Because we've all been so good this year, the Melbourne Gin Company are partnering with Patricia Coffee Brewers again to bring us a pop-up aperitivo bar, serving only gin and tonic concoctions. Every Friday until February 22, the MGC Summer bar will be open at Patricia from 5pm-8pm – a perfect window for wind-down drinks after a busy week at work. They'll be offering a range of four gin tipples on a rotating menu featuring mixers and syrups by local producers. MGC has also collaborated with the coffee brewers to create the Patricia G&T made with cold-drip filter. The point (not that a G&T pop-up really needs to justify its existence) is to teach gin lovers about the importance of garnish and tonic on the profile of your G&T. You can work out your perfect gin combo and, armed with this knowledge, never order a bad beverage again. All G&Ts are $12 with Melbourne Gin Company's Dry Gin or $14 with its just-released Single Shot gin.
We love gelato. You love gelato. Everyone loves gelato. But do you really appreciate it? Could you appreciate it more? When it comes to Gelato Messina's frosty sweet treats, you mightn't think that's possible. That's where their Gelato Appreciation Classes come in, however. For two hours on a Saturday morning — with Melbourne's next sessions scheduled monthly from February to October in 2019 — you'll get a double scoop of gelato goodness. We're talking about learning plus eating (don't worry, you'll actually get much, much, much more ice cream than just two serves). Taking care of the first part of the class, Messina's gelato wizards will talk you through the company's story, share their secrets and show you how it's all done. If you've ever wondered how they perfect their flavours or what goes in to making one of their delectable cakes, you're about to find out. Then comes the main event, and we speak from experience when we say you'll want to wear something loose and comfy. Eat your way through a five-course gelato degustation, with the menu specially created for each session. Taste as many of Messina's flavours as you can (you can even taste everything in the cabinet if you can manage it). Finally, take your pick of flavours for a take-home pack, and enjoy your weekend-long gelato coma. Sessions take place at Messina's Fitzroy shop, with tickets costing $160 per person. They're certain to book out fast — in fact, at the time of writing, only classes from May to October are still available.
UPDATE, September 4, 2020: High Life is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Another unique, distinctive and thrilling film by a stellar director. Another movie so impressive, it's instantly among the decade's standouts. And, another exceptional Robert Pattinson performance. We'd say that it's becoming a welcome trend, however this pattern has been recurring since RPatz stopped wearing sparkly makeup and fake fangs. Complain all you like about the Twilight series — we don't have much that's positive to add — but the vampire romance saga gave two of today's best young actors an enormous platform, as well as the currency to choose their next roles wisely. So both Pattinson and Kristen Stewart keep doing just that, and cinema is all the better for it. In the former's case, see the likes of Cosmopolis, The Rover, The Childhood of a Leader, The Lost City of Z, Good Time and now High Life. With his latest film, Pattinson rockets into space under the guidance of director Claire Denis, which proves a match made in movie heaven. In recent years, the future Batman star has increasingly cornered the market on existential yearning, a feat that the inimitable French auteur has also been pursuing since she first stepped behind the camera thirty years ago. There's a philosophical angle to both Pattinson and Denis' work, not just depicting the quest for purpose that drives us all, but delving into the intricacies and horrors of searching and struggling — as explored across multiple settings, stories and genres. Of course, there's no more apt a place than a spaceship to grapple with life's meaning, or lack thereof. Perhaps that's where Pattinson and Denis, either together or apart, were always headed. As their vessel charts a course for a black hole, Monte (Pattinson), Tcherny (Andre Benjamin), Boyse (Mia Goth) and the ship's other inhabitants bide their time doing what they're told. They're prisoners jettisoned into the great beyond in the name of punishment, redemption and science, although resident doctor Dibs (Juliette Binoche, star of Denis' last release Let the Sunshine In) has her own plans for the captives. That's the bulk of High Life's narrative, in a broad and linear sense. The film begins with Monte roaming the halls with just a baby named Willow for company, and pressing buttons every 24 hours to stay alive, adding a palpable sense of hellish foreboding to its already moody, brooding atmosphere. Also amplifying the movie's tone is its carnal obsession, and not just in the name of necessary procreation (a room dubbed the 'Fuck Box' is also onboard). With scripting assistance from both credited and uncredited co-scribes, including novelists Nick Laird and Zadie Smith, writer-director Denis teases out High Life's tale. Sometimes, the film gets caught in the minutiae of Monte and Willow's monotonous but happy-enough lives. Sometimes, it flashes back to the ship's busier, darker, more populous and tumultuous times. Sometimes, it ventures into memories on firm soil — recollections so steeped in nature, including thriving plant-life and scurrying animals, that the otherwise space-bound film always retains an earthy feel. Of course, it's that juxtaposition that sits at the heart of this immensely intelligent, ambitious and rewarding movie. To wrestle with human existence, and with our very purpose, is to realise that we're all careening forward in a state of constant chaos, hurtling towards inescapable darkness, all while trying to grasp onto whatever we can. Quiet moments spent chatting and contemplating in the ship's own garden; lustful encounters, both alone and with others; the need to connect, whether by sex, violence or love: as they each pop up on screen, they illustrate High Life's point. 'Illustrate' is a key word when it comes to Denis' work, as she has proven across her French-language career. High Life may be the director's first film in English, but her visuals have always transcended dialogue with their probing, patient stare — as well as the sensation that they're scrutinising everything in sight as deeply and carefully as possible. Here, clinical, institutional surfaces say so much when contrasted with babbling streams and sprouting leaves. They say even more when placed opposite bodies and fluids in all of their icky, sticky glory, and against ruminative faces with furrowed brows and eyes all a-flicker as well. While the movie boasts other acting highlights, including a no-holds-barred Binoche in her steeliest guise yet, it won't come as a surprise that Pattinson's restless gaze provides the film's favourite canvas. That said, Denis and her cinematographers Yorick Le Saux (Personal Shopper) and Tomasz Naumiuk (Nina) don't simply glare, but rather stalk, circle and glide around the picture's leading man. Denis's movie doesn't do much that similar science-fiction fare has, would and will, for that matter. But while shooting into the stratosphere to ponder what it all means has become a genre of its own, High Life proudly stands in its own space boots. Perhaps that's why both the film and Pattinson seem like such a perfect fit, and why the final product both soars high and burrows deep: you won't catch either meekly treading where everyone else has before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZeIHrx7Oyc
Brunswick East's new artist cooperative C.O.M. Collective is hosting its first studio sale this month. Here, Melburnians can snag a host of ceramics, homewares, jewellery and fashion at bargain prices. Head down to the East Brunswick Village precinct display suite on Saturday, June 15 to get your hands on these artisanal goods. As is the C.O.M Collective mantra, everything for sale is locally made and are one-off original pieces by artists, designers and makers. On offer, you'll find a wide range of ceramics by several artists, including Lisa Peri, Dawn Tang and La Petite Fabrique de Brunswick. These homewares will be on sale alongside 3D prints by Alterfact, fashion by Wolf and Mishka, eco-bags by Soopa Bags and comics by HTML Flowers. C.O.M. Collective was created by artists Jennifer Conroy, Dawn Tang, Ben Landau and Lucile Sciallano, who also work out of adjacent container studios (which guests can visit during the sale). The collective moved in to the area six months ago as part of the EBV precinct's growing public arts program. The sale runs from 10am–3pm and entry is free. If you show up hungry, Egyptian food and coffee will also be available for purchase by the precinct's resident cafe, Chapt Two.
What do Vue de Monde executive chef Justin James, critically acclaimed floral artist Hattie Malloy, and the structural engineering team behind the Sydney Opera House have in common? They all collaborated on Sensory Experiments, an astounding, ambitious, one-of-a-kind social experiment-performance art cross that's guaranteed to challenge your mind and engage every one of your senses. Billed as both a "manifesto for sensory intelligence" and a "fleshy live experience", the hyper-immersive work will be open for a single day at the heritage Norla Dome in Dockland as part of Melbourne Design Week. So what can you expect? Upon entering the silent, cold room, you will be me with an elaborate floral installation specially designed to captivate eye and nose alike. From there, you'll be led deeper into the installation to taste edible art (petals are on the menu) and witness (and participate in) a series of performances choreographed to soundscapes designed by the team behind the most iconic venue in Australia. It's set to be a real journey — so come prepared.
The Mornington Peninsula wine region produces some mighty fine pinots, and its many producers come together to celebrate these tasty drops every Labour Day weekend. Join them at the Flinders Yacht Club on Sunday, March 10 from 12–3pm and try the best of the bunch. It's like Pinot Palooza but by the sea. All tasters are included in the $40 entry ticket, as is a Riedel tasting glass. If a taste just isn't enough, though, glasses and bottles will also be available for purchase. Apart from the wine, there'll be pop-up food stalls from George Bass Cafe, Calamari Brothers, Harry's Conchilia and Flinders Sourdough. You'll be kept entertained by Melbourne guitarist Rob Papp, and the club's annual yacht race, which will also take place on the day. Tickets are available online or at the door until sold out.
Come Friday, March 22, it's time for a night at the museum — but you won't find Ben Stiller roaming the halls here. Rather, given what'll be on display at Queensland Museum at the time, the revelry will feel a little out of this world. Walking, talking, drinking and partying like you're on the moon is on the agenda at QM's latest After Dark shindig, which is all about soaring beyond the earth as part of the museum's NASA — A Human Adventure showcase. There'll be music, drinks and demonstrations — plus attendees will get free reign, peering not only at the a whole host of exhibits about space featuring more than 250 items, including pieces that have actually been to space, but also feasting your eyes on the rest of the joint's displays. You'll be knocking back beverages; examining rocket engines, space food, space suits, lunar cameras and moon boots; and pondering life beyond our pale blue dot — and the fun coincides with this year's World Science Festival Brisbane, so there'll be plenty of science (yeah!) coming your way. A word of warning: these shindigs often sell out so you'll want to nab a ticket quickly.
