hours using instant messaging on Ustream so he can respond to his many pupils in real time. Skype is also utilised to host interviews with important figures in global issues, such as Kony2012 creator Jason Russel, or a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. 7. Sharing your Organ Donor Status Facebook has introduced a new status option in the United States and United Kingdom which allows users to proclaim their organ donor status. By openly advertising in their biographical information that one is willing to be or already is a registered organ donor, doctors and advocacy group leaders believe that this will have a domino effect and encourage many others to sign up to be an organ donor. As well as this, being able to view it on Facebook would most likely hasten the decision and make it easier for family members to approve their loved one's donation. The company is looking to expand the tool to other countries in the coming months.
Conventional maps of political results seen in the media, in stats and in reports often demonstrate a skewed and non-inclusive representation of the outcomes of US Presidential Elections. This then creates a politics of maps. However, Mark Newman, a renowned complexity researcher, has attempted to abate the confusion behind these inaccurate portrayals by creating his own highly inclusive and bona fide images. Newman believed the representations of states coloured by the majority votes was insufficient. Not only do these maps fail to take population into consideration, but they also demonstrate democratic or republican voters in each state as black and white, or in this case blue and red, rather than showing the many shades in between. After billions of dollars and years of incessant campaigning, surely an authentic portrayal of the election results is not too much to ask. Newman has answered this call by creating more realistic and more complex illustrations of the election results. First, view the varying processes Newman went through in accurately depicting the 2008 presidential elections, followed by his political map of the most recent 2012 election. 2008 Election Results By State With red depicting republicans and blue democrats, this widespread map of the 2008 Presidential Election is obviously a vast illusion, as one would not be wrong in mistaking the winner as McCain rather than Obama. 2008 Election Results Population Cartogram This more precise depiction instead shows the election results compared to the population sizes of each state. The fact is that the red states often have a lower population than the blue, thus increasing the proportion of blue in this image and eradicating the sea of red in the previous one. 2008 Election Results by County Rather than assuming an entire state is a homogenized mass holding a single political view, this map shows the electoral votes in each county of the US. Again, however, this image is incredible deceptive and misleading. 2008 Election Results by County Population Cartogram Using the same technology as before, this map demonstrates the results of the election by county, according to population. Once again this makes the balance between red and blue more accurate, however, this is much more specific and localized to certain areas. 2008 Election Results by County in Shades Forget 50 shades of grey, what we want to see is 50 shades of purple. To closer resemble the balance that exists within states and the nuances in voting patterns, Newman used varying shades of purple rather than simply two block colours. This eliminates the vast mass of red or blue spreading over particular areas and demonstrates that the country is not actually starkly divided. 2008 Election Results by County in Shades Population Cartogram Combining all the complex techniques above produces this truthful and reliable depiction of the election results compared to population per county. Much more accurate than the first map given! 2012 Election Results And now for the long awaited images of the recent 2012 US Presidential Election. Here is the image of the standard and simple map of the election results of Romney VS Obama. Not too distant from the image we saw from the 2008 Election. 2012 Election Results by County in Shades Population Cartogram Here is the more authentic portrayal of outcomes from the 2012 election using population per county and shades: an up-to-date representation of America's voting patterns that couldn't be much more accurate.
Cinema has a big problem — and for the first time in quite a while, it can't be summed up by the words "sequel", "reboot" or "Adam Sandler". For a long time now, convenience stores and cinema candy bars have been known for their bizarre Prohibition-era pricing of ordinary goods. Now they are being joined by a third champion of Weimar-esque inflation – the cinema ticket counter. According to Screen Australia, in 2005, the maximum price you'd pay to see a movie on the big screen was $15. In 2015, the last year for which there is recorded data, that price had exploded to $24.50. And while this hasn't reduced the number of Australians going to the flicks each year, the number of times people visit has been steadily declining since 2009. Melbourne couple Sonya Stephen and Shane Thatcher say that only around 16 per cent of available movie tickets are purchased in Australia each year. Their solution, a new app called Choovie, is an attempt to allow audiences to drive demand — and, by extension, the prices they pay at the door. "Every time we went to the cinema and there was only a few people in there, he [Thatcher] would start questioning how you could use technology to get more people to go to the cinema more often," says Stephen. "It became obvious that by using smartphone technology there could be a genuine win-win, people could see more movies and cinemas could make more money." Choovie is a push for cinemas to adopt a fluid ticket price based on the time of the screening and the popularity of the film. The app would then share this information with users and allow them to find the best deal. In other words, you'll probably still pay a mozza for the new Star Wars in mid-December and whatever the biggest flick is on Boxing Day, but when you're busting to see Tears of the Otter by that Danish guy at 11am on a Wednesday morning, Choovie will help you find a ticket that takes these things into account. Obviously, much of the app's success will rest on whether cinemas decide to play ball or not; however with Australian movie theatres currently selling less than a fifth of their available product, Stephen is confident that more bums on seats will also mean bigger profits for cinemas. "The onus is on us to prove that it works. If we can do that I can't see why everyone wouldn't come on board." Choovie goes live on 27th March in Victoria, NSW and the ACT, with staggered launches across the rest of Australia in the months following. For more information, visit their website.
Baz Luhrmann has always had a knack for casting. As his three-decade filmography shows, he's long had a talent for plenty more — dazzling imagery, pitch-perfect needle drops, and a hyperactive and immersive vibe that makes viewers feel like they've stepped right into his movies, for starters — but his films are always immaculately cast. He had 90s teens swooning over Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. His made Elizabeth Debicki a star via The Great Gatsby. And just try to name someone who didn't want Ewan McGregor to serenade them after Moulin Rouge!. You can't; they don't exist. Elvis, Luhrmann's biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, is no different. Indeed, the acclaimed Australian filmmaker wouldn't have made it if he wasn't able to find the right actor for the job. And that stellar stroke of casting, enlisting Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's Austin Butler to sport the pompadour, sideburns and oh-so-many jumpsuits, has exactly the effect that Luhrmann intended. Watching Butler in the film's meticulous recreations of Presley's live performances, you instantly understand why the singer became an icon. You see what audiences in the 50s, 60s and 70s saw. Even better: you feel as thrilled and excited as they must've felt. Charting Presley's life from his birth in Tupelo, Mississippi to his death in 1977 at the age of 42 — as told by his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) — Elvis spans the details that a big-screen biography about one of entertainment's most famous names needs to. It's also made by a filmmaker with his own name recognition and sense of style. The result: an Elvis movie and a Luhrmann movie. It has the swagger of both. It mixes Presley's songs — some sung by Butler, some by the man himself, some blending the two — with hip hop. It sashays between swirling imagery and a Luhrmann-esque sensory onslaught to concerts so electrifying that you can almost smell the sweat. It's little wonder that Elvis debuted at the Cannes Film Festival to a 12-minute standing ovation. It's also unsurprising that bringing the film back to Australia, including to the Gold Coast where it was shot, was one helluva party. During the whirlwind Aussie tour, ahead of the movie's local release on June 23, we chatted to Luhrmann about all things Elvis — spanning everything from telling more than just Presley's story to Butler's virtually fated casting, thank you, thank you very much. THE MUSIC BIOPIC ALL SHOOK UP From Strictly Ballroom, his hit debut back in 1992, through to his 2013 adaptation of The Great Gatsby, his most recent big-screen release until now, music has been a crucial part of Luhrmann's films. Perhaps that's why Elvis feels like a movie that he was always going to make — and the style of feature, a music biopic, that was always going to pop onto his resume at some point. Asked if it felt that way to him, Luhrmann says that he was drawn to making more than just a music biopic. "I always liked the way Shakespeare would take a historical figure and make a bigger idea," he says — and as Romeo + Juliet fans know, Luhrmann's long been a fan of the Bard. "And I was so in love with Amadeus. I don't know how old I was when I saw that, but the thing about that film is it's called Amadeus but it's not really about Mozart. It's Salieri's story — and who the hell is Sailieri? That's the point of the movie. He was the most famous composer on the planet, and god goes and puts genius in this piglet of a person and he's very angry about it. So the film's about jealousy," Luhrmann continues. "I wanted to use the canvas of Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker — never a Colonel, never a Tom, never a Parker — this giant, out-there character, who, you know, was a carnival barker and a sort of Svengali type. He saw this kid who had grown up in one of the few white houses in the Black community and went 'I don't know what he's doing but that's the best carnival act I've ever seen'. And I just think the spread of the life — the 50s, 60s, 70s — if you want to explore America, what a great canvas. And through music, what a great canvas." FROM DANCING TO 'BURNING LOVE' TO DIRECTING AN ELVIS MOVIE Thanks to a wonderful piece of trivia from Luhrmann's past, directing Elvis almost seems like it was meant to be. He says the same about Butler playing Elvis — but only Luhrmann won a dancing contest to 'Burning Love' when he was ten. "I did. I went up to the DJ and I said 'hey mate, can you put on 'Burning Love' because it really gets going, you know?' Luhrmann recalls. "And we had the matinees at our little cinema for a while" — because, yes, Luhrmann's father Leonard ran a small-town movie theatre when he was growing up — "and I just thought he was cool". Ask a teenage Baz about Presley, though, and his answer would've differed. Unpacking why is part of the reason he has made Elvis now. "Pretty quickly, by the time I was about 18, I was into Bowie and stuff like that, and Elvis kind of was in the background," Luhrmann says. "But I think he was always present to me, but I was also very aware that under 35, he's just kind of a Halloween costume. My kids are like, he's the funny guy in the white suit, you know?" "Anything that is iconic, that becomes rusty — at some point something iconic must've been amazing, must've felt amazing, but it's just become ossified," Luhrmann continues. "So I've spent my life taking kind of implausibly cheesy things and trying to re-code them so that what they felt like, you can feel again." In what quickly proves typical Luhrmann fashion, he has an anecdote to explain, one relating to one of the most memorable songs in his movies yet. "When I was doing Moulin Rouge!, we were thinking about the key love song, and I was at a piano bar in San Diego. And 'Your Song' came on. And the guy was like "it's a little bit funny…" — every cheesy bar in the world would play 'Your Song' by Elton John. But I went home with Anton [Monsted, the film's executive music supervisor, and Elvis' music supervisor as well] and we listened to the original recording. And, we realised, what an amazing song." GETTING THE RIGHT ELVIS IN THE BUILDING Call it a case of suspicious minds: if Luhrmann was going to make Elvis, he wasn't going to cast just anyone. The world is full of Elvis impersonators, which is a skill all of its own. But that wasn't what Luhrmann was looking for — and although Harry Styles was also considered, the pop star wasn't what the director was after, either. Butler wanted the part so badly that he made and sent a video of himself singing 'Unchained Melody' before Luhrmann was even casting. "It wasn't like an audition," the filmmaker says. "He talks about it now, but I only learned recently or during the process that what happened was, he'd made another video and it wasn't good, he thought. And he had lost his mum the same year that Elvis did. So he has this nightmare and he goes down the stairs and thinks 'what I am going to do with this terror?'