Whether you're on a date, catching up with your friends, or just looking for a way to kill a few hours on a gloomy Tuesday night, there are few modern indulgences that beat settling into a dark cinema and letting your worries escape you as you slip into another world. Spies, superheroes, lovers, musicians, presidents, dictators, robbers and cops: you'll encounter them all as the lights go down and the projector begins to whir. There's plenty afoot a the pictures this month, so we're here to give you a little bit of help with choosing tonight's movie. See you at the candy bar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbk3-gEBRU GOLDSTONE Australian cinema has a new hero — or heroes, to be exact. In case 2013's neo-western crime thriller Mystery Road didn't make that apparent, Goldstone shouts it across the outback. On screen, Indigenous police detective Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen) stalks through another remote desert town searching for the truth. Behind the camera, writer-director Ivan Sen guides another insightful examination of race, prejudice, inequality and exploitation inextricably linked to the Australian landscape. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2IBHNUl5I LIGHTS OUT If all a horror movie needed was a killer concept, then Lights Out would sit at the top of the spooky cinematic heap. At its core is an idea that's equally obvious, ingenious and universal: the unsettling feeling that springs in children and adults alike when a flick of a switch plunges a room into darkness. In fact, when Swedish filmmaker David F. Sandberg first toyed with the notion in his two-and-a-half-minute short film of the same name, it became a viral sensation, catching the eye of horror producer James Wan in the process. Three years later, Sandberg has fleshed out the attention-grabbing effort into his feature film debut. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAoEoWrOe8g MAGGIE'S PLAN In Frances Ha, Greta Gerwig became the on-screen embodiment of a predicament most twenty-somethings can relate to: knowing what you don't want out of life, rather than what you do. In Mistress America, she offered a different side of failing to achieve your dreams, this time from a slightly older perspective. Now, in Maggie's Plan, she grapples with the fact that you can't control everything, no matter how hard you try. Consider it the next phase in her ongoing examination of the idiosyncrasies of quarter-life malaise. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJyR3Atf5q8 SING STREET Who amongst us hasn't used music to process their thoughts and feelings? The right song can convey things that words alone cannot, as writer-director John Carney understands. In his films, moving ballads and catchy melodies intertwine with life and love, providing a killer soundtrack to memorable moments and an effective method of expressing emotions. When his characters pen lyrics, strum instruments and grab the mic, they're not just creating tunes and chasing dreams — they're helping make sense of everything around them. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVD32rnzOw STAR TREK BEYOND Space, the final frontier. An infinite continuum capable of sapping morale and robbing voyaging crews of both purpose and progress since, by its very definition, there can never be an end in sight. Such is the existential crisis facing Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) at the beginning of this third instalment in the revised Star Trek franchise – a notably low-key opening compared to its bombastic predecessors. Read our full review.
There's only a handful of sleeps until Splendour in the Grass once again blows our wee minds, and we've been whiling away the hours by bingeing on live clips in anticipation. And who better to YouTube stalk than one of our favourite artists, English bedroom producer (with pipes to back it all up) James Blake. Blake's music is made to be performed live — all the better to feel shivers up your spine. He's performing at Splendour over the weekend and a string of official sideshows — Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday, July 26 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, July 27 — thereafter so no doubt we can expect to add a few more classics to this list. Have your phone camera (and tissues) at the ready. 'I NEED A FOREST FIRE' - GLASTONBURY 2016 It's not news to anyone that Justin Vernon (better known as Bon Iver) and James Blake are good mates. Of course they are — they probably bonded over their soaring, soulful singing voices and create music that generates All The Feels. So when Vernon made a surprise appearance at Glastonbury last month, jumping up on stage to perform 'I Need a Forest Fire' from Blake's most recent album The Colour in Anything, it was pure, ethereal magic. The pair collaborated closely on the album and their chemistry shows on stage when those two unmistakable voices harmonise perfectly. GLASTONBURY 2016 'TIMELESS' During the same performance at this year's Glastonbury, Blake was joined on stage by rapper Vince Staples during his rendition of 'Timeless', also from The Colour In Anything. Staples raps, Blake plays the piano, tension builds and together they bring a whole new flavour to the song and FOMO to the streaming townspeople. It's like 'Timeless' was made for a collaboration that never materialised, but during this performance it's made whole. And it's only the start of a beautiful (and musically fertile) friendship, as Staples has enlisted Blake to produce his upcoming album. 'RETROGRADE' - DAVID LETTERMAN 2013 'Retrograde', off Blake's second album Overgrown, has to be the pinnacle of 'Blake-ism' — the otherworldly, richly melancholic style for which he's become renown — and his performance on Letterman in 2013 is still one of the most captivating renditions of it to this day. So many bedroom producers struggle to translate well to the stage, but Blake nails this performance without dropping a single note. It's no wonder America sat up and paid attention after this slam dunk. 'CMYK' — MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2011 'CMYK' is the title track from one of Blake's earlier EPs, the 2010 release of the same name. It's an album that's categorised as soft dubstep and samples heavily from '90s R&B staples (like Aliyah's 'Are You That Somebody'), so while it's not exactly the James Blake you know and love today, damn is it good. He performed it at the 2011 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and even watching the video makes us want to get up to get down. As a side note, the video editing is on point, turning what could have been a static video of the stage into a visual feast that captures the feeling of being at an electric gig. Snaps all round for this one. 'LIMIT TO YOUR LOVE — MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 2013 Here's another from the Montreux Jazz Festival, where Blake performed again in 2013. The set is more intimate, more demure, but fizzling with emotion and his performance of 'Limit to Your Love' is arguably the crown jewel. While he hits every note perfectly, there's a rough quality to 'Limit to your Love' (so different from his normally silky songs) that, in tandem with the sparse but elegant production, makes for a fascinating performance. It's also great to see the whole band enjoying themselves. You can catch the whole performance here. Geared up for a live set IRL from James Blake? He'll be here for the very sold-out Splendour in the Grass in Byron Bay, as well as two official sideshows before the festival — Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Tuesday, July 26 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on Wednesday, July 27. Tickets here.
He took home this year's best director Oscar thanks to his enchanting monster romance, and now he's in the spotlight at the Spanish Film Festival. That'd be The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro, with the fest celebrating his 2006 Academy Award-winner Pan's Labyrinth as its closing night selection. Of course, on its tour of Australia between April 17 and May 16, the country's long-running celebration of Spanish-language filmmaking has plenty of other delights amongst its 25-film program. Marking its 21st year in 2018, that includes opening night's The Tribe, a street-dancing musical comedy inspired by real-life Spain's Got Talent winners, plus No Filter, this year's Spanish box office smash about a woman who can't stop speaking her mind. Other high-profile highlights range from screenings of Pixar's gorgeous Coco, in case you missed it in cinemas late last year; to a who's who of Spanish talent in historical epic Gold; to Loving Pablo, which features Javier Bardem as Pablo Escobar and Penélope Cruz as the journalist who falls for him. Fans of both actors can also catch them in Jamón Jamón — which, released back in 1992, was actually Cruz's first film. It plays as part of a four-feature retrospective dedicated to filmmaker Bigas Luna, alongside his fellow hits Golden Balls and The Tit and The Moon. A documentary compiled from the late director's video diaries, Bigas x Bigas, will enjoy its Australian premiere to round out the program strand. Plus, in the kind of curation that every film festival could benefit from, the Spanish Film Festival will also showcase the work of emerging Spanish female directors. While Summer 1993 actually played at last year's fest as well, the charming delight is getting another spin, with Málaga Film Festival hit Julia Is, Spanish Civil War-focused The Bastard's Fig Tree and the Goya-nominated The Open Door also on the bill. In addition, Melburnians get an extra pick thanks to doco Singled [Out], which was partially shot in Australia by the Melbourne-based Mariona Guiu and Barcelona-based Ariadna Relea. The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from April 17, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 17 to May 6; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Brighton Bay, Kino Cinemas and The Astor Theatre from April 19 to May 6, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from April 26 to May 13. For more information, visit the festival website.
Step into one of Australia's most iconic modern horror stories. To mark the launch of their new six-part Wolf Creek miniseries, streaming service Stan is opening a pair of roadhouse pop-up bars in Sydney and Melbourne. Sounds... fun? Maybe our April Fools' joke about that Making a Murderer bar wasn't as ridiculous as it seemed at the time. Opening in Federation Square from May 5-8 and Martin Place from May 11-14, the pop-ups were designed with the aid of the show's set designers, and promise to deliver a "fully immersive" experience. That last part may read as a little unsettling to anyone who has seen the original movie — or, y'know, knows anything about the actual murders that inspired it. But we guess you have to give them credit for really committing to the theme. The bars will serve limited edition beers by Two Birds Brewing, Mick's Bitter and Eve-ning Ale, along with non-alcoholic drinks and an outback-inspired menu. Those who attend on opening night will also get the chance to meet with the stars of the show, including John Jarratt, aka Mick Taylor — if you're game. Visit the Wolf Creek Roadhouse Bar in Federation Square, Melbourne from May 5-8 and Martin Place, Sydney from May 11-14. All six episodes of Wolf Creek will premiere on Stan on May 12.
It was the hit of Cannes, a highlight at both Sydney and Melbourne's film festivals, and has been selected as Germany's entry in the best foreign-language category at next year's Academy Awards. It's none other than Toni Erdmann, the almost three-hour German comedy about a father trying to spend time with his adult daughter. The memorable movie can't really be described accurately — it has to be experienced, trust us — and now, thanks to the just-announced German Film Fest Australia program, it's making its way around the country. The critical smash is just one of the highlights of the annual showcase German cinema, which notches up its 15th year in 2016. It sits amidst a packed lineup that boasts 31 features, five documentaries and more than 25 Australian premieres, and will tour Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra from November 15 to 30. Other standouts include opening night's road trip drama Goodbye Berlin, box office smash The Most Beautiful Day, a factual look at a young Burmese music fan in My Buddha is Punk, and tragicomedy Me and Kaminski, with Captain America: Civil War's Daniel Brühl as journalist doing whatever it takes to get ahead. Everything Will Be Fine, the latest effort from veteran director Wim Wenders, also pops up — in 3D and featuring James Franco, Rachel McAdams and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Yep, variety is the spice of German cinema as well as life (and James Franco has to pop up just about everywhere). Of course, great film fests look at ace flicks from years gone by, as well as new hits, adding another reason to get excited about GFFA's picks. Nodding to the nation's movie-making past, the festival closes with a restoration of silent trapeze artist drama Varieté from 1925, which stars the first-ever Oscar winner Emil Jannings. Elsewhere, doco Fassbinder explores the work and impact of New German Cinema pioneer Rainer Werner Fassbinder, while the director's legendary love story Ali: Fear Eats The Soul will also screen. The German Film Fest Australia tours the country from November 15, screening at Sydney's Chauvel Cinema and Palace Norton Street from November 15 to 29, Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Kino Cinemas and Palace Westgarth from November 17 to 30, and Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from November 25 to 30. For more information, visit the festival website.
Before social media, the local milk bar was usually where youngsters went to socialise. Though there's still a few of them about (including 2223 in Sydney and Rowena Corner Store in Richmond), they're fast becoming a thing of the past. That's why Melbourne-based artist Callum Preston has gone to painstaking lengths to recreate one, detail by detail. You'll find his incredibly realistic, immersive artwork Milk Bar in RVCA Corner Gallery, Collingwood, from Friday 1 December. Walking in, it'll be easy to imagine you're in a bona fide corner shop, as the installation is fully operational. But take a closer peek and you'll notice the chocolate bars, magazines and soft drink cans aren't what they seem. They're pretend versions of themselves that Preston has created by hand. "For most of us, these simpler times might have passed," Preston said. "Sure, the memories may be a little blurry now, but it's my hope that when all the elements are recreated you can be transported right back to 'when going down the shop' was an experience of pure joy." This isn't Preston's first venture into nostalgia. In 2015, he revisited Back to the Future via his artwork Bootleg to the Future, which featured a life-sized replica of a DeLorean. Milk Bar will be at Melbourne's RVCA Corner Gallery, 82 Stanley Street, Collingwood. The exhibition runs from December 1-10.
The Ryan vs Seth debate incited gang wars (it's all Seth, all the time people, come on). Marissa made our eye twitch with stiff acting and then tore our hearts out in season three (no spoilers hey). Summer retrospectively became our life and style guru. And still, no true O.C. fan can hear Imogen Heap's 'Hide and Seek' without tearing up just a little bit. For everyone whose teenage expectations of life and love were shaped by the O.C. and Peter Gallagher's eyebrows, listen up: The Bait Shop (aka Supersmall at Good Things in South Yarra) is throwing a huge O.C. themed party this weekend. Cue Youth Group, Death Cab for Cutie, Eels, Jem, The Futureheads, Spoon et al playing on repeat. They're offering a bar tab for the winner of 'Most Early 2000s Inspired Outfit' (a complex but honourable title) and a range of O.C. themed cocktails including 'White Wasps' as a tribute to Kristen's subtle alcoholism. Entry is free, there'll be life sized cutouts and an O.C.-themed photobooth, so cancel all existing plans and start fashioning an outfit with maximum spaghetti straps and low-waist, slightly jeans that are neither skinny nor flared.
