Long-time local favourites in Fitzroy North, Moroccan Soup Bar has been providing hungry crowds with plates of Moroccan food for years. Sans a menu — it's only given verbally — the restaurant serves up a standout chickpea bake (as well as other comforting, yet nourishing, vegetarian dishes) which has become the stuff of legends, with crowds often lining up for takeaway with their plastic containers at the ready. To deal with the influx of chickpea-cravers, Moroccan Soup Bar has opened a second joint just down the road from the original: Moroccan Soup Bar Two Go. With an emphasis on online ordering and takeaway dining, Two Go is open for dine-in lunch from 11am–3pm, and for takeaway between 11am–3pm and 5.30pm–9.30pm. You can order online here. As well as your requisite chickpea dinner to get you through the rest of the winter nights, expect Moroccan pizzas, or marrakizzas ($15), and the same lunch and dinner packs you've been snapping up from the first Moroccan Soup Bar. Like the chickpea bake, the packs will set you back a casual $12.50, and there are vegan and gluten free options, too. Also expect to be refunded $2 if you BYO Tupperware to take your food away in — it pays to come prepared. Find Moroccan Soup Bar Two Go at 316 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North — or the original Moroccan Soup Bar at 183 St Georges Road.
Going against the trends, Avenue Books is a small book business that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Originally opened in Albert Park in 1986, the independent bookshop empire expanded to Elsternwick in 2012 and then to Richmond in 2016. The shop focuses heavily on fiction, art books and children's literature, with both local and imported titles on offer. Friendly and knowledgeable, the staff can lend a hand finding and recommending books across all genres — there are even dedicated children's book experts. The shop also offers a stellar selection of free events and author talks — making it one of the best bookstores in all of Melbourne. Images: Tracey Ah-kee.
Music is becoming just as important as art at the NGV these days. Even when the walls are covered in works from Monet, Caravaggio and a relative stampede of local talent, you can't help but itch for the latest announcement of who'll be playing Friday Nights in the Great Hall. Well itch no more, the latest group of musos have arrived and they're exciting enough to rival Jean Paul Gaultier himself. Friday Nights this season will kick off on October 24, when The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk is already in full swing. Though the lineup is characteristically packed with young local talent, the first two acts are both from the US — and more specifically, the '90s. Lead singer of MEN, one-third of Le Tigre and bona fide feminist legend JD Samson will be first up. Samson is then quickly followed by iconic world music duo Cibbo Matto. Known for their collaborations with the likes of Yoko Ono and Michael Gondry, these ladies will feel right at home inside a gallery setting. From November onwards the lineup is dominated by an exciting though familiar list of Triple J darlings. Young artists like Remi and Elizabeth Rose will be gracing the stage as well as more established Aussie acts like Touch Sensitive and The Bombay Royale. In fact, of all the 14 artists announced, Kate Miller-Heidke is probably the only one you would have heard on commercial radio. Of course, this isn't a bad thing — it shows the NGV is all up for supporting local talent and alternative terrain. To add to this exciting atmosphere, the Friday Nights series will also present fashion talks and pop-up food and drink offerings. Each performance will even be accompanied by a crew of street artists from Everfresh Studio creating new work on stage. And they better be feeling confident — the final night of the series will be tied up with a performance by the legendary Chicks on Speed. Aside from pioneering art pop before Lady Gaga was even a thing, in the past they've collaborated with the likes of Douglas Gordon, Karl Lagerfeld and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. No pressure or anything. Full lineup: October 24 — JD Samson (USA) October 31 — Cibo Matto (USA) November 7 — Saskwatch November 14 — The Bombay Royale November 21 — Cumbia Cosmonauts November 28 — Nun December 5 — Touch Sensitive December 12 — Remi December 19 — Elizabeth Rose January 9 — Kate Miller-Heike January 16 — Frikstailers (ARG) January 23 — HTRK January 30 — Rat & Co February 6 — Chicks on Speed (AUS/EUR)
On Sunday, October 28, Prahran Market will host its fifth annual Say Cheese Festival. For the uninitiated (or those who haven't previously attended and devoured all the dairy they can), it's essentially an entire day of eating cheese — and buying even more to eat later. From 10am–4pm, there'll be free cheese tastings, cheesy dish demonstrations and stalls from cheese providores. Or, you can meet cheesemakers, wander along a market trail or get cosy at a fondue bar. If you're not too full from all of that, traders will also be offering food to take home or eat there, including Maker & Monger and Wilson & Market. Yes, there will be many, many cheese plates. Plus, chefs will also take over the kitchen throughout the day to demonstrate cooking techniques — and take part in Melbourne's first Grilled Cheese Invitational to determine who cooks up the best combo of grilled cheese on bread. If you'd like to expand your palate, Say Cheese is hosting guided cheese pairings as well, so you'll be downing the gouda stuff with tea, saké, beer or Prosecco in no time.
Recognised purveyors of a good time, the Corner Hotel and The Hills Are Alive Festival are combining their considerable "we know how to party" forces to create a banger of a time on grand final eve — and in the true spirit of Melbourne's party underbelly, it'll be in a carpark. Whether you're looking for a way to roll into the granny, or you couldn't care less about football and just want to party in a cool place with some good music, here's an event for you. Featuring Melbourne band The Bennies, Hills City will bring a dash of summer festival and a dose of sticky-floored gig to a carpark in Richmond on Friday, September 28. Running all day, other bands on the line up include Batts, Planet, Diet, Chitra, and Tones and I, with DJs and comedian Danielle Walker joining the party too. Mr Burger and Roaming Poppy Coffee will also be keeping you fed and caffeinated. Dress code is apparently op shop formal, and there'll be prizes for the best dressed — so head to the wedding dress aisle in Savers quick smart.
Short of physically volunteering your time, there aren't many ways you can help those in need over lunch. But Sydney-based social enterprise food company Two Good is trying to change that, with their buy-one, give-one lunch delivery model. After launching in Melbourne in September last year, Two Good has continued to deliver delicious salads through Deliveroo in the two cities — and for every one sold, a meal is donated to domestic violence shelters in both. They're not just any old salads either. After working with Yotam Ottolenghi and renowned Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell last season, the Two Good guys — Rob Caslick and Cathal Flaherty — have teamed up with Melbourne's Ben Shewry of the 33rd best restaurant in the world Attica to create a lunch option that far surpasses any soggy salad you were planning on making in your office's kitchenette this afternoon. The kimchi, chicken and soba noodle salad will be available to order for lunch through Deliveroo for $14 each Tuesday starting today, which is a pretty standard price for a salad in this town. And, considering for each salad you order Two Good will donate a meal to a domestic violence shelter in your city, it's an incredibly low-cost way to feed yourself and help someone who needs it. Meals are donated to shelters around NSW and Victoria. What's more, Two Good also employ women from the shelters they work with in NSW, and are looking to do the same in Victoria in the near future. If you want to buy a salad, you can place an order through Deliveroo between 11am and 2pm in Melbourne and Sydney. For more information on Two Good, go to twogood.com.au.
Melbourne's outer suburb of Werribee is set to score a brand-new 24-hour arts festival filled with music, performances, live art and film. Taking over Chirnside Park from 6pm on Saturday, May 6 to 6pm on Sunday, May 7, the inaugural edition of 24 will be an all-ages affair that's free to explore, with a jam-packed program of happenings to keep you entertained non-stop for 1440 minutes straight. The Riverside Stage will play host to a broad-ranging lineup of acts, including all-female Wurundjeri dance outfit Djirri Djirri, reggae singer-songwriter Nhatty Man, and Amadou Suso & Friends Band, showing off those legendary skills on the kora (a West African stringed instrument). Tarabeat and MzRizk will treat audiences to a fusion of classic and contemporary Arabic tunes, while Halo Vocal Ensemble delivers their signature RnB-soaked sound. [caption id="attachment_895390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Halo Vocal Ensemble[/caption] The multi-sensory fun continues off-stage, with a slew of giant installations and live art performances. You'll spy the massive tune-spinning robotic insect UKI, plus pop-up dance performances by Janette Hoe and a colourful cast of roving entertainers weaving through the night. You can unleash your own creativity with a couple of large-scale interactive works by Slow Art Collection, wander through a luminous garden maze made from recycled plastics, and see artist and designer Callum Preston (set builder for RONE's Time) transform a beat-up car into a neon masterpiece live in front of your eyes. There's a giant interactive kaleidoscope, games of glow-in-the-dark tennis and a silent disco that'll have you bopping from 11pm until 7am. You can even put your feet up, pop on some headphones and catch a flick, thanks to the 24-Hour Outdoor Cinema, which'll be screening back-to-back classics right through the festival. [caption id="attachment_895393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'UKI', by John Palmer[/caption] Top image: 'Chromatica' by David Beach
The pooches of Melbourne will be on parade at this returning festival for our furriest of friends. On Sunday, May 27, Barkly Square in Brunswick will play host to the third Barkly Barks Dog Festival, complete with a dachshund dash, doggy day spa, professional trainers and more. The festival will cater to dogs of all shapes and sizes, with tons of activities for participants on both two legs and four. You can buy your pet a treat from Canine Wellness Kitchen, Melbourne's dog-friendly food truck; get some costumed pooch snaps and give your doggo a 'pupparazzi' moment; or take part in a dog trivia competition. But the main event is the dog parade, where gongs will be given out in a whole range of categories, including most obedient, best costume, and dog and owner lookalike. Not sure we'd want to win that one, even if there are prizes up for grabs.
