Victorian distilleries have made quite the splash at the 2021 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, claiming half of the trophies handed out at this year's award ceremony, held overnight at the Melbourne Showgrounds' Victoria Pavilion. An impressive nine trophies were awarded to local makers at the prestigious ceremony on December 1, while McLaren Vale's Never Never Distilling Co took out the top gong, awarded Champion Australian Distiller. It's been a rough couple of years, but testament to the industry's fighting 'spirit', this year's awards saw a hefty 765 entries from 191 distilleries, with 90 gold medals handed out and hundreds more silver and bronze. Among the Victorians to claim victory was Eltham's Naught Distilling, whose Australian Dry Gin scored both the Champion New World/Contemporary Gin and Champion Victorian Gin trophies. The Mornington Peninsula's Jimmy Rum was named Champion Victorian Distillery, while its Jimmy Rum Silver nabbed the brand-new award for Champion Cane Spirit. North Melbourne's Cap & Bells earned gongs for its Marionette bitter orange curacao and dry cassis, and an exciting cask collaboration from Chief's Son and Mornington Peninsula Brewery was awarded Champion Australian Small Batch Spirit. Never Never — whose name you might recognise from the recent oyster shell gin collaboration with Lucas Group restaurant Society — also took out the trophies for Champion Navy Gin (the Juniper Freak) and Champion London Dry Gin (Triple Juniper Export Strength Gin). [caption id="attachment_761553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archie Rose's Rye Malt Whisky[/caption] Unsurprisingly, the New South Wales spirits scene also represented, with big wins for Archie Rose's Rye Malt Whisky, Regal Rogue's Lively White vermouth, and Mobius Distilling Co's Apple Pie Liqueur and 38 Special Vodka. Meanwhile, fresh trophies for Bundaberg and South Australia's Ginny Pig Distillery now offer a few extra incentives for that boozy interstate trip you've been plotting. Running since 2015, the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards is the country's largest national spirits competition. They're hosted by not-for-profit organisation Melbourne Royal, and judged by some of Australia's top distillers, booze retailers and spirits writers. For the full list of 2021 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards winners, check out the website. Top Image: Jimmy Rum, by Chris McConville
On most weekends, somewhere in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane is hosting a beer festival. They might not happen every single weekend, but they definitely pop up with frequency. Only one is called the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular, however, and dedicates itself to weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties that are made exclusively for the booze-fuelled party. And that very fest has locked in its dates for 2023. If you're a newcomer to GABS, as the festival is known, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then, it started spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. So far, its 2023 plans will see it return for its Aussie run to see out autumn and welcome in winter. While only dates and venues have been confirmed so far, and not brewers heading along or the beers they'll be whipping up, attendees can look forward to an event that's considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region. One big reason: it'll pour at least 120 brews, which in past years have been inspired by breakfast foods, savoury snacks, desserts, cocktails and more. In 2022, peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum and sour gummy bears all got a whirl. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, with more than 60 set to be pouring their wares this year. Also on the bill: other types of tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which'll span a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders in 2023, as well as local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. GREAT AUSTRALASIAN BEER SPECTAPULAR 2023 DATES: Friday, May 19–Sunday, May 21 — Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Friday, June 2–Saturday, June 3 — ICC Darling Harbour, Sydney Saturday, June 10 — Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane GABS will take place across Australia's east coast throughout May and June— head to the event's website for further details.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. LIGHTYEAR In the realm of franchise filmmaking, "to infinity and beyond" isn't just a catchphrase exclaimed by an animated plaything — it's how far and long Hollywood hopes every hit big-screen saga will extend. With that in mind, has a Pixar movie ever felt as inevitable as Lightyear? Given the main Toy Story plot wrapped up in 2019's Toy Story 4, and did so charmingly, keeping this series going by jumping backwards was always bound to happen. So it is that space ranger figurine Buzz Lightyear gets an origin story. That said, the trinket's history is covered immediately and quickly in this film's opening splash of text on-screen. Back in the OG Toy Story, Andy was excited to receive a new Buzz Lightyear action figure because — as this feature tells us — he'd just seen and loved a sci-fi movie featuring fictional character Buzz Lightyear. In this franchise's world, Lightyear is that picture. It's hard not to see Lightyear as a new cash cow — the Toy Story series' cash calf, perhaps. It's also difficult not to notice that the Disney-owned Pixar has made a movie that renders a famed character a piece of film-promoting merchandise, all while also releasing a new range of Lightyear-promoting merch so that IRL kids can have their own Buzz Lightyear toy again, too. In 2049, will audiences be watching a flick about someone who saw this as a child, nagged their parents for a Buzz and developed their own love of animation, space, franchises or all of the above? It wouldn't be surprising. Of course, there's form for making Buzz a movie tie-in toy; the overarching series' other main figure, pull-string cowboy Woody, stemmed from a fictional western TV show called Woody's Roundup. Maybe that's what Pixar will now make next. Or, perhaps it'll release a film or show based on one of Lightyear's new characters, feline robot companion SOX. Yes, you can now buy toy versions of it in reality as well, because of course you can. Buzz Lightyear and a cute cat that talks? The head of Disney merchandising must've seen potential piles of cash stacked to infinity and beyond purely at the thought of it, and director Angus MacLane (Finding Dory) along with him. Thankfully, as calculated as Lightyear's existence clearly is — and it's as blatantly engineered by bean counters as any movie can be — it's still likeable enough. It only slightly feels like a flick that might've actually come out around 1995, though, even if Apollo 13 sat second at the global box office that year (behind Toy Story, fittingly). And, after sending the wonderful Soul and Turning Red straight to streaming during the pandemic, plus Luca, it's also a standard pick for Pixar's return to the big screen. Buzz the live-action film hero — flesh and blood to in-franchise viewers like Andy, that is, but animated to us — also goes on an all-too-familiar journey in Lightyear. Voiced by Chris Evans (Knives Out) to distinguish the movie Buzz from toy Buzz (where he's voiced by Last Man Standing's Tim Allen), the Star Command space ranger is so convinced that he's the biggest hero there is, and him alone, that teamwork isn't anywhere near his strength. Then, as happens to the figurine version in Toy Story, that illusion gets a reality check. To survive being marooned on T'Kani Prime, a planet 4.2 million light-years from earth filled with attacking vines and giant flying insects, the egotistical and stubborn Buzz needs to learn to play nice with others. For someone who hates rookies, as well as using autopilot, realising he can only succeed with help takes time. Read our full review. MEN Since popping up over the last decade, the term 'elevated horror' has always been unnecessary. Used to describe The Babadook, It Follows, The Witch, Get Out, Hereditary, Us, Midsommar and more, it pointlessly claims that such unsettling flicks have risen above their genre. Each of these movies is excellent. They all boast weight and depth, trade in metaphors with smarts and savvy, and have style to go with their creeps and thrills. But thinking that's new in horror — that pairing unease with topical woes or societal fears is as well — is as misguided as dubbing Michael Myers a hero. With a name that makes its #MeToo-era point plain, Men has been badged 'elevated', too, yet it also does what horror has at its best and worst cases for decades. That the world can be a nightmare for women at the hands of men isn't a fresh observation, and it's long been a scary movie go-to. Still, Men stresses that fact in an inescapably blunt but also unforgettable manner. The film's setting is an English manor, where Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter) hopes for a solo stint of rest, relaxation and recuperation. Processing a tragedy, shattering memories of which haunt the movie as much as its protagonist, she's seeking an escape and a way to start anew. The initial hint that she won't find bliss comes swiftly and obviously, and with a sledgehammer's subtlety. Arriving at an idyllic-looking British countryside estate, Harper is greeted by an apple tree. She plucks one from the abundant branches, then takes a bite. Soon, she's told by her host Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear, Our Flag Means Death) that it's forbidden fruit. He also says he's joking — but in this garden, a woman will again shoulder a society's blame and burdens. As overt and blatant as this early exchange is, there's an intensely unnerving look and feel to Men from the outset. Returning to the big screen after excellent sci-fi TV series Devs, writer/director Alex Garland isn't a stranger to visually stunning, deeply disquieting films that ponder big ideas; see: the complex, eerie and sublime Ex Machina, plus the similarly intricate and intriguing Annihilation. Oscar Isaac doesn't turn up this time, let alone dance. Buckley and Kinnear do turn in mesmerising and magnificent powerhouse performances amid the perturbing mood and spectacular imagery. Gender expectations also get probed and challenged, as do genres. And, things get strange and insidious after Harper tries to lap up her bucolic surroundings. Those blood-red walls sported by Harper's atmospheric centuries-old home-away-from-home? That's another glaring warning. Also discomforting: the jump-scare glitch when she video chats with her best friend Riley (Gayle Rankin, GLOW), after being told by Geoffrey — who is polite but never direct, perfectly satirising both stiff-upper-lip Britishness and the fine line between being courteous and patronising — that reception isn't the best. And, when Harper ventures out of the house, she discovers scenic treasures alongside hardly hospitable locals. She's a woman plagued by troubles that don't begin as her own, and she's forced to devote everything she has to moving past them and surviving. That Harper is played with such instinctive and physical feeling with Buckley, who just keeps going from strength to strength thanks to Beast, Wild Rose, Chernobyl, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Fargo and her Oscar-nominated efforts in The Lost Daughter, is one of Men's biggest assets. Read our full review. THE KITCHEN BRIGADE When a chef sticks to a tried-and-tested recipe, it can be for two reasons: ease and excellence. Whipping up an already-proven dish means cooking up something that you already know works — something sublime, perhaps — and giving yourself the opportunity to better it. That process isn't solely the domain of culinary maestros, though, as French filmmaker Louis-Julien Petit makes plain in his latest feature The Kitchen Brigade. The writer/director behind 2018's Invisibles returns to what he knows and does well, and to a formula that keeps enticing audiences on the big screen, too. With the former, he whisks together another socially conscious mix of drama and comedy centring on faces and folks that are often overlooked. With the latter, he bakes a feel-good affair about finding yourself, seizing opportunities and making a difference through food. Returning from Invisibles as well, Audrey Lamy (Little Nicholas' Treasure) plays Cathy, a 40-year-old sous chef with big dreams and just as sizeable struggles. Instead of running her own restaurant, she's stuck in the shadow of TV-famous culinary celebrity Lyna Deletto (Chloé Astor, Delicious) — a boss hungry for not just fame but glory, including by dismissing Cathy's kitchen instincts or claiming her dishes as her own. Reaching boiling point early in the film, Cathy decides to finally go it alone, but cash makes that a problem. So, to make ends meet, she takes the only job she can find: overseeing the food in a shelter for migrants, where manager Lorenzo (François Cluzet, We'll End Up Together) and his assistant Sabine (Chantal Neuwirth, Patrick Melrose) have been understandably too busy with the day-to-day business of helping their residents to worry about putting on a fancy spread. From the moment that Cathy arrives at the hostel, thinking she's interviewing for a restaurant gig rather than auditioning to cook for young men happy with ravioli, The Kitchen Brigade sets up a simple culture-clash scenario — in the realm of cuisine, contrasting its protagonist's gourmet expectations with the shelter's reality. When she cottons on to what's in store, she's gruff, wary and unimpressed, and learning to open up while making bonds with the hostel's inhabitants, all of whom yearn for new lives as well, comes as expectedly as pairing a baguette with cheese. Following familiar steps and still hitting the spot is a cooking staple, however, and it works with Petit's feature. He doesn't reach the pinnacle of charming culinary movies, or of underdog stories, but the end result goes down smoothly and is never less than palatable. Unsurprisingly, The Kitchen Brigade is at its best when it's fleshing out its characters amid the recognisable narrative beats, with Petit scripting with producer Liza Benguigui-Duquesne and screenwriter Sophie Bensadoun based on Bensadoun's idea — and, when it's doing what the floral industry-set The Rose Maker did, which used a comparable setup to dive into the layers and prejudices engrained in French society. Like that thematically similar, also-sincere and perceptive movie, The Kitchen Brigade benefits from fine central performances, adding depth and texture that mightn't have bubbled to the fore otherwise. Lamy, the ever-reliable Cluzet, Fatoumata Kaba (Validé) as Cathy's self-starter best friend, first-timer Yannick Kalombo as aspiring chef GusGus and Mamadou Koita (Dernier maquis) as soccer hopeful Djibril: they all leave an imprint, seasoning the cinematic meal. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2 and June 9. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero and Benediction.
If you like to live like a million dollar foodie on minimum wage, this is the event for you. One of our favourite parts of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival each year, the Restaurant Express series gives you the chance to finally try that new restaurant you've been reading about for a cool $40. Two twenty dollar bills cover a two-course lunch (including their signature dish) and a drink that will be matched to your food. And considering you can head to places like the Estelle, Albert St Food & Wine, Pei Modern, Stokehouse City and Union Dining, it's the best value in town for some of the best lunches around. See a full list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Express here.
From global behemoth Netflix to the arthouse, indie and documentary-focused Kanopy, picking a streaming platform can take as much time as actually picking something to watch on a streaming platform. The latest to enter the market has quite the point of difference, however — and not just because it's free. If viewing the likes of Bronson, Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon has you on the same wavelength as filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn, then you're in luck — the Danish writer/director is launching his own streaming service. Called byNWR.com, it's currently in beta testing before opening to the public at a later date this month, with the site dubbing itself "an unadulterated expressway for the arts". A venture in conjunction with existing platform Mubi as well as the Harvard Film Archive, byNWR.com will highlight a restored cult classic each month that's picked by a guest editor, The Guardian reports. Each film will be supported by content themed around the chosen flick, such as essays, videos, photos and music. And if you're wondering just what titles will be on offer, Refn detailed the first four, as well as his reasons for highlighting them. They're not the type of movies that you're likely to have watched and rewatched endlessly, or even seen on a big or small screen recently, including 1961 thriller Night Tide starring Dennis Hopper, 1965 horror effort The Nest of the Cuckoo Birds, 1974's The Burning Hell and 1967's Hot Thrills and Warm Chills. "I hope my site will inspire people to see the world a different way," the filmmaker outlined in his piece for The Guardian, while also writing about something fans of Refn's own work will be more than familiar with — pushing people out of their comfort zones. If Refn's choices sound like the kind of thing you would like to see in a cinema, Little White Lies also reports that the streaming site will be accompanied by special screenings around the globe. Via The Guardian.
Knowledge is fun. And so is watching the dude on the tellie, who’s standing behind the antique in question. We can’t promise you could be that guy, but we can guarantee some fascinating history and valuations. Thunder Road will be keeping you thirst-free, so dust off those old beer bottles and brewing memorabilia you've been hoarding and get yourself a free assessment. This event is part of Good Beer Week's 2015 program, running from May 16-24. For more festival picks, click here.
