Glynn
I met Glynn yesterday afternoon at the Big Day Downtown launch party. She works for the company that’s helping to put it on—The Extreme Group. She was wearing one of my favorite outfits at the event complete with a ballin’ hairdo. A sweet hair cut, a sweet dress and a welcoming personality had me on…
Thanh
Maybe I should start it this way—Thanh is one of my most stylish friends from my University days. There. Always clad in and totally rocking the latest trends, Thanh always looks classy and put together even when, as it was today, she only has fifteen minutes to prep. Pants and blazer from Urban Outfitters, sandals…
Chrissy
Fresh off the boat (or maybe she flew) from the rock—Chrissy is Halifax’s latest fashionable import! A NSCAD student and the Black Market’s latest hire, Chrissy likes to represent a mix of old and new in her ‘drobe. Who could blame her? She goes for scarves as an outfit staple and likes to escape into…
Mo
Mo. What can I say about her? This girl has the most serious collection of vintage clothing you could ever imagine. Ever. Whenever I see her she has another bright hued blazer or weaved deck shoe or printed pant and I am a little more jealous. When I saw her the other day it was…
Doraku becomes Suzuki
Formerly known as Doraku Japanese Cuisine , the popular Dresden Row Japanese restaurant is now to be known as Suzuki Restaurant (1579 Dresden Row, 425-8888) The name was changed to limit confusion with Spring Garden Place’s similarly named Japanese eatery Ko-Doraku—it had made for customer confusion for pick-up orders. Suzuki was chosen as a Japanese…
Swarm city
Local photographer Kyle Cunjak opens up about the sinister side of Halifax with his submission in the x2: 2010-11 VANS Mentorship Program group show (also featuring work from Ruth Marsh and Matthew Carswell and their mentors Melina Spooner, Adrian Fish and Cathy Busby) opening at the Eyelevel Gallery (2159 Gottingen) on Friday, August 26th at 7pm…
Nova Scotian “economic development” and the rigged game
I’m not sure how I missed this announcement last week: A gaming technology solutions provider in Sydney is positioning itself to compete for new contract opportunities in national and international markets. The province, through Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), is supporting Tech Link International Entertainment Ltd. with a $1.5-million secured loan. “In the early stages…
Agricola Sunshine Freckles
To R, We met on Agricola Street to see an apartment – I was late (ring ring), and you were early. You were stunningly beautiful and I was clumsily awkward. If it weren’t for your recent circumstances, I would have asked you out. Until the next time we meet. <b—J
Agricola Sunshine Freckles
To R, We met on Agricola Street to see an apartment – I was late (ring ring), and you were early. You were stunningly beautiful and I was clumsily awkward. If it weren’t for your recent circumstances, I would have asked you out. Until the next time we meet. <b—J
Atlantic Film Festival 2011 full schedule
Plan your 2011 AFF screen schedule now by clicking here.
All praise The Coast
Well, I thought that both of my bitches were valid and well-written. But I guess it’s all down to one person’s opinion in this paper. And if this happens to be the only thing of mine you publish: Fuuuuuuccccckkkkkk Yoooooooooouuuuuuuuuu for being just like the rest of Nova Scotia. Drunken chimps next door and unnecessary…
Stripes: The Mystery Circus
Chester Playhouse is playing host a funky, spunky one-woman show called Stripes, conceived by and starring Sarah Hayward. She plays Pollyhymnia, a middle-aged woman who sings, quips and dances her way through an “audition” for the circus. Along the way, she explores her theory that it is the cracks (within and without) and stripes of…
Lack of Pet Friendly apartments.. suck!