Melbourne's picnic baskets have had quite the workout so far in 2021, but one of their biggest moments to shine is about to arrive for another year. When Moonlight Cinema sets up its outdoor screen in the Royal Botanic Gardens from early December, it's officially cheese, snack and openair movie-viewing season. The end-of-year mainstay returns from Thursday, December 2–Sunday, March 27 with an impressive batch of films gracing its outdoor setup. Get ready to catch a heap of recent blockbusters, a smattering of brand new flicks and a lineup of Christmas movies. You can't run an openair cinema at the jolliest time of the year without the latter, obviously. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings opens the bill, with the lineup including Cruella, The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, A Quiet Place Part II, Eternals, Red Notice and The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard as well. Also screening: Edgar Wright's new movie Last Night in Soho, animated sequel The Boss Baby: Family Business, Disney newbie Encanto, stage-to-screen musical Dear Evan Hansen and the family-friendly Clifford the Big Red Dog. Among the retro fare, Dirty Dancing is on the program; it would't be a Moonlight Cinema season without it, either. And, for your merry outdoor movie-watching pleasure, the Christmas selection includes Love Actually, The Holiday, Elf, The Grinch, Die Hard and Home Alone. It's also worth remembering that Moonlight Cinema is BYO — and there'll be food, snacks, a bar and (if you'd like to pay for them) bean bags as well. And, in great news for movie-loving pooches, you can bring them along, too.
Since first launching its multi-day dance festival fun back in 1998, Rainbow Serpent Festival has become a January long weekend staple in regional Victoria. But, just two weeks out from its 2020 event, the Lexton festival has had to cancel because of Victoria's catastrophic bushfires. In a statement released last night, a RSF spokesperson said the decision was made after a meeting and site inspection with the CFA, Victoria Police, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Pyrenees Council staff. "Due to a number of safety concerns stemming from the fire that affected the site and the wider bushfire impacts across the country, it was agreed that holding RSF over the scheduled weekend in Lexton simply isn't the right thing to do," the statement says. This fire season in Australia has already been a catastrophic one, with more than six-million hectares and thousands of homes destroyed and an estimated one billion animals killed by bushfires so far. Lorne's Falls Festival and NSW's Lost Paradise were both cancelled in December due to bushfire threats. https://www.facebook.com/rainbowHQ/photos/a.471687783050/10157255588898051/?type=3&theater There is some good news for music lovers, though. RSF has announced not one, but two replacement festivals. The first one will take place on Sunday, January 26 — coinciding with the festival original dates of January 24–27 — in Melbourne's CBD. Dubbed the Urban Edition, it'll feature multiple stages and "the majority of special guest performers from the original lineup". Exactly who and where haven't been announced just yet, but RSF promises these details will be released in the upcoming days. The second festival will be taking place in the original location over the Easter long weekend, April 10–14. Details other than the location — Lexton, a two-hour drive west from Melbourne — are currently scarce, but festival organisers have said the regional event is important to help support local communities and businesses. "This event is important for the rebuilding of the local communities that were directly impacted by the fires and boosting their local economy," organisers said in the statement. "As well as your Rainbow favourites, we'll be hosting a number of community related events including tree planting, a community working bee and the delayed opening of the Servo@23 Arts Hub." RSF organisers have said they're also looking at how else the two new events can help "drive community fundraising" for the bushfire relief. Ticket holders unable to attend one or both of the new events will be offered full and partial refunds — and new tickets will be released for those wanting to head along. Rainbow Serpent Festival: Urban Edition is happening on Sunday, January 26 in Melbourne's CBD and Rainbow Serpent Festival: Regen Edition is happening sometime between April 10–14 in Lexton, Victoria. For more information, keep an eye on the Rainbow Serpent website. Top image: Flickr
Having a parma and a pint at your local — and just having a meal out of the house in general — will be a reality once again come Monday, June 1, with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealing that cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs will be able to reopen to dine-in customers — with some restrictions. Last Monday, the first stage of eased restrictions for the state were announced, which came into place from midnight on Tuesday — and includes five visitors allowed inside a house, and gatherings of ten outside. But, until now, Victoria's move out of lockdown hasn't extended to reopening the hospitality industry. Today, Sunday, May 17, however, the Premier revealed that cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs can reopen to dine-in customers when June hits — with 20 patrons allowed indoors at once. The move only applies to food service, which means pubs and clubs can only reopen their dining areas. So, you won't be able to walk up to the bartender and order a jug, but you will be able to sit down and have a pint or two alongside your meal. Bars and gaming facilities in general will remain closed — including standalone bars — and so will food courts. The June 1 change will be followed by the further easing of patron limits in stages. From June 22, 50 people will be allowed in each establishment. Then, come mid-July — with a specific date yet to be revealed — 100 people will be allowed inside. These second and third stages are contingent on low COVID-19 cases numbers, low community transmission and high test rates, with the current plans set to be reviewed in the lead-up to each date. "The timelines we're announcing today are reliant on Victorians continuing to get tested when they show even mild symptoms and on those tests continuing to show low numbers of positive cases around the state," the Premier advised. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1261807402162155520 Venues and patrons will still be required to abide by social distancing requirements — including spacing tables 1.5 metres apart, and maintaining a strict distance of one customer per four square metres. Cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs will also need to take names and contact details for every customer, for contact tracing purposes. And, there'll be extra cleaning, staff health screening and temperature check measures as well. In his statement, the Premier noted that further work will be needed in the coming weeks to explore options for managing shared areas such as entrances and bathrooms. The Victorian changes are a result of the state "smashing through our goal of 50,000 tests in the last week", the Premier advised, which has given the state "the confidence we need to plan to slowly start lifting some more restrictions". For more information about Victoria's eased hospitality restrictions, read the Premier's statement. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Julia Sansone.
Life might be a bittersweet symphony, as The Verve told us all back in 1997, but right now is a pretty great time to be a fan of a hugely influential late-90s teen flick that helped immortalise that very track. The movie in question is Cruel Intentions, of course, and it's about to hit the stage in Melbourne. And yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the era, including 'Bittersweet Symphony', obviously. Indeed, if that song and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' get you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a fan of the film. And if you were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The movie-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. Its Melbourne leg will kick off on Wednesday, May 25 at the Athenaeum Theatre, and run through till Saturday, June 25. Because it's a jukebox musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school. Updated June 6.
This article is sponsored by our partners, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinemas. Watching a movie under the stars just got that little bit swankier. In partnership with the new Volkswagen Polo, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema have introduced a new premium ticket that lets film-lovers relax in comfort and style. Think Gold Class in the great outdoors. For the low price of just $27 when booked online, Volkswagen Polo Class ticket holders get the best seats on the beach. The special ticket includes extra comfy bean lounger seating, a cushion and a blanket, plus a delicious Ben & Jerry's shorty tub (we recommend New York Super Fudge Chunk) and a soft drink of your choice. Best of all, $2 from every ticket sold gets donated to WWF-Australia. There's only 30 of these prime pozzies per session, so book fast. If you'd like to chance to win free Polo Class tickets, head on over to the Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema website and let them know what gives you confidence. Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema runs from November 30 to December 21 at South Beach Reserve, next to the St Kilda Sea Baths. For the full program see their website.
More than 100 publishers and designers will converge on NGV International for the Melbourne Art Book Fair, happening as part of Melbourne Design Week. It's an 11-day festival packed with limited-edition books, prints and magazines – as well as launches, exhibitions, talks and workshops. Drop into Comme des Garçons' store in Somerset Place to see Book Stand, a site-specific collaboration with Perimeter Books featuring a selection of publications, including Dino Simonett's COMME DES GARÇONS PARFUMS 1994-2025. Meanwhile, at CAVES on Swanston Street, you'll find Fusion of Forms, a series of immersive multimedia installations by local artist Xinyuan (Caesar) Li exploring innovations in bilingual typography. Also on the program is Out of Line, the biggest Australian exhibition of the works of New Zealand designer and typographer Catherine Griffiths to date, as well as Troppo Print Studio's Print Panorama Experiment, which invites you to get involved in creating an evolving silk-screen print. And don't miss NEWSSTAND, where you'll limited-edition editorials by cutting-edge thinkers from The Paris End, Long Prawn and Binatang Press. Melbourne Art Book Fair is taking place from Thursday, May 15–Sunday, May 25. Check out the rest of the massive program over here.
