The silly season is rolling in and with it, the promise of some pretty serious wining, dining and overindulgence. But chef Andrew McConnell and his team have come up with the perfect antidote to any festive overloading, launching the next edition of their Japanese-accented Supernormal Natsu pop-up two weeks into the new year. Transforming St Kilda's Supernormal Canteen from Tuesday, January 15 to Sunday, January 27, the residency will plate up a refreshed version of the pop-up hosted at NGV's Triennial EXTRA exhibition earlier in 2018. This time around, it's the veggies that will reign supreme, as Natsu — which means summer in Japanese — delivers a light, bright, meat-free menu heroing top seasonal produce and exciting new techniques. The kitchen will be working closely with local organic growers, as well as foraging an array of sea vegetables, wild seaweeds and native ingredients, to bring the imaginative, all-vegetarian menu to life. Expect plates like an eggplant parmigiana katsu sandwich, fresh bamboo shoots with buttermilk and fermented green chilli, and grilled asparagus matched with yuzukoshu and fired garlic. Hand-rolled udon noodles will be teamed with garden-fresh produce and silken tofu will be crafted fresh daily, while the bar serves up sips like specialty teas, interesting wines and house-made cherry kefir. The Natsu 2019 fun kicks off with a special dinner on Monday, January 14, co-hosted by Brent Savage, chef and owner of Sydney vegetarian fine diner Yellow — with tickets costing $85, and available by phoning the venue. Natsu will be open every evening during its 13-day run, as well as from midday on the weekends of January 19–20 and 26–27. Supernormal Canteen image: Nikki To. Food images: Jo McGann.
The British Film Festival might only be six years old, but this year's event comes with a considerable sense of history. It's there in the fest's opening night film, Collette, which stars Keira Knightley as 19th-century French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. It's evident in a four-movie tribute that'll blow the bloody cinema doors off, showcasing the work and career of Michael Caine. And, it's obvious in closing night's Stan & Ollie, with Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as one of cinema's greatest double acts: British comedian Stan Laurel and his American counterpart Oliver Hardy. Dramatic true tales about Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart all keep the theme going, as do real-life spy thriller Red Joan with Judi Dench and the Idris Elba-directed, 70s and 80s-set Jamaican gangster movie Yardie. There's also a retrospective dedicated to Brit flicks from the swinging sixties, plus Peterloo — the latest effort from seven-time Oscar nominated writer/director Mike Leigh, which focuses on a working-class demonstration in Manchester in 1819. Screening at Melbourne's Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth and The Astor Theatre between Thursday, October 25 and Wednesday, November 14 (with a few extra days always tacked on at the end to replay the most popular titles), the 2018 BFF boasts plenty of other highlights — and genres and stars as well. Catch a Scottish Christmas-themed teen-zombie-musical-comedy courtesy of Anna and the Apocalypse, and watch Rob Brydon go synchronised swimming (yes, really) in Swimming with Men. Or, see Star Wars' Daisy Ridley, Harry Potter's Tom Felton and Clive Owen take on Shakespeare in Ophelia, a reworking of Hamlet.
If you're a diehard barbecue fiend, we have some great news for you. Brunswick's beloved B3 BBQ is now dishing up a carnivore-friendly, all-you-can-eat barbecue banquet, up for grabs from 5.30pm every Sunday and Monday night. The masters of slow-smoked American fare promise to have you ending (or starting) that weekend on a high note, with a meat feast of hefty proportions. For just $69 per person, you'll get to sit down to an endless parade of meats, headlined by B3's signature serves of tender brisket, juicy beef ribs, lamb shoulder and marinated chicken. You'll find plenty of classic sides to match, including barbecue corn slathered in butter and bacon salt, a tangy apple slaw, and a hearty rendition of mac 'n' cheese. And you'll need to save room for dessert as well, finishing with your choice of pecan pie, key lime pie, an ice cream sandwich or the indulgent Nutella and peanut butter pie. Images: Your SocialChef
If you love animals — and animals love you — this is where your spring festival adventures should begin. Every year, vegetarians, vegans and their friends (both furry and not) gather at The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion to feast on vegetarian dishes at Vegecareian. Sip and sample your way through a throng of eclectic stalls peddling all kinds of meat-free delights. When you're not nibbling, you can sharpen up your culinary skills at a cooking demo or share your love of furred, feathered and finned creatures at an animal blessing. Vegecareian isn't just about kindness to animals — it's also about promoting good health, so you'll be invited to relax and rebalance at yoga sessions, too. Once you're sufficiently zen, check out the informative guest speakers. If you're a meat eater, no judgement, head along anyway to find out more about the lifestyle. Vegecareian is a free and inclusive event that embraces all. The best part, pets are 100 percent welcome — get ready for lots of puppy pats.
If you haven't yet had the chance to eat Macanese fare, fret not — you'll soon have an opportunity to try it for free. Macao Tourism has teamed up with with Eat Art Truck to bring Melburnians an authentic (and free) taste of the cuisine between September 14–18. A Macanese food truck will be cruising around the city during those five days, handing out free food — with no strings attached — including pork chop buns, African peri-peri chicken (a Macanese national dish, as it turns out) and serradura, a dessert made from condensed milk and cookie. You'll find the Taste of Macao Food Truck on Pier Road, St Kilda, from 12pm–3pm on September 14; at Federation Square from 12pm–3pm on September 15 and 16; at Luna Park, St Kilda, from 12pm–3pm on September 17; and at the Southbank Spillway from 12pm–3pm on September 18.
The next time you go out dining and drinking and get that warm, fuzzy feeling, it might not be because you've had one too many. Hopefully, it'll be because the money you spent on your meal and beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. That's one of the aims of Scarf's regular dinners, with the proceeds used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. The social enterprise works to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work by raising awareness and funding barriers to employment. To date, 181 young people have been supported through this program. The next series will run on Tuesdays between September 25 and November 20 at CBD cafe-restaurant Higher Ground. Each dinner features a two-course set menu for $45 a head, complete with some of the restaurant's best dishes, like its ceviche with green tomato gazpacho and 12-hour oyster blade steak. Of course, it'll all be served in Higher Ground's impressive high-ceilinged space, which is a pretty special experience in itself.
You don't normally associate the MCG with fine dining — it's more overpriced pies and eating an entire six-pack of hot jam doughnuts to yourself. But it appears that's about to change in the lead up to this year's AFL Grand Final, as some of Melbourne's best restaurants set up outside the 'G. Part of this year's pre-GF celebrations, Yarra Park will play host to a four-day Footy Festival in the lead-up to the big game, featuring music on the night before the big day, and a Taste of Footy food fest within the broader fest. Biggie Smalls, Taco Truck and Toasta are just a few of the culinary heavy-hitters — and you can expect footy-inspired spins on their typical cuisine, plus tipples at the Yak Ales pop-up watering hole. Yarra Park will also be home to the Grand Final Live Site, with activities, live entertainment and broadcasts. It will be open from 9am–6pm daily. Disclaimer: you will not be allowed to drink your wine out of a Premiership Cup. It will be a good place to get a snack if you're going to the game, however. Image: Biggie Smalls.
