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Carlton Cinema: A students' movie haven
January 5, 2018 Brent Smyth
by Vartan Bzdikian The Indie-themed Imagine Cinemas Carlton are offering a student deal that allows you to watch any movie comfortably with a medium sized popcorn and pop for just $15 on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The new offer is a different approach from movie-giant Cineplex and their own old deal, of half-price tickets on Tuesdays.
Carlton Cinema was founded in 1981, and had achieved relative success until their business went well until they faded into the background and were closed in 2009 by Cineplex Odeon.
Rainbow and Magic Lantern Theaters resurrected Carlton Cinema in 2010 and because of how well locals took to its reopening, Imagine Cinemas bought them in 2016.
A self proclaimed regular customer at Carlton Cinema, Nadia Adil says that, "the artistic décor of the place attracts a lot of young people, they try to maintain that old 90's vibe, plus you feel like the customers here respect the theatre and the movie."
Carlton Cinema is popular in Toronto because they're not shying to display blockbuster, foreign, artistic, and independent films which would not normally be screened in other larger theatres.
Assistant manager of Carlton Cinema Amelia Cumming added, "we also like to do our retro screenings, like this week we're showing Wayne's World, we've done things like Alien, so just retro screeners that we know are popular but don't really get theatre play."
The cheap prices also attract moviegoers in the community.
These are dark times for the film industry, the tastes and demands of consumers are changing and Hollywood is struggling to adapt.
According to comScore the summer box office was the worst the movie industry has seen in over a decade; it is a 14.6 per cent drop from last summer.
Young people between the ages of 13-30 seem more reluctant on going to the cinemas to enjoy a popcorn and a movie with their friends or even by themselves.
Cumming reaches out to these moviegoers and says, "There are multiple distractions when you watch a movie at home, you can check your phone, pause it anytime, whereas when you're in the theatre you're really immersed into the characters and the film, unfortunately we're losing that."
Why, is a question many experts are pondering on. It could be the expensive tickets, the disruptions in the cinema (phones ringing, friends chatting etc,) the rise of streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, and Hulu, the cost of snacks, the internet or it could be the combination of all these factors.
Adil adds to the list and says, "I feel like movies nowadays lacks originality, they just conform to whatever they think is the trend instead of just being honest, innovative, mind provoking and original."
During these tough times, cinemas and theatres are tested and are forced to take risks and experiment to keep their business afloat.
According to Cumming the license to enable the selling of alcohol and concession sales have helped them but what keeps their business afloat are private rentals, "people who want to show their own films on a big screen, so they're willing to pay us just to rent out a screen and show it, that's literally what's keeping us in business."
Feature photo courtesy of Carlton Cinemas/Flickr
In Film Tags Canadian Film, carlton cinemas, Film, movie theatres, movies, student budget
A Nightmare on Dundas Street: Inside the AGO's Horror Film Festival
November 24, 2017 Brent Smyth
Photo Courtesy of Josephine Tse
by: Ben Cohen
Southwest of the Art Gallery of Ontario's chasmal main foyer is Jackman Hall, the site of their new late-night spook-fest: A Nightmare on Dundas Street.
Beginning Oct. 6, the AGO has ventured to screen a different classic horror film each Friday night, a promotional tool working in concert with their inspired, ongoing Guillermo Del Toro exhibit.
With three weeks to go, the gallery's final offerings are all heavy hitting canonical classics: The Shining, Repulsion and The Haunting.
It's a unique experience, re-watching a celebrated flick in a theatre. On Friday night, I saw The Exorcist. I'd analogize the feeling to being bowled over by the dynamism of colour, after living life entirely in grey. You really are discovering a new dimension.
When young Regan starts acting odd -- levitating, speaking in tongues -- her worried mother seeks medical help, only to hit a dead end. A local priest, however, thinks the girl may be seized by the devil. The priest makes a request to perform an exorcism, and the church sends in an expert to help with the difficult job.
The soundtrack was made sharp, clear and jarring. I was tuned into all the fright and tension I'd be spared, thanks to ho-hum television speakers. The intimate theatre's insular build and cranked up volume allowed the film's chilling instrumentals to craft a sense of dread, organically.
I nearly leaped out of my seat at one point at the sound of an on-screen phone suddenly ringing, a scare that would have passed right by me had I been enjoying the movie from the comfort of a sofa.
It also goes without saying that a bile-spewing demon-child with a 360-degree rotating neck is a lot more terrifying when blown up to span the length of an entire room.
Del Toro is famous for thinking the monsters we see are reflected in all of us, and his exhibit paired with these films allow us all a more in-depth peak into ourselves.
The final films will be screened from 10-12 pm, the following three Friday nights. The fee is $8 for students, $10 for AGO members and $12 for everyone else.
In Film Tags AGO, Film, film festival, horror, horror film, horror movie, nightmare on dundas street
Top 8 movies to get ready for Hallowe'en
October 31, 2017 Brent Smyth
by Brooke Houghton, Caroline Thorne, Brooklyn Johnson and Isabella Lopes No big plans for Tuesday night? Just decided to curl up and watch some good ol' fashioned Hallowe'en movies? Here are the top eight movies to get you in a spooktacular mood!
Backcountry (2015)
In this nature-horror film, young couple Alex (Jeff Roop) and Jenn (Missy Peregrym), go camping in the Canadian wilderness. As an inexperienced camper, Jenn lets her confident boyfriend take the lead. The couple heads to Alex's favourite spot on the secluded Blackfoot Trail. The two soon find themselves lost without a map or food to survive. Terror settles in when they encounter a strange man in the otherwise deserted forest.
Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire (2007)
In a plot to get their mother out of the house so they can sneak out, siblings Adam (Matt O'Leary) and Chelsea (Laura Vandervoot) set their mom (Caroline Rhea) up on a blind date. However, their youngest brother Taylor (Myles Jeffrey) soon realizes that the man their mother is on a date with is a vampire. The trio of siblings spends the night following their mother on the date to prove it.
Twitches (2005)
On their 21st birthday, Camryn (Tamera Mowry) and Alex (Tia Mowry) find out that they are long lost twin sisters, with magical powers originally from a kingdom in an alternate dimension. The two must use their newfound powers to defeat the darkness that plagues the kingdom.
The Lost Boys (1987) When two brothers, Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim), move to a new town with their recently divorced mother, they get more than they bargained for, as they discover the town is a haven full of vampires! Beetlejuice (1988) A recently deceased couple haunting their former house hire a heinous ghost in an attempt to scare away the new residents. This all-star cast (featuring Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton and Canadian-American actress Catherine O'Hara) has become a cult classic, growing in popularity every year.
In the small town of Derry, Maine, children are going missing at an increasingly alarming rate. Once his little brother falls victim to one of these mysterious attacks, Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) and his friend group including Richie (Finn Wolfhard), decide to investigate and ultimately destroy whatever evil force is terrorizing the town. Spoiler Alert: it's a terrifying clown that will haunt your dreams. How is this a Canadian film? It was all filmed in Toronto, Oshawa, and Port Hope.
A masked murderer stalks and attempts to kill a group of six high school seniors on their prom night in this classic horror flick starring Jamie Lee Curtis. The group was responsible for the accidental death of young Robin Hammond six years ago. This movie was filmed all over Toronto, with some signature shots placed at the Scarborough Bluffs.
Scream (1996)
Scream is a (somewhat) modern classic, following Sidney Prescott (played by Canadian actress Neve Campbell) as she is stalked and attacked by the mysterious masked killer called "Ghostface." The film is famous for references to overused horror movie cliches and for mixing comedic elements into a classic slasher film.
In Film Tags Backcountry, canadian films, Film, Halloween, listicle, movie, Prom Night, Scream, spooky, The Lost Boys, Twitches
Blade Runner 2049 Review
Thirty-five years after the original cult-classics release, Blade Runner 2049 has continued the universe of Blade Runner, while adding new age elements and improving upon its prior.
Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, in his first work since Arrival last year, has created a stunningly beautiful film - a seemingly hallucinatory, sensory odyssey through landscape and light. Although incorporating visual jump-offs seen in the original, 2049 pushes into a different reality. From creating a ghost-town Vegas, cyberpunk LA streets, all the way to an endless junkyard, the world of 2049 is the fantasy of unforgiving soulless capitalism. The artistry of this fever dream is most comparable to that of pornography; nothing is real and yet everything is available.
Gosling's performance as 'K' highlights characteristics of Harrison Ford's original character, and he has considerably bulked up since last year's La La Land. His naturally charismatic demeanour is back in the impassive and aloof mode of "Drive" (2011) and "Only God Forgives" (2013), to create a character who's every bit inscrutable as he is cool.
Blade Runner vs. 2049
Let's start with the most blatant comparison. Ridley Scott masterfully directed the 1982 film, using a slow-burn approach that gave audiences the opportunity to take note and soak in the immense detail of a dystopian 2019 L.A.
Denis Villeneuve is one of the most exciting directors in Hollywood today, however he uses a similar, patient approach to create a deserving sequel. Villeneuve's version is an achievement in itself, more epic and ambitious than the original, not letting a bigger budget hinder the vision.
The original Blade Runner has an overarching narrative that ends up being fairly simple. It sends Deckard off on a breadcrumb-quest to 'retire' replicants. It is a movie shaped as much by its style and themes as it is by the plot, which compliments the minimalistic approach.
And although 2049 finds its narrative built off the foundation laid out by the original, it is more ambitious, and far less repetitive in its investigative approach, and has more than one aspect of the movie to follow at once. It retains specific mysteries while creating new ones, and manages to do a good job standing alone.
One main aspect of the 2049 that falls short of the original is the score. Vangelis created a synth-driven, jazzy score that stood out as a main element. It still stands peerless in the sci-fi genre in comparison to the approach Villeneuve took.
Although just like in his recent work in Dunkirk, Hans Zimmer's composition references the original 1982 score whilst subtly forming its own being. The singular thumping gunshot percussion that opens the 1982 film is present and beats through this film like a foreboding advance of fate as other themes reoccur to recreate a sense of melancholy and loss. Zimmer is perfectly able to honour the original score, while placing his own signature, bombastic mark on the film.
The Result?
Blade Runner 2049 is not the film audiences have grown accustomed to watching. The pace occasionally puts the plot in the foreground and some story elements are introduced only to drift away to the land of potential sequels. It can easily be misunderstood because it requires consistent attention, a markedly different experience then the action movies we have grown accustomed to watching that feature little more than intervaled explosion scenes. But Villeneuve has managed to create a thoughtful piece of sci-fi, which surpasses the gravitational pull of its inspiration to become a vast improvement of Blade Runner.
In Film Tags 2049, Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, BladeRunner, Canadian, Canadian Film, canadian film review, Film, Ford, Gosling, Ryan Gosling
TIFF Review: "Eye on Juliet" - Love in the Age of Drones
September 19, 2017 Brent Smyth
By: Urbi Khan
Letter Grade: B
While piloting his robotic spider from the United States, a hexapod operator and pipeline guardian (Joe Cole) becomes fascinated by a Middle Eastern woman (Lina El –Arabi, it's the latest from the Oscar-nominated filmmaker, Kim Nguyen. – TIFF description
We have all come to know that Big Brother may always be watching. However, he observes us for our own good, apparently. This is the proposition that the Quebec filmmaker, Kim Nguyen sets for his latest film, Eye on Juliet.
The film, starring Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders, Green Room) and Lina El-Arabi, explores a drone-assisted love story that breaks down cultural barricades and long distances. Eye on Juliet is set in an utopian world where technology has the ability to influence love.
This well-meaning, romantic story that circumstantially brings together two people together is a disappointment. Mainly because the so-called 'roundness' of the geopolitical landscape in this tale is extremely flat as Gordon (Cole), the hexapod operator is shown to be in suburban Detroit whereas Ayusha (El-Arabi) is shown to be only located in a town in the North African desert, her exact location is not identified.
The representation of the two characters' location is uneven. Compared to Nguyen's Oscar-nominated film, War Witch (2012), this film lacks representation of the diverse nature of Africa as it is very generalized in this film.
Eye on Juliet opens with a landscape seen in night-vision accompanied by low-frequency music. This sets the mood for the film that you are going off into an unknown world.
We first find Gordon, a handsome all-American man, in a night-club, where he is in the middle of a bad break up. On the verge of a mental breakdown, Gordon gets thrown out of the club. He goes home, sits in a corner and contemplates in a disheveled and empty room. We are introduced into the world of a character who is emotionally distraught and displaced. This is not unknown territory for anyone; it's a cliché. The only point of solace in Gordon's life is when he stumbles upon Ayusha in the North African desert through his hexapod, where he is guarding oil pipelines for the company he is working for.
Ayusha's storyline presents an inventively stylized Romeo-Juliet melodrama as she meets in secret with her boyfriend near the pipelines. Gordon interjects himself into her life as he has lost his own love. The Juliet-like character of Ayusha is arranged to be married to an older man by her parents; Gordon tries to resolve this through his hexapod all the way from the United States.
Despite all the stereotypical story material about a 'third-world' damsel-in-distress, who is essentially rescued by a white, male saviour, this film does have its enduring qualities.
When Gordon comes into contact with Ayusha for the first time, he speaks Arabic in a computerized, pre-set voice which is programmed to be "soothing" in sound. I find this to be reminiscent of Spike Jonze's tech love story Her (2013), as human and a robot interact in a humanly, empathetic way.
Eye on Juliet could easily have been political as it centres around an white, American male and an African-Muslim female, but it is not and that is uplifting for the audience. However, it seems that this story is only an attempt at romance and is not fully realized as Gordon only helps Ayusha because he is lovelorn himself.
Another enduring quality of the film is its ability to bring in some elements of humour to an otherwise dramatic plot. The film includes a blind, old man who appears only once. He apparently "sees" the world with wisdom and tells Gordon - through the hexapod - the true nature of love. Understandably, this is a Shakespearean allusion, alluding to the film's title.
When Gordon questions the self-proclaimed expert on life, how you can know when you really love a woman the old man replies, "First you must embrace her, close. Close enough that you can smell her neck, smell her scent. And if you become engulfed by it - kiss her! Then the talking will ensue between you two. And if you didn't like kissing her, than all talk ceases. After that, you must simply walk away."
To this advice, Gordon chuckles.
Eye on Juliet is well-produced. The desert terrain and soundtrack creates an atmospheric experience as the sounds make it an impressive journey for the audience. When viewing this film, the audience can hear every trickle of water, the winds of the desert and see in vivid colour the environment that surrounds the characters.
Essentially, one leaves with the sense that this film is about a lovelorn, privileged saviour who is detached from his environment, until he finds an exotic cause to care about. The damsel-in-distress, Ayusha, alleviates the troubles of his mundane existence. In the end of the 90 minutes, the hero finds love and the heroine simply just accepts his love. Finally, Eye on Juliet leaves the audience with this message: Big Brother sees all and he protects. He is the saviour.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39r8FF94Iro[/embed]
In Film Tags Caculture, Canadian Film, canadian film review, Film, film review, movie, movie review, tiff
A Brief History of TIFF
by Daniel McIntosh
September in Toronto brings three things: back-to-school traffic, colder morning weather and the Toronto International Film Festival, the city's annual celebration of film culture. Anyone who has ever heard of TIFF knows it's a breeding ground for Oscar nominees, future cult classics and emerging directors, but it wasn't always as accepted for its merits. Look back through TIFF's origin story to find out how the plucky festival became an industry powerhouse.
TIFF began in 1976 as the brainchild of co-founders Bill Marshall and Henk van der Kolk. The two film producers shared a vision of Toronto as a film hub, detached from Hollywood and American studios that dominated the industry.
In conversation with the National Post, Van der Kolk described how the idea for the festival first came to them.
"All Bill and I wanted to make was feature films. Making a feature was a bit of an uphill battle in this country: you didn't make feature films, you went to see American feature films," Van der Kolk said. "We needed to get noticed. How the hell do we get the world to realize we're here, and how do we get a Canadian film industry? That's why it started, really."
