Those looking to get some insight into the winner of this year's Archibald Prize can tune into a free online talk with the artist Peter Wegner and his subject Guy Warren on Tuesday, August 24. The pair will be discussing the prize-winning artwork for In the Frame with beloved TV and radio presenter Yumi Stynes. After the 2020 award was delayed due to COVID-19, this year's gong was handed out as normal — but now the Art Gallery of NSW exhibition that always follows has been impacted by Greater Sydney's current lockdown. So, the folks at AGNSW have released a virtual version of the popular showcase, which means both at-home Sydneysiders and folks around the rest of the country can view 2021's top portraits from their couch, as well as attend special online programming like In the Frame. Every year for the past century, the Archibald Prize has recognised exceptional works of portraiture by Australian artists. In 2021, from a field of 52 finalists, the coveted award has gone to Melbourne-based artist Peter Wegner for Portrait of Guy Warren at 100. A unanimous decision by this year's judges, Wegner's portrait of the centenarian and fellow artist obviously won the gong in a fitting year. "Guy Warren turned 100 in April — he was born the same year the Archibald Prize was first awarded in 1921," Wegner said. "This is not why I painted Guy, but the coincidence is nicely timed." Wegner's win came after an equal number of works from both male and female artists made the finalists list for the first time in Archibald history — all of which you can now scope out from home, alongside entries and winners for the Wynne and Sir John Sulman prizes, too. Across the three prizes, 2144 entries were received this year, which is the second-highest number ever after 2020. And, the three prizes received the highest-ever number of entries from Indigenous artists. The discussion between Wegner, Warren and Stynes will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook from 7.30pm and will run for 30 minutes, and will be available to watch after it streams on the Art Gallery of NSW's YouTube channel. [caption id="attachment_814784" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2021. Peter Wegner, 'Portrait of Guy Warren at 100'. Oil on canvas, 120.5 x 151.5 cm. © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins. Sitter: Guy Warren.[/caption] Top image: Archibald Prize 2021 finalist. Kirsty Neilson, 'Making noise'. Oil on linen, 50.1 x 60.1 cm, © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins.
She's tussled with dinosaurs and been serenaded by Nicolas Cage. She's played a glue-huffing delinquent and an actor pushed to her limits, too. She's the kind of star who completely changes every film she's in with her inimitable presence. Yes, we're talking about the one and only Laura Dern. A constant delight on our screens for more than four decades now, Dern has experienced quite the career — the type that it's always worth celebrating, in fact. So, between Friday, November 5–Tuesday, November 16, ACMI is doing exactly that as part of a seven-film season it's calling Wild at Heart: The Films of Laura Dern. With a name like that, Wild at Heart obviously features on the bill — and, because Dern has multiple collaborations with David Lynch to choose from, so does Inland Empire. Or, you can feast your eyes on her early work in Ladies And Gentlemen The Fabulous Stains and Smooth Talk, jump to the 90s with Citizen Ruth, or see Dern's turn as a determined lawyer in Certain Women. Yes, Jurassic Park is on the lineup as well — because that film, like life and Laura Dern, always finds a way.
Edgar Wright must own a killer record collection. Weaving the perfect playlists into his films has ranked high among the British writer/director's trademarks ever since he made such a horror-comedy splash with Shaun of the Dead, and his own love of music is frequently mirrored by his protagonists, too. This is the filmmaker who set a zombie-killing scene to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now', and had characters wield vinyl as weapons. He made zoning out the world via iPod — and teeing up exactly the right track for the right moment — a key trait of Baby Driver's eponymous getaway driver. Earlier in 2021, Wright also turned his avid fandom for Sparks into his delightful first documentary The Sparks Brothers, because wearing his love for his favourite songs on his sleeves infiltrates everything he makes. So, the fact that his second film of this year is about a giddy devotee of 60s tunes really doesn't come as the slightest surprise. Last Night in Soho takes its name from an era-appropriate song that gets a spin in the film, naturally. It boasts a cleverly compiled soundtrack teeming with hits from the period, and has one of its central figures — called Sandie, like singer Sandie Shaw, who croons '(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me' on that very soundtrack — seek chanteuse stardom. As Wright is known to do, his latest movie also sports sequences that could double as music videos, and possesses a supple sense of rhythm that makes his picture virtually dance across the screen. It's a feature shaped by music, made better by music, and that recognises that music can make anyone feel like they can do anything. A partly swinging 60s-set thriller that adores the giallo films of the time with equal passion, it also flits between a cinematic banger on par with the glorious tracks it peppers throughout and the movie equivalent of a routine needle drop. Cilla Black, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield: these are the kind of talents that Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie, The Power of the Dog) can't get enough of, even though she's a Gen Z aspiring fashion designer; they're also the type of stars that aforementioned blonde bombshell Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit) wants to follow onto London's stages. Last Night in Soho starts with its wannabe fashionista, who's first seen donning her own 60s-inspired designs in her Cornwall bedroom that's plastered with posters and pictures from the period, and also dancing to 'Peter & Gordon's 1964 track 'A World Without Love'. Soon, Eloise is off to college in the big and, hopefully, working towards the fashion world. Then she meets Sandie, but only in her dreams. Actually, as she slumbers, she becomes Sandie — and navigates her chiffon-adorned quest for stardom, her breathy 'Downtown' covers and her thorny relationship with slippery bar manager Jack (Matt Smith, Official Secrets). Some of Last Night in Soho's most dazzling scenes play with these doppelgänger characters, and with the time-travelling dreamscape where they both exist, as if Wright is helming a musical. The choreography — both by McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, playing chalk-and-cheese roles, and by the film's lithe and glossy cinematography — is stunning. The effect is mesmerising, as well as whip-smart in tapping into the feature's ongoing musing on identity. This is also a horror movie and a mystery, however, so exploring what's behind these nocturnal visions is the primary focus. As a mousy girl bullied by her roommate (Synnøve Karlsen, Medici) to the point of leaping into the too-good-to-be-true Soho attic studio leased by the cranky but obliging Ms Collins (Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones), it's easy to see why Eloise flees into her dreams. But the who, what, why and how of it all — when and were clearly being answered already — isn't as simple as pure retro escapism. Eloise and Wright must share another trait, other than being musicophiles: nostalgia for a time neither was alive to see. In charting Eloise's journey from growing up with her gran (Rita Tushingham, The Pale Horse) to being haunted by evening reveries that begin to infect her days, Wright packs Last Night in Soho with Quentin Tarantino-level references to pop culture of the era. The detail, cast, songs, fashion and borrowings from Italian horror cinema's giallo genre — including vivid colours, plenty of blood and a love of yellow hues, because that's what giallo translates as — all nod backwards cannily. Visually, the film is a lavish wonder, in fact; Chung Chung-hoon, who regularly lenses Park Chan-wook's work (see: Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst, Stoker and The Handmaiden) luxuriates in sights, spaces, textures, mirrors angles, spins and swoops. Wright doesn't shy away from the 60s' sleaze, either, or from nightmarish men, objectified women and the lack of sexual agency for the latter. Scripting with 1917 Oscar nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns, he confronts the seedier side of the period he otherwise places on a pedestal — but his first film about female protagonists is plodding rather than bold in trying to spin a feminist story. Last Night in Soho's lurid, adrenaline-fuelled shimmy with psychological thrills is still engaging, and gorgeous. Its eagerness to takes cues from Mulholland Drive is ambitious, although trying to emulate David Lynch rarely suits anyone. Still, there's more than a whiff of "is that it?" — and of cliche — to how it all culminates. Even with its sensational sense of style, that underwhelming feeling might've invaded more of Last Night in Soho if Wright hadn't cast his leads so well. The 60s icons he's enlisted, including Rigg in her last role, Tushingham and Terence Stamp (Murder Mystery), all play their parts in the plot, but this is McKenzie and Taylor-Joy's show. Again, the scenes that pose the pair as reflections of each other in 60s nightclubs are spectacular. The performances they provide to match share other echoes, too; one initially innocent and wide-eyed, the other confident and determined at first, they find common ground in their characters' vulnerabilities. Life is definitely making Eloise and Sandie lonely, but as the women behind them linger where the neon signs are pretty, things can be great — for viewers, at least. Their efforts won't make audiences forget Last Night in Soho's troubles, but the film is so much brighter with them in it.
