Dear Dear Evan Hansen: don't. If a movie could write itself a letter like the eponymous figure in this stage-to-screen musical does, that's all any missive would need to communicate. It could elaborate, of course. It could caution against emoting to the back row, given that cinema is a subtler medium than theatre. It could advise against its firmly not-a-teenager lead Ben Platt, who won one of the Broadway hit's six Tony Awards, but may as well be uttering "how do you do, fellow kids?" on the big screen. It could warn against shooting the bulk of the feature like it's still on a stage, just with more close-ups. Mostly, though, any dispatch from any version of Dear Evan Hansen — treading the boards or flickering through a projector — should counsel against the coming-of-age tale's horrendously misguided milk-the-dead-guy narrative. When the most interesting thing about a character is their proximity to someone that's died, that's rarely a great sign. It's the realm of heartstring-tugging illness weepies and romances where partners or parents are bereaved, sweeping love stories are shattered and families are forever altered, and it uses the sickness or death of another person purely as a prop to make someone that's alive and healthy seem more tragic. That's worlds away from engaging sincerely with confronting mortality, loss, grief or all three, as so few movies manage — although Babyteeth did superbly in 2020 — and it's mawkish, manipulative storytelling at its worst. Dear Evan Hansen gives the formula a twist, however, and not for the better. Here, after a classmate's suicide, the titular high schooler pretends he was his closest friend, including to the dead kid's family. A anxious, isolated and bullied teen who returns from summer break with a fractured arm, Evan (Platt, The Politician) might be the last person to talk to Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan, one of the Broadway production's understudies). It isn't a pleasant chat, even if Connor signs Evan's cast — which no one else has or wants to. In the school library, Evan prints out a letter to himself as a therapy exercise, but Connor grabs it first, reads it, then gets furious because it mentions his sister Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick). Cue days spent fretting on Evan's part, wondering if he'll see the text splashed across social media. Instead, he's soon sitting with Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams, The Woman in the Window) and her husband Larry (Danny Pino, Fatale), who inform him of Connor's suicide — and that they found Evan's 'Dear Evan Hansen' note on him, and they're sure it's their son's last words. With his high school misery amply established through catchy songs, and his yearning to connect as well, Evan opts to go along with the Murphys' mistaken belief, including the idea that he and Connor were secretly the best of pals. As penned for both theatre and film by Steven Levenson (Tick, Tick... Boom!) — with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman) — this plot point is meant to play with awkwardness and longing, but it's simply monstrous. Indeed, the longer it goes on, with Evan spending more time with Connor's wealthy family than with his own mum Heidi (Julianne Moore, Lisey's Story), a nurse always working double shifts, the more ghastly it proves. It's lazy writing, too, because this isn't just a tale that defines its lead by their connection to a deceased person; it's about someone who intentionally makes that move themselves, then remains the recipient of all the movie's sympathies. It'd be generous to wonder if Dear Evan Hansen feels more nuanced and earnest writ large on the stage — genuinely reckoning with Evan's actions, which see him become a viral sensation and inspiration, rather than merely excusing his lies because he's lonely, and also dismissing Connor as mostly angry and unliked. Or, if perhaps the theatre version highlights the potential dark comedy in such abhorrent choices being made by a teen that desperate to fit it and be found by others. Either way, it wouldn't change the movie's approach. Director Stephen Chbosky has a history with disaffected youth thanks to The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which he adapted from his own novel. Via the same film, he also has form with oversimplifying details to evoke strong emotional reactions. That's Dear Evan Hansen all over, no matter how unconvincingly it tries to be an uplifting tale of self-acceptance. Platt's casting doesn't help; he played a college student almost a decade ago in Pitch Perfect, and was never going to pass for a high schooler under a camera's gaze, especially with such emphatic and mannered overacting. He's inescapably forceful, appears to think he's still in a theatre and really just resembles an adult satirising teens. While Dear Evan Hansen sings heartfelt ballads about sociopathic behaviour, and bakes cognitive dissonance deep into its frames as a result, it'd be far too magnanimous to see Platt's performance as a response to the musical's many thematic and tonal mismatches. His co-stars can't save the film, but they surround him with far better work — especially from the reliably impressive Dever, plus Adams and Moore making the most of their thin parts, and also Amandla Stenberg (The Eddy) as one of Evan's high-achieving but also struggling classmates. Those standout supporting performances illustrate one of the movie's most unfortunate traits, apart from the story it's working with: its constant and incessant self-sabotage. Among the cast and the film's aesthetic choices, there's occasionally enough that hits its marks, but that can't balance out everything that doesn't. The fluid and kinetic camerawork busted out for early number 'Sincerely, Me' delivers another prime example, noticeably contrasting with the feature's otherwise static look and mood — only for the latter to return once it's done. Of course, lively cinematography and choreography could never overcome Dear Evan Hansen's questionable narrative and wildly misplaced sentiments, or its misfire of a central portrayal, but so many of the picture's choices feel like it's writing hate mail to itself.
First, the sad news: Melbourne Queer Film Festival doesn't run year-round. That makes its in-person festivals all the more special, of course, but hitting a Melbourne cinema isn't the only way to get your MQFF fix in 2022 — including if you live beyond the Victorian capital. Spreading its program of LGBTQIA+ movies as far and wide as it can, MQFF also has an online component this year called MQFF+. Streaming from Monday, November 21–Sunday, November 27, it features 25 films that you can watch from home. Yes, that's more than half of the physical lineup, complete with many of the fest's big highlights. On the bill: the Brazilian titles that both launched and wrapped up the fest in-person, aka opening night's Private Desert, about a genderfluid blue-collar worker in an online relationship who goes missing; and closing night's Uýra: The Rising Forest, focusing on trans-indigenous artist Uýra. Or, among other highlights, movie lovers can check out Blitzed!, about the eponymous London nightclub, with Boy George, Princess Julia and Spandau Ballet sharing their memories; Black as U R, a documentary about the lack of attention paid to the black queer community; Youtopia, exploring the inadvertent formation of a hipster cult; and My Emptiness and I hones in on a young trans call-centre worker. Films are available individually, or with three- and five-movie passes — with the latter giving cinephiles a discount.
Between Thursday, December 8–Wednesday, December 14, Palace Cinemas is giving movie buffs in Sydney an extra present. 'Tis the season, after all. It's not just the gift of great flicks — that is, the chain's daily bread and butter — but the gift of cheap great flicks. The one catch: you need to be a Palace Movie Club member. Head to the company's venues around the city — so at Norton Street, Verona, The Chauvel and Palace Central — across the week in question, and you'll only pay $8 to see a film. Haven't yet seen Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bros, Don't Worry Darling or Top Gun: Maverick yet? Catching up will cost you $8. Keen to check out Decision to Leave, Bones and All, She Said, The Menu, Seriously Red, Violent Night, The Velvet Queen and Armageddon Time? Also $8. We'd keep naming movies, but you get the picture. Booking in advance is highly recommended, given how much everyone loves going to the flicks for little more than the price of a cup of coffee. If you do nab your tickets online, you will have to add a transaction fee to the cost. You won't be able to use the $8 deal on special events and film festivals, or on two-for-one offers and other deals — but you've now got plenty of movies to see for cheap.
Pair the wonders of the night sky with the sweet sound of the cello at a new experience from Blue Mountains Stargazing. Taking over the Wentworth Falls lookout in the Blue Mountains from 8.30pm on Saturday, December 10, this symphonic stargazing session will feature live performances from local cellist Emily Williams and celebrated didgeridoo player Charlie McMahon. Attendees will arrive to experience the sunset over Jamison Valley before being treated to the music of Williams and McMahon. From there, an astronomy workshop will be led by astrophysicist Dimitri Douchin with the assistance of laser guides. The workshop will feature constellation storytelling; star observation using the naked eye, telescopes and binoculars; and a Q&A with Douchin. As you gaze up at the sky, you'll also be treated to a free hot chocolate before Williams returns for a final cello performance. Tickets will set you back $110 for adults, $80 for children and $90 for concession tickets.
The 90s were great. That shouldn't be a controversial opinion. Whether you lived through them or have spent the last couple of decades wishing you did — aka binging on 90s pop culture — Oxford Art Factory's New Year's Eve shindig will indulge both your retro and your festive urges. Drinks, tunes, fashion: expect all of the above at the No Scrubs: 90s and Early 00s party from 9pm on NYE. Of course, it's up to you to make sure the clothing side of thing is covered, and to get into the spirit of the season. If you want to use Mariah Carey as a style icon, it'd be fitting. Whatever you choose to wear, there's a costume competition giving away more than bragging rights. Expect to unleash your inner Spice Girl and Backstreet Boy too. TLC, Destiny's Child, Savage Garden, Usher, Blink-182, No Doubt — we'd keep listing artists, but you all know what you're getting yourselves into. Entry costs $30.19 in advance, with the fun running through until 3am. That price includes a free glass of sparkling on arrival, and you'll pay for your 90s- and 00s-inspired cocktail specials from there. Top image: Destination NSW.
One person's favourite film can be another's cinematic nightmare, and vice versa, but every ten years the British Film Institute's Sight & Sound magazine names the best flicks ever made anyway. From a wide-ranging poll, it compiles a list of the 100 greatest movies of all time — and if you're a movie buff, you'll know that 2022's rundown is newly upon us, stacked with stellar pictures and has been sparking plenty of debate. Simply perusing and arguing about these kinds of rankings is one way to engage. Using the poll to fill in gaps in your cinema knowledge is a better way, and Golden Age Cinema & Bar is here to help. From Thursday, December 28 till the end of summer, it's screening a selection of titles currently considered the greatest of the greatest. If you haven't seen them, you're in for a treat. If you have but not on a big screen, you are as well. Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time: A Selection includes this year's number-one pick, of course — and there really isn't anything else like Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (which we also recommended to you back at the beginning of the pandemic when we were all streaming flicks about loneliness, isolation and confinement). Other highlights on the clearly stacked bill include Stanley Kubrick's masterpieces 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining, the always-stunning Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut, the mafia dramas ofThe Godfather and Goodfellas, recent heartbreaker Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Studio Ghibli's gorgeous My Neighbor Totoro and Jane Campion's Oscar sensation The Piano. Or, there's David Lynch's Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window and Vertigo, and Claire Denis' Beau Travail, because Golden Age has curated a mighty impressive shortlist. Including Casablanca, In the Mood for Love, Rashomon, The Red Shoes, The Apartment, Blade Runner and Citizen Kane, too, there's 33 films on the lineup in total.
