Liquor lovers, prepare yourselves for a spirited affair at Cumulus Up in Flinders Lane. Coming to the CBD bar at the end of February, the Spirit Fair will celebrate some of the finest Australian small batches in the business. If you're looking to whet your whistle, this is the perfect place to do so. Set to take place from midday until 4pm on Saturday, February 23, the event will cater to drinkers of every persuasion. While the lineup has not yet been announced, last year's event saw the likes of Fire Drum Vodka, Four Pillars Gin, Applewood Distillery and best whisky in the world winners Sullivans Cove. And yes, your ticket entitles you to a taste of everything on offer — as well as a welcome drink on arival. You'll also get the chance to chat with many of the distillers about the best way to enjoy the boozy fruits of their labour. That's assuming you can string two words together, of course. Snacks from the Cumulus Up kitchen should help soak up some of the alcohol, with your ticket including one dish — either a slow-roasted suckling pig roll or the bar's signature confit duck waffle. Images: Harvard Wang.
Feeling an urge to witness some rollicking rock 'n' roll? Sydney dudes Gang of Youths will sort you out. Earmarked with that buzzed-up title of 'ones to watch' last year when they formed, Gang of Youths have since played a sizeable bunch of headline shows, tangled amongst support gigs for the likes of The Jezabels, Frightened Rabbit, Vampire Weekend and most recently Foster the People. The ferocious five-piece are back this month with a few more dates up their sleeves for the riff-starved, showing off their latest single, 'Poison Drum'. In the accompanying music video, Gang of Youths power through the colourful streets (and supermarket aisles) of LA armed with their instruments and some succulent-looking noodles. Did we mention they're yet to release their debut album? Fear not, Gang members. Recorded with Kevin McMahon (The Walkmen, Real Estate, Titus Andronicus), the group's first LP is in its final stages and due for release sometime this year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yqi2dT5rRtw
Brisbane-based circus outfit Company 2 presents a dark and quirky new work at this year's Melbourne Fringe. Created and performed by David Carberry and Chelsea McGuffin, who'll be joined on stage by circus artist Alice Muntz, Sediment draws inspirations from Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, and aims to bring into focus humanity's natural curiosity. This circus-dance hybrid will be accompanied by a live original score performed on a number of unusual instruments, including crystal bowls, a theremin and a typewriter.
Since selling out two of Sydney's Oxford Art Factories in less than ten 10 minutes back in January, Foals have relased their third studio album, Holy Fire — a sweeping follow up to their sophomore effort Total Life Forever. Holy Fire is an uninhibited mix of emotion and instrument, and should give Yannis Philippakis and the crew plenty of juice with which to fuel their notoriously savage live sets. But while it doesn't stray far from Foals' addictive sound, a blend of riffy math rock and danceable electronics, the album does sound more cohesive than anything the band has released previously. Tickets for Foals Palace Theatre show go on sale Monday, 18 March at 9am. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_PMvjmC6M
So, we survived the whole of White Night, and we were pretty smug about it. Just when we thought there was no cultural event we couldn’t conquer, The 24 Hour Experience announced itself. And if you’re thinking that means 24 hours of arts happenings around locations in Melbourne, you’d be right. Break out the caffeine and Red Bull, stat. From noon on March 29 until noon on March 30 a handful of Melbourne locations will be transformed into living artworks with 24 shows spanning the city streets. Think the State Library, the Magistrates’ Court, Melbourne City baths, Malthouse Theatre, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Princes Bridge, the Queen Victoria Gardens and of course more. Intimate and experiential works characterise the whole experience, and audience members will be drawn on from time to time. Things will kick off at noon on Saturday with an interactive wheelchair based navigation of Melbourne’s CBD. Gather at midnight in Federation Square where a series of videos explore changing states and passing time will ring in the new day. At 11am on Sunday, the last show will begin. In the Alexandra Gardens audience members will be given a mobile headset, listening to pre-recorded love scenes from undisclosed movies as they watch two actors interacting with one another. The show demonstrates our ability to project love narratives onto any situation. What a romantic ending. If you buy a 24-hour pass, you’ll be given the inside scoop on food and drink and possible napping locations. 12-hour passes are available for those who prefer sleeping between art excursions. See the website for more details.
We all know that the Mornington Peninsula is home to stunning natural wonders and hidden gems, but let's not forget about its booming industry of local talent. Packed with artists, designers and sustainable entrepreneurs, as well as brewers and winemakers, the Peninsula is a place ripe with creativity. To showcase this talent, Stoker Studio is bringing back its giant Design & Drink Market on Saturday, November 11, showcasing creative talent and craft bevvies. Head along from 11am–3pm and you'll discover all that area has to offer in terms of small-batch and sustainable products, as well as local cheeses, craft beverages and artisanal spirits. A plethora of stallholders will be there to tempt your wallet, including wares from Everwear Denim, Boatshed Cheese and Kate Bowman Ceramics. You can also expect live music, local DJs and great vibes suitable for the whole family (including the pups). Attendees are asked to come with some spare change as entry is via gold coin donation, with the proceeds going to Project Kick It. Top images: Yves Eyes Photography.
Keen for a relaxing Sunday session at the sauna? Well, this Melbourne Design Week you can do just that — sort of. This weekend, a prototype 'sauna' in the shape of a translucent white cabin will pop up at Fairfield Amphitheatre. Atmosphere is 24-hour design experiment that looks at the long-standing social tradition of going to the sauna and how it can have a place in our community. It will see a sauna suspended on an opaque body of water, with misty hot steam filling the floating structure. Visitors will be encouraged to enter the sauna and immerse themselves in the space, which will offer a variety of sensory experiences both inside and outside the structure — the program includes performances, soundscapes, tea ceremonies, scented infusions and 'mindfulness experiences'. Participant interaction with the installation will form the basis for this social research experiment, which will examine how a sauna-like environment can affect the dynamics of a communal space. The experiment hopes to demonstrate a form of public design that enhances shared wellbeing, which the creators see as a potential 'antidote' to the heightened anxiety and social isolation of our time. What about the sauna makes it a beneficial community space for so many cultures? That's what this collaboration between local creative practices Fresh Prince, Collective Futures and Studio RJM hopes to discover. The installation aims to improve communal welfare through the design of shared spaces, starting with this sauna prototype. The exhibition will open in the Fairfield Amphitheatre on Sunday, March 17 from 9am-5pm. All booked sessions have unfortunately sold out, but access to the sauna is open to the public from noon until 1pm and between each scheduled session.