I have been having a difficult time finding a pet friendly apartment for my dog and I. It’s ridiculous with the lack of apartments there is for us. I don’t want to live in Sackville, Dartmouth, or Spryfield. Where the hell are the places in Halifax for us that’s affordable? I don’t want to have…
To The Halifux
You citizens of the great city on the sea; all you can do is attempt to disparage me, the others of my ilk, and the ones who are free. You sit around moaning and whining, never doing anything productive with your timing. Yet, you wonder, why nothing ever comes, of the talented people, in your…
Together Forever
Having to listen to you yap yap yap like a chatty little bitch about “We’re so in love” had me wanting to dig my eardrums out with a Q-tip. First, you’re both off to university in a few weeks. SMU for you, and I quote you “like, it’s a city school and I want to…
2011 Atlantic Fringe Festival line up
The 21st annual Atlantic Fringe Fest has announced their full line up, and there are some sweet ones in there, people. Thirty-five shows in eleven drama-filled days (the good kind of drama). There will be shows coming to the fest from Norway, Germany, the UK, New York, St. John’s, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Seventeen visiting…
Recyclables Blues
Dear Street Dwellers: Alright, I understand that the homeless population of Halifax is on their recyclables game. It’s cool, bro. Hustle. Get that money. But, it’s like, I enjoy my motherfucking sleep. And my apartment heats up like a sauna in hell on crack-super-jim-dandy-cocaine. So, when I leave my window open for the night, why…
Buzzing
Dear whichever one of my neighbours decided that the dead of night is the best time to use/turn on their incredibly loud buzzing machine: **** you, you mother****er. People are trying to sleep at night, you jackanape. Your sheer audacity is astounding. I don’t know what you’re doing but I can’t believe you have a…
Vicious Cyclist
You little rat faced shit. You stole a poor mans bike right off of his deck. I am the single income for a family of five and now my ass is walking. I’m sure this bitch wont be printed ’cause I’m swearing, But fuck. come on. You won’t be able to ride the bike around…
Where To Play: CD Heaven
Hellacaust at CD Heaven “In-store performances were a big deal when I was growing up, in the 80s and 90s,” says CD Heaven owner Candace Redden. “Then they began to die. I think the idea of an in-store performance is very romantic.” For the past four years, the Dartmouth music and merchandise store mall has…
Operation: Shadow Project
Operation: Shadow Project is here to make you feel extremely shitty about the situation you as citizens have allowed our society to fall into. Eat your shit and change your ways. Filthy fucking ignorant masses. To cleanse the Earth of you would be a joy; but a Universal Crime. —Operation Shadow Project
Old Sambro Road Meanie
While minding my own business, on my motorbike, going the speed limit, I was passed (no biggie) and given the finger by the passenger (biggie). Must have been in a hurry to get home and call his mom to tell her thanks for raising such a gentleman. —Lady Biker
Nova Scotia drivers are stupid
No one ever told the locals that driving super slow and being courteous causes just as many accidents as super aggressive driving. Sorry Nova Scotians, this is one thing that the ‘super nice’ Maritime mentality doesn’t solve. —Stuck in the slow lane
Cluck Off
If I read one more article about how terrible it is that we can’t have backyard chickens, I’m going to scream. From swarmings, to concert scandals, crooked accounting, and rises of violent crimes – Halifax has much bigger issues to tackle than for us to keep giving lip service to this pittance of a problem.…
Learn How To Dress
What’s up with the way women are dressing these days? Tights worn as pants? Skimpy shirts and their stomach hanging out over their clothes that are way too tight in the first place? Men and cross dressers dress better than women. And other thing ladies, SHOWER!!!—Turned off!
Birds of a F*ck Feather
To the male leap-frogging f*cking pig idiots flocking daily in the place that I must be: f*ck you, f*ck off, go f*ck yourselves, f*ck your mothers, f*ck your dogs, f*ck your disinterested wives or girlfriends or boyfriends, f*ck a hole in a microwaved f*cking watermelon, f*ck a bar of soap in hot tub while your…
Birds of a F*ck Feather
To the male leap-frogging f*cking pig idiots flocking daily in the place that I must be: f*ck you, f*ck off, go f*ck yourselves, f*ck your mothers, f*ck your dogs, f*ck your disinterested wives or girlfriends or boyfriends, f*ck a hole in a microwaved f*cking watermelon, f*ck a bar of soap in hot tub while your…
Over Two Years
