There is more space on Warpaint’s latest, self-titled album than on their previous release, The Fool and Exquisite Corpse. Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante—who mixed and mastered Warpaint’s debut EP—is replaced by Flood and Nigel Godrich, who handle most of the technical duties this time.
There is also less angst, which is replaced by ambiance. All songs roll in with hypnotic syncopation; haunting vocal harmonies weave in and out as washed guitar sounds come loose, like velvety ribbons untied from a corset. Indicative of Warpaint’s piecemeal song-writing approach, each song on the album surprises with multiple unique, unexpected arrangements. In typical style, each part flows seamlessly as drummer Stella Mozgawa and bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg sustain tight, swelling rhythms.
New synth layers bring continuity to tracks like “Tease,” “Drive,” and “Biggy.” “Feeling Alright” is reminiscent of Warpaint’s original vibe as its vocal and guitar melodies play off one another. The pre-album single “Love Is to Die” blends these old and new sounds with a chorus that hangs in the air with question.
Warpaint’s intriguing dynamic and innate ability to control the flow of tension and release in their music are intact on The Fool and Exquisite Corpse. The album creates a sonic atmosphere that is only magnified in their live shows, in which the band is known to bring presence, attitude, and even hugs for their fans.
Already giving up on that New Year’s resolution of eating healthier? With school getting back into full-swing, it’s harder to find the time to cook, and soon our meals will consist of Kraft Dinner and frozen pizza. Luckily, there is a solution—quinoa. Quick, easy, gluten free, high in protein, and low in calories, quinoa has been called the new super-food. With a preparation time of only approximately 15 minutes, what’s not to love? So before you throw in the towel on healthy eating, give these recipes a try.
Greek quinoa salad
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
Everyone’s favourite Greek salad with a fresh twist.
Ingredients:
10-15 cherry tomatoes
(Photo courtesy of Two Peas and their Pod)
¼ medium-sized cucumber
½ cup feta cheese
½ small onion
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup uncooked quinoa
Instructions:
1. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.
2. Chop vegetables into small cubes.
3. Mix quinoa, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and cucumber with the olive oil.
4. Top with salt and pepper as desired.
5. Serve cold.
Apple, chicken, goat cheese quinoa salad
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
Hints of orange juice and maple syrup make this dish perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Ingredients:
½ chicken breast
(Photo courtesy of Cupcake Muffin)
1 red apple, thinly sliced
¼ cup goat cheese
¼ cup uncooked quinoa
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp orange juice
Instructions:
1. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.
2. Cut chicken breast into one-inch cubes and sauté in olive oil on medium-low heat until cooked all the way through.
3. Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and maple syrup.
4. Crumble goat cheese into quinoa and add chicken, apple, and dressing.
5. Serve warm or cold.
High protein quinoa salad
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
Rich in protein, this flavourful Mexican-inspired salad is ideal for a post-workout meal.
Ingredients:
10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
(Photo courtesy of Once Upon a Cutting Board)
1 cup black beans
1 cup canned corn
1 medium sized avocado, cubed
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
1. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.
2. Mix avocado, tomatoes, corn, and beans into quinoa.
3. Gently mix in olive oil and lime juice.
4. Top with salt and pepper as desired.
5. Serve cold.
Grilled shrimp quinoa
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 2
The combination of shrimp, lemon, and garlic is a long-time favourite. When added to some quinoa—voilà—the perfect warm winter meal!
Ingredients:
15-20 medium sized peeled shrimps
(Photo courtesy of Table for Two)
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Fresh dill
¼ cup uncooked quinoa
Instructions:
1. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.
2. Sauté shrimps in a pan with olive oil and garlic on medium heat until pink.
3. Add quinoa and fry for approximately 30 seconds.
4. Garnish with lemon and dill.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve warm.
Colourful quinoa oatmeal cookies
Adapted from Canadian Living
Prep time: 50 minutes
Makes 65 cookies
Quinoa, with its nutty flavour, puts an exciting and healthy spin on traditional oatmeal cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
(Photo courtesy of Two Peas and their Pod)
1½ cups brown or white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1½ cups rolled oats
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M’s
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350º F.
2. Cook quinoa as per package instructions.
3. In a bowl, mix together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
4. Whisk flour, salt, baking soda, oats, quinoa, chocolate chips, and M&M’s in a separate bowl and add into butter mixture.