Two men stare directly at the screen and tell their stories. Their expressions are open, their tone is matter-of-fact, and they speak of fact, not fiction. They are Palestinian Mosab Hassan Yousef and Israeli Gonen Ben Yitzhak. The tales they share start on opposite sides of the still-raging Middle East conflict, but don’t end there. Modest and unassuming perhaps best describes writer/director Nadav Schirman unfolding of a narrative that could easily furnish a Hollywood blockbuster. The director recognises, however, that the most powerful plots speak for themselves, presenting his film largely unadorned and unembellished. No bells and whistles, nor fancy footage or special effects, dress up a scenario already simmering with thrills and suspense. As the duo interweave their versions of events into one complete, complementary account, Schirman offers sparing glimpses of archival, re-enactment and surveillance vision as a break from talking heads — but in The Green Prince, it is the truth that matters, not the packaging. Mosab is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of Hamas’s co-founders and most outspoken leaders. Gonen Ben Yitzhak was a Shin Bet agent for the Israeli military, charged with cultivating intelligence and recruiting informants. When the former was a teenager, filled with anger at the treatment of his father in fighting for a cause he believed in, he was detained and approached with an offer to assist the other side. The latter was his handler during much of his decade-long stint colluding with the enemy. Mosab’s nickname in his undercover work: 'The Green Prince'. As the Errol Morris-style documentary relates their combined experiences, it focuses on the micro rather than the macro; this is a film about the impact of lives lived in the war-torn climate, and the deeds done in the name of survival, rather than the broader circumstances. Accordingly, the feature hones in on shame and subterfuge as recurring themes — the fear of disgrace that fuels actions and attitudes on both sides (most notably in driving Mosab to betray his upbringing and struggle with the aftermath) and the duplicity employed by him and Gonen alike. Plenty of questions are raised in The Green Prince, and never does it make the mistake of pretending to present all the answers. To say the film never satisfies is to recognise the unease that drives its real-life details, as Schirman astutely captures. Perhaps the inevitable fictionalised movie version will bring everything together neatly; reflecting actuality, the documentary couldn’t, shouldn’t and doesn’t.
It is 1988, and 15 years since president Salvador Allende committed suicide as Pinochet's military jets bore down upon the Chilean presidential palace. Under international pressure, Pinochet has agreed to determine his future by referendum. A 'yes' vote will see the continuation of the torture and 'disappearances' that have characterised his reign (today, over 1000 Chileans remain missing). A 'no' vote will mean the restoration of democracy. For four weeks, each side of the campaign has a daily 15-minute television segment with which to win over voters. Enter advertising creative Rene Saavedra (Gabriel Garcia Bernal). A composite character pieced together by director Pablo Larrain and scriptwriter Pedro Peirano, he has been raised outside of Chile by his exiled father and is expert at conjuring up slick commercials designed to sell Western-style products. It takes some convincing for socialist politician Urrutia (Luis Gnecco) to shake Rene out of his apolitical apathy and get him on board the no campaign, but once he does so, the action begins in earnest. No derives its dramatic tension from two sources: the intersection of advertising propaganda and political rhetoric, and the difficulty of reconciliating the private life with the public. The no campaigners believe that their aim is best achieved through graphic reminders of Pinochet’s brutalities, so Rene must convince them of his strategy: to present post-dictatorship freedom as one would a shiny commodity — symbolised by a rainbow logo, communicated by the slogan 'Happiness Is Coming', and accompanied by a jubilant jingle. Simultaneously, he must navigate his emotions over the departure of his wife, a hardcore activist who sees her husband as lacking courage and conviction. Bernal approaches Rene's character with an enigmatic composure, conveying his conflicting traits through subtleties — standing stock still amidst an erupting crowd upon announcement of the referendum results, or tearing up in silence as he walks away from his wife's door. Larrain's exploration of the power of advertising is not without its ironies. On one hand, we celebrate Rene's backing of justice; on the other, the success of his commercial-style simplification of a complex political situation is disturbing. Larrain touches on this uneasy contradiction through staccato stabs of humour, masterfully interwoven with darker moments. It is worth noting that a recent New York Times article revealed that the film has attracted criticism in Chile for downplaying the significance of the grassroots movement to the no campaign. Seeking an aesthetic reflective of the period, Larrain recorded No with a 1983 U-matic video camera. Flares and flashes are included deliberately. Archival material blends seamlessly with contemporary footage. Some may find this approach a little self-conscious, and it's certainly not pretty, but the intention is to transport viewers back in time. The third feature in Larrain's filmic study of Chile, No is a triumph, historically and dramatically. Sure, its verisimilitude may be questionable, but its study of at least one aspect of the referendum that toppled Pinochet is compelling.
Next to scoffing our weight in chocolate, one of our favourite things about Easter in Victoria is heading to Bruzzy’s farm in Tallarook for Boogie. Trade your coin for Boogie bucks, bring a beanie, BYO for when the bar closes, and let the good times roll. This year’s lineup, as per usual, has a little something for everyone and a healthy dose of emerging acts. From the USA, there's Pokey LaFarge, Justin Townes Earle, Tony Joe White and Strand of Oaks. Closer to home, some local hell-raisers we’re looking forward to include Drunk Mums, The Murlocs, ScotDrakula, The Peep Tempel and the brilliantly named Fuck The Fitzroy Doom Scene. For all the Bollywood fun times, check out The Bombay Royale, or hit up Los Chicos for some Spanish vibes.
A critical darling and the winner of numerous awards at festivals around the country, Yana Alana is used to baring her body as part of her daring cabaret performances. But this year at Melbourne Fringe, she's baring her soul instead. Yana Alana Covered will see Alana take to stage fully clothed with her regular band The Paranas, singing songs made famous by the likes of Shirley Bassey, Gnarls Barkley, the Scissor Sisters and Nina Simone. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
Do you live and breathe art but feel totally fed up with not being able to afford things to adorn your sad, white walls? With the first ever Supergraph: Contemporary Graphic Art Fair coming to the Royal Melbourne Exhibition Building this Valentine’s weekend — yep, we just made it an entire weekend of love — all your woes are about to disappear. A celebration of art and design in all its lovely forms, Supergraph aims to display leading artists alongside the best emerging talent, while making sure these limited edition works are available for every taste and budget. With a program that also includes drawing throwdowns and expert masterclasses, this explosion of paper and cardboard might just be the most fun thing to happen to you all year. For more information, check out our interview with Director Mikala Tai.
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 in 2019. Oops. After five years at Cafe Rosamond in Fitzroy and a few pop-ups around the traps, Roelofs' dessert extravaganzas are making a return to Collingwood. This time, however, they're taking place at Terror Twilight. The cafe will turn all things sweet for three nights in February, May, August and November. Luckily, there's still spots left for all of them — for now. We suggest snapping some tickets up quickly, these babies sell like hotcakes (or, should we say, like dessert-filled test tubes). 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. Tickets for the dessert feast will set you back $75 with non-alcoholic beverages able to be purchased separately on the night. To book your spot (quickly) head to the website. There are two sittings for Pierre Roelofs' dessert evenings each night: 7pm and 8.40pm.
Recently relocating to Windsor, the MARS gallery has undergone a renovation and the first artist to occupy the main space of the new gallery is Australian sculptor Jud Wimhurst. A year and a half in the making, the Safe/Sound exhibition features a series of handcrafted helmets, which Wimhurst constructed in his iron-shed studio in Kyneton. He utilises the helmets to grapple with notions of security and safety — the helmet signifying the false sense of security that comes with physical protection. The use of literal props is not uncommon in Wimhurst's artistic approach with previous exhibitions featuring objects such as skateboards and guns to make statements about consumerism, pop-culture and design.
Wesley Enoch directs Black Diggers, a new play written by Tom Wright that uncovers the contribution of Aboriginal Diggers to Australia’s First World War effort. Featuring an all-male, all-Indigenous cast, the play draws upon extensive consultation and recent research to bring to light some truly exceptional stories of heroism forged out on the battlefields of Gallipoli, Palestine and Flanders. Marking the eve of the centenary of WWI, the piece aims to share an overlooked moment in Australian history. Following its acclaimed world premiere at the Sydney Festival and a highly successful run at Brisbane Festival, Black Diggers is presented here by Arts Centre Melbourne and the Queensland Theatre Company, of which Enoch is the artistic director. It's a powerful piece of theatre that was nominated in the recent Helpmann Awards for Best New Australian Work.
