Brisbane is home to plenty of glorious cinemas, new and old, in former skating rinks and in art galleries alike, but sometimes you just want to see a movie somewhere other than an indoor picture palace. Cue outdoor cinemas, which the River City has its fair share of, too, including the permanent year-round setup at Dendy Powerhouse. Here's another that'll get you catching flicks under the stars: Queen's Wharf's new Skyline Cinema. A place to watch films was long promised as part of Queen's Wharf, over the years that the precinct was in the works before it finally opened in 2024. Skyline Cinema sits on the site's Leisure Deck on level seven, and pairs its range of movies with Brisbane by twilight as a backdrop. The one catch: it's only operating once a week, getting the projector whirring on most Wednesday evenings. From 6pm, you won't be catching brand-new releases, but rather settling in to watch recent-ish and retro fare while also peering out over the city. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Hunger Games, Wonder Woman, The Maze Runner, Cool Runnings: they're on the bill in July and August. Tickets start at $5, which gets you entry only, so you'll need to bring your own picnic rug to get comfortable on. For $10, you can sit on a chair at a cafe table, and also sip a soft drink. For $20, a beanbag, plus popcorn and a soft drink are all included. Luke Nguyen's Fat Noodle is also delivering dishes such as chicken salad, seafood laksa, wok-tossed pad thai and caramelised honey pork bowls to your seat, although that'll cost you extra. Updated: Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
Almost a decade and a half after the Marvel Cinematic Universe first reached screens and began to change blockbuster entertainment as we know it, it can often seem like its sprawling range of interconnected films and TV shows has featured every actor ever. We'd start naming stars, but there's just so many. And the next show headed to the comic book company's television ranks — and set to stream via Disney+, obviously — definitely won't change that feeling, given that it features Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke. In Moon Knight, Isaac (The Card Counter) plays the eponymous figure — and yes, from the MCU's Phase Four ranks (because Marvel splits its movies and series into phases depending on where the overarching story is at the time), this'll be the first Disney+ series that doesn't overtly tie in with characters we've already seen in plenty of its past flicks. So, if it all sounds unfamiliar after the last year served up WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye, there's a very good reason for that. On the page, Moon Knight dates back to 1975 — and, on-screen, hasn't ever gotten the live-action treatment until now. Also known as Marc Spector, the character is an ex-marine who has a dissociative identity disorder as well as a sleeping disorder, and also becomes the conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Already dealing with multiple distinctive identities and not being able to tell the difference between being awake and asleep, the latter run-in doesn't go down smoothly, unsurprisingly. Just how that'll turn out for this Isaac-starring version of the figure won't be seen until Wednesday, March 30, when Moon Knight will start hitting Disney+ — but the first trailer for the six-part series has just dropped to give everyone a glimpse in the interim. Isaac plays frantic, stressed and panic well, and not only because he plays almost everything well (see also: last year's Scenes From a Marriage and Dune). And this sneak peek both gets twisty and teases out the show's premise. As for Hawke (The Good Lord Bird), he's the villain of the piece, and is seen drawing a crowd, looking like a cult leader and encouraging Marc to embrace the voice inside his head. Moon Knight boasts impressive talent behind the camera, too, with The Endless and Synchronic's Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing. And yes, this is just the first of Marvel's 2022 TV shows, with She-Hulk starring Tatiana Maslany (Perry Mason) and he-hulk Mark Ruffalo, plus Ms Marvel and Nick Fury-focused series Secret Invasion, all likely to hit this year, too. Check out the Moon Knight trailer below: Moon Knight will be available to stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, March 30.
Last month, Melbourne's Anthony Douglas of Axil Coffee Roasters did his notoriously coffee-obsessed city proud, taking out the title of Australia's National Barista Champion for 2022 at the Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA) National Coffee Championships. Now, the rest of the world has discovered what this barista can do, too. Last week, Douglas smashed some fierce international competition to nab first place at the World Barista Championship. Yep, he's officially put himself — and Melbourne's coffee scene — on the map, as the best barista on the planet for 2022. With almost a decade at Axil under his belt and over 12 years in the industry, the coffee maestro battled it out against 47 other international hopefuls competing at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from September 27–30. [caption id="attachment_869967" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony Douglas[/caption] Competitors were judged by a global panel on taste, technical skill and presentation across the three-round championship, with Douglas whipping up espressos, milk-based drinks and his own original signature concoction to impress the judges. All of the local's creations were crafted using coffee from El Diviso in Colombia, while his signature drink is one that'd put all your past coffee orders to shame — featuring Colombian honey, lacto-fermented passionfruit, hibiscus cold brew tea and a 'cryodesiccated' (evaporating water via freezing) date syrup for extra intensity. Axil has a swag of cafe locations across Melbourne — find your local by jumping to the website.
American artist James Turrell is known for his manipulation of light, colour and physical space in large-scale art installations. His new exhibition See! Colour! has opened in Järna, Sweden, and features five key works which use intense combinations of colour and real-world light phenomena to create a mind-blowing visual spectacle, specific to locations in space and time. Light sways between the red/blue spectrum in Ganzfeld; while Skyspace (best viewed during twilight or dawn) includes illuminated walls which transform the sky with programmed lighting elements. Bindu Shards transports a single observer on a 15-minute journey of light and sound. Provided with headphones and a panic button, you are situated inside a sphere. The experience triggers "Behind the Eye Seeing," which Turrell explains to be the sensation of having your entire field of vision extended through to 360 degrees. [Via Cool Hunting]
Lavish locations just screaming to fill Instagram feeds, wealthy clientele whiling away their hours in luxury, a significant chasm between the haves and the have nots: that's the setup behind two star-studded new miniseries that've hit streaming queues in the past month. Indeed, with The White Lotus just wrapping up its first season, Nine Perfect Strangers' arrival couldn't be better timed. TV fans can farewell the former's Hawaii-set dramas — and its biting sense of humour, savage insights into class disparities and spot-on dissection of societal inequities — and then step into this Byron Bay-shot thriller on Amazon Prime Video. Saying goodbye to the familiar and welcoming all things new sits at the heart of Nine Perfect Strangers, actually. That's because the same notions linger at the core of the wellness industry, too. In a field that's all about helping people find their bliss, any hard-earned sense of contentment tends to stem from letting go of baggage, moving past previous traumas and appreciating yourself for who you are — and often doing so in the types of spaces that'll make you forget the real world exists anyway. That's why Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman, The Prom) has established Tranquillum House, and why the eponymous group of newcomers have sought its sprawling expanse. Each of the latter wants to break free of their troubles, and the former and her offsiders Delilah (Tiffany Boone, Hunters) and Yao (Manny Jacinto, The Good Place) are eager to assist. But there's a reason that this eight-part series keeps gazing at brightly coloured smoothies quite often, and it isn't just because that's what's on Masha's menu. Tranquillum House carefully curates each intake of paradise-seeking customers. In the case of school teacher Napoleon Marconi (Michael Shannon, Knives Out), his wife Heather (Asher Keddie, Rams) and their 20-year-old daughter Zoe (Grace Van Patten, Under the Silver Lake), Masha is even willing to drastically reduce the fee. She's mixing in the right ingredients — people who arrive broken and ready to be swirled around — and trying to perfect the recipe for everyone. Also arriving with this cohort: best-selling novelist Frances Welty (Melissa McCarthy, Thunder Force), who is having both personal and professional crises; Tony Hogburn (Bobby Cannavale, Superintelligence), who doesn't like having his pills taken away from him; and influencer Jessica Chandler (Samara Weaving, Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins) and her husband Ben (Melvin Gregg, The United States vs Billie Holiday), whose marriage could use a new start. Then there's the newly divorced and still bitter Carmel Schneider (Regina Hall, Breaking News in Yuba County), plus exposé-courting journalist Lars Lee (Luke Evans, Crisis). Masha has brought all of these strangers together to talk out their problems, laze by the pool and soak in the natural splendour — with Byron Bay doubling for California — but it's immediately obvious that her intentions aren't quite that straightforward. Nine Perfect Strangers draws out its mysteries; however, it also lets its audience start guessing from the outset. Casting Kidman as a Russian-accented wellness guru who wades in and out of her clients' days at random, and also happens to be getting death threats via text messages, will do that. Complete with ice-blonde locks, it's a part she inhabits well, in her latest TV performance following Big Little Lies and The Undoing, and her third project after those two fellow miniseries with writer/showrunner David E Kelley. Playing a character first penned on the page by Liane Moriarty, the author behind Big Little Lies as well, it's a showcase performance — and here, her reliably inscrutable expression conveys magnetism, power and a succeed-at-all costs level of determination. Nine Perfect Strangers is an ensemble piece, however — and, when it comes to the narrative, thankfully so. It's the time spent with its full suite of characters that makes the series gripping, even though it's the thriller elements that keep viewers instantly wanting to press play on each new episode. As the show keeps teasing what Masha is really up to, who's after her and what's in her past, it finds just as many questions within Tranquillum's other residents, because that's just how humans tick. Everyone has their subplots, and their pasts, and the script by Kelley and John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v Ferrari) is all the more compelling when it's unpacking as many stories as possible stories. Everyone seeks bliss, too, even when they're not paying through the teeth to do so, and everyone has struggles and secrets holding them back. Kidman perfects her central role, but three of her big-name co-stars are just as impressive — and often more so. Shannon's usually forceful energy jostles behind an everyman exterior, giving Napoleon's affable air an always-perceptible edge. It's a stellar stroke of casting, especially given that the Marconis have sought Tranquillum's services to help cope with heartbreaking grief. McCarthy turns in her best work since her Oscar-nominated performance in the phenomenal Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and layers the distress of someone whose life keeps taking unwanted turns over Frances' flowing wardrobe. She's at her strongest opposite the impeccably haunted Cannavale, unsurprisingly. Now working on their fourth collaboration following the aforementioned Thunder Force and Superintelligence, and also Spy, the pair cycle from antagonism and comfort via everything in-between, and give Nine Perfect Strangers its most compelling double act. Directing every episode, filmmaker Jonathan Levine (Long Shot, Snatched, The Night Before) lets his stars play to their strengths, and it works. As lensed by cinematographer Yves Bélanger (another Big Little Lies alum), he also sees the show's glitzy setting with the eye of someone who appreciates how it glimmers, and how brightly, but isn't willing to lose themselves to that shine shine. That's Nine Perfect Strangers' approach overall — it doesn't sink its teeth in as firmly as The White Lotus, but it isn't here to just to play along with its chosen world either. And, in the process, it knows how to lure its audience in and keep them watching. Check out the trailer below: The first three episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers are available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, August 20, with new episodes dropping weekly afterwards. Images: Vince Valitutti/Hulu.
You may have caught Zoe Coombs Marr on ABC2's Dirty Laundry Live or in post's bloody riff on death scenes, Oedipus Schmoedipus. Separate to her work with post, Coombs Marr's thing tends to be the timely topic of gender, and bending it. The "awkward sapphic high priestess of cool" (that's a description worth milking) confirms she's been dressing up as a dude (intermittently) all her life — like when she skipped schoolies to put on a drag musical. She's also won a Phillip Parsons Playwright Award and FBi SMAC Best on Stage in her time, which is pretty much as close as you get to having a quality guarantee. Catch her in Dave this week at Sydney's 107 Projects. There are lots of comedians named Dave, but none are quite like this one. Or maybe they all are. Ahead of the show, Zoe gave us the lowdown on dressing in drag (just like Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart and Brie Larsen have been perfecting). START EARLY Drag is a skill like any other. Just like violin, tennis, and passive aggression, the earlier you start, the more honed it'll be! Due to a natural aptitude*, I was lucky enough to get a headstart in childhood and the evidence is strewn through our family photo albums. While my sisters played it safe, as fairies, princesses and fairy princesses, I used these formative years to progress from standard beginner 'genie' 'magician' and 'groom' (to my sister), into more challenging impersonations of The BFG and The Hunchback of Notre Dame before graduating to experimental drag looks including 'Box of Sultanas with a moustache' and 'Tim Shore from the Demtel infomercials, but dead'. If you feel the chance has passed you by, why not take a leaf out of the Dance Moms handbook and live vicariously through your kids? This is particularly easy as all babies look like genderless potatoes. You can easily confuse everyone with the simplest acts, like dressing little Sally in blue or adorning baby Jake's head with one of those weird elastic bows that anxious heteros put on their bald infant girls to make sure that no one mistakes her for a boy. *lesbianism Images: Zoe's baby drag looks. BREASTS See also: Boozies, boobs, melons, honkers, jugs, bazookas, norks… I could go on. Once you move out of your genderless potato phase you're going to have to deal with these guys. If you're Hilary Swank or Gwyneth Paltrow, you'll just need a single crepe bandage, or to stand facing into a strong breeze. If you've got big knockers, like me, you'll probably try a number of uncomfortable and complicated methods involving: Tape - Gaffa tape can work in a pinch, but you need to wear a shirt under it and the shirt will be ruined. Bandages - Don't really work, because they either (a) move apart, creating a 'sausage coming out of its casing' effect or (b) crush your ribs, restrict your breathing and make you feel a little panicky. This is my theory as to why Gwyneth got so emotional at the Oscars. Sports bras - One forward, one back. never worked for me. Thanks for nothing wikihow. Glad wrap - Which works so well at first. Until the sweat comes… and more sweat… and then the rash. And other household items. Then, after all of the sore ribs, bruises, breathlessness and rashes, you'll give in and buy a binder online. Why didn't you do this ages ago, you idiot? And a tip: You will need a helper. As awkward as this may seem, it is nowhere near as awkward as trying to do this on your own in a dressing room. Especially if, like me, you tend to do this at all-male comedy nights where the dressing room is just a small gap behind a curtain next to the pub’s coolroom. FACIAL HAIR You have a couple of options here. If you’re planning on maintaining some sort of attractive aesthetic, or getting laid after your gig, you can just google 'Drag King Makeup' and follow their tips to creating a sexy contoured look. Think sharp edged eyebrows and pencil thin sculptured beards (aka "chinstrap" or "douche beard") that will make you look like a member of Backstreet Boys, circa 1998. However, I personally prefer to take the less popular route and glue hair clippings to my face, giving the effect of a lolly that's fallen on the floor. Glue them on with spirit glue. (Don’t make my mistakes. Remember water-soluble is easiest to get off unless you have the removal fluid. I once had to wash my face with nail polish remover.) You can source the clippings from a friend, partner, pet, or your own ponytail. The darker and coarser the better. Secretly I’ve always thought that pubic hair would be the best route, but have never been game enough to try. We all have to draw the line somewhere. Actually, now that I think of it, an actual beard would be the best, so if you know any hipster dudes whose Newtown microbrewery has failed and they have to shave to get a job in a bank, let me know. HEAD HAIR This is easy. If you have short hair, you're set! If you have long hair, you're also set: just sweep it into a low pony and you'll look like you work at Harvey Norman and sell stolen microphones on the side. Done. GENITALIA So now that you're covered in tape and hair, you'll need a penis too. I read somewhere that a small plastic bag of birdseed in the undies makes a great prosthe-dick. Or you can just go the tried and tested rolled-up sock route, which is what I do. Mainly because I generally forget this step until the last minute and as a result I perform about half my shows in only one sock. But whatever you use, you'll be tempted to make it too big. Rookie mistake. Hold back! One sock is fine. In fact, I like to imagine that Dave's penis is slightly smaller than average. The lack of confidence has to be made up in bravado and results in a far more realistic performance. After all that just whack on a graphic tee, a flannie, a pair of Rip Curl jeans and off you go. Remember, your guy is complex, if beer ads are anything to go by, he could be into football or cricket or larrikinism. Dave is on July 25-26 at 107 Projects before heading to Edinburgh. More info here.
If you've got friends or family members with kids, you may have some insight into the havoc that can arise when they get bored. And after almost two years of on-and-off homeschooling and lockdowns, we bet many of the courageous parents in your life are utterly exhausted. So, this holiday season, what better gift to bestow upon them than a proper getaway? Experiences are the new things, after all. A family vacay needs to include a few key essentials: relaxation for the parents, opportunities for learning and active adventures that'll wear out small humans. To help you find travel adventures that hit the mark and make for ideal pressies, we've partnered with Tourism Australia to round up ten of the best family holiday experiences around the country that are a win for both parent and child.
Always fancied hanging a gallery-worthy masterpiece on your wall, but don't have anywhere near the hefty budget needed to make that dream a reality? Adore that idea, but believe that great art belongs in galleries where the general public can see it? Whether you're an art lover without deep pockets or a huge supporter of art museums, here's a handy, creative and gorgeous new alternative: building one of the most famous paintings ever crafted out of Lego. If you can construct flowers out of the colourful plastic blocks, brightening up your home with succulents, orchids, bouquets and bonsai fashioned out of bricks, then recreating phenomenal art is the easy next step. The toy brand has come up with the kit to do just that in collaboration with New York's Museum of Modern Art — and the pair have chosen quite the piece to reimagine in 2316 pieces. Painted in 1889, and a mesmerising, twinkling, blue-dripping sight to behold, Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night is a post-impressionist wonder. When you're making it out of Lego, we recommend busting out the bricks next to a window with a view — given that van Gogh created the OG piece, entrancing colours, brush strokes and all, after taking inspiration from his vantage at the Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy, France. Unsurprisingly, The Starry Night is a big hit at MoMA, where it has been on display since 1935 — but now you can put together a version to look at whenever you want. Firmly designed for adults, Lego and MoMa's The Starry Night set measures 40 centimetres long, 21 centimetres wide and 28 centimetres high. And, yes, you can hang the 3D piece on your wall. Also included in the kit, which'll cost AU$259.99 / NZ $279.99 when it goes on sale on Wednesday, June 1: a van Gogh minifigure. It comes with a paint brush, palette, easel and mini painting on a printed tile, and there's an arm that you can attach to the big version of the The Starry Night, too, to show the artist painting the scene. It's been a great few years to be a fan of van Gogh Down Under — so if you went to the National Gallery of Victoria's huge van Gogh exhibition back in 2017, or enjoyed stepping into The Starry Night during multisensory showcase Van Gogh Alive's past Australian and New Zealand stops, this is the Lego set for you. For more information about Lego's new The Starry Night, which goes on sale on Wednesday, June 1, head to the company's website.
