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HALIFAX ENTERTAINMENT MAR 14, 2010

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MAR 14, 2010
Portraits of Injustice, painted by local artist Carol M...
Pier 21
Exhibit is part of Pier 21’s newest Community Presents! exhibit.

 Active Doll Drive for a Haiti Orphanage
Dolly Donations in partnership with The Abundant Ground Foundation is trying to gather dolls for 181 orphaned Haitian children.

ENTERTAINMENT

Morning Madness:: unreleased Thrush Hermit & Steve Poltz videos
The countdown is officially on folk. Next week The Hermit reunion shows will hit Halifax and the mix of nostalgia, rock, and lines shaved into people's head will reach critical mass. To help get everyone excited, Joel sent over a great video of one of the unr... Read More.

Bacon Life Support Unit interview and exclusive images from their forthcoming video
BACON LIFE SUPPORT UNIT has always intrigued me. Even though I was never an avid fan, they had my attention every step of the way. You could say I lurked them from afar, anxious that if I didn't, I'd miss out on something. Read More.

Fictional Author!
Fiction by its very definition is a story invented by the imagination of the author. But how about when the fiction is ‘written’ by a fictional character? That is pure fiction! Read More.

John Buys Comics - Cat-Style!
What a week! B.P.R.D, Solomon Kane and The Unwritten their usual high-quality astonishment; Giffen managed to bring some Morrison-era weirdness into present-day Doom Patrol; Read More.

Swing an EP in my jeep:: Dark Mean and Dave Norris & Local Ivan
A few EPs have been occupying my time lately and there are only so many hours in the day in which I can write about music. Rather than offering up a few lines to each in truncated posts spread out over the week, I decided to go all Uncle L and deliver and ep o... Read More.

Testing my WordPress Space Upgrade with my Own Song MP3 for Free Download
I just got a WordPress space upgrade, which means I can also upload file types I was not able to before, like MP3s. Well, it turns out I have recorded one song so I have an MP3 to which I have copyrights to share. Read More.

Lane Anderson Prize
The Globe and Mail and Quill and Quire have articles announcing the first Lane Anderson Prize for Canadian science writing. Directors Hollister Doll and Sharon Fitzhenry say, Read More.

shared passion
elma Hortense Burke ( 1900-1995) is one of the few African-American women sculptors who achieved a high level of national recognition during her lifetime. I've recently come across some photos from the Smithsonian Peter A. Juley & Son Collection. The collecti... Read More.

Another Digression Into Rejection
The above picture I did to as a sample for a job. It was rejected by the author because he thought the coyote wasn't sly enough. This was one of Canada's most famous writers. Read More.

Contest:: Win tix to see Jon McKiel @ The Seahorse
A few months ago I was asked by the National Post to contribute to their "put your stock in a musician" series. With all the incredible talent across this country and hidden away from the masses here on the East Coast, the options were high, but I settled on H... Read More.

The Halifax Club Literary Luncheon!
Three of the region's finest storytellers will take centre stage in Halifax later this month as part of The Halifax Club's ongoing Literary Luncheon Series. Read More.

International Women's Day / Oscar Mash-up
Last night, for the first time in the history of the Academy Awards, the Oscar for Best Director was handed to a woman. Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow for her outstanding work on The Hurt Locker. Read More.

Reader's Pick - The Day of the Jackal, by Frederick Forsyth
I recently asked my well read friend Roger what he thought was best written thriller of all time. Without any hesitation at all, he confidently nominated the 1971 political thriller, The Day of the Jackal, by Frederick Forsyth. Read More.

Rating the Super Hunks #24: Catman
In honour of Cat Week, I am going to examine a guy who has been around the DCU for a long time, but has only recently converted to hunkdom. Not unlike Kiefer Sutherland, Catman only became sexy when he was given a starring role in a series. Read More.

Contest:: Win (5) copies of The Burning Hell This Charmed Life
UPDATE - all 5 copies are now gone. Thanks for entering. It's not surprising that an artist making the long, lonely trek up North would search his inner soul for inspiration. The thing is, when it comes to The Burning Hell's front man Mathias Kom, I'm not sur... Read More.

The Page of Persuasion
It is the strangest thing to pick up the phone and hear the familiar voice of someone you have never met or spoken with on the other end of the line. Read More.

Our Milford House weekend
A relaxing weekend away from home with friends in a cozy cabin = bliss. Last week was one of those crazy weeks - you know, where it's all go-go-go but nothing seems to get done? Knowing that we'd be enjoying our weekend at a cabin at Milford House kept me goi... Read More.

Size Matters
After Fat Tuesday (aka Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday) I started to think about what to do for lent. I could never give up books. For me it would almost like giving up breathing. But it did get me thinking about the subject of fat. Read More.

Iron, or The Propagandist By S.M. Vidaurri
Here's a pin up up I did for the comic Iron, or The Propagandist By the extremely talented S.M. Vidaurri, one of the reasons I'm grateful for the internet is introducing me to great people like him. Read More.

Cat Week Begins! An Interview With Tigra Superfan #1!
And so begins Cat Week at Living Between Wednesdays! To kick off this seven-day festival of feline foolishness, I thought I’d do a bit of investigative journalism into one young man’s slightly unhealthy obsession. Read More.

The ECMA acceptance speech I wish I had given
Quite to my surprise, Halifax Pop Explosion won the East Coast Music Award for Event of the year… Completely unprepared I stumbled through an awful speech, my worst ever I suspect. Read More.

Quick Hitters:: Eli & Papillon
When I went up to M for Montreal this year, I was shocked by how much Francophone talent the festival delivered. Obviously, the talent exists, but on a casual listen it's so easy to dismiss the French speaking acts in our country by assuming that the language ... Read More.

Staff Picks - Nasty: my family and other glamorous varmints by Simon Doonan
"Nastiness is rich. Nastiness is fun. Who needs all that boring, cliche Hallmark stuff when you've got flying dentures? Nastiness has texture. Nastiness has the power to transform. Read More.

Hat Week: The Hats of Romance Comics Explained
Hats and head-wear play an important role in romance comics. By studying the trends of the era, and using hats as signifyers we can gain understanding about social norms and the political climate in romance comics. Read More.

Queen Of Swords
A Tarot card done for Superpunch. As it says on the Superpunch blog "....about this project. Read More.

March of the Prints!
Just a reminder, the printmaking department at NSCAD is having its annual exhibit and sale of student work. The show is at Seeds Gallery, 1892 Hollis Street, from March 9th – 20th. Read More.

Alice In Wonderland: More Disney than Burton.
Tim Burton fans should be properly forewarned that his major studio take on Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland is more Disney than Burton. With a truly horrifying girl-power script by Linda Woolverton -- who penned Beauty And the Beast and The Lion King f... Read More.

Quick Hitters:: Madeline adams/Your Heart Breaks/Karl Blau Tour EP
These days we don't visit the sample from musical reservoir South of the Border much. Too many bands, not enough posts kind of thing I guess. That being said, there are still a few artists that without fail, get instant attention from the hill. One of those ar... Read More.

Oh. My.
Seriously. Stop what you’re doing and take a look at this set of rings by MetalRiot (aka Thomasin Durgin. Don’t miss the descriptions. And be sure to check out her videos as well. Love. Love. Love!! Read More.

Fostering creativity in children
One of the most impressive things about my daughter is her lack of inhibition when it comes to creativity. This raw unfiltered expression is very common in young children. I too want to be as free and uninhibited. Read More.

John Buys Comics, Puts on Special Reviewing Hat
First Wave No. 1 (of 6) Oh, what a rollercoaster ride this has been. The First Wave special earlier this year, as I recall, was fun and I gave it a tentative pass. Read More.

Books into Film - upcoming ones to watch for
With Maureen's post yesterday on Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island and its current film version, it got me thinking that it's time once again to look to a few upcoming film releases that are based on movies. Read More.

Beholder
Another Dungeons & Dragons monster interpretation. I love to imagine him mumbling in some guttural language as he floats towards his victims. Read More.

Robert Gordon - Flying Saucer Rock 'n' Roll!
Here's a little something for my good friends Greg Bishop and Nick Redfern: Tibetan music? I don't think so! If the aliens are here, they're rockin' and rollin'!! Read More.

Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers
I'm an unapologetic Tom Waits fanatic. Everything about the man - from his music, to his persona, and even his eye for photos - just strikes a chord with me, so much that hearing anyone with a gruff voice described as Waits-y or some hybrid thereof (the ole wh... Read More.

Say what now?
Thanks to a fellow blogger, I found out that my site was doing some pretty strange things – not working at all being the biggest problem! I’m hoping I have most of the glitches fixed up, but if you notice things are wonky, this is why. Read More.

Get your tickets now for the Princess Tea Party
The Princess Tea Party is an afternoon of everything princess (and pirates!). This annual event happens each year on Mother's Day and is a fundraiser for the Children's Wish Foundation. Read More.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Martin Scorsese's version of Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane continues to draw in packed audiences. Not surprising considering the raw material he has to work with. Lehane has a tremendous reputation as a writer of dark, psychological suspense fiction. Read More.

