Take a tour of the TARDIS, or meet the man who matched wits with Walter White. The stars of pop culture will light up the Melbourne Showgrounds at the Armageddon Expo this weekend. With faces from film, television and comic books, it's the ultimate ticket for lovers of sci-fi and fantasy, as well as one of the few places where you won't get strange looks for dressing up like Optimus Prime. From wrestling matches to Quidditch tournaments and cosplay competitions for kids and adults alike, Armageddon is the perfect place for anyone looking to let their geek flag fly. Think you can do a pretty good Kamehameha? Then take to the stage and unleash your inner Super Saiyan in front of the man who voiced Goku himself. There's also plenty of fun to be had just walking the con floor. Visit the booths, check out the merchandise, and maybe pick up a couple of autographs. Names on the guest list this year include Doctor Who's current companion Jenna Coleman, Los Pollos Hermanos kingpin Giancarlo Esposito and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creator Kevin Eastman.
They first toured Australia in 1982. They've returned plenty of times since, including on the Big Day Out and Vivid lineups. When they were last here in 2020, the pandemic got in the way, causing them to cut short their plans — and now New Order are making their latest visit Down Under five years later. 'Blue Monday', 'Temptation', 'Bizarre Love Triangle' — more than four decades after forming, the group are playing them all on a four-city Australian tour, including at Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner started New Order out of Joy Division, following the tragic death of the latter's lead singer Ian Curtis, and helped pioneer the synth-pop sound that not only helped define the 80s but has been influential ever since. If you've seen the films Control and 24 Hour Party People, you've seen part of New Order's story on-screen. And if you've caught them live before, you'll know that they're always a must-see. Top images: Erin Mc via Flickr, RL GNZLZ via Flickr.
If your love for Shania Twain is, shall we say, still going strong, then you're in for one hell of a September. Not only is the hard-to-impress singer dropping her long-awaited fifth studio album, she's also being honoured right here on Australian soil, by the Melbourne Fringe Festival's so-called Shania Choir. Featuring a team of vocal talent from across the country and coming off the back of a successful run at Perth Fringe World Festival, the show is an immersive musical celebration of the life, times, and music of Twain, as delivered through an almost indescribable mix of song, dance, and drag over two nights. Expect plenty of energy and a sprinkling of signature Shania sass, as country-pop meets a capella harmonies across all your favourite Twain tunes, from 'That Don't Impress Me Much' and 'From This Moment', through to 'Man, I Feel Like A Woman'.
In what can only be described as an odd turn of events, Top3 was founded by Terri Winter after she saw a German cabaret show featuring a woman, a walrus and a trapeze artist. As it happens, these three acts were the best in their field — and this inspired Winter to translate the 'top three' concept into a retail store. As it turned out, it was a huge success. Now with four stores around the country — two in Melbourne, one in Sydney and one in Canberra — Top3's mission is to offer customers the best products based entirely on their design merits. The store stocks well over 1000 different products — but only three of each type — across homewares, clothing and travel accessories. You're bound to find something you need and/or want here.
Don't say that you don't have anything to watch between Friday, March 1–Monday, March 11, or that you've only got the usual couch-viewing options. Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival is back for 2024, which isn't just wonderful news for Sydney's cinephiles. Thanks to the event's returning online component, it's also ace for folks located outside of the Harbour City. A feast of queer cinema coming to your chosen small screen. As always, the lineup of movies that Sydneysiders can catch at MGFF's in-person sessions is far larger than its online program — but you can still join in from home no matter where in Australia you're located. For cinephiles watching on from the couch, choices include All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White, the Berlinale Teddy Award-winning love story about two men dealing with Nigeria's anti-gay laws; Mexico's All the Silence, centring on a CODA (child of deaf adults) and her girlfriend who is deaf; F.L.Y., which sees two exes living under the same roof during the pandemic; and Mutt, which won Lio Mehiel a Special Jury Award-winner at Sundance for their performance. Or, opt for drama Old Narcissus about getting older in Japan, with a 74-year-old children's author finding connection with a sex worker. You'll also be able to stream several shorts packages online, including sessions dedicated to Asia Pacific, comedy, gay, non-binary and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, transgender and sapphic films. The My Queer Career short film fest will hop online as well, featuring seven films competing for $16,000-plus in prizes.
Come April, the eyes of the sporting world will turn towards the Gold Coast, with the Queensland city hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games. That's great news if you're a fan of athletes and nations vying for glory — and, while it might not initially seem like it, it's great news for arts and culture lovers too. As well as the expected competitive endeavours, the event will also feature a huge multi-arts festival, called Festival 2018. Festival 2018 mightn't boast the most exciting name, but it does promise a plethora of exciting programming across 12 days. Taking place from April 4 to 15, the fest will join forces with the existing Bleach* Festival to deliver a lineup of art, music, theatre, dance and more spanning from from Coomera to Coolangatta. Satellite events will also be held across the state. The first artists announced include Kate Miller-Heidke, The Jungle Giants and Mau Power, who'll all feature on the Queensland Music Stage. It'll feature free concerts held in Broadbeach, while Miller-Heidke and Power will also play in Cairns, and Power in Brisbane. The rest of the bill will be announced with the full program in February. As for what else is in store across the festival, given Bleach*'s annual array of shows, gigs, exhibitions, experiences and more, expect plenty of just that. More than 20 new works will feature, including a number of world premieres. That means audiences will have another reason to head to the Goldie — or, something else to do between watching the Games. "Bleach* at Festival 2018 is our most ambitious, thought-provoking program to date," explains artistic director Louise Bezzina. It will pay "tribute to local legends past and present in a spectacular showcase of what, and who, makes the Gold Coast such a special part of the world," she continues. Festival 2018 takes place from April 4 to 15 across the Gold Coast and other parts of Queensland. Keep an eye on the festival website for further details. Image: Bleach* Festival
For the past couple of years, Melbourne's food calendar has had a hefty gap where the Night Noodle Markets usually sit, with its smoky scents and the happy sounds of people feasting on a menu of Asian delights both absent from Birrarung Marr. We all know the reason, but thankfully 2022 will finally buck the trend — because, after an at-home version in 2021, the food festival is set to return IRL this November. Mark Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 27 in your diary, and get ready to spend 18 spring nights tucking into a range of street food bites from hawker-style stalls. As well as confirming its return, the Night Noodle Markets has also unveiled some of its stallholders, all serving up delicious dishes to fill hungry Melbourne stomachs. On the list: perennial favourites Hoy Pinoy, Flying Noodles, May's Malaysian Hawker, Wonderbao, Gelato Messina and Twistto, mainstays of the Night Noodle Markets' tours around the country. So, that means you'll be tucking into everything from noodles and dumplings to bao and desserts, spanning options from local, interstate and nationwide eateries — and also including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and Halal options. Also setting up shop for this year is Brendan Pang's West Australian dumpling spot Bumplings, courtesy of a Mazda x Bumplings stall. Due to the Mazda part, the dumplings will be paired with am exclusive Soul Red Crystal sauce that's inspired by Mazda's red body colour. Windsor's My Miyagi will serve up a bespoke Japanese menu, too, while Calabang's calamari, Bangkok Street Food's Thai wares and Roll Up's roti rolls are also on the lineup — with more stallholders still be be revealed. On the drinks list, there'll be a Stomping Ground Brewing Co beer garden, a Cointreau margarita kombi bar, an Aperol spritz spot and a Rekorderlig cider dome. Plus, you can get sipping without the future hangover at the Dan Murphy's Zero% Bar — following on from the bottle-o chain's alcohol-free Melbourne venue, and only serving up non-boozy beverages. Live entertainment and lion dances will go along with all of those stalls and pop-ups serving bites to eat and beverages to knock back. And, you'll be able to bring your pets along as well — there'll even be doggy noodle boxes for them to enjoy. The markets will be open from 5–9pm Monday–Tuesday, 5–10pm Wednesday–Thursday, 5–11pm on Fridays, 4–10pm Saturdays and 4–9pm on Sundays, giving you ample chances to head by. Melbourne's 2022 Night Noodle Markets will run from Thursday, November 10–Sunday, November 27 at Birrarung Marr, Melbourne. For more details, head to the Night Noodle Markets website.
Melbourne is set to score a slurp-worthy new noodle destination, with the arrival of Bowltiful's latest store to Swanston Street. And to celebrate, it's treating punters to oodles of noodles — on the house. From Saturday, February 18–Monday, February 20, the restaurant will be handing out free bowls of its bouncy hand-pulled noodles. There are a huge 249 serves up for grabs each day to the first customers through the door from 12pm. The signature Lanzhou-style noodle dish features tender halal beef and homemade chilli oil in fragrant clear broth that's been simmered for four hours and is guaranteed to warm your cockles. If you're yet to experience the work of Bowltiful's expert noodle pullers, this is the perfect excuse. And if you miss out on a freebie, fear not — the restaurant's menu is brimming with supremely affordable creations like a spicy lamb burger, the 'Hot Chilli Oil Spill' dry noodle and a braised beef brisket noodle soup. Images: Griffin Simm.
