Gender action group Dragonroot Media partners with CGA to strengthen its mission
After several years of dedication as Montreal’s feminist and gender-issue radio program, newly expanded Dragonroot Media (formerly Dragonroot Radio) has tightened ties with Concordia’s Centre for Gender Advocacy by rebranding itself as an action group in an effort to provide better services.
Originally started in the fall of 2011 and broadcasting over McGill’s CKUT 90.3 FM radio station, the show has been shining a light on gender-specific topics by reporting on events and exploring issues with activists and intellectuals.
“I feel like being part of Dragonroot for the past few years has really shaped my politics, and everybody I speak to [on the show] shapes and changes how I understand issues. It’s been pretty rewarding in that way,” said Hannah Besseau, host-turned-coordinator for the program who, among others, has been behind the move that will see Dragonroot Media, completely run by volunteers, restructured to increase its scope and resources.
The organization has always had a close relationship with the Centre for Gender Advocacy. When the Centre began looking to create a stronger bond with surrounding groups, Dragonroot’s passion came foremost to their mind and they were encouraged to apply as an action group, a designation allowing for it to receive operational and promotional funding and other benefits.
“Who better to make a better action group than Dragonroot?” asked Besseau rhetorically on the eve of last week’s fundraising concert at La Sala Rossa. She said the increased visibility of the group will allow it to reach a bigger audience and tackle larger projects, but also stressed the group will remain as it was before.
“Now that we’ve [got] an action group status, we’re hoping make our radio content better. We want to find different ways to approach gender content on the radio. We’re also working on a new website to post more things, and we’re doing a call-out for editors to produce more content.”
The recruitment drive is an effort on part of the group to remain true to its origins as a consensus-based collective but adopt an editorial model that will create several longer-lasting positions to ensure volunteers will still be able to come and go as before without interrupting content consistency. A small core of well-defined roles and positions will ensure sections of Dragonroot Media, like their blog, which has suffered from bouts of inactivity in the past, don’t re-occur. Besseau believes the permanence will enable a mentorship program to take hold that will help those interested in media and willing to assume a more prominent role in gender awareness hone their abilities and confidence.
“We really want to have a space where people can come and learn media skills, specifically for gender topics. That way, we’ll have people constantly engaging and learning. [We’ll be] putting the microphone, so to speak, in the hands of those who it would benefit.”
Dragonroot Media’s weekly radio program runs every Tuesday on CKUT 90.3 FM at 8:30 – 9 p.m. If you’re interested in contributing or keeping up to date with the project, find for them on Facebook or Twitter.
Why the CSU shouldn’t have taken a stance on actions taken in Gaza
In today’s world, everyone has an opinion on social issues, whether they’re taking place here in the city or halfway around the world.
For the past few years, not many issues have garnered as much attention, and debate, as the Gaza conflict. Although Canada is not geographically close to Gaza, cultural ties have made the issue relevant for many Montrealers. In a school as culturally diverse as Concordia, with large quantities of both Jewish and Muslim students, it is understandable that students would simply agree to disagree on the subject.
And yet, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) which represents Concordia’s 46,000 students, and the school’s many cultural groups and clubs, has voted on whether or not they agree with the acts taken up by Israel towards Palestine.
At a CSU special council meeting which took place on July 23, the CSU agreed that they were, “against the disproportionate use of force, the use of chemical weapons, the illegal settlements in Palestine and the blockade on Gaza all caused by the state of Israel.”
Based on the wording used by the CSU, they probably did not mean to come out as sounding pro-Palestine. They simply stated that they disagreed with many of the things the state of Israel was doing. Still, their motion will inevitably cause members of the student body they represent to be alienated.
This is an opinion that many Concordia students, and many organizations, may not share.
There is therefore a definite discrepancy between what the CSU has stated, and what many students may believe. This should not be the case
We understand that, by taking this stance, the CSU had good intentions. Of course, peace should always be endorsed. But this is not the same. It would be unethical for the CSU to openly endorse a political party, so what makes this any different?
Many may be offended, and, at the end of the day, what will have been accomplished? The CSU cannot possibly have an effect on an issue of this importance. The CSU should consider spending their time in council discussing matters directly pertaining to Concordia students, like their many ongoing projects.
Entrepreneurs hope invention will have world appeal
Dunham, Quebec’s gelateria Steffanos will behosting a free wine-themed gelato and sorbet event on Aug. 30 to highlight the region’s celebrated wines and to draw attention to the owners’ambitious crowdfunding campaign for their newest invention, the Congelato.
Stéphane Boivin & Karen Côté
Stéphane Boivin and current Concordia student Karen Côté, the owners, had to find an imaginative way to deal with a very specific problem. The Congelato was designed as a portable food display to keep food cool for long periods of time without electricity and came about when Côté was invited to a summer festival but couldn’t afford the expensive and bulky equipment necessary to keep gelato from melting. Seeing it as a challenge, Côté modelled a rough idea of compartmentalized ice packs using Play-Doh. The two soon saw that they were on to something.
“Concordia’s been a big part of our success. Huge,” she said of the long and difficult process of finding the expertise and money to help make the Congelato a reality. Concordia’s Associate Dean of Academic and Student affairs George Kanaan and Principal director of Special initiatives Joe Capano were singled out in particular by Boivin for their dedication and help, as was Concordia’s Small Business Support Network that helped them with research and business plans.
“They were instrumental in harnessing and gathering support. Concordia has always been there. They have great facilities for spreading the word.”
The prototype was unveiled at a Dragons’ Den audition at Concordia last year which was won due to Concordia’s support in the Love your Local Business contest. The final commercial version, which was created over the winter months with the help of a professional designer, will be unveiled at the event.
Though presently destined for food, they’re already planning to take it in other directions.
“[Concordia] told us: ‘if you only use it for ice cream, your market will be very small. You have to incorporate other things,’” Boivin said. Eventual uses could be biomedical and pharmaceutical (certain drugs and medicines need to be stored at low temperatures, hampering their effectiveness in tropical places without electricity), or more mundane uses like keeping refrigerators stay cold during power outages. “There’s so many applications for this in the world.”
Now Steffanos is hoping to harness Concordia’s love for their creation into the critical momentum needed to make the Congelato marketable.
