The Bleeding Tree is thrilling theatre that hits close to home. Director Lee Lewis (who is also the artistic director of Griffin Theatre Company) exposes “the Australian heritage of violence against women and asks us to acknowledge our part in it”. Lewis has chosen three strong Australian actors for the world premiere of The Bleeding Tree: Paula Arundell (Mother Courage and her Children), Shari Sebbens (Battle of Waterloo), and Airlie Dodds (Rake). The play's script earned writer Angus Cerini the 2014 Griffin Award for New Australian Playwriting. It should be an intriguing mash-up of poetry, black comedy and realism — it truly puts the 'gore' in allegory. Cerini hopes his play demonstrates the power of community in exposing and eliminating domestic abuses. Lewis sees The Bleeding Tree as instigating change in Australian society, and as an example of Griffin’s Theatre company's commitment to this country "making of stories written here, about us, now". The first preview of The Bleeding Tree coincides with White Ribbon Night In, for which Griffin would like to raise funds and awareness.
UNDR ctrl has powered through its first year. And you're invited to join the party on August 1 at Oxford Art Factory. Sydney's partystarting crew is teaming up with OXJAM for a huge night, not only featuring some of their favourite artists, but an assortment of miscellaneous activities — including haircuts from Razorhurst Barbershop, free tote bags to the first 100 arrivals and visuals by UNDR ctrl's art director Purely Mental in collaboration with EGO. The theme is 'It'll be ALL WHITE on the night' and UNDR ctrl is asking that you dress 'white and wild'. As far as music goes, there'll be something for everyone at this party. Live outfits Tear Council and World Champion will kick things off things early, while Adi Toohey, Ariane and Ara Koufax will be on the decks. If house is your thing, you can count on Set Mo, Parkside DJs and Olympic Ayres DJs, or for techno, there's Motorik Vibe Council and Jensen Interceptor. All proceeds from ticket sales go to OXJAM, which works with musicians and music lovers around the world to fight against poverty.
English art-rockers Everything Everything will be one of the most unpredictable Splendour sideshows you see this year, with their eclectic, off-the-wall repertoire and epic live set. The foursome has released three albums to date including Man Alive in 2010, Arc in 2013, and Get To Heaven in 2015, all of which have been met with riotous applause from critics and fans alike. Their latest single ‘Distant Past’ encapsulates everything you already know and love about the band; lead singer Jonathan Higgs’ vocals flying at breakneck speed to falsetto, paired with fast, fast percussion. Get your mates together, warm up those vocal chords and work on some tongue twisters if you plan on singing along, ‘Kemosabe’ and ‘Cough Cough’ beckon your assistance.
The Slackers are a Sydney-based collective of artists. They formed in 1997 and were active until 2002. Using a rundown residential dwelling in Surry Hills, the group developed a collection of studios and social spaces – building a bubbling hub of interdisciplinary activity. Imperial Slacks had a big impact on Australia’s cultural landscape. Some of the group members include big guns like Shaun Gladwell, Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro, Wade Marynowsky, Chris Fox, Angelica Mesiti and The Kingpins. This month will see a double venue retrospective of their work along with a few new commissions. Spread across Sydney College of the Arts and Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cosmic Love Wonder Lust will be something of a reunion. Curated by Nicholas Tsoutas, the show will feature a suite of mixed media works, examining the collaborative dialogue between artists as well as revisiting the role of the artist run space. You can head along to the opening at SCA on August 14, which will be opened by Mike Parr, or the opening at Campbelltown Arts Centre on August 15.
Progressive pop powerhouse Ainslie Wills is back, bringing her unique, epic balladry and a brand new EP to Newtown Social Club this October. This goal-kicking Melburnian has unleashed a brand new single 'Constellations', from her new EP Oh the Gold and now she's taking her long-awaited new material down the east coast with her five-piece band. You'll spend a good deal of time picking up Wills' influences; you can hear a little PJ Harvey, a tad of Rhye, a tinge of The xx, a sprinkle of St Vincent, a dash of Jeff Buckley and a teeny splash of London Grammar in there. But Wills is no lyrebird, she's whittling a style that's all her own — a style that earned her a finalist spot for the 2012 Melbourne Music Prize and saw her shortlisted for the 2013 Australian Music Prize for her LP You go your way, I’ll go mine. Since then, between writing for Tom Isanek's #1 Dads side project, Wills has been working on new material with songwriter Lawrence Folvig and Brisbane-based producer extraordinaire Matt Redlich (Holy Holy, Emma Louise, Trouble with Templeton) — they met after one of her shows at Black Bear Lodge back in 2013. They've been recording in Redlich's studio, Grandma's Place, and now Wills has a brand new EP to showcase.
Two of Australia's best modern yarn spinners are heading around the country together this spring. Sydney blues crooner CW Stoneking is embarking on an Australian tour, with Perth singer songriter Peter Bibby in support. Having just wrapped up a huge, 36-show run through the UK and Europe, Stoneking is finally heading back home for a home turf tour. He'll be taking ditties from his most recent album Gon Boogaloo as well as long-loved favourites. It's the last time Aussie fans will get to see Stoneking on a home stage for a while — he's moving to the US to work on some new music. Bibby's been a busy lad too, having released his debut album Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician last year and made quite the splash at the likes of Laneway Festival around the country. Stoneking and Bibby will hit Sydney's Manning Bar on Friday, October 30, Brisbane's Triffid on Saturday, October 31 and Saturday, November 7 at Melbourne's Corner Hotel.
When it comes to The Diary of a Teenage Girl, it appears it's all there in the name. The film does indeed rifle through the innermost thoughts of a youth on the cusp of womanhood. It also charts a coming-of-age journey. Boys are involved, as well as acts of rebellion, plus arguments with those in positions of authority. So far, so standard, but thankfully there's more to this amusing adolescent awakening. Actually, the stirring that is central to the movie happens both on screen and off. In the story, San Francisco-based 15-year-old Minnie Goetze (Bel Powley) follows her urges into an affair with the two-decades-older Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård), who also happens to be the boyfriend of her mother (Kristen Wiig). In charting her escapades, the film offers a frank and funny exploration of the teenage female experience, and clearly enjoys doing so. Life lessons are learned in both situations. It's not that Minnie's issues, as told to a tape recorder that doubles as her audio diary beginning on the day she first has sex, chart drastically new territory. Struggling with lust, love and the onset of maturity has been covered before, just rarely with such a judgment-free embrace of the awkward reality of the age group in focus, or with a no-holds-barred portrayal of teenage girlhood at its centre. The way in which first-time writer/director Marielle Heller presents the tale, adapting Phoebe Gloeckner's semi-autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, and overlaying spirited narration over upbeat antics before letting less glowing aspects of Minnie's life seep into both, certainly gives The Diary of a Teenage Girl a distinctive yet authentic glow. Using a '70s soundtrack to mirror its period setting, as well as working in animated interludes that mimic the lead character's dreams of becoming a cartoonist, similarly assist. Ample credit must also go to the exuberant Powley, who doesn't just make what could've been a conventional role credible, candid and complex — she makes it her own. Her version of Minnie strives and stumbles in a fashion both painfully and poignantly relatable to anyone who has been there and done that (been a teenage girl, that is). Her interpretation of the character ensures the contradictions of youth are completely understandable, be they fearlessness and fragility, optimism and uncertainty, or stubbornness and sincerity. That's she's the film's driving force and shining star is considerable feat, particularly for an actor otherwise only known for stealing the show in British princess-themed comedy A Royal Night Out earlier this year, and more so given the cast she's working with. Wiig playing dramatic and Skarsgård skirting the edge of creepiness are both great, as is Christopher Meloni in a brief appearance as Minnie's former stepfather, but the movie can only belong to one person. Yes, The Diary of a Teenage Girl lives up to its title, and that's something to celebrate.