Good news for any Mr West fans who live in Melbourne's north: the brains and souls behind the iconic Footscray venue will be taking over 4 Saxon Street in Brunswick. Previously occupied by community favourite Theodore's, the team at Mr West say they're "humbled to be entrusted with continuing its legacy and shaping the next exciting chapter". Luckily, the old Theodore's space is in good hands, given Mr West is one of our fave bars in Melbourne. Over the next 12 months, the venue will run as a collaborative pop-up project, with the Mr West team serving drinks and taking care of service, while their mates at Dingo Ate My Taco provide signature tacos, as well as some exclusive dishes. After the initial pop-up phase, the Mr West team will transform the space into a new wine bar that will take on an identity of its own — complete with a new name (apparently, it won't be called Mr North). Mr West's Group Marketing Manager (and Head of Snacks) Dimitra Sarakinis tells Concrete Playground she's excited to emulate the neighbourhood bar feel they've achieved at Mr West. "For us, being a neighbourhood bar that becomes part of the Brunswick community is something we really aspire to be," Sarakinis says. "Although we don't want to give away too much at this stage, our plan is to lean into the styles of food and beverage that we are most passionate about which will include a focus on spontaneous fermentation." "We also have big plans to continue working creatively with thrice championed best Australian Bartender Nathan Beasley, who has been hiding out of the limelight as our bottleshop manager for the past few years, to craft some creative new cocktails and perhaps something more," Sarakinis added. For the pop-up project, the venue will retain the distinct charm of Theodore's, but the team has ambitious plans for the space. "The bones of this building are so beautiful. We haven't done any major renovations to start with, just a few minor tweaks to aid the flow of service and a lick of paint. We're quite enamoured with the warehouse aesthetic and it does remind us of Mr West. We are really excited to get stuck into a full renovation within the year but also can't wait to share our new venue with the local community," Sarakinis says. Mr West Bar & Bottle Shop first opened in 2016, after mates Josh Hodges (Cookie, Feral Brewing Co, Mr West) and Caleb Barker (Greenhouse by Jost, Bluebonnet BBQ, Mr West) combined their extensive experience to create the multifaceted drinking space. The move has particular significance to Josh, who grew up in Brunswick. "There are many crossovers between Brunswick and Footscray beyond the iconic Franco Cozzo stores," he tells Concrete Playground. "It is the vibrant and bustling community that drew us to both locations. I had lots of mates living in the Inner West growing up and have always had a strong connection to Footscray but I grew up in Brunswick and my mum still lives a stone's throw from 4 Saxon Street so it very much feels like home to me." 4 Saxon Street is open Thursday – Saturday, 5pm–midnight. The kitchen closes at 10pm daily and bookings are available on the website.
If you've already covered your dining table with jigsaw puzzles, spent hours live streaming koalas and are looking for something else to do with your house mate, why don't you organise a night of friendly competition and whip out some board games. Helping you do just that is Deliveroo. The food delivery service has teamed up with games shop Winning Moves to launch Bored? Games, a boredom-busting delivery service bringing board games to your table — in just 30 minutes. You can choose from 30 different games including the likes of Friends Monopoly, Rick and Morty Trivial Pursuit and Harry Potter Cluedo, as well as Game of Thrones games and Disney-themed Top Trumps. Games start at as little as $9.99 for Top Trumps, go up to $30 for Trivial Pursuit and $55 for Cluedo, and can be delivered to houses within five kilometres of Deliveroo's Melbourne Editions kitchens in Collingwood and Windsor. To celebrate the launch of the new board games delivery, Deliveroo and Winning Moves are giving away 5000 Melbourne-themed Top Trumps sets to the first 5000 people to order a Deliveroo Editions meal this week, starting Monday, May 11. If you're sick of being on your screen — sliding down endless Twitter holes and glued to live streams — this may be the perfect antidote. If you can't get enough of your screen, however, check out our round up of the best virtual events. Bored? Games are now available to purchase for delivery via Deliveroo.
The Queen Vic Market's massive midweek hawker market is coming back for five weeks this autumn, and it'll be the biggest edition to date. Held every Wednesday from April 9 to May 7, Hawker 88 Night Market will showcase a range of exceptional flavours from across Asia, from Manila to Mumbai and beyond. There'll also be a fascinating collection of live performances, cultural experiences and inventive cocktails bound to cause a stir. Every week features a different theme, showcasing the incredible diversity of Asian cuisine and culture while ensuring there's always something new to discover. Kicking things off on Wednesday, April 9, Pan-Asian Night highlights an eclectic mix of flavours, alongside dance performances, a K-pop dance crew, lion dancers and an Asian fusion band that ensures the vibe remains at fever pitch for this year's opening. The following week is Bali to Bangkok Night, where Southeast Asian cuisine is paired with martial arts displays, traditional dancing from Malaysian and Filipino movers and shakers, and beats provided by Indonesian gamelan drummers and a Thai band. Then, on Wednesday, April 23, Rising Sun Night presents a taste of East Asia, with everything from Japanese taiko drumming and roving geishas to Korean costume parades and traditional Chinese performances. Plus, a Filipino band is sure to keep the vibes high. Bollywood Night on Wednesday, April 30 will see the market become a colourful hub of all things Indian, featuring upbeat dance performances, live dance-offs, henna mural-making and even a curry-eating contest that will see serious spice lovers go head to head. Closing night on May 7 is Yin and Yang Night, which promises an vibrant mix of Chinese and K-pop dancing, a traditional Chinese costume parade and, intriguingly, a Squid Game-inspired DJ set. Across these five action-packed weeknights, an abundance of fresh-faced traders will join returning favourites serving up sumptuous bites that showcase the best of the continent. There'll be everything from wok-fired noodles and charcoal-cooked pork belly to Cambodian-style skewers, Thai fried chicken and Filipino barbecue. You can also get your hands around a crispy rice sandwich, a Japanese-inspired street food snack loaded with your choice of braised pork, pan-fried beef or sausage and cheese. This is also your chance to relive — or discover — the cocktails that became the talk of last year's event. As you roam from one hawker stand to the next (or it back to catch a performance), you can sip down a Flaming Mandarin Sunset, a fiery mix of sake, mandarin, grenadine and Bacardi 151 or the bright and refreshing Frozen Watermelon Shochu, featuring shochu with watermelon, lime and mint. The Hawker 88 Night Market runs 5–10pm every Wednesday from April 9–May 7 at the Queen Victoria Market. Head to the market's website for more information.
"Siri — write my Her review". "[da-dup]…I'm not sure I understand". Yeah, okay. So, it's not perfect, but the fact is, I just had a conversation with my phone. What's more, I didn't feel weird about it, and — most crucially — neither did the people around me. It's for this reason that Spike Jonze's new movie Her feels eerily and uncomfortably plausible. Familiar, even. In fact, inevitable. Set in the almost certainly near future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly — a gentle, retiring man who works at BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com penning heartfelt correspondence between people he's never met. In his personal life, his wife (Rooney Mara) has left him and now communicates exclusively via their lawyers. In short, nobody really talks anymore. Then one day he buys and installs a new operating system called 'OS1' — an artificially intelligent construct that names herself, or rather itself, 'Samantha' (voiced to perfection by Scarlett Johansson). At first Samantha simply streamlines Theodore's life, triaging his emails and encouraging him to get out more, but gradually, as she evolves and learns more from their interactions, they begin to fall in love. It seems ridiculous, yes, but thanks to Jonze's masterful script and direction, it never really feels it, and that's what makes HER the first must-see film of 2014. "Is it a real relationship?" Theodore asks his best friend (a game designer played by Amy Adams), to which she replies: "Well… what is real?" It sounds like hack freshman philosophy but actually cuts to the core of the film, because — in essence — Theodore's relationship is largely indistinguishable from every real-world, long-distance one. In this increasingly international age where overseas employment and study opportunities beckon with greater frequency and ease, it often feels like the number one obstacle for couples to overcome is mere geography. Hence, nobody bats an eyelid when two people attempt to sustain a relationship exclusively and indefinitely via phone calls, meaning — to the outside world — Theodore's interactions with Samantha are just as commonplace and unremarkable. And ultimately, who's to say they're not? Look around you right now. How many people are on their phones — talking, listening, scrolling, reading or playing? The loneliness and isolation of an increasingly interconnected world is a pervasive and fascinating phenomenon, but few have yet explored how humanity's growing fusion with technology might lead to actual relationships with it. Well, except maybe for the Japanese. To say much more is to risk giving away precious moments and quiet surprises (of which there are many), though it's worth noting Her pleasantly avoids a lot of tech in-jokes and future gags that could easily have rendered it a far more pedestrian affair. Ultimately, it is a beautiful, imaginative and provocative offering by Jonze that asks some fascinating questions about the direction love is taking in the technological age. Could we love an operating system, and — more importantly — could it love us back? "Siri - do you love me?" "[da-dup] Look…a puppy!" Man, love is hard. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ne6p6MfLBxc
Sweet-toothed Melburnians, rejoice. Australia's dessert museum is returning for a second round of sugary fun in February 2019. After hitting up Victoria in June this year, and Brisbane this month, Sugar Republic is returning with all new rooms, installations and a retro candy store. While what exactly you'll find at the new Melbourne pop-up is still under wraps — with Sugar Republic promising, "14 brand new rooms, all new installations, plus a sweet themed cafe and candy store" — its previous Aussie iterations have included a giant gumball machine that you can climb inside, an adult-sized ballpit in bubblegum-pink hues and a dedicated fairy floss room with its own swing. It sounds like the kind of place that Willy Wonka might own. Other highlights of the previous Melbourne pop-up included a sherbet-filled rainbow bridge, a 'press for confetti' button, an interactive sprinkles wall, a neon art wall and other dessert-centric art. We're expecting the new iteration to be equally OTT. Basically, if you missed out on visiting New York's Museum of Ice Cream back in 2016, this is Australia's equivalent. Typically these kind of places are designed to be as photogenic as possible, so expect plenty of pics to clog your Instagram feed. The new Melbourne location and dates haven't been released just yet, but you can expect the dessert museum to pop-up in February 2019 at a Myer store. Tickets go on sale next month, and we'll keep you updated with any new details.
