By David Kenney
In the ’80s, cheesy synths and Kahlua-smooth vocals amplified loverman Lionel Richie to the dance stratosphere. Bad jericurls and all, Richie made ladies quiver and boys roll their eyes. So suave, so ’80s fromage friendly. On Renaissance, the former Commodores vocalist attempts some vintage "Say You, Say Me" rubdowns using Latin rythyms and electronic blips.… Continue reading Renaissance
By David Kenney
Five years ago, photojournalist Sean White was looking up in awe at the beauty and Zen-like peace of the mountains. These days, his view focuses on the silver screen, like a deer-in-the-headlights. That’s because the Victoria native is busy trekking cross-country promoting his first feature film, Beyond Gravity. Conceived in the summer of 1999 and… Continue reading Climbing movie goes beyond gravity
Well that’s it, I’m convinced. Perhaps even enlightened. It’s all clear: the reason Hollywood keeps pumping out weak-plotted movies, cast with their finest "beautiful people" is not because they sell to some deluded mass market, but rather they keep my hard-earned money in my pocket and my time better spent. There can really be no… Continue reading Mexican is 123 minutes of pain
By Nicole Kobie
According to William Goldman, screenplay writers are the most undervalued and ignored commodity in Hollywood. That statement probably raises some questions: Who the hell is William Goldman? And who cares about film writers? Why shouldn’t we ignore them, when there’s so many more interesting people in Hollywood? If you love movies, and/or want to make… Continue reading Scripts, lies and videotape
By Paul Margach
When Lassie could rescue Timmy in every single episode ("What’s he saying?" the baffled townsfolk would ask; "Timmy’s on fire again?") it must have been apparent. And when the Littlest Hobo foiled criminals and even once piloted a hot air balloon all by himself, there could not have been any remaining doubt: dogs can easily… Continue reading See Spot Run as dumb as a kid’s book
By Natalie Sit
Undaunted by the transit strike, Barenaked Ladies fans straggled in, hungry for a killer live show. They patiently sat through Chantal Kreviazuk’s half-hour set. Not to slight Kreviazuk and her astounding voice, but the packed Saddle-dome was waiting for Steve, Ed, Jim, Kevin and Tyler–and they were not disappointed. The Ladies have a well-deserved reputation… Continue reading Thumbs up for naked fun
By David Kenney
Go to any mall and you’re bound to hear a wail from some young kid stricken with grief. Many times, the whimpering bundle of joy is suffering from separation anxiety or lost-parent syndrome. Usually, the kid and parent are reunited. For Jewish Kinderstransport kids, reunion was often more about hope than reality due to the… Continue reading Children of the Holocaust get a voice
By Nicole Kobie
When was the last time you were moved? When was the last time something shook you to the very core? Want to feel that way again? If you’re anything like playwright Danijel Margetic, all you need to do is take in a performance of Dream of Yellow Snakes. The Nickle and Dime production, which was… Continue reading Dark, dramatic dreams on display
By James Keller
Borrowing a page from the hip swing vocabulary of the ’40s, local violinist Karl Roth is a self-described cat in the Calgary jazz scene. "I’ve just been around long enough and doing it long enough," laughs Roth, who plays the Blue Banana Lounge Fri. March 2. "There’s a lot of people that want to be… Continue reading Calgary jazz violinist one cool cat
By David Kenney
Drawing from one’s own diary is typical for any writer. Lifting juicy bits from someone else’s book of secrets is something else. Famed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald did both, with incredibly inspiring and depressing results. His challenging marriage to the flamboyant and intensely creative Zelda Sayre provided fodder for volumes of his literature. Having access… Continue reading Great Gatsby’s seamy underbelly