If war is hell, then military boot camp is purgatory. So told Full Metal Jacket, with Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece making that observation echo and pierce with the relentlessness of machine-gun fire. Now, The Inspection stresses the same point nearing four decades later, plunging into the story of a gay Black man enlisting, then navigating the nightmare that is basic training. This too is a clear-eyed step inside the United States Marine Corps, but drawn from first-time fictional feature filmmaker Elegance Bratton's own experiences. New Yorker Ellis French (Jeremy Pope, One Night in Miami) is the Pier Kids documentarian's on-screen alter ego — an out queer man who has spent a decade from his teens to his mid-20s homeless after being kicked out by his ashamed mother Inez (Gabrielle Union, Strange World), and pledges his post 9/11 freedom away for a place to fit in, even if that means descending into a world of institutional homophobia and racism. It would've been easy for Bratton to just sear and scorch in The Inspection; his film is set in 2005, "don't ask, don't tell" was still the US military forces' policy and discrimination against anyone who isn't a straight white man is horrendously brutal. Life being moulded into naval-infantry soldiers is savage anyway; "our job is not to make Marines, it's to make monsters," says Leland Laws (Bokeem Woodbine, Wu-Tang: An American Saga), Ellis' commanding officer and chief state-sanctioned tormentor. And yet, crafting a film that's as haunting as it is because it's supremely personal, Bratton never shies away from Ellis' embrace of the Marines in his quest to work out how he can be himself. There's nothing simple about someone signing up for such heartbreaking anguish because that's the only option that they can imagine, but this stunning movie is anything but simple. Gulf War veteran Laws is indeed The Inspection's own R Lee Ermey type, seeing Ellis' sexuality as his major malfunction — as do many of the privates training with him, plus Inez. The latter's derision gives agonising context to Ellis' eagerness to don the uniform; being dismissed and denigrated for being gay started at home long before he's at the recruit depot on South Carolina's Parris Island. In fact, Inez's abode, with religious iconography everywhere and her prison-guard hardness festering, is where she unburdens her disappointment during her son's early visit. Unlike for audiences, this isn't the first time he's hearing it. Ellis needs his birth certificate, Inez is as malicious with her words while handing it over as the military's worst, and having a parent who won't accept you for who you are is hell as well. Under the abhorrent Laws, nothing about boot camp in The Inspection comes as a surprise. Played with can't-look-away menace by the ever-reliable Woodbine, he doesn't just set the tone for his charges to follow — he makes punishing any derivation from his perceived norm a cruel and compulsory sport. Accordingly, when Ellis' sexual orientation becomes apparent, it's hazing open season among his peers and superiors. Only drill instructor Rosales (Raúl Castillo, Cha Cha Real Smooth) offers sympathy and kindness. And, in a place where every difference stands out, Muslim enlistee Ismail (Eman Esfandi, King Richard) is largely the only other target. Second-generation Marine Harvey (McCaul Lombardi, Patti Cake$) couldn't relish being a bully more, but it isn't difficult to get the bulk of the cadets sharing his hostility. Writing, directing and also ensuring that cinematographer Lachlan Milne (Minari) shoots with the raw intensity of a memory so unshakeable that it always feels fresh, Bratton stares head-on at his protagonist's distressing ordeal. The physical training is gruelling and grinding, and the abuse fierce and ferocious — but Ellis' determination to stick it out, retain his place and continue asking his mother to attend his graduation is equally as resolute. So is Bratton's, actually, with The Inspection grappling with the contradiction that is shaping one's sense of belonging around an institution that so overtly doesn't want you as you are. His feature is all the better because it refuses to make obvious and unchallenging choices, even when it's at its most arduous and depicting one of cinema's most well-documented routines; IRL, as informs this flick, the filmmaker patently never did either. There's a thick and lingering feeling to The Inspection, too, that peering at this time in Bratton's life was always going to be a thorny process. Based on the details, how could an autobiographical affair like this have proven anything else? His movie depends and thrives on that air, with every move made behind the lens — including whether skewing poetic and dreamlike, or seeping the picture in pain and grimness — letting the knottiness of what he went through, and what Ellis now endures, swish and swirl. Cue those inescapable Full Metal Jacket vibes and the terror that comes with it, but also nods to Moonlight in how The Inspection examines what it means to be Black and gay. Cue, as well, a kindred piece at times to Claire Denis' Beau Travail in visually surveying its military figures and honing in on stolen glances. Bratton was already a talent before The Inspection, and already directing his gaze inwards in a way, earning the Film Independent Spirit Awards' Truer Than Fiction prize in 2021 for Pier Kids and its focus on Black and homeless queer and trans NYC youths. Backing that gong up with a Best First Feature nomination at the same awards in 2023 isn't just his feat alone, however. A contender for two 2019 Tonys for Choir Boy and Ain't Too Proud, and for a 2020 Emmy for Netflix's Hollywood, Pope has also been receiving deserved attention for his debut feature lead portrayal — a simmering, sinewy and soulful turn that nabbed him a Golden Globes nod (albeit losing out to Elvis' Austin Butler) and is as magnetic as performances come. He's powerfully supported by the fear-inducing Woodbine, the subtle work of Castillo and the blistering efforts of Union. Bring It On isn't just the name of a movie she's still well-known for, but a description of how she commits to an emotionally strenuous part in a beautifully complicated film.
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 The Mill House'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. The big night in question is free (huzzah) with B99-themed cocktails available to purchase on the night and a heap of prizes up for grabs. If you're all about keeping your costs down this festive season, head in early for happy hour. Running from 4–7pm, you'll be able to snag $7.50 pints, spirits and wines — as well as $12 pizzas all night long. 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 spot ASAP and it may be your night to shine (and that can be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). To book, call (03) 9662 4002. Trivia registration will open at 6pm on the night before questions kick off at 6.30pm.
Melbourne's current lockdown has got lots of us seeking comfort in life's simple pleasures. Mountains of chocolate. Takeaway pizza. Maybe a healthy dose of gin. Well, how do you feel about upping that mood with artisan cheese — plus some wine to wash it down with? From 5pm on Friday, October 2, That's Amore Cheese is indulging Melburnians' love of vino and cheese in two ways. Firstly, in what it's calling a virtual aperitivo session, you can Zoom in for a tour of Mornington Peninsula vineyards. Also, if you want to do more than just watch, you can order an aperitivo pack — filled with wine and cheese, obviously — to eat and drink your way through at the same time. The Zoom part of proceedings is free — so virtually wandering around Elgee Park and Baillieu Vineyard won't cost you a thing — but you do need to register online. As for the pack, it costs $110 and includes multiple cheeses, antipasto, and both Baillieu rosé and Elgee Park pinot noir. You'll need to order by Wednesday, September 30 in order for it to be delivered in time. If you live within 15 kilometres of Thomastown, bringing it to your door won't cost any extra; however, for the rest of Melbourne (within 25 kilometres of Thomastown), you'll pay an additional $10. That's Amore Cheese's virtual aperitivo session takes place from 5pm on Friday, October 2, with aperitivo packs available to order until Wednesday, September 30.
If the names Peter Quince, Snug, Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Tom Snout and Robin Starveling sound familiar, it's because they make up a group of very memorable characters from Shakespeare's famed play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Now, this fictional crew of thespian tradies — dubbed 'the Mechanicals' — has scored a promotion of sorts, bumped up to take on the starring roles in Shakespeare Australia's new production, A Midsummer Mechanical's Dream. The side-splitting spin-off will descend on the Royal Botanic Gardens' Southern Cross Lawn from Friday, February 25–Saturday, March 12, created and directed by Glenn Elston OAM. It spotlights the comical Mechanicals as they workshop lines and test out material in the hope of being chosen to perform at the Duke's upcoming nuptials. The limited run of nighttime performances will take place under the stars — you can pack a picnic to enjoy while you watch, or take advantage of the onsite bar.
There are few things in life that smell as good as Aesop products. Freshly cut grass brings with it hayfever; sniffing cinnamon will give you a sneezing fit; and as for newborn babies' heads, surely they just smell like pain and placenta? With its subtle hints of mandarin, lavender, shea butter and rosemary, the Aesop Resurrection hand balm I swipe from the bathrooms of fancy cafes is by far my pick of the bunch. Now this local titan of beauty and wellbeing is taking an interest in our part of the process — the smelling. From April 8 - 23, Aesop will be setting up shop in the Bourke Street Myer windows with an interactive installation featuring over 1,500 plaster casts of noses. But this isn't just a tame version of The Great Wall of Vagina, passersby will also be invited to contribute to the collection. Sit down, take a load off, peruse the offerings from the god that is Aesop, and let them immortalise your schnozz in the name of art and excellent hand balm. Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The author just really, really likes Aesop.
Film festivals seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment, and the 2013 Spanish Film Festival is joining the party this June. In its 16th year, it will span 23 days across the nation. With over 20 films, in true festival style, you can expect a little from column A and a little from column B: comedy, romance, horror, political tales, triller and coming-of-age stories. Some of the highlights include the winner of 10 Argentinian Academy Awards, Clandestine Childhood, a tale of a boy finding his place in the world; A Gun in Each Hand, a witty look at gender roles and growing up; and the Spanish box office hit I Want You, a love story filled with new beginnings and a rocking soundtrack. The Spanish Film Festival is set to entertain and get you thinking. The question is, how many will you see?
Prahran bar The Smith is no stranger to a themed pop-up, regularly dressing up its space with bright blooms and decorations in a nod to the season at hand. And heading into summer, the venue has just unveiled its latest incarnation, embracing the incoming balmy weather with a brand-new look. Midsummer Night's Garden sees The Smith's garden atrium going heavy on the pastel florals and swathes of wisteria, with an archway leading through to a secret dining area. Here, you'll be able to kick back in comfort and enjoy offerings like the $45 Thursday Supper Club, which involves 90 minutes of bottomless bubbly, wine and spritzes, teamed with a cheese board to share. The space will also play host to a New Year's Eve cocktail party, though you can pop past anytime until the end of February to soak up the summery setting with a cocktail and feed among the blooms.
The days are getting crisper, summer holidays are done and dusted, and cosy weekend getaways are likely already on your mind. Happily, this year brings a cracking new regional Victorian accomodation option, with the soon-to-launch Wine Down Pop-Up Hotel. The two beautifully upcycled shipping container hotels are the work of Contained — known for crafting bars, restaurants, offices and hotels out of shipping containers — and are all at once comfy, luxuriously appointed and sustainably crafted. And they'll soon be well-travelled, moving across three of the state's best-loved wine regions between April and July. Designed to inspire some weekend adventures in your own backyard, the pop-up eco hotel will be making its home in pinot noir country at South Gippsland's Waratah Hills Vineyard (April 3–28), before a stint in King Valley at the family-run Dal Zotto Wines, producers of some of Australia's first prosecco (May 6 to June 2). It'll wrap things up at picturesque Macedon spot, Mount Towrong Vineyard (June 7 to July 7). [caption id="attachment_711809" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mount Towrong.[/caption] Nestled among the vines, the self-contained Wine Down retreats come kitted out with a swag of high-end trimmings, boasting a plush queen-size bed with primo Cultiver linen, full bathroom stocked with Hunter Lab toiletries, a locally focused minibar, breakfast and your very own hot tub. Guests will also get to indulge in a private onsite wine tasting experience and a bottle of the property's finest vino. And if you really want to live it up, there are optional add-ons like gourmet picnic hampers, or a guided yoga session among the vines. The Wine Down Pop-Up Hotel is heading to South Gippsland from April 3–28, King Valley from May 6–June 2, and Macedon from June 7–July 7. Prices start at $275 per night from Sundays through Thursdays and booking are now open via visitvictoria.com. Images: Daniel John Bilsborough and Jiwon Kim.
