By James Keller
In America, spelling is a cutthroat game. A missing vowel, an extra consonant or, heaven forbid, a Canadian spelling could mean the difference between victory and heartache. And in the end, all but one will make a mistake. Spellbound captures the journey of a handful of American grade school children on their way to the… Continue reading Spellbound
There’s a voice in my head telling me not to name Pirates of the Caribbean best movie of 2003. It’s Disney, for crying out loud, and it’s based on an amusement park ride! That means it’s kin-folk with The Country Bears, and encouraging the production of that kind of dreck is treason of the worst… Continue reading Pirates of the Caribbean
By Rob Scherf
In my mind, few more than three exceptional zombie movies have ever been made. It’s odd, the Italian horror explosion in the ’70s opened the door for about 100 hack directors to ply their trade with countless “cinematic” offerings featuring torrents of blood and legions of undead. These features were often only capable of supporting… Continue reading 28 Days Later
“When I held her head as she puked Absinthe off the Charles Bridge it was a tender and a glamorous sight.” Witty and sincere, Geoff Berner could easily be one of Canada’s top songwriters, if only he was a little more hesitant about being risque. He has pointed out in concert that several of his… Continue reading Geoff Berner
Picking a single best album for any year is a daunting, if not impossible, task. Sometimes it even seems slightly pointless. There is so much music out there that missing a great deal of it is inevitable. The truth about music is there will always be a few albums that are obviously amazing; it’s picking… Continue reading Calexico
It’s time to face facts: I’m just an awkward white boy at heart. Despite efforts to expand in funkier directions, to shake it like that proverbial Polaroid picture, my album of the year once again resides in the realm of rock and roll. At least, on the fringe of rock and roll. Martin Tielli has… Continue reading Martin Tielli
By Rob Scherf
Oh, indie pop. With its swooning oohs and aahs, it’s too cutesy for its own good. It’s stuck in the rut of Sgt. Pepper-era psych experimentation, enough that one could see the unimaginative likes of Elf Power and The Flaming Lips dominating the genre forever. Then this summer, out of nowhere and with a flash… Continue reading The Unicorns
By Alan Cho
Most of those in hip hop seem content photocopying the sounds of P-Funk and firmly entrenching themselves in their gangsta cliches, as if afraid of stepping out and being incinerated by the brilliance of Outkast. In what could be seen as a marketing move, Big Boi and Andre 3000 released their solo projects as a… Continue reading Outkast
By Falice Chin
For more than a decade, Blur has amazed fans and critics alike with every transformation they have made. After a four-year break, with singer/songwriter Damon Albarn focusing much attention on his side project Gorillaz, the band produced yet another great album. Even though guitarist Graham Coxon quit the band after disputes with album producer Fat… Continue reading Blur