The opening scene of David Lynch’s Wild at Heart provides an effective template for the rest of the film and – it could be said – for the following two decades of his career. It opens with jazz music, a pan across the ceiling of an opulent casino, and the title card “Cape Fear: Somewhere Near the Border of North and South Carolina.” Sailor (Nicolas Cage) walks into frame, kisses Lula (Laura Dern), and then they both walk down a large set of stairs to leave. Another man calls Sailor’s name and they engage in a terse exchange of dialogue. The man accuses Sailor of trying fuck Lula’s mother in the toilet. The man pulls a knife, the jazz stops and is replaced by heavy metal. Sailor smashes the man’s head against a wooden railing and then throws him down the stairs and smashes his head against the marble floor, spilling blood everywhere. The jazz returns. Sailor, covered in blood, lights a cigarette and points a threatening finger at Marietta, Lula’s mother.

Within this two minute scene, the audience witnesses Lynch’s nostalgia for the iconography of 1950s Americana, as well as his penchant to punctuate that nostalgia with deeply unpleasant depictions of violence. The extravagant image of an early 19^th Century casino, the lack of a specific location, and Laura Dern’s hair all suggest an America that no longer exists (with “Cape Fear” possibly acting as a reference to the 1962 film of that name – a noir-esque thriller dealing with rape and sexual predation in a unusually frank manner). This is a technique Lynch will return to many times – the superficial image of the morally upright Production Code era America problematized by moments of violence and sexual depravity.

In Wild at Heart, the iconography at play is that of American road movies – empty desert roads, gas stations manned by genial African-Americans, and an episodic look at the eccentric characters they run into along the way. But the other icon used is that of Elvis Presley. Sailor is a character inspired by Elvis, and Nic Cage lip-syncs not one, but two Presley songs in the film (because it’s awesome, and because Lynch loves moments where characters sing 50s pop songs for no logical reason). In a recent online chat with fans at Empire, Cage had this to say about the role:

Wild At Heart was more my “Andy Warhol performance” than my Elvis performance, and what I mean by that is that – and I have to go back to a book by Stanislavsky called “An Actor Prepares” here – where he put forth the rule that you must never imitate anybody while acting, which I understand, but rules are made to be broken. And I wanted to put this to the test. So I thought about Andy Warhol, and how he in his art would take pop icons and make poster art pieces with these famous faces. Having also been a believer in art synthesis – in other words, what you can do in one form, you can do in another – I was excited by the idea of breaking Stanislavsky’s rule and give an Andy Warhol performance by overlaying Elvis’s aura on the film Wild At Heart.

As it turns out, this interpretation of Sailor is perfect. In one of the most oft-quoted lines of the film, Sailor, referring to the unique snake skin jacket he wears throughout the film, asks Lula “Did I ever tell you that this here jacket represents a symbol of my individuality, and my belief in personal freedom?” He talks and acts with the swagger of a distinctly American individual, yet that individual is an icon of another era. Sailor’s individuality and personal freedom realizes itself not through originality, but through pastiche. Further problematizing his supposedly rebellious spirit is his longing to settle down with Lula and make a family, a surprisingly conformist attitude for someone like Sailor.

Wild at Heart is a film that attempts to explore the problems of social individuality and conformity. In his previous feature, he explored the characteristics of small town America, and pushed inward through cracks to find rampant sexual repression and misogyny hidden within the facade of a peaceful conservative community. In Wild at Heart, Lynch explores the Hollywood-created mythology of the romantic outsider and reveals that in certain ways, Sailor is just like everyone else.

If I had to sum up what most stories are about in one word, it would be “underdogs.” Ultimately we go to the movies for a chance to see the unlikely succeed, as this is a fantasy rarely realized in real life. As far as real life underdogs go, they don’t get much lower than the Canadian feature film. This is why anytime one manages to get financed, completed and then actually distributed, those of us concerned with this kind of thing watch with trepidation because we know that a Canadian film getting a second week in theatres is like an amateur boxer making it to round two against the champ. This makes Moon Point an underdog story in every sense, and while it struggles in places, it ultimately succeeds, at least on the fluffy entertainment level.

Our protagonist is Darryl, a 23 year-old underachiever with the meanest family on earth. Determined to prove he can get a date for his cousin’s wedding, Darryl sees a call for extras in a B-horror film starring his childhood crush as a chance at redemption. To do this he has to travel several towns over to a place called Moon Point, and with no other mode of transportation, Darryl literally hitches his wagon to his only friend’s electric wheelchair.  Perhaps my favourite aspect of this film is the idea of it being about the world’s slowest road trip, as it takes them days to cover what somebody with a car could have done in a couple hours. They quickly acquire the damsel in distress from the side of the road whom we know will ultimately come between them at some point.

While these three fresh faces do an acceptable job throughout the film, particularly Nick McKinlay in the lead, it’s the crazies they meet along the way that provide most of the laughs. The supporting cast is made up of an ensemble of Canadian talent whose names you likely wouldn’t recognize, (Art Hindle, Jayne Eastwood, Linda Kash, Laurie Elliott, Jessica Holmes, Christian Potenza, James Hartnett, anyone? Bueller?), their faces however have become familiar from dozens of commercials and comedy specials.

The writer commented that he was trying to capture the feeling of some of the John Hughes films he loved as a teenager, but I didn’t really get that vibe from Moon Point. The road trip aspect of it combined with the sometimes-too-broad humour reminded me more of a Farrelly brothers film, while the sugary ‘twee’ touches over-sentimentalized other parts. Needless to say there were several uneven tonal shifts, primarily caused by too much make-up/ break-up drama between the three main characters.

Unfortunately, like most real-life underdogs, this film will not overcome the odds and break into the mainstream, but at least first time distributor IndieCan is giving it a chance to be seen by some, most of whom I’m sure will get a kick out of at least a few parts, and that puts this one in the plus category of Canadian movies. It’s cuteness and romantic elements are well timed for Valentine’s Day and the holiday’s imagery is sprinkled throughout, let’s just hope Moon Point can still be seen by the time February 14^th comes around, otherwise all of the above becomes a moot point.

