With metropolitan Melbourne currently subject to strict stay-at-home orders until at least mid-August, the city's cinemas have all gone dark — again. But, as it usually does at this time of year, the Melbourne International Film Festival will still be serving up an 18-day feast of movies for Melburnians to enjoy, this time from the comfort of their homes. Cinephiles around the rest of the country will be able to check out MIFF's 2020 program, too, with the festival going both virtual and national with a lineup it's calling MIFF 68 1/2. After cancelling the fest's physical event months ago, back when the first COVID-19 lockdowns were going into effect, the annual showcase of cinema will deliver a sizeable and impressive online program between Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23, which is when the festival would've run if it had forged ahead in-person. Mirroring the fest's physical structure as much as is possible in a digital format, that includes exciting opening night, centrepiece and closing night screenings — as well as other program spotlight titles, a selection of world premieres, and movies that have had film buffs talking at prestigious international festivals. In total, 113 features and shorts are on offer, spanning flicks from 56 countries. So, if you were wondering why you might need almost three weeks to work your way through the program, now you understand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRUWVT87mt8 It all kicks off with Kelly Reichardt's First Cow, one of the very best movies of the past year — and a hit everywhere from Telluride to Berlinale. Stepping back to 19th-century America, the Certain Women director spins the story of a cook (John Magaro) and a Chinese entrepreneur (Orion Lee) who start an illicit but highly profitable business making delicious biscuits using milk stolen direct from the titular animal (the first in their region, hence the name) in the dark of night. It's also one of the 49 percent of MIFF 68 1/2's films that's made by at least one female director. MIFF viewers can also look forward to Peter Pan reimagining Wendy, the long-awaited next film from Beasts of the Southern Wild's Benh Zeitlin, which sits in the fest's centrepiece spot. Wrapping things up is closing night's Ema, from Jackie director Pablo Larrain — with his frequent star Gael García Bernal featuring alongside newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo, and the narrative set in Chile's dance world. Also in the high-profile camp: the Aubrey Plaza-starring psychodrama Black Bear, about a filmmaker who gets involved with another couple's squabbles; the Tilda Swinton-narrated, visually stunning Last and First Men, as directed by late film composer Jóhann Jóhannsson; Mogul Mowgli, with Riz Ahmed playing an aspiring British-Pakistani rapper forced to grapple with a sudden illness; and Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), a queer Aussie rom-com with a ghostly component. From the documentary selection, there's also this year's Sundance US Grand Jury Prize-winner Boys State, which experiments with democracy from the perspective of teenage boys; On the Record, detailing and exploring the allegations against Def Jam mogul Russell Simmons; and 9to5: The Story of a Movement, which sees this year's American Factory Oscar-winners Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar chronicle the fight to end gender discrimination in the workplace. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFFvje2A2vE As always with the consistently super-sized MIFF, the list goes on — with Polish drama Corpus Christi, US black comedy Shiva Baby and the distinctively animated Kill It and Leave this Town on the bill as well. So is award-winning documentary Welcome to Chechnya, about the persecution of queer Chechens, and Maddy the Model's insight into the life of Madeline Stuart, a Brisbane-born model with Down syndrome. Staying local, Aussie film fans can reassess Captain Cook's arrival through the eyes of the country's First Nations population via Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, and watch the Karrabing Film Collective latest work, Day in the Life. If you really feel like settling in for the long haul, Mark Cousins' Women Make Film: A New Road Trip Through Cinema spends 14 hours diving deep into female-directed cinema (and 183 female filmmakers, in fact), while the four-part City So Real surveys Chicago's 2019 mayoral elections. And, if that's not enough, a program of 44 short films will screen for free — and, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Aussie comedy Death in Brunswick, MIFF 68 1/2 is hosting a virtual table read of the movie's script. MIFF 68 1/2 runs from Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23. For further details and to buy online tickets from 9am on Friday, July 17, visit the festival's website.
What is the difference between video art and a short film? Is there one? Sydney Contemporary has teamed up with Sydney Film Festival to put on an epic showcase of video art. In between cinema sittings, you can stop by the Festival Hub at Lower Town Hall for a taste of Heath Franco, Deborah Kelly, Jess MacNeil, Baden Pailthorpe and many more. The show features plenty of home-grown talent and a sprinkling of international artists. Each artist has a radically different take on visual culture, from conceptual to cinematic. For instance, New York-based artist Josh Azzarella uses seminal moments from pop culture and news media to reconstruct history. And Heath Franco is collaborating with David Capra to produce a new understanding on the Hollywood dream sequence, mashing together Disney’s Dumbo and Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Meanwhile, Jess MacNeil’s work is a more metaphysical study on how we move through space and time, and Joan Ross uses animation and collage to critique colonisation in brutal and beautiful ways.
The roaring '20s just got a whole lot quieter (but in a cool way) with this exclusive art deco speakeasy style lounge, which will be tucked away inside Erskineville Town Hall during Sydney Fringe. It kind of feels like NSW is on the path to prohibition anyway, so why not embrace it with a cheeky (though still legal) evening drink accompanied by some up-close-and-personal entertainment? Only 18 lucky punters can squeeze into this joint at a time, but it’s the perfect place to stow away with a couple close friends and bear witness to the likes of magician Alex Moffat, get the jitters at Host a Murder Party or relive the music of the 1920s with a series of live sets. This event is one of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival. See the other nine here.
One of Sydney's inner west suburbs is set to show-off its thriving food, art and music scene when the Summer Hill Neighbourhood Feast arrives on Sunday, September 29. Running from 10am–4pm, the festival will take over Lackey and Smith streets with food trucks, pop-up bars and an all-day lineup of live acts. Eats will span an array of cuisines, from Italian and Thai to Nepalese and Mediterranean, while The Rio, Nine Fingers Brew and Summer Hill Hotel will be looking after the booze situation. Over at the main stage, live music will be going all day — the lineup programmed by The Rio owner Tess Robens — and a brass band will roam the festival, too. The annual pizza eating competition by local favourite Andiamo Trattoria will also take to the stage at 12.30pm. In terms of arts, the duo from the Sweets Workshop boutique will be running a Creative Village, complete with artist, design and entrepreneur talks. Entry and entertainment are free, so all you need to do is show up — preferably with a BYO water bottle and keep cup, as Council is aiming for a plastic waste-free event. Top image: The Rio by Katje Ford
Somewhere between painting, sculpture and architecture is the work of Anish Kapoor. This is the first major Australian exhibition of the British artist, and it presents a wide, retrospective range of pieces preoccupied with the nature of visual perception in relation to physical space. The artist is a magician and Sky Mirror, on the MCA front lawn, is his best kind of magic. The convex curvature of the huge stainless steel circle creates an inverted image of the environment around it, bringing the sky down to the ground. As you walk around the mirror, it reflects a moving image of the clouds - almost a type of lo-fi, real-time video art. It’s nothing short of extraordinary, and dynamic in a way that public sculpture rarely is. The harbour setting adds another, new dimension to Sky Mirror, as the work forms a conversation with Sydney’s successful objects of scale: the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. By bending light, colour and form, Kapoor manipulates the air itself around his works. True proportions are hidden, visual perception is twisted, holes are created in space and, to quote Karl Marx, “all that is solid melts into air”. Some works, like the stainless steel S Curve, hold a Coney Island-like ability to distort the viewer’s body. There is something quite compelling about seeing yourself reflected in a work, and it is this reflection that animates the sculptures. Kapoor’s art needs an audience to be complete, so for all their industrial materials, they are strangely human works. Other works are auto-generated objects that appear to manifest without the artist’s involvement. The pigment and wax sculpture My Red Homeland is formed and reformed by a massive, motorised steel arm that rotates hourly. Its gigantic scale belies its vulnerability; the wax is in a constant state of gravitational collapse. Memory is just as awe-inspiring. Squeezed into the corners of the gallery space, it’s an oversized, bomb-like torpedo on the outside, and a boundless void of negative space on the inside. We are unable to see the object as a whole, and must roam around it, piecing together our memories of its planes and forms. The distinct, earthy smell of the steel and the illusory limitlessness of its interior makes Memory an oddly emotional and very beautiful experience. This is what sculpture is asking artists to do: create inclusive, inviting and intimate works that are not distinct from the viewer, and that solve the problem of scale. Beyond creating big objects, Anish Kapoor makes people in galleries play, engage and talk to each other — they are not spectators but participants. This is a staggering exhibition, by a major artist.
The Chinese Zodiac assigns an animal to each year in a rotating cycle of 12 years, with this coming year the year of the horse. We're still slogging through the year of the snake, but the year of the horse is almost upon us. And as the calendar ticks over, Sydney's 2014 Chinese New Year celebrations are happy to kick in a little early, with the City throwing in an equine component on top of its usual mix of street march, food and culture. It can take time to unfold the full breadth of leisure and show behind the City's annual lunar new year celebrations. Handily, we've narrowed this complex calendar down to a few highlights to help you get the best out of this year's festivities. Twilight Parade A firm favourite on the Chinese New Year activity calendar, this year’s Twilight Parade promises the same visual spectacle of vibrant dancers, rainbow-hued floats, and vivid fireworks that have characterised each year's bedazzling parade offering. All manner of horse-themed acts will be entertaining the crowds from 7pm until an eye-dotting ceremony at 8pm to 'bless' the Chinese New Year lions, then the parade kicks off at 8.15pm from Sydney Town Hall on George St. Sydney CBD buildings also get into the new year action with enchanting projections illuminating their facades whilst post-parade fireworks at Cockle Bay wharf will round off the night and help to scare away any back luck from the previous year. Free. February 2, from 7pm. Sydney Town Hall to Chinatown. Fireworks at Cockle Bay Wharf. Download a parade map here. Dragon Ball The Star Event Centre will be transformed into a glamorous, chandelier-swinging, big-band-grooving event with the return of the Dragon Ball, a fixture on the Australian Chinese social calendar from the 1930s to the 1970s when the event saw young debutantes presented to the Chinese Consul General with their families looking on. After a 40-year hiatus, this modern reincarnation of the Dragon Ball band returns for its second year of cranking out contemporary tunes and bringing to life the heady days of swing — think double bass and drums, trumpets and trombones, with a lilting, swing rhythm. This is a night to dust off your glam frocks and sashay out onto the dance floor for a cha-cha or a samba. February 8, 7.30pm to midnight, the Star, Pyrmont, $72pp + booking fee. Lunar Feasts Want to try something other than your beef and blackbean Friday night special? Sydney saddles up its chefs for the Year of the Horse with a rash of Lunar Feasts. There are banquets from as little as $20 at dumpling powerhouse Din Tai Fung in World Square, or try keeping up as Chow Bar and Eating House banquets you through some of its greatest hits for $60pp. Spice I Am's House Shop offers up some budget papaya salad at $20pp and Azuma Japanese Restaurant throws together a hotpot at $50pp. Still undecided? Check out the Lunar Feasts site for a full listing of eateries. Cinema Alley at Golden Age Cinema and Bar The 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art's Cinema Alley has been a stalwart over the last few Chinese New Years, taking over the laneway outside its Hay Street headquarters. This year, the Centre's celebration moves to Surry Hills' newly SMAC-approved Golden Age Cinema to screen two of Jia Zhang-Ke's films exploring modern China. At 6.30, Still Life follows people looking for their partners in the shadow of the gargantuan three gorges dam, while at 9pm, four desperate stories diverge in the multi-threaded A Touch of Sin. Outside in the bar and foyer, art by Chen Qiulin and Adrian Wong keep on with a theme of changing China. Cinema Alley at Golden Age Cinema and Bar is ticketed, free for the art and paid for the movies. Details here. Horses With the horse standing at the centre of this year's shift of the zodiac, the new year celebrations has no shortage of horse-themed events. There are equine exhibitions, like Woman Horse and the Macleay Museum's sideline in equine history, and NSW Evergreen Taoist Church is opening its doors to the public for a weekend of tours of its church on the site of the former barracks of the NSW Mounted Police. Meanwhile, at their current headquarters, the NSW Mounted Police are also giving you the chance to tour their stable and hang out with their horses. It's a tour that books out pretty early in its more regular incarnation, so it might be worth booking ahead. Chinese New Year Markets There'll be bamboo baskets piled high with steaming dumplings, bowls of soy-covered noodles waiting to be slurped, and Hong Kong/Australian break dance collaborations care of Compartmentalized at the Chinese New Year Markets in Belmore Park. There's live entertainment on the main market stage with a film screenings, martial arts performances and a wee bit of demonstration cooking. Want to belt out a tune? Battle it out at the karaoke competition, and if you're the crowd's favourite, you might end up taking home a swag of prizes. The official festival launch kicks off Friday night with an evening of fireworks to scare last year's baddies away. Free. February 24-26, Belmore Park, Eddy Avenue, Sydney. Beijing Silvermine Beijing Silvermine is a rare and unique collection of photographs capturing everyday life in China during the decades following the Cultural Revolution. Dug out of family archives, the anonymous subjects of these photographs become unknowing participants in mapping a period of immense social change. Beijing-based collector Thomas Sauvin struck up a deal to buy this 'silvermine' of abandoned memories, which were destined for destruction. From moments of exquisite intimacy between lovers through to the static poses of holiday-makers, Sauvin injects the photographs with a retrospective significance by re-casting the subjects as forgers of modern China. The exhibition also features two video animations produced by Beijing-based animator Lei Lei in collaboration with Sauvin, compiling the collection into a surreal imagescape. Until February 22, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art. Mahjong Playlunch There's the thud of solid bakelite tiles as they're slid across the felt-lined table. whilst players drink cups of steaming Jasmine tea or nibble delicately on tasty dim sums. Suddenly someone calls 'mahjong' and the table erupts into chatter. It's a busy afternoon at the MahJong Room in Surry Hills, and the atmosphere is electric. Celebrate Chinese New Year with your friends at Mahjong Playlunch by learning this thousand-year-old game of skill and chance at Surry Hills' answer to the traditional mahjong houses of old Shanghai. Furnished with a mahjong playing set, a belly full of dim sums, and personal lessons from the staff, it's a cool way to while away an afternoon. $39/pp including dim sum and tea. Mahjong Room, 312 Crown Street, Surry Hills. Book via info@mahjongroom.com.au Dragon Boat Races Fast and furious, wet and wild — no it's not an ad for a summer roller-coaster ride, it's the frantic dash in a 12m-long painted boat known as Dragon Boat Races. Dating back 2000 years, the race was traditionally held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese Calendar to encourage rains for prosperity — the dragon, the symbol of water, was the object of worship for the ancient Chinese. Today, it's a heart-thumping sport boasting crews of roughly 20 rowers. Grab a waterside seat and watch some of Sydney's best dragon boat teams battle it out in this highly competitive, thrilling sport. Free. February 8-9. Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour, Sydney. Chinese History Tours So the current Chinatown is actually's Sydney's third. The first was in The Rocks, the second around the Haymarket, and the current one followed Sydney's markets to the top of Darling Harbour. It's a complicated and interesting history that, like most migrant communities (including the English), is a grab bag of culture shock, social clubs, a bit of crime, a bit of poverty and a lot of social mobility. This year, the Chinatown Historical Tours returns to take through the history of this third Chinatown by foot ending up with some optional Yum Cha. For a grander tour, Our Chinese Past by Bike takes you on a two-wheeled tour between all three incarnations of this cultural hub. Beijing Silvermine section by Annie Murney. Horses, Cinema Alley and History Tours by Zacha Rosen.
