Back in 2018, Australia scored the kind of festival we were always bound to, and to love: The Drop, a music fest that sets up its song-filled stages beside the country's iconic surfing spots. And if that still sounds like your idea of quite the big — and sandy — day out, you'd best get ready to surf the festival wave again, with the event returning in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, The Drop will stage a two-date run in New South Wales, hitting up Bondi Beach and Coffs Harbour in October. This marks the first time that the fest has made its way to Bondi, so expect it to be huge. On the bill at both 2022 shows: Tones and I, Matt Corby and Dune Rats, as well as Cub Sport, Gretta Ray, Shag Rock, TOWNS and Hallie. They'll head to Sydney's most famous beach on Saturday, October 15, then back it up the following week, on Saturday, October 22, at Park Beach Reserve in Coffs Harbour. [caption id="attachment_753215" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Walk Wild Studio[/caption] Fans in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, where The Drop has played before, will need to wait until next year to get their sun, surf, sand and song fix. The 2023 lineup hasn't been revealed, but dates have announced. Whether the event will do what it usually does and follow the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour hasn't been confirmed yet either, but fingers crossed. Stops are locked in for Coolangatta, Torquay and Busselton, though, plus a return to NSW thanks to the Newcastle show. And pairing music not only with sandy settings, but with surfing contests, has always been a big part of The Drop. If you have tickets to previous The Drop fest that didn't go ahead due to the pandemic, you now have a few options — to either roll them over to the new festivals in each location (where they're returning), switch to Bondi or Coffs Harbour instead, or obtain a refund. [caption id="attachment_753214" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] THE DROP FESTIVAL 2022 DATES Saturday, October 15 — Bondi Beach, Bondi, New South Wales Saturday, October 22 — Park Beach Reserve, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales THE DROP FESTIVAL 2022 LINEUP Tones And I Matt Corby Dune Rats Cub Sport Gretta Ray Shag Rock TOWNS Hallie THE DROP FESTIVAL 2023 DATES Saturday, January 21_Sunday, January 22 — Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta, Queensland Tuesday, March 28 — Empire Park, Newcastle, New South Wales Saturday, April 8 — Torquay Common, Torquay, Victoria Saturday, April 15 — TBC, Busselton, Western Australia Saturday, May 13 — Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta, Queensland The Drop will return for two 2022 festivals in New South Wales in October. Ticket pre-sales start at 9am on Tuesday, August 9, with general sales from 9am on Wednesday, August 10. For more information, visit the festival's website. The Drop's 2023 lineup will be announced closer to its 2023 dates — we'll update you when details come to hand. Images: Ian Laidlaw / Miranda Stokkel.
A lineup of local makers, shakers and musicians are pooling their talents for the creatively charged Bush Bop Day Party, helmed by the crew at Flo Creative Events. They'll all descend on the Old Apple Shed in Boneo on Sunday, January 19, for a jam-packed day of fun, celebrating local talent while drumming up donations for WIRES Wildlife Rescue, and the Qld, NSW and Vic fire brigades. There'll be a slew of market stalls to browse, along with a mini art exhibition featuring pieces by the likes of Jordyn White, Broken Oath Print Shop, Emma Whitelaw, Luna Tunes and Talk Talk Die. Meanwhile, acts like The Belair Lip Bombs, Polly And The Pockets, Velvet Bloom + The Vito Collective and Noddy make up the day's diverse live music offering, matched to striking visuals by Nathan Nagorcka Stewart. Entry to all of it will cost you $10 on the door, with half of all profits heading to support bushfire victims via Flo's nominated fundraising partners. Bush Bop Day Party runs from 11am–3pm.
After eight seasons, a huge body count and an enormous wait for winter, Game of Thrones is coming to an end in 2019. But that doesn't mean saying goodbye to the world first created by author George R.R. Martin — not only thanks to the author's books, whenever The Winds of Winter eventually hits shelves, or even simply due to the planned prequel series. In addition, fans will soon be able to visit a heap of new GoT tourist attractions. After filming much of the show in Northern Ireland for the past decade, HBO has announced that it's teaming up with Tourism NI to open a number of sets and sites to the public for the first time. If you've ever dreamed about walking around Westeros, this will be your chance. Winterfell, Castle Black and King's Landing are among the iconic spots that'll feature in what's being called Game of Thrones Legacy. Visitors won't just see the ancestral home of House Stark, the headquarters of the Night's Watch or the capital of the seven kingdoms, but also view exhibitions complete with costumes, props, weapons and set decorations, plus art files, models and other production materials. There'll also be accompanying digital content and interactive materials, highlighting GoT's digital effects. Given that the show includes both dragons and wights, aka Martin's version of zombies, there's plenty to showcase. The project is still in an exploratory process, with full details still to be revealed, but a 2019 opening date has been slated. Seeing as though the show's final season will air next year, that timing is hardly surprising — you'll probably be able to find out whether Jon Snow really knows nothing, and then head to Northern Ireland to visit many of his haunts.
It’s a sweltering night in Brunswick, the week’s heatwave at its crest, and one has to feel for the actors gamely stepping out under the stage lights in suit jackets and ties. Still, a bit of sweat doesn’t go astray in The Temperamentals, a tale combining steamy romance and a thick atmosphere of fear. The year is 1950, the place Los Angeles, and Harry Hay (Angelo de Cato), a gay teacher, has hit breaking point. Tired of having to conduct his romantic life in secret, Hay decides to take a stand and writes a manifesto asserting equal rights for homosexuals — the seed, he hopes, for a new civil rights movement. The Temperamentals, penned by Pulitzer prize winning American playwright Jon Marans, is not fiction but a docudrama about the little known gay rights movement of the early fifties. Hay and his lover, Rudi Gernreich (Tim Constantine) — later an acclaimed fashion designer — founded an activist group called the Mattachine Society, one of the earliest organisations of its kind, and the play traces their often frustrating experience trying to get a public movement started among a group committed to secrecy. Taking its name from a code word by which gay men of the time identified each other, The Temperamentals gives a nuanced account of social repression. The censure of society is depicted subtly but persistently, creating an atmosphere of constant tension. The psychological impact of repression is powerfully depicted, the characters riven by inner turmoil — themselves embedded in 1950s attitudes about masculinity and propriety, even as they struggle against them trying to establish their own identity. The interplay between the fledgeling struggle for queer rights and the other social tensions of the day, from anti-communism to endemic racism, adds another layer to the rich text too. The Temperamentals first played in New York in 2009 and this production from local indie outfit Mockingbird Theatre is the first performance of it in Melbourne. It uses a stark set and a tight cast of five. De Cato gives a powerful turn as the seething, conflicted Hay, delightfully contrasted by Constantine as his elegant lover. The three energetic support actors (Chuck Rowland, Jai Luke and Sebastian Bertoli) do a lot of switching between minor roles early on, and it can at times be a little tricky differentiating who’s who, but the play really finds its stride once they settle into ongoing characters who are able to develop more. The play goes from strength to strength, alive with historical detail without being weighed down by it, emotive without being heavy handed and rousing without needing to sugarcoat the fractured politics and personalities involved in the story. While there could have been better use of props, with some odd inconsistencies such as a significant costume item not being the colour the characters say it is, the performances are heartfelt, the cast very likeable and the script incisive and witty. Whether what you want sharp social commentary or sharply dressed men getting torrid with each other, The Temperamentals delivers. It is a riveting show and one that shines a light on a fascinating slice of history.
Have you ever needed to convey an important message to someone in a big way, but sweated to find the perfect gift to do so? Maybe you needed to say, 'sorry for being a jerk', 'thanks for being a great mate', or simply, 'I love you'. Well, perhaps not surprisingly, there’s a website to fix that problem. Sorry Thanks I Love You is an online store that’s working to reignite the culture of giving. By taking a short personalised shopping quiz based on the person in mind (with questions such as ‘What were they like a kid?’ or ‘What would they do with 24 hours in NYC?’), Sorry Thanks I Love You has everything you could ever need to help you say any of those five little words (you'd hope). The site features handmade accessories, homewares, gourmet foods, fresh flowers from boutique florists and craft beverages sourced from around the world. This holiday season, you’ll be able to see and try out all these goodies for yourself at Sorry Thanks I Love You's new pop-up store in Pran Central. The store will features tonnes of products, including knives carved from Scandinavian reindeer antler, hand-woven Kashmiri scarves and traditional Japanese furoshiki wrapping cloths. Gourmet goodies include wheels of Bruny Island cheese and premium single malt whisky distilled in highland Tasmania, which you can taste test in the store. Sorry Thanks I Love You will also be featuring wares from iconic jewellery makers Dinosaur Designs and iconic Finnish design brand Marimekko. The shop will offer gift wrapping for gold coin donation, with proceeds donated to Motor Neuron Disease Australia as part of Sorry Thanks I Love You’s Random Acts of Kindness project. Quality wares, gourmet goodies, and supporting good causes? There's no way your mum can be disappointed this Mothers' Day.
It's possible that after directing the pastoral idyll that was the Olympic Opening Ceremony, Danny Boyle felt the need to dirty things up. That would explain Trance, a gangster/heist movie that takes a turn into the unexplored psychosexual corridors of Inception. James McAvoy stars as a young art auctioneer, Simon, who gets mixed up in some bad business. Charged with hiding the most valuable artwork on the auction block in the event of a heist, Simon cops a severe bump on the head after Franck (Vincent Cassel) and his men breach the building. He now has amnesia and doesn't know what's what. It's soon made clear to him, however, that this was an inside job of his orchestration, and that he's the only one who knows — knew? — where the painting is hidden. In an attempt to retrieve the buried information, Franck sends Simon to a hypnotherapist, Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson), who soon inserts herself into the gang. Things get crazy from here on in. Boyle might never have made a bad film (or play or Olympic spectacle). His titles range from Trainspotting to 28 Days Later and 127 Hours (how is that range possible, even?). Slumdog Millionaire was universally adored. But Trance will divide people. A film like this really rests on the payoff of its twist, and the Trance twist is limp and signposted early on (and I'm not one of those actively thinking cinemagoers who can usually guess the ending). There seems no good reason for the lack of subtlety throughout. On top of that, some debasing things are inflicted on the single female character, and you'd really like that kind of treatment to only happen with good narrative cause. That said, Trance is definitely interesting. You should see it just so you can have a healthy argument about it with your movie date. It's dark, complex, challenging and so inventive as to demand attention. Above all, it has a distinct and mesmerising visual style. Most of the shots you see are indirect; you are not looking at the actors as they stand in front of the camera lens but at their image as reflected off potentially several mirrors or other reflective surfaces. At one point, it's such that I swear I can see a pool cleaner crawling along the kitchen ceiling. What we think we're looking at is literally not what we are looking at. It could be a kitchen. It could also be a pool. It's a beautifully accomplished metaphor for the hypnotised state that Boyle has realised together with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, a frequent collaborator. Their saturated blue-orange colour palette is a stunner. Another frequent collaborator of note is Rick Smith of Underworld, the iconic electro band who have worked on Boyle's Trainspotting, Sunshine and, yes, the Olympic Opening Ceremony, among other things. Smith adds another literal dimension to Trance — the music. Those demanding, racing beats are one unsubtle touch that works. Read our interview with Danny Boyle and the cast of Trance here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=L4_bdS3_gr0
Time for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? Don't settle for an experience that might better be described as "once-in-a-while." Fortunately, there's no such problem when it comes to Legendary Journeys – Ultimate Private Experience by Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest independent hotel brand. Delivered in partnership with Bucketlist Xperiences, this ultra-luxe 17-night itinerary spans Singapore, India, Rwanda, Kenya, Greece, Morocco and London, departing Tuesday, October 6, 2026, and shaped for those seeking a truly unparalleled escape. Flying on a private VIP airliner customised for luxury travel, up to 58 passengers will relish an epicurean experience, with an in-flight chef serving gourmet cuisine alongside curated wines and spirits. Meanwhile, the trip is taken to the next level with seamless transfers, private airport access, luggage concierge and personalised gifts. Throughout the itinerary, a 17-member service team will oversee every detail, no matter how small. Oh, and a professional photographer and videographer will be on hand to document every leg of the journey. With non-stop highlights over three weeks, this exclusive experience begins in Singapore with a two-night stay overlooking Marina Bay. Expect sunset cocktails on the roof and a welcome celebration perched above the waterfront. Then, this trip is bound for Jaipur, India, where guests will stay amid palatial splendour in Rajasthan before taking VIP excursions to iconic landmarks like the Taj Mahal, the Amber Fort and the City Palace. Africa awaits next, with guests headed to Kigali, Rwanda, for a two-night visit. Staying at the newly opened Mövenpick Kigali, guests are welcomed with a private reception hosted by President Kagame (yes, really). The following day, climb into a helicopter to soar above the Virunga Mountains, then trek through Volcanoes National Park to catch a glimpse of local gorilla populations. The wildlife experience continues in Kenya, where guests sleep in luxury safari tents as they embark on thrilling Big Five game drives between sunrise hot-air balloon flights and champagne breakfasts served deep in remote plains. Trading in dry and dusty conditions for Aegean coastal bliss, the journey soon touches down in Santorini, Greece, with guests relishing the Oia cliffside. Soak up a sunset sailing adventure, then sip on rare Assyrtiko vintages native to the region. Onwards to Marrakech, Morocco, guests will head into the medina for some local shopping, with time to spare unwinding in a traditional hammam. Rounding out this extravagant adventure is a final stop in London, with guests delighting in the world's first super boutique hotel — The Londoner. So, what does it cost to experience this genuinely once-in-a-lifetime holiday? Just a cool $133,500 USD per person. Sure, that's not the kind of money most of us can find down the back of the couch. But if you're a high-flying traveller with the means to make it happen, look no further for the vacation of your dreams. "Our mission has always been to connect travellers with the world's most remarkable independent hotels and destinations in ways that are both unforgettable and transformative," says Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Legendary Journeys – Ultimate Private Experience by Preferred Hotels & Resorts takes place from Tuesday, October 6—Friday, October 23, 2026. Head to the website for more information.
Jiro is an idealistic young man obsessed with the concept of flight. His poor eyesight means he can never be a pilot, so he becomes an engineer, designing planes that go as fast as is humanly possible. As Japan finds itself embroiled in the Second World War, Jiro falls in love with Naoko, and is torn between his desire to be with her, and his duty to his masters. Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki — best known for classics such as My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo — creates what may be his final film ever. (Miyazaki has announced his retirement many times in the past, and did so in the lead-up to this film. There are claims that he has backtracked this one as well.) If it is his last, it's a fitting coda. It's not difficult to see Miyazaki in Jiro: a single-minded focus with an artistic endeavour to the point of obsession. Despite being based upon a true story, a significant amount of creative licence is taken. This is, counter-intuitively, a good thing. Often, the more reverential a biopic attempts to be, the less interesting a film it is. This is a film about artistic passion, and there are more important truths about life during wartime that are illuminated in a way that a simple recounting of events would not. The film studiously avoids the cliches one would expect from this setup. It refuses to shy away from the questionable decisions made by Japan during wartime, but nor does it allow the idea of the country as the destined defeated to overwhelm what is ultimately a tale of human passion and endeavour. It's hard to think of a more measured film about non-violent people in wartime. Much of the controversy surrounding the film has focused on the fact that the protagonist is developing planes that will eventually becomes those that attacked Pearl Harbour. But that is the exact position of the myopic Jiro, who at one point expresses frustration that the planes must carry weapons and bombs, for they will slow down his masterpieces. And that's the point of the film: that the purity of artistic endeavours are often destroyed by those more concerned with conflict and battle. Madman Entertainment is releasing the film in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. You'll have to check to see which version your local cinema is playing, but if you have a choice, the Japanese language one is always preferable. There's something about the formality and manner of Japanese speech that doesn't translate well into English vocals, and even the most careful redubs often sound silly and awkward. Moments of sincerity can often sound funny, so exercise discretion. On the other hand, the English version has Werner Herzog as a German spy, so you can't really go wrong either way. It's a bold, unapologetic film that is not always completely successful, but there is a confident vision at play, and that is always welcome. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RzSpDgiF5y8
Put a jig in your step and head over to The Quiet Man Irish Pub as they welcome back fan favourites Double Shot Maggie. Once a month, you can catch this quintessential Irish rock band with a high energy punk flavour. Entry is free, leaving you more gold coins for a pub feed and a pint.
