Category: Arts

Movies are undoubtedly at the centre of our culture. Alongside music, books and other elements of the entertainment industry, cinema is probably the most influential ‘pop culture’ element and will continue to provide an external and alternative viewpoint of our society.
From lining up outside your favourite multiplex to roaming around your local video store, it seems that movies pertain a protruding quality of togetherness and unite many in hopes of a laugh or a thrill.
Whether you choose to experience a film with the finest sound and picture quality at home on DVD, or decide to feel your buttocks vibrate with the powerful Dolby Digital bass at your multiplex, movies have a profound effect on our culture. So much so that after walking out, one might feel adventurous, sad, happy, or even nostalgic. That is the form that cinema provides.
The cinematic year of 2001 proved to be a better year than its predecessor, and while the following top five list has been compiled with my opinions in my mind – I am sure many will disagree and agree with some choices. While I have not seen all the films released and have yet to still catch some greatly praised films through the magic of DVD, these are the five most influential, and truly great films that have caught my eye during the year of 2001.
Number one:
Ocean’s Eleven
No other film this year provided the most mindless, classiest and absolutely greatest entertainment within two hours. Steven Soderbergh’s crafty heist flick was taken from the 1960’s lacklustre flick ‘The Rat Pack’.
Lifting only its’ theme of 12 men robbing casinos, Producer George Clooney managed to cast major stars for half of the price while giving them back end deals for the assembly of the most ambitious pairings yet.
Soderbergh’s heist flick boasts a renewed and graceful George Clooney that leads the charge in this absolutely terrific film. People often forget that the movies that have the most bearing wanted to have none at all.
Number 2:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Many might criticize this mindless literary adaptation, but within Christopher Columbus’ imaginative film lies magic and serenity as we track the adventures of a young sorcerer in training.
With its dark vision and broad scope, the film caters to both children and adults thanks to its surprisingly ultra dark ending.
Furthermore, when was the last time a film ‘portaled’ you back to being a child and become enchanted and lost within a film.
This is what ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ wasn’t, a complete escapist film that made me yonder for those days when we, as young children, used to become easily enchanted.
At my age, it is quite difficult to attain that, yet Harry Potter superseded expectations and delivered a fantastical journey that left me looking forward to the sequels.
Number 3:
Memento
Chris Nolan’s revolutionary style of storytelling caught many by surprise helped Memento become one of the most sought after films in the independent circuit of 2001.
Starring Guy Pearce, this dramatic thriller tracks a husband searching for his wife’s killer only to discover a dark secret that even he did not know.
With its regressive style that sees the film start from its climax and work its way forward, this film placed Nolan as one of the most lucrative directors at the present time and made Memento a truly great film because of its style and visceral feel.
Number 4:
Monsters, Inc.
Pixar/Disney bring us a warm and endearing film of how relationships can easily be formed and broken. With the greatest animation seen to date from Pixar, this film casts the voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal as our two antagonists who capture screams in the real world in order to create energy in their world.
With its colourful slate of characters and imaginative surroundings, this is Pixar/Disney’s best and sets a new milestone for Pixar to attain upon their next offering.
Number 5:
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Coen Brothers’ literary adaptation of The Odyssey is a true delight. Containing several elements that capture the essence of this Southern dramatic musical comedy, with filters, style and music – it is a little gem.
Why not the cutting room floor?
The worst film of the year can be seen with just one film: Freddy got Fingered. This inept and ridiculously horrible film managed to be green lit by a studio and attain a release. Other disappointing films include Pearl Harbour and Ali.
Therefore, with these films in hand, make the best of viewing these films for their quality and apprehended greatness.
While one can see that this year the major studios did manage to churn out some impressive films, 2002 seems to be a year destined to shatter box office records with films such a MIB2, Star Wars 2, Minority Report and Spiderman.
Yet the question is, with all the focus put on sequels, will good quality films manage to sneak under the radar and capture our attention as the films that really matter.

On Dec. 3, 1984, the worst industrial accident in history took place. A pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, leaked a cocktail of toxic chemicals over a city of one million.
Within two days, nearly 5,000 were dead. That number doubled within weeks, and again within a few years. The death toll continues to rise.
Rahul Varma’s play, Bhopal, is a disturbing fictional account of these events at Union Carbide.
The play revolves around four central characters and their plight with the pesticide company, which Varma has renamed Carbide International.
