home   contact   about us   writing tips   guidelines   terms of use   privacy policy    

Arts & Entertainment
Profiles of creative people, places and events

The Cellist of Sarajevo: Book Review

Posted on July 30 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
Galloway presents a powerful narrative based on a true story.
Read the rest of this post »

Paranormal Activity: A Movie Review

Posted on July 30 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
In one rather cool sequence, it sets a borrowed Ouija board on fire in the downstairs living room while our embattled heroes are out to dinner.
Read the rest of this post »

When You're Strange: A Documentary Review

Posted on July 15 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
Despite the lack of new, exciting material, When You're Strange is a filler-free, 76-minute triumph that seamlessly weaves tantalizing nuggets of verse into some of the band's finest material.
Read the rest of this post »

The Unborn: A Movie Review

Posted on June 28 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
The film’s supernatural storyline is neither scary nor believable.
Read the rest of this post »

Morrissey - Years of Refusal

Posted on June 28 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
With no bad songs and plenty to sing along to, Years of Refusal offers endless emotional delights.
Read the rest of this post »

Too Much Happiness: Book Review

Posted on June 21 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
Canadians can be grateful that Munro decided not to retire and instead came back with a new, diverse collection.
Read the rest of this post »

Jennifer's Body: A Movie Review

Posted on June 21 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
No wonder Megan Fox neglected to mention this disappointment on Saturday Night Live.
Read the rest of this post »

Splinter Cell: Conviction - Game Review

Posted on May 02 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
This game is fun and I've never gotten bored playing it, no matter how many times I died.
Read the rest of this post »

Slicing Sound Like A Scientist: Meet Afternoons in Stereo

Posted on May 02 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
You’re almost like Dr. Frankenstein. You piece together different bits and pieces trying to create something new and whole.
Read the rest of this post »

Ron Contour & Factor Saffron - Saffron

Posted on April 18 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
I don't see any of these songs getting anywhere but given out for free.
Read the rest of this post »

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Game Review

Posted on April 11 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
You will not be disappointed with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.
Read the rest of this post »

Dirty Penny's Sage Against the Machine

Posted on April 11 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
What is certain is that Sage Against The Machine (love that title) is easily one of the worst albums I've ever heard, despite its entertaining musical arrangements.
Read the rest of this post »

Autobodies - Rearranger

Posted on March 28 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
Autobodies are fine instrumentalists but they need a new singer, more compelling lyrics and a professional mixer.
Read the rest of this post »

A Fairy Tale On Ice: Princess Classics

Posted on March 14 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
Disney on Ice skater shares her love of ice dancing with MonkeyBiz.
Read the rest of this post »

Telling Stories in Song

Posted on February 28 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
"Pre-war blues is much more intimate for me . . . much like a conversation. I’m not really drawn to anything contemporary because it’s not nearly as engaging," said Samuel James.
Read the rest of this post »

Inglourious Basterds: A Movie Review

Posted on January 13 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
If Quentin Tarantino was a writer, this would be his masterpiece.
Read the rest of this post »

Quarantine Me

Posted on January 13 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
I'm usually much stronger, but I guess this time I just couldn't beat it.
Read the rest of this post »

Replica Part 3: At the Doorstep of Dr. Quigley

Posted on January 13 2010 under Arts & Entertainment
I reached out, tried to avoid the used tissues and discarded M&M’s and grabbed the sunglasses. Pulling them out from their carpeted dungeon I dusted them off with my shirt and stood up.
Read the rest of this post »

Punk Rock Fusion for the Holidays

Posted on December 08 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
The Ascot Royals exude musical talent while still being easy to listen to, fresh and engaging.
Read the rest of this post »

Replica Part 2: Ted Interjects

Posted on December 08 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
I woke up the next morning with a familiar face hanging over me. It was my teddy bear, Ted. Not a very creative name for a teddy bear I know. I was only six when I named him.
Read the rest of this post »

Halo 3 ODST: Prepare to Drop

Posted on November 09 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
The best point in this video game by far is the health system. Instead of recharging shields, you have stamina, which recharges automatically. Stamina makes the game a lot more strategic than Halo 3.
Read the rest of this post »

Metal Wings: A Photo Essay

Posted on October 27 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Every takeoff was into a new adventure that left complacency behind.
Read the rest of this post »