Need a bit of extra motivation to exercise? Would the chance to dress up and step back in time make you more eager to burn some calories? If so, jog along to Retrosweat. The themed workout has been getting Sydneysiders sweaty in spandex for a few years now, and s heading to Melbourne for the first time. The class will be led by founder Shannon Dooley of Physique Aerobics, who says she's aiming to inject a lot more fun (and eye shadow) into exercising. Her classes celebrate the glorious music and dance moves of the '80s. Think Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna. The session will be a non-intimidating 60 minutes and all experience levels are welcome, so don't rule yourself out if you think you have two left feet. Held the day after Cup Day, the workout will be somewhat horse-themed, with a prize going to the best ponytail. As for the dress code? "G string leotards are encouraged, scrunchies and sweatbands compulsory."
UPDATE, January 8, 2021: Color Out of Space is available to stream via Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. He's the king of the unhinged, the master of on-screen mania and perhaps the only person that can make pouring vodka all over themselves while howling look perfectly natural. He is, of course, the one and only Nicolas Cage. While his resume boasts more ups and downs than a rollercoaster — an Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas on one side, his oh-so-many forgettable straight-to-video flicks on the other — he's also the ideal person to lead Lovecraftian horror adaptation Color Out of Space. Whenever Cage keeps things quiet and normal, he evokes the unnerving sensation that perhaps everything is too quiet and normal. When he's letting loose, there's really no telling what could happen next. A film about a glowing meteor that crashes on an alpaca farm and not only forever changes a family's existence, but their entire grasp on reality, Color Out of Space needs both Cage's unsettlingly calm and brain-bogglingly over-the-top sides. More than that, it thrives on them. Six months after his wife Theresa's (Joely Richardson) mastectomy, Nathan Gardner's (Cage) life is settling back into a routine. With their three kids — stoner Benny (Brendan Meyer), wannabe wicca Lavinia (Madeleine Arthur) and primary school-aged Jack (Julian Hillard) — the couple has taken over Nathan's late father's remote New England property, lapping up its tree-lined surroundings and the slower pace that comes with it. The oddest thing they have to deal with: Nathan's certainty that alpacas are the future. Well, that and the grin on his face when he's milking the woolly animals. Then, just as a hydrologist (Elliot Knight) arrives to survey the farm's water, a blazing rock plummets from the heavens — turning the sky an otherworldly shade of fuchsia, unleashing both radiation and shape-shifting aliens, and sparking quite the wave of strange events. 'Strange' is a relative term in any given situation; what's unusual to one person mightn't seem all that out of the ordinary to someone else. But by combining a HP Lovecraft short story, the beacon of weird that is Cage, and a director known for making vivid and distinctive movies, Color Out of Space is emphatically, undeniably strange — regardless of your individual threshold for the bizarre. That filmmaker is Richard Stanley, who gained attention with a couple of sci-fi and horror flicks in the early 90s. Since 1996, he's been best known for being fired from the big Marlon Brando-starring flop The Island of Doctor Moreau. Stanley hasn't actually directed a fictional feature since, sticking to a few documentaries until now — and based on the hallucinatory imagery splashed across Color Out of Space's pink and purple-hued frames, he has decades of strangeness stored up. When Cage begins yelling maniacally, the farm's water turns sinister, grotesque critters start scuttling around and mutated flesh begins to feature heavily, Color Out of Space unleashes all of its absurd and peculiar wonders. When Cheech & Chong's Tommy Chong plays one of the most sensible characters — a hermit squatting on the Gardners' land, and the first person to verbalise his suspicions about the luminous boulder and its effects — this head trip of a film demonstrates that it's definitely not on any standard wavelength. It actually takes 40 slow-burning minutes until Color Out of Space dazzles viewers with its batshit antics, just like its incandescent rock gradually overpowers everyone in its vicinity, but the feature's first act is anything but subdued. Festering with unease, as aided by Steve Annis' (I Am Mother) vibrant cinematography and Colin Stetson's (Hereditary) psychedelic score, this movie is just waiting to explode with mind-bending havoc. Considering that it's also a film about the mess that follows a disease like cancer, simmering with distress then breaking out in chaos always feels supremely fitting. Still, much like Cage at his most Cage-esque — running around the streets claiming he's undead in 80s curio Vampire's Kiss springs to mind, as does every second of 90s action blockbuster Face/Off — Colour Out of Space is a movie that sometimes approaches its limits. It means to push them. In fact, given its source material and Lovecraft's renowned fondness for all things monstrous, it has to. When an otherwise ordinary family is being driven mad by a colourful meteor in visually, emotionally and physically disturbing ways, a mood of relentlessness and ridiculousness is wholly appropriate. But, as glorious as the movie's gleefully bonkers sights, sounds and story developments all are, they can threaten to weigh the feature down. The Gardners are no longer experiencing time in a normal way, and audiences can be forgiven for feeling like they're going through the same process. Stanley turns Lovecraft's wild, weird tale into an off-kilter kaleidoscopic spectacle — and another suitably strange entry on Cage's lengthy resume, naturally — but occasionally lets it get a little too lost in its own delirium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLmvs9Wrem0
The Lego Ninjago Movie is the third Lego-based feature in a franchise that shows no signs of slowing down. It's also the first to take place entirely within an original Lego trademarked setting – the city of 'Ninjago' – and for its first half-hour feels like little more than an extended, big-budgeted commercial. Indeed, with the appearance of each new character, don't be surprised to see kids jumping out of their seats and pointing at the screen with gleeful recognition Still, while the film does its job as a marketing exercise from the get go, in terms of plot it takes a while longer to find its feet. Every day the evil Lord Garmadon (Justin Theroux) launches attacks upon the city from his evil villain volcano, and every day he's repelled by the colourful school-kids-cum-ninjas, the leader of whom is secretly Garmadon's own son Lloyd (Dave Franco). It's only once the lad's secret identity is revealed that the story shifts gears into something of a father/son reconciliation story – and while that's pretty familiar territory for the Lego franchise, it also provides the best material for the remainder of Ninjago. As with The Lego Movie and Lego Batman, this third movie utilises remarkable technology wherein almost everything on screen is assembled from computer-generated Lego pieces. Like the previous films, too, Ninjago is very self-aware, particularly regarding the Lego-ness of things like the absence of fingers and the way a Lego head can become stuck in the base of a Lego foot. It's these little flourishes that immediately feel familiar to anyone who's played with the toys before and, especially for adults, spark a pleasing nostalgia-based smile whenever they arise. The characters themselves, however, are noticeably less nuanced this time around, with only Lord Garmadon (played as a none-too-subtle parody of Donald Trump), Lloyd and Master Wu (Jackie Chan) offering any semblance of depth. The other five ninjas do provoke the occasional laugh but seem well below the calibre of the actors voicing them (Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods, Michael Peña, Abbi Jacobson and Fred Armisen). And yes, for those playing at home, you did count that correctly: six heroic ninjas, five of them male, which raises the age-old LEGO question: "uh...where are all the girls at?" It's a problem with which Lego is all too familiar. An internal review conducted by the company in 2008 revealed the damning statistic that 90% of its sales were directed towards boys rather than girls. Lego's response was to launch Lego Friends in 2012 – a toy line specifically intended for girls. Pretty smart move as it happens, with the company's annual profits shooting up by around 15 percent ever since. It's therefore both surprising and extremely disappointing that that same approach isn't being seen in the films. The Lego Movie's most kick-arse character was Elizabeth Banks' Wyldstyle, yet she was the only notable female in an otherwise male-driven story whose live action component centred upon a father/son bonding experience. Lego Batman, too, included only one notable female character in Rosario Dawson's Batgirl, and focused on the relationship between Bruce Wayne and the orphan boy Dick Grayson. Now we have Lego Ninjago, which not only suffers from a dearth of female characters but again deals largely with the father/son relationship between Garmadon and his estranged kid Lloyd. The only bright light in this situation is the announcement that The Lego Movie sequel will focus specifically on gender issues and the way boys and girls play with the toys in different ways. Solid fun for the kids and amusing enough to keep adults interested, whilst The Lego Ninjago Movie is the weakest entry in the franchise, it's still entertaining enough to satisfy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJBS1ogEVHE
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. The Scandinavian Film Festival tours the country between July 10 and August 5, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from July 10–29; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay and Palace Westgarth from July 12–29; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks from July 19 to August 5. For the full program, visit the festival website.
Prepare yourself, folks — this year, Australia's launching into summer with the help of a huge new music festival. The brainchild of industry big guns Onelove (Stereosonic), Live Nation (Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival) and Hardware (Piknic Electronik, Babylon), Festival X will shoot onto the scene from Friday, November 29, touring Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The large-scale music party is pulling no punches when it comes to its debut lineup, headlined by international heavyweights including Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, the Grammy-nominated Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki and our own Alison Wonderland. Spanning multiple stages, it's set to deliver a world-class serve of hip hop, pop and electronica. US rapper Lil Pump will make his own Aussie debut, joined on the all-star bill by the likes of British DJ duo CamelPhat, Ohio-based rapper Trippie Redd, Denmark's Kölsch and German techno king Paul Kalkbrenner. Meanwhile, there'll be plenty flying the flag for the local scene, with sets from favourites including bass and dubstep star Godlands, Australian-raised trance DJ MaRLo, Sydney act Sunset Bros and singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix. The inaugural Festival X tour is set to hit Brisbane Showgrounds on Friday, November 29, Sydney Showgrounds on Saturday, November 30, and Melbourne Showgrounds on Sunday, December 1. Presale tickets are up for grabs from 1pm on Wednesday, July 31, with general tickets on sale from noon on Thursday, August 1. Top image: Stereosonic
It seems there's nothing like a pandemic to chuck most daily routines and good habits out the window. But, hey, at least your planet-friendly endeavours can continue on strong, because there are still plenty of easy ways to keep living that green life. If you're aiming to put a dent in your plastic waste, you'll now find another helping hand in Melbourne-born initiative One Less Bottle. Specifically, the group's vending machine-style refill station, which dispenses liquid household and personal care products by the millilitre. Simply bring along your reusable containers to fill with the likes of dishwashing soap, surface spray and laundry detergent, stocking up on essentials while nixing that pesky single-use packaging. One Less Bottle's original station is located at Brunswick's Barkly Square shopping centre, where you'll find it hanging out next to the ATM machines. Since debuting there in March, it's saved an estimated 650 single-use plastic containers from heading to landfill. In fact, the concept has been so popular, the company is gearing up to launch more locations across Melbourne in the next few weeks. Plus, new products, with hand and body wash, shampoo and conditioner set to be available in the near future. All of the refill products are vegan and eco-friendly, clocking in at just $4.99 for 500 millilitres, or $8.99 for a one-litre pour. And, as an extra win for right now, you'll score an extra 20 percent off that price while Melbourne's current lockdown is in effect. An automated dispense system makes for speedy, accurate filling, with minimal mess — just line up the nozzle with your container, press a button and you're good to go. What's more, the station can be accessed 24/7, with fast payment via smart phone, debit or credit card. Just don't forget about Melbourne's 8pm to 5am curfew, or the five-kilometre travel bubble in place during stage four lockdown. Founded by Melbourne local Dale Marchetti, One Less Bottle is determined to change everyday behaviours, not just through its low-waste products, but also via an oddly therapeutic Tik Tok account. Over at @one.less.bottle you'll find videos of the refill station in action, oozing dishwashing liquid neatly into containers. One's already racked up over 87,200 views. Find the One Less Bottle refill station at Barkly Square Shopping Centre, 1/90–106 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. You can find out more about the company and get a heads up on new locations over on the website.
Want to test your chess skills this weekend? On Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, the ground floor of the Immigration Museum will be hosting Chess Without Borders: a celebration of chess, migration and diversity in our community. Whether you're a grandmaster or you still call knights the 'horse ones', it doesn't matter – there's a game here for you. Come and battle it out on beautiful, handcrafted chess dhurries (woven rugs), enjoy live DJ sets, join in tournament festivities and dabble in some Lego chess building. On Saturday afternoon there'll also be a panel discussion, Chess in Our Communities, where you can hear from some of Melbourne's oldest and most beloved chess clubs. See how this 1500-year-old game can transform lives and break down barriers. The event is entirely free, but it doesn't cover entry to the Immigration Museum, and you'll need to register for specific events via your booking confirmation email. If you want to head down on both days, make sure you grab a Friday and Saturday ticket. If nothing else, you'll probably learn how that en passant thing works. Images: supplied.
Unpaved Songwriter Sessions #27 at the Old Bar is coming up on June 17. Yes, it's on a school night. No, it isn't free. But for a mere $5 you can see the likes of waywardbreed, Larrisa Tandy (Strine Singers), Zoe Ryan, Melanie Wilkinson, Ed Wirgman and more. We're talking sweet gothic folk rock, earnest country pop songs, acoustic storytelling with alluring harmonies, and $15 jugs all night long. There was an unpleasant rumour doing the rounds last week that the Old Bar — a Melbourne institution — may close this winter. Get aboard the gravy train while it's still in town and go down to the Unpaved Songwriter Sessions. All being well, there'll be six new talented musicians performing next week. Just make sure you get there early to grab a good seat and get a bite to eat along the way: Old Bar doesn't do food, although they do feed unicorns.
When things supposedly go bump and jump in the night, Professor Philip Goodman (Andy Nyman) calls bullshit. But then his childhood hero (Leonard Byrne) comes calling, asking the professional paranormal debunker to investigate three cases — and warning that they just might challenge his long-held scepticism. That's the crux of British horror film Ghost Stories, which understands two important truths. Firstly, there's a little bit of wonder buried in every cynic, even if they won't or can't admit it. Secondly, the only thing that's more thrilling than a spooky tale told well is a number of them strung together. Goodman's trio of supernatural incidents all involve strange and downright disturbing sightings, which he works through one by one. Employed in a deserted former asylum for women, nightwatchman Tony (Paul Whitehouse) just thinks that the power is flickering one evening, but that's soon the least of his worries. Driving through woodland in the thick of night with no one else in sight, the jumpy Simon (Alex Lawther) is involved in a hit and run with an unusual victim. As for wealthy banker Mike (Martin Freeman), who takes Goodman walking around his countryside property, he spins an account of personal woe and potential ghosts — all set in his sprawling mansion as his wife is about to give birth to their first child. At first, these three vignettes all seem quite slight and standard, of the type that you might share around a crackling fire with marshmallows and a happy suspension of disbelief. That's by design, with the horror genre frequently drawing its power from appearing simplistic when the reality proves otherwise. Adapting their 2010 stage production of the same name for the screen, writing and directing duo Nyman and Jeremy Dyson keep the superficial details purposefully straightforward, while having fun playing with tropes and littering clues within each narrative within the narrative. This is an unnerving anthology that perfects the nuts and bolts of haunted storytelling, and yet also subverts expectations, offers enjoyable nods to horror greats gone by, and builds towards a big finale. Where it eventually lands is a little silly and obvious, but each individual segment — and its bookending framework — is staged in an impeccable and stirring manner. The idea that Ghost Stories is 'staged' has multiple meanings, some that are best discovered by watching. Even if you're unfamiliar with the production in its original form — that is, literally on the stage — it's easy to see how it would work in the theatre. Crucially, however, this isn't a talky work that feels out-of-place on the screen. Rather, it's a broodingly gothic affair that's just as disquieting when it's toying with darkness, shadows and startling sounds as when it's giving its supernatural forces more concrete shape and form. Moving the tale to the cinema gives Nyman and Dyson plenty of room to revel in the movie's mood and imagery, creating a gloriously rich spookhouse — think bleak Yorkshire exteriors and thoroughly creepy interiors. Ghost Stories is also a well-acted scarefest, with Nyman and Freeman the clear standouts. One plays a devout rationalist with conviction, the other rattles chains (albeit verbally, not physically) — and if you notice that the film is dominated by men with secrets, that's on purpose also. Being assaulted by the inexplicable is unsettling, as is being expected to just grin and bear life's ills, a trait that the movie's characters all share. The notion of hiding from pain provides thematic texture, deepens this entertaining take on the familiar, and helps Ghost Stories achieve what all anthology efforts strive for: leaving the audience wanting more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh9KCVdx33I
Underground Cinema — Melbourne-born innovators of secret immersive film experiences — have announced their latest instalment: La Guerre. These are the people who take cinema out of the cinema and into boatyards, beaches and Donkey Wheel House, creating a world in sync with the evening's film though real-life actors, evocative food, intricate sets and costumes. It's all themed to set the scene and get guests guessing, because the film, of course, is a secret. So what do we know? We know that UGC La Guerre will transport guests back to the 1940s, for a cinema event that's more like walking onto a film set than anything else. Think World War II, sepia tones, pin curls and la Resistance. Wear your '40s best. The dates confirmed for Melbourne are Thursday, July 10; Friday, July 11; and Saturday, July 12, at 7pm. There's also a 4pm session on Sunday, July 13. Whatever the film is, viewers can expect immersion bordering on camp. In the past they've taken toga-clad cinema-goers to ancient Rome (for Life of Brian) and given out white jumpsuits, student cards and medical examinations before filing people into a snow-covered Swedish academy (Let the Right One In). Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, June 17, at 1pm sharp. There's a cash bar and hot food on site, and all ticketholders will be sent details of the location via SMS on the day. Keep an eye on the UGC Facebook page for more details.
