Melbourne is pretty packed with excellent record shops, but Greville Records is one of the oldest, having stocked local and international independent albums for over 30 years. Digging around for records could be considered half the fun (even when you're purchasing it as a gift for someone else's collection), so in terms of shopping adventures, this is a good one. The friendly staff here are up for a chat, and they can even order something specific in for you if they don't have it in stock — all you have to do is ask. Whether you're after a new release or a golden oldie, it's a pretty sure bet that these guys will have it, no matter how obscure the request. Images: Parker Blain.
The weird and wonderful combine in Patricia Piccinini's new exhibition at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Extending across a range of mediums from sculpture to photography, Piccinini presents an augmented vision of reality through an amalgam of science, nature and fiction. Curious Affection features over 70 immersive artworks, and it's the first time GOMA has exhibited the work of a contemporary Australian artist on such a large scale. It features a variety of new commissions and old works in Piccinini's unmistakable hyperreal style, including 'The Field', an installation of more than 3000 flower sculptures. Accompanying the exhibition is a superb film program at GOMA's Australian Cinematheque, which run from science fiction through to horror classics. The gallery is also staying open late every Friday night from June 8 to July 6 with a program of live music and talks. Images: Installation view, 'Patricia Piccinini: Curious Affection' at GOMA (2018), shot by Natasha Harth.
Last year, Melbourne's annual Good Beer Week festivities missed out on a run. But fast forward to 2021 and the festival is back with a vengeance, delivering a stacked, beer-filled program, from May 14–23. Hitting venues all across the city, it's got events for diehard beer nerds and casual ale fans alike — with feasts, parties and tastings for all palates. Here, we've done the hard yards for you and rounded up five Good Beer Week events you can still snap up tickets to. Book in for a beer-matched Italian degustation dinner, a border-hopping tasting series dedicated to brews from five USA states, or perhaps a Sunday session barbecue party with liquid delights from Kaiju.
There has certainly been a bit of buzz surrounding Chuckle Deli since its opening earlier in the month. The party starters behind New Guernica and the lovely hidden gem that is Chuckle Park have gone one step further by setting up an old-school deli in one of Melbourne's unsuspecting laneways. Chef Brian Narciso (ex La Luna and Gorski & Jones) is at the helm, teaming up with New Guernica DJ Nick Jamieson to write up the daily changing menu. Their food offerings include five fresh salads and, usually, three types of sandwiches. Also located in the cabinets are cured meats and cheese that you're welcome to take home. The walls are adorned with imported wine, as well as a collection of the owner's favourite spirits — just in case the mood strikes you for a midday or late afternoon tipple. Also featured on the walls are large jars of Chuckle's very own homemade preserved lemons, tomato relish and pickles. And any venue that goes to the trouble of bottling their own creations so we can consume them at home is immediately a winner in our book. While the sandwiches were just starting to come out as we arrived — and they certainly looked darn good — we decided to get some bang for our buck by sampling three salads for $10. We tried the smoky chicken, the kisir salad and the zucchini ribbon. The kisir, a traditionally Turkish type of tabbouleh, is made up of bulgur wheat, seared tomatoes, parsley, onions and pomegranate molasses, as well as actual pomegranates that burst in flavour with every unsuspecting mouthful. The zucchini ribbon was light and refreshing with pine nuts, mint and dates, but hands down, the smoked chicken was our favourite. Juicy home-smoked chicken met with crunchy walnuts, creamy feta, and ribbons of fennel. It's exactly what you want in a winter salad. The coffee here is reliable and up to the lofty Melbourne standard, but let's get one thing straight: this isn't a cafe. It's clear that the main attraction at Chuckle Deli is the food, and the time and energy preparing even the smallest details of each dish does not go unnoticed. The staff are friendly and happy to answer any questions. Although we did visit at a quieter moment of the day, they strike you as the kind of people who are happy to have a chat about what they do and how they do it. Friendly staff + a daily rotating menu + value for money = a return visit from us. Forget what you've heard, you can totally make friends with salad.
In 2010's How To Train Your Dragon, the Vikings of Berk learned the virtues of embracing fears and looking beyond the surface when the plucky Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) made a friend out of one of their most fearsome foes. His fellow villagers eventually came to an accord with their fire-breathing enemies, refashioning their society to fly atop and frolic with the scaly organisms. Five years later, that lifestyle persists within the veritable dragon haven. Alas, now another challenge confronts the peaceful settlement, with not all inhabitants of the surrounding lands and territories embracing their newfound fondness for the pests turned pets. As a trapper, Eret (Kit Harington), hunts the benevolent beasts for an evil warmonger, Drago (Djimon Hounsou), and his army of controlled creatures, Hiccup is called upon to fight for their survival once again. Like its predecessor, How to Train Your Dragon 2 continues the page-to-screen journey of the 12-strong children's book series by Cressida Cowell; however, it uses its source material as little more than inspiration. Returning franchise writer/director Dean DeBlois goes it alone in bringing to life the second effort in a planned trilogy, not only in losing his co-helmers and scribes from the first feature, but also in shaping a story more indebted to family-friendly film formula than anything that happens to have the same name. Of course, the template here is obvious, with a tale of the bond between animals and humans simply expanded by medieval lore and fantastical embellishments. That doesn't make it any less affecting or endearing as Hiccup strives to save his best friend, tamed dragon Toothless — just overtly familiar. The insertion of family drama continues in the same vein, more so when competing dynamics come into play. Hiccup becomes sandwiched between his chief father (Gerard Butler), who wants to anoint him his successor, and the enigmatic Valka (Cate Blanchett), with whom he shares his against-the-odds kindness. From DreamWorks Animation, beautifully rendered visuals enliven all character interactions and their accompanying environment, but it is the sights of soaring the skies and following in Toothless's cute footsteps that fare best. Thankfully, How to Train Your Dragon 2 balances the spectacle and the intimacy, creating an effort as comfortable with its advanced action stakes as it is with its increased sweetness and sentiment. The diverse voice cast also creates just the right emotional moments, from the high-profile additions to the repeat supporting contributors of Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T.J. Miller and Kristen Wiig offering more of the same. That's How to Train Your Dragon 2 all over — the new overlaid upon the far from original with ample warmth and wit, creating an agreeable animated offering never remarkable but always affable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tGFUmPhVhtU
Located in St Kilda, Bayside Pottery Studio offers a creative sanctuary for pottery enthusiasts — the only requirement for budding studies is a desire to create. Join pottery instructor Maree as she introduces you to the world of clay and kilns. This inviting boutique space provides classes for all levels, from beginners to experienced artisans. Whatever your level, you'll soon be an expert at wheel throwing, hand building, glazing, and firing techniques. The studio also offers bookable classes including private one-on-one lessons, private group events, date night, a four-week course — a new term starts at the beginning of each month — and one-off taster workshops — to give you a flavour of what's involved. Unleash your creativity in this rustic yet contemporary studio, where clay transforms into stunning works of art. Soon, you'll be toasting your newfound talents with a nice hot beverage in your own handmade mug.
One big patch of Collingwood is about to look a whole lot different, with the suburb's old technical college site getting a big revamp. Beginning its launch to the public in March, the Johnston Street space is now home to Collingwood Yards, a new contemporary arts precinct that'll house creatives in music, visual arts, performance and digital media across three buildings. Opening in stages across 2021, starting with big opening day celebrations on Saturday, March 13, Collingwood Yards spreads across 6500 square metres — and that space will be getting mighty busy. The aim is to turn the precinct into a bustling inner-city community of artists, while also functioning as an incubator. [caption id="attachment_801197" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Stefan Postles[/caption] It has taken two years to transform the heritage-listed TAFE site, which includes a sprawling courtyard filled with trees that'll host concerts, festivals, markets and community events. Collingwood Yards' trio of buildings will also span retail and hospitality tenants, rooftop and basement bars, galleries, and workshop and performance spaces. And, it includes Keith Haring's eye-catching 1984 mural, which has been restored. While the precinct won't be up and running in its full glory straight away, you will be able to get a significant taste of what's in store at the open day. Beneath Haring's mural, youth music organisation and record label The Push will highlight Melbourne up-and-comers, while fellow Collingwood Yards tenants Bad Apples Music, Play On, Collingwood Neighbourhood House and Hope Street Radio will also curate a live lineup. PBS106.7FM hasn't moved in yet, but it'll be providing DJs, while the Centre for Projection Art will be doing exactly what its name suggests. [caption id="attachment_801194" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Natalie Jurrijen[/caption] Attendees will also be able to check out tenants such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned fashion, jewellery and textiles business Blak Voltron, and music-focused gallery and print publisher Reverb Prints — and wander around an art and design market, watch screenings and drop into workshops. The open day will be held under COVID-safe protocols, with the site able to host more than 1200 people at once. Collingwood Yards opens at 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood on Saturday, March 13 — which is when its big open day celebrations will take place. For further details, head to the precinct's website. Images: Peter Clarke, Natalie Jurrijens and Stefan Postles.
While making a good first impression when you finally meet the parents isn't always easy, finding somewhere perfect to share a meal for the first time should be a breeze — Melbourne has an abundance of great dinner spots that'll set the tone and have you in their good books in no time. From world-class fine dining to contemporary gastropubs and casual eateries that still pack a punch, there's bound to be somewhere in Melbourne that suits whatever taste or table you're after. To make discovering these joints even easier, we've enlisted the help of American Express to create what we're calling The Shortlist. To do so, we've done a deep-dive on our directory and come up with a selection of the best dining spots that aren't too loud, show you're a respectable candidate for the love of their child and also accept your Amex. Now, worry less about where you're taking the 'rents, and start preparing your responses to those landmine questions. You know they're coming. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
On the big screen, the Jurassic franchise keeps finding a way. After 1993's page-to-cinemas hit Jurassic Park proved such a smash, more movies were always going to follow. So spawned sequels in 1997 and 2001, then the first three Jurassic World flicks in 2015, 2018 and 2022 — and now there's a fourth of the latter on the way in 2025. But it isn't just on screens that this saga continues to pop up. Welcome to ... your latest reason to be surrounded by lifelike prehistoric creatures in 2024, Melburnians. After roaring into Sydney in 2023, and teasing a trip further south since early this year, Jurassic World: The Exhibition has opened in Brunswick. Head to The Fever Exhibition Hall from Friday, August 2 and you'll feel like you've been transported to Isla Nublar, complete with a walk through the big-screen saga's famed gates. From there, you'll mosey around themed environments featuring life-sized versions of the movie franchise's dinos, including a brachiosaurus, velociraptors — yes, get ready to say "clever girl" — and a Tyrannosaurus rex. Attendees can get roaming while staring at animatronics, including the new ankylosaurus and carnotarus. Also linking in with the animated Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous series, there's baby dinos, such as the show's Bumpy. Now, all that's left is to decide which Jurassic franchise character that you want to emulate (the best choices: Laura Dern's palaeobotanist Ellie Sattler, Sam Neill's palaeontologist Alan Grant and Jeff Goldblum's mathematician Ian Malcolm, of course). And no, when Michael Crichton penned Jurassic Park in 1990, then Steven Spielberg turned it into a 1993 film, they wouldn't have expected that this'd be the result 31 years — and five more movies — later. It's been a great time to fascinated with dinosaurs over the past few years — we've seen two seasons of Prehistoric Planet on streaming in 2022 and 2023, too, and Melbourne is currently temporarily home to the largest and most-complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever seen in Australia. Jurassic World: The Exhibition arrives as part of a global tour, after a showcase with the same name displayed in Melbourne back in 2016; however, the new visit comes after stops everywhere from London, San Diego, Paris and Madrid to Seoul, Shanghai and Toronto. Jurassic World: The Exhibition displays in Melbourne from Friday, August 2, 2024 at The Fever Exhibition Hall, 62 Dawson Street, Brunswick — head to the exhibition's website for tickets. Images: Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment.