Julie Doiron has been a familiar name within the Canadian indie folk-rock scenes for decades. Since forming Eric’s Trip in 1990 in Moncton, her modest and cute demeanor paired with her songwriting talents have been captivating her audiences for years, especially after nine solo albums and plenty of collaborations.

Though she’s clearly left her mark in New Brunswick (and even in Saskatchewan where the town of Bruno has declared Julie Doiron day for June 7), Doiron moved to Toronto about a year ago, and it has quickly become a positive scene for her musically. She doesn’t play often, but when she does, they are bigger shows at the Horseshoe. So when she decided to do a residency every Thursday night this month at newly liquor licensed Saving Gigi, it sent a bit of a jolt through her Toronto fan base. With only 25 seats and tickets available Friday mornings from the venue, Doiron’s shows have become so in-demand and fun that she’s decided to extend the residency to once or twice a month for the future. It’s a nice treat for music lovers in Toronto, and it even pays the artist back, as Doiron has picked up shifts working there.

In this interview with Doiron the afternoon before her second show, we discuss her residency, living in Toronto, working on her next album and connecting with her audience.

Dork Shelf: How has the residency been so far?

Julie Doiron: So far it’s been great. Last week was with Daniel Romano, and it was really fun. It was really low-key and pretty relaxed. I know Dan pretty well. I think at the end, when people asked me how it was, it was great, but it’s kind of a whirlwind for me too because I had never really planned anything like this before or realistically hosted people like that with this idea and setting. Tamara of The Weather Station, who is my guest tonight, we rehearsed all day yesterday and today so I think it’s going to be really good. She’s wonderful, a beautiful singer and songwriter so it’s going to be nice.

DS: It’s kind of a routine you’ve got to get yourself into, right?

JD: Totally! It’s interesting because it’s one thing to do your thing and know your songs but then to do a set together is out of your comfort zone, you have to come up with something good and accompany someone and it’s a good test for me for sure.

DS: Do you have planned who is going to be joining you in the future?

JD: Yeah but we’re not announcing any of the guests until the tickets go on sale. For this month it’s every week and after, I’m going to do it like once or twice a month. So either every other week or once a month, I’m not sure.

DS: What made you want to do it at Saving Gigi?

JD: I had been hanging out there quite a bit when they were still a café and then they started brainstorming because they were on the verge of getting their liquor license, which they had been trying to get for a long time. So we brainstormed the idea of me doing the residency there. It’s a celebration of their new hours, them being open later in the night and having their liquor license so I just thought it could be something I could do to help get the word out. I love them, they’re really great to me. I go there a lot.

DS: So is it like your hangout spot in the city now?

JD: Yeah, I just live nearby so it’s a place I go to quite a bit.

DS: What’s it like being a musician in Toronto now?

JD: I really love it here. Of course it’s really hectic because I don’t have a job so I haven’t been playing enough shows. Obviously the living expenses were more than I was used to but I’m getting it together. Oddly enough, Saving Gigi just hired me to work a few nights a week. I love it here, I really do. As a musician, so many friends of mine who are musicians live here, so it’s really cool in that way too. It’s really easy to be able to get together with people.

DS: Where are your favourite places to go and play?

JD: I haven’t really been playing that much here. I play at the Horseshoe a lot but those are bigger shows. I just recently started going to an open mic night at the Tranzac on Mondays. I teach yoga literally around the corner so now I just pop over there and do two songs. That’s fun. I haven’t been out in a while, but I have been known to go to Ronnie’s, which is in the Market. I don’t go out that often, actually. Up until recently, anyways. And lately I’ve been hanging out at Saving Gigi because it’s very comfortable there.

DS: You’re very affable with your audience. Does being in this small café/bar make it a lot easier for you to connect with people?

JD: I guess so. It’s a really small room, so we can only sell 25 tickets. So the shows are all really small, so yes it’s quite intimate but sometimes those shows are more terrifying than the big ones because there’s still a lot of pressure. Everyone’s really listening. Which is great, that’s a dream for a lot of people, to have an audience that’s just listening. So you can connect with them for sure because when you make a joke you can hear everybody laugh and no one’s talking, but it is intimidating a little bit, which is also good to put yourself in that situation.

DS: You let people request songs a lot. What are some of the most frequently requested?

JD: There are specific ones. I get a lot for “Me and My Friend” and “Sweeter.” A lot of times “Snowfalls in November” gets requested. There are a few hits!

DS: What do you play the most at these shows?

JD: I’m playing a lot of new songs because I’m in the middle of recording a new album so I play those quite a bit and I sort of touch on all the records, I do a little bit of each.

DS: What’s the plan with the new album?

JD: I’m not sure when it’s coming out, but I started recording it just before Christmas, and right now that I’m doing this, I’m taking a bit of a break, but I’m going back to doing it in February. So I’ll hopefully be able to get it finished then.

DS: What’s it about?

JD: It’s about my life. And I think it’s going to be really good! I think the songs are really good.

DS: That’s a good way to sell it. Are the people that you’re bringing on for the residency all Toronto musicians?

JD: Pretty much. So far, everyone’s based in Toronto or just near Toronto. It’s hard to get people in from out of town.

DS: Who are some of your favourite local musicians?

JD: I think Tamara is really great, I think Jennifer Castle’s really great. There are a lot of great people here. There are a lot of obvious choices. $100 are really good, there are all kinds of great bands and musicians here in Toronto. I obviously love The Sadies.

DS: What’s on your Dork Shelf? What kinds of books or music are you into these days?

JD: The book I’m reading right now is actually Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden. I’ve been listening to a lot of Daniel Romano, almost non-stop, his last record Sleep Beneath the Willow is amazing, I listen to it at least once every day. I also have just been listening to a lot of Neil Young and Willie Nelson and things like that. Shotgun Jimmie. The Weather Station. I don’t have a lot of records here right now.

DS: What else should we know about Julie?