One of the most celebrated novelists of our time delivered the keynote address 'Freedom to Write' and joined a playful panel discussion 'Television has Replaced the Novel' at this weekend's Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Across the two-day festival held at the Sydney Opera House, he offered some amusing insights. What entertaining snippets and truth nuggets did we learn from the irreverent Rushdie over the weekend? 1. The closest Salman Rushdie has ever come to death was the last time he was in Australia. He was in an accident on the highway between Sydney and Milton where his car was hit by a lorry carrying fertiliser; he jokingly claims to have been "literally hit with a truck load of shit" (for which he kindly thanks Australia). 2. He says that we have no idea what the future will remember, for all we know they might remember Twilight. He claims to not want a poor opinion of the future, but if Fifty Shades of Grey is what is remembered, he's glad he won't be part of it. 3. He REALLY doesn’t like Fifty Shades of Grey. 4. Instead, he is optimistic that novels, such as The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, will be remembered in the future. 5. He believes we must allow for freedom of speech, as it's better for ideas to be expressed and not repressed. 6. People’s feelings are hurt all the time, however speech should not be limited because of people getting offended. His advice: just get over it. You have to have skin that’s a little bit thick if you’re going to live in an open society. 7. He thinks religion is boring and hopes people will get sick of it. 8. He believes religion is about what didn’t happen. Unlike fiction, it doesn’t say on the cover of the Bible, a novel. 9. On the topic of inventing games with Christopher Hitchens, Rushdie claims he and Hitchens invented the clean ones — while Hitchens and Martin Amis invented the dirty ones. 10. One game they invented had the premise of "titles that don’t quite make it", with a inexhaustible list: Mr Zhivago, Toby Dick, Two Days in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, The Big Gatsby, Mademoiselle Bovary… Having squandered a day playing this myself, it comes with a warning of being a highly addictive form of literary procrastination. 11. He can understand why children's writers walk around with smiles on their faces — except Roald Dahl, who he claims was an arsehole. 12. His eldest son inspired him to write Haroun and the Sea of Stories because he asked the question, "Why don’t you write books that I want to read?". 13. His son, around nine years old at the time, offered Rushdie some of the best literary criticism he has ever received. Upon reading the first draft of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, his son said with an apparent lack of enthusiasm, "Yeah, it’s good." When Rushdie probed for further feedback, his son responded slowly, "Some people might be a bit bored." His final criticism, "It doesn’t have enough jump." With this, Rushdie rewrote the story. 14. He doesn’t believe that the television has replaced the novel, stating, "I'm so not on the death of the novel team." 15. He is not such a fan of shows like Lost, or any reality TV show starring anyone whose name starts with K. Unless, it was about Kafka. 16. However, Rushdie enjoyed Homeland season one, and is currently watching Game of Thrones. In terms of comedy, he’s a fan of The Big Bang Theory. 17. He liked the ending of The Sopranos. 18. He decided to dabble in writing for television, as TV series these days push the limits of weird, and he thought, "I do weird." He spent a year and a half writing a sci-fi television series pilot that was never made. He joked it was about a flesh-eating unicorn. (We hope that one day it will be produced). 19. He was a little chuffed to have been unknowingly featured in episodes of iconic sitcoms — Seinfeld, The Golden Girls and Cheers. 20. He recounts cute jokes. For example, two goats break into the projection room of a cinema. Whilst munching on the spools, one says to the other, "So, how's the movie?" The second goat replies, "The book was better." 21. He would like to see the works of Proust adapted into a television series. That might explain why he’s a novelist and not a cable TV executive. FODI images: Daniel Boud
Don't think much of the humble of bowl of oats? Prepare to change your mind, like now. You can basically thank your existence on the subject of this feature. Porridge has in fact been dubbed the “greatest invention of all time”, without which, our earth simply wouldn’t be as populated as it is today. (Don't believe it? The UK Telegraph wouldn't lie.) Mercifully though, this ridiculously versatile breakfast option has evolved from the basic blend of oats, milk and a simple topping to the seriously inspired — think quinoa grains; milk alternatives such as almond or coconut; and toppings of fresh, poached or dried fruit, nuts, compotes, fairy floss, ricottas or burnt caramel sauces. Thanks to imaginative chefs in cafe kitchens across Brisbane, our top ten list covers the best from decadent and sweet to healthy and wholesome. Whichever way you prefer your morning goodness we're sure there's one below that's juuuust right. The Rogue Rennard The porridge at The Rogue Rennard is quite simply put, divine. A bowl of perfectly balanced flavours and textures, the creamy vanilla oats are cooked in full fat milk and are topped with sweet but still slightly tart quarters of poached quince, a sprinkling of crushed almonds and desiccated coconut and micro herbs to finish. It’s pretty much the epitome of winter in a bowl and leaves you scraping your spoon to ensure those final residual grains don’t escape your stomach. 106a Latrobe Tce, Paddington Al'FreshCo A stroke of genius from Alastair Mcleod’s Al'FreshCo team (who serve up French inspired deliciousness at the Jan Powers Farmers Markets every week) means you can now get your porridge fix whilst trawling for your weeks’ produce! The wonderfully indulgent vanilla porridge made with oats, vanilla bean paste and full fat milk, is served with sweet strawberries from fellow stallholder Wild Fruit, a drizzling of burnt orange caramel and is finished with optional bee pollen and honey. Sweet, warming and just heavenly. Jan Powers Farmer Markets, New Farm & Queens St The Moray Cafe The Moray Café’s take on porridge is definitely one for the sugar inclined. Nothing short of sweet, its banana chai porridge with berry compote, honeycomb and homemade fairy floss is as pretty as a picture and is almost like having dessert for breakfast. With oats made on a mashed banana and chai infused milk, the porridge is served with a sweet berry mixture of jam-like consistency and topped with clouds of pink floss. It conjures childhood imaginings of princess breakfasts and fairy food. 158 Moray St, New Farm Bear Bones Espresso Tucked away in a non-descript building on Mclachlan St in the Valley, Bare Bones Espresso does a mean coffee…but its small selection of breakfast options is equally as enticing. In particular the red quinoa porridge with chai tea soaked prunes (or cranberries if they’re out), pepitas and pistachios will warm the “barest of bones”! Both textural and flavoursome it ticks the boxes for creaminess, nuttiness and zing factor. 2/66 Mclachlan St, Fortitude Valley Kiss the Berry Known for amaze-balls acai bowls and awesome house blend coffee, Kiss the Berry has also recently started selling warm porridge bowls to hungry hoards of city goers. The overnight oat porridge bowls are the shiz with oats soaked overnight in water, vanilla and cinnamon, cooked in milk and topped with your choice of either apple, blueberries and pistachio crumble, or strawberry, banana, gluten free buckinis and coconut sugar. With either option you’ll also get a blob of acai compote to finish, which is all it takes to transport you to porridge nirvana. Shop 1/99 Creek St, Brisbane Spicers Balfour Kitchen If there were a prize for the most decadent of porridges in Brisbane, Spicers Balfour would be a serious contender. With oats and quinoa cooked with cream and served with an extra jug of it on the side for pouring, it’s thick, luscious and everything you want from a winter breakfast. Topped with candied almonds, tangy sour cherries, slightly crunchy caramelised apple and sugared pistachio it’s a breakfast that will make you want to curl up with a book and go straight back to bed after you've finished! 37 Balfour St, New Farm Sourced Grocer Locals are well aware that the cooler months mean it’s time for the much anticipated winter porridge from Sourced Grocer. We know these guys can do a killer bowl of oats making it wickedly rich with both milk and cream, but it’s the annually changing topping that generates the hype. Last year it was caramelised banana and maple and this year it’s all about the rhubarb with hazelnut rapadura sugar and extra cream. Served al dente so the rhubarb is still in tact and sprinkled with the nutty, sugary crumb it’s definitely another hit! 11 Florence St, Teneriffe Artie & Mai This may only be a special on the Artie & Mai menu but the quinoa porridge made with coconut milk and topped with slices of fresh banana, walnuts, sunflower seeds and thyme infused honey, is a ripper. Using only quinoa the porridge is light and fluffy with a slightly chewy texture and nutty flavour. Super healthy with just a hint of sweetness from the banana and honey, it’s also perfectly portioned so you don’t feel like you’re rolling out the door once spoons are down. Artie & Mai, we think this one needs to become a regular breakfast option. Stat. 340 Sandgate Rd, Albion Campos Coffee The team at the Campos head quarter’s kitchen in James St usually do porridge every winter that regulars look out for. Its current take on the traditional warming breakfast is a creamy vanilla oat porridge, served with earl grey infused dates dotted throughout and topped with a blob of thick, creamy ricotta and fresh strawberry halves (honey is also optional). Plus, Campos' oat-y goodness is like a never-ending bowl of deliciousness. Props to those who can polish it off! 11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley Stalled Espresso Normally Stalled’s porridge comes topped with vibrant rhubarb and berry compote, however, in a testament to improvisation (and lack of rhubarb on the day of review) they can easily substitute the topping for whatever they may have on hand. Sweet caramelised banana and fresh strawberries are a perfect combination and fresh alternative atop the creamy bowl of oats that will leave you wanting to return the next day. And the next. 38 Collingwood St, Albion Honourable mentions definitely to go to Willow and Spoon, Little Pawpaw, Blackbird Espresso. Photography by Mimi Hyll
A trip to the cinema can brighten up the bleakest of days — and while it's a safe (and often enjoyable) choice to flock to the flicks you know have mass rave reviews, sometimes it's nice to get stuck into a film that hasn't garnered loud critical acclaim. Superheroes, franchises, sequels and remakes are all well and good, but there's a wealth of features gracing screens near you that don't always fall into those categories. They're the under-seen and often under-sung gems, and they're some of 2016's most rewarding, entertaining and engaging viewing. To help you catch up on a year's worth of great cinema, we're put together rundown of the ten 2016 best movies that box office figures tell us you probably missed. Have a few to catch up on? Don't worry — you can't spend all year purely watching films. Besides, that's what summer holidays are for. GREEN ROOM If you only see one movie featuring Patrick Stewart as a fascist heavy metal club owner, make it Jeremy Saulnier's follow-up to the criminally under-seen Blue Ruin. The actor also known as Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Xavier will send chills down your spine — but there's a just as impressive bunch of actors trying to fend him off. As the title suggests, much of Green Room takes place backstage, where Anton Yelchin, Arrested Development's Alia Shawkat and their band stumble across something they shouldn't have. Prepare to feel uneasy as you watch this violent, claustrophobic thriller. And prepare to appreciate Yelchin's many talents for one of the last times. SING STREET Lightning strikes not just twice but thrice for Irish filmmaker John Carney; with Once and Begin Again also on his resume, he's clearly on a roll. Sing Street is another music-focused outing, this time following a teenage band in the 1980s — and adolescent hopes and dreams have rarely been so charming. From the original songs you'll immediately have stuck in your head, to the loveable cast of Irish newcomers, Carney doesn't make a wrong move. We predict that, in years to come, this will join all the usual actual '80s efforts on your repeat-viewing list. TUNNEL Zombie effort Train to Busan wasn't the only ace action-oriented film South Korea gifted audiences this year. Tunnel might've received much less attention, but if you like watching tense disaster efforts, people trying to claw their way out a crumbled structure and/or bureaucratic bungling, then this is the movie for you. Sure, you probably think you've seen it all before — but thanks to A Hard Day director Kim Seong-hun, prepare yourself for one of the most well-rounded examples of the genre to grace cinema screens. Indeed, Tunnel succeeds on three fronts: making its life-or-death scenario feel urgent and immediate, fleshing out its characters and garnering a genuine emotional impact. MAGGIE'S PLAN Maggie's Plan isn't a sequel to Frances Ha by any means, but it is the next best thing. Writer/director Rebecca Miller guides Greta Gerwig through another idiosyncratic existence, this time as a single woman keen to jump into motherhood — and not at all concerned that she's not in a relationship. Gerwig once again shines in the kind of role she's made her own, with excellent support from Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore, Maya Rudolph and Bill Hader. What makes the film truly stand out though, is its acceptance of life's ups and downs. You'll laugh, you'll smile, and you'll nod in agreement many, many times while watching. THE FITS Among its many, many merits, The Fits proves that bigger isn't always better. In fact, in her first fiction feature, writer/director Anna Rose Holmer makes the most of every one of the film's 72 minutes. Within such a brief running time, she packs in a beguiling narrative set in the world of drill dance, as 11-year-old Toni (first-timer Royalty Hightower, who puts in an astonishing performance) joins a local squad just as her teammates start mysteriously fainting. Both forms of movement are integral in the way Holmer tells her tale — in fact, The Fits is one of the best examples of blending style and story in recent years. CHASING ASYLUM Even when you're an Oscar and Emmy Award-winning producer, making a documentary about Australia's treatment of asylum seekers isn't easy. There's a sense of danger that just doesn't dissipate in Eva Orner's Chasing Asylum, whether you're getting a glimpse of the conditions experienced by refugees detained in offshore facilities, or following the efforts of staff to secretly capture the film's footage. And while Orner's viewpoint is never in doubt, it's supported by an illuminating array of interviews and context-providing background information. Still, the on-the-ground material speaks for itself, and makes Chasing Asylum must-see viewing. SHIN GODZILLA He's big, scaly and has been wreaking havoc on Japan since the 1950s — and now he's back. Yes, he's none other than Godzilla, and his latest big screen venture provides him with a welcome return to the monster movie fold. Forget the terrible 1998 effort starring Matthew Broderick, and the better but still less-than-stellar 2014 film, because this is how a modern Godzilla flick should be made. Nodding to the past and finding a new way forward, Shin Godzilla is a kaiju flick that knows how to balance size and spectacle with societal commentary and human drama. LOOKING FOR GRACE There's a fine line between ordinary and odd in Looking for Grace, but that applies to the situation its characters find themselves in, rather than the film. Indeed, in trying to explore that very idea, writer/director Sue Brooks offers up an offbeat but insightful take on dramatic family antics, as told across non-linear chapters. And, she has enlisted a fantastic cast to help relate the efforts of a runaway teenage girl, her distraught parents and the retired cop called in to assist. The Daughter's Odessa Young once again proves a star in the making, Richard Roxburgh is a delight and Radha Mitchell shows off her comic timing. HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS After watching Hello, My Name Is Doris, wanting to grow up to become Sally Field's eponymous character is completely understandable. She might only be finding her way in the world at an advanced age and after the death of her mother, but Doris has something most people can only dream of: a genuine willingness to step outside of her comfort zone and try new things. That's why, as the film that bears her name charts her new affection for a much, much younger colleague (Max Greenfield), it never feels less than sweet and sensitive. Writer/director Michael Showalter also penned and starred in Wet Hot American Summer, which should give you an idea of the movie's slightly offbeat vibe. TRUMAN Reunited friends, an encroaching separation, a cute pet pooch that needs a new home — as far as tear-jerking clichés go, Truman appears to hit the jackpot. Of course, appearances can be deceiving, as proves the case here. One of the greatest skills in filmmaking and storytelling is making seemingly well-worn tales and components explore new depths, traverse different territory and earn their emotional response. In a quiet, gentle fashion, Cesc Gay's modest but moving musing on life and love, along with Ricardo Darín and Javier Cámara's finessed performances, manages to do just that.
To the casual observer, the rise in plant-based eating has seemingly come about overnight. Brands like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and V2Food have signalled a major shift in the way we think about meat, while thought-provoking documentaries like Food, Inc., The Game Changers and Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret have sparked conversations around our relationship with food and behaviours of consumption. Elsewhere, online resources like Vegkit — a new initiative by Animals Australia — offer a world of resources that have made it more accessible than ever before to embrace the many ways to eat plant-based. From a culinary choice you used to associate with your kooky aunt to now seeing legitimate alternatives lining supermarket shelves — could it be that plant-based eating has suddenly become cool? It's more than just marketing spin. Factors such as increased awareness of the environmental impact of agriculture, rising meat prices and the health benefits linked to a reduced meat intake have seen Australia's meat consumption hit a 25-year low, according to research released earlier this year. While plant-based diets and meat-centric ones might have once been seen as a one-or-the-other thing, the increased visibility of meat-free options is helping many shift to full- and part-time veganism. Sure, the merits of lab-made meat alternatives are certainly open for debate. But that's kind of missing the point: these products have become a successful gateway to reducing meat intake for the otherwise disinclined. PLANT-BASED EQUALS CREATIVITY Many venues around Australia are embracing the creativity offered by cooking without meat. Karl Cooney of Sydney restaurant Yulli's and brewery Yulli's Brews has been vegetarian for nearly 25 years and vegan for the past seven. He considered his decision to switch to plant-based cooking as both a blessing and a curse. "Being from a very food-oriented background, I wanted to eat good shit, so it forced me to learn ways of seeking out and creating well-rounded dishes that didn't seem lacking for not having meat," Cooney tells us. Co-owner of plant-based Brisbane diner Fitz + Potts, Cassie Potts (pictured above), had a similar experience: "When a meal doesn't revolve around one central, dominating ingredient, [which] is often the case when you cook with meat, you can explore how a range of ingredients and flavours can work in balance and harmony." For celebrated American chef Matthew Kenney (pictured above), plant-based eating and cooking represents a new frontier. "This is the most exciting food sector and the future of how we cook, eat and live," says Kenney, who recently opened Alibi, an entirely plant-based restaurant and bar inside Ovolo Woolloomooloo and his first Australian venue. "Cooking and eating plant-based connects us with seasonality and local ingredients," he continues. "It is also incredibly motivating to work with a cuisine that is not fully developed, allowing us an opportunity to craft a path toward the future." Potts agrees that when it comes to exploring food options that go beyond animal ingredients, we're only just getting started: "I feel like a bit of an alchemist in the kitchen, because plant-based cooking is still such a new concept. When I first became a vegan, there weren't all the [current] meat- and dairy-alternative options, so I learnt to cook creatively," she says. "Coming up with new versions of meat-based recipes or experimenting with fresh new combinations of vegetables, grains and plant-based proteins is hugely exciting stuff for me." This creativity benefits diners, too — walk into any of these chefs' restaurants and you'll be treated to a cracker of a meal. [caption id="attachment_798372" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yulli's Surry Hills (supplied)[/caption] PEOPLE THRIVE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET The idea of plant-based cooking being 'new' might seem a little strange — after all, humans have been cooking plants for more than 10,000 years. What has changed, though, are perceptions around a plant-based meal as 'missing' something. "Ironically most people probably think a vegan lifestyle is all about denying yourself of things, but I've always been obsessed with food, and enjoy it in excess," says Potts. Cooney has also found himself responding to many doubters over his years of plant-based eating and cooking. "The biggest misconception [around cooking plant-based] is that you can't create flavour," says Cooney. "The obvious response is well, you're doing it wrong." "[Another] misconception is that you get tired on a vegan diet," Cooney adds. "I don't think I've ever eaten meat in the couple of decades I've worked [in] hospitality — and we all know what a brutal industry it is — and the one thing I never lack is energy. Sometimes I lack patience but that's another story." Kenny adds to this: "The reality is that we always had to overcome perceptions of plant-based not being fulfilling or not having enough protein. However, with elite athletes, many of the world's highest-performing CEOs and the general public thriving on plant-based diets, those misconceptions are thankfully put to rest." [caption id="attachment_663302" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alibi (supplied)[/caption] Perhaps, though, it's a cultural thing? "Many cultures don't think anything of eating a purely plant-based meal," says Potts. "I think it would benefit people's health, the planet and of course animals, if western society didn't think it was so unusual to appreciate a tasty meal without getting hung up on the fact there isn't a lump of flesh central on the plate. Plant-based eating is honestly no different to eating any other meal. Good food is good food." Looking for more plant-based meal inspo? Check out Vegkit — it's loaded with hundreds of plant-based meals you can enjoy any time of day.
In Brisbane, back in 2017, a simple idea was born: gathering a heap of beer and music-loving folks in a pub, teaching them the lyrics to a well-known song over the course of one night, and then communally crooning the tune in question the same evening. It's karaoke, but in a group. It's your school choir, but boozy. And it's little wonder that Pub Choir soon became not just a local but a national and international success. Of course, as Australia responds to COVID-19, mass groups of folks can't all spend time together in one room — even if they are drinking and singing a tune. So, Pub Choir has evolved into Couch Choir. It's the same basic concept, except everyone is giving their vocal cords a workout from their own homes. Running across Tuesday, March 19–Thursday, March 21, here's how it works. Firstly, at 7pm AEST on Tuesday, three videos will be released on the event's Facebook page. They'll show Pub Choir's organisers singing three different harmonies, and then hand things over to you at home. Next, you'll have two days to watch, listen and learn everything you need to know about your chosen part — or all three if you want — and record yourself singing it. Submit your video by 7pm on Thursday, and they'll all be mixed into one big compilation that'll be released for everyone to enjoy. Beer is usually a big part of Pub Choir so if you need a dash of liquid courage at home, prepare accordingly.
The war on waste isn't just about banning plastic shopping bags, recycling plastic drink containers, phasing out plastic straws and finding alternatives to disposable coffee cups. That's a great start, but humanity's reliance upon single-use plastics includes cutlery, plates, stirrers, cotton buds and more. Europe has pledged to stop using such items by 2021, building upon similar decisions in the UK and France, while Australia is working towards banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025 — but one Aussie state is considering taking matters into its own hands. As reported by the ABC, the South Australian government is exploring implementing its own ban on single-use plastic items. It has been proposed by SA Environment Minister David Speirs, who is calling for public feedback on the plan by releasing two discussion papers. SA was the first state in the country with a container refund scheme, introducing its 10-cent refund for eligible items back in 1977 — and causing an entire generation of interstate dwellers to grow up making jokes about driving a haul of cans and bottles to Adelaide to collect some cash. It was also the first state to phase out lightweight plastic bags, a move that came into effect in 2009. In comparison, New South Wales only brought in container refunds in 2017 and is yet to commit to banning single-use plastic bags. Victoria doesn't have a container refund scheme on the horizon, but will phase out plastic bags in 2019. And Queensland enacted both container refunds and a plastic bag ban in 2018. According to The Advertiser, SA will also contemplate changing both of its successful existing regimes, including possibly expanding the plastic bag ban to thicker plastics and changing the 10-cent refund amount on recyclable containers. While action at a government level continues to take its time across the country — apart from in Hobart, where takeaway containers are set to be banned next year — companies have been stepping in themselves. McDonalds will remove plastic straws from its packaging by 2020, IKEA is phasing out single-use plastics by the same year, Melbourne's Crown Casino is cutting down its plastic usage and Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly is committed to becoming the world's first single-use plastic free airline by the end of 2019. Via the ABC / The Advertiser.