Public Enemies: A Movie Review

Posted on October 12 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
This movie ends on the surface - you don't touch, feel, breathe or even learn from this. You just watch from afar.
Read the rest of this post »

Winter

Posted on October 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Trading flip flops for mittens and watching the trees turn from green to read inspired one local Hamiltonian. Here is Flora Korkis' take on the changing seasons.
Read the rest of this post »

Winter Reading: Book Reviews

Posted on October 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Curl up and get reading. Aha Blume reviews the latest novels and short stories.
Read the rest of this post »

Replica Part 1: I Miss You

Posted on September 29 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Has my life really become this stale since she left? It’s been what, a year? It’s been at least a year. I can’t believe it’s been that long. Nothing has happened since then. I mean, I hit on some girls and whatever, but nothing ever seems to work out.
Read the rest of this post »

Theset - Odd or Even

Posted on September 29 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Who are Theset?
Read the rest of this post »

District 9: A Movie Review

Posted on September 14 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
This movie both incorporates and attempts to reconcile all the grief, tragedy, conflicts, ideas and diversity facing us today.
Read the rest of this post »

Warning - Spoilers in Effect: The Dark Knight (2008)

Posted on August 17 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
In many respects, The Dark Knight is much like a mirror of our own culture of today.
Read the rest of this post »

Jenn Grant - Echoes (VideoFACT)

Posted on August 10 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Canada keeps showing that we have a plethora of talented female singer/songwriters.
Read the rest of this post »

UP: A Movie Review

Posted on August 10 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
UP is truly a wonder. It is capsule of sorts - it holds love, optimism, innocence and freedom in a special place even during the worst of times.
Read the rest of this post »

Funny Games U.S.: A Movie Review

Posted on August 10 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
There's nothing to it. There's no anatomy. There's no feeling. It functions like it's a masterpiece, when it's more of a misguided mistake.
Read the rest of this post »

Origami for the Ears: Meet paperSquare

Posted on August 03 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
paperSquare is a band that "likes all noises" and shows their diverse selection of sounds.
Read the rest of this post »

Harry Potter Conjures New Magic: A Movie Review

Posted on August 03 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Within the two hours and thirty minutes, the film has a mix of dark moments, funny moments and heartbreaking ones.
Read the rest of this post »

Go Get The Got To Get Got

Posted on July 27 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
This band boasts perhaps the prettiest song about football ever, as well as some very engaging mob vocals.
Read the rest of this post »

Hamilton Fringe Festival: This is the Thing Review

Posted on July 27 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
I was confused throughout much of the performance and I spent the rest of the time trying to decipher something concrete from the play.
Read the rest of this post »

Hamilton Fringe Festival: A Glendale Christmas Review

Posted on July 27 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
The hint of Christmas carols and the semi-sweet ending makes you wish that it was Christmas.
Read the rest of this post »

Gregory Pepper and his Problems - With Trumpets Flaring (Fake Four Inc.)

Posted on July 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
The eclectic nature of the album provides a unified and exciting listening experience.
Read the rest of this post »

Prom Night: A Movie Review

Posted on June 22 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Prom Night was not just a crime, it was unholy.
Read the rest of this post »

Watchmen: A Movie Review

Posted on June 22 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
It is a movie rich with poetry and disillusionment, albeit one that doesn't know what do with it all.
Read the rest of this post »

Rah Rah - Going Steady (Rob Morrison)



Posted on June 08 2009 under Arts & Entertainment


Their music is melodious and their lyrics introspective and strangely compelling.
Read the rest of this post »

Warning - Spoilers in Effect: A Movie Review

Posted on June 01 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Fade to white, not black. The end is a rebirth that leaves viewers to wonder if the play is finished or not.
Read the rest of this post »

Painting Hamilton

Posted on May 19 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
I wanted to throw the paint on it and see what would happen. I painted with putty and plastering knives that I had in the house. I painted one canvas after another.
Read the rest of this post »

Crash and Burn: A Movie Review

Posted on May 19 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
The movie is a deformed pastiche of political blindness, soullessness and emptiness. It appeared to me as a lifeless, rushed scam - a movie that feeds off mass consensus of opinion without trying anything revolutionary itself.
Read the rest of this post »