JD: Not a whole lot. I’m feeling really good, I’m feeling really happy. Pretty motivated right now. Working really hard. Teaching yoga now a couple times a week. Basically just writing, recording and trying to work hard. Trying to be a better person.

Heartbeat Hotel and its cohorts are no strangers to Dork Shelf. We’ve listened to their sound grow over the last year from the late-night basement ponderings of Fetus Dreams to the hazy glow of waking realizations found on their latest piece of work, a six song-long album titled Intae Woe, which was released at the end of November. By doing such, this Toronto four-piece has led 2011 into a blissfully sweet ending.

Intae Woe is for the person who likes to keep their feet on the ground but spends a heck of a lot of time wondering what it would be like to fly. From the easy-going auras that radiate from “Danglin in the Aether” and “Fresh Fruit” to the spying the sun rays through the curtain in the morning chill-feel of “Downhill” to the calm anthem “Horsemen,” Intae Woe shows off Heartbeat Hotel’s casual euphoric bearings and wistfulness, as well as matured song writing and performance chops.

Get to know this Toronto band a bit better, as Chris Lyons and Andy Smith (also of previously featured Army Girls) discuss recording at a cottage, what it’s like being a musician in Toronto, and who has a tattoo of a cult-classic TV show character.

Dork Shelf: How/when did the band start and how did you come to be who you are now?

Chris Lyons: Heartbeat Hotel started as an agit-prop project, out of the ashes of a few previous bands we had played in. It had been six months since our last show and everything in our lives felt a bit… odd. There was this one weekend in August 2008 where Andy and I had amassed a somewhat ludicrous amount of alcohol and we decided that come hell or high water we were going to finish a tape by the time Monday came around. There was no particular aim, we just built it as we went. We’d finish one track and go “well that deserves to be followed by this sort of thing” and then once that little sequence had been created we’d go, “What next? How bout some blast-beats? And yeah, go get that reed organ…” These sessions became “Transbastardized Orphan Under a Harvest Moon” – it was a very spontaneous endeavour. And we had a lot of fun doing it. We played a few dozen shows with this repertoire, enlisting a bass player to fill out the sound, and generally it got a great response. To be honest though, once reality got a bit less frenzied, it became harder and harder to play that music so things chilled out.

Then came “Fetus Dreams” – another home-made endeavour which pulled in some nice press, and by the time we were taking those songs on the road we had decided that proper song writing might not be such a bad thing to return to. That sort of brings us to our latest release, “Intae Woe” which is much more ‘conventionally’ written than anything else we’ve done under this umbrella. Everything on this record is a lot less frantic than what we’ve done in the past, it sort of breathes more. It also took us back to our roots, featuring the same four-piece line-up that had originally come to the city as a band. Change happens. Usually it comes as a good thing.

DS: Where do you see Heartbeat Hotel going in the future?

CL: Jail, if all of these scary anti-terrorism laws actually come into play.

DS: You went away to a cottage to record Intae Woe. Why?

CL: It sort of felt right. Despite it being the best option on the table, all of these songs that we just put down were of a sort of “dreamy” nature… We thought escaping the hubbub of the city would be good for our collective headspace. Matt suggested it and we all thought it was a great idea.

DS: What do you think it did for the album?

Andy Smith: It allowed us to focus on the recording of the record mostly 24/7 the whole week we were up there. I suppose that’s a good thing.

CL: Definitely.

DS: What was it like recording away from home?

CL: Personally I know that cottage pretty well, so it almost felt like we were home. I don’t know, maybe Andy has a different answer to this question.

AS: I usually have a hard time being away from home for an extended period of time. I find it pretty easy to miss the comforts of Toronto. But in this case, it was a great experience. We are all close friends, the four of us… and we all used to live together. So it sort of felt like home actually.

DS: What is Intae Woe about?

CL: Everything and Nothing, in the words of Matt Mitchell. The cover art features a shot of the sun poking through the trees, and I think that’s a good metaphor for the feeling of drifting through life with your chin up. Sort of like a leaf in the wind that doesn’t want to touch the ground. Seeing as much as you can, and being grateful that you’re free to do so.

DS: What’s it like to be a musician in Toronto?

CL: I don’t really have any other point of reference, but it’s fantastic being able to live in such a vibrant arts community. I remember moving to this city five years ago and being like “Wow, city hall is so behind the arts…” – obviously that’s changed a bit, but at its core it seems like Toronto will forever be ripe with arts and music. And that’s a great thing for everybody: it helps make everyday life less grey.

DS: What other local acts are you into?

AS: Owen Pallett, Austra, Foxes In Fiction, Ostrich Tuning, Doldrums, Donlands & Mortimer, Blood Rexdale & the Walls are Blonde. Lots more, too.

CL: I just caught The Effens playing downtown recently, they were pretty alright for a young band. But another ‘E’ band really stole my heart this summer, the Elwins…and right now I’m putting the finishing touches on the new Alphabot! record with Jake, so watch for that in the months to come.

DS: Do you have a favourite venue to play at?

CL: They’ve all got their ups and downs…

AS: The Drake Underground has always been a great experience. But its just good to play. Sometimes anywhere is just fine.

DS: How would you describe your live dynamic?

CL: Ever-changing. Sheepish. Generally sort of not what people expect when they go out.

DS: What other kinds of music, games, movies, books or TV shows you guys are into right now?

CL: I just finished re-watching all of Chappelle’s show, and I guess musically I’ve been into a lot of dreary ambient stuff lately. Grouper in particular, but also stuff like Eno and Kiln and Stars of the Lid. And when I feel like shaking my head around I pull out The Drums or the first couple of McCartney records, which are way underrated. Oh, and a friend just made me listen to Rounds by Four Tet. Beautiful record. The only other thing I’ve been into lately is all this Eurozone/Occupy/NDAA 2012 stuff that seems to be getting heavier and heavier. I’m not so sure it’s good for my mental health, but it’s fascinating as damn. Oh, and Scandinavian design. Perhaps Scandinavian life in general. Also very fascinating.

