Through dark wintry nights, Melbournians press on, bound by their love of music to check out live gigs. Melbourne venues outperform the rest of Australia, according to the annual survey by America’s live music bible Pollstar, and as for Melbourne's homegrown acts? Well, it wouldn't be like Melbourne to boast *ahem* but they do make it well worth clawing through the wind and rain. Footy is one such example of local talent. Not for football boffins, they're an electric piano duo featuring the fine fingerwork of Paddy Gordon and Lew Mulverino. Fresh from releasing their critically acclaimed debut record Mobile Cemetery, they're classical, psychedelic and poppy all at once. On stage, Superstar will join them — think lurid, transient tunes — and Pikelet’s Evelyn Ida Morris, who has an uncanny ability to hand off melodic lines to wildly erratic movements. This will be really *really* good, guys. You should go.
It's been a tough year for music festivals. Our hearts have been freshly broken after the cancellations of both Harvest and Homebake Festivals, and if there's anything that can put them back together it's Cherry Fest — Cherry Bar's one-day music festival still kicking strong in its seventh year. Cherry Bar is a Melbourne institution. Steadfast in its rightful spot on AC/DC Lane, this place has been the feeding ground for Melbourne rockers for the past 13 years. Well-known for its Thursday Soul nights and the fact it's every touring band's afterparty of choice, this bar is so goddamned cool Noel Gallagher once offered to buy it. Over two stages from 12 - 9.30pm, Cherry will host a total of 13 bands including The Bellrays (pictured), The Powder Monkeys, and Money For Rope. Cherry Bar owner and booker, James Young says it was easy to figure it all out. "Turns out people want to go to music festivals with a modest ticket price, modest capacity, great line-up, easy access to cheap booze and be part of an audience made up of genuine music lovers." Sign us up too.
Sometimes art galleries can be a little stuffy. We get it. The white cube is so last decade. Now we want to touch the art. We want to get all up in its business. Going above and beyond this Friday night, ACCA Art Bar will be hosting a live performance by local act Speed Painters. You might have caught these guys around the club and bar circuit, but they've recently been busy finishing up their debut album — a record that blends what they describe as "slo-mo disco", motor soul and house music. This weekend also marks the end of two major ACCA exhibitions: In The Cut, a group exhibition on the diverse art of collage, and FILM, Tacita Dean's monumental work that had its Australian debut as part of the Melbourne Festival last month. Both these shows are well worth catching before they get packed up, and what better way to do that than by swanning around listening to slo-mo disco and drinking discount drinks? (Beer and wine are just $5 from 6-7pm. You're welcome.)
All art is arguably an exploration of the artist’s ego, but performance artist Nicola Gunn seems determined to take this to a new level with her Melbourne Festival show, In Spite of Myself. It is framed as a show within an exhibition. The exhibition is a fictional retrospective about Gunn herself, entitled Exercises in Hopelessness: Nicola Gunn (1979 – present). The audience are free to peruse it as if at a gallery for an hour or so before the performance begins, setting the stage for a surreal self-referential parody of the arts world. Gunn, a veteran of the festival circuit, won a Best Experimental Performance Award at the 2012 Melbourne Fringe Festival for Hello my name is…, a show which left a slew of reviewers saying they couldn’t really describe what it was other than amazing. Featuring video art, live performance, a parody lecture and accompanied by an arts forum picnic on October 12, In Spite of Myself looks set to garner a similar response.
In a terrifying trailer for The Shadow King, Tom E. Lewis is hunted like an animal by a four-wheel-drive; its spotlights piercing the night. Just as the trailer draws upon the imagery of classic Australian cinema, this massive undertaking from Lewis and director Michael Kantor translates the story of Shakespeare’s King Lear into a theatrical retelling of Indigenous experience. A brief documentary on the background and process for the project sees Kantor outline how the framework of Shakespeare’s tragedy has shifted in their adaptation. “For millennia people have lived and existed with the land and on the land without claiming to own the land,” he says. “This story is about a man who believes he can own land, and therefore divides it, and give it to his three daughters.” The work will be performed in a combination of English, Kriol, and the performers’ own languages. “We’re taking Shakespeare’s story; not his words,” Kantor says. The ambition of the play and the scale of the production itself — with a large cast of Indigenous performers, as well as musician Bart Willoughby (Yothu Yindi) — makes this a difficult piece to overlook in the Melbourne Festival and beyond; it’s also set for seasons in Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane.
Have you ever been at a gig with an awkwardly small number of audience members? Felt like they were just playing for you? Well, if this was a feeling you enjoyed, you're going to love what the Click Clack Project has lined up. Over the first two days of the festival, Federation Square will be littered with a series of small black teepees, and inside of each, an artist will be performing to an enthralled audience of one. While admittedly terrifying — oh god, what facial expression am I making / how are they maintaining eye contact with me while playing the flute?* — it also sounds a little amazing. Check it out on Saturday for Shadow Tales performed by the Footscray Community Arts Centre, or head down on Sunday if Japanese sound art is more your thing. *We really can't guarantee anyone will be playing the flute. Check out the rest of our picks for the Melbourne Festival here.
Few films in recent memory better capture the heartbreak of loss, the agony of indecision or the burden of familial duty than Rama Burshtein’s Fill the Void. A favourite on this year's international festival circuit, including the just now concluded Jewish International Film Festival here in Australia, the picture explores life in Israel’s most conservative religious sect, and one young woman’s choice between independence and obligation. Fill the Void is set within the confines of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community of which Burshstein herself is a member. The story concerns the Mendelman’s, a well-off family from Tel Aviv splintered by despair after eldest daughter Esther dies in childbirth. Their grief is compounded when Esther’s devastated widower Yochay (played by Yiftach Klein) declares his intention to remarry abroad, taking the newborn baby Mordechai with him. Believing that the loss of Esther’s child will be too much for the family to bear, Esther’s mother Rivka (Irit Sheleg) attempts to convince Yochay to stay and wed Esther’s 18-year-old sister Shira (Hadas Yaron) instead. If nothing else, Fill the Void is an intriguing, remarkably immersive look at an intensely private people who are rarely depicted on screen. Duty and religious decorum informs everything in this film, from the most incidental day-to-day practices to decisions of life-changing importance. The world the characters inhabit is also one of deep-seated patriarchy. Yet tellingly it is the film’s female characters, particularly young Shira, that exhibit the greatest internal strength. Just as the practices of the Haredi community may seem strange and outdated to outsiders, so too does Fill the Void feel like a movie from a different time. Not once are unmarried male and female actors permitted to make physical contact, as such immodest behaviour would not accord with religious law. Yet rather than diminish the film’s emotional power, this restriction works to enhance it. Without overt displays of affection, Burshstein and her cast are forced to rely on more subtle devices. In a moment where two actors in an American production might share a kiss, Klein and Yaron steal a glance. Where other films might contain effusive declarations of passion or anger, Fill the Void leaves feelings unspoken. Klein and Yaron are both phenomenally good, expressing everything with almost nothing. Burshstein’s cinematography is incredibly intimate, at times almost uncomfortably so. With soft lighting and blurred backgrounds, it often feels as though we’re viewing the film from under the soft, white mesh of a bridal veil; in the same room as Shira and Yochay, yet separate at the same time. We can empathise with their heartache and uncertainty, because such feelings are universal. But we will never fully appreciate the manner in which they experience them.