Devraj is the sneaky CEO trying to cover up Carbide’s failings; Sonya Labonte is a Canadian doctor trying to uncover those secrets; Jaghanlal is a government minister willing to overlook anything to bring progress to his country; and Izzat is one of thousands who fell victim to an industrial catastrophe that never should have happened.
Women’s health risks are often either overlooked or sacrificed when developing an ailing economy. This was a major theme Varma investigated from many angles.
Izzat loses her baby to airborne toxins from the plant. Dr. Labonte believes Carbide is behind the deaths of all the animals and babies in the area, and is trying to help Izzat cope. Devraj’s girlfriend, Madiha, tries to prove Dr. Labonte wrong about Carbide by saying she will have a healthy baby.
But Devraj tells her to have an abortion, and admits that Dr. Labonte’s research is all true.
The story that unfolds between Devraj and Madiha is moving. After the gas leak, the pregnant Mediha becomes blind and very sick.
Devraj has an antidote that will cure her, but kill their baby. She refuses to sacrifice her unborn child.
Ultimately, Devraj loses both Mediha and the baby. He covered up his company’s problems, and then fell victim to his own cover-up.
Bhopal lost over half its population to death and emigration. After the gas leak, 25-40% of the pregnancies were lost, and the remaining gave birth to unusually small or deformed babies.
The plant was within 3 km of two hospitals.
The play is fictional – and it is a tragedy the events are not.
Today we fear terrorism; we are afraid that small groups of people could wreak havoc on our lives so easily. But before terrorism there were industrial accidents: Bhopal and Chernobyl are high-profile, though soon almost forgotten examples. These events were as catastrophic as that which occurred September 11, and they too were man-made.
Bhopal takes a big picture and crops it down to a touching story that affects us all.
Playing until Dec. 9 at Teesri Duniya Theatre, Bhopal is worth seeing.
It is beautifully written and well-performed. It will open your eyes and touch your heart.
To learn more about the Bhopal tragedy, visit www.bhopal.net and www.bhopal.org.

The amphibious Rana catesbeiana, otherwise known as the bullfrog, is indigenous to the southern reaches of Ontario and Quebec.
However, intensive touring and word-of-mouth buzz has brought Bullfrog’s swampy funk to the whole of urban North America.
The home-grown sextet, which was born by a spontaneous jam in 1994, returned to Montreal for a show at The Cabaret Nov. 29 before heading east to close out their eventful year.
For Bullfrog, 2001 has finally brought the release of their self-titled debut LP, and this tour has seen them share the stage with jam/dance mainstays The New Deal and DJ Logic.
Featuring the peerless turntablism of Eric (Kid Koala) San, and the rhymes of James (MC blurum 13) Sobers, Bullfrog presents funk with a catch.
As Kid Koala laid out for the receptive crowd at The Cabaret, “we’re gonna play some funk, but we’ll also play some hip-hop, some latin, some jazz and even some country.”
Bullfrog began its set with the eponymous “Bullfrog Theme”, characterized by the band’s own brand of crude funk enmeshed with San’s spastic loops.
Led primarily by Kid Koala, blurum 13 and guitarist/vocalist Mark Robertson, Bullfrog breezed through songs from their LP like the infectiously soulful “Ya Ya” and sarcastically titled “Music for Morning People”.
The set was punctuated by the hip-hop romp of “Reverse Psychology”, with the clever chorus, “Y-G-O-L-O-H-C-Y-S-P . . . reverse psychology.”
However, the night was truly highlighted by the performance of the kid known as Koala.
The audience’s attention focused, and jaws dropped in awe when halfway through the show the turntable instrumentalist was left alone onstage with his deck and his crate of vinyl.
Although his solo jaunt was sadly one of brevity, he displayed in those five minutes (and throughout the night) exactly why he is renowned as one of the world’s best scratch DJ’s.
His ability to take samples of music from any musical taxonomy, present and past, and create a seamless pastiche of sound is unparalleled.
And to watch his hands scratch with those wheels of steel is an awe-inspiring experience.
What was doubly impressive about Koala is that he managed to cohere with a group of conventional musicians in a band setting like Bullfrog.
He stepped back and shared the limelight, often adding little more than what the mix required. Yet, he is still the obvious lifeblood of the band.
Whereas, the rest of Bullfrog at times came off as unoriginal, anti-climactic, and boring, Kid Koala was creative, imaginative, and a pleasure to observe.
He smiles widely when he plays, because he knows that he’s good, and he loves what he does. It was hard to keep from running onstage just to squeeze that portly, boyish genius.
