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.
If you missed Gelato Messina's degustation bar the last two times, you're in luck because they're coming back to Melbourne for two weeks this August — and this time it will be all about truffles. In conjunction with Madame Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is returning to the secret room behind their Windsor store, this time with a seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with? There's a pine and eucalyptus gelato that's a mix of 67 percent chocolate and black truffle cremeux, salted caramel, Jerusalem artichoke crisp and caramelised honey served with a ginger and lemon myrtle infusion. Using ingredients from the Dominican Republic, Japan, Tonga and NSW, Messina will take your tastebuds on a sweet and savoury journey. There are also two kinds of sorbet on the special Truffle Week menu: apple and nasturtium sorbet, and black truffle oil and vanilla oil sorbet. Sorbets are paired with a finger lime tonic and a spiced chai latte. Tickets are $130 per person and, with just eight seats available at each of the three sittings each night, you can book for groups of two, four, six or eight of your gelato-loving mates. And based off of previous events, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP before Melburnians book out the event (most probably in record time again). Head to the Messina Creative Department page to nab a seat. The Messina Creative Department will pop-up from August 2-12 at their Windsor store, 171 Chapel Street, Windsor. For more info, visit their website.
A resident who lives near Melbourne's iconic Cherry Bar has recently been labelled "fuckwit of the year" for complaining about the venue's noise levels. Opening themselves up to unrelenting criticism from music lovers citywide, this neighbour wrote a small letter to the live music venue which has now been mocked and shared everywhere over the weekend. In the age of social media, it's almost always a bad idea, but in principle — do neighbours likes this really have a right to complain? In Melbourne in particular, this has been a huge problem. Earlier this year, many of the city's major venues were in dire financial straits as a result of noise complaints made by surrounding residents. Just one complaint could have seen the council stepping in and enforcing major renovations to soundproof the venue. For many smaller sites, this would put them at risk of bankruptcy. There were even concerns about this affecting the music scene at large — if this kept happening, surely the best venues would just move away? As a loud and proud bastion of hard rock in Melbourne's CBD, Cherry Bar is very familiar with this kind of trouble. As plans were going ahead to erect a 12-storey apartment building next door, the small venue was under pressure from the council to comply with noise regulations. Turning to crowdfunding from their loyal clientele, they raised over $50,000 in under 24 hours to go towards soundproofing the venue. This has now changed. And, as most venues aren't as blessed as Cherry, it's a very good thing. After years of arduous legal battles, Victorian parliament passed new Agent of Change laws last month which put the onus of soundproofing on the developers of residential complexes rather than inner-city venues. It was a momentous win for live music that guaranteed the future of many bandrooms on the brink. The City of Yarra then jumped on the back of this and offered $25,000 worth of funding to these venues in the name of good will. Go Melbourne! With all this in mind, it's a wonder this person bothered to get in touch. Shit's already getting done, right? "The noise made by your bar is affecting my sleep and work, especially since it lasts beyond midnight," the complaint read. "May i suggest u guys to reduce the noise made by at least a half ? [sic] There are many working adults and students living in this apartment, so the noise produced by your bar made it very difficult for us to rest at home after a long day of work." Then they get serious. "I have read about the noise restrictions in the CBD, and will consider reporting to the City of Melbourne or the Victoria Police if this matter is not solved within the next week." And that's where it all began: Fuckwit moves next door to Cherry Bar and complains about noise: http://t.co/2bYQZ3TBCq — Wil Anderson (@Wil_Anderson) October 18, 2014 Cherry Bar owners have since got back to the neighbour expressing their side of the story. "Cherry has been successfully operating for 14 years as a late night live music venue. We have never had a noise complaint," their letter read. "The good news for you is that we are proactively investing in $100,000 worth of soundproofing presently. We are approximately 3 weeks into the 4 week process." The moral of this story: you probably shouldn't move onto a street named after AC/DC if you don't like loud music. But in general, even if you live and breathe live music, it's easy to see the points these kind of neighbours are making. How many drunk trespassers and sleepless nights would it make to turn you into a fuckwit too? Via Tone Deaf and Music Feeds. Photo credit: Scootie via photopin cc.
When Hercule Poirot returned to cinema screens in 2017's Murder on the Orient Express, the infamous Agatha Christie-penned sleuth was always going to hang around. Hollywood loves a franchise and, on the page, the fictional Belgian detective has featured in more than 80 tales. Accordingly, a sequel to the Kenneth Branagh-starring and directed movie was always inevitable. Death on the Nile is that follow-up, as once again based on the book of the same name. It's due to hit cinemas sometime in the future — in this COVID-19 world, movie release dates aren't really set in stone anymore, as anyone who has been hanging out for months to see Tenet or Mulan knows — and, as the just-dropped first trailer shows, it trots out the familiar Poirot formula. In the current film series, that means bringing a whole heap of famous faces together in a confined location, dressing them up in luxe threads, interrupting their trip with a murder, then watching the moustachioed detective put his skills to the test. Obviously, here, everyone is on a boat in Egypt. In fact, Poirot is on vacation on a glamorous river steamer when duty calls — in the form of a couple's idyllic honeymoon that's been cut short by tragedy. Branagh is back both on-screen and behind the lens, while this time around he's joined by Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, and even comedy legends Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders. Also popping up: Murder on the Orient Express' Tom Bateman, Game of Thrones' Rose Leslie, Black Panther's Letitia Wright, Wild Rose's Sophie Okonedo, Sex Education's Emma Mackey and Victoria and Abdul's Ali Fazal. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRP57Bz842A&feature=youtu.be Death on the Nile is slated to release in Australian cinemas at a yet-to-be-revealed date — we'll provide exact details when they come to hand. Top images: © 2020 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Melbourne's massive celebration of all things contemporary dance is back for 2019. Stomping and shaking its way into venues across the city — including Arts House, Malthouse Theatre and Abbotsford Convent — the latest edition of this biennial dance festival is packed with original performances, talks, installations and even a dance battle. So you better hurry up and get moving. Running from Tuesday, March 12 to Sunday, March 24, this year's Dance Massive will showcase new works from acclaimed companies and choreographers including Chunky Move, Force Majeure, Stephanie Lake and Lucy Guerin — as well as Indigenous company Marrugeku and many more. Meanwhile, the Massive++ program features everything from Cinematic Experiments, a multi-media installation combining early film techniques with digital dance choreography, to Sensorial Experiences, a series of workshops that guides audiences through the moves of a dance themselves before they see it performed. Image: Bryony Jackson.
Each year, the team behind Vivid Sydney clearly asks itself a question: where else can we dazzle with lights next? Ranging from gardens and tunnels to buildings and bridges, the answers brighten up not only the festival's annual program, but the Harbour City. Letting a train lit up with an immersive glow and pumping techno tunes loose on the New South Wales capital's rails is a new answer for 2024, however. Meet Tekno Train. This isn't your ordinary, everyday, average commute — this is a 60-minute trip filled with lighting and music that changes to match the train's speed and the landscape outside. And the tunes? Like the event itself, they hail from Paul Mac. The result is a 23-night-only railway experience that's an Australian first, with its music newly composed specifically for what promises to be a helluva ride. Here's how it works: between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, you'll hop onboard a K-set train at Central Station, either opting for a scenic route to North Sydney and then Lavender Bay via a secret spur line (the slower, more family-friendly trip), or hitting up City Circle and South Sydney (which'll be the livelier and faster-paced journey). Whether you pick The Scenic Route or Tech Express, as the two choices have been named, you'll see Tekno Train's custom lighting beam and hear its electronic dance music soundtrack pulse through all of the locomotive's carriages. If you're wondering how it links in with this year's Vivid theme of 'humanity', Tekno Train puts the power of music to unite — even when people are doing something that they don't normally think twice about — in the spotlight. It also celebrates public transport, mass transit and community. And, of course, it'll get you seeing riding the rails in a whole new light, literally.
Now in his tenth year of making music, Nicolas Jaar was previously known for his 'blue-wave' minimal techno. But at a young 24 years, Jaar has already progressed in style. Darkside moves away from anything he's created on his lonesome. Collaborator Dave Harrington, a multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, might have previously said he prefers making music that's sad. But speaking from his hotel room in icy Oxford, Jaar concedes that Darkside isn't dark at all; it has an electro-psyche-jazz sound all of its own. Right now, Darkside are in the UK as part of the Psychic world tour alongside their recently released debut album of the same name. Receiving rave reviews from both critics, and, well, ravers, Psychic scored two 'Best New Track' slots with Pitchfork after the 11-minute opener 'Golden Arrow' was released as a free download in August. But Jaar refuses to get carried away by critics and their reviews. Because, as he says, there'll always be those who love your music and others who hate it. For Jaar, it's about taking fans to a new place. "The only hope for musicians is that we're communicating something," says Jaar, coming over all Alice in Wonderland. "I just hope that people are able to fall into the small worlds that we try to create." Harrington originally played with Jaar as part of his touring live band. But after jamming together between gigs, the duo quickly morphed into Darkside back in 2011. Now they're back to where it all began — on tour — and Sydney and Melbourne are next on their list of places to wow. Darkside are at their best when heard live. but there's no use in predicting how their sets will pan out. Though their drawn-out electronica is likely to have us fall down the rabbit hole, each of their performances are different. "We try to improvise every night because we're doing this so much, and we're playing so many shows," says Jaar of their live performances. "We feel like, if we change it up here and there every night we'll slowly get to a better understanding of what we're trying to say. And as musicians we're getting better and better." Darkside's Psychic world tour has sold out shows across Europe. And since Jaar sold out his solo gigs at 2013's Sydney Festival, their Hi-Fi and Palace Theatre gigs are expected to go the same way. After all, in the year that's passed, the duo's evolving sounds have only garnered more fame. And don't expect that to slow down any time soon. It appears we can expect even more from Darkside over the coming year. "We're hoping to write a new record," says Jaar. Sadly, they've not as yet begun writing: "We're thinking about it." For now we'll have to settle with Psychic and their upcoming live shows. But who are we kidding; we couldn't ask for more. https://youtube.com/watch?v=d8NaWT0WvEE
The grand opening of Calia's hotly anticipated Lonsdale Street store might have been slightly overshadowed by this year's pandemic. But the multi-faceted venue, complete with luxury grocer, bottle shop, cafe and eatery is now officially open and ready for action. In late September, Calia made the move from its former Emporium digs to this two-level, 800-square-metre site most recently home to Top Shop. Now, with hospitality restrictions continuing to ease and the city starting to open up, the restaurant-to-retail brand's new home is finally getting a proper workout. The sprawling space features a sleek fit-out by hospitality design firm Architect Eats, complete with blond timber accents and foliage cascading from the ceilings. As promised, an expansive retail selection features a hefty range of culinary-focused delights, both locally made and imported. You'll find gourmet groceries, homewares, premium Korean beauty products and a lineup of booze that includes plenty of rare Japanese whiskies. The first floor plays host to a large dining space where you can tuck into bites from Calia's refined menu of modern Japanese fare. Top-notch produce from the likes of Robbins Island wagyu, Red Hill truffles and Yarra Valley caviar stars throughout, with dishes like spicy mapo tofu, salted egg yolk chicken and a signature wagyu bowl featuring top-grade A5 meat flown in from Japan. There are sweet treats from local favourites like Penny for Pound and Bibelot, while a coffee bar celebrates locally roasted blends alongside Calia's famed matcha-based and purple sweet potato drinks. For now, COVID-19 restrictions mean there's reduced capacity and a one-hour time limit on dine-in tables, though when the site's fully operational it boasts space for around 150 diners. Pop your name in the virtual queue system to avoid waiting too long for a table. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has pressed pause on the much-hyped plans for an on-site urban cellar door done in conjunction with the Yarra Valley's Levantine Hill Estate. That element, complete with tastings and an extensive retail wine selection, is now set to launch a little further down the track. Find Calia's new store at 287 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. It's open from 10am–9pm daily.
