Libraries are traditionally quiet places of scholarly reflection and the passage of knowledge. Fun is not a word usually associated with them, beyond perhaps a stifled chuckle at the latest Terry Pratchett novel. Librarians in general are known for, if nothing else, being unwilling to let down their hair. But all this will all change on November 3, when libraries across the world open their arms to excitable young children, bored teenagers and adults looking for entertainment. International Library Games Day is a celebration of what libraries can and should be — an exciting hub of activity and engagement. The State Library of Victoria is inviting you to come and play games of all sorts, from chess and canasta to Call of Duty and Castlevania. Bring your own Magic cards or meet other adventurers in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. From 4-5pm the State Library is also hosting a Games Gameshow, hosted by Ben McKenzie from The OC and Australian comedian and public figure Lawrence Leung. Come and see cool people say funny things about awesome games.
They are armed with just black paint, black markers, a blank white wall. This is the one and only Secret Walls and there are 90 minutes exactly to create something epic on stage and prove themselves worthy. No pressure. They range from graffiti artists with their spray cans to pro illustrators with their tablets, but step right up ‘cos this is the only place you’ll see them in action. You might recognise their work on the train tunnels, or in some of the best laneways in Melbourne, but the artists themselves barely get recognition. Now you got your chance to scream some applause now. Secret Walls (previously Secret Wars) was created in London in 2006 to give a platform to young and aspiring artists. It has now grown from the intimate battles spread through word-of-mouth to this global network that spans from New York to Tokyo, in over 25 countries. Secret Walls Australia Semi Finals 2 is between locals Jack Douglas and Eleven and is held in The Order of Melbourne. You’re lucky you heard about it here.
Hey Geronimo, the Frankenstein creation of Brisbane’s indie scene, is a mish-mash of assorted talents that have come together for the love of the catchy tune. The five-piece are assertively carving a name for themselves as an all-pop delight, one that demands to be sung along to in full voice. They will be taking their Special Best tour to The Workers Club for what is sure to be a wholly fun show that’s not to be missed. Along for the ride are special guests The Griswolds, who are equally as infectious with their dance-demanding beachy tunes. Together these bands will deliver a party packed with the unabashed enthusiasm their live shows are known for.
It might be a blazing stereotype of a nation and its people, but Italians are passionate. They know food, they know wine, they know love and, boy, do they know drama. For all of the above pictured on celluloid, head along to a Palace Cinemas late September and October for the Lavazza Italian Film Festival. This annual celebration of the creative talents of Italian filmmakers is always a sight to behold. Topping this year's fest is the comedy hit Welcome to the North (Benvenuti al nord), the sequel to Welcome to the South that won the Nastri d'Argento Award for Best Screenplay. Exclusive preview screenings of Woody Allen's new film, To Rome with Love, starring Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg and Woody himself (among a cast of other familiar faces) will also feature at the festival. Other standouts are Caesar Must Die (Cesare Deve Morire), which won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, and the divorce comedy A Flat for Three (Posti in Piedi in Paradiso). Italian comedies are big and bawdy, dramas are dark and insular, and romances make you want to find the closest person and make sweet passionate love. Nothing is sedate; Italian films are always life on steroids in the best possible way, so make sure you don't miss this highlight of the international film calendar. Image from Welcome to the North.
So you've spent a week or so at the Festival of Live Art with your brian in overdrive. Artists are raising important issues and their work is embarking on new frontiers — time to forget about all of that and get your body involved in the process. This one-night event is exactly what it sounds like. Artists, DJs, and performers such as Ash Keating, Robin Fox, and Sisters Grimm will be cutting loose in the belly of the beast at Arts House with a sensory mash-up of art, lasers and good tunes. If you were looking for an opportunity to break out that sequinned leotard or acid green feather boa, this might well be it. This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
Like most FoLA events, Drift is less an artwork and more of an experience. Described as "a space for contemplation," the work itself is a dark room full of "twinkling single vessels" that offer audience members a space of tentative refuge. The work is then accompanied by music from Sydney-based creative Ashley Scott — a composition equal parts soothing and brooding that provides soundtrack to a work with obvious but important political undertones. This event was featured in our top ten things to see at the Festival of Live Art. See the full list here.
Good things are coming in big packages these days. White Night devoured the CBD whole last month, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is right around the corner, and in the meantime we've been offered up the very first Festival of Live Art — a behemoth of a thing bustling with new and exciting work that closes the increasingly ambiguous gap between art and theatre. In a joint venture between Arts House, Theatre Works and Footscray Community Arts Centre, the festival will take place at multiple venues over the two-week period, and better yet: most events are free. Take a look at the program and plan your full experience, or drift in and out of our top ten picks. If you're up for a challenge, get stuck into the whole list — a decathlon of sorts (for us artsy types). The Festival of Live Art runs from March 14 - 30. For more information including session times and ticketing, check the website.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of those truly democratic moments in our city's cultural calendar. While the Melbourne Festival always seems a little high-end, and Melbourne Music Week is just a bit too hip, MICF is a place for all — from bogans watching Dave Hughes to hipsters hanging out at the Festival Club waiting to catch the latest show you totally haven't even heard about yet. This year's lineup is a strange one. Big international names have been replaced by a cast of familiar regulars and there's a much larger focus on local talent. This is a welcome move for an industry that doesn't get much love over the rest of the year, but a devastating blow for those of us who are still waiting for the likes of Louis CK to come down under. Regardless, check out our picks of the litter — from the most innovative internationals to the stuff that downright defies classification. See the MICF website for a full program and keep an eye on Concrete Playground for more coverage in the coming weeks.
It's not every day that you're invited to play squash in a gallery. But Nick Selenitsch's latest exhibition, Play, is not your average show. In a refreshing take on the traditional gallery setting, this Melbourne-based artist has created artworks that can be both played with and observed as abstract sculptures. From the minute you step into Shepparton Art Museum, you're invited to interact with the artworks, throw a squash ball around, limbo, and get all-round handsy. Using easily available materials, Play is an exciting series of commissioned sculptures that appear to be part game and part test. Guest-curated by Danny Lacy (ex-director of SAM and current director of Westspace), the exhibition consumes the ground floor of the gallery and the sculptural forms are reminiscent of sporting games, territories and demarcated spaces. To hear more about the works, you can hear Danny Lacy in conversation with Nick Selenitsch at the SAM Out Late! artists' talk on Wednesday, March 19. But if you like your exhibitions a bit more sporadic, just turn up any time and limbo in the name of contemporary art. Image: Nick Selenitsch, Hitting the Wall, 2006 (Installation view).