From road trips to romantic getaways, the South Coast has already given us a long list of reasons to visit. But it looks like Shoalhaven's iconic Huskisson Hotel has gone one better and added another to the calendar — collaborating with Fever Tree and Shoalhaven Council to host this year's Gin Flight Festival. And we're not mad about it. Held at White Sands Park (adjoining the Husky) on Saturday, November 26, Gin Flight Festival will see both local and big-city distillery heavyweights — including Hendrick's slinging some deliciously fruity creations — mixing up their best juniper berry-based cocktails across two fun-filled timeslots. And, whether you enjoy a family-friendly daytime session from midday to 4pm, or kick on for an evening sesh from 4.30 to 8pm, you're guaranteed some gin-credible beachside party vibes. At this all-ages event, you can expect lawn games overlooking the beautiful bay, a lineup of live musos and plenty of photo opportunities in Gin Flight's signature floral swing. Hungry? Pack your own picnic rug, and check out some ridiculously fresh food pop-ups showcasing top-notch local cuisine. If you've ever wondered if there was any way to improve a weekend away at Husky — where you can enjoy direct access to the Huskisson Hotel and Beach, whale-watching cruises, as well as some of the best cafes, restaurants and bars in Jervis Bay — then adding an epic gin festival to the mix should just about it do it. Tickets to this unmissable event are $15 + processing fee (for adults children under 18 are free), and sure to sell out fast, so head to the website and select your preferred session today.
One of Sydney's venues is going green this summer, celebrating a big pop-culture phenomenon that's still getting plenty of affection two decades after it first hit. Yes, after all this time, everyone still loves animated favourite Shrek. So, Oxford Art Factory is hosting the ultimate Shrek party for adults: Shrek Rave. Rediscover why it really isn't easy being an ogre while listening to a Shrek DJ set, and joining in on a Smash Mouth sing-along. Still remember the words to the band's version of 'I'm a Believer'? Of course you do, and you have the song stuck in your head right now. Also part of the fun: Shrek-themed drink specials including Shrek Juice, Donkey Drank and Farquaad Fizz; free green glow sticks; an all-green dress code (obviously); a free green glitter bar; and a prize for best Shrek-inspired outfit. Here, all that glitters is indeed gold — and green — with the party happening from 9pm on Saturday, January 14. Tickets cost $30.19 per person. And yes, there's an earlier event in November, but it has already sold out because Sydneysiders sure do adore Shrek that much.
Whisky and oysters and Mapo, oh my. On Sunday, November 26, The Rocks will be the setting for the launch of Waterford Whisky: Waterford Single Farm Festival, hosted by whisky haunt The Doss House. Entry to the festival is free, and you can expect pop-ups from plenty of local producers, including freshly shucked oysters from East 33, baked goodies from organic bakery Infinity Bakery, specially-made whisky and cocoa gelato from Newtown favourite Mapo, as well as toasties and snacks courtesy of The Doss House. Also on the agenda for the day are Waterford Whisky Cocktails, whisky-tasting flights and traditional and contemporary Irish music performed live. Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky is making waves and breaking traditions in the spirits world. Not only does it drop the traditional 'e' found in Irish whiskey, but it is also the first on the island to bring in traceability to showcase its dram's terroir (or téireoire as it calls it, a combination of the Irish for Ireland, Éire, and terroir) and produce the world's first biodynamic whisky. It is the brainchild of Mark Reynier, former head of Bruichladdich and Renegade Spirits, who will be attending the launch festival and hosting an intimate masterclass tasting of the never-before-seen range, which includes the aforementioned biodynamic whisky, a certified organic whisky, a single farm origin tipple, and a super smoky peated number. Tickets to the whisky masterclass will set you back $70.14, plus the booking fee, places are extremely limited, so be sure to book your spot on the website. The Doss House isn't the only place you will be able to find Reynier this summer. He's hosting Waterford Whisky tastings across the eastern coast. Starting at The Gresham, Brisbane, on November 23; then The Oak Barrel, Sydney, on November 27; then on to 18th Amendment, Melbourne, on November 28; before finishing up at The Elysian, Melbourne, on November 29. The Doss House has a very close connection to Waterford Distillery; owner Ciara Doran's family farm back in Ireland is one of the hundred Irish growers supplying barley to Waterford. The single-origin whisky made from these grains is yet to be released, but it is a full-circle moment for Doran and her family as her venue was chosen as the site for the official launch of the whisky in Australia. Images: Alana Dimou
Edgar Wright's Don't and Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the SS must be on their way to the big screen soon. With Thanksgiving's arrival, three of the five films teased as trailers in 2007's Grindhouse — and at the time only conceived to exist as those faux trailers — have come to full-length feature fruition. So, the double of Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof didn't just give the world biochemical zombies and a murdering stuntman, but Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun and now Eli Roth's turkey-holiday slasher horror. In this first stint behind the lens since 2021 documentary Fin, plus 2018's vastly dissimilar Death Wish and The House with a Clock in Its Walls before that, the Cabin Fever and Hostel filmmaker knows the right mood: when you're plating up a film that began as a gag ad, leaning into both tropes and a knowing vibe is the best choice for carving a path forward. There's a downside to the joke beginning and happy winking now, though: Thanksgiving sure does love sticking to a tried-and-tested recipe. Roth and screenwriter Jeff Rendell, both returning from 16 years back and sharing a story credit, have taken to the whole "Halloween but Thanksgiving" approach with the utmost dedication — because it's as plain as a roasted bird centrepiece that that's what they've purposely cooked up. The mood, the nods, the derivation: they don't add up to a new masterpiece, however, genre-defining, cult or otherwise. But there's something to be said for a film that commits to its bit with this much relish, so bluntly and openly, and with the tongue-in-cheek attitude that was baked into the Grindhouse package slathered on thick. And yes, the image that no one has forgotten for almost two decades returns, alongside other signature shots from Thanksgiving's proof-of-concept sneak peek. As they splatter around gore, not gravy, plus guts that don't belong to poultry, Roth and Rendell have given themselves a task: reverse-engineering an entire feature from a spoof trailer that made fun not just of holiday horror flicks, but of Roth's part in torture porn's boom. They're also eager to ensure that their picture locks in its place on the occasion-centric viewing calendar. The raucous Thanksgiving slides in before Black Christmas and New Years' Evil, dates-wise, and joins a roster that also spans My Bloody Valentine and April Fools' Day. This slice of the scary-movie spectrum isn't small, both in general and with past Thanksgiving-themed fare — for the latter, see also: Blood Rage, Black Friday, Blood Freak, ThanksKilling and Boogeyman, and more — but, blatantly angling for sequels as well, Roth and Rendell don't just want to dish up one serving. Thanksgiving could go by Black Thursday, the shopping opportunity that's also been dubbed Grey Thursday and Brown Thursday, because that's when and why its carnage commences. The place is still Plymouth, Massachusetts, and the slasher who'll start offing teens still nabs disguise cues from pilgrims — wearing a John Carver mask specifically, which noticeably resembles not just Plymouth Colony's first governor but V for Vendetta's Guy Fawkes mask — but the 2022-set opening is all about a crushing trip to score bargains. At RightMart, the masses gather when it's traditionally dinnertime, demanding with increasing ferocity to be let inside. The shoving and shouting becomes a stampede after the crowd sees Jessica Wright (Nell Verlaque, Big Shot) and her friends enter early because it's her dad Thomas' (Rick Hoffman, Billions) store. For some, the results are fatal, whether via being caught underfoot, copping shards of glass or getting scalped by trolleys. In adding to the bowl while spooning in pieces from horror classics, Roth and Rendell take inspiration not just Halloween but from Dawn of the Dead — aka that shopping spree gone savage — as well as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. If Thanksgiving was a feast itself, it'd be everything from dark and light meat with cranberry sauce to sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie smashed together in a blender. Here's another mission on Roth's list: crafting killer setpieces and slayings, with the Black Thursday onslaught at the top of the heap. Not every death is inventive, but this movie and its director are all about the audience impact, with endeavouring to incite cheers, screams and laughs their stuffing and seasoning. That said, Thanksgiving is strongest when it's fresh out of the oven, then dutifully works through its recreated offings from the Grindhouse trailer and soon proves content with a stock-standard cat-and-mouse game. The bulk of the flick occurs a year following the RightMart riot, when Jessica and her fellow survivor pals Gabby (Addison Rae, He's All That), Evan (Tomaso Sanelli, Holly Hobbie), Scuba (Gabriel Davenport, Mistletoe Time Machine) and Yulia (Jenna Warren, The Young Arsonists) get tagged in a creepy social-media post. Then a diner employee turns up dead not long after waiting on them, a spree begins, and Sheriff Newlon (Patrick Dempsey, Disenchanted) and his colleagues aren't much help. Although biting into consumerism's worst impulses is on the menu, as is satirising the chase for viral fame in these always-posting times, the themes and plot aren't the main course. That status goes to upping the body count with bloodthirsty and grisly enthusiasm. The key thing to be thankful for here is that Thanksgiving's creative forces are patently having schlocky fun, including with their McDreamy casting, practical effects and some visual moments — and they don't ever stomach being subtle about it. Ditching the throwback look hasn't meant scrapping the 70s-esque tone or toning down the revelling in getting gruesome. There's a difference between appreciating how much enjoyment went into whipping up the movie and consistently having more than a by-the-numbers time with it, though. Excited chefs can still cook average meals with sprinklings of flavour, as Roth does. There's also one goal that Thanksgiving threw out with the bones: creating a picture that doesn't make viewers certain that they saw most of the best bits in that years-ago trailer.