There were short-lived rumours that Melbourne's art and hospitality scene had reached peak saturation, but the city quickly put those to bed when its cultural ecosystem grew and flourished once again. It has been a year of innovative new restaurants and bars — bigger and taller than ever before — forward-thinking events and bold spaces, pubs and cafes. And they're not all from the big players — independent ventures are flourishing. Bars continue to offer immersive, imaginative experiences that take you beyond their drinks lists — giant wheels of raclette, Kill Bill-themed drinks lists — and late into the night, with some now serving inventive bar snacks til 3am. At Concrete Playground we encourage exploration and showcase innovation in our city every day, so we thought it fitting to reward those most talented vanguards pushing Melbourne to be a better, braver city. And so, these six new bars, opened in 2017, were nominated for Best New Bar in Concrete Playground's Best of 2017 Awards.
Nick Stanton, Guy Bentley, Mark Catsburg and Jon Harper made a splash with their much-loved South Yarra diner Ramblr...and even more of a splash when they announced its sudden closure. But the Chapel Street space has scored a fitting successor, reincarnated as the guys' latest venture, Leo's By The Slice. New sibling to fellow hits Leonards House of Love and Leonardo's Pizza Palace, the Chapel Street restaurant is an ode to the classic pizza slice shops of New York City. And, while it might share some DNA and name inspiration with the rest of the stable, Leo's is proving it's very much its own animal. In front, expect a cosy space that nods to the takeaway joints and Pizza Huts of your childhood, complete with familiar red laminate benchtops, chequered floors and group-friendly booths. Beyond, lies a moody back bar where you'll happily find yourself shooting pool and kicking back over a few post-pizza craft brews. The menu is a short, sweet and simple lineup of eight pizzas, available only by the hot, cheesy slice. But don't go expecting anything too similar to that of Carlton sibling Leonardo's – here, it's all about that authentic New York-style pie, crisp-edged and pliable. You'll find the likes of a classic pepperoni, a loaded meatlovers and even plant-based options including the vegan Chinese bolognese (a nod to an old Ramblr signature). Swing by at lunch (12–4pm) and you can team a slice of margherita with a can of Grifter beer for an easy $9.99. The drinks lineup is concise, but interesting, with craft beers, natural wines and easy-drinking cocktails. A vending machine has more brews, alongside a tidy range of Leo's merch. Images: Kate Shanasy.
As the Mornington Peninsula's first all-vegan cafe and food store, Wombat has big love for all things cruelty-free. Rebecca Ettridge launched the venue in 2016 with the aim of gently showing Dromana locals that eating vegan needn't mean ditching flavour. It's a bright, youthful space, with local Little Rebel beans in the coffee grinder, house-made treats in the sweets cabinet, and a vibrant range of smoothies named after mountain bike trails in the nearby national park. The all-day breakfast menu is down to earth and hearty, with plates like the lemon-infused smashed avo, teamed with slow-roasted tomatoes and The Vegan Dairy feta, and a stack of banana pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. Loaded buddha bowls and a signature barbecue jackfruit burger take the reins at lunchtime. And at the end of the day you can feel extra good about your visit, knowing that proceeds from the cafe go towards funding Ettridge's Plumfield Farm animal sanctuary, just west of Ballarat.
When 2023 arrived, it marked two decades since composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman took a book inspired by The Wizard of Oz, put it to music and turned it into one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century. Now that 2024 is, it's giving Melbourne musical theatre fans their latest chance to see that very show right here at home — because Wicked is flying into the Victorian capital from Saturday, March 2. Even if you haven't seen the blockbuster show before, including on its past Aussie run from 2008–11, then you've likely heard of it. Following the Land of Oz's witches — telling their untold true tale is the musical's whole angle, in fact — Wicked has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Also huge: its worldwide footprint, playing in 16 countries around the globe since its 2003 debut. And, when it makes its way to the Regent Theatre for its second stop on its current Aussie run, following its present Sydney season, it'll do so after enchanting itself into fourth place in the list of longest-running Broadway shows ever — even surpassing Cats. Story-wise, Wicked starts before The Wizard of Oz and continues its narrative after Dorothy Gale lands, adapting Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The text itself has sold 5.5 million copies, including five million since the musical first opened. Here, before Dorothy blows in, two other women meet in the Land of Oz: Elphaba and Galinda. One will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other will become Glinda the Good Witch. Exactly why that happens, and how, and the pair's relationship from rivals to unlikely friends to grappling with their new labels, fuels the show's tale. Popping on your ruby slippers, clicking your heels three times and defying gravity at the Melbourne stage show means seeing Courtney Monsma in her debut lead role as Galinda/GLinda, Sheridan Adams as Elphaba, Robyn Nevin as Madame Morrible and Todd McKenney as the Wizard — plus Liam Head as Fiyero, Adam Murphy isasDr Dillamond, Shewit Belay as Nessarose and Kurtis Papadinis as Boq. Wicked has been brought back to Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B Platt and David Stone — and is taking to the stage again before the in-the-works two-part film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Galinda, and directed by Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians), is due to start reaching cinemas in 2024. Images: Jeff Busby.
A new blockbuster exhibition is headed Sydney's way, delving into one of the most famous figures in history. Whether you loved learning about the past at school or prefer to get your history fix via flicks like The Mummy, there's something about Tutankhamun that always intrigues — and now more than 150 objects from the ancient boy king's tomb are coming to the Australian Museum. Set to grace the museum's walls in 2021, Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh marks a century since King Tut's treasure-laden resting place was first discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter back in 1922. The exhibition's world-premiere season is currently running in Los Angeles — and while exact Sydney dates are yet been announced, it'll head to our shores for a six-month period, with the New South Wales capital becoming one of only ten cities around the world to play host to the showcase. Golden jewellery, elaborate carvings, sculptures and ritual antiquities will all feature, in an exhibition that "is exclusively focused on interpreting the significance and meaning of artifacts from Tutankhamun's personal tomb and includes," according to the Los Angeles season's website. Visitors can expect to set their sights on a ceremonial bed that historians believe was made for the pharaoh's funeral, a life-sized wooden statue of Tut and a jewelled container that held his liver. Given it's the world's largest Tutankhamun exhibition outside of Egypt — featuring 60 pieces that have never previously left the country — it's a rather big deal. It's also the final time that these items will leave Egypt, as they're set to be permanently housed in the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, which is due to open this year. Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh's trip to Sydney will be made possible by a $50 million upgrade to the Australian Museum, which will enhance the facility's ability to host large-scale exhibitions. "Repurposing existing storage space will see the significant expansion of the touring exhibition halls to 1500 square metres across two levels – allowing the Museum to host either one big blockbuster or two exhibitions simultaneously," said museum director and CEO Kim McKay. Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh will display at the Australian Museum in Sydney in 2021, with dates yet to be revealed. For more information, keep an eye on the Australian Museum website. Images: AP Images / King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the California Science Centre.
Arriving six years after his stunning animated war documentary Waltz with Bashir, the most recent film from Ari Folman is a mind-melting journey into a future of sensorial addiction. Loosely inspired by Stanislaw Lem's 1971 science-fiction novel The Futurological Congress, this new work blends live-action and animation in much the same way that it blends reality and fiction, all the while throwing satiric barbs at everything from celebrity obsession to pharmaceutical dependency, rampant consumerism and the depths of corporate greed. The Congress is without question one of the boldest films of the year, both aesthetically and in terms of its thematic ambition. Sadly, it's under the weight of that incredible ambition that the movie eventually stumbles. The film begins in the very near future, with actress Robin Wright playing a fictionalised version of herself. Washed-up after years of bad career choices, Wright finds herself contemplating a bizarre offer from the monolithic Miramount Studios, who want to scan her likeness into a computer to create the world's first digital actress. The deal includes a stipulation that the real Wright never act again, but would guarantee her the money she needs to support her young son Aaron (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who suffers from a rare medical disorder that is slowly turning him blind. So with a heavy heart, Wright signs on the dotted line. Folman then skips a further 20 years into the future, to a special Miramount convention held at a luxurious hotel in the restricted "animated zone". A grotesque, kaleidoscopic, drug-induced cartoon land reminiscent not of the lifelike, rotoscoped animation of Waltz with Bashir, but of the more outlandish look of old favourites like Betty Boop and Yellow Submarine, it's in this world that Wright discovers the next phase of the Miramount scheme: the distribution and sale of her chemical essence directly to her ravenous fans. You certainly can't fault The Congress for a lack of good ideas. The problem, rather, is the haphazard way in which they're presented. You get the distinct impression that Folman has bitten off more than he can chew, his scattershot social criticism often coming at the expense of narrative economy — or vice versa. As a result, the film feels bloated and uneven, with the first act in particular running far, far too long. So too does the movie grow increasingly bewildering in its final third. A second jump forward in time kills what little momentum the film had managed to accumulate, and while Folman's vision of the distant future is visually astounding, from a plot perspective it's also pretty disengaging. There's far too much interesting material in The Congress to dismiss it outright. But by that same token, it's the promise of brilliance that ultimately makes it so disappointing. With more disciplined writing and editing, Folman's cartoon menagerie could have resembled a masterpiece. As it stands, it's an admirable and thought-provoking failure.
Melbourne's Chapel Street PROVOCARÉ Festival of the Arts is back for its second year, and it's bound to be as alluring, if not more so, than its first edition. With a new lineup of dramatic performances and artwork, as well as Spencer Tunick's distinctive nude installation, the winter art festival is set to be something completely unafraid and honest. From July 5–15, PROVOCARÉ offers a plethora of opportunities for you to immerse yourself in a world of pure creativity. With live performances, an art walk, blindfolded dinner, video art and much more, the festival will meet your art cravings and make you question reality. It's also a great excuse for you to explore the eateries and retail businesses in the area. At I Want to Know What Love Is, connect with the emotions attached to all things romance and heartbreak, while enjoying the stage performance centred around true confessions and tales of "love's gritty collision course". Get your shine on as Reuben Kaye makes you laugh and dance around with Glitter. From July 7–15 at Chapel Off Chapel, the show will transport you to a world of colour with all the filthy language, dazzling sequences and hopefully ridiculous sets (like a gin bathtub). And with only five shows during the festival, the Empty Bodies circus should be a priority on your list. Witness the dramatic display of life and identity, as elite graduates from the National Institute of Circus Arts perform the reflection of "chaos in conflict with order". If you're keen for an event that encompasses all the things PROVOCARÉ stands for, then join the club — literally. Starting at 8.15pm, Club PROVOCARÉ is serving serious seduction every night of the festival. With burlesque, drag shows and other tempting entertainment led by cabaret queen Bernie Dieter, you won't want to miss a minute of the fun. Lastly, EcoCaddy is providing free transportation all festival long to get you from one arty event to another without the worry of a ridiculous ride fee. For tickets and more event information, head to the PROVOCARÉ website.
Sports movies tend to follow a fairly formulaic structure. We meet the competitors; we begin to see their strengths, weaknesses and that potential Achilles heel; we are introduced to their primary competitors; and then, after a couple of well-timed training montages, we watch, bated breath, as our hero manages to defy the odds and win miraculously/lose heroically. If you've seen Rocky, The Fighter, Remember the Titans or a hundred other sports films, then you already know the narrative arc of Ping Pong. Yet despite its predictability, this heartwarming documentary from little-known British director Hugh Hartford manages to sidestep the usual pitfalls of the genre, basically through the sheer strength of the characters. Ping Pong tells the story of the World Over 80s Table Tennis Championships in Inner Mongolia almost entirely through the perspective of the players themselves. There is 81-year-old Terry, who, prior to the tournament, was given a week to live; former bodybuilder Les, who, at 89, still uses weightlifting to prepare for the tournament; the trash-talkin', gun-toting Texan Lisa, whose 85 years have done nothing to diminish her wily competitive streak; and the championship's elder stateswoman, the 100-year-old Aussie Dot. Hartford does what many great documentarians have done before him, retreating from the role of writer. He is happy to simply leave the camera rolling and have the characters tell their own stories — their history, their motivations and what it means to be an athlete in the final chapters of their lives. Yet this picture is far more than simply a series of talking heads. Hartford takes great pains to capture the richness of these characters and their lives. The film takes us into their homes and training venues and watches as they cook strudel, show off old photo collections and, in one of the film's most touching scenes, guide us around the dementia ward that ping pong became a respite from. This level of detail gives the film an immersive quality. Even in a screening filled with cynical critics and hardened media-folk, a championship win from one of the octogenarians had the cinema quietly cheering. Despite the film's fixation on death and mortality, Ping Pong is a surprisingly hopeful and uplifting film. In one scene, Terry boasts that while bowel cancer could take away his penis, it couldn't take away his sex life. We come to see that while these characters may have accepted their impending death, that doesn't mean they're willing to go quietly into that cold night. Add to all this the fact that this may be the first film to show an 89-year-old doing a peck dance. That one was worth the price of admission on its own. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nwFVc2NAt94
A few years ago, North Melbourne got its own stylish pet supply store, right in the heart of Errol Street. The store has everything from organic pet food and health and wellbeing products, to accessories, beds and grooming supplied. As well as a selection of fancy leads, harnesses and collars, there's also a selection of pet outfits for special events, costume parties and the beach. And if you're shopping with a thirsty dog, there's usually a bowl of water out the front.