Dave Graney has described The Murlocs as "a bunch of teens who got that 'Nuggets' sound that so many strive so hard for, so absolutely perfectly". Fans use words like 'tasty', 'maddogs', 'digganittt' and 'nifty' to express their admiration. However you articulate it, these boys, who hail from Victoria's surf coast, have come a long way since making their debut public appearance at the Piping Hot Chicken Ship in Ocean Grove. The Hoodoo Gurus invited them to performance at the inaugural Dig It Up! Festival in 2012, and with two EPs behind them, they're now about to tour with new single 'Rattle the Chain'. "Shot guns raise towards my window sill, I've been told they shoot to kill," wails lead singer and harmonic player Ambrose Kenny-Smith, who says he grew up "brainwashing" himself with his father's blues collection. It seems to have done the trick - his vocal delivers an authenticity that one doesn't hear too often.
True crime and Cluedo collide with the launch of CluedUpp in Australia. The interactive detective game is coming to Melbourne on Saturday, November 23, and brings the classic board game to life on the streets of the city — with a slight twist. The outdoor adventure will take you back to 1960s London to solve the double murder of the famous Kray twins. While the Kray twins were very real, very notorious British gangsters, they were not murdered IRL, just in this murder mystery. Forget Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the study, this event will bring you and your friends closer to reality and out onto the streets to solve the case. The game will kick off at a secret Melbourne location at 10am and, depending how good of a detective you are, will finish between midday and 2pm. The best news of all, however, is that the event is dog friendly — and there are prizes to be won by both human and canine detectives. All you need to play is some friends and your phone. Dressing up as 1960s gangsters is encouraged, so you can really get yourself into character. A ticket will set you back $65 per team of six, but you only need two humans to play. With only 100 teams available, get in quick for your chance to solve the mystery.
The last few months have seen Melbourne caught in the throes of David Bowie fever – so it's little wonder that the Fringe Festival is getting in on the action. Complimenting the massive David Bowie Is exhibition at ACMI, this late night party at the Fringe Club in North Melbourne is the perfect excuse to whip out the face paint and dance. Musician, comedian and Bowie fanatic Geraldine Quinn will headline a long list of guest performers, in a psychedelic celebration of all things Ziggy Stardust. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
In a city of great food, no Melburnian is hard-pressed to find an excellent feed. But as the battle of the cost of living crisis rages on, it is getting harder and harder to find an affordable one. Enter Melbourne Quarter, the inner city precinct that has heard our cries for a reasonably priced feed and is answering them with MQ Eats and Beats. From Tuesday, April 2 until Tuesday, April 30, Melbourne Quarter retailers will be offering $10 meals and offers to any and all diners alongside a pop-up MQ Beats Diner soundtracked live by local DJs and edible giveaways (while stocks last) across the dates of Thursday, April 4, Wednesday, April 10, Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 24. Those $10 deals include either the Dandenong Grammar beef burger or the divine Patrice chicken burger from Royal Stacks, vegetarian or spicy Salsiccia Ragu arancini from family-run salami and panini bar Saluministi, two hand rolls with a miso soup or bottle of water from Sushi Sushi, a coffee and danish of your choice from Peddler and much more. And, the best news? You can go in the running to win* a one-night stay at Hotel No, plus a Saluministi breakfast package and a restaurant voucher to Garden State's popular (and colourful) Italian restaurant, Tippy Tay. For more information on MQ Eats and Beats or to view the terms and conditions of the giveaway, visit the website. *Terms and conditions apply
A raw and defiant portrait of femininity through movement, Sara Pheasant's No Punchline immediately jumps out as one of the most intriguing circus shows at this year's Melbourne Fringe. Combining rope, pole and trapeze work with an "evocative soundscape" and the intense physicality of boxing, the hour-long show features six circus performers alongside Oceania Bantamweight Champion Bianca 'Bam Bam' Elmir. 'Bam Bam', incidentally, might be the most perfect boxing nickname we've ever heard. Get ready to rumble. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the other nine here.
By now, it's probably been a good, long while since you last enjoyed an IRL booze tasting. And we can't think of a better way to make up for those lost months than having a crack at breaking the Guinness World Record title for the world's largest gin tasting. Yes, that's an actual thing that's happening this Sunday, November 22, at more than 60 distilleries and gin bars across the country. Helmed by online gin hub and retail store Gintonica, the record attempt will aim to see thousands of Aussies simultaneously enjoying an afternoon of tastings and other gin-related revelry. The world record is currently held by the Brits, who managed to wrangle a crowd of 796 gin-lovers back in 2016. If you fancy being a part of Australia's attempt this weekend, you'll find a handful of Melbourne venues getting their gin on, including Brogan's Way Distillery in Richmond, the CBD's Little Lon Distilling Co, and Patient Wolf's new South Melbourne HQ. Pick a favourite, nab a $75 ticket and head along for the ride. Not only will you experience an expert-led tasting of three craft gins with a selection of StrangeLove tonics, but you'll score a commemorative Spanish style 'Copa de Balon' gin glass, 30 percent off your next Gintonica order, and a host of other offers and discounts from your favourite gin brands. There'll be various other happenings unfolding at each venue, and you'll receive an official certificate of participation to prove your boss-level gin aficionado status, of course. [caption id="attachment_753566" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Patient Wolf by Dean Schmideg[/caption] Gintonic Ginormous Gin Tasting runs from 3–5pm. Image: Patient Wolf by Julia Sansone
Each year the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art offers up some of the country's brightest emerging talent on a platter, commissioning a series of original work that captures the diversity of contemporary practice. Now that ACCA have given such an enormous amount of support to these young artists we get to swoop in and reap all the benefits with a fantastic free showing of all their work. Danae Valenza and Kenny Pittock are just two of the artists presenting work in NEW14. Valenza works primarily in music, often collaborating with artists across other forms to explore a notion of “visual musicality”, while Pittock has won numerous awards for his self-aware brand of painting. Even more impressively, Pittock claims to have once used his left foot to kick an apple through a basketball ring from half court. For the exhibition, Valenza is creating a colour organ out of a grand piano and coloured lights, with accompanying photographic “portraits” of the performances played on it; Pittock will showcase a large number of drawings and videos of Melbourne passengers in transit. Get along and spot yourself looking bored on the 112 tram! NEW14 will be overseen by veteran independent curator Kyla McFarlane from the Centre for Contemporary Photography, and other artists on show include Taree Mackenzie, Charles Dennington, Daniel McKewen, Andrew Hazewinkel and Jelena Telecki. Image credit: Taree Mackenzie, White Light Shadows: Circles (detail) 2014. Courtesy of the artist.
One of several sporting events on offer throughout Midsumma, Battle on the Bent Track sees teams from Queensland, Victoria, NSW, ACT, SA, WA and New Zealand duke it out in Australia’s only queer roller derby tournament. The Battle’s an offshoot of the Vagine Regime Australia, an international queer league founded in 2008. As well as enjoying a sport that’s high-stakes and fiendishly difficult you’ll be supporting the Regime’s work with LGBTI charities, with an afterparty to boot! This show was one of our top picks for Midsumma 2014, see our full list here.
