Weekends love to hog the limelight when it comes to social activities, but we're big advocates of a mid-week hang. Adding a little glamour to a weeknight is a sure-fire way to make the work week go quicker, so this spring, luxe Japanese restaurant Nobu has you covered, tempting you away from the standard 'crawl home at knock-off' routine. For the entire month of September, the restaurant is slinging flutes of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne for $19 plus two snow crab tacos for $15. Yes, for under $40 you will be living your best life and forgetting the fact that it might not even be Wednesday yet. The offer is available daily between 5–9pm, and for extra points, you can also order a whole bottle of Ruinart for $120 if you're feeling particularly flush on payday. Best shared with friends, Champagne and tacos might not be the most traditional of pairings but it'll be your new favourite.
Richmond's Corner Hotel has just the tonic for your boring old Tuesday nights in September — and if you guessed that it's giving a game your nan probably plays a musical twist, then that's a bingo. At Bin'go Your Own Way, you don't just wait for someone to tumble a sphere of balls, pick out a number and make a bad joke. Instead, Dan Watt plays bits and pieces of songs and asks punters to match them to the ones listed on your bingo card. Running from 7.30pm on Tuesdays in September in the venue's front bar, each week has a different theme — so if you've got bingo fever and want to head along more than once, you're more than catered for. The first week will ponder one-hit wonders, while the others will run through covers, female artists and bands that have played at The Corner. Yes, we're guessing there'll be singalongs. Folks able to both face and match the music will win prizes that include jugs of beer, bottles of wine and something else special (although, lets face it, winning booze is an incredibly fitting reward). Tuesdays also now happen to be the Corner Hotel's new cheese night, so there'll be plenty of cheesiness from a number of sources.
Thought ballet was just for girls? Prepare to have this misconception flipped on its head when The Australian Ballet's new production of Spartacus heats up the stage in Melbourne this September. Bringing bold new life to the classic tale of an enslaved gladiator and his quest for freedom, the work shines the spotlight on some seriously talented male dancers, led by director, choreographer and Australian Ballet alum Lucas Jervies. Expect high-impact, captivating scenes played out before you, as Spartacus fights to escape his captors and free his beloved wife Flavia. The powerful production features sets and costumes by award-winning French designer Jérôme Kaplan, matched with a gutsy score by Aram Khachaturian. All of those usual pirouettes and arabesques will be supercharged, courtesy of the dancers' tutelage under acclaimed fight director Nigel Poulton, who has worked on some major Hollywood films, including Pirates of the Caribbean V, The Bourne Legacy and I am Legend Images: Justin Ridler
Australia might be known for sun, surf and sand, but when we bring our climate and landscape to the big screen, the results aren't always glowing. That's not a criticism of the quality of movies made by Aussie filmmakers. Rather, it's a reflection of their fondness for darker stories. For decades, the outback has been a source of menace, as seen in everything from Wake in Fright and Mad Max to Wolf Creek and The Rover. When we splash about in the water, sharks attack, as The Reef made plain. And when Australian cinema hangs out at the beach in the name of fun, the results can be raucous in an over-the-top manner, like Swinging Safari, or tinged with coming-of-age melancholy, like Puberty Blues. Ladies in Black takes place in Sydney's inner-city hustle and bustle, but it's an unmistakably summery film — and it's unmistakably hopeful. Much of its running time is spent within a fictional department store that's modelled after David Jones, however the movie captures that end-of-year feeling that is incredibly familiar to Australians. The weather heats up, Christmas and New Year's Eve beckon, and life instantly seems brighter. And while our protagonists navigate ups and downs as they go about their lives circa 1959, just before the 60s sweep in to change everything, the film's buoyant air never subsides. Fresh out of high school, budding poet Lisa (Angourie Rice) takes a job on the fifth floor of Goode's, donning a black dress and trying to do her best. It's not a career move but a stop-gap, as she attempts to convince her father (Shane Jacobson) to let her go to university. Amidst selling cocktail frocks and high-end gowns, her fellow colleagues all have their own dilemmas, all emblematic of a society that doesn't quite realise an enormous shift is around the corner. Fay Baines (Rachael Taylor) longs for a man who will treat her well, while Patty Williams (Alison McGirr) wants her existing husband to notice that she exists. As for Slovenian immigrant Magda (Julia Ormond), in-between putting up with scorn for being a refugee, taking Lisa under her wing, and helping a Hungarian friend (Ryan Corr) find a nice Aussie girl, she's working towards opening her own fashion boutique. It has taken more than two decades for writer-director Bruce Beresford (Mao's Last Dancer) and his long-term producer turned co-writer Sue Milliken to bring Ladies in Black to the screen, and their affection and determination shows. Making the leap from best-selling novel to Australian stage musical and now to the cinema, this tale of women stepping towards a new future is rendered in loving and meticulous style. Intricate production design fills every frame, bringing jam-packed trams, suburban homes and, of course, the main department store to life. Costume-wise, the dresses that feature so prominently prove a vintage fashion-lover's dream. And with the picture's sunny hues and optimistic mood as well, Sydney has rarely looked as radiant. From rising talent Rice (a veteran of The Nice Guys, The Beguiled and Spider-Man: Homecoming at the age of just 17) to the more experienced likes of Ormond, Taylor and Corr, the movie's stars are also lively and warm. Every performance in the film feels lived in, including Susie Porter as Lisa's doting stay-at-home mum and Noni Hazlehurst as a Goode's supervisor. The texture in the cast's work couldn't be more crucial — in a slightly over-padded film that keeps its narrative dramas noticeably modest, and its themes of equality and multiculturalism undeniably overt and broad, much of the minutiae comes from the characters. Indeed, the thoroughly crowd-pleasing Ladies in Black is like a gorgeous gown that way: lovely to look at from afar, but boasting extra detail when seen from a closer vantage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd7aD7F2QCg
If you're starting to feel like a new season hasn't truly started until Finders Keepers has come to town, you're not alone. The ever-expanding art and design market has been bringing us face-to-face with some of the country's most quirky and creative designers for over a decade now — and it's set to do it all over again when it returns this October. The autumn/winter event saw the festival extend its trading hours, a move which will be repeated this time round, giving you maximum opportunity to explore the extensive program of vendors, food and entertainment. The focus remains, as ever, on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans. Expect to find debut collections from the likes of liar liar. lingerie, Caye Life's sustainable water bottles and travel mugs and spadewood, which creates handmade timber wall hangings. The Finders Keepers Artist Program, an initiative that was introduced earlier this year to support emerging artists, will highlight the spring/summer recipient Leah Bartholomew's bright, abstract designs across all market collateral for the season. Many of the market's seasoned vendors will also return — so, if you've been kicking yourself since last round that you didn't pick up a bon lux candle or one of Daisy Cooper Ceramic's vases, you're in luck. As usual, there'll be live music and other entertainment scattered across the weekend to keep the good vibes going. And you're covered when the inevitable shopping-induced hunger strikes, with everything from Taiwanese street food to burgers on offer. Tickets are $5, available at the door and valid for the entire weekend. So, if you can't stop thinking about that one thing you didn't buy, you can make a return visit. Start creating your shopping list now and head to the Finders Keepers directory to see the full scope of vendors. Finders Keepers Spring/Summer Melbourne will run from October 19–21 at 12pm–9pm on Friday, 10am–7pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday. Images: Samee Lapham.