Every time that the Brisbane International Film Festival rolls around, something is a little different. After a decade of almost constant change, that's how it feels, at least. BIFF cycled through a few artistic directors, then found itself completely scrapped. It was replaced by a short-lived Asia Pacific-focused film fest, and then revived as BIFF again at Palace Cinemas. Next, it moved to the Gallery of Modern Art for three years, before getting another revamp in 2021 — with the folks behind the Gold Coast Film Festival now calling the shots. One thing that's remained through all of those ups and downs: screening must-see films to devoted Brisbane movie lovers. Tweaks keep happening behind the scenes, but watching the latest and greatest flicks dance across the silver screen has always been the main attraction. So, from Thursday, October 21–Sunday, October 31, that's what's happening. Cinephiles, Christmas has come early. BIFF's 2021 lineup includes more than 100 films — features, documentaries and shorts alike, spanning both brand new and stone-cold classic titles — all waiting for your super-eager eyeballs. That's a hefty lineup to wade through, so we started our festival viewing early. Here's ten standout BIFF highlights that we've seen, reviewed and heartily recommend. PETITE MAMAN Forget the "find someone who looks at you like…" meme. That's great advice in general, but it's mandatory if you've ever seen a film by Céline Sciamma. No one peers at on-screen characters with as much affection, attention, emotion and empathy as the French director, with her talent for truly seeing into hearts and minds shining again in Petite Maman. In Sciamma's latest delicate and exquisite masterpiece after Tomboy, Girlhood and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, she follows eight-year-old Nelly (debutant Joséphine Sanz) on a trip to her mother's (Nina Meurisse, Camille) childhood home. Nelly's grandmother (Margot Abascal, The Sower) has just died, and the house needs packing up. While her parents work, the curious child roves around the surrounding woods — and discovers Marion (fellow newcomer Gabrielle Sanz), who could be her twin. Sciamma is exceptionally talented at many things, creating richly detailed and intimately textured cinematic worlds high among them. She doesn't build franchises or big fantasy realms, but surveys faces, spaces, thoughts and feelings — exploring them like the entire universes they are. That approach pulsates through every frame of Petite Maman like a heartbeat. The film itself resembles a gentle but soul-replenishing breeze in its rustic look and serene pacing, but it thrums with emotion and insight at every moment. It's a modern-day fairy tale, too, complete with a glorious twist, with this radiant, moving, smart and perceptive movie musing deeply on mothers, daughters and the ties that bind. THE DROVER'S WIFE THE LEGEND OF MOLLY JOHNSON Leah Purcell's resume isn't short on highlights thanks to Black Comedy, Wentworth and Redfern Now, but the Australian actor, director and writer clearly has a passion project. In 2016, she adapted Henry Lawson's short story The Drover's Wife for the stage. In 2019, she moved it back to the page. Now, she brings it to the screen via The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. Only minutes into her searing feature filmmaking debut, it's easy to see why Purcell keeps needing to tell this tale. In her hands, it's a story of anger, power, prejudice and revenge, and a portrait of a history that's treated both women and Indigenous Australians abhorrently. Aussie cinema hasn't shied away from the nation's problematic past (see also: Sweet Country, The Nightingale, The Furnace and High Ground); however, this is an unshakeably potent film. In a fiery performance that bristles with steeliness, Purcell plays the eponymous and heavily pregnant Molly. In the process, she gives flesh, blood and a name to a character who wasn't ever afforded the latter in Lawson's version: a 19th-century Indigenous Australian woman left alone with her children on a remote property for lengthy stretches while her husband works. During his latest absence, new sergeant Nate Clintoff (Sam Reid, The Newsreader) and Aboriginal fugitive Yadaka (Rob Collins, Mystery Road) separately venture Molly's way. From there, this sometimes-stagey but always blistering western digs sharply into issues of race, gender and identity — and eagerly, shrewdly and ferociously draws cinematic blood. DRIVE MY CAR Inspired by Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name, Drive My Car's setup couldn't be simpler. Still recovering from a personal tragedy, actor and director Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima, Silent Tokyo) agrees to helm a stage version of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima — but the company behind it insists on giving him a chauffeur for the duration of his stay. He declines, yet they contend it is mandatory for insurance and liability reasons, so Misaki (Toko Miura, Spaghetti Code Love) becomes a regular part of his working stint in the city. Friendship springs, slowly and gradually, but Murakami's name is one of the first signs that this won't follow a standard road. The other: Japanese filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, who makes layered, thoughtful and probing reflections upon connection, as seen in his previous efforts Happy Hour and Asako I & II. Drive My Car doesn't hurry to its narrative destination, clocking in at a minute shy of three hours, but it's a patient, engrossing and rewarding trip. It's a gorgeously shot and affectingly performed one, too, whether taking to the road, spending time with its central pair, or chronicling Yusuke's involving auditions and rehearsals. Another thing that Hamaguchi does disarmingly well: ponder possibilities and acceptance, two notions that echo through both Yusuke and Misaki's tales, and resonate with that always-winning combination of specificity and universality. Drive My Car is one of two new films by Hamaguchi currently doing the festival rounds, too, with Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy also screening at BIFF — so that's your festival double feature sorted. THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Sometimes, a performance just flat-out shakes and startles you — in a good way, that is. In her 2021 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress-winning role, Norwegian actor Renate Reinsve (Phoenix) turns in that type of complex, layered, no-holds-barred and relatable portrayal. She's magnificent, and thoroughly deserves all of the shiny trophies sent her way. She plays Julie, a young Oslo resident who doesn't ever earn The Worst Person in the World's title, but nonetheless pinballs through the mess of her millennial life. Across 12 chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue, almost everything about the character's existence changes within the mere four years that the movie focuses on: dreams, goals, studies, careers, loved ones, boyfriends (including Bergman Island's Anders Danielsen Lie), apartments, friends and her perception of herself. That aforementioned moniker stems from a comment that Julie spits her own way, actually, because she's often aware of her own chaos. Writer/director Joachim Trier (Thelma) is just as cognisant of how romantic dramedies like this tend to turn out, which both feeds and enables Reinsve's astonishing performance — because this isn't the usual cliche-riddled affair. Every up and down that comes Julie's way transcends tropes to contemplate what growing up, being an adult and forging a life is really like, including at both the sunniest and the most heartbreaking extremes. As a character study, The Worst Person in the World is a masterpiece. As a snapshot of an age and life stage, it's just as canny, insightful and excellent. ZOLA It wasn't just a Twitter thread — it was the Twitter thread. Whether you read it live as it happened, stumbled across the details afterwards or first heard about it via Zola's buzzy trailer, calling this stranger-than-fiction tale a wild ride is always an understatement. Its opening words, as also used in this tweet-to-screen adaptation, happen to capture the vibe perfectly: "you wanna hear a story about how me and this bitch fell out? It's kind of long, but it's full of suspense." In the film, that phrase comes via the eponymous Detroit waitress (Taylour Paige, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom). The other person she's referring to: a woman (Riley Keough, The Lodge) she serves at work, then joins on a road trip to Florida. The minutiae is best discovered by watching, but saying that Zola's getaway with her new pal doesn't turn out as planned is really just the starting point. Paige is fierce and finessed as Aziah 'Zola' Wells, Keough adds another tricky yet memorable performance to her resume (see also: American Honey), Succession's Nicholas Braun twists his Cousin Greg persona and Colman Domingo (Candyman) proves scarily commanding. That's all crucial, but this is writer/director Janicza Bravo's (Lemon) film. Wondering how you adapt a series of tweets into a movie? Bravo approaches the task with not just flair, energy and enthusiasm, but with a dreamlike vibe and a clear understanding of social media's role in our lives. This is exactly what a flick based on tweets should be — and, among its many delights (including the score and the cinematography), it features the smartest urination scene you're ever likely to see. BERGMAN ISLAND Each filmmaker walks in the shadows of all who came before them — and as the cinema's history lengthens, so will those penumbras. With Bergman Island, French director Mia Hansen-Løve doesn't merely ponder that idea; she makes it the foundation of her narrative, as well a launching pad for a playful and resonant look at love, work and creativity. Her central couple, both filmmakers, literally tread in the footsteps of the great Ingmar Bergman. Visiting Fårö, the island off Sweden's southeastern coast that he called home and his base, Chris (Vicky Krieps, Old) and Tony Sanders (Tim Roth, The Misfits) couldn't escape his imprint if they wanted to. They don't, of course, as they're searching for as much inspiration as they can find; however, the idea of being haunted by people and their creations soon spills over to Chris' work. These Fårö escapades only fill half of the movie, because Bergman Island also brings Chris' budding screenplay to life. There, fellow filmmaker Amy (Mia Wasikowska, Blackbird) visits an island, too — dancing to ABBA and crossing paths with her ex Joseph (The Worst Person in the World's Anders Danielsen Lie). That tumultuous relationship is as bedevilled by other art and the past as Chris' quest to put pen to paper. And, via the film-within-a-film concept, there's a sense of mirroring that couldn't spring any firmer from Bergman himself. That said, the end result is as savvy and soulful as anything on Hansen-Løve's resume (including the stellar Eden and Things to Come) — and, due to Krieps and Wasikowska, as exceptionally acted. UNDINE For the second time in as many films, German writer/director Christian Petzold teams up with Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, but you could never accuse them all of doing the same thing twice. Back in 2018, the trio turned Transit into a war-torn romance that mused on conflict's lingering scars. Here, they reinvent a German myth about a water spirit who can only turn human via love. A familiar chemistry lingers, though, as it's meant to. Whenever directors and actors keep collaborating — especially when directors retain multiple actors across different movies — that's built into the fabric of the film. As viewers, we can't help recalling our knowledge of their shared past. It's just how we respond to art, to people, and to connections. A movie not only about romance, but about the impact of the past on the present, Undine provokes and rewards this reaction. Undine (Never Look Away's Beer, the 2020 Berlinale Silver Bear winner for Best Actress for her efforts here) is a historian who guides museum tours about Berlin's origins. When her boyfriend Johannes (Jacob Matschenz, Babylon Berlin) breaks up with her suddenly, she warns him that she'll have to kill him. Then she meets industrial diver Christoph (Rogowski, A Hidden Life), but even as their love blossoms, her previous relationship isn't easily overcome. Petzold is no stranger to pondering the tides of history that just keep ebbing, flowing and swelling (see also: Barbara and Phoenix); however, in the enchanting, beguiling, beautifully shot Undine, he's at his most haunting. THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST When Succession roves over New York's skyline, it gleams with wealth and privilege, a world that the stellar HBO satire sharply cuts into at every chance it gets. As one of the show's supporting cast members, Dasha Nekrasova slides into that realm, but that's not her only dalliance with the city's architecture, power brokers and all that both represent. The Scary of Sixty-First, her feature directorial debut, also savages the rich and seemingly consequence-free. More accurately, it clasps onto a real-life story that's made that case inherently, abhorrently and monstrously. There's no gentle way to put it, but the fact that Nekrasova plays a woman investigating whether a bargain Upper East Side duplex was once one of Jeffrey Epstein's "orgy flophouses" says plenty about this purposefully provocative conspiracy thriller-slash-horror/comedy. College pals Addie (Betsey Brown, Assholes) and Noelle (co-screenwriter Madeline Quinn) can't believe their luck when they find the cheap property, even if it does visibly need a clean (and have mirrored ceilings). From night one, however, the literal nightmares begin — and soon they're spying blood stains, scratched walls and eerie tarot cards. Enter Nekrasova's paranoid stranger, who comes bearing the Epstein news. Addie and Noelle take the revelation in vastly different ways, and The Scary of Sixty-First keeps boldly twisting its 70s and 80s-influenced frames (and Eyes Wide Shut and Rosemary's Baby-influenced, too) in hellish directions. Uncompromising and compelling, this slap in the face of a movie really isn't easily forgotten. BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN "Banging" is the certainly word for it; when 2021 Berlinale Golden Bear winner Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn begins, it's with high school teacher Emi (Katia Pascariu, Beyond the Hills) and her camera-wielding husband (first-timer Stefan Steel) having loud, enthusiastic, pink wig-wearing sex — and filming it. Romanian director Radu Jude (I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians) shows the explicit footage as others will see it, because others will indeed see it: the students at Emi's school, their parents and her fellow teachers. All genitalia and thrusting and lustful talk (and shouted queries through the door from whoever is looking after the couple's child), this graphic opening also makes a statement. So many people with the film's frames will take issue with it as vocally as Emi and her partner are enjoying themselves, but Jude definitely isn't one of them. What follows is a razor-sharp satire of a world that's so indifferent to so much, but so unaccepting of carnality. The film wields that notion as a weapon, all as Emi and Bucharest's other residents also navigate the pandemic. In the cinema verite-style first section, Emi rushes around the city on foot, learning of the sex tape backlash while surrounded by everyday hostilities and vulgarities. Next, Jude unleashes scathing and playful cine-essay snippets about Romania's past, the planet's present, human behaviour, and how porn is used as both a scapegoat and anaesthetic. Then, Emi is interrogated by parents and teachers, their judgement and hypocrisy on full display — in the climax to an already brilliant, biting and bleakly hilarious achievement. BLIND AMBITION From fleeing Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe to taking their nation's first-ever team to the World Wine Blind Testing Championships in Burgundy, Joseph, Tinashe, Marlvin and Pardon have quite the story to tell. The quartet met in South Africa, where they each individually made their home long before they crossed paths. They all also found themselves working with wine, despite not drinking it as Pentecostal Christians — and, in the process, they discovered a knack for an industry they mightn't have even contemplated otherwise. That's the tale that Blind Ambition relays, and it's a rousing and moving one. Indeed, it won't come as a surprise that the movie won Australian filmmakers Warwick Ross and Rob Coe (Red Obsession) this year's Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary. Blind wine testing is a serious business; the first word isn't slang for inebriation, but describes how teams sample an array of wines without knowing what they're drinking. Then, they must pick everything from the country to the vintage to the varietal within two minutes of sipping. As stressed both verbally and visually throughout the doco, there's a specific — and very white — crowd for this endeavour. Accordingly, Team Zimbabwe instantly stands out. Heralding diversity is one of their achievements; their infectious joy, pride and enthusiasm for the field, for competing at the Olympics of the wine world, for the fact that their plight has taken them from refugees to finding a new calling, and for opening up the world to African vino, is just as resonant. Looking for more BIFF recommendations? We've taken a look at a couple of others already this year. So, you can also check out our thoughts on Sisters with Transistors, The Girl and the Spider and The Witches of the Orient, as well as Strong Female Lead. The 2021 Brisbane International Film Festival runs between Thursday, October 21–Sunday, October 31. For further information, or to buy tickets, head to the festival website.
We were about two hours out of Sydney when the stars started to come out, getting brighter and brighter as we hurtled down the highway, leaving the city and all its pollution behind. It was late, and I was tired, trying desperately to squeeze in a quick nap before it was my turn to drive. And as I turned my head to rest on the seatbelt, my eyes flicked upwards, and caught sight of a shooting star, blazing its way through the middle of the Southern Cross. The Wee Waa Agricultural Show, now in its 79th year, is like Sydney's Easter Show for an audience of a couple of thousand instead of a couple of million. It is a celebration of the local community, acknowledging the wonderful things accomplished by the townspeople, from the produce to the livestock, from homemade jams, soaps and cakes to handmade floral arrangements, quilts and much, much more. For a number of reasons the album launch itself was not what it could have been, not least the fact that Sony had made the album available to stream online three days beforehand, gazumping Wee Waa’s premiere. Estimates from the night suggest that perhaps as many as half the anticipated 4500-strong crowd simply didn't bother to show up, and weeks of feverish speculation meant that whatever was planned for the night wasn't going to satisfy, except perhaps if Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo rode in to the Show on a Blue Ribbon heifer. But the main reason the launch was a bit low-key is that Random Access Memories is the least Daft Punk record yet released. It's an homage to the 1970s, with disco and soft rock the dominant moods, almost the polar opposite of the groundbreaking, apocalyptic, electronic crunch of Discovery. And although the lead single, 'Get Lucky', is as chilled and danceable a groove as you could hope for, there really aren't that many opportunities for getting your boogie on. And those of us who thought that the recent resurgence of electronic music — led by unashamed, brutally heavy party tracks from the likes of Skrillex, Nero and Avicii — would lead Daft Punk to double-down on their trademark sound were sorely disappointed, a fact made clear by the roars that greeted the classic Daft Punk tracks a DJ played after the album to make the moment last longer. But as we left the largest outdoor dancefloor in the world, underlit by thousands of LED lights, and went our separate ways, no one really had any complaints. And judging from the expressions on the faces of the crowd, everyone realised that they had just been part of something unique, and something that they were never likely to experience again. When it was first announced that Daft Punk would be launching their first album in eight years at the Wee Waa Agricultural Show, the resulting explosion of incredulity reached all corners of the internet. After the incredulity came the second-guessing, millions trying to figure out why Wee Waa was chosen over so many other places. All of this had at its heart the same premise: that choosing to hold this event in Wee Waa was inexplicable, and that somewhere, surely, there was an explanation that would make sense. But whether Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, Sony or any of the complainers realise it or not, Wee Waa couldn't have been a more perfect choice. This town is the beating heart of a huge industry — the Australian cotton industry, worth some $2.5 billion annually — producing a product that is exported all over the world. It's a town that is aggressively innovative in its field (and fields), with tremendous advances being made in how much cotton can be grown with limited amounts of water, as well investing heavily in the research and development of natural pesticides that have little to no impact on crops or on consumers. And it's a town, like so many country towns across Australia, where strangers are welcomed with open arms, open hearts and open minds. If Daft Punk can’t see themselves — global superstars of dance music, with their history of audiovisual innovation — reflected in the town and its people, then they clearly lack the imagination we've always ascribed to them. Wee Waa is a wonderful, beautiful, uniquely Australian place, with a strong connection to the land, to the water, and — thanks to the Australia Telescope Compact Array in Narrabri — to the skies. And despite some disappointment caused largely by unrealistic expectations (and a less-than-amazing album), this was a wonderful, beautiful event, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will always be special for how fleeting it was. Much like a shooting star in the country sky, blazing its way through the middle of the Southern Cross.
It has been almost 50 years since Philip K. Dick pondered whether androids dream of electric sheep, and 35 years since Blade Runner brought that question to the cinema. In celebration of the long-awaited big screen sequel, Blade Runner 2049, Melbourne's Cinema Nova is throwing another query into the mix: do replicants have a hankering for themed cocktails? Eagle-eyed fans of the first film will have spotted that, yes, bioengineered beings can have a beverage. And we all know that the trackers tasked with retiring them can too. Accordingly, downing a few drinks like Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard seems like a fitting way to mark his return. When Bar 2049 pops up for a month from September 28 — a week before the new movie releases on October 5 — here's hoping there's some of his booze of choice (that is, whiskey), in Cinema Nova's two new tipples: the Nexus 9 and The Offworld. Bar 2049 won't just boast drinks to match the occasion, but will transform the existing Nova Bar & Kitchen into an immersive, eye-catching Blade Runner-like space that takes its cues from both Ridley Scott's original flick and Denis Villeneuve's forthcoming, Ryan Gosling-starring follow-up. Custom wall murals from street artist Chris Hancock of Blender Creative and video installations from filmmaker Ben Helweg will create a striking, futuristic look, while an audio soundscape will blend Vangelis' iconic score with synth pop. Other touches searing themselves into your memory include neon lighting and lasers, LCD screens, floor decals, mannequins and silver unicorns. If that doesn't cause an emotional reaction that proves you're not a robot, then a 'Tastes From The Future' food menu should. The latest example of Cinema Nova's Blade Runner love — with the theatre screening the classic movie several times over the years — Bar 2049 is open from 10am daily, licensed from midday, and serves up dinner from 5pm weeknights and midday on weekends. Find Bar 2049 at Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street, Carlton from September 28 to October 27. For more information, keep an eye on the cinema's website and Facebook page. Images: ©2017 Alcon Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved via Sony Pictures Releasing International.
Anyone who lives in a teeny, tiny apartment will love this one. The 1900s-invented wall-folding bed (or 'Murphy bed') isn't new by any means — Charlie Chaplin fought one in the the 1916 comedy short, One A.M. and James Bond was surprised by assassins in one to open 1967's You Only Live Twice — but Latvia-based Boxetti designer Rolands Landsbergs has taken the old space-saving trick to a new slick level. Landsbergs' 'Bedroom in a Box' is the most compact, Fifth Element-looking design we've seen in Murphy beds yet — primarily because it's not just the bed that shuts away, it's the whole room. Containing all the elements of a regular bedroom, 'Bedroom in a Box' contains your bed, bedside table, reading spotlight, headboard ambience lighting, wardrobe space and bookshelf, all in one origami-like, wall-mountable rectangle. But why fold away just your bedroom? Landsbergs has developed a whole series of modules to make your whole home able to pack away, from the kitchen to the lounge room. So if you're living in a claustrophobic loft, awkwardly small sharehouse or just want more floor space for at-home yoga/YouTube dance lessons/fisticuffs with Corben Dallas, there's a setup for you. Via Inhabitat.
As every horror fan knows, some things just won't die. In countless scary movie sagas, that statement applies to determined heroes and heroines facing off against insidious killers and creepy forces, to those fear-inducing evil-doers, and to plenty of ominous entities lingering around and wreaking havoc well after their time has expired. As many a long-running series has also shown (think: Halloween, Saw, The Grudge, The Ring and Child's Play, just to name a few), it also proves accurate when it comes to the franchises themselves. Add Scream to the pile of horror series that just keep kicking on — including, come January 2022, with a fifth film. An instant classic ever since the first movie smartly blended slasher scares and self-aware laughs back in 1996, the franchise has served up three sequels so far, as well as a TV spinoff. Now, it's returning with a flick that's being badged a 'relaunch', but will also include a heap of familiar faces. As 2018's excellent Halloween demonstrated, bringing back original cast members can turn out rather nicely for horror sagas — so the new Scream has enlisted Courteney Cox, David Arquette and none other than Neve Campbell. They'll all reprise their roles as reporter Gale Weathers, deputy-turned-sheriff Dewey Riley, and initial Ghostface target Sidney Prescott, respectively. Yes, this series has always had a thing for Sid, and it still does. Cox, Arquette and Campbell will co-star alongside The Boys' Jack Quaid, In the Heights' Melissa Barrera and You's Jenna Ortea. Behind the lens, with filmmaker Wes Craven — who directed all four original Scream films — passing away in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will take the helm. And, story-wise, expect everyone to head back to the original setting of Woodsboro, California — where more scream-inducing incidents are clearly going to take place. If you're keen to rewatch your way through the franchise to-date, Scream, 1997's Scream 2 and 2000's Scream 3 are all available to stream in Australia on Stan (with 1 and 3 on Amazon Prime Video, too), with Scream 4 on Google Play and YouTube Movies, and Scream: The TV Series on Netflix. In New Zealand, Scream and Scream 3 are available on Amazon Prime Video, Scream 2 is on Google Play and YouTube Movies, Scream 4 is on Neon and Scream: The TV Series is on Netflix. Or, you can revisit the original Scream's trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWm_mkbdpCA The new Scream movie will hit cinemas Down Under on January 13, 2020.