As one of comedy’s most prolific writers and performers, Aziz Ansari is set to leave Melbourne choking on overly priced pick 'n' mix on his 'Buried Alive' tour of Australia. Counting Kanye West, Jay-Z and The Flight Of The Conchords among his circle of friends, Ansari has appeared in films such as Get Him To The Greek, Funny People and School For Scoundrels, as well as putting in likeable TV performances in Scrubs, Reno 911! and Parks And Recreation. With perfectly constructed, hilarious routines and cutting edge material, Ansari focuses on aspects of his personal life in his comedy routines. “I like talking about things that are going on in my life, because that’s always going to be different and original” he says. “No one else is going to be talking about my personal experiences”.
Do you have the time to listen to Green Day live? Do you now have 'Basket Case' from the California-born band's iconic 1994 album Dookie stuck in your head? To celebrate three decades since releasing one of the records that defined the 90s, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool are returning to Australia to play it in its entirety — and to also bust out their American Idiot album from 2004 in full as well. If you're a Green Day fan, welcome to paradise come Saturday, March 1, 2025, when the band will hit up Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. We hope you have the time of your life getting a blast of 90s and 00s nostalgia, complete with 'When I Come Around', 'Longview', 'She', 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams', 'Wake Me Up When September Ends', 'Holiday' and, yes, 'American Idiot' echoing. [caption id="attachment_972774" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alice Baxley, Apple Music[/caption] While the visit is part of the group's global The Saviors Tour, which is named for their 14th studio album Saviors, they're clearly happy to keep working through their best-known tunes — and, while they aren't on either Dookie or American Idiot, 'Minority', 'Brain Stew' and 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' have been on Green Day's recent setlist overseas. In support, also bringing the 90s and 00s to mind, fellow California-born group AFI will share the stage on Green Day's 2025 Aussie tour. [caption id="attachment_972777" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Flickr.[/caption] Top images: Raph_PH via Flickr, Alice Baxley.
For a month-long event, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival always seems to go by in a flash. You catch the Gala on TV, intend to book tickets, forget, get flustered when young comedians approach you outside Town Hall with flyers, then miss it all completely. To keep you in the loop, our team is out every night catching the best acts of the festival. Check in and see what's happening — we'll be updating regularly. Colin Lane: Presents Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $22-$28 Speaking as someone who saw an awful lot of MICF, this was easily one of the best shows at this year's festival. As his first in four years, Colin Lane Presents is less a traditional stand-up routine and more of a dynamic and self-reflexive character piece. Nervous and moody, Lane takes the stage as an experienced but jaded performer — a perfectly played version of himself. Sweating under the house lights, he runs though awkward audience banter, small musical pieces and pitch-perfect dad jokes all in an effort to reignite his career. Lane tells his audience he's been inspired by the immortal words of Gwen Stefani: "Take a chance, you stupid ho". It's a concept that's equal parts heartwarming and cringeworthy in a show that teeters on the knife edge of hilarious and unbearably awkward. All in all, a perfect demonstration that Lane doesn't need Frank Woodley by his side to get some decent laughs. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Stephen K Amos: What Does the K Stand For? Athenaeum Theatre, 7.20pm, $40-$49 For a headlining international act, Stephen K Amos is one of the most familiar faces on the MICF circuit. No stranger to our shores, Amos has found his comedic niche in our niggling self-deprecating Australianisms and it doesn't look like he's letting up any time soon. In his latest show we see familiar forays into our accent, our bogan pub life and our "casual racism"— seriously, did everyone else know Chicko packets feature a black baby with one tooth nailed to a piece of wood? The sell-out crowd is clearly full of faithful fans and even small quips get a roaring reception. He's not shy about a bit of audience participation either, and the audience get decent mileage out of unsuspecting young art students while he's at it. All in all, it's not a new show but it's not a bad one either — it delivers the same comforting belly laughs you might get from your dad at Christmas dinner. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor FanFiction Comedy Melbourne Town Hall, Performing at various times, $18-$24 Fan fiction, for those that aren’t sure, is when stories are created using existing fictional characters and settings, but their original creators do not write them. In other words, Harry Potter can end up with Hermoine (or Draco) or — in tonight’s case — Sherlock Holmes can solve mysteries with Steve from Blues Clues. This is FanFictionComedy’s third year at MICF, and it appeared there were many in the audience who had seen them before. The show is presented by Wil Anderson who was not present this evening, but guest star Tom Ballard was, and he did an excellent job of describing in magnificent detail what Charmed: The Movie might look like if it ever gets the green light. Other fictional characters to make an appearance this evening were Iron Man and Thomas the Tank Engine — not in the same story, but certainly as you’ve never seen them before. It's astounding to think these stories will not be repeated again during the festival — every night that this talented troupe performs they bring with them a new story. Everyone who participated tonight was a creative storyteller who had perfect comedic timing and inflection as they read out their twisted tales. If you want to see some obsessively nerdy imagination translate into some vivid and hilarious stories, get onto FanFiction Comedy. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Late Night Letters and Numbers Melbourne Town Hall, Mondays, 9:45pm, $17 Beloved by word nerds, numbers wizards and my parents, the short-lived SBS game show Letters and Numbers gets a low-rent revival at the Melbourne Town Hall, as some of the brightest stars of this year’s comedy fest put their dignity on the line. With what appears to be only a vague grasp of the original program’s rules, host Nick Caddaye tries in vain to keep his contestants on track through seventy minutes of word jumbles and maths problems, while a pair of dictionary wielding assistants chime in with helpful definitions to words like “slut” and “bath-poop.” A decidedly laid-back affair, Late Night Letters and Numbers is the perfect show for punters after something a little bit different, as well as anyone who enjoys the smug feeling of solving anagrams faster than the guy next to you. On once a week, with a rotating roster of competitors, no two editions will be the same. Audience members can also win free tickets to other shows at the festival by out-spelling the comedians on stage. - Tom Clift, writer Frank Woodley: Fool's Gold Melbourne Town Hall, 8.20pm, $28 - $39.50 There's no denying that Frank Woodley is funny. His charming dopiness has become a trademark to the point that it's even mentioned in the show. "People often describe me as pathetic," he says. His physical comedy is endearing and well-timed, but his newest outing Fool's Gold won't deliver much more than the familiar schtick. There are definite highlights in the form of musical "whimsy" and a makeshift play performed by two audience members (pick your seat wisely). Surreal stories about the end of the world and his best friend — a horse with a human hand — also provide definite chuckles, but the show overall lacks a consistent theme or pace to make it memorable in its own right. Fool's Gold will satisfy punters that want to witness Woodley's brilliant character comedy in the flesh, but not those that want much else. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor David O'Doherty: David O'Doherty Will Try To Fix Everything The Forum, 9pm, $28.50 - $39 David O'Doherty has been a fixture of the MICF for the better part of the last decade and his work is only getting better with age. Even though the title of his latest show outwardly sets the bar pretty high, this loveable Irishman definitely makes good on his promise; David O'Doherty Will Try To Fix Everything is a surefire cure for any type of impending winter blues, and a perfect example of simply joyous stand-up (or sit-down) comedy. Exploring the pursuit of happiness through the small pleasures and problems of life, O'Doherty is consistently inventive, compassionate and earnest in both his confessions and advice. Songs about why Lance Armstrong is a douchebag are in fact cautionary tales about worshipping false prophets; a story about finding the perfect noise-cancelling headphones or internet provider is really a deterrent to investing happiness in material goods. Of course, O'Doherty himself is humble and no morals are plainly stated, but the messages still stand. This is a must-see show for both lovers of Casiotone keyboards and anyone having a tough week at work. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Cal Wilson: It Could Have Been Me Melbourne Town Hall, 7.15pm, $26 - $32 Cal Wilson has recently turned 43, and it appears she’s been pondering her life decisions. What if she had done things a little differently? Her incredibly overactive imagination (a good quality to have if your line of work is stand-up comedy) ran wild and the show tells the story of her potential alter egos. What if she was a really misogynistic man who lived in London and wrote (fantastically graphic) erotic science fiction? Or if she became a safety obsessed children’s entertainer called Fairy Robot Sparkle? Thankfully the Cal Wilson we have today is just a straight-up sweetheart. Her show was enjoyable, creative, and cute in an occasionally disturbing way. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Tom Ballard: Un-Australian(ish) Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $22 - $28 Tom Ballard has made the grand leap to pursue comedy full-time after leaving his radio gig at Triple J late last year, so it’s just as well that he was bloody awesome! Tom took us on an outback adventure, telling the story of his three-month family trip around Australia during his primary school years. Original diary entries from both his and his brother Gavin’s workbooks helped set the scene, which were both adorable and mortifying. That being said, it wouldn’t be a Tom Ballard gig without digging into the sorry state of Australian politics, and true to form, he doesn’t hold back. Tom’s vivid storytelling and fearless social commentary always make him a pleasure to watch. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Celia Pacquola: Let Me Know How It All Works Out Swiss Club, 8.15pm, $25 - $30 What does the future hold for me? Will everything be okay, or will it turn to shit? Is there a fated, master plan behind everything we do, or are we just bags of bones making bad decision after bad decision? Everyone asks these questions, but rarely does anyone have answers to them that are even remotely funny. Thankfully, Celia Pacquola does. What starts as a story about visiting a palm reader in a field at a hipster arts festival continues through hilarious bits about break ups, reinventing yourself, adult decisions and drunk emailing. The biggest laughs of the night probably came from jokes about the heatwave — a peculiar, relatable, subset of Melbourne-based humour. You will come out of this excellent show wanting Celia Pacquola to be your best friend, even though she’s a little bit terrifying. She may not have all the answers to the above questions, but the ones she does have are hilarious. - Jess O'Callaghan, writer Matt Okine: Happiness Not Included Swiss Club, 7.15pm, $19 - $29 While Matt Okine's been on the festival circuit for a few years, his recent appointment as Triple J breakfast co-host replacing Tom Ballard has definitely shot him up onto the national stage. Happiness Not Included, his first show since joining Triple J, sees Okine in a period of flux. He's reaching the end of his 20s and is examining his life with an all too familiar judiciousness. All the cups in his house are mismatched, he can never offer guests a clean towel, and the best his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) has gotten him is a bit in a McDonald's ad grunting "Chicken!". If you're a 20-something who doesn't have their shit together (please say that's all of us), the show is relatable to say the least. However, and I know it's an ironic criticism, but the structure of the show seems a little aimless. Some stories are wandered into almost accidentally for little payoff, and the really big laughs only come when he's getting worked up over things in a manner reminiscent of Jerry Seinfeld. "What is up with those utensils in the second drawer down?" Ultimately this is what makes him great on radio, so I'm sure we'll see more of it in the years to come. Besides, being likened to this guy can hardly be a bad thing. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Lewis Hobba: Backs to the Wall Fort Delta, 6.30pm, $15 - $20 It must be difficult to do a show about people who complain too much without coming across as a major league whinger yourself. Thankfully, Lewis’ self-deprecating nature steers the show out of this potential danger zone. Lewis is speaking directly to his generation for most of the show, discussing Facebook complaints, Upworthy, hipsters and the atrocity that is Tough Mudder. He is at his best when discussing his "hippy parents" and his childhood, from eating carob easter eggs to rocking up to the first day of school in a tutu. This is Lewis’ first solo comedy show, and I think he’s off to a strong start. - Hannah Valmadre, writer 2014: When We Were Idiots Meet at the corner of Collins & Swanston Street, various times, $10 - $20 A historical walking tour of the CBD hosted by a giant, talking, anthropomorphic penguin, Xavier Toby’s When We Were Idiots probably isn’t the funniest show you’ll see this festival season, but scores major points for thinking outside the box. After handing out high-vis safety vests, the guide launches into his pitch: the year is 2114 — an enlightened era in which everything is recycled and all tools of warfare have been replaced with hilarious alternatives. The one exception to this global utopia is Melbourne, lost a century prior beneath a mountain of coffee-cups and hipsters. Uncovered by future archaeologists, the city exists now only as a testament to the stupidity of the past. Punters are treated to morsels of popular trivia about Melbourne’s original settlement, along with outlandish anecdotes from the twenty-second century and jabs at contemporary politics and pop-culture. Unfortunately, even more so than in a regular live show, there are certain factors outside of Toby’s control. These might include but are not limited to: noisy streets, the B.O. and/or chain-smoking habits of your fellow festival-goers, or, worst of all, someone in the audience who thinks they’re the comedian (shout out to 'Damo': you’re a total fucking wanker). Nevertheless, for those looking to for less traditional options this Comedy Festival, When We Were Idiots is a thoroughly entertaining experience. There’s also a free beer coaster in it for you at the end, so really, how could you go wrong? - Tom Clift, writer Hannah Gadsby: The Exhibitionist Melbourne Town Hall, 7pm, $28 - $37.50 Hannah Gadsby’s latest show The Exhibitionist is an exploration of art history and selfies, and where the two worlds meet. And, while the thought of going through a comedian's childhood photos and selfie experimentation is admittedly not an appealing exercise in theory, in reality it was downright hilarious. When a facial expression in one of Gadsby’s press photos is self-described as "shelving a wasabi pea" you know that all self-consciousness has gone out the window. In short, The Exhibitionist makes art history fun. It proves that vanity has been around for centuries, and Justin Beiber and Valdimir Putin have more in common than you might think. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Sam Simmons: Death of a Sails-man The Famous Spiegeltent, 8.30pm, $24 - $32 "It's like this for the next hour, so you may as well get into it." Sam Simmons — dressed in wetsuit, wig and bumbag — is being humped in the head by a cardboard dolphin and understandably not all the audience are into it. While most comedians will describe themselves as polarising because they have strong political opinions, Simmons can really lay claim to the title when half the crowd see him as a crazed sex pest, and the other deem him a comic visionary. Either way, this show perfectly enables Sam to do his thing, and fans of his work will leave totally satisfied (if not a little violated). Unlike its Pulitzer Prize winning namesake, Death of a Sails-Man follows a muesli bar entrepreneur's descent into madness while lost at sea. In what is essentially a one man show (if we exclude the beleaguered stagehand who holds up cardboard cut-outs of Vin Diesel), Simmons truly shines. As he battles a sadistic internal monologue and frequently bursts into songs about lime jellyfish and space grandmas, the show is a surreal playground of the kind you won't find in any other MICF show. Whether that's a good or bad thing, just depends who you're talking to. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor "Oh wait... this isn't Red Symons." The couple in front of me must have had a weird time at @samsimmonss last night. #MICF — Meg Watson (@msmegwatson) March 30, 2014 Doc Brown: Of Mic and Men Victoria Hotel, 8.15pm, $27 - $35 Doc Brown has had massive success in his native UK, supporting Ricky Gervais and winning praise for his unique brand of incisive stand-up and hip-hop. It's the songs which intersperse his Melbourne show that make it shine. An early highlight sees Brown skewering the cookie-cutter nature of modern rap, imagining lyrics available by mail order, complete with square brackets for you to fill in your name. But as hilarious and inventive as his perversion of rap's arrogance and chauvinism can be, he's at his best in his passionate and breathless meditations on race and racism. Drawing on his upbringing by Jamaican and Irish parents in Kilburn, he explores and savages the misconceptions he's faced because of his "caramel" complexion. - Eric Gardiner, writer Headliners Melbourne Town Hall, 9.45pm, $26.50 - $35.50 If a sampling plate of North America’s tastiest up-and-coming comedic talent sounds enticing to you, then Headliners is going to be your jam this Comedy Fest. The show has eight comedians participating overall, but each night only four perform, so it’s a bit of a lucky dip who you will get to see. First cab off the rank for us was Jen Kirkman, with her husky voice and a genuine concern for the idiots who walk among us. Interestingly, she covered topics like divorce and dating a younger man without bitterness or gloating; she was a brilliant start to the night. Dave Hill was next and his comedic timing was a thing of beauty. He certainly made an entrance by snapping the microphone stand before he’d even uttered a word, and he left us giggling at his erotic short stories. Brooke Van Poppelen followed with one disaster story after another; she got my laughs and my sympathy. Highlight of the night was closing act Seaton Smith who was bursting with energy, excitedly telling us about his new love and trying to grasp how Australian politics works. The collection who performed were all very strong performers with incredibly different styles to their comedy. I am tempted to go later in the festival to see what the other Headliners comedians have to offer. