With a new superhero movie hitting cinemas every month, or near enough, you can be forgiven for feeling a bit fatigued with the general premise. With box office domination comes more of the same; however the genre's popularity is also inspiring creative takes on the concept — and in the case of Brightburn, something dark and creepy. You mightn't recognise the movie's moniker, given that it stems from an original script rather than an existing comic book property, but Guardians of the Galaxy writer/director James Gunn is the producer's chair. The first release with his name on it after he was fired from the Marvel franchise earlier this year, it was written by his brother Brian and cousin Mark. Brightburn also features a cast led by Elizabeth Banks, who starred in Gunn's pre-Guardians horror flick Slither. Directed by David Yarovesky (who also has a Guardians credit, appearing on-screen as a goth ravager), the premise starts in familiar territory. A child from another world crashes to earth, and is taken in by a caring couple (Banks and The Office's David Denman). But before you start thinking about Superman, this is a horror movie — and it definitely doesn't feature the man of steel. Brightburn opens in Australian cinemas on May 23, 2019 — check out the trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lCimwXO0-U&feature=youtu.be
He's been hailed as the king of documentaries, known for his fearless deep dives into the boldest of subjects, from sex trafficking to religious extremists and just about everything in between. And now, Louis Theroux is stepping out from in front of the camera and onto the stage, venturing Down Under for his second Aussie speaking tour this summer. In January, the intrepid BBC filmmaker will hit Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, here to share his secrets in new show Louis Theroux Without Limits. The fearless journalist will be joined by local media personality Julia Zemiro for a two-hour on-stage adventure, dropping insights into his extraordinary life and behind-the-scenes secrets from his impressive catalogue of work. With more than two decades of filmmaking experience and multiple awards under his belt, Theroux has a knack for digging deep and getting people to spill the beans, telling it exactly how it is. From the opioid epidemic and the San Fernando Valley porn industry to the Church of Scientology, his work has given him countless fascinating stories to dish up on this latest speaking tour. "Australians are obviously connoisseurs of the weird side of life," Theroux said in a statement. "I look forward to coming back to share even more memorable moments and extraordinary stories from the people I have encountered in my films." He was last here in 2016, when he took his (sell-out) speaking tour to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. While you wait for Louis to head Down Under, you can catch his new series of documentaries on BBC Knowledge from Thursday, June 27. You can check out a teaser for the new show Louis Theroux Without Limits here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bcgv0S4Wj8&feature=youtu.be LOUIS THEROUX WITHOUT LIMITS 2020 DATES Sunday, January 12 – Riverside Theatre, Perth Monday, January 13 – Convention Centre, Adelaide Wednesday, January 15 – Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane Thursday, January 16 – Royal Theatre, Canberra Friday January 17 – State Theatre, Sydney Sunday, January 19 – Plenary Theatre, Melbourne Tickets to Louis Theroux Without Limits go on sale at 9am on Monday, June 24. You can sign up for pre-sale on the website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. THE FRENCH DISPATCH Editors fictional and real may disagree — The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun's Arthur Howitzer Jr (Bill Murray, On the Rocks) among them — but it's easy to use Wes Anderson's name as both an adjective and a verb. In a sentence that'd never get printed in his latest film's titular tome (and mightn't in The New Yorker, its inspiration, either), The French Dispatch is the most Wes Anderson movie Wes Anderson has ever Wes Andersoned. The immaculate symmetry that makes each frame a piece of art is present, naturally, as are gloriously offbeat performances. The equally dreamy and precise pastel- and jewel-hued colour palette, the who's who of a familiar cast list, the miniatures and animated interludes and split screens, the knack for physical comedy, and the mix of high artifice, heartfelt nostalgia and dripping whimsy, too. The writer/director knows what he loves, and also what he loves to splash across his films, and it's all accounted for in his tenth release. In The French Dispatch, he also adores stories that say as much about their authors as the world, the places that gift them to the masses, and the space needed to let creativity and insight breathe. He loves celebrating all of this, and heartily, using his usual bag of tricks. It's disingenuous to say that Anderson just wheels out the same flourishes in any movie he helms, though, despite each one — from The Royal Tenenbaums onwards, especially — looking like part of a set. As he's spent his career showing but conveys with extra gusto here, Anderson adores the craftsmanship of filmmaking. He likes pictures that look as if someone has doted on them and fashioned them with their hands, and is just as infatuated with the emotional possibilities that spring from such loving and meticulous work. Indeed, each of his features expresses that pivotal personality detail so clearly that it may as well be cross-stitched into the centre of the frame using Anderson's hair. It's still accurate to call The French Dispatch an ode to magazines, their heyday and their rockstar writers; the film draws four of its five chapters from its eponymous publication, even badging them with page numbers. But this is also a tribute to everything Anderson holds The New Yorker to stand for, and holds dear — to everything he's obsessed over, internalised and absorbed into the signature filmmaking style that's given such an exuberant workout once again. One scene, in the first of its three longer segments, crystallises this so magnificently that it's among the best things Anderson has ever put on-screen. It involves two versions of murderer-turned-artist Moses Rosenthaler, both sharing the boxed-in frame. The young (Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel) greets the old (Benicio Del Toro, No Sudden Move), the pair swapping places and handing over lanyards, and it feels as if Anderson is doing the same with his long-held passions. Before Moses' instalment, entitled The Concrete Masterpiece, the picture's bookending story steps into Howitzer's offices in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Since 1925, he's called it home, as well as the base for a sophisticated literary periodical that started as a travel insert in his father's paper back in Kansas. Because Anderson loves melancholy, too, news of Howitzer's death begins the film courtesy of an obituary. What follows via travelogue The Cycling Reporter, the aforementioned incarcerated art lark, student revolution report Revisions to a Manifesto and police cuisine-turned-kidnapping story The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner is The French Dispatch's final issue turned into a movie — and an outlet for both Howitzer's and the director's abundant Francophilia. Read our full review. DON'T LOOK UP Timing may be everything in comedy, but it's no longer working for Adam McKay. Back when the ex-Saturday Night Live writer was making Will Ferrell flicks (see: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Step Brothers), his films hinged upon comic timing. Ensuring jokes hit their marks was pivotal to his scripts, crucial during editing, and paramount to Ferrell and his co-stars. Since 2015, McKay has been equally obsessed with timeliness. More so, actually, in his latest film Don't Look Up. As started with The Big Short, which nabbed him a screenwriting Oscar, his current breed of politically focused satires trade not just in laughs but in topicality. Skewering the present or recent state of America has become the filmmaker's main aim — but, as 2018's Vice so firmly illustrated, smugly stating the obvious isn't particularly funny. On paper, Don't Look Up sounds like a dream. Using a comet hurtling towards earth as a stand-in, McKay parodies climate change inaction and the circus that tackling COVID-19 has turned into in the US, and spoofs self-serious disaster blockbusters — 1998's double whammy of Deep Impact and Armageddon among them — too. And, he enlists a fantasy cast, which spans five Oscar-winners, plus almost every other famous person he could seemingly think of. But he's still simply making the most blatant gags, all while assuming viewers wouldn't care about saving the planet, or their own lives, without such star-studded and glossily shot packaging. Although the pandemic has certainly exposed stupidity on a vast scale among politicians, the media and the everyday masses alike, mining that alone is hardly smart, savvy or amusing. Again, it's merely stating what everyone has already observed for the past two years, and delivering it with a shit-eating grin. That smirk is Don't Look Up's go-to expression among its broad caricatures — in the name of comedy, of course. Trump-esque President Orlean (Meryl Streep, The Prom) has one, as does her sycophantic dude-bro son/Chief of Staff Jason (Jonah Hill, The Beach Bum). Flinging trivial banter with fake smiles, "keep it light and fun" morning show hosts Brie Evantee (Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) and Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry, Those Who Wish Me Dead) sport them as well. But PhD student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: Dark Phoenix) and her astronomy professor Dr Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) aren't smiling when she discovers a Mount Everest-sized comet, then he realises it's on a collision course with earth and will wipe out everything in six months and 14 days. And they aren't beaming when, with NASA's head of planetary defence Dr Teddy Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan, The Unforgivable), they try to spread the word. The world is literally ending, but no one cares. Conjuring up the premise with journalist/political commentator David Sirota, McKay turns Don't Look Up into a greatest-hits tour of predictable situations bound to occur if a celestial body was rocketing our way — and that've largely happened during the fights against climate change and COVID-19. The President's reactions stem from her clear-cut inspiration, including the decision to "sit tight and assess" until it's politically convenient or just unavoidable, and the later flat-out denial that anything is a problem. The character in general apes the same source, and bluntly, given Orlean is initially busy with a scandal surrounding her next Supreme Court nominee, and that her love life and the porn industry also spark headlines. The insipid media and social media response, favouring a rocky celebrity relationship (which is where Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi come in), is also all too real. The list goes on, including the memes when Dibiasky gets outraged on TV and the worshipping of Mindy as an AILF (Astronomer I'd Like to Fuck). Read our full review. DEAR EVAN HANSEN Dear Dear Evan Hansen: don't. If a movie could write itself a letter like the eponymous figure in this stage-to-screen musical does, that's all any missive would need to communicate. It could elaborate, of course. It could caution against emoting to the back row, given that cinema is a subtler medium than theatre. It could advise against its firmly not-a-teenager lead Ben Platt, who won one of the Broadway hit's six Tony Awards, but may as well be uttering "how do you do, fellow kids?" on the big screen. It could warn against shooting the bulk of the feature like it's still on a stage, just with more close-ups. Mostly, though, any dispatch from any version of Dear Evan Hansen — treading the boards or flickering through a projector — should counsel against the coming-of-age tale's horrendously misguided milk-the-dead-guy narrative. When the most interesting thing about a character is their proximity to someone that's died, that's rarely a great sign. It's the realm of heartstring-tugging illness weepies and romances where partners or parents are bereaved, sweeping love stories are shattered and families are forever altered, and it uses the sickness or death of another person purely as a prop to make someone that's alive and healthy seem more tragic. That's worlds away from engaging sincerely with confronting mortality, loss, grief or all three, as so few movies manage — although Babyteeth did superbly in 2020 — and it's mawkish, manipulative storytelling at its worst. Dear Evan Hansen gives the formula a twist, however, and not for the better. Here, after a classmate's suicide, the titular high schooler pretends he was his closest friend, including to the dead kid's family. A anxious, isolated and bullied teen who returns from summer break with a fractured arm, Evan (Platt, The Politician) might be the last person to talk to Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan, one of the Broadway production's understudies). It isn't a pleasant chat, even if Connor signs Evan's cast — which no one else has or wants to. In the school library, Evan prints out a letter to himself as a therapy exercise, but Connor grabs it first, reads it, then gets furious because it mentions his sister Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick). Cue days spent fretting on Evan's part, wondering if he'll see the text splashed across social media. Instead, he's soon sitting with Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams, The Woman in the Window) and her husband Larry (Danny Pino, Fatale), who inform him of Connor's suicide — and that they found Evan's 'Dear Evan Hansen' note on him, and they're sure it's their son's last words. With his high school misery amply established through catchy songs, and his yearning to connect as well, Evan opts to go along with the Murphys' mistaken belief, including the idea that he and Connor were secretly the best of pals. As penned for both theatre and film by Steven Levenson (Tick, Tick... Boom!) — with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman) — this plot point is meant to play with awkwardness and longing, but it's simply monstrous. Indeed, the longer it goes on, with Evan spending more time with Connor's wealthy family than with his own mum Heidi (Julianne Moore, Lisey's Story), a nurse always working double shifts, the more ghastly it proves. It's lazy writing, too, because this isn't just a tale that defines its lead by their connection to a deceased person; it's about someone who intentionally makes that move themselves, then remains the recipient of all the movie's sympathies. Read our full review. RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY It's the franchise about zombies that just won't die. The series with a disdain for big corporations and the chaos they wreak that keeps pumping out more instalments, too. After six movies between 2002–16 that consistently proved a case of diminishing returns — and the original horror flick was hardly a masterpiece to begin with — welcoming viewers back to the Resident Evil realm smacks of simply trying to keep the whole saga going at any cost. