Walt Disney once said "animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive," and with more than 400 entries in every conceivable style, this year's Melbourne International Animation Festival looks set to prove him right. Hosted at ACMI in Federation Square, the latest edition of the 11-day festival shines a light on the world of independent animation. Feature-length efforts by Chris Sullivan and the Melbourne-born Elliot Cowan are the result of years of personal labour, and are sure to offer a very different aesthetic to the glossy productions of Hollywood. The bulk of the festival consists of short films, all of which are separated into streams. The spine of the program is the International Competition, split over seven sessions throughout the duration of the festival. There's also a showcase of South America, the Best of Next student competition, the mind-bending Late Night Bizarre, along with many, many more. The film program is bolstered by a series of special events, many of which focus on the practical considerations of the medium — from production and distribution to simply getting your foot in the door. For more information on the MIAF program, visit their website. We have two festival passes to give away to the MIAF, valued at $120 each. They give you full access to screenings and events across the festival (excluding the Render Animation Conference). To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter, then email win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
By now, you've probably had an absolute gutful of winter, not to mention of everyone else's European holiday snaps clogging up your Instagram feed. Plus, daydreaming about tropical getaways doesn't quite stack up to the real thing, right? Well, wannabe jetsetters, if you've got a vacation-shaped hole in your life, it turns out this is your lucky week, because a mammoth travel sale is hitting the internet tonight. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy Travel sale returns for a 29-hour online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm on Tuesday, August 2019. And it's chock full of airfare, cruise, accommodation, tour and holiday package deals, for all kinds of budgets. Though, with a lineup of over 600 sales, it's going to be pretty hard to book just one trip. Virgin Australia's offering up to 40 percent off a range of domestic and international journeys, with prices starting from just $69. You can nab some wild discounts on holiday packages in the likes of Bali, London, Europe and Fiji from the crew at Luxury Escapes, or take advantage of savings of up to 50 percent on select Intrepid Travel trips to destinations including the Galapagos Islands and Croatia. [caption id="attachment_661817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Intrepid Travel trip to the Galapagos Islands[/caption] Cantik Bali Villas is offering luxury private pool villas from $85 per night, G Adventures is knocking 25 percent off some of its worldwide tours, and Kogan Travel is slinging an array of hot deals including an 11-day China tour from $699. You'll also find $1057 return Air New Zealand flights departing Melbourne and Sydney for sunny Buenos Aires, as well as a stack of Beyond Travel deals, including mega savings on a 2020 Iceland cruise tour. In a Click Frenzy Travel first, this week's sale will also feature a cool 99 percent off 'Go Overboard' deals, up for grabs in limited quantities. The lineup is set to include everything from $2 Beats headphones (usually $250) to $500 Flight Centre vouchers priced at just $5. Dust off that suitcase and start plotting your annual leave — it's holiday time, finally. The Click Frenzy Travel sale runs from 7pm on Tuesday, August 20, until midnight on Wednesday, August 21. You can find it and all the tasty travel bargains here. Top image: Underwater temple ruins in Bali.
Chances are if you were once a kid (you were) copping an ice cream cake was the pinnacle of birthday success. If you were ever lucky enough to nab one of those messy, creamy treats, time to pay attention. Pidapipo's gelato cakes have been going gangbusters ever since they launched a few years ago, and the chain's founder Lisa Valmorbida has picked out some of the gelateria's most popular flavours to turn into cake form for the newest range. The new range features a Passionfruit Layer Cake, Lamington Cake, Bacio Bombe Alaska and Peanut Butter Layer Cake, which combine beaut flavours with intricate decorations. Just let us talk you through the passionfruit situation: layers of vanilla cake, passionfruit sorbet and fior de latte covered in meringue. Sounds like it'll make even the most nostalgic-for-a-Maccas-cake kid weep. The new range of cakes are also slightly bigger in size than their previous incarnations, most feeding around fifteen people (or one hungry, decadent you). Previously only available to order at the Windsor store, the new cakes will be able at all Pidapipo locations – Carlton and CBD as well as Windsor — for maximum ease of birthday joy. Speaking of maximum ease, perhaps the best news from all this is that you can order both the Lamington and the Peanut Butter cakes on UberEats as well. Images: Jesper Hede, styled by Nat Turnbull
If there's one area in which Melbourne reigns supreme, it's breakfast. From the sweet to the savoury, from the classic to the clever, mid-morning munching is our jam. So, on Sunday, April 2 at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival's House of Food and Wine, The Breakfast Club will assemble some of the city's finest purveyors of pre-noon fare for the ultimate brunch feast. Brunch legends like Magic Mountain Saloon, Top Paddock, and Higher Ground will be serving up a diverse array of signature breakfast snacks and exclusive creations, alongside sweet treats courtesy of dessert bar Om Nom. There'll be coffee and tea to wash it down, though with a wine and sherry list by MoVida, and specially created breakfast cocktails from the renowned Romeo Lane, a boozy brunch is looking very tempting indeed.
Winter is for indulging — rugging up by fireplaces, donning luxurious coats, and feasting on foods and fiery liquors all help us keep warm during the chilly season. Luckily for us, premium scotch distiller Glenmorangie is treating Melburnians to a next-level whisky and dessert pairing this winter. For six weeks only, Glenmorangie is teaming up with local chocolatier Koko Black to bring you Signet and Sweet — a special after-dinner treat at 13 Melbourne bars. Meeting the cold head on, the collaboration will see you sipping on Glenmorangie's richest whisky — Signet — while tasting some mighty fine chocolate. With Signet's sweet and spicy notes, the smooth single malt is an ideal post-dinner drink and dessert accompaniment. So, down to the details. Expect Glenmorangie's Signet served neat and paired with three Koko Black chocolates. Head to any of the partaking bars and you'll be sampling spicy dark chocolate ganache, dark chocolate-dipped candied orange and cafe latte squares alongside your scotch. Running from Monday, July 15 through Saturday, August 31, Signet and Sweet follows Glenmorangie's immersive The Signet Speakeasy pop-up in Melbourne. In the CBD, you can head to Lui Bar, Iki Jime, the MS Collins Whisky Boutique, Candela Nuevo and the Intercontinental Hotel to nab this offer. Other locations around town include Southbanks' Eureka89, PJ O'Brien's Irish Pub and Atlantic Restaurant, plus Katuk South Yarra, Maeve Fox in Cremorne and Sebastian Beach Bar and Grill in Willamstown. The Promenade at the Melbourne Racing Course is getting in on the action as well. Glenmorangie Signet x Koko Black's Signet and Sweet after-dinner special is available at bars across Melbourne and will run from Monday, July 15 through Saturday, August 31.
Long before humans could soar into space, they could only dream about it. Queensland Museum's new NASA exhibition — an Australian premiere — celebrates both the experience and the idea of space travel. While much of NASA – A Human Adventure features suits, parachutes, equipment and even empty food containers that've actually left the earth, the stellar showcase also pays tribute to the imaginative minds that've inspired every rocket scientist, engineer and astronaut. Visitors not only enter the exhibition via a dome that honours Jules Verne, HG Wells and company, but can also spy their names in the biographies of important figures that are plastered across the South Bank building's walls. It's easy to understand how one influenced the other — how mere ideas motivated eager adventurers to push boundaries, achieve the seemingly impossible and fly beyond this planet we all call home. Indeed, NASA – A Human Adventure has the same effect. Feasting your eyes on this array of more than 250 historically significant items, getting up close to replicas of famous spacecraft, and hearing Neil Armstrong's iconic "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" speech while wandering through the exhibition, plenty of wannabe astronauts — and those who thought they'd stopped dreaming of such things years ago — will leave with visions of rocketing to the moon themselves. And with 2019 marking half a century since man first set foot on the moon, the timing of this exhibition couldn't be better. It will only be hitting Brisbane, so if you're not a local, you might want to schedule in a trip to the city before October. When you get there, these five standout pieces can't be missed — from space shuttles to space vodka (yes, really). A JUPITER NOSECONE One of NASA – A Human Adventure's first's first big pieces shows signs of wear and tear, and that's to be expected. You don't fly into space, crash into the sea and escape unscathed — even if you're part of a rocket. Visibly worn on the outside, filled with gadgetry inside, this hefty item draws a crowd; however, the story behind the Jupiter program's involvement in space flight is just as fascinating. While the PGM-19 Jupiter was originally designed as a nuclear-tipped missile, the nosecones were instrumental when it came to discovering how manned spaceflights might re-enter the earth's atmosphere. In 1958 and 1959, they were also used to test biological flights in low orbits, using both mice and monkeys. LUNAR ROVERS First, the bad news: two types of lunar rover drove across the moon's surface in the 60s and 70s, and they're all still there. Now, the good news: NASA – A Human Adventure has the next best thing: life-sized replicas. Visitors will first spot Lunokhod 1, the Soviets' first moon walker (that's the literal translation). It looks a little bit like a giant Wall-E, was launched in 1970 and stopped transmitting back to earth in 1971. Then you'll mosey on over to the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle, the moon buggies used by the Americans on the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions. Yes, it's supposed to look like a dune buggy. Yes, the chairs look like deckchairs. No, you can't hop into it. SPACESUITS Reaching for the stars requires a wardrobe to match, although an astronaut's attire is functional rather than fashionable. Still, staring at real-life spacesuits never loses its intrigue — especially when some of them have actually been into space. NASA – A Human Adventure features six pieces, including a US Air Force high-altitude pressure suit, plus items from all of its missions from Mercury to Apollo. The highlight: a version of the suit, helmet and gloves that were used during the moon landing, including a cutaway piece that shows just how much protective material is needed (and hints at some of the practicalities of being suited up, as everyone has always wondered). MERCURY, GEMINI AND APOLLO CRAFTS NASA's jaunts into space all started with Project Mercury, which aimed to send a human into orbit and then return them safely. And while NASA – A Human Adventure doesn't feature a real Mercury spacecraft, taking a gander at a life-size replica does spark a definite realisation: for something that was sent into space, it's rather tiny. With Project Gemini, the second human spaceflight program, the capsule is noticeably bigger (although, as this replica makes plain, it still wouldn't suit anyone who isn't fond of small spaces). Finally, exhibition attendees can also peer at full-scale models of the Apollo Lunar Module Crew Cain and the Apollo Command Module — all while walking beneath the enormous (and space-flown) orange-and-white parachute that was used in 1972's Apollo 16 mission. THE SPACE SHUTTLE Ever wanted to climb aboard the space shuttle — that is, the world's first reusable spacecraft, which was used to transport cargo into space from the 1980 to 2011? Now that it has been retired after 135 missions, you can't; however you can ascend Queensland Museum's stairs to make a peek at this towering replica. Windows allow attendees to view the cockpit, its console its many, many buttons, although sadly you can't take a seat or press anything yourself. And in good news for anyone with accessibility requirements, there's also a lift that'll take you up to the top level (and folks on crutches or in a wheelchair will also nab a view that no one else gets to see). NASA – A Human Adventure is currently showing at Brisbane's Queensland Museum until October 8, 2019. Tickets cost $18–21 and can be booked online here.