We can't think of a much better late-night fusion than Melbourne Museum's after-dark adults-only party, and Australia's favourite music trivia show. On Friday, August 23, the legendary RocKwiz is making a special guest appearance for the Museum's August edition of Nocturnal, as part of White Night Reimagined, as the pair teams up to deliver a rocking night of eats, drinks, talks, tunes and exhibition-hopping. Not only will you score exclusive night-time access to the Revolutions: Records and Rebels exhibition, but host Brian Nankervis and The RocKwiz Orkestra will dish up a special live show paying homage to some of the retro songs and artists featured throughout the show. Expect a soundtrack of old-school hits, plus fun RockKwiz questions centred around that revolutionary era from 1966 to 1970. Nocturnal X Rockwiz runs from 7pm–midnight. Image: Cesur Sanli
Since the beginning of film, fashion and costumes have played an integral role in creating and defining our most loved characters. Like Charlie Chaplin in a bowler hat or that plunging white gown on Marilyn Monroe, costumes become as iconic as their wearers, and will forever be associated with our fondest film heroes and heroines. Similarly, Avant Garde fashion designers like Walter Van Beirendonck have continued to surprise and delight the world as they’ve torn through the imagined boundaries of a conventional interpretation of fashion. Is there a line between fashion and costume, and if so, what does it mean? Celebrating some of the most exciting fashion exhibitions Melbourne has seen, Concept Clothing is designed to complement Walter Van Beirendonck’s wonderful retrospective Dream The World Awake (currently showing at RMIT Design Hub) as well as ACMI’s hugely popular Hollywood Costumes exhibition. Presented by RMIT University and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the event will run as a panel discussion exploring the intersection between fashion and costume design, culminating in a screening of Walter Van Beirendonck’s most impressive and innovative work, held at ACMI this Wednesday August 14 at 6.15pm. The impact that clothing and costume can have on our emotional memories and connection to their wearers is incredibly powerful, and at a measly $15, Concept Clothing is an absolute must-attend for anyone with an interest in or appreciation for masters of a creative craft.
When any and every film festival rolls around, plenty of numbers get mentioned. With the 2022 Sydney Film Festival now fast approaching, the Harbour City's annual cinema showcase is no different. This year will mark the fest's whopping 69th event, as well Festival Director Nashen Moodley's 11th time bringing the latest and greatest flicks to the glorious State Theatre and other Sydney picture palaces — and, if its first 22 movies are anything to go by, it's set to be another winner. There's no such thing as a bad SFF, of course, because its program always spans so far and wide — and how you watch your way through it is always dictated by personal choice. But 2022's event already has a new Aussie horror standout that proved a hit at SXSW, the latest from freshly minted Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain, multiple Sundance award recipients, and the new comedy from inimitable Berberian Sound Studio, The Duke of Burgundy and In Fabric filmmaker Peter Strickland. Yes, we're already spoiled for choice. Taking place between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19 — back in its usual timeslot after moving to November in 2021 due to lockdowns and restrictions — SFF 2022 will show some local love to Sissy, the aforementioned Australian horror film. Starring The Bold Type's Aisha Dee, it follows a successful social media influencer who gets stuck in a remote cabin with her old high-school bully. Also in the homegrown camp: street dancing documentary Keep Stepping, car-bound docudrama The Plains and the music fest-focused 6 Festivals, with the latter about three friends who decide to hit up as many live gigs as possible after one is diagnosed with brain cancer, and also featuring cameos by the likes of Bliss n Eso and Peking Duk. Hailing from further afield are the Chastain-starring The Forgiven, which also marks the latest movie by Calvary and War on Everyone's John Michael McDonagh; Strickland's Flux Gourmet, which sees the director reteam with Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie; 80s-set, Charlotte Gainsbourg-led Parisian drama The Passengers of the Night; and genderqueer musical Please Baby Please, which follows a 50s couple in Manhattan who witness a violent incident and undergo a sexual awakening. Or, there's also Sundance Film Festival-winning doco The Territory, which follows an Indigenous fightback over rainforest land seized for farming; Yuni, the latest coming-of-age tale by Indonesian The Seen and Unseen filmmaker Kamila Andini; We Met in Virtual Reality, a documentary filmed entirely inside the world of VR; and Incredible But True, a time-travel caper from Deerskin and Rubber's Quentin Dupieux. Other titles of interest include Bootlegger, which stars Reservation Dogs' Devery Jacobs; doco A House Made of Splinters, another Sundance winner that was filmed in pre-invasion Ukraine; Sirens, about the Middle East's first all-female, queer death metal band; and Gentle, which stars real-life bodybuilder Eszter Csonka. As for what'll join them — among a lineup that usually spans hundreds of films — that'll be revealed on Wednesday, May 11. You can already start getting ready to spend most of June in a cinema, though, obviously. The 2022 Sydney Film Festival will run between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19. Check out the event's just-announced titles by heading to the festival website. The full program will be released on Wednesday, May 11 — head back here then for the rundown.
Even though the calendar may tell us it's so, it's all too easy to be in denial about the fact that summer, at least officially, is over for another year. If you're looking to extend those summer vibes this season, you're in luck: this March, The Glenlivet, legendary producer of single-malt whisky, will be bringing a summer-fuelled Social Club to CBD hangout Whitehart Bar every Thursday to Sunday. The Social Club is taking place to showcase The Glenlivet's new Caribbean Reserve, a non-age statement finished in former rum barrels. Inspired by the Caribbean and its legendary tradition of floating bars, the event will see rounds of five drinks served on water from bartender to guest — the serves will literally float from one end of the bar to the other — as well as a rotating lineup of live music to keep the good times rolling. You'll want to get there quickly, too — the first 100 punters to shout a round will also score a limited-edition The Glenlivet x Bianca Beers bucket hat. The Glenlivet Social Club is taking place from Thursday to Sunday, from 4:30pm, every week in March at Whitehart Bar. For more info, head to the website.
In a year that has already seen Australians spend plenty of time on their couches, Netflix is serving up a new reason to stay seated, get cosy and start your next binge. From Thursday, September 17, beloved US sitcom Friends will land on the streaming service — so if your sofa happens to be a Central Perk-style shade of orange, you'll have an extra reason to celebrate. All ten seasons of the show will hit at once, which means you'll have 236 episodes to work your way through. Obviously, that's a whole heap of time in the company of New York's most famous posse of pals. Whether you once had your hair cut like Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), spout catchphrases like Joey (Matt LeBlanc) or are known to sing about cats like Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) — or have spent way too much time thinking about Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler's (Matthew Perry) relationship, or about Ross' (David Schwimmer) pet monkey, too — you'll be in your element. In fact, you could even say your favourite TV mates will be there for you. https://twitter.com/NetflixANZ/status/1295843163123245057 Of course, Friends fans will already know that the show's entire run is currently available in Australia via fellow streaming service Stan, and has been for some time. If that continues to be the case, you'll now have two places to get your 90s and early 00s sitcom fix. The past few years have been eventful for Friends aficionados. An orange couch toured around Australia, anniversary marathons have screened in cinemas, boozy brunch parties have showered the show with love and trivia nights are still held regularly. A musical parody of the series is about to liven up Aussie theatres as well. And, at some point in the near future, the whole gang will even reunite for a TV reunion special — which was originally due to surface earlier this year, but has been delayed due to the pandemic. All ten seasons of Friends will hit Netflix on Thursday, September 17.
Liam Neeson is back, along with a very particular set of skills that he'll use to separate film-goers from their money. The third film in the Luc Besson-produced action series, Taken 3 once again sees ex-special forces operative Bryan Mills wreak havoc on a group of Eastern European gangsters, all in the name of protecting his wife and daughter. To their minimal credit, screenwriters Besson and Robert Mark Kamen at least try to break the mould a little, inasmuch as Taken 3 doesn't feel like a carbon copy of the original as the second movie did. Even so, there's no forgiving their tin-eared dialogue and wafer-thin storyline, not to mention the fact that director Olivier Megaton still doesn't know how to frame or edit an action scene. Not that that last point necessarily matters as much as you'd think, given that, for what is supposedly an action movie, Taken 3 contains very little action. Most of the first act is instead dedicated to Mills bumbling through a series of family problems, first botching a birthday gift to his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) and then providing marriage counselling to his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Jensen), whose marriage to rich dickhead Stuart (Dougray Scott) is on the rocks. Say what you will about his skull-shattering prowess; as an actual father and husband, this guy kind of blows. Luckily, he doesn't have to worry about that for long, because before you can say "cheap plot device", someone comes along and cuts Lenore's throat. Even worse, they frame poor old Bryan for the murder. The rest of film sees him running around Los Angeles in pursuit of the actual killers, while at the same time avoiding capture by LAPD Detective Franck Dotzler (Forest Whitaker) — a cop whose habit of constantly fiddling with a chess piece is meant to paint him as some kind of eccentric investigative genius, despite the fact that he basically spends the whole movie at least three steps behind his suspect. Of course stupid and/or lazy writing wouldn't be so much of a problem if the film supplied us with decent action — after all, just look at John Wick. Yet despite this being Megaton's fifth time behind the wheel of a shoot-'em-up actioner, his execution of the film's chase and shootout sequences can only be described as incompetent. Flailing handheld camerawork, frantic over-editing and claustrophobic close-ups make it basically impossible to distinguish Miles from his enemies, or to decipher the geography of a given scene. It's ugly, frustrating and totally lacking in tension, and makes the film’s scant 93-minute runtime feel a good fifteen minutes too long.