Stuff yourself full of the tastiest donuts in town, at Day of the Donut in Brunswick this Saturday, June 13. Presented by the baking aficionados at Flour Market, this sugar-glazed, jam filled, coronary-inducing extravaganza will unite some of the best and most ambitious bakers in Melbourne under a single, sprinkle coated roof. BYO wheelbarrow. Flour Market haven’t actually released a full list of doughnuts on sale, but based on the lineup (Aunty Peg's, All Day Donuts, Cobb Lane, Candied Bakery, Everyday Coffee, Lady Donut, Krumbs Pop Up, Sweet Evelyn, 5 & Dime) we’ve got plenty of recommendations. The pavlova doughnuts from Candied Bakery made our recent list of the Ten Best Donuts in Melbourne, as did the jaffa variety from host venue All Day Donuts. Lady Doughnut, meanwhile, should have salted caramel lovers covered, while Cobb Lane makes an amazing cherry jam and custard. Day of the Donut will be hosted at All Day Donuts, located at 12 Edward St, Brunswick. Doors open 9am sharp and close when there are no donuts left. For more information, head to Facebook.
The globe can now melt into a solid savasana, with thousands of International Yoga Day sessions finishing up worldwide today. From New Delhi's 35,000-strong Guinness World Record-breaking session to a bright yellow-themed session beneath the Eiffel Tower and early morning lawn sessions at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art, yoga newcomers and hardcore yogis alike found a moment of peace and flexibility this Sunday, June 21 for the official day of yoga. It's a UN-approved international day, introduced by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi last year after he convinced the UN to dedicate a public day to yoga — a move that hasn't come without controversy. But aside from the religious debate, corporate piggybacking and general eye-rolling surrounding the event, International Yoga Day saw hundreds of thousands of yoga enthusiasts taking part in both epic public classes and smaller private sessions, from the record-setting session on Delhi's ceremonial Rajpath boulevard, to a rainy Times Square event to seaside solo ventures. Take a peruse at these early-rising, flexible fiends. DELHI, INDIA TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK CITY Time Square shut down for yoga! So amazing! #SolsticeTSq #yoga #yogaday #Bellavita #centerpfitall #timesquare #NYC #namaste A photo posted by 161 w 22nd street, NYC (@bellavita_wellness) on Jun 21, 2015 at 5:21pm PDT Celebrating #internationalyogaday in Times Square which ended with a very satisfying torrential downpour and a free yoga mat ?????????????? #NYC #yoga A photo posted by Anna Jordan (@ajhealth) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:59pm PDT EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS Today, is many things. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s #SummerSolstice. For those in the U.S. and U.K., it’s #FathersDay. And for all those around the world, it just so happens to be #InternationalYogaDay. #Yoga-fans took part globally, with people in more than 192 countries said to have taken to the mat. Click the link in our profile to see more striking images of record setting yoga classes around the world. #Paris #YogaDay (Image: AP Photo, Kamil Zihnioglu) A photo posted by Mashable (@mashable) on Jun 21, 2015 at 5:05pm PDT Today was the first #InternationalYogaDay! Hundreds of people practiced #yoga under the #EiffelTower. Wish we could have been there. (Pic: Getty Images) A photo posted by Huffington Post (@huffingtonpost) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:27pm PDT SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA And.... it's a wrap! G'day everyone and thank you to all the participants of #YokoOnoPeace this morning! @lululemonausnz #yoga #Sydney A photo posted by MCA Australia (@mca_australia_now) on Jun 20, 2015 at 9:05pm PDT Namaste, world!! Sydney says good morning to @themuseumofmodernart and all #YokoOnoPeace participants around the world. Kicking off the festivities with Vinyasa #yoga courtesy of @lululemonausnz, facing the Harbour Bridge and Opera House A photo posted by MCA Australia (@mca_australia_now) on Jun 20, 2015 at 5:03pm PDT UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA VARANASI, INDIA HANOI, VIETNAM TORONTO, CANADA #internationalyogaday #summersolstice #yoga #yogaday #love #loveeverydamnday #namaste #namastebitches #lalala #bums ???? #distillerydistrict #toronto #yyz #together #the6 #6ix #mylife #life #live #livehard #bekind #kindawesome #summer #yogaoutside #everyday #peace #trueloveisbluelove #grateful #balance A photo posted by Ruby Fra (@rubytues101) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:45pm PDT INDIAN NAVY, INS VIRAAT REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA Taken at @redondopier 3rd Saturdays monthly free yoga class yesterday with @theflybuddha benefiting #cscrb #internationalyogaday #yoga #redondopier #visitredondo A photo posted by Redondo Beach Pier (@redondopier) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:06pm PDT GANGTOK, INDIA ??????Yoga is the journey of the self through the self to the self?????? #yesterday#internationalyogaday#instagram A photo posted by Sangay Diki Bhutia ???? (@_to_the_universe) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:36pm PDT BOARDMAN, OHIO My @puryoga family #summersolstice #108sunsalutations #internationalyogaday A photo posted by Alexa Marie (@howdoyoueatanelephant) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:35pm PDT PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI International Yoga Day celebrated at the Oxygen Health & Fitness Expo at the Karibe Convention Center. #oxygenexpo #Motivation #yoga #internationalyogaday #michellelewin #enjoy #motion #fit #igfit #FitFam #fitspo #fitness #HaitiFIT #haiti #openair #nature #stretch #yogis #international #caribbean A photo posted by FloM???? (@fitness__flo) on Jun 21, 2015 at 10:43am PDT VERACRUZ, MEXICO Grabación del evento por el día internacional del #yoga con @studioyogaenequilibrio e Israel Chiang. ???????? #namaste #veracruz A photo posted by José Alfredo Zayas Rodríguez (@zayas04) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:49pm PDT EDMONTON, CANADA Early morning yoga with this one? Not a bad way to start the day. #sunrisesolsticenamaskar #sunrise #yoga #yegyoga #edmontonyoga Thanks to @sattvamisle for leading the class and to @robindra for the sick beats. A photo posted by deantumibay (@deantumibay) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:57pm PDT MONUMENT CIRCLE, INDIANAPOLIS Today was the first International Day of Yoga, on the Summer Solstice. Indianapolis was one of four cities given a grant to celebrate! Got to practice yoga on Monument Circle downtown. #Indy #Indianapolis #yoga #internationalyogaday #yogi #health #SummerSolstice #namaste #outdooryogis A photo posted by Eric Gettelfinger (@egettelfinger) on Jun 21, 2015 at 6:14pm PDT JAMAICA What a dream come true it was tonight to see 580 Jamaicans, from all walks of life, practicing Yoga in honor of the first ever UN designated International Day of Yoga! My heart is full. Changing Jamaica one Breath at a Time! #livefitlivelifelivelove #everythingispossible #internationaldayofyoga #yoga #jamaica A photo posted by Sharon Feanny (@sharonfeanny) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:54pm PDT One Love. One Yoga. One Jamaica. 580 souls practicing together in honor of International Day of Yoga. So much Love Peace and Understanding tonight. This, more than anything is what Jamaica needs now! #internationaldayofyoga #everythingispossible #yoga #jamaica #livefitlivelifelivelove A photo posted by Sharon Feanny (@sharonfeanny) on Jun 21, 2015 at 8:02pm PDT TWIN FALLS, WASHINGTON Celebrating Summer Solstice with a dip in Twin Falls! ???? Connect to the light within you and around you. Share the joy of this life with each other! #aloha #spirit #dailybliss #yoga #retreat #yogamusewest #muktiyoga #dream #believe #move #unite #strengthen #evolve #manifest #magic #divine #connection #earth #sun #love #light #namaste A photo posted by Heather Archer (@heathernamaste) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:56pm PDT BHARATPUR, INDIA #yoga #day #morning #policeparedground #bharatpur #21june #sunday #people #photography #mobilephotography #htc #health #yogaday #uniformity #instanaturefriends #india #psxxo A photo posted by Glory (@gloryxxo) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:57pm PDT MEDAN, INDONESIA #internationaldayofyoga #medan #yogamedan #yoga A photo posted by Kamalini Yoga Studio (@kamaliniyoga) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:55pm PDT AUSTIN, TEXAS #YogaMob #Unify #Yoga #ATX #Austin #Texas #NationalYogaDay A photo posted by Maria Lucente (@mariaisinverted) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:47pm PDT ANAMAYA, COSTA RICA Happy International Yoga Day from all these Beautiful Souls || Surrender to the Love and Happy Summer Solstice?? #AnamayaResort #CostaRica #Montezuma #Yoga #YogaInspiration #YogaEveryDamnDay #YTT #YogaTeacherTraining #Namaste #SummerSolstice #YogaLove #InternationalYogaDay A photo posted by Anamaya (@anamayaresort) on Jun 21, 2015 at 7:43pm PDT VALENCIA, SPAIN Otra hermosa toma de este Día Internacional del Yoga. Juntos bajo el samán. Felices y plenos. NAMASTE. #Yoga #Yoga24horas #ViveEnYoga #Valencia #YogaValencia #diainternacionaldelyoga #internationalyogaday #internationalyogaday2015 A photo posted by ? Uma Devi ? (@climbyogagirl) on Jun 21, 2015 at 5:18pm PDT
For all of us in Melbourne, it’s a wonderful time to be alive. We’re living in golden period of entertainment and what this means, practically, is there’s a tonne of slides (apparently it’s a scientific fact that more slides equal greater happiness). And if you missed out on this waterslide, don’t worry, you’ve got options. Slide the Square is opening in Federation Square from January 9 and we’re so ready for the summer of slides. The slide is a 75-metre run of slippery fun that will be with us for a week in January. Sessions last for 50 minutes and will set you back $20 (plus BF) for adults ($17 for concessions and children). It’s a bit exxy for the opportunity to barrel down a wet piece of plastic but you know it’s going to amazing fun and way better than lying on the couch covered by a wet cloth to avoid the heat. You can even slip and slide in your clothes (no bathers necessary) but unfortunately all jewellery, glasses, buckles, shoes and GoPros must be left in coat check (so as not to damage the precious slide and prevent awkward selfies). And they’re pretty adamant that no naked butts will be going down the slide (sorry everyone, cover those butts). Slide the Square, from January 9-16 in Federation Square. Grab your tickets here. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
The trouble with going to the opera in Sydney is, once you're there, you can no longer see the Sydney Opera House. No stawlwart sails, no gleaming cream tiles, no spiky little silhouette. And what's the fun in that? But for one month of the year Sydney has their theatrical cake and eats it too, when Handa Opera on the Harbour sets up at Mrs Macquarie's Point. The floating outdoor opera comes with an eye-popping view of Sydney's natural and artificial bounties, including the Opera House and Harbour Bridge beyond. This year Handa Opera on the Harbour is going Egyptian for Verdi's Aida, a love triangle of epic, war-starting proportions. With Gale Edwards directing, the set by Mark Thompson includes the giant rotating head of Queen Nefertiti, live camels and plenty of fireworks. The 30m x 28m stage, 2.5 times larger than any you'll find indoors in Australia, is partially built at White Bay then trucked to Fleet Steps in the Royal Botanic Gardens, where it's lifted onto pylons and completed. The cranes actually form part of the mise en scene in this instance, with the production set in a period where ancient Egypt is decaying and a new world being built (with some more surreal and Devo-esque touches adding to the spectacle of the thing). The orchestra is housed directly beneath the stage, in an area apparently dubbed 'The Underworld'. Made possible by the continued funding of philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa, the previous three years' shows — La Traviata, Carmen and Madama Butterfly — have proved monumentally successful. At a time when opera is struggling to attract audiences, Opera on the Harbour not only sells tickets but lures in thousands of opera newbies. You don't need to understand opera to understand what makes the occasion great. Aida is on from March 27 to April 26 at Mrs Macquarie's Point. For more information and to book, visit the Opera Australia website. Images: Prudence Upton and Hamilton Lund.
With each passing festival season, music lineups dominate the hubbub. But with great grub now proving just as much a drawcard as those tunes, festivals are taking their food element next-level. Gone are the days of sad sausage rolls, scoffed speedily between stages — festival food is having a moment. Last year, Sugar Mountain Festival introduced a new onsite dining concept called Sensory, collaborating with some iconic Melbourne names to treat food-loving festivalgoers to an "immersive restaurant experiment". A mega success straight off the bat, Sensory is set to return for Sugar Mountain 2017, on January 21, having pulled together another cracking lineup of tastes, sights, and sounds. An indoor space within the festival's home at the Victorian College of the Arts will be transformed for the multi-dimensional event. There'll be multiple sittings throughout the day, with each 60-minute set-menu experience designed to take guests on a dazzling multi-sensory journey. Peter Gunn, the envelope-pushing chef behind Collingwood fine diner IDES, will be working his magic on the menu, sticking to form to deliver a cutting-edge culinary extravaganza. Meanwhile, the accompanying visual feast is sure to be every bit as impressive, with acclaimed multimedia artist Daniel Arsham taking the reins on the space design — fresh, might we add, from his collaboration with Pharrell Williams for Rules of the Game, which showed at Brisbane Festival this year. And all the while, those earholes will be in total aural heaven, thanks to a glittering, hour-long score crafted by S U R V I V E — yep, that's the Texan band behind the Stranger Things '80s-style hit soundtrack. Of course, the festival's foodie fabulousness extends beyond Sensory's walls, with eats from the likes of Kong BBQ, 8Bit, Pretty Mama and Pidapipo on hand to back up the musical treats. Summer-worthy cocktails will be shaken and stirred by the crew from The Top, while beer partner Sample Brew will be slinging a variety of tap beers and an exclusive range of tinnies. All-inclusive tickets to Sensory are priced at $70 each, and go on sale at 8am, November 16. Grab one separately, or bundle it together with a Sugar Mountain ticket.