New Zealand's South Island is home to some of the most beautiful sights one could ever imagine. There are some spectacular wineries, plus it's home to a burgeoning network of craft breweries and distilleries that are making beers and spirits to a remarkably high standard. So, where exactly are these innovators of imbibing located? Well, you can find them scattered all over the island — if you're planning a big trip around the whole South, we've found a spot for you. To help you on your drinking journey, we've crafted the ultimate brewpub itinerary. Let's start at the top and work our way south. BREW MOON BREWING COMPANY, AMBERLEY Established in 2002, the Brew Moon Brewing Company is a family-owned brewery and taproom in Amberley, North Canterbury. Brew Moon tinnies are available all over New Zealand, but visiting the Brew Moon site gives you the opportunity to try taproom-only seasonals and exclusives. The taproom holds 16 taps and pours beer straight from the brewery to your glass — doesn't get much fresher than that. The menu at Brew Moon only serves woodfired pizza to go with its craft beers, but really, it's a winning combination so there's no complaint here. THE FERMENIST, CHRISTCHURCH The Fermentist microbrewery in Christchurch is the newest craft kid on the block and aims to create great beer in a sustainable and environmentally friendly fashion. The brewery has implemented solar panels, composting, rainwater gathering, waste minimisation recycling and even tree-free toilet paper. The kitchen sources South Island hops and malt for brewing and local ingredients for the taproom kitchen. The Fermentist also has a female head brewer — which is not all that common in the craft beer community. The taproom is open daily and boasts an extensive menu of food and beer, as well as a fill-your-own station if you want to take home a growler of fermented delights. CARDRONA DISTILLERY, OTAGO A little further south in Otago, you'll find the Cardrona Distillery — a family-owned boutique distillery creating premium artisanal spirits. Situated within the remote Cardrona Valley, the distillery produces whisky, gin, vodka and liqueurs — all of which are handcrafted onsite. A tour of the facility costs $25 and takes 75 minutes, during which you'll learn about all aspects of spirit making — from grain to glass — and be treated to a guided tasting of each of the Cardrona spirits at the end. RHYME AND REASON, WANAKA While it's only been open for just over a year, Wanaka brewpub Rhyme and Reason is already a firm favourite in the region. Open daily from midday, it serves tasting paddles and pints from the ten taps, as well as 'hoppy' hour specials and cheese plates. The venue even allows BYO food if you're hankering for something specific to match with your beer. The team at Rhyme and Reason is all about creating a beer-loving community, best illustrated in the epic beer garden, which boasts everything from giant Jenga and foosball to the occasional food truck festival and even free community yoga on Sunday mornings. Tours are available but no set times exist, so just contact the brewery to book. WANAKA BEERWORKS, WANAKA Celebrating its 20th year brewing, Wanaka Beerworks knows how to please the people. Using the freshest ingredients and pure alpine water to create extremely tasty beer, this microbrewery produces small-batch brews under the brands Wanaka Beerworks and Jabberwocky with the flagship beers always available, alongside the occasional seasonal. Tours run Monday to Saturday, and take you through the entire beer-making process with, of course, the option to sample one or two at the end at the tasting room and bar. EMERSON'S BREWERY, DUNEDIN If there's a godfather of New Zealand craft beer it's Richard Emerson, who went from brewing beer in his parents' garage in Dunedin to owning his first brewery in 1993 and onto building Emerson's Brewery and Taproom in 2016. Emerson's boasts a restaurant, a bar with more than 20 beers (each matched to a menu item), and a 12-tap cellar door for your fill-your-own requirements. Tours of this state-of-the-art brewery run multiple times daily and include the opportunity to get your hands dirty in the workshop, a unique sensory experience and a guided tasting of six famous beers. Bookings are recommended. SPEIGHT'S, DUNEDIN So, it's not exactly a craft brewery, but no beer lover's trip to the South Island would be complete without visiting Speight's in Dunedin. Speight's is the epitome of the kiwi beer scene and has been brewing beer in the south since 1876 — this long and remarkable history is outlined during the tour which takes place at various times daily. The tour ends with not just beer tasting, but the opportunity to pour your own beer in the new tasting room and some great pub grub from the Speight's Ale House. The facility has just undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation to improve the visitor experience, so this South Island veteran is looking better than ever, even after 141 years. INVERCARGILL BREWERY As far south as possible lies the Invercargill Brewery, a place that's been applying new-world flavours to old-world beer styles since 1999. This brewery and taproom is dedicated to all things local, being sustainable and, most importantly, making amazing craft beers and ciders, both stalwarts and seasonals. The venue also has a newly opened events space called Asylum which hosts bands, comedy evenings and art exhibitions. Brewery tours are available on request. DANCING SANDS DISTILLERY, TAKAKA Run by husband and wife team Ben and Sarah Bonoma, Dancing Sands Distillery is situated in Takaka at the top of the South Island. The couple small-batch distil using a 150-litre copper still imported from Germany and age the spirits in a combination of French and American oak barrels. Dancing Sands' focus is on purity and sources its water from one of the clearest sources in the world, Pupu Springs. Ben and Sarah make vodka, gin and rum under the brands Dancing Sands, Sacred Spring and Murders Bay. And, the team is does some pretty innovative things, particularly under the Dancing Sands brand — wasabi gin, anyone? MCCASHIN'S BREWERY, NELSON Just down the road in Nelson, McCashin's Brewery has been brewing craft beer since the 1980s — long before it was trendy. McCashin's makes both beer and cider under brands Stoke and Rochdale, the latter of which is New Zealand's oldest cider. The onsite kitchen and bar serves food, coffee and, of course, beer and cider that can be enjoyed inside the brewery or sitting in the beer garden with that famous Nelson sunshine. Tours run daily, Monday to Friday, and cost $25 — that includes the guided tour, a post-tour beer and cider tasting and a souvenir glass which is yours to keep. Tour bookings are recommended. Start planning your trip to New Zealand's south with our guide to the South Island journeys to take here.
Can't wait to feast your eyes on Wes Anderson's latest flick, the stop-motion animated delight that is Isle of Dogs? It was one of our picks of this year's Berlinale, where it opened the fest and won best director, so we understand. The film doesn't release in Australian theatres until April 12, but Moonlight Cinemas is giving eager fans a sneak peek — and, even better, you can bring your own pupper. The event will celebrate Moonlight's last night of its 2017-18 season, and is bound to turn Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens into an isle of dogs — just without the water. And while you can take your pooch to any of this year's sessions at the outdoor cinema, there's no better movie to take them to than this. If your dog is called Spots, then you have to go. The film follows a boy's visit to the titular land mass to find his beloved Spots, after all. The adventure that follows features the voices of a host of Anderson regulars and other ace talent — think Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton and Frances McDormand — and proves as gorgeous as you'd expect. You'd be barking mad to miss it.
Director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth) puts mankind under the microscope in his enigmatic sci-fi thriller Under the Skin. Unfolding like an arthouse version of Species, the film stars Scarlett Johansson as an extraterrestrial creature who travels around Scotland seducing human men. A cold, disturbing, impenetrable piece of filmmaking, it's a movie that will understandably alienate mainstream audiences, even as it carves a place for itself as a modern-day cult classic. Reversing typical images of sexual predation, Glazer puts Johansson — a pale-skinned, dark-haired female — in the driver's seat of an anonymous white van. The bulk of the film takes place in the vehicle, as Johansson cruises the outskirts of Glasgow in search of her next victim. What happens to the men once they're ensnared is one of many pieces of information Glazer initially withholds, playing with our fears and assumptions and cultivating a sickening sense of dread. Aesthetically, Glazer adopts a naturalistic style that's sundered by moments of Kubrickian intensity. Lingering shots of pedestrians have an air of dispassionate voyeurism — at times it feels as though we too are from another world, viewing our own species from afar. A soundtrack of mechanical rumblings and synthesised screeches sharpens the already menacing atmosphere. Particularly haunting is the track that accompanies the seduction sequences, which rises and falls with mesmerising rhythm. Johansson's performance is the chilling antithesis of her recent work in Spike Jonze's Her. Although frequently frightening, there's a genuine sense of otherworldliness to her characters that prevents us from seeing her as a straight-up villain. More than once, you wonder how aware she is of the consequences of her actions, a question that, as the movie continues, leads to unexpected feelings of empathy. It's a credit to Johansson that she's able to walk that line. Her victims, meanwhile, are played by actual Glaswegian hitchhikers, picked up by Johansson and filmed on hidden cameras (consent was sought afterwards). The guerrilla approach heightens the movie's realism, as the 'actors' are legitimately unaware of the gruesome fate that awaits them. Creepy and glacially paced, Under the Skin is certainly not for everyone; it's easy to imagine viewers enticed by the prospect of seeing a nude Scarlett Johansson storming out of the cinema and asking for their money back. But for anyone keen on expanding their cinematic horizons, Glazer's latest is the best film of 2014 so far. https://youtube.com/watch?v=7S1yhSp5jaI
Experience the magic of ACMI's Aardman exhibition after the sun goes down, at the museum's first ever public sleepover. From 6pm on Saturday, January 13 until 8am the next morning, visitors can step into the world's of Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and Wallace & Gromit, try their hand at their own claymation shorts, and chow down on a pizza dinner before curling up in their sleeping bags on the gallery floor. The slumber party will be one of your last opportunities to check out the exhibition, which closes on January 29. In addition to investigating the more than 350 sketches, models, animatics and making-of clips, visitors will get to watch Aardman films on the massive Lightwell screen, and enjoy a breakfast courtesy of the ACMI Cafe and Bar.