Whether you're a pro marathon runner or a casual jogger, running is a lot more fun — and a lot easier — when you're gazing out at beautiful views. To that end, the Great Ocean Road Running Festival takes place along one of Australia's most scenic routes. Happening for the 13th year in a row on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19, the event offers a race for runners of every kind, as well as a host of other happenings, including live music, film screenings and yoga sessions. At one end, there's the 60-kilometre ultra marathon. At the other, there's the five-kilometre Lorne Hotel run or walk. Whichever race you join, your registration gets you free entry to everything else going on across the weekend. Pop into Lorne Theatre to catch the latest flick, the Lorne Hotel to catch some live music, or Lorne Sea Baths for a post-run dip. Free yoga classes and pre-marathon warm-ups (for runners) will also be happening at festival hubs in both Lorne and Apollo Bay.
Artists and animals are set to collide in the city this autumn. For two glorious weeks, Melbourne Zoo will transform into an extravaganza of lights, projections, installations and interactive performances when the inaugural Neon Playground takes over. Your journey begins at the entrance, where multidisciplinary artist Kit Webster will take inspiration from the Art Deco features of the Zoo's magnificent gates with a towering light installation. From there, step into Awareness Alley, to immerse yourself in a blaze of lasers created by Robin Fox, and then learn about the Zoo's battle against extinction, thanks to the colourful artworks of Carla O'Brien. These are just the tip of the iceberg. Among Neon Playground's many other adventures are a giant maze — made from 600 metres of neon — that takes its cue from the Southern Corroboree frog and a 3D interpretation of of Graeme Base's picture book Waterhole, filled with illuminated puppets. When you're feeling peckish, head into Carousel Park, to discover Relaxoland — a myriad of pop-up bars and food trucks. Neon Playground runs nightly from 5.30–9.30pm.
When 2020 rolls around, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival will hit its 30th year. That's a huge milestone, but everyone knows that turning 29 is just as important — it's the huge hurrah before the other huge hurrah, and it's what MQFF will be celebrating for 12 busy, cinema-filled days between Thursday, March 12 and Monday, March 25. Highlighting 141 features, documentaries and shorts over 106 sessions — and yes, it's counting — this year's fest is going big in a variety of ways. The numbers tell part of the story. The big titles tell another part, including opening night's Papi Chulo, with Matt Bomer as an LA weather man. On closing night, attendees will be greeted with the Australian premiere of the Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern-starring Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy night, relaying a wild literary true tale that has to be seen to be believed. There's also Wild Nights With Emily, which boasts Molly Shannon as acclaimed poet Emily Dickinson; and Mapplethorpe, about the acclaimed and controversial photographer, and with Matt Smith worlds away from his Doctor Who days. When the festival hits up Village Cinemas Jam Factory, ACMI and Cinema Nova, other highlights include Kenyan romance Rafiki, which was initially banned on home turf; tender French drama Sorry, Angel, one of the standouts of last year's Melbourne International Film Festival; and 2018 Sydney Film Festival prize winner The Heiresses, from Paraguay. And on the doco front, Life in the Doghouse explores the tale of two men who turned their home into a dog sanctuary post-Hurricane Katrina, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood is a Golden Age tell-all focusing on Scotty Bowers, and Making Montgomery Clift focuses on the titular cinema idol.
Let's see what's behind door number one. Or how about door number 1000? After blowing our minds in 2017 with the incredible House of Mirrors, Australian installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney unveiled their follow-up at Melbourne Festival with the fittingly named 1000 Doors. And in April, it's popping up in Bendigo's town centre, thanks to Bendigo Art Gallery. Visitors will choose their own adventure, cutting a path through an endless labyrinth of doors, screens, portals and gateways in Rosalind Park. No two people will experience the work in quite the same way once they step across the threshold. While there's no word yet on what you'll encounter on the way — hopefully no deathly four-guard, two-door riddle à la Labyrinth — the artists have hinted to ghosts, time-travelling and 'inhabitants past'. We suggest you have your wits about you. 1000 Doors will be open daily from 2–9pm (last entry 8.30pm). You can purchase tickets at the on-site box office. Images: James Morgan
UPDATE, September 24, 2020: On the Basis of Sex is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play and YouTube Movies. For the second time in the past year, Ruth Bader Ginsburg graces the silver screen. On the Basis of Sex might come hot on the heels of 2018's Oscar-nominated documentary RBG, but this won't be the last time its subject gets the cinema treatment. The celebrated US Supreme Court Justice also pops up as a mini-figure in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, which sums up her current status — Ginsburg isn't just one of America's current top judges, or a pioneering legal champion, but a pop culture icon as well. As the years keep passing, filmmakers will keep telling her tale, simply because there's just that much to tell. The first dramatised version of Ginsburg's life, On the Basis of Sex focuses on her early career, but consider it merely the beginning in several senses of the word. Before achieving her current professional and popular standing, as well as her 'Notorious RBG' nickname, Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) was one of the first women accepted into Harvard Law School. But while she shared the top spot in her graduating class — a feat she managed while helping her unwell husband Martin (Armie Hammer) through his legal studies and raising the couple's children — job offers didn't follow. In 50s and 60s America, firms were openly reluctant to hire a female attorney. It's this type of engrained, everyday sexism that steels Ginsburg for the battle that she's now synonymous with. Rallying against legislation that discriminates on the basis of sex, Ginsburg made her name crusading for gender equality, as director Mimi Leder (Pay It Forward) and screenwriter Daniel Stiepleman (the Justice's nephew) chronicle. On the Basis of Sex could've drawn from decades of material, however narrowing the film's focus is a savvy choice. So is highlighting one particular 1972 case, where Charles Moritz (Chris Mulkey) was denied a tax refund for costs related to caring for his ailing mother. With Ruth largely ignored in her quest to expose the inequitable standing of women, both Ginsburgs knew they had something special when they discovered a man being overlooked and discriminated against in the same way. It was her first case of its kind, but the fact that the future judge made a splash with this matter — fighting for a man taking on a traditionally female task — makes an enormous, damning statement about US society at the time. There's much that incites anger in On the Basis of Sex, from the dismissive treatment meted out to Ginsburg time and time again, to the male-dominated domain that she's forced to navigate — an attitude that wasn't just widely accepted, but was solidified in law. There's much in the movie that inspires, too, not only including Ginsburg herself, but her marriage with Martin. Leder proves patient and poignant with her direction, displaying immense reverence for Ginsburg, all that she's faced and everything that she represents, yet never feeling the need to over-stress the importance of the future judge's achievements. The narrative's details do the talking, while the craft of the film remains restrained and respectful. It's the standard broad, celebratory biopic framework, complete with gentle pacing, warm hues and handsome imagery, but in recreating the life of someone with such quiet, commanding power, it works. This may be a prestige portrait through and through, but it's effective. The fact that the movie's central double-act thoroughly hit their marks also assists. Jones brings determination and assurance to her starring part, Hammer plays Martin as thoughtfully aware of the challenges blighting his wife's career, and together they make a winning team through the story's ups and downs. While it's infuriating that it took a man's case to spark Ginsburg's rise to prominence, the support that she receives from Martin doesn't evoke the same response. Crucially, however, this isn't a tale about a noble man standing behind a great woman, but of a partnership that helped Ruth overcome obstacles that were never even an issue for her husband. Of course, On the Basis of Sex never forgets who its paying tribute to, not even for a moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtzesNEmVhs
Bourke Street's unconventional dumpling diner Drumplings is regularly turning out eats that stray from the norm — like its mac and cheese, cheeseburger and meat pie dumpling varieties. Now, the neon-lit joint is taking on yum cha and bottomless brunch, but with its typical left-of-centre approach. Stop in any morning of the week and tuck into bacon and egg dumplings with salted jamón crumb. Or try the shakshouka variety, stuffed with spicy baked eggs and a rich tomato ragout. Also on the menu is the french toast bao — served with chilli and chocolate ice cream and poached pear and ginger syrup — and peppered pork belly sliders, topped with a fried egg and chipotle mayo. If you're keen to try the lot, head in on weekends when bottomless brunch is on offer. For $59 per person, you'll get sliders, bao and bacon and egg dumplings, along with sichuan fried calamari and all-you-can-drink bloody marys, mimosas, cider or house draught. Drumplings' new breakfast menu is available Monday–Friday, 7.30am–noon and Saturday–Sunday, 8am–3pm. The bottomless brunch package is available Saturday and Sunday from 11–2pm.
Australia will receive a healthy dose of 1920s razzle-dazzle, as record-breaking Broadway favourite Chicago shimmies onto stages across the country this year. An Aussie production of the smash-hit musical will debut at Sydney's Capitol Theatre in August, before heading to Brisbane's QPAC Lyric Theatre in November and wrapping up at Arts Centre Melbourne from December. The longest-running American musical in Broadway and West End history, the original Kander & Ebb musical has reached the eyeballs of over 31 million people worldwide. Inspiring 2002's Academy Award-winning film of the same name, it tells the tale of a Chicago housewife and nightclub dancer who twirls through a whirlwind of murdered lovers, jail-time, fierce rivalries and tabloid sensationalism set in the decadent 1920s. Taking the stage for Chicago's local run is a cast of well-known Aussie names — catch acclaimed all-rounder Natalie Bassingthwaighte in the lead role of Roxie Hart, musical theatre veteran Alinta Chidzey as her rival Velma Kelly, and ARIA-winning superstar Casey Donovan playing Matron 'Mama' Morton. Based on a 1926 play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, the production showcases music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking. Hot on its black patent heels are two more award-winning musicals heading Down Under. Saturday Night Fever will head to Capital Theatre in Sydney this August, before Waitress hits Aussie shores in 2020. Images: Peter Brew Bevan, Jeremy Daniel.