UPDATE, July 13, 2021: Due to travel and quarantine requirements stemming from Greater Sydney's current lockdown, the 2021 2021 Brisbane Night Noodle Markets have been postponed. With many of the event's vendors based in New South Wales, the markets can't go ahead as planned on from Wednesday, July 21–Sunday, August 1. New dates haven't yet been announced, but we'll update you when they are. Usually when July rolls around, Brisbane's culinary scene gets thrust into the spotlight, all thanks to Good Food Month. In 2020, things were a little different, with the jam-packed celebration of all things food and drink taking place in November instead. This year, though, Brisbanites will be hopping between eateries to warm up their winter once more. It's the eighth year that Good Food Month has hit the city, and 2021's program takes its cues from one of the big culinary trends of the past decade. Yes, it's skewing local and heroing homegrown talent — including by welcoming back acclaimed chef Alanna Sapwell (ex-Arc Dining and Bar), with her pop-up Esmay returning for a day of dishes at Spring Hill's Alliance Hotel. Among the other Brisbane stars making an imprint, Louis Tikaram will lend his skills to this year's Young Chefs Lunch, which will serve up a four-course meal prepared by the Stanley chef with the city's culinary up-and-comers — and Ben Williamson will open Agnes up to celebrated Melbourne restaurant Embla, teaming up with the latter's Dave Verheul on a one-night-only meal. Over at Gerard's Bistro, Adam Wolfers will join forces with Shane Delia (Maha Bar, Layla) for a night of Middle Eastern cooking. And Za Za Ta Bar and Kitchen will play host to Shannon Martinez (Lona Misa), with a plant-based, Tel Aviv-inspired feast clearly on the menu. Also on the lineup: a five-course truffle degustation at Otto, a murder mystery dinner at Alchemy, a shawarma party at Gerard's Bar and Libertine's Bastille Day French-Vietnamese menu. Montrachet will host a decadent five-course dinner, E'cco Bistro is dedicating an afternoon to cheese and wine at and The Gresham will roll out Whisky Appreciation Month sessions. Plus, over at the Living Room Bar at W Brisbane, a three-course cocktail degustation will let you sample its new menu created by the team behind London's Oriole Bar. And, the Night Noodle Markets are returning as part of this year's Good Food Month, too — this time at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. Top image: Libertine.
Sorry, whatever's been getting a workout on your playlist over the past few weeks. May is here, which means that Eurovision is here — and so is a whole bunch of Europop tunes that'll worm their way into your head. That's one of the joys of this time of year, which is basically Christmas if you love pop songs belted out competitively in a glitzy ceremony filled with eye-catching outfits. It started back in 1956 as a singing contest between a mere seven nations. Now, more than six decades later, Eurovision is a glitter-strewn and spandex-fuelled global musical phenomenon. Forty countries not only in Europe but from elsewhere will compete in 2022 — hello Australia — and viewers tune in en masse to watch, sing along and add new pop tunes to their queues. This year's host city: Turin in Italy. The theme: "the sound of beauty". The Aussie talent you'll be cheering on: Sheldon Riley, the former The X-Factor Australia, The Voice and America's Got Talent contestant who is flying the flag with his dark pop sound, avant-garde style and passionate performances. He'll be singing the song 'Not the Same' in his quest for Eurovision glory — and you have plenty of chances to see the results. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SHELDON RILEY (@sheldonriley) Come 5am AEST on Wednesday, May 11, Eurovision will return to SBS as part of the broadcaster's usual annual celebration of all things Europop. That's when you can get up early to watch the first semi final, although Riley won't take to the stage until the second semi final at 5am AEST on Friday, May 13. He'll be up against performers from 17 other countries, including The Rasmus from Finland, Sweden's Cornelia Jakobs, Brooke from Ireland, the Czech Republic's We Are Domi, Stefan from Estonia, Krystian Ochman from Poland and Azerbaijan's Nadir Rustamli. If Riley makes his way through to the grand final — with only 21 acts making the cut, and France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom automatically guaranteed spots — you'll also want to get up early on Sunday, May 15. Or, even if he doesn't, that's when this year's winner will be anointed. Of course, for those who can't tear themselves out of bed before it's light and can somehow manage to avoid the internet and social media, both semis and the grand final will also screen in primetime on the same dates. SBS' usual local hosts Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey are once again overseeing the Australian coverage. And if you can't decide whether to beat the sun or wait and host a party at sensible hour, it's worth remembering that Australians can indeed vote for Eurovision, but only during the live broadcasts. For the semi finals, you're limited to voting during the event that features Riley — and you can only vote in the grand final if the singer gets through. Also, there's another caveat: you're not actually allowed to vote for Australia's entry, which you can nonetheless check out below. EUROVISION 2022 BROADCASTS: LIVE BROADCASTS: Semi final one: 5am AEST on Wednesday, May 11 on SBS Semi final two: 5am AEST on Friday, May 13 on SBS Grand final: 5am AEST on Sunday, May 15 on SBS EVENING REPLAYS: Semi final one: 8.30pm AEST on Friday, May 13 on SBS Semi final two: 8.30pm AEST on Saturday, May 14 on SBS Grand final: 7.30pm AEST on Sunday, May 15 on SBS DAYTIME REPLAYS: Semi final one: 11.30am AEST on Saturday, May 14 on SBS Viceland Semi final two: 11.30am AEST on Sunday, May 15 on SBS Viceland Grand final: 12pm AEST on Monday, May 16 on SBS Viceland SBS' Eurovision 2022 coverage runs from Wednesday, May 11–Monday, May 16. For more information, head to the broadcaster's website. Top image: Jess Gleeson.
The weekend is so close we can taste it. But nothing puts a dampener on a camping getaway quite like forgetting the airbed pump. So, whether you're a seasoned pro or you're a total newbie to the outdoors, spend less time planning and more time making memories this weekend with our guide on what to pack for a nature-soaked trip with your friends. With no shortage of incredible Aussie destinations at your fingertips, all you need are the essentials: some sustenance, the location of your closest The Bottle-O store, and a few comforts of home. We've got you covered for all of the above. [caption id="attachment_892912" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tsvibrav via iStock[/caption] THE ESSENTIALS It goes without saying that you're going to require a tent, an air mattress, a sleeping bag, an esky, a picnic rug, a good-quality torch with spare batteries, a portable stove, some warm clothes and your fully stocked first aid kit. We know you know all this but we've listed them anyway because it helps to be reminded, just in case. In the camp kitchen department, stay organised by including one of each of the following items per person: a plate, a bowl, cutlery, a thermal mug, a plastic tumbler for their beverage of choice, and an insulated water bottle. Most utensils can be bought in handy plastic sets that fit together in a bag. If you're partial to tinnies, you'll thank yourself (and us) for remembering to pack stubby coolers but if you're a bottled brew kind of person, taking a Swiss Army knife (or any portable bottle opener) is crucial if they aren't twist-tops. Having a can opener, utensils for cooking, a sharp knife, a chopping board, bin bags, tea towels, and a saucepan will also come in handy. Depending on where you're staying, amenities for personal hygiene can vary; if you're at a campground with public showers then lucky for you. Even better if they're heated. Otherwise, for an easy rinse-off at the end of the day, you could utilise a portable solar shower bag to keep yourself clean. Just remember to put the bag out early enough in the day to have the sun heat the water or else it might be a quicker (and cooler) refresh than you'd hoped for. As far as other wash commodities go, pack a laundry bag, towels, and any personal items you might need. This is one weekend where you'd be advised to cull the ten-step skincare routine down to just three products. Don't worry, it's only for a few days. And if you don't fancy getting bitten or burnt, be sure to pack your hat, reef-friendly sunscreen, mosquito net, and odourless bug spray, because 'Straya! [caption id="attachment_892909" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Daria Nipot via iStock[/caption] THE SUSTENANCE They say it's not the destination that matters but the journey, so it's imperative to find your nearest The Bottle-O store en route. Stop in to stock up on the good value booze and the bags of ice every camping trip wouldn't be complete without. Before you set off on the final leg of your roadie, crank up the aircon to keep that booze chilled. Chances are you're going to deserve a cold one after the arduous task of pitching the tent with your mate who swore they'd camped before but evidently hasn't. Trust us. Now camp-friendly food is where many tend to get stuck. Most foods you know and love exist in camping-compatible forms. If you can't go without a bowl of cereal, stock up on variety packets of your favourites with milk poppers to pair. For the rest of the day, we have some suggestions that will last you even a long weekend. Get a hearty breakfast or lunch in with bacon or sausages (campfire-cooked or with campsite grills) but use them early — esky ice won't last forever. If there's no ice in sight, dehydrated meal packets are actually quite tasty, don't need to be kept cold and only need boiling water to cook. If you'd rather keep it DIY, don't sleep on tinned or non-perishable food to construct a meal worthy of any campsite king or queen. And since the weekend calls for sweets, self-saucing puddings with a serving of custard make for a banging camp dessert after being immersed in a boiling pot of water. [caption id="attachment_892910" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Disobeyart via iStock[/caption] THE EXTRAS Ask any camping fanatic what their must-haves are and they're guaranteed to list at least one thing that's more of an extra than an essential but as long as you don't pack the car right to the brim, you'll be right. For the active relaxers, a frisbee and a ball are always winners and Finska is a great game for the whole group to partake in. For the passive relaxers, you can't go past a good book. If you're wondering: yes, beach reads are the perfect literary genre for camping holidays, too. Taylor Jenkins Reid, eat your heart out. It's also worth bringing a portable speaker to keep the vibes high (without disturbing your campground neighbours, of course) a packet of marshmallows to roast on the fire (provided fires are allowed), and a deck of cards to play a respectable game or two of rummy. For good value booze for the weekend head to your local The Bottle-O store by using the store finder on the website. Header image: Disobey Art.
Meltemi Mediterrania lands in Broachbeach, bringing the bold and diverse flavours of countries from Spain to Morocco, Sardinia to Lebanon and Turkey to Greece with it. With three distinct spaces, including a main dining room, a bar and an expansive al fresco area centred around an olive tree, it's sure to be a bustling spot come summer. This is the latest venture from Dino and Kate Georgakopouls, who own the lively Xenia Grill venues in Main Beach and Coolangatta. Dino, who was an engineer before becoming a chef, says he wants diners to feel they have been transported from the Gold Coast to the European Coast, "We want people to feel like they're sitting overlooking the Mediterranean, as a gentle breeze blows over them." To achieve this vision, Space Cubed Design Studio has created a space featuring curved fixtures, a concrete wrap-around bar, cut-out wall arches, and signature light fittings. A large mural of a coastal European town adorns the main dining area, and a copper mirror in the bar glows with a golden hue, reminiscent of a Mediterranean sunset. In the kitchen, hatted chef Tapos Singha mans a rotisserie that showcases ingredients from lobster to lamb skewers, which guests can observe from their seats. Dino has two spits in his own backyard, and says rotisseries "play such a special role [in Greek and other Mediterranean cultures], and we want to expand people's minds — and tastebuds — to show how many variations there are." Each section of the menu features a dish from a different country. Greek saganaki sits alongside Sardinian coral trout crudo, Turkish sesame-crusted bread rings, next to Spanish octopus with pimentón and romesco. To drink, try a Nick the Greek cocktail, with rosemary-infused ouzo, lemon, star anise and lemonade, a Negroni Scalas with Campari, Greek vermouth and Beefeater gin or work your way through the Mediterranean-inspired wine list. Dino says that the Greek philosophy of filoxenia, or love of the stranger, underpins the ethos of the restaurant. "Each of the cultures we've brought together all has something in common: connection through food. By having the flavours of these countries on the table at the same time, we're redefining share-style dining and showing that they can all be enjoyed side-by-side." Images: Dan Peled.
UPDATE: September 23 2020: A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Fred Rogers never made a splash in Australia. But watching A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, it's easy to see why the ordained Presbyterian minister turned children's television host is so beloved in the US, even 17 years after his death — and why adults who grew up watching Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood still hold him in such high regard. This thoughtful, full-hearted film doesn't merely tell viewers that Rogers was universally adored, or show the widespread devotion among his fans. As she proved in both The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Marielle Heller is far too soulful and observant a filmmaker for such a blunt approach. Rather, in a sensitive and astute manner reminiscent of Rogers himself, this delightful movie explores his appeal by examining his impact on one reluctant and cynical man. If you're a newcomer to Rogers, or you're jaded or skeptical by nature, consider Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) your on-screen surrogate. A writer for Esquire in 1998, he's the fictional stand-in for journalist Tom Junod, whose article 'Can You Say ... Hero?' inspired the film. Known for hard-hitting reporting, Vogel is taken aback when he's assigned to profile Rogers. He's also nowhere near as enamoured with his subject as everyone else, including his starstruck wife Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson). Indeed, he's still hesitant when Rogers (Tom Hanks) engages in a generous chat on the phone and appears genuinely interested in getting to know him. Taking its cues from Rogers' puppet-filled TV show in inventive ways, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood begins by recreating Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood's opening. To the sounds of a gentle theme sung by Rogers, a model town fills the screen, before cutting to the show's star arriving home, popping on his famous red cardigan, swapping his dress shoes for sneakers and addressing the camera. Purposefully affable and inviting when watched by kids on weekdays for 33 years, it remains just as cosy here. To segue into the bulk of the film, Hanks' pitch-perfect version of Rogers says that he's going to tell a story about his hurt friend Lloyd — and while that might seem like cutesy gimmickry, it works perfectly in Heller's hands. With screenwriters Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), she understands that Rogers left such a lasting imprint on so many people because he made kids feel like he really saw them. Accordingly, treating Vogel in the same way isn't just a creative flourish — it's essential. The same idea applies to A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood's audience, who the film never forgets. This movie is well aware that viewers are experiencing the famed figure through Vogel's eyes — and it wants you to feel like you're in his shoes, being seen, welcomed and accepted by the kindly host as well. A new father struggling with issues with his own long-absent dad (Chris Cooper) that stem back to childhood, Vogel's backstory assists. While somewhat generic, it's also immensely relatable. Everyone has pain from the past they haven't fully processed, which was Rogers' whole remit. His show helped kids express their emotions and personalities in healthy ways, and tackle topics as dark as death, divorce and war. Even though Vogel is much, much older, it's a role Rogers is still eager to play for his new friend. Conveying that compassion, grace and sincerity is a task only Hanks could've mastered. It's a case of getting a beloved, benevolent icon to play just that — although Hanks ensures that Rogers is a person rather than a shining picture of perfection. This isn't a warts-and-all tell-all and, as 2018 documentary Won't You Be My Neighbour? demonstrated, that film will never exist. Instead, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood remembers a man who considered himself ordinary while having an extraordinary effect on others. You could say the same about Hanks, which is what makes his casting so sublime. His is a superb, deservedly Oscar-nominated performance that's never an act of simple mimicry, but that he's as revered — and has been a reliable screen presence for decades, too — is never forgotten. Amidst cardboard backdrops recreating Mister Rogers' Neighbourhood, talking puppets and scenes of Rogers making adults wait so he can spend more time with his child fans, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood doesn't completely or even primarily belong to Rogers. His influence looms large, but this is really Vogel's story — and that makes the film all the better. Rhys finds his character's world-weary centre, then allows it to slowly crumble as his bond with Rogers grows. In the process, the movie mirrors the way the TV host found a place in millions of children's hearts, and cracks the cloak of cynicism hanging over some of its own viewers, too. It's easy to think that a feature like this will be too sappy, kitschy or hokey, just as Vogel thought about Rogers — but a man brimming with empathy and this charmingly made movie about his impact are both the perfect antidotes to distrust and disillusionment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELbK9q_ZeA
Australia is continuing to ramp up the nation's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, with significant impacts on both mass gatherings and international travel. After banning events with more than 500 people last week, the government has now increased that ban to all non-essential events with more than 100 people. And, after imposing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation requirement for all arrivals into the country (which came into effect on Monday, March 16), Australians are now being told not to travel full-stop. In his latest press conference on the topic at 9am AEDT on Wednesday, March 18 — following the latest meeting of Australia's new coronavirus national cabinet last night — Prime Minister Scott Morrison put the travel restrictions bluntly. "The advice to all Australians is do not travel abroad," he announced. As part of the effective international travel ban — which is in effect indefinitely and, like other measures currently put in place, is expected to last at least six months — travel advice for Australians is now at level four for the first time in the country's history. It applies to absolutely everywhere in the world, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smart Traveller website has been updated to reflect the advice. The latest move comes after the government also advised last night that all Australians currently overseas should return to the country immediately. "If you wish to return home, do so as soon as possible," the Smart Traveller site now states. Adding extra urgency for Aussies abroad are the current changes within the airline industry, with flights by Australian airlines being slashed significantly. Qantas and Jetstar have cut their international flights by 90 percent until at least the end of May, and Virgin Australia this morning announced that it will suspend all international flights from March 30. Also in this morning's announcement, the Prime Minister said that "domestic air travel is low risk" at present, with no restrictions put in place by the government. Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia's reductions will affect flights within Australia, however — Qantas and Jetstar are cutting domestic services by 60 percent, while Virgin is doing so by 50 percent. Still within the country, he Prime Minister advised that Australians should not travel to remote Indigenous communities, which fall into the sensitive, high-risk category that the government is aiming to protect with its current mass-gatherings ban. Australians are also still implored to continue to take social distancing measures, including staying home as much as possible, staying 1.5 metres from anyone else if you do go out and refraining from social physical contact such as shaking hands. For more information about DFAT's travel restrictions and current advice, visit the Smart Traveller website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
Queenslanders are preparing to say goodbye to plastic bags and hello to a heap of change as the Queensland Government last night passed a bill to clear everyone's cupboards of both single-use plastic carriers and plastic containers — via a ban on the former and a refund-fuelled recycling scheme for the latter. Come July 1, 2018, all stores in Queensland will be ditching lightweight single-use plastic bags, including degradable and biodegradable options. The move brings the state into line with South Australia, the ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, and follows the news that Woolworths and Coles will also be doing the same nationwide. And while it might seem like a long time coming...well, better late than never. Introducing a container refund scheme might also seem as though Queensland is playing catch-up, with SA and the NT already operating similar systems, and New South Wales bringing their own in from December this year. Hobart is aiming to completely ban the things by 2020. Applicable containers — which include cans and bottles of sizes between 150ml and three litres, though not any that hold plain milk, wine and pure juice — will each attract a ten-cent refund. Which can only be good for your overflowing recycling bin and piggy bank. To facilitate the scheme, designated collection points will be set up across the state, with reverse vending machines also likely to be part of the rollout. The receptacles will collect your containers and spit out refunds, (rather than vice versa) and will probably put an end to every conversation you've ever had about filling up your car with cans, driving to SA and filling your wallet. Let's hope Victoria and NSW follow suit.
