Time to retrieve your dancing shoes from the dark corners of your closet, Brisbane's indie-pop darlings are coming down for two shows at the Corner this month. After releasing their debut album Learn To Exist last year, it's been a whirlwind of sold-out shows and international touring for this little band in a big hurry. The Jungle Giants' leading lad Sam Hales writes songs that are both autobiographical and highly danceable. Their first single 'I Am What You Want Me To Be' is the perfect encapsulation of that frenetic energy and infectious sound. While the Jungle Giants certainly know how to get the party started, tracks like 'Devil's In The Detail' bring a lot of heart and depth to their overall sound. Friday's gig will be kicked off by fellow-Brisbane act Millions, and Saturday will see Tkay Maidza supporting alongside Shortstraw. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q33YIyslOgU
Independent designers from all across Melbourne will descend upon the city for a pre-Xmas edition of Markit@Fedsquare. Taking over the Federation Square Atrium and Deakin Edge from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, December 11, this massive biannual bazaar will be jam-packed with stallholders selling everything from handcrafted jewellery and ceramics, to custom-made clothes and accessories, to unique homeware and stationery. Basically, if you need to sort out all your Christmas shopping in one hit, then this is the place for you. Alternatively, if you just want something sweet to munch on, you're covered on that front as well. Sensory Lab Coffee and All Day Donuts will both be on hand from open to close, ensuring you're well sugared and caffeinated for a long day of marketeering.
Spinning a tale about US government-backed operatives plotting to kidnap a Mexican teenager, Sicario: Day of the Soldado was always going to strike a chord. That said, the film's storyline hits home particularly hard at the moment — a time when children are being taken from their parents at the US-Mexico border, and a tweet-happy president keeps raging about cartels and building a wall. Reality casts a long shadow over this sequel to 2015's surprise standout Sicario. Indeed, there's no way to wade into such murky, politically loaded territory without stirring up more than a few real-world parallels. In the movie as in life, the war on drugs has been overtaken by the war on immigration, and there's absolutely nothing pleasant about it. After attempting to stop the influx of illicit substances into the US in Sicario, military contractor Matt (Josh Brolin) and hitman Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) reunite to tackle the cartels' latest cash cow. With the smuggling of people rather than drugs now the US administration's main concern, the duo is given free reign to do whatever they must; there are no rules this time, as the American tells his Colombian counterpart. Opening fire in traffic, prolonged gunfights with Mexican cops, abductions in broad daylight — if it helps to secretly start a battle between rival mobsters, then it's on the agenda. Their main task: kidnap 16-year-old Isabel Reyes (Isabela Moner), the daughter of a powerful cartel boss with ties to Alejandro's own sad story, and make it appear as though another gang is responsible. It's with an expectedly unsettling air that Sicario: Day of the Soldado becomes a tense exercise in distress, dancing through dark terrain, and ramping up the anxiety and carnage at every turn. From a soundtrack that drones with each blasting note, to bright yet gritty visuals that lay bare the stark situation on the ground, to a seemingly relentless onslaught of action set-pieces, nothing about the film shies away from its uneasy content and mood. That's an achievement that the picture shares with its predecessor, although this follow-up doesn't quite belong in the same company. With the original film's director Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (who passed away earlier this year) all absent, it's left to their replacements Stefano Sollima (TV's Gomorrah), Dariusz Wolski (All the Money in the World) and Hildur Guðnadóttir (a cellist on the first flick) to offer up as close a copy as they can, instead of trying anything different or distinctive. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' might be the motto behind-the-scenes, but it proves a mixed bag on-screen. As the film watches its characters coldly and brazenly apply a familiar approach to a new scenario and expect the same successful result, it doesn't escape attention that the movie does the exact same thing. Well, with one major difference, and a crucial one. Where Sicario centred on a female FBI agent (Emily Blunt) thrust into a murky realm she wasn't prepared for or willingly to go blindly along with, this second effort dispenses with the character altogether. In her absence, so too does the film do away with the idea that someone might stand up for doing what's right, rather than what the government and its ruthless agents deem necessary. That's not to say that Brolin and Del Toro don't sweat moral complexity from their furrowed brows, or that their protagonists don't get caught in situations that test even their tenuous ethical limits. They do both, although that's more thanks to the actors than returning screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Wind River). What's missing here is an outside perspective — a view on this dog-eat-dog world that doesn't just accept the bleak circumstances, the by-any-means mindset, or the cruelty that goes with it. Still, Del Toro comes closest to demonstrating the humanity that often gets caught in the crossfire, even when he's holding a weapon and training it at someone else. The path his assassin takes, and the world-weary performance Del Toro turns in, makes the otherwise grim but standard Sicario: Day of the Soldado worth watching. But the less said about the movie's sequel-baiting last few minutes and the teen gang protege subplot that accompanies it, the better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBOxhfWvVDc
Each spring, Melbourne's big screens spend a few weeks celebrating Italian movies. If you're keen to see flicks from the European nation at Australia's picture palaces beyond the annual Italian Film Festival, however, that isn't always guaranteed across the rest of the year. Espresso Cinema is doing its part to help change that — and, back in the Victorian capital for another year, that means hosting three screenings in 2025 that are giving a trio of Italian titles their Aussie premieres. The place: Cinema Nova, where Espresso Cinema's lineup of new, applauded and award-winning films are flickering on a trio of individual dates. First up is The Story of Frank and Nina, with the movie series opening on Sunday, June 29 with the Milan-set, Paola Randi (Beata te)-directed and Ludovica Nasti (My Brilliant Friend)-starring recipient of the 2024 Venice Film Festival's Magic Lantern Award. For a trip to the Alba white truffle region of Italy instead, Trifole plays on Sunday, July 20 — and charts the efforts of a Londoner (Ydalie Turk, who also co-wrote the film) making the journey back to Piedmont to look after her truffle-forager grandfather (Umberto Orsini, Marcel!), then following in his footsteps with his dog Birba to attempt to save his house. Finally, come Sunday, August 31, documentary The Sleeper: The Lost Caravaggio wraps 2025's season up with the potential discovery of a lost piece by Caravaggio in an 80-year-old Madrid woman's lounge room.
Ben Mendelsohn stealing the show in a character-driven indie film? Now there's something you can bet on. Ryan Reynolds holding his own alongside one of Australia's greatest working actors? That probably attracts larger odds. Still, as far as casting is concerned, Mississippi Grind wins big. Their characters, Gerry (Mendelsohn) and Curtis (Reynolds), meet over a hand of poker, then bond over a glass of bourbon. Gerry is an Iowa-based real estate agent who needs a hefty payday to take care of his considerable debts, while the journeying Curtis is more concerned about the fun of playing and wagering than he is with lining his wallet. Soon, they're fast and firm gambling companions, sharing the rush of the high-stakes chase. With a lucrative game in New Orleans in their sights, they jump between bars, casinos, card tables, racetracks, pool halls and betting agencies across America's south, trying to make enough cash for the buy-in. The details of Mississippi Grind are fairly predictable: one down-and-out guy wants something more in life, and another charismatic fellow coasts along. Their pairing sparks ups and downs, all while revealing truths about themselves and the women in their past that they've each been running from. And yet, the latest offering from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson) mostly rises above its recognisable combination of road movie and addiction drama. The filmmakers' ambling, unhurried approach deserves credit, as does their '70s-style aesthetic dominated by browns, blues and greys. Still, the film's true source of success can be found in its stellar performances. Indeed, as the expertly deployed creases on Mendelsohn's face indicate, this is a movie that values all things lived-in. Accordingly, weariness emanates from the actor, although that's not the only trait he paints his character with. In his hands, Gerry alternates subtly between tentative, slippery, proud and thoughtful. It's a masterly display from Mendelsohn, and another highlight of his recent renaissance (though with the likes of Animal Kingdom, Killing Them Softly, The Place Beyond the Pines and Bloodline on his resume, he certainly has plenty already). Reynolds' efforts might appear more overt, yet they're ultimately no less impressive. At first, his casting as an assured, smooth-talking figure feels a little too obvious. However as the film goes on, he not only unpacks that confidence and allure, but wears it like a mask. And while his back-and-forth with Mendelsohn undoubtedly drives the movie's best moments, he offers plenty of charms of his own. In gradually revealing the sadness that lingers beneath Curtis' façade, he's never been better on screen. As it intertwines a familiar narrative with finessed portrayals, Mississippi Grind presents a case of taking the standard with the spectacular. And in a feature about wins and losses, that's quite the fitting outcome.
Keen to sample the dazzling creativity of Montreal's food scene, without forking out for that overseas flight? This year's MFWF puts you up close and personal with some of the city's most exciting culinary talent, pulling together a star crew for one heck of a candle-lit dinner. Five chefs and sommeliers from legendary restaurants Joe Beef and Maison Publique will descend on the Malthouse Theatre to deliver an ultra-indulgent banquet you're not going to forget in a hurry. Some of the names who'll be pouring your wines and firing your food include Joe Beef's executive chef Marc-Olivier Frappier and its two co-founders, David McMilla and Frédéric Morin, and Maison Publique co-owner Derek Dammann. Capturing the bold, innovative spirit that's put these Quebec spots on the map, they'll plate up a lavish three-course shared menu, the dishes carefully matched to standout wines and punctuated with a few extra snacks for good measure. Kings of Quebec is part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Check out more of the festival's events here. Image: David McMillan, Joe Beef.