The world's most-famous enigmatic smile is set to beam down on Australia in not one but two locations in 2024, all thanks to the team at Grande Experiences. The Melbourne-based company is the mastermind behind the immersive walkthrough art experiences that've been sweeping the country, both touring them and opening the nation's first permanent digital-only art gallery The Lume. And next year, it's turning its attention to both the Italian Renaissance in general and Leonardo da Vinci specifically — with Mona Lisa featuring prominently in both of its new showcases. Italian Renaissance Alive has already locked in a season on the Gold Coast from March, and will include da Vinci's works. In the same month, The Lume in the Victorian capital will go all-in on the artist and inventor. The site's major 2024 exhibition is Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius, with the gallery is calling its "most ambitious, immersive and breathtaking yet". That's quite the claim for a collection that follows a van Gogh celebration, a focus on Monet and his contemporaries and the current First Nations-centric Connection. It also isn't surprising. Connection now has an end date, and is set to close at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre venue on Sunday, February 4, just over a month before Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius arrives. The Last Supper will also enjoy the spotlight in a big way, because Grande Experiences' whole setup is making iconic, important and stunning works larger than life, surrounding attendees like never before. The Mona Lisa will also link in with the segment of the exhibition that's all about French optical engineer Pascal Cotte, who invented a multispectral camera and has peeled back the artwork's layers using his research. So, get excited about Mona Lisa Revealed, which will include an exact 360-degree replica — the only one in the world — as created thanks to Cotte's 240,000,000-pixel multispectral camera. That said, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius isn't just about its namesake's well-known works, with the 3000-square-metre multi-sensory gallery also exploring his inspirations and contemporaries. Thanks to the latter, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius and Italian Renaissance Alive will have more than a little in common. Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and works by Caravaggio will feature at both. Melbourne will be home an experience that steps through da Vinci's journey, however, including Florence's streets, Venice's canals and Milan — as brought to life via sight, sound, scent, touch and taste. Also among Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius' highlights: 50 of da Vinci's "machine inventions", which will be on loan the Museo Leonardo da Vinci in Rome. Alongside the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper and his anatomical drawings — and more — da Vinci is well-known for his flying machine concepts, with his 15th-century vision of human flight set to score The Lume's attention. This part of the exhibition will hero recreations made in Italy from the artist and inventor's sketches, and also using the materials and techniques he would've at the time. "Leonardo da Vinci's contributions to art, science and innovation are immeasurable and continue to shape our modern world," said Bruce Peterson, Owner and CEO of The Lume Melbourne, announcing Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius. "We aim to provide a unique and immersive experience that not only celebrates the genius of Leonardo but also underscores the relevance of his ideas in the contemporary landscape. As a pioneer in bridging art and technology, The Lume Melbourne is honoured to bring Leonardo's legacy to life in a way that engages, inspires and resonates with audiences of all ages." Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, from Friday, March 15, 2024 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information.
If you've ever dreamed of your reality aligning a little more closely with that of, say, late-'70's rock band The Runaways or old-school Aussie indie act The Sunset Strip, consider Collingwood's FeeFee's Bar your new happy place. Gracing that eastern stretch of Johnston Street between Wellington and Hoddle, this newcomer clocks in on the glamorous side of grunge, with the spirit of rock 'n' roll coursing through its veins. For owner Fiona Meiklejohn, FeeFee's is the upscale, music-focused bar the area was missing — it's Melbourne's answer to iconic, rock-tinged haunts like London's Crobar, Le Fanfaron in Paris and The Burgundy Room in Hollywood. "It's a place for people to come, sit in a beautiful environment and enjoy a cocktail, whilst soaking up the rock vibes,"" she explains. "A haven for those who love real music." To that end, expect a complete departure from sticky carpets and dive bar shabbiness. Instead, Meiklejohn and partner Jonas Schöfer have gone for what they describe as a '1970s Scandinavian après-ski vibe', with a rock 'n' roll influence. It's a space that speaks to a bygone era of music-inspired revelry, all flocked wallpaper, sexy lighting, and framed portraits of rock gods and goddesses lining the walls. Meanwhile, the bar's slinging crafty cocktails and top-shelf gins alongside all your favourite tinnies, and the soundtrack changes focus throughout the week, gearing up to weekend DJ sets of disco, funk, and old-school rock.
If you're on the hunt for the perfect activity for a cold, grim day, we have five right here — and they'll make you forget all about the fact that it's winter. That's because all of these art experiences are designed to take you out of your every day and into another reality of bright colours, lights and falling water. You can see the city transformed under projections (in both the north and the west), walk through a rain installation without getting wet, or sit down to an immersive dinner in a bunker underneath Fed Square.
Believe it or not, it's been ten years of heading along to Hoyts on the weekend, smashing a large popcorn and a choc-top, and getting super jazzed up for whatever the latest Marvel film is. There's been 20 films since things started back in 2009 with Iron Man, and though they may be critically debated, nearly everyone can agree that they are at least entertaining. They give you that giddy blockbuster feeling that sticks around even when the lights go up and you realise you've got chocolate ice-cream all down your front. The Sun Theatre in Yarraville is honouring that feeling — and the fact that it's been a decade of Marvel Studios solidly churning out bangers — by putting on a Marvel Marathon. Showing 17 of the films, the bonanza will run over four Saturdays, starting with Iron Man on August 25 and finishing up with Avengers: Infinity War on September 15. (It will skip Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Incredible Hulk and the new Ant-Man and the Wasp.) You can purchase individual session passes online for $12, a full-day pass for $40–60 or go all out and cop a day or marathon pass from the box office for $150.
While the words "winter camp" might conjure up images of shivering in the woods and setting up wonky tents, banish those thoughts immediately — Chuckle Park's version of winter camp will warm you up from the inside out, mostly due to the fact that there will be free mulled wine on offer. Running from midday until 9pm on Sunday, July 29, it might just be the perfect place to celebrate making it past the halfway point of winter. The CBD bar is teaming up with distiller Melbourne Moonshine to create innovative and warming cocktails, including an apple pie-inspired shot and Smokey The Bear, made with whisky, apricot hickory bitters and hickory smoke in a bear-shaped jar. There will be DJs playing all day and a cookout is on the agenda with sausages, of course, as well as vegan options — and, all the cookout proceeds will go to New Beginnings Animals Rescue. Dogs are very welcome and there'll even be a best-dressed camper award, so get those thermals out. Getting back to the very important bit, though, free mulled wine will be flowing from 12–3pm, and you can add to the warmth by downing some free toasted marshmallows, too, which will be available all day.
From the mind of Lee Child comes Jack Reacher. Reacher is a former Military Police Officer, reduced to living the life of a drifter after years of distinguished service. After a series of killings, Reacher is called in to determine whether or not the prime suspect is indeed responsible for the killings, or if something far more insidious is afoot. Jack Reacher is the creation of author Lee Child, who has written numerous novels on the mysterious character. Jack is now being portrayed on film by action superstar, Tom Cruise. The film also has a solid supporting cast including Rosamund Pike, Werner Herzog and Robert Duvall. The film is in cinemas now and is the perfect film if you are after something with a bit of intrigue and plenty of action.
John Lawson didn't just end up in the kitchen of No. 8 by chance. After Gordon Ramsay brought him out to Australia to work on his (failed) venture at Crown and Lawson then took over the reins as it transitioned into Mr. Hive, it became apparent that his background, working as a chef in London, France and then Australia, readied him for heading his own Crown restaurant: No. 8 by John Lawson. As with the man himself, every ingredient he uses has a story behind it; supremely calculated, nothing got here by chance. For Lawson, locally sourced produce is a must. But, with a slew of other restaurants and cafes doing the same, he went a step further. Take a pick of something off the menu and it is probably from a crop that has been grown exclusively for No. 8 — much of the produce isn't available anywhere else. With this in mind, the dining experience seems infinitely more special; your plate is much more than the sum of its parts. This is evident from first bite. The potato and rosemary bread is the perfect density and, slathered with seaweed butter, possibly the most moreish thing on the menu. The jicama ravioli salad sees cool, creamy pockets of avocado burst with the crunch of pistachios ($18) and the Flowerdale Farm salad with wheat berries, cute baby carrots and nutty almond mushrooms ($18) is worth a try for its fresh earthiness, if not for the novelty of micro-greens. Thanks to No.8 by John Lawson, we're giving away one group dinner for four (up to the value of $400) at the restaurant. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Please not that bookings are subject to availability and blackout periods apply. Read our full review here.