If a fresh bread roll, an expertly grilled patty and a slice of melted cheese is your idea of a perfect meal, then you probably have May 28 permanently marked in your diary. Each and every year, that's when the world's most dedicated burger lovers celebrate their favourite food. We're not saying that burgs will taste better on that date — or that it's really a legitimate day of celebration — but if you just can't get enough of the them, it's definitely worth your attention. Especially if there are free burgers involved. Which, this year, there are. Burger Project will be slinging free cheeseburgers at all three of its Melbourne stores from 11am–12pm on Tuesday, May 28. There will only be 50 up for grabs at each joint, so you'll have to make sure you're one of the first through the doors at 555 Bourke Street, St Collins Lane or Chadstone. For those new to Burger Project's take on an old fave, Neil Perry's eatery whips up a hand-pressed slab of Cape Grim beef, layers it with pickles, onion, mustard and cheese, then squirts on some secret sauce. Next, it's all placed between a soft milk bun. And it tastes even better when it's free. Given that this free-for-all is a first in, best dressed affair, we recommend scheduling an early lunch break that day.
If you've ever been (or tried to be) vegan, you'll know there's a certain bliss that comes with having a whole smorgasbord of plant-based products at your disposal. So we expect squeals aplenty at the news that the Big Vegan Market is back, and will once again grace the sprawling interior of Carlton's Royal Exhibition Building on May 11 and 12. Kicking off at 10am on both days, the event pulls together a dizzying, all-vegan array of food, drinks, craft, beauty and fashion, with more than 200 vendors signing up to showcase their cruelty-free wares. Head in to snack on treats from the likes of gelato truck Billy van Creamy, Collingwood pizzeria Red Sparrow and all-vegan CBD pastry shop Weirdoughs, while indulging in some guilt-free retail therapy, spying sustainably crafted threads from Velvety and animal-free wares from The Karma Collective. Given the stacks of businesses involved, they're really just a few of the goodies on offer. Jump on the Facebook page for the day's full lineup of vegan vendors. The Big Vegan Market runs from 10am–6pm.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. More than 18,000 garages are expected to open their doors to bargain hunters, selling two million items, when the event returns for its tenth time across the weekend of Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Melbourne, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online from Saturday, August 10 to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
The Makers and Shakers Market will visit Melbourne again on Sunday, November 10, bringing with it the whole kit and caboodle of bespoke ceramics, homewares and jewellery (as well as tasty food to rejuvenate you when you get the oh-no-I-just-spent-all-my-money sweats). Kick things off at 10am with a coffee, spend a few hours browsing, and then chow down on a toastie or perhaps a gluten-free vegan doughnut. The market gives space to local makers to sell their handmade wares, with everything from ceramic keep cups to floral tote bags to be found. Stallholders change with each market, but you can expect everything from bright art, flowers and designer soaps to whimsical lamps and jars of sticky caramel based on previous lineups. And that's just the crust of the pie — there are many more to choose from when you take a full bite. Images: Alana Dimou.
Historic Melbourne cinema The Astor is hosting its Great Astor Spooktacular again for 2019, and it's going big. This year, more than nine movies will be be shown in an all-night horror marathon — right in time for Halloween. Directed by "Lucifer himself" and featuring a cast of "the hounds of hell", some of the films include the retro fun of Dawn of the Dead, The Slumber Party Massacre, A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — plus 90s classic Scream, 2009 standout Drag Me to Hell and the suitably unnerving The House of the Devil. The historic cinema, known for its presentation of classics and cult films, is the perfect venue to settle in for the evening, clutch a big bucket of popcorn, and get spooked over and over and over again. It all kicks off at 7pm on Saturday, October 26 and runs overnight. With a few dark and twisted flicks on the bill — and a few surprises — needless to say, this one isn't for the faint of heart.
Downton Abbey has always been the TV equivalent of a cup of tea: warm, soothing, a tad sugary, but reliably serving up an escape from everyday woes. Airing for six seasons from 2010–15, the 1920s-set British TV series was a hit for many reasons, letting audiences get lost in the soapy intrigue of a lavish Yorkshire mansion chief among them. That, and watching Maggie Smith sling barbs, make quips, and put anyone in their place, a skill that the veteran actor wields oh-so-well. It's been nearly four years between sips, but both the show and its beloved octogenarian are back. They're on the big screen this time around, however this is the epitome of a television movie. It's filled with everyone's favourite characters, hits all of the familiar marks, overflows with slim subplots that get wrapped up before the end credits, and leaves viewers feeling happy and cosy. With the film taking place in 1927, more than a year has passed for Downton Abbey's inhabitants, but it's business as usual at the titular manor. That's until royal news arrives, with King George V (Simon Jones) and Queen Mary (Geraldine James) planning to stop by for a visit. Naturally, excitement abounds among the aristocratic Crawley family and their loyal staff. It's the latter that have to weather the most obstacles, though. Dreaming of attending to Their Majesties, they soon discover that the Crown will be bringing their own servants with them. That's not the Downton Abbey way, of course, and the house's maids, butlers, cooks, footmen and the like won't give up their chance to shine for the kingdom without a fight. There's plenty of story to go around, and plenty of people to navigate the regal antics. Patriarch Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) isn't too fussed, and nor is his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), although that's largely because their daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery), takes charge. His mother Violet (Smith) is spoiling to confront her cousin Maud (Imelda Staunton), who's also the Queen's lady-in-waiting, about an inheritance. Among the upstairs residents, Tom Branson (Allen Leech) gets the most interesting narrative arc — an ex-chauffeur who married into the family, and an Irish Republican, it's suspected that he may cause trouble during the royal stay. Downstairs, retired butler Carson (Jim Carter) has been asked back for the occasion, much to his replacement Barrow's (Rob James-Collier) dismay. Kitchen maid Daisy (Sophie McShera) isn't quite ready to plan her wedding to footman Andy (Michael C. Fox), and Mary's maid Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt) is on the trail of a thief. The list goes on, with more than 25 characters receiving substantial screen-time. Penned by Julian Fellowes, like all 52 episodes of the TV show, Downton Abbey takes the more-is-more approach. This cinematic last hurrah is packed with as much as it possibly can manage, which is great news for existing fans, but comes across as rushed for newcomers. No one gets too much attention, no storyline feels particularly important and there's little in the way of tension. The blueprint of each subplot gleams as obviously as the mansion's lavish surfaces, too, even when the movie keeps jumping from one minor drama to the next. Rather than telling a rousing new tale in a fleshed-out fashion, Fellowes and director Michael Engler are more concerned with letting Downton diehards spend a bit of extra time with the well-to-do crew and their kindly subordinates. The pair do just that, however that doesn't mean uninitiated viewers aren't catered for. Nearly two decades after winning a screenwriting Oscar for Gosford Park, actor-turned-writer Fellowes has become the fount of all knowledge regarding English upstairs-downstairs shenanigans — and even when he's keeping things light and slight, the results are enjoyable to watch. As well as possessing an ear for the rhythm of everyday banter among posh and ordinary folks alike, he understands the class clashes between them, plus the similarities that draw them together. He also knows and conveys a crucial fact: that the dynamic between the upper echelons and the help isn't as consigned to the past as it may seem. Downton Abbey is a historical fantasy where scant little changes, but there's a reason that the period program struck such a chord over the last decade. As the political landscape becomes more and more fractured around the globe, the series recognises society's divisions while leaning into comfort, safety and stability in a gentle and unchallenging manner. Comfort, at least visually, might just be an understatement. There isn't much to rationalise Downton Abbey's release in theatres instead of on TV (other than the likely box office windfall, that is), but the lavish costuming and grand set design look a treat on the silver screen. Indeed, other than Smith doing what the program has always tasked her with doing best, the film's imagery is the star of the show. While the rest of the cast perform exactly as they're asked — as is to be expected nine years after the series first premiered — this isn't an actor-driven affair. Really, it's a big hug goodbye in movie form, offering up a huge embrace to eager aficionados and giving a pleasant-enough squeeze to everyone else. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbV8LpEzYgQ
This year marks a massive milestone for Australia's Lavazza Italian Film Festival: 20 years. So, cinephiles can expect a whole lot more of the fest's beloved highlights when it takes over Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Kino Cinema, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth and The Astor Theatre from September 19 to October 16. There'll be plenty of parties — both on- and off-screen — as well. When you're not stepping into the glossy but murky world of professional footballers with opening night's The Champion, you'll be watching the world premiere of romantic drama Promised, which features a stacked Italian Australian cast. Or, come closing night, you'll be enjoying the sights and sounds of Ron Howard's Pavarotti, an intimate documentary about one of the country's biggest stars. Loved Paolo Sorrentino's acclaimed Silvio Berlusconi biopic Loro last year? This year, the new director's cut is on the bill. The festival also pays particular attention to new Italian cinema, specifically new Italian comedies, so viewers can immerse themselves in poignant tales of tragedy, slick courtroom dramas and cross-cultural rom-coms. Keep an eye out for ensemble piece If Only, which stars Alba Rohrwacher and Riccardo Scamarcio, and arrives in Australia fresh from premiering at the Locarno Film Festival; The Armadillo's Prophecy, based on a best-selling graphic novel, and exploring a young man's friendship with an imaginary armadillo; and the equally humorous and thoughtful Ordinary Happiness, which finds inspiration in the short stories of Francesco Piccolo. With 32 movies screening over the festival's month-long run, audiences can also dive into Italian art history courtesy of a couple of movies about Michelangelo Buonarroti and Leonardo da Vinci. The blasts from the past keep coming, thanks to a two-film Bernardo Bertolucci retrospective — including a restored version of his political thriller The Conformist, and the five-hour, Robert De Niro-starring drama 1900. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2019 will screen at Melbourne's Palace Cinemas from September 19–October 16. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website.