5. Use a teaspoon to drop small balls of batter onto parchment paper.
I’ll admit it, I underestimated the Internet meme. Like most young adults of my generation, I’ve spent hours upon hours cheerfully observing the various online phenomena du jour. From Lolcats to the Harlem Shake and everything in between, I’ve watched meme culture—enabled by the rapid technological advancements of the last decade—blossom into a procrastination-inducing juggernaut that not even the creator of the Hampster Dance could have imagined in his wildest, pixelated dreams. But until very recently, I wasn’t taking internet memes as seriously as I should have been. Let me explain.
Last week, I came across an article, “Dogecoin-Funded Efforts to Send the Jamaican Bobsled Team to Sochi.” As the article went on to explain, Dogecoin is an Internet cryptocurrency similar to Bitcoin and inspired by the viral photo meme of a Shiba Inu dog—or “doge” as it’s intentionally misspelled—surrounded by short phrases in Comic Sans font meant to represent internal monologue. Its founder—and Cool Runnings-lover—Liam Butler launched Dogesled, a crowdsourcing effort that put out Doge-bobsled hybrid images on the Internet in hopes of raising enough funds to get Jamaica’s two-man bobsled team to the Winter Olympic Games. As of Monday, Dogesled had reportedly raised over $34,000 of real money largely thanks to Dogecoin.
My mind was blown. You’re telling me that a silly dog picture trend led to the creation of a virtual currency—one that sounds less legitimate than a Neopoint—and is somehow on the verge of making a significant financial contribution to a cause? It didn’t make sense; but the more I thought about it, it did.
We now live in a time where the Internet governs much of our activity on a day-to-day basis. Whether we’re making transactions, receiving our news, or absorbing mindless entertainment, it had given us a forum for expression of media and other visual content that real-life interactions don’t always offer.
The meme is a model first introduced by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976). Derived from the Greek term mimeme, it’s a term for describing how social behaviour and ideas spread through imitation. Internet memes operate under the same principle: they refer to anything that transmits itself through the Internet and offers some kind of imitable concept.
A common misconception is that memes only refer to photos; classics like “Bad-Luck Brian,” “Scumbag Steve,” “Willy Wonka,” and even the “Lower-Field McGill Meme” come to mind at the mention of the word. However, memes also encompass viral videos, GIFs, hashtags, and intentionally misspelled words like “pwn” and “teh.” Sometimes, a meme like “Tebowing, “which refers to Tim Tebow’s iconic stance where he kneels on one knee and rests his head on a single clenched fist, can function as both an Internet meme and a real-life action.
As the borders between cyberspace and reality become increasingly blurred, stories like the success of Dogesled should become less and less surprising. Even more subtle behaviour, such as the adoption of instant messaging phrases like “brb” and “ttyl” into conversation, show that people are adopting an internet consciousness. So this evening, when the President of the United States gives his State of the Union address, don’t be surprised if a “Barack Dogebama” meme goes viral afterwards, captioned with all of his key points scattered across the image in misspelled Comic Sans font.
Just months after the release of his sophomore album Born Sinner, Roc Nation artist J. Cole hit the stage at Montreal’s Metropolis on Jan. 23. With his work held in high regard by many rap legends, Cole backed up the hype with his performance, and made every minute of waiting outside in Montreal’s dreadfully cold weather well worth it.
When he stepped into the limelight after Dreamville label mates and rappers Bas and OMEN warmed up the crowd, one thing was clear: two years without a live performance from J. Cole was definitely too long for Montrealers to bear. The band played some mid-tempo music, J. Cole took centre stage, and the crowd went wild.
“I go to some cities, look around, and think I’m almost Jay Z. But then I go to other places and think I’m almost J-Kwon. No offence, but remember him? Tonight definitely feels a lot like Jay Z,” he said responding to the roaring ‘fandemonium’ within the crowd.
J. Cole’s talent has been evident since the drop of his first mix tape, The Come Up, back in in 2007; however, his first studio album, The Side Line Story (2011), was the one to shoot him to ‘superstardom.’ With his reputation now solidified as one of hip-hop’s leading men, J. Cole has created a long list accolades for himself—most notably, having his highly acclaimed sophomore album Born Sinner, outsell Kanye West’s Yeezus by an approximate 30,000 copies. Both albums were released on the same day.
“We’re all friends in here, more like a family,” he told the audience as he thanked his fans for joining him on his journey to success.
