Stuffing wall-to-wall ABBA songs into a flimsy rom-com story, 2008's Mamma Mia! always felt like it was mere seconds away from two things happening. "Have you met my friend Fernando?" Meryl Streep's overalls-clad hotel owner might say, before asking if he can hear the drums. Or Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgård's trio of long-lost exes might compare their romantic plight to history, starting with the words "my my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender". Neither actually occurred in the original big-screen jukebox musical, which adapted the successful stage production of the same name. But if they had, and in such a groan-inducing, eye-roll-worthy fashion, they wouldn't have felt out of place. Shameless cheesiness and trying to shoehorn in as many of the Swedish pop group's tracks as possible was the name of the game the first time around — and it's a tune that sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is still blasting. Thankfully, there's slightly more nuance, plot and comedy in this repeat spin. Slightly. Crucially, as returning and new cast members alike croon and swoon against the movie's bright, breezy Greek island setting, there's also a boost in singing talent. First things first: 'Fernando' and 'Waterloo' do get a whirl in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and in situations very close to those described above. The off-screen team is mostly new here, but it still feels like these films write themselves. In fact, while writer-director Ol Parker (Now Is Good) works with a story also credited to romantic-comedy maestro Richard Curtis (Love Actually) and Mamma Mia! playwright Catherine Johnson, he's basically rehashing the same tale. In the first movie, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) sent wedding invitations to the three men (Firth, Brosnan and Skarsgård) that her mother Donna (Streep) had flings with when she was conceived. This time around, the movie jumps between Sophie's present-day preparations to relaunch her mum's hotel and Donna's (Lily James) amorous exploits with the guys in question (Hugh Skinner, Jeremy Irvine and Josh Dylan) 25 years ago. Here we go again, indeed. The line in 'Waterloo' about history repeating itself also springs to mind — and if you start framing your thoughts in ABBA lyrics minutes into this follow-up, then the film has done its job. Collecting fans' money, money, money, taking few chances, and asking viewers to cheer and sing along when their favourite songs pop up, the Mamma Mia! franchise does what lazy pop culture celebrations tend to do. In the most superficial, crowd-pleasing, fan-service manner, it mistakes recognising something exists for actually engaging with it. Ready Player One did the same thing earlier this year, just with a different focus — throwing sci-fi and gaming references at the screen to nod to beloved characters, movies and titles, but without ever delving any deeper. Still, in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again much more than in its predecessor, the approach hits a few melodic notes. Or rather, the exuberant James does, alongside the other series newcomers that play younger versions of existing characters, and Cher as Sophie's grandmother. It helps that the story feels a little less like dead air between songs in this second outing, that the film has a pronounced rhythm rather than just smashing tracks together, and that the song-and-dance choreography is more polished. That said, having energetic talent who can hold a tune helps even more. Battling it out with Christine Baranski (playing one of Donna's life-long best friends) as the franchise's true star, you'll thank James for the music. Courtesy of her performance, you'll also be able to somewhat overlook the fact that the flick is mostly just famous faces making ABBA music videos amidst gorgeous scenery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcSMdhfKga4
Throughout history gold has been one of the earth's most sought after materials. And for Melbourne Art Week 2018, Station Gallery teams up with Berlin-based Arndt Art Agency to showcase a free exploration of the precious metal with a group show of leading contemporary artists from Europe, Asia and Australia. Focusing on the materiality of gold, Au also considers its more esoteric connotations, including alchemy, the divine and some people's extreme greed for wealth. Across existing and newly commissioned work by 15 Australian and international artists, audiences will get a chance to explore both the gluttonous, spiritual and practical concepts behind gold. Featuring works from leading international creatives such as Swiss installation artist Thomas Hirschhorn, German filmmaker Julian Rosefeldt and Indigenous Australian painter Danie Mellor, Au presents a range of interpretations of gold and its real-world applications and implications.
Your worst nightmares are about to become a reality, Melburnians — in forums, games, conversations and art, that is. If you spend too much time thinking about pandemics, epidemics, disease, extinction, disasters and global warming, then consider Refuge 2018: Pandemic further fuel for thought about the health impacts of climate change. Taking place at North Melbourne Town Hall across August 29 to September 1, the four-day event will ponder the science, scares and questions that pandemic scenarios give rise to in an array of fascinating ways. In interactive game Isolate and Contain! Mapping the Pandemic, you'll build an imaginary virus and map out its spread, while What If? takes you through hypothetical disaster drills — and Practicing for a Disaster will send the Australian Red Cross to homes in North Melbourne and West Melbourne to help them get prepared. Or, you can explore past outbreaks through audio-visual work We Contain Multitudes; try to find a cure to a deadly disease in Outbreak, which is described as part immersive theatre, part escape room; and ponder the very real plight of honey bees in Apitherapy Quarantine. Plus, everything on the program is free — except a survival-focused Supper Club, which combines chats with immunologists, survivalists, anarchists, virologists and ethicists with a meal and drinks.
If pastel wasn't already part of your gig-going wardrobe, it will be at Client Liaison's Expo Liaison, which will be touring the country in August. Announced back in May, the seven-hour event will hit Flemington Racecourse on across August 18, and the headlining duo will have quite the company. Alongside a roster of eight other acts, the duo's own set will also feature The Voice himself, John Farnham. Alice Ivy, Ken Davis, Kon, Luke Million featuring KLP, No Zu, Rainbow Chan and Total Giovanni are all on the bill, plus John Howard doing a DJ set. Whether that's John Howard the former prime minister, John Howard the Aussie actor or just some other guy called John Howard, well, your guess is as good as ours — but Triple J is entertaining the fact that it could be the former. As for the kind of vibe that's in store, the curated event has fest badged "a multimedia, multi-city, multiversal experience" in its promotional material, as well as a "once-in-a-lifetime event". They're the kind of descriptions that plenty of gigs and fests throw around, but, even though the band's being overly hyperbolic, Client Liaison has a track record of delivering more than just the usual shows — or fashion lines or music videos, for that matter.
When Whitney Houston sang 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', the world believed her. It wasn't just the energetic beat or joyous tone that struck a chord, but the dynamic power of Houston's voice. Her prowess wasn't new news — released in 1987, the track was the first single from her second album, and became her fourth consecutive number one single in the US. And yet, when she trilled so explosively about finding someone to dance with, she seemed like a woman who not only wanted to share her life with that one special person, but also wanted to share her talent with the entire planet. With Whitney, director Kevin Macdonald tests that theory. Giving the pop superstar the same probing treatment that has driven his previous movies about Bob Marley, artist Cai Guo-Qiang and fellow documentarian Errol Morris, among others, the filmmaker behind Touching the Void, State of Play and Black Sea explores the what, how and why of Houston's life in a thoughtful and solemn fashion. What did she want out of her career? How did she try to achieve it? Why did her story turn out the way it did? They're the questions at the heart of this birth-to-death portrait, all examining the tragic tale of someone who sang like no one else, crooned hits that were heard around the globe and broke music records, but was rarely able to be herself. If you're already a fan, you'll know the minutiae. Even if you're not, you'll still be aware of Houston's substance abuse issues, and the way that her life came to an end. Macdonald combines candid interviews with Houston's loved ones — including her gospel singer mother Cissy Houston and her ex-husband Bobby Brown — with archival footage, performance clips, family photos, recording demos and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the movie's eponymous figure. Of course, it's not only Houston's specific tale that feels familiar, but the fact that this narrative has played out with plenty of other famous folks of late. Recent documentaries about Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain relayed very similar details, and Whitney: Can I Be Me? tread very similar ground just last year, albeit relying more heavily on backstage footage and focusing more firmly on Houston's relationship with friend Robyn Crawford. Whitney mightn't tell viewers much that's new; however it assembles its various pieces with a force on par with Houston's roaring voice. The editing on display in the film's contextual montages — which weave together ads and events from the time, Houston's work, and intimate photographs — sets a swift pace that never lets up, as Macdonald squeezes as much as he can into the documentary's two-hour running time. There are gaps, with Brown refusing to talk about drug use, and only some parts of Houston's career getting in-depth attention. There are also splashes of particularly incisive, penetrating insight, including a dissection of the impact of race and class. And there's one huge, heartbreaking revelation, although the way it's treated as a third-act twist sits cheaply and uncomfortably. Throughout it all, there's Houston herself. As the rise-and-fall music biopic genre understands all too well, there's no substitute for letting a film's subject prove their merits in their own way, with their own voice and in their own words. In Whitney, it's seeing Houston perform that shapes the documentary's sorrowful melody — and, expressly, seeing her shows evolve over the years. First, she's a bright-eyed teenager making her first TV appearance. Soon, she's the most famous singer in the world, unleashing her distinctive take on 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the 1991 Super Bowl. Later, she's an object of derision during her final tour, which caused walkouts when she came to Brisbane, as the movie shows. Out of all of the above, it's her 1983 rendition of 'Home' on The Merv Griffin Show that echoes throughout the doco, so much so that Macdonald uses it to bookend the picture. With Houston radiant in a purple dress but shining brighter out of sheer talent, the clip perfectly embodies the film's message: that she simply wanted to sing, dance and soar, but couldn't chase away her demons as she chased her dreams. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU2g2w70kG0
Ascot Vale's permanent food truck park has played host to festivals dedicated to everything from espresso martinis to chicken parmas and halal snack packs. Now, it's dedicating Saturday, January 25, to two Aussie boxed favourites: chicken nuggets and goon. Whether your memories of boxed wine include horrifying hangovers or fun rounds of goon of fortune, you'll agree it has long deserved its own day of celebration. As have chicken nuggets — the battered and golden bites could be considered perfection. And what a combo they make. [caption id="attachment_755721" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr via Kristof Arndt[/caption] If you agree with all of the above, head along to The Ascot Lot on Saturday and dig into nuggets fried up by some of the city's favourite food truck parks. If you're vegan, vego or GF, fear not — there'll be options for you here, too. A pop-up goon bar will also be serving boxed wine, goon cocktails and a selection of craft beers and non-alcoholic cocktails. There'll also be DJs, live tunes and fancy dress comps. As always, the food truck park is dog-friendly, so bring along your four-legged pals, too. Entry to the festival is free, but you will need to pre-register over here. Goon & Nugz Festival runs from 12–10pm.
