Some artists cover everything they can with dots and pumpkins. Others fill galleries with wool. For South Korea's Do Ho Suh, creating brightly coloured fabric structures — staircases, corridors and the like — is a big part of his impressive and attention-grabbing work. Known for creating large-scale sculptures and architectural installations, the acclaimed sculptor and artist fashions pieces that art lovers can walk through, within and around, all to truly experience his musings on space, memory and the body. And, if that sounds like how you'd next like to get your creative fix, Suh's work will be on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia this summer. From Friday, November 4, as part of the Sydney International Art Series 2022–23, the MCA will play host to Suh's first-ever large-scale solo exhibition in the southern hemisphere. A Sydney exclusive, it'll showcase not just his giant eye-catching pieces, but also other sculptures, drawings, prints, models and video works — which draw upon not only his childhood in South Korea, but also his time spent in New York, Berlin, London and elsewhere. [caption id="attachment_854872" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Do Ho Suh, Staircase-III, 2010, installation view, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, 2019, polyester fabric, stainless steel, Tate: Purchased with funds provided by the Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee 2011, image courtesy the artist, Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and London, and Victoria Miro, London and Venice, © the artist, photograph: Antoine van Kaam.[/caption] Highlights include a full-scale reconstruction of Suh's childhood home using paper rubbings, which'll sit in the Museum's Level 1 North gallery as part of an inaugural presentation called Rubbing/Loving Project: Seoul Home; his Hub series, which lets visitors walk through his interconnecting fabric structures; and Staircase-III, which comes from the Tate Collection, and does indeed feature a hand-stitched fabric staircase. Or, there's the floor-based (and clearly aptly named) Floor, which is made from thousands of tiny sculptured figures with their arms in the air, all holding up transparent glass plates that gallery visitors will walk over — and also Who Am We?, a portrait-based piece that uses tiny pictures as custom wallpaper, and ponders identity and individuality. Plus, based on Suh's experience with conscription, Metal Jacket is made out of stainless-steel military ID tags that are splayed out like roof shingles or fish scales. Spanning three decades, the full range of pieces also includes other replicas of places that Suh worked or lived in over his life — and, as the huge, walk-through nature of many of his works demonstrates, a big focus on scale. [caption id="attachment_854883" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Do Ho Suh, Floor (detail), 1997-2000, installation view, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, 2000, PVC figures, glass plates, phenolic sheets, polyurethane resin, image courtesy the artist, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and London © the artist.[/caption] Do Ho Suh opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Friday, November 4, 2022. Top image:Do Ho Suh, Passage/s, 2017, installation view, Victoria Miro, London, polyester fabric, stainless steel, image courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London and Venice, © the artist, photograph: Thierry Bal.
If you're on the hunt for some new-school fun to make the impending frosty months go faster, you can stop searching right now. Someone, somewhere, has dreamed up the impressive combination of bumper cars and ice-skating — and is bringing the concept Down Under. In an Aussie first, Bumper Cars on Ice will hit Alexandria's Ice Zoo this August, September and October — on select dates only — and promises to yank you right out of winter hibernation mode. This unique activity will have you pinballing around an ice rink in a bubble-shaped bumper car, slipping and sliding into mates. Tickets will set you back $37.84, which gets 12 mins on the ice and access to the Ice Zoo's 'winter wonderland', which will have DJs and a bar serving mulled wine (of course). Bumper Cars on Ice runs from 6–10pm on Friday and midday–10pm on Saturday. Adults only sessions run from 7–10pm both nights. Updated August 11.
Maxwell Wines isn't just known for its exceptional cellar — its flagship restaurant is lauded for its innovative and produce-led offerings. If a trip to McLaren Vale isn't on the cards, Executive Chef Fabian Lehmann brings a taste of Maxwell Restaurant to Arthur. [caption id="attachment_1019299" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] For an intimate Monday night dinner, Lehmann is teaming up with Arthur's Head Chef Juwon Gwak on six innovative courses at the Surry Hills diner, paired with a curated Maxwell Wines selection. With both restaurants sharing a philosophy rooted in a respect for seasonality, producers and thoughtful technique, it's shaping up to be a promising meal that does right by its ingredients. Expect small bites like carrot tartlets filled with rosella and honey custard and kombu-cured hiramasa kingfish croustades, alongside contemporary rustic-style plates like carrot-glazed bay bugs in mussel butter sauce and dry-aged quail stuffed with mushroom duxelle. The highlight? A Maxwell Restaurant signature — smoked rainbow trout with chives and black garlic. [caption id="attachment_1019298" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption]
Generally when you order a burger, it doesn't come flying to you at 100km an hour. The thought of that doesn't actually sound very fun or delicious; it sounds a lot like copping a pickle to the eyeball. But at Christchurch's C1 Espresso, high-speed sliders are a reality that doesn't hurt or impede your vision, thanks to an impressive overhead air suction system that delivers your chow straight from the kitchen to your table via pneumatic tube. It's the future, as owner Sam Crofskey puts it. And there is something very Fifth Element about food travelling through clear plastic tubes to get to your mouth, but this system is actually more in tune with the past than the future. Originally operating as a bank — and taken over by C1 after their previous site was destroyed in the February 2011 earthquake — the High Street building was already fitted with old-school pneumatic tubes. After using the vacuum-like system to transport handwritten orders to the kitchen, the next step, naturally, was to stick food up there and see what happened. With the existing tubes not quite big enough for edibles, new, slider-sized ones had to be fitted. They run from the kitchen and along the ceiling before dropping down to arrive at tables that sit up against the walls (and there's even talk of expanding delivery to outside tables through underground tubes). This means the cafe is always whirring, moving and buzzing; people's eyes flicker as they see a cylinder fly past up above and then grin in delight when said cylinder arrives at their table, holding three sliders and piping hot curly fries. "We just thought it was very Willy Wonka or something, and we had to do it," says Crofskey. "It was really important that when people talked about us after the earthquake, that they connected with us in the same kind of way as before ... We had to make sure that people would make the effort to come back." And with most of the city shut down — particularly when they initially reopened in November 2012 — C1 didn't just need a novelty; they needed to do something unique that fit in with their already-established brand and the community. Pioneering the second wave coffee movement since their beginnings in 1996 (back when no one knew what a barista was, according to Crofskey), C1 has always been known for great coffee and breakfast and details like their customised sugar packets that look like crayons and the sparkling water on tap from an old sewing machine. The pneumatic burgers and the decision to open for dinner are another extension of the C1 culture, and a good reflection of Crofskey's approach to hospitality. "We had a chance to reinvent ourselves and, when we reopened, we were deciding who we wanted to be," says Sam. "We didn't want to deviate from our brand — it's still warm and inviting, and a place for the community to come together." But offering breakfast, lunch and dinner isn't the only thing on Crofskey's agenda. Along with the cafe, he also works with a Samoan community to create a sustainable coffee industry in partnership with Women in Business, he bottles and sells OK! fruit nectars that also originate from the region, and he produces his own honey from the building's rooftop beehive and garden. And, with the cafe sharing real estate with a video store, art house cinema and, temporarily, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the space is so much more than somewhere to eat. "We had this idea that we wanted to have this space that people could get lost in for a while, so you can go here and go to the movies, come out and go to the art gallery," says Crofskey. And with plans to turn the upper levels into a boutique hotel, C1 will be like an island for the people of Christchurch. One where the room service is delivered at 100km an hour, of course.
Good Food Month's Night Noodle Markets have officially kicked off. This year you'll find the expected — dumplings, bao and noodles — and the unexpected: phorritos (yes, that's a pho and burrito mashup), chichi (kimchi) fries and the famed raindrop cake, plus all of these tasty eats have been expertly paired with refreshing brews from Beer The Beautiful Truth. Dig into a sampling of House of Crabs' loaded fries with lobster gravy, devour one of Indu's smoked goat dosas or sit back with a Korean barbecue taco from Poklol. And if you have a sweet tooth, you'll want to leave room for the many desserts on offer: that raindrop cake as seen on Instagram from Harajuku Gyoza, Black Star Pastry's beloved cakes (they've unveiled their new mango cake here this year) and an unreal offering from Gelato Messina — they've made a 'katsu' ice cream sandwich. Yep. See all that's in store for you at the markets in the gallery, figure out which food stalls you'll hit first with our top ten dishes and plan to head out — preferably tonight — to make your way through all the culinary treats on offer. Hungry for more? Feed all your cravings at the Sydney Night Noodle Markets with these ten dishes and expert beer pairings presented by Beer The Beautiful Truth from October 5–22.
A huge celebration of food, music and culture is coming to Liverpool in the form of Eat Your Heart Out — a collaboration between local creatives and Liverpool City Council. The one-day festival, on Saturday, October 28, will feature a stellar lineup of musicians, artists, artisans and chefs to open the newly revamped Macquarie Mall. The team at FBi Radio has curated a music program of local artists who'll showcase their talent on Macquarie Mall's stage. Some of the emerging artists on the lineup are hip-hop crew Soul Benefits, indie-electronic trio Okenyo and Triple J's 2017 Unearthed winner Rebecca Hatch. To complement the energy on stage there'll be a sensory light installation presented by Soft Centre. Along with the festivities at Macquarie Mall just over the way in Bigge Park, there'll be a host of family-friendly activities: jumping castles, circus skills and a touch-to-play water park to occupy the oldies — um, we mean littlies. The event is free, but dancing your heart out to some of Sydney's best musicians and bouncing in jumping castles is thirsty (and hungry) work. So, we're giving away $50 food vouchers to be used at one of many food stalls and trucks. Some of the standouts include Miss Mabel's, serving up seasonal, organic and free-range produce, Sakura on Wheelz's traditional Japanese menu and fried chicken specialists Dirty Bird Foodtruck. The Donut Dealer will also stay true to its name and offer an array of extravagant, rotund doughy treats. The giveaway also includes a double pass to a Liverpool Taste Tour. The cultural (and edible) tour will run from 11am - 1pm on the day of Eat Your Heart Out. You'll be guided around Liverpool's best international restaurants, eating Balkan, Middle Eastern and Fijian delights — just to name a few. Activities at Bigge Park will kick off at noon and run until 6pm, and the live acts at Macquarie Mall will start at 3pm and go till late. [competition]639240[/competition]
It has been just five short months 4 Ounces introduced its blend of burgers, hip-hop and ethically-sourced produce to Alexandria, and they're not stopping there. This time it's Leichardt's turn, with the eatery bringing its mix of music and guilt-free food to Norton Street. From December 10, burg lovers can find the same ace concept in a brand new location, trading seven days a week from midday until late. That means mondo burgers made with premium produce and out-of-the-ordinary flavours, all named after hip-hop legends, now have a second home. Menu highlights include The Ol' Dirty, which is a glazed donut bun stuffed with two special blend patties, American cheese, Westmont pickle, maple bacon and house sauce; and The Cheezy Yeezy, which also doubles up the patties, while pairing them with liquid cheese, deep fried truffle mac and cheese, pickled green tomato and onion. For veggos, there's The ASAP: smoked tofu, deep-fried truffle mac and cheese, wild mushrooms, Westmont pickle, liquid cheese and house sauce on a milk bun. They've got burgers on bagels, southern fried chicken burgers and loaded fries, all piled high in that over-the-top, sloppy comfort food way. And, thanks to head chef Rory Donnelley (ex-Cafe del Mar) and his childhood friend Mitch Coleman, this comfort food even comes guilt free. "80% of the produce comes from within a 300 kilometre radius of Sydney," says Donnelley. The buns are from Marrickville's Bread and Butter Project; the organic, free-range chicken from Feather and Bone; and the beef from Hereford Red, Orange. The drinks menu similarly keeps it local — think wines from Phillip Shaw, beers from Philter and Grifter and spirits from Archie Rose and Poor Tom's. Other partners include Challenger Small Goods, Karma Cola, Westmont for pickles and Donut Papi. Find 4 Ounces at 166 Norton Street, Leichardt from midday on December 10. For further details, head to their website. By Jasmine Crittenden and Sarah Ward.