Started barely two seasons ago by Côté and Boivin, Steffanos has won a host of awards starting with the Best Service Award at Quebec’s Entrepreneurship Awards and a first place at the Love your local Business contest organized by Quebec’s Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC). Most recently the pair learned that travel website Tripdvisor.ca has rated Steffanos the second best Quebec restaurant out of a list of almost 13,500 entrants.
“It’s because when people come to Steffanos, they feel completely welcome, they feel loved, and every gelato and panini we make has love in it. They recognize that,” said the irrepressibly upbeat and energetic Boivin, who said many of her best customers come from hours away and often stay for hours more.
The gelateria came about one sweltering summer as Boivin and Côté were working long shifts at their factory job. Exhausted by the repetitiveness of the conditions, they realized making boxes on an assembly line wasn’t what they wanted to do with their lives.
“Stéphanecame to me and said, ‘what do you think about opening up a gelateria?” recalled Boivin.
His previous experience in marketing and Boivin’s history of entrepreneurship and a background in commerce and creative writing was enough to get them started. Soon they’d flipped a commercial property bought in Dunham into a gelato powerhouse, but it wasn’t without hard work and patience. They took a gelato-making class to start off and embarked on a year of busy research, fundraising, and some very judicious purchasing of second-hand equipment on Kijiji: a batch freezer, originally priced at $40,000, bought for $4,000; $6,000 displays purchased for half that; and a $30,000 espresso machine bought at $450, among others. Boivin said only one piece of equipment was bought new, and they did the renovations themselves whenever they could. From the very beginning, their business found a ready clientele, with Côtémaking the gelato and handling communications and Boivin serving customers and taking care of business matters.
“It’s not just the gelato; it’s the service, it’s the ambiance, it’s everything together and the whole package,” she said.
Dunham is located in Quebec’s Brome-Missiquoi region straddling Quebec’s Wine Route and is known for its vineyards and grape varieties. It’s about 90 kilometers south-east of Montreal.
Steffanos address is 143 Bruce Street, Dunham. The free wine-themed gelato and sorbet event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 11am to 6pm, rain or shine.
Okatuthon kicks it in high gear for 2014 and delivers an unmatched anime convention in Montreal
It’s always a delight to see local conventions grow in size. Considering I hadn’t attended Otakuthon for a handful of years, I was shocked to see not only the immensity of the crowd that flooded the convention hall at the Palais des Congrès, but also that the convention had managed to have the legendary Nobuo Uematsu – the composer for the majority of the music featured in Final Fantasy games – amongst its list of guests. Tailored specifically towards Japanese animation and comics (anime and manga, respectively), Otakuthon also brings out artists of all genres to share their love of the culture. Over the years though, the gathering has moved away from the (somewhat) niche genre it traces its roots from and has included events for all things geek.
The first highlight of my time at the convention was, of course, the enormous amount of people in cosplay – essentially a full costume representing a character from an anime or manga – and the attention to detail that went into some of their attire. Makeup, props, masks, swords, you name it. With an expected 14,000 attendees this year, you could literally spend an entire day taking pictures of impressively designed accessories, pieces of clothing and masks.
Even though cosplay was one the mainstays of the convention hall and its attendees, the World Cosplay Summit garnered only the cream of the crop, and the very best that cosplay has to offer. Rightfully so, as well; the winners of the competition will be flown off to Japan to participate in the finals, and represent Canada. Lucky enough, The Concordian managed to score front-row seats to the event and snagged plenty of great pictures.
Another momentous event at the convention was the Final Fantasy music concert. A New World: Intimate Music from Final Fantasy was performed live, in traditional chamber music fashion. In their first Canadian performance, the group was joined by Nobuo Uematsu himself, who played on stage for a full 90 minutes. Fans of the series’ emotionally charged music were in for a treat, bringing them on a journey that spanned all 25 years of Final Fantasy’s legacy. Suffice to say that the performance had something in store for everyone.
Even with these incredible events, Otakuthon offered plenty to do regardless of their stance on cosplay or video games. Board game rooms were set up and offered a place for fellow geeks to enjoy some time socializing. A cosplay café was available, serving both Japanese and local food to cater to the various tastes of those in attendance. Panels hosted by well-known voice actor Spike Spencer – who’s voiced hundreds of anime and video-game characters – were scattered on the schedule. Spencer often brought a mature level of comedy to the table, with panels like “What Happens at the Con stays at the Con” and “Don’t Kill Your Date”. One can get an almost foreboding sense of the discussions covered during these panels.
Truth be told, I would have needed several clones of myself to even skim the surface of all the panels, viewings, events and intrigues of the convention. Given its humble roots and the recollection I have of a small, few-thousand strong convention that traces its roots back to Concordia, Otakuthon has grown up to become a gargantuan beast of an event. The convention has grown every year since its first edition, and continues to attract attendees from all over the world. With this being said, it’s hard not to be stoked about the things we can expect for the convention’s 2015 edition.
Otakuthon ran from Aug. 22 to 24. You can get all the information about this year’s and all future editions on the conventions website at www.otakuthon.com. Don’t forget that Concordia also has an anime club! Check out its page at http://otaku.concordia.ca/
The Grey Nuns building exterior. Photo by The Concordian.
140 year-old Grey Nuns building, once a convent, now ready to welcome students
The Grey Nuns building, located on Guy St, just steps away from Ste-Catherine St., is a building all Concordia students have walked in front of. Some may have noticed its beauty, tucked away behind the many trees on the lot, a building that is clearly so much older than those surrounding it. It is also Concordia’s most newly acquired, yet oldest, building.
This building – which dates back to the 1870s and was purchased by Concordia University in 2007 for $18 million – has been given a new purpose: to accommodate students. The building also has a daycare facility. Concordia has been working for years in order to renovate the building while keeping its historic presence intact. This was accomplished with the help of the Sisters and the government of Quebec. The project cost $15 million, according to The Gazette.
The Grey Nuns building exterior. Photo by Concordia.
Renovations began after the sisters left the building, in April of last year.
A few renovations were done to the west wing in order to accommodate some students, about 245, back when the building was originally purchased.
The Concordian was able to get a glimpse into the building to check out the (almost) completed product during a media tour on Aug. 12. The tour was lead by Clarence Epstein, senior director of Urban and Cultural Affairs, and Peter Bolla, associate vice-president of Facilities Management.
The Building
The Grey Nuns building is an H-shaped with a surface measuring 375,000 square feet. The land the building on, which Concordia also owns and which once served as a very large garden, measures 8 acres.
