The new Mulan is the latest example of big-budget movies that fail to deliver on representation. The announcement of a live-action remake of Mulan, the 1998 Disney animated classic, was met with much fanfare. However, details about the possible addition of a white love interest and the rumour that Disney was not looking for an Asian actress to play Mulan was met with equal backlash. To win back...
Last November, Ray Chen played a recital in Toronto’s Koerner Hall. While Chen did not know it at the time, this performance was one of the last of the Old Age of classical music, which focused on overpriced concerts, traditional modes of teaching, armchair criticism, and poorly paid musicians. In totality, these markers resulted in what was perceived as a dying art form. Nonetheless, COVID...
The Photograph is a love story written and directed by Stella Meghie starring Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield, two black actors among the biggest names in Hollywood. Since its release, discussions of its quality have seen it compared to other black cinema, while others simply found it boring. After seeing the film, I beg to differ with the boring label and think that it’s an important work. ...
Four More Books on China The internecine conflict between the Kuomintang (or Nationalists) and Communists defined Chinese politics for many decades. By the time the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan in 1949, it had been going on for over 20 years—intermittently at first, and as a full-scale civil war from 1945. Thereafter, it continued as a mostly cold, very occasionally hot war before settling...
The Photograph is a love story starring Issa Rae and Lakeith Stanfield, two black actors who are among the biggest names in Hollywood today. Since it was released last weekend, there have been some discussions about the quality of the film. Some are comparing it to films such as Queen and Slim while others simply thought that it was boring. After seeing the film, I think it is worth having a...
There is a configuration of identity in our country that is becoming increasingly common with each passing day; yet, without a word uttered concerning its existence. It is a form of identity that is poorly understood by those who experience it, as it is true only half of the time. I am describing Canadians whose identities as ‘Canadian’ have been only recently conferred. Some of us were born here...
The video essay weighs in on the struggle against oppression and how African-Americans are forced to endure this. During the reading break, I had the opportunity to visit Montréal and view Arthur Jafa’s “Love is the Message, the Message is Death, 2016” at the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal. “Love is the Message” is a video essay that has been featured at the Metropolitan Museum...
In veering away from her normal documentary fare, Kitty Green presents a vital distillation of the troubles that have plagued #MeToo Kitty Green’s latest feature-length, following 2017’s Casting JonBenet, is a slow burn that will certainly find its detractors, but its fans might outvoice them. The message is a much needed one in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, bringing attention to the...
Four More Books on China The internecine conflict between the Kuomintang (or Nationalists) and Communists defined Chinese politics for many decades. By the time the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan in 1949, it had been going on for over 20 years—intermittently at first, and as a full-scale civil war from 1945. Thereafter, it continued as a mostly cold, very occasionally hot war before settling...
Four More Books on China The internecine conflict between the Kuomintang (or Nationalists) and Communists defined Chinese politics for many decades. By the time the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan in 1949, it had been going on for over 20 years—intermittently at first, and as a full-scale civil war from 1945. Thereafter, it continued as a mostly cold, very occasionally hot war before settling...
An illuminative discussion with one of Osgoode’s finest In the inaugural piece of what I hope is to become a recurring feature with different instructors, I sit down with Professor Berger for a chat about his career and what he likes to do to unwind. Tomi Milos (TM): I know a little bit about your decorated path through school, but I’m curious as to when you developed a taste for academia. Did...
In vearing away from her normal documentary fare, Kitty Green presents a vital distillation of the troubles that have plagued #MeToo Kitty Green’s latest feature-length, following 2017’s Casting JonBenet, is a slow burn that will certainly find its detractors, but its fans might outvoice them. The message is a much needed one in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, bringing attention to the...
If you saw Cats (2019), a pending class action lawsuit may affect you Are you a lover of film, musical theatre, cats, or Jason Derulo? Do you love them all and spend your days seeking an amalgamation that will quench your aching thirst for all four? Are you simply a lover of decency, good taste, and well-rendered CGI? If you or a loved one was exposed to CATS (2019, dir. Tom Hooper)...