The only theatre company in Europe to be banned by its government on political grounds, the Belarus Free Theatre is coming to Melbourne with tales of persecution, resilience and revolution. Burning Doors will see the BTF join forces with Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina in her stage debut. Alyokhina was sentenced to two years in a Russian prison in 2012 for her involvement in Pussy Riot's infamous anti-Putin 'punk prayer' in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Hers is one of a number of stories that will make up the production at the Arts Centre, as the company shines a light on the restriction of artistic freedom around the world, and the work of artists and activists to fight back against creative and political oppression. The show will be on stage from Tuesday, November 29 through to Saturday, December 3.
Since 2016, the cinema-loving world has had a Studio Ghibli-shaped hole in its heart. That's when the acclaimed Japanese animation house released its most recent film, the gorgeous French co-production The Red Turtle. Its last solo production actually came two years earlier, courtesy of 2014's When Marnie Was There. Still, much has happened in Studio Ghibli's world over the past decade. Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement, then changed his mind. In 2018, fellow co-founder and acclaimed director Isao Takahata sadly passed away. And, over the past few years, the company has been busying itself with its very own theme park. The latter is due to open in 2022 and become quite the tourist attraction — but that doesn't mean that fans aren't keen for more Ghibli movies. Thankfully, the studio has announced that it's working on just that, with two new films on its slate for 2020. In the company's New Year's Greeting and just-released news update, it revealed that it'll be focusing on the pair of flicks and the theme park this year. And yes, one of those movies will be helmed by My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle icon Miyazaki. How Do You Live? was actually first announced a few years back, along with Miyazaki's return from retirement. Few details have been unveiled since, although in an interview on Japanese TV late last year, the filmmaker's producer Toshio Suzuki advised that it was 15-percent finished at the end of October 2019. Initially hoped to hit screens around the time of this year's Tokyo Olympics, it hasn't been given a release date as yet. Details of Studio Ghibli's second film in production are even more scarce, including its name, director, plot and timing. But the company's creative stocks run deep — Miyazaki's son Goro Miyazaki directed Tales from Earthsea and From Up On Poppy Hill, for example — and it hasn't made a bad movie yet. Get excited about the two new films by revisiting the trailer for Miyazaki's last feature, 2013's The Wind Rises: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzSpDgiF5y8 Via Studio Ghibli.
Acclaimed Aussie artist Callum Preston has shown off plenty of his nostalgic side, having delighted audiences when he recreated a 70s-style milk bar — complete with painted timber chocolate bars, magazines and soft drink cans — back in 2017. Before that, he was responsible for a life-sized replica of a DeLorean for 2015 artwork Bootleg to the Future. But now, fresh from helping to bring to life Rone's acclaimed Empire work last year — which saw a deserted art deco mansion transformed into a multifaceted, immersive art experience — Preston is switching up the pace for his latest solo exhibition, titled Everything Is Borrowed. The exhibition is part of a five-week residency at the Rialto's KSR Art Bar. The space has also become Preston's studio — and while the show doesn't officially open until Thursday, November 21, from today, you can drop by the bar to see him working on pieces for the show. These pieces will be a hand-crafted collection of mixed-media works, canvases and Preston's signature painted timber panel piece — and everything will be made on-site. The diverse collection — which will be constantly updated — will be a homage to the multitude of items we humans accumulate throughout our lives. Everything Is Borrowed is a reference to The Streets' song of the same name, and, taking inspiration from it, Preston will capture the changing value we place on those everyday treasures and trinkets. "We live in a material world, but most of the time it's about what an item means to a person, more than its monetary value," explains Preston. The studio itself is made entirely from recycled materials, with an eclectic assembly of notes, sketches, offcuts, photos, tools, and other bits and pieces gracing its walls. It's worth taking a stickybeak at over a drink one night after work — then head back between Novembre 21 and December 21 to see the exhibition in its entirety. Everything Is Borrowed will run from Thursday, November 21, to Saturday, December 7 — but you can drop by and see him at work from 4–11pm Monday to Friday until then.
Gather an eclectic group of people in an intriguing place, spill a few secrets, commit a few crimes and watch sparks fly. It's an approach that's worked for Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight and even the board game Cluedo, and it works a treat for Bad Times at the El Royale. Contrary to the film's moniker, you can expect a rollicking good time with this mystery-thriller, which has devilish fun taking both its sharp narrative and its motley crew of characters on a twist-filled ride — and taking the audience along too, for that matter. On a sunny 1969 day that's soon to turn stormy, Lake Tahoe's El Royale Hotel welcomes four guests to its distinctive surroundings. Checking into the spot smack-bang on the border of California and Nevada are smooth-talking vacuum salesman Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm), jobbing singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), man of the cloth Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) and a woman who writes "fuck you" in the ledger instead of her name (Dakota Johnson). Strangers crossing paths for the first time, each has their own reasons for being there, not that anyone is forthcoming. As they assemble in the lobby beneath photos of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and other bigwigs who've stayed on the premises, the young, distracted manager Miles (Lewis Pullman) gives them the spiel: they can slumber in either U.S. state, but rooms in California cost $1 extra and you can't drink in the Nevada lounge, or gamble either since it lost its gaming license. The hotel's divided layout aside (and yes, a line literally runs right through the middle), much about Bad Times at the El Royale initially feels familiar. The basic setup, the use of title cards, the shifting perspectives and fractured timelines, and the air of foreboding in a fading abode all could've stepped out of countless other movies. Thankfully, derivation isn't the name of the game here, although there's one particular film that writer-director Drew Goddard owes a debt to. It's his own last big-screen release, The Cabin in the Woods — and while the filmmaker isn't trying to make the same flick twice by any means, he approaches this slightly over-long 90s-style crime throwback in the same way as his hit horror movie. Both share a sense of playfulness that's highly engaged with their chosen genres, neither follows the routine path, and each comes packed with an energy that's thoroughly infectious. Chris Hemsworth plays a part in both films, although just how the star and his frequently bare chest fit into Bad Times at the El Royale's narrative is best discovered by watching. But, by re-teaming with Goddard, he's once again immersed in an engrossing story that's spun around a fantastic setting — complete with shooting, spying, scandals, bank robbers and cults. While treating a movie's location like one of its characters might be commonplace to the point of cliche, this lively, pulpy and often amusing noir-esque picture wouldn't be anything without its central lodge. From the diorama-like opening scene that buries a secret beneath the floorboards, to roving camerawork that stalks every hidden nook and cranny of the place in a striking fashion, the El Royale proves a slick visual playground for blood-splattered revelations and reversals. Along with cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (The Greatest Showman), roaming the hotel's halls is a well-chosen group of actors, helping to overcome what could've been the film's greatest flaw. Casting can often be a movie's biggest spoiler, instantly signalling that a high-profile name is destined for a more sizeable role than their seemingly small part first indicates — but even when that remains true here, talent such as Bridges and Johnson craft fascinating characters who are more than the sum of their flaws, failings and deceptions. Firmly and delightfully in Kurt Russell-meets-Patrick Swayze mode, Hemsworth is charming to watch in a more straightforward part, however it's Erivo who's having the best time of all. Turning in a performance as powerful as the soulful tracks she's often singing, the Tony and Grammy winner only made her cinematic debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last month. With Bad Times at the El Royale, Erivo checks in to a darkly entertaining affair, and certain big-screen stardom as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU
You'd expect plenty of shenanigans to occur in a brewery. When you're crafting tasty brews, something fun has to happen — right? Whatever beverage-sipping visions might pop into your head when you're pondering what would be most folks' dream workplace, circus probably isn't one of them. Let Hawkers Beer show you otherwise. After turning their Reservoir site into a Brewery Cinema for last year's Good Beer Week, they're taking inspiration from the big top for their 2017 event. A host of Melbourne circus artists will take over the space from 7pm on May 13, serving up a showcase of tumbling, flipping, flying and juggling antics. Yes, the latter will involve throwing beer into the air. As well as the once-off display by performers who have worked with Cirque Du Soleil, Circus Oz, Circa, NICA and NIDA, Hawkers will wander around sculptures, grab a bite to eat from an array of food trucks — and knock back brews, of course. Tickets cost $130 per person, but this really isn't the kind of thing that you see every day. A bit of advice: just don't have a few drinks and try to bust out some tricks of your own. Image: Fiona Brook.
If you've been to Eggslut in the States, you'll understand the hype. Lines snake around LA's Grand Central Market — and Las Vegas's Cosmopolitan — from the moment the stores start frying up eggy burgers and jars of 'slut' (coddled eggs with potato). Now, the hype is heading Down Under, with founder Alvin Cailan coming to Melbourne for a one-day burger pop-up. Cailan (who also hosts The Burger Show) is teaming up with Collingwood's own Easey's for a one-off collaboration, which will take over the Easey Street joint from 8–11am on Saturday, August 10. Collaborating with Truff Hot Sauce as well to celebrate the truffle-infused sauce's Australian launch, there'll be two delicious bites on the menu — and whichever one you choose, your tastebuds will thank you. Fancy some Eggslut action? That calls for The Beverly, complete with soft scrambled eggs, chives, a potato cake from Easey's, cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, the sauce in the spotlight sauce and mayo, all on an Eggslut-inspired bun. Prefer a burg? The Truff cheeseburger is here to help, layering an Easey's smashed patty, caramelised onions, egg, garlic and dill pickles, American cheese, Truff sauce and mayo on a potato bun. Tickets cost $50, which includes your choice of the above sandwich or burger, a bottle of Truff sauce and a bloody mary made with the spicy condiment — all while Cailan is on the Easey's premises. That's your Saturday breakfast sorted, but you will need to book in for a 20-minute timeslot in advance.