It may have taken 15 years and two full blown reboots, but the Spider-Man movies finally have a decent villain. Gone are the Green Goblins and anthropomorphic sandpits, replaced at long last by...a guy. Just a guy; a vulnerable, human, salt-of-the-earth labourer trying to carve out a little something of his own amongst the rubble and ruin of a post-Avengers New York City. Played by Michael Keaton, Adrian Toomes is an ordinary character in an extraordinary world, whose bare bones simplicity helps ground this refreshingly low-key entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And low-key is the key to this movie's appeal. Spidey (Tom Holland) isn't a world saver, but a hero for the little guy; intervening in grocery store holdups and helping grandparents with their luggage. The problem is that he wants more. He's fought alongside Iron Man and taken on Captain America, and the expectation of future avenging is what drives his daily routine. Expectation, however, soon falls short of reality, as he's told by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) that which no teenager ever wishes to hear: "you're not ready". What's worse is that Stark is plainly right. Thing is, gaining super-powers doesn't mean you automatically gain super skills, and Spidey/Peter Parker is a superhero still very much in the training wheels phase. It's a clever device by director Jon Watts, whose hero – like a giraffe attempting its nervous first steps – repeatedly fumbles his landings, misses his web castings and wreaks low-level havoc in suburban backyards while chasing down the bad guys. Paired with raging hormones in a body that's also transforming in a more typically teenage way, and Peter makes for an immensely likeable lead. It helps that Holland makes for a far more plausible teen than either Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield. The teenage superhero setup has always given Spider-Man an added complexity (one perhaps only shared by Superman), in that his public persona is painfully weak and nerdy. Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark get to be billionaire playboys when they're not battling criminal kingpins, but Peter Parker is perceived as a weedy, bookish, scatter-brained dork who rolls over for bullies and can never keep an appointment. His life would be immediately and immeasurably better if he simply revealed his true, courageous self. But to do so would invite sudden and deadly peril upon all those he cares about. That dilemma, in turn, passes on to the audience, as you find yourself grappling with your desire to see Spider-Man take down the villains but also make his date with the dream girl. Even better, it all comes without another version of Uncle Ben's 'great power comes with great responsibilities' speech, or another retelling of Parker's spider-bite origins. Spider-Man: Homecoming is a film that knows what we already know, and just gets on with telling its story. If there's a drawback to all of this, it's that the final product feels a little bit childish. Yes, it's a film about a teenage superhero, but plenty of movies have captured the teenage experience without feeling like they were written by teenagers as well. There's far too much 'whoa, awesome, dude, bro, cool' going on here for our liking, although thankfully the adults (Downey Jr, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei and Keaton) provide plenty of counterbalance. Minor flaws aside, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a fun cinema experience, and a refreshingly human story amidst the surfeit of superhero movies that continue to flood our screens. Oh, and yes, there are the additional Marvel scenes – so if you're so inclined, remember to stay through to the very end of the credits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9DwoQ7HWvI
If you're a movie lover in Melbourne, then you always know when the warm weather arrives — and you look forward to it. As soon as the conditions allow, the city's outdoor cinema season begins, filling spring and summer with flicks under the stars. That's what's on the agenda in Elsternwick from Thursday, October 27, when the Classic Rooftop Cinema restarts its projector for another go-around. This year, it's kicking things off with gay rom-com Bros, and will then keep screening new and classic highlights — and festival flicks, too — from there. Also on the Classic's openair lineup for 2022–23 so far, taking over its towering outdoor screen: the 1950s-style thrills of Don't Worry Darling, horror standouts Barbarian and Sissy, the George Clooney- and Julia Roberts-starring Ticket to Paradise, and murder-mystery Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Or, there's also the period-set Mrs Harris Goes to Paris and Armageddon Time, upcoming superhero sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and a festive-season showing of Die Hard. Sessions run depending on the weather, so take that into consideration. Fancy a drink — or just stopping by for one without seeing a film? The bar runs from 4–8pm Friday–Sunday, and is open to everyone. Or, it starts pouring at 7.30pm on weekdays just for ticketholders.
Sometimes, your tastebuds crave something special. They hanker for the kind of dish you're not going to eat every day, aka a treat yo'self type of culinary experience. Here are three things that they'd likely demand in that situation: lobster, truffles and champagne. If that sounds like your idea of an indulgent meal, Lobster & Co has you sorted until Sunday, January 15 at the Arts Centre Forecourt, all as part of its summer food offering. During another season of decadence, you'll only find those three aforementioned items on the menu; the Lobster & Co van is solely serving lobster rolls with truffle fries and flutes of Pommery champagne. Prices start at $50 for the food combo, which features a whole confit lobster tail sourced from Western Australia, served warm on a caramelised brioche bun with buttermilk fennel slaw, plus a side of parmesan truffle fries. A chilled glass of the champers will cost you $20 extra. Pull up a seat at one of the umbrellaed tables on the forecourt to enjoy your lobster, chips and bubbles while gazing out over the Yarra, and well and truly soak in summer — Melbourne's version of it, at least. Generally, Lobster & Co operates Wednesday–Sunday, but dates and times vary over the holidays — so keep an eye on the pop-up's website. Images: Karon Photography.
Beware the luxurious worlds of Ruben Östlund's films. Beware any feelings of ease, opulence or awe that spring at ski resorts, in art museums, within the fashion industry or on high-end holidays, too. The Swedish filmmaker isn't interested in keeping his characters comfortable regardless of their lavish surroundings, and he isn't keen on ensuring his viewers remain relaxed, either, no matter how cushy their cinema chairs. To watch the writer/director's movies is to observe his on-screen figures responding to chaos flung their way, which is true of all features. That said, to watch here is to actively feel a reaction. It's virtually impossible not to experience a cascade of emotions as an Östlund-penned and -helmed picture flickers, and sometimes it's just as difficult to avoid a physical response. With his latest, Triangle of Sadness, the titular space between your eyebrows definitely gets a workout. Other than that last part, all of the above proved true of 2014's phenomenal Force Majeure, which wasn't Östlund's first or even second or third feature, but served up as clever and cringe-inducing a portrait of marriage and masculinity as the 21st century has provided (just forget Downhill, the American remake he had nothing to do with). Then, with dropped jaws over a divisive piece of art within a divisive piece of art, it was accurate of 2018's The Square, the writer/director's first Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-recipient, too. And, earning him that same prestigious prize again in 2022 — putting him in rarefied company alongside just eight other twice-winning directors/co-directors, in fact — it's also wholly applicable to Triangle of Sadness. This time, he has modelling, influencers and the super-rich in his sights, all in a movie that keeps doing what Östlund loves: unpacking societal structures and the divides they rely on (and cause). Make a feature with a shape in its title, score one of the biggest filmmaking awards there is: yes, that's been a nifty formula for Östlund of late. But even if he directs a flick called something like Hexagonal Dreaming in the future — or anything else with a geometrical bent, for that matter — and that too nabs Cannes' famed top gong, managing to beat Triangle of Sadness' vomit sequence is highly unlikely. For a director who enjoys cutting the privileged and supposedly prestigious down to size without opting for simplistic judgements, getting the uber-wealthy spewing their guts up on a yacht getaway is one helluva leveller. Money can't buy you a solution to basic bodily functions when food poisoning and seasickness strike, and doesn't this scathingly entertaining flick revel in that notion at its most gleefully gross. To remind audiences that responding to films and life alike is an involuntary reflex, Östlund shows a swag of his characters doing just that — to existence, and to a choppy cruise also populated by arms dealers and literal shit salesmen. It makes for unforgettable cinema, but it's also just one part of Triangle of Sadness and its sublimely shot unpacking of affluence, entitlement, social hierarchies and beauty as currency. Appearing to be coasting through perfection is an ongoing quest for Carl (Harris Dickinson, See How They Run) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, Black Lightning), models-slash-influencers and the movie's focal point. From the outset, however, including across an opening third set on dry land and a final act that gets stranded and sandy, nothing is straightforward. Eating the rich is easy and delicious, not to mention a major on-screen trend of late (see: Parasite, Succession, The White Lotus, Knives Out and Glass Onion, just to name a few), but Östlund has much to chew. When Carl is first introduced, he's one among a sea of jobbing male models, all attempting to ply their handsomeness for a paycheque. In a Zoolander-esque moment, Triangle of Sadness points out the fashion world's inbuilt sense of class as the casting call's attendees are asked to grin like they're posing for an affordable brand, then grimace like they're in ads for an expensive line — and no, this isn't a subtle picture. Cash is an ongoing point of contention for Carl anyway, given he earns less than Yaya as male models tend to yet still largely picks up the bill for their dinners. When the duo take to the ocean to sip champagne, loll about by the pool and ignore the hardworking crew surrounded by the one-percent, he's still working the requisite angles. Meanwhile, Yaya is snapping them, recording everything for Instagram from every vantage possible. Going on vacation in an Östlund film isn't a great idea. On this holiday, under the drunken captain's (Woody Harrelson, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) watch, sunbaking on the deck gives way to those projectile technicolour yawns — and other evacuations — then to an unexpected destination. Onboard the yacht, the chasms between the haves and have nots are as glaring as the sunny weather, but that setup isn't sustainable when gale-force winds and pirates get in the way. Only Filipino toilet cleaner Abigail (Dolly De Leon, Folklore) knows how to catch fish, clean and cook them, and build a fire, after all, but Carl and Yaya's post-cruise life isn't an egalitarian wonderland. A big bank balance means nothing but beauty still means plenty — and the way that Östlund satirically carves into the resulting mayhem is equally hilarious and and astute, even when his film is both obvious and overt. There's nothing restrained about excess as its zenith — "everyone's equal," the boat's staff are ignorantly told when a guest flat-out forces them to go swimming on a shift — and there needn't be about scorching interrogations of all that overindulgence. Östlund is both blunt and oh-so-sharp, and broad yet targeted; Triangle of Sadness does love its contradictions, after all, including an American Marxist and Russian capitalist trading quotes and worldviews, the contrast between all things shiny and bodily fluid-fuelled sequences, and the perception-versus-reality of Carl and Yaya's existence across each of the picture's three sections. The game cast are up to the seesawing challenge, especially the formidable De Leon as someone even the film itself overlooks to begin with, Dickinson as the idealistic but practical Carl, and the late Dean as the enterprising yet oblivious Yaya. Having his regular cinematographer Fredrik Wenzel point a static camera their way and wait for statement-making awkwardness to gush seems like a natural decision, and it is, but Östlund remains masterful at putting the right pieces in place.
