Projections by Bruce Soderholm

Vol. 23, No. 25

Portrait of country codger gritty and authentic

In Crazy Heart, Scott Cooper's first feature film as writer and director, we're taken on a tour of the largely sordid personal space of an aging and fading country singing star, Bad Blake. T'ain't pretty.

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Artspace by Jenna Smith

Vol. 23, No. 25

Nigerian artist paints his passion

Yisa Akinbolaji could copyright the following phrase: You paint what you are. The Nigerian–born artist's works exude colour and meaning. He paints what he is passionate about, which is many things: people, the vulnerable and Africa to name a few. I was fortunate to speak with Akinbolaji.

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Wise Reader by David Daniels

Vol. 23, No. 24

Our duty to the public square

Contending for biblically-informed moral values can be daunting for Christians in Canada's public square where religious values are increasingly shoved to the sidelines—to the realm of the private. But as John Redekop, then professor at Wilfred Laurier University, said some years ago: "Christians have a stewardship responsibility to be engaged in the political process of democracies."

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Projections by Bruce Soderholm

Vol. 23, No. 24

Avatar depicts classic archetype in a fresh way

It's an entertainment juggernaut that shows no signs of slowing down: Avatar—a world apart and larger than life. As a box office phenomenon and multiple Oscar nominee, Avatar has passed beyond its cinematic boundaries to stake a claim in popular culture. And because of this prominence, it has been poked, prodded and perused for the measure of its message.

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Musical Routes by D.S. Martin

Vol. 23, No. 23

A sweet voice that won't lull you to sleep

Don't let the sweet voice fool you; there's nothing syrupy about Carolyn Arends. Her voice may be lilting, but lyrically she takes us deep into the darkness we've all experienced so that she may better show off the light. Many songs on Love Was Here First start in dark places, such as "Something Out of Us":

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Projections by Bruce Soderholm

Vol. 23, No. 22

Red carpet treatment can make you see red

The red carpet interview segment that launches media circuses such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards evokes a strong, yet mixed reaction in me. On the one hand, I love films, truly I do. I revel in the feeling that transpires when a film ends and I need to reorient myself to the movie theatre I'm in because I've been transported to another place. I also respect the talent of directors and actors who ply their craft with integrity in order to realize their artistic vision.

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Artspace by Jenna Smith

Vol. 23, No. 22

Drama in Gaza told through art

On December 27, 2008, Israeli forces entered Gaza and occupied it for 22 days. The operation resulted in the deaths of 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. To coincide with the one-year anniversary of the attack on Gaza, Canadians For Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) held a double event: a photo exhibit entitled Human Drama in Gaza, organized by the CJPME, and the opening of Rachel, a documentary about 23-year-old Rachel Corrie, an American idealist and activist crushed to death by a military bulldozer in Gaza in 2003. The exhibition and movie will be showing across Canada over the next year. Both works opened at Montreal's Cinema du Parc.

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Wise Reader by David Daniels

Vol. 23, No. 21

Counterpoints series helps Christians disagree agreeably

Though my decidedly fundamentalist upbringing as a King James-loving independent Baptist with a confident pretribulational dispensational persuasion encouraged me to unquestioningly accept what my elders taught me, I always wanted to know what the "other side" believed.

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Projections by Bruce Soderholm

Vol. 23, No. 20

Clooney brings odd dignity to quirky character

Up in the Air, Montreal-born director Jason Reitman's third feature film, is approaching lofty heights on critics' year-end lists while remaining firmly grounded in its subject matter. The film, based on Walter Kirn's novel, has the luxury of landing the very bankable George Clooney in the lead role. And he brings much more to this role than his iconic handsome face.

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Musical Routes by D.S. Martin

Vol. 23, No. 20

From shadow into the full sunlight

Should I admit I'm not a huge fan of live albums? Often they're echoes of better studio recordings, only released to stay in the public eye between more worthwhile projects.

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