No one can know for certain what tomorrow will bring; however, the tales told on screens big and small, and through games and comics as well, have delivered plenty of visions of what might come. Will androids dream of electric sheep? Will a Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4)-voiced rock star and terrorist make their presence known? Will Afrofuturist technologies transform life as we know it? These are some of the future possibilities conjured up by beloved pop-culture titles — and they're all part of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's world-premiere exhibition The Future & Other Fictions as well. Displaying at the Melbourne screen museum across Thursday, November 28, 2024–Sunday, April 27, 2025, taking pride of place as its big summer showcase, The Future & Other Fictions is a love letter to and deep dive into futuristic storytelling. More than 180 works feature, including from Blade Runner 2049, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Cyberpunk 2077 and The Creator. Saltsea Chronicles, comic series NEOMAD and Björk's music video 'The Gate': they're all also covered. Before he was just Ken, Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) starred in the 35-years-later sequel to Blade Runner — and before he brought Dune and Dune: Part Two to the screen, Denis Villeneuve directed Blade Runner 2049. The Future & Other Fictions lets attendees follow in their footsteps via miniature sets, which are one of the exhibition's definite must-sees. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets the nod thanks to Academy Award-winning costumes by Ruth E Carter, while sketches from NEOMAD also feature — as do concept art from The Creator, Cyberpunk 2077 and Saltsea Chronicles. This showcase isn't just about well-known renderings of the future, though, thanks to work by Olalekan Jeyifous, Osheen Siva and Tāgata Moana art collective Pacific Sisters. Plus, via new commissions, DJ Hannah Brontë has her own take, and so does Liam Young and Natasha Wanganeen (Limbo). As it celebrates how screens imagine the years ahead via its array of artwork, sets, props and scripts — alongside clips, costumes and original design materials, too — The Future & Other Fictions also features a film season focusing on Björk, complete with Björk: Biophilia Live on the lineup. [caption id="attachment_974750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mahia Te Kore[/caption]
DesignEX has been Australia's leading architecture and design event for 25 years, and this year it's coming to Melbourne. If you're an architect, designer or anyone who works in a visual medium, it's definitely worth a visit for the inspiration and for the networking opportunities. Even if you're not in the industry, it's still a fascinating event. There are talks by design industry professionals, a Ketel One bar, as well as pop-up store Urban Larder by Sarah K selling handmade furniture, homewares and some of the most stylish 'tablewear' (as opposed to tableware) we've ever seen. If you need a caffeine fix among all that, you can head to the specially designed St. Ali Roasters Space. They'll be serving complimentary coffee and pastries in the morning while showing off their coffee art. Thanks to DesignEX, we're giving away 10 double passes to this year's event (normally $25 per person and closed to the public). To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of cinemas worldwide, two questions arose: when will they be able to reopen and, with movie release dates instantly thrown into disarray, what will they show? Picture palaces are now welcoming movie buffs back through the doors in some portions of the world, including parts of Australia and in New Zealand, so that's the first query taken care of. Just what they're able to screen, however, is still the subject of constant manoeuvring. Many of the big films that were due to release in 2020 have been shifted to 2021, such as Fast and Furious 9, In the Heights, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Halloween Kills. Some have remained committed to reaching the silver screen this year, but have still moved their release date over and over, like Tenet. And some have decided to make the jump online — including after rescheduling in-cinema release plans a few times, as is the case with Disney's live-action Mulan remake. As announced this week, the new Mulan will head straight to streaming platform Disney+ in many areas of the world, including Australia and New Zealand. It'll hit the service on Friday, September 4, but it won't be a part of your regular subscription. Instead, you'll have to pay to view it on a video-on-demand or 'premier access' basis, at a cost that's yet to be announced for viewers Down Under. If you want a ballpark figure, though, the US price is $29.99. This isn't the first Disney project to make the move to digital this year, with Pixar's Onward doing the same after a very brief cinema run as the globe went into lockdowns in March. Terrible family-friendly fantasy Artemis Fowl bypassed theatres altogether, hitting Disney+ in early June, while the phenomenal recorded version of Hamilton debuted on the streamer in July. In Mulan's case, it'll mean that fans can not only watch the highly anticipated blockbuster at home, but also finally enjoy the latest screen iteration of the famed character. In Chinese history, the legend of Hua Mulan dates back to the sixth century. At the movies, the formidable female warrior first fought her way across the big screen in a 1927 silent film. Mulan has been no stranger to the page, stage or cinema over the past 92 years, but many folks know the tale thanks to Disney's 1998 animated musical. Now, as it has done with everything from Alice in Wonderland to The Jungle Book to Aladdin, the Mouse House has turned the story into its latest live-action remake. Once again, Mulan (played by Chinese American actor Liu Yifei) will evolve from dutiful daughter to kick-ass combatant, all to protect her family in a time of war. She's originally due to be married off to a husband chosen by a matchmaker, until the Emperor of China issues a decree stating that one man per household must serve the Imperial Army as it endeavours to fend off northern invaders. To save her ailing ex-soldier father from having to fight, Mulan disguises herself as a man, takes on the name Hua Jun and becomes an icon. Forget rousing tunes or a talking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. This time, the tale hits the screen without a singing and smart-talking sidekick, but with plenty of sword-swinging, arrow-flinging antics. In New Zealand director Niki Caro's (Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's Wife) hands, this version of the story goes heavy on the action and empowerment, as shown in the spectacularly choreographed scenes seen so far. As well as Liu (whose resume includes The Forbidden Kingdom and The Assassins), the new Mulan features Jet Li as the Chinese Emperor, Gong Li as a witch, Donnie Yen as the protagonist's mentor, Jason Scott Lee as a villainous army leader, and Yoson An (The Meg, Mortal Engines) as her fellow fighter and love interest. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK8FHdFluOQ Mulan will be able to view via Disney+ — on a 'premier access' video-on-demand basis from September 4, 2020. Image: © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Yesterday LCD Soundsystem made a surprise appearance on this year's Coachella lineup, almost five years after the band called it quits. But guess what? That is only the start of it. And proving speculation to be true, frontman James Murphy has posted a lengthy (read: really long) note on the band's website confirming that, yes, the band has officially reunited, yes, they'll be doing an "all over" tour, and they'll be releasing a new album in 2016. Holy shit. We'd almost be angry if we weren't so insanely excited right now. It seems that Murphy has anticipated some backlash from fans who have already mourned the band, and are presumably (hopefully) already on the other side of their seven stages of grief. In his apologetic post, which was also shared on the band's Facebook early this morning Australian time, Murphy acknowledges the fans who "feel very attached to the band, and have put a lot of themselves into their care of us, who feel betrayed by us coming back and playing". These fans did, of course, shell out and possibly sold a limb and/or firstborn child for their last glimpse of LCD at their final Madison Square Garden show back in 2011 — a moment that may now, according to Murphy, may feel "cheapened" by their reunion and promise to do a wider tour. He writes: "to you i have to say: i’m seriously sorry. the only thing we can do now is get back into the studio and finish this record, and make it as fucking good as we can possibly make it." An expected album release date is currently unknown, as are the details of the proposed "all over tour" — but we expect the Internet will start wildly speculating on that too. As for an Australian tour? Well, we'll be sitting here quietly, crossing all our things. Image: Matt Biddulph via Wikimedia Commons
When Jennifer Kent's The Babadook creeped its way across screens in 2014, it became an Australian horror classic. Now, five years later, the Aussie filmmaker is back with a completely different type of unsettling film. Prepare to feel just as uncomfortable in The Nightingale, which steps back to Tasmania circa 1825 to follow a young Irish convict (Aisling Franciosi) seeking revenge on a cruel British officer (Sam Claflin) — with assistance on her trek from an Aboriginal tracker named Billy (Baykali Ganambarr). Premiering at the Venice Film Festival last year, the movie made an instant splash, winning a special jury prize for Kent and nabbing the best young actor award for Ganambarr — a dancer from Arnhem Land who had never appeared on screen before. The Nightingale then screened at the Adelaide Film Festival, as well as at Sundance; however the bulk of Australia has been waiting for the film to finally hit cinemas. And, to even catch a glimpse of just what's in store. The just-released first trailer for The Nightingale takes care of the latter problem. "You don't want trouble, but sometimes trouble wants you," Claflin's character snarls menacingly in a particularly chilling moment, with the Hunger Games star definitely playing against type. As for when it'll release locally, the film is set to play this year's Sydney Film Festival before rolling out in cinemas around the country at the end of August. Unpacking Australia's colonial history, as well as its treatment of both women and the country's Indigenous population, it's an absolutely essential and shattering masterpiece — something we say from experience. The vengeance-fuelled film is also far from easy to watch, filled as it is with trauma, darkness, visceral shocks and deep-seated pain. Inspiring walkouts at the movie's sessions in Adelaide, Kent can't be accused of holding back. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfPxmnMAyZw The Nightingale releases in Australian cinemas on August 29, 2019.
When it comes to raising funds for bushfire-affected Aussies, Collingwood music bar FeeFee's is doing what it does best and pulling together a night of live tunes from a bunch of talented locals. This Saturday, January 18, the venue's Bushfire Animal Relief Benefit will see a lineup of live acts and DJ's joining forces to raise much-needed money for Wildlife Victoria, supporting its animal rescue efforts following the state's devastating fires. Artists like Cosmic Kahuna, Ramblin' Gold and Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rumours will be hitting the stage across the day, while DJ's including Speeding Beauty, Tiny Dancer, Tuff Cuff, BLVD and Mermaid throw down some sounds of their own. All artist fees, along with 50 percent of the day's bar profits will be heading straight to Wildlife Victoria. There's also set to be a hefty raffle with a swag of prizes ranging from clothing vouchers to rare music albums, proceeds from which will also be going to support the state's affected wildlife and rescue centres.
It's never been a better time to go no-alc than right now. Today, it's not odd to be going dry, it's accepted, celebrated and understood. Alcohol isn't for everyone or every occasion, but no one really wants to be excluded from the fun. The underwhelming or straight-up bland alcohol-free options of the past have evolved. Bartenders are getting creative with mocktails, there are numerous no- and low-alcohol brands now on offer, and even traditional alcohol brands are getting involved with alc-free versions to shift with the changing times. If you're booze-free, reducing your boozing or just curious about what's available out there, we've teamed up with Edenvale Wines — a premium alcohol-removed wine range — to create this list of our best takes on the top alternative alcohol-free beverages in the market today. WINE — EDENVALE WINES It's tricky to make non-alcoholic wine that doesn't taste just like grape juice. With lots of research — and some tinkering to the custom spinning cone column technology which removes the alcohol — Edenvale is constantly perfecting its range. The beauty of Edenvale Wines is that the alcohol is removed after the wine is made, meaning it retains all the flavours, tannins, complexity and aromas of traditional wines. The winemakers are slinging both Aussie and international wines to offer a range that is true-to-varietal and expressions of the regions they are grown in. So whether you want a semillon sauv blanc from Frankland River, WA, a GSM from Barossa or even a verdejo from Spain, Edenvale Wines have options for you. If you are a wine drinker looking to make a change or sober curious and wondering if you could dupe your mates with a non-alc version of their favourite varietals, Edenvale is recognised as being one of the best non-alc versions out there. The sparkling shiraz was just awarded a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), London 2023 and is an excellent match for red meats like a juicy steak. BEER — HEAPS NORMAL Many of our favourite beer brands are putting out their own non-alcoholic ranges of beers, but few are primarily dedicated to creating a quality booze-free beer option. Enter Heaps Normal, which has solidified itself as a top beer choice with its considered range that includes an XPA, hazy pale ale, lager and — most recently — a stout. The team behind Heaps Normal are champions of the no-alcohol and low-alc movement and mindful drinking and aim to serve great-tasting beer without the potential downsides. WHISKEY — THE GOSPEL Whisk(e)y is a tricky spirit to create a satisfying non-alc version of, as most bonafide whiskey fiends love to drink it straight. The trademark burn at the back of your throat satisfies those who love a dram. And that burn is alcohol. Australia's first-ever dedicated all-rye distillery, The Gospel, (recently named the maker of Australia's Best Whiskey) is now one of the first to produce non-alcoholic rye whiskey: Responsible Rye. Under the guidance of its Sommelier and R&D distiller Ellie Ash and over a year in development, the rye-lovers at The Gospel have perfected the non-alc alternative to a dram. It is made using de-alcoholised rye whiskey — a similar process to alcohol removal used by Edenvale Wines — to ensure the liquid is full of the classic rye whiskey flavours: underlying smokiness, candied nuts, cardamom and cola. GIN — LYRE'S SPIRIT One of the first non-alc offerings on the market was non-alcoholic gin. Numerous brands duped G&T lovers with bottled non-alc spirits that emulated the alcoholic brethren on the shelves. Craft spirits lovers assumed they were the latest craft gin on the market, only to discover that they were all flavour and no hangover. One such brand is Lyre's Spirit. An innovative brand pumping out non-alc spirits — they even have a bitter orange liqueur so you can enjoy a summer spritz free from booze. The Lyre's London Dry is a take on the traditional gin style. Expect juniper flavours, peppercorn and citrus. Ideal for a dry G&T or not-so-classic classic Tom Collins. And those that like a bitter orange spritz can opt for the Italian Orange and Aperifit Rosso for their day-time summer sipping. TEQUILA — DRUMMERBOY MEXICAN AGAVE SPIRIT Another dedicated spirits brand pushing out award-winning versions of our favourite sips is Drummerboy and its Mexican Agave Spirit, ideal for those that love a margarita but not the alcohol. Like Edenvale Wines, it has also been recognised by the International Wine and Spirits Competition. A bright and zesty alternative to your traditional tequila that is perfect in cocktails or by itself. Edenvale Wines is a premium range of alcohol-removed wines that are available to purchase directly from the website or at most major supermarket retailers. Top image: Moira Vella Photography
Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't the first lyricist to pen tunes so catchy that they get stuck in your head for years (yes, years), but his rhythmic tracks and thoughtful lines always stand out. Miranda's songs are melodic and snappy, as anyone who has seen Hamilton onstage or via streaming definitely knows. The multi-talented songwriter's lyrics also pinball around your brain because they resonate with such feeling — and because they're usually about something substantial. The musical that made his name before his date with US history, In the Heights echoes with affection for its eponymous Latinx New York neighbourhood. Now that it's reverberating through cinemas, its sentiments about community, culture, facing change and fighting prejudice all seem stronger, too. To watch the film's characters sing about their daily lives and deepest dreams in Washington Heights is to understand what it's like to feel as if you truly belong in your patch of the city, to navigate your everyday routine with high hopes shining in your heart, and to weather every blow that tries to take that turf and those wishes away. That's what great show tunes do, whisking the audience off on both a narrative and an emotional journey. Miranda sets his words to hip hop beats, but make no mistake: he writes barnstorming songs that are just as rousing and moving, and that've earned their place among the very best stage and screen ditties as a result. Watching In the Heights, it's hard not to think about all those stirring tracks that've graced previous musicals. That isn't a sign of derivation here, though. Directing with dazzling flair and a joyous mood, Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M Chu nods to cinema's lengthy love affair with musicals in all the right ways. His song-and-dance numbers are clearly influenced by fellow filmic fare, and yet they recall their predecessors only because they slide in so seamlessly alongside them. Take his staging of '96000', for instance. It's about winning the lottery, after word filters around that bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos, a Hamilton alum) has sold a lucky ticket. Due to the sweltering summer heat, the whole neighbourhood is at the public pool, which is where Chu captures a colourful sea of performers expressing their feelings through exuberantly shot, staged and choreographed music and movement — and it's as touching and glorious as anything that's ever graced celluloid. $96,000 won't set anyone up for life, but it'd make an enormous difference to Usnavi, In the Heights' protagonist and narrator. It'd also help absolutely everyone he loves. As he explains long before anyone even hears about the winning ticket, or buys it, every Heights local has their own sueñitos — little dreams they're chasing, such as his determination to relocate to the Dominican Republic. That's where his late father hailed from, and where he's set his sights on finding happiness. As Usnavi tells the movie's tale, he does so looking back while talking to kids on a beach, so his commitment to pursuing his chosen future can't be doubted. But this isn't just the story of how and if his sueñito eventuates. It's also about his fondness for hairdresser Vanessa (Melissa Barrera, Vida), who he can't muster up the courage to ask out. It's about her quest to pursue a fashion career in Manhattan, too, and about the yearnings stirring inside fellow locals Nina (film debutant Leslie Grace) and Benny (Corey Hawkins, BlacKkKlansman). The former is back from Stanford to tell her dad (Jimmy Smits, The Tax Collector) she doesn't want to return — and the latter, who works for her father, dreams of business school. Usnavi's young cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV, Vampires vs The Bronx) also pines for a different path, as does salon owner and local mainstay Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega, Katy Keen). Some of In the Heights' sueñitos are big and bold, while others value beauty in the everyday — such as the resolve to seek dignity in minutiae that drives neighbourhood Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz, reprising her role from the stage). One of the things that's so entrancing about the film's narrative, which Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes adapts from her own stage efforts with Miranda, is the textured snapshot it builds by flitting between different Heights residents. Not just through its lively and heartfelt songs, but also via its energetic and loving lensing, it scratches away at their hopes and desires, chronicling how they're toiling, trying and persisting day in, day out. Miranda and Hudes don't shy away from the struggles faced by Usnavi and his friends, of course, or from the ups and downs in life that come for us all. But character by character, they build a vision of heart and hope in one very specific place, as aided by Chu putting his past experience directing Step Up: 2 the Streets and Step Up 3D to exceptional use. In the Heights isn't just about dreams — it's also dreamy. Some of its musical numbers literally climb the walls with jubilation, or evocatively peer back in time, and it's just like stepping into Usnavi, Claudia and company's fantasies, emotions and memories with them. The grounding factor, other than the passion in every word, and the issues such as gentrification, economic inequality, racism and oppressive immigration policy that get pushed to the fore: Chu's phenomenal cast. Taking over the role that Miranda earned a Tony nomination for, Ramos is a dream, fittingly. His performance is so warm and engaging that hanging on his every rapped syllable is just part of the experience. He's surrounded by just-as-impressive co-stars, spanning the spectrum from Grace's simmering resolve and Barrera's pluck to Stephanie Beatriz's (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) scene-stealing supporting turn as a salon co-owner— and a singing and dancing Smits, too, as well as Miranda as a piragua cart vendor. The cinematic reverie they're all in isn't quite perfect, as its pacing often signals, but neither is any genuine dream. The best fantasies are always intoxicating, invigorating, impassioned and infectious, however, and truly mean something. In the Heights ticks all those boxes, and also finds time for a delightful Hamilton reference.
The chance to watch a comedian do stand-up in front of a dimly lit brick wall in Brooklyn is a dream out of reach for most of us. But which American is about to make that all change? It's Rick James, bitch. No wait, It's Dave Chappelle. Most known for his television series Chapelle's Show, the comedian, screenwriter, actor and television and film producer will be hitting Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth for his very first tour outside of North America. Now 40 years old, Chappelle's been performing since he was 14 and was tossed under the spotlight for his parodies of American culture, racial stereotyping and politics. Chappelle's most recent tour sold out venues all over the U.S. and Canada. So don't leave tickets to the last minute; shows like these don't often come knocking on Australian doors. Tickets for all shows go on sale 9am this Tuesday, January 28, with presale options released on Friday 24 via Live Nation.
You've got a friend in this: the latest excuse to watch a beloved movie on a big screen, and also listen to live tunes played by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the same time. As it has previously done with everything from Harry Potter flicks to Studio Ghibli's delights, the MSO is giving the OG Pixar gem that is Toy Story the orchestral treatment, all on the big screen at Hamer Hall this April. If the 1995 classic about talking playthings already takes your heart to infinity and beyond, prepare for your emotions to soar even little higher at Toy Story in Concert. There's never a bad time or way to watch the animated hit, of course, but there's always something extra special about the live movie-and-music combo — which draws you further into the soundtrack, obviously, and also in the picture itself. Running across three shows on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, these gigs will play Randy Newman's Oscar-nominated melodic compositions — 'You've Got a Friend in Me', 'Strange Things' and 'I Will Go Sailing No More' all included. They're not just the tunes that first helped bring Toy Story's heartwarming tale to life, but tracks that helped launch a franchise. Indeed, Toy Story in Concert hits Melbourne just over a month before Lightyear, Pixar's animated Buzz Lightyear origin story flick, reaches cinemas in June. After working with Newman on his 2011 orchestral tour, conductor Guy Noble will lead the concerts — adding to a resume that's included gigs with everyone from Ben Folds and The Beach Boys to The Pointer Sisters and Olivia Newton-John. And, if you're somehow new to Toy Story — because you're the one person whose childhood wasn't defined by it — then get ready for the tale of cowboy toy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), new space ranger plaything Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) and a rivalry that threatens to upset the toybox. Check out the Toy Story trailer below: Toy Story in Concert plays Hamer Hall on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30. For further information and to buy tickets from 10am AEDT on Monday, March 21, head to the MSO website.
UPDATE, April 4, 2020: Brittany Runs a Marathon is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. Everyone has a friend who goes on a fitness kick, then won't stop talking about it. Suddenly your brunch dates are scheduled around training sessions and optimal heart rates come up in every conversation. That isn't Brittany Forgler (Jillian Bell). The New Yorker barely has the energy to start exercising, and she certainly doesn't want to keep nattering on about it. And while Brittany Runs a Marathon focuses on the avid partygoer's highly out-of-character wellness campaign, the feel-good comedy actually sports a similar attitude — because as enormous a feat as attempting to run a marathon is, it's only one part of Brittany's life. Basing his debut feature on his best friend, playwright-turned-filmmaker Paul Downs Colaizzo spends plenty of time cheering Brittany's efforts. Flags are waved and encouragement is yelled — by her new running pals Catherine (Michaela Watkins) and Seth (Micah Stock) and, metaphorically, by the movie itself. But while the story plays out largely as every underdog sports flick has trained audiences to expect, there's a deeper, darker core to this upbeat and amusing affair. Come for a wry spin on all the usual training montages, keep watching as Brittany progresses from groaning through a slow jog around the block to willingly skipping boozing for exercise, then stay for a perceptive exploration of the tough marathon that is finding self-acceptance. Indeed, late in this likeable movie, there's a scene that sums up the film's true focus — and it makes for purposefully uneasy viewing. Seething with pain and devastation, it has nothing to do with running through the streets. At a birthday party for her sister's (Kate Arrington) husband (Lil Rel Howery), Brittany starts talking to a couple. They appear mismatched, she's had a few drinks, and so she asks an awkward, inappropriate question. It doesn't go down well, but it's clear that Brittany isn't trying to judge or be cruel to those around her. Rather, by pondering aloud how a man she deems attractive could love a woman with a fuller figure, she's voicing the harsh mindset that she has always directed internally. Charting Brittany's attempts to improve her health on medical orders, and then to put one foot after the other during New York's 42-kilometre endurance test, Brittany Runs a Marathon dives into its protagonist's damaging opinion of herself. The film is filled with humour — and many, many running scenes — but, primarily, it's the cinematic manifestation of the idea that to help yourself, you actually have to like yourself . For too long, Brittany has been the funny sidekick. She constantly cracks jokes at her own expense, whether at work, on dates, or with the doctor she's trying to convince to prescribe her Adderall. She's also fantastic at self-sabotage, as her fledgling romance with fellow underachieving twenty-something Jern (Utkarsh Ambudkar) shows. Those habits are hard to break, so Brittany Runs a Marathon confronts Brittany's flagging self-esteem one sweaty step at a time. It's a beauty and wellness industry cliché — the type trotted out to sell soap, as Brittany skewers — but loving the skin you're in is hard. It's also tricky to convey on-screen in an authentic fashion (and no, instant makeovers where someone removes their glasses to reveal they're really a bombshell don't count). Brittany Runs a Marathon turns the task into a physical slog, with viewers witnessing every grimace and struggle, then feeling the exhilaration when its reluctant protagonist gets comfortable pounding the pavement — and, of course, when she does what the title tells us she's going to do. There's a reason that writer/director Colaizzo is happy to spoil the outcome in the movie's moniker, after all: running the New York marathon isn't the film's only point. As astute as it proves in exploring Brittany's battle with her inner demons and millennial malaise in general, Brittany Runs a Marathon has its star to thank for striking such an affecting chord. A scene-stealer in 22 Jump Street, Rough Night and Workaholics, Bell puts her heart, soul and gift for witty quips into this thoughtful and funny movie — and ensures that every step that Brittany takes, both in the right and wrong directions, feels genuine. That sensation sets this crowd-pleaser apart from other recent comedies about women trying to gain confidence in their own shoes, such as Amy Schumer-starring misfire I Feel Pretty. Nothing here is calculated, cynical, exaggerated or muddled; rather, it's relatable, realistic and even inspirational. Forget running — sure, you might leave the cinema eager to jog a marathon yourself, but being kinder to yourself is the bigger achievement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsHlvgTG1iI
Over the past ten years, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have spent a considerable amount of time focusing on the most portrayed human literary character in film and television, all thanks to their Benedict Cumberbatch-starring series Sherlock. After four seasons, the series doesn't appear to be making any more episodes anytime soon, so the TV writers and producers have turned their attention elsewhere. To start a new decade, they're sinking their teeth into only literary character, human or otherwise, that's featured on the big and small screens more often than their beloved detective. That'd be Dracula. Adapting Bram Stoker's 1987 gothic classic for the BBC and Netflix, the duo's new take on the undead figure tells unravels the bloodsucking count's tale across a three-part mini-series. From ol' Drac's origins in Transylvania to his run-ins with Van Helsing, it's all covered — plus his encounters with solicitor Jonathan Harker and his wife Mina, and his impact in Victorian-era London, too — although Dracula promises to revisit and reshape the famous horror story in a fresh way. Baring his fangs as the most notorious vampire of all is Danish actor Claes Bang (The Square, The Girl in the Spider's Web), while the show's cast also features Dolly Wells (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), John Heffernan (Official Secrets) and Morfydd Clark (Crawl). Naturally, it all looks suitably creepy and brooding — and, in more than a few scenes, rather bloody. Netflix has just revealed the full final trailer ahead of dropping the entire show itself, which'll hit the streaming platform Down Under on Saturday, January 4. The exact time hasn't been revealed, but Netflix's newbies usually release at 6pm AEST / 7pm ADST. Check out the Dracula trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-b2HXpbg7U Dracula hits Netflix on Saturday, January 4.