It might not be quite the same as jetting off on an international getaway, but Federation Square is about to get a taste of Miami beach life as part of a two-week pop-up this February. A whole heap of sand will transform the CBD space into a tropical oasis inspired by the beaches of the South Florida city from February 7–20. As well as a 'beach', the pop-up will have lots of deckchairs, cabanas, live music and even its own openair cinema, which will be completely free. You can head along to a screening of Puberty Blues on Friday, February 7, sob (again) to The Notebook on Valentine's Day or cheer on Thelma & Louise on Saturday, February 15 without spending a cent. You can check out the full lineup of films below. There'll be lots of fun snacks, too, so you can laze in a cabana and tuck into ice creams and sliders after work. Watch out, also, fir life-sized seagulls trying to steal your chips. If you head along on opening day at 5pm — and quote a password that'll be shared on Fed Square's Facebook page — you can score yourself one of 100 free ice creams and a performance by Melbourne singer Ernest Aines. FED BEACH FREE MOVIE LINEUP Surf's Up (2007) — Friday, February 7: 6pm Puberty Blues — Friday, February 7: 8pm Delama Warri — Saturday, February 8: 7.30pm Big Wednesday — Saturday, February 8: 8pm Strictly Ballroom — Friday, February 14: 6pm The Notebook — Friday, February 14: 8pm The Goonies — Saturday, February 15: 6pm Thelma & Louise — Saturday, February 15: 8pm Fed Beach is open from 7am–11pm daily.
After opening its first NSW store this month, Taco Bell is throwing open the doors to its long-awaited debut Victorian venue this weekend — on none other than Chapel Street. The South Yarra store opens on Saturday, December 7 — but if you're on the right tram on Friday afternoon, you'll be able to try some of the menu in advance (and for free!). The Taco Bell team will be commandeering the 78 tram, taking passengers on a 'drive-thru' to the new store to get some nosh. To get a seat on the taco tram, you'll have to be at stop #51 on the corner of Chapel and Malcolm streets between midday and 3pm. Once you board the tram, staff will take your order and — like magic — your food will be ready when you pass by the Taco Bell store a few minutes later. You can get off the tram once your food arrives, or continue on with your journey — it's just a regular passenger tram. The first 100 riders will even have their Myki fare covered. Here's hoping you get to try some of the chain's most-loved items: the Crunchwrap Supreme, tortilla chips with nacho cheese sauce and churros. You'll have to wait to try the frozen margaritas in store. Saturday will have lots of opening day action, too — if you head along between 10am and 30m, you'll be able to score some limited-edition merch, tastings and prizes. One lucky taco fan will even win a year's supply of food. As well as South Yarra, a Hawthorn store is slated to open by the end of the year as part of the chain's plans to launch 50 more Australian stores over the next three years.
Ever wondered what happens when you blend electronic tunes with classical music (and a car park)? Find out, when the sixth edition of Play On takes over the Collingwood Underground Car Park next month. Held across three Friday night shows — on March 8, 15 and 22 — the series sets out to smash preconceptions and blur musical genres in a way that'll inspire music-lovers of all persuasions. Each of the dynamic shows features a classical chamber music performance, leading into a contemporary set by an electronic DJ. On March 8, you'll catch a string quartet led by magnetic violinist Kyla Matsuura-Miller, performing works ranging from those of 12th Century composer Hildegard von Bingen to Steve Reich of 1988's 'Different Trains'. DJ Babicka then rounds out the night with an upbeat, dance-floor ready, set inspired by their classical counterparts. The following week, on March 15, sees a world-first collaboration between classical percussionist Thea Rossen and acclaimed electronic duo Sleep D. The final show promises a night of genre-bending fun dished up by Chinese-Australian guzheng (a Chinese plucked string instrument) player Mindy Meng Wang and PBS host DJ Adriana.
This January marks the launch of the South Melbourne Night Market's eleventh summer season, and its program is bigger and tastier than ever, jam-packed with treats suitable for you and anyone you want to bring along. Running Thursday evenings from January 10 until February 28, the twilight sessions will be headlined by a summer-perfect mix of eats and drinks, so you can take full advantage of those balmy nights. Eighteen food trucks, four food marquees and six food carts make up the edible offering, featuring a brand-new oyster bar, croissants from Agathé Patisserie, paella from Simply Spanish and single origin soft serve crafted by the team at Atypic Chocolate. Pair with $5 wines at Bambu (until 7pm) or settle in with an ice-cold craft beer or rosé during a pit-stop at one of Swords' two market bars. Once you've had your fill of eats and drinks, you can browse artisanal wares from the likes of local jewellery label BhunnyDesigns, flowers and plants from Emerald Hill Nursery and classical linens from Chalk N Cheese Clothing, while listening to live tunes. There's even a kids club, so if you're bringing littlies along, you can keep them entertained with some art and craft projects of their own. Entry and rooftop parking is free, with the markets opening at 5.30pm each week. Images: Simon Shiff.
UPDATE, August 23, 2020: Eighth Grade is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. For anyone who's ever been or known a 13-year-old girl, Eighth Grade can be a cringe-inducing experience at times. That's not a criticism, since the film's protagonist does plenty of cringing herself. In the movie's opening moments, Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher) records her latest YouTube video. Although the teen cheerfully dispenses advice about being yourself, she's still a portrait of awkwardness. In between uttering nervous filler words such as "um", "ah", "like" and "you know", Kayla tells her viewers that "being yourself can be hard. And, like, the hard part about being yourself is that it's not always easy". Her nuggets of wisdom couldn't be clumsier, just as her choice of self-help topic couldn't be more standard. But, as she trains her kohl-rimmed eyes on her webcam and desperately tries to convey an air of self-assurance, Kayla is never anything less than earnest and relatable. Attempting to beam the best version of yourself into the online void while secretly crumbling inside (and barely keeping it together on the outside, to be honest): for most, that's the modern human condition. Starting Eighth Grade with Kayla's gawky, well-meaning, confidence-boosting communique is a smart move on the part of writer-director Bo Burnham, who kicks off his debut movie by showing his audience a version of themselves. He's also playing with something that he knows — not being an adolescent girl, clearly, but rather a youthful YouTuber. Before the filmmaker was earning deserved acclaim for this perceptive and poignant coming-of-age tale (and performing stand-up, starring in a short-lived 2013 MTV sitcom and even popping up on Parks and Recreation before that), he was a 16-year-old uploading his own comic clips to the world. With Eighth Grade charting Kayla's final week before graduating from middle school to high school, Burnham keeps dabbling with scenarios and themes that are familiar to everyone — current and former teens included. Wanting to disappear into your chair out of sheer embarrassment? Tick. Being out of your element in a social situation, but putting yourself out there anyway? Tick again. Making a connection and feeling like you've finally been seen? The ticks just keep on coming. Going on a strained date, babbling at your crush, rolling your eyes at everything your parents say, and coining your own catchphrases are all covered too. And, because this is a thoroughly 21st-century flick, so is the omnipresence of screens and devices. Kayla hovers over her classmates' Instagram feeds, and tries to connect with her peers as they're glued to their phones. She also ignores her kindly dad (played by a pitch-perfect Josh Hamilton) in favour of her own handset, and covets the rush of dopamine that springs from likes, messages and digital attention. Teen movies might be as common as Kayla's cracked iPhone, but the best have always ranged beyond the obvious. In the likes of Heathers, Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You and Love, Simon, to name just a few, the genre doesn't just explore the daily reality of an age group caught between childhood and maturity. It also speaks volumes about emotions and behaviour that can linger with us into adulthood, even if we don't want to admit it. While every frame of Burnham's film plunges deep into Kayla's existence, and that of adolescents circa 2018–19, the picture's insights about coping with life feel far more universal. Burnham realises that everyone has felt as anxious, uncertain and out of place as Kayla at some point. He also knows that, more often that we all might like, we still do. Matching the movie's style to its substance, every aspect of Eighth Grade plants viewers firmly in Kayla's shoes. Visually, the film zooms out from her post-it covered bedroom walls, treating her personal space like a hidden world. It tracks her hesitant footsteps through the school hallways as throngs of other awkward kids gaze her way, and approaches her jittery arrival at a popular girl's pool party like a horror flick. Sound-wise, music drowns out everything else whenever Kayla becomes lost in her own thoughts and feelings — when she's swooning over the hot guy in her grade, for example. Elsewhere, snippets of narration from her YouTube clips act like the inner monologue she wishes she had. As effective as every narrative beat, probing shot and well-deployed blast of Enya (yes, Enya) proves, Burnham's savviest move is also his most straightforward. Actually casting a teenager in a movie about a teenager is much more rare than it should be, and Eighth Grade wouldn't be the success it is without Golden Globe nominee Fisher as its star. Fourteen years old at the time of shooting back in 2017, she lives and breathes Kayla's reality, partly because she just lived through it off-screen. While the film isn't a documentary, her naturalistic performance makes it an astute and authentic slice of teenage life from start to finish. Fittingly, although Fisher has been acting since 2009 and has everything from TV series Medium to the Despicable Me movies to her name, Burnham found her via an online video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoxKy3d7Wno
The 90s were great. That shouldn't be a controversial opinion. Whether you lived through them or have spent the last couple of decades wishing you did — aka binging on 90s pop culture — Stay Gold's New Year's Eve shindig will indulge both your retro and your festive urges. Drinks, tunes, fashion: expect all of the above at the No Scrubs: 90s and Early 00s party from 9pm on NYE. Of course, it's up to you to make sure the clothing side of thing is covered, and to get into the spirit of the season. If you want to use Mariah Carey as a style icon, it'd be fitting. Expect to unleash your inner Spice Girl and Backstreet Boy too. TLC, Destiny's Child, Savage Garden, Usher, Blink-182, No Doubt — we'd keep listing artists, but you all know what you're getting yourselves into. Tickets are $15 with the fun running through until 3am.