As far as beer festivals go, this newcomer sure has the strangest name. The inaugural Blobfish Beer Festival debuts at North Melbourne's Meat Market next month, pulling together a lineup that celebrates the sour, the funky and the delightfully different. Headed up by the team at Footscray's own Hop Nation Brewing, the tasting party will run across two sessions on Saturday, August 24, offering punters the chance to sample a whole swag of rare and unusual beers from 16 top Aussie and New Zealand labels. Get set to sip a diverse range of sours, saisons, barrel-aged brews, fruity concoctions and rare small-batch runs, from the likes of NZ's Garage Project, Sydney's Wildflower, Van Dieman in Tas, Queensland's Fathom by Green Beacon and locals Future Mountain and La Sirène. And the options don't end there, either, with a lager-focused tinnie bar to 'cleanse the palate' between tastings, wine from Red Hill's Kerri Greens and an oyster bar shucking all through the day. You can even polish up your cheese and beer matching skills, under the expert guidance of The Beer and Cheese Theory. A ticket will cost you $70, which includes entry, a keepsake Blobfish beer glass and $20 worth of tasting tokens. You'll also score a food voucher to spend on snacks from the Blobfish Kitchen pop-up restaurant. Blobfish sessions run from 11.30m–3pm and 4.30–8pm.
Sent to gay conversion camp after being caught with another girl on prom night, Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz) lies on the ground with one of her fellow campers. They're taking part in a class exercise, but when Cameron doesn't express herself in the way that's expected, she's accused of being hostile. More than that, she's told that by remaining more reserved than her classmates — by simply being who she is — that she's attacking everyone around her. While hardly one of The Miseducation of Cameron Post's most dramatic moments, the scene perfectly encapsulates the antagonism that is often directed towards the queer community just for existing. Adapting the applauded novel of the same name and earning the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival for its efforts, The Miseducation of Cameron Post deploys the tactics mentioned above on several occasions. The film includes scenes that appear ordinary within the narrative, and don't always stand out when the end credits roll, yet still speak to something broader. In another example, Cameron peels potatoes in the camp kitchen. The 4 Non Blondes hit 'What's Up?' starts playing on the radio, and Cameron begins to sing along. She's timid at first, but as the song continues — complete with a chorus that screams "what's going on?", as well as lines about praying for a revolution — her enthusiasm grows. In specific scenes and in its overall mood, The Miseducation of Cameron Post is compassionate and sensitive — not to the concept of gay conversion therapy, but to teens who are chastised for deviating from society's narrow idea of normality. Focusing on 16-year-old Cameron, the film explores the struggles faced by those packed off to the strict God's Promise facility as they're lectured about gender confusion and instructed to bury their urges. Under the watchful eyes of Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her supposedly saved brother (John Gallagher Jr.), attendees are taught how to be more stereotypically feminine or masculine. Girls are pushed away from sports, and guys with long locks are given haircuts. Unsurprisingly, Cameron is far from happy to be there, although she has like-minded company in the world-weary Jane (Sasha Lane) and the thoughtful Adam (Forrest Goodluck). While her film is set in the 90s, writer-director Desiree Akhavan wades into topical territory with her follow-up to 2014 comedy Appropriate Behaviour. It's timely, too, with The Miseducation of Cameron Post the first of two high-profile titles about gay conversion heading to screens before the year is out. (The second, Boy Erased, stars Lady Bird's Lucas Hedges, with Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe as his parents.) That said, it's not the movie's subject matter that makes it revolutionary, but its approach. Although it details a horrendous practice, this is a quiet film. It's not sharply subversive like the similarly themed But I'm a Cheerleader from 1999, and it doesn't need to be. Rather, with a big heart and some well-deployed low-key humour, The Miseducation of Cameron Post demonstrates unshakeable strength and defiance — just as its eponymous figure does when she's torn in multiple directions by her feelings, yet refuses to submit to anyone else's ideas about her sexuality or identity. It's little wonder, then, that Akhavan rarely takes the camera away from Moretz's face. When you're making a movie that's so steeped in the emotions of its protagonist, that's an understandable choice. Given that Moretz turns in a performance that's more nuanced and textured than anything else across her career, it's doubly so. The Miseducation of Cameron Post also finds ample time for the excellent Lane and Goodluck, who ensure that their supporting players feel exceptionally well-rounded. It gives other figures their small but important moments too, fleshing out the myriad of ways that places such as God's Promise can do damage. But whether Akhavan is rendering the picture's frames in muted tones that match Cameron's reserved personality, or simply capturing the pain flickering across Moretz's brow, she always adopts her lead character's perspective. This is a movie that gazes with the young woman at its centre, and strives to convey her experience in difficult circumstances, instead of merely looking at her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6yPs5Nayog
This is not a single event, but rather a collection. The Regional Centre for Culture is an initiative from Creative Victoria aiming to celebrate the land and culture of which the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples are traditional custodians. Across an entire year, it's highlighting local events and experiences throughout the region so you can fill almost every day with a cultural adventure. Among the plethora of offerings are special events, such as a day dedicated to sustainable housing; exhibitions, including the Paul Guest Prize for contemporary drawing at Bendigo Art Gallery; and the magnificent BendArts Festival, a week-long affair of shows, workshops and performances. There's also Demolish, a theatrical performance exploring the intangible connection between landscape, life and the future. The show will take place at Bendigo Showgrounds from December 11–15. Rosalind Park is the hub for many of Bendigo's program highlights including Yapenya, a free ceremonial song and dance event on Saturday, November 17; and Poppet, an interactive performance on Rosalind Park's poppet head, using light projection, shadow puppetry and aerial dancing on Saturday, October 20. But these are very much the tip of the iceberg. The Regional Centre of Culture invites you to meander through its many, many happenings. You can plan ahead using one of the pre-designed itineraries.
Punch out of your full-time job for the day and cast your ballot in this cheeky public poll installation from American artist Steve Lambert. Having previously taken over public spaces across the United States and Europe — including a stint in New York City's Times Square — Capitalism Works for Me! True/False asks visitors to mull the pros and cons of capitalism and then answer a simple question. The installation will be set up at four public places over the duration of Melbourne Fringe. A live running tally will be displayed on Lambert's large LED scoreboard, tracking how we all feel about the system that runs...well, pretty much every aspect of our lives. CAPITALISM WORKS FOR ME! TRUE/FALSE LOCATIONS State Library of Victoria Forecourt — 1–5pm, September 13–15 Queen Victoria Market — 5–9pm, September 19 (at the Hawker 88 Night Market) Bourke Street Mall — 11am–3pm, September 20–22 Fringe Hub at Arts House — 4–8pm, September 27–29 Image: Bryony Jackson.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. More than 15,000 garages are expected to open their doors to bargain hunters, selling two million items, when the event returns for its ninth time across the weekend of October 20 and 21. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Melbourne, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
Tucked into a small, unassuming storefront on the busy Hopkins Street, this buzzing little sandwich shop pumps out authentic Vietnamese banh mi at under $6 a pop. That said, you can double up on fillings and still not break the bank — it's rare that you'll be dropping more than $6.50. There are eight sandwiches on offer, which can be filled with all the traditional trimmings like pâté, pickled carrot, coriander, daikon and, of course, chilli. The no-nonsense shop embraces everything that an authentic (albeit Australianised) version of a banh mi should; from the bright, laminated menu on the back wall, to the clear counter of fresh ingredients between you and the cheery, efficient staff. It's a no-brainer if you need a quick, fresh and satisfying feed on your lunch break, or as you're strolling the streets of Footscray taking in all that this richly diverse suburb has to offer. Images: Julia Sansone
After almost a decade at the helm, the sun has set on Daniel Andrews' time as Premier of Victoria. During the pandemic, Andrews became a household name across the state, as well as the country. He also became the unofficial North Face ambassador, inspired countless memes and even starred in Mashd N Kutcher's hit track 'Get on the Beers'. It's a banger. To celebrate the end of an era, Fitzroy's Perseverance is hosting a "get on the beers" party on Friday, September 29 — and you're invited. If your name is Dan, well, you're the guest of honour, as there'll be free beer with your name on it — if you can provide ID to prove it. Dani will also be accepted. Godspeed ye chosen ones. The party is free to enter, with $6 beers flowing all evening. DJs will be on from 8pm and, of course, you can expect Mashd N Kutcher's tune to be played ad nauseam. We wouldn't have it any other way. So grab your North Face puffer and pour one out for the big dog. It was a solid innings. Now, let's get on the beers. Perseverance images: Giulia Morlando.