Rural Australia becomes a place of horror in Wake in Fright. John Grant, a young teacher on a bonded placement to the back of nowhere, is trying to return to Sydney for his holidays but finds himself stranded in a mining town where he becomes drawn into a nightmare spiral of boozing, gambling and competitive machismo that begins to erode his very sense of self. The savagely satirical 1961 novel by Kenneth Cook is perhaps best known for its film adaptation, which saw a revival in cinemas in recent years after its long-lost negatives were discovered. This stage version was produced by students at La Trobe University shortly after and, unlike John Grant, they got out of town in a big way. After playing at the Festival of Australian Student Theatre in 2010, they were invited to tour the show to Britain as part of the cultural program attending last year’s Olympics, an honour given to only a handful of non-British acts. Clearly they were doing something right. You can find out what when this repeat season of the show, featuring a mostly new cast, opens at La Mama. Just don't bet your tram fare home on a two-up game.
The show opens with a disclaimer: those who’ve come expecting The Philadelphia Story are going to be bitterly disappointed. Those who’ve come for a faithful re-telling of The Government Inspector might be a little disappointed too. But despite all the determined attempts to lower expectations, the show that follows is in no need of such qualifications. All this confusion stems from the fact that the Malthouse were originally set to perform The Philadelphia Story, but following an issue with rights, director Simon Stone and his cast instead turned to a new adaptation of Gogol’s classic. The original story is a biting satire on bureaucracy — a Parks and Recreation for 19th Century Russia — whose plot revolves around a low-level clerk mistaken for a high-ranking official. But in this adaptation, Stone and his cast choose to transplant the confusion of their own rehearsal room onto the stage. Each member of the ensemble (Fayssal Bazzi, Mitchell Butel, Gareth Davies, Robert Menzies, Zahra Newman, Eryn-Jean Norvill, and Greg Stone) plays an exaggerated version of themselves. Newman also appears as the theatre’s Hispanic cleaner after Zahra bails on the other actors, and when Davies chokes to death on some activated almonds he returns as the hapless actor Frank. Without giving away any spoilers, the way that the actors manage to confuse Frank with the famous Uzbeki director they’ve hired is exquisite; from this perfect moment of misunderstanding The Government Inspector descends into ever-more excruciating farce. The cast are in excellent form. While much of the comedy stems from the actors’ willingness to eviscerate their own egos, choices like Fayssal Bazzi’s more understated performance create a well-rounded dynamic by contrast. Davies is devastatingly funny as the poor schmuck Frank, never more pathetic than caught in a car crash of a conversation with his ex-girlfriend, reduced to drinking vodka from his "water bottle”. However, many of the jokes rely heavily on an audience’s knowledge of the Australian theatre scene — whether it’s jibes at Menzies’ identity as an “elderly character actor”, or Butell’s fanciful acceptance speech at the Helpmann Awards. It’s difficult to tell whether these are in-jokes which could exclude a broader audience from the show because the generosity of these self-deprecating performances allows a comedy of ego and misunderstanding to transcend the play’s more obscure references. Although the work is hugely entertaining, elements towards its end hint at something more complex. In its third act (again, without giving too much away), the play is performed as a musical, in the style of a grotesque operetta. Some of the funniest and most beautiful scenes arrive here, like the “torch song” performed by Butell and stand-out singer Newman. But as entertaining as this musical sequence is there was a point where it almost felt deliberately over-long. Without an unfair amount of guessing at Stone’s motivations, the length of and commitment to this musical sequence came across like a comment on his own notoriety for adaptations that valorise entertainment at the expense of fidelity to an original text. Coming from someone who’s expressed his frustration with theatre that doesn’t live up to the possibilities of the form it’s difficult to overlook intentional irony in this dumb, fun, final section. But the beauty of this Government Inspector is that it defies and welcomes this kind of cerebral engagement, balancing its in-jokes with a comedy of sheer humanity, and making for deeply satisfying farce. For more background on the production, read our interview with actor Gareth Davies.
At the Shanghai International Film Festival — the most prestigious event of its kind in mainland China — the top films are awarded the coveted Golden Goblet. It therefore seems only fitting that at the Australian festival dedicated to Chinese films, the prize is the Golden Koala. Now in its fourth year, with engagements in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the Golden Koala Chinese Film Festival aims to bring attention to the best of Chinese language cinema, from arthouse titles to big commercial hits. Highlights on the 2014 program include the romantic comedy smash Finding Mr. Right, the Hong-Kong action thriller Cold War and Emily Tang's critically acclaimed drama All Apologies — a film about the impact of China's strict one-child policy on Chinese women. Best of all, because the primary goal of the festival is to spread awareness of Chinese film culture, tickets are absolutely free. The one exception is the awards ceremony, which will take place in Sydney on February 9. For more information and session times, visit the GKCFF website.
“You know how to whistle, don’t you Steve? You just put your lips together and… blow.” Lauren Bacall’s advice to Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not is one of the most memorable lines in motion picture history, but a new exhibit at ACMI suggests the actress may have been selling the puckering process short. The latest work from internationally renowned Australian artist Angelica Mesiti, The Calling is designed as an immersive video installation that explores the complexities of the traditional whistling languages still in use in isolated communities in Greece, Turkey and the Canary Islands. The free public exhibit will be housed in ACMI Studio 2 from February 4 until July 13 and Mesiti will also be on hand to discuss the work in a special In Conversation event on the evening of February 5. Angelica Mesiti: The Calling is presented by the Ian Potter Moving Image Commission, a 10-year collaborative initiative between ACMI and the Ian Potter Cultural Trust that provides funding to mid-career Australian artists working with the moving image.
'Based on true events' has been the theme for 2013, and why the hell not? Stranger than fiction and all that. Pick any genre and you'll find an example: Action - Gangster Squad; Comedy - Pain & Gain; Thriller - Captain Phillips; Horror - The Conjuring. None, however, are as adept at circling the carcass of history and picking away at the choice bits like Drama. Even just to look at the 'now showing' or 'coming soon' listings is to see: The Wolf of Wall Street, 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyer's Club, Philomena, Fruitvale Station and The Railway Man — all in some way grounded in real-world events. The question is how grounded, and that's why the opening to David O. Russell's new film American Hustle is so refreshing. "Some of this actually happened," it declares, acknowledging in those five simple words that — yes — liberties have been taken for your amusement, but also — yes — some of this stuff actually happened. That stuff is the infamous 'Abscam' sting of the late 1970s, during which the FBI engaged two prolific con artists — Sydney Prosser and Irving Rosenfeld — to ensnare a number of high-ranking US politicians on corruption charges. Sporting elaborate combovers, fake accents and plunging necklines, Prosser (Amy Adams) and Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) were a retro Bonnie and Clyde pairing who used smooth words instead of Tommy guns to fleece desperate men of their savings. Eventually caught by the FBI, they avoided jail time by agreeing to work alongside the ambitious agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), and atop their list of targets was a New Jersey mayor named Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). What began as a simple enough sting, however, soon ballooned out of control as hubris, greed and jealousy picked away at the already threadbare alliance and placed both the operation and their lives in jeopardy. O. Russell is undeniably an actors' director, and like just his previous films (The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook), American Hustle is built around its strong performances and crackling dialogue. Bale, Adams, Cooper and Renner are all at their best here; however, it's Jennifer Lawrence as Rosenfeld's wife, Rosalyn, who steals the show. Part seductress, part clown, she moves seamlessly between the two extremes with such ease and speed that each can appear multiple times in a single scene. Keep an eye out, too, for an uncredited cameo by Robert De Niro as a mafia heavyweight in easily the most gripping of the film's 138 minutes. Yes, it is long, and it definitely drags at times; however, it's also immensely funny and beautifully captures the flashy/trashy excess of the '70s — most notably in Adams' countless revealing dresses — for which none will receive any 'best supporting role' nods vis-a-vis her perilously positioned breasts. Yet even they have their place, establishing the complexity of a character who freely exposes all to the world save for the truth of who she really is. That's American Hustle, too: a layered and captivating film where you're never quite sure who to believe or which stuff actually happened. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NqgjPRNRDSY
Some would say there's nothing better than sitting back in one of Melbourne's iconic rooftop cinemas and sipping the night away with a summer cocktail in hand. Simply put, those people are chumps. Sitting there in their deck chairs, fully clothed, getting their own drinks from a bar that they walk to with their un-wrinkled legs. Fools! The future is here, and it's powered by hot jets of liquid happiness. Hot Tub Cinema is exactly what it sounds like. From Friday, January 10, the top level of the multi-level carpark behind the Prince in St Kilda will be transformed into a unique cinema featuring two outdoor screens and 16 hot tubs. The pop-up space, designed by the same people who brought us The People's Market, will stand till February next year, and will feature some rowdy and hot-tub friendly flicks such as The Hangover, Superbad, and Dirty Dancing — for those that like their spa experience with a side-order of Swayze. Doors open from 3pm for a sunny afternoon tipple, then the movies kick off from around 8.30pm. There's even full bar service straight to your spa for those that want to kick on into the night (everyone, obviously). Bookings can be taken by the tub, or separately... if you don't mind the idea of sitting in stranger juices for a couple of hours. Tickets are on sale now. This event has been postponed until further notice. For updated information check the organiser's Facebook page.