If you're conscious of sneaking in a bit of 'me' time and self-care before the silly season starts, it could be the perfect time for a little jaunt to Daylesford. From November 16–18, the town, which sits just an hour and a half northwest of the CBD, will play host to the inaugural Live Love Life Weekend. It'll showcase Daylesford as one of regional Victoria's most celebrated wellness destinations, and some of the holistic, health-giving goodness it has to offer. The weekend's program is packed full of food, wine and immersive wellness experiences, from yoga classes and free daily meditation sessions, to a range of expert-led workshops. Break out of your comfort zone with a circus workshop, or let acclaimed chefs Sam Gowing and Alla Wolf-Tasker teach you the art of making meals both healthy and delicious, at the Food as Medicine cooking class. Elsewhere, Tivoli Road Bakery's Michael James leads a class sharing his secrets to crafting beautiful bread, historic local pub The Farmers Arms hosts a series of produce-driven lunches, and Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm is the setting for a day of springtime pampering, including massage, yoga, meditation, reiki, art and dips in the mineral springs.
The slow food movement is the antithesis to fast food — slow lifestyles, shared local produce and clean and environmentally friendly production. And Slow Food Melbourne is celebrating all of this at its latest event, a locally focused seafood festival happening this April. Slow Fish Festival: Save Our Seafood is all about savouring the catch on our doorstep. As we rely on our bays and oceans to provide a constant supply of seafood, the festival is advocating eating sustainably and locally — particularly, the seafood from Port Phillip Bay. Alongside a lineup of educational talks, the festival will feature a whole host of tasty treats from under the sea. There'll be delicacies like sea urchin, abalone and skewered yabbies, as well as your classic go-to fish and chips. Cooking the produce will be some of Melbourne's best chefs, including Anchovy's Thi Le, Frank Camorra from Movida Aqui and Rosa Mitchell from Rosa's Canteen — who will also be hosting cooking demonstrations to inspire mid-week dinners. To complete the feast, there'll be range of craft beers and wines available. Slow Fish Festival will run from 10am–4pm.
Brisbane's Banksy? A street art scourge? A dedicated artist struggling to keep things together? Anthony Lister has been called all three — by the art world, news headlines and even himself. Banksy actually said that the Brissie-born talent appears to piss great art in his sleep, which is quite considerable praise. Galleries, celebrities and brands around the globe have clamoured for his work, though Lister's isn't your usual rise-to-fame story. His first big break came when the Brisbane City Council paid him to paint more than 100 of the city's electrical boxes, only to turn around and prosecute him for vandalism over his other pieces. Then there's his personal life, including a marriage and three kids — commitments that prove increasingly difficult to juggle given his dedication to his jet-setting career. From his sun-drenched childhood in '80s Brisbane suburbia, to life-changing teenage acid trips, to splattering colour all over the walls of his Sydney studio, Have You Seen the Listers? tells the artist's tale. It's a warts-and-all account that pulls absolutely zero punches, and a film that'd be nothing without Lister's deep, reflective candour. He doesn't just voice the documentary's narration, but he also provides much of its footage as well. While his art features prominently, it's accompanied by years of home videos chronicling Lister's everyday life. In fact, thanks to his obsession with filming his own actions, he gifted director Eddie Martin (All This Mayhem) with 12 terabytes of personal photos and recordings. Accordingly, Have You Seen the Listers? combines the artist's archives with his current antics, weaving them into a compelling and fascinating portrait. Viewers see Lister hanging around with his mates, falling for his high-school sweetheart and turning his hobby into his job. And they keep watching as he jumps between countries, tussles with the law on graffiti and drug charges, and proves a loving but often-absent partner and father. Along the way, Lister shares memories, thoughts and regrets, the kind that can only come with pain, trouble and hindsight. With his family situation deteriorating before the audience's eyes, he grapples with his passions and priorities, in what becomes an exploration of chasing a dream, finding success and then coming down the other side. As he did with the exceptional skating documentary All This Mayhem, Martin brings it all together in an insightful, involving and astute fashion. Collaborating with excellent first-time feature editor Johanna Scott, the filmmaker has cemented his status as one of Australia's best documentarians — not only thanks to the story he tells, or the fast and frenetic way it comes together, but also because of how authentic it all seems. Whether the film is throwing drug-addled montages at the screen, or capturing Lister with his kids, or just observing his feverish work, it feels like viewers are being given a direct line into the artist's mindset. There's an unmistakable air of reverence in Martin's approach, but what shines brightest is the movie's respect and empathy for the man at its centre — flaws, failings, frank admissions and all. Enter: the film's title. It springs from one of Lister's pieces, created as part of a moving tribute exhibition for his family, as seen late in the doco. It's also a question with both obvious and not-so-obvious answers. Everyone that's walked along a city street in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne has spotted Lister's work. Thanks to his court cases, international acclaim and general appearances in the media, we've probably all glimpsed his face as well. But have we really seen his different sides, how they contribute to his art and how he's striving to balance everything in his life? Not in this manner. That's the power of Have You Seen the Listers? And like other movies that examine artistic figures, such as Cobain: Montage of Heck and fellow recent Aussie documentary Whitely, the film is at its best when it's unearthing its subject's multifaceted persona, impact and enigma. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPAOMjDvDJw
A Beatles-inspired opera, performed on a rooftop in the heart of the city. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you're in luck, as La Beatles Boheme arrives in Melbourne for a short season next month. A nod to The Beatles' final performance, where the band played atop the Apple Corps building overlooking the London skyline, this new 'opera fusion' show will grace the rooftop of the Flagstaff Carpark, from April 21–29. The latest from Melbourne's Emotionworks Cut Opera, which is known for its mash-ups of traditional opera and other genres, the show fuses classic Beatles hits with the sounds of Puccini's La Boheme. Clocking in at a bite-sized 90 minutes, it's a tragic love story that promises to have you laughing, crying and singing along. And drinking — on-site bar will be serving drinks throughout each show.
The next time you go out dining and drinking and get that warm, fuzzy feeling, it might not be because you've had one too many. Hopefully, it'll be because the money you spent on your meal and beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. That's one of the aims of Scarf's regular dinners, with the proceeds used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. The social enterprise works to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work by raising awareness and funding barriers to employment. To date, 182 young people have been supported through this program. Running on Tuesdays between March 20 and May 15, the series kicks off in line with Cultural Diversity Week, and it's Stomping Ground Beer Hall's turn to play host. Each dinner features a two-course set menu for $45 a head, complete with meals such as grilled Cone Bay barramundi with spinach, fennel and burnt butter, and Black Angus short rib with pearl onions and black cabbage. A dinner that is sure to inspire the community to do some good, this campaign by Scarf will leave you with a full stomach and heart.