When John Wick burst its way into cinemas in 2014 with a flurry of bullets, it was the action flick no one knew they needed. Keanu Reeves was at his blank-faced best as an unstoppable assassin, shooting first and never asking questions — because he didn't have to. Watching the mayhem that resulted: that was an audiences' joy through and through. Can such a formidable force hit the target twice, though? The answer is obvious: John Wick never misses. Chronicling Wick's efforts to once again stride back into seclusion — a plan foiled by Italian mobsters with a case of sibling rivalry — the reunited team of stuntman turned director Chad Stahelski and screenwriter Derek Kolstad stay true to their winning premise and up the stakes. John Wick still gets to show off his lethal skills, but he's not just seeking vengeance. He's repaying the debt that helped him get out of the assassin business in the first place, and then trying to survive the deadly fallout. Oh, and he's got a new dog. As familiar as that might sound, John Wick: Chapter 2 turns sticking with what works into an action opera that knows when to dazzle with a symphony of shoot-outs, but also knows when enjoying Keanu's menacing presence is enough. The film's impeccably choreographed action scenes in Roman catacombs and New York City streets prove exhilarating, but so too do the steely glares directed by Keanu at his myriad foes – including Common and Australia's own Ruby Rose. The fact that the end result may be a little predictable isn't a problem when it's executed with such precision and flair. When Stahelski does sprinkle a few fresh inclusions into the mix, he goes big. Suave Italian icon Franco Nero — aka the original Django — pops up as the Roman counterpart to Ian McShane's returning hotelier, while Laurence Fishburne gives movie nerds the reunion they've been waiting for. Smartly, though, neither overpowers the main attraction. Cinema-goers want to see Keanu being the legendary bad guy that even bad guys fear, dispensing with his enemies with a pencil and just generally blazing his way through the criminal underworld. On that front, you'd better believe that John Wick: Chapter 2 delivers. Indeed, Keanu and his former Matrix stunt double are the movie's not-so-secret weapons. Stahelski ramps up the action to dizzying heights, while his leading man lets his physicality and stoic charisma do the talking. More than a quarter of a century since he first showed off his action hero skills in Point Break, Keanu's still got it. The genre wouldn't be the same without him – and if we can make a request for the inevitable John Wick: Chapter 3, it's for more of the same with some of Johnny Utah's surfing thrown in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdkhQsy9fU4
The team behind the South American-inspired stable of San Telmo, Pastuso and Palermo has unveiled its latest project, with fiery Southbank newcomer Asado. Named after the traditional Argentinian style of slow-cooked barbecue and the relaxed dining experience it informs, the bar and eatery is centred around an open fire pit and a custom-made three-metre-long charcoal parrilla grill. Bright, bold and buzzy, the 250-seater steers away from the moody, intimate feel of its siblings, boasting soaring windows and vibrant art deco features. To match, chef Oliver Gould has designed a lively menu of authentic Argentinian flavours with Spanish touches. You'll spy the likes of snack-friendly jamón boards and tinned seafood, alongside diamond clams spiked with Manzanilla sherry, peas and banana chillies, grilled beef tongue skewers with chimichurri, and charred baby octopus paired with smoked paprika and squid ink. Rounding out the fun, is a drinks list worthy of celebration — think sangria, Patagonian pilsner, top-notch sherry and a wine list that heroes the best of Argentina's Mendoza region. Opening in the coming months, Asado's adjacent 'sandwicheria' will dish up a more casual affair for the area's lunchtime set. Find Asado at 6 Riverside Quay, Southbank. Images: Jake Roden
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Encanto is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and will be available to stream via Disney+ from December 25. Five years after Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney first teamed up on an animated musical with the catchiest of tunes, aka Moana, they're back at it again with Encanto. To viewers eager for another colourful, thoughtful and engaging film — and another that embraces a particular culture with the heartiest of hugs, and is all the better for it — what can the past decade's most influential composer and biggest entertainment behemoth say except you're welcome? Both the Hamilton mastermind and the Mouse House do what they do best here. The songs are infectious, as well as diverse in style; the storyline follows a spirited heroine challenging the status quo; and the imagery sparkles. Miranda and Disney are both in comfortable territory, in fact — formulaic, sometimes — but Encanto never feels like they're monotonously beating the same old drum. Instruments are struck, shaken and otherwise played in the film's soundtrack, of course, which resounds with energetic earworms; the salsa beats of 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' are especially irresistible, and the Miranda-penned hip hop wordplay that peppers the movie's tunes is impossible to mentally let go. Spanning pop, ballads and more, all those songs help tell the tale of the Madrigals, a close-knit Colombian family who've turned generational trauma into magic. This is still an all-ages-friendly Disney flick, so there are limits to how dark it's willing to get; however, that Encanto fills its frames with a joyous celebration of Latin America and simultaneously recognises its setting's history of conflict is hugely significant. It also marks Walt Disney Animation Studios' 60th feature — dating back to 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — but its cultural specificity (depictions of Indigenous, Afro Latino and Colombian characters of other ethnicities included) is its bigger achievement. The focal point of their jungle-surrounded village, the Madrigals are the local version of superheroes. They live in an enchanted home, complete with a magical candle that's burned for three generations, and they each receive special powers when they come of age. The latter wasn't the case for Encanto's heroine Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), though, and that absence of exceptional abilities has left the bespectacled teen feeling like an outcast. Plus, with her young cousin Antonio (Ravi Cabot-Conyers, #BlackAF) now going through the ceremony, Mirabel's perceived failings linger afresh in everyone's minds. But then la casita, as their supernatural home is known, starts cracking — the flame begins to flicker as well, as everyone's powers waver with it — and it looks like only its most ordinary inhabitant can save the day. Encanto doesn't refer to the Madrigals by any term you'd hear in a Marvel movie, but the imprint of Disney's hit franchise remains evident. Thankfully, director Byron Howard (Tangled), and co-writers/co-helmers Charise Castro Smith (Sweetbitter) and Jared Bush (Zootopia) have sprinkled in a few fun abilities — because mixing up a template sits high among the feature's powers, even when those generic underlying pieces can still be gleaned. Accordingly, one of Mirabel's sisters, Luisa (Jessica Darrow, Feast of the Seven Fishes), is super strong, but the other, Isabela (Diane Guerrero, Doom Patrol), makes flowers blossom with her loveliness. Similarly, while their aunt Pepa (Carolina Gaitán, The Greatest Showman) controls the weather, their mother Julieta (Angie Cepeda, Jane the Virgin) heals through cooking. In one of the most surprising moves ever made by all-ages film, Encanto also nods to Gabriel García Márquez and his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude (superheroes, Disney not-quite-princesses and Colombian magical realism, together at last!). It works because Encanto meaningfully ponders inherited woes and the weight of family expectations, and grounds them in past struggles and the cycles they kickstart. That's the Madrigals' story, as tied to Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero, Nurses). And, while delivered in bright and bouncy packaging, it includes noting how the pressure to excel and enchant has caused fissures. Indeed, due to her uncle Bruno (John Leguizamo, Playing with Fire) — who no one is supposed to discuss, as the aforementioned track trills — Mirabel isn't the only Madrigal wrongly deemed to have let the family down. Vibrant, rich, tender, sincere and lively (the songs, pace and lush computer-generated animation just keep earning the term): add in familiar, still, and that's Encanto. Perhaps it's an apt combination, considering that finding beauty in the seemingly standard is one of the movie's key messages. Or, maybe it's just what was always going to happen when the Mouse House mashed up such recognisable parts — there's plenty about Mirabel's tale that's pure Disney 101, too, and we've all enjoyed the childhood viewing to prove it — into a gorgeous and heartfelt love letter to Colombian culture. Either way, the movie remains a modest charmer and, with Beatriz's yearning yet resilient vocal performance worlds away from Rosa Diaz's growl, and her co-stars helping to make the picture melodic several times over, it's winningly cast as well. Encanto is also the fourth feature bearing Miranda's fingerprints in 2021, after In the Heights, fellow animated effort Vivo and his filmmaking directorial debut Tick, Tick… Boom!. Thanks to both his and Disney's involvement, it'll likely take the reverse route traversed by two of those titles and, The Lion King and Mary Poppins-style, end up on a stage sometime in the future. Such a production would inherently lack the creative cinematography that assists in making Encanto such a visual treat — especially in the imaginative journey that Mirabel takes in the movie's second half — but it'd dazzle as a live-action show anyway. One of the film's other joys is the fact that it's poised, fashioned, animated and sung like it's treading the boards already, and that why that's the case — why it exudes big musical energy, even when it feels like its threatening to overdo it at first — is cannily baked into its narrative.
To celebrate its 11th birthday, Sydney-founded restaurant chain Ribs & Burgers has added a premium birthday slider to the menu. The star of the burger is a wagyu beef patty accompanied by pink sauce, red onion, pickles, American cheese, barbecue sauce and mustard. The burger is available for a limited time and can be picked up for $8.90 on its own, with chips for $13.90 or with a serving of pork ribs for $19.90. On Tuesday, November 8, Ribs & Burgers is taking the celebrations up a notch offering the sliders for $5 each —for one day only. To get your wagyu fix for just $5, head into your local store or order online on November 8. Ribs & Burgers has outposts across Australia, including The Rocks, Chatswood and Bella Vista in Sydney, Craigieburn and Hawthorn in Victoria, and Fortitude Vallery and Woolloongabba in Queensland. You can find your local store at the Ribs & Burgers website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ribs & Burgers (@ribsandburgers) FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Prepare to cancel all your Wednesday night plans (i.e. laundry and Netflix) because we've got something much, much better. The Queen Victoria Market is bringing back its Summer Night Market for a 19th season of balmy tomfoolery. This means that after a day of toiling in the diamond mines or hosiery department (whatever your poison) you can cool off with a free evening of international street food, vintage fashion and handcrafted homewares. As if that wasn't exciting enough, this year they are theming the nights so that each week offers up something a little different. They'll kick off the 2016-17 season on November 16 with a 'disco funk' theme. That means free tunes from the tropical jungle-inspired Tek Tek Ensemble, funk and soul band The Gold Street Band as well as The Everymen and James Kenyon, who tells Australian stories through his music. And don't even think about eating at home because they've got food vendors to suit every whim, including pizza pockets from 400 Gradi team, gooey cheese breads from Toasta, Greek doughnuts from Taki's Balls and Moroccan food from MJR TOM. And if a face full of pizza isn't enough to take the edge off, there'll be a Pimm's Garden for, well, Pimm's jugs and, come December 7, as well as a frozen cider bar by Cheeky Rascal and a frosé bar too. The Summer Night Market will run every Wednesday night from November 16 to March 8 (excluding December 28) from 5-10pm. UPDATE, 3 MARCH 2017: Due to huge attendance numbers, the Summer Night Market has been extended for three more weeks. It will now finish up on March 29.
It's said that in Greece the appearance of a boy's first bum fluff is greeted with a festival. In Australia's metropolitan centres, we've lately been showing a similar appreciate for the art of beard. From long swamp rock ones to neat 'I have an app in development' ones, our appreciation for fuzzy facial adornment is surely reaching an apex. So it's smart that this year Off the Kerb gallery is using beardy men to raise funds for charity. It will be celebrating its sixth birthday with an exhibition of art commemorating men with beards. The event will raise money for the homeless and all funds will be donated to the Melbourne Citymission. "A man with a beard can represent wisdom, individuality, virility, masculinity and strength," write Off the Kerb on their website. "Throughout history the beard has carried much symbolism in cultures around the world." Show your support for this sentiment (or just the good cause they're supporting) on April 4-18, when you can come admire, celebrate and buy the bearded works of art on display. Opening night on April 5 will also feature live performance.
Remember that time we went to Virginia Plain? Awesome, right? Then that other time we went to the equally as awesome (and more casual) Mercy Bar & Eatery? Both of these great venues have sadly been and gone from 31 Flinders Lane, but don't cry — we've mourned and you must too. Luckily, the shiny light at the end of this tunnel is Fonda number three. Yes. Richmond, Windsor, and now 31 Flinders Lane in the CBD. The Fonda Mexican goodness, started in 2011 by David Youl and Tim McDonald, just keeps expanding with their newest venue. It's just as big as Virginia and Mercy were, but now it's bright, loud, and has that chilled Mexican vibe to it that we've come to love at the other Fonda outlets. If you didn't know, in Mexico 'fonda' refers to a local house with an all-important open kitchen. This is very much the inspiration for the new 200-seat city venue. While the old space was dark and moody, this is deliberately the complete opposite; a raised section at the front, an exposed kitchen and fairy lights help to achieve the brightness and comfort of a (not so) humble Mexican home. Techne Architects were behind this new atmosphere, and designer Luke Henley did the branding, just as he has with the other venues. The food menu is exactly what you'd expect when thinking of Mexican street food or if you've been to any of the other Fonda locations (the menus are the same). The tortilla crisps with guacamole and smoking salsa ($7) are a nice start, but the charred corn with chipotle aioli, ricotta salata, and lime ($4.5) is one of those must orders. You can move to either quesadillas, tacos, burritos, or salads. The chicken quesadilla with cheese, fresh tomato, rocket, and avocado crema is creamy and a very safe choice, while the braised pork tacos with fresh pineapple, onion, and coriander ($6) fulfils Melbourne's love of both tacos and pork. The burritos are slightly heartier and come with char-grilled mushroom, chopped beef, grilled chicken, or fresh market fish, and all served are with quinoa and spiced black beans. The drinks menu is heavy on tequila, featuring the gents from Tequila Tromba. The Basil, Darling? is a frozen margarita of Tromba Blanco, orange, pineapple, basil, and lemon, while the El Diablo! is a less frozen mix of Blanco, creme de cassis, fresh lime juice, and ginger beer. There are four beers on offer including the likes of the Mexican Negra Modelo for the dark larger lovers among us, while the wine list has eight drops all available by the glass. The likes of the 2012 Martin Codax Albarino from Spain ($11 glass), and the 2009 Free Fall Shiraz from Central Victoria ($9 glass) make an appearance, among other local and international wines. We're eager to see how 31 Flinders Lane goes with these new tenants. We wouldn't be surprised if it changed the luck of the space. Image thanks to @morrisclano via Instagram.
Melbourne's Midcity Centre on Bourke Street is home to Tokyo Motto, an eatery offering an enticing experience, transitioning from a casual Japanese restaurant by day to moody izakaya bar by night. The brains behind the operation is Spring Chee, a seasoned pastry chef and restaurateur with more than two decades of experience in Melbourne's hospitality scene at venues such as Le Mille Creperie, Sugar Labo and Sweetie Moustache. With Tokyo Motto, Chee brings everyday Japanese-style dining to Melbourne, with a menu focused on championing locally sourced ingredients. During the day, patrons can expect a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional Japanese dishes. A menu highlight is the Japanese curry made with "Golden" curry sauce infused with a blend of stone fruits and fresh bee honey — a recipe discovered by Chee during her travels in Japan. Other menu highlights include the omurice, showcasing a tornado egg omelette and thick-cut katsu — a take on a recent Japanese trend using a pork loin done sous vide-style for 24 hours. For those looking to have some fun, the Ice Cream Spicy Miso Ramen offers a blend of spicy and sweet, thanks to the literal ice cream cone floating in the middle of the spicy ramen bowl. It's all about balance. As evening approaches, Tokyo Motto transforms. Starting from 9pm, the venue becomes an izakaya bar, offering a range of classic izakaya snacks, including everyone's favourite karaage, alongside a selection of Japanese cocktails, beer and sake.
