MONDOmagazine

The Book of Eli
Directed by Albert and Allen Hughes
Warner Bros, 2010

By Caesar Martini

Denzel Washington is not really an action movie star. Normally when he’s playing a character involved in a conflict, he resolves it with his smooth chocolate charm or velvety leading man growl. And maybe he’ll shoot a dude or two. But he’s not the kind of actor who you see getting involved in scripts that call for him killing five guys in six seconds with a knife designed to hack down small trees. So when I saw just that in a preview for Book of Eli, I became intrigued.

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Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3
Greg Rucka (w), Nicola Scott (p), Jonathan Glapion (i), Nei Ruffino (c), DC Comics

This really didn’t do it for me. Wonder Woman fighting Mera…again, Wonder Woman fighting Max…again, the realization that Wonder Woman and Mera have lots in common because they both wear tiaras and love a guy…. it all lead to a big “so what” from me. I know, I know, I’m oversimplifying, but what I’m trying to say is that there was nothing very notable about this issue. This is the kind of crossover issue that makes people wonder why they bought this. – Owen Craig

Owen’s rating: 2 out of 5. Crossover rating: tangential.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #32
Brad Meltzer (w), Georges Jeanty (p), Andy Owen (i), Michelle Madsen (c). Dark Horse.

My feelings about this issue of Buffy are complicated. On one hand, this is a really good issue of Buffy. On the other hand, Buffy has been really bad lately. Things have happened that cannot unhappen. Stupid, stupid things. Because comics can afford an unlimited budget, the writers have entertained some of the dumbest ideas just because they can. This issue, however, was good and I’m forced to give it a good rating even though I haven’t forgiven the series. See, complicated. — Miles Baker

Miles’ rating: 4 out of 5 Read the rest of this entry »

roadkill
Part of Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage
Choreographed by Gavin Webber, Grayson Millwood and Sarah-Jayne Howard
February 3–6 @ Enwave Theatre

By Tina Chu

Even without understanding its exploration of agoraphobia and paranoia, I would have felt the same weighted anticipation as the lights dimmed for Splintergroup’s performance of roadkill at Enwave Theatre.

It’s not everyday a dance performance will incorporate a car and a phone booth all in one go. And while the sight of these props on stage was curious enough, seeing performers Gavin Webber, Grayson Millwood, and Gabrielle Nankivell interact with them was something the word curious cannot even begin to describe. Read the rest of this entry »

Eric Peterson as Billy Bishop. (via Soulpepper)

Billy Bishop Goes to War
Written & composed by John Gray with Eric Peterson
January 26 – February 27 @ the Young Centre for Performing Arts

By Kerry Freek

What can you say about the much-lauded Billy Bishop? Returning after a sold-out 2009 run (and many other wildly successful runs over the past 30 years), Soulpepper’s remount opened the company’s 2010 season with a standing ovation.

Surely it’s been said before. These two (Gray, Peterson) are national treasures, still brimming with vigour, even as they age along with the play—and there’s no disputing it. Read the rest of this entry »

By Sean Kelly

10. Moulin Rouge (Baz Luhrmann, 2001)
I can argue that this film began the “Jukebox Musical” trend long before Mamma Mia or We Will Rock You hit the stage (I still get glee when a group of aristocrats begin singing “Smells Like Teen Spirit”). Arguably Luhrmann’s best, and a perfect example of the style of his films, which start off very comedic and turn more dramatic as the film progresses.

9. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
Notable for adding the phrase “I drank your milkshake” to the pop-culture landscape, but it’s much more than that. One of film’s most intriguing character studies about the corruption caused by greed.

8. The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)
I’m a fan of professional wrestling, so it was natural that I would like this film. But it’s also a great, tragic story of a past-his-prime wrestler’s inability to adapt to life outside of the ring.

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Isaac’s Book of the Month

Amazing Spider-Man #619
Dan Slott (w), Marcos Martin (a), Javier Rodriguez (c), Marvel Comics

You know when you re-read something and you can grow to like it more, or like it less? Well, I’m not doing either one exactly – my appreciation of it is just kind of being refined. I’m noticing the silly things, like just how crazy this would be out of context- a tall cyborg of an old man yelling at someone that he’s a rat. That doesn’t happen in real life, but it is a “comic book scene”. And I’m a big fan of the “comic book scene”.

One technique used in abundance is the abrupt scene change whose caption is still relevant to that last panel- we read the line as both a continuation of the previous action and the start of what’s to come. It leads to some creative visuals (like where Carlie Cooper’s face should be we shift to a panel of Aunt May’s. Certainly just as effective as a “Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice” style scene shift.), and it’s an interesting signature. Be sure I’ll be paying attention to future works by Slott to see if this is something he abuses, but at this point it’s cool. Read the rest of this entry »

By Shane McNeil

10. Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman, 2008)
In a banner decade for animation it’d be foolish not to represent the most honest and personal of the lot. For an Israeli filmmaker to plumb the depths like this and come up with so much pain and beauty, it’s a well-earned mention.

9. Good Night and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005)
I didn’t think Clooney had it in him, but this attack on the detriment of having to watch your mouth struck just in time to see the Bush regime start to tumble. It likely wasn’t the cause, but probably the last timely protest.

8. Talk to Her (Pedro Almodovar, 2002)
For a man who writes women so well to hit at the core of male suffering is one thing. To nail it in such a lyrical, beautiful, playful, hopeful, and painful a way is an entirely different accomplishment. Unfortunately he hasn’t come close to this level since.

