Hosted for the 25th time in 2017, the Centre for Contemporary Photography's Salon 2017 exhibition celebrates outstanding achievements in photomedia from across Australia. CCP Salon 2017 is a win for both photographers and lovers of the medium as 28 industry leaders have got behind the event to offer up $20,000 worth of prizes across the 35 categories. And you can have a say in the one categories winner as the public selects their favourite image for the Marion Boyce Costume Design People's Choice Award. For the past 31 years, the Centre for Contemporary Photography has been one of Australia's most important spaces for boundary pushing photography. Actively exploring the art form as new technologies, trends and shifting creative landscapes influence photography, CCP Salon 2017 is one of the best ways to keep up with the latest in photographic art. CCP Salon 2017 runs opens on Thursday, November 23 and runs until Saturday, December 16.
Once a year, Alliance Française brings the best of French cinema to Melbourne — the latest and greatest, the flicks that won't make it to our shores otherwise, and a smattering of classic fare as well. If you're particularly keen on the latter, it also runs a second festival, too, which is completely devoted to stellar movies from years gone by. Returning for its fourth year, the 2018 Alliance Française Classic Film Festival will hone its focus on the inimitable Jeanne Moreau. A shining light of French cinema since the 1950s, she starred in such as Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows, Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid and Joseph Losey's Eva — and the iconic Jules and Jim by Francois Truffaut. With Moreau sadly passing away in 2017 at the age of 89, the festival will showcase six of her best features across its four-day Melbourne program, with French New Wave highlight Moderato Cantabile also on the lineup, alongside The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea from her work in the 90s. The fest hits The Astor Theatre between Thursday, November 8 and Sunday, November 11.
Richmond's Corner Hotel has just the tonic for your boring old Tuesday nights in September — and if you guessed that it's giving a game your nan probably plays a musical twist, then that's a bingo. At Bin'go Your Own Way, you don't just wait for someone to tumble a sphere of balls, pick out a number and make a bad joke. Instead, Dan Watt plays bits and pieces of songs and asks punters to match them to the ones listed on your bingo card. Running from 7.30pm on Tuesdays in September in the venue's front bar, each week has a different theme — so if you've got bingo fever and want to head along more than once, you're more than catered for. The first week will ponder one-hit wonders, while the others will run through covers, female artists and bands that have played at The Corner. Yes, we're guessing there'll be singalongs. Folks able to both face and match the music will win prizes that include jugs of beer, bottles of wine and something else special (although, lets face it, winning booze is an incredibly fitting reward). Tuesdays also now happen to be the Corner Hotel's new cheese night, so there'll be plenty of cheesiness from a number of sources.
Thought ballet was just for girls? Prepare to have this misconception flipped on its head when The Australian Ballet's new production of Spartacus heats up the stage in Melbourne this September. Bringing bold new life to the classic tale of an enslaved gladiator and his quest for freedom, the work shines the spotlight on some seriously talented male dancers, led by director, choreographer and Australian Ballet alum Lucas Jervies. Expect high-impact, captivating scenes played out before you, as Spartacus fights to escape his captors and free his beloved wife Flavia. The powerful production features sets and costumes by award-winning French designer Jérôme Kaplan, matched with a gutsy score by Aram Khachaturian. All of those usual pirouettes and arabesques will be supercharged, courtesy of the dancers' tutelage under acclaimed fight director Nigel Poulton, who has worked on some major Hollywood films, including Pirates of the Caribbean V, The Bourne Legacy and I am Legend Images: Justin Ridler
Australia might be known for sun, surf and sand, but when we bring our climate and landscape to the big screen, the results aren't always glowing. That's not a criticism of the quality of movies made by Aussie filmmakers. Rather, it's a reflection of their fondness for darker stories. For decades, the outback has been a source of menace, as seen in everything from Wake in Fright and Mad Max to Wolf Creek and The Rover. When we splash about in the water, sharks attack, as The Reef made plain. And when Australian cinema hangs out at the beach in the name of fun, the results can be raucous in an over-the-top manner, like Swinging Safari, or tinged with coming-of-age melancholy, like Puberty Blues. Ladies in Black takes place in Sydney's inner-city hustle and bustle, but it's an unmistakably summery film — and it's unmistakably hopeful. Much of its running time is spent within a fictional department store that's modelled after David Jones, however the movie captures that end-of-year feeling that is incredibly familiar to Australians. The weather heats up, Christmas and New Year's Eve beckon, and life instantly seems brighter. And while our protagonists navigate ups and downs as they go about their lives circa 1959, just before the 60s sweep in to change everything, the film's buoyant air never subsides. Fresh out of high school, budding poet Lisa (Angourie Rice) takes a job on the fifth floor of Goode's, donning a black dress and trying to do her best. It's not a career move but a stop-gap, as she attempts to convince her father (Shane Jacobson) to let her go to university. Amidst selling cocktail frocks and high-end gowns, her fellow colleagues all have their own dilemmas, all emblematic of a society that doesn't quite realise an enormous shift is around the corner. Fay Baines (Rachael Taylor) longs for a man who will treat her well, while Patty Williams (Alison McGirr) wants her existing husband to notice that she exists. As for Slovenian immigrant Magda (Julia Ormond), in-between putting up with scorn for being a refugee, taking Lisa under her wing, and helping a Hungarian friend (Ryan Corr) find a nice Aussie girl, she's working towards opening her own fashion boutique. It has taken more than two decades for writer-director Bruce Beresford (Mao's Last Dancer) and his long-term producer turned co-writer Sue Milliken to bring Ladies in Black to the screen, and their affection and determination shows. Making the leap from best-selling novel to Australian stage musical and now to the cinema, this tale of women stepping towards a new future is rendered in loving and meticulous style. Intricate production design fills every frame, bringing jam-packed trams, suburban homes and, of course, the main department store to life. Costume-wise, the dresses that feature so prominently prove a vintage fashion-lover's dream. And with the picture's sunny hues and optimistic mood as well, Sydney has rarely looked as radiant. From rising talent Rice (a veteran of The Nice Guys, The Beguiled and Spider-Man: Homecoming at the age of just 17) to the more experienced likes of Ormond, Taylor and Corr, the movie's stars are also lively and warm. Every performance in the film feels lived in, including Susie Porter as Lisa's doting stay-at-home mum and Noni Hazlehurst as a Goode's supervisor. The texture in the cast's work couldn't be more crucial — in a slightly over-padded film that keeps its narrative dramas noticeably modest, and its themes of equality and multiculturalism undeniably overt and broad, much of the minutiae comes from the characters. Indeed, the thoroughly crowd-pleasing Ladies in Black is like a gorgeous gown that way: lovely to look at from afar, but boasting extra detail when seen from a closer vantage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd7aD7F2QCg
If you're starting to feel like a new season hasn't truly started until Finders Keepers has come to town, you're not alone. The ever-expanding art and design market has been bringing us face-to-face with some of the country's most quirky and creative designers for over a decade now — and it's set to do it all over again when it returns this October. The autumn/winter event saw the festival extend its trading hours, a move which will be repeated this time round, giving you maximum opportunity to explore the extensive program of vendors, food and entertainment. The focus remains, as ever, on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans. Expect to find debut collections from the likes of liar liar. lingerie, Caye Life's sustainable water bottles and travel mugs and spadewood, which creates handmade timber wall hangings. The Finders Keepers Artist Program, an initiative that was introduced earlier this year to support emerging artists, will highlight the spring/summer recipient Leah Bartholomew's bright, abstract designs across all market collateral for the season. Many of the market's seasoned vendors will also return — so, if you've been kicking yourself since last round that you didn't pick up a bon lux candle or one of Daisy Cooper Ceramic's vases, you're in luck. As usual, there'll be live music and other entertainment scattered across the weekend to keep the good vibes going. And you're covered when the inevitable shopping-induced hunger strikes, with everything from Taiwanese street food to burgers on offer. Tickets are $5, available at the door and valid for the entire weekend. So, if you can't stop thinking about that one thing you didn't buy, you can make a return visit. Start creating your shopping list now and head to the Finders Keepers directory to see the full scope of vendors. Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Melbourne will run from October 19–21 at 12pm–9pm on Friday, 10am–7pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday. Images: Samee Lapham.