Northsiders, prepare to lose your collective minds (and begin a heated debate about the values of coriander) because Prahan's beloved Vietnamese restaurant, Hanoi Hannah, is coming to Carlton for the month of July. At Yo-Chi, of all places. Hanoi Hannah is moving in to the frozen yoghurt bar's palatial digs on Faraday Street from Tuesday, July 5. The culinary couple's collab name is 'pho-yo' — but before you freak out about hybrid foodstuffs, rest assured they won't be serving pho-flavoured frozen yoghurt. "No, no that would be disgusting," laughs Simon Blacher, co-owner of Hanoi Hannah. "But we're doing a collaborative flavour with Yo-Chi, a Hanoi Hannah-inspired frozen yoghurt." The HH crew will also be serving up signature dishes like their yellowfin tuna and wasabi rice paper rolls and fresh chargrilled chicken and BBQ pork banh mi with pickled carrot, daikon, cucumber and coriander with crispy shallots. "It's quite a simple set up [at Yo-Chi] so we can't do any elaborate cooking, but it'll be enough to serve up a good lunch and dinner," Blacher says. "Plus, the food we're known for — like pho and bahn mi — isn't complicated, just done well." Yo-Chi will also be serving up a bespoke dessert menu as well as their regular self-serve fro-yo and toppings. You can grab the decadent (and hilariously named) Lava'Nother (a chocolate mud cake with a ganache centre, vanilla frozen yoghurt, fresh strawberries and chocolate soil) to accompany your Vietnamese feast. Blacher also revealed they'll be offering delivery after the pop-up gets settled in, so you won't even have to leave the house to indulge. No word, however, on whether northside will be getting their own permanent Hanoi Hannah, but we're hopeful. When asked, Blacher won't give anything away. "It may be true…who knows. We're always looking for new venues but nothing concrete at the moment". Here's hoping Hannah finds a permanent home north of the Yarra at some point in the future — but in the meantime, we'll settle for bahn mi, pho and fro-yo in the warm, wooden interior of Yo-Chi.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is making an offer you can't refuse. For two nights only, renowned conductor Shih-Hung Young will lead the MSO in a rendition of the gorgeous score from The Godfather, as part of a live concert screening at Hamer Hall. If you've never seen the film, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. If you already have, then you won't need convincing that it's worth doing so again. Widely heralded as one of the greatest films ever made, Francis Ford Coppola's crime epic follows the reluctant rise of Michael (Al Pacino) up the ranks of the notorious Corleone crime family. Full of countless iconic lines and award-worthy performances, the film is also remembered for Nino Rota's haunting orchestral score: a melancholy waltz tinged with an elegant darkness that lingers long after the movie comes to an end. Leave the gun. Take the cannoli. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9vA7L8H4nc
This winter will see the return of The Westin Melbourne's ever-popular, cheese-themed high tea series. Aptly dubbed High Cheese, this brie-lliant culinary situation is yours to enjoy daily (11am–8pm) in the hotel's Lobby Lounge, from June 4–August 31. For $98, you'll sit down to an elaborate spread by celebrated cheesemonger Anthony Femia (of Maker & Monger) and Westin Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw. Expect the likes of a baked le Duc Vacherin with specialty sourdough for dipping, alpine cheese scones teamed with Gippsland jersey butter, and the L'Artisan Grand Fleuri brie layered with sautéed mushrooms and leeks in Oloroso sherry. Dessert-style treats include straciatella paired with a Four Pillars negroni marmalade, and walnut praline madeleines filled with whipped comté and fresh honeycomb. To match, there'll be free-flowing Jing teas, Vittoria coffee and hot chocolates. Plus, there's a curation of vino from South Australian winery Bird in Hand, if you'd like to accompany that cheesy feast with something a little stronger. Rather not leave the house? This year, High Cheese can also be enjoyed from the comfort of home, in the form of a high tea hamper delivered via Providoor.
Do you ever find yourself at a bar, watching the bartender flip bottles, throw pestles and shake things dramatically while making your cocktail, and wonder, "is this guy legit or is he just trying to channel Tom Cruise in Cocktail for fun"? Wonder no longer. The team behind Patrón (your fave 'treat yo'self' premium tequila) are hosting a competition on Saturday, October 14 to find Australia's best cocktail mixologists. The whole affair is going down at Whitehart, an industrial, two-storey CBD bar built from repurposed shipping containers — and yes, it will involve plenty of luxe cocktails. So, what makes an award-winning cocktail master? Is it just the drinks they create? Or the showmanship? The customer service? Or knowing that three olives are always better than two in a dirty martini? Whatever it is, you'll soon find out. The Patrón Perfectionists Australian Finals is a seriously exclusive event that will gather the most promising bartending talent from around the country and let them demonstrate their very best skills for a panel of industry experts. Successful drinks will be visually appealing, delicious and, of course, created with Patrón as the hero ingredient. Also, points will be awarded for the mixologists' performances and audience engagement, so you can almost guarantee some Tom Cruise-esque flair to go down. The winner of the final will then go on to represent Australia at the Global Patrón Perfectionists final at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. If you think the event sounds like the tequila heaven you've always dreamed of, then you'll be stoked to know that we have 25 exclusive double passes to give away — it'll just be you winners and the creme de la creme of Australia's cocktail scene. Even better, entry to the event includes free cocktails (you know they'll be good) and free canapés all night long. Prepare to learn more about cocktail mixing than you ever thought you would. [competition]638006[/competition]
Flinders Lane bar The Mill House is getting a head-start on spring, this week launching a brand new Thursday night Gin Club off the back of its new G&T menu. Each week, punters will have the chance to sample bespoke gin creations from just $10, while bi-monthly events will see The Mill House team up with some of the most celebrated craft gin producers from across Australia and the world. Helping to kick things off this Thursday, August 31, is Yarra Valley distillery Four Pillars, who've planned an evening made for gin-thusiasts. The Mill House kitchen will plate up a selection of canapés either inspired by or infused with Four Pillars gin — think prawn crackers topped with gin-cured salmon and roe, and Manchego cheese and corn croquettes with pickled pumpkin — while Four Pillars ambassador Samuel Ng will host tastings of the label's core gins and exclusive releases. The bar will also be whipping up an array of signature gin drinks, like the Flinders Lane Fling — a blend of dry gin, brandy and lemon juice, with honey water, soda, absinthe and rosemary — while resident DJs keep the party going well into the evening. Future co-hosts include the likes of Sydney distilleries Archie Rose and Poor Toms, and Brunswick newcomer Patient Wolf. To celebrate this week's launch, The Mill House is giving out complimentary G&Ts from 6pm this Thursday. To score one, you'll have to be one of the first 100 people through the door to use the code phrase 'get together, come undone'. GIN CLUB LINEUP August 31: Four Pillars (Melbourne) September 7: Archie Rose (Sydney) September 21: The Botanist (Scotland) October 5: Poor Toms (Sydney) October 12: Patient Wolf (Melbourne) October 19: Pinkster (England) November 2: Rogue (New Zealand) November 30: Hippocampus (Perth)
More than 80 years after it was first sung and heard, Billie Holiday's 'Strange Fruit' still isn't easily forgotten. Drawn from a poem penned to protest lynchings, it's meant to shock and haunt. It's designed to galvanise and mobilise, too, as drawing attention to the extrajudicial killings of Black Americans should. Indeed, so vivid is the song in its language — "Black bodies swingin' in the southern breeze" describes the third line — US authorities demanded that Holiday stop performing it. She refused repeatedly, so there were repercussions. Concerned that the track would spark change, inspire Holiday's fans to fight for civil rights and justice, and perhaps motivate riots against against oppression and discrimination as well, the US Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics went after the musician for her drug use. If it couldn't get her to cease crooning the controversial tune via other means, such as overt warnings and a prominent police presence at her shows, it'd do whatever it could to keep her from reaching the stage night after night. So tells The United States vs Billie Holiday, the latest Oscar-nominated biopic to step through its namesake's life. Back in 1972, Lady Sings the Blues loosely adapted Holiday's autobiography of the same name, enlisting Diana Ross to play the singer — but, in taking inspiration instead from Johann Hari's non-fiction book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, this latest big-screen vision of the music icon's story adopts its own angle. Holiday's troubled childhood and youth has its part in this tale, which is scripted for the screen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks. Her addiction, and the personal woes that she tried to blot out, clearly don't escape filmmaker Lee Daniels' (The Butler) attention, either. But The United States vs Billie Holiday also falls in alongside Seberg, MLK/FBI and Judas and the Black Messiah in interrogating bleak truths about mid-20th century America. That includes the misplaced priorities of its government during multiple administrations, and the blatant determination shown by an array of agencies under various presidents to undermine, persecute and silence those considered a supposedly un-American threat to the status quo. Framed by a late 50s interview between Holiday (Andra Day, Marshall) and a gossip journalist (Leslie Jordan, Will & Grace), Daniels' film flits back and forth through the former's life. Her career heyday takes pride of place, but complexity seethes through every facet of her existence — whether she's ignoring commands not to sing 'Strange Fruit' in the 40s, being sentenced to prison for narcotics towards the decade's end, making a sold-out comeback at Carnegie Hall, cycling through relationships with several abusive men or peering back at memories of her unhappy upbringing. The narrative anchor: Jimmy Fletcher (Trevante Rhodes, Moonlight). Tasked by crusading Federal Bureau of Narcotics head Harry Anslinger (Garrett Hedlund, Dreamland) to infiltrate Holiday's inner circle, he becomes a pal, a lover and also one of the key figures responsible for her incarceration. He's regarded warily by Holiday's dutiful entourage, which spans her best friend Roslyn (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Kajillionaire), stylist Miss Freddy (Miss Lawrence, Star) and saxophonist Lester Young (Tyler James Williams, Detroit). And yet, Holiday consistently warms to Fletcher, including both before and after he starts questioning his real purpose. Holiday's status as a legend will never be diminished. Despite the US Government's concerted efforts otherwise, 'Strange Fruit' has cemented its place in history, too. But even given The United States vs Billie Holiday's iconic point of focus, her vitally important song, and the crucial and committed approach taken to both, the film that results here often feels little more than standard. It adheres to the biographical drama playbook, and uses Anslinger as a cartoonish villain. Its arrival on-screen in such close proximity to the aforementioned Seberg and Judas and the Black Messiah also imparts an unshakeable air of familiarity. The United States vs Billie Holiday is often rousing and moving. It tells an essential story, and tracks the tragedies and the triumphs alike. But it remains forcefully wedded to convention, to the extent that almost every second of the narrative plays out as expected, and every filmmaking choice as well — regardless of whether viewers already know the minutiae of Holiday's life intimately or are learning it anew. That well-worn sensation applies to most areas of the movie, except one. Day took her stage name from Billie Holiday's nickname, with Young dubbing the icon Lady Day — and in her first lead role, the 'Rise Up' singer turns in an absolute powerhouse performance. A Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama has already come her way, along with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, because this is an intense, impassioned, career-defining portrayal. Even when the feature itself becomes unfocused, including through Daniels' erratic stylistic flourishes, Day is simply mesmerising. She sings Holiday's songs flawlessly, and she also conveys the lifetime of struggle that lingers behind every word. She mirrors the star's presence, too; when she's centre stage, or placed in the centre of cinematographer Andrew Dunn's (The Children Act) frame, everything else seems to fade away. Day's rendition of 'Strange Fruit' isn't easily forgotten, fittingly; however, neither is anything about her performance. The raspiness of her voice expresses Holiday's pain, even when just uttering a single word. The fixed gaze her character continually directs Fletcher's way manages to be equally withering and melting, and the complicated rapport she shares with the also-excellent Rhodes makes for many of the movie's best moments. But if Day constantly vividly and memorably honours the woman she's playing — and she does, especially when she's belting out her songs — The United States vs Billie Holiday can't always claim to do the same. No one's life story should feel like it's ticking boxes, and Holiday's certainly didn't, but Daniels seems to forget that more often than anyone should. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLmTd8q3Ec Image: Takashi Seida.