Now that the renovations have been completed, the building can now accommodate 355 more student beds, meaning that 600 students can now live in the building.
The seemingly untouched chapel is now filled with tables and lamps, so that students can work in silence while surrounded by historical pieces of art, gorgeous high ceilings, and stain-glass windows. The chapel fits up to 240 students. Red, modern lounge chairs were added to the front of the chapel. The red accessories were chosen, according to Epstein, to connect the history of the religious coding to the university’s coding of the space. The tables even have incorporated plugs, so that students can plug in their laptops and cellphones.
“[The chapel] allows for people to learn, to grow, to transform themselves, to reflect on their work and to get some private, individual study,” Concordia President Dr. Alan Shepard said. “…It has some exquisite 19th century art on the walls, which has all been left for us by the Grey Nuns. We are certain that students will find this to be incredibly productive space, quiet reflective space. It’s in keeping with the heritage of the reflective nature of this space, originally.”
The beautiful renovations done to the interior are both a touch of modern and classical. Photo by Concordia.
The hallway leading to the chapel is filled with beautiful photographs created several years ago by the faculty of fine arts. The faculty commissioned artists to photograph and interpret the departure of the sisters, Epstein explained. “These works have now been hung permanently in this corridor to make that connection between their legacy and the new purpose that the site has for the university,” he said.
Fourteen group rooms were created, each with a white board and tables where six people can work comfortably. Students will be able to reserve these study spaces through the library. These rooms were originally used as administrative offices for the sisters.
Another 300 study spaces were added throughout the building. The room that served as a temporary chapel before the permanent chapel was built was converted into another space for both study and fun. Tables and chairs are on both sides of the room, and leather couches are in the centre so that students can relax. There is even space in the front of the room for a stage, for special occasions or concerts. The large windows fill the room with natural light, and the colorful lighting that was added during the renovations adds a young feel to the building.
The renovations allowed the school to add some beautiful glass doors to the building, in order to separate common areas, which will be open to all students, and areas reserved to students living there. In order to enter the building, students will have to scan their student IDs. Although most of the walls remained white, a few colorful touches were added to ceiling in different parts of the building, giving the building a younger, warmer, modern touch.
The Grey Nuns building has a state-of-the-art kitchen, where the food delivered throughout campus will be produced from now on. There is also a second option for those living in dorms; a second kitchen reserved for students who wish to cook for themselves. This new plan, a first for Concordia, is called myPantry. Students can simply order their groceries through the building (the cost is included in their rent), store the items in the mini fridges in their dorm room, and cook them when they please in the common kitchen. Cooking lessons will be offered, and a nutritionist will visit to give students pointers. This kitchen even has a smoothie bar.
The dorm rooms are small but cozy, and the large windows let in a lot of natural light. All the rooms include a bed, an armoire, a chair, a desk, a mini fridge, and a sink. Some also have semi private and private bathrooms. Communal, newly renovated bathrooms are available for those without private bathrooms. The showers are unisex.
The building also has multipurpose rooms with game tables and big screen TVs, so that students can relax.
Those visiting the building were able to go to a part of the building that is not usually open to the public: the crypt in the building, where many of the Grey Nuns were buried. The crypt in not accessible to those in the building, although it is possible to see the room from outside.
Prices
Different dorm sizes (and prices) are available for students who wish to live in the Grey Nuns residence. Thirteen different room options are available, all varying in size, most of them single but some doubles, most with sinks, some semi private bathrooms (toilet and sink), and some with full showers. The least expensive single room with sink costs $720 per month, or $6,024 with tuition for the year, not including the meal plan. The most expensive room, the private room with full bathroom, costs $850 per month, or $7,111.67 with the school year, including tuition. A single room in Hingston hall costs between $525.04 per month and $684.56 per month, while single rooms in the Jesuit residence costs $831.74 per month. Both the Jesuit residence and Hingston hall are located at the Loyola Campus. The Grey Nuns building is the first to be located in Concordia’s downtown campus.
It is important to note that these prices do not include the meal plan, which costs $3,950 per year, with $125 in flex dollars.
History
This building was built in order to accommodate the Grey Nuns, who were founded by Marguerite d’Youville and three of her partners back in 1737. Architect Victor Bourgeau, a known and respected architect who specialized in religious building, was hired for the job. The H Shaped building has three wings, the inner outdoor area once having been reserved for gardening.
The Grey Nuns lived in the building until 2013. Originally, the nuns had planned to stay until 2022, but chose to leave early. They left most of the things in the building behind, only taking with them what was most linked to their history; wooden panels, for example, with the name of every nun to have ever lived in the building.
During the tour, Epstein recounted the day that Margaret d’Youville’s remains left the building, on a snowy day last year. Some of Concordia’s staff were invited to attend the ceremony.
“We were fortunate to be invited to the deconsecration of the chapel, where they removed the remains of Marguerite d’Youville, and officially made this space use as a profane site. and that is when the university began studies to convert it into a space for student use,” Epstein explained.
He explained that all sisters were brought in from various convents to witness Marguerite d’Youville’s final departure. The remains were brought down the aisle. Sisters lined the aisle while carrying the flowers of their namesake, marguerites.
“When the doors of the chapel opened, there was this flood of willowy light snow that kind of blew into the chapel as she was leaving. There was a limousine waiting for her and police accompaniment, to take her to the basilica for her final blessings. It was very special,” Epstain said.
Students can now apply to live in the residence. The Grey Nuns building is located on 1190 Guy St. The main entrance is located on Guy St. For more information, visit http://www.concordia.ca/maps/buildings/gn.html.
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a musical that tugs at the heart strings.
The Best The Zero Theorem (2013)
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Set in a dystopian future, The Zero Theorem features a colorful cast of misfits.