The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And it's just in time, too. To save Melburnians from these blustery days, they'll be churning out 31 hot chocolate flavours over 31 days. Eight new flavours will be introduced each week of the month, so make sure you plan your visit(s) carefully as to not miss out on the best. Fan favourite flavours like chocolate brownie and Nutella will return to this year's menu, along with the iconic Slam Dunk — a cinnamon and honey hot chocolate topped with skewers of mini doughnut balls. Highlights of this year's new flavours include The Wagon Wheel, topped with marshmallow and jam chocolate-coated biscuits, and the Hot Gaytime — a combination of caramel toffee and milk chocolate, topped with crushed honeycomb and served with a vanilla ice cream popsicle. The Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery created 6000 hot chocolates last year alone, so newcomers can trust they know their way around this winter-warmer. You can book a 45-minute tasting session, which includes a sample of eight hot chocolates for $18.
Getting engaged isn't meant to be bloody, but that's how Fair Play starts: with joy, love, passion and bodily fluids. What is and isn't supposed to happen is a frequent theme in writer/director Chloe Domont's feature debut, an erotic thriller set both within the heady relationship between Emily (Phoebe Dynevor, Bridgerton) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich, Oppenheimer), and also in the slick, fast-paced, high-stakes world of New York finance — familiar territory for its Billions alum filmmaker, who also has Suits and Ballers on her resume. The blood arrives via a bathroom tryst at Luke's brother's (Buck Braithwaite, Flowers in the Attic: The Origin) wedding. He pops under her dress, she has her period, he drops the ring that he was going to propose with, she says yes, and next they're betrothed and fleeing out the window to go home. Staged to feel woozily, authentically romantic, the occasion seems perfect to this head-over-heels pair anyway, even if it leaves their clothes stained. Yes, Domont is playing with symbolism from the outset. Lust isn't a problem for Emily and Luke, clearly, but they've become experts at keeping everything about being together away from work out of necessity. The duo each chases big dreams at the same hedge fund, which has a firm no-dating policy for its employees. So, when they wake up, dress and step out the door the next day, they go their separate ways to end up at the one place — and Emily's finger is glaringly bare. Then something that they've both been hoping would happen does: a portfolio manager sitting above their analyst positions is fired. Next comes a development that they've each felt was meant to occur, too, with the word spreading around the office that's led by the icy Campbell (Eddie Marsan, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) and his yes-man flunkey Paul (Rich Sommer, Minx) that Luke is in line for a promotion to fill the new vacancy. Domont and cinematographer Menno Mans (Forever Rich) want viewers to watch Dynevor and Ehrenreich closely within Fair Play's glossy, steely frames, with the film taking on the cold and corporate hues of its main office setting, and also peering at its leads slowly and carefully. This isn't a strict two-hander, but frequently plays that way — and observing Emily and Luke's every reaction is crucial. One case in point: when Emily receives a 2am phone call from her higher-up Rory (Sebastian De Souza, Pixie), has no choice but to agree to his command that she meet him at a bar, but finds a life-changing conversation with Campbell over a whisky awaiting instead. Here's another: Luke's reaction when she returns home with stunning news for her, but a revelation that he visibly thinks wasn't meant to happen. That climb up that ladder is hers, not his, and he'll be working beneath her. Dynevor and Ehrenreich each possess a savvy talent for cycling through a storm of clashing emotions in mere seconds — and making the swift change feel not just understandable but believable — as Fair Play captures unblinkingly in its pivotal moments. She can go from dutiful to determined, caring to calculating, and cautious to confident; him from loving to withdrawn, supportive to passive-aggressive, and charming to menacing. Emily and Luke's relationship changes just as swiftly, its steamy days fading into sexless territory all thanks to that coveted job. Resentment seeps from Ehrenreich's pores, and exasperation from Dynevor's. Fair Play doesn't neatly box either Emily or Luke into easy categories, however. When everything shifts in an instant, the film's excellently cast stars ensure that viewers see every iota of complexity. At each point from popping the question onwards, the same proves true, and not just frame to frame and scene to scene. Domont's Sundance-premiering feature — Sundance bidding war-sparking picture, too, selling to Netflix for $20 million after getting the film festival buzzing — soon becomes an erotic thriller without that much physical slipping between the sheets. While the look is pure now and Donna Summer's 70s classic 'Love to Love You Baby' gets the soundtrack started, there's an 80s and 90s air to the movie, recalling the genre's heyday. That said, this isn't Fatal Attraction (which was just remade as a TV series, and reframed) or Disclosure meets Wall Street. Rather, the entire flick thrums with the heat and charge between its two protagonists, knowing that its psychological duel is all the more knotty because sex, intimacy and love are involved, while also pulsating with the pressure and stress of its high-rolling realm. The tension is palpable and unrelenting, as aided by Brian McOmber's (Hail Satan?) nervy score. Fair Play doesn't pretend that gender power imbalances don't exist in workplaces otherwise, beyond couples mixing the professional and personal in a cut-throat world and keeping it clandestine. Indeed, it shows that fact, too, and in grim detail. It's there in the salacious whispering by the other male analysts about how Emily got the job from, the strip club drinks and flat-out calling her a "dumb fucking bitch". This isn't a film that's afraid of getting uncomfortable. Fair Play also effortlessly carves into this wealth-chasing field's general soullessness, including with golf clubs being swung around in anger, public dressing-downs and humiliating begging. Still, it never escapes notice that square at the picture's centre sits the type of guy that's doting, encouraging and a dream until he doesn't think that he's on top. There's no one that's perfect in Fair Play's gaze, as its main performances superbly portray — the ever-reliable Marsan is also chillingly effective — but how men react to women doing well earns extra attention. Seeking power, losing it, trying to retain or reclaim it, forcing it back in the absolute worst way possible: this all bubbles up as well, and viciously. As the gripping film unpacks sexual politics in the workplace, it lays bare insecurities, jealousies and infuriatingly age-old rumours. Domont's movie is sharp, even when it's obvious. It's assured from its libidinous start to its increasingly lurid end, and riveting — even if it's never as gleefully OTT as its genre was famously known for back when Michael Douglas (and only Michael Douglas) would've been playing Ehrenreich's part. Fair Play screens in select cinemas from Thursday, September 28, and streams via Netflix from Friday, October 6.