My Rock World History Lesson

Posted on May 04 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
When the lights went dark, behind the enormous black curtains shadows with flashlights appeared. Attached to the bottom of one of the shadows were very high heels.
Read the rest of this post »

Victoria Day Comes Early

Posted on April 14 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Almost any listener will enjoy McClelland’s Victoria Day. Each song has a unique and interesting sound that is timeless.
Read the rest of this post »

Living With the Dead: A Women of the Otherworld

Posted on April 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
I can only describe this series as Buffy and Angel for grown ups.
Read the rest of this post »

What Was Lost

Posted on April 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
One day, she vanished.
Read the rest of this post »

The Collected Works of Billy the Kid

Posted on April 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Ondaatje weaves together poetry and prose to give Billy and those who knew him a voice.
Read the rest of this post »

13 Things That Don't Make Sense

Posted on April 06 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
While many of us cannot find reason in how things like time, space, life, sex and death work, actual explanations are threaded throughout Michael Brooks’ book.
Read the rest of this post »

Outside the Wire

Posted on March 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
There will be more casualties and deaths on the dusty roads and rough terrain in Afghanistan. Canada’s growing losses encourage many of us to pay more attention to the plight of the Afghan people.
Read the rest of this post »

All Grown Up

Posted on March 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
I think young musicians need to take things slowly and not let the ride give you too many bumps. I think this is a very difficult industry. It’s only meant for the ones with the ever-lasting desire and love of music.
Read the rest of this post »

Sarena Paton - La Carissima

Posted on March 12 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
This album would be a great starting point for a listener that is new to, but curious about classical music.
Read the rest of this post »

The Telepathic Butterflies - Breakfast in Suburbia

Posted on March 10 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Canadian indie music is still alive and well. This band from Winnipeg, Manitoba is an awesome addition to the Canadian music scene. You'll want to keep up with the Telepathic Butterflies.
Read the rest of this post »

Lesley Pike - Blink

Posted on March 10 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
She is an amazingly talented singer/songwriter, with shades of fellow Canadians, Jann Arden and Alanis Morrissette.
Read the rest of this post »

This Food’s Got Soul

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
You will not meet anyone more personable or thoughtful than Sam Robertson, which are particularly noteworthy traits for someone who has been averaging 60-hour work weeks since the recent opening of his new restaurant, Tapestry Bistro.
Read the rest of this post »

Poorfolk – Our Burning Street (White Whale)

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Canada’s Poorfolk hearken back to the lean, guitar-based alt.rock of decades past, and have been compared to artists such as Wooden Stars.
Read the rest of this post »

Tusks – Tusks (White Whale)

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
It’s difficult to say that it constitutes a “trend,” but it seems every other indie disc I’ve picked up recently hearkens back to those Time-Life “70’s Hits” compilations. Think I’m kidding? Not a chance.
Read the rest of this post »

The Broadfield Marchers – The Inevitable Continuing (Rainbow Quartz)

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
You can bet that The Broadfield Marchers are truly, truly tired of comparisons to Robert Pollard and/or Guided By Voices. Sorry, Marchers, but here comes more of the same.
Read the rest of this post »

Junior Pantherz – Rejoice, Remain (Saved By Radio)

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Saskatoon's Junior Pantherz packed it in several years ago, but now they've reformed and released Rejoice, Remain, either first album since 2005.
Read the rest of this post »

Antony & the Johnsons – Another World (Secretly Canadian)

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
There are a lot of expectations on any artist who has a Mercury Prize sitting on their mantle (or in the back of the tour bus). This EP from New York’s Antony Hegarty & co. dashes those expectations a little, and makes you work a bit harder to realize it’s just as good as his previous releases.
Read the rest of this post »

Provincial Parks - Grassroots Galore

Posted on February 23 2009 under Arts & Entertainment
Next time you are strolling through Toronto on a balmy summer night - take a moment to listen. Take a second to hear the wind in the trees, the traffic in the distance and the soft strumming of acoustic guitars. Echoing amid the urban ambience is an ensemble of humble musicians - a band of virtuosos with a common goal: to make beautiful music. Raised on folk and classic rock, Will Whitwham, Scott Andrew, Richard Lawrence and Pete Garthside come together to form Provincial Parks - a completely independent band from Toronto, Ontario.
Read the rest of this post »

Funding for MonkeyBiz is provided in part by the Ontario Trillium Foundation