For most, there isn't much in Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel The Color Purple that screams for the musical spin. Broadway still came calling. On the page, this tale always featured a jazz and blues singer as a key character. When it initially reached the screen in 1985 with Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans) directing, it also worked in an anthem that earned an Oscar nomination and has been much-covered since; Quincy Jones composed the film's score and produced the movie. But if the idea of lavish song-and-dance numbers peppered throughout such a bleak account of incest, rape, domestic abuse, racism, injustice, violence and poverty feels like hitting a wrong note, claims otherwise keep springing. First arrived 2005's Tony-winning stage adaptation, then 2015's also-awarded revival. Now, joining the ranks of books that became movies, then musicals, then musical movies just like the new Mean Girls, a second feature brings Walker's story to cinemas — this time with belted-out ballads and toe-tapping tunes. With each take, The Color Purple's narrative has predominantly remained the same as when it first hit bookshelves, crushing woe, infuriating prejudice and rampant inequity included. Musicals don't have to be cheery, but how does so much brutality give rise to anything but mournful songs? The answer here: by leaning into the rural Georgia-set tale's embrace of hope, resilience and self-discovery. Ghanaian director Blitz Bazawule follows up co-helming Beyoncé's Black Is King by heroing empowerment and emancipation in his version of The Color Purple — and while the film that results can't completely avoid an awkward tonal balance, it's easy to see the meaning behind its striving for a brighter outlook. When what its characters go through as Black women in America's south in the early 20th century is so unsparing, welcoming wherever light can pierce the gloom is a human reaction, and how Celie (American Idol-winner Fantasia Barrino in her feature film debut) copes. Although the sun streams, there's little that's merry about The Color Purple's protagonist's existence when the latest movie begins, or afterwards. On her second pregnancy to her bullying father Alfonso (Deon Cole, Black-ish), who sees her as mere property, the teen Celie (fellow first-timer Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, who was a writer on Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies) knows that this baby will be snatched from her again. But at least she has her sister Nettie (Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid) to dote on, cling to and protect — until she doesn't. Celie is traded to farmer Mister (Colman Domingo, Rustin) for a cow and a couple of eggs, after he asks for Nettie. The younger sibling soon comes knocking on the door after Celie is burdened with cooking, cleaning, mothering his existing kids and weathering more abuse; however, the sisters are forced apart when Mister still can't get what he wants. Heartbreak is The Color Purple's baseline: over Celie's abhorrent treatment by her dad, and then by Mister; at two girls with nothing else to rely on being torn so cruelly from each other; and at the onslaught of pain that keeps streaming, and widely. With Sofia (Oscar-nominee Danielle Brooks, Peacemaker), the wife of Mister's son Harpo (Corey Hawkins, Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter), Celie meets someone who is unapologetic about her place in the world — even in such a harsh and discriminatory world — only for the xenophobic use of the law to cut her down. With aforementioned crooner Shug Avery (Taraji P Henson, Abbott Elementary), who Mister would prefer to have by his side, she finds more than a push towards self-confidence, a true confidant and friendship; alas, happiness in any form is so frequently fleeting. This Marcus Gardley (I'm a Virgo)-penned The Color Purple might package its championing of persistence and sisterhood with emotion-dripping songs, but it still shares much with its big-screen predecessor beyond its plot. Many holdovers come via personnel. Spielberg and Jones return, both as producers. Oprah Winfrey does the same, swapping from playing Sofia in her acting debut the first time around, which earned her both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. Another of the original movie's key cast members pops up for a cameo appearance. Also a blatant commonality: that film iterations of this story continue to tamp down The Color Purple's queer romance. 'What About Love?', a duet between Celie and Shug, is a dreamy picture-stealer. As Shug helps Celie to finally value her own desires, Barrino and Henson make a glowing pair. There's passion in their rousing relationship — but if 2024 isn't the time to make their love more than a footnote, then when? Alongside getting audiences yearning for more of Celie and Shug together, that standout tune epitomises a facet of the film that's evident from the very moment that anyone starts singing: this is a stagey production. When musical numbers are pitched as lively escapist fantasies, which isn't rare, Bazawule appears to be making the choice purposefully. Again, although it doesn't always go as smoothly as planned, the reasoning tracks. For Celie and Sofia in particular, finding ways to persevere through everything that they endure, and to retain or regain any sense of spirit, means confronting big emotions. And just as it does in a theatre rather than a cinema, The Color Purple as a musical goes big when those feelings are released through song. (The movie also gets overly enthusiastic with its editing, which proved the case when Jon Poll took on the same role on The Greatest Showman as well.) Even when the exuberant tone doesn't land and emphasising the sets is clunky, Bazawule has compiled an exceptional cast. Barrino and Brooks reprise their turns from the stage, with considerable tasks following in Whoopi Goldberg (Harlem) and Oprah's footsteps — but their expressive performances, which make everything that courses through both Celie and Sofia ripple from the screen, are each rich, raw and resonant. Henson is entrancingly sultry and fierce as Shug, Bailey caring and determined as Nettie, Domingo monstrous but damaged as Mister and Hawkins accommodating as Harpo. Louis Gossett Jr (Kingdom Business) and Jon Batiste (an Academy Award-winner for Soul's score) also make an impression in small parts. This lineup of talent is reason enough to have The Color Purple flicker and echo as a movie musical. And when this reclamation of a grim tale shines brightest, it shines in the same way that Celie's life eventually does: through the right company.
If you were to see a fridge standing in the middle of Bondi Beach, what would you do? And, perhaps more importantly, what would you hope to find inside? On Saturday, January 20, you can put this situation to the test IRL — and we can tell you now that gelato awaits, plus flavoured milks. Gelato Messina and Westinghouse are teaming up on a giveaway, so one of the latter's refrigerators will indeed be onsite. You'll need to head to Campbell Parade opposite Roscoe Street between 10am–4.30pm, but getting in quick is recommended as the freebies are only available while stocks last (and any chance to grab some Messina for nothing is bound to be popular). On the menu: mini ice cream pops in choc jersey milk and coconut passionfruit varieties, as well as choc malt, dulce de leche and strawberry flavoured milks. One person will also win the fridge itself, so you might end up treating your kitchen as well as your tastebuds.
When Song Kang-ho hasn't been starring in Bong Joon-ho's films, he's been featuring Park Chan-wook's and Kim Jee-woon's, plus Lee Chang-dong's and Hong Sang-soo's as well. One of Korea's acting greats boasts a resume filled with the country's directing greats — so getting the Memories of Murder, The Host, Thirst, Snowpiercer and Parasite star, plus Joint Security Area, Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Lady Vengeance and Secret Sunshine talent, to play a filmmaker for his The Good the Bad the Weird and The Age of Shadows filmmaker feels like perfect casting even before Cobweb starts spinning its reels. Song's career highlights are already many, complete with a Cannes Best Actor Award for working with Japan's Hirokazu Kore-eda in Broker. Here, he's reliably and rakishly charming in a movie-making ode and on-set farce. For his own director Kim, Song plays a director Kim — but on-screen version Kim Ki-yeol is living in the 70s, and also in a rut. Once an assistant to a famed and acclaimed helmer who has passed away, now he's openly mocked by critics for his trashy fare in one of Cobweb's first scenes. He's made most of a masterpiece, however, or so he believes. The only thing that's required to ensure it's a complete classic is two more days to undertake re-shoots. His film is meant to be finished, but he's adamant that the cast and crew reteam (and his producer foot the bill) to ensure that the creative visions that keep haunting his dreams can become a feted triumph. Convincing everyone that he needs to isn't the only tricky feat, with challenges upon challenges unspooling the longer that the fictional Kim and his colleagues spend bustling. Also involved amid the lights, cameras and action: Shinseong Film Studio's Chairwoman Baek (Jang Young-nam, Project Wolf Hunting), who's hardly enamoured with Kim's new plan; Mido (Jeon Yeo-been, Glitch), the heir to his mentor's company; and actors Min-ja (Lim Soo-jung, Melancholia), Ho-se (Oh Jung-se, Revenant), Yu-rim (Jung Soo-jung, Crazy Love) and Madam Oh (Park Jung-soo). Cue doubts, shaky promises, unexpected alliances, philandering, secret pregnancies, squabbles about prominence, allergies to fake blood, fires, stars trying to juggle shooting the movie and a TV drama, and a supporting actor so wedded to stepping into a detective's shoes that he's deducing on the side between takes. It's an anything-that-can-go-wrong-will situation, and equal in careening chaos to two other recent behind-the-scenes filmmaking comedies: One Cut of the Dead and remake Final Cut, just without the zombies and single-shot gimmick. In both that 2017 Japanese hit and its 2022 French do-over, a commitment to keep filming and making art regardless of the cost thrashed around the picture as heartily as the flesh-eating undead. Courtesy of a script co-written with Shin Yeon-shick (1seung), Kim Jee-woon's characters share that determination without such pronounced life-or-death stakes. Bringing a cinematic reverie to fruition is a leap of faith, as Cobweb understands. When it works, it's not just magic but alchemy. "Here's to the ones who dream" might've been crooned by Emma Stone in La La Land rather than in this fellow tribute to that dream, but the sentiment fits. While Cobweb finds plenty of amusement in the on-screen Kim's madcap last-dash scramble to make the motion picture he'll always be known for, it also respects the passion, yearning, gumption and quest. There may be no shuffling masses to contend with, but there are movie-chomping censors who must approve every element that's destined to grace celluloid. For Song's Kim, zombies might've been nicer to deal with. The all-business Baek is all about toeing the line. Without the censors' tick, not a frame will reach audiences — and careers can crumble via blacklisting, too. Kim won't compromise on his tour de force, except that the whole whirlwind reshoot is a constant exercise in compromise. As various solutions spring up to stop the authorities' interference, including persuading them that the new ending will give them an "anti-communist film", setting Cobweb five decades back is a choice with meaning. Harking back to the days when South Korean cinema IRL was at the mercy of the state under the Yusin system rather than truly driven by artists, the film applauds the dedication and the hustle that sees any picture exist, and especially one under such circumstances. Cobweb's cast also deserve praise, with Song unsurprisingly chief among them, as he tends to be in whatever he's in. His selling task is twofold: swaying the production-within-a-production's on- and off-screen players to give their all to crafting his movie the way that it dances through his head, and whether or not it seems to make even a bit of sense; and getting Cobweb's audience invested not just in the madcap mania that Kim Jee-woon can't stop embracing, but emotionally. His co-stars are also up to going along for the ride, particularly Jeon as Kim's co-conspirator in pulling the whole gambit off. Both Song and Jeon get moments as actors playing actors, when Kim and Mido's respective fervour sees them resolved to step in front of the camera to guarantee the performances they want. He's best known for A Tale of Two Sisters, A Bittersweet Life and I Saw the Devil, but Kim Jee-woon is no stranger to dark comedy, as he eagerly plies here. His regular cinematographer Kim Ji-yong, who has been working with the director on and off since A Bittersweet Life, is equally acquainted with lavish lensing — and while Cobweb isn't as ravishing as his efforts on Park Chan-wook's 2022 stunner Decision to Leave (because almost nothing is), it remains an arresting sight as it flits from the black-and-white of Kim Ki-yeol's noir-esque Hitchcock-meets-soap opera flick to the retro period sheen of his existence. Don't go expecting to know exactly what the on-screen Kim is so feverish about, though. His counterpart splashes around the OTT movie inside the movie in fits and bursts, but it suits. Believing that Song's Kim believes in it is easy in a film this savvy, entertaining and adept at weaving its many strands.