The pair, along with mutual friend Dusty Cohle, founded Toronto's Festival of Festivals, showing films that were well-received in international circuits, in an effort to bring attention to Canada's film scene.
The festival faced setbacks in its first year, with several Hollywood studios withdrawing their submissions, believing Canadian audiences would be too conservative for their content.
"The first year, we had a panel where the American distributors all said they would come, and they lied to us. So I put up directors' chairs with the names of all the studio heads on them and went up and down and told them what shitheels they were," Marshall said.
Nonetheless, the inaugural festival opened to 35 000 people, showing 140 films from 30 countries.
By the 1980s, the festival had gained notoriety in the international film community. In 1981, Chariots of Fire won the festival's People's Choice Award, providing fanfare that would contribute to it winning the Best Picture Oscar. The festival expanded from a simple community showing to a veritable predictor for future award seasons.
Hollywood began to take notice, and, seeing the burgeoning popularity of the festival, rethought their stance on attending the event. In 1982, Robert DeNiro and Robert Duvall made appearances during a Martin Scorsese retrospective, beginning the long tradition of celebrity sightings that TIFF has become synonymous with, and marking the first major involvement of Hollywood stars in the festival's programming.
In 1994, the name of the festival was changed to the TIFF we know and love.
Today, TIFF continues to expand its presence in Toronto and the film world, with the 2007 construction of the Bell Lightbox—a theatre, research centre and museum dedicated to film culture.
The Lightbox, located on the north corner of King and John streets, features two gallery spaces and offers screenings, lectures and workshops for budding filmmakers, viewers and fans.
The Lightbox also contains archives, a film lab centre and houses the Film Reference Library, which provides access to a comprehensive collection of film prints, scripts, periodicals and press kits surrounding the festival and film culture at large.
Despite its rocky beginnings, TIFF has become an integral part of Toronto's culture and an esteemed event for cinema lovers all around the world. Now after its 40th anniversary, and with its own headquarters for year-round events, it shows no sign of slowing down.
In Film Tags Canada, Canadian Film, canadian film review, Film, film review, history, movie, movie review, tiff, timeline
TIFF Review: "The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches"
Matches Girl
By Julianna Perkins
Quebec director Simon Lavoie returned to the Toronto International Film Festival this year with a perverse gothic drama sure to stir conversation among the film crowd.
The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches, a French-language film subtitled in English, is Lavoie's latest work, loosely adapted from Quebec author Gaétan Soucy's French novel of the same name.
The film, which has a rating of 18A, centers on the disturbing life of the Soissons, a family of three living in almost absolute isolation in 1930's Quebec.
The father, played by Jean-François Casabonne, is a drunkard prone to Carrie-esque fits of religious fanaticism who oppresses the household with a ramshackle paranoia that pervades every aspect of life. His children, played by Antoine L'Écuyer and Marine Johnson, are conditioned to fear and distrust any element of the outside world and are taught that their father formed them from clay.
The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches lands its contorted focus on the young female child, Alice (Johnson), documenting her twisted upbringing at the hands of abusers, watching as she is forced to cut her hair and bind her chest, addressed only as "Brother" and "Son." We follow along as one perverted disaster after another warps her youth, underscoring the film with the sense that femininity must equal pain.
This is not an easy film, nor is it a remotely pleasant film.
And yet somehow you stay magnetically attracted to the screen, observing incest, rape, torture, abuse, deformity, suicide and count after count of violence with the understanding that the inclusion of these acts is not gratuitous. This isn't a jump-scare horror movie; instead, it brings up everything that you know is wrong and makes you sit in, consider it, and explore it, to the point that you almost feel disturbed.
Lavoie, who described the film as a "poetic period drama," admitted that The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches was cinematographically influenced by the works of Pier Pasolini and a 1960's Czech film titled Spalovač Mrtvol or The Cremator. He said he wanted to create a "no compromises" film that stayed true to the "radical" nature of the original book by Soucy.
Filmed in black and white and woven through with tortured eroticism, The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches is visually both beautiful and raw. The lack of major dialogue allows the silence in the theatre to feel oppressive, broken only by moments of intense and orgasmic operatic symphony.
"Overwhelming" is the most apt word to describe The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches. Visually and emotionally, to watch this film is to sit wide-eyed in a room full of strangers that collectively exhale once the credits roll. It is 111 minutes of palpable disgust.
The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches is no one-off from Lavoie, whose previous film Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves, co-directed with Mathieu Denis, won Best Canadian Feature at last year's TIFF festival, also earning a spot in the 2017 Canada's Top Ten Film Festival.
The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond of Matches and its forceful acting worms its way into your memory in a way I feel few "scary" movies have had the power to do. Its intensity andconsistent use of close-ups will leave Johnson's panicked eyes burned into your mind long after you step out of the theatre.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rcH8cJ-PGo[/embed]
In Film Tags Canadian Film, Film, film review, movie, movie review, tiff
TIFF Review: "Black Cop" - A Morality Play Wrapped in Satire
A Black police officer (Ronnie Rowe Jr.) seeks revenge after being egregiously profiled and assaulted by his colleagues, in this searing political satire by actor-director Cory Bowles (Trailer Park Boys). -TIFF description
William Faulkner once said that the only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself. Cory Bowles, known for his role as Cory in Trailer Park Boys, has written and directed just that: a raucous, stylish, vivid drama centred around a pariah in communities both blue and black, the titular Black Cop, who epitomizes internal conflict by virtue of his role in society.
Black Cop excels not just as a powerful political statement, but also technically, as a genuinely well-woven piece of cinema. The soundtrack is evocative, puissant and fresh. The score makes ironic use of minstrel songs, features "black spiritual death metal" (as Bowles referred to it after the show) and tempestuous, lyrical hip hop. One jarring scene in particular thunders with excellent musical pairing, wherein cacophonous jazz batters our brains into a state of alarm, tuning us into the main character's frantic emotional state.
The cinematography, though occasionally borrowing techniques from other films (Bronson, 2008, in particular during recurring, creatively lit fourth-wall breaking asides), is intelligent, inspired and raw. The audience is exposed to police brutality in the film in the same manner as we are in real life, as the camera shifts from dashcam to body camera to smartphone recording during these troubling scenes. Though Black Cop was shot in only 12 days, one would never hazard to guess that.
Ronnie Rowe Jr. delivers a magnetic performance as the Black Cop. "Every moment [Rowe was] on camera, he moved me," said Bowles in his introduction to the film at the Tuesday night premier – a statement I nearly agree with. Though I admire the skill with which Rowe navigated the emotional depths and complexities of his character, I couldn't help but feel that his delivery of some of the more humorous bits of dialogue warranted a few more takes.
Politically, Black Cop occupies a space so relevant and contentious and finishes – after quickly doing away with the first act's faux-passivity – with such vibrant, furious and unapologetic moral certitude that it seems almost fated to exist, like the word of God blaring across a silver screen, commanding everyone in attendance to champion the importance of black lives and to acknowledge the undeniable systematic oppression they face. In the end, Black Cop is an allegory carved from the same marble as Everyman. The lesson is that, in these divided times, to ignore is to encourage, to deny aid is to abet and that racial profiling and police violence can't just be wished away.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RiOirLKtQM[/embed]
In Film Tags Canadian Film, canculture, Film, film festival, film review, movie, movie review, tiff
Ryerson University Hosts Screenings To Analyze Memory In Film
April 21, 2017 Julia Nowicki
The Screening Memory film series aims to explore the history of memory representation in film, said Hudson Moura, programmer of the film and debate series that ran through March at the Image Arts Centre at Ryerson University. The series was created in partnership with the Centre for Memory and Testimony Studies at Wilfred Laurier University in Toronto. The centre studies how memory and forgetting are represented in Canada and compares those findings to representation in art and culture.
"We tried to explore how film actually presents and shows memory through image and sound," Moura said. "Cinema is a way to revise history."
The films series at Ryerson is intended to be a lead up to the main conference and film series taking place in October at the University of Toronto called Americas Remember, Americas Forget.
The series on March 24 presented two films, however, most of the attention during the subsequent debates was focused on the feature film, The Colour of Pomegranates.
Written and directed by the late Sergei Parajanov, the Soviet/Armenian film depicted the life of the American poet Sayat-Nova.
Although the film proved too abstract for some in the crowd to follow, as they later admitted, a handful of people really grasped the messages the movie attempted to portray.
Teimuraz Keshelashvili, a PhD candidate and psychotherapist, said his Georgian background gave him a deeper understanding about the symbols and allegory Parajanov used throughout the film.
"He really showed us the suffering of the poet and the emotional dynamics of his biography. There are a lot of nuances, some of which are almost impossible to understand from a contemporary perspective, but I think it's a great movie," Keshelashvili said.
Film enthusiasts, like new media student Jay Zhuang, found the film compelling because of its unique mise en scene and camera techniques.
"I feel like it's experimenting with the film language itself. The director perceives differently than most narrative films that we have seen," Zhuang said. "I think the camera moved once during the film, but what's so interesting that there is always motion within the frame."
The Ukrainian, Georgian, and Armenian film director was highly scrutinized by the Soviet regime because his films did not fall under the accepted category of social realism, and he faced constant film bans, as well as imprisonment.
Shahram Tabe, research scientist at the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Iranian filmmaker and critic, concluded the night with a debate. Tabe explained how the film's vagueness is symbolic of memory, specifically the interpreted memory of Sayat-Nova's life through Parajanov's eyes.
"It's just like a flash of memory, something that you remember from your childhood but you don't exactly know what it was or what it means," Tabe said.
Tabe said that although the film is challenging and requires context, it is still beautiful and appealing to the audience.
"You have to let yourself drown in the pictures, light, imagery, and scenery," Tabe said. "You can't fight the film."
This piece was edited by Luke Elisio, film editor of CanCulture.
In Film Tags Film, Hudson Moura, Julia Nowicki, Luke Elisio, Ryerson, The Colour of Pomegranates, The Girl From Moush
Movie-Goers Pay Tribute To Late Director, But Not Admission Fees
March 8, 2017 Julia Nowicki
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te5MeQUX4kk[/embed] In honour of the late director Rob Stewart, Cineplex Odeon theatres across Canada screened his award-winning documentary Sharkwater on Feb. 25.
Rob Stewart passed away Feb. 3 during a deep dive off the coast of Key Largo, FL. He was 37 years-old. Stewart was a Toronto-born activist, biologist and documentary film-maker.
His 2006 documentary Sharkwater addresses the common misconceptions of sharks and casts a spotlight on the corruptive industry of shark fin fishing.
As a tribute to Stewart, theatres screened Sharkwater in exchange for donations to the World Widlife Fund (WWF) Canada. Donations will help to continue the work Stewart was doing in the conservation and protection of sharks.
Pat Burnet, a retired social worker, came to the event after hearing about the death of the director and to support WWF. Burnet said the film was impactful and eye-opening.
"I said to myself, 'is this who we've become?' just thinking about all the horrible things today that we are doing to the planet. But it was also hopeful. I thought he did a brilliant job on the film and getting the message across. I was quite impressed," said Burnet.
The death of the director has been a shock to many Canadians and Toronto locals in attendance.
Soumen Karmakar is an IT consultant involved in animal activism with various organizations. He heard about the event through Facebook.
"It's very sad that he died. He brought a lot of publicity to the act of shark killing. It's just sad because he was a local too. He did a lot for sharks and hopefully it doesn't end there," said Karmakar.
Stewart studied at the University of Western Ontario to earn his biology major. After his studies, he worked as an underwater photographer for a number of years before embarking on his journey to create the film, joining Paul Watson and the Sea Shepard Conservation Society. They worked together with governments to prevent the illegal long-line fishing of sharks in places such as the Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica.
President of the Peoples Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Kimberly Heys, was in attendance. PAWS is a charity dedicated to helping abandoned and abused animals.
"I met Rob years ago and supported all of his work including the fight for the Bala falls. I think (this event) is incredible and absolutely necessary," said Heys.
A public funeral was held in Toronto for Stewart on Feb 18. to allow all who loved Stewart a chance to say their final farewells.
Prior to his death, Stewart was working on a sequel to Sharkwater called Sharkwater: Extinction. Currently production is paused, but the crew is still accepting donations on Indiegogo to help finish the documentary and carry on Stewart's vision and legacy.
The work Stewart has done as an advocate for the conservation of sharks has set the stage for many documentaries to come. Even after his death, Stewart's work continues to be an inspiration for many.
"It's world changing," said Heys, "not just life changing."
In Film Tags Canadian Film, Documentary, Film, Julia Nowicki, Luke Elisio, Rob Stewart, WWF Canada
Movie Review: Last Night
November 23, 2016 Amanda Skrabucha
It is Dec. 31, 1999, and at 12 a.m. the world is going to end. Last Night is the '90s action movie, written and directed by Don McKellar who also plays the main role. He is trying to find an answer for the teasing question that most of us have probably asked ourselves: What would you do if you knew that this was your last night on earth?
The terrifying news was announced two months before the movie's action starts, and we see in the first scene that everyone got used to it.
The film links together a group of different Canadians living in Toronto during the last few hours before a mysterious catastrophe. Various individuals distinctly react to the end of the world. Patrick (Don McKellar) wants to spend the final moments of his life alone at his apartment. Some people, like his sister and her fiancé choose to go downtown where people gather for a New Year's Eve countdown, which is in fact, oddly, the end of the world. Others, live life to the fullest until, literally, the end.
When you watch this kind of catastrophic movie with everyone being passive about the current situation, you expect someone to resist. Sandra (Sandra Oh), who does not want to let the world kill her, promised herself and her husband that they would take each other's lives away before midnight. She tries to get across the city to her husband, who spends his last night at work, but crazy people damaged her car. She runs into Patrick who tries to help her get back home, unfortunately, without any success. Chaos errupts in Toronto– everything is destroyed, cellphones do not work, streetcars are out of service and people get insane on streets.
Sandra and Patrick are stuck at his place alone. Since she cannot be with her husband, she asks him to shoot her before the world ends (as we later find out her husband was shot by a psycho from the street). The most touching scene is when these two strangers share with each other their secrets to 'fall in love in each other' and die with a beloved one.
In the last few seconds on the earth, they both hold guns to each other heads, which seem like a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. The camera is spinning around them for a good moment to build up tension. When their lives are about to end they suddenly drop the guns and start kissing each other.Unfortunately, we do not get to see what force destroyed the world.
Both Oh and McKellar performed with great acting skills throughout the whole movie. Oh's facial expressions and body language clearly expressed her aching anxiety for the current situation. Yet, McKellar invisibly assimilated with his character's despair and stoicism.
One of the biggest achievements of Last Night was when it won the Award of the Youth at Cannes Film Festival in the foreign film category.
In Film Tags Amanda Skrabucha, Canada, Film, Last Night, movie, movie review, Toronto
Buffer Festival screens new YouTube documentary "Vlogumentary"
November 22, 2016 Luke Elisio
The 2016 Buffer Festival broke ground in Toronto last month by premiering Vlogumentary, a new documentary about the world of Internet vlogging.
Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the fourth annual festival is the event of the year for aspiring filmmakers, creators and of course vloggers, who use YouTube as a platform to jumpstart their careers in the entertainment, beauty and gaming industries. For the creators in attendance, this is an opportunity to share their art with like-minded artists.
