The Cleaners is an interactive art piece from Shock Therapy Productions, and it starts life as a three-walled plain white living room, seven metres in the air. "Starts" is the operative word here though; throughout the installation's run, creators Hayden Jones and Sam Foster undertake the Sisyphean task of trying to keep the room pristine — yet there's a supply of paint-filled balloons and a catapult at ground level. Uh oh! What follows, and what we all learn in the process, is anyone's guess. Whatever happens, everyone's going to love chucking a load of paint at two blokes in cleaning uniforms.
Anyone in Sydney who considers themselves a Sider knows the The Sun-Herald City2Surf presented by Westpac. What with it being the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting over 85,000 participants from elite athletes to fun-run-loving locals last year alone, this charity fundraiser/epic test of stamina and virtue is hard to miss even on the laziest of radars. Wholly owned and organised by The Sun-Herald since its humble beginnings 42 years ago, this ain't a casual saunter through the park. As the name suggests, this is 14km of walking, jogging and hardcore PB-busting running as partakers make their way from the CBD to the sands of Bondi via the winding roads and hills of the eastern suburbs. Last year $4,173,915 was raised for charities across Australia and the day saw six marriage proposals, 17 Spidermen and one naked dude's bits flap about to name just a few memorable moments. Followed, of course, by plenty of forgettable ones, after heaps of well-earned boozing by the beach.
Disney has its own. Apple has one too. And so does Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. If you're fond of documentaries, you have not one but two local choices. The same applies if you're eager to get viewing for free, especially if you can handle retro flicks and titles that you've never heard of before. And if you're eager to support Australian content, there's one for that as well. We're talking about streaming platforms, of course. Throw in Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, SBS On Demand and ABC iView, and Aussies can't say there isn't anything to watch. That's not an exhaustive list either, because this space just keeps growing — with a new service dedicated to British television shows about to join the fold this year. Already operational in the USA, Canada and, of course, the United Kingdom, Britbox is a joint collaboration between two English TV networks: the BBC and ITV. They both have a hefty stable of programs up their sleeves — and while exactly what'll be available on the Aussie version of the service hasn't been announced, you can expect retro and recent series such as Absolutely Fabulous, The Office, Blackadder, Harlots and A Confession, based on the titles showcased on the current local website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DCExerOsA Britbox will focus on box sets of UK shows, which means full seasons all there at once ready for audiences to stream. You'll be able to do so via mobile devices, tablets, connected TVs and Chromecast — and via the online site. Just when Britbox will start streaming in Australia is yet to be revealed, other than than sometime in 2020. Nor has a price as yet, if you're eager to add another platform to your subscriptions. Britbox is set to launch in Australia sometime in 2020. Visit the streaming service's website to sign up for further updates.
Flickering across a cinema screen, even the greatest of movies only inherently activate two senses: sight and hearing. Audiences can feel the seats they nestle into in their favourite picture palaces, and savour both the scent and flavour of popcorn while they watch, but no one can touch, taste or smell films themselves as they're playing — even if adding scratch-and-sniff aromas to the experience has become a cult-favourite gimmick. British director Peter Strickland knows all of the above. And, he hasn't ever released a feature in Smell-o-Vision, Smell-O-Rama or Odorama. But his work still conjures up sensations that viewers know they can't genuinely be having, such as running your fingers over an alluring dress with In Fabric, detecting the flutter of insect wings against your skin via The Duke of Burgundy and, courtesy of his latest movie Flux Gourmet, relishing the fragrances and tastes whipped up by a culinary collective that turns cooking and eating into performance art. If you've seen his features before, Flux Gourmet instantly sounds like something that only Strickland could make — and from its first frame till its last, it proves that with every moment. While spinning this innately sensory tale, which he both helmed and penned, it does indeed literally sound like something that only Strickland could've come up with, in fact. As the acoustics-focused Berberian Sound Studio demonstrated, the filmmaker's audioscapes are always a thing of wonder, too. His movies may manage to magically engage senses that cinema's sound-and-vision combination intrinsically shouldn't, but they also make the utmost use of every echo. The same applies to each image; unsurprisingly due to his strong and distinctive sense of style and mood, everything about Flux Gourmet looks and feels like pure Strickland. His films can't actually be injected into anyone's veins, but the director's devotees will instantly want this delirious farce pumping through their system. The setting: The Sonic Catering Institute, a conservatory specialising in blending sound and cuisine, as its name makes plain. The "institute devoted to culinary and alimentary performance" is overseen by the couture-coveting Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones), and regularly welcomes in different groups to undertake residencies. Those visiting artists collaborate, percolate and come up with eye-catching blends of food, bodies and creativity. Hosting OTT dinners, role-playing a trip to the supermarket, getting scatalogical and turning a live colonoscopy into a show: they're just some of the menu items that Jan's latest guests cook up. In Elle di Elle (Strickland regular Fatma Mohamed), Lamina Propria (Ariane Labed, The Souvenir: Part II) and Billy Rubin's (Asa Butterfield, Sex Education) case, however, that unique kind of kitchen virtuosity only springs when they're not broiling in messy bickering. Chaos bubbles through and troubles the trio's troupe, who stir up mayhem among themselves as heartily as any chef stirs their dishes. But Elle, Lamina and Billy aren't the Institute's only current visitors. Watching and chronicling is journalist Stones (Makis Papadimitriou, Beckett), who is also suffering from gastrointestinal struggles that he worries might be something more. As his subjects keep riffing on the human digestive system, or trying to, he can't control his own. Endeavouring to withhold his flatulence 24/7 is his constant struggle. Somehow, keeping a straight face as everything gets absurd around him is a far easier task, but Flux Gourmet's viewers shouldn't want to share that achievement with him; this purposefully strange, silly and surreal film is far too deliciously hilarious. Let Stones' struggle sink in again: to fart or not to fart, that is his question. Yes, one of Flux Gourmet's key plot points revolves around letting it rip. Yes, Strickland masterfully finds empathy in that toilet humour, understanding that we all break wind as a normal bodily function, and pairs it with a savvy takedown of art-world and showbusiness pretension. As a satire, his film dips its spoons into smug attitudes, exclusionary conventions, and all the pompousness and ceremony that's stereotypically ascribed to every art form's upper echelons, then delights in gobbling down biting parody after biting parody. Thanks to Stones and his questions, Flux Gourmet is a spin on This Is Spinal Tap, too, complete with The Sonic Catering Institute's version of rockstar behaviour. Elle, Lamina and Billy play instruments, after all, even if they're often egg whisks, blenders and saucepans. They have post-show orgies. Tempers boil, even before Billy ends up in bed with Jan, their residency version of a manager — and an argument about a flanger threatens to tear everything apart. That heated disagreement, and the key scene that sees Jan and Elle face off about the amusingly named audio-effects equipment — and say the word "flanger" again and again — screams everything about Flux Gourmet. It's ridiculous and riotous, never stops simmering, and proves entertaining as a piece of farce and a statement on the domain and personalities that Strickland is skewering. Crucially, it also owes as much to its leads as it does to its director. Strickland has Billy and Jan's relationship, Elle and Lamina's tension, and vengeful attacks by a rival sonic catering group called The Mangrove Snacks (who applied for the same stint but missed out) among the plot's courses, but his film not only gleams brightest but bounces around at its liveliest when neither the magnetic Mohamed nor Christie at her uproariously domineering best hold back. Every recipe hinges upon its ingredients and Flux Gourmet is no exception. Its cast is committed, all playing characters attempting to control something, everything or both, and each peppering in their own seasoning — including the affable Papadimitriou as the seemingly sanest of the lot. Cinematographer Tim Sidell (I Hate Suzie) lenses the raucousness with verve and pop, and also like he's peering at a dream that's as intimate and visceral as a medical procedure, and yet as out-there as our brain's nocturnal imaginings come. Strickland's own hyper-stylised flair naturally flavours the whole meal, and saying that Flux Gourmet stands out even among his inimitable work is saying something. Wild, warm, witty, weird, wonderfully its own curious concoction: that's this delectable affair, which only falters in its slightly overindulgent pacing. That said, when a cinematic feast is this nourishing in so many ways — and to so many senses — who doesn't want it to go on?
Bernard Yu and Yen Yee of Melbourne's LuxBite and Anna Polyviou of the Sydney Shangri-La have at least two things in common. One is that they are quickly developing an international reputation for being outrageously talented pastry masterminds. The other is that they're offering to whip you up five courses of eastern sweet treats at their 2013 Asian Dessert Degustation. When renowned dessert heavyweights like LuxBite and Polyviou collide, we can hardly imagine the deliciousness that must ensue. One thing we do know is that you will walk away with a slice of Bernard Yu's 'Lolly Bag Cake', made famous on this season of Masterchef and featuring no less than seven layers of scrumptious lolly-inspired goodness (mere mention of the mandarin Jaffa ganache, musk-mallow and freckles crunch layers have us floating away on a sugar high). With a glass of sparkling, delectable canapes and those five whimsical courses of Asian desserts, not a sweet tooth in this city will want to miss this candy collaboration. The Asian Dessert Degustation is on at the Shangri-La Hotel (176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks) on August 7 and 8 at 6.30pm. Tickets are $125. For bookings call Bonnie on (02) 9250 6247.