Think that voting is just about which political party you want in? Well 20 Questions is here to prove otherwise. The Wheeler Centre — known for its literary exploration, will take to the streets of Melbourne with polling booths asking Melbourne about the big issues that shape our shared experience. They will also delve into the more trivial. Think questions like 'If you had to choose, would you prefer non-fiction or fiction?'; 'Happy endings or sad ones?'; 'Are you a summer person or a winter person?'; 'Do you believe in individuality or community?'; 'Gratification or anticipation?'; 'Would you rather outlive your partner or be outlived?'; 'Which is worse: war or famine?'; 'Drowning at sea or indefinite detention?' You can follow online with the hashtag #20questions if you want a piece of the action. At the end of the day — just like election day — there will be an old-fashioned election party at Melbourne Town Hall to look at the results and invite us all to think about what this means for our society. Commentators George Negus, Sophie Black, Bernard Salt and Ray Martin will be on hand to discuss the many findings. It will be an evening of comedy, thought and of course, healthy debate.
Are you an excellent dinner host? Like, 'multiple forks by the plate' good? Well, consider this exhibition a little bit of decorative inspiration. To coincide with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the National Gallery of Victoria have searched far and wide for the most incredible tablewares from the past few hundred years. Including ceramics, glass, cutlery and silverware, organisers claim the most impressive feats are those between the sixteenth to eighteenth century. And of course, the French did it best. While speaking of the collection, curator Amanda Dunsmore even claimed a lot of the tablewares developed at the court of Louis XIV are still used on our tables today. As magical as that thought is, and how interesting the history may be, you'll no doubt feel a little inferior when you head home to your dinner table and cutlery a la Ikea.
Fun runs are often not that fun. Sure, they have events at the finish line, and a whole lot of people, but at the end of the day it’s just a run. Well, enter The Color Run. Founded as a way to promote happiness and health, this 5km run involves a serious amount of paint. The rules are simple. One: everyone is welcome; walkers, athletes and everything in between. Two: wear white. Three: get covered in different coloured paints along the way and return to the finish line a beautiful mismatch of colours. There will be a party at the beginning, one at the end and four colour zones. We dare you not to smile as you go. This year it will be a Grand Prix edition, taking place around the Albert Park lake. And to top off the good vibes, The Color Run gives back to charity, with over $1 million going to charities to date. Don a white t-shirt, and get the sneakers ready. It’s Colour Run time.
The Shadow Electric — your favourite providers of leisurely bliss — are stepping up their game on February 23 to bring you a Bill Cosby-themed table tennis tournament. Why Bill Cosby? Well, why not? Don't be a killjoy. The tournament will be for teams of two, and you can register here prior to the day. Alright, let's do this thing. For those not entirely sold on the premise of Cosby alone, there will also be live music from Matt Radovich, No Name Nath, Nam (The Operatives), Kuya (The Operatives) and Regan Tate. This is in addition to the regular presence of food trucks, nitrus oxide ice cream from Them Bones, and $15 jugs of Pimms — ingredients for the ultimate Sunday session. Entry to the tournament is just $5 per player and, aside from the obvious awards for winners, there will be also be prizes for 'Most Enthusiastic Player Entourage' and 'Best Dressed Team'. Our hot tip is the Cosby sweater — any and all of them, forever.
Women, adventure and filmmaking go hand-in-hand, even if the world doesn't often recognise it. The best surfing and skydiving movie ever made — that is, the original Point Break — was directed by a pre-Oscar-winning Kathryn Bigelow, for example. At the Women's Adventure Film Tour, she has plenty of fantastic female company. Australia's first film festival dedicated to inspiring ladies doing exciting and extraordinary things, the cinema showcase launched in Sydney in May, and now it's hitting the road. On its national trek, attendees can expect a high-octane onslaught of documentary efforts from Telluride's Mountainfilm festival, all highlighting real stories about women. The fest's selection also draws from a variety of cultures, touches upon a range of sports from around the world, and shows ladies either going full daredevil or stepping beyond their comfort zones — because adventure means different things to different people. A collaboration between Mountainfilm and female-fronted collective She Went Wild, it stops by Carlton's Cinema Nova for two nights, but there are only tickets left for the September 21 sessions.
Known for her large-scale outdoor installations and public commissions, Emily Floyd's unique style blends colourful and playful toy-like designs with challenging social, cultural and political issues facing contemporary society today. Born into a family of toymakers, the Melbourne-based artist harnesses this influence as her bright Icelandic puffins take over the Anna Schwartz Gallery. For the exhibition, Floyd has taken the innocuous puffin as a motif to explore the global financial crisis and the Icelandic government's prosecution of individuals and the collapse of three major financial institutions. Adopting what has become recognised as typically Scandinavian design aesthetics, Floyd's handmade birds see their cheerful designs juxtaposed with confrontational text, which explores the political crisis that impacted much of the world. As a MADA senior lecturer, this will be Emily Floyd's tenth solo show at the CBD gallery and is on display April 8–29. Image: Emily Floyd, Icelandic Puffins, 2017. Wood automotive paint black oxidised steel. Courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery.
Finding even one great vegetarian dish can be tricky at some restaurants; however you won't have that trouble at Saigon Sally on May 1. That's when the Vietnamese eatery is hosting one of its regular seasonally inspired vegetarian degustation dinners. Prepare to treat your tastebuds to a whole feast of culinary fun at Sally's Garden Party. Executive chef Adrian Li will unleash his creative side — well, even more creative than their regular fare, that is — for a night of the kind of meals you don't usual find on the Windsor joint's menu. They're calling it a unique journey, and some of their offerings back that up. Come for the peach, lemongrass and burrata or salted cucumber, zucchini and fermented tofu; stay for the salt baked kohlrabi, watercress and snow peas, and yellow curry, daikon and carrot. Sally's Garden Party will host four sessions, starting at 6pm, 6.15pm, 8.15pm and 8.30pm. $65 per person gets you six courses of tasty veggie wonders, plus an "earth-inspired drink" on arrival.
There's more to going to the movies than just seeing the flicks that fill megaplexes, as Australia's thriving film festival scene demonstrates. The country's third-largest capital city might've just been robbed of its major annual cinema showcase, but our love of films beyond the mainstream can't be thwarted that easily. As far as Hollywood's addition to the movie-making fold is concerned, that's where the American Essentials Film Festival comes in. Founded in 2016 as a way to fill select Aussie cinemas with the kind of US titles that don't usually make it to our shores, the touring festival returns for its second run with another lineup of noteworthy inclusions — 31 films and 20 Aussie premieres, in fact. Making its way around the country in May, with a complete run in Melbourne at Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth and The Astor Theatre, the fest kicks off with an Oscar-nominated performance, boasts a documentary dedicated to a talent who makes films (and TV shows) like no one else, and features everyone from Greta Gerwig (twice!) to Australia's own Bond to Ewan McGregor jumping behind the camera. Prepare for a busy movie-viewing month. Fresh from earning a nod for best original screenplay at this year's Academy Awards — and garnering lead actress Annette Bening a Golden Globe nomination, too — 20th Century Women will get the festival started, marking writer/director Mike Mills' first movie since 2010's Beginners. Bening stars as a mother coping with the fact her son is growing up, and calling in pals played by Gerwig and Elle Fanning to help. As promised, Gerwig also features in Todd Solondz's Wiener-Dog, which comes to the fest after having its Australian premiere at last year's Sydney Underground Film Festival. Also on the bill, and impeccably timed given that the third season of Twin Peaks starts airing during May, is highly anticipated doco David Lynch: The Art Life, while docudrama Becoming Bond keeps the factual fun going by delving into the Aussie that once played oo7. American Pastoral is the aforementioned McGregor's first stint as a director; California Dreams explores the real folks trying to make it in LA, La La Land-style; G-Funk dives into the style of hip hop started by Warren G, Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg; and 2016 Cannes hit The Transformation follows a 14-year-old who thinks he's a vampire. As well as highlighting new flicks, with Are We Not Cats' magical realism and Detour's crime thrills also on offer, American Essentials shines a spotlight on classic titles in its Masters & Masterpieces retrospective. That's where audiences can watch Lynch's inimitable debut Eraserhead for its 4oth anniversary, as well as his 2001 standout Mulholland Drive — plus the Carrie Fisher-written Postcards on the Edge; Andy Warhol's Bad, which is the last film the artist produced before his death; and a Charles Bukowski double of doco You Never Had It: An Evening with Bukowski alongside the semi-autobiographical, Mickey Rourke-starring 1987 favourite Barfly.
