blogTO | Posts by ellstar

blogTO | Posts by ellstar http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2008 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:00:53 PDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Radius and Helena Prove Massey Hall Ain't Just for Gordon Lightfoot Anymore If you're looking for an earful of music tonight, mixed with a dash of atmosphere at an unusual venue, swing on over to the highly anticipated CD release party for Toronto 'vintage sci-fi indie rock band' and overly-enthusiastic Battlestar Galactica fans, Radius and Helena.

The album in question is their first full length CD release and this whole shebang will be going down in the swanky Centuries Lounge which can be found in the basement of The Old Lady of Shuter Street herself, Massey Hall!

But before you go any further, you may want to catch up on our story thus far...

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/10/radius_and_helena_prove_massey_hall_aint_just_for_gordon_lightfoot_anymore http://www.blogto.com/music/2008/10/radius_and_helena_prove_massey_hall_aint_just_for_gordon_lightfoot_anymore Music Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:40:00 PDT Music Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-10-03T09:40:00 This Week in Film: October 3rd 2008 Sometimes when I'm choosing what films to write about for the upcoming week, I'm reminded that one of the beautiful things about film in Toronto is that we treat it as something more than simply popcorn entertainment.

The film medium has been used by activists and explorers, scholars and dictators throughout it's entire lifespan, and in this city we really know how to appreciate a compelling story with a dose of reality to it, or a documentary that will change your perspective on things and give you something to sink your teeth into.

These are the types of films I recommend this week. Well, that and a free suspense film, and some Japanese short films too.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/10/this_week_in_film_october_3rd_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/10/this_week_in_film_october_3rd_2008 Film Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:38:00 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-10-03T09:38:00 Toronto Japanese Short Film Festival Preview This October, there will be gardening, butchering, pop star idoling, porn star ogling and chainsaw maids a-chaining... basically a little bit of everything thanks to the Toronto Japanese Short Film Festival. Now in its 6th year of programming fantastic short selections from the land of the rising sun, the festival has screened over 130 films to over 5000 audience members with hopefully many more to come.

Divided into five programs, (all named after fruits!) the festival runs from October 7th-10th with every program screening twice, giving you more than enough chance to see all the films.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/10/toronto_japanese_short_film_festival_preview http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/10/toronto_japanese_short_film_festival_preview Film Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:21:29 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-10-02T13:21:29 This Week in Film: September 26th 2008 This week in film really kicks it up a notch, with yet another fantastic Free Friday Film, one last film screening under the stars, a documentary about who controls your food and what they do with it, a festival of films that are short and sweet, classic cinema offerings you have to see, for the first or dozenth time... and did I mention a funky forest?

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/this_week_in_film_september_26th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/this_week_in_film_september_26th_2008 Film Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:05:32 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-26T16:05:32 This Week in Film: September 19th 2008 The first week in film after the Toronto International Film Festival has an eerie, ghost-town quality to it. Basically it's quiet, a little too quiet. Some of the festival flicks are out already, such as Burn After Reading or The Duchess, but some of the best will probably be a long while to come. There are no other festivals to really speak of this week, and the local cinemas are keeping fairly quiet. Still, there are things to see, as always, in a city where the movie-goers keep prowling and the projectors never really stop rolling.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/this_week_in_film_september_19th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/this_week_in_film_september_19th_2008 Film Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:19:42 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-19T12:19:42 TIFF 2008 in Review It's been a few days since the Toronto International Film Festival packed up and already the city has returned, somewhat, to normalcy. The red carpets have been rolled up, the stars have left town, the schedule guides which littered the streets around Bay & Bloor, Yonge & Dundas and by Roy Thomson Hall have disappeared, and all we have left is our memories, and maybe a complaint or two. While we've reviewed many of the films at TIFF this year, why not review the major complaints and changes at this year's festival?

]]> http://www.blogto.com/toronto_film_festival_2008/2008/09/tiff_2008_in_review http://www.blogto.com/toronto_film_festival_2008/2008/09/tiff_2008_in_review Toronto Film Festival 2008 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:41:28 PDT Toronto Film Festival 2008 Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-17T13:41:28 Sandwich Box Location Slips Into the Deadpool Just to make things clear, this isn't exactly breaking news for the Dead Pool, as this closure occurred over two weeks ago and to a franchise with other locations, but here goes! It seems that after a disagreement with landlords over issues such as the overall cleanliness of the market and, oh, heating, the St. Patrick's Market location of Sandwich Box, has been forced to close up shop. Here's the notice they left for their customers:

]]> http://www.blogto.com/deadpool/2008/09/sandwich_box_location_slips_into_the_deadpool http://www.blogto.com/deadpool/2008/09/sandwich_box_location_slips_into_the_deadpool Deadpool Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:59:47 PDT Deadpool Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-16T16:59:47 TIFF Reviewed: Part Six The dreaded Wednesday of the Toronto International Film Festival is usually the day when festival-goers (such as myself) hit the proverbial 'wall' due to a disturbing lack of sleep, unhealthy food, over-reliance on caffeine and the like. This usually results in sleeping during or through screenings, getting impatient in line or foregoing films all together. I decided on the latter and took Wednesday off to collect my thoughts about some of the thirteen films I've seen so far.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/tiff_reviewed_part_six http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/09/tiff_reviewed_part_six Film Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:13:59 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-11T13:13:59 TIFF: Reviewed - Part Four It's the afternoon of the fourth day of the festival and with five films down and at least a dozen to go, I'm already tired. I'm attempting to see films every day while working long days, which leaves very little time for sleep, healthy food, and friends. But my situation is not uncommon; depending on who you talk to, seeing 5 films by this point is more than most but much less than some. I stand in awe of those managing the Festival Package of 50 films, or the Festival "Lite" of 30. I don't think I'd be able to handle that much cinema even if I were logistically able to.