They say one a day keeps the doctor away — so you're sure to be some sort of medical miracle once you attend the City of Ryde's beloved Granny Smith Festival this spring. After two years of COVID cancellations and online offerings, the festival dedicated to Australia's favourite apple is making its hotly anticipated comeback on Saturday, October 15. Why all the apple hullabaloo? It's because the first known crop of Granny Smith apples was accidentally grown by Ryde local Maria Ann 'Granny' Smith back in 1868. Subsequently, since 1985 Eastwood has celebrated the discovery with a giant free and family-friendly festival of market stalls, food trucks, rides and live entertainment — which quickly became one of the largest festivals in Sydney. Of course, the last couple of years have been a little lacking, so the 2022 iteration will be making up for lost time. Head in nice and early when festivities kick off at 9am to fuel up for the day with some delicious apple goods, including toffee apples, apple pies, caramel apples, apple juice, and of course, freshies for the purists. Then secure your spot to watch the festival highlight: the traditional 2,000-strong Grand Street Parade marching through the city streets. Kicking off at 9.30am, the parade includes bands, dancers and a giant festival float with a celebrity guest (Granny Smith herself). While away the subsequent hours by browsing the market stalls (there'll be over 250 of them) to check out some of the apple-inspired products including handmade jewellery, clothing and homewares. Pop by the animal farm to say hi to some furry pals, and don't miss the family-friendly entertainment going down across five stages — including cultural performances, a singing competition and even a meet-and-greet with some Paw Patrol stars. If you need something to break up the sweet offerings, come lunchtime hit up the food stalls and trucks to feast on delicious delights — Italian pork and apple rolls from Bella Porcetta; prawn and chorizo rolls from Mojo Picon; Dutch poffertjes (tiny pancakes); teriyaki pork ribs (with apple sauce of course) and more. And don't forget to stop by the pop-up Batlow Cider Bar on the oval, where you'll get free cider samples, as well as apple seltzers and local brews. Closing out the day with a literal bang is X Factor Australia winner and Eurovision alum Dami Im, who is taking to the stage for an especially exciting performance before a spectacular fireworks finale at 8pm. The City of Ryde Granny Smith Festival will run on Saturday, October 15, from 9am–8pm. Check out the rest of the Granny Smith Festival program and plan out your festival journey over here.
Think you’d be okay in The Walking Dead? Pretty sure you’d keep your cool in the American Horror Story house? Do you chortle at freakiest bits in Insidious? Then Running Scared might be for you. Basically, Running Scared is a fun run. At night. Through an obstacle course. Filled with terrifying sights, sounds and what-the-hell-is-that creatures leaping out from the shadows. What’s not to love? It’s 8km long, and you’ll run, jump, climb, swim and generally freak out. It’s a full-on workout, similar to Tough Mudder or the Color Run, except those don’t promise to make you fear for your life. As well as the obstacle course lifted straight out of an Argento film, there’s a dress-up competition for the most weirdly dressed competitor, though organisers stress you don’t wear your brand spankin’ new Nikes, because you’re going to get dirty. Registration is essential, so get in quicker than your favourite jump scare for a freaky night of frightful fitness.
David Attenborough may have turned 94 in 2020; however the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series last year — Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet — and even appearing at Glastonbury to promote the latter, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to cinemas. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, the resulting doco us described as "a powerful message of hope for future generations". In the film's trailer, Attenborough doesn't hold back. "The living world is a unique and spectacular marvel, yet the way we humans live on earth is sending it into a decline," he comments — before further noting that "human beings have overrun the world". He calls the film his "witness statement" and his "vision for the future", exploring humankind's actions over its existence and how moves can be made to address the planet's current environmental state. Naturally, Attenborough's wise words are combined with striking footage — as you'd expect of anything that the broadcaster is involved in. Originally due to hit the silver screen for one night only, A Life On Our Planet was slated to show in cinemas Down Under in April — but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was postponed. It'll now premiere on Monday, September 28 and stick around for a longer cinema season, with the film paired with an exclusive cinema-only conversation between Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin. There's nothing quite like seeing stunning nature footage on a big screen; however if you miss out or can't make it along, the documentary will also head to Netflix before spring is out. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVkqjHrAzw&feature=youtu.be David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet will screen in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Monday, September 28, before hitting Netflix before spring is out. Top image: WWF; Joe Fereday, Silverback Films.
If you're a bit of a Halloween buff and relish those carved pumpkins and creepy costumes, we've found the fright-filled event of your nightmares (or should we say dreams?). Over five terrifying nights, Luna Park will host the ultimate hair-raising Halloween extravaganza. As always, it's sure to be a screaming success and we've managed to get our hands on ten double passes to give away to you Halloween fiends. During Halloscream 6: The Rise of the Cursed Carnival, the park will transform into a spooky scare-fair with horror-themed mazes, haunted houses and blood-curdling rides. There's a Goosebumps-themed slime slide, an Alien Crash Landing where guests can traverse a UFO crash site searching for aliens and a terrifying Toyshop of Terrors maze. The carnival will start this Friday, October 26 and run until Saturday, November 3. Enter with your details below, and we'll see you and your creepy costume there for a screaming good time. [competition]694478[/competition]
Does the idea of living it up in a modern apartment with access to a gym, yoga studio, community herb garden and cinema sound like the wholesome life you want to live? How about a fully equipped co-working space so you no longer have to work from your kitchen table? To make sure it's exactly the living situation you imagine in your head, we've teamed up with LIV Indigo — Sydney Olympic Park's new renters only apartment block — to let you try it out for a weekend. You and a mate (or date) could be spending the night at LIV Indigo with a package that boasts all the trimmings. Kicking off with a welcome pack, your weekend will include full access to LIV's first-class services and amenities, a chef's dinner for six on the penthouse deck, a private yoga class in the LIV Indigo yoga studio and breakfast at a local café in the morning. The only tricky part will be deciding who gets to stay overnight with you. LIV Indigo is the first building of its kind in Australia providing residents with the freedom to live how they want. Pets? Painting and decorating to make it yours? Resident events? An on-site team to help you seven days a week? Yep, it's all there — and you don't have to fork out for a bond or deal with real estate agents either. Want to make it yours? Enter your details below to go in the running. [competition]818085[/competition]
The US south is the home of American-style barbecue and waking up in the middle of the night to check on your meat smoking away. If you throw your brisket into the smoker haphazardly, you've just committed a crime against barbecue. Don't do it. So what better time to learn the best grilling, smoking and barbecuing techniques than while eating the finest examples of such? The Erko is teaming up with another inner westie favourite, Young Henrys, to transport you to the Deep South and make its lessons stick. You'll enjoy five courses of the likes of wagyu beef brisket, NZ beef short rib and cedar plank salmon while engaging in some lively debate about the merits of smoking your brisket in butcher paper. American barbecue specialist David Sprigg will lead the event and teach you how to barbecue responsibly.
If umami is the fifth taste, smoke should be the sixth. And Ardbeg, being one of the smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts, is a peat lover's dream. Not only does it deliver palate-smacking smoky goodness but also sumptuous sweet notes — a winning combination which fans describe as 'the peaty paradox'. Well, peaty pals, listen up. In honour of this top spirit, Ardbeg is holding a special event and Argentinian grill masters Porteño are along for the smoke-filled ride. On Friday, November 23, Porteño will host a three-course culinary journey through the different stages of fire — smoke for starters, fire for main and coal for dessert — all accompanied by whisky drinks. The dinner will be held at Porteño Events, its former restaurant space on Cleveland Street. It is the last event in The Ardbeg Smokehouse, a series of venue takeovers featuring tastings, cocktails, smoke-infused eats and live entertainment which will test your capacity to handle this complex flavour. If you've been to Porteño before, you'll be familiar with the intoxicating meaty aromas that waft from the open grill. This South American-style grill delivers succulent charcoal-roasted meats, while a custom-built, woodfire oven roasts veggies to perfection. This dinner and its accompanying tipples are not about flavour restraint. In term's of cocktails, you'll start off strong with an Ardbeg served neat alongside your first course, followed by two custom cocktails to match your main and dessert. With a delicious smokiness running through each course, we can't imagine a more fitting venue to deliver this tribute to fire and smoke. The Ardbeg Smokehouse Porteño takeover will take place on Friday, November 23 from 7pm. Tickets cost $120 per person and can be purchased here.
Whoever said a person only needs one good pair of jeans? At this William Street boutique, staff will have you prepped with denim for every occasion and every fit. No matter your preference, you'll have choices — from a broad range of tight to loose fits along with waist and length sizes suited to your body. The store aims for a truly tailored experience. Once you have your new-season denim, there is also a collection of graphic tees, sweatshirts, knits and jackets to coordinate with your jeans. The store also has accessories like ribbed beanies, leather wallets and belts to complete the look.
Thought football and art didn’t mix? That's not the opinion of Local FC, a Sydney initiative that aims to explore and encourage the ways football inspires people. Creative people. During the inescapably present FIFA World Cup, Local FC is teaming up with Golden Age Cinema in Surry Hills to bring you World Cup Wednesdays, a series of four football-related films that prove Bend It Like Beckham isn't the only good thing about football and film. (No, it won't be featuring. Tear.) This is the World Cup event for people who don't get that into the actual games but still want to capitalise on the buzz. Local FC and Golden Age will be screening the films every Wednesday evening during the World Cup, starting 18 June. Golden Age's bar will keep you sufficiently hydrated, and each screening will be preceded by a World Cup Wrap Up, to ensure you're up to speed on everything that's going down in Brazil. (As though you haven't been up all hours cheering from your armchair.) The first three films on the schedule are docos featuring some of the game's biggest and most infamous personalities, like the impressively ambitious Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, which follows the legendary Frenchman over the course of one single game, documenting his every staggeringly genius thought and movement. He's not called an artist for nothing. The final film, screening on 9 July, is super top secret so you know there's something good in store. The only information on the website is a quote from Camus. Art and football. Who knew?