." "So he goes down and he just sort of, he's in a bathrobe, and he's playing it, and shooting with an iPhone as he's singing it. And I thought, it wasn't an audition. I thought it was like spy cam or something. I said 'who is this? What is this?'." "And then he came in, and pretty much he was Elvis from the moment he walked in," Luhrmann continues. "He just kept getting more and more Elvis, to the point where during the pandemic I had to tell him to slow down, like he was going to break himself. But I think it's like a life or death commitment for him." THOSE PHENOMENAL LIKE-YOU'RE-THERE CONCERT SCENES Strictly Ballroom had brilliantly choreographed and shot ballroom scenes. Moulin Rouge! was filled with big musical numbers, including in the eponymous Parisian establishment. The Great Gatsby boasted parties that could sit in the dictionary under 'decadence'. Luhrmann knows how to direct a spectacle — and, in Elvis, that comes via the concert scenes. Chatting about them, he credits the team effort — and Butler. "Firstly, you've got to start with Austin, whose commitment — it was like, it's a freak situation. I mean, his casting in the role is almost a freak situation. It's like forces beyond me almost, without getting too Hammer horror. He was drawn to be in this movie, and I wasn't going to make it unless I could find someone to play it," Luhrmann notes. "Then, COVID meant that whatever he was doing, he had to do it for another year. And by then he was so Elvis." Obviously, there's more to Elvis' centrepiece scenes than just pointing the camera at the Butler, as exceptional as he is. Luhrmann was determined to use the recreated footage to show — rather than tell — the audience what made Presley a star, and so incendiary, and why he was such a hit. Again, viewers don't just see the singer and his impact; they feel it, like they're there in that audience in the 50s, 60s and 70s. "Working with [cinematographer] Mandy Walker and [executive music producer] Elliott Wheeler, and the music people and all that, [we were] making sure shot by shot — making sure the look, shot by shot, it was identical in many regards," Luhrmann says. "But then you flip the coin, and you show what you didn't see in the documentaries and what you don't see in the concert footage. So it's getting the two sides to it." Elvis screens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from June 23. Read our full review. Image: Hugh Stewart / © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Caxton Street's go-to for whisky, southern-style food and Americana rock, Lefty's Old Time Music Hall left Brisbane's nightlife scene with a considerable gap when it closed last November. Thankfully, the Petrie Terrace venue didn't permanently shut up shop — with new management swooping in, slightly amending its name and reopening the joint. While the dive bar-style spot is now called Lefty's Music Hall and is run by Hallmark Group Australia — the folks behind Jamie's Italian, Jamie Oliver's Pizzeria, Finn McCool's and Retro's Cocktail Lounge — not much else has really changed. If you've been a fan of its honky-tonk saloon theme, famed whisky apples and live music lineup since it originally launched back in 2013, that's all sticking around in the new iteration, which just launched at the end of February. So are Lefty's vintage chandeliers, crimson walls and the sizeable mirrors splashed around the place. Also staying put: its black leather booths lit by candles, giant curved bar, smattering of moose heads, wall-mounted bear and peacock, and heavily used stage and dance floor. Basically, it's a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. That seems understandable given how popular the venue has always been, as well as the reaction when it was shuttered suddenly. Other than that popular blend of whisky and freshly juiced apples, the relaunched bar is serving plenty of boutique beers and, obviously, whisky. Food-wise, American-themed snacks are on offer — such as hotdogs, chicken wings, fried chicken burgers, and both cheeseburgers and cheeseburger spring rolls. As for its entertainment lineup, it's once again focusing on rockabilly and country music, showcasing local, Australian and international talent.
At some point in the near future, when television production returns to normal, Taika Waititi will be writing, directing and executive producing two new animated Netflix series based on Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Yep, if you were wondering what the Jojo Rabbit Oscar-winner is up to next, they're a couple of things on his slate. Right now, though, he's turning his attention to another Dahl favourite — and enlisting plenty of pals. Across ten episodes, James and the Giant Peach with Taika and Friends sees Waititi team up with a whole heap of famous talent to narrate the beloved book. If you've ever wanted to hear the Boy, What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople read to you, then here's your chance. If you've always wondered what would happen if his Thor: Ragnarok stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Cate Blanchett voiced James and the Giant Peach characters too, well, that's on the agenda as well. Also lending their voices: Liam Hemsworth, Jojo Rabbit's Roman Griffin Davis and Archie Yates, plus other big names such as Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cara Delevingne, Mindy Kaling, Lupita Nyong'o, Billy Porter, Gordon Ramsay, Eddie Redmayne, Ryan Reynolds and Olivia Wilde. Four episodes are currently available via YouTube, with new instalments added each three times a week — at 3am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in Australia, and at 5am in New Zealand. And if you're wondering why, the aim is raise funds for COVID-19 impacted charities, especially those helping seriously ill children and medical workers in vulnerable areas of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJNSg_oMrOQ
Who is the reigning Halloween Heist champ? What costume did Rosa Diaz wear the first time that she took part? Which detective asked a criminal to help them win? Who was crowned the 'Queen of the Nine-Nine'? If you can answer all of the above — and you love both Brooklyn Nine-Nine and halloween — then you're set for this trivia night. Yes, it's all about the hit cop sitcom we all know and love. And, the one that goes all out when it comes to the spookiest time of the year. It's also the series that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours, and is thankfully coming back for a seventh season. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. Every time trivia sessions dedicated to B99 hit town, places are snapped up faster than Terry can snap open a tub of yoghurt. This time, you need to register in advance for Fritzenberger's trivia night at its Petrie Terrace joint, and then Saturday, November 2 can be your night for glory (that can also be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). It all starts at 6.30pm, and entry is free. Bring your wallet for burgs, obviously, plus beers. If all this sounds rather noice, get in quick as spots are limited. UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 27: The first 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Halloween Heist Trivia Night, on Friday, November 1, has sold out, so a second event has been added on Saturday, November 2. The above text has been updated to reflect this change.
Hotel Morris is an impressive design-led boutique hotel with a sense of warm, understated luxury as well as a fantastic wine bar Bar Morris. Hotel Morris is tucked away on Pitt Street in Haymarket not far from the best of Chinatown, the Sydney CBD, and Surry Hills. The heritage listed property first opened as a hotel in 1929 — a design showcase for architect Virgil Dante Cizzio's interpretation of the Inter-War Palazza style. It underwent a significant refurb before reopening in 2023, boasting beautiful new finishes and detail while maintaining the elegance of its historic Italian influence. The exterior has been refurbished to retain the original design, with a bold white and red sign proudly exclaiming 'Hotel Morris' out the front. Inside, art deco-leaning suites welcome guests with Jarrah wood accents and custom furniture that pays homage to the history of the building. Downstairs, the aforementioned Bar Morris continues the building's design with a sleek 40-seat space built around pink marble, velvet, leather, timber flooring, and vibrant flourishes of red.
Remember the Pokémon Go phase? What a time in millennial history. And while you may not see hordes of people playing it in your local park these days, fans need not despair. Because Pokémon is coming back to you in real life. Three years after the game temporarily took over the world, a pop-up bar decked out in everything Pokemon is hitting Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this year. We don't have specific details, like the when and where of it, but can tell you to expect everything to do with the franchise: Pokéball-shaped burgers, as well as games, themed cocktails and prizes. The bars will supposedly be divided into seven regions and each session will includes two hours of 'hunting, battling and catching time' — we're interested to see how that will be interpreted. You can complete all regions to be the ultimate winner, where we suppose you might win one of the aforementioned Pokémon prizes. There will also be prizes for the best dressed and a DJ spinning tracks. The nitty gritty of it all, though, is yet to be revealed. Will you be playing on the app, or will you have to find Pokémons in a scavenger hunt? Does anyone still actually play Pokémon Go? The mystery is yet to be solved, but you may want to start rounding up your old catching team. We don't know dates for this one, but you can be the first to know when tickets are available by signing to the mailing list. The event comes from the same group that have previously announced a Simpsons-themed Flaming Moe's tavern and a Harry Potter-themed Cauldron Bar. While neither of these events have actually happened — even though the Cauldron Bar initially scheduled for last month — organisers have told Concrete Playground that they are trying to find the perfect venues for the bars, and both of them are still "in the pipeline". The Pokébar should hit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane later this year. Tickets will be $35 for a two-hour session. They're not yet on sale, but you can register here.
2024 marks eight years since Holey Moley first combined pop culture-themed mini-golf courses with cocktails and other beverages right here in Brisbane. How is the brand celebrating that fact? By continuing to expand. Your next tap, tap, tapping destination is Westfield Mt Gravatt, which is now home to a shared 350-person hub featuring not only Funlab's club-swinging chain, but also Hijnx Hotel. Next time that you're keen to escape your routine with a few beverages in a bar that does more than serve up drinks, the River City has a new haven for boozy games and activities, then. First announced back in May, the southside spot opened its doors on Friday, July 26, 2024. On offer: 18 holes of putt putt and ten challenge rooms, as well as karaoke in three function rooms across the site, and two bars slinging cocktails and food. Hit up the precinct and you won't be able to say that you're bored. Funlab, which is also behind Strike, Brothers Cirque Electriq, and B Lucky and Sons, has rolled out its familiar format for both Holey Moley and Hijnx Hotel — so if you've been to either before, including the former's OG Fortitude Valley digs and its Brisbane CBD spot in the Wintergarden, and the Holey Moley and Hijnx Hotel at Chermside — then you'll know what's in store. At Holey Moley, you'll be tap, tap, tapping your way around holes themed around space, The Simpsons, art, music, other games and more. And at Hijnx Hotel, there'll be a ball pit, UV basketball and a claw machine quiz, plus other spaces. Among the mini-golf courses: the already-popular Moon & Pars and 742 Evergreen Tce, which have become favourites at fellow Holey Moley locations, alongside everything from Vincent Van Golf, The Great Holedini and A Pineapple Under The Tee to Draw Fore, Super Mega Mini Golf, and Skate or Golf. And among the challenge rooms, Zig-a-Zag ah Ball Pool, Poke-The-Dot, The Lodge, Abandoned Arcade and Rubix Cube will also feature. Mt Gravatt's Caddyshack bar is also keep the theming going — and the drinks. Sipping a cocktail out of a bathtub, anyone? That's one beverage that's on the brand's menu. If you're new to Hijinx Hotel, it isn't for vacationing and staycationing in. Instead, it mixes The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel and Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, all with puzzles and games to play inside its doors. Throw in alcoholic beverages and it too is aiming to serve up an adult-focused spin on childhood activities, as Holey Moley does — but this time sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Find Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel at level two, Westfield Mt Gravatt Shopping Centre, Kessels Road, Upper Mount Gravatt — open from 10am–9pm Sunday–Wednesday, 10am–10pm Thursday and 10am–11pm Friday–Saturday. Head to the Holey Moley and Hijinx Hotel websites for further details. Images: Markus Ravik.
"Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" They're the questions that the full trailer for Wicked poses in its first moments. The rest of the sneak peek, the film it's for, and both the musical and the book that it's based on all explore those queries through the tale of Glinda (Ariana Grande, Don't Look Up) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo, Pinocchio). Film lovers, you're going off to see the witches, the powerful witches of Oz, when Wicked soars from the page and the stage to the screen in 2024. The famous and beloved theatre musical adapts a book that takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, and has been a show-going favourite for more than two decades thanks to composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman. Now, it's heading to cinemas as a two-part movie. The first instalment, now just called Wicked rather than Wicked: Part One, arrives in November with director Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) behind the lens. Grande dons pink and Erivo sports the requisite green in both the first teaser trailer for the movie — which arrived amid the annual Super Bowl sneak-peek frenzy (see also: Deadpool & Wolverine) — and also for the just-dropped complete sneak peek. Haven't caught the stage show on its current Australian run, including in Sydney since 2023 and in Melbourne from March 2024 , with Brisbane to come? Defy gravity in your local picture palace before the year is out instead. In the two trailers for the film, Glinda tells Elphaba "don't be afraid". "I'm not afraid," is the fellow witch's response. "It's the Wizard who should be afraid of me." As for why, the second trailer steps through more of the plot — complete with renditions of 'Popular' and, yes, 'Defying Gravity'; Elphaba getting her black witch hat; flying monkeys; hues of pink and green aplenty; and meeting the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum, Asteroid City) in Emerald City. Wicked follows the Land of Oz's witches, with telling their untold tale the musical's whole angle. On the stage, the show has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Joining Grande and Erivo in bringing Wicked to the cinemas is quite the who's who-style cast. Alongside Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh (A Haunting in Venice), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Ethan Slater (The Marvellous Mrs Maisel) and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) also feature. As for when the second Wicked movie will also get flickering, it's due in November 2025. Check out the full trailer for Wicked below: Wicked releases in cinemas Down Under on November 28, 2024.
Maybe you love nothing more than telling simulated people what to do. Perhaps a fantasy universe is your favourite place to escape to when you're mashing buttons. More than a quarter-century back, virtual critters might've been your go-to pastime. The Sims, World of Warcraft and Neopets have all made an impact on the gaming world, and on audiences. All three are also scoring plenty of love when Game Worlds takes over the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. For five months from mid-September 2025 till February 2026, this video-game exhibition will shine a spotlight on 30 iconic titles — and make attendees feel like they're stepping inside some of them, too. Expect everything from original concept art and never-before-seen designs to rare objects to fill the Federation Square site's Gallery 4. Expect to be able to get playing, rather than just peering, as well. [caption id="attachment_997869" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blizzard Entertainment[/caption] Although the full lineup of games featured hasn't been revealed as yet, they'll span from the 70s until now, and 20 of them will be playable. Demos, games from years gone by, trying to break speed records: they're all part of the setup, which will include international hits, new Australian releases and everything in-between. "As the home of videogames in Australia, Game Worlds celebrates the continuous evolution of this century's defining artform. It builds on ACMI's multi-decade experience in making video-game exhibitions, and our long-term support of the Australian video-game sector through preservation, education, industry partnerships and our dedicated Games Lab," said ACMI Director & CEO Seb Chan, announcing the exhibition. "Whether you love games as much as we do or have never picked up a controller, Game Worlds gives fresh insight into video games and their cultural impact." [caption id="attachment_997868" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World of Neopia[/caption] As Chan referrenced, ACMI has staged major video-game showcases before. This is its third, in fact, following 2008's Game On and 2012's Game Masters. Since the latter, the venue has also hosted smaller gaming exhibitions, such as 2017's Code Breakers — where women in the industry were the focus — and 2024's Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition. Earlier in 2025, it celebrated 25 years of The Sims across one nostalgic weekend. As it regularly does with its showcases, the gallery will pair Game Worlds with talks, film screenings and other events, family-friendly activities among them. [caption id="attachment_997870" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blizzard Entertainment[/caption] [caption id="attachment_997871" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Blizzard Entertainment[/caption] Game Worlds displays at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Thursday, September 18, 2025–Sunday, February 8, 2026. Head to the venue's website for more details. Top image: Electronic Arts.
If you're not attending a Christmas lunch to devour five different kinds of roast meats, Christmas Day can be a little up in the air. No, your regular coffee place won't be pouring, brunch will not be happening (sorry), and you can't even head into Woolies for some milk. But don't panic: things are still on, public transport is running (to a Sunday timetable), and 7-Eleven will remain open for emergency packets of chips and gum. And, as a gift from us to you, we've put together a few things that you can do if you're in town with nothing to do, don't celebrate Christmas or are otherwise uninterested in the big day. Inhale Tacos Over Margaritas Sure, most of Brisbane shuts down for Christmas Day, other than eateries specifically serving a festive menu — and if you're keen for that, you'll likely be testing your wallet. However, one location that'll remain pumping like it's any other day of the year is El Camino Cantina at South Bank. Fancy tacos and OTT margaritas instead of the usual festive spread? Here, that's exactly what's on the menu. The Tex-Mex chain's Surfers Paradise venue is also open as usual, too, with both locations serving up plenty to eat and sip — frozen margs included — amid their brightly coloured surroundings. Head down the coast and you'll also score beach views. See Some Aussie Wildlife Christmas in Australia — and in Brisbane, in particular — means something different to the rest of the world. We have heat and storms instead of cold and sleet, seafood lunches as well as roasts, and we play cricket in the street rather than make snowmen. In that spirit, why not embrace everything our sun-drenched country has to offer by sharing the day with some of our native animals? At Lone Pine, the world's first and largest koala sanctuary, you can see more than 100 koalas, hand feed a wild lorikeet or kangaroos, and watch sheep dogs, birds of prey and dingos. It's open from 9am–3pm on Christmas Day — and although cuddling a koala is no longer part of the Lone Pine experience, you can feel their fur and learn all about them. Attend or Help Out at a Charity Lunch There are plenty of organisations and people putting together free Christmas lunches for those that might not have anywhere else to go. If you're missing out by circumstance, not by choice, or if you want to volunteer your time to help make someone else's Christmas a little brighter, Community Friends hosts an inclusive December 25 event. 2024's get-together runs over both breakfast and lunch from 7.30am–1.30pm at Bunyapah Park, at 68 Vulture Street in West End. Bookings aren't necessary, but you can volunteer to bring a plate of food to share or presents for people of all ages. Peer Down on the City By day and by night, Brisbane is a pretty city as seen from great heights. The serenity that comes from looking down from above only increases when the usual hustle and bustle grinds to a halt — and there's no quieter time in the CBD and surrounding areas than Christmas. Head up to the Mt Coot-tha lookout to glance over the eerie stillness through the in-built binoculars. Or, watch the world go round as you head around on The Wheel of Brisbane — which is open from 12–10pm — followed by a stroll through South Bank and a dip in one of the riverside pools. [caption id="attachment_750974" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kangaroo Point via Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] Picnic Somewhere Scenic The joy of the city's many public areas — filled with green grass, tall trees and wide-open spaces as as they are — is a lack of adherence to standard operating hours. The Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Roma Street Parklands, New Farm Park and a variety of shady urban spots: they're each open all-year round, offering a free and accessible way to spend some time in the sun. Bring along your own rug, frisbee and basket full of scrumptious goodies, of course, and company. Here's our pick of the best picnic spots in Brisbane, plus nine waterside spots you mightn't have visited — and these are the places that allow you to BYO booze. Top image: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Australia is home to some incredible music festivals, with Laneway, Bluesfest, Splendour, Groovin' the Moo and Dark Mofo bringing some of the world's best acts to our shores each year. But live music isn't the only excuse to head out of town. Australia is also home to heaps of out-there festivals set in rural and random locations, celebrating everything from spuds and watermelon to Mary Poppins and the Nutbush. Looking for an out-of-the-ordinary getaway? Here's our pick of the top ten weird and wonderful festivals to track down around the country.