In 2013, three women escaped from a home in Cleveland, Ohio, then shocked the world by revealing they'd been kidnapped and kept prisoner by one man for over a decade. It's hard not think that their harrowing tale may have played a part in the conception of writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller, Split, which begins in a very similar fashion. Three young girls, all in their teens, are drugged and abducted in broad daylight outside of a shopping mall, only to wake up imprisoned in a bunker with no idea where they are, who took them, or why. That is, until they meet Dennis. Played by James McAvoy, Dennis is a cold, meticulous and physically brutal force. He's nothing like Patricia, the matronly British lady (also played by James McAvoy), who assures the girls they'll not be touched or harmed in any way. Then there's Hedwig (played by...James McAvoy) who's just a small boy who loves to dance to Kanye, and Barry (James McAvoy) a fashion designer constantly reassuring his shrink that everything's under control and…well…you get the idea. Rest assured though, this isn't some sort of Eddie Murphy costume romp where he's playing every character. Rather, McAvoy plays a collective of 23 distinct personalities competing for 'the light' within the body of one man named Kevin. Within this extraordinary case of DID (dissociative identity disorder), some personalities want the girls freed, whilst others appear to be preparing them for the arrival of the yet unseen 24th identity which they refer to only as 'the beast'. The burden of carrying the film, unsurprisingly, sits almost exclusively with McAvoy, whose performance more than rises to the challenge. Shyamalan actually filmed each of Kevin's identities as though they were portrayed by a different actor and the technique absolutely pays off. Each one feels different, and you soon think of them accordingly. Some you fear, others you warm to and none feel at all like the man playing them. The other performance of note comes from Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch). Introduced as a loner from the opening scene, Casey resists the others' suggestions of attempting an escape in favour of befriending the more approachable identities within Kevin, sparking additional conflict within an environment already dripping with tension. Taylor-Joy's a terrific actress with a long future ahead of her, and it's her scenes with McAvoy where Split is at its best. Filmed almost entirely in extreme closeups – a device that leaves audiences wondering what unseen menace might be lurking just off screen – McAvoy's unpredictability keeps the levels of menace high, while Taylor-Joy's enormous, soulful eyes speak volumes when words aren't (or can't) be spoken. Ever since The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan has been plagued by the expectation that his films will feature an unpredictable twist, a promise on which he's been mostly unable to deliver. Depending on your perspective, the finale of Split either sheds itself of that expectation entirely or doubles down and hits you with something even larger. Maybe it's both. Either way, the end result is almost certainly Shyamalan's best film since his breakout; a welcome return to form and an exciting precursor to whatever comes next. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84TouqfIsiI
In 2023, for the 11th time, the wondrous cinematic world of Wes Anderson will expand. The beloved filmmaker's latest release Asteroid City is set to zoom into Melbourne picture palaces midyear, complete with all of the writer/director's trademarks — a star-studded cast, a quirky setup, symmetry aplenty and pastel hues all accounted for. And, it arrives just two years after The French Dispatch finally made it to screens in 2021. So, that's Anderson's new movie, plus his most recent one before now — aka what you're next eager to see from him, and likely what you last watched from his filmography. Because you can never have too much of a good thing from this filmmaker, 2023 is also delivering a retrospective of his work at Palace Westgarth: In Focus: Wes Anderson. On Thursday nights from Thursday, May 4–Thursday, June 22, cinema lovers can enjoy Anderson's distinctive visual stylings, compelling soundtracks and roster of familiar faces, with the venue playing seven of his flicks across the program's run. First up, catch the Jason Schwartzman-led hit Rushmore, then dive into the family dramas of The Royal Tenenbaums and wear matching tracksuits to The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. There's also the stop-motion animation delights that are both Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs, because no one does animated cute critters like Anderson. And, The Darjeeling Limited is here with its chaotic train trip, too, plus the exceptionally cast The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch as well. Each session starts at 8pm, with tickets costing $10 for Palace Movie Club members and $15 otherwise.
Forget every "find someone who looks at you" meme you've ever seen. When it comes to gazes that'll make you dream of being adored in the same way, Loving just can't be beaten. Jeff Nichols' latest film is affectionate by name and by nature, and so is its central couple. From the moment that the movie opens with the life-changing words "I'm pregnant", Mildred (Ruth Negga) and Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton) are clearly head over heels. The looks that they direct at each other at every chance possible, make the extent of their feelings obvious. Neither gets weak at the knees; they're not that kind of people. They easily could though, as could those of us sitting in the audience. Of course, for anyone who has seen Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud or Midnight Special, it won't come as a surprise that Nichols pays such keen attention to their glances. As he's demonstrated in all his films over the past decade, he's a filmmaker who trades in intimate tales that bubble with big emotions. What's more personal, devoted and overflowing with feeling than sending a yearning look someone's way or silently locking eyes? As you watch Negga and Edgerton watch one another, you'll know the answer: nothing. Indeed, as Nichols' delves into the details of the Lovings' real-life romance, it's soon apparent that his quiet, patient approach really couldn't be more appropriate to such an important story. Falling in love in the segregated state of Virginia in 1958 where interracial marriage was against the law, the pair made history with their fight to be together. That said, despite the threats of imprisonment and legal persecution, Loving isn't a big, fist-pumping courtroom drama, although it probably would've been in lesser hands. Instead, taking its cues from the couple at its centre, it's a contemplative, considered, sensitive and sincere account of a relationship attacked from the outside, but never under threat from within. That leaves Negga and Edgerton with a considerable task, though it's one they achieve with the same grace and tenderness that marks the movie from start to finish. Nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, Negga imbues Mildred with growing resolve — not about her marriage, which she never doubts, but about doing what she needs to live the modest life she wants with her husband. One of the many pleasures of the film is seeing Mildred grow more and more confident about taking action against inequality, and witnessing Edgerton's hard-working, plain-spoken Richard grow increasingly enamoured with her passion. They never discuss this, and they don't need to. As with everything in Loving, it's all there in their eyes. Throw in Nichols regular Michael Shannon in a brief but memorable part as a photographer, plus Nick Kroll leaving his usual comedic antics behind in his roll as a civil rights lawyer, and Loving couldn't be more convincingly cast. Add honeyed tones that layer the film's gentle sights with a warm glow, and it couldn't look any better, either. Both help make a subtle yet sweeping effort even more rich and resonant. Ultimately though, it's in conveying the power and significance of Mildred and Richard's love that Nichols' latest movie really shines. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7YeyiNVHXY
Charisma forgives many sins. In film, especially, it can gloss over just about everything, from a dull storyline to glaring plot holes. Even terrible dialogue can be salvaged if the person delivering it has enough personality. And right now in Hollywood, there is no greater force of personality than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The man is a strategic reserve of charm, sweating out more charisma in a 20 minute gym session than most people possess in a lifetime. Alas, not even he can save Rampage. Based on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, Rampage is another entry into the Big Dumb Fun genre – except for the fact that it's critically lacking in Fun. Like the source material, the movie's story centres upon several animals being exposed to a genetic editing vapour that rapidly transforms them into giant, city-destroying monsters. Chief amongst these creatures is George, an albino gorilla rescued from poachers and raised by his protector, Davis Okoye (Johnson). It is during this duo's few quiet, tender moments that Rampage is at its strongest, giving the story heart and Johnson his only decent lines ("The poachers shot at us, and missed. I shot back…and didn't"). Mostly, though, Rampage is a movie about people shooting at massive monsters and those monsters fighting back. To be clear, blockbusters like this have their place. Kong: Skull Island, the original Pacific Rim and the most recent Godzilla film are three fine examples of the genre done right. They each embraced their absurd premise and treated it with the same care and consideration you'd see in a period drama, offering their audiences fleshed-out characters, coherent stories and dialogue that does more than simply tell us what's happening (or what's about to). In Rampage, on the other hand, nearly every piece of key character information is literally read off a tablet in a single scene, while the scientific and technical jargon is crammed into a few ludicrous sentences that no human would ever actually say. It's the laziest form of writing and embraces every cliché in the book, from TV news reports conveniently filling in plot gaps, to the absurd corporate villains spending most of their time simply explaining to each other what they're doing as if all of their years of prior planning somehow came together without an actual discussion. In the lead role, Johnson does his level best to keep things grounded, but finds himself consistently hampered by braindead dialogue that rarely rises above "dude this" or "bro that" (at one point he actually gets shot in the gut only to reappear moments later and pass it off by suggesting it "probably missed all of his vital organs". He then comfortably pilots a helicopter, flirts with the girl and sprints through collapsing skyscrapers). Naomie Harris, for her part, has one sincere bit of backstory that briefly elevates the plot into something compelling, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan (another charismatic powerhouse) can't be accused of holding back in his wildly over-the-top performance as the Texan cowboy turned secret government agent. Their combined scenes at least give Rampage some degree of credibility – although whatever good work they do is fast undone by Malin Åkerman and Jake Lacy as the inexplicably villainous villains high up in their penthouse office. Rampage is a movie about big things tearing down buildings, and that's fine. But unless you're made to actually care about the people inside those buildings, then the stakes are about the same as watching toddlers stomp on sand-castles: pretty soon you just want the tide to come in and wash it all away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coOKvrsmQiI
It's time to press play for Melbourne's new, biannual celebration of video art, which will officially occupy our screens and streets from September 18-21. Directed by Jessie Scott (Tape Projects), Rachel Feery (Short Play) and Eugenia Lim (Assemble Papers), with program input from Ghita Loebenstein (Speakeasy Cinema), this artist-led collaboration provides an opportunity for more than 70 Australian and international video creatives to interact with a diverse audience, through a program of screenings, talks, workshops and forums. Highlights of the three day program include Memory Screens: an exploration of the convergence of live and on-screen performance by artists Hannah Raisin, Emile Zile, and Salote Tawale; the Video Art in the Internet Era forum which examines the field of video art within a world dominated by smartphone technology; and the Videodromes closing party: a feast of audio-visual performance, projections, installations and good tunes. Channels will kick off with an opening party at Screen Space on September 18.