Wine aficionados of Double Bay, we’d like to introduce you to a new friend. Meet MISTELLE, a just-opened wine bar on Kiaora Lane. Envision a Parisian bistro re-imagined as a cool New York bar, and you’ve got the general idea. The most impressive feature about the bar, however, is the drinks list, where you’ll discover hard-to-find drops from all over the planet. You’re encouraged to order by the glass. Firstly, so you can try more than one. Secondly, so you can get some excellent matches happening with the Mediterranean-inspired menu, which has been created by head chef Frederick Booms. Everything is premium quality, from the grass-fed and locally-cured meats and sustainably-caught seafood to the seasonal veggies. The genius behind this operation is Alicia Wadsworth. After fourteen years in the hospitality biz, she's decided to combine her “particular fondness for French culture and their appreciation of quality food and wine” with the “slick modern ways of New York’s food scene” to create MISTELLE. Wadsworth brings an impressive stack of study to her new baby, including a stints at Gastronomicom wine school in the Languedoc, France, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and the Sydney Wine Academy. She’s also part of Commanderie du Bordeaux, an organisation dedicated to bringing Bordeaux wines to the wider world. Meanwhile, Nina Maya has taken care of the slick interior. There’s seating for 100, with varied indoor and outdoor arrangements catering to solo travellers, pairs and groups. MISTELLE is located at 16 Kiaora Lane, Double Bay. It’s open Tuesday to Friday, 11am - midnight, Saturday 9am - midnight, and Sunday 9am - 10pm.
Foodies love Pepe Saya’s cultured butter. It’s those wheels of butter with the rather cultured-looking man on the front. If you haven’t tried it before, this is your chance — the Last Supper. For four gloriously buttery weeks, Pepe Saya is having a dedicated pop-up butter store at Alexandria’s Bitton. It’ll be a dairy smorgasbord there. You can pick up different wheels of butter like their famous cultured, the seaweed or smoked. How about some mascarpone or ghee? That’s not all. You can also get a single origin loaf from Brasserie Bread and some golden trout caviar for your butter. Check in-store for the whole range of artisanal products on offer and don’t forget to pick up a handy butter knife. Pepe’s products will also be showcased in a special daily menu at Bitton and through Chef David Bitton’s special three-course 'Last Supper' dinners every Tuesday for the duration of the pop-up. Our bodies are ready. Pepe Saya’s pop-up store will be open Wednesday – Monday 8am-4pm, Tuesday 8am-9pm. For dinner bookings, call (02) 9519 5111 or email bookings@bittongourmet.com.au. Image: Pepe Saya/Facebook.
Can't make time among your summer plans for Falls Festival this year? Won't be able to see out 2022 and welcome in 2023 at Lost Paradise, either? In ace news for Sydneysiders, headliner Lil Nas X is coming to you. Falls Festival has just dropped its lineup of upcoming sideshows, and the 'Old Town Road' artist leads the bill — playing his first-ever Sydney gig, in fact, in January. You'll want to take your horse — or your usual form of transport — to Hordern Pavilion, with Lil Nas X's Long Live Montero tour stopping by the venue on Wednesday, January 4. Now that's how you make the most of holiday season, even if it looks like Lil Nas X's teamup with The Wiggles won't be on the bill at his standalone concert. You'll still hear everything from 'Old Town Road' to 'Rodeo' and 'Holiday', though, plus 'Panini', 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)', 'Industry Baby' and 'That's What I Want', too. It's obviously been a huge few years for the artist, with his breakout single becoming the longest-running number-one song on America's Billboard Hot 100 since 1958, when the chart debuted. Also on the Falls Festival sideshow list is British singer, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress, who'll hit Sydney's Roundhouse on the same date — Wednesday, January 4 — to bust out 'Pain', 'Passion', 'Break It Off', 'Just for Me' and more. And, Florida synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay are heading to Oxford Art Factory on Thursday, January 5, fresh from supporting Flume, Porter Robinson and Charli XCX before playing Falls. Pre-sale tickets for all three shows go on sale at 9am AEST on Monday, September 5, with general sales from 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 6. FALLS FESTIVAL 2022/23 SIDESHOWS: Lil Nas X's Long Live Montero Tour: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney PinkPantheress: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at Roundhouse, Sydney Magdalena Bay: Thursday, January 5, 2023 at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Falls Festival's 2022/23 sideshows will hit Sydney in early January 2023. Pre-sale tickets for all three shows go on sale at 9am AEST on Monday, September 5, with general sales from 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 6. For more info and to buy tickets, head to the Secret Sounds website.
The latest effort from RoboCop, Showgirls and Starship Troopers director Paul Verhoeven, Elle is a rape-revenge film — or a rape-anti-revenge film, perhaps. It's also a movie calculated to conjure some laughter, as surprising as that may seem given the topic at hand. The narrative's focus on a sexual assault victim's behaviour after her attack, and the incredulous reaction audiences may have thanks to more than a few awkwardly comedic moments, are closely linked. Bringing the aptly named novel Oh... to the screen, Verhoeven not only unpacks unpleasant experiences, but makes viewers confront the urges such experiences can awaken, and the instant, often inappropriate responses that come with them. It's an ambitious aim, particularly in a thriller steeped in sexual exploits both forceful and consensual, not to mention one heavily reliant upon perfecting the right mood and tone. Peppered with the kind of chuckles that sometimes spring from nerves and discomfort, it's one that the movie achieves on an intellectual rather than an emotional level. Elle will get you thinking and reacting, but not always feeling. And while that might be fitting given the psychological realm the movie willingly plays in, it's also unintentionally distancing. The film's title refers to Michèle (Isabelle Huppert), an executive at a video game company readying a new erotically violent release. After an intruder forces himself upon her and then flees, Michèle goes about the rest of her day. When the subject of her attack comes up, she steadfastly, matter-of-factly refuses to go to the police. Being plunged into the depths of physical assault, however, leaves her intrigued and even somewhat emboldened as she embarks on a mission to track down the perpetrator. While Elle isn't as violently or sexually excessive as some of Verhoeven's earlier efforts — and definitely proves more restrained in its visual style — the Dutch filmmaker has sly fun with subverting the expected in his first French-language feature. From the moment the movie opens with heated grunts that could just stem from energetic lovemaking (though they don't), he toys with content, with convention and with his audience. It's not quite a case of nothing being as it seems. Instead, everything that happens inspires many, many questions. That includes Michèle's behaviour and backstory, the several other complicated relationships involving her friends, her son and her ex-husband, and Verhoeven's ability to combine nuance in some moments with a sledgehammer lack of subtlety in others. Huppert clearly relishes the loaded territory she's playing in, and proves the real reason Elle demands attention. Although the film itself often lets its interesting perspective do the heavy lifting, its star is an absolute revelation. Or she would be, were it not for the five decade's worth of incredible performances in her ledger already. Still, operating at her absolute best, she's the complex, commanding core of a movie that's purposefully challenging in a number of senses — sometimes successful, sometimes not.
Across November, New South Wales is hosting 1000 gigs at more than 300 venues, all thanks to the State Government-run Great Southern Nights. The event is helping to restart the state's live music scene after this year's lockdowns and restrictions, and it has just gained a huge new addition — especially in terms of crowd size. While you might've already filled your calendar with smaller shows both in Sydney and across the rest of NSW, make room for The Great Southern Nights series, which'll take place on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5. Not only will the two gigs hit up Qudos Bank Arena — marking the first big indoor arena shows in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic — but they'll host just over 5000 punters at each gig. That's just a fraction of the venue's 21,000 total capacity, but it still covers a hefty number of music lovers in a year that's been mostly devoid of listening to live tunes en masse. It'll all be held in a COVID-19-safe manner, of course — and, across the two shows, it's expected that crowd numbers will near 12,000 in total. As for the lineup, the first evening will see Ocean Alley, Jack River, Ruby Fields and Jack Botts doing their thing on stage — while the second gig will feature Bernard Fanning, Matt Corby and Merci Mercy. The Great Southern Nights series will take place as NSW's events calendar is slowly filling up, and as venues are being given the go-ahead to welcome in bigger crowds. The state's outdoor stadiums can have up to 10,000 fans in the stands; theatres, concert halls and cinemas can host events of up to 1000 people, and country shows of up to 5000 people will be allowed to happen this summer. The Great Southern Nights takes place on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5 at Qudos Bank Arena. For more information, or to buy tickets — from 10am ADST on Monday, November 9 for the first gig and at the same time on Tuesday, November 10 for the second — head to the Ticketek website. Top image: Ocean Alley, Neegzistuoja via Wikimedia Commons.
Sneak in a Sydney Writers' Festival fix before the official launch of the 2011 program on April 1 with an exceptional double bill: Andrew O'Hagan and Annie Proulx. Booker Prize nominated O'Hagan's new novel is the 'memoir' of the Maltese terrier owned by Marilyn Monroe — intrigued yet? — and Pulitzer Prize winner Proulx has written Bird Cloud, a personal study of the stories that comprise a life. Both authors are concerned with genealogies of family or place and the relationship between memory and physical space. O'Hagan insists that The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe is not just an act of canine ventriloquism, but a study of modern celebrity and of the American century. Proulx's memoir of building a "poemlike" house examines coolly her own peripatetic nature and the rich history of the Wyoming wetlands and prairie. Turn your mind inward and your ears outward as two brilliant minds discuss our obsessive search for a place in the world on March 10.
"This interactive waterfall swing won’t make you wish you’re a kid again, it will make you forget you’re an adult,” wrote Techly earlier this year, after Dash 7 Design's Waterfall Swing made waves in Rockefeller Plaza and across the US and Europe. And we wouldn't be Concrete Playground if we didn't get a bit excited by a souped-up piece of play equipment in the middle of the city. Waterfall Swing sends you flying towards a curtain of water that, thanks to the work of sensors, parts just before you hit it. Magic.