With a cult-like following, it was no surprise that most fans in the jam-packed venue knew all the words to every song. The rapper opened up with bangers such as “Blow Up,” “Forbidden Fruit,” and “Trouble”; but once he started reciting the bars to “Nobody’s Perfect,” it was obvious J. Cole had every intention of delivering an unforgettable performance from beginning to encore.
He also made sure to give the audience a taste of mainstream hits such as “Work Out” and self-esteem anthem “Crooked Smile.” However, the crowd was surprisingly more interested in some of the artist’s more obscure tracks. Scouring the audience for special requests, he decided to perform a few of the peoples’ choices. While my favorite, the lyrically enchanting “Let Nas Down,” was not played, he catered to fan favorites such as the emotionally fuelled “Lost Ones,” “Dollar and a Dream 2,” and “Lights Please.”
Behind Cole stood his backing band, who were instrumental to the show. Making sure each member had their moments to shine, he introduced his drummer, pianist, and backup singers one by one. While all were very talented, the spotlight seemed to shine naturally on the extremely skilled electric guitarist, and master of the turntables, DJ Dummy. It was obvious J. Cole was in good company.
After an approximate two hours on stage, and the occasional sip of Hennessey, J. Cole ended the show with chart-topping single “Power Trip.” Featuring Miguel, the track was nominated for Best Sung/Rap Collaboration at this year’s Grammy Awards. In a room filled with an audience singing to Miguel’s dazing chorus, and rapping along with J. Cole, he left the venue with everyone wanting more.
“Until next time, Montreal,” he said while waving goodbye. Long gone are the days where he walked on the streets of New York wearing a shirt that read “Produce for Jay Z or die tryin’.” A protégé of the aforementioned hip-hop legend and the first signee to his Roc Nation label, one thing is certain: Yes, this guy is, in fact, almost Jay Z.
Apps are transforming the world. If 10 years ago was the dotcom boom; today is the app boom. Being up to date with apps is especially important from a university perspective for two reasons. First, we need to find a job upon graduation. Apps can improve the processes of an industry, making it important to work somewhere that’s adapting effectively in the new technological environment. Second, it’s our generation that’s doing the innovating. We’ve grown up with technology that’s changing constantly and we see the world differently than our parents. Our generation has come to expect and embrace technological change, and has taken it upon itself to make that change.
It’s no surprise that the teams behind the most revolutionary apps today are young, innovative thinkers. Dating is a perfect example that resonates at McGill and universities across the world. Filling out a detailed online profile to sign up for a dating site is a thing of the past. Sean Rad, the CEO of Tinder, redefined online dating after introducing a “hot or not” swipe that eliminates the need to agonize over writing a profile. As Rad explained in an interview with TechCrunch, the ultimate goal for Tinder is “to overcome every single problem you have when it comes to making a new relationship.” Sean Rad is 27. His idea was to simplify meeting people.
The examples are everywhere. Evan Spiegel is 23 and co-founded Snapchat with Robert Murphy, 24. Spiegel’s idea was to simplify image exchanges. Instagram is headed by co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger who are only 30 and 27, respectively. Their idea was to simplify sharing photos. Tumblr’s CEO, David Karp, is 27, and, Mark Zuckerberg was 20 when he launched thefacebook (now Facebook). Both have simplified our digital lives. Additionally, It’s university students who are making the most useful tech innovations. We’re surrounded with opportunities, not the mundaneness of the same view at the same desk every day.
In 2011, Conor Clarke came up with the idea to create a social network for music and founded Wavo. His idea simplifies the demo submissions process for major record labels, as well as the process of finding new music for music lovers. Over the past two years, Wavo has carved out a niche in the music app market. In fact, McGill and Effusion acappella alumni, Jordan Benjamin (who’s recording under the name Benj) began recording music in Los Angeles this semester after his music was discovered on Wavo by a music management agency.
Another innovative tech app coming out of McGill that’s about to be released for iOS is Modde, branded as “the fashion app.” It’s based in Montreal and is co-founded by McGill’s own AJ Ostrow and Artur Minacov, with a team of young entrepreneurs. Modde connects fashion lovers and simplifies the designing process of clothes for fashion brands.
As students, let’s continue simplifying our lives with new apps. Let’s keep changing the world, one app at a time.
Full Disclosure: Michael Gord contributes to the music charts of Wavo, one of the apps discussed in this article.