Hat Week: Hats!
In celebration of HAT WEEK, I am going to take a look at some very real super hero hats that you can buy and wear (though I would not recommend it). First we have a Superman cap plastered with Jim Lee artwork. This hat blatantly ignores the "less is more" phi... Read More.

Plants & Animals:: Tom Cruz
The thing I've always loved about Plants & Animals is how they constantly push the limits of both fanatical and critical assumption. The band not only acknowledges, but willingly accepts the challenge of forcing people look past their varied mix of influences ... Read More.

2010 Atlantic Book Awards shortlist
The 2010 Atlantic Book Awards shortlist have been announced: "The Atlantic Book Awards Society is pleased to announce the full shortlist for the 11 different literary awards that make up the 2010 Atlantic Book Awards. Read More.

A rose by any other nom (de plume)
As Canada Reads 2010 ramps up, I’m finding myself immersed fully in the online world of books. Since the debates start next week and I’ll be deep into coding, live chats and social media, I’m afraid I can only offer up one post here per week. Read More.

Reader Response to The Littles: Ew. They Have Tails.
Here is what Wikipedia has to say about The Littles series of books, which I had not heard of until recently: Similar to Mary Norton's earlier novel The Borrowers , The Littles features a family of tiny but intelligent humanoid creatures with mouse-like featu... Read More.

Reviews:: Moonshine Ramblers
A few months ago I gave my friend in Toronto a couple of passes to see The Avetts play at the Horseshoe. She was knew to the band, but more than willing to risk a night of letdowns to see a band I had showered with compliments for years. When I asked her what ... Read More.

Evening Sail
Spent the day working on this. Tried a darker blue, gives it a more dramatic feel I think. It is fun to play around with new colours. I do tend to stay with the same palette. Read More.

Book Launch - Iqaluit, by Nick Newbery
Local MSVU professor, author and photographer Nick Newbery is set to release the newest edition of his book, Iqaluit. Of special note is that the book is trilingual, published in English, French and Inuktuit Read More.

Ankheg
I've started playing Dungeons & Dragons again having finally found a group in Toronto to play with. Read More.

When Heroes Accessorize!
From the ashes of Fat Week, it’s Hat Week here at Living Between Wednesdays! I’m a bit fuzzy on how this whole theme came about—I feel fairly certain that alcohol may have been involved. I do know that the logical progression of Fat Week leading to Hat Week Read More.

Reviews:: Greg MacPherson Mr. Invitation
For artists like Octoberman, travel tales are often introspective and hushed. The free time and solitude that makes up a denizen's day often dictates the end result of their art. Winnipeg native Greg MacPherson goes the other route. Read More.

Muck is working on new material. In the meantime...
I've written about MUCK on a couple of occasions, most recently was the 2009 year review thing you can find in the nether regions of this page. Read More.

Canadian Fiction - A Dozen Spring Releases to look for. Part 2.
Here's part two of our two part post on up coming Canadian fiction releases: 6 more titles to watch for this spring. Black Alley by Mauricio Segura: first published as Côte-des-Nègres in 1998 to great acclaim, this is the first English edition of a novel by a... Read More.

Spectrum 17
I found out yesterday that not only did I get into Spectrum 17 but I got the silver award in comics! It was for this page from the Cloud Cave comic. Read More.

The Crazies: A Vibrant Zombie Variant With a Tart Sting
Sahara director Breck Eisner has tackled a modern-day remake of one of horrormeister George Romero’s most neglected films, The Crazies. Built around a star-making performance by Deadwood actor Timothy Olyphant -- who was so effective in the terrific Canadia... Read More.

Mike Bochoff - Horror Culture
Think about every guy you've ever seen strumming the chords to High and Dry and singing the falsettos with eye closed tight in some dorm room hoping to pick up a naive freshman looking for a sensitive artist. Now, think about every former pop punker that heard... Read More.

The first trip is the toughest
It’s been almost three years since I started Have Baby Will Travel, and in all this time I’ve been a total cheerleader for family travel. My goal with the site has always been to inspire and motivate new parents to travel with their babies and toddlers, and I ... Read More.

Canadian Fiction - A Dozen Spring Releases to look for. Part 1.
Spring fiction title announcements are already upon us - and for Canadian fiction fans, there is much to be excited about. Here are a few forthcoming titles from authors we know and love -- and a few we are sure to soon. Here's part one of a two part post on a... Read More.

Flying Boat Cover Process Eight, Final Picture.
And here is the final cover painting! After the final watercolurs were applied, as seen in the last post, I decided to paint over the drawing in the sky with gouache. Read More.

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: The New Pornographers - Your Hands (Together)
Oh, we're feeling good about ourselves today, aren't we Canada? We were a nation of nervous-nellies after getting our collective asses turned into a hat by the US on Sunday night, but in light of our 7-3 ass-hatting of the Russians last night, we're all feelin... Read More.

At the show: Toronto, OT, Feb. 22th '10
When I entered Wrong Bar, I learned that Windsor's (Ontario) Orphan Choir were close to finishing their set. Which was unfortunate because I really liked what I heard. The band ended up being the tightest performers that night. Read More.

Life and Love in the Eighteenth Century - The Lady in Red by Hallie Rubenhold
Jane Austen has become the epitome of eighteenth century domestic fiction. Jane came into her own in the twentieth century first with interest in academic circles and then later the rest of us. Read More.

Hip-Happy Heroes Part 3
Only two days into my epic, week-long Hip-Happy marathon, I cheat! Unable to discover a comic in which Batman gets real fat (not that I’m not certain there is one, mind you) I instead give Fatman! Read More.

CALE PARKS - To Swift Mars
CALE PARKS has got his hooks in me. He is playful and inventive and switches from uplifting to gloomy with ease, and somehow his electronic-meets-indiepop mix feels effortless and easy. Read More.

Contest:: Win 2 tix to Rich Aucoin @ The Seahorse
The title kind of says it all folks. Rich Aucoin is setting to turn The Seahorse into a dance heavy, cinematic, synth factory on Friday night and we have a guest list spot (+1) to help you and your tightest of tight slacks wearing compadre get down. Read More.

Very Good, Sir: Wodehouse, Jeeves & Comic Tradition - library program
Fans of Jeeves and Wooster and Edwardian social life will not want to miss this exciting library program. Read More.

FAT WEEK: Millie’s fat friend
Having played the role in real life more than a few times myself, I have great affection for the fat friend character in all forms of fiction. One of my favourites is Millie the Model’s chunky pal and roommate, Daisy. Read More.

Flying Boat Cover Process Six
This is seeming a lot more involved and methodical then it is. The reality is I'm a lot more halting and sloppy when I work and this process is pretty vague and open. I'm quite easily distracted and find I need some kind of structure so I use this method based... Read More.

Reviews:: Steve Poltz - Dreamhouse
It's a bit surprising that we haven't beat you over the head with Steve Poltz coverage here on herohill. Considering the Halifax born, San Diego resident has been writing music for years and how easy it is to sink in to his mix of charm, humour and simple, but... Read More.

Freedom to Read Week
February 21st - 27th is Freedom to Read Week. This is an event that is near and dear to most readers' advisor's hearts. We don't mind suggestions of what to read, but please don't dare to tell us what not to read. Read More.

Best-of '10:: The Getrudes & PS I Love You - Sailor
It's hard to ignore the power of friendship. Whether it's that extra boost of confidence to try something new or knowing you have support when things go wrong, it's crucial for growth. For Kingston's The Gertrudes, friendship has stepped them out of the church... Read More.

Artist Collective – Help!
I’m continuing to ponder the “Yes. YES!” excitement from yesterday’s reading of SisterDiane’s post “What If We Paid Each Other” over on Make and Meaning. Creating a centralized site for self-publishing isn’t rocket science as we all know there are other sites ... Read More.

Confession is Good for the Soul, Or Is It?
We all have our secrets, and let's face it, we like other people's secrets as well. Feel free to harmlessly indulge in the fictional secrets involving sexual exploits, ambition, jealousy, addiction and Jane Austen. Read More.

You Gonna Boot Me, Fileboner, or Are You Wearing Heels?
Don’t make me sweat it out, even if I am a bit hip-happy. That’s right, my fellow teens: it’s time for another vocabulary lesson from the fine folks at DC Comics! Soon you’ll go from being just another broom with a lousy hair-raid to an on-the-chain hep ca, t... Read More.

Flying Boat Cover Process Five
For me this is where things begin to get interesting; the pencils. At this point I've done so much preliminary sketches that it seems to be already done, it's just a matter of making it visible. Read More.

Cloud #29
The other day, the Senior Vice President of Scotiabank came to my studio in the Granville campus to pick up Cloud #27 for the auction they’re having. As usual I was a bundle of nerves, I usually get pretty anxious meeting high-ups, but despite that, everythi... Read More.