AS: I just got a Twin Peaks tattoo. Log Lady for life.

DS: What else should we know about Heartbeat Hotel?

CL: Now that we’ve been banned from the stage for the next three months by the Minister of the Interior, we plan on recording new material for a possible release in the spring. Perhaps he’ll reconsider and let us play by then. Life throws you curveballs sometimes…but as long as we can continue playing around on our bedroom floors with our recording gear…we’ll be happy.

For more info visit HeartbeatHotel.ca.

When the air gets crisp, when the leaves turn colours and start to fall, the atmosphere noticeably changes. Generally around this time, I find people like to make a bit of a switch in the kind of music they listen to. Gone are the poppy summer hits and in come the warm and majestic folk-rock tunes. If you find that you’re one of these people, then Toronto’s Parks & Rec will snuggle right in.

Parks & Rec released Seeds Grown Here, their second EP, at the end of September. Since then, I’ve let it linger in the air around me, but I was in love with it as soon as I played it for the first time. The seven tracks each have a calmness that settles in but are exhilarating in discoveries. The comforting feeling you feel when listening to them is something that this band should be proud of. Parks & Rec lost a member, Cristina Taborda, in December 2010 when she passed away in her sleep from a seizure. Seeds Grown Here is dedicated in her memory, and as lead singer and guitarist Charles Tilden says in this interview, they can still hear her harmonies. The pain the band had to go through together has ultimately brought them together.

Seeds Grown Here will plant itself in you and evolve into a weighty image or memory of something you’ll relate to this season. From the upbeat and reflective “All These Lives Collide” to the folky rolling wave of “Light Up the Night” to the softer moments throughout; everything is tender, vulnerable but ready to be seen and heard. Parks & Rec are aware, stronger than ever and comfortable in their atmosphere.

Dork Shelf: How did the band start and how did you come to be who you are now?

Charles Tilden: Parks & Rec has gone through a few incarnations. The band started from a number of friendships that all came together. Pierre and I have been making music since we were 12 or 13. We moved to Ottawa with our at-the-time drummer, our friend Jake. So a few years later, I met Eric, the guitarist. We had started writing songs together and feeling a connection and as though a critical mass of material was coming together. We started jamming with Jake and fleshed out a lot of that material and for a while played gigs without a name. Essentially it was Parks & Rec, but we had no idea what it was called, it was just playing gigs in little pubs. Finally the name emerged and soon we were a five-piece for a while with a buddy Scott playing bass and Pierre playing keys and other various instruments. Then along came the lovely Cristina Taborda and we were a six piece for a short time and then a five piece again as Scotty took off and Pierre took the reigns on the bass. And that was Parks & Rec for the first time a band that felt like it was solid, where everyone felt like they knew what was going on and wanted to drive in one direction together. That’s when we put together our first EP, and that’s when we started hitting the road a little bit and playing a lot more gigs. It’s been a slow, progressive evolution.

DS: And now you have your second EP out. So musically, how are you different now from when you started?

CT: I think when we started, we didn’t really know what we wanted to sound like and recording forced us to think a lot more about what that sound was. I think the transition from the first EP to the second really shows how the sound has evolved because the first is five songs that at the time we felt were the most ready to record. They were just what we thought were our best songs that we had played enough that they were tight enough and didn’t really matter so much whether they were cohesive, we just wanted to get something out and that’s what the first EP was. But by the time the second came around, we had a whole slew of other songs to pick from. We picked the songs for the EP trying to cull together something that was a bit more cohesive, had a flow that felt like a record. It’s not a full-length, but we were hoping from start to finish that you could listen to it and feel like it is one piece, like it’s meant to be. Beyond that, it’s really hard to describe what the hell that is. It’s rock music with a lot of folk influences.

DS: Is it a sound that you want to work more towards in the future?

CT: Well now is an exciting time because now we’ve got those two records behind us and it’s time to start again with new material and soon a new drummer. We have a lot of ideas floating around and I can’t say specifically what it’s going to sound like. Way too early.

DS: Your house and neighbourhood seem to be a big part of you. For instance, you recorded in your home studio, what was that like?

CT: It was terrific because it was comfortable, it is a space we know really well and it allowed us all the time in the world to just make sure we got it right. There are downsides to that as well, because when you have all the time in the world you can take all the time in the world. It was many months in the making, but when we pressed play on the mixing sessions for the last time, it was with full confidence.

DS: It’s very tough what you guys went through with losing Cristina. How are you guys doing?

CT: We’ve heard from friends and people who have listened to our music for a long time, and it’s strange that they come to us with this, because we hear it as well. We hear Cristina’s harmonies all the time on a lot of the songs, which is a bit spooky, but I kind of welcome it. It’s a part of her that still exists. We miss her really dearly. Her leaving us was a really surprising experience in that at first it was a very difficult time and was one that put the band in question. But it actually didn’t take long for us to realize that there’s nothing else that we should do except make music. It brought us closer together.

DS: I’m sure she would appreciate that. It’s good to hear you’re doing well. In terms of the new EP, I know it’s dedicated to her, but does it have a certain theme for what it’s about?

CT: There are a number of themes that run through it. Part of it is about sometimes a seemingly hopeless mission of being a musician but deciding that together it’s something that’s worth it. There are some themes that are a bit more abstract and mean a lot of different things. Obviously there’s the theme of planting seeds and growing them. There are the themes of light and darkness.

DS: What’s it like to be a musician in Toronto?

CT: My comparison is that the Ottawa scene is virtually nonexistent unless you’re a hardcore kid in a punk or metal band. And then there’s a very strong underground movement. But otherwise it felt very lonely making music in Ottawa and coming to Toronto was an amazing experience. Whether you make reggae or electronica or jazz or rock and roll, there’s going to be plenty of people you can connect with. It means collaborating is a lot easier, it means bouncing ideas off each other is a lot easier and having a network. The life of a musician can be harsh at times and just hanging out with others can be nice.

DS: Did you move here for the band?