It's no secret that the last few years have seen the hospitality industry need make some swift changes to its modus operandi. Businesses had to adapt or run a very large risk of not making it through. Although this free fall-like state has surely been clear to all, Uber Eats has taken it a step further and surveyed hundreds of restaurant operators nationwide to co-produce Pulse Check: Restaurant Report 2022, a piece of analysis highlighting key areas of challenge and opportunity for the industry as it continues to manage the shockwaves brought upon by the pandemic. Interestingly, the data revealed a whopping 92% of restaurants remodelled their business in some way during lockdown. Of course, the industry took a lot of hits, but more than a few businesses have come out in better shape than they could've imagined. One such business is El Jannah, the widely loved — and continually expanding — charcoal chicken joint. Together with Uber Eats, we sat down to chat through the ins and outs of the hospitality industry with Brett Houldin, El Jannah's CEO. Our mission? To find out how he and his team work, what they focus on and why he thinks they've thrived during an obstacle-ridden time. Have a watch below, and read on for the low down. https://vimeo.com/756994014 AUTHENTICITY IS FRONT AND CENTRE Houldin puts authenticity front and centre — El Jannah does what it knows and does it well. (Some would even say it does it perfectly). Of course, some pivots were made — especially as orders via delivery services exploded — but the chicken aficionados held true to what customers love and expect in every visit, no reinvention in sight. How that was possible? Houldin reckons it's thanks to an unwillingness to compromise on "the food quality, the ingredients and the healthy attributes". THE EXPERIENCE Something else that relies on authenticity (and contributes greatly to a diner's experience) is an environment that's friendly and memorable. When expertly executed, this generates a deep loyalty in a customer base — an all too familiar situation where El Jannah's concerned. "[Our customers] treat it like an extension of their friends and family," Houldin shares. "They know people by name, they can tell you a lot about their last food occasion, their first experience. They want to tell their friends and family about what that looks like and how that felt. And I think that, in turn, brings a lot of people coming through." "CULT-LIKE BEHAVIOUR" What's certain is that El Jannah has created a dining experience (even when delivered to your home) that keeps people coming back. And without well-trained staff giving friendly, top-quality service, that probably wouldn't be achievable. "That cult-like behaviour is growing with us as we expand into more locations across Sydney and Melbourne," says Houldin. "That's what's made us stand out." All this chat put you in the mood for El Jannah chicken? Head to the website to find a location near you, or place your order via Uber Eats. Top image: Jarrad Shaw
Gone are the days when every image that flickered across the screen did so within an almost square-shaped frame. That time has long passed, in fact, with widescreen formats replacing the 1.375:1 Academy aspect ratio that once was standard in cinemas, and its 4:3 television counterpart. So, when a director today fits their visuals into a much tighter space than the now-expansive norm, it's an intentional choice. They're not just nodding to the past, even if their film takes place in times gone by. With First Cow, for instance, Kelly Reichardt unfurls a story set in 19th-century America, but she's also honing her audience's focus. The Meek's Cutoff, Night Moves and Certain Women filmmaker wants those guiding their eyeballs towards this exquisite movie to truly survey everything that it peers at. She wants them to see its central characters — chef Otis 'Cookie' Figowitz (John Magaro, Overlord) and Chinese entrepreneur King-Lu (Orion Lee, Zack Snyder's Justice League) — and to realise that neither are ever afforded such attention by the others in their fictional midst. Thoughtfully exploring the existence of figures on the margins has long been Reichardt's remit, as River of Grass, Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy have shown as well, but she forces First Cow's viewers to be more than just passive observers in this process. There's much to take in throughout this magnificently told tale, which heads to Oregon as most of Reichardt's movies have. There's plenty to glean from its patient static shots of the river and scrubby landscape circa 1820, and from the way that the director's three-time cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt shoots its leafy setting as a place of light and shadow. Most telling, though, is how First Cow constantly views Cookie and King-Lu within their surroundings. Sometimes, the outcast pair actively tries to blend in, but the film makes it clear that they're already consistently overlooked in the local fur-trapper community. Equally pivotal is the frequent use of frames within the feature's already-restricted imagery — sometimes via windows and doorways, as Certain Women did as well, or by peeking through the gaps in slats in the makeshift shack the pair decide to call home. Again and again, First Cow stresses that genuinely seeing these men, their lives, and their hopes, desires and attempts to chase the American dream, is an act of bearing witness to the smallest of details, delights, exchanges, glances and moments. Initially, after watching an industrial barge power down a river, First Cow follows a woman (Alia Shawkat, Search Party) and her dog as they discover a couple of skeletons nearby. Then, jumping back two centuries and seeing another boat on the same waterway, it meets Cookie as he's searching for food. Whatever he finds, or doesn't, the fur-trapper team he works with never has a kind word to spare. But then Cookie stumbles across King-Lu one night, helps him evade the Russians on his tail, and the seeds of friendship are sown. When the duo next crosses paths, they spend an alcohol-addled night sharing their respective ideas for the future. Those ambitious visions get a helping hand after the Chief Factor (Toby Jones, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom) ships in the region's highly coveted first cow, with Cookie and King-Lu secretly milking the animal in the dark of night, then using the stolen liquid to make highly sought-after — and highly profitable — oily cakes. In its own quiet, closely observed, deeply affectionate and warm-hearted fashion, First Cow is a heist film. Reichardt's gentle and insightful spin on the usually slick and twist-filled genre bucks every convention there is, however. Tension is a regular part of Cookie and King-Lu's lives; they're introduced being denigrated and chased, after all. So, while the pair tests their luck during their surreptitious moonlight rendezvous with the titular bovine, the film's sense of strain only increases slightly. Here, the act of pilfering isn't the main attraction. Those midnight scenes are gorgeous — Cookie chats tenderly to the cow as he squeezes her udders, offering his condolences about the mate and calf that didn't survive the journey — but they're also brief. Reichardt is far more interested in the change that Cookie and King-Lu bring out in each other, their connection as kindred spirits in an inhospitable locale and their small-scale quest to subvert the status quo. With sensitivity and compassion, but also with an unflinching awareness of how the world regards those on its fringes, First Cow examines the home and hope that one person can find in another, too, and interrogates the ways in which America's embrace of capitalism can inspire, lift and crush as well. Bold plans, delicate subterfuge, big successes, fraught chases and sublime snatches of tranquility — all five play out in Reichardt's richly detailed and hauntingly soulful movie. Indeed, only she could've made this film sing as stirringly and bittersweetly as it does, and feel as transporting and resonant as it proves at every turn. Reichardt adapts Jonathan Raymond's novel The Half Life, co-scripting with the writer himself in their fifth collaboration. She's gifted with mesmerisingly soulful performances from Magaro and Lee, who play their parts so vividly and intricately that ten pictures about Cookie and King-Lu wouldn't be enough. But the empathy that seeps into each second is firmly one of the filmmakers's enduring and welcome hallmarks, as is the unwavering commitment to trading in the everyday and the intimate while excavating the perennial myth about the US being the land of opportunity. Reichardt's approach isn't unparalleled, though. Fellow directors Chloé Zhao and Debra Granik have splashed many of the same traits throughout their work, and have also helmed masterpieces as a result; see: Nomadland and The Rider in the former's case, and Leave No Trace and Winter's Bone in the latter's. The three share not just a willingness but an eagerness to chronicle narratives that would otherwise be overlooked, traverse more than the usual patches of land, champion oft-ignored perspectives, and challenge America's values and self-image — and they each make their films feel like their own. With First Cow, Reichardt is leisurely and loving, and also candid and devastating. She ensures that everyone watching her boxed-in frames rides those ebbs and flows, and that they're moved by every moment. Whenever she steps behind the camera, something astonishing always happens, as her filmography just keeps demonstrating — but First Cow is pure cinematic perfection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWZ6P1rWy4
Prepare to step inside the mind of a cinematic genius. It's a big call, sure, but when it comes to David Lynch, it's true. No one makes movies or TV shows quite like the man who brought us Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and a little series called Twin Peaks, and we mean no one. Don't just take our word for it — experience his movie marvels for yourself as part of The Astor's two-month-long season of all of his films. As Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art did back in 2015, the Chapel Street cinema is diving deep into his distinctive audiovisual catalogue, screening every feature he has ever made on Monday nights between April 2 and June 4. That means you can watch the sci-fi flick he took his name off of, Dune; his Palme d'Or winner, Wild at Heart; and his old-man-on-a-lawnmower tale, The Straight Story. At A Place Both Wonderful and Strange: The Films of David Lynch, that's only the beginning of a very eclectic bunch of movies. Also on the agenda is Lynch's moving and thoughtful The Elephant Man, the twisty thrills (and ace '90s soundtrack) of Lost Highway, and Inland Empire, aka the flick the director famously wanted Laura Dern to win an Oscar for so badly that he campaigned on Hollywood Boulevard with a live cow. And then there's the thing we've all been waiting for: no, not Twin Peaks the series, but the show's exceptional horror sequel/prequel Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me on the big screen. BYO damn fine cup of coffee.
Everyone's favourite food park under a bridge is going all out this year. From June 23 to July 30, Grazeland in Spotswood is transforming into a snow-filled Winter Wonderland. The star of the show will be a 10-metre snowman, which the Grazeland team is claiming to be the biggest snowman in Melbourne. You can also expect snow machines, DJs, dancing and mulled wine galore. Plus, there'll be firepits to keep everything cosy. Feeling hungry? Grazeland has 50 different food vendors on-site, and they're all running winter specials for the event. Frencheese is doing a gooey raclette and Bratboy is slinging festive German meatballs. While the kids go crazy in the Kid Zones, or get their faces painted, parents can relax with a cup of spice-infused Jam Shed mulled wine. Winter Wonderland is running Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays till July 30. Opening times vary. Check the website for all the details. Kids under 12 get in free. Images: supplied.
UPDATE, December 23, 2022: The Batman is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. When The Batman begins (not to be confused with Batman Begins), it's with the slaying of a powerful Gotham figure. A shocking crime that scandalises the city, it leaves a traumatised boy behind, and couldn't be more influential in the detective-style tale of blood and vengeance that follows. But viewers haven't seen this story before, despite appearances. It isn't the start of pop culture's lonesome billionaire orphan's usual plight, although he's there, all dressed in black, and has an instant affinity for the sorrowful kid. Behold the first standout feat achieved by this excellent latest take on the Dark Knight (not to be confused with The Dark Knight): realising that no one needs to see Bruce Wayne's parents meet their end for what'd feel like the millionth time. The elder Waynes are still dead, and have been for two decades. Bruce (Robert Pattinson, Tenet) still festers with pain over their loss. And the prince of Gotham still turns vigilante by night, cleaning up the lawless streets one no-good punk at a time with only trusty butler Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis, Long Shot) in on his secret. As directed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes' Matt Reeves, and co-scripted with The Unforgivable's Peter Craig, The Batman clocks something crucial about its namesake and the audiences that watch him, however. The caped crusader's every move stems from his inescapable grief as always, but no one has to witness its origins yet again to glean why he's become the conflicted protector of his anarchic city. Instead, here he's overtly anguished, upset, broken, broiling with hurt and working his way through those feelings in each affray — a suave, smooth and slick one-percenter playboy in his downtime, he isn't — and it's a more absorbing version of the character than seen in many of the past Bat flicks that've fluttered through cinemas. Why so serious? That question is answered quickly. Also, badging Pattinson's turn in the cape and cowl 'emo Batman' is 100-percent accurate. It's meant to be, because violence isn't just about experiencing or inflicting pain, but also about processing the emotions stirred up. Apply the label to The Batman's unrelentingly dark and rainy aesthetic as well and, once again, it suits. Lensed with such an eye for the absence of light by Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (a Dune Oscar-nominee) that he's painting with the shadowiest of shadows, this is a grimmer Batman than Christopher Nolan's trilogy, moodier than Ben Affleck's stint, and gloomier than the Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney-starring movies (not to mention the upbeat and campy 60s TV series that gave us the Batusi). Like teen shows, the tone of any given Batman entry reflects the surrounding times, and the tenor here is bleak, bruised and battered. Call the prevailing batmosphere cinema's own bat-signal and that's oh-so-fitting, too. Batman is bruised and battered himself in The Batman. He flinches when jumping from skyscrapers in his winged batsuit, grimaces upon impact and sports contusions beneath his mask before that. In spurts of Taxi Driver-style narration — where he could be one of screenwriter Paul Schrader's lonely men wrestling with the world (see also: The Card Counter) — he seethes about his self-appointed task, past and the state of Gotham, exposing his psychological scars as well. That doesn't change when a serial killer who dubs himself The Riddler (Paul Dano, Okja) and must love David Fincher movies (Seven and Zodiac especially) commits The Batman's opening murder, the first in a chain targeting the city's elite. This other angry mask-wearing vigilante is also waging a war on Gotham's corruption, and leaving puzzles to be solved along the way — with Batman assisting police lieutenant Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright, The French Dispatch), and being aided by nightclub waiter-cum-cat burglar Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz, Kimi) in turn. What makes one man's angst-riddled quest noble but the other's deranged? As The Batman broods over that conundrum, the line between its titular figure and The Riddler is the finest it has perhaps ever been. Reeves isn't interested in another hero-with-a-sob-story spin on Batman, but in surveying the tragedy that seeps through his grimy and dank rendering of Gotham — yes, even dimmer than in Joker — and plotting the choices that spirit its abandoned residents towards either improving or destroying the city. The longer he chases The Riddler, via altercations with crime kingpin Carmine Falcone (John Turturro, Severance) and club-owner Oswald 'The Penguin' Cobblepot (Colin Farrell, The North Water), the more that Bruce/Batman flies parallel to his new foe. Selina slinks along a similar route, too, as coloured by her own history — plus the missing friend she's desperate to find, which is what connects her with Batman to start with. This many different Batman films and shows in, it isn't easy to make the Dark Knight an entrancing and surprising character again — Christian Bale did, Affleck didn't — but Pattinson's casting is exceptional. Since he stopped visibly sparkling in the Twilight saga, his role choices have been near-impeccable as Cosmopolis, The Rover, Maps to the Stars, The Lost City of Z, Good Time, High Life and The Lighthouse have shown, and The Batman slides seamlessly into his enviable recent resume. There's soulfulness and tension to his portrayal of the Gotham crusader's inner turmoil, not just matching the Nirvana's 'Something in the Way'-meets-'Ave Maria'-soundtracked mood of melancholy, but also rippling in every glance, glare, step, jump and thrown fist. There's also a deep-seated intensity; a willingness to play both Bruce and Batman as weird, awkward and unsettled; and a welcome lack of boundaries between his character's two personas. Reeves hasn't just scored a pitch-perfect lead, though. At just a batwing's flap shy of three hours, his film comes packed more convenient plot developments than necessary, but it has time to cement the savvy Kravitz among the most memorable versions of Catwoman — and to refreshingly play up her sexual tension with Batman. It also ensures that the quietly commanding Wright, hypnotically unhinged Dano and prosthetics-laden Farrell all have room to shine, though The Penguin is hardly a big player. It gives the latest Batmobile a helluva revved-up entrance and breathlessly thrilling car chase, and lets wide-framed, rhythmically choreographed action scenes roll long so that viewers feel the toll they wage on the movie's main man. Spotting everything that influenced The Batman isn't an enigma, of course, and The Riddler would be thoroughly disappointed. But the way that everything is spliced and shaken together, and the mood — and it's definitely a mood — makes this weighty, heavy, sublimely shot, excellently cast, always-engaging blockbuster feel new, and all things Batman with it.
This article is sponsored by our partners, lululemon. Not only is yoga everywhere right now, so is that most stylish of yogi clothiers, lululemon athletica. Now the group who taught us that sports gear could also be fashionable is getting us psyched for the grand opening of their new Highpoint store with a night of psychedelic yoga classes. Taking place at an old power station in Melbourne's inner-west, Yoga to the Beat trades in beachside locations and Tibetan wind chimes for an urban underground adventure. When was the last time your yoga class was accompanied by live DJ beats, drumming and UV bodypaint? This ain't the sort of yoga class to bring your nanna to. Throw in complimentary refreshments to go with your entirely complimentary evening and you've got Monday sorted. To experience yoga in its most cutting-edge form, come along on Monday, June 3, from 6.30-8.30pm. Mat places are limited, so RSVP by May 29 by emailing highpoint-store@lululemon.com.