There's a line towards the end of Drive-Away Dolls that's so glorious, so hilarious and so descriptive of the film's plot that it feels like Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke's lesbian road-movie comedy caper could've sprung from it alone. The dialogue in question spans eight words that are best discovered by watching, riffing on a familiar phrase — and it's marvellous. Ethan is no stranger to writing sparklingly witty and sidesplitting banter. His filmography is filled with it and, with his sibling Joel, he has two Oscars for Best Screenplay, winning for Fargo's original script and No Country for Old Men's adaption. The Coen brothers' own O Brother, Where Art Thou?, A Serious Man, True Grit and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs also scored them nominations, as did co-penning the Steven Spielberg-directed Bridge of Spies. Ethan and Tricia — who are not only married, but have past experience working together thanks to the latter's role editing some Coen brothers' movies, starting with The Big Lebowski — didn't base Drive-Away Dolls' narrative on that particularly perfect line. That's not how Ethan pens his scripts, he tells Concrete Playground, whether Joel or Tricia is his co-writer. "We write very much, as me and Joel always wrote, in order — in scene order, not knowing, not outlining, and not knowing where we're going in terms of outline, or certainly not in terms of future lines of dialogue that we want to work in," he explains. "So that came up because the situation warranted at that point." What a situation that Drive-Away Dolls dives into; there might be only one Coen attached, but it's still pure Coens. Two lesbian friends attempt to hightail it away from their everyday Philadelphia lives — one after a fresh breakup; the other unable to relax since her last relationship ended quite a while earlier, and just in general — with Tallahassee, Florida their destination. Margaret Qualley (Poor Things) plays the outgoing, confident, as-casual-as-they-come Jamie, who soon has police officer Sukie (Beanie Feldstein, American Crime Story) for an ex. Geraldine Viswanathan (Cat Person) is the perennially stressed and uptight Marian. Their getaway idea: driving a car that needs taking to their destination anyway, aka the eponymous cheap car-hire service. But their mistakenly allocated vehicle has hidden cargo, which sets a couple of bickering and bumbling goons (Plane's Joey Slotnick and The Blacklist's CJ Wilson) on their trail. There's an anarchic everything-that-can-go-wrong-will air to Jamie and Marian's eventful road trip, and to the antics of the men following their every move (and to the storyline's twists, which bring in characters played by The Last of Us' Pedro Pascal, The Color Purple's Colman Domingo, Oppenheimer's Matt Damon and The Burial's Bill Camp, too). But this isn't the soulful Inside Llewyn Davis; rather, Raising Arizona, Burn After Reading, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou? but queer, touring lesbian bars and featuring wall dildos is the vibe. "I think the only thing that we wanted, we definitely wanted to make it a fun queer movie. And, we thought about Cynthia Plaster Caster very early on. She was someone we were like 'okay, we're going to work something like that into the plot'," advises Tricia. [caption id="attachment_942716" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Tricia Cooke, Geraldine Viswanathan and Ethan Coen. Photo by Marion Curtis / StarPix for Focus Features.[/caption] How do Coen and Cooke really tie all of those elements together, including the artist — "not famous now, kind of forgotten," Ethan notes — known for making plaster casts of celebrity penises? ("Later on, she also cast women's breasts," stresses Tricia; "she wasn't a one-trick pony," adds Ethan.) Uproariously, in their gleeful version of a B-movie, with a 60s- and 70s-inspired spirit, and while crafting a period piece. The movie's action is set in the 90s, where today's ever-present technology can't simplify the scenario. It feels like a throwback several times over, then, and like writer/director/producer Coen and writer/editor/producer Cooke are having an absolute ball making it. Harking back three decades is a nod to Drive-Away Dolls' history as well, with the film initially conceived and scripted back then under the name Drive-Away Dykes. With that moniker, it was indeed a case of coming up with the title, adoring it, then basing the whole movie around it. With the film that's resulted all these years later in cinemas Down Under from Thursday, February 22, we chatted with its two guiding forces about finally bringing it to the screen — including while Ethan and Joel take a break from their collaborations (Ethan and Tricia teamed up to make 2022 documentary Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind first, while Joel helmed 2021's The Tragedy of Macbeth solo). Also covered: how Drive-Away Dolls' narrative came about, digging the script back up, casting Qualley and Australia's own Viswanathan, and loving making comedy capers. On Coming Up with Drive-Away Dolls' Story — and Its Original Title Tricia: "Well, we did come up with Drive-Away Dykes — a friend of mine and I, not Ethan and I. And I went home and I mentioned it to Ethan, and he was like 'that's a great name. We should write that movie'. So it just started out because drive-away — I don't know if you have them in Australia, but here they're companies where you can go and get a car, and you can drive it, and you drop it off wherever the owner of the car wants it driven. So we thought that was an interesting beginning of a road movie. And then, ending up with the wrong car — or what might possibly be in this car that they weren't anticipating. So we started from there." Ethan: "Trish came up with the title Drive-Away Dykes in the Pravda bar in New York, down on Lafayette." Tricia: "Yeah, which sadly is no longer there." Ethan: "I hear they're putting up a plaque there, like Fat Black Pussycat, where Bob Dylan wrote 'Blowin' in the Wind' — but it's where you conceived Drive-Away Dykes." Tricia: "Excellent. I can't wait." On How the Film Finally Come to Fruition Decades After Initially Writing the Script Ethan: "Actually, it was just because me and Trish worked on a documentary together — we made a documentary movie about Jerry Lee Lewis — and we just enjoyed working together. Not that we hadn't before. Trish would cut some of mine and Joel's movies. But we enjoyed working together, and we thought 'hey, we've got this old script that we didn't manage to get made, so why don't we look at that again, and rewrite it again, and make the movie?'." Tricia: "We both had time. Ethan had kind of decided to take a break, and our kids are grown now, and after the Jerry Lee Lewis movie it was kind of like 'okay, well, what we're going to do next? Well, we have this script here, so let's see if we can interest anyone'." On How Drive-Away Dolls' Screenplay Evolved Since the Original Version in the 90s Ethan: "It was not the case that we worked on it over the years. We wrote it and then forgot about it for many years. And when we did come back, we did rewrite it. How is it different? I think it's mainly the main two characters are a little more…" Tricia: "Fleshed out." Ethan: "In the rewrite, the odd couple thing is highlighted. The free spirit versus the uptight woman, that's more pointed in in the rewrite." Tricia: "And we also made it a period movie. When we wrote it initially, it was contemporary and it didn't feel right to keep it contemporary for a couple of reasons. It's a lot easier to find people now with cell phones and the internet, and all of that. And also, all of the lesbian bars and stuff, that was such a big part of my world back then, and that's all changed — not significantly, but it's different now. And so I felt like it wouldn't be a proper representation, and something I didn't know, going to a lot of queer bars in 2022." Ethan: "It's a weird paradox where lesbian birds then were a little more transgressive, or felt at least a little transgressive. And now, now they don't. And there aren't as many, weirdly. I don't know what explains that." On Casting Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as Jamie and Marian Ethan: "They both came in, and when each of them came in, we said 'okay, that's the person'." Tricia: "They went to the top of the list. Geraldine came in very early. We saw her maybe in the first group of people we auditioned. Margaret came in very late. So we kind of had a Marian, we knew we were very high on Geraldine — and had a few other Jamies, but when Margaret came in it was like 'oh, that's Jamie'. She just flopped down in the chair, and she had the spirit that Jamie had. That was a harder part to cast." On Ethan Directing His First Narrative Feature without Joel Ethan: "Weirdly, well, same and different. Weirdly the same because I made it with Tricia — and Trish isn't titularly the co-director, but she is in fact. I mean, we made the movie together. So in that respect, it's kind of familiar. You're just working with another person, and it's all very collegial, and it's the two of you making the movie. So it wasn't different in terms of me working by myself, because I wasn't working by myself. It's different because I'm working with a different person." Tricia: "Joel knows more than I do." On Still Making a Movie That Feels Like a Coen Movie — and Gravitating Towards Comedic Capers Ethan: "It just seems that kind of thing is promising story fodder. You know what I mean? It's what Trish was talking about —a drive-away, you go 'okay, what could make that story go? Okay, there's something in the car they don't know about. And there's bad guys who were after them because they're after the stuff in the car'. You're looking for an engine for the story, something to propel the story — that's a caper." Tricia: "And also, we love just being on the road here in the States. There's such a car culture. So much is out there, there's so much material out there — and it just seems like it could be fun. The scenery is always changing, there's always something of interest out there. So those are good things to play around with story-wise, too." Ethan: "And you get lots of good stuff. The bar at the beginning, the starting point of the trip, and that mirror bar at the end, the end point of the trip — and that's a story." Tricia: "Raising Arizona is definitely, when anyone asks 'what's your favourite Coen brothers movie?', I always say Raising Arizona. Probably because I didn't work on it, but also it's just so much fun to watch them do wacky things — Goodman, and…" Tricia, to Ethan: "Oh, there's another!" Ethan: "Goodman and Bill Forsythe." Tricia: "We're trying to think of all of the dumb men in cars that have been in Ethan's movies." Drive-Away Dolls released in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, February 22. Read our review. Images: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.
Thanks to one of Milton's famous residents, Brisbane will always be known for XXXX beer. The River City is a thriving craft brewery hub, too. Spirits-wise, it has even scored its own Brisbane gin. But there might be no tipple that screams Brissie as much as BY.ARTISANS' signature drop. The West End distillery's gin isn't just made right here in the Sunshine State capital — it uses old eucalyptus leaves from a Brisbane icon, aka Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, to create the beverage. Lone Pine's koalas aren't missing out on their greenery; rather, BY.ARTISANS is using the leaves that don't get eaten by the herbivorous marsupials each day. The resulting creation is indeed called Signature Gin, and it can be bought at the distillery's new Jane Street flagship — or enjoyed onsite. Adding a new sip to everyone's must-drink list is one of motivation behind BY.ARTISANS, as proves the aim of every outfit that makes booze. Getting attention on Queensland-born artistry and Sunshine State-made products is another key reason for being. Teaming up with one of the city's best-known destinations fits that ethos, clearly. Tempting eyes towards the brand's just-opened base won't be hard — the slick, sleek, minimalist-leaning venue, which favours natural tones with pops of greenery and silver distilling equipment around the place, instantly stands out. It isn't just somewhere where spirits are made and drunk, either. Also part of the setup: a cafe serving a curated range of food and a creative haven, where tasting rooms and the bar sit beside an event space, a retail space and room for workshops. For those stopping by for a bite, the all-day dining menu includes marinated mixed olives, gildas, pickled vegetables and crackers with hummus, Portuguese custard tarts, and daily-changing toasties and crostones. For two, there's also a cheese and charcuterie platter. As for the Signature Gin, a small-batch drop that goes heavy on native botanicals, it's been crafted under the guidance of BY.ARTISANS's third Co-Founder Alexander Bell, who is also the resident Master Distiller — and a chemical engineer. Expect to taste not only eucalyptus, but also lemon myrtle, cinnamon myrtle, lavender and wattleseed, all in a tipple made in a still designed to be one of the country's most energy-efficient by Bell.