CT: I moved here to go to Ryerson but also knowing in the back of my mind that this was absolutely the place to be. I remember that being confirmed for me the first time I heard You Forgot it in People. “What? That record is from that city and I’m going to that city!” Jake did the same thing. Pierre came a bit later. Eric moved from London a few years later.

DS: Do you have a favourite venue to play at?

CT: I like the Piston a lot, it’s a great size. They’ve done an awesome job at turning that backroom into a great space. We played Magpie recently, which I think under the right circumstances is a terrific venue as well. Again, small. Really eclectic feel. I generally really prefer a smaller venue. We’ve had great times playing at the El Mocambo and the Horseshoe and there’s a certain excitement to playing those stages knowing the things that have happened there in the past, but ultimately I feel like we can connect better with people when they’re right in front of us.

DS: What other kinds of music, games, movies, books or TV shows you guys are into right now?

Books – I’m reading a graphic novel called The Blue Pill. It’s really depressing so don’t read it if you’re depressed right now. It’s about a man who falls in love with a woman only to find out after that she’s HIV positive and so is her kid. The illustrations are phenomenal.

TV – I’m obsessed with Bored to Death, an amazing show. Watch it if you’ve never watched it. Ted Danson, Jason Schwartzman and Zack Galifianakis are a phenomenal trio and bounce off each other really well.

Movies – I’ve only been re-watching stuff lately that I’ve watched a million times before. But I love Micmacs, it’s a French film about a man who makes it his life-long mission to destroy the weapons industry.

Games – We play board games with our housemates upstairs. We usually go with Scattergories.

DS: Anything else you’d like to say?

CT: I’m working on a new project that’s going to be blues and electro music. I have a couple favourites on the electro side I always go back to, like for a long time I’ve been obsessed with Radiohead. I love Caribou and Four Tet big time. On the blues side, I’m digging as far back into the crate as possible. I like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Big Mamma Thorton and I’m just trying to re-grasp the essence of the blues and then see what happens when you mash it with electro music.

Parks & Rec are playing Don’t Touch That Dial at El Mocambo on Saturday, December 3.

You can find more of Parks & Rec’s Seeds Grown Here on their BandCamp page here.

Pulp Fiction lit a fuse that blew up sometime around Grindhouse. Bouncing from the ma-cheese-mo of the 80’s flavoured Expendables, to the pure red 70’s marinated Hobo with a Shotgun and Super 8 somewhere in between, we’re getting riffs, recreations, reflections and deconstructions of film era underbellies, slowly creeping up to the present day. Now, with Manborg, we’re right up somewhere ‘round 1998, presented with what is meant to recreate that VHS tape you found misplaced in the corner concert film section of a pawn shop. In a world being rapidly flooded with these rehashed nostalgia bombs, Manborg is challenged to represent a new era/aesthetic of re-re-re-rehash, and to be more entertaining than many of the other films in the running.

Thankfully for Manborg, it is half man, half cyborg, all Manborg.

In the future, mankind is has been desolated by an army of nazi-robot-vampires. One soldier watched his brother die at the hands of Draculon, master of this evil armada. This soldier, killed to the point of death, eventually wakes up in the crazy-techno future, discovering that his body is now… look, listen, okay people, this film is called Manborg. I don’t really know why I’m explaining this plot to you. I didn’t see it for the plot. You aren’t going to see it for the plot. Me describing the plot isn’t going to change whether or not you will ever see the film. It’s a non-factor.

So here are the factor-factors that I’ll let rain.

First off, the word “shenanigrams” is used twice in the film. Specifically, it is used by “Justice”, a jean-vested, war-painted gunslinger with an incredibly fake Aussie accent and an inability not to crap-boogie dance while killing things. He lives within an entirely green-screened world where all the humans look like unlockable Mortal Kombat skins and all the monsters look like Napalm Death t-shirts. Steven Kostanski, make-up and effects artist on most Astron 6 films and director of Manborg, said his main inspiration were those corny FMV cutscenes found in old 3DO, PS1 and PC games. While Steel Harbinger may have been what he was going for, I would say the end product is more in-tune with those feature films GWAR released for their fans. Trashier than gross, cornier than grotesque, but revelling in garbage like so many smiling synchronized swimmers in a glamorous Hollywood soundstage pool.

Laser noises are relentless, and individual characters seem to carry their own ridiculous aura of tropes, like Mina’s Ninja Scroll-like action gestures or #1 Man, a Liu Kang-looking fighter overdubbed by Dragon Ball Z narrator Kyle Hebert, and The Baron, who is a Cenobite looking fellow who’s more preoccupied with a secret crush than speaking without syntax like the rest of the cast. Manborg does not give up, and its schlock is of a flavour that has yet to be exploited in the bulk (but oh, I bet it will be soon.)

All that said, Manborg isn’t a perfect recreation of the poopy pastiche. It’s more like a mixtape, highlighting elements of crap like sleazy synth, muddy action and crude TOOL-esque claymation, instead of just becoming it. It’s too tongue-in-cheek, too self-aware and even dare I say it, too smart, but unlike so many other films in this recent post-post-modern subgenre, not simple self-gratification. The only time the veil of crud really obscures enjoyment is when some lines become inaudible over the warped fuzz, which may be a joke within itself, but is one of the rare flat ones if the case.

In 2008, Kostanski directed the short Lazer Ghost 2: Return to Lazer Coast, which, with the exception of going without green screen, is exactly what should be expected from the more-than-trailer film, Manborg. If you felt Lazer Ghost made its ten minutes worthwhile, then there’s good reason to suit up in some used hockey gear and strap it down with duct tape, because Manborg is only six times longer.

Confirmed guests include Paul McGillion (Stargate: Atlantis, Star Trek), Eisner Award Hall of Fame writer Marv Wolfman (DCU Online, Crisis on Infinite Earths), and artists Mike Deodato Jr. (Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman), John McCrea (“Hitman, Transmetropolitan) and Barry Kitson (Uncanny X-Force, FF”). More guest announcements are sure to be made over the coming months.