Turns out the Rumours were true — Fleetwood Mac are touring Australia and New Zealand in 2013. Founded in the late-'60s as a blues band, they became superstars in the 1970s (with the addition of Lindsay Buckingham and one Stevie Nicks to the lineup), when songs like 'Rhiannon', 'Go Your Own Way' and 'Dreams' became multimillion sellers and went on to dominate all the best karaoke nights for decades. The lineup from that golden period broke up in 1987 following years of divorce, drug abuse and an almost-complete breakdown of every relationship in the band, but they reunited this year for a North American (and now, Australian) tour. Reviews from the shows so far have been largely positive, so they might just keep it together through the rest of the year. If you don't know them, (a) seriously? and (b) just check your parents' record collection — they'll be there. Announced on the weekend, the tour currently stands at eight dates throughout November and December — but big gaps between shows have already led to speculation that more dates will be added if the shows sell out quickly. Tickets for the Australian concerts go on sale Thursday, June 13. Sunday, November 10 – Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney Saturday, November 16 – Hope Estate, Hunter Valley Tuesday, November 19 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Friday, November 22 – Perth Arena, Perth Tuesday, November 26 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, November 30 – A Day On The Green, The Hill Winery, Geelong Monday, December 2 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Friday, December 6 – Vector Arena, Auckland
Kicking off a new side hustle or small biz idea can be a challenging quest, but with the right connections and resources it doesn't have to be. In partnership with Fiverr, we're spotlighting budding entrepreneurs who are getting their businesses off the ground in style. Like most of us, Amy Silver vowed to use her time in lockdown productively. But unlike most of us, Amy actually followed through, launching The Dough Co with her dad, Mark. The pair's successful side hustle serves up ready-to-bake cookie dough to people living in and around Melbourne and, after numerous on-again off-again lockdowns, the business is one sweet win that's come out of the pandemic. Amy is in her sixth year of a double degree — Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts — at Monash University, and works as a paralegal one day a week. Mark, on the other hand, runs a corporate catering company that services businesses located in Melbourne's inner suburbs. When the pair suddenly found themselves with more time on their hands, they passed long days at home devouring books and podcasts about successful entrepreneurs and startups. The idea for The Dough Co was sparked when Amy, inspired by the home baking craze that swept the globe (and social media), found her local supermarket shelves devoid of packet bread and DIY cookie mixes. "I came home and said to my dad, 'I've got it! Let's make cookie dough," Amy told Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_817446" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark and Amy Silver. Photo: Melanie Desa[/caption] While it's no Betty Crocker (yet), Amy and Mark had all the right ingredients to put this half-baked idea into action — the business concept, a captive audience in locked-down Melburnians and, as it happens, a commercial kitchen staffed with chefs. It was a rare opportunity, and one they used to funnel their time and resources into developing their chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. "The chefs started experimenting with the cookie dough and, every night, Dad and I would bring it home… We'd all stand around — me, my dad, my mum and my brother — and taste the cookies, then circle back the next day with our feedback," Amy told CP. "By the time we came out of [lockdown], we had everything ready to go for the launch." Amy's foray into baked goods is rather ironic, describing her own baking abilities as "quite hopeless". But, making a fresh batch of baked deliciousness from packet-mix brands — and having that sweet scent wafting through the house — was something she enjoyed between online classes and exams. She figured other people were probably seeking the same kind of pastime — and comfort food. She figured right. Launched just three months ago, The Dough Co already has hundreds of Melburnians placing orders for ready-to-bake dough through its e-commerce platform, or purchasing in-person at farmers markets around Melbourne. And, after "a lot of really good feedback [and] a lot of return customers", The Dough Co is, much like a perfect soufflé, on the rise. [caption id="attachment_817445" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] It's fortunate, then, that The Dough Co is supported by a $5000 grant from Fiverr as part of a competition run by Monash University, which Amy won through her participation in The Validator program run via Monash University's central startup hub, The Generator. Hold up, Fiverr? For those not yet in the know, Fiverr is a freelance marketplace that connects experts from a range of disciplines with businesses requiring their services. Its user-friendly design and global database of freelancers makes it simple-as to get started and give your side hustle a leg up. Thanks to the grant, Amy scored thousands to put towards her and her dad's biz. When The Dough Co was still baking in the proverbial oven, Amy did all the marketing herself. "I have next to no business experience… and obviously my degree is very different to business — and cooking," says Amy. Now, the business plans to use Fiverr's grant — and its network of freelancers — to "completely overhaul" its website and merchandise offering, as well as improve discoverability and attract even more cookie-loving customers. "A big problem we had when we first started was that we were on the third page of Google, so we had to pay to advertise at the top. Getting an SEO specialist will definitely help." On top of that, Amy and Mark have got a freelance videographer/animator working on an animated, step-by-step video of how to make The Dough Co cookies, and, in the future, hope to get someone designing some sweet merch. [caption id="attachment_817435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Melanie Desa[/caption] Currently, The Dough Co has four flavours: classic choc chip, chocolate orange, choc mint, and white chocolate and raspberry. The OG is the fan favourite but, if you're struggling to pick just one, you can opt for The Dough Co's bundle pack and taste 'em all. And, with the more nitty gritty side of things now covered thanks to Fiverr, Amy and Mark are busy developing new cookie dough flavours, along with vegan and gluten-free options. Sure, many Aussies share Amy's affinity for fresh-baked cookies. But there aren't many people her age with a law degree and a burgeoning small business under their belts. With her dad's support, she plans to defer her degree to focus on The Dough Co full-time for the first half of 2022, although still has ambitions to get qualified and work as a lawyer in the future. Her long-term plan? Establish The Dough Co as a self-sufficient business so she can focus on the most important part: "I'd like to stick to being the taste-tester." Have your own booming side hustle — or need a hand getting it off the ground? Check out the Fiverr website and connect with freelancers around the world, all just a click away. Images: Melanie Desa
AI is here, in the real world and changing everything as we know it: that's the timely premise of the third TRON movie Ares. What happens when artificial intelligence from the digital realm enters reality? And when it comes in the form of the first AI beings? Also, when those figures are hailed by big tech as super soldiers? The new trailer for the third film in the TRON franchise ponders this exact situation. "The grid. A digital frontier. I tried to picture clusters of information as they moved through the computer. What did they look like? Ships? Motorcycles? Were the circuits like freeways? I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see. And then one day, I got in." If you've watched 1982's TRON and its 28-years-later sequel TRON: Legacy in 2010, or listened to the latter's sublime Daft Punk-scored soundtrack, then you've heard those words. But what if everything that Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) describes as Kevin Flynn wasn't relegated to the virtual realm, TRON: Ares asks. Come Thursday, October 9, 2025 Down Under, viewers will discover the answer when the program that shares the TRON: Ares' moniker makes the jump from digital space to physical. Amid heavy lashings of laser-red hues, the first trailer for the feature had a monster-movie vibe when worlds started to collide, complete with flesh-and-blood folks such as Greta Lee (The Studio) staring up, then beginning to flee. The just-dropped new full sneak peek is also ominous — and shows Flynn back on the grid. While things happen quickly in the digital arena, flicks about it clearly don't always earn the same description, given that it has now been over four decades since the first TRON film made its way to cinemas, and 15 years since its first sequel. A third movie was announced the very same year that TRON: Legacy released, in fact, but TRON: Ares has taken time to eventuate. For much of the past decade and a half, it's been one of those pictures in the "I'll believe it when I'm actually sitting in a theatre watching it with my own eyes" category, until Disney not only announced that the feature had a date with picture palaces in 2025, but also dropped a first image from it. Cast-wise, Jared Leto (Haunted Mansion) plays Ares, aka the threatening face of AI, with Bridges back as the software-company employee who first found himself in the digital world in the initial movie. Evan Peters (Agatha All Along), Hasan Minhaj (It Ends with Us), Jodie Turner-Smith (The Agency), Arturo Castro (The Vince Staples Show), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) and Gillian Anderson (Sex Education) co-star in TRON: Ares, while Joachim Rønning (Young Woman and the Sea) directs. The new TRON: Ares trailer does more than give viewers a fresh glimpse at the film to come — it also debuts 'As Alive as You Need Me to Be', a new song by Nine Inch Nails. Following on from Daft Punk's masterpiece of a score for TRON: Legacy was always going to be a tough feat, but TRON: Ares clearly isn't skimping on musical talent, adding to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' run of film work (see also: Soul, Mank, Bones and All, Empire of Light, The Killer, Challengers, Queer and The Franchise just in the 2020s alone). Check out the full trailer for TRON: Ares and lyric video for 'As Alive as You Need Me to Be' below: TRON: Ares releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Images: Leah Gallo / courtesy of Disney. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Netflix's algorithm has clearly figured out one of the most obvious and basic facts about humankind there is: we all really love dogs. That was obviously the idea behind the streaming platform's 2018 canine-centric documentary series — and the show sent viewers so barking mad with affection that it's coming back for another season. Called Dogs, the thoroughly feel-good series follows different puppers in different places around the world, as well as the two-legged folks who care for, groom, dress and even fish with them. Of course, the adorable balls of fluff are the real drawcards. The six-episode first season dedicated its frames to canines in Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US, each with their own stories to tell. The show's return was announced back in 2019, and was hardly unexpected. If something is a hit — and Dogs was, naturally — Netflix is never quick to say goodbye. Been spending the last two years wondering when a new batch of cute little woofers would grace your screen? Thankfully, that wait is about to come to an end. On Wednesday, July 7, the streaming platform will drop the show's second four-episode season — which shouldn't be confused with Dog TV, the new streaming service that's all about content especially for pooches. Netflix has also just released a trailer for Dogs, too, so prepare to meet four new canines who make their human companions' lives better with every bark. This time, viewers will be spending time with a lively four-legged university mascot, as well as the just-as-endearing dogs adored by an astronaut, a priest and a military contractor. Check out the season two trailer below: Dogs' second season will be available to stream on Wednesday, July 7 via Netflix. Images: Netflix.
Netflix's green light has just swung into action, with the streaming platform finally confirming that Squid Game is definitely returning for a second season. The compulsively watchable South Korean series was one of the best new TV shows of 2021, and proved enormously popular for the service — becoming its most-watched show ever, in fact — so this news is hardly surprising. Getting the official word is still far better than playing Red Light, Green Light with the series' killer doll, though, clearly. Netflix co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos made the announcement as part of a video call about the platform's fourth-quarter earnings, advising that there will "absolutely" be a second season of the hit program. "The Squid Game universe has just begun," he said — although exactly what that might mean in terms of future episodes beyond the now-confirmed second season, spinoff shows or even movies wasn't mentioned. Netflix also started moving into games in 2021, so perhaps digital rounds of sugar honeycombs, marbles, hopscotch and tug of war could be in the franchise's future. When a second season of Squid Game will reach your streaming queue hasn't yet been revealed, either; however, given that creator Hwang Dong-hyuk started chatting about it in 2021, fingers crossed that it occurs sooner rather than latter. Yes, if news of the show's renewal sounds familiar, that's why — but today's announcement is the first time that Netflix has officially said that it's happening. Back in November, Hwang also advised that lead actor Lee Jung-jae (Deliver Us From Evil) was set to return as main character Seong Gi-hun. As for what else the second season storyline will follow, nothing has been revealed as yet — although Hwang has chatted through possibilities, including maybe giving another character the spotlight, with The Hollywood Reporter. If you somehow missed all things Squid Game last year, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Here, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. That includes aforementioned series protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a chauffeur with a gambling problem, and also a divorcé desperate to do whatever he needs to to keep his daughter in his life. But, as Squid Game probes the chasms caused by capitalism and cash — and the things the latter makes people do under the former — this program isn't just about one player. It's about survival, the status quo the world has accepted when it comes to money, and the real inequality present both in South Korea and elsewhere. Filled with electric performances, as clever as it is compelling, unsurprisingly littered with smart cliffhangers, and never afraid to get bloody and brutal, the result is a savvy, tense and taut horror-thriller that entertains instantly and also has much to say. So yes, bring on more. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix. We'll update you with a release date for season two when one is announced. Top image: Noh Juhan/Netflix.
First announced in 2015, Brisbane's second Art Series Hotel is getting closer to opening its doors — and when it launches in March 2019, it'll pay tribute to world-renowned Australian painter and photographer Vincent Fantauzzo. Each of the brand's hotels takes inspiration from a different artistic great, and Fantauzzo is in the spotlight at the new Howard Smith Wharves hotel, which will be known as The Fantauzzo. A winner of plenty of weighty prizes — the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the Archibald Packing Room Prize, and the Archibald People's Choice Award a whopping four times — Fantauzzo has committed everyone from Heath Ledger and Matt Moran to Brandon Walters and Julia Gillard to his canvas. Prepare to feast your eyes on 500 of his most recognised pieces, with reproductions set to grace The Fantauzzo's walls — but that's not the hotel's only stunning sight. Built into the cliff underneath the Story Bridge, the $100 million site will boast one mighty fine view of the city and the Brisbane river, plus custom furniture and original artworks. Across six levels, it'll also include 166 guest rooms, four spots to eat and drink, a hotel bar, a gym and three conference rooms. Like Brisbane's only other Art Series Hotel, The Johnson in Spring Hill, its pool will be a highlight. Here, guests will be able to splash around on the rooftop while gazing out over the CBD. The Fantauzzo marks the eighth Art Series Hotel across the country, with five in Melbourne and one in South Australia. If you're keen to make a staycation date with the brand's newbie, it'll start taking reservations from Friday, November 30 for stays from March 2019 onwards. And, of course, given the Howard Smith Wharves location, you'll be right on the doorstep of Brisbane's newest precinct. It already has its own riverside brewery, will welcome an overwater bar this week, and will later include a Greek taverna, a two-level Asian fusion joint, Brisbane's first Toko restaurant, indoor entertainment spaces, outdoor multi-use areas and entertainment stages, and a whole heap more. Find The Fantauzzo at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane from March 2019. Visit the hotel website for further details and to make a booking.
The cast, the filmmaking, the directors, the complicated crime tales, the fact that it informed the world that time is a flat circle (and tasked Matthew McConaughey with delivering the news, naturally) — for all of these reasons and more, True Detective is something special. It's never better than in its first season, where McConaughey and Woody Harrelson partner up on a troubling serial killer case, try to one-up each other performance-wise, and knock it out of the park. But this neo-noir thriller created by writer, producer and director Nic Pizzolatto still consistently delivers in its second and third go-arounds. In season two, the action jumps from Louisiana to California, with Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, Kelly Reilly and Vince Vaughn doing some hefty on-screen heavy lifting. And in season three, two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali leads the charge, this time in the Ozarks.
Jump in your car smack-bang in the middle of Adelaide and, in 40 minutes, you'll be among the rolling hills and idyllic vineyards of McLaren Vale. Very few wine regions on the planet are so easily accessible from a big city. Without leaving the area's four square kilometres, you can visit more than 70 cellar doors, eat your way through Mediterranean-style dishes, cycle along the Shiraz Trail and venture inside an architecturally impressive rubik's cube. And just beyond lies the rugged cliffs and dreamy coves of the Fleurieu Peninsula coastline. We've created this comprehensive guide to the breathtaking coastline, so you can spend more time sipping on great wine and less time lost down dirt roads. If you have the time, immerse yourself in the Clare Valley and the Limestone Coast, too. Or explore Adelaide — there are plenty of underground bars and fairy light-lit rooftops to uncover. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Under current COVID-19 restrictions in Australia, there are limitations on where you can go on a holiday. Bookmark this for when you can explore once again. [caption id="attachment_680419" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Red Poles, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] EAT Thanks to its combination of fertile soils, proximity to the sea and Mediterranean-like climate, McLaren Vale is a chef's — and food lover's — paradise. There's a cornucopia of restaurants and bars to choose from. Start with a caffeine hit and bagel at Dal Mare Coffee, where you can also hire a bicycle, or Mullygrub, which does excellent coffee and hearty brekkies, such as the hot-smoked salmon bowl. For lunch with vineyard views, head to Gather at Coriole; its menu takes inspiration from foraged ingredients — think buffalo curd with citrus and pink peppercorn and potatoes with cultured cream, native juniper and chives. Then there's The Salopian Inn, run by passionate chef Karena Armstrong, who draws on produce from her flourishing organic kitchen garden, and Red Poles, a quirky eatery dotted with artworks and cute courtyards. Alternatively, a mini-trip to Italy is on the menu at Pizzateca for woodfired pizzas with expertly crispy and chewy bases. [caption id="attachment_680418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maxwell Wines[/caption] However, the most unusual setting for a meal in McLaren Vale has to be Maxwell Wines' underground limestone cave. Dug out single-handedly a century ago for the purpose of growing mushrooms, this extraordinary space is now a 50-seat restaurant. Head chef Fabian Lehmann, who cut his teeth in Europe's Michelin-starred institutions, offers simple yet luxurious dishes, such as lobster with celeriac and yuzu or chicken with mushrooms and leek. If you're exploring further afield (which is definitely recommended), be sure to visit McLaren Flat for lunch or dinner at The Currant Shed. Or, drive to Port Willunga to feast on super-fresh seafood and local produce at Star of Greece. [caption id="attachment_680416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alpha Box and Dice, Adam Bruzzone[/caption] DRINK The majority of McLaren Vale's wineries are small-batch, boutique operations, so, no matter where you go tasting, you're likely to come across out-of-the-box drops. However, if you're extra adventurous, make Inkwell Wines your first stop. Its wines are all single vineyard, additive-free and made with minimal interference, ensuring their expressiveness. Other spots keen on experimentation are Alpha Box and Dice, where head winemaker Sam Berketa is currently working on an A–Z of wines, and Mollydooker, whose intense drops have their origins in 114 acres of vineyards along Seaview Ridge. Meanwhile, Gemtree is devoted to organic production. [caption id="attachment_680415" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitolo Wines[/caption] Meanwhile, Mitolo Wines comes out of a rich Italian heritage, with the family having arrived in Australia from Abruzzo in the 1950s. From there, head to SC Pannell to sample an array of Mediterranean-style varietals from Spanish tempranillo to Portuguese touriga nacional, and on to Hither and Yon — its range includes aglianico, a variety from southern Italy, and Spanish mataro. If beer's more on your mind, there's Goodieson for left-of-field brews — from mango NEIPA to coffee stout — as well as Shifty Lizard in Willunga. While you're seaside, you might as well sample a single malt whisky or two at Fleurieu Distillery. [caption id="attachment_650548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D'Arenberg Cube[/caption] DO With so much food and wine to work your way through, you'll probably want to get active at some point. Do just that on the Shiraz Trail, a 32-kilometre off-road cycle path that winds its way from Willunga to McLaren Vale, passing numerous wineries, restaurants and cafes. Another option is a visit to Goolwa, a sweeping beach a half-hour drive southwest of McLaren Vale, for a cockling session. Cockling, for the uninitiated, involves shuffling in the sand to uncover pipis, which you can take home and turn into a tasty soup or pasta. Note that cockling is only permitted between November and May, and any pipis smaller than 3.5-centimetres wide must be left to their own devices. To add a bunch of local produce to your pipi soup, head to Willunga Farmers' Market, which has been a gathering spot for farmers, growers and producers since 2002. Back in McLaren Vale, there's the famous D'Arenberg Cube. This incredible, five-storey architectural masterpiece, inspired by the rubik's cube, holds all sorts of wonders, including a wine sensory room, a virtual fermenter, an alternative realities museum and an array of installations. [caption id="attachment_680411" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Jetty Port Willunga[/caption] STAY To sink into total luxury after eating and drinking all day and all night, check into The Jetty, Port Willunga. You'll have an entire apartment to yourself, perched on absolute beachfront, with epic views over Gulf Saint Vincent's azure waters. Plus, you can count on a private deck, a deep hot tub and a king-size bed. Meanwhile, at The Farm Willunga, you'll be sleeping in an apartment on an organic, biodynamic olive grove and vineyard. Expect to arrive to a bottle of complimentary wine and your own balcony overlooking rural vistas backdropped by the ocean. Breakfast takes the form of a gourmet hamper, crowded with local goodies. On the southern coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula lies Port Elliot, home to Jimmy Smith's Dairy, a dairy-turned-bed and breakfast. With the help of Studio AKA's Amy Grundy, local couple Noel and Robyn Akmens transformed the original building into a series of stunning rooms. Original features, such as bluestone and airy ceilings, interweave with contemporary touches, including handcrafted furniture, built by Noel himself. Also on the southern side are the Beach Huts Middleton, a series of super-cute dwellings, painted in cheery, bright stripes. All come with a welcoming bottle of bubbly and, depending on which you choose, dashes of comfort — from spa baths to barbecue areas. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: D'Arenberg Cube via SATC. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Most people know the tonal nuances of Ira Glass' voice better than they know they know their own family's birthdays, but, chances are, they don't know him like this. The prolific This American Life host and producer is coming to Sydney and Melbourne this July — but not to do a live broadcast of the seriously popular NPR show or to speak in conversation. He'll be performing as part of a contemporary dance stage show. Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host combines live radio with dance. You may think that these two disciplines have "no business being on stage together" (Glass' words, not mine), but somehow the public radio king manages to pull it off. Collaborating with veteran dancers Anna Bass and Monica Bill Barnes, the 90-minute, three-act performance pulls in Glass' knack for storytelling, staging radio interviews as dance pieces and weaving in anecdotes from the performers' own lives. "I know this whole thing sounds a little nuts but I swear it's pretty great. Huge laughs. Big emotions," said Glass. "Dance is all visuals, no talking. Radio's all talking, no visuals. But what the stories on This American Life have in common with dance is music." The radio-dance spectacular will visit both Melbourne and Sydney this July, with two shows at both the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre's State Theatre. After initially debuting as a ten-minute test run back in 2013, the show has gone on to be performed all over the U.S. It will tour through California, New Hampshire, Alabama and North Carolina, before finishing up in Australia. Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host will visit the State Theatre at the Arts Centre Melbourne on July 14 and 15, before going to the Sydney Opera House for two performances on July 17 and 18. Tickets for the Melbourne show go on sale on Friday, March 11 at 9am here, while the Sydney show will go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 18 here. Image: David Bazemore.