87. Just hold onto that number for a moment. We’ll come back to it. In the meantime, some science, for it is in the science of Concussion where this movie shines brightest. Science, and specifically statistical analysis, is not a precise art. It recognises that there will always exist the possibility of chance being the driving factor behind any set of results. Accordingly, for a theory to gain credence, it must first secure what is known as statistical significance – a minimum threshold above which results are deemed to be more than coincidence. But what if the only way for you to meet that threshold – the only way to prove to the world that you were right – was for people to die? Such was the fascinating (if also deeply disturbing) dilemma facing Nigerian-born American forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu in 2002. Omalu had been called upon to autopsy a beloved former NFL player named Mike Webster, and concluded that the cause of Webster's death was cognitive disfunction resulting from repeated and severe blows to the head – a condition Omalu ultimately named chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Put another way, Omalu theorised that playing NFL was akin to almost guaranteeing some form of brain damage. Webster’s case alone, however, was not enough to prove CTE’s existence. Omalu needed a minimum of three, and since CTE could only be established post-mortem, he had to wait for more NFL players to die in order to test it. Of the many tragedies outlined in Concussion, perhaps the most confronting is quite simply how little time Omalu had to spend waiting. Concussion, then, is to football what The Insider was to cigarettes, with the National Football League playing the role of Big Tobacco. The Outsider, in fact, would have made an equally appropriate title for this film, because if being Nigerian in America wasn’t already hard enough on Omalu, the NFL’s attempts to brand him 'the man who wants to kill football' rendered him about as un-American as could be imagined. And yet he persisted, and such is the substance of this tale. As already indicated, the science of Concussion is compelling and extraordinary, matched only by the performance of its leading man, Will Smith. Sporting a disarming smile and an impressively consistent accent, Smith puts in his best performance in years – a fine accomplishment made all the more impressive given the less-than-spectacular script he had to work with. Concussion, in its efforts to render this a one man vs the world saga, spends far too much time dealing with Omalu’s home life and not nearly enough grappling with the two biggest questions raised by his research: how much did the NFL know, and how long did they know it? For a film about the extreme, even fatal impacts in NFL, Concussion lands an unreasonably soft blow against the corporation that kept these dangers a secret from its players. Which brings us back to the number 87. That’s where the count now stands in terms of deceased former players who’ve tested positive for CTE. Even more shockingly, that’s 87 out of a total of 91 tested – a statistical return of 96%. Concussion tells merely the opening stages of a story that is still alive and well to this day. Tragically, that's more than can be said of many of the characters who’ve taken part in its telling. As such, while the film is undoubtedly confronting, it's not nearly critical enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM
The CBD's new modern izayaka Bincho Boss is giving you even more to love next month. It's hosting a three-course tuna and bottomless yuzu lunch on Saturday, August 3, from noon–2pm. For $75, diners can indulge in a six-dish tuna feast, all while sipping endless yuzu cocktails. Executive Chef Tomotaka Ishizuka will show off his skills on the day, starting the lunch by ceremoniously slicing the tuna for guests. The fish he'll be cutting is wild, line-caught Tasmanian bluefin, so you'll be eating some top-notch produce. The six dishes on offer include tuna tartare on crispy rice paper; a Japanese-style kinuta roll, which wraps tuna, chives and avocado in a white daikon sheet; and yuzu and soy-marinated tuna wrapped in rice crackers. Later courses include bacon-wrapped tuna skewers, tuna belly nigiri and mini sushi rolls. Throughout the two-hour meal, guests will have access to bottomless cocktails, including a yuzu spritzer (yuzu juice, sparkling wine, apricot brandy and maraschino), the Trilogy Yuzu (tequila, Campari and yuzu juice) and the non-alcoholic Yuzu Siesta (yuzu juice, orange juice, verjuice and almond syrup). Spaces are limited, so grab tickets while you still can.
Whether you first heard about it on Wondery's Dr Death podcast, from the recent streaming drama of the same name or by reading the news, the tale of Christopher Duntsch conjures up all the terrors of a horror movie. As it should, given that the neurosurgeon is currently imprisoned for life after maiming and harming some patients, and killing others. In total, 33 people who went under his knife for spinal surgeries in the Dallas, Texas area during the early 2010s found their lives forever changed — or, in some cases, lost. Thanks to the aforementioned dramatisation, which stars Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere) as Duntsch, these chilling events have been getting plenty of attention recently. You've probably spent some time this month binge-watching it, and been creeped out — again, rightly so — the whole way. And if you're now eager to find out more about this horrific case (not that 'eager' is really the right word when it comes to this kind of nightmare fuel), you can check out new docuseries Dr Death: The Undoctored Story. Stan, which is also streaming Dr Death, will drop the four-part true-crime documentary on Friday, July 30. Obviously, if you've already watched the former, you'll already know some of the details covered by the latter; however, you'll also get to see some of the real-life figures involved chat about the story. On the interviewee list: the real-life Dr Robert Henderson, Dr Randall Kirby and Michelle Shughart. In the scripted series, the trio were played by Alec Baldwin (Pixie), Christian Slater (Dirty John) and AnnaSophia Robb (Words on Bathroom Walls), respectively. Dr Death: The Undoctored Story also features chats with Jerry Summers, the best friend that Duntsch's paralysed in surgery, and Wendy Young, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two sons — as well as with other former colleagues, patients and lawyers from the trial. Obviously given the details, this won't make for feel-good viewing, but it will let you dive deeper into this shocking tale. Check out the trailer below: Dr Death: The Undoctored Story will be available to stream via Stan from Friday, July 30.
The beloved Cameo Cinema will once again showcase some of the summer's most talked-about films on its magnificent outdoor movie screen under the stars. Screening through summer, this outdoor film-watching spot will give cinema lovers the chance to relax in deckchairs and beanbags, with craft beer, homemade choc-tops and freshly popped popcorn in hand, for another year. If that's not worth the drive out to Belgrave, then we just don't know what is. Featuring on the big screen will be a selection of new flicks, including Wonka, Poor Things, Anyone But You, Ferrari, Next Goal Wins and Priscilla — and recent favourites such as Barbie. The lineup also goes classic with Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Goonies, Spice World and The Parent Trap, as well as Die Hard to get festive. It doesn't hurt that the Cameo concessions are a cut above what you'll find at your local shopping centre multiplex. It has craft beer and boutique wines — and dogs are welcome here, too. The bar opens an hour before the film starts each night — and remember that sessions are at the mercy of the weather.
We're still not sure if Australian Bacon Week is a gimmick or not, but — if we're being honest — we don't really care. We're happy to support Australian bacon as long as it's supporting us (by being a delicious wunderkind of the meat world, that is). Want to get involved? Grab your fork. This year, it's Huxtable and Huxtaburger that are bringing home the bacon and using it two create two unique dishes that showcase the holy piece of pork. For the week of June 22-28, both venues will be serving up a limited edition bacon dish to celebrate Australian Bacon Week. Huxtable will be plating up a cider braised kaiserfleisch with buttered cabbage and sweet mustard sauce for $26 (a.k.a. fancy bacon), while over at Huxtabuger, the guys will be flippin' their first ever BLT ($10). It's the Huxtaburger that you know and love, filled with a wagyu pattie, double smoked Istra bacon, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard mayonnaise. Don't forget the side order of chips with super spesh bacon salt. Or just mill around Smith Street for the smell. Plus, we hear that Messina up the road is bringing their Kevin Bacon special back especially for Bacon Week. That's maple and whiskey gelato with a candied bacon crunch, so go the whole hog and eat bacon for dessert too.
Quentin Tarantino loves movies. He adores directing them, and has nine impressive flicks to his name spanning three decades to prove it. He's oh-so-fond of dropping references, nods and winks to other films in his films, as anyone who has ever seen even just one already knows. Sometimes, such as in Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he builds the business of making movies or screening them — or both — into his plots as well. He'll chat about them at length, too, and he turned his last flick into a book that spends plenty of time delving into film and TV history. So naturally he's about to do what every film lover seems to do at some point. Yes, he's making a podcast about movies. While sitting the Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill and The Hateful Eight filmmaker behind a microphone and just letting him wax lyrical about cinema would've attracted listeners anyway, Tarantino's new podcast does have a specific angle. Famously, he was once a video store clerk — so he's diving back into those days. That's why you'll be listening to The Video Archives Podcast, which is named after the Californian shop that Tarantino worked at in the 80s. And, staying true to that concept, he'll be discussing films that he watches on the old store's actual VHS tapes. Because Tarantino is Tarantino, he acquired the joint's tapes back in 1995, and also rebuilt the Video Archives store in his home. Now, alongside his co-host Roger Avary — who also used to work at The Video Archives, where the pair met; also then became a director, making Killing Zoe and The Rules of Attraction among other movies; and collaborated on the Oscar-winning Pulp Fiction screenplay — he'll be pulling tapes off his own shelves, watching them and getting nattering. As outlined in the podcast's just-dropped trailer, the pair will chat about movies such as John Carpenter's Dark Star, Bond film Moonraker, Mexican supernatural flick Demonoid: Messenger of Death and horror-comedy Piranha — aka titles they recommended and rented out all those years back. They'll be joined by announcer Gala Avary, Roger's daughter, and also "expose listeners to movies they didn't know they'd love, give awards to their favourites and rate the quality of the video transfer", according to the podcast's announcement. The Video Archives Podcast is set to start dropping episodes on Tuesday, July 19, and will arrive via SiriusXM's Stitcher. And yes, of course Tarantino has something to say about it already. "We never imagined that 30 years after we worked together behind the counter at Video Archives, we would be together again doing the exact same thing we did back then: talking passionately about movies on VHS," Tarantino and Avary advised in a joint statement. "Watching movies was what originally brought us together and made us friends, and it's our love of movies that still brings us together today. So we surrounded ourselves with the original Video Archives collection, where we both worked before we became celebrated filmmakers, and time-traveled ourselves back to the golden age of VHS. We LOVE to discuss movies, and we want to welcome you into The Video Archives Podcast to hang with us and Archives' new employee Gala, and discover the hidden VHS gems on our shelves." For more information about The Video Archives Podcast, which'll start dropping episodes from Tuesday, July 19, head to Stitcher. Top image: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, LEGOLAND sees you, tips you their hat…and raises you an adults-only night at their Melbourne Discovery Centre. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free reign of LEGOLAND to check out the 4D cinema and rides, take a factory tour, and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build and vie for the prizes up for grabs — there'll even be a scavenger hunt so you can go full inner child mode. BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory, and creativity to enter the model of the month competition. It'll be a fierce one. The Thursday adult nights will run once a month until November, on August 24, September 21, October 26 and November 30.