Lately we feel like we've been the bearer of bad news when it comes to the fate of festivals, but this time we've got the complete opposite. The cats behind Falls Festival have this morning announced something pretty darn exciting: a brand new three-day festival is coming straight at ya over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. They're calling it The Lost Lands, a name which has enough mystery (and a vague enough reference to Jurassic Park) to have us very intrigued. The three-day camping festival will not only feature heaps of music, but will centre around art, theatre, comedy and outdoor activities as well. It'll be held over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the October long weekend just outside of Melbourne at Werribee Mansion, the luxe AF mansion and grounds that has played host to So Frenchy So Chic and the late Harvest Festival (RIP). But the real point of difference for The Lost Lands is that it's designed to be hella family friendly. Festival organiser and Falls founder Simon Daly has a family of five, and he recognised the need for a more European style of festival in Australia that not only lets kids attend, but actually involves them in the festival's activities. "The Lost Lands will give parents the chance to reconnect with the festival experience while instilling in kids a love and appreciation of music, arts and adventure," said Daly. "I think there's an appetite for more experiences crafted with parents and kids in mind and it's exciting for the industry." The festival will be focused around "shared experiences" that can be enjoyed by everyone — be that parents, kids, friends, and anyone who rocks up — and it looks set to incorporate so many activities, such as bushwalks, bike rides and even day trips to the Werribee Open Range Zoo. They're also offering a range of workshops to expand the mind (such as cooking and songwriting) or lengthen the legs (like circus play and yoga). Um, sign us up for everything. A photo posted by The Lost Lands (@lostlandsfest) on May 26, 2016 at 1:05am PDT But just because there's kids around doesn't mean that the menu is limited to chicken nuggets and juice boxes. The Lost Lands is promising a huge range of festival eats and drinks, including a curated range of Mummy and Daddy drinks such as craft beer, wine, organic spirits and even an on-site distillery. All this will be happening with a backdrop of classic Italianate-style architecture amongst the sprawling formal mansion gardens (designed by W.R. Guilfoyle, the man behind the Royal Botanic Gardens) and a chill but fun musical line-up. Expect to be swaying along to The Waifs, Harts, The Grates, Ozomatli, Missy Higgins, CW Stoneking, Architecture in Helsinki, The Bamboos with Tim Rogers, Mariachi El Bronx, Tash Sultana, Olympia, Ali Barter, The Little Stevies, Pounded By The Surf, The Royal Jellies, Nicky Bonba, Ainslie Wills, and Alex Lahey. As it's a three-day, two-night festival, camping (and glamping) will be available, but with Melbourne only half an hour away by car or train, it's not a necessity like most festivals. However, if you want to feel like Marie Antoinette for a weekend, you can even rent accommodation in the actual mansion and live like damn kings. It may be dark and gloomy right now, but we cannot wait for festival season to return. The Lost Lands will run from October 28-30 at Werribee Mansion. Tickets will go on sale on Thursday, June 2 from thelostlands.com.au.
Mazes are often associated with the feeling of being lost, but, in the case of the National Galley of Victoria, you might see this as a good thing. As part of the 2017 NGV Architecture Commission, Garden Wall features a maze-like series of open-air passageways, corridors and rooms which are designed to help visitors rediscover the NGV's Grollo Equiset Garden. Designed by Retallack Thompson and Other Architects, the structure's 260 walls shift from translucent to opaque, aiming to hide and reveal aspects of the garden, including sculptures and other visitors simultaneously. Each room will focus on a particular feature of the garden — such as Henry Moore's bronze sculpture Draped Seated Woman — to heighten visitors' encounter with various pieces. "In order to make the NGV garden more visible, we first have to render it invisible," says architect David Neustein. "Garden Wall hides the garden and then gradually reveals it via a series of corridors, apertures and rooms. Our installation is less the walls themselves than the spaces in between." Led by the Department of Contemporary Design and Architecture, the project was selected out of 79 entries from across Australia, with those shortlisted assessed on quality, originality and viability. The NGV Architecture Commission has previously been designed by John Wardle Architects (2015) and M@ STUDIO Architects (2016), who last year designed this dreamy pink carwash inspired playground that recently won the Melbourne Prize at the 2017 Victorian Architecture Awards. And this year we're in for another excuse to unleash our inner kidult. The 2017 NGV Architecture Commission is now on display at NGV International from December 2017 as part of the inaugural NGV Triennial, a free, gallery-wide exhibition of international contemporary art and design. Images: NGV/John Gollings.
Whether you refer to him as co-creator and star of the cult British sitcom Black Books, one of the youngest winners of the prestigious Perrier Comedy Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, a multi-BAFTA winner, or simply "the greatest comedian, living or dead" (as did French newspaper Le Monde in 2007), one thing is clear: Dylan Moran is a one-man comedy industry. However, it seems comedy is no laughing matter once you’ve reached the upper echelons of worldwide stardom, as Moran most certainly has. Best known as the co-creator of iconic British sitcom Black Books, Moran is synonymous in the public imagination with the show's eponymous lead: the drunken, curmudgeonly, occasionally whimsical, second-hand bookstore owner Bernard Black. Therefore, when speaking to him over the phone — he's in Prague, partway through his mammoth 18-month, 143-show world tour and launching his new live show DVD Dylan Moran Off The Hook — the first revelation is just how affable the real Moran is. Despite a terrible, occasionally inaudible connection and the sneaking suspicion that this is but one in a long line of interviews he must sit through today and every day, he is warm and considerate; his speech is rapid and eloquent, pausing sporadically to gather his thoughts, his brogue transforming a quotidian 'um' into a far more charming 'erm'. His accent aside, Moran couldn’t seem more dissimilar from the bellicose drunkard he portrayed on screen and that the media seem intent on pigeonholing him as. Asked if the mischaracterisation annoys him, Moran laughs before replying: "I really don’t care. It doesn't bother me. You know, people latch on to what's obvious, some character or presentation or something, and they tend to run with it." "Time is short — I understand, people need to stick labels on things," he adds dryly. So if the labels aren’t accurate, just who is the real Dylan Moran? We had a chat with the multifaceted star to find out. THE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL As his prolific touring schedule might suggest, professional comedy is a draining business, and Moran is candid about the reality of life on the road. "You don't just go and do three shows and then take a few days off, then do another show and take a day off," he says. "It's a discipline. You’ve got turn up everyday, you've got to make sure you're in working order... trundle yourself off to the theatre, do the show as well as you possibly can, try to keep yourself interested by doing new things — and then do it the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day." THE INTUITIVE ARTIST Having won the most prestigious award in live comedy, Moran later dismissed the Perrier Comedy Award as "a load of media rubbish". This disillusionment with the media and its inability to comprehend the creative process is a recurring theme for Moran. "The thing is, journalists ask questions from the outside, to 'describe what it's like on the inside'," he explains. "If I could describe what it was like on the inside, I'd have to be outside the experience, which would mean I could no longer do it. Do you know what I’m saying?” "So I'm trying to preserve the necessary ignorance to allow me to carry on doing it, because if I start overanalysing it — or I start interrogate the fairy that's collaborating with me inside my head to make this stuff happen — if I ask too many questions about where we're going or what we're doing, the fairy is not going to talk to me anymore." THE RELUCTANT COUNTRY BOY Growing up in rural County Meath, northwest of Dublin, Moran remembers his childhood as bucolic but bittersweet. "Well, you know, it's not a bad place to grow up — you're in the countryside, you're a kid, and you're out in the street. You're running around, you're off on your bike to get up to some mischief." But the appeal of rural living didn't last too long. "You get to be a teenager and you want more of what the city has to offer, so you start getting a bit impatient to get out." Living proof, Moran was 16 when he left school and, having made good his escape, he took out the Perrier Award just eight years later. Two incredibly successful decades on, does he ever feel he'll return to quiet country life? "I have no idea yet, I certainly don't feel it at the moment. I’m moving around a lot like, you know, I don't really have time to have an ear of corn between my teeth as I gaze out over the fields." THE RESPONSIBLE FATHER A lack of time is not just due to Moran’s gruelling work schedule, but also the pressures of raising two young children. Reflecting on how fatherhood has affected his comedy, Moran says it's a pretty fundamental alteration to your worldview. "It makes you place a different stock, or value, on everything. You might've been more attracted to what was noisy or loud or fun or eye-catching, short-term value, before you were a father, and then you start thinking obviously more in terms of consequence and enduring value when you have a child.” THE AMBIVALENT SCREEN STAR The notion of enduring value is a complicated one for any artist. How do you simultaneously remain relevant and preserve a legacy? Despite being most widely remembered for Black Books, Moran seems to feel no immediate compulsion to return to the small screen. "When time allows I'll write another television show, or I'll write a screenplay, or I'll write something else," he says. "But at the moment, I have to restrict my energies to what I'm doing right now, which is miles and miles of road." In the meantime, Moran has been racking up a series of supporting roles in independent feature films, such as Shaun of the Dead, Run Fatboy Run, and a particularly nuanced performance as a disillusioned millionaire plagued by his complicity in the Eurozone collapse in Michael McDonagh's critically-acclaimed Calvary. So, what's next? "I don't know what I'm going to make and it won't be a tour for a while because, obviously, you can only do this every now and again, because it does tend to fray the edges. So I’ll make something that I can make at home." So perhaps more iconic British television is in the offing? "In the future, yes. I will do some more [television], sure, in the future." Dylan Moran Off The Hook is out now on DVD.
Mazes are often associated with the feeling of being lost, but, in the case of the National Galley of Victoria, you might see this as a good thing. As part of the 2017 NGV Architecture Commission, Garden Wall will feature a maze-like series of openair passageways, corridors and rooms which are designed to help visitors rediscover the NGV's Grollo Equiset Garden. Designed by Retallack Thompson and Other Architects, the structure's 260 walls shift from translucent to opaque, aiming to hide and reveal aspects of the garden, including sculptures and other visitors simultaneously. Each room will focus on a particular feature of the garden — such as Henry Moore's bronze sculpture Draped Seated Woman — to heighten visitors' encounter with various pieces. "In order to make the NGV garden more visible, we first have to render it invisible," says architect David Neustein, the brains behind the project. "Garden Wall hides the garden and then gradually reveals it via a series of corridors, apertures and rooms. Our installation is less the walls themselves than the spaces in between." Led by the Department of Contemporary Design and Architecture, the project was selected out of 79 entries from across Australia, with those shortlisted assessed on quality, originality and viability. The NGV Architecture Commission has previously been designed by John Wardle Architects (2015) and M@ STUDIO Architects (2016), who last year designed this dreamy pink carwash inspired playground that recently won the Melbourne Prize at the 2017 Victorian Architecture Awards. If last year is anything to go by, we're in for another excuse to unleash our inner kidult. The 2017 NGV Architecture Commission will be on display at NGV International from December 2017 as part of the inaugural NGV Triennial, a free, gallery-wide exhibition of international contemporary art and design. Garden Wall will be on display in the NGV's Grollo Equiset Garden from December 2017. Further information is available from the NGV website.
Sick of being turfed out of rentals, but no idea how you'll ever afford your own home in Sydney? Let Big World Homes architect Alexander Symes come to your rescue — he's created Australia's first flat-packed 'tiny home' that's entirely off-grid. You heard us. Flat-packed homes. And they're going for a cheeky $65K each. Big World Homes are self-described as "a transitional housing product that offers a solution to people currently unable to get into home ownership" — that means most of us living in Australia's capital cities. To check out this highly unique housing solution for yourself, get along to the 2016 Sydney Architecture Festival. On Thursday, September 29, Symes and a bunch of vollies will put the house together in just 2.5 hours, using only a hammer and a drill. Then, they'll drive it to the Festival Hub in Central Park, where it'll stay on display until October 3. Never been in a tiny home? You'll be able to explore the structure's many mod cons, including running water, electricity, a bathroom with plumbing, a living room and a comfy bed. Power comes from solar panels, while water is sourced via inbuilt rainwater tanks. "Big World Homes seeks to bridge the gap between renting and home ownership, offering a transitional housing product that is affordable and also rethinks the way people live," said Symes. "We're excited to be launching at the Sydney Architecture Festival one of the most progressive, socially oriented, community driven housing projects that Australia has ever seen. This comes at a time when the need for new options in affordable housing has never been greater." You can buy your very own tiny home for $65,000, which is a significant improvement on the cost of a studio apartment in Sydney right now. Get together with a group of mates and start your own, eco-friendly community. For more small house inspiration, take a wander over here. Check out Big World Homes at the Sydney Architecture Festival Hub at Central Park, Chippendale from September 29 to October 3.
We knew it. We knew it. They'd never leave us. They'd never just go. James Murphy is dancing himself clean and reuniting All His Friends, LCD Soundsystem, to headline this year's whizzbanger of a Coachella festival. Oh, and Guns N' Roses. Yeah, they're playing too. Take a big ol' breath and let them squeals out. Every last trilby-wearing tween celebrity, President’s daughter and your smug, smug US-based friends will be rubbing their paws together after Coachella festival lineup, tweeted today. Running over two weekends from April 15 to 24, the Californian festival has delivered their usual jaw-dropper of a lineup. Where do we start? Ready to break hearts and take names, Sufjan Stevens is hitting the big stage with the loud, loud likes of M83, Sia, A$AP Rocky, Ice Cube (!), Calvin Harris, Disclosure, Ellie Goulding, Purity Ring, Run the Jewels, RL Grime, Rae Sremmurd et al. Homegrown folks like Flume (whose name is at least three font sizes bigger than Hudson Mohawke) and Courtney Barnett will be reppin' the motherland. Anyway, let’s be honest, you haven’t truly read any of those words — you’ll be wanting this.