"I will not sell anything that I would not put in my own home". When a store owner has this bold a motto, you know you're onto a winner. And you're certainly in safe hands at Mary Katsikas' new venture The Chic Interior Co. Having opened in early 2019, the boutique showroom in Ramsgate is filled with beautifully curated accent furniture and decorative homewares designed to give your home a few luxe touches. The store has everything from small items that give a hint to your personal style — think a brush gold and mirror tray or pink marble vase — to statement pieces like plush velvet storage ottomans or an art deco-style accent chair. Katsikas also offers personal interior styling services if you need a bit of a push in the right direction. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Surry Hill's stalwart Harry's is throwing a month-long margarita festival kicking off on May 5 (AKA Cinco de Mayo). The festival will showcase five different iterations of the hallowed cocktail, each of which honour a different region of Mexico — the Oaxaca, the Mexico City, the Guadalajara, the Cancun and the Tulum — and provide a unique remix of the classic margarita, from spicy-centric to citrus-heavy. Playing sidekick to the margs will be a collection of street food snacks that Head Chef Faris Hindami has created. There's crunchy prawn and pork taquitos, juicy birra beef tacos served with a chilli-heavy dipping sauce; and grilled chilli and garlic corn. Those who take the margarita journey across Mexico and try all five margs during the month will go into the draw to win a bunch of prizes including a four-person holiday to Byron Bay, a year's worth of Don Julio Tequila, an at-home margarita kit and Harry's merch. Each time you order a margarita, just collect a stamp from the Harry's staff on your Camino De La Margarita card. To sweeten the deal for Concrete Playground readers, if you show the Harry's bar staff this article you'll score an extra entry to the competition. Camino De La Margarita kicks off from May 5 and runs up until June 2. Head to the Harry's website to be the first to access bookings.
Sydney's pretty damn great at the whole spring season. First (and obviously), the weather gets delightfully warmer. Then, the city's spring racing carnival gets everyone out and about, clinking glasses and wearing novelty hats. The annual extravaganza that is Epsom Day combines the best of spring benefits, with the added bonus of falling on a long weekend. Horses speed around a track, punters try their luck, and guests enjoys an array of fashion, hospitality and entertainment, safe in the knowledge that the return to work is still two days away. This year's on-course antics include a Möet & Chandon pop-up bar for Australian Turf Club members, if ever you needed an incentive to join. For those torn between Bondi Beach and Royal Randwick this long weekend, the former comes to the latter with the launch of The Bucket List Beach Club Marquee, bringing the best of Bondi’s iconic beach bar trackside. Plus, if you're a sports lover, prepare for your trip to the races to get even better. NRL grand final ticketholders, NRL club members and ANZ Stadium members receive free entry to the track, and the AFL grand final will be broadcast live. Now that's how you make the most of a three-day break.
Hospitality group Solotel is part of the stacked partner list for Sydney WorldPride, bringing a heroic program of entertainment and Pride edition menus to 11 venues throughout the festival. There's way too much to talk about in one sitting but we'll do our best (and if you doubt our exhaustiveness visit the Solotel website for all the details). Let's start with a recently reborn favourite of the inner city. The Abercrombie is hosting an epic two-week extravaganza of parties and events curated by DJ Kate Monroe and House of Silky co-founder Xander Khoury. The lineup includes Pride, Play & Party on Friday, February 17 (for which entry is free), the House Techno & Queer Collective parties on Saturday, February 18 and Friday, February 24, and the all-hours Community Parade Afterparty on Saturday, February 25. A few train stops east is the Kings Cross Hotel, which is hosting a stacked roster of 33 events throughout WorldPride. If the dance floor beckons, we recommend the weekly Club LOVE every Friday throughout the festival from 9pm until late. These celebratory all-inclusive parties will takeover across every floor of the hotel with DJs playing a mix of house, disco, pop and tech bangers throughout the night. If you're Pride celebrations take you to Newtown, The Bank is hosting a mix of one-off and weekly events throughout the festival. Every Thursday from 8pm will be the free-entry Woodys, where those who have a flair for hair (or are just looking for a good time surrounded by hirsute gents) are encouraged to come and get their boogie on to a new DJ every week. There's also DJs & Drag on Saturday, February 17, Ru Paul trivia on Monday, February 20, and the GiRLTHiNG, BOYTHiNG, OURTHiNG party on Saturday, March 4. In the unlikely event that none of those banger events are to your fancy, over 100 other events are happening in venues all over town. That includes The Malborough Hotel and The Courty in Newtown; The Clock and Goros in Surry Hills; Darlo Bar, Darlinghurst; Paddo Inn, Paddington; Barangaroo House; and Opera Bar. We hope you've had your vitamins because this is going to call for serious stamina. For more information on Solotel x Sydney WorldPride and their participating venues, or to grab your tickets, head to the website.
UPDATE, September 24, 2021: The Lighthouse is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Straddling the space where land meets sea, reaching high into the sky and emitting a glow that heralds safety, lighthouses have long ranked among humanity's most revered structures. They save sailors' lives by stopping them from crashing into craggy cliffs, and they're afforded not just respect as a result, but an almost ethereal, enchanting status. Also, every Australian who grew up since the 90s has dreamed of living in one, thanks to classic series Round the Twist. After watching Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson fart, fight, guzzle too much rum, growl at seagulls, masturbate and go steadily mad in one of the towering, alluring buildings in the nightmarish The Lighthouse, though, you might never look at these oceanside staples in the same way again. Dafoe and Pattinson play cantankerous sea dog Thomas Wake and eager newcomer Ephraim Winslow — a seasoned 'wickie' who adores the light above all else, and an ex-woodsman hoping to work his way up in the world. When Winslow arrives for a four-week stint assisting the peg-legged Wake, he really should see his choppy voyage to the isolated New England island as a sign of things to come. (As the latest film by The Witch writer/director Robert Eggers, omens come with the territory.) Although forcibly chatty while swigging spirits with dinner, Wake is a hard taskmaster. He's also dour, mean, flatulent and drunk on power. Attending to the light is his responsibility alone, with Winslow saddled with the tough, dirty, literally shitty work — and warned not to mess with the seagulls fluttering around outside, which Wake believes to be the souls of dead seamen. Scrubbing floors, carting heavy kerosene containers upstairs, emptying overflowing chamber pots — that's Winslow's new life day in, day out. Coupled with the constant stream of insults spat ferociously by Wake, it's enough to make him lose his grip on his sanity. And so, after finding a mermaid figurine in his bedsprings on his first night, then frequently fondling it with one hand while fondling himself with the other, the fledgling keeper grasps what solace he can. Then a storm sweeps in, stranding the two men inside with nothing but each other, alcohol and their bubbling acrimony for company. With a tempest swirling both in the sky and in the lighthouse, not even self-love can help brighten Winslow's stay on the island. In The Witch, Eggers charted the slow implosion of a Puritan family in 17th-century America. In an insidiously unsettling movie made with exceptional technical prowess, he watched as fear and superstition — plus good ol'-fashioned bickering and a goat called Black Phillip — collapsed his characters' bonds. Jumping two centuries forward, swapping a remote farm for the titular structure and focusing on co-workers, The Lighthouse does much the same. That said, you could never accuse Eggers of just repeating himself. He's clearly deeply fascinated with the darkness that springs when folks spend too much time together in close quarters in fraught circumstances, and how such a scenario reveals humanity's true nature. He's also well aware how common a situation that is, and how it can play out in oh-so-many ways. Here, shot in inky black-and-white, lit to stress every shadow and lapping up all shades of grey — a fitting colour for men stuck in limbo several times over — the above chain of events plays out in gripping, stunning, horrifying and even amusing fashion. Co-written by Eggers with his brother Max, the gothic-leaning narrative boasts its twists, shocks and secrets. Deconstructing masculinity while caught in a trippy daze, it offers more than its fair share of surprises. But how The Lighthouse conveys this tale is just as important as the story itself. Constrained within a square frame (deploying the 1.19:1 Movietone aspect ratio that was popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s), this is a masterclass in claustrophobia, paranoia and mania. Jarin Blaschke's Oscar-nominated cinematography is fine-tuned to agitate and disturb, as is the needling score by fellow The Witch alum Mark Korven's score. The end result? A surreal, savage and purposefully aesthetically overwhelming portrait of psychological unraveling that feels more like it has been washed up in a bottle than crafted anew. Thanks to Dafoe and Pattinson, there's no doubting that The Lighthouse was made in 2019 (and obviously not a century or so earlier). Eggers' casting instincts are superb — and not just because his monochrome visuals make the most of Dafoe's lively scowl and Pattinson's cheekbones. Spouting dialogue informed by real lighthouse-keepers' diaries, as well as by the writings of Moby Dick author Herman Melville, Dafoe barks and swaggers with frenzied energy. Glowering with growing internal rage, Pattinson's physically expressive performance is on par with the best silent film stars. The more this powerhouse duo snipe and snarl back and forth, the more they lure viewers into The Lighthouse's fever dream like a glowing beam — or like the tentacles that help make this already out-there movie even more eccentric, outlandish and utterly mesmerising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4
Battles will be had, blood will be shed, and brothers will unite on stage in this Bell Shakespeare production of Henry V, but not quite as you remember it from high school lit. Shakespeare's tale tells the story of King Henry V, who, having ascended the throne following the death of his father, promptly — after a few people tell him he should probs do something else — declares war on France. Essentially, Henry tries to rally his troops to fight their best while simultaneously avoiding assassination and getting a French wife (because nothing says romance quite like declaring war on your crush's country). In this production, director Damien Ryan is bringing the story to life with a contemporary take, inspired by a true story. During the London Blitz in 1941, a group of young men, bored and stuck in a bunker, started a club, where they would rehearse and perform plays to others in the shelter. "With England on the precipice and Churchill comparing the fighter pilots to the 'happy few' at Agincourt, it is hard to imagine that a Henry V would not have struck their hearts," said Ryan. With this in mind, he has re-imagined one of Shakespeare's more politically charged plays. An exploration of violence, manhood and assumed power from the heart of a gloomy British bunker. Henry V is on from October 21 to November 16 at the Sydney Opera House Playhouse, following acclaimed seasons in Melbourne and Canberra. Thanks to Bell Shakespeare, we have three double passes to give away to the performance on Tuesday, October 28, to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Marrickville's newly opened Bucket Boys is not your average craft brew bottle shop, more closely resembling a sort of art gallery for beer — think minimalist, modern artwork, a four-tap tasting/refill bar and single bottles only on display, giving each beer its place to shine. Add BB's own brews into the mix, and you've got yourself one hell of a commitment to craft. This valiant endeavour is no surprise from co-owner Johnathan Hepner, who, apart from being the biggest beer geek we know, is also quite possibly the only Cicerone bottle shop owner in Australia. Hepner is joined by co-owner Clint Elvin (Gasoline Pony) and local legends Jay Cook and Ben Miller, who head up the in-house brewing team. The Bucket Boys concept is based on the history of growler-style takeaway, which originated in the early 1800s. Their own brews pay homage to ye olden days of beer as well — their Straw Dog, a 14th century-style Polish beer, is made from oak-smoked wheat. With only single bottles on offer, the name of the game here is the mixed six-pack. The stocklist currently sits at 400 brews, with over 60 sours, including many international brewers that have hardly made it to the Aussie market — like Italian craft Lover Beer and Belgium's Brouwerij Alvinne. Of course, Aussie and Kiwi craft is extensively represented as well. "I've ensured that at least one of every beer style is currently in stock," says Hepner. With his extensive beer knowledge, we're going to take this as gospel. But it's not all beer on the shelves. Apart from the impressive, ever changing beer stock, specialty wines and spirits are also well-represented — this includes Bucket Boys own house wines, made in collaboration with Alex Retief of Urban Winery Sydney, as well as a sheep whey vodka from Tasmania's Hartshorn Distillery. Bucket Boys is a spot for true beer lovers and a place for even the biggest beer geeks to discover something new in craft. Locals around here are lucky, with BB the perfect cherry atop the craft beer mecca that is Marrickville. Bucket Boys is located at 300 Illawarra Road, Marrickville. Opening hours are Sunday through Thursday, 10am to 8pm and Friday through Saturday, 10am to 9pm. Images: Marissa Ciampi.