Electronic super duo Canyons is collaborating with celebrated visual artist Daniel Boyd to present 100 Million Nights, a multisensory performance making its way around the country. Boyd's digital artwork is presented as a three-panel video installation, in front of which Canyons perform live as a four-piece band. Ryan Grieve and Leo Thomson of Canyons have been friends with Boyd for a while. Recently, Boyd was preparing for an exhibition when he asked the duo to create some music to complement his video works. The project was a hit and the three decided to create a much larger-scale sight and sound work. The trio have worked closely together, sharing images and snippets of music to create a unique, multisensorial experience. "The big thing for all of us was wanting to make it one united piece in the sense of a true collaboration", explains Grieve. "We didn't want it to feel like Dan's visuals were just a backing track for us. He created the visuals in response to music we would give him as a starting point and vice versa. "It was quite different in the sense that if we were writing an album, it would be a much longer process. With this, we went with the initial feeling and thought and mood that came up and felt right. If something didn't work, it didn't work, but we tried not to question it too much when something came up and felt good." In Boyd's words, "100 Million Nights is an idea, an expanse. Looking at something that connects everyone and, to me, the birth of the universe is what this was about. Acknowledging the loss of memory and not being able to fully comprehend our past." Boyd has established himself as one of Australia's most talented artists. He was initially known for his paintings but recently has moved to digital works. He exhibits regularly both domestically and internationally. In 2007, Boyd was selected to participate in the first National Indigenous Art Triennial, Culture Warriors, at the National Gallery of Australia. In 2011, he was London's Natural History Museum's artist in residence. Boyd's work is held in pretty much every major collection of art in Australia: the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Ryan Grieve and Leo Thomson released their first EP on the duo's own label Hole in the Sky (they've also released records by Tame Impala and Pond). They've achieved a great deal of success internationally. In 2011, the New York Times described their music as "a good exercise in categorical confusion — pre- and post- disco, analog-synth ambiance and noise, drones, 1970s German experimental rock, new wave. All that, and it doesn't feel over-thought". The music of 100 Million Nights is somewhat of a musical departure from Canyons' usual style with the pair understanding it as more of a "creative side-step". At the Sydney Festival show in January, 100 Million Nights will comprise half the program. Also included is another sight and sound work by former Battles frontman Tyondai Braxton. Hive will blend modular synthesisers, sound design and percussion with custom built "architecturally designed" illuminated platforms. https://youtube.com/watch?v=P83821HGsqg
Have you ever been to a play where, no matter how prominent the lead was, your attention was always drawn to one of the secondary performers off to the side? That's the case with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, a film where everything's pretty decent except for anything to do with the actual title character. Ultimately it's an issue of interest. There just isn't enough in the Jean Grey character (or at least, not in this iteration of the character, played by Sophie Turner, compared to Famke Janssen's version from the origial X-Men trilogy) to justify giving her such a prominent role in a universe already jam-packed with compelling fan-favourites like Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Beast (Nicholas Hoult). To appropriate that iconic line from Mean Girls: stop trying to make Jean Grey happen. In a franchise that adroitly positioned itself as one of 'films with special effects' rather than 'special effects films', the masterstroke of the early X-Men movies was ensuring there were always human stories at their core, even if they were about super-humans and mutants. On that front, the original trilogy stands as a sublime allegory for the discrimination of minorities, no matter the kind. The franchise's first ever scene took place in a Nazi concentration camp, bars and restaurants featured mutant and non-mutant sections, and a narrow-minded mother asked her son: "have you tried... not being a mutant?" Beyond the us and them theme, they then added two more critical threads: a complex friendship between Magneto and Professor X, and a love triangle between Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean. It was these stories that made the films so engaging, whilst the special effects just added loads of cool. X-Men: Dark Phoenix forgets that lesson after its first few (excellent) scenes, placing far too much emphasis thereafter on visual pageantry that adds very little to the story. Set mostly in 1992, Dark Phoenix begins with a confronting car-crash sequence, followed by a dramatic space rescue. Both, in their own way, set in motion plot lines involving Professor X arguably overstepping his mark, which inevitably has dire consequences. The problem is, until now, Turner's Jean Grey was little more than a bit-part, so her elevation to leading lady and the subsequent transformation (or descent?) into the all-powerful Dark Phoenix both feel rushed and unearned. You know you're meant to think oh no, but you simply don't care. Added to that is a subplot so forgettable that this writer literally forgot about it until just now. An alien villain named Vuk (Jessica Chastain) pursues and manipulates Jean's transformation into Dark Phoenix for reasons that are barely clear and even less interesting. Chastain's staid, hollow stare throughout the film feels neatly reflective of the audience's expression as it watches another actor of incredible talent relegated to spouting cliched nonsense. With the exception of its early scenes, the only other high point in Dark Phoenix is its climactic battle aboard a speeding armoured train (and it speaks volumes that throughout that scene, Jean Grey is passed out and largely ignored). Mutants being mutants and deploying their abilities in means as violent as they are inventive is ultimately why you'd see this film over other, more conventional action movies. To give us so little of that condemns it to forgettable status from the get-go. Dark Phoenix is almost certainly the last entry in the franchise before the reigns are handed over to Marvel, courtesy of Disney's recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Hopefully in their capable hands we'll see a return to the quality delivered in the early days of the saga. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azvR__GRQic
Australia’s first ever gin festival, Juniperlooza, is coming to Melbourne for a two-day bonanza where spirits will be running high and pouring fast. Held across two bars at Federation Wharf, Pilgrim and Riverland will host the weekend event, showcasing the best in Australia's gin. For too long have we sliced cucumbers, slapped mint and squeezed limes into our glasses without truly knowing the perfect combination for our G&Ts. Now, eight of Australia's best gin producers will be creating and showcasing a signature gin cocktail — as well as the classic gin and tonic — over the weekend, just for you. There will be a whole branch of flavours to try, including some from The West Winds crew, who have grown a loyal following with their bush tomato-flavoured hit, The Cutlass. Juniperlooza's gin offerings will be complemented by gin inspired menus — think an oyster shucking stand, for a start — so really it would be rude not to drop in and enjoy some of the freshest from around the country. Consider it doctor's orders. Juniperlooza will run across Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29 from noon – 8pm. Grab your tickets in advance here.
Just like Lego, dodgem cars and games arcades, no one ever grows out of Easter eggs. Sure, once you're no longer a kid, you know that they're an expensive way to eat chocolate. You know that regular old blocks of the stuff are sold in the same supermarkets at the same time, too. But, when the world becomes obsessed with oval-shaped sweet treats each year, a familiar feeling kicks in. Your tastebuds still want what they want — and they want something round and chocolatey. In 2021, Mr Black has a new option to tempt your sweet tooth: dark chocolate Easter eggs filled with coffee liqueur caramel. Yes, they're the ideal option if you don't want to choose between a boozy beverage and chocolate — and you'd prefer to eat your dessert, not sip it. Hand-painted and measuring just over six centimetres tall, the Mr Black Easter eggs are a collaboration with chocolatier Meltdown Artisan, and cost $20 each. Both Mr Black and Meltdown Artisan are selling them. Usually, the latter's eggs sell out, so getting in quickly is recommended. If you decide to pick up some of Mr Black's coffee liqueur at the same time — or its bottled coffee negroni or old fashioned — you can also score a free egg if you spend over $50. The coffee liqueur-filled Easter eggs are available for $20 from both Mr Black and Meltdown Artisan.
Music-streaming service Spotify is set to launch in Australia this week, finally blessing Australians with its promise of "all the music, all the time". It's about time, as Spotify has already become the music service of choice for over 10 million users in 13 countries. With an estimated 10,000 musical tracks added each day, Spotify is essentially a vast music library. It allows users to listen to any of its millions of tracks in real time (no irritating buffering required) on any desktop computer or mobile device, and to share those tracks effortlessly with friends. Spotify is forward-thinking in its approach to online music streaming; instead of fighting the changing face of the music industry, it is embracing the fact that people are just not purchasing CDs in the volume that they used to. Thriving off of an audio advertising revenue model, Spotify identifies a demographic target audience based on users' musical tastes. This method has proven satisfactory to advertisers and record labels alike; the majority of US and UK record labels seem to be of the thought that some revenue is better than none. The social aspect of Spotify sets it apart from other music services. It integrates into Facebook and Twitter alike, allowing users to create and share playlists. It's simple to see and hear what friends are listening to: just press 'play' on another user's playlist. All you need to get started is a username and password, and to download the service to either Windows or Mac. The Spotify website currently offers Australians the option to sign up pre-launch. Enter your e-mail address and be one of the first in line to delve into this gigantic music library.
Get ready to feel your age. After the definition of a runaway debut album, a couple of Grammys, a world tour, a collaboration with Disclosure and worldwide fame, Lorde is returning to Australia for a handful of shows — and she's still only 20 years old. The New Zealand artist — also known as Ella Yelich-O'Connor — has this morning announced she will tack on four Australian shows to her Melodrama world tour in November. All outdoor venues, she will play in Sydney's iconic Opera House Forecourt, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, Kings Park in Perth and Brisbane's City Botanic Gardens. It will be Lorde's first visit back to Australia since 2014, when she toured Pure Heroine as a wee 16-year-old. This time around, she will showcase her new album Melodrama, which is set to be released next week. General tickets go on sale at noon on Monday, June 19, but if you're a Frontier member or signed up to the Sydney Opera House's newsletter, you can access pre-sales ahead of time. Find more info on the tour here. LORDE MELODRAMA AUSTRALIAN TOUR Saturday, November 18 — Kings Park, Perth Tuesday, November 21 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Sydney Thursday, November 23 — Riverstage, City Botanic Gardens, Brisbane Saturday, November 26 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Name an adored Australian movie or book — or a film that was adapted to a novel — and, in plenty of cases, there's a theatre version as well. The same works vice versa, too. As a result, we've all had multiple ways to enjoy Muriel's Wedding, Moulin Rouge!, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Wake in Fright, Bran Nue Dae, Jasper Jones and more. And, before 2022 is out, the same will prove true of Looking for Alibrandi. Melina Marchetta's beloved book was initially published in 1992, and has been devoured by teenagers for three decades since. In 2000, it hit the big screen, with Pia Miranda as Josephine Alibrandi — and the movie has been given a workout for two-plus decades now. But this year marks the first time that Looking for Alibrandi will make the leap to the stage, with Malthouse doing the honours. Premiering in Melbourne at Malthouse's Merlyn Theatre from Friday, July 8–Sunday, July 31, Looking for Alibrandi will still chart the same multi-generational story it has always told no matter the format, with 17-year-old Sydney student Josie at its centre. She's in her last year of school, dreaming of a bright future and trying to navigate the clash of cultures that comes with being Italian Australian. She also gets to know her dad, and falls in love for the first time. Director Stephen Nicolazzo (Loaded, Merciless Gods) is guiding this stage version of the best-selling book to theatres, as adapted by Vidya Rajan — and starring Chanella Macri (Australian Realness), Lucia Mastrantone and Jennifer Vuletic (Because The Night) as the Alibrandi women. And if you need something to tide you over until the play hits Malthouse and Belvoir, check out the Looking for Alibrandi film trailer below: Top image: Kristian Gehradte.
Ladies really knew how to dress in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Where today the fast fashion economy means an outfit spotted on the runway can be misappropriated by Sportsgirl a day later and then inevitably lumped atop the trash heap before one can say fashion road kill, once upon a time fashion was synonymous with two long forgotten words — elegance and style. Celebrity stylist and creative director Phillip Boon understands the value of both, as does super fabulous 89 year old vintage fashion collector and owner of ML Vintage, Mary Lipshut. The nostalgic pair join forces for Phillip Boon Presents : ML Vintage, an evening where two of the finer things in life — high food and high fashion — will be on offer, with all proceeds going to the very worthy Prahran Mission, a local organisation that works against mental illness, poverty and homelessness. Expect Pucci, Missoni and Courrèges, served with the best Circa has to offer — mind those sticky fingers near the frocks. Image via Pucci archive.
Love the fact or not, as far as top-notch tipples and world-class watering holes go, Melbourne just kicked a serious goal. Here to add a little more fuel to the 'which city does it best?' debate, the Victorian capital has outranked all other Australian counterparts to nab a spot in Punch's 2023 guide to the world's most travel-worthy drinking destinations. The international drinks publication has revealed its Where to Drink in 2023 wrap-up, naming Melbourne as one of just five cities worldwide. Also making the unranked list were Buenos Aires in Argentina, Portugal's capital Lisbon, Osaka in Japan and, flying the flag for the United States, Madison in Wisconsin. [caption id="attachment_787570" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick & Nora's by Brook James[/caption] Punch's drinks connoisseurs selected their top five locations based on their ability to deftly balance long-held traditions and old-school sensibilities with fresh, forward-thinking philosophies. "The results are often surprising, sometimes frenetic, tense, even bewildering, but never boring," Punch explains. As for what specifically earned Melbourne a spot in this year's lineup, the publication cited its penchant for the unpretentious, its new-school take on casual service and the cultural diversity that continues to shape its drinks scene. That broad assortment of genres proved a wining formula, too — whether you're into divey rock 'n roll joints like Heartbreaker, sophisticated cocktail haunts like Nick & Nora's, intimate wine bars such as The Moon, or something in between, Melbourne's got a drinking den to suit. The city's commitment to sustainability and innovation also scored a shoutout, as did its famed pub culture — according to Punch, "rivalled only by the U.'s, with a diversity and familiarity that feels particularly Australian." [caption id="attachment_835092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pearl Diver Cocktail & Oysters[/caption] The publication also shared its top three picks for Melbourne's must-drink cocktails, naming the espresso martini (no shocks there), the New York-style sazerac and the Melbourne-born Japanese Slipper. This boozy new badge of honour comes after Melbourne scored a slew of drinks-related accolades in 2022. CBD bar Caretaker's Cottage nabbed a spot in latest's edition of The World's 50 Best Bars extended 51–100 list, Pearl Diver's Alex Boon was crowned 2022 winner of the Patrón Perfectionists Australian Cocktail Competition and Nick Tesar of Bar Liberty took out the title of Australia's Best Bartender. [caption id="attachment_623310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Liberty by Brook James[/caption] Check out Punch's full Where to Drink in 2023 list over at its website. Top image: The Moon.
It's the film that first made the world fall in love with Hugh Grant, screenwriter Richard Curtis and their brand of British rom-coms — and, just like everything else with a well-known name in the entertainment game, Four Weddings and a Funeral is coming back. This time around, the hit flick has been remade as an American TV miniseries. If you're unsurprisingly a little skeptical, the news that Mindy Kaling is one of the show's creators and writers should change that. Kaling's six-season sitcom The Mindy Project was basically a long-running ode to the romantic comedy genre, complete with plenty of references to plenty of classic flicks. As a result, reworking one of the huge rom-com successes of the past 25 years really does feel like the logical next step. Across a ten-episode series made for US streaming service Hulu, the new Four Weddings and a Funeral will follow four American friends who meet up in London for a wedding. Clearly, given the title, three more ceremonies are in their future, as is a tearful farewell to someone they know. The show tracks a year in their lives, their romantic escapades and even political scandals — all with a cast that includes Game of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel as Maya, plus Rebecca Rittenhouse (The Mindy Project), Brandon Mychal Smith (You're the Worst) and John Reynolds (Search Party) as her best buddies. Nikesh Patel (Doctor Who) also features as Maya's potential love interest, who she first encounters in an airport meet cute, naturally. And while Hugh Grant doesn't show up in the trailer — sorry, 90s obsessives — original Four Weddings star Andie MacDowell does. Because Kaling isn't averse to nodding to other rom-com favourites of the era, My Best Friend's Wedding's Dermot Mulroney also makes an appearance. Watch the charming first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=604JeF9RNu8 While Four Weddings and a Funeral drops on Hulu in the US on July 31, it doesn't yet have an Australian platform or airdate — we'll update you if and when that changes.
In the words of Tyrion Lannister, it's not easy being drunk all the time. Everyone would do it if it were easy. That may be true, but you can certainly give it a go, when Game of Rhones makes a comeback for one last event. Taking place on Saturday, May 18, it will coincide with the screening of the final season of Game of Thrones. For those that haven't been to one of these before, the premise is this: a bunch of wineries featuring varietals from France's Rhone Valley come together with people who love the works of George R. R. Martin — in costume. The event will welcome heaps of wines from winemakers such as Whistler Wines, Henschke and Sutton Gorge. Tickets are $60 and include all the wine tastings from the session, which will run from 11am–3.30pm. In between goblets, ticketholders will get the chance to chat with sommeliers and snack on some themed dishes. It should also go without saying that dressing up as your favourite GoT character is highly encouraged. Zombie John Snow, anyone?