Glitter, spandex and a giant wrestling ring will descend on Fitzroy when Evie's Disco Diner holds a second round of its IRL Glow party. Glow, for the uninitiated, is the glam, action-filled Netflix show about women's wrestling. It's fiction, set in the 80s and headed up by Alison Brie (who's both a baddie and a badass) and it was inspired by a 2012 documentary of the same name (also about women's wrestling). It has gained a bit of a cult following — with its second season hitting the air a few months back — and so have Evie's IRL versions. The first one sold out in three days, so its hosting another. The event sees (real) Aussie female wrestlers competing in a pop-up wrestling ring, after appropriately 80s makeovers, and an after-party with all-female DJs. There's also a best-dressed comp, so whip out your sparkly spandex, leg warmers and OTT wigs — the winner will score themselves a $100 drink voucher. Tickets for Glow IRL Round 2 go on sale at 6pm on Friday, October 19.
It was the 1980s. The rock and roll sounds of David Bowie, Lou Reed and Talking Heads were secretly making their way through Russia, and making their impact on the next generation, including on future Leningrad rock icon Viktor Tsoi. Summer — also known as Leto — tells this tale, in the latest film by director Kirill Serebrennikov. Captured with detailed monochrome frames, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you were there. Coming to Australia after premiering at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it's also one of 2018's Russian Resurrection Film Festival highlights. Other standouts include sports drama The Coach, concentration camp-set effort Sobibor, and comedy Night Shift — which follows tradies forced to start stripping to pay the bills, in what sounds like Russia's answer to The Full Monty. The Challenge sees a production of Romeo and Juliet overtaken by terrorists, while Jumpman skewers Russian corruption. And for those keen on some cinema history, the fest's retrospective is dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of Lenfilm Studios in St. Petersburg, as well as and the 90-year anniversary of filmmaker Vitaliy Melnikov. That's all on the agenda when the Russian Resurrection Film Festival hits Elsternwick's Classic Cinema from Monday, November 5 to Sunday, November 18 — and ACMI on the weekends of Friday, November 9 to Sunday, November 18, too. If you need an extra incentive to head along, 2018 also marks a massive 15 years since RRFF first hit Aussie screens, so the fest will be in a partying mood.
Hosting Melbourne's newest foodie fest, Natural History Bar and Grill is giving its cooktops and ovens a rest. At this culinary feast, they're simply not needed. Instead, everything that's on offer to eat will be served up raw — which is what you'd expect at an event dedicated to uncooked food. Raw — An Uncooked Food Festival will teach you all about eating delicious dishes that haven't been touched by heat. Even better — it's an all-you-can-eat affair. Attendees will tuck into a bottomless array of steak and tuna tartare, prawn cocktails, ceviche, oysters and more, with a live shucking bar taking care of the molluscs for you. Taking place for two hours from 6.30pm on Thursday, November 29, this fest will also focus on natural wine, with a glass of the local good stuff included in the $60+booking fee ticket price. It's the first time that Natural History has held this event, and sommelier Gavin Wraith will be on hand to discuss both the booze and the food. If you'd like more tipples, you'll be able to purchase local and international drops as well.
Enjoying a glass of wine might come with plenty of medical benefits, but having a tipple isn't typically an exercise-heavy pastime. You sit. You drink. You get up, top up your beverage and repeat. You usually don't walk particularly far, let alone run. Then came the Grapest 5K run, a series of wine-tasting fun runs that kicked off around Australia in 2017. Asking participants to put in the hard yards before getting some boozy rewards, it was such a hit that it returned in 2018 — and yes, it's coming back for another round in 2019. How does it work? Grapest consists of two sections. First, you sprint, jog or set forth at whatever pace suits you best, making your way through scenic vineyard surroundings. Then, you walk another kilometre — yes, in addition to the first five, or ten if you're feeling extra energetic — while stopping at tasting stations along the way and sampling the good stuff. The latter part, they're calling a "wine waddle". Don't worry, if you're not up to the active stuff and you're simply keen on wandering and sipping, that's an option (although it does defeat the idea of combining fitness with throwing back drinks). 2019's event is scheduled for Saturday, October 12 at Leura Park Estate in Geelong.
For nearly six decades, Robert Redford has sparkled on the silver screen, dripping charm across the original The Great Gatsby, solo seafaring drama All Is Lost and everything in between. His resume is as sizeable as his charisma, but as his acting career reportedly comes to an end, the 82-year-old's allure couldn't shine brighter. The primarily 1980s-set The Old Man and the Gun is the story of two men: a real-life thief and the detective on his trail. It's also a tale that's intricately attuned to its leading man. Seeing Redford rob banks and stage heists once more feels like the perfect swansong for a talent who became a star thanks to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. Likewise, that the movie is all about doing what you love couldn't feel more fitting for his final on-screen role. After stating that The Old Man and the Gun would be his last performance, Redford somewhat walked back those comments with a 'never say never' attitude. If this does turn out to be the four-time Oscar nominee's final hurrah in front of the camera, he's leaving viewers with a treasure of a filmic goodbye that keeps its scale small and intimate, but boasts a big heart as it ponders big existential matters. A loving tribute and a wistful take on a true story combined, The Old Man and the Gun recognises that pursuing a passion is what life is all about and, if you're able to do just that, it changes everything. Much to cinema's great benefit, Redford has chased his dream through acting since 1960. The man he's playing here did the same by walking into banks and demanding their money. Dressed respectably, hat, jacket, tie and all, Forrest Tucker's (Redford) modus operandi is always the same. He steps into a financial institution, steps up to a member of staff and courteously asks for their cash. He gestures gently towards the gun under his arm, all while conducting his stick-up politely, smoothly and with a smile. Afterwards, once he's waltzed out with the loot without customers noticing, bank employees routinely tell the police how nice he is. In his 70s and out of jail again after one of his many stints inside, Tucker is still doing what he does best, usually with long-term pals Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (Tom Waits). Sparking up a romance with widow Jewel (Sissy Spacek) doesn't change Tucker's love for his chosen profession, and neither does the sleuthing of determined Texas cop John Hunt (Casey Affleck). Drawn from a 2003 New Yorker article with the same evocative name, Hunt's, er, hunt for Tucker helps shade in some of the latter's backstory. But this isn't about documenting all of the details, with getting a sense of the eponymous old man more important than working through his biography. That's what Jewel does, as their relationship progresses even after Tucker is upfront about his line of work. The film follows her cues, offering a casual stroll through the twilight years of its likeable and kindly criminal. Shot in warm tones on 16mm stock, and given the nostalgic sheen of someone reflecting on fond memories, it may be a bank robber drama, a detective quest and a romance all in one — but it's first and foremost an affectionate yarn about its engaging protagonist and his dedication to remaining true to his outlaw self. In other words, The Old Man and the Gun fits snuggly into the oeuvre of writer-director David Lowery, who has amassed an impressive resume with his four movies to date. Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Pete's Dragon and A Ghost Story might seem worlds away from the filmmaker's latest effort, and from each other, but the yearning need to remain true to oneself sits at the centre of each. Lowery also excels at splashing emotion across the screen subtly but powerfully. It's there when he lingers on the twinkle in Redford's eye, and when he documents Tucker's many prison escapes by using footage from across the actor's career. And, it's evident in the film's other standout performance. Harking back to her breakout role in Badlands, Spacek once again falls for someone who's committed to doing wrong, and once again gleams, this time like her character's name. That makes The Old Man and the Gun a gorgeous and entertaining ode to not just one cinema legend, but two. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWybz4vdaFs
Which do you love more: picking up a haul of new plants at bargain prices or enjoying that much cherished weekend sleep-in? If your answer is both, you'll be pleased to know you can have your cake and eat it too when Ellis Street Studio plays host to another after-dark plant sale later this month. Greenery-loving pop-up Wandering Jungle invites punters to drop by after work, pick up some lush new foliage for their collections and then party on into the night. Kicking off at 6pm on Thursday, December 20, the event will showcase a variety of indoor plant species for you to browse and buy, from devil's ivy to ponytail palms to mini cacti and the good ol' fiddle leaf fig. To round out the late-night shopping experience, the bar will also be serving a selection of tasty libations, while local techno artists The Journey work their magic on the decks. The sale-slash-party runs from 6pm through till midnight, but we suggest heading in earlier rather than later — last Wandering Jungle event, 1000 punters rocked up.