BIGSOUND, the huge music industry conference and festival that usually takes over Brisbane each year, isn't happening in 2021. Newcomer BLAKSOUND is definitely forging ahead, however. And, due to the pandemic, the 100-percent First Nations youth-led music conference is rolling out virtually — so you can watch a heap of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talents share their thoughts about the music and arts industries all from the comfort of your couch. This three-day fest not only celebrates First Nations artists, but champions their voices and viewpoints about all things creative. The online conference a bit like a series of TEDx talks crossed with Sydney Opera House's Antidote Festival, and it's jam-packed with engaging folks. You'll hear veterans and up-and-comers alike dive into issues that affect First Nations communities, and also chat about how to push the next generation of Indigenous talents to the fore. Between Monday, September 6–Wednesday, September 8, BLAKSOUND is streaming speeches and workshops featuring everyone from Christine Anu and Ziggy Ramo to Baker Boy and both Troy and Jem Cassar-Daley. Also on the bill: GLVES, Kobie Dee, Alice Skye and Marlene Cummins, as well as journalist Rachael Hocking and broadcaster Rhianna Patrick. Broadcast from Meeanjin (Brisbane), BLAKSOUND is free to watch, too — or you can make a donation if you're able.
Sometimes, the name says it all. That's certainly the case with Series Mania. This television festival's moniker sounds like humanity's reaction each and every time a new season of a TV show arrives on a streaming platform — and also aptly describes how we've all been spending the 18 months or so. After first hitting Melbourne back in 2017 and making two repeat visits before the pandemic, Series Mania is returning again in 2021 from Thursday, October 14–Sunday, October 17. This time, like many things at the moment, it's jumping online. You've been streaming your way through much of your life lately, and now you can do the same with the only Australian leg of the world's biggest TV festival. On the bill this year: four days of free sessions all dedicated to new and exciting television shows, including returning favourites and upcoming must-sees. Eleven series will have episodes available to stream via ACMI's digital platform Cinema 3, including the second season of Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths-starring drama Total Control; Netflix's Hellbound, the first live-action series from South Korean Train to Busan and Peninsula director Yeon Sang-ho; L'Opera, which is set in a Parisian ballet company and stars The Lobster's Ariane Labed; and Aussie doomsday prepper comedy Preppers, as starring and co-written by Nakkiah Lui. Watching along won't cost you a cent, but you do need to book in for each session in advance.
Some films are long, slow and serious. Others are brief, quick and fun. There's a place for the former, of course; however, Radical Reels champions the latter category, combining the most action-packed mountain movies it can find into a compilation of high-octane shorts. Radical Reels is the adrenaline-loving little brother of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the prestigious international film competition and annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and environment. From the most recent festival's batch of submissions, a subset of daring displays have been singled out an evening at the cinema at The Astor Theatre. On Wednesday, October 19, Radical Reels will approach the very edge of action sports and natural highs: the wild rides, long lines, steep jumps, and skilled stunts, as well as the rugged playgrounds thrill-seekers explore on their mountain bikes, paddles, ropes, skis, snowboards and wingsuits. 2022 highlights include ski flick Maneuvers; Always Higher, about high diving; Arves-En-Ciel, focusing on walking between two rock towers on a slackline; and the wingsuit flying-centric Trustfall. Expect the world's best extreme athletes getting fast and furious — and expect quite the thrilling ride from the comfort of your cushy cinema seat, too. Top image: Arves-En-Ciel.
When Ana Lily Amirpour made her spectacular feature filmmaking debut in 2014, and made one of the best movies of that year in the process, she did so with a flick with a killer title: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. That moniker also summed up the picture's plot perfectly, even if the Persian-language horror western vampire film couldn't be easily categorised. Take note of that seven-word name, and that genre-bending approach. When Amirpour next made wrote and directed The Bad Batch, the 2016 dystopian cannibal romance started with a woman meandering solo, albeit in the Texan desert in daylight, and also heartily embraced a throw-it-all-in philosophy. Now arrives her third stint behind the lens, the hyper-saturated, gleefully sleazy, New Orleans-set blend of superheroes, scams and strippers that is Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon — which, yes, features a female protagonist (Jeon Jong-seo, Burning) strolling unescorted again, back under the cover of darkness this time. Mona initially walks out of a home instead of towards one, however. And Amirpour isn't really repeating herself; rather, she has a penchant for stories about the exploited fighting back. Here, Mona has been stuck in an institution for "mentally insane adolescents" for at least a decade — longer than its receptionist (Rosha Washington, Interview with the Vampire) can remember — and breaks out during the titular lunar event after gruesomely tussling with an uncaring nurse (Lauren Bowles, How to Get Away with Murder). The Big Easy's nocturnal chaos then awaits, and Bourbon Street's specifically, as does instantly intrigued drug dealer Fuzz (Ed Skrein, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) and a determined but decent cop (Craig Robinson, Killing It). With opportunistic pole-dancer Bonnie Belle (Kate Hudson, Music), Mona thinks she finds an ally. With her new pal's kind-hearted latchkey kid Charlie (Evan Whitten, Words on Bathroom Walls), she finds a genuine friend as well. Amirpour's movies sport a kinetic feel that's as natural to them as breathing is to watching audiences. Her love of movement shines through as brightly as moonlight, too — and Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon is another glowing example. Directed with style and boldness to spare, this is a garish, on-the-go, howling-at-the-sky kind of southern Gothic horror flick, purposefully and strikingly so. Slinking along with it is inescapable, whether Mona is unleashing her supernatural skills, navigating the French Quarter's hustle-and-bustle nighttime vibe, or wholesomely dreaming of a safer future. First, though, Mona has to break out of the bayou-adjacent facility she's been forced to call home, which happens in a grim, revenge-seeking, attention-grabbing fashion. The aforementioned nurse usually spits insults the straightjacketed, catatonic Korean detainee's way, including while clipping her toenails. Then the inmate snaps back into focus — maybe the moon that's stirred her? — and uses her gifts to wreak havoc. Without touching the nurse, or anyone else she imposes her will upon throughout the movie, Mona can take control of their bodies. There's no flesh-swapping (another spin on Freaky Friday, this isn't); here, via voodoo-esque physical manipulation, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon's main figure waves her hands or nods her head, then whoever's in her gaze does as she directs. That's a skill that comes in handy once she's out on her lonesome, meandering the city barefoot with threats lurking. It's also a talent that Bonnie observes during a fast-food store car park catfight, with Mona saving her bacon. Deciding that those telekinetic capabilities can be put to cunning, canny and profitable use — look out, strip-club patrons — Bonnie is swiftly offering up her companionship, and her home, although the metal-loving Charlie warns their new houseguest to be wary. Even if obvious nods to Alice in Wonderland weren't baked into the production design, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon would play like a fairy tale (a sweaty, seedy, go-where-the-night-takes-you fairy tale, but a type of fairy tale nonetheless). Its namesake wanders through an otherworldly realm, gets caught in perilous situations, learns lessons and benefits from something akin to magic — aka those just-awakened powers — to mosey forward. Thanks to the movie's moral code, she only deploys her paranormal prowess on folks who deserve it, or uses it to save herself, when the decision to bust out the mind control is hers alone. At its core, the film can be that straightforward. That said, it also stems from a director with a history with deceptive simplicity. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was about exactly what its title describes, after all, and yet it was also filled with oh-so-much more. Starting with easy-to-spot scaffolding, then building a glisteningly distinctive, eagerly detailed flick that couldn't have been crafted by anyone else: that's one of Amirpour's own super skills. Plenty of that pivotal talent comes through visually here, with gloriously atmospheric and neon-soaked help from Hereditary and Midsommar cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski. Indeed, anyone who thinks that style can't also be substance, can't sweep viewers into a film's mood and can't anchor everyone watching in a character's headspace, should be motivated to rethink their position. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon's manic dance through New Orleans after dark is that immersive — and that means something. As thrust across the screen with scuzzy yet giddy flair, and set to a mesmerising soundtrack as well, this spirited picture proves as keen as can be to skip along with people, survivors all of them, that society usually casts aside. Speaking of casts: Jeon's magnetic performance is worth erecting an entire movie around, so Amirpour has. Quietly spoken but infinitely expressive in every look and move — and brimming with mystique — the film's lead is hypnotic; understanding why Charlie and Fuzz are so drawn to Mona isn't hard for a second. Young Whitten helps give Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon its sweetness, and a loveable odd-couple buddy-flick centre. Robinson is unsurprisingly effective and engaging as a cop with compassion, and also part of an immensely amusing chase scene. And opposite almost anyone other than Jeon, the mesh singlet-wearing Hudson would steal the show, revelling in getting trashy but remaining savvy. She takes a dauntless swing and it pays off; so does Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon on both counts.