Shutter Island: Visual Poetry in a Twisting Plot
Paramount has fiddled with the release date for Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island for almost a season and a half, putting off this potentially difficult film’s launch for at least six months. Now it’s finally here and there’s no question it is essential cine... Read More.

Reviews:: Zeus Say Us
It's hard not to push Zeus into the stratosphere after an out-of-nowhere EP that offered a brief glimpse at the heights they can reach. The retro-fueled quartet from Toronto has been working hard to find their sound; whether as part of successful and highly un... Read More.

Naugler’s Diversion
I had planned on doing a post/book review on Susan Lenart Kazmer’s Making Connections. But as I was reading my feeds this morning, a new post on Make and Meaning which, if you haven’t visited and read this phenomenal blog? Go. Now! Read More.

Olympic Fiction
Can't get enough winter sports? I can. Here's a few alternatives to Olympic fever: Olympian fiction! Read More.

Flying Boat Cover Process Part One
Today I'm starting a multi-part process series on the creation of the Flying Boat Graphic novel cover. Starting today from the earliest ideas to the final piece. Read More.

Dog is Blue:: It Happens in Florida
Love; as far as pop songs go, pining over the perfect partner is glorified no matter how heartbreaking the end results actually are. For The Burning Hell's Mathias Kom, It Happens in Florida - a track from his terrific debut LP - shows that the shine of love h... Read More.

Gabrielle Bouliane
"Gabrielle was diagnosed with Stage Four Cancer shortly before this video was filmed. Our dear sister fought hard, but she ended her fight January 29, 2010. Read More.

Staff Pick: Why Not Catch-21?
Being a bit of a book nerd myself, I feel like I can say with a bit of authority that if there is one thing a book nerd likes more than a good book, it's a good book about books! Read More.

Galaxy Express 999
I really wish this was real and not just a ride. It should have a pipe smoking room as well. Read More.

The Besnard Lakes - Albatross
The power and polish of this 4-minute song are hidden under atmospheric distortion and sunshine kissed harmonies. Instead of relaxation and lazy days, Montreal's The Besnard Lakes use the warmth as inspiration. Read More.

Terry O'Reilly - author reading
Famed journalist and marketing guru Terry O'Reilly will be speaking at the Keshen Goodman Public Library on Wednesday February 17th, 7:00. All are welcome. Read More.

Just passing through On My Way Back To Bed
I've lost count of all the little bugs I've caught since Henry started at daycare but this is one of the worst. Read More.

Google fail, & RIAA once again misses the point.
There is a furor, yes, a raging furor, on the internet right now over Blogger’s deletion of some music/mp3 blogs from their service. For those of you who don’t know, an mp3 blog posts a review of an album AND a song or two as mp3. Read More.

#ECBC contest winners
Before the big announcement, I’d first of all like to thank everyone who participated in sharing their love of Barrington Street whether it was of current businesses, past memories or the future potential. For the next couple of weeks work will be keeping me ... Read More.

Review / Read-A-Long ♦ A Wrinkle In Time
It’s a dark and stormy night. Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are in the kitchen for a midnight snack when a most disturbing visitor arrives. Read More.

Star Trekkin' Part 19
Is there no stopping this Mark Dooley fella? Well, actually, there is: The next part is the final part of Star Trekkin'. Read More.

Quick Hitters:: Boats Cannonballs, Cannonballs!
It's been a while since we checked in on the quirky synth poppers from Winnipeg. Boats! made an appearance on our Manitoba Mixtape and Mat's awesomely named debut (Intercontinental Champ) was a pleasant discovery to say the least. Read More.

Independence is no solution
Last thursday, Owen Pallett performed in Halifax, at - his now usual haunt - St. Matthew's Cathedral in Halifax. He performed this song (not recorded on site) and I have had it stuck in my head ever since. Read More.

Win a family pass to Aplaydia
With the winter weather it's always nice to have fun places to play inside. Aplaydia, a wonderful indoor playground in Bedford, should definitely be on your list. The kids will definitely burn off energy with lots of climbing and sliding - and then hopefully s... Read More.

In Memoriam - Dick Francis
Horse racing and mystery writing legend Dick Francis passed away at age 89 at his home in the Cayman Islands. (Obituary) Although best known for his novels, Francis was also a jockey, an RAF fighter pilot and journalist. Read More.

Clap For The Wolfman? A Spoiler-Free Review!
I tried really, really hard to like Universal’s update of The Wolfman, I really did. I’m a sucker for lycanthropy flicks, having seen The Howling, Wolfen, and An American Werewolf In London more times than I care to remember. Read More.

Cover Peek
The cover is actually done for Flying Boat but this is a sliver of it during the process. Read More.

Reviews:: Corey Isenor Frost
Back in the winter of 2008, I humbled up and finally made mention of a young NB artist named Corey Isenor. His debut record - Young Squire - was a solid collection of indie folk that felt like the work of an artist with a solid back catalog and years of giggin... Read More.

Hello Viet Nam — the Best Song About Viet Nam Ever
Happy Asian New Year, everyone! At the Vietnamese Association of Nova Scotia celebrations, one of their leaders and a friend, Lien, told me about this amazing song called Hello Viet Nam. It is sung by Pham Quynh Anh, with Pham being her last name and Quynh An... Read More.

February Author Birthdays
I was a little bit surprised by the number of well known authors who are born in February. Is there something about being born into short days and cold nights that turns you into the creative personality required for writing great books? Possibly - or maybe I'... Read More.

Archie Sunday: Veronica gives Archie a sex tape
In honour of Valentine’s Day, I thought we’d get a little sexy with Archie Sunday. Read More.

Happy Valentine's Day. Or Not.
An extremely short break-up letter from Jacqueline Susann to her then (and again later) husband Irving: Irving, when we were at the Essex House and I had room service and I could buy all my Florence Lustig dresses, I found that I loved you very much, but now ... Read More.

Contest:: Win limited edtion RAA vinyl from Paperbag
I'm not sure I remember any Canadian indie band that grinded it out to achieve the success The RAA is now reaping. They spent a year touring the country, playing shows as a relative unknown, before catching a huge break when they were named the eMusic band of ... Read More.

LEGO fun at the Discovery Centre
Today Alex and I spent the afternoon at the Discovery Centre with friends. I'm a big fan of the Discovery Centre - it's a bit like a second home to us, and we visit it often, spending long afternoons there enjoying the various exhibits, both old and new, and t... Read More.

Six Degrees of the Library Collection: from J.D. Salinger to Simone de Beauvoir
It seems only fitting to begin this month's edition of Six Degrees of the Library Collection with J.D. Salinger. The author - most famously of the coming of age classic The Catcher in the Rye - died in late January at the age of 91. Read More.

John Buys Comics Like They Are Hotcakes That Are Going Out of Style
What a strange little comic. I bought this pretty much on a whim and due to an abiding love for odd characters, but honestly I was expecting something along the lines of Mr. Stuffins: Read More.

Odds N' Sodds:: Postdata and Construction & Destruction
It's a slow day here on the hill. Last night we were treated to two stellar sets; one from Basia Bulat and one from Owen Pallett and as a result, the review I had slated for today will be up tomorrow. Read More.

Countdown to 2011 Canada Games - free events across HRM this week
I know to most people if you mention 'the Games' right now, they probably think of the Olympics, but this week there's another celebration - the countdown to the Halifax 2011 Canada Games! Read More.

National Post's Canada Also Reads
Editors of the National Post's books blog The Afterword expressed dissatisfaction last Fall with the choices of CBC's Canada Reads. They were all great books, but haven't they been read already? Read More.

Poetry And Mystery
"People who look for symbolic meanings fail to grasp the inherent poetry and mystery of the image," René Magritte. I read this quote yesterday in a book and the truth of it hit me like a ton of bricks. Read More.

Quick Hitters:: Babe Rainbow Shaved EP
Did you know that the Olympics are about to start and the world spotlight will be shining on Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler for the next three weeks? Obviously if you own a TV, read a newspaper or have a computer, you've been inundated with coverage over the... Read More.

Neverwhere
John sent us this book telling us it was a fun book to read and is compared to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. But he quotes The inside of the book is ugly, too. Read More.

TLC Book Tour ♦ The Cougar Club by Susan McBride
A novel for women of a certain age who are hot and bothered by society’s double standards – champagne happy hours mandatory – cubs get in free. Read More.

Staff Picks - Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler
Liam Pennywell is approaching sixty and is seemingly at loose ends. His life has been steadily downsizing. His jobs have diminished in prestige. His marriages ended and his children became increasingly baffling to him. Read More.

Where Owls Fear To Tread
A little sketch I finished off in the waiting room at Sick Kids. It's two space faring owls. Henry's still sick and sleeping. It's not that serious but it's thrown our schedules out of whack. Read More.

Reviews:: Matthew Barber True Believer
It's not surprising that Matthew Barber's upcoming release - True Believer - is flying under the radar of most of the sites I read and most of the music loving public in general. Barber is easy to classify - essentially he's a rock solid song writer that could... Read More.