Melbourne's iconic Fed Square precinct is thinking outside the box this winter with its newly relaunched, jam-packed Anything But Square program. From now until Sunday, September 5, it's dishing up a diverse calendar of events and experiences to warm your cockles and ignite your imagination. A dazzling new presence is that of The Knot — an immersive, large-scale artwork by renowned French artist Cyril Lancelin. It reimagines the classic trefoil knot as a maze of larger-than-life passageways, which light up with a fluorescent pink glow each evening. Fed Square venues including Atiyah and Taxi Kitchen have also created limited-edition dishes inspired by the artwork, available for the duration of its appearance. Carrying on the French theme, Alliance Française de Melbourne will host a series of Frenchy Weekends (August 27–September 5), transporting punters with a program of pop-up performances, culinary giveaways, live tunes and French film masterpieces played on the big screen. You can sate even more of your travel cravings and dig into some French culture with the supporting calendar of panel discussions, workshops and classes — including a boozy art session dubbed Monet & Mimosas. And if you visit the precinct after dark on a Friday or Saturday (August 13–21), keep an eye out for the Curious Creatures — this roving, interactive installation features a cast of mysterious otherworldly characters, fusing puppetry, engineering and art to magical effect. [caption id="attachment_821491" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Neale[/caption] Images: Liam Neal
Printed on a piece of card and stuffed in many a letterbox, "sorry we missed you" ranks among the most frustrating phrases in the English language. If you're expecting a delivery, it means that you'll need to contact the courier company, book in another day and spend more time waiting, which is never convenient. But for those who dedicate their hours to transporting parcels around town, those four words can also indicate something far worse. To some employers, it can mean that they haven't done their job — and that has far-reaching consequences. Continuing his career-long examination of Britain's working class, Ken Loach's latest social-realist drama steps into this world, and into the punishing expectations that have become normalised in today's gig economy. Everyone has been annoyed about a delayed delivery, but the reality for overstretched couriers saddled with too many parcels, too little time, nowhere near enough pay and restrictive working conditions is much more bleak than simply having to wait an extra day for your latest online purchase. Sorry We Missed You focuses on Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen), who's new to the courier business; however it could've just as easily followed his path through plenty of other industries. Loach and his regular screenwriter Paul Laverty have chosen wisely, though, picking a field that everyone has had an experience with (even if only on the consumer side). Still, the same principles apply to many service-oriented professions these days — insecure work, no guaranteed hours, round-the-clock demands and an all-round arrangement that puts employers at an enormous advantage to the contractor's detriment. Ricky's wife Abbie (Debbie Honeywood), a nurse and in-home carer, also navigates a similar system. That we live in a world where meeting set targets and sticking to arbitrary timeframes is more important than giving proper medical care sounds like something out of a grim dystopian future, but Sorry We Missed You isn't exaggerating. After losing not only his construction job in the 2008 financial crash, but his chance to buy a house, Ricky gets into courier work as a last resort. Debts are piling up, he wants security for his family's future and there are no other options. On paper, it seems ideal and even easy. Convincing Abbie to sell her car, he uses to money to purchase a van and starts contracting for a big company. Then, under hard-nosed manager Maloney (Ross Brewster), he discovers how the gig operates. He's soon working seven days a week, getting sanctioned when he can't meet KPIs and resorting to peeing in bottles because he doesn't have time for a toilet break. He's also vulnerable to robberies and financially responsible for the cargo he's delivering. And taking any time off — when he's injured, when the equally overworked and exhausted Abbie needs help, and when their adolescent son Seb (Rhys Stone) gets in trouble with the law — comes with severe monetary penalties. Some days, he even takes his pre-teen daughter Liza Jane (Katie Proctor) with him just so he can see her, although that's also frowned upon. Across his more than 50 years behind the lens, Loach has always been drawn to these types of scenarios. His films are fictional, but they're steeped in actuality. That proved true in 1969's Kes, which relayed the story of a downtrodden Yorkshire boy's life-changing friendship with a kestrel, and just might be the finest British movie ever made. It was also true in I, Daniel Blake, his 2016 Palme d'Or-winning drama about government benefits that's a clear companion piece to Sorry We Missed You. That these tales keep needing to be told is heartbreaking and infuriating, of course — but there's no one better at it than Loach. He's an empathetic and humane filmmaker determined to give a voice to ordinary folks, to tackle everyday issues and to show life as it really is. He's also just as passionate about calling out vast societal inequities that, as seen in the Turners' experiences, exploit the masses for corporate gain. As is his trademark, Loach brings all of the above to the screen with a keenly naturalistic eye and a largely non-professional cast, shooting his characters and their lives as though he's recording reality. There's no one better than cinematographer Robbie Ryan to help — the man who not only achieved the same feat on I, Daniel Blake, but on Andrea Arnold's American Honey and Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story as well. Under the duo's combined gaze, Sorry We Missed You's images speak a thousand frustrating words, and draw audiences into the film's despairing situation. The feature stares daggers at a system the world has simply accepted, too, and forces audiences to see how it affects average people. And, while the movie's message isn't subtle, this is still a nuanced and astute picture that's exactly as stirring and galvanising at it needs to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sdnSZ6J6HA
One great turn inspires another in Monsieur Chocolat — and what stellar, standout turns they are. In this handsome showbiz biopic, a late 19th/early 20th century comedic pioneer inspires a film-stealing performance from a current acting talent. The former is Rafael Padilla, aka Chocolat, the first black clown to star in the French big top. The latter is actor Omar Sy, who previously impressed audiences in The Intouchables, Mood Indigo and X-Men: Days of Future Past. If you don't recognise Padilla's name, the film will soon help you understand why. Examining how he became one of France's forgotten comics is as much a part of Monsieur Chocolat as charting his humorous feats. When the movie introduces the former Afro-Cuban slave, he's playing a cannibal in a regional circus and considered a novelty amongst a cast of white performers. His fortunes seem to change after he joins forces with English clown George Foottit (James Thierrée), and yet much still stays the same. While their acclaimed double act takes them to Paris' prestigious Nouveau Cirque, amusing the masses and earning their respect are two very different things. Here, the leap from loincloth to top hat proves giant in perception but tiny in reality, with director Roschdy Zem unafraid of tackling the obvious factor that complicated Chocolat's career. Bigotry dogs the performer at every turn; kids scream at his teeth-gnashing savage routine, while envious rivals try to keep him down. Even at the height of his popularity, he finds himself arrested on the street. So too is the prejudice clear in the public's reaction when he sets out to become a serious actor. Monsieur Chocolat presents a rise-and-fall narrative, as well as a dissection of stereotypes and discrimination, that feels simultaneously familiar and fresh. This isn't the first time a film has offered a behind-the-scenes look at the less-than-glamorous reality of fame and fortune; nor is it the first time we've been made to face the entertainment industry's poor treatment of multicultural talents. And yet, while few truly original stories may rear their heads these days, previously untold true tales can still strike a chord — particularly when may of the same social issues remain a problem more than a century later. Accordingly, Monsieur Chocolat is a bittersweet affair. It's rightfully sombre in its contemplation of how its title character was treated, and yet absolutely jubilant in depicting him do what he did best. Sy is crucial to both – his clowning skills are a sight to behold, as is his rapport with real-life circus performer Thierrée. In a better world, their reenactments of Chocolat and Foottit's marvelous act would be the only thing this movie needed to focus on, but unfortunately that's not the one we live in. Come for the big top delights. Stay for the grim reality behind them. In tackling both, this film is a worthy tribute to Chocolat's remarkable legacy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgOVqeNNu58
Europeans have this whole 'life' thing down, don't they? They spend a lot of their time eating cheese and drinking wine, they refuse to have any work-related correspondence after 6pm, and they invented a six-hour work day. Lunch Beat, a daytime lunch-hour dance party, undoubtedly hails from the same laissez-faire attitude. And now, in an Australian first, it's hitting The Toff in Town every Tuesday in May. Originating in Sweden in 2010, Lunch Beat has become a worldwide phenomenon. Currently held in 55 cities, the simple but ingenious event has people fist-pumping their way through lunch on every continent. Its latest incarnation in Melbourne is a mere 60 minutes long, features no alcohol or drugs, and provides its dancers with a healthy lunch before they make their way back to work. Though recent media coverage of the event has been both hilarious and dorky, you can't deny Lunch Beat looks like a lot of fun. Break that midday slump, lose your inhibitions and give in to the cardinal rule: 'If it’s your first lunch at Lunch Beat, you have to dance.' Lunch Beat returns to the Toff in Town on August 5 and 19, 2014, plus the Geddes Lounge ( Geddes Lane, Melbourne) on August 12 and 26.
Back in March, Victoria implemented a State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move it has extended monthly since. So, while originally due to expire at midnight on Monday, April 13, the State of Emergency has been prolonged until May 11, June 20, July 19, August 16 and September 13 — and, now, until October 11. With the state currently subject to strict restrictions — including stage-four lockdowns in the metropolitan Melbourne area, which will slowly start easing from 11.59pm tonight, Sunday, September 13, as part of a five-step process — this is hardly surprising news. Victoria is also in a declared State of Disaster, which gives police additional powers to ensure Victorians are complying with public health directions, and that has been prolonged until October 11 as well. Announcing the extensions on Sunday, September 13, Premier Daniel Andrews noted that "while the vast majority of Victorians are doing the right thing and following the directions, these measures give the Chief Health Officer and Victoria Police the powers they need to continue to respond rapidly to the pandemic — in line with the latest data and public health advice". The State of Emergency declaration allows the state's authorised officers to "act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health" as directed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. That means restricting movement, preventing entry to premises and venues, and detaining people — measures that have been in place over the past six months as the state responds to the coronavirus. It's worth noting, however, that extending both the State of Emergency and State of Disaster is separate to Victoria's current roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions. So, it doesn't change those plans — with the first step still coming into effect in metro Melbourne tonight as outlined, and regional Victoria still moving to the second step. Fines continue to be handed out to folks who breach the restrictions — with the state's on-the-spot financial penalties spanning up to $4659 for individuals if you test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms and are awaiting test results, but fail to isolate at home. People who repeatedly break the rules can also be sent to the Magistrates Court and fined up to $20,000. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria and how to protect yourself, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
Catch legendary Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter's latest electrifying production, as he embraces the crazy times we live in by weaving a dark but comical apocalyptic tale about the end of time. Grand Finale combines elements of dance, theatre and live music gigs as a troupe of world-class performers elegantly move their way through an oncoming storm and a society in free-fall. Subtly optimistic about the downfall of the world, Grand Finale might leave you feeling slightly better about our state of affairs. Shechter's previous theatre productions — Uprising, Sun and In your rooms — have impressed Melbourne's audiences over recent years and Grand Finale looks to be no different, having already been nominated for two Helpmann Awards, which celebrate Australia's top performance artists. Across four special nights for Melbourne International Arts Festival, the show appears at Arts Centre Melbourne with tickets available from $39. Stick around after the show on Friday, October 11, for a Q&A with the creatives. Images: Rahi Rezvani.