Regardless, I've had good luck so far. Read further for mini-reviews of Treeless Mountain, All Around Us, and Sauna.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/toronto_film_festival_2008/2008/09/tiff_reviewed_part_four http://www.blogto.com/toronto_film_festival_2008/2008/09/tiff_reviewed_part_four Toronto Film Festival 2008 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:17:16 PDT Toronto Film Festival 2008 Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-09-08T10:17:16 This Week in Film: August 28th 2008 It has become increasingly difficult to concentrate on films lately, that is, films that aren't a part of the Toronto International Film Festival which opens exactly a week today. During that time period, This Week in Film will take a hiatus, but there will be more than enough coverage to keep cinephiles informed and aware of everything taking place at the festival. For this week however? We get to sift through the cast-offs in terms of summer releases, mixed with some excellent long weekend programming by our hard working alternative cinemas.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_28th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_28th_2008 Film Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:39:19 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-28T16:39:19 This Week in Film: August 14th 2008 This week in film definitely runs the gamut in terms of variety and diversity. We've got an independent Aboriginal-Canadian feature film, shot in 17 days and for a shoestring budget of $25,000, but we also have a documentary about the seedy underbelly of Bollywood, an action-packed screening with some mean green turtles, a romantic romp about lovers in a tumultuous time and...Spaceballs.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_14th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_14th_2008 Film Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:15:00 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-14T13:15:00 Fake Prom 2008: Out of This World Everybody remembers prom in high school, whether you attended it with sweaty palms, wondering if you'd get lucky afterward, or were too cool and only attended the after-party, or even if you just grimaced at the idea and stayed home with a good book. But whether you loved it or hated it, here's a chance to relive the experience now that you are older, wiser and probably wear better clothes.

Fake Prom has been a Toronto staple on the social scene for six years now and the wildly successful dance party is a 19 plus romp of nostalgia, fashion, music and more. Envisioned by Dylan Reibling, the event has outgrown venues such as Sneaky Dee's, the Gladstone Ballroom, Lee's Palace/Dance Cave and graduated just last year to the gorgeous Palais Royale. I spoke to "Superintendent" Reibling and asked for some of his favourite Fake Prom memories and why he promises that this year will really be out of this world.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/fake_prom_2008_out_of_this_world http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/fake_prom_2008_out_of_this_world City Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:00:00 PDT City Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-12T13:00:00 This Week in Film: August 7th 2008 This Week in Film returns to a comfortable weekday slot, giving you more than enough time to plan your upcoming weekend of movie-going accordingly! Blockbusters this week are slim pickings, between yet another stoner film with Pineapple Express, and overly perky sequel Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: Isn't that a Gossip Girl? Luckily the alternative cinemas in the city make up for what the Cineplexes will lack this week.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_7th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_7th_2008 Film Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:00:00 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-08T10:00:00 Beerfest 2008 Begins When I say Beer Fest, I don't mean the 2006 film starring Jay Chandrasekhar, I'm talking about a Toronto summer tradition for fans of the hops, the Beerlicious Festival at Historic Fort York. Running from Thursday August 7th with the Bowman's Ball, through sold-out dates on Friday and Saturday and ending on Sunday August 10th, this marks the 13th year for the festival and they don't seem the least bit concerned with that superstitious number!

This year, to add some spice for Beerlicious regulars, Thursdays' Bowman's Ball kick-off event has a special guest component, a performance by the British ska band, The English Beat. What better way to start the festival than with some beer and a good round of Mirror in the Bathroom?

The breweries represented at Beerlicious have always run the gamut from frat-friendly, to award winners from all across the globe. For example, in one corner you'll have Red Stripe providing fest-goers with funky straw hats, or Coors giving away foam funnies, while in the other you'll have brewmasters explaining the process in creating masterpieces such as the Belgian beauty Duvel or the unique, oak-aged perfection of an Innis and Gunn.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/beerfest_2008_begins http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/08/beerfest_2008_begins City Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:04:30 PDT City Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-06T12:04:30 This Week in Film: August 4th 2008 This Civic Holiday edition of This Week in Film is brought to you by the combined and awesome forces of Caribana and Lord Simcoe Day, so kick back and do what I do, enjoy the aftermath of the long weekend with some popcorn and a movie. Whether you prefer a real life version of a John Hughes movie, German art films, swashbuckling pirate romance films or maudlin vacations in Venice, we've got it all. Special added weekend bonus; an informal quiz about how you enjoy reading this column.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_4th_2008 http://www.blogto.com/film/2008/08/this_week_in_film_august_4th_2008 Film Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:28:12 PDT Film Danielle D'Ornellas 2008-08-04T19:28:12