Melbourne's always busy events calendar has a new addition, thanks to the Being Human Festival. Arriving in the country for the first time, this Australian offshoot of the UK humanities fest is all about exploring the way that the discipline can help us better understand ourselves and our world. This year, everything on both the overseas and local program ties into the theme of 'origins and endings'. In Melbourne between Thursday, November 15 and Saturday, November 24, that means a number of highlights that examine both the city's and the country's identities through a variety of areas. Fancy singing your way through the history of early Aussie settlement, including ballads from Britain and Ireland, as well as songs about being transported to Botany Bay and Van Diemen's Land? Or maybe you'd like to take a walking tour of the University of Melbourne's Parkville campus and discover its stories. You can also don a toga and enter a classics quiz, and eat a $15 three-course meal where each dish is based on the cultural heritage of the night's speakers. A word of warning — everything except the dinner is free, and spots are getting snapped up fast, so you might need to join a waiting list for some of them.
If The West Wing, The Social Network, A Few Good Men and Steve Jobs taught us anything, it's that Aaron Sorkin knows how to write dialogue. With his work often rapid-fire in pace, passionate in tone and frequently delivered via his trademark walk-and-talk scenes, Sorkin demonstrates a winning way with words unlike anyone else in the business. With Molly's Game, however, he's faced with a new challenge. Sure, he knows how to pen intelligent stories that flow with their own almost-hypnotic rhythm. But does he know how to direct them as well? Like much of Sorkin's output, the success of Molly's Game comes down to the folks doing the talking. Invariably, his wordy scripts shine brightest when they're brought to life by exceptional actors. With a knack for his timing, sharpness and smarts, Jessica Chastain proves a perfect match. Indeed, Molly's Game might have Sorkin's name and stamp all over it, but this is Chastain's picture through and through. Whether she's rattling off skiing and gambling statistics in voiceover, bantering back and forth with her also-excellent co-star Idris Elba, or working poker rooms filled with the rich and famous, she is the movie's true trump card. In her latest impressive performance as a formidable woman in a male-dominated realm (see also: Zero Dark Thirty, A Most Violent Year and Miss Sloane), the two-time Oscar nominee plays Molly Bloom, the real-life former Olympic-level skier turned poker magnate. Stripped of her sporting dream after a horrific accident, Bloom heads to Los Angeles to "be young for a while in warm weather." When she takes on an admin job to pay the bills, she has no idea that she'll also be running her boss' weekly card games. Before long, she's in charge of her own underground gambling empire, and later being chased down by the FBI. Sorkin's film is based on Bloom's tell-all book, Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker. That title may be a bit of a mouthful, but it also explains why Sorkin was so attracted to the story (other than a fondness for verbosity). Power, success, the pursuit of both, and the intersection of idealism and corruption are common themes in his other screenplays, and they're all present here. As such, he's in very comfortable territory with a dynamite true tale that's topical, entertaining and filled with astute insights about human psychology and behaviour. Throw a stellar star and a stacked support cast — Michael Cera, Kevin Costner, Chris O'Dowd and even Stranger Things' Joe Keery — into the mix, and Molly's Game must've seemed like an easy winning hand. And it is, almost. In addition to its slick visuals, the film reflects some of Sorkin's best tendencies — a recent Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay is proof of that. Unfortunately it also suffers from some of his worst. Indulgence is one such grating trait, with moments of repetition and near-constant chatter blowing the running time out to 140 minutes. Sentimentality is another, with the writer-director happy to hit hard in his dialogue, but happier still when it comes with a warm glow as well. Still, when Chastain is unleashing her fast-paced narration or trading pithy chatter with Elba, you'll be able to overlook many of the film's flaws. And thankfully, that happens a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVMkOuZOMe0
In news set to tickle the fancies of luxury fashion lovers the country over, Melbourne will this month play host to the Aussie leg of Louis Vuitton's Time Capsule exhibition. Chadstone Shopping Centre, which is the largest in the country, has teamed up with the iconic label to bring the travelling exhibition down under. It comes off the back of recent stops in Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong and Berlin. It'll run for free from February 24 until March 21, treating visitors to a glimpse at the brand's history and celebrating some of its landmark innovations, pulling together a selection of key objects from the Louis Vuitton archive. Expect plenty of local insertions too, with pieces from the likes of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, former Australian Cricket Captain Michael Clarke and wife of David Jones, Mrs Lloyd Jones. The exhibition's broken into six main parts, including the Artisans Room, featuring a 'live' experience with Louis Vuitton craftsmen, and Journey Around the World, which explores how the brand evolved to meet the demands of new forms of transport. Icons of The House will look back at some of Louis Vuitton's most memorable creations, while Magic Malle takes visitors back to where it all began. News of the Louis Vuitton Time Capsule exhibition comes just a few weeks after Chadstone announced plans to open a $130 million luxury hotel, as it looks to cement its status as an international tourist destination. The exhibition will be open from 9am–5pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am–9pm Thursday to Saturday and from 10am–7pm Sunday.
If February 14 is looming large in your mind but your date card's still looking rather empty, it might be time to hand the role of cupid over to Northcote Social Club, as it hosts its first ever all-gender speed dating night. Held this Sunday, February 11, it'll feature four different speed dating sessions: one straight, one gay, one lesbian and one session for GSD, or gender and sexuality diverse Melburnians. Each will run for about 30 to 40 minutes, giving participants the chance to meet some like-minded folks and maybe even snaffle a last-minute partner-in-crime for the impending V-Day celebrations. All sessions are free to join and LGBTQI+ friendly, though there's a limited number of spots — so you'll have to get in quick to secure yours.
Roll up, roll up to The Food Truck Park in Preston, for a boozy, barbecue-y afternoon. From midday on Saturday, Melbourne's meatiest mobile food vendors will be grilling up a storm as they fight it out for the title of BBQ King. While the roster of trucks for Saturday has yet to be confirmed, the lineup from The Food Truck Park's previous BBQ and Beers event — featuring Wingsters, Copa Food Truck, Flamin' Lamb Spit BBQ, Real Burgers, Those Guys Food and Burn City Smokers — gives us a rough idea of what to expect. Sorry vegetarians, but you might want to sit this one out. The beer half of the equation will be provided by Barry's Bar, while a series of live DJs will take care of the entertainment.