Eandearingly known by those who love it as the Folkie, this is a great festival for the whole family in a relaxed coastal location. These guys have been putting on wonderful festival after festival since 1977, and all the kinks are well and truly ironed out to give you the best time imaginable. Local legends playing include The Stray Sisters (of The Waifs), Mama Kin, Ash Grunwald, Archie Roach, as well as a strong collection of international acts. If you want to chill out over the Labour Day Weekend, we reckon this is the festival for you.
This gig at the Hi-Fi shows off a killer double-bill of artists straight out of the Big Day Out lineup that will no doubt be a fascinating, energetic mishmash of styles. Toro Y Moi has been pioneering the minimal and laidback chillwave sound for years now, and his live shows are nothing but joyous, summery good times. Taking inspiration from sources as diverse as house music and the beats of J Dilla, Toro Y Moi serves up a whole mix of different things to keep you dancing. But whatever you do, don't miss Portugal. The Man (which is actually a whole band from Alaska, not one dude from Europe). These guys are like a timeless mix of classic 'David Bowie, T-Rex and Pink Floyd' rock, but with a spacey, psychedelic, rhythm and blues vibe — all of which sounds like music you've always loved but with a new kick to it. They've been gradually picking up a solid following in Australia after a few tours, and their eighth studio album, Evil Friends was released earlier this year. You'd be crazy not to get down early to catch them. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fSVwJyxeVYI
With his 2002 debut Funny Ha Ha, Andrew Bujalski inadvertently gave birth to the mumblecore movement, a loose American subgenre of cheaply made indie films with a focus on naturalistic dialogue. Now his latest film, Computer Chess, might be the mumbliest of them all. Set in the early 1980s and filmed using only the most rudimentary video equipment that would have been available at the time, this fascinatingly esoteric, ultra-niche comedy feels almost like a response to the mainstream success of folks like Lynn Shelton (Your Sister's Sister) and Lena Dunham (Girls), contemporaries of Bujalski who’ve used their hipster-auteur cred to secure projects of greater gloss and star-power. One thing’s for sure: there’s nothing glossy about Computer Chess. Shot in black and white, using old analogue video cameras that haven’t been manufactured in decades, cinematographer Matthias Grunsky achieves an aesthetic of low-tech glitch and grain. It’s a look that meshes perfectly with Bujalski’s screenplay, in which competing teams of polyester-clad programmers descend on a cheap hotel to pit chess-playing computer software against each other. Indebted to the mockumentaries of Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show), awkward exchanges and low-key absurdity are Bujalski’s comedic tools of choice. The stakes of the tournament are impossibly low, something that’s made all the more funny by how seriously the proto tech-geeks take it. In their off time, characters flirt clumsily with the comp’s sole female entrant, before retreating to their rooms to argue about the future of computing. One of many surreal subplots sees a contestant left without a place to sleep, his nocturnal odyssey eventually comes to a head after encountering the group of new-age self-helpers with whom the contest is sharing their event space. But beneath this cringe-inducing humour exists a sad and bitter heart. The ubiquity of computers nowadays has seen the geeks inherit the earth. But for the characters in Computer Chess, that is still the distant future. Outcasts, introverts and weird egomaniacs, these are men born before their time, with no way to assert their masculinity. No way, save for lines of computer code and those 64 black and white squares. As much as it is comedy, Computer Chess is also a treatise on isolation, social hierarchy and the crippling male fear of inadequacy. In a scene that exemplifies the movie as a whole, a virginal junior competitor is propositioned by a middle-aged couple. It’s hilarious, uncomfortable and tragic all at once.
Craft (formerly known as Craft Victoria) consistently puts on dynamic textile, craft and design-based exhibitions. It has established itself as the place to pioneer and support excellent designers, but is a lot more than just a gallery space. Regularly hosting artists' talks, education programs and housing a drool-worthy design shop filled with jewellery and gorgeous ceramic pieces, this place is a crafty little oasis of the inner-city. Now, from January 16 till mid-February, they are launching a new series of exhibitions — three sets of works featuring a diverse range of artists who all work with textiles and sculptural forms. Troy Emery's work from far away in Gallery One uses fabric to synthesise and amalgamate sculptures with handicrafts, creating a confusing clash between animals and creatures that are simultaneously alluring and dangerous. Gallery Two shows off husband and wife artistic team Lucy James and Kent Wilson (aka BONUS CARD) in their show Loom of the Land which features geometric structures reminiscent of tribal masks and traditional totem iconography. John Brooks new work Transgenesis in Gallery Three fuses soft sculptural forms with digital video technology, creating a play between real and imagined organisms. Visiting Craft is like stepping into an effortlessly cool apartment you'd much rather live in. Mosey on down to Flinders Lane any time in the next month to check it out, or head along on Thursday, January 16 for opening night drinks.