You'd be hard-pressed to find anything more universally loved by Sydneysiders than the gorgeous stretch of coast along the Bondi to Coogee walk. And now that the daylight hours are getting longer and spring is well under way, there's no excuse not to don our walking shoes to enjoy the iconic scenery. Perhaps the one time of the year when Sydney really outshines itself in the looks department is during the annual Sculpture by the Sea, the world's largest public art exhibition of its kind. It's been 19 years since its inception, but the views evidently haven't gotten any less tiring to look at, with visitors growing more and more every year. This year, over 100 works from artists around the globe will dot the landscape from Tamarama to Bondi once again. There'll also be sustenance on the trail — and holistic, ultra-Sydney sustenance at that. The Grounds of Alexandria is running its pop-up cafe, The Grounds by the Sea, for the duration of the exhibition, this year taking their inspiration from the Hobbits of the Shire. Image: Cave Urban at Sculpture by the Sea in 2014.
Two words immediately spring to mind while taking a detour through Learning to Drive: modest pleasures. They’re what the film's characters seek, whether they're sitting behind the wheel or walking along the footpath. They’re what the amiable, affectionate and earnest movie does as well. A later-in-life attempt to hit the road gets the feature gently motoring along, with Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) the initially unlicensed party in question. The Manhattan-dwelling literary critic hadn’t previously had a reason to join the commuting masses; however, separating from her adulterous husband (Jake Weber) and seeking to visit her college-age daughter (Grace Gummer) inspires her to reassess her priorities — you're never too late to try something new, and all that. Enter the kindly Darwan (Ben Kingsley), an Indian Sikh working as both a taxi driver and a driving instructor. He has his own personal problems, including his desire for matrimonial happiness with his arranged bride (Sarita Choudhury), as well his efforts to avoid the prejudice that follows his every move. Of course, he's also the wise teacher Wendy needs, even if she doesn't yet know it. That this odd couple will cross paths isn’t a surprise in this introspective effort, nor is the friendship that reluctantly but eventually springs. Wendy and Darwan find commonality despite their differences, learn some obvious life lessons from each other and gain an appreciation of the little things that make their days worth enduring. In fact, everything about Learning to Drive screams standard — and yet it's warm, sweet but never too saccharine too. Director Isabel Coixet, who has worked with both her leads before on the 2008 film Elegy, enjoys spending time in predictable yet thoughtful territory while contemplating well-fleshed-out characters. There's a reason she has enlisted Clarkson and Kingsley again for this task, as based on an autobiographical New Yorker article by essayist Katha Pollitt. As often proves the case in most things either pops up in (witness this year's Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Self/Less, for example), they're a pleasure to watch. The former is gifted a role with more shades of complexity than the latter, but both offer rounded portrayals that span well beyond their alternatingly tentative and playful banter. Though plenty of their dialogue serves up road references that cheesily double as nuggets of general life advice — reading the signs, taking in everything around you, and so on — their performances help brighten up a film that's largely confined within a car (and as visually constrained as that sounds). The scenery isn't the point, but the people looking at it. Yes, that's just another of Learning to Drive's modest pleasures.
Anything Melbourne can do, Sydney can do better — or, just as well, as Sydney Film Festival's first announcement for 2016 illustrates. If New South Wales-based movie buffs were feeling a bit of envy about the SCORSESE exhibition that's about the visit Melbourne's ACMI, SFF has swooped in to offer up the next best thing. In partnership with ACMI, and as curated by none other than David Stratton, SFF will present a showcase of Martin Scorsese's essential films. How they whittled down the iconic auteur's efforts to just ten, we don't know. But, as The Movie Show and At the Movies' audiences did for decades, we'll just have to place our faith in one of Australia's most famous movie critics. Given that the selection includes the seminal gangster flick Mean Streets and often overlooked musical New York, New York, viewers are in for some Scorsese gold (and yes, Robert De Niro is as much of a feature as the director, with Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Casino screening as well). For those after a slice of Scorsese's later-career flicks — and his collaborations with Leonardo DiCaprio — then The Aviator well and truly ticks that box. They'll all screen on specially imported 35mm prints, because Scorsese isn't just about making movies, but about preserving the format of celluloid in this increasingly digital age. To whet your excitement, we'll leave you with this clip of De Niro doing stand up in The King of Comedy. No, he's not talking to you.
Just when you thought Vivid Sydney couldn't deal out any more sensory overload, the festive folks at Cockle Bay Wharf reveal their triple-threat master plan: cocktails, chocolate and live performers. To start, their cleverest mixologists have come up with Vivid-themed cocktails to match the bright lights of the festival. So, while you're getting lost in all the mesmerising views, you can sip on a Boogie Wonderland (bitters, elderflower and sparkling wine), a Huntress (in house barrel-aged Ketel One vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice) or a Lemon Teardrop (limoncello, vodka, blue curacao, lemon juice and sugar syrup), at $15 a pop. Secondly, local dessert chefs have concocted a Vivid sundae, packed with ooey gooey Lindt chocolate. Scoops of vanilla and white chocolate ice cream are embedded with brownie chunks, covered in chocolate sauce and topped with Chantilly cream and sprinkled with chocolate shavings. Oof. This masterpiece is $10 and arrives in an illuminated resin glass, which you get to take home. And last (but definitely not least) every Thursday to Sunday, troupes of live, LED-powered performers will converge for stilt walking, juggling and fire twirling. Among them, you'll see acts Space Ballerina, Light Fantastique and Birds of Paradise. Venues participating in Cockle Bay Wharf's Vivid celebrations include meat masters Hunter & Barrel, Blackbird Cafe, Baia The Italian, I'm Angus, Adria, Nick's Seafood, Tokio Hotel Live, Pontoon and Home The Venue.
While we've seen plenty of films set amidst the heat of battle, very few explore what happens next. Opening in West Germany in 1958, Labyrinth of Lies endeavours to understand how a divided nation attempted to recover from the atrocities of the Second World War, why many of its citizens tried to disregard their history, and the efforts required to bring war criminals to justice. Though it might surprise modern audiences, some Germans in the wake of WWII claimed not to have heard of Auschwitz concentration camp. Others decided not to speak about it, or the war in general. Prosecutor Johann Radmann (Alexander Fehling) learns of his compatriots' willing ignorance when journalist Thomas Gneilka (Andre Szymanski) brings a man to his attention: a former camp commander, responsible for overseeing countless deaths, who now works as a schoolteacher. Unlike those around him, the eager young Radmann can't overlook the past — even as his investigation is met with apprehension and derision, deemed almost impossible, and impeded by mountains of paperwork. "This is a labyrinth. Don't lose yourself in it," Radmann is warned early in his search for answers. That line of dialogue may sound obvious and clunky, but it's thankfully the only time (unnecessarily romance aside) that the film is guilty of those charges. As evident in the movie's stately pace, muted tones and solemn mood, writer-director Giulio Ricciarelli and co-scribe/researcher Elisabeth Bartel take a measured approach to telling an important tale. Blending fact and fiction (Labyrinth of Lies' protagonist is fictitious, but based on several real-life figures), their first feature proves as subtle as it is significant. The duo perfects the delicate balance of bringing attention to the lesser-known Frankfurt Auschwitz trials, while avoiding following too closely in the footsteps of fellow war films. Consider their approach to a crucial part of Radmann's quest: interviewing Auschwitz survivors. Knowing that the details are already a matter of record, the film presents a montage of images, but emphasises mournful music rather than the content of the conversations. Instead of letting viewers hear harrowing specifics, it forces them to focus on the faces of those doing the re-telling, as well as the shocked expressions of those discovering the truth for the first time. Given that the movie is as much about the inherently human preference to sidestep tough memories and topics as it is about Germany after WWII, it's not just a stylish way of structuring a pivotal scene, but a savvy and effective one as well. Amidst the drama, Fehling weathers Radmann's journey, making the character a figure of determination and defiance. Best known outside of Germany for appearing in Inglourious Basterds and TV's Homeland, his is a complex portrayal, as befitting a rich and layered film. With his character finding out about much of the Nazi's Auschwitz activities for the first time, he's not quite an audience surrogate, but his voyage of discovery is never less than believable. You won't just see his horror — you'll feel it, directed towards not only the realities of war, but the ways people try to forget it.