Victoria's strict rules surrounding social distancing and public gatherings have been extended until at least midnight on Sunday, July 19, with the government announcing the extension of its COVID-19 State of Emergency. First made in March and due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency has already been extended until Monday, May 11 and Sunday, June 20. With the new extension, the state's current restrictions — which include a tightening of gathering rules which'll be implemented at midnight tonight — will now be in place for four more weeks. The move — and the decision to reintroduce smaller caps on at-home groups, gatherings out of the house, and the numbers of patrons allowed in venues — comes after a rise in Victorian coronavirus case numbers over the past week, including "the substantial increase in the number of household contacts spreading the virus amongst extended family groups", the government said. The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past three months as the state responds to the coronavirus. Announcing the extension, Sutton noted that the continued restrictions are needed to continue to keep slowing the spread of COVID-19. "We know these restrictions are frustrating, but we can't get complacent and let the virus get away from us. It's vital we follow these directions to keep our community transmission numbers low and protect more Victorians." https://twitter.com/VicGovDHHS/status/1274248925428490241 With that in mind, the state continues to encourage Victorians to "stay safe". While folks can still visit restaurants and pubs, head on regional holidays and gather in small groups (up to five at home, 10 out of the house and 20 at venues), they're encouraged to continue following social distancing measures, practising good hygiene and avoid crowds. They're also required to continue working from home if possible until at least the end of July. "If you do need to see people keep your distance. No handshakes and no hugs. Maintain good hygiene. Don't share food or drinks. Avoid crowds. And if you're unwell – stay home," the government advises. Fines are being handed out to folks who breach the restrictions, with the state's financial penalties spanning up to $1652 for individuals and up to $9913 for businesses. Under the State of Emergency, people who refuse to comply can also be taken to court, where the fine imposed could reach up to $20,000 for individuals and $100,000 for companies. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
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 the events listed below. If you're up for a challenge, get stuck into the whole list — a decathlon of sorts (for us artsy types). Filibuster of Dreams: Sarah Rodigari So Melbourne Now may have late-night art, but Arts House is bringing you a sleepover. From 11pm on Saturday, March 22 till 9am the following morning, Sydney artist Sarah Rodigari will be taking a leaf out of Wendy Davis's book by performing an awe-inspiring filibuster. No, it might not be all kick-ass lady power and reproductive rights, but it will surely be a thing of beauty as Rodigari talks about love, loss, honour and hope. Cheer her on through the fatigue and BYO blankets and pillows. March 22 - 23; Arts House; FREE. Art and the Body People do crazy things in the name of live art. They nail their testicles to roads in Russia, sew their own mouths shut, and get people to shoot them point blank. There's a reason artists have a reputation for insanity. But it's not all that often we talk about it in a cohesive way. Why does this happen, what is it for, and is there a future in it? Artists Moira Finucane, Natalie Abbott, Casey Jenkins and Stelarc will be joined in discussion with Julieanne Pearce at The Wheeler Centre for a debate on the topic. Finally, we have the chance to ask: was this really worth it? March 18; The Wheeler Centre.; FREE. Drift: Julie Vulcan 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. March 21 - 23; Arts House; FREE. Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model It's safe to say Bryony Kimmings is not a fan of Miley Cyrus. In an attempt to undermine the sexualisation and commodification of childhood, this British performance artist and her niece Taylor dreamt up a new role model — "a dinosaur-loving, bike-riding, tuna-pasta-eating pop star" — and sought to make her world famous. The piece was a phenomenon in the UK garnering attention from the likes of Amanda Palmer and Yoko Ono, and now the stage show acts as a kind of dynamic analysis. Did it work? Was it necessary? Where do we go from here? March 25 - April; Theatre Works; $25 - $32. Live Art Dance Party So you've spent a week or so 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. March 22, Arts House, $15. Habobas House: Alia Gabres A lot of live art is about finding magic in the ordinary. Fittingly, in this piece, performance poet Alia Gabres takes you into her grandmother's house for an authentic and affecting experience — some coffee from her homeland and a good story. Like the aforementioned Drift and recent work Cherry, Cherry: A Dining Room Tale there's a definite focus on multiculturalism and migration — Alia herself was a child of migration and her family has an important story to tell. Being in such a personal space also carries an understandable gravitas and while there, audiences will be encouraged to take part in "sensory exploration and writing exercises" to unearth the ritual importance of their own stories. March 14 - 15; Henderson House, Artist Studio, Footscray Community Arts Centre; $15 - $20. Game Show: Tristan Meecham & Aphids Tristan Meecham has a reputation for grand theatrics, and this — one of the most talked about acts of the festival — is no exception. In Game Show, Meecham is quite literally giving away all of his personal possessions. Really. Each night, 50 contestants will compete in a game show (orchestrated and hosted by Meecham himself) in order to win his television, his CDs, and even his car. The second instalment of his Coming Out Trilogy, Game Show belongs to a series of works that explore and undermine grandeur (the first work, Fun Run, consisted of Meecham running a marathon on an on-stage treadmill at the 2013 Sydney Festival). An unsettling combination of entertainment and distress, Game Show is set to be an apt critique on materialism and competitiveness (and you might just win some free stuff in the process). March 19 - 22; Arts House; $20 - $25. Tawdry Heartburn's Manic Cures: James Berlyn Like a terrifying real-life Post Secret, Perth artist James Berlyn is about to ask a whole lot from his audience. In a free, 20-minute one-on-one performance, Berlyn will act as manicure professional Tawdry Heartburn and ask you to divulge all your well-kept secrets. Terrifically cathartic yet horribly scary, your secret will then be added to an ever-expanding collection on public display at Arts House. This one isn't for those not fond of audience participation, although there is the option to submit secrets anonymously during the festival or in an online component. Thank God for the internet. March 21 - 23; Arts House; FREE. Performprint: Joel Gailer and Michael Meneghetti Performprint is the festival's finest offering of the traditional extreme strain of live art. In a ten-hour durational work Gailer and Meneghetti will do everything from give printmaking lectures to perform a live branding on the former's skin. Of course, with a work so long it's hard to make any hard and fast judgment calls but the artists claim their main focus will be on masculinity and reproduction. Joel Gailer is in fact a printmaker by trade and will explore the intricacies and issues of Andy Warhol's Brillo boxes with the help of a Harley Davidson, a skateboard, and two warring live bands. Turn up any time in the day and make of it what you will. March 23; Arts House; FREE. 24 Hour Experience If a ten-hour work wasn't enough for you, this work goes the whole hog. Over 24 hours, 24 live works will take place in various locations around the city. That's right — it's double the fun (and half the crowds) of White Night. Check the website for a full list of shows or just head along and stumble across something great. Think of it as a closing night extravaganza. March 29 - 30; Various locations; $20 per show, $95 for a 12-hour pass, or $180 for a 24-hour ticket. The Festival of Live Art runs from March 14 - 30. For more information including session times and ticketing, check the website.
American historical drama gets so contemporaneous as to become current affairs with Zero Dark Thirty, the film about the CIA's hunt for and killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal, who worked together on the Oscar-winning Hurt Locker, reunite for another epic about a different type of war. It starts in 2001, when two planes hit the World Trade Center, and chilling documentary footage recalls the pain caused that day. Two years later, rookie Maya (Jessica Chastain) is sent to join a specialist team at a CIA black site in Pakistan, where a detainee, following torture and deception, discloses the name Abu Ahmed. Operations come and go for the next eight years, but Maya comes to fixate on that one name, whom she believes to be Bin Laden's right hand. Zero Dark Thirty is stunningly well made, with a controlled level of tension that works on a scale of high to higher. It remains nail-bitingly riveting over two hours and forty minutes. Interestingly, the structure is almost like three films, or at least, a film with three clearly defined acts. Each passing act (complete with the appearance and disappearance of its own high-calibre cast, including Jennifer Ehle, a buff Chris Pratt, Joel Edgerton, and James Gandolfini) reinforces the intensity of Maya's perseverance, her lonely state of being in the right. The film has won widespread acclaim from critics, but from reading the news, you'd think everyone hated it. Many from the American right have criticised the film for its having supposedly improper access to classified documents and glorifying Obama, and many from the left have slammed it for advocating torture. Both stances seem an overreaction. Zero Dark Thirty does depict "enhanced interrogation techniques" — torture, to you and me — happening during the Bush administration, and it also depicts that torture was a favoured tactic of the CIA operatives you get to know here. That's probably accurate. Its attraction to these people in the field is the feeling that they're doing something and of expediting processes when delay can be fatal. The film also shows some of the problems with torture: it yields useful but also false information, and the act is viscerally depraved (even if it's not totally possible for the audience to sympathise with a tortured character whom we only see as dehumanised). The issue isn't that the filmmakers support torture, but that in Zero Dark Thirty, as in The Hurt Locker, they're concerned with hyper-positioning viewers into the perspective of American martial figures. They want you to feel their fear, sacrifice, and bravery — not for a moment the fear, sacrifice, or bravery that could be reflected back at them by the enemy. Many of us prefer to see films that have a different, more challenging purpose, but you can't deny that what Zero Drk Thirty sets out to do, it does excellently. Concrete Playground has 10 in-season double passes to give away to Zero Dark Thirty. To be in the running, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=EYFhFYoDAo4
It has finally happened again, Melburnians. The city's projectors remained silent, its theatres bare and the smell of popcorn faded over the recent almost two-week lockdown; however, Melbourne's picture palaces are now back in business. Under stay-at-home restrictions, no one is ever short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over by now, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent more time than usual over the past 18 months glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that. And, we've rounded up, watched and reviewed the new movies that have just arrived in theatres now that Melbourne's latest stay-at-home stint is over. OLD Ageing in a privilege. It's certainly better than the alternative. But what if life's physical ravages were condensed and accelerated? What if you were a six-year-old one moment, a teenager a few hours later and sporting middle-aged wrinkles the next morning? That's the premise of the insidious, moving, effective and also sometimes too neat Old, which boasts a sci-fi setup that could've come straight from The Twilight Zone, a chaotic mid-section reminiscent of Mother!'s immersive horrors, and a setting and character dynamics that nod to Lost. It slides in alongside recently unearthed George A Romero thriller The Amusement Park as well and, with M Night Shyamalan behind the lens, indulges the writer/director's love of high-concept plots with big twists. No one sees dead people and plants aren't the culprits — thankfully, in the latter case — however, surprise revelations remain part of this game. That said, unlike earlier in his career, when the filmmaker might've made the rapid passage of time the final big shock, Shyamalan isn't just about jolts and amazement here. Old has another sizeable reveal, naturally. Shyamalan is still the director behind The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, The Visit, Split, Glass and more, and he likes his bag of tricks. This time, though, he wants to play with and probe his scenario, and the emotions it inspires, rather than primarily tease his audience and keep them puzzling. That's what echoes as the about-to-separate Guy (Gael García Bernal, Ema) and Prisca (Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread) arrive at a luxe resort on a remote island with six-year-old Trent (Nolan River, Adverse) and 11-year-old Maddox (Alexa Swinton, Billions). Their kids have conflicting ideas about how to spend the getaway, but the hotel's manager (Gustaf Hammarsten, Kursk) tells the family about a secret beach, which they're soon heading to by mini-bus (driven by Shyamalan, in one of his regular cameos). Alas, with arrogant surgeon Charles (Rufus Sewell, The Father), his younger wife Chrystal (Abbey Lee, Lovecraft Country), their daughter Kara (debutant Kylie Begley) and his elderly mother Agnes (Kathleen Chalfant, The Affair) — and with famous rapper Mid-Sized Sedan (Aaron Pierre, The Underground Railroad), and couple Patricia (Nikki Amuka-Bird, The Personal History of David Copperfield) and Jarin (Ken Leung, a Lost alum) as well — Guy, Prisca, Trent and Maddox quickly discover that time ticks by at a much speedier pace on this supposedly idyllic patch of sand. The bulk of Old charts their reactions, plunging viewers into the confusion and heartbreak that results. Not only do the kids grow up fast (which is where Jojo Rabbit's Thomasin McKenzie, Jumanji: The Next Level's Alex Wolff and Babyteeth's Eliza Scanlen come in) in this vividly shot film, but any of the beachgoers' ailments are expedited, too. Read our full review. NINE DAYS Androids may dream of electric sheep, or they may not, but that isn't the only metaphysical question that cinema likes to contemplate. Do souls yearn and strive for — and fret and stress over — their chance to shuffle onto this mortal coil? That's the query that Pixar's Soul pondered so thoughtfully and enchantingly, and it's one that Nine Days, which actually predates its animated counterpart but is only reaching Australian cinemas now, masterfully explores as well. "You are being considered for the amazing opportunity of life," a bespectacled, suspender-wearing, serious-faced Will (Winston Duke, Us) tells the candidates hoping to soon live and breathe. They're far more enthusiastic about the process than he is, although he values their prospective existence much more than they can fathom in their wide-eyed eagerness and excitement. Will has seen what can happen next, because it's his job not only to select the best souls to embark upon this thing called life, but to monitor their progress in all the days, months and years afterwards. He's observed the success stories; however, he's also witnessed the heartbreaks as well. In this stirring and fittingly soulful debut feature from writer/director