Matt Damon in “The Informant!”: charmingly odd
The Steven Soderbergh movie mafia rolls on with his quirky industrial thriller “The Informant!” Like the “Insider” with laughs, the film focuses on the cutthroat world of corporate...
Michael Caine as “Harry Brown”: drugs, thugs and Daily Mail fantasy
Michael Caine is Harry Brown. The opening credits tell us so. No fanfare, no explosion, just simple fact: Michael Caine is Harry Brown. This is a statement of intent from the filmmakers. They know...
Why do we need Transgender Day of Remembrance? Well…
If you’ve been perusing my home blog and other transgender-themed blogs across the Internet recently, you may have noticed the TDOR acronym pop up, and wondered what it means. TDOR stands for the...
“Survivor Samoa” episode IX: immunity means life
The last episode of "Survivor Samoa" ended with a vicious blindside when the newly merged tribe voted out Erik. It was the first time this season that the women have gone on the offensive after being...
From Guyana to Canada: police violence can be a class issue
From Rodney King to Sean Bell, violence is often understood in racial terms because it is the most readily visible marginalization. Many North Americans believe the myth that everyone is middle class...
Looking back: Michael Caine and the England of “Get Carter”
With the recent release of "Harry Brown" in the UK, Mark Farnsworth is taking a look back at the classic Michael Caine revenge film: "Get Carter." Launched like a British Rail heat-seeking missile,...
Climate change: the road to hell is paved with… well, you know
The 350 protests of October 24 have passed, and in the weeks that follow, we must remember why they occurred in the first place. This action sought to bring attention to the fact that carbon dioxide...
The time to hesitate is through: female sexuality in the age of Stupak
“Do I dare/Disturb the universe?/In a minute there is time/For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.” -T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Lines from this poem, this...
“Protektor”: of Nazis and Faustian bargains
Marek Najbrt’s superior Second World War drama begins with a crisp montage of bicycle chains, spokes and gears. A pedal powered score wheels the audience into 1942 and the aftermath of the...
“Nowhere Boy”: not lovable, but definitely all Lennon
The subtle beauty of “Nowhere Boy” has to do with how it works on so many levels at once. Are you a Beatles or a Stones fan? Who was your favourite Beatle, John or Paul? Do you think John was a...