If you're thinking classical music belongs to some faraway place and ancient time that have nothing to do with you, the Australian Chamber Orchestra is asking you to think again. For the next ACO Underground, principal violinist Satu Vänskä is inviting Midnight Oil's guitarist Jim Moginie, Violent Femmes' bassist Brian Ritchie and Synergy Percussion's Timothy Constable to the stage for an expectation-obliterating show at The Factory, Marrickville. The epic music program crosses centuries — from Bach and Sibelius to Neil Finn and Bryce Dessner. Vänskä's 1728 Stradivarius violin will be measuring up to her co-performers electric instruments. In popular perception, 18th-century Baroque might be a long way from contemporary rock and pop, but they have more in common than it seems. And bringing them together at the hands of virtuosos can lead to some extraordinary invention.
When your neighbour has one of the best views in Bondi, you can't be blamed for wanting to take over the joint for a night. Following pop-ups by the likes of Belle's Hot Chicken, Supernormal and Adriano Zumbo, Bondi Icebergs is hosting another one-night-only pop-up — with their over-the-road neighbours The Anchor. Hopping across Campbell Parade and taking over the bar at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, The Anchor are gearing up to celebrate the beginning of spring on September 1. It's first-in, best-dressed, and free entry – so you're going to want to get there early. Celebrated for their seriously spicy margaritas — including their signature guava and jalapeño infused margarita, The Machete — The Anchor will undoubtedly be whipping up some pretty crazy cocktails on the night. The Anchor crew will also be bringing some of their best-loved food offerings to the pop-up, including sweet potato fries with wasabi mayo, fish tacos and salted cod croquettes. It's a pop-up that's been waiting to happen for years — these neighbours are certainly no strangers. The Anchor's Andy Penney and Icebergs' Lenny Opai made a name for themselves in the Auckland bar scene, most notably working at the iconic Bayswater Brasserie together. The secret weapon though? Former Eau De Vie brain Clinton Hor, who's just joined the Anchor team and used to work with Maurice Terzini at Icebergs and Da Orazio. Geez. All in the family much? "This is going to be fun," says Terzini. "We all go back a long way and are now all part of a great bar scene in Bondi. We all love a drink and we all love the hits of the '70s, '80s and '90s that spin at Anchor Bar Bondi." Well, there's your soundtrack.
Another year, another Woody Allen film — because that’s how frequently the writer/director makes and releases movies. Of course, with being prolific comes adhering to a template, particularly concerning his fondness for romantic and moral quandaries. In Irrational Man, womanising college philosophy professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) and precocious student Jill Pollard (Emma Stone) are the intertwined parties, swiftly warming to each other outside of class and soon overstepping the normal bounds of a teacher-pupil relationship. He's also seeing another faculty member (Parker Posey), and she has a boyfriend (Jamie Blackley), yet their intellectual bond can't help veering towards the physical. Anyone familiar with Allen's work will be prepared for the walking, talking and bantering to come, although in this case, the filmmaker prefers duelling narration — voiced by both lead characters, and conveying their innermost thoughts about each other — over dialogue. Anyone familiar with Allen's work will also be prepared for the necessary complications, here manifesting in the fate of a corrupt judge the would-be couple overhear a stranger complaining about. Indeed, once more continuing down the auteur's typical path, an existential crisis sits at the centre of the film. Just like in Blue Jasmine, Midnight in Paris and Whatever Works before it, Irrational Man endeavours to reconcile midlife malaise through amorous entanglements and ethical dilemmas; however, where those features more overtly played with drama, time travel and comedy respectively, this favours mystery. What does it take to reignite someone's zest for the life is the movie's ultimate question. Of course, even playing it straighter and more serious than usual, the answer comes in typical offbeat Allen fashion. It also comes with the filmmaker's repeated penchant for a hefty age difference, though both Phoenix and Stone rank among the film's highlights. Both convey their characters' transitions by playing to their strengths, and add plausibility to a script that doesn't demonstrate it otherwise. Sure, we've seen him both depressed and vibrant before, and her everything from sensible to swept away to cynical too, but familiarity with their performances doesn't breed contempt. That they share a natural rapport that makes the audience happy to spend time in their company also helps. Elsewhere, all the other Allen hallmarks are evident in what proves an enjoyable but expected affair: a jazzy score that adds a light tone to the weighty musings, warm colours that revel in the film's surroundings, and ample shots of the two stars basking in each other's presence. In fact, if Irrational Man feels like a compilation of the writer/director's usual beats, preferences and stories, that's because it is, as even casual viewers of his fare should recognise. Perhaps that's just what comes with crafting 50 films in 50 years. At this stage of his career, Allen is simply making what he wants — and what he wants is to delve into the same territory over and over again.
For a man made famous playing a character named Silent Bob, writer, director and actor Kevin Smith has never had any shortage of things to say. Since bursting onto the scene in the mid-'90s with his underground slacker film Clerks, Smith has cultivated a devoted audience through both his movies and his candid Q&As and podcasts, including ‘Jay and Silent Bob Get Old,’ recorded with his long-time friend and co-star Jason Mewes. Now the dastardly duo is headed to Australia, for an evening of personal anecdotes, filmmaking titbits and all the dick and fart jokes you could possibly desire. Starting in Sydney on Friday September 18 before hitting up Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, Smith’s Australian tour will be split into two sections. The first will involve a live recording of Smith and Mewes’ podcast, where topics range from Mewes’ struggle with drug addiction to arguments about comic book characters. The second half of the show will involve an audience Q&A, with fans getting the chance to question Smith on whatever topic they like. For an idea of what to expect, here he is on his ‘feud’ with Tim Burton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-XeM6kyWA&t=0m58s The shows in Sydney and Melbourne are billed as ‘all ages,’ which should prove an interesting challenge for a man known to frequently wax poetical about his sex life, and whose film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back makes use of the f-word 248 times. In addition to Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Smith’s films with Mewes include Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Clerks 2. His recent output has included divisive horror films Red State and Tusk, while he’s currently working on a sequel to Mallrats, due out in 2017.
The AICE Israeli Film Festival is back for 2015, showcasing a selection of features, documentaries and shorts from some of the region's leading filmmakers. Curated by incoming festival director Richard Moore, previously of the Brisbane and Melbourne International Film Festivals, this year's program is split into six distinctive sections, each of which aims to explore a different facet of Israeli cinema. 'Blast from the Past' showcases titles from years gone by, while 'Queer Spot' includes films that reflect the experiences of Israel's LGBT community. 'Culture Corner' contains films that concern Israeli culture more broadly, across mediums such as theatre, music and poetry. 'Questions of Faith' features films with a religious angle; 'First Course' showcases the best of the festival's short film program; while 'On The Edge' is reserved for the most hard-hitting stories, including those that deal with hot-button political issues facing the Israeli people today. For the full AICE Israeli Film Festival program visit their website.
"Is fashion art?" asks The First Monday in May as it peers inside the couture-obsessed confines of the Met's Costume Institute. The answer may seem obvious, yet it's a much more complicated concept than it might at first appear. For starters, there's the sexist fact that all things clothing-oriented have traditionally seen seen as more feminine, and therefore deemed less worthy of serious consideration. Then there's the complicating factor that is today's focus on celebrities, drawing attention not just to fancy threads but to the famous folks donning the outfits. Taking its name from the date of the party that opens the Costume Institute's annual exhibition, it's the second point that proves particularly pertinent to Andrew Rossi's documentary. On the one hand, the Met Gala raises money for a gallery space dedicated to championing the very best in fashion, and shines a spotlight on their yearly showcase, such as last year's China: Through the Looking Glass. On the other, it requires as much energy to fill the venue's walls with celebrity attendees for one single night as does to put on the actual exhibit itself. It's an awkward balance, and one the film remains happy enough to depict without ever really dissecting. The film splits its time between chief curator Andrew Bolton and his passion for the artistry of garment making, and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in party-planning mode. The allure of celebrity is inescapable, as the film cuts from discussions regarding the influence of Chinese fashion on the West to whether Orlando Bloom is still famous enough to be invited, then wrapping it all up by following Kate Hudson through the exhibition and watching Justin Bieber watch Rihanna perform. That it leans so heavily on Wintour and her famous guests says more about the documentary than it really should. An entire film could've been made around Bolton, who glows with inspiration when he's talking about why his work is important. Yet The First Monday in May seems desperate to spend as much time as possible with Wintour. She might be responsible for turning the event into the fashion equivalent of the Super Bowl, but she's the least interesting part about the whole affair. As such, when filmmakers Wong Kar-wai (In the Mood for Love) and Baz Luhrmann (The Great Gatsby) pop up – one acting as artistic director of the exhibition and the other as a creative consultant on the gala – their added perspectives prove extremely valuable. As pinch-worthy as the backstage access undoubtedly proves to anyone who has ever wanted to attend the star-studded shindig, it's disappointing that it remains the film's main focus. With Page One: Inside the New York Times also on his resume, Rossi has peeked behind the scenes of a New York institution before, but that was a much more thorough excursion. Unlikely to recruit any new fans, and unwilling to delve too deeply into its stated topic, The First Monday in May becomes a slickly made, stylishly shot but ultimately superficial overview of a celebrated occasion, instead of a thoughtful exploration of the question it initially poses. Its savviest touch is actually its timing, releasing while news of this year's titular occasion is still fresh in the collective memory.