Edson Oda — a movie that won the dramatic screenwriting award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and that's memorably and evocatively about the texture, experiences, feelings and enigmas that comprise every soul, and every life — Will surveys his next troupe of contenders fresh from viewing the unhappy end that met one of his previous favourites. He's already adrift from existence as we know it, and from almost everyone else who resides in the picture's ethereal yet also earthy pre-life realm, but he's now burdened with a renewed sense of solemnity. His colleague Kyo (Benedict Wong, The Personal History of David Copperfield) tries to get him to see the lighter side — the more human side — of the path his next chosen candidate will take. He emphasises the ebbs and flows that Will, who has become more rigid in his thinking and feelings the longer he's in the role, now fervently discounts. But among a roster of new applicants that includes Kane (Bill Skarsgård, IT Chapter Two), Alex (Tony Hale, Veep), Mike (David Rysdahl, Dead Pigs) and Maria (Arianna Ortiz, Rattlesnake), all of which are given nine days to demonstrate why they should be born next, it's actually the calm, passionate and inquisitive Emma (Zazie Beetz, Atlanta) that challenges the way Will perceives his work and what it means to be alive. Read our full review. GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE Cutesy name, likeable stars, stylised brutality, a familiar revenge scenario: blend them all together, and that's Gunpowder Milkshake. There's one particular ingredient that's missing from this action-thriller's recipe, though, and its absence is surprising — because much about the film feels like it has jumped from the pages of a comic book. That's one of the movie's best traits, in fact. The world already has too many comics-to-cinema adaptations, but although Gunpowder Milkshake doesn't stem from a graphic novel, it actually looks the part. Its precise framing and camera placement, hyper-vibrant colours and love of neon could've easily been printed in inky hues on paper, then splattered across the screen like the blood and bullets the feature sprays again and again. Writer/director Navot Papushado (Big Bad Wolves) and cinematographer Michael Seresin (War for the Planet of the Apes) have made a visually appealing film, and a movie with evident aesthetic flair. All that gloss is paired with a generic assassin storyline, however, and a half-baked feminist thrust. It's Sin City meets John Wick but gender-flipped, except that the Kill Bill movies and Atomic Blonde have been there and done that. Crafting a film that's entertaining enough, but largely in a mechanical way, Papushado and co-scribe Ehud Lavski (a feature first-timer) attempt to complicate their narrative. The basics are hardly complex, though. As skilled killer Sam (Karen Gillan, Avengers: Endgame) notes in the movie's opening narration, she works for a group of men called The Firm, cleaning up its messes with her deadly prowess. It's an inherited gig, in a way. Fifteen years earlier, she was a fresh-faced teen (Freya Allan, The Witcher) with a mum, Scarlet (Lena Headey, Game of Thrones), who did the same thing. Then her mother abandoned her after a diner shootout, leaving Sam to fend herself — and, to ultimately get her jobs from Nathan (Paul Giamatti, Billions), one of The Firm's flunkies. It's on just that kind of gig that Sam kills the son of a rival crime hotshot (Ralph Ineson, Chernobyl), and he wants revenge. Soon, her employers are also on her trail, after she takes another assignment in an attempt to sort out her first problem, then ends up trying to save eight-year-old Emily (Chloe Coleman, Big Little Lies) from violent kidnappers. The cast also spans the impressive trio of Angela Bassett (Black Panther), Michelle Yeoh (Last Christmas) and Carla Gugino (a Sin City alum), albeit sparingly, with all of Gunpowder Milkshake's female figures solely tasked with navigating an inescapably clear-cut scenario. Read our full review. SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY In the misfire that's always been 1996's Space Jam, basketball superstar-turned-unconvincing actor Michael Jordan is asked to hurry up. "C'mon Michael, it's game time! Get your Hanes on, lace up your Nikes, grab your Wheaties and your Gatorade, and we'll pick up a Big Mac on the way to the ballpark," he's told. Spoken by go-to 90s schemester Wayne Knight (aka Seinfeld's Newman), this line couldn't better sum up the film or the franchise it has now spawned. The Space Jam movies aren't really about the comedic chaos that springs when a famous sportsperson pals around with cartoons. That's the plot, complicated in the original flick and now 25-years-later sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy by evil forces that turn a basketball game into a battle ground; however, it's also just a means to an end. These features are truly about bringing brands together in a case of mutual leveraging, as product placement always is. Connect Looney Tunes with the NBA, and audiences will think of both when they think of either, the strategy aims. It has worked, of course — and with A New Legacy, the approach is put to even broader and more shameless use. Everyone who has ever even just heard of Space Jam in passing knows its central equation: Looney Tunes + hoop dreams. The first Space Jam's viewers mightn't also remember the aforementioned product name-drops, but Warner Bros, the studio behind this saga, hopes A New Legacy's audience will forever recall its new references. All the brands shoehorned in here are WB's own, with its other pop culture franchises and properties mentioned repeatedly. The company also has Harry Potter, The Matrix, the DC Extended Universe flicks such as Wonder Woman, and Mad Max: Fury Road in its stable. Its catalogue includes Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty, The Lord of the Rings, and Hanna-Barbera cartoons like The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, too. And, it holds the rights to everything from The Wizard of Oz, Metropolis and Casablanca to A Clockwork Orange and IT. A New Legacy wants to forcefully and brazenly impress these titles into viewers' minds so that they'll always equate them with the studio. In other words, this is just a Warner Bros ad with LeBron James and Looney Tunes as its spokespeople. You don't need to be a cynic or have zero nostalgia for the OG Space Jam to see A New Legacy as purely a marketing exercise, though, because corporate synergy is literally what the movie's villain, an algorithm named Al G Rhythm (Don Cheadle, Avengers: Endgame) that runs the on-screen Warner Bros, aims to achieve in this shambles of a film. Read our full review. ROSA'S WEDDING The idea that a middle-aged woman might put her own interests first shouldn't be worthy of a movie. It should just be a given, as it is with men. But that still isn't the world we live in, so films like Rosa's Wedding keep offering cinematic slices of empowerment — here, in a feel-good, crowd-pleasing, but still smart and enjoyable way. This Spanish two-time Goya Award-winner gets savvy and playful with its title, too. Writer/director Icíar Bollaín (Yuli) and her coscribes Alicia Luna (Viva la vida) and Lina Badenes (also one of the feature's producers) know that mentioning matrimony usually brings a certain kind of rom-com to mind, because countless other flicks have gone down that path. And, there is indeed a ceremony in Rosa's Wedding. An extended family descends upon a scenic spot, relatives fuss and stress, and almost anything that can go wrong does, all in classic wedding movie style. The difference: 45-year-old Rosa (Candela Peña, Kiki, Love to Love), a constantly put-upon seamstress who is taken advantage of at her film industry job, always asked to watch her brother Armando's (Sergi López, Perfumes) young kids, tasked with keeping her widowed dad Antonio (Ramón Barea, Everybody Knows) company, and expected to always be at her daughter Lidia's (Paula Usero, Love in Difficult Times) beck and call, has decided to move back to the coastal town Benicassim that she grew up in to start her own dressmaking business. Also, to cement her commitment to her new future, she's also going to marry herself. When they receive her wedding invite, Rosa's nearest and dearest are shocked and surprised to learn that she'll be walking down the aisle, but no one registers that she'll be the sole focus of the ceremony. Given how reliant they are on Rosa to run their errands and keep their messy lives in order — Armando is on the verge of divorce, Lidia has two newborns and an unhappy life in Manchester, and Rosa's sister Violeta (Nathalie Posa, Julieta) is an interpreter with a penchant for a drink — they couldn't fathom that she might be unhappy with the status quo anyway. Rosa's Wedding isn't subtle about how women of a certain age are thrust into set roles, even by those closest to them. It isn't big on nuance as it watches its titular figure claim her life back, either. But it's always spirited and astute regardless, not to mention likeable and engaging. And, there's also zero point in holding back when it comes to celebrating women breaking outdated and oppressive boundaries. Also, there's understatement in Peña's wonderful performance. It takes strength and courage for Rosa to first realise how miserable she is, then pledge to make a change, and finally to follow through. As shot in warm, naturalistic tones against its picturesque but never glossy backdrop, Rosa's new future isn't always assured, either, especially when everyone turns up for her big day and brings their baggage with them, and the misunderstandings and chaos only multiplies. SNAKE EYES: GI JOE ORIGINS Every film doesn't have to spawn a franchise, and most shouldn't; however, when a Hollywood studio teams up with a toy manufacturer to turn action figures into a movie, and then wants to keep using the latter to sell the former, apparently that stops being the case. That's why cinema audiences have been forced to suffer through the Transformers movies over the years, and why we also now have Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins, the latest addition that no one wanted to a dull saga that started with 2009's GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra and then continued via 2013's GI Joe: Retaliation. Channing Tatum isn't part of the story this time around, with the focus shifting to the eponymous Snakes Eyes (Henry Golding, Monsoon). Before the character becomes a member of the GI Joe team, he's a man out to avenge the murder of his father (Steven Allerick, Westworld) from back when he was a kid. That quest first leads him into the employ of yakuza kingpin Kenta (Takehiro Hira, Girl/Haji), where he helps smuggle guns in giant dead fish. From there, he gets his shot with the Arashikage clan — a family-run enclave of Japanese powerbrokers that the ambitious Tommy (Andrew Koji, Warrior) thinks he'll lead next, is unsurprisingly wary of outsiders, but eventually and after much suspicion from head of security Akiko (Haruka Abe, Cruella) lets Snake Eyes undertake its secretive testing process to become a member. It's a credit to director Robert Schwentke (Insurgent and Allegiant), and to writers Evan Spiliotopoulos (The Unholy), Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse (Rebecca), that Snake Eyes isn't obsessed with obnoxiously stressing its franchise ties. It does all lead up to uttering a well-known GI Joe adversary's name, other recognisable characters such as Scarlett (Samara Weaving, Bill & Ted Face the Music) and Baroness (Úrsula Corberó, Money Heist) pop up, and nefarious terrorist organisation Cobra plays a part, but none of these links ever feel like the movie's primary purpose. Still, that half-heartedness speaks volumes about a movie that displays that trait again and again, is fine with remaining a generic Tokyo-set ninja revenge movie — complete with gratingly obvious shots of Mount Fuji, the Shibuya scramble crossing and Tokyo Tower — and also works giant snakes rendered in visually abhorrent CGI into the mix. The best element: Golding, who has never been less than charismatic in any of his on-screen roles (see also: Last Christmas, A Simple Favour and Crazy Rich Asians). He can't lift this formulaic franchise-extending slog, though, and neither can his rapport with both Koji and Abe, Schwentke's eye for his settings or the movie's often eye-catching costuming. The film's unenthused action scenes prove an apt weathervane, because they're by-the-numbers at best, even when The Raid's Iko Uwais is involved. SIR ALEX FERGUSON: NEVER GIVE IN Even among sports agnostics who know next to nothing about football of any code, and don't want to, Sir Alex Ferguson's name still likely rings a bell. The prodigiously successful soccer manager was synonymous with equally prosperous English Premier League team Manchester United for almost three decades between 1986–2013, leading them to 38 different trophies — including 13 EPL titles. He oversaw an era that featured star players such as David Beckham, Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, all famous names that are also known beyond sports fans. Accordingly, Ferguson is a highly obvious candidate for a documentary, particularly an authorised film directed by his own son Jason. But the best docos don't just preach to the already celebratory and converted. A piece of non-fiction cinema has the potential to turn any viewer into an aficionado, and to get everyone watching not only paying attention, but wholly invested. As the vastly dissimilar, not-at-all sports-related The Sparks Brothers also does, that's what Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In achieves. It steps through its eponymous subject's life story, all with the man himself narrating the details, sharing his memories and musings, and looking back on an extraordinary career. Helpfully when it comes to standing out from the crowded sports doco crowd, Never Give In has an angle: in 2018, Sir Alex was rushed to hospital and into surgery due to a brain haemorrhage. At the time, his biggest fear was losing his memories, which the younger Ferguson uses as an entry point — and as a touchstone throughout the birth-to-now recollections that fill the film otherwise. This approach helps reinforce exactly what Sir Alex has to recall, and what it all means to him. It also makes his plight relatable, a feat his footballing achievements were never going to muster (we can all understand the terror of having our lives' best moments ripped from our consciousness, but few people can claim to know what his level of professional success feels like). In his Scottish brogue, the elder Ferguson proves a lively storyteller, talking through his upbringing in Glasgow, his childhood adoration of Rangers Football Club, his ups and downs as a player — including taking to the pitch for Rangers and against them — and the path that led him to coaching first in Scotland, then for Manchester United. A wealth of archival footage assists in fleshing out the tale, as do interviews with players such as Cantona and Ryan Griggs. The result: an easy win of a film, but a nonetheless compelling and skilful one, too. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately before lockdown — check out our rundown of new films released in Melbourne on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; March 4, March 11, March 18 and March 25; and April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22 and April 29; May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27; June 3, June 10, June 17 and June 24; and July 1. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit, Saint Maud, Godzilla vs Kong, The Painter and the Thief, Nobody, The Father, Willy's Wonderland, Collective, Voyagers, Gunda, Supernova, The Dissident, The United States vs Billie Holiday, First Cow, Wrath of Man, Locked Down, The Perfect Candidate, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Ema, A Quiet Place Part II, Cruella, My Name Is Gulpilil, Lapsis, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Fast and Furious 9, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, In the Heights, Herself, Little Joe, Black Widow and The Sparks Brothers.