If you're looking for some new local holidays to plan, consider this: the ever-so-elegant Campbell Point House has opened in the heart of the Bellarine Peninsula wine country, and it's enough to make some of the other luxury getaways feel like veritable hostel stints. Originally built as a family home, the new boutique hotel takes design cues from the majestic chateaux of the Loire Valley, now open to the public following a multi-million dollar spruce-up and makeover. Boasting eight opulent rooms, Campbell Point can host a maximum of just 30 people at once, with facilities reserved strictly for guest use — visit the sprawling property and you'll pretty much feel like you've got the whole place to yourself. And those facilities sure aren't shabby, with the hotel rocking its own championship grass tennis court, day spa, infinity pool and private jetty onto Lake Connewarre. Inside, you can kick back in style in the huge Provincial-inspired lounge, or perhaps the cigar salon, conservatory or billiards room. The food offering here is equally impressive, with the hotel's private restaurant helmed by Tobin Kent (formerly head chef at Gladioli). Organic produce grown in the onsite garden is used throughout the menus, starring alongside a huge array of other ingredients from across the Peninsula. Guests can sit down to a lavish eight-course degustation dinner included in the cost of their room, as well as an a la carte breakfast menu to rival all those inner-city brunch feeds. Of course, when that level of luxury awaits, you ditch the car and instead make use of the onsite helipad. If you fancy a stay, Campbell Point House will set you back a minimum of $1250 per couple per night. That includes dinner, breakfast, complimentary snacks from the mini bar and a Champagne and cheese platter on arrival. Campbell Point House is open from Monday, October 22, at Matthews Road, Leopold, Vic.
Spritzing season is in full swing — and to celebrate, Pilgrim is kicking off a series of summer sipping sessions centred around spritzes and all-Aussie snacks. The riverside bar's afternoon Spritz & Snack parties will run from 2–6pm, every second Saturday, launching on the long weekend on January 26. For $25, guests will enjoy a showcase of snacks crafted on top local produce and a signature spritz on arrival, with more boutique sips available to purchase at the bar. In the kitchen, Head Chef Mike Richard will be celebrating some of his favourite Aussie producers, through dishes like Meru Miso ranch barbecue chicken wings, Pacdon Park pulled pork mini-bites, peppered wallaby tartare and an outback curry bean dip. The matching drinks offering is set to feature a rotation of fruit-driven spritzes, heroing much-loved Australian distillers like Patient Wolf and Poor Toms, while local DJs spin tunes throughout the afternoon.
There are squillions of ways you could celebrate 2018's International Women's Day, but if partying with Camp Cope sounds like your kind of jam, there's only one event you need to know about. On Thursday, March 8, the kickass all-girl trio is joining a stack of other well-loved artists to help community radio station PBS celebrate all the great women rocking Melbourne's music scene. From 5-7pm acts including rock legend Adalita, garage-punk five-piece Lazertits and guitar duo Hospital Pass will take over PBS' regular broadcasting for a two-hour studio session of live tunes and female-focused festivities, at the station's Collingwood headquarters. If you're one of the first to RSVP, you could score a front row seat as part of the live studio audience. Otherwise the musical goodness will be broadcast across the country via the Community Radio Network.
Japanese fare might be the traditional match for sake, but this tasting series is approaching the rice wine differently. Taking over Arlechin across six nights this February and March, the Tanuki Sake Pop-Up will see the Melbourne Sake crew team up with Italian favourite Grossi, to show punters just how versatile this spirit can be. Both Grossi alumni themselves, the label's founders Matt Kingsley Shaw and Quentin Hanley are out to share their passion for sake ahead of the imminent launch of their own debut batch. They're hosting various sittings for the pop-up on March 5, 6, 12 and 13. Guests can choose between the one-hour Quick Tanuki experience ($45) — enjoying a special menu of sake-optimised snacks from the Grossi kitchen and a sake on arrival — or dive in deep with the The Grand Tanuki ($90), which also includes a guided premium sake flight. You'll be able purchase more sake by the glass, along with a range of beers, cocktails and Japanese liquors. And if you taste something you like, there'll be a retail sake selection to stock up that home bar, too. Sittings are available from 5–11pm each night of the pop-up.
UPDATE, Friday, July 7: Limbo streams via ABC iView from 8.30pm on Sunday, July 9. When Ivan Sen sent a police detective chasing a murdered girl and a missing woman in the Australian outback in 2013's Mystery Road and its 2016 sequel Goldstone, he saw the country's dusty, rust-hued expanse in sun-bleached and eye-scorching colour. In the process, the writer, director, co-producer, cinematographer, editor and composer used his first two Aussie noir films and their immaculately shot sights to call attention to how the nation treats people of colour — historically since its colonial days and still now well over two centuries later. Seven years after the last Jay Swan movie, following a period that's seen that character make the leap to the small screen in three television seasons, Sen is back with a disappearance, a cop, all that inimitable terrain and the crimes against its Indigenous inhabitants that nothing can hide. Amid evident similarities, there's a plethora of differences between the Mystery Road franchise and Limbo; however, one of its simplest is also one of its most glaring and powerful: shooting Australia's ochre-toned landscape in black and white. Going monochrome in a place that's so connected with a red-, orange- and clay-heavy palette is a visually spectacular choice. Doing just that in a film made in Coober Pedy, the globally famous "opal capital of the world" that's known for its underground dwellings beneath the blazing South Australian earth, is a bold decision, too. Sen strips away the colour to heighten the details — and also makes an emotionally and thematically loaded move. In every second, in every image that Limbo has flicker across the screen, there's no escaping the contrast that lingers plain as day as the audience watches on. There isn't meant to any reprieve, of course. As a stranger once more rides into town western-style within one of the auteur's movies, this is another rich, impassioned and affecting feature about the vast chasm between being Black and white in Australia, and it refuses to see hurt, pain and unspeakable loss with anything but the clearest of eyes. Limbo's setting: the fictional locale that shares its name, unmistakably sports an otherworldly topography dotted by dugouts to avoid the baking heat and hasn't been able to overcome the murder of a local Indigenous girl two decades earlier. The title is symbolic several times over, including to the visiting Travis Hurley (Simon Baker, Blaze), whose first task upon arrival is checking into his subterranean hotel, rolling up his sleeves and indulging his heroin addiction. Later, he'll be told that he looks more like a drug dealer than a police officer — but, long before then, it's obvious that his line of work and the sorrows he surveys along the way have kept him hovering in a void. While he'll also unburden a few biographical details about mistakes made and regrets held before the film comes to an end, this tattooed cop with wings inked onto his back is already in limbo before he's literally in Limbo. Travis has been dispatched to give Charlotte Hayes' vanishing a fresh examination; her brother Charlie (Rob Collins, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) is quick to say that exactly that should've happened 20 years prior. Back then, the investigation was brief, with fingers pointed swiftly and lazily at Limbo's First Nations men — sometimes even by each other simply to get the law off their own backs. "I don't talk to cops, especially white ones," is the initial response now. When Travis approaches Charlie's estranged sister Emma (Natasha Wanganeen, The Survival of Kindness), she's equally unwelcoming. But as the detective's line of cold-case questioning also draws in Joseph (Nicolas Hope, Black Snow), the brother of the now-dead prime suspect from all that time back, Charlotte's siblings and the new badge in town have no choice but to keep crossing paths. In the movie's deeply biting script, there's no doubting that Charlotte's case would've been handled differently from the outset if she was white — and that the racially motivated blame directed towards Charlie and Limbo's other Indigenous scapegoats has left irreparable scars. As in Mystery Road and Goldstone, Sen unpacks what such disdain for First Nations lives means in outback Australia; the fractures its causes in lives and locations; the impact upon generations that follow; and the way that this horrific state of affairs haunts at a personal, community and national level alike. Actually, perhaps it's more accurate to say that Limbo dwells with these ideas and truths, steeping in and sitting in purgatory beside them. There are some answers to be found in the film's narrative, but also no easy answers. Not just because Travis gets caught in Limbo longer than he expects or wants due to car troubles, there's no straightforward route out, either. With his layered, pointed and soul-searing stories that make perceptive use of silence (and make every word of dialogue count), Sen is an exceptional screenwriter. That's true when he's returning to familiar parts but never merely retracing his own footsteps; Limbo is the cinema equivalent of stopping on another trail in the same desert to Mystery Road and Goldstone, rather than hitting the next town in line. The auteur is one of Australia's foremost talents at every skill he plies behind the camera, in fact — and his way with actors is among them. Under his gaze, Baker is in career-best form, which is no minor feat given the actor's extensive career, plus his impressive fellow recent homegrown turns in 2017's Breath, 2020's High Ground and 2022's Blaze. Beneath close-cropped hair and wire-rimmed glasses, there's such weariness and heaviness to his portrayal, all while playing a man whose investment in the case and connection with Charlie, Emma and the former's son Zac (expressive first-timer Mark Coe) manages to surprise himself. Again shooting in Coober Pedy, as they both did for TV series Firebite, Collins and Wanganeen also give weighty performances that say so much even when they're uttering little, including about the yearning that everyone has to be seen, recognised and appreciated for who they are. Limbo's cast is contemplative in a film that's purposefully meditative — and for a filmmaker unwilling to shy away from the toll that racism constantly has, plus grief and Australia's inequitable justice system, as he ruminates. As a cinematographer, Sen's work is just as meticulous, motivated and moving. As an editor, he's exacting while knowing when to savour the moment. And Limbo is indeed a breathtaking feature to savour, staring intently as it does at harsh realities turned into a strikingly crafted and stunningly performed Aussie crime thriller.