For one night only, Hawkers Beer in Reservoir will be transformed into a beanbag movie theatre for Good Beer Week. Patrons at the Brewery Cinema will be able to kick back and enjoy a Tarantino double feature, with Reservoir Dogs followed by Pulp Fiction. Each ticket also entitles you to a wood-fired pizza of your choosing, along with four tasty beverages to wash it down. The first film kicks off at 6pm, but the bar will be open from noon in case you want to get your drinking started early.
The master cocktail makers at Eau de Vie are teaming up with the folks at Perth's Feral Brewing, for a three-hour, one-night-only dinner and beer cocktail degustation. This returning Good Beer Week event will see diners served five extravagant courses from the Eau de Vie kitchen, each of which will be paired with a different cocktail made with one of Feral's award winning beers. At $175, tickets aren't exactly cheap, so consider our expectations peaked.
Florence Foster Jenkins is a tale of talent and tenderness. The real-life American socialite might've infamously lacked the former, but the movie that shares her name overflows with the latter. Just as her ghastly attempts at singing sprang from her devotion to music, a "profound communion" as she called it, filmmaker Stephen Frears (The Program) is driven by affection and empathy for his eccentric subject. There's a reason that she packed out Carnegie Hall, earned a dedicated following, and inspired four plays, a documentary and now two feature films: Jenkins' passion is just that contagious. Her enthusiasm also explains why people clamoured to her shows, starting with private recitals for pals and graduating to the prestigious gala concert she was determined to stage. When the film first spies Jenkins (Meryl Streep), she's in her element, with an adoring crowd watching on and loving husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) waiting in the wings. It's only when she hires pianist Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg) to accompany her operatic warbling that the extent of her inability to carry a tune becomes apparent McMoon can barely hide his dismay, let alone keep tickling the ivories as she croons, and viewers are expected to share his reaction. And yet Florence Foster Jenkins isn't actually about the fact that its namesake can't sing. It's about what drives this fascinating woman, and how those who love her help her chase her dreams. Unlike the cruel streak that troubled recent French film Marguerite, which told a fictionalised version of the same scenario, Frears' take on the story couldn't be warmer. Even Jenkins' many eccentricities, as illustrated via the extravagant outfits she wears, her distinctive taste in decor, and her obsession with eating bathtubs full of potato salad, are met with kind-hearted humour. Here, tone is key. There's a difference between laughing with someone as opposed to at them, which Frears understands even when he's highlighting the more farcical aspects of the story. With a critic (Christian McKay) determined to expose Jenkins' flaws, and Bayfield's mistress (Rebecca Ferguson) lurking around, there's certainly ample absurdity and drama on show. In one of his best performances in years, Grant proves the best indicator of how the movie chooses to treat each development, be it silly, serious or sweet. With the ideal balance of gracefulness and glossiness, nothing escapes his gaze — and whether he's being comforting or charming, he hits all the right notes. Of course, Frears' loving approach couldn't have proven as sincere as it does without the committed work of his leading lady, who's in screwball comedy rather than awards-chasing mode. Streep may have demonstrated her vocal talents in Mamma Mia and Ricki and the Flash, but now the applauded actress appears to be enjoying herself doing exactly the opposite. Indeed, while it might threaten to overstay its welcome slightly, and clearly favours broad appeal over intimate details, Florence Foster Jenkins achieves the synergy between its central figure, lead performance and guiding force that all biopics seek. And unlike it's protagonist, it barely misses a beat.
A three and a half week program of screenings, talks and tours will explore the reception and impact of one of the most divisive styles of twentieth century architecture. Running from May 6 to 29 at a warehouse in Clifton Hill, Brutalist Block Party is presented by local publication Assemble Papers and Open House Melbourne as a tribute to all things concrete and steel. Events on the program range from produce markets to public forums, as well as a series of brutalism-inspired dinner parties and a short film screening and musical performance. The Roseneath Street warehouse will also play host to a spacial installation by Practice Studio Practice dubbed Brutalist Bollards and Pillars of Contention. Those after a stiff drink, meanwhile, can stop by the Brutalist Bar for a beer, cocktail or glass of wine, before testing out their skills on one of the concrete-set ping pong tables. For the full Brutalist Block Party lineup visit brutalistblockparty.com.au.
If watching An makes you feel hungry, that's completely understandable. Named after a type of Japanese red bean paste, the film is set in a small bakery that specialises in delicacies known as dorayaki, and when it's characters aren't making them, they're wolfing them down. Chief among these folk is unhappy store owner Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase), who makes the pancake sandwich-like desserts, which are stuffed with the titular paste. When the elderly Tokue (Kirin Kiki) answers his advertisement for an assistant, he's initially reluctant, but changes his mind after sampling her delicious version of the necessary filling. Cue two predictable elements: an array of scenes depicting the careful preparation and loving production of the tasty treat in question, and a narrative that charts the unlikely bond that blooms between the two colleagues. Both play out largely as expected, although that doesn't mean that An can't provide a few pleasant surprises. Just as the students who frequent Sentaro's shop find delight in his new and improved recipe, so too will audiences find delight in the film's earnest take on a recognisable formula. The film's biggest asset is the endearing Kiki, who brings texture and depth to a tale that is both bittersweet and hopeful. Her efforts are instrumental in elevating the movie beyond its well-worn plot. Indeed, filmmaker Naomi Kawase can hardly bear to tear the camera away from her leading lady, which could be why scenes focusing on Sentaro's troubled background, or teenaged customer Wakana (Kyara Uchida), don't feel quite as engaging. With the writer-director employing her trademark slow pace and lingering visuals, it's Kiki who gives the proceedings a noticeable burst of energy. Alas, while the film's star and style both serve it well, other aspects aren't quite as successful. Only some of the plot developments work, with the film assured in its patient first half yet less convincing when it becomes concerned with dramatic revelations. As Kawase tries to work in bigger and broader themes, including passing wisdom between generations and ignoring social conventions in general, her material veers further into sentimental territory. And then there's the accompanying score, which fires up the piano a little too mournfully at obvious moments. Of course, not just finding but perfecting the right balance of ingredients is as difficult for filmmakers as it is for pastry chefs. Though An marks Kawase's 24th film in 23 years, she's clearly still tinkering with her recipe book. Still, she does more than enough right to make her latest concoction appetising.
The pooches of Melbourne will be on parade at a brand new festival for our furriest of friends. This Sunday, May 29, Barkly Square in Brunswick will play host to the first ever Barkly Barks Dog Festival, complete with doggie day spa, professional trainers and more. The festival will cater to dogs of all shapes and sizes, with tons of activities for participants on both two legs and four. You can run your pet through the Agility Training Course or book a professional photoshoot with the members of the 'pupparazzi'. But the main event is the Dog Parade, where gongs will be given out in a whole range of categories, including Most Obedient, Best Costume and Dog and Owner Look-Alike. Not sure we'd want to win that one, even if there are prizes up for grabs.