Seduced and Abandoned opens with a quote by the late great Orson Welles: "I look back on my life and it’s 95 percent running around trying to raise money to make movies and 5 percent actually making them. It's no way to live." It doesn't matter if you're a Hollywood heartthrob or have an Oscar on the mantlepiece. When it comes to movie business, everybody answers to the accountants. Enter Alec Baldwin and writer-director James Toback (Bugsy). Both veterans of the Hollywood meatgrinder, the pair decide to join forces in order to expose what makes the industry tick. Their plan: fly to the glamorous Cannes Film Festival and pitch a screenplay to cinema's elite. The result of their collaboration is an amusing and, at times, genuinely revealing doco — albeit one with distinctively niche appeal, and cloaked in an air of unmistakable self-satisfaction. Baldwin leverages his celebrity status into some seriously impressive interviews, from A-list actors like Jessica Chastain and Ryan Gosling, to celebrated directors including Martin Scorsese, Roman Polanski and Francis Ford Coppola. The latter group proves especially interesting — or at least will to the movies buffs at whom the film is squarely aimed. To think that no one wanted to fund Apocalypse Now despite Coppala having just completed the Godfather movies' is nothing short of staggering. The conversations with filmmakers are actually a lot more satisfying than Baldwin and Toback's phoney business meetings. The 'film' they're pitching is a reimagining of Bernado Bertolluci's sexually explicit drama Last Tango in Paris, summarised by Baldwin thusly: "a government operative and a lefty journalist meet in Iraq during the war… It’s like, 'the world is ending, let’s fuck'. We'll call the movie Last Tango in Tikrit." Of course, there is no movie. The pitch is designed to fail, thus proving Baldwin and Toback's conceit that it's virtually impossible to get a 'worthy' film project off the ground. While the deception is intended as tongue-in-check, the delivery still comes across as disingenuous — and more than a little on the smug side. The same descriptors could be applied to Baldwin himself, whose charm slips into pomposity on more than one occasion. Not to mention that, at the end of the day, being unable to raise $25 million to roll around in the nude with a beautiful actress kind of seems like a first-world problem. Then again, that's the shallow world in which the film takes place. Sure, we probably didn't need Toback and Baldwin to tell us the biz is a fickle mistress. But the way they relay the message is certainly entertaining.
Things are about to get loud at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Busy, too. Thanks to Melbourne's six lockdowns, the city spot hasn't been hosting gigs or welcoming in music lovers for most of the past 18 months or so — but come Saturday, October 30, that'll change when Play On Victoria takes over the venue. The site's first big event in months, this one-day music fest was first announced earlier in October, although it didn't have a name back then. A couple of weeks back, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed that Sidney Myer Music Bowl would host a gig for a solely double-vaccinated audience. The reason: to test the state's reopening settings in the period between hitting the 70-percent double-jabbed mark and coming out of lockdown — which is happening at 11.59pm on Thursday, October 21 — and relaxing even more restrictions at the 80-percent double-vaxxed threshold. Now, further details have been announced. If you're double-jabbed, get ready to see King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Baker Boy, Amyl and the Sniffers, Grace Cummings, and Vika and Linda Bull all take to the stage. Everyone performing and working the event will be double-vaxxed, too, in a sign of how things in Victoria are expected to operate as the state opens back up. Play On Victoria will welcome in 4000 patrons, with tickets costing $29.90 each. You can nab yours from 3pm on Friday, October 22, with tickets limited to folks in metropolitan Melbourne. Attendees will need to wear masks at the gig, and will be allocated seats. You'll also be spread across the venue for social-distancing purposes, and to test how concerts can work safely moving forward. [caption id="attachment_829284" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Sabo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] In terms of proving that you're vaxxed, you can display your COVID-19 digital certificate via the Service Victoria app, the Medicare app or your smartphone's wallet — or present a printed version of your certificate or immunisation history statement, or provide evidence of a valid exemption. Back when Play on Victoria was first announced, the Premier said that the gig is "incredibly important for them and for the live music scene. We are the live music capital of our nation that has had it very tough. We have been there to support them all the way through, but they want to get out and perform and do what they do best. That's two entertain and inspire, to question all of us, to be that incredibly soulful part of our city and state. That's 30 October." Other smaller gigs are also set to be held around the state to help test the reopening settings, with further details yet to be announced. Play On Victoria will take place at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, on Saturday, October 30. For further information or to buy tickets from 3pm on Friday, October 22, head to the Ticketek website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Victorian Government's website. Top image: Piknic Electronik, Wade Malligan.
Collingwood gallery Lamington Drive has been busy installing its latest exhibition, Lucky Dip. Created by Melbourne design brand Dowel Jones, the interactive exhibition draws its inspiration from $2 shops and childhood lucky dips. Concealed within a sea of brown boxes, are objects designed specifically for the show — as well as some classic Dowel Jones pieces and collaborations — that you can actually take home. Pay either $20 or $50, write your name on a sticker, bang it on a box of your choosing, and you could the proud new owner of a kitchen table — or a teaspoon. For those participating, be warned: the size of the box doesn't automatically correspond to the size of the object within. If you'd like to get first pick of the lucky dip, head along to the opening reception, which will be held from 6–9pm on Wednesday, August 22. The draw will then be called when the exhibition wraps up on Saturday, September 15, upon when you can return to claim your lucky dip prize.
Whether it's a first or fiftieth, there's one element of a birthday that never gets old: the party. And cake. Okay, that's two, but cake is delicious. Saturday, September 1 marks a very special birthday indeed. Sophisticated all-day bar Cliveden Bar and Dining is celebrating one year since it opened as part of Pullman Melbourne on the Park's $6 million makeover. Sitting pretty opposite the MCG, The Cliveden was once the fine-diner The Cliveden Room, an A-list celeb haunt in the 80s and 90s. It's now throwing a party to rival those it used to have back in its previous life. To celebrate, The Cliveden will host a gin-infused high tea with gin drinks and eats. Think gin-cured salmon, scones with negroni jam and gin-infused lemon tarts, in a very spirit-soaked twist on a traditional high tea. Gin cocktails will be on the go all day with a Violet Maiden (gin, violet liqueur, egg white), Bloody Aussie Negroni (Four Pillar's Bloody Shiraz gin, sweet vermouth, Okar) and Vintage Cliveden (Cliveden gin, Peychaud's Bitters) all part of the mix. There'll be prizes up for grabs, and tickets are $60 (or $50 if you're an AccorPlus member). And, if you really want to go all out — which you probably do, because it's a birthday party and the first day of spring, too — you can add bottomless sparkling wine for just another $12. You certainly won't be leaving thirsty. To secure your spot, tickets can be purchased here.
Some real-life incidents just keep fascinating Hollywood, and the tale of Candy Montgomery is clearly one of them. Back in 1990, TV movie A Killing in a Small Town — directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, dad to Ambulance's Jake and The Deuce's Maggie — stepped through her story. In 2022, Candy did the same with Jessica Biel playing the titular part. Now, Love & Death is set to do it all over again, this time having WandaVision's Elizabeth Olsen segue from playing a superhero gone dark to getting accused of being an axe murderer. Hailing from HBO — streaming via its online service HBO Max in the US, and on Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand — Love & Death turns the grisly details into everyone's likely next true-crime obsession, with the team behind Big Little Lies and The Undoing behind it. If you don't already know the story, it's best to discover all of the ins and outs while watching, but it all starts with two church-going couples in Texas. As the just-dropped full trailer for the seven-part show makes plain, Montgomery isn't thrilled with her suburban life, suggesting an extramarital dalliance. Soon, there's a body and plenty of suspicions going her way. How it all plays out is a matter of history, of course, and chronicled in the book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. Love & Death takes inspiration from that text, plus a collection of articles from Texas Monthly, with viewers getting to see the show's take on the story from late April. Alongside Olsen, Love & Death stars Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog), Lily Rabe (Shrinking), Patrick Fugit (Babylon), Keir Gilchrist (Atypical), Elizabeth Marvel (The Dropout), Tom Pelphrey (She Said) and Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones). TV veteran David E Kelley both writes and produces, adding another series to his hefty list after the aforementioned Big Little Lies and The Undoing — and Nine Perfect Strangers, Boston Legal, The Practice, Ally McBeal and more — while Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland) directs the first four and the last episodes. Check out the trailer for Love & Death below: Love & Death will stream via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Thursday, April 27. Images: HBO Max.
A few years back, Casey Jenkins spent 28 days sitting in an art gallery in Darwin, knitting using wool loomed from her vagina. The video of the performance (NSFW, by the way) went viral online, generating thousands of horrified reactions. In Programmed to Reproduce for the Festival of Live Art 2016, the Melbourne-based artist responds to her attackers, creating a brand new knitted work, using wool soaked in her menstrual blood that reflects how people — and particularly women — are treated on the web. Audiences will also be invited to share their own experiences with online harassment, as Jenkins unravels complex notions of identity and judgement in the modern age.