Whether it's a dog in a superhero costume or a cat wearing, well, whatever you can manage to get a cat to wear, animals donning outfits ranks among the cutest sights your eyes can ever see. Puppers popping on scouting regalia and posing for portraits might just raise the adorable stakes beyond previous levels, however — and it's not only on offer at Carlton Scout Hall on Sunday, August 5, but you can also take a souvenir home with you. If your pet pooch has a hankering for a merit badge (or you have a hankering to see them decked out in scouting hats and scarves filled with said merit badges — which you do, admit it), then march your troop down to North Carlton's Shakespeare Street between 10am–5pm. That's when Dog Photog will be snapping pics of your four-legged furball as part of its Scout's Honour Pop-Up. If you missed out last time, or missed their sailor-themed effort, then you'll want to be there. Bookings are essential, and getting a gorgeous portrait of your cute canine will set you back $45 — or $70 if you have two dogs in the same household. You'll receive a 10-minute session, plus a screen-resolution jpeg per dog. And if you'd like to order a print to hang on your wall, you can do so on the day. Image: Dog Photog.
Between Thursday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 15, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs an extra gift. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, their daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to one of the chain's six Melbourne locations (excluding Kino) — Balwyn, Brighton, Brighton Bay, South Yarra, Northcote and St Kilda — across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you a fiver, plus an online booking fee of $1.50. Want to see Mission: Impossible — Fallout with your friends on a Saturday night? It'll cost you $6.50 in total. Keen to laugh your way through The Breaker Upperers after work one afternoon? Still $6.50 all up. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for little more than the price of a cup of coffee, so you will want to nab your tickets online and pay the fee. And if you're wondering what $5 Movie Week is all about, Palace is about to launch its new rewards club. Consider this the first reward — although you don't need to be a member to benefit.
Looking to join the war on waste but aren't sure where to start? Well, you can kick off your anti-plastic lifestyle in good company, at ABC's War On Waste pop-up boutique this weekend. Making an appearance at Southbank and St Kilda this Sunday, August 5 the pop-up hopes to encourage small, everyday changes we can all make in the fight against unnecessary waste. With an estimated 10 million single-use plastic straws used by Aussies each day, there's no doubt that every little bit helps. Head along and make a pledge — whether that's making the switch to a reusable coffee cup, refusing those plastic straws from here on out, or ditching plastic bottles — and you'll score yourself a nifty reusable bag or bottle for your efforts. You'll also have the chance to meet the artists behind the funky designs, Lauren & The Lost Boys. Which will help if you plan on shopping at the newly plastic-bag free Harris Farms and Woolworths — and hopefully soon Coles. The 'War On Waste' Pop-Up in will run from 1.30–4.30pm Southbank and from 8am–11am in St Kilda.
UPDATE: AUGUST 9, 2018 — This event was originally published under the name Welcome to Hogwarts — A Magical Evening of Mischief. Event organisers have since changed the name of the event due to copyright infringement. This article has been updated to reflect that. If you've always wanted to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express — or at least pretend to — the Prince Bandroom is celebrating everything that encapsulates the wondrous world of Harry Potter with an adults-only shindig themed around that one thing every 90s kid wishes they had: magic. Apart from drinking and dressing up (press your robes in advance), there's plenty of other stuff going on. You'll be partying in spaces fit only for wizards — think the Great Hall and The Forbidden Forest. And if you need help getting around, you'll be given a map upon entry. Take a Defence Against the Dark Arts class from a magician, find out your fortune (will you get a letter soon?), get snapped in the photobooth with glasses and wizard hats, and just generally magic the night away. Tickets cost $28.60 — and we suggest you get in quick, as the Brisbane event sold out in a matter of days.
Earlier in 2018, Melbourne was named the live music capital of the world — attracting bigger audiences to live gigs than all of the big sporting events combined. Any seasoned Melburnian knows that this rings true, and not only now, but across decades gone by. Indeed, music history has made all over the city. The Melbourne Music Bus Tour takes a trip through this rich heritage, during a two-hour journey hosted by Melbourne musicologist Bruce Milne and music journalist Mary Mihelakos. Departing from the Australian Music Vault at Arts Centre Melbourne across six dates between October 2018 and March 2019 — and at 11am and 2pm on each date — this vibrant bus ride zooms through the likes of Richmond, Collingwood, St Kilda and Port Melbourne, and stops at a heap of past and previous venues, laneways and places of significance. The Dogs in Space house, the Nylex Clock sign, Mushroom Records, The Espy, Chrissy Amphlett Lane and Rowland S. Howard Lane are really just the beginning. If it inspired a song, featured in a music video or proves an important space for Indigenous music, then it's highly likely that it's on the tour. Previous seasons have sold out, so nab your $69 ticket and prepare to hop on board. Oh, and you might have some famous company, with Deborah Conway, Adalita, Cash Savage, Clare Moore, Paul Stewart, Stephen Cummings, Kim Salmon and Dave Graney among those that have been picked up along the way on past trips.
Feeling crafty, Melbourne? Do you wish you had a few more creative skills, or perhaps you're keen to deck out your home with a few one-off yarn and fibre pieces? Thanks to the folks behind Melbourne's Etsy Made Local markets, all of the above is on the agenda at the city's new crafting festival. That'd be the Melbourne Yarn & Fibre Festival, which comes to Darebin Arts Centre from 10am–3pm on Saturday, September 22. You'll browse, buy, learn and craft, with a curated craft market, a variety of workshops and a communal crafting space all part of the event. Need some extra motivation? Let this completely unrelated crafting pun-off get you in the mood. It's from a new craft-focused TV show featuring Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. Back to the new fest at hand: it also features classes galore so you can go home with a few items made by your very own hands. They include weaving baskets, making earrings, crocheting mittens and knitting not just with needles, but with your arms. Entry is free, but the workshops are ticketed, with prices ranging from $40–$280.
What better way to kick off a week-long celebration of the classic, European-born negroni than an Italian-inspired party at one of Melbourne's most lauded cocktail bars? If any place can do this iconic tipple justice, it's The Everleigh, as you'll see on Wednesday, June 6. That's when the famed Fitzroy bar launches Negroni Week with a free-to-attend Cafe Casoni party, paying homage to the drink's Florence birthplace. The Everleigh's Elk Room will be switching on the old-world Italian charms, with a roving jazz band setting the tone as you enjoy complimentary cacio e pepe — that decadent dish of fresh spaghetti served straight out of a Grana Padano cheese wheel. Best get in early if you want a taste, as it's free but only available until it runs out. Of course, it's the cocktails that are set to steal this show, headlined by a special '6 degrees of Negroni' menu featuring six clever twists on the classic aperitif. Prices start at $18, with highlights including the Cynarita, teaming tequila, Campari and Cynar; and a dry, bitter, citrusy delight dubbed Rome With A View. Plus, as well as seeing bars around the world offer a special negroni selection, Negroni Week also raises money for charity. At The Everleigh, $1 from every negroni sold across the week will go to OzHarvest.