Celebrate the legacy of Australia's first people at Sticksnstones on the Birrarung Marr. Held at Deakin Edge in Federation Square, this special event will bring together prominent artists and advocates for a night of conversation and performance. The goal: to examine First Nations' cultural systems and consider how they can still have an impact on the world today. The main event will feature a panel discussion with a number of notable faces, including representatives from the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Indigenous Architecture and Design Victoria, as well as performance artist and Australian Youth Climate Coalition Member Monica McDonald, and Dark Emu, Black Seeds author Bruce Pascoe. The panel will be followed by a performance by the Melbourne Playback Theatre Company. There will also be a number of giveaways on the night, including more than $200 worth of literature from Magabala Books, Australia's oldest independent Indigenous publishing house.
If you consider yourself an expert on street food — and really, at this point, who isn't? — this is the event for you. Combining all of Melbourne's best bite-sized dishes and conveniently grouping them together on the deck of Circa, The Prince (no searching for food trucks here), Street Feud aims to settle domestic arguments and appease the gastronomically indecisive by deciding who lays claim to Melbourne's best street food. As part of a string of events for the Month of The Prince, Street Feud not only gives you the opportunity to taste each venue's best dish, but the ability to openly judge it as well. This Sunday, May 22 will see locals Acland Street Cantina, burger kings 8bit, The Prince's newly opened POW Kitchen and favourites Gelato Messina, Tokyo Tina and Rice Paper Scissors all vying to win you over one morsel at a time. Give your fave the thumbs up and one vendor will be given the glory of the people of the streets and crowned as Melbourne's top street food specialists. We hear that 8bit's double dragon burgers will be making an appearance, as will the karaage chicken bao from Tokyo Tina. So, you know. Tickets are $55 and include six tasty dishes, one from each vendor.
If you live in New York and like fashion, the first Monday in May is kind of a big deal. That's when the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts the biggest event on the fashion calendar. Yep, it's the evening that the Met Gala takes place, marking not only the opening night of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibition, but the be all and end all of all parties. Filmmaker Andrew Rossi (Page One: Inside the New York Times) was lucky enough to peek behind the scenes at the 2015 event, sparking a rather appropriately named doco. Boasting intimate access to costume curator Andrew Bolton and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as they put together the Met Gala's most attended fashion exhibition in history, The First Monday in May is the end result. It's a star-studded affair, with everyone from Wong Kar-wai and Baz Luhrmann to Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Rihanna popping up. Alas, the film itself doesn't reach Aussie movie theatres until May 12, but the smart folks at Palace couldn't let the titular date pass by without doing something special to mark the occasion. As preparations for the 2016 Met Gala reach fever pitch on the other side of the globe, they'll be offering up first-look preview screenings around the country. You'll enjoy a glass of prosecco on arrival, step into a world of unparalleled couture-based artistry, and truly feast on cinema at its most stylish.
Listen up, all you fuel-injected suicide machines, as The Road Warrior tears down Chapel Street to the sounds of experimental jazz. For one night only, the big screen at Melbourne's iconic Astor Theatre will light up with George Miller's 1979 genre-defining masterpiece Mad Max, accompanied by a brand new live score by futurist jazz ensemble The Shaolin Afronauts. Prepare to experience this cult classic in a whole new way. Presented by Stonnington Jazz, the madness is set to go down at 8pm on Tuesday May 17. Dubbed Mad Jazz, the night will see the celebrated South Australian jazz outfit perform a wholly original score, tailor made for Miller's dystopian outback world. If you dug Fury Road last year, go back and discover where it all began. Just try not to think about what Mel Gibson has become since '79.
The Melbourne Recital Centre and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are teaming up with acclaimed composers and musicians for the latest edition of the Metropolis New Music Festival. Now in its fifth year, the festival is set to run from May 9 to 21, and will feature solo shows, concerts and talks in a program all about life in the big city. Anchoring the festival will be a trio of concerts performed by the MSO, with American conductor Robert Spano at the helm. The series will pay tribute to cities both real and imagined, with tickets available to each concert individually or as part of a three-part package. Other events include free performances by the Australian Art Orchestra, singer-songwriter Jess Ribeiro and The Letter String Quartet. For the full Metropolis New Music Festival program, go here.
Wine Republic is well known for being the great middle man between liquor-loving Melburnians and the best local and international brands of wine, beer, and spirits alike. And this summer they'll continue to play out this role, with the boutique Melbourne bottle-o staging a free event across its three stores that might just have you feeling a little, well, bubbly. Yep, if you've been waiting for the words 'Champagne' and 'festival' to deliciously merge into an event you could even take your in-laws to, the wait is almost over. Come December 9, Wine Republic will be saying bienvenue to French-wine aficionados and the Champagne curious alike at the store's own three-day Champagne festival. The event will not only feature tastings of rare and boutique brands of the bubbly stuff, but it will also pair them with Koko Black chocolates. The festival will hit the Windsor Wine Republic Store on Friday, December 9 from 6-8pm, the Fitzroy store on Saturday, December 10 from 2-5pm, and the Northcote store on Sunday, December 11 from 2-5pm.
Whether you're in need of stocking stuffers or tasty treats for a Christmas Day feast, you'll find plenty to munch on at the Crafty Christmas Market at The Craft & Co. in Collingwood this weekend. The beloved eatery, bar, brewery and function space has teamed up with a selection of local makers for its first ever holiday market and we're honestly salivating just looking at the lineup. Producers who'll be hawking their wares on Sunday include Wawa Chocolatier, Artemis Gin, Mörk Chocolate, Rooftop Honey and Silver Penny Puddings — not to mention the gang from The Craft & Co. themselves, who'll be selling wine, gin and grappa, and serving free samples of their handmade salami and cheese. The market runs from 10am to 2pm, so get there early to make sure you don't miss out. They'll also be operating a hamper service, allowing you to mix and match items and create the perfect gift — for a friend, a family member or little old you.
If you're a West Melburnian and have places to be this weekend, make sure you leave time to get there on foot — art's taken your parking space. From noon till 4pm this Sunday, December 18 the carpark of the new West End development on Rosslyn Street is being commandeered by four artists, DJ Django and a small legion of food trucks. The aim is to transform the concrete-grey gloom of a city carpark into a vibrant 'urban gallery' in just four hours. Artists George Rose, Phibs, Georgia Hill and Ken Taylor will fight the clock to jazz up the space you disconsolately park your Corolla each night (well, hypothetically). Rose will be upping the ante by running two half-hour lettering workshops throughout the afternoon, while local DJ Django changes everything you thought you knew about carpark acoustics. The event only runs for four hours, but on the off-chance you're skin and bone after two, Gorilla Grill, Nuoc Mama's Food Truck and The Grace Caravan will be on standby to dispense emergency victuals.
Choreographer Gareth Hart teams up with sound artist Rod Price on this intriguing new experimental dance and sound work at Melbourne Fringe. Two years in the making, INFINITUM is described in the festival program as "a meeting of audio generative movement, glitch art theory, and real-time generative sound looping". Price composed the score by distorting the sounds of a dancer and they move through an urban environment. The final product will performed to a roving audience amidst the cobblestone alleyways surrounding the Fringe Festival Hub.