More Valentine's fun from the internet gods
I often wonder how the human race survived so long without this thing called the internet. Sure, it can be a massive time-suck, and too much information can be just as frustrating as too little information, but I know I would be lost without the internet gods. Read More.

Leading Ladies, Lasting Legacies: celebrating the stories of women
February is African Heritage month. Last year during African Heritage month, The Reader offered readers a peek at eight great popular and awarding winning black authors that we thought you should know about. Read More.

Harry Roundtree
I get my painting technique from Harry Rountree. I was doing something similar when I read Rountree's technique ( in ImageS) and it changed the way I work. Read More.

It’s Like A Comic, But In A Book!
One of the best things about working in a comic store is having a look at what turns up in collections that people sell to us. More often than not, it’s a pile of W.I.L.D.Cats or Youngblood that are headed right for the discount bin, Read More.

Reviews:: Aidan Knight Versicolour
It's very fitting that BC's Aidan Knight is traveling the West Coast in the luxurious comfort of Dan Mangan's van. That comparison isn't based on a similarity of sound, more that both BC boys have that something... whether it's the ability to turn the simplest... Read More.

Crazy Heart: Blazingly Great
Scott Cooper’s debut feature Crazy Heart has build up a fine surge of hype mostly due from the extraordinary performance of Jeff Bridges as a broken-down Texas-based country writer and performer named Bad Blake. The film is surprisingly straightforward and ... Read More.

Graphic Novels v.5 ♦ Scott Pilgrim = NPZR*
Today’s Graphic Novels post is going to highlight a series that I have fallen ass over teakettle for, Bryan Lee O’Malleys’ Scott Pilgrim! *As the title states Scott Pilgrim = NPZR (“Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot” a combination of all the awesomeness of everything!... Read More.

"Hold On To Your Kids" giveaway winner Posted in contests
Thanks to everyone who entered our Hold On To Your Kids giveaway last month. We had lots of entries and I always love reading the comments to see what you all think - yes, I am nosy! ;) Read More.

Bible Stories
As you probably know, historical fiction has been increasingly popular for quite a few years now, garnering many new readers each year. As interest grows in historical fiction, new sub-genres arise and gain popularity in their own right. Read More.

Dateline: Smallville
Local couple Jonathan and Martha Kent, known affectionately as "Pa" and "Ma" respectively, found to have only one joke: Read More.

Best local releases:: Bad Vibrations Bad Vibrations EP
We've already beat you into submission when it comes to Saturday's scorching Seahorse sets (alliteration, you know you love it). Toronto's The Balconies are blogging their way across the Maritimes and partnering with some stellar local talent to make sure you ... Read More.

Reading Diaries and Letters
Technology and our ever-shrinking attention spans may be changing the way we keep personal records, but our desire to understand the thoughts and impressions of others is growing. Read More.

John Buys Comics and it Feels So Good
If you’re not in the know about this series (The Crogan Adventures by Chris Schweizer), it’s about a guy telling his two sons stories about their ancestors, who were evidently all incredibly cool guys Read More.

Cloud #27
Cloud #27 48″ x 36″ Oil on Beechwood, 2010 The other morning, running really late for school and just getting out of the shower, the phone rang. Oliver was in his office, no doubt with earphones in, so I frantically tried to pull on my housecoat ... Read More.

Oscar Pool 2010: Internet Edition
On Twitter the other day, I asked if folks would be interested in doing an Oscar pool, and got a pretty good response. After mulling about for the past few days, I've come up with the following terms for our little wager: Read More.

Gonna Hit the Highway…or the Airlines…but airlines doesn’t have the same effect..
I thought January was good and now here is February, full on ahead. I’ve been recording all of January, then I had In the Dead of Winter Festival, and I got my first licensing deal with a televison series on Showcase called “Crash & Burn” in which “Oh Heart” w... Read More.

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Old Man Luedecke Rear Guard
Honestly, I'm not sure if too many people equate Chris "Old Man" Luedecke and the idea of a traditional "single", but around these parts the Old Man is as much a Nova Scotian treasure as Schooner Beer and Peggy's Cove, so any new song gets us excited. Read More.

Oprah's Picks - where are they now? Part 2.
In December, I did a post looking back at some of the early picks in Oprah Winfrey's Book Club and what the authors whose books were chosen have been up to since. Oprah's Book Club has been running since 1996, and the current selection (Say You're One of Them ... Read More.

Maddy's New Flying Boat
Here's the new flying boat. A little more magical and steampunk then how I first drew it. Read More.

Reviews:: Ian La Rue & the Condor A History of Layers
When people think of Winnipeg, thoughts undoubtedly drift to the Golden Boy, Louis Riel's home and frigid winters. Thanks to talented song writers like John K. Samson, we all have vivid mental images of a city most have never even stopped in; the music we love... Read More.

What Would Picasso Do?
I have been working hard lately, feeling a great deal of passion and commitment to my work. It has been a great week. Mostly though there is a great deal of satisfaction with these paintings which are now drying in the basement. Read More.

White pantsuits optional...
What to wear when traveling with a baby or young child... - guest post by Corinne McDermott There are a couple of travel stories about me as a toddler that are often repeated in my family. One is how when we were in Scotland, I dumped a chicken dinner on my ... Read More.

Readalikes: Harry Bosch mysteries, by Michael Connelly
Are you a fan of mystery/suspense author Michael Connelly? His Harry Bosch series has been among the more popular series at our library for several years. Read More.

The Great Canadian Mixtape:: NL Preview - The Once
I know it has been forever - the Canadian Mixtape project has been on the shelf longer than Gran's favorite preserves - but we getting the band(s) back together and compiling the Newfoundland edish of the Great Canadian Mixtape project. Read More.

Staff Picks - The Stars' Tennis Ball by Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry, actor, writer, director, producer, television presenter, technology aficionado, and also novelist, is a very busy man. He has written a number of funny novels, however, one that takes a different turn is The Stars' Tennis Balls. Read More.

Flying Boat Cover Draft One
Here is the first draft for the cover to the Flying Boat graphic novel. I sent it to the publisher and got it back with a bunch of ideas, which in hindsight I can't believe I didn't think of first. Read More.

The Order of Odd-Fish Art Show
This is a lot of fun: James Kennedy, author of the terrifically zany young adult novel The Order of Odd-Fish, is having an art show featuring the work of fans of the book. The deadline for submissions is March 15. Read More.

Underappreciated Comic Movie Showcase: Punisher War Zone
I enjoyed a pretty great haul for my birthday yesterday. My girlfriend Hillary gave me socks (I go through an alarming number of these), a Dairy Queen ice cream cake, a copy of Peter Biskind’s Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced Hollywood (I have a weakness for tr... Read More.

Reviews:: Woodhands Remorsecapade
When it comes to electronic beats, keytar licks and spasmatic drumming I'm kind of like the Philadelphia Eagles of blogging; even in when the situation deems otherwise, I tend to pass. I'm not really trying to get amped up for the clubs and freaking the funk t... Read More.

Vinegar and baking soda bubbles
Thanks very much to Carolyn Clegg for this simple activity idea that keeps the kiddies amused and we even get to call educational! Here is a fun and easy activity for kids with a focus on cause and effect. This is where your grade school science lessons come ... Read More.

Staff Pick - Robert J. Sawyer - www.sfwriter.com
Robert J Sawyer is certainly among Canada's top fiction authors. He is also no stranger to winning writing awards, such as the Hugo, the Nebula and the John W. Campbell Memorial awards. Read More.

Ladies’ Night at the Comic Shop
Last week, at Strange Adventures (the comic shop that keeps this blog knee-deep in Superman), we held our first ever Ladies’ Night. Thursday evening, after regular store hours ended, Ladies’ Night began. Read More.

Broken Embraces: Good But Not Great
Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar’s latest feature film, Broken Embraces, is regularly referred to as a letdown after his brilliant and vastly entertaining 2004 entry Volver. Sure, it has an overly dense plot that again returns to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 ma... Read More.

Exclusive:: Little Girls covers Beach House
It's no surprise that the latest LP from Sub Poppers, Beach House has been hoisted on a pedestal by the online music community. Teen Dream is a record with almost no flaws; Read More.

In Memoriam - J.D. Salinger
J.D. Salinger has died at age 91. Born in New York City on January 1, 1919, Jerome David Salinger's literary output was not large, but he was to have a lasting impact on generations of teenage and readers, as well as a host of contemporary writers. He spoke to... Read More.

The Stunning Continuation of John Buys Comics
I liked this series. I can completely get behind a relatively uncomplicated yarn featuring the various members of the Superman and Batman families teaming up, with giant robots, yet. Read More.

Your Moment of Peaceful Zen to End Your Week
Unless you’re aspiring guitarists, of course, in which case you’re probably thinking, “I’ve got to start practicing more… Read More.