In 3000 Nights, a pregnant schoolteacher finds herself imprisoned after being falsely accused of collaborating with terrorists. In The Curve, an unlikely set of companions travel across Jordan in a VW van. And in Villa Touma, three Christian sisters caught in a metaphorical time warp find their lives thrown into disarray with the arrival of their orphaned niece. Such are the stories — of adversity, companionship and transformation — that you'll find on the program at this year's Palestinian Film Festival. Returning to select cinemas in capital cities around the country, including Cinema Nova in Melbourne from November 25–27, the latest edition of this vibrant film festival boasts a handful of features along with a selection of short films than run the gamut from documentary to science fiction. For the full Palestinian Film Festival program visit palestinianfilmfestival.com.au.
"My plan was to die before the money ran out, but I kept and keep not dying — and here I am." When asked about her strategy as she faces financial ruin, that's Manhattan socialite Frances Price's (Michelle Pfeiffer, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) frank response. Her fortune has dwindled, the banks are about to repossess everything she owns and she doesn't know what her now-precarious future holds; however, she's most annoyed about having to answer her financial advisor's exasperated questions. Conveying Frances' reply with little else but spikiness otherwise, Pfeiffer turns this early French Exit scene into a deadpan masterclass. The character's candour, irritation and sharp edges are all personality traits, rather than specific reactions to her current predicament, and Pfeiffer makes it clear that she'd still be spitting out acerbic retorts with the same poker face if Frances had been queried about absolutely anything else. She frequently does just that afterwards, in fact, and she's a caustic delight in this wry exploration of a familiar topic: weathering life's many disappointments. Widowed for a decade, and happy to keep cultivating an eccentric reputation as the years go on, Frances hasn't dedicated even a second to tangibly preparing for her present lack of funds. That said, she soon has another plan. Surreptitiously selling off her belongings as her accountant advises — and viciously haggling over commission rates in the process — she rustles up what cash she can and absconds to Paris, where a friend's empty apartment awaits rent-free. There, she reverts to her old approach. Once her remaining money has been frittered away on wine, coffee, and oversized tips to anyone and everyone, she doesn't see the point of going on. But her dysfunctionally codependent relationship with her twentysomething son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges, Waves), his on-and-off romance with his secret fiancée Susan (Imogen Poots, Black Christmas), and a new friendship with the lonely and besotted Madame Reynard (Valerie Mahaffey, Dead to Me) all add unexpected chaos to Frances' scheme, as does a cruise ship fortune teller (Danielle Macdonald, Unbelievable) and a runaway cat who just might be her reincarnated husband. French Exit doesn't watch on as Frances tries to live a modest life and adjust her extravagant ways. It doesn't follow the unapologetically venomous woman as she learns to reassess her choices and attitude, either. Rather, it unfurls a keenly observed character study that's wrapped up in an oddball comedy — and while mining the loss of extreme wealth for chuckles has served Schitt's Creek well, too, French Exit proves as distinctive as its protagonist. It's a film about a woman called Frances who was once married to Franklin, owns a cat called Small Frank and relocates to France, after all. She leaves suddenly and without informing New York high society of her departure, of course, as the movie's title suggests. That's the type of humour pulsating through this light yet still probing picture, as directed with a fluid touch by Azazel Jacobs (The Lovers), and scripted by author Patrick deWitt from his own 2018 novel. Indeed, the fact that Frances' son isn't called Frankie, and that no one called Fran also pops up, is actually disappointing once French Exit establishes its absurdist wavelength. A haunted sensation hovers over this portrait of privilege undone, though, and not just because of Small Frank's possible backstory. Casting Pfeiffer is the movie's best choice, and must've been far too delicious to pass up — seeing the former Catwoman chase a mouser around Paris is amusing, naturally — but it's easy to see how French Exit could've and probably would've crumbled without her. Finding the perfect person for a part that no one else would've done justice can do that. This film belongs to its equally slinky and scathing star, who adds another commanding performance to a resume filled with them, but she's the overwhelming reason that Frances' wounding one-liners, larger-than-life demeanour and all-round cattishness strike a chord. Equally icy and vulnerable even when she's playing for laughs, she also ensures that Frances never feels like a caricature, or as if she has simply stepped out of a Wes Anderson or Noah Baumbach picture. (In its pithy dialogue and idiosyncratic family dynamics, French Exit overtly resembles both The Royal Tenenbaums and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), and even offers a gender-flipped accompaniment to Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks as well). Thankfully, Pfeiffer is truly magnificent and magnetic, and the film's embrace of farce is just as compelling. The latter is refreshing, too, ignoring the usual poignant life lessons, and instead embracing the mess and mania Frances seems to cultivate every time she opens her mouth. Jacobs and deWitt haven't starved their feature of canny insights, especially in Pfeiffer's barbed words. A trace of unshakeable melancholy lingers over every sentence as her character tries to do what everyone must: figure out how to go on. But, paired with a lively pace, scenic but never gratuitously touristy Parisian cinematography, and a willingness to get silly and whimsical, French Exit bubbles rather than wallows — and while it doesn't quite find its mark consistently enough, it's a gem whenever it does. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0UbkJD2KDY
Do you live in a dog-friendly house? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you fantasise about hanging around at dog parks with an actual dog? The good folk at Vision Australia need you. As part of the organisation's seeing eye dog program, they have puppies running around the place quite often, and they're in need of volunteers to raise them. In other words, they're giving away puppies — but you will need to give them back. If you put up your hand to become a puppy carer, you'll get a puppy for about a year — from around its eight-week birthday to when it turns turns between 12–15 months old. During that time, you'll be responsible for introducing the sights, sounds and smells it'll meet when it starts working as a seeing eye dog (and giving your new friend heaps of cuddles). Of course, it's not all just fun, games and cuteness. You'll have to be responsible enough to take care of regular grooming, house training and exercise, and be available for regular visits. A fenced-in backyard is mandatory, too. In return, the organisation provides a strong support network, and all food, training equipment and vet care. You'll also need to be home most of the time — so you won't be leaving the puppy alone for more than three hours a day, sat in front of Dog TV — and to be able to put effort into training and socialising the pup. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (@seeingeyedogsaustralia) Vision Australia is looking for people in a few of Melbourne spots: in the east to the Yarra Ranges; in the southeast to Portsea; and in Kensington, Flemington, North Melbourne, Ascot Vale and West Melbourne. They're also looking in the Bendigo and Geelong regions, too. In Queensland, the north Brisbane and Sunshine Coast areas are the current priorities. Once the pups reach 12-15 months old, they'll return to Vision Australia — and complete their journey to become four-legged companions for people who are blind or have low vision. Keen? You can apply online right now. For more information about Vision Australia's puppy carers, and to apply for the volunteer roles, head to the organisation's website.
Not quite ready to say goodbye to summer? Well, neither is the team at the Brunswick Baths, so on March 11, they'll play host to Brunswick Music Festival's first-ever pool party, High Tide. Punters are invited to enjoy a sunny Sunday afternoon of poolside fun, complete with great tunes and good vibrations — all for just the standard price you'd shell out for entry to the Baths. Taking care of the soundtrack, there'll be two sets each from electro-soul trio Silver Linings and DJ Shio Otani, featuring the kind of blissed-out tracks that summer was made for. Never mind that it's just ended. Also on the bill are a couple of special performances by The Eastern Sirens synchronised swim team, to enjoy in between dips.
Every Thursday between November 30, 2023–January 11, 2024, the Classic and Lido cinemas will become the dreamiest places in Melbourne. Across a seven-week period, the two picture palaces are paying tribute to the filmography of Sofia Coppola — melancholic sisters, cake-eating monarchs and Los Angeles teens breaking into celebrity houses all included. It all kicks off exactly where the second-generation filmmaker's feature directorial career began, aka with The Virgin Suicides and its ethereal score by Air. From there, viewers will play tourist in Tokyo with the Oscar-winning Lost in Translation, head to 18th century France with Marie Antoinette and laze around an LA hotel with Venice Golden Lion recipient Somewhere. The real-life tale of The Bling Ring and the civil war drama of The Beguiled also get a run — and wrapping up the lineup is Coppola's brand-new Priscilla. Showcasing Coppola's films also means showcasing a fantastic array of performances — including Kirsten Dunst in three of Coppola's flicks, Bill Murray singing karaoke and befriending Scarlett Johansson, and everyone from Nicole Kidman to Colin Farrell proving a treat. Screenings start at 7pm each week at both cinemas.