UPDATE, February 17, 2021: Dark Waters is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Charting a lawyer's quest to expose a chemical company's harmful actions, Dark Waters seems, on paper at least, like a standard crusading legal drama. In Erin Brockovich and The Insider's footsteps (and All the President's Men and The Report's, too), this little guy-versus-the system, truth-versus-cover-up film appears to follow. Based on grim recent history, it also seems worlds away from its director's usual oeuvre. For three decades, Todd Haynes has given cinema many gifts — the anarchic 70s glam of Velvet Goldmine, the sweeping 50s-style melodrama of Far From Heaven, the imaginative Bob Dylan-inspired I'm Not There and the yearning queer romance that is Carol — but never anything as ostensibly straightforward as this anxious, serious-minded procedural. Dark Waters doesn't shy away from or try to reinvent its genre. Any move in that direction wouldn't do its real-life details justice. But this is definitely a Haynes movie in the way that matters most: its emotional impact. Visually, the director doesn't stage the elaborate, eye-catching scenes that his work has become known for. He doesn't load his frames with sentiment-dripping colour, either. His perceptive, detail-oriented approach is still evident, however, in every closed-in, grey-toned peek inside everyday corporate and small-town surroundings. So too is his ability to tell a complex tale with layered minutiae and piercing nuance, all while ensuring that his audience shares every iota of pain and passion felt by his characters. With Haynes' eighth feature taking its specifics from Nathaniel Rich's 2016 New York Times Magazine article 'The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare', there's much for everyone — on-screen and off — to feel. When viewers first meet Robert Bilott (Mark Ruffalo), he's a corporate defence lawyer who has just made partner at an Ohio law firm that works for the big end of town. If West Virginian farmer Wilbur Tennant (Bill Camp) hadn't marched into the office demanding his help, that's the course Bilott's career probably would've stuck to. He's not just reluctant to listen to his unexpected visitor, but initially dismissive. It's only because Tennant knows Bilott's grandmother that he even gives the matter a second thought. Whether exploring a woman's certainty that she's allergic to the world around her in 1995's Safe or chronicling two children's search for their parents across two different timelines in 2017's Wonderstruck, Haynes has always specialised in characters who are committed to following their hearts and senses of self, no matter the cost. When Bilott visits Tennant's property, learns that 190 cattle have died from strange medical conditions — including blackened teeth and tumours — and gleans the possible connection between this heartbreaking carnage and DuPont's use of neighbouring land as a dumping ground, he becomes one of them. Unsurprisingly, his employers aren't overly thrilled about the case, although his boss (Tim Robbins) still lets him pursue it. Of course, to just as little astonishment, the more that Bilott digs, the more he unearths. Ruffalo has stepped into this kind of dogged, determined territory before in Zodiac and Spotlight — and, as both of those excellent films showed, he's exceptional at it. With each, he serves up different shades from a recognisable palette rather than replicating the same role again and again. Indeed, throw in his seven-movie Marvel stint as Bruce Banner/the Hulk, and the three-time Oscar nominee has spent a hefty chunk of his career as smart, resolute, world-weary but still tenacious men hunting insidious killers, organisations and other forces of evil. Make no mistake, that's the story that Dark Waters unfurls, even if it never has a finger-snapping Thanos to chase. It would've been so easy to give DuPont a villainous on-screen figurehead, and to square the blame for the company's literally toxic actions at one person's feet. But Haynes and screenwriters Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan (21 Bridges) know that life is never that simplistic. Obviously, bringing a huge multinational outfit peddling dangerous substances to account requires painstaking devotion, aka the type of unglamorous, highly necessary grunt work that Dark Waters focuses on. Perhaps not so obviously, enabling such a widespread catastrophe to take place — poisoning the environment, animals and people, and getting away with it until Bilott's lawsuit came along — requires just as much manpower, just from a completely different angle, which Dark Waters is equally as fervent about stressing. While tight, taut and involving from start to finish, the end result doesn't hit every note it aims for. Anne Hathaway's role as Bilott's wife is underwritten, and Bill Pullman hams it up in his brief supporting appearance. Still, there's no shaking this solid, compelling film's potency, its scandalous true tale and its takeaway message. As Bilott discovers when he switches sides, many a powerful entity will only do the right thing when they're made to by the masses. With that in mind, Haynes hasn't just brought an essential story to the screen (and inspired his audience to start questioning all the chemicals in their lives), but crafted the ideal movie for a world where the entire planet is increasingly at the mercy of corporate giants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBGi3SzxkKk&feature=share
Literally taking on an extra dimension, Alesandro Ljubicic's floral paintings radiate emotion and colour as he densely scoops and smears oils across large-format linen canvases. Until May 20 at Armadale's Scott Livesey Galleries, the Australian artist presents Intrinsic Nature, a new exhibition that sets out to display the passion and fervour that is showcased throughout nature all around us. This new body of work sees Ljubicic find new ways to interpret the age-old humble floral painting and consider the works of several Australian and international florists. Ljubicic is a Bosnian-born contemporary artist who is based in Sydney, where he studied at the National Art School. Known for creating oil paintings that climb off the canvas with a uniquely sculptural flair, Ljubicic has exhibited at the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, while also presenting solo shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Berlin.
When the 2021 Academy Awards took place this week, much about the ceremony was different. From the format and order to the venue and vibe, change was definitely in the air. But another big shift was evident even before the gongs were handed out. Both in cinemas and via streaming, the Best Picture contenders were all available to watch Down Under before the ceremony — so you could check out Sound of Metal from your couch, for instance, then head to your local cinema to see Minari. Nomadland, which won the Best Picture prize, has also been showing in cinemas. It actually first started screening theatrically in Australia on Boxing Day last year, then returned to the big screen in early March. That's a little unusual, and so is the next piece of news: it'll be available to stream via Star on Disney+ from this Friday, April 30. A number of movies have been making the leap from the big to the small screen quite quickly of late, including while they're still in cinemas. Wonder Woman 1984 did just that after Christmas, in fact. That's how the film business has been adapting to the pandemic era. Still, being able to stream the year's Best Picture winner at home mere days after it nabbed the coveted award isn't a usual part of Oscar proceedings. The Chloé Zhao-directed and Frances McDormand-starring film follows the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot she spent her married life in turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. Charting her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It also won Zhao the Best Director gong, making her the first woman of colour and only second woman ever to nab the prize. McDormand won the Best Actress Oscar, too, and the feature was our best film of 2020 as well. Disney+ viewers will be able to watch Nomadland as part of their regular subscription, with the movie available part of its new Star brand — a just-added new section of the streaming platform that joined the service back in February. For folks yet to see the Oscar-winning film — or if you need a refresher — check out the Nomadland trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jePa57J0Ang&feature=youtu.be Nomadland will be available to stream via Star on Disney+ from Friday, April 30. Top image: Searchlight Pictures. © 2020, 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved
When it comes to leaders in Melbourne's food scene, The Mulberry Group's founder Nathan Toleman has been right up there for well over a decade. When the city was undergoing somewhat of a cafe renaissance, he founded Three Bags Full, Top Paddock, The Kettle Black and Higher Ground. These were and continue to be some of Melbourne's best brunch spots. After conquering the cafe world, he set his sights on the dinner and late-night drinks trade in Melbourne's CBD, launching Dessous and Hazel. Dessous is still one of the best bars in Melbourne, and Hazel is one of the city's top restaurants. And now, Toleman's putting all of his learnings into two new neighbouring sites in Abbotsford that'll cover all your day- and night-time needs when it opens in June this year. Little Molli will be part deli, cafe and pantry, and Molli will be a sleek wine bar and bistro. Open from 8am every day, Little Molli will be serving locals a selection of loaded sangas — think smoked pork shoulder with whipped cod roe on To Be Frank's legendary focaccia and ciabatta. As it transitions to later in the afternoon, Little Molli will offer an extensive range of charcuterie and cheeses, plus a carefully chosen selection of wines by the glass that'll pair well with whatever's hitting the food menu. [caption id="attachment_868652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hazel[/caption] Hazel Head Chef Aleksis Kalnins is heading up both kitchens, giving great attention to Molli's dishes that are said to "sidestep the everyday wine-bar fare". Small and large plates will include eats like pork neck skewers straight from the Josper oven with a rich date puree; whole alpine trout coated with a horseradish emulsion; and pork rice crispies. "As an Abbotsford local myself, I want Molli to be the kind of place I've been missing," says Kalnins. "Really high quality and creative, but not pretentious. The food would be simple enough not to scare my mum and technical enough to make my chef friends wonder how I did it." Kayla Saito — who spends most of her time dreaming up Hazel's and Dessous' ever-changing beverage lineup — has designed a drinks list that's said to be "relaxed but thoughtful", with a deep sustainability ethos. Saito will work closely with the kitchen when fermenting some funky tipples and aims to ensure that Molli takes food waste issues seriously. Wines will lean away from the old-world varietals, aiming to be different yet unpretentious. Molli and Little Molli are still under construction, but Addition Studio is bringing plenty of light into the space with floor-to-ceiling windows. Warm, natural tones and wood finishes will keep things simple and lean into those classic bistro vibes, while a large rooftop garden with city views will open for special events. Toleman has high hopes for Little Molli and Molli, hoping to make them institutions just like so many of his previous venues. Given his track record, we feel pretty sure he'll nails these, too. Little Molli and Molli are slated to open in June this year at 20–30 Mollison Street, Abbotsford. Little Molli will be open 8am–5pm every day, and Molli will open 5-11pm on Wednesdays, 12-11pm Thursday–Saturday, and 11.30am–4pm on Sundays. Images: Tim Harris
In a city like Melbourne, no number of food precincts and dining hubs seems to be too many. Which is a good thing, seeing as we're about to score another. And this one, located in the city's west, is set to be an absolute monster. Taking over a hefty 10,000-square-metre site beside Scienceworks in Spotswood, the well-named Grazeland is on track to open early next year. It'll be home to over 50 sweet and savoury food vendors — along with market stalls slinging locally made wares, three licensed bars and an ongoing entertainment program — and operate as a sort of permanent, returning food festival that's open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the year. We're imagining something in the same vein as popular interstate food offerings like Brisbane's Eat Street, and on a smaller scale, Steam Mill Lane in Sydney's CBD. [caption id="attachment_750746" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Grazeland site.[/caption] Designed by Push Projects along with Phil Bucknell of Milieu Projects, the precinct's set to feature a playful fitout across a series of themed spaces. You'll be able to graze your way through a diverse lineup of food stalls, settle in to enjoy some live tunes, or kick back with a beer in one of the many sunny outdoor spots. A huge shipping container will boast primo views of both the West Gate Bridge and the Melbourne city skyline, and there will be plenty of cover for rainy days. The full lineup of food vendors that'll be calling Grazeland home hasn't been announced yet, though we do know that 48h Pizza & Gnocchi Bar, Cripps Family Fish Farm and Cannoleria by That's Amore Cheese have all been locked in. Grazeland will be family friendly and open from 5–10pm on Fridays, and 12–10pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Grazeland is set to open at 20 Booker Street, Spotswood from early 2020. We'll keep you posted as more details drop.
Fans of malatang will now find it even easier to get their hands on their favourite Sichuan-style street food, as local masters Dragon Hot Pot open the doors to two more Melbourne restaurants. Heroing the popular Chinese cuisine that's essentially a customised hot pot for one, Dragon has set up shop both at Box Hill Central's North Precinct and within QV Melbourne in the CBD. These follow current outposts on Russell Street, Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street in the city, as well as one in Glen Waverley, which have all opened within the past year. The hot pot newcomers are offering the same pick-and-mix scenario as their siblings: diners select fresh ingredients from over 100 different options, with each choice priced at $3.20 per 100 grams. You'll need to clock in at a minimum of 400 grams — though, with a dizzying array of meat, noodles, seafood, offal, tofu and fresh veggies, that's probably not going to be a hard task. To match the wide range of add-ons, Dragon Hot Pot offers five different flavour-packed base stocks, including the signature Ma La Tang number, a thick, rich stock made to an ancient Sichuan recipe, cooked with over 24 varieties of wild herb sourced from China's Mount Emei. Of course, diners also have a choice of spiciness, with four levels ranging from mild, to the fiery 'dragon hot'. Found yourself hooked? Luckily, Dragon Hot Pot offers 24-hour service at its Russell Street outpost, and plans to roll it out at all of its CBD spots — QV included — by the end of 2019. Find Dragon Hot Pot's newest restaurants at FC54 Box Hill Central North, 17-21 Market Street, Box Hill, and Shop 27-01, QV, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Images: Griffin Simm.