If nothing says 'festive summer fun' for you like war, post-traumatic stress disorder, a crumbling marriage and protracted torture, then The Railway Man is shaping up to be the perfect Boxing Day release. It's also a fair indication you should seek some form of medical assistance. Based on true events, The Railway Man tells the story of Eric Lomax — a WWII British signalman forced to work upon the infamous Burma line after the Japanese overran his base. Singled out for his role in fashioning a secret transmitter inside the prison, Lomax (Colin Firth) was subjected to extraordinary brutality and torture by his captors, the effects of which continued to torment him decades after the war's end; one conflict over, another unceasing. That second war — the private, unspoken anguish of his memories — isolated Lomax from his friends and family, including his new wife, Patti (Nicole Kidman). Even his fellow veterans refused to discuss their past; a code of silence borne as much from shame as fear. Events finally came to a head in 1980 when Lomax discovered his chief tormenter was still alive and working as a tour guide in the very complex in which he had dispensed his horrors, inviting in Lomax the possibility of long-imagined vengeance. Torture, particularly waterboarding, has become a recurrent theme in movies of late — a disturbing, confronting and just occasionally uncomfortably gratifying depiction of a very intimate savagery. The Railway Man contains several examples of this, and none are easily endured. They are, however, necessary — speaking to the heart of Lomax's condition and contributing to the extraordinary emotional impact of the final scene. As far as performances go, this is Firth at his softly spoken best. That trademark mix of schoolboy awkwardness and schoolmaster wit contributes to a beautifully nuanced character whose anguish and rage boil beneath the surface and are masked by a tight, asymmetrical smile. Kidman, too, is excellent as the wife determined to see her husband released from his pain, whilst Stellan Skarsgård brings a quiet menace to his role as Lomax's wartime friend Finlay. With much of the film taking place as flashbacks, the younger Lomax is portrayed by Jeremy Irvine, whose impersonation of Firth is eerily on the mark. For a film that covers some terrifically dark elements in excruciating detail, The Railway Man remains an overwhelmingly tender offering that won't feel at all out of place for the post-Christmas period. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ksrkKXoEJbM
Blindside Studio is arguably the backbone of Melbourne artist-run spaces, or at least a big-boned tibia. It has been instrumental in showcasing experimental artworks by some of Australia's best new artists, and those participating in this year's Summer Studio are no exception. The Summer Studio is an opportunity for two artists or collaborators to shack up in the Nicholson Building and create exciting new work. This year the work focuses on performative collaborations that utilise video art. Emma Collard, Cherie Peele and Natalie Turnbull will be occupying one of the gallery spaces with Fab(ricated) Lyf — a performative piece involving the creation of a makeshift living area out of unconventional objects. After building a bizarre lo-fi quasi-televisual stage, they will broadcast their artwork out of the studio via podcast and Google hangout. This will be complimented in the second gallery by Diego Ramirez and his work Happy Summer Tank as he transforms the space into a technicolour video studio in order to create a documentary on cosplay. All the artists involved will use audio-visual technology such as live-streaming and video-recording gadgetry, but head along to the artists' talk on Saturday, January 25 if you would like to hear more. Alternatively, opening drinks are on Thursday, January 23 from 6-8pm. The Summer Studio will run from January 21 to February 2. Image credit: Cherie Peele, Natalie Turnbull and Emma Collard via Blindside Gallery.
The creativity and highly imaginative storytelling that emerges from comics and graphic novels will be discovered, explored and celebrated in the Co-Mix exhibition at City Library this January. This month-long exhibition will feature past entries from the Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Award in the Graphic Short Story category, with works that range from the comical to the contemplative. The exhibition does not just demonstrate the exceptional talent of Melbourne’s storytellers, you the visitor are also encouraged to produce your own work. Join in on zine making workshops with the wonderful folk from the Sticky Institute, check out the Melbourne-made documentary Graphic Novels! Melbourne! or leave your mark on the Doodle Wall. Comics and graphic novels are an art form that is accessible and devoured by all ages, and a medium that never really goes out of style. It deserves to be recognised and celebrated, so grab a sharpie and see if you have what it takes to write the next Sin City, Ghost World, or Spiderman.
You know it’s summer when the Shadow Electric run their open air cinema in the Abbotsford Convent. Cult movies, ice cream and starry nights have never looked so good. Like us, the Shadow Electric crew are a bit overexcited about the prospect of warm nights and good times. But what shall we do until then? The Shadow Electric has come up with a killer plan. They are going to open the doors to the Shadow Electric Band Room. Running for 10 days and nights it will showcase 12 live acts in the lead up to the cinema kicking into gear. What can we expect from the acts? This weekend will bring with it Courtney Barnett on Friday, Palms & Bored Nothing on Saturday, and The Hello Morning on Sunday to round it all off. We love what they are putting down. Meet you at the Convent.
Melbourne Music Week (MMW) has once again delivered a delicious program of events to satisfy all musical cravings. With 110 events, 230 artists, in 60 different locations all over this musically gifted city, there sure is a lot to see over just 10 days. For lovers of local music, over 75% of the musical acts are from Victoria, which makes us both immensely proud and also excited to find a new favourite artist. There's heaps to get out of MMW this year; whether you want to find new music, rub shoulders with industry folk, or just party somewhere you might never get the chance to again. Have a look at our full run-down of events here.
In 1931, Harold Bell Lasseter died in a desolate corner of the outback while searching for a fortune he claimed to have stumbled upon years before. Or at least, that’s how one version of the story goes. The fantastical tale of a seven mile stretch of quartz reef filled with gold has lingered in Australian folklore, while its supposed discoverer has been alternately praised as a visionary and denounced and denigrated as a fraud. But more than eight decades later, one man still clings to Lasseter’s legend: his 85-year-old son Bob, who has spent the bulk of his life searching for the reef in the hopes of clearing his father’s name. A story of obsession and the allure of a tale well told, Lasseter’s Bones is directed by British documentarian Luke Walker, a young man who, like so many others, heard murmurings of Lasseter’s precious metal and came looking. Together, he and Bob follow the same track that Harold did, battling the same rough terrain and unflinching heat that slowly turned sceptical prospectors against the man who promised to make them rich. Bob and Luke prove a likeable if fairly unlikely duo — two men separated by generations but united by a single, common goal. But as the journey continues, Walker’s faith seems to wane, especially after discovering evidence suggesting not only that Lasseter never found gold, but that he may have faked his own death and escaped his investors to America. Ironically, while the theoretical purpose of a documentary is to expose or elucidate the truth, Lasseter’s Bones demonstrates how difficult — not to mention, how undesirable — that task can sometimes be. Even as Walker presents multiple versions of Lasseter’s story, it’s obvious which one he and everyone else prefers. After all, who wouldn’t want to believe that there really is gold out there, somewhere? That Lasseter never abandoned his family, but rather died trying to provide for them? That poor, kind, eccentric, optimistic Bob hasn’t wasted his life, all on the word of a charlatan? Lasseter’s Bones never gives us a solid answer. Rather, it suggests we might be better off believing the dream.
The lovely Finders Keepers traveling market is returning to the Royal Exhibition Building once more for their Spring/Summer edition. If you have a craving for colourful clay-beaded jewellery, speakers made from suitcases or some seriously snazzy stationary, there are over 150 stalls for you to peruse. As well as feasting your eyes on the fashion and homewares stalls, there will be food and coffee available to keep you sustained on your quest for treasure. Finders Keepers not only supports designer talent, but also those who are musically gifted, as there will be performances by Great Earthquake, Hello Satellites, Sui Zhen and The Weeping Willows. Our advice would be to get there early as it does get pretty packed very quickly. Also, take cash as there are no ATMs and it’s just the easiest way to get by. One last thing, entry to the Finders Keepers is now $2, so don’t forget to grab a gold coin or two before running out the door. Happy hunting!
The imaginative genius of Walt Disney meets the exceptional talent of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in bringing Fantasia to life. Selected clips from Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 will be screened in high definition, and the MSO will perform the memorable soundtrack under the direction of Associate Conductor Benjamin Northey. Musical performances will include The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Nutcracker Suite and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The haunting animation originally created by Walt Disney is heightened by the powerful musical treatment of the MSO, making this closer to a live performance rather than a cinematic experience. If you thought Fantasia was overwhelming as a five year old, just wait until you see (and hear) it like this.
Inca Roads is beginning to make a name for itself on the Summer festival circuit, with its heart in the right place and a lovely local line-up to boot. The festival runs for three days at ‘Nonno Frank’s Place’ and will house an audience of 500 for a weekend of frivolity. Inca Roads is all about good times and good deeds with proceeds from the festival going straight back into the community of Ballarat, various charities, and back into the festival to ensure it’s longevity. Similar to Meredith, it’s BYO and there's a 'no dickheads' policy — the rule that ideally should be applied to all music festivals. Unlike Meredith, it’s $145 and is located only 55 minutes out of Melbourne. The line-up includes the likes of Gold Fields, Northeast Party House, Willow Beats, Playwrite, Alta, 8 Bit Love and many other musical gems. Inca Roads describe themselves as "a place where everyone is a friend or a friend in waiting. Great people, an ego free zone." Hard to say no to that.