I was astonished when I saw you driving the number four on Friday. I have not seen you in over two years. You wear an earring and you have tattoos. i think that you go by the name of pretty boy but I am not 100% on this. It was nice to see you again.…
The Tea Girl At The Market
I only came over because I thought you were pretty. You recommended a tea to me. I loved hearing you talking so passionately and now I’m hooked! I’ll be back for more and to hear your sweet voice. You’ve made a tea lover out of me. —Loyaltealover
The Tea Girl At The Market
I only came over because I thought you were pretty. You recommended a tea to me. I loved hearing you talking so passionately and now I’m hooked! I’ll be back for more and to hear your sweet voice. You’ve made a tea lover out of me. —Loyaltealover
Haligonians say good-bye to Jack Layton
Hundreds of people have been streaming through Halifax MP Megan Leslie’s office on Gottingen Street today to sign condolence books for Jack Layton’s family. Layton, the federal NDP leader, died yesterday in his Toronto home. I happened to be waiting for the bus outside Leslie’s office yesterday evening—the office is next to the bus stop…
Atlantic Film Festival announces schedule
Roller Town, Cloudburst, Charlie Zone and Afghan Luke are among the Nova Scotia pictures showing at this year’s Atlantic Film Festival, the 31st edition of the event, running from September 15 to 24. Picnicface fans will be cartwheeling with joy at this announcement. The comedy troupe’s feature Roller Town, a broad satire on disco-era roller-boogie…
Evan’s Seafood Restaurant
Evan d’Entremont, a fisherman out of West Publico on the south shore, has been selling his catch at the Dartmouth Farmers’ Market in Alderney Landing for about four years, care of his son Jimmy d’Entremont. Earlier this summer, the family enterprise grew by taking over the former Ducky’s space—Evan asked his daughter Joline d’Entremont and…
The Royal _itch
A BIG thanks to the bitch who arrived at 6:25 for the 6:30 screening of The Help at Dartmouth Crossing on Saturday and expected people to rearrange their seating to accommodate her. Most people (those with two feet and a heartbeat) know to arrive early for movies. She had the gall to stand next to…
Farmers Having To Use Immigrant Labour
There are 2 sets of untapped labour in NS before farmers even think about bringing in immigrants. The Welfare Moochers and Inmates should be FORCED to work in the fields, no excuses, no sick notes, and in all weathers. Housed and fed, inmates chained and shackled whilst wearing high visibility coveralls. This should be televised…
Rage Against The Noise Machine
To whom ever is in a band off of Harvard street: I want you to know this “music” you like to play is not needed at 11:40pm at night when in fact me and most likely other people need to be up in the early am for work even on a FRIDAY night! When I…
Groupon’s
For all the people who are taking advantage of all these online deals, I think it is great! Although if you are getting a great deal why not tip? Especially if your in a tipping industry! This drives me nuts. Here I am staying after my normal work hours to give you a service which…
Paving Projects From Hell
I’m sure the bicycle crowd is happy that a lane is being carved out along the Purcell’s Cove Road, but holy Seigeworks —how long does it take to do this? Can’t they put jet packs on the pavement rollers and get a few flag persons who know what they’re doing or could give a frig?…
Hate Speech
It is wrong. —The canary in the coal mine
Full Halifax Pop Explosion Lineup Announced
thee oh sees The entire Halifax Pop Explosion lineup has been announced as of this morning. Major additions include Stars, Thee Oh Sees (ohmygodfuckyes) DD/MM/YYYY and The Meligrove Band. Also, Jennifer Castle, who happens to possess the most ethereal voice I have ever heard. Amazing! The list of local and national showcasing acts has also…
Morons
I fucking HATE it when people fail to use their signal lights. These handy little things are located on a switch in very close proximity to your fingers for a reason…SO FUCKING USE THEM! Nothing is worse than being behind a driver who drifts into and out of lanes with no warning, or someone who…
Where’s Jane Goodall when you need her?
I had the distinct impression over the weekend that Planet of the Apes was right on Coburg Road keeping me awake. Imagine when I found out that rather than chimps acting out their aggressions, it was students or quite possibly teenagers. Drunk ones. And the drunker they got the more apeish they became. I’m no…
Jack Layton’s death
NDP leader Jack Layton died this morning. As Halifax is an NDP stronghold, and as Layton was a regular visitor to our town, we’re wondering what it means to you, what it means to Halifax, and what happens next. Please leave your memories and thoughts in the comments.