Stuff. I know I have too much of it. And storage? Far too little. This weekend I just finished reading What's Mine Is Yours, a book by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers advocating collaborative consumption. Basically, it talks about all the avenues through which people swap, share, barter, trade and rent on a massive scale with the help of communication technologies like the interwebs. I was left staggered by the sheer amount of stuff I own which spends most of its time in my possession gathering dust. How exciting, then, to stumble upon a solution to my problem both local and nation-wide in its reach. The Garage Sale Trail will be held on Sunday, April 10 this year in backyards, front yards and garages right across Australia. You can register your garage sale on the website, and on the day people can hop between garage sales in their local area. Pop in your post-code to check out what's near you. The pilot project held in Bondi last year attracted droves of people, emptied ATMs in the area and saw the equivalent of 15 shipping containers of goods exchanging hands. Sounds like a pretty sweet way to get sustainable. https://youtube.com/watch?v=AuOBz7FF7z4
Night Slugs sounds terrifying, but then naming things can be weird. To describe the sound these guys make you have to use hazy descriptions like “dancefloor-friendly” or “distinctive” or “diverse”. Sure you can pull out a few of the things it encompasses — grime, gutter house, electro, R&B, dubstep and techno — but at the end of the day they just make and peddle electronic music that’s intensely fresh and unfailingly progressive. Night Slugs are also a record label and a club night, responsible for releasing music from some of the London scene’s most cutting-edge producers and holding a regular London night that has become a staple of the scene. But on their first Australian tour they’ll be the inimitable L-Vis 1990 and Bok Bok dropping guaranteed dancefloor bombs on the floor of Goodgod, and showing why their back to back sets have taken them from UK radio to support slots at some of the biggest events in the world. Night Slugs will be supported by Sydney future-electro innovators Cliques, with bass junkie Preacha behind the decks. We're giving away two double passes to Night Slugs on Friday, February 22. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you're not already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Patience is rewarded in this latest Hollywood take on the Godzilla tale, with the eponymous giant taking almost an hour before his first appearance. It is, if you'll permit, a case of 'Waiting for Godzilla', and the eventual reveal is a genuine delight. The film begins in 1999, where a series of sudden and inexplicable catastrophes — most notably the collapse of a Japanese nuclear facility — are categorised as 'natural disasters' and dismissed, leaving in their wake unanswered questions and shattered lives. Among those affected is nuclear engineer Joe Brody (Bryan Cranston), along with his wife, Sandra (Juliette Binoche), and his son Ford (Kick-Ass's Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Joe refuses to accept the official line, and — as his obsession grows — he soon becomes both an outcast and absentee father as he embarks upon a one-man crusade to discover the truth. Fast-forward, then, to the present day where, to Joe's horror, the same seismic anomalies that preceded the last disaster suddenly recommence. It's a slow burn kept alive almost entirely courtesy of Cranston and Binoche, but one whose dramatic ignition comes with the full force of a 3D IMAX experience. It's also a pleasant surprise, because the creature awakened is not Godzilla. It is, rather, a MUTO — or Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism — perhaps best likened to a 300ft cockroach possessed of electromagnetic pulses and an appetite for radioactive materials. He'd be the solution to so many of earth's environmental concerns, were it not for his complete disregard for buildings or the earthlings inside them. What, then, of Godzilla? Instead of acting as the film's traditional villain, he is something more transcendent — an ancient, imposing yet graceful leviathan whose place on this earth is, seemingly, to ensure its equilibrium. With a design aesthetic far more aligned with the original Godzilla of 1954, he is truly awesome in scale and defined most crucially by his iconic scream (a two-part, roar-and-rumble experience created first by leaving dry ice to sublimate on a metal vent, then dragging a giant wooden crate across a polished floor). Sound is, in fact, the star of this film, with utterly rib-rattling resonance an almost constant companion throughout. It is, in short, a silly but fun film whose human characters are wholly tangential to its CGI stars. With a cast that also boasts the largely underused Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and David Strathairn, the decision to entrust its least recognisable and accomplished actor with the lion's share of screen time is a curious misstep, and despite all the MUTO's menace, the most ominous element in Godzilla remains its opening titles and their use of archival nuclear test footage. In a film centred around the destructive power of giant monsters, nothing manages to quite live up to the terror and devastation reminded to us in those few, opening seconds. It is a nuclear device, too, that provides the film with its greatest source of tension in the climax. Still, it's nice to have Godzilla back in our lives after 1998's disappointing attempt, and, as far as blockbusters go, this has almost everything you're looking for. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vIu85WQTPRc
This news isn't like rain on your wedding day. It doesn't resemble finding a black fly in your chardonnay. And it definitely isn't anything like hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, either. But, it will have you singing those lines — and it is news that you oughta know, too — because 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill is heading to Australia. The acclaimed production is making its first trip beyond Broadway, in fact, when it hits the Theatre Royal Sydney from Thursday, December 2. And, when the curtains are raised, it'll help mark another milestone, reopening the Theatre Royal five years after it closed its doors in 2016. Inspired by Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill the Musical weaves a story around songs from that iconic record. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Famed tracks 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. And, songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. At present, tickets are on sale for shows until Sunday, December 19, all starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte. She'll play Mary Jane Healey, with Jagged Little Pill the Musical telling the Healey family's tale as they struggle with their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a story about social issues relevant to today, but also with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Images: Jagged Little Pill the Musical original Broadway cast, Matthew Murphy. Updated September 27.
The underworld beckons: in 2025, hit musical Hadestown is set to take to the stage for the first time in Australia. Initially premiering as an indie theatre piece in 2006 in Vermont, then reaching off-Broadway in 2016 and Broadway in 2019, the show from musician and playwright Anaïs Mitchell plunges into the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. Audiences at Theatre Royal Sydney can see the production give the ancient Greek myth a new spin from February. The Harbour City is hosting the Aussie debut season of the musical that spent 2019 and 2020 collecting accolades after accolades. From 14 Tony nominations, it won eight awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. At the Grammys, it took home Best Musical Theatre Album. If you're new to the show – which has been seen by more than three-million people and streamed over 350-million times — two love stories get Hadestown's narrative burning. Orpheus and Eurydice share the spotlight with King Hades and Persephone, as Mitchell accompanies their intertwined affairs with a soundtrack of New Orleans-inspired jazz and American folk. The production's Sydney season kicks off on Monday, February 10, 2025. Images: Hadestown Original London Cast.
There's a moment in Netflix documentary Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened that no one will ever forget. While much of the film falls into that category — cataloguing an utter trainwreck of a festival will do that — one scene particularly stands out. When event producer Andy King reveals what he was asked to do to secure bottled water for the fest's stars and patrons (and the fact that he'd resigned himself to doing it), it instantly underlines the scope and shamelessness of Fyre's catastrophic mismanagement. Given that the doco not only became an instant must-watch, but that the similar, Hulu-funded film Fyre Fraud did too, it's safe to say that everyone wants to know more about this story. Australians will be able to get the full details at this year's BIGSOUND, with King himself joining the lineup as a late addition. He'll be heading to Brisbane as one of the four-day conference's keynote speakers, appearing an event called Fyreside Chat with Andy King on Wednesday, September 4. King will likely be offering his advice on what not to do in the music festival industry, and why being willing to go the extra mile for a gig isn't always a good thing. As Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened demonstrates, he isn't shy when it comes to taking about his experiences — and he has a sense of humour about it. He also has a considerable resume that ranges well above and beyond Fyre Festival, spanning more than 25 years in the event business. Expect to hear about that, too, which ranges from hosting the launch of the world's tallest ferris wheel in Las Vegas to running the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation's annual gala. Amusingly, King also oversees a zero-waste event company that focuses on environmental and social impacts, including when plastic bottles of water are involved. Until he makes his way Down Under, revisit King's must-see doco moment via the Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened trailer below. The film itself is available on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ0KNVU2fV0 BIGSOUND 2019 runs from September 3–6 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details or to buy tickets, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND.