Quick Hitters:: Archie Cooper If I Had Train Fare
I'll be honest. Today's post is a little half assed; not on the part of the artist; this effort was meticulously constructed, but the writer. Last night we both were out watching The Wooden Sky and Paper Beat Scissors set the bar extremely high for the rest of... Read More.

Warming Earth - latest from Rowland's Seaforth Art Studio
A new 'artistbook' from Rowland's Seaforth Art Studio in Seaforth Nova Scotia has just been 'released' - if that is the correct term for artistbooks - each individual copy which is handmade and hand assembled and bound by the artist ! Read More.

Barrington Street Blues by Anne Emery
Monty Collins (Barrington Street Blues by Anne Emery) is a personable yet flawed Halifax lawyer. In this third novel in the series, Collins is handling a lawsuit on behalf of the family of a man who apparently committed murder then suicide. Read More.

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Caribou Odessa
Without a doubt, the one show Shane and I will joke about from now until we are moments away from being buried in the dirt is the night we saw Caribou - at the time, Dan was still operating under the name Manitoba - play at the Horseshoe. Read More.

Speculative Mystery Fiction
What is Speculative Mystery fiction and are you a fan? Speculative Mysteries are a blending of the mystery genre with fantasy/science fiction. Read More.

Small Small Monster Sale
I'm sitting here until they're gone! twenty five American dollars each plus four dollars shipping and you could have one of these tine, no bigger than 3" by 3" monster pot=rtraits on handmade papers drawn and painted with India ink,watercolour and gouache. Read More.

Ursula Le Guin and the The Aeneid's Lavinia
Lavinia, By Ursula K. Le Guin Reviewed by Peter O’Brien Ursula K. Le Guin's career as a creator of alternative realities dates back four decades now. She is perhaps best known for the Earthsea series for young adults, but her oeuvre in adult scien... Read More.

Reviews:: Basia Bulat Heart of My Own
When Basia Bulat stumbled onto the scene a few years back, you couldn't help but fall in love her. Oh My Darling was the type of record you felt lucky to hear and instantly, Basia became one of the artists you wanted to do well. Read More.

"Hold On To Your Kids" giveaway
Last week I had the pleasure of attending Dr Gabor Mate's talk at SMU based on the book he cowrote with Dr Gordon Neufeld called Hold On To Your Kids. At the heart of their message is that the relationship between parent and child is essential to child develop... Read More.

Read Your Way Around the World: Modern Day Australia
On January 26th, while those of us in Canada don our hats and scarves and head out to work and school and whatever else we're up to in the latest blast of cold, wintry weather, Australians celebrate their nation's birthday with a holiday and (invariably) a tri... Read More.

Batman defaces a dude
Are you ready for this? Read More.

Eric Clapton Solos on a Phone
On January 20, T-Mobile USA and Eric Clapton teamed up to promote a cell phone and it is now appearing in commercials around the T-Mobile’s world. Read More.

IDOW:: John K. Samson
With the annual IDOW festival kicking off this weekend, it's about time we got a more in depth look at the lineup. We already offered up our thoughts on the lineup in general - seeing names like Justin Rutledge, Bahamas, The Wooden Sky, CR Avery, Jim Bryson an... Read More.

One World - One Heart
I decided it would be fun to combine this Global Giveaway event with something I’ve been wanting to do anyway. You can click on the image above to get the whole story on what’s behind One World One Heart but here, the deal is this – comment on this post and yo... Read More.

Winter books for kids
This is a guest blog post from local mom of three, Nicola, who blogs at matcha and miso. Thank you Nicola for these wonderful winter reading ideas! Many of these books are available to borrow through the Halifax Public Libraries. What are your favourite winter... Read More.

No Jive Suckas Allowed
Filmmakers have found a wealth of material to make great sport of in the Blaxploitation genre; the Wayans Brothers spoofed Superfly, Shaft, Black Belt Jones, and the like in 1988’s I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and Spawn and Dark Knight star Michael Jai White had a... Read More.

Reviews:: The Geese Small Boat EP
All too often in this age of indie collectives, you get bombarded with songs steeped in layers so thick the melody and intricacies are lost, along with any spontaneity. The desire for epic sounds leads overproduction and a polish that takes away the heart of t... Read More.

A Single Man Is Utterly Ravishing
Fashion designer Tom Ford’s first feature film, A Single Man, is just about as ravishing a movie that’s ever hit the big screen. Adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s landmark 1964 novel of the same name set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the film tells t... Read More.

In Memoriam - Paul Quarrington
Sad news for the Canadian Literary world this week with the death of author Paul Quarrington. Quarrington, 56, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in 2009. Read More.

A Gem From the Bottom of a Long Box
My boss at Strange Adventures suggested I read Deadline, this four issue mini-series from 2002, which was in with a huge collection someone sold to the store. I was wary of the cheesy cover by Greg Horn (who is only slightly more tolerable than that other Greg... Read More.

Quick Hitters:: More Sleepless Nights!
Hopefully you caught my post from October about the Sleepless Nights and their plan to give away 3 EPs in a nine month span, but even if you didn't, there's no need to despair, I can get you up to speed rather quickly. Read More.

Late Night TV Wars - the print edition
Although I don't normally consider myself much of a pop culture junkie, I've found myself oddly fascinated by the Late Night TV debacle that has been unfolding on NBC this week and last. Come on - admit it - you have been too. Read More.

How Much Is That Lion In The Window?
For sale: One Lion. I've posted this original on eBay for sale. Bidding starts at eighty dollars cheap. Read More.

Art for the Planet Show!
Here are the details of the upcoming exhibit at Fred Gallery. Cloud #24 of the previous post is the painting I’ve included in the show, and, not to toot my own horn, but it already has interested buyers! Read More.

RIP Kate McGarrigle
Kate and Anna played HPX in 2005 or 06. It was the day after the CBC strike had ended, and it was really hard to get the word out to the Kate and Anna audience without CBC. I had been told by other, older promoters that Kate and Anna were really hard to work w... Read More.

Matt Dillon's Soul Patch:: Apollo Ghosts Land of the Morning Calm
I always hate it when I hear about a terrific band from Canada from a blog running south of the border. Not like we can know about every band in Canada, but we should be surfacing the best talent for you. Read More.

A review that turned into a rant
Part of the joy of Christmas and New Year is being able to tuck into new reading material and boy! 2009 did not let me down. I have a stack of fiction on my dresser up in my bedroom and my non-fiction stack is on the coffee table in the living room. I’m slowl... Read More.

In Memoriam - Robert B. Parker
Award winning crime fiction author Robert B. Parker has passed away at home in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the age of 77. Awarded A Grand Master designation by the Mystery Writers of America in 2002, Robert Parker has had an amazing writing career, penning ove... Read More.

Quick Hitters:: The Pinecones Sage
A few years ago, I fell in love with the Newman/McCartney-esque pop that Hali's Brent Randall and his trusty Pinecones put out. We Were Strangers... was an ear pleasing slice of orchestral pop, bursting at the seams with tons of studio musicians chiming in on ... Read More.

The Author Stage - Alistair MacLeod
I am very excited to announce that the next reading in our The Author Stage feature has been posted on the Halifax Public Libraries web site. Alistair MacLeod read at the Keshen Goodman Public Library on October 26th, 2009. The house was packed and Alistair w... Read More.

Good Comic, Bad Movie: Surrogates Early DVD Review
Films about robots usually fall into two categories. The first is a thoughtful exploration of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human, with a healthy dose of technology run amok (Blade Runner, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence). Read More.

Local Artist Plugs
One great advantage to living here in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is that we tend to have a pretty amazing crop of talent – with that in mind, I thought I’d plug a couple of them. Read More.

Reviews:: Owen Pallett Heartland
It seems almost impossible for the critics to separate what people think of Owen Pallett the man from the music he creates. His story, his views; when it comes to a critical eye (or maybe, more accurately, a compelling way to craft), his inner nerd is as cruci... Read More.

Kev Corbett's In Good Company
"My tunes are my way of processing," says Kev Corbett. "I write audio songs. I work out the world by talking in my head. Music is my first language." As a natural storyteller, Corbett brings listeners on quite the journey with his narrative-driven songs. Read More.

Royal Biographies - Fact and Film
After decades of he said/she said royal biographies, William Shawcross has made an interesting addition with Queen Elizabeth: The Queen Mother: the official biography. This very large book 900+ pages) received royal authorization and is considered to be the de... Read More.

Archie Sunday: A Sporting Wager
Time for a bet: imagine a skate-off between Archie and Mr Weatherbee. Imagine that I’m not obviously setting you up - who would you bet on to win? Read More.

Simple Sketches
Here some simple ink and Photoshop sketches I did yesterday while I worked on writing and researching. Read More.

The Book Of Eli: post-apocalypse-du-jour with a plot.
The Hughes Brothers (From Hell, Menace II Society, Dead Presidents) have entered the post-apocalypse-du-jour sweepstakes with the Denzel Washington vehicle, The Book Of Eli. Seemingly using some of the same locations and sets as the recent film version of C... Read More.