When it comes to televised singing battles, there's only one that matters. No matter what reality television keeps throwing our way, that's Eurovision. Back in 2015, Australia became the first country from Oceania to join the clearly Europe-centric competition, in what was supposed to be a one-off move — and to celebrate five years of belting out pop tunes on the world stage, we're getting our very own pre-Eurovision event to pick the 2019 Aussie entrant. Yes, SBS Australia is hosting a national song contest to decide who'll represent the country in the international song contest. After beaming Eurovision onto our screens for 35 years and spearheading our involvement in recent years, Eurovision - Australia Decides is the next step for the Aussie broadcaster. With the nation's participation in the 2019 Tel Aviv event confirmed, SBS will put together a series of live performance shows to highlight potential entrants, with the general public able to vote for the song and singer that'll follow in Guy Sebastian, Dani Im, Isaiah Firebrace and Jessica Mauboy's footsteps. Even better — if you've always thought that you could whip up a great pop track, this is your chance to shine, as SBS is calling on Aussie songwriters to submit their original songs. Entries are now open until November 4, all tracks mustn't have been previously made publicly available, and they need to range between two and three minutes. You won't be able to actually croon it in Israel, however, but tunes will be shortlisted later this year, paired with some of Australia's most recognised artists, and then performed live for a public vote on Friday, February 8 and Saturday, February 9, 2019. Produced in collaboration with SBS's production partner Blink TV, Eurovision - Australia Decides will be hosted by Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey, who've hosted Australia's Eurovision coverage since 2017. A yet-to-be-named jury will also be involved in the decision-making process. And if you'd like to not only help pick the Aussie contender, but head along to Eurovision - Australia Decides to watch live in person, it'll be held on the Gold Coast in conjunction with Tourism and Events Queensland. A trip to the Goldie is cheaper than a trip to Europe, obviously. For more information about Eurovision - Australia Decides or to enter your original song, visit sbs.com.au/eurovision.
There's no opera quite like Wagner's Ring Cycle. Totalling 15 hours of brilliance, the lengthy production is being split into four nights of powerful, operatic wonder at QPAC later this year — all ticket packages include tickets to all four parts. Even if you've seen it before, we're sure you've not seen anything like this upcoming rendition, which is brought to Brisbane by Opera Australia. From Friday, December 1– Thursday, December 21, the production from Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng will bring together performers from here and abroad. The version places Wagner's classic interpretation of Germanic mythology into a futuristic, parallel-universe setting, using digital art to create virtual landscapes. Breathtakingly original, the music is led by French conductor Philippe Auguin, who has headed up The Ring Cycle on numerous occasions. If you're an opera buff or just a fan of fantasy, futurism, timeless tales and truly epic theatre, this is an unmissable cultural event.
UPDATE: APRIL 7, 2020 — This Brunswick East joint is now selling boxes of locally sourced fresh fruit and veg and, of course, Texan-style smoked meats, as well as booze and ready-to-eat barbecue. They're all available to pick up from 12–9pm daily. Check out the menu on Instagram and call (03) 9972 1815 to order. If there has been a Bluebonnet Barbecue-shaped hole in your life since the cult meat eatery shut up shop in North Fitzroy in early 2018, then we're happy to tell you that is has been filled. The next iteration of Bluebonnet has opened its doors in Brunswick East. The Lygon Street venue is its new permanent home after a string of super-popular pop-ups — and a fiery short-term residency in Collingwood — and the original crew of 2014 are back together to mark the occasion: pitmaster Chris Terlikar, sous chef Eric Baird and bar manager Nate White. And they're throwing down their signature low 'n' slow Texan-style barbecue, with crafty cocktails to match. It's serving up a mix of old favourites and new creations, in a menu that matches expertly smoked meats with clever revamps of traditional sides. The famed beef brisket makes its return, along with the likes of porter-braised beef cheeks and pork ribs, while supporting acts include fried green tomatoes on whipped goats feta and a black garlic cornbread. And night owl carnivores will find plenty to love about the solid menu of late-night bar eats. The drinks offering has been amped up, now running to a three-part cocktail lineup — classics, lighter signature sips to complement the meat, and a produce-driven rotation of seasonal drinks — backed by a ten-strong Victorian tap list. The space itself is laid-back and rustic, with reclaimed railway sleepers, big retractable front windows and a separate pool room, for those after-dinner sessions.
In 2025, Sydney Opera House's annual All About Women festival is welcoming than 50 speakers, including artists, thinkers and storytellers from both Australia and overseas, to explore gender, equality and justice. This year's lineup will participate in sessions that span women in sport and the influence of the Matildas, racism and sexism in the music industry, the impacts of skincare routines, and plenty more. For 13 years, marking International Women's Day with talks, panels, workshops and performances has been as easy as attending this highlight of the cultural calendar — a must-attend event not only in Sydney, but also nationally in recent years, thanks to the streaming of sessions online (which continues in 2025). For this year, Kate Berlant and Gina Chick joined the All About Women bill first, as did the return of the Feminist Roast. Kara Swisher, Rachel House, Jaguar Jonze and Grace Tame are among the folks joining them come Saturday, March 8–Sunday, March 9. Berlant is making her first trip Down Under, with the comedian and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Don't Worry Darling and A League of Their Own actor set to debut a new stand-up show. Alone Australia's first-season winner Chick is on the bill fresh from releasing her memoir We Are the Stars in October, and will chat about following your own path, grief and resourcefulness. On a lineup overseen by the Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas team — as led by Chip Rolley, alongside 10 News First's Narelda Jacobs and actor and writer Michelle Law — journalist and Burn Book: A Tech Love Story author Swisher will dig into the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter, while Heartbreak High star and The Mountain director House will chat through the importance of community and her Māori culture in her career. Jonze is on the panel discussing the present state of the music industry, as is Barkaa. And Tame is part of the Feminist Roast alongside Michelle Brasier, Nakkiah Lui, Lucinda 'Froomes' Price and Steph Tisdell. The Tillies are on the roster via former Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams, plus Football Australia, the Matildas and the ParaMatildas Media Manager Ann Odong, with their session exploring the current situation for women in sport. Elsewhere, Dr Michelle Wong, Jessica DeFino and Yumi Stynes — plus Price again — will examine the impacts of beauty standards, especially upon younger generations. All About Women's 2025 program also spans sessions on the women who gave testimony at the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, the rise of domestic violence-related deaths in Australia, systems that are meant to protect First Nations children, perimenopause and how women's health is being commercialised, tradwives, grief, motherhood, the nation's declining birth rate, bodily autonomy and abortion, and being friends for life.
Like the scent of jasmine in the air or the overwhelming urge to Marie Kondo your home, Afloat reopening is a signifier that spring is well and truly here. The Yarra River's floating bar and restaurant has become a Melbourne warm-weather staple, and is now back for its eighth iteration — this time sporting a whole new persona as the newly minted Afloat Viva Mexico. After drawing inspiration from the Balearic Islands in 2022 and Turkey's Turquoise Coast in 2021, the Afloat team has now spun the compass in the direction of Mexico, with nods to Oaxaca, Tulum, Guadalajara and Mexico City blooming to life across its interiors, the food and drinks menus, and its music and entertainment. Design-wise, Afloat Viva Mexico has gone for both colour and natural tones — so, yes, ample contrast. With splashes of lime, apple, teal, aqua, fuchsia, burgundy, musk, citron, sand, tan, moss and jungle green, this year's look takes its cues from the '68 Mexico Olympic Games design by Lance Wyman. You'll see the results featured on everything from the facades to umbrellas — and, of course, in the venue's bars. Two watering holes within the broader spot are all about Tulum vibes, complete with stone bar tops and thatched roofs. On the lower deck, the city's beach bars have influenced a brand-new lounge and dining area that includes cabanas and a DJ booth. Up top, more cabanas await, plus high bar tables, low dining tables, and plenty of greenery — not just the 80-year-old olive tree, but also banana palms, agave, prickly pear and cactus. Food-wise, Executive Chef James Gibson is focusing on spicy bites. "This year's menu celebrates the bold and complex flavours that Mexico is known for. It heroes rustic, produce-driven cooking, executed with simple but skilled everyday techniques," he advises. On offer, featuring seasonal and hard-to-find ingredients: seafood platters stacked with oysters, scallops, prawns, clams and lobster cocktails; raw bites such as prawn aguachile rojo, salmon tiradito and baby snapper ceviche verde; and a tostada range paired with house-made dips that changes daily. Or, go for the tacos from the downstairs hut — braised brisket and crispy pork sausage, barbacoa with lamb shoulder, and pork shoulder with pineapple and chilli are among the options. Love Afloat's woodfired pizzas? They're back — but Mexican-style. Fancy a roast suckling pig torta, flank steak with chilli butter and mole verde, or either a coffee tequila caramel chocolate flan or salted caramel and lemon cream corn cake for dessert? They're on the lineup as well. The drinks by Cocktail Director Tom Younger unsurprisingly favours mezcal and tequila, as designed to match the bites or simply refresh your parched throat in the spring and summer sun. This year's spread features more than 20 cocktails, 12 of which are on tap — plus Mexican beers and 50-plus wines. Of course margaritas are in the spotlight, including spicy, pornstar and with yuzu. Or, opt for the frozen chamoyada mezcalita, or a boozy version of the traditional hibiscus-infused agua de jamaica. And that gin collaboration that Afloat usually sets up with Four Pillars is back, this time distilling the latter's pink gin with Mexican oregano, habanero chilli, bitter orange and agave syrup, as well as pink grapefruit and finger lime and grapefruit — then pouring it into G&Ts and pink gin spritzes. If agave tempts your tastebuds, the new pool area will feature its own bar dedicated to it — so, yes, you know what to sip while relaxing on one of the double day beds — when it opens in the near future. And if you're a fan of Afloat's entertainment, DJs play daily from midday — and Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day events are already on the calendar. Find Afloat at 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne across spring 2023 and summer 2023–24, open from 11am–late daily — head to the venue's website for further details and bookings. Images: Jake Roden / Griffin Simm.