There are a couple of great reasons to head down to Fitzroy North's Horn Please on Wednesday, August 15 — it's both Indian Independence Day and the celebrated restaurant's sixth birthday. And, to make it extra special, the restaurant will host a special all-you-can-eat feast for just $15 a head. As well as recognising the Indian joint's anniversary, the occasion will also celebrate the return of former owner and chef Jessi Singh who, after serving up his signature Indian nosh in New York for the last three years, is moving back to Melbourne. He sold Horn Please (and his other two restaurants, Kyneton's Dhaba on the Mill and Babu Ji in St Kilda) to Amar and Raj Singh in 2015, but now he's back on board as a consultant and executive chef, having led a recent transformation of the venue's menu, look and feel. So this bash offers up the perfect opportunity to take a peep at the newly minted interior — and try some of Melbourne's best Indian food. For just $15, you'll be able to eat all the butter chicken, beef lahsooni, dahl and rice you can reasonably stomach. Note that it's a no-reservations, cash-only and BYO wine ($10 corkage) situation
The next time you go out dining and drinking and get that warm, fuzzy feeling, it might not be because you've had one too many. Hopefully, it'll be because the money you spent on your meal and beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. That's one of the aims of Scarf's regular dinners, with the proceeds used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. The social enterprise works to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work by raising awareness and funding barriers to employment. To date, 181 young people have been supported through this program. The next series will run on Tuesdays between July 10 and August 28 at Brunswick's Bhang. Each dinner features a two-course set menu for $45 a head, complete with some of the restaurant's best Indian dishes, including soft shell crab pakora, coconut kingfish curry and roast pork belly with spicy Goan vindaloo. Of course, that'll all come with a few pieces of Bhang's naan bread which is made by tandoor chef Ustaji Harbans (who's been cooking naan for over 40 years) and is always a hit at its regular thali nights. Images: Kate Shanasy.
A black comedy about neighbours fighting over a tree. A harrowing recreation of the worst incident on Norwegian soil since World War II. A gothic interpretation of a well-known folk tale. A film about an infatuated college student who discovers she has unusual abilities. These are just some of the Nordic films headed to Australia as part of the 2018 Scandinavian Film Festival — and yes, it's shaping up to be a great year for movies hailing from the colder parts of Europe. All of the above titles — the opening night's Under the Tree, Berlinale hit U – July 22, the gorgeously shot Valley of Shadows and the empathetic thriller Thelma — head to the festival after amassing quite the buzz at overseas events, and they have plenty of company. Across the Scandinavian Film Festival's almost month-long tour of the country, between July 10 and August 5, 21 features will grace Australian screens, showcasing everything from the latest award-winners to the career output of one of the region's late master filmmakers. In the first camp falls Border, which is based on a short story by author John Ajvide Lindqvist and just won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes; high-school comedy Amateurs, the recipient of the best Nordic film award at this year's Goteburg Film Festival; and Winter Brothers, a flick about siblings living in a remote region that nabbed nine Danish Academy Awards. In the latter category, viewers can celebrate the life and career of renowned Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in the 100th anniversary of his birth, with six Swedish figures — including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy's Tomas Alfredson — making shorts inspired by the influential filmmaker for compilation effort Bergman Revisited. Other highlights include a semi-scripted cross-cultural comedy about two Danish men trying to set up a dog breeding business in China, aka The Saint Bernard Syndicate, SXSW-standout Heavy Trip, a film about a heavy metal muso spearheading a music festival in a small Finnish town, and The Real Estate, which attacks the chasm between the rich and the not-so in an unflinching fashion. In short: if it hails from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland and it popped up over the past year, it's probably on the lineup.
There really is a festival for everything, and come July 19 to 22 at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image, that includes television. Not content to let film monopolise the big screen fest space, ACMI is playing host to the world's biggest TV festival, with Series Mania heading to Australia for the second time. With a name that could also describe humanity's reaction each and every time a new season of a TV show hits a streaming platform, Series Mania returns for four days of television-focused fun — and with a huge program. The lineup features 20 TV series and three web series from around the world, including five world premieres, 16 Australian premieres and two Melbourne premiere. New series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Alicia Silverstone, Rachel Griffiths and Mark Strong are all on the bill, as are an in-conversation session with Patrick Melrose screenwriter David Nicholls and co-star Hugo Weaving, acclaimed US coming-of-age drama The Chi and opening night's Aussie series Wrong Kind of Black. If that all sounds like your idea of a great way to spend a day or several, then prepare for an epic binge session — but out of the house and not in your pyjamas. And in even better news, all screening sessions at Series Mania are free. Image: Nathalie Prèbende.
In the early hours of July 18, 1969, a car veered off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy was driving, while Mary Jo Kopechne sat in the passenger's seat. He was a US senator, and a brother of slain American president John F. Kennedy. She was a former aide to Ted's other assassinated sibling, politician and aspiring presidential nominee Robert F. Kennedy. Along with Bobby's past campaign staff plus a few friends, they'd been partying in the lead up to the Apollo 11 moon landing, with Ted on the cusp of running for the country's highest office. But then he swerved into a tidal channel — and although he managed to swim to safety as the vehicle sank into the water, he left Kopechne drowning inside the car. More than that, he fled the scene and didn't report the accident until ten hours later. Featuring Jason Clarke as the youngest Kennedy son and Kate Mara as Kopechne, Chappaquiddick explores this controversial chapter in US political history — one that, due to the fallout, would ensure that Ted never followed JFK all the way to the White House. Directed by filmmaker John Curran (Tracks), the movie presents a sombre account of a man caught between complicated extremes on several levels. Teeming with insecurity about living in his brothers' shadows, he was already trapped between his own ambitions and the expectations of his stern father (Bruce Dern). After the incident, he's torn between doing what's right and doing what's best for his career and reputation. Or is he? With the bulk of the movie focusing on the aftermath of the accident, detailing the response to the situation as the hours and days pass, Chappaquiddick doesn't paint Ted in a favourable light. The film might pitch its protagonist as a conflicted man stuck in complex circumstances, but the script is also smart enough to realise that its underlying scenario is actually rather simple. Here, a guy does the wrong thing, but doesn't want to own up to it because it'll have considerable repercussions. It's as straightforward as Curran's efficient, unassuming directorial style, with the picture visually indistinguishable from plenty of other solemn takes on true political tales. Consequently, what ultimately eventuates is less a movie that unpacks a moral quandary, and more an incisive, quietly scathing portrait of power's corrupting influence – among other subjects. Indeed, it's to the credit of Curran and first-time screenwriters Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan that the movie sets quite a number of topics in its sights, all with pertinent parallels to today. Chappaquiddick depicts the calculating cover-up instigated by the Kennedys, leaving cousin Joe Gargan (an effective against-type Ed Helms) as the lone voice of reason. Thanks to the real-life fact that Ted kept his senatorial spot until his death in 2009, it also offers a reminder that even the most serious of scandals can't completely damage someone with enough privilege and authority. Further, the movie demonstrates the forgiving nature of the constant news cycle, where today's lead story becomes tomorrow's footnote when something else comes along. In Ted's case, a small step for man and a giant leap for mankind (something that JFK helped set in motion) couldn't have come at a better time. With a poised facade that can't completely mask his struggles, Ted remains an intriguing character, largely thanks to Clarke's strong performance. Tasked with playing a figure who's neither sympathetic nor the most ruthless person in the film (an honour reserved for Dern's grimacing patriarch, and a role that's slightly overplayed), the Australian actor is saddled with a delicate balancing act. Luckily, it's one that he handles well, with his stint as a troubled local representative on the excellent, underappreciated TV series Brotherhood proving a fantastic training ground. Chappaquiddick might work best as an indictment of everything from political dynasties to impropriety among elected officials to society's short attention span — not to mention the treatment of women by the rich and powerful — but the movie also serves up a solid character study. It's no Jackie, of course, but then again, few things are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snmc-Gc69Fk