UPDATE, February 1, 2021: Beauty and the Beast is available to stream via Disney+,Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. It's a tale as old as time, or so the song tells us. But just what is that ageless story at the heart of Beauty and the Beast? Opposites attracting, sure, but a fair maiden warming to an arrogant prince who's been cursed with a monstrous appearance isn't really an everyday experience. On the other hand, with gender equality still an ongoing problem in our society, a narrative about a young woman being undermined by an egocentric male, belittled for her intelligence, and robbed of her agency by an imposing force all very much fits the bill. While breathing new life into Disney's popular animated effort is the movie's main aim — just as they've done with Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella and The Jungle Book — the Mouse House hasn't missed the opportunity to bolster this live-action offering in certain distinctive ways. You don't cast Emma Watson as Belle without ensuring that the titular beauty isn't just kind but determined, confident, courageous and willing to fight for her place in the world. In fact, with the film also boasting Disney's first interracial kiss and first exclusively gay moment, the studio is clearly trying to bring the narrative in line with the times. The plot is much the same as it was in 1991, or the mid-18th century for that matter. The prince (Dan Stevens) is transformed due to his uncaring behaviour, with love the key to breaking the spell. Meanwhile, a young girl named Belle yearns for life beyond her quiet village, where she is frowned upon for her studious ways and persistently wooed/harassed by vain town hunk Gaston (Luke Evans). Beauty meets beast when she goes looking for her missing inventor father (Kevin Kline), who has been imprisoned in the man-turned-creature's enchanted castle. With singing household objects such as Lumière the candlestick (Ewan McGregor), Cogsworth the clock (Ian McKellen), Mrs Potts the teapot (Emma Thompson) and Plumette the feather duster (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) all on hand to dispense advice, what follows is a tale about longing and romance, as well as a spirited fable that champions a woman's right to choose her own destiny. The film's modern attitude feels especially refreshing, without ever seeming too on the nose. This is a production that's eager to weave its progressive positions into the fabric of the narrative rather than shout its from the castle turrets. Director Bill Condon (Mr Holmes) takes a classical approach to the movie's look and feel. Lavishly staged, costumed and choreographed, stepping into the world of Beauty and the Beast is like stepping into a storybook. All of the old tunes hit the spot (McGregor and company crooning 'Be Our Guest' is a highlight), although a couple of new inclusions prove little more than melodic padding. As for the cast, the expectedly impassioned Watson, suitably brooding Stevens and gloriously pompous Evans all help make this timeless tale seem equally nostalgic and new.
Thanks to the huge array of streaming services available at the mere press of a button, as well as the seemingly non-stop array of new movies hitting them each and every month, it's easy to forget that films don't always last forever. The very medium of 35mm film itself doesn't, in fact — it deteriorates, which is why restored and remastered versions of old classics, and shiny 4K digital transfers, are such a big deal in cinephile circles. Here's a movie that won't ever grace a DVD, a streaming queue or even get digitised, however: The Afterlight by Fear Itself and Beyond Clueless filmmaker Charlie Shackleton. It's 100-percent designed to only screen on 35mm, and only exists as one single print. And, that means that it degrades every time it's shown, and will one day fade away to the point it can no longer be played. Accordingly, getting to see The Afterlight isn't an ordinary trip to the cinema. It's a rare one-off and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's also what's on offer at AGNSW, for free, for one afternoon only from 2pm on Saturday, August 20. Arriving in Brisbane fresh from playing MIFF, the film will screen just once, with Shackleton in attendance for an in-conversation session afterwards. And if you're wondering what The Afterlight is actually about, it's a cinematic collage featuring clips of actors who are now dead but will always live on on celluloid — although not on this strip of celluloid once it disappears.
An annual highlight of Vivid's food program, Vivid Chef Series returns with a celebration of world-class cuisine unlike any other. Across a series of special dinners, a pair of chefs — one a homegrown hero, the other an international talent — joins forces to curate unique menus melding their distinct yet complementary cultural and professional backgrounds. First up, Fred's Executive Chef Ben Greeno teams up with London's Max Coen of Notting Hill bistro Dorian for four exclusive dinners. A newly minted Michelin-starred chef, Coen's elegant, fuss-free food is proof that fine-dining needs no bells or whistles when superb produce and flawless execution will suffice. Working with Greeno, the pair are delivering a five-course feast in the heart of Paddington from Sunday, May 26–Wednesday, May 29. [caption id="attachment_844447" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christopher Pearce[/caption] From Tuesday, May 28–Thursday, May 30, The Charles Brasserie and Bar Executive Chef Billy Hannigan is partnering with award-winning young chef Sally Abé, who is known for cooking that champions the UK's best seasonal produce. Abé is summoning the same refined British nostalgia that can be found on her menu at London's The Pem restaurant, but with an infusion of Australian ingredients. Alongside Hannigan, The Charles' Head Pastry Chef Rhiann Mead (formerly of Bennelong) is also be on deck, serving up a showstopping dessert that fuses the hearty flavours of Blighty with the delicacy of French pâtisserie. Next, the robust, earthy dishes of central Europe mingles with the spice and colour of Middle Eastern fare at Aalia in Martin Place. Ivan Brehm, the head chef and owner of Michelin-starred Singaporean diner Nouri, is sharing the double-hatted kitchen of Aalia's Paul Farag for two dinners on Tuesday, June 11–Wednesday, June 12. The last collaboration in the series pairs Ghanaian chef Selassie Atadika with Steven Hartert, the Executive Chef at Dixson and Sons, the upmarket brasserie at the Porter House Hotel. Over two nights across Friday, June 14–Saturday, June 15, Selassie's passion for underutilised and sustainable produce shares the plate with Hartert's talent for sophisticated fusions for a meal where heritage and innovation are key ingredients. Top image: Steven Woodburn.
Casual face-melter Courtney Barnett is finally about to have a debut album under her already trophy-laden belt. So naturally, the Melbourne-based shredder has announced her Australian debut album tour for May 2015. This one's going to sell fast. Marking the release of her first ever LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit (out Friday, March 20 via Barnett's own Milk! Records and Remote Control), this tour follows Barnett's epic performances at Laneway festival around the country over the last few weeks. Having already proved herself one of Australia's brightest sparks over the last few years with her 2013 EP release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, Barnett's spins one hell of a live show — having nailed sets at Lollapalooza, South by Southwest and New York City's CMJ. Supported by Teeth & Tongue, Barnett will cruise from Adelaide's The Gov on Friday, May 1 to Perth's Bakery on Saturday, May 2. Then it's over to Sydney's The Metro on Friday, May 8 and Brisbane's Hi-Fi on Saturday, May 9. In classic Australian artist form, Barnett will wrap things up in her hometown of Melbourne on Friday, May 15 at The Forum. COURTNEY BARNETT AUSTRALIAN ALBUM TOUR 2015 SUPPORTED BY TEETH & TONGUE FRIDAY MAY 1 The Gov, Adelaide, SA TICKETS SATURDAY MAY 2 The Bakery, Perth, WA TICKETS FRIDAY MAY 8 The Metro, Sydney, NSW TICKETS SATURDAY MAY 9 The Hifi, Brisbane, QLD TICKETS FRIDAY MAY 15 The Forum, Melbourne, VIC TICKETS
At the end of May, a host of top names arrive in the state capital for the annual Sydney Writers Festival. But if you can't make it to the Harbour City, a number of the biggest events are being streamed for free in libraries across the Central Coast. Lake Haven, Toukley, Kincumber, Erina, Tuggerah and Umina Beach libraries are all taking part. Note that all events are being livestreamed to all libraries, so make sure to check the Love Central Coast website for times and locations. After all, you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to see Julie Baird, author of Phosphorescence, talk about the inspiration for her new book. Or miss Olivier Award-winning playwright Suzie Miller speak on the huge success of her production, Prima Facie. Or catch Trent Dalton, the biggest Australian novelist of the last years, talking about his new novel and what it means to see his breakout hit, Boy Swallows Universe, make its way onto Netflix earlier this year. Support local libraries while also getting a slice of literary insight — it really is a win-win situation.
There's a difference between passion and talent, though few people dare to explain that to Marguerite Dumont (Catherine Frot). The fictional character, inspired by a real-life New York socialite, lives for music. Unfortunately, as much as she loves belting out a song, she can't hold a tune to save her life. "Does she always sing like this?" asks young critic Lucien Beaumont (Sylvain Dieuaide) when he first hears her voice at one of her frequent soirees. He's as shocked by the response as he is at the sound ringing in his ears; "No. She's come a long way," he's told. Marguerite tells her tale, transporting the story to 1920s France to avoid conflicting with another film about its obvious source of inspiration, the forthcoming Florence Foster Jenkins. If you think a narrative about a wealthy woman's repeated attempts to sing in public would be riddled with both tragedy and comedy, you'd be right. However writer-director Xavier Giannoli (Superstar) struggles to find the ideal balance between the two. It's not just many of the characters that are outwardly laughing at, not with, the aspiring opera star. Always trying to find humour in the situation, the movie itself seems to be trying to inspire the same reaction. Indeed, the film's depiction of the behaviour of those closest to her demonstrates this approach. Marguerite's husband (André Marcon) belittles her to anyone who'll listen, while her loyal butler (Denis Mpunga) hopes to profit from his photographs of her outlandish behaviour. When Lucien befriends the wannabe soprano after reviewing her concert, he's clearly secretly joking at his new pal's expense. The feature stresses again and again that no one wants to ruin Marguerite's fantasy of grandeur, though it also makes plain that they're enjoying watching her make a fool out of herself. Showing them as much empathy as it does its protagonist, Marguerite follows in their footsteps. Accordingly, any kindness in the movie is tinged with unmistakable cruelty — and it's an uncomfortable mix to say the least. Frot's performance won a Caesar award, and proves the most nuanced and convincing element of the film. Sadly, she's left languishing in an effort that treats her character in a cartoonish manner. Any intended satire about the falseness of upper-class society fails to hit the mark. While Marguerite's tone proves awkward, it's technical artistry is never in doubt. Giannoli's skills as a filmmaker are best evidenced in the sumptuous imagery he brings to the screen, which shows levels of texture and intricacy his script does not. In fact, the movie's detailed production design and lingering cinematography often sit at odds with its comical treatment of its central figure. If only the care and affection of the former could've extended to the latter.