Section 8, a collective in Melbourne like no other, is launching its biggest event lineup to date. Dubbed Level Up, the six-month-long series is set to take place at the hip open-air bar nestled between Lonsdale Street and Chinatown. One headline event has been allocated per month from November 2022 to April 2023. Kicking off the lineup is a record store showcase (Sunday, November 13) featuring four of the city's classic record stores: Natural Selection, Wax Museum, Northside Records and Skydiver. Each establishment will present its own collections via two 30-minute sets. [caption id="attachment_876668" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leilani Bale[/caption] Other events include a Vox/MC battle (Sunday, December 11), improv battle (Sunday, January 8, 2023), dance battle (Sunday, February 12, 2023) and beat battle (Sunday, March 12, 2023). Rounding off the series is Section 8's vinyl release launch party (Sunday, April 9, 2023), a celebration of the bar's eight-track multi-genre vinyl comprised of unreleased tracks by local artists. To sweeten the deal even further, Section 8 will also be giving away $10,000 worth of prizes, including cash prizes, an Ableton mentorship, dance classes, festival tickets and food vouchers. Finally, a new drinks menu will be available spotlighting the likes of Coopers, Jameson, Chivas Regal and Headline Acts. As usual, entry is free. You can head over to the official event page to find out more about what to expect in the next six months. [caption id="attachment_876665" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leilani Bale[/caption] Top images: Duncographic, Leilani Bale
Determined to maximise the sunny season and wrap up each of these balmy summer weeks in style? Get into the groove each weekend with Whitehart Bar's new Sunday sessions, which are serving up a healthy dose of musical goodness right through until the end of summer. Running from 3pm every Sunday from January 8 until February 26, the Hartbeats Sunset Series will see an impressive lineup of Melbourne artists descend on the laneway each week to deliver a genre-hopping smorgasbord of sound. Head down Whitehart Lane, grab a bev and settle in to enjoy tunes from the likes of Chiara Kickdrum, Sadar Bahar, Now Here This, Teymori and Mandarin Dreams, plus a whole stack of special supporting guests. The music is set to cover everything from hip hop and house, to afro and electro; while the talented Simbiotic Vison will be taking care of the visuals. And, with drink specials courtesy of Starward, Bodriggy, Olmeca Altos tequila and more, you can bet no one's going thirsty on that dance floor. Images: Duncographic
UPDATE Monday, March 27: Due to unforeseen circumstances, 'Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience' will no longer take place this weekend. For details, see the website. With its latest movie-fuelled event, Immersive Cinema is hoping that you've never felt like this before — and that you love Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a much-adored 1987 romantic drama. The second part is easy. As for the first, you might've actually stepped into this interactive Dirty Dancing experience back in 2019 when it first came to Australia. Who doesn't want to have the time of their life twice, though? For its second Aussie stint, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience is only heading to Melbourne, taking over the Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 2, 2023. If Francis 'Baby' Houseman can take a trip to Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills with her family, you can hit up the venue to get whisked away to the next best thing. Here, attendees will get plunged into the world of Dirty Dancing. Taking over the outdoor venue, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience won't just screen one of Swayze's biggest film roles, but will recreate the world of the popular film. That means that attendees will travel back to 1963 in spirit, check into the flick's setting, and enjoy a day of painting classes, volleyball, croquet, mini golf and — of course — dance lessons. You can probably also expect a stint of carrying watermelons, and definitely a dance showcase. And yes, it all ends with an evening screening of Dirty Dancing on the big screen. You'd be just a fool to believe that's all that's on the agenda. Actors and dancers will roam around like the wind and, food- and drink-wise, Americana-style eats will be available at 12 different dining spots, while seven pop-up bars will sling summery cocktails — all on offer for those with hungry eyes (and stomachs). Also, there'll be a dedicated watermelon stand, plus a picnic area among the rose bushes. You'll also be able to wander through recreations of Kellerman's famous fictional spaces. That includes the staff quarters where Baby Houseman gets her first taste of dirty dancing, as well as the studios where she learns all the steps from and starts swooning over Johnny Castle. Wherever you head, nobody will be putting Baby in a corner. Like the film version of Kellerman's, the event is also an all-ages affair — and everyone is encouraged to dress up like it's the 60s, but appropriate footwear for dancing is a must. Also, because no one had phones back in the 60s, it's a technology-free experience as well. The only screen that matters: the big one showing the movie, of course.
Glittery mirror balls, synth-heavy disco tunes and pizza — it's a Saturday night match made in heaven and it's the combo that's going to end your year right at Connie's Italian Diner. On December 31, the modern trattoria and much-loved party spot is combining its favourite things for a NYE party to remember. The venue's opening its leafy rooftop terrace, firing up its dance floor and inviting you to spend your final evening of 2022 getting down to a soundtrack of Italo-Disco tunes. Nab yourself a $125 ticket and you'll enjoy four hours of free-flowing drinks to match — including beer, vino, bubbles and a slew of aperitivo cocktails. Because what's a rooftop party without a few spritzes or Americanos? To fuel you up for all that dancing, they'll also be rolling out lots of Italian-style snacks; from mozzarella sticks, to arancini, to Connie's signature pizza varieties. And we reckon that terrace will offer a pretty good peek of the midnight fireworks, too.
Some folks like to celebrate the big 1-8 by hitting a bar for some birthday bevs. But for long-running fish and chip joint Hunky Dory, that 18th birthday is set to be all about the chippies. Crisp, golden, free chippies, in fact. On Wednesday, December 7, the fish and chipper is clocking up 18 years of life, and it's marking the occasion with a food giveaway of hefty proportions. It's shouting customers free chips at every single one of its 16 Aussie stores, 14 of which are located right here in Melbourne. Simply head into your local Hunky Dory outpost from 11am on the day and you can nab yourself a free mini bucket of their freshly cooked, signature hot chips, as long as stocks last. No catch (pun intended). Of course, while you're there, we won't blame you if you're tempted to explore the rest of the menu, packed full of fresh seafood options, nourishing bowls, and classic fish and chip packs. Find Hunky Dory's Victorian stores in Balaclava, Bentleigh, Epping, Highett, Moonee Ponds, Oakleigh, Richmond, Eastland, South Melbourne, South Yarra, Templestowe, Port Melbourne, Watergardens and Broadmeadows.
For a vibrant dose of Mexican-meets-Californian flavour this summer, you don't need to jump on a plane. Instead, simply head coastward to Sorrento, where chef Paul Wilson is taking over beachfront restaurant Morgan's for his lively new Mexi-Cali pop-up, Fiesta en La Playa. From Thursday, December 15–mid-March, your tastebuds are invited on a colourful jaunt through Mexico, California and Latin America. You'll tuck into fare like nixtamal tortillas (made using a special corn preparation method), Sonoran-style hot dogs with achiote mustard and chipotle adobo, a slew of punchy ceviche dishes, lamb barbacoa tacos finished with a tamarind chilli mole, and more. There's a guacamole bar for those after an avo fix, and Wilson's even nodding to an old mate via the Bourdain's Bone Marrow Taco — a meeting of slow-cooked beef tongue, cheek and brisket done Puebla-style, paired with salsa verde. Dessert is also sorted with options like a coffee tequila flan and chilli-salted mango salad. And thirsty punters can enjoy icy brews, local wines and a stack of Mexi-Cali sips — including palomas aplenty and six different styles of margarita.