“Wizard World Toronto Comic Con has grown tremendously in its first two years, making this move to the Metro Toronto Convention Center a natural,” said John Macaluso of the Wizard World Board of Directors. A larger venue with the more convenient and accessible location? This move sounds like a win-win for both Wizard World and Canadian convention goers. Dork Shelf will be there with bells on. And no, that doesn’t mean we’re dressing up like Khal Drogo.

The 2012 Wizard World Toronto Comic Con is set to take place April 14-15 at the MTCC. More information here.

The festival runs from October 20 – 27 at the Toronto Underground Cinema. Be sure to visit the Toronto After Dark website for the full schedule of films playing this year.

Below you can find a few of our picks for the fest. There are many great films playing at Toronto After Dark this year, but we think these ones are particularly noteworthy

Redline, dir. Takeshi Koike

A film that could easily be described as a mash-up of Speed Racer and Death Race 2000, Redline takes futuristic auto racing to a place where most cars never go: outer space! This break-neck anime feature from the animation gurus at Madhouse was seven years in the making. Blisteringly fast-paced and beautifully realized, Redline is unlike any anime you’ve ever seen. The film follows JP, an up-and-coming race jockey who qualifies to compete in the Redline – the galaxy’s most dangerous (and lucrative) race.

Redline features the voice talents of Takuya Kimura, Yû Aoi, and Tadanobu Asano.

Screenings: Saturday, Oct. 22, 4.15pm at Toronto Underground Cinema
More info here.

The Divide, dir. Xavier Gens

Sheltered in the basement of an apartment building, eight survivors of a nuclear apocalypse have trouble surviving one another. Think of The Divide as a post-apocalyptic riff on Lord of the Flies, only with adults, fallout, and no beach. Director Xavier Gens made a splash on the horror scene with his bleak and brutal 2007 film Frontier(s). The Divide looks to be a claustrophobic return to form for Gens. Seriously though, what is with this guy and axes?!

The Divide stars Michael Biehn, Rosanna Arquette, Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Eklund, and Lauren German.

Screenings: Tuesday, Oct 25, 7.00pm at Toronto Underground Cinema
More info here.

The Innkeepers, dir. Ti West

Director Ti West (House of the Devil) tackles the well-tread haunted hotel subgenre head on with The Innkeepers. A New England hotel with a history of unearthly phenomenon and mysterious sightings is about to be shut down. With only one weekend left before the hotel is shuttered forever, two employees take it upon themselves to uncover the secrets of the old inn.

 The Innkeepers stars Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, and Kelly McGillis.

Screenings: Thursday, Oct 27, 9.45pm at Toronto Underground Cinema
More info here.

Cross-Media || Intelligence, Collaboration, Change

X marks the spot where interactive digital media innovators meet, collaborate, partner and learn.

This two-day business intelligence conference focuses on the areas where cross-media converges; enabling content producers to better tell their stories seamlessly across multiple platforms.

X-Summit embraces innovation and explores the future of cross-media content through active learning, hands-on workshops, round-table discussions, concise presentations, dynamic panel discussions and cutting-edge demonstrations. A departure from typical formats, this next-generation conference will inspire and challenge, outfitting participants with tangible takeaways, fresh ideas to consider and new opportunities to explore.

X-Summit’s thought-provoking and future-oriented content offers insights from outstanding speakers from across the globe who will share their experience, knowledge and strategic foresight, providing valuable insights into the constantly evolving world of cross-media. X-Summit is an unparalleled opportunity for content creators to collaborate with interactive media professionals in a world-class conference setting.

Conference Features

• Inspirational Keynotes from industry leaders.
• Interactive Panel Discussions will delve into the hot topics featuring a variety of speakers including: Interactive Advertisers, Social Media Experts, Game Publishers, Content Creators and Broadcasters.
• One-on-one Meetings with event speakers allow delegates the unique opportunity to pitch projects to top international executives and get their questions answered.
• Dynamic 30 Minute Lecture series that will feature inspirational speakers that will provide case studies relevant to professionals in the Interactive industry.
• Informative Round Table Discussions will feature an industry leader and a small group of X-Summit delegates. This discussion will provide a platform to express opinions and discuss burning issues.
• Collaborative Workshops will provide X-Summit attendees with the opportunity to share ideas, build relationships while collaborating with international players up close.
• Revealing Interviews with the innovators and trendsetters of our time.
• Innovative Interactive companies will show their stuff in the Canadian Interactive Showcase, presented by the CMF.

More information here.

The Darcys (Photo by Ryan Edward Miller)

When discussing indie rock bands in Toronto and which ones have been waiting real hard for their dues, the name The Darcys probably comes up pretty often. For years, the band has been saying that their next album was forthcoming, but we can finally say that on October 25 that product of labour and love will be in our hands and ears and in front of our eyes. Their self-titled second album, The Darcys, will be released later this month by Canadian indie powerhouse label Arts & Crafts.

Trials and tribulations hit the band from every direction, as they found themselves deserted by their vocalist, publicist and friends. Most would stay down, but they kept at it and got back up. This is really just the beginning for the Toronto band, especially knowing that they’ve already got two more albums in the work, with the proper backing.

The Darcys is not their debut, but it’ll be the first thing that most of us will know them by, and it seems they were aware of that in the creation and recording. There’s a lot of power in this Canadian indie rock, between the beats, laced in the fast-paced, nervy guitars and in Jason Couse’s voice, which ranges in rock and soul. The Darcys has an air of familiar mystery that you want to figure out. Their sound is like a memory; nostalgia and hazy territory seem to factor in with emotion and eyes focusing between what’s right in front of them and what’s ahead.

The Darcys – Shaking Down The Old Bones by Arts & Crafts

You can pick up The Darcys on October 25. But before then, read Dork Shelf’s interview with drummer Wes Marskell about the past, present and future.

Dork Shelf: How and when did you start The Darcys?

Wes Marskell: The way I see it, The Darcys started on stage at CMW 2010. That mindset and line-up is everything our band stands for now. I remember playing the first song of that set and thinking: this is how it always should have been. It was the first time I felt we were worth listening to.