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Wil Anderson: Wiluminati Comedy Theatre, 9pm, $30 - $49.90 Wiluminati is aggressively Australian. In this latest offering from the comedy stalwart, Anderson steers away from his once political roots and latches on to the 'Aussie larakin’ image we might expect from his ex-Glasshouse co-host Dave Hughes. Though Wil is the master of familiarising himself with an audience and making us feel like old friends laughing over a pint (though in this case I just sat there thirsty as he downed three), this change in style ultimately limited his ability to show intelligence or depth and the comedy fell a bit flat. There are moments of well-spun storytelling, rapid-fire audience interaction and endearing jokes about Anderson’s arthritis, sex life and a run in with Matt Damon. But where it would have been good to hear some harder hitting topical humour, he plays it safe. The show finds its strength in the moments of personal honesty but these are often short lived among outlandish and forced impersonations of Australian life. - Bonnie Leigh-Dodds, writer Max and Ivan: The Reunion Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $26 - $33 Friendless, shy and allergic to everything under the sun, Brian Bollingsworth is the unlikely hero in The Reunion, a hilariously staged two man show from UK comedians Max and Ivan. When the performance begins, Brian is headed to his 10-year high school reunion, where he hopes to be reunited with his old crush Jessica. Instead, he finds himself faced with her arrogant Swedish boyfriend Cal (“spelled with a K…instead of the A”), who’s on the verge of popping the question. Max (tall, gangly and clean shaven) and Ivan (the opposite – he’s told at one point he looks like “a chubby Hitler”) nail the show’s physical comedy, running around the stage playing dozens of different characters across subplots, flashbacks, fantasy sequences, fight scenes, a geography-themed seduction and one brilliant moment of audience participation. An appropriate level of daggy self-awareness runs through the entire production, which is buoyed by an unassuming sweetness. You’ll fall in love with Brian and Jessica before the end, as will you their madcap comic creators. - Tom Clift, writer That moment your boyfriend becomes the subject of a heterosexuality test at a Paul Foot show... #frontrow #micf — Meg Watson (@msmegwatson) March 28, 2014 Paul Foot: Words The Hi-Fi, 8.15pm, $26.50 - $35.50 "Don't worry, Paul Foot's not the kind of comedian who calls on the audience." I reassure my boyfriend of this as we take a seat in the front row. It's not until the eccentric Brit is off the stage, straddling my date and stroking his face that I realise my mistake — Paul Foot's stand-up is anything but predictable. Yes, he has a signature crazed walk and a constantly cheeky look in his eye, but the general thrust of his shows are difficult to decipher even after sitting through one. And, frankly that's what's so great. Words — a self-conscious journey through "disturbances", "madness", and "rookery-based humour" — is a testament to the artistry of Foot's skill as both writer and performer. While he gets deserved laughs through more conventional and cerebral set-ups about homosexuality and bigotry, he also seems to stumble across accidental comedy by declaring nonsensical statements about "horse jesus" or grabbing his foot at a 90 degree angle for no particular reason. Straddling the boundaries of political, physical and surrealist humour Foot is undoubtedly one of the most unique and talented comedians at the festival. Just maybe steer clear of the front row. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Wolf Creek The Musical Trades Hall, 9.30pm, $15 - $22 If songs about wristies, murder and rape sheds don't strike your fancy, this isn't the show for you. I realise that's a strange way to start a review, but it's also entirely necessary to state. This low-budget re-make of the classic Australian horror film, Wolf Creek, is a total pisstake (in the best way possible). Pushing both genre and character into the absolute absurd, the show offers up deadpan black humour with perfect timing and original writing that hits every mark. Written by comedian James McCann and RAW Comedy winner Demi Lardner, this is a show for those that appreciate the unconventional. It's like the best primary school play you've ever seen (assuming all the children involved had serious social and behavioural problems). - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Umbilical Brothers: Kidshow (Not Suitable For Children) Arts Centre, 7pm, $34 - $39 As the lights go down, a French woman behind me says something to her companion. “These men, they do the physical very well, not so much the talking.” But as the much-loved comedians launch into (what they think) is a show for kids, their trademark brand of warp-speed slapstick is matched by whipcrack writing and dialogue. (The French woman ended up talking enough for the two of them throughout the show – “Who is this Tony Abbott?” — she’ll be joining the guys who colourised Citizen Kane in a special circle of Art Hell). The brothers are utterly committed to performing their show for a young audience, even as they start to have doubts about the "bearded 5-year-olds” in the front row. When they realise that there’s only one group of adults who would all come to a kids’ show, they try and appeal to the pervert market with an inspired sketch that sees them wreaking Tarantino-style ultraviolence on each member of an incestuous Brady Bunch: “Don’t worry Greg, I’m not your real mother!” All in all, it's a brilliant show, one that manages to weave together a complex meta-narrative with unadulterated laughs, all delivered at a frantic pace. - Eric Gardiner, writer Khaled Khallafalla: Fresh Trades Hall, 9.30pm, $15 - $20 It’s clear from the get go that no topic is too taboo for Khaled. From stoner escapades to accumulating outrageous financial debt to impressions of other races we’re not sure we should have laughed at — he goes there. Yes, Khaled brought his political incorrectness to the table, but he brought a whole lot of heart with it too. He also has some newly acquired rap skills that he’s pretty keen to bust out. Above all, it's Khaled’s endearing personality and boyish charm that makes him so engaging and extremely likeable. If he keeps that up, he can get away with pretty much anything. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Bryony Kimmings: Sex Idiot Melbourne Town Hall, 10.45pm, $25 Five minutes into Sex Idiot I had to put my pad and pen away — halfway through scribbling the immortal lines “pre-cum doesn’t count”. Bryony Kimmings has brought Melbourne a show that’s so tender, sly and warm that it’s impossible to look away. It’s a deceptively simple premise: Kimmings gets an STI test, discovers a common sexual disease and gets in contact with her former partners. On the surface it might sound like a familiar formula, but Kimmings stretches the stale traditions of stand-up in every direction at once, making a work that straddles (and grinds) the line between comedy and her background in performance art. For instance, while most comedians like a bit of audience involvement, Kimmings leaves them all for dead in Sex Idiot’s inevitable climax. After inviting audience members to harvest their pubic hairs, she gathers them all up and sticks them to her face as a moustache. See? Impossible to look away. - Eric Gardiner, writer Simon Taylor: Funny Imperial Hotel, 9.15pm, $20 Our first night of the festival was not spent amongst the confetti and champagne of the Allstars Supershow, but in a cosy upstairs room at the Imperial with a pint of beer. It's raining, and we're perched at the top end of Bourke Street with a comedian we don't know much about. Simon Taylor popped up at last year's Fringe, and has been in the US working as a writer for The Tonight Show, but somehow he's not that well-known on the local comedy circuit. Because of this, you may think the name of his show sets expectations too high. It doesn't. Though Funny doesn't have a cohesive plot or theme, Taylor's tightly scripted jokes about Aussie accents and rambling stories of failed romance are somehow tied together by the fact he's just so downright likeable. His observational jokes are as sharp and smart as you expect from a writer on the late-night circuit, and his storytelling is relaxed and relatable — exactly the kind of thing you want from a rainy weeknight spent in the back room of a city pub. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Five Things You Didn't Know About Comedian Paul Foot You wouldn't think a comedian who bases his act around shire horses, cheese, and the etiquette of eating cake would find a big audience in Australia. But Paul Foot, one of Britain's quirkiest, and most loyally followed comedians, is on his way down to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his fourth consecutive year. With his distinctive haircut, frenetic stage presence and impressive collection of neckties, there's definitely a madness to Foot's style of comedy. We had a chat to him ahead of his MICF show, Words, to see if there's a method to it. - Hannah Valmadre, writer The Ten Best Things to See at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2014 The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of those truly democratic moments in our city's cultural calendar. While the Melbourne Festival always seems a little high-end, and Melbourne Music Week is just a bit too hip, MICF is a place for all — from bogans watching Dave Hughes to hipsters hanging out at the Festival Club waiting to catch the latest show you totally haven't even heard about yet. This year's lineup is a strange one. Big international names have been replaced by a cast of familiar regulars and there's a much larger focus on local talent. This is a welcome move for an industry that doesn't get much love over the rest of the year, but a devastating blow for those of us who are still waiting for the likes of Louis CK to come down under. Regardless, check out our picks of the litter. From the most innovative internationals to the stuff that downright defies classification. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor
Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn does not court consensus. His highly violent, highly stylised, almost stream-of-consciousness films can be read many different ways. But more than that, they seem to prompt responses from the gut — be they captivation or revulsion. His latest film, Only God Forgives, was last month awarded the Sydney Film Festival prize but also famously drew boos at Cannes (and from the SFF audience I was in, a lot of nervous laughter). Only God Forgives bears the hallmarks of Refn's 2011 hit Drive — uber violence, musical motifs (synth, where possible), Ryan Gosling, neo-Noir, bright lights, big cities — though it's a more abstract picture. It begins when an American called Billy (Tom Burke) rapes and murders an underage prostitute in Bangkok. He is then murdered himself, at the hands of the girl's father, who is encouraged by the rogue police officer and 'Angel of Vengeance' Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm). The hero of the story, however, is a man weaker by most measures, Julian (Gosling), low-life brother of Billy. By classic eye-for-an-eye decree — and that of his frightening mother, Crystal (Kristen Scott Thomas), a Cruela de Vil type in velour — he should kill those responsible for his brother's death. But he can't, and he doesn't really want to. Instead, he and Chang circle each other, enacting lateral acts of violence. Refn has described Only God Forgives, like Drive, as being "based on real emotions, but set in a heightened reality. It's a fairytale." And that might be part of why these films 'work' on some but not on others. You have to recognise the emotions and get swept up in the fantasia. More than most, the films work a spell. If you're caught in the spell, everything holds together. But if it glances off you, it's hard to walk away with anything from watching the film. I really want the view from the former camp, but so far I haven't been able to gain admittance. So what I saw was Refn create some tartly beautiful images (one that stands out is a torture sequence in a nightclub full of motionless doll-women) that are balanced out by others more forced, silly and self-parodying. With Only God Forgives' ambitious aesthetic goals only semi-realised, it begs the question, what did we sit through all that sadism for? You can see why it's set so many critics off on their own moral crusade, with Refn as the target. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FP_zO9jQjVc
When you first visit a major city, it's natural to come armed with a list of must-see venues and landmarks. You've done your research, taken recommendations from family and friends, now you're ready to make your way through all the famous sites along with hundreds of other tourists. But what happens when you've ticked everything off your list? Sure, you could revisit the same spots — an arvo spent at Bondi Beach or the MCA will never get old — but why not discover another side of the city? To give you some inspiration and put a few more must-sees on your list, we've partnered with City of Sydney and crafted an itinerary that'll get you far away from the tourist traps and into the real Sydney. Yep, you'll be living like a legit Sydneysider in no time. [caption id="attachment_694707" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Don't Tell Aunty.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK Sydney is a big ol' melting pot of different cultures and one of the best ways to experience the city's inherent diversity is via food and booze. Make tracks to the colourful inner-city burrow of Surry Hills to sample some top-notch multicultural nosh from all corners of the globe. There's trail-blazing Indian that breaks all the rules at Don't Tell Aunty, molto buono Italian at Caffe Bartolo, authentic family-style fare at Korean joint Sang by Mabasa and traditional Lebanese eats at Nour restaurant — and, really, that's barely scratching the surface. At the other end of the spectrum, there's a throng of venues focused on making native Australian ingredients sing. For a chance to savour indigenous flavours, head along to Paperbark in Waterloo's Casa Building. The experimental plant-based menu changes weekly depending on what's in season, but you can expect the likes of finger limes, saltbush, wattleseed and pepper berry. Similarly, Barangaroo's expansive 230-seat restaurant 12-Micron is "a culinary salute to Australia's surrounds". Here, the menu is simply a list of the main ingredients in each dish, like rock oysters, blue swimmer crab and spring lamb, so you're given a chance to really appreciate each element. [caption id="attachment_654873" align="alignnone" width="1920"] PS40 by Alana Dimou.[/caption] Next, to get a dose of bush tucker in an upscale cocktail, head to celebrated 'soda door' PS40. At this cuisine-bending bar, you can expect tipples that borrow from a variety of different cultures. The cocktails are kind of pastiche, blending together native and unusual ingredients — so, yes, you'll get wattleseed but you'll also get smoked miso caramel, Ayurvedic spiced yoghurt, beer pretzel reductions and pandan barley soda. It's weird but wonderful stuff. The best part? The non-alcoholic sodas and mocktails are equally as tasty. For a slightly different take on native Australian ingredients — we're talking true-blue, dinky-di kinda stuff — head to The Unicorn in Paddington. Here, you'll find Jatz and dip, potato scallops, fruit-plenty pavs and basically a whole bunch of Aussie classics that'll bring a patriotic tear to your eye. Speaking of patriotic, the bar has a 100-percent homegrown beer and wine list because, well, Aussie alcohol rules. Duh. [caption id="attachment_653207" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Young Henrys by Destination NSW.[/caption] And, if you need further proof of this, check out a few of the breweries and bars slinging beers made right here in Sydney. There's a ton within the city limits, like Yulli's Brewing (Alexandria), Frenchies (Rosebery), Staves (Glebe), Sydney Brewery (Surry Hills), Bitter Phew (Darlinghurst) and Young Henrys (Newtown). Be sure to pick up a couple of growlers of your favourite beer, they make great gifts for family and friends back at home — if they make it home, that is. [caption id="attachment_622378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cafe Lounge.[/caption] PLAY AND SEE Given you're on Eora land, kick off your Sydney adventures by checking out some local Aboriginal art. In the heart of The Rocks, you'll find Spirit Gallery — one of Sydney's pre-eminent galleries for Aboriginal arts and craft. Since 2002, the gallery has been showcasing the work of many traditional and contemporary Aboriginal artists. In addition to canvas paintings, the gallery also exhibits carvings, boomerangs, ceramics, glassware, baskets and bark paintings. Oh, and a large portion is available for purchase at quite affordable prices. If that wasn't enough of an arty fix, take a short stroll to Gannon House Gallery. Operating for nearly 30 years, the gallery exhibits a hefty selection of Aboriginal art from the Central and Western Desert, as well as Arnhem Land. Be sure to check out the striking work by Minnie Pwerle; her bright colour palette and rhythmic linear patterns are utterly striking. Next, nab a seat in the stalls with some local Sydneysiders for a spot of theatre. Looking past the Opera House and Sydney Theatre Company, you'll get a glimpse at some emerging local actors, dancers, singers and comedians. So opt for a Sydney-based theatre house (or pub with a makeshift stage). This no-frills style of theatre allows you to really focus on the actors without any fancy bells and whistles (read: big-budget sets and costumes) to distract you. There are a handful of places in suburbs Kings Cross, Surry Hills and Redfern, including the Griffin, Old Fitz, Belvoir, Cafe Lounge, Giant Dwarf and The Tudor. [caption id="attachment_705398" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Social Outfit by Luisa Brimble.[/caption] Then, when you're ready for some retail therapy, spend some time traversing the boutique shops and local stores across the city. Newtown, somewhat of a design mecca, has a host of spots to pick from. We suggest Milk & Thistle, run by designer Danielle Atkinson and renowned for its stylish, easy-fit garments that are designed, printed and made entirely in Australia. And The Social Outfit, an ethical trading social enterprise where you can get some cracking threads while helping out the refugee and migrant communities. Since 2014, The Social Outfit has been recycling clothing and providing employment and training in the fashion industry to refugees and new migrants. If you're closer to the city, pop by The Standard Store (Surry Hills) for Australian and international fashions and Squidinki (The Rocks) for Sydney-infused souvenirs you'll actually want. [caption id="attachment_706202" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Old Clare.[/caption] STAY When you're ready to rest your head (and your belly), you'll want to sleep somewhere equally boutique and Sydney-centric. Thankfully, over the past few years, a number of luxe-yet-local joints have popped up over the city, meaning you don't need to stay at the usual big names. Situated in the quiet, cute neighbourhood of Chippendale, you'll find The Old Clare, an immaculately finished hotel which exudes luxury. Hell, it even has a 14-metre rooftop pool complete with sweeping panoramic views of Sydney's skyline. [caption id="attachment_660514" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paramount House Hotel by Tom Ross.[/caption] A short stroll away, in neighbouring suburb Surry Hills, lies Paramount House Hotel. Opened is 2018, the upscale accommodation blends old with new in a similar fashion to The Old Clare. The red-brick heritage building — the former headquarters of Paramount Pictures Studios — features swanky amenities, like a rooftop gym, outdoor cafe, private terraces and even a mini-bar stocked with snacks from local favourite LP's Quality Meats and Tom Shobbrook wines. It's this juxtaposition between the refined and the raw, the polished and the crude, that makes this style of accommodation so endearing. But, if you want less exposed brick and more of a modern stay, book a night at The Urban in Newtown. The chic industrial-style boutique accommodation is a stone's throw from buzzing King Street where you'll find a host of pumping bars and eateries. Plus, you get a free mini-bar. Really, what else do you need? Other standout stays include Hotel Palisade (The Rocks), complete with a rooftop bar boasting one of Sydney's best views, and dog-friendly Medusa (Darlinghurst), Sydney's alleged first 'true' boutique hotel. Forgo the tourist traps and instead traverse the great City of Sydney like a local. Discover more around the city here. Top image: PS40 by Alana Dimou.
