A clever study in absurdity, The Horses by William Lane is an unusual piece of Australian literature that unpacks notions of class, ideology, religion and education. Set in a boarding school on Sydney’s outskirts, the novel features young men who wear armour for uniforms (including helmets, breastplates and chain metal gloves), teachers who care more the…
Confronting. Intense. Excruciating. These three words describe one of the most remarkable, raw and minimalistic cinematic experiences. I am talking about a movie that deals with a divorce unlike any other you have seen. It is a courtroom drama with the look and feel of a play. The plaintiff is Viviane Amsalem, long married to…
What do you do when the cards you’ve been dealt aren’t enough? In Jessie Cates’ (Esther van Doornum) case, she calmly takes the ultimate step. Jessie is the single mother of a troubled child, who has left. She lives with her own widowed mother Thelma (Caroline Lee). She tells Thelma she’s about to take her…
– Misbehaviour – Only in cinemas from 26 November 2020 We have 5 double in-season passes thanks to StudioCanal. *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE In 1970, the Miss World competition took place in London, hosted by US comedy legend, Bob Hope. At the time, Miss World was the most-watched TV show…
An unquestionable highlight of winter in Melbourne is Lightscape at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Now in its fourth year, it is bigger and better than ever, with many new and captivating light installations up above, in the trees and on the ground. It is a true A-lister, suitable for the whole family and how many…
A searing portrait of depravity in the darkest of times, this debut feature for Hungarian director and co-writer László Nemes is a remarkable and evocative film. Son of Saul focuses upon a Jewish man, Saul Ausländer, a role filled by Géza Röhrig (a 48-year-old writer and poet), who is forced to aid the disposal of…
American remakes of European movies perhaps don’t have the best track record. But Bart Freundlich’s After the Wedding – a re-working of Susanne Bier’s 2006 Danish film of the same title* – mostly succeeds thanks to some clever writing, sharp direction and fine acting. The action is transplanted from Copenhagen to New York; but the…
What better way to celebrate 100 years of putting smiles on faces from the ultimate dream factory than to bring a cavalcade of their timeless stories to life … on ice? I was fortunate enough to see the first Melbourne performance of Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic and I assure you that…
Thought-provoking and confronting, Imperfect by Lee Kofman is the book I’ve been recommending to anyone who asks lately. Imperfect (clever cover design makes the title read I’m Perfect, sans apostrophe) skillfully weaves memoir with interviews in a compelling and heart-tugging way. The blurb reads: By the time she was eleven and living in the Soviet…
What happens when water encounters fire? That’s the question behind Pixar’s latest animated adventure comedy, Elemental. A glowing couple, Bernie (the voice of Ronnie del Carmen) and Cinder (Shila Ommi), arrive in Element City and are duly processed. Circumstances have resulted in them leaving their beloved home, Fireland. Element City is a place where each…