UPDATE, September 17, 2020: The Red Turtle is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Amidst the swirling chaos of streaming waves and thunderous seas, a lone man struggles to survive. Clinging to the remnants of his wrecked vessel, he's almost enveloped by the sound, fury and force of the water, his status as a mere speck in the ocean never in doubt. When he washes up on a deserted island, he finds himself similarly dwarfed by his surroundings. Sand stretches as far as the eye can see, as the taunting tide laps at the coastline. Cavernous nooks and crannies appear inviting, yet also threaten to swallow him whole. The foliage bears fruit, but little comfort. Welcome to the detailed natural realm conjured up by Dutch-British illustrator-turned-animator Michael Dudok de Wit in his feature filmmaking debut, The Red Turtle. That his Cannes Un Certain Regard special jury prize-winning effort is a co-production with beloved Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli — their first-ever such collaboration, in fact — gives an indication of the beauty and intricacy on offer. However, as magical as the movie's hand-drawn sights appear, this is a tale designed to evoke a different kind of wonder: not for an adventurous, fantastical journey, but for the complicated splendour that springs from man's relationship with the world around him. So it is that the unnamed figure explores the space that has become his new home, before swiftly turning his attention to fashioning a raft to escape back to civilisation. Alas, each attempt is stymied, particularly when an enormous red turtle starts to interfere. It's this new companion that reveals another side of our hero's predicament, and prompts the film's elegant probing of the nature of human existence — though the specifics are best discovered by watching. Part of The Red Turtle's potency comes from its simplicity, although it is far from a simple film. Instead, it's a feature that embraces conflict and contrast, and finds vast depth in defying expectations. It's largely dialogue-free, yet rages with noise and swells with the sounds of composer Laurent Perez Del Mar's gentle score. Though focused on one man's plight, its eye-catching imagery hones in on the texture of every scurrying crab, splash of water and blade of grass around him — and never fails to stress its protagonist's place in the world. While brief at 80 minutes, it fills every second and frame with emotion. Similar stranded situations have graced cinema screens before. Tom Hanks conversed with a volleyball in Castaway, while Paul Dano bonded with the corpse of Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man earlier this year. With that in mind, The Red Turtle proves enchanting not because it's novel, but because it's rich, dense, and delicately devastating in its examination of the parts of life that truly matter. Take a chance, and let this beautiful film sweep you away.
"The punchline is true about me...I did the dumb thing. But I did a lot of other things too." So says Anthony Weiner at the beginning of the documentary that bears his name. His statement is both an admission and a reminder, as presented with a level of candour that mightn't be expected from a former New York congressman. Of course, Weiner isn't any old politician ,and there's a reason that everyone knows who he is. You saw the scandals play out, giggling about someone with his particular surname getting caught texting dick pics. Now we get to see his side of the story. Indeed, we already know why filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg were keen to peer beyond the international headlines and discover the man behind the very public mockery. What isn't always clear is just why Weiner himself agreed to be involved. Why did he agree to subject himself to a warts-and-all look at his notorious indiscretions and their impact upon his career and marriage. And why did he agree to give the film crew such extraordinarily intimate access? That's the first of many questions that springs from this astute and insightful film, and most of them don't have easy or obvious answers. In fact, when Kriegman is heard interrogating his subject about why he was allowed to chronicle the minutiae of his life, Weiner doesn't really have a response, other than later stating his desire to be seen as more than just a punchline. His loyal wife Huma Abedin, an advisor to Hillary Clinton, and an increasingly distressed figure in the feature, doesn't know what to say either. Still, as the tabloids, news reports and late-night comedians prove relentless in dissecting her decision to stand by her husband, her deteriorating facade speaks volumes. By honing in on Weiner's comeback mayoral bid, which is soon derailed when another explosive revelation rears its head, the documentary does a great many things. It acts as an all-too-familiar twist on the American dream, contemplating not just the path to success, but trying again after falling so far. It examines the difficulty of living a life of incessant scrutiny while trying to put your past behaviour behind you. It offers disarming images of a man watching his world fall down around him yet again. It points the finger at the way the media treats those in their orbit. And it provides an utterly fascinating look at the real inner-workings of a political campaign. Here, the truth is absolutely stranger than fiction — and more compelling, too. Kriegman and Steinberg present rather than judge, and flesh out rather than assume. The end result is patient and observational as it follows Weiner on the campaign trail, yet remains infused with the urgency of his rollercoaster existence. Whatever your thoughts on the man, we're guessing they won't be the same when the end credits roll.
Tuna tartare with crushed green pea salad. Butter beans with salted ricotta and black garlic. These are but two of the mouthwatering dishes on the menu at the Winemakers' Lunch at Cumulus Up this Sunday afternoon. The fine folks at the Flinders Lane eatery know a thing or two about pairing vino with good grub. At just $65 a head, it appears they know a bit about good value, too. A trio of local winemakers will welcome diners through the door at noon for an informal tasting ahead of a sit down meal. In addition to those already mentioned, one standout dish will be the O'Connor chateaubriand, a pan-roasted cut of eye-fillet steak flavoured with garlic, juniper, thyme and butter, best enjoyed with Shashi Singh's Avani Shiraz from Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula. Also: it's Father's Day on Sunday. Just sayin'. To book your place at the table, call 9650 1445 or email info@cumulusinc.com.au.
Bulldog Gin is hosting two gin and tonic pop-ups in Melbourne throughout September to bring out the gin lover within you for the beginning on spring. For one of them, the distinctive gin makers will be at Big Mouth in St Kilda, bringing you $8 gin and tonics until the 30th of September. Make the most of the change in weather by taking your drink out to the Penny Black's beer garden. And if you happen to find yourself there on a Friday or Saturday, you might just be lucky enough to have the bar staff shout you one. If you hvane't tried it, Bulldog Gin is a fresh, smooth twist on a classic London Dry gin, including exotic botanicals from around the world inspired by founder Anshuman Vohra's globe-trotting childhood. The quadruple distilled liquor features heavy citrus notes and is infused with Dragon Eye (a close relative of everyone's favourite summer fruit, lychees), juniper (of course), lotus leaves, liquorice, lavender, almond and poppy. Image: Steven Woodburn.
Acclaimed writer, performer and choreographer Nebahat Erpolat presents a brand new interdisciplinary dance work all about love. Premiering as part of this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival at the Meat Market in North Melbourne, Emptying the Bucket combines visual art, live sound, light and performance in order to examine how and why we feel affection, and whether the intoxicating feeling ever truly dies. Running from Wednesday, September 28 through to Saturday, October 1, this limited-run show is the latest from Erpolat, who typically splits her time between Melbourne and Berlin. Described in the program as providing a "multifaceted window of unexpected and intensely constructed spaces", the intriguing piece shapes up as one of a number of highlights in the latter half of the Fringe program.