This year's Sydney' Writers Festival is so chock full of literary goodness that it's busting through state borders and touching down in Melbourne. Rounding out the end of the festival from May 1 to 22, The Wheeler Centre is set to play host to a huge event series, featuring a selection of exciting guests from SWF, as well as from the Auckland Writers' Festival and the Brisbane Powerhouse. The Mayhem bill has events to tickle just about everyone's fancies, pulling a diverse lineup of speakers to the stage. You'll catch British comedian and Peep Show star Robert Webb chatting modern masculinity with our own Clementine Ford, get some insight into climate change as dished up by US Rolling Stone contributing editor Jeff Goodell, and talk love and lust with the acclaimed André Aciman, who authored the original book behind last year's big screen hit, Call Me By Your Name. Other highlights to squeeze into your Mayhem schedule include talks by New York queer feminist writer Eileen Myles, US neuroscientist David Eagleman, Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz and Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney.
UPDATE, November 23, 2020: Human Flow is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Like the renowned artist he is, Ai Weiwei opens Human Flow with a splash of painterly beauty, one of many that'll be seen over the course of the film's 140 minutes. An aerial shot of the sea fills the screen, its texture glistening, its colour shimmering, and a lone white seagull soaring over its scenic expanse. Even when the movie cuts to its next image — of a vessel filled with refugees powering through the gentle waves — it looks like something from a nature documentary. In a way, that's exactly what Human Flow is: a visually striking exploration of the planet's inhabitants migrating en masse across its surface. Of course, the film is also much, much more than that. Ai has never been one to shy away from politics, and is presently exiled from his Chinese homeland as a result. Returning to a topic he has contemplated repeatedly across his particular blend of art and activism (as also seen in his studio in Lesbos, recent series of New York fences and the 60-metre-long inflatable boat now on display in Sydney), he doesn't hide the documentary's strong viewpoint on the subject at hand. Moving between more than 40 refugee camps in 23 countries in total — from Afghanistan and Israel to Germany and the US — Human Flow both depicts and denounces the reality experienced by the 65 million people currently considered displaced. As the movie informs the audience, that's a level last seen during the Second World War. Interviews pop up throughout, flitting between experts, those trying to assist and a number of the displaced themselves. Lines from poets, writers and thinkers also frequently feature on-screen, speaking of humanity's overwhelming desire to simply be treated with dignity. Further slabs of text provide facts about and add context to the film's geographical segments, while a newsfeed intermittently scrolls across the bottom of the frame. Occasionally, Ai himself makes an appearance, chatting to refugees, bearing witness and trying to grapple with the enormity of the struggles before him. He helps people onto the shore from boats, and at one point swaps his own passport with a Syrian asylum seeker. At a wedding, he even dances. As rousing and resonant as all of the above proves, it's the documentary's main imagery, and the cinematography that goes with it, that makes Human Flow such a stunning achievement. Some shots offer breathtaking bird's-eye views of the masses moving across different landscapes. Others are grainy, urgent and shot on mobile phones, immersing viewers in the daily existence of refugees everywhere. The juxtaposition tells its own story: about the ease of seeing things from afar versus the difficulties of truly diving into the details, and the vastness of the problem at hand versus the personal toll for those trying to find a better life. This film is clearly an emphatic condemnation of the refugee crisis. It's also one that knows that reading headlines is one thing, but that seeing it up close — on the ground, all around the world — is something else entirely. The end result is a moving documentary that's mammoth yet intimate in both its scope and impact. Crucially, it's also heartfelt without overtly tugging at the heartstrings. Again, Ai is well aware that his observational, unhurried images (shot with the assistance of 11 other credited cinematographers) speak for themselves. Forget a picture just being worth a thousand words – Human Flow convincingly and compellingly advocates for millions of lives, for action in a world of apathy, and for not only the free movement of people in need, but the flow of humanity towards them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP5F7-RwVgM
It's been a great 12 months for queer-themed cinema. Moonlight won last year's best picture Oscar, Call Me By Your Name had everyone swooning and transgender drama A Fantastic Woman not only wowed festival crowds, but also picked up this year's best foreign-language Academy Award. They're just the big players, however. There's plenty of other top LGBTIQ+ cinema where they came from. And, in even better news, much of it is heading to Melbourne for the 2018 Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Running through the numbers, it's shaping up to be another impressive fest when MQFF hits up ACMI, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova from March 15 to 26. Across its 12 days and 85 sessions, film buffs can expect 38 features, 14 documentaries and 72 shorts. That includes two world premieres, 12 Australian premieres and 21 Melbourne premieres. For some guidance, see our five best picks of the bunch.
No need to bust out your own red beanie for Melbourne's latest must-attend beer-and-movie event. Once you walk in the door at Moon Dog Craft Brewery, you'll be given your own. How else are you going to become a member of Team Zissou for the night? No, you won't be sailing beneath the seas — you'll be tasting the brand new Moon Dog Zissou brew and watching The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. That's Moon Dog and Tastemakers' contribution to Good Beer Week — and given that it's from the team have previously recreated the Twin Peaks black lodge held a Back To The Future-style 'Enchantment Under The Sea' dance, and hosted a four-day Bill Murraython, you know you're in good hands. From 7.30pm on May 17, expect beers, a Bill Murray shrine, Bowie tunes and a whole lot of Zissou fun. Bring your own limited-edition Team Zissou sneakers, or whichever kicks help you get into the mood.
Melbourne's avocado aficionados are either in for a serious treat, or are the butt of an elaborate breakfast joke (or both), with this week's revelation that a smashed avo and music 'festival' is coming to town. The event, announced via Facebook, is set to take over a secret location in Docklands on Saturday, May 19. Apparently, festival-goers will get to revel in a bunch of 'amazing avocado-based activities' — like avocado and spoon races, and smashed avo masterclasses — while enjoying 'avocado and activated almond cocktails', and the unique works of some 'brunch-based' performance artists. Those last two points had us thinking this was an elaborate brunch-based hoax, but organisers have confirmed the legitimacy of the event and tickets are very much on sale. If you fancy heading along to indulge your smooshy green desires, the first round of tickets can be bought for for $20. Sales for 'ripe' tickets begin on April 23. And it's not just about the green stuff, either. To help you dance it all off, there'll be a locally focused music program headed up by Melbourne DJ legend Spacey Space — a diehard avo fan himself, they say.
On Thursday, June 7, dancing to 'My Sharona' will be blasting through Howler. The next night, perhaps the Brunswick venue will bring out a few ice sculptures. And the following evening, we recommend bringing your croquet mallet. Throw in a sing-along to Cher's version of 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)', and the scene is set for three nights of flicks celebrating the one and only Winona Ryder. Here, sporting a 'Winona Forever' tattoo is encouraged. Changing it to 'Wino Forever', well, not so much. In the same vein as its Twin Peaks, Back to the Future and Bill Murray shindigs, Howler will show its love for the ultimate '90s screen queen with a three-day beanbag cinema experience between June 7 and 9 — screening, if you hadn't guessed it already, Reality Bites, Edward Scissorhands, Mermaids and Heathers. Whether you're a Winona fan from way back when, have a 'Free Winona' shirt in your closet or just love her work in Stranger Things, you'd best don your favourite black outfit, forget about dispensing with your enemies and head out for a very very few nights. Tickets start at $25 per film, with a $32 Wino Forever option available — yep, with a glass of vino included.
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. Now, Australia has a new dog-themed cinema showcase. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite movie stars in a touring program of pooch-centric shorts. For two hours, dogs will leap across screens in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend. Last year, the lineup included films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Melbourne on July 31 and August 1 as part of its national run, headed for one-night-only showings at Village Crown Cinemas and Astor Theatre respectively. Rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this fest is certain to be popular.