Melbourne might currently be enjoying a mild start to 2018, with temperatures nearing the mid twenties on January 1 and forecast to stay below 25 degrees until Thursday; however a blast of hot, hot heat awaits come the weekend. Indeed, finding some frosty air-con or a shaded pool is recommended on Saturday, when the city is predicted to swelter through its hottest day since January 2016. The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting the mercury to hit 41 degrees to start the first weekend of the year, which will be 15 degrees above average according to Weatherzone. The last time Melburnians experienced 40 degree-plus temperatures was two years ago, with a 2016 high of 42.2 degrees. In 2017, the hottest recorded temperature was 38 degrees in January. Thankfully, the blast of scorching summer warmth will be short-lived. After a 35-degree Friday and a 41-degree Saturday, milder climes are expected to return on Sunday, thanks to a cloudy 20-degree forecast. Phew. That said, the sweat-inducing spell does come hot on the heels of the city's hottest November heatwave in 150 years, so yes, there's a reason you've probably been feeling a little heated over the last few months. The rest of southeastern Australia will also have a toasty time over the weekend, with Adelaide reaching 42 degrees, Canberra hitting 36 degrees, and Hobart and Sydney making it to 33 degrees. At the top end of the east coast, Brisbanites get off lightly, with a comparatively bearable 3o degrees predicted. Via Weatherzone. Image: udeyismail via Flickr.
One of the country's premier film events, the Melbourne International Film Festival, has released a sneak peak of 2013's programming. Artistic director Michelle Carey admits that she is "especially excited about the MIFF 2013", and after a glance we can see why. Three years ago Wentworth Miller's Stoker was voted one of 2010's best unproduced screenplays, and now the rest of us finally have a chance to see what all the fuss is about. The unnerving tale is centered on 18-year-old India, who, fresh from burying her father, meets the mysterious uncle her mother has invited into the family home to fill their void. The cast includes a trifecta of Australian talent, with Nicole Kidman, Jacki Weaver and Mia Wasikowska breathing life into the Stoker family. To add to the hype, it is also the English language debut of celebrated South Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). Other movies on the radar include Tim Winton's The Turning (starring Cate Blanchett); festival patron Geoffrey Rush's turn as an eccentric art auctioneer in Italian box-office smash The Best Offer; Shane Carruth's highly anticipated follow-up to cult time-travel puzzler Primer, titled Upstream Color; and US gore-fest of a horror flick You're Next. The documentary contingent looks set to more than hold its own this year as Australia's almost-rock legend Jeremy Oxley's battle with schizophrenia and alcoholism takes centrestage in The Sunnyboy, and UK director Ken Loach looks to the England of old in The Spirit of '45. Loach's exploration of British domestic policy pre- and post-Thatcher is a rallying call to UK politicians to reject austerity and remember that great 20th-century experiment, the welfare state. What would a film festival be without something to call the next Woody Allen? MIFF fills that category with the black-and-white comedy Frances Ha. Star Greta Gerwig (To Rome with Love) co-wrote the film with director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale). It contains dialogue like this: Guy: What do you do? Frances: It's kind of hard to explain. Guy: Why, is what you do really complicated? Frances: Because, I don't really do it. So it looks like they are onto a good thing. An annual event, the MIFF runs from July 25 to August 11. For more information, head to the website and keep an eye out for the full program, which will be released on July 2. Image: Festival patron Geoffrey Rush as Virgil Oldman in The Best Offer
After being one of the most important events at 2017 Sydney Festival, this posthumous exhibition from Australian Myuran Sukumaran is coming to Victoria. Now a household name in this country, these works were all created during Sukumaran's incarceration in Bali's Kerobokan Prison. Curated by 2011 Archibald winner Ben Quilty and Campbelltown Arts Centre director Michael Dagostino, Another Day in Paradise displays not only Sukumaran's work, but works by other artists specially commissioned in response to the death penalty. This exhibition brings to the fore the discussion surrounding capital punishment around the world, and opens up a dialogue regarding art, redemption and rehabilitation. It will be on display at Bendigo Art Gallery until September 16. If you want to make a day of it, check out our arts and culture guide to Bendigo. Image: Daniel Boud.
When gallery owner Susan (Amy Adams) first rifles through a manuscript penned by her ex-husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), the pages draw blood. Her finger bleeds from a simple paper cut, but another, unseen wound also opens — one caused by her actions 19 years earlier, that she thought her now-strained second marriage to the wealthy Hutton (Armie Hammer) had healed. Already an insomniac and riddled with stress about her latest exhibition opening, she's drawn to the dark tale told found within those pages. There, a man by the name of Tony (also played by Gyllenhaal) finds his family holiday with his wife (Isla Fisher) and daughter (Ellie Bamber) interrupted by Texan troublemakers (including Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Karl Glusman). Before long, the story segues from road rage terror to nightmarish tragedy to an account of violence that can only be solved with more of the same. As Susan reads, ravenously leafing through the novel at any moment that she can, it inspires memories of her younger, happier days with Edward. That's the film's second narrative within a narrative, one in which Susan earns the disapproval of her mother (Laura Linney) by wedding a writer of little means, and then struggles as their married bliss inevitably falters. And so Nocturnal Animals becomes a nesting doll of pain, heartbreak, betrayal, sorrow and, eventually, revenge. Alluring exteriors hide ugly depths on multiple levels. The film constantly juxtaposes beauty and horror; an opening sequence is filled with fleshy, scantily clad women dancing in a cloud of glitter. Who better than director Tom Ford to usher audiences into such a seductive, psychologically complex world? Nocturnal Animals is a bolder, blunter and more brutal movie than the fashion designer turned filmmaker's first effort behind the lens, A Single Man. In adapting Austin Wright's 1993 novel Tony and Susan, the writer-director proves that he still knows how to provoke a reaction. Still, where A Single Man heaved with emotion as it bewitched the eye, Nocturnal Animals seethes with emptiness. As shot by cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, the film's glossy visuals feel like vacant vessels, styled meticulously, and yet never containing more than the obvious. In a pulpy, throwaway thriller, that's fine, but Ford aims much higher than that. Ensuring that his feature wears his clear influences, from Alfred Hitchcock and Brian de Palma to David Lynch and Douglas Sirk, prominently on its impeccably dressed sleeves, he strives to craft a sensual, suspenseful exploration of regret, and the aches that mistakes can bring. Sadly, he comes up short. The cast of the work is expectedly first-rate, from the glassy-eyed Adams to the increasingly frantic Gyllenhaal to the ever-stellar, scene-stealing Michael Shannon as a cop helping Tony seek justice. Some play real characters within the world of the film, while others are literary manifestations of decades worth of pain. But then if there's one thing that Ford excels at as much as making his features look stunning, it's casting. Everyone's performance is perfectly pitched, which is perhaps why the overall lack of feeling behind the film's luxurious facade feels so very disappointing.
Preston Market is back with its beloved Greek Festival in celebration of Greek Day. On Sunday, April 7, the northside market's usual facade makes way for a lively Greek-themed atmosphere. From 10am–3pm, the Manasis School of Greek Dance will present live music and dance performances featuring traditional moves paired with authentic folk costumes. Of course, specialty food stalls and merch pop-ups, including St.Gerry's Greek Donuts, Twista Bros Potato Twists and more, will also be around to further immerse you in the Greek culture. If you're planning on bringing the little ones, there will be a selection of fun activities from 11am–1pm, such as pot decorating and seed planting. The event aims to bring the community together for a day of cultural immersion and enjoyment. Preston Market has been championing multicultural communities since 1970 and extends a warm invitation to all this Sunday, April 7.
It's time to put Dunkeld's Royal Mail Hotel back on your weekend getaway radar, as it has a new fine dining offering: Wickens at Royal Mail Hotel. Taking over a standalone space on the property, the remote restaurant is accessible by a bush trail the winds down from the hotel. It's been designed by Melbourne-based Byrne Architects to highlight its connection to its natural surroundings, with floor-to-ceiling windows capturing striking views of Mount Sturgeon and Mount Abrupt. Inside it's a luxe fusion of sheepskin leather, sandstone and Australian hardwood. This respect for the land is mirrored in Executive Chef Robin Wickens' hyper-local menu, which'll change up regularly, dictated by the daily haul from the on-site olive groves, orchard and 1.2-hectare organic kitchen garden. The garden-fresh goodies inspire textural plate additions like soils, foams, purées and vegetable infusions. Diners can enjoy the spoils via an ever-changing chef's tasting menu ($220), with a special chef's table in the kitchen available to groups of up to four. Unsurprising, given the Royal Mail's award-winning 25,000-bottle cellar, the booze side of things sure isn't lacking, with three expertly curated wine matches on offer as well. Get a taste of the largest privately-owned collection of Bordeaux and Burgundy in the southern hemisphere with the French match ($200), celebrate locality with the all-Australian wine match, or mix things up with the cellar wine match ($130). The restaurant is a replacement of sorts for the two-hatted Royal Mail Hotel dining room, which closed in early 2017. The hotel's casual diner Parker Street Project — which is a good spot for lunch if you're staying the night — has now taken over the space, which is connected to the hotel.
It's a play about a king with a toilet-brush sceptre that takes place in a large pit of mud, but Ubu Roi's director Jason Cavanagh thinks the play just about sums up Australian politics and media right now. "It would be nice to think of Ubu as this ridiculous, grotesque, purile, simplistic, animalistic, infentile yet fictional creature," says Cavanagh. "But then you have a little look at the standard of our political debate, and the figures that are today held up as inspirational; people who are famous for being rich, or worse yet, famous just for being famous… and you realise that there are potential and actual Ubus everywhere." The play was originally written by Alfred Jarry as a send-up of French bourgeoisie, and when it debuted in Paris in 1896, the audience started rioting before they'd even made it past the first word. It's unlikely to have quite the same effect on a 21st-century Melbourne audience, but there will be literal as well as metaphorical mud-slinging, so you might want to steer clear of front-row seats for this one.