There are haunted houses, and then there's the Winchester Mystery House. Forget the occasional swinging door and creaky floorboard – in this sprawling abode, things go bump both day and night. That's the story, anyway, one spooky enough to establish the San Jose residence as a popular tourist attraction for almost a century. The seven-storey building dates back to 1884, contains 161 rooms and was under construction for nearly 40 years. It's also said to be full of ghostly inhabitants. No wonder Hollywood came knocking. Indeed, in another life, the history of the mansion could've come with an M. Night Shyamalan-style twist, or become one of Guillermo del Toro's gothic playgrounds, with both filmmakers once interested in turning it into a movie. Instead, the spirits of their unrealised projects join the many things haunting Winchester, not the least of which is squandered potential. Try as they might, Australian directors Peter and Michael Spierig (Daybreakers, Jigsaw) just can't capitalise on their real-world premise – and that's despite their convincing command of genre fundamentals and an against-type Helen Mirren as their star. The beloved British actress plays the widowed Sarah Winchester, heir by marriage to the Winchester firearms-manufacturing firm. Mourning the loss of her husband and infant daughter, Sarah has dedicated much of her life to building her enormous home — all while basing its unconventional, ever-changing design on otherworldly instructions. That doesn't please the company's board, who enlist psychiatrist Dr. Eric Price (Jason Clarke) to attest to her diminished capacity. Addicted to laudanum, the good doctor is haunted by demons of his own, and soon discovers there's more than a well-paying job waiting for him at Winchester manor. If prowling around an eerie house was all it took to make an effective horror flick, Winchester would be primed for success. Once again building upon their growing genre resume, the Spierigs prove up to the task both visually and tonally, conjuring up an unnerving mood and ensuring the maze-like setting is as creepy as it should be. They're a little too fond of jump-scares, but at least they make enough of them count. Sadly, the same can't be said for the movie's obvious plotting and terrible dialogue, with the twin writer-directors — along with co-scribe Tom Vaughan (Unstoppable) – making every expected choice and saddling their characters with some truly awful lines. That said, enlisting Mirren and Clarke, along with Sarah Snook (Predestination) and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return) does help lift the film's fortunes somewhat. Specifically, there's plenty of fun to be had watching Mirren jump into another unexpected genre after she popped up in The Fate of the Furious just last year. The veteran actress turns in a committed performance filled with quiet resolve — all while decked out in gorgeously gothic outfits. She can't make an average movie great or even good, but at least she helps keep it from being totally forgettable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfzDq6-vCZc
A long, hot, Melbourne summer deserves a proper Melbourne send-off, and how better to do that, than with a series of free music events? To squeeze a little extra goodness out of the sunny season, the folks at Rosé Rosé are set to host a three-week boutique music series called Wine Not?, complete with an all-Aussie lineup of wines, beers, cocktails and top DJ's. Held in conjunction with Arts Centre Melbourne's new exhibition, The Australian Music Vault, the event will take over the centre's ground floor al fresco space, The Barre, running Friday and Saturday nights, from March 9. WAT Artists has pulled together a banging musical lineup for the occasion, with the likes of Harvey Sutherland, Oscar Key Sung, Andras, Fantastic Man and Nite Fleit promising to have punters dancing their way through March. Alongside the tunes, expect a carefully curated, locally-focused bar offering, with cocktails from Melbourne Martini, brews from Grand Ridge and Rosé Rosé's own lightly sparkling rosé cans. There'll also be a rose-themed light show, a lounge area for chilling out under the stars, and easy access to The Australian Music Vault, for when those DJ tunes inspire you to dig a little deeper into the Aussie music story. Wine Not? will run from 5–11pm on March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24. Find it at The Barre, Arts Centre Melbourne. For more information, head to the website.
It might not have been planned, but Bluebonnet Barbecue is definitely one of Melbourne's most well-travelled restaurants. After a fire forced the beloved barbecue joint out of its original Collingwood home after just two years of operation, it enjoyed a temporary residency at The Curtin, before eventually settling into new digs within the former North Fitzroy Star in 2016. And now, with redevelopment in the works for the pub, Chris Terlikar's famed eatery is on the move again — though this time it's to a permanent abode, having signed a 20-year lease on a space in Brunswick East. But Bluebonnet's not going anywhere without a proper farewell, which of course involves plenty of meaty treats for all. From March 5–23, it's reinstating its legendary All You Can Meat bottomless barbecue feeds. Book a table for dinner on any of those days (or lunch on weekends) and $55 will get you a feast fit for a carnivore king. The house cooling festivities will then wrap up with one final party on Saturday, March 24. We'll give you more info about that one as it drops.
Classic Australian films surrounded by Australia's classic bushland? If you're after more than just the usual trip to the movies, you can't get much better than this. It's the work of Campout Cinema, the latest event coming to Bush Hideouts , a super scenic 500-acre spot by the banks of the Goulburn River, a breezy 80 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne. Taking place from 6pm on Saturday, December 1, this one-off movie night will show a double of Wake in Fright and Long Weekend. If you don't know what you're in for, the pair of local 70s flicks are all about heading out into the Aussie outback and getting more than you bargained for. Yes, it's a particularly fitting program — but, thankfully, all of the unnerving thrills will be confined to the big screen. Unless you're easily frightened. For those keen to soak up a combo of nature and cinema on the first night of summer, there'll also be food trucks, a bar and — naturally — plenty of popcorn. $45 (plus booking fee) gets you entry to the films, access to the after party and a spot to camp for the night. If you're happy to pop along just for the movies, that'll set you back $20.
Melbourne fashion lovers sticking to a budget, rejoice — the biannual Magic Designer Sale is back for its second sale of 2018. For one weekend a massive amount of end-of-season stock and samples will be available from local designers such as Witu, Verner, Kuwaii, Handsom, Kloke, Seb Brown and Dress Up. With reductions running across the four days, your purchases are guaranteed to be investments. So cancel your weekend plans, empty your piggy bank and race over to Johnson Street. We suggest getting there early for the good stuff. The sale will run from 5.30–8.30 on Thursday, 9am–6pm on Friday, 10am–6pm on Saturday, and 11am–4pm on Sunday.
A block party ain't a block party without giraffes. Or orang-utans. Or elephants. With that in mind, Melbourne Zoo is hosting a series of animal-fuelled block parties throughout November. Happening for three Saturday nights in November, the shindigs are a collaboration with ACMI and independent radio station 3RRR. Expect to be completely immersed in sound and light, with ACMI hosting spectacular big screen visuals and Animals Dancing DJs getting your feet moving. In between making shapes, you'll be conquering your mates at giant Jenga, Twister and Mario Kart on Nintendo 64 — or taking a round or two on a carousel. Should all the action have you working up an appetite, take your pick of street eats from a herd of food trucks, and get a drink at the bar. Just 300 tickets at just 20 bucks a pop are on sale for each event. And all proceeds will go towards Melbourne Zoo's efforts to save 21 threatened species from extinction. It should get you warmed up for the Zoo Twilights, which kick off on January 25.
A cinema showcase that not only boasts a stacked program, but also a stirring message, the annual Environmental Film Festival is all about contemplating humanity's place in the world. From pondering mankind's impact on our natural surroundings to exploring the real cost of technological advancement, it's a socially conscious fest that designed to spark questions. Expect plenty when it hits the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Palace Westgarth across its nine-day run. Screening from Thursday, October 11 to Friday, October 19, EFF's 2018 lineup includes everything from near post-apocalyptic visions of electronic waste courtesy of documentary Welcome to Sodom, to Birds of Prey's beautiful yet heartbreaking account of the Philippine Eagle, of which less than 700 remain today. Firmly focused on docos, many films screen with Q&A sessions, so you can get to the heart of matters such as the chemical repercussions of everyday items, the price paid for the world's reliance upon oil and the ivory trade. For those keen for a glimpse of the planet you won't see elsewhere, Stella Polaris Ulloriarsuaq captures the current state of Greenland's glaciers and the Kalaallit people who've lived on the ice for millennia. Or, take a journey into The Ancient Woods — a meditative, observational highlight that burrows into an old growth forest in Lithuania and simply watches nature take its course, completely without dialogue, commentary or narration.
