MONDOmagazine

Owen’s Book of the Month

Blackest Night #5
Geoff Johns (w), Ivan Reis (p), Oclair Albert & Joe Prado (i), DC Comics

Normally I like to give my “book of the month” to books that I feel aren’t getting the attention that they should (Incredible Hercules, The Unwritten), books that people seem to ignore no matter how great they are (seriously, buy those books). This month, though, I’ll be damned if my favourite book wasn’t the one that will be #1 on the sales charts. After years of disappointing crossovers it was hard not to get a little cynical. Civil War, Final Crisis, Secret Invasion, The Great Fables Crossover… none of them were doing anything for me. Even Geoff Johns’ own Infinite Crisis left me cold, but with Blackest Night I’m finally reading an event book that does what I feel a great event book should: I’m excited. It may not seem that difficult, but somehow, apparently, it is.

There are so many things Johns is doing with this book that I love. First of all, the pacing is great. Things keep moving forward rapidly while still taking the time out for character moments. It may seem simple, but other stories have made it clear that a lot of writers struggle with this. Speaking of character moments, I love what Johns is doing with the characters in this story. It’s a DC crossover centred on Hal Jordan and Barry Allen, and that is awesome. On top of that, he’s giving a lot of panel time to Ray Palmer and Mera. Mera! Aquaman’s girlfriend! Seeing the spotlight shifted away from Superman and Batman is refreshing. The last thing I want to touch on in terms of story is the self-awareness this story (and especially this issue) has. All too often comics are locked into the notion that they either have to be the serious comic or the silly comic. I think that’s ridiculous, as many of my favourite comics are both (Justice League International, and did I mention that Incredible Hercules is great?). Read the rest of this entry »

Amazing Spider-Man #613
Mark Waid (w), Paul Azaceta (a), Dave Stewart (c). Marvel Comics.

The art style reminds me of Paul Pope and that’s a very good thing. It’s expressive, moody while also being down to earth. Peter Parker is excited for science as evidenced by his face when he blows out the power in his apartment. The only complaint I have is the idea of Electro getting himself supercharged before battle — I must have read that same story twice before, so I’m not impressed there. The transformation of Electro into an internet assisted folk hero is an interesting twist though. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 3.5 out of 5

Chew #6
John Layman (w), Rob Guillory (a). Image Comics.

EXCITING! This is the book that I’ve looking forward to getting. It has even been that long since the last issue. Layman and Guillory start of this new arc, “International Flavor,” giving Tony a new partner John Colby. The dynamic between them is great — and, seriously, there’s nothing better than a half-man, half-robot character. Love it. Yet another mysterious tale unfolds for the two as they are giving an assignment to investigate what was supposedly just another bank robbery. If you’re looking to read one of the most unique series out there right now, it’s your chance to catch up and pick up the first arc in trade form now. — Sandra Yao

Sandra’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Read the rest of this entry »

2012
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Columbia Pictures, 2009

By Sean Kelly

Have you heard? Apparently the calendar for the long-extinct Mayan civilization is supposed to end on December 21, 2012. Of course, this just has to mean that this is when the world is supposed to end. There are, like, millions of books on the subject that give reasons ranging from polar-reversing solar flares to Planet X crashing into the Earth. If there are books on it, then it must be true, right?

It seems that every decade or two, conspiracy theorists come up with a new cause of the apocalypse (it was only a decade ago when we feared Y2K). While it can hoped that this is all just crazed speculation, it does give disaster film master Roland Emmerich perfect material for his magnum opus.

Emmerich has found a niche in blowing up the world in different ways, whether it is by alien invaders (Independence Day), mutated lizards (Godzilla), or the environment (The Day After Tomorrow). Of those three, I would say that 2012 is probably stylistically the most similar to The Day After Tomorrow, except on a much larger scale — as can be guessed by the film’s 158-minute running time. Read the rest of this entry »

Photograph by Boja Vasic.

DISPLACEMENT
Choreographed by Robert Glumbek
Visual Artist Vessna Perunovich
Composed by Christos Hatzis
November 18-21 @ Fleck Dance Theatre

By Gabrielle Charron-Merritt

The idea of displacement is easy to grasp, but it is hard to imagine such experiences, because it forces us to (re)live moments filled with uncertainty, helplessness, and prolonged pain. Watching Displacement was a sensitive experience; the small ensemble of seven skilled dancers morph into different emotional representations of displacement, while the video installation and music move, ever-changing, for much of the 62-minute piece.

Displacement is a multimedia piece presented by Vitek Wincza, artistic director of the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts Dance Theatre. Composer Christos Hatzis provided two compositions, The String Quartet No. 1 (The Awakening) and The String Quartet No. 2 (The Gathering), as the score. Visual artist Vessna Perunovich’s artwork came  from past installations and performance art pieces. Although both music and art had been created some years back and are being reused for this current production, the original choreography by Robert Glumbek synthesizes the three art forms, resulting in a performance that connects the artists’ ideas in a renewed and relevant way. Read the rest of this entry »

Gord Rand as Hamlet. Photography by Michael Cooper.