The Queen Vic's Winter Night Market has wrapped for another year and there's still months to go before its summer version kicks off. Thankfully, in the interim, the precinct is here to fill your Hump Day void with a mini nocturnal market series, when its Europa Night Market returns to brighten up Wednesdays from September 21–October 26. For six weeks, the market will play host to a vibrant Euro-style bazaar, with entertainment and wafting food aromas promising to transport you to a different European destination each week. You can feast your way through over 25 food and drink vendors, shop an array of market stalls, and catch roving entertainers and live tunes, all designed to whisk you away to some far-flung locale. Kicking things off on September 21, the market will be saying 'ciao' to the flavours and sounds of Italy, with bites like Sicilian-style fried arancini and woodfired 400 Gradi pizza, plus entertainment by Siesta Cartel and Elvira. The following week will take you on a trip to Central and Eastern Europe, by way of pierogi, stacks of handmade baklava and traditional dance performances; while October 5 is your ticket to Oktoberfest, with a German-inspired beer hall serving up scores of sausages and Oompah band entertainment to match Brick Lane Brewing's special-release Europa Lager. The Iberian Peninsula will get a look-in on October 12, with piles of paella, Casa Nata's Portuguese tarts and a spot of fiery flamenco, before the following week serves up a Mediterranean affair complete with Croatian-style cevapi wraps, Greek pastries and Turkish dancers. A celebration of all things French wraps up the series on October 26 — bid the Europa Night Market adieu with an evening of oozy raclette, decadent filled croissants and entertainment from classic beret-clad French mime artists. The Europa Night Market returns 5–10pm Wednesdays, from September 21–October 26. Find it at the Queen Victoria Market, corner of Queen and Therry Streets, Melbourne.
The history of cinema is haunted by oh-so-many movies about oh-so-many ghost-riddled abodes, and the often-troubled and bereaved folks dwelling within them. The first clever move The Night House makes is recognising it's floating into busy spectral waters, then ensuring its tension stems from its living, breathing protagonist as much as the frights and fears she's forced to face. The film's second stellar step: casting Rebecca Hall (Godzilla vs Kong) as that central figure. An always-welcome addition to anything she's in — see also: Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Christine and Tales From the Loop in just the past few years — she plays her tormented part here with brooding sorrow, reluctant vulnerability and a sharp, smart edge. She knows that grappling with loss involves being jolted in many different directions, and being subjected to bumps and jumps of the emotional kind, and that it's never easy to surrender to. Indeed, many of The Night House's surprises come from Hall as Beth, a schoolteacher whose life has been turned upside down by her husband Owen's (Evan Jonigkeit, The Empty Man) unexpected suicide. Clearly normally a no-nonsense type whether she's guiding pupils, dealing with their parents or navigating her personal life, she probes and questions everything that comes her way. As a result, her reactions — including just to herself — are constantly complex, thorny and compelling. Since Owen's passing — using a gun she didn't know he had, and tainting a rowboat usually tethered to the lake house he built for them himself — Beth has cycled through the familiar stages of mourning. When she returns to work to her colleagues' astonishment, including her close friend Claire's (Sarah Goldberg, Barry), she's blunt with the oblivious mother of one of her students. At drinks, she also shocks her co-workers by discussing Owen's suicide note, admitting her home now seems different and obsessing over how much she really knew her husband. That last written missive ties back into one of Beth's past traumas, and her own dealings with the end that awaits us all. When she's alone at night, she's not sure that she can trust what she sees and hears, or tell whether she's awake or dreaming. Filling her time by sorting through Owen's things, she's also unsure what to make of the eerie sketches and books about the occult that sit among his possessions. And, she's thrown even further askew when she finds photos of brunette women that could be her doppelgängers; plans for a home just like hers, but mirrored; and a cascade of tidbits that cast her memories of her marriage into disarray. Also among The Night House's savvy moves: understanding that grief really does change everything. Not only has Beth's life lost one of its brightest lights, but everything Owen once illuminated now keeps being cloaked in shadows he's not there to extinguish. She can't ask him about what she's uncovering, or feeling, or what it's digging up inside. She can't rely upon him, either, or keep trusting what she thought she'd already learned about him during their marriage. And, as being touched by death tends to evoke, she's spiralling down an a well of existential malaise. All ghost and haunted house movies are about confronting mortality, as are a long list of horror staples — zombies, vampires, serial killers, monsters and the like — and The Night House has a strong sense of terror about the the fact that life doesn't extended forever. Director David Bruckner (The Ritual) and screenwriting duo Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski (Super Dark Times) infuse their film with foreboding, with Beth's demons, and also with a heightened state of anxiety. Cultivating an unsettling atmosphere via creepy sights, just as unnerving sounds and music cues, and Hall's showcase performance, they fill 108 minutes with the unease that lingers in us all, but that we spend the majority of our days burying deep inside. That horror craftsmanship — the bristling, needling score by Ben Lovett (The Wolf of Snow Hollow); the exactingly timed sonic assaults that litter the sound design; the sinuous and disorienting cinematography by Elisha Christian (Max Richter's Sleep) — is expertly calibrated. The Night House is a movie made with horror style as well as smarts, and it's meticulously engineered to coax the desired response out of its audience. Looking for what's not there, and also what loiters when in spaces defined by their emptiness, is one of the movie's visual charms. Bruckner enjoys teasing, too, knowing that viewers will always want more time studying Hall's face and winding through Beth's labyrinthine home, and yet never falling too in love with one or the other. And, while there's never any guessing who the camera and the film adore, he populates The Night House with well-weighted portrayals all over. There are no cartoonish bit-parts and supporting performances, with Vondie Curtis-Hall (Harriet) bringing concern and sincerity as Beth's neighbour, Stacy Martin (Vox Lux) giving a source of mystery flesh and blood, and Goldberg as nuanced as Barry fans will recognise. So many of his choices are nicely judged; however, when it comes to The Night House's plot twists, Bruckner is less careful about becoming prey to indulgence. Even though they're grounded in relatable, palpable sentiments, stirrings and musings, some of the movie's developments feel muddled, and also threaten to undercut the fine-tuned work going on elsewhere. Some of the repeated nightmarish symbols get splashed across the screen one or two too many times as well, although a love of all things hellishness is next leading Bruckner, Collins and Piotrowski to remaking Hellraiser. Here, when The Night House ruminates over psychological, existential and atmospheric horrors, it's as gripping as Hall always is. When it's less focused on being haunted by absence, and by death, it's a sillier, less shrewd and involving movie. While set in a house by a lake, it never stoops to Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock sending each other love letters, thankfully — but it also steps back from being as bleak at the last minute as it needed to be.
Say what you will about new technologies, but they don't always make it easy to stay healthy. So far this year, we've reported on services that'll bring you burritos by bike, gelato by Uber and burgers by honest-to-God aerial drone. Still, while we can't say we haven't been sorely tempted, we've managed to (mostly) avoid making total pigs of ourselves. Or at least we have, until now. Launching in Melbourne at some point over summer, Tervey is Australia's first ever bacon subscription service, making it both glorious and terrifying all at once. Good luck maintaining a healthy diet when you can get maple cured bacon, speck ham or pork bloody crackling delivered to your door with the click of a button. On the other hand, why would you even need to diet? The fact that this service even exists means that human achievement has reached its apex, and we can all pretty much die happy. Porkophiles can hit up the website and register now, in order to receive up-to-date info regarding the launch date and to get a discount on their first order. Once the service is officially up and trotting, customers will be able to set up a regular bacon subscription — be it weekly, fortnightly or monthly. They don't mention a daily option, but you can bet we'll be looking into it. Delivery fees will vary based on your location, and you'll also be able to order a selection of condiments, sauces, spices and bastings – thus ensuring you never grow tired of stuffing your face with pork products. As if that were even possible. For the sake of your arteries, we should probably mention that Australia did also just get a new healthy food delivery service. So, y'know, feel free to mix things up. Or you could just eat bacon for literally every meal. There's no wrong option.* *there probably is. For more information, or just to stare at photos of bacon, visit www.tervey.com.