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: The Sparks Brothers is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes, and will be available on Amazon Prime Video from January 1. "All I do now is dick around" is an exquisite song lyric and, in Sparks' 2006 single 'Dick Around', it's sung with the operatic enthusiasm it demands. It's also a line that resounds with both humour and truth when uttered by Russell Mael, who, with elder brother Ron, has been crafting art-pop ditties as irreverent and melodic as this wonderful track since 1969. Sparks haven't been dicking around over that lengthy period. They currently have 25 albums to their name, and they've taken on almost every genre of music there is in their highly acerbic fashion. That said, their tunes are clearly the biggest labour of love possible, especially as the enigmatic duo has always lingered outside the mainstream. They've had some chart success, including mid-70s hit 'This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us', Giorgio Moroder collaboration and disco standout 'The Number One Song in Heaven', and the supremely 80s 'Cool Places'. They're beloved by everyone from Beck and 'Weird Al' Yankovic to Jason Schwartzman and Mike Myers, too. They're the band that all your favourite bands, actors and comedians can't get enough of, but they're hardly a household name — and yet, decade after decade, the Maels have kept playing around to make the smart, hilarious and offbeat songs they obviously personally adore. Everyone else should love Sparks' idiosyncratic earworms as well — and, even for those who've never heard of the band before, that's the outcome after watching The Sparks Brothers. Edgar Wright, one of the group's unabashed super fans, has turned his overflowing affection into an exceptional documentary. It's the Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver director's first factual effort, and it's even more charming and delightful than the films he's best known for. That said, it'd be hard to mess up a movie about Sparks, purely given how much material there is to work with. Russell and Ron, the former sporting shaggier hair and the latter donning a pencil-thin moustache rather than the Charlie Chaplin-style top lip he's brandished for much of his career, are also heavenly interviewees. That's the thing about these now-septuagenarian siblings, every Sparks tune they've ever blasted out into the world, and this comprehensive yet always accessible film that's instantly one of 2021's best: they're all joyously, fabulously, eccentrically fun to an infectious and buoyant degree. There's a joke in this doco's title, in fact; when it came to naming the group after cycling through a few monikers across other projects, they firmly rejected The Sparks Brothers. That's one of the many anecdotes that fill Wright's film — some shared playfully and self-deprecatingly by the Maels, some offered by worshipping aficionados that join the entertaining love-in. There's no escaping the documentary's devoted tone, but again, that attitude is quickly contagious. As the movie steps through Sparks' ups and downs, taking the chronological approach and giving as much time to their lesser-known albums as their cult hits, being as enchanted as Wright just comes with the package. He does an exhaustive job of charting the ebbs, flows, jumps, swerves, successes, disappointments and reinventions that've littered his subjects' careers, even as he leaves viewers wanting even more detail in plenty of instances. Crucially for a feature about musicians that many watching will be unfamiliar with, Wright does just as stellar a job at conveying exactly why Sparks have always deserved far more fame and acclaim, why they're so completely and utterly beloved and obsessed over by everyone who comes across them, and why music, comedy and the intersection of the two will forever owe them a debt. The audience first meets Russell and Ron today, looking as hip and unconventional as they always have, before The Sparks Brothers jumps back to their Los Angeles childhood, their teen penchant for movies and then everything that's come since. They originally weren't certain if they'd become filmmakers instead — and there's a theatricality to the pair's songs, shows and sublimely off-kilter music videos that speaks to that cinematic fervour. Wright weaves in an abundance of Sparks' gigs and tunes, showcasing both their creativity and their presence. This is a movie with a killer soundtrack, obviously, and it also appreciates the artistry that goes into creating such clever, distinctive and amusing songs that are always one step ahead of the pack. One clear highlight: a live rendition of 'My Baby's Taking Me Home', a tune that repeats that phrase 100-plus times, doesn't include a single other word, and is an emotional tour de force. Another pivotal message: just how hard the Maels have always worked to do what they love, to make such musical pearls and to keep challenging themselves. In 2008, they did 21 shows in London in 21 nights, playing every one of their then 21 albums through in full, for instance. It's with inescapable melancholy that The Sparks Brothers is also an account of what didn't quite happen; watching it, it's almost impossible to grasp why they haven't been one of the biggest bands in the world for the last half-century. Their 1994 synth-pop track 'When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'', a hit in Germany at the time, manages to be both an anthemic smash and a commentary on what hadn't worked out for them; yes, as Russell's voice echoes and Ron's keyboard skills constantly strike a chord, that's how witty and humorous and just all-round magnificent their music is. 2021 is the year of Sparks, though. Every year since 1969 should've been, but The Sparks Brothers sings their praises with irresistible passion. And, it gives viewers a brief glimpse at their next big project, Annette — the musical that just opened the Cannes Film Festival, is directed by Holy Motors' Leos Carax, stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, and reportedly features the former crooning tunes while getting rather intimate with the latter. The world has always needed more Sparks on a bigger stage; now, to the benefit of everyone that's ever loved them and anyone just discovering them, it's stopped dicking around and is finally delivering.
If you watched Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi's vampire sharehouse mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows back in 2014, then instantly found yourself yearning for more, that's understandable. Smart, silly and hilarious, the undead flick is one of the past decade's best comedies — and, to the delight of viewers eager to keep spending time in the movie's supernatural world, it's the reason that New Zealand TV spinoff Wellington Paranormal and American television remake What We Do in the Shadows exist. The latter kicked off in 2019, focusing on a group of vampire flatmates living in Staten Island. If you were a bit wary it wouldn't live up to the original, those fears were quelled, fast. Featuring Toast of London's Matt Berry, Four Lions' Kayvan Novak, British stand-up comedian Natasia Demetriou, The Magicians' Harvey Guillen and The Office's Mark Proksch, it sticks to the same basic concept as the original movie, but with memorable new characters. That said, it could never be considered a mere small-screen copy. Instead, it's a lively and captivating addition to the broader What We Do in the Shadows universe. Also, it boasts two specific aces up its sleeves: the combined on-screen talents of its cast — especially Berry, Novak and Demetriou as three of the central bloodsuckers — plus the time to dive deeper into their undead world. Accordingly, it's no wonder that it was renewed for a ten-episode second season, which is now hitting Australian screens via Foxtel from Thursday, June 25. If you need a refresher, Novak's 'Nandor The Relentless' dates back to the Ottoman Empire days and is somewhat stuck in his ways, while Berry's mischievous British dandy Laszlo and Demetriou's seductive Nadja are like a blood-sucking Bonnie and Clyde, but much funnier. Guillen plays Nandor's familiar Guillermo, who'd do anything to join the undead, while Proksch's Colin is an 'energy vampire'. The new batch of episodes continue their story, charting Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja and the gang's undead antics in the New York borough. It wasn't easy being a centuries-old bloodsucker in Wellington in the movie, and it's just as tough (and amusing) on the other side of the world. The second season also delves further into Guillermo's position among the group. And, it features guest stars such as Mark Hamill, Haley Joel Osment and Craig Robinson. Can't wait to sink your fangs in? The show has also been renewed for a third season, so there's even more to come. Ahead of the season two launch in Australia, check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ozcr43fP4 The second season of What We Do in the Shadows starts airing on Foxtel and streaming via Foxtel Now from Thursday, June 25, with new episodes added weekly.
Here's something that you oughta know: Alanis Morissette is heading Down Under. The famed 90s singer was actually set to hit our shores back in 2020 as part of her world tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of her chart-topping 95 album Jagged Little Pill. But the pandemic forced those plans to change, so now she'll perform in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in 2022. Get ready to sing along to 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know' and 'All I Really Want' at Perth's RAC Arena on November 5, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on November 8 and 9, and Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on November 11. Morissette was also part of the cancelled 2020 Bluesfest bill, but if the festival returns to its usual Easter timeslot next year — after the 2021 fest was scrapped, then moved to October — that obviously won't happen again. At her four stadium shows, the 90s icon will be supported by Australia's own Julia Stone. Stone has released three solo albums and four together with her brother Angus, including Down the Way, which won Album of the Year at the 2010 ARIA Awards. Morissette's own collection of music awards is hefty, and includes seven Grammys and 12 Juno Awards. While her 95 album Jagged Little Pill is the most critically acclaimed, the Canadian singer has released nine albums, including her latest, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, in 2020. It's clearly a great time to be an Australian Morissette fan, with Broadway's Jagged Little Pill musical, which was inspired by her album and features a heap of the musician's songs, also headed our way. It'll reopen the Theatre Royal Sydney this September. In the meantime, though, hype yourself up for the Aussie tour by belting out the following banger: ALANIS MORISSETTE 2022 AUSTRALIAN DATES Saturday, November 5 — RAC Arena, Perth Tuesday, November 8 and Wednesday, November 9 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Friday, November 11 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tickets for Alanis Morissette's rescheduled tour are on sale now.
Come those long, balmy afternoons of summer time, it gets easier and more tempting to ignore the beer and opt for a clean and crisp cider instead. So to celebrate, the Hotel Steyne in Manly will turn itself over to the Australian Cider Festival on October 19-20. Let the boozy apple juice flow. The cider industry is gaining some serious traction in Australia, and the festival "will give the general public a chance to sample a wide range of quality ciders in one place", says Cider Australia president James Kendell. Familiar faces include old favourites like Magners and Monteith's, plus up-and-comers like Australia's first certified organic cidery (noun, not adjective), Willie Smiths. Alongside the dozens of stalls featuring local and international cider makers, festivalgoers can feast on menus tailor-made to accompany cider. Also thrown in are street performers and other family-friendly activities to keep everyone excited and involved. Tickets are 35 bucks a pop, and include ten tasting tokens, a tasting glass and a tasty gourmet roll. How do ya like them apples?
Every Wednesday, the Australian Museum hosts a dynamic after-dark event called Culture Up Late. It focuses on a significant cultural, scientific or historical issue and invites the public to get involved. And no, it's not all seminars and papier-mâché — think more VR and live music. On February 21, the museum is turning its sights on saving the ocean, and it's inviting scientists, activists, artists and you to come along. Culture Up Late: Turning the Tide will include a conversation with renowned marine biologist Lucas Handley, weaving marine animals out of recycled materials with Aboriginal Elder Karleen Green, making wearable art with artist and activist Marina DeBris and an interactive VR experience. Chasing Coral will transport you to the Great Barrier Reef to witness first-hand the ongoing effects of coral bleaching. There will also be live music, workshops and heaps more to explore. The Culture Up Late sessions show Australian Museum in a new light, and let the public experience culture, performance, art, science and storytelling after the working day is done. During these evenings, visitors can also tour the museum's extensive collections and exhibitions, including Mammoths – Giants of the Ice Age, which features a 42,000-year-old baby woolly mammoth named Lyuba. If you want to learn more about protecting our oceans (and visit the Great Barrier Reef without purchasing a plane ticket) you're in luck — we're giving away five double passes to Turning the Tide. To enter, see details below. [competition]656228[/competition]
See the sky set alight this New Years Eve from Sydney's newest terrace bar, The Butler. Pott Point's latest arrival is putting on a lavish, seven-course banquet to welcome 2015 in style. Tipped to guarantee ticketholders an impressive selection of French flavours with an unexpected Caribbean twist, this intimate soiree offers sweet city views and an equally impressive feast to match. At $200pp, entry to this sky-high tropical hideout comes at a bit of a cost. But with whispers of French champagne on arrival and best-seat-in-the-house views of the fireworks, this is one NYE party to entice partygoers after a more sit-down yet lively affair.
There are some definite perks to owning your own house. Firstly, there are no pesky landlords all up in your business. If you don't want to mow the lawn, don't do it! More power to you and your slovenly lifestyle choice. If you want to hang a painting, just do it! No one's going to get mad at you for chipping the wall paint and if they do, they're clearly an uncultured pedant. Now, Concrete Playground is offering you the opportunity to take this to the extreme — spruce up that blank white wall with a mural by artist Brad Robson. But firstly, who even is this guy? Brad Robson is a Sydney-based artist and illustrator responsible for some pretty amazing murals. He's a former owner of Kaleidoscope Gallery, his work is all over the walls of the SBS World Movies offices and Hive Bar, and his bustling abstract expressionism has been exhibited all over both Sydney and New York. He has a street style that would fit in seamlessly with the iconic laneways of New York, Melbourne or Berlin, but instead he's bringing his talents to Concrete Playground readers for a second time. Our last competition winner got this a vibrant cityscape, and although the artwork has to be monochrome this time around, check out what Robson can do with just black and white. To be in the running, you must live in either the inner city or inner-western suburbs of Sydney and — because we don't want you to get evicted — this has to be a property you're allowed to mess with. The mural will be of a subject of Robson's choosing, and he'd prefer to start on a plain white wall. If you tick all these boxes, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter, then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. We'll notify the winner via email.
In news that is both pretty exciting and slightly unnerving, Sydney is set to get a slice of summertime four months early next week. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, temperatures will reach a high of 28 degrees Celsius on Monday, August 26 — a temperature that is nine degrees warmer than the average high for this time of year. The weather will remain unseasonably warm in the mid-twenties for the rest of the week, with the mercury breaking 26 degrees on Tuesday, August 27 and Wednesday, August 28, before dipping to the low-twenties towards the end of next week. A number of Sydney weather records have already been broken in 2024, with March ranking as the warmest in a century and this winter on track to be one of the hottest ever. As well as being warm, 2024 was also wet, with one April shower dumping more than month's rain on the Harbour City in just 24 hours. [caption id="attachment_791800" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The rooftop at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel[/caption] While extreme weather is an obvious cause for concern, it would be a shame not to make the most of this winter sun while it lasts. You can soak up some rays on a bracing coastal walk or break out the swimmers for a dip in one of Sydney's ocean pools. And don't forget about Sydney's wealth of beer gardens and rooftop bars, including the CBD's newest at the just-opened The Bristol. The City of Sydney has also just slashed the number of alcohol-free public spaces by almost half from 428 alcohol-prohibited zones to only 238, meaning there are many more parks where you can assemble the squad for a few BYO sundowners.
