Every family has its own stories, but how many can you remember? Every Thursday for over 50 years, Ab Solomons drew a picture on his weekly wage packet for his wife to keep, creating a series of more than 3000 drawings that chronicled their daily life in London's East End. It wasn't until Danny Braverman discovered his great-uncle's doodlings, stored in an old shoebox, that these forgotten memories found a new life on stage. In his disarmingly simple, one-man production, Braverman projects a series of selected drawings and relates the stories behind them. After success at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe, winning the British Way Award for best new play that same year and then premiering in Australia at Sydney Festival, Wot? No Fish!! has come to Melbourne. Don't miss this honest portrait of the ups and downs of family life – a production that reveals both the comic and affecting moments of the everyday, while exploring ideas of storytelling, forgotten memories and family secrets.
Ready to get Freudian? Darebin Arts year-round theatre program, Speakeasy, is celebrating its third year of innovative performance with a new dance work from emerging company Phantom Limbs. Their latest work, Dreamlogic, explores the subconscious to engage with the 'shadow self'. While the subconscious is an area often studied by psychologists, this performance draws on scientific research to examine our neurological perceptions and their connections to our bodies, minds and the world around us. From founding fathers Jung and Freud to modern day neuroscience and MRI technology, the subconscious appears to be something we're endlessly fascinated by. Dreamlogic purposefully plays with the mind, creating visual illusions with two bodies that'll leave you questioning your own eyes. Artistic duo James Welsby and Amy Macpherson have choreographed the work, which is performed by Welsby and James Andrews. This March, Phantom Limbs want you to explore the darker corners of your mind. Image credit: Ashley McLellan.
It's not a food festival without food trucks, right? Well, apparently. As part of this year's Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, the city's most-followed food trucks will congregate on the lawn of the Melbourne Convention Centre over one weekend. All your favourites will be making an appearance, including Taco Truck (phew), Beatbox Kitchen (thank heaven), Gorilla Grill and Greek Street Food. Lil Nomnoms and TOASTA will be there too, but only on Sunday. If you don't head down South Wharf-way much, this is our chance — and if it's a nice day, you could incorporate a stroll down to the South Melbourne Market too.
A staple of Melbourne’s outdoor calendar for more than six decades, each year Moomba draws thousands of happy revelers down to the banks of the Yarra. With food, games, activities, parades and scores of live entertainment, think of it as being a bit like a school fete. A really, really big one. Stretching across the entire Labour Day long weekend, this year’s festival has been divided into five different precincts. The Main Arena will host some of the weekend’s biggest music acts, including performances by Jebediah and You Am I. More music will be situated on the other side of the river in The Green, where a series of up-and-coming local performers will compete in the FReeZA Push Start Battle of the Bands. If you’re interested in extreme sports, Skate Park will feature live skateboarding, BMX and scooter competitions, while The River (located on the actual river) will showcase some of the world's best professional waterskiers. Lastly, Kids Zone will host an array of activities for families, including face painting and a Frozen-inspired ice rink. For everything happening at Moomba, visit www.thatsmelbourne.com/moomba. Image: Chris Phutully.
Music producing legend Jamie xx has kicked off the New Year with his biggest ever Australian tour. In the last week, the 27-year-old DJ and producer has played to massive crowds at Victoria's Beyond the Valley and Lost Paradise in NSW, and will headline the inaugural FOMO festival in Queensland this weekend. In the meantime, however, he's showing Melbourne a little love, with a pair of shows at the iconic Forum Theatre. The first of the two highly anticipated shows is set to take place on Wednesday, January 6. After that he's off to Brisbane, before returning to the Forum on Saturday, January 10. Those lucky enough to have scored a ticket can expect a mix of tracks from his debut solo album In Colour, which recently earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album.
For a man made famous playing a character named Silent Bob, writer, director and actor Kevin Smith has never had any shortage of things to say. Since bursting onto the scene in the mid-'90s with his underground slacker film Clerks, Smith has cultivated a devoted audience through both his movies and his candid Q&As and podcasts, including ‘Jay and Silent Bob Get Old,’ recorded with his long-time friend and co-star Jason Mewes. Now the dastardly duo is headed to Australia, for an evening of personal anecdotes, filmmaking titbits and all the dick and fart jokes you could possibly desire. Starting in Sydney on Friday September 18 before hitting up Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, Smith’s Australian tour will be split into two sections. The first will involve a live recording of Smith and Mewes’ podcast, where topics range from Mewes’ struggle with drug addiction to arguments about comic book characters. The second half of the show will involve an audience Q&A, with fans getting the chance to question Smith on whatever topic they like. For an idea of what to expect, here he is on his ‘feud’ with Tim Burton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-XeM6kyWA&t=0m58s The shows in Sydney and Melbourne are billed as ‘all ages,’ which should prove an interesting challenge for a man known to frequently wax poetical about his sex life, and whose film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back makes use of the f-word 248 times. In addition to Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Smith’s films with Mewes include Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Clerks 2. His recent output has included divisive horror films Red State and Tusk, while he’s currently working on a sequel to Mallrats, due out in 2017.
Cultural mag Avalanche Journal is inviting you to take part in their latest 'uncomfortable conversation'. The third in a series of open public forums following panels on navigating privilege and the death of the university, Avalanche Presents: Invisible Violence will welcome a number of guest speakers to Second Story Studios in Collingwood, to share their thoughts on the ongoing problem of sexual and gender-based violence. The event begins at 6pm sharp on Thursday, September 17, with speakers including journalist and author Alison Croggon, Undercurrent's Anne-Lise Ah-Fat, artist and musician Honor Eastly (of the excellent video below), and history graduate and sex worker Tilly Lawless, who was responsible for sparking the #facesofprostitution campaign earlier this year. Entry is by donation, although you also need to RSVP online. Food will be provided, with the opportunity for further drinks and discussion after the main event.
There aren’t many of us whose childhood wasn't in some way influenced by Jim Henson. Whether you learnt arithmetic from Sesame Street, had nightmares about The Dark Crystal, or re-watched your copy of Muppets Take Manhattan so many times that it broke the family VCR, the Mississippi-born puppeteer helped create some of the most iconic characters of all time, shaping literally millions of lives in the process. In celebration of Henson's incredible career, ACMI are hosting a three-week retrospective, one they've fittingly titled Muppets, Music and Magic: Jim Henson's Legacy. Beginning September 21, the program includes screenings of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal as well as specially produced compilations such as Jim Henson: Commercials and Experiments, Muppets 201: Rarities from the Henson Vault and Miss Piggy: A Sow is Born. Also included are a pair of documentaries on Sesame Street's biggest stars, in Being Elmo and I Am Big Bird.
