NOW_2014-12-25 by NOW Magazine

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dec 25 2014 - jan 7 2015 issue 1718 vol. 34 nO.17 more Online @ nowtoronto.com 33 independent years

NEW YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EVE PLANNER pa ge 50

2014 the Year in review top 10 lists galore!

environment drink trends top 10 news stories art film

the Best and worst of the style albums Year

restaurants concerts books stage No. 1 album & No. 1 concert

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DECEMBER 25 – JANUARY 7 50 NEW YEAR’S EVE GUIDE ONLINE

CONTENTS

50 All the parties, shows and events ringing in 2015

in review drink trends top 10topenvironment lists stories10artnews galore!film

2014 the Year

the Best and worst of the style albums Year

restaurants concerts books stage

53 STAGE

No. 1 album & No. 1 coNcert

53 Top 10 theatre artists Jordan Tannahill and Alan Dilworth top our list of stage sensations 54 Top 10 theatre productions Of Human Bondage was the best show of 2014 55 Top 10 comedy shows Mark Forward made us laugh the most Top 5 dance shows Kontakthof and La Edad De Oro moved us 56 Theatre listings 57 Comedy/Dance listings

tanya tagaq

10 NEWSFRONT

This week’s top five most-read posts on nowtoronto.com

58 ART

Top 10 shows CounterIntelligence tops the list; Must-see shows

59 BOOKS

Review Us Conductors is a winner Readings

THE WEEK IN TWEETS

10 John Tory speaks T.O.’s new mayor 24 In memoriam A who’s who of those fields tough questions from NOW who left us in the year that was 12 Ford to Ferguson The year’s top 10 26 Ecoholic On the enviro front, 2014’s news stories most notable moments

“That Kim Jong-un is a marketing genius. Now ALL of us want to see #TheInterview. @SonyPictures”

28 DAILY EVENTS 32 LIFE&STYLE

@JAMESBLUNT on the strange tale of

Sony’s cancelling the release of The Interview after the company was hacked and threatened.

32 Ins and outs Artisanal markets soared, fitspiration tanked 38 Astrology Horoscopes for December 25 and January 1

34 FOOD&DRINK

Alice Klein Art

Senior Entertainment Editor Susan G. Cole Senior News Editor Enzo DiMatteo Associate Entertainment Editor/Stage & Film Glenn Sumi Music Editor Carla Gillis Fashion and Design Writer Sabrina Maddeaux Senior Writers Jon Kaplan (Theatre), Norman Wilner (Film) On-line News Writer Ben Spurr Staff News Writer Jonathan Goldsbie Contributors Elizabeth Bromstein, Andrew Dowler, David Jager, Ellie Kirzner, Sarah Parniak, Kevin Ritchie, Wayne Roberts, Adria Vasil Entertainment Administrator Desiree D’Lima Copy Editing/Proofreading Francie Wyland, Fran Schechter, Julia Hoecke, Katarina Ristic

VP, Creative Director Troy Beyer Art Director Stephen Chester Graphic/Web Designer Michelle Wong Photo Coordinator Jeanette Forsythe

Production Director Of Production/IT Greg Lockhart Production Supervisor Sharon Arnott Assistant Production Supervisor Jay Dart Designers Ted Smith, Donna Parrish (Editorial), Clayton Hanmer, Monica Miller Publishing Systems Manager Rudi Garcia Publishing Technology Jason Bartlett

nowtoronto.com Online and Social Media Manager Kate Robertson Interactive Producer Leah Herrera

DECEMBER 25 2014 - JANUARY 7 2015 NOW

GENERAL MANAGER

Pam Stephen

Marketing/Advertising Sales

Phone 416-364-1300 X381 or email advertising@nowtoronto.com Director, Display Advertising Sales Gary Olesinski Research Analyst/Sales Operations Manager Rhonda Loubert Senior Marketing Executives Bill Malcolm, Janice Copeland, Barbara Hefler Marketing Representatives Laura LaBella, Bonte Minnema, Briony Douglas, Elspeth Staniland, Edite Martins Marketing Coordinators Joanne Begg, Stacy Reardon, Jane Stockwell

Classifieds Sales

Phone 416-364-3444 or email classifieds@nowtoronto.com

Crossword Employment Rentals/real estate

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NOW ON THE MOVE Adult classifieds Savage Love

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Audited circulation 104,072 (Oct 10 - Sept 11) ISSN 0712-1326 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 298441.

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Adult Classifieds Sales Phone 416-364-1500 Senior Marketing Executive Beverlee East Marketing Representatives Christian Ismodes, Scott Strachan, Gary McGregor

Promotions

Promotions and Communications Manager Jules Hollett Promotions Administrator Dustin Aceti

Business

Controller Joe Reel Human Resources Manager Beverly Williams Office Manager Brenda Marshall Credit Manager Ray Coules Credit Department Richard Seow, Rui Madureira Accounting Assistant Loga Udayakumar Reception Amy Mech

Circulation

Circulation Supervisor Jill Mather Circulation Assistant Tim Vesely Drivers Ron Duffy, Jennifer Gillmor, Conny Nowe, Dean Crawford, Paul Dakota, Patrick Slimmon, Chris Malcolm, Jason Paris Hoppers Rachel Melas, Lucas Martin, Steve Godbout, Jason Gallop, Ernesto Savini, Scott Bradshaw

Publisher’s Office

Executive Assistant To Editor/CEO And General Manager Scott Nisbet Assistant To Editor/Publisher

NOW is Toronto’s weekly news and entertainment voice, published every Thursday. Entire contents are © 2014 by NOW Communications Inc. NOW and NOW Magazine and the NOW design are protected through trademark registration. NOW is available free of charge in the city of Toronto and selected locations throughout the GTA, limited to one copy per reader. NOW may be distributed only by NOW Communications’ authorized distributors or news agents.

Deborah Egan

Now Communications Inc. Alice Klein Chair/CEO Michael Hollett President/COO David Logan Vice-President Lilein Schaeffer 1921–2010

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189 Church Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1Y7, tel 416-364-1300.

Michael Hollett

FOLLOW NOW ON TWITTER @NOWTORONTO

39 Top 10 albums Tanya Tagaq’s Animism is number one 40 Top 10 concerts Tanya Tagaq’s a double winner, with top concert 42 Top 10 local discs Alvvays snags the top spot 43 Top 10 discs by genre Electronica, pop, rock and beats picks 46 Club & concert listings, Hot Tickets

EDITOR/CEO

@HIPSTEROCRACY on news of the music legend’s death.

60 Top 10 movies Boyhood and Mr. Turner top our critics’ best lists 64 Playing this week

39 MUSIC Contact NOW

“If I knew that Joe Cocker was going to die today I would have called in sick. So many memories of listening to 8-tracks in my dad’s van. RIP.”

60 MOVIES

34 Top 10 new restos Fat Pasha wins 37 Drink Up!’s top trends Rum made the biggest noise this year

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

1. Waterfront mess The Queens Quay revitalization project overspent by nearly 40 per cent. So what went wrong, and should we be mad? 2. Reality check A video by the Broadbent Institute narrated by Ed Broadbent himself reveals that the gap between rich and poor is much wider than Canadians think. 3. Above board? The Toronto Police Association has a habit of going after members of the police board. We highlight its troubling 25-year history. 4. Premier pressure A coalition including NOW’s editor/CEO asks the premier not to enforce the new sex work laws until their constitutionality is tested. 5. Black is the new black Author Dalton Higgins describes why being black is suddenly a surreal experience.

NEW EVE YEAR’S NER PLAN

2the0Ye1ar4 in review environment

top 10topdrin10iesknewstrends lists stor artfilm galore!

the Best and worst of the style albums Year

restaurantsts concer books ge & sta1 album No. No. 1 coNcert

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 CBC Radio Canada, English Communications 250 Front Street West P.O. Box 500, Station “A” Toronto, ON M5W 1E6

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The Sadies

Nothing goes together better than the Sadies, the Horseshoe and NYE (see full NYE guide, page 50). The local twang-rockers ring in 2015 with superb suits, tunes and musicianship. And though there’s a Gord on the bill, it’s Teenage Head’s Gordie Lewis, not Gord Downie, who released a collab LP with the Sadies in April. Surprise guests are typical, though, so you never know. Wednesday (December 31), doors 8:30 pm. $25.50. horseshoetavern.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com.

Daily picks

December 25 – January 7

Thursday 25

Tuesday 30

A lot of movies open today, but make room for Mike Leigh’s absorbing portrait of British painter J.M.W. Turner (a fantastic Timothy Spall), the best of the bunch.

with surprise guests wraps for the year. Dakota Tavern. Doors 8:30 pm. $25. dakotatavern.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com.

Mr. Turner

Friday 26

Sing-a-Long-a Sound Of Music

Don that dirndl and get ready to boo the Nazis. One of our fav’rite things returns to the TIFF Bell Lightbox. $16-$22.75. 416-599-TIFF. December 25 and 28 at 1 pm, December 26 and 27 at 7 pm.

Saturday 27

Solaris Winter Music Festival

Two-day fest includes huge names in electronic music. Skrillex, anyone? Kaskade? $109.50$139.50. Direct Energy Centre. Doors 7 pm, all ages. solarismusicfestival.com. And December 26. Ensemble Polaris The Arctic fusion band bring their unique Nutcracker Nouveau Plus concert to 918 Bathurst. 7:30 pm. $10$25. 416-588-4301, bemusednetwork.com.

Sunday 28

What’s In The Box Festival The third day of the five-day fest has

Galcher Lustwerk, Egyptrixx, Jokers of the Scene, DJ Spinn and Bruce Trail. Drake Underground. 7 pm. $5. thedrake.ca.

Monday 29

Music Of Thelonius Monk Hugh’s Room holds a St. Francis Table

benefit and Monk tribute, with Jane Bunnett, Sophia Perlman, Adrean Farrugia and others. 8:30 pm. $20-$22.50. hughsroom.com.

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

Jason Collett’s Basement Revue The multidisciplinary series

Wednesday 31

New Year’s Eve Comedy Extravaganza Ring in the new year

you can take one home. Open daily except December 25 and January 1. gardinermuseum.on.ca. The Mikado The Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta continues today at the Jane Mallett. 8 pm. $72-$95. torontooperetta.com.

Sunday 4

laughing with headliner Derek Edwards, host Tom Green, comics DeAnne Smith (on our top 10 comedy show list this year), Dave Martin and Kenny Robinson. Massey Hall. $39.50-$69.50. 7:30 pm. masseyhall.com. Lungs The Tarragon’s production of Duncan Macmillan’s funny and moving play about a relationship opens tonight and runs to Jan 25. 8 pm. $37-$52. 416-531-1827.

Alex Colville The survey of the icon’s paintings closes today at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Special admission $16.50-$25. ago.net. Ukraine aid Holiday toy drive and fundraiser for families affected by war in Ukraine ends today. 9 am-5 pm at St. Vladimir’s, 620 Spadina. facebook.com/events/1519712694962368.

Musicians in Ordinary Start 2015 with a baroque New Year’s Day concert at Heliconian Hall. 2 pm. $20-$30. And January 2 at 8 pm. musiciansinordinary.ca.

Danny Michel For School Night Mondays, the Juno-winning Toronto world pop musician plays with his trio and surprise guests. 8 pm. $25. dakotatavern.com, ticketfly.com.

The Woman In Black 2: Angel Of Death This sequel to the

Flower power Christmas flower show till January 11 at Allan

Saturday 3

Wednesday 7

Thursday 1

Monday 5

Friday 2

Tuesday 6

acclaimed ghost story opens today. Good counter-programming for all the awards bait on screens.

Gardens Conservatory. 10 am to 5 pm, with candlelight viewing till 7 pm on weekends. Free. 416-392-7288.

Clare Twomey Last chance to see the haunting Piece By Piece installation featuring thousands of miniature figurines at the Gardiner. $9-$15. On January 4,

Next Stage Theatre Festival The 12-day fest of 10 new indie

shows kicks off tonight at the Factory Theatre. $10-$15. Various times. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. The Book Of Negroes The new miniseries based on Lawrence Hill’s acclaimed historical novel begins tonight on CBCTV. 9 pm. Science for Peace Public health in the nuclear age, with Marcin Kuzniak. 4-6 pm. Free. University College, room 179. scienceforpeace.ca.

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

only go after right-of-centre councillors. There’s no fairness there. Jack Dakasic From nowtoronto.com

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Under the new prostitution law (NOW, December 11-17) you may sell sex but you may not buy sex. You may be a prostitute, but you may not be the client of a prostitute. What prostitute is going to be safe? Is there a more ludicrous and unconstitutional law? Ken Arnott Toronto

HarperCons’ sex stance imbalance

Further to the Bill C-36 article by Alice Klein (NOW, December 11-17). Prostitution is a trade (the oldest one, for that matter) just like teaching, law, sales, nursing or house cleaning, in which people are paid for services offered. To single out and criminalize prostitution instead of providing protection for women involved in the trade shows unbalanced reasoning on the part of the government. NOW should be commended for standing up for the rights of sex trade workers. Rudolf Manook Toronto

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2014-12-15 4:44 PM

Selling sex work short

Letter-writer Katherine Burger asks, “Why should someone have to sell themselves to afford to live freely in our society?” (NOW, December 18-24). She asserts that women “should not have... to eke out an existence in a dark, dangerous work environment.” The sex ads in NOW are placed voluntarily. The advertisers are not selling themselves, merely renting themselves, which is something all employees do. I have done a lot of office work that was horribly tedious, but I accepted the tedium because I needed the income. Most people make compromises of that sort. Sex work has advantages and disadvantages. I’m sure at least some clients are actually enjoyable as sex partners. As for the dark and dangerous environment, a stronger case could be made for banning coal mining than for banning sex work. David Palter Toronto

Sex trade tirade

I watched your CEO, Alice Klein, on CBC being interviewed about your stance on the sex trade (NOW, December 7). I can’t believe how she came across. You are paying her too much. Duh. Fran Sullivan Toronto

Singling out Giorgio Mammoliti?

Re Legal Experts Not Surprised Mammoliti Kept His Job (NOW, December 15). Funny how Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler and Fair Elections Toronto

Blame voters for council’s minority deﬁcit

I agree that immigrants are unfairly under-represented in politics in general (NOW, November 27-December 3), but you have to put much of the blame on voters. After all, the immigrants who all drive cars out in the burbs voted for Ford.

They had an amazing candidate in Olivia Chow, who is a visible minority, who is not rich, supported projects that help newcomers and can actually relate to them. But they chose cars over her. Do voters ever learn? Scotty Robinson Toronto

Discrimination questions

What more glaring example of white privilege is there than a journalist telling people of colour what their problems are and how to solve them? In online photos, NOW’s editorial staff look like the British Colonial Board of India circa 1939.

Where city council is hitting 11 to 13 per cent people of colour, NOW’s editorial staff seems to be hitting 0.5 per cent. But NOW does boast 59 per cent women. The percentage of homosexuals is unknown. Why are any of these legitimate points of contention? Aren’t colour, gender and sexual orientation illegal points of discrimination? If it’s illegal to discriminate against them, how can it then be legal, okay or even acceptable to discriminate in favour of them? Conrad Hall Toronto

Xmas chaos on the TTC

I set out an hour early to excitedly meet friends at a Christmas concert. The subway took us one stop and told us we all had to get off and jump on a shuttle bus, which barely moved in the 20 minutes we were on it. I had to get off and walk back home. No Christmas concert for me, and I’m sure many people taking the TTC didn’t make their events either. I moved to Toronto because it has a subway system and I used to brag about it. Now all I have to say is fuck you! We work hard all week and make plans on our short weekends so we can have some work-life balance. I feel staying at home on weekends is a better bet so I don’t have to deal with the unreliable TTC chaos, but I don’t want to become a hateful hermit! I hope there is a light at the end of the tunnel so Torontonians can get to enjoy the city’s offerings. At the moment, you suck! Merry fucking Christmas! Genevieve MacKenzie Toronto

Self-defence against dangerous men

I doubt much will change in the wake of the Ghomeshi affair (NOW, November 13-19). What makes him special is his visibility, but there are many more dangerous men out there. And like winter storms and car accidents, these motherfuckers will always be with us. We may get some political hand-wringing and a few new regulations, but the root causes (fucked-up upbringing, evil DNA) are as perennial as the grass. I am the father of two beautiful young women and hope they make the right choices when they partner up. I, of course, will be nowhere nearby when those decisions are made and will not be able to protect them. My 16-year-old took a women’s self-defence course. She learned facescratching and testicle-whacking but also got a few tips on how to not be caught in those situations in the first place. Be careful, girls. Martin Aucoin Toronto NOW welcomes reader mail. Address letters to: NOW, Letters to the Editor, 189 Church, Toronto, ON M5B 1Y7. Send e-mail to letters@nowtoronto.com and faxes to 416-364-1166. All correspondence must include your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length.

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NOW DECEMBER 25 2014 - JANUARY 7 2015

It’s not in my nature to either create controversy or to attract it.

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news 2014 YE HE AR

R E VIE

YEAR-END INTERVIEW MAYOR JOHN TORY

By BEN SPURR

JOHN TORY SAYS HIS OFFICE AT CITY HALL HAS THE BEST VIEW IN TOWN. His second-storey window overlooking Nathan Phillips Square is not a high rise soaring above Lake Ontario, he admits, but sitting down for a year-end interview with NOW on Saturday, December 20, the new mayor sees reason for optimism everywhere he looks. One month into his administration, his approval rating is sky-high. The calamitous reign of his predecessor, Rob Ford, is quickly fading in the rear-view. On the city’s major challenges, Tory sees a chance to finally make progress. Famously verbose – and serious almost to the point of tedium – Tory responds to questions at length, and an interview scheduled to last 20 minutes ends up running almost twice as long. Above all, he comes across as a politician with tremendous confidence in himself, a man who believes that his own steady reasonableness will in time unlock solutions to Toronto’s most daunting problems. Time will tell if that belief is misplaced. These are early days, and Tory has yet to be forced into the divisive choices that will come as he tries to address problems like economic inequality and dysfunctional relationships within police leadership. His view could be very different a year from now. A recent poll puts your approval rating at 74 per cent. Are people just happy that you’re causing less controversy than your predecessor? I pay little attention to [polls]. I’m trying to focus on doing the things I said I would and providing professional, sensible, stable leadership. And that’s what’s been most welcome by the people, more so than any particular initiative we’ve undertaken. They’re seeing on television a mayor who tries to answer questions, who is not running away from anybody, who is not engulfed in chaos – at least not yet. And I don’t expect to be. It’s not in my nature to either create controversy or to attract it.

In your inaugural speech to council, you made a point of reaching out to Rob Ford. Were you not concerned that you’d be seen as excusing his behaviour while he was mayor, which included homophobia and racism? No. All I was doing was acknowledging that you had a man here who had held public office, he got elected fair and square, and he was ill. And he was reelected to the council, by the way. I thanked him for his continued public service and I said I wished him well in terms of getting healthy. I think that would carry with it the sentiments of most Torontonians.

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

Many people were disappointed you chose someone as divisive as Denzil Minnan-Wong for deputy mayor. In a speech last year, he said many undocumented workers come to Canada and “their first stop is the welfare office.” He also walked out when council honoured Henry Morgentaler. Were you not aware of those incidents? Actually, I wasn’t. I can just say to you I wouldn’t have walked out when Henry Morgentaler was honoured, and I do not believe people who arrive in the country [Tory trails off].... But having said that, we all have things we’ve said or done over time that would be the subject of agreement or dis-

agreement between any two people. I believe he will do a competent job [in getting] my agenda through, and that he has the experience to get that done. Do you feel it was appropriate for Mike McCormack, the head of the police union, to call for the resignation of Police Services Board chair Alok Mukherjee? The head of the police association should say what he wants with respect to his feelings about these things. If he has something to say about his level of confidence in the head of the Police Services Board, the mayor or the chief of police, he should speak up and say so. We’re in a democracy here.

But I will say that it was that kind of obvious tension that existed on all sides – and I’ve said before it’s utterly without trying to assess blame – that caused me to make some changes on the board. Why did you decline to sign councillors’ letter asking Premier Kathleen Wynne to test the constitutionality of the new federal anti-prostitution law? My signature on that letter isn’t going to add much. Where that’s going to go is it’s going to go to the courts. And it should properly go to the courts. The system exists to do that, and I don’t think that necessarily requires the involvement of the mayor of Toronto. I’m going to be selective about the things I get myself involved in. You’ve recused yourself from the Island airport debate because your son’s job presents a conflict. But critics charge that because you endorsed two pro-jet council candidates in the election, and your principal secretary worked as a lobbyist for

Porter, you’ve installed people who will get expansion plans through anyway. That’s stretching. I literally never had a discussion with either [candidate] about their view on the Island airport, and I’m not even sure I could tell you what it was. There are 44 other people [on council] who will handle that issue. I simply did the right thing, which is follow the rules. Maybe my son will change jobs at some point, in which case I’ll be able to participate. Toward the end of the election campaign, you took flak for saying you don’t believe white privilege exists. Were you surprised at the negative reaction? I try to stay away from phrases that can distract from the real issue. Do I believe there are people in our city who have ended up being discriminated against, sometimes based on skin colour, sometimes based on religious faith, sometimes based on where they live? Yes, I do. Have I actually devoted a good part of my life in

being involved, oftentimes in a way that people didn’t see, in trying to address some of those issues? Yes, I have. Am I going to devote myself to making sure that that discrimination is eradicated as much as we possibly can? Yes, I am. How do you feel about Toronto Life revealing your home address and other well-known people who live in the same building? To be honest, I thought it was unfortunate. Look, I live where I live, and I don’t think it’s a big secret. [But] public life is challenging enough. There does have to be some division between people’s private life and their public life. It’s more in the category of gossip, and it also is gossip that can have unfortunate consequences, maybe for me – although I’m not worried much about that – but more for my neighbours who don’t need to have the burdens of my job brought to their doorstep. With files from Jonathan Goldsbie bens@nowtoronto.com | @BenSpurr

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 11 12/17/14 6:16 PM

news From Rob Ford to Jian Ghomeshi, Toronto was centre stage for some of the year’s biggest real-life dramas. And as the world’s eyes were trained on Ferguson, we confronted tough questions of our own about race, privilege and poverty in an increasingly divided city. Meanwhile, on Parliament Hill, the HarperCons blazed a path to war and pushed to remake Canada in their own ideological image.

THE TOP 10 NEWS STORIES OF THE YEAR

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

DaviD Cooper/getty images

By ENZO DiMATTEO, JONATHAN GOLDSBIE and BEN SPURR

The

best of

2014

No. 1

The ignominious fall of Robert Bruce Ford

It seems like centuries ago in a different city that a mayor named Rob Ford stumbled and swayed in a fast food steak restaurant, boasting in drunken Jamaican patois about having dodged police surveillance. Was it decades ago that the media had to track and follow this man who claimed he’d sworn off alcohol and drugs, building the case that he wasn’t keeping his promise? Then he launched a bid for re-election with more bombast than ever, trailing a quartet of bagpipers into a cavernous convention hall in which he’d somehow stuffed a fire truck. Rob Ford started 2014 riding high on hubris, celebrity and other more tangible substances. He got shitfaced in Toronto. He got shitfaced in Vancouver. He wore a red tie and black shirt on Jimmy Kimmel. And he got caught smoking crack on camera a second time. When the Globe revealed the existence of the second video, he promptly whisked himself off to rehab. After an aborted attempt to enter the U.S., he wound up at a facility in Muskoka where the scandals kept coming. Returning to Toronto and the race for mayor on June 30 at a press conference open only to select media, he attempted to pick up where he’d left off. But a confrontation with a shirtless East York jogger who articulated the whole city’s exasperation showed that things wouldn’t be that easy. Ford was dogged by protests for the remainder of the summer. And then, in September, the spectacular saga took an alarmingly human turn when a cancerous tumour caused him to confront his mortality. He withdrew his mayoral bid at the last possible minute, choosing to seek his old council seat instead, and immediately started chemotherapy. He became quiet, even reflective. Easily re-elected as councillor for Ward 2, Ford ends the year as a different person. He says he’d like to run for mayor again – if his health permits.

#Election2014: the ugliest – and most important – in recent memory

No. 2

In an election that blasted off with incumbent mayor Rob Ford registering on January 2, it was easy to relegate the other candidates to the status of supporting players. But the tension between Olivia Chow and ultimate victor John Tory would have the most lasting impact, with issues of privilege, race, sex, class and ability storming to the forefront. Ford said the election would be “a bloodbath,” but no one foresaw just how bigoted it would get. Chow and several candidates for council and the school board were the targets of increasingly hateful attacks. The mainstream discourse, however, shifted to the question of how the leading candidates did or didn’t reflect the city they wished to govern. What it means to live in – and lead – Toronto became topics for serious consideration, a discussion that to some extent has continued. The election’s result may have adhered to columnist Paul Wells’s first rule of politics – “For any given situation, Canadian politics will tend toward the least exciting possible outcome” – but that doesn’t mean the journey wasn’t a worthwhile one. Hopefully, Toronto has emerged the better for it.

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2014

news 2014 The

best of

ben spurr

No. 3

The unmaking of Jian Ghomeshi provokes a national discussion on violence against women

While Rob Ford was unravelling right before our eyes, no one saw the next turn coming. But then, the weekend before Halloween, came a more precipitous fall from grace when beloved CBC Radio star Jian Ghomeshi was fired by the Mother Corp. The Star was about to go public with the claims of several women that Ghomeshi had beat, choked and sexually assaulted them. Worse, CBC brass had known about the rumours, as well as several alleged incidents of workplace harassment involving Ghomeshi, and had either willfully ignored them or covered them up to protect him. Within 72 hours, Ghomeshi went from national sweetheart and one of this country’s proudest exports to an alleged serial predator. We’ve yet to hear his side of the story, but indications are it’s only going to get uglier. Ghomeshi intends to plead not guilty. But redemption is unlikely to be in the cards. The scandal has occasioned a continent-wide discussion of workplace sexual harassment and violence against women. That’s the good news. The reverberations were felt in the corridors of power on Parliament Hill in more ways than one. First, we discovered that male entitlement is alive and well on the Hill after two NDP MPs came forward with their own stories of sexual assault and harassment at the hands of male colleagues. And then there’s the government’s anti-prostitution law, which came into effect Decemnber 6, on the same day women around the country were marking the 25th anniversary of the Montreal massacre. To critics, there could not have been a more cynical date for the law to come into effect, given the Harper government’s record on women’s rights. Now, critics say, it will remembered as the day sex workers’ lives were made more dangerous, pushing them into the shadows where people like Robert Pickton have found them in the past.

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news 2014 The

best of

david hawe

February’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, were notable less for the glimmering spectacle than for unspooling in the shadow of the country’s ongoing assault on LGBTQ rights. Equating gay people with pedophiles, Russia’s then-new law prohibits the promotion of homosexual “propaganda” to minors and has led to widespread persecution, both state-sponsored and not. Canadian athletes participating in the Games were actively discouraged from taking a stand, prompting necessary questions about sport’s responsibility to the larger society. Back in Toronto, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam arranged for a rainbow flag to be raised at City Hall in solidarity with Russian queer people, which triggered the ire of Mayor Ford, whose homophobia at last became explicit. Ford was out of the picture when Toronto hosted WorldPride in June, a massive event celebrating how far the world has come and a fiery statement about how far it has left to go. The largest ever Trans March flowed down Yonge, demanding the federal government adopt the trans rights legislation it’s been holding up. The issue came up again and again: how can Canadians support queer people in places like Russia and Uganda? How can we support queer refugees seeking asylum in our country? In June, Premier Kathleen Wynne, a proud lesbian, won a resounding victory for her party in the provincial election. In December, the International Olympic Committee added “sexual orientation” to the non-discrimination clause in its charter (but maintains its unreasonable hurdles to participation by trans and intersex athletes). Toronto continues to make its mark and find its place in the context of larger human rights endeavours. NOW’s Pride issue put gay Russian teenager Justin Romanov on the cover. Recently granted refugee status, he submitted our story in support of his application.