Mary Eats Cake celebrates the timeless tradition of pairing a nice cuppa with some delicious small bites, calling it a "high tea" and making you feel just that little bit fancy. With two teahouses — one in Brunswick and one in Montrose — Mary has hosted countless high teas, and now she's upping the ante by serving them alongside plenty of gin. Running on every Saturday in September at the Montrose venue, and on Friday, August 24, in Brunswick, the gin-fuelled high teas are hosted in collaboration with Aussie-favourite distiller Four Pillars. The Gin High Tea will set you back $65 a head, and includes a gin and tea cocktail on arrival and a full High Tea menu of sweet and savoury treats matched to two more gin cocktails. And, maybe the important news, you'll also have access to unlimited scones. The Gin High Tea will be held on Friday, August 24, at Mary Eats Cake Brunswick and at Mary Eats Cake Montrose every Saturday in September.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come September 8 and 9, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together a walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. For Saturday and Sunday, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Johnston Street, and grab a map outlining their route. From there, it's all about making your way to to plant-based delights aplenty — and making a day (or two) of it. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool vegan or just curious to give it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on some of its 3000+ products.
Whether it's a dog in a superhero costume or a cat wearing, well, whatever you can manage to get a cat to wear, animals donning outfits ranks among the cutest sights your eyes can ever see. Puppers popping on scouting regalia and posing for portraits might just raise the adorable stakes beyond previous levels, however — and it's not only on offer at Carlton Scout Hall on Sunday, August 5, but you can also take a souvenir home with you. If your pet pooch has a hankering for a merit badge (or you have a hankering to see them decked out in scouting hats and scarves filled with said merit badges — which you do, admit it), then march your troop down to North Carlton's Shakespeare Street between 10am–5pm. That's when Dog Photog will be snapping pics of your four-legged furball as part of its Scout's Honour Pop-Up. If you missed out last time, or missed their sailor-themed effort, then you'll want to be there. Bookings are essential, and getting a gorgeous portrait of your cute canine will set you back $45 — or $70 if you have two dogs in the same household. You'll receive a 10-minute session, plus a screen-resolution jpeg per dog. And if you'd like to order a print to hang on your wall, you can do so on the day. Image: Dog Photog.
If you've been needing to restock your bookshelf at home, and you find looking at lines of orange-and-white Penguin classics soothing to the soul, then time to strike while the iron is hot — as well as doing some good for charity. The annual Penguin Random House charity book sale will take place at Collins Square on Tuesday, July 31, with books starting from a mere $4. Entry costs a gold coin, and the proceeds will go towards The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, one of Penguin Random House's charity partners. Last year, the book sale raised more than $18,000. This year, the aim is to outdo that, so toss your old collection of the Twilight series and stock up on some classics. The sale runs from 8am-3pm or until sold out — head to West Pod at Collins Square to find it.
Collingwood gallery Lamington Drive has been busy installing its latest exhibition, Lucky Dip. Created by Melbourne design brand Dowel Jones, the interactive exhibition draws its inspiration from $2 shops and childhood lucky dips. Concealed within a sea of brown boxes, are objects designed specifically for the show — as well as some classic Dowel Jones pieces and collaborations — that you can actually take home. Pay either $20 or $50, write your name on a sticker, bang it on a box of your choosing, and you could the proud new owner of a kitchen table — or a teaspoon. For those participating, be warned: the size of the box doesn't automatically correspond to the size of the object within. If you'd like to get first pick of the lucky dip, head along to the opening reception, which will be held from 6–9pm on Wednesday, August 22. The draw will then be called when the exhibition wraps up on Saturday, September 15, upon when you can return to claim your lucky dip prize.
Believe it or not, it's been ten years of heading along to Hoyts on the weekend, smashing a large popcorn and a choc-top, and getting super jazzed up for whatever the latest Marvel film is. There's been 20 films since things started back in 2009 with Iron Man, and though they may be critically debated, nearly everyone can agree that they are at least entertaining. They give you that giddy blockbuster feeling that sticks around even when the lights go up and you realise you've got chocolate ice-cream all down your front. The Sun Theatre in Yarraville is honouring that feeling — and the fact that it's been a decade of Marvel Studios solidly churning out bangers — by putting on a Marvel Marathon. Showing 17 of the films, the bonanza will run over four Saturdays, starting with Iron Man on August 25 and finishing up with Avengers: Infinity War on September 15. (It will skip Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Incredible Hulk and the new Ant-Man and the Wasp.) You can purchase individual session passes online for $12, a full-day pass for $40–60 or go all out and cop a day or marathon pass from the box office for $150.
This November and December, take a tour of Japanese film history — all from the comfort of ACMI. Running as part of this year's Japanese Film Festival, JFF's 2018 classics program will showcase movies from both the Japanese Golden Age and the Japanese New Wave. That covers flicks from the 50s through until the 70s — aka the kind of films you really won't see on a big screen elsewhere. Highlights include The Pornographers from Cannes Palme d'Or-winning filmmaker Shohei Imamura, which steps into the titular business post-World War II; queer melodrama Manji: The Goddess of Mercy, about two society ladies following their feelings for each other; and Nihonbashi, the first colour movie by Cannes jury prize-winning director Kon Ichikawa. In total, six films will screen between November 22 and December 2, all focused around the theme of passion and obsession. And, in particularly ace news, the whole classics program is free.
Between Thursday, August 9 and Wednesday, August 15, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs an extra gift. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, their daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. Head to one of the chain's six Melbourne locations (excluding Kino) — Balwyn, Brighton, Brighton Bay, South Yarra, Northcote and St Kilda — across the week in question, and any film at any time will only cost you a fiver, plus an online booking fee of $1.50. Want to see Mission: Impossible — Fallout with your friends on a Saturday night? It'll cost you $6.50 in total. Keen to laugh your way through The Breaker Upperers after work one afternoon? Still $6.50 all up. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for little more than the price of a cup of coffee, so you will want to nab your tickets online and pay the fee. And if you're wondering what $5 Movie Week is all about, Palace is about to launch its new rewards club. Consider this the first reward — although you don't need to be a member to benefit.
Looking to join the war on waste but aren't sure where to start? Well, you can kick off your anti-plastic lifestyle in good company, at ABC's War On Waste pop-up boutique this weekend. Making an appearance at Southbank and St Kilda this Sunday, August 5 the pop-up hopes to encourage small, everyday changes we can all make in the fight against unnecessary waste. With an estimated 10 million single-use plastic straws used by Aussies each day, there's no doubt that every little bit helps. Head along and make a pledge — whether that's making the switch to a reusable coffee cup, refusing those plastic straws from here on out, or ditching plastic bottles — and you'll score yourself a nifty reusable bag or bottle for your efforts. You'll also have the chance to meet the artists behind the funky designs, Lauren & The Lost Boys. Which will help if you plan on shopping at the newly plastic-bag free Harris Farms and Woolworths — and hopefully soon Coles. The 'War On Waste' Pop-Up in will run from 1.30–4.30pm Southbank and from 8am–11am in St Kilda.
Underground Cinema – which has transported you to numerous cinematic worlds, from 28 Days Later's zombie apocalypse to The Princess Bride's medieval court – is gearing up to close its magnificent 2018 season. And, to celebrate, you're invited to The Hotel. Like all Underground Cinema events, the affair will immerse you in an alternative reality. This time, it's one of utter opulence, luxury and elegance: the 1930s. In between meeting characters, encountering live performers and discovering worlds within worlds, you'll be treated to a movie screening. We can't tell you which film you'll be seeing or where you'll be meeting, as details will be kept secret until the day. We can tell you, however, to dress up 1930s-style, to expect a steady flow of drinks and, on this occasion, to indulge in a little feasting. Tickets are highly likely to sell out, so grab yours sooner rather than later.