UPDATE, November 20, 2020: Cargo is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. The ravenous undead have been chomping their way across screens for decades. Still, if it seems like their appetite has kicked into higher gear in recent years, that's because it has. Or, perhaps more accurately, the viewing public's hunger for zombie fare has ramped up considerably. Undead thrillers, zombie comedies, long-running TV shows about the brain-eating hordes — we just can't get enough. It's a zombie feast, not a zombie famine, although don't go thinking that you've seen it all before. Australian film Cargo sinks its teeth into the undead basics, and yet still manages to carve out its own territory rather than mindlessly following the masses. With people scarce and zombies shuffling, the movie begins in a standard-enough fashion, plunging into an outbreak that transforms the living into the living dead in 48 hours. Andy (Martin Freeman) and Kay's (Susie Porter) solution is to stick to their houseboat and float down an outback river, which is the best thing they can do to keep their infant Rosie safe. Unfortunately, their sense of security is short-lived, leaving Andy scrambling across the dusty landscape to protect his baby. Also trying to cope with the new dystopian status quo is young Indigenous girl Thoomi (Simone Landers), with Cargo examining more than one fraught father-daughter relationship. Updating their 2013 Tropfest short of the same name to feature length, co-directors Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke know that less is more. A good zombie film doesn't need complicated scenarios or elaborate explanations, so the duo keep things simple. A great example of the genre puts more focus on the humans than the undead, so that's how the filmmakers approach their movie. You won't find heaving throngs of walking corpses here — but you will find a variety of folks handling the life-or-death crisis in different ways. Andy desperately searches for someone to look after Rosie. Ex-fracking worker Vic (Anthony Hayes) plans for the future in a far more insidious manner. And while Thoomi has managed to keep her zombified dad (Bruce R. Carter) around, her elders, lead by their cleverman Daku (David Gulpilil), have their own methods — and their own ideas about the source of the pandemic. If it's rare for a zombie flick to dive so deeply and thoughtfully into its characters, then it is rarer still for such a film to also ponder various kinds of death and destruction. Writing as well as co-helming, Ramke weaves both humanity's impact upon the environment and white settlers' treatment of Australia's aboriginal people into the narrative — and Cargo is all the better for it. While there's plenty that's familiar, especially if you're an undead connoisseur, the movie smartly and astutely plays up the many real-life parallels that come with its premise. These days, contemplating the end of existence as we know it goes hand-in-hand with contemplating our ecological footprint. Similarly, exploring a world where one part of the population terrorises another provides a timely exploration of race relations. Previous zombie stories have also drawn comparable conclusions, but where George A. Romero highlighted racism in Night of the Living Dead half a century ago, Cargo reclaims a space for Indigenous culture in the fight for survival. Amongst all of the above, and amidst the gorgeously shot South Australian backdrop, Freeman and Landers stand front and centre. The former might be a veteran and the latter a newcomer, but the movie wouldn't work quite as well without either. Freeman's recognisable everyman persona comes in handy, even if it makes you remember his trek across greener terrain in The Hobbit trilogy. Landers' naturalism couldn't be more buoyant, even in such a bleak film. One gets more screen time than the other, but together they embody Cargo's distinctive take on its well-worn genre. This involving, moving zombie drama initially ambles along a reliable path, yet isn't afraid to find its own direction — and isn't shy about blending the expected and the fresh in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_SiHPtwQ7s
Yes, it's gotten a bit cooler — but don't be so quick to write off outdoor activities completely. There are some that are quite suited to the cooler temps. Take, for example, the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout — it's the oldest wine festival in Victoria and it's been running since 1974. It will be trotting into the Victorian country town again this year, when local wineries will get involved in a weekend of wine tastings, music, tours and general hijinks. Before you ask, yes, there's a shuttle bus service to take you from winery to winery, as well as a regional bus to get you to Rutherglen from a nearby regional town. So you and your mates can plan a weekend that doesn't involve someone being a designated driver (and does involve lots of shiraz). There's also a wine check-in system so you don't have to lug around the bottles you buy all day. You can buy tickets for the Saturday or Sunday or just lock in the whole weekend with a two-day pass. Tickets for the shuttle cost extra, and if you do volunteer to be the Dave, you'll get into the festival for free. Almost 20 local wineries will be getting in on the action offering up tastings of their world-class drops, a vast selection of food and plenty of entertainment, including live music, craft markets and lawn games. There'll be plenty of other happenings going down around town, too — think farmer's markets, grape stomping and even barrel rolling down Rutherglen's High Street. With too much going on around the place to tick everything off, make sure you plan ahead — check out the event guide here to make sure you know where and when exactly you're going to line your stomach (maybe start with an egg and bacon roll at John Gehrig Wines). Rutherglen Winery Walkabout will take place across Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
Forget about dinner and a show, this Next Wave work from transmedia performance collective Counterpilot is both rolled up into one. Hosted at the Darebin Arts Centre, Crunch Time is a performative dinner party that embraces the spirit of democracy. Dinners sit around a projector-mapped table and vote on which ingredients they'd like included in their meal. From there, public leaders will be thrown into the kitchen, where they'll show off their culinary chops while being viewed via live-feed video. Sounds like a hell of a dinning experience... although we can't speak to the quality of the food. Photo credit: Dave D'Arcy
If there's one thing that Breath just had to perfect, it's something that everyone can relate to: the experience of truly appreciating the ocean's wonders for the first time. No matter when it strikes, the feeling hits with the power of a wave — whether it inspires you to jump into the sea, bake by the shore or just stare at the water in awe. Adapting Tim Winton's award-winning Australian novel for the screen, Breath conveys this moment in a simple but potent fashion, through the twinkle in two teenagers' eyes and an excited exclamation. "I'll surf that one day. You dare me? I dare you to dare me!" 14-year-old Loonie (Ben Spence) tells his 13-year-old best mate Pikelet (Samson Coulter). They've just hitched a ride from their inland home town to the coast nearby and, from the look on their faces, they've found their calling. In narration provided by Winton himself, Breath also describes the sea's allure in more poetic terms. "Never had I seen something so beautiful, so pointless and elegant, as if dancing on water was the best thing a man could do," says the author as the voice of an adult Pikelet. But the movie doesn't just saddle its characters with relaying this perspective. Thanks to the expert assistance of water cinematographer Rick Rifici (Storm Surfers 3D, Drift), Breath boasts jaw-dropping surf footage that captures the full majesty of the ocean. Grey might come in 50 shades (or so we're told), but there are just as many hues of blue in Simon Baker's first film as a director, most of them found in Western Australia's stunning waters. After locking their sights on the enticing waves in all of their crashing, thrashing glory, Pikelet and Loonie are keen to pursue their newfound passion. It's the 1970s and, while the duo are largely left to do what they please by their parents (played by Richard Roxburgh and Rachael Blake as Mr and Mrs Pike, and Jacek Koman as Mr Loon), surfing represents the kind of freedom and danger these eager teens equate with finally growing up. When they're not rustling up the cash to buy boards, they're convincing reluctant, reclusive ex-professional surfer Sando (Baker) to show them the ropes. Soon, however, Pikelet's attention is split — between catching bigger and bigger breaks with Loonie and his new idol, and spending time with Sando's injured aerial skier wife Eva (Elizabeth Debicki). Throwing its youthful protagonists into complex waters both figuratively and literally, Breath makes the most of its obvious metaphor. The movie's textured, detailed ocean imagery speaks to the sea's threats as much as its thrills, and really couldn't better encapsulate Pikelet's seething inner turmoil. In each meticulous, expressive shot, the character's restless energy, his desire to transcend his otherwise ordinary life, and his need to prove himself, all come to the fore. And while the parallels between the water's ebbs and flows and the film's exploration of one of Winton's favourite topics — blossoming masculinity — aren't particularly subtle, pairing them together is still effective on a visual, emotional and thematic level. If Breath's images swell with feeling, then so too does its cast, with Baker coaxing fine-tuned performances out of his small ensemble. While The Mentalist star himself is quiet and contemplative in his return to Australia's film industry after nearly two decades, and Debicki finds the line between no-nonsense and vulnerable, Coulter and Spence bring the film to life with the same force as the curling sea seen so often throughout the movie. The young talents are actually surfers who learned to act, rather than vice versa, and their portrayals always remain genuine and naturalistic. Whether Pikelet and Loonie are splashing around, testing the boundaries of their friendship, or grappling with what it means to become a man, the teenage newcomers ensure this soulful, lyrical picture never merely wallows in familiar coming-of-age waters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY8KFlOm7qo
Cool ladies on skates who also dig a good dress-up, Malt Shop Rollers will cruise on down to Abbotsford's Moon Dog Brewery on Sunday, October 28, for a special spooky Sunday sesh. You'll spend your arvo rolling around on your four wheels — surrounded by zombies, vampires, aliens and who knows what. If co-ordination and grace aren't your forte, there'll also be DJ sets from Toni Pixelton, Chesh and others as well as piña coladas on the go — to help you forget all about work the next day. There are prizes for best dressed, too, so go HAM on the face paint and let your boss deal with it in the morning, we say.
Back in 2011, the Melbourne International Film Festival closed out its fest with one of its best picks yet: Nicolas Winding Refn's oh-so-stylish crime thriller Drive. If Ryan Gosling speeding around Los Angeles and getting angsty with a hammer didn't lure you in, then Refn's Cannes-winning neon-hued visuals definitely did. And then there's Cliff Martinez's intoxicating score, which bathed the film in 80s-style synth — with help from electro-pop tracks like tracks like 'Nightcall', 'Under Your Spell' and 'A Real Hero'. In short, Drive proved not only one of MIFF's most memorable flicks, but also one of the top movies of the year and the decade; the kind of film that seeps under your skin in the best possible way. Accordingly, it's no wonder the fest is bringing it back for another spin. And this time, the Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks and Albert Brooks-starring effort is getting the Hear My Eyes treatment. At 9.30pm on Saturday, August 4, Drive will screen at the Regent Theatre — and a supergroup of Melbourne musicians will be on hand to play a live soundtrack. Members from Saskwatch, No Zu, Mildlife, Sleep Decade, CORIN, Jaala and Sui Zhen will recreate the movie's standout tunes and offer up their own pulsating yet romantic take on the score. Whether you've watched the flick countless times or haven't caught it since it first graced MIFF's screens, you've never seen — or heard — it quite like this.