It's been about three years since Brunetti split in two, becoming Brunetti Classico and Brunetti Oro — with brothers Fabio and Yuri Angele assuming sole ownership of each arm. Since then, both brands have maintained the same old-school Italian sensibilities that made the Brunetti name so beloved, while also expanding independently. Brunetti Oro now has sites in the CBD and Brunswick, and you can find Brunetti Classico in Carlton, Moonee Ponds, Melbourne Airport — and, as of this week, Coburg. This two-storey Newlands Road concept store is home to the brand's classic mini cakes, paninis, arancini, calzones and signature coffee. But unlike the Carlton flagship that has ample seating, this new venture is mostly a takeaway situation. Rather than easing into a long coffee and cake session with mates, drop by the new northside spot to grab a quick lunch or a box of small cakes to take back to the office or home. Alternatively, you can take your pick of large, ornately decorated cakes from the fridges that line the walls, ideal for last-minute cake-requiring events. But those seeking something more special are in for a real treat at the new Brunetti Classico store. Here, you can skip the pre-made celebration cakes and book your own cake consultation upstairs. During your session, a personal cake consultant will talk you through all the options, whether you want to keep it simple or go rogue with design and flavour combos. "This is a VIP-style service, our cake consultants are experts in their field, and can create custom cakes for any special occasion, including weddings and significant birthdays," says Fabio. Either drop by to simply nab your favourite Brunetti torta, or team up with an expert cake consultant to dream up your own delicious masterpiece. You'll find the new Brunetti Classico at 107 Newlands Road, Coburg, open 7.30am–6pm every day of the week. For more information and to book your cake consultation, visit the venue's website.
Abbotsford is about to gain a major addition to its beer scene when Bodriggy Brewing Co opens next month. The brewpub and bottle shop will sit in a converted mechanics warehouse along Johnston Street. It'll fit 400 all up and feature an impressive 64 tap bar, along with Latin American eats by an ex-Vue de Monde chef. The new venue is the work of the owners of Dr Morse (which is located just across the street), Jon Costello, Anthony Daniels and Peter Walsh, who have been brewing under the Bodriggy brand for two years now. Head Brewer Tristan Barlow is creating seven new beers for the venue's launch, including a New England IPA called Cosmic Microwave. The brewery's existing pale ale and lactose sour brews will also be included on the whopping 64 tap list — as well as wine and cocktails. In the kitchen, Chef John Dominguez (Vue de Monde, Dinner by Heston) will be serving up pulled pork tacos, whole grilled cauliflower with chimichurri and fried jalapeño tacos with smoked fish, pickled onions and cabbage. Plenty of tequila and mezcal will be on offer to complement the food, too — those are courtesy of the bar team: Mikey Braun (Black Pearl) and Max Hart (Boilermaker House). [caption id="attachment_731932" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jon Costello, Anthony Daniels and Peter Walsh[/caption] The warehouse reno has been led by builder, designer and co-owner Daniels, whose past projects have included The Aviary and Plug Nickel. Expect an airy space that uses organic and salvaged materials — old balustrades from the Melbourne Cricket Grounds have been used to frame the toilets, for example, and the dining lamps were recovered from the Palais Theatre. A large planter box also sits central in the space. And, if that isn't already enough, live music and DJs will play regularly at the brewpub, too. We'll see you there. Bodriggy Brewing Co will open this August at 245 Johnston Street, Abbotsford. Keep an eye on this space for exact opening date.
Funlab (Holey Moley, Hijinx Hotel and Strike Bowling) has a thing for competitive socialising, now operating over 50 game bars across Australia. And one of its most popular sites — Holey Moley on Little Bourke Street — is undergoing a huge expansion. Come Friday, October 11, the Funlab crew will unveil the new-look mini golf space, which has been decked out with new automated scoring and live leaderboards, bonus points scoring games, and a heap of other updated technologies. The main Caddyshack bar is also being expanded to accommodate guests visiting the new downstairs venue Holey Moley Funhouse. Here, putters will be invited to put down their clubs and participate in nine different challenge games — similar to those seen at the team's OTT Hijinx Hotel. These will include a ball pit, throwing challenges, an egg and spoon race full of obstacles, quick-fire memory games, and putt putt pong (we're not entirely sure what this is). Like the downstairs mini gold bar, these games can all be played with a drink in hand — or at least the drinks can be put down for a few moments while you compete with your mates at each different gaming area. Holey Moley Funhouse will also similarly embrace nostalgic 80s and 90s vibes but feel more like a carnival than a mini-golf course. "Holey Moley Funhouse combines two of our guests' favourite experiences; Hijinx Hotel challenge rooms and the competitive and nostalgic fun of Holey Moley. We think we've not only created the latest and greatest new Funlab concept, but also Melbourne's most playful new bar!", shares Funlab CEO Michael Schreiber. Holey Moley Funhouse will open on Friday, October 11, and can be found at 590 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. For more information, you can visit the venue's website.
Fast cars, pulse-pounding action and plot holes bigger than the veins in Dwayne Johnson’s biceps: the seventh entry in the Fast and/or Furious franchise delivers everything fans have come to expect. And yes, to be clear, we mean that as a compliment. In an age where most Hollywood blockbusters do everything they can to seem dark and gritty, this souped-up seven-part soap opera drives straight in the other direction, delivering delightfully silly, self-aware thrills at every possible turn. The most over-the-top film in the franchise so far, Fast & Furious 7 doesn’t just jump the shark; it sails over the shark’s head at 245mph, in a $3.5 million Lykan Hypersport, in slow motion, while half a dozen strippers dance to a Wiz Khalifa song playing in the background. The 'plot' of the film sees Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his hetero life partner Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) back on the streets of Los Angeles after earning a pardon for six movies’ worth of crimes. Unfortunately for them, their newfound tranquillity is short-lived, as Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham playing the same character he always does, only evil) shows up to avenge his brother Luke, aka the bad guy from Fast & Furious 6. Dom and Brian’s only option is to team up with Agent Frank Petty (franchise newbie Kurt Russell), who promises to help them deal with Shaw in exchange for rescuing a computer hacker (Nathalie Emmanuel) from a group of international terrorists. Of course, in order to manage such a mission, they’ll need their regular crew, including Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges). Think of them as being kind of like the Avengers, only more racially diverse, and marginally less bound by the laws of physics or common sense. If they’ve got time, they might even be able to solve the mystery of who keeps stealing the sleeves off Vin Diesel’s shirts. Australian director James Wan takes over from four-time franchise helmsman Justin Lin, and manages to capture the film’s many, many action scenes with similarly explosive aplomb. Silliness aside, one of the great things about this series is how it opts for actual stunt-work and stunt driving instead of just relying on digital effects. That said, we kind of suspect the scene in which a car is driven out the side of a skyscraper and through the side of another probably benefited from a little bit of computer-generated magic. To say that that sequence isn’t even the most ridiculous thing about Fast & Furious 7 should really drive home just how absurd this movie is. To their credit though, the cast still play it 100% straight, and in doing so have managed to get this franchise to that sweet spot where even its legitimately terrible moments — including maybe the most blatant moment of product placement in the history of modern cinema — still manage to be kind of entertaining. Well, almost. We’ve gotta say that Wan’s use of the Michael Bay ass-cam on any and all female extras gets creepy pretty fast. It doesn’t help that the once gender-balanced cast of heroes has basically been reduced to a bunch of bros plus Michelle Rodriguez. Definitely something they should correct in Fast & Furious 8. Apparently Helen Mirren has already put her hand up to play the villain. Now that would be amazing.
Australia's favourite fuddy duddy film critic is back in town. Returning to Cinema Nova for the second year in a row, the Great Britain Retro Film Festival will feature a selection of classic British films, each of which has been specifically chosen by the great David Stratton. So yeah, don't expect to see any handheld camerawork in these. Running from May 12 to 25, this year's festival features 15 iconic films with not a single dud in sight. Highlights include David Lean's A Passage to India and Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, as well two films by acclaimed directing duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger: A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. Tick a few unseen titles of your watch list, or catch them for the umpteenth time. Even if you were normally on Team Margaret, you'll find plenty on the program to enjoy.
In the latest chapter of life imitating TikTok, Crown's all-day California-inspired bar and dining room Marmont is taking what is literally the hottest #DrinkTok trend of the moment and pouring it straight into your glass. That's right — jalapeño wine is now available in Melbourne. For the uninitiated, this riff pretty much does what it says on the tin: slices of frozen and seedless jalapeño are dropped into a glass of sauvignon blanc, creating a serve that's crisp, aromatic and surprisingly balanced. Think of it like the oenophile's take on the classic spicy marg. The Marmont version sees a handful of slices swimming in a glass of Motley Cru sauvignon blanc. The King Valley wine is an ideal candidate for the jalapeño treatment, thanks to its bright and aromatic nose that gives way to notes of tropical fruits, lime and gooseberries. It's being served up Monday–Friday from noon until late, for $19 a glass. Much like a TikTok trend, this one won't be around forever — so if you're looking to spice up your next get-together, you'll want to get in quick.