After an extended pandemic-driven hiatus, Prahran's Grand Lafayette shifted gears in a big way, reopening in May 2022 with a brand-new chef and refreshed food direction. Now with chef Jonny Wu (Misschu) at the helm, the 100-seat all-day eatery celebrates classic Japanese flavours reimagined with a modern accent, and even boasts a dedicated tempura station. Embrace the crunch with delicately battered morsels ranging from mixed mushrooms ($26.5), to kingfish ($29.5), to oysters served with yuzu maple ponzu and rose salt (4pc, $25.5). Elsewhere on the new a la carte menu, an expansive lineup of raw bites and sushi features the likes of beef tataki ($26.5), soft shell crab roll elevated with broccolini and sweet corn miso (8 pc, $23.5) and scallop carpaccio with a black wine glaze ($29.5). Deeper in, expect a mix of familiar favourites and new creations — plump salmon bao ($12), chicken or prawn katsu served with an ume and prune sauce ($14.5), and crab croquettes finished with a spicy jalapeño miso (3pc, $22.5). There's also a range of rice bowls, noodles and udon soups, including a tempura-topped number made with chicken dashi soy broth ($22). Meanwhile, fans of Grand Lafayette's earlier days will appreciate the dessert offering, which includes four variations on the oh-so-photogenic signature raindrop cake ($9). [caption id="attachment_854403" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] Images: Griffin Simm
Thanks to the ever-growing array of streaming platforms vying for your eyeballs — and the always-expanding catalogues of films and TV shows hosted on each, too — picking what to watch when you're settling down on the couch is rarely a simple exercise. Before winter is over, Australians will have another option to choose from, with new streaming service Paramount+ launching on Wednesday, August 11. The platform will actually rebrand the existing 10 All Access streaming service, with parent company Viacom CBS Australia and New Zealand bringing it into line with the global Paramount+ subscription offering that launched in America in March this year. For an $8.99 per month subscription fee, viewers can expect to scroll through — and try to pick between – more than 20,000 episodes and movies. That'll include films and series from Showtime, CBS, BET Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, as well as from Paramount Pictures, the Smithsonian Channel and Sony Pictures Television. If you're the kind of viewer that loves rewatching your favourite flicks, you'll be able to head to Paramount+ to stream movies from the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Jackass, Batman and Dark Knight Trilogy franchises. Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Grease and Good Will Hunting will also be available on the service. And, on the TV front, existing series such as The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Why Women Kill, Charmed and SpongeBob SquarePants will find a new home. Paramount+ is betting big on new television shows being a big drawcard, though, so you can expect to add a heap of titles to your must-watch list. The new series of Dexter is one of them — and so is the Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Old Guard)-starring TV adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth; The First Lady, which sees Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) play Michelle Obama; Anne Boleyn, with Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) as the titular figure; and page-to-screen adaptation The Luminaries. New Australian dramas Five Bedrooms and Last King of The Cross are also destined for the platform, as are Melbourne-shot comedy Spreadsheet and coming-of-age feature film 6 Festivals. The list goes on, including spy drama Lioness, a TV adaptation of video game Halo and The Offer, a scripted drama about on the making of The Godfather. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaw6mUV3c6o In the US, Paramount+ will also stream Paramount Pictures' big cinema releases — such as A Quiet Place Part II and Mission: Impossible 7 — between 30 and 45 days after they hit cinemas. Whether that'll also happen in Australia from August is yet to be revealed. Paramount+ will launch in Australia on Wednesday, August 11, rebranding the existing 10 All Access streaming platform, with subscriptions costing $8.99. For further information, head to the Paramount+ website.
UPDATE, November 18, 2020: Destroyer is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Directed towards Jack Nicholson's hard-boiled Los Angeles private eye, "forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" is one of cinema history's most iconic lines. But Chinatown could've been a little less specific with its famous quote and still conveyed the same sentiment (although "forget it Jake, it's LA" just doesn't have the same ring to it). Los Angeles may be America's city of angels, but it's also a destroyer of dreams. It's where starry-eyed hopefuls flock with their sights set on fame and fortune, where so few secure that wish, and where plenty of unpleasantness lurks beyond the glitz. It's also a place where rise-and-fall tales like La La Land and A Star Is Born can sit beside slacker noir flicks like Inherent Vice and Under the Silver Lake, neo-noir comedies such as The Nice Guys and grim noir dramas like Destroyer. Indeed, noir, the stylised crime genre so often populated by detectives dredging through society's ills, seems particularly drawn to Los Angeles. Where else can gloss and grime reside in such close proximity, one shining and the other tarnishing? There's little that glistens in Destroyer, though. While set in a city almost perpetually bleached from above, this bleak thriller shares little of LA's stereotypically sunny appearance. Instead, the film dwells in the shadows and styles itself after its exhausted protagonist, as portrayed by a far-from-glamorous Nicole Kidman. Proving increasingly chameleonic as her career progresses, the Australian actor plays detective Erin Bell — the usual noir cop with a chequered past; a flawed anti-hero desperate to correct past wrongs. Nearly two decades earlier, Bell went undercover with her partner Chris (Sebastian Stan) to try to sniff out a California gang. All this time later, she still can't shake the difficult gig or the failed bank robbery that brought it to an unhappy end. When ink-stained notes from the heist arrive in the mail, Bell attempts to hunt down the criminal crew's shifty leader Silas (Toby Kebbell). She has other worries, including a teenage daughter (Jade Pettyjohn) who wants little to do with her, but she won't stop until she has put her old case to rest. Bell could walk alongside any of noir's dogged investigators and hold her own. Kidman could do the same among any of the genre's best stars. Destroyer lives and breathes through its complicated protagonist and phenomenal lead performance, with each putting on a stunning show. Baked into both, and into every element of the movie, is the feeling of determination in the face of near-certain defeat. It's the same undying pluck amidst inevitable peril that made a line like "forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" such an emblem of the genre. Noir's most compelling figures know that little is going to turn out well, but they also know that soldiering on anyway is the only option. What an experience it is to see Bell do just that, and to witness Kidman bring her to life (as aided by the appropriate wigs and makeup). The Aussie talent's recent roles in Boy Erased, Aquaman, Big Little Lies and The Beguiled couldn't seem further away from her work here, and yet she couldn't seem more perfect for the part. While the film's title applies to many aspects of its story, Destroyer completely ravages the idea that these dark, hard-luck tales are the domain of men. It's easy to say that gender doesn't matter to a character like Bell, who couldn't be less feminine — but the way the world has worn this woman down, and the way she's worn herself down to cope and survive, never escapes notice. With its incredible bank heist scenes — some of the most riveting since the original Point Break — Destroyer's versatility doesn't evade attention either. As directed by Karyn Kusama, it's a sunlit noir, a scorching character study, a subversion of typical gender roles and an impressive action movie. Working with her regular screenwriters Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, the filmmaker already has a diverse and notable record, including Girlfight, Jennifer's Body and The Invitation. With Destroyer, however, both the director and her star sear themselves into viewers' memories. Their film might reside in a world and genre that tells everyone to forget, wipe their minds and move on, but everything about this heavy-hitter lingers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcKinfILGDk
Heading to the beach might not be your first choice in chilly weather, but think again — invigorating walks along the sand, rugged cliffs against blue seas and, best of all, no crowds. Yep, now we're talking. Plus, at the Azure Beach Retreat in the Mornington Peninsula, you can get in the water regardless of the air temperature with this outdoor spa. In between dips, you can wander around the southern tip of the peninsula that overlooks Port Phillip Bay, check out nearby seaside village of Portsea — and have lunch at Portsea Hotel — or bunker down with a book in this three-bedroom holiday home.
When your nine-to-five plays out like a well-oiled machine, it can sometimes feel like each week is a little same-same. But Melbourne is brimming with a fine bounty of things to experience and explore each and every day. So aside from casual laziness and a little lack of inspiration, there's really nothing stopping you from squeezing some adventure and spontaneity into your schedule. We've teamed up with Mazda3 to help you celebrate the little things that bring a sense of adventure to life. Shake things up, as we give you seven different detours to take each week in Melbourne. From Monday to Sunday, enrich your everyday with one completely achievable activity that inspires you to take the scenic route as you go about your daily routine. This week, wander through a maze of mirrors after work, treat yourself to a new pair of tailored jeans for just $60 and pull on a bib for a traditional (and messy) crab boil. Plus, we've got your future detours sorted for the new few weeks here. All require no more effort than a tiny break from the norm — what's your excuse for not trying them all?
When the Australian Open returns for 2023 with two jam-packed weeks of Grand Slam tennis action, it'll also be serving up a few aces for local music-lovers. Especially as part of the inaugural AO Finals Festival, which is set to treat punters to a program of live acts across the event's final three days, heating up Kia Arena from Friday, January 27–Sunday, January 29. The music fest is dishing up a ripper lineup for its debut run, too, featuring the likes of Vanessa Amorosi, Flight Facilities and Benee. Which doesn't come as too much of a surprise, given it's been curated with help from the respected music-heads at Untitled Group — the brains behind Pitch Music & Arts, For The Love, Grapevine Gathering and more. [caption id="attachment_789706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Benee[/caption] The festival is kicking off with a bang, its first day coinciding with global LGBTQI+ event The Grand Slam, presented by Ralph Lauren. Legendary singer-songwriter and 'Absolutely Everybody' star Amorosi will help launch the musical offerings, joined by pop darling Montaigne and Melbourne-based DJ Bertie. Chasing that on January 28 (also the AO women's finals day) you'll catch New Zealand singer-songwriter Benee, renowned Gamilaraay artist Thelma Plum and party-starting six-piece Winston Surfshirt, along with dance favourite CC:DISCO! And wrapping things up on AO men's finals day you'll have electro duo Flight Facilities, backed by brother-and-sister act Lastlings, Sydney's Willo and emerging Melbourne star Forest Claudette. [caption id="attachment_842049" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flight Facilities[/caption] The gigs will take place in Melbourne's Park Kia Arena, with tickets at $34 for each day. If you're already heading courtside during the AO, you'll just need to drop $5 to upgrade your existing ground pass or Rod Laver Arena stadium ticket to include entry to the AO Finals Festival on any given day. As always, there'll be scores of food and drink pop-ups scattered throughout Melbourne Park, as well as big screens showing all the on-court action. [caption id="attachment_872292" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thelma Plum, by Georgia Wallace[/caption] The AO Finals Festival hits Kia Arena, Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne, from January 27–January 29. Tickets are $34 for each day session, available online.
Everyone's favourite lasagne delivery service turned dinner spot is doubling down on the community support this weekend. 1800 Lasagne is hosting a fundraising sizzle and pop-up market drumming up much-needed funds for not one, but two worthy causes — flood relief for the hard-hit areas of Queensland and the Northern Rivers, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Head along on Sunday, March 6, to support the effort while stocking up on some quality local goodies and top-notch eats. The Fitzroy Feast will be cooking up a sausage sizzle, Carmelo's will be slinging woodfired pizza and Everyday Coffee will be keeping punters caffeinated with some fine filter brews. The Ice Cream Social dessert truck is making an appearance, too. Meanwhile, the market will feature a range of fresh produce; bread and baked goods from the likes of All Are Welcome and Mali Bakes; pantry products by Gewurzhaus and Mount Zero; fresh blooms courtesy of Flowers Vasette; and boozy delights from the likes of Blackhearts & Sparrows, plus stacks more. You'll find plenty of classic 1800 Lasagne merch, too. There'll also be a mega raffle featuring prizes ranging from local dinner vouchers to a private cooking class with Beatrix. Nab tickets on the day or online right now.
Your brain might be addled by that last round of beers last night, but you know one thing for sure: the local neighbourhood cafe just ain't gonna cut it today. You need a spot where you can shamelessly forgo your usual latte for a heady breakfast cocktail, good food and even better conversation. A place where the brunch menu starts early, or finishes late. Not sure where to start? We've partnered with Grey Goose, the world's finest French vodka, to help you locate seven boozy brunch spots where you can order a croque monsieur with classic vodka martini, or a round of cosmos with your indulgent black pudding and fried egg. There's no judgement here — you'll feel better in no time.