Even if you really, really can't stand films/TV/books about self-involved twenty-something-year-old white people trying to figure their lives out, Frances Ha is poised to charm. Its secret? That's not easy to pin down, although it almost certainly has to do with star Greta Gerwig, and the total her-ness that pervades the film. It's full of energy and optimism and is, for a black-and-white arthouse film, utterly devoid of pretentiousness. Gerwig wrote this script together with director (and love friend) Noah Baumbach (Greenberg). Though she didn't necessarily envision herself in the lead role, it fits her perfectly, serving as a vehicle for an actor who doesn't quite fit the Hollywood mould to show off her charms. Goofy, socially awkward and totally "undateable", Gerwig's Frances Halladay is one of the most loveable characters you'll meet this year. Her 28th year ends up being a difficult one, as her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) drifts away and she misses out on a position at the dance company she's been training with. These two challenges — BFF break-ups and self-actualisation — are the ones that matter here, though there's also the peripheral distraction of boys: the one who leaves her when she won't move in with him (Michael Esper), and friends Lev (Girls' Adam Driver) and Benji (Michael Zegen), who end up her (sometimes awkwardly) platonic roomies. Frances Ha is a story about coming of age, the late way we tend to do it now. Our heroine is sorting through which parts of so-called maturity are sensible to leading a good life, and which parts are just bullshit. And she's doing it with a scrappy pluck we can all get behind. It's all wonderfully tangential, sweet and unerringly funny, and it will have you dancing to Bowie's 'Modern Love' for days and days. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cw1euaNtuXM
After ten successful years running The Gertrude Street Projection Festival, The Centre for Projection Art has decided to try something new: the MiNi Festival, a mini but mighty nocturnal playground of projection art and installations. Running for two nights, from September 21–22, the free community-driven event will showcase spectacular light compositions from local artists. Local artist Kate Geck, recognised for her incredible kaleidoscopic projections, is the festival's feature artist. Geck's immersive and constantly changing images will be projected across the gardens. It will also respond to interaction so the audience has an opportunity to participate. Also exhibiting will be emerging artists from Yarra Youth Services. Working collaboratively with a moving screen and storytelling machine, the artists will utilise cutting-edge animation software to transform the public space into captivating works of art. The MiNi Festival will be held in the Atherton Gardens Precinct, a public housing estate in Fitzroy. So, while it's nice to see pretty colours projected onto otherwise lacklustre bricks and mortar, there's a little more to the story. After lots of careful research, creative development and consultation with the community, the organisers decided to highlight this location and help reduce the stigma around public housing. A little food for thought while you're basking in those beautiful lights.
Wednesday nights in Melbourne mean one thing: hitting up the Queen Victoria Market's usual midweek — and after-dark — offering. During winter, it celebrates the frosty season with an appropriate spread. Across spring this year, it's been oozing Euro vibes. Now, with the warm weather upon us for another year, it's bringing back its legendary Summer Night Market. After last running earlier in 2022, from January–April, the event is returning every Wednesday from November 23–March 15. That means that Melburnians can look forward to a fresh 15-week run, and to a heap of places to browse, buy from, eat at and sip drinks from, with more than 125 different shops, stalls and bars on the lineup. Each week, the Summer Night Market will feature a mouthwatering lineup of food vendors slinging street eats from every corner of the globe. We're talking rigatoni al pesto with saffron and stracciatella from That's Amore Cheese, lobster rolls and popcorn prawns courtesy of George the Fishmonger, and The Cypriot Kitchen's famed halloumi chips. Mr Miyagi is also making its Summer Night Market debut, serving up peking duck, soft shell crab and salmon nori street tacos — and so is Ripe Cheese, doing flambéed Milawa camembert topped with biscotti crumble, spiced baby figs and drizzled with brand; and Mr Yes and Mr No, if you're fond of hummus bowls. Similarly on offer: all sorts of spherical sweet treats from the doughnut masters at Taki's Balls, Portuguese tarts via Casa Nata, and cartoon-themed snacks such as fairy floss and mini donuts from Son in Law. To wash it all down and quench your summer thirst, you'll find no less than four dedicated festival bars — one focusing on mojitos, another doing sangria, a dedicated general cocktail spot and a Brick Lane caravan — along with drinks stalls from the likes of Antagonist Spirits. As always, there'll be a program of live, local tunes to soundtrack your food-focused wanderings, including DJ sets and roving performers. And, for a little midweek shopping action, see the diverse range of artisan maker stalls, brimming with an array of handmade gifts, homewares, fashion and more.
"Your little cinematic universe is about to change forever." That's how Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) describes being asked to enter the Marvel realm in the first trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine. After that, he calls himself "Marvel Jesus". How true the Merc with a Mouth's words will prove won't be known until July 2024, when the full film hits cinemas — but the trailer itself has already made history. Disney premiered the debut sneak peek at the 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving this year, during the 2024 Super Bowl — so, on Monday, February 12 Down Under. Within 24 hours, it had become the most-watched movie trailer of all time, notching up a whopping 365-million views. The game itself also became the most-watched Super Bowl ever, attracting 123.7-million viewers in America alone to see the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers to win back-to-back titles. (And, yes, to also see Taylor Swift watching along before she brings her Eras tour to Australia.) But on top of the folks who caught the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer during the game, another 240-million-plus people sought it out online. Announced in 2022, Deadpool & Wolverine gives the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe something that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool will officially become a part of the MCU. So will X-Men hero Wolverine. So, they're about to become the franchise's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Hugh Jackman (Faraway Downs) are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine is part of the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Also starring: Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World), Morena Baccarin (The Endgame), Rob Delaney (Argylle) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), as well as Leslie Uggams (American Fiction) and Karan Soni (Miracle Workers). Check out the first Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below — if you haven't already or you're keen to again: Deadpool & Wolverine will release in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
Performance art has earned itself a solid reputation as being kind of crazy. Artists can go to extreme lengths to push their audiences or examine an issue. But, while this show is comprised of challenging performance works from four talented Australian artists, the results are much more silly than they are crazy. Something Happened is a collection of recorded performance pieces from Ross Coulter, Hannah Jackson, Tanya Lee and Stuart Ringholt. Baring all in bizarre public and private situations these artists examine our understanding of embarrassment. Why do we blush? Why do we think modesty is a good thing? Why can't we all just be naked all the time? Or maybe that last question will be posed by just one of the artists. Earlier this year Stuart Ringholt hosted a nude daytime disco at MOMA. Similarly Ross Coulter's work has been known for a sense of silliness — in 2011 he set flight to 10,000 paper planes inside the State Library of Victoria. We don't yet know how Jackson and Lee feel about nudity and origami but we're excited to find out.
UPDATE, FEBRUARY 15: Moonlight Cinema has now dropped its March program, which'll take the openair cinema through until the end of its 2019–20 season on Sunday, March 29. Highlights include Oscar-winner Parasite, the creepy new version of The Invisible Man and a couple of chances to see Margot Robbie unleash mayhem in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). You can also enjoy a blast from the past with The Dark Knight and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. UPDATE, JANUARY 18: Moonlight Cinema has revealed its February lineup, with a fresh batch of films coming to the outdoor venue. Recent gems such as Little Women and 1917 will screen alongside old-school hits such as Mean Girls, Ghost, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and a sing-along session of Grease (yes, it's playing on a summer night). You can also head along to a pooch-focused night of movies thanks to a collaboration with Top Dog Film Festival, who'll be presenting a best-of screening. Like all sessions at Moonlight, you can bring your pupper along, too. When Moonlight Cinema returns for its 2019–20 season, the annual feast of outdoor movies will give film fans exactly what we all want. Sure, we're all keen to roll out our picnic blankets, sit under the stars and stare up at the big screen — but, given that this openair cinema launches at the end of each and every year, we also want Christmas movies. In the week leading up to the big festive day, Moonlight will screen Last Christmas, Die Hard, Home Alone, Love Actually and Elf. Yep, all the basics are covered. They're not the only highlights from the just-dropped November, December and January program, but they sure do twinkle brightly among a heap of other movie standouts. If you're wondering what else will tempt your inner cinephile from November 28, it's a lengthy list. With recently or newly released movies a big part of Moonlight's lineup, expect to watch Rocketman, Hustlers, Joker, Ford v Ferrari, Knives Out, Cats, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker and Charlie's Angels — and, in some cities, to see Brad Pitt twice thanks to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Ad Astra. Moonlight also showcases advanced screenings of upcoming films, so add the Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie-starring Bombshell and Tom Hanks in It's A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood to your must-see pile. Going retro, the outdoor cinema will mark 20 years since The Matrix with an anniversary screening, and revisit last year's A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody. Dirty Dancing is also on the bill, like every year — it wouldn't be a Moonlight without it. As always, Moonlight will also boast its usual food truck and licensed bar offering, and its reserved bean beds. You can also BYO booze and bring your dog.