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City does indeed extract a price from its audience, stretching their fondness for the video game-to-film franchise, their appetite for John Carpenter-inspired riffs and their penchant for overemphasised 90s nostalgia. Primarily set in 1998, and endeavouring to reboot the series without its previous star Milla Jovovich, it strenuously tests patience as well. After an orphanage stint filled with familiar Resident Evil figures — siblings Claire and Chris Redfield as kids, plus nefarious Umbrella Corporation scientist Dr William Birkin (Neal McDonough, Sonic the Hedgehog) — Welcome to Raccoon City first gets gory en route back to its titular town. The now-adult Claire (Kaya Scodelario, Crawl) hitches a ride with a trucker, who then hits a woman standing in the road. The victim still gets up afterwards, because unnaturally shuffling along after you've been killed comes with the territory. The walking dead are a new phenomenon in the desolate locale, however, following Umbrella's decision to shut up shop and leave the place a crumbling shell. Of course, the night that Claire arrives back to reunite with Chris (Robbie Amell, Upload), who's now a local cop, is the night that a virus zombifies Raccoon City's residents. Any movie that features besieged police officers trying to fend off attackers will always tread where Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 has already stomped, and Welcome to Raccoon City writer/director Johannes Roberts knows it — just as he splashed his awareness of shark horror flicks gone by across both 47 Metres Down and 47 Metres Down: Uncaged. Restarting a well-known series by blatantly taking cues from another filmmaker, and from 80s and 90s horror overall, isn't the path to success, though. As this dispiritingly generic feature keeps proving, it's about as smart as constantly splitting up while fending off the undead and navigating labyrinthine spaces, which Claire, Chris, and the latter's fellow cops Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen, Ant-Man and the Wasp), Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper, Terminator: Dark Fate) and Leon Kennedy (Avan Jogia, Zombieland: Double Tap) unsurprisingly keep doing. Welcome to Raccoon City fares better with action over logic and originality, although nodding so forcefully to the filmmaker behind Halloween and The Thing stands out within the Resident Evil franchise. When it comes to Raccoon City's infected inhabitants, plus foes more frightening — their onslaughts, and Claire and company's attempts to evade them — Roberts finds a balance between stripping things back to ramp up the suspense and trying to imitate the video games that started it all. In the film's midsection, it all gets monotonous nonetheless, even while switching between first- and third-person perspectives and going big on monstrous creature design. Callouts to technology gone by, such as Nokia phones with Snake and VHS tapes (and, the flipside, marvelling over whiz-bang new tech by 90s standards like Palm Pilots and chat rooms), get repetitive and old fast, too. All things Resident Evil have as well, something this movie can't change despite its overt angling for a certain-to-eventuate sequel. NEW ORDER If only one word could be used to describe New Order, that word would be relentless. If just two words could be deployed to sum up the purposefully provocative film by writer/director Michel Franco (April's Daughter), savage would get thrown in as well. Sharing zero in common with the band of the same name, this 2020 Venice Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner dreams up a dystopian future that's barely even one step removed from current reality. And, in dissecting class clashes, and also examining the growing discontent unsurprisingly swelling worldwide at the lavish lives indulged by the wealthy while so much of the world struggles, the mood and narrative are nothing less than brutal. Screens big and small have been filled with eat-the-rich stories of late — Parasite, Us, Candyman, Ready or Not, The White Lotus, Nine Perfect Strangers and Squid Game among them — but New Order is its own ravenous meal. The place: Mexico City. The setup: a wedding that goes undeniably wrong. As the ceremony gets underway at a compound-style residence that's jam-packed with the ultra-wealthy and ultra-corrupt, the chasm between the guests and the staff is glaring. Case in point: bride-to-be Marianne (Naian González Norvind, South Mountain) couldn't be more stressed when she's asked for money to help ex-employee Rolando's (Eligio Meléndez, La Civil) ailing wife, who also worked at the house, and plenty of her family members are dismissive, arrogant and flat-out rude about their former servant's plight. Then activists start making their presence known outside, as well as further afield in the city's streets — and interrupting the nuptials by storming the mansion, too. The military respond swiftly and brutally, sparing no one in their efforts to implement the movie's telling moniker. Franco doesn't want any second of New Order to be easy to watch. The film's opening foreshadows the bloodshed and body count to come, but even when it then gets immersed in a ridiculously lavish but characteristically chaotic upper-class wedding — as such events stereotypically are — all the slick excess so rampantly on display remains positively ghastly. There's a sense of insidiousness in the air that the filmmaker lets fester amid all the gated home's glass and steel, then pushes into overdrive as the violent uprising gathers steam. There's an utter lack of hope as well, because nothing can or will turn out well in this situation. It can't end nicely for the bourgeoisie previously oblivious to or cruelly uncaring about the 99 percent and, as authoritarianism kicks in to a savage degree, the ideals of fairness and equality being championed by protestors aren't shared by their government. One word that can't be used to describe New Order: subtle, or any synonym denoting a delicate approach. Franco wants the parallels between his fictional situation and reality, and the unsparing critique of the latter he's making with the former, to be noticed — and to be not only unavoidable, but searingly, blisteringly haunting. He's brash and bold with the film's style as a result, as well as blunt. He's forceful, but also masterful, and makes every image and sound resound with palpable anger. Franco's also trading in obvious concepts as he tears down the rich, greedy, powerful and unscrupulous, lays bare the ease with which a fascist nightmare can take hold and posits that the fight against both is never easy, but he's still moulded all those notions into an emotionally dynamic whirlwind. New Order is screening in Melbourne only. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on August 5, August 12, August 19 and August 26; September 2, September 9, September 16, September 23 and September 30; October 7, October 14, October 21 and October 28; November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; and December 2. For Sydney specifically, you can take a look at out our rundown of new films that released in Sydney cinemas when they reopened on October 11, and what opened on October 14, October 21 and October 28 as well. And for Melbourne, you can check out our top picks from when outdoor cinemas reopened on October 22 — and from when indoor cinemas did the same on October 29. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, The Night House, Candyman, Annette, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Streamline, Coming Home in the Dark, Pig, Big Deal, The Killing of Two Lovers, Nitram, Riders of Justice, The Alpinist, A Fire Inside, Lamb, The Last Duel, Malignant, The Harder They Fall, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Halloween Kills, Passing, Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter and The Lost Leonardo.
In response to Victoria's rising COVID-19 case numbers over the past few weeks, the State Government has implemented a number of measures in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The state has extended its State of Emergency until mid-July, launched a suburban testing blitz, tightened some gathering restrictions for all Victorians and reintroduced strict stay-at-home orders for Melbourne postcodes that are experiencing the worst community transmission of coronavirus. And, today, Saturday, July 4, it has also advised that it's locking down two more sections of the city. With 108 new cases of COVID-19 recorded over the past 24 hours — the biggest rise in numbers since Saturday, March 28 — Premier Daniel Andrews has announced the expansion of the state's reintroduced stay-at-home orders to include postcodes 3031 and 3051. In those areas, and in the suburbs of Flemington and North Melbourne specifically, 23 cases have been identified across more than 12 households in public housing estates, with the Premier advising that "this is not like an outbreak spread across multiple homes or multiple suburbs". He explained that "the close confines and the shared community spaces within these large apartment blocks means this virus can spread like wildfire. And just like fire, we need to put a perimeter around it to stop it from spreading". Accordingly, the new rules will come into place in the 3031 and 3051 postcodes from 11.59pm tonight, Saturday, July 4. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1279299365543096322 For most residents of the two postcodes, the reintroduced requirements are very familiar. They're what were in place at stage three of the state's COVID-19 restrictions in late March. So, if you're in one of the ten originally announced or two newly added "hot zone" postcodes with stay-at-home lockdowns, you'll only be able to leave your house for one of four reasons: for work or school, for care or care giving, for daily exercise or for food and other essentials. You won't be able to have friends and family visit either — unless it's for care — but you can visit your partner and they can visit you. Plus, businesses in these suburbs will be reverting back to stage three rules, too. Which means, restaurants and cafes must offer takeaway only, and gyms, galleries, beauty parlours, swimming pools, libraries and theatres will need to close. These rules will also impact all Victorians who usually go into these suburbs — you won't be able to enter an affected suburb, unless it's for one of the four aforementioned reasons. For residents of the nine public housing estates in the 3031 and 3051 postcodes, however, a "complete lockdown" will come into effect — and will last at least five days at this stage. The nine sites will be closed and contained, and residents will be required to stay inside their homes. "Just as we've done with similar outbreaks in closely confined settings like aged care, the only people coming in and out will be those providing essential services," said Premier Andrews. The residents of the nine public housing towers will receive onsite clinical care, as well as food delivery and care packages. The two new postcodes that are required to return to stage three stay-at-home restrictions from tonight are: 3031: Flemington, Kensington 3051: North Melbourne, Hotham Hill The nine public housing estates that'll progress to a complete lockdown are: 12 Holland Court, Flemington 120 Racecourse Road, Flemington 126 Racecourse Road, Flemington 130 Racecourse Road, Flemington 12 Sutton Street, North Melbourne 33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne 76 Canning Street, North Melbourne 159 Melrose Street, North Melbourne 9 Pampas Street, North Melbourne They join the ten postcodes that returned to stage three stay-at-home restrictions tomorrow earlier this week: 3012: Brooklyn, Kingsville, Maidstone, Tottenham and West Footscray 3021: Albanvale, Kealba, Kings Park, St Albans 3032: Ascot Vale, Highpoint City, Maribyrnong, Travancore 3038: Keilor Downs, Keilor Lodge, Taylors Lakes, Watergardens 3042: Airport West, Keilor Park, Niddrie 3046: Glenroy, Hadfield, Oak Park 3047: Broadmeadows, Dallas, Jacana 3055: Brunswick South, Brunswick West, Moonee Vale, Moreland West 3060: Fawkner 3064: Craigieburn, Donnybrook, Mickleham, Roxburgh Park and Kalkallo Premier Andrews said today's moves were announced because the recent COVID-19 figures show the state is "still on a knife's edge" and that "the need for targeted, swift action is stronger than ever before". "I know this is big. And I know this is unprecedented. But as always with this thing, an unprecedented challenge requires unprecedented action," the Premier noted. The Premier also said that Victorian Police will be actively enforcing the new stay-at-home orders, including the hard lockdowns. And, once again, if cases continue to rise, other Melbourne postcodes will also need to go back into lockdown, too. Stay-at-home restrictions will come into force in postcodes 3031 and 3051 at 11.59pm on Saturday, July 4. For more information, head to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services website.
After a little time off to rest those weary limbs, Sydney Dance Company and artistic director Rafael Bonachela are back in business with the world premiere of Ocho, created by Bonachela, and Full Moon, choreographed by Tapei-based Cloud Gate 2 artistic director Cheng Tsung-lung. The two acts, exploring the mysteries of the universe and the deep connections between all of us, come together to form Orb, an ethereal exploration of mystery, myth, and mankind. Ocho, which celebrates Bonachela's eighth season with the company, will feature eight dancers working with a hypnotic, electric score and dreamlike stage design to look at the ways in which humans form unseen connections. The act will be followed by Tsung-lung's Full Moon, which explores the power of our celestial satellite, and how humans are affected by it. Orb asks the audience to step outside their bodies and explore the intangible realm of the non-corporeal, and, as Cheng Tsung-lung has said, "uncover the mysteries of the unconscious world which I do not know, yet I feel exist." Images: Pedro Greig.
