Mortal Kombat II combines fatalities and forgettabilityIn 1992, the world was blessed with Mortal Kombat on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo systems. At the time, this hyper-violent beat-’em-up played into growing fears of the burgeoning video-game industry, which was considered the means by which children would become shiftless degenerates and serial killers. This was on every news station and was […] Continue Reading |
Will Ferguson delivers successful new collection of essaysMeanwhile, Back in Nokomis: Tales from Canada and Elsewhere by Will Ferguson is a witty, reflective, and distinctly Canadian collection of essays that blends travel writing, memoir, cultural commentary, and humour. Ferguson began this book as a way to compile essays that went unused in his career as a travel writer and then filled in […] Continue Reading |
New anthology weaves hope into cinematic warningsAt a time when global tensions feel immeasurably high, it’s easy to lose grip on environmental values. We cling to our peers and neglect the surroundings we call home, which ultimately bleeds onto the smallest creatures that exist around us. Nadja Lubiw-Hazard reaches for this tendency and offers it a long hug. While The Life […] Continue Reading |
New exhibit showcases rare traditional Japanese worksA new exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV), From Brush to Block, will be showcasing a rare, unique collection of traditional Japanese works. The exhibit will feature art by Meiji-era (1868-1912) artists Kono Bairei and Imao Keinen, who are known for their usage of the Kacho-e style during this period in Japanese […] Continue Reading |
Casey and Diana compelling but inconsistentCasey and Diana by University of Victoria grad Nick Green explores the lives of men living with AIDS in a hospice home as they explore community and search for dignity in their final days. Centred around the anticipated visit of Princess Diana, the men grapple with the knowledge that they will likely die in the […] Continue Reading |
The Mummy reboot dead on arrivalLee Cronin’s The Mummy is a cold reboot to The Mummy franchise, which ditches the swashbuckling archaeological adventure for an ordinary, mundane family. The father, Charlie, is an American journalist living in Cairo, Egypt, with his wife Larissa and their young son and daughter. The daughter, Katie, is soon abducted by what seems to be […] Continue Reading |
Orpheus & Eurydice creative take on Greek tragedyIn Greek mythology, the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is a classic tragedy of conflicting desires. The story is simple: Eurydice falls ill and dies, and her lover Orpheus is beside himself with grief. He travels to the underworld to beseech Hades to return her to him. Hades agrees, on the single condition that Orpheus […] Continue Reading |
Daughter of Egypt informative and beautifully written historical fictionPulling from the pages of recorded history and seamlessly blending facts with a fictional story, Marie Benedict brings the past to life in Daughter of Egypt. Benedict tells the story of two extraordinary women in this dual-timeline novel that delves into the world of ancient Egypt, archaeology, and the role of women in days gone […] Continue Reading |
Scream 7 another tortured regurgitationAn enduring axiom of Hollywood is that it’s terrified of originality. If a franchise is successful, they’ll clone it until it’s a gibbering, mutated Brundlefly begging to be put out of its misery. The Scream series limped into theatres in 1996, a mediocre film about a senseless murderer who randomly kills high-school students, terrorizing them […] Continue Reading |
Cancer Bats keep hardcore punk community spirit aliveToronto hardcore punk veterans Cancer Bats are heading back on the road, and Victoria is on the map. For a band that has spent two decades touring the world—and are currently on a run celebrating 20 years of debut album Birthing the Giant—the excitement of playing live still hasn’t worn off. “We’ve had moments in […] Continue Reading |