Justin Romanov

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december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

No. 5 The axing of police Chief Bill Blair

Cheol Joon Baek

No. 4

As ousters go, Blair’s as top cop wasn’t the bloodiest. Still, its suddenness – revealed in a July 30 statement from the Police Services Board that it wouldn’t be extending his contract – caught many off guard. Until that week, Blair had been making a lastditch pitch for reappointment, calling a press conference to announce the findings of Supreme Court Justice Frank Iacobucci’s report, Police Encounters With People In Crisis, commissioned in the aftermath of the public outcry over Constable James Forcillo’s shooting of Sammy Yatim. The board was none too subtle about the reasons for Blair’s exit, citing the need for “organizational renewal,” signalling that Blair had pissed off both left and right. He’d antagonized reformers on the board who’d watched community policing efforts built up under David Miller devolve into the racial profiling practice of carding, and cost-conscious councillors on the right who felt he wasn’t doing enough to cut the bottom line. As for legacy, Blair’s will go down as tainted. Besides the Yatim shooting, a shadow was cast by his excuses for police brutality during the G20.

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news 2014 The

best of

Andrea Horwath gambles with the soul of the NDP and loses big time

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

michael watier

After more than a year of toying with the idea, the Ontario NDP leader pulled the trigger on an election when nobody expected it, even some in her own party. Horwath’s timing proved disastrous, precipitating the loss of three seats in NDP fortress Toronto and with them the balance of power at Queen’s Park. Party insiders argued that Horwath had no choice, that she smelled the winds of change in Ontario and a dreaded return of the Tories to power and couldn’t wait for PC momentum to build. But then the ONDP went after those very same votes with populist pocketbook issues, in the process abandoning the political middle – and the party’s social conscience – and letting the Liberals ride to a majority. The brain trust behind that calculus is gone now, sacrificed in a post-election purge as part of Horwath’s fight to survive as leader, proof that she’s learned her lesson. But her and the party’s future remain uncertain. At the post-election NDP policy convention last month, a chastened Horwath said all the right things about rebuilding riding associations and relations with municipal leaders, community activists, equity-seeking groups and First Nations. She now has promises to keep, but it’s hard to believe party strategists have really kissed those retail politics goodbye.

No. 6

No. 7

The widening poverty trap

From overcrowded shelters to predatory corporate landlords pricing lowincome renters out of Parkdale and a 29 per cent child poverty rate that is tied with Saint John, New Brunswick’s for the highest in the country, economic disparity was a growing problem in Toronto in 2014. A November report, one of a number setting out graver and graver poverty statistics, noted the “massive and growing polarization of income in our city,” to the point where there are almost as many millionaires as there are children living in poverty. There was a glimmer of good news in the summer when the province increased the minimum wage from $10.25 to $11 an hour and indexed future increases to inflation. But overall the economic outlook remains troubling. The city is becoming increasingly segregated as mixed-income neighbourhoods downtown are replaced by enclaves of the wealthy, and racialized Canadians still earn 81 cents for every dollar that white Canadians do. Newly elected Mayor John Tory has pledged to make implementing an anti-poverty strategy a priority in 2015, and has asked downtown Councillor Pam McConnell for recommendations. That can’t happen soon enough – or without the help of the provincial and federal governments. The epidemic is already making it difficult for thousands of young people to grow up healthy, get an education or find meaningful employment.

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

news 2014 The

best of

Canada goes to war in Iraq – again

No. 8

Stephen Harper committed the country to war in Iraq, this time to fight ISIS, the latest terror bogeyman, which suddenly achieved status as a household name in the summer when its YouTube videos of the beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as British aid worker David Haines, went public. Up until then, Canada was prepared to support the Islamic extremists, who’d been fighting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in the three-year-old Syrian civil war. Then, on October 22, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau stormed Parliament Hill, killing a soldier on duty at the national war memorial and handing Harper the justification for joining another so-called coalition of the willing in Iraq. He declared in a speech to Parliament after the drama that Canada would not be intimidated by terrorism. It’s more likely, however, that Zehaf-Bibeau, who suffered from drug addiction, was motivated more by the government’s refusal to grant him a passport to fly to Saudi Arabia than by an allegiance to ISIS. The RCMP claimed to have a video Zehaf-Bibeau made before the attack, but have declined to release it. While Harper decided to commit Canadian troops to fight the latest terrorist scourge, his government was abandoning the broken and wounded vets from Canada’s last war in Afghanistan, cutting their benefits and ignoring the alarming suicide rates of those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

No. 9

HarperCons spread reefer madness

Need some advice?

Find out what’s written in the stars, page 38. Rob Brezsny’s Free Will

Astrology 20

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

South of the border, 2014 marked the beginning of a reefer revolution: four states legalized the recreational use of marijuana and more joined the ranks of true believers when it comes to the medicinal benefits of pot. In Canuckistan, however, an all-too-familiar reefer madness took root. Prince of pot Marc Emery was back from exile after serving five years in a Mississippi prison for selling pot seeds. Emery has promised to help bring down the federal government that turned him over to the DEA in the name of that lost cause known as the war on drugs. But reefer madness prevailed: the feds tightened restrictions on medical marijuana and turned over production of weed for medpot program to a handful of big producers. On the street, meanwhile, the cops continued to practise zero tolerance, busting young people at an alarming rate, wasting more and more precious police resources despite out-of-control police budgets and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police’s naming prescription drug abuse as the real problem among young people. Police point to the social costs of drug abuse to justify stricter enforcement. In BC, however, where pot production is a multi-billion-dollar industry, the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, fed up with growing enforcement costs, is calling for decriminalization and taxation. Who’ll lead the charge?

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

news 2014 The

best of

No. 10

Demar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors leap into a country’s consciousness

It wasn’t just the crowds outside the Air Canada Centre during last spring’s magical – and ultimately unsuccessful – playoff run against the Brooklyn Nets. Or the famous “Fuck Brooklyn” exhortation from team GM Masai Ujiri. Or that finally the city had something to cheer about after our more famous hockey franchise’s familiar late season collapse. The Raptors not only captured the imagination of a nation. They also introduced a hockey-first country to a whole other, more diverse approach to sports. On top of all that, captain and star player DeMar DeRozan has shown a loyalty to the city never seen. Other Americans drafted by the Raptors in the past have cut and run for teams stateside once their requisite rookie contract was up. Not DeRozan, who signed a contract extension even before his rookie contract was up for renewal. The loyalty seems to be paying off: several players have resigned in the off-season to continue the march to a hoped-for first NBA championship. The fans, meanwhile, are as rabid as ever.

mike ford

news@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

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Lauren Bacall

Maya Angelou, poet Kiugak Ashoona, Inuit artist Richard Attenborough, actor/director Lauren Bacall, screen legend Nik Beat, CIUT host/poet/ singer/songwriter Mark Bell, musician, LFO Jean Béliveau, hockey icon Malik Bendjelloul, documentary filmmaker Rachel Berman, Canadian painter/ illustrator David Brenner, comic Dave Brockie, lead singer, Gwar Jack Bruce, bassist, Cream Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, boxer/justice activist Sid Caesar, comedy legend Linda Griffiths

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Joe Cocker, musician Lynne Cohen, Montreal-based photographer Gerry Conlon, rights activist Bob Crewe, singer/songwriter and record producer, Four Seasons Steven Davey, NOW food writer Oscar de la Renta, fashion designer Phil Everly, musician Sorel Etrog, sculptor Harun Farocki, German political filmmaker/artist Leslie Feinberg, trans activist and author Jim Flaherty, politician James Garner, actor Brian Roy Goble, musician, the Subhumans/DOA Linda Griffiths, stage artist Nadine Gordimer, Nobel-winning novelist and political activist Dan Heap, local activist and politician Philip Seymour Hoffman, actor Bernard Hopkins, actor Bob Hoskins, screen actor PD James, mystery writer Casey Kasem, disc jockey Frankie Knuckles, DJ Brian Macdonald, stage director and choreographer Alicia Merchant, Raconteurs Storytelling co-founder Ohotaq Mikkigak, Inuit artist/printmaker Farley Mowat, author Maximilian Schell, actor Nash the Slash, musician

GREAT VALUE FOR DISCRIMINATING TASTES

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Robin Williams

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

ecoholic

The

best of

2014

When you’re addicted to the planet By ADRIA VASIL

3 Divestment tide rising

Desmond Tutu, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank head Jim Yong Kim all threw their support behind fossil fuel divestment in 2014. Also this year, Stanford University announced it would dump all coal investments. Glasgow University became the first European school to ditch such investments. Then, just last month, Montreal’s Concordia U said it would give divestment a try, starting with a $5 million fund for ethical investments. The biggest boost, though, came this fall when more than 800 big-bucks investors, including the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the World Council of Churches, announced they would be pulling a jaw-dropping $50 billion out of fossil fuel investments over the next five years.

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NOW Dec2014_Layout 1 2014-12-15 4:48 PM Page 1

BigNames SmallTheatre

music

The

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2014

Top 10 local albums

1 ALVVAYS

6 BIBLICAL Monsoon Season

CASTLE 2 JENNIFER Pink City

7 SLOAN Commonwealth

3 LOWELL We Loved Her Dearly

8 BAHAMAS Bahamas Is Afie

PAISLEY 4 DOUG Strong Feelings

TIMBRE 9 TIMBER Hot Dreams

MISSION 5 TRE Stigmata

SPECKS 10 COLD Neuroplasticity

Heart-snagging jingle-jangle fuzz pop absolutely worthy of its buzz.

BRENT BUTT Friday, January 9

A thunderous, spacious heavy rock debut full-length from former members of NOW cover boys the Illuminati and Sebastien Grainger’s Mountains.

Canadian Comedy Tour with special guest JAmIE HuTCHINSON

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A transient, conversational peek into the brain of an old-soul, stream-of-consciousness, blues-folk storyteller.

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Minimalist, downtempo alt-country full of quiet satisfactions.

The T.O.-via-Halifax power pop band get more ambitious with age, as this hugely varied double album attests.

Afie Jurvanen got personal on his third album as Bahamas, bringing an intimate touch to his melancholic country soul tunes.

Taylor Kirk allowed a bit more romance and soul to infiltrate the spooky blues ballads on his fifth album, but the mood was as dark as ever.

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DECEMBER 25 2014 - JANUARY 7 2015 NOW

Dubstep, drum ’n’ bass, industrial electro and R&B tied together with the grime star’s throaty, staccato flow.

An unexpected psychedelic rock energy put Cold Specks’ gospel folk ballads in a whole new light.

PRESENTS

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Top 10 albums: Beats, rhymes and hype

PROTEST THE HERO DECEMBER 27 :: THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL

run The JeWels 1 RTJ2

Only thing competing with Killer Mike and El-P’s totally versatile, oneup-style rapping is El-P’s unrelenting onslaught of multi-layered, dynamic beats.

6 YG My Krazy Life

Narratives that earned YG comparisons to fellow Comptonite Kendrick, unsingable party bangers and collabs with DJ Mustard and Drake. Turn. Up.

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A couple of legit bangers shake up this simultaneously sweet and stupid, sincere and insecure heart-tugger from our favourite hardest singrapper. Croak on, Romeo.

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As much a dance record as a rap one, Banks’s delightful debut borrows from 90s dance, merengue and jazz. Worth the three-year wait.

q 9 schoolboY Oxymoron

Hard gangster meets party-ready rapper. Q goes in in his caustic yap, while superstar producers make the 17 tracks ultra-slick.

BROOKE FRASER

LETTUCE w/ BREAK SCIENCE KODALINE

FEBRUARY 16 / 17 :: THE MOD CLUB

FEBRUARY 21 :: THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL

UPCOMING JAN 17

LIA ICES

FEB 08

STURGILL SIMPSON

FEB 11

BAD SUNS

FEB 19

JMSN

MAR 17 APR 4

Travi$ scoTT Days Before Rodeo

Cinematic trap-hop. Southern electro-rap. Fearlessly outside the box. The soundtrack to our would-be night lives.

APR 14

Tre Mission Stigmata

A self-produced debut blending grime with a distinctly 416 sound and a touch of Southern hip-hop. Fresh features abound.

THE DRAKE HOTEL THE HORSESHOE TAVERN

CRAFT SPELLS PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING DAN + SHAY

THE GARRISON

DEC 26

SALVA & SANGO

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ROBIN SCHULZ

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ALVIN RISK (LIVE) w/ KODAK TO GRAPH

DESTRUCTO, MOTEZ, ANNA LUNOE & T.WILLIAMS

THE DRAKE HOTEL HARD LUCK BAR THE DRAKE HOTEL THE MOD CLUB

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THE HOXTON

G-EAZY FROM THE BAY TO THE UNIVERSE TOUR

FEB 12/13 (SOLD OUT) FEB 14 STARS W/ HEY ROSEETTA!

JAN 30

GRANDTHEFT & THUGLI w/ PUSHER

FEB 06

GIRAFFAGE w/ POMO

FEB 07

SAM FELDT

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VICEROY w/ GRAY MOONEN

FEB 14

MR. BELT & WEZOL

FEB 20

SLANDER

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BAKERMAT

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KONGOS W/ SIR SLY & COLONY HOUSE

FEB 27

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE: BATTLE OF THE SEASONS

CODA

FEB 28

SILVERSTEIN

DEC 31 NYE 2015: UNION w/ CARLO LIO, NATHAN BARATO & THE JUNKIES

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT WWW.TICKETWEB.CA/EMBRACE - ROTATE THIS & SOUNDSCAPES FOR INFO VISIT WWW.EMBRACEPRESENTS.COM.

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

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DouG 2 Paisley Strong Feelings Toronto alt-country rocker goes eclectic on this gem of a third album.

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Grant’s fifth contains songs of unusual healing power, warmth and beauty.

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Jess reimer 7 The Nightjar And The Garden Reimer transmutes years of experience singing bluegrass to a more Americana endeavour.

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Mimi delivers gorgeous vocal after gorgeous vocal on this satisfyingly eccentric album.

Yellowknife-based Saravanja travelled to Argentina to bring this collection of sad love ballads to life with a string chamber orchestra.

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

clubs&concerts How to find a listing

Music listings appear by day, then by genre, then alphabetically by venue. Event names are in italics. See Venue Index at nowtoronto.com, for venue address and phone number.

Thursday, December 25 PoP/Rock/HiP-HoP/Soul

Orbit rOOm Pretzel Logic (Steely Dan tribute).

Folk/BlueS/countRy/WoRld

LOLa Brian Cober (double slide guitar), 9 pm.

= Critics’ pick (highly recommended) ñ= Queer night

Friday, December 26

How to place a listing

aLLeycatz Lady Kane. cLintOn’s JAMZ! (live band karaoke) doors 9

F = Festive/seasonal event

All listings are free. Send to: events@nowtoronto.com, fax to 416-3641168 or mail to Music, NOW Magazine, 189 Church, Toronto M5B 1Y7. Include artist(s)/ band(s), genre of music, event name (if any), venue name and address, time, ticket price and contact phone number or website. Deadline is the Thursday before publication at 5 pm. Weekly events must confirm their listing once a month. If your free listing requires a correction, send info to: fixevents@nowtoronto.com.

PoP/Rock/HiP-HoP/Soul

Opera HOuse Battlecross, Wretched,

War of Ages (metal), 6 pm, all ages. Dave Murphy (R&B/pop/rock/ top 40) 10 pm. rivOLi Ian Blurton’s Happy Endings, Huron, Bella Clava 9 pm. seven44 The Petition (rock/Motown), 9:30 pm. sneaky Dee’s Partycat, Conversation, Prophets, Kennedy The Underdogs Tour, doors 9 pm. sOutHsiDe JOHnny’s Tamin’ Thunder (rock/ R&B/dance), 10 pm.

Folk/BlueS/countRy/WoRld

Free times caFe Peter St Laurent & Rebekah

DakOta tavern The Mercenaries 9 pm. Drake HOteL Badlqqk, River Tiber, New

FLuLa LOunGe Havana Norte w/ Roberto

Hands, Omhouse, Sex Tape What’s In The Box Mini Music Festival Night One. 7 pm [Underground]. GrOssman’s Frankie Foo 10 pm. HOrsesHOe Amys Zen, Tin Star Orphans, Sleepy Mean, Maps doors 9 pm. tHe HOxtOn Salva & Sango doors 10 pm. kOOL Haus Konshens, J Capri (Jamaican dancehall), doors 10:30 pm.

Wise (folk/singer-songwriter), 8 pm.

Linares Brown, Ogguere, Zeynep Ozbilen, Jane Bunnett and others Cubaintoronto.com And Okokan Christmas Party, 10:30 pm. Guaracha Y Son (Cuban son montuno/guaracha/bolero/changuid/guajira from the 30s60s), 7:30 pm. tranzac The Foolish Things (folk) 5 pm, [Southern Cross].

Jazz/claSSical/exPeRimental

DesOtOs Anthony Abbatangeli Jazz Jam, 8 pm. pOetry Jazz caFe The Andrew McAnsh Group

Icon, 9:30 pm. repOsaDO The Reposadist Quartet (gypsy bop), 9 pm tranzac The Ryan Driver Sextet (jazz), 10 pm [Southern Cross].

dance muSic/dJ/lounge

3030 DunDas West DJ Zane (electronic/R&B/ rap).

cLub 120 Prosumer, Potion, Ostgutton,

ñ ñ

Playhouse, Jamie Kidd, Mike Gibbs Boxing Day Blowout, 10 pm. Direct enerGy centre Kaskade, Skrillex, Boys Noize, Adventure Club, Tchami & 3lau Solaris Winter Music Festival, doors 7 pm, all ages. Guvernment DJs Gabriel and Dresden One Last Time Boxing Day – The Industry Closing Party, 10 pm. HanDLebar The Art of “The Shake” DJs (hiphop), 10 pm. FJunctiOn city music HaLL DJs OH16, Chris Joynt (disco/funk/R&B/soul/hip-hop), Blender Boxing Day dance party, 9 pm. marquis OF Granby 5DJ Producer Barry Harris 10:30 pm.

st micHaeL tHe arcHanGeL serbian OrtHODOx cHurcH Bachata Kizomba Salsa Boxing

Day Party DJ Danilo, DJ Duck, DJ Geronimo, DJ Gury Gury, DJ NS, DJ Nilson & DJ Steve. 8 pm. tattOO Jojoflores, Dave Campbell, Yogi, Groove Institute Break for LOVE / Boxing Day Special, doors 10 pm. WayLa bar DJ Jordan (funk/hip-hop/disco/ top40) 10 pm.

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY

Saturday, December 27 PoP/Rock/HiP-HoP/Soul

aLLeycatz Lady Kane. castrO’s LOunGe The Straight Eights (50s style rockabilly), 5 pm.

DEADLINE DECEMBER 31

cavern bar Yanis, Pilot Light doors 9 pm,

pwyc.

tHe DanFOrtH music HaLL Protest The Hero,

Unearth, Intervals, doors 7 pm. Drake HOteL Lay These Knight, The Meligrove Band, Seas, International Zombies Of Love What’s In The Box Mini Music Festival Night Two. 7 pm [Underground]. GrOssman’s The Porch Dogs 10 pm. HanDLebar Matchess, Gel Set 10 pm. HarLem Gyles (pop/soul), 7:30 to 11 pm. HOLy Oak caFe The Taste (pop) 10 pm. HOrsesHOe The Wayo, The Pick Brothers, The Sole Pursuit, The Conor Gains Band doors 8 pm. JunctiOn city music HaLL The Living Daylights, DJ Ramona Raven (rock & roll glam cover band), 9 pm. Lee’s paLace Cover Me Impressed Night Of Covers performed by members of July Talk, Steven Stanley, Spencer Burton, Brendan Canning, Catl, Taylor Knox, Ferraro, Whitney Rose and hosted by Sam Cash and

WRISTBANDS ON SALE NOW

EARLY BIRD PRICING NOW IN EFFECT*

* L I M I T E D T I M E O N LY

We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s™ Private Radio Broadcasters.

continued on page 48 œ

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

tickets

ñ Orbit rOOm

pm.

hot

darlene shrugg On New Year’s Eve, Darlene Shrugg continue a 2014 tradition of performing on holidays. The nascent indie supergroup debuted their raucous Detroit garage sound on Valentine’s Day and then delivered another festive set on July 4. The project was born following the dissolution of Slim Twig and drummer Simone TB’s art-punk group Tropics, which existed for 10 years primarily as a live act. The pair recruited U.S. Girls’ Meg Remy to write lyrics and Ice Cream’s Carlyn Bezic and Amanda Crist for the live band. This show with Neil Young tribute act Horsey Craze is their first since the release of debut single Freedom Comes In A Plastic Card on Bandcamp earlier this month. While their respective bands dabble in an array of hyphenated genres, Darlene Shrugg are committed to unadulterated rock ’n’ roll. Wednesday (December 31) at the Silver Dollar (486 Spadina), 9 pm. $15. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. . WHAT’S IN THE BOX w/ Badlqqk, the Meligrove Band, Egyptrixx, Tre Mission, Pet Sun and others Drake Hotel (1150 Queen West), Friday to Tuesday (December 26 to 30) Annual post-holiday music fest. IAN BLURTON’S HAPPY ENDINGS, HURON, BELLA CLAVA Rivoli (332 Queen West), Friday (December 26) Genre-skipping psych rock. PROSUMER, POTION, OSTGUTTON, PLAYHOUSE, JAMIE KIDD, MIKE GIBBS Club 120 (120 Church), Friday (December 26) Berlin-bred house music. SOLARIS WINTER MUSIC FESTIVAL w/ Kaskade, Skrillex, Adventure Club, Boys Noize and others Direct Energy Centre (100 Princess Blvd), Friday and Saturday (December 26 and 27) EDM heavies hit Exhibition Place. COVER ME IMPRESSED w/ members of July Talk, Stephen Stanley, Spencer Burton, Brendan Canning and others Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor West), Saturday (December 27) Cover tunes food bank fundraiser. DJ JONATHAN TOUBIN The Garrison (1197 Dundas West), Saturday (December 27) Night Train and Soul Clap Dance Off.

ANDRIA SIMONE & THOSE GUYS 3030 Dundas West (3030 Dundas West), Tuesday (December 30) Vintage R&B and soul. DJS BASSJACKERS, BOURGEOIS, CYRIL HAHN, RL GRIME AND OTHERS Liberty Grand (25 British Columbia), Wednesday (December 31) New Year’s Eve in a giant nightclub. THE SADIES Horseshoe (370 Queen West), Wednesday (December 31) Thirteenth annual NYE show. FRED FALKE AND OTHERS Wrongbar (1279 Queen West), Wednesday (December 31) French touch innovator. ZORDS, PATTI CAKE, THE MUSCADETTES, SERAPHIC LIGHTS, WOODWORKER Silver Dollar (486 Spadina), Friday (January 2) Big-voiced indie pop and more. WILLIE NILE, THE PETER ELKAS BAND, READY THE PRINCE, ALAN SNODDY Horseshoe (370 Queen West), Saturday (January 3) Greenwich Village folk veteran. THE GIFT Guvernment (132 Queens Quay East), Saturday (January 3) (Almost) final call at the Guvernment.

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

orbiT room Horshack (classic rock & roll) 10

clubs&concerts œcontinued from page 46

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26

LUV TO BHANG SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

DZEJ

RAMADANOVSKI WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31 • DRS 9PM PRESENTED BY THE BIG SOUND

THE BIG NYE 2014/15 SOUND PARTY

w/ WES ALLEN SUNDAY, JANUARY 4

PRO-EFFORT COMMUNITY FASHION SHOW 722 COLLEGE STREET

themodclub.com

the Romantic Dogs, doors 9 pm. Linsmore Tavern Phil Naro (rock/top 40), 9:30 pm. LocaL Chris Staig & the Marquee Players (rock & roll) 9 pm. marquis of Granby Matt Easter & Out of Control (U2 tribute), 10 pm. orbiT room Ride The Tiger (Motown/Stax/ soul) 10 pm. The rex Danny Marks (pop) noon. souThside Johnny’s Busted Again (rock/top 40), 10 pm, The Bear Band (rock/blues), 4 to 8 pm. sTudio bar JD Era, Rochester, Auzzie Skratch vs DJ Raedar 10:30 pm (doors 9:30 pm).

Folk/Blues/Country/World

baThursT cenTre for cuLTure & The arTs Ensemble Polaris (Russian folk/ ñ Swedish/klezmer/classical), Nutcracker NouF918

veau Plus, 7:30 pm. free Times cafe Dr B’s Acoustic Medicine Show Open mic/jam, 2 pm. GaTe 403 Lisa Hutchinson Blues Quartet 9 pm. The Gem Return For Refund Acoustic Saturdays 11 pm. Grossman’s The Happy Pals 4:30 to 8 pm. huGh’s room Don Ross 8:30 pm. LuLa LounGe Ricky Franco (salsa/bachata/ cumbia), Salsa Saturday, 10:30 pm. The rex The Sinners Choir (power blues trio), 3:30 pm. Tranzac souThern cross Scott B Sympathy 6:30 pm, Jamzac 3 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

bLakbird Mboya Nicholson (jazz pianist), A Night For Monk – The Blue Monk Concert, 8:30 pm. GaTe 403 Felix Wong Jazz Band 5 to 8 pm. Jazz bisTro Chris Gale Quartet 9 pm. PoeTry Jazz cafe Patrick Hewan & Ori Dagan 9 pm. rePosado Bradley & the Bouncers (swing jazz/blues). The rex Leyland Gordon (jazz), 9:45 pm, Nick Teehan Group 7:30 pm. 3030 dundas WesT DJ Harrison Jones (electro/house/hip-hop).

@nowtoronto Michael Hollett @m_hollett Alice Klein @aliceklein Susan G. Cole @susangcole Enzo DiMatteo @enzodimatteo Norm Wilner @normwilner Glenn Sumi @glennsumi Kate Robertson @katernow Sarah Parniak @s_parns Ben Spurr @benspurr Jonathan Goldsbie @goldsbie Adria Vasil @ecoholicnation Sabrina Maddeaux @SabrinaMaddeaux

rivoLi Riley Szulc, Jake Feeney, The Turks doors 8 pm.

scruffy murPhy’s Groovestone, Dale Har-

rison 10 pm.

souThside Johnny’s Rebecca Matiesen &

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

pm.

The baLLeT DJ Jay Dunaway (hip-hop/top 40/

reggae/old school), Caribbean Holiday PopUp Taster, 7:30 pm. Fbunda LounGe Dino + Terry, Groove Institute Solid Garage Holiday Party, doors 10 pm. The cave DJ Pat Full On Alternative, 9 pm. direcT enerGy cenTre Kaskade, Skrillex, Boys Noize, Adventure Club, Tchami & 3lau Solaris Winter Music Festival, doors 7 pm, all ages. emmeT ray bar DJ Serious (hip-hop/soul), 10 pm. The Garrison DJ Jonathan Toubin New York Night Train’s Soul Clap & Dance Off Party, doors 10 pm. harbourfronT cenTre Ladies’ Night Skating Party DJs L’Oqenz and MelBoogie (electro/ boogie/funk/disco) 8-11 pm. rivoLi DJs Jason Palma & General Eclectic Footprints, 10 pm. sevenTeen eiGhTeen Ryan Waste, Craig Rose Heavy metal DJ concert, 9 pm. WayLa bar DJ Aural Pop Machine Best Of 2014 (top 40/pop). 10 pm. FWhiTe eLePhanT Foxx Trot, Sticky Cuts (club anthems/top 40 remixes), TOASTR: Christmas x New Years Bashstravaganza, 9:30 pm. FWronGbar DJs Starting From Scratch, The GURU Brothers, Tyrone Solomon, Corey Dawkins Sweet Tears: House For The Holidays.