Mapping the new council districts: observations and comments
Last month, the provincial Utility and Review Board directed Halifax city council to reduce the number of councillors from 23 to 16, and to draw up boundaries for the new districts. City hall is now in the process of mapping the districts, and has put forward two scenarios for public consideration. See the maps here.…
Free All-Ages Show at Lost & Found
A little heads-up for you on a sad day. Go check out established darlings Quaker Parents, Dream Friends and up-and-comer favorites Nap Eyes at your local fashion emporium and live music space, Lost & Found (2383 Agricola St) on Thursday August 25 from 6:30pm (sharp) – 9:30pm. All ages, no cover. What a nice way…
Kick Ass shoe sale
Kick Ass Shoes (5675 Spring Garden Road, 444-7527) is in the midst of a store-wide sale. You can get up to 70 percent off of almost every shoe in store. Deals include brand names such as DVF, Coach, Cole Haan, Nine West and Steve Madden. The sale will continue until the summer stock is sold,…
AFCOOP’s FILM 5 call for applications
The Atlantic Filmmaker’s Co-operative’s FILM 5 program for 2011-2012 is now open to submissions. AFCOOP is looking for emerging Nova Scotia filmmakers to apply to the program. FILM 5 is a professional development program for writers, directors and producers culminating in the opportunity to produce a five-minute short film. Getting into the program is competitive.…
Rachel Brighton gets the convention centre entirely wrong
Rachel Brighton, publisher of Coastlands: The Maritimes Policy Review and columnist in the Chronicle-Herald, is a knowledgable and insightful commentator on Nova Scotia’s often-foolish attempts at economic development. So it’s with great disappointment to read her commentary in todays Chronicle-Herald, “Halifax convention centre looks like a good bet.” But, now that it looks like the…
Fat Boy lands on downtown Halifax
They’ve been pleasing customers in Sackville for awhile, now Fat Boys Pizza has opened its second location at 1360 Birmingham Street, former home of Xtreme Pizza, which is now up on Spring Garden. Fat Boy offers “the biggest slice in the city” and dynamite hero subs. And it has very friendly hours: 11am to 3am,…
Good Morning Commander
To my sausage man: I’m sooo happy to have you in my life! I can’t believe it’s almost a year already. I’m looking forward to more years full of snuggles, concerts, travels and lots of rock crawls. You make me a better person and I’m proud to be your girl! xo —SLAG
Two Days In Halifax
Oh you shall be missed both so much. I know my Tuesdays will still happen every week on the tube of you, but knowing it is no longer posted from our little city will make a sad. I hope Toronto knows how lucky they are to be getting two amazing guys – though I don’t…
Halifax auditor general Larry Munroe to slam councillors’ spending
Update, 3pm Friday: Munroe’s office now says the report will be released Monday. Later today, city auditor general Larry Munroe will release a scathing report detailing problems with the councillors’ District Capital Funds. I’ll post that report here as soon as I get it, but it’s worth previewing the issue. Officially titled the District Capital…
Paint Shop, You Suck
I’m bored of the colors in my home so I decided on a change. After deep thought and discussion with my husband, we decided on some colors: plum, cat red, canary yellow, and sky blue. This paint shop didn’t have any of these shades! All it had were just basic colors and a bunch of…
Beach Please
Why are there no Metro Transit buses that go to the beaches in HRM? Black Rock Beach is a former cesspool. Chocolate Lake has sand that smells like piss. What about all the people who would like to go to Crystal Crescent Beach, Clam Harbour, Rainbow Haven, etc? How are we supposed to get there?…
Move Left To Pass
To the Lexus bitch that passed me on the circ highway, move the fuck over to the left when you are passing a motorcycle. Whoever taught you how to drive has shit for brains. You don’t EVER pass a motorcycle while trying to share their lane. Does your two braincells function enough to realize how…
This Song is Positively Thetanic
In Scientology, a thetan refers to the concept of a soul as represented in other belief systems. In Halifax, The Thetans are a group of like-minded musical nutters who make theatrical punk music that’s deadlier than Xenu. If you like haunted vocals and freaked-out spacey noises and songs that sound like groovy nightmares, you will…
“Kinda Straight”
WTF is this? You responded to a personal ad of mine that CLEARLY states I am a lesbian and you tell me you’re kinda straight?! How about you GET it straight, you have wasted enough of my fucking time. And I’ll eat a bag of shit if you’re 34. You look closer to forty. —PissedoffAndro
