Get Shorty falls short of Leonard’s cool prose
Elmore Leonard Movies—Get Shorty In honour of the recent passing of Elmore Leonard, I've embarked on a mission to watch…
Rourke adds to the pantheon of great Leonard cinematic villains
Movies #2 and 3 in my 10 Days of Leonard mission. Continue readingRourke adds to the pantheon of great Leonard…
An early Leonard crime novel gets a gritty film treatment
Elmore Leonard movies—52 Pick-Up It was with great sadness I learned of Elmore Leonard's passing yesterday (Aug 20, 2013). In…
Movie reviews, tips for living and wildlife fashion through dirty dumb eyes
Interview—Lisa Hanawalt I came across Lisa Hanawalt's My Dirty Dumb Eyes (Drawn & Quarterly) in an Elliott Bay Company display. Every…
Obscure Canadian vocal-pop group featured actor Victor Garber
A one-page profile of '60s Canadian vocal-pop band The Sugar Shoppe.Continue readingObscure Canadian vocal-pop group featured actor Victor Garber
Rabbit at Rest is perfect vacation reading
John Updike's last in the Rabbit series packs as much punch today as it did 23 years ago.Continue readingRabbit at…
RIP Stompin’ Tom Connors, a proud Canadian
A bio-comic about Canadian singer Stompin' Tom Connors.Continue readingRIP Stompin’ Tom Connors, a proud Canadian
Going Clear
L. Ron Hubbard was a genius. (Yeah, right.)Continue readingGoing Clear
A publisher’s life, from inside a Chicago mansion’s panic room
A 1974 biography of the Playboy publisher offers a fascinating glimpse into publishing, the '60s and '70s, and some strange…
Hardboiled noir, creepy horror and voodoo chickens add up to a sensational suprise
A 1987 supernatural psychological thriller with Raymond Chandler elements, Mickey Rourke, Robert DeNiro and Lisa Bonet.Continue readingHardboiled noir, creepy horror…
Star 80
A 1983 movie starring Eric Roberts and Mariel Hemingway looks at the death of a playmate.Continue readingStar 80
Atlantic City – a strange co-production and an essential ’80s movie
A France-Canada co-production from 1980 starring Susan Sarandon and Burt Lancaster.Continue readingAtlantic City – a strange co-production and an essential…
The Best American Short Stories 2011
Review of book two of the 2013 project 52 Books.Continue readingThe Best American Short Stories 2011
‘It’s like an episode of The Love Boat’
The occasionally amusing Patton Oswalt on filming Blade: Trinity in Vancouver. Continue reading‘It’s like an episode of The Love Boat’
Building Stories is alt-comics cartoonist Chris Ware’s mainstream break-through
Interview—Chris Ware on 'Building Stories' Once in awhile, a graphic novel or other comics-related product appears that can't be ignored.…
Vancouver vocal trio makes an appearance in ‘book of raunch’
Vancouver band the Be Good Tanyas make an appearance in House of Holes.Continue readingVancouver vocal trio makes an appearance in…
Michael Chabon on Nicholas Meyer and Walter Tevis
An excerpt of an interview with Michael Chabon, author of Telegraph Avenue.Continue readingMichael Chabon on Nicholas Meyer and Walter Tevis
It’s always 1990 somewhere
A reunited Jane's Addiction touring in support of ball-gags, Dobel tequila and the buy-Dave-Navarro-a-shirt fund.Continue readingIt’s always 1990 somewhere
Chris Rock’s declaration of culture war elicits howl of rage
Chris Rock claims Grown Ups, his 2010 comedy with Adam Sandler, is better than The Artist, the winner of the…
New York Times describes Moxy Fruvous as ‘witty’
The paper interviews Purity Ring, calls Moxy Fruvous "witty". Continue readingNew York Times describes Moxy Fruvous as ‘witty’