Take part in cooking classes, pick up some horticulture tips or just stuff yourself full of food from every corner of the world, when Bankstown Bites returns for another year. One of Sydney's best loved food festivals, this day long celebration of culinary culture will once again inundate the south-western suburb with a smorgasbord of stalls, demonstrations, food tours, live entertainment and more. The festival's latest edition is headlined by celebrity chef Ben O'Donoghue, who'll host a number of cooking demonstrations on the main stage throughout the day. Fresh this year, in a similarly education vein, is the new Backyard Bites program, featuring classes on herb growing, food preservation and the timeless art of BBQ. Reaching beyond the culinary realm, the Bankstown Arts Centre will play host to various activities and performances, ranging from arts and craft to hula hooping.
If you live in New York and like fashion, the first Monday in May is kind of a big deal. That's when the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts the biggest event on the fashion calendar. Yep, it's the evening that the Met Gala takes place, marking not only the opening night of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibition, but the be all and end all of all parties. Filmmaker Andrew Rossi (Page One: Inside the New York Times) was lucky enough to peek behind the scenes at the 2015 event, sparking a rather appropriately named doco. Boasting intimate access to costume curator Andrew Bolton and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour as they put together the Met Gala's most attended fashion exhibition in history, The First Monday in May is the end result. It's a star-studded affair, with everyone from Wong Kar-wai and Baz Luhrmann to Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Rihanna popping up. Alas, the film itself doesn't reach Aussie movie theatres until May 12, but the smart folks at Palace couldn't let the titular date pass by without doing something special to mark the occasion. As preparations for the 2016 Met Gala reach fever pitch on the other side of the globe, they'll be offering up first-look preview screenings around the country. You'll enjoy a glass of prosecco on arrival, step into a world of unparalleled couture-based artistry, and truly feast on cinema at its most stylish.
If you're planning on spending this winter hidden away perfecting your Tropfest entry, there's no need to do it at home on your lonesome. Between June and August, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) is offering a stack of intensive short courses that'll have you scripting like Kubrick and shooting like Scorsese in no time. Whether your focus is film, documentary, TV or radio, there's something for you – and every class is taught by an industry pro. Dedicated writers can jump on the Short Film Screenwriting Intensive, run by Tropfest dominator Jonathan Ogilvie, or Writing for TV with master Vicki Madden. Either way, you'll be conquering structural difficulties, coming up with nail-biting plots and learning how to pitch. On the other hand, if you're plagued by visions of yourself in the director's chair, you might want to go for a filmmaking intensive — available in both five-day and three-week formats — or the Feature Documentary Intensive, under the guidance of Dylan Blowen, who smashed out The Snowman and A Northern Town. Unless you're all about sound, in which case, the Radio Intensive will be more up your canal. Finally, for those with Scarlett Johansson-esque vocal tones or plans to take over triple j, there's TV and Radio Presenting, and anyone who likes to have the last word can get stuck into the TV Editing Intensive. Be sure to book online before all spots are snaffled.
Whenever we get to thinking a particular technology is obsolete, someone somewhere works out a way to make it trendy. Books, vinyl and phones with cords have all gone through it. Now, it's analogue's turn. There's just something about the sound that digital doesn't do as well. Enter Bacardi. The legendary rum brand is running a bunch of club gigs and DJ sets, bringing analogue back to the decks. And you get to hit every one of them for free. Sydney's 77 will host four events on each Saturday in August. The first one on Saturday, August 6 will see FunkinEven headline — the Londoner's beats has been described as "raw funk and electro acid", so take that as you will. On August 13 will feature German DJ Damiano von Erckert, supported by Noise in My Head and Kato. Von Erckert has been filling dance floors for the past five years with his eclectic sounds, heavily influenced by '70s, '80s and '90s funk, house and soul, from Donny Hathaway to Ron Hutch. Now head of Ava Records, he's worked closely with the likes of Lowtec, Tito Wun aka Twit One and MCDE. The following two weeks with feature Otologic, Edd Fisher and Darshan Jesrani. Get there by 9pm for kick off and don't leave till 3am. Even though entry is free, you do need to RSVP online. WEEK ONE Saturday, August 6, 9pm - 3am FunkinEven (Steven Julien), Ben Fester B2B Babicka WEEK TWO Saturday, August 13, 9pm - 3am Damiano Von Erckert, Noise In My Head and Kato WEEK THREE Saturday, August 20, 9pm - 3am Otologic and Edd Fisher, Adi Toohey and Freda & Jackson WEEK FOUR Saturday, August 27, 9pm - 3am Darshan Jesrani (Metro Area), Kali, Love Bombs and The Original Roman
With hard-hitting dramas, imaginative comedies and a retrospective tribute to one of the all-time greats, the latest edition of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival doesn't disappoint. Lighting up the screen from March 1-24 in Sydney before heading out to Parramatta and Casula in April, the 2016 program features a diverse mix of titles showcasing the very best the French film industry has to offer. Cannes winners are set to be a highlight, with Rust and Bone director Jacques Audiard tackling the issue of asylum seekers in his new offering Dheepan, and Philippe Garrel's masterful romantic drama In the Shadow of Women. Legendary French filmmaker Michel Gondry's new film Microbe & Gasoline will also feature in the festival — which will be closed by Jean Luc-Godard's 1963 film Contempt.
School is back in session. Next week, tens of thousands of uni students will be on campus for orientation, and ASOS will be there with them. The online clothing retailer is setting up pop-up stands at universities around the country, to help you make sure you're looking your best when you rock up for your first day of class. You can find the ASOS stands at Monash Clayton (Feb 22-24), University of Melbourne (Feb 23, 25-26), University of NSW (Feb 22-25), University of Sydney (Feb 24-26) and University of Queensland (Feb 24). Swing by and sign up for a free bag of goodies. They'll also be running a photo competition, in which the best Instagram and Twitter snaps of each day score a $200 ASOS voucher. If you can't make it to one of the pop-ups, students can still sign up to ASOS via their website to get 10 percent off all full price items all year-round, and be kept up to date with all the shiny new things. While you're there, watch out for the latest news from the ASOS On Campus Hub, where a team of student insiders will be keeping tabs on campus life and style.
If you can remember the last time a Studio Ghibli film didn’t make you cry, then chances are you are some kind of robot. Under the leadership of co-founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the Japanese production house has been responsible for some of the most moving animated films in the history of the medium, from the powerful anti-war tale Grave of the Fireflies to the Oscar-winning fable Spirited Away. Inspired by this incredible legacy, and hastened by the rumours that the studio may be shutting up shop, the Golden Age Cinema & Bar have programmed a miniature Ghibli retrospective. Hop into your moving castle: it's time for a stroll down memory lane. The centrepiece of the season is the studio’s most recent work, Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s enchanting coming-of-age film When Marnie Was There. Complimenting the new film are titles from Ghibli’s back catalogue, including Isao Takahata’s swansong The Tale of Princess Kaguya as well as a date night double feature of My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away.
