July 1-12, Toronto – When reading through a list of the 140-odd theatre productions at this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival, certain titles jump out at you: Killing Kevin Spacey, The Art of Being a Bastard, and Fucking Stephen Harper: How I Sexually Assaulted the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada and Where It Got Me. However, none of these are as intriging as Dracula in a Time of Climate Change.
Interview: Joaquin Phoenix
raps about Two Lovers
Four months ago, when Joaquin Phoenix announced to the world that he was trading in his successful film career for the rhythms and rhymes of the rap/hip-hop world, most Hollywood insiders (and many of his fans) thought it was a hoax or an elaborate joke. But, after a few rocky club gigs, a televised exchange of hostile words with David Letterman about his decision, and after secluding himself in recording studios, it appears as if “JP” (as he wants to be known as these days) is well on his way to becoming a full-fledged rapper working on bumping up his street cred.
In this conversation with Earl Dittman, Phoenix talks openly about his decision to leave films, his ensuing music career, and the media’s response to his unpredictable behaviour. Plus: this week’s DVDs and Blu-rays, all after the jump.
The DRIVEN Calendar, “Soon”:
The Festival de Lanaudière
July 4-August 2, Joliette — The Festival de Lanaudière is an annual, month-long classical and orchestral music festival held in Joliette, Quebec which is located approximately 70 km northeast of downtown Montreal. This Saturday, the festival will be celebrating it’s 32nd anniversary and growth into one of the biggest and most reputable music festivals in Quebec.
Scent review: ISOS by Farmacia SS. Annunziata
Any perfume house that traces its recipes back to a 16th century chemist can probably boast a fair bit of knowledge when it comes to developing timeless fragrances. Despite this storied past — not to mention its centuries of built-in R&D — Farmacia SS. Annunziata of Florence, Italy is woefully under-appreciated in North America.
This year, its perfumers set out to change that, expanding on their line of classic scents with ISOS, a men’s fragrance notable mostly for its bracing, pepper-loaded top notes which elevate that spice to dizzying heights.
Interview: Shia LaBoeouf, Michael Bay and the cast of
Transformers: ROTF
Director Michael Bay and actors Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Ramon Rodriguez and Kevin Dunn reveal all the blood, sweat and fun that went into making the sequel to the sci-fi action/adventure blockbuster.
Discover which 44th president of what country called Michael Bay a “big-ass director,” whether girls like to watch robots smash things, and which TF2 star may have volunteered to give Optimus Prime a steamy car wash, all after the jump.
Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell) turns 106
Renowned political writer Eric Arthur Blair (better known by his pseudonym George Orwell) would be celebrating his 106th birthday Thursday, over half a century after his untimely death at 46. Blair is best known for his uncompromising social commentary on justice and totalitarianism through his dystopian novels Nineteen Eighty-Four and post-war satire Animal Farm. Inadvertantly, he also provided lesser social critics and lazy writers with their favourite anti-government epithet: “Orwellian.”
Beyond his influential work as a novelist, Blair was also a celebrated essayist. My favourite essay of his, “Shooting An Elephant”, can be read in full here.
Movie Review:
Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison
When Johnny Cash walked onstage at Folsom Prison in January 1968, nobody applauded. All of the inmates in the crowded dining hall were told to stay silent until Cash spoke the infamous opening words of what would become one of the most successful live albums of all time: “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.” Then the dining hall erupted.
Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison is a documentary that made its Canadian Premiere at the annual North by Northeast festival last weekend in Toronto. The film’s goal is to reveal the richer, untold stories surrounding Cash’s famed performance.
Interview: Steve Martin on comedy
For Steve Martin, the elder (if not yet elderly) statesman of comedy, returning to the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther 2 was inevitable. “With such a great part like Clouseau, you’re constantly wanting to come up with funnier and funnier bits to do,” the stand-up comedian, actor, writer and banjoist admits. “You can go anywhere with a character like this. That’s why he has lasted so long.”
The still wild-and-crazy Martin, who has hosted Saturday Night Live a record number of times, talks to Earl Dittman about returning the role of Clouseau, finding a love interest in PP2, doing his own stunts in the comedy sequel and working with Jean Reno and old friend Lilly Tomlin. Additionally, Steve gives his views on comedy, banjo music, Charle Chaplin and the challenges of writing one’s life story. All this plus this week’s DVDs and Blu-Rays, after the jump.
Review: GEOX Protech and Fusion golf shoes stay a step ahead
I usually like to think of something positive to say whether I am talkng about a person or a product – which is, I suppose, a dangerous statement to start any review with. That being said, the Italian-based GEOX shoe company has entered the golf shoe business this year, incorporating its Net System Technology which it claims evenly distributes heat throughout the foot. After playing five rounds in a variety of conditions, I am happy to report that there is nary a damp sock to be found. The shoe kept out the rain on the most inclement days and my feet didn’t sweat on the warmest.
Interview: Cameron Diaz
With her long, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, casually outfitted in a green shirt and black jeans and sipping on a Grande from a large Starbucks thermo, the lovely, 36-year-old, Hollywood superstar Cameron Diaz (a second generation Cuban-American) explains what it felt like playing a mom in her new film, the tearjerker My Sister’s Keeper, Directed by Nick Cassavettes.
Cam (as she is known to her friends) offers up her own thoughts about cancer, cloning, her career, stardom and fame and the plot of her next film, the thriller The Box.