Australia has a long and illustrious history of banning, restricting or causing an almighty fuss over perfectly reasonable things. The newest incident is the banning of American director Travis Mathews' film I Want Your Love, which was brought to national attention this week when James Franco filmed himself sitting on a sofa in a Hawaiian shirt, declared the banning as "really silly" and posted it to YouTube. I Want Your Love, which was due to screen at both Brisbane and Melbourne's Queer Film Festivals was rubber stamped with the letters RC — Refused Classification — by the Australian Classification Board. The reasons for the board's decision were the film's depictions of explicit gay male sex. But the film is not pornographic, or extreme. Mathews explains that he "sought to capture honest and intimate depictions of modern gay life with everyday men". A film gets given an RC rating if it depicts scenes "in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults". Yet the Australian Classification Board can be wildly inconsistent in what they see as morally offensive. Last year, a documentary called Donkey Love screened at Sydney and Melbourne's Underground Film Festivals about the special love between Colombian men and their donkeys. Within the first five minutes, a man was having sex with a donkey. It wasn't refused classification. The board maintains that they don't censor, they classify. While this is true, it remains a fact that when the board gives a film, publication, or game an RC rating it cannot be distributed in Australia, effectively censoring it. In what follows, we walk you through some of the most infamous incidences of head-shaking and pearl-clutching in Australia's censorship history. Ern Malley In the 1940s, Sydney poets James McAuley and Harold Stewart wrote a series of poems and submitted them to the journal Angry Penguins under the name Ern Malley. The poems were written to embarrass the journal and 'prove' that modernist poetry was nonsensical. But in the meantime, the police had impounded editions of Angry Penguins and the poems, on the grounds that they were obscene. So commenced the most ridiculous obscenity trials Australia has ever seen. The police took issue with the poem Night Piece, for instance, because "apparently someone is shining a torch in the dark, visiting through the park gates. To my mind they were going there for some disapproved motive ... I have found that people who go into parks at night go there for immoral purposes." Lady Chatterley's Lover Many of the best pieces of 20th-century literature were banned in Australia, including — but by no means limited to — Ulysses, Portnoy's Complaint, Lolita, and everything ever written by Henry Miller, Jean Genet, and William S. Burroughs. One of the most infamous banned books was D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, which describes scenes of explicit sex and delights in its use of the word 'cunt', seen as likely to cause the good ladies of Mosman and Toorak to collapse in a faint. In fact, not only was Lady Chatterley's Lover banned, but the book about censoring the book, The Trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover, was also banned. Salò, or The 120 Days of Sodom In 1975 Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini released Salò, a film inspired by the Marquis de Sade. Due to scenes of extreme sexual violence and sadism, the film was immediately banned in Australia, as well as many other countries. The cult arthouse film became a cause celebre for Australia's anti-censorship campaigners and was eventually deemed suitable for screening in 1993. Then, five years later, in the early years of the Howard government, the ban was reinstituted. It was only in 2010 that Salòwas given an R18+ classification and made available on DVD. Grand Theft Auto It was only at the start of 2013 that video games could be given an R18+ classification in Australia. Before, anything that exceeded MA15+ was automatically banned. Grand Theft Auto was continually subject to this problem. In 2002, Grand Theft Auto III was withdrawn because it allowed players to have virtual sex with virtual prostitutes, and then violently murder them. It was re-released when the ability to solicit sex was removed, but players were still perfectly free to violently murder prostitutes if they so wished. Explicit sex also caused the Vice City and San Andreas editions of the series to be withdrawn. Ken Park In 2003, Ken Park, an American arthouse film, was refused classification by the board. The film, which had been due to screen at that year's Sydney Film Festival, was banned because it portrayed real-life sex scenes involving characters that were supposed to be minors (the actors weren't actually minors). In defiance of the ban, Ken Park was given a public screening at Balmain Town Hall, but it was shut down by the police. Among those arrested was Margaret Pomeranz. They arrested Margaret Pomeranz. Need anything more be said? The Peaceful Pill Handbook In 2007 pro-euthanasia campaigners Philip Nitschke and Fiona Stewart published The Peaceful Pill Handbook, intended to give the elderly and seriously ill information about the legal and moral aspects of suicide as well as how-to instructions for painless and non-violent suicide methods. After an appeal by Right to Life, the book was pulled from the shelves. While The Peaceful Pill Handbook is available in other countries, there remains a ban on both importing and distributing the book in Australia. Bill Henson While Bill Henson's photography wasn't banned, the mainstream media gave it a red-hot go in 2008. The scandal occurred when the police shut down an exhibition at Sydney's Roslyn Oxley9 gallery after accusations that the images of young girls displayed in the exhibit were pornographic. Henson was cast as a paedophile by the likes of Miranda Devine and had Kevin Rudd declare the photographs "absolutely revolting". Despite the uproar, the Department of Public Prosecutions dropped the case after Henson's images were declared "mild and justified" and given a PG rating by the board, in one of the most sensible decisions they ever made. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-3rbDIsT4f0
Coming via London's Victoria and Albert Museum, a new exhibition of garments by groundbreaking fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga has made its way to Australia. As well as being one of the most well-known fashion designers of the 20th century, the Basque-born couturier was also one of the most influential in changing and shaping modern fashion and haute couture. He was even once called "the master of us all" by Christian Dior. Showing exclusively in Victoria's Bendigo Art Gallery, Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion features more than 100 iconic pieces from the 50s and 60s as well as works by his protégés and contemporary designers continuing his legacy. It's a must-see if you're interested in not only the craftsmanship of fashion, but the history of it and how it can change societal standards and trends. Here, we've picked out five pieces you should seek out at the regional exhibition. [caption id="attachment_739079" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Imagine Pictures[/caption] DEFINING THE CLASSICS: THE TULIP DRESS Balenciaga retired unexpectedly in 1968 at age 74. In an interview with The Times in 1971, he's reported to have said: "When I was a young man I was told by a specialist that I could never pursue my chosen métier of couturier because I was far too delicate. Nobody knows what a tough métier it is, how gruelling the work is. Underneath all this luxury and glamour, the truth is, it's a dog's life!" This dress shows Balenciaga at the height of his craft. Playing with gravity and weightlessness, the tulip dress is one of the classic pieces of the collection. It also shows to using texture, light, structure and form to create the striking silhouettes for which the couturier is known. [caption id="attachment_739090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Veasey[/caption] MAKING FASHION PRACTICAL: AN X-RAY OF A DRESS The meticulous structural work undertaken for garments like those made by Balenciaga again highlights the work involved to produce his gowns. Balenciaga worked carefully to reduce the number of fastenings so women could dress easily and without assistance, making his gowns both beautiful and comfortable to wear. As Bendigo Art Gallery Curator Jessica Bridgfoot puts it, "the garment did the work for you." New forensic investigations reveal the couturier's hidden workings and processes. This includes a series of x-ray images by British photographer Nick Veasey. Veasey's x-ray photographs are presented in the exhibition alongside works made during a digital pattern making project with the London College of Fashion. [caption id="attachment_739092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn wearing coat by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1950. Photograph by Irving Penn © Condé Nast,Irving Penn Foundation[/caption] DITCHING THE WAISTLINE: THE COAT Balenciaga is credited as the designer who took women's fashion beyond an obsession with a tiny waistline. His sculptural contributions to fashion include the sack dress, babydoll and shirt-dress which all remain staples today. This influence can be seen in the work of contemporary designers like Comme des Garçons and Hussein Chalayan. Here, model Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn sits for photographer Irving Penn in a Balenciaga coat. Irvin Penn was Balenciaga's favoured photographer, and one of the only people the famously private designer allowed in to his workrooms and studios to document his collections. [caption id="attachment_719353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dovima with Sacha, cloche and suit by Balenciaga, Cafe des Deux Magots, Paris 1955 © The Richard Avedon Foundation[/caption] STICKING TO STRUCTURE AND TEXTURE: DOVIMA IN PARIS When Richard Avedon photographed Dovima in Paris in 1955, she was one of the world's most famous models. This photograph shows her in a cloche and suit by Balenciaga. Striking contrasts in colour and texture are complemented by the couturier's hallmark minimalist shapes, fastidious attention to colour, and structured outlines – the aesthetic that made him one of the most influential designers on modern fashion. [caption id="attachment_739103" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Imagine Pictures[/caption] A FASHION LEGACY: GHESQUIÈRE'S GREY CAPE An important part of the show examines the legacy that Balenciaga made on fashion — both in his own house and others. Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion includes works by other designers who worked to carry the Balenciaga label forward after its founder's retirement, including Nicolas Ghesquière. Ghesquière designed the grey cape — which was features in Vogue in 2006 — and was known for pairing voluminous, billowing shapes with tightly cut suits and pants. He is now creative director of the house of Louis Vuitton — so you may notice some similarities in the two labels' pieces. Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion is exclusive to Bendigo Art Gallery in Australia, and runs until November 10, 2019. Bendigo is a two-hour drive from Melbourne. Top image: Imagine Pictures.
It's Australia's only major film festival organised by an art gallery — and it's back for another round of cinematic fun. Hosted by the Gallery of Modern Art for the second consecutive year, the Brisbane International Film Festival leans into its unique setting. Where else can you watch a world premiere documentary about a great Australian artist, then wander through an exhibition showcasing the same figure? Or see a whole strand of movies that owe more than a little something to the stage, then get immersed in a mixed-media showcase that explores the same topic? As always, BIFF boasts plenty of other highlights — screening between Thursday, October 3 and Sunday, October 13 at GOMA and a number of other Brisbane cinemas, the full lineup spans more than 100 titles. From proven favourites to new discoveries to retro delights, here's our must-see picks from the 2019 program. OVER THE RAINBOW Some topics just keep luring us all in, and the Church of Scientology is one of them. It's the cinematic equivalent of quicksand — no matter how unsettling every film on the subject proves (and, let's face it, they're all disturbing), they're near-impossible to escape. Filled with incredulous first-hand accounts that range beyond Louis Theroux's My Scientology Movie and Alex Gibney's Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (and Paul Thomas Anderson's fictional drama The Master, too), Over the Rainbow spends time with folks who've fallen under the organisation's powerful thrall, whether in the past or still today. They share their tales to documentarian Jeffrey Peixoto, who lets their words tell the story — and lets his visuals plunge viewers into their mindset. The result is a moving, immersive exploration of an ominous and infuriating realm, complete with an entrancing score by Aussie band HTRK. At BIFF, the band will also be in attendance, performing the whole thing live as the fascinating film plays. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPRG5Nnf_4M THE CAT RESCUERS Adorable and heartbreaking in equal measure, The Cat Rescuers charts the efforts to care for New York's growing stray cat population. While the Big Apple is known for its human-sized hustle and bustle, it's very much a haven for felines as well. In fact, there are as many cute kitties roaming the streets as there are living with two-legged owners. Flitting between four particularly dedicated cat-loving NYC residents over the course of several years, filmmakers Rob Fruchtman and Steve Lawrence scratch their way through the associated ups and downs — the mousers saved and sent to happy homes, the ones scrounging for food and struggling in the snow, and the toll it all takes emotionally. Like Istanbul-set cat documentary Kedi and Santiago-set canine film Los Reyes, this heartwrenching movie not paints a portrait of the animals within its frames, but of the city they call home, and of the way that society treats its vulnerable four-legged inhabitants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEjFOkCKb3g PAIN AND GLORY Antonio Banderas has a rich, multi-decade filmography across both Spanish and Hollywood cinema to his name, including his previous work with auteur Pedro Almodovar. And yet, he's never been better than in Pain and Glory, which won him this year's Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award. Almodovar hasn't been in as fine a form in years either — not since he took Banderas into completely different territory with The Skin I Live In. With Penelope Cruz also featuring, re-teaming with his original stars and lightly drawing from his own past is clearly working for the celebrated director. There's such a quiet, thorny and tender core to this account of an ageing filmmaker (Banderas) rueing love lost and choices made, all while trying to manage his failing body, reconnecting with an old acquaintance, and falling back into memories of his mother (Cruz). There's such a glorious command of colour and movement in the film's evocative imagery, too. This is a film to get lost in, and in its sumptuously, sweepingly handled titular emotions as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYBF0CfbfhA THE THIRD WIFE With The Third Wife, writer/director Ash Mayfair draws upon her own family history, making an exceptional filmmaking debut in the process. Gorgeously shot and movingly performed, this 19th century-set Vietnamese drama follows the arrival of 14-year-old May (Nguyen Phuong Tra My) into a rich family. She's marrying in and, as the title makes plain, becoming the third wife to a wealthy landowner. With little choice or agency, she's forced to fall into place in a strictly patriarchal society — navigating the existing familial order, finding a place among her new husband's other spouses, and bearing the weight of expectation that, because of her youthful age, she'll finally extend the bloodline by bearing a son. As May's story ebbs and flows, Mayfair spins a touching tale of desire and oppression that both looks to the past and simmers with modern-day relevance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d1KP-OhBP4 LITTLE MONSTERS Just when you think you've seen absolutely every zombie film there is to see, and then you've gnawed your way through a few more, too, Little Monsters offers its take on the genre. And, if a dose of Aussie humour wasn't enough, it enlists Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o — who was last seen spreading unease in Us — as an undead-fighting school teacher. Taking her five-year-old students on an excursion to a farm, Miss Caroline soon finds more than animals nipping at their heels, with the ravenous masses coming a-chomping. Josh Gad plays a bowtie-wearing children's TV presenter, Alexander England pops up as a slacker musician, and the whole thing comes from the mind of actor-turned filmmaker Abe Forsythe, aka the writer/director who managed to both satirise the Cronulla riots and make a strong anti-racism statement in 2016's Down Under. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrUkRs8wDo0 COLD CASE HAMMARSKJÖLD True crime, political scandal, conspiracy theories — if you're keen on any of the above, this year's Sundance World Cinema — Documentary winner is like catnip. As he tends to do, Danish TV host and documentarian Mads Brügger (The Ambassador) hones in a tale that's both completely outlandish and firmly steeped in reality. His subject in in Cold Case Hammarskjöld: the 1961 death, in a plane crash in Zambia, of Swedish economist and UN Secretary-General Dag Hammersjköld. That the titular figure was killed was attempting to assuage the ongoing conflict in the Congo has raised suspicions across Africa for decades, so Brügger amasses and unpacks all of the evidence that he can find. Lengthy, detailed and engrossing, the result is a story that needs to be seen to be believed — although, if you can't quite place your faith in all of its claims, that comes with the filmmaker's purposefully provocative approach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_-YoG69Sw PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE Every obvious fiery term applies to Céline Sciamma's lush romantic drama. It simmers carefully, burns slowly and, after waiting for its embers to spark, sets the screen alight. Stepping back to 18th-century Brittany, the assured French filmmaker spins a yearning tale of passion and desire — of knowing that your greatest needs can only be satisfied fleetingly, grappling with that fact and relishing what brief happiness you can. Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) is a betrothed woman who refuses to sit for a traditional wedding portrait, much to her mother's (Valeria Golino) dismay. Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is the painter called in not just to commit the bride-to-be's likeness to canvas, but to do so surreptitiously while acting as her companion. As friendship and more blooms between the two, Sciamma's exquisite feel for unspoken emotion and inner awakenings blazes brightly, as it did in Water Lilies, Tomboy and Girlhood. Also evident is the writer/director's masterful way with her actors, and with stirring visual compositions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTlhjBUikVw YOUNG AHMED In the past two decades, Belgium's Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have directed eight films. Many, like L'Enfant and Two Days, One Night, are masterpieces — and a whopping seven of them have scored awards or special mentions at the Cannes Film Festival. Those prize-winning ranks also spans their latest, Young Ahmed, which nabbed the brothers this year's Best Director gong. Applying their trademark understated, humanist and observational approach to a radicalised Belgian teen, they grapple with an increasingly common topic: the extremist path that can sometimes beckon to socially isolated young men. In Ahmed's (Idir Ben Addi) case, the otherwise average Muslim high schooler's life changes when a forceful imam (Othmane Moumen) introduces him to incendiary ideas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qn70iqo-4Q MONOS The relentlessness of modern life, the ongoing unrest in Colombia, and the ceaseless trials and tribulations that plague all teens facing adulthood — they all sit at the centre of stunning South America-set thriller Monos. Set in a camp of teen guerrillas, Alejandro Landes' third film follows gun-toting rebels that have barely said goodbye to childhood, but are still tasked with guarding an American hostage (Julianne Nicholson). Unsurprisingly, even with nothing around but fields, jungle, a cow to milk and occasional enemy fire, little goes according to plan. Engagingly lingering between a dark fairytale and a psychological treatise on war, combat and humanity's dog-eat-dog nature, the result is one of the year's definite standouts. From the eye-popping landscape cinematography, to the needling tension of Mica Levi's score, to the commanding performance from the young cast, there's a reason that Monos keeps proving a festival hit around the globe, including winning Sundance's Special Jury Award. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VBsi0VxiLg ROMEO + JULIET When BIFF announced its first 2019 titles a couple of months back, it promised a spectacular (spectacular) lineup in one specific way. With Baz Luhrmann and his frequent collaborator Catherine Martin acting as the festival's patrons this year, a feast of their flicks was always going to happen — and if you only find time to revisit one on the big screen, then Romeo + Juliet demands your attention. Long before he was Rick Dalton, Leonardo DiCaprio played half of the world's most famous infatuated couple, with Claire Danes joining him as the similarly ill-fated Juliet to his Romeo. As everyone has known for centuries, William Shakespeare's tragedy is a tale of heartbreaking potency; in Luhrmann's hands, it's brought to life with unparalleled movement, colour, style and immediacy (and, as plenty of parties keep reminding us, with a killer soundtrack as well). Still have room for a few more movies? Don't worry, we have a few more suggestions. From our rundown of Australian titles to check out this year, Emu Runner is screening at BIFF. And, from our Berlinale highlights, so is The Souvenir, Varda by Agnes and Ghost Town Anthology as well. Back at the Sydney Film Festival, we couldn't recommend In My Blood It Runs, In Fabric highly enough. Once the fest was over, we also added Judy & Punch and The Dead Don't Die to our picks. At MIFF, we buzzed about Memory: The Origins of Alien, Matthias & Maxime, The Day Shall Come and The Wild Goose Lake before the fest — and Beanpole and The Grand Bizarre afterwards. Yep, there's plenty to watch. The 2019 Brisbane International Film Festival runs from Thursday, October 3 to Sunday, October 13 at a variety of Brisbane venues. For further information, and to book tickets, head to the festival website.
The National Gallery of Victoria has just announced its 2019-20 Spring/Summer program — and it's sure to get more than a few people excited. Last winter, the NGV saw over 200 works from New York's famed MoMA and over summer it housed the Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds — an exhibition showcasing the works of both Dutch artist M.C. Escher and Japanese design studio Nendo. So, it had some big shoes to fill. Its summer blockbuster, announced this morning, is Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines — and the NGV has succeeded in bringing yet another world-class exhibition to Australian shores. Similar to the Escher x Nendo and 2016's Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei exhibitions, it will showcase an intersection between the two artists' lives, ideas and practices, delving into their radicalism, socio-political standings and distinctive imagery. A world-premiere retrospective exclusive to Melbourne, Crossing Lines will feature over 300 works, including Haring's iconic dancing figures and Basquiat's crown and head motifs throughout a collection of painting, sculpture, objects, drawings, photographs, notebooks and pieces in public spaces. The exhibition will also house the artists' collaborations with some of the world's most-celebrated pop culture icons, including Andy Warhol, Grace Jones and Madonna. [caption id="attachment_717213" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Untitled 1982, Keith Haring, copyright Keith Haring Foundation.[/caption] On top of this stellar exhibition, the NGV will also host a number of smaller (yet no less impressive) exhibitions over spring and summer, including a look at New Jersey artist Brian Donnelly (aka KAWS) in Companionship In The Age Of Loneliness, and a collection of hyperreal photographs by Sydney-based artist Petrina Hicks in Bleached Gothic. A photography exhibition featuring the works of over 100 contemporary photographers from around the world, and a solo show by Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou round out the list. Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines will run from December 1, 2019—April 13, 2020 at the National Gallery of Victoria International, Melbourne. Top images: Portrait of Keith Haring by William Coupon; Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, copyright George Hirose; Untitled 1982, Jean-Michel Basquiat, copyright estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Last week, Australia had its first ever drive-in concert. It took place in Sydney's Robyn Webster Sports Centre in Tempe on Thursday, May 21, with Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan as the headline act. It was free and — despite the midday time slot and the slightly off-kilter artist choice — it garnered a crowd. Drive-In Entertainment Australia's first concert was an example of how it plans to run its (many) future events. From July, the company hopes to host live music concerts for up to 600 people, in 300 cars, with plans to launch eight drive-in venues across NSW and Victoria. Depending on how successful the events are, more states may follow. So, how does it work? Much like a scene out of hit 70s film Grease — or any drive-in cinema, really — you drive in, park up and watch from your car. The sound will be broadcast by an FM radio to your car, with the option for the spectacle to be live streamed via Zoom, too. You won't be able to get out of your vehicle though, unless going to the bathroom. All ticketing will be contactless, as will any snack purchases, which will be delivered to your car from onsite food trucks. It's no secret Australia's music industry has been hit hard during the pandemic, with website I Lost My Gig reporting about $340 million in lost income since COVID-19 saw the cancellation and postponement of festivals and gigs nationwide. With Australia's proposed roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown, mass gatherings of up to 100 will be permissible from July, which isn't a sustainable outlook for all facets of the industry. Despite Falls Festival 2020 announcing its plans to go ahead, a public health expert predicts music festivals may not be able to restart until September 2021. At least with drive-in concerts, larger live music events will be able to have a small revival — even if it means you must cut shapes in your car. Australia is not the first country to trial drive-in gigs, with one of the first happening in an LA carpark back in March and another in Aarhus, Denmark last month, which sold out in minutes according to Forbes. Drive-In Entertainment Australia plans to launch eight venues across NSW and Victoria, with other states to potentially follow. Entertainers, producers, agents and managers can register for a gig from Saturday, July 18 onwards. More information and contact details can be found on the website.
Swapping sketch comedy for horror movies has turned out pretty well for Jordan Peele so far. When the Key & Peele star made his first leap behind the camera, Oscar-winner Get Out was the excellent and unnerving end result — and the comedian turned writer/director isn't done terrifying cinema audiences just yet. To add a fright or two to your festive season, the first trailer for Peele's second directorial effort has arrived. If you scare easily, consider yourself warned. In Us, the filmmaker follows a family (Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Evan Alex and Shahadi Wright-Joseph) holidaying by the beach with friends (Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker), which all sounds very normal. Then things go awry, in a flick that promises to make you feel just as uneasy about your own reflection as you felt about stirring cups of tea after Get Out. In preparation for her role, Peele tasked Nyong'o with watching a heap of classic horror movies — films such as The Shining, The Babadook, It Follows, The Birds, Funny Games, Martyrs, Let the Right One In, The Sixth Sense, Dead Again and A Tale of Two Sisters, Nyong'o told EW. If that list of creepy flicks doesn't give you an idea of what's in store in Us, then the suitably unsettling trailer will. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNCmb-4oXJA Us releases in Australian cinemas on March 14, 2019.
Trekking across a continent is the type of bucket-list activity plenty of people think about, but few ever manage. If you're in Canada, however, walking across the country just got a whole lot easier. Spanning 24,000 kilometres across 13 provinces and territories, the world's longest hiking track has just been completed. It has taken 25 years to come to fruition, so it's no wonder that they're calling it The Great Trail. Opening in its 100% connected form at the end of August, the path connects Canada's east and west coasts via an outdoor journey through all of the terrain the nation has to offer. Urban, rural and wilderness landscape is featured, plus greenways, waterways and roadways, with track perfect for not only hikers, cyclists and horse riders, but anyone keen for a paddle, cross-country ski or snowmobile trip as well. The trail was first conceived as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992, with Pierre Camu, Bill Pratt, and Paul LaBarge coming up with the idea to connect all of the country's various tracks. As well as the types of treks you'd expect — over rocky ground and through leafy forests, for example — highlights include wanders through major cities such as Toronto and Ottawa, a sea-to-sky marine trail around islands and waterfalls, and dog-sledding during snow season. Via Travel + Leisure / Image: The Great Trail.
