FutuRéale Magazine December 2010 Mega Issue

December 2010 & January 2011 vol. 4 issue 1

FUTURÉALE www.futuréale.com

arts . culture . living

Happy Birthday, Mr. Disney Sebastian Pigott Interview New Year’s Resolutions Oneal Walters’ profile 2010 Indie Round Up Flittering Pages

GENADIJS DOLGANOVS

BOOK REVIEWS Astro Rhythms Toronto Raptors Fresch Food Articles Julian Schnabel at the AGO

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DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY 2011 DOUBLE ISSUE

arts.culture.living

Note From the Editor Hello To All Readers,

Shawn Shapiro

Editor in Chief

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 1

Editor in Chief Shawn Shapiro

Editors Note December/January Double Issue: A Look Back At FutuReale’s First Three Years

Associate Editors

Happy Birthday FutuReale! I have watched as you have grown from an infant to a mischievous toddler to the child you are today! It has been a wild ride no doubt from that first edition ( Japan was the theme) to issue two (Brazil was the theme) to our metamorphosis to a DVD and then to the magazine you know and love now today.

Junior Editors

We have seen so many excellent interns, editors, designers and contributing writers hone their craft, excel and grow in the industry.

We have seen how our little magazine has become a quiet little secret, to a phenomenon in the arts, culture and living industry. We still keep our honoured oath to help anyone in the arts community branch out and get exposure and we still manage to get big name Canadians to share their tales of stardom with us.

Our commitment to the arts community will always be intact and you can guarantee that each edition will have the columns you have grown accustomed to (EX-Craig Wilkins Indie Beat, Flittering Pages, Green Godess and Love Rhythms).

So enjoy this extra special double dose of the magazine and keep reading!

Shawn Shapiro Editor in Chief FutuRéale Magazine is published by The Organic Press www.organicpress.ca FutuRéale Magazine is a proud member of the ONAMAP Network www.onamap.ca © 2010 ONAMAP Enterprises

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FUTURÉALE Russ Martin Karen Lam Melissa Doyle Dany Pen

Senior Editorial Designer Ravish Rawat

Junior Editorial Designers Jenn Reid Kevin Baranda

Interns

Anastasia Rokina Lindsay Romeo Olivia Dorazio Jess Silver

Contributing Writers Karolina Wisniewski Michelle Zikovitz Anastasia Rokina Stephanie Deline Edward Landa Christina Dun Melissa Doyle Oneal Walters Olena Protsiv Melissa Lang Jessica Earle Abby Plener Jess Silver Dany Pen Chris Allaire Mark Kinash Craig Wilkins Brendan Davis Shawn Shapiro Lindsay Romeo Olivia D’Orazio Tristan Coolman

Webmaster

ONAMAP Marketing Web Team

Online Content Editor Shawn Shapiro

E xecutive D irector Omar Murji

Contact FutuRéale at: info@futureale.com www.futureale.com FUTURÉALE ARTS | CULTURE | LIVING

ISSN 1916-3215

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

arts.culture.living

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04 Flittering Pages: Our monthly column on literature Jess Silver

06 How to write a “Love-gone-wrong” song: A Step to love songs Stephanie Deline

07 The Reel Thing: Offering new film experiences to the residents Michelle Zikovitz

08 Genadijis Dolganovs’ Cover Story: A portrait of a Canadian actor Olivia D’Orazio

11 New Year’s Resolutions: Set yourself up for a happy new year Olena Protsiv

12 Oneal Walters Profile: A poet with a story Christina Dun

14 the ONLY one: Poem Oneal Walters

15 Julian Schnabel at the AGO: A look at a “Cool” Exhibit Karolina Wisniewski

17 2010 Indie Round Up: What flopped and what flew Craig Wilkins

20 Justin Bieber’s New Line: Wear Justin Bieber

Melissa Lang

21 Dinner for Schmucks: A movie review Edward Landa

23 Happy Birthday, Mr. Disney: A Special Birthday Mark Kinash

24 THE OTHER GUYS: A Movie Review Edward Landa

25 Fledging filmmakers fighting to take flight: Film Story Jessica Earle

27 Sebastian Pigott Interview: From Being Erica to beyond Melissa Doyle

30 BOOK REVIEWS: A look at books Olena Protsiv

32 Shop Right on Bustling Boxing Day: A Guide to Boxing Day Chris Allaire

34 Greener than the Grinch: Green Goddess Abby Plener

36 The year in review for films: A reflection on 2010 films Tristan Coolman

38 Toronto Raptors: A look at the team’s performance Brendan Davis

39 Astro Rhythms: Elements of Love Anastasia Rokina

43-49 Fresch Food Articles

Photograph of Oneal Walters taken by New Photo Centre

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Flittering Pages

arts.culture.living

By Jess Silver

Contemporary literature breathing life into the past.

A PHOTOGRAPHER WIDENS HIS APERTURE ON HIS CAMERA TO CAPTURE A GLORIOUS BAY; the blue

glistens in the distance. An artist swirls paint on a canvas to invoke a beautiful image, and accentuates the cheekbone of her ballerina leaning on the bar. The writer sits in a dim light, and shuffles his papers on which notes remain as he waits for the right moment to release all his thoughts. Nowadays, every word at his disposal is on the computer, so there is no limit. He is open to tweaking and challenging of every kind. There is no such thing as a norm in the contemporary world.

Every angle is questioned, and what was once deemed history is now revived. The writer, who once sat waiting for that perfect moment, is now caught in a complex world where the cars clutter, and the people seem to be moving faster than ever.

The 21st century has witnessed great change in the way that people behave in both the private, and the public sectors. Medical procedures are approached differently in modern day as well. The most important change is in the transference of information.

Because of both societal and technological advancements, literary genres have opened up, such as Contemporary Literature. As a genre it aims to challenge the conventional, by presenting new narrative approaches and perspectives. Where a text from the 20th century followed a linear trajectory, the modern Contemporary works divert into various stories and narrative voices.

Exploring controversial and painful issues is part of the task that a writer of this type of

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text faces in order to stimulate new thought, and to bridge the gap between the stagnant and the fluid. It breathes new life into the past like a ventilator into a malformed lung.

Canadian author Steven Galloway in his latest book The Cellist of Sarajevo presents the reader with a fragmented and damaged society that is struggling to exist. It has to rebuild lives, because the place they call home is under siege. The text weaves many different stories together to create a larger framework, and it is this strategy on the part of the author that makes the reader question whose story is most powerful. We are first introduced to the narrative from the cellist’s perspective, and it is arguably the most important and illustrates the affects of the siege on the people. It is the cellist who unites Sarajevo’s people emotionally. By playing his music he attempts to save them by erasing the painful scars that the siege has left on the many families.

“It screamed downward, splitting air and sky without effort. A target expanded in size, brought into focus by time and velocity. There was a moment before impact, that was last of things as they were. Then the visible world exploded” (1). This opening quotation shows the dramatic effect of the siege, and that the event and its destruction is encompassing.

Tragedy has no mercy on anyone, and the people of Sarajevo gravitate to the sound of the cello. Kenan is a family man who struggles to provide for his two children, and his wife.

There is a recurring mention of him walking the desolate, broken streets pondering his next steps, and he notes that he has both physical and emotional difficulties in his daily life (25).

The destruction has left his home de-faced, and we are witnesses of his internalized battle. An act that was once as trivial as turning on a light switch is now a daily struggle. Kenan must travel for painfully long periods of time for water. Exercising caution is difficult, because like so many others, he is under the violent eye of ‘the men on the hills’. Through both the persona of Kenan, who is said to be a man of about forty, and an older character by the

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arts.culture.living

name of Dragan, the audience gets a telescopic view of a society that is caught in the grips of damage, which is searching for constancy.

One of the questions Galloway poses through Dragan’s character; can constancy be achieved in a world that is hounded by war, and what does it mean to carry on? These two characters are the ones who seem to reflect upon what life was like before the siege, and how it can possibly be salvaged after the fact. The author demonstrates that destruction extends beyond the life of living

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beings as it warps Sarajevo’s cultural and historic heart, and destroys places like the library and the music conservatory.

An interesting quotation that illustrates both the objective and the ability of contemporary literature was asserted by a man named Jesse S. Cohn. He said in his essay concerning a contemporary novel on Jewish Culture, “I revive, renew and re-establish”.

Interestingly, this notion is paralleled by Steven Galloway’s text in numerous ways.

a new life. Steven Galloway is posing many moral, political and personal questions to his readers in order to challenge one’s social and personal ideals. The Cellist of Sarajevo has you constantly thinking about the consequences of choice, and makes you wonder whether or not society changed in the way that it deals with traumatic experiences.

--rr

There is the theme of renewal harbored within the cellist’s musical ability to play.

Furthermore, the story of Arrow is all about re-establishment and self-revival as she faces her many battles for duty, and her own protection as a sniper fighting in counter attack to the enemies on the hills. It is her story that appears in stark contrast to that of the cellist, which poses many questions surrounding one’s duty and whether or not one does things solely out of protection for their title, or out of personal interest and security. As the text progresses, one sees Arrow’s story as getting more complex with her confusion; where the trigger points, and who she aligns herself with.

The book shows audiences that events of the past are never forgotten, nor do these events become less important. Each of the four narratives is interwoven within the larger master narrative. It occupies a great role in reviving not only Sarajevo, but in infusing the events which took place in the 1980’s with

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arts.culture.living

How to write a “Love-gone-wrong” song EVERYONE KNOWS THAT MUSIC IS ONE OF THE MOST HEALING FORMS OF EXPRESSION. It makes

people move, evokes countless emotions, and even has the power to help mend a broken heart. In a recent survey of 50 people, 90 percent of them found that listening to music can be cathartic during a breakup. But if these heartsick romantics could create their own ballads, instead of listening vicariously to others, wouldn’t that be a better healing to their broken hearts? Yes! 70 percent of survey participants have wanted to write a song about a painful split.

What is the problem? These poor love suckers have no idea how to put their thoughts into music. Song writing has been my therapy since childhood. Friends often ask; “How do you do it? Why can’t I write a song?”

Guys and dolls, there is good news! You needn’t be a descendent of Patsy Cline to create your very own ode to the ex.

You will need: A relationship sob story, a guitar; preferably an acoustic guitar that looks rustic to add authenticity, a notebook and pen, relationship memorabilia, your journal if you have one, a photo of your subject for staring mournfully at while you write, the break-up songs that got you through those lonely nights, a dictionary or thesaurus for flowery language, guitar chord chart or a basic online guitar

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tutorial, and a bottle of whiskey. You can also have an experienced writing partner if you’re stuck on a step, and want to seriously develop your song.

Identify with yourself! Are you the heart breaker, or the heart breakee? Perspective is crucial. Get inspired! Dig through your mind, like your memorabilia and anything you wrote previously about the relationship.

This will help bring up locked away emotions, and provide lyrical content. The message is key, so crank up the volume on those breakup songs. And ask yourself; why do these songs resonate with me? Using your own experience as a guideline, start scrawling, and ask yourself questions like how did this breakup affect me? Am I angry, sad, or regretful?

Write whatever comes to your mind and heart naturally.

When you are ready, arrange your notes into a format that works for you. A typical song structure consists of a verse, a chorus, a verse, a chorus, a bridge, and then a chorus.

Play around with your layout until you are comfortable with it. I use the tried and true formula shown above, but this is about you, so make it yours. If you want rhyming lyrics and you are stuck on finding the right word, try a rhyming dictionary to help you out.

Check out a basic guitar tutorial and chord chart, and strum some ideas on your guitar.

By Stephanie Deline

Sometimes the simplest songs are the most effective, so it is fine to keep it to a minimal.

Hum little melodies out loud, as you strum the guitar. Find notes that work within the chords, and when a melody fits, add your lyrics. Repeat until you are in love.

Remember, we are not going for Grammy gold here. You may not have stellar vocal chops, and you may not be the next Joe Satriani, but you can write this song. When you are satisfied, run to your web cam, record your new tune, and send it to your ex’s in-box by “accident”.

Down a shot of that whiskey and you are done! If you have unleashed a great songwriter, I’ll look for a thank-you in your liner notes.

Stephanie Deline is a singer/songwriter and freelance writer living in Toronto. You can check her music out at www.myspace. com/thecolourtasters --rr

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arts.culture.living

By Michelle Zikovitz

the

Reel

thıng THE TOWN OF RICHMOND HILL’S FALL 2010 “The Reel Thing”

Film Series followed quickly on the heels of a whirlwind summer of indoor and outdoor films. Heading into our second season, at the new Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, the season promised to be an exciting one. New partnerships with Reel Asian international Film Festival developed, while highly valued relations with TIFF and Film Circuit continued.

The Season began with the critically acclaimed film, Please Give in September. Co –presentations of two films with Reel Asian

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included Ip Man 2 which screened in October and Au Revoir Taipei which screened recently mid November to an audience of over 270.

December will feature the French film Farewell (L’Affaire Farewell) on Dec 13.

With efforts to continue offering new film experiences to our residences a series of three classic Holiday films will screen on Dec 21, 22, 23 which will conclude the 2010 season.

5 years ago, an idea was born. In an effort to bring new cultural experiences to our Town and with support from Film Circuit, The Reel Thing began. Certainly not with the bang and excitement we had hoped for as our first 2 of 3 films in our miniseries had to be cancelled due to low numbers.

We finally screened our first film, to an audience of 40+ patrons in June. Hardly a sell out, but so well received by everyone in attendance that we knew we were onto something. The common theme was how wonderful to be able to experience great films close to home. From this we grew, screening to audiences on average of 125 and once up

to 600. Originally screening 9 films a year at our local cinema, we have expanded to over 18 films a year at our beautiful Performing Arts Centre and we continue to grow.

Our Winter 2011 line up promises more great, critically acclaimed films, as well there will be a special Family Day screening and another Special film presentation by Reel Asian early March.

Adding to our film experiences we offered 3 outdoor family films the past 2 summers and due to overwhelming response, we are planning to show 7 outdoor films in 2011.

For further information about our film series please go to www.richmondhill/ reelthing , call 905-787-1441 ext 222, and email mzikovitz@richmondhill.ca for information about both the indoor and outdoor film line ups.

--rr

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arts.culture.living

GENADIJIS DOLGANOVS

By Olivia D’Orazio GENADIJS DOLGANOVS PAUSES IN THE DOORWAY of the Starbucks coffee house. He

scans the small, crowded room and sees me looking at him. He points at me and smiles. I wave. He walks over to our table and sits down.

His strong frame is not intimidating. He wears a thick navy sweater under a brown leather jacket, jeans and a beige paperboy hat.