Do you suffer from garden envy? Or do you wander around in a garden daze? The two aren't mutually exclusive. Yes, the first refers to wishing that your patch of greenery was as nice as someone else's — and the second is all about spending too much time starting at gorgeous plants, trees, flowers and landscaping when you're casually walking through your neighbourhood. Sure, we might've just coined both of these terms, but we're describing experiences that we've all had. And if you like to indulge your love of ogling other people's nice gardens, then you'll want to embark on one of the Secret Gardens of the Dandenong Ranges spring tours between Wednesday, October 17 and Saturday, October 27. Running Wednesday to Saturday each week — so for eight days in total — each tour will take you through private, lush gardens in the Dandenong Ranges. Yes, you'll be getting an up-close glimpse at spaces that you wouldn't normally be able to set foot in. Each tour starts and ends at the Karwarra Australian Plant Garden, but the daily itineraries are different. You will need a whole day for each trip, and you'll also need between $190–240 per person. But, the limited wanders only take 50 people per days, mostly include lunch, and also feature glass of wine and hors d'oeuvres at the end of the day. Image: Secret Gardens of the Dandenong Ranges.
So far in 2018, Joaquin Phoenix has played a down-to-earth Jesus in Mary Magdalene and a hammer-wielding hitman in You Were Never Really Here. At present, the always-fascinating actor is filming his first comic book movie, stepping into the shoes of the Joker. Although it mightn't initially seem like it, his role in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot falls somewhere in the middle of all three. Here, he plays a man who's reaching out to the masses in a chaotic, often confrontational, sometimes self-sabotaging manner, while realising the importance of connecting more intimately. A biopic of Portland cartoonist John Callahan, the movie's title comes not only from the artist's memoir, but from one of his sketched pieces: a black-and-white drawing depicting three cowboys on horseback, all standing next to an empty wheelchair. As the caption notes, it swiftly dawns on the crusading posse that the chair's occupant can't have strayed very far. Typically self-deprecating, the picture speaks volumes about Callahan and his ability to see humour in even the most unlikely and difficult of situations. As Gus Van Sant's unconventional film shows, Callahan is making light of his own reality, both as a quadriplegic tragically paralysed at the age of 21 after a drunken car accident, and as a cartoonist who frequently courted controversy with his irreverent work. Portrayed as outwardly carefree but inwardly tormented by the reliably stellar Phoenix, Callahan takes quite the journey in Van Sant's movie. As the film's moniker makes plain, he's often venturing emotionally rather than physically — stuck in a hospital bed, and later in the wheelchair that he hates. Before his accident at the hands of an inebriated pal (Jack Black), Callahan liked a drink more than anything else in the world, with alcohol his only real motivation to get out of bed each day. Afterwards, he struggles to accept his injury and confront his addiction, seeking help from his sponsor (a bearded Jonah Hill, who is similarly excellent) and his physical therapist (Rooney Mara). He also finds solace in cartooning, turning his new hobby into a nearly three-decade career with his local newspaper. Callahan passed away in 2010, and if the above description of his life sounds eventful but straightforward, seeing it onscreen dispels that notion. Attempting to capture its protagonist not just in story but also in style, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot also takes quite the journey. Reteaming with Phoenix 23 years after the pair collaborated on To Die For, Van Sant jumps back and forth between different aspects of Callahan's experiences. The filmmaker unravels wisdom, conflict and harsh truths in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which give the film a loose structure, and he doesn't necessarily focus on the details that audiences might expect. The result is a sincere yet never sentimental movie that endeavours to provide a sense of its subject — including his careening, freewheeling ways — rather than adhere to the standard biographical format. That said, for all of its apparent desire to capture Callahan's essence, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot proves intriguing but not always completely compelling. The film's restlessness clearly reflects the internal state of its protagonist, as it's designed to, yet it also comes across as somewhat awkward and superficial. Van Sant seems like he desperately wants to show rather than tell, but even with his almost erratic approach to conveying Callahan's tale, it never feels as though he's delving as deeply as he could be. And while the veteran writer-director assembles an impressive cast that also includes Carrie Brownstein, Udo Kier, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and singer Beth Ditto, everyone except Phoenix and Hill is sorely wasted — and not in the fashion that Callahan would've once preferred. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5BeQ2hkVzo
There's constantly something new popping up in Melbourne. Whether it's a new gallery space or a fresh paste-up in the laneway on your way to work — it can be tough to keep up. But this weekend, online arts hub Redbubble have co-ordinated an event to let you in behind the scenes. On November 29-30, the city will be full of live art, floating galleries and "experiential hot spots". You're finally being let backstage on the magic. The inaugural ART + MEL will see Federation Square turned into a giant bedroom — yeah, you read that right — featuring the work of over 100 local artists (and bonus free coffee from Code Black). Street artists Kaitlin Beckett and Matthew Dunn will be splashing some paint around Rutledge Lane for your entertainment. There'll also be a big artsy party at 1000 £ Bend from 6pm-1am on the Sunday night. Better yet, it's all totally free. For more information including artist profiles and event times, check out the ART + MEL website.
The release of a shiny new album, Strange But Nice, was a good time as any for Sydney trio Step-Panther to take their show back on the road. Collaborating with long-time buds, Bearhug, the lads will be embarking on an East Coast album launch for the so-called New Arrivals tour. For those of you playing at home, Step-Panther are a homegrown garage-pop-rock outfit, with a sound described as 'slacker-pop'. Indeed, Step-Panther's lo-fi sound makes the perfect soundtrack for a lazy afternoon at a mate's house, preferably paired with an inflatable pool filled with ice and tinnies. Bearhug have a dreamier sound, sporting the unavoidably-dubbed 'indie' vibe without being douchey. Also hailing from Sydney, the band are also celebrating an album released — their recently-dropped second album, So Gone. Guitar-heavy with infectious melodies — these guys are onto something good. Also supported by Reptiles. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2y4goxKYj7M
Without a doubt the highlight of the whole Melbourne Music Week program, the Live Music Safari brings the entire city to life. Fourteen of Melbourne's best venues including Boney, Section 8, The Toff and The Hi-Fi are hosting some of the city's most exciting bands and they're doing so for the ever-so-tasty price of free. Running for nearly 12 hours of sonic bliss, the Safari wants you to pop in and out of shows from 4pm-5am. Ideal route: chill out in Ferdydurke as City Calm Down and Milwaukee Banks turn Tattersalls Lane into an all-out laneway party, head along to Queen Vic to catch a set from Kingswood, cruise down to the Toff to catch The Harpoons, get a load of newbies Japanese Wallpaper at the Kelvin Club and, as always, finish it all off at Boney. There's no judgment here, friends. This was chosen as one of our top ten events of Melbourne Music Week. Check out the full list here.