As they exited the stage before a satisfied crowd, the band promised more Montreal gigs in the the new year.
So, if you’re ever looking to get down, keep your ears to the ground for Kid Koala and his band Bullfrog.

Ego is not a word The Weakerthans are very concerned with.
Fame and life in the spotlight is of little importance to the quartet from Winnipeg, which is evident in how they carry themselves on stage, void of all pretensions and pompousness.
Their genre of music is not an easy one to define, as their songs range from a clean, polished brand of punk rock to slower, stirringly beautiful and brooding folk-influenced songs.
The Weakerthans (John K. Samson, Stephen Carroll, John P. Sutton, and Jason Tait) have attained their own version of success the hard way: word of mouth combined with incessant touring.
Since the release of their 1997 debut Fallow, followed by the 2000 release of Left and Leaving, the band hasn’t had much radio support, nor have they had much time to catch their breaths, touring all over Canada, the US, and even Europe.
On Dec. 2, The Weakerthans finally made it to the Cabaret on St. Laurent after having to postpone an earlier show in Montreal due to September’s terrorist attacks.
Supporting them was an exciting band from Ontario known as The Constantines, crafting a very unique punk rock sound full of raw and passionate energy.
The night, however, belonged to The Weakerthans, and their ability to captivate an audience was obvious as their appreciative fans watched the four musicians whisk through a solid hour and a half’s worth (including two encores) of songs.
Refreshingly, The Weakerthans have stuck close to their common beliefs, refusing to sign to any major label (they’re signed to Canadian indie label G-7 Welcoming Committee) and even undertaking the daunting task of self-management.
It comes as no surprise that The Weakerthans are a highly politicized band.
Despite the fact that singer John K. Samson is the former bass player for leftist punk band Propaghandi, the musical similarities between them and his present band are sparse.
Samson enthralled the crowd with his enchanting and introspective lyrics while guitarist Stephen Carroll gracefully wielded his guitar as if it were merely an extension of his body.
Their set contained a varied combination of songs, some fast-paced and enlivened, others slow and soft.
Highlights were aplenty.
Of course, always a favourite is Wellington’s Wednesday, where, halfway through the song, Samson hands over his guitar to an audience member summoned from the crowd.
What proceeded was a killer guitar solo from this shaggy-haired fan, no doubt living out his ultimate rock n’ roll fantasy, that surprisingly seems to fit the song quite nicely. Cliched? Probably. Pretentious? Not in the least.

The holiday season for many is the best time of the year. Whether it is the gift receiving, the gift giving or all the Christmas Cheer, it truly is a magical time. Yet, it is also the time when us movie-aficionados get ready for a big gift from Hollywood – the year’s best films.
In order for that Golden Guy; Oscar the Statuette, to remember all the year’s films for contention come Oscar time, the studio powerhouses release the films they think deserve recognition in order to garner attention for the Golden Globes. Usually this paves the way for The Academy Awards.
As Our Golden Friend gets ready to tackle all the films slated for release, we here will help you determine which films are the ‘must-sees’ for Christmas 2001.
The November slate of films was quite lackluster; the only stand out films for the past month were ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ and the adorable “Monsters, Inc.’.
‘Spy Game’ proved to be a mediocre film despite the powerhouse casting from Pitt and Redford.
Yet in what proves to be the most anticipated film of Christmas 2001, Pitt returns again with some more strong actors in ‘Ocean’s 11’ (Warner Bros, Dec. 7). In Steven ‘Do no harm’ Soderbergh’s-directed remake of the Rat Pack caper, Pitt along with George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Don Cheadle along with a host of others attempt to rob 3 casinos in Las Vegas for a whole lot of loot.
The Friday after, theatres will once again be congested as Director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) unleashes his newest creation ‘Vanilla Sky’ (Paramount Pictures, Dec. 14).
Based on the surreal 1997 Spanish Drama ‘Open Your Eyes’ starring Penelope Cruz who also stars in the re-make, the film has Tom Cruise as a New York Hotshot who gets tangled between two women. While casually bedding his ‘casual’ squeeze (Cameron Diaz), he loses sight of her and infatuates over the newly arrived Penelope Cruz.
Distraught over the situation, his old flame wrecks her car – with him in it. After being disfigured by the crash, he sets out for a new meaning on life…or something like that. With Director Crowe at the helm, expect the surreal. This is a film to watch out for and with Crowe’s nostalgic directorial style it should be truly great. If it is as haunting as the Spanish original, we are in for a real treat.