The beer barons at Young Henrys must lead busy lives. Between running their Newtonian craft beer brewery and dreaming up Road House-themed bar takeovers, they've been enlisted by Australian chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan to team up with Kinkawooka Shellfish to bring you a month-long smorgasbord of mussels and beer. Yes, that’s correct. A month. Prepare your throat sack because like a pod of hungry pelicans, we’re going to be gulping bulk seafood. The festivities, aptly named 'Cook, Line and Drinker', kick off on June 9 with a four-course gala dinner at Mangan’s restaurant MOJO by Luke Mangan. Dishes will include crumbed mussel with hollandaise, Avruga roe and chives; pickled mussel accompanied by tiger prawn, witlof, radish, watercress and spicy herb vinaigrette; and pan-roasted salmon with Israeli cous cous, mussel (of course), tomato cucumber, dill and smoked butter. And dessert? A MOJO lamington that may or may not contain mussel — you’ll simply have to come along to find out. Kinkawooka Shellfish are providing the event with petit bouchot mussels, characterised by their small size, sweet flavour and buttery texture. These tasty mussels come from South Australia and are in season from May to September, so get 'em while they're hot, steamy and come with a side of expertly brewed craft beer. Don’t despair if the four-course affair exceeds your weekly mussel budget (gala tickets are a cool $110). You can rock up after June 9 to sample a bespoke mussel dish and a Young Henrys craft beer for $25 (small) or $29 (large). Cook, Line and Drinker is running from June 9 at MOJO by Luke Mangan, 8 Danks Street Waterloo. Tickets to the gala dinner are $110. To book, contact mojo@lukemangan.com or phone (02) 9002 5346.
Long gone are the days of hitting the gym in your baggiest, outdated sweats. The fitness world has gotten a taste for fashion-conscious luxury, and the trend only appears to be gaining momentum. For those of us struggling to fork out the cash for these designer threads, Mode Sportif is putting on a sale that'll give you no excuse not to hit the treadmill in style. This weekend the online activewear retailer will be slashing prices for its first warehouse pop-up appearance. Featuring brands like The Upside, Adidas by Stella McCartney, VPL, Equipment, Jac & Jack, Pierre Hardy and many more, it'll have you decked out in Lycra and neoprene before you know it. Times: THURSDAY, 7 MAY, 4–8pm FRIDAY, 8 MAY, 8am–7pm SATURDAY, 9 MAY, 9am–4pm
We've all been spending more time inside than usual this year. In the process, we've all been looking at our furniture far more often than we usually would. So, if you've been rocked by the urge to redecorate, rearrange and reorganise, that's hardly surprising — those well-loved cushions, that old couch or your overflowing shelves could probably do with sprucing up. If IKEA is your furniture go-to, then its end-of-year sale is here to help, too — offering discounts of up to 50 percent off on some items. Whether you're in need of something big like a bed, chair or desk, or you're eager to fill your walls and surfaces with frames and vases, you'll find slashed prices on a heap of products. And if you still have some Christmas gifts to buy, you might be in luck as well. The sale runs until Thursday, January 7 — and, for Sydneysiders, you have multiple options if you're eager to start buying. The best while the city's residents have been asked to avoid non-essential activities: browsing online, doing all your perusing and purchasing from home, then waiting for delivery.
2020 hasn't been anyone's favourite year — so if you're looking forward to it coming to an end, that's understandable. Fancy a stint of big-screen escapism before you escape this hectic 12-month period? That's on offer every day of the week at the Ritz Cinema, of course, but between Thursday, December 17–Wednesday, December 23 it'll only cost you $5. That's a mighty cheap price for a trip to the movies, and it means that you can even treat your bestie, date or mum to a flick and pay just ten dollaroos for both of you. Merry early Christmas, indeed. Some of the films you'll be able to catch during the week include David Fincher's Mank, top-notch concert film American Utopia, the excellent Riz Ahmed-led Sound of Metal and George Clooney space flick The Midnight Sky — plus rom-com Happiest Season, the new remake of The Witches and the true tale that is Misbehaviour. The $5 tickets are available at all regular sessions across the seven days — other than previews, special events, retro films, and sessions at the Ritz Laneway Cinema. To book your $5 tickets, just head to the Ritz Cinema website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nnV0fNd30
Talented pooches have been barking their way to big screen stardom since the birth of the medium, and Cannes Film Festival even gives out awards for ace pupper performances. Now, Australia has a dog-themed cinema showcase — and while it pops up around the country every year, it's heading to Moonlight Cinema in 2021. At the Top Dog Film Festival, doggos and puppers cement their status as humanity's favourite movie stars in a program of pooch-centric shorts. Viewers will watch dogs will leap across the screen in a curated selection of heartwarming flicks about humanity's best friend — think films about dog-powered sports, dogs in space, dogs hiking through the desert, senior dogs and more. The festival hits Moonlight Cinema in Sydney's Centennial Park on Saturday, January 30, and rushing after tickets the way your best four-legged friend rushes after a frisbee is recommended. Given how much we all love watching dog videos online, not to mention attending pupper-centric shindigs in general, this one-night-only under-the-stars event is certain to be popular. Also, in exceptional news for pooch-loving movie buffs, you can take your pupper along.
Western Sydney's annual Parklands Food Fest is back for its ninth year this spring. Usually, you'd head to Western Sydney Parklands for food stalls and cooking, but now it's bringing the festivities to you on Saturday, September 5. Yep, it may be different but not even a global pandemic is enough to stop this epic event. So, what's in store? The festival is going virtual for 2020 and, while it may not be the big bonanza you've come to know, it's sure making up for it in talent. None other than top Aussie chef Matt Moran, known for his love of local, fresh produce and his mini-empire of paddock-to-plate restaurants, will be teaching you all the tricks of the trade via Facebook Live. Best of all, it's free. There'll be two 40-minute sessions, at 11am and 1pm, which you can stream on the day. In the first session, you'll be learning how to make some of the renowned cook's favourite dishes. You can also purchase a produce box ($55–90) from one of the parkland's 12 urban farms for your cook-along session, or to recreate at a later date — just sign up to the event for details. For the 1pm session, Moran is teaming up with OzHarvest's Executive Chef Travis Harvey for an insightful masterclass on food waste, before demonstrating how to cook a tasty meal from food scraps. If you'd like to support the charity, you can make a donation over here. Parklands Food Fest 2020 is going digital, with two live-stream sessions at 11am and 1pm on Saturday, September 5. To sign up, head here — then order yourself a seasonal produce box, available both prior and after the event for delivery across Sydney metro.
Already known for its bottomless vegan pizza and pasta feasts, Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese is upping its cruelty-free food game across a new food series. Called Soul Meets Cheers, the event consists of two regular parts: a five-course vegan banquet and a vegan cooking class. At the former, you'll tuck into an entirely plant-based menu, which'll feature vegan versions of Italian classics. For the feast's second outing, think pizzetta with sweet potato and truffle oil, orecchiette with broccolini and Tuscan kale pesto, and raspberry sorbet. The next vegan dinner takes place on Tuesday, September 8 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why venues, with bookings from 6pm. And, your $49 ticket also includes a glass of vegan wine or or Young Henrys beer or cider upon arrival — or you can pay an extra $15 and get bottomless vegan wine and beer. At the latter, which is next being held on Sunday, October 4 at Circular Quay, you'll learn how to make your own SMC-style vegan dishes at home. In this year of lockdowns, isolation and quarantine, that's a particularly handy skill. If you're keen, tickets cost $89. Salt Meats Cheese's Soul Meets Cheers Vegan Series five-course banquet takes place from 6pm on Tuesday, September 8 at SMC's Circular Quay, Cronulla, Drummoyne and Dee Why venues, with the cooking class held on Sunday, October 4 at Circular Quay — and bookings are essential.