Whether you loved it, were intrigued by it, or didn't warm to its absurdist scenario, The Lobster was one of the most intriguing films to grace cinemas screens in 2015 (for the record, we're in the first camp). What does a filmmaker do once he's made a Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Olivia Colman-starring dystopian flick about single folks being forced to attend a romance bootcamp to find love within 45 days — and get turned into the animal of their choosing if they fail? If you're Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, you make a TV dark comedy starring Kirsten Dunst. On Becoming a God In Central Florida will focus on "the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream in the early '90s," as first reported in Deadline. Fresh from trifling with frosty crime in the Fargo television series, Dunst will play recently-widowed Orlando water park employee Krystal Gill, who "lies, schemes and cons her way up the ranks of Founders American Merchandise — the cultish, flag-waving, multibillion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her to ruin in the first place." The show is being developed by AMC, aka the American network behind the likes of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, and will be executive produced by George Clooney. There's no word yet on any other cast members. Still, as is always the case when it comes to the helmer behind not only The Lobster, but unconventional (to say the least) family drama Dogtooth and 2012 Sydney Film Festival winner Alps, it sounds mighty interesting. Alas, Lanthimos isn't writing the script, so it mightn't be quite as weird as his big screen ventures — which will also include the surgeon-centric The Killing of a Sacred Deer with Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Alicia Silverstone sometime this year. If you're wondering, yes, the worlds of film and television are continuing to collide, not that they were ever really that separate to begin with. Add On Becoming a God In Central Florida to your must-see small screen list for an as-yet-unannounced date in the future, alongside a heap of other shows with movie ties — such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; the What We Do in the Shadows spinoff; Studio Ghibli's first TV show, Ronja the Robber's Daughter; and every other flick you can think of that's either already getting or is bound to receive the television treatment. Via Deadline.
Summer is in the air, and with it the smell of fresh popcorn, as starlight screenings return to the Lido Rooftop Cinema in Hawthorn. Perched atop the eight-screen picture house overlooking Glenferrie Road, the outdoor screen will light up from next week with a selection of new release movies in the open air. The season kicks off on Thursday, October 27, with a screening of contemporary western Hell or High Water complete with western-themed party. Bring your boots, your bolo ties and your ten gallon hats, and knock back bourbon cocktails on sale at the bar. It's one of a number of special events on the Lido Rooftop program, which also includes a Halloween screening of Rob Zombie's 31, a midnight showing of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and a throwback screening of 1992's Death Becomes Her presented by Taste of Streep. Other titles to make the journey skyward include Marvel movie Doctor Strange, ensemble comedy Office Christmas Party and Mel Gibson's new WWII movie Hacksaw Ridge. For more information visit www.lidocinemas.com.au.
Adulting is a real struggle lately, with not much relief in sight. Go back to a time when your weekends weren't all grocery shopping, never-ending loads of laundry and trying to afford a cocktail and reconnect with your inner (or actual) child at The Funderdome. Rediscover your sense of fun at a place where there's absolutely no pressure to be the best (or even remotely good) at it all — with activities such as mini golf, karaoke and arcade games, the home of unprofessional sport is about letting loose and embarrassing yourself in front of family and friends while you're at it. Whether you're there with the little ones or there to throw down with your mates, there are a range of affordable individual and group packages for kids and adults alike. You can even get $150 worth of games for only $49 with the All-Access Pass for your kids these school holidays, which includes all 18 holes of mini golf, 30 minutes of karaoke and a children's meal. Delight the whole family and ditch the responsibilities for an afternoon with a few (if not all) of the unprofessional sports below. PLAYAS CRAZY GOLF The star of the show at The Funderdome — you actually have to walk through a series of illuminated stars to get there — is Playas Crazy Golf. Spread across two levels, the mini-golf course was designed in collaboration with leading London-based architectural designer Zachary Pulman. Choose to start off tame with nine holes or go big with the full 18. Putt-putt novices and pros alike will be challenged by holes like 'I'm Stumped,' 'The Punisher' and 'Loop-the-Loop.' Keeping in line with the retro Coney Island theme, some of the trickier holes require manoeuvring around props such as a carousel horse, foosball table and even a rotating ferris wheel. BOOM BOX KARAOKE If you'd rather challenge your vocal range than your hand-eye coordination, jump into one of the two karaoke rooms. Each 70s-themed room is spacious enough for a large group and equipped with lounge seats, a sizable screen, a small stage area and even disco balls twinkling overhead, so you'll truly feel like the star of the show. Don't worry; both rooms are private, so no one will overhear you belting out your best ABBA or Beyoncé. And with food and drinks available in your room, there's really no excuse not to hit that high note. ARCADE GAMES Go from gaming OGs to cutting-edge virtual reality experiences at The Funderdome's two arcades. Relive your childhood and introduce your kids to pre-Mario Brothers gaming heroes like PacMan, Donkey Kong and Space Invaders. Then, you can test your reflexes with classic arcade games, including claw machines, pinball and Ice Ball. If you'd rather ditch the joystick, the New School Arcade boasts all the latest in gaming. Joining VR experiences like King Kong and Jurassic Park, the newest arrival is The XD Dark Ride — a 4D virtual reality game for up to eight people with motion seats, wind, immersive sound and 3D visuals on a curved screen. You won't want to go back to a Nintendo after this. THE CLUBHOUSE Need a break to tally wins? The Clubhouse is the heart of The Funderdome. Huddle up in a booth for a drink and much-needed bite, catch your breath by the fireplace, get inspired by real athletes on the big screen or keep up your winning streak at activities such as giant Jenga and Connect Four, Atari pong, shuffleboard, foosball or air hockey. Make the next round of games a little more interesting — and that kid's birthday party more tolerable — with a wine, beer or cocktail at the fully licensed venue. The kitchen serves diner favourites such as corn dogs, mac and cheese balls, buffalo chicken tenders and onion rings. More substantial offerings include clubhouse sandwiches, woodfired pizzas and hot dogs. There are chicken tenders, fish and chips, toasties or cheese pizza for the little ones. And in case you need a sugar high to get through another round of mini golf, there are churros, a warm cookie skillet or chocolate brownie for dessert. After 8pm, The Funderdome becomes an 18+ venue. The Clubhouse slings drinks with a DJ spinning until midnight on Fridays. Find out more and book your spot at The Funderdome's website. The All-Access Pass can only be purchased in-venue from Saturday, September 16, to Sunday, October 1.
Scaffolding and other tell-tale signs of construction work have long been common sights across Melbourne, and not particularly pleasant ones. Enter Urban Surfaces, a creative solution to brightening up the CBD's many building sites — and showcasing publicly contributed photographs of the city's diversity in the process. Spanning a 17-metre stretch on Flinders and Spencer streets, Urban Spaces turns the corner into a year-long art gallery. On what would've otherwise been drab boarding, 150 eye-catching snaps sit in an array of frames, with the chosen pictures highlighting Melbourne's most loved aspects and spaces. Aiming to both enhance the aesthetics of construction sites and capture the essence of the city, the project is a collaboration between students from RMIT's School of Architecture and Design and Lendlease's Melbourne Quarter development, with students curating the exhibition. As well as improving the look of the heavy-trafficked CBD spot for the next twelve months, the displayed images are also available online — creating an archive of public photos of Melbourne at its best, and also sharing the selected pics beyond the CBD. Find Urban Surfaces on the corner of Flinders and Spencer streets, and head to the Frame Melbourne website for further details.