One of the quintessential works of ancient Greek theatre is a getting a contemporary update courtesy of the team at Malthouse Theatre. Beginning Friday, August 21, the company will stage Sophocles' Antigone, a devastating portrait of grief, duty and civil disobedience that, like all the best works from the period, retains an emotional and social resonance nearly two-and-a-half thousand years after it was first performed. Rising star Emily Milledge appears as the eponymous character, a young woman caught in a bitter battle with her community leaders over her right to bury her traitor brother. Adapted by writer and actor Jane Montgomery Griffiths and director Adena Jacobs, the Malthouse production will transport the material to a dystopian present day, eschewing Sophocles' questionable representation of gender in favour of a more timely examination of political fear-mongering and social control.
Dance meets the world game in a new show at the North Melbourne Town Hall. Presented by Arts House, SDS1 is the latest solo work from former soccer player Ahilan Ratnamohan, one very much inspired by his experiences on the pitch. Running for just four nights from Wednesday, August 19, to Saturday, August 22, the 55 minute show will draw on the physical, theatrical and psychological elements of the game, focusing on the parallels between sport and dance — the discipline, the focus, the athleticism — in order to delve into the psyche of the player/performer. The two disciplines might not seem like natural bedfellows at first, but then again, let's face it: no one who's ever watched the World Cup could deny that there's a heavy element of theatre at play.
Marc Maron of WTF with Marc Maron, one of the most downloaded podcasts, is coming to Australia in October, and if you're not there then you are a fool, a foolish fool. For you see, while he is best known for his podcast, averaging 4 million downloads each month and interviewing guests including the POTUS himself, he's just as brilliant alone on a stage, mic in hand, practicing his original craft. If you're not much of a podcast listener (why not? Get on that, they're the best), then you may have caught Maron’s critically acclaimed half-hour scripted series Maron, created, written and produced by Maron himself, on ABC2. Or perhaps his latest special, Thinky Pain, on Netflix. The man is a machine of brilliant cultural output. Get stuck in.
Utterly gorgeous local legends, The Harpoons, are about to Walk Away (‘scuse the pun) from Melbourne for a spell to traipse around Europe. It’s not all fun and games though (although hopefully they’ll be a bit of that) — they’re off to write some more of their experimental pop bangers, and who are we to stand in the way of greatness? In fact, we’re going to give them the send off they deserve. While their first show with HABITS and DJ Simon TK has sold out, they have just added a new show for a soulful Sunday session, with guest appearances from Milk Teddy and DJ Frankie Topaz. Prepare to experience their flawless vocals paired with hypnotic beats for the last time for a little while. Ciao for now, lovely ones.
The southern hemisphere's biggest showcase of Indian cinema, The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is back for another year. Celebrating its fourth anniversary, IFFM 2015 will once again shine a spotlight on the very best Bollywood blockbusters, documentaries and independent features, plus gala events, filmmaker Q&As and more. With events at Hoyts Melbourne Central, Hoyts Highpoint, the National Gallery of Victoria and Federation Square, this festival begins on Friday, August 14, with opening weekend timed to coincide with Indian Independence Day the following day. The theme of this year's festival is 'equality,' as highlighted by such films as Newborns, about women who have survived acid attacks, and Tell Me A Story, about gay men living in Bombay. Other standout titles include a Bollywood adaptation of Hamlet titled Haider, as well as political thriller Phantom which will bring the festival to a close. For the full IFFM 2015 program, visit their website.
Speakeasy Cinema and journalist Clementine Ford have teamed up to present a brand new monthly program featuring films by female filmmakers. Screening at Fitzroy's Grey Gardens Projects on select dates throughout spring, She Speaks First will showcase three excellent contemporary films from directors with two X chromosomes, before washing them down with a post-credits conversation about the place women occupy in the world of film today. The season begins on Tuesday, September 29 with A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, which is hands down the best black and white Iranian hipster vampire western you'll see on the big screen this year (no but actually, it's awesome). On Sunday, October 18 catch Gillian Robespierre's Obvious Child, starring Jenny Slate as a young stand-up comedian who needs to get an abortion. It may not sound it, but trust us when we say it's absolutely hilarious. The series will conclude on Sunday, November 15 with Mary Dore's recent documentary She's Beautiful When She's Angry, which chronicles the history of the modern women's rights movement.
She’s been everyone from a magazine editor in The Devil Wears Prada to Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, and now she’s an aspiring musician. She’s the inimitable, ever-chameleonic Meryl Streep, of course, and in Ricki and the Flash, she’s channelling her inner rock goddess. She’s also belting out everything from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 'American Girl' to Lady Gaga’s 'Bad Romance'. And yes, she's actually playing the guitar and singing the tunes herself. As the titular character, Streep plays a wannabe past the point where wanting to be something else is acceptable. With her band — including guitarist and lover Greg (Rick Springfield) — she gigs at a San Fernando Valley pub by night; to make ends meet, she works as a supermarket checkout operator by day. Ricki has been chasing her calling for sometime now but shows no signs of hitting it big. Then a phone call from her ex-husband, Pete (Kevin Kline), thrusts her out of her dreams and back to the children — about-to-be-divorced Julie (Mamie Gummer, Streep’s real-life daughter), and sons Josh (Sebastian Stan) and Adam (Nick Westrate) — she left behind years ago. Returning home and receiving something less than a warm welcome isn’t an uncommon movie narrative, or an uncommon movie-of-the-week one either. While Ricki and the Flash explores family problems from the female perspective, as well as attempting to shine a light on the judgments imposed on women who want to be something other than mothers and homemakers, there’s never any doubt that it covers well-worn territory. Writer Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult) and director Jonathan Demme (Rachel Getting Married) have much to do with the fact that the feature that results still offers an all-round pleasant viewing experience, with the script engaging despite its obviousness, and the film a well-framed, highly polished affair that suits its jukebox soundtrack of old hits. That said, that the movie always seems so nice and gentle — and absent any sense of edginess, other than Streep's half-braided hairstyle and black-heavy wardrobe — sometimes feels a bit out of place given its rock 'n' roll packaging. What she's wearing is the least impressive aspect of the star's performance, though, with her Ricki as convincing in her unattained desires as she is in her barely expressed regrets. Streep is not the film's only highlight, however. Gummer does much more than just convey her natural rapport with her mother, and Kline is as wanted a presence as ever on screen as the figure trying to reunite them. Together, they're as amiable as performers playing with a feel-good story steeped in several levels of cookie-cutter dysfunction can be. So is the likeable end product that is Ricki and the Flash itself, even if it doesn't amount to much more than its music and its cast — and even if Springfield doesn't sing his '80s classic 'Jessie's Girl'.