The Russell Street space most recently home to Twenty-Pho Seven has had a shake-up. It has transformed into the neon-lit Straight Outta Saigon — and it no longer serves up pho 24 hours a day. Owners Midawell Phal, Thai Ho and George Do — also the minds behind Hochi Mama — are sticking with the vibrant Vietnamese flavours they've made a name for, but this time around they've created a space that's little more intimate and a menu designed for long 6pm dinners instead of speedily slurped bowls of 3am noodle soup. Now, to match a strengthened focus on the restaurant's dine-in experience, the menu is more extensive, with everything from traditional soups to modern snacks and slow-cooked meats. You'll find stand-outs like a signature pho, in a range of beef, chicken, ox-tail and vegan varieties, with a sprawling lineup of add-ons to match. Small plates might include the likes of traditional beef betel leaf skewers, fresh rice paper rolls stuffed with crisp pork belly or tofu, and a couple of sliders inspired by the humble banh mi. Larger feasts call for plates like the caramelised lamb ribs, served with spicy sauce and slaw, a serve of fried chicken winglets, or the restaurant's rendition of thit kho starring six-hour slow-cooked pork. If you've got at least two diners, you can save the decision-making and order the $27.50 chef's menu, featuring two smalls, two large plates and a side. And groups of eight or more can take advantage of a shared set menu for an easy $35 each. A comfy, neon-splashed design sets the tone of the space, while the bar offering's also one to keep you sticking around. You'll find imported Asian brews for cutting through the spice, alongside playful cocktails like the namesake Straight Outta Saigon — a punchy fusion of vodka, cucumber, lemon, mint and ginger beer, spiked with fresh red chillies. Find Straight Outta Saigon at 138–144 Russell Street, Melbourne. It's open from 11.30am–3pm and 5.30–11pm daily.
From piecing together messages or wondrous discoveries hidden among the stars, to using the constellations as a guiding force for navigation, or simply sitting back and admiring the view, stargazing has proven to be an enduring hobby. To honour this, Vivid Sydney is taking to the skies with the return of its stunning annual drone shows, in partnership with the Australian Traffic Network. Across six nights from Sunday, May 28, you'll be able to look up and witness over 1000 drones lighting up the night sky to create the biggest drone show the Southern Hemisphere has seen to date. Written in the Stars will take audiences on a visual exploration of space, delving into the natural world of our solar system by featuring awe-inspiring landscapes from the Sun through to Jupiter — along with some unexpected stops and visitors. A rework of Gustav Holst's 'The Planets' by Peewee Ferris will soundtrack the shows, available via the Cinewav app (which you can download here), to heighten the experiential journey. And you'll be able to marvel at these sights for free. Catch the recurring light shows from 9.10pm from your vantage point of Circular Quay or The Rocks. This event will only light up Sydney Harbour for six nights throughout the duration of Vivid Sydney 2023. Written in the Stars is running from 9.10pm on Sunday, May 28 and Wednesday, May 31 then June 4th, 7th, 12th and 14th. For more information, visit the website.
Few actors in Hollywood are as baffling as Nicholas Cage. From his Academy Award winning turn in Leaving Las Vegas to his self-effacing double act in Adaptation, he's repeatedly proven himself an actor of incredible talents. And yet for every great film on his resume, there's a Wicker Man or Vampire's Kiss. Even some of Cage's best performances, such as in Kick-Ass or Bad Lieutenant, blur the line between brilliant and batshit. Then there are films like National Treasure and Bangkok Dangerous, where it seems like the only thing he cared about was getting paid. So which version of Cage is in the newly released Joe — the genius, the madman or the hack? As it happens, we're pleased to report that director David Gordon Green gets one of the actor's best performances in some time. A brooding shard of contemporary Southern Gothic, Joe stars Cage as a short-tempered ex-convict doing his best to stay out of trouble. Living in rural Texas, he makes his money leading logging crews, and is well liked by everyone who works for him. When 15-year-old Gary (Tye Sheridan) approaches him for a job, Joe takes the teenager under his wing. The dynamic between Joe and Gary provides the backbone of the film, recalling the surrogate father-son pairing in last year's critical darling Mud. The comparison is obvious, least of all because both films starred Sheridan, who grows increasingly more impressive with every passing role. But Gordon Green trades Mud's lyricism for a grimmer, more hard-edge tone. When Joe finds out that Gary's alcoholic father (played with chilling menace by non-actor Gary Poulter) is acting abusive, his own brutal temperament comes to the fore. In a way, it feels like the part Cage was born to play. Joe is a character of deep, internal contradiction — selfless, but wracked by a violent anger that he struggles to control. It's fascinating watching Cage play a man who is constantly trying to restrain himself, when as an actor he's best known for throwing caution to the wind. Certainly, it's among the most restrained performances in his more than 30 year career, and a reminder of how good he can really be.
When Lido Cinemas launched in mid-2015, it do so by offering $5 tickets for a day. Consider the Hawthorn picture palace's ten-year celebrations a blast from the past, then. To mark a decade of screening flicks to film fans, the Glenferrie Road venue is doing discounts, bringing back that $5 deal for a whole week. Catch a movie between Thursday, August 7–Wednesday, August 13, 2025 — other than attending special events — and that price is all that you'll pay. [caption id="attachment_1014610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gavin John[/caption] More discounts apply if you're keen for something to eat or drink: there'll be $5 choc tops, plus $10 medium combos featuring popcorn and a drink. That means that you can get your film and snacks covered for less than the cost of a ticket at Lido's regular prices. If you're thinking that it's the cinema's birthday but film lovers are the ones getting the presents, you're right. Here's another: a ten-year anniversary retrospective season across the week that's fittingly playing ten films from the past decade that Lido has been operating, all of which will only cost $5 to see. Starting with Mad Max: Fury Road and ending with Challengers, every one of them is exceptional. [caption id="attachment_1014611" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gavin John[/caption]
When The Simpsons first found its way into viewers' hearts, it also made its way to the top of the charts. Yes, back in 1991, 'Do the Bartman' hit number one in Australia. Both before and since, the hit animated sitcom hasn't shied away from crooning a tune or two — and if you've now got "Dr Zaius, Dr Zaius, ohhhhh Dr Zaius" or "Who holds back the electric car? Who made Steve Guttenburg a star?" stuck in your head, then you know what we're talking about. The show has sung many a song, and also released many an album — and it's 1997's Songs in The Key of Springfield that's in the spotlight at this Melbourne show of the same name. One night. One huge record. So many catchy songs. That's what's on the agenda from 8pm on Wednesday, April 24. Sing along to everything from 'Can I Borrow a Feeling?' to 'See My Vest' to 'We Put The Spring in Springfield' as they're performed live by Boadz. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 on the night, with the tunes going down at The Toff in Town.
From clowns to furry critters to dolls, 80s and 90s pop culture drew plenty of scares from childhood staples. Decades later, Hollywood is conjuring up plenty more by bringing it all back again. With the IT remake not only working a charm back in 2017, but releasing a star-studded sequel later this year, the folks behind it are reviving another old favourite: Child's Play. While the horror franchise released its last instalment, Cult of Chucky, as recently as 2017, the new Child's Play is starting all over again. Remaking the original 1989 movie, it'll re-introduce the world to the psychopathic flame-haired plaything with a lust for murder. This time, the toy will terrorise Aubrey Plaza, who plays a young mother to a son who comes into possession of the knife-wielding doll. Whether you've seen any of the seven other Chucky flicks or are too creeped out by the idea to watch, you can probably guess where the story goes — this time, however, the murderous plastic moppet has been updated for the 21st century. And if you're excited about the character's comeback, then you'll be just as excited to know that even more is in store, with a Child's Play TV series also in the works. Check out the unsettling first trailer for the new Child's Play movie below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFy8ZgLd574 Child's Play releases in Australian cinemas on June 20, 2019.
When it comes to Melbourne's bars, there's a lot on offer, including glorious views of the water from various locations across the city. From the beach to the river, bars across the city have positioned themselves to take advantage of the stunning aquatic landscape while serving up some stellar food, drinks and chill vibes. To make sure you don't miss out on these marvels, we've put together a list of the best Melbourne bars offering cold brews and spectacular views.
Repertoires of Contention sees Mexico City-based artist Joaquín Segura team up with local artist Tony Garifalakis for a fascinating exhibition that considers the global role of artists, and the cultural institutions that challenge perceptions and encourage public debate. The unlikely duo first met at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York and found they share a similar outlook on global power structures and the way they are encouraged and simultaneously resisted. Repertoires of Contention features textile, video, installation, photographic and intervention works and explores the similarities in the pair's ideologies, despite their vast geographical differences in the place they live and work. Named after a social theory that describes the tools organised groups can use to protest and resist, Repertoires of Contention presents this interconnectedness in an exciting and enlightening exhibition. Repertoires of Contention is on now at Gertrude Contemporary until Saturday, November 4. Image: Curator Ivan Muñiz Reed with artists Joaquín Segura and Tony Garifalakis, courtesy of Joaquín Segura.