The Butler tells the story of Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker), an African American man who grew up on the cotton fields of the South only to then serve for decades as a butler in the White House. His tenure lasted from the administrations of Eisenhower all the way through to Reagan, and through his eyes director Lee Daniels shows us the intimate, unseen moments behind some of America's most turbulent periods. From Jackie Kennedy sitting alone, blood-soaked and weeping, to Richard Nixon foraging for snacks in the kitchen, Gaines dutifully tended to their needs — at once indispensable and yet imperceptible so as to not even seem present in the room. While presidents came and went, however, the issue of race relations remained ever-present and increasingly divisive in the United States, and it is that which forms the focus of Daniels' film. This subject is explored not just through Gaines' story as butler to those most possessed of the power to effect change but through his son, Louis (David Oyelowo), who became a passionate black rights activist, travelling on the Freedom Bus, working alongside Martin Luther King and even becoming a Black Panther. This use of concurrent plot lines occasionally hits home, most notably when a lavish state dinner at the White House is intercut with the infamous Woolworth's diner sit in, during which black customers were bashed and abused for ignoring segregated seating. More often, though, the White House scenes feel like they're from an entirely different movie; a cavalcade of celebrity impersonations ranging from the impressive (Alan Rickman as Reagan) to the outright bizarre (John Cusack as Nixon). Given the poignancy (if also Forrest Gump-esque convenience) of the son's civil rights vignette, it's tough not to feel The Butler would've been better served by excluding the presidents entirely, perhaps save for the occasional use of archival footage. Gaines is based on the former White House butler Eugene Allen, and in bringing him to life, Whitaker turns in arguably the performance of his career. He masterfully demonstrates the 'two faces' worn by African Americans during the decades of racial tension: one that's real, vulnerable and angry, the other that's designed to calm white people and keep them from feeling threatened. Oprah Winfrey also puts in a powerful performance as Gaines' wife — her first film role in 15 years since Beloved. Theirs is a marriage no less turbulent than the world around it, but its foundation is sound and their tenderness is genuinely moving through both the highs and the lows. Around them, the supporting cast is enormous, including Robin Williams, James Marsden, Cuba Gooding Jr, Lenny Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave and Terrence Howard. The Butler may at times stray into sanctimonious territory, even veering towards parody, but its honest depiction of some of America's darkest days and the performances by its leads make it more than worthwhile, delivering an ambitious, powerful and emotional two hours of cinema. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DUA7rr0bOcc
"When you see the movie Deep Throat, you are watching me being raped," Linda Boreman (aka Linda Lovelace) told a 1986 official inquiry into the sex industry. "It is a crime that movie is still showing. There was a gun to my head the entire time." When Deep Throat — one of the first 'skin flicks' to feature a plot and characters — hit cinemas in 1972, porn crossed over into the mainstream. Linda Lovelace, a willowy contrast to the voluptuous blondes that had dominated American erotica, with an out-of-the-ordinary capacity for fellatio, became the face of 'porn chic' and a symbol of sexual liberation. Eight years later, however, her third autobiography, Ordeal, revealed that her entry into the porn industry had been anything but a fling with freedom. Beaten, raped and threatened at gunpoint by her husband and manager Chuck Traynor, she was, she wrote, a prisoner "just as much as if I was in Alcatraz". While the creators of Deep Throat — possibly the most profitable feature film ever made — divvied up their $600 million, she limped away with just $1250. Lovelace, directed by the award-winning Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, tells the Deep Throat tale in two halves. The first is more or less the real-time, 'public' version; the second depicts the harrowing inside story of Boreman's private life. It's a structural decision with the potential to devastate. However, too much is given away in the former chapter to allow the latter to deliver the shock intended. We hear alarm bells ringing within the first ten minutes of meeting Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard), and it's obvious from the outset that the naive Boreman (Amanda Seyfried) is putty in his hands. That's not to say Lovelace doesn't have its disturbing moments. Sarsgaard, who did the parent-charming sleaze-bag so well in An Education, brings an unnerving edginess to the psychopathic Traynor, and Seyfried, a wide-eyed and prettier-than-real-life Lovelace, is believably vulnerable. Her severe Catholic mother, played by a hard-faced, domesticated Sharon Stone, so changed in the role that even Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein failed to recognise her, and her complacent father (Robert Patrick), succeed in provoking our frustration and anger. However, a simplistic script lets this strong cast down. The characters are drawn as types, demonstrative of one or two traits, lacking meaningful development. We walk away, having once again been witness to the exploitative nature of the porn industry and the horrors of domestic violence, but none the wiser when it comes to either their implications or the life of Linda Boreman. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HPJY-g-WoQo
For the latest exhibition at No Vacancy, 14 artists have been asked to create a print inspired by the famous quote by Bertholdt Auerbach: "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”. The resulting artworks will display the diverse interpretations of the phrase, where some artists focus on the words and the questions it raises, and others create their work intuitively. To learn more about each individual artists creative method, Ingrid Wilson has made a short film about the process of this collaborative project to accompany the series of prints, giving viewers a chance to look in on a typically private practice. The exhibition offers a fascinating insight into the many different creative interpretations that can be derived from one original thought. Artists featured include Alexis Beckett, Steph Bolt, Louise Donovan, Kate Gorringe-Smith, Deanna Hitti, Hilary Jackman, Mon Keel, Andrej Kocis, Helen Kocis Edwards, Roz Rogers, Andrew Sinclair, Anna Topalidou, Ingrid Wilson and Jess Wong.
Devised in residence at The Australian Tapestry Workshop, Yarn is an evocative, site-specific piece of theatre that combines physical performance with poetic language. The work was created by Lily Fish (Inside A Mime's Compact, Alone, Isobel and Installation A), a member of the award-winning Fringe favourites The Dig Collective, who tease apart the mythology of the past to ground old stories in the here and now. Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival here.
Ever-popular mod-Japanese spot Tokyo Tina is jumping into its next year of life with a bang, transforming its dining room into a party den to host its all-important fourth birthday celebrations, on Saturday, March 23. Guests are in for an all-inclusive, good times affair, complete with booze, tunes and plenty of the kitchen's signature eats throughout the afternoon. There'll be roving canapés, as well as a dedicated bao station slinging pillowy buns stuffed with punchy flavour combinations. Current Tina bao hits — like the crispy avocado and bulgogi beef rib — should give you some idea of what's to come in that department. Meanwhile, the yakitori grill will be firing up a poultry-driven menu of skewers, featuring quail, chicken skins and just about every bird in between. On top of that, you'll be able to enjoy free-flowing drinks (beer, bubbly and whisky highballs) and a party-ready soundtrack, with ample opportunity to belt out some of your own jams in a karaoke sesh.
It can be hard to keep up with the latest 'thing', but that's where we come in. Keeping you up-to-date with the best and most unique happenings in art, culture, design and technology is what makes us tick. And now we want to celebrate some of the people making these exceptional things happen — so we've partnered with Miller Genuine Draft to create the Miller Design Lab. Across six special nights, the Miller Design Lab will showcase projects from a bunch of creatives at Chapel Street's SoHigh Gallery, with food, Miller Genuine Draft and live music also on offer — and it's all completely complimentary. We'll be wrapping things up with an epic closing party on Saturday, March 30. The designer behind clothing label NANA JUDY is hosting the event — and the brand will be offering one lucky attendee a $1000 gift voucher to spend on its wares. Plus, Total Giovanni will be DJing on the night. The NANA JUDY x Miller Design Lab party will run from 7–10.30pm. We have just 25 double passes left to give away — to be in the running, enter your details below. And if you want to check out the rest of the Miller Design Lab events, head this way. [competition]714193[/competition] Follow @millergenuinedraftaus for more details.
