Gus The Frog Spits Bars (One Man's Response To Existential Dread) review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | The Motley Bauhaus

A frog suddenly finds itself hurled over 100 kilometres from its home in the River Torrens to the Clare Valley, where a mysterious curse is wreaking havoc on its residents and their land, and Gus is determined to get to the bottom of it. Gus the Frog Spits Bars (one man's response to existential dread), created and performed by Angus Leighton, is a wild, fast-paced, and absurdly funny ride, blending rap, inventive storytelling, and pure Fringe exhuberance into an adventure like no other. 

Nobody participates in a Festival because they have to. They do it because they want to. But honestly, if there were an award for the Happiest Fringe Performer, it would without a doubt go to Leighton. Watching him on stage is like catching a glimpse of unadulterated joy in motion. There’s a genuine sparkle in his eyes, a buoyancy in his step, and a warmth in his smile that makes the audience instantly at ease and connect with him.

Top Ten Films at 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival

So two and a half weeks of craziness come to an end yet again! While I still have not been able to crack that elusive 50 films, I did increase my total from last year by 11, to 45 movies. Of those 45, I now present you my Top 10 movies from the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival.

1. The Night Eats The World

I suspected I would like this film because it involved zombies, but I didn't think I would be so engrossed by it. Its exploration of loneliness and isolation amidst a zombie apocalypse is skilfully accomplished with just the right levels of comedy and horror to prevent you from getting too overwhelmed by the bleakness.

As Sam, Anders Danielsen Lie expresses the boredom and the uncertainty that our protagonist is feeling faultlessly. Without much dialogue (between humans at least), Lie relies on his physicality and expressions to present the impact these events have had on him. Despite the zombies, this is a thoughtful (and philosophical) film about the desire people have in wanting to connect with others.