Following iterations in Melbourne, Ballarat and Bendigo earlier this year, White Night is set to take its after-dark fun to Geelong. The inaugural event is scheduled for Saturday, October 13 and will take over the city's streets, laneways, parks and foreshore. Gheringhap Street will act as the central hub, with a host of art installations, interactive projections and performances spilling out on to the surrounding streets. Many local artists are expected to showcase works, and the festival will also feature 19 original pieces that have not been displayed at any other White Night event this year. The bright and colourful light installations include lanterns, chandeliers and a set of neon angel wings, along with a selfie station that projects your photo booth shoot onto an adjacent building. Musical performances range from jazz trios and opera groups to garage bands and drag queen shows, and the Gordon's courtyard will also host a massive lineup of live acts that'll take the stage throughout the night. And, for the dreamers out there, a wish tree will be installed in Johnstone Park where you can write messages on your phone that will appear on the tree's leaves before disappearing into the ether. If you need a break from all of the outdoors action, Geelong Gallery is hosting the 2018 Archibald Prize paintings and the Geelong Library will be transformed by anime characters. This jam-packed schedule will extend from 7pm to 2am, so be prepared for a full-on night and make sure to book accommodation ahead of time. And don't forget to check out our guide to Geelong's arts and culture to make a weekend of it.
UPDATE: AUGUST 9, 2018 — This event was originally published under the name Welcome to Hogwarts — A Magical Evening of Mischief. Event organisers have since changed the name of the event due to copyright infringement. This article has been updated to reflect that. If you've always wanted to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express — or at least pretend to — the Prince Bandroom is celebrating everything that encapsulates the wondrous world of Harry Potter with an adults-only shindig themed around that one thing every 90s kid wishes they had: magic. Apart from drinking and dressing up (press your robes in advance), there's plenty of other stuff going on. You'll be partying in spaces fit only for wizards — think the Great Hall and The Forbidden Forest. And if you need help getting around, you'll be given a map upon entry. Take a Defence Against the Dark Arts class from a magician, find out your fortune (will you get a letter soon?), get snapped in the photobooth with glasses and wizard hats, and just generally magic the night away. Tickets cost $28.60 — and we suggest you get in quick, as the Brisbane event sold out in a matter of days.
Malaysian eatery franchise PappaRich is known for its hawker food fare, sending out steaming hot plates of your favourite Malay specialities like nasi lemak, laksa and roti canai — aka good time winter food that's high in spice and higher in comfort. Their QV outlet sees your cold fingers and toes, and raises you their decision to give out hundreds of serves of their nasi lemak on Friday, July 27 between 11.30am–2.30pm. Nasi lemak is a rice dish cooked with coconut milk, served with sides like curried chicken, cucumber, egg and sambal. PappaRich will be giving them away for free, just as long as you download their new app. If a free hot lunch wasn't enough of an end-of-the-week win for you, the store will also comp a reusable PappaRich coffee cup to every person who downloads it as well. They're planning on giving away up to 800 free lunches and cups, so your chances aren't bad — just don't forget to take your phone and grab that app.
Earlier in 2018, Melbourne was named the live music capital of the world — attracting bigger audiences to live gigs than all of the big sporting events combined. Any seasoned Melburnian knows that this rings true, and not only now, but across decades gone by. Indeed, music history has made all over the city. The Melbourne Music Bus Tour takes a trip through this rich heritage, during a two-hour journey hosted by Melbourne musicologist Bruce Milne and music journalist Mary Mihelakos. Departing from the Australian Music Vault at Arts Centre Melbourne across six dates between October 2018 and March 2019 — and at 11am and 2pm on each date — this vibrant bus ride zooms through the likes of Richmond, Collingwood, St Kilda and Port Melbourne, and stops at a heap of past and previous venues, laneways and places of significance. The Dogs in Space house, the Nylex Clock sign, Mushroom Records, The Espy, Chrissy Amphlett Lane and Rowland S. Howard Lane are really just the beginning. If it inspired a song, featured in a music video or proves an important space for Indigenous music, then it's highly likely that it's on the tour. Previous seasons have sold out, so nab your $69 ticket and prepare to hop on board. Oh, and you might have some famous company, with Deborah Conway, Adalita, Cash Savage, Clare Moore, Paul Stewart, Stephen Cummings, Kim Salmon and Dave Graney among those that have been picked up along the way on past trips.
UPDATE, March 19, 2021: Searching is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's called 'screenlife': a growing group of horror and thriller flicks that trap their contents within a computer screen. Characters send emails, chat via video and text, scroll through social media feeds and Google whatever the narrative calls for, as viewers watch every move of the mouse cursor. The name is fitting for other reasons, too. Who doesn't live the bulk of their lives in front of a screen these days, after all? Indeed, in so simply yet savvily reflecting society's modern-day reality, this new filmmaking approach is more than just a gimmick — especially when it's put to such excellent use as seen in Searching. At first, the Kim family computer acts as a time capsule, exposing nearly two decades of memories as David (John Cho) and his wife Pamela (Sara Sohn) raise their daughter Margot. Through calendar reminders, emails and clips, the audience witnesses intimate and everyday moments, sees tragedy strike, and watches as David and a now 16-year-old Margot (Michelle La) struggle to cope in the aftermath. But more drama is set to follow. When Margot doesn't come home from a study session one evening and doesn't show up at school the next day either, David is frantic. Her laptop now becomes a sleuthing tool, as he uses every online means at his disposal to track down Margot's whereabouts, both with and without the help of police detective Vick (Debra Messing). A missing person thriller, Searching's premise has been done many times before, furnishing episodes of every procedural crime TV series that you can think of. While first-time writer-director Aneesh Chaganty and his co-scribe Sev Ohanian bring their own twists and turns, the essence of their narrative remains familiar. That's where the film's use of technology comes in. As both easily foreseeable and completely unexpected developments unravel on Searching's screen within a screen, each clue, keystroke and cascaded window feels urgent and immediate. Each choice and reaction that David makes, too. The movie has more than a few smart things to say about humanity's constantly online status, but it's smartest touch is using its immersive style to heighten the tension and suspense — and, in moments of extreme pressure, to show its protagonist reacting as everyone else would. Searching's casting proves as clever as its central conceit, as Cho emphatically demonstrates. Fourteen years after Harold and Kumar went searching for stoner snacks, it's long been a given that the actor should be a huge star. Searching isn't the only recent entry on his resume to back up that point (see his stellar work in Gemini and Columbus), but it is the biggest. The film is trained on his anxious face for the bulk of its 102 minutes, framing it close and tight via FaceTime videos, and he makes the most of every moment. It's not just worry and fear flickering in his darting eyes as David scrambles to find his daughter, but the dawning realisation that the computer knows more about Margot than anyone, even a father, could hope to. Known for Nightwatch, Daywatch, Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Russian-Kazakh filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov is the other crucial aspect to Searching. Here, he's in the producer's chair, adding another screenlife flick to his growing haul. He was behind the surprisingly effective Unfriended, and directed this year's other great computer screen-based effort, Profile, which follows a journalist trying to befriend a Syrian ISIS recruiter. Bekmambetov's studio also created the software that gives these movies their visual language, and has publicly said that he'd like to make 50 of them a year. Basically, the filmmaker is turning what might've been a flash-in-the-pan idea into its own genre, letting each subsequent entry illustrate the style's worth, effectiveness and astute capabilities. With Searching, he makes a resounding case. Even when it serves up a few over-the-top leaps, keeping your eyes glued to a computer has rarely been more riveting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eccvs0b_oU
Feeling crafty, Melbourne? Do you wish you had a few more creative skills, or perhaps you're keen to deck out your home with a few one-off yarn and fibre pieces? Thanks to the folks behind Melbourne's Etsy Made Local markets, all of the above is on the agenda at the city's new crafting festival. That'd be the Melbourne Yarn & Fibre Festival, which comes to Darebin Arts Centre from 10am–3pm on Saturday, September 22. You'll browse, buy, learn and craft, with a curated craft market, a variety of workshops and a communal crafting space all part of the event. Need some extra motivation? Let this completely unrelated crafting pun-off get you in the mood. It's from a new craft-focused TV show featuring Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman. Back to the new fest at hand: it also features classes galore so you can go home with a few items made by your very own hands. They include weaving baskets, making earrings, crocheting mittens and knitting not just with needles, but with your arms. Entry is free, but the workshops are ticketed, with prices ranging from $40–$280.