No one will need to make any wishes to visit the most magical place in Australia over the summer of 2023–24. Enchanted creatures, alluring woodland spaces, eerie mirrors, dazzling slippers and eye-catching stagecoaches will all be part of the experience, however. The place: Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, where Fairy Tales is taking over from Saturday, December 2–Sunday, April 28 as the River City venue's big summer exhibition. Fairy Tales was first announced in 2022 as part of GOMA's 2023 slate — and, from the moment that the 100-plus-piece showcase was revealed, it instantly sounded wondrous. The focus is indeed the stories that we all lapped up as kids, telling us about otherworldly critters, magic and more. Fairy Tales' art, installations and objects will split into three thematic chapters, starting with 'Into the Woods', then heading 'Through the Looking Glass' and finally pondering 'Ever After'. And yes, the exhibition will also survey the movies filled with such elements that still grace our screens, in what's set to be entrancing experience all round. [caption id="attachment_919713" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Henrique Oliveira / Brazil b.1973 / Baitogogo 2013 / Palais de Tokyo, Paris / Plywood and tree branches / 6740 x 1179 x 2076cm / Courtesy SAM Art Projects, Galerie GP&N Vallois, Galeria Millan / © Henrique Oliveira / Photograph: André Morin / This work is indicative of a new commission by Henrique Oliveira for the exhibition 'Fairy Tales' at QAGOMA.[/caption] One massive highlight is Corupira 2023, a huge site-specific installation by Henrique Oliveira, which GOMA also advised would be part of Fairy Tales when the exhibition was initially added to its 2023 calendar. This sprawling piece will take pride of place inside the riverside venue, with the Brazilian artist using salvaged timber, plywood and tree branches to transform the building's architecture. The result: a sure-to-be-stunning gnarled and twisted forest (a sure-to-be-snapped sight, too, naturally) courtesy of a specially commissioned work. Another sizeable installation hails from Patricia Piccinini, who is no stranger to filling GOMA with delights. Here, she'll create a magical path that sits below a canopy. Of course genetically modified plants are involved, this time in the form of 3000 blooms. [caption id="attachment_919718" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trulee Hall / Witch House (Seance of the Umbilical Coven)(detail) 2020 / Wood, paper mâché, resin, fabric, stuffing, fake fur, synthetic hair, altered sex dolls, acrylic paint, spray paint, found candle holders, cornucopia baskets, found ceramic cornucopia, found crystal balls, convex mirror, polymer clay, hardware, LED candle / 431.8 × 685.8 × 436.88 cm / Collection: The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) / Photograph: Joshua White / JWPictures.comThis work is indicative of a new commission by Trulee Hall for the exhibition 'Fairy Tales' at QAGOMA.[/caption] Overall, as it fills GOMA's entire ground floor, Fairy Tales will explore how folklore-, myth- and legend-related narratives have fascinated audiences through art and culture over not just years and decades but centuries. If creepy woods have influenced sculptures, or tales of princes and princesses have inspired painters, expect to see it here, in a blockbuster Australian-exclusive showcase that'll run for five months. On a list that goes on like breadcrumb trails, the full showcase will feature everything from drawings and installations through to fashion, as well as films and filmic elements such as props and costumes. Across the venue's walls and screens, wicked witches, magic animals (fierce and friendly alike), coming-of-age tales, shifting gender roles, bravery, loyalty, castles and pumpkins will all feature in one way or another — with help from artists such as Jana Sterbak, Kiki Smith, Abdul Abdullah and Ron Mueck. [caption id="attachment_919715" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Timothy Horn / Australia/United States b.1964 / Mother-load2008 / Crystalised rock sugar, plywood, steel / 292.6 x 182.9 x 170.7cm / Courtesy: The artist / Image courtesy: Jason Schmidt / New York Times / Photographer: Jason Schmidt.[/caption] Other specific pieces include a glass coffin by Sterbak, a dual mirror from Anish Kapoor, Gustave Doré's Little Red Riding Hood and Trulee Hall's Witch House (Umbilical Coven) 2023. Or, get excited about seeing interactive sculpture Flying Mushrooms 2015 by Carsten Höller; Costume for a mourner, a ballet costume by Henri Matisse; and Mueck's version of Pinocchio. Film fans will have much to peer at, and not just because an accompanying movie program is a reality as well thanks to GOMA's excellent Australian Cinematheque. That big-screen lineup will show relevant flicks, but the exhibition will overflow with other cinema-related details. Think: a costume donned by David Bowie in all-time classic Labyrinth, plus the thirteen-hour clock and glass orbs from the film; celebrating Where the Wild Things Are, both images from Maurice Sendak's and costumes created by the Jim Henson Creature Shop for the 2009 movie; a dress from Jean Cocteau's 1946 masterpiece La Belle et la Bête; costumes from 2012's Mirror Mirror by Eiko Ishioka; and Del Kathryn Barton and Brendan Fletcher's animation The Nightingale and the Rose. [caption id="attachment_919719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Still from 'Cinderella' (1922) dir. Lotte ReinigerImage courtesy:British Film Institute[/caption] "The exhibition explores enchantment, thresholds and transformation while articulating concerns that have always been inherent in fairy tales, such as power imbalances, injustice, ageing, gender and otherness, and resilience in the face of adversity," said QAGOMA's Amanda Slack-Smith, who curated Fairy Tales and is also the Australian Cinémathèque's Curatorial Manager. "The exhibition includes more than 100 works encompassing sculpture, installation, painting, photography, printmaking, papercuts, animation, video art, film, props, costumes and even the hidden realm of augmented reality," added QAGOMA Director Chris Saines. "Celebrating a much-loved genre of storytelling, Fairy Tales is an adventure that will inspire and delight as it reminds us how timeworn narratives can be remixed and updated to both surprise and disconcert audiences." [caption id="attachment_919717" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tarsem Singh (director) / India/United States b.1961 / Eiko Ishioka (designer) / Japan 1938–2012 'Green dress' costume from Mirror Mirror 2012 / Silk, synthetic taffeta, nylon netting, plastic / © 2012 UV RML NL Assets LLC. / Photograph: Jan Thijs.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_919720" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Del Kathryn Barton (artist, director) / Australia b.1973 / Brendan Fletcher (director) / Australia /The Nightingale and the Rose (still) 2015 / Single-channel video: 14 minutes, colour, sound / Animators: Chris Breeze, Simon Bronson, David Edwards, Liz Ellis, Richard Swan / Music: Sarah Blasko/ Gift of Del Kathryn Barton through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation 2022. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art© Del Kathryn Barton / Image courtesy: The artist and RoslynOxley9 Gallery, Sydney.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_919716" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Timothy Horn / Australia/United States b.1964 / Glass slipper (ugly blister) 2001 / Lead crystal, nickel-plated bronze, Easter egg foil, silicon / 51 x 72 x 33cm / Purchased 2002 / Collection: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra© Timothy Horn.[/caption] Fairy Tales will display at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, South Brisbane from Saturday, December 2, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024. For further details, visit GOMA's website. Top image: Henrique Oliveira / Brazil b.1973 / Baitogogo 2013 / Palais de Tokyo, Paris / Plywood and tree branches / 6740 x 1179 x 2076cm / Courtesy SAM Art Projects, Galerie GP&N Vallois, Galeria Millan / © Henrique Oliveira / Photograph: The artist / This work is indicative of a new commission by Henrique Oliveira for the exhibition 'Fairy Tales' at QAGOMA.
Tranquility and Lutwyche now go hand in hand. So do pastels and Lutwyche; Mediterranean-style bathhouses and Lutwyche; and escaping life's chaos in saunas, steam rooms and ice baths in Lutwyche. The reason: Contro Wellness. First announced earlier in April and now welcoming Brisbanites through the doors from Monday, April 29, the venue is the River City's latest place to relax, slow down and put your wellbeing first. Brisbane has no shortage of wellness studios — indeed, Albion is also set to score a new bathhouse before the middle of 2024, opening in June — but adding more is always welcome. With its soft and calming hues, Contro Wellness has gone dreamy with its bathhouse setup. Patrons will find both traditional and infrared saunas, float therapy, mineral soaks, red-light therapy and salt therapy inside, too. Also, if you're keen on not just relaxation, but some alone time — or sharing your experience with a date or mate — this isn't the kind of place where you'll be using the facilities with other folks. All services are private, which is handy if you're also the type of person who finds trying to de-stress surrounded by people who don't know anything but calming. Price-wise, you'll be forking out at least $40, which is where Contro Wellness' services start. Sessions are also available in packs of five and ten, so you can plan out your future visits. And, the bathhouse lets you book in via its app, letting you lock in your next stint of unwinding at the touch of a button. "Contro Wellness is the ultimate escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of city life," said Madeleine Snaith and Jake Salomone, the venue's co-founders, when the wellness spot was first announced. The pair are Brisbanites, but are opening Contro Wellness as part of their homecoming after establishing pilates and yoga studios — also called Contro — in north Queensland, in Mackay and Rural View. "Our extensive range of private health solutions offer calm amongst the chaos. Whether you're after a float, sauna or ice bath, we've got something for everyone to help rebalance, revive and rejuvenate." Find Contro Wellness 488 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche, from Monday, April 29, 2024. Head to the studio's website for further information. Images: Contro Wellness, Luke Donegan.