Earlier in 2020, Sydney became home to a brand new film festival, with Fantastic Film Festival Australia serving up a lineup of out-there genre flicks. Watching weird and wonderful movies on a big screen isn't just a once-a-year activity, though. And, while you might've streamed plenty of mind-benders as this strange year has ticked by, you can now make a Friday night date with a few cinematic curiosities. Every Friday evening in October, Randwick's Ritz Cinemas is hosting Fantastic Fridays sessions in conjunction with FFFA. Each week, cinephiles can sit down to a different retro or new movie — kicking off with Russian sci-fi film Sputnik, which has been compared to Alien, from 8.30pm on October 2. At 9pm on October 9, The Batwoman will flicker across the screen, courtesy of a newly restored version of the 1968 Mexican classic about a masked crime-fighter and a mad scientist who is taking the glands of wrestlers. Then, at the same time on October 16, Night of the Bloody Apes will continue in a similar way — this time following a surgeon who transplants the heart of an ape into his unwell son. Next, at 8.30pm on October 23, comes the Austrian-German film The Trouble with Being Born, which follows an android that looks like a child (and picked up an award at this year's Berlinale). Finally, come 9pm on October 30, Stranger Things' Joe Keery will play a rideshare driver who is desperate to go viral in Spree — and someone sporting an eye-catching head of hair, presumably. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhLORcya9GU&feature=emb_logo Fantastic Fridays screens at the Ritz Cinemas, Randwick every Friday in October.
Halloween thrills await at Wild Life Sydney Zoo this year, with real life monsters on hand to spook you and your mates. The Darling Harbour zoo is hosting a pop-up bar inside its Crocodile Den, where the guest of honour is a four-metre-long, 365-kilogram saltwater croc named Rocky. The night will start off with a reptile talk from the team. They'll feed Rocky before your eyes, plus offer the chance to 'cuddle' a snake or lizard. On the bar side of things, the two-hour sittings include a house wine or beer on arrival. Additional themed tapas and cocktails by Trolley'd will be available for purchase throughout the night —and the menu will focus on native ingredients like roasted wattle, urban beehive honey and Illawarra plum vodka. Tickets cost $15 and five bucks from each ticket sold will be donated to the zoo's conservation fund, which supports animal research and welfare. The pop-up bar will run over two weekends and six nights, from Thursday, October 29–Saturday, October 31 and Thursday, November 5–Saturday, November 7 — with two sittings per night at 5pm and 7pm. With only 13 seats available in the Crocodile Den each night, these tickets are going to be snapped up quick, so move fast if you want to head along.
"Ain't no American dream for Black folks," Turquoise Jones (Nicole Beharie) is told partway through Miss Juneteenth by her boss Wayman (Marcus M Mauldin). The latter isn't being dismissive or pessimistic, just realistic — he owns the Fort Worth bar and barbecue joint where Turquoise works, and that she's always trying to spruce up; however, he's comfortable simply holding onto the place he's fought so hard to call his own. He outlines that struggle to his super-conscientious and hard-working number-one employee, including the efforts by developers to buy him out and gentrify this corner of Texas. He explains why the comfort-food menu, the boozy regulars and the fact that his joint is a beloved neighbourhood hangout spot all means so much to him. He not only utters a powerful line, but a potent explanation of how the US operates for people of colour, who often aren't even given the luxury of dreaming big. By this point in this observant, tender but clear-eyed film, it's already apparent that Turquoise's life hasn't turned out as she wished as a child, and that she's striving to ensure that things are better for her 15-year-old daughter Kai (Alexis Chikaeze). Also evident: that Turquoise was on a different path a decade and a half ago, after winning the local Miss Juneteenth beauty pageant and earning a scholarship to the historically Black college of her choosing. Doing the math, it's easy to work out why Turquoise's plans faltered, and why she's so determined that Kai enter the upcoming pageant, wow everyone, win and make the most of the coveted opportunity. Miss Juneteenth is a movie about choices, though — a movie about grabbing what you can when so much is snatched away or simply out of reach for unfair reasons — and it never forgets that it takes strength and courage to truly understand what the best options are. For those wondering about the pageant's portmanteau name, and the movie's, it hails back to June 19, 1865, and the chapter of history it refers to is pivotal to the feature. More than two years earlier, slavery was outlawed in the US via President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation — but Black Texans weren't told until the date now celebrated as Juneteenth. Accordingly, the contest that gives the film its moniker is supposed to be a celebration, a recognition of the past, and a chance for young women to take a proud and empowered step forward. But, as Turquoise's very existence typifies even if she hasn't quite realised it yet, it also enforces a strict set of rules, standards and expectations upon Black teenage girls. It dictates who they should be rather than letting them dare to attempt to follow their own hearts, learn to be independent, shape their own identities, and accept that their own hopes and desires might differ from those imposed upon them. The feature directorial debut of writer/director Channing Godfrey Peoples, Miss Juneteenth makes a careful and graceful effort to balance two ideas: that American society doesn't just have a problematic history with race relations, but that inequality is now engrained in everyday life; and that choosing one's own future, rather than ever simply towing a mandated line, is wholeheartedly worth fighting for even with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in the way. Turquoise describes her 2004 crown win as feeling "like I was walking into a new life", while Kai would prefer to join her school's dance team and hang out with her boyfriend (Jaime Matthis) than don formal gowns, memorise Maya Angelou poems and learn which cutlery to use when; however, they're not the only people caught in the middle of this situation. Whenever Turquoise asks her mother Charlotte (Lori Hayes) for assistance — to watch Kai while she flits between her two jobs, trying to earn enough money for pageant fees, expensive dresses and to keep the power on — she's confronted by a disapproving woman who uses religion to escape her own deep-seated woes. And while Turquoise's ex and Kai's father Ronnie (Kendrick Sampson) wants to be part of their lives permanently, his unreliable choices — also endeavouring to push him ahead in life — repeatedly spark further worries. Little about Miss Juneteenth's message, themes or the clashing predicament the film covers is new, of course. Nor is the time spent watching, with a cynical eye, the pomp and ceremony of the eponymous pageant. And yet this affecting drama always proves keenly observed, sincerely handled and authentic. Naturalistic cinematography helps — the type that lets audiences see the grimy bathroom Turquoise has to clean at work, but also spots the vivid colours in objects around her — but the picture's naturalistic central portrayals are its biggest strength. Playing a woman who has spent her whole life thinking that success only looks one specific way, Beharie takes Turquoise on an internalised journey that makes its impact known in every gesture and gaze. It's a complex, nuanced performance, and one that demonstrates why the Shame, Black Mirror and Little Fires Everywhere actor should be a bigger presence on the big and small screens. The movie's scenes between Beharie and engaging first-timer Chikaeze are just as special, though, and give Miss Juneteenth its foundation. As a filmmaker, Peoples sees the past, present and future of her characters, and of Black Americans, in tandem — and while her feature doesn't pretend to speak to the entire Black experience, it eagerly, generously and openly endeavours to lay bare as much about its chosen slice of life as possible. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgUZ2AHp4rU
Pull out that old Discman, break out the cargo pants and start practising your smoothest early noughties dance moves — the pop tour of your wildest teenage dreams is hitting Aussie shores this summer and it's got more stars than a TV Hits sticker collection. This February, the inaugural So Pop festival is set to deliver a huge serve of nostalgia to stadiums across the country, pulling together an extra juicy lineup of old-school icons, headlined by none other than Aqua and Vengaboys. Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney will be transported back to the 90s and 00s for one glorious night each, playing host to the pop-drenched soundtrack of your youth. Heading up the show are Danish group Aqua, who promise to leave tunes like 'Barbie Girl' and 'Doctor Jones' firmly wedged in your head, and from the Netherlands, Vengaboys, with party-starting smash hits like 'Boom Boom Boom Boom!!' and 'We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)' — and none other than Lou Bega with, of course, 'Mambo No.5'. Relive more of the glory days with sounds from Irish legends B*Witched — who gifted us with the likes of 'C'est La Vie' and 'Rollercoaster' — UK heroes Blue, of 'All Rise' fame. Italy's Eiffel 65, dance pop act Mr. President ('Coco Jambo'), the USA's Outhere Brothers and The Netherlands' 2 Unlimited ('No Limit', 'Get Ready') round out the throwback showdown.