Every July, the Melbourne International Film Festival unleashes a wealth of cinematic wonders upon the city's cinephiles. Every March, however, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival gets there earlier. Since kicking off in 1991, the showcase of LGBTIQ stories on screen has been shining a spotlight on the best, most interesting, and all-round latest and greatest queer movies, with its 27th event promising all of this and more once again. Taking place at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova from March 16 to 27, MQFF has plenty of films helping it fulfil its mission this time around — 135, in fact. Stats-wise, viewers can expect 47 features, 15 documentaries and 73 shorts from 30 countries, including six Australian premieres, 35 Melbourne premieres and ten special event screenings and forums. It's going to be a busy 12 days — and that's without even delving into the specifics of the lineup. First, the Franco in the room — as in James, of course. He keeps proving a favourite of Aussie fest programmers, and pops up in not one but two titles in this year's MQFF schedule, starting with opening night's I Am Michael. There, starring opposite Zachary Quinto, he plays a real-life queer theorist and gay activist, who then became an anti-gay Christian pastor. It's quite a different role for his second appearance in the program: as a porn producer in King Cobra, which makes its way to Melbourne after screening at Sydney's Mardi Gras Film Festival. Don't worry, MQFF boasts more than just the seemingly busiest actor in the world, including local indie fantasy Pulse's tale of sci-fi-laced transformation for those after a homegrown fix. Also on the intriguing stories front, Cannes Film Festival Queer Palme recipient The Lives of Thérèse explores the work and impact of French activist Thérèse Clerc, while fellow documentary Real Boy charts a trans musician's quest for acceptance. Some non-Franco star power arrives in the form 2016 Sundance duo Other People and The Intervention, the former starring Molly Shannon at her best, and the latter marking the directorial debut of actress Clea DuVall. Elsewhere, Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton features in '90s-set teen mystery As You Are, 1:54 delves into bullying with Mommy's Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Brazilian sci-fi The Cult ponders a bizarre future, and Fursonas examines the folks who like to role-play in furry costumes. Basically, film fans can expect to be spoiled for choice — including at MQFF's many special events, which spans the return of festival favourite Movie Matchmaking and a discussion on the work of John Waters. Plus, recognising that even the biggest movie buffs can only see so many movies in a short period of time, the program also features a heap of great queer-centric films that audiences might've missed at MIFF last year, such as the Riley Keough-starring Lovesong, vogueing doco Kiki, true crime biopic I, Olga Hepnarova and applauded French effort Being 17.
Hungry musicians doing it tough on tour, prepare to satisfy your appetites. All it takes is a stopover in Brisbane for a gig, and a trip to a certain Fortitude Valley café. That'd be LostBoys, the new saviour of starving artists visiting sunny climates. The Ann Street establishment isn't just largely staffed by those handy with a guitar, drum kit or microphone, but wants to support them too. That's why they've taken it upon themselves to offer a solution to the scourge of musos everywhere: barely making enough money to eat while they're away from home. Travelling around the country playing live shows might seem like a fun life, but the thrill of taking to the stage is tempered by the not-so-glamorous, not-so-financially-lucrative reality. At LostBoys, musical talent dropping by Brisbane can treat themselves to whatever takes their fancy from the cafe's lineup of 100 percent natural, locally-sourced options. Vegetarians, vegans, dairy free foodies and gluten intolerants, there's something on the menu for you, too. The initiative is a brand new addition to what has fast become one of the area's favourite hangouts — which is no mean feat given that LostBoys only opened in October 2014. Of course, their magic all stems from their name. Trust a Peter Pan-inspired eatery to come up with a wondrous way to help creatives' dreams come true. Via The Music. Visit LostBoys at 694 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, or check out their website.
Heads up, Mother's Day is just around the corner. You can frantically message your siblings later, there's pressie planning afoot, and we've found quite the showstopper for your dear ol' Mumsie this year thanks to Gelato Messina. Never one to miss an opportunity to experiment with new ways to inhale gelato, Messina have been cooking up quite the delicate novelty dessert for Mum: a Italian-inspired chocolate box of gelato-filled nibbles. These brownie point-winners launched in 2015 and revamped in 2016, and are sure to bring it home again this year. Each box comes with eight handmade, handpainted chocolate and gelato bon bons — best enjoyed with opera blaring in the background, with a strong, black cup of coffee and a shoulder massage. Go on, your mum put up with you through puberty, you owe her one massage. So which crazy tell-your-friends flavours have Messina come up with for their bitty bon bons? There's four in total, each more decadent than the last. Ready? There's fraise des bois sorbet, champagne gel, champagne soaked sponge in a white chocolate shell. Shut up. There's Messina's famous salted caramel gelato, caramel ganache and caramel crunch in a caramel chocolate shell. Yep. There's milk chocolate gelato, passionfruit puree and chocolate sponge all wedged into a tiny milk chocolate shell. Huh? How about pistachio gelato, rose jelly and vanilla sponge encased in a white chocolate shell? NUP. If you can find us something that says 'perfect Mother's Day gift' better than fragrant bloody rose jelly and vanilla sponge cake crammed into a fragile little choc-house, we'll eat this empty bon bon box. The Messina gelato bon bon boxes are going for $45 a box, available to order from May 3. They're available for collection from Tramsheds, Darlinghurst, Rosebery, Miranda and Parramatta in Sydney, Fitzroy and Windsor in Melbourne, and South Brisbane's new store.
Since you can no longer have Margaret and David’s face on your TV screen for an hour a week, why not have them in your house, on cushions, 24 hours a day? What? Why and how are we sitting on Margaret and David? Sydney Film Festival's old marketing banners have been been repurposed into some of the most adorable home decorations we've seen in a while. You've seen the banners, hanging throughout Sydney to herald the coming of the city's biggest annual cinematic event. Each banner features a legendary film character, critic or audience member, stylistically depicted as though they were sitting in a cinema seat. You might have seen them while walking along George Street, oftening catch Princess Leia, Holly Golightly, Dorothy, Toto, Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton dotted amongst the crowds hanging over the crowds. But now they're done with their time in the CBD. A creative trio from Sydney known as The Scallywag Society has turned the old banners into a series of oversized cushions, deck chairs, tote bags and tablecloths, which you can now buy. It's a total win all round: the banners have been upcycled rather than chucked out, and you get to give your house a permanent film fest vibe. What's more, a percentage of every purchase will go to SFF 2016. Every single creation in the collection is a one-off — and straight up adorable. You're going to want to pounce on these guys in particular; at $45/50 each they're going to sell out quicksmart. All items are currently on sale online and anything that’s left over by the time the festival opens on June 3 will be available at the Festival Hub. The only exceptions are two banners on which A Clockwork Orange's Alex DeLarge’s psychopathic visage appears. They’ll be given away via competitions, to be launched in June and announced at the festival’s end. The winners will get to decide exactly how they’d like Alex transformed. Doona? Wall hanging? Poncho? You'll decide. Shop The Scallywag Society's Sydney Film Festival collection over here. Want to know which films to see this year? Check out our top ten picks to book tickets to here.
It's a sad day when you want to visit Japan (so, so bad — we know) but you can't find sale flights that match up with your annual leave dates. Or you can't find sale flights at all. Or even if you could find sale flights, it's just not gonna happen. Luckily, Melbourne is one Australian city that's bursting with Japanese culture, but like many things in the city, finding the gold takes a bit of digging. You just have to know where to look to fill your life with Japanese-style ceramics, stationery, fabrics, furniture, kitchen sponges, Akari light sculptures, goldfish paper balloons and oh, a hidden city bath house. Here are a handful of the best spots to get you started. MADE IN JAPAN "We shape clay into a pot, but it's the emptiness inside that holds everything we want." Sounds pretty MIJ to us. No, that's not a typo for MUJI. It's short for Made In Japan, and that's one of their mottos. The warehouse that their houses their South Melbourne store has just enough emptiness to hold nearly everything you could want. Including rice paper floor lamps, hammered copper rain chains, flower spikes and the incredibly beautiful, seemingly weightless Akari light sculptures. Intrigued? That's only the beginning. It's tableware that brings most of their loyal customers to the store — the pieces imported by Made in Japan rarely appear outside Japan, and even then often only in homes and restaurants nearby to the makers' kilns. 276 – 278 Coventry Street, South Melbourne APATO Oh, how we love to namedrop Naoto Fukasawa. Simple yet innovative, many designs have flowed from this man's imagination into products that have in turn inspired some of the everyday shapes we know and love. Sleek white Apple products? That's right, even Apple cites Fukasawa as an influence. As beautiful as pictures are, it's worth heading into Apato to check out his designs in the flesh – or bent blonde wood, as the case may be. The Swan Street store hold some of the world's most beautiful furniture, from high profile designers like Fukasawa to emerging talents, all masters of their craft. 283 Swan Street, Richmond MR KITLY Not only is Mr Kitly a mecca for plant people, it's a haven for Japanese design-lovers. Store owner Bree Claffey lived in Japan for five years, so she knows her stuff. There's a big focus on artisanal crafts and ceramics, yes, many of which have beautiful plants growing in them. The store presents a range of international artists and artisans from countries including Australia, the US, the UK and France. But Japanese culture and aesthetics is definitely a focus, and Bree cites the tea room, ikebana films of Yasujiro Ozu, urban potted garden culture and organic buildings by Terunobu Fujimori amongst her key influences. Don't forget to check out the gallery works while you're there, too. 381 Sydney Road, Brunswick ONSEN MA If you wanted to design a place to relax completely, and wash away the endless chatter of the outside world, what would you create? A deep, marble bath in a light-filled converted warehouse, complete with soaring ceilings, decorative slippers and a tea house? Yep, that'd do the trick. Enter Onsen Ma. It's one of Melbourne's very best spa experiences. Follow the flight of stairs behind an unassuming door in one of the city's laneways and be led to reception – not before removing your shoes, naturally. If you haven't had a traditional Japanese bath before, the poised yet warm receptionist will tell you how it's done. And before you know it, you'll be soaking in the tub. Sauna, shower, and repeat. Judging by the tranquility of other bathers, this could be a good habit to get into. Level 1, 12–18 Meyers Place, Melbourne CIBI Head. Hands. Heart. Ours were full when we left CIBI. So were our bellies. CIBI serves up home-style Japanese cooking during lunch, and their weekend breakfast menu is not-to-be-missed. But first things first, the initial thing we noticed when we visited was the cutlery. Have you ever really studied the cutlery at a café before? Maybe you have, you're reading a design article, after all. But, design nerd or not, we'd wager you'll be well impressed by the smooth, characteristically Japanese shapes of the knives and forks next to your matcha latte. And everything — from panko-crumbed bowls of miso-mayoed goodness to the design treats inside. Did you ever imagine wanting a cedar pot stand? Chef's chopsticks? Ornamental porcelain elephant? Probably not. But, we challenge you to leave empty-handed — or without one of their delicate goldfish paper balloons. 45 Keele Street, Collingwood TOKYOBIKE No Melbourne x Japan design list would be complete without bikes, right? Tokyobike to the rescue. Founded in Tokyo's quiet Yanaka neighbourhood, their bikes were designed to bring enjoyment, comfort and lightness to people exploring the city on two wheels. They've now set up shop in Melbourne. As well as bikes, they've got all the accessories your heart could wish for, including the bike engineer pouches hand-crafted in Okayama, touchscreen gloves developed by Japan design geniuses, and a killer poncho (which looks Japanese but is actually made in London). Everyone's a winner. 5 Peel Street, Collingwood CHEF'S ARMOURY Like its Sydney sister store, the Melbourne Chef's Armoury is a must-visit for anyone who loves Japanese cooking or food, or just likes marvelling at the precision with which a knife can cut through that oh-so-hard pumpkin skin. Know the feeling? Probably not, because if you're anything like us, you've been hacking away at those hard-to-cut vegetables with a knife whose origins, and absolute bluntness, is a mystery. Carbon steel, ironwood, cast iron. All the good kitchen things. Check out their konro barbeques, too – filled with clean-burning white charcoal, they're said to imbue anything you cook with an incredible flavour. Add one of the many condiments for sale to your basket, and you're a match for any long weekend. 422 Church Street, Richmond MUJI If you're reading this article, chances are you're into Japanese design enough to know about MUJI. If you are, or if you read our article on Sydney's Japanese design gems, you'll know MUJI's name comes from the words 'Mujirushi Ryōhin', translated as No Brand Quality Goods. And the store's wares sure live up to its name. Linen aprons and acacia-wood chopsticks, anyone? Oh, and this is where you snag those ceramic ginger-graters. Level 2, Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, and Lower Level, Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone KIMONO HOUSE Did you know that kimonos are made in different fabrics for different seasons and occasions? Cotton for summer, wool for winter and silk for special events. We're hanging out for a traditional kimono in linen, but maybe we'll have to wait and see if MUJI come up with a modern take on that. Tucked away in Melbourne's historic Nicholas Building, Kimono House has reams of kimono, in an almost unimaginable array of prints and colours (unless, of course, you've been to Kyoto). They also run craft and cultural classes, including an ikebana course that we're itching to try. Room 7, 2nd Floor, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne Following your Japanese design addiction to Sydney? We can help. Top image: Tokyobike.