You know what's better than seeing Cloud Control perform an acoustic set at your local pub? Seeing Cloud Control perform an acoustic set at your local pub for free. It's a crazy dream, but it's one that the band and beer barons Corona have dared to make come true. The Blue Mountains alt-rock jammers' sophomore 2013 album, Dream Cave, was an experimental shift from their first offering, and the acoustic sound should be a cool twist again. As part of the March and April tour through bars, pubs and hotels all along the east coast, the guys are also releasing Dream Cave Unplugged, featuring stripped back versions of the whole album. Although they've won awards, and been nominated for a whole heap of others, Cloud Control stick to the Aussie music penchant for bringing as much music to as many people as possible. Thanks to Corona, we all get the chance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=G2VX2PAD0gU
It's mid-August, so you should probably start getting your New Year's Eve plans in order. Victorian NYE festival Beyond the Valley has just announced the lineup for its celebrated four-day festival in Lardner Park, Victoria and it's pretty bloody good, so could be a solid option. At five festivals old, starting out in 2014, Beyond the Valley has become a regular fixture on the Victorian New Year's circuit. And, once again, it has managed to secure a rather colossal lineup. Chart-topping American rapper Tyler, The Creator, will heading to Australia — for the first time since releasing his highly lauded album IGOR — as will the ARIA Award-winning three piece, Rüfüs Du Sol. Joining them will be techno and house legend Green Velvet, gold masked German DJ duo Claptone, British rapper Skepta and genre-blending producer Honey Dijon. From the local contingent are Hayden James — fresh off the back of dropping his latest album Between Us — alt-pop group Cub Sport, dance floor regulars Bag Raiders and soulful singer Meg Mac. Beyond the Valley will once again take over Lardner Park, Warragul, Victoria from December 28 to January 1. Anyway, here's what you came for: BEYOND THE VALLEY 2019 LINEUP Tyler, The Creator Rüfüs Du Sol 16BL Bag Raiders CC:Disco! Chris Lake Claptone Confidence Man Cub Sport Dena Amy Denis Suita DJ Seinfeld Dom Dolla Floating Points Green Velvet Hayden James Heidi Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers Honey Dijon I Know Leopard Jordan Brando Kettama Lastlings Late Nite Tuff Guy Lion Babe London Topaz Made in Paris Mallrat Matt Corby Meg Mac Methyl Ethel Motez Noir Owl Eyes Patrice Bäumel Rebuke Sama Set Mo Shoreline Mafia Skepta Snakehips The Veronicas Beyond the Valley is happening from December 28 to January 1 at Lardner Park, Warragul, Victoria. Pre-sale tickets are available from 3pm on Monday, August 12, with general tickets on sale at midday on Tuesday, August 13, from beyondthevalley.com.au.
Continuing its (highly successful) quest to separate the world of art from elitism, The Other Art Fair is back in Melbourne for 2022. The boundary-pushing multi-day exhibit is bringing the works of more than 110 artists to the heritage-listed Meat Market digs. Expect accessible art (read: affordable, starting at just $100), good-time vibes (courtesy of live DJs, diverse street eats and a fully stocked bar) and the chance of your chosen piece ending up on your arm, not your wall (via a hand-poked tattoo). Whether your love of art is long-held and you've curated a collection to rival the best, or you simply appreciate creative expression and are looking to discover emerging and independent artists (and perhaps procure your first forever-piece), The Other Art Fair will have thousands (literally) of impressive pieces for you to discover. Taking it one step further, the creative collective is giving away an arty night out — the perfect prize for anyone looking for an 'other' way to enjoy a Thursday evening. The winner will score a double pass to opening night, two Bombay Sapphire cocktails on arrival and a $250 voucher to spend on artwork (bought directly from the artist) to take home (and make all your friends jealous). Not loving your odds? The Other Art Fair is keeping another 40 people happy, too, with 20 double passes up for grabs for entry to the Fair from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29. Ready to raise a glass to curious encounters? Enter your details below. [competition]850151[/competition]
Fantastic wine bars and where to find them: that's another way of describing Australia's annual Wineslinger Awards. Each year, industry experts vote on the top spots to enjoy a drop, with 2023's list now here for your drinking pleasure. It's called a top 50, but there's 55 places on the latest rundown because the votes couldn't be split. Created in 2018 by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards, the Wineslinger gongs draw upon the picks of more than 100 folks — think: sommeliers, winemakers, hospitality tastemakers and journalists — to point you in the right vino-sipping direction. Where Kent's other prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, this one is about the best places to enjoy a glass or several of stellar tipples. [caption id="attachment_623524" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] "In the sixth year of these annual awards, it's such a thrill to once again discover so many great new wine haunts around the country," said Kent. 2023's 55 chosen venues are spread across the nation, with New South Wales accounting for the most with 15 spots. From there, 12 of Wineslinger's favourites hailed from Victoria, then nine from South Australia and seven from Queensland. Western Australia boasts six places in the ranking and Tasmania has three, while there's two from the Australian Capital Territory and one from the Northern Territory. Don't go expecting just the usual names, either. Familiar go-tos such as Dear Sainte Eloise in Potts Point, Carlton Wine Room in Carlton (where else?) and Snack Man in Fortitude Valley have gotten the nod, as have Canberra's Bar Rochford, Launceston's Havilah, Hellbound in Adelaide, Lalla Rookh in Perth and Stone House in Darwin; however, 19 venues have also been named for the first time. They include Bar Heather in Byron Bay, Commis in Collingwood and The End in West End — and also Alt. Wine Bar in Unley, Molto Bar and Cellar in Hobart and The Corner Dairy in Perth. [caption id="attachment_789259" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Snack Man[/caption] For folks looking for your next watering hole, you have plenty of places to add to your must-visit list. Some are located in popular hotspots, others have been plying their trades for decades and others still have only just opened. From the top 55, Wineslinger singles out a number of venues for trophies, which'll be awarded on Monday, December 5. The top gong is simply called Wineslinger, naturally, while other prizes span the self-explanatory Best New Haunt, as well as the Maverick award for a venue that pushes the limits. And, for vino aficionados at home, there's also the People's Choice prize — which is open for online votes right now, closing at midday on the day of the ceremony. [caption id="attachment_789257" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carlton Wine Room[/caption] WINESLINGER AWARDS 2023 TOP 50: ACT Bar Rochford, Canberra Rizla, Braddon NSW 10 William Street, Paddington Bar Copains, Surry Hills Bar Heather, Byron Bay Bar Superette, Merimbula Beau, Surry Hills Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Sydney Caravin, Potts Point Dear Sainte Eloise, Potts Point Fix Wine, Sydney Le Foote, The Rocks Lil Sis, Chippendale P&V Merchants, Paddington The Sir George Hotel, Jugiong The Wine Library, Woollahra Where's Nick, Marrickville [caption id="attachment_637744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bentley Restaurant & Wine Bar[/caption] NT Stone House, Darwin QLD Agnes, Fortitude Valley Alba Bar + Deli, Brisbane Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley Paloma Wine Bar, Burleigh Heads Snack Man, Fortitude Valley The End, West End Zero Fox, Teneriffe SA Alt. Wine Bar, Unley Good Gilbert, Goodwood Hellbound, Adelaide Jennie Wine Bar, Adelaide Loc Bottle Shop, Adelaide Silver Sands Beach Club, Aldinga Stanley Bridge Tavern, Verdun Stem Bar & Restaurant, Adelaide The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale [caption id="attachment_778181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hellbound[/caption] TAS Havilah, Launceston Lucinda, Hobart Molto Bar and Cellar, Hobart VIC Bar Marenda, Daylesford Carlton Wine Room, Carlton City Wine Shop, Melbourne Commis, Collingwood Geralds Bar, Carlton North Gimlet, Melbourne Marion, Fitzroy Osteria Illaria, Melbourne Public Wine Shop, Fitzroy North Torquay Wine Store, Torquay Union Street Wine, Geelong Winespeake, Daylesford WA Besk, West Leederville Lalla Rookh, Perth Mayfair Lane, West Perth Mummucc', Wembley The Corner Dairy, Perth Wines of While, Perth To vote in Wineslinger's People's Choice Award before 12pm on Monday, December 5, visit the awards' website. Top images: Agnes; Beau; City Wine Shop, Tess Kelly.
UPDATE, March 25, 2022: The Worst Person in the World is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. When Frances Ha splashed a gorgeous portrait of quarter-life malaise across the screen nearly a decade back — proving neither the first nor last film to do so, of course — its titular New Yorker was frequently running. As played by Greta Gerwig, she sprinted and stumbled to David Bowie's intoxicating 'Modern Love' and just in general, while navigating the constantly-in-motion reality of being in her 20s. It takes place in a different city, another country and on the other side of the globe, but The Worst Person in the World's eponymous figure (Renate Reinsve, Phoenix) is often racing, too. (Sometimes, in the movie's most stylised touch, she's even flitting around while the whole world stops around her.) Norwegian writer/director Joachim Trier (Thelma) firmly understands the easy shorthand of watching someone rush — around Oslo here, but also through life overall — especially while they're grappling with a blatant case arrested development. Capturing the relentlessly on-the-go sensation that comes with adulthood, as well as the inertia of feeling like you're never quite getting anywhere that you're meant to be, these running scenes paint a wonderfully evocative and relatable image. Those are apt terms for The Worst Person in the World overall, actually, which meets Julie as she's pinballing through the shambles of her millennial life. She doesn't ever truly earn the film's title, or come close, but she still coins the description and spits it her own way — making the type of self-deprecating, comically self-aware comment we all do when we're trying to own our own chaos because anything else would be a lie. The Worst Person in the World's moniker feels so telling because it's uttered by Julie herself, conveying how we're all our own harshest critics. In her existence, even within the mere four years that the film focuses on, mess is a constant. Indeed, across the movie's 12 chapters, plus its prologue and epilogue, almost everything about Julie's life changes and evolves. That includes not just dreams, goals, fields of study and careers, but also loved ones, boyfriends, apartments, friends and ideas of what the future should look like — and, crucially, also Julie's perception of herself. As the ever-observant Trier and his regular co-screenwriter Eskil Vogt track their protagonist through these ups and downs, using whatever means they can to put his audience in her mindset — freezing time around her among them — The Worst Person in the World also proves a raw ode to self-acceptance, and to forgiving yourself for not having it all together. They're the broad strokes of this wonderfully perceptive film; the specifics are just as insightful and recognisable. Julie jumps from medicine to psychology to photography, and between relationships — with 44-year-old comic book artist Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie, Bergman Island), who's soon thinking about all the serious things in life; and then with the far more carefree Eivind (Herbert Nordrum, ZombieLars), who she meets after crashing a wedding. Expressing not only how Julie changes with each shift in focus, job and partner, but how she copes with that change within herself, is another of The Worst Person in the World's sharp touches. At one point, on a getaway with friends more than a decade older than her, Julie is laden with broad and trite generalisations about being her age — which Trier humorously and knowingly counters frame by frame with lived-in minutiae. A place, a person, the chaos that is being an adult (and, with the latter, the truth rather than the stereotypes): across three thematically connected films, spanning 2006's Reprise, 2011's Oslo, August 31st and now The Worst Person in the World, that's been Trier's formula. Calling it a pattern or recipe does the trio an injustice, though, because each feature is as individual as any person. Here, Trier is clearly aware of how romantic dramedies like this typically turn out, and ensures that his movie never simply parrots the obvious — unless it's unpacking the chasm between the standard big-screen story we've all seen too many times and the tangled reality. This isn't the usual cliche-riddled affair, and that commitment to transcend tropes, and to truly contemplate what growing up, being an adult and forging a life is really like (including at both the sunniest and the most heartbreaking extremes), both feeds and enables Reinsve's astonishing work. Sometimes, a performance just flat-out shakes and startles you — and Reinsve's falls into that category. That's meant in the greatest of ways; she won the 2021 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress award for her efforts, and turns in a complex, layered and no-holds-barred portrayal that's one of the finest of the year. She could've waltzed into the film straight out of any twentysomething's circle of friends. She plays her part with exactly that air, and she's magnificent. In a movie that proves a discerning and disarming character study above all else, and a masterpiece of one, her performance soars with heart and soul when Julie is at her best, sparkles with chemistry with both Danielsen Lie and Nordrum — both of whom are terrific, too — and seethes with both pain and growth in the character's hardest moments. It shouldn't come as a surprise given how much bobbing around it does — between chapters and the parts of Julie's life they cover, between all the things earning her attention at any given moment, and within Reinsve's multifaceted performance — but The Worst Person in the World is also a tonal rollercoaster. Again, that's a positive thing. As a snapshot of an age and life stage, Trier helms a film that's canny and incisive, also perfects the sensation of constantly zipping onwards even when it seems as if you're stuck, and knows how to find both joy and darkness in tandem. That kind of duality also graces the screen visually, in a feature that can be both slick and naturalistic, which is another deft touch. There's an enormous difference between telling viewers what it's like to be Julie and showing them — and The Worst Person in the World makes sure its audience not only feels it, but feels like they're running through it with Julie as well.