In 2011, in this very country and galaxy, a pop culture favourite gained a singing, stripping burlesque parody. It's the mash-up that was bound to happen. Who hasn't looked at George Lucas' space opera, its sprawling drama and ample spectacle, and wondered what a steamier, funnier version with more visible butt cheeks would look like? Russall S. Beattie clearly did, and had a good feeling that other people would give it a shot. The Empire Strips Back was the end result. It became a hit around Australia, then took itself overseas to much acclaim. Now it's returning home for a 2019 tour — once again showing local audiences that lightsabers aren't the hottest thing in the Star Wars galaxy. The saucy show promises "seriously sexy stormtroopers, a dangerously seductive Boba Fett, some tantalising Twi'leks, a delightfully lukewarm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker [and] the droids you are looking for", according to its website. Apparently Yoda doesn't get the sexed-up treatment, but there is plenty of song, dance, acrobatics and — because it's burlesque — the removal of clothing. A dancing Chewie and Han is just the beginning of this cheeky take on Star Wars cosplay. Given that it's got an upbeat soundtrack, the costumes are extremely detailed and the show throws out lots of references to George Lucas' original plot, it's not surprising that local audiences — presumably the same ones that pack out Star Wars parties and large-scale screenings with a live orchestra — have latched onto the production. Heading to the Enmore on Friday, February 15 and Saturday, February 16, The Empire Strips Back sits alongside Dame of Thrones in Beattie's pop culture parody stable — so if you've already seen one of your fantastical screen obsessions get the burlesque treatment, then you know what you're in for. If you're super keen, you can also nab a Wookieerotica magazine online: a 116-page, 70s-style men's mag, just casually featuring all of your favourite jedis, siths, ewoks and other Star Wars characters. Either way, it could be a great introduction to burlesque or Star Wars, depending on which way you're coming at it. Images: Jon Bauer, Leslie Liu and Josh Groom.
It was 1947 when Arthur Miller first went after the American Dream with a blowtorch. With one flop under his belt, All My Sons was his last, desperate roll of the dice. This month, Sydney Theatre Company reminds us why Miller went on to become one of America's premier playwrights. In true Miller style, All My Sons probes at the cracks of family relationships as flawed characters scramble to protect their secrets. Two years after the Second World War, the Keller family wait for the return of their missing son, Larry. But as years pass and hopes dwindle, dirty truths begin to seep out of the hole he has left in their lives. Directed by STC's Kip Williams, with John Howard and Robyn Nevin crossing swords as Joe and Kate Keller, All My Sons is a modern tragedy that brutally skewers its characters and continues to ask the questions America can't seem to find an answer to. Image: Zan Wimberley.
When October rolls around each year, the two-kilometre Bondi–Tamarama coastal walk usually becomes home to a huge free outdoor sculpture exhibition, with the always busy Sculpture by the Sea placing its latest works along the shoreline. But in 2020, that didn't happen. In fact, it won't happen at all this year. Sculpture by the Sea organisers have advised that the popular event won't next unveil its artworks until the beginning of 2021 — at the earliest. Going ahead depends upon receiving an exemption from NSW Health, which hasn't been received so far, hence the delay. Still eager to head to the beach and stare at a giant artwork? Sculpture by the Sea has unveiled something in 2020: a large sculpture placed on the end of the south Bondi headland that's designed to be a beacon of hope in this challenging year. Created by Prague based-Slovakian artist Milan Kuzica, it's called Green Life. It reaches ten metres into the sky and yes, it shares that titular colour. As Kuzica describes it, it looks like "the first shoots of a new plant" — but a giant one. Kuzica also explains the sculpture's relevance to today, noting that "there is an urgency. In a world plagued by a viral pandemic, we are reminded that our future is possible only if we live our lives in harmony with nature". You can check out Green Life at Marks Park until Monday, December 7. Images: Gareth Carr.
When July 2021 came and went, it marked two years since Stranger Things last graced our streaming queues. That's two years of wondering what's become of Hawkins' beloved police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour, Black Widow) — and where everyone else we've all come to know and love in the hit Netflix series has washed up, too. Sorry fans, you'll have to keep pondering for the rest of this year as well, as the streaming platform has officially announced that its 80s-set sci-fi series won't be returning till 2022. Fancy a sneak peek in the interim? In revealing that Stranger Things will finally make a comeback next year, Netflix has also dropped a new glimpse at what's in store. The platform has done so a few times already since the beginning of 2020, providing an initial clip back at the beginning of last year — which now seems like a lifetime ago — and a couple more teasers in May 2021. But hey, when you're hanging out for anything and everything related to the show's fourth season, each trailer and teaser drop is exciting. From that first 2020 teaser, we already know what happened after season three's big cliffhanger and Russian-set post-script — when Hopper, the mind flayer, the Russian lab below Starcourt Mall and that pesky gate to the Upside Down all had a run-in. And, we know that Hawkins Laboratory is going to feature again moving forward, with the last two clips focusing on Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Godzilla vs Kong) and Dr Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine, Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal). The new sneak peek combines both new and old footage, so parts of it will look familiar — and parts of it tease what's to come. There's little narrative detail provided, but that usually comes with the territory anyway. You already know you'd prefer to discover Stranger Things' secrets by binging your way through it as soon as new episodes become available to stream. Of course, it's worth remembering that when Netflix announced the show's renewal for a fourth season back in 2019, it did so with the catchphrase "we're not in Hawkins anymore". Naturally, we'll have to wait to see what that really means for its cast of characters — including not only Hopper and Eleven, the latter of which was last seen leaving town with Joyce (Winona Ryder, The Plot Against America), Will (Noah Schnapp, Hubie Halloween) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton, The New Mutants), but also for Mike (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo, The Angry Birds Movie 2), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin, Concrete Cowboy), Max (Sadie Sink, The Last Castle), Steve (Joe Keery, Spree) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer, Things Seen & Heard). Check out the new Stranger Things season four sneak peek below: Stranger Things season four will be able to stream via Netflix sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
It's the beloved series that's been on the air for more than a decade, and finally made the leap Down Under this year. That'd be RuPaul's Drag Race, which first premiered in the US in 2009, wholeheartedly embraced its mission to unearth the next drag superstars, and debuted its Australian and New Zealand version earlier in 2021. And, in spectacularly great news for fans of local drag talent — and of the show's namesake — RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is coming back for a second Aussie and NZ season in 2022. The original US series aired its thirteenth season this year, so this is a program with proven longevity. It has also spun off international iterations before, including in the UK — where it's also hosted by RuPaul — plus in Thailand, Holland, Chile and Canada. So, revving up the engines for another spin Down Under shouldn't come as a big surprise. And yes, RuPaul will be back on hosting duties again. After Kita Mean took out this year's first season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, exactly who'll be donning eye-catching outfits, navigating dramas and vying for glory next year hasn't been revealed — because casting is now open until Tuesday, October 5. Obviously, exactly when the second season will air on Stan in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand in 2022 hasn't been announced yet either. Neither has the lineup of celebrity guests, after 2021 saw Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue and Taika Waititi all pop up. Fans already know the format, which features fashion challenges, workroom dramas and lip sync battles aplenty. If you're still a newcomer to all things Drag Race, you'll watch the next batch of Australian and NZ competitors work through a series of contests to emerge victorious, and join the likes of Mean and US contenders Jinkx Monsoon, Sasha Velour and Sharon Needles in being crowned the series' winner. Check out RuPaul's announcement video for Drag Race Down Under season two below: RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under will return for a second season in 2022 on Stan and TVNZ. Top image: RuPaul's Drag Race.
Since 2010, Sydney has been home to the Korean Film Festival in Australia. While 2025's main fest hits the Harbour City in August, you can also join in at Parramatta's Riverside Theatres across Friday, September 26–Saturday, September 27. One pivotal difference between the regular festival and the regional KOFFIA Touring Program: head to the latter and everything that you see from its four-title lineup is free. Catch About Family, a dramedy about a chef discovering that he might have grandchildren — and The Noisy Mansion focusing on a tenant and her neighbours trying to discover why their building is plagued by strange sounds. Parramatta audiences can also watch Forbidden Fairytale, about a children's book author who starts ghostwriting online erotica. Plus, Hear Me: Our Summer is one of the highlights, with the romantic drama co-starring former Iz*One member Kim Minju, remaking Taiwan's Hear Me and seeing a love story blossom via Korean Sign Language.
Home may mean different things to different people but, in Monsoon, Vietnam doesn't mean home to Kit (Henry Golding). He was born there, in the aftermath of the war. He spent his earliest years in the Asian nation, with his parents caught up in the aftermath of the conflict. But when he was still a child, his family left for a refugee camp in Hong Kong and then moved permanently to London. Now, as an adult who has lived the bulk of his existence far away, he returns for the first time to bring back his mother's and father's ashes. He's instantly thrown off balance upon his arrival, whether he's driving through moped-filled streets or walking around crowded markets. Little of what he remembers is the same — his old house and his neighbourhood stomping grounds, particularly — and he doesn't recall as much as his childhood best friend Lee (David Tran), who stayed behind, would clearly like. Of what he does recollect, some crucial details clash with Lee's versions, too. As Kit roves around Saigon and then Hanoi — his place of birth and his parents' original home, respectively — he's searching for a connection. He'll make one, but not in the way he expects. Monsoon tells a noticeably slight tale, but Cambodian-born Chinese British writer/director Hong Khaou (Lilting) is keenly and overwhelmingly aware that a sense of belonging doesn't simply come with one's birth certificate. Kit wants to feel like he's where he's supposed to be. He wants to appreciate his homeland, and its significance to his mum and dad, as effortlessly as he appreciates his online dates. But it takes time, immersion and a true willingness to feel an affinity to the place he's supposed to call home. It takes falling in love with one of those online dates, American ex-pat Lewis (Parker Sawyers), too, and hearing about the object of his affection's complicated relationship with Vietnam as the son of a soldier who fought for the US during the war. Khaou is a minimalistic filmmaker, in a sense. He delves into straightforward scenarios, and knows that he needn't layer them with too many external complicating factors. In other words, he's cognisant that merely examining how a person copes — even in a very commonplace situation — can deliver several lifetimes worth of complexity without a wealth of other narrative roadblocks or setbacks. Here, that means tagging along as Kit flits around Saigon, sorts through his awkward baggage with Lee, and makes a pilgrimage to Hanoi in search of the perfect resting place for his parents. It also means watching as he befriends local art curator Linh (Molly Harris) and follows her home to join her relatives as they make lotus tea, and soaking in the neon-lit bar hues and misty seaside cafe views on Kit's dates with Lewis. Monsoon revels in these moments, and in what they reveal about its protagonist, all while showing how Kit himself recognises that he's changing and connecting with each experience and realisation. As a result, both Khaou and Monsoon ask a significant amount of Golding — more than his previous charisma-driven roles in Crazy Rich Asians, A Simple Favour and Last Christmas have combined. Viewers of those three films already know that he can radiate charm like few other actors currently appearing on-screen. Indeed, because he served up such a magnetic presence in that trio of flicks, it's easy to forget that he only has seven movies to his name to-date (six of which hail from the past three years, in fact). But Monsoon requires Golding's soulful best; at every moment, he's tasked with conveying the potent thoughts and jumbled emotions swelling inside Kit, and with doing so largely without dialogue. It's a quietly powerful performance, and it's one that the movie steadfastly needs. Actually, it's one that Monsoon depends upon. All of the film's key players are superb — including second-time actor Tran (Farewell, Berlin Wall), the also charismatic Sawyers (who played a young Barack Obama in Southside with You) and Harris (Artemis Fowl) as the pragmatic Linh — but Golding is its emotionally saturating core. While it might be light on talk, making its chatter count whenever it flows either freely or nervously, Monsoon is big on atmosphere. Alongside Khaou's delicately pared-back approach and Golding's tenderly gripping performance, that's one of the film's strongest assets. Even if you've never roamed far beyond the spot where you entered this world, everyone can relate to feeling like an outsider somewhere where they think they shouldn't — and Monsoon nails and expresses that sensation again and again. That's how Khaou and cinematographer Benjamin Kracun (Beats) approach the movie in their naturalistic visuals, too. Whether staring down at the daily hustle and bustle, or dwarfing Golding via his surroundings, it views Vietnam as someone might view a childhood memory that's slipping from their mind. Accordingly, Monsoon feels comfortable and intimate and eye-opening and new all at once, like it's seeing a familiar sight properly for the first time. Of course, that's Kit's journey, as it is for anyone embarking upon a homecoming that feels foreign — and it proves immensely affecting viewing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETK0fOKwJNQ
Carnivores, rejoice. Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue is serving up a finger licking feast of meaty creations this New Year's Eve to satisfy even the hungriest of partyers. For two hours, the team at Sweethearts will be sizzling and smoking their way towards the New Year; with a huge barbecued feast soundtracked by DJs spinning all your go-to 2014 tracks all night long. Topped off with a four hour drinking package featuring everything from bubbly to beer, you'll be sure to start 2015 on the right foot (or valiantly attempt to). Offering openair summer vibes and all-the-meat-you-can-eat, this is one New Year's Eve hootenanny that upgrades the ol' backyard snags on the barbie set-up.