It’s Because You’re Crazy
You DON’T have allergies, sensitivities or other chronic multi-system illnesses! You’re crazy, that’s all! Please. Stop holding the rest of us hostage; making us spend money on things YOU like, not need. If you want a new piece of equipment, like some of the others have, wait until we can afford it – don’t tell…
Your Tax Dollars At Work
It’s 12:30 pm at Spring Garden and Brunswick and from my vantage point, I’m watching 12 people fill a pot hole. 13 if you count the cop on the motorcycle looking on. TWELVE. Twelve people and FIVE vehicles. Six if you count the cop’s bike. And there are trees in the way so there could…
Broken Parking Meters Do Not Mean Broken Parking Spaces
Parking in downtown Halifax is painful, to say the least. Don’t bother going during the middle of the work day to look for a free space, the limited free spaces have long been taken up since early morning. And don’t get too excited when you see a free space at a meter, because it is…
Your Sh*&t Does Stink
OMG. What is wrong with people? It’s 4am on a Thursday morning and I understand you and your pals are stumbling back from a night of drinking. I even chuckled a little when you all stopped under my open bedroom window to proclaim you’re gonna take magic mushrooms. But then…THEN…one of you feels the urgent…
A Very Special Punk Cover Show
Cock Sparrer I know what you’re thinking, jaded reader. “So whaat’s the deal with this Saturday’s punk show at the Seahorse?” you might ask in your best Seinfeldian warble. Well, for one thing, this show features a Wire cover band (comprised of No Flyers Please.) When’s the last time you heard songs from Pink Flag…
Even more Nova Scotians at TIFF
The documentary Leone Stars is one of six finalists chosen to compete at Toronto International Film Festival’s Pitch This! where film projects in various stages of development are pitched, competing for a $10,000 prize. Leone Stars is the only documentary in this year’s line-up. Co-directors Allan Tong and Ngardy Conteh will pitch on Tuesday, September…
Halifax council moves forward with wind tubine zoning plans
Halifax council Tuesday moved one step closer to implementing a wind turbine policy, by agreeing to increase the distance between turbines and nearby houses. The most contentious issue is related to the large, industrial turbines that are used in commercial wind farms—those over 60 metres tall. Residents in Jedorre have been particually concerned, as a…
Frame Plus Art under new management, moves
Frame Plus Art, longtime resident of 2705 Agricola Street, has new owners, Karen Meins and Rick Colwell. They’ve taken the business—with its collection of original prints, painting and photos, and framing services—to 6040 Almon Street, in the old Acadian Lines building. Drop by and see them in the new space, visit frameplusart.com or call 455-9762.
Culture Not Convention spends smart
Andrew Bateman, Cat Abreu, Emma Feltes and Peggy Cameron of the Culture Not Convention group, hate a waste of money, especially one to the tune of $375 million in tax dollars. They aim to come up with better uses for the convention centre cash. The Culture Not Convention show—running until Friday at the Khyber—features alternate…
White Rabbit Open Air Arts Fest 2011
This Saturday at 2pm, the White Rabbit Open Air Arts Festival there will be BBQs and campfires at the Red Clay Farm in Upper Economy, yes, but only after an enriching day of artistic development (and a nightly fire spectacle). The festival, organized by Andrew Maize, is in its third year and promises not to…
Local animator’s work to appear at Nuit Blanche
Award-winning Halifax animator Heather Harkins has two new projects on the go that will take her to points west of Nova Scotia. “I have been commissioned by the Toronto Animated Image Society to make an animated short that will screen for 12 straight hours at Nuit Blanche 2011 on the 300 television screens in the…
It’s Always the Bad Boys
You, 15 years older. In my oppinion hotter than hell. Single. It is most likely your not giving a shit attitude that makes you so appealing. Well I no longer give a shit and would love some no nonsense no strings fun. If it wasn’t for the consequences of mixing business with pleasure, I would…
No Shirt, No Service
To the guy at the bus stop in front of the grocery store on Joseph Howe at 3:15pm on Wed: For the love of everything, please put a shirt on. Sure it was a hot, sunny day, but that doesn’t mean you need to stand at the bus stop with your shirt off. No one…
Really Dude?