UPDATE Thursday, June 17: Melburnians will soon be free to travel around Victoria, with the 25-kilometre travel restrictions lifted at 11.59pm tonight, June 17. Check out the latest information on the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website. You can also find more figures and graphs on its Victorian coronavirus data page. Is the open road calling your name? Are you itching to break out of your bubble to soak up the sounds and sights of somewhere else? Well, luckily for those itchy feet, Melbourne's got a whole swag of day-tripping options right on its doorstep — delivering quaint townships, stunning regional scenery and a healthy dose of Mother Nature, all within just a few hours drive of the CBD. Luggage and overnight stays not required. Whether you're in the mood for a picnic in the mountains, or fancy trekking through some lush rainforest, there's never been a better time to get outta town and explore some of Victoria's finest locales. Fill up that petrol tank, jump in the car and check out these day trips from Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_770976" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Blackburn for Visit Victoria[/caption] DANDENONG RANGES For a nature-filled day trip merely 60 minutes out of the CBD, steer that car towards the Dandenong Ranges — an outdoor playground steeped in natural beauty and cloaked in majestic forest. You can indulge in some tree appreciation exploring the varied foliage of RJ Hamer Arboretum, before the adjoining Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden wins you over with its coloured blooms and impressive views. Nearby, Kalorama Lookout offers primo panoramas across the Dandenong and Yarra Ranges, while the dense mountain ash of Sherbrooke Forest make for a stunning bushwalking backdrop. Here, you're never too far from a picture-perfect picnic spot, nor a local venue slinging top-notch supplies to match — like the much-loved Mt Dandenong Bakery & Patisserie. Or, settle in for a cosy feed and some local wines by the roaring fire at Sassafras' Ripe Cafe. How far? One-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_770980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josie Withers for Visit Victoria[/caption] BRIGHT As the gateway to some of the state's most popular ski resorts, the picturesque hub of Bright is a familiar stopover for many. But, surrounded by waterfalls, rivers and bushland trails aplenty, there's no doubt it's also a worthy day trip adventure in itself. Test out your kayaking skills on the Ovens River running through nearby Porepunkah, or experience a local stretch of the scenic Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, either on foot or bike. You'll also find a stack of other walking tracks weaving through Bright and surrounds, ranging from easy 45-minute meanders through to the 11-kilometre Wandi Walk. Be sure to keep an eye out for furry residents along the way, too. And of course, no day of High Country appreciation is complete without a visit to the famed Bright Brewery, to sample some of its award-winning craft beers. How far? 3.5-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_755969" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Garry Moore/Visit Victoria[/caption] WILSONS PROMONTORY Home to stretches of rugged coastline, idyllic walking trails and remote bushland, Wilsons Promontory offers up 50,000 hectares of day-tripping goodness. It's a dream destination for any nature-lover, with a range of itineraries and bushwalks to suit all fitness levels. Favourites include the 3.8-kilometre trek between Darby River and Tongue Point, and the 7.4-kilometre Mount Bishop walk, which'll have you climbing to a rocky summit for memorable views across the Prom's west coast. Or, give those quads a bit more of a workout, tackling the two-hour return climb up Mount Oberon to see Tidal River from high above. How far? Three-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_692246" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mitchelton Estate[/caption] NAGAMBIE Venture 90 minutes north of Melbourne and you'll happen upon Nagambie, with its namesake lake hosting all variety of watersports and water-based pursuits throughout the year. If the weather's too brisk for canoeing or swimming, take in its beauty from dry land with a picturesque stroll up to nearby Jacobsons Lookout. Or, get the blood pumping hiking through ironbark forest on the Melville's Lookout Track. When it's time for a tipple and lunch, this cool climate wine region will leave you spoilt for choice, with renowned wineries including Mitchelton Estate — a stunning destination boasting architectural landmarks, an Indigenous art gallery, day spa, hotel and more. Elsewhere, you can hop on a Goulburn River cruise; visit the town's Black Caviar statue; or enjoy tastings, tours and waterfront views at Nagambie Brewery and Distillery. How far? 1.5-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_709573" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] DAYLESFORD A 90-minute drive from Melbourne, Daylesford scores plenty of attention for its mineral springs and spa resorts. But you'll find countless other reasons to spend a day exploring this charming town and its surrounds. There's no shortage of natural beauty to soak up out here, from the romantic Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens — built atop an extinct volcano — to the Lerderderg State Park with its famous gorge and abundance of rugged hiking trails. Wombat State Forest is brimming with opportunities for cycling, walking and koala spotting, or you can lock in an afternoon of paddleboats and picnicking at the stunning Lake Daylesford. And come lunchtime, Wombat Hill House (casual sibling to the legendary Lake House) is your go-to for plump toasties, pastries and sourdough pizzas. How far? 1.5-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_770979" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Jarni for Visit Victoria[/caption] CASTLEMAINE Packing rich history, stunning scenery, a thriving arts scene and access to a whole smorgasbord of outdoor adventures, the Goldfields town of Castlemaine is a day tripper's delight. The La Larr Ba Gauwa Mountain Bike Park boasts 34 kilometres of world-class cross-country biking, as well as a historic oak forest peppered with walking tracks and picnicking spots. Otherwise, you can break a sweat by tackling the scenic Goldfields Track on foot or bike, as it ambles through Castlemaine and on towards Bendigo. And, when that appetite's sufficiently piqued, experience some top local produce with a visit to food, art and retail precinct The Mill. You'll find everything from Shedshaker's renowned craft brews to sourdough loaves and fresh pasta courtesy of Sprout Bakery. How far? 1.5-hour drive. [caption id="attachment_770981" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] FRENCH ISLAND For something a little different, bypass the familiar terrain of mainland Mornington Peninsula and treat yourself to a day trip across to French Island. Set in Western Port Bay, a 15-minute ferry ride from Stony Point, this 170-square-kilometre natural beauty is home to striking coastline, untouched bushland and the rugged wildlife haven of French Island National Park. You'll find a range of walking and cycling tracks kicking off from the Tankerton Foreshore Reserve, offering the chance to spot scores of sea birds and other critters in their natural habitat. In fact, the island boasts the most significant koala population in the entire state. The charming French Island General Store & Cafe is a winner for lunch or afternoon tea. And you can amp up the homeward journey by swinging past Peninsula wineries like Quealy and Willlow Creek Vineyard on the way through. How far? One-hour drive + 15-minute ferry ride. [caption id="attachment_812720" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Delatite Winery, Victorian Wine Industry Association for Visit Victoria[/caption] MANSFIELD A diverse taste of Victoria's high country awaits you in Mansfield, with its breathtaking scenery, abundance of nature experiences, and top-notch food and drink offerings. Soak up sights of rolling alpine hills and quaint countryside on two wheels or by foot — highlights include the dreamy views from atop The Paps Lookout, a jaunt along the local section of the Great Victorian Rail Trail and a cruisy ride on the town's dedicated cycling trail. Right in the heart of Mansfield, local gems like The Produce Store cafe and bistro, and Ros Ritchie Wines Cellar Door make a strong case for an afternoon spent wining and dining. And drivers and passengers alike will enjoy the sweeping vistas and gourmet cheese platters of nearby Delatite Winery. How far? 2.5-hour drive. Image: Dandenong Ranges via Adrian Mohedano for Flickr.
If there's ever going to be any more Indiana Jones movies following this year's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, bringing Ke Huy Quan back as Short Round should be the number-one mission. For now, Disney — which is behind the Indy flicks — is enlisting the Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner in another of its big franchises. And, it's plunging him into more multiverse madness. When Loki finally returns for it second season this spring, Quan will join the cast as OB, who works for the Time Variance Authority. In the just-dropped full trailer for the show's long-awaited comeback, he isn't surprised when the Marvel Cinematic Universe's God of Mischief is glitching. In fact, he's on hand to help. Continuing Loki's small-screen exploits two years since the show that bears the Tom Hiddleston (The Essex Serpent)-played character's name first debuted in 2021 — when it was just the third MCU series to hit Disney+ after WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier — this second season grapples with the aftermath of that initial batch of episodes. Cue a fight for the TVA, alongside Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson, Marry Me), Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku, Black Mirror) and more. Also set to pop up: Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain), Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Summerland) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3). As also seen in the trailer, Jonathon Majors (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) makes an appearance. Calendars out: after Secret Invasion aired in June and July, Loki will start streaming via Disney+ from. Friday, October 6, making good on the "Loki will return in season two" promise. Also joining the MCU's TV ranks this year is newcomer Echo, a Hawkeye spinoff, which will arrive on Wednesday, November 29 — and enjoy a first for the MCU on streaming. Disney+ usually drops a few episodes at once for each show, then unfurls the rest weekly afterwards; however, this series about Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) will arrive all at once on the same day. Check out the trailer for Loki season two below: Loki season two will premiere on Disney+ on Friday, October 6. Top image: © Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Sometimes, you just need to lose yourself in the strange and the surreal — especially if you've just spent months and months at home during lockdown. Patricia Piccinini's artworks offer that experience, whether they're floating through the sky or filling cavernous rooms with intriguing creatures. So, the return of her latest exhibition to Melbourne really couldn't come sooner. From Monday, November 8, A Miracle Constantly Repeated will again take over the usually closed Flinders Street Station Ballroom. The installation was originally announced as part of this year's brand-new Rising Festival, but the Melbourne arts event was impacted by Victoria's late-May lockdown. Then, Piccinini's latest creation had its season extended back at the end of July; however, we all know that another lockdown kicked in not long afterwards. A Miracle Constantly Repeated will now display until Sunday, June 12, 2022. Expect it to prove popular — when it was able to welcome in punters before July, it attracted close to 20,000 visitors. It's easy to see why folks were flocking along, given that all of Piccinini's signature touches are evident in its rooms of twisted flowers and eccentric bodies — and, whenever you walk through the former, it really does feel like stepping onto another planet. A Miracle Constantly Repeated also marks the Melbourne creative's first hometown show in almost two decades, in a venue that hasn't been open to the public in more than 30 years until this exhibition. Both Flinders Street Station Ballroom and nine other surrounding rooms play host to Piccinini's pieces, with the overall exhibition designed to showcase the site. The artist has crafted the installation to respond to the space as an organic environment, in fact so expect to see her critters placed amongst peeling paint and sat next to left-behind filing cabinets. Images: Eugene Hyland.
Already in 2023, the various streaming services available in Australia have delivered must-see game-to-TV adaptations like The Last of Us, blasts from the pasts multiple times over such as That '90s Show and glorious cult-comedy revivals with Party Down. From there, the list goes on. But if you've read Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe, the Netflix series based on it is likely at the top of your must-see list — and it'll hit before the year is out. The streaming platform hasn't revealed exactly when Boy Swallows Universe will arrive, but it is locked in for a 2023 release. Also, it just finished production in Brisbane. Smartly, the Brissie-set tale has been filmed in the Sunshine State capital for its jump to TV — after it also became one of 2021's stage hits in Brisbane, too. Boy Swallows Universe spins a story about a young boy, his prophetic brother and his jailbreaking best friend as they navigate the heroin-filled underworld of 80s Queensland. Netflix's adaptation was first announced in 2022, and will span eight episodes, running as a self-contained limited series. Travis Fimmel (Black Snow) stars as Lyle Orlik, while the cast also includes Simon Baker (Blaze) as Robert Bell and Phoebe Tonkin (Bloom) as Frances Bell — plus Felix Cameron (Penguin Bloom) as Eli Bell and Lee Tiger Halley (The Heights) as Gus Bell. Also set to feature: Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts) as Slim Halliday, Anthony LaPaglia (Nitram) as Tytus Broz, and Sophie Wilde (Eden) as Caitlyn Spies, plus Christopher James Baker (Ozark) as Ivan Kroll, HaiHa Le (Back to the Rafters) as Bich Dang and Deborah Mailman (Total Control) as Poppy Birkbeck. And, you'll see Ben O'Toole (Barons) as Teddy, Zachary Wan (Never Too Late) as Darren Dang, and Millie Donaldson and Eloise Rothfield as Shelley Huffman (aged 17 and 13, respectively). For the second time since shooting began, the streaming service has also dropped a heap of behind-the-scenes photos, if you're keen for a sneak peek before a trailer drops. Boy Swallows Universe is directed by Bharat Nalluri (The Man Who Invented Christmas), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket), and scripted by screenwriter John Collee (Master and Commander, Happy Feet, Hotel Mumbai). The impressive names involved extend to the show's executive producers, too, which include Troy Lum (The Water Diviner, Saving Mr Banks, Mao's Last Dancer), Andrew Mason (The Matrix, The Water Diviner), Sophie Gardiner (Howard's End, Chimerica), Kerry Roberts (Foe, Boy Erased), and Aussie actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton (The Stranger, The Underground Railroad). On the page, Boy Swallows Universe has snagged a slew of local awards, including Book of the Year, Literary Book of the Year and Audio Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards. The novel, which has sold a hefty amount of copies in Australia alone — 160,000 in 2019, when the play was announced — was also longlisted for Australia's most prestigious literature prize, the Miles Franklin Award. And, while bringing Boy Swallows Universe to the screen has been in the works for some time — with Harper Collins selling the television rights to the novel back in 2019, and Edgerton set to produce the show since then — if you've been waiting to actually lock your eyes on a Boy Swallows Universe series, 2023 is your year. Boy Swallows Universe will hit Netflix sometime in 2023. We'll update you with an exact release date when it's announced. Images: Netflix.