IMAX devotees aren't just big-screen obsessives. Rather, they're massive-screen obsessives. When a film is available in the largest possible format, only that will do. Everyone has a movie-loving friend that wouldn't see Oppenheimer anywhere else, or David Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream, Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick before that. IMAX Melbourne's brand-new film festival is obviously for them — and everyone else as well. Meet the Biggest Best IMAX Film Festival, an event dedicated to the biggest and best titles that the venue can possibly play on its 32-metre-wide by 23-metre-tall screen. It's the world's largest 1.43:1 cinema screen, and it's getting flickering with those aforementioned pictures and a heap more from Friday, January 12 until mid-February. Iconic Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense is the first movie on the lineup, but the official opening night on Saturday, January 13 is going with one helluva huge double feature: Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049. Still on pairings, Tom Cruise's (Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One) latest need for speed is showing with the OG Top Gun. And Christopher Nolan's full Dark Knight trilogy in IMAX 1570 (the highest resolution available, going up to 16K, with Melbourne the only place in the country that can show it) is for those serious about seeing the three Batman flicks in the greatest way there is. Oppenheimer is screening in IMAX 1570 as well, making an explosive picture even more dazzling. The Golden Globe-winner and certain Oscar contender sold out 171 sessions at the venue, notching up 66,000-plus tickets, and is the site's highest-grossing movie ever. From there, regular IMAX options include the Lord of the Rings trilogy and TRON: Legacy. Of course 2001: A Space Odyssey is on the list; it has to be. More films are set to be added as well, as chosen by both IMAX Melbourne's staff and via people's choice picks. "BBIFF is bringing back classic movies that need to be witnessed on the biggest screen in the southern hemisphere. We've put together an impressive line-up of the best and biggest trilogies, double headers and special one-off screenings," said IMAX Melbourne General Manager Jeremy Fee. The Biggest Best IMAX Film Festival takes place at IMAX Melbourne, Melbourne Museum Precinct, Rathdowne Street, Carlton Gardens, Carlton South from Friday, January 12 until mid-February — head to the venue's website for tickets and more information. TRON: Legacy image: ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
UPDATE: July 6, 2020: Seberg is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Sorry, fans of Twilight — the most fascinating thing about the terrible vampire franchise is the haunted look in Kristen Stewart's eyes. If you were being particularly unkind to the blockbuster saga that catapulted her to superstardom, you might incorrectly call that expression boredom, but the same gaze has lingered in much of the actor's work since she stopped cuddling up to a fanged Robert Pattinson. It's the look of someone grappling with deep-seated uncertainty and conflict — that is, the type of character that has marked Stewart's superb post-Twilight roles in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper and Certain Women. And, after a big-budget detour through Charlie's Angels' average action antics, plus dismal Alien ripoff Underwater, it's an expression she once again sports with purpose and potency in biopic Seberg. Jean Seberg, the American actor plucked from a talent search by director Otto Preminger when she was still a teenager, then cast in the starring role of Joan of Arc in her very first film, also had that same look. It's evident in her famed debut performance in 1957's Saint Joan, in her melancholy turn in Preminger's Bonjour Tristesse, and in French new wave masterpiece Breathless, the movie that cemented her place in cinema history. As Seberg shows through Stewart's dynamic yet quietly anguishedportrayal, however, that gaze became a constant off-camera as well. Focusing on a mere sliver of her career, rather than charting its eponymous figure's birth-to-death story, this engaging, intriguing thriller illustrates why a star who was acclaimed and adored across two continents came to brandish such inner sorrow — and why that, and not her career highlights, has earned this involving film's attention. Charting scandals of both the political and personal kind, infuriating government espionage and America's heated racial divisions, this twisty true tale was always going to make it the big screen. Set against the backdrop of Hollywood's fading heyday — the same period that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood chronicled so well so recently — it's the story of a woman punished, like the causes she fought to support, for refusing to remain in her place. Seberg is already an international star when the movie that bears her surname begins. It's 1968 and, following her first big roles, she has spent almost a decade setting up a life in Paris. At the urging of her agent (Stephen Root), she flies back to the US to make a few undemanding genre movies, only to fall afoul of the FBI as soon as she steps onto the tarmac. Seberg's crime? Being sympathetic to Black Power activist Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie) while they're in the air, joining him in a raised-fist salute when they hit the ground and — despite the fact that she has a husband (Yvan Attal) and Jamal has a wife (Zazie Beetz) — falling into bed with her new friend as well. Already surveilling Jamal, the FBI starts bugging Seberg too, tasking tech-savvy newcomer Jack Solomon (O'Connell) and heavy-handed veteran Carl Kowalski (Vince Vaughn) with listening in on her every move. As she donates to Jamal's civil rights efforts, using her status to draw attention to his cause, the government decides that she's an enemy. Through the tabloids, she's also easy to torment, discredit and destroy publicly. As the FBI's tactics ramp up, Seberg understandably reacts, while Solomon questions the morality of this state-sanctioned persecution. It's by no means a criticism of O'Connell that his storyline proves Seberg's weakest link. Whether his character is eavesdropping on his target or arguing with his medical student wife (Margaret Qualley) about his long hours, the Skins breakout turned '71 and Money Monster star is reliably excellent — but his part of the narrative always feels superfluous. In a tale about law enforcement secretly and maliciously harassing a real-life famous actor because the powers-that-be dislike her political affiliations, it's the victim that's of far greater interest, not the agony felt by one of the fictionalised perpetrators. That's doubly the case with an iconic figure such as Seberg and with such a tragic true story, something that screenwriters Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse (The Aftermath) occasionally seem to forget. That said, O'Connell's character does serve an important purpose, anchoring the film's visual approach. By giving Solomon's work-mandated spying such prominence, Australian filmmaker Benedict Andrews (Una) and Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) give their movie an observational air, like it's surreptitiously peering at Seberg's most intimate moments as well. And that look and feel is essential. Helped by top-notch production and costume design — Seberg's hilltop Los Angeles house is all windows, boxing her into a glass cage above the world, for example — Seberg steals a meaningful glimpse at the woman behind the celebrity, smears and scrutiny. It stares deeply and carefully, seeing that haunted look that Stewart wears so commandingly, and demonstrating why that tortured gaze says everything about Jean Seberg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANJZWxsQ8Ag
The meat industry is on the chopping block in this thought-provoking dance piece at the this year's Melbourne Fringe. Presented by New Zealand company Dance Plant Collective in collaboration with Dutch choreographer Tui Hofmann, MEAT invites audiences to chew on the social and environmental implications of meat consumption through the medium of contemporary dance and physical theatre. Hope you're feeling hungry. Dance Plant won the Best Newcomer Award at the Auckland Fringe Festival back in March, and will stage the show in Melbourne for three nights only on September 28, 29 and 30.
As part of the Melbourne Art Fair program this August, TIME will take place in various locations across the city of Melbourne. A site-specific video installtion, TIME will showcase a variety of works from artists such as Michaela Gleave, Jess Johnson, Simon Ward, Sriwhana Spong and Angela Tiatia, in a female-heavy four days of art and culture. Curated — again by two cool women of the art world — by Hannah Matthews (Senior Curator at the Monash University Museum of Art) and Rachel Ciesla (Curator and Administrator of Galleries and Programs, Melbourne Art Foundation), TIME sees art pieces — all considering the idea of now — spread across Melbourne, sprawling from Buxton Contemporary to QT Melbourne. Video locations and times can be found here, as well as the full Melbourne Art Fair program. Find Angela Tiatia's The Fall (2017) at Buxton Contemporary; Jess Johnson and Simon Ward's Webwurld (2017) at Fed Square; Michaela Gleave's A Galaxy of Suns (2016-18) at the QT Melbourne; and Sriwhana Spong's This Creature (2016) at the Melbourne Art Fair. Images: Angela Tiatia, The Fall (2017)
"Don't you dare ruin my childhood!" Such is the inevitable complaint from nostalgic movie fans whenever a beloved film from yesteryear is tapped by studios for a remake. Setting aside what kind of fragile childhood you must have had for a movie to be capable of destroying it, the sentiment is at least a sincere one: please be respectful. Like a thoughtless cover song robbing an original of all its heart and meaning (here's looking at you, Madonna's 'American Pie'), the arbitrary remaking, rebooting and reimagining of successful pop-culture properties threatens to expend a great deal of fan goodwill. Paul Feig's Ghostbusters was the last film to attract this level of ire, though that was as much to do with sexism as anything else (and proved doubly misguided since the female cast ended up being the best thing about it). Then came the Jumanji announcement and, again, childhoods were imperilled the world over. The beloved Robin Williams vehicle from 1995 (itself an adaptation from a book) was a critical meh at the time, but made bucketloads of cash. More importantly, however, its status as a cult classic grew with each passing day – so much so that the remake's star, Dwayne Johnson, recognised the risk early on and did his best to allay people's fears. "We wanted to do something that was respectful of the work of Robin Williams as well as creating something fresh," he insisted. So was he true to his word? Well, yes and no. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle certainly isn't fresh, in that it's largely just an appropriation of Tron coupled up with body-swap stories like Freaky Friday and 3rd Rock from the Sun. Nor does it really address the legacy of Robin Williams, since his character scarcely rates a mention, and the story itself in no way resembles the original. But is it a good film? Absolutely. Updating itself, quite literally, for more modern times, the film sees the original Jumanji board game transform into a mid-90s video game cartridge and promptly suck a hapless teenager into its hidden universe. Fast-forward 20 years and, in a clear nod to The Breakfast Club, the game is discovered in a storeroom by four motley teens during high-school detention. Sure enough they too – the nerd, the jock, the princess and the loner girl – find themselves pulled into Jumanji's perilous jungle. But there's a twist: they're now in the bodies of the game character they chose. So it is that the nerd becomes the muscle-bound Dr Smolder Bravestone (Johnson), the jock becomes pint-sized zoologist Moose Finbar (Kevin Hart), the loner becomes uber-babe and biologist Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) and – most amusingly – the princess becomes the portly, middle-aged cartographer Shelly Oberon (Jack Black). From there the film becomes a non-stop action-adventure romp, one in which its stars engage in a retro video game quest to return a glowing green jewel to its rightful home. The laughs are frequent, coming mostly from the body-swap setup, but also from the tongue-in-cheek references to 90s point and click games – like having non-playable characters only speak a limited number of lines that repeat themselves if you fail to progress in time. Each of the main cast members plays impressively against type, with Black in particular soaring in his part as the vacuous it-girl. Together they make an entirely likeable crew, lending the narrative a nice emotional undercurrent even as a "be true to yourself" message is jammed clumsily down our throats. Funny, breezy and full of memorable performances, nervous film buffs can rest easy. Your childhood is going to be just fine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QKg5SZ_35I
Looking to add some structure and purpose to your otherwise laissez-faire Sunday daytime drinking habits? Good news: The National Hotel in Richmond is hosting a pan-Asian bottomless brunch every Sunday afternoon this summer. From noon every weekend the bar will be serving up three hours of bottomless sparkling cocktails and bloody marys along with an Asian tapas plate for a very reasonable $50 per person. If you book ahead of time, you get 10 percent off. Drinking during the day offers the unique advantage of letting your hangover hit Sunday night rather than Monday morning when you're at work — at least, that's what you can tell yourself three Bellinis in. To kick the whole bottomless brunch season off — and to celebrate the arrival of summer — The National Hotel is throwing an afternoon beer garden party on Sunday, December 3 featuring DJs and special drinks. Book a table by emailing functions@thenationalhotel.com or calling (03) 9429 8811.
Now in it's third year, MTV Beats & Eats returns November 18 to take over Wollongong's Stuart Park. Just steps from North Wollongong beach, the festival brings live music and food lovers together for one big ol' party that will satisfy both your belly and your soul. Themed 'Space Fantasy', the festival encourages attendees to come in fancy dress as whatever their space fantasy may be. Astronauts, martians, space cowboys, alien unicorns — whichever costume you choose, you could win $2,000 for best dressed, $1,000 for second and $500 for third best dressed. Plus you'll look awesome. With past acts including Savage, PACES, Tigerlily and DJ Steve Aoki, you can expect an even bigger roster of local and international acts this year. Plus, in between sets, fill up on a range of eats from food vendors from the region, along with a few Sydney imports expected to dish out some top-notch barbecue, burgers and pizzas. And, though you probably don't need another excuse to get a ticket, your attendance will also go towards a good cause. With every ticket sold, MTV Australia will donate $1 to headspace, the national youth mental health foundation.
Zom-Rom-Coms. That's what you get when you add zombies to romantic comedies. First came Shaun of the Dead, then Zombieland and now Warm Bodies, a delightful Romeo and Juliet meets Frankenstein tale, in that two star-crossed lovers must overcome deep-seeded family prejudices and Romeo is a monstrous zombie. The undead are very much the flavour of the month right now. The Walking Dead is a consistent ratings winner on TV, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead is about to receive a huge Hollywood remake and video games like Dead Rising, Dead Island and Resident Evil continue to dominate the market. For the first time, though, Warm Bodies presents us with a story told from the perspective of the zombie. That zombie is R (Nicholas Hoult), and his Juliet is Julie (Australian actress Teresa Palmer). R is just your everyday teenage boy, grappling with your everyday teenage problems: a changing body, crippling social isolation and a tendency to grunt instead of speak. He's also a zombie, but instead of being scary that's mostly just a source of embarrassment. R's charming and self-deprecating narration throughout the film provides a constant source of laughter, particularly with self-aware lines like, "……God we walk slowly!" It's a sublime mix of dark comedy and tender romance, centred on a familiar yet infinitely more appealing relationship than Twilight's Bella and Edward. Warm Bodies also features a killer soundtrack, including classics from Guns N' Roses, Bruce Springsteen, John Waite, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan. More often than not, the tunes are set against flesh-tearingly gory scenes and the juxtaposition is terrific. The film also features a wonderful supporting cast of John Malkovich, Dave Franco and Rob Corddry, whose performance as a frustrated zombie businessman attracts most of the remaining laughs. Ultimately, Warm Bodies is a clever, unexpected and undeniably entertaining film. The simple plot satisfies on most fronts and Hoult is perfectly cast as the awkward zombie lover, managing to imbue his soulless corpse with an extraordinary amount of heart and compassion. For an adaptation that openly acknowledges its Shakespearean underpinnings, this has somehow still emerged as one of the most original stories of the year.
A dark Shakespearean crime drama, 2010's Animal Kingdom was one of the most resounding Australian films in years. Not only did it launch the international careers of Ben Mendelsohn and Jacki Weaver, it also heralded the arrival of writer-director David Michôd, a filmmaker whose tightly controlled aesthetic suggested even greater things to come. His sophomore effort is The Rover, a barebones narrative that mirrors his debut in both its technical precision and its nihilistic tone. What's missing, however, is a similarly compelling set of characters. Without them, a pervasive sense of bleakness soon swallows the movie whole. Based on an idea by Michôd and actor Joel Edgerton, the film takes place across desolate stretches of the outback, a decade after Western society has collapsed. While drinking alone in a gloomy roadside bar, a heavily bearded Guy Pearce sees three gun-toting criminals steal his car. The rest of the movie follows his efforts to get the car back. Michôd would have known from the very first word that comparisons to Mad Max were inevitable. Despite this, The Rover is not an action flick. Methodically paced and dripping with menace, the film actually has more in common with something like Ted Kotcheff's Wake in Fright, which likewise capitalised on the intensity of its outback setting. Meticulous technique — including razor-sharp editing, oppressive sound design, a brooding score and dispassionate cinematography — sets audience members on edge. The violence, when it comes, is sudden, shocking and unglamorous. Yet beneath the craft, the film feels decidedly hollow. Pearce is a great actor, but there's only so much variance he can bring to such a single-minded protagonist. Robert Pattinson, meanwhile, gives a woefully misjudged performance as Pearce's unlikely travelling companion, the slow-witted brother of one of the thieves Pearce is trying to track down. His constant twitching and incomprehensible Southern drawl seem like the efforts of an actor trying desperately to play against type. Good on him for trying, but the fact is it just doesn't work. So the film descends into meaninglessness and futility. Michôd's future world is bereft of human compassion — grandmothers pimp their grandkids, people hunt dogs for food, and our protagonist commits murder without a moment's hesitation. By the time the movie ends, you're left broken and exhausted. And while it takes a lot of skill to achieve that, it never really feels like it was worth it.