Sir, we dated for four years, I have given you all my time, attention, support, I have helped you with running your shop, and taken care of you while you were sick, and then when I move to college and tell you that you could use my car (and I put it in your name,…
You are Missed
You are a metro transit bus driver who used to drive the number nine for years and now I recently saw you driving the sackville number 87. Are you coming back to the number nine anytime soon? —Hoping and Hoping
Stupid Ass at Work
Why is it that some coworkers think they have the right to insult you to your face and then get ticked off if you react to their bitchiness? My day started off totally shitty today. A coworker basically insulted me and then got pissed when I reacted and called them on their rudeness. Set the…
DONT LEAVE YENNIFER!!!
We met less than a year ago, and I already consider you one of my closest friends. You’ve been there for me through a lot of shit, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Work won’t be the same without you, and neither will my life. Love you lotsss and I’ll miss…
Learn How to Drive
Thank you to the asshole who thinks that stopping at a crosswalk doesn’t apply to them. I was enjoying the beautiful weather walking my dog and giving my 4 month old baby some fresh air, pressed the button on the crosswalk lights waited for the traffic to stop in BOTH lanes and was just about…
Tuesday Morning Smiling Civic
You – Red Coupe Civic, Old Body Style Me – Black 4 Door Hatchback Apx 8:15am in the morning on Dutch Village. You were on DV, I was turning left onto DV after getting caffeinated. You stopped traffic to let me out. I smiled, mouthed thank you and waved, you smiled. Your smile is fantastic.…
Construction Site Alarm Clock
This is to the construction crew that has been working on my street for the past few MONTHS. I don’t know what is taking you so long to get the job done. From what I can tell hardly anything has changed besides creating an eyesore out of a building that was once beautiful. It is…
Compensating
To the observant, but hopelessly stupid, gentlemen driving the black SUV onto Bell Rd at the corner of the Halifax Commons who shouted from his open window while driving past that the crosswalk was not a bike lane… Yes, a crosswalk is a crosswalk, and I agree that it is also not an aardvark, but…
Rules Don’t Apply to Some
Over the weekend the great annual Clam Harbour Sand Castle Competition took place. Once again the “honourable” mayor Peter Kelly presided over the judging along with a number of other judges. There are few rules contestants must follow when it comes to constructing sand castles and sculptures but one is all items used must be…
Unlock Both Doors, FFS
I hate it – hate it hate it hate it… when public places such as stores (usually convenience stores or other strip-mall esque locations) that have double glass entry doors (you know the ones) and only unlock one of them for use. WHY DO YOU HAVE TWO OF THEM, if you only unlock one? Never…
Free Will Astrology
Happy Birthday! LEO (July 23-August 22) Science writer K.C. Cole asks this question: “How would you hold 100 tons of water in thin air with no visible means of support?” Here’s her answer: “Build a cloud.” What you have before you right now, Leo, is a comparable scenario. Your assignment is to materialize a phenomenon…
Home is where the art is
Art store employee, crafter and entrepreneur Blythe Church and videographer, media specialist and musician Spencer Cantley have surrounded their adorable daughter Wren in colourful ’50s and ’60s kitsch. They describe their decor style as “mid-century modern blended with a dash of toy store,” citing Mad Men, vintage decorating magazines and flea market finds as inspiration.…
Sorry, Rick Dees and Ricki Lake
Q I went to Craigslist to look at the kinky shit people are into. And I found a picture of my sister. Her eyes are blurred out, but one pic is of her nude and one is of her giving head, and there’s a tattoo that’s unique to her and clearly visible. The ad was…
Parchetypes puts piano in the park
Point Pleasant Park is a natural respite from urban Halifax—tall trees, well-worn hiking trails, greenery and soulful ocean views. William Robinson could sense the magic and intrigue when he first visited with his father’s old Konica 35mm camera years ago. He honours the keepers of the park with Parchetypes, one of HRM’s Cultural Affairs department’s…
Picnic party with CKDU
Your lovely friends at CKDU want to have lunch with you on Sunday. But they’re taking this meal pretty seriously. We’re talking food, face paints, prizes, a cookie contest (12:30-2pm), the kick-off of CKDU’s record drive and a whole lot of live music. And it’s all taking place in everybody’s backyard, the Common. While you…
Metamorphosis rocks