Forget space travel, the internet and the mapping of the human genome. Our greatest technological achievements pale in comparison to the one unveiled by Dominos (yes, that Dominos) in Brisbane last night. Developed by the pizza chain in partnership with technology startup Marathon Robotics, the Dominos Robotic Unit, or DRU, is a fully functioning autonomous vehicle built for the sole purpose of delivering pizza. The future is here. Designed to travel along footpaths, DRU weighs 190kg, can reach speeds of up to 20km per hour, and navigates unassisted using GPS. It is also capable of navigating around obstacles, ensuring your food arrives unscathed. Once DRU rolls up outside your house, you simple enter a unique mobile code and the heated storage compartment opens right up to reveal the sweet, sweet pizza within. Sadly, Dominos expects it'll be at least another two years until DRUs are ready to begin regular service, as there are still various technological and regulatory hurdles to overcome. Turns out the government is a little tetchy when it comes to unsupervised robots roaming the streets... which is probably fair enough. Dominos also acknowledges that there could be problems with vandalism and theft. DRU is worth around $30,000, making it a prime target for unscrupulous robot-nappers. Of course, that pales in comparison to the real danger that no one seems to want to talk about. We've seen enough dystopian science fiction films to know the beginnings of a robot uprising when we see one. Pretty sure Skynet started out as a pizza delivery system, too. Just sayin... [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqzLoXjFT34[/embed] Via Lifehacker. Image: Marathon Robotics.
With a sumptuous colour palette, interwoven plot lines, and unexpected humour, writer-director Rian Johnson (Looper) has assuredly marked Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi as his own – a new chapter in the Skywalker saga that is at once deeply familiar and unique. Part two in the sequel trilogy picks up right where The Force Awakens left off, with the orphaned heroine Rey (Daisy Ridley) attempting to lure the only remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), out of self-imposed exile. Meanwhile, the last remnants of the Resistance flee a resurgent New Order. The film opens with as dramatic a sequence as the franchise has ever seen, delivering an exhilarating and poignant battle that introduces a spectacularly menacing new class of space ship known as the Dreadnaught, pits ace pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) against his superiors, and sets in motion a race against the clock. Unable to escape without detection and with only shallow reserves of fuel remaining until the New Order catches up with them, the depleted Rebel fleet limps through space like the Orca from Jaws – a hapless, crumbling ship pursued by a killer whose only remaining hurdle is time. But as ingenious as this setup may be, it also gives rise to the film's most pointless subplot. After waking from his coma, Finn (John Boyega) contrives a means by which he can disable the New Order's tracking device, albeit one that requires him to sneak off the fleeing vessel, travel to a Monaco-styled casino planet, track down a master codebreaker and infiltrate the enemy's warship undetected. This enormous MacGuffin sees Boyega partnered with the charming Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, a Resistance engineer low in status but high in pluck. The problem is that their side adventure does absolutely nothing to advance the actual story. Finn's reluctant hero arc was already covered off in The Force Awakens, while Rose's belief in (and commitment to) the righteousness of the rebel cause is perfectly encapsulated in her fantastic introductory scene but goes unchallenged thereafter. Benicio Del Toro also pops up, then shortly thereafter departs, in an entirely forgettable cameo. Ultimately they all end up right where they began, having effected no material change except to deliver a heavy-handed critique of war profiteers. The great shame is that in both Boyega and Tran you have oodles of charisma, heart and talent that deserve scenes of equal calibre. Instead, they chew up time in a movie already guilty of using far too much of it. Thankfully the rest of the cast fares better. Hamill, Ridley and Adam Driver's Kylo Ren find themselves entangled in a fascinating and emotionally-driven power struggle, with each grappling with their complicated relationships to one another and their wider place in the universe. In an appropriate analogy to the franchise itself, Skywalker wrestles with his own understanding of legend and mythos, believing himself unworthy of hero status and wracked with the guilt of failing Ren in his training. Ren, in turn, remains conflicted about his place in the First Order and his murder of his father, whilst Rey feels the growing Force within her yet lacks the knowledge or training to understand it. It's in sequences featuring this core trio that The Last Jedi hits its highest notes. The exploration of Jedi lore, too, receives the kind of treatment that will delight the franchise's most ardent fans, including a moment of outstanding visual flair, involving replicated Reys, that reminds us of Johnson's unique style and character. And, of course, there's Carrie Fisher, whose few scenes remind us how affecting and groundbreaking a character Princess Leia is, and how captivating an actor Fisher was. Her departure is treated with all the deftness, restraint and respect that audiences could hope for. Perhaps the biggest departure from tradition, though, especially in the wake of the gritty spinoff Rogue One, is Johnson's use of comedy. With more gags, one-liners and quirky moments than all the other Star Wars films combined, The Last Jedi introduces a levity to the staid franchise in the vein of Roger Moore's turn as post-Connery Bond. At times it works, even to the point of guffaws, but ultimately the humour feels misplaced. In a story where loss abounds and crushing defeat looms large at every turn, the repeated cutaways to doe-eyed porgs purring like extras from a Pixar film distract more than they entertain. So, too, does Domhnall Gleeson, whose character General Hux plays more like a parody of a Star Wars villain. As a result, both the New Order and the film itself are robbed of their most enduring menace: the Empire. After all, pare back any of the previous films in this sprawling space opera and you'll find that, for all their Sith lords and rogue assassins, what truly terrified was a galactic military-industrial complex so vast and overbearing it was capable of repressing not just people but entire planets. Darth Vaders come and go, and individuals can be destroyed, but totalitarian regimes endure for generations. When an oppressed populace has only ever known a life under the iron fist, it cannot even contemplate an alternative. It's that, more than any great, dark mysticism, that provides the Star Wars universe with its most tangible threat. Overly long and consistently clunky, The Last Jedi ultimately proves a bit of a mixed bag. Its battle scenes are nothing short of spectacular, including a five-second shot involving Laura Dern and a hyperspace jump that almost singlehandedly justifies the entire film's existence. As a chronicle of Jedi mythology, too, the film delivers in a way the George Lucas prequels never managed, offering new and engaging insights into the Force and the balance between light and dark. Too often, though, the dialogue is exposition heavy and played for easy laughs. One senses Rian Johnson has in him a greater, more exploratory story to tell, one unburdened by so much expectation and history. The good news? He's set to follow Last Jedi with an entirely new Star Wars trilogy. May the force be with him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0CbN8sfihY
One of the biggest films of 2015 sees a team of valiant superheroes do battle with a malevolent android named Ultron. A hulking hunk of metal bent on human annihilation, he’s the latest in a long line of movie robots run amuck, one that stretches back all the way to Fritz Lang’s silent Metropolis and encompasses many of the all-time great science-fiction films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Terminator and the criminally underrated masterpiece that is Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. But while Ultron is busy making life difficult for Iron Man and pals, a smaller film is offering a more nuanced take on the dilemmas of artificial intelligence. The directorial debut of writer Alex Garland, Ex Machina is a (relatively) low-budget techno thriller that poses some big, frightening questions about where humankind may be headed. Carried on the shoulders of its three central performances, it’s an intriguing piece of understated science fiction that’ll leave you pondering its content long after it comes to an end. The film follows Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer for a massive internet search engine, who wins a mysterious company-wide lottery. His prize: spend a week with the company’s eccentric founder Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) in his remote mountainside home and research lab. There, Caleb finds himself introduced to Bateman’s most incredible invention yet: a humanoid robot named Ava (Swedish actress Alicia Vikander). The purpose of Caleb’s visit, Bateman explains, is to spend time speaking with Ava, to determine whether she has truly achieved artificial intelligence. As the week stretches on, however, Caleb begins to sense that something is terribly amiss. Although it’s his first film in the director’s chair, Garland is certainly no stranger to science fiction, having previously written the screenplays for Sunshine, 28 Days Later and Dredd. Still, Ex Machina is certainly his most cerebral work — slow moving, but never dull. As Ava and Caleb grow closer and Caleb begins to question Bateman’s ultimate goals, the film forces us to consider a number of difficult ideas, from what exactly it means to be human to what responsibilities come with playing God. A big part of what keeps the film engaging are the performances of Garland’s three leads. Gleeson’s awkward, good natured Caleb strikes a stark contrast with Isaac’s macho take on Bateman, whose heavy drinking and aggressive alpha male personality adds an uneasy tension to many of their exchanges. So too is it difficult to pin down the dynamic between Caleb and Vikander’s seemingly innocent robot, especially when she begins to show hints of romantic interest in her new companion — feelings that he soon begins to reciprocate. The film is at its best when it's exploring these kinds of emotional, social and technological grey areas. Hidden character motivations leave viewers in the same spot as Caleb, feeling increasingly uneasy, and unsure of exactly where they stand. If you just want explosions, go and see Age of Ultron. But if you’re looking for something a little more intellectually rewarding, Ex Machina is the ticket for you.
Yeah, yeah, so Meghan Trainor spent X weeks at the top of the charts with her multiplatinum mega-single and No 1. album at only 22 years old. Yeah, good. We're pretty set to continue burling 'ROBBED!' for a good few hours after Australia's Courtney Barnett just missed out on her first Grammy award for Best New Artist, with the 'All About That Bass' artist nabbing the gong. But the Melburnian/Hobartian won the live blogging for the event, taking over Tumblr's music page for the day. Apart from Kendrick Lamar rightly dominating errrrthing, Lady Gaga's Bowie tribute and Pharrell's quaint Chanel jacket, Barnett's quiet blogging stole the show for us. Takin' mad selfie GIFs before the show: http://music.tumblr.com/post/139381160531/just-me-and-then-dave-and-then-bones Rockin' the outfit we'd want to wear to the Grammys: http://music.tumblr.com/post/139388982451/me-on-the-red-carpet Waiting for Swifty and Selena to wrap up: http://music.tumblr.com/post/139390159691/taylor-and-selena-in-front-of-me-nbd Before and after-ing on the red carpet. http://music.tumblr.com/post/139390666806/pre-red-carpet-post-red-carpet-we-did-it Scoping out after-Grammy tacos: http://music.tumblr.com/post/139405254176/hanging-with-my-awesome-tour-manager-hook-waiting Go check it out here. What a boss.
Vincent Corneille and Rubin Utama are the excellent gentlemen behind Son Valise, the company that builds the adorable and awesome JukeCase. You might have seen them at various markets, walked past their Collingwood store, or eyed one off with envy at your mate's place, either way, they're everywhere at the moment and not only they look great, but also the sound quality is top-notch. Vincent and Rubin recently launched a Pozible campaign to create a smaller version of the JukeCase, appropriately named the JukeCase Mini. As of Monday they reached their $16,000 goal and the JukeCase Mini is going ahead. (If you're pretty keen on these wonderful musical contraptions you can still pledge up until December 16 and receive a JukeCase Mini for below the RRP.) To celebrate their Pozible win, and the gorgeous summer that awaits us all, we asked Vincent and Rubin to compile some kick-arse playlists that are perfect for warm weather activities. Whether you're heading to the beach, getting out of town for a few days, or throwing a house party of epic proportions, here are a few tunes the Son Valise lads can recommend. Road Trip Songs A road trip playlist needs to cover a lot of ground. For starters, you need enough sing-along songs that your carload of people can scream along to that it keeps morale high. You also need songs that compliment your surroundings. A good way to do this is play artists who come from your destination of choice to get you in the mood. Finally, road trips are excellent introversion time, so if you're travelling solo, sometimes quieter, thinking music is best. Vincent and Rubin have covered all bases here, so grab your bags and let's hit the road. VINCENT Jackson Browne - Running On Empty: In the middle of the desert when you've been on the road for eight hours straight, this song propels you to keep on moving. The Doors - LA Woman: No road trip is complete without The Doors blaring out of the stereo (or JukeCase). This song has great pace and always gets you focused on the drive. Bruce Springsteen - I'm On Fire: Really chilled out and great for those really late nights in the middle of nowhere. Gorillaz ft. Little Dragon - Empire Ants: An amazing and powerful crescendo. The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar: Seeing the sunrise over the ocean and this playing in the background is a truly wonderful experience. RUBIN Kanye West - POWER: Always a good pump up if driving is getting a little dull. Dr Alban - Sing Hallelujah: '90s sing-along. Cake - The Distance: The title is self-explanatory I think. Time to drive! Todd Terje - Swing Star, Pt.1 & 2: Sometimes when you get in the zone it's good to listen to a bit of "in the zone" music that develops. No lyrics. Just a musical journey. Kitty, Daisy and Lewis - Don't Make a Fool Out of Me: A good sunny-day, window-down tune to sing along with. House Party Boogie Nights Whether it's a housewarming, Christmas party or NYE festivities, you can bet that there will be some banging house parties over summer. If you're planning to throw your own, make sure you pack your playlist with dancefloor-fillers from the now and yesterday. Old school hip hop and disco are excellent choices and have been favoured by Vincent and Rubin, as well as few saucy ones for a cheeky make-out sesh. You're welcome, future summer lovers. VINCENT Rick James - Give It to Me Baby: I'm a big Rick James fan and this one always sets the scene. Prince - Erotic City: Sleazy funk from the master himself. Talking Heads - Girlfriend Is Better: Unrelenting party jam Hot Chocolate - Heaven Is in the Backseat of My Cadillac: The name says it all really. The Whispers - And the Beat Goes On: Try to not dance. I dare you. RUBIN Oliver Cheatham - Get Down It's Saturday Night - Because that's what you should be doing on a Saturday night. Chic - The Chic Minimix: The best of Chic all mixed into one seven-minute ultimate minimix. Young MC - Bust a Move - Old-school hip hop song/dance-along. Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: What's a house party without a little Michael? Thundercat - Oh Sheit It's X!: Upbeat, high energy, ridiculous bass line. Sure to get you moving in ways you never knew you could. Beach Time Chill Out Tunes It's time to kick back and let the hours pass you by with a blissed out soundtrack. Embrace the lazy, hazy days of summer either crashing amongst the waves or swinging in a hammock. Classics like The Beatles and The Beach Boys get a look in from Vincent's list, while Rubin has gone with local legends The Avalanches and the always perfect Will Smith. Surf's up, dude. VINCENT The Beatles - Side Two of Abbey Road LP: It doesn't technically count as one song, but they all intertwine without stopping so I can never bring myself to stop the music. Beach Boys - God Only Knows: Try and hunt down the a cappella, moving stuff. Cornelius - Beep It: One of my favourite artists, and it has such a beautiful melody. Daft Punk - Fresh: It starts with waves gently breaking and builds a chilled out groove. Fleetwood Mac - Albatross: Feels like you're sinking into the sand. RUBIN Will Smith - Miami: Will Smith, that's why. Air - La Femme D'Argent: Think dusk, hanging out in a hammock watching the orange sunset over the rolling sea. Washed Out - Feel It All Around - Poolside, ice cold drink. Maybe a Mojito. With a little umbrella in it. The Coasters - Down in Mexico: Drinking rum at a little bamboo beach shack. If that's not what you're doing then you should be. The Avalanches - Since I Left You: A feelgood song that makes you think of bright flowers and sunny days. Happy times.