The dazzling sights and insane aromas of Nepal's annual Holi festival of colour and love are coming to the Coburg Velodrome this weekend. From midday on Sunday, March 26, M Festival will celebrate Nepalese culture, Nepalese music and — perhaps most importantly — Nepalese food. The free event will feature more than a dozen different momo (that is, Nepalese dumpling) marquees, along with food trucks and market stands galore. There'll also be rides and live music across two different stages, including performances by Jakubi, Big Words, and internationally acclaimed Nepalese folk band Kutumba. Entry into the event won't cost you a penny, but you should still register to ensure your entry. You're also encouraged to bring along a gold coin donation for the Non Resident Nepali Association's Earthquake Reconstruction Project. Image: Benjamin Vander Steen via Flickr.
Sure, you've paid tribute to your favourite Japanese animation house by watching and re-watching their films over and over again, but have you partied like you were in a Studio Ghibli movie? On May 19, Supersmall Club wants to spirit you away to a world of castles in the sky, flying pigs, talking cats and princesses grown from bamboo shoots. Just don't expect to go catching a catbus to get home — and if the house starts moving, maybe it's because you've had a drink or two. The South Yarra venue's Studio Ghibli shindig will have plenty of those: Ponyo Punch, EspressNo Face, Mononoke Mojitos, Totoro Slushies... the list goes on. Themed beverages cost $5 or $10 depending on the type; however, they're not the only fun part of the evening. Dressing up is heartily encouraged, with the best Ghibli-inspired outfit winning a $50 bar tab. You'll also be able to get a photo with life-size cutouts and face cutouts of your favourite characters, feast your eyes on Studio Ghibli visuals and pop into the Ghibli photobooth.
Learn the secrets to becoming the ultimate modern Melbourne man at the city's annual celebration of masculinity and style. Hosted by small business association City Precinct, the Festival of Steve is a day-long event featuring designers, outfitters, retailers and more. Whether you're looking to redo your wardrobe or score a few pool tips from a champ, Steve is here to help you up your game. The fifth annual festival will be held at the Kelvin Club on Saturday, June 3. The full program is yet to be announced, but expect styling sessions, beer and wine samplings and perhaps even a whisky masterclass or two. There'll be a whole slew of exhibitors as well, specialising in everything from skincare to socks. By the time the day is done you'll be a new man top to toe.
Get your fix of free art and live music thanks to National Gallery of Victoria's Unplugged Live. The ultimate creative Sunday session takes over the NGV Ian Potter Centre in Fed Square, pairing the space's current visual trip to the '90s with an in-gallery performance. Hosted by singer-songwriter Jae Laffer, the July 23 event features Angie Hart and Kathy Temin. If the former sounds familiar, that's because she was livening up the Aussie music scene two decades ago as the voice and face of Frente — and taking a trip down 'Accidentally Kelly Street' in the process. The latter also came to prominence during the '90s, working with synthetic fur to challenge both tastes and art conventions. NGV Unplugged Live is free, but capacity is limited, so arriving early is recommended. Image: Unplugged Live at Every Brilliant Eye: Australian Art of the 1990s, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Photo: NGV Photographic Services By Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.
Sporting horn-rimmed glasses and a cranky hankering for complaining, Woody Harrelson is clearly having fun in Craig Johnson's Wilson. Channelling his inner Larry David, he plays the cantankerous title character with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, delivering his misanthropic lines with glee. His grouchy protagonist drips with the same attitude he displayed in The Edge of Seventeen, Now You See Me and the Hunger Games movies – and yet not once does it feel like he's following a playbook. But while you could never accuse Harrelson of going through the motions, the same cannot be said about his latest film Here, a world-weary middle-aged grump is content with spitting acid at everything around him, until a series of life-changing events threatens to interrupt his sour status quo. Alas, though it is based on Daniel Clowes' graphic novel of the same name — and as such possesses the same spirit as the cartoonist's Ghost World and Art School Confidential — this big screen adaptation could hardly be more formulaic. That the film can't quite fashion its episodic antics into anything more than obvious observations — about the state of modern society, family and the notion of making a mark — certainly doesn't help. Nor does the unconvincing seesawing between comedy and something more serious. When we first meet Wilson, he's a lanky, bearded package of conflicting impulses and disdain. When he's not admonishing people on the street for taking a shine to his cute pooch, he's annoying strangers by sidling up close and starting intrusive conversations. For a while, he's happy in his unhappiness — but after his only friends move away and his ill dad takes a turn for the worse, he finds himself yearning for a connection. Looking up childhood pals and hooking up with women in the supermarket doesn't work, so he tracks down his ex-wife Pippi (Laura Dern), only to learn that he has a 17-year-old daughter (Isabella Amara). Clowes wrote the screenplay himself, while Johnson previously — and effectively — delved into dysfunction in The Skeleton Twins. Despite this, Wilson simply isn't the winning collaboration it could've been. Instead of providing any real insights into its motley crew of miserable souls, or fleshing them out beyond easy caricatures, the film instead uses its array of characters for eccentric amusement and overt sentiment. An old man doesn't literally yell at a cloud, but it wouldn't feel out of place. The same is true of a big schmaltzy family hug. Of course, if there had been a huge hearty embrace, there's no prizes for guessing who would've been in the middle — and who would've been forced to the edges. Films about curmudgeonly men too often run loving eyes over their protagonists while pushing women to the side. Here, Dern shines brighter than the material asks, while the always-great Judy Greer is squandered in yet another thankless girlfriend role. Ultimately, their treatment is emblematic of a feature that only knows how to do one thing well. Wilson, the man, may serve up great work from Harrelson, but Wilson, the movie, soon proves that 94 minutes in the character's company are far too many. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kudZx_f7-mk