Every movie season must have some parody within the slate of films. Summer 2001 had ‘Scary Movie 2’ and Christmas 2001 has a movie that recycles and regurgitates many of those elements in what seems to be another film trying to milk the last dollar out of the Teen Hollywood Market. ‘Not Another Teen Movie’ (Columbia, Dec. 14) is another teen flick that seems as memorable as a root canal. Although a promising trailer is presently playing in theatres, I ask the question: aren’t all trailers promising?
Opening the same week is ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (Touchstone, Dec. 14) directed by Wes Anderson. It seems as if Anderson is also another director who is attempting a trilogy of sorts in connection with his past films, ‘Bottle Rocket,’ and ‘Rushmore.’ Anderson’s third film has some great expectations as Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anjelica Huston all star in a film that will have many looking to observe Anderson’s credibility.
Speaking of trilogies, Peter Jackson’s costly, epic and ambitious trilogy ‘Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring’ (New Line, Dec. 19) also opens this season.
This long awaited film was shot back-to-back-to-back with it’s siblings which will be released Christmas 2002, and Christmas 2003.
As for the books in which the series is based upon, they have a following which rivals the likes of the ‘Star Wars’ films. Will it be as successful? That still has to be seen.
Jim Carrey’s last theatrical outing was the delightful holiday film, ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’.
Now that a year has passed, it seems that Carrey wants to distance himself from the comedic Carrey and reinvent himself as the Dramatic Carrey.
After failing to receive an Oscar Nomination for ‘The Truman Show’, Carrey returns with Frank Darabont’s ‘The Majestic’ (Warner Bros. Dec. 21).
Darabont also directed The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.
Carrey hopes to get Oscar’s attention as a blacklisted amnesiac director who while fleeing Hollywood crashes his car and finds himself in a small California village mistaken for a WWII townsman who never returned.
Carrey hopes to achieve what so few comedians such as Robin Williams has achieved, a comedian, who can actually act.
Speaking of comedians who can’t act; Tim Allen has a comedy being released – ‘Joe Somebody’ (20th Century Fox, Dec. 21).
This dark comedy has Allen cast as a regular guy who snaps after getting beat to a parking spot. I am sure the Christmas shopper who waits until the last minute can relate to this concept.
Finally, Christmas day plays host to two big films. Russell Crowe and Will Smith all want a bite of the Best Acting Category for Oscar as they both portray larger than life characters in what the studios are not calling biopics, but, in essence this is exactly what they are.
Russell Crowe plays John Forbes Nash Jr., a troubled Princeton mathematician who wins the Nobel Prize.
‘A Beautiful Mind’ (Universal) has Ron Howard directing this drama that hopes to spark some attention for Best Picture as well.
Yet another contender lies in Michael Mann’s ‘Ali’.
Will Smith hopes to gain credibility as an actor who can actually convey dialogue without waving his head side to side when delivering his lines as he plays Cassius Clay and his transformation into Muhammad Ali.
Therefore, with plenty of selection at your local multiplex, make the best of the holiday season and make sure you enjoy it! Happy Holidays!

Simplicity and chronology are two concepts of film that if well used, can revolutionize a film. On the other hand, if they are misused, they can create a dilemma.
In watching Spy Game, the dilemma which arose, was that of either enjoying the film for what it was, or critiquing the film for what it wanted to be.
Director Tony Scott has brought in some truly great films such as Top Gun, True Romance and Enemy of the State. In this film, his most ambitious one to date, he weaves an intricate, complex and seamless mix between the present and the past.
Spy Game is told in a series of flashbacks that seem to progressively gain length as the film moves. Yet, some may say that the film moves very slowly.
Robert Redford stars as a CIA operative Nathan Muir who in his earlier years recruited, trained and created his protegŽ, Tom Bishop, played by Brad Pitt.
Although the movie is set in the present it harks back to their past.
While the Chinese hold Bishop captive for espionage and a likely execution, Muir does everything in his power to set him free. The catch is Muir is on the brink of retirement and is almost helpless to save his young Boy Scout.
There is much more to the film than this simple synopsis, yet the rest is entailed in complex issues, unrealistic CIA access scenes (e.g. the authoritative forged document) and overused ‘speed up’ shots that try to set up a scene yet serve as nothing more than a repetitive and tiresome editing technique.