Do the drab walls of your over-priced office space make you cry a little inside every weekday? Does working from home make you realise that there is such a thing as a too comfortable workspace? Meet the co-working space: fashionable cousin to working from home and a place that has seen a slew of small businesses and organisations sharing spaces and experiences, all while saving some dosh. Hub Australia is one such space that is opening its Melbourne doors for free and, to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, they're allowing you to experience what it's like to have a pretty-looking space to while away the working day. Suss out the Hub kitchen on an office tour, get a taste of coworking life with networking sessions and workshops, and listen to fantastically titled talks (e.g. 'How To Sell Yourself Without Feeling Dirty') from guest presenters and experts. Participants will even be invited to the Hub's weekly, sufficiently self-explanatory 'Wine Down' from 5pm onwards. Fuel your office envy and register for free here.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinemas. After taking on the entire Nazi high command in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Brad Pitt's second foray into the WWII genre feels significantly closer to reality. Directed by David Ayre, Fury follows the trials of a five-man American tank crew, played by Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena and Jon Bernthal, as they push deep into German territory during the closing months of the war. Brutal and unflinching, the film's been compared in many reviews, including our own, to Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-winning Saving Private Ryan. On Saturday December 6, Concrete Playground will present a special screening of Fury at Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema. Gates open at 6pm for a 7.30pm live performance by Melbourne-born singer-songwriter JR Reyne, who'll be cranking out an openair live set until sundown. Tickets are selling fast, so grab them while you still can. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema runs from November 30 to December 21 at South Beach Reserve, next to the St Kilda Sea Baths. For the full program see their website.
The film industry has a gender problem. While women make up more than half of the world's moviegoers, just 16 per cent of last year's 250 most successful films had female directors. In Hollywood specifically, that number is halved. It's dire statistics like these that inspired the Seen and Heard Film Festival, an event designed to showcase the best that female filmmakers have to offer. After original launching in Sydney back in 2009, this year marks the festival's inaugural Melbourne season. Hosted at ACMI, the four-day event features three short film streams, including one dedicated to school-aged filmmakers and another to short form horror. There's also a selection of full-length movies on offer, including Desiree Akhavan's biting relationship comedy Appropriate Behaviour, the critically acclaimed immigration drama Under the Starry Sky, and Regarding Susan Sontag — an eponymous doco about the seminal feminist theorist. We can almost guarantee all films pass the Bechdel test.
Think your recorder skills in Year 6 were pretty enviable? London high school buds Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Suren de Saram and Ed Nash actually lived the School of Rock dream when they were offered a record deal just after finishing their studies. Fast-forward a few years, a few albums and more than a few shows, Bombay Bicycle Club (albeit with less cherub-looking faces) are still rocking it. For the first time in almost two years, the British four-piece will grace Australia's east coast. Blessed with an ability to bounce between genres, their latest self-labelled 'dance' record released in February of this year, So Long, See You Tomorrow, is the group's fourth album in five years. For their Australian gigs, expect a little bit of psychedelia of 2011's A Different Kind of Fix, a little bit of acoustic goodness from 2010's Flaws, and a whole lot of Londony vibes. Supported by East. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JwlgC-jSPTk
Sometimes you've just got to be in the right place, at the right time. Singer/songwriter Timothy Carroll first struck up a musical friendship with guitarist and composer Oscar Dawson in South East Asia and again, a few years later, in Stockholm where a stint of recording culminated in a demo for what would be a future Holy Holy song. Since then, the inter-city-loving duo have returned to Australia and, working with Hungry Kids of Hungary drummer Ryan Strathie, have produced insanely infectious singles like 'Impossible Like You' and 'House of Cards'. Support performances for Emma Louise and The Trouble With Templeton last year have impressed Australian audiences while their debut album, The Pacific EP, released earlier this year and recorded with local superstar producer Matt Redlich, has attracted Midlake comparisons. Now with a third single, 'History', up their sleeves, Holy Holy are embarking on a national headline tour. Expect gripping chorus builds and impassioned vocals as the band transports their rich production sounds from the studio onto the stage. Supported by Lanks + Jim Lawrie. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oLu-DNXrs04
Self-proclaimed 'Southern American music preservationist' Justin Townes Earle is returning to our shores for Melbourne's Out On The Weekend Americana-lovin' festival. Luckily, he's also trekking across the country for a number of sideshows, set to play new tunes such as 'Time Shows Fools' from his fifth studio album Single Mothers. The album reflects a new direction for the recently married Earle, the first of two releases from a recent recording session. The second, Absent Fathers, will be released next year. Old and new fans alike can expect a new Earle experience at the show, with JTE playing with a full live band for the very first time. These shows will promise a different approach for the blues aficionado, one that finds him fitting in with his fellow jammers instead of dominating the stage solo. A true talent — and one who's truly stepped out of his famous father's shadow — Earle is a musician whose live shows guarantee a good ol' night on the town(es).Supported by Lindi Ortega + Marlon Williams.
If you like your circus bright, gawdy and replete with peanuts and fairy floss, this is not the show for you. Off the back of five-star reviews in the UK, Opus comes to us from the local legends at Circa as they team up with France's Debussy Quartet. Combining world-class classical music and spellbinding acts of grace and endurance, the show presents a fusion of styles that hasn't really been seen on Australian stages. Intensifying this dynamic, the musicians will in fact be seated on stage while playing the work of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. High energy and high concept, it might be best to leave the kids at home. This event was chosen as one of our top ten things to see at the Melbourne Festival 2014. See the full list here.
Kids do and say the funniest things, with no opportunity spared in reminding us of this fact. We were all children once, so we’ve been there and done that — and an endless parade of movies and TV shows, fictional and otherwise, just wants to keep bringing it up. What We Did On Our Holiday is the latest, the first feature written and directed by the folks behind British child-centric sitcom Outnumbered. Writer/director duo Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin have found what they think is a winning formula, and they’re sticking to it — but should they? Or should audiences? That’s the more pressing question, particularly for those without their own offspring in tow. Showing the amusing side of having a family while managing more than just nodding at those exasperated at their own kids is a far trickier feat than it seems. It’s the entertainment equivalent of a social media feed filled with someone’s proud photos of their children; there needs to be something more than just smiling baby faces for others to have fun. What We Did On Our Holiday brings a likeable, recognisable cast and broad sentiments about not sweating the small stuff along for its journey out of English suburbia and into the Scottish Highlands, in an attempt to package the pitter-patter of tiny feet into something more universally relatable. Recently estranged couple Doug (David Tennant) and Abi (Rosamund Pike) try to keep up the appearance of happiness at the 75th birthday bash of Doug’s cancer-stricken father Gordy (Billy Connolly). Their kids — the sensible older daughter, the cheeky son and the curious youngster — have other plans. Doctor Who and Gone Girl’s Amazing Amy Tennant and Pike are not, instead bickering over their emotional baggage and left looking uncomfortable with their jaws agape at the antics they can’t stop their brood getting up to. Connolly is as charming as ever, even toned-down and waxing lyrical with nostalgia, but the film’s sights are constantly aimed at the trio of tykes under ten spouting semi-improvised dialogue to wring the biggest laughs. To be fair, children can be cute and they can utter hilarious yet insightful pearls of wisdom, particularly in silly situations — which What We Did On Our Holiday has plenty of. Social-climbing relatives and eccentric neighbours provide some of the drama, all of the stereotypical, easily predictable type, of course. Needlessly trying to keep secrets — about a marriage, an illness and from the police after a particularly ridiculous, darker twist — takes care of the rest. The film’s tone of sweet, simple, observational humour is certainly well intentioned, as are the picturesque country and beachside settings. However, 95 minutes of kids stumbling into contrived adult chaos against a pretty backdrop also acts as a test of patience, and some will find their limits exceeded long before the Hollywood ending.
Fresh from Falls and ready to spring into an East Coast tour is Brisbane five-piece Art Of Sleeping. After recently releasing first single ‘Crazy’ from their forthcoming LP (expected to land sometime mid-2015), the band are keen to test out their new material. For those who have been a fan of the band for a while, or really into previous single ‘Empty Hands’, do not despair, they’ll also be playing tracks off their 2012 EP, Like A Thief. Art Of Sleeping have been lauded by some pretty reputable music folks as quite the spectacle to be seen live, and really, who are we to argue? Their engaging brand of indie rock, and strong vocals from lead singer Caleb Hodges, is perhaps why the band has managed to make such a name for themselves despite their enigmatic nature. Either way, we’re pumped. They will be joined by Chris O'Neill and The Lulu Raes at the Northcote Social Club, and for $17 a pop, you’d be silly not to.