DS: Can you describe how The Darcys are different now from when you started?

WM: The only similarity is our name. This next set of releases will be more defining than the past five years could have ever been.

DS: Getting your next release out has been a tumultuous experience for you, and now you’re here, signed to Canada’s largest indie label with a deal for three albums. Can you explain how you got to this point and some things that happened along the way?

WM: For a long time people told us to quit. The record was broken, maybe irreparable, and we had lost a band member. For most people this combination of factors marked the end of the band. In retrospect, this was a very realistic point of view as the next few months were extremely hard on us. The record went through a number of failed mixes and masters and at times I had no idea how or if we would ever see the other side of the storm.

It sounds a bit cliché, but we learned who our friends were very quickly when we were at our lowest. Everyone dropped off and we found ourselves looking for management, publicity, an agent and more. All we could do was keep our heads down and push through. When we rebuilt the band, we also focused on the team of people around us, and it was those people who were instrumental in the signing to Arts & Crafts and to any future success this band may see.

Arts & Crafts has blown some new wind into our sails, but the record has yet to come out and I have no handle on how it might be received. To me, signing this deal means we have to start working twice as hard and everything we do has to be that much better.

DS: What’s it like for you now, after going through so much for the band? Did you ever think about giving it up?

WM: We never talked about giving up. Looking back on all of this, it seems the only thing we talked about was new ideas to move forward with. We had very little time to reconfigure the set before CMW and most of our focus turned towards getting the live show ready. In the back of my mind, I thought we would figure it out after CMW, and then it was after the next show and then the show after that. The feeling inside our camp was more productive and creative than it had been in a very long time. When we were a five piece, the band always felt like it was on the verge of slipping away from us and the new line-up made us feel like we had a real chance to make this work.

Also, the pressure of having to prove something only fueled our momentum forward. There were weak moments when we talked about renaming the band and starting over, but we wanted to release this record when the time was right and tour these songs. There were people who had stuck with us for a long time and we wanted to give them this record. We didn’t have it in us to quit.

DS: You’ve been talking about the next release coming out for quite some time, but you announced all this big news mere weeks before it will happen. Did it happen that quickly?

WM: In a sense it happened very quickly. However, everything happened as part of a greater process of this record and project. After the first two mixes the record still wasn’t ready for release and every attempt to push the record forward was met with resistance, which in turn started to feel like warning. I think for a long time we were hearing the album as we wanted to hear it instead of how it actually sounded.

The spring of 2011 is when everything fell into place. The real catalyst was the new mix by Dave Schiffman. Though the record had sounded good at times, he brought the right energy to the recordings and we could hear it the moment we pressed play. From final master to our release date will be about 6 months, but in actuality this record has been trying to come out for four years.

DS: What was it like recording these new releases?

WM: I am not sure we are quite ready to open up about the releases beyond the self-titled just yet, but I can tell you there has been a major shift in our process. Recording The Darcys was about agenda. We walked into the studio with songs that were 95 per cent of what they have become recorded. The studio was less of a creative site and more of an apparatus to achieve the sonic space we were after. What we really wanted to create were noise layers that simulated emotions or places that we had experienced in the time leading up to recording. At times it became arduous because the act of writing songs had long passed and we were instead focused on a delay setting on the second pedal in a chain of four. Stress levels ran high when certain sounds wouldn’t translate properly. We really wanted something specific.

DS: Tell us about the October 25^th release of The Darcys. What is it about?

WM: It is about moving forward. I stand by this release, but it is merely our jumping off point for us. This record marks our entrance but what follows will be paramount. A lot of people left us for dead and the 25^th will be our way of proving that we are still alive and kicking.

DS: What will you do differently in the future? Where else will The Darcys go?

WM: We have been listing to a lot of soul records and trying to clean out our sound so that not every song is 60 tracks of noise. We have rigged up some drum machines and are toying with really heavy bass tones. For a while we talked about eliminating guitar entirely and working with this interlocked and battling keyboard sound pared with a really fat kick drum. We are being pulled in a few directions and I am interested to see how we work out the new records.

DS: What’s it like to be a musician in Toronto? How do you draw from the scene?

WM: This city never lacks a good show and the amount of talent coming out of Toronto is almost discouraging. Trying to set your band apart from the others seems impossible and the moment you feel like you have gotten somewhere it feels like someone else is doing it better than you. Play a bad show and people move on. It doesn’t feel like people are waiting and willing to give you two or three chances to turn it around. That said, I would rather be in a competitive place with an abundance of talent because I think it sharpens your focus.

DS: What venues or areas do you like to play in and why?

WM: Toronto is home and there is nothing better than playing a packed show to your home crowd.

DS: What are some of The Darcys favourite books, movies and music right now?

WM: Musically, I know Jason has been eating up a lot of the records the Soulquarians collective have put out. For me, I have read most of Cormac McCarthy’s published works and that has had quite an impact on the lyrics and overall tone of the new recordings.

DS: Is there anything else we should know?

WM: There is so much the next few months to tell you. We have been working on a lot of ideas and projects over the past year and many of them are going to see the light of day very shortly.

The Darcys perform on Late Night in the Bedroom

Featuring nearly 100 films (mostly documentary), the 2011 edition of Planet in Focus kicks off tomorrow, October 12th, and runs until Sunday, October 16th. Below is a short list of the films that we think are worth watching, but for more of the films playing at the festival be sure to check out the full Planet in Focus 2011 schedule here.

Revenge of the Electric Car, dir. Chris Paine

It’s not often that a documentary warrants a sequel, but if there were ever a subject matter worth revisiting it would be the storied tale of the electric car. Revenge of the Electric Car is director Chris Paine’s follow-up to his sobering doc Who Killed The Electric Car? The film is a decidedly optimistic look at the emerging field of electric vehicle production and four individuals at the centre of this EV renaissance. Revenge of the Electric Car is the opening night gala of Planet in Focus 2011.