Friday Showstravaganza:: Afrika Bambaataa!
Now that the holiday break is well and truly in the rear-view mirror, I thought I'd get the Showstravaganza posts back up and smoking, mainly because there are some really great shows on deck here in the coming weeks. Read More.

The fourth trimester: new program for new moms in Halifax
Robyn Berman, mother and certified doula, has teamed up with Balance Health Centre for this new 6-week series for new moms and their babies. "Your 4th Trimester: Navigating New Motherhood" is a 6 class program (2 hours each class) that will take you through th... Read More.

Radio Reads
According to some sources, January 13th is the anniversary of the birth of radio broadcasting, which took shape in 1910 when American Lee DeForest broadcast part of an opera over the airwaves. Read More.

Cloud #24
This cloud will be sold for a very good cause: the planet! The Ecology Action Centre has organized an exhibit and sale of local artist’s works, to be held at FRED Gallery on Agricola Street here in Halifax. Read More.

IDOW:: The Abramson Singers
One of the great and sadly underrated festivals here in Halifax is the ice cold In the Dead of Winter Festival that tries valiantly to warm our January nights. This year, the organizers went above and beyond and signed up a bunch of terrific artists that every... Read More.

Read Your Way Around the World - Haiti
Our latest installment of Read Your Way Around the World is taking us to Haiti. Haiti has had as volatile a history as any country. Domestic political upheaval, foreign government influences and religious conflicts have all conspired to keep the Pearl of the ... Read More.

Spectrum 16
Yesterday I received my complimentary copy of Spectrum 16 and what a thrill. Read More.

Daybreakers: Spawn of vampire sequels.
The Aussie Spierig Brothers have delivered a surprisingly solid blast of imaginative entertainment in their just-opened horror flick Daybreakers. While it’s a bit wobbly at times, like an overstuffed triple decker-sandwich -- Daybreakers is, after all, a Va... Read More.

Up In the Air, Down in the Gutter
Cynically calculated and yet virtually unwatchable, Up In the Air is one of those movies whose reputation gets inflated on the hothouse film festival circuit. As writer/director Jason Reitman’s follow-up to the quirky hit Juno, it reinforces the notion that... Read More.

Avatar: A Cinematic Trip
Sensory overload sci-fi epic. Landmark nerdland technical breakthrough. Masterful video-game-movie hybrid. Exhausting eco-fable wrought large. Rip-snorting revisionist actioner. James Cameron’s Avatar is all of these things, and more. Created with a new Fus... Read More.

Book Review: Of Canoes, Maritime History, and Friendship
It’s a little bit of adventure memoir, philosophical retrospective, chronicle of a friendship, historical reflection … and more. As a slim volume, Like an Ever Rolling Stream author Hugh W. McKervill packs this literary trip to the gunwales. A modest editio... Read More.

Me And Orson Welles: The Legend Still Dazzles
A must-see for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of the performing arts, Me And Orson Welles might just pull in a few more members of the greater movie-going public due to teen heart-throb Zac Efron’s involvement. Considering the elf-like Efron mostly... Read More.

Book Review: An Echo in the Bone
Diana Gabaldon’s seventh and latest installment, An Echo in the Bone, has enough interrelated tales (five to be exact) to sustain fans through many cold winter nights. An Echo in the Bone is the continuing historical fiction saga of Clare Randall and Jami... Read More.

Book Excerpt: An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon
The following is excerpted from the hardcover edition of An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon Copyright © 2009 by Diana Gabaldon. Excerpted by permission of Anchor Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this e... Read More.

The Road: A masterpiece of cinematic mood in search of a story
John Hillcoat’s long-awaited followup to his international breakthrough The Proposition is only a mild letdown. The Road -- adapted from Cormac MacCarthy’s acclaimed novel -- is full of haunting post apocalyptic landscapes and practically no plot. The resul... Read More.

Precious: Astonishing use of a forceful cinematic palette.
Calling Precious a ‘brave’ movie is selling it short. The word that more aptly describes it is ‘ferocious’. You could throw around other words too, like ‘groundbreaking’, ‘innovative’ and ‘original’. Whatever the case, Precious is one terrific flick. Ev... Read More.

It Might Get Loud: It Doesn't
The new electric guitarist feature documentary It Might Get Loud is getting a very strange pre-DVD release: a couple of latenight weekends only before a December 22nd street date. The film premiered at the 2008 Toronto Film Fest. It’s a strategy that would ... Read More.

The Box: Press the button, or not.
Richard Kelly has returned to wide release with his third film, a supernatural thriller called The Box, adapted from the classic Sci-Fi author Richard (I Am Legend) Matheson’s story ‘Button, Button’. Kelly, whose debut 2001 outing Donnie Darko has become th... Read More.

An Education: An Affair Turns The Corner
An Education is one of those must-see films that has gotten a tad inflated from expectations and hype that come with dazzling the denizens of the festival circuit. A product of the wonderful British novelist Nick Hornby - who wrote the script, but not the s... Read More.

Paranormal Activity: One supremely scary film.
Paranormal Activity is one supremely scary film. Reportedly made for ten grand by writer/director Oren Peli, the brilliant bargain basement supernatural nail-biter has already endured some really dumb comparisons to shaky-camster thrillers such as The Blair Wi... Read More.

Amelia: A Crash Landing
While the real Amelia Earhart disappeared in the South Pacific in 1937, a big screen counterpart is crash-landing in cinemas this weekend. Mira Nair directed Hillary Swank as the star of this bio-pic, filmed partly in Nova Scotia, but the talented but erra... Read More.

Where The Wild Things Are: A film that should dazzle audiences of all ages.
The long-awaited bigscreen version of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book Where The Wild Things Are has finally arrived in theatres after years of development starts and stops, and even more trouble from the production end. Directed by the visionary Sp... Read More.

Zombieland: trashy jokes, crappy music and delightfully under-developed ideas.
Sure, Zombieland might be only a throwaway film that barely whets the hunger for the next installment in George Romero’s template-making Living Dead series. Seemingly built out of spare parts leftover from flicks such as Trainspotting and Shaun Of the Dead,... Read More.

Bright Star: Bright Indeed
Jane (Sweetie, The Piano) Campion’s new film Bright Star is a fluid and fascinating attempt to refashion the traditional costume drama bio-pic. Based on the three-year affair between British poet John Keats and clothes maker/designer Fanny Brawne, Bright St... Read More.

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown To Liquor Day – A Classic
Trailer Park Boys: Countdown To Liquor Day is supposed to be the swansong of the popular and influential Showcase TV series set right here on the East Coast. Half an hour in and the film seems like a shrug, with everyone involved having their minds on somet... Read More.

9: Indeed a 9
Shane Acker’s debut animated feature 9 is getting a rough ride from many critics who simply don’t recognize the filmmaker’s extraordinary achievement. The terse 79-minute computer-graphic film tells a post-apocalyptic story of a clutch of burlap-bag creatur... Read More.

Taking Woodstock: Catching the Counterculture
Ang Lee’s latest film, Taking Woodstock, is a slight but strikingly original take on the legendary three-day hippie musical festival held in 1969. Surprisingly funny and often very sweet, Taking Woodstock tells the tale of the delapidated Jewish family reso... Read More.

District 9: It makes Sci-Fi feel fresh again.
District 9 is one heck of a movie, a wicked Sci-Fi flick so full of ideas, humour and action that it makes the whole genre feel fresh again. Directed by Peter Jackson acolyte Neill Blomkamp, District 9 tells the tale of end-of-their rope crustacean-like ali... Read More.

Julie & Julia: A Double Dud
No reviewers seem willing to admit just how horrible Nora Ephron’s new movie is. Part bio-pic and part contemporary chick flic, Julie & Julia completely wastes the considerable talent of Meryl Streep and the extraordinary story of American TV chef Julia Chi... Read More.

The Hurt Locker: An Unreserved Masterpiece
The Hurt Locker might just be the one Iraq War movie that finally connects with audiences. It certainly is making a connection with critics. Especially this one. Directed by the legendary female action helmer Kathryn Bigelow - who made not one but two of he... Read More.

Moon: A Classic In Miniature
Duncan Jones’s feature debut, Moon, has been attracting glowing reviews and modestly growing audiences in the midst of all the summer blockbuster hoopla. The son of David Bowie, Jones has fashioned a fascinating chamber sci-fi flick that harkens back to the... Read More.

Public Enemies: Depp as Dillinger drowns in nostalgia
Michael Mann’s highly anticipated Johnny Depp 1930s gangster vehicle, Public Enemies, is a curious disappointment. Badly shot on hi-def video it runs 143 minutes - 43 minutes too long. Yet, any movie about the famous real-life bank robber John Dillinger ... Read More.

Away We Go: Doesn't Quite Get There
American Beauty director Sam Mendes has taken up with hipster writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida to create the shaggy and slightly unsatisfying road movie Away We Go. It starts promisingly. The sweet and sometimes silly stay-at-home thirtysomething couple... Read More.