Legendary Talking Heads frontman David Byrne is returning to Aussie shores this November. While down under, Byrne will hit up Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast and Adelaide to promote his newly released — and already acclaimed — album American Utopia. Byrne's first solo album in 14 years, American Utopia features songs co-written by Brian Eno and contributions from Sampha and electro producer Daniel Lopatin. As well as songs off the new album, Byrne will perform classics from his solo career and hits from his Talking Heads days — expect 'Psycho Killer', 'This Must Be the Place' and, of course, 'Burning Down the House' to make an appearance. The show is one of Byrne's most ambitious yet, too, with a 12-piece band joining him on stage and choreography by Annie-B Parson, who choreographed the St Vincent and David Byrne collaboration back in 2013. It's expected to be an eclectic and moving performance, with early shows reviewed as "at once novel and oddly comforting" and "a thought provoking example of the power of live music". Byrne performed the show at Coachella earlier this year, where it was a standout. Tickets to the American Utopia tour will go on sale at midday on Monday, June 18.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, LEGOLAND sees you, tips you their hat… and raises you an adults-only night at its Melbourne Discovery Centre. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free reign of LEGOLAND to check out the 4D cinema and rides, take a factory tour, and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build and vie for the prizes up for grabs — there'll even be a scavenger hunt so you can go full inner child mode. It all takes place from 6.30pm on Saturday, July 21 — and BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory, and creativity to enter the model of the month competition. It'll be a fierce one.
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or more? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking another wander around Melbourne, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover needs — if you need an excuse, that is. From midday until 4.30pm on Saturday, October 13, you'll saunter around Richmond — and between the likes of The Lost Moose, Royal Saxon, The Posty, The Ugly Duckling, Bowerbird, Corner Hotel and more — sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples, they'll be taken care of by Victoria'sBaillieu Vineyard, South Australia's Unico Zela, Western Australia's Hither & Yon and others. Tickets cost $64 including booking fee, and places are limited. This moving cellar door will not only serve up wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for another beverage, and a guide to help you plan your mosey between bars.
Twin Peaks: you either love it or you love it, right? Don't just take our word for it — take Janey-E's, with her reaction expressing every Peaks-loving TV fan's as well. Indeed, both 25 years ago and now, there's just absolutely nothing like David Lynch's most wonderful and strange television series. And, thanks to the music stylings of Angelo Badalamenti, there's nothing like its score and soundtrack either. In fact, the composer won a Grammy for the Twin Peaks theme, and since 1990 many a muso has tried to follow in his footsteps. Xiu Xiu have toured a stunning rendition of the show's tunes, and now a bunch of Brisbane musos have tried their hand — and they're bringing Fire Walk With Us: The Music Of Twin Peaks to Chapel Off Chapel on Tuesday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 27. An intimate and immersive sets, the show features Mia Goodwin, Lucinda Shaw, SS.Sebastian and Tylea on vocal duties, joined by James Lees, Sam Maguire, Rohan Seekers and Andrew Saragossi, who'll pick up their instruments. Together, they'll be belting out new renditions of Twin Peaks' minimalist, atmospheric tracks, channelling their inner Julee Cruise, and clearly imagining they're making like "the Nine Inch Nails" and taking to The Roadhouse's stage. Booking now for the two 60-minute shows, held at 8.30pm each night, is recommended — in Brisbane, their first run sold out quicker than damn fine cherry pie.
With all of its crushing, heartbreaking weight, grief is rarely far from cinema screens. Still, even in the most thoughtful and personal film, it's an emotion that can be difficult to convey. There's such an immense difference between watching characters going through the process of mourning and actually coping with intense sorrow yourself that, when a movie gets it wrong, it's noticeable. When a movie gets it right, however, it hits with the force of a sledgehammer. Foxtrot is one of those elusive pictures: inventive, immersive and absorbing from start to finish, and so accurate in its portrayal of loss that the story feels as though it has been ripped from reality. Although inspired by writer-director Samuel Maoz's own experience in a tangential way and confronting the very real situation in Israel, it's in fact a work of fiction. It's also an astonishing piece of cinema. When a knock at their Tel Aviv door interrupts an otherwise ordinary day, Michael (Lior Ashkenazi) and Dafna Feldmann (Sarah Adler) automatically expect the worst. With their son Jonathan (Yonaton Shiray) currently completing his compulsory military service, they've been dreading this moment — and when officials deliver the news that no parent ever wants to hear, their world falls apart. The Feldmanns' shock is only the beginning of Foxtrot's story, with Maoz exploring the situation across three separate parts. After first riding the wave of grief, the film jumps backwards to spend time with Jonathan as he conducts border patrols at a remote desert outpost, before returning to the family's apartment some time latter. True of this movie perhaps more than most, where Foxtrot heads is best discovered by watching. The film's title refers to a dance as well as a military codeword, and as appropriate as the latter obviously is, it's the former that proves an apt description of this fluid foray into devastating territory. Like the fleetest of footsteps, every move Maoz makes shapes the movie's overall rhythm and keeps viewers enthralled, with actual dance sequences, surreal interludes, and eye-catching animation all part of the show. They mightn't sound like standard ways to explore bureaucracy, mourning and the many difficulties of living in a state of perpetual conflict — or to make plain the film's clear anger about life in modern-day Israel — but, in an extraordinary feat of cinematic choreography, absolutely nothing is wasted or unnecessary. The same description applies to Foxtrot's trio of central performances, for what's a dance without skilled performers moving to a beat? When Michael is riddled with deep-seeded fury, Israeli veteran Ashkenazi makes every glare in the character's eyes as explosive as his actual outbursts. When Dafna is so overcome with sadness that she can barely even speak, French talent Adler expresses a world of hurt in even the slightest of gestures. And, while newcomer Shiray could've just played Jonathan as a regular youth in a tricky situation, his portrayal is every bit as affecting and textured as the work of his older co-stars. Painting a portrait of a young man grappling with forces beyond his control and troubles of his own, Shiray serves up a disarmingly naturalistic turn that's crucial to the movie's shattering impact. Indeed, Foxtrot asks the audience to stare at its main cast harder than most films; to feel their aching hearts, to dive into their despairing minds, and to experience their unshakeable sorrow. Maoz doesn't just call upon his actors to attract attention, though, but ensures that every meticulous shot reflects the characters' internal states. Through camera placement, composition, colouring and every other visual tool in the filmmaker's arsenal, the movie's images sear themselves into viewers' brains as well. While this is only Maoz's second picture, that's his modus operandi — intimacy, intricacy, heightened emotions, awe-inspiring images and topical issues, all intertwined. It has been nearly a decade since he drove a tank through the international cinema scene with his gripping debut Lebanon, which was set during the country's 1982 war and confined its view of the conflict to the inside of a tank. But this exceptional follow-up was well worth the wait. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6o5WPcCgT0
When Bob Dylan last toured Australia, it was billed as a 'once in a lifetime' experience. And, for all those who went, it was. It's just that now fans will be get the opportunity to have another such experience, because the legendary tambourine man will return to Australia for a national tour this August. This tour will be less exhaustive than his 2014 effort, with Dylan set to do eight shows — one in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle and Wollongong, as well as two back-to-back shows in Melbourne on August 13 and 14. He will draw on his incredible 60-year career — which spans 36 studio albums and countless hits — for the shows, so you better start praying to the music gods that your favourite makes it onto the setlist. Dylan may be 76 years old, but he has certainly showed no signs of slowing down as he approaches 80. In 2016 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature and, just this year, he oddly released his own whisky. But still, it could be the last chance you get to see this living legend perform live. His last tour sold out, so don't wait too long to get your hands on tickets.
Besides being a spiced rum, Baron Samedi is also a Haitian spirit and a guardian of the afterlife. And he's no mopey Grim Reaper kind of dude. Rather, he thrives on the creativity and spontaneity that emerges once the sun has set and is known for all things debauchery — with a particular love of rum, cigars and filthy swear words. On Thursday, June 21, this baron of debauchery is bringing his spiced rum to the well-loved Melbourne container bar Section 8 to mark the winter solstice (the longest night of the year). Baron Samedi's signature vanilla, cocoa and cinnamon-spiced rum will be making its way into a variety of cocktails including a hot buttered rum, a warming mix of spiced rum, brown sugar and homemade spice syrup topped with butter. The shenanigans at Section 8 will all kick off with an opening party on the 21st, and to really get the vibe going, there will be samba dancers and Afro-beat drummers roaming the venue, as well as light projections. Afro-beat performances by Scatter Scatter Tropical Sound System (featuring members of Public Opinion Afro Orchestra) and Afrik Futurism will provide further entertainment. An artist will also be on-site using ultraviolet paint to create an art installation. The Baron Samedi pop-up launch event will be held on Thursday, June 21 from 6pm. Entry is free for all.