Spring is here, and with it is longer days and sunny afternoons primed for soaking up some rays with a refreshing beverage in hand. If this sounds up your alley, the latest iteration of Opera Bar's rosé festival Rosé All Day is returning for ten days in September. Throughout the festival, the harbourside bar with an incredible view of the bridge will be thinking and drinking pink. Expect frosé, spritzes, pét-nat, cocktails, and rosé both still and sparkling, with varieties from Big Dreams, Petite Amour, Tar & Roses and Chandon. There will even be boozy rosé soft serve covered in freeze-dried raspberries, plus a Bro-groni — a negroni made from gin, rosé vermouth, Aperol and Whispering Angel rosé. Accompanying all of the pink drinks will be a pink food menu featuring oysters with a rosé mignonette, beetroot hummus with rosemary flatbread and salmon rillet on brioche. And, you can expect daily live music and a shimmer squad on weekends. Tickets to the rosé festival cost $40, and include entry plus three pink drinks for you to claim at any point. After that, you'll have to purchase your drinks as you go.
While Messina's main jam is usually crafting supremely scoffable varieties of gelato, the brand's love of food extends far beyond the freezer. The cult gelateria has often teamed up with savoury-focused culinary heroes, throwing big ol' food parties. For the next Messina Eats at the brand's expansive new Marrickville HQ, the dessert specialist is doing things a little differently, inviting a baking crew close to its heart for the weekend pop-up. Shadow Baking is the new project of three of Messina's head chefs — Tom Mitchell, Florian Fritsch and Remi Talbot. Usually, if you want to get your hands on the team's flaky creations, you'd have to head to The Cannery's monthly markets — but, to give more Sydneysiders the chance to taste the Shadow Baking treats, it's popping up for a Messina Eats party in the HQ car park. Expect macadamia and mandarin croissants, custard tart danishes, reuben croissant sandwiches, pandan and coconut brioche, and a special one-off kouign-amann custard gelato sando in collaboration with Messina. Shadow Baking is set to open a permanent outpost in Darlinghurst soon. Once it arrives, you expect all the goodies from The Cannery Markets plus plenty of regular collaborations between the baking team and Gelato Messina. If you want to get your hands on a next-level pastry to kick off your weekend, the Messina Eats: Shadow Baking collab is popping up at 1 Rich Street, Marrickville from 8am on Saturday, September 16 until sold out.
There's no shortage of ways to celebrate Halloween, whether scary movies, eerie art, a trick-or-treating stint, playing with Lego or themed mini golf is your thing. Here's a particularly tasty one: getting dressed up in costume and scoring a free Krispy Kreme doughnut. The chain is known for giving away its round treats, including handing out 100,000 of them each National Doughnut Day. For Tuesday, October 31, it isn't locking in an exact number of doughnuts that'll be on offer — but it will give one to everyone who turns up to a Krispy Kreme store dressed for the occasion. If that isn't an excuse to don your spookiest outfit, then what is? To snag yourself a signature glazed freebie, head to your closest Krispy Kreme store in Sydney — there's 17 stores stretching in NSW from Penrith to the CBD — on Tuesday, October 31 while wearing a Halloween-appropriate costume. You'll receive one original glazed doughnut per person, and you don't have to buy anything else to nab the treat without paying a cent. Of course, Krispy Kreme is hoping that you will be possessed by the Halloween vibe while you're in-store — or beforehand — and treat yourself to something from its themed range. On offer until Tuesday, October 31: four different varieties.
One of 2023's most-anticipated films is hitting Palace Cinemas' big screens on Saturday, October 28. That flick: Strange Way of Life, the latest work by inimitable Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar (Parallel Mothers). It's a 30-minute short, hence the fact that it won't get the usual silver-screen release — and it's also a sublime queer western starring Ethan Hawke (Moon Knight) and Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us). Almodóvar? Hawke? Pascal? Queer western? Yes, that's Strange Way of Life, which is why it's such a must-see. It made its Australian debut at this year's Sydney Film Festival, heading to our shores straight from premiering at Cannes — and now it's showing in the Harbour City again at Palace's Fashion Focus Premiere sessions at Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central. In this bite-sized film, Sheriff Jake (Hawke) and rancher Silva (Pascal) share a history, working together as hired gunmen a quarter-century ago. Then, circumstances bring them back together; however, a reunion isn't the only reason they've crossed paths again. "The strange way of life referred in the title alludes to the famous fado by Amalia Rodrigues, whose lyrics suggest that there is no stranger existence than the one that is lived by turning your back on your own desires," explains Almodóvar. Tickets cost $25 for Palace Movie Club members and $30 otherwise, for sessions that include a glass of prosecco or wine upon arrival — and are all about celebrating not only the short, but also the costumes designed by Anthony Vaccarello, with fashion house Saint Laurent producing the film. Also on offer: an interview with the one and only Almodóvar before the short plays. Palace Norton Street and Palace Central are doing drinks at 6.45pm and the screening at 7pm, while the times are 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start at Palace Verona.
Fan of magic? Addicted to your phone? We've got good news for you. Metaverse of Magic, a theatre show combining stagecraft and sorcery, will be coming to Sydney this November. Think of it like the magic shows of yesteryear, redefined for the digital age. And here's where it gets really fun: you're not just a spectator, you're an active participant, with your smartphone effectively transforming into a magic wand to use to interact with the show. Kicking off in Sydney, then Canberra and Brisbane, the show offers a blend of traditional magic from real pros from around the world. Using your phone, you'll join DIGI, an artificial consciousness bridging our world and the Metaverse, and embark on a quest to uncover the secrets of four masters of illusion and attempt to gain access to the mysterious Inner Realm. No pressure. Taking centre stage is YouTube and TikTok sensation Ash Magic, along with a galaxy of global stars, including Tokyo's Hara Hiroki, Australia's Charli Ashby, New Zealand's Jarred Fell, Taiwan's Horret Wu and Amsterdam's Sabine van Diemen. The show runs for two weeks only, opening on Tuesday, November 7 and running until Sunday, November 19, at Sydney Coliseum Theatre at West HQ. So get in quick, and get set for a grand magic show — but not as you know it. Just don't forget to charge your phone. Intrigued? Grab your tickets here.
Three Blue Ducks' chef Darren Roberston has come together with Japanese Roku Gin to create an exclusive dining event to showcase the spirit of shun: A Taste of Bellingen. Having opened in July 2023, The Lodge in Bellingen has been celebrated for its new menu, which features bold flavours and fresh, seasonal produce. It's bringing its Asian-inspired menu to Three Blue Ducks' Rosebery location for two seatings: dinner on Friday, November 10, and lunch on Saturday, November 11, hosted by celebrated Three Blue Ducks chef Darren Roberston. Robertson crafted the luxe Asian-inspired menu with Japanese flavours inspired by the botanicals used in Roku Gin. He will host the exclusive dining event and guide diners through the four courses to symbolise the four seasons — each served with a special Roku gin cocktail. Some of the dishes on the menu include oysters with ginger and cherry blossom, salt and pepper squid, grilled asparagus with spanner crab mayo and gyokuro togarashi, barramundi with fragrant dashi, sencha furikake and sea greens and for dessert, diners will get to enjoy a yuzu tart with soft meringue and creme fraiche. The time-honoured Japanese tradition of shun (pronounced "shoon") encourages us to enjoy produce at its most ripe. The Japanese spirit Roku Gin exemplifies shun, crafted using a selection of six Japanese botanicals (roku actually means six in Japanese). Each botanical is carefully harvested at the peak of its season, ensuring the gin captures the essence of shun in every sip and savour. The six botanicals are sakura flower, sakura leaf, sencha tea, gyokuro tea, sanshō pepper and yuzu. Roku is the premium Japanese craft gin from the House of Suntory. A Taste of Bellingen menu is available from Friday, November 10 (dinner only) until Saturday, November 11 (lunch only). Tickets are extremely limited. They cost $120 (plus booking fee) per person and are now available to book on the Three Blue Ducks website. Images: Rob Palmer (images of Darren Robertson), Jude Cohen
You may recognise Jad 'Funk' Nehmetallah from his heated Gogglebox debates about the correct pronunciation of falafel. But, the restaurateur-turned-reality-tv-star is also responsible for Misc. Parramatta, the sleek 300-seat venue that opened in Parramatta Park late last year. Already a Western Sydney favourite, Misc. is taking things up a notch for one special weeknight with the Mersel x Misc. Wine Dinner. Set against the leafy green backdrop of Parramatta Park, the one-night-only event will see the venue collaborate with Mersel Wines, one of the best producers of Lebanese vino. While you might typically expect excellent drops from Spain and Italy, the rolling hills of Lebanon are also responsible for producing some rather excellent reds and rosé which will be on display at the dinner. While the evening will take you on a journey through the vineyards of the Middle East by showcasing five of Mersel's most popular creations, it will go beyond the bottle by pairing them with a four-course menu curated by Executive Chef Sebastian Geray. With a soundtrack courtesy of East West Trio and violinist Yena Choi, the occasion will be a perfect opportunity to embrace the Misc. ethos: "To tell the best stories. And make the most memorable experiences. To feast together. Break some bread. Order a bit of this. Add a bit of that. Drink something. And together we will let the good times roll." Mersel x Misc. Wine Dinner will take over the Parramatta diner on Thursday, July 13. You can nab tickets for $160 via the event's website.