After traversing the American southwest, photographer Colin Campbell got to thinking about rock formations, and his focus quickly shifted to back to home. At first glance, some of Metamophosis’ pieces could be mistaken for paintings rather than photos, highlighting the rocks’ abstract features and punches of colour. “I enjoy seeing the natural world through my…
Bobby Fischer Against The World
An excellent portrait of the troubled chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer, from veteran documentarian Liz Garbus and HBO Documentary Films. For those who don’t know the history of the American chess prodigy turned world champion turned paranoid recluse, there’s plenty of key footage of Fischer here along with compelling interviews from people who knew him during…
One Day isn’t quite enough
What begins as an almost sexy encounter between Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) on grad night at Edinburgh University in 1988 turns into a saga of their friendship. We’re privy to the following 20 years of their respective lives, every July 15, as each finds or loses ambition—Sturgess, a coked-up TV host who…
Incredibly yummy
I first heard about the Incredible Picnic four years ago. A member of the Department of Agriculture had just come home from a trip to France where they celebrated the country’s bounty by having a same-day, nationwide picnic featuring local food and drink. And what better way to herald the flavours of Nova Scotian products…
Conan The Barbarian bloody, hysterical
With a few modifications to the original 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger epic—Conan (Jason Momoa) is now blood-thirsty from his birth on the battlefield—Marcus Nispel’s reincarnation welcomes gore, actualizing all horrific means of butchery. Conan’s quest for revenge begins as a child when megalomaniac Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang), seeking a missing bit of a magical mask, slaughters…
Experimental filmmaker Solomon Nagler
Solomon Nagler is working on a trilogy of short films tentatively called Gravity and Grace, but he’s hesitant to talk about it in anything but veiled terms. He doesn’t want to draw bad luck to his work-in-progress due next spring. Nagler, who’s been making films since the late ’90s, could be described as a Winnipeg,…
Fright Night a bloody delight
Craig Gillespie’s Fright Night is that rarest of Hollywood beasts: a remake that brings fresh life and energy to an old idea. It helps that the original 1985 film has a lower profile than many of the horror flicks from that era. It also helps that Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl) understands character and…
Thrashfest turns five
“I have yet to see a city with such a diverse and—more importantly—cooperative loud music scene,” says Hellacaust’s Graham Ferguson. “It’s good to have a reminder of that.” That reminder is Thrashfest, two days of extreme music featuring over a dozen bands from Canada and the US. Posters with indecipherable band-name fonts; black sleeveless tees;…
Spy Kids: All The Time In The World exuberant
Whether he’s indulging his inner adolescent gore-hound in grindhouse fare like Machete or his inner pre-teen nerd in children’s flicks, Robert Rodriguez’s childlike exuberance bursts through every frame of his films. That joyousness pervades the latest entry in the director’s Spy Kids series, which has lain dormant for eight years but re-emerges here with a…
The Group Sound take on a genre
The Group Sound’s Matt Israelson is on the phone at Toronto’s Reactive Ink while he gets a tattoo of Dante Basco’s character Rufio from the movie Hook. He explains that he plans on sending a photo of the tattoo to be autographed and returned by Basco. Amidst the sounds of a buzzing needle and the…
The Crooked Brothers’ cabin fever
When they’re not touring the country, crammed in a hatchback, The Crooked Brothers (Darwin Baker, Matt Foster and Jesse Matas) fancy themselves some time in the woods. The gritty country trio spent a few weeks last fall cooped up in a cabin on Manitoba’s Falcon Lake soaking up their surroundings, and recording their upcoming sophomore…
Sayonara, The Sweet Deals
The Sweet Deals are saying so long. Or maybe, until next time. With the departure of bassist Billy Habib-Taylor, who’ll soon be on his way to Toronto, the Halifax-based band has decided that after three years of making music together they’re disbanding. “I think the lineup we have is really great, and would like to…
To Gaza with love
OTTAWA – 1977-1990 I come from a Zionist household. I learn from an early age that anti-Semitism is always on the rise, that another Holocaust is always just around the corner and that no matter what, Israel is always right. That’s a lot for a kid to handle. Twice a week, after regular school, I…
Garden variety
“It’s important to have secret paths,” says Frances Ford, retiree and secret gardener. “It’s what gardens are all about: surprises!” Halifax has many lush and productive gardens in unexpected places; their presence is a surprise in the midst of concrete and noise. All of these gardens can be noticed by chance, whether cued by red…