From the comedic genius of Monty Python to the numerous surprising movies that he has made, Terry Gilliam has shown what is needed to become a giant in the artistic universe. The third and last opus of his “Orwellian triptych” reconfirms it. The Zero Theorem is a story about a peculiar character named Qohen Leth, interpreted by the always-wonderful Christoph Waltz, working for a Big Brother-esque company called Mancom. In a dystopian world, an array of colorful misfits pass through Qohen’s life to disturb his routine, either to help or disrupt his progress towards completing his important assignment. This said mission, bestowed upon him by the almighty Management of Mancom, is to prove the zero theorem, therefore confirming that everything in this universe is meaningless. For those of you familiar with dark but still fascinatingly amusing movies like Brazil and Twelve Monkeys, you can start to fathom what kind of absorbing and interesting world Gilliam is able to create. With his surprisingly lovable protagonist evolving in a not-so unrealistic futuristic society, Gilliam points out and critics many important and smaller facets of today’s world. With some slight exaggerations and caricatures of our own contemporary habits and surroundings, he is able to make us see the incongruity of an over-stimulated, productivity-obsessed, sex-driven civilization. The beauty of it is that The Zero Theorem never feels like it is patronizing. It uses clever humor and poetic representations to let us understand how absurd humankind could become. Let us hope that even in this dystopian future we will still be able to appreciate ingenious masterpieces such as Gilliam’s last work. Watch the trailer here.
Bloody Knuckles (2014)
Directed by Matt O’mahoney
Bloody Knuckles brings in the pain with the help of a zombie hand.
We all hate censorship. Well, at least when it concerns our favorites shows, artists or even media figures. Still, some people might think that a selective censorship is necessary for some “unacceptable” things in our society. In recent history, we can think of Jyllands-Posten’s Muhammad cartoons controversy for example. Bloody Knuckles, when you pass over the vulgar absurdity and the usual gore fest associated with decent B-movies, is a testimony of freedom of speech and the right of laughing about anything and anyone. The film portrays an uncompromising cartoonist named Travis (Adam Boys) using his comics to critique and joke in a particularly obscene fashion about well-know figures. Sadly for him and his soon to be severed hand – the subject of his last comic – Chinatown’s ultimate mobster, Leonard Fong (Kasey Ryne Mazak), is one of those people that thinks that sometimes you should censor yourself. Luckily for us – and the young, now depressed and silenced artist – the disconnected hand comes back from the dead with its offensive attitude to help his master get revenge. From there, the cartoonist, the zombie-hand, a clever journalist (Gabrielle Giraud), and one the most awesome and funny vigilante ever put on screen called Homo Dynamous (Dwayne Bryshun), group up to defeat the evil criminal gang. Bloody Knuckles is not what we would call a classic blockbuster. It will not win an Oscar and could be criticized for its few attempts at serious drama. Still, most of what Bloody Knuckles does is done right. If you are looking for an unconventional and wildly entertaining genre movie, go fetch this pus-covered hand and have a great and disgusting moment! Watch the trailer here.
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (2013)
Directed by Stéphane Beria and Mathias Malzieu
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart is a musical that tugs at the heart strings.
We all have this one Disney movie that we cherish and re-watch secretly every once in a while. We also have a special spot in our hearts for their soundtracks. Still, when we grow up we tend to get more and more annoyed by sing-songy characters and predictable children’s movies. That is why the musical and lyrical gem that is Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart more than surprised this Concordian! With its flamboyant characters, its classic but still interesting romantic story and its poetic penchant, this movie has the ability to charm you. One of the strong points of the movie is the surprising array of well-known French artists lending their voices and musical styles to the lovable animated figures. Grand Corps Malade’s guttural yet sensible sound for example, gives Joe – one of the villains – an indescribable quality. The gorgeous cinematographic style and the well-crafted story, both originating from Mathias Malzieu’s novel La Mécanique du Coeur, brilliantly complete this musical score composed by the French rock band Dyonysos. Yes, in the end it could be considered as just another childlike animated movie with singing redundancy, but that would be completely ignoring the ‘petit je ne sais quoi’ of Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart. This movie has something special to offer to young and old alike. You should give it a chance to charm you, you will not be disappointed. Just be sure to make a bit of place in your head for another lovely song or two to add along to your favorite Disney melodies. Watch the trailer here.
The One I Love (2014)
Directed by Charlie McDowell
The One I Love takes the tried and true romantic getaway for a new spin.
What starts as an often seen storyline quickly changes to something much, much different. A couple, named Sophie (Elizabeth Moss) and Ethan (Mark Duplass), are struggling to save their marriage. Their therapists recommends a retreat, promising that this weekend away will renew their relationship. The couple embarks on a journey, unknowingly crossing the line between normal and abnormal.Once arrived at the retreat – which is a beautiful house – seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the couple spends a lovely evening. Things only start to go awry when Ethan discovers the guest house. In it lies an almost identical copy of their significant other. Only one member of the couple can be in the guest house at once, meaning that Sophie and Ethan cannot meet their clones, but can interact with the other version of their spouse. But how could this be? As the couple tries to wrap their brains around this new (clearly impossible) reality, even stranger things start to occur. What follows in an amazingly different story, a film that could be considered the perfect combination of a romantic comedy and science fiction. The film includes flawless acting from both Moss and Duplass, and beautifully shot scenes. It is incredible to think that such a complicated story line can be so well delivered by only three actors, one of which is only in the first few minutes of the film. The film will keep you guessing until the very last minute, and will leave you with a smile on your face, thinking ‘of course!’. Nothing less than genius can be expected from the people who created Jeff, Who Lives at Home and Safety Not Guaranteed. Still, The One I Love is one of the films to see this year. Watch the trailer here.
– written by Nathalie Laflamme
Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (2014)
Directed by Ching-Po Wong
Once Upon a time in Shanghai brings us back to the golden age of Bruce Lee and Asian Kung-Fu cinema.
Once Upon a Time in Shanghai is one of those movies that perpetuates the image of the god-like Kung Fu fighters, and does it really well. More traditional and lyrical in its approach and its cinematographic look than recent martial arts action movie such as The Raid. This movie takes you back to the era of old-school martial arts’ cinema, a time in which CGI did not over-stage the actual talent of the men and women seen on screen. This is probably one of the main qualities Once Upon a Time in Shanghai: it feels authentic. Still, the creators of this movie are well aware of the day and age in which we live in, and use plenty of effects and added stylistic details to give to the film a persona of its own. Simply put, it is theatrical and grand. A classy but still very dangerous Shanghai is portrayed and used as context for the two talented good guys, powerful mobsters and an evil army man trying to take over. It is the story of how it can be hard and unrewarding but still necessary to do good so that justice can prevail. A good old (but brand new) martial arts movie for everyone who misses the virtuosity of mister Bruce Lee himself. Watch the trailer here.