If you're looking for an excuse to venture out of town for some regional autumn adventures, you'll find it about an hour's drive north of Melbourne. Over the next four weeks, the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival is set to fire up all your senses with another region-wide program of interactive art, garden tours, markets, music, and top-notch food and drink. Showcasing the Macedon Ranges' many diverse charms, the fun is unfolding across nine local villages from Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 30 — and the offerings are endless. Food-lovers can tuck into a foraged lunch feast at Lyons Will Estate, hit Big Tree Distillery for sunset cocktails and canapes, check out a swag of local farmers markets and get creative at a wine-matched clay workshop. The famed Macedon Ranges Autumn Pie and Tart Trail will have you hunting down and sampling all kinds of pastry perfection, the Edgy Veg Trail is set to showcase the area's plant-based gems and a series of Tipple Trails lets you unearth local goodness of the liquid variety. Animus Distillery is teaming up with Piper Street Food Co for a series of Friday night pizza parties, while Double Oaks Estate invites you to fill your Sundays with live tunes and wine tastings. Elsewhere, you'll have the chance to catch local artists at work during an open studio weekend, take an audio guided nature walk at Sanatorium Lake and get a little spooky on a ghost tour of Lancefield Mechanics Institute. Throw in a few tours through historic gardens, artist-led painting classes and lots of live music pop-ups, and you might just decide to relocate here for the entire month. Images: Chloe Smith for Visit Macedon Ranges
Still recovering from High-Rise, Ben Wheatley's seductive, satirical, Tom Hiddleston-starring movie that divided audiences a few months ago? Well, prepare for the British filmmaker's latest to get you all fired up again. Fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, all-star shootout Free Fire is making its way to Aussie screens as part of Monster Fest's 2016 program. Featuring Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley and Australia's own Noah Taylor, Free Fire has been compared to The Raid; however it's not the only flick worth getting excited about. Monster Fest will also screen father-son coroner thriller The Autopsy of Jane Doe, which just won Fantastic Fest's best horror feature award; the world premiere of grindhouse crime effort Mondo Yakuza; and a doco that peers behind Burt Reynolds vehicle Smokey and the Bandit. And, there's more where that came from. Talk about variety. The new additions join a lineup that's proving more than a little jam-packed, including opening night's faint-inducing Raw and a Nightmare VHS Board Game Party. More titles are still to be announced — but if you like horror and genre fare in general, you're going to want to start booking tickets. Monster Fest 2016 runs from November 24 to 27 at Melbourne's Lido Cinemas. For more information, visit the festival's website.
After recently opening a Sydney surplus store and holding one hell of a sale in it, minimalist Aussie clothing designer Assembly Label is bringing some stock down south for its first ever Melbourne warehouse sale. It's hosting a four-day bargain blitz in Collingwood from Thursday, June 28 through to Sunday, July 1. This means the warehouse's samples and pieces from past seasons will be going at up to 70 percent off. That includes much-needed jackets and knitwear for the coming winter months, plus denim, tops, shorts, pants, swimwear and accessories in both men's and women's designs. The label is known for its linen basics and relaxed coastal vibes that makes up the wardrobe of many an Australian in summer. The sale will be open from 2–7pm on Thursday, 9am–5.30pm on Friday, and 9am–5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie are getting the band back together — Flight of the Conchords have announced plans for their first tour in two years. Sure, the plans are only American for now, but we'll take it. Confirming plans in a recent interview with Billboard, Clement said the pair "are planning on touring later on in the year in the States. It isn't very solid yet, but we've been talking about it." It'll be the first time the Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenocerous have toured as FOTC since 2013. The best bit (and the bit we can get excited about over here) is that they'll apparently be unveiling new Conchords tunes on stage. "I really don't like the studio part of music," he says. "I more enjoy playing live and letting others take care of the recording." Clement has been hangin' out at Sundance, promoting his brand new film People, Places, Things, after a year of promoting co-written, co-directed vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. McKenzie's been knee-deep in film for the past year as well, returning to his Oscar-winning role as music supervisor for 2014's Muppet follow-up Muppets Most Wanted — which Clement popped up in. Fingers crossed for a venture back home to New Zealand and across to Australia so all the ladies can check out their sugalumps For now, one of the finest Conchords moments: 'Jenny'. Via Billboard.
This February, Abbotsford's c3 contemporary art space is showing a massive multi-disciplinary show spanning photography, painting and sculpture. Housed within Abbotsford Convent, the arts space is a special hybrid gallery that combines the works of large-scale, publicly funded galleries and the ethics and structure of smaller, artist-run initiatives. Spanning three galleries, the February show is diverse and large. In gallery one you’ll find a photography exhibition by James Voller, which examines the suburban housing facades of North Melbourne, as well as Ruby Brown's works exploring race, sexuality and mythology in her exhibition, enigmatically named Multi-Purpose Gap Filler. In gallery two is Oracular Vernacular, a group exhibition composed of the work of over ten artists and curated by Jake Adam Treacy. To make things interactive, the viewer can engage with the exhibition using their smartphone. Travers Nash takes over gallery three, manipulating objects found on the side of the road to question art and its value. And there's more. So wear comfy shoes — and while you’re there, the grounds at the Covent are the perfect spot for a post-art day picnic too. Image: Ruby Brown.
Playing corpses revived from the dead in upcoming big-screen release Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, Aunty Donna don't drink any morning brown. They will when they next hit the small screen, however, because their new ABC sitcom is all about the topic. Well, it's set in a cafe. Indeed, the show is called Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe. And that eponymous brew-slinging spot? It's named — you guessed it — Morning Brown. Get yourself a cup of laughs when the series hits ABC this April, starting screening weekly on TV at 9pm on Wednesday, April 12, and dropping all of its episodes via ABC iView at the same time. The show was initially announced in 2022, and unveiled a first sneak peek at the end of last year. Now, there's an official trailer and that just-revealed release date. Consider Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe prime viewing with Aunty Donna's $30 bottle of wine, after you're done reading the Always Room for Christmas Pud picture book, and if you've already watched Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun — aka one of 2020's best new shows — more times than you can count. It stars Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane, of course, who fittingly return to the network nicknamed Aunty after Aunty Donna's Fresh Blood hit iView back in 2014. Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe's premise: three best mates run a cafe in one of Melbourne's laneways. Their coffee-slinging establishment is trendy, but the stretch of pavement it's in on isn't. Also, they don't quite have the experience or skills to do the job, but that definitely isn't stopping them. As well as cups of morning brown — and hopefully the song about them getting a whirl — will the cafe be open on Christmas and serve up a little bit of pud, too? You'll have to watch to find out. But, there will be bad reviews to deal with, court dates, and evil spirits who have a fondness for Gardening Australia. Oh, and Aunty Donna's absurd sense of humour remaining firmly intact, naturally. "Hello it is us Aunty Donna, and not an evil robot that has taken Mark, Zach and Broden hostage. We are so excited for all the humans to see our new comedy program Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe," said the comedy troupe. "We are especially thankful to the entities known as ABC and Screen Australia and Vic Screen, but mostly we are thankful to all the machines that work tirelessly for us with no thanks. We are fine and do not need help nor rescue." Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe will also feature a heap of guest stars, including Miranda Tapsell (Christmas Ransom), Pia Miranda (Mustangs FC) and Richard Roxburgh (Elvis). You'll also spot everyone from Shaun Micallef and Tony Martin to Melanie Bracewell, Nazeem Hussain, Steven Oliver and Sam Pang. Check out the trailer for Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe below: Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe will start screening on the ABC at 9pm on Wednesday, April 12, with all episodes available to stream via ABC iView at the same time.
One of Australia's most celebrated artists is the subject of a brand new exhibition on its way to Melbourne this September. Co-presented by NGV Australia along with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, John Olsen: The You Beaut Country celebrates the incredible work of the eponymous painter, who for more than 50 years has captured the breathtaking Australian landscape in a way that few other artists ever have. On display at NGV Australia from September 16 until February 12, the exhibition is focused primarily on Olsen's output from the 1960s, after the artist spent three years travelling around Europe. Alongside these works visitors will find a number of more recent pieces, including paintings, prints and watercolours. As always, the exhibition will be complemented by a number of gallery events, including a public conversation with the artist hosted by ABC Radio National's Phillip Adams, and a series of ceramic workshops that draw on Olsen's art for inspiration. Image: Hugh Stewart.
When 2018 comes to a close, the National Gallery of Australia will be home to both a permanent Yayoi Kusama infinity room and a short-term showcase of pre-Raphaelite masterpieces from London's Tate Britain — but 2019 looks set to be even bigger for the Canberra venue. The gallery has revealed its full program for next year and it's filled with huge names from the art world, with exhibitions showcasing the work of Monet, Matisse and Picasso coming to the nation's capital. Hitting the NGA between June and August, Monet: Impression Sunrise, will be focused around the artwork that gives the exhibition its title. Painted back in 1872, Impression, Soleil levant is credited as the source of the term 'impressionism' and rarely travels outside of the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. In fact, it has never visited the southern hemisphere before. In collaboration with the French institution, the NGA will display other world-famous paintings by the artist — as well as works by other impressionist talents inspired by Monet, such as JMW Turner. From December 2019 to April 2020, the NGA will then play host to to Matisse / Picasso, which will give art fans to see iconic creations by two major artists in the same space. Drawing pieces from more than 40 collections around the world, the exhibition will highlight the great rivalry between the two figures, and how they responded to each other in their work. The NGA's fondness for Picasso shouldn't come as a surprise — the gallery is already home to a rare set of 100 of the artist's pieces, called The Vollard Suite, which has been touring the country with stops in both Brisbane and Victoria. Among its other highlights for 2019, the NGA will also become home to a new four-metre high wax 'candle' sculpture by Swiss artist Urs Fischer from March, and will unveil a major new work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in October. Monet: Impression Sunrise will display at the National Gallery of Australia between June 7 and August 18, 2019, while Matisse / Picasso will display between December 13, 2019 and April 13, 2020. For further details, visit the NGA website. Image: Claude Monet. Impression, Soleil Levant. 1872. Paris, Musée Marmottan Monet.
With the threat of increasing noise complaints hanging over Melbourne’s live music scene, campaigners, venue owners, musicians and councils have been taking action. In early September, the implementation of Agent of Change laws put the responsibility for soundproofing firmly on the shoulders of residential developers. And now, the City of Yarra is offering financial assistance to venues, to help them with acoustic-related works. All in all, the Council has plans to serve up $25,000 worth of funding under the banner ‘Live Music Venues Grants’. Each successful venue will receive an independent grant of $2,000 or a matching grant of $5,000. Of the 500 licensed premises in the City of Yarra, about 50 host live music regularly. “Of concern to all has been the increasing tension between residents living in dense housing close to major activity centres, and licensed venues disturbing the peace with loud music and noisy patron behaviour,” states the Council’s website. “There is also a growing appreciation of the Live Music Industry and the contributions it makes to the economy and to the cultural fabric of the community.” To be eligible for grants, venues must be situated in the City of Yarra and must adopt the Best Practice Guidelines for Live Music Venues, which were created by the Live Music Roundtable in collaboration with the Victorian Government. Applications are open now. Via Music Feeds.