ñ ñ

Sunday, December 28 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

drake hoTeL DJ Spinn, Egyptrixx, Galcher Lustwerk, Bruce Trail, Jokers Of The ñ Scene What’s In The Box Mini Music Festival Night Three. 7 pm [Underground].

fox & croWn Tommy Rocker (classic rock) 8 pm.

hoLy oak cafe Yellow Jacket Avenger &

Ben Gunning (pop) 9 pm. Linsmore Tavern Pat Perez & John Dickie Band (R&B/funk/blues), 5 to 9 pm.

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

Phoenix (pop/rock), Open Jam, 9:30 pm.

Folk/Blues/Country/World

bamPoT house of Tea & board Games Open Mic 7:30 pm.

bLack bear Pub SNAFU Jam, 4 to 8 pm. The caGe 292 Phill Hood Jam, 10 pm. casTro’s LounGe Rob London (folk/blues), 4

pm.

dakoTa Tavern Bluegrass Brunch 10 am to 2 pm.

free Times cafe Mirabel Palmer-Elliott &

Chloe Elliott (folk), 8 pm, Mitch Smolkin & Nina Shapilsky Jewish Brunch Buffet (klezmer/Broadway), 11 am & 1:15 pm. Grossman’s Brian Cober (double slide guitar), Open Blues Jam, 10 pm. hiruT fine eThioPian cuisine Nicola Vaughan Jam, 3 to 6:30 pm. huGh’s room Suzie Vinnick 8:30 pm. LocaL Los Caballeros del Son (Cuban) 9 pm. mcGradies TaP and GriLL Dan Walek Open Jam, 6 to 10 pm. reLish bar & GriLL Paul Brennan & David MacMichael Stir It Up Sundays Open Mic, 9 pm. Tranzac souThern cross Arthur Bull, Bob Vespaziani & Arnd Jurgensen 7:30 pm, Steve Paul Simms 5 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

FemmeT ray bar Edwin Sheard, Leland

Whitty, Patrick O’Reilly, Julian AndersonBowes, Derek Gray (jazz), Tesseract’s 5th Annual Post-Yuletide concert, 9 pm. GaTe 403 Alex Maksymiw Jazz Trio 9 pm, David Buchbinder Jazz Band 5 to 8 pm. Grossman’s New Orleans Connection All Star Jazz Band 4:30-9 pm. Jazz bisTro Hisaka Sunday Cabaret 7 pm, Micah Barnes Trio Sundays In New York Brunch, 12:30 pm. LuLa LounGe Gary Morgan’s PanAmericana (Latin jazz), 8 pm. morGans on The danforTh Jazzy Sunday: Lisa Particelli’s Girl’s Night Out East 2-5 pm. FThe rex Jake Wilkinson’s Xmas Jazz (minibig band), 9:30 pm, Brian de Lima Quartet 7 pm, Freeeway Dixieland Jazz 3:30 pm, Excelsior Dixieland Jazz noon.

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

casTro’s LounGe Watch This Sound (rare/ vintage ska/reggae/dub vinyl), 9 pm.

GuvernmenT Vicetone, Pierce Fulton, Joe

Ghost Final Destination, 8 pm, all ages. ParLour Sunday Night Tales.

Monday, December 29 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

bovine sex cLub Douglas Fairbanks Jr doors 9 pm.

drake hoTeL The Posterz, Ain’t No Love,

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

The cave DJ Shannon (retro 80s/alternative),

Manic Mondays, doors 10 pm. handLebar Tom Avis Rotation, 10 pm. rePosado DJ Ellis Dean Mezcal Monday, 9 pm.

Tuesday, December 30 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul Tavern ñdakoTa ñdrake hoTeL

Jason Collett’s Basement Revue doors 8:30 pm. Pet Sun, Programm, Sunshine & The Blue Moon, The Darq, Jaunt What’s In The Box Mini Music Festival Night Five. 7 pm [Underground]. The Garrison Dave Howard Singers, Poppyseed & The Love Explosion, Processor doors 9 pm. handLebar Merchant Copy (contemplative hip-hop/rap), 9 pm. hoLy oak cafe Cowcat, Ah! La Lettre, Mazola 9 pm. horseshoe Spells Of Vertigo, Broken Arrows, The Socials, Joy Phillips Dave Bookman’s Nu Music Nite, 9 pm. orbiT room The Sattelites (reggae) 10 pm. smiLinG buddha Ruthless Ones, High Seas, Fighting Season, Reminder, The Parallel, Synerah (pop punk/indie/ska/punk/shoegaze) 7 pm.

Folk/Blues/Country/World

ñ3030 dundas WesT

Andria Simone & Those Guys It’s New Year’s Eve... Somewhere, doors 8 pm. casTro’s LounGe Big Rude Jake (blues shouter), 8 pm. The duke Live.com Frank Wilks Open Jam, 8:30 pm. GaTe 403 Danny Marks & Alec Fraser Duo (blues) 9 pm. huGh’s room Fred Eaglesmith, Tif Ginn The Fred Eaglesmith Travelling Steam Show, 8:30 pm. LocaL Matty Powell 9 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

GaTe 403 Lawrence Cotton Jazz Duo 5 to 8

pm.

The rex Chris Gale Classic Rex Jazz Jam, 9:30

pm. Richard Whiteman Group 6:30 pm. Tranzac Nick Fraser Festival (jazz), 7:30 pm, [Southern Cross].

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

See New Year’s Eve Guide, page 50. Thursday, January 1 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

souThside Johnny’s Skip Tracer (rock/top

Folk/Blues/Country/World

King Addicted Shoeless Monday, doors 8:30 pm. orbiT room Jordan John (blues/R&B/funk) 10 pm.

Nicole Coward, Norm Lucien, Gary 17, Tony Newman, Colin Campbell (mellow jazz/ world/folk), Music For A New Year’s Day: In The Round, 7 pm. The korner Pub Azalea (alt/country) 4 pm, all ages.

Folk/Blues/Country/World

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

songwriter), 7:30 pm. LocaL Hamstrung String Band (bluegrass/ traditional country) 9 pm. mcGradies TaP and GriLL Dan Walek Acoustic Jam, 8 to 11 pm. oLd nick Sandra Bouza, Elana Harte, Lucio Agostini (singer/songwriters), M-Factor Mondays, 7:30 pm. Tranzac Open Stage 10 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

emmeT ray bar Norbert Botos Quartet (jazz), 9 pm. Scott Kemp (jazz), 7 pm.

GaTe 403 Kristen Au Jazz Band 5 to 8 pm. FhuGh’s room Westend All Star Jazz

Musicians, Jane Bunnett, Adrean Farrugia, Sophia Perlman, Daniel Barnes, Larry Cramer, Chris Butcher Music of Thelonious Monk: benefit for St Francis Table, 8:30 pm. The rex Crusader Rabbit 8:30 pm,Jake Koffman Groups (sax), 6:30 pm.

[Southern Cross].

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

desoTos Anthony Abbatangeli Jazz Jam, 8 pm. heLiconian haLL The Musicians In Ordinary Baroque New Year’s Day Concert, 8 pm.

oLd miLL inn Mark Eisenman Trio (jazz) 7:30 pm [Home Smith Bar].

rePosado The Reposadist Quartet w/ Sandy

Alexander (gypsy bop/swing). Tranzac Ben Walker Duo 7:30 pm, [Southern Cross].

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

emmeT ray bar DJ Cosmonauts (hip-hop/ electronic/indie/soul/reggae), 10 pm. handLebar Soul Skank DJs (reggae/ dance hall/Motown) doors 10 pm. marquis of Granby 5DJ Producer Barry Harris 10:30 pm. WayLa bar DJ Jordan (funk/hip-hop/disco/ top40) 10 pm.

Saturday, January 3 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

cavern bar The Colour Zero, The Three People, Cloud Everest, Man Simply Is, Tryouts doors 8 pm. handLebar Bad Channels, Zoo Owl, Valerie Dour 10 pm. horseshoe Willie Nile, The Peter Elkas Band, Ready the Prince, Alan Snoddy doors 9 pm. huGh’s room Skaface 8:30 pm. siLver doLLar Only Yours, Wax Atlantic, Fever City, The Holy Gasp The Class Of 2015/#1, 9 pm. souThside Johnny’s The Bear Band (rock/ blues), 4 to 8 pm.

ñ ñ

Folk/Blues/Country/World

free Times cafe Dr B’s Acoustic Medicine Show 2 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/experimental

hiruT fine eThioPian cuisine Sharron Katz,

dora keoGh Open Stage 8 pm. free Times cafe Open Stage Monday (folk/

Tranzac The Foolish Things (folk) 5 pm,

Wednesday, December 31

Eve Eve! doors 9 pm.

GaTe 403 Cheryl White Rhythm & Blues Band Grossman’s No Band Required 10 pm. horseshoe Tooth, Noethers Theorem, Sofa

Folk/Blues/Country/World

LocaL Jake Chisholm (blues), 9 pm. Tranzac Abigail Lapell 7:30 pm [South-

40). 9:30 pm.

9 pm.

ñ ñ

rePosado DJ Gord C Alien Radio. rivoLi Plaitwrights, Tha Hookup New Year’s

Tre Mission, Dillan Ponders, DJ Nardo ñ (Maylee Todd) What’s In The Box Mini Music Festival Night Four. 7 pm [Underground].

Lungs, #SmokingSection, Rebecca Rocklynn doors 8 pm. seven44 Tres Hombres (ZZ Top tribute), 9:30 pm. siLver doLLar Zords, The Muscadettes, Patti Cake, Seraphic Lights, Woodworker doors 9 pm. sneaky dee’s Pluto, G Milla, Luu Breeze, Q Like The Letter doors 9 pm. souThside Johnny’s Mena Hardy (Southern rock), 10 pm.

heLiconian haLL The Musicians In Ordinary Baroque New Year’s Day Concert, 2 pm.

Froy Thomson haLL The Strauss Sym-

phony of Canada, Hamilton Children’s Choir, Young Voices Toronto Salute To Vienna 20th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2:30 pm.

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

cLinTon’s Throwback Thursdays (90s hiphop/pop).

Friday, January 2 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

aLLeycaTz Taxi (rock/top 40/dance). cavern bar Terry Green, Peace Be Still,

Nautica The Band, Nanette doors 9 pm.

horseshoe The Ages, The Alpacas, Eight Five Two, The Orangabang, The Almighty Rhombus doors 9 pm. Linsmore Tavern No Problem (vintage rock), 9:30 pm. rockPiLe Yung Simmie, Butterz, Young

ñern Cross].

oLd miLL inn Lenny Solomon Trio (jazz) 7:30 pm [Home Smith Bar].

rePosado The Reposadist Quartet w/ Tera

Hazelton (gypsy bop/swing).

danCe musiC/dJ/lounge

The cave DJ Pat Full On Alternative, 9 pm. cLinTon’s Bangs & Blush (60s soul/rock &

roll), Shake, Rattle & Roll, 10 pm. emmeT ray bar DJ Sawtay (hip-hop/soul), 10 pm.

GuvernmenT The Gift, doors 10 pm. ñ harbourfronT cenTre Dutty Skating Party

DJs Choppa Chop & Paul E Lopes (dancehall) 8 to 11 pm. revivaL Chico Pacheco, Groove Institute, Angel & Cullen, Junior Palmer, Kevin Jazzy J, Jason Palma, Nick Holder, gaDJet and others Roxy Blu Tribute Party, doors 10 pm. rivoLi DJ Spinz, DCISION Therapy Drum & Bass, doors 9 pm [Backroom], WayLa bar DJ Dwayne Minard, Mike B Tapped Out Daddy (house), 10 pm.

Sunday, January 4 pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

fox & croWn Tommy Rocker (classic rock) 8 pm.

Linsmore Tavern Pat Perez & John Dickie

Band (R&B/funk/blues), 5 to 9 pm. rePosado Rob N Bob Power Duo. scruffy murPhy’s Groovestone, Dale Harrison 10 pm. souThside Johnny’s Rebecca Matiesen & Phoenix (pop/rock), Open Jam, 9:30 pm.

Folk/Blues/Country/World

bLack bear Pub SNAFU Jam, 4 to 8 pm. The caGe 292 Phill Hood Jam, 10 pm. emmeT ray bar Chris Murray FOLKnMIC open mic, 8 pm.

Grossman’s Brian Cober (double slide guitar), Open Blues Jam, 10 pm.

Tuesday, January 6

LocaL Los Caballeros del Son (Cuban) 9 pm,

pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

Chris Coole (oldtime/country) 5 pm. mcGradies Tap and GriLL Dan Walek Open Jam, 6 to 10 pm. reLish Bar & GriLL David MacMichael & Paul Brennan Stir It Up Sundays Open Mic, 9 pm. Tranzac souThern cross The Woodchoppers Association (folk), 10:30 pm, Monk’s Music 5 pm, No Angels Dancing 1 pm.

Jazz/ClassiCal/ExpErimEntal

scarBorouGh civic cenTre Good Times Orchestra Sunday Concert Series, 2 to 4 pm.

seven44 Robbie Lane & the Disciples 5 pm. Tranzac Zebrina (jazz), 10 pm [Southern

Cross].

DanCE musiC/DJ/loungE

handLeBar Nite Comfort (ambient electronica) doors 8 pm.

THE DAKOTA TAVERN

Tranzac Collette Savard (indie pop), 7:30

pm [Southern Cross].

Folk/BluEs/Country/WorlD

The duke Live.com Frank Wilks Open Jam,

8:30 pm. LocaL Massey Harris (singer/songwriter), 9 pm. remix LounGe Drum & Dance Tuesdays 7:30-11 pm.

BLakBird Kayla Ramu Quartet The Night-

pop/roCk/Hip-Hop/soul

Grossman’s No Band Required 10 pm.

Folk/BluEs/Country/WorlD

dakoTa Tavern Danny Michel & Band School Night Mondays, 8 pm. Zack Warner Open stage, 8 pm. LocaL Hamstrung String Band (bluegrass/ traditional country) 9 pm. mcGradies Tap and GriLL Dan Walek Acoustic Jam 8-11 pm. oLd nick Sarah Burton, Cheryl Beatty, Elana Harte, Lucio Agostini (singer/songwriters), M-Factor Mondays, 7:30 pm. Tranzac Open Stage Hosted by Yawd Sylvester, 10 pm [Southern Cross].

ñ dora keoGh

Jazz/ClassiCal/ExpErimEntal emmeT ray Bar Julian Anderson Bowes (jazz), 9 pm, Money House (jazz) 7 pm. seven44 Advocats Big Band 7:30 pm.

DanCE musiC/DJ/loungE handLeBar Accozzaglia Rotation, 10 pm.

parTs & LaBour Cruel Hand, Angel

Du$t, The Beautiful Ones The Negatives Tour, 9 pm, all ages [The Shop].

Folk/BluEs/Country/WorlD

LocaL Joey Wright (alt/country roots), 9 pm. Tranzac Katie DuTemple, Carlie Howell

7:30 pm, [Southern Cross}.

CLOSED

chaLkers puB Lisa Particelli Girl’s Night Out

Jazz Jam. 8 pm to midnight. emmeT ray Bar Kevin Butler & Darlin’ (folk/ singer-songwriter). 9 pm.

Four seasons cenTre For The perForminG arTs Amy McConnell & William Sperandei

AT OSS

NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH Music, dancing, cocktails, WED 31

snacks and a champagne toast...$20...

MARMALADE & BUTTAHFINGAZ FRI 2

Hip hop, soul, RnB, dancehall and beyond...

SAT 3 LUCKY BITCHES w/Les Lucky Bitches... Best in the west for 6 years straight...the dance jam blowout... SUN 4 BRASS FACTS TRIVIA The best quiz night in the city... MON 5 COMEDY AT OSS Open mic night.. sign up, knock ‘em dead... TUE 6 THE NEW All new comedy monthly

ONES

WED 7 SOUL NINJA Motown, Stax, lots o’ wax... 61 OSSINGTON AVE | 416•850•0161 | theossington.com

8:30PM

NEW ORLEANS CONNECTION ALL STAR JAZZ BAND 4:30-9pm THE NATIONAL, BLUES JAM

THE BASEMENT REVIEW

w/BRIAN COBER 10pm-2am WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 31

NEW YEAR’S EVE with CAUTION JAM FRIDAY JANUARY 2

SANDY MARIE 6:30pm-9pm COMBO ROYALE 10pm-2am

THE ROYAL CROWNS Sat Jan 3

10-2PM 9PM

SATURDAY JANUARY 3 SUNDAY JANUARY 4

NEW ORLEANS CONNECTION ALL STAR JAZZ BAND 4:30-9pm THE NATIONAL, BLUES JAM

BLUEGRASS BRUNCH

THE KAT KINGS

w/BRIAN COBER 10pm-2am MONDAY JANUARY 5

Sun Jan 4 10-2PM BLUEGRASS BRUNCH 9PM

THE MERCENARIES

DANNY MICHEL & BAND

Mondays in January with a surprise special guest each week tix available online

249 OSSINGTON AVE (just north of Dundas) 416-850-4579 · thedakotatavern.com

NO BAND REQUIRED 10pm-2am TUESDAY JANUARY 6

MS DEBBIE AND THE DON VALLEY STOMPERS 9:30pm-1:30am WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7

BRUCE DOMONEY 10pm-2am 416-977-7000 379 SPADINA AVE GROSSMANSTAVERN.COM

WE ARE OPEN AT 9PM

JUICE BOX INDIE ROCK DANCE PARTY

CHRISTMAS DAY NO.24

FEAT. WAYNE KENNEDY, GREG K, JEN UNBE AND CACTUS VELLA H FREE SHOW! H H FREE SHOW H

SAT DEC 27

SOUND GLYPHICS w/BEYOND HAVEN tue dec 30

THE PINK & BLACK PRESENTS:

RIOT PORN w/POLITIKILL INCORRECT & FILTHY SLATE

H FREE SHOW! H $4 Bohemians

WED Dec 31 SAILOR JERRY & PUSSY WHIPPED WED'S PRESENTS: 3AM NEW YEARS' EVE LAST CALL AT THE BOVINE

TUPPER WARE REMIX PARTY, THE THINLY VEILED DOUBLE ENTENDRES, ROBOTEYES & THE CALIRIZIANS + DJ VANIA

LIVE BURLESQUE w/HOST LAURA DESIREE, TANYA CHEEX, CALIFORNIA SILK & DOLLY BERLIN. MIDNIGHT TOAST W/SAILOR JERRY; PARTY FAVOURS. DRESS LIKE A ROCKSTAR. ROOF TOP TIKI BAR OPEN & HEATED FOR THE EVENING; LAST CALL FOR SMOKERS. TICKETS $10. AVAILABLE AT THE BOVINE OR TICKETSCENE.CA

FRI JAN 2

SHE SAID SAVE ME

w/HEART ATTACK KIDS & THE MAY SIDES SAT JAN 3

ODD ONES

w/THE ROAD HEAVIES & EVERGLO 542 Queen St W • 416 504 4239 bovinesexclub.com • bovinebooking@gmail.com

FRIDAY DECEMBER 26

PARTYCAT, THE PROPHETS, KENNEDY, CONVERSATION

ROCK BRIT-POP NEW WAVE INDIE DJS TWEED & Sat Dec 27 WHAT’S HER PROBLEM?

SHAKE A TAIL

THE PISTON FAMILY NYE RESIDENT DJS FROM BEAM ME UP – SHINDIG JUICE BOX – WITH IT SYNTHESEXER – REBEL HOP DANCE PARTY! Thur CLOSED Jan 1 HAPPY NEW YEAR! WEDDING NIGHT

EVERY SATURDAY EVERY SATURDAY

LEGENDS OF KARAOKE DECEMBER 31

NEW YEARS EVE @ SNEAKY DEE’S FRIDAY JANUARY 2

PLUTO, G MILLA, LUU BREEZE, Q LIKE THE LETTER SATURDAY JANUARY 3

TRADE WIND W/ CRYPTODIRA

WED JANUARY 7 6:30-9:30PM

ANOTHER ROUND TRIVIA

Fri Jan 2

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7

WHAT’S POPPIN’

JOIN US FOR BRUNCH ON NEW YEARS DAY! OPEN AT 10AM

Sat Jan 3

DECEMBER 26-30

WHAT’S IN

BSTOIVX E H T AL MUSIC FE

5 DAYS

GENERAL ECLECTIC – DOUBLE K Fri Dec 26 R&B MOTOWN MOD SKA SOUL

$5 shots of Sailor Jerry

$5 cans of Pilsner or Steam Whistle

(JUST S. OF COLLEGE) PARKING AVAILABLE

SHINDIG! DJS SPLATTERMONKEY

CHRISTMAS EVE NO.24

JANUARY 8

LILLEBJØRN NILSEN

THE HAPPY PALS 4:30pm-8pm DIRTY SWEET 10pm-2am

WE ARE OPEN AT 9PM

WED DEC 24

FRI dec 26 BOXING DAY ACOUSTIC PUNK BLOW OUT

TUE 30 LAST WALTZ Bid farewell to ‘14

SUNDAY DECEMBER 28

Tue Dec 30

7PM

crawFord Connected Reggae Party 9 pm. handLeBar Greasy Listening (vinyl spun by

10pm-2am

THE HAPPY PALS 4:30pm-8pm THE PORCH DOGS 10pm-2am

DanCE musiC/DJ/loungE

SAT 27 IN TOUCH All hit party jam dance fest extravaganza...

MON 29 COMEDY AT OSS Open mic night.. sign up, knock ‘em dead...

FRIDAY DECEMBER 26

FRANKIE FOO

SATURDAY DECEMBER 27

Mon Jan 5 School Night Mondays

THU DEC 25

TRIVIA

BLUEGRASS BRUNCH

Quartet Easy To Love: The Cole Porter Songbook, 5:30 to 6:30 pm [Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre].

FRI 26 GET BUCK w/DJ Nino Brown Hip hop, dancehall, soul, reggae, soca, RnB...

SUN 28 BRASS FACTS The best quiz night in the city...

10-2PM

Tix $20 at ticketfly.com

Jazz/ClassiCal/ExpErimEntal

Sonic Boom staff), 9 pm.

HOME OF THE BLUES SINCE 1943

THE MERCENARIES

Wed Dec 31 New Year’s Eve with

See JuST announced ShoWS aT noWToronTo.coM.

THE OSSINGTON

9PM

THE MERCENARIES!

9PM

Jazz/ClassiCal/ExpErimEntal

bird Vocal Jazz Jam, 8:30 to 11:30 pm. edward Johnson BuiLdinG New Orford String Quartet 7 pm. huGh’s room Toronto Ravel doors 10 am. Tranzac Peripheral Vision (jazz), 10 pm [Southern Cross].

Closed MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Sat Dec 27 & Sun Dec 28

Wednesday, January 7

Monday, January 5

THU 25 & JAN 1

Thu Dec 25 Fri Dec 26

GUILTY PLEASURES DANCE PARTY DJS A DIGITAL NEEDLE

WITH IT

DJ NICO & DJ MAGNIFICENT MOD SOUL POP R&B

THANKS FOR FIVE GREAT YEARS WITH MANY MORE TO COME!! KITCHEN OPEN FOR LUNCH – BRUNCH – DINNER 416.532.3989 • 937 Bloor Street West www.ThePiston.ca

5 BANDS 5 BUCKS FEATURING

DILLAN PONDERS

TRE MISSION

THE POSTERZ

RIVER TIBER

AIN’T NO LOVE

PET SUN

DJ SPINN Q R A D E H T ND BA E THE MELIGROV

NEW HANDS PROGRAMM

SEX TAPE

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

New Year’s eve partY plaNNer nic pouliot

TIME’S A TICKIN’. USE THIS ESSENTIAL GUIDE, FEATURING ALL THE BASHES, EVENTS AND SHOWS AROUND TOWN, TO PLAN YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE REVELS Compiled by JULIA HOECKE

A JAzzy 2015 New yeAr’s eve live show by

Aura & Friends, dinner and dancing. Doors 7 pm. Reserve. $175. Palais Royale, 1601 lake Shore W. 416-606-9402. A MidNight iN PAris Master of ceremonies taj the Blacklion and DJ Wikked play. Doors 10 pm. $40. Stylish dress code. Switch, 55 colborne. clubcrawlers.com. Alex PANgMAN & her AlleycAts new Year’s Eve party, doors 7 pm. Hot and cold dinner buffet from 7:30 pm, dessert 11 pm and sparkling wine toast. $125. Reserve. Old Mill Inn, 21 old Mill Rd. 416-207-2020. AMsterdAM Brewhouse Nye All night 1920s-inspired party with a limited prix fixe dinner from $50 from 6:30 pm. Music by chuck Woodward, the Bass6, Safari Boys, tariq Esmail and Deniero Bartolini, Allan Rayman and Andrew Green. Free shuttle from Gabby’s (309 King W) between 9-10:30 pm. $49.95, adv $39.95 (Vip booths available). Amsterdam BrewHouse, 245 Queens Quay W. 416-5041020, info@amsterdambrewhouse.com. AN elegANt AffAir Singles gala with hors d’oeuvres, professional photos, party favours, gift certificates and dancing to top 40, hiphop, old school and classics with DJ Mr Stylus. 9 pm. 25+. Formal dress code. $75. The Uptown Loft, 2464 Yonge. singleinthecity.ca. BAck iN the dAy 90s New yeAr’s eve tribute dance party to old-school hip-hop, R&B, dance, house, reggae and pop from the 90s. Midnight countdown and party favours. 9 pm. $25. Forty2 Supperclub, 42 Mowat. clubcrawlers.com.