From continually churning out top professional surfers to scoring a mention in the best surfing heist film ever made, aka Point Break, Australia's surfing prowess is well recognised around the world. Now our island continent has another wave-riding feather in our cap, with a stretch of Sunshine Coast coastline being named the latest World Surfing Reserve. Spanning a four-kilometre area at Noosa — including the beaches and five surf breaks between Sunshine Beach and the Noosa River — it's only the tenth spot on the planet to earn such honours. And, as a land girt by sea (as our anthem reminds us), it's Australia's third entry on the list. Sydney's Manly beach was selected in 2010, while the Gold Coast joined the swell in 2016. World Surfing Reserve status is awarded by the Save The Waves Coalition, with partners National Surfing Reserves Australia and the International Surfing Association, after launching the initiative in 2009. As well as aiming to preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas, the scheme recognises and works to protect the surfing reserves on an environmental, cultural, economic and community level. It was Noosa's "beautiful pointbreaks and visionary coastal conservation," that got it over the line, according to the WSR announcement made at the dedication ceremony for the ninth reserve in Punta de Lobos, Chile. If heading to the popular Queensland spot wasn't already on your summer itinerary, you now have another reason to channel your inner Johnny Utah and head north for a splash in the sun. Via the ABC. Image: Yun Huang Yong via Flickr
In a pleasant surprise for anyone who works in the arts, the Victorian Government this week had some good news for the creative industries. Instead of gutting arts funding (as the Federal Government did earlier this year with cuts to Australia Council funding), they've announced that they'll contribute a further $3 million to transform the Collingwood Technical School on Johnston Street into a creative hub — essentially ensuring the project's completion. Ahhh it's such a rare and delightful treat to be able to relay news about arts funding that doesn't suck. Let's take a second to drink this moment in. Okay, the details. Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley this week pledged a further $3 million to the already promised $4 million to the project, which will join another $4 million worth of philanthropic donations (totalling $11 million smackos) to make the hub a reality. The money will go towards developing an arts precinct in the unused and semi-derelict site on Collingwood's Johnston Street. Though the old school has been closed for over ten years, Circus Oz, which will share the site with the new creative hub, set up shop there in 2010. The brand new precinct will include 976 square metres of green public space, venues for exhibitions, community areas for artists to collaborate and affordable studio and rehearsal space. The site clocks in at 6400 square metres and will be open at the end of 2018. The project is being spearheaded by social enterprise entity Contemporary Arts Precincts (CAP), which was set up by Creative Victoria to deliver the project. CAP CEO Marcus Westbury says the new precinct will ensure the creative industries aren't forced out of the inner suburbs due to rising rents. "It will offer secure, affordable tenancies and innovative programs to incubate, support and showcase emerging to mid-career artists," Westbury said in a statement this week. Damn right. And a hot tip for local artists: they're running a tender process for permanent tenants in the next few months. So keep an eye on the Creative Victoria website for more details. Image: Heritage Council Victoria.
One of the beacons of light on Melbourne's event calendar in a fairly glum cold weather stretch is the Queen Victoria Market's Winter Night Market. And now it's set to return — and with the program just announced, it's bigger and gutsier than ever before. Kicking off on Wednesday, June 7 the market will pull together a global array of eats, a plethora of live entertainment, huge lighting installations and roaring open fires. Centred around the theme of 'fire and lights', this year's market promises to brighten up your winter Wednesday nights like nothing else, thanks to a collection of stunning light displays by creative studio John Fish. As usual, the 30-strong lineup of food stalls will send punters trekking across the world, this year featuring the likes of Austrian-style cheese delights from The Fondue Corner, Taiwanese pancakes from the folks at Butterlake, a debut appearance by MoVida's Paco's Tacos, and That's Amore's legendary pastas, which are tossed in a parmesan wheel before landing on your plate. Of course, there'll be mulled wine from ReWine and steaming hot cider from Coldstream to warm your belly and hands as you browse over 50 carefully curated design and specialty stalls. Top all that off with a dollop of live music and roving entertainment, and you've got one hell of a cosy winter situation. The Queen Victoria Market's Winter Night Market will run from 5-10pm each Wednesday, from June 7 until August 30. For more information, visit thenightmarket.com.au.
After three years without sugar, Damon Gameau has come off the wagon in a big, bad way. Intent on uncovering amount of processed sugar in an average Australian diet, the actor-turned-documentary filmmaker puts his own health on the line, consuming the equivalent of roughly 40 teaspoons of sugar a day. The result is a lively and eye-opening documentary on a subject that needs as much attention as it can get. Gameau’s most obvious compatriot is Morgan Spurlock, who likewise put his own health on the line back in 2004 with the Oscar nominated Supersize Me. The comparison is an obvious one, and you’d be right in thinking that That Sugar Film seems suspiciously similar. But where Gameau has an edge is that his focus is on so-called health food. When a man dines on McDonalds for a month, of course he packs on the pounds. But when you get the same results with vitamin water and low-fat yogurt, the story is suddenly very different. Behind the camera, Gameau does everything he can to keep his viewers entertained. Music and colourful graphics are in plentiful supply, giving the film an at times hyperactive quality that fits the subject matter to a tee. Information often comes delivered with the aid of unexpected celebrity cameos, including appearances by Hugh Jackman, Isabel Lucas and Stephen Fry. There’s an initial temptation to dismiss the movie out of hand; after all, Gameau’s diet doesn’t exactly constitute sound scientific method. Yet despite the film’s gloss and gimmickry, Gameau could never be accused of sugar coating the facts. That Sugar Film attacks its subject from every conceivable angle, including sugar’s effect on children’s learning habits, the correlation between high sugar diets and poverty, and perhaps most unsettling of all, the lobbying efforts of billion-dollar food corporations, whose strategies seem frighteningly similar to those of big tobacco. Still, the scariest thing about this doco is the way in which it confronts us with just how much sugar we all consume. In one of the movie's most memorable sequences, rather than eating a day’s worth of sugary food, Gameau simply eats the equivalent amount in white sugar crystals, providing viewers with a visual reference point that’s both funny and revolting. While its message can seem obvious at times, That Sugar Film has the potential to change the way people think and behave. What higher compliment can a documentary film be given?
St Kilda's lavish beach spot Captain Baxter is teaming up with French vodka distiller Grey Goose to bring a bit of the French Riviera to Melbourne's foreshore. Running from Friday, December 20 until Monday, March 9, 2020, the pop-up is the perfect way for you to embrace summer. The rooftop space will be decked out with Riviera-inspired decor, creating a chic Euro-summer vibes — think cabanas, a petanque green and picnic tables. Plus, you'll have panoramic views over St Kilda Beach, Port Phillip Bay and the city. So, be sure to head here for a sunset cocktail. Drinks-wise, you'll be sipping a range of speciality vodka cocktails. And, as Grey Goose is such a versatile spirit, you can bet the bartenders will be mixing up a range of drinks. So, whether you're into the classic vodka, lime and soda, an orange-flavoured espresso martini, a Le Grand Fizz or a zesty Pear Gimlet, the pop-up will be sure to quench your thirst. If you want to take things up a notch, round up the crew and book one of the six picnic tables which are available for bookings of eight people for $160 and include free vodka cocktails on arrival. There'll be a full calendar of events and summer parties, too. So, be sure to check Captain Baxter's website and Facebook for the latest details.
Haunting strains of bluegrass music flow through Belgium's tear-jerking entry to last year's Academy Awards. Such mournful melodies are a fitting accompaniment to the story, about two musicians whose marriage begins to crumble after their daughter succumbs to terminal cancer. Despite the miserable subject matter, writer-director Felix Van Groeningen manages to mostly strike the right chord, eschewing unchecked histrionics for honest, bittersweet emotion. Actors Johan Heldenbergh and Veerle Baetens have devastating chemistry as shell-shocked parents Didier and Elise. A banjo-playing cowboy and a music-loving tattoo-artist respectively, they're a free-spirited pair brought crashing down to earth by six-year-old Maybelle's unexpected diagnosis. In the film's opening scene, we seem them stranded helplessly by her hospital bed. We don't need the doctor to tell us the prognosis is grim. From there, Van Groeningen flashes back seven years, to Elise and Didier's first meeting. After bonding over Didier's love of American culture, the pair embarks on a whirlwind romance — only for Van Groeningen to abruptly bring us back to their heartrending present. Backwards and forwards we're torn, through courtship, pregnancy, marriage, parenthood, the onset of Maybelle's illness and the unimaginable pain of her passing. The non-linear structure only heightens the emotional maelstrom, as scenes of tenderness and love clash against anger, grief and resentment. A dying child is a tricky narrative device. Do it wrong and it seems cheap and exploitative. Do it right and you've still got a movie way too depressing for most people to want to watch. Where Broken Circle Breakdown succeeds is in focusing on Elise and Didier's relationship. Heldenbergh and Baetens are both phenomenally good, turning in performances that are both natural and on occasion frighteningly raw. Van Groeningen does overdo the melodrama at times, particularly towards the end of the film when viewers may begin to feel fatigued. To his credit, however, it never feels insincere or calculated. The same is true for some rather on-the-nose political commentary about stem-cell research and religion. It's preachy, sure, but the film's heart is in the right place. Ultimately, the earnestness with which it's delivered makes it a whole lot easier to swallow. But the best moments in the movie are undoubtedly the songs; a mix of classics and original compositions performed in key scenes by Didier, Elise and their band. In these moments in particular, Van Groeningen finds his harmony between beauty, sorrow and joy. https://youtube.com/watch?v=raaHRyBtIEo
This winter, online vintage treasure trove Hawkeye Vintage will let you into its covetable closet with a huge curated sale on clothing and accessories. You'll be able to get a feel of a Dior coat and fight over Chanel bags as a cavalcade of items take pride of place in a Fitzroy Warehouse on Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10. The pieces on offer will run from the affordable right up to the super expensive, but all will be going at a reduced price. Given some of the brands on offer — including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, YSL, Celine, Max Mara and Fendi — you'll be able to pick up some bargains, or opt for a few investment pieces. Covering fashion from the 90s onwards, the range will focus on handbags, gloves, scarves, hats, belts and coats, as befitting the season. Entry to the massive sale is free, but you will need to reserve a spot. We also suggest getting there early to snag the good stuff. The Hawkeye Vintage Super Sale will run from 10am–5pm.
