Month: September 2000

By David Kenney

Alt. country outlaw Ryan Adams has something of a rep. The Whiskeytown vocalist admits he’s a "handful" with no regrets, but beyond Adams’ hard-living, rock and roll lifestyle there lies a poetic and sincere 25-year-old full of bar-brawling emotion. "I care enough about rock and roll that I get fucked up but I care enough… Continue reading Drunk and Heartbroken: Ryan Adams

By Nicole Kobie

He builds parts for tanks, crafts knives, wrestles, dresses like a monster and associates with guys named Dr. Chud, Michale Graves and Doyle Von Frankenstein. If that doesn’t scare you off, you’re probably a fiend. No, that’s not an insult. That’s a fan of The Misfits, the image-heavy band machinist Jerry Only founded and for… Continue reading Famous monsters to descend on Ballroom

By Nicole Kobie

The members of Guy Smiley have good reason to smile. The Winnipeg punk band released three critically acclaimed CDs, toured the world, wreaked havoc on Jenny Jones and are sponsored skateboarders. What more could anyone want? While they may have it good now, it hasn’t been an easy trip. Problems with management led the band… Continue reading Smile on, you crazy punkers

By Andrew Ross

The Calgary International Film Festival has a hometown entry in the form of Gary Burns and he steals the show. In his new film waydowntown, the Calgary filmmaker surpasses even the masterful work of Danny Boyle, whose surreal 1996 dramatic comedy, Trainspotting, earned him accolades and critical acclaim worldwide. However, surreal only begins to describe… Continue reading waydowntown is way amazing

By David Kenney

"If you’re easily offended you won’t like Spawn," muses one comic geek in the documentary The Devil You Know. The same could be said about Todd McFarlane. Creator of the immensely popular comic Spawn, McFarlane’s take-no-prisoners, eccentric attitude has riled many. From his adult-suited take on Spider Man to waging war on the comic industry… Continue reading Todd McFarlane spawns documentary

By Jessica Barkwell

If your one regret of the past summer was not spending enough time observing mundane events in a stereotypical small town, then Kent Haruf’s newest novel, Plainsong, is for you. Set in the fictional town of Holt, Colorado, Plainsong follows a group of characters through different daily situations in an attempt to show the complexities… Continue reading Wordiness makes novel just plain boring

By Jen Anthony

This film should be called Two Canadians in Cuba rather than Spirits of Havana, because that’s pretty much what this documentary is about. It follows one of Canada’s leading sax players, Jane Bunnett, as she travels throughout Cuba playing with various local bands and artists. Some compare this movie to its predecessor The Buena Vista… Continue reading Spirits of Havana anything but spirited

By Alex Brown

A voice begins its wordless song and a faceless figure dances across the screen. After five minutes of figures moving to the heartbeat of this ethereal rhythm, a sun sets, leaving behind a wash of fading colour. Viewers are left with the sense that they have reached the beginning. This is precisely what animator Wayne… Continue reading Local animator spices up Calgary film festival