As Dale Kerrigan in the iconic Australian comedy The Castle, Stephen Curry famously dug a hole. Twenty years later, in Hounds of Love, he's splashing blood around, kidnapping young women, and just generally digging his character into trouble. Curry has popped up in everything from Neighbours and The Wog Boy to The Cup and Save Your Legs! in the years since his breakout role, but you've never seem him quite like this. His utterly against-type turn is just one of the factors than ensures this serial killer thriller makes for extremely jolting viewing. Set in Perth during the sultry summer of December 1987, and inspired by real-life crimes in the area at the time, Hounds of Love steps inside the turbulent marriage of John and Evelyn White (Curry and Emma Booth), a couple that likes to lure teenagers into their car and house. There's no mistaking John's sinister motives, or that Evelyn is not quite as willing a participant as she pretends. When they pick up 17-year-old Vicki Maloney (Ashleigh Cummings) as she's sneaking out of her freshly divorced mother's home one evening, their new captive is quick to spot the imbalance at the heart of their relationship. Exploiting that rocky dynamic will prove crucial for the young woman after she's drugged, chained to a bed and forced to fight for her life. While Curry turns in an astonishing performance that no one will forget in a hurry, this isn't a one-man show. Booth and Cummings are even more commanding and revelatory as two women immersed in a hellish domestic nightmare not of their own making – one equally fragile and determined, the other an enterprising survivor. Together, the actresses help illustrate the film's real thematic focus. Indeed, first-time writer-director Ben Young isn't merely concerned with the sociopathic underside of a seemingly ordinary-looking man; many a movie has been there and done that before. Hounds of Love still features a few predictable twists and turns, but at its heart the film is a deeply unsettling exploration of the way that men dominate and victimise women — be it their long-term partner or a fresh-faced stranger. Violent deeds fill the movie's frames, some seen and others only hinted at. But it's the savage psychological damage brutally inflicted on Evelyn and Vicki that ultimately has the strongest impact. Of course they're not the only ones left feeling uncomfortable, and that's putting things mildly. Dread and unease seeps through the film, with Young setting out to evoke the same kind of distress in the audience. If Snowtown tested your mettle, consider yourself warned. It's a handy reference point. Like Justin Kurzel's first feature, Hounds of Love is a highly unsettling debut that heralds the emergence of a promising new Aussie filmmaking talent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqCXqWdlKrk
One of the most critically acclaimed films of the past quarter century is getting a thunderous live score treatment courtesy of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. On Saturday, August 5 as part of this year's Melbourne International Film Festival, the MSO will take the stage at Hamer Hall to accompany a special one-off screening of Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood. Nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, Anderson's epic drama about greed and ambition is remembered for its stunning cinematography as well as the bravura performance by leading man Daniel Day Lewis. But equally mesmerising is the film's sinister score, by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood. The orchestra will be conducted by the UK's Hugh Brunt, who previously collaborated on Radiohead's latest album A Moon Shaped Pool. The screening will mark the first time the film has been shown in this format outside of the UK.
If you thought that breakfast was just for mornings, boy, have you been missing out. Because — news flash — no one is stopping you from eating breakfast food after midday. All the true fans already know this, tucking into eggs Benny for lunch, smashed avo for dinner and maybe even an omelette for a midnight snack. But even they'll be diving into wild new breakfast territory, when the 206 Bourke Street development hosts a breakfast-for-dinner 'festival' on Friday, August 25. Brinner Festival will be a mealtime mash-up, with a selection of Melbourne's best-loved food vendors serving breakfast-style treats and clever fusion eats long after the sun's gone down. And while the whole thing sounds a bit naff, they've actually got some good food vendors on-board to cook up a menu worth ditching the meat and three veg for. Think Toasta's signature cheese blend toastie loaded with tomato and kale cashew pesto, Fancy Hanks' smoked bacon, egg, and pork tacos, and ice cream sandwiches studded with Coco Pops and Froot Loops from My Two Mums. Of course, there'll be plenty of classic smashed avo dishes on which to fritter away your savings, plus, 206 Bourke's own Tim Ho Wan, China Chilli, Dragon Boat Restaurant and Red China will be plating up their own take on breakfast feasting, with treats like Chinese sausage buns and deep-fried crispy avocado rolls. The brinner theme even continues to the evening's drinks offering, as the team at Liquid Infusion whips up marmalade martinis, strawberry jam coladas, and more than a few espresso martinis. If you're one of the first 50 people through the door, you'll eat and drink for free. Otherwise, dishes and drinks will be available to purchase.
Puff, puff, no — you won't be able to smoke cannabis at this two-day convention. Well, not this year. While the legalisation of marijuana for medicinal use is still in the works, the Australian government legalised the sale and consumption of hemp food products on November 12 this year — which, alongside a huge range of other hemp products and uses, is what the Hemp, Health and Innovation Expo is all about. Over 80 exhibitors from around the globe will be selling and sampling hemp fabrics, textiles, clothing, food and beauty products. If you've spent enough time in health food shops, you won't be a stranger to hemp products — hemp protein, hemp chocolate bars and hemp milk — that were previously marketed as 'beauty products', ie — you weren't supposed to eat them. But, now you can. So, go forth and eat hemp to your heart's content. Alongside the expo, the Hemp, Health and Innovation Symposium will be taking place. Doctors, academics, entrepreneurs and activists — all specialising in marijuana and hemp products — will be holding talks and Q&A sessions. Curious about the benefits of medicinal marijuana? Want to know exactly how sustainable hemp products are? Should you actually be listening to the 'wisdom' spouted by 'that friend'? The Mary Jane masters are here to answer your questions. Hemp, for the uninitiated, is a variety of cannabis grown for its industrial use. It has really low levels of THC (the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis), so, no — you won't get high from smoking your hemp tote bag. And we really don't encourage trying it.
Din Tai Fung is known for their general dumpling prowess, creating cute, Chinese New Year themed animal dumplings and bringing those utterly ridiculous super-sized xiao long bao to Australia. If you didn't get a chance to sit down with a straw and slurp the XL XLB last year, you'll be happy to know they're coming back to Din Tai Fung's Emporium venue — as part of an 18-course degustation, no less. The dinner on Monday, August 14 is the second to be announced after the first one booked out quicker than a plate of pork buns could be demolished. The 18-course menu will put twists on Din Tai Fung dishes past and present, and feature a few new wacky creations for good measure. Along with the giant soupy xiao long bao, you can expect Peking duck spring rolls, black truffle pork dumplings (which will use squid ink for a black and white yin-yang look) and three new dessert dumps: green tea, sesame mochi and chocolate banana. Also on the menu will be Hawaiian pizza dumplings, which sound like an abomination — but, hey, we'll give it a go. The full 18 courses is surely akin to a dumpling marathon — but be sure to save room for the pièce de résistance: the giant xiao long bao. For the uninitiated, the xiao long bao is a steamed, soupy dumpling filled with a flavoursome broth and a pork and prawn filling. They usually come in mouth-sized portions but Din Tai Fung will be serving them up at seven times their usual size (hence the need for a straw). Tickets to the degustation are a very reasonable $48, with $10 from each one going to children's mental health charity Be Centre. The first one sold out in less than two hours, so, if you're at all interested, you should nab some as soon as possible.