Every three years, the Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and Queensland Art Gallery take stock of their place in the world. From their riverside stretch of South Brisbane, the neighbouring art institutions are keenly aware of the importance of celebrating not only the city's creativity, but that of the country and the Asia-Pacific region as well. That's exactly what the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is all about, and has been since 1993. The huge multi-gallery exhibition highlights the wealth of artistic treasures crafted in our own backyard — from the skyscrapers to the suburbs, the outback to the ocean, and the heart of Australia to the sprawl of neighbouring Asian cities. Marking its ninth event and running until April 28, 2019, the latest APT takes its task seriously. There's so much excellent art from the region to showcase, and so many talented artists as well. Indeed, the numbers paint one of the exhibition's biggest pictures, with the 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art featuring more than 400 artworks by over 80 individuals, collectives and groups. If you're wondering which of APT9's pictures, paintings, sculptures, videos, installations and more that you should see at the free exhibition, we've singled out six must-sees. [caption id="attachment_700271" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gary Carsley 'Purple Reign'. APT9 Kids. GOMA 1.4. Installation view.[/caption] 'PURPLE REIGN' BY GARY CARSLEY Ignore GOMA's Children's Art Centre at your peril. The home of Yayoi Kusama's Obliteration Room every time that it comes to town, it's a space where art and interactivity combine for big and little kids alike. For APT9, it's overflowing with something that (basically) everyone loves: jacarandas. Most of Brisbane has just been blossoming with the distinctive purple flowers, but here they're taking over the walls. This piece is called Purple Reign for a reason (and not just to make a great Prince pun). As inspired by R Godfrey Rivers's painting Under the jacaranda 1903, visitors play with touch screens and video to explore the gorgeous blooms, which brighten up nearly every surface in the room. [caption id="attachment_700275" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] ALBAIQUNI Zico. Indonesia, b. 1987. When it Shook - The Earth stood Still (After Pirous) 2018. Oil on canvas. 200 x 120 cm. Courtesy: The artist and Yavuz Gallery.[/caption] THE WORK OF ZICO ALBAIQUNI In a huge exhibition designed to catch many an eye — both as a whole, and via its individual artworks — some of APT9's most vibrant pieces take art aficionados to Indonesia. More than that, they delve into the country's landscape and history — but not quite how you might expect. That's what artist Zico Albaiquni does, with exploring his country's traditions, its time under Dutch colonial rule and the state of the environment today all part of his practise. Working at the larger end of the scale, his paintings envelop viewers with their size, their scale and with their use of design, as well as with their almost forceful (and definitely attention-grabbing) use of colour. [caption id="attachment_700270" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] CAO Fei. Beijing, China b. 1978. Asia One 2018. HD video installation: 63:20 minutes, sound, colour, ed. 2/7 (edition TBC). Collection: Queensland Art Gallery.[/caption] 'ASIA ONE' AND '11.11' BY CAO FEI Every room holds a treasure at APT9, particularly the darkened corner of GOMA where Cao Fei's video works play on a loop. The Chinese artist is particularly interested in a topic that's beginning to monopolise cinematic pieces from the region: the changing way of life that's accompanying China's rapid modernisation. For both narrative effort Asia One and documentary 11.11, she steps inside the logistics hub of online retailer JD.com, exploring today's daily reality and pondering the intersection of humanity and technology in the future. And while the videos are worth watching alone, the exhibition's staging helps draw you in — you'll feel like you're in a warehouse rather than a gallery. [caption id="attachment_700273" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] "On the second day, Saturday, your three minutes..."Art Basel HK Encounter, 2017, performance/installation[/caption] 'ON THE SECOND SATURDAY, YOUR THREE MINUTES' BY JOYCE HO Need a rest, art lovers? Fancy sitting down and contemplating everything that you've seen? Thanks to Joyce Ho's addition to the exhibition, you'll find two lines of seats ready and waiting. This isn't about getting cosy, however, with the seats set up in separate spaces that resemble waiting rooms. There are no magazines or muted TVs here, but rather a mirrored window between the two chambers. Plonk yourself down on either side, and you'll spy both your reflection and the ghostly image of whoever happens to be sitting opposite, with the two combining in quite the striking and memorable fashion. [caption id="attachment_700267" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, GOMA, The 9th Asia and Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9), Exhibition no. 2018.05.Organisation Queensland Art Gallery, Start date 24 November 2018. End date 28 April 2019. Installation view.[/caption] 'UNTITLED (GIRAN)' BY JONATHAN JONES Nearly 2000 sculptures comprise Australian artist Jonathan Jones' piece, which spans across an entire wall. It's the kind of artwork that stuns from afar, making you step back to appreciate its full glory, while simultaneously inviting you closer to investigate its exceptional detail. Curved in appearance and with feathers featuring prominently, it's designed to resemble birds flying on the wind, although each individual element is actually one of six different types of tool. Made with family and Wiradjuri community members from raw materials, and crafted in collaboration with elder Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr, it instantly conveys the movement and change that comes with the breeze — and turning an already evocative static piece into an immersive installation, it's also accompanied by sounds of the wind, bird calls, breathing and the Wiradjuri language. [caption id="attachment_700272" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. QAG Watermall. The 9th Asia and Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9). Exhibition no. 2018.05. Organisation Queensland Art Gallery. Start date 24 November 2018. End date 28 April 2019. Installation view.[/caption] 'MY FOREST IS NOT YOUR GARDEN' BY DONNA ONG AND ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI A sea of green above a pool of water sounds like everyone's ideal of blissful eye candy. At APT9, it's Donna One and Robert Zhao Renhui's contribution to the fold, as found in QAG's already peaceful and serene Watermall. Walk across the platform above the indoor pond, and plenty of plants await, although these aren't any old potted pieces. They're actually a mixed-media assemblage that makes a statement about the use of nature in both Chinese and European art, with each one littered with tiny animals. Plus, while you're wandering through this leafy part of the exhibition, you'll also be able to see Kawayan de Guia's bright wall of works — a mashup of pop culture images and references to Filipino politics — in front of it. The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art runs until April 28, 2019 at the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane. Top image: CAO Fei. Beijing, China b. 1978. Asia One 2018. HD video installation: 63:20 minutes, sound, colour, ed. 2/7 (edition TBC) Collection: Queensland Art Gallery.
In 2022, Australian movie lovers felt a need for speed. The nation's cinemagoers flocked to see yellow-hued offsiders spouting gibberish, too, plus oh-so-many superheroes. We also adored rock 'n' roll icons, wizarding backstories and rampaging dinosaurs. Yes, Top Gun: Maverick, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Thor: Love and Thunder, The Batman and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness all sit atop of the Aussie box office for the year at the time of writing, followed by Jurassic World Dominion, Elvis, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Your memory isn't failing you: Spider-Man: No Way Home did first hit screens in 2021, and was the top-grossing movie in Australia in 2021. It proved such a box-office smash, though, that it's one of 2022's best money-earners as well. Expect Avatar: The Way of Water to do something similar this year — it's already storming up the list. Indeed, expect it to crack the top ten easily by the time that New Year's Eve hits. So, they're the massive flicks that everyone saw over the past 12 months, with the literal receipts to prove it. If you only went to the pictures to see huge titles, however, you missed an array of other delights that are well and truly worth your time and attention. As we do every year — and have since 2014 (see also: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021) — we've rounded up a list of top-notch films that released in Aussie cinemas in 2022 but didn't rack up fat stacks of cinema takings. Here are our 15 picks that you need to catch up on ASAP. BLAZE In the name of its protagonist, and the pain and fury that threatens to parch her 12-year-old existence, Del Kathryn Barton's first feature scorches and sears. It burns in its own moniker, too, and in the blistering alarm it sounds against an appalling status quo: that experiencing, witnessing and living with the aftermath of violence against women is all too common, heartbreakingly so, including in Australia where one woman a week on average is killed by her current or former partner. Blaze has a perfect title, with the two-time Archibald Prize-winning artist behind it crafting a movie that's alight with anger, that flares with sorrow, and that's so astutely and empathetically observed, styled and acted that it chars. Indeed, it's frequently hard to pick which aspect of the film singes more: the story about surviving what should be unknown horrors for a girl who isn't even yet a teen, the wondrously tactile and immersive way in which Blaze brings its namesake's inner world to the screen, or the stunning performance by young actor Julia Savage (Mr Inbetween) in its central part. There are imagined dragons in Blaze, but Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, this isn't — although Jake (Josh Lawson, Mortal Kombat), who Blaze spots in an alleyway with Hannah (Yael Stone, Blacklight), has his lawyer (Heather Mitchell, Bosch & Rockit) claim that his accuser knows nothing. With the attack occurring mere minutes into the movie, Barton dedicates the feature's bulk to how her lead character copes, or doesn't. Being questioned about what she saw in court is just one way that the world tries to reduce her to ashes, but the embers of her hurt and determination don't and won't die. Blaze's father Luke (Simon Baker, High Ground), a single parent, understandably worries about the impact of everything blasting his daughter's way. As she retreats then acts out, cycling between both and bobbing in-between, those fears are well-founded. Blaze is a coming-age-film — a robbing-of-innocence movie as well — but it's also a firm message that there's no easy or ideal response to something as awful as its titular figure observes. Blaze is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. YOU WON'T BE ALONE Sometimes, a comparison is so obvious that it simply has to be uttered and acknowledged. That's the case with You Won't Be Alone, the first feature from Macedonian Australian writer/director Goran Stolevski, who also helmed MIFF's 2022 opening-night pick Of an Age. His debut film's lyrical visuals, especially of nature, instantly bringing the famously poetic aesthetics favoured by Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life, A Hidden Life) to mind. Its musings on the nature of life, and human nature as well, easily do the same. Set centuries back, lingering in villages wracked by superstition and exploring a myth about a witch, You Won't Be Alone conjures up thoughts of Robert Eggers' The Witch as well. Indeed, if Malick had directed that recent favourite, the end product might've come close to this entrancing effort. Consider Stolevski's feature the result of dreams conjured up with those two touchstones in his head, though, rather than an imitator. The place: Macedonia. The time: the 19th century. The focus: a baby chosen by the Wolf-Eateress (Anamaria Marinca, The Old Guard) to be her offsider. The feared figure has the ability to select and transform one protege, but she agrees to let her pick reach the age of 16 first. Nevena (Sara Klimoska, Black Sun) lives those formative years in a cave, in an attempt to stave off her fate. When the Wolf-Eateress comes calling, her initiation into the world — the world of humans, and of her physically and emotionally scarred mentor — is jarring. With Noomi Rapace (Lamb), Alice Englert (The Power of the Dog) and Carloto Cotta (The Tsugua Diaries) also among the cast, You Won't Be Alone turns Nevena's experiences of life, love, loss, desire, pain, envy and power into a haunting and thoughtful gothic horror fable. To say that it's bewitching is obvious, too, but also accurate. You Won't Be Alone is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. FULL TIME At the 2021 Venice International Film Festival, French actor Laure Calamy won the Best Actress award in the event's Horizons strand — and mere minutes into Full Time, it's easy to see why. The Antoinette in the Cévennes and Call My Agent! star is phenomenal in this portrait of a single mother's hectic routine, with writer/director Eric Gravel (Crash Test Aglaé) charting the ups and downs of his protagonist's professional and personal situation like he's making a thriller. In fact, he is. Julie Roy, the feature's focus, is stretched to breaking point, and every moment of every day seems to bring a new source of stress. For starters, her job overseeing the cleaning at a five-star Parisian hotel is both chaotic and constantly throwing up challenges, she's put all her hopes on a new gig in market research but getting time off for the interview is easier said than done, and the French capital is in the middle of a transport strike that makes commuting in and out from the outskirts basically impossible. Also adding to Julie's troubles: the childcare arrangement she has in place with a neighbour, having any energy to spend meaningful time with her children at the end of her busy days, trying to get financial support out of her absent ex and planning a birthday party. All of this might sound mundane, and like the kind of thing that plenty of people deal with every day — and that's partly the point. Full Time hones in on the rush, hustle and bustle to show how fraught this vision of normality is. Every shot by cinematographer Victor Seguin (Gagarine) ripples with tension, and the rhythm amplified by editor Mathilde Van de Moortel (Mustang) is nothing short of relentless. Gravel truly sees Julie, her stresses and the fact that she's at her wits' end, and the marvellous Calamy plays the part like she's living it. Full Time is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY One of two films by Japanese filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi that hit Australian cinemas this year — the other, Drive My Car, was an Oscar hit — Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy gives three tales about romance, desire and fate a spin. These three stories all muse on chance, choice, identity and echoes as well, and focus on complex women reacting to the vagaries of life and everyday relationships. Coincidence plays a role in each of the trio, too, and commonalities ebb and flow between each dialogue-heavy narrative. In other words, this is a smart, astute and savvily layered triptych from the director behind Happy Hour and Asako I and II, as brought to the screen with excellent performances, a canny knack for domestic drama and piercing long shots in each and ever chapter. In the first part, model Meiko (Kotone Furukawa, 21st Century Girl) discovers that her best friend Tsugumi (Hyunri, Wife of a Spy) has just started seeing her ex-boyfriend Kazuaki (Ayumu Nakajima, Saturday Fiction), and grapples with her complicated feelings while pondering what could eventuate. Next, college student Nao (Katsuki Mori, Sea Opening) is enlisted to seduce Professor Sagawa (Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Tezuka's Barbara) as part of a revenge plan by her lover Sasaki (Shouma Kai, Signal 100). Finally, in a world where the internet has been eradicated due to a virus, Natsuko (Fusako Urabe, Voices in the Wind) and Nana (Aoba Kawai, Marriage with a Large Age Gap) cross paths — thinking that they went to school together decades ago. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy isn't currently available to stream. Read our full review. COMPARTMENT NO. 6 Handheld camerawork can be a gimmick. It can be distracting, too. When imagery seems restless for no particular reason other than making the audience restless, it drags down entire films. But at its best, roving, jittery and jumpy frames provide one of the clearest windows there is into the souls that inhabit the silver screen in 90-minute blocks or so, and also prove a wonderful way of conveying how they feel in the world. That's how Compartment No. 6's cinematography plays, and it couldn't be a more crucial move; this is a deeply thoughtful movie about two people who are genuinely restless themselves, after all. Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen (The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki) wants what all of the most perceptive filmmakers do — to ensure his viewers feel like they know his characters as well as they know themselves — and in his latest cinematic delight, he knows how to get it. How Kuosmanen evokes that sense of intimacy and understanding visually is just one of Compartment No. 6's highlights, but it's worthy of a train full of praise. With the helmer's returning director of photography Jani-Petteri Passi behind the lens, the film gets close to Finnish student Laura (Seidi Haarla, Force of Habit) and Russian miner Ljoha (Yuriy Borisov, The Red Ghost). It peers intently but unobtrusively their way, like an attentive lifelong friend. It jostles gently with the locomotive that the movie's central pair meets on, and where they spend the bulk of their time together. It ebbs and flows like it's breathing with them. It rarely ventures far from their faces in such cramped, stark, 90s-era Russian surroundings, lingering with them, carefully observing them, and genuinely spying how they react and cope in big and small moments alike. Pivotally — and at every moment as well — this Before Sunrise-esque gem truly pays attention to, appreciates and understands its key duo. Compartment No. 6 isn't currently available to stream. Read our full review. C'MON C'MON The last time that Joaquin Phoenix appeared in cinemas before 2022, he played an overlooked and unheard man. "You don't listen, do you?" Arthur Fleck asked his social worker, and the entirety of Joker — and of Phoenix's magnetic Oscar-winning performance as the Batman foe in the 2019 film, too — provided the obvious answer. Returning to screens in a feature that couldn't be more different to his last, Phoenix now plays a professional listener. A radio journalist and podcaster who'd slide in seamlessly alongside Ira Glass on America's NPR, Johnny's niche is chatting with children. Travelling around the country from his New York base, C'mon C'mon's protagonist seeks thoughts about life, hopes, dreams, the future and the world in general, but never in a Kids Say the Darndest Things-type fashion. As Phoenix's sensitive, pensive gaze conveys under the tender guidance of Beginners and 20th Century Women filmmaker Mike Mills, Johnny truly and gratefully hears what his young interviewees utter. Phoenix is all gentle care, quiet understanding and rippling melancholy as Johnny. All naturalism and attentiveness as well, he's also firmly at his best, no matter what's inscribed on his Academy Award. Here, Phoenix is as phenomenal as he was in his career highlight to-date, aka the exceptional You Were Never Really Here, in a part that again has his character pushed out of his comfort zone by a child. C'mon C'mon's Johnny spends his days talking with kids, but that doesn't mean he's equipped to look after his nine-year-old nephew Jesse (Woody Norman, The War of the Worlds) in Los Angeles when his sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent) needs to assist her husband Paul (Scoot McNairy, A Quiet Place Part II) with his mental health. Johnny and Viv haven't spoken since their mother died a year earlier, and Johnny has previously overstepped when it comes to Paul — with the siblings' relationship so precarious that he barely knows Jesse — but volunteering to help is his immediate reflex. C'mon C'mon is available to stream via Binge, Paramount+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FLEE When Flee won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, it collected its first accolade. The wrenchingly affecting animated documentary hasn't stopped notching up deserving acclaim since. A spate of other gongs have come its way, in fact, including a history-making trifecta of nominations for Best International Feature, Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature at this year's Oscars, becoming the first picture to ever earn nods in all three categories at once. Gleaning why this moving and compassionate movie keeps garnering awards and attention isn't difficult. Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, but that blend alone isn't what makes Flee special. Writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen (What He Did) has created one of the best instances of the combination yet — a feature that could only have the impact it does by spilling its contents in such a way, like Ari Folman's Waltz with Bashir before it — however, it's the tale he shares and the care with which he tells it that makes this something unshakeably exceptional. Rasmussen's subject is Amin Nawabi, an Afghan refugee using a pseudonym. As his story fills Flee's frames, it's also plain to see why it can only be told through animation. Indeed, the film doesn't cover an easy plight — or a unique one, sadly — but Rasmussen renders every detail not just with eye-catching imagery, but with visuals that flow with empathy at every moment. The filmmaker's protagonist is a friend of his and has been for decades, and yet no one, not even the director himself, had ever previously heard him step through the events that the movie chronicles. Amin is now in his 40s, but he was once a kid in war-torn Kabul, then a teenager seeking asylum in Copenhagen. His life to-date has cast him in other roles in other countries, too, on his journey to house-hunting with his boyfriend as he chats through the ups and downs for his pal. Flee is available to stream via DocPlay, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MEMORIA When Memoria begins, it echoes with a thud that's not only booming and instantly arresting — a clamour that'd make anyone stop and listen — but is also deeply haunting. It arrives with a noise that, if the movie's opening scene was a viral clip rather than part of Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's spectacular Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature, it'd be tweeted around with a familiar message: sound on. The racket wakes up Jessica Holland (Tilda Swinton, Three Thousand Years of Longing) in the night, and it's soon all that she can think about; like character, like film. It's a din that she later describes as "a big ball of concrete that falls into a metal well which is surrounded by seawater"; however, that doesn't help her work out what it is, where it's coming from or why it's reverberating. The other question that starts to brood: is she the only one who can hear it? So springs a feature that's all about listening, and truly understands that while movies are innately visual — they're moving pictures, hence the term — no one should forget the audio that's gone with it for nearly a century now. Watching Weerasethakul's work has always engaged the ears intently, with the writer/director behind the Palme d'Or-winning Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and just-as-lyrical Cemetery of Splendour crafting cinema that genuinely values all that the filmic format can offer. Enjoying Memoria intuitively serves up a reminder of how crucial sound can be to that experience, emphasising the cavernous chasm between pictures that live and breathe such a truth and those that could simply be pictures. Of course, feasting on Weerasethakul's films has also always been about appreciating not only cinema in all its wonders, but as an inimitable art form. Like the noise that lingers in his protagonist's brain here, his movies aren't easily forgotten. Memoria is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BELLE When Beauty and the Beast typically graces the screen, it doesn't involve a rose-haired singer decked out in a matching flowing dress while singing heart-melting tunes atop a floating skywhale mounted with speakers. It doesn't dance into the metaverse, either. Anime-meets-Patricia Piccinini-meets-cyberspace in Belle, and previous filmed versions of the famed French fairytale must now wish that they could've been so inventive. Disney's animated and live-action duo, aka the 1991 musical hit that's been a guest of childhood viewing ever since and its 2017 Emma Watson-starring remake, didn't even fantasise about dreaming about being so imaginative — but Japanese writer/director Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai) also eagerly takes their lead. His movie about a long-locked social-media princess with a heart of gold and a hulking creature decried by the masses based on appearances is firmly a film for now, but it's also a tale as old as time and one unafraid to build upon the Mouse House's iterations. At first, there is no Belle. Instead, Hosoda's feature has rural high-schooler Suzu (debutant Kaho Nakamura) call her avatar Bell because that's what her name means in Japanese. That online character lives in a virtual-reality world that uses body-sharing technology to base its figures on the real-life people behind them, but Suzu is shy and accustomed to being ignored by her classmates — other than her only pal Hiroka (Lilas Ikuta of music duo Yoasobi) — so she also uploads a photo of the far-more-popular Ruka (Tina Tamashiro, Hell Girl). The social-media platform's biometrics still seize upon Suzu's own melodic singing voice, however. And so, in a space that opines in its slogan that "you can't start over in reality, but you can start over in U", she croons. Quickly, she amasses an audience among the service's five-billion users, but then one of her performances is interrupted by the brooding Dragon (Takeru Satoh, the Rurouni Kenshin films), and her fans then point digital pitchforks in his direction. Belle is available to stream via Binge, Google Play, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT War makes meat, disposable labour and easy sacrifices of us all. In battles for power, as they always are, bodies are used to take territory, threaten enemies and shed blood to legitimise a cause. On the ground, whether in muddy trenches or streaming across mine-strewn fields, war sees the masses rather than the individuals, too — but All Quiet on the Western Front has always been a heartbreaking retort to and clear-eyed reality check for that horrific truth. Penned in 1928 by German World War I veteran Erich Maria Remarque, initially adapted for the screen by Hollywood in 1930 and then turned into a US TV movie in 1979, the staunchly anti-war story now gets its first adaptation in its native tongue. Combat's agonies echo no matter the language giving them voice, but Edward Berger's new film is a stunning, gripping and moving piece of cinema. Helming and scripting — the latter with feature first-timers Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell — All My Loving director Berger starts All Quiet on the Western Front with a remarkable sequence. The film will come to settle on 17-year-old Paul Bäumer (astonishing debutant Felix Kammerer) and his ordeal after naively enlisting in 1917, thinking with his mates that they'd be marching on Paris within weeks, but it begins with a different young soldier, Heinrich Gerber (Jakob Schmidt, Babylon Berlin), in the eponymous region. He's thrust into the action in no man's land and the inevitable happens. Then, stained with blood and pierced by bullets, his uniform is stripped from his body, sent to a military laundry, mended and passed on. The recipient: the eager Paul, who notices the past wearer's name on the label and buys the excuse that it just didn't fit him. No one dares waste a scrap of clothing — only the flesh that dons it, and the existences its owners don't want to lose. All Quiet on the Western Front is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. HIT THE ROAD How fitting it is that a film about family — about the ties that bind, and when those links are threatened not by choice but via unwanted circumstances — hails from an impressive lineage itself. How apt it is that Hit the Road explores the extent that ordinary Iranians find themselves going to escape the nation's oppressive authorities, too, given that the filmmaker behind it is Panah Panahi, son of acclaimed auteur Jafar Panahi. The latter's run-ins with the country's regime have been well-documented. The elder Panahi, director of Closed Curtain, Tehran Taxi and more, has been both imprisoned and banned from making movies over the past two decades, and was detained again in July 2022 for enquiring about the legal situation surrounding There Is No Evil helmer Mohammad Rasoulof. None of that directly comes through in Hit the Road's story, not for a moment, but the younger Panahi's directorial debut is firmly made with a clear shadow lingering over it. As penned by the fledgling filmmaker as well, Hit the Road's narrative is simple and also devastatingly layered; in its frames, two starkly different views of life in Iran are apparent. What frames they are, as lensed by Ballad of a White Cow cinematographer Amin Jafari — with every sequence a stunner, but three in particular, late in the piece and involving fraught exchanges, nighttime stories and heartbreaking goodbyes, among the most mesmerising images committed to celluloid in recent years. Those pictures tell of a mother (Pantea Panahiha, Rhino), a father (Mohammad Hassan Madjooni, Pig), their adult son (first-timer Amin Simiar) and their six-year-old boy (scene-stealer Rayan Sarlak, Gol be khodi), all unnamed, who say they're en route to take their eldest to get married. But the journey is a tense one, even as the youngest among them chatters, sings, does ordinary childhood things and finds magic in his cross-country road trip, all with zero knowledge of what eats at the rest of his family. Hit the Road is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. QUO VADIS, AIDA? Films about war are films about wide-ranging terror and horror: battles that changed lives, deaths that reshaped nations, political fights that altered the course of history and the like. But they're also movies about people first, foremost and forever: folks whose everyday existence was perpetually shattered, including those lost and others left to endure when hostilities cease. Quo Vadis, Aida? is firmly a feature about both aspects of war. It homes in on one town, Srebrenica, in July 1995 during the 1992–95 Bosnian War, but it sees devastation and a human toll so intimate and vast in tandem that heartbreak is the only natural response. A survivor of the war herself, writer/director Jasmila Žbanić (Love Island, For Those Who Can Tell No Tales) knows that combat and conflict happens to ordinary men and women, that each casualty is a life cut short and that every grief-stricken relative who remains will never forget their magic ordeal — and she ensures that no one who watches Quo Vadis, Aida? can forget the Srebrenica massacre, or the fact that 8372 civilians were killed, either. A teacher-turned-interpreter, the eponymous Aida Selmanagic (Jasna Đuričić, My Morning Laughter) is Žbanić's eyes and ears within the demilitarised safe zone established by Dutch UN peacekeepers. The film doesn't adopt her exact point of view aesthetically — we see Aida, and plenty; Quo Vadis, Aida? wouldn't be the same without the tenacity and insistence that radiates from her posture and gaze — but it lives, breathes, feels, roves and yearns as she does. Aida has a mother's and wife's motivations above all else, however: she wants her husband Nihad (Izudin Barjović, Father), a school principal, to be with her and to be safe, and the same for their sons Hamdija (Boris Ler, Full Moon) and Sejo (Dino Barjović, Sin), obviously. It's a mission to even get them in the base, especially with so many other refugees pleading to be allowed in outside. But Aida hustles, including getting Nihad sent to negotiations with Serbian General Ratko Mladić (Boris Isaković, Last Christmas) as a town representative. And as the General's brash, cocky, swaggering troops start escorting out the base's inhabitants and putting them onto buses depending upon their gender following those talks, Aida makes every desperate move she can to save her family. Quo Vadis, Aida? is available to stream via Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. LOST ILLUSIONS Stop us when Lost Illusions no longer sounds familiar. You won't; it won't, either. Stop us when its 19th century-set and -penned narrative — written by acclaimed novelist Honoré de Balzac almost 200 years ago, and brought to the screen now by filmmaker Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite) — no longer feels so relevant to life today that you can easily spot parts of it all around you. Again, that won't happen. When the handsome and involving French drama begins, its protagonist knows what he wants to do with his days, and also who he loves. Quickly, however, he learns that taking a big leap doesn't always pan out if you don't hail from wealth. He makes another jump anyway, out of necessity. He gives a new line of work a try, finds new friends and gets immersed in a different world. Alas, appearances just keep meaning everything in his job, and in society in general. Indeed, rare is the person who doesn't get swept up, who dares to swim against the flow, or who realises they might be sinking rather than floating. The person weathering all of the above is Lucien Chardon (Benjamin Voisin, Summer of 85), who'd prefer to be known as Lucien de Rubempré — his mother's aristocratic maiden name. It's 1821, and he's a poet and printer's assistant in the province of Angoulême when the film begins. He's also having an affair with married socialite Louise de Bargeton (Cécile de France, The French Dispatch), following her to Paris, but their bliss is soon shattered. That's why he gives journalism a try after meeting the equally ambitious Etienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste, Irma Vep), then taking up the offer of a tabloid gig after failing to get his poetry published. Lucien climbs up the ranks quickly, both in the scathing newspaper business — where literary criticism is literally cash for comment — and in the right Parisian circles. But even when he doesn't realise it, his new life weighs him down heavily. Lost Illusions is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. LIMBO What happens when a group of refugees are sent to await the results of their asylum applications on a Scottish island? That's the question that Limbo ponders. There's no doubting why this second feature from writer/director Ben Sharrock (Pikadero) has been given its moniker; for Syrian musician Omar (Amir El-Masry, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker) and his fellow new arrivals to Scotland, there's not much to do in this void between the past and the future but wait, sit at the bus stop, check out the children's playground and loiter near the pay phone. That, and navigate the wide range of reactions from the locals — veering from offensive to thoughtful — and, in Omar's case, feel the weight of his prized possession. He's brought his grandfather's oud with him, which he rarely let go of, but his own musical dreams are in limbo as well. A film can be heartbreaking, tender, insightful and amusing all at once, and Limbo is indeed all of those things. It's both dreamlike and lived-in, too, a blend that suits its title and story — and also the mental and emotional state shared by Omar and his fellow asylum seekers as they bide their time on an island that feels like another world. A movie can be both heavy and light simultaneously as well, which is another of Limbo's strengths. Sharrock sees both seriousness and levity in his narrative, his characters and their plights, and recognises the nightmarish and the beautiful in tandem. The latter especially applies to the feature's haunting cinematography, which lenses a landscape that keeps Omar pals physically in limbo with a probing eye. Limbo is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. CYRANO Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. It can be swift and bold like a lightning strike, too, or it can linger, evolve and swell like a gentle breeze. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, the newest period piece from Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Anna Karenina), all of the above happens. The latest adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, this time as a musical via playwright Erica Schmidt's own song-filled on-stage version, lends its attention to two men who've fallen for the plucky Roxanne (Haley Bennett, Hillbilly Elegy) in opposite ways. Charming soldier Christian de Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr, The Trial of the Chicago 7) gets the fast-and-infatuated experience, while the movie's namesake (Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot), a poet also handy in battle, has ached for his childhood pal for as long as he can remember. Roxanne's two suitors make a chalk-and-cheese pair, with their contrasting approaches to matters of the heart — specifically, to winning her heart and helping ensure that she doesn't have to marry the rich and ruthless De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) to secure her future — driving much of Cyrano's drama. Also present and accounted for, as all takes on the tale have included (see also: 80s rom-com Roxanne with Steve Martin, the Gérard Depardieu-starring Cyrano de Bergerac, 90s rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs with Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo, plus recent Netflix teen flicks Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Half of It): insecurities about appearance, a way with words and a ghostwriting gambit. Short in stature given Dinklage's casting, Cyrano can't even dream that Roxanne could love him. But he wants her to be happy above all else and knows that she's smitten with Christian, so he secretly lends his romantic rival his letter-penning abilities to help woo her by lyrical prose. Cyrano is available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review.
Buildings that feed on pollution, skyscrapers constructed from rubbish – what's next for the future of the world's trash? North American environmental solutions company Waste Management has recently made significant investments in energy companies Agnion, Enerkem and Agilyx, all of which provide solutions to turning waste into something more useful. Enerkem can produce transportation fuel from garbage, and Agilyx creates crude oil from unwanted plastics. A small-scale device created by Agnion could be used by supermarkets, hospitals and shopping centres to make the most of the waste they create. The technology can transform trash (affectionately known as "solid biomass feedstock") into gas, which in turn can be used to provide heating.
Fancy an art experience that extends beyond looking at works on a wall? Then prepare to be impressed by Melbourne's new 3000-square-metre, 11-metre-high immersive digital art gallery. Originally set to open in late 2020, then in autumn this year, and then in September, The Lume will finally open its doors on Monday, November 1. The big drawcard: projections of some of the world's most celebrated artworks, which will be splashed across various surfaces at the site's permanent home at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Those luminous displays will be backed by powerful musical soundtracks, too, and even complemented by aromas. So yes, the idea is to engage multiple senses — and build the kind of art experience that surrounds you in multiple ways. When it opens its doors, The Lume's inaugural exhibition at will celebrate the works and life of Vincent van Gogh — so, you'll be able to walk through artworks like The Starry Night and Sunflowers while listening to a classical music score. For the latter, there'll be a dedicated mirror infinity room filled with sunflowers. Elsewhere, expect a reimagined Café Terrace 1888, and a life-size recreation of Van Gogh's Bedroom. If you were lucky enough to make it up to Sydney last year for Van Gogh Alive, you'll know what you're in for. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Experiences, which, for the past 15 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 130 cities across the world — and is taking Van Gogh Alive around Australia this year, too. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. Abiding by Victoria's reopening roadmap, The Lume will only be welcoming in double-vaccinated patrons upon opening. The Lume will open at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday, November 1 — operating Monday–Thursday from 10am–9pm, Friday from 10am–10pm, Saturday from 9am–10pm and Sunday from 9am–9pm. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the venue's website.
Being able to tell when someone is lying is a handy gift, and one that sits at the centre of supremely entertaining and addictive new 2023 streaming series Poker Face. But no special talents were necessary to predict two obvious things that've come true since the show first started dropping episodes back in January: that it'd be a hit and that a second season would follow. Armchair detectives, get excited about another round of sleuthing with star Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) and filmmaker Rian Johnson (Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery). US streamer Peacock has just announced that Poker Face will return for season two — and, dropping episodes week by week, season one isn't even finished yet. Exactly when Poker Face will return for its sophomore spin, how many episodes season two will span and who else will pop up — because this is a series with a stacked guest cast, too — hasn't yet been revealed. But the news definitely isn't bullshit, as Lyonne's Charlie Cale likes to utter (and often). A mystery-of-the-week series, Poker Face sees Charlie work her way through resolving a different crime in each episode, all while she's on the road in a Plymouth Barracuda. That's where all those other well-known faces come in, including Adrien Brody (See How They Run), The Menu's Hong Chau and Judith Light, Lil Rel Howery (Deep Water) and Danielle MacDonald (The Tourist) in season one's first few episodes. The show's debut go-around also features Lyonne's Russian Doll mother Chloë Sevigny (Bones and All), plus Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pinocchio), Ellen Barkin (Animal Kingdom), Nick Nolte (The Mandalorian), Cherry Jones (Succession), Jameela Jamil (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) and newly minted Oscar-nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once). As seen on Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand, Charlie is cruising her way across the US after figuring out a crime with personal ties in episode one, all by using that lie-detecting talent of hers, but making considerable enemies in the process. While that's the show's overall framing story, each instalment focuses on its own whodunnit in its own place, including mysterious deaths at garages, related to metal bands, in retirement homes and onstage during a play. "Poker Face is one of those rare, undeniable shows that we all fell in love with from the start, but the critical acclaim and viewer response has been beyond our wildest dreams," said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. "Working alongside the creative genius of Rian Johnson, Natasha Lyonne and Ram Bergman, along with our partners at MRC and T-Street, has been a spectacular ride, and we can't wait to hit the road for another season as we continue to build momentum across Peacock's originals slate." Check out the full trailer for Poker Face below: Poker Face streams via Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand. Read our review of season one.
Go on, give yourself a holiday — or gift your loved ones a getaway as a present. It's peak season for flight sales, thanks to Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. After dropping two big rounds of discounted fares in November, then, Jetstar is in festive mode with its latest batch. Prices start at $35 for domestic trips and beginning at $149 if you're holidaying internationally, and there's 140,000 cheap seats on offer. This time, you have a few days to grab a bargain — until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, December 15. As always, the cheapest route within Australia is Sydney to Byron Bay and Ballina, which is where the $35 price comes in. Overseas, that $149 fare will get you from Perth to Singapore. And yes, these dollar amounts will be familiar if you were scouting airline discounts just last month. Prices obviously vary depending on where you're flying from and to, as per usual, but other domestic options include Melbourne to Hobart from $49, Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $54, Sydney to Uluru from $94, Melbourne to Hamilton Island from $114, Sydney to Busselton Margaret River from $139 and Perth to Melbourne from $174. Going global, overseas bargains span Darwin to Bali from $164, Sydney to Nadi from $199, Brisbane to Seoul from $269 and Melbourne to Phuket from $275, Brisbane to Tokyo from $329 — and plenty more. You'll be travelling within Australia from mid-January to early April 2025, and from late-January to mid-September 2025 if you're booking an international fare. The caveats: all prices apply to one-way fares; checked baggage is not included, so you'll want to travel super light or pay extra to take a suitcase; and dates vary according to the route. If you're a Club Jetstar member, you can score even more discounts, starting with Sydney to Byron Bay and Ballina from $29. Jetstar's 2024 Christmas sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Sunday, December 15 — or until sold out if prior. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
There are few areas on earth that Google Street View can't venture — and now one place in space as well. In the latest addition to their popular Google Maps feature, the technology giant has added the International Space Station to its list of destinations. Clearly charting the planet humanity walks on just wasn't enough. Launched on the 48th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, the virtual leap for mankind lets users explore all 15 of the ISS's interconnected modules, which orbit the planet more than 400 kilometres above the surface. From peering through the observational node to entering the airlock, pretending that you're living out your science-fiction dreams — and experiencing what it's like to literally look down on the rest of us, too — is now as easy as moving your cursor and clicking your mouse. Obviously, you can't send Google's Street View car fleet into space, so the company worked with NASA bases and ISS astronauts to capture imagery from the inside the structure. DSLR cameras and equipment already on board were used to collect pictures in gravity-free conditions. The resulting snaps of the habitable artificial satellite were then sent back down to earth, stitched together and turned into panoramic shots. If that sounds a little tricky, that's because it was. As European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet explains in a blog post for Google, "there are a lot of obstacles up there, and we had limited time to capture the imagery, so we had to be confident that our approach would work." Still, for anyone who has ever wanted to take a trip into space — but found costs, logistics, training and a whole long list of other factors getting in their way — it was worth it. Explore the International Space Station on Google Maps. Via The Verge. Image: Google Maps.
Learning to always keep hand sanitiser within arm's reach is a very 2020 lesson. Working out how many jigsaw puzzles you can do in a single month is too. So is accepting change — because a year can start out normally, then transform into something completely different. And while we didn't need a pandemic to tell us this, a person's entire life can go through similar shifts as well. Someone can start out in one job, for instance, then make a once-in-a-lifetime leap to pursue another. That's the story behind Wilson Brewing Company, which is based in Albany. It also applies at Illegal Tender Rum Co, in Springfield in Western Australia's midwest. Or, a person can jump into the wine industry in one part of the country, then end up making it in a completely different area. That tale rings true at Ferngrove Wines in the Great Southern region, for instance. What hasn't changed lately, though, is how much Australians love Wilson, Illegal Tender and Ferngrove's drinks. When BWS asked Aussies to pick the country's top tipples as part of its Local Luvvas initiative, all three emerged victorious in WA. They'll now receive an extra helping hand with getting their products stocked in more BWS stores — and we've chatted to key players from all three to discover just how life's changes brought them to this point. FROM THE MINING INDUSTRY TO MAKING BEER IN AN OLD NURSERY If you were to ask the entire Australian population how they'd spend their time if they could have any job they wanted, we're betting that a considerable number would mention brewing beer. Matty Wilson would now, but he mightn't have known how much he loves his work if he hadn't been a boilermaker in the Pilbara first. It was there, as one of the mining industry's many fly-in, fly-out employees, that his cousin Leon first introduced him to brewing. "I was instantly addicted, and loved the combination of science, cooking and chemistry," he says. "After about six months, I realised that I had a knack for brewing and recipe development — and started thinking about opening a brewery in Albany." Opening a brewery isn't a part-time endeavour, of course. For Wilson, it meant calling time on his existing career, buying an old garden nursery with a big dilapidated shed out the back, and putting all his energy into making Wilson Brewing Company a reality. He didn't completely farewell his old skills at first, though, using them over the course of nine months to fix up the property and build his first brew kit by hand — a key early step in making the leap into the professional beer business after five years of home brewing. That was back in 2016 — and while it represented an enormous change for Wilson, this year would bring more. "2020 has proven to be a time of overcoming challenges," he says; however, it has also been one of "banding together and supporting each other". When he started Wilson Brewing, he sold his first keg to the Earl of Spencer Pub in Albany. Now, in this tough period, the community in WA's southwest and the state as a whole has been pivotal. "They've truly proven why it is so great to live here," Wilson shares. "We have had unprecedented support, and have had the opportunity to support others like never before. We learned that we can take a beating, stick it out, and come out the other end stronger and still chasing our dreams." LEAVING A CAREER AS AN ELECTRICIAN TO DISTILL RUM At first glance, Illegal Tender Rum Co's origin story is rather similar to Wilson Brewing Company's — and that of the former's Codie Palmer to the latter's Matty Wilson, too. Palmer was previously an instrumentation electrician by trade, working in iron ore mining in Dampier. Now, after selling his house and car to finance his dream, he has been distilling professionally for six years out of Dongara. For Palmer, however, making rum was always his "true calling". In fact, he's been doing it for more than half of his life. "There is something about it that just ensnared me; something with the process and how you could take raw ingredients and really make them your own," he says, explaining that it's "a curiosity that beckons to you like a bright light in the night". He relishes the process, and the hard work that's required along the way. "A truly great spirit is something that is nurtured from start to finish — no shortcuts," he notes, explaining how Illegal Tender guides its 100-percent Australian ingredients through the brewing stage, then through fermentation, then double distillation, and finally through maturation. In 2020, Illegal Tender has been making something else as well: hand sanitiser. Add that to the big changes that have marked Palmer's rum-distilling path — but, while unexpected, it's one he'll always cherish. "It saw us help thousands of vulnerable people in our area, and that's something that we will be proud of for the rest of our days," he says. Indeed, it has allowed him to support a community that has supported him. "Without it, we simply would not be around. When we began our journey, it was the local support we received from the very beginning that made us feel like we were a part of a greater family," he explains. "Being local should be something all producers are proud of… and supporting locals should be at the forefront of people's minds in this day and age." SWAPPING THE BAROSSA VALLEY FOR WA'S GREAT SOUTHERN REGION Unlike his fellow Local Luvvas winners, Ferngrove Wines' Craig Grafton didn't experience a stint in mining before following his vino dreams. But he still probably wouldn't have predicted that he'd become the chief winemaker at a Western Australian vineyard — especially given that he grew up north of South Australia's Barossa Valley; has spent time working in the Yarra and Clare valleys, Geelong and Bellarine, and Mildura; and has also plied his trade in the Bordeaux region of Southern France, in California's Sonoma Valley, and also in Nashik in India and Ningxia in China. The move to WA was the result of years of respect for the area, though. "I have always held the Great Southern region in high regard," he says, noting that that's proven true across his 20 years as a winemaker. And if you're going to make a top-notch drop, Grafton believes that you need the very best location. "It is a little clichéd, but it is absolutely true that great wines really are made in the vineyard." Ferngrove's location since 1998 — where "the cool climate of the Frankland River allows our vines to produce some incredibly intense fruit, and we have relatively warm days which allow the fruit to fully ripen in flavour," as Grafton explains — is a little off the beaten path. It's 360 kilometres south of Perth, in fact. That makes local support crucial for Ferngrove Wines, even before 2020 delivered its challenges. "Being loved as a local winery is what we've been striving for as remotely located vineyard. We have to work a little harder to get our wines out there, and it means that we have to shout and scream at the top of our lungs that we are a winery that's worth tasting, enjoying and seeking out," he says. As a self-confessed wine fanatic, that's a task that Grafton enjoys, however; "the romance, the history, the people, the places that are all involved in wine production made me want to forge a career and lifestyle around this". To find these or other Western Australian drinks as part of the BWS Local Luvva's initiative, head to your nearest BWS store.