The Worst WolfCop (2014)
Directed by Lowell Dean
Trite and forgettable, Wolfcop is the bane of all buddy-cop movies.
A movie about a dreadfully stereotyped and one-sided alcoholic cop who becomes, in spite of himself, a werewolf. That is WolfCop for you. This review could probably end here and now, but it is necessary to make people understand how awful this film truly is. The unpleasantness of it all first comes in important things such as the characters. As mentioned, the main protagonist is a low-life alcoholic cop that becomes a werewolf (Leo Fafard). Around this un-nuanced character evolves an obnoxious cast including a redneck weirdo, an objectified barmaid, a puritan politician and a poorly executed mix of The Matrix’s Neo and the Driver’s role in Drive as the main villain. Other than that, the plot is pretty simple. A cop becoming a werewolf becomes an efficient wolfcop and starts cleaning the city of bad guys until the final revelation, a cheap and easy plot twist to say the least. Also, some on the most annoying things in WolfCop are some little, exasperating details and scenes. For example, you would be surprised how at how rapidly and seemingly without incident the main protagonist accepts his newly obtained status of werewolf. I don’t know about you. fellow readers, but I would need a few minutes to cope with the news. Additionally, there is an exquisitely ironic sex scene between a scantily clad red riding hood and wolfcop. Very classy, I tell you. It is necessary to admit though that the movie offers a few funny choreographies and werewolf moments. WolfCop could have been exempted from the “Worst” list since it is clearly a B-movie simply doing its thing. Nonetheless, other movies that could be included in the B-movie category such as Bloody Knuckles shows that it is possible to do it right. Sadly, Wolfcop failed miserably. Watch the trailer here.
Bros Before Hoes (2013)
Directed by Steffen Haars and Flip Van der Kuil
Forgettable, childish and misogynistic, Bros Before Hoes doesn’t quite deserve attention or merit.
There is not much to say about this movie, really. It is an example of what Hollywood does badly and repeatedly, this time executed by filmmakers from the Netherlands. Two brothers (Daniel Arends and Tim Haars), after living through their parent’s messy divorce, swear never to get involved in serious relationships, and therefore sleep with different women daily. Soon, one woman changes things (Sylvia Hoeks), and a love triangle become apparent. Sex related, scatological and all other kinds of stupid jokes are hashed and rehashed in this misogynistic movie for horny teens. The overused romantic comedy tale is painfully executed by a whole cast of characters that seemed to try too hard to imitate How I Met Your Mother’s over-the-top protagonist, Barney Stinson (Season nine Barney Stinson… Yes, it is that bad.) This movie uses all the poorest stereotypes and easy jokes there is in the book. By far the worst movie this sorry Concordian editor had to suffer through during this whole festival. Even the substantive amount of Rambo: First Blood quotes cannot save this movie from ending up in a good amount of body bags. Watch the trailer here.
The House at The End of Time (2013)
Directed by Alejandro Hidalgo
While The House at The End of Time might be formulaic, the ending is what truly adds the nail to its proverbial coffin.
This Spanish horror movie is as basic as can be. In the same veins as The Orphanage and The Others, The House at The End of Time is putting its viewers into the familiar setting of a strange and seemingly haunted house. It presents what appears to be a regular family with regular problems, well at least at first. This simplistic premise and set have been seen in numerous occasions, but this does not mean it is a bad thing. Even in the various techniques used by the director to scare the viewers–loud noises used in contrast with heavy moments of silence, mystery hiding behind a closed door, footsteps coming from beyond– almost every conventional horror technique is used. The horror genre is known to use the same formulas over and over again, and still succeeds to deliver some surprising and widely entertaining movies. You do not have to reinvent the wheel to make a great horror film. So, why is The House at The End of Time in the shameful “Worst” list you may ask? Simply put, it is mainly because of the last fifteen minutes. A no spoiler policy will be strictly enforced for this article so we will not go into any specific details, but what seemed to be a decent and honest horror movie just frankly lost it all at the end. Some other critics may be prone to advance the argument that this said ending is a complicated but still very clever twist. This is merely because in our generally simplified cinematic era, an over-complicated ending is often wrongly associated with a sign of quality. Confusion does not automatically rhyme with ingenious. Because of this unsuccessful attempt at cleverness, the movie just loses most of its significance. Sadly, the original tension that you felt during those few good moments just fall flat because of those odd and inconsistent final explanations. Sometimes, mysteries are simply better left alone. Watch the trailer here.
Monsterz (2014)
Directed by Hideo Nakata
With such a great pedigree under his belt, director Hideo Nakata’s Monsterz is forgettable at best.
We have all seen and been traumatized by either the remake or the original versions of some horrifying Asian movies, such as Ringu or Ju-on: The Grudge. Hideo Nakata, the director of the above-mentioned Ringu and Monsterz, is considered a master of the art. However, this recent installment will not stand in the annals of Asian horror movies. The plot revolves around two young men, one with the power of bending the minds of anyone unlucky enough to meet his gaze, and another that seems to be the only one immune to this power. From this premise comes an ever-lasting duel between those two superior beings while society decides that they are a threat to humankind. It is cautionary tale about exclusion and stigmatization. Yet, even if it is evident that there were people with good intentions and talent behind this movie, Monsterz does not hold up to the expectations. Annoying characters, including the most outrageous gay stereotype of the last decade showed on screen, sometimes totally illogical moments and ridiculous dialogues ruins the potential of the movie. This movie had a great concept at its core, but failed to exploit it properly. Hopefully, this will not be the swan song of one of the most talented director when talking about Asian horror movies. We will just need to forget about this unsuccessful attempt. Watch the trailer here.
Notable The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Directed by Tobe Hooper
There’s little that hasn’t already been said about this classic piece of cinema history.