There are few film festival experiences as fun as spending four days camped out at Marrickville's Factory Theatre during the Sydney Underground Film Festival. Attending this fest in-person involves hopping in and out of its makeshift cinemas, watching all manner of out-there and indie movies you won't see elsewhere, and spending plenty of time at the bar chatting about what you've just seen — and, whether you're a diehard cinephile and festival devotee, you're just sick of watching mainstream fare or it purely sounds like a great way to spend a weekend, it's a total and utter delight. SUFF isn't playing out quite like this at the moment, however, for obvious reasons. Moving online for the second year in a row, it's hosting its 2021 edition virtually. Thankfully, while no one can enjoy the physical side of the fest between Thursday, September 9–Sunday, September 26, SUFF has brought its usual anarchic vibe to its 30-film program — all of which is now available to stream, and nationally as well. Get ready for affectionate documentaries, weird and wild features that just keep getting weirder and more wonderful, and pretty much everything in-between, all while getting cosy on your own couch. And if you've not sure where to start, we've watched, picked and reviewed seven highlights from SUFF's 15th annual program. There's your viewing sorted for the next fortnight or so. POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHÉ Add Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché to the list of exceptional music documentaries — and yes, that observation can end there and prove 100-percent accurate. That said, this excellent film also belongs among the ranks of standout docos about famous musicians that serve multiple purposes. For existing fans of Marianne Elliott-Said, the punk singer who fronted late-70s band X-Ray Spex, this is an unflinching love letter that dives into every facet of her life. Covered here: her rise to stardom at a pivotal time in music history, the way she was treated as a British Somali woman, her efforts to subvert every standard that applied to women and public figures, and the toll it all took. As co-written, co-directed and guided on-screen by her daughter Celeste Bell — as an act of embracing everything her mother was and stood for — the film also demonstrates again and again why its title couldn't be further from the reality. For newcomers to the woman best known under her stage name Poly Styrene (which she picked from the phone book), this loving feature acts as an entry point, too. Like fellow outstanding music doco The Sparks Brothers, it'll give some of its audience a new obsession. Via voice snippets rather than talking heads, the likes of Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore also offer their memories of and insights into all things Poly, but Bell and her co-helmer Paul Sng (Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain) understandably push their bold, rebellious and inimitable central figure to the fore at all times — including via riveting archival footage, as well as potent and emotional snippets from her diaries and poems. WONDERFUL PARADISE No one will finish Wonderful Paradise wondering what writer/director Masashi Yamamoto (The Voice of Water) and co-screenwriter Suzuyuki Kaneko might've left out of their script. The pair throw everything they can into this absurdist Japanese comedy, and it shows — because this is the type of movie where giant coffee beans get ravenous, children segue from projectile vomiting to transforming into branches, pregnancies last around 20 minutes, and parties become funerals, then turn into big song-and-dance numbers. The premise: at a house in suburban Tokyo, Akane (Mayu Ozawa, The Happy Prisoner), her father (Seikô Itô, We Are Little Zombies) and her brother (Soran Tamoto, I Turn) are packing up their belongings. For financial reasons that involve big debts and shady figures who are keen to collect, they're moving out of the sprawling abode. But Akane decides to host one last party and, after she tweets out the details, friends, relatives and strangers alike — including her estranged mother Akiko (Kaho Minami, Oh Lucy!) — all start popping up. From there, anything that can happen does. Indeed, sharing the same kind of manic energy that also made fellow low-budget Japanese flick One Cut of the Dead a delight, this plays like a hallucinatory mind trip more than a movie. That isn't a criticism of Wonderful Paradise; this is just a film that sweeps you along for a strange and surreal ride, satirises everything it can while also making plenty of savvy statements, careens off in weird and wonderful directions, and also makes you adore every minute. LORELEI Following an ex-felon who has just been released from a 15-year prison stint, as well as his former teenage sweetheart, Lorelei isn't in a rush to unfurl its dramas and dive to its deepest depths. Marking the feature debut of Sabrina Doyle, it's the type of film that needs that space and 111-minute running time to grow and breathe, and to build up to its surprises — and to earn the emotional journey that its standout lead performances slowly but commandingly convey at every moment. Orange Is the New Black's Pablo Schreiber plays Waylan, a small-town biker who didn't snitch when he was sent up for armed robbery. Keeping quiet cost him not only a decade and a half of his life, but his romance with Dolores (Jena Malone, Antebellum). His incarceration has saw their shared dreams dissolve, too, and led Dolores to have three children with other men since. The pair reunite after Waylan is released, crossing paths purely in passing. Quickly, staring into each other's eyes brings back old feelings, and also conjures up new regrets about the existence they always thought they'd lead together. Doyle is as concerned about the precarious situation that Dolores and her children Dodger (first-timer Chancellor Perry), Periwinkle (fellow newcomer Amelia Borgerding) and Denim (debutant Parker Pascoe-Sheppard) have endured over the years as she is with Waylan's route forward, and much of Lorelei thoughtfully dwells on the stark realities facing all of its characters. Indeed, there's not just empathy but a sense of rawness here — including when the film endeavours to leap into sunnier waters. ALIEN ON STAGE It's one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made, and always will be. It spawned three sequels and two prequels over the course of four decades and, while many of those have been stellar themselves, it still remains the best film there is with xenomorphs at its centre. It made Sigourney Weaver not just a star but a legend, too — and, thanks to an amateur stage version of the iconic flick that was initially staged in Dorset, then hit London's West End, it gave a group of British bus drivers their time in the spotlight as well. The movie in question: Alien. It mightn't seem suited to the theatre, but that didn't stop Dave Mitchell and his friends. When they decided to turn the film into a stage production, they put their hearts and souls into it, and Alien On Stage tells their story. The show turns out exactly as you'd expect with a non-professional cast and crew at the helm, and with homemade props recreating the Nostromo and its unwanted stowaway. The same description applies to his loving documentary — because this is a movie made by fans, about a stage show made by fans, and the end result leans into all of those layers of affection. Back in 1979, Ridley Scott mightn't have ever imagined that his sci-fi/horror film could spawn this level of devotion, or give this much happiness to folks trying to follow in his footsteps — and to a room full of immensely entertained Leicester Square Theatre attendees, too. That's just one of the things that Alien has spawned, and everyone can hear this movie's screams of joy. SWEETIE, YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT When Arman (Azamat Marklenov) and Murat (Erlan Primbetov) pick up Dastan (Daniar Alshinov, A Dark, Dark Man) for a day of fishing in Sweetie, You Won't Believe It, they're just trying to gift him one last moment away from his responsibilities. His girlfriend Zhanna (Asel Kaliyeva, The Secret of a Leader) is about to give birth to his first child, and this film subscribes to the idea that parenthood means kissing goodbye your old self. But, the trio have never cast a line into the water before. That's the excuse they've used to head away, though, so they decide to stick with it. They're soon fashioning a boat out of blow-up sex toys, but that's far from the worst that their day trip to regional Kazakhstan has in store. As they're floating and not really fishing, they witness gun-slinging gangsters (Alamat Sakatov, Yerkubulan Daiyrov and Rustem Zhaniyamanov) attempting to squeeze information out of another man in a violent fashion — and, soon, Dastan and his pals find themselves being pursued by the ruthless criminals as well. Then, complicating matters even further, a one-eyed, jaw-ripping psychopath (Dulgya Akmolda) on a quest for vengeance starts targeting everyone in sight. Sweetie, You Won't Believe It doesn't take any of its various parts seriously, thankfully. It's one part buddy getaway comedy, one part western slapstick, one part secluded horror and one part gory gangster flick, and it loves seesawing back and forth between all four. It also has ample fun satirising prevailing ideas of masculinity amidst the blood, guts and over-the-top silliness. CANNON ARM AND THE ARCADE QUEST When The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters chronicled Steve Wiebe's attempt to earn Donkey Kong's highest score ever — and oust Billy Mitchell from retaining that title in the process — it turned a slice of the gaming world into one of the must-see documentaries of the early 2000s. Well over a decade later, Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest mashes similar buttons, this time focusing on the eponymous Danish Gyruss devotee and his dream of clocking up 100 consecutive hours playing the 80s game. If successful, Kim aka Cannon Arm won't just claim the world record for his favourite shoot-'em-up title. Standing in an arcade for more than four days straight (with some canny plans around how to eat, nap and go to the bathroom, if you're wondering how that all works), he'd smash the existing feat by a whopping 41 hours. Sporting a greying mullet and noted for his lack of conversation, Kim himself approaches the possibility with few words; however, his friends and fellow games are eager to do anything they can to assist his quest. As this doco charts, achieving this kind of milestone isn't straightforward. Yes, Kim's health is considered in detail as first-time feature filmmaker Mads Hedegaard — who narrates as well — explains. All that gaming isn't the only focus of the documentary, though, with Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest smartly diving into what draws Kim and his Bip Bip Bar mates to their preferred pastime, what else they're fascinated with in their lives, and how gaming both parallels their other interests and provides a respite from their daily lives. DANNY. LEGEND. GOD. If there's one thing that Bulgarian councillor Danny (Dimo Alexiev, A Hidden Life) isn't lacking, it's confidence. He isn't short on arrogance, either, or on the impulses needed to take the most corrupt, abhorrent, self-serving option at any possible juncture — and he's extremely unpleasant to be around even in small bursts. Danny is also the titular figure in mockumentary Danny. Legend. God., so he demonstrates his worst traits over and over, and for an extended period. First-time filmmaker Yavor Petkov wants viewers to feel uncomfortable, in fact, because that's the natural reaction to seeing someone who's little more than a crook throw their weight about in a position of power, care only about themselves and have zero regard for the long-term repercussions for everyone in their orbit. In other words, this is a film that proves particularly piercing given the current global political climate. It's darkly humorous, but in a savage, biting, only-two-degrees-removed-from-reality way. And if you're wondering why Danny is in the spotlight — and why Alexiev puts in quite the committed performance in the part — that's because the film revolves around a news crew visiting the character's home town to capture and ideally expose his wrongdoing. What starts out as an attempt to make a documentary about money laundering soon gets hijacked by their subject, though, as Danny demands that his freewheeling life is captured exactly how he wants it — no matter what he's doing, or snorting, or the cost of his actions. The 2021 Sydney Underground Film Festival runs from Thursday, September 9–Sunday, September 26. For further details, or to watch online, head to the festival's website.
And boom, just like that, we're a brief nine weeks out from Christmas. We don't quite know where the time went or what happened, but present-buying season is upon us. What better time to kick into gear and avoid the dreaded last-minute shopping scramble, by hitting the Virtual Ethical Christmas Market this weekend. This annual event is normally an IRL situation, but it's headed online this year, now open to shop at your leisure, right up until the big day. Once again, organisers have curated a bumper selection of goodies from a range of small, ethically minded local businesses. If you're after gifts that are fair-trade, eco-friendly, socially-conscious, vegan or all of the above, consider this marketplace your one-stop-shop. Catch homewares from the likes of Plant Lab, Food Wraps 101, The Karma Collective and The Other Straw, or deck out that wardrobe with finds from labels like Colour Coded, Frske and Remuse. There are skincare and beauty products courtesy of The Essentials Lab and Nur Organics, alongside a diverse range of accessories, stationary, kids' gear and food products. Tick off your entire gift list at once and make this Christmas one with a conscience.
Freedom Time — the free-spirited festival synonymous with balmy summer days, dance-fuelled nights and lush DJ sets — is gearing up for another huge season, today dropping the lineup for its jam-packed third summer series. This time around, the Freedom Time gang are spreading the love even further, adding a January 7 visit to Sydney's Manning Bar and Gardens on top of the usual shows in Perth on New Year's Eve and at Melbourne's Coburg Velodrome on January 1. As always, the festival's gifting us with a diverse lineup of musical guests, assembling a mix of international greats and homegrown heroes that'll have you dancing your little feet off no matter your style. Headlining this eclectic bunch is famed Chicago house producer Larry Heard (aka Mr Fingers), Jamaican dancehall legend Johnny Osbourne and an inter-generational collaborative effort from Leroy Burgess and Melbourne's own Harvey Sutherland. Meanwhile, Rhythm Section International's Bradley Zero will present a handpicked label showcase in each city, featuring a crop of local acts performing alongside modern soul duo, Silentjay and Jace XL. Melbourne will also be grooving to sets from beloved local DJ CC:DISCO, Haiatus Kayote vocalist Nai Palm and singer-songwriter Sampa The Great. FREEDOM TIME 2018 LINEUP Larry Heard (aka Mr. Fingers) Leroy Burgess Harvey Sutherland Johnny Osbourne Sassy J Bradley Zero CC:DISCO Nai Palm Sampa The Great Wax'O Paradiso Nozu Jordan Rakei J'Nett SilentJay & Jace XL Band Krakatau 30/70 Prequel Heartical Hi Powa Phil Stroud Samantha Goldie Big Rig Umut Jeremy Spellacey Winters Cazeaux Oslo Pjenné Millú Freedom Time will take place on New Year's Day at Coburg Velodrome. Tickets will go on sale at 9am, September 26. Grab yours here. Images: David Smiley.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the fourth annual Vegan Day Out. This weekend in Sydney and Melbourne, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together a walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. On March 5 and 6, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Glebe Point Road in Sydney or Brunswick Street in Melbourne and grab a map outlining their route. Whether you're a dyed in the wool vegan or just giving it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, complimentary coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on more than 400 different products.