The documentary, directed by Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me fame, is undoubtedly intended for the young people growing up in the digital age. However, Spurlock insists that the film is capable of reaching another audience: Their parents, the ones who may be unable to grasp the concept of putting one's life online for millions of people to view.
"As a hardcore fan, it's the type of thing you show your parents. You show your friends who don't get it, you show the people who make fun of you, you show the people who are like, 'why does anyone watch this crap? What's a YouTuber? That sounds dumb,'" says Corey Vidal, one of the co-founders of Buffer Festival.
Vlogumentary was first announced in 2013 and is the product of a joint collaboration between Vidal and fellow YouTube star Shay Carl Butler, both of whom are daily vloggers. Part of Spurlock's inspiration in his direction for the film was showing that vloggers are 'documenters' and the struggle it takes to balance something that for these creators, is both a passion and a business.
"I feel like this movie is the greatest primer for you to give to everybody who asks what vlogging is, because it lets them suddenly understand that these people are great storytellers," says Spurlock.
Mike Falzone, a vlogger and stand-up comedian who is one of the stars of Vlogumentary, was in awe of the validity of the project.
"When I first heard that they were doing a project like this, I was like, 'it's all starting to become a little more legit.' People started to take it a little more serious or at the very least they're making a movie about it now," says Falzone.
YouTube stars have achieved varying degrees of mainstream success in the last year, one of the most notable examples being Miranda Sings landing her own Netflix series, Haters Back Off. However, the talented individuals responsible for the viral videos, tutorials and vlogs, realize that they have always been successful. Vlogumentary stands as a testament to the mark YouTubers have made on the entertainment industry.
"We knew the power of YouTube and the power of the YouTubers and it's only now that traditional media is seeing it and recognizing it, hopefully not exploiting it and for us it's like, 'this is old news,'" says Vidal.
Vlogumentary is now available for streaming exclusively on YouTube Red.
Luke Elisio is the film editor of CanCulture.
In Film Tags Buffer Festival, Film, Luke Elisio, Vlogumentary
Flashback Film: When Night is Falling
February 18, 2016 Jaclyn Tansil
995b51_818c8d2ffa8046ca96170b14d80e8bc2
When Night is Falling is a Canadian romantic drama featured around the beauty of a same sex relationship between a deeply religious woman and a free-spirited circus performer.
The film takes us through Camille Baker's (Pascal Bussières) heartbreak, loss and inner turmoil as she struggles to make sense of her fascination with Petra (Rachel Crawford), a girl from the other side of the tracks.
Directed by Patricia Rozema, the two women first meet when Baker is crying in a Laundromat after finding out her dog has died. Petra, is immediately intrigued by Baker and tries to comfort her.
In an attempt to see Baker again after their intimate yet brief encounter, Petra intentionally mixes up their laundry, drawing Baker to the outskirts of town to where she is living with the circus.
Their second encounter reveals Petra's intentions for the mix up and her attraction towards Baker. Ultimately surprised by her forwardness, Baker flees from Petra`s trailer.
Wanting to apologize for her forwardness, Petra tracks Baker down at her house and the encounter leads to the two kissing for the first time. Baker is a college teacher at a highly religious institute and is in a long-term relationship with another professor is conflicted with her feelings for Petra. The film continues on with Baker's struggle to balance her beliefs and her growing desires for a woman.
When Night is Falling is a love story that proves love has no bounds. It is a perfect movie to watch while spending time with your significant other, it's a film that reaffirms the bonds that tie one another together.
This 1995 film has several sex scenes that captures the intimacy between two people and it maybe just the film to spark intimacy in your own love life this February.
Baker throughout this film, fights her attraction for a woman and in doing so sleeps with her male partner. The contrast between the love scenes with Petra, and Baker's male lover illustrates the difference between sexual attraction and love.
Rozema does more than grasp the intimacy between lovers, she also grasps the struggle that same-sex relationships face from their community; and the battle with accepting who you really are and coming out.
Not only that but the film challenges the views of those who are afraid of the unknown and how humanly imperfect love is, no matter the shape or form that it comes in.
In Film Tags circus, Film, film review, flashback films, gay, lesbian, love, lovers, movie, review, when night is falling
Flashback Film: Meatballs
January 21, 2016 Jaclyn Tansil
Meatballs, a 1979 Canadian comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman, is the film that started Bill Murray's successful comedic career as a leading actor. This coming of age story centres around a summer camp, Camp North Star. It is about a group of adolescents who are dropped off by their parents for the duration of the summer. Comedy genius, Bill Murray, plays the head counsellor, Tripper Harrison.
Harrison, leads a group of new counsellors in training, also known as CITs, for various age groups. Harrison throughout the film frequently enlists the help of the CITs in pranking the camp's director Morty Melnick (Harvey Atkin) as he sleeps. Thus, strapping him to his bed and placing him various areas of the camp during the night. Some places are a little more creative and difficult to execute with poor Morty waking up in his bed suspended up in the tree line or on the side of the road.
Meatballs, provides an entertaining and lively experience for the whole family. Also, it is the definition of a timeless piece that despite its aged date is still relevant to this day. It is an embodying film about what it's like to grow up and make new friends and fall in love. While exercising our own adolescent milestones and the free, adventurous spirit of a youthful soul.
Summer camp cannot be without a healthy dose of competition and in this case Camp North Star faces off against their much more wealthier opponent, Camp Mohawks, who are situated from just across the lake. Camp Mohawk participants pay on average of $1000 a day and has a cliche of better experiences and practices that rival those of a spa retreat. The Mohawks have subsequently beat Camp North Star 12 times in a row and appear to be well on their way to making it a13th time unless Camp Northstars band of flawed misfit CITs can come together successfully.
Faced with insurmountable odds, Harrison delivers a motivational chant that obliterates the fear of losing, because as Harrison puts it, "it doesn't matter whether we win or lose, because even if we win, all the pretty girls will still only go out with a Mohawk because of their money!" Once a loser always a loser, doesn't mean you can't do it with style. Needless to say with no other outcome but total failure, I guess it does take out the stress of winning.
This is the first film that Bill Murray appears as the starring role, and you can see from his performance that the actor we know and love today was just as goofy and hilariously outrageous as he was at the start of his career.
Meatballs made a grand total of approximately $43 million in the box office, which was nearly 29 times the amount of the films budget for production ($1.6 million).
In Film Tags bill murray, camp, comedy, family, Film, film review, flashback films, funny, meatballs, movie, review
Flashback Film: The Keeper
November 26, 2015 Jaclyn Tansil
995b51_ac6bfb8a09884cbbb79899e81c094970
The Keeper a 1976 mystery film directed by T.Y. Drake, is garnered around a psychiatric asylum, Underwood. Its patients tend to be wealthy heirs and heiresses. The man in charge of Underwood is a greying cripple known as the Keeper (Christopher Lee). Lee is a famed and renowned actor known for playing popular bad guys such as Saruman in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Count Dooku in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Just as in those big box office hits, Lee played his part as a "bad guy" so well that goose flesh is a common reaction to the sound of his voice.
However, despite being graced by the presence of "bad guy royalty," the movie seemed to fall flat in all other aspects. In all honesty, the majority of the film comprised of repetitive scenes of flashing colourful lights, and the spinning white and black pattern normally associated with hypnotism. It was a visual effect used to help the audience understand that the characters on screen were being hypnotized, but it really hypnotized the audience into a state of perpetual boredom.
The method of hypnotherapy doesn't quite fulfill those expectations of what we all have seen on TV to look like. The patients of Underwood Asylum were brought into a small white room with an electric door that had no handle with nothing inside but a chair. Instead, it came off as more of a weird torture mechanism, which includes the patients being placed onto a seat that is electrified. These scenes do formulate sympathy and an unsettling feelings, for the characters having their genitals zapped now and again as the camera films close ups of their squirming and pained facial expressions, while being asked a series of probing questions by Lee.
To continue this low budget film's descent into a burning pit of 'nope', the film's plot and characters were badly set up and introduced right from the beginning. I admit I was confused for a third of the actual film, not knowing what exactly was happening. Normally, mysteries have audience members wanting to find out what happens next, with them sitting on the edge of their seats gleefully watching as it unfolds on the screen before them. However, the Keeper, was more effective in helping me perfect my list making skills, of all the things I would much rather have been doing than watching that movie.
The Keeper and the Underwood Asylum are being investigated by private investigator Richard Driver (Tell Schreiber), and the town's police force because of a number of mysterious deaths surrounding the relatives of the patients who attended Underwood. When the reasoning behind all those mysterious deaths and the Keeper's overall scheme is revealed, disappointment was inevitable. It turns out that the whole reason as to why he was hypnotizing these insanely rich people and causing the deaths of their relatives was so he could be "the richest and most powerful man in the world."
History tends to repeat itself; the Keeper, like all mad geniuses, nearly met his own demise by the hands of the very device he created. The film ends (thankfully), on a small cliffhanger, with the audience wondering what exactly happens to the inspector as well as the keeper himself. The final scene is a weird close up of Christopher Lee's face, with his black soulless eyes staring into yours through your screen.
This movie was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia on a budget of $135,000 and over the course of only 23 days. The film was never actually theatrically released but made its television premiere on December 19, 1985.
In Film Tags Christopher lee, Film, film review, flashback film, movie, review, the keeper, thriller
The Antimatter Film Festival
November 17, 2015 Michelle Song
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3nr1nlTs3g[/embed] An international array of innovative and independent media art can be found at the 18th annual Antimatter Film Festival.
The Festival was filled with a variety of screenings, installations, live performances, and media hybrids, from Oct.16 to Halloween, in Victoria, B.C. Festival Director Todd Eacrett and the Curator, Deborah de Boer, initially developed the festival in 1998. They had the intention to encourage a larger range of art exposure within the community by using the festival as a medium for underground, experimental art and films.
In the beginning, Antimatter took off on a small scale, solely featuring Canadian works, with a majority of it being from the West Coast. Eventually, the festival gained international interest and praise. It wasn't long after the festival grew to the point that artists and filmmakers from all over world applied to participate. Eacrett credits the festival's long history for its success. "Obviously, longevity helps, the longer you do something the more people get to know about it. Especially around the world. The word gets out," he said.
Its goal was to portray interesting programming and a range of work that demonstrates what is happening throughout the globe. Through high quality programming, the festival provides audiences with the opportunity to immerse themselves with art and media that cannot be found in the mainstream world.
"The idea is to try to get contemporary media work out there. Where people who aren't otherwise inclined to go into a gallery, or into a cinema, or into museum to see it. Can engage with it, as more of like an everyday occurrence," said Eacrett.
Among the more stand-out pieces at the festival was the French-Canadian filmmaker, Francois Miron's, screening of his documentary film, Paul Sharits. The documentary tells the alluring story of the life and mysterious death of the legendary experimental filmmaker, Paul Sharits. Miron presented Sharits' eccentric story from the perspective of the individuals he interviewed for the film, as well as showing clips of Sharits' work. The indie film received admiration world wide, and was considered one of the most anticipated works featured at the festival.
Another Canadian filmmaker at the event was Thomas Kneubühler. With his short film Forward Looking Statements, Kneubuhler followed the festival's mantra, by telling viewers what is happening in Canada, today. Forward Looking Statements brings light to a dispute over land in northern Canada that a major corporation wants to utilize as a iron mine, when it is a major hunting ground for the Inuit community of Aupaluk. He provides the company's conference call as the only audio in the 4 minute piece, along with a perspective video of him travelling across the beautiful land. He provides an intimate look at the beauty of the environment, making viewers question the aftermath of the potential iron mine.
Alberta is another short film, created by the Toronto-based filmmaker Dan Browne, that was screened at the Antimatter Festival. The independent filmmaker created a short movie displaying the breath-taking nature that Alberta's Banff and Jasper National Parks has to offer. It is a fast-pace piece that has a collage-effect of clips, making the movie extremely stimulating for the naked-eye.
Like these films, the Antimatter Film Festival introduced Victoria to new forms of art and entertainment. As well as, providing experimental artists, who are unknown by the general public, to have their moment centre stage.
"I think events, like what we do, that can really source, find, curate - I think what is maybe, quality work, strong work, challenging work, weird work, and bring it together in that kind of package. And put it together in a context that makes sense," said Eacrett.
This festival ultimately helps reshape the idea of what art is to masses, exposing people to films, other than Hollywood blockbusters.
In Film Tags 2015, Antimatter Film Festical, British Columbia, Film
Flashback Film: My Bloody Valentine
October 17, 2015 Jaclyn Tansil
995b51_c5db6d9a11994bb785cb7381dfb5855b
This '80s movie My Bloody Valentine directed by George Mihalka is the bread and butter of horror movie clichés. From the movie being set in a small town, where everyone knows everyone, to a complicated love triangle, to the combination of sex and gore being wrapped up in a beautiful pink heart shaped box just in time for Halloween.
The coal mining town of Valentine Bluffs did not have a Valentine's Day celebration in over 20 years. Ever since a coal mining accident that killed 4 miners and left one trapped for several days. Due to two negligent supervisors who had left their posts early, in order to attend a Valentine's Day party.
Harry Warden, the sole survivor from the mining accident went after the two supervisors for revenge, killing them with a mining axe and removing their hearts and stuffing them into heart shaped boxes. He warned the town to never hold another Valentine's Day party or more killings would follow. After some years had passed and the memory of Harry Warden's warning were forgotten, the people of Valentine Bluffs have decided to hold the first Valentine's Day party in over 20 years.
The movie starts off with two miners dressed up in full gear, covering their faces with breathing masks; heading down into the depths of one of the dark shafts of a mine. Arriving at what appears to be an intersection of two shafts crossing one another, where the two come to a stop. One begins to undress, revealing that one of the miners is a woman, almost naked, except for her underwear beneath the navy blue jumpsuit.
The end of the first scene is tied off with the typical horror movie cliché of boobs, sex, blood and gore. A plot point that has become overly predictable with horror movies produced within the '80s, which has remained prominent in today's movie productions. It's almost like painting a bright red target on specific characters; a symbol that foreshadows their impending doom.
The Mayor (Larry Reynolds) of Valentine Bluffs has something extra to celebrate about, with the return of his son T.J. (Paul Kelman), after he up and left, over a year ago. When T.J. left, he didn't tell anyone where he was going and if he was ever going to be coming back. In the Fray he left behind his then girlfriend Sarah (Lori Hallier) who has since moved on and is in a relationship with Axel (Neil Affleck) another miner who works alongside T.J. Sarah, however, still has feelings for T.J., causing tension between the two men.
Now if the love triangle is starting to bore you, have no fear, this slasher film is in no short supply of bodies dropping throughout the film. The way in which every character is killed off gives praise to their creativity. Not one is killed off the same way, which keeps the audience members riveted to their seats and gasping every so often, in sympathetic horror and pain for the dying actors on screen. Furthermore, the gore scenes in My Bloody Valentine are elevated to a whole new level by the stellar job done by the special effects makeup artists who had to individually design body parts and various other gory pieces that make those scenes stand out.
Filmed on location in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, My Bloody Valentine provides a satisfying thriller with plot twists and an unsuspected ending. It is not your typical jump out horror movie, My Bloody Valentine is a classic suspense story that has you sitting on the edge of your seat, as your favourite characters navigate the dark with a killer that seems to be ahead of them at every turn.
In Film Tags Film, film review, flashback films, gore, horror, movie, murder, my bloody valentine, review, valentine's