Women can do anything, except remember that straightforward fact without a film popping up to remind us. That's what Hollywood seems to keep telling us — and while it's refreshing to see the industry so eager to finally give female protagonists their due, the rush to support the #MeToo and Time's Up movements (and just work towards the kind of equality that should be a given) comes with a few significant caveats. Pushing ladies to the fore either in front of and behind the lens doesn't automatically make a movie a winner, sadly. Weaving empowerment into a narrative doesn't either. Indeed, the recent cinema slate has offered up plenty of average and underdone examples of all the above, including Ocean's 8 and Captain Marvel. They're pictures with great stars, and with their hearts in the right spot, and yet they remain content to simply pay lip service to the idea they claim to champion. Yes, ladies, you can rob a high-profile gala while looking fabulous. You can be a kick-ass hero who saves the world to 90s tunes, too. But when gender-swapped flicks barely bother to interrogate what it actually means to be a woman in a man's world, they rarely rise above generic levels. In The Kitchen's case, a tale about three women who become mob bosses when their Irish gangster husbands get locked up really doesn't appear to aim any higher. There's a winning cast and intriguing concept at the centre of this 70s-set film, but it shows its true colours in one mid-movie interaction — one that deserves groans rather than the fist-pumps it so desperately covets. Having worked hard to establish themselves as Hell's Kitchen's new kingpins, Kathy Brennan (Melissa McCarthy), Claire Walsh (Elisabeth Moss) and Ruby O'Carroll (Tiffany Haddish) are summoned to meet with the Italian mafioso over in Brooklyn. When the trio leaves their tête-à-tête with the family head (Bill Camp), they're given a few words of encouragement by his wife (Annabella Sciorra), who praises them for being "all Gloria Steinem and shit". Sure, The Kitchen is adapted from a comic book series, however cartoonishness doesn't excuse such a blatant, pandering line. Women can do anything, except appreciate a movie's message without it being spelled out for them so overtly, apparently. Appropriately, The Kitchen's three main ladies are accustomed to being underestimated. While their partners (Brian d'Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb and James Badge Dale) were prowling around, the trio did what they were told — and, in the case of domestic abuse victim Claire, as well as the verbally denigrated Ruby, weathered the consequences for simply existing. When their men are sentenced to three years in jail after a robbery, the new head honcho (Myk Watford) promises to take care of Kathy and company, but his offer is hardly generous. Struggling to get by, and observing that the neighbourhood isn't really receiving the protection that local stores are paying for, the gals decide to take matters into their own hands. Soon, they're not just collecting cash and keeping the streets safe, or negotiating criminal alliances, but getting violent to dispense with their problems. For a film that brandishes its go-get-'em attitude as firmly as its 70s aesthetic (including terrific costuming, the picture's best touch), The Kitchen wades into murky territory, and quickly. A woman's fight to be treated decently, let alone fairly, can be brutal. It's a topic well worth exploring, as the similar and far superior Widows did so exceptionally last year. Here, stock-standard crime antics are on display instead. If you've seen a gangster flick before, then you've seen Kathy, Claire and Ruby's path, as they battle their naysayers, get ruthless over turf and, eventually, face internal squabbles amongst themselves. The film makes it clear that Kathy is just trying to take care of her kids, that Claire wants to regain her sense of power after a decade in a dehumanising marriage, and that Ruby has racial barriers to overcome — not to mention a rude and overbearing mother-in-law (Margo Martindale). And yet, it still treats those details as mere window dressing, without truly stopping to contemplate what they mean. Claire's jump from victim to killer is particularly flimsy, though her romance with kindly hitman Gabriel (Domhnall Gleeson) does give the movie its best and most resonant moment. Evident in the aforementioned scene, and in The Kitchen as a whole, is ample talent. This isn't a badly acted film, with McCarthy, Moss and Haddish all making an impression, adding solid performances to their individual resumes. They just can't lift the thoroughly mediocre and familiar material, not that they're really asked to. They can't patch over the clear gaps in a movie that wants to make a statement, serve up a serious crime story and rustle up a few laughs as well. That's The Kitchen in a nutshell. Marking the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated writer Andrea Berloff (Straight Outta Compton), it has good intentions, however it never feels like it knows what it wants to do with them — other than splash around a clumsy girl power message to get an easy response. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUfGlXdUU8c
Prepare yourself, folks — this year, Australia's launching into summer with the help of a huge new music festival. The brainchild of industry big guns Onelove (Stereosonic), Live Nation (Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival) and Hardware (Piknic Electronik, Babylon), Festival X will hit Melbourne on Sunday, December 1. The large-scale music party is pulling no punches when it comes to its debut lineup, headlined by international heavyweights including Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, the Grammy-nominated Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki and our own Alison Wonderland. Spanning multiple stages, it's set to deliver a world-class serve of hip hop, pop and electronica.US rapper Lil Pump will make his own Aussie debut, joined on the all-star bill by the likes of British DJ duo CamelPhat, Ohio-based rapper Trippie Redd, Denmark's Kölsch and German techno king Paul Kalkbrenner. Meanwhile, there'll be plenty flying the flag for the local scene, with sets from favourites including bass and dubstep star Godlands, Australian-raised trance DJ MaRLo, Sydney act Sunset Bros and singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix.
If you like pooches and wine, and don't mind getting a little creative in the costume department, then boy, have you lucked out. The crew at Vinomofo wine merchants are tapping into a bunch of your favourite things for their next Puppies & Pinot event on Saturday, May 4. Taking over Welcome To Thornbury, the party will feature a heap of free wine tastings from Vinomofo, as well as a range of 'winescream' — the wine-ice cream hybrid you never knew you needed in your life. These frosty creations are available by donation, with proceeds going to Forever Friends Animal Rescue. Full glasses of wine — and non-wine drinks — will also be available to purchase, as well as bottles to-go and snacks from a slew of food trucks. Meanwhile, there's plenty more in store for those fur babies, with dog-friendly pinot, doggy treats courtesy of The Canine Wellness Kitchen and a swag of pet-focused market stalls to browse. Of course, May the Fourth is also a bit of a special one for Star Wars fans, and Vinomofo is on board. It has a case of wine and some sweet merchandise for the pups decked out in the night's best Star Wars get-ups — well, the pups and their owners. A gold coin donation upon entry will also go towards helping out Forever Friends Animal Rescue with their important work. Puppies & Pinot runs from 11am–7pm.
We can't think of a much more fitting way to celebrate 'M8 Day' on Wednesday, May 8, than with a few actual mates and some local craft brews. The crew at Abbotsford brewery Moon Dog couldn't agree more — they're marking the occasion with a beer-filled celebration, complete with friends and freebies galore. Clock off work early and roll in from 4pm to join in the fun, with your number one bestie in tow. The first 100 pairs of mates through the door will score themselves two free six-packs of Moon Dog's legendary Old Mate pale ale. All you'll need to do to collect, is arrive with your mate (you can't collect a six-pack for them) and throw staff a hearty "maaaaaaaaaaaaaate" on arrival. And if you miss out on the first giveaway, you won't be going home empty handed — the bar's giving away a free schooner of Old Mate to everyone else who rocks up on the night. The party will be kicking on late, with games, pizzas and plenty of good times.
That soothing feeling that sweeps over you when you spy a cute canine, spend too much time watching internet cat videos or even just spot a picture of a newborn animal — that's the feeling at the heart of Australia's newest wellness sessions. Sure, you've been to kitten yoga and puppy pilates, and they're both great. But we're guessing that you haven't tried meditating with baby goats or getting mindful with soft, cuddly lambs. Currently held in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, Karmably's cuddly class is coming to Melbourne for the five Saturdays in June. During them, you'll attempt to find inner bliss while surrounded by rescued baby farm animals. In short, it's the best way to de-stress when life's got your goat. After all, who can remain overwhelmed, exhausted or annoyed when they're sharing their chill-out session with actual goats? The classes focus on relaxation techniques, like Breathe In & Bleat Out, which gives you an idea of just what's in store. Those heading along can expect three parts to the session: mindful stretching, meditation and snuggling the four-legged participants. If you're wondering where the concept came from, it was inspired by organiser Berenice Tan's own experiences trying to find something other than the usual mindfulness classes within Australia. Tan began to research animal therapy and, after learning of the benefits (and realising that everyone loves cute critters), her sessions with goats, lambs and even piglets were born. The bliss goes both ways, too — with Karmably not only helping humans to relax in a fun manner, but also assisting animals in need. Tan works with sanctuaries, rescue centres, and organisations such as Harmony Hooves Healing Hearts and ABC Animal Farm. They both raise baby creatures who have either been rejected by their mothers or lost their mums in other ways, and hand-rear them until they can be adopted out as pets to families who live on suitable properties. Tickets to the first few classes have already sold out, so we suggest snapping up tickets ASAP. Updated: May 7, 2019.
Have you ever promised yourself an ice-cold beer at the pub as motivation to workout? Well, the minds behind The Beer Run are on the same wavelength. They are quite literally combining brews with a five-kilometre fun run that stops at five Melbourne breweries along the way. And, because they're doing it in October, they're theming it after Oktoberfest. The run will kick off at noon on Sunday, October 13, making its way between yet-to-be-announced Melbourne breweries . Punters will enjoy a beer at each location before running on to the next, with the whole event expected to take around two to three hours. The $55 ticket price includes the five brews, a novelty medal and a numbered bib for the run. Tickets are on sale now — and given that the last Melbourne events sold rather quickly, you'd be best to get in quick.