West Elm are teaming up with Etsy this weekend to bring you an afternoon of crafty goodness from your favourite online designers. From 1pm to 6pm on June 21, you'll be able to track down and purchase unique items made by local artisans. Better yet, there's no need for postage fees or waiting periods. Etsy has curated a stellar line-up of 16 sellers, offering everything from nifty jewellery and funky stationary through to re-purposed timber homewares and hand-poured soy candles. There will be a broad range of handmade products oozing with style and personality. Plus, you'll get to chat to your local innovators over treats and tunes. In recent years, the Brooklyn-based retailer and the online marketplace have turned from competitors into unlikely collaborators, citing the common goal of injecting a bit of integrity and authenticity into the crafts and homewares market. On the whole, it's pretty cool that this mega-brand is giving shelf space to indie crafters. But don't forget, this pop-up is on for one day only! You snooze, ya lose. Photo credit: Kimberly Chau Lee.
When That's Not Me begins, it's with a black screen and an Oscar speech — and then a toilet and a can of air freshener. Polly Cuthbert (Alice Foulcher) is practicing for the acclaim and awards she hopes will come, but it's clear the aspiring actress still has a way to go. But hey, she's determined. Working at a cinema, turning down soap operas, and waiting to audition for Jared Leto's new HBO show are part of her slow-and-steady approach to carving out a serious career. And it might've worked, if her identical twin sister Amy hadn't started living out Polly's wildest acting fantasies instead. That's Not Me is more than just the title of this smart, funny and perceptive Australian comedy from writer-director Gregory Erdstein and writer-star Foulcher. It's also what Polly finds herself telling her sibling's fans when they start accosting her wherever she goes. Moreover, in a movie that explores the reality that lifelong dreams don't always work out as planned, it offers audiences a clever reminder: there's nothing wrong with not having the life and job you thought you would when you were a kid. Call it a quarter-life-crisis portrait, a faking-it-without-making-it character study, or a not-quite-slacker story. Whichever label you choose, they all fit the bill. As familiar as all of that may sound, the film also deserves to be described as earnest, astute, insightful and thoroughly amusing. Brimming with well-observed scenarios, characters and emotions, it's the kind of movie that makes you feel like you might've seen it all before, only to delight you as you realise you haven't. Frankly, it's the type of flick you could easily imagine remade around an unhappy New Yorker. And yet despite that, it wears its local-and-proud-of-it heart on its sleeve — even while making jokes about the stereotype that no one watches Aussie films. Indeed, this is a movie that is both universal and unmistakably Australian – and that's just one of many delicate balancing acts that That's Not Me achieves. Gags about Jared Leto and the superficial nature of the film industry sit alongside jabs at Neighbours and Home and Away, as well a brief appearance from Andrew O'Keefe. It takes a similar amount of skill to plot a story filled with highs and lows, while maintaining an awareness that life usually exists somewhere in between. The movie's look and feel further blends a variety of elements, from a fond but never rosy view of Melbourne, to music that leans towards the '80s without wallowing in nostalgia, to pacing that feels brisk but never rushed. Of course the biggest juggling task sits with Foulcher, and not just because she's playing twins. Rather than filling the movie with sisters in the thick of sibling rivalry, this is really a flick about Polly's unrealised dreams, and Foulcher gives her character all of the dimensions you'd expect — plus some you might not. Her character's not always sympathetic, but she's certainly relatable, with the actress delivering an immensely likeable and layered turn. If there's any justice, this gem of a film will be remembered in the exact same way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-78QW3xq8
Blue miles for the ocean, green miles through the palm trees, and yellow miles over sandy stretches. No, that’s not the tagline of my indie-beach-poetry fusion Tumblr blog; it's the title of Bus Projects' upcoming July exhibition, which brings together seven artists in conversation about the role that colour plays in their work and practice. From the sensual to the sensible, each artist has evaluated unique reasons behind the interaction with and use of colour through ongoing discussions, games and information sharing. The result is a mixed palette of styles and explorations in this group show, featuring work from experienced Australian artists including Jeremy Eaton, Minna Gilligan, Georgina Glanville, Jethro Harcourt, Annabelle Kingston, Cheralyn Lim and Max Lawrence White. The exhibition runs July 3–20, with the opening event at the Collingwood gallery on Wednesday, July 3, from 6–8pm. It might be a good idea to brush up on the Pantone Colour of the Year for appropriate banter purposes (it’s Emerald, FYI).
The team that in May transformed Howler into The Black Lodge from Twin Peaks is heading back to the Brunswick venue with another immersive screen experience. This time, it's paying tribute to the one and only Bill Murray with a beanbag cinema program showcasing some of the actor's most iconic films. Presented by Howler and Tastemakers along with Hawkers Beer, the marathon – sorry, Murraython – begins on Wednesday, January 3 with Groundhog Day. The fun continues the following night with Wes Anderson's Rushmore, before Ghostbusters on Saturday, January 6 and Lost in Translation on Sunday, January 7. You can buy tickets individually, or grab a Murray Maniac four film pass.
Fancy some grime? A Euphoria star? A mix of international must-sees and homegrown up-and-comers? A swag of folks making their first trips our way? Then consider yourself sorted at St Jerome's Laneway Festival in 2024 — starting with headliners Stormzy, Steve Lacy, Dominic Fike and Raye. When the beloved event hits Melbourne in February, Stormzy will top the roster after he was meant to head Down Under in 2022, but pulled out of Spilt Milk and his Australian and Zealand tour. At the Aussie fest, he was replaced by Lacy, in fact, but now the UK sensation and the 'Bad Habit' talent will share the same Laneway bill. [caption id="attachment_915848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Fike heads from the screen to Laneway's stages, while Raye comes our way with 'Escapism' still stuck in everyone's heads. From there, the lineup also spans AJ Tracey, d4vd, Dope Lemon and Unknown Mortal Orchestra — and goes on from there. Stormzy and Fike are doing exclusive Laneway tours — so, of you want to see either (or both), you'll only catch them at the fest. Lacy is also exclusive in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The date and place to pop in your diary: Saturday, February 10 at The Park in Flemington. [caption id="attachment_871106" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dave Kan[/caption] LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 LINEUP: Stormzy Steve Lacy Dominic Fike Raye AJ Tracey Cordae d4vd Dope Lemon Eyedress Faye Webster horsegiirL Nia Archives Paris Texas Skin On Skin Unknown Mortal Orchestra Blondshell DOMi & JD BECK Hemlocke Springs Pretty Girl Angie McMahon Confidence Man Teenage Dads JK-47 Miss Kaninna Vacations Images: Maclay Heriot, Daniel Boud and Dave Kan.
1987's Predator is so much better than you remember, even if you remember it being pretty bloody great. Written by Shane Black (who also scribed Lethal Weapon before writing and directing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys), Predator was framed as just another action blockbuster vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, yet proved a surprisingly smart and masterfully constructed thriller with equal measures of horror, science-fiction, eternally quotable lines and laugh out loud comedy. Best of all, its villain was something entirely new: a sneaky, lethal and superior hunting machine that could turn invisible as it hunted humans for sport like the antagonist from an alien version of The Most Dangerous Game. Sequels followed. The first wasn't bad. The rest were. They even tried spinoffs, hoping the success and popularity of the Alien vs. Predator comic book series would translate to the big screen. It didn't. Now, some 31 years after the original, Black returns as both writer and director with The Predator. At the end of the day though, things probably would have been better if he hadn't. If the original Predator defied easy categorisation, The Predator proves even harder, shifting from extreme gore and violence one minute to 80s-style quips and blokey banter the next. The hero this time round is Narcos star Boyd Holbrook, whose vanilla performance matches his vanilla character - a grizzled sniper who finds himself on the wrong side of a shady government agency after inadvertently establishing first contact with Earth's latest predatory guest. He's soon bundled in with a bunch of PTSD-affected military rejects as part of a smear campaign, only to have these so-called loonies become his reluctant allies in a desperate effort to stop the extraterrestrial killer and save his autistic son (whose savant abilities – surely one of cinema's most tired cliches – allows him to read and interpret the alien language). It's a mess of a movie, uncertain from its opening scene whether it wants to make you laugh, wince or hide behind your hands. Black's strength has always been dialogue, so it's no surprise The Predator's less action-oriented scenes are also its strongest. Even in these moments, though, the jokes a wildly inconsistent, with every witty high point undermined by a crude, racist, bigoted or sexist jibe. Yes, soldiers are far from saints and doubtless many speak exactly like those presented on screen. Less so scientists whose behaviour in The Predator is often distinguishable from the soldiers around them thanks only to their white lab coats. Performance wise, Olivia Munn does what she can with limited resources (including having her introductory sequence edited out of the film after she discovered her co-star in the scene was a registered sex offender and raised objections with the studio). She's one of a number of talented actors stuck with thinly-crafted actors, including Moonlight's Trevante Rhodes and Key & Peele's Keegan-Michael Key. Jake Busey also makes a cameo, marking one of the film's many tips of the hat to the preceding films (his father was in the sequel), with playful quotes, musical cues and various props all there to reward long-time fans. The gritty action-comedy genre could well do with a comeback, and nobody would seem better placed than Black to make it happen. With The Predator, however, he falls short, delivering something that's entertaining at times but ultimately feels entirely forgettable. Certainly, it's a far cry from the brilliance of his original. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaG1KZqrLvM
Market Week is back for its fourth year, ready to fill your quota of good old crafty, musical, educational and edible fun. They've gone for a global theme this year, celebrating the cultural and sensory diversity of a bunch of Melbourne institutions: the Queen Victoria, Prahran, Dandenong and South Melbourne markets. The schedule is bursting out of its hand-stitched seams with workshops, tastings, demonstrations, tours, masterclasses and performances. Revel in the festivities of the full moon and end of the harvest at the Mooncake Festival, take a dumpling masterclass, get your fromage on at a lunch composed solely of cheese and wine or treat your pooch to a goat's milk puppycino (yep) and an organic peanut butter dog biscuit at the Dogs of the World Morning Tea. For the two-legged among us looking for a teatime sweet fix, or a (literal) slice of Australiana, there's a daily CWA tribute stall. Think mini pavs, lemon meringue pies and lamingtons. We're not sure about their definition of week, considering it actually spans two weekends. But who's complaining? Foodies, DIY aficionados and general good-times-havers, take note.