BAck to the electric circus New yeArs 2015

An electrifying evening features dinner, DJs and dancing. DJ Stiles will be spinning vinyl hits. Stay all night or come for the early bird special. Early bird seating 5-6 pm, $55. Second seating 7:30-8:30 pm, $65. new Year’s 10-11 pm $75. The Carbon Bar, 99 Queen E. 416947-7000, thecarbonbar.ca. BANgs & Blush Nye DJs Bangs & Blush play the music of 60s to 00s. Wear your bowties and party dresses. 9 pm. Clinton’s, 693 Bloor W. bangsandblush.ca. the Big New yeAr’s eve souNd PArty DJ Wes Allen. Doors 9 pm. $35, adv $25. Mod Club, 722 college. themodclub.com. the BlAck & white BAll Nye Music by DJ Mkutz and DJ Hennie V. Formal attire. Doors 9 pm. 25+. $50-$65. Trump International, 325 Bay, 9th floor. ticketpicket.com/trumpnye. BoviNe Nye live music by tupperware Remix party, the thinly Veiled Double Entendres, the calrizians, Roboteyes; live burlesque by tanya cheex, california Silk and Dolly Berlin. Midnight toast and party favours, doors 9 pm. $10. Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen W. bovinesexclub.com. BrAvissiMo! oPerA’s greAtest hits the opera canada Symphony, opera canada chorus and soloists perform excerpts from la traviata, Rigoletto, Aida and more. 7 to 10 pm. $55-$145. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe. 416-872-4255, roythomson.com. the BuddhA’s New yeAr’s eve PArty legendary 90s MuchMusic VJ Master t spins tunes. Doors 9 pm. $20, adv $15. Smiling Buddha,

December 25 2014 - January 7 2015 NOW

961 college. eventbrite.ca/e/14856152151. BuoN ANNo 2015 Four-course prix fixe gourmet menu. $70. Reserve. Cibo Wine Bar, 522 King W. 416-504-3939. BuoN ANNo Four-course prix fixe festive menu. $70. Reserve. Ciao Wine Bar, 133 Yorkville. ciaowinebar.com cArlA colliNs New yeAr’s eve comedy by collins, dinner and dancing with DJ Jacqie Jaguar. 7 & 9 pm. Show $30, adv $25, dance only after 11 pm $10. Reserve. The Flying Beaver Pubaret, 488 parliament. pubaret.com. cAutioN JAM Rock, blues and Grateful Dead jams with buffet and champagne. 10:30 pm. $25, adv $20. Grossman’s, 379 Spadina. 416977-7000, grossmanstavern.com. the cAverN BAr New yeAr’s the Databats headline, w/ Deeper Arcades and iderdown. Doors 9 pm. pwyc. Cavern Bar, 76 church. facebook.com/events/670040069780129. celeBrAte the BegiNNiNg of 2015 Face painting, interactive reptile exhibit, ice skating (weather permitting), arts & crafts and live music by Dan the Music Man, Sol de cuba, the lincolns, Jordan John and two For the Show. 7 pm-midnight. Free. Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough. toronto.ca.

celeBrAtioN squAre New yeAr’s eve BAsh

Electronic duo Keys n Krates, live DJ skate, gourmet food trucks, fireworks finale and more. 8 pm. Free. Mississauga Celebration Square, 300 city centre. mississauga.ca. chAMPAgNe showers Extravagant party with midnight toast, countdown, laser show, performances and DJs on two floors. Doors 9

Partiers showed how it’s done at last year’s New Year’s Eve bash at the Guvernment. pm. $25. Stylish dress code. Tattoo, 567 Queen W. clubcrawlers.com. chris stAig & the MArquee PlAyers Rock & roll new Year’s party. Doors 10 pm. no cover. Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth. 416-778-1804 chris whiteley & diANA BrAithewAite new Year’s Eve Extravaganza, 9:30 pm. $50, adv $45. Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas W. 416-5316604, hughsroom.com. chroNologic New yeAr’s eve Goin’ Steady DJs musical trip through time featuring the best dance tracks from 1903 to 2014. Doors 9:30 pm. $30, adv $20. The Garrison, 1197 Dundas W. goinsteady.ca. circA 1926 Nye classic, hip-hop, old school and top 40 at this night of nostalgia, music, art, cocktails and culture. 9 pm. $40. Stylish dress code. Everleigh, 580 King W. clubcrawlers.com. cirque New yeAr’s eve DJs nishe and nakz spinning house, hip-hop, mashups and top 40. Midnight toast, balloon drop, confetti cannons and party favours. Doors 10 pm. $25 and more. Sound Academy Solarium, 11 polson. ticketzone.com/cirquenye2015. coMedy ANd cABAret New yeAr’s cabaret star Sharron Matthews and others. 10 pm. $65-$70. Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge. rhcentre.ca. couNtdowN New yeAr’s eve DJs Bassjackers, Borgeous, cyril Hahn, MAKJ, Rl Grime, nadus, Groundislava, Joe Ghost, Shaun Frank, pusher and HolloH. 10:30 pm. From $62.15. Liberty Grand, 25 British columbia. countdownnye.ca. crush Nye All thAt glitters Burlesque and

drag with Belle Jumelles, St Stella & Kelsey Slammer. DJ Mothers plays house music at this queer and sex positive party. 10 pm. $10. Club 120, 120 church. id-tap-that.com. dANce cAve Nye PArty Doors 9 pm. $13.50. The Cave, 529 Bloor W, 2nd fl. ticketfly.com. dAPPer ’15 New yeAr’s eve DJs Mixology, Kid MK and prodigo spin current and classic hits. Midnight toast included. 9 pm. $50, adv $40. West Bar, 510 King W. 416-504-9378. drAke: oNe Night oNly options include a strolling underground cocktail party 8 pm, $75; three-course dinner (lounge/Sky Yard 6, 6:30 & 7 pm) $75; four-course seated dinner (9, 9:30 & 10 pm) $125; after midnight access $25. Music by DJ Dougie Boom 10 pm, oldies 990 at 7 pm, DJ Eon 6 pm, Shuffle Demons 8 pm in the underground and itzsoweezee from 11 pm. Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen W. 416-531-5042 ext 1, nye@thedrakehotel.ca.

the dude’s New yeAr’s: the Big leBowski

Ring in the new Year in style (sunglasses and bathrobes recommended) with a screening of the coen brothers film, White Russian express bar, party favours and countdown on the big screen with host Freddie Rivas. Doors 8:30 pm, screening 9:30 pm. $20. Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 506 Bloor W. bloorcinema.com. dwAyNe gretzky New yeAr’s eve Music by the cover band and DJ lazy Ray between sets. Doors 9 pm. $25-$40. The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth. thedanforth.com. eNchANté New yeAr’s eve DJ tilt plays house, high-energy hip-hop and hits. Gourmet hors d’oeuvres and midnight toast. 9 pm.

$40. Stylish dress code. Maison, 15 Mercer. clubcrawlers.com EvEry 1’s A WinnEr nyE PArty DJ Gord & Spy Band. Pwyc. Reposado, 136 Ossington. 416532-6474, reposadobar.com. FrAsEr MElvin BluEs BAnd New Year’s Eve show, 9 pm to 1 am. $10. Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles. gate403.com. GlAMour & Glitz nEW yEAr’s EvE GAlA DJs Jester, Ritz, Baba Kahn, Soca Sweetness, Jason Chambers, Kid Kut, DJ Riyad, Whitebwoy and many others. Dinner and dance $80, dance only $40. International Plaza Hotel, 655 Dixon. 416-898-3535. GourMEt nEW yEAr’s EvE Culinary team Jon Pong and Anthony Law present two indulgent prix fixe dinners: four-course $75, and sixcourse $125. Seatings at 6:30 and 7 pm. Michael Rault entertains from 7 pm, DJ NaNa from 10 pm. Reserve. Drake One Fifty, 150 York. 416-363-6150, nye@drakeonefifty.ca.

HArBourFront nEW yEAr’s EvE skAtinG

PArty Skate by the lake to music at this family friendly event. 8 pm to midnight. Free. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. harbourfrontcentre.com. HorsEy CrAzE, dArlEnE sHruGG, AndrE EtHiEr’s sunsEt PiG, dJ GAvEn diEndA New Year’s Eve party featuring a tribute to Neil Young/ Crazy Horse. Doors 9 pm. $15. Silver Dollar, 486 Spadina. 416-975-0909, ticketfly.com. intErFACE: MusiC X Art X dEsiGn Music by All Blak Crew, Sam Haze & Mina, DJ Charlton, Olenonly & Sybil Crew, Nightvision & Simon Jain, art by Trevor Wheatley and Artefact. Doors 10 pm. $40. 99 Sudbury, 99 Sudbury at Lisgar. thisisprovoke.com. JACk dE kEyzEr BAnd New Year’s Blues party. Monarchs Pub, 33 Gerrard W. 416-585-4352. kindlinG liGHt oF WisdoM Mind Buddhist year-end candlelight service. 8-10 pm. $10 donation. Zen Buddhist Temple, 86 Vaughan. 416-658-0137. lEMon BuCkEt’s nEW yEAr PArty The Balkanklezmer-gypsy-party punk band performs. Doors 9 pm. $20 adv at La Palette, 492 Queen W, $25 adv, $30 at the door. Opera House, 735 Queen E. ticketfly.com. lEt tHErE BE HousE: nyE 2015 DJs Nick Holder, Adam Khan and Toronto Hustle. No dress code. 10 pm. $15-$20. BassLine Music Bar, 865 Bloor W. lettherebehouse.ca.

loWEr WEst sidE nyE 1920s-era style party with Electro Swing Club TO, burlesque, DJs and more. Midnight countdown with complimentary champagne toast. Doors 9 pm. $75, adv $50. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen W. gladstonehotelnye.eventbrite.com. luCkEE nEW yEAr Special menu at Susur Lee’s resto featuring Cantonese-style Drunken Lobster, oyster clay pot and more (regular menu available). 5:30-11 pm. Luckee, 328 Wellington W. 416-935-0400, luckeerestaurant.com. lulA All stArs nyE Salsa party with Lula All Stars, Baila Boogaloo and DJ Suave. Fivecourse dinner, champagne toast, salsa class an live band $99 (plus tax & tip), dancing and champagne only $25-$40. Doors 7 pm, show starts at 10:30 pm. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas W. 416-588-0307, lula.ca. MAJEstiC nEW yEAr’s EvE MMXv Three ballrooms, three sounds: cabaret performance by Andrea Godin, top 40, R&B and house music by DJs Delirious, Fizza, GrandSlam, ISC Nation, Fisher Pryce, live percussion and electric violin and more. Dinner 7:30 pm, dance 9 pm. Semiformal attire. $40. Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front W. clubcrawlers.com. MidniGHt MiX PArty nEW yEAr’s EvE DJs Baby Yu, Wristpect, Sir-Lancelot Z Roberts, JB Allen, Deejay Riccachet, Deejay Thera-P, Deejay Divsa and Big Philly. Doors 9 pm. $25. Revival, 783 College. clubzone.com. MidnitE nEW yEAr’s EvE run Ring in the new year with a 5K midnight run through Liberty Village and then celebrate with a post-race party, or just come for the party. Food, glass of bubbly, finishers’ medals and swag bags for all runners. Doors 10:30 pm. Run & party $85-$95, party only $45-$55. Danceology, 171 East Liberty, #118. midniteruntoronto.com. tHE MikAdo nyE Toronto Operetta Theatre presents the Gilbert & Sulli van operetta and a party. Reception at Hot House Cafe (35 Church) 6 pm, dinner 6:30 pm, performance 8 pm, after-party at Hot House with champagne at midnight. NYE show and gala package $203 (orchestra), $188 (upper). Reserve. Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front E. 416-3667723, torontooperetta.com. MinutEs to MidniGHt Music, dancing and socializing at this stylish sophisticated party with DJs playing top 40, hip-hop, R&B and house music. Favours and midnight champagne toast. 9:30 pm. $60. Ritz Carlton Hotel,

181 Wellington W. clubcrawlers.com.

nAsHvillE Bound Buffet dinner and folk

music by Glen Hornblast, Kat Goldman and Fraser & Girard. 8 & 11 pm. First show $35 dinner & $20 cover, second show $20 cover. Reservations 6:30-7:30 pm. Free Times Cafe, 320 College. 416-967-1078. nEW yEAr’s 2015 Prix-fixe Asian feast, $70. DJ Nick Fiorucci from 10 pm, $25 general admission. Reserve. Spice Route, 499 King W. 416849-1808, spiceroute.ca. nEW yEAr’s Five-course prix fixe gourmet menu and live entertainment by Take Note. $125 include party favors. Reserve. Rosewater Supper Club, 19 Toronto. 416-214-5888, rosewaterroom.com. nEW yEAr’s At tHE CAMEron Janes Party, Ferraro and the Devin Cuddy Band. 9 pm. $10 at the door. Cameron House, 408 Queen W. thecameron.com. nEW yEAr’s EAGlE DJ John Caffery and DJ Scooter McCreight spin nu disco, indie dance and deep house. Midnight toast. No dress code. 9:30 pm. $5. Black Eagle, 457 Church. 416-413-1219. nEW yEAr’s EvE 2014 Hosted by Cassandra Moore with performances by Pole Club and DJs K-Tel and Triple-X. Doors 10 pm. $25, adv $20. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander. buddiesinbadtimes.com. nEW yEAr’s EvE DJ Humble Mike spins vinyl for dancers. Champagne toast and midnight snack bar. Includes four-course craft-beerpaired dinner with seasonal brews. 8 pm. $70. Mill Street Brew Pub, 21 Tankhouse Lane. 416-681-0338 ext 2. nEW yEAr’s EvE At BorEAliA Six-course dinner that celebrates Canada’s indigenous and imported gastronomic history. 5:30-11 pm. Dinner & bubbly $75 (optional wine pairing $40). Borealia, 59 Ossington. borealiato.com.

nEW yEAr’s EvE At rCl todMordEn BrAnCH 10 Cold buffet, party favors, champagne toast and DJ Rob Martine. Doors 7 pm. $30, members $25. Royal Canadian Legion, 1083 Pape. 416-425-3070. nEW yEAr’s EvE GAlA dinnEr CruisE Buffet, midnight toast, DJ dancing and four-hour cruise. 8 pm. $143. Queen’s Quay Terminal, 207 Queens Quay W. mariposacruises.com.

nEW yEAr’s EvE on nAtHAn PHilliPs squArE Musical performances by Amanda Martinez, Tebey, Zeus, DJ Mel Boogie, host Nicole

Brooks, plus food trucks, glow-in-the-dark street performers, ice skating and fireworks. 8 pm. Free. Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen W. toronto.ca. nEW yEAr’s EvE PArty 8 pm. Emmet Ray Bar, 924 College. nEW yEAr’s EvE PArty Dinner and music by Jamesking and DJ Chad playing funk, soul, R&B, disco, reggae and top 40 dance music. Cocktails 6 pm, dinner 7 pm, bubbly and party favours at midnight. $70, dance only $25. Reserve. Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge. 647-977-4194. nEW yEAr’s EvE r&B BAsH Grooveyard play funk, soul and R&B. Doors 8 pm. $50 till Dec 14, more later. Cash bar, food and full menu available. Purchase tickets only, no reservations. The Rex, 194 Queen W. therex.ca. nEW yEAr’s EvE soul BAsH Ride The Tiger and DJ Misty perform. 7 pm. $25. Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas W. eventbrite.ca/e/14312987531.

nEW yEAr’s EvE sWinG & BluEs douBlE dECk BAll 2014 Beginner Lindy Hop class 8 pm, ball

9 pm with the Happy Pals Swing Quintet. Hot supper buffet, cold buffet, midnight bubbly, desserts. 8 pm. $40-$45. Dovercourt House, 805 Dovercourt. swingtoronto.com. nEW yEAr’s HousE PArty Ping-pong social club party package includes a table, champagne, punch bowl and bites for 8-12 people. DJs spin house music all evening. No dress code. Walk-ins welcome, reserve for party packages. 8 pm. SPiN Toronto, 461 King W. 416-599-7746, info.toronto@wearespin.com. nEW yEAr’s EvE DJs Paul E Lopes, Mike Tull, Dave Campbell, Jason Palma, Blueprint, Moreno and Santosh on two floors. $25 adv. Rivoli, 332 Queen W. 416-596-1908, hotstepper-nye-2015.eventbrite.ca. nEW yEAr’s EvE At notA BEnE Dine on a festive four-course menu and raise a glass of Perrier Jouet to a sparkling 2015. Doors 5 pm. $89-$109 (à la carte menu also available). Nota Bene, 180 Queen W. 416-977-6400, notabenerestaurant.com. nEW yEAr’s EvE At tHE BEAvEr Entertainment by The House Of Filth and friends including Nancy Bocock, Allysin Chaynes, DJs Peg Zilla, and Boy Pussy, party girl Quannah Style and host Judy Virago. Doors 8:30 pm. Beaver, 1192 Queen W. info@thebeavertoronto.com. nEW yEAr’s EvE sPECtACulAr! Stand-up com-

edy w/ headliner Jason Blanchard and host DJ Demers. 10 pm. $40. Absolute Comedy, 2335 Yonge. 416-486-7700, absolutecomedy.ca. nEW yEAr’s EvE in tHE JunCtion Lucas Stagg Band and The Blanks perform. 9 pm. No cover. Axis Gallery & Grill, 3048 Dundas W. axisgalleryandgrill.com.

nikki FiErCE, tHis inFinitE, ColuMBo, Pins & nEEdlEs, BEAr WitH ME New Year’s Eve party,

9 pm. $7, $3 before 10:30 pm. The Sister, 1554 Queen W. thesister.ca. nyE 2015 At CuBE Dance party with DJ Chris Laroque. Doors 9 pm. $30-$40. Cube, 314 Queen W. inktickets.com.

nyE 2015: BlACk & WHitE MAsquErAdE BAll

DJs Starting From Scratch, Carlos, Crazy Chris, Sin, Firekid Steenie and others. $20-$30. Product Nightclub, 364 Richmond W. inktickets.com. nyE 2015: MAGiC Dance party with DJs Mark Oliver & Manzone & Strong. Doors 9 pm. $45. Guvernment, 132 Queens Quay E. inktickets. com. nyE At dAkotA The Royal Crowns play. Champagne toast at midnight. Doors 9 pm. $20. Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington. ticketfly.com. nyE At yukyuk’s Laugh your way into 2015 with Chuck Byrn, Terry Clement, Eddie Della Siepe and Rob Bebenek. Dinner 8 pm, show 10 pm. $95, show only $50. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com. nyE CAsino royAlE MAsquErAdE Entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, midnight champagne toast, party favours, top hats and masks included. Texas Hold’em, Blackjack and Plinko tables with unlimited play. 8 pm. $30. Louis Cifer Brew Works, 417 Danforth. 647-3505087, louisciferbrewworks.com. nyE CoMEdy EXtrAvAGAnzA Derek Edwards headlines Mark Breslin’s annual bash, with DeAnne Smith, Alex Nussbaum, Dave Martin, Kenny Robinson, host Tom Green and others. 7:30 pm. $39.50-$69.50. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria. masseyhall.com. tHE ossinGton nyE EvEnt DJ Big Jimmy Mills, dancing, cocktails, snacks and a champagne toast. 9 pm. The Ossington, 61 Ossington. theossington.com.

tHE Piston FAMily nEW yEAr’s EvE PArty

The Fam Jam DJs representing all weekend events including Wedding Night, With It, continued on page 52 œ

NOW December 25 2014 - January 7 2015

RCM_NOW_contests_1-5bw_Jan2_MBA.qxp__V 2014-12-18 10:59 AM Page 1

new year’s eve party planner

CONTESTS

œcontinued from page 51

MAPLE BLUES AWARDS

Monday, January 19, 2015 7pm Koerner Hall The celebration of Canada’s blues music - hosted by Danny Marks, with Downchild Blues Band, Angel Forrest, Brandon Isaak, Harpdog Brown, Steve Hill, Joel Johnson, and the Maple Blues Band. WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THIS CONCERT AT:

nowtoronto.com

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! 416.408.0208 www.performance.rcmusic.ca 273 BLOOR STREET WEST (BLOOR & AVENUE RD.) TORONTO

December 25 2014 - January 7 2015 NOW

Beam Me Up, Synthesexer, Rebel Hope, Love Handle and others. The Piston, 937 Bloor W. thepiston.ca. PoP Machine Bang Bang DJs Aural, Miss Fluffy Souffle and Scarlett Bobo. Bubbly toast and late-night snacks included at this pop dance party. 10 pm. $20, adv $15. WAYLA Bar, 996 Queen E. waylabar.ca. Prestige on richMond nYe affair Music by Max B, DJ Smartiez spinning R&B, hip-hop, reggae, soca, dance and top 40. $25-$35. Semi-formal dress code. Rehab Nightclub, 224 Richmond W. clubcrawlers.com. PuB crawl: the countdown Entry to three events includes VIP wristbands, hats, transport by limo bus or party bus and champagne toast. Venues include Fiction Nightclub and others. 8 pm. Dress to impress. $25-$40. Tryst, 82 Peter. clubcrawlers.com. Puttin’ on the ritz Come dressed as Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable or in your best 1940s-inspired attire and win our best dressed contest. Hors d’oeuvres and a three-course meal, a black-light theatre show and dance party. $124.95, children $69.95. Famous People Players, 343 Evans. 416-532-1137, fpp.org. rest in Peace 2014 DJs One Trap Mind, Bill Slinnton, Alrighty Then, Rufio and Adam Klein and a live performance by Allan Rayman. Balloon drop, midnight champagne toast, spoken word homage to 2014, everyone dressed in black. 9 pm. $20-$40. Brooklynn Bar, 1186 Queen W. ripnye.com. rich aucoin New Year’s Eve Party: The Greatest Karaoke Set Ever, doors 8:30 pm. Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor W. ticketfly.com.

ring in the new Year with Barsa taBerna

Ring in the New Year in style with a sparkling glass of Cava and enjoy a special 12-course tapas menu. First seating 5-8 pm, $65. Second seating 8:30 pm-2 am, $80. Barsa Taberna, 26 Market. 647-341-3642, barsataberna.com. ring in the new Year with george Unique five-course tasting menu by executive chef Lorenzo Loseto and midnight toast. Reserve. $150. George, 111 Queen E. 416-863-6006. the sadies New Year’s party. Doors 8:30 pm,

sets at 11:15 pm and 1:15 am. $25.50. Horseshoe, 370 Queen W. horseshoetavern.com. sheila gostick Music by Jack Troughton, Yusuke Hasegawa, CHYPS and comedy by Sheila Gostick. 9 pm. Free. Bring our own food and drink and a bottle of champagne to share at the moment. Cineforum, 463 Bathurst. rhartt4363@gmail.com. soul stew R&B/soul/funk band play at this New Year’s party with four-course meal. 8 pm. Dinner and show $150. Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria. jazzbistro.ca. soulful resolution Soul music, soul food and soulful times with the David Hutchison Jazz and Blues Band, dinner and dancing with DJ Black Lotus. Family-style dinner downstairs $50, dinner upstairs with the band $70. 6 pm. Reserve. Harlem, 67 Richmond E. 416-3681920, info@harlemrestaurant.com. stars new Year’s eve Ball Music by SocaMonarch, UnstoppableNavi, DJ Shiva, the Undertaker, DJ Knight and Jay Quintero playing dance, R&B, baseline, reggae, dancehall, top 40 and Latino tunes. 9 pm. $65. Semi formal dress code. Mirage Entertainment Complex, 1917 Albion. clubcrawlers.com. static nYe 2015 Dance party with the Chainsmokers, Oliver Heldens and Cazzette. Doors 9 pm. $40-$50. Kool Haus, 132 Queens Quay E. inktickets.com. stiletto flats Rock & Retro New Year’s Eve. 9 pm. Free. Old Nick, 123 Danforth. 416-4615546. stories to tell nYe’15 Modern nightclub party. Stylish dress code. 10 pm. $25. Fiction Nightclub, 180 Pearl. clubcrawlers.com. studio 54 new Year’s eve gala Themed party with gourmet food, DJ Toz, dancing and the best view in the city. Early bird seating 5-7 pm $94, all night gala 7 pm-2 am $195 (includes cocktail and hors d’oeuvres), afterparty 10:30 pm-2 am $70. Toula, 1 Harbour Square, 38th floor. toula54.eventbrite.ca.

suPerMarket new Year’s eve dance PartY

Resident DJ John Kong and DJ Sean Sax playing hip-hop, disco, funk & soul, classics, R&B and more. 9:30 pm. $12 adv. Supermarket,

268 Augusta. supermarketto.ca.

the suPerstars of coMedY nYe Stand-up comedy by Nitish Sakhuja, Pat MacDonald, headliner Ben Miner and host Darryl Purvis. 8 pm. $12-$15. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. thoroughBred new Year’s eve luau DJ Caff and Fathom. Pig roast dinner, vegetarian options available. Tiki drinks and more. No cover. Dinner $45 (reserve). Two seatings, 7 & 9:30 pm. Thoroughbred Food & Drink, 304 Richmond W. 416-551-9221, info@tbto.ca. tight & Bright new Year’s eve DJ Play & DJ Shaq-T play hip-hop, house, reggae and party anthems all night. Dinner offered. $20-$30, dinner & dance $60. Casual dress code. Office Pub, 117 John. 416-977-1900. the tonkas Rock and roll. 9 pm. Local, 396 Roncesvalles. thelocalpub.ca. trainwreck Rock and top 40 with midnight champagne and snacks. 8 pm. $20 adv, $40 at the door. Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth. 416-466-5130, linsmoretavern.com. tranzac new Year’s eve concert Three rooms of live music and DJs including Lido Pimienta, New Fries, Tenderness, International Zombies of Love, Mas Aya, Blonde Elvis, DJ Gavin, Sexy Merlin and others. Doors 8 pm. $17, adv $15. 292 Brunswick. Tranzac, 292 Brunswick. rotate.com. union new Year’s eve Nathan Barato, Carlo Lio and The Junkies in an extended 7-hour set. From $30. CODA, 794 Bathurst. bit.ly/116nvvS, reservations@codatoronto.com. unite nYe DJ Jed Dadson plays. Doors 9 pm. $30 and more. UNIUN, 473 Adelaide W. inktickets.com. a verY gatsBY new Year’s eve at the forth

1920s-themed bash. Champagne towers, live jazz band, a raw bar, three-course dinner, late night dessert bar and DJ. 6:30 pm. $60-$120. The Forth, 629 Danforth. theforth.ca. winter wonderland Music by DJ Annalyze. Complimentary midnight champagne and favours. Dinner from 8 pm, party 10 pm. 25+. Formal dress code. $40-$50. Brassaii, 461 King W. clubcrawlers.com. 3

stage Jordan Tannahill won big in 2014.

The

best of

2014

anything he has a hand in. He began this year with a sexy, intriguing production of The Country Wife, then in Minotaur helmed a look at myth in both classical and modern contexts. He returned to a well-known script with Twelve Angry Men, which included actors of colour from several generations, and finished 2014 with a thrilling staging of The De Chardin Project.

duffy 3 raquel Actor

JON KAPLAN’s

Top 10 THEATRE ARTISTS From a multitalented young man with fingers in all sorts of creative pies to actors who light up the stage, writers and directors who explore the human heart and mind and a designer who amazes and entertains, this year’s top stage artists gave audiences unforgettable theatrical memories.

jordan 1Playwright/director tannahill Given everything he does, you’d think 20-something Tannahill had several clones. He may have staged only one full production this year – writing and directing Concord Floral, a searching dramedy about the lives of suburban teens – but it had all the trademarks of his queer aesthetic and probing, inventive mind. A true multidisciplinary artist, he also choreographed a solo piece for Toronto Dance Theatre’s Christopher House and scooped up this year’s Governor General’s Literary Award in English drama, the John Hirsch Director’s Award and Buddies’ inaugural Emerging Artist Award. No question Tannahill is a Renaissance man who’ll be amazing audiences for decades to come.

dilworth 2 alan Director

Rick Miller and Carly Street Photo by David Hou

Dilworth’s talents as a director stretch from the classics to new works, and there’s always an intelligence and warmth to

Duffy brings a wonderful vivacity and intelligence to her roles. A resident artist at Soulpepper, she created a series of memorable characters in works including a don’t-messwith-me otherworldly figure in the revival of Angels In America and the put-upon Elmire in Tartuffe; she was also a striking ensemble presence in Spoon River, Of Human Bondage and The Crucible. Duffy’s most thrilling part, though, was in Idiot’s Delight as the fascinating, sultry Irene, who seduced just about everyone onstage and in the audience.

miner 4 sue Director

A veteran of the Toronto indie scene, Miner made a strong contribution to several of this year’s memorable shows. She first led a production of Ring ’Round The Moon, the best version of that script I’ve seen. For the Fringe, Miner directed partner Mark Brownell’s adaptation of Three Men In A Boat, which consistently sold out and later toured to Mumbai. Just recently, she brought warm, charming life to James And The Giant Peach and a revival of Bed And Breakfast, family shows that actually do what such productions should: speak to audiences of all ages.

lorenzo 5Designer savoini A resident artist at Soulpepper, Savoini works in various as-

pects of theatre design, including sets, costumes and lighting. He scooped up a pair of Doras for his scenic design and lighting for Of Human Bondage, in which he made fascinating use of picture frames, and earlier in the year gave a sweeping staircase and perfect period costumes to Idiot’s Delight. His design work also returned to the Soulpepper stage in various remounts: The Crucible, Angels In America and Kim’s Convenience. He finished 2014 on another high note, with the surprises of a raised-box set and lighting for The De Chardin Project.

roy 6 anusree Actor/playwright

Any work by the talented Roy is a treat. In Free Outgoing, her riveting performance as a traditional, controlling Indian mother whose daughter’s video of a sexual indiscretion goes viral was upsetting and heartfelt. Later in the year she captured the feel of Kolkata’s daily life in her play Sultans Of The Street, which contrasts two pairs of siblings, one well off and the other orphaned beggars. Comic, touching and with an ending that suggests a better future without discounting the past’s pains, Roy’s script has all the richness we expect from this award-winning artist.

chioran 7 juan Actor

This year Chioran got to be wise, parental and scary. As a member of the Shaw Festival ensemble, he proved a terrifying yet fascinating MC in the company’s excellent production of Cabaret, which captured the dark, decadent and alarming qualities of Weimar-era Berlin; he also brought a sense of dignity to a badly directed version of The Philadelphia Story. Back in Toronto, playing a gay health fanatic and family supporter in The Motherfucker With The Hat, Chioran gave a razor-sharp performance; you couldn’t take your eyes off him.

sandler 8 kat Playwright/director

When does the prolific Sandler find

time to do anything but write? This year she wrote, directed and produced three shows for her company, Theatre Brouhaha. All of them – Cockfight, Retreat and the awardwinning Fringe hit Punch Up, for which NOW put her on the cover – resonated with her trademark sharp wit, a series of wacky characters who all seem rational to themselves and plenty of laughs for the audience. Not content to work on three shows, Sandler was also part of the Tarragon’s Playwrights Unit; no doubt we’ll be seeing that show soon.

armstrong 9 claire Actor/producer

As a member of and producer at Red One Theatre Collective, Armstrong’s been involved in several shows the company presented this year at the Storefront Theatre. But she’s a fab actor, too, as she proved in a pair of totally different performances there. First she played a malevolent, manipulative, shape-changing fairy with an uncomfortable interest in human children in The Skriker, and recently did a total about-face as the innocent, drunken Honey in Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, not the usual mousy character but a woman with a quietly manipulative side and a touch of blood lust.

jonathan seinen 10 Actor/playwright/ director He may be soft-spoken, but never doubt Seinen’s perspicacious mind and inquiring queer sensibility. In the spring he was a quiet but important force in A God In Need Of Help, playing a teen who may actually be a Greek god and standing out in the midst of a cast of more seasoned actors. Then, as writer and director, Seinen wowed SummerWorks audiences with Unknown Soldier, based on the real-life story of Chelsea Manning, in which a whistle-blowing military figure questions personal identity and public morals while musing on homophobia, government secrets and Lady Gaga.