El Camino Cantina is known for its colourful interiors, cheap Tuesday tacos and giant margaritas, including at its venue in Fitzroy. Those oversized drinks are a huge drawcard, and they're on offer every day — but every now and then, the lively Tex Mex chain throws a huge Ritapalooza festival. Melburnians, it's that time again. From Monday, October 24–Sunday, November 27, El Camino's Fitzroy outpost is celebrating those easy-to-down slushie margs with a five-week-long festival dedicated to the frozen cocktail. Head by from to sip 24 limited-edition flavours — there'll be varieties like Skittle, Hubba Bubba and marshmallow available. Also on the menu: classics like mango, strawberry and passionfruit — and other more creative varieties like Wizz Fizz, Jelly Belly, Lifesaver, fairy floss, salted caramel, popcorn, grape Nerd and fairy bread as well. Even better: you can nab them as part of four-flavour and metre-long 12-flavour tasting paddles. El Camino's ten-cent Wing Wednesday tradition will be on offer throughout Ritapalooza as well, plus $2 tacos on Tuesdays. Really love your 'ritas? Opt for the Palooza party package for $99 per person, which covers a three-course menu — including a range of limited-edition fajita flavours — and a two-hour beverage package.
Yeah, we're thinking he's back. John Wick, that is. In 2014, Keanu Reeves introduced everyone's favourite assassin (and dog owner) to the world, with the film quickly sparking an action-packed franchise. The first sequel followed two years later, and the third effort did the same in 2019. Next, a fourth movie drops in March — but before you check it out, you can revisit the first three John Wick flicks on the big screen at The Astor Theatre's John Wick-a-Thon. At this point you should know exactly what this excellent series offers up: John Wick first seeking revenge against those who've wronged him, then being hunted down by his fellow killers. And all of this has sprang because, in the first movie, he became the proud owner of an adorable pooch. As Wick notes, of course, "it wasn't just a puppy". On-screen, everyone from Willem Dafoe, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Common and Ruby Rose to Halle Berry, Jason Mantzoukas and Anjelica Huston also pop up. So too does Laurence Fishburne, so prepare for a Neo and Morpheus reunion. And behind the lens, former Keanu stunt double-turned-filmmaker Chad Stahelski directs. Revisit the exquisitely choreographed action trilogy on Saturday, March 11, kicking off at 6.30pm, with tickets for $25.
Summer might be winding down, but that doesn't mean Melburnians are relegated to getting their flicks fix indoors. On Wednesday nights to wrap up February and start March, film distributor Umbrella Entertainment is teaming up with the Queen Victoria Market's Summer Night Market to setup an openair cinema — and three classic movies and one recent documentary are on the bill. Each week between Wednesday, February 22–Wednesday, March 15, you'll want to head to Testing Grounds at 8pm to catch Neighbourhood Watch. Get there early, of course, and you can nab bites to eat and drinks to sip from the markets. It wouldn't be a trip to the movies without snacks, obviously. As for what you'll be watching, the lineup kicks off with Australia's own Walkabout from 1971, then gets eerie with Italian horror masterpiece Suspiria (the 1977 original, not the recent remake). The same two countries are represented with the final two flicks on the bill, too, thanks to Federico Fellini's 1963 gem 8 1/2 and recent Aussie doco Ablaze. [caption id="attachment_888464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dappel Group[/caption]
There's something oh-so-relaxing about staring at the sea, even if you're feasting your eyes on the water via the big screen. That's the concept behind the Ocean Film Festival Australia. You can't always spend all your time at the beach, by the river or in a pool — but you can spend an evening peering at the next best thing in a cinema. On three nights in March, the festival will unleash a cinematic feast of water-focused wonders onto the silver screen at Melbourne's Astor Theatre and RMIT Capitol. Head to St Kilda from 7pm on Wednesday, March 1–Thursday, March 2, and to the CBD on Friday, March 3. [caption id="attachment_840734" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Kowitz[/caption] Film-wise, viewers will spend time both above and below the ocean's surface thanks to a compilation of shorts from around the world. Expect to chase big waves, explore a range of sea life and get a hefty ocean rush, plus a heap of other sea adventures. The program is united by a love of the ocean, an appreciation of the creatures who dwell in its waters and a curiosity to explore the substance that comprises more than two-thirds of the earth. It's the next best thing to diving in, all without getting wet.
Once again, St Kilda is set to kick off January 26 with a special dawn ceremony commemorating the rich, diverse culture of our land's First People. Back for its fourth edition, We-Akon Dilinja will see the Boonwurrung Land and Sea Council (BLSC) present an inclusive, reflective morning of music, readings and a smoking ceremony at St Kilda's Alfred Square. Speaking to this year's theme of 'Honouring the Past and Realising a New United Vision for Our Shared Future', the event sets out to recognise Boonwurrung history, acknowledging the journey and experience of the area's First People. Kicking off early (guests are encouraged to arrive at 5.45am), the morning will feature a Welcome to Country and introduction by Parbinata Dr Carolyn Briggs AM, along with traditional Boonwurrung songs and performances, original works, a tribute to past elders, readings and a smoking ceremony led by David Tournier. There'll also be a keynote address by N'arweet BLSC Chairman Jason Briggs, along with multi-faith representatives designed to make this a truly inclusive event. Once again, it's being supported by The National Australia Day Council and will be livestreamed online for those who can't make it in person.