When it comes to Melbourne's bars, there's a lot on offer, including glorious views of the water from various locations across the city. From the beach to the river, bars across the city have positioned themselves to take advantage of the stunning aquatic landscape while serving up some stellar food, drinks and chill vibes. To make sure you don't miss out on these marvels, we've put together a list of the best Melbourne bars offering cold brews and spectacular views.
Australia's just scored what looks set to be its most inclusive music festival yet, with sports and radio legend Dylan Alcott announcing a strong lineup for the debut of his event Ability Fest. Helping to launch the Paralympian's charity, the Dylan Alcott Foundation, next month, the festival's being co-helmed by Untitled (the entertainment group behind Beyond The Valley and Pitch Music & Arts) and it's one that caters to everyone, regardless of gender, disability, age or race. With Ability Fest, Alcott's set out to both normalise disability and help boost inclusivity across all areas of the music industry. With 20 percent of Aussies living with a physical or intellectual disability, it's high time an event like this was added to the festival calendar. A massive lineup — including Zimbabwean-born singer-songwriter Tkay Maidza, disco guy Harvey Sutherland and a back-to-back DJ set with Flight Facilities and Client Liaison — has dropped today, with all artists donating their time. Melbourne's Coburg Velodrome is being transformed into a fully accessible live music venue for the event, complete with a bunch of viewing platforms for those in wheelchairs and AUSLAN translators for all acts on the main stage. Ability Fest is hoping to raise $300,000 through ticket sales and donations, with all of it headed directly to the Dylan Alcott Foundation. This will then be used to offer mentoring, scholarships and grants to marginalised young Australians with disabilities. Ability Fest will take over Melbourne's Coburg Velodrome at 30 Charles Street, Coburg North, on Saturday, April 7. You can register here for discounted pre-sale tickets before 4pm on March 15 — otherwise general release tickets are on sale from 10am on March 16. Image: Freedom Time at Coburg Velodrome.
A Month of Sundays tells a familiar tale of middle-aged unhappiness. Think family struggles, work troubles, regrets and attempts at redemption. Yet there's an undercurrent of dry Australian comedy apparent in the latest feature from writer-director Matthew Saville (Noise, Felony). In the same way that other recent local releases The Dressmaker and Looking for Grace traversed darker territory with a wry smile, A Month of Sundays doesn't quite try to look on the bright side of life, but it does understand the way laughter can disarm bleak, tense and even routine situations. Here, amusement lurks quietly, always present in Anthony LaPaglia's lead performance. As Adelaide real estate agent Frank Mollard, the actor is rarely without a look of bemused resignation on his face or a droll tone in his voice. Frank is surrounded by the misery of a fresh separation from his actress wife (Justine Clarke), a strained relationship with his teenage son (Indiana Crowther) and a strong feeling of professional dissatisfaction. Perhaps that's why Frank believes he's talking to his deceased mother when a stranger dials a wrong number, and why he then forges a bond with the woman, retired librarian Sarah (Julia Blake), on the other end of the phone. It's the kind of situation that could only occur in a movie, though courtesy of the film's blend of empathy and comedy, it's never as far-fetched as it sounds. That's the film all over: slightly too convenient in its story, but still realistic in its emotions. More often than not, Saville finds the balance between the two, courtesy of a lighthearted touch and warm sense of humour. Indeed, as thoughtful as the movie's treatment of its gloomier themes proves, A Month of Sundays is at its best when it's cultivating chuckles. In fact, the entire film could've easily been set around Frank, his boss Phillip Lang (John Clarke), and their shared scenes. Their one-liners, about selling houses and installing Flash to view the company website, not only raise a few giggles, but also reveal plenty about their characters. The old adage, that every joke contains a grain of truth, clearly hasn't been lost on Saville. Neither has the need for a slow and patient approach in letting both the amusing and moving sides of every exchange play out. That it all builds slowly and subtly might feel a tad anticlimactic, but that's the point. Just as life creeps up on Frank Mollard, so to does this modest Aussie film creep up on all who watch it.
Victoria's world-famous collection of silo art is about to get even bigger, with the Labor Government announcing plans to help create five more of the large-scale, tourism-boosting artworks throughout the state. Six large-scale paintings already form part of the acclaimed Silo Art Trail — a 200-kilometre-long, regional 'outdoor gallery' project, that's been headed up by Yarriambiack Shire Council and international street art agency Juddy Roller over the past two years. Now, Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed five more silo artworks will be brought to life, having each scored funding and backing through the government's Pick My Project community grants initiative. The proposed installations were among 237 successful projects pitched by Victorians, that'll share in a hefty $30 million of government funding. New designs are set to grace silos in Colbinabbin, Nullawil, Sunshine — in conjunction with an outdoor cinema screening program — Goroke and Kaniva, near the South Australian border. It's hoped that, like with the original Silo Art Trail, the new projects will help boost visitor numbers through some of Victoria's quieter regional areas, support local business and help capture the spirit of rural life. Images: Kaffeine, Nicole Reed
Richard Mosse’s The Enclave was on display in 2014 at COFA in Sydney, and now it’s visiting the National Gallery of Victoria. The video installation explores the invisible war in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has claimed the lives of 5.4 million people since it begun in 1998. Mosse and his team spent years filming the rebel militants with 16mm infrared film, a process which turns the Congo’s green jungles into a surreal, startling pink bubblegum landscape. The hallucinogenic installation spans six screens and was initially inspired by Joseph Conrad’s melancholic literary work Heart of Darkness. It aims to shine a light on the conflict that receives so little media attention. The installation was commissioned for the Irish representation at the 55th Venice Bienniale in 2013, and wraps up at the NGV on February 28 — so get in quick before it’s gone. And best of all, you can catch the exhibition for free.
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and last year we scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. And, now, it's back for its second round of autumnal beachside festivals. Returning this March and April, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2019 are brother-sister folk band Angus and Julia Stone, the perennially pastel indie pop duo Client Liaison and NSW surf rock band Hockey Dad, along with other local legends The Jungle Giants and Alex the Astronaut. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop is set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. As well as heading to the official WSL events in Torquay, Margaret River and Coolangatta, this year, the festival will also kick off Surfest Newcastle and Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in Manly — both WSL Qualifying Series events. THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 LINEUP Angus and Julia Stone Client Liaison Hockey Dad The Jungle Giants* Alex the Astronaut * Ball Park Music will replace The Jungle Giants in Newcastle THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 DATES Newcastle, NSW — King Edward Park, Saturday, March 16 Manly, NSW — Keirle Park, Saturday, March 23 Coolangatta, Qld — Queen Elizabeth Park, Saturday, April 6 Torquay, Vic — Torquay Common, Saturday, April 20 Margaret River, WA — Barnard Park, Busselton, Saturday, June 1 The Drop tickets are currently on sale for $95. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au. Images: Miranda Stokkel.
The Royal Exhibition Building is set to be overrun with pooches of every shape and size. Returning for its sixth year, the Melbourne Dog Lovers Show will welcome around 250 exhibitors and upwards of 30,000 visitors. Whether you're in the market for a new family pet or are just looking for a bit of a cuddle, you won't find a more adorable event in Melbourne. Obviously, cat people need not apply. This year's show includes a number of special events for guests on two legs and four. For the first time the event will include the Common Woof Games, which will see chows and poodles come together as one species to jump over mini hurdles, play basketball (with their snouts!) and somehow throw a discus. There'll also be a doggy pool for belly flops and celebrity vets such as Dr. Katrina Warren and Dr Harry will run seminars on canine health. Several of Victoria's dog shelters will be there, with no shortage of rescued animals looking for permanent homes. Oh, and in case that doesn't make your heart melt, they've also got a dedicated puppy patting zone.