We're rounding out our #WomensHistoryMonth celebrations with Lorenia Henriquez, the designer and mastermind behind the jewelry company Luni! Lorenia takes inspiration from her love of fashion and cultural anthropology to create jewelry that exudes unique essence and expression. Her mission at Luni is to bring back feminine power through jewelry that's inspired by esoteric design and symbols originating from our ancestors. She wants all women to express themselves wholeheartedly while honoring our past collectively. Lorenia is also the co-founder of Nomad Bazaar which is a is a nomadic market in New York City comprised of an entrepreneurial collective that's leveling the retail playing field for entrepreneurs of color. Follow Lorenia's journey @luni.style and @nomad.bazaar. Happy Women's History Month!


A recent paper has come out in Genome Biology by Neil Hall, the paper investigates what Hall terms the Kardashian index (number of twitter followers/scientific citations). This has gotten a lot of people upset, and potentially rightly so. I've put a link to the Nature web page with an article on the paper. Science communication is a crucial part of modern research and is a great way for young scientists to communicate their work (and potentially increase their citation rate in the process) to the wider scientific community and the public in general. Many disciplines, behavioural ecology included, have journals with low citation rates but are investigating aspects of science that the public find interesting. Genomics, Dr Hall's field, is probably the other way around: with lots of publications in high impact biomedical journals but being a complicated and often difficult field to explain to the lay person. One criticism that has been laid at the paper is that it's sexist, especially with the use of Kim Kardashian's name for the index. I disagree, as the only male celebrities that I can think of who would fit into that category are on TOWIE and MIC and I don't even know their names, so why would someone in the US or Switzerland know who they are? It's good that people are discussing how best to measure scientists impact and this sort of discourse can only benefit science. I disagree with the K-index but can see it has some measure of merit, maybe it needs to include the number of years that the researcher has been publishing for? Possibly a K+ index (twitter followers/(scientific citations/years publishing))?? Food for thought.