Not all blasts from the past are welcome — and not all trips down memory lane turn out the way you might expect them to. That's a telling message for our nostalgia-soaked times, where everything old always seems to be new again. It's also one Australian actor, writer and producer Joel Edgerton is pushing in his first film in the director's chair. His filmmaking debut, The Gift, is so steeped in tension and wariness about previous deeds, figures and altercations that it crafts a psychological thriller out of it. The feature starts, as many moody mysteries do, with a married pair moving to a new home. Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall) are fleeing their recent baggage for a fresh beginning, the former starting a different job, the latter readying the house for trying to start a family. Out shopping one day, they meet Gordo (Edgerton, starring as well as helming), who recognises Simon from high school, though not vice versa. The three make polite, tentative plans to catch up; however, Gordo takes the pleasantries quite a bit more seriously than his reunited pals. Cue the beginnings of a stalker drama that wouldn't feel out of place as a late '80s or early '90s effort featuring Michael Douglas — and that's a compliment. Showing his skill behind as well as in front of the camera, Edgerton ramps up the creepiness in the film's mood, script and in his supporting turn. He's also made a movie that combines slick packaging and mature-skewed content; a glossy piece of entertainment for teens, this isn't. Indeed, again finding inspiration in familiar territory, The Gift isn't just concerned with the series of presents Gordo leaves Simon and Robyn, or his unwanted encroaching on their space, or the not-so-truthful tales he tells to get close to them, but with the chasm between how things appear and how they really are at all levels. There's a reason the audience is instantly aware that the seemingly happy couple aren't really, and that they always feel that Gordo seems both odd and somewhat sweet. Yes, appearances can be deceiving. As a screenwriter, Edgerton best explores the conflict that springs when ghosts from the past expose lies from the present through his characters — and as a filmmaker, through some stellar performances. The director himself straddles the fine line between strange and sympathetic, Hall brings depth to the role of the woman trapped in the middle, and it's always a pleasure to see Bateman flirt with playing the bad guy (the murkiness surrounding Simon and Gordo is The Gift's strong point). When the film devolves into one too many twists, and tries to offer a too-definitive ending — when it finally gets there — it loses steam. Remaining ambiguous and toying with the dynamic between the central trio is what keeps things intriguing. Accordingly, although The Gift may not always balance its generic elements with its ambitions, it revels in trying to present a well-produced piece of unnerving cinema. Here, it mostly succeeds too, because rare is the film that can balance overt jump scares with patient puzzling conveyed through dialogue, and follow a formula yet retain interest.
See your old DVDs and worn out VHS tapes immortalised as part of a temporary art installation in Fitzroy. Curated by Jessie Scott, a video artist, programmer, producer and the founder of the Channels Video Art Festival, Miraculous Ribbon is a month-long lending library and archive committed to the leftovers of 20th century video culture. Anyone can contribute to the work by donating chunks of their old collection — think of this as a good excuse to de-clutter your house. Besides, are you really ever going to watch those old tapes you picked up during the Blockbuster going-out-of-business sales? Does your old VHS player even work anymore? Miraculous Ribbon runs from Wednesday, September 2 to Saturday, September 26 at Grey Gardens, Fitzroy's newly opened screening room, gallery space and cafe. Loans will be returned to their owners once the exhibition concludes, or sold off in a giant ex-rental sale at the end of the month. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Melbourne's best purveyors of authentic Asian street food are gathering under a single roof for the feast to end all feasts. Hanoi Hannah, Saigon Sally and Tokyo Tina will join Ba Noi and gelataria Pidapipo in taking over the premises at St Kilda's St Hotel. The result? A buzzing hawker-style marketplace complete with music, live performers and a six-course feed. The menu for the event — which begins at 5pm on Sunday, September 27 — is for the most part being kept under wraps, although they have teased that it will include Hannah's mini pho and Tina's salmon tartare with crispy skin, cucumber and nashi. What we know for sure is that for $45 you get six different dishes, and that the night's entertainment will include circus performers and a DJ. Night Tripping, as it's been named, wraps up at 9pm, although you can always kick on upstairs.
Everyone might dream of changing the world, but few people actually try to do it. Bob Hunter strove to fall into the latter category. Even if you don’t know his name, you know about the results of his efforts. And even if you do know his name, you might not know his full story. In the late 1960s, in the aftermath of the United States announcing plans to perform nuclear tests off of the Alaskan coast, Hunter was driven to do something. A journalist covering environmental issues in Vancouver, he delved into the city’s community of so-called tree huggers and draft dodgers haunted by the thought of a dying planet, and helped form a group to protest the forthcoming injustice. In their actions, a movement was born, as well as an organisation that still endures nearly half a century later. They wanted to make a real difference. They became Greenpeace. Progressing with polish and patience, How to Change the World tells their tale. To do so, the rousing film uses a remarkable amount of archival footage capturing eager early times, intercuts modern-day interviews with important figures reminiscing about their experiences, and employs Hunter’s own words — as voiced by actor Barry Pepper — as narration. The documentary that results offers a primer on the intense but messy background of an outfit now synonymous with environmental activism, including the cause of saving the whales that they would swiftly adopt. It also offers an insight one of the men crucial in shaping both an influential gathering of likeminded folks determined to bring attention to ecology, and a way of enacting awareness about atrocities committed against the natural world. As the film lists Hunter’s how-to rules — among them, planting a mind bomb (i.e. going viral, in today's terms) and putting your body where your mouth is — and then offers evidence of each from his history, where its sympathies fall is never in question; an expose, this is not. And yet, writer/director Jerry Rothwell isn’t annoyingly overt in his fondness for the idealism he charts, letting the results of Hunter and Greenpeace’s exploits do the talking. Vision of the sights that spurred them to act, especially involving animals, is both difficult to watch and difficult to not want to react to. That a strong push for audiences to do their part becomes clear isn’t surprising, particularly given the passion on display. That focus also shifts to the issues that plagued some of the founders is similarly expected; the film might chart the feats of a now well-known organisation, but it is about people first and foremost. People dream and attempt to achieve their desires — and they also clash with each other as they confront the task of saving the planet. Even attempting to change the world, and endeavouring to understand those who try to, can’t quite alter that.