If you watched Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi's vampire sharehouse mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows back in 2014, then instantly found yourself yearning for more, that's understandable. Smart, silly and hilarious, the undead flick is one of the decade's best comedies. Thanks to two TV spinoffs, that dream has come true, letting viewers keep spending time in the movie's supernatural world — and that's not going to end any time soon. Last year, the New Zealand-made Wellington Paranormal made it to screens, following the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural. It proved a hit, unsurprisingly, and has a second season in the works. This year, an American television version of What We Do in the Shadows also started airing, following a group of vampire flatmates living in Staten Island. Featuring Toast of London's Matt Berry, Four Lions' Kayvan Novak, British stand-up comedian Natasia Demetriou, The Magicians' Harvey Guillen, The Office's Mark Proksch and Lady Bird's Beanie Feldstein, it follows the same basic concept as the original movie, just with memorable new characters. And now it has been renewed for a second season as well. Created and co-written by Clement, and executive produced by the Flight of the Conchords star with Thor: Ragnarok's Waititi, the US take on What We Do in the Shadows was first hinted at back in 2017, and then confirmed in May 2018. While the duo don't star in the new-look series, Berry, Novak and company have been doing them proud as the next batch of ravenous — and comic — vamps. Novak plays the gang's self-appointed leader, 'Nandor The Relentless', who dates back to the Ottoman Empire days and is somewhat stuck in his ways. As for Berry's mischievous British dandy Laszlo and Demetriou's seductive Nadja, they're like a blood-sucking Bonnie and Clyde (but much funnier). Guillén plays Nandor's familiar, who'd do anything to join the undead, while Proksch's Colin is an 'energy vampire'. And Feldstein's Jenna is a college student with a new craving. If you haven't caught the series yet, here's one of the first season's trailers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWUiU3t5udM Can't wait to sink your fangs into more? The first season is still on the air at present, and the second season will continue the story — charting Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja and the group's undead antics in the New York borough. It wasn't easy being a centuries-old bloodsucker in Wellington in the movie, and it's just as tough (and amusing) on the other side of the world. What We Do in the Shadows' first season is currently airing on Foxtel's Showcase channel weekly at 8.30pm on Tuesdays. Expect the second season in 2020. Via Variety.
UPDATE: May 24, 2020: Child's Play is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Black Mirror, meet 80s cinema's favourite flame-haired, knife-wielding plaything. That's Child's Play circa 2019 straight out of its gleaming box. Chucky has never gone away, with the last flick in the initial seven-film franchise hitting home entertainment just two years ago. An eight-part series called Chucky is headed to TV screens next year, too, from the original movie's Don Mancini. But updating the carnage-inflicting toy for today's incessantly-online, internet-of-things environment was always going to happen, jettisoning the notion of a doll possessed by a serial killer for something considerably more high-tech. It's a premise rich with possibilities — dissecting humanity's growing subservience to technology, our fear of artificial intelligence, the reality that all-powerful companies may not have customers' best interests at heart, and showing how increasingly aggressive times can create a dangerous and deadly loop of vicious behaviour. Sadly, although the new Child's Play doesn't shy away from its many timely ideas, it doesn't do anything more than push them through a horror assembly line. A standard slasher flick made from well-worn parts remains just that, even when it has been given a famous name, plenty of topical talking points and a slick visual makeover. In fact, the fact that this do-over tries so hard to pair its murderous robotic figurine with timely observations, while also happily sticking to a bland, broad, surprise-free playbook, is its most grating trait. Perhaps it's simply peddling another piece of social commentary: that movie studios, like toy corporations, can release whatever generic fare they like as long as they make it appear shiny enough, and consumers just have to stomach the resulting havoc and dreck. Whether you're buying the latest gadget or heading to the cinema, that's the cost of making a purchase today. Single mother Karen Barclay (Aubrey Plaza) doesn't actually hand over any hard-earned cash for a walking, talking Buddi doll (which speaks with the voice of Mark Hamill). Instead, the department store employee convinces her boss to let her take one of the returned, malfunctioning toys home as a gift for her hearing-impaired son Andy's (Gabriel Bateman) birthday. Almost a teenager, the boy is hardly overjoyed about his present. Still, he's lonely and in a new city, the computerised plaything clearly adores him like it is programmed to, and it also helps him befriend a couple of neighbourhood kids (Ty Consiglio and Beatrice Kitsos). That said, that something is astray is clear from the moment that Andy's plastic buddy decides its own name is Chucky. As the movie's opening scene shows, a disgruntled sweatshop worker has removed the figurine's appropriate language and anti-violence filters in an act of employee-level corporate vengeance. So while Chucky might seem like little more than an eccentric and clingy android BFF to Andy, the smart doll is willing to do whatever it takes to keep their friendship alive — including slaughter anyone who gets in the way. If first-time feature director Lars Klevberg and debut screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith are trying to pre-empt criticism by having their mechanical villain love something so much that it turns into a toxic fan, slaying everything in its path irrationally and indiscriminately, that's one of their big swings and misses. It's better reading into their other big theme, and one that Chucky demonstrates again and again in trying to resolve Andy's woes with a knife: being careful what you wish for. For material so rife with potential, Child's Play remains content to make the easiest and most apparent statements in routine and uninspired ways. It's also happy to follow cookie-cutter characters, throw in the expected deaths and just generally follow the operating manual. And while there's undeniable pleasure in hearing Parks and Recreation alumni Plaza say the name 'Andy' repeatedly, she headlines an entirely wasted cast. Playing a cop whose mother lives in the same building as Karen and Andy, Atlanta's Brian Tyree Henry falls into the same category. So do Hamill's creepy but never overly menacing vocals. When Chucky keeps killing over and over again with a single-minded focus, Child's Play begins to resemble another tech-heavy, needlessly rebooted, never-say-die franchise: the Terminator. It's not that these sagas don't know when to end; rather, they keep kicking on without justifying why. The same can be said for recent instalments in other long-running series, such as X-Men and Men in Black. But, simultaneously glossy and formulaic where its predecessors were gleefully makeshift and off-kilter, Child's Play couldn't try harder to stress that it's a new beginning. It is, and yet starting over again isn't always a good thing. Credit where credit is due, however. Who dies, and when, never comes as a shock, but this horror flick does value a great bit of gore. While the bloodshed takes time to splatter across the screen, when it comes, it's memorable. If only Klevberg and Smith had expended the same energy and inventiveness on the rest of the film as they do on Chucky's growing pile of bodies. Their one other playful attempt arrives via the movie's blackly comic tone, endeavouring to ape The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and even using clips of the 80s slasher sequel to teach the picture's homicidal robot how to stab, slice and snatch people's faces off. If you're thinking the obvious, though, you're right — whether it's reimagining its source material, adhering to topical and filmmaking trends, or nodding to other genre fare, Child's Play follows poorly in everyone's footsteps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeHNLikDiVw
Bangarra's latest work, lore, celebrates the passing-down of knowledge from one generation to the next. For 25 years, Bangarra has created dance works to enlighten audiences about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures survive today. As its title suggests, lore is no different in providing a stage for ancient spirituality to meet the 21st century. lore is a double bill, and making the rounds to Canberra, Wollongong, Brisbane and Melbourne, following a successful premiere at the Opera House on June 11. Seasoned choreographer Frances Rings' Sheoak is followed by I.B.I.S, by Deborah Brown and Waangenga Blanco, in their choreographic debut. Both Sheoak and I.B.I.S. transport the viewer to sacred places, whether at the roots of an all-giving Grandmother tree or surveying the beauty of the Torres Strait. Bangarra never shies away from social commentary; the works address everything from climate change to racial inequality. Yet in the staunch declarations of identity onstage, there is a constant look to the future, with hope.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. More than 10,000 garages are expected to open their doors to bargain hunters, selling two million items, when the event returns for its eight time — and it's first two-day, weekend-long stint — on October 21 and 22. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Sydney, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
In his third motion picture as writer/director/star, comedian Chris Rock is the funniest he’s been in years. But then again, that’s not saying much. While comedy fiends will always remember Rock for his fearless, foul mouthed stand-up routines, his movie career — particularly in recent times — has smacked of safer choices. Madagascar and Grown-Ups are hardly the best outlets for one of the greatest living comedians to work his magic — which is a big part of why Top Five feels like such a pleasant surprise. A smart, self-effacing send-up of the entertainment industry, the film, like most of Rock’s best material, feels at least partly autobiographical. Rock plays Andre Allen, a comedian turned Hollywood superstar and recovering alcoholic, best known for his role in the million-dollar Hammy the Bear franchise. Unfortunately, Allen’s funny bone has been blunted since going sober, and his first attempt at a ‘serious’ film — playing Haitian slave revolutionary Dutty Boukman — is shaping up to be a box-office bomb. Even more out of control is his upcoming televised wedding, to Kardashian-esque reality star Erica Long (Gabrielle Union). Enter Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), a sardonic, whip-smart writer for the New York Times, who’s been assigned to profile Allen over the course of a single day. Although initially suspicious of Brown and the Times, whose resident film critic has made a career out of tearing his movies to shreds, Allen soon finds himself opening up to the writer, as the pair begin to trade stories while walking around NYC. In a lot of ways, Top Five feels like the work of an artist finally free to speak in his own voice. From Allen laying out his theory about the racist undertones of Planet of the Apes to debating his agent (Kevin Hart) about whether a black man can get fired for using the N-word, the writing here feels like vintage Rock: free-flowing, profane and absolutely hilarious. He also manages to insert two of the most gleefully obscene on-screen sex acts this side of Nymphomaniac. Without going into details, let’s just say you’ll never be able to look at a bottle of chilli sauce the same way again. Dawson makes for a worthy comic counterpart, the playfully antagonistic chemistry between her and her director/co-star helping keep the film on track. Beyond this central pairing, Rock stacks the deck with a ton of famous faces, from Tracy Morgan to DMX. The highlight, though, is at Allen’s ribald bachelor party, where he receives marital advice from Jerry Seinfeld, Whoopi Goldberg and Adam Sandler. Frankly, the site of a balding Seinfeld making it rain is worth the price of admission alone. If we have any complaint of Top Five, it would be a lack of internal structure; in a lot of ways the film feels more like a collection of scenes than it does a cohesive whole. Still, when they’re all this damn funny, it’s sort of difficult to object. Where Rock’s career goes from here is anyone’s guess. Regardless, it’s nice to have this reminder of just how good he can be.
With many a wedding comedy coming out in recent years, there's a certain formula that one has come to expect: bride/groom's well-meaning friends bungle the pre-wedding bachelorette/bachelor party with too much booze/drugs/sex with strangers, and comic antics ensue. What you get instead with Bachelorette is a group of bitchy, not at all well-meaning friends, who do everything they can to ruin the possibility of their friend having the dream wedding she'd planned. Kirsten Dunst leads the pack of 'B-Faces' (the apt name the girls gave themselves in school) as Regan, followed by a tyepcast Isla Fisher as the 'slutty drunk' Katie, and Lizzy Caplan as Gena, the girl who takes drugs to escape her past. The three are invited to be bridesmaids at the wedding of their less pretty friend from school (Rebel Wilson, who seems to be relishing these roles that Hollywood's throwing her), and they spend the night before causing mayhem while lost in their own depressingly self-centered lives. No characters, other than the couple who are getting married, are sympathetic in this movie, and while there are the odd laughs, Bachelorette is far less a comedy and more of a nightmare scenario of what the nasty group of girls from highschool really gets up to. If you want the darker version of Bridesmaids and The Hangover, this is it.
