Still working on telling the difference between a Merlot and a Malbec? Wondering how to pronounce Shiraz in a way acceptable to the French? Haven't yet found time to drive 260 kilometres to find out why we reckon Orange is NSW's underrated foodie (and vino) capital? Sate your curiosity this month at a series of Orange-focused wine masterclasses at the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel. As part of their Taste Orange Food & Wine Festival, these events will take you on a journey deep into the rural NSW town's winey wonders. A master sommelier will talk — and, most importantly, taste — you through a bunch of the region's finest drops. Being 600 metres above sea level, Orange produces some cracking cool climate wines, like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Already shaking your head 'cause Chardonnay ain't your thing? We dare you to go and not convert. Masterclasses are running on Tuesday, May 10, Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 26 from 7pm, and cost $45 a pop. If your sweet-talking can't rope in a designated driver, then reserve a room at the hotel — special deals (including extras like complimentary bottles of wine) are on offer throughout the festival.
Everybody wants to be Ryan Reynolds. That's not an expression of envy, but rather the plot of a growing collection of body swap movies featuring the Deadpool star. In Self/Less, an ailing real estate mogul (Ben Kingsley) transferred his consciousness into Reynold's younger, fitter body. Now, Criminal transplants the memories of Reynolds' murdered CIA agent Bill Pope into the brain of emotion-free death-row prisoner Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner). In both cases, the obvious happens, with the older men so profoundly influenced by the new thoughts and feelings coursing through their brains that they start to question their own life choices. And in both cases, the conflict between their old ways and a fresh beginning — as signified here by the wife and child Reynolds' hero has left behind — isn't their only battle. Gun fights, chases and a host of determined bad guys also feature prominently in the predictable narratives that follow. Indeed, if there's one thing that the London-set Criminal isn't, it's original. While Jericho's changed mental state comes courtesy of an experimental technique pioneered by neurosurgeon Dr Franks (Tommy Lee Jones), it's actually orchestrated by CIA heavy Quaker Wells (Gary Oldman), who needs to finish the mission that saw Pope lose his life. Of course Jericho isn't too keen to assist, particularly with a Spanish anarchist (Jordi Mollà), his hacker colleague (Michael Pitt) and nuclear weapon codes in the mix. Instead, he's just after a big bag of money that's been lost along the way. Or at least he is until he forms a connection with Pope's widow (Gal Gadot) and young daughter (Lara Decaro). A Frankenstein's monster of action-thriller, espionage and Reynolds mash-ups proves the end result. In fact there's even a nod to Mary Shelley's classic novel — Criminal is ultimately a film about a despised creature given a new lease on life, after all. Sadly, writers Douglas Cook and David Weisberg (The Rock) approach the subject with minimal subtlety. The same is true of director Ariel Vromen (The Iceman), who seems like he'd have been more at home directing action films in the '90s. They didn't need nuance back then — and seesawing between loud setpieces and laid-on-thick schmaltz, Vromen doesn't want any now. At least Costner, channeling his best Gary Busey and Nicolas Cage impressions, knows exactly the kind of film that he's in. In fact, his lead performance is fascinating to watch, with the veteran movie star doing his best to bring a little depth while powering through the often-silly dialogue. Jones and Oldman don't fare as well, with neither actor expending much effort in their respective one-note roles. And for all his importance to the plot, Reynolds barely makes an impact. Maybe he's saving his energies for the next instalment of Being Ryan Reynolds. At this rate, there has to be another one in cinemas before too long.
Vivid is not something you should do on an empty stomach. If you're at could-eat stage before you embark on your citywide tour of Sydney's biggest light installation, then you're sure to surpass cranky-starving-sore feet stage by the time you're done. Luckily, the good folks at Westfield Sydney are staying open late Thursday to Saturday during the festival with a food court full of food and seats to let you rest your weary legs. So in between catching a gig at the Opera House, completing the Light Walk or partying with Björk, you can pop into the Pitt Street shopping centre for some dumplings at Din Tai Fung or New Shanghai, smash a bowl of ramen at Ippudo, snack on pork buns at Tim Ho Wan or grab a rice bowl to go from Rice Workshop. On levels five and six, Westfield Sydney will also have an enchanted forest light installation set up. Out in Pitt Street Mall, they'll also have a 3D sculpture in the shape of a sodium chloride crystal. Named True Life, the installation will be lit up with images of larvae and coral cells as seen under a lens in real time, giving you an insight into what true life consists of. From a practical standpoint, Westfield Sydney is also offering valet parking throughout the festival. Something to keep in mind when you're circling the city trying to find a park. You can access it via 135 King Street, Sydney.
The Museum of Contemporary Art's monthly ARTBAR has become a firm fixture on Sydney's after-dark cultural calendar. Featuring a new curator each time, ARTBAR combines art, music, design and performance on the last Friday of every month. After knocking off work, head down to Circular Quay for a big dose of art, a splash of wine and your choice of fun-filled activities — with the added bonus of panoramic views of the harbour from the Sculpture Terrace. This month, the MCA is buddying up with photographer, videographer, performance and installation artist Eric Bridgeman for Yal Kuna (My Mates) = Blessed, a night about friends and relationships. Bridgeman hails from Brisbane, and creates art about his friends and family exploring major themes such as identity, social performance and cultural taboos. His art will be on display in the form of paintings, GIFs and 1930s crooner songs for you and your mates. Bring some friends with you for an evening of great art — and don't forget to drag them into the styling booth for some fashion tips on the way out. By Siobhan Ryan with Annie Murney.
Matthew McConaughey has been called quite a few things over the course of his career, but understated isn't often one of them. Whether he's grinning in one of the many rom-coms on his resume, gyrating in Magic Mike, or claiming that time is a flat circle in True Detective, he's the kind of actor that tends to make his presence known. But while that still proves the case in civil war drama Free State of Jones, what's most noticeable about McConaughey's efforts here isn't what he does, but what he doesn't do. As a conscripted Confederate medic who decides to desert his post, his portrayal here is far less flashy than we're used to. Of course, McConaughey's approach to playing real-life figure Newton Knight suits the movie he's in: a lengthy, slow-moving drama that's eager to stress the importance of its little-known true tale. If McConaughey displays a much more restrained brand of his usual charm, it's because writer-director Gary Ross (The Hunger Games) is determined to make the film as solemn as possible. Unfortunately, in doing so, the end result feels rather bland. Tired of seeing soldiers put their lives on the line for a cause that rewards the rich, Knight heads home to Mississippi while the conflict still rages. He's quickly labelled a deserter, hunted by the army and forced to hide out in swampland in Jones County – events that fuel his rebellion not just against the war and slavery, but against the government's excessive taxation of local farms. As word of his crusade spreads, others join his fight, sparking a new battle for equality between opposing factions of the Confederacy. Cue all the expected speeches about freedom and fairness, in a film that endeavours to highlight the varying levels of injustice and disillusionment that continue to haunt the United States to this day. And yet, though it does just that, there's no mistaking Free State of Jones' comfortable, cautious perspective. As Knight bands together with runaway slaves and falls for the kindly Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the film remains content to focus on what these developments say about its hero. The words 'white saviour' aren't uttered, but they'll definitely pop into your mind. Given that Ross plays it safe with his story, and tasks McConaughey with doing the same with his performance, it's hardly surprising that the film looks the same as it feels. Knight and his fellow characters might get muddy and bloody, but there's little that's untidy about the way the decidedly muted movie is put together. Here, a polished but decidedly mediocre narrative gets an aesthetic to match, and proves all the less powerful for it. That many of Free State of Jones' most interesting details are conveyed as text on screen says plenty about the finished film.
The Israeli film industry is in the spotlight once again at the 13th edition of the AICE Israeli Film Festival. Leaping onto the screen at Randwick's Ritz Cinema, this year's festival program features films across a wide array of genres, from romantic comedies to horror flicks and a healthy contingent of docs. The festival begins with an opening night screening of Amir I. Wolf's Fire Birds, a murder mystery that was nominated for ten Israeli Academy awards. Similarly acclaimed is Ori Sivan's Harmonia, a drama set in the "inner sanctum" of a philharmonic orchestra. The film arrives in Australia direct from the Jerusalem Film Festival, where it won a pair of awards. This year's IFF also features plenty of non-fiction films, which is hardly surprising, given that festival director Richard Moore also coordinates Australia's documentary film festival, Hot Docs. One particular standout looks to be Who's Gonna Love Me Now?, which follows a gay Israeli man who decides to reunite with his estranged family after being diagnosed with HIV.