Genadijs grew up in Latvia; it was also in Latvia where he began to act. When he was ten years old, Genadijs was waiting for a friend to finish rehearsals for the school play. The drama teacher approached him and, having too few actors, asked him to audition. “[It’s] quite funny,” he says. “I was sitting and waiting for [my friend], doing my homework and stuff like this. And suddenly the doors open and the teacher comes out and she

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sees me and says ‘What are you doing here?’ and I say ‘I’m just waiting for my friend.’ She says, ‘Ok, well, listen. We don’t have enough actors. Would you mind to just go inside and just spend a few hours with us over there?’ And I said ok.”

After a quick audition, Genadijs was granted the role of Huckleberry Finn in the school’s production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This first role ignited a spark in young Genadijs that would carry him through college.

“At some point, we decided to make a theatre,” Genadijs says. “We did primarily English plays, like Twelfth Night, Shakespeare, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde – this kind of stuff. For two reasons: first, because the plays were in English, they helped

us to develop language skills. Second, because it was a lot of fun! You’d meet new people and get to work and travel to other schools to do performances. So, it kept going and going and going.”

He pauses and smiles, remembering the fun he had in the drama studio at school in Latvia. A graying goatee frames his warm smile. His soft green eyes reflect the happiness of his memories. He continues.

“After school, I decided – what the heck – let’s give it a try. I tried to get some professional training, so I went and I joined the Latvian Music Academy, in the theatre faculty. From the very first year there, I got a long-term contract with a professional theatre and I spent the next ten years there. The theatre was called Riga Russian Drama Theatre.”

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arts.culture.living Shortly after, Genadijs immigrated to Canada. He now resides in Canada as well. I ask him about the culture in Canada, and how it is different from his experiences in Latvia. I ask him if these differing cultures influence his work as an actor. He smiles brightly again and leans forward. He speaks softly and gently.

“I wouldn’t say the culture is different from here and there. We have a lot of different spots here in Canada. It’s a multicultural country so we have Latin communities, Russian communities; lots of communities and lots of people from around the world.”

Genadijs looks out the bay window to the busy autumn street. He smiles again. His love for his homeland, Latvia, and the land he now calls home, Canada, cannot be separated.

“In terms of the roles and traditions, I try to preserve them in me. Yeah, I guess they do influence my work and my life.”

“It’s just a matter of my accent, I guess,” he says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs. “I don’t think I would be chosen to play President Kennedy, for example.”

Genadijs chuckles. He is a remarkable speaker. His accent is not thick – in fact, it is hardly noticeable at times. He speaks slowly and softly. Genadijs seems to take care in choosing his words, not because he is unsure of them but because he is completely aware of the weight of his words. He is truly genuine.

Genadijs continues, “There’s some rules and things that casting directors, directors, producers look at when they’re casting an actor to play a certain part. Yeah, they’re using my background to the part’s advantage, I would say. It would be ridiculous to see an Eastern European guy speaking a perfect language with no accent whatsoever and looking like a Middle Eastern guy.”

Genadijs throws his arms up and laughs.

I picture the image that he describes; then I, too, laugh at this bizarre image.

“You have to follow some things,” he says.

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back to one of your first questions – does my background help me? I guess that’s proof of it.”

In 2009, Alex landed a role on Showcase’s successful series, Cra$h & Burn. He played Anatole Moskawa, a member of the Russian mob. Currently, he can be seen on CTV’s new series, The Bridge. The wildly successful show was picked up for a short time by the CBS network in the U.S. The Bridge follows the former beat cop

Genadijs balances the dark roles and heavy plots that he tends to favour by operating a children’s entertainment company. A testament to his skill as an actor, Genadijs entertains children as a party clown in his spare time. He laughs when I bring up the GHD & Performing Group, which he started with a few friends.

“It started just after a couple of months after I arrived [in Canada],” he explains.

and newly appointed police union head, Frank Leo, as he tries to rid the squad of its internal corruption. The series gets its title from the name of the division in the show – ‘The Bridge’ – which oversees an area that includes both the posh Rosedale neighbourhood and the troubled Regent Park neighbourhood.

Genadijs plays Detective Alex Volkolev, a vigilante of sorts. His character is warm and passionate about protecting the law – much like Genadijs is passionate about acting. Alex is a good cop who goes after the villains with such ruthless obsession; it is hard to believe that Genadijs himself is such a kind, gentle man. His portrayal of Detective Alex is so thorough that it is no wonder he is already being recognized for his work on The Bridge.

“After several months, I decided to look for something engaging and interesting in terms of the job, because, you know, you need a job.”

After responding to an ad he found in the local paper calling for people interested in entertainment work, Genadijs found himself in a clown college of sorts. “[The ad] said they were looking for people who were interested in entertainment work, clown work. So I called these people up and they hired me. I stayed there for a couple of years, learning balls and steps and things like that. Then after a couple of years I decided to go on my own.”

Experiencing Genadijs’ easy-going nature and his genuinely friendly persona, it’s hard to remember him as the tough cop or the wicked

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arts.culture.living mobster – especially when you picture him in colourful makeup surrounded by giggling children.

“I like doing it,” he continues. “I like working with children. I enjoy the whole process. We do a whole lot of stuff, me and my friends. Private birthday parties, store openings, fun fairs. We go to schools. You meet new people, you interact, you get a little bit more experience and you have fun at the same time.”

Maybe it’s his childlike innocence that helps him be the bad guy on TV; like most things, it seems, he does it because its fun.

His training as a children’s entertainer also gives him a unique opportunity to help those in need. An avid supporter of the Hospital for Sick Kids, Genadijs often donates his time as a clown at the hospital, sharing his contagious smile with the children and their parents alike.

In addition to acting and entertaining, Genadijs can boast himself an experienced director. He has directed over 20 stage plays, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Jungle Book and The Inspector General.

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I wonder if his training and experience as a director helps him to act.

“No, I think it’s the other way around,” he tells me. He pauses for a moment before telling me a story. “One quite famous Russian actor, his name is Erast Garin. He was a student of Vselvlod Meyerhold, a director who was a big name in Russia. And he, Meyerhold, was an

“We have a lot of different spots here in Canada. It’s a multicultural country so we have Latin communities, Russian communities; lots of communities and lots of people from around the world.” army guy. He used this metaphor with Garin.

He said actors are like soldiers, but directors are like officers or generals. In order to become a general you have to start as a private. But if you haven’t been a private in the army, you can’t become a general. It’s true – if you want to direct other people, other actors, you need to know the actor’s craft. And if you don’t know the actor’s craft, there’s a good chance

that you’re going to fail at some point. You’re not speaking the same language with people you are working with. You have to go through the whole thing yourself to understand what the person you are directing is going through at this moment when you are talking to him, when you are giving your directions to him.

So if you understand that, there is a huge 99% chance that you’re going to be a success. If you don’t understand that, there is going to be trouble.”

I like this metaphor a lot, and I tell Genadijs this. He glances at my page and the notes I’ve been taking.

“So that is how acting works,” he continues.

“To help me directing.”

This army metaphor relates personally to Genadijs. As an army recruit, Genadijs spent two years in service. Here he learned several skills that would help round out a skill set that would become invaluable to him as an action star. He mastered the art of handling automatic weapons, rifles and handguns wit great skill and finesse, and he further developed his fencing, karate and shooting skills, which he was required to learn as a college student in Latvia.

I ask him if these skills – karate, shooting and his comfort with weaponry – have helped him with his more action-oriented roles.

“Definitely that experience helps,” he says.

“If something interesting comes up, then I will do that…. I try to experience whatever I can and if it helps me….”

All the experiences that Genadijs has enjoyed have certainly paid off. After only ten years living in Canada, Genadijs is already being recognized for his craft. He was recently nominated for a Gemini award in the Best performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series category for his portrayal of Alex on The Bridge.

--rr and jr

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New Year’s Resolutions HAPPY NEW YEARS! The practice of New Year’s Resolutions has been around since 153 B.C. The mythical king of early Rome had two faces, one that looked at the past and the other at the future. Back then, people looked to their enemies for forgiveness and exchanged gifts.

Fast forward to today and one can see how that practice has changed quite a bit.

In today’s world, a resolution is a goal or set of goals that someone would like to achieve come the New Year. These can be small goals such as cleaning your house more often, or more challenging such as losing weight, getting out of your comfort zone and meeting new people, or doing something new each day that scares you.

Time and time again, each year we make the same resolutions, yet we never achieve them? Why is that? Are they that hard that midway through them, we throw our hands up in the air and say , “I give up, this is too much for me”? No they are not that difficult, yet we make them to be in the way that we go about achieving them. We set our goals so high that when we don’t see results within the first month, we give up.

In the holiday spirit we are more energized and believe that we can accomplish anything so we create these goals. However, the downfall is that we don’t have a good plan which shows us how to follow and achieve a certain goal.

So many people out there are saying, “Come January I’m going to lose weight!”

So come January there’s a mad rush to join a gym where people think they’re going to lose weight, become fit and more healthier. However, they don’t take into account that you have to eat better and have a better diet, stick to going there at least three times a week to see any results, and most of all, don’t stop once February rolls around.

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The motivation could be quite high the first month, but the important thing is to keep going after January ends. More than half the people that join a gym quit the following month, which in turn makes them fail their resolution.

If you stop going to the gym or quit your gym membership that’s quite a price to pay for not going considering what a person pays to go to a gym. How can you not feel guilty of wasting $500+ dollars because you don’t feel like going to the gym anymore or you cancel?

Instead of joining a gym, how about buying weights, a medicine ball and other gym equipment that is both easy on the wallet and doesn’t require going to the gym? Create your own customized gym at home. It will be less intimidating, closer to come and definitely more accessible.

The best way to achieve any New Year’s Resolution goal is to write it down first. If you see them on paper, it will be a motivating factor. Also, talk to friend s and family about your resolution. This will encourage you to actually commit because they will be expecting results.

Think about the goal as something that you can accomplish over the span of the year not just the month of January. However, just because you set a goal for the whole year, doesn’t mean that you should slack off.

Take small steps for goals such as losing weight. Start by losing five pounds instead of aiming for fifty pounds because five is a lot less intimidating than fifty. If you’re trying to go out and meet new people because you’re a shy person, start a conversation while you’re in line at the coffee shop about something random. Even just organizing that walk in closet can be a daunting task with all the clothes all over the place and you are probably thinking ‘this is too much, I can’t do it.’ Start by arranging just the shoes or clothes that are on the ground.

arts.culture.living

By Olena Protsiv Small steps are the key to achieving any goal and in the end when you do complete a goal you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. The mindset is what will get you started on any task no matter how easy or difficult. The will power is what will keep you going and give you that extra push to succeed.

It is interesting that nowadays it has come to a point where people don’t even bother making a resolution because they know from past experiences they aren’t even going to stick with it. If you don’t have a resolution you won’t be disappointed in the long run because you have failed yourself. However, although this thinking is true for some, society as a whole is always trying to accomplish something. Goals are always going to be set no matter whether they are achieved or not.

For the pessimists out there, you don’t have to set a resolution but do make a change when the New Year does roll in. Life is there to create something, to change something, to always keep moving forward.

Whether you believe in resolutions or not, take stock in where your life is before you ring in the New Year and what you want to change or make different once you ring in the New Year. No one wants to remain the same year after year.

--rr and jr Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions: 1. Join a gym and become more fit 2. Lose weight 3. Spend more time with family and friends 4. Quit bad habit s e.g. smoking, drinking 5. Learn something new 6. Get out of debt 7. Help others (community work, volunteer) 8. Become more organized 9. Set aside time for yourself 10. Finding a soul mate

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arts.culture.living WITH HIS THIRD BOOK, titled “Frozen Stare: The Childhood of a Young Poet,” under his belt, along with a monthly newsletter and an annual Women Inspirational Poetry Contest, author Oneal Walters has turned to poetry as an outlet to express himself, and to inspire those around him. Through poetry, he empowers and inspires people in hopes of instilling societal awareness. His area of interest is in Women’s discourse and feminist issues. He discovered his passion for art early in his life and decided to pursue the path that has led him to where he is today.

With a friendly face and a cheerful voice, Oneal provides the audience with personal insight on how he got started, the creative process of writing, and what he has been working on.

When did you start writing poetry?

OW: I started writing poetry in grade 11.

We had this English teacher by the name of Ms. Brown. And she told everybody to either create a poem or to find one in the library and read it to the class. So everybody was picking these different poets they were going to read. And I said, “A poem. That might not be that hard to do.” So I thought okay let me try this. So I wrote my own poem and when I read it to the class, the reaction was incredible.

I thought wow I like doing this. I’ve always had a vivid imagination. And because of that reaction, I realized that I liked writing and this is something I can do very well. So that’s how it started in grade 11.

What inspires you to write?

OW: Well different things inspired me. At first, it was just people, seeing how people respond within situations. I was vividly connecting with so many different people. Somebody would tell me that they had a car accident, and that [story] became a poem later. Somebody would tell me that they had a situation with a family member and that became a poem later.

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arts.culture.living That was where I first started. As I continued to progress and to define things I found very important, it led into women’s issues. And I started commenting on a lot of women’s issues, such as obesity, rape, and single mother pregnancy. And then now, at this very point, I would say within the last month, I have now entered into a phase where I would say it’s establishing faith within my poems. It’s a natural progression.

How would you describe the creative process behind your pieces?

OW: Life completely dictates where it goes.

And the responses of readers dictate new issues that I can deal with. I would have to say that I am collectively inspired by thousands of people. And when you get more and more people reading your poems then you have more and more topics or subjects you can comment on. So the progression just continues to feed itself.

How does your third, most recent book compare to your first one?

OW: The first one is called “Frozen Stare” and the third one is called “Frozen Stare: The Childhood of the Young Poet.” What had happened was, I created the first book, and that was such a personal experience. I wanted to just express everything that I was going through, how I was going through it and that’s it. It would be just like a photographer taking a picture. Then I went to my second book where I started developing perspectives and themes and everything just came into a multi-layered picture. So for my third book, instead of taking that picture and giving them this picture now, I have grown so much, so what I have done is add many of these themes and made my image sharper. I realized I had a theme that once you start to do something and become ambitious, essentially you separate yourself from the crowd. And I wanted to establish little themes within the book. So FUTURÉALE

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essentially, the book is to help those who are ambitious, to let people know that when there’s difficulty, you can get through it. And then that brings you back to that faith again because you have to have faith in something to get you where you are going.

How has Toronto influenced you?

OW: That’s the weirdest thing. I started with T.S. Eliot and I was just reading his stuff, and as you know, he’s not a Toronto writer at all.

And I was reading and was like wow, it’s like there’s a poem, but it’s in a book. So many pages, so many layers, like each stanza is a completely different theme, but then you tie it all together by one central theme. I thought wow, these are complex writers, so I started reading all of that stuff. And then afterwards, when I became more established, and people started knowing what I was doing, I went back to see what Toronto writers were doing.

So Toronto was like the last stop for me. Not in a bad way, but again, if you want to stand out, you can’t sound or have the same views as everybody around you. You kind of have to have your inspiration from another place.