UPDATE: 4.50pm DECEMBER 29, 2019 — Yungblud's all-ages show is now going ahead. To find out all the details, head to The Tote Facebook page. The below article has been updated to reflect this. The Lorne leg of Falls Festival was cancelled earlier today, one day into the 2019 event, because of extreme and hazardous weather. The decision was made after "consultation with local and regional fire authorities and other emergency stakeholders", with a Falls Festival spokesperson saying, "It is clear that we have no other option". While festivalgoers have until 9am tomorrow morning, Monday, December 30, to leave, there's an extra incentive to get back into the city tonight (as long as you're sober enough to drive or have a desy, of course): Halsey and Yungblud, who were both scheduled to perform at the festival, have both announced last-minute Melbourne shows. And all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to volunteer firefighting services. America pop singer and star Halsey was set to headline the festival and had organised no sideshows, but, in wake of the cancellation, will be performing songs off her Platinum albums Badlands and Hopeless Fountain Kingdom at The Forum tonight, December 29, from 10pm. https://twitter.com/halsey/status/1211122644332023808 Tickets for the show will set you back $30 — with all profits going to the Country Fire Authority — and will be available to purchase from The Forum box office. Priority access will be given to Falls Festival Lorne ticket holders from 6pm. Halsey is promising to play a full set, too, and says in Twitter post that she probably won't walk off stage "until they drag me". UK singer Yungblud will also be holding an all-ages charity show at The Tote in Collingwood tonight at 8.30pm (doors at 7.30pm). Tickets are first in, best dressed and will set you back $5 at the door with all profits going to rural fire services. https://www.facebook.com/yungblud/photos/a.315918852088894/1076885429325562/?type=3&theater It's very possible more Falls Festival artists will announce last-minute Melbourne shows in the upcoming days (or hours), too. We'll let you know if they do. Halsey will perform at The Forum tonight (December 29) from 10pm and Yungblud will perform at The Tote at 8.30pm.
Get up close and personal with some of Australia's most exciting playwrights at the National Play Festival this July. Described as a celebration of ambitious new playwriting, the annual event features readings, talks, workshops and masterclasses across four very dramatic days, catering to theatre lovers and aspiring writers alike. Running from July 27-30 at the Malthouse Theatre, standout events on the NPF lineup include readings by prominent and up-and-coming writers, such as Melissa Reeves, Steve Rodgers, Emily Sheehan and Melodie Reynolds-Diarra. The talks program, meanwhile, will be headlined by a keynote address from living legend Michael Gow, along with a free late-night discussion on gender tropes in theatre titled Write Like a Man. Anyone wanting to put pen to page themselves can also take part in Playwriting 101, a two-hour workshop that covers the basics of writing for the stage. That event is free too, but bookings are highly recommended. Image: Stephen Godfrey.
Anger doesn't need words to echo. In The Survival of Kindness, it resounds so urgently without a comprehensible remark spoken that it creates its own simmering soundtrack. Stepping behind the lens for his first feature since 2013's Charlie's Country, Dutch Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer gives his latest movie an actual score — largely an atmospheric, wind-beaten piece by first-timer Anna Liebzeit, but also with strings and birds — however, his audience can always hear rage at its loudest. It reverberates in an attention-grabbing opening where a colonial bloodbath is made of cake icing. It may as well whistle, too, when the feature's protagonist is left caged in the blazing rays against a claypan desert landscape that's instantly recognisable as Australian. And that fury about oppression and discrimination, plus the privilege that's behind it, keeps silently singing as a woman wanders — which isn't all that The Survival of Kindness is about, but is primarily what it depicts. Credited only as BlackWoman, and portrayed in a phenomenally expressive performance by the Democratic Republic of the Congo-born, Adelaide-based Mwajemi Hussein — a debutant who had never even been to a cinema before she made the film — The Survival of Kindness' central figure does indeed walk. The red dunes get scrubbier, desolate ruins appear, then remote shacks and empty towns. Next comes a lake, and finally an industrialised city. Through each, BlackWoman keeps putting one foot in front of the other, striding forth in search of safety and solace, with sorrow evident, and also to subsist. To make that relentless trek, she must break free first, after the masked folks initially seen cutting cake drive BlackWoman into sun-bleached isolation. Days pass, plus freezing nights, both with only the battling ants for company. Those little critters are determined, but rarely more so than de Heer's heroine. The Survival of Kindness' first scenes are calculated to engage and stun. As they segue from the model of a massacre atop a dessert to BlackWoman incarcerated in dark of night outside, then to her trailer being towed to the desert, they're crafted to clash and contrast as well. There's nothing dreamy for a moment about what de Heer's film is saying, but a dreamlike quality lingers in the way that he unfurls this unflinching narrative. His story so overtly deploys Australia's terrain, with the movie shot in South Australia and Tasmania, but never says that's where it takes place. It spends much of its first half with little but ochre soil and virtually cloudless skies surrounding BlackWoman, but townships and cityscapes are a part of its world. It feels as if it is peering backwards and peeking forward simultaneously, while also being firmly a product of the present. It brings fellow Aussie greats Walkabout and Mad Max to mind, and also has a dialogue with the pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It dwells in the aftermath of a catastrophe, yet leaves its plague unnamed. That inscrutability is wholly by design; BlackWoman could've strolled through history, across an apocalyptic future or right now and her dystopian tale wouldn't differ. That's one of the raw and resonant messages beating down on The Survival of Kindness as harshly as the sun, noting how cruelly those of wealth, power and white skin have long treated people of colour. In a feature also sporting a sense of absurdist playfulness, finding footwear routinely turns out badly — when BlackWoman secures a pair from a corpse, they're swiftly snatched with a gun pointing her way — in a smart and loaded piece of foreshadowing. When the land that she moseys over becomes more populated, the film's lead is soon scavenging for clothing for a different type of protection: so that she can smear white ash around her eyes beneath one of her oppressors' full-facial coverings, as needed to keep walking without her race being spotted. Hussein is always noticed, though. A social worker off-screen, she blasts a matter-of-fact, always-resolute and innately empathetic stare at everything from those warring insects to boot-clad skeletons. She too is impish when she's stripping mannequins for their attire — rapping the head of one dressed as a policeman with its own truncheon — and almost jocular when she's bartering with a forlorn man mourning his wife over water and, yes, those pesky kicks. BlackWoman's eyes are always scrutinising the horrors before her, and Hussein's soulful peepers are frequently surveyed in turn. Such is the quiet force rippling in her performance, one that just keeps having to weather the world's worst tendencies, that it's impossible to imagine The Survival of Kindness feeling as human as it does while burdened with so much bleakness and ire without her presence. Not merely because the title says so, Hussein's is a face of kindness, giving the movie a warm and lively focal point amid its rampant suffering and atrocities. That said, BlackWoman does eventually have company in BrownGirl (Deepthi Sharma, another debutant) and BrownBoy (fellow first-timer Darsan Sharma), who come to her assistance and welcome her into their camaraderie. Between them, goodwill endures — but The Survival of Kindness knows, sees and stresses how truly rare that is in its own realm and in the reality it's so eagerly reflecting within its frames. It isn't by accident that de Heer begins with violence in miniature, immediately and blatantly posing his picture as a condensed portrait of life and history as we know it. Similarly, the lack of intelligible dialogue and the anywhere, anytime air purposefully ensures that BlackWoman's plight remains deeply universal. For Aussie viewers, there's nothing global about the scenery captured by cinematographer Maxx Corkindale, who also lensed the de Heer-produced documentary My Name Is Gulpilil about the director's The Tracker, Ten Canoes and Charlie's Country star. Add The Survival of Kindness to the pile of local features that do what only the best can — fare such as Mystery Road, Goldstone, Sweet Country and High Ground in the past decade, for instance — by making such oft-used dusty expanses seem like they've been unearthed solely to fuel the picture they're so essential to. Corkindale also looks upwards, watching the heavens cycle in time-lapse. He gazes at minutiae, adopts BlackWoman's gas mask-wearing perspective and, throughout it all, shoots with pure naturalism. He draws attention to the act of seeing, too, which couldn't be more pivotal: de Heer isn't making a doco here, but The Survival of Kindness is still bearing enraged witness.
Tuesdays mean different things to different people. Another day closer to the weekend, almost hump day, the day you wish you could sleep through — they're all on the list. But, at The Bavarian each week, the day after Monday also means tucking into $9.95 schnitzels. It's one of the tastiest ways to celebrate any day, and to also save your pennies while doing so. There's no occasion, other than just because — but cheap schnitties for the sake of it is what any Schnitzel Tuesday should be about. For a bargain price, The Bavarian will serve you up a chicken schnitzel with fries and lemon, but you do have to also buy a full-priced drink to get the deal. Fancy another schnitty? That's completely fine — just get another drink. Available all day every Tuesday, this is some good schnitz. To get your fix, you can head to The Bavarian venues around town — there are two in Victoria, at Highpoint and Westfield Knox, so you've got options. You can also level-up your schnits for an extra $10, getting a 'Godfather' (a giant schnitzel, ham, cheese, kielbasa, napoli sauce and cheese) or a 'Matterhorn' (a schnitzel mountain, cheese spätzle, three layers of Alpen cheese and bacon).
UPDATE Thursday, February 16: The current Melbourne run of 'Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical' has been extended, now showing until Sunday, March 5. The following has been updated to reflect the change. Pucker up, fans of 90s teen flicks — whether you were the exact right age at the time, have discovered them since or found yourself looking backwards thanks to recent films like Do Revenge. After finally bringing its song- and dance-filled take on one of the most influential movies of the era to Australian stages this year, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is making a comeback along Australia's east coast in 2023. It seems that we can't get enough of this bittersweet symphony. We can't stop praising it, either. This time, audiences in Melbourne will get a second chance to get nostalgic — at the Athenaeum Theatre from Thursday, February 16. To answer the most crucial question, yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the period, including The Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me'. In fact, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is a jukebox musical, so it's overflowing with a heap other tunes from that late 90s–early 00s time. Think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. The story remains the same, just without Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair (and Joshua Jackson's blonde locks). If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know how it goes. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school.