One of the lesser-known bands under the post-rock genre, Mogwai has recently released their eighth LP, Rave Tapes. Perhaps unlikely to garner many new fans unfamiliar with their experimental tastes, the album is a testament to the band’s evolution into a progressively more electronic sound—and the synths serve them well.
The opening track, “Heard About You Last Night,” gradually eases listeners into the album with chimey synths dotted over more familiar guitar riffs. The real standouts from the album are “Remurdered” and “No Medicine for Regret,” each heavily adorned with catchy motifs. Easily the most memorable song on the album, “Remurdered” would make the perfect backing to a 1980s sci-fi film, with the real action coming into play halfway through this lengthy six-minute track.
While the spoken-word track “Repelish” might not be music to all ears, it features a dialogue on the Satanic implications behind Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” backed by instrumentation that drones along with the speaker.
Although Mogwai is known for their slow-burning progressions, they’ve evidently also burned out by their last song, “The Lord is Out of Control.” At times, vocoded vocals fade in and out of the electronic backing, making it unremarkable and yet too robotic and unnatural to be ignored.
It’s clear that even after 19 years, Mogwai is still true to its experimental roots, incorporating new elements and reinventing older material, with Rave Tapes happening to strike a balance between the two.
Last week the Regroupement des étudiants de maîtrise, diplôme et doctorat (REMDUS), the postgraduate student association of the Université de Sherbrooke, took the initial step towards leaving the Table de concertation étudiante du Québec (TaCEQ), a provincial federation of student associations of which the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is currently also a member.
SSMU has had a turbulent relationship with the organization for most of TaCEQ’s five-year existence, and there have been questions as to whether the organization is worth the $17,000 our student association is paying this year to the federation—questions that have intensified in the wake of a Tribune investigation into the organization this past October. In an editorial at the time (See Oct. 29: “TaCEQ a waste of SSMU funds”), we expressed some uncertainty as to the course of action that should be taken; recent events have brought clarity to the situation.
Our issues with TaCEQ have been previously documented, but there is value in summarizing them here. Since its founding in 2009, TaCEQ has been only a marginal player in just about every student-related political issue in the province. A big part of this irrelevance has been the federation’s inability to achieve official provincial recognition, which requires having four different associations on four different campuses (two of TaCEQ’s organizations are from the University of Laval).
This lack of official status deprives TaCEQ of additional government subsidies and influence compared to other federations of student associations. Additionally, its highly decentralized structure—each member can veto initiatives—makes it harder for the federation to work towards common goals. Lastly, linguistic tensions—the other three student unions in TaCEQ are from francophone universities—have hampered the efficiency of the federation. REMDUS, according to accounts from current and former SSMU VPs External Sam Harris and Robin Reid-Fraser, respectively, was the association with which SSMU had the most productive relationship. With its departure, SSMU risks being left in the lurch of a fast-sinking, expensive ship.
So what should SSMU do now? As a first step, and in light of the ongoing issues with TaCEQ, SSMU Council should take the time to reflect on the implications of leaving TaCEQ; while the organization right now adds little value, being completely unaffiliated may present its own set of problems. The clearest path would be to initiate a referendum to withdraw from the federation. These referenda can be either student or Council initiated; student initiated referenda require 500 signatures to get on the ballot.
One of the many reasons why SSMU has had trouble staying in a single federation is because of the unique position McGill is in—that of an English-speaking university that draws a very high proportion of out-of-province students. This position places it at a disadvantage in allying with other student groups; McGill has notably different needs and resources from its provincial brethren, and often has been ill-served by the other federations. In the past, SSMU has been an ‘on and off’ member of the larger Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec (FEUQ). One of its more high-profile departures from the organization stemmed from a dispute over its stance on the 1995 referendum for Quebec to separate from Canada; SSMU abstained from supporting FEUQ’s resolution in support of separation, but was listed on FEUQ’s resolution anyway. However, the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) is currently part of the FEUQ, and seems to have had fewer issues.
The question of TaCEQ is one that demands immediate action from the SSMU executive. While some evaluation needs to go into looking at alternative avenues for advocacy at the provincial and national level, it is clear that the status quo with TaCEQ is now untenable. SSMU’s membership is no longer to its own benefit, or to that of the student body it serves.
If you’ve ever rented an apartment, you have likely dealt with a leaky faucet, burst pipes, busted heater—the list could surely go on. As students begin giving up and picking up leases, winter is a good time to discuss information on a tenant’s rights and obligations under Quebec law when dealing with pesky repairs in a rental apartment.