text:
closeOpinion A column or article in the Opinions section (in print, this is known as the Editorial Pages).
With his London tweets, Trump embarrasses himself — and America — once again
People leave the scene of a terrorist attack on London Bridge in central London on June 3. (Chris J Ratcliffe/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)
Opinion writer covering politics and policy, foreign and domestic
Opinion writer
June 4, 2017 at 9:51 AM EDT
The stoic determination and decency of the British people and their leaders were on full display in the hours after the latest horrific terrorist rampage. The Brits fought back, launching drinking glasses and chairs at the savages who attacked them. The police acted with lightning-fast precision, killing the three assailants within eight minutes of the emergency call. And, God Bless him, a man returned to the bar where he experienced Saturday's horror — to pay his bill and tip. Civilization is not going to be driven out of Britain by three or three hundred killers.
Meanwhile — and it pains me to write this — our president acted like a clod, a heartless and dull-witted thug in sending out a series of tweets. He — commander in chief and leader of the Free World — first retweeted an unverified, unofficial Drudge headline about the unfolding terrorist attack. Then he aimed to bolster his Muslim travel ban (which is not supposed to be a Muslim travel ban). "We need to be smart, vigilant and tough," he tweeted. "We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!" (Aside from the inappropriateness of President Trump's tweet, he fails to grasp that the courts in these cases are reaffirming our rights against an overreaching, discriminatory edict.)
After receiving blowback for that obnoxious missive, he tweeted out, "Whatever the United States can do to help out in London and the U. K., we will be there – WE ARE WITH YOU. GOD BLESS!" But then he decided to slam the mayor of the city attacked, who had calmly warned his fellow Londoners: "Londoners will see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There's no reason to be alarmed." Trump took the second part out of context and responded viciously, "At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is 'no reason to be alarmed!'" (The mayor, of course, was telling them not to be alarmed by the heightened police presence.) Trump was not done, however, inanely tweeting, "Do you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? That's because they used knives and a truck!"
One is prompted to ask if he is off his rocker. But this is vintage Trump — impulsive and cruel, without an ounce of class or human decency. His behavior no longer surprises us, but it should offend and disturb us, first, that he remains the face and voice of America in the world and, second, that his fans hoot and holler, seeing this as inconsequential or acceptable conduct. We wound up with this president because millions of Republicans could not prioritize character, decency and overall fitness to serve over their mundane and frankly petty partisan wish list (28 percent top marginal tax rate!). Self-appointed religious leaders fail to see that this soullessness — not the dreaded liberal elite who insist on saying "Happy Holidays" or refuse to countenance discrimination against gay customers — is a threat to the moral fiber of a democracy that requires a modicum of common sense and human decency to function.
Sure, Trump's policies and rhetoric are incoherent and based on a tower of lies. Far worse, however, is his appalling character, which accelerates the erosion of democratic norms and social cohesion a diverse democracy requires. In instances like this, those who would lecture us on President Obama's under-appreciation of America's unique place in human history or proclaim that they simply had to vote for Trump because Hillary Clinton was some sort of monster are exposed as fools or hypocrites or both.
The London attacks bring out the best in Britain and in Western leaders on the European continent; it brings out the worst in Trump and his followers. The former protect the soul of Western civilization; the latter drive a stake through the animating ideas that make America special.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