What are you currently working on?

OW: At this present time, it’s the evolution of my writing. I can see it coming; the faith within each poem. I have to say that everything good that occurs is blessed by God in some point or another, and that’s the evolution of where it’s going. We’ve also been working on OW News, which is a newsletter. I’ve been doing the newsletter for over a year and we just had our anniversary in September. We’ve had poet laureates as well, so our newsletters have been attracting a lot of people. I’m very happy with that. I also have an author in the U.S. who has signed on to the Age Begins Books. I’m also the owner of that book publishing company. As to a new book, I haven’t really devoted any time to a new book yet because once I see that change

occurring, I’d rather have that change full and have that direction and then capture it in a book.

What advice do you have for aspiring young writers?

OW: The first and foremost I would say is get a website. A website is so important. You need to have your own voice that you can tailor and it needs to be visible. And you need to let people know who you are. The reason why I say a website is so important is because I used to go to different publications to get published just to create that voice. If you have a website, you start to promote it through social media, and it helps you a lot because now people can see who you are and what you represent.

The second thing I would say is probably the second hardest thing to do, which is, you’ve got to find out who you are, what you like, and then project it.

You can find more information about Oneal at his website: http://www. onealwalters.com.

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the ONLY one If alone; I am the ONLY one who will guide students into prayer inside public schools, who will confront injustice with the faith of a 1000 mustard seeds.

If alone, I am the ONLY one.

So locate him after reading this Letter of Leadership; single mothers pray for payless fathers, who didn’t respond to their calling into maturity hiding during the cycle of maternity.

Hatred for you but hatred hatches within, Hatred for you but fatherhood lasts forever.

If alone, I am the ONLY one; like David before he faced Goliath lead by justice, adopted a purpose due to crisis.

Poets; it’s sink or swim, adapt or fall, live or lie, then die.

Is it hard to be a poet, or harder to be a publisher?

Many Canadian publishers rely on the government and funding is fading away.

If alone, I am the ONLY one; born Canadian, parents Jamaican, reflecting faith in my poems.

Poem written by Oneal Walters

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arts.culture.living

Julian Schnabel at the AGO LAUDED AS CONFERRING A PSEUDO-EPIPHANY ONTO ITS VIEWERS, Julian Schnabel: Art and Film promises to situate his paintings in a dialogue with his cinematic achievements, as well as the greater history of film. Although much has been made of such an agenda, the charm of the exhibition lies less in these aspirations and more in its presentation of a comprehensive survey of one of the most prominent artists of the postmodern period.

The first reason I venture to assert that the exhibition failed to impress in terms of its projected goals is that the connections drawn between Schnabel’s art and film aren’t all that revelatory. More interesting are the references drawn between his artworks and various cinematic legends like Albert Finney, Billy Wilder and Jane Birkin, to name but a few.

Secondly, with an artist as audacious, innovative and visionary as Schnabel, the project of exploring the relationship between art and film seems disappointingly unambitious. Schnabel’s work could have been approached in an infinitely more sophisticated and unexpected manner; establishing a

connection between two mediums is at best stale and at worst nearly redundant. If the conceptual approach leaves something to be desired, the exhibition might have redeemed itself had the curatorial execution been immaculate.

Shortcomings aside, the strengths of the exhibition also deserve to be noted. While the conceptual approach of the exhibition may be questionable, the works themselves betray the mastery and talent of Schnabel, and do, in fact, at times enter into a complex iconographic dialogue with various historical precedents.

Resurrection: Albert Finney meets Malcolm Lowry is especially interesting. Lowry rose to fame as the author of Under the Volcano, a novel on a day in the life of a British consul

By Karolina Wisniewski living in a Mexican town; Finney is an American actor who played the protagonist in the on-screen adaptation of the novel.

The work draws reference to Mexican art, specifically through the iconographic relevance of the figure of Christ, referencing the religious and fantastically colored works of the Chicano generation. The influence of Hollywood, and with it, all the vestiges of

Alas, such was not the case. Although theoretically straightforward, Julian Schnabel: Art and Film finds itself, paradoxically enough, biting off a little more than it can chew. The simultaneous attempts to correlate Schnabel’s paintings and his film, draw references to cinematic history and create a retrospective result in a disoriented and disorganized product. I will concede that the exhibit surveys Schnabel’s career quite nicely, providing a chance to view his work in a plurality of mediums. However, if one attends Julian Schnabel: Art and Film in search of an overarching narrative, or even thematic cohesion, they will leave disappointed.

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arts.culture.living postmodernism, are evident in the audaciously applied spray paint and overall comedic (or even absurd) portrayal of Christ himself. The postmodern sentiment of irony is exploited to its full length in this piece, perhaps laid on a bit too thickly for the taste of some. Then again, subtly has never been Schnabel’s strong point, nor has he ever aspired to it.

The uncontested showstopper is the Portrait of Andy Warhol, an impeccably rendered harrowing look into a figure adored

by Schnabel, who once stated that Warhol exposed horrors of our time as articulately as Goya did his. Refreshingly free from the sometimes heavy-handed guidance of the titles and exhibition materials (it would be nice if some works, like Painting for Mickey Rourke for his Performance in Rumble Fish, left a little more to the imagination), Schnabel lets us make of the image what we will. Interestingly enough, it is painted in oil on velvet, which creates an interesting texture and likely owes a little to its subject’s taste for all things camp.

considered to fall within the minimalist/ postminimlist school, and act as the perfect yin to Schnabel’s yang. Julian Schnabel: Art and Film will be on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario until January 2nd, 2011.

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Reminiscent of some of Francis Bacon’s works, the figure of Warhol is rendered crudely and suggests a sense of urgency; he stands in an otherwise blackened abyss, confronting us with a solipsistic and existential void.

The Fall/Winter program at the AGO is packed with not-to-be-missed events, a relief after the confusing and disappointing summer King Tut exhibit. An exhibition looking at the works of Eva Hesse, Betty Goodwin and Agnes Martin is an interesting counterpart to that of Julian Schnabel. Though far from feminist, the works of these female artists are generally

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arts.culture.living

2010 INDIE

ROUND UP I HAVE A THEORY. Since it is human nature to invest more time and effort into our latest endeavours, I believe that many of the best directors save their biggest hit for the last year of a decade. This doesn’t guarantee them a place on any of the best of the decade lists, but if their movie is good enough to make the list you can be sure having all that hype constantly renewed helps move them up in the ranks.

So is it any wonder that in 2009 we had a new Tarantino film, “Inglorious Bastards”, and that America’s sweetheart not only had the romantic comedy of the year in “The Proposal”, but an Oscar winning performance in “The Blind Side”?

There was also a “Transformers” sequel, a new “X-Men” movie, a new “Star Trek” movie, a follow up to “The DaVinci Code” and even a new “Terminator” movie, albeit without Schwarzenegger. 2010 had its blockbusters, “Iron Man 2”, “Inception”, but as a rule, everything big was so much bigger last year.

And to end off the decade, the first James Cameron movie since “Titanic” not only grossed nearly $3 Billion worldwide, it changed the industry to the point where a family movie is almost expected to be in 3D and 3D televisions have the prime real estate in any home electronics superstore.

Therefore I am not surprised that 2010 was a less than stellar year for big budget movies. There were still plenty of great family films, as there are every year, but for those of us without little ones either sitting next to us FUTURÉALE

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or within us, 2010 was a very disappointing year for movies.

I still think it’s possible that if “The Social Network” goes on to win the best picture Oscar this year, Hollywood can point to it and say this was the year of the Facebook movie.

There will be many stories about Fincher having found the pulse of the nation, and as a long time fan of the man I call the greatest American film director, I will rejoice.

But the truth is, something has shifted this year. I don’t know if the shift is across North America, or just in Toronto, but I look out at the cinema in my city and I see a movie culture that is dramatically different than it was even nine months ago.

Pick up The Eye or Now, or visit cinemaclock.com and tell me what you see.

I’ll remind you of what you were not seeing just nine months ago. You weren’t seeing a Carlton theatre, there was no Toronto Underground Cinema, and the TIFF Bell Lightbox was nothing but an expensive dream.

The AMC downtown carried one or maybe two Indie films every week. There was usually one at the Scotiabank, maybe a couple at The Varsity, if you were lucky four at the Cumberland, and some at Canada Square.

But a lot of the Independent films played at multiple theatres, and Canada Square was playing mostly second- run movies. There are always the rep theatres, but more and more of late they’re just showing a cheaper, second run showing of something you either saw or decided not to see weeks earlier.

Having the Carlton back, the Toronto Underground Cinema and the TIFF Bell Lightbox gives us so many more options to choose from. Classic films, Foreign, Independent, Art house, and experimental films all have a place to be seen now.

Toronto, a city that has always prided itself as a centre for film, now has the venues to back up that claim.

But that’s only the beginning of the story.

Granted, they’re bigger budget

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arts.culture.living Independent films while in the downtown core they have literally taken over?

Has the downtown core become more sophisticated in its viewing habits? Or has the opening of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and reopening of The Carlton simply turned Indie movie watching into this season hot commodity? Will it last, or will the Hollywood blockbusters coming out this Christmas push the Independent films aside Independent movies, but The Varsity now plays a majority of its films outside the North American Box Office top 10. And I was on the AMC website this weekend, hoping I’d have time to catch a film there, and 14 of its 24 screens were set aside for AMC Independent films.

The first time I really noticed this change was in July. I decided to go to a double feature at the Varsity after work. I hadn’t seen the new Twilight film which was in its second week and I wanted to see “Winter’s Bone” once more before it left for the Carlton.

“Eclipse” was playing in the vacuous Number 8, “Winter’s Bone” in the tiny number 7. Even though “Eclipse” was new and on top of the box office at the time and “Winter’s Bone” was five weeks old and had never made it to the top 10, I watched “Eclipse” with less than two dozen other people while “Winter’s Bone” was packed with nearly every seat sold.

On a Friday night the kids still flock to the latest and greatest, but during the week and at matinee performances on the weekend the Independent movies are often as packed or more than then big Hollywood fare.

This clearly isn’t the case across North America, or even outside of the city center.

When I go to a big Hollywood release in Scarborough the theatre is still almost always packed.

So what makes Downtown Toronto different? Why do the AMC theatres outside of the city offer up only a token selection of

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But with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” movies there needs no grabbing hold and championing. Our fellow Torontonians are flocking to see these films and read the books as if they were Hollywood blockbusters.

They’re being embraced not as arty foreign films, but simply as must see thrillers with strong characters and remarkable story lines.

In a word, they have become mainstream.

So, in this “Year of the Independent Film” that was 2010, I’d like to end with a little fun and list my top 10 of 2010. The largest budget on the list is “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” at $13 million. With its $100 million world wide box office it is also by far the film which has reached the largest audience, and yet it is still very clearly and independent film.

Drum roll please!

and refuse them re-entry come January?

Equally as interesting, will this trend spread?

Only time will tell, but for now I feel confident calling 2010 the “Year of the Independent Film” here in Toronto.

And if somehow “The Social Network” does not win the best picture Oscar than North America wide 2010 might be seen as the year of the Independent film, or at least the year that a Swedish language trilogy made for less than Brad Pitt’s salary conquered North America”.

With three incredibly popular movie releases in a single year and a book series that has taken the world by storm, Stieg Larsson’s “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy has made Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander household names not only in Toronto, but all round the globe.

Every so often a Foreign film grabs our attention. “Amelie”, “Let the Right One In”, “Life is Beautiful.” Those of us who appreciate movies from other cultures grab hold of them and champion them and a buzz is created.

1. “Winter’s Bone” comes from writer/ director Debra Granik (“Down to the Bone”). It not only won the Grand Jury Prize and Waldo Salt Award for screenwriting at Sundance this year, but among the group of die hard movie fanatics I belong to, it is far and away the favourite film for all of us thus far in 2010.

2. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is perhaps the most accessible foreign film I can remember seeing, which is why it’s made inroads into North America. The English language remake will no doubt FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living be a blockbuster, but who can replace the amazing Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth!

seeing Kristen play my childhood idol, Joan Jett, to a T. I expect great acting from Dakota, but forget sometimes that Kristen was once going to be the “next Jodi Foster”. And the music rocks!

3. “Mao’s Last Dancer” was beautifully filmed by Bruce Beresford (“Tender Mercies”), as befits a movie about ballet.

It is also a well written historical biopic that shows a side to Mao’s China few of us in the west know.

10. “Mother and Child” is another movie that seemed to come and go without anyone giving it any notice. And at times it does play like a Spanish soap opera, but Naomi Watts is absolutely sublime in this film, and a sublime Naomi Watts is reason enough for me to watch any film.

4. “Frozen” is Adam Green’s follow up to “Hatchet”. Three skiers left high up on a chairlift after the hill has closed for the weekend. Tension is built slowly towards terror instead of simple bloody horror.

Not a movie I’d recommend to anyone planning on visiting a ski hill in the near future!

Such a good year for Independent film in Toronto, and with all the new venues to see the smaller movies and the larger theatres like the AMC really getting behind be a fan of Holofcener. Rebecca Hall justifies her Golden Globe nomination for “Vicky Christina Barcelona” with a performance that had me in tears.

5. “Easy A” might not belong on an Indie list, but with an $8 million budget I’m sliding it in anyway. Emma Stone has always been a gifted actress (“Super Bad”, “Zombieland”). “Easy A” made her a star.

Expect to see her at the Golden Globes and Teen choice awards this year and for years to come.

6. “Please Give” might end up being “that other film from Nicole Holofcener” (“Friends with Money”). If you appreciate movies that can balance intellectual and emotional intelligence, then you should FUTURÉALE

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7. “The Last Exorcism” is one of those “Paranormal Activities” type movies, but with a little more writing behind it. I can honestly say it scared the hell out of me and had an ending I loved, but did not see coming.

8. “The Kids are All Right” reminded me just how powerful Annette Benning can be. The story itself is complex and perfect for an after movie coffee and cake as you argue out points with your friends, but for me, Annette Benning is the real reason to watch this wonderful little movie.

9. “The Runaways” should have been a bigger movie. The budget was small, but with Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart and all the “Twilight” hype I hoped it would find an audience, especially after

Independent movies, I can only hope that 2011 will be more of the same.

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e r b ’ s e N i e w Li n e B n i t s u J ARE YOU SCRATCHING YOUR teen heartthrob? A clothing line in the work?

HEAD this year at the overwhelming A bedding or lipstick line? It seems as if major

thought of what to buy your special someone?

Don’t feel like buying them a snuggie? Now the Bieber fan will have opportunity to wear a little part of Justin Bieber forever and ever.