Prosecco, you've probably been drinking a lot of it in your Aperol cocktails this summer — we don't blame you, it's delicious — but there's so much more to the bubbly Italian wine than being a splash in a spritz. Indeed, prosecco is a tasty tipple in its own right. But, to fully experience its nuanced beauty, you must go directly to the source. That's where the King Valley comes in. Located in northeast Victoria, the region is known for its irrefutably fresh produce and first-rate vino — there's even a place called Prosecco Road that's packed with neat rows of prosecco vines and rivals Northern Italy when it comes to beauty. So, to help you plan your extra bubbly getaway, we've partnered with the purveyors of fizz at Dal Zotto Wines to bring you some top prosecco-filled experiences to have in the King Valley. Get ready for one helluva bubbly weekend. EAT AND DRINK First things first, you'll need to get your prosecco fix, so head to Dal Zotto Wines. Nestled among soaring gums and rolling hills, the charming cellar door is a real family affair. Patriarch Otto Dal Zotto planted the first prosecco grapes on the property back in the 90s (which just so happen to be the very first prosecco vines in Australia) and released Australia's first prosecco in 2004. Now his sons, Christian and Michael, continue to craft quality vino, while matriarch Nonna Elena maintains the on-site kitchen garden that provides seasonal produce for the trattoria. It's all about la famiglia here, and you can taste it in every bite and drop. Work your way through the five different styles of prosecco, before tucking into homemade pizza, antipasto and charcuterie. All the produce you'll taste is grown and handpicked from the garden and — alongside the knock-out prosecco — is the real hero here. Don't forget to grab a couple bottles of your favourite bubbly to-go; you'll need it over the weekend. Trust us. If you're after something a little more substantial — and we mean substantial — head to Gamze Restaurant and Smokehouse Door in Milawa. Occupying a converted 150-year-old tractor garage, the smokehouse slings all kinds of mouth-watering meat and deliciously stodgy food, as well as local wines and craft beer. Go straight for Felix the Dog, a footlong grilled kransky with fried onion, sauerkraut and barbecue mayo, which is sure to satiate even the hungriest of travellers. While there's no prosecco here, there is a juicy 2016 Dal Zotto Cuore Del Re available by the glass and bottle. Finally, be sure to stop by Milawa Cheese Factory for a cheese and wine flight. Located in the town's historic butter factory, Milawa Cheese Company has been slinging wedges of the good stuff since 1988 and only uses artisanal cheesemaking methods. Every wheel is made by hand and preservative free, so you can only imagine the incredible flavour. In addition to the comprehensive cheese offering, there's also an on-site restaurant Milawa Kitchen and the Walnut Tree Collection gift shop. But, really, who needs gifts when you can take away cheese? SEE AND DO While it may be tempting to spend the whole weekend wining and dining, there are also heaps of fun outdoor adventures to embark on in the King Valley. Not only will you be exposed to the idyllic countryside, but sweating it out will make you feel as though you've earned the prosecco to come. Plus, those feelgood exercise-induced endorphins never go astray. Start with a trip to Paradise Falls. True to its name, it's an idyl buried deep in the Alpine National park, just outside of Cheshunt. Misty falls, mighty rocks and Australian natives to boot, this peaceful oasis is the perfect place to while away a day. And, since there are picnic facilities, you can pack a bottle of Dal Zotto prosecco and some gooey cheese and have yourself a fancy little lunch. The best part? It's only a 20-minute return bushwalk to the falls and back. If you'd prefer to check out the sites on two wheels, take the Milawa Gourmet Bike Ride. The ten-kilometre 'Pedal to Produce' route will take you past some of the region's famed gourmet food stores and give you the opportunity to procure some local treats while, of course, sampling the goods at renowned local eateries along the way. The journey will take around an hour, depending on how leisurely you pedal, and can be tackled by people of all fitness levels. Next, stop by the King River for a spot of fishing. Now, we're not suggesting you go full Rex Hunt, but casting a line can be super relaxing. There's a top-notch fishing spot at Upper King River Road, where the river meets Lake William Hovell. While you're awaiting your perfect catch — a rainbow trout or redfin, perhaps — you can take in the lush forest surrounds. How's the serenity? Finish up with a picnic by the river's edge, featuring the gourmet goods from your bike ride, a bottle of bubbles and, who knows, maybe a fish? (BYO barbecue or sashimi knives.) STAY After all that eating, drinking and sightseeing, you'll need a place to rest your weary head. Luckily, there are plenty of twee country cottages to stay in around the King Valley — one of the cutest being Cortes Cottage. Set on one of Australia's oldest operating walnut farms Valley Nut Groves, this secluded weatherboard home exudes relaxed rural vibes and is a lovely place to unwind. Comprised of two bedrooms — one with a queen-sized bed, the other with two singles — the cottage has all the creature comforts, including a clawfoot bath, record player, fully equipped kitchen and that all-important rainfall shower. It's a house built for chilling — but if you're itching for an adventure, take a short 15-minute stroll through the paddock till you reach Ovens River. Go for a swim, skip rocks, cast a line — the choice is yours. To finish the weekend on a high, we suggest popping a bottle of prosecco and watching the sunset by the river Want to get a taste of the King Valley life right here in the city? Head to The Osborne Rooftop and Bar at 119 Commercial Road, South Yarra, on Wednesday, February 27. Dal Zotto will be taking over the rooftop bar from 6pm, with a bunch of prizes available, including $50 drink vouchers and a complimentary night at the Cullen Hotel in Prahran.
UPDATE, September 24, 2020: True History of the Kelly Gang is available to stream via Stan. Parched bushland. Roaring flames. Irate Australians rebelling against the status quo. It's a tragic coincidence rather than a case of making a purposeful statement, but True History of the Kelly Gang's bold, blazing imagery is timelier than director Justin Kurzel could've ever dreamed. It fits, though. It fits perfectly. Adapting Peter Carey's Booker Prize-winning novel via a sharp script by Kurzel's Snowtown screenwriter Shaun Grant, this a work of agitation. Made for a world where 'such is life' tattoos commit Ned Kelly's purported last words to slabs of Aussie flesh, this gritty, galvanising film sets fire to Australia's national identity and stares at the ashes of the country's troubled history — all by re-interrogating a man inescapably engrained in our iconography over the past century and a half. Australia came of age in thrall to Kelly, with the notorious bushranger's Robin Hood-esque story known by everyone. Accordingly, True History of the Kelly Gang needn't wonder what type of nation evolves as a result, because that's the Australia that we already live in. But what has the country mythologised about Kelly, and why — and what does that say about us today? They're questions that Kurzel, Grant and a first-rate cast led by soaring British talent George MacKay (1917) all ponder. Carey's literary work doesn't just excavate the past but toys and tinkers with it, mixing reality and fiction to mirror the present — a task that this wild and daring feature eagerly continues. "Nothing you are about to see is true," True History of the Kelly Gang announces at the outset. Reflecting the film's irreverent, impudent vibe, that's not strictly accurate. But the opening statement sets a playful mood and smashes any expectations of historical accuracy — because, here, anything can happen. So it is that Kurzel begins by peering through a letterbox-style slit in corrugated iron, as pre-teen Ned (excellent newcomer Orlando Schwerdt) watches his mother Ellen (Essie Davis) pay off local Sergeant O'Neil (Charlie Hunnam) by getting intimate. As lensed by cinematographer Ari Wegner (In Fabric, Lady Macbeth), shots recalling Kelly's famous armour keep recurring, peeking through gaps and offering rich and potent visual symbolism. In his boyhood, Ned adores yet also fears his Irish settler mum, who'll do anything for her family — including putting her husband Red (Ben Corbett) in his place. The Kelly patriarch is considered a disappointment by his wife, with Ned dubbed the man of the house instead. Indeed, Ellen has plans for her eldest son. When, through an act of heroism, Ned receives the chance to attend boarding school, his mother refuses. Rather, she gives him to bushranger Harry Power (Russell Crowe) as an apprentice. Learning he's been sold into a life of crime severely shapes Ned's perspective, understandably. Returning home a decade later following a stint in jail, Ned (now played by MacKay) makes a living through bare-knuckle boxing. He fights to entertain the law — such as the suspiciously friendly Constable Fitzpatrick (Nicholas Hoult) — and the upper classes, in a winking inversion of his future path. But his now-grown younger brother Dan (Earl Cave, son of Nick) has taken to horse-rustling, and soon crime is a family business. As their father previously did, they wreak havoc in the bush adorned in dresses, breaking both the law and societal conventions. Immortalised in the first feature-length movie ever made back in 1906, in a Mick Jagger-starring 1970 flick and with Heath Ledger donning the bandit's helmet in 2003, the nuts and bolts of Kelly's story have already been given the cinematic treatment — the Jerilderie letter, the Glenrowan siege and his 1880 hanging among them. While the same minutiae remains here, it's reshaped, reinterpreted and recontextualised, with Kurzel's uncompromising 2015 reworking of Macbeth the best reference point. Think equally ferocious and poetic imagery, an intensity bordering on operatic, a score that's both sparse and jittery, and an all-round punk-ish attitude. Framed through letters penned by Kelly, retelling an oft-told tale isn't True History of the Kelly Gang's main motivation, but rather re-evaluating the legend that's sprung up around him. In stripping bare the bushranger's story, Australia's colonial history and the nation we've become in the shadow of each, two other filmic frames of reference spring to mind: 2018's Sweet Country and 2019's The Nightingale. Ignoring the misstep that was Assassin's Creed, Kurzel's adds True History of the Kelly Gang to a resume already marked by Snowtown and Macbeth — and what an audacious and propulsive trio they make. All three also boast spectacular casts, with MacKay brawny, angry, anarchic and simply brilliant to watch here. Although he's well-supported by the formidable Davis, sly Hoult and raucous Crowe, he's nothing short of electrifying in this brutal yet utterly bewitching picture. The verve and spark in his performance is the same blistering energy that Kurzel burns into every frame of the film — a visually, emotionally, thematically searing movie that strides across the screen like an outlaw, aptly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE7YVZA5YVc
Cannoleria dreams up a fun new flavour every week, but the team is taking it to the next level later this month, teaming up with the legendary American Doughnut Kitchen to create a hot jam doughnut-inspired connolo. Both Cannoleria and American Dougut Kitchen sell their sweet treats at Queen Vic Market, but lining up for both cannoli and doughnuts can be a real chore — especially as the American Doughnut Kitchen has long-ass lines down the road every weekend. Too often, punters have to choose one or the other. Thankfully, from Friday, September 20–Thursday, October 3, you can get a mash-up of both iconic eats from any of Cannoleria's stories — at Queen Vic Market, South Melbourne Market, Preston Market and Lygon Street. For the collaboration, a doughnut- and jam-infused ricotta is piped into a crunchy pastry shell, and then garnished with crumbled doughnuts. These bad boys will go for $6 each, three for $15, and then any additional cannolo on top of that costs $5 a pop. "We can't wait for everyone to try this Flavour of the Fortnight," shares Co-Owner and Chef at Cannoleria Dario Di Clerico. "The Cannoleria team have wanted to work with the iconic American Doughnut Kitchen for a while, and we are so excited that the collaboration is nearly here. "When we were planning the flavours, we all thought about how doughnuts are perfect for the [AFL] Grand Final and that people will love the cannoli, and so we decided to make it a Flavour of the Fortnight that covers the big game." You can pick up these hot jam doughnut-inspired cannoli from any of the Cannoleria stores from Friday, September 20–Thursday, October 3 (unless sold out prior). For more information, visit Cannoleria website.
There's something about Kingswood's undeniably raw and blokey brand of indie rock that just makes you want to grow some hair on your chest and spend an afternoon in your shed, lovingly (in a manly way) toiling over your custom Harley. That's almost what this event is about. (Disclaimer: no bike included.) Presented by Harley Davidson's community customisation platform The Shed, this is an intimate, invite-only chance to catch the Melbourne four-piece. Kingswood have had a pretty decent year so far, cementing their ones-to-watch status with continued high-rotation Triple J play, an appearance at Splendour and the release of their debut album Microscopic Wars, which they recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. The band — who have a serious and somewhat surprising thing for First Aid Kit covers — are on an extensive national tour at the moment, but with only 40 tickets available, and only to competition winners, this gig is something special. Thanks to Harley Davidson and The Shed, we have two double passes to give away to see Kingswood at Kustom Kommune in Collingwood on October 12 at 8.30pm. 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 and address.