UPDATE, August 26, 2020: Bumblebee is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. According to journalist and author Christopher Booker, there are seven basic story archetypes. According to the writers of the Michael Bay Transformers movies, there are none. Thank goodness, then, for screenwriter Christina Hodson, whose new film Bumblebee manages to be both a Transformers spinoff and a coherent story at the same time. This is, put simply, a franchise reborn. Rebooted. Resurrected. It dispenses with all the bombast of the Bay cacophony machine – the inexplicable explosions, one-dimensional characters and hyper-sexualised teenagers – in favour of a small scale story about a teen girl and her first car. Yes, a girl, and instead of miniature ripped shorts and extreme push-up bras, this one's prone to wearing grubby overalls, Smiths tour t-shirts and a spanner in her back pocket. Even better, her characterisation doesn't feel contrived: her late father was a grease monkey and fixing cars was their special father/daughter thing. Now that he's gone, it's all she has left. Played by Hailee Steinfeld, Charlie is an instantly appealing lead to get behind. She loves her family but feels detached and alone because of her reluctance to move on and accept the new man in her mother's life. She's independent, but not wealthy enough to forge a new life for herself. She's pretty, but not in the 'rich girl' way like the cruel queen bee from across town who torments her at every opportunity. When Charlie eventually finds Bumblebee, an injured alien robot hiding on earth disguised as an old yellow VW beetle, the instant bond they form is as touching as it is (strangely) believable. Together they will help each other find what they're looking for, with their bond far more integral to the story than the intergalatic robot war that provides the film its backdrop. Does that mean Transformers fans will feel shortchanged? Absolutely not. The opposite, in fact, because everything about Bumblebee treats its mechanical stars with the love and respect of someone who grew up watching the cartoons in the 80s (the film itself is set in 1987). The robot design and colour palette is admirably faithful to the source material, the voice work is spot on, and *that* sound effect (aka the transformation garble) is used with gleeful abandon. Even better, the action is entirely comprehensible, even at its most frenetic. Take nothing away from the Bay-era special effects – they were utterly groundbreaking. But there was just so much of it going on at all times that keeping track of who was fighting what became an exercise in nausea. In Bumblebee it's rare to see more than two transformers on screen at any one time, and the agile direction by Travis Knight allows you to enjoy every punch, blast and transformation. In the scenes involving the other human characters, principally John Cena's robot-hunting soldier Agent Burns, the story does tend to lose its momentum, flicking between goofy comedy and comic-book villainy without ever properly nailing either. Thankfully, though, the focus remains squarely on Charlie and 'Bee' for the majority of Bumblebee, and it's a better film for it. A delight in its own right, Bumblebee is also the perfect pivot point for a welcome franchise reset. On that front, the future looks bright. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcwmDAYt22k
After spooking participants in Queen Victoria Market in July, the unnerving Séance installation is returning to Melbourne. The big, white container — with dark curtains and black letters splashed across its side — is popping up at the Market for one last (terrifying) hurrah this January. If you're not familiar with the installation, and didn't have the chance to visit early this year, a word of warning: its aim is to mess with your senses. Participants take a seat inside the tiny space, put on a headset and are told to place both hands on the table. The lights go out leaving the container in absolute darkness and, for 15 uneasy minutes, participants are taken on an immersive journey led only by touch and sounds. Expect to feel confused, repulsed and struck with temporary claustrophobia. According to organisers, numerous participants bailed halfway through sittings during the recent Melbourne sessions. You're probably thinking that there's something dark or supernatural about the whole thing — and going by the name, we don't blame you. But the installation's organiser assures us that 'séance' is simply a French word meaning 'session' or 'sitting'. Did we mention that the velvet seats date back to 1913 and were pulled from an abandoned theatre? And so Séance is a sensory experience that looks at the psychology of both sensory deprivation and the dynamics of a group sitting together. It's a scary indicator of how easy it is for confusion, disorientation and information overload to affect our judgment. Artists David Rosenberg and Glen Neath of Darkfield (who have collaborated in other sensory deprivation projects before) are the creative masterminds behind the project, which has been described as 'disorienting' and 'deeply unsettling'. We're serious when we say it's not recommended for the claustrophobic, the easily frightened or those afraid of the dark. Séance will be held on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights between 6–8pm.
Fans of smoky agave spirits — and Mexican eats — should block out this Sunday afternoon ASAP, 'cause Mezcal Mini-Fest is heading back to Melbourne — for the second time ever. Smith Street eatery Hotel Jesus will once again host the festivities on Sunday, March 24. The evening will celebrate the spirit that — despite popular assumption — is more akin to whisky than tequila. It all kicks off from 1pm with a three-hour tasting session where you can try over 50 notable mezcals selected by Hotel Jesus and Mamasita. The tasting is free so we recommend heading there early to secure a spot at the bar. There'll be plenty of experts on hand, too, so you can find out what really is the difference between tequila and mezcal. There'll also be plenty of Mexican eats (to help line your stomach) available for purchase, as well as many rare mezcals by the bottle — so you can continue the good times back home. Mezcal Mini-Fest runs from 1–4pm.
The future of advertising is here. You see a billboard for beer. You walk up to it. You pull a lever. Voila — you now have a freshly poured brew in your hand. While you won't find this boozy marketing magic on every street corner any time soon, you will find it at Federation Square between 2–8pm on Saturday, February 2 and Sunday, February 3. It comes courtesy of Furphys, who've set up a 20-foot sign in the middle of the public space. And yes, it comes with a novelty-sized tap handle, which triggers the billboard to pour a glass of Furphy Refreshing Ale. Once you've grabbed a drink, you can also hang out in a designated area to enjoy your brew — and marvel about the wonders of technology, obviously. Given that Melbourne is in for some toasty temperatures this weekend, hitting 35 and 39 degrees respectively, a free cold one in the middle of the CBD is sounding extra refreshing
Christmas is behind us, summer is in full swing and the gifts are (mostly) forgotten, but that doesn't mean the part-tee is quite over. To keep the holiday feeling going, our favourite Pixar characters are popping up in St Kilda at a new mini golf course inspired by some of our favourite Disney films. After setting up its (temporary) home in Fed Square for a month in January, the kidult-friendly course is now heading to the St Kilda Triangle from February 15 till March 31. Designed to challenge both eight-year olds and adults, Pixar Putt features nine- and 18-hole courses that take you past childhood heroes like Buzz Lightyear, Sheriff Woody and Elastigirl. Hit a few balls with Darla and Marlin from Finding Nemo, and flick one past Princess Atta from A Bug's Life. No need for a trip to Disneyland. So, if you didn't beat your cousin at backyard cricket over the holidays, challenge them to a rematch at Federation Square in February. All you need is your hat and A-game (and no pressure if you remain defeated, there's always the nineteenth hole nearby). Pixar Putt is also open for after-dark sessions every Friday and Saturday night — and they're only for adults. Running from 7–10pm, the post-work putt-putt hours are perfect for those date nights when you want to do more than just have dinner and see a movie. Pixar Putt is open from February 15 to March 31, 2019, with tee-off times every 15 minutes between midday–8pm, Monday–Thursday; midday–10pm, Friday; 10am–10pm, Saturday; and 10am–8pm, Sunday. From 7–10pm on Friday and Saturday nights, sessions are for adults only.