Ever been gettin' loose out on the town and thought, “I could destroy a round of mini-golf right now.” Procure an Argyle-patterned vest and beige slacks immediately, because the good folk at Howler are bringing back their custom-made nighttime mini golf course to conquer. One heck of a drawcard launched in July, the triumphantly returning Howler Mini-Golf-O-Rama features nine holes each complete with a classic theme (think windmills, volcanos and jungles, classic mini-golf). It'll be back at Howler from Sunday December 27 to Wednesday, January 6, from 3pm on weekends and 6pm on weekdays. And it's FREE if you buy a bev. To use the course, all you have to do is turn up to Howler, buy yourself and/or your golfing buddies a drink and choose your putter. The course will be set up in what was once Howler’s bandroom, and to keep the good times flowing, guest DJs will pump up the jams (and hopefully play a non-stop dubstep remix of Lee Carvallo’s putting challenge. In fact, consider this an official request). Check out Elliphant and MØ carving up the course in July, to give you an idea. Now, let's all dig out our Happy Gilmore VHS and prepare to just taaaap it in. Find Howler Mini-Golf-O-Rama at 7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick from Sunday December 27 to Wednesday, January 6, from 3pm on weekends and 6pm on weekdays. Golfing is free if you buy a drink from the bar. Image: Marcus Hansson
If you're interested in food, the future, and creating positive change, this one-day festival is for you. Festival21 explores how food and the way we eat can be the key to a healthy and sustainable future for both ourselves and the planet. The youth-focussed day program, F21y, will run from 12-5pm at The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The program is for 16 to 30-year-olds who are looking to make change, and will host a range of talks from entrepreneurs such as Who Gives A Crap and Shebeen owner, Simon Griffiths, leaders and team builders like AFL legend Kevin Sheedy, and a keynote presentation by Triple J’s loveable morning host, Alex Dyson. From 7-10pm the program becomes an evening celebration packed with music, comedy, short films and panel discussions. We’re pretty excited to watch the banter between barrister and human rights advocate, Julian Burnside and the ever-impressive Stephanie Alexander as they whip up a storm live onstage. For the artistically inclined, don’t forget to check out the live exhibition space as part of F21. The event is free but you will need to register. Head to their website to do so.
Take your mates Earl Grey and Jasmine and board the Darjeeling Express, alighting at MPavilion in the Queen Victoria Gardens. The pop-up architectural hub in the Southbank Arts Precinct is Melbourne's summer home of public art and culture, with meets, talks and performances practically every day of the week. This Thursday, the topic up for discussion is the humble tea leaf, as naturopath Catie Gett teaches you the tricks to brewing the perfect cuppa. Gett, who owns the wholefoods emporium The Staple Store, will brew up various different varieties of tea using home-grown roots and spices, while providing tips on how to create your own signature blend. She'll be joined by the proprietors of Brunswick ceramics shop Mr Kitly, who'll provide the hand-crafted cups to make your afternoon of tea appreciation complete.
With hard-hitting dramas, imaginative comedies and a retrospective tribute to one of the all-time greats, the latest edition of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival doesn't disappoint. Lighting up the screen from March 2-24 in Melbourne, the 2016 program features a diverse mix of titles showcasing the very best the French film industry has to offer. Cannes winners are set to be a highlight, with Rust and Bone director Jacques Audiard tackling the issue of asylum seekers in his new offering Dheepan, and Philippe Garrel's masterful romantic drama In the Shadow of Women. Legendary French filmmaker Michel Gondry's new film Microbe & Gasoline will also feature in the festival — which will be closed by Jean Luc-Godard's 1963 film Contempt.
In the summer of 1900, a group of schoolgirls took a day trip to Hanging Rock. Three of them would never be heard from again. The mystery at the centre of Joan Lindsay's iconic novel, along with Peter Weir's subsequent film adaption, has burrowed its way into the Australian subconscious. Few stories speak so effectively to what it means to live in this country. So it's hardly surprising that the team at Malthouse Theatre are bringing Picnic at Hanging Rock to the stage. Adapted by playwright Tom Wright, the modern production is described by director Matthew Lutton as "Malthouse Theatre's 2016 vision of Lindsay's nightmare". The show begins in preview on Friday, February 26 before officially opening on Wednesday, March 2. Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Arielle Gray, Amber McMahon, Elizabeth Nabben and Nikki Shiels star.
One of Australia's most promising young theatre companies is on its way to Melbourne. Founded in a sharehouse in Sydney, Woodcourt Art Theatre caught the attention of audiences following a highly successful tour to Adelaide Fringe in 2014. Now they're heading to Carlton's La Mama Theatre with a pair of critically acclaimed plays, for a strictly limited season beginning Wednesday, February 24. The first work in the Woodcourt double bill puts a new spin on an old classic. In Carly and Troy do 'A Doll's House', a pair of theatremakers argue over the best way to adapt Henrik Ibsen's iconic play. Carly wants a surreal, postmodern take, whereas Troy envisions a show-stopping musical with music by Beyonce. Things get a little more serious on the other side of intermission with Encounter, a scaled back tale of anxiety and paranoia brought on by a supernatural visitation. For more details including ticketing information and dates for both shows visit woodcourtarttheatre.net.
School is back in session. Next week, tens of thousands of uni students will be on campus for orientation, and ASOS will be there with them. The online clothing retailer is setting up pop-up stands at universities around the country, to help you make sure you're looking your best when you rock up for your first day of class. You can find the ASOS stands at Monash Clayton (Feb 22-24), University of Melbourne (Feb 23, 25-26), University of NSW (Feb 22-25), University of Sydney (Feb 24-26) and University of Queensland (Feb 24). Swing by and sign up for a free bag of goodies. They'll also be running a photo competition, in which the best Instagram and Twitter snaps of each day score a $200 ASOS voucher. If you can't make it to one of the pop-ups, students can still sign up to ASOS via their website to get 10 percent off all full price items all year-round, and be kept up to date with all the shiny new things. While you're there, watch out for the latest news from the ASOS On Campus Hub, where a team of student insiders will be keeping tabs on campus life and style.
Little Red Pocket and The Irish Times are joining forces once more for their annual end of year blowout. A New Year's Eve tradition, this masquerade-themed street party will stretch across both venues, happily located on opposite sides of Little Collin's Street. Expect DJs spinning a mix of house, R&B, retro hits and top 40 favourites, and other live entertainment. Your ticket also gets you unlimited drinks (beer, wine, sparkling and basic spirits) between 7pm and midnight, along with complimentary Japanese and European snacks.
There's a reason that Mavis! has an exclamation mark in its title. The film doesn't only chronicle the life and music of Mavis Staples, but celebrates everything that has made the rhythm-and-blues/gospel singer and civil rights activist a star. It can't hide its enthusiasm, nor does it try to, but that's okay. While they're watching, audiences probably won't be able to contain their adoration either. Set to an obvious soundtrack of songs such as "I'll Take You There", " Respect Yourself" and "Let's Do It Again", Mavis! is just that kind of biographical documentary: affectionate about a thoroughly deserving figure, and informative about her rich history. The latter informs the former, of course, with every chapter of her past — from her humble beginnings singing in family band The Staple Singers and their rise to the top of the charts, to the intertwining of the group's hits with the civil rights movement and their relationship with Martin Luther King — painting a portrait of an artist who has earned the right to be considered an icon. The movie also benefits from the considerable and eager involvement of Staples herself, aged 75 at the time of filming, who never proves anything less than a candid and engaging interviewee. She starts the documentary showing off her vocal prowess with her friends and colleagues before a gig, then offers a few pearls of wisdom about her longevity — the combination of her voice and views setting the template for the content to come. As she explains, "I'll stop singing when I have nothing left to say — and that ain't going to happen." Her talent is big; her passion is bigger. Both are on display not just in her many chats to camera, but in clips and performance footage — snippets of Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz among them — spanning the length of her 60-year career. Both also encourage many an entertaining discussion with a parade of famous faces, such as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Chuck D and Sharon Jones. Their awe is infectious; indeed, if writer-director Jessica Edwards was searching for a high-profile posse to mirror her own evident fondness for Staples, she definitely found one. Movies that double as exercises in hero worship often outstay their welcome; however, at a brief but busy 80-minutes, such a fate doesn't befall Mavis! The adoring tone doesn't only cater to existing fans either, with the film working equally as well as a primer for newcomers as it does as a refresher for devotees. That's a rare achievement for a documentary love letter, but then again its subject is anything but typical. Among her many career highlights, Staples made two albums with Prince, after all. Inspiring and enlivening an emotionally vibrant doco is just the latest in her long line of achievements.
Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel wonder about days gone by, while Rachel Weisz and Jane Fonda deliver verbal tirades designed to awaken the ageing men from their apathy. All four spend their time in an expensive Swiss spa, and in a film as visually luxurious as their lush surroundings. So unravels Youth, its seasoned cast and opulent images its obvious selling points. Musings about life, love and legacy have rarely looked as exquisite, even if the movie's charms remain somewhat surface level. Youth is an inescapably familiar effort from writer-director Paolo Sorrentino, who covered similar territory — contrasting internal emptiness with external splendour — in his Oscar-winning last feature, The Great Beauty. Alas, the same magic doesn't strike twice, though in some ways that's rather apt. There's obvious symmetry in a filmmaking repeating the past by depicting characters stuck in theirs. Caine's Fred Ballinger is a retired composer, so renowned that he's asked to conduct his most famous creation for the queen, and so haunted by his troubles that he can't agree to participate in the performance. His discussions with Keitel's Mick Boyle, a filmmaker trying to finish a new script, largely focus on former glories, the ailments of being elderly, and their feuding children. Fred's daughter, Lena (Weisz), is married to Mick's son, Julian (Ed Stoppard), until Julian announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Others wander around the retreat, including an actor (Paul Dano) worried about being typecast and a fading screen siren (Fonda) Mick wants to re-team with for his next movie. In slivers and glimpses, Youth casts its net even wider, with a famous footballer, a beauty queen, and a motley crew of fellow guests also featuring. Together, they paint a universal picture of the ebbs and flows of existence, and of the contrast between the sublime and the grotesque. Sadly, most come across as diversions and distractions, directing attention away from the flimsiness of the film's supposedly wise dialogue. That's not to say that Youth doesn't have its pleasures — just that they're saddled with less successful elements, which is an appropriate outcome for a movie that tasks its characters with attempting to find the joy beyond their own sorrows. Watching Caine and Keitel chat and ponder is as enjoyable as it sounds — and while their conversations aren't as profound as they're clearly meant to be, the performances are moving nonetheless. Coupled with a strong score, Sorrentino's aesthetic flair ensures the feature offers a sight to behold and a soundscape to revel in, whether fashioning a music video for a pop star, taking a trip down memory lane or just staring at the folks reclining by the pool. It all makes for a suitable spectacle of mortality and melancholy; however the filmmaker's greatest feat is also his greatest undoing. He makes Youth feel exactly as it should, but always like an imitation. It's a decadent picture about watching the world go by, rather than really experiencing it.
Ring in the New Year in serious style at Arbory Bar & Eatery by the Yarra. The riverside venue is throwing one hell of a party, complete with DJs, projection art and more than enough food to see you through to the morning. We're talking roving canapes, including chorizo corndogs and steak tartare, yakitori such as ponzu-glazed barramundi, an honest-to-God charcuterie station plus doughnuts and espresso martini sundaes for dessert. With final release tickets currently on sale for just under $240 a head, it's not exactly the cheapest NYE option — but if you've got money to throw around you could certainly do worse. And good luck finding a better spot to watch the fireworks.
The tiny, non-profit gallery aptly named CAVES on Swanston street is hosting an exhibition of the work of Annika Koops, kicking off on February 5 and running until February 27. Koops, just FYI, is prolific homegrown artist whose work has been exhibited across Australia and who manages to combine the enviable attributes of being technically brilliant and precise with an ideologically broad and abstract practice. Koops has grown a name for herself through her hyperreal still-life painting and portraiture. Bump Function promises to continue Koops’ manifesto while looking at the interaction of man and machine — albeit with a slight twist. It explores the digital realm and the tools and patterns used to navigate and describe it as a starting point, but they are then reimagined as analogue in her native medium of oil painting. The result is a slick combo of the ironic internet art that’s so popular nowadays with the classic precision of oil painting. The pieces will be accompanied by an essay by Liang Luscombe and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got.
This all-male seven-piece boylesque troupe hailing from Brisvegas (with the exception of one New Yorker) have been making a splash all over the world this year — and we're not just talking about their giant bird bath act. The glamorous Shivannah will be your host for the evening as you witness death defying acrobatics, drag artiste performances, and irreverent interludes that are cheeky, in more ways than one. In short, this show is head to toe sexy, funny, captivating, and non-stop party times. Briefs' latest show has sold out theatres far and wide — and considering they're only around for a three-week stay at the Athenaeum Theatre, you'd better get your act together sharpish so you don't miss out. If your imagination isn't already running wild with excitement, expect feathers, sequins, hula hoops, some pretty risqué yo-yo tricks and fierce attitude from beginning to end.