Whether it's a first or fiftieth, there's one element of a birthday that never gets old: the party. And cake. Okay, that's two, but cake is delicious. Saturday, September 1 marks a very special birthday indeed. Sophisticated all-day bar Cliveden Bar and Dining is celebrating one year since it opened as part of Pullman Melbourne on the Park's $6 million makeover. Sitting pretty opposite the MCG, The Cliveden was once the fine-diner The Cliveden Room, an A-list celeb haunt in the 80s and 90s. It's now throwing a party to rival those it used to have back in its previous life. To celebrate, The Cliveden will host a gin-infused high tea with gin drinks and eats. Think gin-cured salmon, scones with negroni jam and gin-infused lemon tarts, in a very spirit-soaked twist on a traditional high tea. Gin cocktails will be on the go all day with a Violet Maiden (gin, violet liqueur, egg white), Bloody Aussie Negroni (Four Pillar's Bloody Shiraz gin, sweet vermouth, Okar) and Vintage Cliveden (Cliveden gin, Peychaud's Bitters) all part of the mix. There'll be prizes up for grabs, and tickets are $60 (or $50 if you're an AccorPlus member). And, if you really want to go all out — which you probably do, because it's a birthday party and the first day of spring, too — you can add bottomless sparkling wine for just another $12. You certainly won't be leaving thirsty. To secure your spot, tickets can be purchased here.
Jackson Pollock's Blue poles (1952), Sol LeWitt's Wall drawing No. 380 a-d (1982) and Jon Schueler's The first day (1956), as well as works by Andy Warhol, James Turrell, Yoko Ono and Mark Rothko will all be available for your viewing pleasure this spring. The world-famous works will take over Canberra's National Gallery of Australia for American Masters 1940–1980, a free blockbuster exhibition showing more than 150 works by over 70 artists. Every piece comes from within the NGA, which impressively holds one of biggest collections of post-war American art outside of the US. Most purchases were made back in the 1970s and 80s, under inaugural director James Mollison — before the gallery's 1982 opening — and, at the time, were considered rather controversial. The show takes you on a chronological journey, beginning with abstract expressionism, which spawned Pollock, Rothko, Willem De Kooning and Frank Stella, before moving onto its many progeny, from colour field and pop to photo-realism and conceptual art. Images: Jackson Pollock, 'Blue poles' (1952), oil, enamel, aluminium paint, glass on canvas, National Gallery of Australia, © Pollock-Krasner Foundation; Installation view.
Over the past decade, perhaps the greatest collective strength of the 18 (yes, 18) movies in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe has been their relative independence. From the very first Iron Man through to the most recent Black Panther, each film has (mostly) achieved an impressive balance of telling its own, distinct story while also servicing the ultimate end-game. Each new entry had enough in-jokes and easter eggs to satisfy the super-fans, but never so many that a newcomer couldn't enjoy the experience from an entirely cold start. The same cannot be said for Avengers: Infinity War, but then again, for directors Anthony and Joe Russo, that was never the intention. This isn't just the 19th film in the MCU, it's the culmination of the entire franchise; a sprawling, non-stop action movie purpose built, this time, for the fans. It's relentless, entertaining and more than a touch surprising. Unfortunately it's also starved of substance and likely to leave many feeling shortchanged. Ultimately, it all comes down to scale. Perhaps for the first time, this cinematic universe is truly universal in its scope. It moves from one galaxy to the next with bewildering speed, including planets so ancient and remote many of the characters have either never heard of them or dismissed their existence as the stuff of legend. And of those characters, where to even begin? In January of this year Chris Hemsworth, who plays Thor, casually dropped mention of an extraordinary 76 separate Marvel characters set to appear in Infinity War. Even if he was being slightly hyperbolic (one quickly loses count, so the number might actually be bang on), his comments nonetheless captures the magnitude of this gargantuan blockbuster. But like the pop culture references in the recent Ready Player One, many of these inclusions offer little substance beyond an excitable Pavlovian response triggered by recognition ("Heeey, it's Black Widow! Ooo it's…whatshisface!"). Even with the film's indulgent 156-minute run time, the decision to pack so many characters into a single film inherently means Infinity War must choose between cameo and character, with the former largely winning out. That means that many of the incredible cast members are saddled with just a handful of lines each, with perhaps the fewest coming from Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther (despite the fact that a significant section of the film taking place in his kingdom of Wakanda). Again though, the Russos have knowingly committed to the 'as read' nature of this film, opting instead to devote the lion's share of screen time and dialogue to the only real newcomer: the villain, Thanos (Josh Brolin). Thanos first appeared during the end credits of the original Avengers movie back in 2012. Since then he's been a constant (if fleeting) reference point for the coming storm that is Infinity War. He is nothing if not formidable – a softly-spoken juggernaut whose vision for a harmonious universe involves the mass genocide of precisely half its inhabitants. To achieve that he requires the fabled 'infinity stones', several of which are unfortunately located on earth in the hands (or foreheads) of various Avengers. He is a worthy antagonist for such an enormous project, and what really separates him from all the other Marvel villains is his capability; an indomitable strength that renders void the efforts of every other hero he encounters. Teamwork has always been the name of the game in the MCU, but even the combined efforts of the entire super-powered lineup seems destined to fall short. Of course Infinity War is actually just part one of two films, with the second instalment scheduled to drop in May 2019. Its ending, hence, leaves a lot to be resolved, and it's difficult not to assume much of that will centre upon some extensive Dr. Strange time reversal. There's a serious chance the series could be veering toward shark-jumping territory, so fingers crossed the Marvel boffins have something far grander and more unexpected planned. Until then, brush up on your backstories and strap in for one helluva ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwievZ1Tx-8
Every month at The Grand Richmond, yum cha hits the menu — though not as you know it. Sorry dumplings, spring rolls and pork buns, but this isn't your time to shine. Instead, this feast of bite-sized portions is going Italian. Yes, Italian Yum Cha is exactly what it sounds like. Work your way through little steamer baskets filled with everything from fried zucchini flowers to suckling pig croquettes. The list goes on — caprese salad, bruschetta, pork lasagne, gnocchi and rabbit ragu — and also includes desserts such as tiramisu, lemon tart and Italian doughnuts. You can eat it all with chopsticks if you'd prefer (or at least attempt to). As is the custom, prices are tallied per dish, which come in multiple servings. Booking a table in advance is highly recommended.