The ultimate holiday present for the quintessential Justin Bieber fan. Nicole by OPI will be launching a Justin Bieber inspired nail polish collection based on his songs. Six will be named by the star’s songs, and will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart starting in December, while the eight others will make their grand debut in January. The teen star’s collection of primary colour polishes have names such as “One Less Lonely Girl “ which is to be lavender, Me = Blue which is dark blue, and OMB (Oh My Justin Bieber). The popularity of Justin Bieber has skyrocketed since being discovered by his international debut on YouTube in 2003. The “bieberfied” nail polish serves as a piece of iconography, taking teen star branding to the next level. Being a 20 year old such as myself, I would most certainly not be caught wearing Justin Bieber polish sheen on my nails, but looking at the other side of the spectrum there are millions of “tween” girls who will buy the polish the first chance they get come December. Teen stars undergoing in the promotion of commercial endorsements has been a prevalent publicity activity that many young stars have participated in, in the past. Teen stars that immediately come to mind with their own brand names are Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s line ranging from home accessories to clothing and makeup, and Hilary Duff ’s clothing line. What is next for the swooped haired

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cooperate commercial brands simply believe most importantly that to stick a popular figure on their products will appeal to their audiences more, instead of just relying on the pure quality of their product. In fact, the majority of blog responders to the much anticipated nail polish line launch are not interested in buying the nail polish saying it is merely another capitalist market gimmick to turn Bieber into a consumer product to attract more buyers.

Some people were just surprised or horrored to hear that Justin Bieber would even participate in such a venture, “ I can’t believe I even read this! Says one Jmiller, “I guess I wanted to see if it was true. What’s next? Justin Bieber panties or maybe a re-named Brazilian wax called the Bieber. It is amazing to witness a young star penetrate into every marketing facet of society.

Although the demographic is a specific one, it seems as though the young buyers and fans are dispersing and getting their older family members in on the fad. Using these realities to their benefit, Nicole by OPI is being commercially smart and will surely be successful in turning profit. The launch of his own branded nail polish seems to just be the blossoming of the beginning of a beautiful capitalist relationship with Justin Bieber. We are sure to hear more consumer products with his name on them to come in the near future.

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Dinner for Schmucks FEW MOVIES MANAGE TO FORCE A VERDICT BEFORE THEY END, but Dinner for Schmucks is the sort

of film that screams “bad”: the only reason anyone would like this film is to conform to an ideal that every movie with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd is hilarious, a notion birthed with the 40 Year Old Virgin. As such, Dinner for Schmucks promises to be one of the weakest DVD releases of the year despite the all-star cast and the legendary director involved ( Jay Roach: Austin Powers trilogy and Meet the Parents). The film’s rotten at its core: the script is weak and uninteresting, and offers few genuine jokes. A turnout as such comes as no surprise seeing that both writers, David Guion and Michael Handelman, worked on 2006’s lackluster film Fast Track with Zach Braff.

Some writers are able to pick themselves up from making an uninspired film and produce an answer to ‘wow’ audiences. Sadly that was not the case. It is important to note that the failing of the film was in no part due to the lead actors; both Paul Rudd and Steve Carell gave their all and managed to breathe some life into an otherwise dull movie. But, even their efforts were not enough to rescue a ship so punctured.

The plot is simple. Tim (Rudd) is seeking a move up in his company after a colleague in a higher position is fired. He makes a few gutsy moves at a meeting and he catches the eye of the company’s top dog. Moving closer to realizing his dream, Tim is told to join the higher management in an intriguing dinner party with a very odd catch: he must bring an ‘idiot’ so that they can make fun of him. The way this tradition of theirs works is that each invitee brings along a dim-witted person and allows them to compete in a dinner party setting for a trophy marking the biggest idiot of them all. Tim, being the average guy that he is, FUTURÉALE

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By Edward Landa finds this odd and inhumane but considers it a small price to pay for a move to a bigger office and a raise. The story really takes-off with the introduction of Barry (Carell), a good-hearted man whose hobby is taxidermy, in particular, mice. Barry impresses Tim as the perfect idiot to bring to the dinner party, and Tim invites Barry into his life. Barry ends up ruining Tim’s relationship with his girlfriend and destroying his apartment, all in a chain of unfortunate events occurring as accidents on Barry’s part.

Thus, the film focuses on Tim’s relationship with Barry and attempts to utilize Barry as a factor of change to fundamentally alter the character of Tim for the better.

One could easily see that the plot may be a little strange. The general story isn’t all that bad, yet. A series of terrible plot choices litters the pages of the script. For instance Tim’s obsessed stalker, Darla, is lacking any form of depth and simply appears as unrealistically insane and seemingly without motive, as she storms through Tim’s apartment knowing he is in the bathroom yet opting to throw bottles at Barry. Needless to say, her character is random and unnecessary; she could have been replaced with countless other plot driving characters.

Besides the bland idiocy of Darla, what also fails in this film is the unrealistic bond formed between Tim and Barry in the space of two days. Their relationship is one of many annoyances culminated with an attempt at a best-friend moment showing how they remain involved in each other’s lives. Though it is obvious that the two characters had absolutely no chemistry and found themselves going off on the most unnecessary and irrelevant adventures, including breaking in to an artist home and talking about absolutely nothing.

The film is filled with such instances of idiocy, pushing the filmgoer to ponder if perhaps Dinner for Schmucks was a play on words

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meaning that he is being called a schmuck for wasting his dinner money on a movie so poorly put together.

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Moreover, Having seen Steve Carell and Paul Rudd perform in similar roles throughout much of their careers it was no surprise to see them reincarnated in very similar circumstances; Carell as the introverted, socially awkward, yet wildly hilarious and goodhearted man, and Rudd as the normal, working everyday man. So watching this movie for the sole purpose of seeing them will prove a waste as cliché roles are reprised. If you are going to watch this movie for anyone, watch it for Zach Galifianakis. The role he is given is unique and ultra-weird, a role that only Zach can truly perform. And low and behold, he delivers. The best moments of the film are those that involve him precisely because he executes a challenging character in such a manner that he is capable of blending both fear and laughter into a sizeable emotion never felt before. He is the true hero of the movie.

Ultimately, even the legendary director Jay Roach couldn’t fix a script this poorly written, producing in the end a film scraped from the bottom of the barrel of creativity.

This Movie earns a 3 out of 10, receiving the three points for the performance given by Zach Galifianakis. It is highly recommended that this DVD not be bought, and only rented by those devout Carell and Rudd fans that absolutely yearn for any chance to see their favourite actors on screen with little regard to the quality of what is shown. For the rest, spare your mind and rent a different movie.

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Happy Birthday, Mr.Disney

arts.culture.living

On December 5th: A reflection on Walt Disney’s 109th Birthday IT’S DIFFICULT TO UNDERESTIMATE THE ENDURING INFLUENCE OF WALT DISNEY, even today when the recent batch of Disney traditionally animated films (Home on the Range, The Princess and the Frog) remains so overshadowed by the output of its subsidiary Pixar (Finding Nemo, WALL-E, The Incredibles, Up) with its flawless computer-generated animation. Although this may seem like a case of the tail wagging the dog, Pixar’s epic animated panoramas would not have been possible without the Disney brand leading the way.

When Walt was starting out animation in the 1920’s, film itself was a brand new frontier.

After working as an animator for the Kansas City Film Ad Company, Walt left to distribute his own film cartoons throughout Kansas City.

Although the cartoons were popular, Walt wasn’t able to make a profit and eventually went bankrupt. Not letting the experience crush his spirit, he and his brother Roy set sail for Hollywood to start what became Walt Disney studios.

After a few small setbacks, Walt Disney finally found a winning formula with his character Mickey Mouse. Although Mickey’s first silent shorts Plane Craze and The Galloping Groucho tanked at the box office, his first sound short Steamboat Willie became an immediate hit. Mickey was the classic underdog, a mischievous, but loveable and unfailingly optimistic little dreamer, who perfectly personified the enterprising American spirit itself, especially Walt Disney’s. Although it was hardly the studios most interesting character, it was certainly his most recognized.

But Disney was above all an ambitious man, and every venture was bigger and riskier than the last. He was soon driven to create an animated feature of Snow White based on the FUTURÉALE

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enduring Grimm Brothers fairy tale. Many in the industry believed it would bankrupt Disney yet again. Even Walt’s wife, Lillian, told him, “No one’s ever gonna pay a dime to see a dwarf picture”. When the film opened in 1937, it became a massive success, making four times more than any other film released that year. And thanks to multiple reissues, Snow White also became Disney’s all-time biggest box-office hit (when adjusted for ticket-price inflation).

And the Disney flame grew ever brighter.

Soon there was Fantasia, Pinocchio, Bambi, Dumbo... the list goes on. And that wasn’t the end of it. The Disney empire was expanding too. Disneyland... Live action films... The Mickey Mouse Club...

By the time of Disney’s death in 1966, plans were already in place for Walt Disney World, the second Disney theme park that would open in 1971. However, without Walt’s guiding hand the quality of the films produced

by Disney began to falter. True, the animation division had already gone south after the mediocre Sword in the Stone in 1963. And what was The Aristocats supposed to be anyway? The live-action division wasn’t churning out many classics either. The Love Bug, Old Yeller and the Absent-Minded Professor soon gave way to too many clumsy slapstick comedies featuring Don Knotts. And Disney’s EPCOT center? A world’s fair without flair.

But by the time I was a precocious youngster growing up in the early 1980’s, theatre and television screens were already saturated with classics re-issued straight from the Disney vault. Fantasia was the first film I saw in a movie theatre when I was five, and its breathtaking vistas on the big screen accompanied by the strains of Bach’s “Toccata” and “Fugue in D Minor” convinced me that

classical music was officially cool. Pinocchio scared the living out of me when the runaway youngsters were turned into donkeys. Freddy Krueger has nothing on how the memory of the newly transformed child-donkey screaming “I want my mommy!” It still haunts my dreams at night, and I’ve seen more horror films than anyone. Disney films were always a staple of my friend’s birthday sleepover parties.

Even the not so good ones like Blackbeard’s Ghost, Candleshoe, and Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Mediocre as they were, it’s hard to imagine my childhood without them.

I think I finally outgrew my love of Disney just before I turned 10, when I visited Walt Disney World for the first time. Far from the idyllic paradise portrayed in the ads, to me it more closely resembled the creepy underworld of Pinocchio’s Pleasure Island. It was too loud, too crowded, and most of all too tacky and synthetic. All those employees with plastic smiles on their faces. Everyone was enjoying themselves, but to me it all seemed too much like some crazy cult.

Nevertheless, Disney will always have a place in my childhood nostalgia, just as Walt Disney himself landed an enduring legacy within the American dream.

Happy Birthday Mr. Disney!

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arts.culture.living

THE OTHER GUYS

THE OTHER GUYS features a coming together of an unlikely pair, Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell, two actors who, at first glance, do not seem to have anything in common.

Will Ferrell, although a talented actor and a witty comedian, has seen better days with his early filmography. The likes of A Night at the Roxbury, Zoolander, Old School, and Anchorman remain undisputed legends in terms of hilarity, but they also remain in the past. Ferrell has an incredibly domineering personality and an act that promises laughter, but sometimes that is not enough to combat a bad script, or at times it may be the exact ingredient that ruins a decent story. He is a very particular actor and can only fit very specific roles. Luckily his role in The Other Guys is one that is closer to home for him. On the other hand, we have Mark Wahlberg, an actor who has recently shown that despite a history of action and drama films he can also find his own in a comedy, releasing two comedies in the last two years: Date Night and The Other Guys. Unlike Ferrell, Wahlberg is an incredibly versatile actor capable of playing anything from a musician in Rock Star to a sergeant in The Departed. This unlikely union breeds some hilarious moments that highlight an otherwise lacklustre film.

The Other Guys is the story of two cops who have earned the title of ‘losers’ and have been reduced to doing paperwork. Although they are both partners they could not be any more different; Allen Gamble (Ferrell) is a non-risk-taking and incredibly worrisome police officer that actually enjoys doing paperwork, while Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) is a hard-hitting gritty cop who got stuck doing paperwork because of a few rash decisions earlier in his career. The story takes off when P.K. Highsmith (Samuel L Jackson) and Christopher Danson (Dwayne Johnson), the two ‘heroes’ that save the city time and time again at any cost, fall to their death and thus 24

leave the role of saviours open to any other police officers ready to take it. This, for Officer Hoitz, is his time to shine, to prove himself again as a worthy policeman. But he has to drag along his partner, the irritatingly good-natured Allen Gamble.

Following such a set-up, the story unfolds as the two mismatched partners head towards glory at any cost. A journey that proves a challenge for the two protagonists and a decent ride with a handful of laughs for the audience.

Amongst some of the funniest moments in the film is the reoccurring disbelief that Hoitz has in regard to Gamble’s wife, Dr. Sheila Gamble (Eva Mendes). He cannot accept the fact that Sheila, being so gorgeous, married a man like Gamble, and in his disbelief he constantly attempts to impress her and ask her out devoting a humorous amount of attention towards his partner’s wife.

The film was written and directed by Adam McKay, no stranger to Will Ferrell having

BY EDWARD LANDA worked with him on Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Anchorman. McKay got his first few official Writer’s Guild writing credits as a writer for Saturday Night Live, which is where he met Will Ferrell. A friendship between the two was most likely formed as Ferrell took the lead in McKay’s first feature, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Following their first film together the two seemed to like each other enough to record a total of four feature films together, including The Other Guys. The approach Adam McKay brings to his films is nothing new or overly innovative, but the scripts always promise quirky characters and a collection of hit-or-miss jokes, a recipe for mostly mediocre films, with the exception of Anchorman.

Ultimately, The Other Guys is a decent film, which offers its share of great jokes as well as disappointments. The combination of Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell was surprisingly fruitful, bearing numerous laughs. But, despite this, the two were not the perfect pair as an uncomfortable aura was consistently present and a handful of jokes fell flat. Regardless, it was interesting to see the two of them on the screen if only for experimental purposes. With all that has been noted in mind, The Other Guys, walks away with a solid six out of ten; a good DVD not only for its laughs but also for who is involved, and definitely worth a rental for any Will Ferrell fan.

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LEDGLING ILMMAKERS IGHTING

T O

LIGHT

TAKE

BY JESSICA EARLE

A scene from It Takes Two to Mangle of Heist and Hvizdos.

SINCE MOVIES GRACED THE SILVER produced two feature films and several shorts.

SCREEN, the film industry has been After making a name for himself back home,

Film poster.

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prosperous and held in high regard. While traditionally the actors got all the glory, the impact of production value is slowly becoming more prominent on the forefront of interest.

With the art of filmmaking seeing a rise in popularity, independent filmmakers and mainstream industry workers are making a mad dash to make their mark in the ‘movie biz’.

When it comes to production itself, many view the Canadian film industry as being ‘Hollywood North’. It is a hip, upcoming place where fabulous indie flicks are made by fresh people. It is a stomping ground for American productions to create their masterpieces in a more affordable, and forgiving environment.