When he's not playing the hero — anti- or otherwise —, Vin Diesel is quite the fan of Dungeons & Dragons. It's worth keeping that tidbit in mind as The Last Witch Hunter unravels, because that's where the film finds its basis. Cory Goodman, one of the movie's three writers, reportedly bonded with Diesel over their shared fondness for the fantasy role-playing game, then wrote a script based upon the actor's witch hunter D&D character. Goodman's love letter to his leading man's favourite pastime has since been filtered through two other scribes (Dracula Untold's Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless), as well as Sahara and The Crazies director Breck Eisner. But that doesn't stop it from feeling like the indulgent exercise that it is. And while no one is decrying Diesel for wanting to do something on film other than driving fast cars furiously and exchanging lingering glances with The Rock, he's not asked to do much here other than look serious amid some supernatural special effects. As the movie's moniker gives away, Diesel's Kaulder is the final fighter of the bewitching folk who live among humanity, and has been for eight centuries. After he vanquished the Witch Queen in the 13th century, he was cursed with immortality, meaning years of trying to rid the world of the evil and enchanting. As his offsider (Michael Caine) prepares to retire and let a newcomer (Elijah Wood) take his place, a fresh source of wicked sorcery strikes. With his past the key to his present predicament, Kaulder must call upon bar-owning good witch Chloe (Rose Leslie) to help him plunge into his own memories and track down his new foe. That The Last Witch Hunter comes across as Batman-esque isn't just a byproduct of Caine playing a butler-like priest. When a moody, brooding warrior stalks the city streets slaying enemies, motivated by personal losses and a blistering sense of righteousness, it's not hard to find similarities between the two. Alas, the comparison doesn't bode well for the derivative film currently on screens, particularly when there's not much more of a plot to tie it to. Diesel tries his best to make his scowling charm cover up the lack of narrative excitement, but though his efforts are noted, they're not the magic fix the movie needs. Still, other than slick-enough visuals and a few fun touches (a ravenous monster for a prison and a tree bewitched to appear to grow gummy bears, for example), he remains the best element of the surprisingly action-sparse film. He might stand around more than you'd think he should, but you have to admire his dedication to the messiness that surrounds him. Audiences might not be engaged in the occult antics that pad out the film's running time, nor the plodding dialogue that does the same, but at least Diesel is committed — and considerably more so than his seemingly bored co-stars, as doesn't escape attention. Unfortunately, as the later two Riddick films proved, his enthusiasm isn't enough to brighten up the blandness he willingly and affectionately wades into when he's not behind the wheel of a high-octane franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsuG2JUgs_8
If you're going to fork out an arm and a leg for candy bar concessions, the food may as well be good. That's the thinking behind the Coburg Drive-In Food Truck Festival, which after tantalising our tastebuds in previous seasons is back for a spring run. Sit back in your car and enjoy the latest Hollywood releases while chowing down on delectable offerings from Melbourne's leading mobile food vendors. Look out for the likes of Sliders On Tyers, Taco Truck, O Tuga Tastes of Portugal, Smokin Barrys, The Kaiser's Sausages, Manny's Donut Cafe and Jay's Yogurt on Wednesday, then Real Burger, Flamin Lamb Spit, Pizza Wagon, Nem N' Nem, Korean Fried Chicken, Brazilian Bites, Crepes for Change and St. Gerry's on Thursday.
Have you got a sweet tooth that just won’t quit? Fancy yourself a bit of a whiz when it comes to baking and cake decorating? Or maybe you find yourself drooling over display cabinets at your local patisserie more than you’re willing to admit? We hear you, so let us point you in the direction of this year’s Cake Bake and Sweets Show at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. This three-day live event is packed to the mixing bowl brim of celebrity chef demos, classes and interactive workshops so you can create the cake magic at home. As well as picking up some new tips and tricks, now’s your chance to stock up on the perfect baking supplies and sample the goods from Melbourne’s best pastry and dessert chefs. We don’t want to alarm the chocoholics out there, but there will be a Willy Wonka-inspired chocolate river and garden created by Kirsten Tibballs and Savour Chocolate School. Run, don’t walk. Image: Katherine Sabbath/Cake Bake & Sweets Show.
Are you already missing your summer routine of lazily re-watching old classics? The NGV have just the thing. Dripping with saturated colour and packed full of femme fatales, the photographs of Alex Prager will transport you straight back to the intrigue and drama of your favourite Hitchcock film. In this, her first solo show down under, you can see a vast array of her works ranging from 2007 until the present day. But, trust us: you'll walk out feeling as though you just took a trip to 1960s Hollywood. Highly reminiscent of the work of fellow US photographer Cindy Sherman, Prager's work often deals with issues of representation and reality; in particular a familiar kind of hyper-stylised retro femininity. In her aptly-titled Polyester series, Prager's women are clad in go-go dresses, wigs, thick slicks of liquid eyeliner and thrown into various uncertain terrains. Think: Twin Peaks in lurid technicolour. But to get the full force of this Lynch-inspired madness, you should head straight for her latest work Face in the Crowd. Conveyed via three-channel video, this complex and straight-up beautiful photographic series guides you through the heavily stylised crowds on American beaches, in train stations, movie theatres, airports and parks with the help of The Hunger Games' own Elizabeth Banks. Bonus: the artist has even curated a handy exhibition e-book to guide you through it all.
If Falls seems a little too large for your liking, but you’re still looking for a sweet escape from the city, then NYE on the Hill might be just what you need. Brought to you by the legends behind the equally awesome The Hills Are Alive festival, this boutique NYE experience is small on scale but big on good vibes. 48 hours of freedom never looked so blissful, with the likes of Jackie Onassis, The Smith Street Band, The Delta Riggs, Jakubi, City Calm Down, World's End Press and many more dropping in to help you welcome 2015.
With an already excellent summer season underway, The Gasometer is rearing to cement itself as one of the go-to music destinations of the inner-suburbs. Now, with a nod to its 'hood of choice, it's launching its first major set of shows since its big revamp in May last year. Kicking off on January 25 and running all through till late-Feb the Gaso will be bringing the noise with the Collingwood Open. With big-name shows on an open-air stage for around $20 a pop, where else would you rather be? After dropping their latest album Grids late last year and doing a huge string of shows including Meredith Music Festival and playing support for Adalita, Teeth & Tongue will round out a solid summer effort on January 25. Melbourne locals The Harpoons and Twin Beasts will follow that up on January 31 and February 6 respectively. Lanie Lane will be serenading you with tracks from her latest album Night Shade on February 19, then loveable folksters Sweet Jean will be hitting the stage on February 22. The unmistakable highlight though is bound to be Gareth Liddiard. The Drones frontman will be bringing his distinctive brand of Aussie twang and soulful storytelling to the Gaso on February 27 and 28. Much like his stint at Workers Club last year, a second show was added due to popular demand. Unlike Workers, this show will be your only chance to hang with this charming songwriter under the stars. Get in quick. Tickets won't last long.
Electro party in at Old Melbourne Gaol? Yes please! Organised by Montreal’s club brand Piknic Electronik and local Melbourne promoter outfit Stable Music have teamed up to bring us a range of house and techno artists from home and abroad. From humble beginnings in 2003 in Montreal, Piknic Electronik caught on with the crowds of Barcelona, and Melbourne will be the mini-festival's debut in the Southern Hemisphere. Last week, the festival opened with Oliver Schories for his first ever Australian show. In the weeks coming, Nico Stojan and Sasse will headline, with guest appearances from Phil K, Uone, Mike Buhl and Matt Radovich. Food trucks and drink stalls will sustain you until the sun goes down, and the boutique festival shuts up shop at a sensible hour so you don’t start off your working week on the wrong foot. Piknic Electronik Festival is on every Sunday from midday until 9pm until March 29. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for any changes.