When you have a favourite bar, brewery or eatery, or a beloved joint that offers a great combination of the three, scoring a second place to enjoy its beverages or bites is always welcome news. Slipstream Brewing Company has delivered just that. A beer-pouring — and -making — go-to on Brisbane's southside for the past seven years, it has now opened another location. Meet Slipstream Brewing Social House. Brisbanites will need to head out of town for a sip here, so add checking out the brewery's latest venture to your next trip to the Sunshine Coast. Since Wednesday, October 16, 2024, you'll find Slipstream Brewing Social House in Birtinya, in the local Stockland Shopping Centre, sprawling across a 300-person greenery-filled space with 40 taps, plus both steak and seafood on the food menu — and featuring indoor and outdoor seating, combining al fresco dining with cosy booths. If the word that comes to mind is "hangout", that's by design on co-owners Deale and Elisa Stanley-Hunt's parts. Brisbane's Slipstream Brewing brewpub in Yeerongpilly, which has been open on Wilkie Street since 2017, has the same vibe. The two sibling venues both take cues from America's west coast across their food menus, as Slipstream's beers do as well. On the brews front, the brand has also created a new North Coast pilsner that you can knock back exclusively at Social House. For something other than beer, cocktails, independent spirits, boutique wines and non-boozy choices — coffee among them — are on offer. The culinary options under Head Chef Jarick Quesada include new dishes and highlights from Yeerongpilly across a range of plates to share, grilled eats, burgers, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Think: southern fried chicken tenders with pickled vegetables, popcorn cauliflower, salmon tostadas, crumbed mushroom burgers, rib fillet steak sandwiches, 450-gram pork tomahawks with wagyu fat potatoes, fish tacos made with beer-battered barramundi and chocolate stout brownies. Unsurprisingly, Mooloolaba prawn are also on the menu — served barbecued with 'njuda butter, white wine, napoli sauce, parsley, preserved lemon and toasted ciabatta. Entertainment-wise, Social House is also set to host live music, Oktoberfest shindigs, pinball competitions, weekly trivia nights and more. "Our vision for Social House is to create a space that embodies the spirit of the Sunshine Coast community, where locals can come together and enjoy quality beers in a welcoming atmosphere, just like we have done with our Brisbane venue," explains Deale. "We're bringing the best of Slipstream to Birtinya, with an exclusive beer brewed just for the coast and a menu that pairs perfectly with our craft brews." "Birtinya is a fast-growing area, and our venue will fill a gap in the market for a sizeable, authentic and exciting hospitality offering," added Elisa. Find Slipstream Brewing Social House at 31/8 The Avenue, Stockland Shopping Centre, Birinya — open 11am–9pm Monday–Thursday, 11am–10pm Friday—Saturday and 11am–8pm Sunday. Head to the venue's website for more details.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image might be all about celebrating screen art — peering at films and TV shows, stepping into virtual reality and showcasing the talents that've made such a huge impact, for instance — but that doesn't mean that the Melbourne-based venue doesn't appreciate nature. The world around us can look stunning projected as large as a cinema can allow. David Attenborough has turned his documentaries about the planet into their own spectacular genre, too. And the natural realm can provide experimental artists with quite the playground to ponder, as Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature is set to unveil. This just-announced world-premiere exhibition will see art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast unveil a showcase of works that muse on trees, black holes, cells, breathing, space, science and more. Hitting ACMI from Thursday November 23, 2023–Sunday, April 14, 2024, Works of Nature spans five major pieces that aim to deeply contemplate and appreciate humanity's role in nature, and just nature overall. And, these aren't tiny pieces — all digital, they're aiming to inspire awe in both their size and content. [caption id="attachment_917015" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists[/caption] This is the London-based MLF's first major showcase in Australia, adding a stint Down Under to appearances at the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals, the Istanbul Design Biennial, Lisbon Triennial and the V&A and Design Museum in their hometown. That impressive history is matched by a significant lineup of names involved with MLF's immersive Works of Nature pieces. Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) lends her narration, director Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life) executive produces, while Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood (Licorice Pizza) and fellow acclaimed composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Last and First Men) are among the talents providing music — the latter's work continuing to entrance after his passing in 2018. Daisy Lafarge provides poetry, while Jon Hopkins, Meredith Monk and Howard Skempton also contribute tunes. [caption id="attachment_917016" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Evolver', 2023, courtesy of the artists and Wave Museum.[/caption] Whether you're a Melburnian or have a trip to the Victoria capital in your future, you'll be able to see the meditative Evolver, which uses Blanchett's voice to journey through the human body, breath, the origins of cells and the cosmos — and Distortions in Spacetime, which heads to a black hole's edge. Or, there's the large-scale Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest, a video installation about the Amazon's kapok trees. Thanks to The Tides Within Us, oxygen is in focus again via six static pictures. And with We Live in an Ocean of Air, MLF explore how that last word in the piece's moniker connects life on earth. [caption id="attachment_917019" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest', courtesy of the artists and Sandra Ciampone.[/caption] "ACMI is thrilled to bring the work of Marshmallow Laser Feast to Australia for the first time. This exhibition reflects the power of large-scale moving image works and creative use of projection technologies to produce immersive experiences that demonstrate how our bodies and the natural world are so intrinsically connected. Works of Nature is an unforgettable experience that can inspire us to work towards a better future," said ACMI Director and CEO Seb Chan, announcing the exhibition. "Our artistic practice is a constant journey of discovery into the world beyond the limits of human senses. Our passion for ecology, astronomy, and technology has driven us to collect tree data in the Amazon, explore the sound of black holes and scan the entirety of the human body in microscopic detail, then transforming these explorations into transcendent, immersive experiences," added Ersin Han Ersin, MLF Partner and Director. "We are excited to share our work with ACMI's audiences and to engage in a conversation about the beauty of the natural world and the wonders of the universe." [caption id="attachment_917012" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature, 2023, photo by Eugene Hyland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917018" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'We Live in an Ocean of Air', courtesy of the artists.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917013" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature, 2023, photo by Eugene Hyland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_917017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest', courtesy of the artists and Sandra Ciampone.[/caption] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature will display at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Thursday November 23, 2023–Sunday, April 14, 2024 — head to the ACMI website for further details or to get tickets. Top image: Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists.
In yet another southward-bound international fashion expansion, Uniqlo has just announced that it'll be opening in Australia for the first time come autumn 2014. Melbourne's Emporium, located on Lonsdale Street in the CBD, will be home to a four-level, 2180 square metre megastore selling the Japanese brand's quality yet affordable apparel. Heattech underwear, bold collaborations with designers and Ultra Light Down are among their signature products. "We are very excited to be opening our first store in Melbourne, Australia," Uniqlo's Australian CEO Shoichi Miyasaka commented. "The city is a great centre of style and we hope to make Uniqlo an essential stop for for fashion-conscious Melbourne shoppers looking for high quality, affordable clothes. "Our goal is to build a loyal customer base by offering every visitor the outstanding level of customer service that Uniqlo is known for within Japan, in a comfortable and welcoming shopping environment." Owned by Japan's Fast Retailing Co. (the globe's fourth biggest clothing retail giant), Uniqlo first opened in 1984 and now runs 1200 stores across 14 different countries. It's been moving steadily south for four years, having set up in Singapore in 2009, Malaysia and Thailand in 2010, the Philippines in 2012 and Indonesia earlier this year. Fast owns six other major brands: Theory, Princess tam.tam, J Brand, Helmut Lang, GU and Comptoir des Cotonniers, and sold a whopping 928 billion Japanese Yen (AU$10 billion) worth of goods during the 2011-2012 financial year. Via Daily Life
For those of you in the audience who love a movie adaptation, there's one that should be on your roster in 2024. The Color Purple is set to make a resounding return to the silver screen, and this time, it's been reimagined as a musical. The decades-spanning tale tells an extraordinary story of love and resilience, and a woman of colour's journey to independence and the bonds of sisterhood. Before you head to a cinema to see it for yourself, here are the five things you should know about The Color Purple — which is poised to captivate a new generation of viewers. 1. THE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT STORY WAS FIRST A PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING NOVEL Penned by American writer Alice Walker, The Color Purple made its mark as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel when it was published in 1982. Told through letters, the narrative explores the complexities of race, gender and sexuality — themes that weren't widely written about at the time, let alone in a piece of popular fiction. The story follows the life of Celie, a Black woman in the early 20th century in Georgia in the USA's south, as she navigates oppression from society and patriarchal family structures and discovers the power of sisterhood. Merely two years after the novel was published, movie producers were knocking down Walker's door to adapt it for the big screen. This would mean the story would be brought to the attention of even more people, highlighting the struggles of women of colour. This latest version aims to bring a more hopeful and lifted atmosphere to the story. It has already been certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and smashed the US box office when it was released on Christmas Day. 2. STEVEN SPIELBERG AND OPRAH WINFREY RETURN TO BRING THE STORY TO A NEW GENERATION Alice Walker herself was highly involved in the first movie adaptation; she wrote the initial script draft and insisted on the film being produced with mostly Black talent in front of and behind the camera. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg in a departure from the blockbuster adventure and sci-fi flicks that had made him famous. It was also only the second movie that Spielberg made without his regular musical collaborator John Williams (who had composed the legendary scores for Jaws and the Indiana Jones movies), instead working alongside pop legend Quincy Jones on The Color Purple's musical score. Walker was initially sceptical, as was Spielberg, as he lacked the life experience of a person of colour in the deep south. But he did know how to make a damn good movie. The rest is cinematic history. This iteration of the story also saw the big-screen launch of Whoopi Goldberg and featured the first cinematic role for Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey has been a staunch supporter of The Color Purple and has been involved in most adaptations of the story for stage and screen. The trio of Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah are all returning to breathe new life into this classic, this time as the film's producers (but keep an eye out for a brief onscreen return for one of the original film's main stars). 3. IT TELLS A POWERFUL COMING-OF-AGE TALE OF SISTERHOOD At its core, The Color Purple weaves a poignant and universally meaningful coming-of-age tale centred around the bonds of sisterhood. As Celie navigates her challenging journey, the connection she has with women in her life — her younger sister Nettie, the songstress Shug and the outspoken Sofia — becomes a source of strength, resilience and empowerment. In every adaptation of the tale, each of these women goes on their own journey. They each struggle and overcome their struggles with help from one another, help that is unasked for but gratefully received. Celie faces unfathomable hardships in her life, but through her relationships with these women, she finds her own way and, ultimately, her independence and sense of self. 4. THIS VERSION IS BASED ON THE BROADWAY STAGE MUSICAL Prepare to be swept away by soulful melodies because this adaptation is based on the acclaimed Broadway stage musical. Director Blitz Bazawule — a Ghanaian multimedia artist who was co-director of Beyonce's Black Is King and made his feature debut with the Afrofuturistic The Burial of Kojo — takes Walker's original novel and the screenplay by acclaimed playwright and WGA Award winner Marcus Gardley (I'm a Virgo), and incorporates elements from Spielberg's film adaption including an original song sung by the character Shug in the juke joint. The film's other songs woven throughout come from the hit musical, which debuted on Broadway in 2005 and won two Tony Awards for its revival in 2016. 5. YOU'VE SEEN ITS STARS BEFORE — AND YOU WILL AGAIN The ensemble cast of The Color Purple boasts a lineup of wildly talented familiar faces that have graced both stage and screen. Grammy- and American Idol-winner Fantasia Barrino is making her major motion picture debut and reprising her 2005 role from Broadway as lead character Celie. Joining her from the Broadway production is Danielle Brooks as Sofia (you'll probably recognise Brooks from her role as Tasha 'Taystee' Jefferson on Orange Is the New Black). She received a Tony nomination for her portrayal. Grammy-nominee Halle Bailey joins as the younger version of Nettie, Celie's younger sister. Bailey made literal waves as Ariel in the Disney live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid. The film also stars Oscar-nominee Taraji P Henson (Hidden Figures) as songstress Shug Avery, Tony-nominee and Emmy Award-winner Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Rustin) as Celie's abusive husband Mister and the film's main antagonist, and Tony Award-nominee Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead, Straight Outta Compton) as Sofia's husband Harpo. Finally, rounding out the central cast is Oscar- and Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. (Judas and the Black Messiah). Other notables on the roster include Oscar-nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard), the legendary Louis Gossett Jr (An Officer and a Gentleman) and Oscar-winner Jon Batiste (Soul). Book your tickets now to see The Color Purple — only in cinemas from Thursday, January 25.