When all seven chapters of S-Town were released in one mighty swoop on March 28 this year, podcasting entered a new realm. Ten million episodes were downloaded in four days, obliterating records. And now, series creator Brian Reed is coming to Australia to talk about how he did it. At two different evenings, titled 'Mysteries, Mazes and the Making of S-Town' at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre and We Need To Talk About S-Town at Sydney Opera House, he'll be chatting about telling stories, combining reporting with literariness, leaving things unsaid and, of course, John B. McLemore, the podcast's eccentric, obsessive, unforgettable protagonist. Along the way, you're likely to hear him touching on all the big themes that found their way into S-Town: greed, poverty, mental health issues and prejudice. And, if you've been plagued by questions of journalistic ethics, this would be the time to dig them out. Tickets are already selling fast to the Melbourne show, and tickets for Sydney go on sale Monday, May 29. So, you'd better be quick. BRIAN REED'S AUSTRALIAN DATES: Wednesday, July 26 — 'Mysteries, Mazes and the Making of S-Town' at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre. Tickets here. Saturday, July 29 — 'Brian Reed: We Need to Talk About S-Town' at Sydney Opera House. Tickets here. Image: Andrea Morales.
In excellent news for carnivores across Sydney, it just got a whole lot easier to sink your teeth into a top-quality steak from Vic's Meat Market. The restaurant has extended its opening hours, and now dishes up dinner from Thursday through to Saturday. Located at the Sydney Fish Market, the butcher shop and adjacent smokehouse has long been a favourite for local meat lovers, allowing diners to pick out their own steak from the display, and then have it expertly grilled and delivered straight to their table. Vic's is also a go-to for loads of Sydney's top restaurants, so you know your tastebuds are in excellent hands. From start to finish, the menu here is a celebration of simplicity and excellent meat, with classic smokehouse dishes sitting alongside top-notch steak cuts. Tuck into barbecue staples like a smoked wagyu cheeseburger, or opt for a hearty scotch fillet teamed with hand-cut fries and seasonal salads. The custom-built smoker can handle about 200 kilograms of meat — it's responsible for favourites like the low 'n' slow pulled pork and a dreamy Texas-style brisket. New menu additions include the likes of mac 'n' cheese chips and a signature Vic's snack pack loaded with your choice of brisket or pork. Vic's Meat Market is located at the Sydney Fish Market, 50-60 Bank Street, Pyrmont. It's open until 9pm Thursday to Saturday. Visit its website for more information.
Taking over one of Sydney's central parks for the final hours of 2017, the city's newest New Year's Eve event comes from the folks behind Hot Dub Wine Machine and Alison Wonderland's Warehouse Project. A collaboration between Sydney events agency Falcona and decade-hopping DJ Hot Dub Time Machine, NYE in the Park is set to make its debut this December 31, taking over the lush expanse of Victoria Park for an evening of eating, fireworks, Champagne and dancing you'll actually want to remember. Helmed by a posse of party experts, NYE in the Park is ticking all the right boxes. First, the lineup features a cornucopia of aural treats to launch you properly into 2018. Performing across two stages, expect a tightly curated mix of local and international names including Belgian-based dance icons 2MANYDJS, powerful pop artist Vera Blue, disco kings Total Giovanni, and a collaborative effort from Jurassic 5's Chali 2na and Brit breakbeat pioneer Krafty Kuts. Of course, Hot Tub Time Machine will be serving up one of his signature party sets, sending crowds dancing through the decades on a two-hour journey from the '60s to today. As we draw closer to the end of the year, the lineup continues to expand. Now it includes Canadian electro-dance master Tiga. His timeless favourites 'You Gotta Want Me' and 'Sunglasses at Night' will transport you back to the early 2000s — luckily, without the braces and acne. Taking over Victoria Park with stages and d-floors, the event will also feature a healthy assortment of bars and a solid selection of food vendors. What's more, with presale tickets starting at just $59, this is one of those rare NYE options that won't bleed your bank account dry. Because who wants to start a new year with insufficient funds? The inaugural NYE in the Park takes place from 3pm-1am, on Sunday, December 31, at Victoria Park, Camperdown. Jump over to the website to check out the debut lineup and to register for $59 presale tickets.
Sick of staring into a mud-coloured cup of caffeine every day? Prefer your cuppa in a crisp, cool shade — the same as the jeans you're wearing, perhaps? Brightening up brews isn't a new trend, but Sydney's next pop-up is opting for a dash of denim with their coffee offering. From 5pm to 8pm on April 13, 20 and 27, and 12pm to 3pm on April 29, Topshop's Market Street store is playing host to a blue algae latte menu — and yes, each baby blue-coloured cuppa will be whipped up by a barista wearing denim. Of course it will. They'll be available for free, but there's a catch. If you want to sip on a blue brew, you'll have to purchase denim in-store during April. For those bulking up their wardrobe, two beverages will be on the menu: a hot blue algae latte sprinkled with blue algae powder, plus an iced blue algae latte topped with baby-blue fairy floss. Move over ice cream with fairy floss, coffee with fairy floss is now a thing. If they sound like the kind of coffees you'll be frantically snapping as well as eagerly drinking, that's part of the plan. Unsurprisingly, Topshop is pushing the aesthetic angle pretty hard, hoping that you'll be clogging your Instagram feed with pics. Don't worry — as well as looking great, blue algae lattes are also known for their health benefits, boasting beta-carotene, antioxidants, calcium and iron in huge levels. More than carrots, blueberries, spinach and cow's milk, in fact. Find the blue algae latter pop-up at Topshop's Market Street store from 5pm to 8pm on April 13, 20 and 27, and 12pm to 3pm on April 29. For more information, head to their Facebook page.
The dockless share bike phenomenon might have brought about some, ahem, issues, but one company is swapping the drama for something a little more positive. Just a few weeks after its Australian launch (so far, only in Sydney and Adelaide), Beijing-born service Ofo is embracing the spirit of Christmas, teaming up with local food rescue organisation OzHarvest to help feed folks in need across the festive season. For each Ofo ride taken in Sydney or Adelaide between December 18-23, the company has pledged to donate 50 cents to OzHarvest. That equates to one nourishing meal for a needy Australian every time someone hops on an Ofo bike. What's more, Ofo's also offering users free rides throughout December, so being charitable needn't cost you a cent. Each week, OzHarvest collects over 100 tonnes of excess food from commercial outlets across the country, to be delivered directly to local charities to feed Aussies in need.
It may be news to some Sydneysiders that Adelaide is home to one of the best (if not the best) craft beer festivals in the country. In fact, the Beer and BBQ Festival is just behind the Great Australiasian Beer Spectapular as the largest beerfest in Australia and, dare we say, rivals it as our national favourite. So it's with pleasure that we report that the festival is coming to Sydney for its first interstate event this year. It'll take over Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter for three days from Friday, June 29 through to Sunday, July 1 — and it's got one helluva lineup in store. The outdoor event will see over 60 brewers descend on the EQ's showring and market canopy areas. Headlining the list is Scottish heavy hitter BrewDog, which, after announcing it will open a brewery in Brisbane, will team up with Aussie locals for some exclusive collab brews that will be available at the fest. Representing the Australian brew scene will be Sydney locals Batch Brewing, Canberra favourite Capital Brewing, Melbourne's Hop Nation, Brisbane's Green Beacon and Adelaide's own Mismatch Brewing, to name a few. Enmore's new P&V Wine and Liquor will also host a stall, and brew masterclasses will be held throughout the weekend. The barbecue component will be impressively curated by Duncan Welgemoed, the renowned executive chef at Adelaide's award-winning restaurant Africola. He's already roped in locals like Belles Hot Chicken, Bovine and Swine and Mary's, plus one-off food stalls from The Lansdowne and The Unicorn, along with vegan fare from Melbourne's Smith & Daughters. If that wasn't enough, the music lineup is strong too. The Preatures, Holy Holy, Jen Cloher and Bob Evans are all representing, plus Canada's Matty Matheson (from Viceland's It's Suppertime) and up-and-coming local artists and DJ sets. Live tattooing, a barber shop, locals market, a vinyl record shop and a hot dog eating contest are also on the docket. Yes, it will be one massive weekend and, yes, you should nab tickets straight away. Speaking of — tickets go on sale on Tuesday April 24, with the option to purchase per session ($30–45) or grab a weekend pass to all four ($80). It might be chilly as it's held outdoors in winter, but this really sets the vibe apart from other beer festivals. And there'll be heaps of bonfires (and beer) to keep you warm. The Sydney Beer and BBQ Festival will take place on at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter on Friday, June 29 through Sunday, July 1.
Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film The Master opens with an exquisite shot of swirling white and indigo — the surging, seething wake of an enormous ship at sea. It is a striking visual and one of two leitmotifs periodically revisited by the director throughout his 138-minute study of a Scientology-styled movement and its charismatic leader, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Thematically, the image of the swirling wash neatly reflects the social and political tumult of post-war America in the '40s, as well as offering an elegant précis of Anderson's central character, Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), an unsettled veteran and alcoholic outcast rendered psychologically 'lost at sea' following his discharge from the navy. Yet for audiences, too, the visual speak emblematically to The Master's principal shortcoming. It is a truly stunning film, but one that ultimately proves a whirling and directionless clutter of themes from which little substance can be extracted. To its strengths, though, The Master is first and foremost a character study of its two leading men, and the performances by Phoenix and Hoffman are almost unreasonably good. Both actors offer phenomenal characterisations layered with extraordinary complexity and penetration, making their constantly shared screen time an unceasing dilemma over whom to watch. Thankfully, Anderson spares us this conflict, often enough courtesy of some extreme individual close-ups, using Hoffman's ruddy complexion and Phoenix's contorted snarl as baseline emotional canvases from which both men launch their subtle yet fervent transformations. Prior to its release, rumours of The Master's allusions to Scientology via Dodd's quasi-spiritual movement 'The Cause' earned it enormous press, both good and bad, and certainly the equivalence between the two is strong. Dodd's 'processing' of individuals borrows heavily from the teachings and practices of Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and provides perhaps the film's most compelling scene; however, Anderson never explores this or any other theme to its complete end. After a near flawless opening act, The Master begins to stumble incoherently from one beat to the next as if searching for some greater meaning in precisely the same way its characters do. It is a delight to watch and the performances are utterly enthralling; however, Anderson's distinction as a director is sadly not matched by his story. Ponderous and indulgent, the eventual impression is one of incompleteness and abstraction — just a swirling, seething wake of brilliant white and indigo.
Since 2015, Damian Griffith's particular brand of doughnut has been taking over Australian cities, pervading potential pastry-loving locations around Sydney — there are currently seven in total. Now, it's a casual eight, because Doughnut Time has opened its doors in Surry Hills. This takes DT's total to 24 locations across Australia, which is quite the feat in under three years. To mark the new digs at 330 Crown Street, Griffith has enlisted the help of Martina Martian, a Sydney based designer and artist, who has created the limited 'Share The Love' four-pack of cartoon-coloured doughy rings, currently available only in the new store. The chain has maintained a commitment to using quality, local produce in all of their venues, and this is something that's bound to go down well in their new shop. "To be located within Surry Hills is something that we've been wanting to achieve for some time," says Griffith, and with that dream ticked off, it's only a matter of time until DT picks a new location target. Find Doughnut Time at 330 Crown Street, Surry Hills. Open Monday to Sunday, 10am-10pm.
Hanami and Japan go hand in hand, but what if you could indulge in the art of flower viewing (yes, that's what the term translates to in English) a bit closer to home? Well, that's where the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival comes in. It's a celebration of everyone's favourite pink flora in Sydney's west. Between August 18 and 27, the Auburn Botanic Gardens will transform their Japanese Gardens into a beautiful, blooming wonderland. You'll be able to ramp up your appreciation of the fleeting natural phenomena that is cherry blossom season by attending a massive viewing party in the lead up to spring. Tis the season, after all. And taking in the spectacular scenery isn't the only thing you'll be doing. Over the two weekends of the festival (that is August 19-20 and 26-27), you'll be able to get your fill of Japanese entertainment by floating on over to two stages filled with sumo wrestling, J-pop performers and origami workshops. Then, eat your way through an array of Japanese food trucks doling out doses of bao, bento boxes, Japanese hot dogs, gyoza and okonomiyaki. This year there will also be a bar stocked with Asahi, sake and plum wine. If you've got a day off and want to skip the crowds, they'll also be opening up the gardens for three days during the week (August 21, 23 and 25). Entry will cost five bucks, and they'll also have a free shuttle from Auburn Station if you're coming in by public transport. Image: Kristina Paukshtite.
Waking up to the smell of something delicious and fresh out of the oven is one of life's greatest little pleasures. Flour Market is the expert at giving Melbournians that fuzzy stomach feeling by curating selections of the finest bakers and pastry-makers for seasonal bake sales early on weekend mornings. Flour Market was born and raised in Melbourne, but now it's Sydney's chance to wake up to the wafts of all of the freshly baked goods lined up under the one convenient roof at Paramount House. Lines have been wrapped around street corners for previous Flour Markets, so if you want to stock up on some of Blackstar's watermelon and strawberry cake or Brewtown Newtown's delectable cronuts, or just have a nibble of Katherine Sabbath's mini cake donuts, you'll have to rise nice and early. Prepare for all things baked and delectable by Andy Bowd from Hartsyard, the Bourke St Bakery lads' Bread & Butter Project, Brickfields, Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Paramount Coffee and a heap more. Read more about the Flour Markets in our interview with mastermind Mark Free here.
If the change in seasons has left your wardrobe looking a little lacklustre, this is an opportunity you ought to lock in. Australian masters of print, geometry and mixed materials Ginger & Smart are having a studio sale, including new season samples and past season discounts. Founded by Alexandra and Genevieve Smart in 2002, this boutique brand has been accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia, so you can feel reassured that you’re investing in highest quality attire. Rolling champagne and shopping into one evening, there will be a VIP party to kick off the sale on Thursday, March 19. Then two full days on Friday and Saturday should satisfy Sydney’s most passionate frockaholics. There will be up to 80% off pretty much everything — dresses, skirts, tops, accessories and more. If you want elegant designs at a bargain, you'd better be quick. Thursday, March 19, 5pm - 9pm Friday, March 20, 8am - 6pm Saturday, March 21, 10am - 5pm
One of Iceland's greatest exports is music, and this staggeringly young three-piece from Reykjavik is no exception. Comprising of vocals, electronic production and clarinet (yes, clarinet), they will be gracing our shores in January for Sydney Festival. Their unique, paranormal sound has been described as if the xx and Little Dragon eloped to the magical forest out of The Lord of the Rings. Samaris are turning heads globally with their atmospheric electronica and shamanistic vocals, laying down 19th-century Icelandic poetry on percussive beats. Simultaneously ancient and modern, their otherworldly soundscapes are bound to be unlike anything you've heard before. Though instrumentally eclectic, their sound is remarkably cohesive. In fact, on first listen, it is difficult to detect the tightly integrated clarinet. If dreamy electronica is your main game, Samaris's lush musical palette of elegant hymns and wandering basslines will leave you awestruck. Image by Fritz Berndsen/Fiona Cribben. https://youtube.com/watch?v=G3Tg_6pR060
The ABC’s upcoming series Redfern Now looks like a pretty sweet deal. Its cast includes heavy-hitting actors like Deborah Mailman and Leah Purcell, the Sapphires’ Wayne Blair on direction and story production from the British writer of Cracker and the Street, Jimmy McGovern. Redfern Now, like the Street, tells the story of six people across six episodes, each neighbours in the same small neighbourhood — in this case, Redfern. McGovern says “there are certain stories that belong only to Aboriginal Australia.” These are some of those stories. In recognition of Redfern's central role in the series, and in the urban life of Aboriginal Sydney, the ABC is premiering Redfern Now on the Block a day before it hits Australian TV screens, with Casey Donovan and Marcus Corowa taking to the stage an hour before the 7.30 screening. So take a rug, grab a (non-alcoholic) drink and prepare to be proud of something fundamentally home grown. Refreshments will be provided, but this is a booze-free event.
Artist Lee Mingwei wants to fix you up as part of his artwork the Mending Project. He'll lurk in the MCA's lighted corners waiting for you to bring in over- or under-loved garments in need of repair and fix it while you wait. Part of the bargain is that you pay Lee with talk (or by being teased) while he stitches your pieces anew. Resurrected clothes will hang on the cavernous walls on MCA level one until the end of the Biennale. Leaving it probably best to bring your summer threads along to hang out in public until September. Lee will be providing his services on a drop in basis during the Biennale. The MCA also suggests you arrive early in the day for Lee's performance, in case he runs out of thread. Image: The Mending Project by Lee Mingwei. Courtesy the artist and Lombard-Freid Projects, New York. Photograph by Anita Kan. Read the rest of Concrete Playground's Top Ten Things to See and Do at the 2012 Sydney Biennale.
Perched on the shore of Watson's Bay is Dunbar House. Take one look at the website, and you'll think I'm preaching the union with a loved one in holy matrimony. If you're anything like us, however, with no plans of getting hitched anytime soon, Dunbar House shouldn't be dismissed entirely. On offer in summer will be an indulgent yet affordable dining extravaganza. Summer Nights at Dunbar House will see the iconic venue open for three evenings in January to host a dining series with a side of harbour view. Head Chef Keith Murray has created an a la carte dinner menu to be enjoyed either inside or on the terrace. To get you salivating, entrees include: seared scallops and a salad of Corella pear, blue cheese and witlof salad with a hazlenut and truffle dressing or carpaccio of jamon iberico with sherry roasted baby beetroot. Mains include: potato gnocchi with pork belly and crushed peas, salmon fillet with an apple, walnut and fennel salad. For dessert you'll indulge a passionfruit crème brulee paired with a shortbread finger or a warm chocolate pot with berries and vanilla. Yes please. Summer Nights at Dunbar House will be hosted on 9, 17 and 23 January from 6pm. Bookings: 02 9337 1226 or info@dunbarhouse.com.au
Rose Revolution is a celebration of textural rose wine and will engage a number of events in capital cities and regional areas around Australia. The launch of Rose Revolution will involve tastings and gatherings to bring rose lovers together to share hearty discussion and tasting notes. On 14 November, the Winery will host a laneway tasting and buzzing launch party with canapés. You'll mingle with winemakers, chefs and industry personalities who openly declare their love of the variety and gear up for the hotter months ahead with your deepened knowledge of rose. Bookings: 9331 0833 or info@thewinerysurryhills.com.au
Not every cyclist dreams of climbing L’Alpe d’Huez with Lance and Cadel. Many spend their time daydreaming of weaving through traffic, the veritable wind rushing through their hair — more often than not they are not wearing a helmet. A few years ago a skid might have been something found in the dirty laundry basket, now it is an oft-encountered manoeuvre on suburban streets the world over. One that has thankfully resulted in more than one innocent pedestrian avoiding a broken leg. I hesitate to draw a comparison between skateboarding and riding a track bike, but it is difficult to disguise the similarities; one being the close link with art. Legions of young riders have extended their two-wheel hobby to photography, graffiti, and filmmaking. Fixed Up is an exhibition detailing the burgeoning fixed-gear scene in Sydney. One exponent seems to be the Sydney Sunday Sessions group whose attendances have flourished from 20 to over 200 riders at their weekly get-togethers. Sydney probably isn’t the best city in the world for riding a bike that has no gears, but heck, why not? Fixed geared bikes are hella fun, and they are proving to be a great tool to bring people together. The exhibition catalogues the main protagonists in the Sydney fixie scene; how they got started and even what is so unique about their machines, whose dangling presence represents the major visual element of the exhibition. A window display at the Men's Incu store contains two Jim Bundy rigs and some old photos of his handmade bikes in action on the velodrome track where fixed gear bikes have continued their existence from the first bikes ever ridden. But is this exhibition another example of cultural appropriation? After all, despite the word "gallery" appearing in the name of the location, one cannot confuse the fact that this exhibition resides in a shopping mall. The bikes are dangling outside the Freedom store — geez! Perhaps this is another rejection of the norm (that's a defining element of a subculture right?); or perhaps, as another commercial gimmick, fixed geared bikes' gestation period was pronouncedly shorter than that of the skateboard. Either way, the exhibition is free and there are two bikes customised by tattoo-great Mike Giant to be won.