Move over, craft beer — it's craft spirits' time to shine. Everyone's been to a day dedicated to the former, but on Sunday, March 31 you can spend an afternoon with all the whisky, gin and vodka you could ever want with more than 40 exhibitors and master distillers showcasing over 150 craft spirits at 2019's Indie Spirits Tasting. For the first time, the Indie Spirits Tasting folks are bringing their spirit celebration to Melbourne's Craft & Co for the type of event that whiskey, gin, rum, vodka and tequila-lover's dreams are made of. We'd keep listing different kinds of spirits, but we're getting thirsty. Tickets to each session — either 12–2.30pm or 3–5.30pm — are $59 and not only include samples of the best Aussie and international indie brands on offer, but free bar snacks plus access to seminars across the afternoon, too. And for those particularly eager, early bird tickets are available until February 15 for the discounted price of $38.
There are a lot of reasons to get your passport out and make the short trip across the ocean to Singapore — Universal Studios, Gardens by the Bay and the cuisine (several of its hawker stalls are Michelin-recommended). But perhaps the most exciting is the nightlife. To give you a little taste of what's on offer, Singapore Tourism is taking over a Melbourne bar for two nights and transforming it into a hub of Singaporean after-dark culture with world-class cocktails, food and music. The Albion Rooftop will play host to the Singapore Social for two blasts on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24. Stop by to sample some flavour-packed street food prepared by Masterchef 2018 winner Sashi Chelliah including chicken rendang, crispy skin pork and chilli crab sliders. Alongside these tasty bites, you can sip cocktails from two of Singapore's (and the world's) best bars. Vijay Mudaliar, owner of Native (ranked 13th in the world), and Luke Whearty, founder of Operation Dagger (ranked 23rd), have been flown out specially for this pop-up and will be slinging inventive mixes for $16 each. Some of the top-notch drinks on offer include Native's Forager's Garden, with gin, blue pea flowers, pandan kombucha and ginger, and Operation Dagger's Pork Soda, with vodka, roast pork belly, apple and creamed soda. Plus, don't think you'll be leaving without hearing some Singaporean bops, with two musicians providing the beats to accompany your eats — DJ KoFlow will perform at 9pm on Saturday and 3.30pm on Sunday, while singer Tabitha Nauser will perform at 9.30pm on Sunday only. Singapore Social will be open from 12pm on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24. Food will be served until 9pm (or until sold out) and cocktails will be available until midnight. For more information, head this way.
Sweet tooths, assemble. Pastry chef Pierre Roelofs and his team of wicked enablers are resurrecting their legendary dessert evenings, shattering our halfhearted plans to cut down on the sweet stuff. Oops. After five years at Cafe Rosamond in Fitzroy and a few pop-ups around the traps last year, Roelofs' dessert extravaganzas are making a return to Collingwood's Mina-no-ie in 2018. The cafe will turn all things sweet for three nights in February — which are all sold out — and three nights in May. Luckily, there's still spots left for the latter. If you haven't been to an evening before, you can expect a four-course degustation — the catch being that all four courses are dessert. The menu is top secret and changes every time. We can tell you that previous evenings have involved ridiculous concoctions of mascarpone, strawberry, honey, orange, cardamom and speculaas, as well as a deconstructed bread and butter pudding served in one of Roelofs' famed dessert test tubes.
If you're a Harry Potter fan keen to relive the wonder of your favourite book-to-film series, you don't need to cast a spell or wind your time turner to get some wizarding fun. Pottermore, Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and The Cursed Child might've followed the original franchise, but JK Rowling's boy-who-lived and his pals are never far away from a big screen — or a concert hall. After doing the honours with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it's hardly surprising that this piece of prime movie and music magic for muggles has now turned its wand to the third flick in the series. Across November 8–10, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be heading to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the film screening while the score is played live by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Prepare for John Williams' Oscar-nominated music to echo through your ears as you watch Harry, Hermione, Ron and company meet Sirius Black, realise that they shouldn't believe every dark tale they hear, learn something new about their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and tussle with Peter Pettigrew. That means dogs, wolves, rats and Dementor's Kisses are all part of the action, plus Buckbeak the hippogriff, and trips to The Leaky Cauldron and the Shrieking Shack. It's arguably the best movie in the series, as directed by a pre-Gravity Alfonso Cuarón, and it's certain to prove even more enchanting with live music. We've said it before and we'll say it again — will sell like pumpkin pasties, so get in quick or spend eternity griping about it like some Moaning Myrtle-type character. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ — in Concert will run from Thursday, November 8 to Saturday, November 10. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit the MSO website.
Abbotsford's Aviary Hotel are again teaming up with the folks from Young Henrys for their latest Backyard Boogie – and this one looks like a doozie. Kicking off at 3pm in the venue's sunny beer garden, this epic Sunday sesh will see PBS' Rick Howe, Mohair Slim and Miss Goldie serving up "the best and rarest reggae-blues-soul-rocksteady-funk-titty shakers you've ever heard". Now that's a hell of a promise. In additional to the tunes, there'll be all sorts of drinks specials, including $6 pints of Young Henrys Newtowner and $5 tinnies of Young Henrys Cloudy Apple Cider, plus 2 for 1 espresso martinis to keep you dancing. The backyard barbecue will also be firing, because you deserve to make the weekend last as long as it possibly can.
Melbourne's iconic street art scene is about to be outdone. Over three days this April, the township of Benalla in northeast Victoria will be hosting one of Australia's largest street art festivals. The annual Wall to Wall Festival, now in its fourth year, will bring together 20 a (gender-equal) lineup of local and international artists to create new murals around the town. Along with the live painting will be an exciting program featuring various workshops, guided street art tours, a cinema, after-dark projections and a work from Adnate in a church of the small town of Goorambat. You'll also be able to unleash your inner Banksy by participating in the Paint by Numbers community mural, which entails the creation of a permanent, large-scale town mural with the help of one of the festival's artists. Image: Nicole Reed.
Jump on the #19 tram and head up to Sydney Road as the Brunswick Music Festival returns for its 30th year. This year's lineup is an absolute cracker, with more than 40 shows across two incredible weeks, featuring artists from all across the city, the country and the world. The needle drops on Sunday, March 4 with the Sydney Road Street Party, a massive event with more than 200 artists performing across six stages, plus market stalls, food and more. Other standout events on this year's program include the inaugural High Tide Pool Party on Sunday, March 11. Djs, live performers and synchronised swimmers will take over the Brunswick Baths for a day of tunes and dance. There'll also be an International Women's Day concert on Thursday, March 8 — featuring a lineup of local and international female singers — and a host of music-led talks, workshops and dance parties. For the full Brunswick Music Festival program, go here.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo has unveiled its 2018 lineup. Taking the large-scale music festival out of the city and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on Friday, April 27 in South Australia and travel through Maitland, Townsville, Bendigo and Canberra before finishing up in Bunbury on May 12. This year sees local talent new and established taking the stage, with the lineup spanning up-and-comers like Alex Lahey, Baker Boy and Winston Surfshirt right through to favourites Flight Facilities and Australian legend Paul Kelly. International talent like Portugal. The Man, Royal Blood and Duke Dumont will make their way to the Moo too. Here's the full lineup. GROOVIN THE MOO 2018 LINEUP Alex Lahey Aminé (USA) The Amity Affliction Baker Boy Ball Park Music Claptone (Ger) Confidence Man Cosmo's Midnight Dean Lewis Duke Dumont (UK) Flight Facilities Grinspoon Lady Leshurr (UK) Mallrat Ocean Alley Paul Kelly Portugal. The Man (USA) Public Service Broadcasting (UK) Royal Blood (UK) Sampa The Great Skegss Superduperkyle (USA) Tkay Maidza Vera Blue Winston Surfshirt Image: Jack Toohey.