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. Now, Australia has a new dog-themed cinema showcase. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite movie stars in a touring program of eight pooch-centric shorts. For two hours, dogs will leap across screens in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Melbourne on August 22 and 23 as part of its national run, headed for one-night-only showings at Village Crown Cinemas and Astor Theatre respectively. Rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this one-night-only event is certain to be popular.
Twenty years since Pentridge Prison last closed its doors on inmates, the infamous site is opening up discussion on crime and incarceration. Over one law and order-filled evening, criminologist and lecturer Michelle Noon will talk through subjects that continue to fascinate, chatting about public perceptions of overflowing jails, rising criminal activities and lenient sentencing — and comparing them with the research and the reality. Indeed, if you're going to chat crime and community safety, then doing so behind the Coburg site's iconic bluestone walls couldn't be more fitting. And that's the whole point of hosting the event at a place Ned Kelly and Mark "Chopper" Read once called home. The historic facility might be undergoing quite the transformation — with a microbrewery, pub, 15-screen cinema and apartments soon moving in — but the developers behind it are committed to acknowledging the former prison's past. Those keen on doing just that at How Safe Are We? Exploring Crime In Melbourne Today best get in quick, however. While the discussion is open to the public, only 40 tickets are available.
If you're going to run an annual genre festival, then you're also going to want to push some boundaries. After launching last year's fest with fantastic French cannibal flick Raw, this year's Monster Fest is jumping into creature feature territory with Aussie outback thriller Boar. Directed by Charlie's Farm helmer Chris Sun, Boar promises to put the monster into the monster pig genre – with help from actors such as Ernie Dingo, John Jarratt, Steve Bisley, Nathan Jones, Melissa Tkautz, Roger Ward and Simone Buchanan, some of whom will be there on opening night. It joins a hefty lineup that also includes local efforts The Last Hope, Tarnation, Horror Movie: A Low Budget Nightmare, Lost Gully Road, Landfall and The Viper's Hex incase you wanted to get your ravenous virus, vengeful spirit, dark weekend getaway and sinister presence-fuelled flicks close to home. Other highlights include an all-night marathon of Larry Cohen films, the sequel to WolfCop — inventively titled Another WolfCop — and the launch of new Aussie series Dragon Force X. Then, it all comes to a close with Revenge, a feminist take on the rape/revenge sub-genre from first-time French director Coralie Fargeat.
Add a dash of creativity to your Sunday, and help support and celebrate the city's creative types. That's what'll happen at Collingwood Artist Market debuts on June 18. Sure, Melbourne isn't lacking in the market department; however, more chances to browse and buy more ace artistic items is always a good thing. Plus, if you live in the area, you can do just that just by moseying on down to Langridge Street. For four art-filled hours, a big bunch of the local community's talented folks will display their wares, and you can head along to get your fill. Revel in the suburb's crafty vibrance; shop for art, jewellery, music, flowers and more; and maybe even grab yourself a gift or two. When it comes to purchasing great artist-made wares, you don't need an excuse.
Three days, nine films, one big party: welcome to Girls on Film Festival 2017. Now entering its third year, Melbourne's feminist film fest brings women-focused flicks to the fore, offering up an all-round celebration of ladies who make, star in, watch and love cinema. Forget moody explorations of middle-aged men having a mid-life crisis, yet another male superhero working out how to use his powers (please), or any of the other guy-centric movies that grace mainstream cinema screens in abundance — you won't find them at Brunswick Town Hall between October 6 to 8. Instead, the fest's 2017 lineup includes everything from '90s cult favourites to animated French-Iranian biographies to a lush retro horror-comedy that dissects movie sexism. Clueless kicks off proceedings on opening night, while The Craft, Spice World, Persepolis and The Love Witch keep the fun going. If you haven't seen the latter, we recommend adding it to your must-see list. This year's GOFF also includes an Aussie triple threat screening — that is, documentary The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe, coming-of-age drama 52 Tuesdays and musical-comedy The Sapphires — shining a spotlight on homegrown girls in film as well. Throw in the emotion-filled charm of Inside Out, and it's the kind of joyous, women-oriented feast of cinema that dreams are made of. More events will be announced closer to the festival, with tickets on sale at the end of August.
Sometimes the white walls of a gallery just don't create the most welcoming space, so that's why the curators of the Yelmo-Garang exhibition have transformed the Footscray Community Arts Centre's Gabriel Gallery with couches, art supplies and tea for your enjoyment. Developed by emerging Taungurung artist and filmmaker Kate ten Buuren, and multi-talented creative Kat Clarke, Yelmo-Garang — the Kulin word for 'nest' — invites you to discover a space "where time ceases to exist". Functioning as both an art studio and exhibition space, the public is encouraged to come experience Indigenous artists creating new works, while also leaving behind your own creations. Yelmo-Garang offers a space that is open to any and all possibilities, aiming to separate itself from the bounds of your average art exhibition. Yelmo-Garang is open now and takes place at the Footscray Community Arts Centre until Saturday, July 29.
The language used to oppress, belittle and justify violence against women will be turned on itself in Alice Birch's Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. On stage at the Malthouse Theatre from June 16 to July 9, the critically acclaimed play sees Birch construct a series of short scenes in order to challenge conventions surrounding work, sex, love, ageing and motherhood. In one, three generations of women take part in a violent family reunion. In another, two supermarket managers question a customer after she sits in a pile of melons with her dress over her head. A critic for The New York Times said the play "captures the fury of modern womanhood", which, if true, then yes please.