As well as giving popular culture some of its most beloved characters of the past few decades, the Harry Potter franchise has also conjured up a whole heap of astonishing critters. The Boy Who Lived himself studied them at Hogwarts, all thanks to textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Then, to the joy of Potter-loving muggles everywhere, that tome became an actual IRL text in 2001. Every Wizarding World fan knows that that book followed the original Harry Potter novels in making the leap from the page to the screen, resulting in a first film in 2016, then 2018 sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and also 2022's Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. But if you're more interested in the actual fantastic beasts than a movie plot spun around them — and in natural history in general — exhibition Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature has you covered. First announced in 2020, then premiering at London's Natural History Museum, this is all about critters that fly, scamper and scurry through the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts realm on the page and screen; however, it's also about real-life creatures, specimens and artefacts, too. The exhibition combines beasts from the natural world, the mythical world and the Wizarding World, and was always slated for an international tour. Now, it's Australia's turn to see it, with the showcase displaying at Melbourne Museum from Friday, May 19–Sunday, October 8. Visitors to Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature will see legendary beasts placed alongside specimens and historic objects, while also venturing through elements from cinema's last two decades. Unsurprisingly, there'll also be a hefty focus on Newt Scamander, the Wizarding World's famed magizoologist as played Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse). You'll see items from the Natural History Museum's scientific collections, custom-made Wizarding World models, props from the flicks and original artworks from Bloomsbury Publishing. And, you'll also also wander through a celebration of real-life scientists trying to understand the planet's animal inhabitants. In London, the exhibits included a tiger, a Galápagos marine iguana and a giant oarfish (the planet's longest bony fish) alongside an Erumpent horn and the dragon skull from Professor Lupin's classroom. Patrons were also able to compare the camouflage tactics of a jaguar to those of the Demiguise. Images: Trustees of the Natural History Museum London.
If you don't believe that Fast X will be one of the Fast and Furious franchise's last films, which you shouldn't, then it's time to face a different realisation. Now 22 years old, this family-, street racing- and Corona-loving "cult with cars" saga — its own words in this latest instalment — might one day feature every actor ever in its always-expanding cast. Dying back in 2013 hasn't stopped Paul Walker from regularly appearing a decade on. He's the first of the core F&F crew to be seen in Fast X, in fact, thanks to a flashback to 2011's Fast Five that explains why the series' flamboyant new villain has beef with the usual Vin Diesel (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3)-led faces. Playing said antagonist is Jason Momoa (Dune), who adds another high-profile name to a roster that also gains Brie Larson (Ms Marvel), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), Alan Ritchson (Reacher) and Walker's daughter Meadow this time around. It's no wonder that this 11th flick in the franchise (yes spinoff Hobbs & Shaw counts) clocks in at an anything-but-swift 141 minutes. It's also hardly surprising that living on-screen life a quarter mile at a time now seems more like a variety show than a movie, at least where all that recognisable talent is involved. There are so many people to stuff into Fast X that most merely get wheeled out for their big moment or, if they're lucky, a couple. Some bring comedy (the long-running double act that is End of the Road's Ludacris and Morbius' Tyrese Gibson), others steely glares and frenetic fight scenes (The School for Good and Evil and Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves' always-welcome Charlize Theron and Michelle Rodriguez, respectively), or just reasons to keep bringing up Walker's retired Brian O'Conner (which is where Who Invited Charlie?'s Jordana Brewster still fits in). When more than a few actors pop up, it feels purely obligatory, like the F&F realm just can't exist now without a glimpse of Jason Statham's (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) scowl or getting Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) going cockney. Do too many drivers and offsiders spoil the Point Break-but-cars hijinks? Not completely, but the high-octane saga's jam-packed cast is now a roadblock. It certainly can't have helped screenwriter Justin Lin, the director of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, F9 and initially Fast X until leaving a week into production, and his co-scribe Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans). Their script sports an overarching plot, with Momoa's Dante Reyes avenging the death of his drug-lord father five films back, but it's really about servicing the required parts. Oh-so-many folks require some screentime; all the usual heist, chase and race antics have to drop in; everyone needs to jet between the US, Italy, Brazil, the UK, Antarctica and Portugal; family must be mentioned approximately 423,000 times; and Diesel's Dominic Toretto demands a few of beats to act as if Brian is dead even though he remains alive in the series' storyline. That's the to-do list that Lin, Mazeau, and Statham's The Transporter and The Transporter 2 filmmaker-turned-Fast X helmer Louis Leterrier tick through — and tick they do. Dom and the fam, including his abuelita (Moreno) and son Little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry, Cheaper by the Dozen), get an early backyard barbecue, waxing lyrical under the Los Angeles sun about the ties that bind. Then Roman (Gibson), Tej (Ludacris), Han (Sung Kang, Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel, The Invitation) go to Rome for a job that goes wrong, and ex-adversary Cipher (Theron) shows up bruised and bloody on Dom and Letty's (Rodriguez) doorstep talking about the devil. The common factor: Reyes, who has declared war on the extended Toretto brood without them knowing he exists. They should've expected him, though, given that battling family members — of past enemies and, when John Cena (Peacemaker) joined in F9 as Dom's brother Jakob, their own — is another box-checking saga staple. Almost every newcomer to the franchise, both here and in general, is related to someone else. That's how deep the series' family values go. And yet, for a saga that started embracing its ridiculousness when Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam) jumped aboard — also in Fast Five; you can't have Diesel, Johnson and later Statham bashing their sweaty heads together without having a sense of humour about it — it plays the soap opera-esque parade of kin (and the well-known actors being them) too straight. Fast X knows how outlandish it and its predecessors are with stunts, even if no one rockets to space this time. It says cheers over Mexican beers to its established cliches as well. And it joyfully has Momoa get giddily OTT as the scrunchie-wearing, "awesome!"-spouting, Joker-esque Dante, visibly having a ball doing so. But the so-earnest-it's-playful deliriousness that should always hum through these tales of petty thieves-turned-international spies is often revved over by needing to shoehorn in another character, then another, then more, whether they've been fam since day one or they're making their debut. It's doubtful that it's on purpose, but Fast X practises what Dom preaches, making its audience appreciate the simple things. There's nothing uncomplicated about the movie's hyper-stylised stunt choreography, with its giant pinballing bombs and reggaeton drag racing — the latter soundtracked by Daddy Yankee's 'Gasolina', of course — but the film is lighter and livelier when it strips itself down to its pedal-to-the-metal and fist-throwing basics. That's when there's an energy to now seven-time F&F cinematographer Stephen F Windon's whooshing and whirling lensing, too, especially when he's gliding through windshields while engines are purring in a Rio-set moment. Smartly, Theron and Rodriguez are gifted an impressively staged fray that screams for them to have their own spinoff. And when helicopters are being flung at each other by a Dodge Charger, it's pure dumb action-flick fun. While those choppers are swooping and crashing, revhead-in-training Little Brian can't help exclaiming with excitement. Fast X isn't ready to usher the saga's big-screen entries into Fast and Furious: The Next Generation just yet — it will eventually, sometime after this chapter's one confirmed sequel and likely second follow-up get motoring, although animated Netflix series Fast & Furious Spy Racers got there first — but that glee is exactly what Diesel and company want their audience to share. This is a thrill ride in fits and starts, however. At its worst, including with its stop-mid-scene cliffhanger, it's franchise-extending filler that never-ending sagas like the Marvel Cinematic Universe have made the gear-grinding norm. But when Fast X pumps the gas on turbocharged vehicular lunacy rather than playing connect-the-dots and spot-the-famous-face, giving four Oscar-winning actresses too little to do and dropping in hardly surprising guest appearances, it's an entertaining-enough spin down a well-driven road.
Marco Pierre White is a star of kitchens and screens alike. He was the first British chef — and the youngest chef at the time — to be awarded three Michelin stars. He's popped up on everything from Hell's Kitchen to MasterChef, including in Australia. Back in 2019, he was one of Melbourne Good Food Month's huge headliners. He's also the culinary force behind cookbook White Heat, the 1990 tome that played up his "bad boy" image. He's been dubbed "the first celebrity chef" as well. And, he's trained fellow famed food figures such as Mario Batali, Heston Blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay and Curtis Stone. That's a brief run through White's resume, but you're best to hear the full details — and the ups and downs that've come with being White — from the chef himself. So, in May, the culinary whiz is touring Australia's east coast capitals with his first-ever live theatre show. Heading to Melbourne's Hamer Hall on Tuesday, May 30, White's Out of the Kitchen gigs will chat through his beginnings, his training and his stardom, plus the kind of success that led to his "enfant terrible" label. That means hearing about his arrival in London with just "£7.36, a box of books and a bag of clothes", and his tutelage under Albert and Michael Roux at renowned French fine-diner Le Gavroche. And, there's nabbing those three Michelin stars at the age of 33, of course.