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre isn't the best chance to see Aubrey Plaza slink around swanky locales filled with the one-percent in the past year. That honour goes, of course, to her award-nominated turn in the second season of The White Lotus. Plaza's new action-comedy also isn't the best recent movie to cast the deadpan talent as enterprising, resourceful and calculating, and see her plunged into a dangerous, largely male-only realm, all while putting a scheming plan into action. That film is the exceptional Emily the Criminal, which sadly bypassed cinemas Down Under. And, thanks to her star-making turn in Parks and Recreation, wannabe franchise-starter Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre definitely isn't the finest example of her wry comic talents, either. But in a rarity for writer/director Guy Ritchie and his typically testosterone-dripping capers — see: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and The Gentlemen — Plaza is the gleaming gem at the centre of this formulaic flick. Putting in a more vibrant performance than the scowling Jason Statham isn't hard, but this is firmly Plaza's picture. Ritchie's go-to leading man still plays Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre's namesake, though: the improbably titled super-spy Orson Fortune, an off-the-books agent who does jobs the British Government can't officially be involved with. Handler Nathan Jasmine (Cary Elwes, Best Sellers) has one such task, recovering a just-stolen item known as 'the handle', which the powers-that-be don't want going to nefarious parties. But, in a mission that first requires collecting a contact at Madrid's airport, then gets far more chaotic quickly, Fortune will have to work with a new team. And, he'll have to jet around the globe with stops at Cannes, in Turkey and more, doing an aspiring Bond and Mission: Impossible act, but in a film that never even threatens to shake or stir the espionage genre. It also doesn't venture beyond mixing Ritchie's beloved bag of tricks together, reading like an effort to split the difference between his last two movies: The Gentlemen and effective revenge thriller Wrath of Man. On-screen, enter Plaza as American tech wiz Sarah Fidel, plus British rapper and actor Bugzy Malone (The Gentlemen) as righthand man JJ Davis. To cosy up to a fake-tanned Hugh Grant (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) as international arms dealer Greg Simmonds, also enter Josh Hartnett (The Fear Index) as Hollywood acting big-shot Danny Francesco. The gambit: Simmonds adores Francesco so much that he's bought a car the latter is famous for driving in a movie, so the thespian is the crew's in, with Fidel undercover as his girlfriend and Fortune pretending to be his stern-faced manager. Accordingly, their fresh-faced ring-in will have to inhabit the role he's been born to: himself, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent-style, but without the extra meta layer of a game and entertaining Hartnett actually genuinely doing the same thing. (Nods to everything from Halloween H20, The Faculty and The Virgin Suicides to Sin City and Penny Dreadful would've been a welcome touch here.) When Statham and Ritchie reteamed for Wrath of Man — which Hartnett also co-starred in — it was the first time they'd collaborated in 16 years. Crucially, and one of the primary reasons it worked so well, it was a lean, mean affair that didn't just feel as if its two key figures were simply doing what they've always done together, even though it was indeed another heist flick. The same can't be said about Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, which endeavours to hoodwink its audience by sometimes similarly adopting a straight-down-the-line tone. That ruse doesn't stick, however, in a film that couldn't paint any more blatantly by Ritchie's usual numbers. He's dallied with spies before, in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre wishes it was that as well. With its first-billed talent and director comfortably on autopilot, it's no wonder that Plaza, Hartnett and Grant provide the movie's personality. While they don't merely stand out because everything else around them is so routine, a feature this stock-standard puts anything that deviates from its template under a massive magnifying glass. When Plaza isn't engagingly and savvily tackling everything that's thrown Fidel's way, from Fortune's gruff, dismissive demeanour to the Cockney-accented Simmonds' overt attentions — plus chatting modern art as an early distraction technique, and getting thrust into the middle of gunfights and car chases in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre's third act — the film screams for her presence. Hartnett is also having a great time, as is Grant. It never mentions it, but consider this another ode to the Paddington franchise, too, making its audience wish they were rewatching Grant's OTT villainous portrayal in Paddington 2 instead. In a storyline penned by Ritchie with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies, who've both contributed to his past three films in a row now — and do the same with the upcoming The Covenant, which is also due in cinemas in 2023 — Simmonds is in business with violent Ukrainian heavies. Avoiding the movie's MacGuffin from ending up in their hands is the plot's main point, after all. That helps spark those glossily lensed (by Alan Stewart, also a Wrath of Man and The Gentleman alum) but predictable action sequences, and the reported reason that Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre was delayed from its initial 2022 release dates. Whenever it arrived, this was always going to be perfunctory, especially when it wrings zero tension out of the narrative's must-find object. Ritchie and company keep the specifics to themselves for much of the feature, but that doesn't make anyone care what it is — or invest in anything that's going on, a rivalry with a fellow mercenary group led by the one-step-ahead Mike (Peter Ferdinando, The Curse) included. Covert operatives are meant to slip in, get their high-stakes jobs done and leave their marks none the wiser, at least until their quest is safely achieved. Although that never happens on screens big or small, spy stories themselves aren't supposed to be largely unmemorable as well. Again, Plaza isn't. Neither are Hartnett and Grant, but Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre's high-profile supporting players can't make the picture anything more than average. Here's hoping that any sequel, if it eventuates — which this flick advocates for instantly in its moniker, premise and, naturally, its final scenes — realises where its focus should truly be. Bond mightn't be likely to serve up a female lead yet despite Daniel Craig's farewell, but pushing Plaza to the fore, and changing its title in the process, would be any future Operation Fortune instalment's best move.
2020 might have been a little bit light on live tunes, but a brand-new concert series is here to help you jump right back in the deep end. Visit Victoria has joined forces with Mushroom Group to deliver a jam-packed week-long gig program, dubbed 2021 Sounds Better Together. From Saturday, January 23–Saturday, January 30, the COVID-safe series will see a lineup of top local talent gracing stages right across the state, re-energising our legendary live music scene. You can catch the likes of Tones and I, Missy Higgins and Didirri as they descend on Mt Duneed Estate on January 23; groove to Jimmy Barnes and the Teskey Brothers at the Yarra Valley's Rochford Wines on the same date; and enjoy sets from Alex Lahey and Scott Darlow at the Esplanade Hotel on January 25. Other gigs include Ross Wilson and Fergus James at the Theatre Royale in Castlemaine on January 27, The Living End and Bakers Eddy at The Forum on the same date, ad Didirri and Mia Wray at The Whalers Hotel in Warrnambool on January 28. And of course, you won't want to miss out on the huge January 30 finale concert at Mallacoota Oval, featuring Daryl Braithwaite, James Reyne and sister duo Vika & Linda. Tickets are on sale now, and all 2021 Sounds Better Together gigs will have reduced capacity, with ticketing allowing for proper social distancing — plus extensive cleaning procedures, hand sanitiser stations and dedicated COVID-Safe officers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnigc08J6FI&list=PL5QLEnK1Uxy1i0cOi5DyR-TKi-snYeJh5&index=118
People don't play as many games as they used to. Gone are the schoolyard days and tag and bullrush — can you even remember your last game of handball? Pop Up Playground are a local collective of big kids seeking to solve this problem. Through "constructed social situations", "collective storytelling", and "competitive goal-driven play", the group's elaborate playtime sessions could be just the ticket to cure your grown-up malaise. In the past, the group's curated events have included a game of avian roleplay involving giant puppets and stealth and a mysterious game of historical intrigue called Pudding Lane. Now, they're working on games with names like Grandma's Ninjas and Zombie Tag. Over the next few weekends they'll be developing these new ideas for the annual This Is A Door games festival that will be taking place in November. If you feel like letting your inner child out for the day, shoot them an email to let them know you’re coming, and bring a gold coin donation to help pay for the space hire. There are a serious lack of playgrounds in the 9 to 5 world, why not unwind with some zombie tag on your weekend?