A world-weary aunt cautions her young niece on the power and misuse of her currently profligate shows of affection. A young man letting off steam on a tropical Darwin night holds his best friend's life in his hands. A nobleman's polite courtship of a maiden is upset when a bold ruffian swings through the doors and sweeps her into his arms. A quiet and round-shouldered Russian soldier discovers a world of obsessive fantasy after experiencing his first, accidental moment of intimacy with a woman. Each of these is a short story with the title of The Kiss, written by Guy de Maupassant in 1882, Kate Chopin in 1894, Anton Chekov in 1887 or Peter Goldsworthy in 1999. With its sweet, flirtatious and emotionally charged connotations, the kiss is a subject that can pull a theatre audience close for hours, and Belvoir's The Kiss does for more than two. Director Susanna Dowling has preserved the pieces' original prose, which the performers recite verbatim as they take on its characters (sometimes, with intended farce, more than one in each scene) or stand back as detached narrators. The approach allows the poetry and distinct styles of the four writers to be observed, making this a celebration of authorial idiosyncrasy and bringing a spark that helps sustain the performance. If anything, the reading is a little too flat, with none of the flights of irony or licences with subtext that so distinguish I Only Came to Use the Phone, a concurrent production using the same rare tack. It's also not an ideal curation; you're looking for meaning in the divergences of these texts and their interpretations, but three of the four bear a similar tone and setting (late 19th-century parlour comedy), while Goldsworthy's is wildly different (modern rural Australian drama). Still, the four actors (Catherine Davies, Rita Kalnejais, Yalin Ozucelik and Steve Rodgers) put in strong performances imbibed with their own charms, and although you do start to feel its two-plus hours of narration, this is consistently fun to watch.
This Friday and Saturday Volumes, one of Sydney's most diverse and exciting music festivals, takes over multiple venues around Oxford Street. After killing it with their debut last year, the event — touted (by us) as a mini South by Southwest-style festival — will this year span two days, showcasing some of Australia's premier artists, bands, DJs and, importantly, live music venues. As well as being a feat in event organisation, there's a lot to get your ears around — so Concrete Playground spoke to Volumes organiser James Spink to get the low down on what to expect from the festival, and how we should tackle the two-day event. THE LINEUP IS FULL OF UP-AND-COMERS 2016 will be Volumes' sophomore year, after launching in 2015 with a lineup that included the likes of Methyl Ethel, You Beauty, Shining Bird and Jack Ladder & the Dreamlanders. It's no coincidence that these bands have gone on to do great things in the last 12 months – Volumes prides itself in being able to hunt down some of Australia's next up-and-comers. "Volumes is meticulously curated — many hours are spent enjoying listening to music and going to shows and pondering what bands we'd love to see play together," says Spink. "This is easily the most enjoyable part of the event. The lineup is not defined by genre or style, but instead we aim to create a program that moves and flows in a particular way and creates a certain mood. Most acts are booked with a specific idea for a slot or stage to create a certain vibe and direction for that space and time." IT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER FESTIVAL IN SYDNEY Following the same multi-venue format as last year, Volumes team will again jam some of Sydney's most exciting emerging artists into the city's premier music venues — but this time it will run over two days instead of just one. Oxford Art Factory, Brighton Up Bar and The Cliff Dive will once again participate, joined this year by The Burdekin. "With Volumes we wanted to create an experience-based concept that challenged an audience's expectation or perception of a live music event," says Spink. "Basically we're just working to create that 'wooaahh!' experience for the audience. Something that they'll remember and talk about until next year." "We've added a ton of new musical elements and visual experiences that I can't divulge too much of, or it may adversely effect that aforementioned 'wooaahh!' reaction at the event." Spink does however confirm that there'll be collaborations between artists: artistically, musically and merch-wise. Rollas Jeans have collaborated with some of the acts on the 2016 Volumes bill to create a range of extremely limited edition pieces. IT'S BEEN PROGRAMMED TO FIT WITH THE LOCKOUTS Volumes has never known a lockout-free Sydney, so, when planning the festival, Spink has taken into account how the lockout laws will effect the punter's experience. "We have created certain parts of the event with the lockouts in the back of the mind — like having dual headline slots across the event, with an earlier headliner around 7pm and then shifting the direction towards another headline act later in the evening." But despite the effect the lockouts have had on Sydney's live music industry, Spink is optimistic about the future for the Sydney arts and culture scene. "The Volumes 2016 lineup is testament to so many amazing new artists coming out of Sydney in the last two years," he says. "You only need to look at venues like Brighton Up Bar, Oxford Art Factory and Oxford Circus — all hosting amazing sold out shows each week — to know that there is still a great music scene in Sydney. I feel like the current positive momentum is leading towards some changes soon. Fingers crossed with the review of the laws due very soon we may just see some good things in the not too distant future." SO WHO SHOULD WE MAKE A BEELINE TO SEE? With such a diverse lineup, we wanted to get the hot tip on who we should lock into our Volumes 2016 timetable. Spink gave us a (kind of huge) list that consisted of California Girls, Christopher Port, Habits, Mall Grab, Nicholas Allbrook, Mossy, Orb, SilentJay & Jace XL, Xanga, Koi Child, 30/70 and Donny Benet. That's not the complete list of gigs, but we're going to trust a guy who makes his living discovering the best new bands in Sydney. Volumes 2016 takes place on Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27 at various venues in Darlinghurst. For more info and to buy tickets, go to volumes2016.com.
Your mates have been listening to your 'big idea' for months. It's that passion project you dream all day about or that side hustle that's yet to get off the ground. And yet, somehow, another year has rolled past and you're still waiting for the time to feel 'just right'. Spoiler alert: the timing will never be perfect. Starting your own business can feel daunting and dazzling all at the same time. While you'll find yourself in the driver's seat, calling the shots and running the show, it's not all fame and control. With power comes chasing unpaid invoices, juggling timelines and hoping you're charging enough to cover the bills. So, to see your idea become a (profitable) reality, you have to be prepared. To help with the financial stuff, we've teamed up with Westpac, in celebration of its Presto Smart payment solution, to track down some Australian business owners — and ask for some advice. Read on to learn the biggest business dos and don'ts from three Australian hospo entrepreneurs: head chef and owner of LP's Quality Meats Luke Powell; Lyndon Kubis, co-owner of Melbourne's Milton Wine Shop; and William Edwards, founder of Sydney distillery Archie Rose (which also happens to be one of Westpac's Businesses of the Tomorrow). [caption id="attachment_511979" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Archie Rose by Nikki To.[/caption] DO: INVEST IN PEOPLE TO HELP BUILD YOUR BUSINESS As cheesy as it sounds, people are the backbone of every great business. Seriously. A great barista will keep coffee lovers coming back and a talented sales rep will build a thriving network of distributors and partners. They're the face of your brand and the people you'll be working alongside through thick and thin. Even during your first years of operation, as you're still working out how to be profitable as a business, you should consider ways to invest and give back to your team. This is especially true for Archie Rose's William Edwards. "You may not have the resources to give out big salaries or awesome job perks, but your people are literally the number one asset you'll have," he explains. "They will drive the business to places you would have never thought to go, or could not have gone on your own — so treat them with respect, empower them to lead the areas they are responsible for and acknowledge the contribution they make." [caption id="attachment_664743" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LPs Quality Meats via Destination NSW.[/caption] DO: DIVERSIFY YOUR OFFERING You've heard it plenty: "don't put all your eggs in one basket". When kicking off a business, this little phrase is essential. You want to build an offering that is resilient and, most importantly, sustainable. If your heart is set on selling handmade rings, you should consider broadening your focus. Release other accessory ranges; collaborate on a line of monogrammed notebooks. The key is to find multiple ways of generating income, rather than investing everything into one product or service. Powell is a master of this. The meats made at LP's are also supplied to other restaurants across Sydney, which opened up a whole new revenue stream for the business. "We have diversified our business by making smallgoods for other restaurants, cafes and venues," Powell reveals. "We were making them just for ourselves then other people started asking for them. We got a license as a meat processing plant and can now make and sell to anyone." [caption id="attachment_697656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bella Brutta by Kitti Gould.[/caption] DO: TAKE THE LEAP BEFORE YOU'RE READY Still waiting to hit 'publish' on your website? To announce your business on social media? Are you still endlessly searching for the perfect space to house your new operation? Edwards' advice? Just go for it. "I've met so many people with so many good ideas and the talent to make them a reality, but they never did anything because it wasn't the perfect time," Edwards explains. "I'm not saying don't prepare for what you're about to undertake, but there will never be 'a perfect time' — at the end of the day, you just need to start." The business you launch isn't set in stone. While you want to have the practical stuff like budgets and point of sale technology sorted out, your concept, branding and offering will evolve over time. Just take the first step, and the rest will begin to fall into place. [caption id="attachment_724984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Power of LPs Quality Meats by Kitti Gould.[/caption] DON'T: FOLLOW TRENDS AND FORGET TO CRAFT YOUR OWN VISION Remember those jeans you bought in 2002? Yep, the ultra low-rise ones with raw hems that dragged along the floor. Everyone had a pair. And now? It's all skinny jeans and retro flares. Trends come and go, but a truly unique idea sticks. That's why it's key to use innovation as the foundation of your business. "Restaurant trends are constantly changing, but we do try and stay away from them as they are usually not enduring," says Powell. "We try to be as creative as possible while staying true to our brand to keep it fun and fresh for our staff and customers." His biggest tip for fellow entrepreneurs? "Don't do something because it's trendy. Make sure you are doing it because you love it, and play the long game." [caption id="attachment_724988" align="alignnone" width="1920"] William Edwards of Archie Rose by Trent van der Jagt.[/caption] DON'T: AIM TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT FROM DAY ONE Starting a business means making tough calls and hoping you're on the right track. There are going to be plenty of bumps along the way, and striving for perfection isn't going to make the journey any easier. Edwards has some sage words of wisdom on the topic. "One thing I would do differently is to not try to set up everything perfectly for the long term on day one. [For example,] I purchased two 40-foot containers of 750ml bottles for the US market on day one in order to get a better cost per unit...those bottles are still sitting in storage." So what would he do differently? "In some instances, you're better off just perfecting what you need in the short term, and then getting a better understanding of what you're going to need in the long term as you actually operate and grow." [caption id="attachment_712428" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Milton Wine Shop.[/caption] DO: KEEP ON TOP OF YOUR CASHFLOW It goes without saying that money is essential to get any business off the ground (and keep it there once it's opened). But when you're caught up in brainstorming, building, hiring staff and making sure everything just keeps moving every day, it can be hard to stay on top of the cash coming in and going out. Lyndon Kubis, who opened Melbourne's Milton Wine Shop with his business partners back in 2014, knows that, when starting a business in hospitality, income doesn't necessarily come before expenses — or vice versa. So, he says, when trying to turn a profit in the long run, it's important to remember that "money in the bank account belongs to a lot of people" — not just you. Utilising new tech can help, too. On a day-to-day level, Kubis uses Presto Smart at point of sale to track and process cashflow. Powell uses Westpac's tools at LP's, too, saying the information it provides has been "insightful and useful" for growing the business. DON'T: BE AFRAID TO SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH THE WORLD When you've invested so much of yourself in your business, it's then a huge leap of faith to announce it to the public. But don't let your apprehensions prevent you from creating buzz for your business. Powell wishes he'd taken the jump much earlier. "I held back on letting people know in case the build was delayed," Powell reveals. "It then took a long time to build momentum." So, start talking about your idea. Show your mates and their mates what you're working on. And in the words of the LP's founder: "get it out there and start building hype." Now that you have the dos and don'ts to get you started, it's time to make the jump. And when it comes time to set up your payment technology, look to Westpac's Presto Smart terminal. It's made for speedy payments, busting queues, removing keying errors and seamlessly connecting to a range of Point of Sales systems, including Kounta, to help you keep track of cashflow. Please note that the above information is intended to be general in nature and should not be relied upon for personal financial use. Request more info and speak to Westpac here. Top images: Luke Powell by Kitti Gould, followed by William Edwards by Trent van der Jagt.