Back in 1940, when Alfred Hitchcock brought gothic mystery novel Rebecca to the screen, he nabbed an Oscar for Best Picture for his troubles. While the story has popped up in both film and TV form over the eight decades since, it's now returning with another exciting British filmmaker at the helm: Ben Wheatley, the director behind High-Rise and Free Fire. Wheatley's work is always cause for excitement, and has been since his 2009 debut Down Terrace. Also on his resume: 2011's particularly sinister Kill List, 2012 dark comedy Sightseers, 2013's trippy A Field in England and 2018's Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. But, starring Lily James, Armie Hammer and Kristin Scott Thomas — and looking rather luxe, as the just-released first trailer shows — Rebecca might just be his biggest project yet. In his version of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 tale, Wheatley steps into a new marriage between widower Maxim de Winter (Hammer) and his fresh-faced bride (James). Once they've tied the knot, the couple endeavour to settle into the de Winter family's coastal estate, Manderley; however, the resident housekeeper Mrs Danvers (Scott Thomas) is hardly welcoming, and the memory of Maxim's first wife Rebecca lingers noticeably. When Rebecca hits Netflix on October 21, viewers can expect a gothic mystery filled with psychological thrills, as well as plenty of gorgeous sets, costumes and imagery in general — befitting the classic tale. Case-wise, Rebecca also features The Handmaid's Tale's Ann Dowd, and reunites Wheatley with High-Rise's Keeley Hawes and Free Fire and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead's Sam Riley. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFVhB54UqvQ Rebecca hits Netflix on Wednesday, October 21. Top image: Kerry Brown/Netflix.
As someone who spends a lot of time indoors (that's where the internet is), I can understand that leg itch, the twitch, that feeling of needing to go outside, and do something that really makes you feel alive. Some people jump out of planes, or wing suit down huge mountains. Those particular activities might be a bit much for some, but to celebrate the release of Berlin Syndrome, a film that really gets the blood pumping, we've come up with a list of activities to get you fired up without the risk of severe injury or death. GET OUT OF AN ESCAPE ROOM The premise of the escape room is simple enough. You're in a room, now escape it. The devil, as always, is in the detail. Escape room themes can be anything from an asylum to a gaol cell or a haunted house — anywhere that's going to get your brain imagining every possible outcome. And you're going to need your brain, if you ever want to get out of the room (jokes, of course you can leave whenever you want, if you're chicken). You and your team solve the clues, and break yourselves out.There are heaps of rooms around Melbourne, like Shutdown by Strike in the Melbourne Central, or Trapt on Lonsdale St. TACKLE A TEETERINGLY HIGH WALL While there are many who would argue that the point of climbing to the top of a cliff that you're just going to abseil down is a little counter productive, these arguments would tend to come from those who've never done it before. Rock climbing gets you going for a number of reasons — the fear of falling, the drive to push yourself to the top, and that feeling of the only other alternative, halfway up, is a leap of faith. Which we all know is a terrible idea. Melbourne Adventure Hub comes to the rescue again, with some great deals on climbs all within an hour from town. SEE A MODERN THRILLER IN A DARK CINEMA Based on a novel of the same name, the film follows Australian photojournalist Clare (played by Teresa Palmer) as she embarks on her first solo trip to Berlin. While travelling, she meets and begins a passionate romance with charismatic local man Andi. Their relationship soon takes an unexpected and sinister turn—she wakes one morning to discover that Andi has left for work and locked her inside his apartment, with no intention of ever letting her leave. Filmed on location in Berlin and Melbourne, the film is a thoughtful, psychological thriller written and directed by Australian Cate Shortland (who also directed the critically acclaimed Somersault). It examines tough topics such as emotional manipulation, gaslighting and Stockholm syndrome in a provocative fashion, leaving the audience with a new outlook on the relationship that can occur between captor and captive. Berlin Syndrome opens in Melbourne cinemas on April 20. GO WHITE WATER RAFTING WITHIN THE CITY There aren't many more things that'll get your heart rate up faster than careening down a choppy river at blistering speed in a boat that's made out of the same material as a raincoat. But don't worry, you get a helmet. While it might not be an activity for the faint of heart, white water rafting is a real thrill, kind of like canoeing but with an insane sugar rush. It's all about working in teams to overcome the problem which, in this case, is water that is trying to kill you (nah, you'll be safe, don't worry). Melbourne Adventure Hub puts private groups through their paces on the King River. GO CANYONING WITHIN A RELATIVELY QUICK DRIVE OF THE CBD There are many ways to the bottom of a canyon, but the fastest is by abseiling down with the assistance of some well placed ropes and a few sturdy carabiners. The real rush comes at the exact moment you step out, backwards over the precipice, and all over a sudden gravity has never been more apparent. Leaning back, you take that first step off the rock face and, boom, that's living. As usual, Red Balloon has some top experiences at Yarra Junction. Berlin Syndrome will be released in cinemas nationally on April 20 — watch the trailer here.
Heralded as the future of blues, Joe Bonammasa brings his fresh style and performance to the Palais Theatre. A fourth generation musician and son of guitar shop owning parents, Joe Bonamassa caught the attention of B.B. King, who described him as “one of a kind”, at age ten. By age twelve he was opening shows for King, and touring with people like Foreigner, Stephen Stills, Joe Cocker and Gregg Allman. Twenty-one years later and Joe Bonamassa is a sell-out sensation in his own right, filling arenas and famous venues like The Royal Abert Hall, and dueting with Eric Clapton. This Thursday Joe Bonamassa will show the sure-to-be-packed Palais Theatre just why he’s Slash’s favourite guitarist, has been awarded a host of awards, and regularly tops the US Billboard charts with his charismatic and mesmerising style, one full of depth and emotional resonance.
Celebrated American concept artist Joseph Kosuth heads to our shores this year as one of the featured artists for Melbourne Festival 2017. After emerging during the 1960s, Kosuth has been examining the nature of art with large-scale installations and text-based neon artworks for more than 50 years. Interested in the ideas behind art itself, Kosuth's work is held in virtually every major gallery in the world and has created site-specific installations for Musée du Louvre, The Hague and presented work at four editions of the Venice Biennale. Taking place at Anna Schwartz Gallery, A Short History of My Thought continues Kosuth's lifelong investigation of art's ability to provide insights into questions of existence, and how we art can better help understand how meaning is constructed and interpreted in our lives. Joseph Kosuth: A Short History of My Thought is on display now as part of Melbourne Festival 2017, showing until Saturday, November 25. Image: Neon, Joseph Kosuth (1965), white neon mounted directly on the wall, 12x40cm.
Adapting Mark Haddon's Whitbread-winning novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has finished chewing up Broadway and the West End, and is now on its way to Melbourne Theatre Company. When Christopher Boone discovers the corpse of his neighbour's dog, he immediately becomes a suspect and sets out to clear his name. But while he sees himself as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, everyone else sees an autistic teenager asking awkward questions. Regardless, the question remains: who stabbed Mrs. Shears' poodle with a pitchfork? Haddon describes the book as "peculiarly internal", in that its protagonist struggles more than most to escape the bounds of his own head. Playwright Simon Stephens and the UK's National Theatre have made the most of this by having the audience see the world as Christopher does. A set consisting of a black grid and myriad projections evokes physical locations, as well as the ordered and fiercely logical flow of Christopher's cognitive process. A Holmesian whodunnit as investigated by an Adrian Mole-esque outsider, The Curious Incident is both a celebration of difference and a decent argument against offing yappy pooches with gardening implements.
It's no secret Melbourne's hospitality industry has been hit hard by COVID-19, between the impacts of social distancing regulations and now two long stretches of lockdown restrictions. Venues have had the tough gig of farewelling dine-in customers and pivoting to takeaway-only models, while others have had little choice but to close their doors completely for weeks at a time. As Victoria rides its second wave of Stage 3 lockdowns, the realities of a post-COVID hospitality scene are starting to sink in. According to numbers from a recent survey by the City of Melbourne, 15 percent of local hospitality businesses have either confirmed they won't reopen, or aren't sure they'll be able to keep running. During the first lockdown earlier this year, the council spoke with 725 hospitality business owners through its dedicated COVID-19 Business Concierge Hotline, which was set up to gauge the impact of the pandemic and highlight areas in need of support. And the data showed some pretty bleak results, revealing that over half those businesses surveyed had been at least temporarily shuttered by the lockdowns. "Only 45 per cent of our food businesses said they've been able to keep operating through the pandemic," Lord Mayor Sally Capp told Concrete Playground. "They've shown real innovation in being able to offer takeaway or implement physical distancing requirements." [caption id="attachment_738322" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] According to the numbers, 40 percent of hospitality businesses are currently closed, but plan on reopening when restrictions allow. On a less positive note, just over seven percent of those surveyed revealed they'll remain shut for good and another eight percent are unsure whether or not they'll be able to make a comeback — figures Mayor Capp has called "concerning". Some big-name venues have already announced their permanent closure. One of the first was Chinatown's 30-year-old Shark Fin House, which saw an 80 percent drop in customers back in February; and Ezard, with the Flinders Lane restaurant departing after 20 years. Little Bourke Street stalwart Longrain also announced it was shutting up shop for good back in May, but then Chef Scott Pickett swooped in and is set to revive the restaurant later this year. For hospitality businesses that are struggling, the City of Melbourne has range of economic support measures, including grants and rent relief, on offer. City of Melbourne data for 2018 showed the hospitality sector is worth a cool $2.5 billion to Melbourne's economy each year, employing over 38,000 people. Images: Julia Sansone
Have you ever thought to yourself, mid-croissant and café au lait, that perhaps you were destined to call the City of Light home? That the sleek fashion, buttery entrées and full-bodied Merlots of France are your true native roots? Well, you can save yourself the plane ticket, because from November 18 to 20, Paris to Provence Melbourne will bring all the best bits of France to you. Put on your best Parisian pout and sashay down to the Como House and Garden to sample traditional French delicacies, sip the many a wine and immerse yourself in that je ne sais quoi of French culture. This year the Francophile festival will hold an inaugural fashion show and some bal musette (a traditional style of village dance), as well as speed dating for any hopeless romantics looking to live out a real life scene from Amelie. They'll also have a Bordeaux wine bar set up, along with croissants from Gontran Cherrier and a $100 hot dog from the Maille Mustard van. Plus, there will be the traditional course de garçons (waiter races). If none of that tickles your fancy (did we mention there will be croissants?), the Paris to Provence marketplace also includes a veritable feast of 75 artisans, covering off all the food and wine, fashion, homewares, gifts, language, books and travel tips you could ask for.