When Darth Vader told Luke Skywalker that they're more than just mortal enemies, it became one of the most famous lines of dialogue in movie history (and one of the most mis-quoted). If you've seen Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, you'll know that it's a powerful, memorable moment that changes the shape of the entire space saga. Even if you haven't, you know what we're talking about. Now, imagine just how epic it'll feel when you're watching the flick on a big screen and listening to John Williams' iconic score played by a live orchestra. Yes, The Force is strong in Melbourne once more, with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra staging the next in its series of Star Wars events with four screenings and performances on December 14, 15 and 16 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Jedis, wookiees and droids alike can expect three nights of tussles between the Rebels and the Empire, Luke learning his true parentage, Han flirting with Leia and getting frozen in carbon, Chewbacca being awesome, R2-D2 being adorable and C-3PO being annoying (well, he is). Plus, it's the flick that marks the first appearance of Lando Calrissian and the first time 'The Imperial March' is heard. Conductor Nicholas Buc will be leading the charge again, and expect an energetic performance — it's his favourite Star Wars score. "Williams' bombastic music for Darth Vader has since come to represent everything evil in the Star Wars universe and, combined with his new love theme for Han and Leia, this score improves on everything that he started in Episode IV," he notes. Buc will also discuss the score with film experts Dr Dan Golding and Andrew Pogson in four pre-concert talks — at 6.15pm on Friday, 11.45am or 6.15pm on Saturday and 11.45am on Sunday. Prices start at $35 for restricted view and $49 for D Reserve. To purchase tickets, visit the MSO website. Updated: December 7
What better way to kick off a week-long celebration of the classic, European-born negroni than an Italian-inspired party at one of Melbourne's most lauded cocktail bars? If any place can do this iconic tipple justice, it's The Everleigh, as you'll see on Wednesday, June 6. That's when the famed Fitzroy bar launches Negroni Week with a free-to-attend Cafe Casoni party, paying homage to the drink's Florence birthplace. The Everleigh's Elk Room will be switching on the old-world Italian charms, with a roving jazz band setting the tone as you enjoy complimentary cacio e pepe — that decadent dish of fresh spaghetti served straight out of a Grana Padano cheese wheel. Best get in early if you want a taste, as it's free but only available until it runs out. Of course, it's the cocktails that are set to steal this show, headlined by a special '6 degrees of Negroni' menu featuring six clever twists on the classic aperitif. Prices start at $18, with highlights including the Cynarita, teaming tequila, Campari and Cynar; and a dry, bitter, citrusy delight dubbed Rome With A View. Plus, as well as seeing bars around the world offer a special negroni selection, Negroni Week also raises money for charity. At The Everleigh, $1 from every negroni sold across the week will go to OzHarvest.
It's the film that had to happen, honestly. Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero couldn't just give the world the so-bad-it's-amazing gift that is The Room and leave it at that — even if their disasterpiece became the basis for Sestero's ace behind-the-scenes book The Disaster Artist, and then the oh-so spot-on movie adaptation of the same name. No, this cinematic odd couple just had to make a second flick. Really, they had to. All those spoons thrown at cinema screens, all those screams of "you're tearing me apaaaaart!", all those "oh hi, doggy" comments: as The Room became a cult phenomenon over the past 15 years, we've all been praying to the deity that is Wiseau's long, greasy locks, and hoping that the world's most unlikely film star and his best friend would make another movie. Well, they have, and it's called Best F(r)iends. It was written by Sestero but directed by someone other than Wiseau, so it might all make some kind of sense this time. Apparently inspired by a road trip the duo took just after they'd made The Room, it's actually the first volume of a two-part flick, starring Sestero as a drifter and Wiseau as a mortician. We know — the latter couldn't sound like better casting. Maybe he's a vampire, too? Either way, the pair hatch a scheme that comes undone due to greed and jealousy, sparking a road trip as well as an exploration of friendship and loyalty. Switch out a few details, and it sounds a little like our favourite best worst film. If you're so filled with excitement that you feel like storming onto a rooftop and throwing a bottle, don't stress — Best F(r)iends is coming to Melbourne, screening at Cinema Nova at 7pm on Thursday, June 21. Even better, Sestero will be in attendance to answer all of your questions. Just don't ask him how his sex life is, obviously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTu9N40E_MI
There are a couple of great reasons to head down to Fitzroy North's Horn Please on Wednesday, August 15 — it's both Indian Independence Day and the celebrated restaurant's sixth birthday. And, to make it extra special, the restaurant will host a special all-you-can-eat feast for just $15 a head. As well as recognising the Indian joint's anniversary, the occasion will also celebrate the return of former owner and chef Jessi Singh who, after serving up his signature Indian nosh in New York for the last three years, is moving back to Melbourne. He sold Horn Please (and his other two restaurants, Kyneton's Dhaba on the Mill and Babu Ji in St Kilda) to Amar and Raj Singh in 2015, but now he's back on board as a consultant and executive chef, having led a recent transformation of the venue's menu, look and feel. So this bash offers up the perfect opportunity to take a peep at the newly minted interior — and try some of Melbourne's best Indian food. For just $15, you'll be able to eat all the butter chicken, beef lahsooni, dahl and rice you can reasonably stomach. Note that it's a no-reservations, cash-only and BYO wine ($10 corkage) situation
Ólafur Arnalds, the BAFTA Award-winning Icelandic composer and pianist, is returning to the Melbourne Recital Centre. But, this time he is bringing two self-playing pianos along with him. Arnalds, who has collaborated with the likes of Nils Frahm, performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre back in 2014. His new performances, taking place in December, will feature eerie, atmospheric and electronic works from his yet-to-be released fourth album re:member. The album, which will be released on August 24, was produced in collaboration with hip-hop producer BNGERBOY and features Arnalds' ground-breaking new piano software. A two-year project by Arnalds and audio developer Halldór Eldjârn, the software uses an algorithmic device to control two self-playing pianos. A central piano is also played by Arnalds. While Arnalds used the software to create the album, he'll be performing with it for the very first time during this Australian tour. You can delve deeper into Arnalds' new software, too, as he has posted two videos (here and here) that explain it all in great depth. If you haven't listened to much of Arnalds' music before, his melancholic musical project Islands (2016), which features seven songs recorded across seven locations in Iceland, is a good place to start. Alternatively, you could watch the television series Broadchurch, which Arnalds composed the award-winning soundtrack for, snagging him a 2014 BAFTA for Best Original Music. Ólafur Arnalds tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, August 3. Pre-sale tickets will be released at 9am, Wednesday, August 1 — to get access, head to the Melbourne Recital Centre website.
If you look at some of the biggest cultural events around the country over the past few years, it's clear that we have a bit of an obsession with nighttime antics supported by neon light installations. Of course, Sydney has Vivid, Melbourne has White Night and, on a regional level, Uluru's Field of Light has been a huge hit. Now, Bendigo is following in these luminescent footsteps with its own White Night festival. Inspired by Paris' Nuit Blanche movement, White Night has been an annual festival in Melbourne since 2013 and expanded to Ballarat in 2017. And, along with Geelong, Bendigo is joining in on the festivities for the first time this year. Celebrated artistic director and producer David Atkins, OAM will be leading the event. From 7pm on Saturday, September 1 until 2am the next morning, Bendigo's CBD will be will be transformed by vibrant activities, artwork and performances. With View Street as the central hub, the festival will extend down Pall Mall and spill out into Bull Street, Chancery Lane and Rosalind Park. You will witness light installations — including a garden of a giant bugs and an inflatable space man — plus projections onto buildings, live music in the streets and endless free photo opportunities. There's also a mini film festival, a silent disco walking tour of Bendigo Art Gallery and a 70s disco in a heritage tram scheduled. For more information on the White Night Bendigo program — including info on accommodation and how to navigate the event — head to the website. Then check out our guide to Bendigo's arts and culture to make a weekend of it.
The next time you go out dining and drinking and get that warm, fuzzy feeling, it might not be because you've had one too many. Hopefully, it'll be because the money you spent on your meal and beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. That's one of the aims of Scarf's regular dinners, with the proceeds used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. The social enterprise works to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work by raising awareness and funding barriers to employment. To date, 181 young people have been supported through this program. The next series will run on Tuesdays between July 10 and August 28 at Brunswick's Bhang. Each dinner features a two-course set menu for $45 a head, complete with some of the restaurant's best Indian dishes, including soft shell crab pakora, coconut kingfish curry and roast pork belly with spicy Goan vindaloo. Of course, that'll all come with a few pieces of Bhang's naan bread which is made by tandoor chef Ustaji Harbans (who's been cooking naan for over 40 years) and is always a hit at its regular thali nights. Images: Kate Shanasy.