So, you've been hanging out for some proper Korean eats, but a takeaway-heavy lockdown's left you with absolutely zero patience for soggy fried chicken or lukewarm bibimbap. Well, a group of CBD-based Korean eateries have banded together to create a new finish-at-home meal delivery service that'll solve your conundrum in a snap. With the newly launched Market Seoul Soul, punters can enjoy some of the restaurants' best-loved dishes at home, with just a little bit of prep work needed to bring the feast to life. Noodle joint Guksu, tofu house Dooboo, street food specialists Oppa Kitchen and Sam Sam Chicken have teamed up to offer fans a food experience that's as close as possible to what you'd get dining in. They're delivering meal packs right across Melbourne three days a week, filled with the ingredients you'll need to assemble your chosen dishes at home. Expect fresh vegetables and garnishes, along with slow-cooked house broths, handmade noodles, seasonings and secret signature sauces. There's even a series of online video tutorials and tips to help you nail it. The menu is a hefty one, too. Pick from the likes of Dooboo's classic beef bulgogi, a traditional dumpling soup called myeong-dong kalguksu or even a fiery kimchi jjigae (stew) laced with pork, onions and tofu. Meats like pork jowl and beef shabu shabu come cut and ready to barbecue, a range of sushi-style 'gimbap' rolls are made fresh each morning, and there's a DIY kimchi kit that's a breeze to assemble and keeps in the fridge for up to three days. If you've got an air-fryer, there are also a couple of Korean fried chicken options to try, including packs of crispy wingettes and drumettes, and serves of saucy boneless chook from Sam Sam. Currently, Market Seoul Soul's making deliveries to a stack of Melbourne suburbs every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Order cut-off is 4.30pm the day prior to delivery. Find Market Seoul Soul's full menu and delivery options over at the website.
If nothing says romance to you like a classic movie, a picnic and a night under the stars, then we've found your February plans: a week of romantic films at Moonlight Cinema. The summertime event in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth unveils its lineup in batches each season, with the flicks for next month freshly announced — including swooning over 10 Things I Hate About You, Twilight and The Notebook, plus a preview screening of Force of Nature: The Dry 2 among the broader program. Consider this your latest piece of motivation to sit on a bean bed under the evening sky while feasting your eyes on the big screen and filling your stomach — with your special someone if that's how you'd like to mark Valentine's Day. The Ryan Gosling (Barbie)- and Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret)-starring tear-jerker will do the honours on Wednesday, February 14, capping of a run of love-focused pictures that also features A Cinderella Story, The Princess Diaries, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Anyone But You. Away from getting hearts aflutter, Moonlight's February bill also spans Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins, animation Migration, plus Wonka and Ferrari in all cities — and that sneak-peek session of Force of Nature is happening everywhere as well. In Sydney and Melbourne only, All of Us Strangers with the internet's boyfriends Paul Mescal (Foe) and Andrew Scott (Fleabag) is back on the lineup. And in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, so is wrestling biopic The Iron Claw. Sydney will also host a Mamma Mia pride celebration screening. Other films doing the rounds, depending on the city, range from Poor Things, Barbie and Dicks: The Musical to Priscilla, Saltburn and the Joel Edgerton-starring The Boys in the Boat. Folks in Brisbane and Adelaide, take note: this is your last chance to head along for this summer, with the Queensland season in Roma Street Parklands ending on Sunday, February 18 and the South Australian stint wrapping up on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 in Botanic Park. The lineup always varies per place, as do the dates, and the films and the setting are just two parts of the Moonlight Cinema setup. Also on offer: an official Aperol spritz bar, which is new for 2023–24. Nosh-wise, the event lets you BYO movie snacks and drinks (no alcohol in Brisbane, though), but the unorganised can enjoy a plethora of bites to eat onsite while reclining on bean beds. There's also a VIP section for an extra-luxe openair movie experience, plus a platinum section that levels up a night at the movies even further in Sydney and Melbourne. A beauty cart is handing out samples, too. And, dogs are welcome at all sites except Perth — there's even special doggo bean beds, and a snack menu for pooches. MOONLIGHT CINEMA 2023–24 DATES: Brisbane: until Sunday, February 18, 2024 in Roma Street Parklands Sydney: until Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Centennial Parklands Perth: until Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Kings Park and Botanic Garden Adelaide: until Wednesday, February 14, 2024 in Botanic Park Melbourne: until Saturday, March 30, 2024 in Royal Botanic Gardens Moonlight Cinema runs through until March 2024, with dates varying per city. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the cinema's website — and we'll update you with further program details when they're announced.
The Corner’s Soul-A-Go-Go nights are by far some of the most fun evenings you’ll spend in this great city if soul music, dancing, and generally great times float your boat. This August there’ll be a very special guest amongst the PBS DJs; the Bamboos leading lady, Kylie Auldist. With one of Australia’s most iconic soul voices, Auldist will perform live with her five piece funk soul outfit, playing tunes from her upcoming album Family Tree. Also appearing for the evening’s festivities is PBS’ Pierre Baroni (Soulgroove 66), DJ Manchild (The Breakdown), Miss Goldie (Boss Action), Richie 1250 (Stone Love), Matt McFetridge (Jungle Fever) and Vince Peach (Soul Time). Although Soul-A-Go-Go is on the first Saturday of every month, this is a very special line up indeed that should not be missed. Grab some tickets quick sticks.
Outdoor cinemas are usually reserved for balmy summer nights once the season officially changes over to summer. But this year, American Express Openair Cinema is hitting Melbourne early for a special spring season at Yarra Park right next to the MCG. From Wednesday, October 9 until Sunday, November 3, you'll be able to catch one of many box office hits on the pop-up cinema screen. If you haven't seen it yet, pencil in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood for opening night; otherwise, you might want to book in a date to see the just-released Downton Abbey film. The program also gives you the chance to sneakily catch up on some of this year's most hyped films, including Rocketman, The Lion King, 2040 and the must-see Adam Goodes doco The Australian Dream. Fitzroy's Ladro will once again be slinging its woodfired pizza, and a bar, serving Urban Alley brews, Giesen wines and Pimm's will keep your thirst quenched all night long. Oh, and it's a dog-friendly space, so you don't need to leave part of your family at home. Plus if you're an Amex user you'll get 15 percent off select tickets, plus a lounger and bites for the movie.
One is best known for its refined American barbecue fare, the other for its menu of modern Chinese plates, plump buns and juicy dumplings. But despite their differences, Fancy Hank's and Oriental Teahouse are teaming up for a special one-off feasting experience, this Wednesday, October 23. The five-course dinner is set to take over the South Yarra restaurant, inviting guests on a smoke-driven, East-meets-West flavour journey. With food clocking in at $65 a head, clever collaboration dishes include the likes of sticky char siu pork ribs — smoked, fried and served with spring onion and peanuts — buns with filled with 14-hour smoked brisket and fried boudin sausage dumplings teamed with Fancy Hank's signature peach and jalapeño sauce. There's even a riff on the classic xiao long bao, here crafted with pulled pork and black apple vinegar. Fancy pairing it all with a few crisp brews? For an extra $20, you can team your feed with 90 minutes of free-flowing beer from the bar.
Celebrate the work of local musicians at the second annual Stony Creek Music Festival. Hosted at McNish Reserve in Yarraville's Cruickshank Park, this Australia Day showcase of home-grown talent eschews the big names getting airtime on triple j and instead favours a much more local sound. You can see Nick Barker, Rebecca Barnard and The Painters & Dockers live on stage, and grab dinner from a convoy of waiting food trucks. So bring your picnic rug and as many mates as you can muster. And for your own sake, don't forget the sunscreen.
If you're big on making coffee and tea at home, Assembly is your heaven-sent special place. They've handpicked the best coffee and tea blends from around the country (and the world), and sell them alongside a whole heap of professional-level equipment. They've got everything from AeroPresses to filters to fancy kettles and teapots — basically, enough to make any coffee nerd squeal in caffeinated delight. Plus, it's also a cafe, so you can sit in and see (and taste) how it's done by the pros.
Gelato Messina first introduced its cookie pies to the world in 2020, and tastebuds across Australia thanked them. Then, it kept bringing the OTT dessert back when we all needed an extra dose of sweetness across the year. In fact, the dessert fiends have been serving them up for more than 12 months now. Messina celebrated that one-year milestone back in April, of course — but it isn't done with cookie pies yet. Here's hoping that it never will be, because its latest version is certain to tempt plenty of tastebuds. Chocolate is involved, as it usually is, but Messina's new choc malt cheesecake cookie pie fills its choc malt cookie with vanilla malt cheesecake, then tops it with a choc malt crumble. With all that talk of chocolate and malt, it sounds a bit like it's taking a few cues from Milo. No, we're not complaining. Hang on, a cookie pie? If you're not familiar with the concept yet, it's a pie — obviously — but it's made of cookie dough. And it serves two–six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, so you get to enjoy that oh-so-amazing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. This time, you'll enjoy the scent of vanilla and malt as well. The new pies will be available for preorder from 9am on Monday, June 7 — which is your chance to get yourself a piece of the pie. On its own, the indulgent birthday cake cookie pie will cost $25. But to sweeten the deal, the cult ice creamery has created a few bundle options, should you want some of its famed gelato atop it. For $35, you'll get the pie and a 500-millilitre tub, while with a one-litre tub or a 1.5-litre tub, it'll cost $41 and $45 respectively. The catch? You'll have to peel yourself off the couch and head to your local Messina store to pick up your order. They'll be available for collection between Friday, June 11–Sunday, June 13. Melburnians, ideally you'll be out of lockdown by then — but it's probably best to take note of your ten-kilometre bubble when ordering, just in case. You can preorder a Messina choc malt cheesecake cookie pie from Monday, June 7, to pick up from Friday, June 11–Sunday, June 13.
It has been a couple of years since The Jungle Collective first started taking over Australian warehouses and slinging plenty of plants, all thanks to its huge sales in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. These leafy excuses to fill your home with greenery always have always happened in the inner north, but this time it's heading to the southeast suburbs. On the weekend of April 27–28, the collective will head to Mentone. It will fill a warehouse with over 150 varieties of green babies — including everything from fiddle leafs and monsteras to giant birds of paradise and rubber trees, as well as many ferns and hanging plants. You'll also be able to shop for designer pots, get expert advice from the horticulturalists onsite, listen to jungle tunes and even nab a $5 discount if you wear jungle-themed attire. It's all happening at 10 Balcome Road, Mentone, with two-hour sessions held at 8am, 10am, 11am, 12pm and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday. While entry is free, you'll need to secure a ticket to head along — they'll be available from midday on Monday, April 22.
Gertrude Street go-to Rocco's Bologna Discoteca is heading south of the river this month to throw pop-up parties at two of Melbourne's best-loved wine bars, Toorak Cellars and The Alps. For the one-day-only events, Rocco's will take over the kitchens of these cherished locations and prepare its famous meatball sub and melanzane parmigiana focaccia. You'll be able to pair your sandwich with a selection from each of the venues' considered wine lists. The takeover at Toorak Cellars will happen on Sunday, May 19, while those wanting to head to The Alps will have to wait until Sunday, May 26. Both events kick off at midday, and will continue until sold out.