Prepare to be dazzled by a brand new exhibition at NGV International. Created in partnership with Bulgari Heritage, Italian Jewels: Bulgari Style features close to 100 spectacular pieces from the iconic jewellery brand, whose name is inextricably linked with Hollywood glamour. On display at the gallery from September 30 to January 29, the free exhibition draws from the personal collection of movie icon Elizabeth Taylor, while also featuring jewels worn by the likes of Grace Kelly and Keira Knightley. In addition to the rocks themselves, the exhibition combines photographs and snippets of film, showcasing the stars and their expensive accessories in all their glitzy glory. Running alongside the exhibition are various talks and public programs, featuring curators, designers, academics and jewellers. And speaking of Taylor, the gallery will also host a free screening of Cleopatra on October 9. Image: Elizabeth Taylor in a publicity photograph for The V.I.P.s movie, wearing her Bulgari platinum, emerald and diamond tremblant brooch, Colombian emerald brooch and matching earrings (1963). Photo © Photofest, NY
In 2001, Rolling Stone writer Guy Lawson published the extraordinary article: 'The Stoner Arms Dealers: How Two American Kids Became Big-Time Weapons Traders', and the response was predictably one of outrage and surprise. The entire story seemed preposterous, impossible, far too crazy to believe. As it turns out, it was precisely that quality that enabled its two subjects to get away with the impossible for so very long. David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, two Miami-based Jewish boys in their mid-twenties, had become high-end international arms dealers, most famously landing what came to be known as The Afghan Deal – an exclusive USD$300 million contract to supply the US-backed Afghan forces with weapons, equipment and one hundred million rounds of soviet-era AK-47 ammunition from Albania. Two guys, mid-twenties, and Packouz's previous job was as a part-time masseuse. Such is the subject matter of War Dogs by director Tod Phillips (The Hangover), chronicling Packouz (Miles Teller) and Diveroli's (Jonah Hill) astounding ascent to the big leagues of international weapons trading, as well as their inevitable fall. The title, War Dogs, refers to the nature of their particular profession: scrambling for small-scale arms contracts posted by the Pentagon to help redress the constantly undersupplied forces in the disastrous Iraq and Afghan theatres. Described as "eBay for weapons dealers", these contracts were sourced off a website containing tens of thousands of Pentagon requests for tenders. By focussing on the jobs too small to interest the major players, Packouz and Diveroli were able to amass a small fortune in a remarkably short space of time. Broken up into chapters with names like "God Bless Dick Cheney's America", War Dogs is at pains to show us the corruption of the American Ideal and the toxicity of unrestrained capitalism – both decades-old points long since made in every form of media, and laboured here with an especially heavy hand. With its Americana rock soundtrack, freeze frames and bro-tasctic dialogue, the film plays like a wannabe Big Short or Wolf of Wall Street, yet lacks the emotional drive or dramatic tension to ever really deliver. Neither funny enough to be a comedy, nor serious enough to land as a drama, it instead ends up somewhere in the middle (a fate similarly suffered by the recent Tina Fey project Whiskey Tango Foxtrot). Overall, far too much time is spent on the overtly amusing and entertaining elements of the boys' earlier days, leaving the heart of this remarkable real-life tale – a deal gone awry, double-crosses and a friendship in free fall – to the final stages only. As an indictment on the arms trade, it likewise barely scratches the surface, opting instead to focus on the absurdity and corruption of the political system that enables it. Admittedly, that narrative is a compelling one, revealing a level of bureaucratic absurdity not known to most members of the public. Still, when compared to 2005's Lord of War, which dealt with similar material, this more recent offering emerges as the undisputed weaker of the two. Bland, unimaginative and ill-befitting the extraordinary story behind it, War Dogs feels like an amazing opportunity gone begging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwh9c_E3dJk
The best of Czech and Slovak cinema will once again make its way to Melbourne, as part of the fourth annual Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia. From Wednesday, September 14 through to the following Friday, an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary titles will light up the screen at ACMI, showcasing the unique, sometimes strange perspective of filmmakers from Bratislava to Prague. This year's festival features nine new release films that will compete for a cash prize awarded by members of the Australian Film Critics Association. Features in competition include opening night horror film The Noonday Witch, big screen fairy tale The Seven Ravens and the FIPRESCI prize-winning Eva Nova. Completing these films is an intriguing selection of films from the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Of these, some of the most intriguing include the strange, pulpy, Little Shop of Horrors-inspired comedy Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet, and the seminal adaptation of Dobroslav Chrobák's novel Dragon's Return. For the full program, go here. Disclaimer: Tom will serve as an AFCA jury member at this year's CaSFFA.
Melbourne is fueled by a mix of coffee and beer, so really it was only a matter of time before we got a festival combining the two. Coming to 3 Ravens Brewery in Thornbury on Sunday, April 2, On The Bend / On The Mend will see six local breweries team up with six beloved coffee roasters on six unique beers featuring coffee as a key ingredient. Footscray's Hop Nation (beer), Small Batch (coffee), Preston's Tallboy & Moose (beer) and Brunswick's Wide Open Road (coffee) are just a few of the collaborators to jump on board. "Expect anything from a shot of cold brew into a glass of beer, boilermaker-style, through to some really out-there brews," says 3 Ravens brewery manager Nathan Liascos. Your $60 ticket gets you entry plus all the coffee, beer and coffee-flavoured beer you can quaff. There'll also be workshops, live music and a raclette cheese bar where you can make sure you get your money's worth.
The Heide Museum of Modern Art will pay tribute to the acclaimed work of one of Australia's most important living artists in a new exhibition on display at the gallery from March 4. Charles Blackman: Schoolgirls will feature more than 40 of the eponymous artist's iconic paintings of uniformed schoolgirls in solitary urban settings, brought together from private and public collections from all around the country and the world. Open to the general public until June 18, the tempera, enamel and oil works in the exhibition showcase Blackman's unsettling style as well as his ongoing fascination with the themes of loneliness and isolation. Entry into Charles Blackman: Schoolgirls is free to Heide members; alternatively, you can buy a museum pass for $18 that will gain you access to all of the museum's current exhibitions.
Jump on the #19 tram and head up to Sydney Road as the Brunswick Music Festival returns. This year's lineup is an absolute cracker, with more than 40 shows across two incredible weeks, featuring artists from all across the city, the country and the world. The needle drops on Sunday, March 5 with the Sydney Road Street Party, a massive event with more than 200 artists performing across six stages, plus market stalls, food and more. Other standout events on this year's program include the International Women's Day Concert on Wednesday, March 8 featuring the likes of Kylie Auldist, Ajak Kwai and DJs Mz Rizk and Whiskey Houston, the Triple RRR Listen Party promoting some of the country's best female, trans and gender non-conforming artists, and closing night event Music for the People at Shore Reserve in Pascoe Vale South (BYO picnic basket). For the full Brunswick Music Festival program, go here.