Few things will ever be better than seeing Mads Mikkelsen get day drunk and dance around while swigging champagne in an Oscar-winning movie, which is one fantastic film experience that 2021 has already delivered. But the always-watchable actor is equally magnetic and exceptional in Riders of Justice, a revenge-driven comedy that's all about tackling your problems in a different and far less boozy fashion. In both features, he plays the type of man unlikely to express his feelings. Instead of Another Round's mild-mannered teacher who's so comfortably settled into his adult life that his family barely acknowledges he's there, here he's a dedicated solider who's more often away than home. Beneath his close-cropped hair and steely, bristly beard, he's stern, sullen and stoic, not to mention hot-tempered when he does betray what's bubbling inside, and he outwardly expects the same of everyone around him. Mikkelson excels at transformational performances, however. He's also an exquisite anchor in films that dare to take risks. The aforementioned Another Round and Riders of Justice make a great double on his resume, in fact, and they're both bold and glorious in their own ways. In, Riders of Justice, Mikkelson's Markus isn't just the strong, silent type from the feature's first frame to its last. No matter what part he's playing, the Danish star is gifted at conveying subtlety, which is ideal for Markus' slow realisation that he needs to be more open with his emotions. And, while Mikkelson is usually expertly cast in most entries on his resume — the misfire that is Chaos Walking being one rare exception — he's especially in his element in this genre-defying, trope-unpacking, constantly complex and unpredictable film. With a name that sounds like one of the many by-the-numbers action flicks Liam Neeson has starred in since Taken, Riders of Justice initially appears as if it'll take its no-nonsense central figure to an obvious place, and yet this ambitious, astute and entertaining movie both does and doesn't. After a train explosion taints his life with tragedy and leaves him the sole parent to traumatised teenager Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg, Pagten), Markus returns home from Afghanistan. Talking is her method of coping, or would be if he'd let her; he refuses counselling for them both, and opts not to discuss the incident in general, because clamming up has always been his PTSD-afflicted modus operandi. Then statistician Otto (Nikolaj Lie Kaas, The Keeper of Lost Causes), his colleague Lennart (Lars Brygmann, The Professor and the Madman) and the computer-savvy Emmenthaler (Nicolas Bro, The Kingdom) arrive at the grieving family's door. They're a trio of stereotypically studious outsiders to his stony-faced military man, but they come uttering a theory. Mathematically, they don't think that the events surrounding the accident add up, so they're convinced it wasn't just a case of pure misfortune — because it's just so unlikely to have occurred otherwise. The nervy Otto, who was on the train with Mathilde and her mother Emma (Anne Birgitte Lind, The Protector), has even started to narrow down possible culprits with his pals. Markus, with his action-not-words mindset, is swiftly eager for retribution, but again, this isn't like most films of its ilk. Writer/director Anders Thomas Jensen (Men & Chicken) and screenwriter Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) do take the movie to its blatant next destination, yet never in the routine and formulaic sense. Narratives about seeking justice often ride the expected rails on autopilot, getting from start to finish on the standard vengeance template's inherent momentum; this one questions and subverts every usual cliche, convention and motif along the way. Its chief tactic: putting characters first. Jensen and Arcel don't just twist and turn a recognisable setup for the sake of it, but ground every change and choice in the personalities and backstories of their protagonists. Accordingly, Markus isn't just taciturn because that's the kind of figure that always stalks around reprisal-centric flicks, Otto and Lennart aren't merely booksmart geeky sidekicks eager for attention, and Emmenthaler is keenly aware of how the world sees him, not only because of his fondness for technology but also due to his weight. Riders of Justice doesn't add flesh to its characters to neatly explain away their decisions, either, diving into the myriad of factors that push and pull people in various directions without them even knowing it. The term 'emotional intelligence' might be so overused in self-help speak that it now feels largely meaningless, but it genuinely applies to this attentive and layered film. With calm and control, Jensen and Arcel also take a darkly comedic approach to Riders of Justice's storyline, as plenty goes wrong on their retaliatory quest. While that's where the movie's anarchic plot developments come in, and its witty dialogue as well, the film never jeopardises its investment in its characters' depth. In one case in point, the four men decide to hide their plans from Mathilde. Needing a cover, Otto and his friends claim to be counsellors dispatched to help after all. "I've had over 4000 hours of therapy," exclaims Lennart, who is quick to both embrace the ruse and spit out the appropriate terminology — and this scenario not only speaks volumes about him, but leads the feature to keep unpacking what that means. Indeed, this is a picture with a thoughtful and tender core, particularly when it comes to men facing their troubles. It's also shrewdly aware that that's what its chosen genre is always about amidst the overblown violence, and purposefully opts for a different alternative. Action, thrills and confrontations still lurk in Riders of Justice, of course. Blood and brutality do as well, as does a definite body count. But, although convincingly shot and staged, these scenes are never the picture's reason for being, or its point. Riders of Justice packages hilarity with its payback, understanding and empathy with its bullet-riddled affrays, and morality and ethics with its showdowns. It's set at the end of the year, too, so it also counts as a screwball Christmas movie — and it uses the visual references that come with that merry period to underscore its musings on togetherness, redemption, and valuing what really matters most. Another movie it'd make a stellar double with: the Nicolas Cage-starring Pig, because this year has been great for star-led revenge crusades that delight, surprise and ruminate on much, much more than getting even.
UPDATE, May 17, 2021: Shoplifters is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Quantity and quality, as alike as the two words sound, have long been pitted as opposites. To be prolific is to be imperfect, or so the thinking goes, although Hirokazu Kore-eda just keeps blowing that idea out of the water. The writer-director's latest release is his eleventh since the turn of the century and, in a hefty collection of intimate, moving movies that includes Nobody Knows, Like Father, Like Son and Our Little Sister, the Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters is one of the best. There's really no such thing as a bad Kore-eda film, even when he steps into slightly different territory, as with last year's less-acclaimed crime flick The Third Murder. But his rich and poignant new family drama is almost disarmingly affecting (and effective), showcasing the height of the Japanese filmmaker's prowess. The family that steals together, stays together in Shoplifters. Daily pilfering — and other petty crimes and grifts, as well as regular pension cheques — enable father Osamu (Lily Franky), mother Nobuyo (Sakura Andô), grandmother Hatsue (Kirin Kiki), aunt Aki (Mayu Matsuoka) and son Shota (Jyo Kairi) to survive in their tiny, overpacked cottage on the outskirts of Tokyo. On the way home one winter evening after giving their light fingers a workout, Osamu and Shota spy a slip of a girl cold and shivering on an apartment balcony, and soon young Yuri (Miyu Sasaki) is in their care too. While Osamu and Nobuyo's choice to keep the bruised and starving child could be construed as kidnapping, she's just so happy with them. In time, Yuri also proves rather skilled in the family business. 'Family drama' is a loaded way to describe Shoplifters. It's accurate — more accurate than can be conveyed without giving too much away — but the two words barely scratch the surface of Kore-eda's film. Seemingly straightforward in its narrative and themes, but thoroughly complex in the depths it reaches in both its story and sentiments, Shoplifters doesn't simply ponder one family's tough but loving existence. Rather, it contemplates exactly what makes a family. On more than one occasion, a character wonders whether blood or choice forge a stronger bond, a notion that couldn't be more important as the movie's ups and downs play out. Integral to that train of thought is Kore-eda's clear-eyed exploration of an oft-ignored aspect of Japanese society, at least on screen: the realities of life on the country's margins. As embodied by the film's central clan, the poor and the struggling aren't ignored here. They're literally stealing to get by, and they're never denigrated for it. Nor does the movie judge them for their decision to unofficially adopt someone else's child. The cast, which includes some of Japan's great acting talents, deserve a wealth of credit for building textured, layered characters that cannot be pigeonholed — people who feel like they could've walked off of the street and into Kore-eda's naturalistically shot picture. It's not just financial stress that drives Franky's patriarch, for example, but a desperation to connect that's evident every time that Shota steadfastly refuses to call him dad. And it's not just caring for one's elders that cements Kiki's grandma at the head of the family, a truth that's always apparent on the now-late actor's face. Of course, Franky, Kiki and the rest of the movie's stars have the good fortune to be performing for Kore-eda, one of the most empathetic and humanistic directors in the business both in Japan and around the world. Tissues should come with tickets to his films, not because he overtly pulls at the heartstrings, but because he peers so generously at everyone within his frames. Indeed, the kindness that he shows, and the space that he gives his characters, has a quietly overwhelming impact. Here, the filmmaker is at his best when he's cramming Shoplifters' family into their cramped villa, and observing their interactions, emotions and motivations in such close quarters. Every moment of their lives is tainted by hardship and harshness, but every moment is also a tender revelation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOOcpb48Oyo
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. Come the beginning of 2019, it's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Set to open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under will plunge hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners will be tucking into their dishes underwater. To be specific, they'll be feasting on seafood under the sea — if you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard will be doing. Visitors will descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, before enjoying meals in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building will be constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme will blend in with the rocky coastline, and coarse surfacing will encourage molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering a memorable place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This will include informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Start planning your 2019 Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
For a few nights in May, Whitehart in the CBD will be taken over by bourbon cocktails and art from some of Australia's most impressive young artists. Sip on a Wild Turkey Kentucky Firebird — a bourbon cocktail combining bitter and sweet with Grand Marnier, Cinzano Rosso and Maraschino; live-smoked with American oak wood chips. There will be some barrels about, too — decorated with a unique gallery of artworks from Australian artists including skateboarding icon and artist Gareth Stehr, pioneering female street artist Klara and urban artist Adrian Doyle. It's all to celebrate leading Australian talent who embody the ethos of 'doing things your way', just like three generations of the Russell family have done in creating Wild Turkey American bourbon for over 100 years with their own traditional distilling process. Really, it's just a good chance for you to see some great art and try out a few bourbon cocktails at Whitehart. Preston's Dexter are popping up for the month at the venue, too — so you can snack on some of their famous burgers and fries while you're there.
If simultaneously puffing and munching away is your idea of a meal, we have some bad news for you. Falling into line with neighbouring Australian states, Victoria has enacted new anti-tobacco legislation that bans cigarette smoking in all outdoor dining areas and some outdoor drinking areas. Announced in 2015, but only coming into effect on August 1, smoking is now prohibited in all outside spaces where food is available for consumption — and the list of spots impacted is hefty. Stubbing out is now on the menu at restaurants, cafes, take away shops and licensed premises, and spans both courtyard dining areas and footpath dining. The new laws also apply to food fairs and festivals, street and community events, and other organised outdoor gatherings where food is on offer. In addition, the legislation places restrictions on outdoor drinking areas too. Puffing away with a pint outside is now banned if the space is within four metres of an outdoor dining area — whether at the same venue or a neighbouring one. There's also a stipulation about actual versus notional wall surface area. Given that no one wants to be doing maths while they're enjoying a drink, checking each venue's rules is going to become a regular part of every smoker's routine. If you're wondering what separates a dining area from a drinking area, the former involves food that requires preparation prior to serving, while the latter is primarily for knocking back tipples — though pre-packaged nibbles such as nuts, chocolates and packets of potato chips are allowed, but not sandwiches, hot chips or anything more substantial. There are exceptions to the new legislation, however, including venues that boast at least four metres of space to separate diners and smokers, and places that install 2.1-metre-high cafe blinds to do the same. Individuals caught breaching the new laws will face a fine of five penalty units, or $792.85 for the 2017-18 financial year — and venue fines are heftier. To put the long-awaited changes in national context, New South Wales made the same move in July 2015, while Queensland did so back in 2006.
It's the end of the year, work is winding down and every day is a day closer to the extended family Christmas party. Things seem a little slow, right? A little dull? A tad exhausting? Don't know what to do to keep you going from now until Chrissy? It's all good guys, Coburg's got this. Every Friday from 5.30 until 10pm, you can get your festive on early at the Coburg Night Market. Get out on some balmy December nights and support the community culture that makes Melbourne, well, Melbourne. With wine tasting, face painting and live music, there's not much else you could want. Except maybe a health check and/or energy assessment — but wait! Coburg's got this! Thanks to Coburg Leisure Centre and Moreland Energy Foundation Ltd, all your health and energy needs can be met in between tasting some wine and munching on some market foods. Local acts The Furbelows, The Public Opinion Six, Sin Frontera Trio, Emilee South, Kylie Auldist and Nicky Bomba will feature across two stages over the four Fridays. If that's not enough, then the big man himself is sure to be a major drawcard. Santa and his elf will be waiting for you to whisper sweet nothings into their ears before posing for the obligatory festive photo. Like we said, Coburg's got this.
Last year, Melbourne's Imperial Hotel transformed its rooftop into a winter wonderland. This year, it's getting magical instead. Climb up to the top level from Friday, February 8, and you'll hang out in Vertic Alley — aka the CBD watering hole's equivalent of Diagon Alley. This four-month pop-up takes its cues from Harry Potter, obviously — and the timing is right given that The Cursed Child is in town. Get comfy in themed spaces, practice saying "accio cocktail!" and just enjoy an all-round boozy celebration of the Boy Who Lived. Forget the usual Imperial booths — now you'll find six magical stores, including an owlery, a spell book depository, a wand shop, a wizarding toy store, a home of dark artefacts and WIZPAC bank. Each area accommodates 10–20 people, can be reserved in advance, and is fitted out with plenty of enchanting items to keep you feeling bewitched. Drinks-wise, a potions lineup includes Liquid Luck (fireball, vodka, orange and sparkling wine) True Love Potion (pomegranate liqueur, raspberry gin and sparkling wine), Pumpkin Juice (fireball, orange juice and pumpkin juice) and Truth Serum (rosemary-infused gin, lavender and lemon juice), while the food range spans gilliweed tacos, treacle tarts, cursed wings and 'siriously' black ice cream. If you're gathering the gang, you can drop by from 11am daily — and platter and jug deals are available for $50–85.
Just like planning overseas getaways for certain parts of the year — now that they're allowed again, that is — Australian cinema lovers can base their annual calendar around which parts of the globe they'd like to peer at. As autumn hits, the French Film Festival kicks into gear around the country. Midyear, when things are frosty, the Scandinavian Film Festival usually arrives. When spring is in full swing, it's Italian Film Festival time. And, from February 2022, summer will now end with a movie-going trip to Europe. Kicking off on Friday, February 4 and running through until Sunday, February 27, Europa! Europa is the new Aussie film fest that'll bring Europe's latest flicks to our screens. Debuting in Sydney and Melbourne, it'll focus on fresh new flicks from the entire continent — and pair them with live music and special events across its three-week run. While it's too early for the festival's program just yet, Europa! Europa will launch its 2022 lineup with a keenly anticipated title that gives a firm idea of how the event means to go on. That'd be the acclaimed, Cannes-premiering French feature Benedetta, which tells the tale of real-life 17th-century Tuscan nun Benedetta Carlini. The reason there's a film about her? She believed she saw visions of Christ, and also had in a sexual relationship with a fellow sister at her abbey. Benedetta also hails from Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven, who has quite the attention-grabbing resume — including directing the original RoboCop and Total Recall movies, sticking with sci-fi for Starship Troopers, and spearheading 90s erotic thrillers courtesy of Basic Instinct and Showgirls. He also helmed the Isabelle Huppert-starring revenge thriller Elle in 2016, too. Consider it a vision of things to come at Sydney and Melbourne's newest film fest, which hasn't announced its venues yet, either, but'll host its launch screenings on Sunday, January 16 at Elsternwick's Classic Cinemas in Melbourne and Randwick's Ritz Cinema in Sydney. Check out the trailer for Benedetta below: Europa! Europa will screen in Sydney and Melbourne between Friday, February 4–Sunday, February 27, 2022, following program launch screenings on Sunday, January 16 at Elsternwick's Classic Cinemas in Melbourne and Randwick's Ritz Cinema in Sydney. We'll update you with the full lineup when it is announced.