If you had to choose one drink that captures the essence of Sydney, what would it be? How about a handcrafted gin, made using a selection of botanicals picked from our own Royal Botanic Garden? Well, that's exactly what the folks at award-winning Distillery Botanica Gin have created with their just-released limited-edition Rather Royal Gin. In developing this one-off creation, master distiller Phillip Moore teamed up with the Botanic Garden's director of horticulture, Jimmy Turner, to pick out the most gin-worthy botanical haul this verdant, 220-year-old site had to offer. Botanicals from all over the Garden have leant their unique flavour qualities to the spirit, including mandarin leaf, lemon verbena, lovage, chamomile, and even Pope John Paul roses. An age-old technique called enfleurage was used to cold-extract the various perfumes and refine the gin to its final product — effectively, a trek through the Botanic Garden, in boozy liquid form. What's more, Rather Royal Gin will have you drinking for an excellent cause, with sale proceeds earmarked for the Garden's many conservation programs; from seed collection and banking, to research, training, and awareness. Plus, the bartenders are Bulletin Place are offering up a special limited edition cocktail using the gin. Just 1000 bottles of Rather Royal Gin have been crafted, so if you're keen to snap one up, you'd best get in quick. They're priced at $129 and are available from selected stockists, Distillery Botanica Gin's website, and over the bar at The Botanic Garden Restaurant.
As you're no doubt already aware, this week the world lost one of its finest actors, after Alan Rickman succumbed to cancer at the age of 69. Although his resume boasted dozens of incredible credits, Rickman is best known for his two most iconic roles, playing Professor Snape in the Harry Potter serries and terrorist mastermind Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Yet despite his predilection for playing sinister characters, tributes in the wake of his death have universally described the actor as a kind, funny and generous human being. Emma Thompson, who appeared alongside Rickman in films including Love Actually and Sense and Sensibility, described him as "the ultimate ally," while his Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe remembered Rickman as one of the first actors to treat him "like a peer rather than a child." Perhaps the most heartbreaking tribute came in the form of this simple image from The New Yorker cartoonist Ben Schwartz. Remembering the actor Alan Rickman, in this cartoon by @BentSchwartz: https://t.co/a35CPgUxLO pic.twitter.com/moUFpyl4SM — The New Yorker (@NewYorker) January 14, 2016 In tribute to Rickman's life and career, the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Sydney have announced they will be hosting a special screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 on Sunday February 7. Tickets will cost $15, with $3 of every sale going to the Cancer Council NSW. The cinema is also hosting charity screenings of Labyrinth on January 29 and The Man Who Fell to Earth on January 31 in tribute to David Bowie.
When you first hear it described to you, Tangerine doesn't exactly scream 'comedy'. Set on the streets of Los Angeles one day before Christmas, the breakout feature at this year's Sundance Film Festival follows a poor transgender sex worker who has just gotten out of prison, only to discover that her pimp/boyfriend has been cheating on her. Sounds pretty grim, right? That's where you'd be wrong. Working closely with transgender actors Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor, neither of whom had any prior screen experience, writer-director Sean Baker and his co-writer Chris Bergoch have crafted one of the boldest, funniest and most memorable independent features we've seen in quite some time — one that puts transgender issues front and centre without ever becoming preachy or resorting to cliche. As if that weren't impressive enough, there's also the story of how they physically made the movie, using little more than a pair of iPhone 5s. Originally a budgetary decision, it ends up being Baker's ace in the hole, lending the film a brash, in-your-face aesthetic that could hardly be more fitting. We spoke with Baker about what it's like to make a movie on your mobile, as well as the importance of giving narratives like these the spotlight they deserve. Tell us a little bit about how this project came about? I live about a half a mile from the intersection of Santa Monica and Highland, which is sort of an unofficial red light district. It's known, especially as of late, for transgender sex workers. That intersection in particular was always known for its drama, and I would pass it and wonder why there haven't been more films that have taken place there. I was also in a situation where I was trying to get money for a much bigger film, but it never happened. The industry is really upside-down right now, and I was waiting and waiting and waiting, and I knew that if I waited any longer I wasn't ever going to make a film again. So I turned to Mark Duplass and said, "hey, a couple of years ago you offered me a micro-budget. I think I'm in the position where I'm going to have to take it." So does that mean the decision to shoot on the iPhone was primarily a budgetary one? Yes. Or at least, it started off that way, and then of course it became an aesthetic. Were there other films that influenced you, in terms of the way the movie looks? No, that was the cool part about it — that it seemed to me to be a pretty original aesthetic. We combined a bunch of tools. This anamorphic adapter that we used allowed us to shoot in true scope; true widescreen cinema. Then there was an app called FiLMic Pro that has a bunch of bells and whistles and allows you to shoot at 24 frames per second. And then we used the Smothee, which is a handheld stabiliser that stabilises the iPhone. Then in post production we ended up pumping the colours through the roof, which really enhanced the LA sun. So all of a sudden you have these four tools working together creating this look that I'm really happy with. When you're on location, what are some of the advantages and/or challenges of shooting on a phone? What it did was that it allowed us to basically work clandestinely. If you saw us shooting from across the street, you'd never know we were shooting anything professional, except for the fact that we had a boom pole. We got permits, but we didn't have to announce that we were shooting, so we were able to capture real street life. Of course, then we had to ask them for their releases after I yelled 'cut', which is a risk because you then have to chase people down and beg. But for the most part people are pretty nice. From what we've read elsewhere, it sounds like a lot of research went into the film. How important was it that you immerse yourself in this world? I think it's the only way. I think it's best to allow the world to speak to you, as opposed to you speaking to a world that you're not a part of. That's just an irresponsible way of storytelling. Chris and I, we're cisgender white males who are not from that world whatsoever. So we needed to do a lot of research. We had to find a collaborator and put the time in. And the collaborators in this case were our leads. Mya especially. She was the first person we met who gave us the enthusiasm we were looking for. On its face, the film's subject matter sounds fairly grim. Was there ever a version of the script without the comedic elements that played like a more straightforward drama? It's funny that you mention that, especially with you being from Australia, because the cinema coming out of Australia has been incredibly influential on me. Snowtown is such an amazing masterpiece, and that's what I thought the film was going to be originally. Not the murders, but that social realist style with that really desaturated look. So then what changed your mind? Getting to know the women, and hanging out with them regularly, I saw that even though they were dealing with incredible hardships, they used humour to cope. And I knew that the film would be dishonest if I didn't incorporate that humour. It was actually part of Mya's request as well. She said to me point blank, "I've seen your other films and I trust you, and I want to make this movie with you, but you've got to promise me that it will be funny. You've got to make a film that is entertaining for the people out here. We don't want a 'plight of' film that's all drama, hitting people over the head and leaving the audience feeling terrible." And I'm really glad she sent me down that road. On that point, how has the transgender community reacted to the film? It's been really positive. I thought this film was going to divide audiences, but so far there's been a really nice amount of love given to us across the board. One of our first reviews from a transperson came from Australia, at the Sydney Film Festival, and she was very, very positive about it. And having travelled with the film a little bit already, I've been able to see how members of trans communities react in different countries. I was in Columbia, in Bogotá, and members of the local trans community came to the premiere, and they said to me afterwards through a translator that while there are lots of cultural differences, they really connected and indentified with the sisterhood between the two main characters, which was a real nice thing to hear. With television shows like Transparent and Orange Is the New Black, as well as all the recent media coverage surrounding Caitlyn Jenner, it feels as though transgender stories are finally getting attention in mainstream culture. How important is this, and are you pleased to be part of the trend? Most definitely. Setting down this road two and a half years ago, we had no idea it was going to be as much a part of the zeitgeist as it is now. Any time visibility and awareness is increased it's a positive thing. The unfortunate part of all of this is that the murder rate here in the United State has almost doubled from last year, assuming it stays at this rate. It's hard to get up-to-date statistics because of the fact that a lot of these murders aren't investigated correctly. But we're already up to 15 murders of transpeople here in the United States in 2015, and we're only at the end of August. The hope is that increased awareness and visibility will eventually lead to acceptance, but we still have a long way to go. I also think we need a number of these types of narratives. I'm making a film about a microcosm — about transwomen of colour who happen to work as sex workers in a very small area of Los Angeles. So this is only representative of a tiny, tiny portion of the transgender community. This has to be one of many, many different narratives that are being told. Tangerine is in cinemas in Sydney and Melbourne now.
Two of the greatest artists in history, who happened to have one of the most volatile relationships in recent memory, will be the focus of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' brand new exhibition in 2016. Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera is coming to the gallery next year, running June 25 to October 9, 2016. BOOM. Nice one AGNSW. Kahlo and Rivera's artistic and personal rollercoaster ride will be the focus, with 40 artworks, self-portrait paintings, drawings and canvases from the pair, all from the renowned collection of Jacques and Natasha Gelman. Alongside these works will be approximately 50 photographs by the likes of Frida’s father, Guillermo Kahlo. Edward Weston and Lola Alvarez Bravo, so you can take a peek into these two artist's intimate world. Australia doesn't actually have a Frida Kahlo on public display, so this is one heck of a slam dunk for the gallery. The exhibition marks the cornerstone of the 2016 exhibition program for the Art Gallery of New South Wales, announced today. There's plenty more where that came from, including the upcoming blockbuster exhibition, The Greats, featuring Botticelli, Vermeer, Rembrandt and more masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland. German artist Julian Rosefeldt will bring the Cate Blanchett-starring video installation Manifesto to the Gallery from May 28 to November 13, after a huge exhibition of gold, silver, glass and ceramics from the Chinese Tang dynasty in April. Beloved Australian artist Tracey Moffatt will see a huge exhibition of her work dubbed Laudanum and other works, featuring the namesake photographic series and her famous montage videos Love and Other. It's an on-year, so the Biennale of Sydney will return to the gallery from March 18 to June 5, alongside the ever-popular ARTEXPRESS from March 16 to May 15. For the AGNSW's whole 2016 program and beyond, head to the website.
A small country pub on the NSW South Coast is ditching pokies in favour of live music. For years the Tathra Hotel has been home to a dozen poker machines, with 50 percent of the venue's total value tied up in the licences required to have them on site. Despite this, when veteran publican Cliff Wallis took over the hotel last year, he decided the machines had to go. "Poker machines have destroyed hotels in many respects," Wallis told the ABC. "Some hotels have become primarily poker machine venues, and they do best in the lowest socio-economic areas." Tathra has a population of just 2000 people, yet had 70 poker machines before Wallis took his stand. The plan is to use the money made from the sale of the gambling licences to revamp the hotel's accommodation. The venue had already begun to host regular live music gigs before renovations began last month. The old pokies room, meanwhile, will make way for a microbrewery. Although the decision to remove the poker machines has alienated some former regulars, it has also attracted other types of clientele. "We have a lot of people coming in who didn't come here before — retired people, professionals, and more women coming in on their own to have a drink and listen to the music," Wallis said. Wallis has spent decades working in the industry, and has owned the Sundeck Hotel in the Perisher Valley for 25 years. Ultimately, he says he wants the Tathra Hotel to be "a place that the community is proud of." Via Music Australia. Image: Wiki.
Step through hidden doors into a garden wreathed in flames at Melbourne's annual celebration of creativity and chaos. Taking over the city from October 3-22, this year's Melbourne International Arts Festival program looks guaranteed to astound, packed with art, music, theatre, dance and more to fill your spring nights with wonder. The festival team has outdone itself again, delivering a lineup that crosses continents and artistic mediums alike. In addition to Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney's 1000 Doors and Compagnie Carabosse's Fire Gardens, standout works in 2018 include an experimental audio piece by Japanese artist Asuna, an epic dance-opera sung completely in Azerbajani(and referenced as the OG Romeo and Juliet), and an immersive multimedia show at the Melbourne Planetarium directed by local writer, poet and broadcaster Alicia Sometimes.