Keen to escape the heat in a cinema, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball? Call Dendy Cinemas' latest special a case of great timing, then. For the week spanning Thursday, January 10 to Wednesday, January 16, the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem — as long as you purchase online, you'll only pay $8 for your movie of choice at Opera Quays or Newtown. With everything from Aquaman and The Favourite to Colette and Vice currently screening — plus Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Bumblebee, Mary Poppins Returns and Bohemian Rhapsody too — there's plenty to watch if you're keen to spend as much time in a darkened room as possible. Many of these won awards at the recent Golden Globes, so you can start ticking them off your to-watch list, too. The special isn't available for special events, Dendy Arts sessions or preview screenings, but you're certain to find something to watch regardless.
The Fork Festival is back for its third year, which means you can once again dine out for up to 50 percent off. Think of it as the proverbial carrot luring you out of the house. The online reservation platform's foodie affair kicked off on Monday, February 15 and is running right up till Sunday, March 28. The offer is a blessing for those feeling a little light in pocket after Christmas, NYE and Valentine's Day. To snag a discounted meal, you just need to make a reservation through The Fork website or app for one of the participating eateries for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So, where can you go? There are hundreds of great venues coming to the party, including the likes of CBD fine diner Bentley, Marrickville's Poor Toms Gin Hall, No 1 William in Darlinghurst, Dulwich Hill's Bambino Torino Pizza, Manly's Boteco and Lone Star Rib House in Blacktown. If you're just hankering for a particular cuisine, you can check out participating Italian spots and Euro-style bistros, or where you can track down Modern Australian feasts. [caption id="attachment_612285" align="alignnone" width="1920"] No 1 William[/caption] You might want to revisit an old favourite or you could get a little adventurous and road-test somewhere new. Either way, there's ample time to squeeze in a fair few discount feasts before the festival wraps up. If you're on the other side of the bar — that is, you're a venue owner — you can jump on the booking platform's bandwagon by signing up over here. You can try it out for just the duration of the festival and, thanks to the popularity of the event, you'll hopefully see a bunch of new customers come through the door. Then, if you want, you can stop taking bookings anytime after it wraps up. The Fork Festival runs from Monday, February 15–Sunday, March 28. Check out the full list of participating Sydney restaurants on The Fork's website. If you're a restaurant owner — and keen to jump on the booking platform bandwagon — head over here.
If you like scary movies, then you'll probably already know where Golden Age Cinema and Bar found the title for its latest film season. When a woman is still standing at the end of a horror flick after weathering everything from chest-bursting aliens to psychotic killers — and, when they're the last character left — they're called the final girl. The trope has been around for decades, and it's part of some of the genre's absolute best features. You've seen it in Alien, because Sigourney Weaver's Ripley definitely fits the bill. You saw it in Scream with Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, too. And, now you can see it on a big screen in Surry Hills' lavish boutique cinema in its Final Girls program — with both of those films on the bill. Screening on select Friday nights in March and April, the season kicks off with Scream on Friday, March 12, then dances its way through the original Suspiria on Friday, March 19. A road trip will go awry on Friday, March 26 thanks to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and everyone will be able to hear the Nostromo crew's yells in space when Alien plays on Friday, April 9. Then, a trip to the prom will finish things off, with the original Carrie screening on Friday, April 16 — just avoid the buckets of blood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2VWfWC-wI4
If sparkling wine puts some extra fizz into your life, then you'll want to drink your way through this Sydney event. Across Friday, May 28–Saturday, May 29, the Bubbles Festival is coming to town to celebrate the most effervescent boozy beverages there are. You'll sip, you'll chat, and you'll meet the folks who make and distribute the tipples in question as well. You'll also eat canapes — no one wants to down champagne, prosecco and other sparkling drinks on an empty stomach — while you're sampling and tasting across two hours. At least ten different wines will be on offer, and your $79 ticket also includes a champagne tasting glass to take home with you. The venue hasn't been confirmed yet, but tickets are available. You can take your pick of three sessions: from 6–8pm on Friday, and at either 12–2pm or 3–5pm on Saturday. If you're feeling like really treating your sparkling-loving self, you can pay an extra $55 for a VIP ticket, which gets you access to a special cuvée tasting before the regular doors open — and two tasting glasses, rather than one.
Next time you expand your wardrobe, you could also be helping the many adorable animals across New South Wales that need the RSPCA's assistance. Throughout March, the not-for-profit organisation is hosting a Clothing Collective Pop-Up, so you can drop by, scour the racks for new and secondhand threads, and do your part for the state's cute critters. You'll want to head to the Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville, which is where you'll find items donated Tommy Hilfiger, Shona Joy, Lululemon, Berlei, Realisation Par, Glassons, and Peter and Jain — just to name a few. Expect to nab a bargain, too, with prices starting from $5. All the funds raised will be put towards veterinary treatments, vaccinations, bedding, toys, treats and other items that'll make life better for the animals in the RSPCA's care — with tens of thousands of critters coming through their doors each year. The Clothing Collective Pop-Up runs across the month, from Thursday–Sunday each week. After launching on Thursday, March 4 between 6–9pm — with rescue dogs in attendance — it'll be open from 12–7pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 9am–3pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Already known for its bottomless vegan pizza and pasta feasts, Italian restaurant chain Salt Meats Cheese has been upping its cruelty-free food game at a series of monthly special events this year. Called Soul Meets Cheers, it serves up an entirely plant-based menu, featuring vegan versions of Italian classics — and it's doing just that for its Christmas edition. For the feast's December outing — taking place at all Sydney venues except Cronulla and Bar Ombre from 5pm on Tuesday, December 22 — it'll be focusing on festive dishes. Think roast pumpkin stuffed with lentils and cranberry, a star-shaped pizza topped with porcini and semi-dried tomatoes, and panforte with fruit and nuts for dessert. And yes, that just a few of the dishes on offer. Your $49 ticket also includes a glass of vegan wine or beer upon arrival. Or, you can pay an extra $15 and go bottomless with your vegan booze.
In 2020, as Sydney kicks back into gear after COVID-19 shutdowns, hearing that one of the city's cultural institutions is reopening has become commonplace. But the latest venue to announce its return actually closed its doors long before the pandemic — and makes its comeback after a huge renovation. That'd be the Australian Museum, which temporarily shut in August 2019 to facilitate its $57.5 million makeover, called Project Discover. Come Saturday, November 28, Sydneysiders will be able to head back to the popular William Street site and see the results. Even better — you'll be able to do so without spending a cent, with the venue making general admission free for everyone for a limited time. That said, you will need to buy tickets for special exhibitions. [caption id="attachment_787666" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Alcock[/caption] As part of its renovation, the Australian Museum has added more than 3000 square metres of public space to its layout, including expanding its touring exhibition hall from 850 square metres to 1500 square metres and creating a Grand Hall in the centre of the museum. And, within the next 12 months, two new gallery spaces are also slated to open. Visitors can shop at a new Museum Shop, grab a bite to eat at a second onsite cafe, and store their belongings at new cloaking facilities, too. The Crystal Hall entry plaza and lobby space has also been expanded, as has the members lounge. A new central staircase has been added as well, plus new escalators. When the site welcomes patrons back in, it'll do so with two big drawcards: Tyrannosaurs — Meet the Family, which updates one of the Australian Museum's existing exhibitions; and the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year 2020, the popular annual showcase that highlights stunning snaps of the natural world. Both will kick off on November 28, with the former making its return after touring the US and Europe, and the latter taking over the Grand Hall.