Like Christmas, Easter brings a wealth of family film fare to cinemas — but not all flicks seemingly targeted at kids are created equal. Not all movies find their story in Mexican and Latin American culture in general, and in Día de los Muertos (or the Day of the Dead) specifically, for example. And not all all-ages efforts are produced by Pan's Labyrinth and Pacific Rim's Guillermo del Toro. If you haven't already guessed, The Book of Life isn't much like other offerings aimed at viewers young and old, and the reasons keep on coming. Though it tells a tale of adventure and romance, it also plunges into worlds laced with death and filled with souls lurking beyond the grave. It may stick with the usual trick of using celebrity voices, but they're not your standard selections, nor do their vocals overwhelm the visuals. And it certainly doesn't look like anything else you've seen before, with its distinctively animated frames depicting the bulk of the characters as intricately crafted marionettes. Instead, The Book of Life is an entertaining feast for the eyes and for the heart, both beautiful to watch and to become immersed in. It starts with school students bored with a museum tour, then sparked into intrigue by a savvy guide (Christina Applegate). The story she shares centres on two warring spirits — La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), ruler of the Land of the Remembered, and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the Land of the Forgotten — who make a bet over the control of their realms. Three friends draw their attention: the feisty Maria (Zoe Saldana), who refuses to conform to customary female roles just because it is the done thing; the guitar-playing Manolo (Diego Luna), who is expected to follow in his father's bullfighting footsteps; and the headstrong Joaquin (Channing Tatum), the son of their town's famed but fallen protector. La Muerte wagers that the sensitive Manolo will win Maria's love, while Xibalba backs the bandit-fighting Joaquin. Now, don't go dismissing the film for its formulaic focus on men tussling over a woman, because that's only the broad outline of the narrative. No one in the feature adheres to type, just like the movie itself. Everyone has to open their minds to finding their right path. Everyone has stereotypes to overcome. Indeed, experienced animator turned first-time feature writer and director Jorge R. Gutiérrez oozes affection for departing from the tradition of family fare everywhere he can, including ramping up the gothic, del Toro-esque touches, playfully bathing dark material in an abundance of colour, rendering villains in metal in contrast to the wooden heroes, and using Ice Cube as a hip hop overseer of all life. It's the little things like this that make The Book of Life as fun as it sounds — and it already sounds incredibly fun. Far removed from the usual movies of the season, this is one magically macabre cinema outing.
Why are French films so good even when they’re so bad? How does a mainstream drama masquerade as a classy arthouse film? Since the unlikely plot machinations of Gone Girl, there’s been much talk of preposterous thrillers; what Samba gives us is a preposterous romance. Charlotte Gainsbourg is an impossibly stylish yet under-confident social worker who falls in love with one of her clients, Senegalese immigrant Samba Cisse (Omar Sy), who’s in a detention centre and legal limbo despite ten years of work and life in France. A ridiculous scenario! So why do we buy it? And how exactly do the French do middlebrow cinema so well? Samba is co-written and directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, the team behind the 2011 feel-good hit The Intouchables that introduced the world to French-Senegalese actor Sy. I’d be surprised if Nakache and Toledano ever let him go — Sy is a super charisma bomb and genuine movie star. Gainsbourg is typically lovely and captivating, but really, it’s all about Sy. The film’s comedic beats are sprinkled evenly, the intelligent and photogenic romantic leads dance awkwardly and endearingly around each other as expected, all the loose ends are tied — and every stereotype of a French film is fulfilled. It's all pleasingly predictable. An Australian or British filmmaker might play Samba as gritty social-realist cinema, but in French hands it's closer to a rom-com with a dash of humanitarian consciousness, with a perilously close move to melodrama in the third act. The opening scene lays out the film’s more serious themes beautifully. We open on a group of Gatsby-era dancers on stage, glittering and red-lipped, a swing remix playing, and as the camera pulls back indulgently, a giddy bride and groom in punch-drunk love cut a huge cake. We follow as the cake is whisked out of the ballroom, through swinging service doors and into the sweaty, stressful kitchen, to be cut, plated and served. Across that threshold, the Luhrmann-style extravaganza immediately gives way to a hospitality class of invisible, non-white, super-stressed labourers. This one long take gives us a perfect, efficient view of how racial segregation continues in contemporary democracies — that the luxuries of the upper classes are fuelled by the sweat of migrants who renounce many basic rights for the 'privilege’ of living in the developed world. A film about the immigrant’s struggle might seem overly dry, but Samba is drenched in that amazing French cinema slickness. It’s an easy date film, a stay-in-on-Friday-with-pizza-and-wine film, the type of socially acceptable, trashy indulgence you don’t have to feel humiliated about (the anti-Fifty Shades of Grey). It’s the filmic equivalent of Cafe del Mar easy listening: it’s watchable. The direction and music and cinematography are so seamlessly invisible, and the lead performances so natural, the film appears to be directed on autopilot. Most of all, Samba is neither a good nor bad film; it’s a disturbingly competent one. Still, it’s a minor victory every time a film for grown ups that's not part of a Marvel-ised 'story world' makes it to theatres. And you get to spend a couple of hours with Charlotte Gainsbourg and Omar Sy.
With a trio of critically-acclaimed features already under his belt, director Alex Ross Perry is a name that every indie film lover should get to know. Luckily the programmers at ACMI agree, and are giving you the chance to do just that. Timed to coincide with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Fed Square cinema is screening all three of Perry’s features, each one more striking and acerbically funny than the last. The three-week season is built around Perry’s most recent effort, the misanthropic comedy Listen Up Philip. Described by one critic as both "exceptionally funny and deeply sad," the film stars Jason Schwartzman as a narcissistic novelist whose life slowly collapses under the weight of his own flimsily constructed ego. If you enjoy Listen Up Philip you can also check out Perry’s low-budget freshman and sophomore films Impolex and The Colour Wheel. For full dates and session times, go here.
With a slogan that promises cinematic delight, the latest edition of Australia's Turkish Film Festival is about to get under way. Hosted at the Dendy Newtown in Sydney and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne, the festival caps off a banner year for Turkish cinema, one that included wins at major international festivals including Cannes, Venice and even Sydney. This year's program consists of the poignant opening night film Whisper if I Forget, Turkish-American co-production in Across the Sea and Palme d'Or winner Winter Sleep, as well as the film-centric comedy Coming Soon, about a desperate film extra attempting to make a movie of his own. Melbourne audiences will also get the chance to experience The Bride, one of the masterpieces of '70s Turkish cinema, as well as Sivas, which took out the Special Jury Prize in Venice.
Head to the Melbourne Showgrounds to eat your weight in street food from every corner of the globe. A good place to start would be the AMFVG Food Truck Park to get a little sample from here, there and everywhere. If you make it out of there with some room left in your tum, there will also be stalls from the likes of Mr Burger, Wonderbao, Those Girls Iced Tea, The Snag Society, Treat Yo Self Quesadilla Cart, Gumbo Kitchen and 400 Gradi just to name a few. As well as food stalls galore there will also be live music throughout the weekend. The ISFF is one of our picks of the best Australia Day events. See the rest here.
With the sun out in full force and Melbourne's iconic winter blues all but a distant memory, there's never been a better time (nor title) for Emily Floyd's latest exhibition. Cataloguing 13 years of her big, bright sculptural installation works, The Dawn is the perfect way to kill some time on a lazy summer afternoon — a fun combination of bright primary colours and giant building blocks that seem to have catapulted themselves straight from your childhood toy chest. Known best for her large-scale sculptures that are often exhibited in public spaces, Emily Floyd's clean style and modernist design has made her one of Melbourne's most recognisable artists in recent years. Though she's exhibited overseas in the past, you may have caught her work locally at Heide, Anna Schwartz Gallery, or MUMA (she also lectures in Fine Art at Monash University). In this, her first solo retrospective, you're in for the full experience. Step into the NGV expecting a world of abstract goodness — the kind of frustratingly simple and beautiful designs that will make you want to redecorate your living room ASAP.