Every corner of every city comes with its own history — and on Cockatoo Island, that's especially true. The tiny patch of land has been home to a prison, ship-building facilities, a reform school and a wartime boat repair port over the years, all in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Depending on what you believe, it's also apparently home to a few ghosts too. Indeed, plenty of mysteries and stories surround the island, which the returning Haunted History Night Tours will help you uncover. Running nearly every Saturday up until the end of the year, the popular sessions will take you on a 90-minute stroll through the atmospheric site, visiting the convict workshops and gaol, the grain silos, dry docks and more. Tours kick off at 7pm, with bookings required. $25 gets you a spooky guided walk and a trip into the city's past, and wearing comfy shoes is recommended — as is bringing a torch. Updated: August 29, 2019.
If you’ve ever daydreamed about the days when gents wore three-piece suits and ladies dolled up in flapper finery, the upcoming Gangster’s Ball may be for you. Hosted by the Metro Theatre during Sydney Fringe, the ball offers a chance to get gussied up in your vintage best for what sounds like a memorable night out. Embracing the entertainment of the 1920s-'50s, the evening includes live magic, vaudeville, cabaret and a turn from NSW’s reigning burlesque queen, Kelly Ann Doll. Should you need a break from being a spectator, you can get all gangster and try your luck in the gambling den (pinstripes and spats compulsory) or pamper your inner-moll at the vintage styling parlour. Cocktails and a spot of drunken swing dancing are optional. Can’t make the 7th? Catch a sideshow at Factory Theatre on Friday 20th featuring 10-piece swing band The Velvet Set and The Pretty Things Peepshow.
If your daily commute is a nautical one, you could soon be in for some smoother sailing, with Sydney set to score hundreds of extra weekly ferry services and a new fleet of vessels. French company Transdev will continue to run the Sydney Ferries operations as it has since 2012, after its contract with the NSW Government was extended until 2028. And it's promised to add 400 more ferry services each week by the year 2021, splashing out on ten new ferries for the Parramatta River run and three extra Emerald-class vessels for routes on Sydney Harbour. That's on top of the 3400 services that currently run each week. The F3 Parramatta River route will receive almost 280 extra weekly ferry trips, with stops like Sydney Olympic Park, Cabarita and Meadowbank enjoying services every ten minutes during peak times. Rose Bay and Watsons Bay are in for expanded evening and weekend services, with weeknight services running later than they currently do, and the Taronga and Mosman routes will be merged in an effort to boost ferry frequency to every 20 minutes. As part of its schedule of improvements, Transdev will also trial a new on demand ferry for the Bays Precinct, with a new MiniCat boat kicking things off later this year. It'll offer connecting services between smaller wharves like Rozelle Bay and Blackwattle Bay, and more significant hubs like Barangaroo and Pyrmont, improving access to other transport routes. If the trial service proves a hit, it'll help inform the potential launch of extra on demand ferry zones elsewhere. It won't be Sydney's first on demand ferry service — Captain Cook Cruises launched Ahoy last year, which travels across the eastern suburbs — but it will be the first run by With all the improvements, Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the new Transdev contract, which kicks off July 28, is expected to save taxpayers more than $40 million over the next nine years.
They say the world is your oyster, and the folk on the New South Wales South Coast take it very seriously. So much so that they're putting on a festival to celebrate and showcase that salty, slippery, seafood delicacy. The Narooma Oyster Festival, set in the heart of Australia's 'Oyster Coast' will take place on a glorious Saturday, May 4. Head to the Big Oyster Bar where you will be able to feast on delicious oysters from eight south coast estuaries on the banks of the stunning Wagonga Inlet. If you're after a cool $500 in pocket money, the oyster shucking competition could be up your alley, but if you're new to the whole game, there are shucking demonstrations as well. For the most committed of oyster lovers out there, there is The Ultimate Oyster Experience, where you'll enjoy an exclusive master class guide by a local grower and sample Angasi, Pacific and Sydney Rock Oysters with complementary wines.
The Scandinavian crime fixation currently sweeping non-Nordic nations shows no signs of abating. Jussi Adler-Olsen's Department Q series provides the latest instance, a four-instalment-to-date police procedural setting a duo of detectives in search of answers to dead cases. The Keeper of Lost Causes is the first feature to result. All the elements exist in director Mikkel Nørgaard and writer Nikolaj Arcel's version of the novel. (They're both veterans of the burgeoning genre with resumes that encompass television's Borgen and the Swedish-language The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as evidence.) An odd couple, an against-the-odds task, brooding backstories, a pretty prey and a cat-and-mouse game with the perpetrator furnish a feature that stays within the confines of the expected — except for one significant deviation. As well as tracking the law enforcement quest to uncover the truth, the film gifts viewers with the victim's perspective: her tale told as a parallel to the investigation. The Keeper of Lost Causes is in cinemas on July 31, and thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=68sO1s9Hy70
Grab your woollies and get ready to celebrate all things chilly at the Bathurst Winter Festival. The two-week event celebrates the magic of the colder months — just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't get out and have a fun time. Located three hours' drive northwest of Sydney, the city of Bathurst will light up in a blaze of colour as interactive light installations project onto the town's historic architecture. Rug up and head along to the Winter Playground, where you can get your Nancy Kerrigan on at the ice-skating rink for $12. Kids and adults alike will enjoy riding the giant ferris wheel, too, and that's only five dollars a pop. Held on the first and second Saturday, there will also be two all-day festival highlights. The first, Ignite the Night, will kick off the festival with local tunes, brews and light shows scattered around the village. The second, Brew and Bite, features heaps of food trucks offering gourmet food, along with lots of warm drinks, including the all-essential mulled wine and cider. Spread across the town, much of the festival is free — making it a good excuse to get out of town for a weekend this winter.
After ten years, FBi Radio has made itself a lotta friends. (We're one of them! Hi guys!) So it's only right that their tenth birthday party, or rather their FOUR birthday parties, are titled All Our Friends. Curated by five rad Sydney labels and crews — Broken Stone Records, Modular Recordings, Popfrenzy, Astral People and Future Classic — the four gigs over three weekends feature an embarrassment of really goddamn excellent acts: Step-Panther, Panama, Palms, Day Ravies, SPOD, Softwar, Bloods, Caitlin Park, Cosmo’s Midnight, Melodie Nelson, Unity Floors, Richard In Your Mind, plus two super-secret special headline acts and a host of other DJs, bands and other people who wouldn't be where they are now without FBi. So clear out your June (and the last weekend in July), because not only will these nights at Goodgod and OAF be the most super-excellent fun ever, they're all fundraisers for your favourite community radio station. Friday June 14 Goodgod Small Club - $15/$10 FBi Supporters Curated by Future Classic and Astral People Panama Cosmo's Midnight Rainbow Chan & Moon Holiday Victoria Kim Future Classic DJs Astral DJs Friday June 21 Oxford Art Factory - $15/$10 Supporters Curated by FBi and Broken Stone Records Special Guest Headliner Step-Panther Palms Bloods Caitlin Park Melodie Nelson Magnetic Heads Sister Jane Catcall (DJ set) Saturday June 22 Oxford Art Factory - $15/$10 Supporters Curated by Rice Is Nice and Popfrenzy Records Richard In Your Mind Day Ravies Unity Floors SPOD Donny Benet Shady Lane Alyx Dennison (Kyu) Straight Arrows (DJs) Adults Saturday July 27 Curated by Modular and FBi Oxford Art Factory - $35 VERY SPECIAL GUEST TO BE ANNOUNCED Movement Softwar Wordlife Slow Blow Club Mod DJs
After eight seasons, a huge body count and an enormous wait for winter, Game of Thrones is coming to an end in 2019. But that doesn't mean saying goodbye to the world first created by author George R.R. Martin — not only thanks to the author's books, whenever The Winds of Winter eventually hits shelves, or even simply due to the planned prequel series. In addition, fans will soon be able to visit a heap of new GoT tourist attractions. After filming much of the show in Northern Ireland for the past decade, HBO has announced that it's teaming up with Tourism NI to open a number of sets and sites to the public for the first time. If you've ever dreamed about walking around Westeros, this will be your chance. Winterfell, Castle Black and King's Landing are among the iconic spots that'll feature in what's being called Game of Thrones Legacy. Visitors won't just see the ancestral home of House Stark, the headquarters of the Night's Watch or the capital of the seven kingdoms, but also view exhibitions complete with costumes, props, weapons and set decorations, plus art files, models and other production materials. There'll also be accompanying digital content and interactive materials, highlighting GoT's digital effects. Given that the show includes both dragons and wights, aka Martin's version of zombies, there's plenty to showcase. The project is still in an exploratory process, with full details still to be revealed, but a 2019 opening date has been slated. Seeing as though the show's final season will air next year, that timing is hardly surprising — you'll probably be able to find out whether Jon Snow really knows nothing, and then head to Northern Ireland to visit many of his haunts.