There's nothing like the freedom of the wide open road, and there's never been a better time to spread your vehicular wings and explore. The best part? If you're keen on top nosh, you can basically eat your way from Melbourne to Sydney — and eat well. Cities don't have a monopoly on amazing food. In fact, road trip eats are perfect for hardcore locavores, since travelling through rural and regional areas gives you the opportunity to sample ingredients directly from the source. Just imagine hitting the coast for fresh-off-the-boat seafood, discovering hidden gems of farmside fine dining or tucking into a rough-and-ready American-style barbecue. Helping to make your food-filled dreams a reality in 2021, we've plotted a Melbourne-to-Sydney journey worthy of the finest diners. Strap on your seatbelt and your bib — you're in for a treat. Please stay up to date with the latest NSW Government health advice regarding COVID-19. [caption id="attachment_802765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Banksia[/caption] BANKSIA, PAMBULA You might not expect a pedigree of upscale dining in this wee heritage-listed cottage just outside of a tiny seaside town, but here we are. Within the walls of Pambula's Old Bank building, Head Chef Huw Jones, formerly of Zanzibar in Merimbula, marries his fine-dining credentials with home comforts. Banksia offers a three-course set menu with matching wines, served in a homey space with an open fire. The menu is ever-changing but leans Italian, tapping into the ethos of selecting high-quality ingredients and letting them shine. Expect some fried polenta here, prosciutto there, and perhaps a roasted pork collar with potato gnocchi or zucchini flowers with romesco sauce. Finishing on desserts like hazelnut ice cream with fresh fruit and a brandy snap, a meal at Banksia manages to be delightfully old-school but not old-fashioned. [caption id="attachment_795571" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dulcie's Cottage, Claudine Thornton, Destination NSW[/caption] DULCIE'S COTTAGE, MERIMBULA Dulcie's Cottage is filled with old-world charm, but keeps a youthful edge — think vintage heritage meets fresh-as local produce and craft brews. The walls of this chilled-out craft beer and cocktail bar are decked out in taxidermy and photos from its nearly hundred-year history. The food is served from a genuine 1950s kitchen caravan in the light-festooned beer garden. It keeps things simple: either hit fresh oysters with lemon and nuoc cham or grab one of the hefty burgers. While it's hard to go past the classic Dulcie Burger, fussy (or ambitious) diners can select the build-your-own option instead and load on extra patties, bacon, slaw and jalapeños. Would you like fries with that? Choose between A Few Fries ($4) or A Lot Of Fries ($8) — finally, sizing that makes sense. Dulcie's is also a buzzing live music venue, making it the perfect wind-down pit-stop for some road trip R&R. [caption id="attachment_804034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Poacher's Pantry, Destination NSW[/caption] POACHER'S PANTRY, SPRINGRANGE A restaurant with its own vineyard and artisanal smokehouse? This is your ultimate charcuterie stop. Poacher's Pantry offers an award-winning range of handcrafted, smoked smallgoods, from classic bresaola and bacon to kangaroo prosciutto. You can sit in at the Smokehouse Restaurant for multi-course brunches and lunches seven days a week, enjoying unique specialties like vodka and lavender cured salmon, labneh, charred citrus, bottarga and chives, or hot smoked ocean trout and herb crepe with lemon ricotta, asparagus, green apple and mustard cress. The vegetarian dishes are no less impressive, putting the Poacher's organic kitchen garden produce front and centre — like heirloom garden vegetables with whipped feta and pea shoots. Don't have time for a long lunch? Pick up a picnic hamper instead, complete with the venue's Wily Trout Vineyard wine. [caption id="attachment_802695" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rick Stein at Bannisters, Jesse Smith, Destination NSW[/caption] RICK STEIN AT BANNISTERS, MOLLYMOOK Rick Stein became a household name for putting coastal produce at the forefront of his dining, and his restaurant in Mollymook, Rick Stein at Bannisters, is no exception. Naturally, the menu changes daily depending on the catch, but that's the way you want it. Survey the ocean from on high as you tuck into freshly shucked oysters, or salmon, swordfish and tuna sashimi. The menu is peppered with Southeast Asian elements, such as Cambodian-dressed Eden mussels, or fusion-style Hervey Bay scallops with toasted hazelnut and coriander butter. For a more casual affair, The Rooftop Bar and Grill at Bannisters Pavilion offers the likes of salt and pepper calamari, fried cauliflower, prawn linguine and chargrilled chicken. [caption id="attachment_792595" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Three Blue Ducks, Kitti Gould[/caption] THREE BLUE DUCKS, NIMBO Three Blue Ducks has taken its traditional farm-to-table style and set it in the Snowy Mountains. In the light, airy lodge of Nimbo Fork, the restaurant's menu celebrates the produce of the Riverina district with an ethos of simplicity, honesty and sustainability. From hefty tomahawk lamb chops and duck fat-roasted potatoes to smoked Nimbo trout with dill and crème fraîche, the simple approach lets the quality of the ingredients do the heavy lifting. It extends the same care to vegetables as it does to meat, with satisfying, meatless main events like oven-roasted potato gnocchi with pea and ricotta sauce or harissa-spiced roasted cauliflower. Finish with sea salt meringue with lemon curd and chantilly cream or a special house cocktail, like the Smoky Spritz. [caption id="attachment_795568" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Argyle Inn[/caption] THE ARGYLE INN, TARALGA If you're as much a fan of historic restorations as you are fine dining, you'll want to stay the night after your dinner at The Argyle Inn. The warm lighting on the dark wood walls of the main dining room sets the tone for cosy country hospitality in this recently restored 19th-century inn. Being co-owned by two sustainable farmers means the menu skews seasonal and as local as possible, even down to the wine list. The contemporary Australian menu is hearty in winter and light and fresh in summer. The dishes are genteel but unpretentious: fresh pasta, local beef, house-made pickles, terrines, rillettes and some of the best sourdough you'll find in the Southern Tablelands. [caption id="attachment_795564" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paste[/caption] PASTE, MITTAGONG Prepare for a memorable Thai-style dining experience at Paste. Chef Bee Satongun's menu is centred on the rediscovery of old recipes, traditions and forgotten culinary techniques of Thailand. Using fresh Australian produce, Paste offers refined Thai cuisine in an ever-changing seasonal menu — think roasted duck with lychee, hot mint, banana flower and blood lime; Moreton Bay bug with chu chee curry; 'crying tiger' aged T-bone with phaya rum, ghee, sticky rice, lemongrass and tamarind jaew; and, of course, special crab fried rice. Robust flavours don't end at the main course, with show-stopping desserts like fermented rice sorbet with passionfruit and mango encased in a delicate chocolate dome. [caption id="attachment_795575" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Two Smoking Barrels[/caption] TWO SMOKING BARRELS, WOLLONGONG You'll find this Carolina-style low-and-slow barbecue joint smack-bang between two car yards. It's an impressive set-up at Two Smoking Barrels with a grill rig used to smoke and season meats with native ironbark. It has everything from melt-in-your-mouth pit-smoked brisket to pork rolls, house sausages and short ribs on offer. There's a feed for every appetite, whether you need a quick, smashable burger or you want to settle in for a big ol' meat platter before you hit the road again. The sides are classic barbecue soul food: potato gems, slaw, cornbread, mac 'n' cheese and speciality burnt-end beans (the crispy, well-seasoned end bits of smoked meats). Warning: this is not food for the faint of heart, so wear your loosest pair of jeans. Start planning your great escape to New South Wales this season by visiting the Visit NSW website. Top image: Poacher's Pantry, Destination NSW
Mornington Peninsula's Red Hill Estate has opened its new outdoor dining and drinking offering in time for the summer months. Gigi's Piazza, set on the lawns of the estate, invites guests to enjoy the Italian way of life, featuring a share-style Italian menu and crowd-favourite wines by the glass. The new casual hang-out spot is suitable for everything from first dates to family days out. The picnic-style menu, served from the nearby cottage kitchen, showcases casual Italian fare. Think arancini, antipasto, focaccia, pastas, salads, tiramisu and more. Red Hill Estate's General Manager, Dominic Fabrizio says, "No one does long lunches better than the Italians — everybody together, unrushed, enjoying the outdoors and appreciating good food. Gigi's Piazza was designed for visitors to slow down, unwind, and sip and savour every moment." The estate's renowned wines, including the rosé, pinot noir, chardonnay and newly released Blanc de Blancs sparkling, are poured by the glass, perfect for roaming the lawns and playing a game. There's giant Jenga and Hoopla, and your pooches are also welcome to enjoy the outdoor setting. Fabrizio says Gigi's Piazza offers the ultimate "dolce vita" experience, where guests can relax and enjoy life's simple pleasures. "We want our guests to feel right at home — enjoy a glass of wine, a bite to eat and take in the stunning surroundings of Red Hill Estate while you pause from the hustle of everyday life." Images: C McConville.
You may not know the name Clark Terry, but odds are you've heard of the people he inspired. Quincy Jones, for example? What about Miles Davis? With a career that spans a whopping seven decades, Terry is undoubtedly one of the most influential people to ever pick up a horn. But he was beloved in jazz circles not just for his mastery of the trumpet, but for his commitment to passing his love of music on to others. Shot over four years by Australian director Alan Hicks, Keep On Keepin' On provides an overview of Terry's incredible career, while also chronicling his relationship with his most recent protégée, 23-year-old blind piano player Justin Kauflin. It's a charming story that offers a much needed breath of air after this year's other big jazz picture, Whiplash, about a student-teacher relationship of a very different kind. Aided by the old jazz man's nostalgic narration, Hicks takes viewers back to 1920s St Louis, home to a vibrant jazz scene even then. Growing up dirt poor, Terry's first trumpet was paid for in loose change from his neighbours, an act of generosity that clearly left a mark. From there the young musician rose quickly, playing with the likes of Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Later he found a home for himself as the first black staff musician at NBC. Regardless of your interest in jazz history, it's hard not to be impressed by Terry's resume. Yet it's the present day sequences, featuring Terry and Kauflin, that ensure the documentary leaves a mark. Indeed, despite their more than 65 year age difference, the two are just a couple of peas in a pod. To Kauflin, Terry is a friend, a mentor and a gateway to an era long since passed. To Terry, Kauflin is someone with whom he can share his years of experience, and find kinship as his own health begins to decline. They're a hugely endearing duo, and their love of their craft is infectious. When presented with his honorary Grammy, Terry is credited with having "the happiest sound in jazz," but the truth is that it's a sentiment that reaches far beyond his music. It's remarkable, and inspiring, how upbeat the pair remain in the face of their respective adversity. You don't have to be a music fan to appreciate that.
When life moved indoors in 2020, viewing adorable animals via streaming became a key coping mechanism. Now that Melbourne has emerged from three separate lockdowns over the past 12 months, you're probably keen to get your cute critter fix in-person, rather than through a screen — so one of the city's most popular tourist attractions has reopened to let you do just that. Shut since the beginning of the pandemic, the St Kilda Pier Breakwater is finally welcoming back visitors. Yes, that means that its penguin parade has just reopened as well. The beloved spot is home to around 1400 Little Penguins, with the colony calling the location home for decades — since the harbour was built for sailing for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. The blue-feathered creatures roost in the Breakwater's rocks, and Melburnians can see them three times a night. Between now and April, hour-long self-guided viewing sessions are being held at 8.30pm, 9pm and 9.30pm, with staff on hand to answer any questions. If you're eager to check out the Little Penguins — which every Melbourne resident should at least once — booking in for a free tour is the only way you'll be able to. While there'll hopefully be plenty of aquatic flightless birds to see, you won't have too much company. Under COVID-safe arrangements, tours are limited to 30 people per session. And if you need any further motivation to head along, Little Penguins are the smallest species of penguin in the world, and only grow to around 33 centimetres tall. So yes, they really are adorable. To enhance viewing conditions in the future, the St Kilda Pier is slated to undergo a $50.3-million development, with a specific focus on providing a better place to watch the Little Penguins. First announced in 2019, construction on the rebuild is now set to start this year, working towards a 2023 completion date. The St Kilda Pier Breakwater is located at Pier Road, St Kilda. Penguin-viewing sessions are being held at 8.30pm, 9pm and 9.30pm each night from now until April — with bookings available online.