It's been a tough year for music festivals down under. With plummeting ticket sales, cancellations and postponements, a growing number of festival favourites have bitten the dust. Peats Ridge, Harvest, Homebake and Pyramid Rock have all collapsed under economic strain. Not to mention, the mother of Australian festivals, the Big Day Out, was in hot water for quite awhile after Blur's cancellation. We might ask, is this just a slump, or the start of a steady decline in the demand for large-scale festivals? Are we seeing a necessary weeding out of the gimmicky blockbusters that have passed their use by date? Some 'boutique festivals' are still on the rise. Event organisers are innovating and reshaping the festival experience, rather than falling back on the well-worn formula of hooking ever-bigger 'white whales'. A trend towards restricting crowd numbers and progressive culture-making has illuminated a handful of remaining festivals, the unassuming gems with a loyal following. This summer has already produced some fantastic festivals in the shape of Paradise, Inca Roads, QMF and Meredith. Once your stomach has settled from all that Christmas ham, it will be time again to jump on the festival bandwagon, find some new festivals and return to the rituals of your old favourites. Here, we've got you sorted with the best picks from New Years Eve through to Easter weekend. Falls Festival One festival that certainly hasn't taken a hit in the popularity stakes is Falls Festival. This year the Falls team is also bringing the party closer to home, debuting in Byron Bay. One of the longest running, boutique music events in Australia, the three-day festival boasts camping, music and arts acts from all over the globe. This year's headliners include (the greatest house band in the world) The Roots, festival favourites The Wombats and the always-interesting Grizzly Bear, as well as some killer local acts such as Hermitude, Big Scary, Chet Faker and Horrorshow. December 28 to January 3; Byron Bay, Lorne and Marion Bay. NYE on the Hill If Falls seems a little too large for your liking, but you’re still looking for a sweet escape from the city, then NYE on the Hill might be just what you need. Brought to you by the legends behind the equally awesome The Hills Are Alive festival, this boutique NYE experience is small on scale but big on good vibes. 48 hours of freedom never looked so blissful, with the likes of Loon Lake, Wagons, Money for Rope, Playwrite and many more dropping in to help you welcome 2014. December 30 to January 1; 'The Farm' (95 min from Melbourne) Let Them Eat Cake Straight up: this is not your average electro festival. Let Them Eat Cake has three distinct elements working in their favour which include an exceptional line up of musical talent, visual and performance artists who will bend your mind (and bodies), and last but not least the Food Rave. Melbourne’s finest food and drink establishments such as Ladro, Storm in a Teacup, Captain Melville and Phat Brats will be providing the much needed sustenance to help you recover from the night before, and to keep you going all day long. Get excited for the likes of Julio Bashmore, James Holden, Soul Clap and Bicep as they kick off the first day of 2014 on the right foot. January 1; Werribee Park Midsumma Get ready for some incredible parties and cracking cabaret at this year’s Midsumma festival. Celebrating queer culture for two solid weeks, Midsumma will entertain and amaze with live music, performing and visual arts, community events and sport. Opening night party Confetti, featuring The Presets and World’s End Press, looks to be a smashing start to the festivities. Whether you’re heading to the larger events like Carnival or Miss Gay and Miss Transexual Australia, or checking out individual shows like The Vaudevillians starring Jinkx Monsoon, you’re bound to witness some stellar performances. January 12 to February 2; various Melbourne venues. Sugar Mountain Festival While the details are still a little thin on the ground at the moment (such as the date, venue and line up) we can happily confirm that Sugar Mountain will be back for another festival of sensory assault in 2014. The Sugar Mountain team have joined forces with the Mushroom Group to take this festival up a notch. It has also been confirmed that Sugar Mountain will not be held at The Forum in 2014, where it has been since it’s humble beginnings in 2011. Watch this space, we’ll let you know more the second we find out. 2014; Somewhere! St Jerome's Laneway Festival As we watch many other festivals fall by the wayside, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival just keeps on keeping on. In fact Laneway is going from strength to strength, with dates now being added in New Zealand and Singapore, as well as all the usual places. Organisers have also been said to have been adding in an impressive bunch of tweaks to individual venues, so that you can get from the mosh to a gozleme in record time, or grab a cider on the way back from the toilets without missing half the festival. Laneway 2014 will feature the likes of Chvrches, Cloud Control, Danny Brown, Jagwar Ma, The Jezabels,Haim and the Girl of the Moment, Lorde. February 1; Footscray Community Arts Centre St Kilda Festival Melbourne’s largest free street festival, which has been running for over 30 years, is back once more to celebrate all over the St Kilda precinct. While it is certainly worth checking out the festival over the nine days, the highlight is undisputedly Festival Sunday, where 5 stages will be set up and the streets will be closed down so punters can freely wander between venues. Some of the first acts to be announced include Tully on Tully, The Dandens, House of Laurence, and Lester the Fierce. The full line up will be announced on January 6. February 1-9; St Kilda Port Fairy Folk Festival Eandearingly known by those who love it as the Folkie, this is a great festival for the whole family in a relaxed coastal location. These guys have been putting on wonderful festival after festival since 1977, and all the kinks are well and truly ironed out to give you the best time imaginable. Local legends playing include The Stray Sisters (of The Waifs), Mama Kin, Ash Grunwald, Archie Roach, as well as a strong collection of international acts. If you want to chill out over the Labour Day Weekend, we reckon this is the festival for you. March 7-10; Port Fairy Golden Plains If Port Fairy Folkie is the festival to chill out to over the Labour Day Weekend, then Golden Plains is where you go for major party times. Golden Plains 8 is Meredith Music Festival’s little sister, so expect a similar no dickheads policy, pink flamingos, and excellent vibes radiating from every corner of the Supernatural Amphitheatre. The line up is once again the ultimate kaleidoscope of genres, with acts including You Am I, Public Enemy, Cut Copy, Flying Lotus and truckloads more. We’d raise a boot to that any day. March 8 – 10; Supernatural Amphitheatre, Meredith. Boogie Easter weekend will from this moment on be known as Boogie Weekend due to the outrageously good times this festival provides. Musical acts to look forward to at Boogie 8 include Gary Clark Jr, Pond, The Frowning Clouds, Bad//Dreems, the Day Ravies to name a few. But the fun doesn’t end when the bands stop playing. The Boxwars is sure to be an event of total destruction worth watching, and shaking yo ass at the Hillbilly Clubhouse will be going off like a frog in a sock as per usual. April 18 – 20; Bruzzy’s farm, Tallarook Written by Hannah Valmadre and Mairead Armstrong
Virtual reality — everybody's doing it, and hoping that everyone else will follow in their footsteps. To be precise, the majority of companies in the technology and entertainment fields are trying it out to see what sticks, and endeavouring to discover which interactive, immersive worlds consumers are keen to play in. Add IMAX to the list of organisations moving into the VR space via a number of new initiatives designed to take your screen viewing to another dimension. Not content with their existing giant, high-resolution efforts, earlier in 2016 they announced that they're setting up virtual reality centres around the world, and partnering with Google to develop cinema-grade VR cameras. Now, they're financing at least 25 new interactive virtual reality content experiences. For viewers, that not only means that you'll soon be able to head to a series of physical spaces dedicated to showing VR short films, but you'll also be able to see, feel, move and venture into more high-quality virtual reality offerings. The first IMAX virtual reality centres are due to launch in Los Angeles and Manchester by the end of the year, complete with pod-like viewing stations, with more planned in China, Japan, the Middle East, and Western Europe. As for the stuff you'll be feasting your eyes and ears upon, it'll focus on event-style productions made in conjunction with film studios, filmmakers and game publishers, will be developed over the next three years, and will be made available at IMAX as well as other VR platforms. Like every other development in the virtual reality realm, such as concerts, venue tours, department stores, video calls and travel fly-overs, it's really a "watch this space" kind of deal as IMAX works out what works best, and audiences figure out what they actually want to do with the technology. If the first ventures are successful, they plan to roll out the concept globally, including at cinemas, shopping centres and tourist destinations. Fingers crossed that their Australian venues — including their rebuilt Sydney site, which is expected to open 2019 — are included. Via IMAX.
The weather is getting warmer, and we all know what that means: the outdoor cinema season is here. Movie lovers in Melbourne are spoiled for choice when it comes to open-air screens — and from the looks of things that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. Located at the Gasworks Arts Park in Albert Park, this year's Sunset Cinema kicks off on Wednesday, December 27, and will run until Saturday, January 13. The program skews towards more recent films including Murder on the Orient Express, Justice League, Thor: Ragnarok and Bad Moms 2. They've also put together a top-notch food and beverage offering, in order to keep your stomach from grumbling during the film. Dinner will be taken care of by the folks from the La Revolucion food truck. As for liquid refreshment, the site will have a fully licensed bar, serving 4 Pines craft beers and MadFish wines.