The film’s concept is quite ingenious, yet the manner in which it is presented may to some be quite irreverent. We have a film here that attempts to be something, which it is not. The film’s greatest weakness is the storytelling. It complicates a simple premise and bogs it down in flashbacks, which are differentiated by the employment of a beige, sandy tint.
The film remains tight and tense, especially with Scott’s still frame shots counting down the hours left until Bishop’s execution. Furthermore, Scott likes capturing elevated scenes with a helicopter using a ‘Wes Cam’ shooting style that has our characters as the centrepiece in the frame while the camera speeds up and revolves 360 degrees in a manic manner.
That said, it is a well-made film with some great moments and terrific acting. Brad Pitt seems to be maturing as an actor and is slowly creeping away from his studly image by coupling himself with some great actors and engaging himself in roles that display both his charm and acting range.
As for Redford, he seems to enjoy playing a ‘know it all spy’ who can outwit and outlast his oppressors as they seek for answers. Pitt and Redford are fantastic together, and although they do not share as much screen time, as one would expect, when they do, it is well worth it.
Spy Game tries hard to be a different kind of spy film. It is not a full throttle action film, nor a thriller, nor a drama. It is a combination of all three that seems to jump all over the place and cannot be content on settling into one genre.
Furthermore, it relies on a romantic subplot that pits Pitt against choosing his job, or his love.
Also, the storytelling is quite demanding which bogs the film down in key times. Yet, it still is a fresh piece of film that will hold one’s attention, if not for the acting, its’ visceral visual style reminiscent of Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic.
It is evident that Scott presents us with nothing new except for a stylized story telling technique that unfortunately deters the film rather than ultimately saving it.

Filmed in an obtrusive and rugged style, ‘Sidewalks of New York’ is a movie bent on dissecting the trinity of life – love, sex and relationships.
The film’s strong points rely mainly on two key aspects: acting and style. Ed Burns directs his third film, once again focusing on his favorite topic providing another refreshing take on that heart-breaking problem. The most enjoyable concept about Burns is that this actor/director/writer/producer is ‘having his cake and eating it too’.
Burns has easily crossed from commercial products to his ‘indie-style’ fare with films such as ‘Saving Private Ryan’ to his current film. Easily starring in major films and then shooting a film like this in 17 days is quite the challenge. Yet, it is clear Burns is ready for this.
Picking up on Woody Allen’s style of editing in which characters are shot with a hand-held camera from the same angle yet in different perspectives; Burns presents us with a surprisingly bleak view of love, sex and relationships. Filled with ‘cutthroat’ dialogue and strong performances by Rosario Dawson, David Krumholtz and Brittany Murphy, this film dissects and pieces together love and its’ strengths and needed improvements.
With a strong, young cast this film brings us into the heart of three interconnected stories that make us simultaneously sympathize and loathe our characters. Case in point: Stanley Tucci plays a womanizing, adulterous dentist who in his manipulative ways tends to manipulate and use the women in his life. His wife played by Heather Graham is cast as his voluptuous trophy wife who suspects her cheating husband and presents herself with a dilemma: stay and cheat herself, or leave and start a new life.
Also, it would be a crime not to mention Dennis Farina’s turn as a New York Playboy who thinks he knows everything about women. So much so that before leaving on a date, Farina’s character suggests to Burn’s Riley character that he adds cologne to his testicles for that flavourful scent.
Meanwhile, Burns stars as another Irish character that has just turned single again and is looking for a woman who he can start a family with; but it isn’t that simple. Pregnancies, sex, truisms and communication impede his chances for happiness as all our characters embark on journey to discover themselves and love – in some surprisingly depressing, bleak ways.
Burns uses his camera to film his actors in motion, rather than from a distance, creating a sense of intimacy. Coupled with this aspect is the fact that our characters speak to the screen while completing a faux-documentary set around their experiences.
The unfortunate part of this film is that we as the audience know this is just an excuse for our characters to blatantly express what they are thinking for the sake of plot progression. These interview scenes interject in between the film and in an odd manner; add a sense of commonality with our characters that makes it easy for the audience to sympathize with.
It may seem apparent that the film can be slow-paced at times and might even be a tad surreal, yet the story remains compelling and the performances steer this in the right direction.
Burns uses his ‘hand-held’ camera and natural light to portray the characters not as icons, but quite possibly as examples to look upon.
In an interesting way, this film is by no means a must see. Yet what it is, is an interesting commentary on what love, sex and relationships is really like.
Burns makes no intentions of sugar-coating the ‘happy ever after’ fairy tale of love, yet makes sure he also conveys that it still might be possible.