1 A valid license is installed, but JNIWrapper does not load displaying the message "Your license is not valid"
4 Some WinPack feature does not work on certain Windows platform.
A valid license is installed, but JNIWrapper does not load displaying the message "Your license is not valid"
Cause: The license file is not installed in the same directory with the native code library or its name is incorrect. The license file should be named jniwrap.lic and located in the same directory as the JNIWrapper native library (jniwrap.dll on Win32 or libjniwrap.so on Linux). If any of these conditions is not met, JNIWrapper will be unable to find the license file.
Cause: Default library loader cannot find the JNIWrapper native library (jniwrap.dll or libjniwrap.so depending on the platform). The library loader specified by Library.setDefaultLibraryLoader() or DefaultLibraryLoader cannot locate the native code library. Remember that JNIWrapper looks for its native code using the default library loader, so it has to be configured properly.
Solution: Place the native library and the license file into a directory on your library loader search path or add the directory where the JNIWrapper native library resides to the library loader search path.
Cause: The value of java.library.path system property is redefined on the program startup. In this case, it is not initialized using the system library search path (PATH on Win32 or LD_LIBRARY_PATH on Linux).
Solution 1: Do not set java.library.path property, add extra search directories using DefaultLibraryLoader.addPath() method.
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Cause: The used feature is not supported by certain Windows platform because not all the Windows features are cross-platform.
Solution: Consider another alternative way for implementation of this feature.