Necessary Angel’s Hamlet
Starring Benedict Campbell, Laura de Carteret, Mac Fyfe, Steven McCarthy, Christopher Morris, Tara Nicodemo, Robert Persichini, Eric Peterson, with Gord Rand as Hamlet
Runs November 19-29 @ Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront

By Daina Valiulis

A raucious party has just occurred, yet in the air hangs the unmistakable sense of melancholy. A large banquet table sits in the middle of the room. Strewn atop it are plates smeared with leftover food, empty plastic cups and cans that crunch underfoot as the action progresses, wrinkled streamers, and empty wine bottles. From the rafters hang dim chandeliers and in a dark corner sits a dishevelled young man with a mop of black hair. His eyes staring, haunted and fixed at the floor. The audience enters into this half masticated world, which becomes further ensnarled as the show progresses, and we become accomplices in the destruction and violence.

Superbly constructed from every avenue — set, lighting, sound design as well as incredible direction and acting to back it up — this version of Hamlet, directed and designed by Graham McLaren, removes giant chunks of the Bard’s text, but keeps all the juicy, necessary bits, which not only tells the story, but leaves you haunted and disgusted with the human monsters on parade. Each is guilty in some way (with the exception of Laertes, played by Christopher Morris, and Ophelia, played by Tara Nicodemo, who are treated as pawns) and they know it, whether they choose to hide it, deny it, or use it to manipulate others. It is this among other things that tortures Hamlet, causing him to drag everyone he touches into his festering pit of despair. Read the rest of this entry »

Adventure Comics #4
Geoff Johns, Sterling Gates, Michael Shoemaker (w), Jerry Ordway, Clayton Henry (p), Bob Wiacek, Clayton Henry (i), Brian Buccellato, Brian Reber (c). DC Comics.

This issue is amazing — set on “Earth Prime” (ostensibly our Earth) Superboy Prime reads this very comic — Adventure Comics #4, and immediately rushes off to a comic store to get #5, because he has to know what happens to himself! As with anything that includes Superboy Prime they poke a lot of fun at us comic nerds, but this is kind of the first instance of the joke working and being funny (as opposed to insulting to the core audience). In fact, it’s really funny. — Isaac Mills

Isaac’s rating: 4.5 out of 5

Amazing Spider-Man #612
Main story: Mark Waid (w), Paul Azaceta (a), Dave Stewart (c).
Backup story: Joe Kelly, JM Ken Niimura (a). Marvel Comics

Good start, story that Marvel has been advertising the hell out of for months and months. It got my hopes up, for sure. I’ve been a little iffy on Spider-Man’s adventures recently, but this did a lot to win me over. Though, one thing that is just driving me nuts (and maybe it’s just me), can Peter Parker just get with Nora already? She’s awesome and hilarious and totally into Peter. Do her! — Miles Baker

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

A Christmas Carol
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Walt Disney Pictures, 2009

By Rachel West

With the early November release of A Christmas Carol, the Christmas season is upon us sooner than ever. This faithful yet novel adaptation is a sure-fire way to bring in the holiday spirit, even if your neighbours still have their rotting jack o’lanterns displayed on their porch.

A tried-and-true story, adapted onto screens big and small over the years, a simple title search on IMDB reveals that there are over 35 filmed versions of the Charles Dickens’ classic, from the made-for-TV movie A Diva’s Christmas Carol (sadly, I’ve seen it), to childhood favourite Mickey’s Christmas Carol, to gems like Scrooged. You may think you’ve seen it all before, know the dialogue by heart, and another adaptation is superfluous at best, but this time, the film is in show-stopping 3D.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Box
Directed by Richard Kelly
Warner Bros, 2009

By Sean Kelly (no relation)

It would be a bit of an understatement to say that Richard Kelly has had a bit of a bumpy ride on the road to making his first major studio film. His first film Donnie Darko had a nearly non-existent theatrical release (it probably didn’t help that the film was released about a month after 9/11 and involved a plane engine falling onto a house). However, the film went on to become one of the first cult hits of the decade, and my personal favourite, and I wasn’t alone in looking forward to a follow-up.

The follow-up didn’t come fast enough. For the longest time Kelly was set to write and direct last year’s Knowing as his second film, before it moved to Alex Proyas. After five years (and taking a screenwriting job for 2005’s Domino), Kelly finally returned with his second film Southland Tales. The general consensus is that Southland marked a sophomore slump for Kelly, though I dug the film. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo of Nina Arsenault by David Hawe.

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents
The Silicone Diaries
Created and performed by Nina Arsenault
Directed by Brendan Healy
Dramaturgy by Judith Rudakoff
November 14-22 @ Buddies

By Kerry Freek

Nina Arsenault is fishy.