What would you do if you were a little less freaked out by consequences? Would you talk to more new people, fear a bit less, dance a little more like FKA Twigs, quit your desk job and start that no-guarantees creative career you've always had in the back of your mind? Some sparkling young Australians are already flinging their inhibitions into a ziplock bag and seizing this little ol' life with both hands. Concrete Playground has teamed up with the Jameson crew to give you a sneak peek into the lives of bold characters who took a big chance on themselves. They've gone out on a limb and rewritten their path, encapsulating 'Sine Metu', the Jameson family motto which translates to 'without fear' — getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new. After all, we only get one shot at this. Take notes. From a very young age, we're all asked the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" We're told to pick one path, one profession, to neatly label the rest of your life. Our responses change as we grow up, from astronaut to engineer, princess to PR, and for Sydney-based Cole Bennetts, from Penguin Boy to renowned photographer taking the Prime Minister's portrait. You can read the interview over here. Want to experience a little bit of 'Sine Metu' yourself? Cole's being a total legend and helping us give away the chance to be a photographed like the biggest names in the music business. Cole will work with you and a lucky friend to create a unique shoot for your own use, be it the ultimate profile pic or your next step to stardom — so you can see for yourself what happens when bold humans take big creative chances with big payoffs. Enter here to win.
For one week each September, Brisbane becomes Australia's live music capital — even if a Melbourne survey generally claims otherwise. When BIGSOUND hits the city, it seems like every venue in Fortitude Valley is packed to the rafters with bands, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest the country's music scene has to offer. And given this year's newly announced lineup, expect that to be the case once again. Unveiling its first 75 acts for 2018, BIGSOUND will play host to a stacked pack of musos, spanning everything from pop, electronic, rock and rap to metal, hip hop and folk. Topping the bill so far are the likes of The Chats, Eliott, Cable Ties, Asha Jefferies and yú yī, plus the return of previous BIGSOUND favourites such as Blank Realm, Olympia, Gabriella Cohen and Oh Pep! More than 70 other acts will be announced closer to the event; however the current list joins a host of previously revealed speakers — including Virginia Grohl, mother of Dave Grohl, and record label executive turned indie company CEO Mardi Caught. Previous BIGSOUNDs have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Tash Sultana and Courtney Barnett to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Methyl Ethel and The Jungle Giants, so their program is usually a very reliable bellwether of current and up-and-coming talent. Here's the full lineup of music acts so far: A Swayze & The Ghosts Adrian Eagle Alice Skye ARSE Arteries Asha Jefferies Bin Juice Blank Realm Bugs Butterfingers Cable Ties Cast Down CLYPSO Cry Club CXLOE DEAN FOREVER Dreller Eat Your Heart Out Eilish Gilligan Eliott Elizabeth Ella Hooper Emma Anglesey Estère Gabriella Cohen Genesis Owusu Georgia Mulligan Good Doogs GRAACE Gravemind Greta Stanley Hachiku Hazlett Hobsons Bay Coast Guard Imogen Clark James Wright Trio JEFFE KAIIT Kaitlin Keegan Kian Kota Banks Kult Kyss Kwame MANE Miss June Moaning Lisa MOOKHI Oh Pep! Olympia Paces Pink Matter Pool Shop Rachel Maria Cox RAT!hammock Riley Pearce Ruby Gilbert Samsaruh Sleep Talk Slowly Slowly Stevie Jean Sumner Sunscreen sweater curse SŸDE T$oko Tape/Off The Chats The Merindas TOTTY Triple One Two People Tyne-James Organ Voiid Wax Chattels yú yī BIGSOUND 2018 runs from September 4–7 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details or to buy tickets, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND.
It has been 12 years since RuPaul's Drag Race first premiered in the US, and its mission to unearth the next drag superstars shows no signs of stopping. Currently, the original series is airing its thirteenth season, while international versions also exist in the UK — also hosted by RuPaul — plus Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. Next, it's finally making the leap to Australia and New Zealand. RuPaul's Drag Race already airs locally, but, in exciting news, it's now it's being made here as well — courtesy of the aptly titled RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under. Announced back in January, the eight-part series will focus on Aussie and NZ drag queens battling for supremacy, and will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand sometime later in 2021. And, while not all overseas iterations of Drag Race are hosted by RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under definitely will be. RuPaul will also take on judging duties with show veteran Michelle Visage and Australian comedian Rhys Nicholson. If you're wondering just who'll be competing, too, that was unveiled on Saturday, March 6 during the 2021 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Ten contenders will strut their stuff for drag supremacy, spanning seven Australians and three New Zealanders. So, prepare to see plenty of Art Simone from Geelong, Melbourne's Karen from Finance, and Sydney's Coco Jumbo, Etecetera Etcetera and Maxi Shield. Newcastle's Jojo Zaho and Perth's Scarlet Adams round out the Aussie queens, while Auckland's Kita Mean, Anita Wigl'it and Elektra Shock comprise the NZ contingent. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch these Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Check about the RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under cast reveal video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSLPdMi0b8U RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will hit Stan and TVNZ OnDemand sometime later in 2021 — we'll update you with an air date once further details are announced. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
The summer might be far from over, but, for many of us, the holidays component of the season is drawing to a close. If that's the case with you, then don't go out with a whimper. Make it a bang at The Last Hurrah rooftop pool party, coming up at The Pool Deck, atop Rydges in Carlton, on Sunday 14 January. For six sun-kissed hours from 3pm, you'll be treated to bottomless frosé by Cake, plus Aperol Spritz and Heineken 3, as well as gourmet canapés. Meanwhile, international touring DJ YO! MAFIA will be on the decks, spinning hip-hop and r 'n' b. Over the past few years, she's supported Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams, De La Soul and Snoop Dogg, among others. Tickets, which are strictly limited, are $89 a pop and include entry, use of the pool and five hours' worth of food and drinks.
What's Melbourne's nightlife culture like for you? That's the question that VicHealth addressed to over 150 locals across the streets of Southbank, St Kilda and Prahran. Those answers have been transformed into three interactive light installations for What's Your Story? — a project which seeks to understand the drinking culture among young people and to change any risky behaviour associated with it. The two-year-long project explored the social norms and expectations of Melbourne's 18 to 24-year-olds. Through the conversations based on their most memorable nightlife experiences, three central narratives emerged. And now, poignant quotes from those interviews form the basis for the large-scale, colourful lighting displays, designed by creative studio John Fish. The first of the three installations, Music Is All I Need, uses 1600 LED pixel tubes in a double semi-circle signboard. The second, Savour it, Remember it, is an interactive LED dancefloor and stage, which visitors can be photographed on. The third, Drinking Isn't Centre Stage, displays nine mirrored pillars, among which visitors can take selfies. These roaming installations will take over four entertainment precincts — namely St Kilda's Acland Plaza, Prahran's Grattan Gardens Plaza and Southbank's Queensbridge Square and Southbank Spillway — on three consecutive Fridays, spanning February 15, 22 and March 1. For the full schedule, head this way. What's Your Story? is in partnership with City of Port Phillip, City of Stonnington and City of Melbourne, plus research body Turning Point and social enterprise Humankind Enterprises. Image: David Hannah
If you've been contemplating a little summer romance, you're in good company. The folks at Melbourne's Immigration Museum have the same idea. To celebrate the coming of warm days, they're swinging open the doors of their next exhibition, LOVE. Kicking off Saturday, December 1, this show is as simple — and as complex — as it sounds. After all, "the course of true love ne'er did run smooth," according to Mr William Shakespeare. In collaboration with the Heide Museum of Modern Art, the Immigration Museum has brought together multiple stories of love, desire, friendship and longing within one swoon-worthy room. Whether you're brokenhearted or deep into a marriage, you'll find one for you. LOVE will run concurrently with two other exhibitions. Kahlil Gibran: The Garden of the Prophet, which opened on Wednesday, November 28, tells the story of the Lebanese poet whose 1923 work, The Prophet, has sold millions of copies around the world, while Grow, Gather, Share is a celebration of food and gardening in Victoria. Special events spanning all three shows are planned throughout summer, beginning on Sunday, December 2 with Summer of Love. This afternoon shindig features Melbourne-based DJ MzRizk, gardening workshops run by Cultivating Community, curator talks and Gather & Share picnic hampers, with tickets costing $15. Image: Museums Victoria.
Aunty Donna have been busy over the past few years. Since 2020, they've brought both Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun and Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe to the small screen. They've played corpses in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, and also dropped a $30 bottle of wine that's literally called $30 Bottle of Wine, too. The Australian comedy troupe embarked upon a world tour in 2023 as well, selling 90,000-plus tickets. If you're keen to see Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane live, your next chance in Melbourne happens in 2025. Aunty Donna are hitting the stage again — and in the Victorian Capital, the Palais Theatre is their destination, playing nightly between Friday, December 12–Sunday, December 14 and Wednesday, December 16–Saturday, December 20. This time, audiences will enjoy the Drem experience, with Aunty Donna unveiling their brand-new live sketch show. Will everything be a drum again? Will morning brown get a tribute? How much room should you leave for Christmas pud? If you're instantly thinking about these questions, you're clearly already a fan. In the trailer for the tour, Bonanno, Kelly and Ruane are promising big things in their comedic usual way. "In 2025, Aunty Donna will be touring the greatest live comedy show ever seen by human beings," the trailer advises. "You have asked 'is it funny?'," it continues. "Leading experts in the field have made it perfectly clear that it is the best comedy show ever made."