If The Phantom of the Open was part of a game of golf, rather than a movie about the club-flinging, ball-hitting, bunker-avoiding sport, it wouldn't be a hole in one. It couldn't be; perfection doesn't suit the story it's telling, which is as real and as shaggy — as so-strange-it-can-only-be-true, too — as they can possibly come. That other key factor in spiriting dimpled orbs from the tee to the cup in a single stroke, aka luck, is definitely pertinent to this feel-good, crowd-pleasing, happily whimsical British comedy, however. Plenty of it helped Maurice Flitcroft, the man at its centre, as he managed to enter the 1976 British Open despite never having set foot on a course or played a full round of golf before. It isn't quite good fortune that makes this high-spirited movie about him work, of course, but it always feels like a feature that might've ended up in the cinematic long grass if it wasn't so warmly pieced together. When Maurice (Mark Rylance, Don't Look Up) debuts on the green at the high-profile Open Championship, it doesn't take long for gap between his skills and the professionals he's playing with to stand out. In the words of The Dude from The Big Lebowski, obviously he's not a golfer — although what makes a golfer, and whether any sport should be the domain of well-to-do gatekeepers who reserve large swathes of land for the use of the privileged few, falls into The Phantom of the Open's view. So does a breezily formulaic yet drawn-from-fact account of a man who was born in Manchester, later settled in the port town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria and spent much of his life as a shipyard crane operator, providing for his wife Jean (Sally Hawkins, Spencer), her son Michael (Jake Davies, Artemis Fowl), and the pair's twins Gene (Christian Lees, Pistol) and James (Jonah Lees, The Letter for the King). Maurice had never chased his own dreams, until he decided to give golfing glory a swing. For audiences coming to all this anew, director Craig Roberts (Eternal Beauty) clues viewers in from the get-go, via a recreation of an 80s TV interview with Maurice. The film's key figure chats, looking back on his sporting efforts after his attempts at golf have clearly earned him a level of fame, but he'd also rather just sip a tea with six sugars. That's an easy but pivotal character-establishing moment. He's a cuppa-coveting everyman accustomed to finding sweetness in modest places, which aptly sums up his whole approach to his middle-aged pastime. The jovial humour of the situation — in caring more about his beloved tea than talking on the television — is also telling. Using a screenplay by Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2) based on the actor and writer's 2010 biography of Maurice, Roberts laughs along with and never at his protagonist. He affectionately sees the wannabe golfer's eccentricities, and also values the new lease on life he's eagerly seeking. That quest starts while watching late-night TV, after Michael advises that the shipyard where both men work — and Jean as well — will be making layoffs. With Bridge of Spies Oscar-winner Rylance dripping with sincerity and never cartoonish quirkiness, Maurice eyes the game on-screen like a man having a life-altering and surreal epiphany. Befitting anyone who's ever had a sudden realisation, he's instantly convinced. That he has zero know-how, nor the cash for the right attire, equipment and membership to the local club to practice, doesn't put him off. Neither does filling out the Open entry form, where he instructs Jean to tick the 'professional' box because that's what he wants to be. On the ground at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, he swiftly attracts attention for hitting 121 — the worst score ever recorded — with the press, as well as tournament bigwigs Keith Mackenzie (Rhys Ifans, The King's Man) and Laurent Lambert (Farnaby, Christopher Robin). "The world's worst professional golfer" gets slung Maurice's way, alongside other descriptions and titles, the movie's own moniker included. But with the competitive disco-dancing twins as his caddies, he isn't dissuaded. As seen in fellow recent comedy The Duke — another seemingly tall but genuinely true tale about an ordinary fellow battling the establishment — The Phantom of the Open becomes a caper, in fact. Maurice makes new putts at re-entering the Open aided by disguises and accents, hijinks ensue again and again, and his determination to strive for something better rarely fades. There isn't much in the way of drama amid the on-the-course larks, but some springs at home. While Jean remains supportive, as do Gene and James, Michael gets embarrassed about his dad being made a joke — and there are also financial ramifications. As with The Full Monty, Eddie the Eagle and other thoroughly British underdog-focused stories, The Phantom of the Open earns all the terms it's striving for: nice, perky, funny, pleasant, sweet, moving and rousing, for starters. Another two that echo like a ball whacked convincingly with a club: entertaining and engaging. Roberts and Farnaby find the right mood, which recognises how ridiculous so many of the details prove — they'd be called contrived if a screenwriter had simply conjured them up — but keeps its heart with the Flitcrofts. Taking tonal cues from his best-known on-screen appearances in 2010's coming-of-age charmer Submarine and delightful streaming series Red Oaks, Roberts also appreciates how embracing a look, feel and era can shape a movie. The Phantom of the Open sees Maurice's efforts as firmly a product of the 70s, and plays up the period details everywhere it can, including on the soundtrack. A singular real-life character, a wild series of actual events, ABBA and other upbeat needle-drops, disco contests, 70s oddities galore, all that golf, a cartful of fantastical visual flourishes, slapstick upon slapstick: throw them all together and, again, the movie equivalent of a sand trap or water hazard could've resulted. Thankfully, Roberts knows how to mould all these pieces into something affable — albeit not particularly concerned with digging too deep, let alone needing a sand wedge — and also enlists the stellar Rylance. Even when The Phantom of the Open is at its silliest, he gives an earnest and charismatic performance that can last 18 holes, no matter how many triple bogeys and worse that Maurice hits. Crucially, he plays the prankster and dreamer as someone who knows to keep tap, tap, tapping even when stuck. A narrative like this always going to draw people in, of course, as gumption-fuelled against-the-odds tales tend to, but it wouldn't keep them cheering along without Rylance's both believable and endearing stint in the argyle vest.
Printed on a piece of card and stuffed in many a letterbox, "sorry we missed you" ranks among the most frustrating phrases in the English language. If you're expecting a delivery, it means that you'll need to contact the courier company, book in another day and spend more time waiting, which is never convenient. But for those who dedicate their hours to transporting parcels around town, those four words can also indicate something far worse. To some employers, it can mean that they haven't done their job — and that has far-reaching consequences. Continuing his career-long examination of Britain's working class, Ken Loach's latest social-realist drama steps into this world, and into the punishing expectations that have become normalised in today's gig economy. Everyone has been annoyed about a delayed delivery, but the reality for overstretched couriers saddled with too many parcels, too little time, nowhere near enough pay and restrictive working conditions is much more bleak than simply having to wait an extra day for your latest online purchase. Sorry We Missed You focuses on Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen), who's new to the courier business; however it could've just as easily followed his path through plenty of other industries. Loach and his regular screenwriter Paul Laverty have chosen wisely, though, picking a field that everyone has had an experience with (even if only on the consumer side). Still, the same principles apply to many service-oriented professions these days — insecure work, no guaranteed hours, round-the-clock demands and an all-round arrangement that puts employers at an enormous advantage to the contractor's detriment. Ricky's wife Abbie (Debbie Honeywood), a nurse and in-home carer, also navigates a similar system. That we live in a world where meeting set targets and sticking to arbitrary timeframes is more important than giving proper medical care sounds like something out of a grim dystopian future, but Sorry We Missed You isn't exaggerating. After losing not only his construction job in the 2008 financial crash, but his chance to buy a house, Ricky gets into courier work as a last resort. Debts are piling up, he wants security for his family's future and there are no other options. On paper, it seems ideal and even easy. Convincing Abbie to sell her car, he uses to money to purchase a van and starts contracting for a big company. Then, under hard-nosed manager Maloney (Ross Brewster), he discovers how the gig operates. He's soon working seven days a week, getting sanctioned when he can't meet KPIs and resorting to peeing in bottles because he doesn't have time for a toilet break. He's also vulnerable to robberies and financially responsible for the cargo he's delivering. And taking any time off — when he's injured, when the equally overworked and exhausted Abbie needs help, and when their adolescent son Seb (Rhys Stone) gets in trouble with the law — comes with severe monetary penalties. Some days, he even takes his pre-teen daughter Liza Jane (Katie Proctor) with him just so he can see her, although that's also frowned upon. Across his more than 50 years behind the lens, Loach has always been drawn to these types of scenarios. His films are fictional, but they're steeped in actuality. That proved true in 1969's Kes, which relayed the story of a downtrodden Yorkshire boy's life-changing friendship with a kestrel, and just might be the finest British movie ever made. It was also true in I, Daniel Blake, his 2016 Palme d'Or-winning drama about government benefits that's a clear companion piece to Sorry We Missed You. That these tales keep needing to be told is heartbreaking and infuriating, of course — but there's no one better at it than Loach. He's an empathetic and humane filmmaker determined to give a voice to ordinary folks, to tackle everyday issues and to show life as it really is. He's also just as passionate about calling out vast societal inequities that, as seen in the Turners' experiences, exploit the masses for corporate gain. As is his trademark, Loach brings all of the above to the screen with a keenly naturalistic eye and a largely non-professional cast, shooting his characters and their lives as though he's recording reality. There's no one better than cinematographer Robbie Ryan to help — the man who not only achieved the same feat on I, Daniel Blake, but on Andrea Arnold's American Honey and Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story as well. Under the duo's combined gaze, Sorry We Missed You's images speak a thousand frustrating words, and draw audiences into the film's despairing situation. The feature stares daggers at a system the world has simply accepted, too, and forces audiences to see how it affects average people. And, while the movie's message isn't subtle, this is still a nuanced and astute picture that's exactly as stirring and galvanising at it needs to be. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sdnSZ6J6HA
The best aperitivo hour in the country is taking on a distinctly French look (and taste) for Bastille Day. On Sunday, July 14, Surry Hills' Dolphin Hotel is teaming up with super-popular CBD spot Restaurant Hubert for an afternoon of French snacks and wines — all for just $5–7 a pop. While there's no word yet on exactly what you'll be eating, Chef James MacDonald will be whipping up some opulent Hubert-esque snacks — so, expect lots of butter, some caviar or escargots, and possibly even the famed Malakoff (fried cheese) to make an appearance. If you keep an eye on The Dolphin's Instagram on Sunday, you might catch a glimpse of the final menu before it goes live. For drinks, Hubert's acclaimed sommelier Andy Tyson will be teaming up with The Dolphin's Wine Director James Hird to create a list of impressive (and very reasonably priced) French drops. To up the French vibes even further, 'The Huberts' big brass band will be in the house playing appropriately patriotic party tunes throughout the afternoon. The $5–7 snacks and glasses of wine will only be available from 5–7pm in The Dolphin's Wine Room so get there early — it will fill up. If you miss the happy hour(s), fear not — the whole venue will be getting into the spirit across the whole weekend (July 12–14) with a one-off French cocktail menu (heavy on chartreuse, calvados and pastis) upstairs at Scout and a slew of French drops available at all the bars. Prepare to be a bit dusty on Monday, folks, it's going to be a big one. Images: Elise Hassey
The tequila is always flowing at El Camino Cantina, with the Rocks and Manly Mexican joints well-known for their margaritas. But, as anyone who loves the agave spirit knows, there's never a bad reason to keep pouring more — and International Tequila Day couldn't be a more perfect excuse. Happening on Wednesday, July 24, the celebratory date will see everyone's favourite tequila cocktail flying off the bar. When $7.50 margaritas are on the menu, that's bound to happen. Choose from the slushie or liquid form depending on your preference, and from five flavours: mango, strawberry, tropical (with Red Bull), apple and cinnamon and the regular ol' variety. Because the occasion falls on a Wednesday, you'll also be able to tuck into ten-cent wings. Even better — this is an all-day affair, so if you have time for a few drinks over lunch, or can get away from work for a chilled afternoon, then you won't go thirsty.