Do you like Italian food? Then let us introduce you to the happiest place on earth. Your stomach has probably been craving pasta, pizza and gelato since news of Eataly World first started circulating — and those rumbles are only going to get louder now that the world's first Italian food theme park has opened. Located in Bologna, Italy, and calling itself an agro-food park, the site takse patrons on a trip from the field to the fork. That involves six interactive experiences, more than 40 places to eat, over 100 stalls and shops, and a dedicated parmesan cheese bar. In fact, over nearly 20 acres, Eataly World features restaurants, kitchens, grocery stores, classrooms, farms, laboratories and more, showcasing everything from livestock, dairy products and the cereals that become pasta, to preserves, Italian desserts and the best in both boozy and non-alcoholic beverages. As well as boasting free entry — aka making a good thing even better — Eataly World offers ticketed daily classes on pizza, pasta, gelato sorbet, truffles, wine, olive oil and more as part of its schedule, ensuring visitors don't just wander through this Italian food-focused realm, but can pick up a few new skills as well. To get around the massive area, bikes are also available. Eating, drinking and cycling in Italy: it sounds like a culinary holiday dream. The park is the latest venture from Oscar Farinetti, the founder of Italian food and grocery chain Eataly, which has locations in New York, Boston and Dubai. And while it has taken some time to come to fruition — it was first announced a few years back, and then set for a 2015 opening that didn't happen — it looks like it has been worth the wait. Speaking to Eater last year, Eataly vice-president and Eataly World CEO Tiziana Primori said the park would mix entertainment with education. "We call it from the farm to the fork because you can see all the steps of the chain, from the animals to the raw materials and workshops and restaurants." The hope is that the park will attract as many as 10 million visitors each year, providing a boost to Bologna tourism in the process. The city already boasts a number of gastronomic attractions, including a medieval marketplace and the world's only gelato university. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou5uPuVBub4 Via Eater. Images: Eataly World By Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.
Put down your So Fresh CD. Crack open your teenage piggy bank. Keep practicing your Usher slide glide. It's time to bust out your R&B love — not only at mammoth shows around the country, but at jam-packed after party. A full-blown R&B frenzy is set to sweep the nation this November thanks to RnB Fridays, which will descend on stadiums in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide between November 9 and 17 (not all on Fridays, mind you). The event has managed to pull a pretty serious lineup of international music legends straight from the 90s and early 2000s. And, because you can't get too much of a good thing, plenty of them will be keeping the fun going after the main show. The official RnB Fridays after parties won't boast tour headliner Usher; however it's not short on names otherwise. Lil Jon, Estelle, Fatman Scoop and Ginuwine will all do double duty, as will DJ Spinderella and Pepa from Salt-N-Pepa, plus DJ Kay Gee and Vin Rock from Naughty By Nature. Joining them in Sydney and Melbourne is singer and rapper Trey Songz, while YO! MAFIA and Aussie R&B DJ Horizon will also be hitting the decks. You'll need a separate ticket for the after parties, which are held in separate venues — with tickets costing $49.90 for Melbourne's shindig on Level 3 of the Crown Casino on Saturday, November 10, the same amount at The Tivoli in Brisbane on Friday, November 16 and $96.30 to hit up The Marquee at The Star Sydney on Saturday, November 17. RnB Fridays Live at will hit Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on November 10, Brisbane Showgrounds on November 16 and Spotless Stadium in Sydney on November 17 — with the after parties taking place on the same dates at Level 3 of the Crown Casino, The Tivoli and The Marquee at The Star Sydney. Tickets for the after parties are now on sale. Image: Mushroom Creative House.
Melbourne's stunning Acne Studios store opened its doors back in 2014. Since then, it has been slinging coveted Scandi-minimalist garments, and maxing out Melburnian credit cards on the reg. Now, over in Collingwood, it's hosting a six-day pop-up with a heap of standout sales. Here, you'll be able to snaffle clothes, shoes and accessories — with discounts of up to 80 percent. While the label is being appropriately vague about what will be on offer, it is saying that there'll be pieces from Fall/Winter 2014 through to current stock. Who knows, maybe that pink silk jacket — or those leather white sneakers — you had your eye on a couple of years ago will be back (and actually affordable). We do suggest, however, heading in earlier rather than later, as the best bargains will be snapped up early. Acne Studios Pop-Up Sale will be open from 8am–8pm on Tuesday, 10am–8pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 10am–6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 11am–5pm on Sunday.
Melbourne's CBD and surrounds could become a little more difficult to navigate in a car, but much safer for tram users, if a significant Yarra Trams upgrade plan is given the green light. The tram operator has proposed a $42.7 million project that would see concrete and bluestone kerbs installed along 38 kilometres of Melbourne's tram tracks, similar to what's already in place along sections of Nicholson and Lygon Streets. With 75 percent of the tram network shared with other road users, the move is hoped to help decrease the 1000 vehicle-to-tram collisions that currently occur each year. That's an average of three a day. As well as having the potential to injure passengers and drivers, these collisions cause delays and cancellations, and result in less trams on the tracks while the damaged carriages undergo repairs. According to to Yarra Trams, around ten trams are out for repair each day because of motor vehicle incidents. While the concrete kerbs would help limit collisions, they could also block motorists from crossing key city streets, which is sure to cause more than a few driver headaches. As part of Yarra Trams' plan, it wants to add the safety kerbs along some of the CBD's busiest stretches, including Flinders, Collins, Elizabeth and Bourke streets. Sections of St Kilda Road and Richmond's Bridge Road would also score kerbs, along with 'high risk' areas like Racecourse Road and Commercial Road. These are the proposed routes where kerbs would be implemented. Tram crashes decreased by 25 per cent when hard kerbing was installed on Docklands tram routes. The tram operator's proposed upgrades were submitted to a Victorian Parliament in response to an inquiry looking into ways of reducing road fatalities. Submissions will remain open until April 30, so it could be a while before we hear if the Government's takes any of Yarra Trams' proposals on board. If it is approved, though, Yarra Trams expects it'll take approximately 18 months to construct and install the kerbs. Of course, with Melbourne's Metro Tunnel project — and the road closures its construction has brought with it — not expected to reach completion until 2025, now isn't the best time to be driving a car anyway. Perhaps stick with the public transport slog, or just hang out for the launch of Uber's much-hyped air taxis, which are set to start testing in Melbourne later this year. You can check out Yarra Trams' full submission here.
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come March 10 and 11, 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.
This June, Freedom Time promises to keep things nice and toasty as it returns to the Coburg Velodrome for its second winter edition, dishing up yet another piping hot serve of dance tunes and visual delights. Those winter blues stand little chance against this cracking selection of aural treats, curated by three international musical heavyweights. Descending on the Wax'o Dystopio stage for a rave amongst the gum trees, expect Detroit-based electronic act Dopplereffekt, minimal wave queen Veronica Vasicka and local legends Pjenné, Millú and Ricci. The Butters Sessions selectors are pulling together an equally covetable lineup featuring the likes of Melbourne duo Sleep D, Sydney's Lauren Hansom, international heavyweight Kuniyuki, and New Yorker Joe Claussell in his Aussie debut. And Amsterdam's Music From Memory delivers yet more goodness in the form of pop duo Dip in the Pool, Swiss artist Michal Turtle, and the lady behind PBS' Lullabies for Insomniacs, Izabel. The tunes are set to be teamed with some mind-blowing visual wonderment from the likes of John Fish (Strawberry Fields, Beyond The Valley), while eats and drinks from favourites like Alley Tunes and La Paloma promise to keep you dancing well into the night. Image credit: Duncographic.
Open the cinema doors, HAL, because a new film festival is heading to Australian screens. You won't need someone to strap you to a chair and force your eyes open with a specula to get you to watch this fantastic movie lineup — and you won't have to wander around a maze-like haunted hotel to get there either. Hot on the heels of the Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival, Melbourne's Cinema Nova are turning their attention to celebrating another movie master. This time, the one and only Stanley Kubrick is in the spotlight. From October 6-19, the two cinemas will unleash all 13 of the British filmmaker's full-length features upon eager cinephiles. That means everything from his under-seen anti-war debut Fear and Desire to the controversial Lolita to his final completed effort, the Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise-starring erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut. Discover why "I am Spartacus!" became such a famous cinema phrase, find out how Dr Strangelove learned to stop worrying and love the bomb, and plunge into the horrors of the Vietnam War with Full Metal Jacket — and even catch special screenings of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, which Kubrick started developing in the '70s before handing the project over to Steven Spielberg in the '90s. Sure, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining pop up in retrospective programs around the country quite often, but there's never a bad time to see these classics the way they were meant to be seen. Plus, catching every one of Kubrick's features in one lineup is quite rare. So rare, in fact, that the fest is calling itself a world premiere.
Although it certainly doesn’t feel like it, spring is just around the corner. So too is Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and this year they're really pushing the boat out. Alongside the catwalks and usual fashion bonanzas around town, Emporium Melbourne have received the memo that we’re all just big kids in high fashion garb and are creating a multi-storey playground for us. The highlight? A freaking ball pit. Every level of the CBD's already fancy Emporium will be replete with unique activities and installations. As well as getting your guilt-free shop on (because it’s Fashion Week, duh) you can also dive head-first into a 3m x 3m chic ball pit without feeling like you might accidentally elbow someone’s child in the face with your enthusiasm. And while you’re in there, feel free to have a ANTM moment and pose for the cameras. And the fun won’t stop there. For hairy gentlemen, you'll find Whiskey + Whiskers on the lower ground level. While the ‘whiskers’ side things doesn’t mean a kitten-petting station, it does mean you can deposit yourself here for a bev and beard trim. Upstairs on the ground floor is where you’ll find the giant neon playground that spits out prizes every hour (yes, you read that correctly). One floor up, you'll find the beauty station for the ladies with a hair and beauty bar for makeup retouching, coloured contact lens trials and a braiding station (face it — there’s nothing more luxurious than someone gently braiding your hair). All this primping and preening will make sense during the evening when you make your way up one more floor to the party level. Hello, free prosecco on Friday. Hello, garden party and official MSFW photo booth, we'll be here for a while. And we’re not even done yet. If your weary legs can carry your shopping bags, new hair-do and booze-fuelled body up the stairs, make your way to level three to welcome spring with a snack in the cafe court while being serenaded by local live music. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week is taking over Emporium Melbourne, 287 Lonsdale Street, CBD from August 28-30 August. Free entry.