Bickering and bantering. Battling all over space. Blasting retro tunes. That's Guardians of the Galaxy's holy trinity, no matter where its ragtag crew happens to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt, The Super Mario Bros Movie) and his pals have offered the MCU something shinier than the gold-hued Adam Warlock (Will Poulter, Dopesick): a reprieve from the ever-sprawling franchise's standard self-seriousness. Friends but really family, because Vin Diesel is involved, this superhero team got gleefully goofy in their initial big-screen outing, 2017 sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and 2022's straight-to-streaming The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. They've popped up elsewhere across the comic-book film saga plying a sense of silliness, too. Welcomely, even when they're slipping into Avengers and Thor flicks, they've always felt like their own distinctive group surfing their own humorous but heartfelt wavelength, a power that isn't generally shared across Marvel's output. Arriving to close out the Guardians' standalone trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 zooms into the movie series' fifth phase with a difference: it's still a quippy comedy, but it's as much a drama and a tragedy as well. Like most on-screen GotG storylines, it's also heist caper — and as plenty of caped-crusader flicks are, within the MCU or not, it's an origin story. The more that a James Gunn-written and -directed Guardians film gets cosy within the usual Marvel template, however, the more that his branch of Marvel's pop-culture behemoth embraces its own personality. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 couldn't cling tighter to its needle drops, of course, which leap to the 90s and 00s this time and hit with all the subtlety of a Zune player being thrown at the audience. It also stuffs out its duration and over-packs its plot. But, the obligatory post-credits sting aside, this farewell to part of the MCU always feels like a zippy, self-contained Guardians of the Galaxy movie — including when it's also a touching dive into Rocket's (Bradley Cooper, Nightmare Alley) history — rather than a placeholder for more and more future franchise instalments. That said, thanks to past MCU chapters, this third Guardians effort begins with Rocket feeling alone in the world, and Quill drunk and despondent. (The soundtrack: an acoustic version of Radiohead's 'Creep'.) The latter's beloved Gamora (Zoe Saldaña, Avatar: The Way of Water) is no longer the same woman he shared a galaxy-saving life with — instead, she's an alternate version who can't recall their romance — and he isn't coping. Demigod Warlock scorching his way through the Guardians' floating home of Knowhere snaps him into action, though, when their flying interloper tries to raccoon-nap Rocket. Only tracking down the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji, Peacemaker) will save the gang's gravely injured furry friend, which means a face-off with the megalomaniac inventor who made the genetically engineered critter and is militant in his quest to create a utopia. As Quill and fellow Guardians OGs Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista, Knock at the Cabin) and Groot (Diesel, Fast and Furious 9) go a-rescuing — with the icier Gamora along for the ride for a payday, plus later crew additions Mantis (Pom Klementieff, Thunder Force), Nebula (Karen Gillan, Dual), Kraglin (Sean Gunn, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel) and Cosmo the Spacedog (Maria Bakalova, Bodies Bodies Bodies) doing their bits in various ways — it's impossible not to see art imitating life in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. A universe-creating overlord who is obsessed with dominance and perfection, and also intellectual property rights, being challenged by a thick-as-thieves troupe who'd rather be happy and scrappy? Yes, this is the movie that Gunn has whipped up for his brief trip back to Marvel following a controversy-sparked visit to the DC Extended Universe to direct The Suicide Squad and TV's Peacemaker, and before getting installed as that rival realm's new co-head honcho. Just as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 doesn't ever scream "all that matters is setting up the next movies!", which is a relief after that's all Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania did, Gunn doesn't ever lay his real-life parallels on too thickly. He's busier ensuring that the Guardians' tussle with their all-controlling foe is as irreverent as it is emotional — bringing up those family bonds like Groot should be cracking a Corona, too — while pinballing between settings and setpieces. The gang's lively time on a base crafted out of organic matter is an eye-catchingly squidgy and fleshy standout; from the tactile production and costume design through to supporting parts by Gunn's The Suicide Squad star Daniela Melchior and his Slither lead Nathan Fillion, it's delightfully executed. And yet, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is at its best when it's jetting backwards to when a young Rocket was dreaming of being more than a mad scientist's test subject — of being more than the GotG version of Frankenstein's monster, that is. Spending a fair chunk of the film's hefty 150-minute running time in origin mode could've proven mere padding. Instead, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's present, it's the fight scenes that just keep coming that play that way. So does the Drax-and-Mantis double act after the movie's midway point, even with Bautista and Klementieff still firing in their comfortable comic pairing. When he's just a kit in a cage, having Rocket form a band of misfit toys with otter Lylla (Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me), walrus Teefs (Asim Chaudhry, What's Love Got to Do with It?) and rabbit Floor (Mikaela Hoover, The Suicide Squad) could've been too saccharine as well, but these unflinchingly bleak, earnest and empathetic flashbacks brim with soul and heart. The GotG flicks have always been about finding somewhere to belong and someone to belong with, after all, with this swansong thoughtfully explores how and why that need to connect is so deeply wired in through pain and trauma. A Guardians film that beams brightest when there's only one Guardian in focus — and not the 70s- and 80s-worshipping, Patrick Swayze name-dropping Quill? Perhaps that's why the trilogy is coming to an end. At their core, Rocket's Vol. 3 storyline and Quill's Vol. 2's daddy issues have more than a little in common, but shifting the GotG series' attention past the team's biggest Footloose fan is refreshing almost a decade in. (And while Pratt fits this big-name franchise better than Jurassic World, basically playing Burt Macklin: Space Protector, Cooper's excellent voice work makes him Vol. 3's MVP.) Knowing when something's time has come is a hard lesson to learn, of course. Among Gunn's many trademarks overseeing playful entries with a distinctive personality in an oft-formulaic broader saga, swinging big with difficult emotions, choices and realisations has always ranked up there with jokey patter and as anarchic a vibe as the MCU would let him get away with. Naturally, he signs off from Guardians in that exact fashion — and with a picture that relishes being its own thing, bloat, repetitive gags, well-worn dynamics, over-used music and all, over ticking franchise boxes.
For one weekend only, across Saturday, December 9–Sunday, December 10, HiFi and Lucy Liu are joining forces to sell some special-edition sandwiches in Collingwood. Hifi's Dale Kemp and Lucy Liu's Zac Cribbes will be in HiFi's kitchen for both days, pumping out three pan-Asian sangas that they created together. They've got the beef rendang short rib sub, the gochujang-covered fried chicken sandwich and the pork belly with crackling sanga. Each is generously covered in all kinds of house-made sauces, so do expect things to get a bit messy. To go with the bites to eat, the crew will also be dishing up sour plum MSG curly fries, fried Chinese doughnuts and Vietnamese coffee shakes spiked with Kahlua sago. It's going to be a full-on gluttonous experience up on Smith Street. And as always, the Collingwood sandwich joint will be spinning vinyl throughout the day, so you can groove along to some tunes while you wait for your takeaway lunch. Images: My Friend Tom.
An all-day event devoted to female writers and freelancers on a SWEATSHOP panel are among the headliners of the just-announced 2015 Emerging Writers' Festival program, taking place in Melbourne between May 26 and June 5. One of this year's key EWF events, titled #writingwhilefemale, is a female-focused extravaganza made up of panel discussions, live performances and workshops. The all-day event will open with a discussion dubbed ‘Writing While Feminist’, exploring the challenges of expressing feminist opinions in cyberspace, where the proliferation of platforms allows more and more women to speak out, but also enables online sexual harassment and abuse. It's an extremely topical start, riding the buzz surrounding Anita Sarkeesian's recent Australian visit. Other topics to be visited on the day include ‘Schooling Self-Confidence’, ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ and ‘Writing Women’. #writingwhilefemale, to be held on Friday 5 June at The Wheeler Centre (176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne), is just one of numerous festival events concerned with women in writing. In fact, more than half of the artists scheduled to appear are female. Meanwhile, SWEATSHOP’s panel will take an in-depth look at the lives of freelancers. Are all freelance writers free to work in their pyjamas and indulge in ultra-long coffee dates? Or are they too busy counting their pennies and chasing work? Four experienced freelancers — Sam Cooney, Gillian Terzis, Ellena Savage and Connor Tomas O’Brien — will spill the beans on how they spend their days. The discussion is just one part of the National Writers’ Conference, to happen over the May 30-31 weekend at the Melbourne Town Hall. All six of the festival’s official ambassadors — Oslo Davis, Kylie Ladd, William McInnes, Sulari Gentill and Anna Poletti — will make appearances. Beyond the chats, there’ll be stacks of live performances, including Translation Nation, which will involve five emerging translators telling parts of a story in Mandarin, Indonesian, Spanish, Italian and Japanese; Travel Slide Night, where stunning photos will be supported with compelling stories (not your average somnolent slide session); and #Selfies, during which eight writers will talk about what their selfies reveal about their inner selves. Festival junkies can also look forward to the return of Amazing Babes and Mixtape Memoirs (a collaboration with the Lifted Brow). Emerging Writers' Festival runs May 26 to June 5. Check out the rest of the program for yourself right here.
Get ready for all your wildest, sugar-filled fantasies to come true, when Melbourne's own Willy Wonka-style exhibition Sugar Republic hosts a roving dessert degustation. It's happening across three sessions, on Saturday, August 4. Curated by MasterChef alumni Tamara Graffen, along with Om Nom Kitchen's Jo Ward and Lydia Schofield, the interactive feast will see diners getting down and dirty with a menu of indulgent sweet creations. You'll find yourself chowing down on Cherry Ripe-flavoured clouds (a nod to the building's famous former occupant, MacRobertson), sipping ice cream spiders crafted with liquid nitrogen and creating your own signature flavour of fairy floss, among all other sorts of sugary fun. Diners will also get free rein of the exhibition itself, which boasts a bunch of playful, interactive installations, including a bubblegum-inspired ball pit, a giant birthday cake and walls of fairy floss.
If anyone knows how to make veggies cool, it's the team at innovative Brunswick eatery Host. It runs a series of regular vegetarian dinners with some of Melbourne's most interesting chefs — and it's just locked in some dates for early 2018. For the next round of its plant-based feasts, the restaurant's teamed up with chef and yogi Paolo Arlotta, whose name you might know as one of the ones behind not-for-profit CBD cafe Kinfolk. Trained in Italy and boasting stints at the likes of Vue de Monde, Nora and Amaru, Arlotta will be working his trademark produce-driven cuisine into a four-course degustation menu of vegan and vegetarian delights. Held on March 6, March 27 and April 24, the dinners clock in at just $70 per person, including some great booze matches from Host's expertly curated drinks lineup.