If crafting a successful sequel wasn't already a difficult assignment, doing so for a movie remembered for its quirkiness and surprise factor must border on the impossible. Still, when Kingsman: The Secret Service took in over $400 million worldwide, a follow-up was inevitable. And so two years later director Matthew Vaughn has returned to the world of suave secret agents with Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Let's be clear: this is a ridiculous movie in almost every respect, from the mad-cap story through to the action scenes, cameos and costuming. Everything in Kingsman: The Golden Circle is hyped-up, spun-around, slowed-down, blown-up or cut in half. Gravity is largely ignored, except when it's used as a weapon, and henchmen die with the same violent regularity as extras in Commando. There are robotic killer dogs, cannibalistic villains and Elton John ninja-kicking a bad guy in the face. As we said, it's ridiculous – but also surprisingly entertaining. Our villain this time round is none other than Academy Award winner Julianne Moore as Poppy, the world's leading and most ruthless drug tzar. Her Cambodian lair has been fashioned as an homage to 1950s Americana, complete with bowling alley, golden age cinema and a shake and burger diner in which she both conducts her business and minces her victims. She's an apron wearing Stepford Escobar who owns every second of screen time given to her. Tasked with stopping Poppy are the bespoke-suited Kingsmen in chav-turned-gent Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and his tech man Merlin (Mark Strong). Back too is Colin Firth's Galahad, suffering from a nasty bout of retrograde amnesia. They're also joined by their American counterparts The Statesmen, whose ranks include Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, Jeff Bridges and a criminally-underused Channing Tatum. Silly and fun as it might be, there are some glaring problems with this film, most notably that it's unfathomably sexist. With the one exception of Julianne Moore's Poppy, every single woman in Kingsman: The Golden Circle exists only as a victim, a love interest or an assistant to her male counterparts. Given the movie was co-written by Jane Goldman, it's beyond comprehension why such rampant and unnecessary gender bias could exist in a movie where masculinity plays no meaningful purpose. Yes, it's about spies in sumptuous suits, but as one of the early scenes demonstrates, Eggsy's best friend and colleague Roxy looks as good if not better in the ole pin stripes and paisley, to say nothing of her abilities. Still, the film is entertaining in spite of its flaws and it thankfully retains enough shock factor to honour the original. The final scene also makes clear that the producers are prepping for part three. Love it or leave it, there's more Kingsman to come. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nxc-3WpMbg
In 2020, the pandemic forced international sport come to a halt for months, Australian football seasons to be played in condensed blocks and the AFL Grand Final to be held in Brisbane for the first time ever. In 2021 so far, it has also seen parts of the Australian Open played without spectators. Now, COVID-19 is affecting the Aussie leg of this year's World Surf League Championship Tour, too, with the WSL announcing that it's making some big changes to its upcoming stint Down Under. Usually, WSL's annual Australian events include high profile stops in Bells Beach and on the Gold Coast, but they've both been cancelled in 2021. Instead the sporting body will head to New South Wales, and over to Western Australia for two events as well. From April 1–11, the Rip Curl Cup will take over Newcastle's beaches, while the Rip Curl Classic will hit Narrabeen in Sydney's northern beaches from April 16–26. Then, Margaret River will become the centre of the surfing world from May 2–12, before the tour will head over to Rottnest Island from May 16–26. Announcing the change, WSL advised that it would concentrate on NSW and WA this year "following approvals for pre-approved quarantine bubbles" for surfers and staff. In a statement, it explained that it "could not achieve these bubbles in Victoria and Queensland in the short amount of time it needed to do so". https://twitter.com/wsl/status/1361449251172061185 Victorian surf fans — and anyone who has memorised the final Bells Beach-set scene from Point Break — can rest assured that WSL will be returning to town from 2022. Earlier this month, it announced that it had signed a deal for a three-year stint in the Surf Coast Shire until 2024. Regarding the Gold Coast event, its future hasn't been revealed; however, WSL advised that the decision to "cancel this event was based on the genuine possibility of multiple risks attached to sudden public health measures in reaction to COVID-19 such as lockdowns, state border restrictions and event cancellations". Under an agreement with the NSW Government, international competitors heading Down Under for the Australian leg of the 2021 World Surf League Championship Tour will board a chartered flight in Los Angeles that'll fly to Sydney, which is where all traveling athletes and support staff will then undergo 14 days of hotel quarantine. They'll also need to obtain a medical clearance from public health officials before they can enter the general community and start preparing for competition events. The Australian leg of the 2021 World Surf League Championship Tour will head to Newcastle and Narrabeen, plus Margaret River and Rottnest Island in Western Australia, between April 1–May 26. For further details, head to the World Surf League website.
Ballarat's legendary Sovereign Hill is inviting you to come and celebrate the Year of the Tiger with a food-filled weekend that will transform the goldfield town. Lunar New Year at Sovereign Hill is happening on Saturday, February 5 and Sunday, February 6. Just a short drive from Melbourne, Sovereign Hill is the perfect place to ring in the Year of the Tiger and enjoy the sweet smells and tastes of Chinese cuisine. Explore all that Sovereign Hill has to offer during the day, and head to the Main Street in the evening for LNY @ Night to refuel with dumplings, pork buns and sweet tarts. There will also be a range of noodles and rice to slurp down. Or, if you really want to make it a night to remember, make sure to indulge in the Lunar New Year Banquet at New York Bakery for $59 per person. For more information and to start planning your visit, head to the Sovereign Hill website.
If you're looking to expand your palate, enhance your culinary skills and be inspired by idyllic natural wonders, look no further. Taste Port Douglas is back this year with a four-day festival of the senses. From Thursday, August 11 to Sunday August 14, a dynamic program, curated by founder and culinary director Spencer Patrick, will showcase local produce and industry-leading chefs at the Sheraton Grand Mirage. If feasting on unforgettable culinary delights isn't enough to get you excited, you can't look past the location. Between meals, you can explore all this tropical paradise has to offer, including incredible access to two of Australia's best natural gems: the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. The full lineup is expected to drop this month, so stay tuned for more info. You can register your interest here to receive more information on early bird releases.
If there's one thing that's certain in life, it's that we can't live without water — and a new exhibition at Shepparton Art Museum sets out to show the many and varied flow-on effects water contributes to in modern society. Through the work of 20 Australian artists and collectives — and drawing from the SAM archives — Freshwater considers the less-than-subtle environmental impacts, while also exploring the cultural, political and economic ramifications that comes from not respecting one of our most important resources. Issues explored include rising salinity, wastage, struggles between sustainability and economic interests, whilst works look at the cultural heritage surrounding rivers and waterways. Freshwater takes place as part of ART+CLIMATE=CHANGE 2017, a Victoria-wide festival produced by Climarte, an organisation which aims to harness the creative power of the arts to evoke action on climate change. The exhibition runs until June 4 at Shepparton Art Museum.
It's 'The One Where They Get Back Together' — and, after more than a year of teasing, it's finally about to hit screens. First hinted at in 2019, officially confirmed in 2020, releasing its initial teaser last week and now dropping a full trailer, Friends: The Reunion is exactly what it sounds like. If you know everything there is to know about orange couches, smelly cats and whether a couple is on a break, you'll be more than a little excited. It has been 27 years since the TV sitcom about six New Yorkers made audiences a promise: that it'd be there for us. And, as well as making stars out of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow, Friends has done just that. Sure, the hit series wrapped up its ten-season run in 2004, but the show has lived on — on streaming platforms, by sending an orange couch around Australia, by screening anniversary marathons in cinemas and in boozy brunch parties, for example. Friends: The Reunion promises to take pop culture's lingering affection for the show to another level, though, by reuniting its cast for a big dose of nostalgia. And, for trivia, too. That's the first thing that Aniston, Cox, Perry, LeBlanc, Schwimmer and Kudrow do in the new trailer for the special, which is slated to hit HBO's streaming platform HBO Max on Thursday, May 27 in the US. During the unscripted special, the actors behind Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, Ross and Phoebe all chat about their experiences on and memories of the show — all on the same soundstage where Friends was originally shot, so expect to see some familiar faces and some recognisable decor. Aniston, Cox and the gang also have a few other famous pals for company, with the hefty guest lineup spanning folks with connections to the show and others that must just love it. On the list: David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin and Mindy Kaling, as well as Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. The special was initially set to air in America last May, but those plans delayed due to the pandemic. For friends of Friends Down Under, just when and where Friends: The Reunion will surface hasn't yet been revealed; however, it's bound to be here for us sooner or later. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRXVQ77ehRQ Friends: The Reunion will be available to stream in the US via HBO Max on Thursday, May 27. It doesn't currently have an air date or streaming date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Saying that M. Night Shyamalan's latest film offers an improvement over his most recent efforts isn't really saying much. After impressing with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, and a little less so with Signs and The Village, the likes of Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender and After Earth won the writer/director few kind words. The Visit seems to fall somewhere in the middle; however, in plodding towards his usual twist and doing so with a clumsy blend of shocks and laughs, it soon proves closer to his latter work than his former. Fifteen-year-old Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and her thirteen-year-old younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) take the trip of the movie's title, leaving their single mother (Kathryn Hahn) for a week with the estranged grandparents they've never before met. Upon arriving at the remote farm their Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) call home, the siblings find their elders a little odd, but are reassured that their eccentricities stem from their advanced age. When even stranger occurrences start happening at night, Becca and Tyler are convinced that something else is going on. To complicate what becomes little more than kids simply being spooked by creepy old people, pseudo fairytale-style, Shyamalan throws the current horror movie trend — found footage — into the mix. Accordingly, The Visit is presented as a documentary being shot by wannabe filmmaker Becca, with Tyler assisting with the camerawork when he's not rapping in front of the lens. Shyamalan's found footage effort is not a slapdash attempt to capitalise upon the current fondness for a certain subgenre of film — at least as far as the actual found footage conceit is concerned. The director never abandons his approach, and even weaves the consequences of a constantly rolling camera into the story. Expect bit players performing because they know they're being watched, just as Tyler does. Don't expect shots from angles that can't be justified in the narrative, just because they look cool. Alas, around the well-executed and committed stylistic gimmick sits cliche and a veering tone that colours everything that happens. Attempted frights are easily foreseen in the shadowy Hansel and Gretel-like offering, though thankfully Shyamalan's love of the supernatural never rears its head. The predictability of the script certainly inspires much of the guffawing that will echo around the cinema, though many of the feature's gags are intentional. Making a good horror-comedy is as difficult a feat as mastering found footage, but The Visit doesn't succeed in the first instance. Giggling at, not with, the film, feels like the more frequent outcome as bodily functions are mined for humour alongside the naked elderly form. And with the jump scares few and far between, comic moments aren't quite being used to diffuse tension. Australians DeJonge and Oxenbould try hard to wade through the wavering mood, turning in playful performances that brighten up the standard story, but being asked to spout dialogue about filmmaking technique doesn't do their characters any favours. Still, to say that the duo ranks alongside Shyamalan's handling of found footage as the feature's highlights is accurate — although, in the context of the complete movie, that's once again not saying much.
It's lucky that Chris Pine is so likeable in Wonder Woman 1984, or the scene where his character wanders around in the titular year and marvels slack-jawed at the advancements of the period would be unbearably cheesy. It's still cheesy, and inescapably so. He's wearing a bumbag, so it has to be. But, it's also engagingly performed. The look on his face: wonder. The A Wrinkle In Time star once again plays American pilot Steve Trevor, who was last seen in 1918 in Wonder Woman. He's now a man thrust far beyond his own time, and he has much to marvel at. But this sequence also acts as a stark reminder, sending a message to the audience about the film they're watching. No matter how much returning director Patty Jenkins and the powers-that-be behind the DC Extended Universe hope that Wonder Woman 1984's viewers share the same expression — and how much they believe that simply making a sequel to their 2017 blockbuster is enough to cause it — the movie doesn't earn much more than a resigned sigh. When it hit cinemas three years ago, the first movie about Princess Diana of Themyscira — also known as Diana Prince — stood out. Even though the DCEU started five years after the Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC bested its rival by focusing on a female character in its fourth film (for Marvel, it took 21 pictures, only achieving the feat with 2019's Captain Marvel). DC didn't waste its opportunity, either. Wonder Woman isn't a mere cookie-cutter superhero flick, just focusing on a character of a different gender. It champions understanding and emotional intelligence, handles its engaging origin story with sincerity and warmth, and unfurls an adventure where both strength and vulnerability exist in tandem. It also relays a fulfilling tale; a sequel was inevitable, but the initial feature didn't just whet the audience's appetite for the next, plus all the other caped crusader films certain to follow. In other words, Wonder Woman bakes the traits that make its eponymous figure something special into its story and approach, and is all the better for it. In contrast, Wonder Woman 1984 has Diana (Gal Gadot, Justice League) tell everyone again and again that being truthful is far more important than anything else — after an opening scene set among her matriarchal society of Amazons, where she learns the lesson as a girl (Lilly Aspell, Holmes & Watson) during a high-stakes competition against older women. And, with the brightly hued film arriving after a year almost starved of franchise-related comic book tales (other than the pre-pandemic opening of Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) and the long-delayed release of The New Mutants), this sequel has also decided that more is more in the easiest of fashions. Wonder Woman 1984 doesn't spin the most complicated story, but it's so repetitive and meandering across its 151-minute running time that it's needlessly bulky, muddled and weighed down. A few notable scenes aside, its glossily shot action sequences share the same dragged-out, overblown sensation. Jumping forward almost seven decades within the Wonder Woman films' timeline, Diana has taken up an anthropologist job at the Smithsonian, and turned swinging through malls on her Lasso of Truth to fight crime into her side hustle. But then insecure archaeologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) starts working beside her, gets tasked with assessing a mysterious gem, and lets Donald Trump-esque infomercial salesman Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal, The Mandalorian) take the strange object home with him. It's no ordinary rock, however. It grants wishes, so Maxwell wants to take advantage of that power — and, unknowingly, both Diana and Barbara have already uttered their dreams aloud while holding the stone. These fantasies come at a cost, of course, even before Maxwell uses his to try to take over the world. Yes, in the script penned by Jenkins, Geoff Johns (Aquaman) and Dave Callaham (Zombieland: Double Tap), a magic rock drives the plot — and the aforementioned, overstressed idea that truth triumphs over all, too. Accordingly, it's no wonder (pun intended) that Wonder Woman 1984 feels padded out. And, with Steve's return, Maxwell's hunger for domination and Barbara's transformation into comic book character Cheetah all demanding attention, it's little surprise that Wonder Woman herself is rarely the main attraction. The film misses her, even though she's supposed to be its protagonist. Perhaps that's why the movie opts for spouting the same maxim over and over, instead of sharing her characteristics. It's harder to make a feature that reflects its chief figure when that ostensible point of focus is so often pushed aside. It's far easier to stick to a broad template, stretch it out and assume everyone will just be pleased that Wonder Woman is back in a movie that bears her name. Wonder Woman 1984 also shares Captain Marvel's struggle, because it's so generic that it doesn't ever do its central character justice — or do much more than deliver a paint-by-numbers tale set in a decades-ago era with a woman as its primary superhero. Perhaps serving up lacklustre, formulaic flicks about male and female caped crusaders alike is Hollywood's idea of equality? Viewers are always left wanting more here, because Gadot demands it. She's immensely charming and graceful as the warrior queen — radiating empathy and decency with an earthiness that should clash with Wonder Woman's shining armour and golden tiara, but doesn't — and navigates tightly choreographed stunts as deftly as big emotional moments. She's nicely paired with both Pine and Wiig, the latter first as a friend and later an adversary, but Gadot sparks her own wonder. Wonder Woman 1984 certainly knows how to trot out well-worn beats packaged as part-upbeat heroism, part-social satire, but it just doesn't realise where its true strengths reside often enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW2E2Fnh52w
The team behind Peter Gunn’s new restaurant IDES must be really organised. Or really lucky. Or both. The ambitious new venue has slated its opening to coincide with the Ides of March — and while it was a disastrous time for Caesar, we suspect it’ll be rather fortuitous for the ex-Attica chef. Gunn, who's spent the last five years as a sous chef under the legendary Ben Shewry at Attica, is striking out on his own with his new Collingwood restaurant with seating for just 36 lucky guests. But it’s not exactly a big risk for him, as Melburnians have been keen on what he’s got since 2013. Gunn’s already put in the leg work for IDES via his monthly pop-up dinners at Persillade that he organised while working in the kitchen at Attica (kind makes you feel guilty about lazily ordering takeaway, doesn’t it?). They were booked out months in advance, and we get the feeling the permanent restaurant will be just as busy. Interestingly, the menu will retain the spontaneity of the pop-ups with dishes going unplanned until the last moment, which Gunn believes injects energy into the menu. The package clocks in at six dishes for $110 (wine pairing will be available for a little more moolah), which is extraordinary good value for a degustation menu designed and made by one of Melbourne's — and. perhaps, the world’s — best young chefs. Get on it now before it books up until the year 3000, because you know it will. IDES will open on Wednesday, March 16 at 92 Smith Street, Collingwood. They will be open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, and you can make a reservation here.