One moment Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is the pride of Russia. The next, she's being bundled off to "whore school". They're her words, all but spat at the shady uncle (Matthias Schoenaerts) responsible, and they say plenty about Red Sparrow. She's a Bolshoi prima ballerina cut down in her prime by envious colleagues, he's a high-ranking honcho with one of the country's intelligence agencies, and their entire relationship consists of him exerting power over her with a lecherous glint in his eye and no qualms about resorting to violence. Unfortunately, this muddled and murky film is all too happy to follow his lead. With her dancing dreams dashed and the her mother's (Joely Richardson) health insurance under threat, Dominika has little choice but to take her uncle's career advice. After agreeing to meet a suspected traitor and bearing witness to his assassination, her only option is to become a 'Sparrow' — a highly trained spy enlisted to seduce and manipulate using everything at her disposal. When she's subsequently put into the field to procure the name of a Russian mole from an American CIA agent (Joel Edgerton), our heroine is quickly forced to give her new skills a workout. Thanks to Lawrence's typically committed and uncompromising performance, Dominika possesses an indefatigable air and quite the formidable stare. But Red Sparrow isn't an ass-kicking female-driven flick in the vein of Atomic Blonde, Haywire or La Femme Nikita, or even the action spin on Black Swan that it nods to in its name. Nor is it a pulpy revenge story, an icy espionage thriller or a rousing tale of a victimised woman using her feminine wiles not only to survive, but to bring down the system that's stacked against her. Based on a novel by retired CIA operative Jason Matthews and directed by three-time Hunger Games helmer Francis Lawrence (no relation), the film is simply a routine array of predictable twists packaged with a particularly problematic approach. Specifically, there's nothing empowering or entertaining about a movie that constantly wears its heroine down just because it can. Red Sparrow tries to frame its treatment of its protagonist as an example of an entire country's corruption ("your body belongs to the State!" Dominika is told in one of the film's more blatant moments), but that rationalisation fails to convince. At the same time, the screenplay touches briefly on themes ranging from toxic sexual politics to the treatment of women in the workplace, but that social commentary falls flat as well. It's hard to take seriously any statement on the objectification and exploitation of women when your female protagonist spends most of the movie being raped, beaten, pushed around and bled dry, often while naked or close to it. Frequently, it feels like Red Sparrow is putting Lawrence in the same situation as Dominika, using her for the audience's gratification. Still, Red Sparrow does have some saving graces — all of which come courtesy of the film's stacked supporting cast. There's Charlotte Rampling as Dominika's no-nonsense trainer, Jeremy Irons as a slippery Russian general and Mary-Louise Parker doing some excellent drunk acting. A better movie could be made about any of their characters, and mightn't need to include cringeworthy dialogue like "the West has gone weak, drunk on shopping and social media!" As we see demonstrated again and again, that kind of overcooked writing really does speak volumes about this troublesome film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFpJAIy-cow
She was once one of the most famous movie stars in the business, with an Oscar to her name and roles in everything from It's a Wonderful Life to Oklahoma! to The Big Heat. But in 1981, Gloria Grahame (played here by Annette Bening) was worlds away from her '50s Hollywood heyday. Preparing to take to the UK stage in a version of The Glass Menagerie, she collapsed in pain just before the curtains opened. Refusing medical treatment, Grahame instead asked to recuperate in Liverpool, at the family home of her younger ex-boyfriend and local actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell). Adapted from Turner's memoir of the same name, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool doesn't play shy with its narrative. Even for those unfamiliar with this particular chapter in tinseltown's history, there's no prizes for guessing where it's all heading. And yet, much like the movie's multifaceted protagonist, first appearances soon prove to be misleading. Grahame was known for her brash femme fatales in the days of black-and-white cinema, but her on-screen persona only told part of her story. Directed with period flair and eye-catching scene transitions by Paul McGuigan (Victor Frankenstein), the film that charts her final years likewise does more than just combine a tear-inducing tale of sickness with an unlikely romance. Both love and illness feature prominently in Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, with Grahame and Turner's time together unfolding in flashbacks while she's convalescing under the care of his mother (Julie Walters). In sequences from their early days together, she's spirited and sultry, and he's instantly smitten — whether they're trading lines to help her rehearse, catching a showing of Alien, or enjoying a sensationally seductive disco session in her London living room. Later, as she tries to ignore her worsening condition, she's defiant and he's doting, even as her impending demise hangs between them. From these contrasting glimpses, a touching portrait forms not only of a fading star, but of a fascinating, complicated woman and an equally intricate relationship. As such, those eager for a full rundown of Grahame's career would do well to read up before (or after) they hit the cinema. Matt Greenhalgh's latest celebrity-focused screenplay (after Control, Nowhere Boy and The Look of Love) is more a character study than a cradle-to-grave biopic, evoking a entrancing sense of the actress' presence and personality rather than dwelling upon her work. In Grahame's contemplative backstage moments, her flirtatious looks and her all-round fighting spirit, the film serves up a multi-layered portrayal of a multi-layered figure. In doing so, it says as much about its subject as it does the industry's disdain for ageing, and society's lack of regard for older women in particular. With all that in mind, it's hardly surprising that Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool benefits enormously from Bening's stellar performance. Despite missing out on well-deserved awards acclaim for both this and last year's 20th Century Women, the four-time Academy Award nominee just keeps going from strength to strength. Digging beneath glamour and vanity, and painting Grahame as vibrant and vulnerable all at once, Bening's work makes it easy to understand why Turner melts in her company. For his part, in his best role (and with his best dance scene) since Billy Elliot, Bell delivers a tender and textured performance. But when Bening shines, the whole bittersweet film shines with her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnE7jdOfp3E
The Conservation Ecology Centre of Cape Otway has some very worthy green goals, and you can help the environmental organisation get a little bit closer to fulfilling them — you'll just have to offer a set of hands this weekend. Running yearly, the Great Otway Tree Plant aims to re-green Cape Otway for the local wildlife, providing homes and habitats for future koalas and birds and protecting the ones that are already there. You can make a weekend of it, too — Bimbi Park has offered up its grounds, and all volunteers can camp there for free. There will also be a meal served on Saturday evening for those giving up their time to put a little green goodness back into the world. But, really, knowing you're making koalas safe and happy is enough of an incentive in itself. Before you head down to the Otways, make sure you RSVP here.
For one day only, Melbourne Town Hall will become the city's must-visit shopping spot, especially if you're keen to pick up some pre-loved and vintage threads. From 10am-5pm on Saturday, June 16, the Australian Red Cross will be bringing a treasure trove of clothing and accessories to the CBD spot, as part of their 2018 pop-up shop. Expect outfits, shoes and more for women, men and kids alike — including ace secondhand wares, pieces donated by fashion bloggers and new designer pieces. And expect your wallet to thank you, because there's nothing like secondhand prices. And, as always, shopping with the Red Cross doesn't just help restock your wardrobe — it also helps those in need, with the proceeds going towards the organisation's ongoing work. Entry is free, and we'd recommend arriving early to scope out the best finds.
Bangarra Dance Theatre's new work Dark Emu is an exploration of the relationship between Australia's Aboriginal people and the land — and their extraordinary knowledge of Australia's plants, animals, landforms and climate. It's also a portrait of the harrowing impact European settlement had on this bond. The show takes inspiration from Bruce Pascoe's nonfiction book of the same name, which covers the complexities of indigenous farming, fishing and landcare techniques. "Before colonisation, Aboriginal people were one with the land and respect for earth, sky and ocean was central to life," says director Stephen Page. "We want to make people aware of the strength and resilience of Aboriginal people and celebrate their profound knowledge of agriculture and aquiculture, which belongs at the epicentre of Australian history." Coming to Arts Centre Melbourne from September 6-15, Dark Emu is Page's 25th project for Bangarra. In putting together the 70-minute, four-part show, he worked closely with dancers and collaborators Yolande Brown and Daniel Riley, as well as the Bangarra troupe. Image: Daniel Boud.