Don't let Sydney Fringe pass by without terrifying yourself at Hillbilly Thriller. This scary event is taking over Legs Hub's Lilyfield car park with an interactive theatre show that combines Picnic at Hanging Rock with Wolf Creek. Your adventure will begin innocently enough where so many adventures do – at the bar. But, before you know it, your fellow drinkers will be disappearing before your eyes. And, at any point, you could become one of them. All the while, you'll be trying to work out where on Earth you are, be it a campground, a dumping ground or some remote swathe of forest. Created by Legs on the Wall, Hillybilly Thriller merges live performance with film, sound and art. It'll run for a week from Sunday, September 1, with six 15-minute shows taking place every evening. Just ten tickets are available to each, so, if you're keen, dive in quick.
Imagine every single one of your dream dance parties rolled into one. We're talking representation of every decade — from the mighty 80s prom to a Cuban club straight out of the 40s to a soul train disco from the 70s. Now, turn your vision into a reality by getting your ticket to Dance All Night, Sydney Fringe Festival's closing party. Descending on the City Tatts Hub on Saturday, September 28, this truly epic shindig will have you dancing, as the name suggests: all night long. Prepare to be making shapes for six hours, from 7pm until 3am. Yep, you're going to have to recall your pre-lockout self to make the most of this one. Tix, available online, are likely to sell out pretty fast. After all, we've got to wait a whole 'other year for our next injection of Fringe fest glory and madness.
When The Proposition unleashed its outback western onto cinema screens, it did so with a distinctive sound, all thanks to Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. When The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford explored the death of an American outlaw, The Road took viewers into a post-apocalyptic wasteland and West of Memphis pondered a potential miscarriage of justice, the Australian musicians again provided the soundtrack — as they did with Hell or High Water and Wind River's crime thrills, too. Bandmates across several projects since the 90s — including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Grinderman — Cave and Ellis are Aussie icons, with careers spanning back decades before they started composing music for movies. But even if you've seen the duo play live countless times over the years, you haven't seen anything like the pair's latest show. Following its world premiere in Melbourne this August, the show is heading to the Sydney Opera House, taking over the Concert Hall for three performances across two nights this December. Cave and Ellis will take to the stage with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs to perform pieces from all of the above film scores. Watch the talented musos work through their movie output, as paired with symphonic sound and conducted by Nicholas Buc — and prepare to witness something special. Tickets for Film Music: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis go on sale at 9am on Friday, October 18 with pre-sale kicking off at 9am on Wednesday, October 16. Image: Jayden Ostwald
Get your fill of the best vegan food in town at the Vegan Day Out. Come Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3, The Cruelty Free Shop is putting together another walking tour of vegan cafes, restaurants and retailers, many of which will be offering discounts, deals and free samples to anyone who stops by. Across the two days, socially conscious eaters can stop by The Cruelty Free Shop on Glebe Point Road, and grab a map outlining their route. From there, it's all about making your way to to plant-based delights aplenty — and making a day (or weekend) of it. Whether you're a dyed-in-the-wool vegan or just curious to give it a go, you'll find a whole world of retailers catering to animal-free eating, offering meal deals, two-for-ones, coffee, wine tastings and savings on vegan groceries. The Cruelty Free Shop will also be running its own tastings throughout the day, as well as offering discounts on some of its 3000+ products. The Vegan Day Out runs from 10am–5pm on Saturday and 11am–5pm on Sunday.
2019 is shaping up to be a mighty big year for Elton John. Biopic Rocketman launches into cinemas in May, starring Kingsman's Taron Egerton as the singer and covering his wild 70s antics. The live-action version of The Lion King hits screens come July, featuring the musician's iconic tunes from the original, as well as new songs. And to cap it all off, the star himself is headed our way for a huge farewell tour. Bringing his 300-stop Farewell Yellow Brick Road shows to Australia and New Zealand between November 2019 and February 2020, John will be doing over 40 concerts across more than two months — including gigs in capital cities, a number of regional dates, and shows at A Day on the Green. Two December shows at Sydney's ICC have completely sold out. However, there are a limited number of $149 tickets available for his additional shows at Qudos Bank Arena on January 7, 9 and 14. He kicked off the extensive tour last September, embarking on a three-year global goodbye trip. When it comes to an end, he'll retire from touring after five decades on the road. If that all sounds rather massive, that's John's career in a nutshell. He's played more than 4000 shows across his career, has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and holds the record for the biggest-selling single of all time thanks to the 1997 version of 'Candle in the Wind'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVBCG6ThDk Fans can expect to feel the love through all of his hits, including 'Rocket Man', 'Tiny Dancer' 'Bennie and the Jets', 'Crocodile Rock', 'I'm Still Standing' and 'Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting' — especially the latter, you'd expect, on his six Saturday shows. The concerts will also feature never-before-seen images and videos show from John's 50-year career, which'll be displayed throughout the show, as well as a new tour wardrobe designed by Gucci. Image: Ben Gibson.
If a fresh bun, an expertly grilled patty and a slice of melted cheese is your idea of a perfect meal, then you might just have to permanent marker October 29 in your diary. Why? There are going to be a whole heap of cheap burgers to snatch up. Sydney chain Burger Project is turning five and celebrating by grilling $5 cheeseburgers at all six of its Sydney stores all day on Tuesday, October 29. Head to World Square, Gateway Circular Quay, Bondi Junction, Broadway, MLC Centre or Grosvenor Place, and grab a bargain (or, depending on how hungry you are, several). For those new to Burger Project's take on an old fave, Neil Perry's eatery whips up a hand-pressed slab of Cape Grim beef, layers it with pickles, onion, mustard and cheese, then squirts on some secret sauce. Next, it's all placed between a soft milk bun. And it tastes even better when it's less than half the regular price.
After a debut event in March this year, Liverpool on a Roll will return for a second 2019 event on Saturday, November 9. The one-night-only event showcases the community's multicultural vibes with a night of tunes, entertainment and a whole lot of food in West Hoxton's Greenway Park. The food truck lineup features heaps of international cuisines, with all dishes capped at $12. Expect burgs from Penrith's Superior Burger, shrimp po'boys from Get Shrimped, haloumi fries from Halloumilicious, Bolivian-style pork sandwiches from La Kantuta and Mr Bao's much-loved bao. For dessert there will be Thai-style ice cream rolls, Indian banana coconut wraps, apple pie jaffles, loukoumades, crème brûlée and glow-in-the-dark bubble tea. For drinks, head to the pop-up beer garden, which will be slinging cocktails and local beverages aplenty. Grab a seat by the pond as live entertainers serenade you throughout the evening, or join in on the garden games and giveaways. Liverpool on a Roll runs from 4–10pm.
Jamie's Italian Australia has had a rocky few years — with ownership changing hands and the closure of a few local stores. Luckily, the Brisbane-based Hallmark Group took over the management of the Australian restaurants and, now, perhaps in an attempt to help us put our faith back in the brand, Jamie's Italian on Pitt Street is bringing back its super-popular $50 bottomless prosecco lunches. The one-month deal will run every Saturday and Sunday (from 12–4pm) in October — and it includes a lot more than just two hours of endless sparkling wine. Each table will be served small bites to share (including those crispy polenta chips), and everyone will get a big bowl of pasta. You'll be be able to choose which one you want, too — think classics like prawn linguine and carbonara, and signatures including the truffle tagliatelle and fresh crab spaghetti. Plus, you can top it off with a dessert or an espresso martini for just $10. If we know anything, it's that people really love Jamie's Italian. As such, these lunches are sure book out fast, so front a pineapple and book it already.