When Woody Allen started shooting Wonder Wheel back in 2016, perhaps it seemed like a good idea. Or maybe he just picked an old script up off the pile and didn't think much more about it. Either way, there's no escaping the uncomfortable feeling that accompanies the film. For decades, the prolific writer-director has continued to work while immersed in controversy stemming both from his marriage to his stepdaughter, as well as from allegations of abuse made by his adopted daughter. That his latest movie is about a writer falling for his former actress girlfriend's stepdaughter is particularly astounding, and feels well and truly on the nose – especially at a time when Hollywood's look-the-other-way attitude to inappropriate sexual behaviour is finally starting to change. Even if Allen's own past didn't loom over the film's narrative, and even if the #metoo movement wasn't moving forward in leaps and bounds, Wonder Wheel wouldn't rank among his best work. Pumping out a movie a year has given the director more misses than hits in recent times – and his latest definitely falls into the first category. It doesn't help that Allen attempts to pre-emptively counter criticism of his approach by having his narrator highlight the movie's melodramatic nature via to-camera addresses. Calling something out yourself, via Justin Timberlake as your screen-surrogate, doesn't make it go away. Timberlake plays lifeguard and aspiring playwright Mickey. It's the 1950s, and with summer in full swing on New York's Coney Island, Mickey has a crowded beach to patrol — and, before too long, a waitress to woo. Sweating it out serving clams while she dreams of a stage heyday long passed, Ginny (Kate Winslet) warms to her younger lover easily. After all, he's certainly an improvement on her lunk of a husband Humpty (Jim Belushi), and a distraction from her fire-starting pre-teen son Richie (Jack Gore). But things are soon complicated by the arrival of Carolina (Juno Temple), Humpty's daughter from a previous marriage, who runs from her mobster husband straight into Mickey's affections. It all plays out as predictably as it sounds, but credit where credit's due: even saddled with problematic material and trying dialogue to match, Winslet knocks her performance out of the (amusement) park. In her hands, Ginny's furrowed brow is lined with both well-worn creases and years of wearying disappointment, while the glint in her eye when someone finally starts seeing her as more than a wife, waitress and mother could light up a room. Like Blue Jasmine's Cate Blanchett, the British actress knows how to find depth in a character that could've been an over-the-top joke (and, given the real-life history tying into this film, it's easy to assume Allen intended for Ginny to amuse). Though a committed Belushi does his best alongside her, with Temple proving dutifully alluring and Timberlake routine, Winslet is the movie's undoubted wonder. That said, cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Cafe Society) comes a close second. As Wonder Wheel tries to turn fact into overheated fiction, its visuals positively glow — in sunny beachside encounters, in its use of shadows, and whenever the light of the titular attraction shines on the movie's frames. Subtly infusing the alternating red and blue hues of the ferris wheel's neon sign over the drama not only results in gorgeous images, but also mirrors the changing mood as scenes move from rosy to sorrowful. If only they belonged to a movie worthy of such eye-catching charms. Wonder Wheel might be the story of a man won over by something pretty, but viewers are unlikely to make the same mistake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx4Jp13Afpk
Pasta and parmesan are one of Italian cuisine's perfect pairings. Eat the former without the latter, and your tastebuds will know the difference. And while sprinkling your spaghetti with fine shavings of hard, granular cheese is all well and good and delicious, that's nothing compared to devouring a bowl of pasta that has been cooked in a parmesan wheel. If it sounds like all of your culinary dreams come true, that's because it is — and it's the dish in the spotlight at Cucinetta's Parmesan Wheel Week. After a successful event in late July, the South Yarra restaurant is doubling down in mid-November, once again serving up the Italian traditional specialty pasta Cacio e Pepe straight out of a wheel of 18-month Grana Padano. Given that Cacio e Pepe is a spaghetti concoction already made with parmesan and pepper — think fancier, tastier mac 'n' cheese — the results promise quite the cheesy meal. Available for lunch and dinner, it's the kind of dish that has to be eaten to be believed. We'd tell you to arrive hungry, but we're sure you already are just thinking about it. Image: Naotake Murayama via Flickr.
The best thing about film festivals? The surprises. And boy oh boy does the 2017 Russian Resurrection Film Festival have a great one. The touring fest has plenty of ace picks, including a drama set inside the Bolshoi Theatre, aptly called The Bolshoi; Attraction, the first Russian flick about aliens landing in Moscow; and the innovative Tolstoy adaptation that is Anna Karenina: Vronsky's Story. It also has the 1989 action flick Tango & Cash starring none other than Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. Why is this big hair-loving, US-made buddy cop movie on the bill? Because it was primarily directed by Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky, who collaborated with the great Andrei Tarkovsky early in his career, and then spent a big chunk of the '80s and '90s working in America. It's the kind of nostalgic selection that is best appreciated with retro fun in mind (and a few beverages in hand). It's not quite so-bad-it's-good, but it is something that has to be seen to be believed. In more serious offerings, Arrhythmia explores the erratic pulse of a complicated marriage, Spacewalkers jumps into the Cold War space race, and the comedic The Kitchen: Final Battle pits chefs against each other. Catch them and more at ACMI from November 4 to 19.
Last year, Fitzroy's Rose St Artists' Market teamed up with the Heide Museum of Modern Art to launch the monthly Heide Makers' Market. Now, with the weather finally starting to turn sunny again, the collaboration is back on. Taking over the lush surrounds of the gallery's sculpture park on the second Saturday of every month, the market will once again celebrate talented local makers. It'll showcase a broad range of handmade goodness, across art and design, jewellery and homewares. Visitors will get the chance to chat one-on-one with stall holders, or just saunter through the gallery's grounds with a cup of coffee in hand. While you're there, be sure to check out what's happening at the museum itself. Current exhibitions include Call of the Avant-Garde: Contructivism & Australian Art, and Albert Tucker: Australian Stories.
Seinfeld's George Costanza once wisely told Jerry: "Just remember: it's not a lie…if you believe it". And although it's unclear whether that advice holds up in a game of trivia, you're welcome to give it your best shot. Themed around everyone's favourite hapless character, George's Bar opened its doors in early 2016 and received its fair share of hype thanks to international news coverage and the man himself, Jason Alexander, tweeting about the opening. George's Bar hosts a weekly Wednesday trivia night covering everything from general knowledge to music, film, pop culture, and of course a few Seinfeld curveballs thrown in for good measure. Located at the heart of Fitzroy on Johnston Street, get your pals together and find out which one is the true Costanza, Lord of the Idiots.