Performance Space has announced the program for 2016's Liveworks Festival and if you weren't already, be prepared — audiences don't just sit quietly in the dark any more. Liveworks is a mental crash-tackle of new and experimental artworks that runs from October 27 to November 6. Artistic director Jeff Khan says this year's goal is to cut through the numbness audiences have developed towards news and ever-present, ever-louder advertising. Ranging over a course of topics and genres, he says the selected works not only challenge audiences, but also establish deep artistic connections and "become a mirror of our own fears and desires." But you don't cut through numbness by watching Lady Gwendolen pass the cucumber sandwiches. Taiwanese artist River Lin will perform for a single person at a time, one on one, with the unnerving Cleansing Service. The work begins with each audience member being asked to identify a body part they consider physically or emotionally 'unclean'. In the ensuing performance, Lin will attempt to 'cleanse' it for them. Continuing the program's love for uncomfortable situations, Mish Grigor's The Talk invites anyone and everyone to relive some of the most excruciating discussions she's had with her family about sex. And when we say relive, we mean audience members are given a script, a glass of lukewarm champagne and the role of a family member. There's plenty more to the program this year, available at Liveworks' website. So saddle up the awkward horse and get going. Art doesn't have time to worry about how comfortable you are any more.
Traipsing through a decaying apartment complex, getting his rotting teeth checked, and munching on roasted dog leg: all part of an ordinary day for Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston). It wasn't always this way though. Just three months earlier, the surgeon was a fresh resident in the gleaming tower, filling his new home with boxes, meeting his neighbours, and talking about starting over with a clean slate. He soon discovers, however, that a strict hierarchy rules the titular structure, and when it starts to falter, so does anything resembling a civilised existence. All it takes is a power outage and an unauthorised dip in a communal swimming pool for classes to clash and all hell to break loose. Welcome to the world of High-Rise, with director Ben Wheatley and his regular screenwriter and co-editor Amy Jump bringing the dystopian vision of J.G. Ballard's cult 1975 novel to the screen. They're the perfect pair for the task, particularly in light of their previous output. Psychological horror Kill List, murderous black comedy Sightseers and hallucinatory historical thriller A Field in England all examined the bleak and brutal side of the human psyche. If those films aren't the ideal stepping stones towards exploring the mayhem of the masses when left to their own devices, then we don't know what are. The eponymous property's descent into anarchy runs in parallel to Laing's ascent through its social ranks, though the smooth, suave newcomer proves a friend to those who inhabit all levels. He mingles with seductive single mother Charlotte (Sienna Miller), who lives directly above him, as well as documentary filmmaker Wilder (Luke Evans) and his pregnant wife Helen (Elizabeth Moss), who dwell several stories below. Much to the dismay of the folks that consider themselves at the top of the pecking order, he also befriends Royal (Jeremy Irons), who created the block and resides in its penthouse. Just as Wheatley and Jump are the best off-screen team to make High-Rise scale the satirical heights its seeks, so too is Hiddleston the ultimate leading man for the job. Managing to lure the audience into the twisted tale while still making sure that his protagonist keeps a little distance from the disorder around him, the actor proves as fascinating a point of focus as the film's true main character: the building itself. Given the attention-grabbing antics that take place within its walls, that's saying something. Indeed, as the alcohol flows freely, the sex grows more debauched and petty arguments spiral rapidly out of control, everything plays out like a big, bold, busy bash that slowly turns oh-so-sour. With dance sequences aplenty and the increasingly frequent sight of ordinary life turning to the stuff of nightmares, Wheatley ensures that every frame of High-Rise looks the part as well. Whether crafting a quick-cut montage out of carnage and carnality, or switching between a sublime Portishead cover of ABBA's SOS and Clint Mansell's ominous score, the '70s-set film proves a slick but festering affair in its aesthetics and themes from start to finish. It's little wonder that it's also incredibly divisive. If you don't adore the film's deliciously dark and unashamedly scathing depiction of humanity, you'll probably abhor it.
Have you heard of competitive endurance tickling? Neither had David Farrier. The New Zealand journalist came across videos of Adidas-clad men participating in the activity online quite by accident, and was (understandably) fascinated. We've all been sucked in by strange subjects before, but very few internet obsessions turn out like this. Indeed, there's a reason that Farrier decided to pick up a camera and trek from Auckland to Los Angeles with co-director Dylan Reeve to make a doco about the bizarre world he had uncovered. The result is Tickled, the kind of stranger-than-fiction film best enjoyed by those with as little pre-existing knowledge as possible. That said, because it's also a feature that has to be seen to be believed, it's guaranteed to cause a reaction regardless of how much of the story you've already heard. In fact, part of the documentary's success stems from how it balances the laughs with the cringes, making audiences feel incredulous and infuriated all at once. As someone who has, in his own words, made a career out of reporting on "the weird and bizarre part of life", Farrier started his investigation by firing off a few emails asking questions about a barely publicised but well-paying tickling contest. After a couple of responses, each one more hostile and homophobic than the last, the journo realised he had become immersed in a strange world in more ways than one. If you thought the idea of pro-tickling was unusual, just wait until you discover the alarming reality behind it. Bullying, exploitation, intimidation, fetishes and fake personas are just the beginning. In truth, Tickled is about a lot more than its title suggests. In addition to investigating the mysterious company behind the competition and exploring the experiences of others who've turned the touch of a feather duster into something lucrative, the film also serves as a reminder about the unseemly side of our interconnected existence. In that way, it sits alongside the 2010 documentary Catfish, posing queries about modern interactions and examining the ways in which technology can both bring people together and tear lives apart. Farrier himself proves a vital central figure. Whether he's on-screen guiding what becomes a race for answers, or off-screen narrating his exploits over recreated footage, the journalist manages to maintain a sense of urgency while at the same time keeping things intimate and personal. And it is personal, as anyone who has been keeping up with movie news of late will be aware. Farrier and Reeve are still receiving legal threats from the film's subjects, who have also taken to showing up to screenings unannounced. Astonishingly, that's one of the most straightforward aspects of this compelling and confounding film.
Everybody, try to remain calm. The celebration of everybody's favourite sweet, the Festival of Chocolate, is back for the weekend of September 10-11. Want to see demonstrations by some of pastry's most respected faces? The Callebaut Test Kitchen will be showing off the talents of Black Star Pastry's Christopher Thé and Carlos Heng of Mak Mak Macarons, among others. The Chocolatiers' Quarters will be home a collection of Sydney's best artisan chocolatiers, and artist James Patrick will create a piece of edible choccie art over the two-day festival. There will also be a pop-up patisserie on the MCA lawn called the Lindt Lounge, where you'll be able to stuff your face full of éclairs and create your own personal block of chocolate. As well as all that there'll be a heap of stalls, covering off all of Sydney's sweet staples like Oregano Bakery, Black Star Pastry's strawberry watermelon cake and rainbow unicorn doughnuts (whatever they are) from My Donut Box.
When you work in a creative field, what does it mean to fail or succeed? What happens in those major moments when you think you might have cracked the big time — artistically or commercially — but can never be sure? And how do you recover when things don't go your way? At Pecha Kucha: Sink or Swim, presented by AGDA, seven creatives will get seven minutes each to discuss such matters. You'll be hearing from artist Ken Done A.M., Houston Group's Stuart O'Brien, Jess Scully of Vivid Ideas, SouthSouth West's Andy Sargent, ustwo's Joel Brydon and Interbrand Australia's Kieren Cooney.