Organic store Aunt Maggie's is throwing its annual Winter Solstice Chocolate Festival, melting away your troubles for the fourth year in a row at its new Lygon Street, Carlton digs. Saturday, June 23 will bring a feast of organic, raw and just generally comforting treats from the likes of Wildcrafted, Melbourne Cacao, Little Zebra Chocolates, Kennedy & Wilson Chocolates, Chow Cacao and a whole host more — so bring your sweet tooth/teeth. There will be market stalls to browse, samples to snack on and some juice bar bonanzas being pumped out as well. Plus, FYI, if you get sick of eating, there's liquid comfort to be had too courtesy of wine tastings from Paxton and RAW. With their range of biodynamic and vegan offerings on the go, it's basically just putting good stuff in your bodies all round. The event is free, so your weekend finances will be as warm and happy as your bellies.
A black comedy about neighbours fighting over a tree. A harrowing recreation of the worst incident on Norwegian soil since World War II. A gothic interpretation of a well-known folk tale. A film about an infatuated college student who discovers she has unusual abilities. These are just some of the Nordic films headed to Australia as part of the 2018 Scandinavian Film Festival — and yes, it's shaping up to be a great year for movies hailing from the colder parts of Europe. All of the above titles — the opening night's Under the Tree, Berlinale hit U – July 22, the gorgeously shot Valley of Shadows and the empathetic thriller Thelma — head to the festival after amassing quite the buzz at overseas events, and they have plenty of company. Across the Scandinavian Film Festival's almost month-long tour of the country, between July 10 and August 5, 21 features will grace Australian screens, showcasing everything from the latest award-winners to the career output of one of the region's late master filmmakers. In the first camp falls Border, which is based on a short story by author John Ajvide Lindqvist and just won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes; high-school comedy Amateurs, the recipient of the best Nordic film award at this year's Goteburg Film Festival; and Winter Brothers, a flick about siblings living in a remote region that nabbed nine Danish Academy Awards. In the latter category, viewers can celebrate the life and career of renowned Swedish director Ingmar Bergman in the 100th anniversary of his birth, with six Swedish figures — including Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy's Tomas Alfredson — making shorts inspired by the influential filmmaker for compilation effort Bergman Revisited. Other highlights include a semi-scripted cross-cultural comedy about two Danish men trying to set up a dog breeding business in China, aka The Saint Bernard Syndicate, SXSW-standout Heavy Trip, a film about a heavy metal muso spearheading a music festival in a small Finnish town, and The Real Estate, which attacks the chasm between the rich and the not-so in an unflinching fashion. In short: if it hails from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland and it popped up over the past year, it's probably on the lineup.
There really is a festival for everything, and come July 19 to 22 at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image, that includes television. Not content to let film monopolise the big screen fest space, ACMI is playing host to the world's biggest TV festival, with Series Mania heading to Australia for the second time. With a name that could also describe humanity's reaction each and every time a new season of a TV show hits a streaming platform, Series Mania returns for four days of television-focused fun — and with a huge program. The lineup features 20 TV series and three web series from around the world, including five world premieres, 16 Australian premieres and two Melbourne premiere. New series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Alicia Silverstone, Rachel Griffiths and Mark Strong are all on the bill, as are an in-conversation session with Patrick Melrose screenwriter David Nicholls and co-star Hugo Weaving, acclaimed US coming-of-age drama The Chi and opening night's Aussie series Wrong Kind of Black. If that all sounds like your idea of a great way to spend a day or several, then prepare for an epic binge session — but out of the house and not in your pyjamas. And in even better news, all screening sessions at Series Mania are free. Image: Nathalie Prèbende.
The pooches of Melbourne will be on parade at this returning festival for our furriest of friends. On Sunday, May 27, Barkly Square in Brunswick will play host to the third Barkly Barks Dog Festival, complete with a dachshund dash, doggy day spa, professional trainers and more. The festival will cater to dogs of all shapes and sizes, with tons of activities for participants on both two legs and four. You can buy your pet a treat from Canine Wellness Kitchen, Melbourne's dog-friendly food truck; get some costumed pooch snaps and give your doggo a 'pupparazzi' moment; or take part in a dog trivia competition. But the main event is the dog parade, where gongs will be given out in a whole range of categories, including most obedient, best costume, and dog and owner lookalike. Not sure we'd want to win that one, even if there are prizes up for grabs.
In the early hours of July 18, 1969, a car veered off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy was driving, while Mary Jo Kopechne sat in the passenger's seat. He was a US senator, and a brother of slain American president John F. Kennedy. She was a former aide to Ted's other assassinated sibling, politician and aspiring presidential nominee Robert F. Kennedy. Along with Bobby's past campaign staff plus a few friends, they'd been partying in the lead up to the Apollo 11 moon landing, with Ted on the cusp of running for the country's highest office. But then he swerved into a tidal channel — and although he managed to swim to safety as the vehicle sank into the water, he left Kopechne drowning inside the car. More than that, he fled the scene and didn't report the accident until ten hours later. Featuring Jason Clarke as the youngest Kennedy son and Kate Mara as Kopechne, Chappaquiddick explores this controversial chapter in US political history — one that, due to the fallout, would ensure that Ted never followed JFK all the way to the White House. Directed by filmmaker John Curran (Tracks), the movie presents a sombre account of a man caught between complicated extremes on several levels. Teeming with insecurity about living in his brothers' shadows, he was already trapped between his own ambitions and the expectations of his stern father (Bruce Dern). After the incident, he's torn between doing what's right and doing what's best for his career and reputation. Or is he? With the bulk of the movie focusing on the aftermath of the accident, detailing the response to the situation as the hours and days pass, Chappaquiddick doesn't paint Ted in a favourable light. The film might pitch its protagonist as a conflicted man stuck in complex circumstances, but the script is also smart enough to realise that its underlying scenario is actually rather simple. Here, a guy does the wrong thing, but doesn't want to own up to it because it'll have considerable repercussions. It's as straightforward as Curran's efficient, unassuming directorial style, with the picture visually indistinguishable from plenty of other solemn takes on true political tales. Consequently, what ultimately eventuates is less a movie that unpacks a moral quandary, and more an incisive, quietly scathing portrait of power's corrupting influence – among other subjects. Indeed, it's to the credit of Curran and first-time screenwriters Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan that the movie sets quite a number of topics in its sights, all with pertinent parallels to today. Chappaquiddick depicts the calculating cover-up instigated by the Kennedys, leaving cousin Joe Gargan (an effective against-type Ed Helms) as the lone voice of reason. Thanks to the real-life fact that Ted kept his senatorial spot until his death in 2009, it also offers a reminder that even the most serious of scandals can't completely damage someone with enough privilege and authority. Further, the movie demonstrates the forgiving nature of the constant news cycle, where today's lead story becomes tomorrow's footnote when something else comes along. In Ted's case, a small step for man and a giant leap for mankind (something that JFK helped set in motion) couldn't have come at a better time. With a poised facade that can't completely mask his struggles, Ted remains an intriguing character, largely thanks to Clarke's strong performance. Tasked with playing a figure who's neither sympathetic nor the most ruthless person in the film (an honour reserved for Dern's grimacing patriarch, and a role that's slightly overplayed), the Australian actor is saddled with a delicate balancing act. Luckily, it's one that he handles well, with his stint as a troubled local representative on the excellent, underappreciated TV series Brotherhood proving a fantastic training ground. Chappaquiddick might work best as an indictment of everything from political dynasties to impropriety among elected officials to society's short attention span — not to mention the treatment of women by the rich and powerful — but the movie also serves up a solid character study. It's no Jackie, of course, but then again, few things are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snmc-Gc69Fk
Craft beer meets cocktails at this very boozy evening at Dingo's Bar in Collingwood. Presented by small-batch subscription service Club Brewing, this one-off event will showcase three specially made beer-based cocktails (they've teased that there might be a "beer spider") made with Club Brewing's limited-edition brews. Ticket-holders will get the chance to sample all three concoctions and will also get access discounted drinks for the rest of the night.