Once you've had your fill of chocolate eggs and hot cross everything, you can hop over to Hawker Hall for a different kind of Easter feasting experience. The buzzy hawker-style food hall is dishing up a long weekend yum cha menu, running 12–4pm daily from Friday, April 7–Monday, April 10. Clocking in at $45 per person, it's a hearty spread, filled with nods to all the yum cha classics. You'll get to choose six savoury plates and something sweet to finish, with options like chicken siu mai, prawn rice noodle rolls, Cantonese-style fried noodles and lettuce cups loaded with shiitake mapo tofu. The dessert lineup includes egg tarts and banana fritters, and there are add-on dishes if you're feeling extra hungry for some duck pancakes or char siu pork. As for the drinks, you'll find a bunch of long weekend specials on offer, including $14.50 glasses of Chandon Blanc de Blanc, and an aptly named Honey Bunny cocktail made with rum, honey and blood orange. Book your table online to nab a spot. [caption id="attachment_843531" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hawker Hall[/caption]
Have an inkling your pooch is hiding some impressive artistic talents? Well, you can find out for sure when you take them along to one of Monrose Indoor Plants' upcoming sip-and-paint sessions designed especially for four-legged creatives. Located in Newport, the dog-friendly plant boutique is kicking off a series of Pimms, Plants and Puppy Pawcasso events, with the first happening on Sunday, April 23, and each of the remaining dates working to a different theme. The lineup includes a Mother's Day edition on May 11, and a singles night on May 25. [caption id="attachment_895674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Monrose Indoor Plants[/caption] Grab a ticket for you and your pup and join in the fun as they spend the next 90 minutes painting their own plant pot masterpiece, guided through the experience using pooch-friendly painting products and techniques. There'll also be doggy charcuterie for them to snack on. After the paw-some painting class, you'll get a chance to unleash some creativity of your own, whipping up a non-toxic indoor plant arrangement for your house, all while enjoying a Pimm's. Tickets come in at $95, which includes all supplies, food and drinks, plus a $10 indoor plant voucher to spend on the night. You'll want to be quick though — classes are limited to just ten spots each. [caption id="attachment_895673" align="alignnone" width="1920"] via Unsplash[/caption] Top image: Monrose Indoor Plants
As part of the flurry of streaming services always competing for our eyeballs, FanForce TV joined the online viewing fold during the COVID-19 pandemic as a pay-per-view platform. The service runs all year round, of course, but it goes the extra mile for National Reconciliation Week, which is when it hosts the First Nations Film Festival (previously known as the Virtual Indigenous Film Festival). In 2023, that event will take place between Tuesday, May 30–Saturday, June 3, all solely online. The returning fest will focus on something different on each of the five days, starting with the Richard Bell-focused documentary You Can Go Now, then moving onto documentaries Alick and Albert and The Lake of Scars. There's also shorts by up-and-coming First Nations talent, plus anthology feature We Are Still Here as the fest's big finale. At this at-home screen celebration, you'll enjoy watching your way through an array of Aussie content focused on Indigenous stories, spanning both dramas and documentaries — and exploring race relations in the process. Viewers can tune in on a film-by-film basis, or buy an all-access pass to tune into everything. Movies screen at set times, running twice each day: at 1pm and 7pm AEST.
All truth, no fiction: if that's how you like your movies, then you'll want to hit up the Australian International Documentary Conference when it returns to Melbourne for 2023 from Sunday, March 5–Wednesday, March 8. Each year, this celebration of factual filmmaking hits up the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Federation Square to talk about the format and screen flicks — and its 2023 lineup is mighty impressive. This year's Oscar-nominees for Best Documentary Feature are a big highlight in a variety of ways, including three of the directors getting chatting — and responding to AIDC's 2023 theme 'agents of change. So, you can hear from Fire of Love filmmaker Sara Dosa about how she made one of the best movies of 2022; from Canadian helmer Daniel Roher, who'll talk through compelling political doco Navalny; and from Indian director Shaunak Sen about the Cannes and Sundance award-winning All That Breathes. Some sessions are only for conference delegates, with pass details varying. But there's also a number of public screenings that you can snap up individual tickets to, including of fellow Academy Award contender All the Beauty and the Bloodshed — the 2022 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning documentary about queer artist Nan Goldin, her life and career, and her battle against the billionaire Sackler family. Or, you can check out wild New Zealand doco Mister Organ, which tells a tale so chaotic it can only be true, and hear from filmmaker David Farrier about the whole ordeal captured in the film. You Can Go Now, which explores Richard Bell art and career alongside the history of First Nations activism over the past 50 years, is also on the jam-packed lineup.
It's been half a century since The Rocky Horror Show first brought its musical blend of sci-fi, horror and comedy to the stage, and the cult hit itself has the perfect phrase to describe those quickly passing years. Yes, time is fleeting when you're singing about a college-aged couple getting a flat tyre, wandering over to an old castle to ask for help, and finding an extra-terrestrial mad scientist from the galaxy of Transylvania — plus his staff and his Frankenstein-style experiments — awaiting. Yes, the show itself is astounding, too. To celebrate this big anniversary, a new Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show is currently touring the country, starting in Sydney then moving to Adelaide and Melbourne. And, for one night only, the Sydney season is beaming one of its shows into cinemas as well — live as it's all happening at the Theatre Royal Sydney. Movie-goers can do the 'Time Warp' in Melbourne cinema aisles from 7.15pm on Thursday, March 30, which is when the Richard O'Brien-created production will be broadcast from the stage to the screen. In the process, The Rocky Horror Show will notch up a first. For Trafalgar Releasing, who is behind a heap of event cinema-style sessions like this, this is the first time that it has presented a live event from an Aussie venue to cinemas across the nation. Folks hitting up big screens around the country will want to listen closely, and watch, as Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter puts his hands on his hips, then brings his knees in tight. The glorious madness will take its toll with help not only from Donovan — fresh from popping back up in Ramsay Street to farewell Neighbours before it was renewed again — but also from Spicks and Specks' Myf Warhurst as The Narrator. Also featuring: Ellis Dolan (School of Rock) as Eddie/Dr Scott, Darcey Eagle (Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical) as Columbia, Ethan Jones (9 to 5 The Musical) as Brad, Deirdre Khoo (Once) as Janet, Loredo Malcolm (Hamilton) as Rocky and Henry Rollo (Jagged Little Pill the Musical) as Riff Raff. Of course, this tale is no stranger to cinemas thanks to 1975's iconic big-screen release The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Since first premiering in London in June 1973, The Rocky Horror Show has played in more than 30 countries, with over 30 million people seeing songs like 'Science Fiction/Double Feature', 'Dammit, Janet!', 'Sweet Transvestite', 'Over at the Frankenstein Place' and 'Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me'. If you haven't been before and can't make it to the current theatre tour, this is your turn to join in. Images: Daniel Boud.
Minimise the impact that your noodle-slurping habits have on the environment, all thanks to a nifty project by Tokyo Tina and the rest of its Commune Group siblings. Popping up at the Windsor restaurant from Monday, March 27–Wednesday, March 29 is the Rubbish Ramen Shop — an experimental Melbourne Food & Wine Festival offering that's here to shake up the soup game. Book one of the six dinner sittings and head along to enjoy a ramen feast with a low-waste twist. Senior Chef Enza Sotto has dreamed up two limited-edition, sustainability-focused ramen varieties, which are made using unwanted produce collected from across the hospitality group's eateries — think: Moonhouse, Firebird and New Quarter. Ingredients that would otherwise be destined for landfill will be cleverly transformed into your midweek Japanese feed. You can nab a ticket to the pop-up for $48, which includes your choice of ramen bowl, a snack, and either a cup of sake or a beer to match. Images: Carmen Zammit.
Bridge Road Brewers' Brunswick East taphouse is turning one this September, and the team is celebrating with a massive Sunday sesh party. On Sunday, September 22, the crew will fire up an outdoor grill (let's hope for good springtime weather), host a bunch of local DJs and give away free pints of its Village Pilsner — its signature beer that's brewed on-site. Sadly, these free pints won't be free-flowing throughout the entire day, so be sure to get in early before they start charging. Founder Ben Kraus shared, "We're excited to see the progress since opening and how the East Brunswick community has really embraced us in our first year. We've built a local run club that is 1,000 strong, regularly getting up to 100 members at our Wednesday night meets. "We've had great interest in our local ride club and Merri-creek clean-up sessions, plus we're now branching into other areas by hosting a monthly vintage market to support local vendors."
Anthony Bourdain once said, "Too lazy to peel fresh? You don't deserve to eat garlic." Honestly, it's hard to disagree, as this versatile kitchen staple takes just about any meal from good to great. If you're keen to explore the best of Australia's local growers, the South Gippsland Garlic Festival is the place to be. Held on Saturday, March 8 in Korumburra – about 90 minutes drive from Melbourne – this is your chance to head home with a boot full of incredible produce. Forming part of the festival, a sprawling market will feature 80 stallholders spruiking an exceptional range of fresh garlic and garlic-related products. Also in attendance will be local fruit and veggie producers, food vendors and coffeemakers, ensuring plenty of top-notch cuisine accompanies your visit. Once you've stocked up, head to the Garlic Festival Bar to encounter much-loved Gippsland winemakers, brewers, and distillers, such as Fleet Wines, Gurneys Cider, Burra Brewing and Mates Gin. Then, the Garlic Festival Kitchen sees former MasterChef contestant Simon Toohey welcome esteemed chefs, including Messmates Dining's Jodie Odrowaz and Michael Clarke, for live cooking demonstrations that hero the headline ingredient. Meanwhile, there are kids' activities – including a visit from Bluey – and a host of live entertainment to make this aromatic event fun for everyone. When you've finished exploring the festival grounds, the rest of Korumburra is also getting in the mood, with nearby restaurants, pubs, cafes and bakeries offering one-off treats to garlic-loving punters. [caption id="attachment_992308" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Credit: Ken Spence[/caption] Top image: Ken Spence
If you've spent any time partying in the inner north, there's a good chance you've enjoyed a few boozy nights in the Dr Morse beer garden. But with the venue undergoing a major revamp for its 12th birthday, the arrival of Bistro Disco – a New York-style Italian eatery – is more than enough reason to plan your next visit. With the bar stepping into a new era through a refreshed fit-out and menu, the idea behind the change is found within the venue's motto: "drink, dinner, dance." While Dr Morse's owners felt they had the last part covered, they believed it was time to give the other aspects more attention. The result? Quality pasta dishes, steak mains and an extended wine and cocktail list. With the renovations recently completed, a three-day celebration runs from Friday, February 28 to Sunday, March 2, featuring a stellar lineup of DJs. Get down on Friday for sets from Nice Girl, Dawn Again & Nick Saw, Sunset Boys and Earl Grey, while Saturday welcomes Disko Bizarro and Disco Mediterranea. Finally, Sunday wraps the event with appearances from Steely Anne, Otologic and Billie Jean. "This isn't about leaving the past behind; it's about creating a new future where the drinking and dining is on par with the dance floor," says co-owner Pete Walsh. "Now we've created a space where guests can enjoy a cocktail, savour plates of pasta, and stick around for a boogie."