A bunch of powerhouse Indigenous designers will be gathering at the Powerhouse for this trio of events. Get there at 10.30am to meet Brett Leavy, who'll be talking about Virtual Songlines, his virtual reality tool that allows you to see local landscapes before European invasion. Come 12.30pm, it'll be time for Deadly Designers Now. Special guests Lucy Simpson (director, Gaawaa Miyay Contemporary Aboriginal Design) and Nicole Monks (CEO, blackandwhite creative) will be revealing what it's taken to get where they are today. Finally, at 2pm, a roundtable forum will tackle Indigenous technologies in the 21st century, focusing on the ethics of scanning and 3D-printing cultural objects.
First, it's the low, flat tone in his voice that does it. Then, it's the anxious but determined glint in his eye. It only takes a few seconds of screen time, a couple of words and a specific expression, for Joseph Gordon-Levitt to make his portrayal of Edward Snowden worth watching. He's the glare, grit, heart and soul of Snowden, from director Oliver Stone. Even as the filmmaker takes a clear-cut stance about the man considered a hero by some and a traitor by others, Gordon-Levitt brings the required conflict and complexity to the role. Snowden begins in June 2013, in a hotel room in Hong Kong, with one of the most significant and suspenseful events in recent history. The NSA contractor is meeting with filmmaker Laura Poitras (Melissa Leo) and journalists Glenn Greenwald (Zachary Quinto) and Ewen MacAskill (Tom Wilkinson), providing them with a wealth of documents about the US government's secret surveillance regime. The scene should feel familiar, particularly among viewers who have seen Poitras' Academy Award-winning documentary Citizenfour. Stone recreates parts of her excellent film as a starting point and a framing device, before setting out to unpack what it was that compelled Snowden to do what he did. What follows is a dramatic retelling that incorporates much of what you might have read in newspaper headlines, along with snippets of Snowden's life including his rocky relationship with his girlfriend Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley). He excels during his training, and works his way through various intelligence postings around the world. But with each new task, he grows increasingly concerned about America's intrusive espionage activities, and disillusioned with the country he had always believed in. It's an intricate story — and a fascinating one. Stone does an adequate job jumping between multiple time frames, weaving three distinct narrative threads and crafting a slick feature in the process. Yet it's the central performance — along with the inherently gripping subject matter — that keeps Snowden tense and thrilling. As the film cycles through relatively routine biopic territory, Gordon-Levitt even manages to make the frequent sight of searching through files and staring out of windows seem compelling. Unfortunately, while JG-L's portrayal is spot-on, it hurts that the narrative and filmmaking all feels so standard and straightforward. Indeed, it's the feature's conventional nature that never wholly satisfies, even if the story it relates remains engrossing. Snowden is filled with questions, but they're ones that the director quickly offers his own easy, ready-made answers to. On the whole, this is a far less probing effort than Stone's best – think Platoon, Wall Street and JFK. That said, with World Trade Centre, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Savages among his recent output, Snowden is his best film in some time, as well as his most topical. And if nothing else, it also gifts audiences a rare treat: Nicolas Cage actually acting — rather than chewing the scenery — as one of Snowden's early mentors.
Here's one for you, friends of the animals. Yalumba is travelling all the way from South Australia's Barossa Valley to Woolloomooloo's Otto Ristorante for a 100 percent vegan feast during Good Food Month. Absolutely everything on the menu — we're talking every ingredient in all three courses to the matching wines — will have been created without the involvement of furred, feathered or finned critters. Also, Yalumba's winemaker Sam Wigan will be making a special appearance to discuss the importance of sustainability and the significance of veganism to our culinary and alcoholic future. In-between courses and chats, kick back and soak up the Harbour views, guilt-free.
Unless you're Gene Kelly, there aren't too many of us that are happy when it rains. But that's the point of this collaborative exhibition hosted by craft bevvie curators MoCU and curated by the founder of the Alaska Projects, Sebastian Goldspink. Eight Australian artists, including Bridie Connell, Jason Wing, Kate Scardifield, and Lauren Webster, have been commissioned to create the works for the exhibition. "Each of the pieces being created is dark in tone but share a sense of light," Goldspink said, revealing the dichotomous nature of the artworks that highlight their own internal oppositions. This quality of internal dissonance, however, serves to show that there is a unifying characteristic of craftsmanship behind each piece. It's all about the craftsmanship for MoCU, too, who will be providing artisan wines and craft beer and cider matched to the artworks. Studio Neon head chef Aaron Teece will also be on-hand with a specially created canapé menu. Entry is $10 and includes a drink and a canapé.
Anyone who has jumped for bacon-loving joy at the announcement of Cuckoo Callay's Bacon Festival the last two years will surely be stoked with the news that the Newtown cafe is once again celebrating the noble pig in 2017. Starting on March 14 and running for 12 weeks, the Newtown cafe will modify their menu, showcasing their best pieces of pork work. There'll be bacon burgers, bacon French toast and even a bacon ice cream. Last year they expanded from the restaurant and into a one-day festival at Central Park, but this year they'll be keeping it in-house. One thing they'll be bringing back, however, is last year's Mac Daddy — a monstrous mix of double smoked bacon, bacon mac 'n' cheese, a poached egg and fried shallots inside a croissant. Suffice it to say, the Bacon Festival is not vegetarian friendly. Keep your snouts on the Cuckoo Callay Facebook page for the full menu.
When was the last time you saw an exhibition inspired by cockfighting? Never? Then see Joseph McGlennon's latest show at Michael Reid, which draws upon the tradition within Balinese Hinduism. Animal-lovers may well find the concept confronting, but in Bali, cockfights, or talen, are part of established religious practice, taking place in an ancient ritual to expel evil spirits — the blood of the losing bird is shed to provide an offering at events like temple festivals and religious ceremonies. McGlennon's prints explore the idea that these birds are bred for aggression, trained to be killers, yet they simultaneously possess a holy significance. Hence the show title, Heavenly Fighters. Expect mythical, ablaze-with-colour digital prints of the fighting creatures, capturing their virility and power. McGlennon has a background in branding and advertising, which partly explains his work's visual oomph… plus a lot of time in post-production. Those familiar with his Kangaroo Studies (2010) or Florilegium #1 (2014) — which won him the Bowness Prize — can already attest to the majesty and mysterious power his pieces transmit. Image: Joseph McGlennon, Heavenly Fighters #4, 2017
Nope, we're not finished with the group exhibitions. Pompom is hosting Contagious Magic, a group show featuring seven artists whose practice revolves around video and photography. Both the show title and the featured works apparently make reference to "the otherness" of Jon Hassell and Brian Eno's 1980 album Fourth World, Vol. W: Possible Musics (ten points if you know what that means). Artists include Vivian Cooper Smith, whose Memory Loss series features rocks his now deceased grandfather collected over decades travelling around WA, exploring themes of time, mortality and memory. There's also Jess Bradford, whose pieces form part of an ongoing project on the Tiger Balm Gardens, a Chinese cultural theme park in Singapore, drawing upon the park's representation of Chinese culture in the form of myths, legends and history. You'll also see work from Simon Del Favero, Charles Dennington, Tina Havelock Stevens, David Greenhalgh and Harley Ives. A diverse, eclectic show that will suit art lovers possessing short attention spans. Image: Jess Bradford, 'Haw Par Villa #4', 2016, courtesy the artist and Galerie pompom.
