Political newscasts are often reduced to a ratings game in which clicks and views spur profits. Recent popular programs consist mainly of sensationalist clips that further their political agendas. Whether it be alternative sources like PragerU or The Majority Report that “stick it to the libs,” or mainstream outlets like[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
Stephanie Dinkins revolutionizes fine art and artificial intelligence
On March 17, transmedia artist Stephanie Dinkins presented her work at a virtual talk hosted by the Feminist and Accessible Publishing, Communications, and Technologies speaker series. Dinkins, a professor at Stony Brook University in New York, spoke on how her art questions the place of artificial intelligence (AI) in our[Read More…]
Round table presents traditional Inuit knowledge in the contemporary world
Broadcasting live from Iqaluit, Nunavut on March 19, Aaju Peter lit and kindled a small fire over a large stone tub of oil as students, professors, and artists witnessed the flame spread. By lighting the qulliq—a traditional oil lamp used by Arctic Indigenous Peoples—Peter commenced Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: Traditional Knowledge in[Read More…]
‘Minari’ waters down the Korean immigrant experience for the white gaze
As a Korean Canadian who immigrated to Canada at age 12, I had high hopes for Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari (2020), touted as a moving immigrant drama that tells the story of growing up Korean in 1980s Arkansas. Since its award-winning world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Minari has drawn immense[Read More…]
‘Kind Words’ promotes compassion and honesty in the gaming community
Video games often receive criticism for promoting toxic communities and hate-filled chats, but Kind Words offers something unique: An environment where gamers can lend a helping hand and seek input from peers. In a time of isolation, this friendly game has become a means of correspondence for thousands of people across[Read More…]
Mile End Ensemble hosts ‘read-in’ protest for S. W. Welch Bookseller
On March 13, approximately 100 people lined up outside S.W. Welch Bookseller to celebrate the survival of the business after its owner, Stephen Welch, had announced its closure, and to protest gentrification in the Mile End neighbourhood. The “read-in” protest was organized by Mile End Ensemble, a group that formed[Read More…]
MMFA lecture examines Riopelle’s Arctic inspiration
On Mar. 10, Roy Ellenwood, a retired professor from York University and translator of Québécois literature, presented “Riopelle and Indigenous Art: The French Connection,” an online lecture with the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA). The presentation, which complemented the exhibit Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures,[Read More…]
In ‘Nomadland,’ there is no such thing as goodbye
It is no secret that the distinct American brand of late-stage capitalism is pushing its working class into even deeper levels of poverty. The exorbitantly high cost of health care and housing, tied with low-yield retirement benefits and a weakened welfare state, has forced many elderly Americans to adopt a[Read More…]
‘It’s A Sin’ breaks your heart—and it should
Gutsier than The Inheritance, gentler than Angels in America, younger than The Normal Heart, crueler than Falsettos, yet more hopeful than 1985: It’s A Sin is a revolutionary depiction of the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic. The historical mini-series created by Russel T. Davies (Doctor Who, Queer As Folk) centres on a[Read More…]
Claire Ridgely discusses her latest EP, ‘Flowers For A Friend’
Having a song stuck in one’s head can be an excruciatingly irritating experience. Yet, over the past month, I have found myself delighting in the fact that Claire Ridgely’s lyrics, “All I ever wanted was a kick of serotonin” have not left my mind. This wildly relatable sentiment—particularly in today’s[Read More…]