Few could deny the cinematic juggernaut that is the Marvel machine right now. In just the past decade we've had one Captain America, two Hulks, three Iron Men, four Spidermen and five X-Men movies, to say nothing of 2012's billion-dollar blockbuster The Avengers. In a few weeks another Captain America film hits cinemas, but opening this week is the second instalment from yet another Avengers spinoff, Thor: The Dark World. The original Thor was released in 2011 and, under the direction of Kenneth Branagh, proved equal parts action and comedy as the impossibly-ripped Chris Hemsworth hammered his way through hordes of alien something-or-others then saved Earth. Two years later he's back, hammering his way through all-new hordes of alien something-or-others by day, whilst pining for his human, earth-dwelling girlfriend, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), by night. When she inadvertently releases an ancient mystical threat, the two star-crossed (or rather Bifrost) lovers are reunited, forced to evade and then confront yet another horde of aliens, known as the Dark Elves. As appealing and charming as Hemsworth is in the lead, once again it's Tom Hiddleston as the mischievous Loki who proves himself the franchise's most charismatic and essential figure, grinning through clenched teeth and staring with burning intensity as the world around him crumbles. There is more depth to his character than all the others combined; a petulant villain seething with jealousy yet privately vulnerable and burdened with unspoken regret. Hiddleston's sublime performance manages to draw focus even when there's a full-blown, four-alarm CGI clusterfuck going on around him, and in this film that's a common occurrence. Humour has always played a key part in the Marvel franchises, and — as with the original Thor — The Dark World derives most of its comedy from 'Norse-demigod-out-of-water' scenarios, this time juxtaposing the majesty of Thor with the banality of London's daily grind. It's missing the deftness of Branagh's touch, and while it doesn't play for laughs quite as often, those that feature generally land firmly. In some cases, exquisitely so. Most importantly, though, Thor: The Dark World is a fun film to watch. The script is snappy, the action sequences are well paced and the final battle in Greenwich offers up a diabolical, Portal-like component that brings an exciting new meaning to 'war of the worlds'. Portman is more likeable this time round, too, dropping much of the goofy, doe-eyed traits that felt so out of place for an actress of her calibre in the original. Lastly, Thor: The Dark World features not one, but two post-credits scenes, giving fans twice as many reasons to stay seated and discover who performed 'Key Grip' on set. https://youtube.com/watch?v=npvJ9FTgZbM
This one's for those of us who find smoky things innately appealing. And, nothing satiates those smoke-related cravings more than a good dram of the peaty drop. Well, whisky connoisseurs, we've got the smoked whisky event that you've been waiting for, and it's happening at your mate's place. Okay, Old Mate's Place to be exact. On Sunday, November 11, whisky purveyors Ardbeg will take over this brand-spankin' new CBD bar for the ultimate smoke fest. The event is happening as part of The Ardbeg Smokehouse, a series of venue takeovers featuring whisky tastings, cocktails, smoke-infused eats and live entertainment. Old Mate's library-esque interior makes it the perfect place to sip whisky like a distinguished aristocrat surrounded by stately bookshelves, dapper furnishings and family heirlooms. You can swish, swirl and enjoy those smoky flavours while pensively gazing off into the distance channeling your best Sean Connery. The cocktail masters at Old Mate's Place will be crafting a throng of custom cocktails, designed to challenge your proclivity for smoke and test just how smoky you can go. Given the team manages a bar which boasts more than 300 different spirits and has collectively worked in some of Sydney's top venues, we have no doubt they'll turn out some real humdingers. The smokier the better, we say. When hunger strikes, tuck into juicy snags straight off the barbie complete with Ardbeg's very own barbecue sauce. All money raised from snag sales will go directly to the RSPCA in honour of Ardbeg's distillery dog mascot Shortie, so you can eat, drink and feel good that you're helping animals along the way. Ardbeg will take over Old Mate's Place on Sunday, November 11, from midday–5pm. Walk-ins only.
To celebrate a half century of immersive public artworks, Kaldor Public Art Projects is hosting a free retrospective at the Art Gallery of NSW, where each of its 34 previous projects has been reimagined and created by noted British artist Michael Landy. Add to this a range of artist talks and celebratory events covering 50 years of the Australian arts organisation and it sounds like a lot of Kaldor to take in, so here to help, we've picked out the must-see and must-do experiences you can have during Making Art Public: 50 Years of Kaldor Public Art Projects. The free events will run over the next five months and you have until February 2020 to catch the exhibition. [caption id="attachment_745139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Agatha Gothe-Snape 'Lion's Honey', 2019. Commissioned by Kaldor Public Art Projects. Photo: Document Photography.[/caption] CHECK OUT THREE NEW WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED There are four brand new pieces that have been specifically created for Kaldor's significant anniversary — and you can still catch three of them. First up, Agatha Gothe-Snape's Lion's Honey sees performers — including Agatha herself — read a book of their choosing in the exhibition space. Conceptualist Ian Milliss presents Natural Parallels 2, looking back to the time when his work became more social and political. Finally, Sydney's Imants Tillers' A New World Rises revisits Wrapped Coast, the very first Kaldor project back in 1969, which Tillers himself worked on. [caption id="attachment_745490" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Allora & Calzadilla 'Stop, Repair, Prepare' at State Library of Victoria, Melbourne, 2012. Photo: Andrew Lloyd.[/caption] GET A(NOTHER) CHANCE TO WITNESS PAST PROJECTS You'll get the chance to see the reprisals of two previous Kaldor projects at the celebration too, so if you missed out the first time this is your chance. Project #29, better known as This is So Contemporary, showcased Tino Sehgal's love of "constructed situations," creating an experience through dance and music where the audience play just as important a part as the choreographed performers. Allora & Calzadilla's Stop, Repair, Prepare will be making its Sydney debut. Also a former Kaldor project that Melburnians might remember from its performance in 2012, this piece sees artists attempt Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' on an adjusted piano that can be played from within and walked across the gallery floor. [caption id="attachment_726658" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marina Abramović: In Residence, Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay, Sydney, 2015. Photo: Pedro Greig.[/caption] RELIVE THE PAST PROJECTS WITH THE ONLINE ARCHIVE Earlier in the year, Kaldor put a call out for the public to share their experiences of 50 years of Making Art Public. These recollections and personal stories now form part of the Living Archives, an ongoing project that shows the meaning and intimacy of art, and how we all connect with it in different ways. Contributions are still very much welcomed and, if you'd like to refresh your memory, on the second Thursday of each month there are study sessions with the Kaldor archivist to take another look through the artefacts. [caption id="attachment_744021" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Making Art Public: 50 Years of Kaldor Public Art Projects. Art Gallery of NSW. Photo: Daniel Boud.[/caption] LEARN ABOUT THE LEGACY OF PUBLIC ART As Kaldor's digital archive launches, a range of art experts will be offering their views on the cultural impact of Kaldor — and other public art initiatives — and explaining why public art matters. Featuring curators, artists and academics from Australia and beyond, this symposium is sure to offer a fascinating insight into how 50 years of Kaldor Art Projects have shaped the art world as we know it today, and why the digital archive is so important in protecting that legacy. It's a free event taking place on Wednesday, November 20 at the Art Gallery of NSW. [caption id="attachment_745160" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 10: Jeff Koons, Puppy, Dec 12, 1995–Mar 17, 1996. ©Jeff Koons. Photo: John Gollings.[/caption] CREATE YOUR OWN MASTERPIECE BASED ON YOUR FURRY FRIEND Do you need any further encouragement than the words "puppy picnic"? Artist David Capra and "art-dog" Teena — known for her signature fragrance Eau de Wet Dogge — will be in The Domain on Friday, October 11 to celebrate all things canine and explore the relationship between art and man's best sausage dog. Learn how to draw a pooch portrait, find out how to decipher the language of puppy love, and let your four-legged friend run wild with doggy treats inspired by the edible art of Kaldor's artist Miralda. Owners will have to bring their own human food though — sorry. [caption id="attachment_745173" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaldor Public Art Project 24: Michael Landy, Acts of Kindness, Sept 23–Oct 23 2011. ©Michael Landy. Photo: Jenni Carter[/caption] VISIT THE STUDIO TO SEE THE ARTISTS AT WORK A key tenet of public art is engagement, and that's why Kaldor is inviting you to visit the studio and see some of their best artists at work. It's not just a sterile observation session though; you'll get to hear the artists explain their process, learn more about their work, and even have the chance to ask your own questions. We've all wondered about what makes artists tick and how they make the ideas in their head a reality, and Kaldor offers the opportunity to get closer to the creative process than ever before. 'Making Art Public: 50 Years of Kaldor Public Art Projects' runs until February 16, 2020 and can be found on Lower Level 2 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Entry is free. To see the full exhibition program, visit the website. Top image: Daniel Boud/Art Gallery of NSW.