We're first introduced to Jasmine (Cate Blanchett), an unpleasant socialite who's fallen on hard times, as she talks the ear off a poor woman on a plane to San Francisco, her fellow passenger having made the mistake of interrupting a monologue she was having with herself. It's a fitting introduction to Woody Allen's claustrophobic new drama, which follows Jasmine to San Francisco, where she hopes to start afresh after her husband, Hal (Alec Baldwin), is exposed as a fraudster and adulterer. An unrepentant snob with a haughty bearing and a wardrobe full of designer clothes, Jasmine finds herself at odds with her adopted sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins), whom she plans to stay with until she is back on her feet. Jasmine had little time for Ginger when she was living high on the hog in Manhattan and finds herself appalled at Ginger's working-class lifestyle and new boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Cannavale), a mechanic. Still clinging to her old luxurious lifestyle and increasingly embracing delusion, Jasmine finds she is so cut off from the modern world that she needs basic computer classes before she can even think about her lofty ambitions to train as a designer. The story flashes back and forth between Jasmine's glamorous New York life of polo matches and Hamptons holidays and her later comeuppance in California. Along the way, Ginger and ex-boyfriend Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) make a rare visit to New York, where Jasmine suggests Hal can invest money for Ginger and Augie. The flashbacks find Jasmine in wilfully ignorant bliss, raising the question of whether she should have taken more of an interest in his staggering accumulation of wealth. There are definite echoes of Blanchett's tour de force performance in A Streetcar Named Desire here, with Chili a kind of hot-blooded Stanley to Jasmine's pretentious Blanche Dubois figure. As in the Tennessee Williams classic, the arrival of a down-on-her-luck heroine strains the relationship of her reluctant hosts, and Hawkins is terrific as the long-suffering Ginger. The performances make up for the shortcomings in a script which is surprisingly slight at times, lacking for something new to say about the Bernie Madoff-like figure of Hal and his downfall. Still, the prickly figure of Jasmine, a character who is by turns contemptible and pitiful, washing Xanax down with vodka as she endlessly recounts stories from better times, is perfectly realised, and Blanchett's compelling work lights up one of Woody Allen's darkest films. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BXnktqEWvGM
Remember kaleidoscopes? The simple joy of peering through that tiny cardboard hole when I was a kid could rival some of the most impressive art shows I've seen as an adult. With this in mind,Psychedelic Daze, the newest exhibition at MARS Gallery, looks to be the best of both these worlds — a child-like awe of colour and shape finished with the skill and innovation of professional artists. Revelling in colour and dynamic form, this group exhibition is a very welcome jolt of fun into the sometimes dreary world of contemporary art. So many exhibitions these days seem entrenched in a steadfast minimalism. Everything is black and white and grey and 'oh wow, the geometry of that monochrome canvas really makes me think about the refined structure of our post-modern life'. People have had enough. Featuring Tricky Walsh, Piers Buxton, Troy Emery, Bill Sampson, Emma Davies, and Vexta this show is a diverse mixture of forms too. Through the means of painting, sculpture, faux-taxidermy, and street art, these artists all seek to provide unique insights on the theme of psychedelic colour. Sure, it's not always sunshine and rainbows, but the bold confidence of such vivid work is always going to strike a chord with audiences and it sure is nice to get lost inside it for an afternoon. Image: Troy Emery
Melbourne's no stranger to projection art. Just this year we've had Gertrude St Projection Festival, The Electric Canvas at White Night, hell, even Kanye got in on the action. But this newest show has one thing up on all the others — it can be viewed over dinner. Yes, Chin Chin's Wall of Art really does combine the finer things in life: Thai food, cocktails and video art. And even if the line's too long — due to Chin Chin's sometimes infuriating 'no bookings' policy — you can while away the time watching some of our best local artists' work in true Melbourne style, from the alleyway. Nocturne will running as part of the inaugural Channels Festival featuring work of video artists such as Tania Smith, Madison Bycroft, Jonathan Nokes, and Giselle Stanborough among others. However it will also be resurrected on October 1-10 and November 2-29, so you'll have plenty of time to soak in the full show. The artworks on offer are definitely eye-catching as their vibrant colours are set off from the gritty old bricks, but they also look cheeky and clever — the perfect introduction to the warmer months of the year. It may not be as good as that naked woman who walked through the restaurant, but it's pretty damn close. Image: Still from Untitled by Tania Smith
Brisbane's Avaberee are hitting the road for what is set to be their largest tour of their already-impressive career. Genevieve, Aimee and Irena first started garnering attention to their beautiful vocals with their single 'Lover of Mine', and through Triple J and community radio they have gone from strength to strength, playing Woodford Folk Festival, The Spiegeltent, Four Walls Festival and Adelaide Fringe. They have also supported Matt Corby on two occasions, and have performed alongside some of Australia's newest talents, such as The Trouble With Templeton, Emma Louise and Cub Scouts. They have a new single and are bringing it to hometown ears alongside Sydney's Iluka and support act Mountains. Buy your tickets online to save the door price and sold-out disappointment.
Celebrating the community strength and artistic spirit of local shopping strips — that's right, you pervert — StripFest could be anti-climactic for some. But for anyone into art, music, poetry and performance, it's sure to be pretty satisfying. Giving you a solid reason to head south of the river, this new festival is something quite unique. Through an artist-driven collaboration, StripFest is delivering seven days of excitement to the sidewalks of Acland Street and surrounds. Some highlights include pop up poetry, site-specific QR code stories, live painting, and errant cupcakes. Which bring us to another important point — the theme of the festival is 'cake'. As if the frosting-filled windows of Acland Street weren't tantalising enough, St Kilda now has French patisseries campaigning for the Sacred Heart Mission next to "sexy, rude" poets being likened to a layer cake. If anyone was still disappointed by the thought of all that, don't worry, there will actually be some burlesque too. StripFest starts on August 23 and runs till August 30. Check out the full program here.
Philip Brophy has the sort of job that would make any teenage boy jealous: considering the naked body. Or more correctly, researching and analysing the changing perceptions of the nude in art. Brophy has taken a quite groundbreaking approach to his new exhibition, Colour Me Dead. Rather than simply allowing his research to inform his art, Brophy's extensive study of over 3000 nudes, dating back to the Neoclassical and Romantic eras, has played an intrinsic and foundational function in his artistic creations. The six digital works that make up Colour Me Dead are an artistic representation of Brophy's thesis: that the nude is no longer representative of the ideal human body, but a much darker reflection of an artist's psycho-sexual compulsions. Featuring two digital videos, two digital animations and two suites of digital prints, Colour Me Dead looks set to be as fascinating as it is subversive. Brophy's belief, that everything from Picasso's deformed subjects to Pollock's abstract landscapes are all part of a process of destruction and decimation of the perfect female form, is undoubtedly a controversial one, set to be a talking point in art circles. To witness this incredible fusion of art theory and technical innovation, head to the Ian Potter Museum of Art from June 14.
This is the End might just be the biggest in-joke in Hollywood. Its writer, director and star, Seth Rogen, plays 'Seth Rogen', whilst Jonah Hill plays 'Jonah Hill', James Franco plays 'James Franco' and Emma Watson plays, well…you get the picture. Thankfully, though, you'll also get the jokes, and no matter how 'in' or self-referential they might be, the movie invites the audience to share in the laughter. Set in the Hollywood hills, Rogen and his friend Jay Baruchel (played by Jay Baruchel) head along to a party at James Franco's mansion, where — just a short while later — the biblical Rapture commences and, quite literally, all Hell breaks loose. As their friends and fans perish around them (the cameos are too numerous to count, though highlights include Michael Cera, Channing Tatum and Rihanna), the young celebrities hole themselves up inside and try to outlast the End of Days, rationing everything from a Milky Way bar to various types of weed. To their credit, no egos are too precious and everyone plays up to their reputations: Rogen's an amiable stoner, Hill is impossibly nice and Franco holds nothing back in portraying himself as a pretentious, egocentric wanker. They're joined in the house by Baruchel, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride, with the latter contributing to about half of the movie's funniest moments. Inevitably, as a Rogen film, This is the End features a significant amount of stoner humour, dick jokes and one inconceivably long scene involving Franco and McBride hurling imaginary semen at each other and everything else around them. It's the kind of comedy you feel guilty laughing at while it's happening, and then later can't remember why it made you laugh so much. But laugh you do all the same. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ILnE7dEhCcc
Fat Freddy's Drop are no strangers to our shores. In fact they were here just last year performing one of the gigs of 2012, the jaw-dropping audiovisual album preview at the Sydney Opera House as part of
With a name like The League of Extraordinary Nations, Pop Up Playground's latest project sounds like a cross between a model UN club and a comic book plot. Actually, The League of Extraordinary Nations is a game where players take on the role of ambassadors and have to work together to protect the world from evil in the form of "nuked-up tin-pot dictators, egomaniacal madmen and intergalactic supervillains," all with dastardly world domination schemes that must be foiled in time. Pop Up Playground create games, but not as we know them. They don't create board or video games; they create pervasive games — larger-scale, interactive simulations and narratives, a bit like a grown-up version of children playing make-believe games on the playground. The object of the game is for everyone to work together to achieve world peace, but it's not as easy as it sounds. Like the real UN, there are sure to be disagreements and suspicion amongst the nations that need to be overcome first.