If you're craving some Bridgerton-esque charm in your life, Mary Eats Cake will host its first Scone Festival this June, offering a month-long celebration of both sweet and savoury bites. Each week from Saturday, June 1–Sunday, June 30, Mary Eats Cake will introduce a new and exciting scone flavour, such as decadent double chocolate, Italiano pizza, pumpkin spice and jalapeño popper. Guests can drop in to the Montrose or Brunswick venues to try the weekly flavour, or book in for a high tea experience with bottomless festival scones. For more details about the Scone Festival at Mary Eats Cake and to book your spot, visit the official website.
Maggie's Snacks and Liquor landed on the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street at the end of 2023, and is already kicking goals with its creative eats, Sunday roast specials and aperitivo hour deals. And now, for World Gin Day on Saturday, June 8, the team is hosting a one-off gin- and snack-filled party in collaboration with Mordialloc's Saint Felix Distillery. Saint Felix's Head Distiller Xavier Nalty will be running gin tastings with his colleague Kevin Griffin from 2pm, taking guests through all four of their distillations. The duo will talk to guests about gin-making and answer all your burning gin-related questions, while the Maggie's crew pairs each tipple with a snack. The two-hour tasting and talk costs $30 per person, plus guests will also get $10 off Saint Felix products to purchase on the day or have delivered with free shipping. Maggie's is also teaming up with Drink Victoria throughout June, showcasing a heap of local wine, beer and spirits. Consider sticking around to make a proper Saturday arvo sesh out of it all.
Spice Temple's coveted mud crabs are back — but only until the end of June. If you've been dreaming of this share-focused special's return or simply have been seeking out a mud crab dish to get in on the hype, here's your chance. Due to popular demand, the top-shelf in-season crustacean has made its way back onto the menu for a limited time, and is prepared to order for $99. Until Sunday, June 30, you'll be able to order a hefty mud crab that's steamed, then tossed in a flavour-packed mixture sure to warm up bellies and accompanied by your choice of XO, ginger and shallot, or black bean and salted chilli sauces. With chef Andy Evans at the helm, the venue's ethos remains at the forefront of its menu, with only the best mud crabs selected and dished up. Image credit: Jason Loucas.
Unfortunately, the Winter Gin Market has been cancelled by The Craft & Co crew due to unforeseen scheduled power upgrades on-site. We're sure they'll be back again next season for another go at it. If you need no excuse to partake in a gin or two, line up your gin-loving pals and clear your calendar. On Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27, Collingwood restaurant, cafe, brewery, distillery and workshop The Craft & Co returns with a two-day winter-inspired edition of its much-loved gin market. Across multiple sessions held in a sit-down format, the market will see some top-notch bottles of gin cracked open in the venue's upstairs event space. You can sample gins from Artillery, Boatrocker, Tiny Bear, Bass & Flinders, Brookie's and The Craft & Co as the producers move from table to table, speed-dating style. As always, a generously stocked retail store will be available for market-goers to purchase bottles of their favourite gins for home. Your $30 ticket includes access to your choice of one of the two-hour sessions, all of your tastings and a goodie bag. The eatery and bar downstairs will be operational for a pre- or post-market feed, but you'll need to book ahead for a spot.
Even though we're on the other side of the world, Melbourne still hosts plenty of big Fourth of July parties every year. US-style barbecue joints, pizza shops and diners all run specials and events, but new kid on the block Moon Dog Wild West is, dare we say it, trumping them all this year. This three-storey wild west-themed saloon is already heavy on the Americana, from the blues band playing each night and its free-to-ride bucking bull, to the Tex-Mex eats and Jack Daniels slushies. But on Thursday, July 4, Moon Dog Wild West will become even more American. The Headhunters will be playing classic sing-along tunes from 7pm, plus there'll even be a hot dog eating competition — you really can't get more American than that. There'll be a couple of food and drink specials available for the day, including The Americano Plate, which is loaded with smoked beef brisket, pulled barbecued pork, spiced chicken wings, smoked jalapeño and cheddar sausage, biscuits and gravy, house pickles, corn on the cob and coleslaw. A classic pumpkin pie will also be up for grabs — that is, if you have room after scoffing down that platter of meat — while Cajun-style boiled peanuts will be served up for free. Moon Dog Wild West's Fourth of July party is free to attend and walk-ins are welcome, but you can also book a table online to ensure you don't miss out on the fun.
Sydney Sweeney is ready for her closeup. Playwright-turned-filmmaker Tina Satter obliges. A household name of late due to her exceptional work in both Euphoria and The White Lotus, Sweeney has earned the camera's attention for over a decade; however, she's never been peered at with the unflinching intensity of Satter's debut feature Reality. For much of this short, sharp and stunning docudrama, the film's star lingers within the frame. Plenty of the movie's 83-minute running time devotes its focus to her face, staring intimately and scrutinising what it sees. Within Reality's stranger-than-fiction narrative, that imagery spies a US Air Force veteran and National Security Agency translator in her mid-twenties, on what she thought was an ordinary Saturday. It's June 3, 2017, with the picture's protagonist returning from buying groceries to find FBI agents awaiting at her rented Augusta, Georgia home, then accusing her of "the possible mishandling of classified information". Reality spots a woman facing grave charges, a suspect under interrogation and a whistleblower whose fate is already known to the world. It provides a thriller of a procedural with agents, questions, allegations and arrests; an informer saga that cuts to the heart of 21st-century American politics, and its specific chaos since 2016; and an impossible-to-shake tragedy about how authority savagely responds to being held to account. Bringing her stage production Is This a Room: Reality Winner Verbatim Transcription to the screen after it wowed off-Broadway and then Broadway, Satter dedicates Reality's bulk to that one day and those anxious minutes, unfurling in close to real time — but, pivotally, it kicks off three weeks earlier with its namesake at work while Fox News plays around her office. Why would someone leak to the media a restricted NSA report about Russian interference in getting Donald Trump elected? Before it recreates the words genuinely spoken between its eponymous figure and law enforcement, Reality sees the answer as well. Reality Winner boasted a moniker that no one would forget long before the events that she'd make international headlines for, and have inspired a play and now a film. Still, she couldn't have suspected, nor her father who gave it to her, that so many folks would learn who she was and what she's called — or why they'd do so. Satter's movie is in dialogue with its subject's distinctive name. It surveys Reality and reality by using reality, and it observes no winners. There's also no escaping the fact that reality is both precarious and subjective when it comes to Winner's deeds and others like them: Trump has been indicted for mishandling classified documents himself, with boxes of them found in his Mar-a-Lago home, but the likelihood of his penalty eclipsing the longest-ever sentence given by a US federal court for releasing government information is miniscule. Everything is average, standard and nondescript when Winner (Sweeney, also a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Handmaid's Tale alum) pulls up outside of her house to discover an audience. Satter scripts with James Paul Dallas (Halston's archival producer), enlisting Paul Yee (Joy Ride) as Reality's cinematographer, plus Jennifer Vecchiarello (Thor: Love and Thunder) and Ron Dulin (Resurrection) as editors — and, before agents Garrick (Josh Hamilton, The Walking Dead) and Taylor (Marchánt Davis, A Journal for Jordan) start talking, the scene that the film spins, sees and splices couldn't appear more commonplace. The daytime sunlight streaming down doesn't brighten. Winner's brick abode could sit on any block almost anywhere. She's sans makeup, wearing a white shirt and cutoffs that she wouldn't have thought twice about. And, once the chatting begins, peppered as it is with routine small talk, it too is mundane. Is Winner thirsty? What's the best way to handle her rescue dog? Will her cat bolt if the door is left open? Is there somewhere private, away from the other agents executing search warrants for her house, car and phone, where the trio can head to? These details comprise much of the early conversation, as laced with ums, aahs and awkward pauses. With no disrespect to the best screenwriters — the best at procedurals, too — every word and gap in Reality could've only sprung from real life. And there are purposeful holes, thanks to part of the chat remaining redacted in the publicly released transcripts that Satter works with. Her inventive and perceptive solution: glitching in and out, having the people affected disappear and reappear, and reminding audiences oh-so-savvily that every single take on reality is always just that, a take, and should always be inspected and unpacked. With talk echoing — especially in a room that Winner doesn't usually use, describes as "weird" and "creepy", and looks as close as a space in someone's home can to a prison cell — Reality steps through why the agents are there, what they're chasing, their suspect's tale and her reaction. As crucial as words are to the film, and the exact words uttered off-screen at that, they only tell part of the story. They explain that Winner can speak Farsi, Pashto and Dari; aspires to be deployed to Afghanistan; trains in CrossFit and teaches yoga; and owns guns, including a pink AR-15. They establish Garrick as playing the nice guy among the FBI cohort, and Taylor as affable but sterner. They eventually lay out what Winner is accused of doing, and how. Satter witnesses what isn't spoken, though, such as the rigid physicality that sits in stark contrast to the agents' warmer tone — and the displays of force that are everywhere, simply because the FBI is everywhere, when Winner is permitted to squeeze into her kitchen to put her perishables away. As every meticulously calculated stylistic choice ramps up the stress, Nathan Micay's (Industry) jittery score among them — and as Sweeney delivers a phenomenal masterclass in microexpressions that's a career-best performance to-date — Reality spots a gut-punch of an inescapable truth as well. We hope, think and are led to believe, aided by movies and TV shows, that significant instances and incidents feel significant; and yet big moments aren't actually always big moments, even when whistleblowing, revealing state secrets and the legal response are involved. Indeed, the movie's ripped-from-reality look and dialogue, plus its central naturalistic performance, are all calibrated to reinforce that sometimes life changes drastically when nothing huge initially seems to. Winner's existence was forever altered by the scenes that Satter displays, but Reality knows that no one was shouting and screaming that that was the case as it occurred. More than that, and with gripping chills and dripping dread, it puts viewers in Winner's shoes as her world turns — and ours — but the world keeps turning.