The theatre is dark, with the exception of twinkling fairy lights hanging from the rafters imitating stars. To the sound of waves crashing against the shore, the stage is illuminated to reveal the ocean, a seaside home and a young girl gazing up at the constellations.
Currently playing at the Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre of the Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, David French’s Salt Water Moon is an enchanting play set in Coley’s Point, Newfoundland in 1926.
Although the play only features two actors, the audience is captured by the wit and charisma of the characters and the skill of the performers.
Under the brilliant moon of August, 18-year-old Jacob Mercer, played by Allan Hawco, returns home from Toronto in an attempt to rekindle a relationship with his former sweetheart, Mary Snow, performed by Nicole Underhay. However, the feisty 17-year-old young woman, who has become engaged during his year long absence, is not easily courted, to say the least.
The context of Mary and Jacob’s argument is not revealed quickly. It takes a while before the audience learns why Jacob left for Toronto so abruptly a year before and why Mary is marrying school teacher Jerome MacKenzie, the son of wealthy politician.
Directed by Chris Abraham, Salt Water Moon is not simply a tale of young love, but it also delves into the political and social issues of 1926, when Newfoundland was not yet part of Canada. It’s moving andi t brings a sense and sensibility to our Canadian heritage, said the Saidye’s artistic director, Bryna Wasserman in a lecture last Sunday.
The chemistry on stage between Hawco and Underhay is exceptional. Capturing the experience and naivete of new love, these actors play their parts with grace and humour.
The combined talent and creativity of Lighting Designer Luc Prairie and Set Designer John Dinning creates a beautiful and romantic ambiance that makes the audience feel as though they were indeed sitting by the ocean in the moonlight.

Salt Water Moon written by David French runs until Dec. 9, 2001 at The Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts, located at 5170 C™te-Ste-Catherine. Tickets prices range from $15 to $34 – students pay $15. For more information call the box office at (514) 739-7944.

I’ve always been fascinated with drawing others. Whenever people said, Hey, that really looks like me! I always credited some hidden inherent talent.
I carried this pride so closely to my heart until the day I enrolled in an art class. My teacher carefully acknowledged my technical skill but divulged how my portraits lacked personality. Rest assured, eventually, I was able to pick myself up off the ground. But it took me some time to figure out exactly what he meant.
“Defining the Portrait,” currently on exhibit at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery ventures to classify the complexities of The Portrait.
Guest curator Sandra Paikowsky discussed the phenomena of people insisting that their own passport pictures are not reliable representations of themselves.
She also describes the “tension between the two intentions”-of the model and of the artist.
Surely, vanity surfaces and the sitter hopes that their portrayal will highlight (or exaggerate) the natural beauty that they must truly be, while the artist hopes to capture the essence of the sitter’s personality, not always pretty.
Defining the Portrait closely examines the different types of portraits: The Self Portrait, Artists by Artists, the Unidentified Subject, the Identified Subject, the Imaginary Portrait, and the Fragmented Portrait. Each category defines itself by its particular approach to portraiture and how each perspective can alter a viewers’ interpretation of a image.
For example, in the category of the Unidentified Subject versus the Identified Subject, Paikowsky explains that a nameless piece-such as Italian Girl, Boy, or the lovely Cyclist, Pont-Neuf, Paris, 1976 -takes on more of “metaphoric meaning” than a literal one of identity, as is evident in Alice, Portrait of Elizabeth Savage, or the powerful, Napoleon after Canova.
In the Fragmented Portrait, images appear blown-up to project “an incomplete narrative.” The oversized, un-airbrushed, colour photograph of a man’s back (a women’s?) by GeneviŠve Cadieux is aptly called, Untitled (dos).
Another image in simple cont‚ on paper is entitled Garter belt Series #2 – Margo.
Artist Dennis Burton closely examines a women’s open loins (presumably Margo’s) clad in sexy lingerie.
The most memorable portrait of the show is a large painting rich in reds and pinks where artist Bruno Bobak paints himself standing candidly in his living room surrounded by various decorative objects.
Bobak’s slender hands are somewhat luminescent and one can’t help but imagine him lovingly arranging all the knick-knacks within his reach.
The collection as a whole, though limited in overall impact, sends a clear message to the viewer about the joys of portraiture. Despite its engaging text and thematic arrangement, only a handful of pieces stand out in my memory.