There are haunted houses, and then there's the Winchester Mystery House. Forget the occasional swinging door and creaky floorboard – in this sprawling abode, things go bump both day and night. That's the story, anyway, one spooky enough to establish the San Jose residence as a popular tourist attraction for almost a century. The seven-storey building dates back to 1884, contains 161 rooms and was under construction for nearly 40 years. It's also said to be full of ghostly inhabitants. No wonder Hollywood came knocking. Indeed, in another life, the history of the mansion could've come with an M. Night Shyamalan-style twist, or become one of Guillermo del Toro's gothic playgrounds, with both filmmakers once interested in turning it into a movie. Instead, the spirits of their unrealised projects join the many things haunting Winchester, not the least of which is squandered potential. Try as they might, Australian directors Peter and Michael Spierig (Daybreakers, Jigsaw) just can't capitalise on their real-world premise – and that's despite their convincing command of genre fundamentals and an against-type Helen Mirren as their star. The beloved British actress plays the widowed Sarah Winchester, heir by marriage to the Winchester firearms-manufacturing firm. Mourning the loss of her husband and infant daughter, Sarah has dedicated much of her life to building her enormous home — all while basing its unconventional, ever-changing design on otherworldly instructions. That doesn't please the company's board, who enlist psychiatrist Dr. Eric Price (Jason Clarke) to attest to her diminished capacity. Addicted to laudanum, the good doctor is haunted by demons of his own, and soon discovers there's more than a well-paying job waiting for him at Winchester manor. If prowling around an eerie house was all it took to make an effective horror flick, Winchester would be primed for success. Once again building upon their growing genre resume, the Spierigs prove up to the task both visually and tonally, conjuring up an unnerving mood and ensuring the maze-like setting is as creepy as it should be. They're a little too fond of jump-scares, but at least they make enough of them count. Sadly, the same can't be said for the movie's obvious plotting and terrible dialogue, with the twin writer-directors — along with co-scribe Tom Vaughan (Unstoppable) – making every expected choice and saddling their characters with some truly awful lines. That said, enlisting Mirren and Clarke, along with Sarah Snook (Predestination) and Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks: The Return) does help lift the film's fortunes somewhat. Specifically, there's plenty of fun to be had watching Mirren jump into another unexpected genre after she popped up in The Fate of the Furious just last year. The veteran actress turns in a committed performance filled with quiet resolve — all while decked out in gorgeously gothic outfits. She can't make an average movie great or even good, but at least she helps keep it from being totally forgettable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfzDq6-vCZc
The program for 2018's Melbourne Food And Wine Festival has officially arrived. And even though it's more than three months until it all kicks off on March 16, you're going to need most of that time to plan your attack, because this is one chock-a-block lineup. In a fun new addition, MFWF 2018 will for the first time incorporate its own mini hotel experience, as festival hub the House of Food and Wine takes over the Hotel Lindrum. Punters wanting to really dig in deep can now opt for an overnight stay right in the MFWF epicentre, enjoying contemporary breakfast, mini-bar and room service menus designed by acclaimed chefs Jo Barrett and Matt Stone. As with its predecessors, next year's hub will also feature a bar offering curated by the city's top mixologists and sommeliers, and will play host to a series of dinners and one-off events. Highlights here include a March 25 laneway lunch dedicated to dumplings and wine, and a speed dating-style wine tasting called Vino Rapido, on March 21. The Bank Of Melbourne World's Longest Lunch returns for its annual group feasting session – though this time it'll grace the banks of the Maribyrnong River – as chefs Jerry Mai (Annam), Adam D'Sylva (Coda, Tonka) and Kay-Lene Tan (Coda, Tonka) pool their talents to deliver a multi-cultural, modern Australian lunch to 1,700 diners. There'll also be food for the mind, as the MFWF Theatre of Ideas talks series explores ideas about sustainability and community. Other festival fun might find you noshing on a Brutally Early Breakfast at Collingwood's soon-to-launch Congress; enjoying a BBQ block party starring eats from both Fancy Hanks and Smith & Daughters; embarking on a boozy trip through time with a specially curated cocktail journey at Dinner By Heston; and partying hard at Bouvier Bar's dedicated sausage festival.
A long, hot, Melbourne summer deserves a proper Melbourne send-off, and how better to do that, than with a series of free music events? To squeeze a little extra goodness out of the sunny season, the folks at Rosé Rosé are set to host a three-week boutique music series called Wine Not?, complete with an all-Aussie lineup of wines, beers, cocktails and top DJ's. Held in conjunction with Arts Centre Melbourne's new exhibition, The Australian Music Vault, the event will take over the centre's ground floor al fresco space, The Barre, running Friday and Saturday nights, from March 9. WAT Artists has pulled together a banging musical lineup for the occasion, with the likes of Harvey Sutherland, Oscar Key Sung, Andras, Fantastic Man and Nite Fleit promising to have punters dancing their way through March. Alongside the tunes, expect a carefully curated, locally-focused bar offering, with cocktails from Melbourne Martini, brews from Grand Ridge and Rosé Rosé's own lightly sparkling rosé cans. There'll also be a rose-themed light show, a lounge area for chilling out under the stars, and easy access to The Australian Music Vault, for when those DJ tunes inspire you to dig a little deeper into the Aussie music story. Wine Not? will run from 5–11pm on March 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24. Find it at The Barre, Arts Centre Melbourne. For more information, head to the website.
If you've got a penchant for pink wine, then you'd best clear your calendar, because Brunswick's cellar door-style bar Biff Tannin's is throwing a week-long rosé festival. Starting from noon this Sunday, March 4, the bar's self-serve wine machines (yes, self-serve) will be taken over entirely by rosé, offering a huge 32 varieties by the glass. You'll swap your credit/debit card for a Biff Tannin's wine card, then use this to purchase drops straight from the bottle taps. The diverse lineup has been sourced from all over the globe, with a particular focus on rosé from France and Australia. Find yourself sipping delights like the fresh and lively Saint Honorat rosé, the Yarra Valley's Up The Mountain, and loads of others in between. Plenty of the producers will be dropping in for meet-and-greets throughout the week and there'll be a swag of great pizza and cheese board deals running each night.
If you're a fan of tasteful tunes and exuberant summer vibes that don't bruise the budget, the annual St Kilda Festival should be at the top of your summer bucket list. The nation's largest free music festival returns to St Kilda's foreshore for its 38th year, bringing seven stages of live music and a tonne of food stalls and interactive workshops. On the music front, pop-rock band The Jezabels, soul singer Dan Sultan, Melbourne locals Architecture in Helsinki (DJ Set) and electro duo Electric Fields are just some of the 60-plus artists that will be performing throughout the day. They'll jam on one of nine stages scattered along the beachfront — stretching from Catani Gardens to the south end of Acland Street. As well as bangin' tunes, the air will be filled with the scent of delicious eats emanating from more than 100 food vendors. There'll be everything from curry to burgers, ribs and sushi — providing plenty of sustenance for all that dancing. You'll also need energy if you plan on attending one of the festival's free workshops, which include bubble soccer, yoga hip hop and dance classes (and a less strenuous selfie station, if that's your thing). For more information on activities and to see the full lineup, visit their website. Images: Nathan Doran
It might not have been planned, but Bluebonnet Barbecue is definitely one of Melbourne's most well-travelled restaurants. After a fire forced the beloved barbecue joint out of its original Collingwood home after just two years of operation, it enjoyed a temporary residency at The Curtin, before eventually settling into new digs within the former North Fitzroy Star in 2016. And now, with redevelopment in the works for the pub, Chris Terlikar's famed eatery is on the move again — though this time it's to a permanent abode, having signed a 20-year lease on a space in Brunswick East. But Bluebonnet's not going anywhere without a proper farewell, which of course involves plenty of meaty treats for all. From March 5–23, it's reinstating its legendary All You Can Meat bottomless barbecue feeds. Book a table for dinner on any of those days (or lunch on weekends) and $55 will get you a feast fit for a carnivore king. The house cooling festivities will then wrap up with one final party on Saturday, March 24. We'll give you more info about that one as it drops.