text:
package godo

import (
	"context"
	"net/http"
)

// SizesService is an interface for interfacing with the size
// endpoints of the DigitalOcean API
// See: https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/api-reference/#tag/Sizes
type SizesService interface {
	List(context.Context, *ListOptions) ([]Size, *Response, error)
}

// SizesServiceOp handles communication with the size related methods of the
// DigitalOcean API.
type SizesServiceOp struct {
	client *Client
}

var _ SizesService = &SizesServiceOp{}

// Size represents a DigitalOcean Size
type Size struct {
	Slug         string   `json:"slug,omitempty"`
	Memory       int      `json:"memory,omitempty"`
	Vcpus        int      `json:"vcpus,omitempty"`
	Disk         int      `json:"disk,omitempty"`
	PriceMonthly float64  `json:"price_monthly,omitempty"`
	PriceHourly  float64  `json:"price_hourly,omitempty"`
	Regions      []string `json:"regions,omitempty"`
	Available    bool     `json:"available,omitempty"`
	Transfer     float64  `json:"transfer,omitempty"`
	Description  string   `json:"description,omitempty"`
}

func (s Size) String() string {
	return Stringify(s)
}

type sizesRoot struct {
	Sizes []Size
	Links *Links `json:"links"`
	Meta  *Meta  `json:"meta"`
}

// List all images
func (s *SizesServiceOp) List(ctx context.Context, opt *ListOptions) ([]Size, *Response, error) {
	path := "v2/sizes"
	path, err := addOptions(path, opt)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, nil, err
	}

	req, err := s.client.NewRequest(ctx, http.MethodGet, path, nil)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, nil, err
	}

	root := new(sizesRoot)
	resp, err := s.client.Do(ctx, req, root)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, resp, err
	}
	if l := root.Links; l != nil {
		resp.Links = l
	}
	if m := root.Meta; m != nil {
		resp.Meta = m
	}