For around 140 years, since back in the 1880s, Australians have been able to make calls from public payphones. Most of us might now carry mobile phones around with us in our pockets, but public payphones are still there — in case your battery is flat, you have no signal, you've lost or forgotten your phone, you simply don't have one, or there's an emergency. And, if you need to use one of Telstra's handsets while you're out and about, you now won't have to pay a thing if you're making a local, national or mobile call. Coins, phone cards, credit cards, debit cards: these have been acceptable forms of payment in the past; however, now you won't need them to get dialling in most situations. If you're calling overseas, that'll still cost you, but otherwise you can use Telstra's 15,000 payphones across the country for free. Telstra CEO Andrew Penn announced the news in a statement on the company's website, noting that "since mobiles became nearly universal, a lot of Australians might not give them [payphones] much thought. Until there's a natural disaster. Until you're in vulnerable circumstances, homeless or fleeing domestic violence." He continued: "that's why I decided it's time to make payphones free. Because even in the age of the smartphone, they play such a critical role in our community, particularly in times of need, and particularly for those in need." "I've seen myself how much payphones are part of the fabric of Australia and how important they are in good times, and bad. I've seen queues of people waiting in line, coins at the ready, to use a payphone to call home and tell their family and friends they're safe after a bushfire, a cyclone or some other natural disaster has taken the mobile network down," Penn said. "I know payphones are also a lifeline for thousands of vulnerable Australians — the homeless, the isolated, those escaping domestic violence — and often provide their only link to critical support services and those that care about them." Gone are the days when every 90s kid had a phonecard in their wallet to use when they needed to call home, but Australians still made 11 million payphone calls in 2020, including more than 230,000 to essential services such as Triple Zero. For more information about Telstra's free payphone calls, head to the company's website. Images: Sarah Tee.
For many of us, the prospect of sitting through reams of photos from our recently-returned-from-travelling friends can be a little scary. Unless you happen to be friends with independent film maker Rick Mereki, that is. Then it is something else entirely. Mereki has created three short films taken from footage of a trip with two mates, covering 11 different countries and over 38 thousand miles in 44 days. Each film is only about a minute in duration and is based on a theme; in Move we follow as one of Mereki's friends walks through a series of stunning landscapes, in Learn we see the skills he attempts to acquire along the way (soccer, pizza making, wine tasting, weaving, guitar) and in Eat we see a smorgasboard of international delights. It's a simple idea, as the brilliant ones usually are. The themes are clear, the images strong and it is all held together by a lovely little soundtrack. Move, Learn, Eat are beautiful reminders of the joys of travelling, the fun of learning and the delight of food. They also remind you of the shortcomings of your own travel snaps.
There's nothing like watching a film at the planetarium, but it's something that most of us mightn't do all that often. Daytime sessions often cater to school groups. While the Brisbane International Film Festival has hosted fulldome programs in the past, they aren't a regular occurrence. Here's something that might get you staring up at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium ASAP, however: Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience. The band's iconic album turned 50 in 2023, so the Mt Coot-tha venue is celebrating with stunning visuals set to 42 minutes of the record — views of the solar system and beyond. Each track gets a different set of images, with some pondering the future, others delving into the band's history, and all toying with space and time. The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is popping up around the world, but only at select places. In Australia, Brisbane joins a past season in Melbourne. The Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium isn't just devoting a couple of days or weeks to it, either, with the mind-bending Pink Floyd tribute sticking around from September 2023–March 2024. Screening in Brisbane since the beginning of spring, The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is already selling out — and expect that to continue. But, you have options for heading along, with the six-month-plus season including 3pm shows on Wednesdays, 6pm and 7pm sessions on Fridays, 4pm and 5pm projections on Saturdays, and a 2pm Sunday slot. If you haven't been to the planetarium since your school days, you will still be sitting in reclining chairs, peering up at the 12.5-metre domed ceiling and soaking in the fulldome experience — with a Pink Floyd soundtrack. The venue is almost as old as the album that it's celebrating, with the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium opening at the base of Mt Coot-tha in 1978 and celebrating its 45th birthday in 2023. Over that time, the domed building has played host to plenty of wonders — and, every week, it asks audiences to look up at programs on everything from the moon to stars to the dark universe, often with a guided run-through of Brisbane's own skies at the end. Check out the trailer from Melbourne's season of The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience below: The Dark Side of the Moon Planetarium Experience is playing at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Mount Coot-tha Road, Mount Coot-tha until March 2024 — head to the Brisbane City Council website for further details.
Are you yearning for Tokyo, but also want to make the most of Brisbane's summer rather than hit up Japan in winter? Trick your tastebuds into thinking you're elsewhere at the latest edition of Riverland's bottomless brunch. The riverside venue is spending the warmest season of the year sending your stomach to everyone's favourite holiday destination — including during a three-course Sunday meal with two hours of drinks. The one big point to note: this is called brunch, but you don't need to roll out of bed early to enjoy it. This sleep-in-friendly Sunday session kicks off at 12.30pm weekly, ready for a big end to the weekend. At your sitting, you'll get beverages plus a menu that includes salmon and avocado sushi rolls, as well as pork belly skewers. Craving karaage and katsu? The first comes via chicken, while you'll find the second on offer thanks to mushroom katsu sandos. The cost: $79 per person. The view on the bar's newly revamped deck that features tiers down to the river is free, of course. Images: Red Stockholm.
Whether you're sipping a flat white in a sun-drenched cafe or working from a stylish, art-filled office, great design has a way of elevating everyday moments. That's exactly what the Australian Interior Design Awards sets out to celebrate — and the 2025 shortlist, which has just dropped, is here to inspire some serious interior envy. For its 22nd year, the awards have nominated 195 standout projects that showcase the best of Australian interior design across residential, hospitality, retail and public spaces. Presented by the Design Institute of Australia and Architecture Media's InteriorsAu, the awards continue to spotlight spaces around the country that don't just look good — they feel good, too. [caption id="attachment_973588" align="alignnone" width="1920"] National Communication Museum, Casey Horsfield[/caption] So, where can you find the year's most boundary-pushing interiors? If you're in Victoria, you can head to sleek Fitzroy hotel The StandardX, Exhibition Street spot Juni, as well as luxe boutique hotel Melbourne Place and its subterranean bar Mr Mills. Other south-of-the-Murray venues that made the shortlist include Hawthorn's National Communication Museum (pictured above) and the revamp of 120 Collins Street, while Victoria's retail nominations run the gamut from Melbourne Airport's new-look Terminal 1 dining and retail precinct to hole-in-the-wall smoothie, yoghurt and açai bar Bitterjoy. A number of new Sydney restaurants and dining precincts headline the NSW contingent, including Wunderlich Lane's contemporary Greek spot Olympus (pictured below), Sofitel Sydney Wentworth's Bar Tilda, Neil Perry's Cantonese diner Song Bird and multi-venue Japanese dining destination Prefecture 48. Sydney nominees for public design include the revamped City Recital Hall, as well as Bondi Junction adaptive reuse project The Boot Factory. The Sunshine State is also well represented on AIDA's shortlist. Leading the charge are Queen Street diners Supernormal and Central, while moody West End hangout +81 Aizome Bar has also been recognised. Elsewhere, luxe wellness space The Bathhouse Albion and the pared-back, brick-and-mortar Newstead home of Brisbane jeweller BrownHaus are among the hospitality and retail nominees, respectively. This year's winners across all categories will be revealed at a gala dinner at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins on Friday, June 6. [caption id="attachment_966315" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Supernormal Brisbane, Earl Carter[/caption] [caption id="attachment_962736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melbourne Place, supplied[/caption] [caption id="attachment_973981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Prefecture 48, supplied[/caption] [caption id="attachment_984056" align="alignnone" width="1920"] +81 Aizome Bar, supplied[/caption] For the full Australian Interior Design Awards 2025 shortlist, head to the AIDA website. Top image: The StandardX.
Spending your days in classrooms might be behind you, but binge-watching your way through school-set hit Australian TV shows is something that you never grow out of. When Heartbreak High first arrived on television in the 90s, it became one of the nation's classic teen series. When it returned in 2022 via Netflix, the new Heartbreak High revival also had everyone turning up. Your next date with its dramas: April 2024. 2020s-era Heartbreak High was promptly renewed the show for season two when its first season proved a huge smash. In 2023, Netflix advised that school would be in session again sometime this year. Now, the streaming platform has announced that term starts again on Thursday, April 11, 2024 for the International Emmy-, AACTA- and Logie-winning show. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix Australia & NZ (@netflixanz) Hartley High will be reopening its gates, "rack off" will be the strongest insult there is again and more than just nostalgia for the OG 1994–99 series will be on the agenda. And, as announced last year, there'll be new faces among the students. Sam Rechner (The Fabelmans) will play country boy and classic cinema fan Rowan Callaghan, and he's destined for a love triangle. Also, Kartanya Maynard (Deadloch) joins the Hartley crew as Zoe Clarke, who has big thoughts on celibacy — she's in favour — as part of a gang of Puriteens. Plus, in new news, Bump's Angus Sampson is joining the show as Head of PE Timothy Voss. On the returning crew, character-wise: Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect), Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson). [caption id="attachment_938095" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Heartbreak High S2. (L to R) Gemma Chua-Tran as Sasha, Ayesha Madon as Amerie, Sherry-Lee Watson as Missy, James Majoos as Darren, Chloe Hayden as Quinni in Heartbreak High S2. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024[/caption] Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she called on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of the Heartbreak High revival's season one story. In season two, everyone will back for a second term after doing some growing up over the holidays, and Hartley is now the lowest-ranking school in the district. Netflix is teasing that threesomes, chlamydia and burning cars will be distant memory for the gang — but there'll still be teen chaos, of course, or this wouldn't be Heartbreak High. [caption id="attachment_869123" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HEARTBREAK HIGH[/caption] It was back in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s-era take on the Aussie classic, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the Heartbreak High revival's first season below: Heartbreak High season two will arrive on Thursday, April 11, 2024. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
Not content with filling a Tokyo warehouse with some of the most dazzling and immersive art you're likely to feast your eyes on — not to mention play with — art collective teamLab is now turning an old oil tank into a digital waterfall. With the interdisciplinary outfit's Borderless Digital Art Museum open for less than a year and proving one of the Japanese city's hottest tickets, the group is set to bring a collection of eye-popping works to China. Coming to the new Tank Shanghai from March 23 to August 24, teamLab: Universe of Water Particles in the Tank features cascading waterfalls, blooming flowers, rushing waves and scattering cherry blossoms as part of an engaging series of digital, interactive and interacting pieces. There's no such thing as a dull artwork where teamLab is concerned, but the undisputed highlight of its next foray into China is Universe of Water Particles in the Tank, Transcending Boundaries. Spearheaded by art collector Qiao Zhibing, Tank Shanghai's 60,000-square-metre space is built out of five empty oil tanks, so there's nowhere better to project streams of falling water. teamLab's piece will take over one tank, running over the interior surface. And, when folks stand on the waterfall's floor or walk up to its wall of digital water, it'll react to their presence, with the flow changing direction just like it would if you were standing underneath the real thing. Living up to the 'transcending boundaries' part of its name, Universe of Water Particles in the Tank will also interact with other works. When its trickles hit floral piece Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together, Transcending Boundaries - A Whole Year per Hour, which represents 12 months' worth of blossoming and wilting as its moniker suggests, the digital stream will cause petals to scatter. Both pieces are reminiscent of works also on display in Tokyo, but that doesn't make them any less glorious. The same applies to Black Waves: Lost, Immersed and Reborn, which projects one continuous wave across multiple walls. teamLab: Universe of Water Particles in the Tank runs from March 23 to August 24 at Tank Shanghai,2380 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China, with tickets currently on sale from 199 renminbi. Images: teamLab.