The term "passion project" is usually thrown around when a filmmaker tries to make something near and dear to them, but doesn't quite achieve the success they'd hoped for. Fences clearly meets the first half of that definition, with Denzel Washington directing and starring in a stage-to-screen adaptation of the play he previously won a Tony award for on Broadway. With the aid of his co-star Viola Davis, who also follows the project from the theatre to film, Washington crafts a picture full of commanding lead performances and blistering drama. And yet, like so many passion projects, it's never quite everything that it could be. Just why that's the case is apparent from the outset, when Pittsburgh garbage collector Troy (Washington) returns home on a Friday afternoon with both his pay packet and a bottle of gin in his hand. The working week is over, and so he's jovial, tipsy, talkative, and cheekily playing up for his dutiful wife Rose (Davis) and his long term friend and work colleague Jim Bono (Stephen Henderson). It's the type of performance-centric opening scene designed to make an impact, and in a theatre it would certainly cause an immediate splash. On film, it simply offers the first of many reminders of the movie's origins on the stage. In a script written by the late August Wilson based on his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Troy unleashes his thoughts, problems and memories upon Rose, their teenage son Cory (Jovan Adepo), his first son from a previous relationship Lyons (Russell Hornsby) and his brother (Mykelti Williamson). He wants to become a driver, while Cory yearns to pursue a football career against his father's wishes, and Rose remains suffering but still poised in the middle. The more Troy talks as time passes, the more revelations are in store. Slowly, his bravado and bluster fades. The almost constant chatter continues, only quieter, with the characters weighed down by their mounting troubles. If that sounds like a whole lot of arguing, that's because Fences doesn't shy away from the spoken word. The script serves the film's cast well, and each player delivers their lines with passion and conviction. Above all else, this is an actor's showcase. Washington perfects the transformation from confident to wearied, while Davis charts the opposite trajectory. The space where they collide is the place where pride is undone, legacies are shattered, hearts are broken, and racial and socio-economic truths are exposed. Distilling all of that into their performances, it's almost enough just to watch them circle around each other for 139 minutes. Of course, the key word there is almost. As a filmmaker, Washington obviously believes in the strength of the scenario and the acting it inspires. In a way, that's the problem, since it means his direction ends up feeling rather stagey. Given that the film's characters are both fenced in and trying to burst beyond their confines, a sense of constraint comes with the territory. And yet, for all its attempts at intimacy, the end result still keeps viewers at a distance. Fences feels more like a great play captured on camera, rather than a great movie in its own right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtkjUJoSPa4
They're taking the hobbits to Amazon — and, later this year, fans of Lord of the Rings will be able to see the end result. You should already have Friday, September 2, 2022 marked in your diary, as the premiere date for Amazon Prime Video's new LOTR show was announced last year. But if you've been wondering exactly what you'll be watching, the streaming platform has just provided a few new details. While the series has just been referred to as The Lord of the Rings since it was first announced it back in 2017 — including when it was given the official go-ahead in mid-2018 and confirmed that it wouldn't just remake Peter Jackson's movies, and also when a few other concrete details regarding what it's about were revealed, its full title is officially The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. And if you're wondering why, Amazon has dropped a title release video (yes, we now live in a world where there are trailers for announcing what a show will be called) which includes some of JRR Tolkien's most famous lines. If you're a big LOTR fan — on the page and thanks to the films — you should be familiar with Tolkien's Ring Verse, which outlines who was intended to receive the rings of power. Elven-kings, dwarf-lords, mortal men and the Dark Lord all get a mention, and you can hear the key lines in the video below: "This is a title that we imagine could live on the spine of a book next to JRR Tolkien's other classics. The Rings of Power unites all the major stories of Middle-earth's Second Age: the forging of the rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic tale of Númenor, and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men," said showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay, announcing the news. "Until now, audiences have only seen on-screen the story of the One Ring – but before there was one, there were many… and we're excited to share the epic story of them all." In a series that'll make ample use of New Zealand's scenic landscape in its first season — and so greenery abounds, naturally, as the first image from the show illustrates — The Rings of Power will spend time in Middle-earth's Second Age as Payne and McKay explained, bringing that era from the LOTR realm to the screen for the very first time. According to show's official synopsis, it'll follow "the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history," with the action set thousands of years before the novels and movies we've all read and watched. The series will also "take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness." If you're a little rusty on your LOTR lore, the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, and saw the initial rise and fall of Sauron, as well as a spate of wars over the coveted rings. Elves feature prominently, and there's plenty to cover, even if Tolkien's works didn't spend that much time on the period — largely outlining the main events in an appendix to the popular trilogy. Naturally, you can expect Sauron to feature in the new show, and to give its main figures some trouble. "Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth," the official synopsis continues. "From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone," it also advises. In terms of stars, The Rings of Power will feature an unsurprisingly large cast — and some impressive talent behind the scenes. Among the actors traversing Middle-earth are Tom Budge (Judy & Punch), Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud), Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Undoing), Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (The Accountant), Maxim Baldry (Years and Years), Peter Mullan (Westworld), Benjamin Walker (The Underground Railroad) and comedian Lenny Henry. And, the series is being overseen by showrunners and executive producers JD Payne and Patrick McKay, while filmmaker JA Bayona (A Monster Calls, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) directs the first two episodes. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be available to stream via Amazon Prime Video from Friday, September 2, 2022.
Cutesy name, likeable stars, stylised brutality, a familiar revenge scenario: blend them all together, and that's Gunpowder Milkshake. There's one particular ingredient that's missing from this action-thriller's recipe, though, and its absence is surprising — because much about the film feels like it has jumped from the pages of a comic book. That's one of the movie's best traits, in fact. The world already has too many comics-to-cinema adaptations, but although Gunpowder Milkshake doesn't stem from a graphic novel, it actually looks the part. Its precise framing and camera placement, hyper-vibrant colours and love of neon could've easily been printed in inky hues on paper, then splattered across the screen like the blood and bullets the feature sprays again and again. Writer/director Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves) and cinematographer Michael Seresin (War for the Planet of the Apes) have made a visually appealing film, and a movie with evident aesthetic flair. All that gloss is paired with a generic assassin storyline, however, and a half-baked feminist thrust. It's Sin City meets John Wick but gender-flipped, except that the Kill Bill movies and Atomic Blonde have been there and done that. Gunpowder Milkshake is entertaining enough, but largely in a mechanical way. Its look hits the mark, with every colour popping a shade or two brighter than might otherwise be expected. Its action choreography is impressive, albeit nowhere near as kinetic as the pictures it is patently aping. With Avengers: Endgame's Karen Gillan leading the charge, Game of Thrones' Lena Headey playing her on-screen mother, the impressive trio of Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Michelle Yeoh (Last Christmas) and Carla Gugino (a Sin City alum) also featuring, and child actor Chloe Coleman (Big Little Lies) holding her own, the movie's key women all do what's asked of them. And, when it comes to female-fronted action fare, there's no such thing as too much. But Gunpowder Milkshake's cast is also only tasked with navigating an inescapably clear-cut scenario, and the film's girl-power credentials are only skin deep, too. The focus on motherhood couldn't be more stereotypical, and the movie undercuts its empowering vibe by using its older women far too sparingly. Papushado and co-scribe Ehud Lavski (a feature first-timer) attempt to complicate their narrative, as opening narration explains, but the basics are hardly complex. As skilled killer Sam (Gillan) notes, she works for a group of men called The Firm, cleaning up its messes with her deadly prowess. It's an inherited gig, in a way. Fifteen years earlier, she was a fresh-faced teen (Freya Allan, The Witcher) with a mum, Scarlet, who did the same thing. Then her mother abandoned her after a diner shootout, leaving Sam to fend herself — and, to ultimately get her jobs from Nathan (Paul Giamatti, Billions), one of The Firm's flunkies. It's on just that kind of gig that Sam kills the son of a rival crime hotshot (Ralph Ineson, Chernobyl), and he wants revenge. Soon, her employers are also on her trail, after she takes another assignment in an attempt to sort out her first problem, then ends up trying to save eight-year-old Emily (Coleman) from violent kidnappers. Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino play librarians, and that term could be capitalised as a code name. They're surrounded by books, but they're also assassins themselves who trade in supplies for their fellow hitwomen. Running their business in an eye-catching dome-shaped Berlin building — which is where the film was shot, although it never mentions where it is set — they basically oversee Gunpowder Milkshake's equivalent of John Wick's The Continental. And, they have links to Scarlet, and to Sam's childhood, but they're used as weight and texture rather than given meaty parts. It's almost unforgivable for a movie that's all about formidable ladies to waste Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino in such minor roles, in fact. Again, they do all that's asked of them. They do it well, obviously. Still, they're both the most interesting aspect of the narrative and the least utilised. A secret society of killer women that camouflage their strength behind their knowledge, pass down skills through generations, and blush to no one in a male-dominated realm? Now that's a great premise. A kick-ass heroine who grew up with mummy issues, but now must care for a girl who also doesn't have a mother, all while actually reconnecting with her own and simultaneously laying waste to villainous men? That's clearly far more standard. Even when it's at its most engaging, Gunpowder Milkshake always leaves viewers wishing that it'd taken another path and spent more time with characters it mostly leaves in the background — unsurprisingly given what it pushes to the fore, and what it lets sit on the side. Wanting Bassett, Yeoh and Gugino to play bigger parts isn't a criticism of Gillan, or of her time with Headey and Coleman — even if cracking the facade of a stone-cold killer by getting them palling around with a kid is now a genre cliche (Coleman also had a similar role in espionage comedy My Spy). Gillan takes to her character with stony efficiency. That too is a trope — see: oh-so-many movies in your streaming platform of choice's "strong female lead" category — but she's been doing it swimmingly in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well. What might've served her better, however, is a female filmmaker behind the lens. For all the style that Papushado brandishes, he's lacks the same fun, frenetic and fluid touch Cathy Yan gifted 2020's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), and the same poignancy and smarts that Cate Shortland has given this year's Black Widow. Of course, that's the thing about making a movie that looks like a comic book flick, and that also tries to set up its own franchise, too: it's always going to earn and suffer from those comparisons.
He's one of Sydney's most in-demand chefs, as well as the award-winning seafood maestro and sustainability guru behind celebrated Paddington restaurant Saint Peter. And in January, you can get a front-row seat to hear from the man himself, with Josh Niland zipping into Melbourne to join the Australian Open 2023's stacked food program. Niland's sustainable fish and chipper Charcoal Fish will be making its Melbourne debut, popping up at the AO Beach Bar to treat locals to goodies like the rotisserie Murray cod roll with gravy and crispy skin, plus the cult-favourite double yellowfin tuna cheeseburger. [caption id="attachment_826360" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charcoal Fish[/caption] And on Tuesday, January 17, the chef will take the stage for an intimate chat as part of the AO Talk Series. Audiences will hear about Niland's game-changing zero-waste, whole-fish philosophy, and the approach to sustainability that's earned him international applause. He'll share big ideas, a solid dose of culinary wisdom and plenty of inspiration along the way. Tickets to the 8.30am talk clock in at $69, which also includes a Ground Pass to hit the AO for the rest of the day. The session will take place at the AO Beach Bar, near Gate 1–3 of Melbourne Park. [caption id="attachment_826357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney's Charcoal Fish[/caption] Top image: Rob Palmer.
Over the past seven years, Hamilton has become a cultural phenomenon — and, thanks to its fame and acclaim, so has the hip hop musical's creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. But that's not the only stellar stage show to the multi-talented composer, actor, singer and playwright's name. Before he took on US history (and before he helped bring Bring It On to the theatre, too), Miranda turned life in Manhattan's Washington Heights into four-time Tony-winner In the Heights. While every Hamilton fan dreams of the day that it gets adapted for the big screen, his debut musical is actually making the leap to cinemas first — this year, finally, after its original 2020 release date was postponed due to the pandemic. Yes, the recorded version of Hamilton hit streaming last year, and was as phenomenal as everyone hoped, but In the Heights hasn't just filmed a stage performance. When it releases Down Under on June 24, In the Heights will do so with a stacked cast, with Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M Chu behind the lens, and via a movie primarily shot on location in its titular spot. Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the text for the stage version, has also written the feature's screenplay. And Lin-Manuel Miranda is involved, naturally, producing the movie, overseeing the music and popping up on-screen as well. On Broadway from 2008–11, Miranda played the lead role of bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega. In the film, that honour goes to Anthony Ramos — an alumnus of the original production of Hamilton who has also featured in Patti Cake$, A Star Is Born and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Usnavi works hard, saves everything he earns and strives for a better life. He also sits at the centre of a vibrant community just beyond the 181st Street subway stop, with In the Heights charting the lives, loves and dreams of the Latinx neighbourhood through colourful, energetic and — as seen in both 2019's first trailer for the movie and the latest, just-dropped sneak peek — exquisitely choreographed song and dance numbers. Joining Ramos and Miranda (who plays Piragua Guy, the owner of a shaved ice dessert stand) are Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton), singer Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (Vida), Dascha Polanco (Orange is the New Black), Marc Anthony and Jimmy Smits — plus original In the Heights stage star Olga Merediz, Rent's Daphne Rubin-Vega and Matilda the Musical's Gregory Diaz IV. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Stephanie Beatriz also features, after Miranda made an appearance on the hit sitcom in 2019. Check out the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4CRPvel2Vc In the Heights will release in cinemas Down Under on June 24.
Your Sunday afternoon drinking session is sure to go down extra smoothly when you know it's raising much-needed cash for Aussies affected by the recent bushfires. Which is why a group of the city's best-loved boozers are joining forces for good, hosting a night of cocktails to drum up funds for Red Cross Australia and its bushfire relief efforts. On Sunday, January 19, bartenders from Heartbreaker, Black Pearl, Ends & Means, The Rum Diary Bar and Hats & Tatts will descend on The Mill House for a one-night collaboration event, pouring up a storm for our fire victims. The cover charge will be pay-what-you-can and each bar will be shaking up one of their signature cocktails for $16 a pop. You'll also find $16 boilermakers, along with a selection of $9 beers and wines. [caption id="attachment_684812" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Heartbreaker by Visit Victoria/Julia Kingma[/caption] All proceeds from the night will be donated, plus you can drop off any donations of toiletries, canned food and medical supplies at the bar, to be delivered to the local Red Cross centre. Drink Up runs from 3–8pm.
Keen to try more wines but don't have time to hit the vineyards? Le Méridien Melbourne hears you — it's launched a monthly wine club in its bar, Intermission. Once a month, on a Saturday evening, head along to meet a winemaker and sample several drops you've probably never tried before. Your $45 ticket covers four glasses of wine, plus matching small plates, like cheese and charcuterie boards, and fried calamari with smoked whipped ricotta. In June, you'll be in the company of Scorpo Vineyard & Wines — a family-run winery on the Mornington Peninsula that's been producing small-batch wines since 2002. At Intermission, your tasting menu includes the 2024 Aubaine Chardonnay, the 2024 pinot gris, and two pinot noirs: the 2023 Norien and the 2021 Eocene. In between sips, Scorpo will share the stories behind the wines with you, and you'll have plenty of time to ask questions. Tickets are available online.
Whether hustling those last-minute party beers, or scouting a bottle of vino for that after-hours couch session, getting booze to your doorstep just got even easier. Alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings, who'll deliver drinks to your door in thirty minutes until 10.30pm, has expanded its offering, this week adding a swag of new areas to its coverage. In an era of harsh lock-out laws, the platform has been embraced launching in Sydney back in 2012. But for all the buzz, its popularity's been limited by the stable of suburbs it services. Now, having entered the Melbourne market earlier this year, Jimmy Brings has again stepped things up a notch, expanding to 49 new suburbs in Sydney and an extra 31 in Melbourne; conveniently enough, just in time for the party season. In NSW, places like Collaroy, North Ryde, Mona Vale and Newport can now enjoy a slice of the Jimmy Brings action, while the likes of Thornbury, Essendon, Brighton East and the generally dry suburb of Surrey Hills have joined the party in Melbourne. To celebrate the new and improved lineup, all first-time Jimmy Brings customers can score themselves a $10 discount by downloading the free app and plugging in the code LAUNCH10 at the checkout.