Last year's food calendar had a big ol' hole where the Night Noodle Markets would usually be, with its smoky scents and the happy sounds of people feasting on a menu of Asian delights both absent from Birrarung Marr. But now, the wait is almost over, with the food festival set to make its much-anticipated return for 2021 — albeit in a slightly different format than Melburnians are used to. Running right through June, the new Night Noodle Markets At Home edition will bring all the flavour and fun straight to your house. Every night from Tuesday, June 1–Wednesday, June 30, the reimagined festival will see a lineup of eight Asian-inspired eateries offering their cult dishes — and some new hits — for home delivery. At a pop-up kitchen in Fed Square, festival favourites including Hoy Pinoy, Wonderbao, Indomie Mi-Goreng and Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart will be cooking up their finest eats and sending them to your door, so you can recreate the Night Noodle Market magic in the comfort of home. The food is being delivered via Doordash and, since the restaurants are all sharing one kitchen, you'll be able to pick and mix food from multiple menus in the one order. The offering is set to change regularly throughout the month, though you can get excited for bites like Hoy Pinoy's glazed pork belly and chicken skewers, Puffle's signature cheeseburger puffle, mi goreng-crumbed chicken ribs from Indomie, Thai Tide's tom kha mussels, Kariton Sorbetes' boozy trifle, Flying Noodles and Twistto's eponymous dishes. Puffle's signature cheeseburger puffle is on the menu, alongside Korean fried chicken and plain cheese versions. Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart will have seven different tarts on offer, including yuzu, salted caramel, chocolate and popcorn butterscotch. You'll even find two weekly rotating banquets, too — a vegetarian feed for two named 'Broc 'n Roll', and the 'I Love You Soy Much' date-night feast. Longtime festival partner Citi is offering its cardholders a tidy $20 off their Night Noodle Markets At Home order, while Doordash has some cheeky deals of its own in store for new users, including 25 percent off and free delivery. Plus, there's a strong chance you'll score a little something extra packed in with your food order, with giveaways like Ayam sauces and fortune cookies planned for throughout the month. Organisers have revealed a bunch of the suburbs that'll be able to take advantage of Night Noodle Markets At Home delivery, spanning Fitzroy, Collingwood, North Melbourne, Cremorne and South Melbourne, as well as the CBD, Southbank, West Melbourne, East Melbourne, Parkville, Carlton, Docklands and South Wharf. Parts of Abbotsford, Richmond, South Yarra, Albert Park and Port Melbourne will be covered, too, with more suburbs set to be announced soon. The Night Noodle Markets will run as part of Good Food Month, which takes place across the entire month of June, too, and announce its full program on Monday, May 3. Melbourne's edition of Night Noodle Markets At Home will run from Tuesday, June 1–Wednesday, June 30, with orders made exclusively through the Doordash delivery app. For more details, see the website. Top image: Night Noodle Markets by Bec Taylor
If you love classic cocktails, you probably enjoy knowing a bit about the intriguing stories behind them. And one cocktail with a long, star-studded history is the martini. To honour the legacy of this iconic drink, Melbourne cocktail bar Eau de Vie is launching a bespoke martini service — that doubles as an alcohol-fuelled history lesson. The Star of Bombay Martini Trolley combines the classic martini service — a tradition in old-school ritzy hotel bars — storytelling of the cocktail's history and the dramatic crafting of drinks using liquid nitrogen. The four martinis from the new Star of Bombay menu will be made theatrically on the trolley in front of you, and include the sweet-noted Edwardian, a twist on the hanky panky from the Savoy Hotel in 1903, a James Bond-inspired Magda Martini (we'll assume it's shaken) and the Captain Ritz — an ode to the Ritz Paris's famed side car cocktail. You'll also have the chance to experiment with bitters, brines and garnishes to create your own personalised martini. The Star of Bombay Martini Trolley is located inside Eau de Vie, Melbourne and is open 6pm–midnight, Monday to Sunday. One martini costs $24 and a sample board of all four costs $50. Reservations are essential, to make one, head to the website.
When we take that first sip of our barista-brewed coffee on a workday morning, a lot of us can't actually imagine living without coffee. But what about living without a roof over your head or a guaranteed meal? Unfortunately, this is what many homeless people around Australia face each day, but on Friday, August 9, you can help your fellow Aussies out simply by buying a coffee as part of CafeSmart. CafeSmart is an annual event from StreetSmart that raises money and awareness for the homeless and is back for its eighty year running. This year over 700 cafes will aim to raise as much as they can, with totals reaching more than of $1 million over previous years. So how does it work? From every coffee purchased on August 9 at a participating cafe around Australia, $1 will be donated towards local projects. So if your go-to local isn't participating, shake things up for a day and head to one that is. Prefer a hot chocolate? You can also donate at the counter. Simply by aiming for a bighearted cafe, you'll be helping some of our country's most in-need humans, so treat yourself to a third or fourth coffee guilt-free. There are a heap of cafes participating across the city — head to the event's website to find your closest.
It’s no big secret that Melbourne is full of hidden treasures, what with our street art down unsuspecting laneways, hidden bars and tucked-away cafes. All too often have we stumbled around the city and wanted to know what was behind closed doors, or what certain buildings must be like on the inside. Melburnians, here’s your chance to enter some of the city’s most iconic venues and find out. Open House Melbourne has been running since 2008, allowing people to appreciate the city’s best design and architecture. The free weekend includes access to various houses, buildings, infrastructure and landscapes that have shaped Melbourne into one of the most liveable cities in the world. Alongside the highly anticipated reveal of Flinders Street Station's secret ballroom, a few places that will be open for your perusal include The Myer Mural Hall, State Library of Victoria, Parliament House and the Hotel Windsor, among many others that can be seen here. It's time to get reacquainted with your city in a whole new way.
Bombay Sapphire's annual sit down dinner, Project Botanicals, is returning to Melbourne for another year, celebrating the obsessive and continual love affair that we all have with pairing food and gin. Held at Taxi Riverside in Federation Square, a $49 (plus booking fee) ticket will include a two hour dining session where you'll be served two dishes and two gin cocktails to match. The option to purchase more delicious gin cocktails outside the ticket price is there as well. Head chef of Taxi Riverside, Tony Twitchett, has specifically designed a menu that enhances and complements the ten botanicals in Bombay Sapphire gin. Expect creative combinations like tempura mussels with salt and vinegar sesame paired with a gin, ginger and cucumber cocktail, and fresh cocktails like the Lemon Collins, with lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water. In its third year, Project Botanicals will feature a 'True Artistry' collaboration to engage all five of your senses in a gin tasting. International DJ duo Yolanda Be Cool have created a 'Songs to Drink Gin To' Spotify playlist, featuring a compilation of tracks sampling local sounds from the exotic locations where Bombay Sapphire source their ten botanicals. Along with that, Samantha Taylor, fragrance expert from The Powder Room, has created a gin-inspired perfume. The unisex fragrance is a blend of all ten botanicals in Bombay Sapphire gin – including orris from Italy and lemon peel from Spain. Project Botanicals runs for two weeks, from September 8 to 18. Tickets are available via Bombay Sapphire.
For many, it felt like 2020 was the year that time stood still. So, you won't have any trouble relating to the works showcased in the TarraWarra Biennial 2021 exhibition, Slow Moving Waters. Running from Saturday, March 27, to Sunday, July 11, the show centres on ideas of slowness and drift, and the way these concepts are mirrored in the winding Yarra River, which curves its way near the museum's grounds. Here, 25 Australian artists present new works embracing slowness, bucking against the accelerated rush that can be all too present in today's modern world. Among them, you'll spy pieces embracing the scale of time, or exploring the idea of idleness, with many works designed to change and evolve over the course of the exhibition. [caption id="attachment_803585" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Megan Cope, 'Currents II' 2018, courtesy the artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane.[/caption] You'll catch a live art installation by Quandamooka artist Megan Cope featuring slowly melting plant extracts, and an ever-moving sculpture work by Robert Andrew, which pens the same word over and over again in cursive script. Needlepoint designs by Louisa Bufardeci show some of the ways that a place can stick to us, while Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones shares the story of how the Birrarung (Yarra River) came to be, using a series of sound recordings and installations spread throughout the whole exhibition. [caption id="attachment_803586" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Robert Andrew, 'Continuing Depths of Connection' 2018–19, courtesy of the artist and Milani Gallery, Brisbane. Photographed by Louis Lim.[/caption] Top image: Yasmin Smith, 'Seine River Basin' 2019, (commissioned for Cosmopolis #2 - Rethinking the Human, Centre Pompidou, Paris) courtesy of the artist and The Commercial, Sydney. Installation view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, photographed by Elle Fredericksen.
After attracting hordes of art lovers to its Sydney editions for two years in a row, The Other Art Fair is making its way to Melbourne for the first time. The four-day fair, which started in London in 2011 as an alternative to commercial art market giants like the London Art Fair, will land at The Facility in Kensington on Thursday, May 4. As it has done in London and Sydney, The Other Art Fair will present works by more than 100 emerging and unrepresented artists, which have been handpicked by a dedicated bunch of experts. Those on the panel include artists Patricia Piccinini and Kathy Temin, plastic surgeon and art patron Dr Terry Wu, Mossgreen Gallery director Lisa Fehily and Australian Centre for Contemporary Art curator Annika Kristensen. "The Other Art Fair is unique in its approach to supporting artists, providing a platform to make original art accessible by directly connecting emerging artists with galleries, companies and individual collectors," said The Other Art Fair's director Zoe Paulsen. On top of the exhibition — from which you can purchase works directly from the artists — Melburnians can expect four days' worth of workshops, talks, and food and drinks. The full program includes an opening night performance by crochet artist Chilli Philly (complete with a new costume), a music performance from The Harpoons and a series of workshops from The School of Life. Try your hand at life drawing Frida Khalo, mix watercolours with wine, or give flower arranging a go. Since launching almost six years ago, the Other Art Fair has been incarnated 16 times — in Sydney, London and Bristol. Last year's Sydney fair saw 15 artists sell out their entire shows, five artists each sell over $20,000 worth of works and eight artists each sell over $10,000 worth. Image: Julian de Lorenzo.
When locals have bestowed upon you a nickname like 'Sparkly Bear', there's only one way to truly celebrate your 35th birthday, and that's with a flashy, neon-drenched 80s-themed dress-up party. Such will be the vibe from September 7 to 9, when Brunswick's beloved Barkly Square shopping precinct rings in the big 3-5. Kicking off the festivities from 5pm this Friday is a retro-tastic neighbourhood street party, complete with flash dances, party fare, classic 80s jams from DJ Joey Lightbulb, and a Cocktail & Dreams-style pop-up bar that young Tom Cruise would be proud of. There'll be prizes for the best get-ups, free beautification sessions at the onsite 80s-style salon and even a photo booth to document your new look. Then, the old-school fun continues throughout the weekend, with free arcade games, free tote-decorating and badge-making workshops, free aerobics sessions, free hula hoop classes and a vintage record and movie store from the folks at JB HI-FI. You'll also spy a swag of special birthday offers, including $1 cheeseburgers from McDonalds, Friday through Sunday.
For the second time, Gemini Wine Bar is living up to its name by hosting the month-long Gemini Season. Leaning into the astrological from Wednesday, May 21–Saturday, June 21, the Coburg neighbourhood bar has shaped a stunning lineup of dinners, tastings, collaborations and parties. Designed to unite the community, the event also allows owners (and Geminis) Tresna Lee and Shane Farrell to host a birthday bash like no other. Thursday, May 22, sees local artist and maker Nic McGuffog host Weave and Wine, where guests are invited to shape zodiac-inspired artworks as they sip and snack. Then, be sure to get your tickets for Gemini Season's headline event — the Gemini Party — as Friday, May 30, sees the venue come to life with cheap drinks, delicious snacks and tarot card readings, with more to be revealed. Every ticket includes a free cocktail on arrival. The following week, local mystic Aud Pitch will host Tarot Reading Night on Monday, June 2, offering two hours of conversation, drinks and snacks. Later in the season, there's free wine tastings from Athletes of Wine and Sabi Wabi on Saturday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 18, before Dutch Rules Distillery hosts an intimate dinner and cocktail pairing for 10 lucky guests on Thursday, June 19. Throughout the rest of Gemini Season, expect inspired promotions and one-time deals. For example, happy hour will include bougie extras like champagne, truffles and oysters from 5–6pm every Wednesday–Saturday. Plus, the venue will launch special collabs, like the Gemini Amaro Choc Top and the Gemini Flawless Martini, invented alongside standout makers and producers like Maidenii and Gelato Papa.