If you are into horror movies, you must have been there with us. If you are a real fan, you could not miss this once in a lifetime chance. Yes indeed, I am talking about the screening of one of the best horror movies of all time, the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in all its splendor on the big screen! Not only that, but the actual horror legend that gave us this horrifying gem, Tobe Hooper, was there to present it to the lucky people able to enter the presentation. For those of you who cried for a week after having realized the missed opportunity, here is a general overview of the evening. After an energetic presentation by the hyperactive Fantasia host and a short appearance by Tobe Hopper himself, everyone meowed their heart out and the festive ambiance suddenly became creepy with the opening credits and iconic photo-taking. Then the whole audience proceeded to scream, laugh and get traumatize by the amazing classic that is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was very interesting to think about how horrified the public must have been back in the day by the gruesome film. It was also easier to experience how this movie not only perturbs its viewers psychologically with its demented protagonists and the general craziness, but also how it affects the audience physically. Indeed, the fact that it was properly presented on a cinema screen with quality surround sound made you realize how unsettling the numerous camera movements, high-pitched noises and general atmosphere and that all those elements could affect you directly and physically. Overall, it was wonderfully frightening to see this movie screening with a public composed of die-hard horror fans. Sadly, the interview and Q&A that followed with the director was not as satisfying. After a few rounds of applause, the Fantasia host started a very interesting and informative interview, or at least he tried to. Maybe mister Hooper was tired or maybe he just did not feel like being there, but in the end even the most stimulating questions directed at him were answered by anecdotic moments or non-related stories. Frankly, it felt more like a reading of IMDB’s trivia pages than a unique opportunity to interview and listen to one of horror’s most talented directors. Still, Tobe Hooper will remain the creator of one of the scariest films ever made. Thanks to him, and the Fantasia International Film Festival, we could finally be scared properly by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Watch the trailer here.
Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014)
Directed by Kevin Finn and James D. Rolfe
As James Rolfe’s magnum opus, The Angry Video Game Nerd movie is a sure-shot for fans of the YouTube superstar.
Most people got to know him as the “Angry Nintendo Nerd” when he first began his short and corrosive reviews of old-school video games a few years ago. Today, James Rolfe is an Internet superstar with over 1.5 million subscribers to its YouTube channel and fans from all around the world, showing a dedication rarely seen on the web and its micro-celebrity sphere. With the help of these devoted fans, the nerd finally delivered his ambitious movie project. In this movie, the infuriated geek and his friends go on a quest to unfold the mystery surrounding the so-called “worst video game of all time”, Eee-tee The Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600. James Rolfe delivers in this wacky film a fair and honest comedy that is surely going to appeal and amuse all of us who watched and laughed at his countless comical videos. The various references to different movie genres, the caricatural characters, the iconic frustrated moments of the nerd himself and the chaotic finale are all elements that kept the whole crowd laughing for nearly two hours. On the other hand, it is important to keep in mind that most of the audience members were Rolfe fans. The reason this movie is not in the “The Best” category is that this is a movie for those fans. It is very doubtful indeed that people who never heard of the “Angry Video Game Nerd” and its original web reviews will like this film. This movie is more of a continuation of the work of James Rolfe and the people that helped him more than a solid stand-alone film. Nonetheless, Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie will satisfy anyone who loves the rolling rock’s drinking character that will play those games that…Oh well, you know the song as well as I do and if not, you probably won’t like the movie. Watch the trailer here.
Mr. Go 3D (2013)
Directed by Yong-hwa Kim
It is a South-Korean blockbuster about a gorilla that becomes a baseball star…in 3D. What else do you need? Watch the trailer here.
Goal of the Dead (2014)
Directed by Thierry Poiraud and Benjamin Rocher
Who knew zombies and sports would go along so well?
What could have been a cheap use of zombies to justify a bad story installed in a sport related setting was after all a nice revelation. Not good enough to be in the honorific “best” list, but its uniqueness, a characteristic rare enough in our contemporary zombie-filled cultural landscape, makes it worthy of our attention. Created with the help of Canal+, this horror comedy will surely entertain you with its smart use of the sometimes laughable world of international sports and the anger and admiration it stirs up. By offering a nice little analogy of the absurdly violent hooligans, it gives us a light and easy to watch two-part movie. It is necessary to precise that people unfamiliar with the French general culture and people may find the movie a little less funny that it really is. Nonetheless, it stands as a nice zombie movie anyway and that is something we all ought to like. If you do not, well you can always go play soccer outside…at your own peril… Watch the trailer here.
It is important to precise that that many wonderful movies and plenty of very bad ones have been omitted in this article. Big titles such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Welcome to New York and I Origins have been left out but certainly deserve your attention. Indie gems such as The Unusual Metalhead and critically acclaimed international hits such as Jacky au Royaume des Filles have also been overlooked. This list is clearly imperfect and insufficient to give a complete portrayal of what the festival has to offer. Your humble writers had to make some difficult choices to bring you this article, and hope that you will understand that, to really experience the Fantasia International Film Festival, you have got to simply be there and make the most of its brilliant selection.
Do the antics of the audience hold the festival back?
I will preface this by saying that Fantasia is an amazing festival. For many of us, pouring over the programming at the start of July has become somewhat of a tradition. Fantasia gives everyone the chance to see foreign and independent films for only ten dollars a seat –and in the heart of Downtown, no less. It is inexpensive and convenient, and you can actually get tickets, unlike a certain other film festival (I’m looking at you, TIFF). Frankly, Fantasia has everything going for it.
So why can’t I recommend it?
I’ve often heard people say that the problem with public transit was that the public was on it. Unfortunately, in this case, Fantasia seems to suffer the same affliction. The absolute worst thing about Fantasia — and the reason why I cannot recommend it and may not return next year — is wholeheartedly, 100 percent, the audience.
I swear, everything is going fine until you sit down in the theatre. I would even venture that it’s going great up to the moment the lights go down. Then, it begins: first one person, then a chorus. The meowing.
Who started this? And for what purpose? It is something I would expect from my 6-year-old niece at playtime, not a bunch of adults sitting down at an international film festival. It is the most juvenile thing I have ever seen. First of all, it is annoying — and no, it is not funny. Where is the humour in it? What is the punchline? Please, illuminate me. My feeble, comedically-challenged mind cannot find the genius in your incessant meowing.
Oh, and I wish it ended when the movie started, but no. Dark screen? Meowing. Credits roll? Meowing. Lights are still off when the film is over? You guessed it: meowing.
And how I wished it stopped there. Why do you many Fantasia fans feel the need to talk the whole time? I’m talking about you, person who laughs during an emotional death scene. Or you, the one who yells “OWNED” when a punch is landed in an action flick. Or the gaggle of teenagers who sit down to watch an anime film only to practice their Japanese out loud the entire time.
I could forgive these things in a normal movie theatre. Sure, the ticket would have been more expensive, but at least I would have the chance to see the movie again. But at Fantasia, that’s it. That’s likely the one time I will ever get a chance to see this film, and it was ruined by you. So, thanks a lot for that.