When Netflix officially launched on our shores back in 2015, three things happened. First, everyone without a VPN rejoiced. Next, anyone already familiar with their US offering couldn't help noticing that the Aussie catalogue was considerably smaller. Finally, while the streaming service was eager to sign up Australian customers, it didn't show any signs of putting those subscription fees towards making local content. It might've taken two years, but they're finally addressing the latter issue. Behold, Netflix's first original Aussie series. Due to be made in Queensland in 2018, and presumably providing fuel for late 2018 binge-watch sessions, Tidelands is a supernatural crime drama series about a fishing village with strange inhabitants: a group of dangerous half-Sirens, half-humans called 'Tidelanders'. Ten episodes, each running for 50 minutes, will be made, with Brisbane's Hoodlum Entertainment doing the honours. And Tidelands won't just gift Australian users with a new favourite series, with the show set to land in all 190 countries that Netflix is available in. Thinking you've seen plenty of Aussie stuff on Netflix already? You're not wrong, however, there's a difference between throwing old sitcoms and standup specials into a range inexplicably overflowing with new Adam Sandler movies, and actually funding brand new Australian material. Last year, it was announced that they'd join forces with the ABC to co-produce a second season of Glitch, which showed them dipping a toe in the water — but now they're completely diving in. Tidelands will join the platform's hefty stable of original series, which started back in 2013 with House of Cards, and just keeps growing (Orange Is the New Black, The Get Down, The OA, Wet Hot American Summer, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Dear White People, BoJack Horseman, four Marvel series with one more to come — the list goes on). Given the premise, here's hoping it'll be the next Stranger Things, and not the new Hemlock Grove.
Gin lovers, rejoice. Melbourne's CBD now has its first craft gin distillery, with Little Lon Distilling Co opening its doors. Steeped in history, the distillery is named after the infamous red light district that sat between Lonsdale, Spring, Exhibition and La Trobe Streets. The notorious area — that operated around 150 years ago and had bootleggers, prostitutes and sly grog aplenty — was divided by small laneways and cottages, most of which were destroyed in the 1950s. The distillery site, on Casselden Place, is one of the few historic spaces that remain. Little Lon owner and distiller Brad Wilson said the heritage-listed cottage from the 1800s was a passion project many years in the making. "After travelling to Europe, I thought it would be great to have my own spirit brand," Wilson said. "I was inspired by a 400-year-old distillery called Wynand Fockink in Amsterdam to start a project of my own." Drinks such as the mulled apple Ginger Mick are standouts on the menu, with each batch paying homage to the real-life characters that inspired the building's name. Using Victorian Police records, and the knowledge of a Melbourne tour guide Michael Sheldon who runs crime tours in the area, Wilson became familiar with the key figures of the time. "We wanted to personify the characters that used to live and kick around these laneways," said Wilson. Maude Compton, who ran a brothel and was jailed for stealing money out of customer's pockets, and Constable Hickling are some of the characters that feature on the distillery's menu. Little Lon Distilling Co, which has the capacity for around 200–300 litres of fermentation, is churning out batches on regular rotation, featuring local ingredients and fragrant notes such as rosemary, oranges and lemons — all things which have historically grown in the area. Images: Julia Sansone
One of the Mornington Peninsula's go-to summer hot spots has had one heck of a makeover, and reopened just in time for the balmy days to come. Famed for its waterfront beer garden and sweeping bay views, the Portsea Hotel is now sporting a dapper new look, helping launch the 142-year-old building into its next phase of life. The $7 million transformation nods to the past, while embracing the contemporary, with plenty of original tiling and artwork making a return appearance. The acclaimed beer garden remains, though now it's joined by a moody whisky haunt dubbed the RIP Bar, a California-style burger bar known as Cliff's, and a stunning second-floor events space, called Bertrand Bar. Walls by the front entrance are set to play host to a rotating curation of local and international art, while in the reimagined dining room Longshore, a big open kitchen is serving up a menu filled with top local produce and healthy touches. Think, whipped cod roe served with pita, Mooloolaba swordfish teamed with panzanella, and a creamy burrata cheese and caprese salad, alongside pub classics and loaded pizzas. A planned series of yoga, pilates and fitness classes will grace the Portsea Hotel's beer garden over summer, as will a hefty program of live music and parties. Kyle Lionhart, The Babe Rainbow and Didirri are just some of the acts that'll help christen the pub in the coming months, with Spacey Space headlining a Christmas Eve Eve fiesta and Tom Tilley leading a dance-worthy NYE ensemble. Find the new-look Portsea Hotel at 3746 Point Nepean Road, Portsea. It's open from 11am–10pm daily.
Fill your mid-week with cosy vibes, as the Winter Night Market returns to QVM for another 13-week run. Kicking off at 5pm every Wednesday from Wednesday, June 4–Wednesday, August 27, expect another fascinating program brimming with tantalising street food, hot drinks, retail experiences, live music and free entertainment. Taking up residence in the Queen Victoria Market's sprawling laneways and sheds, the event has a host of foodie newcomers ready to serve up comfy cuisine that ensures your chilly evening is a snug one. Think Cannoleria's Sicilian-style treats, La Trafila's artisan pasta and The Little Paris's raclette and garlic butter snails. There's also plenty of returning favourites from past editions of the Winter Night Market, with the likes of Churro Kitchen, Smashville and the Soup Factory serving everything from chocolate-drizzled desserts to king crab chowder spooned into bread rolls. Plus, there's mulled wine, alongside spiced Milo cocktails and warm butter beer, to enhance the rugged-up ambience. Beyond the extensive food and drink selection, the Winter Night Market is home to stellar shopping and entertainment. Stock up on vintage clothing and handmade jewellery, or see what awaits in your future with tarot card reading. Meanwhile, the Guru Dudu Silent Disco returns, taking groups on a 20-minute dance tour through the market.
Melbourne's biennial showcase of young and emerging artist has unveiled its latest program. Running from May 3 to 20, the 2018 Next Wave Festival will highlight some of the coolest, most exciting and most innovative up-and-comers working across theatre, dance, video, music, sculpture and everything in between. The festival will kick off with a free opening night party at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute. The soiree is being sponsored by the Archie Rose Distilling company, so you know the booze will be good. It's one of a number of epic shindigs on the program this year, with Sezzo Snot and Makeda Zucco set to take over the Tote Hotel for a night of electronic music, sound art, performance and installation, and DJ Sista Zai Zanda headling an Afro-futuristic Mother's Day eve celebration of dance, music, poetry and storytelling. The lineup is packed full of events, so we've rounded up our top five below — and they include everything from freestyle dog dancing to a democratic dinner party. To see the full lineup and buy tickets, head to the Next Wave website.
Another week, another chance to fill it with as much fun as possible. Thankfully, Melbourne is a place that knows how to deliver. All-you-can-eat sushi on a Tuesday, planetarium parties on a Friday, deep dives into pop culture icons on a weekend — that's just life in this busy city of ours. No day is ever the same, and no span of seven days either. Of course, we wouldn't have it any other way. Too much to do, too little time? If that's how you're feeling, don't worry, we've got you covered. To help you get the most out of every moment across this particular week, we've teamed up with Australian Red Cross and Uber to cast our eyes over the best events happening around town from Monday to Sunday. The result is a jam-packed agenda that not only takes care of your free time but makes sure you're having a mighty fine time while you're at it, too. If you need a ride to or from your destination, Uber can obviously assist — but the ride-sharing service and Australian Red Cross also have your Sunday sorted. That's when they're holding their annual Uber x Red Cross clothing drive, and will even send a driver to your house to pick up your unwanted threads. As well as helping clear out your wardrobe and helping those in need, it's the perfect way to cap off your busy week. Spend Monday to Saturday at movie retrospectives, pop-up eateries and seeing ace new plays, then chill at home, donate to a good cause without leaving the house, and make a date with your couch.
The Mouse House has brought some of its magic our way, with Disney: The Magic of Animation now on display at Melbourne's newly revamped Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Whether you've always been a fan of Mickey Mouse, can remember how it felt when you first watched Bambi, are able to sing all of Genie's lyrics in Aladdin or fell head over heels for Moana more recently, you'll find plenty worth looking at among ACMI's halls and walls. And in its doors, too — because walking beneath mouse ear-shaped openings to move from one area to the next is all part of the experience. Reopening on Saturday, October 30 and running through till Sunday, January 23 (after a lockdown-delayed season that originally launched on Thursday, May 13), Disney: The Magic of Animation is making its only Aussie stop at ACMI. The exhibition explores everything from 1928's Steamboat Willie — the first talkie to feature Mickey Mouse — through to this year's Raya and the Last Dragon. Obviously, a wealth of other titles get the nod between those two bookending flicks. Fantasia, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book and The Lion King also feature, as do Mulan, Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. The big drawcard: art from the Mouse House's hefty back catalogue of titles, and heaps of it. More than 500 original artworks feature, spanning paintings, sketches, drawings and concept art. The entire lineup has been specially selected by the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, and will let you get a glimpse at just how the movie magic comes to life, how some of Disney's famous stories were developed, and which animation techniques brought them to the big screen. Get ready to peer at hand-drawn dalmatians (which is timely, given that Cruella released this year), stare closely at Mickey Mouse's evolution, examine Wreck-It Ralph models and pose next to Snow White. Wall-sized artworks pay tribute to a number of movies, too — The Little Mermaid piece is particularly eye-catching — and feeling like you're stepping into a Disney movie is an unsurprising side effect. The extended season will also feature screenings, including sing-along sessions of The Little Mermaid, Moana, Frozen and Frozen 2 — plus a viewing of Disney's upcoming release Encanto. Disney: The Magic of Animation is clearly designed to appeal to Mouse House fans of all ages. You, your parents, today's primary school kids — you've all grown up watching Disney flicks. So, while you're pondering tales as old as time, being ACMI's guest, contemplating the animated circle of life and definitely not letting your nostalgia go, prepare to be accompanied by aficionados both young and young at heart. Images: Phoebe Powell. Updated October 26.
Like most of Melbourne's best, Corky Saint Clair is hidden from plain sight. Nestled beneath the cafe chatter of our busiest laneway and next to the ticket gates at Flinders, Corky Saint Clair is tucked away in the Degraves Street Subway. A local favourite for over a decade now, this quirky little jewellery store is the perfect place to pick up a special gift or a unique statement piece. Here you can find dangling pineapples, skeletons or monsters to hang around your neck or tiny little animals to keep watch from your earlobes. This is for the girls (and boys) who like trinkets but can't quite get behind the twee charm bracelets of Pandora.
A venue's atmosphere sets the tone. So the kind of atmosphere generated by a spacious interior, booming sound system, bright neon signage and the energy of 100-plus diners is powerful. That's what you get at Hawker Hall. This addition to the shining portfolio of restaurateur Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Kisumé, Society and more) is a bustling, scaled-up establishment that pays homage to the intimate and grounded experiences of hawker-style Malaysian and Singaporean street food. The menu is extensive, starting with shared bites like san choy bao with chicken and shiitake; salt and pepper tofu with chilli and coriander; roti; dumplings and buns — like crispy prawn and pork wontons, mushroom and cabbage dumplings or bbq char siu pork buns. There are also salads, seafood and meat mains, noodles and rice, curries, sides and desserts. Beyond the choose-your-own-adventure menu, there are set menu banquets to speed up the delivery of food to your mouth. The main two are the 'Hawker Feed Me' and the 'Chef's Banquet', built around Hawker specialties like roast duck, char siu pork or coconut roast chicken. We could go on and on about the food, but we also need to mention the other pride of Hawker Hall: the drinks menu. Hawker Hall has a truly excellent selection of beers on tap, all independent brewers selected by the team. Plus, there's a cocktail happy hour every Thursday 4–6pm and a bottomless boozy yum-cha, where $66pp gets you a huge spread of reimagined dim sum classics and 90 minutes of free-flowing bevs.
