Latest News

Sports

Rowing – B+

by John Willcock on

More in Sports:

Adam Scotti

As the year’s first snowfall blankets the city, and the water is drained from the rowing basin in Parc Jean Drapeau, McGill’s Crew season comes to an end.

The McGill rowers, under the guidance of Head Coach Philip Hedrei, trained nearly every morning since late August and had a successful season, with promising results throughout the fall. The women’s lightweight crew, comprised of Patricia Latendresse (Coxswain), Marie-Christine Razaire (stroke), Emma Sheehan, Iris Karry, Jennifer Allan, Bridget Schrempf, Fred de Muszka, Leiya Kenney, and Megan Lydon were recently voted “Crew of the Year” at the season ending banquet. Their season was highlighted by impressive performances at the  Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston (placing in sixth, a mere seven seconds off fourth place) and at the OUA final in St. Catherine’s, finishing third with a time of 6:55.8, three seconds behind the first place Queen’s University. Allan received the Crew’s MVP award and was one of four McGill lightweight women (along with Razaire, Sheehan, and Karry) to travel to Victoria in early November and participate in the Canadian University Rowing Championship. After making the A final, the lightweight four finished fifth overall.

On the men’s side the lightweight four, made up of veteran rowers Renaud Garon-Gendron, Michael Ross, Nate DeBono, and Evan Dejonghe, and coxed by Rinita Mazumder, had success throughout the season. Their third place finish at Head of the Charles, a painstaking 1.5 seconds off first, along with a third place finish at the OUA final were some of the many successful results of the season.

Finally, the novice men’s eight finished their season impressively, winning silver at the OUA finals.

McGill’s outlook for the future is promising given the tremendous dedication and success shown by this year’s novice rowers and several retuning rowers next season.

MVPs: Jen Allen and Renaud Garon-Gendron

Players to Watch:  Philippe Toren and Leiya Kenney

Sports

Redmen Football – D

by Walker Kitchens on

More in Sports:

John Kelsey

Entering 2010, expectations were high for the Redmen football team. By all measures, however, the season was a big disappointment. During the 2009 season, the Redmen made huge strides under Head Coach Sonny Wolfe and actually won a couple games. However, this year started off terribly, as sophomore starting quarterback Jonathan Collin suffered a season ending knee injury in a 50-9 loss to Laval. Things only got worse as McGill lost in a heartbreaking double overtime game to Bishop’s and blew a 15-point lead against Concordia in the annual “Fill the Stadium” game. The dismal season’s most embarrassing performance was a 68-0 loss at the hands of eventual champions Laval.

Despite again finishing with no wins, there were a few bright spots for the Redmen. In the final season of his remarkable career, star receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte became the all time leading receiver in CIS football history and led the Redmen with 52 receptions. In addition, Defensive Tackle Ben Thompson was named a second-team All-Canadian at the CIS Football Awards Gala. Thompson is only the 43rd All-Canadian in school history and the first since 2007.

While Collin’s injury played a major role in the Redmen’s struggles, they lost winnable games against Concordia and Bishop’s. The 2010 season can only be looked upon as a letdown. Despite Sinotte leaving the team, next season looks more promising as Collin returns from injury and McGill aims to get in the win column.

MVPs: Ben Thompson and Charles-Antoine Sinotte

Player to Watch:  Jonathan Collin

Sports

Redmen Lacrosse – B-

by Sam Hunter on

More in Sports:

Alice Walker

The lacrosse team came into this season with little in the way of expectations and even less in continuity. The team lost 16 players from the 2009 squad to graduation and 2010 seemed destined to be a rebuilding season.

However, early on, McGill looked primed for another year of contention as the team got off to a strong 5-2 start before losing three in a row and falling to Carleton in the quarter-final of the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association playoffs.

Despite losing in the quarters, the team was competitive thanks to contributions throughout the lineup. Talented veteran Noah Miller from the University of Vermont led the team in goals with 25 and had 27 points for a share of the team lead. There were in-house improvements from Ryan Besse (who also scored 27 points), Guy Fox and Jishan Sharples. The rookies also chipped in, with strong performances from Ross Burst and Nolan Prinzen.

Since it was supposed to be a rebuilding season, we can’t hold this year’s team to the same standards as last year. Still, the players showed too much talent and heart early in the season to be satisfied with a .500 season and an early playoff exit. The lacrosse team will lose only four players to graduation this year and should be at the top of the CUFLA East standings next fall.