Though it is up for debate which coast is the bigger movie ‘hot spot’, many fledgling filmmakers flock to Toronto to start their careers, and get their feet wet.

Dave Hvizdos is one of those many ambitious folk who came to Toronto to chase his movie making dream. Originally hailing from Crowsnest Pass in Alberta, he and a friend owned a small local production house. It

he decided to come to Ontario. His intention was to gain a formal education in his chosen field, and ultimately become a professional Production Designer.

Although he does know which direction he wants his professional career to go in, he is “filled with angst” in regards to the specifics and logistics of his life plan. His budding career has been like a rollercoaster, and he is unsure whether or not he is approaching either a peak or a valley.

Since his graduation from Sheridan College’s Advanced Television and Film postgraduate program, Hvizdos has done work for Discovery Channel and Hallmark.

He has also worked on TV movies for the scifi channel. Much like many of his peers, he is currently seeking employment.

Over coffee; Hvizdos candidly discusses his job situation, and his views on the Toronto film industry as a whole.

“It’s been a weird month. It seems like everybody I know is either unemployed or just about to get out of something,” says Hvizdos.

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In this page: Heisie and Hvizdos during film production

“The worst part is it seems like no movies are coming to Toronto right now. There’s some work out in the boon docks like Hamilton, but even those job are hard to get.”

According to the Canadian Film and Television Producers Association (CFTPA), the lack of industry jobs is due to the recession. This is being touted as the “silent job killer”, and the Canadian film industry has decreased its total volume of production by 4.3% since 2008. This decrease has caused the field of employment rate to drop 8%, which means a roughly 10,100 of full-time jobs have disappeared.

The CFTPA went on to say that the industry is back to traditional levels, and is at par with 2005/06 production levels. Their website goes on to speculate that this could be a result of there being less children and youth per capita, as well as a marked decrease in production of documentaries.

When these statistics were divulged to Hvizdos, he was not surprised. “What people don’t seem to realize is it’s not the ‘old guard’ losing their jobs,” says Hvizdos. “It’s those who are new to the industry, or even just new to the city. If you have the reputation, then you have a better chance of staying employed. But God help you if you are just trying to get in.”

Josh Heisie, much like Hvizdos, is another Alberta import who is trying to make his mark on the Toronto film industry. Back home he was the founder and counterpart to the production company he shared with

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Hvizdos, and has always proved himself to be driven and passionate about his craft.

After completing relevant post secondary education, he has seen moderate success and sustainability. He is currently wrapping on a Christmas movie for the Hallmark channel, and aspires to someday make himself known as an independent filmmaker.

“I make my own films to satisfy myself, and hopefully I’ll find an audience,” says Heisie. “Sometimes I worry that I won’t have one, but as Walt Disney said ‘I don’t give a hang what the Joneses think.’”

When asked what his thoughts were on moviemaking in Toronto as opposed to out west, his priorities and thoughts in regards to the production was apparent.

Various Props Hvizdos has constructed. Top: A crystal arrow. Right: A mystical wrist cuff. Left: Novelty child’s handmade catapult.

“Being in a big ‘film industry’ city is great,” says Heisie. “The opportunities are endless, because anything you can possibly need is a short drive away. Big-shots need equipment/ props/costumes/gear for their big-shot movies, but us little guys can use them too!

I do miss shooting at home for the beautiful scenery though, and peoples’ willingness to let you use locations for free. Here everyone wants you to pay out the ass, because they know they can get away with it.”

Unlike Hvizdos, Heisie has a clear and straightforward idea for what he wants his future to hold. “[I see myself] making a bunch of shorts in different genres (comedy, horror, horror/comedy, spec spots, etc) and building an impressive portfolio,” says Heisie.

“Hopefully then somebody will say ‘hey this guy knows his stuff ’ and I can get some funding for my movies instead of spending all my own dough. In theory, this will lead to making a feature in the next few years and then I’ll be smoking cigars in a swimming pool full of champagne!”

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Heisie (centre) operating a remote control camera while others look on.

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S e b a st ian Pi gott Interview

By Melissa Doyle

arts.culture.living So, you have done work with Being Erica and Canadian Idol, what do you see yourself doing in the future, what are your goals?

Well, I’d like to do more films and to keep working, because you are always going from job to job, in this line of work and so there is a certain unease between jobs, and I think Being Erica job is kind of winding down, so I’d like to do more films, and I am a writer as well. I write Westerns and I have sold one that is in development.

So, a novel or screenplay?

A screenplay, and so ultimately, I want to make films, that is what I am passionate about and recently I have so that I can work, and as most actors I started out unemployed for a long period of time and so I started writing plays with my theatre company, so I wrote a script and insisted on having a lead role in my contract because, that is why I wrote, so ultimately I want to make Westerns.

So, in auditioning for Canadian Idol, the first song you sang has a Western feel to it.

Oh yeah, Blue Moon. I guess I wish I was a cowboy. I ride a motorcycle so it kind of makes me feel like a cowboy. It is brand new as of May. I got a motorcycle, and I have been spending as much time out of the city as I can, fishing. Because I find you can get a bit absorbed in the less pleasant aspect of it, the business aspect of it, and all what you have to put up with, cause there is a certain amount you have to put up with and I try to remove myself from that, cause you want to stay connected to your art and its easily lost, the connection to your muse and I think you need to protect it.

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arts.culture.living In watching clips of Canadian Idol, they talk about how you lived in Portugal. Would you say that anything their influenced your music?

have the camera’s on you, and you have the director telling you he doesn’t like it, and I am sure as a writer it’s the same, to have an editor looking at your stuff.

I found my diaries and they were all about my karaoke. My brother and me went down there and kind of threw ourselves into music, we didn’t know anybody there it was just him and me. We were surrounded by Portuguese and didn’t even speak the language, so we were incredibly tight from a very young age, and I just remember diving into my dad’s record collection and my mum would take us to karaoke, that was our training ground, singing for the tourists there, and I found my diary and it was all recaps of which songs I sang, and which did well and which songs I had to fix and I was very serious about it, which was, always my struggle, to not be so serious about my work, because I think you have to have fun and if you are not having fun, then it’s, I think it works out well. And it’s the same with acting, I was talking about that with my mentor, my acting teacher, my coach, John Raven and he teaches me. The challenge of the organic work we do in class and you really see people at their best, as I am sure, with your writing, without anyone looking over your shoulder, your writing is your best work.

When you are able to do your best work, and that sense of play, and that fire alive, while you

So in being involved with Being Erica for the second time, how did that happen?

So we are trying to hone the sound and get very specific. We want to do a white soul thing; we were looking at Hall and Oates 28

Well, God bless them for giving me the job in the first place. I take it you watch the show.

So you really enjoyed the character?

I love him, and so much of last year was overcoming nerves, because it was my first series regular, and so I felt I was capable of even better work. I did guest stars on small things, but this was certainly my first series regular and so much is about being what you are and doing what you are capable of doing and being relaxed. So it was fun to return this season with a greater sense of relaxation and be able to play, and Erin Karpluk is fun to play with.

So you liked working with Erin Karpluk?

She is a class act. There are people who do it right, and Erin Karpluk is one of them.

She is just a high caliber person, and there are some people you work with, but some of

The character is really a one-season arch, and it is really gravy that I was brought back this season. I took it as a huge compliment because I guess I did something right, because they didn’t have to bring me back. It was a so it was a mutual decision to come back, they didn’t have an option on me but I was incredibly grateful to be asked to come back and more than happy to do it. On top of that, creatively, I really love the character and I think there was something to be shown in this season, that we didn’t necessarily have a chance to show in last season which is the results of Kai’s therapy because Kai throughout the whole thing is a pretty screwed up dude, and right at the end of the season, he is making his first steps to his recovery and you get the sense that “Oh, he is actually going to try to do this”. So we never got to see him really healing and so that was creatively the reason that the return of Kai. And I just love him; he is just a fun as shit guy to play.

these lead actors they don’t do it right, they have sort of an arrogance or laziness and Erin is someone, I don’t know if she was like that when she was 23, but she is certainly like that now. The right attitude and a sense of appreciation of what she is able to do. She does her homework and brings it every time, and if it is not working, she will fix it. She will stop and say “ Okay, this doesn’t work, let’s talk about this, let’s sort it out”, and so it makes it easier on you, cause if you are not number one on the call sheet, they have the FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living he has got a song called The Maker, which has been covered, by Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson. He is a Canadian guy and a legend in Canada, but he is sort of a musician’s musician and has kind of made his fortune as a producer.

Acting I am a huge fan of Eastwood, I am such a Western guy. power to make it a real pain in the ass, so it is a real gift to work with someone that gives you stuff. You will play and try stuff and if I push she’ll push back and vice versa I hope.

Do you have any new songs that you will be featuring at upcoming shows?

I think part of doing an album is getting a cohesive sound and so it really helps if you are able to write in a furious out of creativity.

So we kind of wrote all these songs in the past two months. I have just signed with, as an act, Oliver has just signed with an act, so there is going to be a real push towards doing a Pigott Brothers album, and we want to go to England and do a UK tour because there has been a lot of response from the UK just from the show and my brother has spent a lot of time touring there before Canadian Idol or anything. So we are trying to hone the sound and get very specific. We want to do a white soul thing; we were looking at Hall and Oates.

In being on Canadian Idol, you get to sing a lot of peoples big hits, if you could work with anyone, who would you want to work with?

Musically, I would like to work with artists, like Paulo Nutini, he is really big in Europe.

Not a lot of people know him here, but he is absolutely superb. He was only about 18 or 19 when his first record came out. I would love to work with Daniel Lanois, if we are talking the dream-list. He produced a lot of U2 stuff, and FUTURÉALE

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Do you want to give us any teasers about your Western, the one you are working on?

It came out of my love for Westerns. I first discovered my love for Westerns with The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, which is a great place to begin and finish with Westerns, cause it is one of the greatest films of all time. Sergio Leone, he did the Spaghetti Westerns with Clint Eastwood, The Man with No Name and sort of watching that I

I hope to build a brand and fulfill, or be fulfilled, cause you have so little control, as an actor, over the product got the idea to do contemporary Western.

I just love the scope of the genre. You can kind of do a Shakespearean - type stakes, a real sense of melodrama. You get that permission with the Western genre, whereas, if you were to do it with a different genre, it might be too melodramatic. My film is about three generations of a family essentially, and lessons of the father being passed down to the son. There is this terrible crime in the first generation which is passed down to two subsequent generations and ultimately the son of one brother, is out to avenge the death of his father, who was killed by his brother, so he is out to kill his uncle. Then the uncle has a son, and he is out to stop him, obviously, but I don’t want to give away the twist.

What would you do if you were not being an actor, possibly screenwriting?

I consider it all a part of the same thing, and eventually I hope to build a brand and fulfill, or be fulfilled, cause you have so little control, as an actor, over the product. It is always, definitively unsatisfying. I think the only thing to get truly satisfied from what we do is to have some control over the product frankly I think I am capable of it because I like my writing and so I would like to write and make my own films.

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BOOK REVIEWS “Annabel” by Kathleen Winters It is the year 1968 and something dramatic and life changing is about to happen. Annabel is a unique story about a baby named Wayne, who is born a hermaphrodite. The child embodies both female and male organ parts and from this, tension is created within the household.

After a long time, a decision is made to keep the secret between the two parents Jacinta and Treadway, and one of their neighbours, Thom-

to keep on reading it. The story of “Annabel” takes a look at how certain characters behaves towards Wayne, to the extreme where they also try to influence him from trying to stifle his feminine side to being manlier. The story also opens up the question of what someone would do if they were in that situation and embodied the organs from both sex? The story of “Annabel” is filled with solitude, secrets and silence, all to disclose the truth of Wayne.

The “Law of Dreams” by Peter Behrens

arts.culture.living

BY OLENA PROTSIV to meet some life changing people throughout the book. Each person was able to teach Fergus a life lesson from: friendship, betrayal, love, hate, sex and much more, thus making them significant. The journey taught him that he had to have a purpose in life, and that he had to always keep going and that trusting is a two way street. The language that is used provokes one to feel as how the character is feeling from being stabbed and in pain in one minutes and changing in the next. Behrens is a gifted writer who was able to portray the struggle that people had to deal with when all their hopes and dreams were taken from them by a single event- the failure of the potato crop. The author blends in the history as well as the story of Fergus and his struggles in a way that makes one keep on reading until the end.

The “Quickening” by Art Bell

asina. The father decided to take his child to have surgery in order to get rid of the female parts. It was not until Wayne was nearly an adult that is was finally told of his condition at birth. The author’s writing pulls at you as you are reading the lyrical verses. The events are gut wrenching and haunting, yet you just want

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The “Law of Dreams’ takes one on a long journey from the haunting and heartbreaking lands of Ireland to a land filled with promise and work called America. Fergus, a boy that survived the failure of the potato crop and the fever escaped the work house and came FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living Despite the fact that it was written more than 10 years ago, Art Bell writes in a surprising accuracy of what would be happening in the future (21st century). He talks about different topics such as terrorism, aids epidemic and much more. “Quickening” is an autobiography that speaks about Bell’s life as a broadcaster on “Coast to Coast AM” and “Dreamland”.

There are chapters about his childhood, career, education, how he got callers and of guests who spoke on the air. He also talks about how he feels about broadcasting and the different things that he has heard. The editing is choppy and there is not much to go on, it is substandard. However, if you are an Art Bell fan you will love it. There are a lot of repetitions throughout the book so it does not matter whether you start in the front, middle or ending.

“Divisadero” by Michael Ondaatje This is a story about a father who raised his two daughters Anna and Claire and worked the farm with the help of Coop, the farmhand.

Claire was deemed a daughter although she is not in the same bloodline. Her father adopted her when her mother died on the same day that Anna was born. Through a set of narratives, we saw Coop and Anna falling in love but this all came to meet a tragic ending when Anna’s father discovered this. She runs away and Coop turns to the road. The narratives can become confusing at times going back and forth, yet it is done in a way to make it more effective. As Anna travels from place to place, sometimes using a different alias, the past and its enemies are shown. She is the orphan that is sometimes mistaken for her ‘sister’ Claire, never talks about her past, yet always wanting to know about those around her. The story shows that although the pain she endures cannot go away, she can heal if she talks about it, but she doesn’t. It is a difficult book to understand upon reading it for the first time, yet as FUTURÉALE

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you read it more and more there is a better understanding and one is able to figure out how the first section of the book is related to the second. The underlying messages of passion, loss, and the past that never fades away can be understood more clearly after reading it more than once.

“Secret Daughter” by Shilpi Somaya Gowd This book is about how one woman, Kavita, who has to make the difficult choice in giving up her baby girl, Asha, due to living in a culture where boys are preferred. This decision ends up haunting both the mother and father for the rest of their lives, even when they end up having that desired son. The story goes on to tell of Asha’s adoption from the orphanage by an American doctor, Somar, and her husband. It tells of the struggles between the two cultures that the couples must face with the baby’s adoption, as well as the struggles

in the slums of Kavita’s family in Mumbai.