Sorry Sydney. Melbourne is getting the country's first-ever 67 Pall Mall outpost, due to launch some time in mid-2025. This incredibly luxe, global private members club is set up exclusively for wine lovers who want to sample the very best drops out there. It's not for those of us hunting down $15 bottles of ok wine at the local bottle shop; it's for top-tier wine drinkers who are willing to spend big. The joining fee is $3500 per person (being waived for a limited time!) and the current discounted yearly fee for members who sign up early is $2300 on top of that. If this is beyond your spending limits, perhaps shoot this article over to your rich sister or that well-to-do mate who always shouts the good drinks — because they might be able to bring you in as a guest. [caption id="attachment_942250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 67 Pall Mall Singapore[/caption] So what's the deal with 67 Pall Mall? Memberships for 67 Pall Mall are highly sought after around the world. The group has sites in Singapore, London, Switzerland, France and Hong Kong. The venues are known for being some of the most incredibly designed spaces, filled with the world's greatest wines that are served and chosen by accredited master sommeliers. A huge selling point for wine connoisseurs is the fact that 67 Pall Mall offers an unmatched selection of wines by-the-glass to members — 1000 to be exact — and sells them with very minimal markup. Most of these drops are never offered by the glass so it presents a rare opportunity. What's in store for Australia's first club? The first Australian site is touted for Melbourne's Spring Street. Spread across the top three floors of the 16-story building, the private members club will let folks sip on fine wines while taking in views across the Treasury Gardens, MCG and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Floor 14 will boast a wine bar and all-day dining room with impressive 270-degree views of the surrounding area. One level up, members will get access to private rooms and semi-formal dining experiences. And the top floor will feature an extensive champagne menu, a raw bar, open air balconies, and a secluded whisky bar. This is top-end luxury stuff that's hard to come by in Australia. 67 Pall Mall's CEO Grant Ashton says, "Melbourne was chosen above all other cities as our first outpost in Australia due to its close connection to independent and outstanding wine producers, allowing us to engage with a passionate wine culture and a knowledgeable collector community." Peter Gago, chief winemaker of Penfolds, whose wines are poured in 67 Pall Mall Clubs across the globe, also commented: "From London to Singapore, 67 Pall Mall has evolved into the world's premier wine Members' Club. Now, expanding to a prime site overlooking the MCG in Melbourne, it's truly remarkable. "Melbourne, a strategic gastronomic hub, with Yarra Valley vineyards and Mornington Peninsula nearby, will soon boast 67 Pall Mall as a wine mecca. It'll attract wine enthusiasts and curious minds alike, continuing the Club's tradition." 67 Pall Mall is set to open in mid-2025 at 85 Spring Street and is currently taking applications for new members (at heavily discounted prices). For more information, head to the club's website here.
Space, the final frontier. An infinite continuum capable of sapping morale and robbing voyaging crews of both purpose and progress since, by its very definition, there can never be an end in sight. Such is the existential crisis facing Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) at the beginning of this third instalment in the revised Star Trek franchise – a notably low-key opening compared to its bombastic predecessors. Three years into their five-year deep space mission, Kirk and his crew are homesick, questioning their commitment to the cause and bored of their 'episodic' existence. An urgent rescue mission changes all of that, however, and when that rescue goes awry, Kirk and the team from the Enterprise find themselves stranded on a forbidding planet, unable to contact Star Fleet and being hunted down by a villainous character named Krall (Idris Elba). As it happens, the story scarcely stretches beyond that point, resting instead in the comfortable zone of 'crew in peril requiring brazen rescue attempt' – which is not to say that it's a bad film because of it. Co-written by Simon Pegg (who also plays Scotty) and directed by Justin Lin of the Fast & Furious franchise, Star Trek Beyond feels much more like an episode from the original TV series, where each member of the ensemble is afforded considerable and equal screen time. Spock, Bones, Uhura, Chekov and Sulu all feature prominently in Beyond, along with newcomer Sofia Boutella as Jaylah, a fearsome warrior castaway from another, earlier shipwreck. And while the laughs are fewer than might be expected for a script penned by Pegg, the action absolutely delivers, most notably in the film's dazzling climax, complete with fist-pumpingly-spectacular callback to the Beastie Boys moment from the 2009 original. Star Trek Beyond has featured prominently in the news ahead of its release, both on account of the sudden accidental death of one of its stars (Anton Yelchin as Chekov), and its decision to reveal long-time character and fan-favourite Sulu as gay. The latter issue is handled perfectly by Lin and actor John Cho, in that it attracts neither fanfare or spotlight since, at least in the world of the movie, nobody cares either way. As for Yelchin, it's another fine performance from the talented actor whose abilities far outweighed the requirements of his character. The dual dedications at the end of the film – 'In loving memory of Leonard Nimoy', and, then '...For Anton' – feel particularly tender and respectful, capping off a movie in which subtle nods to both the earlier movies and television series are everywhere. This is, as they say, 'one for the fans.' Still, newcomers will find more than enough to enjoy about Star Trek Beyond in their own right, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVD32rnzOw
Maybe Sammy is no stranger to winning an award. The Sydney bar has been named in the top 50 bars in the world every year since 2019 and took out the Best International Bar Team at the Tales of the Cocktail 2022 Spirited Awards. Now, all of those accolades have culminated in it taking out the top spot in the data-driven Top 500 Bars list for 2023. The international award compiles its list based on over 2000 sources, including hospitality experts, journalists, online reviews, search engine results and social media. It announced the list in Paris on the morning of Monday, November 13, Australian time, and the boundary-pushing Harbour City cocktail bar Maybe Sammy came out on top, being named the number-one bar in the world. [caption id="attachment_639976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Black Pearl (#119)[/caption] Maybe Sammy was listed at number 17 in the 2022 list, jumping all the way to the top spot following another busy year for the inner-city haunt. Maybe Sammy Venue Manager Sarah Proietti and Bar Manager Hunter Gregory were in attendance to accept the award, with the venue beating out acclaimed bars around the world for the title. New York's Double Chicken Please, Barcelona's Paradiso, Paris' Little Red Door and Singapore's Jigger & Pony rounded out the top five, while 22 other Australian bars made the top 500. [caption id="attachment_707971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Baxter Inn (#87), Leticia Almeida[/caption] The next highest spot on the list from Down Under was The Baxter Inn at 87, followed by Black Pearl at 119, Re- at 122, Cantina OK at 132 and Dean and Nancy on 22 at 134. The Gresham Bar was Brisbane's top-ranked venue, clocking in at number 475, while Adelaide's Maybe Mae snuck into the list at 485. "To be named number-one bar in the world by the Top 500 Bars feels very surreal," said Maybe Sammy co-founder Stefano Catino. "It's such an honour for our bar team to be recognised for the time and effort they put into making the experience at Maybe Sammy exceptional, and for that to be acknowledged on a global scale is so humbling." It follows a huge year for Maybe Sammy, which included the opening of the team's Paddington tequila bar El Primo Sanchez, a new Maybe Frank outpost at The Federal, and the launch of Maybe Cocktail Festival featuring guest bartenders from international cocktail bars — many of which also made the Top 500 Bars list. [caption id="attachment_795641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Gresham (#475), Millie Tang[/caption] For the full Top 500 Bars list for 2023, head to the ranking's website.
If you're going to run two wholefoods eateries on opposite sides of Brisbane's inner city, you're probably going to consume a hefty amount of caffeine to get you through the day. That must be the case for Botanica Real Food's Alison and Brett Hutley. In fact, they're taking their love of coffee to the next level by opening their very own brew-slinging cafe. Opening up just two doors down from Botanica's Teneriffe site, Greenhaus Coffee fills a gap the duo's fans will be well aware of: neither of its stores serve coffee. "We always had a firm stance that we wouldn't, as long as we were neighbouring a coffee shop," says Alison. Then the cafe next door to their Doggett Street digs relocated. "[Then] it was impossible to find a reason not to launch Greenhaus Coffee," she explains. Greenhaus is open for breakfast, brunch and lunch seven days a week, with its focus firmly on flavoursome cuppas and tasty morning nosh. The former comes courtesy of New Zealand coffee roasters Allpress Espresso, while the latter features grab-and-go options — including Botanica's breakfast tartines (toasted sourdough with assorted sweet and savoury toppings) and parfait cups (espresso and date brown rice porridge with coconut yoghurt). As for new menu additions, expect mini spinach and parmesan brioche toasties, spelt and raspberry scones, apple and cinnamon crumble loaf, and warm vanilla porridge.