Cue John Williams' rousing score: Indiana Jones is cracking the whip again. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny marks Harrison Ford's return to the titular role a whopping 42 years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, 39 since Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and 34 since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade — and 15 years after Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. This time, he has Fleabag favourite Phoebe Waller-Bridge for company, but still a trinket to hunt down and Nazis to fend off. And, whether you're keen to see the movie on the day it hits general release or in the nights afterwards, your tastebuds can also have company via a three-course menu inspired by the picture. That's what Village Cinemas is serving up around Melbourne on three evenings: Wednesday, June 28; Friday, June 30; and Saturday, July 1. For $120, which includes your Gold Class ticket to the film, you'll tuck into bites with New York, Moroccan and Sicilian influences — all settings in the movie. Start off a pretzel with honey mustard, washing it down with either a glass of sparkling wine or Brooklyn lager. Next comes a New Moroccan grilled spiced chicken burger with chips, plus a glass of either red or white wine. And then for dessert, enjoy chocolate and custard cannoli, all while sipping either a Sicilian negroni or an Aperol spritz.
If you're a devourer of books and words, you can look forward to feasting on a hefty lineup of talks, workshops, panels and other literature-loving events when the Emerging Writers' Festival returns for 2023. While the days of all-digital instalments are behind us, the fest won't just be hosting a jam-packed program of IRL sessions — handily, especially for folks outside of Melbourne, a stack of them will also be accessible online. Running from Wednesday, June 14–Saturday, June 24, this year's edition has events for all varieties of lit-lover and writing enthusiast. Opening night features a session on truth telling by Naarm's Sofii Belling-Harding, Yaraan Bundle, Lay Maloney, Patrick Mercer and Elijah Money; the return of the National Writers' Conference will deliver a day of panels, workshops and pitching sessions; Voiceworks will celebrate its latest issue; and a dinner at Willows and Wine will get you sharing erotica prose and poetry. For fans of all things spooky, Scream Scenes will tell eerie tales with matching cinema projections at Thornbury Picture House. Sports writing, spoken word, writing TV, intergenerational stories, radical memoirs, the intersection of hip hop and literature: they all get their time to shine, too. You can also up your own writing skills with an array of masterclasses and workshops — and, for the online crowd, learn about digital ecologies, the ethics of drawing from real life, pitching, researching fiction, genre fiction and more.
If DC Studios could live life like it's a Cher song, would it turn back time to erase the DC Extended Universe, setting itself on an entirely different path instead? With new co-head honchos James Gunn and Peter Safran wrapping up the underwhelming franchise — after 2023's films, The Suicide Squad director and producer are replacing the DC Comics on-screen realm with a new movie saga just called the DC Universe — the answer is likely yes. Does DC Studios regret having to release The Flash, which gives the character played by Ezra Miller since 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice his own feature, arrives after their past few years of controversies and legal troubles, and comes with a jumping-backwards focus? It must've been better for the bottom line to let the picture flicker before audiences, rather than ditching it after it was finished as happened with Batgirl; however, the response there about lamenting Barry Allen's latest big-screen stint might also be in the affirmative. As was the case with Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and could also be with the DCEU's upcoming Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, a feeling of futility buzzes through The Flash. Plenty happens, featuring an array of caped crusaders and more than one version of Barry, and yet all that tights-wearing sound and fury might signify nothing in the scheme of all things DC. Movies have never needed sequels or franchises to gift their existence a spark. Increasingly, the opposite occurs. Instalment after instalment in ever-sprawling cinema universes are dragged down by being exactly that: a series instalment, rather than their own films. And The Flash does frequently try to be its own feature, but it's also firmly tied to being part of a pop-culture behemoth while eagerly worshipping superhero history. The blatant and overdone nostalgia, the already-announced returns and still-surprise cameos, and the now-overused multiverse setup that assists in linking its narrative together — it all rings empty when it proves so disposable, as the dying DCEU is. Living with your choices, and facing the fact that you can't always take back mistakes and fix traumas, does fittingly sit at the heart of The Flash's narrative, though. While the Barry (Miller, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) that audiences have also seen in Suicide Squad, Justice League and Shazam! enters The Flash calling himself "the janitor of the Justice League", answering Alfred's (Jeremy Irons, House of Gucci) calls to clean up Batman's (Ben Affleck, Air) chaos offers a handy distraction from his family situation. Understandably, he's still grief-stricken over his mother's (Maribel Verdú, Raymond & Ray) murder. He's also struggling to prove that his incarcerated father (Ron Livingston, A Million Little Things) wasn't the killer. Cue messing with the space-time continuum, using his super speed to dash backwards to stop his mum from dying — and, as Bruce Wayne warns, cuing the butterfly effect. Back to the Future devotees know what follows when someone tinkers with the past. The Flash director Andy Muschietti (IT, IT: Chapter Two) and screenwriter Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) count on viewers being familiar with the consequences, and with the Michael J Fox-starring 80s classic. Amid navigating various iterations of its protagonist and, as revealed in its trailers, getting Michael Keaton (Morbius) back in the cape and cowl as the Dark Knight three decades after the last Tim Burton-helmed Batman flick — plus finding time for Supergirl (Sasha Calle, The Young and the Restless) — this DCEU entry splashes around its broader pop-culture nods with gusto. Given that was Gunn's tactic in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy movies, right down to also mentioning Kevin Bacon and Footloose, perhaps Barry might have a DCU future after all? Whatever happens, The Flash's riffing on and namechecking other beloved films isn't its best trait. There are multiples of much in this movie, which includes multiple ways to slather on fan service. Virtually retracing Marty McFly's footsteps involves that extra Barry, the younger and more OTT of the two — the one aiding the OG Barry in seeing why people can find him a bit much, in fact. It also inspires the comeback of Superman's Kryptonian foe General Zod (Michael Shannon, George & Tammy), as the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ripple through an alternate timeline. Yes, every superhero saga has become a multiverse saga, everywhere and all at once. The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps leaning in, while the Spider-Verse films embrace the idea in every gorgeously animated frame. Reuniting with a past Batman was always going to play like a Spider-Man: No Way Home wannabe, but The Flash isn't helped by hitting cinemas so soon after Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, aka the current gold standard in multiple everything, spandex-clad saviours in general and franchise fare. It was true when Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland were all webslinging in the one film, and it's true now with Affleck and Keaton being oh-so-serious here: teaming up past and present takes on the same figure in the same feature can smack of refusing to cut ties with history. That's what nostalgia is all about, of course, and it clashes glaringly with what The Flash endeavours to teach its red-suited namesake. As Barry attempts to protect, nurture and heal his inner child — rather literally — the movie advocates for ultimately accepting life's hardships and moving on. Then it has more and more recognisable faces pop up, including some grave-robbing choices using woeful special effects. With its routine fan-baiting multiverse antics, the picture keeps finding additional ways to ring empty. A film that adores all that's gone before, but exists in the waning days of a dissipating saga. A feature with little future path and too much fondness for the past. A reminder that life goes on that epitomises that very fact within the movie business, yet can't live and breathe it within its frames even as its narrative sings that notion's praises. That's The Flash — and it's also a picture made better by Miller's convincing dual turns, especially when they're at their most vulnerable and melancholy, and particularly when they're on-screen twice in the same scene. It benefits from Keaton's subtlety in an appearance that's anything but within the story, and from Muschietti's eagerness to amuse through the flick's strongest action scenes, as seen in quite the baby shower. Pondering playing god and its repercussions, it also owes a debt to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as almost everything does. Feeling like disparate pieces that don't stitch together to make the best whole isn't what The Flash was aiming for, however, but it's what's been zapped into cinemas.
Get ready to ring in the winter solstice in a giant thermal pool with a glass of mulled wine in one hand and a blanket of stars overhead. Alba Thermal Springs is running a limited-edition twilight program to celebrate the solstice, as well as World Bathing Day on June 22. The Winter Warming program runs from June 22 to July 31, but it's that first night that's set to be really special. Alba is teaming up with the Astronomical Society of Victoria to host an exclusive, once-off stargazing session. The event starts at 5pm with a Welcome to Country. Your ticket gets you access to Alba's 22 thermal pools, a glass of mulled wine or decadent hot chocolate, plus an all-new winter menu designed by the legendary Karen Martini. Martini will also be there in attendance on June 22, if you want a chance to gush and chat recipes. At 6pm, the main event begins: a special stargazing session at the Luna Pool, hosted by the Astronomical Society of Victoria. So what will night bathing, good food and an entire galaxy set you back? The $80 'Night Owl' package gets you entry, bathing, wine and a canape by the open fire. For the $100 'Dinner Thyme', they'll throw in a one-course meal. Bookings are essential for this one, and spots are limited. Images: Supplied