Who is responsible for repairs?
The law in Quebec states that lesser maintenance repairs of a dwelling are the responsibility of the tenant; however, the tenant is not responsible for repairs that result from the normal aging of the property. The tenant must also maintain the rental dwelling in clean condition and, at the end of the lease, the tenant must return the dwelling in the same condition in which it was received (notwithstanding changes that result from aging or fair wear and tear). This obligation may require the tenant to complete some work or repairs.
Anything other than lesser maintenance repairs are the responsibility of the landlord. The law also binds the landlord to make all “necessary” repairs to the property during the term of the lease—not necessarily any and all repairs that the tenant requests. The lease itself may outline other repairs the landlord has agreed to make.
The Régie du logement
When a landlord and tenant are unable to resolve a dispute, either side may file an application at the Régie du logement, the specialized tribunal that handles issues arising from residential leases. The Régie operates like a court in that a hearing is held before a commissioner who listens to all of the evidence, witnesses, and arguments of both parties before making a decision.
Notifying the landlord
The tenant is responsible for informing the landlord of any serious problems with the dwelling within a reasonable time. The Régie recommends that tenants deliver notices with proof of receipt, such as by registered mail or person-to-person with confirmation. The Régie also recommends that tenants keep a copy of any written notices they have sent and keep track of dates and times of phone calls.
Allowing the repairs to be carried out
The law requires that the landlord provides a notice of his or her intention to carry out work 24-hours ahead of time, and the tenant can deny the landlord access to do so between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. In the event that the work is urgent, these requirements do not apply.
When the landlord does not respond or does not act to carry out the repairs
When the landlord fails to carry out repairs while he or she legally required to do so, the tenant can apply to the Régie for authorization to go ahead and carry out the repairs. If the Régie agrees with the tenant, it will set conditions and maximum monetary amount that can be spent on repairs, which are later deducted from the rent.
The “urgent and necessary repairs” standard
The law allows for an additional option where the repairs in question are considered “urgent and necessary,” and is only available where the repairs are required to “ensure the preservation or enjoyment of the leased property.” The Régie calls this an “exceptional measure” and urges tenants to exercise great caution in applying it. This recourse allows the tenant to undertake repairs or incur expenses without the Régie’s authorization. The tenant has to have informed—or attempted to inform—the landlord, but the landlord has not acted in due course. The landlord can intervene at any time to continue and complete the work, and the tenant can be reimbursed only for the reasonable expenses incurred.
What constitutes “urgent and necessary” is vague, since the law does not specify it, nor what are considered reasonable expenses. It is possible that the tenant, the landlord, and the Régie will not agree on what is “urgent and necessary,” but the Régie provides some useful examples on its website www.rdl.gouv.qc.ca.
The above information is of a general nature, and is not a legal opinion or legal advice. If you require legal advice, the Legal Information Clinic at McGill can assist you with referrals. To obtain free legal information on a specific question, you can call or come by the office to make an appointment, located on the main floor of the SSMU Building.
Despite not knowing any good jokes off-hand, U3 Arts student Joey Haar considers himself to be a budding comedic writer. When he’s not working on completing his English major, he’s writing, creating, and editing videos as the series producer for TVMcGill Student Television (TVM).
TVM, McGill’s channel for student-run television and film media, offers a wide variety of video content. Initially a movie-making club in the 1990’s, TVM became one of SSMU’s official media outlets in 2001 and now covers everything from current news events to prank videos.
Haar’s work with TVM is helping to further his aspirations for his future career.
“I like TV shows, and that’s what I’d like to create, more than I would [want to] write a film,” Haar said. “Right now what I’m looking at is trying to find a way to get into TV writing.“
Having first been introduced to TVM at the end of his second year through a friend who was producing a series at the time, Haar became involved in the club in his third year. He was initially attracted to the idea of being able to write his own video content.
“My interests were [in] writing more than anything else,” he said. “I’m a writer at heart all the way through, so the writing process is definitely my favourite part [….] It’s all very creative and interesting.”
As the series producer, Haar oversees the production of all video content within the “series” category, in addition to coming up with new ideas for projects.
“I’m in charge of my own personal series that I’m doing [called Bits], as well as making sure the other series of my associates get made,” he said. “So they’re checking in with me and making sure that everything runs smoothly.”
According to Haar, creating these videos requires dedication and planning from start to finish.