If you've ever worn a little black dress, then you owe Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel a big thank you. Depending on your choice of suit, bag and perfume, you might owe her some gratitude there as well. The French designer's influence upon 20th-century fashion extends far and wide — and, even though she passed away in 1971, her imprint can be felt in the 21st century as well. So, when the NGV International sends some love her way at its next blockbuster exhibition, it'll have plenty to cover. Displaying at the St Kilda Road gallery from Sunday, December 5, 2021–Monday, April 25, 2022, Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will arrive fresh from its current stint at Paris' Palais Galliera. Its stop in Melbourne is its first international jaunt, in fact. On show will be pieces from the French venue, as well as from the Patrimoine de Chanel, the fashion house's heritage department. More than 100 garments will grace the NGV's walls and halls, with the exhibition charting her career. You'll also be able to see what Chanel achieved with perfume, jewellery and accessory design, too. Some pieces will date back more than a century, given that the fashion icon opened her first boutique in Deauville in 1912, before making the leap to her own Parisian couture house in 1918. Expect to check out everything from black threads — obviously — to lace gowns, wool jersey and tailored tweed suits, and an array of beaded garments. As you peer at Chanel's designs, you'll see how womenswear developed, and both how and why she's left a mark that still lingers today. [caption id="attachment_819495" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gabrielle Chanel (designer). Dress, spring–summer 1925, silk guipure lace, silk organza flower. Patrimoine de Chanel, Paris. Photo © Julien T. Hamon.[/caption] The NGV is also adding its own Chanel pieces to the exhibition, such as a white lace Evening dress that dates back to 1933, and a shirred red silk velvet and marabou-lined evening cape from around 1924–26. They'll form part of a showcase that's split into themed sections, with different parts devoted to her early work, the way her design language evolved in the 1920s and 1930s, the iconic scent that is Chanel No 5, and how the brand's pieces have favoured a look best described as "austere luxury". Also getting their own themed strands: suits, accessories and jewellery. To launch Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, which will be ticketed — and will be the first-ever exhibition in Australia that'll solely focus on Chanel's contributions to fashion and culture — the NGV is bringing back its black-tie NGV Gala, which'll take place on Saturday, December 4. [caption id="attachment_819496" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Gabrielle Chanel, c. 1930s, photograph by André Kertész. Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine. Photo © Ministère de la Culture–Médiathèque del'architecture et du patrimoine, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais /André Kertész. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria.[/caption] Announcing the exhibition, NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM said that "there is no bigger name in 20th-century fashion design than Gabrielle Chanel. Her originality, timelessness and elegance forged a radically modern vision of fashion and a singular style. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will be expansive, visually sumptuous and will reveal the achievements and enduring legacy of the extraordinary French fashion designer." If you decide to wear a little black dress while you're checking out all things Chanel this summer, you'll likely have plenty of company. Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto will display at the NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne from Sunday, December 5, 2021–Monday, April 25, 2022. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the gallery's website. Top image: Anne Sainte-Marie in a Chanel suit, photograph by Henry Clarke, published in Vogue US, 1955, retouched by ARCP. ParisMusées. © Henry Clarke, ParisMusées /PalaisGalliera/ADAGP. Copyright Agency, 2021.
If you were out and about near Princes Bridge any time last December, chances are you spied some brave souls fanging it over the Yarra on a zipline. No, you weren't dreaming — that was indeed the 130-metre-long Firefly Zipline, which for a short, sell-out season had people soaring from Federation Square to Alexandra Gardens enjoying a unique adrenaline rush. And now, it's back. Yep, from Friday, December 16–Saturday, January 28, Firefly Zipline will make its return for an extended run of thrills (and hopefully no spills). Speed-demons of any age will be able to book a ticket, don a safety harness and helmet, and enjoy a hurtling flight over the Yarra, either solo or alongside a mate. Cruising six metres above the water and clocking speeds of up to 35 kilometres per hour, it's the ride you never knew you needed in your life. And just in case you need a little more adrenaline this summer, Firefly is unveiling a new experience for the season, dubbed the Firefly Quick Jump. Once you've got your kicks soaring over water, you can put your wits to the test with a simulated freefall experience off the top of a 10-metre-high platform. There's no age limit for zipline flyers, though anyone under 18 will need a parent or guardian present to sign their waiver, and kids under 16 will have to ride with a paying adult. You'll also need to weigh between 25 and 120 kilograms to jump aboard. It's recommended you get in quick though, with limited tickets available. Firefly Zipline will operate multiple sessions daily from December 16–January 28. Tickets are $59 for adults, $49 for kids and $195 for a family of four. The Quick Jump clocks in at $25, with combo tickets available. Buy yours online.
The clue is in the name with this one: this High Street site is dedicated to all things knitting. The charming retail space and workshop houses all the colours, types and sizes of yarn your heart could desire, from baby-brushed alpaca and eco-cotton to fine Donegal tweed and silk mohair. You'll also find all the accessories to help get the job done too, such as lace needles, needle sets, crochet hooks, stitch holders, pom-pom makers and rulers. If you're new to the knitting game or want to improve your skills, Woolarium also offers spinning and knitting classes for all skill levels. Images: Julia Sansone
Start your weekend off right with a little Saturday morning yoga, complete with breathtaking views of the city. QT Melbourne has teamed up with much-loved Los Angeles yoga brand Bender to host a pair of weekend yoga sessions set to deep house music — and held atop its spectacular Russell Street hotel. It's all set to go downward dog from 8am on Saturday March 3, and again at the same time the following week. The classes run for a cool 75 mins and are suitable for all skill levels. The early start probably won't appeal to anyone who's had a big Friday, but is perfect for people hoping to make the most of their precious days off. After class, yogis will be treated to a selection of juices and freshly-cracked coconuts. The QT's signature restaurant, Pascale Bar & Grill, will also be open for breakfast – or you can grab a coffee and a pastry from the hotel's cafe, Cake Shop.
After almost two decades of dishing up its signature rock 'n' roll-infused revelry, Melbourne's legendary live music hot-spot Cherry Bar has reached the end of an era. Co-owner and booker James Young took to Facebook in January to break the news, revealing the bar will close its famed AC/DC Lane doors for the final time on March 31 this year. It's not been sold, and Young is firm on the fact that it never will be. Rather, this is a case of pulling up roots and scouting out a new home for the venue, in an effort to ensure the Cherry Bar legacy lives on strong. "It is my intention to take the name, the staff and the sticky carpet to a new Melbourne address with a long lease and a safe and secure future for live local music and late night rock n roll revelry," the post states. So despite the sudden closure, fans can (sort of) rest easy — the team's revealed it's currently in talks with ten different venues across the city to work to find the perfect digs for this icon's next phase of life. Which is a relief, seeing that fellow CBD live music venue Lounge has announced it will close in April. The Cherry Bar story has been as colourful as it is long, the space playing host to everyone from the Arctic Monkeys to Lady Gaga, and amassing an army of die-hard fans over its lifetime. Back in 2014, the venue took just three days to crowdfund $90,000 for necessary soundproofing works, following the threat of mass noise complaints from a new residential building erected next door. You've got until the end of the month to catch Cherry Bar in its original habitat — drop by for its David Bowie party on Sunday, March 10 or a gig on any other night of the week. Stay tuned for details on its next home, coming soon. Find Cherry Bar at AC/DC Lane, Melbourne until March 31. The bar's open late every night of the week. Images: Visit Victoria/Jake Roden. Updated: March 3, 2019.
Melbourne's annual celebration of all things hoppy is very nearly upon us. Well, sort of. This year's Good Beer Week isn't happening until May — but, as is tradition, the folks behind the festival are tapping a few kegs early for the GBW Gala Showcase. Returning to The Atrium in Federation Square, the 2018 gala will take place over two days — the Friday is already sold out, but there are still tickets to the Thursday session. In addition to giving punters their first official look at the GBW program, the event will be attended by more than 30 local breweries and will feature masterclasses, brewer meet and greets, and plenty to eat and drink. Entry to the Good Beer Week Gala Showcase is $50 and includes a tasting glass and 20 60mL samples from the 100-plus different beers on offer. You'll also get a $10 food voucher to use at vendors.
Since Samson & Delilah arrived in 2009, earned the Cannes Film Festival's prestigious Caméra d'Or for Best First Feature and proved an instant great of Australian cinema, every project from filmmaker Warwick Thornton has been a must-see. He got spooky with ghost-story anthology The Darkside, pondered the nation's relationship with the Southern Cross in documentary We Don't Need a Map and explored the country's race relations in blistering historical drama Sweet Country. Then, he co-directed the second season of the Mystery Road TV series, turned the camera on himself in meditative small-screen doco The Beach and was also behind vampires-in-the-outback show Firebite. Thornton is an Aussie icon. With his latest project, he has also joined forces with a fellow Aussie icon: Cate Blanchett. The Oscar-winning actor is following up her award-nominated role in Tár earlier in 2023 with Thornton's new film The New Boy — and playing a renegade nun in 1940s Australia, no less. As the just-dropped trailer shows, The New Boy heads to a remote monastery with a mission for Indigenous children, where Sister Eileen (Blanchett) is in charge. In a sneak peek filled with golden hues and bubbling with a thoughtful mood, her faith is tested when the titular child (newcomer Aswan Reid), a nine-year-old orphan, arrives and has his own experience with religion, which clashes with the mission's take on Christianity. Thornton writes and directs The New Boy, as he did with with Samson and Delilah and We Don't Need a Map. He also does triple duty as his own cinematographer, as he also has with the bulk of his filmography. And, on-screen, Deborah Mailman (Total Control) and Wayne Blair (Seriously Red) feature alongside Blanchett and Reid. Unsurprisingly given its helmer, star and the former's Cannes history, The New Boy premiered at the prestigious French film festival in May, and enjoys its first Aussie screening as the opening-night film at the Sydney Film Festival. After that, audiences Australia-wide will be able to check out the dream pairing of Thornton and Blanchett — and the movie debut of Reid — when The New Boy hits cinemas in general release on Thursday, July 6. Check out the trailer for The New Boy below: The New Boy opens in Australian cinemas on July 6.