When The Simpsons first found its way into viewers' hearts, it also made its way to the top of the charts. Yes, back in 1991, 'Do the Bartman' hit number one in Australia. Both before and since, the hit animated sitcom hasn't shied away from crooning a tune or two — and if you've now got "Dr Zaius, Dr Zaius, ohhhhh Dr Zaius" or "Who holds back the electric car? Who made Steve Guttenburg a star?" stuck in your head, then you know what we're talking about. The show has sung many a song, and also released many an album — and it's 1997's Songs in The Key of Springfield that's in the spotlight at this Melbourne show of the same name. One night. One huge record. So many catchy songs. That's what's on the agenda from 8pm on Saturday, September 28. Sing along to everything from 'Can I Borrow a Feeling?' to 'See My Vest' to 'We Put The Spring in Springfield' as they're performed live by Boadz. Tickets cost $15 online, with the tunes going down at The Toff in Town.
After closing out this year's Melbourne International Film Festival, one of this year's big Sundance hits is making its way to Australian cinemas next month, and the Lido is marking the occasion in the appropriate fashion. Starring Awkwafina, The Farewell tells the tale of a family who gather around their beloved matriarch when she's diagnosed with terminal cancer, but decide not to tell her so that she can enjoy what time she has left. If that instantly makes you want to spend more time with your own nanna, the Melbourne venue not only wants you to bring her along to see the movie — it'll let you do so for free. That's what this BYO grandma advanced screening is all about. Buy a single $21.50 adult ticket, and nab another one for your nan without spending a cent. You do need to select the appropriate package on the cinema's online ticketing page — and your gran will need to present a valid seniors card, or equivalent, when you collect your tickets — but that's all there is to it. Make a date in your diary for Saturday, August 24, with a free afternoon tea on offer from 1.30pm and the film kicking off at 2pm.
Maybe you've always wanted to hone your artistic talents, but have never found the right opportunity. Perhaps you have fond memories of your high school art classes. Or, you could find drawing the human form an expressive outlet — or simply just want to learn a new skill. Whatever your motivation, Melbourne's Ladies of Leisure is hosting Life Drawing Sunday Sessions that'll satisfy all of the above aims, all in a cosy, sunny room with a body-positive model. Even better — it doesn't matter how much practice you've previously had, or even if you've had none at all. Similarly, whether you own a whole stash of art supplies or don't know where to start, you'll still be in the right spot. Melbourne and Los Angeles-based artist Lani Mitchell will guide you through the process, with the freestyle drawing session celebrating creativity, flow and finding new perspectives. The class will also provide all the materials you'll need. Three more sessions are scheduled for August, at 2.30pm on Sunday, August 11, 18 and 25. The classes run for 90 minutes, and nabbing a $25 ticket asap is recommended — the last batch proved popular. Image: Bri Hammond.
It's safe to say Gami Chicken & Beer has secured its status as one of Melbourne's go-to fried chicken joints, slinging its signature, Korean-style chook from 16 locations across the city. After opening in Chadstone late last year, it's about to launch its seventeenth Melbourne spot, opening in The Glen Shopping Centre this week. And, to celebrate, Gami is giving Melburnians a few very good reasons to jump on board, handing out a whopping 1000 pieces of its boneless fried chicken — for free. These fried chicken morsels — RSPCA-approved and rocking Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices — will be up for grabs from 12pm and again from 4.30pm, on both Thursday, August 8 and Friday, August 9 at the new location. The chain has yet to mention any restrictions, such as one piece per person, so we suggest heading in with an empty stomach. Once you're hooked, you're probably going to want to schedule a return visit pretty quick, to try other Gami favourites like the chicken spare ribs, the vegetarian chicken and the aptly named Potato Heaven, featuring three layers of cheesy potato goodness — all paired with beer from Brunswick brewery Thunder Road. Gami will giveaway 250 pieces of fried chicken giveaway at 12pm and again at 4.30pm on both Thursday, August 8, and Friday, August 9.
The end of winter is finally in sight. To farewell the (hopefully) last moments of chilly weather, Hanoi Hannah is making sure Melburnians stay warm until springtime with its new Soup Series. Every Monday in August, the beloved Vietnamese chain will roll out two new soups that move away from the well-trodden pho and give patrons a less frequented taste of the cuisine. The deal is available at two Hanoi Hannah outposts: New Quarter in Richmond and Elsternwick Vol. II. Each venue will launch a different soup each Monday and the dish will be available at the respective restaurants throughout the week, then reset with a different soup come the following Monday. The first week's selection, launching on Monday, August 5, includes an especially tasting sounding bun rieu in Richmond, which is pork, crab and noodles in a tomato broth topped with braised pork rib. Over in Elsternwick, the series will kick off with bun thang, a northern-style vermicelli dish with shredded egg, chicken, pork and pickled mushrooms. The Hanoi Hannah Soup Series is available at the New Quarter and Elsternwick locations for the month of August. Keep an eye on Instagram for weekly updates. Images: Karina Patten
The Bastille Day weekend might see some Melburnians scoffing French cheese, croissants and Champagne, but if you like things a little more fiery, make a beeline for some modern Indian eats at Hawker Hall. This winter, the Windsor food and beer hall is backing up its usual pan-Asian hawker fare with a limited-edition 'Little India' menu, helmed by new head chef Nabila Kadri. On Saturday, July 13, she'll be joined by Mischa Tropp (We Are Kerala, The Rochey) to deliver a flavour-packed lunch feast that celebrates their respective Indian backgrounds. For $49.50, you'll enjoy a shared spread of modernised classics, including onion and chickpea pakoras, persimmons matched with chilli salt, and curry leaf and turmeric-spiced chicken pastry parcels. Dig into mains like Mischa's mum's stir-fried coconut cabbage and a slow-cooked Keralan-style beef curry, then cool things down with a few crisp Kingfisher beers or wines by Avani. This one's a one-off, lunchtime-only affair, with bookings available from 11am. Tickets include all your food, while drinks are available from the bar.