This summer, Monte Morgan, Harvey Miller and stylist Kirsty Barros as co-designer launch the Client Liaison Designer Line pop-up in Melbourne and Sydney. While the band have always designed their own merchandise, they felt the time had come to embark on something a bit more ambitious. We brought you a peek of the range last month, which features Client Liaison's signature peach and 'reef' variations, and keeps to a unisex beach theme, manifesting itself as jumpers, beach robes, t shirts, bumbags, visors and budgie smugglers. For Harvey, it's all about slip, slop, slap. "Sun protection is a big one," he told Concrete Playground this spring. "It's something everyone should remember. We have a rash vest incorporated into the Designer Line." [caption id="attachment_595549" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Chris Middleton.[/caption] When choosing a summer outfit, the Client Liaison Designer Line is a good place to start. "It's luxury at the beach," says Monte. "You're totally relaxed but retaining a level of class". Harvey adds: "At the beach you'll need a light bag to chuck your beach towel in, somewhere to store your sunglasses at night. Bring a jumper for the icy cold evening. Dressing for the summer is all about being prepared." Read more about Client Liaison's summer wardrobe-picking abilities here. The Client Liaison Designer Line is available to purchase exclusively at pop-up stores in Melbourne and Sydney and at www.clientliaison.com from November 10. Prices range from $10-129. CLIENT LIAISON DESIGNER LINE POP-UP SHOP DATES: MELBOURNE Collarts, 209 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy Launch: Friday, November 10, 6-9pm Pop-up store: Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13 (10am to 5pm) SYDNEY Location TBC Launch: Friday, November 18, 6-9pm Pop-up store: Friday, November 18 to Sunday, November 20 (10am to 5pm) Diplomatic Immunity is out now. Images: Chris Middleton.
Somewhere in Los Angeles right now, there’s a pretty good chance that Johnny Depp is getting fitted for an elephant costume. Proving once again that nothing in Hollywood is sacred, Walt Disney Pictures has recently revealed that they’re working on a live action Dumbo remake, with director Tim Burton at the helm. For those of you who didn’t have a childhood, the original Dumbo tells the story of a young circus elephant whose oversized ears made him the subject of ridicule, until it was revealed that they allowed him to fly. Released in 1941 (really), the film was a major hit for the then-fledgling animation studio, and is regularly listed amongst the greatest animated movies of all time. The Burton version will be the latest in a string of Disney reboots, a trend that, fittingly enough, began when Burton’s own Alice in Wonderland grossed more than US$1 billion at the worldwide box office. Since then, the House of the Mouse has scoured its own back catalogue for properties to exploit, with recent releases like Maleficent and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice paving the way for further films including upcoming remakes of Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. While we’re pretty sceptical about the idea of a new Dumbo film, we have to admit that if the movie has to happen, the man who made Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice isn’t necessarily the worst choice. Although his recent track record has been somewhat hit-and-miss, Burton certainly knows how to put an interesting spin on otherwise child-friendly material. And let’s not forget that the original cartoon contains some pretty out there stuff, including this amazing scene when Dumbo gets hammered and hallucinates dancing pink elephants. We're also interested to see what Elfman does with Dumbo's long-recognised and controversial racial stereotyping. No news yet on a release date or casting, although we’re willing to bet money that Danny Elfman will work on the score. Burton's most recent film, Big Eyes, hits theatres on March 19. Via WSJ.
Swish Japanese joint Sake is launching a pint-size spinoff specialising in build-your-own bowls. Opening this week on Bourke Street in the CBD, Sake Jr. will offer rice, noodle, salad and bao bun-based bowls, along with breakfast options, 'grab and go' items, smoothies, coffee, kombucha and beer. Open 7am to 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 8pm on Saturday, Sake Jr. sells itself on a healthy menu that is "honest, sustainable, affordable and convenient — and absolutely packed with flavour." For example, workers blazing through the CBD at breakfast time grab an acai, seasonal fruit or berry and yuzu muesli bowl, and wash it down with a cold press juice or smoothie. Later in the day, you can make your own lunch. Just choose a base (like mix greens, udon noodle sticks or brown rice), decide on a protein (be it grilled chicken, popcorn shrimp, wagyu beef or tofu and shiitake), chuck in some veggies (such as wakame seaweed, steamed edamame, charred corn with garlic shots or crispy Brussels sprouts) and your choice of sauce and garnish. Voila! Further beverage options include nut milk, craft beer, house wine on tap, and sake (of course) by the glass. And if you're not sold on the idea, why not try it for free? To mark their grand opening, the first 500 people through the door after 11am today (Wednesday, September 14), will receive a complimentary bowl. You can also swing past again on Thursday from 7am when the first 100 customers get a free coffee and porridge bowl, and again on Friday after 5pm, when another 100 customers get a free bowl and beer. Find Sake Jr. at 555 Bourke Street, Melbourne. For more information visit www.sakejr.com.au.
Trying to stay healthy while eating the food you love can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. Basically, we want to have our cake, and eat it too, but to also have that cake not ruin any chance at being healthy as blazes. Luckily, the good folk at food delivery service Youfoodz have put together a couple of recipes that offer unexpectedly healthy takes on some of our all time culinary favourites. Say goodbye to the grease-sodden offerings from your local fish and chip shop because, for dinner, they suggest a healthy, homemade alternative, that subs out those deep-fried chippies for baked roast veggie chips and a good-for-you superseed crust instead of batter. Alternatively, if you've got a hectic sweet tooth, they've got the perfect protein packed recipe for blueberry pancakes with a light honey ricotta that looks every bit as good as it sounds. Add some extra berries on top for added antioxidants and deliciousness. Healthy eating ain't so bad after all. Check 'em out and enjoy the spoils. FISH AND CHIPS Ingredients (fish) 120g cod 1tbs almond meal 1tbs slivered almonds 1tbs quinoa 5g chia seeds 5g sesame seeds Lemon wedges Salt Ingredients (chips) 60g sweet potato 60g carrot 60g potato Paprika Ingredients (tartare sauce) 2-3 tbs of your favourite prepared aioli 2 large Gherkins (chopped) 1tbs Capers (chopped) Juice of 1 lemon Zest of 1 lemon 2tbs fresh dill (chopped) 2tbs continental Parsley (chopped) Method 1) Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. 2) Cut vegetables into chip shapes and sizes and combine with some paprika. Bake in oven until roasted and delicious. 3) Combine almond meal, nuts and seeds and mix well, sprinkle heavily on top of cod and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked. 4) Add chopped gherkins, capers, dill, lemon juice and zest and parsley to prepared aioli and mix well. 5) Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of sea salt. BLUEBERRY BAKED PANCAKES AND HONEY RICOTTA Ingredients (pancake mix) 4 eggs 1 cup almond meal Half cup gluten free flour 100g protein powder Lemon zest of 2 lemons 1.5 cups natural yoghurt Quarter cup white sugar 1tsp bi carb soda 1 cup blueberries Ingredients (ricotta and honey mix) Ricotta cheese Honey Method 1) Lightly beat eggs with sugar till combined well. 2) Add almond meal, gluten free flour, protein powder and bi carb soda and mix well. 3) Add yoghurt, blueberries and lemon zest, combine all ingredients and cook in medium hot non stick fry pan till risen and golden. Combine ricotta and honey, spoon over cooked pancakes with additional berries and honey. Want someone else to cook these for you? Youfoodz will bring them right to your door. To view the full menu, head to youfoodz.com.
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is on the verge of a massive expansion, with founder David Walsh announcing his vision for an epic five-star hotel — among other things — on the site of the iconic Hobart gallery. The Hotel at MONA — or HOMO for short — has been described as the next phase of growth for the museum, which, since opening in 2011, has become one of Tasmania's biggest draws. "It's very simple really. We like building stuff," said Walsh. "So far it has gone pretty well for us." Pretty well is a bit of an understatement, with the gallery's citywide winter festival, Dark MOFO, having just wrapped up quite possibly its most successful and most talked about instalment so far. Walsh's HOMO announcement is well-timed — and, it must be noted, these plans are by no means approved, as they haven't yet been submitted to MONA's local city council — but what exactly can visitors (and locals) expect from the proposed addition to the Berridale site? And what other changes do Walsh and co. have up their sleeves? Well, a lot. We've broken in down so you can begin to understand what is going on in Walsh's brain. [caption id="attachment_628671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] A HUGE NEW HOTEL The hotel will be built on the museum's current site in Berridale. With rooms elevated over the Derwent River, the design has been based on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge flipped upside down.HOMO will consist of 172 rooms, including a number of special 'experience' rooms developed by a selection of internationally renowned artists. Rooms facing the northeast will enjoy a view of Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, while rooms facing southeast will look up the river towards Claremont and Otago Bay. It looks nuts. [caption id="attachment_628672" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects[/caption] AN AMPHITHEATRE The hotel will also house a three-storey library to house Walsh's collection of rare books and manuscripts and an indoor theatre with seating for over 1000 people. Most notably, there will also be an outdoor stage and amphitheatre complete with playground designed by textile artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam. A restaurant, conference centre and spa will also be on-site. [caption id="attachment_628674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rémi Chauvin.[/caption] A MOVE FOR MONA FOMA In related news, MONA is also planning to move the Festival of Music and Art (FOMA) from Hobart to Launceston. "The festival's original ten-year plan — to change the culture in Hobart — has come to fruition ahead of schedule," said FOMA creative director Brian Richie. "We'd like to embark upon a new creative journey - to relocate to Launceston in search of new challenges, new collaborations, fresh partnerships and novel creative models." MONA has requested funding from the State Government to do this. [caption id="attachment_628675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] AN ART 'ANTI-CASINO' Perhaps the most intriguing element is 'Monaco', a private, high-limit, pokies-free 'anti-casino' that will double as an outlet for art and design. We're really not sure what this means, but that's probably the point. [caption id="attachment_628676" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fender Katsalidis Architects.[/caption] WHEN WILL IT ALL HAPPEN? Construction is expected to take approximately three years — although the start date could still a while away as the hotel's development plans are yet to be submitted to Glenorchy City Council. A "comprehensive consultation process" with the public will also be held. MONA hopes to start building in 2019 for an opening in early 2022. For what it's worth though, State Premier Will Hodgman seems keen on the project, telling reporters that "I think whatever comes out via Mona and David Walsh is always worth listening to." We'll keep an eye on this one. Top image: Fender Katsalidis Architects.
Anyone who has ever held a nine-to-five office job will have at some point wanted nothing more than to crawl under their desk and take a nap. We find it tends to happen at around three in the afternoon — once the rush from our lunchtime coffee has subsided, but quittin' time is still a ways away. Lucky for all of us, there's a new workspace on the market designed to accommodate our every dozy desire. Created by Greek design firm NL Studios, the '1.6 S.M. of Life' (doesn't that just roll off the tongue?) is a desk with its own in built-in sleep pod that seems perfect for a quick on-the-job power nap. Made from solid wood, metal and white leather, the prototype includes a slide-out top and removable side panels, allowing you to easily transform it from desk to bed and back again. According to an interview with A' Design Awards and Competition, designer Athanasia Leivaditou came up with the idea after seeing her graduate school classmates sleeping on chairs during late night study sessions. "The main concept was to comment [on] the fact that our lives are shrinking in order to fit into the confined space of our office," she said. Of course, just because such a product exists doesn't mean your boss will be too keen on you taking an afternoon siesta. On the other hand, studies are increasingly showing that a lack of sleep and energy can lead to major drops in productivity in the workplace — and many companies including Google and Facebook already have sleeping pods where exhausted employees can recharge. Now, if you'll excuse us... Via Refinery29.
Melbourne's Sandridge Bridge could be in for a makeover in the style of New York's High Line. A proposal backed by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle would see the 178-metre pedestrian bridge transformed into a lush aerial garden, providing a green walkway across the Yarra connecting Southbank and Flinders Street Station. However, the plan will rely on funding from the State Government — so don’t start planning your picnic just yet. "The bridge at the moment is a beautiful structure, but it's not at all pleasant to walk across," Doyle told The Age. "Imagine if we gave it a treatment like the famous High Line in New York, which would make it a green bridge and something very pleasant to link the north and the south of our city." Under current plans, the Sandridge Bridge would be widened to accommodate trees and other plants. According to The Age, Doyle is currently attempting to secure funding from both the council and the Andrews governments, although he concedes that he is unsure of the amount of money that will be needed. The bridge would have to be reinforced to support the weight of the garden – not to mention the additional foot-traffic it would presumably draw in. Originally part of the Port Melbourne rail line, the Sandridge Bridge was reopened as a footbridge back in 2006. Plans for a refurbishment were put on hold when Premier Andrews ditched the $1 billion Flinders Street Station redesign proposed by his predecessor Denis Napthine. In February, Andrews allocated $100 million to restoration work on the station, sparking new hope for the bridge project as well. Located on the west side of Manhattan, the High Line Garden saw a disused section of the raised railway line converted into a green aerial walkway. It now attracts more than 5 million visitors a year, and is credited with helping to breathe new life into the surrounding area. Via The Age. Images: Wikimedia Commons, Trav Nikov Studio.