Something delightful is happening at Melbourne's cinemas. After months spent empty, with projectors silent and the smell of popcorn fading, indoor picture palaces have been given the green light to reopen. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made this year, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit under the stars and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've picked the 12 best flicks that you can head to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U KAJILLIONAIRE When Evan Rachel Wood played a troubled teen in 2003's Thirteen, the then 16-year-old received a Golden Globe nomination. For her work in Westworld since 2016, she has nabbed multiple Emmy nods. So when we say that the actor puts in her best performance yet in Kajillionaire — the type of portrayal that deserves several shiny trophies — that observation isn't made lightly. Playing a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, Wood is anxious but yearning, closed-off yet vulnerable, and forceful as well as unsure all at once. Her character has spent her entire life being schooled in pulling off quick scams by her eccentric parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers), who she still lives with, and she's stuck navigating her own street-wise brand of arrested development. Old Dolio knows how to blend in, with her baggy clothes, curtain of long hair and low-toned voice. She also knows how to avoid security cameras in physical feats that wouldn't look out of place in a slapstick comedy, and how to charm kindly folks out of reward money. But she has never been allowed to truly be her own person — and, from the moment that Wood is seen on-screen, that mournful truth is immediately evident. Kajillionaire introduces Old Dolio, Robert and Theresa as they're falling back on one of their most reliable swindles: stealing packages from post office boxes. But two developments drive its narrative, and make Old Dolio realise that she's far more than just the third part of a trio. Firstly, to make a quick $20 to help cover overdue rent, she agrees to attend a parenting class for someone she meets on the street, and is struck by how far removed its teachings are from her own experiences. Secondly, on a return flight back to Los Angeles from New York as part of a travel insurance grift, her parents meet and befriend outgoing optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation). So accustomed to playing the role dictated to her by Robert and Theresa, and never deviating from it, Old Dolio isn't prepared for the emotions stirred up by both changes to her status quo. But July's poignant and perceptive movie — a film that's a quirky heist flick, a playful but shrewd exploration of family bonds, and a sweet love story — is perfectly, mesmerisingly equipped to navigate her protagonist's efforts to reach beyond the only loved ones and the only type of life she has ever known. In fact, the result is one of the most distinctive, empathetic and engaging movies of the year. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNXHJB5Mto BABYTEETH Usually, cancer movies aren't just terrible and generic — they're insulting. Too often focusing on pretty young things succumbing slowly to the insidious disease, they generally tug at the heartstrings with shameless abandon, treating their protagonists and their plights as a mechanism to wring weepy tears out of the audience. The Fault in Our Stars did it. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl did too, and even won awards at Sundance for its efforts. So when a film also hones in on a cancer-afflicted teenager yet refuses to trot out the same old tropes and cliches, it firmly stands out. Based on the play of the same name, Babyteeth is that movie, and it could never be mistaken for the usual illness drama. As directed by feature first-timer Shannon Murphy, this lively, vibrant, insightful and genuinely moving Australian film truly sees its main character, Milla (Little Women's Eliza Scanlen), as a person first and foremost. She's not a mere tool used to evoke easy emotion. She isn't a secondary figure primarily deployed to explain someone else's troubles, either. Rather, she's a passionate Sydney high schooler who unexpectedly falls for drug dealer Moses (Acute Misfortune's Toby Wallace) as her already-struggling parents watch on. Also starring Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn as Milla's mother and father, this is a raw, sensitive, astute and arresting addition to a genre that rarely (if ever) earns any of those terms. It's also visually striking and, unsurprisingly given the cast, boasts fantastic performances — and it's one of the best Aussie movies that'll hit cinemas in 2020. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRvHl1dThlg PENINSULA If, prior to 2016, you'd ever wondered what might happen should zombies overtake South Korea, Train to Busan and Seoul Station arrived to answer that question. The first was a live-action thriller that tasked a locomotive full of living, breathing humans with battling the shuffling undead in one of the genre's best and most action-packed outings, while the second served up an animated prequel that detailed the start of the epidemic in another city. Now lands Peninsula, in case if you've since spent the past four years pondering what could occur next. Once again directed by Yeon Sang-ho, as all films in the franchise have been, it leaps forward to the present day to explore the plight of the apocalypse's survivors — including those initially lucky enough to flee via boat to Hong Kong, such as army Captain Jung-seok (Gang Dong-won) and his brother-in-law Chul-min (Kim Do-yoon); and folks like mother Min-jung (Lee Jung-hyun) and her daughters Joon (Lee Re) and Yu-jin (Lee Ye-won), who weren't as fortunate. All of the aforementioned characters cross paths when Jung-seok and Chul-min are recruited by Hong Kong heavies to head back to the abandoned and quarantined Incheon, where a truck filled with cash awaits. Zombies don't care about money, of course, so the city's valuables are there for he taking. But Incheon isn't completely empty, with Min-jung and her children spending years evading flesh-munchers and escaping a brutal rogue militia group that call themselves Unit 631. If Train to Busan took a Snakes on a Plane-esque idea, changed it to zombies on a train and made a top-notch movie in the process, Peninsula opts for decidedly dystopian Mad Max-meets-Fast and Furious-meets-World War Z heist flick setup — and, while it doesn't quiet reach its predecessor's heights or add anything new to the heaving undead genre, it is thoroughly entertaining. Cuts to an English-language talk show that explains what's going on are both needlessly exposition-heavy and cringe-inducing, but the film's grounded performances, ample array of fantastic setpieces and swift editing by Parasite Oscar-nominee Yang Jin-mo are always riveting. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsWV2qTX21k NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS In the scene that gives Never Rarely Sometimes Always its name, 17-year-old Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) sits with a counsellor at Planned Parenthood in Brooklyn. The teen hails from Pennsylvania, but has taken the bus east with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder) upon discovering that she's pregnant and realising she only really has one option — knowing that her family is unlikely to help, and after her local women's clinic has advised that she should just have the baby. Before she can obtain the New York facility's assistance, however, she is asked questions about her history. The queries broach tough and intimate subjects, but Autumn only needs to answer with one of the words from the movie's moniker. While they're simple and common, those four terms explain much about why a small-town high-schooler is engaging in a practice that's been dubbed 'abortion tourism'. So too does the silence that punctuates her responses and the heartbreaking expression on her face that goes with them. From its opening frames, which sketch out Autumn's everyday life — the taunting peers, the awkward dynamic at home, the attentions of her boss at her after-school supermarket job, and the efforts to be seen by performing at her class concert — Never Rarely Sometimes Always is an intricately observed and stunningly detailed film. Accordingly, when the aforementioned scene arrives, it's the latest potent, compassionate and revealing moment in a movie filled with them. But filmmaker Eliza Hittman (It Felt Like Love, Beach Rats) refuses to give viewers even the tiniest reprieve here. Autumn can't escape these difficult questions or the entire experience she's dealing with, and the audience is forced into the same situation. Maintaining the feature's unobtrusive, naturalistic, almost documentary-esque style, cinematographer Hélène Louvart (Happy as Lazzaro) doesn't look away, while first-time actor Flanigan pours out an entire lifetime's worth of feeling under the film's unrelenting gaze. As intimated by its protagonist's name, as taken from the season when the leaves fall, warmth fades and the weather's frostiest period approaches, this is a film about decay, loss and change in multiple ways — and it's as grim and gripping as it is outraged, empathetic and affecting. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIzchAe5H5A WAVES Waves begins with streaming sunlight, the scenic sights of South Florida, and a blissful young couple singing, smiling and driving. Their happiness is captured by fluid, enticing camerawork that circles around and around, and their exuberant attitude — the carefree feeling that comes with youthful first love — is mirrored by the use of Animal Collective's upbeat, energetic 'FloriDada' on the soundtrack. But this isn't a joyful movie. As the drama's name intimates, this contented moment is soon smothered by waves of tragedy and pain that ripple through the lives not only of high-school wrestling star Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr) and his girlfriend Alexis (Alexa Demie), but their loved ones, school and community. Following the breakdown of the pair's romance, Tyler's self-sabotaging struggles with injury and pressure, and the impact on those closest to them, Waves tells an immensely affecting tale of one African American family's ups and downs. While he already has the excellent Krisha and effective It Comes at Night to this name, writer/director Trey Edward Shults crafts his best work yet — a stunningly visceral, moving and profound drama that makes audiences feel every moment and plot development deeply. Also exceptional: Harrison's powerful performance, Taylor Russell as his younger sister Emily, Sterling K Brown as their domineering but well-intentioned dad and Hamilton's Renée Elise Goldsberry as their supportive stepmother, as well as the film's raw and resonant grappling with life, loss, love, and the chaos and emotion of being a Black teenager in America today. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYl1DVIgbAg SHIRLEY Unlike the rest of us, Elisabeth Moss is having a great year — on-screen, at least. While the star of The Handmaid's Tale, Mad Men and Top of the Lake has actually enjoyed a fantastic past decade, she has turned in two of her best performances yet in 2020. First came her lead role in The Invisible Man, which twisted the classic horror tale in firmly modern directions, including exploring gaslighting and society's lack of willingness to believe women. Now, in Shirley, she steps into the shoes of horror and mystery novelist Shirley Jackson. This is a movie by Madeline's Madeline director Josephine Decker, though, so it as never going to be a standard biopic about the The Haunting of Hill House author. Indeed, Shirley is drawn from a fictional novel by Susan Scarf Merrell, stepping inside Jackson's home life with her husband Stanley Hyman (Michael Stuhlbarg) during a 1964 period when teaching aide Fred Nemser (Logan Lerman) and his wife Rose (Australian The Daughter star Odessa Young) come to stay. An agoraphobic who prefers her own company to that of others, Jackson's routine is unsettled by her new houseguests, although an unexpected connection springs with seemingly unlikely kindred spirit Rose. In telling this story, Decker is far more interested in capturing the essence of her subject and Jackson's sensibilities than slavishly sticking to facts, and her film all the better for it. The result is a subjective and engaging character study that's daring, disarming, dark and, unsurprisingly, anchored by a pitch-perfect Moss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqXRg9D9SXg&feature=emb_logo A WHITE, WHITE DAY When grief plays a pivotal part in a film's narrative, one of two things typically happen. Far too often, it's used as an easy crutch, deployed to quickly explain a character's poor actions without diving particularly deep (see: this year's Ben Affleck vehicle The Way Back). When mourning is thoughtfully unpacked and interrogated, however, the difference is immediately noticeable. And, that's the case with excellent Icelandic thriller A White, White Day. Set in a remote town and often noticeably cloaked in a thick fog (symbolising its lead character's loss-afflicted head and heart, too), the film follows widower Ingimundur (Ingvar Sigurðsson), an off-duty police chief struggling with the death of his wife. While assisting with caring for his eight-year-old granddaughter Salka (Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir) helps give his days purpose, after Ingimundur begins to suspect that his deceased spouse was unfaithful, he's rocked by more than bereavement-induced misery. Sigurðsson is phenomenal as a man overcome by his heartbreak and anger, and his scenes with young Hlynsdóttir are immensely tender and touching. What particularly stands out in this tense, haunting and all-round excellent movie, though, is director Hlynur Palmason's (Winter Brothers) striking visual storytelling — whether he's spending an hypnotic minute watching a rock tumble down a hill and off a cliff, staring at his central actor's expressive face, or splashing his frames with spellbinding bursts of colour amidst the rampant grey-hued frostiness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIsEZ2tTavU&t=6s LES MISÉRABLES Almost 160 years since Victor Hugo immortalised the Montfermeil commune in Les