Four Pillars' bloody gin season is back for another year, which is one piece of bloody excellent news. There's more where that came from. In 2023, the Healesville-based distillery has two limited-edition wine-infused concoctions on offer: the cult-favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin and new sibling Bloody Pinot Noir Gin. Spirits fiends familiar with the shiraz version will know that it is ridiculously popular for a reason. Also, it's gin infused with shiraz grapes. That blend gives the drop its cerise hue, and provides sweet undertones — but means that it avoids a higher sugar content. It is boozier, though, with an alcoholic content of 37.8 percent (compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin). The 2023 Bloody Shiraz Gin follows that process again, while the Bloody Pinot Noir Gin sees Four Pillars try another grape variety. If the distillery is bottling it and selling it, clearly it turned out well, too. This newcomer also sources its fruit from Yarra Valley again. The end result is softer and lighter but with a heavier gin taste, and with aromas of rose petals, strawberries and cherries. Also bloody brilliant: to celebrate not one but two bloody gins, and bloody season overall, Four Pillars is hosting a midwinter gin fest. Running all throughout June and July in Sydney — even kicking off a couple of days early on Tuesday, May 30 — the festival is actually a heap of events heroing the two tipples (and getting everyone saying "bloody" over and over). So, the Four Pillars Lab will celebrate World Gin Day across Saturday, June 10–Sunday, June 11 with a weekend-long party filled with drinks, snacks, DJs, workshops and free tastings. The venue is also doing a Golden Century BBQ takeover, teaming pork, duck and dumplings with Bloody Shiraz Gin drinks on Saturday, June 17–Sunday, June 18. And, the brand is putting on a big feast with North Bondi Fish on Wednesday, July 19; popping up at North Sydney's Rafi and the Harbour View Hotel on various dates; and bringing back the Gin & Film Fest at Golden Age Cinema every Wednesday in July, this time with a focus on slasher sirens. Top image: Wes Nel.
When it comes to this cheap way to get a bite brought to your door across Friday, August 25–Sunday, August 27, Larry Emdur and Ian 'Turps' Turpie spring to mind: the price is indeed right. Across the three days, DoorDash is bringing back its $1 Weekend. Not that you'll be paying with actual gold coins, but that's all you'll need denomination-wise for a heap of dishes. Running across the country, this weekend special has enlisted Fishbowl, Lord of the Fries, Betty's Burgers and San Churro — and Soul Origin, Pizza Hut, Red Rooster and Oporto, too. Prefer Chargrill Charlie's instead? That's also on the list, as is Rashays, Mary's and NeNe Chicken. Each state has more than 2000 offers available across the three days, including New South Wales. Of course, as there always is, there are caveats. The big one: the deal is available from 2–5pm AEST each day, so you'll either want a late lunch or early dinner. Another crucial point: there's a unique promo code for each day displayed on the DoorDash app for each store, which you need to use at checkout. And, you will 100-percent need to order via that app. Also, you can only get one $1 menu item per order — and one $1 special per day, too. Unsurprisingly, only some menu items are available for $1. And, some places will only let you get one $1 special across the whole weekend. Delivery and service fees are still applicable, and an order fee will be added if your subtotal is less than $15. Still, in this economy, a bargain is a bargain. Top image: Kitti Gould.
Pucker up, fans of 90s teen flicks — whether you were the exact right age at the time, have discovered them since or found yourself looking backwards thanks to recent films like Do Revenge. After finally bringing its song- and dance-filled take on one of the most influential movies of the era to Australian stages this year, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is making a comeback along Australia's east coast in 2023. It seems that we can't get enough of this bittersweet symphony. We can't stop praising it, either. This time, audiences in Sydney will get a second chance to get nostalgic — at Parramatta's Riverside Theatre from Thursday, February 2—Sunday, February 12. To answer the most crucial question, yes, the musical's soundtrack is filled hits from the period, including The Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' and Placebo's 'Every You Every Me'. In fact, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is a jukebox musical, so it's overflowing with a heap other tunes from that late 90s–early 00s time. Think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. The story remains the same, just without Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair (and Joshua Jackson's blonde locks). If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know how it goes. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school.
Bond and big-name festival hits. Everyone from Paul Mescal and Lily James and to Olivia Colman and Colin Farrell. Established and up-and-coming filmmakers from across the UK. That's the British Film Festival's 2022 lineup, which'll hit Sydney's Palace Norton, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema from Wednesday, October 19–Wednesday, November 16. Get ready to catch Mescal's latest post-Normal People role, Aftersun, then check out a rom-com starring James (Pam & Tommy) with Shazad Latif (Toast of Tinseltown), before seeing the Australian premiere of Colman's (Mothering Sunday) newest movie Joyride. As always, it's a star-studded affair, including opening with Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, as set in the world of French fashion, with Oscar-nominated Phantom Thread actor Lesley Manville in the titular role. At the other end, that aforementioned rom-com What's Love Got to Do With It? will wrap things up, with James and Latif joined on-screen by Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Other standouts include The Banshees of Inisherin, which reunites In Bruges writer/director Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and his stars Farrell (After Yang) and Brendan Gleeson (The Tragedy of Macbeth); plus the Bill Nighy (The Man Who Fell to Earth)-starring Living, about a terminally ill man in the 1950s. Also on the complete bill, and a huge inclusion: Empire of Light, the new film from 1917, Skyfall and Spectre's Sam Mendes. Skyfall will also play as part of the Bond retrospective, but the director's latest has been called a love letter to cinema — because charting a romance in an old picture palace in the 1980s was always going to earn that description. An Emily Brontë biopic, aptly named Emily, and directed by Australia actor-turned-filmmaker Frances O'Connor (The End), also sits on the lineup — as do more sea shanties in song-filled sequel Fisherman's Friends 2: One and All. Or, there's Rogue Agent, which dramatises conman (and fake undercover MI5 agent) Robert Freegard's IRL story; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and Aisha, focusing on a young Nigerian woman seeking asylum in Ireland. As for that shaken-not-stirred contingent, it celebrates six decades since Dr No, the first movie in the 007 franchise, initially graced cinemas — and includes 14 films, with tickets $13 for each. The title that started it all is well and truly on the lineup, as are the fellow Connery-led You Only Live Twice, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and Thunderball; Roger Moore-era titles Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun; On Your Majesty's Secret Service with Australia's Bond George Lazenby; Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill; Goldeneye and The World Is Not Enough with Pierce Brosnan; and Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and Skyfall.