He's soft and cuddly, has a hankering for honey and hibernating, and believes that doing nothing leads to the very best something. With wisdom like that, he could be a wellness guru — but instead, Winnie-the-Pooh is a walking, talking teddy bear. There are many reasons to love the best-known inhabitant of the Hundred Acre Wood. Taking inspiration from a stuffed toy cherished by his son Christopher Robin, author A.A. Milne crafted the cute creature with ample affection, making him feel like the best friend that every kid always wanted. With dashings of black ink on white paper, illustrator E. H. Shepard also brought the bear to life with grace and care in drawings that felt like they could wander off the paper. Thanks to an array of short films, features and television shows over the past six decades, Pooh did mosey beyond those pages. That said, he has never taken a stroll in quite the fashion seen in Christopher Robin. With director Marc Forster (World War Z) mixing live-action and CGI, Pooh is an adorable ball of fluff that couldn't look more realistic. He's covered with tufts of naturalistic fur that viewers will instantly want to run their fingers through and, thanks to special effects that give him a well-worn appearance, it looks like plenty of people already have. Courtesy of a script by Alex Ross Perry (Golden Exits), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures), Pooh is also actually dispensing wellness advice to a now-adult Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor, charming even when he's haunted by stress). Indeed, if there's one thing that Christopher Robin takes seriously, it's the idea of not taking life too seriously. In a movie with the sweetness of Pooh's preferred food — but a dose of melancholy too — the childhood character pops into Christopher Robin's life when he least expects it. (Not that anyone expects a living teddy bear to find them in a London garden, follow them home and start putting their sticky paws on everything.) It has been years since Christopher farewelled Pooh, with boarding school, the Second World War, and now work and his family all monopolising his attention instead. But trying to balance his personal and professional lives, or failing to, has left Christopher in a spot of bother. While his wife Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and daughter Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) head out to the country, he's stuck at home alone working for a luggage company. Then Pooh shows up, searching for the missing Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit, and making Christopher realise exactly what he's missing. Much of Christopher Robin follows its two central characters as they roam around the Hundred Acre Wood. It's a hangout movie — viewers not only hang out with characters they love, but watch them hang out as well. While the drama about meeting work deadlines feels somewhat flimsy as a result, just soaking in the film's scenic surroundings and loveable figures offers enough to enjoy. Forster certainly thinks so, with the movie never as buoyant as when it's focusing firmly on Christopher Robin, Pooh and their green sanctuary. Intricate production design assists, ensuring that every swaying tree and meadow of grass is as eye-catching as a certain bear of very little brain. As viewers rove their eyes over Christopher Robin's splendid sights, they're doing just what the film espouses: slowing down, enjoying the moment, and switching off from the hustle and bustle. Still, as you're clearing space in your head thanks to this nice little movie — and it's truly the epitome of nice, soothing, cosy and comfortable — you might notice a few familiar elements. Forster has dallied with a beloved childhood story before in Finding Neverland, while the idea of a fictional animal character coming to life smacks of Paddington and its sequel, and Hook told overworked men to reconsider their priorities more than two decades ago. You may also recall 2017's forgettable Goodbye Christopher Robin, but thankfully Christopher Robin doesn't underestimate its audience or smother anyone in treacly sentiment. In imagining a new adventure for Pooh and his human pal rather than revisiting their beginnings, the film simply wants viewers to delight in the big-hearted pleasures of its gorgeous world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PakpWVOK37Y
Every actor has one, albeit in various shades, lengths and textures, but sometimes one single hairstyle says everything about a film. Wildly careening in whichever direction it seems to feel like at any point, yet also strikingly sculptural, the towering reddish stack of curly locks atop Penélope Cruz's head in Official Competition is one such statement-making coiffure. It's a stunning sight, with full credit to the movie's hairstylists. These tremendous tresses are both unruly and immaculate; they draw the eye in immediately, demanding the utmost attention. And, yes, Cruz's crowning glory shares those traits with this delightful Spanish Argentine farce about filmmaking — a picture directed and co-written by Mariano Cohn and Gastуn Duprat (The Distinguished Citizen), and also starring Antonio Banderas (Uncharted) and Oscar Martínez (Wild Tales), that it's simply impossible to look away from. Phenomenal hair is just the beginning for Cruz here. Playing filmmaker Lola Cuevas — a Palme d'Or-winning arthouse darling helming an ego-stroking prestige picture for rich octogenarian businessman Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez, Truman) — she's downright exceptional as well. Humberto decides to throw some cash into making a movie in the hope of leaving a legacy that lasts, and enlisting Lola to work her magic with a Nobel Prize-winning novel called Rivalry is quite the coup. So is securing the talents of flashy global star Félix Rivero (Banderas) and serious theatre actor Iván Torres (Martínez), a chalk-and-cheese pair who'll work together for the first time, stepping into the shoes of feuding brothers. But before the feature can cement its backer's name in history, its three key creatives have to survive an exacting rehearsal process. Lola believes in rigorous preparation, and in testing and stretching her leading men, with each technique she springs on them more outlandish and stressful than the last. As Lola, Cruz is a 'find yourself someone who can do both'-kind of marvel. She's clearly starring in a comedy, and her timing, rhythms and line delivery are as fine-tuned as any acting great who has ever tried to amuse an audience — and serve up a hefty reminder that viewers rarely get to see her in such a role — but she perfects the drama of the situation, too. The latter stems from Lola's male leads, who are caught up in a clash of egos, and from the director herself as she keeps eagerly but purposefully pulling their strings. Light, fluid, sharp, smart: they all fit this savvily portrayed character, and never for a second does Cruz feel like she's seesawing too easily, needlessly or temperamentally from comic to serious and back. Earlier in 2022, she was nominated for an Oscar for her sublime performance in Parallel Mothers — an award she deserved to win, but didn't — and although Official Competition couldn't be a more different film, she's just as much of a force to be reckoned with within its frames. Cohn and Duprat might have a little of Lola in them, as well as conjuring her up with fellow scribe Andrés Duprat (My Masterpiece). The Argentine filmmaking duo's rehearsal methods aren't part of the movie, obviously, and it's likely that they didn't wrap their cast in cling wrap as their protagonist hilariously does — but, whatever mechanisms they deployed, they obtain outstanding performances from their key players. This is Cruz's film, but Banderas revels in the chance to cleverly and cannily satirise his profession and industry as much as she does, with the two teaming up yet again after featuring side by side in plenty of Pedro Almodóvar's movies (see: Pain and Glory most recently). The playful teasing is ramped up a level, and there's a greater emphasis on his killer stare, which can flip from brooding to charming to pouting in an instant; however, the result remains remarkable. Martínez plays it relatively straight in-between his co-stars, but is no less compelling; Iván has his own ego battles. Getting Cruz, Bandereas and Martínez bouncing off of each other was always bound to spark something special. They're acting in the service of unpacking acting, and their pitch-perfect portrayals perceptively probe and parody in tandem. The arrogance that comes with fame, the quest for constant validation, the ridiculousness of being a celebrity — they're all targets for laughs, as is the gaping chasm between acting megastardom and everything else. None of these spark new revelations, but Official Competition isn't merely content to get three top talents turning in ace performances to merely state the blatant. Cohn and Duprat's work relies upon acting, and they clearly treasure it as an artform, even as they poke fun at it. The jokes land, but their film also has time to appreciate the emotional toll that goes into a dynamite performance and the sincerity summoned up by the best of the best, all as Lola wrings everything she can out of Félix and Iván. Her tactics, unfurled across their nine-day pre-shoot period, and designed to get the two men to discard their senses of self and become one with their characters, would do Wile E Coyote proud. They're more mischievous than torturous, though — and they're also shrewd and very funny. In one, Félix and Iván argue beneath a giant rock, suspended precariously above them, heightening their anxiety while Lola is thoroughly nonplussed. Another gets them practicing their kissing techniques in front of a bank of microphones so that every sound can be heard and critiqued, with their director ruthless in her scrutiny. In yet another, getting wrapped in plastic together, which both Félix and Iván unsurprisingly abhor, is part of a bold and drastic plan to get the pair to relinquish their reliance upon external approval. What images these three scenarios, and others like them, spark — capturing Cruz and that hairdo, naturally, and so much more. Plenty about Official Competition sounds surreal, and it's certainly how this spectacularly staged and shot feature looks at every moment. Eccentric and meticulous are words that describe Lola and, of course, her coif; they couldn't sum up the movie's production design or cinematography better, too. Here's another that fits: magnificent. Director of photography Arnau Valls Colomer (Lost Transmissions) operates on a Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul level of visual precision, spanning where the camera is placed, the angles it peers on from, the painterly composition of each and every image, and what that level of detail says about an industry that's all about detail. Like the gem it is, everything about this film gleams.
Calling all girls who want to longboard: Melbourne longboarding community Sunset Skate Sessions is hosting a free lesson for beginners. The Sunset Skate Sessions are free and run every weekend, but this is a series aimed specifically at women new to the sport. It's never too late to learn — Jesslyn, creator of the events, started skating when she turned 30. "I never, ever thought I would skate as I didn't grow up with the culture or have friends who skated. So when I got my longboard in the USA, I was determined to convert my friends to skate with me and have a more active lifestyle," she says. For some more femme power inspiration, check out icons like Hyojoo Ko in South Korea and Parisienne Cassandra Lemoine tearing up the longboard game. For the next session, bring your own board and meet at the entrance of Luna Park in St Kilda on March 4 from 4pm.
The last time that Black Mirror released new episodes, no one had ever heard the terms COVID-19 and ChatGPT, the world hadn't been through a huge lockdown due to a pandemic, Succession was only one season in and Twitter had a far less chaotic owner. They're just a few ways to answer the show's new question, with Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi hit getting tweeting for the first time since 2019 to start teasing its upcoming sixth season. That social-media query: the very apt "what have we missed?". Obviously there are plenty of ways to respond, which Black Mirror creator quickly Charlie Brooker did. 🤔 — Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) April 25, 2023 Those four words from the official Black Mirror Twitter and that one emoji from Brooker is all that's been pumped out into the ether about the show's return, but it's enough to get excited about given that it breaks the series' four-year silence. Wondering when you might be staring at your own black mirror again to watch Black Mirror? That still hasn't been announced. News about Black Mirror's next go-around isn't new, of course, and has been doing the rounds since 2022. Last year, Variety also named a heap of cast members, including Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Paapa Essiedu (Men), Josh Hartnett (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Aaron Paul (Westworld), Kate Mara (Call Jane), Danny Ramirez (Stars at Noon), Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother), Auden Thornton (This Is Us) and Anjana Vasan (Killing Eve). Back when the sixth season was confirmed, how many more grim dystopian tales were on their way hadn't been revealed, however, and that's still the case now. That said, it's expected that the new season will run for more than season five's mere three episodes — and apparently each new instalment is being treated as an individual film. Black Mirror fans will know that the series has also released a direct-to-streaming movie, aka the choose-your-own-adventure-style Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, back in 2018 between seasons four and five. How exactly will the series manage to be even more dispiriting than reality over the past few years? That's increasingly been one of its dilemmas — and noting that something IRL feels just like Black Mirror has become one of the cliches of our times — but this'll be the mind-bending effort's first round of episodes following the pandemic. No one has ever watched the Brooker-created series for a pick-me-up, though. Since first hitting the small screen in 2011, Black Mirror has spun warped visions of where technology may lead us — and, no matter what tale the show has told so far across its 22 instalments (including that interactive movie), the picture has usually been unnerving. So, imagine what the program will cook up after what we've all been living through since it last aired. Brooker has already riffed on COVID-19 in two Netflix specials, actually: Death to 2020 and Death to 2021, which offer satirical and star-studded wraps of both years with mixed success. For something completely different, he also jumped back into choose-your-own-adventure content with animated short Cat Burglar, which hit Netflix back in 2022, has viewers play through it as a thieving feline called Rowdy and gets you to answer trivia questions to advance the story. While you're waiting for Black Mirror's sixth season to arrive — and a release date for it — check out a trailer for season three episode San Junipero below: Exactly when Black Mirror season six might hit Netflix is yet to be revealed. We'll update you when further details are announced.
"Your nose like a delicious slope of cream / And your ears like cream flaps / And your teeth like hard shiny pegs of cream." Dîner en Blanc — like Howard Moon's poem — will have you in all white. But sorry Booshers: the third edition of this annual Melbourne event is just for the sophisticated. Dîner en Blanc began in Paris back in 1988 thanks to François Pasquier and friends. This year, 2500 of Melbourne's most dedicated dinner party guests will once again dress in all white on Saturday, March 4 for the event, which will be held at a suitably stunning location. That detail remains secret until the very last moment, but over the last few years, the Docklands waterfront and riverside in front of the Convention and Exhibition Centre have proved welcoming venues. Guests have to bring their own wares though — it's BYO table, chairs, glassware, dinnerware and white tablecloth as well as picnic (although you can order a hamper for pick-up on arrival. After the evening of fine dining and live music, the foodies then pack up their crystal, dinnerware, tables and litter. Like ghosts (white 'n' all), they leave behind no sign of their rendezvous — but don't get any ideas, a white sheet thrown over your figure will not do for an outfit. Ticketing happens in three phases. If you've attended a previous Dîner en Blanc, you can go right ahead and purchase one, otherwise you must be invited by a member from the previous year. Total newbie? Get on the ol' waiting list — just register before January 27.