IKEA and Ideabox, a U.S. architectural firm, have teamed up to create a line of fully furnished, prefabricated houses. The new homes, called Aktiv, are one-bedroom dwellings filled with space saving furniture and the usual Ikea fare, including Tundra maple flooring, Pax wardrobes and Abstrakt cabinets. Designed to be eco-friendly, the outside of the home will be made from a combination of fibre cement, corrugated metal and a standing seam metal roof. The Aktiv house is equipped with a dual-flush toilet and energy-star electronics to ensure it is more environmentally sound too. The house will incorporate the fun and design of Ideabox houses together with the functionality, design and personality of IKEA. The Aktiv is set to be priced from US$86,500. Prefab homes have already taken off overseas, and are set to provide Australians with an increasingly attractive construction option in the years to come. Check out ten incredible prefab home designs here. [via PSFK]
Inspired by a family trip to New York City, Ryan and Jess Kurban's bagel cafe on Bridge Road in Richmond prides itself on fresh, organic produce from local suppliers. Everything here is made in-house by a team of dedicated chefs who have your satisfaction at the forefront of every creation. After all, Bissel is yiddish for "a little bit", meaning everyone is going to find something to satisfy. Choose from a range of either plain, sesame, poppyseed, rye, onion, blueberry or cinnamon and raisin bagels with gluten free and vegan alternatives also available. Most of the bagels are appropriately named after New York landmarks, with the 'New Yorker' itself setting the tone with perfectly melted buffalo mozzarella, napoli sauce, bechamel, pepperoni and fresh basil. If you're after something closely akin to a classic Aussie breakfast, opt for the 'Wall Street', which is every bit as indulgent as the name suggests. Featuring fried eggs, bacon, hash browns and a sausage patty, its everything McDonalds wishes it was. The 'New Jersey' is a tamer affair with egg salad, iceberg lettuce, ham, Swiss cheese and a green tomato relish. The 'Little Italy' meanwhile is basically a long lunch, with homemade meatballs in Napoli sauce and buffalo mozzarella. For the vegetarians, give the 'East Village' a go — with homemade spring onion labneh, sliced tomato, red onion and zaatar — or opt for the 'Midtown' which delicious cream cheese, smashed avo, chilly oil and crispy onions. If you're after something authentically New York, then Bissel B's 'PB&J' is your jam, with crunchy peanut butter and homemade raspberry jam. Eat in and grab a coffee and enjoy the ambience in what is an unashamedly loving homage to the Big Apple. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Bagels in Melbourne for 2023
Welcome to Brunswick's next door hall venue, aptly named 'The Hall', has officially re-opened this month, following a top-to-toe refurbishment. For those that weren't aware, this is the old 'Mess Hall' venue, a heritage-listed Masonic Hall with timber beams that arguably belong in a Canterbury cathedral. The new Hall looks much the same, but the 4 Pines crew has polished the space and revamped the menu. The taps are still pouring freshly brewed 4 Pines, naturally. And the food has been designed to match: think pan-Asian snacking plates like battered, crispy eggplant and pork belly bao with slaw and sticky hoisin. You can also load up with some larger dishes — mostly curries. There's a knockout beef Massaman, a red pumpkin curry with baby corn and snake beans, plus the usual suspects like Pad Thai and a 12-hour braised pork belly. Plus, plenty of vegan options to keep everyone happy. Even better, to celebrate the grand opening, The Hall is currently selling curry bowls for $4 a pop (limited to one per person, you greedy monsters). This offer is for a limited time and expires on Friday, 30 June. There's also a Tuesday 'Locals Night', where guests can get 25% off their bill. All you have to do is flash a Brunswick postcode on your licence. Joss Jenner-Leuthart, Managing Director of Welcome to Brunswick, says the new space was designed with community in mind, "When we opened Welcome To Brunswick in 2019, we wanted to be a place that Brunswick locals and visitors could come for no-fuss food, the freshest beer and an easy going local vibe. The Hall now adds casual pan-Asian plates to our food offer and gives locals another reason to come into their local!" The Hall is open five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday (weddings pending) from 5pm to 10pm. You'll probably need to book a seat if you want to nab a $4 curry bowl. The Hall at Welcome to Brunswick is open at 400 Sydney Rd, Brunswick from 5pm–10pm Tuesdays–Saturdays. Images: supplied.
When Banksy opened a hotel back in 2017, the famously elusive British artist did so with a purpose, satirising the industry while drawing attention to the political situation on the West Bank border between Palestine and Israel. Before that, when Banksy unveiled depressing theme park Dismaland in 2015, the artist also made a statement — as you'd expect in a place that featured dodgem cars run by the Grim Reaper, and a model boat pond filled with dead bodies and overcrowded asylum-seeker vessels. This time around, the well-known graffiti figure has launched an online art and homewares store, where customers can buy legitimate Banksy items straight from the source. It wouldn't be a Banksy venture without not only pressing a whole heap of topical points, but adding a few twists, of course. And yes, Gross Domestic Product delivers in both areas. Firstly, while there are currently 22 different items on the store's virtual shelves, you can't just click on everything you want, add them to your cart, type in your card details and wait for a delivery. As the site's opening statement explains, there's a registration system and a limit. Each customer (and each household) can only select one item in total — and before your purchase will even be considered, you'll need to answer a question: "Why does art matter?" Fans have until 11.59pm UK time on Monday, October 28 (9.59am AEDT / 8.59 AEST on Tuesday, October 28) to make their selection and come up with their response. Then, entrants will be selected at random and offered the opportunity to buy their chosen object. Your answer can't be more than 50 words, and it "must not be discriminatory or hateful" according to the terms and conditions. And, there'll be a judge — someone who is "impartial and independent, and a professional stand up comedian". https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ryrXJHbmy/ Yes, you're basically entering a competition to win the chance to buy Banksy pieces, which are "produced by a handful of people using recycled material wherever possible in a workplace culture of daytime drinking," the site explains. If you're still keen, each item has a fixed-price rate that Banksy deems to be well below market value — and wealthy art collectors are strongly encouraged not to apply. Everything comes with a certificate of authenticity and, as for what you can purchase, items range from the stab- and bullet-proof vest that Stormzy wore at Glastonbury, a Girl with Balloon t-shirt that comes pre-shredded, an ordinary wall clock from an office supplies store featuring a Banksy rat, and a home entertainment lighting system made from an old police riot helmet and around 650 small mirrors. With prices ranging from £10–750, perhaps you'd prefer a painted mug, a clutch bag made out of a brick, a TV with a painted Banksy piece over the screen (which "does substantially impair viewing quality", the sale description notes), soft toys caught in real beach debris and thenwall-mounted, a goldfish or a tombstone. As well as discouraging rich art folks from snapping up these goods — and noting that Gross Domestic Product reserves the right to cancel purchases if items are put up for re-sale on other sites — the store also links through to a venture called BBay. It's not up and running yet, but it describes itself as "the approved use Banksy dealership" and "your first choice destination to trade in secondhand art by a third-rate artist", so it might just be a new go-to to buy authentic Banksy pieces. Or, given how much the artist loves to rally against the unhealthy intersection of commerce and art (see last year's remote shredding prank, for example), the store and the site could just be Banksy's latest stunt. GDP does come with a disclaimer, after all: "You are advised that GDP may prove to be a disappointing retail experience — especially if you're successful in making a purchase." Image: The Art of Banksy, Olga Rozenbajgier.
Over the past 65 years, the Melbourne International Film Festival has screened thousands of films, new and old, spanning an array of styles, genres, themes and topics. Still, even though the fest has been living long and prospering, there's one thing the city's major annual cinema showcase hasn't done: they've never featured a science fiction retrospective. Great Scott. Until now, that is. In the words of Keanu: whoa. The 2017 fest is happily casting its eyes back through a wealth of sci-fi greats, so prepare to take quite the trip to a plethora of other worlds. The full program won't be revealed until July 11, but Jules Verne adaptation Invention for Destruction, the Kubrick-influencing Czechoslovak effort Ikarie XB-1, Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress in sci-spy The 10th Victim and genetic engineering thriller These Are the Damned are all on the bill. Elsewhere, the lineup also includes a special Hear My Eyes session of Fantastic Planet, which comes complete with a reimagined live soundscape provided by prog-rock/jazz fusion act Krakatau. And, get ready to spend all night soaking in some sci-fi goodness during a Saturday night movie marathon at The Astor Theatre. Who doesn't want to spend an entire evening in a cinema watching beloved, controversial and under-appreciated faves? That's what film festivals are made for.