If you've kicked off the new year with grand plans of health kicks and leafy green salads, you might want to put them on hold for just a few more weeks. Especially if you're a lower north shore local. That's because The Fernery's lush rooftop terrace is about to kick off a month-long festival of melted cheese. Launching Saturday, February 1 and running daily through the month, the Mosman Melted Cheese Festival is set to deliver a dairy-fuelled menu to tempt even the most hardcore cheese fiends. The limited-edition lineup covers the stretchy, the oozy and the decadently gooey, with dishes like an extra cheesy New York-style cheeseburger ($24), salty haloumi sticks ($17) and a four-cheese revamp of the classic mac and cheese ($19). There's also a honey-drizzled baked camembert served with house-baked flat bread for dipping ($17) and you'll even find a dessert cheese fix in the smooth and fluffy cheesecake teamed with fresh fruit ($16). [caption id="attachment_648349" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Fernery[/caption] The Fernery's got your drinks match sorted, too. Round out your cheesy rendezvous with a drops like Lanson Champagne ($20 glass, $99 bottle) and the Margan rosé ($12 glass, $50 bottle) out of the Hunter Valley. Images: Madeleine Ryan @ Papaya.
Clear your diary, grab your sneakers and prepare to get busy, boombastic and nostalgic — Shaggy and Sean Paul are heading on a tour of Australia this summer. It was revealed earlier this year that the two reggae stars would be headlining Southeast Queensland's inaugural One Love Festival, and, now, it has just been announced that they'll also be hitting up Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in January and February. Yes, the shows will be taking place in the summertime, but if there is a storm, we're sure Sean Paul will be able to shelter you. Enough of the song puns, though, you know the hits and you probably already have them stuck in your head. If not, we suggest you listen to (and get ready to relive), Shaggy's 'Luv Me, Luv Me' and 'It Wasn't Me', and Sean Paul's 'Get Busy' and 'No Lie'. The two 90s and 00s stars will be supported by US reggae-pop singer Josh Wawa White, too. So get ready for a full evening of reggae come summer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W5pq4bIzIw Top image: Jonathan Mannion
What do you get when you mix disco, a circus, and cabaret? Our best guess is Club Briefs, an adults-only variety show of disco, circus and burlesque that is making its return for Mardi Gras. Get ready to dance to your fave dance floor bangers and watch the crazy antics of the Briefs cast, which is made up of cabaret and circus artists from across the queer cabaret world. The show, running nightly from 8.30pm, mixes genres and ideas as they challenge stereotypes, celebrate inclusion and diversity, and explores gender, race, politics, and sexuality.
Climb aboard the Bushranger's Bullet train this June long weekend and you'll be whisked away on a mighty adventure involving food, wine, art deco cinema, live music and country pubs. Hosted by Silver Compass Tours, The Roaring Days Food and Wine Trail carries you deep into NSW's wild Central West. The shenanigans begin in a private train carriage, which leaves Central Station on the morning of Friday, June 7. It'll be loaded with wine and delicious snacks, including Dreamtime Tuka treats featuring native ingredients, to enjoy on your journey to Orange. Over the next three days, you'll watch The Legend of Ben Hall in a 1930s picture theatre, visit numerous cellar doors and explore tiny country villages in the heartland of bushranger region. Oh, and you'll eat a lot — from dinner in an old-fashioned woolshed to a gin-fuelled Devonshire tea. On Saturday evening, your tour group will get locked inside a country pub by 'bushranger Ben Hall and his gang' in an epic re-creation of an 1863 siege, which turned into a wild three-day party. Like the real event, the reimagining will feature live music, a barbecue and beers (but this time it'll only last a few hours). Your ticket includes almost everything – most meals, snacks and wine tastings, three nights in a boutique hotel in Orange and transfers. If you're not keen to catch the train, you're welcome to self-drive. There'll be day passes available if you're only interested in Saturday's festivities, too. Tickets for The Roaring Days Food and Wine Travel Experience start from $897 per person and are available here.
Dumplings, those slippery little parcels of pastry-wrapped meat and vegetables, have long been a friend to the budget-conscious. Running low on cash before pay day? Have dumplings for dinner. Saving your pennies for your next big getaway? Dumplings for dinner. Fancy eating a sizeable meal at a small price? You guessed it — and you can always change things up by having dumplings not just for dinner, but for lunch. If there's one dish that's better that an affordable plate of freshly steamed or fried dumplings, however, it's tucking into those bite-sized pieces for free. And that's what Pitt Street's New Shanghai is serving up across the weekend of Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10. Expect the joint to be busy, unsurprisingly. Just drop by the Westfield spot at three set times: between 11am–12pm, 2–3pm and 4–5pm. Three types will be on offer, two, so we hope you like mini pork and prawn wontons, chicken and celery dumplings, and pork and Chinese cabbage dumplings. And you might want to get in early, with the freebies being cooked up while stocks last.
A session at Cargo Bar is all about cold drinks by the harbour — and it isn't complete without a little (or a lot of) bubbly. Happy to oblige, the Darling Harbour venue has installed a temporary pour-your-own prosecco fountain. Instead of the bottomless tap that took up residence at The Winery throughout summer, this one will be a by-the-glass deal. For $9 a pop, you'll be able to pour your own flute of bubbly straight from the source — in this case, a shell-clad tap by the bar. The tap will be up and running every afternoon (except Mondays) until the end of March, from 4–8pm on weekdays and 12–7pm on weekends. Get your mates together, stat.
Dev Patel means business in Monkey Man, both on- and off-screen. Starring in the ferocious vengeance-dripping action-thriller, he plays Kid, a man on a mission to punish the powers that be in Yatana (a fictional Indian city inspired by Mumbai) for their injustices, and specifically for the death of his mother Neela (Adithi Kalkunte, who Patel worked with on Hotel Mumbai) when he was a boy. As the film's director, producer and co-writer, he isn't holding back either, especially in adding something to his resume that no other project has offered in his almost two decades as an actor since Skins marked his on-camera debut. Dev Patel: action star has an excellent ring to it. So does Dev Patel: action filmmaker. Both labels don't merely sound great with Monkey Man; this is a frenetic and thrilling flick, and also a layered one that marries its expertly choreographed carnage with a statement. In the post-John Wick action-movie realm, it might seem as if every actor is doing features about formidable lone forces taking on their enemies. Patel initially began working on Monkey Man over ten years ago, which is when Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Resurrections) first went avenging, but his film still acknowledges what its viewers will almost-inevitably ponder by giving John Wick a shoutout. Thinking about the Charlize Theron (Fast X)-led Atomic Blonde and Bob Odenkirk (The Bear)-starring Nobody is understandable while watching, too — but it's The Raid and Oldboy, plus the decades of Asian action onslaughts and revenge-filled Korean efforts around them, that should stick firmest in everyone's mind. All directors are product of their influences; however, Patel achieves the rare feat of openly adoring his inspirations while filtering them through his exact vision to fashion a picture that's always 100-percent his own (and 100-percent excellent). In a city that has a Gotham-New York relationship with its real-life counterpart, Kid isn't a feared assassin who other hitman consider the boogeyman. While Batman nods come through, too, he's definitely not a wealthy man about town with a secret alter ego as a saviour cleaning up the corruption that's darkening the streets. The second part is his aim, just without the cash to fund it — but before that fantasy can fall into place, he's donning a monkey mask and playing the pawn to brawnier wrestling opponents, as the sunglasses-wearing Tiger (Sharlto Copley, Patel's Chappie co-star) emcees. Losing earns him a living. It also lets him hone his fighting skills. And, it's a time-biding tactic, as Kid works his way closer to Yatana's most powerful, such as Chief of Police Rana (Sikandar Kher, Aarya), plus Sovereign Party leader and guru Baba Shakti (Makarand Deshpande, RRR). (Parallels with reality that punch through Kid's quest aren't by accident, with IRL news footage weaved in to stress the point). His stepping stone to his targets: getting a job with Queenie Kapoor (Ashwini Kalsekar, Merry Christmas), who runs restaurant-slash-brothel King's Club, which services the well-to-do. In a gig that nabs him a friend in fellow employee Alphonso (Pitobash, Prachand), Kid says that he'll do anything. He isn't lying when it comes to using his position as a means to play out the vendetta against the man who made him an orphan, as well as the Hindu nationalist organisation leader that the latter is tied to. Patel and co-writers John Collee (Boy Swallows Universe, and another Hotel Mumbai alum) and Paul Angunawela (Keith Lemon: The Film) entwine flashbacks to Kid's childhood, heartbreak and getting comeuppance for it furnishing his backstory. They also knit in Hanuman, the Hindu deity that their protagonist was told stories about when he was young — as was Patel himself — and now draws upon, as assisted by India's third-gender hijras population, as if he's becoming the monkey god himself. Originally, Monkey Man wasn't set to bounce its kinetic brutality through cinemas, nor Patel's gravitas-laced action-star performance or Sharone Meir's high-octane, often neon-lit cinematography (which follows his lensing of Silent Night, another flick about one man seeking retribution against the unscrupulous for a shattering loss). Netflix was due to be its home, then Jordan Peele's (Nope) Monkeypaw Productions stepped in to help lock in a big-screen date. (Peele, who made his own blistering filmmaking debut with Get Out, knows the route that Patel is walking intimately). The vision for Monkey Man was clearly bigger from the outset, though, and not just via frays that dance with raw energy and prove a dazzling spectacle worthy of a movie theatre's giant canvas. It's impossible not to notice that this, like much in film of late, is an origin story. Monkey Man is a calling card several times over, then: for Patel kicking ass and killing it, for the actor-turned-director behind the camera and for more to hopefully follow. To describe the aesthetic Monkey Man experience, paraphrasing The Nanny's theme tune (as thoroughly unrelated as it is) works: this has style, it has flair, and Patel is well and truly there. It has an infectious immediacy and intensity as well, aided by dizzying fist-to-fist bash, crash and smash clashes — melees that injure eyes, heads, throats, limbs and testicles alike — plus propulsive editing (by Joe Galdo, an additional editor on Ferrari; The Crowded Room's Dávid Jancsó; and Black Mirror alum Tim Murrell) and a mood-setting urgency in its score (by Australian composer Jed Kurzel, who was responsible for the sounds of Snowtown, The Babadook and Nitram). There's also meaning in the franticness as blood and sweat fly feverishly, with each face-off increasing in polish. Again, Kid as an unstoppable force isn't a given going into his first bout out of the ring. Patel hasn't become a hulking figure to look at. His character grows into the physicality of his mission, on a journey that apes his coming-of-age path — because crunching bones and smartly telling this tale aren't mutually exclusive. Paying tribute to genres and movies that Patel loves, including taking cues from the liveliness and enthusiasm of both Hong Kong actioners and Bollywood musicals, and even nodding to Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive and Only God Forgives; making a deep-feeling ode to Indian culture and myths; baking in a heated takedown of oppression, inequality and societal power used only for self-interest; exploring the impact faith has for better and for worse; honouring family: Monkey Man does it all. Patel also gives himself the kind of fierce showcase that's worlds away from the likes of Skins, Slumdog Millionaire, his Oscar-nominated Lion performance and The Personal History of David Copperfield. If his portrayal has predecessors on his filmography, it's via The Wedding Guest and The Green Knight, both vastly different flicks that delivered glimpses of where Monkey Man now takes him. That destination: a passion project that's an arrival several times over for a talent crafting his dream flick with confidence and commitment, matching mayhem with a message, and knocking it out of Monkey Man's underground fight clubs, elevators, bathrooms, hallways and everywhere else where Patel wreaks intoxicating havoc.