CHiPS is an extraordinarily annoying film. Annoying, because it's 85 per cent predictable, homophobic rubbish, but also 15 per cent genuinely funny. The quality of those few jokes that do land hence raises the question: was the writer, director and star Dax Shepard just lucky on those rare occasions? Or was he simply lazy on all others? Given the movie is merely the latest in a long line of old TV show reboots, laziness seems the more likely contender. This hypothesis gains further credibility when you consider the comedic chops of Shepard's cast, which includes Michael Peña, Kristen Bell and Maya Rudolph, among others. Hell, Shepard himself is no mug when it comes to making us laugh; how he, or anyone else, could possibly think this script was strong enough to move into production may forever remain a mystery. The plot of CHiPS is at once hideously convoluted and entirely predictable. Peña plays Frank "Ponch" Poncherello, an FBI agent going undercover into the California Highway Patrol in order to expose a gang of corrupt officers suspected of carrying out a series of armoured car robberies. He's partnered up with probationary officer Jon Baker (Shepard), a former X-Games motorcyclist whose body is now in a state of such ruin it's comparable to that of Lloyd Bridges' Admiral Benson in Hot Shots. Addicted to pain killers and determined to win back his adulterous trophy-wife Karen (played by Shepard's actual wife Kristen Bell), Baker is an Owen Wilson-esque modern age man forever discussing the closure of issues and expressing concern for Peña's presumed homophobia. Together, Ponch and Baker cycle around California, occasionally doing police work, but mostly just swearing, masturbating and blowing things up until the movie just sort of ends. The funny bits are funny – a moment involving a hit and run with paparazzi, for example, elicited actual applause from our audience. But successful gags are so few and far between that it makes the exercise of discovering them feel like too much for too little. Vincent D'Onofrio does a solid job imbuing his gang leader character with at least some degree of complexity when all other characters around him are merely caricatures. But it's not nearly enough to save this otherwise decidedly dull and frequently downright cringeworthy affair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IfqqUTW-i4
Just this morning, Nike announced to the world that it had terminated its sponsorship agreement with boxer Manny Pacquiao on account of his offensive views towards same sex couples. It’s a timely reminder of the lengths to which corporations will go in order to protect their brand, even if it means dropping one of the biggest and most successful names on their books. The most powerful companies in the world understand that such power exists only insofar as the public continues to allow it, for without their buying power, these companies are nothing. The most famous and certainly most destructive example of this approach took place in the 1950s, when Hollywood’s major motion picture studios agreed to blacklist a group of their most successful screenwriters on account of their affiliation with the communist party. No crimes were committed, no treason alleged, yet these men were suddenly denied any ability to work in the industry to which they’d dedicated their lives and provided so many financial and critical accolades. Families struggled, many crumbled, and some of the blacklisted even died. And all of it because a few powerful conservatives including John Wayne and gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (played here by Helen Mirren) deigned to call them ‘un-American’. The best known of the so-called Hollywood Ten was screenwriting legend Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), the highest paid writer in town and the scribe behind such hits as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and Kitty Foyle. When he refused to comply with the infamous hearings of the House Un-American Activities Committee, Trumbo was immediately blacklisted and imprisoned, and soon realised the only way he’d be able to continue working was to write B-movies for a pittance under an assumed name. So began an extraordinary period in Hollywood’s history that ultimately resulted in not one, but two Academy Awards going to entirely fictitious writers. It's a story so fantastic it would seem to surpass the imagination of even the likes of Trumbo. Perhaps that explains why Trumbo the film falls somewhat short of the mark. A movie that not just centres on an extraordinarily gifted screenwriter, but also includes multiple excerpts of his craft, inherently sets up an unavoidable comparison with its own writers’ work, and the contrast is at times pronounced. The film’s tone, too, frequently errs on the whimsical despite its subject matter representing an incredibly dark and shameful period in America’s history. The scenes where its actors pay proper deference to this are by far the strongest – although the most moving scene of all takes place in the credits, when the real-life Trumbo pays tribute to his stoic daughter Nikola (Elle Fanning). Despite these issues, Trumbo tells a compelling tale. Led by a remarkable performance from Cranston, the extensive cast breathes much life into the story – and while it feels insufficiently told, the portrait of the man at its centre remains a moving one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gryhSJxx7I
Over the last year, the champagne brunches at Ananas have been pretty next-level — they've served up every ambitious theme from Mad Hatter to Willy Wonka to Halloween. Then, last December, the team took things to a new opulent level with a decadent lobster and champagne brunch. Now, due to popular demand and marking the first Ananas brunch for 2016, they're bringing the lobster brunch back on Sunday, February 21. Think copious amounts of Maine lobster. Yes, those huge, expensive crustaceans you usually only see on TV shows set in The Hamptons. Expect dishes like mini lobster rolls, chilled lobster gazpacho, oven-baked lobster thermidor, lobster hash benedict, lobster risotto and more lobstery treats. It's a steal at $99 per person for the amount of seafood on offer. Guests can upgrade their experience with a two-hour bottomless Marc champagne package for an extra $55 or the Veuve Clicquot Rose champagne package for $75. If the sound of lobster mac and cheese with a flute of bubbly doesn't bring out your inner hedonist, nothing will. It's time to dig out your stretchiest Sunday best; this is the mother of all brunches for Sydney seafood lovers. Bookings are essential, because lobster waits for no one.
Keen for a solid burg in the CBD today? There's a cheeky little burger battle happening underneath Martin Place, with the genuine wizards at Pub Life Kitchen taking on the burgers of Barrio Cellar. On Thursday, August 27 from 12-3pm, the PLK Cheeseburger will take on the Barrio Burger, giving you an excuse to wolf down more than your average recommended burger portion for a regular Thursday. Not familiar with the competition? PLK have earned their stripes in burgery serving seriously excellent creations inside Ultimo's tiny Lord Wolseley Hotel. PLK have been known to put everything from Dorito fried chicken to chilli jam doughnuts on their buns, so don't underestimate these guys. Needless to say, their cheeseburger is a force to be reckoned with. Barrio Cellar, while they're probably known more for tacos and tequila, have created a worthy weapon of their own — the meaty, meaty, oh-so-cheesy Barrio Burger. This really is the best way any Thursday lunch could go. Bring on the burgs.
There's a brand new pop-up coming to Oxford Street this month and it's teeming with testosterone. Curated by Clara Ho (founder of Burton Metal Depository), presented by the Design Residency and supported by the City of Sydney's Creative Spaces initiative, The Man Cave is a brand new pop-up shop filled with Man Things — fashion, accessories, furniture, grooming tools and more — all created by emerging Australian talent with a penchant for dude-focused design. Importantly, you don't need a penis to walk through the door of this pop-up shop. Everyone's welcome, chromosome combinations aside. With Father's Day coming up, it's pretty excellent one-stop-shop for something a little eclectic for your pappy. There'll be a leather monogramming service on-site, as well as bespoke suit fittings and custom jewellery consultations. They're kicking things off on August 20 with a big ol' opening night with whiskey tasting from the crew at Balvenie Whiskey. The pop-up will also be open during Vogue's Fashion Night Out and City of Sydney's Fashion Saturday, with guest DJs, bespoke cocktails and grooming tips. Everyone loves a little beard-trimming advice with an Old Fashioned in hand, right? The Man Cave is one part of a series of pop-ups presented by the Design Residency. The next residency will be Innovators from September 16, then Local Design from October 7. Images: Lena Barridge.
Proving that Italian food is a universally accepted good for humanity, this year’s Sydney Italian Wine and Food Festival has something to suit everyone. Held at Sydney Town Hall, the festival will feature some of the best Italian chefs in Sydney, including from the kitchens of Pilu at Freshwater, Ormeggio, Balla, A Tavola, Aperitivo, Ajo, Osteria Russo + Russo and Capriccio. They’ll be serving up street-style pizza, freshly made pasta and all the finest dishes you would associate with your imaginary Italian nonna. Alongside them, the Gourmet Traveller food market will offer up 250 of Italy’s finest wines along with all of the most comforting take-home treats, from cheese and gelato to salami and coffee. But the Italian Wine and Food Festival is not just a chance to stuff your face with quality goods; it’s also a chance to learn a little something, with a wine masterclass led by writers Huon Hooke and Max Allen and an olive oil masterclass led by Nino Zoccali from Pendolino. If neither of those liquids satisfy you, make your way to the Espresso di Manfredi’s Espresso Martini Bar, the Menabrea Birra Beer Bar or the festival’s Negroni Bar, where Max Greco from Vasco will be acting as mixologist-in-chief. All this, plus a soundtrack of live Italian jazz and DJs drifting from the wine garden until 9pm. Sounds like la dolce vita. Image: A Tavola.
At the end of July, the MCA will showcase four decades worth of work from Aleks Danko. This Victorian-based performance artist and sculptor creates poetry out of objects. He is continually playing with puns and visual jokes. Growing up in suburban Adelaide to Ukrainian parents, Danko gravitated toward art school as a place to explore his feelings of alienation. The whimsical and cartoonish nature of his practice caught the attention of national and international galleries, transforming him into one of our foremost conceptual artists. Curated by Glenn Barkley and Lesley Harding, this show will unpack how Danko works with objects and the way he gives them a kind of veracity and performative power. As the son of immigrant parents, he is also keenly aware of Australia’s social and political fabric and frequently satirises cultural values.