If justice and equality were concepts that truly applied to everyone, I Am Not Your Negro wouldn't need to exist. In fact, it wouldn't be able to. Author and social critic James Baldwin wouldn't have lived through the murders of three of his high-profile friends, civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. A decade later, he wouldn't have felt compelled to put his fingers to the typewriter to capture his experiences of America, intending to write a manuscript but only jotting down 30 pages of notes. He wouldn't have been shaped by standing out in a white man's world, and spent his life rallying against it. The list goes on, and the answer remains the same: none of this would've had to happen. Alas, as filmmaker Raoul Peck so powerfully and passionately conveys in his documentary, that was not Baldwin's reality — or ours now. And, as I Am Not Your Negro also makes plain, the difference between the past that Baldwin lived through and our present is virtually non-existent. With Samuel L. Jackson's solemn, patient tones reading the essayist's probing words, the movie steps through the complicated state of American race relations. The deaths of Baldwin's friends provide the framework for not only a picture of history drawn from Baldwin's observations, but of a struggle that still continues. Indeed, when talk show host Dick Cavett asks Baldwin, "is it at once getting much better and still hopeless?" in a clip from 1968, it couldn't feel more relevant now. In a film driven by eloquent statements of harsh facts, such comments keep on coming. "The truth is that this country does not know what to do with its black population," is just one telling utterance of many. Every line feels like a lament and a curse, the former spoken with sadness for humanity's true nature, the latter evidenced by the lack of progress to this day. And yet, I Am Not Your Negro isn't a lecture, as informative as its contents are. Baldwin's writings might dictate the movie's shape and structure, but this is a documentary driven as much by images as words. Peck demonstrates the reality of Baldwin's remarks through a deftly edited array of footage, pairing voiceover with historical photographs, benefiting from archival clips of spirited speeches, and weaving in appropriate snippets from movies that deal with race both overtly and implicitly. Glimpses of King, Evers and X understandably hit home hard, though so do modern parallels and pictures of recent police shooting victims. Indeed, the entire feature lands with the full force that its harrowing, heartbreaking material demands — in sharp contrast to the elegant and poetic way it has been pieced together. Any frame could sit in a history text, and many do. However, as a blend of sights and insights, I Am Not Your Negro could hardly offer a more urgent, perceptive or illuminating viewing experience. With the wisdom of someone who lived, lost, struggled, strived for change and saw others struck down in the process, Baldwin understood that knowing something to be true and facing it aren't one and the same, and that America's history of racial trouble is as built on well-meaning folks failing to act as it is by open violence and hatred. The question that Peck and his film ask is whether the audience can understand that too. Once again, Baldwin says it best: "we are cruelly trapped between what we would like to be and what we actually are." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG6VE1BRF9I
It has been almost 50 years since Philip K. Dick pondered whether androids dream of electric sheep, and 35 years since Blade Runner brought that question to the cinema. In celebration of the long-awaited big screen sequel, Blade Runner 2049, Melbourne's Cinema Nova is throwing another query into the mix: do replicants have a hankering for themed cocktails? Eagle-eyed fans of the first film will have spotted that, yes, bioengineered beings can have a beverage. And we all know that the trackers tasked with retiring them can too. Accordingly, downing a few drinks like Harrison Ford's Rick Deckard seems like a fitting way to mark his return. When Bar 2049 pops up for a month from September 28 — a week before the new movie releases on October 5 — here's hoping there's some of his booze of choice (that is, whiskey), in Cinema Nova's two new tipples: the Nexus 9 and The Offworld. Bar 2049 won't just boast drinks to match the occasion, but will transform the existing Nova Bar & Kitchen into an immersive, eye-catching Blade Runner-like space that takes its cues from both Ridley Scott's original flick and Denis Villeneuve's forthcoming, Ryan Gosling-starring follow-up. Custom wall murals from street artist Chris Hancock of Blender Creative and video installations from filmmaker Ben Helweg will create a striking, futuristic look, while an audio soundscape will blend Vangelis' iconic score with synth pop. Other touches searing themselves into your memory include neon lighting and lasers, LCD screens, floor decals, mannequins and silver unicorns. If that doesn't cause an emotional reaction that proves you're not a robot, then a 'Tastes From The Future' food menu should. The latest example of Cinema Nova's Blade Runner love — with the theatre screening the classic movie several times over the years — Bar 2049 is open from 10am daily, licensed from midday, and serves up dinner from 5pm weeknights and midday on weekends. Images: ©2017 Alcon Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved via Sony Pictures Releasing International.
If you're a fan of things that are good – including good movies, good food and good company – then you're going to be doubly happy about this particular event: a Sophia Coppola double bill at the historic Astor Theatre. They'll be showing Coppola's recent release The Beguiled followed by Lost in Translation, in a pairing that's sure to have movie-lovers salivating. But what makes this one really special is the food, with the cinema teaming up with Supernormal Canteen to celebrate the eatery's opening in St Kilda Earlier this year. FYI – Supernormal Canteen is the younger, chiller sibling of beloved establishment Supernormal. They'll be serving a cinematic variation of their famous peanut butter delight dessert. Think of a waffle cone, stuffed with parfait, slathered in salted caramel and topped with roasted peanuts. And look, we realise that a Sophia Coppola double and a gourmet choc top is peak Melbourne. But you can't deny it's damn appealing.
Flip out, circus fans — there's a new acrobatic collective in town. And, even better, the all-female collective is putting on a free, one-night-only performance that draws attendees into an immersive dystopian world. At Testing Grounds on February 23, Tons of Sense will present Stand Here. And no, you don't have to take the title's advice. In fact, as seven performers do their circus best, audience members are encouraged not only to watch and listen, but to move, touch, taste, smell and interact with the cast and the set. In short: don't expect your usual kind of show. Aiming to probe the bystander effect — that is, how people around us influence our behaviour — is one of the performance's aims according to director Latonya Wigginton, an alum of the Beijing International Art School and the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne. "Stand Here is a circus show, you can expect to see flips and tricks," she explains, "but we also hope that our work leaves the audience with a sense of being involved in something greater than themselves."
If Pitch Perfect 2 taught us anything, it's that bigger isn't always better. The so-so 2015 sequel didn't exactly make the original look like a one-hit wonder, but in trying to repeat the same beats (only louder), it couldn't find quite the same catchy refrain. Still, it's a toe-tapping triumph compared to the third instalment in the a cappella-focused franchise. Like mid 2000s-era Britney Spears, whose 'Toxic' the film trots out more than once, Pitch Perfect 3 is desperately trying to recapture some old magic with very little success. Britney's track is actually the best thing about the movie, which is why it keeps popping up. As the Barden Bellas sing, dance and channel their inner pop star, they're doing what they love — and it shows. Sadly, director Trish Sie (Step Up 5), returning screenwriter Kay Cannon and franchise newbie/co-writer Mike White (Brad's Status) insist on overcomplicating matters again and again. And so it is that our heroes find themselves belting out the tune on a boat that's suddenly besieged with action and explosions. If you're thinking that the franchise has completely run out of ideas, then you're right. The singing silliness starts when record producer Beca (Anna Kendrick), pals Chloe (Brittany Snow) and Aubrey (Anna Camp), outspoken Australian Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and the rest of the gang wrangle their way into a gig entertaining American troops — which then turns out to be a competition to support DJ Khaled at the finale of the tour. Unhappy in their adult lives now that college is but a distant memory, the experience sees the group back in their aca-element, hopping across Europe and riffing off against bands with actual instruments. Commentators John (John Michael Higgins) and Gail (Elizabeth Banks) tag along to make a documentary, while Fat Amy also has to deal with her estranged Aussie father (John Lithgow). While Britney gives Pitch Perfect 3 its high point, it heads in the opposite direction every time Lithgow opens his mouth. Like Quentin Tarantino in Django Unchained, it's another case of an American actor completely missing the mark when trying out an Australian accent — not that he seems to be trying that hard. The fact that it'll stick in your mind says just as much about the film around it, however, with the movie brightly shot and zippily paced but unable to rise above a bland screenplay. It doesn't help that the main cast seem barely interested, as they trot through the expected motions, jokes and character tics. At least they give the various jukebox-like musical numbers the requisite energy. Everything else in the film feels like exactly what it is: filler. The end product is a movie that, much like its characters, is happy just to relive past glories. Ironically, the film's message — about moving on and letting go of the past — is one that it seems incapable of taking on board. As a result, while Pitch Perfect 3 is packaged as the Bellas' last hurrah, no one will be surprised if we end up with a fourth instalment. If it forces the group onto a reality TV singing show — and, really, where else can they go? — then it really will be scraping the bottom of the barrel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rv_aNPMRv0
This month, a few of Melbourne's best chefs are joining forces, combining their talents to help raise awareness about anxiety and depression within the hospitality industry. Kitchen guns like Ryne's Donovan Cooke, Anchovy's Thi Le, Oakridge's Matt Stone and Lûmé's, Shaun Quade will be cooking up a storm on February 12, for a one-of-a-kind cocktail party aboard Arbory Afloat. At the helm is Food for Thought, a local initiative that runs annual charity dinners to help encourage conversation and break through the stigma surrounding these mental health issues. The team of chefs will be whipping up a diverse eight-course canapé menu for 350 guests. Tickets cost $100 and include all food and three hours of drinks — and all profits from the night will go straight to R U OK? and beyondblue. If you want to donate more, there will be raffles and auctions throughout the night. "In our industry we do witness the effects that long hours, high-pressure work environments and an often 'just deal with it' attitude can have, causing those suffering from anxiety and depression not to speak out," said chef and Food for Thought founder Mal Meiers. "Having personally faced this, I felt a huge importance to support this cause."
