under $20

HOT: Cumulus Inc, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

December 1, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments

In New York City, Dulcinea offers ‘a wholesome indulgence’ every Wednesday by subscription, whether that be jumbo rhubarb muffins, a blueberry lemon pound cake, or a half dozen strawberry scones. Similarly, Le Dolci is London’s first weekly cake club where subscribers can receive a bundle of home-baked goodness such as biscotti, scones, brownies, pies and [...]

NOT: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon St, Carlton

November 27, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments

Before you all gasp at my audacity in giving a NOT to Heath Ledger’s final work, let me preface my review by saying that visually, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is very imaginative and enjoyable. All the actors, including Heath, looked like they were having a lot of fun making this fantastical roller-coaster of a [...]

NOT: Antichrist

November 25, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Lars Von Trier’s latest film Antichrist is opening in Australia tomorrow and is showing exclusively in Melbourne at Cinema Nova. I haven’t been able to confirm as yet whether this release has been edited from the full version. [Update: The Age confirmed that the full version is showing.]
The film has certainly divided audiences – earlier [...]

NOT: Time Traveler’s Wife, Palace Dendy Brighton, 26 Church St, Brighton

November 22, 2009 ⋅ 5 comments

I dithered a bit about whether to give The Time Traveler’s Wife a HOT or NOT. It was a moderately pleasant experience and I didn’t feel like I’d wasted 2 hours of my life, but would I encourage my friends to see it? Probably not – basically because it could have been so much better.
For [...]

NOT: Burning Daylight, Marrugeku, Meat Market, Arts House, 5 Blackwood St North Melbourne

November 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Burning Daylight is a contemporary dance and theatre production about the remote north-western coastal town of Broome by the indigenous and multicultural troupe Marrugeku. It was a reasonably entertaining production but on balance I have given it a NOT based on a single criteria – would I recommend it to a friend? And the answer, [...]

HOT: Brunetti, 214 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

November 19, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments

Given the heatwave that we’ve been experiencing in Melbourne lately, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to eat icecream for lunch. Scooping gelati under the shade of a big umbrella makes me feel like I’m on holiday!
Brunetti in City Square is perfectly located for a working icecream lunch. The small counter has a selection of about [...]

HOT: Beautiful Losers, Anode 2009, Speakeasy Cinema, 1000 £ Bend, 361 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne

November 18, 2009 ⋅ 6 comments

Beautiful Losers begins with an amusing introduction by two middle aged men in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge: “Hello Melbourne! Hope you enjoy the film. We brought cocaine!” Who are these people? You wonder. They look like two ordinary, non-descript guys, the kind you see down at the hardware store in the suburbs.
Aaron Rose [...]

HOT: Speakeasy Cinema, 1000 £ Bend, 361 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne

November 17, 2009 ⋅ One comment

Speakeasy Cinema is one of the newest cinema experiences in Melbourne and I loved its hip, low-fi aesthetic. A ramshackle collection of mismatched chairs. Nostalgic lolly bags and ice creams for sale. Milk crates to steady your drinks. The whole experience made me feel like I was going at an underground film event crossed with [...]

HOT: Carringbush Hotel, 288 Langridge St, Abbotsford

November 13, 2009 ⋅ 4 comments

My friend J was once part of a radio station competition where the audience had to call in to guess her nationality based on what she said and how she spoke. J spent 5 minutes discussing how confused she was by the popularity of chicken parma. She couldn’t understand why you’d take a perfectly good [...]

HOT: Jolly J’s Curry Shack, Port Phillip Arcade, Shop 8, 232 Flinders St, Melbourne

November 11, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments

A friend (who had heard it from a Sri Lankan colleague) tipped me off that Jolly J’s served authentic Sri Lankan food. That’s not immediately obvious from the picture menu propped in front of the no-nonsense wash-and-wipe down restaurant – the board lists unheard of Sri Lankan delicacies such as Chicken Parma, Singapore noodles and [...]