Calling all cheese-lovers and aficionados. Local favourite Balmain Italian restaurant Secolo has partnered with cheese expert Romana Bergamaschi, of Rozelle's Cheese Celebration, to present a unique cheese degustation dinner on Thursday, April 11. Experience the wonderful world of cheeses from across the globe, curated by Bergamaschi, with a four-course menu prepared by head chef Mattia Senesi. The menu will focus on rare varieties of cheese, including whisky-infused cheese from Piedmont, honey goat gouda from The Netherlands, and an award-winning Australian blue vein (Bergamaschi will be talking to each cheese on the night). The meal will be a seamless sensory experience – think fresh figs with gorgonzola and polenta chips, Tortino al Parmigiano (a flan filled with oozing 18-month-old Parmigiano Reggiano), and Senesi's award-winning whisky risotto – perfectly paired with a curated list of Italian wines created by Sydney sommelier Paolo Orso. The event will set you back $149; secure your spot and book now for a unique cheese-filled dining experience. [caption id="attachment_948803" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vaida Savickaite[/caption]
Move over New York — it's time for New South Wales to be overrun by a simian civilisation. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't swap the Statue of Liberty for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rather, it was just made in Australia; this franchise is long past needing to anchor itself in a specific location, but America's west coast is the in-narrative setting. No it-was-earth-all-along twists are necessary, either, as France's famous gift to the US signalled back in 1968 when Pierre Boulle's novel La Planète des singes initially made it to the screen. More than half a century later — plus four sequels to the OG Planet of the Apes, both live-action and animated TV shows, Tim Burton's (Wednesday) remake and the reboot flicks that started with 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes — the saga's basics are widely known in pop culture. The titular planet is humanity's own. In this vision of the future, a different kind of primate runs the show. Since day one, every Planet of the Apes tale has been a mirror. Gazing into the science-fiction series means seeing the power structures and societal struggles of our reality staring back — discrimination, authoritarianism and even the impact of a world-ravaging virus should ring a bell— but with humans no longer atop the pecking order. These are allegorical stories and, at their best, thoughtful ones, probing the responsibilities of being the planet's dominant force and the ramifications of taking that mantle for granted. Not every instalment has handled the task as well as it should've, but those that do leave a paw print. Coming after not just Rise of the Planet of the Apes but also 2014's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and 2017's War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes falls into that category. First helmed by Rupert Wyatt (The Gambler), with Matt Reeves (The Batman) taking over for the second two titles, the most-recent Apes trilogy had Caesar (Andy Serkis, Andor) at its centre. Raised by humans before the simian flu devastated the population and evolved apekind, he spearheaded the latter's uprising. That said, Caesar also retained his compassion for homo sapiens, especially as he gleaned how the worst traits in all primates are the same no matter what they're covered in. His time has now been and gone in the franchise. Swapping from one dystopian saga to another, The Maze Runner, The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner: Death Cure director Wes Ball picks up briefly with a farewell to Caesar — but then, for the bulk of the picture, he takes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes forward through many generations and several hundred years. The influential figure's name is now revered, and his wisdom — but, like humans, apes mould the plights and teachings of historical leaders to suit their own agendas. To some, Caesar is the reason to treat people, or "echoes" as they've been dubbed after losing the ability to speak, with kindness, understanding what the species once was and how it has fallen. For others, particularly of the power-hungry variety, he's the justification for retaining control of the planet by violence and at all costs. But in the peaceful eagle clan, birds not long-ago commanders are the main focus. So, when adolescent Noa (Owen Teague, You Hurt My Feelings), his crush Soona (Cowboy Bebop) and pal Anaya (Travis Jeffery, Before Dawn) leap into the story early, they're collecting eggs to take home, nurture and then rear the hatchlings, one of their community's rites of passage. In a narrative penned by Josh Friedman (Foundation) that nods eagerly to classic westerns, the pursuit of dominance at its most vicious at the hands of a warrior tribe taints young Noa's life quickly. Soon, everything that he knows is gone, sparking a hero's journey to rescue those among his loved ones that he can. When he crosses paths with orang-utan sage Raka (Peter Macon, The Orvill), he receives guidance, including about Caesar's pleas for ape unity. He's also counselled to tamper down his anger at and disdain for the feral human (Freya Allan, Baghead) shadowing his tracks, who he partly blames for his status quo turning to tragedy. Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand, Abigail), the ruler directing a monkey regime of carnage, only has eyes for as much authority and supremacy as he can amass — and so in him, the encampment that he's made where apes enslave apes and his staunchly anti-human ideology, Noa finds a threat. Decades since dressing up actors in costumes to play the series' apes was the norm, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes doesn't just have thematic and emotional realism on its side — it's never been hard to spot the franchise's parallels with reality — but also the verisimilitude gifted by its motion-capture approach (with Wētā FX doing the honours). That's how Serkis inhabited his part, and how Teague and company (everyone except Allan and Ricky Stanicky's William H Macy from the top-billed cast, in fact) follow in his footsteps. Serkis was a special consultant on the production, aiding the actors with their simian performances; the feelings conveyed through their work as a result are deep and affecting. Whether Teague is charting Noa's coming-of-age arc away from blissful naivety, the scene-stealing Macon is making Raka's appeal for empathy resonate or Durand is commanding every second that he's in sight as the hubristic Proximus, their portrayals are rich and insightful. Yes, you could call the performances that drive Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' "human". Painted with pixels over the top, the film's digital fur looks so vivid that audiences can be forgiven for thinking they can touch it — and that combination of naturalistic, grounded and relatable portrayals with special effects that get viewers investing in the movie's animals as animals is potent and pivotal. In a saga that's always been committed to aping the state of the off-screen world, that reflective effect is essential. Ball and his team, cinematographer Gyula Pados (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, plus the last two Maze Runner flicks) among them, also do detail and world-building well, rendering the planet a mix of lush greenery and decaying human relics that equally appears as authentic as CGI can. Their biggest struggle: that there's so much to explore in this new Planet of the Apes beginning that not everything is told as gracefully and clearly as it could be, even across 145 minutes. As with almost everything that hits screens of late, this has been conceived as the catalyst for more to come — and it earns the enthusiasm to keep swinging.
In The Hunger Games and its sequels and prequels, a post-apocalyptic totalitarian state enforces order by murder, picking children via lottery to compete until just one remains standing. Before it reached pages and screens, The Running Man, Battle Royale and Series 7: The Contenders were among the stories that got there first, always with kill-or-be-killed contests at their cores. Now Boy Kills World enters the fray, but in a city ruled over by despot Van Der Koy matriarch Hilda (Famke Janssen, Locked In), with a group of candidates chosen annually, then slaughtered at big televised display that is The Culling no matter what. The titular Boy (played by the US Goodnight Mommy remake's Nicholas and Cameron Crovetti as a kid) is the rare exception: after witnessing his sister and mother's execution in this nightmarish realm, he's simply left for dead. Making his feature debut, director Moritz Mohr (TV's Viva Berlin!) holds tight to another big-screen staple: a revenge mission. As an adult, that the role of Boy falls to Bill Skarsgård fresh from John Wick: Chapter 4 says plenty. The vengeance that's always fuelled that Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Resurrections)-led franchise, and fellow influence Oldboy as well, mixes with cinema's wealth of fight-to-the-death tales. Also thrown in with the fervour of a fan mixing together his favourite things — which is Mohr's unapologetic approach from start to finish — is a colour scheme that Kill Bill also deployed, Deadpool-style humour and violence, notes cribbed from Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman movies and Argylle with its carnage, and nods to video games and Hong Kong action fare plus Looney Tunes and anime. Accordingly, the make-what-you-adore school of action filmmaking gets another spin with a first-time helmer in 2024, alongside Dev Patel's Monkey Man. Revelling in cartoonishness is unique to Mohr's flick, however — right down to enlisting H Jon Benjamin, aka the voice of Sterling Archer and Bob Belcher in Archer and Bob's Burgers, respectively, as Boy Kills World's narrator. He's Boy's voice, in fact. When we said that Skarsgård's casting says much, it has to; his steps into the red vest of a protagonist who is deaf and mute, and his is a physically expressive instead of vocal performance. Cue Benjamin to utter Boy's explanatory inner monologue, and cue the makings of a modern-day silent-film star in Skarsgård (his next part is a remake of silent classic Nosferatu by Robert Eggers, who directed his brother Alexander in The Northman, and it has the perfect lead if ditching dialogue like the OG movie was on the cards). As penned by Tyler Burton Smith (2019's Child's Play remake) and Arend Remmers (Oderbruch) — based on a story by Remmers and Mohr, and also a proof-of-concept short that helped the pair get iconic Evil Dead filmmaker Sam Raimi (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) onboard as a producer — Boy Kills World's script is as busy as the movie's list of influences. Mostly, it's packed with characters, and mainly with adversaries for Boy to smash, crash and bash his way through. After experiencing the life-changing trauma of losing his kin at such a young age, he gets set on his course for retaliation by training in the forest with the Shaman (and yes, that The Raid, The Raid 2 and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum's Yayan Ruhian is in the role is also telling about Mohr's inspirations). Boy is primed for clash after clash (after clash after clash), then, as his campaign for eye-for-an-eye retribution kicks into gear. Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey: A New Era) as Hilda's sister Melanie, Sharlto Copley (who was also in Monkey Man) as Melanie's husband Glen, Jessica Rothe (the Happy Death Day franchise) as family enforcer June27: they're all in Boy's way. By his side, he has a hallucination of his sister Mina (Punky Brewster), as well as resistance fighter Basho (Andrew Koji, Warrior) in the flesh. A knack for casting also pumps through Boy Kills World beyond its star, but this is always Skarsgård's show. Bill kills. He's traversed dystopias before in Allegiant, grappled with the complexities of a ruling class in Anna Karenina, been immersed in a single-minded mission in Atomic Blonde, given the Deadpool vibe a spin in Deadpool 2, and conveyed everything through his eyes as IT and IT: Chapter Two's Pennywise — and, sporting an action-star physique, he's a find-someone-who-can-do-it-all lead as Boy. If you need an actor to play a literally silent-type hero and play the hell out of it, Skarsgård is clearly your man. Three questions linger at the heart of Mohr's film, though, two within the storyline and themes, and one for audiences. The first: what makes the action archetype at Boy Kills World's centre truly tick? The second: in a bloodthirsty crusade for reprisals, what's genuinely right and what's wrong? And the third: although this is an impressively choreographed affair that values stunts as much as The Fall Guy (Black Widow and Kingsman: The Golden Circle alum Dawid Szatarski is responsible for the flick's spectacle as its action director and designer, and also fight co-ordinator), would its genre mashup work without Skarsgård's magnetism? The initial pair of queries are thought starters rather than inquiries that receive a firm answer; they're Boy Kills World's efforts to note that revenge tales and their unspeaking protagonists could use some unpacking. The third question, unsurprisingly, earns a hearty no. Skarsgård gives Boy Kills World its strongest element, and leaves it with a calling card as both an action force and a silent wonder. Mohr ends the feature with his own as an enthusiastic filmmaker giving his all to a highly stylised and slapstick love letter. And for viewers? The quippy humour is spotty, as is the relentlessly frenetic cinematography (by Dark Satellites' Peter Matjasko) that can swing from feverish to exhausting — and, while jam-packed, the film feels its 111-minute length. Still, being entertained by the sheer delirious display of it all, with the picture's B-movie energy, love of gore and unwillingness to hold back, is as easy as inserting coins into an arcade machine.