With vegan options galore, locally made gluten free bases available and a solid lineup of Victorian beers and wines, Brunswick's latest pizzeria is sure to please the whole family (and friendship group too). Located on Victoria Street, across the road from Small Axe Kitchen, Green Acre was scheduled to open right when the COVID-19 lockdown hit. Instead of hitting pause, though, co-owners Rob McKenzie (Hard Pressed Coffee) and Phil Gijsbers (Burnley Brewing, East End Wine Bar, Small Print Pizza in Windsor) ran a Small Print Pizza pop-up in the space until restrictions eased on June 1. Now, the duo has unveiled the OG idea for the space: Green Acre. Designed by Sash Design and built using mostly salvaged and upcycled materials, the space has cosy leather booths, a fairy light-lit courtyard, polished timber tables and rustic golden light fittings. Wherever you choose to sit, you'll be digging into stone-fired sourdough pizzas. Vegans will find joy in The Grass is Greener (roast zucchini, spinach, chilli and smashed peas) and the Shroom (flat and enoki mushrooms, truffle oil and rocket), as well as the various pizzas topped with dairy-free cheeses and vegan salami. Meat-eaters also have plenty to choose from, including the controversial ham and pineapple, a chilli chicken number and one topped with prosciutto and pear. If you prefer your pizza topped with neither vegetables nor meat but, in fact, sweets, we suggest you go straight for the dessert pizza, which comes with Nutella, smashed Oreos and strawberries. Plus, pizzas are just $15 on Tuesdays. As well as being built relatively sustainably, the pizzeria has a commitment to low waste and locally sourced produce. Wines are almost exclusively soured from Victoria — with a few numbers from across SA and WA — while beers feature Burnley (understandably) and other Brunswick locals, such as CoConsiprators and Foreigner. While the duo encourages dining in where possible (to help minimise packaging waste), if you do takeaway, you can do so knowing your pizza box is made from recycled cardboard and can itself be recycled thanks to a piece of 'sacrificial' paper that catches the grease.
Once upon a time, on suburban neighbourhood street corners across the nation, the most important decision of the day was made at the local milk bar — bubble o’ bill, hot jam donut or a packet of fads? In today’s increasingly “organically grown, locally sourced” food culture, quinoa salad and a tub of biodynamic yoghurt may be more the order of the day than a pie and a handful of sherbet bombs for your average lunch order, but we’ll always have those lazy sun drenched afternoons spent unwittingly spending our pocket money on dental fillings, right? As more and more of these nostalgic, decaying relics are edged out of business by slurpie day at the local 7-11, local artist, archivist and historian Eamon Donnelly has stepped in to memorialise the milk bar. His photographic exhibition, Shop Here for Value and Friendly Service, celebrates an Australian icon that might otherwise be doomed to join its friends the yo-yo, tamagotchi and Baby-G in the realm of forgotten childhood joys. Image by Eamon Donnelly.
When Black Widow reaches both cinemas and streaming this July, it'll mark only the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that solely focuses on a female protagonist. Yes, really. Come September, when the franchise's next flick hits, it too will make history — because Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings is the MCU's first movie with an Asian lead. Hitting that milestone is obviously long overdue; Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will be the 25th MCU flick, after all. Simu Liu is doing the honours, playing the titular martial artist and trained assassin, who has spent ten years living a normal life but is suddenly drawn back into the shady Ten Rings organisation. As the just-dropped first trailer for the new superhero feature shows, Kim's Convenience star Liu will have plenty of chances to show off his character's skills. He'll have impressive company, too. Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings's cast includes Awkwafina, following on from her voice work in fellow Disney release Raya and the Last Dragon; the great Michelle Yeoh, who was last seen on the big screen in Last Christmas and Boss Level; and the just-as-iconic Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, a mainstay of Wong Kar-Wai's films such as In the Mood for Love, 2046 and The Grandmaster. Fala Chen (The Undoing), Florian Munteanu (Creed II), Ronny Chieng (Godzilla vs Kong) and debutant Meng'er Zhang also feature, while Short Term 12 and Just Mercy's Destin Daniel Cretton is on directing duties. And, while watching the initial teaser, you can be forgiven for looking out for familiar sights amid the heavy martial arts action, with the movie shot in Sydney. Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings will be the second of three new Marvel flicks to reach cinemas this year, sandwiched between the aforementioned Black Widow and the Angelina Jolie-starring Eternals. The MCU is making up for lost time, after 2020 passed by without a new cinema release due to the pandemic — although the franchise has been busy on the small screen in 2021's first half, thanks to WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the upcoming Loki. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzQbZjeBzHQ&feature=youtu.be Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings releases in cinemas Down Under on September 2, 2021.
Poet Robert Frost once said "if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane." This idea is explored through the latest exhibition at MUMA, which features newly-commissioned and recent works by a selection of six leading local and international artists. Presented in association with Melbourne Festival 2017, The humours offers a range of works that use comedy and absurdity to explore deeper issues around race, work, gender and politics. More than just an exhibition of funny art, The humours is interested in the underlying strategies of comedy – how stand-up comedians and late-night TV hosts deal with serious issues using physical movement, dialogue, exaggerations of scale and absurdity.
One lavish estate. A reunion filled with dysfunctional relatives. The sudden death of the family patriarch. Combine them all together, and you have a good ol' fashioned murder mystery — as well as the plot for Rian Johnson's latest star-studded film, Knives Out. The fifth feature from the writer/director, as well as his first since 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi, Knives Out steps into quite the chaotic situation. Just after his 85th birthday, crime novelist Harlan Thrombin (Christopher Plummer) is found dead, all while his manor happens to be filled with both family members and staff. Eager to discover just what's behind the old man's demise, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is soon on the case. Yes, Agatha Christie would be proud. And, like all of her famous whodunnits, Knives Out's sleuth has plenty of suspects. Indeed, the list of potential culprits is jam-packed with familiar faces, including Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon and LaKeith Stanfield, as well as 13 Reasons Why's Katherine Langford, IT: Chapter Two's Jaeden Martell and Blade Runner 2049's Ana de Armas. Basically, think Cluedo come to life, filled with high-profile talent, and packaged with both twists and laughs. Johnson's love of on-screen puzzles was well-established in both Brick and Looper, so the filmmaker seems like he's in his element. Check out the latest trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw6L1mu-Nss Knives Out releases in Australian cinemas on November 28.
It's been a tough year for the Melbourne hospitality scene, but some good news is in play. As restrictions ease this week (and are set to ease further from November 22) and venues begin to reopen, a few exciting surprises are in store. One of those is a brand-new rooftop bar, which just opened atop Harlow in Richmond. After being closed for months, the much-loved pub has swung open its doors with a major $1.3-million addition in tow. The expansive, wraparound space offers sweeping city views, cocktails, late-night bites and bottomless weekend brunches to boot. For starters, the rooftop is pouring and shaking five signature cocktails that you can't get downstairs. Those include the Rockstar (watermelon-infused tequila, Cointreau and chilli salt), the What's Poppin (St Germain, Aperol and grapefruit) and the Dang! (mezcal, blood orange, agave and rosemary). There are also ten beers taps to choose from, plus a selection of tinnies and a good number of wines on offer. For food, expect pub classics like parmas, fish and chips, steaks and burgers — including a Beyond Meat variety with cheddar, pickles and special sauce. Plus late night bites like salt and pepper calamari, cheeseburger spring rolls, buffalo chicken burgers and haloumi with strawberry and balsamic. On weekends, stop by for bottomless brunch, with the two-hour package costing $49 per person. Choose from wines, house beer and cocktail in bags — think the Space Kitten (white rum, banana, coconut cream and pineapple) and the Salmon Dance (cinnamon-infused raspberry vodka, peach schnapps and cranberry juice). Alongside the drinks, you can dig into options like the caviar-topped lobster and prawn mornay roll or a chicken and smoked ham parma. The U-shaped bar offers a mix of high and low tables, alongside picnic bench-style seating. Expect neutral tones contrasted by colourful finishes, including the emerald green tiles behind the bar and the green stone bar top, as well as fruit trees and greenery aplenty. There's also a doggo mural that features the three lucky winners of Harlow's Puppy Pals competition. The rooftop has capacity for 200 people all up, though that won't come into play until COVID-19 restrictions have eased considerably. In the meantime, we suggest booking your table in advance. Harlow's rooftop bar isn't the only new venue to be unveiled, either. Calia and Layla in the CBD, The Commons in St Kilda and Atiyah in Federation Square have all opened recently, too. Here's hoping the good news keeps rolling in as summer approaches. The Harlow Bar rooftop is now open at 447 Church Street, Richmond. It's open from 4–10pm Monday–Thursday, 12pm–midnight Friday–Saturday and 12–10pm Sunday.
As state and international borders have been closed for much of the year, many of us are taking the opportunity to explore our own backyards. We were all spoilt for choice when the borders were open and often forgot to appreciate what was in our own cities or states. Now, Ovolo Hotels is helping you level up your staycation with its new range of activity add-ons that'll have you enjoying your city from atop the Harbour Bridge, in a boat or from the comfort of a massage table. Ovolo has two hotels in Sydney (Woolloomooloo and Darling Harbour) and Brisbane (Inchcolm and The Valley), one in Melbourne (Laneways) and one in Canberra (Nishi), with each one offering different staycay option. In Sydney, you can choose between a Tesla hire with a chauffeur, a Harbour Bridgeclimb, boat and walking tours, eight-course degustations and in-room massages. Canberra is offering electric scooters and picnic hampers, Brisbanites can experience a wine blending workshop and, as restrictions lift, Melburnians will be able to go on a tour of the cities secret bars (with cocktails included). [caption id="attachment_787765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bridge Climb[/caption] You can build the staycay packages as you like, picking the room — Ovolo Nishi's Meandering Atrium with a giant bathtub, perhaps, or a Rockstar Suite at the Ovolo The Valley with a cocktail bar and king-sized bed — and adding on the activities that interest you most. Ovolo hotels are also pet friendly, so you can bring your fur-baby with you on your staycation. After all, your dog could use a break just as much as you — they live a busy life. Each hotel also comes with complimentary breakfast, sundowner drinks, in-room mini bar and 24-hour gym access. Ovolo Hotels is now offering Staycay Your Way packages at all its Australian hotels. A two-night minimum stay is requires and you can book over here. Top image: Ovolo Nishi
If you're citybound and missing out on New Year's Eve festivals like Falls and Beyond The Valley this year, don't fret. Let Them Eat Cake is your inner city solution to satisfy those festival urges. Held on New Year's Day at Werribee Park, LTEC is not only great for the music, but also plays host to installation art, open-air exhibitions and some killer food offerings. But back to the music. This year's lineup includes the likes of Tourist, Kllo, Âme, Sam Weston and many others. Have your cake and eat it too, guys — you've earned it this year.