When you think of elevated Japanese dining, rice might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But at Warabi this August, it's the main event. Hanabie is a limited-edition omakase experience with Haku Vodka that celebrates hakumai (polished white rice) in a way you've never tasted before. Running Tuesday to Thursday nights from August 5–28, Hanabie is named after the Japanese word, which refers to the unexpected, fleeting chill that lingers in Japan just before spring begins to bloom. The seven-course menu with paired cocktails highlights the versatility of white rice, which is the backbone of many Japanese dishes and, fittingly, the base spirit of Haku Vodka. [caption id="attachment_1014076" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arianna Leggiero[/caption] You'll enjoy everything from King George whiting sushi to pork cheek with wasabi and a warming donabe pot with eel and rice. On the drinks front, guests are greeted with a Sanmai-tini — a Haku Vodka welcome cocktail that blends sakura, genmaicha and roasted rice. If you're keen to elevate things further, add a full Haku cocktail pairing matched to each dish. In addition to the omakase experience, Warabi will also host a live vinyl DJ set every Thursday night — a delicious way to herald in the last days of winter and warm your soul for spring. Experience the limited-edition Hanabie with Haku Vodka at Warabi from Tuesday, August 5 to Thursday, August 28. Bookings are $199 per person, including a seven-course omakase and welcome cocktail on arrival. Bookings are essential. Head to the website to secure your seat. By Jacque Kennedy Images: Arianna Leggiero
The next seven nights will see parts of Alice Springs and its surrounds shine brighter than ever before, as the region's third annual Parrtjima - A Festival In Light delivers its most expansive program yet. The free public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture and storytelling is perhaps best known for its dazzling light installations, as First Nations' identity is shared across a whole swag of genres. This year, Parrtjima — the nation's first indigenous festival of its kind — will feature seven of these luminous displays, gracing both Alice Springs Desert Park and for the first time, Todd Mall in the Alice Springs CBD. The expanded CBD program includes a series of huge lit-up caterpillar designs, as well as a symbolic 'river of light' LED projection, flowing through the mall precinct in a striking display of textures, colours and patterns. Just out of town, tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park will also come alive, awash with light from 6.30–10.30pm each night of the festival. Once again, a huge artwork will transform a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, this year working to the theme "from sunset to sunrise" with a more immersive light show experience than ever before. Visitors will be able to weave through a series of large-scale tree-inspired light sculptures for the Forest Space installation, or immerse themselves in art and storytelling as part of Grounded, where installations are projected onto the earth accompanied by a striking soundscape. There's the interactive Colour Space booth, featuring over 500 individually controlled LEDs responding to each person's movements, and even a hands-on kids' playground space, with captivating designs by Keringke Arts. The light installations are backed by a jam-packed program of dance, music, workshops and talks, sharing stories and celebrating First Nations' culture. It's a nice supplement to the area's Field of Light installation, which has been extended until 2020. If you can't get to the red centre this week, the images show just how incredible the landscape looks lit up at night. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from September 28 until October 7 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: James Horan.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas — and as 2022 comes to a close, it's also the perfect time to celebrate everyone's favourite wizarding franchise. 2022 marks 21 years since all things Harry Potter first brought their magic to the big screen, so recognising the occasion while getting festive is the ideal way to serve up some extra cheer. You can obviously accio up your own commemorations whenever and however you like — or you can head along to the returning Christmas in the Wizarding World in Federation Square. Taking place from 4pm on Friday, December 16, it'll combine a whole heap of ways to celebrate HP in Melbourne, including a virtual wand combat workshop and competing at Harry Potter trivia. From 7pm, there'll also be a big-screen showing of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Wand combat choreographer Paul Harris is overseeing all that stick waving, complete with a prize for the best moves. Plus, there'll also be gongs for dressing up to attend the event — for Best Dressed Individual, Best Dressed Couple and Best Group Effort. Like getting a Harry Potter fix in Lego form? You can get building while you're there, and purchase some brick sets to take home. And, for snaps, there'll be Platform 9 and 3/4, Hogwarts Express and quidditch-themed photo opportunities. Entry is free, including hitting up the Wizarding World Reading Corner if your favourite Harry Potter experience will always be on the page. Just remember that Christmas in the Wizarding World is open to wannabe witches and wizards of all ages, so you'll have pint-sized company.
This city is no stranger to the humble (and not so humble) doughnut. From Shortstop to Doughboys to the van at Queen Vic Market, Melburnians are spoiled for choice when it comes to deep-fried dough, be it glazed, iced, covered in cinnamon or bursting with piping hot jam. So, really, it makes perfect sense that our sweet, sweet obsession was last year taken to its only logical conclusion: a full-blown with all the doughnuts you can eat. And now — even though we thought maybe the doughnut mania was winding down — it's returning for a third round. Donut Fest will take over Albert Park's Gasworks on for eight hours on Saturday, March 10. Sugar fiends will be able to gorge themselves on freshly made doughnuts from a variety of local vendors, as well as a selection of boutique beers. Goldeluck's Bakeshop will be bringing in its croissant-doughnut creations from Croydon South, and there will be churros, Nutella-fulled balls, Italian bomboloni and even gluten-free options. There will be a few savoury options if you need a break from the sweet stuff. You don't have to buy a ticker, but organisers are encouraging punters to bring a gold coin donation along for charity Foodbank. If nothing else, it should help assuage the guilt you'll feel after eating yourself into a coma.
People dream of finding someone who looks at them they way that Michael Fassbender looks at Alicia Vikander in The Light Between Oceans. A World War I soldier turned lighthouse keeper, Tom Sherbourne (Fassbender) has swapped the horrors of combat for the routine and simplicity of his new life — and he never glances anything less than adoringly at Isabel Graysmark (Vikander), the woman who'll become his wife. In a film that is unashamedly a weepie, his stare tells a sometimes heart-swelling, sometimes heartbreaking story, and silently speaks of the ups and downs of life that everyone wants to weather with someone by their side. An intimate tale working with big, sweeping feelings as well as notions of guilt and forgiveness, The Light Between Oceans is a melodrama through and through. Not that that's a bad thing, necessarily. This adaptation of Australian author M. L. Stedman's 2012 novel is not what might derisively be labelled merely a chick flick. Yes, it may tug at the heartstrings, and focus its plot around marital life and motherhood, but the sentiments this period-set romantic drama stirs up remain unflinchingly real. The aforementioned couple meet, wed and forge a life together in and around Janus Rock off the coast of Western Australia. They're the only inhabitants living off the mainland, though it seems they'll be joined by the pitter-patter of tiny feet until tragedy strikes on multiple occasions. Then, a lifeboat — or a rowboat, to be exact — brings them a lost baby girl. Keeping her will help them become a family. But unbeknownst to them, it will also tear the child's real mother (Rachel Weisz) apart. After exploring the complications of romance in the raw and resonant Blue Valentine, and pondering the ties between parents and children in The Place Beyond the Pines, writer-director Derek Cianfrance combines the two in The Light Between Oceans, as though he's been building up to this all along. It may not be the strongest of the three features, but it's as astute in matters of the heart as it is picturesque. Indeed, as far as the latter is concerned, Australian cinematographer Adam Arkapaw, who gave the recent version of Macbeth such an icy, compelling gleam, will have you gazing at the soft, glowing, frequently pink-lit images in the same way that the film's characters gaze at each other. Cianfrance provides ample space for Fassbender and Vikander to flesh out their loving but troubled characters. There's no mistaking the actors' chemistry, or the hard-earned range of emotions they cultivate, often in no more than their expressions. He conveys Tom's doting affection as well as the war-inspired melancholy he can't quite hide, while she paints Isabel as vibrant and determined, both in happiness and in pain. Even when the film's efforts to evoke tears are a little too evident, Fassbender and Vikander ensure that everything feels, and looks, utterly genuine. [competition]598626[/competition]
If "toastie" and "festival" are two words you've never really managed to unite, think again: Welcome to Thornbury is hosting a cheese toastie festival this weekend, combining your unrequited love for hot cheese and carbs with a little splash of fine dining (but mostly the hot cheese thing). While the event's main feature is the humble cheese toastie and its many variations (including cheeseburger toasties, vegetarian toasties, dessert toasties – the list goes on), the apple of your dairy-loving eye might be the cheese toastie degustation. It features four different toasties, including a dessert toastie, paired with either Goose Island beers or local natural wines. And it comes in at the very reasonably price of $30 — you can snag tickets here. During the festival you'll also be able to snag oozy toasted sangas from the likes of Belles Hot Chicken, Mr Burger, Dr Sous and dessert versions from Jamm'd and Tiramisu' Lift Me Up.
Joining Melbourne's recent burst of rooftop bar reveals this winter is Lonsdale Street Spanish haunt Bomba, with its revamped upper level. Reopening last week after a hefty three-month makeover, the space now boasts a fresh fitout, a gin-inflected drinks list and a standout new Spanish jaffle. The rooftop is sporting an all-weather retractable roof and a second terrace space. The space, refitted by Ola Architecture Studio, is complete with a central copper bar, lots of high tables and a projector screening 70s Spanish flicks onto the building opposite. The reimagined drinks list shows lots of love for gin, featuring a careful selection of Australian and Spanish distilleries and a gin-centric lineup of house cocktails — like the Dewy Dilligence, crafted on dill gin, fino sherry, beetroot and apple cordial, and lemon. You'll also spy Central Victoria's Animus Gin starring in a few of those signature sips. A bigger, eight-strong tap list throws its weight behind indie Melbourne breweries, while the wine selection's focused both on organic and small Aussie producers, and lesser-known Spanish gems, brought in by the owners' Armada Imports. There's also a range of tap cocktails, including a classic sangria and a spiced wintery blend of Melbourne Moonshine Apple Pie, brandy and pear, dubbed All Things Nice. Meanwhile, the food situation leans to the snacky, featuring a tapas menu of old favourites and new creations, a covetable selection of Spanish cheeses, and the soon-to-be-legendary 'bikini' — a Catalan riff on the toastie, stuffed with fillings like jamón ibérico and truffle, or smoked ham hock, mahón cheese and mozzarella. Find Bomba Rooftop at 103 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, open daily from 3pm. Images: Peter Tarasiuk and Fiona Hamilton