Melbourne's newly opened independent cinema Thornbury Picture House is teaming up with Four Pillars Gin for a mini booze and film festival. On Thursday, July 25, the 57-seat High Street spot is hosting a double bill of The Fog and Suspiria paired with Bloody Shiraz gin cocktails. For the uninitiated, the former is an 80s supernatural horror flick by John Carpenter (Halloween) set in a fictional Californian coastal town. The latter, is Dario Argento's spooky and bloody 77 Italian masterpiece, which has recently been remade by Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino. To pair with these dark cult flicks will be The Nightshade, made with Four Pillar's highly coveted Bloody Shiraz gin, Campari and carrot juice. The screenings kick off at 6.30pm and 8.20pm but we suggest you get there a little earlier for drinks and to hear the pre-film entertainment: local band Tangerine Green. Tickets are $18.50 for each flick. Image: Nicole Clear
When Peninsula Hot Springs unveiled its revamped facilities last year, the acclaimed Fingal spot added something extra exciting — especially if you're keen to pair your soak with some entertainment. At the Mornington Peninsula getaway's outdoor Bath House Amphitheatre, you can now not only relax in the 39-degree geothermal pool in the evening air, but direct your eyes at a movie on the big screen while you're there. The Peninsula Hot Springs bathe-in cinema is all about getting blissful in warm water while watching movies that explore themes of connection, nature and laughter. A different film plays at 7.30pm every Friday night until October 4, and it's a smartly curated lineup — you can giggle at The Dish under the stars, embrace the waves with Whale Rider, enjoy the classic boy-and-pelican friendship of the original Storm Boy or take The Castle straight from the pool room to the pool. Even better — catching a flick is included in the regular Bath House bathing price, which'll set you back $45 per person.
2019 is nowhere near over, but it has already been a standout year for South Korean cinema. Not only is Bong Joon-ho's Parasite one of the best films of the year — and one of the most talked about — but it earned the Asian nation its first Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival. No wonder director Bong was greeted by a crowd at the airport when he arrived back from the south of France after the glitzy event. Parasite is also one of the movies on this year's Korean Film Festival in Australia lineup; however the smash hit isn't the only great flick on offer between Thursday, September 5 and Thursday, September 12. If you're keen to dive deep into the exciting and eclectic films produced by the country — which celebrates 100 years in the movie business this year — then you're in the right spot. Screening at The Capitol Theatre, this year's KOFFIA features everything from blockbusters to indies and dramas to comedies, but recent favourites you might've missed elsewhere. Catch cop flick The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil before it's remade in the US; laugh at body-swap comedy The Dude in Me, revel in Korean War tap-dance musical Swing Kids, giggle at the undead with The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale and see the lighter side of law and order with Extreme Job — or step into tensions with North Korean in The Spy Gone North and explore a real-life tragedy with Birthday. And, while you're feasting your eyes on all of the above, you'll also help commemorate KOFFIA's huge 10th year.
It has been a couple of years since The Jungle Collective first started taking over Australian warehouses and slinging plenty of plants, all thanks to its huge sales in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. These leafy excuses to fill your home with greenery always have a bit of a celebratory vibe, and its next Melbourne outing is all about ramping that up a few levels to mark the outfit's second birthday. Gorgeous green babies will be the main attraction — and there will be more than 150 varieties of them, too. It's happening twice, across the two days of Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13. Going by previous sales, you'll be able to pick up everything from fiddle leafs and monsteras to giant birds of paradise and rubber trees, as well as many ferns and hanging plants. You'll also be able to shop for designer pots, get expert advice from the horticulturalists onsite, listen to jungle tunes and even nab a $5 discount if you wear something birthday-themed, such as a hat, shirt or badge. It's all happening at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, Abbotsford, with sessions held at 9am, 10.30am, 12pm and 2pm on Saturday, plus 10am and 12pm on Sunday. While entry is free, you'll need to secure a ticket from Monday, October 7 to head along.
Twenty years after releasing their ninth and most celebrated record, The Soft Bulletin, Oklahoma rock legends The Flaming Lips are heading back Down Under. They're coming to Melbourne to play the highly acclaimed album in full, as well as some of their greatest hits. Taking over Hamer Hall as part of Melbourne International Arts Festival, The Flaming Lips will bring their signature technicolour shows to life two nights. Expect elaborate costumes, confetti cannons and even neon unicorns to fill the stages as the seven-piece band performs hits such as 'Waitin' for a Superman', 'Race for the Prize' and 'A Spoonful Weighs a Ton'. Released in 1999, The Soft Bulletin is widely accepted as the band's greatest album, named by NME as the Album of the Year and by Pitchfork as a 'masterpiece' and the third best album of the 90s. As well as playing this seminal album in full, The Flaming Lips will also perform some of their other greatest hits, including 'Do You Realize??' and 'Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1'.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Melbourne for four days this September. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find thousands of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 50 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Phillip Lim, Lanvin, Romance Was Born, Isabel Marant, Stella McCartney, Kenzo and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every person for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am–6pm Thursday, 9am–8pm Friday, 10am–6pm Saturday, and 10am–5pm Sunday.