Already home to the annual Midsumma Festival and Pride March, and soon to welcome Australia's First Pride Centre, Melbourne could also host a huge one-off pride celebration in 2021. If Victoria's Labor government is re-elected next weekend, it has pledged to host an event on par with pride celebrations in London, New York and Berlin. Dubbed Melbourne Pride 2021, the festival would take place on and around Fitzroy's Smith Street and Gertrude Street — with the area's pubs, bars and restaurants all involved in a street party held both indoors and outdoors. To be organised by tourism body Visit Victoria in consultation with LGBTQIA+ community leaders, just what else the festival will entail is yet to be revealed — although the timing is designed to mark 40 years since Victoria's state parliament decriminalised homosexuality. "By backing Melbourne's very own pride event, we're sending a clear message: here in Victoria, equality is not negotiable," said Victorian Premiere Daniel Andrews. Regional Victoria could also be set to host more LGBTQIA+ festivities, with $200,000 in funding also promised for rural pride events. Image: Midsumma Carnival, Jackson Grant.
It's Australia's annual slice of Italian cinema, and it's back for 2018 in its usual jam-packed fashion. That'd be the Italian Film Festival, which not only returns for its 19th year, but does so with a hefty touring lineup of 37 features and two short films, including 33 Australian premieres. Bookending the festival are two movies that couldn't be more timely, one delving into a media tycoon who becomes a world leader (no, not that one), and the other a stone cold horror classic that has just been remade by one of today's best Italian filmmakers. Exploring the scandals surrounding former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Loro kicks off this year's fest with an epic, nearly two-and-a-half hour drama from The Great Beauty and The Young Pope's Paolo Sorrentino. Then, at the other end of the event comes Dario Argento's original 1977 giallo masterpiece Suspiria — just weeks before the new Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson-starring version from Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino hits cinemas. Elsewhere, IFF also boasts three of the biggest Italian flicks doing the rounds of this year's international festival circuit, courtesy of Dogman, Happy as Lazzaro and Daughter of Mine. A diverse trio from a diverse range of Italian talents, the first sees Gomorrah's Matteo Garrone spin a story about a criminal who loves dogs (winning this year's Palm Dog Award at Cannes for its canine cast), the second unravels a time-bending fable from The Wonders' Alice Rohrwacher, and the third offers a devastating look at two mothers and the daughter they share courtesy of Sworn Virgin's Laura Bispuri. Other highlights range across the entire spectrum of Italian offerings — think comedies based on off-Broadway plays, such as My Big Gay Italian Wedding; underworld dramas like Boys Cry; and an amusing mystery about an inspector investigating the death of a local prosecco wine maker, as aptly called The Last Prosecco. Or, there's also detective thriller The Girl in the Fog, based on the best-selling novel and starring Italian veteran (and Loro actor) Toni Servillo; plus Italian box-office hit Couples Therapy for Cheaters, which focuses on exactly the narrative you think it does. And, looking back at cinema history as film festivals crucially do, this year's IFF retrospective will showcase the work of Italian-Turkish filmmaker Ferzan Özpetek. If his name sounds familiar, that's because he had a hand in movies such as Naples in Veils, Facing Windows and Ignorant Fairies — and if his name doesn't ring any bells, here's your chance to discover his celebrated filmography. The 2018 Italian Film Festival tours Australia between September 11 and October 24, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinemas from September 11 to October 7; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from September 13 to October 7; and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from September 19 to October 14. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
It's one of the world's biggest sporting goods retail brands, found in over 30 countries and dubbed by many as 'the ALDI of activewear'. And now, France's famed Decathlon — which launched an online store here in 2016 and its first Sydney store in December last year — is set to physically hit Melbourne, with plans to open not one, but two stores here in November. The two stores will be located in Melbourne's east, in Box Hill South and on Ferntree Gully Road in Knoxfield. If they're anything like the Sydney store, the new spaces will rival Bunnings in size and be stocked with an impressive 7000 products across 70 sports and activities, like running, yoga, cycling, camping and dance. If you've got a sports nut or fitness fiend in your life, best put this one at the very top of your Christmas shopping hit-list. When the Sydney store opened last year, CEO of Decathlon Australia Mr Olivier Robinet said that the company wants to make sport accessible to all locals. "Australians are some of the most active people in the world, the whole country is like a playground," he explained. "Until now many Australians have had to spend hundreds of dollars to get a quality product. Decathlon has now changed this." So how cheap is it? Well, a pair of yoga pants range will set you back between $12 and $40, while a two-person tent is $30. More than just a standard store, Decathlon also has dedicated active zones, where customers can roadtest certain products, and its own community sporting areas, where local sports clubs can host sign-up days, barbecues and fundraising events.de Decathlon will open at 249 Middleborough Road, Box Hill South and 1464 Ferntree Gully Road, Knoxfield in November 2018. We'll keep you posted on an actual opening date. For more info, visit decathlon.com.au.
The clever festive creations are coming in fast this year; from that decadent sticky date and toffee trifle courtesy of Messina, to the latest edition of Four Pillars' much-hyped Christmas pudding-inspired gin. And here's another limited-edition treat to add to your Yuletide shopping list — a creamy, frozen Italian take on the classic Christmas pud, by the masters at Piccolina. Yep, fresh off the back of a new range of nostalgia-fuelled gelato cakes, the local gelateria is getting into the festive spirit by unveiling the Budino di Natale — a seasonal dessert creation that's sure to steal the show at any Christmas lunch. Here, the classic Christmas table-topper has been given a makeover, reimagined as a multi-layer wonder featuring a whole bunch of different gelato flavours. First, there's an outer shell of panettone gelato, which encases a layer of Piccolina's Better than Nutella gelato that's been studded with a Biscoff crumble. Dig deeper and you'll find elements like the crema ricca (rich cream) gelato, a pain de gênes sponge (almond cake), dark chocolate glaze, and a layer of feuilletine and Biscoff. Top it all off with a generous drizzle of the accompanying chocolate sauce. But it's not just the cake itself that looks the part. Each Budino di Natale is set in a keepsake stoneware bowl handmade by Bendigo Pottery — Australia's oldest working pottery — and housed in a limited-edition Piccolina canvas bag. The Budino di Natale is designed to serve around 14 people; though that'll obviously depend on how hard everyone goes on Dad's Christmas barbecue spread. You can nab one for $120 by pre-ordering via the Piccolina website. Find the Budino di Natale available to pre-order online, for pick up after December 5. Limited numbers are on offer.
If the meaning of life exists in the sweaty, jam-packed confines of a music festival, then Terrence Malick wants to find it. Partially filmed at Austin's SXSW, Song to Song features the filmmaker's trademark swirling imagery as he searches for substance among the crowds, takes us backstage with the likes of Iggy Pop and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and serves up glimpses of several live performances. The writer-director's ninth feature roves through the city's music scene more generally, but its use of the fest couldn't sum up Malick's central question better. Amidst chaotic circumstances, how does one find beauty and love? Through whispered words (another typical Malick flourish), various characters speak of ebbs and flows, of dream-like experiences, and of emotions that don't always feel quite right. In one of the voiceover's most overt moments, Rooney Mara's Faye discusses her relationship with Ryan Gosling's BV, explaining, "we thought we could just roll and tumble, live from song to song, kiss to kiss." Yes, she's saddled with clumsily making use of the movie's title, but she's also describing its quest to understand the ups and downs of human existence. So it is that Faye falls for musician BV, with all the joy that romance can bring. Complicating matters, however, she also falls for her arrogant but well-connected producer boss Cook (Michael Fassbender), who starts working with BV. Cook also has an affair with a waitress, Rhonda (Natalie Portman), while BV becomes involved with Amanda (Cate Blanchett). As snippets of their lives fill the film, a number of other characters filter in and out – including Zoey (Bérénice Marlohe), with whom Faye has a dalliance; BV's flirtatious mother Judy (Linda Emond); and Rhonda's mum Miranda (Holly Hunter), among others. Accordingly, we watch as a bunch of rather attractive people live, love, fight, sing, play, dance and more. They go on holidays, attend parties, see gigs and roam around mansions — sometimes acting as though they belong, sometimes contemplating how lavish their surroundings and exploits are. Depicting their intermingling relationships is as much of a narrative as Malick is interested in providing. Instead, as he did with the thematically and visually similar To the Wonder and Knight of Cups (and The Tree of Life before that), he prefers to immerse audiences in his familiar style, encouraging them to get caught up in individual moments while pondering the bigger picture. The end product is intoxicating and heartfelt, with Malick's desire to convey the complexity of being alive evident in every frame. That said, it also proves his most indulgent film, as he lets his directorial tics and traits run rampant. The movie couldn't look more gorgeous thanks to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki's floating, sun-dappled lensing, but it also couldn't lean more heavily on Malick's fondness for hushed voices and random shots of nature — motifs that will entrance some viewers and enrage others. His insistence on improvisation also results in inconsistent performances, with each actor shining at times while coming off stilted at others. Perhaps it's best to think of Song to Song in the same way you would an actual song; a track on Malick's broader cinematic album. Within the tune itself, some parts engage and others lag, but there's always a clear melody making its presence known. Some viewers may prefer his older stuff, and that's fine. If you're on the film's wavelength though, plenty of its beats and rhythms will strike a chord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cTenw8uVSw