- TORONTO STAR

CLOSES SUNDAY BY

David Ives

Proud Sponsor: 14.15 Berkeley Season

DIRECTED BY

Jennifer Tarver

STARRING

Rick Miller

AND

Carly Street

Berkeley Street Theatre

41 6 . 3 6 8 . 3 1 1 0

SHOW ONLY S

.COM

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

stage

The

best of

2014

Bravo: best theatre news

extraordinary documentary musical about the murders of five prostitutes in Ipswich, England, was drawn from interviews with local townspeople. Colloquial, vivid and filled with non sequiturs, the text and the difficult music set to it received a spectacular production by the talented cast and director Jackie Maxwell, with music director Reza Jacobs a major part of the show’s success. No surprise that it picked up six Dora Awards.

Super storefronts and site-specifics

New locations burgeoned around the city while other venues thrived, both in the west end (the Storefront Theatre, Videofag, Spadina House) and in the east (the Coal Mine, Sidemart Theatrical Grocery, Red Sandcastle). Best was the theatrical use companies made of Campbell House Museum for both classics and contemporary productions.

THE MOUNTAINTOP 5 Obsidian Theatre/Shaw Festival, July 16 to September 7

(Niagara-on-the-Lake), September 27 to October 19 (Toronto)

Of Human Bondage, with Oliver Dennis and Gregory Prest, came out on top.

JON KAPLAN and GLENN SUMI’s

Top 10 THEATRE PRODUCTIONS

The best theatre of 2014 came from the big companies and the indies, ranging from impeccably produced classic texts to contemporary pieces with emotional and intellectual bite. It’s never easy to choose the top 10 shows – there are always others we’d like to include – but it’s good to note that two of these productions, Of Human Bondage and Lungs, will return in 2015. HUMAN BONDAGE 1AprilOF Soulpepper, 15 to May 24 From the startling opening sequence (involving a double bass!) onwards, this adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham’s epic novel, penned by Vern Thiessen, was anything but a traditional take on a classic. Director Albert Schultz and a brilliant design team made the story about a man caught between art and science (a sensitive Gregory Prest) gripping and emotionally involving. The best news? You can see this production, with a Soulpepper cast full of too many talents to mention, in 2015.

AN ENEMY OF THE 3 PEOPLE Tarragon, September 16 to October 26 How often do you get to debate art, education and the environment in the middle of a play – and with the show’s characters? That was just one of the innovations in this thrilling production of Henrik Ibsen’s rarely performed play, directed with clarity by Richard Rose (working with Florian Borchmeyer’s adaptation for Berlin’s Schaubühne Theatre) and performed by a solid cast that included Matthew Edison, Richard McMillan and, as battling brothers, Joe Cobden and Rick Roberts.

LONDON ROAD THE SKRIKER 2 Red One Theatre Collective, 4 Canadian Stage, January 19 to February 9 October 23 to November 9 Caryl Churchill’s quirky, challenging play about a shape-changing fairy who pursues two young women has been called unstageable. That didn’t daunt first-time director Daniel Pagett, who along with a first-rate cast of indie theatre artists gave it an excitingly visceral production filled with wit, myth, environmental concerns, horror and music hall.

Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork’s

Red One’s production of The Skriker struck gold this year.

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

In a year when racial injustice sent people into the streets across North America, how fitting to stage Katori Hall’s two-hander set in a hotel room the night before Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Hall’s script gives lots of layers to both the great man and a flirtatious, chatty chambermaid who has a few secrets, and director Philip Akin, actors Kevin Hanchard and Alana Hibbert and a sensitive design team skilfully brought their fascinating discussions, and this historic era, to urgent life.

ROBERTO DEVEREUX Canadian Opera Company, April 25 to May 21 The Canadian Opera Company often offers splendid stagings of rarely produced works, a fact borne out by director Stephen Lawless’s take on this Donizetti opera about Elizabeth I’s love for the title character, who’s involved with another woman who is married to the queen’s adviser. The singers – including Russell Braun and Allyson McHardy as the unhappily wed couple – were excellent, but Sondra Radvanovsky stole the show as the complex ruler, alternately regal, desperate, angry, passionate and disconsolate. A world-class production.

THE MOTHERFUCKER 7 WITH THE HAT Bob Kills Theatre, November 9 to 30 The characters in Stephen Adly Guirgis’s gritty plays might not always be civil or attractive to those with genteel sensibilities (*cough* Toronto Star critic *cough*), but their wants, lies and pains, depicted in a crude sort of poetry, are worthy of attention. The trick is presenting them with dignity and honesty, something director Layne Coleman and a terrific cast (including Sergio Di Zio, Melissa D’Agostino and a focused Juan Chioran) did brilliantly. Did the slightly dingy downstairs Coal Mine space help set the mood? Motherfuckin’ right it did.

THE DE CHARDIN 8 PROJECT Theatre Passe Muraille,

November 20 to December 14 Adam Seybold’s clever script suspends Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest and

Sergio Di Zio and Melissa D’Agostino pulled off the Motherfuckin’ Hat trick.

paleontologist who believed in evolution, at the moment before his death, when a guide takes him back through key points in his life. What could have been an intellectual exercise was, in the hands of director Alan Dilworth, designer Lorenzo Savoini and actors Cyrus Lane and Maev Beaty, an exciting theatrical experience filled with humour, love, well-argued debates and generous humanity.

Tarragon Theatre, 9 LUNGS February 25 to March 30

A couple’s discussion of whether or not to have a child is at the centre of Duncan Macmillan’s taut, funny, totally absorbing play, given a riveting production by director Weyni Mengesha and actors Brendan Gall and Lesley Faulkner. As the baby issue spills over into other areas of the characters’ lives, the playwright’s words have the quality of everyday speech, making us feel as if these two are people we know and like and possibly are a part of ourselves, too.

AFTERPLAY 10 Afterplay Collective, February 19 to March 2 Brian Friel’s gentle two-hander has a great premise: what if a pair of characters from separate Chekhov plays – Andrey from Three Sisters and Sonya from Uncle Vanya – met each other later in life? The result captures the Russian master’s bittersweet tone of hope and regret. Director Kyra Harper, actors Steve Cumyn and Tracey Ferencz and designer Glenn Davidson made us feel like we were eavesdropping on real conversations as we sipped tea and ate cookies, laughing and crying at the emotional honesty on display upstairs in the Campbell House Museum. Brendan Gall and Lesley Faulkner made us breathe uneasily in Lungs.

Theatre Centre comes home

After decades as a peripatetic company moving from one venue to another, the Centre, helmed by the energetic Franco Boni, finally settled in a permanent home on Queen West, giving the neighbourhood an exciting new laboratory for artistic development.

Eastern promises

Crow’s Theatre’s East End Performance Crawl, curated by Mitchell Cushman, introduced theatregoers to some great shows mounted in cool non-traditional venues east of the DVP – including the hardestticket-to-get interactive show Tease, performed at Jilly’s. Hope it happens next year, too.

Dramatic duds What Makes A Man

This look at French songwriter/performer Charles Aznavour was great on songs, weak on almost everything else. It would have worked better as a simple cabaret.

If I Loved You

Rufus Wainwright’s well-intentioned concert of famous dudes doing Broadway show tunes meant for women – a Luminato event – was under-rehearsed. Guess you can do that when your husband runs the festival.

Factory Theatre vs. the critics

After its board of directors debacle, the Factory made another gaffe by dis-inviting the city’s theatre critics to opening nights, hoping to generate social media buzz. #stupid

Beatrice & Virgil

One of the characters in this clunky adaptation of Yann Martel’s semiautobiographical novel was a taxidermist: good metaphor for this eerily lifeless show. stage@nowtoronto.com | @glennsumi

Top 10 COMEDY SHOWS

Once again, it was hard to single out just 10 shows. There’s a lot of JFL42 below, but that fest gets stronger every year. And I’m sad there’s not more sketch and improv. Maybe in 2015.

Mark Forward capped off 15 years as a comic with a stellar stand-up show.

Forward infuses his storytelling with a conflict that sets up a mini-drama, a sort of internal dialogue, in each joke. His anniversary set, delivered straight but with a hint of a grin, included bits on middle-aged Swiss Chalet servers, dogs vs. old people, and a jaw-dropping closer that combined peanuts, chipmunks, domestic abuse and a cheesy Foreigner song. Nobody else could do this material – the sign of a great comic.

James Adomian deserves to be on this list for headlining Yuk Yuk’s OUTrageous Pride show and a series of stand-up sets at Comedy Bar in January. But he also gamely took part in this improvised riff on Robin Hood featuring his swishy Sheriff of Nottingham character and a firstrate cast of players including Jan Caruana, Alastair Forbes and Mike “Nug” Nahrgang, who proved they were “up” for anything – including a bulge-measuring contest.

GLENN SUMI’s

Top 5 DANCE SHOWS

International shows dominated the scene this year. Let’s hope locals step it up in 2015.

KontaKthof Tanztheater Wuppertal/ Luminato, June 11 to 14 After an absence of nearly 30 years, Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal made a triumphant return to Toronto for Luminato with this classic work, a veritable dance of life set in a dance hall/schoolroom and featuring the company’s gloriously diverse ensemble. A profound and moving look at what it means to be human.

The most consistently funny Second City show in years took on such timely topics as crazy weather patterns, the urban/suburban divide and (hey, it was almost a year ago) our crack-smoking mayor. Directed by Chris Earle, the brilliant cast (including Craig Brown, Sarah Hillier, Ashley Botting and Connor Thompson) made each word and image count, especially two hilariously contrasting sketches about men and women’s behaviour. A revue for the ages.

Notaro didn’t expose her double mastectomy scars to the crowd like she did in NYC, but she revealed an awful lot of honest stuff nonetheless, like bombing in Vegas, videotaping Santa with Kyle Dunnigan (long story, beautifully set up) and the idea of swimming in a public pool while having diarrhea. All delivered in her signature dry, uninflected voice. One of the best around.

Bitch salad 9 Buddies in Bad Times, June 28

Part of the joy of a Birbiglia performance is the way he connects his stories. In this standout show he talked about everything from being arrested for having a suspended licence to swearing at a Muppets Just For Laughs gala and insulting director David O. Russell at an awards show. It all had the cohesion of a well-written play. Opener Chris

Producer/host Andrew Johnston pulled out all the stops for this World Pride edition of his queer-friendly show, bringing Drew Droege to headline. Droege was more effective playing a put-upon server than his infamous alter ego, Chloë Sevigny. And the biggest surprises were two of the openers: sassy emerging comic Aisha Alfa, and Katherine Ryan, a Canuck now based in the UK who

opus 2 Canadian Stage/Circa, November 12 to 16 Circus and acrobatics can be exciting and funny, but the Australian troupe Circa proved it could do so much more. Yaron Lifschitz, his jawBrendan Gall,and Lesley droppingly talented troupe the Debussy String Quartet – playing Faulkner three Shostakovich quartets onstage – provided stunning scenes that went beyond virtuosity to create sublime art. Dance or theatre? Doesn’t matter. Just genius.

the radio show 3 Abraham.In.Motion/World Stage, February 5 to 8 In retrospect, Kyle Abraham’s 2010 show, inspired by the urban radio stations of his youth and his father’s dementia, might seem a touch lightweight. But beneath those impeccably danced sequences to soul and R&B songs is the idea that hope can

Jay Brown at Yuk Yuk’s too many times to mention – a class act; Mark Little doing a hilarious impromptu Q&A with author Megan Amram at Comedy Bar (November 7); Shannon Laverty finding the perfect balance of raunch and professionalism at She Unleashed at the inaugural She Dot Festival.

Yo! The NXNE edition of Rapp Battlez was one of the most exciting things I saw this year: part sketch show, part rap concert, part cage match. It’s hard to know what to single out: Miguel and Freddie Rivas’s street thug hosting? Dan Beirne and Kirsten Rasmussen’s throwdown (as MC IT and MA Dial Up) or Evany Rosen and Alex Tindal competing as Woodstock vs. Woodstock ’99? Or was it Jon Blair’s rap about TV’s Blossom? Can’t decide. But I want to experience this show again many times in 2015.

miKe BirBiglia 6 JFL42, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, September 21 (late show)

Best hosts

rapp Battlez 8 NXNE, Comedy Bar, June 20

tig notaro 4 JFL42, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, September 24

Biggest host gaffe

A few weeks before Ghomeshi-gate, Jian Ghomeshi introduced “my good friend Lena Dunham” at a live JFL42 event before the Girls creator explained she’d just met him that day. Burn!

worst big-name shows

Bill Burr at Massey Hall (March 9): all cockiness, no laughs. Nick Offerman at JFL42 (September 20): about as funny as Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Cafe. And that fucking annoying giggle....

Best short set

Rebecca Kohler at Comedy Bar (November 7): not one word out of place.

Best crowd turnaround

John Hastings at Yuk Yuk’s (January 3): won over a blasé crowd through sheer energy and talent.

Lungs Brendan Gall, Lesley Faulkner; photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Riding the success of her hit TV show, Schumer absolutely crushed it at her JFL42 headlining set, effortlessly doing an impression of a Miss USA contestant and describing what it was like to be photographed next to starlet Dianna Agron at a Lakers game. Best was her crude bit of audience participation where she polled the crowd for sexual expressions she’d never heard. Thanks for the Alaskan Pipeline and the Crimson Pollock, Toronto.

Gulman isn’t the edgiest comic, but his observations ring so true and he delivers them so clearly and passionately that you’re immediately on his side. Hotel restaurant omelette station chefs; grapes vs. grapefruits; assholes at Trader Joe’s – I’ll never be able to think of any of these the same way again.

Smith was on this list last year, but she just keeps getting better, and her profile got a big boost in 2014 from appearing on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Whether she’s ridiculing Toronto’s hipsters, chronicling her anxiety ordering a drink at a trendy café or getting the audience to sing Eye Of The Tiger and hold her up while she crowd-surfs, Smith is a total charmer.

naughtyham 5 Comedy Bar/A Pring Thing, January 10

gary gulman Comedy Bar/Empire 10 Comedy, November 30

deanne smith 7 JFL42, the Garrison, September 25

marK forward’s 15th sixteen scandals 1Comedy anniversary show 3 Second City, March 11 Bar, February 15

amy schumer JFL42, Sony Centre, September 19

brought down the house teaching us how to imitate Beyoncé.

Gethard warmed us up with hysterical jokes about Gator Land and life on the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey.

GLENN SUMI’s

back by popular demand!

by Duncan Macmillan directed by Weyni Mengesha Dec 31, 2014–Jan 25, 2015 Extraspace NATIONAL POST

“A terrific evening: a script crammed with wit and surprise, delivered here by performers whose own lungs, not to mention their hearts and brains, are up to the fearsome demands made upon them… I was in tears.”

30 Bridgman Ave · 416.531.1827 · tarragontheatre.com generously supported by

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

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theatre listings

The

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and must survive even amidst brutality and unfairness.

Eunoia Fujiwara Dance Inventions/World Stage, March 19 to 22 Denise Fujiwara and a versatile team of performers (Lucy Rupert, Claudia Moore, Miko Sobreira, Rebecca Hope Terry and Gerry Trentham) helped bring Christian Bok’s book – featuring poems using the same vowel – to playful life in this

beautifully designed one-of-a-kind show.

few feet away from you by modern dancers, it rocked the house.

Elvis and ThE Man in BlaCk 5 Coleman Lemieux &

Best discoveries

Compagnie, May 21 to 31

Laurence Lemieux’s piece about the King didn’t feel fully formed, but what a treat to watch James Kudelka’s C&W-influenced ode to Johnny Cash. The piece was cute when it premiered on the National Ballet of Canada’s stage a few years ago. In the intimacy of the Citadel, performed a

Skylar Campbell and Francesco Gabriele Frola are, respectively, a second soloist and a corps member at the National Ballet of Canada. But both were given huge opportunities this season and triumphed: Frola was Lescaut in Manon, and both shared the demanding title role of Nijinsky with Guillaume Côté, proving that the company has future stars in its midst.

How to find a listing

ñ= Critics’ pick (highly recommended) How to place a listing

All listings are free. Send to: events@nowtoronto.com, fax to 416-364-1168 or mail to Theatre, NOW Magazine, 189 Church, Toronto M5B 1Y7. Include title, author, producer/ company, brief synopsis, times, range of ticket prices, venue name and address, and box office/ info phone number or website. Listings may be edited for space. Deadline is the Thursday before publication at 5 pm. If your free listing requires a correction, send info to: fixevents@nowtoronto.com.

New this week

ANtimAN by Riel Paley (Unit 102 Theatre Co).

Paley plays out scenes from his life growing up on the island of St Croix with his hippie mom and her abusive boyfriend. Opens Jan 2 and runs to Jan 16, daily at 8 pm. $25, adv $20 (unit102tix@gmail.com), pwyc Jan 5 & 10. The Theatre Machine, 376 Dufferin. facebook. com/events/1515334152049526. BrAvissimo! operA’s GreAtest Hits (Attila Glatz). The Opera Canada Symphony, Opera Canada Chorus and soloists perform excerpts from La Traviata, Rigoletto, Aida and more. Dec 31 at 7 pm. $55-$145. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe. roythomson.com. tHe CoNjuror (Soulpepper/Magicana). David Ben presents his show set in 1909 London, inspired by the Golden Age of Magic. Opens Dec 30 and runs to Jan 3, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Wed-Sat 3 pm and Sat 12:30 pm. $25-$69. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca. DelimAx by Harvey Ostroff (TEATRON Theatre). A Holocaust survivor is troubled by ultranationalism in Quebec. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, Tue-Thu and Sat-Sun 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm, Jan 7 preview 1 pm. $26-$48, preview $19. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge. teatrontheatre.com. For A GooD time, CAll KAtHy BlANCHArD by Michael Ross Albert (Outside Inside/Next Stage Theatre Festival). A family teeters on the brink during game 4 of a playoff hockey game in this tragic comedy. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $15, passes $48-$90. Mainspace. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. GrAHAm ClArK reADs tHe pHoNeBooK by Graham Clark (Laugh Gallery/Next Stage Theatre Festival). Clark mines his comedy show from the pages of the now-obsolete printed directory. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $10, passes $48-$90. Antechamber. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. tHe HeArt oF roBiN HooD by David Farr (Mirvish). Robin and his crew steal from the rich and keep it for themselves until Marion steps in. Previews to Jan 13. Opens Jan 14 and runs to Mar 1, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun and Wed 1:30 pm. $35-$130. Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King W. 416-872-1212, mirvish.com. jesus’s exeCutioN (improviseD) (Christian Theatre Company). Jesus’s execution is woven into an intricate story in this improvised solo play with musical accompaniment. Jan 7 at 8 pm. Pwyc. Saint Stephen-in-the-Fields Church, 103 Bellevue. 416-921-6350. luNGs by Duncan Macmillan (Tarragon Theatre). A young couple tentatively discusses the idea of having a child, setting off a series of explosions in their relationship. Macmillan’s script sometimes recycles the same ideas, but his vernacular writing is sharp, as are the performances of Brendan Gall and Lesley Faulkner under Weyni Mengesha’s direction. (Review from March 2014.) Opens Dec 31 and runs to Jan 25, Tue-Sat 8 pm, mat SatSun 2:30 pm. $37-$52, rush $15. 30 Bridgman. tarragontheatre.com. NNNN (JK)

Flamenco great Israel Galván broke all the rules and came out on top.

KATHLEEN SMITH’s

Top 5 DANCE SHOWS

I had some great experiences watching dance in 2014, but not by the usual suspects in the usual places. Is homegrown dance suffering some kind of malaise? Is it about funding? Or something even scarier? My hope is that everyone is just gestating fabulous work for 2015.

israEl Galván’s la 1Koerner Edad dE oro Hall, March 29 This virtuoso Spanish artist is rewriting the story of flamenco. His background is pure tradition, but Galván is both driven and brave enough to break the rules.

CasCadE Anandam Dancetheatre, Nuit Blanche, October 4 I was spellbound and becalmed by this 12-hour immersive meditation featuring stately aerial rope work, stunning projections and atmospheric music in the old Globe and

Mail Press Hall. AD’s Brandy Leary is now on my watch list for 2015.

konTakThof and 3 vollMond Tanztheater Wuppertal/

Luminato and National Arts Centre, June 11 to 14 and November 7 and 8 After way too long an absence, Pina Bausch’s company returned to Canada. Toronto got to see Kontakthof, Bausch’s brutal and elegant battle of the sexes. But travel to Ottawa or Montreal was required to see the much more luscious Vollmond. Both are profoundly moving dance experiences.

voyaGEr 4 Public Recordings/Toronto Dance Theatre, February 20 to

March 1

I don’t always enjoy choreographer Ame Henderson’s work, though it’s both thoughtful and intelligent. But I loved Voyager, a dreamy yet intense hour of movement fuelled by TDT company members and guests and Jennifer Castle’s piano and vocals.

ThE radio show 5 Abraham.In.Motion/World Stage, February 5 to 8 An exploration of the importance of voice, both individual and commun-

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

ity, this Kyle Abraham work is also a commentary on American culture. Abraham works with dynamite dancers, and his choreography is an irresistibly inventive blend of pop, hip-hop and classical.

runner-up

My pal Jacob Niedzwieki’s Jacqueries, Part 1 at SummerWorks had some structural problems, but he’s really onto something with this participatory tech-driven dance adventure. I can’t wait to see where it goes.

dance disappointments

The parts-stronger-than-the-sum collaboration between urban dance duo Gadfly and Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie that yielded Uplica.

dubious trends

Unwarranted remounts and repeats Sometimes you need to see it again (Kontakthof, the National Ballet of Canada’s Nijinsky); sometimes you just don’t. Short runs Two nights? Really? How can you hope to build an audience that’s more than friends and family with two- and three-night runs?

Michael Rinaldi (left) and George heat up The Dog And The Angel (see review at nowtoronto. com/stage).

Theatre listings are comprehensive and appear alphabetically by title. New this week lists shows that open or preview this week; Continuing shows have already opened. Reviews are by Glenn Sumi (GS) and Jon Kaplan (JK). The rating system is as follows: NNNNN Standing ovation NNNN Sustained applause NNN Recommended, memorable scenes NN Seriously flawed N Get out the hook F = Festive/seasonal event

tHe miKADo by WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

(Toronto Operetta Theatre). Two lovers try to avoid their arranged marriages in a land where flirting is punishable by death. Opens Dec 27 and runs to Jan 4, see website for times. $72$95, NYE gala $145 plus show ticket. Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front E. torontooperetta.com. miNe by Jenna Harris (Discord and Din Theatre/Next Stage Theatre Festival). Two women in a bar try to navigate each other and their relationship in this paly about our need to belong. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $15, passes $48-$90. Studio. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. pulse (Jasmyn Fyffe/Next Stage Theatre Festival). This contemporary dance show is inspired by the music of Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and other legends of Motown. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $15, passes $48-$90. Mainspace. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. QueerCAB (BIBT). The monthly open-mic night for youth features music, spoken word, stand-up, drag and more. Jan 7 at 8 pm. Pwyc. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander. 416-975-8555, buddiesinbadtimes.com. sleepy BeAuty by Rosemary Doyle and Jane Shields (The Pantomime Players). The classic fairy tale is reimagined as the story of a narcoleptic princess and her cat. Opens Dec 26 and runs to Jan 4, see website for schedule. $10$25, family pack $59. Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen E. redsandcastletheatre.com. sNACK musiC by Ingrid Hansen and Steve Chmilar (SNAFU/Next Stage Theatre Festival). The duo create live improvised songs based on audience stories. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $10, passes $48-$90. Antechamber. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. uNBriDleD & uNstABle by Gwynne Phillips and Briana Templeton (the Templeton Philharmonic/Next Stage Theatre Festival). The sketch comedy duo perform bits from their repertoire and new material. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $15, passes $48-$90. Studio. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com. WAitiNG room by Diane Flacks (Tarragon Theatre). A doctor tries a medical experiment despite objections from his colleagues while a couple wonder if he has what it takes to save their child. Previews from Jan 6, opens Jan 14 and runs to Feb 15, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2:30 pm (and some Sat). $23-$55. 30 Bridgman. 416531-1827, tarragontheatre.com.

Continuing

BlADes oN stAGe (Mirvish). Elvis Stojko and

other ice skaters interpret Broadway standards on a frozen stage. Runs to Jan 4, daily at 2 pm (except Dec 25-26 and Jan 1), and 8 pm shows Dec 26-30 and Jan 2-3. $29-$130. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King W. 416-8721212, mirvish.com. FA CHristmAs CArol by Charles Dickens (Soulpepper). Michael Shamata’s adaptation of the classic holiday ghost story gets a staging. To Dec 27, see website for

schedule. $29-$89, rush $5-$23. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca.