"Do you guys ever think about dying?" When life in plastic is fantastic, that's not a line anyone that would expect to come out of Barbie's (Margot Robbie, Babylon) mouth. And, amid giant blowout parties with planned choreography with all her pals, and the constant devotion of her beau Ken (Ryan Gosling, The Gray Man), such existential musings do come as a shock. When she can no longer float off of her rooftop and her usually arched feet become flat, the Barbie movie's main namesake heads to the real world for answers. That's the plot for Greta Gerwig's film, which marks the actor-turned-director's third solo stint behind the camera after Lady Bird and Little Women, and has been teasing its extremely pink on-screen worlds in not one but two trailers prior to the just-dropped full sneak peek. Even dolls living in a dreamland struggle with life's big questions, it seems — and, when the film's key Barbie and Ken drive through Barbie Land's gates to discover what's on the other side, they struggle with Los Angeles as well. With mugshots to prove it, they even get arrested. Splashing as much humour as pastel hues throughout its frames, Barbie is scripted by Gerwig and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach — her helmer on Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise, and real-life partner — and boasts a cast that's a gleaming toy chest of talent. Indeed, it might just be the most anticipated toy-to-film release ever. There's that pedigree, of course. There's also the picture's patently playful vibe, which started with parodying the one and only 2001: A Space Odyssey and has kept beaming brightly from there. All those on-screen stars help fill the feature with Barbies, including Issa Rae (Insecure) as president Barbie, Dua Lipa (making her movie debut) as a mermaid Barbie, Emma Mackey (Emily) as a Nobel Prize-winning physicist Barbie, Alexandra Schipp (tick, tick... BOOM!) as an author Barbie and Ana Cruz Kayne (Jerry and Marge Go Large) as a supreme court justice Barbie — plus Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as diplomat Barbie, Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) as a Barbie who is always doing the splits, Hari Nef (Meet Cute) as doctor Barbie, Ritu Arya (The Umbrella Academy) as a Pulitzer-winning Barbie and Sharon Rooney (Jerk) as lawyer Barbie. There's also a whole heap of Kens, including Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami), Ncuti Gatwa (the incoming Doctor Who) and Scott Evans (Grace and Frankie). And, Michael Cera (Arrested Development) plays Alan, Emerald Fennell (The Crown) plays Midge, Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) is the narrator, America Ferrera (Superstore) and Ariana Greenblatt (65) are humans, Jamie Demetriou (Catherine Called Birdy) is a suit, Will Ferrell (Spirited) wears a suit as Mattel's CEO and Connor Swindells (also Sex Education) is an intern. Will this be the best figurine-to-film adaptation yet in a mixed field that also includes the Transformers series, Trolls, The Lego Movie and its sequel, Battleship and the GI Joe films? The answer will be pulled out of the toy box in cinemas on July 20 Down Under. And yes, Aqua's 'Barbie Girl' finally (finally!) gets a spin in this trailer, although you likely already had it stuck in your head just thinking about this movie anyway. Check out the full trailer for Barbie below: Barbie releases in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023.
In the world of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, fighting for power and glory is a lifelong quest, and one shared far and wide across Westeros. In bringing the fictional realm created by author George RR Martin to the small screen, US network HBO seems to have adapted the same mindset — because this hugely popular franchise is only going to keep expanding in its hands. News about what follows the initial page-to-screen show has been bubbling for years now. Indeed, before Game of Thrones even came to an end back in 2019, HBO was looking at spending more time in Westeros. Of course, House of the Dragon has already aired its first season and been renewed for a second, which mightn't arrive till 2024. Chatter about what else might arrive spans a Jon Snow-focused spinoff with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show. Beyond that, another three prequels are also reported to have been under consideration. To farewell 2022, Martin himself advised that there actually may not be as many GoT spinoffs on the way; however, now comes word of a brand-new candidate. Variety is reporting that HBO is contemplating another prequel — and another show to focus on the Targaryens, this time exploring how Aegon I took over Westeros with his two sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, plus three dragons, then became its first king and the first to ever sit on the Iron Throne. There's no confirmation from HBO so far, and obviously nothing in the way of a title, timing or casting. But Variety also advises that this prequel could even start as a movie, then return to the episodic format. And if there's one thing that HBO adores when it comes to Game of Thrones, it's House Targaryen and their complicated history. Wigmakers, rejoice — if this series gets the go ahead, there'll be an even bigger need for artificial blonde mops. Special effects crews will also get plenty of work creating those dragons. Whether this show ends up eventuating or not, our days of watching fiery fights between famous Westerosi names — and games over who gets to sit on the Iron Throne — are definitely far from over. Game of Thrones was that much of a hit, and House of the Dragon has proven the same so far. Until House of the Dragon season two hits, or any other on-screen dances with dragons are confirmed, check out the season one trailer below: The latest proposed Game of Thrones prequel doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you if and when more details are confirmed. House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one. Via Variety. Images: HBO.
Back in 1988, a heap of Australian galleries banded together to get everyone looking at and supporting art in Melbourne. That event wasn't just a once-off. More than three decades later, Melbourne Art Fair is marking its 17th edition in 2024, this time with 60-plus galleries and Indigenous art centres taking part. At Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25, the numbers will paint their own picture. More than 100 artists are involved. Over 50 events are on the program. The lineup includes six performances, two major new commissions and four large-scale installations as well. And, it'll all fill 7500 square metres of space — which means art everywhere you look for four summer days. Focusing on the theme "ketherba/together", 2024's Melbourne Art Fair bill has been overseen by a group of female curators that includes Tamsin Hong, Exhibitions Curator at London's Serpentine Galleries; Shelley McSpedden from Melbourne's Australian Centre for Contemporary Art; and Performance Review director Anador Walsh — and will welcome its first commissioned contemporary dance work, with Lucy Guerin Inc's one-hour performance installation NEWRETRO among the event's must-sees. Also created specifically for the event is SOMOS (Standing On My Own Shoulders), a life-sized bronze sculpture by Julie Rrap, which features a cast of the artist's own body. After its debut, it'll make the Art Gallery of Western Australia its home. Expect to spend time exploring pieces by Melbourne-born artist Howard Arkley in another of Melbourne Art Fair's big 2024 highlights. The exhibition will hone in on rare works hailing from the 70s–90s, complete with Arkley's last painting — which the public hasn't ever seen before. Other talents featured include South-African multimedia artist Buhlebezwe Siwani, plus poet and artist Jazz Money — and galleries involved span not only a wealth of Melbourne sites such as Anna Schwartz Gallery, Void_Melbourne, Station, Sutton Gallery, Neon Parc and Gertrude, but also Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, Lisbon, and Singapore institutions. And if you're looking for more reasons to head along, an array of video works, honeycomb-esque paper sculptures, Melbourne performance artists pushing boundaries and a series of talks should do the trick — plus a pop-up whisky bar. Melbourne Art Fair 2024 takes place from Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — head to the event's website for more information. Melbourne Art Fair 2022 images: Marie-Luise Skibbe.
Naming the sequel to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel probably didn’t cause any headaches or sleepless nights. There’s no unsightly numeral at the end, but the film’s follow-up status is still made clear, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel saying everything a movie title needs to say. It's the same older folks getting up to the same old tricks. The film opens in the United States, the perpetually cranky Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and always-eager Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) trying to convince an American company to fund their expansion plans; however, that’s just window dressing. Soon they return to Jaipur, to their home away from home for more mature travellers, and to the recognisable faces of their long-term residents. Everyone’s problems may be new, be it a job offer, romantic entanglements, health ailments, impressing a hotel inspector, fending off rivals or preparing for impending nuptials, but there’s nothing different about the dynamic. Indeed, anyone who has seen the first movie — or anything any of the high-profile ensemble cast have ever been in — already knows exactly how everyone behaves, and how everything plays out. As will-they-or-won’t-they couple Evelyn and Douglas, Judi Dench is wise and cautious, and Bill Nighy is equal parts charming and sweet, their relationship never in doubt. Lust drives Celia Imrie’s Madge and Ronald Pickup’s Norman into their own silly side-character subplots steeped in matters of the heart. When Richard Gere arrives as the visitor assumed to hold the fate of the new hotel in his hands, he’s as suave and dreamy as he’s ever been on film, and there’s a woman nearby to fall under his spell. These soap-like, sitcom-style antics, and Sonny’s in coping with the competing demands of running a growing business and getting married, ensure much of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel plays out like a subcontinent-set episode of Fawlty Towers. Sadly, missing is the wit and satire that made the TV series such a comedy gem. Instead, the laughs here come from familiarity and predictability, rather than any real comic impulses by returning director John Madden and second-time scribe Ol Parker. Part of what endeared The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to audiences — old more so than young — was the late-stage coming-of-age story mixed with an elderly-but-not-out attitude. Both came dripping with sentimentality and packaged as a glossy travelogue, but the movie struck a chord more often than not, and not just because of its immensely pleasant performers. That’s exactly what The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel attempts, but the feel-good strengths of the first film just don’t stretch that far. Instead, cheesiness and cliches fill in the gaps, including the obligatory dance sequences, lest viewers forget there’s an Indian wedding thrown in as well.
When 11.59pm hit on Thursday, June 10, Melbourne's latest lockdown came to an end. You can now leave the house for whatever reason you like, gather outdoors for ten-person outdoor activities and travel up to 25 kilometres away from your house. So, if you're now scrambling to plot out exactly where you can catch up with your mates, that's understandable. And, as it turns out, it can prove a little time-consuming to compare your travel bubble to those of all your friends', then input addresses to cross-reference possible parks. Thankfully, we've now got a nifty way to speed up that whole planning process, thanks to the COVID Overlap Finder website. It's simple but effective, promising pain-free picnic scheduling — or working out where you and your mates can meet up for whatever other reason you like. Simply plug in your home address and that of your mate, and it'll show each of your 25-kilometre radiuses highlighted on the map. And the all-important crossover zone shows all the places that you can meet up for government-approved social-distanced interaction. Do remember, though, that you cannot currently enter regional Victoria under the new restrictions — even if it is in your bubble. Fingers crossed we won't have to rely on it for too long — the Victorian Government has already flagged that more changes are likely to come into effect next week. To work out where you and your mate can exercise together, head to the COVID 25-kilometre overlap finder website. For more information about the current rules, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
Don't let anyone ever tell you that audiences aren't fond of kick-ass women doing spectacular things. And, if someone ever dares to try, refer them to the two biggest phenomenons in Australia right now: Barbie and the Matildas. In cinemas, the former has been busting records both locally and worldwide. On TV, the national women's soccer team has been making history, too. The latter has also being doing the same on the field, as everyone knows — because we've all been watching the Sam Kerr-led team, helping their 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches kill it in the ratings. When Australia played France on Saturday, August 12, Australia's eyeballs followed every move from the first whistle through to the 7–6 penalty shootout in the Matildas' favour. How many eyeballs? Every single one belonging to more than 7.2-million people according to the Seven Network's ratings data. The Matildas' Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport, so exact figures get a bit tricky — and also OzTAM, which captures broadcast audience numbers, doesn't factor in folks watching in pubs, clubs, sports venues, at AFL grounds before Aussie rules matches and at other out-of-home venues. Plus, at the time of writing, OzTAM hasn't yet covered the game's 30 minutes of extra time or penalty kicks, thanks to the nil-all draw when regulation time was up. Still, Seven has made an educated estimation, starting with the fact that an average of 4.17-million people watched the match either via its free-to-air station or its streaming service. Thanks to the latter, the network also advises that the game was the country's biggest streaming event ever. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CommBank Matildas (@matildas) To put the Matildas' TV feat in context, 2022's AFL and NRL grand finals didn't hit the 4.17-million figure — or come close. Last years' AFL numbers? 3.06-million viewers nationally. Unsurprisingly, as the ABC reports, Australia's quarter-final defeat of France enjoyed the biggest TV audience of the year. The Guardian notes that it was likely the biggest audience since Cathy Freeman's iconic 400-metre race at the 2000 Olympics. All up, Seven advises that its coverage of the Women's World Cup so far has reached 11.9-million broadcast viewers, then another 2.3-million folks via 7plus — all while the bulk of the tournament's games, especially those that don't feature the Matildas, are only on Optus Sports. How many people will watch the Australia v England game at 8pm on Wednesday, August 16? We're a competitive nation — surely we want to not only beat the Lionesses, but smash the France match's ratings as well. The Matildas' 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup games are available to watch via the Seven Network and 7plus, and also Optus Sport — with select other games also on Seven, and the entire tournament streaming via Optus Sport. The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs from Thursday, July 20–Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website. Top image: Liondartois via Wikimedia Commons.
Located on the edge of Melbourne's favourite river, The Wharf Hotel's eclectic, asymmetrical interior makes it one of the best spots for a stylish summer drink. From warm, striped carpet and leather bar stools to fireplaces and a plant-filled deck, there's no lack of nooks and crannies to tickle your drinking fancy. And with the bar boasting a range of local and imported beers, spirits and cocktail jugs, you won't find any problem with The Wharf's drinks menu, either.
UPDATE Tuesday, September 14: Indu — along with sibling venue Mejico — is currently serving a rotation of ready-to-heat meal boxes for delivery and takeaway. The packs are built around hero dishes like the potato curry and the slow-cooked lamb raan, with lots of dish and drink add-ons also available. Jump onto the website to see the menu and order. In one half of the former Collins Quarter pub, you'll now find Indu — Sam Prince Hospitality Group's sumptuous eatery dedicated to bold Sri Lankan and southern Indian flavours. Launching six years after sibling Indu Sydney, it's a moody, atmospheric haven, with a food offering inspired by co-founder Dr Sam Prince's own Sri Lankan heritage and travels through the homeland. The menu plates up an evolved take on homely village fare, fusing classic flavours with modern technique and even a few family recipes. The staple Sri Lankan dish of hoppers gets a workout, of course, starring the likes of pomegranate, eggplant pickle, goat's curd and a punchy coconut sambal ($15). You'll find a cooling dish of cured kingfish, teamed with candied beets and puffed wild rice ($22), and crispy besan flour fritters matched with a cardamom aioli ($12). Heartier options might include the signature Great Lamb Raan, featuring slow-cooked meat and a fresh mint chutney ($45), an excellent devilled pumpkin ($24), or the pork belly curry that comes topped with shards of crackling ($32). Desserts like the vegan chocolate and cardamom mousse promise a strong finish, while a considered drinks offering stands up well to all those big flavours and spicy notes. Expect a strong gin lineup, a global wine selection and crafty cocktails such as the smoked chai old fashioned. [caption id="attachment_800035" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arianna Leggiero[/caption] Images: Arianna Leggiero
If the individual movies a director makes can be seen as chapters from an ongoing book, then consider Noah Baumbach the author of a sharp, sweeping coming-of-age chronicle. Whether dissecting mature malaise in Greenberg, the attempts of a twenty-something to find her place in life in Frances Ha or the clash of the two in While We're Young, he remains fascinated with the process of growing up at any stage. In Mistress America, Baumbach offers another instalment on his beloved topic, all while re-teaming with Greta Gerwig. Almost by design, their previous collaboration — both co-writing, him directing and her starring in Frances Ha, as remains the case here — looms large over their latest effort. Consider Frances Ha the fate that could've befallen Mistress America's teenager Tracy (Lola Kirke) after college if she hadn't crossed paths with her stepsister-to-be Brooke (Gerwig), or the past that might've delivered 30-year-old Brooke to her current predicament. The two are brought together by their parents' impending marriage, with Tracy seeing Brooke as the big sis — and guide to life, both in New York and in general — she's never had. They're opposites: Tracy is quiet, lonely and wants to be a writer; Brooke is confident, constantly talks about herself and has an endless array of future plans. As they spend more time together, the seeming differences between the two become less pronounced. That fact isn't lost on Tracy, who starts to imagine Brooke as 'Meadow', the deeply flawed character in her new short story. While finding commonality in Baumbach's films has become unavoidable, that doesn't make his work any less enjoyable or astute. There's a level of comfort to Mistress America's return to the filmmaker's well-traversed terrain, as well as his trademark intelligence and energy. Here, as in the rest of his efforts, he's fleshing out recognisable ideas and anxieties, but done so with slightly different parts. And while the overall message is starting to sound a little repetitive even as it remains accurate, the individual elements still have plenty of charms. The feature is at its best in its wonderful midsection, where it plunges into a superbly executed farce. When a series of circumstances sends the not-quite-siblings plus some of Tracy's friends (Matthew Shear and Jasmine Cephas Jones) on a road trip to Connecticut to visit Brooke's former boyfriend (Heather Lind) and BFF (Michael Chernus), Baumbach takes his favourite themes into shrewd, smart and incisively funny screwball territory. In some of the best sequences the director has committed to the screen, infectious laughter ensues, as does insight and urgency that the rest of the film can't quite match. Of course, that plays into Baumbach's usual oeuvre: what is a coming-of-age story, and his entire output, if not an examination of how to keep going after pivotal moments and turning points?