As one big HBO series came to an end, another signalled its return, with the US cable network dropping the first trailer for Westworld's third season during the Game of Thrones finale. Say goodbye to dragons, fighting over a fancy chair and living in a medieval-looking fantasy realm, and hello to robots, flying cars and stepping outside of everyone's favourite futuristic amusement park. Say hello to Aaron Paul, too, with the Breaking Bad actor not only joining Westworld for the next batch of episodes, but also starring in the initial trailer. His new character was promised a better world, but this dream hasn't come true, so he's now searching for something real. Given how Blade Runner-esque everything is around him, he's probably channelling Jesse Pinkman and exclaiming "yeah, science!" more than once, too (at least internally). As the teaser makes plain, this season steps beyond the confines of the titular amusement park and into the world around it. That's as far as it goes, plot-wise, for the moment, but it's still revealing. While the show has always been futuristic, with its Old West-themed attraction featuring robots who are virtually indistinguishable from normal people, the third season appears to be dialling the sci-fi — and accompanying technology — up a few notches. Here, robots actually look like robots, except when Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores pops up. Now, the bad news: although Westworld's second season aired in 2018, the third season won't hit until 2020. HBO hasn't announced an exact airdate as yet, so watch this space. If a year seems like a long time between android dramas, remember that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the first trailer for Westworld's third season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deSUQ7mZfWk Westworld's third season will air in 2020. We'll keep you updated with an exact airdate when it comes to hand.
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Better Watch Out is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The weather outside might be frightful, but staying indoors is far from delightful. Indeed, in Christmas slasher story Better Watch Out, the gifts and games are of the murderous kind. With his parents (Virginia Madsen and Patrick Warburton) heading out for some seasonal cheer, 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller) and his pal Garrett (Ed Oxenbould) are left home alone in the suburbs with 17-year-old babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge). If you've seen any kind of horror movie, Christmas-themed or not, you'll know that it doesn't turn out well. Far from walking merrily through familiar territory, however, writer-director Chris Peckover and his co-scribe Zack Kahn have a few surprises in store for fans of festive thrills. Their teenage trio aren't exactly setting booby traps for burglars, but nor are they simply hiding out as a knife-wielding maniac wreaks havoc. Even before the weapons come out, things aren't exactly going smoothly. Luke is soon downing champagne in his desperate attempt to seduce Ashley, despite the fact that she's preoccupied with arguing on the phone with her boyfriend. Oh, and someone is out to kill them. Someone inside the house. If Better Watch Out was a Yuletide beverage, it'd be spiked eggnog: you think you know what you're getting, but after a couple of sips it turns out to be something very different. And while it's best for viewers to experience the movie's twists and turns for themselves, savouring the performances that go with them is heartily recommended. Miller (Jasper Jones), Oxenbould (Paper Planes) and DeJonge (The Visit) embrace their multifaceted roles with relish, playing to type before suddenly veering in unexpected directions. The three local actors are a boon to the US-Australian co-production, which is set in the States but was shot in Sydney. With found footage film Undocumented also on his resume, Peckover has clearly seen more than a few scary movies, and wears his expertise on his sleeve. Better Watch Out is filled with overt nods to genre tropes — but then again, aren't most horror films these days? Here, winking at convention heightens the tongue-in-cheek vibe, although it also occasionally proves to be a crutch. In some moments, the movie's meta-references are smart, inspired and laugh-out-loud hilarious. In others, they mosey a little too close to cartoonish, particularly as the story starts to wind up. But the film fares far better when it comes to its treatment of Christmas flicks, burrowing into the darkness behind the supposedly happiest time of the year. Toxic Yuletide fantasies, toxic domesticity, toxic masculinity — Peckover and Kahn find time to poke and prod all three amidst their nasty pranks, hormonal teens and festive tunes. For fans of horror comedy, Better Watch Out is one seriously warped present beneath the Christmas tree. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b88Z3Xa9v4s
Keen to go on a leisurely walk on your next trip to Beechworth? Beechworth Gorge Walk is a seven-kilometre circuit of the town, which was once a hideout for the infamous Kelly Gang. It's a low grade stroll that provides views over Beechworth and takes around two hours to complete. You'll come across waterfalls, rugged countryside and wildflowers, depending on the season, and there are plenty of historical sites such as Rocky Mountain Tunnel, which dates back to the area's mining days. Image: Beechworth, Visit Victoria
First, you watch Rings. Then, your interest in the franchise quickly dies. That's what happens when someone unleashes a video no one really wants to see, right? If the Ring series has taught us anything, it's that unpleasant content always sparks a nasty end — and that's exactly what happens here. In a way, the saga's own rules explain why these movies keep coming, except for the fact that creating a copy is supposed to stop something bad from happening. In this case, it just makes things even worse. Odds are, you should already have some idea as to what this movie is about. Maybe you saw Naomi Watts in 2002's The Ring and its lacklustre 2005 sequel. Maybe you're familiar with the (superior) Japanese original from 1998, Ringu, and the numerous spinoffs that followed on from that. Perhaps you're even aware of the Korean remake The Ring Virus or the recent crossover with The Grudge franchise Sadako vs. Kayako. Point is, the premise remains much the same in every single one: unsuspecting folks press play on a creepy video tape, a phone call delivers a seven-day deadline, and the long-haired Samara (now played by Bonnie Morgan) starts wreaking havoc once time runs out. Finding a VCR at a flea market, college professor Gabriel (Johnny Galecki) and his student Skye (Aimee Teegarden) are the latest to let the unhinged ghost loose, turning it into a research project about the existence of the soul. Freshman Holt (Alex Roe) gets himself caught up in the mess, and is soon counting down the days as well. Enter his worried hometown girlfriend, Julia (Matilda Lutz), who decides to get to the bottom of the whole unsettling business. Wait, didn't the first two American Ring flicks involve a feisty female trying to thwart death by investigating Samara's background? Yes, yes they did. Doing the same thing over and over is what horror sequels are usually about, so the fact that this F. Javier Gutiérrez-directed effort retraces the same path is hardly a surprise. Indeed, there's basically nothing surprising about this film, other than Vincent D'Onofrio showing up to deliver some exposition. When you're trying to elicit scares, that's a problem. Cue the same tape and the same journey, shot in a style that makes the entire movie look like a digital copy of better material. A video-within-a-video of extra spooky visuals taunt Julia and company, and an expanded backstory tries to explain Samara's actions even further, but both just typify the filmmakers' underlying "more is better" line of thinking, and neither device manages to amp up the scares or the intrigue. Nor does updating the concept for the modern day. Seeing Samara on in-flight screens and smartphones, and watching people duplicate files rather than tapes, still ultimately smacks of more of the same. Even more infuriating is the fact that Rings is blatantly setting the scene for more unwanted chapters. That means that the 102-minute revisit isn't just a routine rehash — it's filler designed to work up a frenzy for something that might never actually get made. Keeping audiences hanging for future fare rather than bothering to really entertain them this time around might be common in an era of endless, interconnected superhero movies, but here, it's a bigger drag than Samara's limp locks.
You're busy, we get it. You've got work to do, friends to see, grandparents to call and a pile of dirty clothes which won't wash itself. Sounds like you are in need of a refresh, my friend. And, no, that doesn't mean you have to find a new job, give up lactose or join the F45 cult — nothing that drastic. All it takes is a few little changes — some minor tweaks — and you can get a whole lot more out of your week. We've put our heads together with our mates at Coopers Dry to bring you seven easy wins to help get you inspired and feeling great all week long. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] MONDAY: EAT YOUR LUNCH AT A PARK After spending all morning staring at a screen, eating your lunch al desko can be downright depressing, or, if you get crumbs all over your keyboard, totally infuriating. With spring now in full swing, why not bundle up your tucker and take it to the park. Trust us, even a sad sandwich tastes better in the sun. Not only will you get a good dose of vitamin D, but taking the lunchbox away from the inbox can do a world of good for your mental health, helping you stay happy and productive all afternoon. If you're super keen, pack a blanket, cutlery and a thermos of iced tea and have a legit picnic — it'll feel like you're on a mini-holiday from work and that's a massive win. TUESDAY: BAKE SOME COOKIES Are you looking to win friends and influence people? Forget reading that self-help book, bake cookies instead. An offering of soft-centred biscuits can be a great way to fast track your relationships, whether it's with new colleagues, disgruntled housemates or noise-complaining neighbours. Just a simple plate of chocolate-studded rounds can convey a range of sentiments, from "sorry for downloading that virus on your computer" to "thanks for not shutting down my 3am kick ons". As well as filling the home with delicious vanilla and choc smells, an evening of baking can be highly therapeutic after a long day at work. As can eating the raw dough, a very easy win. WEDNESDAY: MISS YOUR TRAIN ON PURPOSE While it may ensure you get your toe in the door exactly on time, catching the 8.13am train to work can make for a pretty stressful start to the day. Lengthy queues, crowded platforms and people encroaching on personal space is enough to put anyone in a snarky mood. Instead, try switching up your commute and catch a less-packed earlier or later service. Not only will you score a seat for your troubles, but you'll also have a quicker trip. And, depending on what time you hop on, it'll be cheaper, too. Opal, myki and Go cards all offer off-peak discounts. THURSDAY: ENJOY BREAKFAST IN BED Who said breakfast in bed was just for loved-up couples or mums on Mother's Day — we can all get in on the action. Instead of sitting in the kitchen like a schmuck, take that fresh fruit salad back to your kingdom of cushions for the horizontal brekkie that you know you deserve. You don't need an excuse. It doesn't have to be a special occasion (Thursday is good enough) nor an elaborate breakfast, in fact, it might be a little easier on the sheets if you go for a vegemite toast rather than full-on egg soldiers. And, as a pleasant side effect, you might even find it's easier to get up in the morning knowing that there's always the possibility to get back in. FRIDAY: HOST A MOVIE MARATHON Need to unwind after an exhausting week? Nothing says complete and utter relaxation like a movie marathon. While you could always head out to a ticketed showing, what's even easier and cheaper is to host one yourself. Not only have you got the obvious trackie pants advantage, but you also get to choose what you watch or don't watch. That means you can enjoy all of the Star Wars films sans The Phantom Menace because no one needs to sit through that — pick and choose as you please. We suggest whipping out some classics, like Home Alone, Independence Day (trust us) or The Breakfast Club because everybody loves a bit of cheese. SATURDAY: THROW A POTLUCK PARTY Dinner parties are magnificent things. There's nothing more glorious than tucking into a homemade meal with friends, exchanging stories through mouthfuls of mash and enjoying ice-cold beers straight from the fridge. What's not so great is crafting the dinner party menu, shopping and paying for the ingredients, then spending your day cooking like crazy until you're too stressed out to enjoy your own flambéed crepes. To share the love (and cooking load), host a potluck dinner party, where everyone contributes a dish. It's a great way to experience a whole bunch of different cuisines and cooking styles. Just grab a case of beers, and you're all set. SUNDAY: DO A SPRING CLEAN No more excuses, it's time for a good old fashioned spring clean. Not only will you find a multitude of long-lost chargers, but you might even find your sanity along the way — you'll be surprised how truly free you will feel after untangling those cables. If you can't decide whether or not to keep those ski pants that've been collecting dust for the past five years, consider the KonMari method: hold the item close to you and ask, "does this spark joy in my heart?". It's a surefire way to get rid of any unnecessary items (which you should then take to a charity shop). Having a cold hard look at your hoarding habits might just inspire you to start consuming a little more responsibly, which is always a good thing. Pro tip: if you need a little bit of motivation, it never hurts to get your best four-legged friend involved. It's a proven fact that pooches help calm the nerves. So when it all seems a bit overwhelming, pause for some pats and break it down area by area. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates.
There's little doubt luxe newcomer Jackalope Hotel was one of this year's most hyped openings when it launched in the heart of Mornington Peninsula wine country this April. Now, barely nine months on, owner Louis Li has already revealed plans for a second luxury hotel, his sights set this time on the Melbourne CBD. Jackalope Flinders Lane will take over the site of the historic Maria George building, with the 32-suite, 16-storey boutique hotel set to be designed by March Studio. Despite the urban locale, however, Jackalope's second iteration will follow closely in the footsteps of the original, with a focus on art, design, storytelling and dining. As such, while the existing Flinders Street property will remain, plans for the new build include the addition of a 10-storey 'minimal frosted glass box', and a rooftop 'cloud bar' boasting a cloud-shaped structure crafted from electropolished stainless steel wire. Jackalope Flinders Lane will also feature its own cafe and two restaurants, housed on the lower four floors. The whole thing is still subject to planning approval, with a intended launch date of 2020. Stay tuned and we'll let you know more news as it drops. Jackalope Flinders Lane is set to open at 175-181 Flinders Lane, Melbourne in 2020.