As she slinks onto the stage, squirming and gyrating like a feline Barbarella, the audience is drawn to her hyper-feminine figure, perfected with over sixty cosmetic surgeries and suitably wrapped in a plastic tube dress.

In tranny terms, she explains, “fishy” means to excel at being a woman. But Arsenault is something beyond an ideal version of a woman. She looks like a living, breathing mannequin.

She begins the Diaries by recounting her childhood in Beamsville, Ontario. A group of young boys burn holes in the eyes of the women in girlie magazines. They tear up the pictures, and Arsenault, as a young boy, watches the shreds fall to the ground, thinking “these aren’t women; they are goddesses.” The Diaries become the narrative of her struggle — how to restructure these torn pieces of herself into her ideal form, a Venus, or “a superhero drawing of my body.” Read the rest of this entry »

Esmeralda Enrique

¡Lorca! In Search of Duende
Choreographed by Esmeralda Enrique and Juan Ogalla
Part of Harbourfront Centre’s NextSteps 2009-10
Ran November 12-15th @ Fleck Dance Theatre

By Helen Fylactou

Last week saw the second of two recent Lorca-inspired performances in Toronto (see Daina Valiulis’ review of Des Walsh’s Rocking the Cradle). This dance event, however, fused Lorca’s poetry with passion-infused flamenco.

Lorca, a Spanish poet and dramatist, was involved in the Generation of ’27 — a group of artists famous for their avant-garde art movement in Spain. As his work became more successful, Lorca’s personal dichotomy between his fame and love-sick self intensified. Lorca’s better-known plays and poetry explore love, pride, passion, and death. The sold-out performance of ¡Lorca! In Search of Duende connected with Lorca’s intensity and radiated passion, strength and love.

Choreographer and dancer Juan Ogalla opened the evening with the sensational performance entitled Jinete/Rider (Soleta por Buleria). The prominent theme of passion and sex made Ogalla’s presence unavoidable. Accompanied by a live flamenco band, he maintained a rhythmic dialogue between himself and the musicians, and exuded sexual energy that was palpable, commanding attention with rapid footwork that followed the intricate melody. He expertly wended through the music, showing off the control of his upper bodywork and sculpted arm movement. Oozing with masculinity, Ogalla is a dancer of raw talent and virtuosity. Read the rest of this entry »

The panel. Photo by Tina Chu.

By Tina Chu

It’s not often I find myself in north Toronto, something I probably share with a few of the panelists at a recent Leona Drive Project event presented by L.O.T.: Experiments in Urban Research. It’s a discussion entitled “Reimagining the future of Toronto’s inner suburbs: An open dialogue on arts, creativity and community,” and it features the expertise of Janine Marchessault, John Filion, Robin Collyer, Michael Prokopow, Shawn Micallef, and Doug Young.

Moderated by Steven Logan, PhD candidate in York and Ryerson’s Communication and Culture Program and L.O.T. member, the panel introduces how the LDP came about and, more importantly, how the suburbs came to be its focus and how art could enrich the suburbs.

At first, as co-curator Janine Marchessault explains, she and the L.O.T. Collective had focused on exploring and staging exhibits in downtown Toronto. Despite their enthusiasm, however, Marchessault and the rest of L.O.T. soon felt their project in the downtown core was a conversation only with themselves — the city is oversaturated with its own representations. Read the rest of this entry »

Foreground: Ruth Lawrence. Background: Kate Corbett, Monica Walsh. Photography by Justin Hall.

Rocking the Cradle
Toronto Premiere
An RCA Theatre Company Production
By Des Walsh, freely adapted from Lorca’s Yerma
Directed by Richard Rose
Starring Kate Corbett, Jane Dingle, Darryl Avalon Hopkins, Didi Gillard-Rowlings, Greg King, Ruth Lawrence, and Monica Walsh
Runs November 11 – December 13 @ Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

By Daina Valiulis

“There is no disease in the world like desire,” says Mary, a resident of a small Newfoundland outport. It is this sentiment, fuelled by the burning need to have a child, that tortures a fisherman’s wife, Joan, to madness in Newfoundland native Des Walsh’s Rocking the Cradle. Everything in the production serves to echo this burning and ultimately fruitless desire, from the costumes to the soundscape, the poetic musicality of the script, and especially the set — the home and prison in which Joan is trapped, making for a deeply tortured and effective piece.

Adapted from Federico Garcia Lorca’s Yerma (set in a remote village in Spain during Lorca’s time about a barren woman surrounded by childbearing neighbours), Rocking the Cradle spins the tale of Joan (Ruth Lawrence), a young, dreamy, and optimistic young woman in 1960s Newfoundland who marries Vince (Darryl Avalon Hopkins), a man fundamentally content to have the companionship of a wife at home for the rest of his life, and nothing more. Joan has always dreamed of having a family, however, and as time goes on and she realizes that her dream is growing further out of reach, she transforms into a bitter, angry woman, tortured by feelings of loneliness and isolation. Read the rest of this entry »