Buckle up, beach goers, because it's that time again — the sand delivery has arrived and Section 8 is transforming into tropical beach paradise. The outdoor CBD bar's annual Urban Oasis Beach Party series is back for four night this January, and the lineup is killer. Along with a few tonnes of sand, each night will be a unique selection of beats and beers, curated by a rotating cast of party posses who are bringing all their own DJs with them. Wax'o Paradiso take the helm on the Thursday night, kicking the weekend off with a strictly vinyl event (records, that is — dress code remains normal). On Friday, ONE PUF drop the grime with their own brand of UK garage, before the party comes to a head on Saturday, when Cumbia Massive are taking over, throwing a huge tropical bash that brings the beach that little bit closer. After all that, the crew at Good Manners will be spinning discs through Sunday night so you can not think about work for at least an extra few hours. Images: Duncographic.
Embrace the icy weather at Madame Brussels Lane, which, for the fifth year running, will transform itself into a bustling European-style night market each Friday in July. Inspired by the picturesque Christmas markets in places like Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the UK, the market will feature some of Melbourne's most decadent food vendors, serving tasty European goodies to warm your insides and satisfy your sweet tooth. Kicking off on July 6, there'll be a selection of European eats to keep you warm from 5–9pm. You can expect everything cheesy — from raclette scraped on top of potato and charcuterie to pasta straight from the cheese wheel and cheese boards— to Bavarian snacks like pretzels and sausages. There will even be gluten-free cannoli for dessert. That's in addition to the live music and entertainment, and, of course, many, many mugs of piping hot mulled wine and warm spiced rum. Short of actually taking a holiday to Europe, this is a pretty great way to finish a frosty working week.
With free trams, great coffee, even better bearded men and now a potential smoking ban, Melbourne's really upping the stakes in its claim to become Australia's most progressive city. Melbourne City Council have today announced plans to make the CBD completely smoke-free by 2016. This would make Melbourne the first city in the world to implement such comprehensive measures. Of course, it would also make us home to the most disgruntled business types — sitting forlornly on a milk crate on Degraves just won't look the same if you don't have a durry in hand. This news comes after a successful bid to make The Causeway — one of the cheeky laneways between Bourke and Little Collins — smoke-free, alongside six similar bans."I think there's overwhelming support to progress smoke-free areas given the great success we had with The Causeway," city councillor Richard Foster told Fairfax Radio this morning. "I think we're going to actually attract people to Melbourne by being one of the first in the world to go smoke-free." Though Cr Foster maintains he has majority support on the idea, not all politicians are on board. Premier Denis Napthine strongly opposes the proposition, deeming it "totally unworkable" and "totally unreasonable". Similar disdain can also be heard from the city's street traders. After all, smokers still flock to outdoor seating in our city's cafes for the iconic coffee and cigarette combo. In its current imagining the plan would ban smoking for both pedestrians and footpath diners in the areas between Flinders Street, Spencer Street, Spring Street and Queen Victoria Market; though there would be designated smoking areas most likely in the form of shelters. Smokers seen breaking the ban would be met with on-the-spot fines, though the prohibition would be understandably difficult to police. The plan is similar to that which has recently been implemented in our inner-city universities. Both RMIT and the University of Melbourne are currently smoke-free and offer rather meagre designated areas for insistent smokers. The issue was debated widely by students as both a move towards a safer and healthier environment and an infringement on smokers' civil liberties. Of course, should the issue be taken city-wide the debate would only intensify. So far, public reaction on social media has been fairly positive. Even Lord Mayor Robert Doyle is on board so long as the changes are "incremental". If there's ever been a time to quit, this is probably it. Life as a smoker is getting more and more outlawed by the day. Via The Australian. Photo credit: Orin Zebest.
Is this the real life? Yes, Queen — the legendary rock band behind hits Bohemian Rhapsody, Don't Stop Me Now and We Will Rock You — is coming to Australia. And, they are hoping to rock you. Two of the original band members Brian May (lead guitar) and Roger Taylor (drums) will be heading Down Under, along with long-time collaborator and frontman Adam Lambert — a Grammy nominated American singer who has been touring with the group since 2011 — keyboardist Spike Edney (who's been performing with the band since the 80s), Neil Fairclough on bass and Tyler Warren on percussion. Lambert will be performing Queen hits — made famous by iconic moustached frontman Freddie Mercury, who passed away in the early 90s — from across the band's 15 albums. John Deacon, the band's original bass player, retired in the late 90s will also not be part of the Australian tour. [caption id="attachment_696706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody[/caption] Queen rose to prominence in the 70s and 80s, with their famed Live Aid performance — oft referred to as one of the greatest concerts in rock history — happening at Wembley Stadium in 1985. But, the band has once again been in the spotlight with the release of the Rami Malek-starring film Bohemian Rhapsody. After the biopic was released, the song 'Bohemian Rhapsody' reentered the US top 100 — for the third time. While the Aussie Rhapsody Tour — hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and the Gold Coast in February 2020 — won't star Mercury (or Deacon), it's set to be one rockin' show. With tickets most likely to sell out, put the below dates in your calendar ASAP. QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT 'THE RHAPSODY TOUR' 2020 DATES Brisbane — Suncorp Stadium, Thursday, February 13 Sydney — ANZ Stadium, Saturday, February 15 Melbourne — AAMI Park, Wednesday, February 19 Perth — Optus Stadium, Sunday, February 23 Adelaide — Adelaide Oval, Wednesday, February 26 Gold Coast — Metricon Stadium, Saturday, February 29 Queen + Adam Lambert The Rhapsody Tour pre-sales start on Wednesday, April 10 with general sale from Monday, April 15. For all sale times, head to the Ticketek website. Image: Queen + Adam Lambert, 2014. Photo: Diana Kat, Wiki Commons.
Are you ready, Melbourne? Madame Truffles is opening her pop-up shop for the 2018 truffle season, bringing city folk black truffles sourced from Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and Western Australia. These 'gourmet mushrooms' will be available from June 14 until September 2 at the Madame's pop-up shop on Yarra Place. As well as straight-up truffles, the shop has an array of truffle-infused goods for you to fill your pantry with, this year using French black truffles. The 2018 store will be stocked with both ravioli of both the truffle and potato and truffle and porcini mushroom kinds, plus truffle salt, truffle ice cream, truffle butter and truffle honey. This is made with extra grade black truffle and pure Australian honey from Victoria that's good enough to eat straight out of the jar. If you live in a sharehouse, you might want to hide this from your housemates. Truffles sold in-store are harvested fresh each week, so you know you'll get that fresh truffle smell when you pull them out at dinner (or breakfast, for that matter). The Madame Truffles pop-up shop will open from 9am–5pm Thursday and Friday, and 9am–4pm Saturday and Sunday.
20,000 Days on Earth is a documentary that's fiction. Though it's by no means the only documentary to question the form and take things meta, it is one of the most boldly experimental ones out there. It's a work that's highly constructed from start to finish — and since it's constructed with and about Nick Cave, there's plenty of fun to be had. The film imagines the 20,000th day on earth of the Australian-born, UK-based singer and raconteur. It's a day that includes him talking to his shrink, recording an album, helping archivists make sense of his historical record, lunching with his pals, driving Kylie Minogue around Brighton, and playing at the Sydney Opera House. A pretty great day, really, particularly for its impossibilities. Running throughout is, naturally, Cave's own music, rumbling out of the studio and guiding his path through the world. Instead of clarity and chronology, what you get in 20,000 Days on Earth is a fragmented sense of biography that is sometimes deeply insightful, sometimes electrifying and sometimes frustrating. Major characters in the life of Nick Cave, such as collaborator Warren Ellis and The Proposition star Ray Winstone, appear without context or label, meaning that to really follow this winding ride, you have to be au fait with the life of Cave. If you're not, just let it go; there are plenty of moments here that are plain entertaining regardless, while a live performance montage set to a frenzied, ever building version of 'Jubilee Street' is near rapturous to witness. The conversation between Cave and Minogue feels painfully intimate and revealing, despite all the scripting that frames it. Artists-turned-directors Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard have basically conjured a new format here, one that's wondrously poetic and imaginative. There's a sense that it could be applied to tell nearly anybody's fragmented, personal tale, though having the flair and flamboyance of Cave certainly helps. Eavesdropping on a conversation with Cave is right up there with the high points of cultural consumption. 20,000 Days on Earth gets points for pure brio. It's not like anyone would want every documentary to be made this way, but it sure is an interesting divergence. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ap0_y5EGttk
One Day is the closest thing Australia's got to a hip hop supergroup. The crew comprises Sydney acts Horrorshow, Spit Syndicate, Jackie Onassis and Joyride. They're probably best known for their now legendary One Day Sundays at Sydney's Vic on the Park pub — a regular hip hop social on the last Sunday of the month, headlined by the sharpest producers and best up-and-comers in local hip hop, plus slow-cooked spit, live graffiti art, basketball and a heaving dancefloor in the carpark. But the One Dayers haven't limited themselves to the monthly local block party. The collective/powerhouse have just released their debut record Mainline and its first single 'Love Me Less'. Now they're taking their Sydney-born brand of hip hop on a national tour — to the biggest venues they've played to yet. These guys go from strength to strength, and they're proving some pretty sweet things about the quality of Aussie hip hop. For the tour, each act will play an individual set — but hold out for the collaborative finale. All seven crew members will come together on stage together for the first time, and if their trajectory so far's anything to go by, you can expect something big. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZSxCB7wU1gw
If you haven't yet had a chance to check out Gelato Messina's Creative Department — its pop-up restaurant serving up gelato-led degustations — then this July is the perfect time to do so. The gelato fiends are adding truffles to all their dishes for a series of special, seasonal dinners. In conjunction with Parksbourne Produce and Oakfield Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is crafting a special seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation running for just ten days, held in a private room behind the Messina Windsor store. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with this time around? Expect truffle oil with grapefruit and ginger granita; truffles with Kiwi kosho sorbet and oyster snow; truffle mousse with eucalyptus jelly and berry pepper sorbet; and cured duck egg yolk gelato with shiitake, celeriac and truffle foam. You'll also be trying the black truffle gelato with potato and parmesan risotto, which comes with truffle oil-infused oolong tea — plus the caramelised oak gelato with truffle and passionfruit souffle. Tickets are $160 per person and, based off how quick these things sell out around the country, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP.