Editor’s Note: Manny, our Satire Editor, has written another great non-satirical concert review. That’s right: you are to take the following quite literally. Returning to Toronto to perform at Generator, the science expo/TEDTalk/variety show created by Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield on January 10th, TWRP headlined at the Opera House with Rich Aucoin on January 11th before starting their...
As all of my Osgoode classmates have now come to know, musicals have defined much of my life. I mean, how fun is it to just burst into a song and dance to explore a big moment or dilemma in your life? Although not a realistic route to conflict resolution, song and dance have been integrated into much of my life since I was a young child. I began my passion for performance as a competitive...
So, what exactly is Eataly? A quick Google search will tell you that Eataly is a fusion of two words: eat and Italy. This snazzy name is used to describe an eatery that combines fresh ingredients, grocery-store style, with various hot tables and restaurant spaces. You could be walking down an aisle of fresh produce or finding yourself mesmerised by the deli and cheese counters. Then, you turn...
A few of the albums that defined 2019, in a non-exhaustive, unranked list Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride Having completed a trilogy of sorts with the release of Modern Vampires of the City in 2013, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig confessed to needing a break from music. Amongst other things, Koenig wrote an animated show for Netflix called Neo Yokio that starred Jaden Smith and Jude Law...
Over the holiday break I had the unique pleasure of reviving a long-dead friendship. My friend and his family live an hour north of Toronto in a cozy, quaint town. Our interactions evolved in the natural way: beginning with typical, childish generalities before maturing and taking on an idiosyncratic friendship replete with ridiculous noise-gags and inside jokes. There was no predicting the...
A few great pieces of cinema from a year full of them 2019 was a wondrous year for film. The following list is meant to highlight a few of my favourites rather than be an exhaustive one. Uncut Gems is obviously one of the best of the year, but a review will come in the following issue. Little Women Fresh off the success of Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig continues her burgeoning directorial career...
On October 9th, the Meridian Arts Centre opened a new exhibition called “Mandela: Struggle to Freedom” in partnership with the Canadian Human Rights Museum and the Apartheid Museum in South Africa, and curated by Karen Carter. The first floor of the exhibition begins with a portrayal of what apartheid looked like. The room is dark and it features signage posted at washrooms and benches...
Taiwanese-Australian violinist at Koerner Hall with pianist Julio Elizalde The classical world finds itself in an odd predicament right now: it has a dearth of young audience members and a surfeit of young performers. Every now and then, we read op-eds pronouncing the imminent collapse of the industry, inevitable because of the greying of the consumer class. The malaise is attributed to various...
It’s becoming less and less common for 25-year-olds to say that they grew up listening to Bob Dylan. And that makes a lot of sense—he’s definitely not been as prolific in recent years as he was in the prime of his career, but his music and poetry shaped the generation preceding ours. For some of us, his gravelly voice was the soundtrack to our childhood. My dad was a touring musician before he...
DIANA (I Knew You When We Were Fourteen) is a play about two young people, Diana and Michael, who went to school together until suddenly, and very mysteriously, Diana goes missing in their early years of high school. Though they never really spoke, and would never be considered friends, Michael becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. Many years later, he travels from his...
Jesus Is King — Kanye West One could say that Kanye West is now working with the largest backing cohort he’s ever had as the newfound leader of his Sunday Service gospel group congregation. With this weekly concert series, West has taken pains to distance himself from the troubled figure he cut on the promotional cycle for his last solo full-length album, ye. What ye signalled with its rushed...
Another Spot to Add to Your Ever-Growing Toronto Restaurant List Imagine yourself walking past a busy restaurant, after having just eaten elsewhere, and being jealous of the packed tables and wafting smell of churros. You know in your soul that you were destined to eat there one day. I too have faced this scenario.. Except, last week, I was finally able to fulfill my destiny – I ate at Milagro on...