The festive season is here and, with it, the opportunity to have the best time with your mates (aka Friendsmas) and spend some quality time with the family — while also carving out some time for present shopping. But wait, do you hear that in the distance? Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingling all the way to Chadstone. The halls of The Fashion Capital are set to be decked with boughs of holly as the clocks tick closer to December 25. We have the ultimate festive guide to eating, drinking and being merry at Chadstone during the holidays. EAT Shoppers are spoiled for choice when it comes to staying fuelled for their retail therapy at Chadstone. Cityfields, one of the flagship foodie destinations at The Social Quarter, has much to offer diners. This all-day bar and brasserie serves modern European dishes, house-made soft serve and a healthy dose of sophistication. For pan-Asian fare, holidaymakers can visit White + Wong's, a hatted New Zealand favourite with a contemporary Asian-fusion menu. For Italian, there's Cinque Terre — inspired by La Dolce Vita and the Italian Riviera. It is sprawled across three dining rooms and dishes up fresh seafood, homemade pasta and woodfired pizza. And what Christmas feast is complete without dessert? Enjoy gelato from Melbourne favourite Piccolina Gelateria, beloved for its old fashioned deliciousness and weekly rotating specials. If you're on the lookout for epic desserts for a festive feast, why not pre-order the Rocky Road gelato-filled Christmas pudding? Yum! DRINK After a big feed at Cityfield's bistro, you can treat yourself to a Christmas-inspired tipple upstairs at The Terrace. The rooftop bar and eatery focuses on snacking share plates for guests to enjoy while taking in the city skyline views from the balcony. Punters can taste gochujang wontons, tempura oysters and savour uninterrupted views of Melbourne city at Sardine, the sister venue to White + Wongs, located upstairs from the pan-Asian eatery. The drinks menu runs to local beers, wine, mocktails and cocktails. Spice lovers should beeline towards The La, which marries chilli mango, lime, cranberry and maraschino with vodka. Peckish patrons can access the full White + Wong's menu from downstairs, but the bites and snacks section is particularly suited for the openair courtyard space. If you're keen on a brewsky, you can head to UA Brewing Co.— a brewpub from Urban Alley Brewery. Why not enjoy the limited-edition 'The Quarter' hazy pale ale, brewed especially for and in Chadstone? BE MERRY Engage in some holiday hijinx with your mates at the Hijinx Hotel or enjoy Friendsmas at Holey Moley or Archie Brothers. Take the family on a tour of Chadstone's Christmas decorations and get a photo with Santa, or snap your own pic at the giant Christmas bauble. Kids of all ages will love the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre as it gets into the holiday spirit. It is organising 'Letters to Santa', where guests can write a letter or a wish list or draw a picture and put it in the Christmas Mailbox to be sent to the North Pole, and visitors can get their photos taken with LEGO Santa. Children don't get all the fun, there will be a Christmas Adult Night Event on Friday, December 15, at 6pm where adults get free reign of the attraction. [caption id="attachment_930342" align="alignnone" width="1920"] ®/TM/© 2023 CCA and B, LLC d/b/a The Lumistella Company. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] There are other festive activities happening throughout Chadstone. Keep an eye out for a massive The Elf on the Shelf hiding out at The Fashion Capital from December 1 through to Christmas Eve. The Elf on the Shelf reports back to Santa at the North Pole every night and then arrives back at Chadstone in a different location every day. Daily clues of his whereabouts will be posted on Chadstone's Instagram account. If you share a picture of The Elf on the Shelf to your public Instagram account before December 24, the hashtag #ElfOnTheShelf and follow and tag @chadstone_fashion, and you will go into a draw to win a six-night Bali stay thanks to Luxury Escapes. Terms and conditions apply, see more info on the Chadstone website. You can't think about Christmas without thinking about presents. Get yourself set up for the holiday season early by taking advantage of holiday deals at The Fashion Capital. For your fashionable giftees, you can pick up some of the latest trendy items at DISSH, INCU and Sarah and Sebastian. Your mate who loves a good pilates or yoga class will thank you for a new mat or gear from Lululemon. Do you have a mate who loves cooking but never treats themselves to high-quality items? Check out Le Creuset for a present that will last a lifetime. Music lovers would love to deck out their homes with stylish yet functional speakers and music systems from Bang & Olufsen. And you can't go wrong with some goodies from Koko Black or T2. After all that eating, drinking and merry-making, why not spend a night at the five-star Hotel Chadstone? Take a dip in the sleek rooftop pool, order a drink at the conservatory bar, treat yourself to a massage at the day spa and wellness retreat, or stretch out in the yoga studio before indulging in a satisfying meal at one of the two on-site top-notch restaurants. Discover extended hours, real-time parking info and shopping guides on the Chadstone website. Images: Chadstone, Pete Dillon
You put up the money. You helped stomp the grapes. Now, the people-powered winemakers at Noisy Ritual are inviting you back to put a cork in 2015 — literally. After getting off the ground earlier in the year with crowdfunding support from a group of wine-loving locals, the Brunswick-based urban winery has produced six batches of homemade vino which they're now about to bottle. So naturally, they're using it as an excuse to throw a party. Cracking open their barrels on the evening of Saturday, November 21 in a Brunswick East warehouse space, the Noisy Ritual Bottling Party will be your very first chance to try their 2015 vintage – straight from the bottle you helped pour it into. In addition to the wine, there'll be food by Forge Woodfired Pizza and music from Broadway Sounds, Pink Tiles and a number of local DJs. We'll drink to that. Tickets to the Noisy Ritual 2015 Bottling Party are $10 on the door, and bottles will be available to purchase on the night. But if you want to secure a half dozen straight up, we're giving one reader the chance to win six bottles of Noisy Ritual 2015 vintage. Plus, you'll also get two tickets to the Bottling Party on Saturday, November 21 — so you can head along and pick up your booze in person. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven’t already), then email win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au with your name, phone number and address. Entries close Wednesday, November 18.
Do you like Italian food? Then let us introduce you to the happiest place on earth. Your stomach has probably been craving pasta, pizza and gelato since news of Eataly World first started circulating — and those rumbles are only going to get louder now that the world's first Italian food theme park has announced its opening date. Due to open in Bologna, Italy on November 15, and calling itself an agro-food park, the site will take patrons on a trip from the field to the fork. That'll involve with six interactive experiences, more than 40 places to eat, over 100 stalls and shops, and a dedicated parmesan cheese bar. In fact, over nearly 20 acres, Eataly World will feature restaurants, kitchens, grocery stores, classrooms, farms, laboratories and more, showcasing everything from livestock, dairy products and the cereals that become pasta, to preserves, Italian desserts and the best in both boozy and non-alcoholic beverages. As well as boasting free entry — aka making a good thing even better — Eataly World will make daily classes part of its schedule, ensuring visitors don't just wander through this Italian food-focused realm, but can pick up a few new skills as well. To get around the massive area, bikes will also be available. Eating, drinking and cycling in Italy: it sounds like a culinary holiday dream. The park is the latest venture from Oscar Farinetti, the founder of Italian food and grocery chain Eataly, which has locations in New York, Boston and Dubai. And while it has taken some time to come to fruition — it was first announced a few years back, and then set for a 2015 opening that didn't happen — it looks like it has been worth the wait. Speaking to Eater last year, Eataly vice-president and Eataly World CEO Tiziana Primori said the park would mix entertainment with education. "We call it from the farm to the fork because you can see all the steps of the chain, from the animals to the raw materials and workshops and restaurants." The hope is that the park will attract as many as 10 million visitors each year, providing a boost to Bologna tourism in the process. The city already boasts a number of gastronomic attractions, including a medieval marketplace and the world's only gelato university. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou5uPuVBub4 Via Eater. Header image via Dollar Photo Club By Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.
Now and then you see a piece of theatre which is so powerful it's like taking a bullet. Grounded is like taking two — one to the head and one to the heart. A haunting depiction of modern warfare, Grounded follows a character known simply as The Pilot, a woman working for the American airforce, flying combat missions over Iraq. She is taken off active duty after becoming pregnant but that’s only the beginning. When she returns to work, she finds herself posted to a different kind of job altogether: piloting drones, remotely, from a base in America. By day she controls killing machines in the skies of the Middle East, then she commutes home to her husband and daughter. This work was written by American playwright George Brant and has rocketed him to fame. Previously, Brant’s work had been played mostly in regional America but Grounded has had an explosion of interest both in his home country and abroad, notching up some serious accolades, including being listed on The Guardian’s top 10 plays of 2013. In this, the show’s Australian premiere, you can see why. In addition to being a well-researched piece on a compelling and uniquely modern issue, it uses the scenario of robotised warfare to make broader statements about contemporary life, work and relationships. You don’t need to be working with drones to empathise with Brant’s view on modern alienation. Kate Cole as The Pilot is magnificent. Both indomitable and vulnerable, passionate and disaffected, bursting with bravado and simmering with repressed sensitivities, her performance presents a complex and highly believable weave of contradictions. It’s only her on stage for 80 minutes and she owns the audience the entire time. Red Stitch has pulled no punches in staging the show either. The lighting is like a visual art piece in its own right, Matthew Adey’s design is starkly effective. A soundtrack by Elizabeth Drake, who scored films such as Japanese Story, works on your subconscious in subtle ways, heightening both the emotion and the growing sense of disconnection. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the play is that the central emotional relationship is not really between people but between the Pilot and the sky. Her love for the open air is palpable and from the moment she is taken off active duty you feel the pain of her separation from it keenly. However much she achieves in life and work, that sense of loss won’t leave her. Progress overshadowed by the sense of loss: if any sensation epitomises modern life it is that. Unsettling and heartbreaking, yet uplifting and amusing in all the right places too, Grounded is an absolute tour de force. Photo credit: Jodie Hutchinson.
When Memoria begins, it echoes with a thud that's not only booming and instantly arresting — a clamour that'd make anyone stop and listen — but is also deeply haunting. It arrives with a noise that, if the movie's opening scene was a viral clip rather than part of Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's spectacular Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature, it'd be tweeted around with a familiar message: sound on. The racket wakes up Jessica Holland (Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir: Part II) in the night, and it's soon all that she can think about; like character, like film. It's a din that she later describes as "a big ball of concrete that falls into a metal well which is surrounded by seawater"; however, that doesn't help her work out what it is, where it's coming from or why it's reverberating. The other question that starts to brood: is she the only one who can hear it? So springs a feature that's all about listening, and truly understands that while movies are innately visual — they're moving pictures, hence the term — no one should forget the audio that's gone with it for nearly a century now. Watching Weerasethakul's work has always engaged the ears intently, with the writer/director behind the Palme d'Or-winning Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and just-as-lyrical Cemetery of Splendour crafting cinema that genuinely values all that the filmic format can offer. Enjoying Memoria intuitively serves up a reminder of how crucial sound can be to the big-screen experience, emphasising the cavernous chasm between pictures that live and breathe that truth and those that could simply be pictures. Of course, feasting on Weerasethakul's films has also always been about appreciating not only cinema in all its wonders, but as an inimitable art form. Like the noise that lingers in his protagonist's brain here, his movies aren't easily forgotten. With Weerasethakul behind the lens and Swinton on-screen, Memoria is a match made in cinephile heaven — even before it starts obsessing over sound and having its audience do the same. He helms movies like no one else, she's an acting force of nature, and their pairing is film catnip. He also makes his English-language debut, as well as his first feature outside of Thailand, while she brings the serenity and magnetism that only she can, turning in a far more understated turn than seen in the recent likes of The French Dispatch and The Personal History of David Copperfield. Yes, Weerasethakul and Swinton prove a beautiful duo. Weerasethakul makes contemplative, meditative, visually poetic movies, after all, and Swinton's face screams with all those traits. They're both devastatingly precise in what they do, too, and also delightfully expressive. And, they each force you to pay the utmost attention to their every single choice as well. As Jessica, Swinton plays a British expat in Colombia — an orchidologist born in Scotland, residing in Medellín and staying in Bogota when she hears that very specific din. After explaining it in exquisite detail to sound engineer Hernán (Juan Pablo Urrego, My Father), he tries to recreate the noise for her, but only she seems to know exactly what it sounds like. At the same time, Jessica's sister Karen (debutant Agnes Brekke) is in hospital with a strange ailment. Also, there's word of a curse that's linked to a tunnel being built over a burial ground, and Jessica consults with an archaeologist (Jeanne Balibar, Les Misérables) before heading from the city to the country. Grief echoes as strongly through Jessica's life as the bang she can't shake, and she wanders like someone in a dreamy daze, whether she's roaming around an art gallery or crossing paths with a rural fisherman also called Hernán (Elkin Díaz, Besieged). No plot description can ever do Weerasethakul's films justice, and Memoria doesn't even consider tying its various threads in an obvious way. Rather, it invites viewers to unlock its puzzles by soaking in every patient 35-millimetre shot and exacting sound, and it's a mesmerising cinematic experience. Part of the film's hypnotic thrall stems from the connections gleaned, too, especially for the filmmaker's fans. Sleep, one of his favourite topics, is inescapable. Spying the hospital-set scenes and not thinking of Cemetery of Splendour is impossible. In the movie's latter sections, when it revels in the Colombian countryside, it's just as difficult not to recall Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. And there is indeed another past that's being conjured up here, separate from Weerasethakul's cinematic background (plus the fact that Memoria's lead is named after 1943 voodoo horror I Walked with a Zombie): that of its setting, its history of violence and the shadow that remains today. How the past, present and future bleed into each other — or drip like water falling into a well, then pool together — sits at the heart of Memoria. That too isn't new for Weerasethakul, but he can't be accused of repeating himself. He also ponders what sticks and fades, and how and why. Witnessing its two Hernán sequences, both of which are sublime in their own fashions, cements this train of thought. In the first, the young audio engineer searches his database of movie sound effects, trying to locate something universal to match a noise that's clearly so personal to Jessica — and observing their to and fro, absurdity included, ranks among the best scenes Weerasethakul has given cinema. In the second, which is loaded with queries about whether the two men with the shared name are one and the same or alternate versions, how life can resemble a mere reverie gets thrust to the fore amid spellbindingly vivid greenery. They aren't straightforward, but there are answers in Memoria. Better than that, there's a powerful and provocative commitment to surprising and challenging that resounds right down to the movie's final glorious reveal. We catalogue and contemplate the past in a plethora of ways, and shifting, shattering and distorting is a natural consequence, as Weerasethakul tells us with his intoxicating frames and soundscape. He gets stunning help from cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Suspiria, Call Me By Your Name and also plenty of Weerasethakul's work) and sound designer Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr (another of the filmmaker's veterans), because his features are always technical powerhouses — but being on Swinton's ethereal wavelength is essential. She's the audience's guide through a beguiling mystery, her director's surrogate in this quest through Colombia, and an anchor in an achievement that feels like just what the best cinema is meant to: a dream with our eyes and ears wide open. Top image: Sandro Kopp © Kick the Machine Films, Burning, Anna Sanders Films, Match Factory Productions, ZDF-Arte and Piano, 2021
Make the most of the summery Melbourne weather with a twilight visit to the Heide Museum of Modern Art. Giving you an after-hours to explore Mirka Mora's Pas de Deux — Drawings and Dolls and Danica Chappell's Thickness of Time exhibitions, the gallery is extending its opening hours until 8pm and hosting a couple of laidback shindigs as the sun goes down. From 5pm — on Friday, January 25 and Saturday, February 16 — visitors will be able to scope out the exhibitions, wander through Heide's beloved sculpture park, and enjoy music from percussionist Vanessa Tomlinson and experimental music producer Martin Ng. There'll also be food and wine available to purchase, because no jaunt through a gallery is truly complete with a glass of bubbly in hand. That's just a straight-up fact — and, if you're organised, you can also bring your own picnic. Entry in Art by Twilight starts at $10 for Heide members, $15 for concession holders and $20 for adults. Image: Jeremy Weihrauch
You may have thought your days of hanging out in car parks were over, but this Melbourne music event aims to change that. Play On brings a unique combination of live classical and electronic music to the underground car park at the Collingwood Housing Estate and, after launching late last year, they are back for three Friday nights on March 24, March 31 and April 7. The event presents classical music outside of traditional performance venues, making it both an accessible and pretty magical experience in a space that welcomes music lovers from all walks of life. The first event will see Tchaikovsky's joyful 1980 work Souvenir de Florence played by the Play On Collective, followed by a DJ set from local producer Prequel. Tickets are $15 presale or $20 on the door. Images: Alan Wheedon.
Forget the trashy mags conveniently placed just near supermarket checkouts, and forget whatever the real-life royals are up to, too. These days, if you're keen on regal intrigue, then you're hooked on Netflix drama The Crown. And, after two eventful seasons, you're definitely eagerly awaiting the show's third batch of episodes — following the same characters but with an all-new cast. Since 2016, The Crown has peered inside both Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street, unpacking the goings-on behind Britain's houses of power. Set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the series has charted her wedding to Prince Philip, her coronation and the birth of her children (aka Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward). As well as delving into the monarch's marital ups and downs, The Crown has also explored the romantic life of her sister, Princess Margaret, plus the major political events throughout the late 40s, entire 50s and early 60s. During all this, viewers have become accustomed to seeing Claire Foy as Elizabeth, Matt Smith as Philip and Vanessa Kirby as Margaret. In the third season, however, they've all been replaced to better reflect the passing of time. Fresh from winning an Oscar for The Favourite earlier this year, Olivia Colman steps into ol' Lizzie's shoes, while Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter do the same with Philip and Margaret. Also joining the show is Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne and Marion Bailey as the Queen Mother. Given the change of cast, and the fact that The Crown's last episodes hit Netflix at the end of 2017, the show's third season has been eagerly anticipated. While the just-dropped teaser doesn't include much at all in the way of detail, it does offer a 20-second glimpse at Colman as the Queen — and reveal that the series will return this November. A full trailer is bound to follow, giving fans a better look at the show's new stars. And, hopefully, touching upon the third season's storyline, which'll chart the years between 1964–1977, including Harold Wilson's (played by The Man Who Killed Don Quixote and The Children Act's Jason Watkins) two stints as prime minister. If you're waiting for the Margaret Thatcher era, and the arrival of Princess Diana, they're expected to be covered in The Crown's fourth season. For now, check out the third season's first teaser below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXrEnmracYw The Crown's third season will hit Netflix on November 17.