Classic Australian films surrounded by Australia's classic bushland? If you're after more than just the usual trip to the movies, you can't get much better than this. It's the work of Campout Cinema, the latest event coming to Bush Hideouts , a super scenic 500-acre spot by the banks of the Goulburn River, a breezy 80 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne. Taking place from 6pm on Saturday, December 1, this one-off movie night will show a double of Wake in Fright and Long Weekend. If you don't know what you're in for, the pair of local 70s flicks are all about heading out into the Aussie outback and getting more than you bargained for. Yes, it's a particularly fitting program — but, thankfully, all of the unnerving thrills will be confined to the big screen. Unless you're easily frightened. For those keen to soak up a combo of nature and cinema on the first night of summer, there'll also be food trucks, a bar and — naturally — plenty of popcorn. $45 (plus booking fee) gets you entry to the films, access to the after party and a spot to camp for the night. If you're happy to pop along just for the movies, that'll set you back $20.
Johnston Street's neon-drenched Shu is no stranger to innovation, having earned a solid reputation for its envelope-pushing take on modern Sichuan fare. But now you can prepare those tastebuds for some of its most creative grub yet, which is set to be delivered as part of the restaurant's new series of weekly experimental vegan dinners. From 6pm each Tuesday, the kitchen's offering a changing selection of innovative new dishes, showcasing seasonal produce and fun techniques that the kitchen's been playing around with. And while you might expect such crafty eats to come with a hefty price tag, Shu's Tuesday night feasts clock in at just $25 for five dishes — almost cheap enough to rival a midweek pub parma — yet way, way more exciting. Recent creations have included the likes of grilled okra with burnt chilli salsa and puffed rice, tempeh crackers topped with apple, avocado and green chilli mayo, and slow-cooked Asian mushrooms teamed with black sticky rice and sweet soy.
If you're the kind of market-goer who beelines immediately for the ceramics stall at your local makers market — and dreams of Patrick Swayze's ghost every time your hands hit the potter's wheel — then do we have just the ticket for you. After launching in 2017, Melbourne's ceramics-only market is back, holding a two-day event in Collingwood this summer. Taking place over the weekend of Saturday, November 10 (10am-6pm) and 11 (10am-4pm), Melbourne Ceramics Market, or MCM, costs a gold coin to enter, and showcases handcrafted creations from over 45 different ceramicists. And, if you're big into the clay world, you may have already heard of the two founders, who are ceramic artists themselves. Daisy Cooper of Daisy Cooper Ceramics and Tina Thorburn of Clay by Tina are running the market to create a retail space for other artists to sell their pieces directly to the public. You'll also find coffee trucks and baked goods to help fuel your ceramics-buying rampage.
Melbourne fashion lovers sticking to a budget, rejoice — the biannual Magic Designer Sale is back for its second sale of 2018. For one weekend a massive amount of end-of-season stock and samples will be available from local designers such as Witu, Verner, Kuwaii, Handsom, Kloke, Seb Brown and Dress Up. With reductions running across the four days, your purchases are guaranteed to be investments. So cancel your weekend plans, empty your piggy bank and race over to Johnson Street. We suggest getting there early for the good stuff. The sale will run from 5.30–8.30 on Thursday, 9am–6pm on Friday, 10am–6pm on Saturday, and 11am–4pm on Sunday.
He's soft and cuddly, has a hankering for honey and hibernating, and believes that doing nothing leads to the very best something. With wisdom like that, he could be a wellness guru — but instead, Winnie-the-Pooh is a walking, talking teddy bear. There are many reasons to love the best-known inhabitant of the Hundred Acre Wood. Taking inspiration from a stuffed toy cherished by his son Christopher Robin, author A.A. Milne crafted the cute creature with ample affection, making him feel like the best friend that every kid always wanted. With dashings of black ink on white paper, illustrator E. H. Shepard also brought the bear to life with grace and care in drawings that felt like they could wander off the paper. Thanks to an array of short films, features and television shows over the past six decades, Pooh did mosey beyond those pages. That said, he has never taken a stroll in quite the fashion seen in Christopher Robin. With director Marc Forster (World War Z) mixing live-action and CGI, Pooh is an adorable ball of fluff that couldn't look more realistic. He's covered with tufts of naturalistic fur that viewers will instantly want to run their fingers through and, thanks to special effects that give him a well-worn appearance, it looks like plenty of people already have. Courtesy of a script by Alex Ross Perry (Golden Exits), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures), Pooh is also actually dispensing wellness advice to a now-adult Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor, charming even when he's haunted by stress). Indeed, if there's one thing that Christopher Robin takes seriously, it's the idea of not taking life too seriously. In a movie with the sweetness of Pooh's preferred food — but a dose of melancholy too — the childhood character pops into Christopher Robin's life when he least expects it. (Not that anyone expects a living teddy bear to find them in a London garden, follow them home and start putting their sticky paws on everything.) It has been years since Christopher farewelled Pooh, with boarding school, the Second World War, and now work and his family all monopolising his attention instead. But trying to balance his personal and professional lives, or failing to, has left Christopher in a spot of bother. While his wife Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and daughter Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) head out to the country, he's stuck at home alone working for a luggage company. Then Pooh shows up, searching for the missing Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit, and making Christopher realise exactly what he's missing. Much of Christopher Robin follows its two central characters as they roam around the Hundred Acre Wood. It's a hangout movie — viewers not only hang out with characters they love, but watch them hang out as well. While the drama about meeting work deadlines feels somewhat flimsy as a result, just soaking in the film's scenic surroundings and loveable figures offers enough to enjoy. Forster certainly thinks so, with the movie never as buoyant as when it's focusing firmly on Christopher Robin, Pooh and their green sanctuary. Intricate production design assists, ensuring that every swaying tree and meadow of grass is as eye-catching as a certain bear of very little brain. As viewers rove their eyes over Christopher Robin's splendid sights, they're doing just what the film espouses: slowing down, enjoying the moment, and switching off from the hustle and bustle. Still, as you're clearing space in your head thanks to this nice little movie — and it's truly the epitome of nice, soothing, cosy and comfortable — you might notice a few familiar elements. Forster has dallied with a beloved childhood story before in Finding Neverland, while the idea of a fictional animal character coming to life smacks of Paddington and its sequel, and Hook told overworked men to reconsider their priorities more than two decades ago. You may also recall 2017's forgettable Goodbye Christopher Robin, but thankfully Christopher Robin doesn't underestimate its audience or smother anyone in treacly sentiment. In imagining a new adventure for Pooh and his human pal rather than revisiting their beginnings, the film simply wants viewers to delight in the big-hearted pleasures of its gorgeous world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PakpWVOK37Y
Run to the Melbourne Fringe Hub for this late-night celebration of the music of Whitney Houston. Taking over Arts House in North Melbourne on Friday, September 21 in the middle of the festival, Queen of the Night will see a bevy of local performers — including Mz Rizk, Mama Alto, Shamita Siva, Jennifer Vuletic and the cast of Lou Wall's Drag Race — pay tribute to the legendary singer with unique takes on her iconic music. Best of all, it's free. Have a boogie, feel the heat, and make the most of this one moment in time. The party doesn't kick off until 10pm, so you can even sneak in a Fringe show beforehand.