Although you expect the story to be dramatic based on the events that are happening in the book, it doesn’t happen that way. The book goes in a way that one can take it in stride and there is no drama, no roller coaster ride.

When you expect something to happen, quite the opposite happens, so that unpredictability of the book does have its own appeal. Issues of being an unwanted child, the question of fitting into a culture as well as the issue of motherhood is told in the book. The picture of India is shown through beautifully written words by the author, as the parents are fighting to make a living and in trying to survive in the caste system. After putting the book down, the characters will definitely linger in your head and make you question the different status and caste systems in the world.

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arts.culture.living

Shop Right on Bustling Boxing Day Here are some helpful tips to remember on Boxing Day, from doing research, to wearing comfortable attire, or even packing your boxing gloves (just kidding.) This article will help you make sure you’re actually getting a good deal, getting the most bang for your buck and not getting too worked up in all the sales.

Tip # 1: Rationalize

WITH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS quickly approaching, suppressed memories of past Boxing Day events quickly come to mind. Waiting in line for hours. Clawing and punching your way to the sales rack.

Finding out your bank account is empty – when you thought you were supposed to be saving money.

Deriving from the Middle Ages, Boxing Day began as a day where the higher-class presented their servants with small gifts, as they were expected to work for their employers the day before on Christmas. Till now, Boxing Day is still known as a rewarding and exciting holiday celebrated in countries such as Canada, England and Australia.

But it doesn’t have to be stressful.

Plan out what you’re looking for in advance.

Many enthused shoppers get so sidetracked with the fact that something is on sale that they don’t stop and think to themselves: “do I really need this?” Have an idea of what you’re looking for and search for it. Be ruthless.

Disregard things you don’t need.

TIP #2: DO YOUR RESEARCH Research stores, look at their sale policies, and compare prices. The worst thing you can do is buy a flat screen for 20 per cent off, only to realize the store across the street was selling it for 50 per cent off. Returns on Boxing Day are not always allowed, depending on the store, so make sure to research in advance!

Tip #3: attire

Wear

position, you are most thrilled when you get money from family or friends on Christmas.

Don’t spend it all one place; allocate a certain amount to Boxing Day and save some for later.

Money may talk, but it certainly doesn’t jump out of your pocket and walk away.

Tip #5: Arrive early If the store opens at eight in the morning, get there at eight or nine. I’m not saying line up hours before (which isn’t uncommon) but you’ll want to get there early enough as the stock gets well picked-over throughout the day.

Tip #6: Bring water Although this makes it sound as though you are going on a safari-desert adventure, it isn’t difficult to get dehydrated while shopping.

With a high body count and heaters on blast, you’ll find yourself experiencing premature menopausal hot flashes. Do yourself a favour; bring the water.

Tip #7: shopping

Consider

online

comfortable

There’s not much to be said here. If you’re in the middle of a heated battle, fighting over that last sweater in a tug-a-war match with that 80-year-old woman, you don’t want to be doing it in skin-tight jeans or six-inch stilettos.

Tip #4: budget

Allow

yourself

a

Plan out a budget for Boxing Day spending. If you’re a starving student or in a tight financial

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Large online retailers also have huge sales on Boxing Day, so it’s worth taking a peek at a store’s online stock and mapping out what you would like to buy. That way you cut the cost and the crowd!

Tip #8: Play advocate

the

devil’s

If you try to bargain with a salesperson, you might get lucky. Often retailers are desperately trying to clear out stock, so if you find something is too pricey… suggest a price. You never know!

Tip #9: Go again Many people are unaware that “Boxing Day” sales are actually week-long. Try going back to a store a couple of days after, which gives staff time to re-fill the stock. Plus, the crowd will be way less severe.

Tip #10: Beware of store’s tactics FUTURÉALE

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Make sure to read the fine print. Some sales announce “50% off everything!” on a big, flashy billboard… but at the bottom it will say “when you spend a thousand or more.”

Ask before you purchase and make sure it is actually on sale. Also, some stores will ticketdown items that they haven’t been able to sell… so make sure you’re getting quality and your money’s worth!

Boxing Day is an important factor in the reestablishment of Canada’s economy. Ever year, Boxing Day sales generate a healthy revenue for our economy so I strongly encourage shoppers not only to shop for themselves but for Canada as a whole. We’ve earned it not only for ourselves but for our country to be rewarded during the holidays.

The money spent will help our country reduce debt and be put towards people who need jobs or extra income. Many independent stores support charities and even put some of their income towards various organizations!

Although more and more stores are staying open for Boxing Day, we can’t forget the small independent stores that are closed on Boxing Day. Being a Federal holiday, Boxing Day represents a national day for families to reconnect during the somewhat hectic holidays. Remember to support these independent stores in your hometown after Boxing Day, as it is likely they too will have sales for the Christmas week.

In short, from tips, to the do’s and don’ts, Boxing Day can feel like a long and winding adventure. But we must not forget that Boxing Day is always a celebration!

Embrace it, have fun with it, reward yourself.

Happy Holidays!

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By Chris Allaire 33

arts.culture.living DO YOU EVER WONDER if the Grinch was just an ardent environmentalist, trying to warn the Who’s of the hyperconsumerist, extravagantly wasteful, heatingbill-hurting lifestyle that runs rampant during the holiday season? A misunderstood foil to Seuss’ beloved Lorax perhaps? It’s really a shame that the Grinch, so consumed with good green intentions, couldn’t express himself more diplomatically. Instead, he berated the Who’s with his frustration screaming, “Do you know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me...in your garbage. Do you see what I’m saying here?

IN YOUR GARBAGE! I could hang myself

Greener than the Grinch with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump!”

As ungracious as the Grinch may be, he does have a point. Between curbing our heating bills and lightening up on the layers of gift wrap, there’s a lot we can do to limit our snow-covered carbon footprint. Suzy Lou Who could have gotten the green-loving Grinch off her back much earlier if she had followed these simple steps:

Heat Your House Efficiently Even a little girl like Suzy can easily reduce her heating bill with a short visit to a neighbourhood hardware store. The mass amount of heat lost through uncovered

windows can easily be retained with some simple insulation and by caulking windows and doors. Speaking of doors, close the entrances to unoccupied rooms to direct the heat properly.

Since many hardware stores offer paintable caulking, you can reduce your heating bill with a brand new canvas for even more tacky holiday decoration! Costs can also be cut by turning down your thermostat a few degrees while you’re out of the house or overnight.

And don’t fool yourself into the thinking that turning the thermostat up as high as you can will help you reach your desired temperature any faster. It doesn’t – it just increases costs.

If you have a ceiling fan with a reverse setting, turn it on low to help circulate the heat better as it often rises and gathers toward the ceiling.

Some other helpful suggestions include covering your air conditioner, installing heat reflectors behind your radiator, buying cheap reflective window film, or even an inexpensive storm window kit to help heat your home better. All of these items can easily be purchased at a local home improvement store.

Don’t forget the Little Things With such a busy Winter season, there are so many little opportunities to make a big difference in our energy usage. I hear the ice caps near Santa’s house in the North Pole are going to melt away by 2030, so I’m sure the guy would appreciate any help he can get. Unplug your appliances when they’re not in use or better yet, buy a power strip at any hardware store so you can turn off all your appliances at once with one easy click.

Purchase some energy efficient light bulbs, but do remember to recycle them properly through your local hazardous waste collection

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arts.culture.living program, which are often offered through participating hardware stores. Though CFLs do cost a little extra, they last up to ten times longer. And while you’re out shopping for presents, bring a long a canvas bag instead of using a plastic one. For all the hot chocolate you’ll be sipping on the go, you might as well invest in a cheap thermos so you don’t have to waste another Starbucks cup.

Make Your Holiday as Cheery as Can Be Visiting a farmer’s market may lose some of its romantic appeal for urbanites during the Winter months, but it is still possible. Many markets move themselves indoors, making a variety of seasonal and locally-grown produce available for your holiday meals. And before you curl up beside the fireplace when the feast is finished, consider buying seasoned dry wood fake logs which releases much less pollutants than regular wet logs. If you want to get really crafty, you can even use old newspapers to make logs for the fireplace.

Wrap the paper around a broomstick, soak it thoroughly in water, and let it dry overnight for a homemade log.

Once the fire dies down, the wood ashes can be thrown into your compost to give your soil an extra boost. Consider using the fireplace ashes, clean clay, cat litter, or sand as nonFUTURÉALE

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toxic de-icers as you prepare your walkway for your guests.

If you really want to show the Grinch that you understand the true meaning of Christmas, try and close the recycling loop as much as possible during this consumerhappy season. If you were planning on buying your b-list friends an ugly scarf anyways, why not buy one made of recycled or organic materials? They’re easier to find than you think. Instead of purchasing another gift bag, consider re-using ones you’ve received in the past or using household items such as newspapers, magazines, and spare boxes to wrap your presents instead. Don’t forget to check with your community solid waste department to see if you can recycle your tree instead of just sending it to a landfill.

And of course, feel free to donate lightly used clothing and appliances to charity to curb your consumerist tendencies.

The holiday season presents many opportunities to show off our environmental consciousness. There’s no need to be a Grinch to be green.

--rr

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arts.culture.living

The Year in Review for Films WITH DECEMBER STILL TO COME, 2010 has already been a huge year for

film.The worldwide box office was dominated by remakes and sequels with seven of the top ten highest grossing films of the year (as of November 14th) being a remake or sequel. This is quite the leap compared to 2009, where 6 of the top ten were original stories & scripts.

However, this was quite a different year for the remake/sequel. Successful remake/ sequels films (both in the box office & with

critics) were old stories that had a sentimental value to older viewers and were reinvented for a younger generation. Toy Story 3, Alice

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By Tristan Coolman

in Wonderland, and The Karate Kid were all films in the top ten that did just that.

With Toy Story 3, we had, perhaps, the best Disney franchise ever come to a close.

An adventure that started over ten years ago brought closure for its older fans while able to successfully connect with a new young audience like only Disney could do. The colourful and reality bending story of Alice in Wonderland was finally given its justice on the moving image thanks to the imagination of Tim Burton. As a kid reading the book, you knew the world Alice visited was just unique, but Burton took it a step further.

In The Karate Kid, the enduring 1984 story was brought to life and set in our current age. The successful transition of the time in which the story takes place would have been enough, but the film was further grounded by the spectacular chemistry of Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.

2010 was however not very kind to the genre of Romance. This genre, for the last few years, has been grounded by the Vampire/ Human cross-species love story of Twilight.

To me, this is a film genre that is genuinely in trouble. When I think romance, I think of Titanic, When Harry Met Sally, Ghost, & Breakfast at Tiffanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. To me, it is certainly not a good sign when a romance movies like Dear John, make me laugh and giggle at the ridiculous story and plot twists. Hollywood needs to go back to writing about what love and romance are all about. Storylines involving real people in realistic situations without ridiculous plot twists. You know the year for romance was quite awful when you really have nothing notable to talk about, and this last paragraph contained titles from 10+ years ago!

The comedy genre in 2010 took another leap forward with many great comedies for all tastes that left everyone leaving theatres with a good laugh. Date Night starring Tina Fey & FUTURĂ&#x2030;ALE

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arts.culture.living Steve Carell paired two comedy icons of our generation together in a hilarious comedy full of many improvised scenes and lines from the two. Anytime comedians like these two get together, you know the film’s script will be molded and twisted in the right direction especially with the likes of Tina Fey involved.

Due Date and Red both deserve honourable mentions when speaking of comedies for the year. However, the real winner in Comedies for the year was clearly, for me, Easy A. It was that high school-based comedy the likes that we have not seen since Mean Girls. If, however, we saw comedies like these every year, the jokes and stories would eventually run its course. The timing may have been a bit too far in-between but Hollywood gave us a solid outing with this film.

One film, in my humble opinion, puts everything else to shame. The film that I think of when I think about 2010 is Inception. I was the third highest grossing film worldwide (as of this writing) for 2010. It was pushed through a gigantic promotional machine and the film certainly lived up to the hype.

Something I find that is becoming a trend with Christopher Nolan’s films are that they are very memorable. Some may say it is because they were Hollywood summer Blockbuster’s.

I argue back and say a lot of summer blockbusters sometimes really fall short of their expectations. Like Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight, Nolan made this film memorable with his genius creativity. From the film’s production to set design, writing, direction, this film had Nolan’s fingerprints all over it. It made capable and amazing actors like Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page look like superstars. When I think of 2010, I think of Inception.

Then again, that perception could change.

Once this article comes out, Awards’ Season will be kicked into high gear with the big release of The King’s Speech. This film is being praised overall for taking such a mundane FUTURÉALE

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and honestly boring sounding plot of King George’s stammer into a well written, acted, and directed film that appears as though it will bring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush their long awaited Oscar attention. Both actors have always fallen into the “it would have been their year if it weren’t for X and Y” category of Oscar nominees – Firth’s wound being more fresh than Rush’s for his nomination last year’s A Single Man. Without getting into too much Oscar talk, Jeff Bridges could once again take home yet another Oscar for his role this year in the Cohen Brother’s next outing True Grit.

In the film, Bridges plays the same role that brought John Wayne his Best Actor Oscar in 1969.

Other noteable released that may leave us with a different impression of 2010 are Black Swan starring Natalie Portman. The trailers alone make look Natalie’s performance simply astonishing with the fingerprints of director Darren Aronofsky all over it. The Fighter, and The Tourist both have big name stars going for it, and Tron: Legacy will certain earn big in the box office.

Don’t let the 2010 reflection end here. This is really just the beginning of a very exciting awards season ahead!

--rr

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AS I WRITE THIS, it is Saturday, November 13, 2010 and the Toronto Raptors are playing against the Miami Heat. They come into this match up with a 2-7 record.

So far living up to most expectations of how they would fair this season. It is eerily fitting that I’m writing this now because this is the team that all-star forward Chris Bosh left the team for. The allure of playing with the likes of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade was to much to turn down.

The Raptors are projected finish last place in the eastern conference. And with all that has transpired during the offseason, you can’t blame the experts for counting this young Raptors team out. With the loss of Bosh, the team was left without any type of allstar presence. Bosh lead the team in points, rebounds and was arguably their best defender and with him left any respect the Raptors had in the NBA. However one may find how easy is to succeed when everybody expects you fail.

The Raptors are in the rebuilding phase. They have no real expectations but to show up for 82 scheduled games this season, therefore they have plenty of time to build with a core of young players. Therefore there is no reason why DeMar DeRozan should not have a break out season. Through the first 9 games he has 38

shown the ability to be an impact player in the NBA. He has taken better shots and taking the ball the basket and drawing fouls, which is where much of his production must come from this season.