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Amazing Spider-Man #619
Dan Slott (w), Marcos Martin (a), Javier Rodriguez (c). Marvel Comics.

There are a lot of mobster guys to keep track of here, but as far as problems go that’s minor. The interweaving of previous subplots (which aren’t all that removed from the main story) is masterful as we leap from Aunt May being sinister to old Mr. Negative. Spidey is lithe, fast and powerful. The jokes are funny. When Spider-Man thinks he killed a guy? Heart wrenching. This is really just a fantastic book. There’s a panel with a punch being thrown at the cyborg Silvermane and we see the distorted image of that punch reflected in the shining armour. That’s just a cool touch. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 4.5 out of 5

Atom and Hawkman #46
Geoff Johns (w), Ryan Sook, Fernando Pasarin (a), Hi-Fi (c). DC Comics.

I wasn’t sure I’d pick this up, but beyond the fact that it’s Atom and Hawkman, it’s by Geoff Johns and Ryan Sook. That’s a great pedigree. For those who need the hint, Sook did the art on the Zatanna Seven Soldiers of Victory story, as well as Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth for this past summers Wednesday Comics production. And as beautiful as the Kamandi story was, it was done in a fairly static method, almost storybook style- and it’s really nice to see the alternative again. You know what else is nice to see? Ray Palmer the Atom being an awesome hero. Haven’t seen that for years. – Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 4 out of 5
Crossover rating: (Almost) Essential
Owen’s rating: 3.5 out of 5
Owen’s crossover rating: A pleasant addition Read the rest of this entry »

Public Realm
Curated by Christopher Hume
Featuring work by Ian Amell, Broken City Lab, Eric Cheung + Sean Martindale, Desire, Rocky Dobey, Tina Edan, Christine Elson, Doug Geldart, Helena Grdadolnik + David Colussi, Josh Hite, Tyler Hodgins, Stuart Keeler, Mark Krawczynski, Marissa Largo + Sean Bennell + Daniel Pierre, Frances Patella, Allison Rowe, Kevin Scanlon, Laura St. Pierre
January 20-31 @ Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts

Review and photographs by Tina Chu
(MONDO does not hold the rights to the original images.)

What first drew me to The Propeller’s latest exhibit was an image of Eric Cheung and Sean Martindale’s Poster Pocket Plants. The last time I’d encountered these plants was around the corner from Bathurst and Harbord. Seeing the works in a new context required a follow-up.

Curated by Christopher Hume, Public Realm turned out to be a noteworthy exhibition of interventions into, meditations on and proposals for public space. Read the rest of this entry »

The winning design of the DSM Young Designer Award 2004, Cynthia Hathaway's lÓffice Perfume. (via the artist's website)

Tobias Wong and Cynthia Hathaway
Co-presented by Motherbrand and the Toronto International Design Festival
January 23 @ Harbourfront Centre

By Tina Chu

Harbourfront’s twelfth installment of the Innovators + Ideas lecture series featured Canadian expats Tobias Wong, now based in New York, and Cynthia Hathaway, now in Amsterdam.

The two designers kicked off the lecture with a photojournal presentation of a trip inside Honest Ed’s. Sifting through holographic clocks, chrome-coloured figurines, ad-hoc signs, and eccentric slogans, what most entertained Hathaway and Wong was the idea that each outrageous item is the result of conscious decisions. Read the rest of this entry »

Sherlock Holmes
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Warner Bros., 2009

By Caesar Martini

You know, when I first saw previews of Sherlock Holmes, I was skeptical. I never pictured Holmes as the type of detective that got into bareknuckle boxing matches with sweaty men, and the whole thing was presented in a silly action buddy comedy kind of way, with Robert Downey Jr. seemingly playing Holmes as a British ancestor of Tony Stark. And though some of those things are not far off the mark, I still enjoyed the movie immensely.

I reconciled the odd disparity between my image of Sherlock Holmes and the movie version of Sherlock Holmes quite quickly because: 1) Apparently, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first wrote Holmes as a somewhat socially unpleasant cocaine addict who was a skilled boxer and stick fighter, and 2) What am I, President of the Sherlock Holmes Fan Club? I was over it before the first preview ended (though apparently, members of said fan club really want Hugh Laurie to be Holmes), and I thought the action scenes were fun, cool, and entertaining.

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A behind-the-scenes photo from Tono. Wednesday's performance included just the musicians (background, in traditional dress). Photo by Alicia Ho.

Tono: a music concert
Presented by Red Sky
Featuring Tuvshinjargal Damindinjav, Bat-Orshikh Bazarvaani, Batmend Baasankhuu, and Rick Sacks
January 20-21 @ The Music Gallery

By Isla Craig

I am forever captivated and amazed by the similarities and expressions found in folk music traditions. Across land and time and centuries of histories, the power of song prevails, confirming our connection with life and the living world.  As a singer, I am interested in the sound of voice, the body as instrument and find great wonder in the connections forged between continents and across language.

Wednesday night’s performance of traditional Mongolian folk songs was undoubtedly an amazing display of vocal technique of a celestial nature. The voice is the driving force behind the Mongolian folk song, consisting of throat singing and long song. Throat singing sounds like crickets and bees and all sorts of frequencies you would never imagine could be replicated by the human voice. Read the rest of this entry »