What better way is there to beat the Sunday scaries than with a couple of cold beers surrounded by adorable greyhounds? Yulli's Brews is facilitating a greyhound-filled afternoon at its Alexandria brewery on Sunday, April 16 to raise money for Greyhound Rescue and encourage adoption of some four-legged pals. Adoption and Ales will run from 1–6pm, with the local independent beer-maker's full range of beers pouring, the grill firing in the kitchen and a friendly group of hounds from Greyhound Rescue hanging out in the brewery. Yulli's is setting up a karma keg on the day which will be raising money to help re-home pups in need. You can just head in and enjoy a beer, mingle with the dogs, chat with the volunteers about info on greyhound adoption, or start the application process on the spot. Anyone who does apply on the day will receive a free LickiMat Enrichment Kit for their new greyhound to enjoy. Plus, other dogs are welcome to come along and join in on the fun.
If you haven't had the opportunity to visit BrewDog's massive South Eveleigh beer bar, a long weekend full of cheap beers might be just what you need to twist your arm. The 910-capacity venue — one of our favourite dog-friendly bars in Sydney — is staying open every day of the Easter long weekend and sweetening the deal with a bumper happy hour. Every day between Monday, April 3–Monday, April 10 you can get pints for schooner prices for two hours. The Tappy Hour promotion runs on the bar's core beer range from 2–4pm across the eight days. That includes the BrewDog Pale Ale and IPA, the Lost Larger, the Hazey Jane, the Punk XPA, the citrusy Elvis Juice and the Brownsnake Ginger Beer — all for up to $4.80 off per pint. There will also be free bar snacks available throughout the week. Plus BrewDog's usual deals will be in full swing, including all-you-can-eat chicken and cauliflower wings for $25 on Wednesday and two-for-one vegan mains on Easter Monday.
Baba's Place has been doing pop-ups and special one-off events for a while — before the team even found its home in Marrickville. The Baba's Place story started with collaborations at beloved inner-west venues like Rolling Penny and Bush, and since opening a permanent restaurant last year, the team has hosted a range of events from art exhibitions to Baltic wine nights. On Sunday, July 26, Baba and co are celebrating Georgian khachapuri with the help of Melbourne's Gray & Gray Food and Wine. The Khachapuri Street Party will be happening from midday until 4pm on the Sunday, with plenty of Georgian eats, wine and music. Khachapuri is a form of wood-fired bread often filled with cheese and egg. There will be four variants of the doughy treats on offer: the Adjaruli filled with three cheese, egg yolk and NSW truffles; the Kharcho Dream boat featuring beef gravy, parmesan cream, pickled onion and red adjika; the Flaky Meskhetian packed with Baba's specialty fetta, mushroom and onion; plus the Gurian Sunrise with potato, cheese, roasted garlic, spring onion and egg. Entry is free, just head down and nab yourself a hearty weekend lunch and a glass of wine.
Stop us when Lost Illusions no longer sounds familiar. You won't; it won't, either. Stop us when its 19th century-set and -penned narrative no longer feels so relevant to life today that you can easily spot parts of it all around you. Again, that won't happen. When the handsome and involving French drama begins, its protagonist knows what he wants to do with his days, and also who he loves. Quickly, however, he learns that taking a big leap doesn't always pan out if you don't hail from wealth. He makes another jump anyway, out of necessity. He gives a new line of work a try, finds new friends and gets immersed in a different world. Alas, appearances just keep meaning everything in his job, and in society in general. Indeed, rare is the person who doesn't get swept up, who dares to swim against the flow, or who realises they might be sinking rather than floating. The person weathering all of the above is Lucien Chardon (Benjamin Voisin, Summer of 85), who'd prefer to be known as Lucien de Rubempré — his mother's aristocratic maiden name. It's 1821, and he's a poet and printer's assistant in the province of Angoulême when the film begins. He's also having an affair with married socialite Louise de Bargeton (Cécile de France, The French Dispatch), following her to Paris, but their bliss is soon shattered. That's why he gives journalism a try after meeting the equally ambitious Etienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste, Irma Vep), then taking up the offer of a tabloid gig after failing to get his poetry published. Lucien climbs up the ranks quickly, both in the scathing newspaper business — where literary criticism is literally cash for comment — and in the right Parisian circles. But even when he doesn't realise it, his new life weighs him down heavily. Lost Illusions spins a giddy tale, but not a happy one. It can't do the latter; exactly why is right there in the title. As a film, it unfurls as a ravishing and intoxicating drama that's deeply funny, moving and astute — one that's clearly the product of very particular set of skills. No, Liam Neeson's recent on-screen resume doesn't factor into it, not for a second. Instead, it takes an immensely special talent to spin a story like this, where every moment is so perceptive and each piece of minutiae echoes so resoundingly. The prowess behind this seven-time César Award-winner belongs to three people: acclaimed novelist Honoré de Balzac, who wrote the three-part Illusions perdues almost 200 years ago; filmmaker Xavier Giannoli (Marguerite), who so entrancingly adapts and directs; and Jacques Fieschi (Lovers), who co-scripts with the latter. There's more to Lucien's story — pages upon pages more, where his tale began; 149 minutes in total, as his ups and downs now play out on the screen. When Louise decides that he doesn't fit in, with help from the scheming Marquise d'Espard (Jeanne Balibar, Memoria), spite rains his way. When Etienne introduces him to the realities of the media at the era, and with relish, he's brought into a dizzying whirlwind of corruption, arrogance, fame, power, money and influence. When Lucien starts buying into everything he's sold about the whys and hows of his new profession, and the spoils that come with it, Lost Illusions couldn't be more of a cautionary tale. Everything has a price: the glowing words he gleefully types, the nasty takedowns of other people's rivals and the entire act of spending his days doing such bidding for the highest fee. Balzac's text was of its time — albeit savagely so — and also ahead of its time. Or, you could say that the years and technologies have changed since the 1800s, obviously, but human nature hasn't. Giannoli and Fieschi intentionally tease out Lost Illusions' still-relevant and even prescient notions, of course, and the result is a movie that looks rich and period-appropriate in every frame, and yet also feels timeless. Part of that sensation stems from the verve with which Giannoli helms, even with his feature sprawling across such a lengthy duration. Like Lucien when he naively thinks that his dreams are achievable in the film's first act, or when he later eagerly laps up the benefits of his choices — despite fellow writer Nathan d'Anastazio's (Xavier Dolan, IT: Chapter Two) attempts to warn him otherwise, and as his decisions start to impact his new girlfriend Coralie (Salome Dewaels, Working Girls), an actress — Lost Illusions has a spring, bounce and dance in its step. Yes, that's Xavier Dolan, director of Heartbeats, Laurence Anyways, Tom at the Farm, Mommy and more, in a tremendous supporting role as one of Lucien's rivals. Giannoli gets the very best out of his supporting cast, including the always-welcome Lacoste, his Irma Vep co-star Balibar and the ever-reliable de France. But, as wonderful as each proves, none are tasked with conveying exactly what the movie's moniker exclaims. When viewers meet Nathan, Etienne, the Marquise and Louise, none have many illusions to lose. Voisin, with eyes that gleam so brightly when Lucien is praised for his poems in his provincial home town, is saddled with seeing fantasies crash, morals twist, hopes wither and hard truths set in. He has to express Lucien's growing lust for status, too, as well as his increasing willingness to shrug off the ramifications. It's a thorny part, and a consummate performance. While Voisin was also superb in Summer of 85, he's even better here. Lost Illusions has much to say about heads filled with dreams; about quests to become the hero of one's own narrative; about the forces, such as cynicism, cash, class structures and an obsession with how everything looks, that trample earnestness and sincerity. It enlists narration to help voice it, but the intricate imagery lensed by cinematographer Christophe Beaucarne (Hold Me Tight) utters plenty anyway. Although almost everything glitters and appears exquisitely golden, little is beyond aesthetics. This is a film where opinions are bought, and not just in print. Paying for boos at theatre shows, including the more sensationalistic productions on "the boulevard of crime", is so commonplace that no one questions it. Lost Illusions itself wouldn't ever need the same tactics IRL, but this movie exists in a world where nothing it explores seems fanciful, farcical, an imagining of fiction or a relic of history. If viewers had any illusions otherwise, prepare to lose them in this sumptuous and savvy picture.