Outlander: Out Of This World
Film Nova Scotia did everyone a big favour by screening the long-awaited locally made Viking/Sci-Fi flickt Outlander at the Oxford Theatre recently. Not only did they score a 35mm film print, they brought writer/director Howard McCain and two of his produce... Read More.

Easy Virtue: Easy On the Eyes
Easy Virtue is one 1920s-written drama that seems far more durable than it should. Based on Noel Coward’s play, it features a dissolute English aristocratic family on an estate it can’t afford and an American interloper who has married uncomfortably into the c... Read More.

Drag Me To Hell: Gross, Funny and Scary As Hell
Legendary Evil Dead director Sam Raimi has paused long enough from counting all the money he’s made from directing the three Spider Man movies to crank out a small-scale horror tale entitled Drag Me To Hell that returns him to his shock-a-rama roots. Script... Read More.

Terminator: Salvation provides plenty of pop with its apocalypse
Terminator: Salvation certainly doesn’t deserve the truckload of crappy reviews it’s piled up since it opened wide in the spring rush of popcorn movies. Two stars here, one star there. You’d think these were critiques of the last Alien Vs Predator installme... Read More.

Wendy And Lucy: An American Indie Classic
This week's installment in AFCOOP’s Monday Night Movies (May 4th) series is a must-see. American Indie writer/director Kelly Reichardt’s heartbreaking Wendy And Lucy rates as one of the truly great films of 2008. Seeing it on the big screen, then, becom... Read More.

Two Lovers: An Unexpected Pleasure
Two Lovers is an unexpected cinematic pleasure. The third collaboration between writer/director James Gray and actor Joaquin Phoenix (after We Own The Night and The Yards), it is a measured romance vividly anchored in the subculture of New York City’s modern d... Read More.

Memories of home
“Up Home” is a book with a story by Shauntay Grant and artwork by Susan Tooke that is published by Nimbus Publishing. The first thing that strikes you about the book “Up Home” is the beautiful patchwork image that adorns the cover. Symbolic of the stories an... Read More.

17 Again: a soggy premise gone effervescent
Everybody’s out to get Zac Efron this weekend, with a virtual torrent of rotten reviews for his leading man debut in the high-school body switch comedy 17 Again. Sure, it’s soggy premise has been done before (Like Father Like Son, Freaky Friday, Big and cou... Read More.

Stories of Afghanistan from those who know
When it comes to understanding the experience of war and conflict in Afghanistan from a distance, one of the only ways to get a grasp the every day challenges faced is from reading the stories of those who were personally involved. Outside the Wire explore... Read More.

Sunshine Cleaning: Class struggles
Sunshine Cleaning is one of those "quirky" indie comedies that has a surprising lack of quirk or comedy. A determined tale of lower-class sisters struggling through young adulthood in New Mexico cleaning up other people's messes - while creating their own. It ... Read More.

Adventureland: Amusement Park Life
Greg Mottola’s latest feature Adventureland is one of those heartbreakingly definitive films that absolutely nails a time of life that’s been badly served by North American popular culture. Following a trio of recent lower-middle-class university grads in 1... Read More.

Trelawny Of the Wells: A Must See
Dalhousie Theatre Productions’ staging of Sir Arthur Wing Pinero’s 1898 play Trelawny Of the Wells is just about the best thing I’ve ever seen by the regions’s largest post-secondary drama school. It’s a beautifully measured rendering of a classic by an unf... Read More.

Pontypool: a Canuck Zombie flick par excellence
Maverick Toronto director Bruce McDonald’s follow-up to his experimental, multi-screened Elaine Page vehicle The Tracey Fragments is a ferocious genre tour-de-force. Shot on a single location, Pontypool is a Canuck Zombie flick par excellence, channeling 1970s... Read More.

Stone Of Destiny: A rippingly great Boy’s Adventure Story
Sorry, but it’s simply not possible for someone with the last name Macdonald to give Stone Of Destiny a bad review. The true-to-life story of how a quartet of patriotic students took back Scotland's Coronation Stone from Britain’s Westminister Abbey on Chri... Read More.

Mac Maharaj: South African hero
Anyone interested in South African politics should read this book. This mammoth work of Padraig O’Malley’s provides a vivid account of the past 60 years of South Africa’s history, positioning it around the story of a man who is unflinchingly critical of himsel... Read More.

The Class: Grade A
The Cannes Palme D’Or-winning French flick The Class is one of those must-see films that seems a bit underwhelming at first. Filmed verite-style in the blah Parisian suburbs, it reverses the formula of the 1960s classic To Sir With Love by placing a white t... Read More.

All You Need is Hal Bruce
The tribute band industry began with Elvis impersonators in the 1970’s. When Elvis died the numbers blossomed. The Beatles were next and, today, Australian Pink Floyd is one of the biggest tribute shows on stage. So where does one guy get the brass ones to tak... Read More.

Coraline: Eye candy can't replace the jittery sense of magic.
Stop-motion animation master Henry Selick’s adaptation of graphic novelist Neil Gaiman’s Coraline has piled up many respectful reviews. In what seems to be a growing trend, those critics might not have stayed with the film through to its end. If they had, they... Read More.

Frost/Nixon: Regrets, I've Had A Few
Ron Howard’s latest film Frost/Nixon is the fourth major motion picture to treat the 37th President of the United States. While it is a sumptuously realized picture, with a terrific cast, the film simply cannot escape its origins from Peter Morgan’s slight st... Read More.

Revolutionary Road: Good, But The Thrill Is Gone
Theatre director and occasional filmmaker Sam Mendes (Jarhead, The Road To Perdition) has tackled a prestige novel for his latest cinematic adventure, Revolutionary Road. Adapted from Richard Yates’ acclaimed 1961 novel which is set in suburban 1955 Connect... Read More.

The Wrestler: Leap's Right Out of the Ring
Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler is a triumph. Sparked by an absolutely amazing performance from former has-been Mickey Rourke, the film is a wildly redemptive tour through the wreckage of 1980s culture. Using a surprisingly straightforward script by Robert ... Read More.

Gran Torino: Grand Indeed
American cinematic icon Clint Eastwood has delivered a sly elegy to his own looming screen persona with his latest movie, Gran Torino. Directing himself in declining inner-city Detroit with a gaggle of non-professional actors from the Hmong Community, the s... Read More.

Margaret Atwood's Debt Plan
Payback: Debt and the Shadow side of Wealth By Margaret Atwood Because it has appeared at the time of a global economic crisis stemming mainly from an overload of debt, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth has been hailed as timely. Given the... Read More.

Movie Review: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a Tiresome Trip through Pop Culture
The curious thing about the Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is how many great reviews it has amassed in the run-up to its Christmas Day release. The 2-hour and 47 minute adaptation of a fanciful F. Scott Fitzgerald short story is a bloated mess. It begins p... Read More.

Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano
When I was about seven years old I played in the local Kiwanis music festival for the first time. I sat down at the piano to play the first notes of “Under the Haycock” and nothing happened. The action of the grand piano’s keys was so stiff my little fingers d... Read More.

Milk: Tastes Great
Gus Van Sant’s return to conventional filmmaking, the shockingly traditional bio-pic Milk, is just about what everyone says it is: a triumph of conventional movie-making and a welcome sellout to the mainstream. It sports some tremendous acting from Sean Penn -... Read More.

Synecdoche, New York: A Grey and Glacial Filmgoers' Challenge
Maverick film writer Charlie Kaufman - the script author of off-beat flicks like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adaptation and Being John Malkovich - has delivered a surprisingly dour but imaginative directoral debut in the 125-minute curio Synecdoche,... Read More.

Twilight: a landmark post-modern women’s film
Twilight is a much-anticipated, vastly-hyped and surprisingly strong entry in the post-Buffy teenage vampire sweepstakes. Adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s gazillions-selling book, the film gains traction on its own from the sterling work of screenwriter Melis... Read More.

Quantum Of Solace Is No Quantam Leap
After Casino Royale singlehandedly revived and re-energized the James Bond franchise, it’s quite natural that the follow up Quantum Of Solace would feel a bit like a disappointment. Still, Daniel Craig is a formidable clench-jawed 007. And there’s enough bo... Read More.

The Man Who Made Vermeers
On May 29, 1945, Han van Meegeren was arrested in Amsterdam on the charge that during the Nazi occupation he sold a painting by Jan Vermeer to Herman Goering, the commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe. This transaction amounted to trading with the enemy, and wa... Read More.

Marche on Sanjania
Wake up armchair travelers! There’s a new country to explore. Stephen Marche’s Shining at the Bottom of the Sea requires only that you get comfortable in your favorite reading chair, flip open the cover and let your eyes do the walking. Marche’s novel isn’t a ... Read More.