It turns out that people were interested in sharing pictures of cats well before the internet. In this summer-long survey exhibition, ACCA are giving you the chance to stroll through the long and adorable history all kinds of animals in the art world. From December 13 until March 1, you can discover the duelling forest beasts of Mircea Cantor and the bizarre creatures that spill from the mind of Patricia Piccinini. This is an art nerd's version of a day at the zoo. "Culture has [always] looked to animals to understand, describe and represent aspects of the self," says Artistic Director Juliana Engberg. "From animals we learn strategies of survival, mutual existence and use animals to express empathy." In this epic overview, ACCA is presenting this idea through the work of 34 artists from home and abroad. Far from mere Polaroids of the artists' dogs, Menagerie will feature pieces from Joseph Beuys, David Noonan, Ricky Swallow, and Anastasia Klose just to name a few. As part of next year's Summersalt Outdoor Arts Festival, Klose will also be hosting an exciting extension to the exhibition as well. For the final two weeks of February, the ACCA forecourt will be completely transformed into an interactive dog park. See you there.
It's been over a decade since we first got hooked on the rough and rowdy antics of these boys from the deep South. Peddling fast-paced garage rock and loveable ratbag tunes like 2007's 'Bad Kids' or 2011's 'Modern Art' and 'Family Tree', Black Lips have been a staple of all your recent summer road trips. Now they're back in town peddling their seventh studio album (count 'em). Released early last year, Underneath The Rainbow and its lead singles like 'Boys In The Wood' and 'Justice After All' see the four-piece staying true to their roots with those iconic raw vocals and all-round messy musical style. Despite being partly produced by The Black Keys' Patrick Carney, the album does however lose some of the hooky melodies you know and love from their past hits. But even if you're not so keen on the new stuff, their live show is always worth the money on the door. Best to come with covered shoes and loose morals: Black Lips are known for intense crowd-surfing, regular nudity and a few disturbing moments where band members have spit into each other's mouths. Though they're coming off the back of a busy festival season in the US, Europe, the Middle East — they were actually the first American band to tour there since The Grateful Dead in 1978 — Falls, and soon Laneway, they're sure to deliver not only a good show but a great story too.
When a film bears the name American Sniper – and the memoir it adapts includes The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History in its title – certain things are unsurprising. To judge a movie by its moniker and a book by its cover, patriotism is expected, as are ample scenes seen through the crosshairs of a riflescope. Clint Eastwood’s latest feature delivers both. The true tale inspiring jingoistic fervour is that of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Texan rodeo cowboy turned Navy SEAL. In four tours of Iraq post-9/11, he was credited with 160 confirmed kills. His fellow soldiers anointed him with the nickname 'Legend', continually proffering their thanks and idolatry. With each deployment, the worries of his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), grew, as did the distance in their marriage. As the man who played Dirty Harry, Eastwood is no stranger to portrayals of men steeped in violence, or to positioning their deeds as those of necessity. Symbolism torn from many a western and war movie included, he takes to the story with passion and without subtlety. With his protagonist pledging allegiance to “God, country and family”, in that order, he paints Kyle as a hero, and shapes the feature as a tribute. Treading the fine line between condoning certain actions and representing reality is a tricky task, and one Eastwood’s feature does show signs of struggling with. Only slivers are glimpsed of a more complex and conflicted train of thought than the feature’s primary narrative. Shadows of martial discontent flicker over supporting characters, but the enemy is not within, in American Sniper's case, as an insurgent enemy sniper threatens the unit. It's a dramatic tension that's technically well-executed but thematically questionable. Similarly, Kyle’s difficulties on the home front are tinged with the weight his work bears on his conscience, explained as regret over the lives he couldn’t save, rather than any troubles with what he did and saw. And then there's the Iraqi problem. Whenever the viewpoint of the other side threatens to interject, such as with the plight of a local family forced to inform against a villain, empathy is absent. American Sniper presents one perspective only, so the occupied people of Iraq remain strangers. While Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers did the same, here there’s no Letters from Iwo Jima to offer balance. Performance-wise, the duty-bound feature isn’t helped by Cooper’s lead turn, even if an Academy Award nomination seems to indicate otherwise. He looks the part, complete with a hulking swagger and an aversion to his usual charm, but his rendering of Kyle is as one-note as the bulk of the storyline. Similarly, Miller plays the stereotypical neglected wife in a paint-by-numbers performance. Of course, countless films – war and otherwise – spin one-sided yarns of good-versus-evil and even do so well; however, American Sniper is never anything less than uneasy. The sand-swept action that clouds the frame, the unwavering conviction and the sentiment of the ending are predictably blatant and sometimes brutal – and so is the accompanying discomfort.
Making music can be just as political as personal for some, especially if you're Melbourne trio The Basics. Their 12-year career has seen the band go through its fair share of ups and downs, with 1000 shows locally and abroad and even a three year hiatus from the music scene (seeing frontman Wally De Backer embark on a little ol' solo venture as Goyte). Then, 2014 casually saw The Basics' Tim Heath and Kris Schroeder enter the Victorian political sphere as the Basics Rock'n'Roll Party (BRRP), to many a divided opinion. But stronger than ever with brand new material, The Basics are headed back to the stage, hitting Melbourne's Corner Hotel to launch their brand new EP 'The Lucky Country'. Using music to spread their messages of innovation and education, these boys are going from strength to strength (tackling an election while recording a bunch of stellar tracks at Abbey Road). Supported by fellow Melburnians The Gun Barrel Straights, this promises to be a high-energy set from the reunited De Backer, Heath and Schroeder.
It seems like someone at The Bridge Hotel might have misplaced their calendar, because Halloween is still ten full months away. That being said, who amongst us can resist a good old-fashioned haunted house? On New Year's Eve, the Richmond venue is whipping out the cauldron and fake cobwebs for a truly spook-tacular party. Your ticket ($120) gets you access to a four-and-a-half-hour food and beverage package, including a cocktail on arrival. There'll be live entertainment until the early hours of the morning...we just hope you survive past midnight to enjoy it.
See the film that many have tipped to clean up big at this year's Oscars, at one of a handful of gala previews on New Year's Eve. Set in New York City during the early 1950s, Carol follows two women — played by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara — who embark on a forbidden romance with drastic consequences for them both. The film is due to release in mid-January, however Palace Cinemas are hosting early NYE screenings at Brighton Bay, Palace Balwyn, Cinema Como, Dendy Brighton, Palace Westgarth and Kino Cinemas. Attendees with receive a glass of wine on arrival, as well as a complimentary ticket to see Brooklyn – another potential awards contender – when it hits cinemas on February 12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4z7Px68ywk Session times vary cinema to cinema. You can check the times here.