There's a reason why Concrete Playground is Melbourne's down-to-earth, all-seeing guide who can be trusted with your precious weekend plans. We're here collecting and compiling the latest on festivals, events and restaurant and bar openings around our dynamic city and we pass this news right onto you. Melbourne's had so many glorious restaurants open up this year and it can really take some time (and money) to get through them all. But we don't want you to miss out altogether. So here's the deal: we'll alleviate this time/money tension and give you the chance to win a great night out at The Recreation, one of Melbourne's newest (and finest) restaurants. But we'd love your input to help us remain the trusted city guide that we are. Take our quick survey and you'll go in the running to win a $150 voucher to The Recreation. Just nine little questions stand between you and Fitzroy North's latest wine bar, bottle shop and bistro comfort food.
If you often rue the day in your adolescence that chicken nuggets became an unacceptable item to eat for dinner, well, Christmas has come early. On Saturday, June 11, Welcome to Thornbury will take fried chicken back to junk food basics and throw the next edition of its legendary Chicken Nugget Festival. The food truck park is assembling some of its favourite vendors to deliver one crunchy day dedicated to the humble nugget. Expect a vast array of iterations, too, including chicken nugget burgers, nugget-stuffed hoagies, cheesy nuggs and possibly even a few nuggets on a stick. There'll also be a suitably wide range of dipping sauces in which to dunk your nuggs. And as always, Welcome to Thornbury will be serving up a slew of cocktails and beers to pair with your chicken feast. We don't think drinks made with nuggs will be on the menu, though. The festival kicks off at midday with bookings available online — and kids and dogs are welcome. Top image: Brett Jordan via Unsplash.
The end of the year is a time for giving and, for Melburnians in 2020, that doesn't just mean buying gifts for your loved ones. After a very tough 12-month period that has seen the Victorian capital go into lockdown twice, the City of Melbourne is spreading some festive cheer via two giveaways: a previously announced city-wide scavenger hunt, and a new batch of vouchers that folks can put towards their Christmas shopping at the Queen Victoria Market. Fancy $200 to spend on food or whatever you'd like to give your nearest and dearest (or yourself)? That's what the City of Melbourne and the Queen Victoria Market are gifting 500 people. Yes, if you do the math, that means there's $100,000 in vouchers up for grabs as part of the Your Christmas Shop on Us competition. To have a chance of winning a voucher, you'll need to enter the contest online — but it's as simple as filling out your name and contact details. You can only enter once, though, with the competition open until 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, December 20. Winners will be drawn at random in three batches, with 200 picked on Monday, December 7, a second set of 200 selected on Monday, December 14 and the last lot of 100 drawn on Monday, December 21. The idea: to help promote the Queen Victoria Market and the more than 600 small businesses that trade there — with winners able to use their vouchers at participating shops and stalls spanning everything from fresh produce and retail to cafes and hospitality. For more information about the City of Melbourne and Queen Victoria Market's Your Christmas Shop on Us competition, or to enter before 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, December 20, visit QVM's website.
This year, spend Saturday, January 25 hanging out with some of the newest, hoppiest local brews as Beer Deluxe showcases a whole swag of homegrown talent at its annual Hop Quest showdown. Descending on the Federation Square beer oasis from 11am will be 24 of Australia's hottest craft breweries, each with a brand-new, hop-tastic beer release in tow. We're talking beers so fresh, their details will remain top secret until the big day. Guests will have a chance to sample all of these never-before-seen creations and to chat with reps from each brewery, enjoying beer tasters throughout the day, before casting their vote for Hop Quest 2020 champ. [caption id="attachment_735952" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bodriggy by Kate Shanasy[/caption] All of your favourites are coming to the party, including Bodriggy, Kaiju, Stomping Ground, 3 Ravens, Wayward, Bridge Road, Sailors Grave and more. Entry is free, but if you'd like to secure your spot, you can purchase a $65 ticket, which includes ten tasters, something to eat and a Hop Quest glass. Hop Quest runs from 11am–10pm. Images: Giulia Morlando
Federation Square will be busting out the pierogi at its annual Polish Festival, helping you to celebrate Polish culture and forget about all your mates and their mid-year jaunts through Europe — at least momentarily. Expect hearty food like bigos (hunter's stew), and kielbasa (sausage), as well as heaps of traditional cakes and pastries. Once you've downed a couple of plates of pierogi, you can move into the beer garden where there'll be plenty of Polish vodka and beer, such as Zywiec and Tyskie. Live music and dance will also feature, as will folk-inspired art and handcrafted ceramics, raking in the points for old-world charm. Kids and kidults will find face painting, wianki (wreath) making, as well as DIY crafting masks of Smok Wawelski (a famous dragon in Polish folklore). Come for the pierogi, stay for learning about the history and legends of Poland. Polish Festival runs from 10am–5pm Top image: Pierogi Pierogi
Everyone loves Caroll Spinney, but no one realises it. For more than four decades, he has brightened up the television screens of children around the globe, and mirrored their crankier side as well. Sometimes he's inside a giant yellow suit. Sometimes he's crouched behind a trash can. Either way, he's surrounded by sunny days sweeping the crowds away, whether bird, grouch or man. I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story helps redress his lack of fame in his own right, telling the tale of the person behind the puppets. A boyhood fascination with the puppetry (and a lucky break at an early show gone wrong) guided him towards none other than The Muppets' Jim Henson — and the rest, as they say, is history. Climbing inside a feathered costume, he made one of the world's most iconic creations. Channelling his inner grump, he fashioned another. Of course, both Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch are as famous as fictional characters can get, their traits and tendencies easily recognisable. Less apparent is the importance of Spinney in not just giving them form, but giving them personality. An array of talking heads, including many Sesame Street veterans, explain how the roles reflect both sides of his temperament. Indeed, as the documentary's title suggest, Spinney really is Big Bird, and his green furry friend as well. So unfurls 90 minutes of adoration for the otherwise unsung performer, as pieced together by directors Dave LaMattina and Chad N. Walker as a tribute from the outset. Given the nostalgia and affection likely to be felt by everyone who watches the film, there's never any doubt that positivity reigns supreme in this admiring and infectious effort. In case you weren't already feeling the loving mood, the sentimental score helps nudge you in that direction. There's nothing particularly subtle about the way this ode to a creative talent is put together, but it's all done with the best of intentions. The film is full of engaging memories and interesting insights too; whether peeking behind the scenes of the show, revisiting Sesame Street's trip to China, or revealing the mechanics behind the Big Bird suit — and the physical toll it takes on Spinney, who's still performing even though he's in his eighties. The man himself shares his recollections, his professional highs interwoven with the rollercoaster that was his personal life in his younger years. And yet, there's another person looming large over the piece, glimpsed in archival clips, who almost steals the show. It's impossible to explain the importance of Spinney without touching upon Henson, and expecting waterworks to follow. The intimacy of Spinney's chats about his time with his mentor gets to the heart of what makes I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story an endearing documentary, even if it is put together in a standard fashion. Who wouldn't want to spend time with the men behind the figures that defined so many childhoods?
Animal rights protestors have shutdown the CBD this morning, Monday, April 8, blocking intersections, stopping trams and causing public transport delays throughout peak hour. The Animal Activists Australia group — which is protesting Australia's livestock industry and promoting the documentary Dominion — blocked off the Flinders and Swanston streets intersection with vans at around 7am this morning and have since begun a second protest outside the Sea Life Aquarium on King Street. https://twitter.com/VicTraffic/status/1115039688685948928 Tow trucks have removed the protestor vans, which were draped with black signs promoting the documentary, and the intersection reopened at 10.30am. Eleven tram lines, travelling through Flinders and Swanston streets, which were earlier diverted or not running, resumed service along their normal lines at 10.15am. Yarra Trams is warning commuters to expect delays as the tram timetables return to normal. https://twitter.com/yarratrams/status/1115046142243483648 According to SBS, the Melbourne CBD groups were part of a nationwide protest, with activists chaining themselves to abattoirs in NSW and Queensland, and about a dozen protests marching in Sydney's CBD. For further public transport and traffic updates, check Yarra Trams and Vic Traffic.
Usually, IKEA's food game is as unmistakably Scandinavian as its furniture names — headlined, of course, by those iconic Swedish meatballs. But for one January night each in Richmond and Springvale, the retailer is shaking things up and taking a jaunt to the other side of the globe, dishing up an Asian-inspired feast in celebration of the Lunar New Year. The dinner is set to run from 6pm on Wednesday, January 18 at the Richmond store, and from 5pm and 7pm on Thursday, January 19 at Springvale — and arriving hungry is recommended. On the menu, you'll find classic dishes like pork and chive dumplings, spring rolls and vegetable gyoza. There's both tofu and vegetarian hot pot, Cantonese-style chicken wings and Singapore noodles, and even sweet offerings like fruit plates and matcha panna cotta. Adult tickets to the buffet feast are $30, though IKEA Family members can nab theirs for just $25. And, you could even squeeze in a spot of pre- or post-dinner flatpack shopping while you're there. IKEA has a new range of Lunar New Year wares, too, such as LED lanterns, red serving containers, rabbit cushions and more. [caption id="attachment_757260" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Images: Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons.
Straight white men. They're the most hard done by group out there, if Mark Latham is to be believed. But Korean-American playwright Young Jean Lee isn't quite so sure. Making its Australian premiere at the Melbourne Arts Centre following a hit run in New York City, this whip-smart satire strips back stereotypes for a funny, compelling and at times uncomfortable conversation about gender, class and privilege. Straight White Men follows three adult brothers returning to their widowed father's home in time for the Christmas holidays. Progressive and 'enlightened', these are modern men, aware of the advantages they receive as a result of their gender, race and sexual orientation. They even go so far as to play a homemade Monopoly variant called Privilege. And yet despite their elevated social status, things don't seem to be working out in their favour. Directed by Sarah Giles, the MTC season of Straight White Men runs from May 6 to June 18. Tickets are already selling fast, so make sure you get in quick.