A room full of portraits is an experience essentially like a room full of people. As with new acquaintances, ones with little character are easily forgotten, whereas the charmers that oozed personality remain long after the party is over. Clearly, my art teacher knew what he was talking about.

The Music Department of Concordia University offered a very nice show last week, featuring the talents of singers and musicians in a bluesy Jazzical called When Bessie and Jelly Jam! featuring the music of Bessie Smith and Jelly Roll Morton.
The singers were students of Concordia professor and performer Jeri Brown.
The show took place last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, as the final part of the student’s class with Brown.
The stage of the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall was decorated with simple theatre props: a desk, chairs and a coat hanger, livened with plants and flowers here and there.
It was arranged to look both like a hospital from the play The Death of Bessie Smith, by Edward Albee, and a speakeasy from the musical Jelly’s Last Jam.
The jazz orchestra on the left of the stage completed the scene.
“Every year I look at my students, what their background and their stage presence are like, and I create a show out of it,” says Brown, who also directed the choir. “This year it was going towards blues, rather than other styles.”
The show was separated in different segments. It started with a choir of students and band members singing spirituals.
At this point, the singers didn’t quite seem to have the confidence necessary for the whole show.
Smiles were scarce, and the sound could have been more uniform, as the performers were not listening to each other, and some voices were piercing through and off key.
Fortunately, this problem was solved along the way.
The band then went to take its rightful place, and the show went on. The students acted an excerpt from The Death of Bessie Smith followed by King Porter Stomp, from Jelly’s Last Jam.
One of the high points of the show came next, when Leslie Benjamin sang the Dirty No-Do-Gooder’s blues.
She has an amazingly mastered voice, with a touch of roughness perfect for the blues.
This seemed to raise the bar for the rest of the singers, who came back to sing their songs with more enthusiasm than ever.
During the intermission a few students came to sing in a more sober atmosphere, standing beside the piano, with the band playing in the back, allowing the public to really see them shine.
The second half of the show consisted of some refreshing swing and the return of the choir to sing a reprise of the King Porter Stomp.
Overall, the show was worth seeing if you’re a talent seeker or a member of the singers’ family, but it lacked a little professionalism, both in the performances and the stage direction.
Of course, this is understandable, since it was all the work of students. But they could have used some fine tuning.
Luckily, the energy was there, at least for the second part.
And since it was free for students, there’s no real reason to complain. Sadly, people will have to wait a whole year, for the next class to present its project.

Jeri Brown will be performing at the Maison de la Culture N.D.G. (3755 Botrel) on Thursday, and at Upstairs (1254 Mackay) on Friday and Saturday.

In ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’; movie magic is not only created but completely reinvented. To many loyal readers of the J.K. Rowling series, this has been an arduous wait as they have anticipated their inner most imaginative thoughts of these immortal characters being projected onto the screen in a manner befitting of Hollywood fashion.
Warner Brothers, the Studio that released the film knew that that they had their hands on a very bankable box office franchise from the very beginning. Yet, this substantial deposit could only be made if they mirrored all the character development, plot and imagination that was conveyed in the books.
Within this 2hr. and 23 minute opus we are treated to a ‘buffet’ of cinematic magic. The characters are engaging, the visual effects are incredible, the plot is condensed yet direct and the pure joy of this film is inexplicable. In short, you will pardon my colloquialism, but this film is what going to the movies is all about.
Our young protagonist is an 11-year-old wizard, who after being raised by his neglectful aunt and uncle is finally ready for a stay at the Hogwart’s School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. While in attendance at this magical and luxurious school under the watchful eye of many, he meets his destiny as he proves his worth at saving the school and himself from an elaborate scheme involving the titular stone.
Unlike many films this past year, this film functions on many levels. The first mark at knowing a great family film when seeing one is viewing the complete silence of a theatre filled with children, not even one child budged during this fairly lengthy family film. Secondly, it is clear that the film stays true to the novel and makes no attempt at tainting plot for the sake of running time. Thirdly, the end product is an incredible film that will clearly re-launch the Warner Studio back to the head of the industry.
The casting of the film was terrific. Harry Potter is played by the young Daniel Radcliffe, a relative newcomer to the business considering he has only appeared in one other film, ‘The Tailor of Panama’. Potter is played with a mix of brilliance and coyness by Radcliffe, who is absolutely photogenic resulting in an attraction that is sustained for the duration of the film.
Radcliff is accompanied by a great cast of supporting child actors who befriend Harry Potter and join him in his quest. This was found in Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. They both respectively play Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger and are astonishing as two of Harry’s partners in unraveling a great mystery locked away at Hogwarth’s.