In Melbourne, the long winter can really take a toll. As spring rolls around and you realise that you've barely left the house for six months, it's time for some excitement. But don't reach for your passport just yet. Consider this, you probably haven't explored every intriguing corner of Melbourne. And, even if you have, new corners pop up every other day. It's time to make better friends with the city you live in. When you're surrounded by so much vibrancy every damn day, you can unintentionally take it for granted. But as the days get longer and warmer, you might find yourself venturing out with adventure on your mind. To help you out, we've teamed up with Mitsubishi in celebration of the new Eclipse Cross and curated a list of experiences to shake up your week. Try something new every day this week and get reacquainted with our great city. MONDAY, OCTOBER 8: ART TO START Begin the week with a wander through some stunning architecture. Get out of the office, and head to MPavilion in the Queen Victoria Gardens, just across from the National Gallery of Victoria. Today, the commissioned work by Barcelona-based architect Carme Pinos will be unveiled. For those of you who don't know, the MPavilion is a public design space that shows the works of prominent designers and architects. It's always a delight to wander through the exhibitions, and this year, it's particularly special. To contextualise just how special, Pinos is a renowned European architect, with her work spanning public architecture, social housing, urban refurbishment, furniture and object design. She's also won prizes for her work on gender advancement in the architectural field. Pinos' structure will be displayed from today until February 3, 2019. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9: QUEER TALK Celebrate the launch of Queer History month and attend a free panel discussion. Head to the Wheeler Centre on Swanston Street, and get ready for a history lesson they (sadly) don't teach in school. To celebrate the launch of Queer History month, the Wheeler Centre is hosting a free panel discussion, Past, Present and Future Queer Australia. The panel consists of academics, writers, and performers including Daniel Marshall, Dennis Altman, Laniyuk Garcon and Sally Goldner, who will discuss the contributions of Australians that have helped shape queer communities. It's a great way to show support for the LGBTQI+ movement and learn a thing or two at the same time. The event is free, but make sure you book your tickets to save a spot. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10: BACKSTAGE BALLET Tour the Australian Ballet's production centre to see props and sets from the past 50 years. Try something a little different this Wednesday. Book a tour of the Australian Ballet Production Centre. Located in Southbank, the centre is bursting with costumes, lace and colour. It contains stage pieces from 50 years worth of productions and is a veritable treasure trove of fancy things that will make you gush "oh" and "ah". A town car will pick you up and take you to the centre for the intimate tour. Groups are capped at 12 so you won't be shoulder to shoulder and can take it all in. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11: LUNCHTIME NGV Check out the International 50th Anniversary exhibition at the NGV. Break free of your lunchtime routine and head to the NGV for a quiet stroll through the exhibitions, cleverly avoiding the hordes of weekenders. On display at the moment: a show that documents the life of the NGV gallery itself. The building was completed in 1968 and has since had some major embellishments added by artists and architects alike. Peruse relics from the first ever NGV exhibition, a gorgeous — now quite retro — exhibition named The Field. The exhibition was all about colour field painting and abstract sculpture and was considered hyper-contemporary and rather controversial at the time. How things change, huh? FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12: THE ORIGINAL BLADE RUNNER Welcome the weekend with baby-faced Harrison Ford. If Blade Runner 2049 left you yearning for the original, treat yourself to a night at the Astor. Tonight, the cinema is going back to the 80s and playing the original Blade Runner, complete with a young Harrison Ford and kick-ass soundtrack. The viewing starts at 7.30pm, and you better strap in because it's the final cut. In 2007, for the 25th anniversary of the original release, Ridley Scott edited and released another cut of the film that he had complete artistic license over. The resulting masterpiece is right at home in the regal confines of the Astor. Once it's over, head to Chapel Street for a bite to ponder the question that will puzzle us forever: was Deckard a replicant? SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13: CANNOLI FEAST Start with a walk, then treat yourself to some magical Sicilian desserts. Kick your Saturday off right with a walk around the Maribyrnong. There are plenty of walking paths to suit whatever mood you're in, from a lazy Saturday stroll (try the Cruickshank Park loop at just 1.1 kilometres) to something more vigorous (the Chifley Drive and rowing club loop at 4.2 kilometres). Once you've worked up a light sweat, it's time to reward yourself with ridiculous treats. Head to the Cannoli Bar in Avondale Heights. Yes, that's right. It's an entire venue dedicated to the delicious cannoli. You can't really go wrong with ordering here, just ask the staff to keep 'em coming and relish every guilt-free mouthful. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14: MARKET FINDS Snag a Sunday bargain at the Round She Goes markets. Melbourne has so many incredible markets that permanently reside or pop-up around the place, it's hard to keep track. Some are ideal for a long morning of foraging, but if you want a market where it's all gold, head to Round She Goes in Coburg. It's been running in Melbourne for about a decade and features 60 stalls of incredible, curated vintage fashion. There's no need to forage here, every table is weighed down with gems at reasonable prices. Entry is $2 (so bring your spare change) and if you're already yearning, check out the website for an online store that sells the same great pieces 24/7. Where to next? Make the most of every week with Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and navigate to your next destination here. Top image: Julia Sansone.
When you're watching The Room, or reading behind-the-scenes memoir The Disaster Artist, or seeing the star-studded film the latter spawned as well, one big fact is always glaringly apparent. It's inescapable. It's as obvious as Tommy Wiseau's lanky hair and awkward demeanour. It's as plain as the spoons scattered throughout The Room. Yes, Greg Sestero went through one helluva experience. Of course, if it wasn't for The Room, Sestero mightn't have enjoyed his current fame. When you're in a movie that's so bad it's bad but also someone great to watch — but definitely not great itself by any standards — that's a particular kind of success. So, Sestero has made the most of it. He penned The Disaster Artist. He popped up in the flick based on it. He reteamed on-screen with Wiseau for the two-part Best F(r)iends. And he heads to screenings, doing Q&As to chat about all things The Room, too. It's been five years since Sestero last came to Australia to indulge the nation's The Room fixation, but for a week in February, he's back. His timing is perfect given that Wiseau's disasterpiece notches up 20 years in 2023. Spoons at the ready at Cinema Nova on Saturday, February 18, clearly. Sestero is doing two things: getting talking about The Room as part of 20th-anniversary sessions, and also showing his new horror film Miracle Valley. This one is a horror movie on purpose, rather than accidentally like The Room, and also marks Sestero's feature directorial debut. For newcomers to The Room — with your pristine minds currently untainted by its wonders, and your vocabulary free from constantly saying "oh hi Mark" — it tells the tale of a banker, his adulterous fiancée, his conflicted best friend, a local teen caught up in a drug deal, a mother with cancer, a particularly tense party, a bunch of guys playing football in tuxedos and the worst apartment decorating scheme you've ever seen. Wondering how all of these things come together? Even the wildest combination you can come up has nothing on The Room. As for Miracle Valley, it's about an obsessive photographer and his girlfriend, who head off on a desert getaway but get threatened by sinister forces. No — disappointingly or welcomely, depending on how you feel about The Room — Wiseau is not among the credited cast.
Baby, baby, baby, 2023 is looking better — funnier, too — with the news that one of the best comedies currently being made will return with new episodes. Come Tuesday, May 30, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson will drop six new instalments like coffins drop bodies on Corncob TV hit Coffin Flop. As always, the very real Netflix rather than the extremely fictional Corncob TV will be the place to see comedian and Detroiters star Tim Robinson unfurl his surreal sketch-comedy stylings — a sense of humour that's already gifted viewers hot dog suits, Garfield houses and sloppy steaks. If you've got slicked-back hair and babies know you used to be a piece shit, you'll be keen to see what this sidesplitting sketch comedy series serve up next. Here, literally anything can happen. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson first arrived in 2019 when, on one otherwise normal day, folks sat down on the couch, switched on their televisions, started scrolling through Netflix and came across an instant cult-hit comedy. The best sketch comedy of that year, and one of the best TV shows in general, too, the series' first season was ridiculously easily to binge. You don't even need two hours to get through all six episodes but, once you're done, you'll wish that it went for at least twice as long. When season two arrived in 2021, it was just as phenomenal. Absurd, hilarious, finding gags about a secret excuse to help men explain away pee stains on their pants, plus quite the loud and lurid shirt, and then a daggy hat — that's this series. Absolutely no one excavates, explores and satirises social awkwardness with the gusto, commitment and left-of-centre viewpoint of Robinson, with his skits diving headfirst into uncomfortable and excruciating situations, dwelling there, and letting them fester. It's no wonder that the former Saturday Night Live comic has a hit on his hands. Just try looking away from his flexible face expressions alone. So far, Netflix hasn't spilled exactly what's in store for season three, or dropped a trailer, but it doesn't matter — whatever Robinson unleashes won't be like anything else. Haven't watched the first two seasons yet, and not sure I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is for you? It is. Robinson has had plenty of recognisable co-stars by his side over the initial two batches of episodes, too — talents such as Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), Will Forte (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), Steven Yeun (Nope), Vanessa Bayer (I Love That for You) and Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul). And, the series also boasts some big names off-screen too, with The Lonely Island (aka Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Andy Samberg and his regular comedy partners Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) its executive producers. Check out the trailers for I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson season one and two below: I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson's third season will be available to stream via Netflix from Tuesday, May 30. Images: Terence Patrick, Netflix.