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. ELVIS Making a biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, trust Baz Luhrmann to take his subject's words to heart: a little less conversation, a little more action. The Australian filmmaker's Elvis, his first feature since 2013's The Great Gatsby, isn't short on chatter. It's even narrated by Tom Hanks (Finch) as Colonel Tom Parker, the carnival barker who thrust Presley to fame (and, as Luhrmann likes to say, the man who was never a Colonel, never a Tom and never a Parker). But this chronology of an icon's life is at its best when it's showing rather than telling. That's when it sparkles brighter than a rhinestone on all-white attire, and gleams with more shine than all the lights in Las Vegas. That's when Elvis is electrifying, due to its treasure trove of recreated concert scenes — where Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) slides into Presley's blue suede shoes and lifetime's supply of jumpsuits like he's the man himself. Butler is that hypnotic as Presley. Elvis is his biggest role to-date after starting out on Hannah Montana, sliding through other TV shows including Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, and also featuring in Yoga Hosers and The Dead Don't Die — and he's exceptional. Thanks to his blistering on-stage performance, shaken hips and all, the movie's gig sequences feel like Elvis hasn't ever left the building. Close your eyes and you'll think you were listening to the real thing. (In some cases, you are: the film's songs span Butler's vocals, Presley's and sometimes a mix of both). And yet it's how the concert footage looks, feels, lives, breathes, and places viewers in those excited and seduced crowds that's Elvis' true gem. It's meant to make movie-goers understand what it was like to be there, and why Presley became such a sensation. Aided by dazzling cinematography, editing and just all-round visual choreography, these parts of the picture — of which there's many, understandably — leave audiences as all shook up as a 1950s teenager or 1970s Vegas visitor. Around such glorious centrepieces, Luhrmann constructs exactly the kind of Elvis extravaganza he was bound to. His film is big. It's bold. It's OTT. It's sprawling at two-and-a-half hours in length. It shimmers and swirls. It boasts flawless costume and production design by Catherine Martin, as his work does. It shows again that Luhrmann typically matches his now-instantly recognisable extroverted flair with his chosen subject (Australia aside). Balancing the writer/director's own style with the legend he's surveying can't have been easy, though, and it doesn't completely play out as slickly as Presley's greased-back pompadour. Elvis is never anything but engrossing, and it's a sight to behold. The one key element that doesn't gel as convincingly: using the scheming Parker as a narrator (unreliable, obviously) and framing device. It helps the movie unpack the smiling-but-cunning manager's outré role in Presley's life, but it's often just forceful, although so was Parker's presence in the star's career. In a script by Luhrmann, Sam Bromell (The Get Down), Craig Pearce (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby) and Jeremy Doner (TV's The Killing), the requisite details are covered. That includes the singer's birth in Tupelo, Mississippi, and extends through to his late-career Vegas residency — with plenty in the middle. His discovery by Parker, the impact upon his parents (Rake co-stars Helen Thomson and Richard Roxburgh), his relationship with Priscilla (Olivia DeJonge, The Staircase), Graceland, America's puritanical reaction to his gyrating pelvis, the issues of race baked into the response to him as an artist: they're all featured. Thematically, those last two points thrum throughout the entire movie. Elvis questions why any hint of sex was such a shock, and why it was so easy for a white man who drew his songs, style and dance moves from Black culture, via his upbringing, to be dubbed a scandal. Read our full review. NUDE TUESDAY In Nude Tuesday, you can take the unhappy couple out of their daily routine — and slip them out of their clothes in the process — but escaping to a mountainside commune, ditching the dacks, palling around with a goat and gleaning relationship advice from the author a book called The Toothy Vulva just can't solve all woes. What that list of absurd plot points and experiences can do is fill out a film that's gleefully silly, often side-splittingly funny, and also just as perceptive as it is playful. The basic premise behind this New Zealand sex comedy borrows from plenty of fellow movies and TV shows about stuck-in-a-rut folks seeking bliss and renewal, plus solutions to bland marriages, with a gorgeous change of scenery. But helping make Nude Tuesday such a winner is every offbeat choice that's used to tell that tale. Getting naked is only part of it, given that not a lick of any recognisable language is spoken throughout the entire feature — although plenty of words and sounds are audibly uttered. Nude Tuesday understands one key point, as everyone watching it will: that relationships are all about communication. The film is also well aware that so much about life is, too — and storytelling. Here, though, expressing emotions, connections and narrative details all boils down to gibberish and bodies. This amusing movie from writer/director Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) and writer/star Jackie van Beek (The Breaker Upperers) does indeed strip down its performers in its last third, living up to its name, but it saddles them with conveying almost everything about their characters via body language before that. Each piece of dialogue spoken echoes in unintelligible nonsense, using completely made-up and wholly improvised terms. Even covers of 'Road to Nowhere' and 'Islands in the Stream' do as well. And while subtitled in English by British comedian Julia Davis (Camping), that text was penned after shooting, in one of the film's other purposefully farcical twists. The result is patently ridiculous, and marvellously so — and hilariously. It's such a clever touch, making a movie about marital disharmony and the communication breakdown baked within that's so reliant upon reading tone and posture, as couples on the prowl for the tiniest of micro-aggressions frequently hone in on. Initially, the feature needs a few scenes to settle into its unfamiliar vernacular, which takes cues from The Muppets' Swedish Chef in its cadence. Via an opening map, which situates the story on the fictional pacific island of Zǿbftąņ, Nude Tuesday's language also resembles an IKEA catalogue. But once Ballantyne, van Beek and the latter's co-stars find their groove — with a literally bloody attempt to make adult nappies sexy, a supermarket tantrum involving tossed cans and a tense anniversary dinner — everything, including the movie's chosen tongue, clicks into place. Van Beek and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman play Nude Tuesday's central pair, Laura and Bruno. In the first but not last example of just how compellingly they use their physicality, the talented lead twosome paints a picture of relatable malaise from their introductory moments together. Laura and Bruno are bogged down in a dull cycle that revolves around working at jobs neither loves — she spruiks those mature-age diapers, he sells bathroom fixtures — then trudging home exhausted and exasperated to deal with their kids, and later crumbling into bed knowing they're going to repeat it all the next day. Sex doesn't factor in, and neither is content with that, but resolving their troubles themselves is out of reach. Then, they're gifted a getaway to ẄØnÐĘULÄ to assist. But this woodland getaway, run by charismatic and lustful sex guru Bjorg Rassmussen (Jemaine Clement, I Used to Go Here), wants its new guests to expose all in multiple ways. Read our full review. LOST ILLUSIONS Stop us when Lost Illusions no longer sounds familiar. You won't; it won't, either. Stop us when its 19th century-set and -penned narrative no longer feels so relevant to life today that you can easily spot parts of it all around you. Again, that won't happen. When the handsome and involving French drama begins, its protagonist knows what he wants to do with his days, and also who he loves. Quickly, however, he learns that taking a big leap doesn't always pan out if you don't hail from wealth. He makes another jump anyway, out of necessity. He gives a new line of work a try, finds new friends and gets immersed in a different world. Alas, appearances just keep meaning everything in his job, and in society in general. Indeed, rare is the person who doesn't get swept up, who dares to swim against the flow, or who realises they might be sinking rather than floating. The person weathering all of the above is Lucien Chardon (Benjamin Voisin, Summer of 85), who'd prefer to be known as Lucien de Rubempré — his mother's aristocratic maiden name. It's 1821, and he's a poet and printer's assistant in the province of Angoulême when the film begins. He's also having an affair with married socialite Louise de Bargeton (Cécile de France, The French Dispatch), following her to Paris, but their bliss is soon shattered. That's why he gives journalism a try after meeting the equally ambitious Etienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste, Irma Vep), then taking up the offer of a tabloid gig after failing to get his poetry published. Lucien climbs up the ranks quickly, both in the scathing newspaper business — where literary criticism is literally cash for comment — and in the right Parisian circles. But even when he doesn't realise it, his new life weighs him down heavily. Lost Illusions spins a giddy tale, but not a happy one. It can't do the latter; exactly why is right there in the title. As a film, it unfurls as a ravishing and intoxicating drama that's deeply funny, moving and astute — one that's clearly the product of very particular set of skills. No, Liam Neeson's recent on-screen resume doesn't factor into it, not for a second. Instead, it takes an immensely special talent to spin a story like this, where every moment is so perceptive and each piece of minutiae echoes so resoundingly. The prowess behind this seven-time César Award-winner belongs to three people: acclaimed novelist Honoré de Balzac, who wrote the three-part Illusions perdues almost 200 years ago; filmmaker Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite), who so entrancingly adapts and directs; and Jacques Fieschi (Lovers), who co-scripts with the latter. There's more to Lucien's story — pages upon pages more, where his tale began; 149 minutes in total, as his ups and downs now play out on the screen. When Louise decides that he doesn't fit in, with help from the scheming Marquise d'Espard (Jeanne Balibar, Memoria), spite rains his way. When Etienne introduces him to the realities of the media at the era, and with relish, he's brought into a dizzying whirlwind of corruption, arrogance, fame, power, money and influence. When Lucien starts buying into everything he's sold about the whys and hows of his new profession, and the spoils that come with it, Lost Illusions couldn't be more of a cautionary tale. Everything has a price: the glowing words he gleefully types, the nasty takedowns of other people's rivals and the entire act of spending his days doing such bidding for the highest fee. Read our full review. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU What's yellow, round, inescapably silly and also just flat-out inescapable? Since 2010, when the first Despicable Me film reached screens, Minions have been the answer. The golden-hued, nonsense-babbling critters were designed as the ultimate sidekicks. They've remained henchman to malevolent figures in all five of their movie outings so far, and in the 15 shorts that've also kept telling their tale. But, as much as super-villain Gru (Steve Carrell, Space Force) would disagree — he'd be immensely insulted at the idea, in fact — Minions have long been the true drawcards. Children haven't been spotted carrying around and obsessing over Gru toys in the same number. The saga's key evil-doer doesn't have people spouting the same gibberish, either. And his likeness hasn't become as ubiquitous as Santa, although Minions aren't considered a gift by everyone. At their best, these lemon-coloured creatures are today's equivalent of slapstick silent film stars. At their worst, they're calculatingly cute vehicles for selling merchandise and movie tickets. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Otto and company (all voiced by Pierre Coffin, also the director of the three Despicable Me features so far, as well as the first Minions) fall somewhere in the middle. Their Minion mayhem is the most entertaining and well-developed part of the flick, but it's also pushed to the side. There's a reason that this isn't just called Minions 2 — and another that it hasn't been badged Despicable Me: The Rise of Gru. The Minion name gets wallets opening and young audiences excited, the Rise of Gru reflects the main focus of the story, and anyone who's older than ten can see the strings being pulled at the corporate level. Gru's offsiders are present and cause plenty of chaos, but whether he gets to live out his nefarious boyhood dreams is director Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3), co-helmers Brad Ableson (Legends of Chamberlain Heights) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets 2), and screenwriter Matthew Fogel's (The Lego Movie 2) chief concern. His ultimate wish: to become one of the Vicious 6, the big supervillain team of 1976, when Gru is 11. That sinister crew happens to have an opening after some infighting and double-crossing among Belle Bottom (Taraji P Henson, Empire), Jean Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Haters), Nun-Chuck (Lucy Lawless, My Life Is Murder), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren, Aquaman), Stronghold (Danny Trejo, The Legend of La Llarona) and Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method). Accordingly, when Gru receives an invite to audition, he's as thrilled as a criminal mastermind-in-training can be. The Minions are hired as Gru's assistants and, after his tryout for the big leagues ends in him stealing the Vicious 6's prized possession, quickly spark the usual Minion antics. Of course they lose the pivotal object. Of course the Vicious 6 come looking for it. Of course the Minions do everything from learning kung fu (from Master Chow, voiced by Everything Everywhere All At Once's Michelle Yeoh) to virtually destroying San Francisco. There's more calculation than inspiration behind their havoc, however; rather than Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton-esque heights, their slapstick hijinks feel as structured and obvious as the film's nods to a wealth of genres (martial arts, spy, road trip, blaxploitation and more) and its hefty list of blatant era-appropriate needle drops ('Funkytown', 'Fly Like an Eagle', 'Born to Be Alive' and the like). It also plays like colour and movement around Gru, rather than the central attraction viewers want it to be. Also, something can't be surreal if it's so thoroughly expected, as the bulk of Minions: The Rise of Gru is. It isn't clever enough to be gloriously ridiculous, either. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; and June 2, June 9 and June 16. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear and Men.
When the annual World's 50 Best Restaurants announced its picks in 2023, Australia was completely absent, missing out on spots in both the top 50 itself and the 51–100 longlist. Which eateries have made the cut in 2024 is only just starting to be unveiled, beginning with the tail end of the choices — and trust Josh and Julie Niland to help get Aussie hospitality back among the rankings. Saint Peter has taken out 98th place on the 2024 51–100 longlist, and it's the only Australian restaurant named so far. The top 50 itself will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 5, so there's still hope that some more love will be sent Down Under. The last time that there was an Aussie showing in the full 100 was in 2022, when Andrew McConnell's Melbourne diner Gimlet at Cavendish House came in at 84 for its World's 50 Best debut. [caption id="attachment_952313" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Named ahead of its move in July into The Grand National Hotel, Saint Peter is similarly a new entry, earning praise for the Nilands' famed nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. That ethos has already seen Josh's applauded The Whole Fish Cookbook win him the prestigious James Beard Book of the Year Award back in 2020, becoming the first Australian to ever take out the prize. In 2022, he was the only Australian chef to feature in The Best Chefs Awards for 2022 — aka the list of the top 100 best globally — too. The same year, both Josh and Julie picked up the Game Changer Award from France's La Liste. "Not every restaurant can legitimately claim to be spearheading a movement. Yet this cool concept from Josh Niland takes the great Australian seafood tradition to previously unexplored heights," said the team behind 2024's World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list in this year's rankings. "Known as 'the fish butcher', Niland favours techniques typically associated with meat. With a gill-to-fin approach, he utilises as much of the fish as possible, from eyes to organs, bones to scales – and everything in between. The innovative menu changes daily to reflect that morning's catch," the shoutout went on. [caption id="attachment_952314" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] Australia's hospitality scene hasn't ever dominated the World's 50 Best Restaurants gongs, but not placing at all for 2023 didn't escape attention. Just two Aussie restaurants claimed spots in 2021's awards, both of them Victorian, with Dan Hunter's Brae placing 57th and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica coming in at number 97. There were no awards in 2020, but Brae and Attica also placed in the longlist in 2019. In 2018, Attica came in 20th and Brae 58th. Australia has had up to four restaurants in the top 50 before, including three when the awards debuted in 2002. The World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. In 2023, Central in Lima, Peru acme in first. The year's other picks included Disfrutar in Barcelona in second, Diverxo in Madrid in third, Atxondo's Asador Etxebarri in fourth and Copenhagen's Alchemist in fifth. Next came Maido in Lima, Lido 84 in the Gardone Riviera, Atomix in New York, Quintonil in Mexico City and Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris to round out the top ten. Wondering about the best places to eat Down Under, regardless of what the World's 50 Best Restaurants chooses? Check out our picks for the best Sydney and best Melbourne restaurants. [caption id="attachment_811440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] To check out the World's 50 Best Restaurants 51–100 list, head to the awards' website. The top 50 will be announced on Wednesday, June 5 — and we'll update you then. Top image: Christopher Pearce.