Cinderella: The GaGs To riChes Family musiCal by Reid Janisse (Ross Petty Proñ ductions). This year’s Ross Petty panto is a re-

freshing spin on the Cinderella story, mixing local references, pop songs with reworked lyrics and a silly story performed with gusto by first-rate talents. Danielle Wade and Jeff Lillico are fine as the romantic leads, but Dan Chameroy’s Plumbum/fairy godmother figure and Petty’s evil stepmom get to have lots of outrageous fun. To Jan 4, see website for schedule. $27-$85. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge. 1-855-5999090, rosspetty.com. nnnn (GS) disney on iCe: Treasure Trove (Feld Entertainment). A medley of Disney characters and stories are assembled in this family ice show. Runs to Dec 28, Thu 4 pm, Fri-Sun noon and 4 pm. $28-$95. Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way. disneyonice.com/treasure-trove. FThe doG and The anGel by Martha Ross (Theatre Columbus). This outdoor show follows the Christmas shenanigans of an oddball family and their ailing dog (see review at nowtoronto.com/stage). To Dec 30, Sat-Tue 7:30 pm. $32, srs/youth $12-$22. Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview. 416-504-7529, theatrecolumbus.ca. nnn (JK) FThe iCe Queen (Lower Ossington Theatre). A princess sets off on an epic journey to find her estranged sister in this sing-along family show. To Jan 2, see website for days & times. $30-$50. 100A Ossington. tickets.ticketwise. ca/event/3894305. James alan’s maGiC ToniGhT James Alan hosts a weekly live magic show. Sundays 7 pm. $20-$25. Izakaya Sushi House, 294 College. 416-995-1736, abracadabaret.com. James and The GianT PeaCh by Benj Pasek, Timothy Allen McDonald and Justin Paul (Young People’s Theatre). This musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book captures the fantasy and heart of the original, with the orphaned James running away from his nasty aunts on a giant peach, along with five large-scale insects who become his supportive family. Director Sue Miner’s production, warm and entertaining, is excellent holiday entertainment. To Jan 4, see website for schedule. $25-$45. 165 Front E. 416-862-2222, youngpeoplestheatre.ca. nnnn (JK) Jersey Boys by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice (Mirvish). Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons become pop icons in this musical. To Jan 4, Tue-Sun 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun 1:30 pm (no show Dec 25, 31, Jan 1). $25-$130. Ed Mirvish The atre, 244 Victoria. 416-872-1212, mirvish.com. Jesus ChrisT suPersTar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber (Lower Ossington The atre). Judas makes a fateful choice in this musical. To Jan 24, Thu-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 4 pm, Sat 2 pm (no shows Dec 25-26). $50-$60. 100A Ossington. superstarmusical.ca. Kim’s ConvenienCe by Ins Choi (Soulpepper). Soulpepper brings its first-class production of Ins Choi’s play about a Canadian-Korean convenience store owner and his family back for a holiday run.The cast members, old and new, capture the script’s humour and warmth, and it’s always a pleasure to see Paul Sun-Hyung Lee in the central role as the irascible, demanding and very human paterfamilias. A treat even if you’ve seen the show before. To Dec 28, see website for schedule. $29-$89, rush $5-$23. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. soulpepper.ca. nnnnn (JK)

PoTTed PoTTer – The unauThorized harry exPerienCe by Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson

Turner (Starvox Entertainment/Potted Productions). Clarkson and Turner use costumes, props and music to perform all seven Harry Potter books in 70 minutes. To Jan 11, see website for times. $40-$100. Panasonic Thea tre, 651 Yonge. 1-800-461-3333, mirvish.com. FThe snow Queen adapted by Derek Genova (Solar Stage Children’s Theatre). Gerda goes to the Palace of Ice to rescue a friend. To Jan 4, Sat-Sun 11 am & 2 pm (see website for more dates). $16. Solar Stage Children’s Theatre, 4950 Yonge. solarstage.on.ca. venus in Fur by David Ives (Canadian Stage). Ives’s two-hander is part theatre industry send-up, part sexy/funny look at the origins of sadomasochism and part critique of gender power shifts through the ages. It’s also a bravura acting showcase, which is where this production is a bit of a letdown. As Vanda, a streetwise struggling actor who tries to convince a playwright (a fine Rick Miller) she’s right for a role, Carly Street is skilful, disciplined and watchable, but she never disappears into any character. (Review from Dec 2013.) Runs to Dec 28, Sat-Sun 1 & 7 pm. $30$59. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley. canadianstage.com. nnn (GS) 3

comedy listings How to find a listing

Comedy listings appear chronologically, and alphabetically by title or venue. F= Festive/seasonal event

ñ= Critics’ pick (highly recommended) How to place a listing

All listings are free. Send to: events@nowtoronto.com, fax 416-364-1168 or mail to Comedy,NOWMagazine,189Church, TorontoM5B1Y7. Include title, producer, comics, brief synopsis, days and times, range of ticket prices, venue name and address and box office/ info phone number/website. Listings may be edited for space. Deadline is the Thursday before publication at 5 pm. If your free listing requires a correction, send info to: fixevents@nowtoronto.com.

Friday, December 26 CaTCh23 Weekly improv pit fight. 8 pm. $10.

Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. Fholidazed & ConFused The Second City presents sketches, songs and improvisations to celebrate and satirize the holiday season. Runs to Jan 1, various days and times, see website for schedule. $22. Second City, 51 Mercer. 416-343-0011, secondcity.com. FThe nauGhTy lisTers Santa decides to do away with the naughty list in this family show featuring puppets and live-action adventure and songs. To Jan 1, see website for schedule. $14, family 4-pack $45. Second City, 51 Mercer. 416-343-0011, secondcity.com. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos This isn’t as solid as Second City’s last two revues, but there’s still lots to enjoy, particularly from veteran ensemble members Connor Thompson and Ashley Botting. Thompson scores big laughs as an Owen Sound layabout who has a gift for giving directions, as well as a children’s performer accidentally hired to sing at a Remembrance Day ceremony. Botting gets two big solos that showcase her sassy range. But under director Reid Janisse, many of the sketches need polish, presenting jokey types rather than people. Indefinite run, Tue-Thu 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 & 10 pm, Sun 7:30 pm. $25-$29, stu $16-$18. Second City, 51 Mercer. 416-343-0011, secondcity.com. nnn (Glenn Sumi) winsTon sPear Stand-up show. To Dec 27, Fri-Sat 9 pm. $20. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com.

Saturday, December 27 The *aCTual* GreaTesT show on earTh Im-

prov comedy with audience interaction. 8 pm. $10. 2nd floor. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. 416-903-5388, socap.ca. The BesT oF aBsoluTe Comedy Stand-up comics. To Sun 28, Sat-Sun 8 pm. $10-$15. Abso lute Comedy, 2335 Yonge. 416-486-7700, absolutecomedy.ca. Comedy aT The red roCKeT Joel West hosts a weekly show w/ guest comics. 8 pm. Free. Red Rocket Coffee, 1364 Danforth. 416-406-0880. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26. miCeTro Improvisers work together to score points per scene in the hopes of being the last player standing in this Survivorstyle show. 7 pm. $5. Bad Dog Comedy Theatre, 875 Bloor W. 416-491-3115, baddogtheatre.com. The midniGhT BreaKouT Late-night stage for rising talent. Midnight. $10. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. oPen miC/sKeTCh Comedy show 8 pm. Free. Magic Oven Keele, 347 Keele. 416-838-0825. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. TheaTresPorTs High-octane weekly team improv competition. 8 pm. $12, stu $10. Bad Dog Comedy Theatre, 875 Bloor W. 416-491-3115, baddogtheatre.com. winsTon sPear Stand-up show. To Dec 27, Fri-Sat 9 pm. $20. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com.

Sunday, December 28 all BlaCK Comedy show The Nubian Disciples’ monthly show w/ Roy Daye, Crystal Ferrier, Hoodo Hersi, MJ Heath, Marc Trinidad, headliner Arthur Simeon, host Kenny Robinson and others. 8:30 pm. $20. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com. The BesT oF aBsoluTe Comedy See Sat 27.

JasonBlanchardplays AbsoluteComedyNewYear’s Evebeforehisheadlining weekthereJanuary2.

Comedy @ The well Weekly show w/ hosts

Dred Lee & Jag Ghankas and others. 8:30 pm. Free. 121 Ossington. thewellbarcafe.ca. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26. The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. The PlayGround Stand-up comics followed by an open mic w/ hosts Melissa Story and Kris Siddiqi. 8:30 pm. Pwyc. 3rd floor. The So cial Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. 416-9035388. real JoKes Weekly comedy w/ hosts Dion Arnold and Scott Belford. 8 pm. Free. Placebo Space, 2877 Lake Shore W. facebook.com/ events/1490828984532340. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. sunday niGhT live The Sketchersons’ weekly sketch and live music show. 9 pm. $10. Com edy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca.

Monday, December 29 alTdoT Comedy lounGe Alex Pavone, Mark DeBonis, Chris Allin, Matt O’Brien, ñ Jon Steinberg, James Hartnett, Camille Cote,

Chris Robinson, Brian Ward, Marc Hallworth, MC John Hastings and others. 9 pm (doors 8:30 pm). $5. Rivoli, 332 Queen W. altdotcomedylounge.com. CheaP lauGhs monday Weekly open mic w/ Russell Roy and guests. 9:30 pm. Free. PJ O’Briens Irish Pub, 39 Colborne. 416-815-7562. hard day Comedy Weekly all-female comedy show w/ hosts Cassandra Sansosti & Eesha Brown. 8:30 pm. Free. Office Pub, 117 John. 416-977-1900. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26. The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. PanCaKe mondays Weekly comedy and allyou-can-eat pancakes. 7:30 pm. $5. Smiling Buddha, 961 College. facebook.com/groups/ PancakeMondays.

Tuesday, December 30 CheaP smoKes: new years resoluTions

The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26.

O’Briens Irish Pub, 39 Colborne. 416-815-7562. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26.

Friday, January 2

Tuesday, January 6

CaTCh23 Weekly improv pit fight. 8 pm. $10.

Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. CedriC newman Stand-up show. To Jan 4, Fri 9 pm, Sat-Sun 8 pm, late show Sat 10:30 pm. $13-$22. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416967-6425, yukyuks.com. Jason BlanChard Stand-up w/ headliner Blanchard and host DJ Demers. To Jan 4, Fri 9 pm, Sat 8 & 10:45 pm, Sun 8 pm. $10-$15. Absolute Comedy, 2335 Yonge. 416486-7700, absolutecomedy.ca. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26.

Saturday, January 3 CedriC newman See Fri 2. Jason BlanChard See Fri 2. The midniGhT BreaKouT Late-night stage for

rising talent. Midnight. $10. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26.

Show w/ Cheap Smokes, Rick & Chuck, Matt O’Brien and Keith Pedro. 8 pm. $10. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. FlaT Tire Comedy Weekly stand-up w/ host Chrissie Cunningham & others. 9:30 pm. Free. Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade. facebook.com/FlatTireComedy. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26. The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. The sKin oF my nuTs Weekly open mic w/ host Vandad Kardar and others. 7:30 pm. Free. Sonic Espresso Bar, 60 Cecil. facebook.com/ skinofmynuts.

Sunday, January 4

Wednesday, December 31

sonGs i wroTe in ausTin (wiTh my BuTT)

Carla Collins new year’s eve Comedy

by Collins plus dinner and dancing 7 & 9 pm. Show $30, adv $25, dance only after 11 pm $10. Reserve. The Flying Beaver Pubaret, 488 Parliament. 647-347-6567, pubaret.com.

Comedy and CaBareT new year’s Cabaret star Sharron Matthews and ñ others. 10 pm. $65-$70. Richmond Hill Centre

for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge. rhcentre.ca. holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26. The nauGhTy lisTers See Friday 26. new year’s eve sPeCTaCular! Stand-up comedy w/ headliner Jason Blanchard and host DJ Demers. 10 pm. $40. Absolute Comedy, 2335 Yonge. 416-486-7700, absolutecomedy.ca. nye aT yuKyuK’s Laugh your way into 2015 with Chuck Byrn, Terry Clement, Eddie Della Siepe and Rob Bebenek. Dinner 8 pm, show 10 pm. $95, show only $50. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com. nye Comedy exTravaGanza Derek Edwards headlines with DeAnne Smith, Dave Martin, Alex Nussbaum, Kenny Robinson, Michelle Shaughnessy, Mike Rita, Patrick Coppolino, host Tom Green and others. 7:30 pm. $39.50-$69.50. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria. masseyhall.com. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. The suPersTars oF Comedy nye Standup comedy by Nitish Sakhuja, Pat MacDonald, headliner Ben Miner and host Darryl Purvis. 8 pm. $12-$15. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca.

ñ ñ ñ ñ

Thursday, January 1 holidazed & ConFused See Friday 26.

CedriC newman See Fri 2. Jason BlanChard See Fri 2. The PlayGround Stand-up comics followed

by an open mic w/ hosts Melissa Story & Kris Siddiqi. 8:30 pm. Pwyc. 3rd floor. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. 416-903-5388. real JoKes Weekly comedy w/ hosts Dion Arnold and Scott Belford. 8 pm. Free. Placebo Space, 2877 Lake Shore W. facebook.com/ events/1490828984532340. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. Diana Bailey performs a musical comedy show with Borana Makri. 8:30 pm. Pwyc. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. socap.ca. sunday niGhT live The Sketchersons’ weekly sketch and live music show. 9 pm. $10. Com edy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca.

Monday, January 5 200% vodKa Longform improv with the Social

Capital Rep Company and guest hosts. 8 pm. Pwyc. 3rd fl. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. 416-903-5388, socap.ca. alTdoT Comedy lounGe Joel Buxton, Rhiannon Archer, John Hastings, Tom Henry, Dave Merheje, Matt O’Brien, Mike Rita, MC Chris Locke and others. 9 pm. $5. Rivoli, 332 Queen W. altdotcomedylounge.com. CheaP lauGhs monday Weekly open mic w/ Russell Roy and guests. 9:30 pm. Free. PJ

alTdoT Comedy lounGe Mike Wilmot, Bryan O’Gorman, Diana Bailey, Amanda Day, Rob Pue, Jamie Villeneuve, MC Rob Mailloux and others. 9 pm. $5. Rivoli, 332 Queen W. altdotcomedylounge.com. Belleville-ville 1976 The Joy of Camping presents an improv soap opera about small-town Canada in the 70s. 8 pm. $10. Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton. facebook.com/TheJoyOfCamping. Classy drunK Stand-up show. 8 pm. Free. Em met Ray Bar, 924 College. 416-792-4497. nerdy and dirTy Comedy show Joel West presents Josh Infald, Mike May and others. 9:30 pm. $5. Smiling Buddha, 961 College. thesmilingbuddha.ca. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. The sKin oF my nuTs Weekly open mic w/ host Vandad Kardar and others. 7:30 pm. Free. Sonic Espresso Bar, 60 Cecil. facebook.com/ skinofmynuts. sTudenT Bodies Showcasing teams and players from The Social Capital Rep Players and House Teams. 8 pm. Free. 2nd floor. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. 416-903-5388, socap.ca. yuK yuK’s new TalenT Tuesdays The Humber School of Comedy at 7:30 pm, New Talent Showcase at 9:30 pm. $4/show. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com.

Wednesday, January 7 holodeCK Follies The monthly improvised

Star Trek variety show w/ the Dandies, Cynthia Gould and Five Finger Miscount. 8 pm. $8. The Social Capital Theatre, 154 Danforth. improvdandies.wordpress.com. John hasTinGs Stand-up show. To Jan 11, Wed-Sun 8 pm, late show Fri-Sat 10:30 pm. $13-$22. Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond W. 416-967-6425, yukyuks.com. Pro-am niGhT Headliner Casey Corbin, Amy Cunningham, Akshay Sharma, Blayne Smith, Matt Gass, Matt Watson, Ricardo Mejias and host Aaron Power. 8:30 pm. $6. Absolute Com edy, 2335 Yonge. 416-486-7700, absolutecomedy.ca. reBel wiThouT a Cosmos See Friday 26. siren’s Comedy Open-mic stand-up w/ host Kurtis Conner and headliner Tim Blair. 8:30 pm. Free. Celt’s Pub, 2872 Dundas W. 416-7673339. TrouBadour Competitive musical improv every Wednesday in Jan. 8 pm. $10, stu $5. Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor W. comedybar.ca. 3

dance listings F = Festive/seasonal event

New this week Brazil, The land oF Tears and soul New-

ton Moraes Dance Theatre presents vignettes that reflect on the soulful complexity of contemporary Brazilian culture. Jan 6 at noon. Free. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Four Seasons Centre for the Per forming Arts, 145 Queen W. coc.ca. Pulse Jasmyn Fyffe presents a contemporary dance show is inspired by the music of Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and other legends of Motown as part of the Next

Stage Theatre Festival. Opens Jan 7 and runs to Jan 18, see website for schedule. $15, passes $48-$90. Mainspace. Factory The atre, 125 Bathurst. 416-966-1062, fringetoronto.com.

Continuing FThe nuTCraCKer The National Ballet presents the traditional ñof Canada holiday ballet with choreography by James

Kudelka. Runs to Jan 3, see website for schedule. $26-$123. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen W. 416345-9595, national.ballet.ca. 3

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

art

The

best of

2014 treated us to one of her honey-scented beeswax installations. (Its fragrance still lingered in the space during Koffler’s subsequent show.) Entitled Vanitas, the wax-tiled roomwithin-a-room overflowed with golden beeswax domestic objects, flowers and seedpods, serving as a valedictory for bees lost to colony collapse disorder and a meditation on the relationship of nature to concepts of beauty and value.

FRAN SCHECHTER and DAVID JAGER’S

Top 10 ART SHOWS The great shows this year included a retrospective of an icon, savvy cultural analysis and, most often, pointed political commentaries on resistance, eco-issues and gender.

HeatHer CassIls 9 Trinity Square Video, February 15 to March 15

Counter1Justina IntellIgenCe M. Barnicke Gallery, January 23 to March 16

Berlin-based Canadian artist/curator Charles Stankievech marshalled an array of documents, texts, videos, photographs and assorted artworks on the fascinating topic of art’s strange relationship to espionage and military intelligence, from a surrealistdesigned torture chamber to the escapades of curator/spy Anthony Blunt to military simulation video games. The depth and breadth of information took the concept of research-based art to whole a new level.

Hogtown 2 tHrowdown: lesbIan wrest-

lIng Polish Combatants Hall, February 22 Featuring characters like Dirty Ol’ Maude, the rollerskating Dyke Master 3000 (with her giant-penis-costumed sidekick) and Wiccan nightmare goddess Shreeeka, the League of Women Wrestlers, a collective of artists from Dawson City, Yukon, stomped into the Polish Combatants Hall to smash cisgendered and heteronormative stereotypes in one of the craziest displays of campy queer feminist exuberance we’ve seen since, well, ever. Here’s hoping they come back and put T.O. in another hammerlock.

CounterIntellegence raised the bar for research-based art.

spanning Alex Colville’s career. Starting from his youth as a Canadian war artist witnessing the liberation of a German death camp, it moved on to chronicle his painterly relationship with the small town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, all the way to his last portrait of his wife and lifelong muse, Rhoda. Confronted with film footage, interviews and Colville’s meticulous sketchbooks, viewers got an unprecedented glimpse into the mind of an icon.

The League of Women Wrestlers smashed a whack of stereotypes.

alex ColvIlle 3 Art Gallery of Ontario, August 23 to January 4, 2015 The master of uncanny modernist disquiet was given his due in this exhaustive retrospective

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

eva 4 KotátKová Scrap Metal Gallery, April 6 to June 28 Channelling Dadaism and the eastern European absurdist trad-

ition, Czech artist Eva Kotátková showed collaged photos of people from old textbooks and magazines to which she applied restraining or encaging white lines, and sculptures made with children’s sweaters and wheelchairs. She poetically evoked the experience of educational indoctrination – and the spirit of growth and resistance – in a restrictive society.

lauCHIe reId 5 Narwhal, September 6 to October 4 Team Macho founder Lauchie Reid’s show of new paintings had him doing what he does best: using classical painterly tropes to send up concealed historical narratives in ways that were both poignant and deliciously perverse. The group portrait of upper-class 19th-century women wearing iron scolds alone was one of the lasting artistic images of the Toronto season. Going beyond the whimsical, eccentric and twee, Reid displayed a masterly grasp of the ironies of representation.

MIsled by nature: 6 ConteMporary art and tHe baroque MOCCA, February 8 to April 6

This exhibit of glittery, eye-popping artworks was a first introduction for many gallery-goers to Canadian Tricia Middleton, who showed a spectacular coloured-wax room-sized installation. The other five international artists, all of whom play with theatricality and excess, are no slouches either. Thank the National

Gallery and the Art Gallery of Alberta for also bringing works to town by New York-based Canadian David Altmejd, L.A.’s Mark Bradford and Britain’s Yinka Shonibare.

Jason truCCo 7 Jamie Angell Gallery, July 19 to August 16 Video artist Jason Trucco, who recently directed Billy Idol’s video for Can’t Break Me Down, transformed Jamie Angell’s space with an analog paper printout of a digitally simulated exhibit papered onto the gallery walls. It was a bold and paradoxical inversion of the virtual and the real.

penelope stewart 8 Koffler Gallery, June 26 to August 31 Inspired by architecture, decorative arts and nature, Penelope Stewart

At the forefront of art about gender and the body, L.A.-based Canadian Heather Cassils, a trans performance artist and personal trainer who’s masculinized his body through working out, showed four videos that forced us to question some of our basic assumptions. Especially moving was Tiresias (the Greek prophet who became a woman for part of his life), in which the artist allowed his naked torso to slowly melt a classical-style breastplate of ice.

allyson vIeIra 10 and paul KaJander

Daniel Faria Gallery, July 24 to September 6 Curator Rui Mateus Amaral made a savvy pairing of two artists who at first glance couldn’t be more dissimilar: New York sculptor Allyson Vieira, who works with humble drywall and I-beams, and Seoul-based Canadian Paul Kajander, who usually does installations and video. His tiny “décollages,” made by blacking out portions of textbook photos of ancient Greek sculptures so they become anatomical oddities or modernist forms, and her big, rough yet noble caryatid figures both spoke to the continued cultural legacy of ancient Greece.

The Alex Colville survey, including To Prince Edward Island, got into the icon’s mind.

books

THIS WEEK IN SUSAN G. COLE’s THE MUSEUMS Top 10 AGA KHAN MUSEUM The Garden Of Ideas, to Jan 18. The Lost Dhow, to Apr 26. 77 Wynford. 416-646-4677. $15-$20. AGO Alex Colville, to Jan 4 ($16.50-$25). Suzy Lake, to Mar 22. Aimia Photography Prize, to Jan 4. Art Spiegelman, to Mar 14. Michelangelo, to Jan 11 ($16.50-$25). Mohamed Bourouissa, to Feb 8. 317 Dundas W. 416-979-6648. $11-$19.50, free Wed 6-8:30 pm (special exhibits excluded). DESIGN EXCHANGE Politics Of Fashion/Fashion Of Politics, to Jan 25 ($14-$18.50). 234 Bay. 416-363-6121. GARDINER MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART Clare Twomey, to Jan 4. 111 Queen’s Park. 416-5868080. $6-$12; Fri 4-9 pm free-half-price. McMICHAEL CANADIAN Henri Matisse, James W Morrice and John Lyman, to Jan 4. 10365 Islington. 905-893-1121. $12- $15. MOCCA Vera Frenkel, to Dec 28. 952 Queen W. 416-395-0067. Pwyc. OAKVILLE GALLERIES Aleesa Cohene (1306 Lakeshore E), Shary Boyle and Emily Vey Duke (120 Navy), to Jan 4. 905-844-4402. POWER PLANT Julia Dault, Pedro Cabrita Reis and Shelagh Keeley ,to Jan 4. 231 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4949. ROM Bernice Eisenstein, to Feb 8. Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, to Mar 23. 100 Queen’s Park. 416-586-8000. $14.50-$16; Fri discounts after 4:30 pm. TEXTILE MUSEUM Oriental Rugs, to Apr 15. Urban Fabric, to Jan 11. 55 Centre. 416-5995321. $6-$15; pwyc Wed 5-8 pm. VARLEY ART GALLERY Kim Adams, to Jan 11. 216 Main. 905-477-9511. $4-$5.

MORE ONLINE

Complete art listings at nowtoronto.com/listings

MUST-SEE SHOWS BARBARA EDWARDS CONTEMPORARY

Betty Goodwin (painting), to Jan 17. 1069 Bathurst. 647-348-5110. CHRISTOPHER CUTTS Martin C Herbst (painting), to Jan 21, closed to Jan 5. 21 Morrow. 416-532-5566. COOPER COLE GALLERY Ryan Foerster, Lukas Geronimas and others, to Jan 17. 1161 Dundas W. 647-3473316. DANIEL FARIA GALLERY Kristine Moran (painting), to Jan 10, closed to Jan 5. 188 St Helens. 416-538-1880. GALLERY ARCTURUS Steadfast, to Jan 10. 80 Gerrard E. 416-977-1077. GERRARD ART SPACE Words That Lift, Jan 7-25. 1475 Gerrard E. 416-778-0923. JESSICA BRADLEY Rebecca Belmore, to Jan 10, closed to Jan 6. 74 Miller. 416537-3125. LOOP Libby Hague and Sandra Smirle, to Dec 28. 1273 Dundas W. 416-516-2581. OLGA KORPER Marianne Lovink (sculpture), to Jan 24. 17 Morrow. 416-5888220. PIERRE LÉON GALLERY Peter Sramek (photos), Jan 7-31, reception 7 pm Jan 7. 24 Spadina Road. 416-922-2014. SUSAN HOBBS Althea Thauberger (film), to Jan 10. 137 Tecumseth. 416-5043699. STEAM WHISTLE BREWING Unspoken: Touched by Fire group show, to Dec 31. 255 Bremner. 416-362-2337.

taste the Trinidadian treats and feel Toronto’s chill. Mootoo’s one of those rare writers who gets better every time out.

PRAIRIE OSTRICH 7 Tamai Kobayashi (Goose Lane)

BOOKS

This is the first time my top 10 list has been all-Canadian – testament to the depth and diversity of our literary scene. US CONDUCTORS 1(Random Sean Michaels House) The Giller jury got it right this time, handing Michaels the $100,000 first prize for this riveting novel about the Russian creator of the theremin. Part love story, part political thriller and always emotionally involving, this is an exhilarating meditation on manipulation, whether it’s scientific, musical or political. Michaels makes complex physics easy to understand while writing about music in ways that make you hear it. Brilliant.

THE BETRAYERS David Bezmozgis (HarperCollins) In this Giller-shortlisted novel, a disgraced Israeli politician and his mistress head back to the Russian town where decades before he was turned in to the KGB and sent to the Gulag. Bezmozgis’s genius lies in his ability to establish moral paradigms only to subvert them with each narrative twist. He also gets you inside the heads of – and makes you care about – people you’d never want to know.

STONE MATTRESS 3 Margaret Atwood (McClelland & Stewart) Atwood is getting old – and making the most of it. In a year when the Writers’ Trust celebrated her 75th birthday with a gala, the Canadian icon got down to business, penning stories – tales, she calls them – on the theme of aging. Every one of them is funny and terrifying at the same time.

Prairie Oyster author Tamai Kobayashi is a rising talent.

THE GIRL WHO WAS 4 SATURDAY NIGHT Heather O’Neill (HarperCollins)

Twins Nouschka and Nicolas, the spawn of legendary – and reprobate – Quebecois folksinger Etienne Tremblay are emotionally stunted. But, then, so’s their dad. Trouble looms when a filmmaker wants to make a documentary about the famous and totally messed-up family. O’Neill’s is a unique, urgent, edgy voice.

ALL MY PUNY 5 SORROWS Miriam Toews (Knopf) Toews deploys her irresistible tragicomic voice in a story about a young woman trying to convince her musically gifted sister not to commit suicide. The two women’s conversations exquisitely convey both their connectedness and the terrible gulf between them. But it’s the tone here that’s so wonderful.

MOVING FORWARD SIDEWAYS LIKE A CRAB Shani Mootoo (Doubleday Canada) Mootoo tells the tender story of a young Toronto journalist reconnecting with his trans father in his home country of Trinidad. She has a deft touch with a super-sensitive subject and, as usual, evokes a spectacular sense of place – you can

Winner of the 2014 Writers’ Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize given to a promising LGBTQ author, Kobayashi crafts a beautiful novel about an Asian family struggling with trauma and discrimination while raising ostriches in the prairies. Her protagonist, Egg – precocious, almost too observant – is a superb creation. Promising? Absolutely.