When a TV show or movie franchise returns years and years after its last instalment, there's no longer any point being surprised. It happens that often these days, with Veronica Mars, Twin Peaks, Star Wars and Jurassic Park just a few recent examples. The latest past pop culture hit set to make a comeback: Sex and the City. Thankfully, as anyone who sat through the terrible 2008 and 2010 movies of the same name will be hoping, the Sarah Jessica Parker-starring series is returning to the small screen this time around. This news was first announced back at the beginning of 2021 — and, ten months later, new HBO show And Just Like That... is now getting closer to reaching our eyeballs. Mark December in your diary and prepare to start sipping cosmopolitans over summer, as that's when this ten-episode spinoff will arrive. Parker is back, as are her initial co-stars Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon. But And Just Like That... is being badged as a "new chapter' in the Sex and the City story, rather than an additional season of the existing 1998–2004 program — and there's one clear reason for that. While the show will follow Carrie (Parker), Miranda (Nixon) and Charlotte (Davis) once more, the character of Samantha isn't part of the revival, and neither is actor Kim Cattrall, who played her. So, you'll be watching a trio of the original series' leading ladies as they navigate their lives — this time in their 50s. Although Parker, Nixon and Davis won't have Cattrall for company, the list of returning Sex and the City cast members includes Chris Noth, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler and the late Willie Garson. Yes, that's Big, Anthony, Steve, Harry and Stanford all accounted for. Also, Grey's Anatomy's Sara Ramírez will feature as well. Parker, Davis and Nixon are also named as producers on And Just Like That..., alongside Michael Patrick King, who worked as a writer, director and executive producer on the original (and on the two movies). In Australia, And Just Like That... is headed to Binge, Foxtel's stand-alone streaming service (and also home to Sex and the City's six seasons). A trailer for the new series hasn't been released yet, but HBO has dropped a date announcement video, which gives a few glimpses. Check it out below: And Just Like That... will start streaming in Australia via Binge sometime in December. We'll update you with an exact airdate once one is announced. Top image: HBO Max.
Founded in Melbourne, Lucy Folk's jewellery has become some of the most sought after in the city, as her brand's blissful line-up of designs is now stocked in boutiques around the globe. Folk draws inspiration for her work from a variety of avenues in her life, although food and travel are two of the clearest. The artist has created jewellery showcasing rose gold watermelons and silver parsley earrings, while visits to Morocco and several parts of Europe are also a constant influence on her work. The Melbourne CBD flagship store is where you'll find Folk's entire range of jewellery, sunglasses, and accessories.
Melissa McCarthy is now three-for-three in collaborations with Paul Feig. The actor-director team chase down Bridesmaids and The Heat with a goofy espionage comedy that serves as a showreel for their respective talents. In Feig’s case, that means cementing his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most rock-solid comic-directors, extracting hilarious turns from a more-than-willing cast while demonstrating a surprising amount of confidence with action scenes, which bodes well for his Ghostbusters sequel next year. For McCarthy, it means delivering one of the best performances of her career, nailing both the verbal and physical comedy while steering almost entirely clear of lazy jokes about her gender or her size. McCarthy stars as analyst Susan Cooper, a desk jockey working in the CIA basement funnelling instructions via an earpiece to operatives around the world. Her primary charge, and the subject of her unrequited affections, is the revoltingly narcissistic Bond-wannabe Agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). But things suddenly change after Fine is gunned down by a devious arms heiress (Rose Byrne), who has somehow gained access to the identity of every active spy. With their best assets compromised, the agency has no choice but to throw the untested Cooper into the field. It’s a pretty standard comedic premise, in a similar vein to other recent spy spoofs such as Johnny English and Get Smart — the one major difference being that Cooper is actually fairly good at her new job. Feig, who wrote the film as well as directing, pokes fun at all the typical spy movie cliches, from the megalomaniacal villain all the way down to the gadgets, here disguised as everyday items such as fungal cream and laxatives. For the most part the humour is fairly broad and sweary — this is, after all, the same director who had McCarthy shit in a sink. Still, as with Feig’s previous films, the material is elevated considerably by the performances. After proving the MVP in both Bridesmaids and Bad Neighbours, Rose Byrne could well consider giving up dramatic roles altogether. Her villainous turn here is a delightful caricature of upper-crust snobbery, and many of the film’s best scenes are the ones that she and McCarthy share. Law is likewise wonderfully hammy as Fine, while Jason Statham sends up his typical screen persona as a 'rogue' CIA agent a little too convinced of his own brilliance. But it’s McCarthy who’s the real hero here, throwing herself into every scene with absolute commitment. Together, she and Feig not only deliver big laughs but also manage to skewer our expectations of what someone who looks like her is capable of. Yes, there are plenty of jokes at Cooper’s expense, but more often than not they’re the result of people underestimating her. As it turns out, that’s a pretty big mistake.
UPDATE, November 6, 2020: A Cure for Wellness is available to stream via Netflix and Prime Video. When you're sitting through a bland attempt to remake a decades-old radio series, or a spate of diminishing sequels in an average-at-best franchise, you can forget that filmmakers don't just make movies — they also watch them and love them. With The Lone Ranger and the first three Pirates of the Caribbean flicks on his resume, it's rather easy to do just that where Gore Verbinski is concerned, but every now and then he does something to remind you. Back in 2011, the Oscar-winning animated western Rango did the trick, ensuring every viewer knew just how fond Verbinski is of the genre. Likewise, with A Cure for Wellness, his first horror film since The Ring, Verbinski wears his inspirations on his sleeve. And while it mightn't stand out as a landmark scary effort, it still makes for intriguingly creepy viewing. For the record, the veteran filmmaker appears to have seen and adored Rosemary's Baby, The Shining, Shutter Island and Crimson Peak, as well as countless '30s gothic fright fests, '70s Italian giallo films, '80s body horror flicks and everything Alfred Hitchcock ever made. Over the course of 146 minutes, A Cure for Wellness plays like the kind of feverish dream you might have after marathoning all of your favourite spooky movies, with your brain trying to mash everything into one over-the-top package. A labyrinthian sanitarium filled with complacent patients, eerie lullaby-like singing, ravenous eels no one else seems to see, and a history of unrest and incest: you can already spot how some of those filmic influences come into play, can't you? Along with a mysterious young woman (Mia Goth), this is what Wall Street up-and-comer Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) finds when he makes the trip to a wellness centre in the Swiss Alps looking for his company's CEO (Harry Groener). Lockhart thinks that he'll be in and out within 20 minutes, but after an accident he's stuck in plaster and unable to head home, which seems to suit the water therapy-loving doctor-in-charge (Jason Isaacs) quite nicely. There's no missing the fact that all of the folks seeking some rest and relaxation are high-flying business executives. Verbinski, who came up with the story with his Lone Ranger screenwriter Justin Haythe, isn't particularly subtle with some of the movie's ideas — and that's without even getting into a subplot involving pure bloodlines. But he's also largely unconcerned with splashing around in anything other than H20 galore, a mood of dread and tension, and gorgeously unsettling visuals in pale, icy shades. Diving deep into all three results in the cinematic equivalent of a gloriously macabre synchronised swimming routine; an intricately choreographed sight to behold that keeps the most interesting parts on the surface. And what a surface it is. Mastering a tone of unease, serving up a sleek, sinister feast for the eyes, and throwing in a wealth of affectionate nods to genre greats mostly keeps the feature afloat. Mostly. Unsurprisingly, A Cure for Wellness struggles with thin characterisations, and even more so when the predictable yet twist-heavy plot tries to wrap up its stretched-out antics. Still, if you've fallen down its well of unhinged delights you'll probably find them part and parcel of the fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mcVodJmBlU
It has been a busy year for Russian incompetence, on-screen at least. After Chernobyl so blisteringly explored 1986's devastating nuclear reactor explosion and its widespread fallout, Kursk jumps forward to 2000's submarine disaster, where 118 sailors lost their lives during the sinking of a nuclear-powered vessel. The arrival of both the HBO mini-series and now this film in such short succession is a clear sign of the times — as Russia's influence, especially of the covert kind, continues to loom over world affairs, interrogating the country's high-profile misfortunes is hardly an unexpected trend. Today's filmmakers can't force certain parties in power to take Russian election meddling seriously, but they can examine how the world's largest nation by area has dealt with its own catastrophes. Kursk, like Chernobyl, doesn't provide a flattering portrait. In August 2000, as part of the first major Russian naval exercise since the fall of the Soviet Union, Oscar-class K-141 submarine Kursk descended into the ocean's depths. Although it was merely participating in training, it carried live combat weapons, including practice torpedoes — and when one exploded onboard, it set off a chain reaction that would strand the vessel at the bottom of the Barents Sea. Those who survived the initial blast were stuck waiting. First, they waited for Russian authorities to realise what had happened, which took hours. Then, as water seeped in, and supplies and oxygen dwindled, they bided their time as repeated rescue efforts floundered. Ever-protective of their military technology, and just as determined to assert that they could take care of the problem themselves, the Russian Navy even refused international assistance, making the trapped men wait longer still. That's how Thomas Vinterberg tells the tale of the Kursk, with the Danish filmmaker teaming up with Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat to adapt Robert Moore's non-fiction book A Time to Die. For the sake of heightened drama, some facts and timelines have been massaged, however the overall premise — that a Russian submarine sank, the country was poorly equipped to handle it and people paid with their lives — remains. So too does the notion of a nation more concerned with perception than its population; one in which citizens are expected to prove their unflinching patriotism by paying the ultimate price, but where the government won't dare risk its reputation to save them in return. Understandably, this damning truth lingers over every moment of Kursk, making an already sombre story even more so. Indeed, it's as evident on-screen as the grey colour scheme, the oppressive pressure felt in the movie's submarine scenes, and the use of different aspect ratios to send an emotional message. While he's working with a budget far beyond anything he might've dreamed of, or wanted, back when he co-founded the fiercely independent Dogme 95 cinema movement with Lars von Trier, Vinterberg is in comfortable thematic territory. Boasting a resume littered with moral quandaries, including the recent The Hunt and Far from the Madding Crowd, the writer-director has always been a keen observer of folks in a bind. That's what captain-lieutenant Mikhail Averin (Matthias Schoenaerts) and his men find themselves in, to put it mildly, as the clock ticks down and the end we all know is coming inches closer. Meanwhile, Mikhail's wife Tanya (Léa Seydoux) fights for both action and answers back above sea level, numerous admirals (Max von Sydow and Peter Simonischek, primarily) either toe or flout the government line, and offers of British help by Commodore David Russell (Colin Firth) keep falling on stubborn ears. Kursk doesn't spend enough time with any one person to be called a character study, and its broad scope necessitates more than a few shortcuts and cliches. When the movie opens with the sound of gasping breaths, only to show Mikhail timing how long his pre-teen son Misha (Artemiy Spiridonov) can stay underwater in the bathtub, it's an obvious move, for example. Still, in serving up an overview of the disaster's affected parties, and cycling between them as they endeavour to weather the horrific situation, Vinterberg's film is never less than compelling and heartbreaking. While his cast helps considerably, especially Schoenaerts and Seydoux, the director paints a powerful picture of tragedy, courage and (on the part of the Russian officials) sheer arrogance. This is a story of sailors scrambling to wade through life-or-death terror, of their loved ones refusing to kowtow to the authorities, and of the conflict bubbling beneath the rescue attempts — and it's as moving and gripping as the real-life scenario and the men lost to it demands.