Are you a coffee enthusiast? Do you believe that a yawn is a silent scream for coffee? Is your blood 73 percent coffee? If you even slightly indicated yes to any of those, the Aroma Festival is perfect for you. Coffee connoisseurs will descend on The Rocks like beans into a grinder when the festival returns for its 18th year. Cafes will be showcasing their best blends in a bid to win your votes and the title of Aroma Cup People's Choice. The Australian Specialty Coffee Association will be hosting workshops throughout July on latte art, home brewing and more. There will even be coffee cup readings on the day if you're the type of person who plays with the dregs at the bottom of your espresso. Don't let the daily grind bring you down. Head to The Rocks, try some of Sydney's best local brews and steep yourself in the intoxicating scent of coffee.
Get ready Sydney, the overwhelmingly grand-titled Dinner of the Decade is about to happen — literally. Talented chefs, sommeliers and waiters from around the country are coming together to celebrate ten years of Appetite for Excellence at Mojo by Luke Mangan. So who's cookin'? The culinary talents taking care of you on the night come from well-established Australian establishments you may already know. Think Melbourne's Supernormal, Sydney's Est., Flying Fish and Ananas and more. You're even encouraged to grill the chefs and waiters for DIY ideas and insider knowledge to impress your foodie friends afterwards. It's a bit of a pricey night out with tickets sitting at $130pp, but if you're due for a 'treat yourself' moment, this is a pretty decadently delicious option. Each table gets their own chef and waiter who will put their own personal spin on your menu. You'll be able to relive their career through each plate and of course, beverage matching. Appetite for Excellence has put the spotlight on many talents in the hospitality industry over the years and this dinner is like a big high school reunion — without a party pie or sausage roll in sight. To book, call (02) 9002 5346 or email mojo@lukemangan.com.
Do you remember the maze of brightly coloured vinyl tape on the floor of the MCA at the 19th Biennale of Sydney? That was Glaswegian artist Jim Lambie. He creates hypnotic site-specific installations using a broad range of found materials. Zero Concerto, opening on August 13 at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, will incorporate potato sacks, bicycle wheels and more of his trademark vinyl tape. Lambie compels his viewers to consider new dimensions and modes of perceptions, responding to the architecture of each exhibition space. He produces hallucinatory installations that seem to pulsate with energy. If you were to look through an origami kaleidoscope, it might come close to what Lambie’s practice is all about. Head along to the opening party on August 13 from 6pm.
Wouldn't it be nice to see a music biopic that does its subject justice? One that understands that telling the tale of a rock or pop star requires something other than splashing songs over scenes of arguing? Focusing on conflict is what most movies end up doing, but they don't always elicit much interest. While Love & Mercy does plenty that toes the genre line, thankfully it's more interested in the man behind the band than the usual unhappy group shenanigans. That man is Brian Wilson, and his band is the Beach Boys, the '60s and '70s surfer-themed act turned '80s collaborators with John Stamos. There's much, much more to them than that, of course, and to Wilson. Many consider his innovation, experimentation and harmonies, as evidenced on the widely acclaimed 1966 record Pet Sounds, as markers of musical genius. At first glance, his story reads like a typical before and after snapshot of fame and stardom, including the obligatory drug benders and erratic behaviour, as well as the later fading out of the scene. What simmers beneath the early parties and the eventual burnout is the extent of his musical abilities and its interplay with his fragile mental state. In fact, Love & Mercy makes his mindset the main attraction, rather than the career highs or lows. The film cobbles together a portrait of Wilson from two points in his life, and they comprise quite the contrast. Wide-eyed in his twenties (as played by Paul Dano), he retreats from touring to invest his talents not just in new songs, but in creating the greatest album ever made. Over-medicated in his forties (now in the guise of John Cusack), he tries to rebuild a sense of normality with the help of a new girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) and his psychologist (Paul Giamatti), the former offering a more nurturing relationship than the latter. You need not be a Beach Boys fan to become invested in his plight, nor fond of Wilson's songs to enjoy an engaging ride through his history. For aficionados and the uninitiated alike, filmmaker Bill Pohlad makes Love & Mercy a personal tale first and foremost. Yes, the movie uses the expected soundtrack, but only when the music suits the on-screen events depicted. Singles such as the iconic 'God Only Knows' take on an entirely new meaning when they're given context by Wilson's troubles and moods. The film also attempts to match its style to its subject, collages combining the two time periods, and mimicking the ups and downs of Wilson's energy. It's a smart, immersive and entertaining move from a director who last made a movie way back in 1990 and is actually better known as a producer of Brokeback Mountain, Into the Wild, The Tree of Life and 12 Years a Slave. His choice of leads similarly proves savvy and well suited, and while Dano and Cusack look nothing alike, they do perfect the one thing that could've made or broken the entire feature. That'd be the vibe of a singer and songwriter who attempted first to thrive, and then to survive, the roller-coaster that is the music industry. Wilson's vibrations aren't always good, befitting the ebb and flow of his reality — but as sensitively transferred to the screen, they do inspire more than enough excitations.
Grab your vomit bag: one of the most notorious and disgusting franchises in the history of horror movies is slithering into cinemas for round number three. From the demented mind of writer-director Tom Six, The Human Centipede 3 is being touted as the most extreme film in the series so far, featuring a centipede more than 500 people in length. It’s also currently sitting at a whopping 7% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is roughly seven percentage points more than we expected. The Human Centipede 3 will have its sole Sydney screening at The Ritz in Randwick on Saturday, July 4, marking the only time you’ll be able to view the film on the big screen in all its repulsive glory. Actor Laurence R. Harvey will be on hand for a post-film Q&A, assuming the entire audience hasn’t already fled the theatre.
Spot of Pac-Man and a pizza, anyone? The Keystone Group are launching a brand new foodie pop-up, Barbarello's Pizza and Arcade, on level one of the Sugarmill building in Kings Cross. Running June to September, the pop-up will see the Sugarmill space transformed into a classic Italian pizza and pasta joint — infused with old-school arcade games and a smattering of hip hop. Think pool and pinball machines, with a little Buck Hunter thrown in for good modern measure. Smack bang in the middle of the Cross, Barbarello's is being pitched as a late-night dining and drinking joint, with a no-frills, cheap and cheerful pizza and pasta menu (all under $15). Expect to find pizzas like the Mutha Clucka and Porky's Pig and Pineapple, alongside a Spagless Bolognese (made with penne, much easier for dates). Plus, for the bargain hunters, there's going to be two-for-one pasta nights on Mondays. Looking for an Italian-style tipple? Keystone's national bar manager Manuel Terron and the crew have come up with a special menu for Barbarello's, playing on traditional Italian favourites like the Negroni (only $10 before 9pm on Saturdays), Aperol Spritzes and fresh OJ and Campari go-tos. Barbarello's is the first pop-up for the Sugarmill's first level, a 250 square metre space Keystone intend to hand over to pop-up bar ideas for the foreseeable future. And while we're not sure whether it's technically a 'pop-up' if it's popping up in your own venue, we're going to run with it. Barbarello’s is open on level one of the Sugarmill, Friday – Monday evenings from 5pm. To book, call (02) 8070 2424.