There are days when that childhood nostalgia hits especially hard. If it's one of those Fridays, gather the mates for a night of retro fun at Pixel Alley, Fitzroy's arcade bar. The latest offering from the team behind Mr Wow's Emporium, the '80s-style space has walls covered in original pixelated art, Donkey Kong-themed cocktails, and retro arcade games aplenty. While we're personally Street Fighter fanatics, there are over 100 other games to choose from, including Pac-Man, Daytona, and Buck Hunter, so you'll be sure to find your childhood fave amongst the vast selection. Friday plans, sorted.
SXSW Sydney is back for 2024 in a big way — and even if you're only planning to hit up its Screen Festival across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20, a stacked program awaits. When the event kicks off for this year, it's doing so with a movie that bowed at its Austin counterpart, heads back to the 90s, sports a Saturday Night Live alum behind the lens and boasts plenty of well-known faces on-screen, including the Harbour City event's music keynote speaker for 2024. The film: A24's Y2K, the directorial debut of Kyle Mooney (No Hard Feelings), with Rachel Zegler (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Julian Dennison (Uproar), Jaeden Martell (Arcadian) and The Kid LAROI starring. The storyline: it's New Year's Eve in 1999, a heap of folks are at a high-school party and the Y2K bug strikes. The fest's small-screen highlights span debuting and returning fare, as well as a new show that's the latest version of a popular hit that just keeps being remade. Plum, which stars Brendan Cowell (The Twelve) as a footballer who learns that his concussions have led to a brain disorder, and also features Asher Keddie (Fake) and Jemaine Clement (Time Bandits), is premiering at SXSW Sydney before airing on ABC. Apple TV+ delight Shrinking with Jason Segel (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty) and Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) is showing a sneak peek of its second season, and the new Australian take on The Office joins the program via a panel discussion featuring lead Felicity Ward (Time Bandits) with executive producers and writers Jackie van Beek (Nude Tuesday) and Julie De Fina (Aftertaste). Back on movies, Matt Damon (The Instigators)- and Ben Affleck (The Flash)-produced sports drama Unstoppable will enjoy its Australian premiere. Telling Anthony Robles' true tale, it stars Jharrel Jerome (I'm a Virgo) as the wrestler born with one leg — plus Bobby Cannavale (MaXXXine), Michael Peña (A Million Miles Away), Don Cheadle (Fight Night) and Jennifer Lopez (Atlas). Also on the film list: the world premiere of the Chicago-set Pools, which features Odessa A'zion (Ghosts) as a college sophomore at summer school; Messy, another summer-set flick, this time featuring Alexi Wasser (Poker Face), Ione Skye (Beef) Adam Goldberg (The Exorcism); First Nations coming-of-age tale Jazzy, with Lily Gladstone (Fancy Dance) as a star and executive producer; and They're Here, a documentary about UFO fanatics. Or, from acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Before We Vanish) comes both Cloud and Serpent's Path — the first of which is Japan's submission for 2025's Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars, with the second remaking the director's own 1998 revenge film in French. There's also headliners Saturday Night, Smile 2, Nightbitch, The Front Room and Pavements — and everything from cults, cat-loving animation and Christmas carnage thanks to Azrael, Ghost Cat Anzu and Carnage for Christmas. Movie buffs can also look forward to Ilana Glazer (The Afterparty)-led mom-com Babes; the maximum-security prison-set Sing Sing with Colman Domingo (Drive-Away Dolls); and Inside, which features Guy Pearce (The Clearing), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun) and Toby Wallace (The Bikeriders). Documentary Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird spends time with At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala; Teaches of Peaches goes on tour with its namesake; the Lucy Lawless (My Life Is Murder)-directed doco Never Look Away is about CNN camerawoman Margaret Moth; Peter Dinklage (Unfrosted) and Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets) lead western-thriller The Thicket; and Aussie doco Like My Brother is about four aspiring AFLW players from the Tiwi Islands. The list goes on, with The Most Australian Band Ever! about the Hard-Ons, That Sugar Film and 2040 filmmaker Damon Gameau's Future Council, and Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts from Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs' Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker also screening.
UPDATE, October 29, 2020: Melbourne's outdoor cinemas are now reopening — including the Coburg Drive-In, and the Lido, Classic and Cameo outdoor cinemas. Long before its new sequel declared so in its title, The Craft already had a legacy. A horror-thriller about teen witches using and abusing magic to cope with high school's troubles, the 1996 Neve Campbell-starring cult favourite is the quintessential movie of that exact description. It's supremely 90s. It has the cast, look, soundtrack and mood to match. In using the occult to explore adolescent angst, it splashes everything from stormy skies and candle-lit rooms to hordes of rats and snakes across the screen, filling its frames with trusty genre imagery. And, it leans into the torment and toil of being a young woman finding one's way in the world, and of dealing with sleazy schoolboys, racist prom queens, society's obsession with appearance and the tyranny of class differences, too. The overall film has its struggles, but it has always stood out — and retained its place in pop culture. Written and directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Zoe Lister-Jones (Band Aid), The Craft: Legacy is clearly the product of someone who already knows all of the above. It's also the work of someone keen to pay tribute to the original, embrace what she sees as its strengths, redress its wrongs, and update it for a new time and a new generation. But it's possible for a 24-years-later follow-up to show affection, make some smart changes, move with the times and still feel like the remnants left in a cauldron. Or, for it to recall one of its predecessor's famed moments — one it recreates, briefly — in an unintended fashion. When this feature's coven play with levitation, the words "light as a feather, stiff as a board" aren't heard; however, by the end of the movie, they best describe everything that's just happened. Starting as its inspiration did, The Craft: Legacy begins with the arrival of a teen in a new town. Lily (Cailee Spaeny, Devs) and her mother Helen (Michelle Monaghan, Saint Judy) move in with the latter's boyfriend and his three sons — and if the in-car sing-along to Alanis Morrisette's 'Hand in My Pocket' doesn't nod firmly enough in the 90s' direction, the casting of The X-Files' David Duchovny as Adam, the author of a self-help book called 'The Hallowed Masculine' and the object of the head-over-heels Helen's affection, does. Navigating a new school, Lily soon finds herself taunted by resident jock and bully Timmy (Nicholas Galitzine, Share) in an unpleasant classroom incident. But she's also found by Lourdes (Zoey Luna, Pose), Frankie (Gideon Adlon, Blockers) and Tabby (Lovie Simone, Selah and the Spades), who are looking for the west to their north, south and east. They become fast friends, trifling with spells and testing their abilities. They also sneak into Timmy's room and enchant him into becoming the best version of himself. While Timmy provides an early source of nastiness, it's hardly a spoiler to note that he isn't The Craft: Legacy's antagonist. Instead, he's transformed from a jerk that makes fun of menstruation to a sensitive soul who waxes lyrical about Princess Nokia's politics. Any movie that does that was never going to let its darkness spring from its central quartet, either. Lily and her new friends must learn to use magic responsibly, but their mistakes are lessons rather than cautionary tales. The Craft: Legacy also gets its witches to turn a homophobic classmate's coat into a rainbow-hued statement piece, and burn slut-shaming slurs off of lockers. It has Lourdes stand up for trans women like herself, correcting Frankie when she says that giving birth is one of the fairer sex's strengths. It verbally and visibly champions inclusivity at every turn, so it finds its enemy in a glaring source — that'd be toxic masculinity — and the creepy character who personifies it. Often, when a sequel, remake or reboot gestures forcefully at the movie it's based on, it can prove convenient, blatant and overt all at once. Alas, that's how the bulk of The Craft: Legacy plays. In fact, in mimicking setups, scenes or specific lines, Lister-Jones is generally canny and even economical about references to her film's predecessor — so they're frequently the only parts that don't feel bland and routine. If only the same amount of effort had gone into fleshing out the main characters, who are nearly interchangeable, even with their racial and gender diversity. If only the same care had be expended in giving them personalities (loudness is one of the gang's defining traits), backstories and any weirdness, actually. If only the same thoughtfulness had been afforded its villain and all that he stands for, too. Rather than seeing young women become consumed by their blossoming power, and also punishing those who refuse to conform, it's a welcome shift that The Craft: Legacy calls out the patriarchal norms and attitudes that put teenage girls in that situation. And yet the film just seems happy enough to have made that switch, instead of giving it any true weight or substantial depth. The Craft: Legacy is light thematically, and also in plethora of other ways. Visually and tonally, it views witchcraft as fun and colourful. Emotionally, there are few stakes and horrors, so almost everything feels unimportant and anticlimactic. As a result, there's also a stiffness to the film — as though it's trying so hard to be loose, open, breezy and upbeat that it actually proves strained and wooden instead. A likeable cast of women can't change that. Neither can a late plot inclusion that's predictable, but possesses more intrigue than the rest of the movie. It's fitting that The Craft: Legacy's witches treat their abilities like superpowers, because the film recalls oh-so-many caped crusader flicks in one inescapable regard: by focusing its energies on laying the groundwork for a sequel that isn't guaranteed, and failing to conjure up much more than the bare minimum in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxZ774gziwU
UPDATE, November 11, 2020: Goldstone is available to stream via Stan, Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Australian cinema has a new hero — or heroes, to be exact. In case 2013's neo-western crime thriller Mystery Road didn't make that apparent, Goldstone shouts it across the outback. On screen, Indigenous police detective Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen) stalks through another remote desert town searching for the truth. Behind the camera, writer-director Ivan Sen guides another insightful examination of race, prejudice, inequality and exploitation inextricably linked to the Australian landscape. Indeed, across their two features to date, both the character and the filmmaker confront not only the challenging reality of present day Australia, but the deep scars left by the past. Accordingly, as much as Goldstone is a follow-up, it's also far more than just a narrative sequel to Mystery Road. Instead, the companion piece expands upon its predecessor's themes to explore a host of different topics, including human trafficking and the government-sanctioned mining of resources, in order to further push Sen's ongoing cinematic conversation about the state of his country today. Swan isn't quite the same no-nonsense cop viewers will remember from the previous film. When he's first spied driving drunk on the outskirts of the titular mining community, local officer Josh Waters (Alex Russell) is surprised to find a police badge stashed amongst his belongings. Reports of a missing Chinese woman, possibly linked to the town's brothel, have sparked Swan's visit, but he's hardly given a warm welcome. Josh is reluctant to help, mayor Maureen (Jacki Weaver) oozes malice behind her big smile, and goldmine boss Johnny (David Wenham) is clearly unhappy about strangers rolling into town. Given all that, it's hardly surprising when bullets start flying in Swan's direction. With the narrative also exploring Swan's links to his heritage via Aboriginal elder Jimmy (David Gulpilil), as well as the dynamic between a madam (Cheng Pei-pei) and her reluctant workers, Goldstone dives into complex territory. And yet, with Pedersen always front and centre as the unflappable Swan, the film filters its many threads through a confident, commanding central presence. Amidst an excellent cast, Pedersen demonstrates why he's one of the country's most talented actors, in a portrayal that conveys more through glances and body language than most say with words. His is a performance of quiet determination, and of breaking through pain to find a way forward. In fact, Pedersen is so convincing that Sen's decision to drop back into Swan's story after significant unseen turmoil feels completely natural. And just as the character refuses to give up, the writer-director (who also serves as producer, editor, cinematographer and composer) refuses to underestimate the audience's ability to piece the necessary parts together. Some of the dialogue is a little bit blunt, but sometimes both force and nuance are required to make a strong statement. It's how Sen balances the two that's pivotal. As it alternates between intimate close-ups and vast aerial shots, punctuating a contemplative pace with expertly choreographed gun battles, Goldstone proves a masterclass in maintaining that balance.
Sibling and next-door neighbour to northside cafe Mixed Business, Clifton Hill's Fowlers Flowers is a little haven of a shopfront, filled with colourful blooms and certain inspiration for that special arrangement. A neighbourhood favourite for over ten years, its expert florists are just as skilled at creating hand-tied, custom bouquets, as they are decking out events with a litany of vibrant blooms that are guaranteed to impress. Here, seasonality is always celebrated and there's a strong commitment to sustainable practices. And if you're after a gift that's a little more lasting, there's the long-life dried posies, available in a range of colour palettes, depending on what flowers are in stock.
It's safe to say that as we enter the final month of summer, it's still boiling out there and we could all use a little something to help us through the hot summer days. So why not cool things down (like, -196°C down) with the help of Suntory -196? And if anyone knows how to keep it cool, it's Suntory -196, thanks to their patented Freeze Crush Infuse Technology. This involves flash-freezing whole fruit at -196 degrees Celsius before crushing and infusing it with shochu and vodka, enhancing the flavour profile and providing an extra burst of fruity intensity. See out summer with Suntory and be in the running to win one of 80 Suntory -196 prize packs. While temperatures are still scorching, cool down with -196's refreshing, fruit-flavoured drinks and exclusive, never-seen-before merch created in partnership with Japanese artist Kentaro Yoshida. Lucky winners will score a Suntory -196 Double Lemon four-pack, plus a limited-edition Kentaro Yoshida x Minus -196 A2 screenprint and embroidered cap. The brand new merch designs a one-time-only run of Yoshida's ongoing partnership with Suntory -196 and can't be purchased anywhere else. Thirsty? Enter your details below to go in the running. [competition]988725[/competition] If you can't wait that long for a refreshing tipple, you can head to your nearest store to get your hands on a limited-edition Variety Pack featuring all the classic Suntory -196 flavours — Double Lemon, Double Grape and Double Peach — in a handy 10-pack. The perfect shareable option for you and your mates this summer. Check out Kenny Yoshida's work for an idea of the aesthetics in store, and what you've got to look for next time you're in the bottle shop. Enter now to beat the heat with Suntory -196 or head in store to pick up a Variety Pack now. The competition is for Australian residents aged 18 years and over; T&Cs apply. Images: Supplied.