And if you won’t do it for me, then do it for the directors. So many of them come to Fantasia to give a talk before or after the screening. They are sitting there, right in the audience. What do you think they feel? For many of them, this is the premiere of their film. They poured their sweat and blood into making something great. And you just meowed at it.
But my last message is for the Fantasia organizers. You guys are doing good work. But no one will ever, ever take your festival seriously with this kind of crowd. At a real festival — or even an ordinary cinema — there are consequences for acting like a child. Why aren’t there ushers to kick out rowdy movie-goers? Why aren’t there rules in place to discourage this kind of behaviour? You have the chance to make something great — but first, something needs to change.
And until it does, this is likely the last Fantasia Fest for me.
Aquil Virani is on a quest to make art interactive and find a Canadian identity
“Live art” is a term that Montreal artist Aquil Virani not only promises to create, but can be seen as part of his whole philosophy. Saturday night, Virani put on an intimate show at the Montreal Improv space on Boul. St Laurent, combining theatrical improv with live painting and a small showcase of his work.
As an artist, Virani aims to bring what would traditionally be seen as high art, down to the level of the masses, involving other artists as well as civilians in his pieces.
“In an article I was once called ‘The People’s artist,” Virani said, “it’s kind of a grandiose, almost profound, yet kind of cheezy title, but I think it’s also kind of true.”
Virani’s personal mandate is to make art accessible to the everyman, and it has been since high school. “My high school experience involved doing a lot of extra curricular activities, and I didn’t like that some of my non-arts friends, who did rugby or choir or science or whatever – they thought that art was stupid because they only saw the avant-garde stuff,” said Virani. “They felt like art wasn’t for them and that frustrated me. I don’t think art is like taxidermy, it isn’t like a niche thing that a few people like. Part of my personal mission is to spread art to the people.”
In his mission to do so, Virani makes it a point to attach a description to every piece he exhibits, explaining how and why that piece is significant to him. One such example is a set of photographs, one of his mother and one of his girlfriend, hanging side-by-side at Saturday’s exhibit. At the bottom of each is a short poem that fills out the headline on the respective pictures which says, “This is my [mother/gf]. She is my crutch.” The fact that each of the poems were identical made the sentiment seem slightly Freudian, though sweet nonetheless, offering two portraits that describe the kind of love and support that everybody should be lucky enough to have.
Photo courtesy of ARTPROV
Virani’s next initiative for bringing art to the people and the people to the art, involves a lengthy quest across Canada to collect drawing submissions that exemplify Canadian identity. This project, entitled “Canada’s self portrait” is all about encouraging people across Canada to “think about who we are as Canadians, and then celebrate that identity.”
Canadian identity in and of itself has always been a vague concept. Marshall McLuhan famously said that “Canada is the only country in the world that knows how to live without an identity.” Virani, however, is single-handedly disproving that theory. By amassing these drawings that individually are snapshots of one person’s experience in one province, collectively they will represent what it means to be quintessentially Canadian.
Virani’s first stop on his cross-Canada tour is Halifax, and he will be travelling throughout the country over the course of the next few months to collect the submissions that will become this tapestry of Canadian life. His tour will end up back in Montreal, though a specific timeframe is not yet established.
Saturday’s exhibit offered a snapshot of the kind of interactive and inclusive show that we can expect from Virani.
“I wanted to explore what [art and improv] could learn from each other,” said Virani. “A painting is a very polished work of art, and improv is as unpolished as you can get, but in the end they combine in very cool ways.”
The first, and dominant, half of Saturday’s exhibit was about an hour of your typical college-level improv show, glorified by Virani’s live painting in the corner. Audience members were engaged as they offered up one-word suggestions that the actors and Virani would each interpret through an improv sketch or painting, respectively.
Photo courtesy of ARTPROV
“The idea is for the art and the improv to feed off of each other, to influence each other,” said Virani.
The two tableaus that he painted on stage came out as beautifully textural and colourful abstract landscapes, unfortunately overpowered by what was at best knee-slapping, drama class antics.
Following the show, audience members were invited to check out some of Virani’s artwork, including the two live paintings done onstage, on display in the next room. The works were a medley of portrait photography, abstract painting, and vibrant graphic design art. His use of colours and shadow was particularly captivating, making each piece pop. Virani works as a graphic designer as well as an independent artist. Of course, each piece was accompanied by a plaque that explained the meaning behind it.
You can keep track of Virani’s work through his website, www.aquil.ca.
International genre film movie festival will run until August 6
Tired of those boring movie theatres in which everybody stays still and silent? Looking for this gem of a movie that perfectly mixes mystery, suspense, a bit of romance and a girl who has chainsaws for hands? Frustrated by those mainstream animation movies that systematically gives you the same old childlike story? Well, starting today, July 17, all of your wildest cinematographic dreams will come true!
The Fantasia International Film Festival is one of the most prominent genre film festivals in the world. It is proposing to Montreal’s movie addicts an array of movies that will surely move you out of your comfort zone. From animation movies to usually ignored international blockbusters, the festival has it all. Concordia University has been hosting this festival since 2003.
The 18th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is offering to the public movies by well-known directors as well as promising newcomers’ short films. For instance, festivalgoers will have the chance of seeing Terry Gilliam’s third and last movie, Orwellian triptych, Zero Theorem. For those who are more into Asian movies, like most of Fantasia’s regulars, Takashi Miike’s latest project will be shown, as well as plenty of other treasures. You even get to watch some classic genre movies that were made before you were born!
Another very interesting feature of the festival is that some directors and actors will be present at their movie screenings. This allows the public to ask questions and interact with the people that they would normally only see on screen. It also gives today’s low profile directors a little time under the spotlight so they can maybe move towards becoming tomorrow’s next big name in the industry. In all cases, the Fantasia International Film Festivals offers a crowd-pleasing, diversified and fun medley of cinematographic creations.
Fantasia is all about giving you the chance of seeing beautifully weird and creative movies that would not fit in any traditional categories. In some cases, it will actually be the only time anyone in Montreal will be able to watch these movies on the big screen. But really, the pleasure of going to the Fantasia International Film Festival is actually about taking a leap of faith and experiencing something new. It is true, you may fall onto the most disturbing movie you ever saw, but you may also get to watch your new favourite movie of all time. The brilliantly thought-out randomness of the festival’s selection is exactly what should make you want to attend.