Australia's about to embark upon an entire month of parties, gigs and backyard shindigs, all raising sweet, sweet money to fight poverty around the world. Having run successfully in the UK for about ten years, Oxjam is a month-long, nationwide music festival aiming to raise money for Oxfam. Now it's launching in Australia, with goodhearted gigs coming to venues, garages and backyards nationwide. Even you can throw one. One of those star-studded fundraisers which has seen the likes of Hot Chip, Fatboy Slim, Coldplay and T.E.E.D. crank out a set for a good cause, Oxjam has been a long time coming for Australia. Teaming up with MTV Music and MTV Dance, Oxfam are launching the festival in August; with the main events happening across Sydney and Melbourne. Local venues, collectives and labels like I Oh You, Noisey, Goodgod Small Club, One Day, Motorik, UNDR CTRL and more are holding some of the official gigs — where of course, funds raised will go directly to Oxfam. But you don't have to be near a major gig, you can also host your own party wherever you are. Literally anyone can hold their own Oxjam, from existing venues to local bowling clubs, big time clubs to your very own home. So if you're deep house DJ in your crew you could set up the decks in your garage, put a collection tin at the door and throw down one humdinger of a fundraving do. (And if your neighbours complain, give 'em hell until they donate too.) First time at the event-throwing rodeo? MTV Australia are hosting an official event at MTV HQ in Sydney (date TBC), where budding venue managers, club promoters and regular shindig starters can get tips on throwing their own Gig For Good during Oxjam. If you can't make it to the how-to, Oxjam's website has a bunch of handy tips and DIY guides for party planners. Oxjam is happening Australia-wide over August 2015, with the main gigs happening in Melbourne and Sydney. But with one in three people around the world living in poverty, Oxjam's probably one of the best reasons to throw a local backyard gig we've ever heard. Head over here for more info and start planning. Image: Goodgod Small Club.
Filmmaker John Waters has described Renny Kodgers as "the bastard child of Willie Nelson and Carlotta". Need we say more? The MCA is one brave institution. On July 31, it'll be handing its insides over to the glamorous Renny Kodgers, for the next incarnation of ARTBAR. Kodgers is a hero of Sydney's underground cabaret scene, and you may have heard him not so long ago testing your brain power on FBi's Renny Kodgers Quiz Hour. He's lately been busy winning over hearts at Club 34b, Oxford Art Factory, The Red Rattler, Carriageworks, Parklife and Field Day. The honky-tonkin', rock-n-rollin' legend is promising to take participants on a night of part-country, part-sweaty-summery-city shenanigans. There'll be line dancing with Janene Lawson (aka Ms Bossy Boots), who runs one of Sydney's best line dancing clubs. There'll be crooning and swooning with Elvis Presley. There'll be fortune-tellin' via Mr Kodgers crystal ball. There'll be unpredictable DJ sets. If all the action works up an appetite or the predictions prove overwhelming, you'll be well taken care of with themed snacks and beverages. Image credit: Oxford Art Factory.
John Safran's Murder in Mississippi is making a comeback. So, if you missed him last time around, here's your chance to hear all about how he one day jumped on a plane, moved to Jackson, Mississippi for half a year, got well-acquainted with a murderer and wrote a true crime novel. He's now travelling the world, presenting that novel in the form of a one-man show, which is selling out pretty much everywhere goes. This visit, he'll be at Giant Dwarf for four consecutive nights, reading excerpts, recounting his adventures in the Deep South and showing us footage that we've never seen before. Murder in Mississippi isn't just a story of a one-time crime. It's also a deep, disturbing exploration of poverty, race, imprisonment and the cultural differences that continue to divide America.
Shaun Gladwell doesn’t shy away from dissonance. His practice lies somewhere between surfing, skate parks and French philosophy. Much of his work is a bit like putting an intellectual coat of paint on Australian vernacular. After a major survey exhibition earlier this year, this contemporary heavyweight will be presenting a brand new series at Anna Schwartz Gallery this month. The Inspector of Tides makes reference to the second volume of poetry from Michael Dransfield. As something of a transnational and trans-historical wanderer, Gladwell is drawn to the eclecticism of the late Australian poet’s verse. This expansive exhibition will be rich with cultural references and will involve a range of stylistic approaches, from photography and painting through to installation and video. Image: Shaun Gladwell, Severed Head (Maximus), 2015. Photograph by Dean Tirkot. Courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery.
Like Christmas, Easter brings a wealth of family film fare to cinemas — but not all flicks seemingly targeted at kids are created equal. Not all movies find their story in Mexican and Latin American culture in general, and in Día de los Muertos (or the Day of the Dead) specifically, for example. And not all all-ages efforts are produced by Pan's Labyrinth and Pacific Rim's Guillermo del Toro. If you haven't already guessed, The Book of Life isn't much like other offerings aimed at viewers young and old, and the reasons keep on coming. Though it tells a tale of adventure and romance, it also plunges into worlds laced with death and filled with souls lurking beyond the grave. It may stick with the usual trick of using celebrity voices, but they're not your standard selections, nor do their vocals overwhelm the visuals. And it certainly doesn't look like anything else you've seen before, with its distinctively animated frames depicting the bulk of the characters as intricately crafted marionettes. Instead, The Book of Life is an entertaining feast for the eyes and for the heart, both beautiful to watch and to become immersed in. It starts with school students bored with a museum tour, then sparked into intrigue by a savvy guide (Christina Applegate). The story she shares centres on two warring spirits — La Muerte (Kate del Castillo), ruler of the Land of the Remembered, and Xibalba (Ron Perlman), ruler of the Land of the Forgotten — who make a bet over the control of their realms. Three friends draw their attention: the feisty Maria (Zoe Saldana), who refuses to conform to customary female roles just because it is the done thing; the guitar-playing Manolo (Diego Luna), who is expected to follow in his father's bullfighting footsteps; and the headstrong Joaquin (Channing Tatum), the son of their town's famed but fallen protector. La Muerte wagers that the sensitive Manolo will win Maria's love, while Xibalba backs the bandit-fighting Joaquin. Now, don't go dismissing the film for its formulaic focus on men tussling over a woman, because that's only the broad outline of the narrative. No one in the feature adheres to type, just like the movie itself. Everyone has to open their minds to finding their right path. Everyone has stereotypes to overcome. Indeed, experienced animator turned first-time feature writer and director Jorge R. Gutiérrez oozes affection for departing from the tradition of family fare everywhere he can, including ramping up the gothic, del Toro-esque touches, playfully bathing dark material in an abundance of colour, rendering villains in metal in contrast to the wooden heroes, and using Ice Cube as a hip hop overseer of all life. It's the little things like this that make The Book of Life as fun as it sounds — and it already sounds incredibly fun. Far removed from the usual movies of the season, this is one magically macabre cinema outing.
The world's most famous scientist and the alleged inventor of gravity, Stephen Hawking will deliver his first ever Australian lecture at the Sydney Opera House in April. Addressing audiences from the University of Cambridge via video conference, the internationally renowned cosmologist and theoretical physicist will discuss both his life and the big questions of science. Whether he has any theories about the new season of The X-Files still remains to be seen. Hawking's contributions to modern and popular science are unparalleled. His research into black holes and the Big Bang Theory helped deepen our understanding of the universe, while his book A Brief History of Time has sold more than ten million copies. He's also kind of a boss, as seen most recently in his interview with John Oliver on Last Week Tonight. The physicist’s life was recently immortalised in the film The Theory of Everything, for which lead actor Eddie Redmayne won an Academy Award. Of course, the most noteworthy thing about that movie for most people was the revelation that, despite the accent of his computerised voice, Hawking is actually British. The Sydney lecture is part of the Ideas at the House series, the Opera House’s ongoing program of talks, panels and presentations. The 73-year-old Hawking will be introduced by his journalist daughter Lucy and fellow theoretical physicist Paul Davies.