If high-concept horror nasties get you grinning even when you're squirming, recoiling or peeking through your fingers, then expect Smile to live up to its name — in its first half, at least. A The Ring-meets-It Follows type of scarefest with nods to the Joker thrown in, it takes its titular term seriously, sporting one helluva creepy smirk again and again. The actual face doing the ghoulish beaming can change, and does, but the evil Cheshire Cat-esque look on each dial doesn't. Where 2011's not-at-all spooky The Muppets had a maniacal laugh, Smile does indeed possess a maniacal, skin-crawling, nightmare-inducing leer. In the film, the first character to chat about it, PhD student Laura Weaver (Caitlin Stasey, Bridge and Tunnel), explains it as "the worst smile I have ever seen in my life". She's in a hospital, telling psychiatrist Rose Cotter (Mare of Easttown's Sosie Bacon, daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick), who clearly thinks she's hallucinating. But when the doctor sees that grin herself, she immediately knows that Laura's description couldn't be more accurate. Toothy, deranged, preternaturally stretched and also frozen in place, the smile at the heart of Smile isn't easily forgotten — not that Rose need worry about that. Soon, it's haunting her days and nights by interrupting her work, and seeing her act erratically with patients to the concern of her boss (Kal Penn, Clarice). Rose upsets a whole party at her nephew's birthday, too, and makes her fiancé Trevor (Jessie T Usher, The Boys) have doubts about their future. There's a backstory: Rose's mother experienced mental illness, which is why she's so passionate about her work and her sister Holly (Gillian Zinser, The Guilty) is so dismissive. There's a backstory to the diabolical frown turned upside down also, which she's quickly trying to unravel with the help of her cop ex Joel (Kyle Gallner, Scream). She has to; Laura came to the hospital for assistance after her professor saw the smile first, then started beaming it, then took his own life in front of her — and now Rose is in the same situation. It springs from debut feature writer/director Parker Finn's own 2020 short film Laura Hasn't Slept, but given how quickly Smile's nods to other horror flicks come — and how blatant they are — it's hardly astonishing how little in its narrative comes as a surprise. A malignant terror spreading virally on sight? A single-minded pursuer that can hop bodies, but always chases its new target with unyielding focus? Yes, as already mentioned, a J-horror franchise and its American remake are owed a huge debt, as is David Robert Mitchell's breakout 2014 hit. And yes, there's no way not to think of a certain Batman adversary each time that eerily exaggerated smirk flashes (given how many times the Joker has featured on-screen, it's downright inescapable). But when Smile is smiling — not just plastering that unnerving grin far and wide, but frequently directing it straight at the camera (and audience) — the fear is real. It's an odd experience, the feeling of knowing how obvious every aspect of a movie's narrative is, yet still having it spark a physical reaction. Finn deploys jump-scares that do genuinely invite jumps. His film goes dark and grim in its look and atmosphere, tensely so, and with cinematographer Charlie Sarroff (Relic) adoring soft, restrained lighting that one imagines the realm between life and death could have. He knows when to let a moment and a shot hang, teasing out the inevitable but still making sure the payoff is felt. And, among all of that, the mood is Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar)-level bleak. The biggest kudos goes to (and the biggest responses come from) that hellish expression that could pop up anywhere on anyone, though. When Smile stops smiling, it's a blander movie — and although the fact that much of it is spliced together from elsewhere, and what isn't is largely generic, doesn't ever slip from view, that's also when the feature gets heftier. A movie that gets its main eerie motif shocking and scaring to a spine-tingling degree, has enough technical nuts and bolts working as well, but ticks oh-so-many recognisable boxes otherwise, can also have something weighty to ponder — and Smile is that movie. Wading through trauma and its longterm effects is a horror genre favourite, with this film's version ruminating on the way that childhood struggles haunt with unshakeable and infernal malevolence. Making that force visible through a suicide-inducing, chomper-baring spirit isn't subtle, but nothing brandishing Smile's smile is overly trying to be. Layering in multiple generations multiple times in multiple ways is an effective touch, too. Still, Finn always seems to be playing with the easiest pieces and emotions, and making the easiest moves; those different instances of trauma, spread across lead, supporting and bit-part characters, also scream of dropping as many breadcrumbs as possible for potential sequels. Smile will likely start a franchise — it has the bones to, even just with its twisted lips and the notion that distressing formative incidences leave a mark. Those smirks can keep adorning and plaguing other faces, and that pain can keep bubbling up. That said, anyone who follows in Bacon's footsteps will have a task ahead of them, especially in conveying how seeing the unhinged grin frazzles and wearies. Aided by camera placement and lighting, Smile's protagonist does indeed come across as a woman fraying in every aspect of her expression and her physicality. Watch enough horror movies and you'll know that showing extreme alarm too often comes down to widening eyes, an agape jaw and a bloodcurdling shriek in by-the-numbers fare; however, there's palpable exhaustion in Bacon's performance that speaks not just to being terrified but tired of spending a life battling many kinds of demons. Gallner's sturdy support also leaves an imprint, and one of Smile's actual surprises comes if you're a Veronica Mars fan expecting him to keep playing the shady or nefarious part — something that hasn't just happened once in his career. As that stroke of casting shows, and Bacon's, there's more than enough in the film that clearly works, but there's still just as much that's almost-dispiritingly standard. Something that's an indisputable delight, a word that can never apply to all of the movie's accursed beaming: realising that plenty of Rose's story fits the lyrics of 'Footloose'. She's been working so hard punching her card. She gets a feeling that time's holding her down. She might crack if she doesn't cut loose — all while something is taking ahold of souls. Dancing isn't banned here and the elder Bacon doesn't pop up, but any flick that's legitimately unsettling and brings Footloose to mind is always going to deserve a hearty grin.
It's no secret that we've all been hiding away inside this winter. But now, with the warmer weather and our bottled-up good-time vibes, we're all raring to go, ready to re-emerge from our hibernation. And here to help in a major way is an epic late-night music and entertainment event. With the help of the NSW Government's CBDs Revitalisation Program, Solotel is hosting Sydney All-Nighter on Saturday, September 17. Across a whopping 16 venues, the country's top DJs and live acts will be welcomed to stages Sydney-wide. The best bit? Entry to each of the venues is totally free. [caption id="attachment_868624" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maria Boyadgis[/caption] You can get your party on everywhere from Marly Bar and Goros, to the Paddo Inn, The Bank and Parramatta's Albion Hotel. Each venue will be flooded with eager Sydney folk looking to reintroduce themselves to the night life. And this series of parties isn't just big, it's also super diverse, so you're sure to find your music tribe at one of them. Check out pop singer-songwriter-musician Montaigne performing live against the Sydney Harbour backdrop at Opera Bar, or a DJ set by electronic band Northeast Party House at The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay. Elsewhere, Harvey Sutherland is playing a special vinyl DJ set at newly opened Rekōdo, the restaurant and vinyl bar at Barangaroo House. But that ain't all — there will be stand-out performers entertaining crowds at The Clock, Dusk Club, The Courthouse Hotel, Public House Petersham, The Regent and The Erko (which is dedicating the night to all things chilli). Plus, Kings Cross Hotel is transforming into a multi-level LGBTIQ+ party with takeovers by GiRLTHING and Canned Fruit, while House of Mince is hosting a queer party at Darlo Bar. Sydney All-Nighter was created to get people back out at night and experience the best of Sydney's vibrant music and nightlife culture — so grab your gang, register online and get ready to support these late-night venues. Sydney All-Nighter takes over on Saturday, September 17. Head to the website for more information and to register your attendance. Top images: Jess Gleeson (Montaigne), Nick McKinlay (Harvey Sutherland)
With the Year of the Pig almost upon us, The Rocks is turning its regular weekend markets into a Lunar New Year celebration. From 10am on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday between February 1–10, lanterns and themed stalls will be lining the cobblestones of Playfair Street, George Street and Jack Mundey Place. As is usually the case at The Rocks' regular Friday Foodie Market, there will be plenty of tasty treats to choose from, with Mr Bao and Let's Do Yum Cha slinging steamed buns and dumplings, a special Banh Mi snag at Jarrod's Shakes and Snags, and Agape Organic Food Truck's menu of duck fries and san choy bao. On the sweeter side, Merry Pops, Yum Thai Juice Bar and Som Som Candy are providing everything from smoothies to pig-shaped fairy floss for the New Year. You can find the perfect new year gift for anyone with a selection of boutique stalls offering everything from silk scarves to spicy Thai condiments. Plus, if you happen to be there at 1pm, 2pm or 6pm, you'll find yourself in the middle of a traditional lion dance. The market will stay open until 10pm each night.
If jungle vibes inside an inner-west warehouse sounds like your perfect outing, head along to the Jungle Collective's indoor plant sale on January 26 and 27. It's the latest greenery-filled market from The Jungle Collective, a Melbourne nursery that stocks all kinds of weird and wonderful species. After opening up its warehouse, which isn't usually open to the public, for a few markets on home turf, they're trucking their way up to St Peters for another warehouse sale here. Whether you're after a hanging pot plant, some palms for the garden, a Fiddle Leaf or a giant Bird of Paradise, chances are you'll find it here. Have a reputation for killing your cacti? Overwatering your ferns? Don't worry — there'll be horticulturalists on site on the night to give you advice and chat through any questions you might have. Here, you can be inspired by greenery aplenty, and learn to incorporate plants into your home and living spaces, while browsing and soaking up some tunes. Due to expected demand, the sale will be held in four sessions on Saturday (8–10am, 10am–noon, 12–2pm and 2–4pm) and two on Sunday (10am–noon and 12–2pm) and attendees will need to register for free tickets. Plus, if you wear beach-inspired attire, you'll get $5 off your purchase.
This Saturday, January 26, the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel will again host the annual Sydney event both your pooch and you will be pumped for: the Every Man and His Dog stand-up paddleboard race. Also open to those without a paddleboard (it can be hired on the day) or a four-legged friend (can't hire, go without), the race offers something for everyone, with different categories including long distance, sprint and a team relay. And there are awards for best-dressed dogs (and humans). You don't have to participate, if you're like us, you'll likely be crazily Instagramming from the shore. It's dogs on paddleboards, people. Dogs. On. Paddleboards. Kicking off at 7.30am, the SUP race will leave your tummy grumbling. Luckily, the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel have your back (or stomach) with snacks available from the market place out the front and from inside at the bar, which is open for breakfast from 7am.
There's escaping the city for an afternoon, and then there's driving 20 minutes down a dirt road to a secluded river and hopping into a canoe. In this canoe, it's quiet, very still. The Kangaroo Valley's bushland surrounds you, ascending on either side of the waterway, creating a landscape that's punctuated only by the occasional kingfisher flapping by or a solitary trout breaking the surface with a small splash. And I haven't even mentioned the best bit: this canoe is filled with wine. And snacks. So as you're floating down the river — minimal paddling is necessary — you'll be able to pop a bottle of local sparkling and tuck into a few canapés. As you might have guessed, this isn't an ordinary off-you-go oar-bearing experience. Usually part of WildFEST, the regular three-day celebration of the food, drink and wilderness of NSW's Southern Highlands, this excursion is making a one-day return trips in January, April and October. Led by experienced paddler Travis Frenay, the Canoes, Champagne and Canapés experience will lead you along the Kangaroo River in a custom-built double canoe, through the sunken forest and past a convict-built sandstone wall. Travis has an insane amount of knowledge on the area and will be able to answer pretty much anything you throw at him. There will be two sessions on the day day (at 11.30am and 2.30pm), with the whole thing setting off from Beehive Point and taking around two to three hours. Prices are on the heftier side at $195 each, but includes all food, wine and equipment. Plus, this part of the Valley isn't highly accessible for people without their own gear, so it's a great (and bloody delightful) way to explore the area on the water. Note: if weather conditions suggest your rusty old sedan won't make it there and back, the organisers may provide transport down the dirt road. But if it's dry, you're all good. It's part of the adventure.