It might be the middle of winter, but hey — when creamy, next-level, vegan gelato comes along, you take advantage of it, no matter the weather. So you won't want to waste a second when Piccolina Gelateria answers all your plant-based prayers, kicking off a week-long vegan gelato takeover this Thursday, July 12. The cult-favourite gelato masters will be whipping up four limited-edition gelato flavours made with almond milk, as well as a traditional Italian granita, to take over the specials board at both the Collingwood and Hawthorn stores, for one week only. We're talking peanut butter gelato with dark chocolate 'stracciatella', a creamy hazelnut concoction, a classic pistachio number, an almond gelato studded with pieces of almond brittle, and an almond granita. You'll also be able to try any of the flavours whizzed up in a dairy-free milkshake. Images: Trevor Mein
Lady Bird earned her two Academy Award nominations, including a rare nod for Best Director for a female filmmaker. Little Women added a third stint among the Oscars contenders to her resume. Barbie is painting cinema pink even before it officially releases. Yes, Greta Gerwig has been doing glorious things behind the camera over the past few years — since she started helming solo, that is, after co-directing Nights and Weekends in 2008 during her time as a mumblecore mainstay. There's only been one drawback of Gerwig's recent focus on directing over acting: her presence on-screen is greatly missed. When she popped up in 2022's White Noise, it was her first performing credit since 2018's Isle of Dogs — and her first time actually appearing in front of the lens since an uncredited Saturday Night Live stint in 2017, and both 20th Century Women and Jackie the year prior. Act, direct, write — as she did on both Frances Ha and Mistress America, too, as well as starring in them: yes, Gerwig can do it all. And if all this singing of her praises has you wanting to watch her work in all three guises, you're in luck thanks to ACMI's Focus on Greta Gerwig program. From Thursday, July 6–Sunday, July 23, timed in the lead up to Barbie's fantastic plastic explosion, the Federation Square cinema haven is paying tribute to the Hannah Takes the Stairs, Baghead and Damsels in Distress star by playing a heap of her films. Dates and times vary per movie, but the full lineup includes most of the titles mentioned above. Whether or not you've ever bought a plane ticket to Paris that you can't afford on a credit card that you shouldn't have Frances Ha-style, this is indeed modern love.
Number two Duke Street is prime real estate in Windsor. Once the home of much-loved Saigon Sally, the venue has been reinvented and is set to open its doors as BKK this Thursday, October 5. It's the latest restaurant from the Commune Group; you've likely heard of its alliterative sister venues Hanoi Hannah and Tokyo Tina. BKK pays homage to Bangkok airport, and is the group's first foray into serious Thai cuisine. If you like its playful, modern take on Vietnamese and Japanese, chances are this one will be right up your alley. Taking care of things in the kitchen is Sean Judd — and with stints at Nahm, Longrain and Chin Chin all under his belt, he is well placed to take the reins. His menu will be a collision of the sweet and the sour, with popular choices expected to be a red curry packed with prawns, barramundi and scallops, wrapped and grilled in a banana leaf and a coconut braised lamb shoulder with cucumber relish. A selection of crisp white wines will headline the drink offerings to complement the punchy flavours of the menu. A range of creative cocktails will also appear, with a likely favourite to be the Boarding Pass. Made with vodka, salted watermelon, fig, yuzu and fresh berry syrup, it's sure to be a boozy way to counteract the spice of the fare. Not one to do things by halves, the group, helmed by co-owner Simon Blacher, has also reimagined the venue, incorporating design elements like backlit glass bricks, rendered brick walls and an illuminated bar, which takes place in the centre of the space. All of this, and they're doing bottomless brunch every Sunday from midday. BKK is set to open Thursday, October 5 at 2 Duke Street, Windsor. Stop by for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5pm and Sunday from noon. Find out more at bkkrestaurant.com.au. Image: Bri Hammond.
Consider yourself a gin lover? Well, we've got just the thing for your juniper-loving self — a luxe, gin-fuelled trip to Melbourne. After all, don't we all deserve a little getaway? Thanks to our friends at urban gin distillery Patient Wolf Distilling Co., you and a mate could be jetting off to Melbourne for two nights — with flights, accommodation and gin all on the house. Should you win this prize, you'll spend the weekend at the luxury W Melbourne hotel. You'll also learn about distillation and botanicals in a Patient Wolf gin masterclass — a must-do for all gin lovers — at its home in Southbank, just on the edge of Melbourne's CBD. During the masterclass, you'll hear all about the distillery's story; sample its three signature gins; and get to spend $200 at the bar or purchasing a couple of bottles to take home. You'll also score a $200 voucher to spend on a decadent dinner at W Melbourne's on-site restaurant, Lollo, after a hard day of gin sampling. The competition is open to people aged 18 years and over. See further details below to enter. [competition]814639[/competition]
Returning to sweep you off the couch and out of hibernation mode this winter is beloved arts fest WinterWild. A fiery celebration of art, music, performance and food, with a touch of darkness to its attitude, it's headed back to Apollo Bay for a bumper 2022 instalment. This time around, it'll unfold across two weekends, running Friday, August 12–Sunday, August 14, and from Friday, August 26–Sunday, August 28. And it's got one heck of a musical lineup in tow, with Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Amyl and The Sniffers, and Emma Donovan and the Putbacks just some of the legendary acts who'll be hitting the Otway Coast for the occasion. Gigs from celebrated songstress Kee'ahn, Melbourne-based pop rockers Floodlights and folk artist Leah Senior are also on the agenda. Meanwhile, WinterWild's jam-packed program of performance art is set to showcase treats from the likes of Aphids Theatre and Long Prawn, kicking off with the ever-popular bonfire production they call The Dogwatch. Also on the eclectic bill: cemetery tours led by local historians, cold water immersion sessions held at sunrise, and a flame-driven communal seafood feast that sees the Apollo Bay Fishermen's Co-Op cooking their fresh haul over flames beneath the stars. You can join in a group somatic sound walk, do yoga to live tunes by the beach, reenergise with a guided qigong class and get those toes tapping at a variety show-meets-dance party. Plus, don't miss seeing a bunch of gutsy locals brave the ocean at night for a lively match of ocean polo, complete with glow-in-the-dark ball and likely a few sea creature spectators. Top Images: Fabi and WinterWild
UPDATE Tuesday, June 15: Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq remains closed temporarily due to restrictions in place following Melbourne's snap lockdown. Check out the website for details on a reopening date. Since 2018 in Melbourne, a trip to Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq has meant stepping inside a circus-themed arcade bar that's primed for kidulting. And, that's still the case; however, once a month from May until November, the chain is ramping its core concepts of circus, arcade fun and nostalgic activities for adults up a few levels. Run by Funlab, the group also responsible for Holey Moley, Strike Bowling and B. Lucky & Sons, Archie Brothers is kicking off a new Showtime event series. After launching on Saturday, May 8 in Docklands, it'll take place on the second Saturday of each month, turning the venue into an adults-only circus and cocktail pop-up. From 7–10pm each month, attendees can expect stilt walkers, magicians, burlesque and beverages — and tarot card readers, face painters and mime artists as well. The carousel-themed Archie Brothers bar will be pouring Showtime Disco Mirror Ball cocktails, which combine Red Bull, passionfruit, cranberry juice, triple sec, whiskey and lime, while the rest of the chain's usual drinks list will be on offer, too. Food-wise, the theme park and American diner-inspired menu will span sandwiches, pizzas, sliders, onion rings, mac and cheese and other dishes. And, all of Archie Brothers' usual games and activities will be on the agenda, as will prizes. So, you'll be whipping out your Mario Kart skills, hitting the dodgems, bowling and just generally mashing buttons in May, and again come June 12, July 10, August 14, September 11, October 9 and November 13. Then, you'll be trading all the tickets you amass for gaming consoles, 90s paraphernalia and more (and there won't be any kids around vying for the same goodies). Images: Zennieshia Butts.
Meredith is a festival where you're guaranteed to have a good time, no matter what. But whatever your reasons for heading to the three-day December festival in central Victoria, you won't be disappointed with the acts Aunty Meredith has announced for this year's lineup. Indigenous 'bush band' Mumbali will be making the trip from Numbulwar in regional NT, and local musician Laura Jean (who recently got the seal of approval from Lorde via Twitter before she deleted all her social posts) will be making her first appearance at The Sup. Aussie acts including Sampa The Great, Pond, Mildlife and The Presets will complement international talent, like Zanzibar-born Mim Suleiman, who will bring a collision of afrobeats disco, deep house and soul to Meredith from the UK. This year's also full of throwbacks. The Pixies' Kim Deal will bring twin sister Kelley and her band The Breeders to play from the band's new album (and hopefully some oldies from Pod, too).Ed Kuepper will resurrect the energy of his 70s Brissie band The Saints with his new group The Aints, and Mental As Anything — which also had its heyday in the 70s — will take to the stage on Saturday afternoon. Aunty has really covered all bases here. You're wondering how you can get tickets to this aren't you? Meredith tickets are only available by entering the ballot. Fingers crossed that we can all hang out in The Sup on December 7, 8 and 9. Here's the lineup — and we're promised a few more are still to be announced. MEREDITH MUSIC FESTIVAL 2018 LINEUP The Breeders Billy Bragg The Presets Yaeji Sampa The Great Panda Bear The Founding Father of House Lil Louis Laura Jean Pond DJ Jnett Mambali Montero Nadia Rose The Aints! The Pharcyde Mildlife Mental As Anything Roza Terenzi The Native Cats Mim Suleiman Tourist Kid Time For Dreams Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange DJ Lady Erica Scott & Charlene's Wedding The Seven Ups (more to be announced) Image: Steve Benn.