Screening: Oct 12 2011 – 7:00 PM at the TIFF Bell Lightbox
More info here.

Darwin, dir. Nick Brandestini

A documentary portrait of the isolated California community of Darwin – population 35. Inhabited by hippies, artists, miners, and ex-cons trying to live off the grid, the town — which has no government or economy of any kind — struggles to get by in the shadow of a military base and bombing range. What makes the residents of this shade of a town decide to stay?

Screening: Oct 15 2011 – 9:30 PM at the ROM
More info here.

The Whale, dir. Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit

The Whale is the strange story of Luna, a young killer whale who lost contact with his pod off the coast of Vancouver Island. Desperate for companionship Luna began to follow local boaters in Nootka Sound, vying for their time and attention. The locals obliged the young orca, but it wasn’t long before Luna’s arrival set off a conflict between the Canadian government, marine mammal NGO’s and the local First Nation.

The Whale was produced by Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson, with Reynolds providing the film’s narration. The film is the closing night gala of Planet in Focus 2011.

Screening: Oct 16 2011 – 7:00PM at the TIFF Bell Lightbox
More info here.

The National Parks Project

Sections of The National Parks Project (which played in its entirety at Hot Docs earlier this year) will be playing at Planet in Focus 2011. The short film anthology invites some of Canada’s most talented filmmakers and musicians to take on some of Canada’s most amazing landscapes. Read our full review here.

Screenings: Being screened before multiple feature length documentaries.
More info here.

View the full Planet in Focus 2011 schedule at their official site here.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011: Final 10 Films include Ti West’s INNKEEPERS! Lucky McKee’s WOMAN! Two World Premieres and More!

Toronto After Dark Film Festival is THRILLED to officially announce its FINAL WAVE of exciting new Horror, Sci-Fi, Action, and Cult feature film selections that will screen at the festival’s 6th Annual Event this October 20-27, 2011!

THE FINAL 10 FEATURES REVEALED

The final lineup includes a number of hugely buzzed genre movies including the Closing Gala Film, the scary supernatural tale and festival circuit hit , THE INNKEEPERS, from acclaimed horror filmmaker Ti West (HOUSE OF THE DEVIL)! Fans will be also be delighted to hear that Toronto After Dark has programmed the Sundance sensation THE WOMAN, an outrageous new horror film from Lucky McKee (MAY), about a suburban family that decides to ‘domesticate’ a woman found living in the wild!

The festival is also thrilled to announced two more WORLD Premieres, bringing the total at Toronto After Dark 2011 to a record three! First off, WAR OF THE DEAD, a thrilling new war movie with an undead twist, will delight both zombie and action movie fans with its masses of undead hordes terrifying a group of soldiers trying to complete a secret mission during World War II. While fans of dark and edgy superhero films like KICK-ASS will go nuts when they get to be the first in the world to catch sight of VS which sees a despicable super-villain (James Remar) forcing a group of young costumed crusaders into playing a series of impossible-to-win games where the penalty for losing is… death!

Vampire lovers should sink their fangs into MIDNIGHT SON, a dark and gritty look at a young man’s descent into the world of drinking blood, while dark sci-fi fans should check out THE CORRIDOR, an award-winning new film about a disturbing energy force discovered in a remote forest by a group of friends on their winter vacation, and the dark implications it has for them all!

Those looking for more light-hearted fare should check out the Canadian Premiere of MANBORG, an hysterically lofi but fun homage to cult sci-fi action films of the 80s like ROBOCOP and the THE TERMINATOR. Meanwhile festival circuit hit crowd-pleaser SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE adds healthy doses of black comedy to its serial killer horror, and features a wonderful, eclectic cast that includes cult film icons Karen Black and ROCKY HORROR’s Barry Bostwick!

Finally, for pure adrenaline-rush seekers, Toronto After Dark has booked the supernatural horror film ABSENTIA, possibly the most chilling new horror film of the year, and the award-winning new mountain climbing dark thriller, A LONELY PLACE TO DIE, which has drawn favourable comparisons to another thrilling and chilling film from Britain, that wowed fans a few years ago, THE DESCENT!

SEE THE EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW AT THE SPACE CHANNEL WEBSITE: A few days ago, Toronto After Dark gave an exclusive sneak preview on TV of the final ten titles for The Space Channel. The 4-minute segment, which includes lots of fun clips from all the films has now been posted online at SPACE’s official website, and fans can watch it here: http://bit.ly/tad11-space-web-vid2 SPACE has also posted a bonus video introducing Toronto After Dark here: http://bit.ly/tad11-space-web-vid1

WATCH ALL THE TRAILERS AT YOUTUBE: We’ve added all the trailers that are currently available for our lineup at our YouTube Playlist for Toronto After Dark 2011 here: http://bit.ly/tad11-trailers

We’ll be adding two more trailers, for our World Premieres, WAR OF THE DEAD and VS, later this week. Unfortunately there is no trailer for THE INNKEEPERS at this time.

PASSES NOW ON SALE: Fans wanting to see a bunch of movies at Toronto After Dark this Oct 20-27, 2011, are encouraged to snap up one of the ever-popular All-Access Passes, which are already on sale. The passes give a huge discount on buying individual tickets, and are already over 60% sold out. For more info on the many benefits of the All-Access Pass or to grab one now, click here: http://bit.ly/tad11passes

COMPLETE SCHEDULE & INDIVIDUAL TICKETS FROM OCT 4: The final festival schedule, including short films lineup, and advance box office for buying individual screening tickets will be available from (updated) October 5. For complete info visit the festival website: http://www.torontoafterdark.com/

PLANNING ON ATTENDING? RSVP AT THE 2011 FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE! And invite your friends to join in the cinematic fun here: http://on.fb.me/tad11-fb-event

FOR BREAKING UPDATES: we also recommend fans subscribe to our Festival Newsletter, join our Facebook Group, Like our Fan Page, and Follow us on Twitter at these links:

http://bit.ly/tad11enews

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We look forward to thrilling you at the movies next month!

SEE YOU AFTER DARK!