At the end of any day of sightseeing in a foreign city, you know you're going to be hungry. So what better time to sit down to a feast you'll always remember? Kick that diet of Haribo packets and "that restaurant there, that's open, that'll do" to the curb. Here are 12 dishes to add/start off your next legendary itinerary. Just don't forget to book your table before you book your airline ticket. REINDEER MOSS & CEP MUSHROOMS AT NOMA, COPENHAGEN Named no.1 in the world's 50 best restaurants, Noma serves a reinvented version of Nordic cuisine focusing on ingredients foraged from nearby forests and shores. Image: Jose Moran Moya. CHARCOAL-GRILLED KING PRAWN AT EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA, GIRONA, SPAIN The full name of this dish is charcoal-grilled king prawn with king prawn sand, ink rocks, fried legs, head juice and king prawn essence. So, yeah. After relocating in 2007, family business El Celler de Can Roca now boasts the work of head chef Joan Roca; his brother, wine aficionado Josep; and their younger sibling Jordi, a popular local pastry chef. Together they have proved their heavenly status as a culinary holy trinity. Image: Love, August OOPS! I DROPPED THE LEMON TART AT OSTERIA FRANCESCANA, MODENA, ITALY Embracing imperfection, head chef Massimo Bottura has successfully turned a "back-of-house disaster into a front-of-house legend" (as his publishing house Phaidon puts it). Two surprises here: this dish is (a) precisely constructed and (b) surprisingly savoury, with capers, lemongrass and candied bergamot. Image: Paolo Terzi MARGHERITA PIZZA AT L'ANTICA PIZZERIA DA MICHELE, NAPLES With two options on the menu, you have the tough choice between margherita and marinara when you make it to this world-famous and always packed Naples pizzeria. Choose the margherita. One member of our team who's been says she's "still thinking about it years later". Image: Mike Valore ICE SHREDS, SCARLET SHRIMP PERFUME AT MUGARITZ, SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN In a bid to explore a fully immersive culinary experience, head chef Andoni Aduriz seeks to create masterpieces that dance with aroma, texture and flavour, while others are designed to be provocative and invoke particular emotions. Image: Foodie Date Night DUCK CARNITAS AT COSME, NEW YORK With this dish taking nearly four days to prepare (at one point it's even doused and cooked in Mexican Coke), the $59 price tag feels like a bargain, especially when split between 2-3 people. It's at Mexi-luxe Cosme, one of the most admired new openings in New York in 2014. CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES ANIMAL STYLE AT IN-N-OUT BURGER, CALIFORNIA Cult burger chain In-N-Out may pop up in Australia from time to time, but it's a well known fact the In-N-Out chain is resistant to expanding beyond the US west coast. Even franchising is a no-no. So if you're craving something 'Animal Style', your only safe bet is that plane ticket. ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER, CARAMELISED MILK, LAMB MARMITE AND BLACK WALNUTS AT RIVERSTEAD, CHILHOWIE, USA Culinary dream turned love story, head chef John Shields and lead pastry chef Karen Urie Shields opened their own restaurant in the sleepy Virginia town of Chilhowie, where the couple are delving into the world of experimental cooking and foraging. ABACAXI COM FORMIGA AMAZONICA AT D.O.M, SAO PAULO With a focus on simplicity, Chef Alex Atala's dishes still manage to burst with ingenuity and flavours. One such example is his signature dessert of just two ingredients: fresh pineapple garnished with a dried ant. Image: This guys food blog REAL PAD TAI AT THIP SAMAI, BANGKOK Thip Samai is Bangkok's most popular destination for what might be the most famous thing to come out of Thailand. Some people claim not to be so impressed at the end of this quest for the pad thai holy grail, but it remains the destination to beat for fried noodle pilgrims everywhere. Image: Delicious Conquests PORK SKIN WITH BLACK SESAME BRIOCHE, SALMON ROE AND CHERRY SAUCE AT DIVERXO, MADRID With their website looking more like an art film than a tool with which to make reservations, DiverXo pushes the limits of what food can be. Three Michelin star chef David Munoz has not only designed his dishes down the most precise speck of 'potato glass', he's designed what implement you should eat it with, from fork to chopsticks to spatula. Image: Spanish Hipster GUINEA FOWL CURRY WITH SHAMPOO GINGER AND HOLY BASIL AT NAHM, BANGKOK Australian-born chef David Thompson has created what's widely regarded as the best restaurant in all of Asia, so it feels only right to visit him at least once. This standout dish is your chance to eat 'shampoo' without gagging. Image: Rock Star Travel.\ Top image: Noma.
Bigger isn't always better, but in the case of Collingwood's all-vegan pizzeria Red Sparrow Pizza and its expansion, there haven't be many complaints at all. In a move that slashed queue times, the Smith Street haunt busted through a wall and took over the space next door, boasting an extra 40 seats on top of its original 38. The expanded dining space rocks a similar fit-out to the first, decked out with a warm mix of recycled timber, exposed brick and moody lighting. Two hefty communal tables are primed for those group pizza feasts and there's a couple of street-side options for those who prefer to people-watch. The pizza offering is built around that same commitment to top-notch plant-based ingredients that has set Red Sparrow apart since it opened back in 2016. Here, tuck into crafty, vegan riffs on the classics, including the Patatas Bravas, with potato, dairy-free parmesan, chipotle aioli and a mock chorizo, and the Mushroom, topped with king browns, caramelised onion, truffle oil and thyme. If you're looking for a pizza that'll make you feel as healthy as your morning superfood smoothie, look to the Verde. It's loaded with kale pesto and spinach. Prefer yours loaded with chilli? Choose the fiery Volcano, featuring house-pickled jalapeños, habanero, Sriracha and chilli flakes. To cool your no-doubt burning mouth, finish with the dessert pizza, decked out with "Notella", banana and vegan vanilla ice-cream. Red Sparrow Pizza is a huge win for vegans and vegetarians who love their pizza but could do without the animal products. Appears in: The Best Vegan Restaurants in Melbourne for 2023
Stub out those ciggies. The State Government today announced that Victoria will join the rest of the country in banning smoking in outdoor dining areas. The ban is set to come into effect in August 2017, and will affect cafes, restaurants, beer gardens and any other outdoor venue where food is served. "We know that smoking kills, and we know that second-hand smoke puts the health of non-smokers at risk," Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy told The Age. "These new bans will ensure all Victorians can enjoy a meal outside with their family and friends." She also said that the decision to hold off the ban until 2017 was to give businesses "enough time to prepare for these changes." Under the new laws, smokers who light up in outdoor dining venues could face on the spot fines of $152, with a maximum penalty of $758. Victoria is currently the only state not to enforce such a ban, after NSW introduced similar laws earlier in the year. The changes are part of a concerted crackdown on public smoking by the Andrews Government, who in April introduced bans on smoking near the entrances of many public buildings, including schools, hospitals, courthouses and police stations. Smoking is also banned at train stations and raised platform tram stops and within ten metres of playgrounds, skate parks and under 18s sporting venues, while the Melbourne City Council already enforces a smoking ban in a number of laneways in the CBD. Current figures show that approximately 4000 Victorians die from smoking related illnesses each year. Via The Age. Image: Dollar Photo Club
If jungle vibes inside an inner-north warehouse sounds like your perfect outing, head along to Rumble in the Jungle on Saturday, October 28. It's the latest indoor plant sale from The Jungle Collective, an Abbotsford nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the day to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Be inspired by the gorgeous green warehouse and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces while soaking up some tunes. There's even a special deal for those who are brave enough to dress up, with a generous 15 percent discount given to all onesie-clad shoppers. Best get in quick though — the last sale sold out. RSVP via the Facebook event and get there early.
Victoria's newest boutique hotel is set to take a weekend on the Mornington Peninsula to a new level of luxury. Opening to guests on Saturday, April 1, Jackalope Hotel is smack-bang in the middle of the Peninsula's wine region in Merricks North, just next to Red Hill. The hotel is the 'passion project' of 28-year-old entrepreneur Louis Li, who worked with architecture firm Carr Design Group and Fabio Ongarato Design studio to design the hotel, which is his first. From what we've seen, the exterior is quite impressive and maintains a modern austerity while naturally fitting into the rolling landscape. At the entrance to the hotel, guests will be greeted by a seven-metre-tall sculpture of a Jackalope, the mythical horned rabbit of North American folklore the hotel is named after, which does seem overdone — but then, that also seems to be the point of the hotel's 'extravagance to surreal proportions' mindset. The 46 rooms offer terrace or vineyard views, with their double-the-size 'lair' suites offering the best views in the house. Each room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, private terraces and hand-crafted bespoke furnishings. If you're one for a good bath, the deep-soak, black Japanese tubs and exclusive Hunter Lab bath products will keep you utterly relaxed while you admire your fabulous self in the double vanities. It's a bathroom well deserving of a nice glass (or bottle) of local wine, that's for sure. If your private bath isn't quite enough, the landscaped gardens include a black 30-metre infinity pool with an adjacent pavilion for spa treatments. The hotel also houses an extensive art collection, commissioned and installed specifically for the space for anyone looking to soak up some culture instead of sun. Yes, it's incredibly luxe. And to be certain they are not outdone, Jackalope is also home to not one, but two restaurants, headed by chef Guy Stanaway. The fine dining option, oddly named Doot Doot Doot, centres around a menu of seasonal, local produce, while the cellar door, Rare Hare, is set amongst the hotel's winery and offers the requisite wine and food pairing. If you somehow get bored in this lap of luxury, the Peninsula is already home to over 50 cellar doors and restaurants, not to mention golf courses, natural hot springs, national parks and bay beaches. You can use our weekender's guide to the area to navigate. Of course, all this will cost you a pretty penny — rooms start at around $650 and go up to over $1000 per night. But for those looking to give themselves a little (or a lot) of pampering, Jackalope sounds like it'll be the ideal spot for it. Jackalope Hotel will open on Saturday, April 1 at 166 Balnarring Road, Merricks North. For more info or to book a room, visit jackalopehotels.com.
The best of Czech and Slovak cinema will once again make its way to Melbourne as part of the fourth annual Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia. From Wednesday, September 14 through to the following Friday, an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary titles will light up the screen at ACMI, showcasing the unique, sometimes strange perspective of filmmakers from Bratislava to Prague. This year's festival features nine new release films that will compete for a cash prize awarded by members of the Australian Film Critics Association. Features in competition include opening night horror film The Noonday Witch, big screen fairytale The Seven Ravens and the FIPRESCI prize-winning Eva Nova. Completing these films is an intriguing selection of films from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Of these, some of the most intriguing include the strange, pulpy, Little Shop of Horrors-inspired comedy Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet, and the seminal adaptation of Dobroslav Chrobák's novel Dragon's Return. Below, check out our list of the five must-see films of this year's fest. THE NOONDAY WITCH This year's opening night film shapes up as an absolute cracker. Arriving in Melbourne straight from competition at the Czech Republic's prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival, The Noonday Witch is a unique horror film in that it takes place largely during the daytime. Jiří Sádek's feature film debut follows a mother and her young daughter as they relocate to a remote house in the countryside, only to find themselves haunted by a malevolent force from Czech folklore. The film has scored strong reviews, with many critics comparing it to the recent Australian spooker The Babadook. EVA NOVA The so-called First Lady of Slovak Theatre, veteran actor Emília Vášáryová stars in Eva Nova, the first fiction film from noted documentarian Marko Škop. Vášáryová plays Eva, a bitter, ageing, alcoholic screen star desperate to claw her way back into the limelight, while also hoping to reconcile with her estranged adult son. A grim but compassionate portrait of addiction and redemption, the film won a FIPRESCI prize at last year's Toronto International Film Festival, and stands out as a distinct dramatic highlight on this year's CaSFFA slate. SCHMITKE With a reputation brewing as the Czech Republic's answer to David Lynch's cult series Twin Peaks, the debut film of Štěpán Altrichter caught our attention right away. A deadpan comedy/mystery with a touch of the surreal, Schmitke follows a morose engineer sent to fix a noisy wind turbine near the Czech-German border. But odd things are afoot in the small town nearby, and soon our reluctant protagonist finds himself in the middle of something quite strange. One for fans of low-key humour and stories with more questions than answers. LOST IN MUNICH Chosen by Czech critics as the best film of last year, Lost in Munich is a bizarre political comedy that combines cheeky historical tinkering with a cautionary tale about the perils of movie-making itself. It begins when down-on-his luck journalist crosses paths with an elderly parrot, one who may or may not have belonged to former French President Édouard Daladier — a man despised in the Czech Republic for signing the 1938 Munich Agreement with Nazi Germany. That may sound weird enough already, but in truth it's just the tip of the iceberg. Petr Zelenka's film is a fascinating (and highly entertaining) closing night choice that needs to be seen to be fully comprehended. ADELE HASN'T HAD HER DINNER YET Crime, comedy and carnivorous plant life combine in this outlandish piece of late '70s pulp from filmmaker Oldřich Lipský. Michal Dočolomansky stars as a New York detective in Prague, who finds himself caught up in a case that gets stranger at every turn. An all-time cult classic of Czechoslovakian cinema complete with eye-popping animations from the legendary Jan Švankmajer, Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet recently underwent a digital restoration at the Czech National Film Archive, and will be presented at CaSFFA in all its newfound glory. CaSFFA will run from Wednesday, September 14 until Sunday, September 25. For the full program, visit casffa.com.au. Disclaimer: Tom will serve as an AFCA jury member at this year's CaSFFA.
Remember Mr Poopie, the giant inflatable turd emoji artwork that served up ice cream in little toilet cups at Splendour in the Grass last year? No? How could you forget. Or Nicholas Cage in a Cage? Or the giant inflatable Lionel Richie head? These are all real things, seriously. Hungry Castle, the Barcelona-based art team behind all of the above have outdone themselves this year. Announced as part of the SITG arts lineup, Hungry Castle will bring their giant inflatable Sad Kanye installation to Splendour. Didn't quite get that? Here it is again: a 10-metre-high Sad Kanye inflatable is coming to Splendour — a true headliner, in our opinion. Are LCD Soundsystem inflatable? No? Alright then. It's unclear whether you'll be able to bounce on Kanye's sad face or whether he will serve you ice cream in little Kanye vessels, but we literally don't care. It's a ten-metre-tall inflatable Sad Kanye and we're determined to turn his frown upside down. Here's the inspiration shot: More about this year's Splendour lineup over here. Image: Savannah Van Der Niet/Splendour in the Grass.