It has been a couple of years since The Jungle Collective first started taking over Australian warehouses and slinging plenty of plants, all thanks to its huge sales in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. These leafy excuses to fill your home with greenery always have a bit of a celebratory vibe, so the outfit's next New South Wales outing should come as no surprise — it's hosting a plant sale house party. While all of those gorgeous green babies are the main attraction — and more than 170 varieties of them, too — browsing and buying in an old heritage building isn't something you get to do every day. It's happening twice, across the two days of Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10. You'll pick up everything from fiddle leafs and monsteras to giant birds of paradise and rubber trees, as well as oh-so-many ferns and hanging plants. You'll also be able to shop for designer pots, get expert advice from the horticulturalists onsite, listen to jungle tunes and even nab a $5 discount if you show up in jungle-themed attire. It's all happening at 260 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood, with two-hour sessions held at 8am, 10am, 12pm and 2pm on Saturday, plus 10am and 12pm on Sunday. While entry is free, you'll need to secure a ticket to head along — they'll be available from midday on Monday, February 4.
For the second time in just a few months, one of Lady Bird's boyfriends has turned to illicit substances. For the second time in his four-movie filmmaking career, Peter Hedges explores a black sheep's holiday homecoming. Both of these statements require some unpacking, but they demonstrate just how well-worn much of Ben Is Back feels. As Timothée Chalamet did in Beautiful Boy, fellow Lady Bird co-star Lucas Hedges portrays a young man grappling with drug dependence and disappointing the devoted parent who just wants him to get clean. And as the elder Hedges did in 2003's Pieces of April, the writer-director charts the drama of an awkward family reunion. There's another layer of familiarity to Ben Is Back, too: Peter and Lucas Hedges are father and son. As well as the movie's similarities to other accounts of addiction and reconvening relatives, perhaps that's why it largely seems like the product of folks firmly in their comfort zones. The plot rides the usual emotional rollercoaster, ending exactly where everyone expects. With the film's tone, Peter Hedges tries to find a balance between sensitive and tense, and between heart-wrenching and sombre as well. Visually, the picture makes the most of grey hues and anguished close-ups, each adding to the recognisable mood. And although Lucas Hedges' performance is reliably raw and multifaceted, the impressive young actor never quite reaches the heights that he demonstrated in Manchester by the Sea and Boy Erased. Still, Ben Is Back has a spark to it, with Julia Roberts proving the picture's powerhouse package. Wearing the weight of a mother's unconditional love in every patient step and searching gaze, she plays suburban mum-of-four Holly Burns. Arriving home from Christmas Eve church choir practice with her excited pre-teen kids (Jakari Fraser and Mia Fowler), she suddenly shares their enthusiasm when she spies Ben (Lucas Hedges) standing on their snowy doorstep. Only high-schooler Ivy (Kathryn Newton) is wary — thanks to his complicated history, her older brother is supposed to be in rehab, as paid for by Holly's second husband Neal (Courtney B. Vance). But Ben promises that he's happy, healthy and has his habit in check, which Holly chooses to believe, imploring the rest of the family to follow suit. With reminders of his past mistakes littered around both his home and his hometown, Ben's pledge to his mother and Holly's faith in her son each prove hard to maintain. While there's little that's surprising about Ben Is Back's story (even when it endeavours to chart its own path into near-thriller territory), Roberts remains a source of continual astonishment. A much rarer presence on cinema screens of late than in her 90s heyday, she steps into her second doting mum part in as many movies, after 2017's Wonder. And yet, nothing about her performance paints by the numbers. Indeed, this is really her film, and it tells her character's tale. Holly has experienced a life tougher than her well-appointed two-storey house makes plain, although not as rough as the places that Ben's return takes her to — and Roberts makes that difficult clash evident without needing to explain it in words. Also present in Roberts' fine-tuned portrayal is a narrative that everyone knows, yet is scarcely given such nuance and attention. Ben Is Back tells of parental sacrifice, as evident in everyday choices rather than grand or tragic gestures. It's a story about the cost of caring — the toll a mother willingly pays when always offering a shoulder to cry on, lending a helping hand, trying to see the best in her children and endeavouring to do what's right for one kid when she has three others at home. Hedges' script attempts to thread this idea into a broader statement on suburban addiction, and, specifically, the destructive influence of prescription drugs. It's a noble quest, and one of the movie's more ambitious moves. Ultimately, however, Ben Is Back works best when it focuses on the quietly expressive Roberts, and lets her commanding work turn an intimate snapshot into a bigger story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQI_hkFKlHc
With the NSW Government's controversial new music festival licensing regime taking its toll on events around the state, local industry bodies have taken it upon themselves to prevent more damage being done. First, Bluesfest's director Peter Noble published a scathing open letter to the State Government and, just last week, 17 festivals and touring companies organised the Don't Kill Live Music rally, which got 20,000 people down to Hyde Park. And now, a gig at the Metro Theatre is being thrown in the same vein. Taking over the CBD live music venue on Thursday, March 7, the gig will feature performances from the likes of Gordi, Josh Pyke and Eskimo Joe's Kav Temperley, as well as stand-up stars Tom Ballard, Cameron James, Matt Okine an Mel Buttle. The night of local tunes and stand-up has been organised by the Night Time Industries Association (NITA), which represents Music NSW, Sydney Fringe, hospo groups Solotel and Applejack and venues including Mary's, The Lansdowne, Oxford Art Factory and Giant Dwarf. With all artists donating their time, proceeds from the $50 tickets will go towards funding NITA's 'Unite for the Night' campaign. This will include media and communications activities that raise awareness about current policies affecting the association's members in the lead-up to the March 23 election.
You know that feeling where you're begrudgingly up before dawn only to have your heart warmed by a surprise sighting of a hot air balloon set against the sunrise? Well this one's for you — and if you haven't ever experienced such a dawn, this one is really for you. In April, the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge sees the skies above the historic central-west town come alive with the roar of burners and the kaleidoscope of colourful hot air balloons in the atmosphere. The full event takes place over a whole week in April, with official balloon competitions happening throughout the week. The comp involves a number of difficult tasks, the most entertaining of which is the key grab — the aim is to fly your balloon in to try and pluck a large novelty key from the top of a flagpole, with the winner receiving some major dollar bills. There'll also be a campfire cookout and concert on Anzac Day evening (April 25). The final Saturday night sees the Balloon Glow and Night Market, where balloon operators light up their burners in the dark and in time to music.
If you fall into one (or all) of the following categories — cinephile, culture vulture or need-something-to-do-on-Wednesday-night — we have something that'll pique your interest. The Art Gallery of NSW is gearing up for a two-month-long showcase of Chinese cinema. Neon Gods will run alongside the upcoming Heaven and Earth in Chinese Art: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei exhibition. The series is a celebratory showcase of works from the most remarkable directors of Chinese language cinema in the 20th century — think Ang Lee, Edward Yang, Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-liang. Presented on rare 35mm film print sourced from both national and international archives (film stock nerds rejoice), this series features everything from action classic Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to revenge odyssey Rebels of the Neon God to the once-forgotten landmark of queer cinema The End of the Track. Boasting a cast of what the gallery's curator of film, Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, describes as "rebels, action heroines and queer outsiders", the retrospective promises to reacquaint you with, or introduce you to, some of the most innovative, bold and significant films in sinophone cinema history. Neon Gods is running from Wednesday, February 20 to Sunday, May 5. Screenings will take place at 2pm and 7.15pm on Wednesdays and 2pm on Sundays. For the full program and to reserve tickets, vist the website.
Combining art classes with alcohol — it's what Cork & Chroma is all about. And for five nights, Sydney's source of boozy creativity is taking its wine-fuelled sessions outdoors to Good Food Month's Night Noodle Markets. Between Thursday, October 11 and Friday, October 19, South Australian winery Brands Laira will set up a pop-up crafty cellar door at the Hyde Park markets. Cork & Chroma will have everything set up for you to create your winery-inspired masterpiece, so all you need to do it get comfy at an easel, drink vino and snack on Asian snacks. Tickets cost $60, and include talented folks giving you expert art advice, some wine and food from the market, as well as all the supplies that you'll need on the evening. The classes run from 6–8pm and bookings are essential. Consider it a ready-made date idea or just a nice way to experience the Night Noodle Markets without having to queue up at each stall.
Every year, runners from all over Victoria limber up for the Bendigo Bank Fun Run, a fundraiser for Bendigo Hospital. The event is split into a five-kilometre walk or run, or a ten-kilometre, 15-kilometre or half-marathon run. So, whether you're a pro who barely breaks a sweat or you can't stand running and would prefer to stroll at a leisurely pace, there's an event for you. There will also be dedicated colour stations positioned along the track to add a little more excitement to the festivities. All you have to do is register online — as either an individual or team — and then start training. All entrants who make it across the finish line will score a medallion and a free brekkie loaded with healthy goodness courtesy of The Spotless.
Given the size of Sydney Fringe Festival's 2018 program, it's no surprise that it'll all culminate in a decadent, magical, art-fuelled closing event: The Last Supper. This extravagant feast, taking place on Sunday, September 30, is promising live performers, live music and a plethora of indulgent dishes — under the stars in Kensington Street Festival Village. First, you must choose which restaurant's delights you would like to feast on, be it Olio's Sicilian delights, Eastside's whimsical creations, Mekong's inventive Southeast Asian fusion or the French wonders of Bistrot Gavroche. Then, on arrival at the dinner, you'll be ushered to your seat at a long table, accompanied by up to 12 of your hungry disciples. Over two glorious hours, your chosen eatery will deliver multiple courses, designed especially for the festival. Expect to find yourself surrounded by snake charmers, fire twirlers and rain dancers. Keep an eye out, too, for tango musicians and Fringe Festival headliners, who'll be making surprise appearances. For anyone who prefers a moveable feast, Spice Alley's myriad of street food vendors will peddle tasty fare, while Gin Lane will serve spirits infused with foraged local ingredients and Handpicked Cellar Door will offer its wines for tasting. Whichever way you experience The Last Supper, you're encouraged to 'dress on the wild side' and dance, dance, dance. The Last Supper will take place on Sunday, September 30. The ticketed meals are available across two sessions, 5pm and 7.30pm, and cost $60 per person. To nab a seat at the table, visit the website.