Misérables, first-time feature writer and director Ladj Ly heads there to tell a different story. Or, to be exact, his Cannes prize-winning, Oscar-nominated crime-thriller that's also called Les Misérables stops by the spot to explore comparable themes in contemporary France — and to interrogate the reality of life in the Les Bosquets housing estates in one of the capital's banlieues. The latter and their communities have featured in the likes of 1995's La Haine and 2014's Girlhood before, two hands-down French movie masterpieces, but the approach here is especially inspired. Drawing parallels with a globally known, much-adapted, long-popular classic to shine a spotlight on modern-day class and cultural clashes is smart and savvy and, in the hands of a filmmaker from the area who is already known for making documentaries about the area, results in an especially compelling and confronting piece of cinema with revolution at its heart. Every neighbourhood bubbles with stories. So, focusing on Les Bosquets, Ly relays as many tales as he can. With propulsive and fittingly restless energy, his film flits between the locale's cops, kids and gangs — with troubles between all three groups reaching boiling point over the course of two summery and eventful days. The catalysts: familiar prejudices, long-held beefs, a stolen lion, a wrongful shooting and some controversial drone footage. The fallout: considerable. Unrelentingly terse and unafraid to filter real-world unrest through every frame, this Les Misérables is not always subtle; however, given the complicated terrain that it traverses, it needn't be. As a portrait of social tensions drawn from real-life situations, this is a movie of explosive emotional and visceral power even when it's clearly lacking in nuance. As an examination of how one event can escalate, detonate and spark a chain of chaos, and, Hugo-style, how insurrectionary acts come about, it hits hard. This definitely isn't a musical, but Ly's gripping, evocatively shot, deftly choreographed and impressively acted feature is still a rousing cinematic song of angry Parisians. Read our full review. https://vimeo.com/451401547#at=17 BRAZEN HUSSIES Chatting to activists involved in Australia's women's liberation movement during the 60s and 70s, Brazen Hussies doesn't lack in witty and wise ladies making pivotal points. But it's filmmaker Margot Nash (The Silences) who offers one of this documentary's most telling observations, and the one that crystallises exactly why this movie had to be made. "History has to be told over and over again," she advises. She's a talking head in the film, rather than the writer or director behind it — those roles fall to first-timer Catherine Dwyer — but she couldn't encapsulate Brazen Hussies' purpose any better if she was the doco's driving force. As the feature explains, it's easy for people to overlook this chapter of history, and the fact that it all happened so recently. It's easy to forget that women's lives were drastically different, as was the way they were regarded by the world around them. Brazen Hussies surveys pay inequality, legal abortion, funding for childcare, the way both queer women and Indigenous Australian women are treated, society's abhorrence of female sexuality and the first Advisor on Women's Affairs to a head of government anywhere in the world — plus everything from tackling domestic violence and the victim-blaming that can go along with it, to the simple struggle to survive that single mothers faced as well. But this happens in tandem with a historical recounting of Australia's actual fight for women's liberation, with Dwyer inspired by working on 2014 documentary She's Beautiful When She's Angry (which did the same from a US perspective). She examines what drove the more than 25 women she counts among her eponymous group to act and what they achieved, of course. At every moment, however, she's just as interested in how they battled for that change. Having access to a treasure trove of materials helps considerably in this engaging, informative and impassioned film. If the doco's talking-head lineup is impressive, it's bested only by the immense range of archival images and footage that Dwyer and editor Rosie Jones (director of The Family) splice together. With the rest of the filmmaking team, the pair sifted through more than 4000 photographs, journals, artworks and posters, and 800-plus news clips, documentaries and dramatic movies — and, unsurprisingly, Brazen Hussies is all the more detailed for it. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_u4YDiGH3k DEERSKIN How far would you go for the perfect piece of clothing? And can one ideal fashion item completely change your life? They're two completely relatable questions that Oscar-winning The Artist star Jean Dujardin faces in Deerskin, after his character Georges — an aspiring filmmaker — takes a strong liking to a fringed deerskin jacket that he just can't live without. And, we mean strong. Obsessed, fanatical and passionate, even. In the way that anyone can, but that vain, middle-aged, just-divorced men are stereotypically known to, Georges is certain that this one luxurious object is perfect for him. It doesn't matter that said coat costs nearly €8000, a price tag that most would stumble over. Similarly irrelevant: that the jacket looks just a tad too small while he's wearing it. Instead, how it makes Georges feel is far more important than any logical drawbacks — to him, at least. Also pivotal is the fact that it catches the attention of a small-town barmaid (Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Àdele Haenel). The latest film by the inimitable Quentin Dupieux (also known, in his electronic music guise, as Mr Oizo), Deerskin is the writer/director's latest movie to fixate on an inanimate object. If you saw the French filmmaker's 2010 cult hit Rubber, then you'll know just what kind of weirdness, ridiculousness and just all-round offbeat antics you're in for. That said, a few things particularly stand out in this, which might be his most accessible film. The deadpan performances, including from a fantastic Dujardin, are a delight. The commentary about consumerism and male egos proves as funny as it is astute — and even though it's also rather obvious, it's always entertaining. Indeed, the fact that the movie well and truly knows that it's stretching a thin basic idea to an absurdist extent means that everything is a joke, and the film is all the better for it. And then there's the visual symbolism and the editing, which both follow their own rhythm as much as anything Dupieux has ever made. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn3sK4WiviA ON THE ROCKS Not once, not twice, but three times now, Sofia Coppola has given the Bill Murray-loving world exactly what it wants. One of the great comedic talents of the past half-century, the Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day star is also a greatly charismatic talent — and, understandably, viewers want to spend more time in his inimitable company. So, Lost in Translation and 2015 Netflix special A Very Murray Christmas made that happen. Now On the Rocks does as well. These are films and specials predicated upon the very idea of palling around with Murray or the character he's playing, and this one hits that mark as perfectly as its predecessors. Murray steps into the shoes of a debonair playboy art dealer who is determined to help his New York-dwelling adult daughter discover if her husband is being unfaithful, his pairing with Rashida Jones is both joyous and lived-in, and Coppola once again strips bare her own life experiences, fictionalises them, and creates something both thoughtful and moving. On the Rocks' premise really isn't far removed from Lost in Translation. The film's female protagonist is a decade older this time, her romantic troubles are complicated by both marriage and children, and another bustling city provides the backdrop, but the basic idea remains mostly the same. With Murray as the lively Felix and Jones as his overstressed offspring Laura, the movie takes them hopping around NYC as they endeavour to ascertain if the latter's workaholic other half, Dean (Marlon Wayans), is cosying up to his attractive young colleague (Jessica Henwick) while Laura is raising their two young daughters. In the process, Felix and Laura chat about anything and everything, covering topics both important and trivial. They eat and drink, and do so in luxe spaces while Felix naturally captivates everyone in his orbit and turns everything into an adventure. Over the course of their investigative escapade, Felix helps Laura work through her struggles, too — although here, their own complicated relationship is actually one of them. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqO25i-XNEU THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD He's skewered British, American and Russian politics in The Thick of It, In the Loop, Veep and The Death of Stalin. This year, in the eerily prescient Avenue 5, he pondered what would happen if a group of people were confined on a cruise of sorts — a luxury space voyage — for an extended stretch of time. But, made in period comedy mode, The Personal History of David Copperfield might just be Armando Iannucci's most delightful affair yet. Indeed, playfully trifling with a Charles Dickens classic suits the writer/director. It should; he's a huge fan of the 19th-century author, and a staunch believer that Dickens' body of work "isn't just quality entertainment for a long-dead audience" (as he told viewers in his 2012 BBC special Armando's Tale of Charles Dickens). And so, taking on the acclaimed scribe's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, Iannucci tinkers, massages and re-envisages David Copperfield with ample love for the literary source material. In the process, he also crafts a still Victorian era-set yet unmistakably modern — and fresh, very funny and sharp-witted — big-screen adaptation. The eponymous character's tale begins in the film as it does on the page: with Copperfield determined to discover whether he shall turn out to be the hero of his own life "or whether that station will be held by anybody else". On-screen, the hopeful aspiring writer (Dev Patel) delivers that statement from a stage while speaking to a crowd. Then, in one of the many inventive visual flourishes that mark Iannucci's lively retelling, Copperfield strolls through the background to revisit his experiences from the moment of his birth. As episodic on the screen as it is in the book, Copperfield's life then navigates a rollercoaster of ups and downs — starting with the drudgery of child labour, as well as time spent lodging with the poverty-stricken, law-skirting but always kindly Mr Micawber (Peter Capaldi) and his family. As Dickens was, Iannucci and his frequent co-scribe Simon Blackwell (Peep Show, Breeders) are well aware of class chasms, the tough plights endured by the masses to benefit the better-off, the dog-eat-dog nature of capitalism in general and humanity's selfish, self-serving nature. The Personal History of David Copperfield may be largely upbeat in tone, visibly bright and dynamic, and take a few shrewd liberties with the story, but the darker elements of the narrative never escape view. Read our full review. Melbourne cinephiles are currently being spoiled for choice — and while we've outlined the 12 best options above, there are plenty more flicks gracing the city's silver screens. When outdoor cinemas reopened, we outlined the films showing under the stars. You can also read our full reviews of The King of Staten Island, Tenet, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, An American Pickle, Antebellum, The Craft: Legacy and Radioactive. And, you can check out our rundowns of the new films that released in other cities over the past few months — on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; and October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29 — as a number of those movies are now showing in Melbourne as well.
For better or worse, you know what you're going to get at most gigs: a large chunk of the most recent album, old standbys and the biggest song during the encore. Not so Amanda Palmer, whose wildly unpredictable approach meant one of her last Australian tours included a beautiful Nick Cave cover, collaborations with the twisted cabaret troupe Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, raucous versions of her own solo songs and a poem recited in her honour by husband Neil Gaiman. Palmer's now playing with a full band and touring Theatre Is Evil, the new record she funded through a ground-breaking and controversial Kickstarter campaign. Palmer has hit headlines lately with a nude protest song, with current sets have including Dresden Dolls classics as well as more recent work. Equally at home with novelty songs, dark cabaret and audience participation, her shows swing from the sublime to the ridiculous. She stands as one of the most eclectic and unpredictable live performers in contemporary music. The phrase 'expect the unexpected' doesn't quite cover it.
All Melburnians know that Fitzroy and Collingwood aren't known for their glitz and glamour. Yes, the coffee is good and the food is amazing, but Gertrude Street is much more likely to offer up some decaying street art and chipped paint than anything particularly fantastical. Well, that's true for all but one time of year — now in its seventh year, Gertrude Street Projection Festival is here to shine a dazzling neon light on Fitzroy once more. From July 18-27, GSPF will be lighting up 40 sites along this small and charming street in the inner north. Works by Andy Buchanan, Arika Waulu, Ian de Druchy, Nich Azidis and Amanda Morgan will be cast upon unassuming shopfronts, houses and tree trunks; and they'll no doubt pop out at you while you least expect it on your way home from dinner. This year's theme, 'Transcience', is both appropriate and saddening as it reminds us all that the lights will eventually go out. But that shouldn't stop you taking it all in while you can. This year's festival hub, The Catfish, will see a huge array of performances, panels, art and live music; and the projections themselves will be alight from 6pm 'til midnight every night of the festival. It may be fleeting in nature, but we've gotta say — there's no better cure for your winter blues than some mesmerising technicolour. Check out the full program here.