The Raptors brought in some veterans to help with the rebuilding process. Linas Klieza and Leandro Barbosa, are both seasoned veterans who will bring some depth to the team. Klieza is coming off a great summer in which he led Lithuania to a bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship. He carried some of that momentum into the season, which he has been solid so far. Leandro Barbosa, is dealing with some nagging injuries, but even with them he is still one of the fastest guards in the league. When he regains his health he will be a valuable weapon on the Raptors roster.

With Chris Bosh out of the picture the ball has been moving around and this has opened up their offense. Andrea Bargnani has been the obvious first option on offence, but DeMar Derozan and Sonny Weems have been getting their touches, which has allowed the team to play a fun, up-tempo style of basketball. So far they lead the league in fast-break points.

I couldn’t talk about the Raptors’ play this season without mentioning fan favourite Reggie Evans. The man is quite simply a workhorse. He has been getting after it so far

this season on boards. He currently sits 3rd in NBA in rebounding, averaging 11.8 rebounds a game, including one game where he pulled down a whopping 19 boards. He has taken the ranks as this teams energy player as his effort has been rubbing off on his teammates. His toughness is more than welcome to a team that has been labeled as being soft.

This team has proven that when thy come to play and fight hard on a regular basis, they can win ball games. It has to be a total team effort. All Raptors fans should expect from this team is to compete every night. They have a very talented young nucleus of players that will come into their own, but it will take time. It is never to early in the season to make predictions, and my honest prediction is that if this Toronto Raptors team can somehow find a way to produce a consistent effort every night, they will be in the thick of things come April.

Call me crazy, but I’m just fan with a little faith.

--rr

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Elem

THERES NO DENYING THAT love is a major part of our lives. Who, what, and how we love are how we define ourselves. A lot of our motivations are subconscious and how we process those experiences can be explained through astrology. We can unlock emotions and hidden motivations we are not even aware existed. We put so much of time and energy into romance. Its worth taking a chance on a new, unique way of relating to those around us.

The Elements

Fire Aries

, Leo

, Sagittarius

.

There is no doubt about it -these are powerful forces of nature, much like a hurricane or tornado. Nothing is impossible, and they hate the word no. Whether a child fighting for a toy, or a lover trying to please, fire feeds off of positive energy. Otherwise it dies. Once in awhile they may be accused of over-optimism.

This can blind them from the truth. The perception of who they are can be exaggerated but that’s just the way they are. Don’t try to change them forcibly unless you wanted to get burned. Allow them to express themselves unconditionally, even their anger, and you will be rewarded with an amazing lover and partner for life.

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ve

Astro Rhythms

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ent s o f L o

Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac and is a born leader. Represented by the Ram and the planet mars, these are highly sexual and competitive creatures who have the subconscious need to always come first, and they pride themselves on always being number one. Although they are extremely generous, their biggest flaw is their hot temper. If they can learn to control this emotion, they can save themselves, as well as others, a lot of headaches. Aries can transform from a fool hardy leader into a proud protector of life and freedom constantly pursuing to be nothing but the best.

Leo the Lion is royal and loyal in love. They can be a bit self-centered with a regal demeanor of a King or Queen. However, when they are madly in love, their partner takes priority above all else. Stubborn, thick, however you want to put it - Leo wear’s their ideals like armor - they won’t change their minds once an action or thought is set in motion. In fact, any reconsideration is nothing short of a miracle. Leo would much rather boss other’s around than get their paws dirty. Don’t let their “partying” reputation fool you - yes they are massive flirts, they adore dancing and dressing to the nines but there is also a very private albeit protective side that makes Leo absolutely endearing. These lions may roar from time to time but that doesn’t mean they aren’t lovable. On the contrary, there is nothing more they’d like to do than spoil the object of their affection rotten. Expect lots of

gifts (just because), candle light dinners, and the attention of a keen, kinky kitty because sex is always on the menu for these passionate creatures. All they want in return is an egostroke once in a while. If not, they might demand your attention.

Sagittarius might be the most adventurous sign when it comes to sex. They are ruled by Jovial Jupiter and represented by the “Archer”: half man/half horse. Since jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, one can say Sages are larger-than-life themselves. They are spontaneous and can get caught in some sticky situations for their lack of planning. Typically, before marriage, kids, and the white picket fence, Sages are busy bodies- who has time for marriage to one person when their is an entire world to explore? Even under strong societal pressures, they might not marry until their late 30’s or even 40’s. Much of their youth is spent traveling or learning languages, anything exotic or out of the ordinary will always grab their attention. They always make time for friends and family, especially those who accept their sometimes crazy persona. There is nobody in the the world with a bigger, warmer heart. They are the kind of people who win the lotto but give half of their earnings to various charities. If they could give a homeless person the shirt off their back, they would. This doesn’t make them saints, far from it actually.

All in all, Sagittarius are decent human beings, that’s how they want to be remembered by the ones they love the most.

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arts.culture.living

Earth Capricorns

, Taurus

, Virgo

.

The way to an Earthy person’s heart is through their stomach. Being wined and dined is nice but your best bet is a home cooked meal. You get extra points if you do the cooking yourself.

When you’re in a relationship with someone dominated by Earth, its for the long haul.

Permanence is sexy to these people; the more stable you are, the more they will desire you.

Taurus. Nobody likes chocolate as much as a Taurus. Edible body art will guarantee an encore during foreplay. Taurus is known to be feminine and to enjoy the finer things in life, but never assume they’re a naïve pushover. They’ve learned about life through experience, not by talking or dreaming. Their home will be furnished with the best leather and china. They’re a fan of history too so you know they’ve done their research. Don’t worry about gifts, they always have the perfect present for anyone on any occasion. Taurus is not known for spontaneity, on the contrary they favor stability over anything else. Its rare to see them without a child after marriage unless they cannot bear children themselves.

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They might not want to adopt since they feel “blood is thicker than water.” If you want a soul who rarely changes; someone who believes in tradition and family; a heart of gold who works hard to please a partner, then Taurus is the one and only for you.

Virgos are workaholics. They are a pure ball of nervous energy. They learn the meaning of being productive at a young age. If they didn’t learn it from their parents or grand parents, its a quality that makes them who they arethey identify with what they do. You’ll rarely find a Virgo at home doing nothing. They are perfectionist and neat freaks. All earth signs are serious about physical contact and sensuality, but Virgos however are picky, picky, picky!

They might break up with the ideal partner because of a pinky finger. When they don’t feel the chemistry with a partner anymore they will find an excuse to end the affair. Even their friends will be shocked for some of the things they make up in their mind. Once a Virgo learns the difference between taking on a charity case versus sharing life mutually on the same level with a life partner, they are capable of giving beyond even their wildest dreams.

Capricorn is a “water goat” with a fish tail. This means that they actually have a secret sensitive side. They don’t share this hidden side for fear of being too vulnerable to the competition.

Capricorns appreciate a foundation before forming any kind of long term partnership whether its love or business. It might seem cold but even marriage is seen solely as a contract in which love grows. In that case they will honor and respect the person they marry.

Rarely will they cheat. If they do, they will eventually confess for fear the guilt will nag at their conscience. Their stability and love of routine is admirable but it could be seen as a materialistic bore that eats, breathes, and sleep money. Capricorns have to learn to loosen up and stop comparing themselves to others who appear to have more. They are usually at the top of their game however. The best part of being with a Capricorn is knowing you are in capable hands.

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arts.culture.living

Water Cancer

, Scorpio

, Pisces .

Emotions dominate water signs. The way to the heart is through expressing feelings. On rare occasion an “exchange” of tears can be a turnon. Water is the most flexible element. Water signs can mold themselves into any container; shape themselves and camouflage into any environment like a chameleon. This doesn’t mean they don’t have identities, but water signs understand more than most about the importance of sharing a bond. They appreciate deeper connections, especially when in love.

If a water sign feels hurt or slighted, they will hold a grudge. Its not in their nature to turn away even an old flame who broke their heart.

However, even these still waters can freeze, and breaking through thick ice isn’t easy.

Pisces go-with-the flow. At times so much that their partner might not take them so seriously. A possessive partner might give Pisces a false sense of security. They tend to confuse love with control. The best kind of lover for a Pisces is someone who gives them emotional freedom without tying them down. Although they are loyal, they can’t stand personal restrictions. Pisces is best at dissolving boundaries: sometimes losing their

own identity in a partnership until they decide to walk away without so much a post-it note.

Its difficult for these people to breakup even the most dreadful romance but when they get the courage to pack their bags, you better believe its a permanent “adios”.

it’s all an act. You’ll know its over when they decide to stop inviting you to family functions, since so much of what makes them “tick” is their childhood connections. If you’re not a part of their past, they’re not seeing a longterm future.

Cancers are much less complicated. They are represented by a crab which suits their personalities perfectly. Cancer has the option of making their point and hiding in the comfort of their shell (usually their home or even work). Cancers are not always the hardest workers in any aspect of their lives, but they are extremely security conscious. They like to save people, childhood photos, memories... anything that keeps them connected to the past. They’ll always have money in the bank or stashed in a secret box under their bed - just in case they need it for a rainy day. In love, they can be insecure or even jealous but you’ll never know it. They will buy you gifts if they have the chance. They will also cling to you like static if you let them. When they feel hurt by your words or actions, which will be often due to their sensitive nature, they will shut down and return to the safety of that hard exterior. Some Cancers will show their true colors while others put up a tough front. Keep in mind

Scorpios are the most loyal but also the most obsessive. Once they set their sights on a potential mate - they don’t give up until affections are reciprocated. However, even the most fixed Scorpion can retract especially if you refuse to completely open your heart, body and soul. Love based on material pleasures is meaningless. They are capable of a profound spiritual love where sex ascends the earth.

If your involved with a Scorpio check out “tantric sex” or the Karma Sutra - nothing shuts down their libido faster than a cold fish. Keep it passionate. Keep it real. Scorpios are masters at getting deep down the the truth. Don’t test their patience or determination. If you piss them off, they’ll stay with you only until you reveal all your secrets and then dump you for a new, improved version of yourself. If anything, scorpios have integrity - they won’t lead you on or return to an ex. They love hard. When they say the words “I love you”, its for keeps.

Air

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Aquarius

, Gemini

, Libra

Air signs are “masculine” in nature and words are their weapons. They seem to know what to say and exactly when to say it. This makes them rather charming even when they are weaving a web of lies. Air signs are more rational than intuitive - air cannot trust what isn’t logical.

Once they think they figured out what makes someone tick, they might be ready to move on to someone who’s even more complicated until the games get old or they’ve met their intellectual match.

Gemini is the sign of the twins ruled by a planet that represents quick communication.

Geminies are the connectors of the Zodiac.

They are probably more capable than any other sign to have a long distance relationship simply because the “relating” part is more important even than the physical aspect of a romance.

Their personalities can change at the drop of a hat. They are the type to leave work early and surprise you with a quickie or even a long weekend at a bed & breakfast. Geminies are youthful spirits so certain personalities might see them as immature, flaky, know-it-alls; refusing to grow up. Gemini will rationalize in their mind a million reasons not to get married.

They will say marriage is just a piece of paper.

Cohabitation isn’t easy for a Twin - you already get a 2 for 1 deal when you’re serious with a Gem. Even their twins have twins so you’re looking at multiple personalities. Add your unique self to the mix and no wonder Geminies never fully commit. Do not pressure a Gemini to get married. Since marriage is the ultimate commitment, they are liable to freak out and run. Reverse psychology works best.

Act as if you could care less. If they are in love, chances are they will turn around, get down on one knee & pop the question.

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Libra is represented by the scales of justice.

They are all about balance. Their game is searching for a soul mate; a missing link. From the first date to the honeymoon, they will want to split everything 50/50. “It’s only fair” Libras often say. Its no mistake many Libras are in the fashion industry since they knew what their wedding would look like before they could spell. Libras are not confrontational, especially in romantic affairs. Even though they are highly opinionated & independent, they are afraid to assert themselves too much for fear of losing their partner. Libras are far too polite and diplomatic to ruffle their well groomed feathers. Libras are very flirty. They might have marriage on their mind when it comes to you but you would never know by their cool exterior. Libras will never forget your birthday, anniversary or even your first kiss.

Aquarius prides itself on being individualistic.

They do not appreciate being compared to anyone. In doing so, you have made them common, and these eccentric creatures are far from ordinary. They don’t run away from commitment. They have a fixed nature, not fond of change. They are always open to new ideas as long as they can make some connection between the new and old, that will make them more comfortable accepting it. One thing you’ll never catch an Aquarius doing is conform to the Status Quo. You’ll never catch them doing something like celebrating Valentine’s Day just because their best friend bought gifts. They don’t see the point. They’d rather wait until your birthday and buy you a laptop or the hottest new trend in technology...not very romantic but that’s

what Aquarius values. In many ways, they are private about what’s on their mind and can be quite stubborn even when someone they love dearly asks personal questions. Although they are extremely friendly, they are not as prone to straying as the other air signs. This doesn’t mean they don’t imagine being with another person. They are just more comfortable imagining it with their mind than actually following through. Their energy is better spent on humanitarian efforts than following silly, selfish whims.

So do soulmates exist then? Yes, with certainty there are other souls who are part of our spiritual family. We only have one twin flame, however. Each person we meet whether its for a reason, season, or lifetime has a specific purpose in our lives and we play an intricate role in theirs.

A true soul mate, whether a friend, lover, or both, is unforgettable. There is no such thing as time or space. Even if you have not spoken in a decade, next time you meet, it will feel like they never left. Catching up seems effortless.

Soul mates recognize one another through their eyes. That’s why its essential to be bold.

Never be afraid to look someone directly in the eyes when first meeting them - the next hand you shake could be your soulmate’s.

--rr

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Volume 1: Issue 5–6

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pressed WHY EAT LOCALLY supporting the benefits of dehydrated foods

récipe of the month sugar/peanut butter cookies, short bread

thumbprints, russian tea cakes

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DEHYDRATING FOOD WAS A POPULAR You can keep this dehydrated food in your RITUAL OF THE PAST. Dehydrating food was cupboard for years, so do not hesitate to go

a way of preserving food. This was a necessary practice to the many who did not want to waste mass amounts of food. With the invention of the refrigerator for example, this old classic was forgotten about until just recently.

Dehydrating food is actually the best way to preserve food, and people are just starting to realize this phenomenon. If you are lucky, your refrigerator will keep your food edible for months. On the other hand, dehydrating

food will keep it edible for years. This is most predominately seen in vegetables, and fruit.

You are constantly going out to the grocery store to buy fruits and vegetables, because they only last for a couple of weeks at most.

Dehydrating these fruits and vegetables will save you the many trips to the supermarket.