The realisation that eventually comes to everyone underscores Once My Mother, one that dawned slowly upon filmmaker Sophia Turkiewicz. She grew up listening to stories her mother, Helen, would tell of her life, but could only see as far as the intersection with her involvement. More immediate family history weighed upon Sophia, driving a desire for distance as she grew from a girl into a woman. Unforgiving about time spent in an orphanage, she also demonstrated an unwillingness to look past the emotional scars of her upbringing. It follows that Once My Mother takes a universal process — that of discovering the real personality of our parents, of understanding the true impact of their past not just upon their lives but our own, and of showing compassion for any missteps along the way — and relates it to the audience in the only way possible: as a personal journey. Turkiewicz's documentary is dedicated to dissecting Helen's resilience through decades marked by difficulties of destruction, discrimination and displacement; however, it is also shaped by a daughter's burgeoning awakening to things only age and experience could help her appreciate. Many laudatory words are directed towards Helen in the film's narration, written by and told from Sophia's perspective as a letter from the latter to the former but actually voiced by another. The extolling of virtues is justified by the accounts of Helen's epic ordeals in Poland and Siberia during the Second World War, then in Africa in the aftermath, and finally in Australia in an attempt to establish a new life as a single mother. The language remains lyrical and love-fuelled, sensitive and sentimental, even if the revelation that it is uttered by someone else (Jen Vuletic) somewhat skews the sense of intimacy. Of course, the spoken component is just one part of the documentary, with the visual complement impressive in its detailed assemblage. Starting with Helen in an aged care centre, then going back to the beginning, Sophia combines archival footage and photographs with contemporary-shot interviews and visits. The most fulfilling and fortunate element comes from work filmed many years ago, in the fledgling days of her career and with the flame of inquiry into her maternal genesis just beginning to spark, of earlier chats with Helen. Turkiewicz's career has spanned a significant slice of Australian film and television since the early 1980s, most notably the AFI-winning feature Silver City. It is fitting that it similarly took stock of familiar circumstances, albeit in fictionalised form. Here, she confronts the true tale with obvious emotion, but also insight and information. Once My Mother is a time capsule of a unique bond, and a testament to the impact of tenacity, both resonant and relatable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-fos7dm2inE
With hundreds of great titles across countless languages and styles, the Melbourne International Film Festival has a movie to fit every conceivable taste. And yet for our money, one of the most exciting entries in this year's MIFF program isn't actually a movie at all. The fruit of a first-time partnership between MIFF and Red Stitch Actors Theatre, The Flick is the latest work from critically acclaimed young playwright Annie Baker, and was the recent recipient of the 2014 Pulitzer for Drama. Set in a small, single-screen art house cinema in Massachusetts that has long resisted the transition from 35mm to digital, the play explores the professional and emotional lives of the theatre's three underpaid ushers, as they struggle with a variety of personal insecurities while bickering about the movies that they love.
Six pairs of wine-making novices have teamed up with gurus from the likes of De Bortoli, Sutton Grange and Shadowfax to produce the best drop from start to finish. Wine: Baptism of Fire competitors include a team of food bloggers, two Bellota wine bar legends, the partners of St Ali, and a few excellent combinations of publishing folk and hospitality heroes. The wine has been made from personally selecting the best shiraz grapes from Mount Langi Ghiran (Grampians), De Bortoli (Yarra Valley), or Thousand Candles (Yarra Valley). Finally, the time has come to taste the final product. The pre-bottling tasting will be held at the recently refurbished Savoy Tavern, where industry experts and consumers will meet the team members, taste their wines (which will be released in October) and bid for their favourite at the auction. Auctioneers for the evening include Andrew Caillard MW and Stuart Gregor. From picking the grapes to designing the label, the teams have started from scratch and it will be a fight to the finish, as there can only be one winner. Part of the proceeds will go to SecondBite, to help distribute unused fresh food to those in need. Have a bid, have a sip and cast your vote. Our money is on Matt Harrop from Shadowfax proteges Team Harrop, but this evening you will be the judge.
Every generation has at least one definitive teen movie. You've seen them. You grew up rewatching them. You may have them committed to memory. The Breakfast Club, Heathers, Clueless, Mean Girls, Easy A: these are the films weaved through many an adolescent experience. The list goes on — and there's always a new contender lurking around the corner. Circa 2015, that'd be The DUFF. For those unfamiliar with the term, it stands for designated ugly fat friend — or the pal in each clique that makes the rest look better, and that interested parties can approach for all the goss. Everyone has one, the movie tells us. If you don't know who fits the mould in your group, it might just be you. That's what overalls-wearing, horror flick-loving Bianca (Mae Whitman) discovers when her football jock neighbour, Wesley (Robbie Amell), explains why everyone in the school always asks her about her life-long best friends (Skyler Samuels and Bianca A. Santos). This isn't welcome news, unsurprisingly. To shake the label — and to try to win the heart of the guy (Nick Eversman) she likes — Bianca enlists Wesley's help on a mission of reinvention. Yep, that's deja vu you're feeling, courtesy of a storyline so well worn it should be threadbare by now. Over the course of decades of delving into high school angst and antics, the teen movie genre has assembled a long lineup of cliches, with that wealth of history clearly on display here. Add equal parts makeover fantasy and trawling through social hierarchies, plus the usual schoolyard cruelty led by a mean queen bee (Bella Thorne), and garnish with an ample helping of current lingo and issues (here, text speak and social media horrors such as viral videos). It's a popular recipe, making The DUFF just like all other teen fare — even if it is actually based on a novel of the same name. And yet, within a film that sets its protagonist up to shatter stereotypes but does so little of that kind of subversion itself, there's fun to be had — and not just in the fond memories it conjures for even average movies gone by, like the very similar She's All That. Much of it comes from Whitman, a likeable lead rising above the sometimes-silly flow of the story, and willing to go along with the ample physical comedy required. For fans of Arrested Development, her casting may seem like an extension of the series' long-running joke about her character's blandness, but in The DUFF she's anything but. Indeed, she doesn't really fit the film's title, either; unattractive, she's not. Of course, nestled in first-time filmmaker Ari Sandel's upbeat effort are those other components as commonplace as a prom showdown (also present): the message of acceptance, and the reminder that, deep down, nobody's perfect. That's just the standard topping sprinkled over this by-the-book story, but it's also a fitting reminder for avid teen movie aficionados. In a genre often as formulaic as its typical narratives, they can't all stand out, but they might each have their modest merits.
Explore the piazzas of the Italian capital this summer, with the help of a newly-curated film program at ACMI. Screening throughout February, ROMA! The Screen Life of the Eternal City features 10 titles from the past six decades, including several films from some of Italy’s greatest auteurs. Between them, the movies capture the charm and changing face of one of the most cinematic cities in the world. Indeed, Rome has provided the backdrop for no shortage of classic films. Take a Vespa ride with Katherine Hepburn in the quintessential Hollywood romance Roman Holiday, or wade into the Trevi Fountain with Marcello Mastroianni in Federico Fellini’s jaded masterpiece La Dolce Vita. Both films screen multiple times during the ROMA! retrospective, which kicks off on February 6. Other standouts include Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Mamma Roma and Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’eclisse. There are also a number of more recent works on the program, such as last year’s Best Foreign Language Oscar winner The Great Beauty and the critically-acclaimed documentary Sacro GRA. For the full ROMA! Program, visit the ACMI website.
