TV SHOWS 1. The Queen’s Gambit Netflix’s smash-hit scripted limited series follows Beth Harmon, an enigmatic chess prodigy. The twist? Harmon has had a tranquilizer addiction since she was child, a plot point that carries both her chess career and the binge-worthy nature of the show itself. 2. Normal People[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
COVEN brings the witching hour to Twitch
In March of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic locked down the world. As a result, eight months later on Nov. 28, I found myself standing alone in my room and being sworn into the COVEN by two drag queens on Twitch. “We are a coven. We are here to support each[Read More…]
The Booker Prize turns a new page
The debate over acceptance into the English literary canon grows livelier with each new publication. For some, the canon is a tradition—a members-only club seeking to promote the same trite stories over those centring women, people of colour, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, among other marginalized groups. But the increasing prominence of[Read More…]
‘Happiest Season’ is a serious but sweet Christmas romance
Although Netflix and the Hallmark Channel may have separate monopolies on the GBCM (Good/Bad Christmas Movie), it goes without saying that camp fests like the Christmas Prince trilogy and the Princess Switch movies are not every viewer’s cup of tea. However, Hulu’s newest release, Happiest Season, is more in line with the[Read More…]
Destiel sings its swan song
Over 15 unrelenting seasons, Supernatural has developed a remarkably devoted and persistent fandom. The show follows brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester, along with the angel Castiel (Misha Collins), as they protect middle-class Americans from mythical monsters while defying death at every turn. Castiel joined the Winchesters in[Read More…]
Margaret Atwood and Lorna Crozier discuss cats, poetry, and widowhood
On Nov. 19, esteemed Canadian poets Margaret Atwood and Lorna Crozier read from and discussed Atwood’s new poetry collection, Dearly: Poems, and Crozier’s autobiography, Through the Garden: A Love Story (with Cats). Broadcast over Zoom through Montreal-based bookstore Drawn & Quarterly, the two writers discussed cats, deceased husbands and poetry’s[Read More…]
Taylor Swift will never ever be silenced, like ever
When news broke in summer 2019 that Taylor Swift’s former label, Big Machine Records, was sold to Scooter Braun, Swift and her legions of fans publicly expressed their outrage over the distribution of her work. For approximately $300 million USD, Braun had bought the master recordings of her first six[Read More…]
‘Approximately Close’ evokes the magic of in-person performances
On Nov. 19, Ballets Jazz Montreal dance company performed Approximately Close—Quand le temps n’est presque plus, choreographed by Ermanno Sbezzo. The performance allowed dancers to express themselves safely during a disappointing season. In the midst of the pandemic, online performances have struggled to recreate the magic of set designs, costuming,[Read More…]
‘Dash & Lily’ is a blooming love story with a splash of Christmas spirit
Imagine you’re in New York City during Christmas. The streets are streaked with bright lights, festive carolers, buzzing street markets, and fluffy, white snow. You enter the Strand Bookstore to escape the winter chill, and inside, you spot a red leather notebook, tucked away near J.D. Salinger’s works. Do you[Read More…]
Our friend, Alex Trebek
Every weekday at 7:30 p.m., Jeopardy!’s title credits flash across the television screen. Three contestants and a family friend walk out onto the floor to an enticing crescendo, their names announced by legendary narrator, Johnny Gilbert, as they receive a well-deserved standing ovation from the studio and at-home audiences. Half[Read More…]