8 MAN Kim Thúy (Random House) Thúy has mastered a unique style that uses short-flash chapters to mine deep issues. In this follow-up to her Giller-shortlisted Ru, food is the vehicle for powerful emotions when a Vietnamese-Canadian chef must choose between her husband from an arranged marriage and the Parisian chef she’s fallen for. Delicious.

MEDICINE WALK 9 Richard Wagamese (McClelland & Stewart) Eldon, who has consistently disappointed Frank, the son he abandoned, takes a risk by asking the teenage boy to take him to his final resting place. That’s where he plans to tell Frank the circumstances of his birth, but Eldon’s stories don’t flood Frank with forgiveness. That’s because Wagamese never panders, delivering a story both simple and nuanced.

ADULT 10 ONSET Ann-Marie

MacDonald (Knopf Canada)

The

best of

2014 Ann-Marie MacDonald took a huge risk with Adult Onset.

stead, she abandons the epic period novel in favour of the raw, totally contemporary and deeply personal story of a lesbian mother coming close to losing her mind while she’s on her own caring for her two toddlers. Courage to the max.

ALSO GOOD: Boy, Snow, Bird, by Helen Oyeyemi; Frog Music, by Emma Donoghue; The Paying Guests, by Sarah Waters; An Untamed State, by Roxane Gay

ON THE DOWN SIDE: Book City in the Annex and the World’s Biggest Bookstore go down; Penguin merges with Random House; and HarperCollins shuts its Canadian distribution centre. And former Giller juror Gary Shteyngart pooh-poohed government subsidies for literature, claiming Canadian writers don’t take risks ON THE UPSIDE: Shteyngart’s memoir, Little Failure, was really good. The Inspire! book fair drew hundreds of book lovers. I just wish it would move to the spring.

READINGS THIS WEEK Monday, January 5 AVA HOMA, CARRIANNE LEUNG, JERRY LEVY, LEE MARACLE, BLAISE MORITZ Row-

ers Reading Series night of poetry and prose. 6:50 pm (doors 6:30 pm). Free. The Central, 603 Markham. rowerspubreadingseries.com. NAOMI ZENER The author discusses her her novel, Deathbed Dimes. 6 pm. Free. Room B, 3rd floor. Barbara Frum Library, 20 Covington. 416-395-5440.

Wednesday, January 7

You’d think that MacDonald (Fall On Your Knees) would have clung to the format that got Oprah’s attention, but no. In-

BROCKTON WRITERS SERIES Guest speaker Jack Illingworth, followed by readings by Andrew J. Borkowski, Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer, Lee Maracle and Andrea Thompson. 6:30 pm. Pwyc. Full of Beans Coffee, 1348 Dundas W. brocktonwritersseries.wordpress.com.

NOW DECEMBER 25 2014 - JANUARY 7 2015

movies

The

best of

2014

Grand BUdapeSt 6 the hoteL Wes Anderson A production that feels more exactingly handmade than the director’s literally handmade Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a love letter to earlier, purer modes of cinema, set in an insanely complex alternate European history. And it’s all pulled together by Ralph Fiennes’s wonderful turn as master concierge Monsieur Gustave, whose poise and charm are not nearly as unflappable as he would like you to believe.

itSeLf 7 Life Steve James

I knew Roger Ebert a little, so I’m obviously biased. But James’s terrific documentary about the great Chicago film critic showed me sides of the man of which I was entirely unaware, and did so without glossing over the darker aspects of his remarkable life and awful death. Like the man himself, it’s unflinchingly honest and profoundly insightful.

Honourable mentions I’d have been perfectly happy to make room for Blue Ruin, Citizenfour, Coherence, Force Majeure, Frank, The F Word, Gone Girl, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Harmontown, Ida, The Immigrant, Inherent Vice, The Invisible Woman, Jodorowsky’s Dune, The Lego Movie, A Most Wanted Man, Noah, Obvious Child, Only Lovers Left Alive, Mr. Turner, The Overnighters, We Are The Best! or Wild. Like I said, it’s been a pretty good year.

Worst

8 enemy Denis Villeneuve

Boyhood, starring Ellar Coltrane (left) and Ethan Hawke, takes top honours.

NORMAN WILNER’S

Top 10 movies

It’s been a good year for movies. A really good year, in fact, to the point where even a garbage blockbuster like Trans4merz: The One With Marky Mark could be instantly knocked off its global box-office throne by a comic-book picture as sweet and weird as Guardians Of The Galaxy, or where an experiment by a gifted American filmmaker could spawn not just a good movie but a profoundly great one. Of the hundreds of movies I watched in 2014, these are the 10 that topped my list.

Boyhood Richard Linklater

The best American movie I’ve seen in years – and one of the best movies about America ever made – Linklater’s 12-year project follows fictional Texas kid Mason (unknown Ellar Coltrane) from first grade to his arrival at college. It’s about the cre-

ation of a personality: Mason learns about the world through his parents (Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, both excellent), his sister (Lorelai Linklater, the filmmaker’s daughter) and friends and acquaintances. Boyhood also captures what it was like to come of age in that particular sliver of time, as Mason moves from clunky PCs to an iPhone and America shifts from Bush to Obama. But it’s the emotional journey that’s paramount. What a remarkable accomplishment.

Leviathan Andrey Zvyagintsev

The best film I saw at TIFF, Zvyagintsev’s tale of a Russian family torn apart by a civic leader’s sense of entitlement can be seen as a searing domestic drama and an elaborate allegory about the internalized corruption of the post-Soviet nation. However you approach it, it’s a formidable achievement that holds you rapt for its full two and a half hours.

Under the Skin Jonathan Glazer

Glazer’s chilly, aesthetically exacting SF experiment stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien who drives a van around Scotland collecting men

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

for some unknown purpose. Like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s a story about beings whose thoughts and actions are incomprehensible to us, but Johansson’s remarkable performance lets us see her character become corrupted – or at least distracted – by her human guise.

the SeLfiSh Giant Clio Barnard

Released back in January and virtually forgotten now, Barnard’s remarkable dramatic debut – set in the same miserable northern England environs as her searing 2010 documentary, The Arbor – is both a stunning reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s religious parable and a powerhouse character study. It’s on disc and Netflix. Find it.

5 GodziLLa Gareth Edwards

A blockbuster with undercurrents of real dread and terror, paralleling the monster action with the efforts of a few puny humans to scurry to safety. I know some people were annoyed at the scarcity of kaiju smackdowns, but we have Pacific Rim for that. Godzilla offers something else: it’s primal and terrible and awesome, in the classical sense of the word.

“All that we may see or seem / Is really just some spider’s dream.” Villeneuve’s hallucinatory thriller turns Toronto and its exurbs into a gauzy hellscape, Jake Gyllenhaal’s dual performance is arguably a more compelling accomplishment than his work in Nightcrawler, and Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon and Isabella Rossellini are quietly excellent as the women in his lives.

Snowpiercer Bong Joon-ho

Genre stylist Bong – who gave us The Host and Mother, among others – makes his English-language debut with this ingenious sci-fi thriller about a class revolt on a globecrossing train holding the last remnants of humanity. The cast includes Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Octavia Spencer, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, John Hurt and Ed Harris. They’re all kinda great.

Up phiLip 10 LiSten Alex Ross Perry

Philip Lewis Friedman belongs in the canon of magnificent cinematic jerks alongside The Mother And The Whore’s snooty Alexandre, I Killed My Mother’s surly Hubert and Rushmore’s imperious Max Fischer – that last one not coincidentally played by Jason Schwartzman, whom Perry cast to embody the repellent author at the centre of his withering literary satire. It’s a fantastic performance in a movie that understands exactly how unbearable its protagonist would be to know.

Colin Farrell provoked Winter blahs.

WINTER’S TALE A demented romantic fable with Colin Farrell moping across a century in a terrible haircut.

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION Michael Bay’s 165-minute orgy of CGI and magic hour lighting.

I, FRANKENSTEIN A misconceived Aaron Eckhart supernatural actioner that somehow turned out even dumber than your average Underworld instalment.

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Labor Day, in which Josh Brolin snaps Kate Winslet out of her chronic depression by taking her and her teen son hostage, and Men, Women & Children, in which the internet is depicted as, like, totally dehumanizing, man.

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NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

movies

The

best of

2014 SUSAN G. COLE’s

Top 10 movies I’m always looking for movies

that tackle tough artistic, political and gender questions. Here’s what caught my eye this year.

mr. turner 1 Mike Leigh

Scarlett Johansson definitely got Under The Skin for her turn as a predatory alien.

GLENN SUMI’s

Top 10 movies I know my colleague Norman

Wilner says 2014 was a stellar year for film, but it didn’t feel that way to me. Perhaps because long-arc TV shows are becoming so good, so complex, film narratives don’t feel as gripping. But here are 10 movies – three of them docs, telling – that made me sit up and take notice this year.

1 BOYHOOD Richard Linklater

A magnificent achievement, not just for the 12-year commitment and the time-lapse feel of seeing characters grow older before your eyes, but for its profound human truths. How can we ever look at fake movie aging again?

unDer tHe skin Jonathan Glazer

Yet another film about what it means to be human, this time featuring an alien (Scarlett Johansson) stalking Scottish men and then mysteriously dispensing with them. Beneath the sci-fi and horror trappings, the film’s really about empathy and charity.

iDa Pawel Pawlikowski

In 1960s Poland, a novitiate nun (terrific newcomer Aga Trzebuchowska) is tracked down by her sole remaining relative, a heavydrinking judge (Agata Kulesza), and they embark on a journey into the horrors of World War II. Not a single second is wasted in this look at good and evil, innocence and guilt.

OvernigHters 4 tHe Jesse Moss 9 wilD Jean-Marc Vallée

A great American documentary with a modern-day Grapes Of Wrath setting, a deeply flawed central character (Pastor Jay Reinke) and a range of voices that captures a deeply divided town – and ultimately nation.

A film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir of healing and self-discovery could have been a terrible: Eat. Pray. Hike. But Vallée and a tough, disciplined Reese Witherspoon make it gripping stuff, moody, intuitive and underscored with strong emotional beats.

Dune 5 jODOrOwskY’s Frank Pavich 10 citizenfOur Laura Poitras A making-of doc about a film that was too insane, expensive and wildly imaginative to ever get made. Octogenarian Alejandro Jodorowsky’s enthusiasm for art and life is pure joy.

turner 6 mr. Mike Leigh

Leigh’s portrait of the artist as a flawed, grumbling curmudgeon doesn’t rely on biopic clichés. But somehow J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall, incredible) and his unique vision come through with piercing clarity.

nigHtcrawler Dan Gilroy

A sleazy videographer works his way up the tabloid news business. Gilroy’s psychological thriller amounts to more than Jake Gyllenhaal’s terrifying performance. It’s a damning statement about the current culture of fear and intolerance.

winter sleep Nuri Bilge Ceylan

A retired Turkish actor who now runs a hotel nestled in the mountains of Anatolia argues with his younger, dissatisfied wife, disillusioned sister, overworked employee and a couple of tenants. 200 minutes of absorbing drama with echoes of Chekhov and Bergman. (Released January 8)

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

Big Brother is alive, well and likely has a record of you reading this on your computer or phone. Poitras’s horrifying doc about America’s invasive data-collection programs is filmed like an espionage thriller, the money shot being the image of NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden shrouding himself to type on a laptop.

Worst

ioned movie that mixes triumph and tragedy.

vice 7 inHerent Paul Thomas Anderson

The cops hate the hippies, and drug dealers are taking over both realms in this exhilarating mess of a movie.

BjÖrk: BiOpHilia 8 live Nick Fenton, Peter Strickland

This visually sumptuous portrait of the painter J.M.W. Turner at the peak of his powers features Timothy Spall in the title role – also at the peak of his powers.

To pop genius Björk’s mind-boggling mashup of unsettling atmospherics, dark melody and electronica, Fenton and Strickland add psychedelic and CSI-type representations of nature in action to concoct a spectacular live-show doc.

2 BOYHOOD Richard Linklater

is strange 9 lOve Ira Sachs

Sure, it could also be called Motherhood, but this mesmerizing cinematic experiment dazzles as it gives small human moments huge resonance.

3 mOmmY Xavier Dolan

Dolan’s story of a mother and her troubled son – boasting a gifted cast – is so emotionally powerful, it’ll leave you shaking. Dolan is the best filmmaker working in Canada today.

4 iDa Pawel Pawlikowski

A novitiate nun in 60s Communist Poland discovers she has Jewish roots. A stunning meditation on culture clashes of all kinds.

we are tHe Best! Lukas Moodysson

Girl power rules when three fearless tweens – played by fabulously charismatic actors – form a punk band, flipping out their parents and just about everybody around them.

imitatiOn game 6 tHe Morten Tyldum

Benedict Cumberbatch is superb as Second World War Enigma decoder Alan Turing in a stirring, old-fash-

This tender tale featuring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as a gay couple forced to sell their apartment and live separately. This small gem won’t have you on the edge of your seat, but it’s still totally irresistible.

secret trial 5 10 tHe Amar Wala Wala’s doc probes how Canada’s feds used so-called security certificates to imprison suspected terrorists after 9/11 – without showing them evidence or charging them with a crime. Look out: those security certificates are coming back after the attack on Parliament Hill.

Cine-fails NYMPHOMANIAC It was appalling enough that Lars von Trier delivered a misogynist and wholly unerotic wank, but in two parts, totalling four hours? Ridiculous. SERENA She may have directed it, but don’t mistake this snoozefest for an authentic Susanne Bier pic, if only because she didn’t write it. Wait for her great TIFF 2014 entry, A Second Chance, which should open in 2015.

ANNIE It was a hard-knock life for Sony this year, and this tone-deaf adaptation of the musical didn’t help things. MALEFICENT Even with Angie as an evil witch, this was not nearly as much fun as it should have been. THE CAPTIVE We were, in our seats.

Underrated

EDGE OF TOMORROW Chalk it up to a terrible title, and Tom Cruise fatigue, perhaps, but this smart and funny thriller deserved more love.

Best film we didn’t see

THE BABADOOK Yeah, when The Exorcist’s William Friedkin says it’s the scariest movie he’s ever seen, it makes sense not to release it in theatres.

Timothy Spall created a convincing portrait of Mr. Turner.

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Movie listings are comprehensive and organized alphabetically. Listings include name of film, director’s name in brackets, a review, running time and a rating. Reviews are by Norman Wilner (NW), Susan G. Cole (SGC), Glenn Sumi (GS), and Radheyan Simonpillai (RS) unless otherwise specified. The rating system is as follows: NNNNN Top 10 of the year NNNN Honourable mention NNN Entertaining NN Mediocre N Bomb

ñ= Critics’ pick (highly recommended) movie times this Week: Due to

early holiday deadlines, showtimes for December 25-January 7 were not available for print. Times for all films can be accessed online at movies.nowtoronto.com.

advanCed style (Lina Plioplyte) is in-

spired by blogger Ari Seth Cohen, who scours the streets of New York City in search of stylin’ women over 60. Especially compelling among the seven women director Plioplyte follows in her doc are Tziporah Salamon, the youngest at 62, who puts together outlandish outfits as if they are works of art; the patrician Joyce Carpati, the only one who shows any aesthetic restraint; and Lynn Dell, who runs a downtown store where she terrorizes the clientele with her fashion advice. They’re all delightful in their own way, which makes for a very pleasurable film, but you don’t get enough of any one of these fascinating characters, and not much effort has been made to create a narrative arc. Credit first-time filmmaker Plioplyte with discovering a great subject. Time to work on the execution. 72 min. nnn (SGC) annie (Will Gluck) is a hip-hop and R&B influenced adaptation of the Broadway musical about an orphan searching for her parents and being taken in by a wealthy tycoon. The idea of updating it isn’t bad, but Aline Brosh McKenna’s script and Gluck’s direction are execrable. This is a cynical, heartless ode to greed, with everyone –

from Jamie Foxx’s morally questionable mayoral hopeful to Quvenzhané Wallis’s smug, smart-talking Annie to Cameron Diaz’s horny and ridiculously over-the-top foster mom – attracted to bling. The singing is passable,but appallingly lip-synched. Wallis has lost all the spontaneity she showed in Beasts Of The Southern Wild, and some scenes between her and Foxx are so icky they feel like outtakes from To Catch A Predator. The only fresh performance is by Stephanie Kurtzuba in a small role as a Russian-accented civil servant with a kleptomania habit. She literally steals every scene she’s in. 119 min. n (GS) big eyes (Will Gluck) reunites director Burton with Ed Wood screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski for another look at a misunderstood creative. But rather than an individual’s struggle, this one’s about two people, Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who obsessively painted sad-eyed children, and her husband, Walter (Christoph Waltz), who became a minor celebrity by selling her art as his own. Burton has a lot of fun setting their courtship and rise to fame against the hipster backdrop of 1960s San Francisco, but Burton either can’t or won’t engage honestly with the story’s darker turns. The movie becomes a cartoon, with drunken lout Walter terrorizing Margaret in her studio, when it most needs to explore the ugly emotional tangles it’s established. That said, it’s still stronger and more interesting than Alice In Wonderland or Dark Shadows, so that’s a net positive. 119 min. nnn (NW) big hero 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams) centres on 14-year-old robotics genius Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter), who “upgrades” himself and four college-aged scientists to battle an emerging super-villain. Directors Hall and Williams find new angles on the required action beats, but their real focus is on Hiro’s bond with his initial subject, a marshmallowy medical droid called Baymax (30 Rock’s Scott Adsit). The world in which it all takes place is a production designer’s dream. 108 min. nnnn (NW)

birdman or (the UnexpeCted virtUe oF ignoranCe) (Alejandro González

Timothy Spall and Mr. Turner don’t cloak themselves in biopic clichés.

Iñárritu) is a near-total fiasco from a filmmaker bent on impressing the world with his prodigious talent, a show-offy drama about a former superhero actor (Michael Keaton) making his Broadway debut by writing, directing and starring in a drama based on the stories of Raymond Carver. It’s a godawful mess. 119 min. nn (NW) boyhood (Richard Linklater) is the best American movie I’ve seen in years – and one of the very best movies about America ever made, capturing the maturation

James Corden and Meryl Streep head Into The Woods. And so will millions of viewers when it opens Christmas Day.

of Texas kid Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from first grade through leaving for college. If I see another movie more ambitious, more honest or more illuminating this year, I’ll be stunned. 164 min. nnnnn (NW)

ñCathedrals oF CUltUre: part i

(Wim Wenders, Michael Glawogger, Michael Madsen) is a six-part 3D exploration of the “soul” of buildings. Among its directors, Wenders seems most at home with the concept, his camera roaming the golden, tent-like Berlin Philharmonic with the same fluidity seen in many of his features. Redford’s piece on California’s Salk Institute, by contrast, is less imaginative and more akin to a glossy advertisement, employing a lot of archival footage and shots of scientists striding stoically across the courtyard. Movies provide us with a space to inhabit for a while, yet few make spaces their actual subject. Cathedrals Of Culture is a mostly spellbinding homage to those places we shape – and that in turn shape us. 86 min. nnnn (José Teodoro)

ñCathedrals oF CUltUre: part ii

(Robert Redford, Margreth Olin, Karim Aïnouz) 82 min. See review, above. nnnn (José Teodoro) CitizenFoUr (Laura Poitras) chronicles the eight days Edward Snowden spent in a Hong Kong hotel room with filmmaker Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald, where he blew the whistle on America’s secret data-collection programs and the complicity of foreign governments in those efforts. It’s as unnerving as any espionage thriller. Some subtitles. 114 min. nnnn (NW) dear White people (Justin Simien) is a vital, immediate comedy about contemporary attitudes toward race, gender and sexuality, set at a fictional Ivy League school where racial tensions are creeping toward a flashpoint. Social awareness can be fun! 108 min. nnnn (NW) dUmb and dUmber to (Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly) settles for revisiting the inane toilet humour of the 1994 original. The Farrellys don’t seem to realize that shit goes stale, too. Once again Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) go on a

road trip while living up to the adjectives in the title, in a movie that does the same. 109 min. n (RS) exodUs: gods and kings (Ridley Scott) exists in relation to The Ten Commandments in much the same way producer/ director Scott’s Oscar-winning Gladiator did to The Fall Of The Roman Empire – a big, historically questionable genre picture upscaled with CGI and a lot of very serious acting. The massive story plays out in the personal conflict between two characters: Moses and Rameses (Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton), raised as brothers by the emperor Seti (John Turturro, somehow) and divided by tribal commitments. Rameses becomes pharaoh; Moses discovers his Hebrew heritage and is exiled to the desert, where he marries Sefora (Maria Valverde) and is commanded by God to return to Egypt and free his people. You know what happens next. Scott’s selfserious machinery demands sombre realism even during the depiction of miracles, which proves kind of a drag. I longed for Darren Aronofsky’s recent Noah, which acknowledged the insane implications of its story. Scott makes sure we know that the proper definition of “Israelite” is “one who wrestles with God.” He himself is still wrestling with the kind of movie he wants to make. 150 min. nn (NW) Fall (Terrance Odette) follows the personal crisis of Father Sam (Michael Murphy), a Niagara Falls Catholic priest whose placid world is shaken when he receives a letter asking for clarity over an incident that may have occurred decades earlier between himself and a teenage boy.

Film festivals Canada’s top ten Film Festival Shorts,

features and student films will be screened, plus onstage conversations and Q&A sessions. Appearances by David Cronenberg, Keanu Reeves and others. Jan 2-11, see website for schedule. $10-$20, festival six-pack $50, some free screenings. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King W. tiff.net. Jan 2 to 11

Murphy wrestles compellingly with Father Sam’s issues, but writer/director Odette never finds a way to externalize this entirely internal story. 82 min. nn (NW) ForCe majeUre (Ruben Östlund) follows a picture-perfect Swedish family’s skiing vacation in the French Alps, where the father (Johannes Kuhnke) panics in a moment of potential crisis, destroying his standing as benevolent patriarch and sending him into a spiral of self-justification. The deeper he digs, the funnier Force Majeure gets, and the more perceptive and uncomfortable it becomes. Some subtitles. 118 min. nnnn (NW) FoxCatCher (Bennett Miller) finds director Miller returning to the chilly tone of his debut feature Capote for another real-life tale of interpersonal tensions and murder. All three leads wear distracting prosthetics, which work against Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo’s naturalistic performances and make Steve Carell’s precise, creepy turn as the self-absorbed, deluded John du Pont seem far too obviously unhinged. 134 min. nnn (NW) FUry (David Ayer) follows the crew of an American tank – among them Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman – making its way into Germany in April 1945. Director Ayer actively tries to top the brutality and gore of Saving Private Ryan, making it feel like a swaggering corrective to the old-fashioned pleasures of George Clooney’s recent The Monuments Men. Some subtitles. 134 min. nnn (NW) the gambler (Rupert Wyatt) is a decent reworking of Karel Reisz’s 1974 thriller about a literature professor whose gambling addiction threatens to consume his life, assuming you can buy Mark Wahlberg instead of James Caan in the lead. Casting Wahlberg as a professor is kind of ridiculous, but he’s perfect for the other half of the role, selling the idea that his character’s all-in compulsion is rooted in a death wish he himself doesn’t fully understand. Wyatt’s showy direction gets in the way of the story more often than it should (does every song on the soundtrack really need to comment directly on the action?), but Wahlberg and a solid supporting cast

continued on page 68 œ

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TIFF celebrates the nation’s top 10 features, shorts and student films of the year with the 14th annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival™. Established by TIFF in 2001, the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival celebrates and promotes contemporary Canadian cinema and raises awareness of Canadian achievements in film. The 10-day festival runs January 2 to 11, 2015 at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto and presents public screenings of the selected films accompanied by introductions and Q&A sessions with filmmakers — including David Cronenberg, Sturla Gunnarsson, Harold Crooks, Maxime Giroux, Andrew Huculiak, Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Stéphane Lafleur — in addition to special events and free engagements. On January 10, the festival welcomes Canadian author and activist Naomi Klein and filmmaker Avi Lewis for an onstage conversation and a sneak peek at Lewis’ latest documentary, This Changes Everything, inspired by Klein’s new book. Keanu Reeves will close the festival, taking the stage on January 11 for an intimate discussion about his career with Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival. New this year, the festival has incorporated Student Shorts to spotlight the top student shorts from colleges and universities across the country. Also new in 2015, Toronto audiences can vote to crown the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival People’s Choice Award winner. Free events include: an archival screening of Canadian classic Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography, and the Higher Learning panel “The Rules of Engagement: Documentary Filmmaking.” This panel features different perspectives from Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival guests — directors Bonnie Sherr Klein (Not a Love Story: A Film About Pornography), Harold Crooks (The Price We Pay), Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers (Bihttoš), Candy Fox (Backroads), and producer Ina Fichman (Monsoon) — on documentary filmmaking in Canada. Both events take place January 9 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. On January 7, TIFF celebrates the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival and the 20th anniversary of Film Circuit, TIFF’s national outreach programme, with the Canada Cocktail Party. The event features a musical performance by We Are the City, as well as an installation by Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival alumni Shayne Ehman and Seth Scriver (Asphalt Watches). The festival will also tour across Canada including stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal. Vancouver’s The Cinematheque will host a special onstage conversation with star of the big and small screen Sandra Oh.

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

Tu dors niCole

Monsoon

Corbo

Corbo A teenage Quebecer in the 1960s evolves from pro-independence activist to radical terrorist, in this gripping chronicle of the origins of the FLQ in the decade preceding the 1970 October Crisis. Playing: Sat. Jan. 10 • 9pm Sun. Jan. 11 • 12pm

A critical and word-of-mouth hit at Cannes, the third feature from Quebec’s Stéphane Lafleur brings the director’s trademark absurdist sensibility to the tale of a recent university grad lounging in dreamy, directionless ennui during a long hot summer in her small hometown. Playing: Mon. Jan. 5 • 8:30pm Tues. Jan. 6 • 3pm

Sturla Gunnarsson (director of the Festival People’s Choice Award-winning documentary Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie) journeyed to India to create this stunningly shot meditation on the phenomenon that some call “the soul of India.” Playing: Fri. Jan. 2 • 7pm Sat. Jan. 3 • 3pm Tu dors niCole

Félix eT Meira A young married woman from Montreal’s Orthodox Jewish community finds freedom from the strictures of her faith through her relationship with a young man who is mourning the death of his estranged father. Playing: Sat. Jan. 3 • 6 pm Sun. Jan. 4 • 4pm

MaPs To THe sTars

MaPs To THe sTars Julianne Moore, John Cusack, Mia Wasikowska and Robert Pattinson star in this acidulous vision of Tinseltown from Canadian master David Cronenberg. Playing: Sat. Jan. 10 • 6pm Sun. Jan. 11 • 9:15pm

THe PriCe We Pay

THe PriCe We Pay Director Harold Crooks (Surviving Progress) once again blows the lid off the dirty world of corporate malfeasance with this incendiary documentary about the dark history and dire present-day reality of big-business tax avoidance. Playing: Sat. Jan. 10 • 12pm Sun. Jan. 11 • 6pm

sol in Her PlaCe

in Her PlaCe A wealthy couple seeks to secretly adopt the unborn child of an impoverished and troubled rural teenager, in this compelling drama from writer-director Albert Shin. Playing: Tue. Jan. 6 • 8:45pm Thur. Jan. 8 • 3pm

MoMMy

MoMMy The rapturously received new film from Québécois wunderkind Xavier Dolan shared the Special Jury Prize at Cannes. Playing: Sat. Jan. 3 • 8:45pm Sun. Jan. 4 • 9pm

This stirring documentary from the acclaimed Arnait Video Collective (Uvanga, Before Tomorrow) investigates the suspicious death of 26-year-old Inuk actor and musician Solomon Tapatia Uyarasak, and the alarming youth suicide rate in the Arctic community. Playing: Sun. Jan. 4 • 6:45pm Mon. Jan. 5 • 6pm

ViolenT

ViolenT A catastrophic event sparks a young Norwegian woman’s memories of the five people who loved her most, in the visually stunning feature debut of West Coast musician and filmmaker Andrew Huculiak. Playing: Tues. Jan. 6 • 6pm Wed. Jan. 7 • 3pm sponsored Content

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon get ready to spark up in Inherent Vice. œcontinued from page 64

including Brie Larson, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and the fantastic Michael Kenneth Williams will keep you invested in the outcome. 112 min. NNN (NW)

movie times this Week: Due to

early holiday deadlines, showtimes for December 25-January 7 were not available for print. Times for all films can be accessed online at movies.nowtoronto.com.