	return root.Sizes, resp, err
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The unprecedented iPhone jailbreak is a huge deal for Apple
The last big public jailbreak of an iPhone happened when iOS 9 was being widely used. The iOS 12.4 jailbreak is a huge error by Apple, but also helps out security researchers
For the first time in years, a hacker has managed to release a working public jailbreak for a fully updated iPhone. It means the phones can have unofficial software installed by users wanting to bypass Apple's strict controls and potentially makes it easier for the handsets to be maliciously hacked.
First off, an iPhone jailbreak isn't a Black Mirror-esque escape plan by the little people who live inside your phone and make it smart, but instead a term describing an attempt to modify an electronic device to remove restrictions imposed by the manufacturer or operator. The usual end goal is to let you install unauthorised software.
"For any device, the goal of a jailbreak is to find a loophole in coding to jump over any restriction that the manufacturer has put on it", says Ayman El Hajjar, a lecturer in computer science and engineering at the University of Westminster. "Basically, what jailbreaking does is escalate privilege – it means it means the operating system security precautions are removed, and you are able to overcome them."
First reported by Motherboard, the new jailbreak is centered around the SockPuppet vulnerability, found by Google hacker Ned Williamson. Apple first fixed the problem in iOS 12.3 but reintroduced it in the latest version of its code, iOS 12.4, which was released in June. In doing so, Apple has inadvertently made it easier to jailbreak and hack its own product. This weakness let an attacker corrupt the phone's kernel memory, allowing a security researcher, called Pwn20wnd, to develop and publish an iPhone jailbreak.
This is a big deal for Apple, which offers a restricted user experience – apps on its app store are subject to rigorous testing and restrictions, for instance – in return for high security. The last time the newest version of iOS was open to a jailbreak vulnerability was back in 2015, when iOS 9 was prominent, and only for seven days.
"When it comes to Apple they have a very strict strategy in terms of which applications that allow an app store and which applications they don't," says El Hajjar. "I use an iPhone and I sometimes find the security measures are too much for an average user – every time you want to do something it requires a password. Apple tries to sell its iPhone as a device that is very secure."
This begs the question then – why would someone want to jailbreak their iPhone in 2019. There are actually quite a few reasons. From a basic user perspective, jailbreaking your phone can open up a host of new possibilities. "There's quite a few benefits – I use an open source operating system because it gives me the flexibility to do whatever I want with my operating system," says El Hajjar. A phone gains this flexibility after its been jailbroken. "It allows you to really customize your phone and use it to its full abilities," he says. (iOS users, for instance, are already redesigning the look of their iOS home screens).
These are the best smartphones in 2019
There are also cybersecurity benefits to this slip-up, explains Thomas Reed, director of Mac and mobile at Malwarebytes. Security researchers need to be able to jailbreak iOS devices in order to study them. (Apple had said this month that it would give out less restricted iPhones to security researchers as part of its bug bounty programme).
"For those researchers, this slip-up by Apple is a huge boon, allowing them to jailbreak and study the most up-to-date version of iOS available," Reed says. "Although such research can obviously result in malicious activity, it is also the source of many of the bug fixes in every iOS release, as security researchers report issues to Apple through the bug bounty program." Companies such as Zerodium offer bounties worth millions of pounds for discovering these exploits.
The exploit in iOS 12.4 affects even law-abiding iPhone users. First off, be careful what apps you download. "I hope people are aware that with a public jailbreak being available for the latest iOS 12.4 people must be very careful what Apps they download from the Apple AppStore," said security researcher Stefan Esser on Twitter. "Any such app could have a copy of the jailbreak in it." This would theoretically allow hackers to take control of your iPhone.
For instance, Pwn20wnd told Motherboard that a hacker 'could make a perfect spyware' exploiting the bug to steal your data. However no examples of this have been found in the time since the vulnerability was found in the code. Apple has not responded to media requests for comment about the problem but is likely to fix the issue in a release of iOS 12.4.1 in the coming days.
And what about the renegade Apple fans itching to jailbreak their own iPhone? Well, beyond the chance of bricking your phone and voiding your warranty there are multiple dangers in taking this path: "If you're an average user, you should definitely avoid jailbreaks at all cost," says Reed. He says that jailbreaking your phone removes its security, putting you at a much higher risk of attack or malware, and that the most common ways iOS devices get infected are through targeted nation-state attacks or by jailbreaking.
El Hajjar agrees. "I personally wouldn't advise jailbreaking phone," he says. Any jailbroken phone can't be updated with Apple's security upgrades, leaving it vulnerable.
"It's also worth noting that Cydia Impactor [a software needed to carry out the jailbreak] requires that the user enter their Apple ID credentials in the app in order to load the .IPA file onto the device," says Reed. "It's never a good idea to provide your Apple ID credentials to any app, since those credentials are the key to your entire Apple life."
There have been cases, he explains, where those credentials have been used to lock devices remotely, via Apple's Find My service, with a ransom message displayed. "I know of at least one person whose iMac was essentially bricked because she no longer had the receipt to prove ownership," he says. "Apple can unlock a remotely locked device, but because of the likelihood of theft in such cases, they require proof of ownership."
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No ordinary song: Sade drops new single, The Big Unknown, from Widows soundtrack
November 12th, 2018 by KRNB
Gus Stewart/RedfernsSade is back on the music scene with a brand-new, sultry track.
The "No Ordinary Love" singer has released the new song, "The Big Unknown" for the upcoming Widows' soundtrack, which will be available on November 16. The new track is accompanied by a lyric video that features scenes from the Steve McQueen movie crime thriller.
"It was an honor to work with such a legend," McQueen told the Los Angeles Times about working with Sade. "Sade is an incomparable talent and incredible artist who so rarely releases new material, but luckily the original series of Widows had deeply resonated with her."
"The Big Unknown" was specifically written for Widows' final scene. McQueen says he "encouraged" Sade to "dig deep within to write a song about loss and survival."
This is Sade's latest track after the legendary singer resurfaced earlier this year to release a new song, "Flowers in the Universe," for the A Wrinkle in Time soundtrack.
Although there's no formal confirmation, Sade's reportedly working new music music for an upcoming album.
Widows, which stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Daniel Kaluuya and Brian Tyree Henry, hits theaters nationwide November 16.
drops Ordinary single song soundtrack Unknown Widows
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You are immobilized, as if rooted to the ground by an unseen force.
They have two arms, two legs, and they walk upright. Culture and communal life varies by race.
If the person who made the greatest contribution is 3 or more levels higher than the raid monster, then the item/adena rewards will decrease. If the difference is 9 or more levels, the monster will drop nothing at all.
This merciless and reckless warrior has led the Ketra Orcs for many years. A born gambler, he prefers direct action to elaborate plans, and personally leads his troops from the front line during an attack. He has faced Varka's Commander Mos twice, winning one of the contests, and is eager for a rematch.


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Apathy, Depressed mood, Difficulty falling asleep and Emotional detachment
WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms apathy, depressed mood, difficulty falling asleep and emotional detachment including Depression (Adult), Depression (Child and Adolescent), and Child abuse.
There are 28 conditions associated with apathy, depressed mood, difficulty falling asleep and emotional detachment. The links below will provide you with more detailed information on these medical conditions from the WebMD Symptom Checker and help provide a better understanding of causes and treatment of these related conditions.
Depression (Child and Adolescent)
Depression is a painful sadness that interferes with a child's schoolwork, family life, and social activities.
The signs and symptoms of child abuse include bruises, burns, bleeding, fearful behavior, bedwetting and more.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can cause tension, depression, and other symptoms of anxiety.
Medication reaction or side-effect
Medication side effects include nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, weakness, dizziness, seizures, and more.
Acute stress reaction
Acute stress reaction symptoms include shortness of breath, anxiety, nervousness, sense of doom and more.
Excessive caffeine use
Excessive caffeine use can cause irritability, difficulty sleeping, anger, depression, and fatigue.
Seasonal depression (SAD)
Seasonal depression occurs every year during a certain season, causing anxiety, moodiness, and more.
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder causes a person to be preoccupied with order, rules and control.
Sleep disorder (elderly)
The symptoms of sleep disorders in older people include trouble falling and staying asleep, fatigue, and more.
Substance-induced mood disorder
Substance-induced mood disorder can cause depressed mood, lack of interest in activities, fatigue, and more.
Methamphetamine use
Methamphetamine use causes increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, enlarged pupils, sweating, and more.
Grief reaction
Grief reaction, the way someone copes with a loss, causes include anger, sadness, anxiety, guilt, and more.
Insomnia symptoms include trouble staying asleep at night, feeling tired during the day, moodiness, and more.
Restless leg syndrome causes intense discomfort in your legs and an overpowering urge to move them.
Dementia with Lewy bodies is a brain disorder that causes problems managing memory and movement.
Hypothyroidism your body functions slow down, making you gain weight and feel tired all the time.
Hyperparathyroidism can cause fatigue and weakness, increased thirst, impaired thinking, and bone fractures.
Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings between depression and mania.
Porphyria is a condition that can affect the nerves and skin, making the skin extremely sensitive to sunlight.
Mad cow disease is spread to humans by eating infected cows causing depression, anxiety, psychosis, and more.
Lead poisoning causes sudden pain on either side of the lower back, urinary issues, nausea, fever, and chills.
Pellagra is a late stage of vitamin B3 deficiency; it causes dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death.
Hypopituitarism is a rare disorder of the pituitary glands, which can cause many different symptoms.


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Home \ Markets & Industries \ Energy
Photo courtesy of National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The largest source of energy in the United States is fossil fuels (coal, petroleum and natural gas). Use of individual fossil fuels changed at different rates over the decades, but all three major forms have been essential to meeting the nation's energy requirements. In 1949, fossil fuel consumption in the United States totaled 29 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu); in 2005, the total was 86 quadrillion Btu. A second major form of energy is nuclear power, which got its start in the United States in 1957 when the Shippingport, Pennsylvania, nuclear electric power plant came on line. By 2005, the industry had expanded to supply 19 percent of the nation's electrical output and 12 percent of all energy used in the country. The third form of energy is the renewable forms, which include conventional hydroelectric power; biomass such as wood, waste and alcohol fuels; geothermal; solar; and wind.
Before the expansion in fossil fuel use that began with coal in the late 1800s, wood was the primary fuel used in this country. Today, the United States is looking again at renewable resources to find new ways to use them to help the country meet its energy needs. In recent years, all forms of renewable energy together accounted for 6 percent of U.S. total energy consumption. April 2009 . . . Energy Industry Profile
Energy Industry Structure
Energy Market Trends