There's a bandwagon riding around Hollywood at the moment, built on books of the young-adult sci-fi dystopia variety. Yes, contemplating teens in trouble in futuristic times is the current trend du jour, one that Insurgent happily mines. The second film based on the popular novels by Veronica Roth, Insurgent picks up where Divergent left off. As a refresher for those with short memories, the time is 200 years from now, and the place is a walled-in, post-apocalyptic Chicago. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) scandalised the factionalised society by daring not to conform to type. Everyone is supposed to fall into one of five categories, but her personality just wouldn’t fit, branding her divergent. After attempting to hide her true nature, incurring the wrath of power-hungry wannabe leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet), romancing the sullen Four (Theo James) and threatening to expose a few frightening home truths, Tris is now an enemy of the state — but running can only get her and her pals so far. As Jeanine’s tactics of control over the populace become more violent, rebellion and confrontation becomes Tris’s only option Sound familiar? Of course it does, because you’ve seen this before. Not just in the first film, but in the growing pile exactly like it — The Hunger Games, The Giver and The Maze Runner, just to name a few. Disaffected youth, shady dealings, unscrupulous adults, hidden agendas and the pursuit of the bigger picture: it’s a checklist they all stick to, ticking off items one by one. Slight details change; however, for the most part, everything follows the formula. That feeling, not of deja vu or of second chapter-itis, but of seeing too much of the same thing over and over again, just can’t be shaken in Insurgent, not that director Robert Schwentke (RIPD) seems to be trying too hard. With a moody electronic score reminiscent of Tron: Legacy and bleak visuals of running, scowling and fighting that could be taken from any film, the filmmaker’s vision of events paints by the numbers as much as the material it is based on (a few dream sequences aside). Instead, it is left to the high-profile cast to spice things up. Seeing strong female roles on screen is always welcome, but Woodley’s fired-up heroine and Winslet’s cold villain aren’t given too much new to do but frown and argue. Octavia Spencer flits in and out, woefully underused. Though Naomi Watts joins the ensemble, she’s really just setting up the drama for the two films still to come. It’s actually Miles Teller, fresh from Whiplash and made to play a snarky comic foil, who adds some character to the blandness. He’s clearly the only actor having fun, with no one else looking remotely like they want to be in the movie. That's the problem with bandwagons — the more people jump on them, the more others just want to fall right off. That’s the problem with Insurgent, too, as it just keeps circling around the same old teen dystopian block.
Is there anything Sam Simmons hasn’t done? He used to routinely perplex Triple J listeners with his shitty trivia, he got married in an Elvis Chapel in Vegas and invited everyone to go along or watch online, and he’s appeared on Conan O’Brien’s talk show. Simmons is also known for delivering show after show of crazy comedy gold centred around all the things that annoy him, and his new stand-up set is unlikely to be any different. Returning to Australia from LA, where he is now based, he’s certain to have a fresh batch of comic grievances to air, songs to sing and strangeness to share.
Orphans investigates the adults who grow from childhood neglect. It's about second chances, emotional damage, human goodness and unexpected shows of strength. Red Line Productions at the Old Fitz give a well-acted production of Lyle Kessler's character-based drama, which follows three highly imperfect, motherless men and their intersecting lives in North Philadelphia. The play begins in the twisted world of two brothers just managing to scrape by: Treat and Phillip. Treat (Andrew Henry) is the world-weary delinquent. He revels in his powers of intimidation and conducts daily torture on his 'simple' little brother, Phillip (Aaron Glenane). Phillip is a severely anxious, agoraphobic, hypochondriac young man, suffering mental and developmental setbacks due to a lack of education, agency and love. Director Anthony Gooley emphasises the different ways that humans can adapt to the hard-knock life. Treat converts his deep sadness into aggression. Henry fills the room with menace with the mere sound of his approaching boots. Meanwhile, Glenane reveals Phillip's hope and compassion to be his overwhelming advantage over 'able' people. Then enters the third 'type' spawned out of adversity, Harold (Danny Adcock), as the 'saviour' figure. He's an intense yet lovable, 60-something Chicago orphan — toughened by the scars of his past but with a lot of love to give. Adcock's accent work is a marvel, and his delivery throughout the play really capitalises on the comedic role. He has a dynamic, diverse and textural face and voice. Gooley's direction very often relocates Treat and Phillip to the vantage point of the audience, so that Harold is talking to all of us. But he's not without his fair share of shady dealings and mystery. One particular moment of brilliance is his sermon on 'moderation', as he throws back his 15th full glass of bourbon in one gulp. Our human tendency for unwitting hypocrisy and naivety about our own flaws is good-humouredly explored in Orphans. The grey dilapidation of the house, the winter's moonlight shining through tarnished glass and the nostalgic collection of songs and hymns effectively conjure an east coast USA to immerse ourselves in, even if we know nothing of orphans freezing to death in the winter. Always suspicious of a North American story (accents and all) transplanted to our Australian stage, I did have my misgivings about the relevance of Orphans, but the acting is so considered and well-delivered that the story really impacts you. It's lovely to share some time in cold 'North Philly' with these men, and it's clear that Adcock, Glenane and Henry work very hard to expand the possibilities of their characters. They find their inner pain and softness, and transmit this to an audience who can't simply judge or dismiss them. Contrary to old Harold's theory in the script, the actors prove you can't know the individual just by "knowing the type".
Trygve Wakenshaw is back with his highly anticipated new physical comedy, Kraken. Wakenshaw's Squidboy took the festival circuit by storm recently, winning Best Comedy at Auckland Fringe in 2013. In his follow-up work Kraken, the NZ-born, Paris-trained clown uses mime, mouth sounds and the audience's imagination to create a wonderfully absurd stream-of-consciousness narrative about fear of change and the ocean floor. It's already caused a fuss at the Edinburgh Fringe. If you've thought you'd never see a culturally relevant mime act this side of 1955, prepare to be amazed.
Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” Thankfully, the good folks over at the Sydney Comedy Festival agree wholeheartedly and are back again to ensure we don’t waste the 27 days spanning April 20 to May 17. Returning for its 11th year to venues across the city, the festival brings a chock-a-block comedy calendar catering to all comedyphiles. From side-splitting stand-up to sit-down storytelling, sketch shows and improv, they’ve covered the entire comedy spectrum. While there are a stack of stellar shows — including the always popular Gala and Cracker nights — we’ve narrowed it down to ten you can’t afford to miss if you don’t want a wasted day. Check out our top ten shows to see at the Sydney Comedy Festival.
Who says Easter egg hunts are just for kids? Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel is hosting an egg hunt unlike any other on Easter Sunday, with their aqua egg hunt for children and kids at heart alike. Suit up in your best snorkelling gear to find treasures (swappable for chocolate eggs) littered on the sandy floor of Watsons Bay. More fun is on tap for the adult crowd throughout the weekend, with DJs spinning music all weekend long and Yolanda Be Cool headlining at Euphoria on Sunday. The Bay Brunch returns for another round of mid-morning face-stuffing on Saturday. Don't miss out on the seafood feasts on offer for the weekend, with everything from lobster to paella being cooked up by executive chef John Pye.
Elektra / Orestes is another offspring of the ‘remade ancients’ that have colonised Australian theatre for the past few years. Director Anne-Louise Sarks wrenches the 'Elektra' story from the grasp of the ancient Greeks, seasons it with colourful 21st-century language and proffers it to Belvoir and friends. Her decision to do so is mostly justified, not least because this story revolves around the fucked-up family unit, which, as everyone knows, is the modern recipe for success (Kardashians, Osbornes, et al). That said, the 'Orestes' side of the story, the fighting and satellite characters could do with more development. Elektra / Orestes launches with cheeky music and an irreverent approach to the Elektra epic (in which mother kills father, so daughter hides brother and plots merciless revenge on mother). Its greatest success is definitely Katherine Tonkin as Elektra. With countless depictions of the tragic, troubled, truth-seeking heroine, it’s lovely to see Tonkin almost literally take a dump on the Elektra-romance we’ve suffered for around 2,400 years. She’s the worst of our times: a layabout, mopey loser. A thirty-something refusing to move out of her mother’s home but determined to make life hell for everyone in it. Revelling in her tragic excess, she is by turns malicious, lamenting, immature and righteous, and in no way endearing to her audience. Rather than divine justice, she oozes bitchface — as her mother says, “You’re loud, completely useless [and have] done nothing for eight years.” When it arrives, the violent climax of the story is not fully convincing. The fight sequence feels a bit clunky and exaggerated. (Perhaps planned so, to reveal the savagery of Orestes [Hunter Page-Lochard], inherited from his long-dead father? Or was Page-Lochard simply struggling to pop the blood pack?) It teeters between farce and realism, so that the night we attended half the audience gasped and the rest cracked up. The production proudly exploits the revolve stage, though it could stand to push into newer territory once this trick has been uncovered. Sarks and co-writer Jada Alberts really nail the core values of Aristotle’s handbook. They transport the conceals and reveals, the reversals and recognition from ancient Greece to our modern laps. Ralph Myers manages to enhance this poetry, even with a sterile set design that resembles a kitchen showroom. He makes you think twice about the high-rise city dream and what might be lurking in your ample storage space. This Elektra / Orestes makes the ancient tale accessible to a contemporary audience. While it's not perfect, and rests a bit too long on the one trick, it is an engaging show about the destruction that ensues when the ‘natural family order’ is disturbed.