ñgoNe girl

(David Fincher) is a little cold, but that’s why Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network) is the perfect director for it, clinically dissecting what happens to a small-town bar owner (Ben Affleck) when his wife (Rosamund Pike) goes missing on the morning

of their fifth anniversary. Gone Girl feels machine-tooled in the best possible way, spotless and chilly and perfect. It’s exactly what this story and these characters require. 149 min. NNNN (NW)

the hobbit: the battle of the five armies (Peter Jackson) will probably

please those who’ve been salivating to see the climax of the director’s gargantuan adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s slender prequel to The Lord Of The Rings. But the rest of us will be struggling with some serious Middle-earth fatigue. At nearly eight hours, the Hobbit trilogy contains all the weaknesses of Jackson’s Rings films (big battle sequences that look far too obviously like software fighting software, jarring disconnect between grim mythological scenes and broader comic moments) and precious few of its strengths.

The importance of the characters’ relationships are diminished by their isolation from one another, and Martin Freeman’s rich, considered performance as Bilbo

Baggins is shoved aside for half a dozen other subplots that have no emotional resonance whatsoever. At two hours and 24 minutes it’s the shortest of the trilogy,

Showtimes for all films are at movies.nowtoronto.com

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but it still feels far longer than it needs to be, especially since the Smaug-related cliffhanger is resolved 15 minutes in. Some subtitles. 144 min. NN (NW) the homesmaN (Tommy Lee Jones) is a flawed but fascinating study of despair on the American frontier, as a Nebraska settler (Hilary Swank) enlists a claim jumper (director Jones, who also co-wrote the screenplay) to take three women (Miranda Otto, Grace Gummer, Sonja Richter) who’ve suffered mental breakdowns back to civilization on the other side of the Missouri River. 122 min. NNN (NW) horrible bosses 2 (Sean Anders) finds the hapless trio of Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) once again attempting a revenge sting when an ill-advised business deal pits them against a mogul (Christoph Waltz) and his unhinged son (Chris Pine). No wheels are reinvented and no Oscars will be won, but it’s an enjoyable followup to the original. 108 min. NNN (NW)

the huNger games: mockiNgjay – Part 1 (Francis Lawrence) keeps the fran-

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chise in a holding pattern, focusing on Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) while she wrestles with whether she wants to be the Mockingjay, the public face of the rebellion against the Capitol and evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland). It’s very well made and Lawrence is riveting, as usual, but it’s all just set-up for the grand finale. 123 min. NNN (SGC) the imitatioN game (Morten Tyldum) features first-rate performances and a quick-paced, moving story that help this drama rise above the traditional biopic. Brilliant Cambridge mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is hired by the British government to crack the Germans’ Enigma code during the Second World War. Used to working solo (he’d eventually lay the ground for the modern computer), he must collaborate with a team of misfit geniuses and keep their work a secret. Also secret is his homosexuality, which after the war gets him persecuted by the country he helped save. Shuttling back and forth between three time periods, the script is often blunt, especially in a repeated line of dialogue about nonconformists doing extraordinary things. Director Tyldum adds some unnecessary archival war footage, but the film explores fascinating moral issues in its final third. Cumberbatch is a revelation as the socially inept man who fights for his dignity, and he’s given strong support by Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, Rory Kinnear and Mark Strong as intriguing variables in Turing’s complex personal equation. 114 min. NNNN (GS) iNhereNt vice (Paul Thomas Anderson) is a giddy adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s detective novel. It’s 1970, and sometime detective Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is nudged out of a dope fog by an ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterston) trying to keep a real-estate mogul boyfriend out of trouble. That’s just the start of a long and twisted road for Doc, who fumbles further and further on-

continued on page 70 œ

= Critics’ Pick nnnnn = Top ten of the year nnnn = Honourable mention nnn = Entertaining nn = Mediocre n = Bomb

SC R

“SHOULDN’T BE MISSED” THE GUARDIAN

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Reitman Square, 350 King Street West This exhibition is organized by the Deutsches Filmmuseum, Frankfurt am Main, Christiane Kubrick, Jan Harlan and the Stanley Kubrick Archive at the University of the Arts London, with the support of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., Sony-Columbia Pictures Industries Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Universal Studios Inc., and SK Film Archives LLC.

NOW december 25 2014 - january 7 2015

Amy Adams strikes a pose in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes.

œcontinued from page 68

wards, uncovering an elaborate (and frankly insane) conspiracy. Alternately befuddled and bemused – until it’s time for Doc to choose sides, anyway – Phoenix makes an excellent tour guide to the Pynchon/Anderson funhouse, though Josh Brolin very nearly walks away with the picture as the deeply contradictory LAPD detective men call Bigfoot. Waterston’s

20 FILMS DECEMBER 25–JANUARY 1

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Volunteer Opportunities of the Week • • • •

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See this week’s Classified section for more info or visit volunteertoronto.ca Everything Toronto. 416 364 3444 • nowtoronto.com/classifieds

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

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eerie calm as the melancholy Shasta lingers in the memory, too. And Anderson’s casual mastery of image and sound is here to be admired, as always; he’s made a fantastically dense movie worthy of multiple viewings. 149 min. NNNN (NW) iNterstellar (Christopher Nolan) is a stunning visual accomplishment in service of a story that’s pretty dopey if you think about it for even a microsecond. Matthew McConaughey plays an astronaut-turnedcorn-farmer who pilots a mission into a wormhole in hopes of finding a new home for the human race, but director/co-writer Nolan undercuts the hard-SF premise with a weirdly goopy reliance on primal concepts like destiny and the power of love. 169 min. NNN (NW) iNto the WooDs (Rob Marshall) is an awkward adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s witty and profound musical mashup of fairy tales. Sondheim’s musicals are constructed for the theatre. His clever wordplay, complex rhythms and harmonies, the way his stories intersect and unfold – none of these things translates easily to film. There’s poignant material here about parents and children, loss, commitment and forgiveness, but in Marshall’s film, the plot seems convoluted and the language laboured. And without an intermission, the tonal shift in the second half is abrupt and jarring. The film looks like hell, but at least there are a couple of good performances by Emily Blunt, Chris Pine and Tracey Ullman. As the Witch, Meryl Streep cackles and shrieks her dialogue and then hams it up shame-

lessly in her songs. The less time spent in these woods the better. 125 min. NN (GS) JohN Wick (Chad Stahelski) stars Keanu Reeves as the eponymous anti-hero, a retired assassin and recent widower who goes after the thugs who stole his car and killed the puppy his wife left him. First-time director Stahelski deftly shifts the tone from serious-minded character piece to full-on comic book excess. Some subtitles. 101 min. NNNN (NW) the JuDge (David Dobkin) is a slick, commercial package – but what’s inside is pretty solid, letting Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall go head to head in a fatherson drama wrapped up inside a contrived legal thriller about a hotshot lawyer defending his father from a murder charge. Both actors are great, and Dobkin (who also co-wrote the story) foregrounds relationships over legalese at every turn. 143 min. NNN (NW) mr. turNer (Mike Leigh) opens in 1826, when painter J.M.W. Turner is at the peak of his fame – none of that “Wow, look at the light!” from an eightyear-old with a sketchbook – and focuses on his daily life painting, arguing with other artists and having (mostly) bad, sometimes abusive sex. Scenes in the Royal Academy, where Turner’s paintings hung alongside those of his romantic contemporaries, reveal how radical Turner was, laying the groundwork for the Impressionists. Dick Pope shoots the landscapes that inspired the paintings spectacularly, but writer/director Leigh also conveys the impact of reality – slave ships, the rise of the steam engine – on the artist’s otherworldly masterpieces. Timothy Spall, winner of the Cannes best actor prize, inhabits the role with brute force, speaking in grunts, spitting on his canvases to get the right effect, yet showing an achingly human side. Mr. Turner is about art and what ignites it, and it’s perfectly happy to take its time. An art film in every sense of the word. 150 min. NNNNN (SGC) NatioNal gallery (Frederick Wiseman) puts the noted doc director’s fly-on-the wall camera inside London’s National Gallery. Unfortunately, he wasn’t shooting during a particularly interesting period. The mammoth Leonardo exhibit

continued on page 72 œ

Showtimes for all films are at movies.nowtoronto.com

= Critics’ Pick nnnnn = Top ten of the year nnnn = Honourable mention nnn = Entertaining nn = Mediocre n = Bomb

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Patrick Gallagher (left), Robin Williams, Ben Stiller and Rami Malek experience A Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb.

œcontinued from page 70

has been up for a while, so there’s little curatorial discussion about it. Debates between gallery director Nicholas Penny and head of communications Jill Preston over whether the museum should get involved in charity work have the best energy. But for the most part, very knowledgeable docents guide gallery-goers through the

movie times this Week: Due to

early holiday deadlines, showtimes for December 25-January 7 were not available for print. Times for all films can be accessed online at movies.nowtoronto.com.

venerable institution’s impressive collection of Old Masters, shedding light on the storytelling powers of painting. When an eco-activist hangs a banner off the facade, Wiseman doesn’t follow through with either the politico or gallery honchos to

figures to play with, director Levy still hasn’t figured out how to make the proceedings exciting, but a brief showdown inside M.C. Escher’s lithograph Relativity stands out. 98 min. NN (RS) NightcraWler (Dan Gilroy) is a twitchy Los Angeles thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a creepy loner who worms his way into a career as a freelance videographer. His performance keeps you watching even as writer-director Gilroy’s slippery character study backs itself into a narrative corner. 117 min. NNNN (NW) PeNguiNs of madagascar (Eric Darnell, Simon J. Smith) is a deflated return to the franchise’s blah beginnings, where the antic humour and infectious Red Bull energy of Europe’s Most Wanted make only brief cameos. This Madagascar spinoff focuses on those supersmart and self-serving penguins, who must step up from scene-stealers to characters with an arc, becoming derivative in the process. 92 min. NN (RS) roseWater (Jon Stewart) finds first-time filmmaker Stewart tackling the story of Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, whose appearance in a Daily Show segment about the 2009

get a reaction. His I-shoot-only-what’s-infront-of-me strategy does have its limitations. 180 min. NNNN (SGC)

Night at the museum: secret of the tomb (Shawn Levy) occasionally amuses

thanks to folks like Ben Stiller, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais and Rebel Wilson, who manage to be funny despite a lazy screenplay that only gives them morsels to work with. The franchise finale circles around the ancient Egyptian tablet that rattles dinosaur bones to life. Its power is fading, so Stiller’s night watchman saddles up his historically diverse crew and heads to the UK, where a pharaoh (a game Ben Kingsley) can shed some light on its magic. The new locale introduces new faces, the highlight being Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as the cocksure Sir Lancelot, a welcome burst of energy in this mostly lifeless adventure. For all the CGI whizz-bang and volumes of encyclopedia

Iranian election was a factor in his subsequent arrest, detention and torture by the Ahmadinejad government. It’s an assured, thoughtful and very moving debut, with fine performances by Gael García Bernal as Bahari and Danish actor Kim Bodnia (Pusher) as his interrogator. 103 min. NNNN (NW) st. viNceNt (Theodore Melfi) seems designed explicitly to win Bill Murray an Oscar, casting the beloved star as a cranky alcoholic whose hostile exterior masks deep sorrow and a heart of gold. But even as writer/director Melfi piles on the complications and contrivances, Murray refuses to condescend to them. 103 min. NNN (NW) sereNa (Susanne Bier) is a soapy melodrama about a Depression-era timber baron (Bradley Cooper) who marries a woman with a mysterious past (Jennifer Lawrence). The crappy script can’t stop Lawrence from delivering another knockout performance, but Cooper just lies there, literally looking lost. He is – and so’s the movie. 110 min. NN (SGC) soN of a guN (Julius Avery) stars Brenton Thwaites as a teenage convict taken under the wing of a hardened criminal (Ewan McGregor) only to discover that protec-

Showtimes for all films are at movies.nowtoronto.com

december 25 2014 - january 7 2015 NOW

tion on the inside means obligations on the outside. First-time feature director Avery follows the beats of the prison/ heist picture like a pro, though he has some trouble selling the wobbly romantic subplot between Thwaites and a young woman (A Royal Affair’s Alicia Vikander) trapped in service to one of McGregor’s associates. But when the focus is firmly on McGregor and Thwaites, the movie crackles; the actors rip into the toxic father-son dynamic between their characters, and their rapport gives the key action sequences a real kick. 108 min. NNN (NW) soNg of the sea (Tomm Moore) draws from Gaelic folklore to tell the story of young children discovering magic and peril. The animation is so imaginative and rich that I’m sorry to admit I longed for a bit more Pixar-brand pizzazz to perk up the sluggish plot and characters – just a bit, mind you. Ten-year-old Ben (David Rawle) blames his mute little sister, Saoirse, for the loss of their mother, who died giving birth to her. He’s unaware that, like their mother, Saoirse is a selkie, a magical seal-child, and both a saviour of some mystical creatures and a target for others. Though the Irish folklore inspires the impressionistic watercolour visuals, it seems a tad cumbersome on the narrative. Ben and Saoirse’s redundant adventure drags along like a series of appointments with various otherworldly figures, episodes that often lack humour and excitement. 93 min. NNN (RS) the theory of everythiNg (James Marsh) takes the remarkable, complex story of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and imprisons it in the inspirational treacle of a disease-of-the-week movie about a young couple struggling with life-altering illness. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones make it worth watching, but Anthony McCarten’s script sees them only as noble sufferers waiting for the next challenge. 123 min. NNN (NW) toP five (Chris Rock) is a showbiz satire that proves Rock can be an intimate and insightful filmmaker. He stars as recovering alcoholic Andre Allen, a comic-turned-movie-star who’s had a string of flops since going sober and trying to become a serious actor. The film takes place over one antic day, as Allen is tailed by a fetching New York Times journalist (Rosario Dawson) while promoting a movie and preparing for his highly publicized wedding to a reality television star (Gabrielle Union). Rock uses his familiarity with the industry to goofy and hilarious ends, but as the day progresses he surprises us with an overwhelming sense of vulnerability and pain – a human side to celebrity that is often overlooked. 102 min. NNNN (RS) uNbrokeN (Angelina Jolie) tells the story of how U.S. Army pilot Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) survived a Japanese prison camp during World War II. Only a sadist could like it. After an effective sequence showing the all-out air war between the U.S. and Japan, Zamperini and two of his mates are shot down and lost at sea. A full half-hour is spent with the poor starving guys, though we’re blessed with brief flashbacks to Zamperini’s athletic aspirations. That’s a forshpeis for the main course: over an hour of unremitting brutality by Japanese P.O.W. camp commander Watanabe (Takamasa Ishihara, who’s excellent) against our man. What’s the point here beyond measuring Zamperini’s endurance? The film is based on a true story, so there’s no real tension. Elements of his later life related to his P.O.W. experience have huge dramatic potential, but Jolie and her team of screenwriters, including the Coen brothers, don’t go there. Not into brutality? View this at your peril. 137 min. NN (SGC) WhiPlash (Damien Chazelle) is a battle of wills between a drummer (Miles Teller) who challenges a monstrous conductor (J.K. Simmons) for a potentially lifechanging spot in his school’s jazz orchestra. Teller and Simmons commit completely, but Chazelle’s plot twists grow increasingly ridiculous – to the point where the final act has the feel of a fever

= Critics’ Pick nnnnn = Top ten of the year nnnn = Honourable mention nnn = Entertaining nn = Mediocre n = Bomb

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dream. I just couldn’t go with it. 106 min. (NW) (Jean-Marc Vallée) stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed, who walked 1,100 miles solo along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995 to reclaim her sense of self after a spiral into substance abuse and self-loathing. What could have been a mawkish and sentimental true-life story plays as intelligent drama thanks to the sure hand of director Vallée, whose skill with actors and music gives Wild a slippery, intuitive flow few other directors would have dared attempt. It’s got much more in common with Vallée’s experimental Café De Flore than his Oscarwinning Dallas Buyers Club. Witherspoon rises to the challenge of playing someone who spends too much time inside her own head. She’s entirely credible as the worndown Strayed, and the performance grows even more impressive as Vallée lets us learn where she has been and sees herself going. 115 min. nnnn (NW) zero moTivaTion (Talya Lavie) plays like an Israeli version of Broad City, with a neurotic underachiever (Nelly Tagar) forever dragged into trouble by her manic BFF (Dana Ivgy). The twist is that they’re both low-ranking soldiers stuck in clerical jobs. Be prepared for some darkness amidst the laughs. Subtitled. 100 min. nnn (NW) 3

nn oronto ñWiLd

oronto

@nowtoronto Michael Hollett .....................................................................................@m_hollett Alice Klein .................................................................................................@aliceklein Susan G. Cole .......................................................................................@susangcole Enzo DiMatteo ..........................................................................@enzodimatteo Norm Wilner ....................................................................................@normwilner Glenn Sumi ............................................................................................@glennsumi Kate Robertson.....................................................................................@katernow Sarah Parniak ..............................................................................................@s_parns Ben Spurr ..................................................................................................... @benspurr Jonathan Goldsbie ..............................................................................@goldsbie Adria Vasil .................................................................................@ecoholicnation Sabrina Maddeaux ................................................@SabrinaMaddeaux NOW Promotions ...............................................@NOWTorontoPromo

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t ................................................ @m_hollett Sarah Parniak ..........................................................@s_parns Thursday, December 25 Ben Spurr .................................................................@benspurr ...................................................@aliceklein Cineforum Thursday Lon Chaney Film ............................................... @susangcole Festival at 7 pm; Charlie Chaplin Film Fes- Jonathan Goldsbie ......................................... @goldsbie o ......................................@enzodimatteo tival at 9 pm. $10 each. Cineforum, 463 Adria Vasil .............................................@ecoholicnation Bathurst. 416-603-6643. .............................................@normwilner Fsing-a-Long a sound of musiC Inter- Sabrina Maddeaux ............@SabrinaMaddeaux .................................................@glennsumi active screening. Dec 25 and 28 at 1 pm; NOW Promotions ...........@NOWTorontoPromo Dec 26-27 at 7 pm.@katernow $22.75, srs/stu $18.25, n ........................................ child $16. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King W.

Sabrina Maddeaux @SabrinaMaddeaux NOW Promotions @NOWTorontoPromo

tiff.net.

Friday, December 26 Fsing-a-Long a sound of musiC Interactive screening. 7 pm. $16-$22.75. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King W. tiff.net.

Saturday, December 27 The BoxTroLLs Screening of the animated

adventure film. To Dec 28, Sat-Sun 2 pm. $5-$10. Royal Cinema, 608 College. 416466-4400, theroyal.to. Fsing-a-Long a sound of musiC Interactive screening. 7 pm. $16-$22.75. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King W. tiff.net.

Sunday, December 28 aLiCe in WonderLand 1954 film played with the soundtrack of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. 5 pm. $10. Cineforum, 463 Bathurst. 416-603-6643. Kid draCuLa/nosferaTu The 1922 film screened with soundtrack of Radiohead’s Kid and OK Computer albums. 9 pm. $10. Cineforum, 463 Bathurst. 416-603-6643. Fsing-a-Long a sound of musiC Interactive screening. 1 pm. $16-$22.75. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King W. tiff.net. The Wizard of oz 1939 film played with the soundtrack of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. 7 pm. $10. Cineforum, 463 Bathurst. 416-603-6643.

Wednesday, December 31

“CHARMING.” – New York Magazine

Friday, January 2 famiLy fun day Screening Winnie the

Pooh (2011) film, storytelling, dance, make your own film, and more. Noon-4 pm. $6, child $4, family pass $15. Meadowvale Theatre, 6315 Montevideo (Mississauga). mtix.ca.

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The dude’s neW year’s: The Big LeBoWsKi Ring in the New Year in style (sunglass-

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Volunteer Opportunities of the Week Pottery Class Assistant • Bernard Betel Centre For Creative Living The Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living, a vibrant community organization that offers classes, lectures and art lessons to seniors is looking for individuals interested in assisting participants with their pottery lessons. Duties include: providing guidance to students and assisting with set-up and clean-up. Training provided. Long-term position. Contact: Cheryl Besner at 416-225-2112 ext 127 or cherylb@betelcentre.org.

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Yoga Instructor • Transition House Inc Are you a yoga enthusiast with interest in teaching others? Transition House Inc is looking for an eager volunteer to teach their residents yoga and relaxation techniques. Classes would take place during the weekday evenings or during the day on the weekend. 9 hours per month. Long-term position. Minimum age 21. Contact: Kassandra Pavlovich at 416-925-4531 or thvolc@bellnet.ca.

Site Supervisor For Tutoring Program • Working Women Community Centre Working Women Community Centre is looking for a Volunteer Site Supervisor/Back-Up Tutor to act as a liaison between Program Coordinator(s) and other volunteer tutors by maintaining attendance, assisting with tracking records and acting as a backup tutor when necessary. Long-term position. Needed 1.5-2 hours per week. Training provided. Minimum age 16. Contact: Mireya Arrechea at 416532-1065 or marrechea@workingwomencc.org.

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Volunteers for 17th Annual Longest Underground Clothing Drive • Yonge Street Mission Gather some pals and spend some time underground collecting gently used professional attire to benefit the Yonge Street Mission’s “Double Take Store.” Individuals or groups are invited to volunteer from January 19-23rd at various PATH locations in downtown Toronto. Distribute donation bags and collect donations. No experience necessary. For questions on how to sign-up contact Marianna Salandra at msalandra@ysm.ca.

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Savage Love By Dan Savage

Short guy has it tough I’m a short guy and I need advIce. I don’t want a small paragraph’s worth of advice, like you gave Below Their League a few years ago. I need advice beyond “Women like men taller than them, get over it!” I get it. I’m short (5-foot-2), and most women are taller than me. And women like tall dudes just like I like slender women. Fat women may have it hard, but at least they have their fans and their own sex-object abbreviation: BBW. But where can a short guy go to feel appreciated? Is there an abbreviation or a dating website for us? Jesus Christ, I’m Lonely Below Their League, who wrote to me in August 2010, described himself as a short, slender guy who was only attracted to tall, butch women. He longed to be held in the strong arms of a woman who could snap him in two – and he wasn’t having much luck. This was the totality of my advice for him: “Most women prefer men who are taller than they are. It’s a sad, unavoidable fact, BTL, one you’ll have to accept (just as I had to accept that most men prefer women), and you’ll have to search harder for the lady/lady arms of your dreams. Not much else you can do about it.” I think that advice is solid, JCIL, but I can see why it would be unsatisfying. So here are a few bonus paragraphs for you… Some big, beautiful women (BBWs) resent their “fans,” JCIL, aka “fat admirers” (FAs), as they find the attentions of fat fetishists to be objectifying and emotionally fraught. (Particularly when their “admirers” are struggling with shame and want to date them only on the down low.) But here’s why fat women have their own sex-object abbreviation and their admirers have their own websites (both porn and dating): because there’s no shortage of FAs. There are lots of guys out there who are into BBWs. Now, there may be a few women with a fetish for short guys – women who aren’t just open to dating short guys but filled with a panty-dampening, crazy-making lust for short guys – but there aren’t enough of them to form the critical mass necessary to sustain even one website for short guys and the women who admire them. So it looks like you’ll have to redouble your efforts at regular dating websites, JCIL, i.e., “search harder for the lady/

lady arms of your dreams.” Christian Rudder, one of the founders of OkCupid, took a look at the impact height has on the dating and mating success of the site’s users. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that taller guys have more sex – just one measure of romantic success – but it may surprise you to learn that extremely tall guys (6-foot-6 and above) don’t get many more “unsolicited messages” than extremely short guys. And then there’s this: “Women 6 feet or taller are either less attractive to men or are considered too intimidating to message,” Rudder writes. “[But] the data also raises the interesting possibility that these tall women are much more likely to sleep with a man who does approach them. Compare the 6-foot woman to her 5-foot-4 counterpart: the taller woman gets hit on about two-thirds as much, yet has had slightly more sex partners.” The take-away for you, JCIL: try hitting on taller women.

Happy’s the main thing my last relatIonshIp – an abusIve one – ended 13 years ago, and I’ve been single for the last 10 years. I enjoy my life! And I get to wake up in the morning happy, not afraid! However, I would like to share my life with someone. I have not been asked on a date in years – sad – but I go out to movies, dinner, etc, on my own. Do I have a list? Yes! My love should be happy, enjoy my company, be able to support themself, be self-actualized, be capable of communicating without violence of any kind and have a sense of humour. I am physically fit, and although I’m not a beauty, I’m pretty enough! I snowboard and ride horses, I’m highly creative – I have lots of energy for 52.5! But is this it? Am I to be alone now? Lonely And Seeking Someone You may very well be alone for the rest of your life, LASS, but you’re already doing everything I urge lonely people to do: you’re getting out there and living your life, you’re being yourself, you’re doing shit, you’re going places. Happy, active and self-actualized people are more attractive and likelier to attract mates – so put up a few personal ads and see if there’s anyone in your area who wants to join you for dinner, snowboarding, horseback riding, whatever. But more importantly, LASS, always remember this: it’s better to be a happy, active and self-actu-

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alized single person than a miserable, sedentary and theopposite-of-self-actualized-whateverthat-is partnered person.

Psychopathic? Get help I am a straIght male who has never been in a romantic relationship. I am not a virgin, but every romantic relationship I’ve tried to pursue has ended in disaster. A few things you should know about me: while I’m not a full-on clinical psychopath by a long shot, I am on that scale and do have psychopathic tendencies. I know this makes me sound like an asshole (and I probably am an asshole), but I am often the smartest person in the room. I wish this wasn’t the case. Bottom line: I am extremely lonely. I have trouble relating to people, and they have trouble relating to me. I want to change how I relate to others, I want to be in a healthy relationship and most of all I want to stop feeling so lonely, but I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t feel isolated. I don’t even know where to start. Any guidance would be appreciated. Alone And Afraid You didn’t mention seeking professional help, AAA, and maybe that’s because you fear being smarter than the shrink in the room. But cognitive behavioural therapy is supposed to be an effective treatment for people with psychopathic tendencies. The goal isn’t to change you or rewire your brain, as that’s most likely impossible, but to change how you approach and interact with people. Also, AAA, a lot of people who are in relationships – even people who find it easy to interact with others – struggle with feelings of isolation. That’s not uncommon. And there are tons of people out there who aren’t psychopaths (or on the scale) who can describe their romantic histories in the same apocalyptic terms that you do. Get help, keep things in perspective and borrow a page from LASS’s playbook: Live your life, do shit, go places, even if you have to go alone for now.

Lonely? Masturbate I am a college student just tryIng to get through my senior year with some halfway decent grades and a smidge of sanity. As such, I have basically given up the social scene. I avoid sexual or romantic interactions. The problem is, while I recognize that I will have plenty of time for social stuff once I graduate (and some far better prospects available with a degree to my name), the rest of me is having trouble getting with the program. My weekends are a lot quieter and my wallet more comfortable, but sometimes I can’t help feeling lonely. Is there anything in your bag of tricks for this self-imposed hermit? Losing Out Nearly Everyday Masturbate daily, LONE, and remind yourself before, during and after blowing those loads that your isolation is something you chose when you prioritized your education. It isn’t something that was imposed on you by circumstance or height or mental illness – it’s also a problem that will solve itself in six months. This week, listen to the Lovecast live from Seattle’s Neptune Theatre at savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter

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