UPDATE: June 24, 2020: Mid90s is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. The skate movie is having a moment and it's doing so in perfect style, gliding into cinemas one leisurely film at a time. After the all-girl antics of Skate Kitchen and the insightful small-town musings of Oscar-nominated documentary Minding the Gap, Mid90s is the latest picture to profess its love for the board — and to roll along casually while making a big impact. All three kickflip-filled flicks are hangout movies, spending their time with friends who are both shooting and riding the breeze. They're also coming-of-age films, following kids navigating the reality of watching their childhoods slip by. Crucially, they're all slice-of-life pictures too, because nothing conveys the sensation of ollying in and out of adolescence like feeling as though you're right there with them. Thirteen-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) wants nothing more than to join the local skateboarding crew. It's not just the thrill of idling down Los Angeles roads that appeals to the quiet teen, but having somewhere to belong. Ray (Na-Kel Smith), Fuckshit (Olan Prenatt), Fourth Grade (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia) are all older, however they instantly become family — the family Stevie can escape to when his elder brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) is giving him grief and his single mum Dabney (Katherine Waterston) is sharing her stress. When the quintet aren't tearing up the streets, they're partying as if there's no tomorrow, although you can't skate through life without more than a few stumbles. As summer ticks by, Stevie and his pals bide their time at the resident Motor Avenue skate shop, cruise around empty schools and test their luck with neighbourhood girls. They mouth off to security guards, stay out past Stevie's curfew, generally avoid going home and get in scraps amongst themselves. While they're getting into trouble, they attempt to forget their troubles — and it's this to-and-fro that makes Mid90s bubble along. Watching rebellious kids trying to fix their worries by falling into other woes isn't new or novel, but it keeps popping up on screen because that's how childhood works. Making his directorial debut as well as picking up his first scriptwriting credit, Jonah Hill understands this. In his hands, Mid90s is both an affectionate teenage dream and a devastatingly real reflection of youth struggles, tussles and hardships. As a filmmaker, Hill has two tricks up his sleeve: nostalgia and naturalism. They mightn't seem to be the most obvious combination, but the pair fit together like wheels sliding onto a set of skateboard trucks. Hill mightn't have strictly lived the same existence as Stevie and the gang, but he directs this blast from the past like someone who's been there, seen it all and knows exactly how every second of his film really feels. With his square-shaped frames, he serves up images so vivid that they could be memories. With his clear-eyed view, he doesn't shy away from the grit and grease that lingers behind even the happiest moments. Hill isn't just looking back fondly at his younger days. Rather, he's trying to capture the feeling of being a shy kid entering a new world and learning what getting older actually means. To do so, he needs the painstaking detail — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sheets, Super Nintendo consoles, and the sounds of 'Kiss From a Rose', 'Pony' and 'Wave of Mutilation' — as well as the picture's stripped-bare performances. Hedges and Waterston might be Mid90s' biggest names, other than its director, but this movie is all about Suljic (The House with a Clock in Its Walls) and his first-timer co-stars. When Hill lets the camera sit and watch Stevie try trick after trick (and endure fall after fall) on his driveway, determination and desperation written across Suljic's face, that's Mid90s' heart. When the film roves around with the group, peering on as they do little more than skate away the hours with unbridled authenticity, that's Mid90s' oh-so-relatable soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoPYppF_e5c
Time might feel like it's speeding up these days, but come Wednesday, May 1, you can really turn back the clock at Melbourne Central's mammoth 90s 'house party'. This year's Shop the City retail event will see the centre transformed into an oasis of old-school cool, complete with entertainment, nostalgic DJ tunes, activities and a raft of food and drink freebies. A Levi's pop-up will help you infuse that wardrobe with a touch of retro, offering free customisation on old and new Levi's denim, with a wild range of badges, embroidery and patches. Meanwhile, you can hit the Powder Room by MAC Cosmetics from 3–9pm for a free, 90s-inspired makeover, and a Claw Machine will be brimming with both vintage prizes and discount vouchers. From 5pm, B. Lucky & Sons will have refreshments sorted, slinging complimentary cocktails, along with free party snacks from Nando's, Grill'd and Pazzi Pizza. And, to wrap up a big day of retro-inspired retail therapy, Hoyts is set to host a free late-night screening of cult flick 10 Things I Hate About You at 9.30pm, doling out complimentary popcorn and choc-tops, too. The 90s House Party will run from 10am.
Tarantino fans, it's the moment you've all been waiting for — and it just might be even better than the world-famous Jackrabbit Slim's twist contest. In a nearly three-month movie tribute, the Astor Theatre is showing its love for the filmmaker responsible for making everyone think twice about Madonna's 'Like A Virgin', Royales with cheese, getting sword-wielding vengeance and getting caught in Minnie's Haberdashery during a snowstorm. With more enthusiasm than the man-in-question's fondness for rapid-fire dialogue, retro soundtracks and paying homage to every film he's ever seen, the Dying Ain't Much of a Livin', Boy: The Films of Quentin Tarantino series will train the St Kilda cinema's projector on QT's finest on most Mondays between May 20 and July 22. Each session will feature a flick helmed or written by Tarantino, with True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, both volumes of Kill Bill, the Grindhouse double, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight all on the agenda. Breaking out your best yellow jumpsuit, bathrobe, Hawaiian shirt, daggy tee and shorts combo, or flight attendant's uniform is heartily recommended. And if you want to dance to 'Stuck in the Middle with You' or 'Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon' in the foyer, we're guessing that no one will stop you. The timing really couldn't be better, with Tarantino's next flick, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, due out in Australia in August.
Losing yourself in a giant Pac-Man-inspired maze may or may not be your idea of the ultimate reality break, but it is something you'll actually be able to pencil into the diary when the Pac Maze hits Melbourne this August. Yep, someone has created a human-size version of the classic 80s arcade game that had you losing hours navigating tiny yellow Pac-Dots and avoiding ghosts. The Pac-Maze comes courtesy of the same masters of nostalgia that brought you the adults-only Lego bar, The Brick Bar, which means you can expect a bunch of interactive fun that'll delight both your adult self and your inner kid. This themed experience will take place at Seaworks in Williamstown over today days: Friday, August 23 on Saturday, August 24. Organisers are promising an immersive escape room-style experience, held within a 1.5-kilometre, LED-lit maze, with the chance to score prizes if you're quick enough to elude those multi-coloured ghosts (aka Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde). Once you're out of the maze, you can hang out in an '80s-themed pixel room' with the OG Pac-Man game. You can play solo or in teams of up to ten. If you want to avoid children, head along on the Friday night when, from 6–9pm, it'll be an adults-only affair. Family sessions will run from 11am–6pm on the Saturday. Updated: May 15, 2019.
There's something oh-so-relaxing about staring at the sea; however, even when Melbourne is basking in glorious sunshine, we can't always all hang out on the beach. Or near rivers or in pools for that matter — but you can head to the Ocean Film Festival World Tour. Between March 18–20, it'll unleash a cinematic feast of water-focused wonders onto the big screen — at Village Cinemas at Melbourne Crown on Monday and Tuesday, and at the Astor Theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday. Film-wise, viewers will spend time both above and below the ocean's surface thanks to a compilation of shorts from around the world. Expect to chase big waves, explore a range of sea life and get a hefty ocean rush, plus a heap of other sea adventures. The program is united by a love of the ocean, an appreciation of the creatures who dwell in its waters and a curiosity to explore the substance that comprises more than two-thirds of the earth. It's the next best thing to diving in, all without getting wet. Image: Travis Burke.
How long has Charles Boyle been dreaming of Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago's wedding? What did Rosa Diaz do before she was a cop? Who keeps swooping in and taking the Nine-Nine crew's cases? Which one is Scully and which is Hitchcock? If you can answer all of the above — and name Captain Holt's dog, Terry's twins, Gina's dance troupe and Jake's favourite movie — then you're set for La Di Da's latest trivia night. Yes, it's all about the hit cop sitcom we all know and love. You know, the one that was cancelled and then resurrected in the space of 36 hours. We'd keep asking Brooklyn Nine-Nine questions and dropping tidbits, but we'll save some for the big night. Last time a trivia evening dedicated to B99 hit town, places were snapped up faster than Terry can snap open a tub of yoghurt. So nab a $10 ticket ASAP and it mat be your night to shine (and that can be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). Updated: June 25, 2019.
The landmark musical work from Japanese sound artist Asuna delivers exactly what it promises. With 100 battery-operated keyboards at his disposal, the artist weaves an aural tapestry, producing a wall of sound that's been described as "an undulating sonic harmony both mesmerising and mysterious". The 90-minute piece will be performed at The Substation in Newport from October 10–13 at part of Melbourne Festival 2018.