In addition to our child actors; very respectable, prominent British actors are included in the epic adaptation of the book. Richard Harris stars as Headmaster Albus Dumbeldore, Alan Rickman as the deliciously mysterious Professor Severus Snape and Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagell.
They all have well grounded roles that shape this film into an enjoyable and fantastic family adventure.
The spirit of the book is captured by Steven Kloves’ screenwriting as many moments of the book are brought to screen in a picturesque and larger than life way. Among them, the highlighted scene of the film that shows Potter playing the game of Quidditch. This game is a mix of soccer, rugby and hockey all while being played on a flying broom. Also, the trolls, goblins and Fluffy; the three-headed dog will all bring a smile to the experienced readers’ eye as the fictitious characters have been personified on screen and thus immortalized.
Director Chris Columbus, who is most known for the first two ‘Home Alone’ films steers this film and presents us with a cinematic experience unlike anything we have ever seen before. While exhibiting a Gothic look that appears to be out of the Tim Burton school of production design, this film instills within its’ viewer a sense of awe that is pervasive.
The film’s dark tone is somehow balanced by its’ lighter themes, resulting in a flawless mix.
This can be seen within the incredible intense climax in which a dual faced character appears resulting in a fierce battle with our hero that leaves a body to metamorphosize into ashes.This scene to some parents was so intense that some deemed it too graphic and left the theatre with their children for the duration of the climax.
If there will be one complaint about the film it will be the climax. Yet, one must respect the film’s ambitiousness and audacity at carrying out the book’s vision in a manner that pleases the loyal fan while revealing this series of books to a whole new audience.
In a nutshell, this film is pure magic. And as the ticket counters at the theatres are clinging away just as you read this, do not be surprised if it breaks the biggest cinematic box office grosser of all time.

He plucks with all ten fingers, but it ain’t classical guitar music. He uses
acoustic guitars but his repertoire isn’t old folk bards. Finding words to
describe Montreal-native Don Ross’ unique and original music may be difficult, but what isn’t hard to see is that people love it.
The man heralded as a modern-day Mozart, and the only person to win the U.S. Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice, wooed and awed more than 100 music aficionados at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall last Saturday night. In a solo performance, the man and his guitar filled the theatre with more music than your average band, and for two hours transported listeners to a never-never land formed and brought to life by his delicate fingers.
Most of Ross’ pieces were of his own creation and usually had an upbeat, light sound, even if at times fast and furious. He is toted as merging flavours of r&b and hip-hop into his guitar creations. This was sometimes hard to hear, but nonetheless the crowd had trouble keeping their feet from tapping or from bopping their heads in time with Ross’ animated movements.
Ross opened with a light and fast, untitled tune, swaying his ample hair like a muppet. Through the set he easily moved from bluesy bits like his “Blue Bear” written while he lived in Berlin, to slower and moving pieces like “Catherine” to faster, hoe-down sounding peaces like “Loaded leather moonroof.” Only two of his pieces were accompanied by vocals, both on love songs, the latter concerning his late older sister whom he never knew. Ross closed with a popular sauntering and swank jazzy Jerry Reid tune, then answered a standing ovation with two more
encores.
It’s easy to see why he’s considered a guitar virtuoso. Ross did everything to his guitars with his fingers imaginable and then some; incorporating strumming, picking, finger-tapping and even banging a beat on the body with both hands, into one song.
Ross’ sound has plenty of emotion but little melancholy, which is surprising since he lost his wife of around 20 years to breast cancer earlier this year.
His music is high-energy, but isn’t rock or flamenco picking, and he masks the technical difficulty with sweet melody.
Maybe it could be called pop-ish new age, if pop ever knew what a man could do by himself and a guitar. His music congers images of soaring above open expanses of prairies, walking down a dusty byou road, or driving through a Vermont country-side exploding with autumn colours. One’d bet that some PBS show used his works as soundtrack material, or should’ve. Perhaps Ross best described his style himself when he called it “heavy wood.”
Ross was invited to perform from his Toronto home by concert organizer and opening act Del Vezeau. Vezeau tackled quicker and seemingly more challenging pieces with more of a minor but all the same entertaining sound. The Kingston resident and Nova Scotia native is coming out with his second album in January and some of his material can be found on mp3.com. Ross has many CDs out, but if you’re interested in taking a dive into the world of solo guitars, his “best of”
CD Huron Street would be the best bet.