UPDATE, August 20, 2021: Promising Young Woman is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Promising Young Woman would've made an excellent episode or season of Veronica Mars. That's meant as the highest compliment to both the bubblegum-hued take on the rape-revenge genre and the cult-status private detective series. Make a few casting swaps, and it's apparent how the latter would tackle this tale. Actually, as Veronica Mars fans know, the beloved TV show repeatedly examined the way women are treated in a patriarchal society, and the privilege afforded the wealthy, white and male at the expense of everyone else. It also explored rapes on college campuses in its third season, spanning the impact upon victims, the aftermath and the culture that's allowed such attacks to proliferate. Promising Young Woman writer/director Emerald Fennell clearly isn't blind to these parallels, even casting Veronica Mars stars Max Greenfield (New Girl) and Chris Lowell (GLOW) in her feature debut. Don't go thinking the Killing Eve season two showrunner and The Crown actor is simply following in other footsteps, though. At every moment — and as channelled through Carey Mulligan's fierce lead performance — the brilliant and blistering Promising Young Woman vibrates with too much anger, energy and insight to merely be a copycat of something else. When Mulligan's character, Cassie Thomas, is introduced, she's inebriated and alone at a nightclub, her clothing riding up as she slouches in her seat. Three men discuss women over beverages by the bar, complaining that they can't hold meetings at strip joints due to the objections of a female colleague. They notice Cassie while chatting, with one commenting, "they put themselves in danger, girls like that". Voicing worries she could be taken advantage of by guys who aren't as nice as him, Jerry (The OC's Adam Brody) checks she's okay. A shared Uber ride follows, as does the offer of a drink at his place and, despite Cassie's out-of-it state and his supposed chivalry, Jerry's sexual advances. But when Cassie snaps her eyes open wide, asks what he's doing in a firm voice and reveals she isn't actually drunk, the night takes a turn — something Jerry didn't anticipate, just as he didn't ever entertain he was that kind of man, but one familiar to the medical school dropout-turned-coffee shop employee he's trying to bed. Colour-coded names and tallies scrawled in a notebook illustrate this isn't a first for Cassie; it's her weekend routine. Fennell's script drip-feeds details about its protagonist's motivations for her ritualistic actions, the reason for ditching her studies seven years prior and why she spends her weeknights staring at photos of her childhood best friend; however, the specifics aren't hard to guess. Since moving back in with her parents (The Mortuary Collection's Clancy Brown and Like a Boss' Jennifer Coolidge), Cassie has taught lessons to opportunistic men hiding behind faux gallant facades — the type of guys who'll tell a woman they don't need so much makeup, then try to ply them with liquor when they're already sauced and take off their clothes while they're passed out, as Neil (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bad Neighbours 2) does. But then ex-classmate Ryan (Bo Burnham, The Big Sick) walks into Cassie's workplace. She spits in his coffee and sparks still fly, but it's the news that someone from their past has returned to town that changes her vigilante quest. In its much-talked-about trailer and in the film itself, Promising Young Woman makes stellar use of Italian quartet Archimia's orchestral version of Britney Spears' 'Toxic'. It arrives late in the movie, but anyone who saw the promotional clip knows it's coming — and that forewarning doesn't undercut its power, or how expertly it encapsulates the entire feature. Fennell wants viewers to fill in the pop song's words themselves, rolling around lyrics such as "a guy like you should wear a warning" and "poison paradise" in their heads. She wants everyone pondering toxic masculinity, and how heat-of-the-moment passion is often used to nullify consent concerns, too. Often dressed on her nights out like she could've stepped out of a music video, Cassie is on a self-given mission of vengeance against sexual violence, so Promising Young Woman deploys every method possible to reinforce that idea. Another 00s track, Paris Hilton's 'Stars Are Blind', accompanies a romantic sing-along that segues into an affectionate montage of Cassie and Ryan's dating honeymoon — and using a song by an objectified celebrity whose sex life has been so frequently dissected and shamed that no one now bats an eyelid obviously isn't accidental either. Fennell's savvy, provocative and downright fearless choices just keep coming. Indeed, there's a relentlessness to Promising Young Woman overall that mirrors the persistence of grief and pain after trauma — and that remains the case even when the film makes big tonal swings, which always reflect the highs and lows of Cassie's emotional rollercoaster ride. Through cinematographer Benjamin Kracun (Monsoon, Beats), the movie weaponises its pastel, peppy and popping Instagram-friendly imagery, crafting a vicious flick about a dark subject that's gorgeous to look at. It fills its frames with vibrant surface sheen, as sighted at bars and in Cassie's outfits, then peels back their allure, making its audience constantly grapple with the contrast. Promising Young Woman never lets its protagonist's rage subside either, including in a bold finale that's one of its very best touches. It's furious from start to finish, Cassie is always inflamed, and sharing that feeling even in the film's most overt setups and obvious scenes (which are also some of its most entertaining) is a foregone conclusion. And, of course, Fennell has also made the smart decision to cast Mulligan, and to draw upon her near-peerless ability to express complex internalised turmoil. It's one of the reasons that she's such a standout in everything from An Education and Drive to Shame and Wildlife, and it's once again on display in this sharp, strong and formidable portrayal. No woman brings sexual assault upon themselves, with this whole intelligent and astute revenge-thriller rebuffing the bro-ish bar guy's early observation in every way possible, and meting out punishment to those who think similarly. But Mulligan's performance as Cassie hammers home the dangers of that wrong notion in a manner that ensures Promising Young Woman is than just a female empowerment fantasy. She scorches, sears and resounds with such burning truth, and so does the feature she's in as a result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vdaJcoKk0s
Melbourne's most excellent funk and soul experts are bringing their sweet groove to The Corner this month for the Soul A-Go-Go New Years Eve bash — featuring PBS DJs Vince Peach, Miss Goldie, DJ Manchild, Matt McFetridge, Andrew Young, Zack Rampage and Women of Soul. This right here is seriously good value, $35 for a ticket (or $30 if you’re a PBS member) and the party goes from 9pm-3am. Tickets are strictly limited so if you want to get on down to Funky Town, book now.
A man walks into a bar. Ouch. When it comes to comedy, some people have it and others simply do not. The good news is you'll only (mostly) find the first kind on the jam-packed program at this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Striding into its third decade with all the energy of a clown on their first day of college, MICF is one of the largest annual collections of jokesters, satirists and goofballs on the face of the earth. Running for three and a half weeks from March 23 to April 17, this year's program is once again packed with a plethora of talent from both home and abroad. You've got returning favorites like Rich Hall and Ross Noble, festival debutants such as Hal Cruttenden and Penny Arcade, and local legends like Hannah Gadsby and Celia Pacquola, all of whom will be trotting out their best material in an attempt to bring some laughter into our cold, miserable lives. Also, Dave Hughes will be there.
UPDATE: May 29, 2021: Halston is available to stream via DocPlay, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Fabulous minimalist outfits that defined the 70s, famous faces clamouring to wear them and feverish Studio 54 parties — Roy Halston Frowick's life had it all. Starting as a milliner at Bergdorf Goodman, he rose to fame after designing the pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy wore to JFK's inauguration. When the new First Lady's headwear became a phenomenon, widespread attention naturally came his way. From there, the man known as just Halston started his own eponymous label, creating one of the top American fashion brands of the era. Andy Warhol called him one of the two people he'd always want by his side (the other: Elizabeth Taylor), while Liza Minnelli not only became one of Halston's close friends, but a walking billboard for his work. After rocketing through the world of haute couture, Halston then decided to take his clothing to the masses, too, becoming the first designer to ever collaborate with a department store. In his latest meticulously researched movie, fashion documentarian Frédéric Tcheng explores Halston's story, with the above description just the beginning. After the Midwest-raised designer's success and acclaim came bad business decisions, corporate dramas and messy takeovers, as well as drugs, scandals and broken dreams. To some, Halston was a sartorial god. To others, he was a demanding diva. Indeed, although his career soared, it ultimately plunged just as sharply. When he died in 1990 due to AIDS-related illnesses, he'd become just a footnote in his still-ongoing label's history. It's a tale that Tcheng seems especially suited to tell, and tell it he does in Halston. As he proved with Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel and Dior and I, the French filmmaker has a nose for fascinating true fashion stories — and a knack for knowing how to cut to their core. Here, he inserts Tavi Gevinson into the film as a fictional narrator, which may appear an unusual choice. But, as she excavates Halston's past via an array of grainy VHS tapes of his old runway shows, promotional events, publicity chats and parties, the movie confronts a crucial fact: its subject is no longer a household name. As a result, Halston becomes not just a fashion doco about gorgeous gowns, the person who made them, and his ups and downs, but also a detective story. More than chronicling Halston's life and committing it to film for posterity, Tcheng tries to ascertain why this important tale has nearly been lost to the vagaries of time. In overseeing this task, Gevinson's unnamed archivist initially seems somewhat gimmicky and unnecessary. Once the story starts picking up steam, cutting back and forth can also feel disruptive. And yet Gevinson plays a pivotal part, not only guiding viewers as the movie pieces together Halston's tale, but letting the audience discover for themselves just why they should care — showing them instead of forcefully telling them. Of course, plenty of folks still pop up to sing Halston's praises, including staff, friends, family members and models. Among the parade of interviewees, Minnelli gives a particularly glowing tick of approval: "his clothes danced with you," she gushes. More than merely applauding what she loved about his outfits, the star combines compliments with insight, with her fellow talking heads taking the same lead. When others describe how his fluid, bias-cut creations often came about just by snipping across a piece of material, then draping it over the closest model, it paints a very vivid picture of his vision and artistry. "It was a dress just because of the way he cut the fabric," one of his former colleagues expands — with images of Halston's patterns, often based around just a single sheet of cloth, putting that idea in visual terms. Come for the dresses and drama, stay for the revelations, realisations and ravishing creativity — that's Halston in a nutshell. That said, while this illuminating documentary convincingly makes its case, it doesn't craft as vibrant a portrait of Halston outside the atelier or beyond the revelry. Viewers come to understand his importance and influence in fashion history, as well as why he deserves his enduring place in the spotlight, but glean little that's overly personal about the man himself. Halston isn't an absent figure at all, appearing constantly in archival materials; however he seems to be begging to step out of the documentary and into a biopic — a move that'll probably happen sooner or later. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmK3_HnKkbc
The Supernatural Amphitheatre may have banned Native American headdresses, but they'll soon have to make an unexpected exception — Golden Plains 2015 will feature the Village People. That's right, it's been nearly 40 years since the height of their fame, but the Village People are still coercing you to stay at the YMCA. Get ready to raise your cowboy boot. The full lineup which has just been released is nothing if not diverse. The Village People are proving disco isn't dead, your emotional teenage heartthrob Conor Oberst will be there bringing the indie rock, classic local tunes will be had with Something For Kate, even seminal Australian punk legends Radio Birdman will be in attendance. As always, the local lineup is strong. Off the back of her first national headline tour, Courtney Barnett will be the perfect soundtrack to your afternoon chill session. You can expect some unsavoury antics while watching The Bennies, and local favourites like Twerps, Banoffee, and Milwaukee Banks will also be hitting the stage. Aside from your Bright Eyed boyfriend and the Village People, other international acts include Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit and Pavement follow-up project Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks. As always, you'll have to enter the ballot if you want in on this glorious gathering. The festival will run from March 7-9 and tickets will be $328.80+bf. It's the same festival you know and love — no dickheads, no need to hide your goon sacks, no problems. The second-draw ballot closes on 9pm on Tuesday, October 21. Welcome to the sounds of your summer. Full lineup: Aldous Harding Banoffee Black Vanilla Bombino Conor Oberst Courtney Barnett Dj Shadow & Cut Chemist Felice Brothers First Aid Kit Graveyard Hits La Pocock Milwaukee Banks Neneh Cherry With Rocketnumbernine+ Nick Waterhouse Oblivions Parquet Courts Radio Birdman (featuring Rob Younger, Deniz Tek, Pip Hoyle, Jim Dickson, Dave Kettley, Nik Rieth) Sharon Van Etten Sleep D Soil & “Pimp” Sessions Something For Kate Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks The Bennies The Meanies Theo Parrish Total Giovanni Twerps Village People
UPDATE, October 2, 2020: Official Secrets is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. When Keira Knightley came to fame kicking a soccer ball in Bend It Like Beckham, her steely determination played a considerable part. The English actor does purposeful and plucky with aplomb — earning Oscar nominations in Pride & Prejudice and The Imitation Game — and they're traits that keep serving her well nearly two decades after her big break. In fact, they're perfect for her latest role. Stepping into Katharine Gun's shoes in Official Secrets, Knightley is the epitome of dedicated and purposeful, as a British security services agent-turned-whistleblower needs to be. That focus keeps shining, too, as her version of Gun weathers the personal, professional and legal repercussions for her actions in trying to thwart the 2003 invasion of Iraq, including breaching the United Kingdom's Official Secrets Act. Yes, there's no doubting where Official Secrets found its title. Even if you weren't across this fairly recent incident, there's no guessing where the film is headed, either. But, working in the same tense mode as he did with 2015's Eye in the Sky, director/co-writer Gavin Hood still treats Gun's rousing true tale like a thriller with good reason — the ins and outs are stirring and gripping. His clear-eyed procedural also proves riveting because it remains immensely relevant, as do the reasons behind Gun's leak of classified documents to start with. While it was once rightfully considered scandalous, politicians, governments and leaders routinely lying to the public has become a regular part of life today; but daring to speak truth to power — and to force those in power to speak the truth — is still rare. It's an ordinary day for Gun when, during her usual translation and analysis duties for British intelligence, she receives an extraordinary email. Sent from a National Security Agency chief, the communication requests help gathering information about United Nations diplomats, in the hope of convincing the seven non-permanent members of the UN Security Council to vote for military action. Her superiors say that nothing is amiss, but using blackmail to send the world to war doesn't sit well with Gun. Once she sends the document to a friend, who then passes it on to a journalist, it doesn't sit well with Observer reporter Martin Bright (Matt Smith) either. After his front-page story hits newsstands, global outrage naturally follows. So does a spiteful investigation by Britain's powers-that-be, who'd rather attack Gun than admit any wrongdoing. As pieced together with workmanlike precision by Hood, who clearly understands the significance of the story, Gun's plight has many moving parts. Her Turkish husband Yasar (Adam Bakri) is seeking asylum in England, something that's unsurprisingly used against her. After she enlists a veteran human rights lawyer (Ralph Fiennes), she's told that she's not allowed to discuss her work with anyone, including legal counsel, or she'll face further charges. When Bright convinces his pro-war Observer editors to run with the story, an innocent internal error gets conspiracy theorists on the attack as well. Gun is an average Brit calling out wrongdoing in her workplace — wrongdoing with worldwide consequences — and she faces her government's wrath for doing so, but she's steadfast in standing by her actions. Gun is tenacious, courageous and committed — and yet, crucially, she's just a regular person. That's another reason that Official Secrets resonates so strongly. The film's subject is employed by British security services to gather intelligence, so on paper she's a spy, but she's really just someone sitting behind a computer, doing her job, and daring to challenge the status quo when it conflicts with her sense of right and wrong. Indeed, for all of Knightley's skill at playing insistent, dogged and earnest, she also captures this truth, as does Hood's polished yet never slick direction (a Bourne or Bond-style flick, this isn't). Official Secrets lurks in nondescript offices and watches everyday folks go about their work, while managing a delicate balancing act in the process, ensuring that Gun is a flesh-and-blood figure rather than a simplified martyr. This is also a movie with a clear outcome in mind and an overt emotional path, although that comes both with the territory and with telling this tale today. Many of the film's supporting players are tasked with underscoring the story's importance — Smith, Fiennes, Matthew Goodes and Rhys Ifans as other journalists, and Jeremy Northam as the public prosecutor eager to put Gun in her place — however Knightley utters the line that couldn't sum up Official Secrets better. Her character is yelling at the TV while watching the news and, yes, it feels relatable as it sounds. "Just because you're the Prime Minister, it doesn't mean you get to make up your own facts," she notes as Tony Blair talks about Iraq. Try not to injure yourself nodding forcefully in agreement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVuxnXFrl8
Phone's ringin', Melbourne. The second annual Lebowski bash in Australia is bringing its beige bathrobes, purple jumpsuits, jelly shoes, horseshoe mustaches and Jesus wigs to the Astor on Saturday, July 13. Yep, there'll be a costume contest, White Russian bar, Lebowski bar, Kahlua afterparty and a trivia competition to pay tribute to the original Coen brothers 1998 film The Big Lebowski and Lebowski festivals worldwide. There'll also be a screening of the film itself, more Aussie Dudes than you can shake a stick at, and possibly a ruined rug. It's arguably the one occasion in a year when you can wear a pressed yellow and brown bowling shirt and be admired for it. Everyone from porn empire tycoons to amateur German nihilists will be at this Lebowskiïsm. Don't miss it. You'll be as frustrated as if you were trying to pay off a debt that you know nothing about if you do.
