Magazine

Independent, provocative, now! The CJLO Magazine is the resource for features, reviews, and interviews. Established in 2004, and run by dedicated CJLO volunteers, the magazine covers the latest and best in local and international music, art, theatre, film, festivals, and more!

'Tangerine': An artificial Christmas in July

July 20 2015 // Remi Caron-Liss // Film

Sean Baker's Tangerine is an independent film shot entirely on three separate iPhone 5 cameras. It follows the lives of various communities living in Los Angeles for 24 hours on Christmas Eve. The only glimpse of artificial nature in this film is the idea of Christmas in LA, which is a reoccurring theme. There are strong character investments as they go about their daily lives that can be compared to an entertaining train wreck of a Jerry Springer or Maury Povich episode. Set to a score that sounds as if Tangerine Dream were placed in a blender with Skrillex.

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What to look forward to at this year's Fantasia Film Festival

July 15 2015 // Remi Caron-Liss // Film

Last year was my first Fantasia film festival, and this year I feel honoured to be covering the festival for CJLO. The Festival boasts 135 feature films and 300 short films, from a total of 36 different countries. It can take an entire day to read through every synopsis, as well screen the trailers. The Fantasia Film festival has something to offer every cinephile from July 14- August 4.

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Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of The Grateful Dead

July 13 2015 // Robert Portnoff // Magazine // Concert Reviews

The Cineplex movie theatre at the AMC Forum 22 was filled with Deadheads on Sunday, July 5th for the simulcast of The Grateful Dead concert in Chicago. The sixty or so fans were joining, if not in person then in spirit, with the 71,000 in attendance at Soldier Field for the final night of the Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of The Grateful Dead tour.

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Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, The Man Behind the Music

July 8 2015 // Remi Caron-Liss // Film

I am not the biggest Nirvana fan but Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck hits all the right notes, and takes you on an emotional roller coaster. The perfect documentary must inform, entertain, enlighten and possibly move the audience. The documentary is the most authentic and intimate portrait of not only the band Nirvana, but also the frontman Kurt Cobain: it is one of the best films of the year so far.

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'Unfriended' not your typical found footage film

July 7 2015 // Remi Caron-Liss // Film

It seems this day in age the horror genre gets generic after a while, with the same found footage and that thuds to make the decibel levels jump. Unfriended is different from the counterpart horror films in two ways. The first is that it takes place entirely on a computer screen, and secondly this horror teen thriller tackles the touchy subject of suicide and bullying patterns, that is a present problem that teenagers in our society are encountering. Unfriended is rated 13 + for subject matter, violence, scenes of horror and scenes of sensuality. This cyber natural thriller is directed by Russian director Levan Gabriadze.

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Joining the Movement : A recap of AIM's debut weekend

July 3 2015 // Thinkbox // Magazine // Features

How do you start a movement? I'm not sure, but the organizers and DJs of the first ever Art Innovation Movement festival - or AIM - sure know how.

The inaugural edition of AIM ended just a few days ago - and I'm still wishing it hadn't. My goal in attending the festival was to see if I would be able to find the beauty of house and techno music. As someone who got their start in trance and dubstep, I got to the festival with my nose up in the air, and left with my feet in the dirt; humbled by the weekend's beautiful sound and experiences.

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FRINGE 2015: A conversation with Choses Sauvages

July 3 2015 // Frantz-Patrice Séïde Cameau // Magazine // Features

On Thursday night June 20th, two bands performed at le Divan Orange during the homestretch of the Music at the Fringe Festival series.

The bombastic Mehdi Cayenne Club opened at 10. Mehdi, the lead singer of the band with a happy-go-lucky personality, added some extra spice to their already explosive musical set.

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FRINGE 2015: Fringe Tunes – Mozart's Sister

June 29 2015 // Joana Cumo // Magazine // Features

June 19th. It was the last Friday night of the Fringe Fest.

On the streets of Montreal’s Plateau neighborhood, flocks of cheerful and light-hearted people were meandering from one venue to another hoping to witness their favourite theatre show.

Amidst all of the commotion, I was dashing through the crowded streets to reach my destination when a silhouette – much like a ghost – walked right past me and evaporated into thin air as quickly as it had passed through the doors of le Divan Orange..

Completely unfazed by the unusual yet underwhelming apparition, I continued to walk towards my own finish line.

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FRINGE 2015: Is This Pretentious?

June 26 2015 // Danilo Bulatovic // Magazine // Features

Team Greco’s play Is this Pretentious? borrows the conventions of a well-loved reoccurring comedy sketch in a late night variety show, à la Saturday Night Live.

The bare bones set, the larger than life foil characters, and the line deliveries that keep character interactions feeling semi-improvisational, are all defining features of this short, and conceptually strong show.