The Fantasia International Film Festival will be taking place from July 17 to Aug. 6. Films will be screened at different locations around downtown campus, including the J.A. DeSève Cinema (J.W. McConnell Building), the D.B. Clarke Theatre (Henry F. Hall Building), and the Alumni Auditorium (Henry F. Hall Building).
In Fear takes a new couple on a night of terror in a grounded Irish scene
“If a man hurts an innocent person, the evil will fall back upon him and the fool will be destroyed.”
These are the lines scrawled on a bathroom wall in an Irish pub, where evil will definitively unleash in Jeremy Lovering’s new psychological thriller, In Fear.
Lucy sits on the toilet, reading the lines, she smirks and pens the words on the wall: “Or not.” This turns out to be a bad decision, as the audience soon finds out.
In Fear is a complex thriller bursting at the seams with mind games. The plot is simple: Lucy (Alice Englert) and Tom (Iain de Caestecker) are going to a festival in Ireland, when they stop off at a pub on the way. When Lucy returns from the washroom, Tom tells her about a slight mishap with the mates at the pub. A man accidentally spilled Tom’s drink, so Tom bought him another one. “I am a lover, not a fighter,” Tom says in his rich Irish brogue as he shrugs.
In Fear creates an ever-growing atmosphere of fear, turning new love into bitter hatred in the face of adversity.
Things look innocent enough until Tom wryly suggests they find a hotel for the night instead of going on to the festival. He wants a romantic night with Lucy and he’s found just the place, a “slice of heaven,” a hotel tucked deep into the woods. The tone is set.
As the couple drive on and on, trying to find the hotel, tension rises. When they kiss, the lovers don’t even notice that the GPS loses its signal. The cell phones keep glitching and the hotel is impossible to find. The pair drive on and on, through a narrowing lane in a forest, until they find conflicting signs concerning the hotel’s location. Does it even exist? As Lucy says when she focuses on the map, “We’re not lost, we’re in a fucking maze.”
The scenery and camera-work do wonders in this film. With vast, flat landscapes and gray pastures, the Irish background makes you want to flee for your life. You feel surrounded by emptiness and desolation. Trees come alive at night time as Lucy begins to repeatedly see a masked man in the form of dancing branches. Tom assures her that she is hallucinating, but as the night progresses, things just get weirder and weirder. The camera zooms in at precise moments to linger on Lucy’s terrified face, on a gate closing, or on tires speeding up. The anticipation just keeps on building, and the viewer is pretty much ready to scream with Lucy when she feels someone (or something) is pulling at her hair.
The best part of the film lies in the psychological mind games. We learn that confidence and new love can quickly turn sour when in a bad situation. Tom and Lucy turn against each other at times, only to unite when faced with a string of dead rats, for example. Who can be trusted, and why? The innocent spilled drink at the pub becomes a burning hot issue. Are the pub mates out there? The viewer is tormented and teased until the very last minute of the film, forced to ponder the nature of humanity and the horror of the survival instinct.
The cast does a fine job of displaying genuine terror. Lovering needed a cast ready to take whatever would come since he insisted on having no script. Every actor had to sign up without knowing what would happen.
Viewers who like immediate action should probably shy away from this thriller, though. It takes a good 40 or so minutes before anything actually happens. The beauty in this production lies in the building up of tension and fear, not in any gory scenes. That said, since most of the action happens in a car in one single night, Lovering excels at moving the action along and keeping the facts at bay. You want to find out who is out there, at any cost.
You can catch In Fear starting on March 13 at Montreal’s Cineplex Odeon.
Getting attention through social media is thrilling, yet addictive. Graphic by Jenny Kwan
For those of you who have been lucky enough to have been shielded from such ignorance, the recent NekNomination craze is a disturbing practice which calls for people to chug large quantities of alcohol and then nominate others to replicate the senseless ritual. I have seen my fair share of foolish viral videos, but these ones take the cake — by a landslide.
While watching some of these videos, I simply shook my head in disbelief.
I began to search for the appropriate words to describe the continuously growing phenomenon we call social media. With it, I have noticed a troubling contradiction: empowerment and destruction.
One undoubtedly feels a jolt of confidence knowing that without any specific expertise, hundreds, thousands or even millions of online audience members can endorse their thoughts and actions by sharing or “liking” them on social media. Yet, in such a wide network where content is infinite, we are endlessly bombarded with entertainment options that make the fight against our low attention spans even more challenging.
For many, standing out is not only a top priority, it’s the only priority. And as we somehow grew accustomed to the initial wave of NekNomination videos, the extreme lengths to which NekNominees go to get their 15 minutes of social media fame reveal just how destructive these platforms can be.
When a person, seemingly without giving it a second thought, is willing to include urine in their alcoholic beverages or to follow their guzzling exploits by diving into a river in order to “stand out,” it begs the question, how far will some go to reach a pointless objective?
Sadly, there have been at least five deaths around the world that have been linked to this farcical game. Jonny Byrne, a 19-year-old from Carlow, Ireland, died last month after drinking a pint and jumping into the river.
An optimistic take on these senseless tragedies is that they will hopefully raise awareness about the hazards of NekNomination stunts, and ultimately help scale back the negligence that is evidenced in online behaviour. Unfortunately, I am not one of those optimists.
Social media replicates and considerably enhances the pressurized environment found in high schools and colleges.
“We found in our study that people, college students, are not getting a sense of social support from being on the phone,” UCLA developmental psychologist Patricia Greenfield told CBC News, Feb. 24. “They’re getting social support through bigger networks and having a sense that their audience is large.”
Social media metrics through which we express approval such as retweets, likes and views dominate the thoughts of those who are on a quest for social acceptance. Along with other attention-desperate stunts caught on camera, NekNomination videos excel in all of these categories. These larger networks breed more peer pressure, which in turn leads to more careless behaviour. They become indisputable social proof that outlandish acts can be someone’s ticket to Internet superstardom.
In fairness, these platforms enable us to connect with others beyond all boundaries as well as exchange information and ideas. Unquestionably, the content shared on social media is not always cringe-worthy. Instead of condemning social media together, I prefer to highlight the astounding sharpness of its double-edged sword: empowering and destructive.
However, these online drinking binges have me wondering if the former outweighs the latter.