In his live performances, Kirin J Callinan does not hold back. This guitarist and singer-songwriter is a confronting and charismatic frontman who always delivers a stellar performance and captivates his audience. Callinan will play at the Northcote Social Club to celebrate the release of his latest single, 'Embracism'. The film clip was directed by Cara Stricker and has already received rave reviews from across the world. During 'Embracism', the cameras follow Callinan in his daily morning routine, but when these visuals are paired with provocative lyrics and driving guitar riffs, the final product is a little intense, to say the very least. Callinan is a true showman and his onstage presence and musical abilities have earned him positions alongside bands such as The Pixies, The Pet Shop Boys, Midnight Juggernaughts, The Strokes, Jarvis Cocker and Ariel Pink. Callinan is taking 'Embracism' on the road over June and July. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q_gtwhDklaQ
Passion Pit are returning to Australia. Those six words should instil excitement in all who have seen the band perform previously, likely on their previous Splendour in the Grass tour back in 2010 where their performance lit up the Woodford Amphitheatre and various venues across the country. For those who have not yet experienced Passion Pit live, this is your chance to understand why those of us who have are so excited. Their explosive pop is transmitted from band to audience from the moment the opening chord is struck, sending your body into dancing raptures that will only abate once the band has left the stage — and even then it will probably take a few hours. Since their spectacular 2010 visit, the band has grown into one of the premier pop groups on the planet, last year claiming third spot on Rolling Stone's best songs of 2012 with 'Take a Walk', the hit single from their sophomore release, Gossamer. They have also recently played New York City's Governors Ball, Coachella and a sold-out Madison Square Garden and they are now ready to bring their buzzing brilliance all the way to the Palace for one night only. https://youtube.com/watch?v=dZX6Q-Bj_xg
The NGV has been hitting it pretty hard recently. Wired for Melbourne Sound showcased local music and gave everyone a backstage pass into the industry, then Melbourne Now was launched and eclipsed everything else in its mammoth wake. What many might not know is that the latter also comprises a series of satellite events, one of which is about to hit the Corner on Wednesday night. Disruptions is a one-off performance of experimental music by Marco Fusinato and Oren Ambarchi, and laser art by Robin Fox. Fusinato is well known within the local art scene for his "analogue infused guitar noise", and Ambarchi has been dubbed "the undisputed master of the hypnotic drone and blissful bass bomb." We're not exactly sure what that last bit means but it sounds impressive. Robin Fox has also been very busy lately working on Chunky Move's Aorta, and A Small Prometheus which featured in this year's Melbourne Festival. All together, the show is bound to be an incredibly unique and mesmeric experience. Something akin to the psychedelia of your last bush doof, but without the psychedelic substances that accompanied it. Image: Robin Fox, Laser Performance 2013, NGV Commission, © Robin Fox, Photo by Lasse Marhaug.
For a movie based on a highly publicised, real-world incident, director Paul Greengrass has done a remarkable job of delivering in Captain Phillips one of the more gripping films of 2013. In 2009, the US commercial ship Maersk Alabama was boarded by Somali pirates off the horn of Africa and its crew taken hostage. Their captain, Richard Phillips (played by professional everyman Tom Hanks) displayed remarkable composure throughout the ordeal, successfully keeping the majority of his crew hidden and leading the pirates on circuitous routes around the ship until his men were able to regain the initiative and force the pirates back off. The only problem — they took Captain Phillips with them. What followed for Phillips were five punishing days trapped inside a cramped lifeboat as the pirates sought to reach shore before the US Navy could intercede. Greengrass is perhaps best known for his Bourne films, where he brought gritty realism back into the world of breakneck action. Here, he brings breakneck action into gritty realism. After an unconvincing start burdened by clunky and expository dialogue, the film quickly finds its pace with the first radar blip of the approaching pirates, and from that moment on Captain Phillips is a heart-in-mouth, white-knuckled affair right to the end. It's also thankfully light on Greengrass's signature 'shaky cam' direction, which might otherwise have made the prospect of sitting through two hours of not just unsteady footage, but footage captured largely on a small, rocking lifeboat, a genuine risk of inducing widespread vomiting. As the film's protagonist, Hanks is at his vulnerable, relatable best. His torment effortlessly becomes the audience's, all but commanding you to laugh when he laughs, and cry when he cries. Opposite him is Somali newcomer Barkhad Abdi who plays Muse, the leader of the pirates. A wiry actor with an imposing forehead and menacing, half-shut eyes, Abdi holds his own in every scene with Hanks, bringing an unsettling unpredictability to his character that constantly flicks between sympathy and ruthlessness. Most crucially, his scenes ring true, which for a dramatisation of real-world events is not only critical, but also contributes to the exhausting tension experienced throughout. Together, they and the rest of the team have crafted a remarkable and harrowing story about modern piracy and understated heroism on the high seas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GEyM01dAxp8
Red Gallery is nestled within North Fitzroy's other many galleries and eateries and has a track record of showcasing emerging artists up against established art-world names. The upcoming exhibition, Portraits of the Inner North, by Pesky (aka Caitlin Murray) is about the facades that surround the gallery and the architectural evolution that has created them. Pesky has taken her love of the ever-changing street landscape of Melbourne's effortlessly cool north and created a series of digitally manipulated abstract photographs. These new works have a strong relationship with advertising, billboard culture and plays on the culture clash between new and old in gentrified neighbourhoods. If you remember what Smith or Brunswick Streets looked like ten years ago, then this is the place for you. Image credit: J, High Street Northcote, Pesky via Red Gallery.
This show is a bit of an anomaly. In 2011, four young Australian writers travelled to Manila to collaborate with local artists from the Sipat Lawin Ensemble on an adaptation of the famous novel Battle Royale. The show attracted huge crowds as each performance birthed a cultish and worrying following. Then the writers decided to translate their experience to the stage in last year's Fringe hit Kids Killing Kids. This new show will tell the same story from the perspective of their Filipino collaborators. Is it overkill (for lack of a better word)? Time will tell. Either way, this is what it looks like when theatre-makers go full-on Inception. This event originally appeared as one of our top picks for the 2014 Next Wave Festival. See the full list here.
This is definitely a week for great art in the city. Electric Canvas will be lighting up the CBD streetscape as part of White Night; and a couple of our foremost new media artists, Kit Webster and Pierre Proske are bringing their bright and shiny know-how to the QV in the form of a huge, multi-dimensional cubic sculpture. But this won't be your average public artwork. From 9pm till midnight from February 19-23, the QV will be decked out for Luma Vibes — a series of chill sessions hosted under this amazing cubic construction accompanied by the sounds of DJ Chiara Kickdrum. In a holy union of light, music and spectacle, we can guarantee this will be different from your last QV experience (shopping at Big W or rubbing testers all over yourself at Aesop). Image: Kit Webster, Enigmatica, 2012, photographed at MARS Gallery.
Sydney boy Oliver Tank has been absolutely killing it in the past couple of years since winning FBi Radio's Northern Lights competition in 2011, which saw him fly to Iceland to perform his first overseas show. Comparisons to Bon Iver and James Blake were perhaps inevitable, and to a certain extent Tank exists in that same broad 'electronica with emotions' sub-genre that those two artists dabble in. But Tank's electronica goes far deeper than a passing association to create intricate, densely layered music that has more in common with Boards of Canada or Jon Hopkins. Tank is a rapidly rising star — in 2013 he supported James Blake at the Opera House and Active Child at the Melbourne Festival. Now touring his new EP Slow Motion Music, you should definitely check him out as a headline act.
