Collected Data
"It is an outlandish, compelling tale, mainly because it is a series of circles within circles."
At the heart of the story is a man trapped in circles of hell, inside a circumstance not of his own making. Freedom is within his grasp and then disappears because of the actions of others. (Canada's then-minister of foreign affairs, John Baird, made a grave error in the Fahmy case.) Fahmy's frustration mounted and, today, living in Vancouver, it still seethes. That's why he's "half-free." His energy now is directed at helping the families of the wrongfully imprisoned and ceaselessly talking about the number of journalists who are in jail around the world for doing their jobs.
Mohamed Fahmy’s story – trapped in several circles of hell
Watch “Mohamed Fahmy: Half Free” at 9pm on Sunday Oct 01 on CBC.
"As much as this is an exhibition of Marlene Yuen’s creative output, it is also a lovely demonstration of how an artistic practice can facilitate a larger function"
There is a matter-of-fact quality to these histories. The tragedies and injustices are never amplified for dramatic affect as much as they are calmly, soberly pointed out. Victorious moments are also quietly delivered: such as that of women like Jean Lumb, whose activism helped reform Canada’s severe immigration laws and who became the first Chinese Canadian woman to earn the Order of Canada or Mary Ko Bong, a jazz performer and fine instrument mechanic trained in Hamilton.
The stories range from a salmon canning factory in B.C., to a lunch counter in Alberta, to a Chinese laundry on John Street in Hamilton, to the systemic exploitation of Chinese workers who mined tunnels through 13 mountains during the construction of the Trans-Canada railway. Taken together, there emerges a troubling pattern wherein Chinese immigrants are dehumanized by arduous, impoverished work, only to endure a second dehumanization when those jobs are mechanized, modernized, or unrecognized. Finding a way to thrive or even survive within these conditions is correctly constituted as heroism by Yuen.
Marlene Yuen | After Gold Mountain: Selected Stories of Chinese Labourers in Canada
"Listening to The Ramones mono version on vinyl is like placing your head against the band’s collective chest: You can hear the heartbeat of the music. And it pounds!"
Marc Campbell;
There will be plenty written about The Ramones 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. As someone who was there in the beginning of what was to become known as punk rock, it is impossible for me to be objective about the scene and how it altered my life. Writing about The Ramones dispassionately would be like dropping acid and Thorazine at the same time. What’s the point?
the heart and the soul of the package: a newly re-mixed and mastered mono version on 180 gram vinyl. This splendid mono release was produced by the album’s original producer Craig Leon at Abbey Road studios. Mixed from the original analog master tape, the record has a presence, a melt-your-faceness that will hit you like a tuning fork struck by the hand of God.
BACK TO MONO: THE RAMONES’ DEBUT ALBUM IS 40 YEARS OLD AND IT’S THE BEST RELEASE OF 2016
The mono mix is incredible.
"One hopes that having thoroughly dredged that particular well for all possible returns, the next Star Wars installment may go looking for this franchise's future instead of safely dwelling in its past."
This levity makes it difficult to find too much fault in the film even when it exists less as a meaningful extension of its world than as a fan-service deployment device, in part because every eye roll-worthy moment (another Death Star to destroy?) is preempted by the film's own built-in eye-roll response gag (”...but bigger!”). Also because its affectionate call-backs are doled out with such underlying competence, from the fleet narrative's clean, three-act structure, to the convincingly deployed iconic visual grammar of wipes and agile dolly shots, to the strength of the performances.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
This review by Sam C Mac is very much in line with my feelings about the film. In short; it’s a very well made fan film. I liked it. I might go see it again. It’s the best non-Mad Max sequel of the year, easily better than Avengers Age of Ultron and Spectre.
But’s not a great Star Wars film.
The Prequels biggest fault was the lack of any attachment to character. This film cures that. The new cast is strong and after seeing the film, I am curious enough to see what happens that I will go see the next one.
But what The Force Awakens lacks is imagination. As someone who grew up pretending to live in the world of the original trilogy, it saddens me that this new film couldn’t even muster one new idea. Each film in the original trilogy showed us something we have never seen before. Hate the Prequels all you want but they were filled with new ideas. The Force Awakens best idea; a bigger Death Star. It’s pathetic. Seriously, it’s pathetic.
Much in the Prequels was soul crushing, but they also contained a few scenes that were brilliant. The Force Awakens is very even; nothing is horrible but also nothing is great. I’m sure it averages out as being ‘better’ but it’s still just average. I’d rather a film with flashes of brilliance than one that plays it safe.
The Force Awakens is very safe.
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