Julie Finley: Best Of 2016

Published on January 6th, 2017 in: Best Of Lists, Culture Shock, Movies, Music, TV |

By Julie Finley

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Photo of Reykjavik, Iceland © Julie Finley

This year was unbearable in so many ways it is hard to even compute mentally. Too much LOSS! I am not going to go off on a tangent about what was bad; if you lived through this year, you know how bad it was!

Despite so many mishaps, there were actually some things I enjoyed this year. I decided to divide these up by cultural experiences, music releases, TV shows, and movies.
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In Case You Missed It: April 10 – 16, 2016–Bloody Knives and The Boob Tube

Published on April 16th, 2016 in: Blu-Ray, Feminism, Gaming, LGBTQ, Magick, Movies, Music, TV |

By Less Lee Moore

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Congratulations to Rue Morgue Magazine for winning the RONDO AWARD for Best Magazine. What are the Rondo Hatton Awards?

“The Rondo awards, named after Rondo Hatton, an obscure B-movie villain of the 1940s, recognize the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year’s e-mail vote, conducted by the Classic Horror Film Board, an 18-year old online community, drew a record of more than 3,400 votes as fans chose among 35 categories.”

Well done, Rue Morgue!

If you’re looking for some new music this week, might we suggest checking out Popshifter’s exclusive stream of Bloody Knives’ I Will Cut Your Heart Out For This, which dropped on April 15? It’s shoegaze, it’s goth, it’s got gorgeous vocals, and it’s loud as hell.

Also on the new music list is a live album from Professor Longhair recorded in 1976, the Nigerian music compilation Wake You Up! Volume 1, and eccentric pop singer Dinner’s Psychic Lovers. Meanwhile, on the Everything Is Scary blog, I discuss how Manchester duo Demdike Stare’s collages of sound and imagery provoke responses akin to nightmares.

Have you ever heard of Clela Rorex? She issued the first gay marriage license in Boulder, CO in 1975, thus helping to chip away at bigotry and homophobia.

Matt Keeley at Unicorn Booty discusses, in detail, how the recent trans episode of Powerpuff Girls is actually transphobic. But on the other hand, there’s also a heartwarming post about how Rihanna helped one of her gay fans come out. With all the news of homophobic celebs, it’s nice to read something positive.

In further TV news, Tyler Hodg has finished Season 10 of Trailer Park Boys on Netflix. Despite being mostly disappointed with this season, he thinks that the finale was excellent and might even make you cry, in addition to paving the way for an even better Season 11.

Laury Scarbro is equally smitten with the most recent episodes of Outsiders and Sachin Hingoo feels much the same about Broad City. Speaking of Broad City, Sachin has a preview of the upcoming mini-series Time Traveling Bong, starring Ilana Glazer and Paul W. Downs. Rue Morgue gives Tom Noonan, who stars in the SyFy TV version of 12 Monkeys, the “Sinister Seven” and Biff Bam Pop recaps the premiere episode of Season 4 of Orphan Black!

In the mood for gaming? Although Tim Ford at Everything As Scary thinks Don’t Starve: Shipwrecked is less scary than its predecessor, he still gives it a fair shake.

There is much to discuss on the movie front. The casting of Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming film adaptation of Japanese Manga Ghost in the Shell has many crying “whitewashing” (and for good reason). Jeffery X Martin looks at the Death Walks Twice Giallo box set from Arrow, I am gravely disappointed in new horror flick 13 Cameras, and Women and Hollywood has a list of women-centric films playing near you this week.

Finally, if you haven’t heard of Doreen Valiente, that should change. This VICE article points out that this mother of modern witchcraft was also a pro-choice spy.

TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E10, “Looks Like The Liquor Wins”

Published on April 15th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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The final episode of Trailer Park Boys Season 10 delivers big laughs and heart, and may just make you want to cry. Yes, cry.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E09, “Thugged Out Gangsta Sh*t”

Published on April 14th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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Anyone who knows Trailer Park Boys knows that the second-last episode of any given season is the most action-packed. In the latest installment, it is no different as Julian’s plan to save the park fails, the celebrity guest stars head out of town, and Lahey falls so far off the wagon that he shoots Ricky, essentially killing him.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E08, “The Super Bling Cowboy”

Published on April 13th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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Money for sex, an undeniable appetite for delicious Mexican cuisine, and a star-studded performance at a local legion hall: all brought to you by “The Super Bling Cowboy,” the eighth episode of the latest season of Trailer Park Boys.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E07, “Up In Smoke We Go”

Published on April 12th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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Celebrities pile into Sunnyvale—er, Munnyvale—in the seventh episode of the tenth season, aptly titled “Up In Smoke We Go.” Wondering which well-known actors and musicians make an appearance? Hint: you won’t be that surprised.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E06, “All the F**king Dope You Can Smoke!”

Published on April 11th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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The humor of Trailer Park Boys revolves around insane situations depicted in semi-realistic ways. Yet in “All the F**king Dope You Can Smoke!” the show jumps the shark one too many times for it to be funny or believable.

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In Case You Missed It: April 3 – April 9, 2016–Feminism, Iggy In Furs & Negan

Published on April 10th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Concert Reviews, Current Faves, Feminism, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Music Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Less Lee Moore

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Photo credit: Loma Vista

Hey, have you seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice yet? Did the onslaught of haterade scare you away? Read Tim Murr’s review and reconsider your negativity, man.

Lots of MRA types have been guzzling the haterade after watching the trailer for Star Wars: Rogue One. Here, Film School Rejects praises the oft-misunderstood “Mary Sue” qualities of the trailer, and many other movies. At Rue Morgue, Alex West gives Scream’s Gale Weathers some long overdue credit in “The Final Girl Chronicles.”

Is that too much feminism for you? Too bad. A new infographic proves Hollywood is still a boys’ club. If that didn’t convince you, here are two words: corpse boobs.

There are a lot of blockbusters and superheroes getting (deserved) attention these days, but sometimes you want something with fewer explosions. So if Canadian film Sleeping Giant is playing near you, please go see it. It’s a low-key but emotionally riveting film.

Meanwhile, on TV, Tyler Hodg is reviewing the tenth season of Trailer Park Boys on Netflix. I recapped the shocking season six finale of The Walking Dead, but Laury Scarbro (Yay! Welcome back!) has even more thoughts and feelings about it.

Two killer episodes of Lucha Underground and one (hilarious, natch) episode of Broad City are dissected by Sachin Hingoo and then… we try something completely different. Anime n00b Tyler tackles Brotherhoood Final Fantasy XV, currently watchable on YouTube.

Oh Iggy Pop. Where would my life be without you and your music? I attempt to explain in my concert review from the April 9 show at Toronto’s Sony Centre. Iggy and David Bowie go together like well, peanut butter and chocolate, so here are five times that David Bowie literally helped save the world. (I never get sick of talking about David Bowie.)

MOAR MUSIC! Melissa Bratcher talks about how Janiva Magness’s new album Love Wins Again made her cry and wonders if The Lumineers are doing OK. Brian Baker rides the waves with Shark Toys’ Outsider Sect LP, and Tim Murr goes full metal with Graves At Sea, Tombs, and the folk-metal stylings of Kralthazar.

There’s still so much more going on in music and Unicorn Booty knows you need the info. This week’s “Now Hear This!” dishes on Beyonce, funny feminists, Snoop Dogg and Janet Jackson, and the sad struggles of Ke$sha.

Until next time, Popshifter fans!

TV Review: Trailer Park Boys, S10 E05, “If You Don’t Believe It It’s Not Real”

Published on April 7th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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After watching “If You Don’t Believe It, It’s Not Real,” it becomes apparent that Season 10 is a slow burn, hopefully one with a large payoff.

The fifth episode has the boys heading out on another job (for those who are counting, this is job number five). The danger attached to each attempt at fast cash is growing exponentially, and the latest hits a new peak.

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TV Review: Trailer Park Boys S10 E04, “Sh*t Covered Cave Teeth”

Published on April 6th, 2016 in: Canadian Content, Comedy, Current Faves, Netflix Reviews, Reviews, TV, TV Reviews |

By Tyler Hodg

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The boys are at their greasiest in Season 10 thus far, and it only took four episodes to get there. With the two jobs from the previous installment resulting in no cash, the core three, with J-Roc and T, head to the Denture King dental office to steal anything they can.

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