In Sundown's holiday porn-style opening scenes, a clearly wealthy British family enjoys the most indulgent kind of Acapulco getaway that anyone possibly can. Beneath the blazing blue Mexican sky, at a resort that visibly costs a pretty penny, Alice Bennett (Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Snowman), her brother Neil (Tim Roth, Bergman Island), and her teenage children Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan, A Very British Scandal) and Colin (Samuel Bottomley, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) swim and lounge and sip, with margaritas, massages and moneyed bliss flowing freely. For many, it'd be a dream vacation. For Alice and her kids, it's routine, but they're still enjoying themselves. The look on Neil's passive face says everything, however. It's the picture of apathy — even though, as the film soon shows, he flat-out refuses to be anywhere else. The last time that a Michel Franco-written and -directed movie reached screens, it came courtesy of the Mexican filmmaker's savage class warfare drama New Order, which didn't hold back in ripping into the vast chasm between the ridiculously rich and everyone else. Sundown is equally as brutal, but it isn't quite Franco's take on The White Lotus or Nine Perfect Strangers, either. Rather, it's primarily a slippery and sinewy character study about a man with everything as well as nothing. Much happens within the feature's brief 82-minute running time. Slowly, enough is unveiled about the Bennett family's background, and why their extravagant jaunt abroad couldn't be a more ordinary event in their lavish lives. Still, that indifferent expression adorning Neil's dial rarely falters, whether grief, violence, trauma, lust, love, wins or losses cast a shadow over or brighten up his poolside and seaside stints knocking back drinks in the sunshine. For anyone else, the first interruption that comes the Bennetts' way would change this trip forever; indeed, for Alice, Alexa and Colin, it does instantly. Thanks to one sudden phone call, Alice learns that her mother is gravely ill. Via another while the quartet is hightailing it to the airport, she discovers that the worst has occurred. Viewers can be forgiven for initially thinking that Neil is her cruelly uncaring husband in these moments — Franco doesn't spell out their relationship until later, and Neil doesn't act for a second like someone who might and then does lose his mum. Before boarding the plane home, he shows the faintest glimmer of emotion when he announces that he's forgotten his passport, though. That said, he isn't agitated about delaying his journey back, but about the possibility that his relatives mightn't jet off and leave him alone. Sundown is often a restrained film, intentionally so. It doles out the reasons behind Neil's behaviour, and even basic explanatory information, as miserly as its protagonist cracks a smile. The movie itself is eventually a tad more forthcoming than Neil, but it remains firmly steeped in Franco's usual mindset: life happens, contentedly and grimly alike, and we're all just weathering it. Neither the highs nor lows appear to bother Neil, who holes up at the first hotel his cab driver takes him to, then starts making excuses and simply ignoring Alice's worried calls and texts. He navigates an affair with the younger Berenice (Iazua Larios, Ricochet) as well, and carries on like he doesn't have a care in the world. His sister returns, frantic and angry, but even then he's nonplussed. The same proves true, too, when a gangland execution bloodies his leisurely days by the beach, and also when violence cuts far closer to home. Tranquility, bleakness, the ordinary and the extreme in-between: it all keeps coming throughout Sundown. Yes, life keeps happening, even amid the relaxed air that breezes through the movie's aforementioned introductory moments. When there's little on the Bennetts' minds except unwinding, their comfort literally comes at the hands of Acapulco's workers. In the streets, an incendiary mood bubbles well before bodies end up on the sand. The gap between the one percent and the rest of us always stays in plain sight. The fact that a getaway as luxe as this one relies upon not the kindness but the exhaustive labour of others never slinks away. Also, that Neil's family wealth springs from slaughter isn't subtle — animals, in the pork trade — but that's never been Franco's approach. Still, Sundown is a film to soak up, riding its twists and wading through its questions, including the plethora that keep springing about Neil's actions. The last time that Roth worked with Franco, in 2015's Chronic, he turned in a mesmerising performance. Here, he's magnetic and absorbing as a man adrift by choice, through entitlement and also due to the cards he's been dealt. Some shots play up that idea with the director's characteristic lack of understatement — floating in a pool, for instance — but the point would've been plain via the film's central performance alone. Roth isn't coasting, or bobbing, or doing anything aimlessly. Sundown's audience can see Neil's behaviour as comic, heartless, troubled or arrogant, or a combination of all four and more, but Roth makes the sense of detachment and entropy behind the character's every move echo from the screen. His efforts prove all the more stark against the also-wonderful Gainsbourg, in a far smaller part. Unsurprisingly, Alice is anything but dispassionate, with her brother's subterfuge, selfishness and utter lack of care for everyone he's affecting earning her increasing exasperation. For Franco, forgoing nuance means staring head-on at the tales he's telling, the people within them and the statements about humanity that are being made — and Belgian cinematographer Yves Cape, who has a number of the filmmaker's pictures to his name (plus entrancing 2019 French film Zombi Child as well), eagerly obliges. Roving your eyes over Sundown's patient frames is an exercise in careful observation, sometimes peering so closely that you can almost count Roth's pores, but usually with a sense of distance that mirrors the space that Neil cultivates around himself. Watching this ruminative feature also requires confronting existential woes — and pondering existence — both compellingly and unsettlingly so. Franco has never had any fondness for privilege, or much for human nature; with his latest penetrating film, he's as unforgiving as always, but also as committed to unpacking what it means to define your own path.
No, you're not having a stroke. Although you might be after a few dozen cheeseburgers. Everyone's favourite LA fast food powerhouse In-N-Out Burger has secretly popped up in Sydney today. Set up at Parramatta's Mixology Lounge this time, these total legends are pumping out hamburgers, regular cheeseburgers and double cheese until 3pm today. Get amongst the inevitable burger-crazed mosh. This is happening right now. This isn't the first time these sneaky sneaksters have done this either. Last year, In-N-Out popped up for a one-day appearance in Sydney and stock sold out in a frantic two hour free for all. All we can say is get to Parramatta immediately. There's a reason this joint is frequented by celebrities and regularly called "heaven on earth". Admittedly, it has a lot to do with cheese fries. The In-N-Out burger pop up runs from 11am until around 3pm — or until they sell out — at Parramatta Mixology Lounge, 25 Wentworth Street, Parramatta. Move. Now.
This Sydney Festival favourite returns for another evening of gorgeous music by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the open night skies. Grab your friends, family, or current flame, pack a picnic basket and a blanket, and relax into the summery dusk for a night of music that will make you feel a bit like you're living in a film. No picnic? No problem: there will be food stalls aplenty on site. It's BYO so, if you're feelin' thirsty, remember to pack a bottle of something chilled. Image: Jamie Williams.
For the second September in a row, Sydney's venues won't be filled with independent theatre, music, comedy, dance and circus performances — or with visual arts, film, literature and poetry, either. Due to the city's ongoing lockdown, as well as the uncertainty around when stay-at-home conditions will end and what restrictions will be in place afterwards, the Sydney Fringe Festival has announced that it won't be going ahead in 2021. Back in May, the fest announced its plans for this year, revealing that it would return with a physical month-long event after 2020's digital edition. New hubs were set to be part of the festival, too; however, as every Sydneysider has experienced, quite a lot has changed over the past couple of months. Announcing the cancellation in a statement, festival organisers said that the decision was made "after the extension of the current Sydney lockdown into August made rehearsals impossible for the vast majority of the festival program, along with the uncertainty around when performance venues will be able to reopen." The fest team also noted that "with 78 percent of Sydney Fringe audiences under 48 years of age and over 80 percent of artists under the age of 40, the risk that these groups would have low vaccination rates by September made the risk of performing live untenable." Sydney Fringe Festival follows Bluesfest, Vivid Sydney and the Sydney Film Festival in being impacted by COVID-19 two years in a row; however, at least at the time of writing, those other three major events have postponed their 2021 dates, rather than scrapped their plans altogether. That said, with Sydney's lockdown now six weeks in, set to run until at least the end of August and also still garnering high case numbers — 291 were identified in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday, August 5 — it's beginning to look more likely that other big events might not happen this year either. Sydney Fringe Festival Director and CEO Kerri Glasscock said that "the impacts of this pandemic continue to wreak havoc on our sector. The resilience, passion, dedication, ingenuity and stoicism the independent arts community has shown over these past 18 months has been remarkable, and the quality of work they had produced for this year's festival was exceptional despite all they had gone through. It is an immense shame that Sydney will not get to see this program this year, and that the city will lose the vital cultural and economic impact the festival brings each year. Sydney Fringe has long been one of the leading advocacy voices for independent artists in New South Wales and this is where we will once again turn our attention." In light of its change of plans for 2021, Sydney Fringe will launch a new 'We'll Fringe Again' fundraising campaign tonight, from 6pm on Friday, August 6, via the Sydney Fringe website and Facebook page — asking the community to still buy a ticket to the cancelled festival to support local artists. The money raised will be put into a programming fund for the 2022 festival. Sydney Fringe Festival 2021 will no longer take place between Wednesday, September 1–Thursday, September 30. For further information, head to the fest's website. Top image: Seiya Taguchi.
Come future Friday nights, you're soon going to have another excuse to grab Emperor's Puffs from the Chinatown markets. The streets of Haymarket will be transformed into a pedestrian friendly, tree-lined space in a move to refurbish the area announced by the City of Sydney. The proposed new plaza in the heart of Chinatown promises to put pedestrians at the top of the priority list. Thomas Street will become a pedestrian-friendly walkway and public space, with more lighting, seats, wider footpaths and a no-car policy during busy periods — so you can finally enjoy your street food goodies distraction free. Road closures are planned between Ultimo Road and Thomas Lane, while Thomas Street will become one-way only between Thomas Lane and Quay Street to make things safer for pedestrians. "By making it easier to explore the area on foot and creating more lively public spaces, we will attract even more people to the area and further support business in and around Haymarket," says Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The plan for Thomas Street will ensure Haymarket remains an attractive and enjoyable place for tourists and visitors, reinforcing our Chinatown's place as one of the best in the world." Visitors will also be able to enjoy public art from Australian contemporary artist Lindy Lee while walking through the streets of Chinatown. Lee's work is preoccupied with the idea of self in the world, as captured through her own negotiations with her divided Chinese-Australian heritage. "The heart of Chinatown is Sussex Street, Hay Street and Thomas Street where they intersect," says Lee. "I love the history of this area and the idea is to maintain the integrity of the street life to make Thomas Street pedestrian-friendly and strengthen the heart of Chinatown." This latest stage in the Chinatown overhaul comes after two years of the City of Sydney's previous work rejuvenating the area's back alleys — you may have noticed Jason Wing's murals on the walls of Little Hay Street, Factory Street or Kimber Lane. If not, well, I guess that's another solid reason to pay the area a visit.
Paul Gilding, former executive director of Greenpeace International, is set to arrive in Sydney with a difficult question: is a more equitable and sustainable world attainable? It's a query that he has posed to communities worldwide. Interested in what Sydneysiders have to say? Join Gilding and panel guests Clover Moore MP, Ross Gittins AM of the SMH, Sam Mclean of GetUp! , Ben Waters of GE, and author Rachel Botsman, in a thought-provoking discussion of the ecologically and economically damaged world we inhabit. Gilding will present the panel with the history and root causes of the world's precarious status; the panel will then explore the workings of the global economy and how to alleviate the pressing issues of an unsustainable economy. Tickets to the discussion are free, but essential.
Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema is returning to Bondi Beach. Screening a combination of new releases and retro classics, their giant inflatable screen flickers to life at dusk, six nights a week, until summer comes to an end. Of course, a big part of the reason to love this time of year is that you get to enjoy the sunshine. That’s why every film session will be preceded by one or more live music acts, giving you ample reason to head down to the water during daylight hours – as if the allure of Chunky Monkey ice-cream wasn’t already incentive enough. Gracing the stage will be a whole host of talent, including Melbourne’s Husky for the big Sundae Session launch party, alt rock band Saint Abbé, indie folk duo Ally & Hannah, harpist (that’s right, harpist) Jake Meadows and pianist and singer-songwriter Nic Cassey. There will also be sets by a selection of local DJs, including Josh Beagley, Dax Golding, President Bird and MK-1. You can find the full live music program, along with the film program, at the Openair Cinema website. Doors open at 5pm on Sundays and 6pm Tuesday to Saturday.
Too much smoke is never enough when you're a peaty whisky enthusiast. Peat is your middle name. And, when it comes to palate-smacking smoky drops, Ardbeg is a solid choice. Not only is it unbelievably smoky but it's also surprisingly sweet — fans call this 'the peaty paradox'. Well, whisky aficionados, as a way for you to test your capacity to handle this complex flavour, we've found four events where you can sip the smoky stuff to your heart's content. The Ardbeg Smokehouse is a series of venue takeovers featuring whisky tastings, cocktails, smoke-infused eats and live entertainment. You can sample the first ever Ardbeg-infused beer, tuck into a fiery three-course feast and swirl whisky like a distinguished aristocrat in a dapper CBD bar. Bottoms up, peaty pals.
Fantastic wine bars and where to find them: that's another way of describing Australia's annual Wineslinger Awards. Each year, industry experts vote on the top spots to enjoy a drop, with 2023's list now here for your drinking pleasure. It's called a top 50, but there's 55 places on the latest rundown because the votes couldn't be split. Created in 2018 by Rory Kent, who also founded the Young Gun of Wine Awards, the Wineslinger gongs draw upon the picks of more than 100 folks — think: sommeliers, winemakers, hospitality tastemakers and journalists — to point you in the right vino-sipping direction. Where Kent's other prize aims to recognise stellar up-and-comers, this one is about the best places to enjoy a glass or several of stellar tipples. [caption id="attachment_623524" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To.[/caption] "In the sixth year of these annual awards, it's such a thrill to once again discover so many great new wine haunts around the country," said Kent. 2023's 55 chosen venues are spread across the nation, with New South Wales accounting for the most with 15 spots. From there, 12 of Wineslinger's favourites hailed from Victoria, then nine from South Australia and seven from Queensland. Western Australia boasts six places in the ranking and Tasmania has three, while there's two from the Australian Capital Territory and one from the Northern Territory. Don't go expecting just the usual names, either. Familiar go-tos such as Dear Sainte Eloise in Potts Point, Carlton Wine Room in Carlton (where else?) and Snack Man in Fortitude Valley have gotten the nod, as have Canberra's Bar Rochford, Launceston's Havilah, Hellbound in Adelaide, Lalla Rookh in Perth and Stone House in Darwin; however, 19 venues have also been named for the first time. They include Bar Heather in Byron Bay, Commis in Collingwood and The End in West End — and also Alt. Wine Bar in Unley, Molto Bar and Cellar in Hobart and The Corner Dairy in Perth. [caption id="attachment_789259" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Snack Man[/caption] For folks looking for your next watering hole, you have plenty of places to add to your must-visit list. Some are located in popular hotspots, others have been plying their trades for decades and others still have only just opened. From the top 55, Wineslinger singles out a number of venues for trophies, which'll be awarded on Monday, December 5. The top gong is simply called Wineslinger, naturally, while other prizes span the self-explanatory Best New Haunt, as well as the Maverick award for a venue that pushes the limits. And, for vino aficionados at home, there's also the People's Choice prize — which is open for online votes right now, closing at midday on the day of the ceremony. [caption id="attachment_789257" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carlton Wine Room[/caption] WINESLINGER AWARDS 2023 TOP 50: ACT Bar Rochford, Canberra Rizla, Braddon NSW 10 William Street, Paddington Bar Copains, Surry Hills Bar Heather, Byron Bay Bar Superette, Merimbula Beau, Surry Hills Bentley Restaurant & Bar, Sydney Caravin, Potts Point Dear Sainte Eloise, Potts Point Fix Wine, Sydney Le Foote, The Rocks Lil Sis, Chippendale P&V Merchants, Paddington The Sir George Hotel, Jugiong The Wine Library, Woollahra Where's Nick, Marrickville [caption id="attachment_637744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bentley Restaurant & Wine Bar[/caption] NT Stone House, Darwin QLD Agnes, Fortitude Valley Alba Bar + Deli, Brisbane Cru Bar + Cellar, Fortitude Valley Paloma Wine Bar, Burleigh Heads Snack Man, Fortitude Valley The End, West End Zero Fox, Teneriffe SA Alt. Wine Bar, Unley Good Gilbert, Goodwood Hellbound, Adelaide Jennie Wine Bar, Adelaide Loc Bottle Shop, Adelaide Silver Sands Beach Club, Aldinga Stanley Bridge Tavern, Verdun Stem Bar & Restaurant, Adelaide The Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale [caption id="attachment_778181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hellbound[/caption] TAS Havilah, Launceston Lucinda, Hobart Molto Bar and Cellar, Hobart VIC Bar Marenda, Daylesford Carlton Wine Room, Carlton City Wine Shop, Melbourne Commis, Collingwood Geralds Bar, Carlton North Gimlet, Melbourne Marion, Fitzroy Osteria Illaria, Melbourne Public Wine Shop, Fitzroy North Torquay Wine Store, Torquay Union Street Wine, Geelong Winespeake, Daylesford WA Besk, West Leederville Lalla Rookh, Perth Mayfair Lane, West Perth Mummucc', Wembley The Corner Dairy, Perth Wines of While, Perth To vote in Wineslinger's People's Choice Award before 12pm on Monday, December 5, visit the awards' website. Top images: Agnes; Beau; City Wine Shop, Tess Kelly.
California-based DJ, producer and Stones Throw Records founder Chris Manak, aka Peanut Butter Wolf, is having a killer year so far. The legendary spinner has played to audiences in New York, Atlanta, Bangkok and Tokyo while his beloved label, Stones Throw Records, is the subject of a new documentary. He seems like a pretty nice dude all-round too, having just announced a free (yes, free) show at Goodgod next month, celebrating the first anniversary of Red Bull Music Academy's club night series. Manak founded the prolific Stones Throw Records with MC Charizma (RIP) in 1996, and since then he's gained a cult following, uncovering and introducing you to the best underground hip hop around. He'll be joined at Goodgod by Melbourne producer Kirkis and Sydney's Mako. Fans of progressive hip-hop, funk and general left-of-centre goodness had better act quick, because we predict these tickets will disappear faster than you can wrap your head around what a peanut butter wolf would actually look like. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rwZVV_77MhM
For Sydneysiders who look at a jacket potato and think, that looks a little too healthy — relax, Lord of the Fries is coming! The Melbourne-based fast-food sensation that thought 'we can fry that' is expanding from its Victorian stronghold and migrating north with its sights set firmly on the boozy, the bored and the lazy who populate fair Sydney. The announcement, which went live on Twitter, gave little specifications past a George Street location and September launch date, so get yourself on a strict diet of all things grease in preparation for LOTF (that’s what Melbournites call it, or so I am told). Oh, and they do burgers and hot dogs, too. Win.
Shake up your Sunday routine with a bushwalk around Georges Heights in Mosman, from Chowder Bay through the former military barracks and on to Obelisk Beach. Along the way, stop off at Georges Heights Lookout for sweeping views of Sydney from Manly to Vaucluse to the CBD. This is also the site of a former WWI military lookout and hospital, so you'll be able to explore the remaining historic structures. Continue along the path and head up to Frenchy's Cafe to refuel with some French-Aussie fare like quiche and goat's cheese salad. Finish your trek at the nearby Obelisk Beach — one of the only legal nude beaches in the city — for some swimming and sunning. Despite its cult status, this secluded spot is usually rather tranquil, so it's the ideal spot for a post-walk skinny dip with more stunning views over Sydney Harbour. By Yelena Bidé and Quinn Connors.
The Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular, better known as GABS, returns to Sydney for the third year running on Saturday, May 27. After humble beginnings in Melbourne seven years ago, it has now expanded to cover three cities, two countries, and is rightfully considered by most as the best craft beer and cider festival in the Asia Pacific region. Creators Steve Jeffares and Guy Greenstone (The Local Taphouse, Stomping Ground Brewing Co.) are making 2017 the biggest year yet, upping the offering to a whopping 180 festival beers and ciders by introducing a third festival bar. These exclusive and often wacky specialty brews are created just for the event and are generally the festival's main draw, giving attendees the rare chance to try brand-spanking new beers while meeting the brewers behind them. This year's festival brews include, strangely enough, three Thai-inspired beers, a mango lassi IPA by 3 Ravens Brewery, a Pinot Grigio wild ale by Yulli's Brews and — possibly the most jarring — a 'mother's milk' beer from Brisbane Brewing Co. GABS Sydney will also boast the Yenda Wheel of Beer for the first time, an 18-metre-high Ferris wheel in the middle of the festival. Add this to wandering performances and food stalls from some of the best producers in the city and you've got yourself one hell of a party. The single day event is categorised in two sessions, with session one from noon till 5pm and session two from 6.30–11.30pm. If you're a super keen craft drinker, you can purchase tickets to both sessions — we wish those ticket holders the best of luck.