Changeling Is Clint Eastwood's Masterpiece
American filmmaking Icon Clint Eastwood has had a pretty good run in the last decade with flicks such as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and the Flags Of Our Fathers - Letters From Iwo Jima double header. So why are reviewers so tepid in their response to... Read More.

Book Review: Lightning and Blackberries
In the eighteenth century, life for teenage girls was much different than it is today. By the time they reached seventeen, young ladies were expected to think seriously of marriage to an approved suitor. Elizabeth Evans was different. She rebelled against her ... Read More.

W.: Oliver Stone's Fair and Engrossing Take on George Bush
Oliver Stone’s presidential bio-pic W. has surprised just about everybody with its gutsy and shockingly fair portrait of the two-term US Chief Executive from Texas. Shot through with Stone’s trademark aggressive filmmaking style - there’s lots of jumping ba... Read More.

HPX 3: Holy Frig
Halifax loves a good dance party. Last night at the Marquee was a beautiful cross-section of the local music scene, with everyone from headbangers to indie kids to dirty hippies showing up to check out Toronto experirockers Holy Fuck. While downstairs in Hell’... Read More.

HPX 2: Rock Out Or Die
Oh. My. God. Anyone who needed proof that rock n’ roll is alive and kicking (kicking you hard in the teeth, that is) got it last night at Gus’ Pub, at a show that is unlikely to be topped for the rest of Halifax Pop Explosion 2008. A line-up including ... Read More.

The Witch Of Edmonton: Astonishing theatre by any measure
Dal Theatre Productions has kicked off its new season with a startling staging of the rarely seen 1621 macabre drama The Witch Of Edmonton, by Dekker, Ford and Rowley. Director Roberta Barker’s remarkably restrained production sports two choral interludes o... Read More.

Burn After Reading: A slightly under-cooked, very funny spy farce
Joel and Ethan Coen’s latest, Burn After Reading, has been hanging around theatres for almost a month now. A slightly under-cooked spy farce set in and around Washington DC, it’s a film that’s built up some surprising staying power. Dismissed by many as a m... Read More.

Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist: Que Cera, Cera
To call the new Michael Cera romantic comedy slight is putting it lightly. Nick And Nora’s Infinite Playlist attempts to make a leading man out of the young, po-faced Canadian actor who was so effective last year in Superbad. Director Peter Sollet, who has ... Read More.

Miracle At Saint Anna: Spike Lee's third cinematic masterpiece in a row
Spike Lee’s latest film, Miracle At Saint Anna, has accumulated some wildly divergent reviews. Some have acclaimed it as brilliant and insightful; others have denounced it as lumpy and uneven. Currently it’s got a 28 percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes, hardly a... Read More.

Nikolski, by Nicolas Dickner: A Review
My first thought when I finished Nikolski was that I would like to read it again. Not in a bad way as in, “Holy crow, I’m supposed to review this and I have nothing to say I better read it again” but in a good way as in, “I think I could take something differe... Read More.

Society of Wolves, a review of Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong
I have to admit up front that I am not familiar with Chinese, so I have not read Wolf Totem in its original language, thus leaving me, as a reviewer, at the mercy of the translator. Author Jiang Rong (whose real name is Lu Jiamin) is well served by translator ... Read More.

Lakeview Terrace: A Creepy Picture of Race Relations
Lakeview Terrace might initially seem like a standard studio assignment on first view. Surprisingly, it’s topped the box-office charts for its opening weekend. A creepy neighbour potboiler superbly realized by director - playwright Neil LaBute, it’s a perf... Read More.

Chronicler of the Winds
Henning Mankell is perhaps best known as the author of the Kurt Wallander series of crime stories. He has, though, an impressive volume of work outside of that genre, including the one discussed here. Chronicler of the Winds is written with both great inten... Read More.

Book Review: The Truth About Canada
As implied by the tabloid-style title, Mel Hurtig’s latest book is necessary reading, particularly for journalists, editorial writers, politicians, and CEOs. For all Canadians it provides a mass of data and sources to evaluate the misleading and often downrigh... Read More.

Hamlet 2: Maybe the best movie ever about the witless enthusiasm of theatre
Riotously funny, sharply satiric and tremendously acted, Hamlet 2 might just be the best movie about the witless enthusiasm of theatre ever made. Driven by a jaw-droppingly effective performance by Brit Actor Steeve Coogan, whose air-headed American attitud... Read More.

The Shipwreck, the Sultan, and the Slave: A Tale of Sixteenth Century Constantinople
Book Review: The Aviary Gate, by Katie Hickman The intriguing sixteenth century tale of Celia Lamprey is researched by the twenty-first century doctoral student Elizabeth in The Aviary Gate. Set in the world of merchant-rich Istanbul, sightings are r... Read More.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Woody Allen's Gaudi adventure
After a brief filmmaking exile in England, Woody Allen's European tour continues with a side-trip to Spain. The result is the slight but occasionally delightful comedy Vicki Cristina Barcelona. Powered by two delicious performances by Javier Bardem and Pene... Read More.

Shakespeare By the Sea's Othello: Tense and Strong
Seeing Shakespeare By the Sea deliver a compact, conventional staging of the Bard's challenging late tragedy Othello is like watching a lion slowly stalk its prey for 90 minutes before it finally strikes and devours it in the final half hour. Shorn of conte... Read More.

Brideshead Revisited: Once More With Feeling
A remake of Evelyn Waugh’s famous novel Brideshead Revisited would seem to rather unnecessary. After all, that landmark 1980s British TV series made a star out of Jeremy Irons and provoked copycat fashion mini-revivals of 1930s Oxford scarves and sweaters in t... Read More.

A Midsummer Night's Magic
There was a huge crowd at Shakespeare By the Sea’s latest production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Point Pleasant Park Sunday Night. And there should be. It’s a wonderful production, thoughtfully reconsidered by director Jesse MacLean. There’s a bit less ... Read More.

All Souls, by Christine Schutt: an excerpt
The Girl No One Knows Fathers Mr. Dell, in his daughter’s room, stuck his face into the horn of a stargazer lily, one of a . . . one of a . . . must have been a dozen, and he breathed in and said wasn’t that something. And wasn’t it: the pileup of cards, a s... Read More.

Dark Knight: "It’s great from start to finish"
Rarely has a film lived up to its advance hype as has The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan’s remarkable revival of a once dead cinematic comic book franchise. There were so many people at the Tuesday night 8 pm screening I witness... Read More.

The Valley: An Excerpt
The following is an excerpt from the beginning of The Valley, by Gayle Friesen, published by Key Porter Books. In God’s green pastures feeding, by the cool waters lie. Soft in the evening . . . then something I don’t remember. Waters cool, that was the ... Read More.

The Valley, by Gayle Friesen: A review
The Valley, by Gayle Friesen is a pleasant summer read. It seems odd to write that as I think about the subjects and themes covered in the book: strained relationships, religious intolerance, debilitating migraines, suicidal thoughts, and a multitude of Biblic... Read More.

All Souls: Astra's World
An Elemental Response to All Souls This is my first ever formal book review and as such I revert to the elemental tools of every writer, the alphabet. I use an “ABC” rubric to provide a frame of reference for consideration of my response to the book. T... Read More.

Five books about Anne of Green Gables and Lucy Maud Montgomery
Early in her career, soon after the publication of Anne of Green Gables and the novels that rapidly followed it, L. M. Montgomery became a famous Canadian writer. Governors General and British peers arrived in Prince Edward Island, intent on meeting her. By th... Read More.

Who Owns Canada Now: Canada's mega-rich
This book is primarily about the richest 75 billionaires in Canada but ends with a discussion of what the situation is currently and what the future holds – for wealthy families and for Canada – with Ms Francis’ policy recommendations to make Canada more entre... Read More.

Is Canada for Sale?
The following is an excerpt from Who Owns Canada Now: Old Money, New Money and The Future of Canadian Business, by Diane Francis, and published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Besides taxation, another perennial policy concern has been Canada’s rel... Read More.

Kid Stuff
Kids have a way of taking over your life … and your heart. Their antics and imagination lead inevitably to stories that beg to be told. So let’s tell them. Join me, please. Share your stories and pictures about your kids. Click on New Post in the lef... Go to Blog.

Consumption:
Consumption is a blog for writers, nerds and media whores. I write about anything that interestes me, which is pretty much everything. I've been a huge film buff since I was a kid, so I'll be submitting some film and music reviews and also some videos of loca... Go to Blog.

Blank Canvas
Blank Canvas is an art blog written and compiled by Meredith Dault. Go to Blog.

MELODY MAKERS
In this space: Music news, interviews with local artists, album and concert reviews ... and whatever else comes along. Contributor Kim Kinrade is a musician, novelist and blogger based in Dartmouth. Go to Blog.

Jungle Beat
Jungle Beat covers the bar scene in downtown Halifax. This column is written by Jon Careless, Infomonkey's Wildlife Correspondent. He writes about everything from nightclub atmospheres to local musicians, as well as delivering reviews of shows taking place aro... Go to Blog.



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