Since discovering Fix it!, a pop-up workshop where handy volunteers have a go at bringing broken household objects back to life, I have been asking myself what really needs fixing in the world. A creepy clown, the global financial crisis, free-to-air television content? In the end I set off for Richmond's Per Diem cafe, where the initiative has settled in for a Saturday residency for the month, with something that everybody's busted a few times — a broken heart. So how does one get over troubles of the heart, according to head fixers Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald and John Harland? 1. Get working on something constructive 2. Get on RSVP, stat — Lewis-Fitzgerald has worked on the RSVP profiles of nice single people before, if you ask sweetly enough it might happen again. 3. Crack out the vodka, sink into the couch and keep refreshing your ex's Facebook page (actually that one's mine and it's probably not advised). Other than lovesick souls, the fixers have been busy trying to get more practical things working since opening on March 2. Boots, umbrellas, toasters, a shredder, pants and clocks have all experience reincarnation across the Fix It! workbench. The inspiration for Fix It! comes from Amsterdam, a utopia where people get together to help repair each other's household objects for sustainability purposes and to pass on knowledge about how everyday things work. Looking at my shabby shirt, Lewis-Fitzgerald gently informs me of the best way to get missing buttons attached (stick a toothpick between the button and fabric to give it some space, then pull the pick out when you've finished sewing, FYI). Harland, one of the group's regular fixers, thinks the idea appeals to the mechanic in all of us because, “People are just interested in how things work. Humans have evolved to solve problems together, but in many ways we're losing this. Fix It! is a way that we can keep learning from each other,” he says. The fixers are keen to idle hands busy so get down there on any Saturday before March 23 with all the appliances, clothes and heartache you can carry. Image via Fix It!
There are a lot of similarities between Wild Nothing and fellow chillwave pioneers Toro Y Moi and Washed Out. All three are bedroom recordings by one-man bands, and all three men are from the southern US. Freaky! All make dreamy, lo-fi music with breathy vocals and steady beats that you can (a) dance to at an underground disco, or (b) listen to alone in your room while you stare at your posters of '80s indie bands. In the case of Wild Nothing's Virginia-born Jack Tatum, the posters he's staring at belong to The Cure, The Smiths and Simple Minds. Tatum puts a sunny disposition on their '80s gloom pop with chiming guitars and soothing vocals. You can chillax to his latest LP Nocturne in your room alone, or join some other shoegazers for a little boogie at Oxford Art Factory when Wild Nothing visits Australia for the first time in March. I hope he plays 'Chinatown'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=zm636VSQXUU
Not only the best jazz band in Australia but internationally recognised as one of the foremost proponents of experimental music, the Necks are a national treasure. For decades, they have been making music in the same format: hour-long, completely improvised sessions that start minimally before slowly building and morphing into complex and hypnotic jazz-influenced compositions. Part of the beauty is it's different every time, you never know what to expect. With tracks that range from abstract through to groovy, the band's range and compositional flexibility results in music that is simultaneously lulling and intriguing, light and dark, and cinematic enough to score films, such as Aussie classic The Boys. Don't miss these amazing artists' annual three-night visit to the Corner Hotel in Richmond.
2013 is the year organisers were promising Future be their "biggest festival lineup yet", and after rifling through the massive line-up piñata it seems they have indeed delivered. After an already big 2012 outing Future Entertainment has topped that with a bill straddling nearly every sub-genre of pop or dance, ensuring they'll draw not only a larger but a more diverse crowd. 2013's Day of the Dead-Set Awesome will be headlined by English electronic dance commanders The Prodigy, grime MC Dizzee Rascal, indie rockers Bloc Party and reformed rockers The Stone Roses, making it more of a Brit-fest than a Mexican one. Other exciting acts joining the bill include Harlem femcee Azealia Banks, Rita Ora, electro house mainstay Steve Aoki and our own The Temper Trap. And PSY will also be there, just in case you feel like contracting a South Korean virus without actually paying for a ticket to his own upcoming show. https://youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk
The north of Brunswick is perhaps best known for its cheap Turkish food and abundance of bridal shops. Even locals might be surprised to find the Brunswick Arts Space tucked down an alley and behind a bakery off Sydney Road, but those who stumble upon the space will be rewarded with LAUNCH. What it lacks in frothy tulle and kebabs, LAUNCH makes up for with innovative works from Melbourne's newest art grads. Five years since it, err, launched, LAUNCH remains a chance for the best of the city’s artistic youth to get some exposure outside of the usual internal, institutionalised galleries. Josephine Waite and Ive Sorocuk, who spent the end of last year scouting graduation exhibitions for artists, curate this year's show. LAUNCH 2013 is at once menacing, nauseating and fun — "kind of like a weird party where everyone’s death-staring or puking and you still manage to let loose”, is how Waite colourfully describes the offering. The show lives up to this statement with pieces that range from a creepy but mesmerising 3D projection to a slightly claustrophobic shed containing a rack of rock-like resin casts. Perhaps the most political work is Jerusalem Bus Stops by Helen Borowski. The piece depicts the people who now inhabit areas that were attacked in the lead-up to the Oslo Peace Accords in the early '90s, capturing the vulnerability and procession of life in a place that has seen terrible violence. LAUNCH also features works from Anna Trundle, Michele Donegan, Laura Wood, Danny Digby, Felicity Why, Lauren Young, Lucinda Anderwartha, Alex Purchase and Nina Magee. Image credit Helen Borowski.
While we were distracted playing Angry Birds and Words with Friends, gaming became cool, and there is no clearer manifestation of that than how interesting and awesome this year's Freeplay program looks. Freeplay is Australia’s longest-running independent gaming festival, running from September 25 to September 29 this year. The festival warms up with the Playful Program, which kicks off on Wednesday night with Pop-Up Playground’s latest offering ‘Wikisneaks’. Like Cluedo, except with real people and state secrets. The Freeplay Conference Program runs over the weekend at the State Library of Victoria, with keynote addresses from developers Erin Robinson and Steve Swink. The conference looks at all sorts of gaming, with talks, panels and workshops inspired by the theme ‘Volume of Revolution’. There are sessions on physicality, gaming and education, power, the relationship between stories, games and activism, and a brave talk from three developers on failure. Finalist games for the Freeplay Awards will also be playable at the Experimedia exhibition over the conference weekend. There are a bunch of different ways to buy tickets — you can go along for the Playful Program bits, or buy tickets to the conference days separately.
Founded in 1998, the National Young Writers' Festival is this year celebrating its sweet sixteenth. Of course this doesn't mean they'll be spending the whole festival talking about blogs and feelings while chugging cheap champagne. Although, come to think of it, there is this panel on blogging and this thing all about feelings. And okay, sure, this fake formal is bound to have some Passion Pop on hand. But contrary to the testimony of anyone who's actually met a 16-year-old, being around for that long does give you a bit of wisdom. NYWF consistently delivers an appealing free program and offers amazing insight, advice and assistance to young creatives from all over the country. Like migration, hundreds of wide-eyed literary types descend on Newcastle for it each year — Moleskines in hand. From October 3-6, this year's festival will host 75 free events featuring over 100 young artists including the likes of Tom Ballard, Lorelei Vashti, Benjamin Law and Anna Krien. Three days with the best and most relatable voices in Australian writing will be well worth the trip. Check out our full festival guide here.