You can't shake a cocktail in Sydney without hitting a new espresso martini or espresso martini-themed event. We've had espresso martini pop-ups and festivals and a slew of bars now serve them on tap. Now, northern beaches distillery Manly Spirits Co is getting in on the action. Best known for its gin made with foraged native Australian botanicals, the distillery has just launched a cold brew coffee liqueur dubbed Blackfin. Created in collaboration with nearby roastery Seven Miles Coffee, the liqueur is made by distilling coffee, native botanicals and sea minerals into a smooth wheat vodka. To celebrate the launch of the new caffeine-filled drink, the distillery is hosting its own (mini) espresso martini festival. Tickets to the event — which is happening on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 — will set you back $60, but that includes a lot of caffeinated fun. As well as receiving a cocktail on arrival and a tour of the distillery, you'll be led through a espresso martini tasting flight, an espresso martini masterclass and a coffee session with Seven Miles. Coffee-insfued street food snacks by Manly's Peanut Better Jelly will also be included — and, most excitingly, you'll get your own bottle of Blackfin to take home, too. Tickets are selling quickly, so we suggest buying yours ASAP if you're keen to go. Images: Alana Dimou.
Four years ago, legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Fleetwood Mac toured Australia with Christine McVie, who'd just rejoined the band after a 16-year absence. This year, when the British-American group tours the country, the lineup will look a little different. Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, John McVie and Christine McVie will be joined on stage in August by Crowded House frontman Neil Finn and Mike Campbell, from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with Lindsey Buckingham controversially axed from the band early last year. Despite the switch-up — it's not the band's first personnel change, and probably won't be its last — the band will be performing all its biggest hits, from 'Dreams' to 'The Chain' and 'Go Your Own Way'. The six will visit both the west and east coast, with four shows over two weeks at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena on August 15, 17, 27 and 29. Fleetwood Mac is one of the world's best-selling bands, selling in excess of 100 million albums worldwide, with the album Rumours one of the best-selling of all time. The band's Aussie tour follows its 50-show tour of the US.
Judgement-free dance class Groove Therapy is all set to celebrate its third birthday in style — with an all-out 80s prom-themed party featuring DJs, talent shows, photo walls and, of course, cake. The birthday bash will replace the group's usual Monday night beginners class at Redfern's 107 Projects on Monday, March 18 from 6pm–8.30pm. It's hosted by Sydney-based therapist Feras Shaheen and New York-based founder Vanessa Marian — and you can expect Groove Therapy's typical no-mirrors, just-for-fun vibes dialled all the way up. This "ultra-spottie-ottie-dopalicious" class will start with an hour-long dance sesh, during which each teacher will show-off their favourite dance move and eventually form one big ol' soul train. Afterward, the group will put on a little talent show performance, with some local heavy-hitting dance crews in tow. Cake and prom pics will cap off the night. The Groove Therapy troop has trained across New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin, Paris and Tokyo, so this is your chance to learn some serious moves without being self-conscious about it — and all for just $20 a pop. Images: Daniel Lidmila and Liam Cameron
The pairing of politics and satire have always occupied a special place in theatre, but the addition of race, power, and an upcoming NSW election is what makes Nakkiah Lui's new play How to Rule the World so topical. The 28-year-old playwright, who made a name for herself after the success of her breakthrough romantic comedy Black is the New White, is back with a satirical play destined for a few awkward yet telling seat-shifting moments. The two-and-a-half-hour work follows the political ventures of an Indigenous Australian (played by none other than Lui herself), an Asian, and an Islander as they devise to alter the Australian political climate through their calculated parliamentary 'in': a white male. We recommend heading along on a Wednesday night when the Opera House does two-for-one tickets on selected shows. Otherwise, tickets will set you back around $99, or $60 for under 30s Monday to Thursday. How to Rule the World will run at the Sydney Opera House until March 30 — after that it will, quite fittingly, move on to Canberra in April. Image: Prudence Upton.
Is there anything more romantic than a picnic under the stars? Probably not. So it's lucky then that Centennial Park is hosting a night of stargazing this Valentine's Day. This isn't your usual spot-the-Southern Cross affair, though — professions will be on-hand to show you what you should be looking for. Tickets are $19 each and allow you to share a telescope with your special someone. There'll be plenty of space to throw down a rug so pick up a picnic and a nice bottle of wine, and set up for the night. If you don't have time to get a hamper together, don't worry — you can pre-purchase one to collect on the night or buy snack from the bar as you like.
A couple embraces. A man thrusts. The next shot shows, from above, a car driving directly up a straight road. Viewers everywhere can put two and two together. The cut from one to the other is actually meant to be subtle, segueing from an adulterous duo to the man they've cuckolded — but it's also meant to complete a tastefully sensual picture. That's The Aftermath in a nutshell: prim, proper and discreet; brandishing plenty of emotions underneath; and obvious even though it's trying desperately to remain restrained. You could say the same about many period dramas starring Keira Knightley, and you'd be right, however this one particularly sticks to the familiar template. Dressing up in her 20th-century finest as she did in Atonement, A Dangerous Method and The Imitation Game, Knightley plays British military wife Rachael Morgan. After spending most of the Second World War alone, even when bombs were dropping on London, she now joins her colonel husband Lewis (Jason Clarke) in Hamburg. He's been tasked with overseeing the city's enormous rebuilding project, and she's once again left in their acquired home while he works. This time, she has the grand building's original owner, brooding German widower Stefan Lubert (Alexander Skarsgård), for company. Whether you've read Rhidian Brook's 2013 novel of the same name or you're coming to The Aftermath with fresh eyes, guessing what comes next couldn't be easier. No film is going to let Knightley and Skarsgård roam around a sprawling, stately mansion without taking the blatant next step, not even when the story is set immediately after such widespread devastation. Accordingly, while Knightley starts out staring daggers and Skarsgård smoulders sorrowfully in knitted jumpers, it doesn't take long for director James Kent to connect the dots. But in making its post-war romance so straightforward, the movie lacks the one thing every torrid affair thrives on: passion. An absence of passion isn't the same as an absence of emotion, and lacking one particular quality isn't the same as purposefully holding back in general. The Aftermath doesn't skimp on histrionics, or on creating an elegant mood, but the end result is just so dutiful and formulaic. Indeed, it's hard to feel for characters caught in a love triangle, let alone get swept away by their amorous entanglements, when every plot development is as glaring and forceful as the many bombed-out buildings lining Hamburg's streets. And the less said about the movie's unconvincing attempts to dig into deeper territory — courtesy of Stefan's Nazi-sympathising teenage daughter (Flora Thiemann), as well as his own thorny past — the better. Kent previously combined matters of the heart with the horrors of combat in 2014's First World War romance Testament of War, which proved both handsome and heartfelt. While The Aftermath isn't helped by its script, the filmmaker has only managed to tick one of those boxes here. There's no denying the film's rich imagery, which recreates the time with stellar detail. That said, there's also no denying that cinematography, costuming and production design rank among the movie's best traits. Pretty pictures are part and parcel of any period drama, but when they steal the show above all else, it's never a good sign. They mightn't always succeed, however Knightley and Skarsgård endeavour to stand out — against the eye-catching scenery and routine narrative, and despite their star-crossed lovers barely being given any depth. Although neither actor is asked to rise to any challenges, when sparks fly between them, it's easy to wish they were carrying a better film. In a way, that's The Aftermath's big problem. So certain of its stars' power, it thinks that the two can simply carry the entire movie. In fact, it largely squanders Clarke in the process. But, even with gorgeous visuals and a striving cast, the heart still wants what the heart wants: in this case, a story that doesn't feel finished before it starts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPv3e2FZOgo
Vivid festival is about to kick off, which means the city is about to fill with live music and light shows for three fun-filled weeks. And what better place to soak up these lights than a deck with 360-degree views located 250 metres above the ground. We are, of course, talking about the Sydney Tower Eye's Observation Deck. This year, it'll play host to four sky-high adults-only silent discos, organised by Silent Sounds, happening every Friday throughout Vivid. Treat yourself to stunning views of Sydney and the lights as you boogie to tunes from some of the city's best DJs. You can party from 9pm to midnight, switching between the likes of hip hop, throwback, and house party on three different channels. Cocktails, beers and wines will be available to purchase on the night, too. If you head up to the deck before the party, you can get a your face decorated for free with 'bio' glitter and glow-in-the-dark paint from 5–7pm and step inside a pop-up light box and installation, called Endless Lights, Eye Love Vivid runs from 9pm–midnight.