In addition to this, dehydrating fruits and vegetables will save you money. Buying in bulk has always been cheaper than buying for one person. Much of the time, grocery stores will give great discounts when you buy mass amounts of food at once. Now with the method of dehydrating foods, you can afford to take advantage of this fabulous opportunity.

Buy all the fruits and vegetables you desire, eat what you want, and then dehydrate the rest.

crazy over dehydrating all your delicious fruit and vegetables. If there is ever a sale on fruits and vegetables, jump on it!

It is actually much healthier to dehydrate food. You consume many more nutrients and vitamins when you eat dehydrated foods, because when you cook the food many of the nutrients are lost in the process.

If something terrible ever happened, and there happened to be an emergency where for one reason or another you could not access food.

At this point, you would be more than grateful for those dehydrated foods you kept safe in your cupboard. Dehydrated foods are so easy to store, because they are incredibly light, and compact. You can literally seal these foods into bags, and shove them into any nook or cranny.

Dehydrated foods can be the ultimate snack. Everyone has those days when you are running around your house frantically trying to get to work or school on time. You find yourself not having time to eat, so in this case, you can grab some of your dehydrated fruits, throw them in a plastic bag, shove them in your purse, and you are out the front door faster than ever. And you have something nutritionally delicious to eat on the go.

Dehydrated food is fabulous. The only difference between your beloved fresh fruit and a dehydrated fruit is literally the moisture.

Although do keep in the mind that the dehydrated fruit does manage to keep a little bit of moisture, so it still has all the same flavours of the fruit itself. So not only do you have all the benefits of dehydrated foods nutritionally, storage wise, and in emergencies, but also in great taste as well.

Have a pet? Dehydrated meats should

be a staple food for your dog. Much of the time, many animals experience digestive problems when consuming meat. Dehydrated meat solves this problem. Your dog eating dehydrated foods can also control their diet in terms of weight gain; it keeps your canineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weight where it should be. Dehydrated meat for your pet can also help lessen their allergies.

Make your dog happy, and feed them some dehydrated meat.

Dehydrated food is something that literally the entire family can benefit from, and enjoy.

This old classic should come back bigger, and stay here for the better.

--rr FUTURĂ&#x2030;ALE

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A Ve ry Ve ggie Vice THOUGH THE POPULARITY OF VEGETARIANISM and the literature on

its health benefits continues to grow, I was still confronted with a substantial amount of eyerolling when I decided to experiment with vegetarianism some months ago. My suspicion was that the cynics believed my dietary decision to be self-righteous, that I was jumping on some pretentious, granola-happy bandwagon that looked down on its carnivorous counterparts. Jaded as they may be, their sarcasm does point to some very valid criticism.

A vegetarian diet does boast a plethora of potential advantages. It helps lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and hypertension and is therefore correlated with reduced risks of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and gallstones. It is also much easier on our digestive systems than diets heavy on meat and fish.

Some studies even claim that those who consume greater amounts of fruits and vegetables are about 50% less likely to be diagnosed with cancer. Many plant foods are believed to possess cancer-protective phytochemicals such as flavonoids, isoflavones, sulfide compounds and many others. Such compounds cause shifts in metabolic and hormonal activity that are associated with the development of cancer, and also help build one’s immune system. Many vegetables also useful in defending against cardiovascular disease because they include folic acid, dietary fiber, potassium,

The Limits of Vegetarianism

magnesium, carotenoids, phytosterols, flavonoids, and other polyphenolic antioxidants.

Plants rich in soluble fiber such as dry beans, oats, carrots, squash, apples, and citrus can help lower cholesterol levels, as can a high consumption of nuts. Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, celery, and green beans are all great low-cal options.

This catalogue of benefits does come with a caveat: vegetarians need to be weary that they are getting enough protein while they abstain from eating meat. Beans, and nuts should be explored as protein-filled alternatives. Though soy products are often touted as valuable protein substitutes, a person’s diet should never be too soy-heavy. A moderate amount can yield health benefits such as a lower blood cholesterol levels, a decreased risk of blood clots, and decreased bone loss. However, too much soy can affect your body’s hormone levels because it contains ingredients that mimic or block estrogen. Moreover, many soybeans

are grown using pesticides and geneticallyengineered plants, which negates both the health benefits and environmental motivation for maintaining an organic, vegetarian diet.

Critics rightly argue that the studies used to support the previously citied statistics may over-exaggerate their implications. It is highly unlikely that vegetarians’ reduced health risks can simply be attributed to their diet.

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Vegetarianism tends to be more popular within the middle and upper-class strata of society, which are also associated with lower rates of drinking, drug-use, and other unhealthy habits. It is also fair to assume that given the resources available to these groups and the probability that they are generally somewhat health-conscious as vegetarians, it is likely that they take on other healthy habits such as regular exercise. They may have the luxury of living a healthy lifestyle that others do not.

It is probably all these factors together that contribute to vegetarians’ reduced health risks.

Many vegetarians also validate their choice by citing environmental concerns such as the cost and pollution incurred through industrial meat production. However, supporters of organic, free-range, and environmentallyfriendly meat production criticize vegetarians for undermining the market for these products. Furthermore, focusing solely on meat production ignores a whole range of other common practices that are detrimental to sustainable farming.

While vegetarianism can definitely serve one’s health, don’t get too herbivore-happy before considering these very valid criticisms.

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By Abby Plener FUTURÉALE

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arts.culture.living

Holiday Cookies : To Make, Eat, Love and Share COOKIES! How many of us as a child have secretly tried to grab the cookie jar from the kitchen counter with hopes of finding galore of cookies to eat without getting caught?

My best memories of cookies come from 1.Reading Robert Munsch’s book “Mmm, Cookies!” 2. Watching the cookie monster on Sesame Street and 3. Getting fresh baked cookies as a gift. This holiday, while everyone is scurrying to buy gifts from the malls, why not consider baking cookies as a gift to give instead? Here are a few simple recipes that are quick and easy to do!

Directions Beat the butter in a large bowl or an electric mixer for 30 seconds until softened. Beat in the 1/2 cup of sugar, and then add half the flour. Continue beating until it is thoroughly combined. Stir in the remaining flour and mix again thoroughly.

To make short bread thumbprints: Roll the dough into small balls and press into the center of the ball with your thumb.

Short Bread Thumbprints (with To make the Jelly bean cookies: Chocolate or Jellybeans) (Makes Roll the dough into small balls and flatten with

the palm of your hands. Place the cookies on the wax paper on the baking tray and push the jellybeans into the cookies.

To Bake:

By: Dany Pen Directions: In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.

Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt.. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

To Bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface to prevent the dough from sticking to the board. Use shaped cookies cutters to cut out shapes in the rolled out dough. Place cookies on waxed paper/ cookies sheets on the baking tray 1 inch apart. Brush with egg whites and sprinkle the colored sugar on top. Bake for 6-8 minutes.

Cool completely.

Preheat oven at 375 Degrees. Place each cookie 1 inch apart. Brush with egg white. Bake for 7-10 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Sugar Cookies (Makes 4 –5 dozen)

about 10-12 cookies or 24 thumbprints) To make short bread cookies you’ll need: • 1 cup of butter • 1/2 cup of sugar • 2 cups of all-purpose flour • 1 slightly beaten egg white • 10-20 Hershey kisses or chocolate buttons or a bag of jellybeans • Wax paper

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You’ll need: • 1 1/2 cup of butter • 5 cups of flour • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 2 teaspoon of baking powder • 2 cups of sugar • 1 teaspoon salt • 4 eggs • 1 slightly beaten egg white • Red and green colored sugar sprinkles

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arts.culture.living wrap the cookies in plastic wrap, tying it with a bow or ribbon. Other décor ideas are using decorative clear Christmas wrapping paper, tin cookie boxes, small wooden boxes/chests or simply just a paper bag. Consider a sturdy package if you are shipping the cookies. One trick you could use to prevent the cookies from breaking during shipment is to put some popcorn into the box to act as a cushion.

What I love about cookies is that you could find different assortments of them from ones that are covered with chocolate, made with nuts, candy, or fruits inside, rolled in coconut flakes, to even ones made with exotic spices!

Peanut Butter Cookies(Makes 6 dozen)

You’ll need: • 1 cup butter and 2 eggs • 1 cup peanut butter • 1 cup of white sugar • 1 cup of brown sugar • 1 teaspoon of baking soda • 1 teaspoon of baking powder • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Direction: In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter and butter (if using an electric mixer, mix for 30 seconds on medium-high speed). Add the white and brown sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Continue mixing until combined thoroughly. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Stir in flour and continue mixing until fully everything is fully combined.

To Bake: Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Shape dough into small balls. Flatten by using a fork to make crisscross marks on top. Bake for 7-9 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned.

Let cool for 5-7 minutes.

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Snow Balls (Russian Cakes)(Makes 40 cakes) • • • • •

Cookies can be eaten anytime of the year! They

Tea can simply be a snack, a special treat in a child’s

1 cup butter 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 2 cups of all-purpose flour

Direction:

lunch box, or in this case- as a holiday marker!

I really enjoyed making the thumbprints, sugar cookies, snowballs and the peanut butter cookies! I hope that in making and eating them that you’ll do too! Happy Holidays! Cheers, Dany Pen! --rr and jr

Mix butter and powdered sugar together until butter is softened. Then add salt, vanilla, and flour. Preheat oven at 375 degrees. Roll into small balls and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets.

To Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool for a complete 5-7 minutes. Then roll in powdered sugar. (If the cakes are still too hot, it will melt the sugar when rolled in it, too cold and the sugar will not stick too well to the cakes).

To pack the cookies, you can use gift boxes, even the do-it-yourself fold up boxes work.

If you don’t want to use boxes, you can just

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Cake Love

By Jess Silver

arts.culture.living Chocolate decadence, strawberry fusion, and a bit of meringue: It all sounds and tastes even better. I am discovering the secrets behind the beloved dessert: Cakes are truly glorious.

WAITING FOR EVERY WOMAN’S complicated in the confectionary world. The German word for cake, with similar properties.

SPECIAL DAY to come as a young girl is word “cake” differs from one country or region When tortes are multi-layered and fancifully

exciting. The little princess is caught up in the idea of unraveling the sparkly ribbon that is tied around a box full of surprises, and cannot wait to wear a chocolate smile on her special day. The delectable creations enter into every occasion worth celebrating, and come with a hefty price tag. Let’s face it: Your wedding day will have a towering delicious artwork that is thousands of dollars. Cakes, like everyone in this world, come in all different shapes and sizes, and each one has their own unique taste to offer. The dessert lover or the one who simply is looking for a sweet treat is in serious trouble.

It is difficult to trace the history of the delicious confection, because everyone would love to be awarded with the title of the first cake maker. There are sources however that tell us that this delicious extravagance originated out of the 13th century when the Norse word kaka, meaning cake, was first discovered (Oxford English Dictionary). The evolution of this dessert eventually became a fixture in all cultures. The cakes that Egyptians baked and served to guests were different from the round symbols of content we are used to nowadays.

They were sweet unleavened breads that were baked on flat baking trays made from wood or paper. The well known icing we see today on cakes is a fairly modern addition to the dessert.

In the 13th century it was only composed of egg whites, and sugar or honey. Technological advancements have helped the cake become a richer and more extravagant dessert as ovens developed, and metallurgic progress created newly shaped pans and baking tools.

Now you might wonder what all this hoopla about cake is all about. Well, things are

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to another as explained by foodtimeline. org/cakes: “Gateaux is a French word for cake. It generally denotes items made with delicate ingredients which are best consumed soon after the confection is made (gateaux des roi). Cakes can last much longer, some even improving with age (fruit cake). Torte is the

decorated they are closer to gateaux EXCEPT for the fact they can last quite nicely for several days”.

The making of a cake is an artistic enterprise, and each country has a unique definition of what makes a good cake. It is all about transcending cultural tastes through the dessert, and that is why people have different preferences. The cake was first served in the 17th century for a religious ceremony, and since then it has made its way into virtually every culture as a signature piece on the dining table. You will admire the cake’s decadence even more the next time you eat it. The next bite of cake you will have will be sweeter, because you will be thinking of the cake making history, but only if you were both the creator, and baker of this delicious masterpiece will you truly appreciate what it offers, and its historical significance. Participate in the art of baking cake, and you will fall in love.

--rr

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arts.culture.living

By Olivia Dorazio MORNING IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES of the day for most of

us. We often find it difficult to enjoy a nutritious breakfast – if any breakfast at all. For the most important meal of the day, breakfast is neglected too often. Is it because we’re so pressed for time between waking up and going to work or school?

If that’s the case, you can leave your worries behind you. We at FutuReale, with the help of Fresch Foods, have put together a few quick and easy breakfast solutions so you can have your eggs, and oatmeal too.

The easiest breakfast food is fruit. Nutritional and full of energy-providing ingredients, fruit is the perfect way to wake up in the morning. Fresh fruit is always best – watermelon and pink grapefruit are great sources of carotenoids and vitamins A and C. If fresh

fruits don’t appeal to you, try dried fruits. FreschFoods.com offers a wide variety of dried fruits, like dried cherries, dried cranberries and dried strawberries. It can even be used as a weight loss tool. In addition to being packed FUTURÉALE

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full of nutrients, dried fruit has been shown to stay in your stomach longer, making you feel fuller throughout the day, so that you eat less.

If you crave something with a little more substance and texture in the morning, oatmeal it. Try it alone or mix in some fruits and you’re sure to be full until lunch. FreschFoods.com has a great selection of fruit-and-nut mixes that will make bland oatmeal interesting. Their Nuts and Fruit Mix is perfect for the added protein in the nuts and the sweetness of the fruit; Or, try their Papaya Pineapple Mix for a sweet, tropical flavour. FreschFoods.com also offers a wide variety of whole; slice and groundnuts – like almonds, walnuts, peanuts and pecans – that will bring any oatmeal’s protein count up a few percent.

Another tasty breakfast idea is yogurt.

Yogurt is available in several different flavours and textures. Different brands offer different types of yogurt – from plain to vanilla, smooth or fruit chunks, yogurt is both delicious and nutritious. Yogurt is also a great source of protein and vitamin B12. In addition to adding extra crunch and additional bite, adding granola and fruit is a great way to bump up your fibre intake.

FreschFoods.com has a plethora of granola mixes that will satisfy any yogurt lover. From Blueberry Granola to Maple Pecan Granola, FreschFoods.com is a one-stop haven for granola mixes. If granola isn’t your taste, you may consider added small pieces of dried fruit to yogurt. Golden Raisins or Mango Slices are a great way to introduce a new taste to yogurt.

Still craving a crunch in your morning yogurt meal? Try adding FreshFoods.com’s Honey Baked Cashews – they’re the perfect mix of crunch and sweet to liven up plain yogurt.

With these quick and easy breakfast ideas, you’ll never need to miss the most important meal of the day again. Be sure to check out FreschFoods.com for the extras you need to excite even the blandest of breakfasts.

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