“I spent all of last semester doing my shooting, so I was taking out equipment all the time and getting my actors together,” he said. “This semester, I’m in post-production so I’m going to just be sitting in the office staring at a computer for hours and hours at a time, but it’s fun!”
Haar’s talent isn’t restricted to the small screen; currently, he is also involved with the live comedy troupe, Bring Your own Juice, which puts out new sketch videos through the TVM website and also performs two live shows a year.
“Last semester I did writing for them and this semester I’m going to write and perform in the show,” he said.
Outside of TVM, Haar occasionally does stand-up comedy, which will be integrated into his series along with other short sketches.
He began doing stand-up after second year having watched a few live shows.
“After I saw it, I thought ‘How hard could that really be?’ Turns out it’s like, really, really insanely hard,” Haar said.
“It’s challenging, it keeps you on your toes, it keeps you interested…mentally [….] It’s like an addictive drug-type experience; you go up on stage and you make people laugh and adrenaline just runs.”
What is the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?
Probably a pizza. Realistically, it’s going to be something low-key.
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
The old, big maid from Gone With the Wind.
Breakfast food or dinner food?
Dinner food because it’s pretty much any food except breakfast food, so you have more options.
If you had a theme song that played whenever you walked into a room, what would it be?
My bar mitzvah [torah reading], performed by me at 13 years old.
Flowers in the Attic, the made-for-TV movie adaptation of the eponymously titled novel that premiered on Lifetime Network last weekend, resembles a mash-up of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the most disturbing rendition of The Little Red Riding Hood you can imagine. The plot, originally penned by V.C. Andrews and published in 1979, is relentlessly sad because of themes such as disturbed families, destructive cycles, and damaging childhoods—and the movie was just as difficult to get through as the book.
For better or for worse, the movie is very true to Andrews’ novel. It has a jumpy, fast-paced quality, likely the result of translating the 600-page cube of a novel into film. Similarly, the writing of the book is simple, bare, and plot-based; both the book and film place more emphasis on story than style.
The movie’s lack of artistry shows up in many elements; the acting is poor, the cinematography ordinary, and the characters are all stock stereotypes. There is the disapproving mother and the unforgiving daughter, the young man who falls victim to his sexual desires, and the complaining twin toddlers. Nor is the soundtrack redeeming—every musical accompaniment is an eerie piano song that sounds like a carbon copy of the previous one.
The filmmakers had to grapple with translating a highly controversial book into the sensitive environment of present-day media. After its publication, Andrews’ novel was banned unanimously across North American schools for its depiction of incest. Today, most of these bans have been lifted.
In re-creating the story, the filmmakers make some interesting choices with regard to theme and plot. For example, the book’s protagonist Cathy (Kiernan Shipka) often shames her mother for going out and getting a career—typing of course, as it was one of the first accepted careers for women in North America—instead of taking care of her children. In the movie, Cathy’s mother (Heather Graham) doesn’t have a job at all, and instead seduces her father’s rich attorney as an attempt to come into even more money than her father’s will would give her.
The movie includes the novel’s frequent mention of the inherent goodness in a family name, which relates to the idea of being born into privilege and the ‘natural’ superiority of some people over others. Christopher (Mason Dye), the older brother, is known to say—in both print and on film—“We’re Dollangangers, we’ll be happy forever.” His comment, along with the frequent cinematic focus on the family’s blond hair, beauty, and wealth, may strike the audience as being classist and racist. In the movie uniquely, Christopher adds “We’ll be fine, we’re the Foxworths,” after he learns that his mother has been lying about his family name and history. This added comment showcases and mocks Christopher’s blind faith in his slew of privileges by birthright. The creators of the film would like to remind us that there is no basis for Christopher’s feelings of superiority; rather he carries them to whichever family line to which he thinks he belongs.
The filmmaker unabashedly brings out the Christian overtones of the book. In both film and text, the grandmother’s rules for her grandchildren’s conduct remind us of the Ten Commandments in their rigidity. They all centre around not engaging in incest, yet she forces her grandchildren closer and closer to it by constantly accusing them of being dirty, and locking them up together so that the act seems almost inevitable when do they commit it. In both renditions of this story, Christianity is put under a doubtful lens, its members portrayed as cruel and destructive.
This movie seems to be a collage of literary, cinematic, religious, and cultural traditions, with an off-the-wall plot portrayed in a plain style very similar to that of Andrews’ novel. If there is a message to this movie, it seems lost among the agglomeration of heavy themes and racing plot lines.