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this Melbourne cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co. cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Returning for a second year, the festival will paint North Melbourne's Meat Market yellow on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — there will be over 80 types from the likes of Bruny Island, Yarra Valley Dairy, Stone & Crowe — it'll feature flavoursome fare from toastie masters Maker & Monger, Burn City Smokers and more. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving Blackwood Street. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, beer and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. There will be an evening session on Friday from 5–8pm and two sessions (from 11am–4pm and 5–9pm) on Saturday. Tickets cost $45, which includes tastings, classes, one free glass of vino and a wine glass to keep.
When 11-year-old Toni (Royalty Hightower) looks at the world, she does so from a specific perspective. That might sound obvious; however The Fits doesn't just follow her journey — it embraces everything that makes the shy pre-teen who she is. When the camera isn't peering from her point of view, it's showing how her body reacts to everything around her. And with movement Toni's main way of processing her thoughts and conveying her feelings, the movie's editing tries to mirror its protagonist's distinctive presence. Indeed, if most coming-of-age films champion the universal nature of growing up, then Anna Rose Holmer's feature filmmaking debut endeavours to celebrate Toni's individual experience. The first-time writer-director understands that everyone encounters similar issues and situations at a young age, including the awkward prospects of trying something different and making new friends. But with her co-scribes Saela Davis and Lisa Kjerulff, Holmer also acknowledges that it's the unique details, rather than the broader strokes, that make each story interesting. Accordingly, The Fits burrows deep into Toni's mindset as it explores her attempts to join local dance drill ensemble The Lionesses. When the film opens, she's a tomboy happily tagging along to her older brother's boxing training sessions at the local community centre — until the cheering and chatter emanating from another gymnasium in the complex attracts her attention. Soon, she's testing out their moves when no one is around, and working up the courage to audition. Alas, as Toni moves closer to the group, something strange happens: the rest of her teammates mysteriously start fainting and convulsing. Of course, it's not an accident that The Fits' title has multiple meanings. As Toni tries to fit in, her peers are literally having fits, which the jerkiness of their chosen style of dance unmistakably resembles. Such a sense of synergy is just one of the layered touches that makes the movie so simultaneously intimate and expressive. While the film brings a particular narrative to the screen, it's more concerned with the emotional voyage that eventuates, rather than the underlying plot points. As a result, even though a number of eye-catching dance numbers feature throughout its 72-minute running time, The Fits isn't a dance film in the usual sense. Instead, it's a tale that can only be told through movement and a heightened awareness of physicality, and through the stylistic and acting choices that emphasise the difference between stepping up and communicating a psychological state. Holmer displays rare confidence behind the camera, especially when it comes to the film's immersive soundtrack, symmetrical framing and rhythmic choreography. But it's the cast of non-professional actors that ensure the film hits home. Led by Hightower, they're the reason the movie doesn't just look striking, but feels like an authentic glimpse into the mind of a pre-teen girl. The Fits is screening as part of She Speaks First, a female-focused film series presented by Grey Gardens Projects. The film will be followed by a conversation with choreographer and dancer Holly Durant and artist Clare Rae.
If you're the kind of dog owner who takes your fur baby out to dinner with you and feeds them from your plate, you'll love this event. Witchmount Winery — which is just 25 minutes outside of Melbourne in Plumpton — is hosting Doggy Winery Cinema. The name says it all: dogs, wine, outdoor cinema. On Saturday, February 11 from 6.30pm, they'll be playing Red Dog: True Blue — which is no Napoleon, but your dog will appreciate it all the same. Along with the film, the ticket price includes a healthy plate of paella as well as a glass of wine or a local brew. An endless supply of popcorn will see you through the film and Ben and Jerry's will be on hand to sate your ice cream cravings. As for your pooches, their treats can be bought from Australia's first food truck for dogs (yes, really), the Canine Wellness Kitchen Food Truck.
Melbourne's various arts festivals aren't short on highlights, but fans of cinema and music can usually look forward to a Hear My Eyes session come Melbourne International Film Festival time. That's when a beloved flick comes back to the big screen, accompanied by a live — and all-new, completely original — score that's played while film lovers sit, watch and listen. In 2023, however, Hear My Eyes is heading to citywide cultural festival RISING in June first. On the agenda: a film that's not even a decade old but is already a classic, as well as just one piece of proof in a long list that Robert Pattinson makes stellar role choices when he's not playing a sparkly vampire. In 2017, heist thriller Good Time was a standout. Following one wild night in New York City as small-time criminal Connie (Pattinson, The Batman) tries to find some cash to get his brother out of jail, it's a pulsating effort from directors Benny and Josh Safdie — who went on to make the also-exceptional Uncut Gems afterwards. Usually, Good Time boasts a helluva thumping, nerve-shredding electronic soundtrack by Oneohtrix Point Never, who also did the same for Uncut Gems. But Hear My Eyes is tasking Big Yawn and Teether with coming up with a brand-new live score on Friday, June 9 at the Melbourne Recital Centre. That means rhythm and rap, as designed to suit the film's relentless pace and vibe. This movie-and-music session joins past Hear My Eyes gigs such as Pan's Labyrinth, Chopper, Two Hands, Drive, Girlhood and Suspiria. Obviously, these shows are never the same twice. It also continues Melbourne's spate of gigs celebrating cinema, thanks to orchestral screenings of everything from Toy Story and Home Alone to Frozen and Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back either recently, or to come. And, it sits on a packed RISING 2023 lineup that spans more than 400 artists over 12 days of visual art, culture, music, performance and food. A fellow highlight for movie lovers: Euphoria, a multi-screen film installation starring Cate Blanchett, which will fill Melbourne Town Hall. Check out the trailer for Good Time below: Hear My Eyes' Good Time screening with Big Yawn and Teether will debut at Melbourne Recital Centre on Friday, June 9. Head to the RISING website for tickets and further details. Also, read our full review of Good Time. RISING will descend on venues and spaces across Melbourne from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18. For the full program and tickets, head to the festival's website.