Marco Bellochio, one of Italy’s most respected filmmakers, has been fostering critical thought the world over ever since he debuted his first film Fists in the Pocket five decades ago. Known for his creativity and political mind, Bellochio’s films explore grizzly topics in an unexpected, artistic manner. This month the Australian Centre for the Moving Image hosts a retrospective of Bellocchio’s films, curated by Roberta Ciabarra. The four films to be screened are Dormant Beauty (Bella Addormentata), Bellochio’s latest film that explores both sides of the ever-controversial question of euthanasia, the 2011 director’s cut of 1971's In the Name of the Father (Nel Nome Del Padre) which was first shown at the Venice Film Festival, Vincere and Good Morning, Night (Buongiorno, Notte). The retrospective is sure to result in some serious soul searching on everything from your stance on euthanasia to why you can't speak Italiano. Get ready to take a long hard look at yourself, bambino. Image: Good Morning, Night (Buongiorno, Notte)
Movie nights rock — popcorn, entertainment, friends, what's not to love? In childhood, they were basically an excuse to squeal loudly and eat your body weight in jelly beans before becoming homesick sometime around 10pm. Let's just say, the movies weren't the main event. However, here's one you will want to be watching the screen for — the Centre for Contemporary Photography showcase their pick of 35 years of film by Robert Rooney. In 1973 Rooney made his first film, Anzacs, using a Super 8 camera to document daily life in patterns and rhythms, a practice he developed throughout the decade that followed. In 2009 he started digging up his old photographic work and decided to make films of a similar ilk reinterpreting that material. Set to music that dictate the length of his films, the results are raw and unique. Curators Maggie Finch and Patrick Pound screen a selection of these films on Wednesday night, for less than the shrapnel in your back pocket. BYO friends, popcorn provided. Book here. Image via ccp.org.au
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, we often say to ourselves, and our friends, "I can't imagine living without coffee." Well, what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, June 7, you can help out simply by purchasing a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its third year running, aiming to build on the $74,477 raised last year. From every coffee purchased at a participating cafe, $1 will be donated towards local projects, so if your cafe is not participating, head to one that is, just for one day. You can also donate at the counter, so if you prefer a hot chocolate, then you can still help out. It's one day when the little things can definitely make a big difference.
Apparently there’s some rumour going around that Melburnians like coffee. The attainable, cosmopolitan treat has become a solid (but also liquid) part of Melbourne’s identity in recent times and with amazing cups of joe now standard throughout our fair city, why shouldn’t it be? This weekend, find out what all the fuss is about at the 2013 Melbourne International Coffee Expo. Coinciding with the end of Good Beer Week, zap that hangover by tasting some of the world’s best coffee, watching demonstrations (including the finals of the World Barista Championships), learning more about the bittersweet brown liquid in a series of workshops and activities and if you’re not shaking too much from a caffeine overdose, trying your hand at latte art. Open to the general public from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, MICE2013 will provide the skills and knowledge necessary to become the perfect Melbourne coffee snob. Was that cold drip or single origin? Not recommended for the highly-strung. Image via internationalcoffeeexpo.com
Watching actors portraying real people is a powerful and engaging experience — think Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in Iron Lady, Colin Firth as King George VI in The Kings Speech, Russell Crowe as John Forbes Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in Capote and President Obama as Daniel-Day Lewis as Obama. Knowing actors are recreating true events often makes a film all the more fascinating, yet creative liberties can also create a false understanding of the actual events. Where do we place ethics in this sphere of acting? Is it the actor’s role to be completely true to the character? What about those who know the subject? In a public lecture entitled Staging Biography: Actors Playing Real People, Mary Luckhurst, Professor of Drama at the University of York and a Macgeorge Fellow at the VCA, shares her extensively researched understanding of the topic, including information gathered through interviews with some of the world’s most famous actors. Image credit The Kings Speech
Ridiculous as it may sound, some of the most compelling on-screen moments of the past decade have been found in the simple 30-second commercial spots for Apple products. Think back, for example, to the excitement on the face of the deaf girl as she's finally able to use sign language on her mobile phone, or the hypnotic dancing silhouettes cutting loose to Jet's ridiculously catchy 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl'. Best of all, picture that deployed soldier on the distant battlefront, tearfully touching the screen just as his newborn son gently does the same from all the way back home. Like the products they were marketing, Apple ads tapped into the notion of selling ideas and emotions — not items — and $500 billion later it was pretty clear we liked what we saw. Because of that, though, one of the biggest challenges facing the Steve Jobs biopic Jobs was to simply be better than the ads for the products he invented, and on most fronts it was, unfortunately, unsuccessful. Not unlike 2010's The Social Network, the Jobs film tracks its protagonist's story from his college days through to his stewardship over what is now, economically, the largest company in the world. We're presented with an unflattering portrayal of the man whose extraordinary vision sat alongside his infamous temper, ego and capacity for cruelty, particularly in matters concerning close friends and family. Steve is played by Ashton Kutcher in a performance that impressively captures the tech legend's mannerisms and cadence. The problem, however, is that Jobs feels more like a movie about Apple than the man who founded it. Whilst we're presented with at least some of his highs and lows (the movie is at its best during those low points, most notably his dismissal by the Apple board), whenever the products rate a mention, they're given almost comical reverence; messianic machines bathed in ethereal light. There's no denying the Cult of Apple exists, but this film wasn't the place to indulge it, and when coupled with some serious omissions, such as Jobs's founding of Pixar, it's hard to not consider this biopic more Performa than performer. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FrvkCS0ZGPU
Like a terrifying real-life Post Secret, Perth artist James Berlyn is about to ask a whole lot from his audience. In a free, 20-minute one-on-one performance, Berlyn will act as manicure professional Tawdry Heartburn and ask you to divulge all your well-kept secrets. Terrifically cathartic yet horribly scary, your secret will then be added to an ever-expanding collection on public display at Arts House. This one isn't for those not fond of audience participation, although there is the option to submit secrets anonymously during the festival or in an online component. Thank God for the internet. This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
It's safe to say Bryony Kimmings is not a fan of Miley Cyrus. In an attempt to undermine the sexualisation and commodification of childhood, this British performance artist and her niece Taylor dreamt up a new role model — "a dinosaur-loving, bike-riding, tuna-pasta-eating pop star" — and sought to make her world famous. The piece was a phenomenon in the UK garnering attention from the likes of Amanda Palmer and Yoko Ono, and now the stage show acts as a kind of dynamic analysis. Did it work? Was it necessary? Where do we go from here? This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
Just in case you needed another excuse to peddle around in the sprinkles of sunshine Melbourne is currently granting us, October 19 is national Ride2Work day. And what is just as good as starting your day with a bike ride? A free breakfast, that’s what. The Abbotsford Convent are opening their doors from 7.30am - 9.30am and have some tasty treats on offer including coffee, bircher muesli, pastries, corn fritters, fried eggs and miso soup. On top of that, if you snap a photo of you and your trusty steed and post it up on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #conventarchibikeprize you could win some seriously awesome bike-related bounty. The Convent Archibike prize will be awarded to the self-portrait with the most likes on Facebook and will be called on October 19 at breakfast. So pump up those tires, get snapping, and give yourself a high-five for traveling to work in a healthy and sustainable way.
If you think you don't know who Cody ChesnuTT is, then you will be pleased to learn that you are wrong. He is the soulful singer of the incredibly catchy 'Look Good In Leather', one of many brilliant songs from his debut album, The Headphone Masterpiece. The Roots (you will know them) also reworked ChesnuTT's song 'The Seed' for their famous album Phrenology. Since then it has been a long time between drinks — Australia last saw ChesnuTT in 2006. Thankfully, though, he is back with his second studio album and an Australian tour. Landing on a Hundred was released late last year and is well worth seeing performed live. In fact, anyone compared to music legends Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, Jimmy Hendrix and Prince is worth seeing, especially for under $50. So hand over a gold note, get your change and enjoy an evening of musical artistry. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8iTRRkOXIoI
This installation by Young British Artist, Tacita Dean, is going to be one of the most spectacular sights of this year's festival. Her surreal and finely crafted 35mm film will be projected onto a towering 13-metre vertical screen in the vast main gallery of ACCA. The sheer grandeur of the piece will be awesome to behold, but it will also raise some interesting questions about the medium itself. Does it stand in simple celebration of the artistry of celluloid cinema, or is it a bittersweet elegy for the decline of analogue art? FILM has been received well during its exhibition in the Tate Modern last year, and Dean will be speaking about the work at a free public lecture on October 10. Check out the rest of our picks for the Melbourne Festival here.