Not to be confused with the pioneering hip-hop DJ, Marlon Williams a.k.a. Marley Marl a.k.a. the "Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl" referenced by Notorious B.I.G. in his classic 1994 single 'Juicy', Kiwi troubadour Marlon Williams is embarking on an extensive national tour throughout November and December. The ambitious run of dates will take Williams all over our wide brown land, hitting most major cities as well as some slightly off-the-beaten-track regional centres. The prolific singer-songwriter will be unleashing his unique brand of critically acclaimed alt-country alongside his band, The Yarra Benders. Described by WOMADelaide as "the impossible lovechild of Elvis, Roy Orbison and Townes Van Zandt" and having recently starred in the ABC drama The Beautiful Lie, Williams' star continues to rise rapidly. If you want to be able to say that you saw him before he became a household name, get tickets pronto. You can also catch Marlon Williams playing in picturesque wineries across the nation as part of A Day on the Green.
It has been less than two years since Ridley Scott told the tale of Moses leading the Hebrews from Egypt using a cast of white actors. Controversy surrounded Exodus: Gods and Kings, yet that hasn't stopped the latest Hollywood effort to spin a mythical story set in the region from following in its footsteps. Gods of Egypt asks audiences to accept Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Olympus Has Fallen star Gerard Butler as a pair of Egyptian deities. Australians also feature, with ex-Home and Away star Brenton Thwaites as the human caught in the middle of their feud, and national treasure Geoffrey Rush also popping up, all under the guidance of local writer-director Alex Proyas. That a modicum of controversy has resulted from the casting could be a blessing in disguise, since the film offers little else to inspire much in the way of conversation. Aussie audiences might get a thrill out of spotting the likes of Bryan Brown and Tiriel Mora amidst the action, albeit only briefly. Video game fans might enjoy the movie's glossy, CGI-heavy visuals, which look as if they should be interacted with, rather than watched. Few will find much of interest in the overarching story, which sets Coster-Waldau's Horus against Butler's Set in a battle for the Egyptian throne. When the latter interrupts the former's coronation, he takes control of the nation, threatens his fellow gods into submission and enslaves his subjects. Enter Thwaites' Bek, a thief more interested in his girlfriend, Zaya (Courtney Eaton), than his divine overlords — but willing to help Horus regain his rightful place, initially simply to please the object of his affections. Gods of Egypt might sound like a sombre affair, but it soon proves anything but. Hammy performances and cheap looking special effects aren't the norm, though someone obviously forgot to tell that to the scenery-chewing Butler and whoever was responsible for the painfully unconvincing CGI flames. Elements like these are indicative of the film's cheesy, light-hearted tone. Trying to have fun with the material can't save or even significantly improve the film, but it does make it slightly easier to endure. If the feature isn't taking itself too seriously, audiences can follow suit. In fact, in making a pseudo swords-and-sandals adventure that's also an odd couple buddy comedy and a clichéd romance, perhaps Proyas isn't just fashioning a fantasy version of the past. Perhaps he's also dreaming of the future. After all, both The Crow and Dark City, the two features the filmmaker remains best known for, largely became cult hits through repeated home video viewing. Gods of Egypt is unlikely to join them, but years from now, viewers might be laughing, Flash Gordon-style, at the ungodly mess Proyas has made.
Celebrate Australia Day with toasties and pavlova cocktails at Village Melbourne on St Kilda Road. Open from midday, the garden bar and bistro is bringing back the Trailer Park for a day of food truck-catered revelry in the sun. There'll be toasties by Toasta, sausages from The Snag Society and mouth-watering burgers courtesy of The Dude Food Man — plus a self-serve frozen yogurt bar and alcoholic icy poles. Alcoholic icy poles! And did we mention the pavlova cocktails? We've never been so proud to be Australian.
Looking for some healthy new recipes for summer? We may have found you the perfect thing. This Wednesday, local model and A Conscious Collection blogger Brooke Meredith is sharing her culinary expertise in a three-hour cooking class at The Urban Kitchen in South Melbourne. Participants will watch as Meredith conjures up various tasty, guilt-free treats, such as zucchini noodle rice paper rolls, low carb cauliflower pizza and chocolate macadamia brownies. How those last ones qualify as healthy we're not quite sure, but, to be honest, we're kind of happy to take her word for it. Once you've had the chance to see Meredith in action, it'll be time to put your newly acquired cooking skills to the test. Assuming no one has any major kitchen disasters, you'll wrap up the evening with a casual group dinner. You'll also receive a copy of Meredith's healthy chocoholics e-book, as well as a goodie bag full of edible surprises.
When it comes to annual traditions, the release of a new ensemble Christmas movie is among the most reliable. That doesn’t mean that it’s good — it just means that another festive feature seems to reach screens every year, overflowing with star power as well as predictability. This year's entry is Love the Coopers, and if you've seen a holiday flick before, you can probably already guess the storyline. On Christmas Eve, a dysfunctional family has to overcome their differences and learn to appreciate each other — and yes, the film really is that routine. That's not the only dash of formula director Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and writer Steven Rogers (P.S. I Love You) sprinkle throughout their big screen attempt to deck cinemas with some yuletide cheer. There's nothing like a last chance at happiness, aka a potentially final Christmas together as a group, to up the stakes. And, when following a big group getting into the spirit of the season, why not flit between individual stories before weaving them all together in the manner of Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve? Indeed, on the checklist of standard elements in occasion-oriented offerings, Love the Coopers ticks all the boxes. The characters continue the trend, including bickering, long-married parents Sam and Charlotte (John Goodman and Diane Keaton), and troubled adult children Hank and Eleanor (Ed Helms and Olivia Wilde). Sam and Charlotte are about to separate, but haven't told anyone yet. Hank has just divorced from Angie (Alex Borstein), struggles with sharing custody of his three kids and can't find a job, while Eleanor is sick of being judged for being single, so she convinces Joe (Jake Lacy), a soldier she meets in an airport bar, to pretend to be her boyfriend. Throw in a few other stragglers — Charlotte's jealous sister Emma (Marisa Tomei), who spends her day dispensing amateur counselling to a closeted cop (Anthony Mackie); Aunt Fishy (June Squibb), the requisite eccentric elderly person with a failing memory; and family patriarch Bucky (Alan Arkin), who's closer to the waitress (Amanda Seyfried) at his local diner than his family — and the scene is set for the usual festive hijinks. Arguing and hugging ensue, and then more of the same. Presents and food are often in the frame. It's all as predictable as eating too much at Christmas dinner, only not at all filling. Narration links what are essentially intertwined short films; however the feature falls victim not just to cheesy clichés, but to blandness. Wilde and Lacy's segment invests a little energy into proceedings, and Arkin and Seyfried share the sweetest story, but they're the highlights of an average-at-best lot. The performances meet the same fate, with the rest of the high-profile cast largely squandered. Wasted, too, is any sincerity and good cheer, as an overdose of sentiment and contrivance leaves the bulk of the movie veering in tone and feeling forced. Sweeping camerawork can't improve matters, nor can a schmaltzy soundtrack. The end result: Love the Coopers isn't a seasonal gift, but a holiday chore.