Come November, if you're keen on travelling to a galaxy far, far away, you won't need to visit your local cinema. Disney is getting into the streaming game and, when it launches its new Disney+ platform, it'll do so with the first-ever live-action Star Wars spinoff television series, The Mandalorian. One of the most anticipated shows of the year on this (or any other) planet, The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter who hails from the planet Mandalore and roams the outer reaches of the universe. His bullet-firing antics happen far from the prying eyes of the New Republic, with the series set after the fall of the Empire — that is, after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi but before Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. If the basic premise isn't enough cause for excitement, then the stacked cast will help — it includes Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito, plus Nick Nolte, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Ming-Na Wen and none other than legendary director and occasional actor Werner Herzog. Behind the scenes, The Mandalorian also boasts plenty of big names, with The Lion King's Jon Favreau calling the shots (as the program's creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer), and Taika Waititi among its series' directors. Waititi will also voice a new droid, called IG-11. After announcing the show last year, then keeping the details as secret as possible, Disney has slowly been revealing bits and pieces about the series in recent months. If you've been keener than Han Solo in any cantina in the galaxy to get a glimpse, the Mouse House dropped its first trailer for the series back in August, and has just followed up with a brand new second sneak peek. Given all of the above details — the cast, the concept, the place in the Star Wars timeline — plus the fact that the show hits in a matter of mere weeks, Disney isn't being quite as shy this time around. Expect space beasts, spaceship battles, bounty hunter dramas and folks getting frozen in carbonite in the new clip, as well as more of The Mandalorian's number one asset. Yes, that'd be Herzog and his inimitable voice, which once again get a workout in the latest trailer. Check out the new preview below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmI7WKrAtqs The Mandalorian will hit Disney+ when it launches Down Under on November 19.
Melbourne's one-to-watch designers will be hawking their wares on Sunday, November 6 at the latest edition of the much-loved Melbourne Design Market. A major event on the Melbourne design calendar since it launched back in 2004, this twice-yearly showcase of intelligent design is the perfect destination for savvy shoppers, or anyone just looking to drop some hard-earned cash. Hosted once again on level three of the Federation Square carpark from 10am till 5pm, this year's market will welcome 50 handpicked local merchants selling everything from clothing and fashions accessories to high-end stationery and furniture. We've got our eye on the Japanese homewares from Kocent, the predictably stylish items from Swedish Interiors, and these super nifty A6 memobottles that fit in your pocket. On the off chance that you have any money left over after your shopping spree, there'll be coffee and food available from The Bean Alliance.
South Melbourne Market is bringing the heat for ten days this April with A Chilli Affair. In a spectacular showcase of our fiery friends, vendors will be incorporating chillies from Australia and abroad into special dishes exclusively available to try in a self-guided food tour. Starting off in the expert hands of Georgie Dragwidge, of Georgie's Harvest, you'll learn of the nuances between chilli species and the historic origins of the fruit — as well as receive your map and stamp card. After consolidating your knowledge, make your spicy pilgrimage however leisurely you like (stopping for massages, retail breaks or to simply enjoy the wonder of the flavour-filled space). You'll be stamping off each stop as you go. At Bambu, the resident masters of Asian street eats, you can slurp delicate chilli prawn dumplings with ginger and soy; and at Simply Spanish, where curbside paella reigns champion, there will be chilli con carne empanadas. Ensuring you sip the spice too, a Habanero Mule (which can be made sans-booze if you fancy) is on offer from the plant-powered kingdom of Marko. And for sweet offerings, there's boundary-pushing scoops of chilli chocolate gelato from Fritz, and dark chocolate and chilli cannoli from That's Amore Cheese's Cannoleria. Not a fan of the fire? No fear, the exciting eats have been made to suit all tastebuds. This is the foodie tour that's sure to ignite newfound pepper-appreciation — and at-home recipe experimenting — in all who attend. There's plenty more eats included in your $70 ticket too, plus a goodie bag stocked up with recipes, chillies and a jar of Melbourne hot sauce from the South Melbourne Market Grocer. A Chilli Affair will run from Friday, April 22 to Sunday, May 1, with an 11am and 2pm time slot each day. To kick start your chilli expedition, head to the website.
UPDATE, December 4, 2020: Carol is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Telling a slow-building tale of forbidden romance, Carol is a study in clashes, contrasts and control. Within its story and sumptuous sights, everything bristles against something else, is challenged by a counterpart, and has to find a way either to work within, or burst beyond, orderly confines. That's true of the character (Cate Blanchett) that gives the movie its name, and the shopgirl, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), who becomes infatuated with her. It's equally true of their attempts to connect in the conservative 1950s, and of the way the film brings their efforts to life. Actually, in making his latest feature — following the likes of Velvet Goldmine and I'm Not There — director Todd Haynes hits the jackpot when it comes to matching his style to the story. An adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1952 novel The Price of Salt, Carol doesn't just recount a narrative considered groundbreaking at the time of publication, though writer Phyllis Nagy does a stellar job of translating the content for the screen. More than that, Haynes and company take every ounce of emotion within the book, then carefully infuse it into every aspect of the film, from its warm colour palette and fondness for lingering shots to its sweeping score and elegant performances. Think of every moment, be it an image framed through a car window or a long look at gloves left behind, as an expression of the feelings the movie's characters can't always convey, or the words they can't always say. There's plenty left unspoken between Carol and Therese after they cross paths in a department store toy section just before Christmas. A friendship blossoms, and then something more, during dinners, visits and a road trip. Yet everything seems to conspire against them, thwarting them from embracing their love freely. Carol's pal Abby (Sarah Paulson) is cautious, her estranged husband Harge (Kyle Chandler) and Therese's boyfriend Richard (Jake Lacy) disapprove, and society is far from accepting. The combination of restraint and passion that Haynes perfected in 2002's Far From Heaven bubbles up again here, with the filmmaker once more showing his prowess for probing sentiments forced to simmer below the surface. Watching the way he makes the material his own — continuing his fascination with complex stories of identity and repression, as well as his ability to ensure every frame seethes with beauty and meaning — it's almost impossible to believe that any other director could've done the material justice. Haynes isn't the picture's only source of radiance, of course, with his technical team — particularly cinematographer Edward Lachman (Howl) and composer Carter Burwell (Fargo) — helping the exquisite-looking feature come together. And then there's Blanchett and Mara, both sharing the spotlight despite the film's title seeming to indicate otherwise. Believing their pain and desire is easy, and the pair more than earn the award nominations that keep coming their way. Sure, you've seen on-screen love stories before, but cinema romances this aching and consuming are all-too rare.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours, including frosé sorbet, gelato for dogs, and ginger beer, Weet-Bix. fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll and chocolate fudge gelato. Most recently, it made a bubble tea variety, and a gelato featuring Belgium's Lotus Biscoff cookie butter spread, too. For its latest offering, the Australian dessert chain is taking inspiration from other well-known sweet treats hailing from overseas — in case you've always wanted some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey's Kisses in your ice cream. Yes, those very combinations are now on the menu, all as part of Gelatissimo's new American-inspired Flavours of the USA gelato range. Just launching this week, the lineup includes three new flavours — so if you needed an excuse to treat yourself to multiple scoops, you just might've found one. First up, it's pretty easy to guess how Gelatissimo's Peanut Butter Cup Made With Reese's flavour will taste. It uses peanut butter gelato, plus some Hershey's cocoa powder, then adds a ripple of chocolate that features roasted peanuts and big chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Not feeling quite so nutty? Chocolate Kisses Made With Hershey's is basically an excuse to eat chocolate, some more chocolate, and then even more chocolate. It's made with chocolate gelato — and the gelato itself is made with Hershey's kisses and Hersey's cocoa powder — which is then drizzled with more melted Hersey's Kisses. Lastly, Gelatissimo is pairing crushed candied pecans with bourbon caramel swirls in a flavour called, unsurprisingly, Bourbon Caramel and Pecans. While this is a US-inspired range, the boozy flavour comes via a collaboration with West Australian distillery Whipper Snapper, infusing its Upshot Whiskey into the gelato. Gelatissimo's new range just hit stores on Friday, October 9, with the three new flavours currently available nationwide. That said, they're only on offer for a limited time, although the chain hasn't specified an exact period — but you can nab them either by going into a shop or via delivery. Gelatissimo's Flavours of the USA range is available from all stores nationwide for a limited time.
Take a number of similar events, link them together, then get everyone turning hitting them all up into an event itself. To paraphrase the late, great Carl Weathers in Arrested Development: baby, you've then got a crawl or tour going. Pub and bar crawls do it, as do wine walks. Now, so is Australia's first Art Grand Tour, which is popping up to celebrate a heap of exhibitions and art events taking place in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide across the first half of 2024. This is the first time that the Biennale of Sydney, Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art and PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography in Melbourne, all three of which are free to attend, have teamed up in such a way. The idea is encourage not only folks in each event's own city to attend, but to spark multi-stop getaways based on seeing the trio. [caption id="attachment_927824" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Felicity Jenkins[/caption] A range of fellow exhibitions and events have also joined in, so the full tour includes Melbourne Art Fair, NGV Triennial and MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando in Melbourne; Adelaide Festival in South Australia; and the Louise Bourgeois exhibition at Art Gallery New South Wales, plus projections on the Sydney Opera House. Think of it as your go-to itinerary for exploring the best art that's on show across Australia's southeast, whether you want to check out famous towering spider sculptures, architectural installations or a room-sized ode to plants. The three key events are reason enough to head to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide anyway — or to play tourist in your own town if you live there. The Biennale of Sydney is celebrating its 50th-anniversary year, embracing the theme "ten thousand suns" and featuring pieces by 88 artists and collectives from 47 countries. And, it's opening White Bay Power Station to the public for the first time in over a century as part of the event, which runs from Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10. In SA, the 18th Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art is focusing on the human condition, complete with 24 artists and poets featured. You can head along from Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2. PHOTO 2024 marks its third edition from Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24, with "the future is shaped by those who can see it" the theme tying together 100 free installations and exhibitions, including work by 150-plus artists. [caption id="attachment_940260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view: Troy-Anthony Baylis: Nomenclatures by Troy-Anthony Baylis, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed.[/caption] Announcing the Grand Art Tour, Biennale of Sydney Chief Executive Officer Barbara Moore dubbed it "an exciting celebration of the power of art to connect, share and bring joy". Art Gallery of South Australia's Director Rhana Devenport described it as "an extraordinary art adventure" and "a rare opportunity to experience these exemplary gatherings of art that push boundaries, and alter your perceptions, and create new memories". [caption id="attachment_940262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] J Forsyth[/caption] For PHOTO Australia Founder/Artistic Director Elias Redstone, it's set to "inspire audiences with immersive art experiences that celebrate human connection as society faces uncertain futures". While the Art Grand Tour has tour right there in its name, there's nothing formal about it — so there's no ticketing packages and the like. Instead, it's a self-guided affair, so make your own schedule and travel plans accordingly. [caption id="attachment_938006" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marie-Luise Skibbe[/caption] Art Grand Tour 2024 Events: Sydney Until Sunday, April 28 — Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?, Art Gallery of New South Wales Saturday, March 9–Monday, June 10 — Biennale of Sydney, various venues Ongoing — Badu Gili: Celestial, Sydney Opera House Bennelong Sails Adelaide Friday, March 1–Sunday, June 2 — Adelaide Biennale of Australian Art, Art Gallery of South Australia Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 17 — Adelaide Festival, various venues Melbourne Until Tuesday, April 7 — NGV Triennial, NGV International Until Monday, March 29 — MPavilion 10 by Tadao Ando, Queen Victoria Gardens Thursday, February 22–Sunday, February 25 — Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Friday, March 1–Sunday, March 24 — PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography, various venues [caption id="attachment_936840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lillie Thompson[/caption] Australia's first Art Grand Tour encompasses events in Sydney and Adelaide until June, Melbourne until March. Head to the tour's website for more information. Top image: PHOTO 2022, Will Hamilton-Coates.