It has been three years since Scottish craft beer giant BrewDog launched its first Australian brewery and taproom in Brisbane, and two since the brewery promised that more bars in more Aussie cities were on the way. Now, thanks to a new partnership with Australian Venue Co (AVC) — the group behind spots such as Cargo, Kingsleys and The Winery in Sydney; Fargo and Co, State of Grace and The Smith in Melbourne; and Riverland, The Regatta and The Crown Hotel in Brisbane — that plan is finally starting to come to life. BrewDog and AVC have announced that they're teaming up to open beer bars across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and beyond in the coming years, starting with a first new site in Victoria. Come spring this year, Melbourne's historic Pentridge Prison precinct will welcome a hefty new venue: a two-level pub complete with an indoor dining room and lounge bar, plus a sprawling beer garden sporting its own BrewDog container bar, big screens and dedicated games area. The partnership sees the world's largest craft beer bar operator join forces with one of Australia's big pub operators, and will span multiple sites — but exactly where and when any venues beyond Pentridge will open hasn't yet been revealed. Still, if you're a fan of the Scottish brewery in Sydney, you'll finally score your own local. And, in Brisbane, you'll have somewhere else to head beyond its 28-tap original Australian outpost in Murarrie. That OG Brisbane craft beer destination pours both house creations and guest brews, and also serves up a menu that's known for its burgers, pizza and wings — if you're wondering what might be in store at the new BrewDog and AVC bars. BrewDog currently operates 102 beer bars worldwide, having recently launched outposts in Mumbai and New Albany (USA), and with huge flagship bars coming soon to Las Vegas and Waterloo (London). BrewDog Pentridge will open in E Division building at Pentridge Prison, 1 Champ Street, Coburg, from spring 2022. For more information about BrewDog's Australian expansion plans, keep an eye on its website — and we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Top image: BrewDog DogTap Brisbane.
This little piggy went to market (crack of a knuckle), This little piggy stayed at home (that goes crunch under teeth), This little piggy had roast beef (with the rip of tendons), This little piggy had none (and a scream in vain). And this little piggy... (rivulets of blood drain from a grinning mouth). The lights go out. Kip Williams' Fallout, written by Maree Freeman, is replete with gore and psychologically disturbing human interaction contained in a disoriented and anchorless location. Intensity skyrockets as three teenagers — Alpha (Lizzie Schebesta), Bravo (Gabriel Fancourt), and Charlie (Amanda McGregor) — head full-throttle on a mission to "get better" by striking out violently at the fourth character, Delta (Michele Durman). By focusing on anger and physical expression of such emotions on her as a human punch-bag, they suppress any form of human emotion, in particular, empathy and sadness. This hideous denial of humanity seems to be well appreciated by the thousands of faceless aliens peering down through a central shaft of light above the stage. The teenagers believe that their abhorrent behaviour might well afford them escape from this underground dirt-box. When they are not roaming in a constant daze of boredom — skipping ropes, drawing animals in the soil, dreaming of the sky, and reciting nonsensical riddles — they are plotting to win the appreciation of the aliens and be granted exit. Fancourt and McGregor each perform chilling monologues for their captive audience with verisimilitude. As comic relief, McGregor exudes an infectious raw energy as she immerses herself in the character of a trapped and confused young girl, full of naive hope and premature sexuality. Pitted against this, Durman carries herself with cool calm and a natural self-possession, while Schebesta is the ultimate harsh alpha female who pulls all the puppet strings. The sharp swings between the banal and the shocking are punctuated by powerful spells of darkness, like chapters in a book. You can feel time passing them by; their youth, their memories, their pasts — all drifting away from them like clouds in the sky. What they'll do to try to escape will break some hearts or cause others to faint from the sheer violence.
Standing in a bar, being forced to make small talk with a stranger: we've all been there. Hearing from your parents more frequently than you have time for, despite your best intentions: many of us have experienced that as well. In Toni Erdmann, both scenarios combine in a way that might well give you nightmares. Just imagine if the person accosting you while you try to enjoy a drink turned out to be your dad in a bad wig and false teeth. At its simplest, that's the idea behind writer-director Maren Ade's 162-minute comedy, which has been garnering acclaim since it premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and remains the favourite to win his year's Oscar for best foreign-language film. A German consultant living in Bucharest, Ines (Sandra Hüller) is irritated when her practical joke-loving, divorced and lonely father Winfried (Peter Simonischek) arrives for an unexpected visit. But that soon gives way to unbridled horror when his alter ego Toni starts following her around. Once is odd, twice is annoying, and three times… well, that's something else. Then again, one of the basic elements of life is repetition, which Toni Erdmann demonstrates disarmingly well. First, you'll cringe. Then you'll laugh. Before long, you may find yourself crying. Those are the stages audiences cycle through while watching Ade's film, and it's no accident. The mastery evident in ensuring that every detail of the movie imitates life can't be underestimated. The naturalistic camerawork and astute commentary on the importance of humour is not unlike Toni's ridiculous headpiece: it's just what's visible on the surface. With all the buzz around the film in the lead up to the Oscars, it's hardly surprising to learn that we'll soon be getting an American remake (starring Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig). Why the world needs an English-language version is a question Hollywood is happily ignoring, but its high-profile cast certainly have huge shoes (and wigs, and false teeth) to fill. As Toni keeps ramping up his antics and Ines keeps struggling to contain her reactions, Hüller and Simonischek prove the film's most important pieces, ensuring their characters are not just likeable, but thoroughly believable as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uwi5EPnpA
It's spring, which means rosé season is in full swing. To celebrate, Coogee Bay Hotel is hosting Rosember — a rosé-fuelled weekend that's sure to help cool you down as we launch into a long, hot summer. If you're a passionate rosé drinker you'll be happy to hear the pink drink will be taking on many forms at this fest, from frosé to rosé cocktails and rosé straight from the tap. Coogee Bay Hotel will also be serving up a limited-edition rosé-inspired menu from it's restaurant, which will feature loads of pink food (of course). There'll be a bunch of entertainment, too, including live music by the Samba Brazil Drummers and Beat the Streets to keep festival buzzing all weekend. And, if one weekend of rosé isn't quite enough, a Hunter Valley winery getaway will also be up for grabs. Entry to Rosember is free, but you'll need to purchase drink tokens and snacks once inside. Rosember Fest runs from 12–7pm.
When you're in a crappy situation, you call a plumber. After the news broke that alleged sexual harasser Kevin Spacey would no longer star in All the Money in the World, with his scenes to be reshot with Christopher Plummer, it was one of the internet's better observations. Controversy aside, the end result is astonishing. You'd never guess that 88-year-old Plummer only stepped into his role as real-life oil tycoon J. Paul Getty in November. Nor will you be able to imagine anyone else playing the part, including the excised, prosthetic-clad Spacey with his penchant for over-acting. Trust Ridley Scott, the now-80-year-old director of Alien and Blade Runner, to mastermind such an impressive technical feat. All the Money in the World is his second movie in less than a year, after 2017's Alien: Covenant — and while it mightn't seem like it at first, there's more than a little in common between the two titles, and with Scott's filmography in general. After spending decades contemplating humanity's complicated relationship with mortality — seen not just in his iconic science-fiction work, but also in the likes of Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and The Martian — Scott has jumped from a film that ponders the notion of creation as the only lasting legacy, to one about the downfall of a man who puts his faith in wealth instead. Plummer's Getty is more comfortable collecting objects than nurturing relationships, including with his own son (Andrew Buchan) — "there's a purity in beautiful things that I've never been able to find in people," the world's richest billionaire dismissively croaks. Getty Jr only contacts his father when he's broke and struggling to provide for his wife Gail (Michelle Williams) and four children, though it's his eldest boy, Paul (played by Charlie Shotwell as a 7-year-old), that the old man takes a shine to. Fast-forward nine years to 1973, and the now-16-year-old (Charlie Plummer) is abducted by kidnappers looking to get their hands on a slice of the Getty fortune, but the cantankerous patriarch insists that he doesn't have a cent to spare. That leaves the distraught Gail to work with Getty's security advisor, former CIA operative Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg), to secure her son's release. A word of warning: you'll hear the phrase "all the money in the world" more than once throughout the film. It's as if Scott and his screenwriters, adapting the 1995 book Painfully Rich, just couldn't help themselves. It's an unneeded wink in a movie that slides with thrilling ease into the icy waters of wealth, laying bare the darkness and ruthlessness born of excessive greed in the process. Balancing multiple negotiations, including Gail wrestling with both Getty and Chase, the family liaising with the captors, and young Paul trying to stay alive with the help of one of his abductors (Romain Duris), the movie also serves up the type of brawny, absorbing thriller we don't often see on screens these days. Working with his regular cinematographer Dariusz Wolski, Scott uses grey tones to contrast the haves and the have nots, immersing audiences in the detail and emotion of the scenario at every turn. Moreover, even when the film stretches its story a little too far amidst multiple twists and changes of allegiance, audiences will find themselves gripped by the work of Plummer and Williams. The pair play polar opposites in an equally effective manner — one a heartless man motivated by self-interest, the real villain of the piece; the other a desperate mother who'd give up anything, including money, for the people she loves. If only Scott had found someone other than Wahlberg to play the third person in their tussle. The actor might as well be fighting giant robots, given how by-the-numbers his performance is. All the money in the world clearly couldn't help with that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQBNu9z6RQ