Since making her movie debut as "girl in a blue truck" in Dazed and Confused, then popping up in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel, Renee Zellweger has enjoyed quite the career. She belted out a tune on a rooftop in Empire Records, told Tom Cruise that he had her at hello in Jerry Maguire and became everyone's favourite romantically challenged Briton in three Bridget Jones flicks. Then, she razzle-dazzled her way to an Oscar nomination in Chicago, before nabbing a coveted statuette for Cold Mountain. It's an impressive resume. So, when we say that Judy may just be Zellweger's best work, we don't make that statement lightly. Stepping into a famous figure's shoes might be one of acting's most difficult feats, especially when that person is cinema royalty, but Zellweger doesn't ever feel like she's just impersonating Judy Garland. Rather, she wears Garland's ruby slippers as if they're her own — and they fit perfectly. Technically, because Judy is set in the year leading up to the eponymous star's death, Zellweger doesn't literally don that iconic pair of footwear, with the film enlisting newcomer Darci Shaw to do the honours in flashbacks to Garland's teenage years. Zellweger doesn't need glittering shoes to inhabit the part, though; with nuance and intensity simmering through her performance, she shines brighter than any jewel-toned item of clothing ever has. While the aforementioned leaps back into the past show where Garland started, the expectations placed upon her and the destructive impact of her showbiz childhood, Judy spends the bulk of its duration in 1969. Garland is 46, with more than four decades of experience to her name, but she's scrounging for work. Deemed unemployable by Hollywood's insurance agencies, which nixes her cinema stardom, The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star Is Born talent sings and dances through touring stage shows instead. Both broke and homeless, she's trying to provide for two of her children (Bella Ramsey and Lewin Lloyd). So, when she reluctantly takes a long series of gigs in London, it's largely to earn enough cash so she doesn't have to keep travelling away from her kids afterwards. Given the above state of affairs, plus years of using prescription pills to stay awake and to get to sleep (and drinking as well), Garland isn't in prime physical, emotional or mental health during Judy's period of focus. Remaining in the public eye since she was two has clearly taken its toll, understandably. And, while Garland knows this, she's addicted to the thrill of being in the spotlight — and she has an ego to with it, too, as her interactions with her British minder (Jessie Buckley) demonstrate. Still, what a joy it is to spend time with Zellweger's version of Garland, and not only when she's wowing crowds while strutting across the stage. In an always hypnotic, often heartbreaking portrayal that illustrates the star's on-stage strength and behind-the-scenes sorrow in tandem, Zellweger turns every scene into a revelation. Watching as Garland dotes over her youngest offspring, attends a party with her twenty-something daughter Liza Minnelli (Gemma-Leah Devereux) and falls swiftly for her fifth husband (Finn Wittrock), viewers see the yearning heart of someone who just wants to love and be loved in return. In her messier moments, of which there are many, we feel the kind of aching pain that all the cheering fans in the world can't fix. And, when she's crooning a greatest-hits collection from across her career — including 'Get Happy' and, of course, 'Over the Rainbow' — we understand why she keeps doing what she does even when it's almost killing her. For existing Garland aficionados, the result is like trotting down the yellow brick road — you can bask in all the glorious details you've ever wanted, while also getting a glimpse behind the curtain at the stark reality behind the magic. And if The Wizard of Oz is your only real frame of reference for Garland, Judy wholeheartedly explains that the now-80-year-old classic was neither the beginning nor the end of her tale. Accordingly, in adapting stage musical Over the Rainbow for the screen, director Rupert Goold (TV's The Hollow Crown) and writer Tom Edge (The Crown) have hit the biopic jackpot. There's a sense of formula at work in Judy's storytelling, as can happen in showbiz portraits, but it captures its subject in a winning way. And, come next year, Zellweger will likely be winning plenty more awards for her efforts — for such a captivating performance that does justice to a legend, she deserves to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C61wB6DTwiA
On the hunt for some fresh reading material? Or maybe you're keen to get a jump-start on that Christmas present shopping? Either way, you're sure to find a few winners at the Penguin Random House annual charity book sale. The event's 2019 edition descends on Collins Square's Walker Lane on Thursday, October 24, offering a smorgasbord of literary delights and all for an excellent cause. Entry to the mammoth sale is by gold coin donation, which, along with proceeds from the day's book sales, will go straight to supporting charity partner the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. It'll help the non-profit continue to spread the love of reading to children in remote Indigenous Australian communities — and help the communities to tell and publish their own stories. Last year's event saw book-lovers raising more than $17,000 for the cause. The sale is set to be stocked with an enormous range of bargain titles, covering a hefty spread of genres and with prices starting from as low as $5. Bring a bag and stock up.
If there's one way to top just about any situation, it's to add a bunch of very good doggos into the mix. Which makes this particular Christmas party one to trump them all. Pet accessories label Sebastian Says is swinging into the festive season with a bingo, beer and pizza party for hounds and humans alike. It's all happening at Port Melbourne's dog-friendly Italian restaurant Ciao Cielo on Sunday, December 15. You'll be able to unleash your competitive streak at the huge game of bingo, with the first 40 punters to register on the day scoring a Sebastian Says gift bag of goodies. The game itself promises a stack more giveaways, plus prizes ranging from pet grooming sessions to tasty dog treats. Humans can order modern Italian eats from the full Ciao Cucina menu, while their four-legged counterparts can snack on a range of bone broth doggy "beer" ($5) and gluten-free woodfired pizzas crafted especially for pooches ($8). During the day, you'll also be able to able to try and buy spiffy pieces from Sebastian Says' latest range of dog shirts, bandanas, collars and leads. Summer wardrobe, sorted — well for you pooch at least. Sebastian Says' Bingo Christmas Party runs from 11am–3pm.
When it rolls around each October and November, Palace Cinemas' British Film Festival, presented by MINI, serves up Australia's starriest cinema showcase. Take 2019's program, for example, which includes Keira Knightley playing a real-life whistleblower in Official Secrets, Helen Mirren facing off against Ian McKellen in The Good Liar, The Theory of Everything's Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones re-teaming for The Aeronauts, and Liam Gallagher getting the documentary treatment in Liam Gallagher: As It Was. Coming to our shores fresh from opening the London Film Festival, The Personal History of David Copperfield also ranks among BFF's highlights, too — as you'd expect from a witty flick based on Charles Dickens' novel, directed by Veep, The Thick of It, In the Loop and The Death of Stalin's Armando Iannucci, and starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie and Ben Whishaw. Elsewhere, British movie buffs can catch moving social-realist drama Sorry We Missed You, with I, Daniel Blake's Ken Loach directing his take on the gig economy; Happy New Year, Colin Burstead, the latest darkly comic film from High-Rise's Ben Wheatley; and Hope Gap, starring Annette Bening, Bill Nighy and God's Own Country's Josh O'Connor. Running in Melbourne from Wednesday, October 30 to Sunday, November 24 at The Astor Theatre, Palace Balwyn, Kino Cinema, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Cinema Como and Palace Westgarth, BFF's 2019 program also features a six-film retrospective paying tribute to Helen Mirren's stellar career, plus a 4K restoration of horror classic Don't Look Now. The list goes on, including the latest unsettling documentary from acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney (Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief) — with Citizen K focusing on Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his exile in London.
Someone else's old designer threads could become your new favourite outfit, all thanks to Melbourne's latest secondhand clothing pop-up. Running as part of this year's Garage Sale Trail, and taking place from 10am–4pm on Saturday, October 20, Coveted Closets will fill Brighton Town Hall with pre-loved fashion and accessories. Even better — it all comes from the wardrobes of local fashion bloggers, stylists and industry figures, so you'll be picking up items and outfits from folks known for their style. They include The Fashion Advocate founder Claire Goldsworthy, designer Corinne Pettersen, The Age national fashion editor Melissa Singer, vintage lover Yahav Ron and personal stylist Sally Mackinnon. And as for brands and labels, you can expect everything from Fendi and Chanel to Camilla and Gorman. You'll also need to pay $2 for entry, but once you're inside you can browse and buy until your heart's content. Coffee and sweet treats will also be onsite, so you can keep up your energy while you're shopping.
We're still a week out from December 25, but you won't have to wait quite that long for a visit from the jolly man in red. Santa's getting a jump-start on this year's rounds and popping by nostalgia-fuelled ice creamery Kenny Lover this Sunday, December 22. And he's got plenty of treats in store for kids both big and little. From 3–6pm, he'll be dishing out free scoops of his favourite flavours from the Kenny Lover lineup — milk ice cream spiked with chunks of freshly baked choc chip cookie, and a frozen riff on the classic Christmas pudding. Santa's also bringing a sack full of 200 free presents to hand out to those on his 'nice' list, ranging from toys for littlies to some sweet Kenny Lover merch for the grown-ups. [caption id="attachment_755696" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] What's more, the big guy's even agreed to sit for some classic Santa snaps while he's there. Grab a festive photo with your bestie, your kid or your fur baby, and it'll be turned into a true-blue Aussie Christmas card on the spot. Santa will be at Kenny Lover from 3–6pm. Top image: Kenny Lover.