If you've ever been to Japan, enjoying a taste of the country's delicious cuisine as often as you can is likely one of your highest priorities. Even if you haven't, if you've ever picked up a hankering for edamame, karaage or katsu, that's an urge you probably share. Melbourne musicians Neddwellyn Jones and Pete Spark know how you feel. After their own overseas jaunts unleashed some serious culinary and cultural love, they've set up a pop-up ode to the flavours of Tokyo. Atop Fitzroy's Labour In Vain Hotel every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening until April 2, Tokyo Terrace is serving up izakaya fare — aka food that'll make you feel like you've been whisked away to another place, and tastes even better when paired with a frosty brew. That includes the aforementioned bites, offered up as sea salt-sprinkled delights, extra-crispy chicken morsels and in two types of burgers (eggplant and chicken), respectively. Also on the menu: renkon chips served with your choice of kewpie, plus cucumber salad. That should be enough to send you flocking to Brunswick Street over the next month, particularly if your idea of a great weekend feed involves an affordable Japanese meal (with prices ranging from $4 to $14) in a rooftop garden with city views. And, in great news for anyone keen for more, the short-term eatery is just the first in Jones and Spark's planned series of similar ventures. The Tokyo Terrace pop-up will be open from 6pm to 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Images: Darren Gill.
One of the joys of watching Jessica Chastain on screen is watching an excellent actress at the top of her game. Another, and one that occurs again and again in Miss Sloane, is watching everyone else react to her presence. Whether she's hunting down terrorists in Zero Dark Thirty or playing a scheming sibling in Crimson Peak, no one sharing her scenes seems to know quite how to react — which is a testament to the kinds of roles the two-time Oscar-nominee chooses, as well as the way she plays them, rather than a comment on her co-stars. Ambitious, determined and daring to defy categorisation, the bulk of Chastain's characters simply demand attention. Ruthless lobbyist Elizabeth Sloane certainly does, as does the movie that shares her name. "Lobbying is about foresight," Sloane tells the camera during the film's opening scene, with everything that follows demonstrating the accuracy of her assertion. Miss Sloane starts with a congressional committee, where she has been asked to explain her behaviour during a high-profile job, before jumping back to fill in the gaps. Three months earlier, Sloane worked for one of Washington D.C.'s top firms — until the gun lobby came calling, she put them in their place, and the other side wooed her to lead their cause. Even her new boss (Mark Strong) didn't expect her to do more than put up a spirited fight, but losing isn't something Sloane knows how to handle, particularly when she's finally working for a cause she cares about. Her former colleagues (played by Sam Waterston and Michael Stuhlbarg, among others) swiftly turn nasty and combative. Her new co-workers, including the kindy and impassioned Esme (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), try to adjust to her calculating ways. Sloane herself, meanwhile, stands in the middle, providing not only a compelling centrepiece in a high stakes political battle, but a meaty example of the treatment that plagues strong women. She's a force to be reckoned with — exceptional at her job, capable of handling whatever comes her way, willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and thoroughly unconcerned about whether or not people like her. As a result, she's always a target. Arriving on screen so soon after America not only visibly rejected a vision of female leadership, but was quick to paint the prospect in highly unflattering terms, it's no wonder that Miss Sloane strikes a chord. That applies equally to the film and to the character — though the latter outshines the former, thanks largely to Chastain. Still, as the dialogue flies thick and fast, Miss Sloane proves a sleek, taut and tense political thriller. The film represents something of a change of pace for director John Madden after helming The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel; still, the veteran filmmaker proves more than up to the task. First-time screenwriter Jonathan Perera also acquits himself well, spinning an engaging narrative about duplicity, deceit, corruption and control. Of course, if you've ever watched a film or TV show about US politics, you've seen tales like this before. Proficient wheeler-and-dealers have weaved their way through shadowy landscapes on screen before, and painting the American capital as an ethical sinkhole is nothing new – as viewers of The West Wing, House of Cards, Scandal and Veep can all attest And yet, Miss Sloane is never less than involving, even when it feels a tad familiar. Plus, for the record, not everything plays out exactly as expected.
Melbourne fashion lovers sticking to a budget, rejoice — the biannual Magic Designer Sale is back for its first sale event of 2017. For one weekend from February 24–26, a massive amount of end-of-season stock and samples will be available from local designers such as Pageant, Witu, Verner, Kuwaii, Handsom, Seb Brown and Dress Up. With reductions running across the three days, your purchases are guaranteed to be investments. So cancel your weekend plans, empty your piggy bank and race over to Johnson Street. We suggest getting there early for the good stuff. The Magic Designer Sale will run from 9am till 6pm on Friday, 10am till 6pm on Saturday, and 11am till 4pm on Sunday. Image: Hannah Morgan.
You may have thought your days of hanging out in car parks were over, but Melbourne's newest music event looks set to change that. Play On will bring a unique combination of live classical and electronic music to the underground car park at the Collingwood Housing Estate every Friday night in November, with tickets starting at a cool $12 a pop. The event presents classical music outside of traditional performance venues, making it both an accessible and pretty magical experience in a space that welcomes music lovers from all walks of life. The next event on Friday, November 18 will see the Affinity Collective play Panufnik and Britten string quartets, followed by a set from DJ Big Rig (aka Bec Rigby of local band The Harpoons).
The next time you go out drinking and feel 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 beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. Starting this week, more than two dozen bars across Melbourne are once again teaming up with social enterprise Scarf for a campaign to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work. Running November 27 until December 4, Scarf's Do More Than Drink initiative will help raise awareness and funding for young migrants facing barriers to employment. Participating venues — including many Concrete Playground favourites such as Smalls, Saint.Urban, The Beaufort, Belleville, Neighbourhood Wine and Gerald's Bar — will put out donation jars and encourage patrons to dig deep. Proceeds will be used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. In addition to the donation jars, participating venues will reach into their tills and donate $1 from each drink sold on the final weekend (December 2-4) of the campaign. Basically, this means you're duty-bound to buy a drink. A move that's assured to give you the aforementioned warm and fuzzies across the bar. Launching last year, Do More Than Dine raised over $17,000 for Scarf initiatives. This year, with more bar partners, they're hoping to top that figure. So drink up. Here's a list of venues participating on the final weekend. Friday, December 2 Gerald's Bar The Lincoln Smalls Neighbourhood Wine Pixel Alley Lily Blacks Double Happiness Carwyn Cellars Mesa Verde The Rum Diary Bar Half Moon Eau De Vie Sun Moth Canteen & Bar Joe Taylor Two Birds Brewing STARWARD Whisky Distillery Kelvin Section 8 Saturday, December 3 Markov Green Park Belleville Mr Wow's Emporium Robert Burns Hotel New Gold Mountain The Rooks Return Saint Urban Hats and Tatts Some Velvet Morning Kitty Somerset The Beaufort Lucky Coq Sunday, December 4 The B.East
Alongside monstrous burgers, putting edible flowers on muesli and boutique music festivals, there's a promising new 2016 trend that we're absolutely loving: the open garden weekend. We've got cherry blossoms and tulips to look forward to in the coming months and now you can add lavender to your diary too. Warratina Lavender Farm is throwing wide the gates for an open weekend on November 26 and 27. The quaint little farm, located in the Yarra Valley just north of the Dandenong Ranges, boasts over 10,000 lavender plants and sprawling homestead gardens. For an entry fee of $10 for adults ($5 for children) you can spend the day frolicking in rows of lavender, dodging bees and snacking on lavender ice cream. They're putting on stalls, live music, craft demonstrations and a sausage sizzle as well, so you'll be able to make a day of it. Best of all, your entry fee will be donated to the Wandin Country Fire Authority, so your ethereal day will also contribute to a good cause.