It's the kind of thing nightmares are made of. You arrive on day one of your dream job, but everyone is watching — including ever-present cameras. It's also the type of situation good documentaries can be born of, taking the fly-on-the-wall technique to its extreme. Trailing a fresh-faced new arrival in the hope that fireworks follow could be a waste of time, or it could result in something special. Both scenarios met Raf Simons when he commenced his latest post as artistic director for the House of Christian Dior in April 2012. His appointment was huge news in fashion circles, with the Belgian designer better known for his minimalistic ready-to-wear lines for his own label. Taking over the creative reigns of one of the biggest clothing houses in the industry, he had just two months to put together his first-ever haute couture collection. Observing in the atelier, director Frédéric Tcheng captures the chaos of Simons' trial-by-fire — though the dramas are few and the designs are many. From the moment he meets his new colleagues, to his reaction at the star-studded unveiling of eight weeks' worth of hard work, Dior and I charts his journey with an insider's perspective. It's that peek behind the high-pressure scenes that lifts the documentary, looking further than you might expect. Simons is focused on the massive mission at hand and reluctant to share much about his vision or processes, though he's not the only important figure to consider. The many others toiling away night and day, some mainstays in the workroom for decades, are just as crucial — and are treated accordingly. That's not just Tcheng's approach in trying to make a more interesting movie, but reflective of the status quo at Dior, where collaboration is essential. Also influential is that other figure, the legendary Christian Dior himself. The man who started the brand is worked into the film through snippets of his diary read aloud, his presence felt elsewhere in every shot bearing the label's name — and there's plenty — and discussion about its operating philosophy. Despite the title, however, what the documentary offers is an insight into the way those carrying on his legacy handle that task. Here, it's the I that has it. Tcheng is no stranger to the world of fancy frocks, celebrities and catwalks, having worked on Valentino: The Last Emperor and co-directed Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, with his affection for the industry evident. It would've just been something to catch a crisply shot glimpse of the hallowed halls responsible for some of the greatest looks of the last 70 years, especially for the already converted — but in his hands, Dior and I delivers more than that. With clear eyes, it shows the mania behind the magic and the team behind the icon. That, folks, really is fashion, beyond the parade of beautiful dresses.
A small movie with a big heart: you've heard that claim before. Sometimes though, there's an example that proves the cliche, that one modest effort that punches above its weight in emotion. Don't just take our word for it — watch Infinitely Polar Bear, the latest great example. Its autobiographical look at growing up with a bipolar parent is the type of film this description was made for. Life doesn't fall into neat boxes for 12-year-old Amelia Stuart (Imogene Wolodarsky) and her younger sister, Faith (Ashley Aufderheide), nor for their nuclear family. Their father, Cam (Mark Ruffalo), lives with a condition that's not without its daily challenges — and even more so when their mother, Maggie (Zoe Saldana), goes away to graduate school, leaving Cam as the primary caregiver. The scenario and its stitching together of episodic slices of the Stuarts' lives sounds like something tailor-made for a quirky indie film adventure; however, writer/director Maya Forbes never takes the too-cute or too-eccentric route. Instead, in telling a tale based on her own childhood — and with her own daughter, Wolodarsky, basically playing the filmmaker's younger self — she grounds Infinitely Polar Bear in intimacy, affection and lived-in experience. Yes, the movie has adorable kids struggling with difficult situations, often embarrassed and only sometimes seeing the funny side of things — but it also shows ample warmth and acceptance. Anger and frustration bubble up on several occasions as the film touches upon issues of class, race and poverty, yet the characters are never meekly resigned their fate, nor are they despairing, self-pitying or defeated. With the type of care that only comes from having been there and done that, Forbes ensures that their perseverance remains their strongest element. You believe that times are tough, just as you believe they'll find a way to get through it all. The cast, understandably, is key, both young and old. Oozing the kind of naturalism most child actors lack, Wolodarsky's Amelia proves an ideal guide through the movie, though hers isn't the only impressive portrayal. As the younger Faith, Aufderheide is suitably innocent and mischievous in the way kids are, while Saldana simmers with the inner conflict that results from Maggie choosing the path of short-term pain for long-term gain. The movie belongs to Ruffalo, though, with his superb sliding from the manic to the depressive ends of the spectrum and back again. His isn't a performance made by the extremes, but of empathy for the moments in between, when Cam's good and bad days become one. Indeed, it is so easy to get so thoroughly wrapped up in Ruffalo's endearing turn that the film's few concessions to cliche in its style — handheld camera work, an upbeat soundtrack and heavy use of montages — are just as easily overlooked. Actually, they feel like they fit a movie that is slight but sweet in just the right proportions, and rather charming too.
Hit the streets of Parramatta this month as it transforms into an eclectic, ten-day treasure hunt for the Anywhere Festival. After four successful years in its Brisbane home, Anywhere's philosophy of exciting performances in surprising venues is stirring Parramatta with a program of 28 local and interstate talents across theatre, music, comedy, dance, visual arts and film. Forget what your mum told you about appropriate venues, as people can perform literally anywhere during this festival, including a photography darkroom, a car park and a toilet (too bad this last one isn't available for Mother's Day). Visitors are encouraged to check out multiple shows, thanks to affordable prices, and experience an alternative version of Parramatta. Festival highlights include a multimedia story of female convicts at the powerful Female Factory, a musical voyage to an Indian palace, a dystopic city tour, and Jean-Claude Van Damme in an old Chinese restaurant. Image: Burning Angel.
If Black Swan didn't make the ballet world look tough enough, the boys from The Dream are sure to fix that. The Australian Ballet has been putting its dancers through their paces ahead of the company's launch of the production early next month. A fascinating rendition of Shakespeare's iconic A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Dream is part of a triple bill of works by leading 20th-century choreographer Frederick Ashton at his spectacular best. Expect magic and musicality, and did we mention men en pointe? That's right, to play the role of Bottom the donkey, the male dancers will have to make like the ladies and dance on their toe-tips (a technique they've learnt in just 12 weeks, as dancer Christopher Rodgers-Wilson described to us for our feature). Bringing Shakespeare's most magical work to contemporary audiences, think of this as the perfect first-taste of ballet for anyone who's never dared step foot inside the Opera Theatre.
Whether you’re a stirrer or a shaker, a sipper or a slurper, World Class Cocktail Weekis dedicated to you. For seven glorious days between May 25 and 31, cocktail-centred happenings will be taking place all over Sydney and Melbourne. The festival is the creation of Alex Adams (aka Ms Darlinghurst), who you might know as the founder of Secret Foodies. The program ranges from Frida Kahlo-style Mexican feasts, featuring the artist’s favourite dishes matched with margaritas, to masterclasses at Eau-de-Vie exploring all things related to the mighty martini and workshops in which Yoshi Onishi, bar manager at Tokyo Bird, teaches you how to hand chip ice balls. Then there are degustations by the bar, cocktail-tastings as time travel, high teas starring champagne cocktails and bush tucker experiences featuring native-inspired mixology.
Vivid 2015 will be amassing a buzzing crowd over at the Australian Technological Park with Game On this May. Featuring international and local guests, this festival celebrates two of the most popular things to do when procrastinating: interactive games and online videos. Game On is focused on fans and creators alike, with an expo hall open for gamers to playtest the latest projects from indie developers from around the world, as well as workshops and how-to presentations hosted by local colleges the Academy of Interactive Entertainment, JMC Academy and the Academy of Information Technology. Comedy, ideas and music will be represented by YouTube celebrities including Barack Obama impersonator alphacat, 24-year-old Australian master of disguise mychonny, the singing duo Jayesslee, gaming superchannel Smosh Games, and special FX warriors RackaRacka. If you're feeling inspired from this and want to break out into your own online fame, you'll also find plenty of opportunities to learn the craft of home broadcasting for yourself.