Streaming platforms and superheroes are modern life's new certainties, with instances of both continuing to pop up all over the place. When Disney launches its own next big venture, the two will combine, giving a number of Marvel's big-screen characters their own small-screen series. As reported by Variety, Marvel is apparently planning a number of limited-run shows based on its popular Marvel Cinematic Universe figures, with Tom Hiddleston's Loki and Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch named as the likely first candidates. Each series is expected to run for six to eight episodes, and the strategy will focus on characters that haven't yet received their own standalone movies — and don't have any in the works. That means that we won't be seeing any dedicated shows about Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Captain Marvel or Black Widow; however there are plenty of others that fit the bill. While no other names have been floated, War Machine, Hawkeye, Falcon, Quicksilver, Bucky Barnes, Valkyrie and Killmonger all meet the criteria, for starters — and, if you forget about the Edward Norton-starring The Incredible Hulk (which is easily done) before Mark Ruffalo took over the part, then the Hulk could also fit at a stretch. Taking a figure from one of its films and spinning a series around them is an approach that Marvel took with Agent Carter, based on Hayley Atwell's character from Captain America: The First Avenger, so it's hardly new or surprising. Like that two-series program, the plan seems to be for actors from Marvel's movies to reprise their roles for the streaming service. Disney hasn't even announced a specific launch date for its streaming platform — although it's expected to become available late next year — so this really is a watch-this-space kind of situation. Still, between the long-running Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the company's six different Netflix series and a few other TV titles, the company has shown that it likes putting the MCU on the small screen as much as the big. Disney's streaming platform will also boast a $100 million Star Wars series from The Jungle Book, Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau, a High School Musical TV series, another show based on Monsters, Inc. and a live-action Lady and the Tramp movie. Via Variety. Image: Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War. Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Photo: Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2018.
Sydney is now home to a dedicated Harry Potter-themed store. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to return to Melbourne's stage this year. It looks like a new HP-related TV show is in the works, and Japan is due to score a theme park dedicated to the titular wizard. Yes, if you're a fan of the wizarding franchise, there are plenty of ways to keep indulging your love. Another one is coming, too, thanks to Harry Potter: The Exhibition. If the name sounds familiar, that's because it has existed since 2009 — and came to Sydney in 2012. Come 2022, however, a huge new version will start making its way around the planet, in a partnership between Warner Bros Consumer Products and Imagine Exhibitions. This time, Harry Potter: The Exhibition will cover all things Fantastic Beasts-related, too, if that's how you've been getting your magical fix over the past few years. In total, the big HP showcase will span between 929–1858 square metres, and feature everything from props and costumes from the ten movies to-date to installations that recreate the world of the books and films. While exact details of what'll be on display haven't been revealed as yet, the exhibition is set to "present beautifully crafted environments that honour the beloved characters, settings and beasts seen in the films while exploring the filmmaking magic that brought them to life" according to Imagine Exhibitions' statement announcing the new tour. The company also advises that Harry Potter: The Exhibition will "celebrate the most iconic moments of the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and the expanded Wizarding World". Just where it'll be heading hasn't been announced so far either, but the showcase will tour to multiple regions, including cities in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. So, you can start crossing your fingers that a visit Down Under will be among its stops — or saying "accio exhibition" as often as you like. For now, Australian fans can stream the eight original films as they've just hit Binge. And, for a refresher on how the movies wrapped up, you can also check out the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObK5XD8udk&utm_keyword=referral_bustle Harry Potter: The Exhibition will start its world tour from sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Image: Warner Bros.
What has happened to that once glorious Hollywood staple, the romantic comedy? Even at its most saccharine, it was a dependable genre, the type that left you in a kind of terrible movie heaven of enjoyably unlikely plot premises, clueslessly fated lovers, and fairytale endings. Trashy, sure, but reliably trashy — carefree and frothy and silly. Beautiful people, overcoming mindlessly familiar cinematic hurdles and falling in love — it's comforting stuff for hopeless romantics like myself who get most of their life philosophies from Michel Gondry films. But a genre that focuses more on seduction and courtship and the happily-ever-after, bridal magazine moments eventually leaves viewers craving something a little more substantial. After all, anyone who lives in the real world knows that the real work in relationships begins at the point where rom coms usually end: the kiss, the wedding, the honeymoon period, the beginning. The reality and ridiculousness and complexity of relationships and sex and romance — surely this is the kind of thing that mainstream film should finally start getting right. That's why I Give It a Year should work. British director Dan Mazer has styled it as a renovated, thinking-person's rom com, one that starts at the wedding and explores the difficulty of staying in love. It's a worthwhile project, and one that The Simpsons creative director James L. Brooks has made into a career. Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, and even the cruelly critically maligned How Do You Know? all subtly inverted the rom com rules by showing more realistic characters with more realistic relationships. And they were funnier for their closer collision with real life. Mazer has his work cut out for him by Brooks. Rose Byrnes' highly strung Nat and Rafe Spall's man-boy Josh are not meant to be — they marry too quickly and are obviously more suited to the two supporting characters, played by Simon Baker (on charismatic autopilot) and Anna Faris (on tedious autopilot. Why is she a thing?). But ultimately the film refuses to bust out of the conventional rom com template. Its plot remains face-punchingly implausible, its characters straitjacketed by stereotype, and its humour terminally planted in Mazer's familiar ground of extreme awkwardness and feeble frat-boy crassness. This is, after all, the man who produced Borat and Sacha Baron Cohen's other cinematic mis/adventures. Oddly enough for a love story, I Give It a Year fails to get to any kind of genuine emotional core for the characters or their relationships. Perhaps the highlight of the film is Rose Byrnes' wardrobe, a procession of pastel cashmere sweaters and tailored designer clothing this reviewer will never, ever be able to afford. Yes, Byrnes and Baker are lovely to watch, but it is frankly demoralising to see them wasting their presence on such an eye-rollingly unfunny project. The Office's Stephen Merchant is particularly misused given his considerable comedic talents. Despite its admirable aims, I Give It A Year is a 102-minute exercise in endurance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3UgPWKPDlvA
The Vegan Market is making its grand return this year — this time at The Edge and The Terrace in Federation Square. If you weren't able to make it last time, this indoor event promises vegan-baked goods, skincare, chocolate, grocery products and slow fashion. Dive into the flavours of top-notch vegan food trucks such as Woking Amazing, Purple Rabbit, Australian Cookie Empire, Bao Melbourne, Sfinci, Original Chai Co., Classica International, Nohadra's Kitchen, Mel Ethio Mothers Kitchen and Simply Lentils Super Raw. Adding to the vibe, a vegan DJ from Sacred Taste will be spinning tunes throughout the event. The whole family is invited to this community celebration of plant-based goodness. Rock up to Fed Square on Sunday, April 28 from 10am–4pm.
There's nothing quite like a Saturday spent quaffing top-notch wine and gorging on cheese. Throw the spotlight on local produce and you've got something even better. As part of this year's MFWF, the locally focused Wine and Cheese Fest takes over Williamstown's Seaworks for one gooey, cheesy day by the bay, celebrating some of the state's finest cheese, wine and artisan goodies. Chat to producers as you indulge in a parade of free tastings, sit in on a couple of cheese masterclasses or even hone your squishing skills in the day's grape stomping competition. And there'll be DJ sets and live jazz providing the soundtrack to your epicurean adventures. Up for some extra indulgence? Splash out on a VIP ticket to score your fill of free-flowing local wine and cheese platters. Wine and Cheese Fest is part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Check out more of the festival's events here.
UPDATE, November 13, 2020: Bohemian Rhapsody is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. To see Freddie Mercury take to the stage is to see a giant, one who leaps, slinks, prowls, thrusts and struts above the masses. Mercury wasn't a tall man, but he couldn't have had a bigger presence when he was performing. It's evident in every clip of Queen's gigs, and each of the British band's music videos too, but it's never more apparent than in the group's Live Aid show. For 20 minutes at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985, in a set played to 72,000 London concert-goers and beamed via television to a global audience of 1.9 billion, Mercury was the towering champion of the world. Unsurprisingly, Queen's Live Aid performance forms a crucial part of Bohemian Rhapsody. Mercury's walk to the stage gives the film its opening moments, via glimpses of his moustache, sunglasses, crotch and singlet-adorned back, while the actual set itself provides the movie's climax. Filmed on the first day of the picture's production, it's an electrifying sequence made all the more so by Rami Malek's spot-on performance as Mercury. But the fact that the blistering show was a greatest hits set really couldn't be more appropriate for the film endeavouring to recreate its glory. The Live Aid gig featured 'Bohemian Rhapsody', naturally, as well as 'Radio Ga Ga', 'We Will Rock You', 'We Are the Champions' and more, and it gave everyone watching exactly what they'd hoped for. Bohemian Rhapsody is a greatest hits movie. It's the neat, easily digestible version of Queen's career, and of Mercury's professional and personal ups and downs along with them. It's also highly sanitised, and even factually altered where it's more dramatically convenient. Here, the Zanzibar-born Parsi man originally known as Farrokh Bulsara chats to Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) at a pub gig on the night their lead singer quits, talks them into giving him a shot as their new vocalist, and unleashes his now-iconic four-octave range to change music history. Chart success, tours, fame and raucous parties all follow, even after the band's first record label exec insists that the six-minute 'Bohemian Rhapsody' will never be played on radio. Meanwhile, when he's not brandishing his flamboyant stage persona, Freddie struggles with the expectations of his stern father (Ace Bhatti), his complicated feelings for his girlfriend Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), his sexuality, plenty of drugs and his eventual diagnosis with HIV. Like the best-of releases that fill record stores and try to condense a musician or band's finest work to a single disc, a greatest hits film is never going to cut as deep as a proper album. That doesn't instantly make Bohemian Rhapsody a bad movie, or make best-of records bad records either. You know what you're getting when you listen to a greatest hits album, and it's exactly what's on offer with this formulaic biopic — but it's still largely enjoyable. This isn't exactly real life, and in many parts, it's purely fantasy. And yet, it's an engaging, albeit highly superficial interpretation of Queen and Mercury's heyday as painted with the broadest of strokes and featuring all of the expected tracks. As with many rock biopics before it, Bohemian Rhapsody is all about the gloss, sheen and popular hits that reinforce the existing image of Queen and Mercury, rather than daring to delve beneath the surface. Covering a 15-year time span, this is the band-approved version of the story, not the reportedly darker affair that was originally set to star Sacha Baron Cohen. Still, Bohemian Rhapsody energetically takes to its chosen task. Director Bryan Singer — as well as the uncredited Dexter Fletcher, who took over when Singer was fired two-thirds of the way through shooting — bounces through a template that strings simplistic drama between songs, often using the former to give weight to the latter. The filmmakers also capitalise on a fact that has made the Mamma Mia flicks such a huge success with fans: a killer soundtrack can do plenty of heavy lifting. Great songs don't make for a great movie by themselves, and Bohemian Rhapsody never reaches greatness, or even approaches it. It's entertaining as it hits its intended marks, although it remains noticeable (and even insulting to Mercury's legacy as a queer icon) that the picture skims over certain details. But, regardless of its handling of reality, the film delivers a supersonic turn by Malek. Far, far away from the reserved tension of Mr Robot, he walks, talks, belts out a tune, wears the tightest of pants and juts out his noticeable teeth just like the charismatic Mercury. Malek also gives texture to the movie's slight dives into deeper territory that isn't necessarily in the script — in particular, when Mercury grapples with the loneliness behind his life of excess, fights to retain his connection with Austin and learns of his illness. Both splashed loudly across big and small stages, and giving soulful, lonely stares in quiet moments, it's a performance that's a kind of magic. He will rock you, even if Bohemian Rhapsody itself favours making a big noise over taking on the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27zlBpzdOZg
With winter a short steam-breath away, it's time to embrace life in the longer, cooler evenings. This is the season for cosy conversations in dark corners, wearing many layers and indulging in a good shot or two of gin, the spirit of old world glamour and new world glitz. Bombay Sapphire's Project Botanicals pop-up knows how to do it, with creations like the Angelica Negroni and Liquorice Pontefract. The botanical oils and floral scents of a great gin are loving partners to spicy winter flavours, giving your tastebuds a sophisticated toast as they warm your flesh. Here are five of our favourite gin cocktails, some classic, some new, that will take your tongue on a tour beyond the familiar martini. RANGOON GIN FIZZ Toby Maloney's variation on the gin fizz switches the traditional lemon juice for a spicier lime, and kicks the cold out with a ginger snap. The title bows to the old British name for Yangon, a former capital of Myanmar/Burma, so best serve this when you're ready for political debate. 60ml Bombay Sapphire 22ml ginger syrup 30ml lime juice 9 drops bitters 5 sprigs of mint 60ml tonic water (the less sweet, more quinine the better) Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass. Top with the tonic, garnish with mint. Image: Smith & Ratliff. ROSEMARY GIMLET Contemporary gins come infused with many crisp flavours, with citrus being a prominent one. This recipe takes the classic gimlet, a mix of gin and lime (to ward off malnutrition, presumably) and thumps some complexity into its orange soul. The rosemary is a beautiful winter addition, harkening to roast lamb and crisp evening air, while possibly helping you remember the night afterwards. 45ml Bombay Sapphire 30ml simple syrup, strongly infused with rosemary 30ml tart lime juice 8ml orange liquer (blood orange is preferable for presentation) 1 sprig rosemary Shake liquid ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with rosemary sprig. Image: The Style Gathering. AVIATION This classic recipe was born on the streets of New York, around the time when the Wright brothers were first getting up off the ground. Excellent for the gin-shy, sipping this dainty number will warm your loins for some ragtime dancing, or boost your morale for the frosty dash towards the nearest vaudeville theatre. Add a splash of crème de violette for a sky-blue variation. 45ml Bombay Sapphire 22ml lemon juice 15ml cherry liqueur 1 maraschino cherry Shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry. Image: Platings and Pairings. BIJOU Another gin classic that would like to have a few stern words with the martini, the bijou (bee-joo) is French for 'jewel' and takes its name from the three gemstone colours represented by its ingredients: the diamond gin, the emerald Chartreuse and the ruby vermouth. Knocking back a few of these will most likely end the night in a poetic swoon or a bloody duel. 20ml Bombay Sapphire 20ml green Chartreuse 20ml sweet vermouth 1 dash orange bitters 1 orange peel Stir in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel. Image: Nightlife.ca. THE MONKEY GLAND So apparently people used to do whacky things for their health, such as surgically graft primate testicles onto their body. Possibly they were inspired by this heady concoction. Aside from hilarious tales of medical history, the monkey gland will hopefully provide you with effective protection against the common cold. 50ml Bombay Sapphire 30ml orange juice 2 drops absinthe 2 drops grenadine Shake well with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a monkey gland (optional).