Sydney's much praised Ume Burger has extended its repertoire to Japanese-inspired hot dogs, having launched Ume Dogs at Melbourne's HWKR food hall last month. Now, owner Kerby Craig will bring it back home to give Sydneysiders a taste for one day only on Friday, September 28. The pop-up will take over Edition Coffee Roasters' new Haymarket digs from 5.30pm, where Craig will be slinging his wood-smoked pork frankfurts alongside snacks by the Edition team. Dogs include the classic Ume (wagyu mince sauce, kewpie mayo, minced onion and cheese) and the Kansai (pickled wakame, kewpie, tonkatsu sauce, snow crackers and bonito flakes). Plus kimchi dogs with crunchy noodles and curry dogs with red pickles. Edition's coffees will of course be up for grabs, too, and beats by DJ Andrew Levins will add party vibes to the food offering. After the pop-up, Ume Dogs will only be available down in Melbourne for now — so best nab a taste while you can.
Erskineville's freshly renovated Imperial Hotel is now home to Priscillas, a "drag and dine" restaurant where you'll find everything from plant-based food to late-night drag shows. Now, Priscillas is hosting the cheeky and raunchy Rood Food festival until October 10. A month-long festival of dirty dishes, cocktails and kinky drag, its magnum opus is the hilarious show Bone Appetite & Oral Outhouse. A three-act drag extravaganza performed by Sydney queens Krystal Kleer and Coco Jumbo, the show comes with a side of phallic fare, crude cocktails and an interactive game, titled the 'glory hole game'. Including a three-course set menu (featuring a total of ten dishes) and a glass of bubbly on arrival, tickets are a very appropriate $69. Some of the dishes you should expect include Bachelor Balls (herbed zucchini balls with spiced yoghurt), The Gay Time Gag Ball (salted caramel ice cream with almond nuts) and Panna Knockers ('perky' vanilla panna cottas). If you'd like to sip on more than just one glass of bubbles, you can choose from cocktails such as The Nut Buster ($17) and the The Blushing Blowy ($17). Brace yourselves. You can also taste the tantalising drinks and food, without going all out on the set menu and show. The Rood Food a la carte menu and cocktails are available every night throughout the festival. The Rood Food festival will run until October 10, with Bone Appetite & Oral Outhouse happening every Monday and Wednesday night from 6.30pm.
It's in Newtown that you'll find some of Sydney's best locally brewed beer, most epic sweet treats and greatest bowls of ramen. And to celebrate the suburb's delectable contributions to the city's foodie scene, the Newtown Good Food Fair is returning for a fifth year on Sunday, October 14. Organised by the Newtown Precinct Business Association, the event brings together more than 30 of Newtown's brewers, bakers, growers and chefs. These include Young Henrys, Black Star Pastry, Queen Chow and Gelato Messina, just to name a few. For your gustatory convenience, they'll all be gathering in two easy-to-reach spots: Newtown Square and nearby Eliza Street. It all kicks off from 11am at both locations with the above food and drinks, as well as live music, and continues until 4pm at Newtown Square and 6pm at Eliza Street.
Is your bookshelf filled with borrowed library paperbacks? You really should return them, you know. Do it this Saturday, September 1 and — provided you haven't racked up too many late fees — you can pick some books for keeps for as little as $1. From 10am, Ashfield Town Hall will be filled with a tonne of pre-loved books from the Inner West Council's eight public libraries. Sift through dog-eared novels, laminated travel books and food-stained cook books. The best part? If you're a member of any of the inner west libraries — that's Ashfield, Dulwich Hill, Balmain, Haberfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Stanmore and Sydenham — the books will only cost you one buck. If you're not, you can join online, otherwise books will be $2 each.
Marrickville's annual street festival will take over the inner west suburb once again on Sunday, October 21. Over 120 stalls will flood the streets in a full day celebration of live music, local entertainment and international cuisine that champions Marrickville's multicultural community. A massive lineup of local bands and acts will perform across four stages, with the main stage including the likes of Liz Martin Band, The Protesters and Edens March. The Break music competition will return to showcase the best that the region has to offer, and an international stage will put on flamenco performances and African, Greek and Polynesian dance shows. Of course, stalls will offer up fresh produce and a tonne of different food options from local vendors. Expect fried things, big vats of paella, Vietnamese nosh and heaps more. Image: Fiora Sacco.
If you've been dreaming about a new set of wheels to help you gracefully glide into the sunny season, the legends at Amsterdam-born bike label Lekker can help you out. This weekend, the company's Sydney store will host another edition of its ever-popular 'garage sale' filled with bikes, bargains, eats and beats. The party starts pedalling at 10am on Saturday, October 6 at Lekker's cheery Surry Hills store (conveniently located on the Bourke Street bike path). Those in the market for new wheels will be able to test ride a few different designs, and, if all goes well, buy one — all bikes, accessories and parts will be discounted, some by up to 50 percent. Backing up the fun and embracing those sweet spring vibes, there'll be a soundtrack of groovy tunes, plus free food and drinks. Don't risk a sleep-in, though — Lekker's past sales have seen pretty hefty lines of punters keen for those bicycle bargains and you don't want to miss out.
If seasonal change has left you in a dizzy headspin of new colours and fabrics and prints and jackets — or if, y'know, you just like some fancy new clothes now and then — you'll be pretty pleased to know that the Big Fashion Sale is coming back to Sydney for four days this October. The name pretty much says it all. This thing is big. You'll find thousands of lush items from past collections, samples and one-offs from over 50 cult Australian and international designers, both well-known and emerging, including Opening Ceremony, Isabel Marant, Kenzo, Marni, Phillip Lim, Karla Špetić, Adidas, Kowtow, Matteau Swim and more. With discounts of up to 80 percent off, this is one way to up your count of designer while leaving your bank balance sitting pretty too. Prices this low tend to inspire a certain level of ruthlessness in all of us, though, so practise that grabbing reflex in advance. This is every shopper for themselves. The Big Fashion Sale will be open 9am–8pm Thursday, 9am–6pm Friday and Saturday, and 10am–5pm Sunday.
Tipples and tunes is a familiar pairing, as everyone that's been to a music festival or a jazz bar knows; however the combination doesn't get much swankier than this. At Vino & Violins, you'll tuck into a four-course meal, drink matched wines and listen to the classical stylings of musicians from the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Taking place at The Bridge Room from 6pm on Thursday, October 18, the event is hosted by Barossa winery Peter Lehmann — so expect the vineyard's wines, plus dinner whipped up by chef Ross Lusted. You'll find out just what will be served on the night, but it will start with canapés. Wine expert Malcolm Stopp will be MCing proceedings, while ACO violinists Aiko Goto and Thibaud will be providing the live soundtrack. Actually, the musicians will be doing more than that. Rather, they'll be playing pieces specifically chosen to reflect the vino, playing with characteristics such as flavour, body and style. Tickets cost $90 for what promises to be a sensory meal.
Shortstop is celebrating its birthday in the best possible way: by giving away a boatload of free doughnuts. Saturday, September 8 marks four tasty years since the coffee and doughnut specialists started slinging rings of dough and cups of joe from its first store in Melbourne. And to mark the anniversary, the bakers will whip up a special limited-edition birthday cake doughnut (topped with sprinkles, naturally), which they'll be giving away free with every transaction at its Barangaroo outpost. There will only be 1000 available, though, so best get there in the morning — because once they're gone, you won't see them again until birthday number five.
Presented by Casus, Australia's only Indigenous contemporary circus ensemble, The Women of Chasing Smoke, explores the world's oldest living culture, delving into 40,000 years of history and covering family, art and the power of women. It's an honest, evocative, playful and triumphant quest for identity that reflects on what has been — and what might yet be. Directed by Samoan-Australian Natano Fa'anana, the show stars traditional dancer Pearl Thompson; Gudjala Kabulba woman Lara Croydon, a trapeze artist, juggler and storyteller; and Wakka Wakka woman Ally Humphris, a dancer, gymnast and circus artist who specialises in flying, hand balance and ground acrobatics. The show will run on Friday, September 28 at 7.30pm, Saturday, September 29 at 3pm and 8.45pm and Sunday, September 30 at 5pm.
Three decades ago, a New York City cop just wanted to spend Christmas in Los Angeles with his estranged wife. He arrived at Nakatomi Plaza with little else on his mind — but before the night was out, he'd be crawling around in vents, battling German terrorists, and proving that absolutely no one messes with John McClane and his loved ones. Of course, that's the plot to Die Hard. With the action classic turning 30 this year, you'd better believe that the Ritz Cinema is celebrating. On Friday, November 23, it's hosting McClanefest, which will screen the first three films in the franchise in one huge marathon. Even better — Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder and Die Hard with a Vengeance will all screen in glorious 35mm, so you'll be able to see every inch of their explosive excellence (and plenty of Bruce Willis doing his thing in a white singlet, too). Tickets cost $25 (or $20 for cinema members), and it all kicks off at 7pm and runs until after 2am. If you're thinking "aren't there five films in the series?", well, you're right. But no one wants to revisit the awful (and awfully titled) Live Free or Die Hard and A Good Day to Die Hard.
Popcorn, choc tops and cinema under the stars — it's all coming to Woolwich's Clarkes Point Reserve for the first time. Between Friday, September 28 and Monday, October 1, the Woolwich Open Air Cinema will crank up the projector and play four films over four nights. Get a dose of Pixar nostalgia with Finding Nemo, go over-the-top with Crazy Rich Asians, snuggle up to your nearest and dearest with a rewatch of Notting Hill and remember how young Matt Damon looked 21 years ago — and how great an actor the late Robin Williams was — thanks to Good Will Hunting. Gates open at 4pm each day, with the movies kicking off at 6.15pm — so if you arrive early, you have plenty of time to soak in the lower north shore surroundings. Picnics are welcome, but you can't bring your own alcohol; however, there's a bar selling not only snacks, but wine, beer, spritzes, and gin and tonics, as well as cheese and charcuterie platters for two, porchetta rolls, vegetarian baguettes, and chicken and chorizo paella. Image: Mary and Andrew via Flickr.