MVP: Guy Fox

Player to Watch:  Jishan Sharples

Sports

Redmen Rugby – A-

by Rebecca Babcock on

More in Sports:

Ada Sonnenfeld

After winning four straight QURL Championship titles, expectations were high for the McGill Rugby Team in 2010. The beginning of their season started well, as they consistently dominated with 30 to 40 point blowouts against Bishop’s University and University of Sherbrooke. All seemed to be going well until the team’s 15-game conference winning streak ended with a loss to Concordia. This was the only blemish on McGill’s record all season. They redeemed themselves in the final with their strongest performance of the season and a 22-10 win against Concordia. The Redmen controlled the game from the beginning and were never in danger of losing

After losing some veterans last year, the young team grew throughout the season. Focusing on specific game tactics and skills, especially working on playing the full 80 minutes, the team finally came together. They destroyed Sherbrooke in the semifinal and carried that momentum into the final.

Winger Gideon Balloch played spectacularly and consistently. He scored a personal best of 20 points twice throughout the season. One of these performances was in the final, in which he scored all of McGill’s 22 points. Cameron Perrin, a first-year called up from the Rugby Club A team, proved himself a threat on the field. In his first game he scored a fantastic try, and in following games was considered an offensive threat by the other teams.

MVP:  Gideon Balloch

Player to Watch:  Cameron Perrin

Sports

Redmen Soccer – B-

by Mari Mesri on

More in Sports:

Holly Stewart

After their second-place finish at the National Championships last year, the McGill Redmen soccer team entered this season with high expectations. The Redmen felt the pressure to succeed from the start, which took its toll as the team performed inconsistently all year. McGill concluded their 2010 campaign with a record of 7-5-1.

Although the second half of the season saw improvement, a trend of missed opportunities and incomplete plays defined their games. The Redmen were often left frustrated by scores not reflective of their dominating performance. With a victory over UQAM in their final regular season match, the Redmen secured a second place conference finish leading into the playoffs.  However, they lost 3-1 in their semifinal rematch with UQAM, bringing the season to an unexpected and disappointing early finish.

Conference all-star and midfielder Yoanne Capolungo was a valuable pillar for the team. He was a force to be reckoned with, controlling games with his speed, shot accuracy, and ability to read the field.  Joining Capolungo on the all-star roster was midfielder Olivier Babineau. Babineau and Capolungo played great offensively as they consistently created breaks for the Redmen strikers.  

On defence, Thomas Lucas and Graeme Tingey claimed all-star honours. They led a tough backline that covered the entire field.

The McGill Redmen will lose some players to graduation, including goalkeeper Jean-Lou Gosselin, but with a majority of the team returning, the Redmen expect that strong leadership from the veterans and development of the rookies will re-establish them as a national powerhouse next season.  

MVP: Yohann Capolungo

Player to Watch: William Hoyle

Sports

Martlets Soccer – B+

by Rebecca Babcock on

More in Sports:

John Kelsey

Last year, a very young Martlets soccer team, which had only one fourth-year player, made it to the QUSL semifinals. This year, the team’s goal was to go to nationals. They started out on the right path with nine wins and five ties, dominating the other teams in their league, destroying teams like UQTR 5-0, UQAM 4-0, and University of Sherbrooke 5-1.

In the QUSL semifinal, the Martlets played Laval, who they had already defeated 4-2 earlier in the season. Unfortunately, like last year, their season ended in the semis as they lost 2-1. It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Martlets. They were ranked third in the country and were looking like serious challengers for the National Championship. Not making it to the CIS Championships was obviously a major let down for the talented squad.

Alexandra Morin-Boucher was honoured as an All-Canadian at the Women’s CIS Soccer Gala and led the QUSL with 11 goals. Also honoured as an All-Canadian, was first-year goalie Victoria Muccilli. Throughout the season she had four shut-outs, and only allowed six goals out of 43 shots.

While missing nationals was a disapointment, their season can’t be seen as a failure. They had an incredible regular season and were clearly one of the best teams in the nation.

The Martlets are still a very young team team with obvious potential. They are being recognized as one of the favourites to win next year’s nationals, which will be held at home in Montreal.

MVP: Alexandra Morin-Boucher

Player to Watch:  Victoria Muccilli

Art, Arts & Entertainment

Zooming in on the magic of the everyday

by Manisha Aggarwal-Schifellite on

More in Art:

(3.bp.blogspot.com)

In his current exhibit at the McCord Museum, Hungarian-born photographer Gabor Szilasi documents “The Eloquence of the Everyday” over 30 years and two continents. Through both black and white and colour images, Szilasi focuses on a variety of features that make up the everyday: urban and rural architecture, private spaces, and loved ones.  

Szilasi’s exhibit is arranged into four sections: “Family and Friends,” “Montreal Architecture and Urban View,” “Rural Quebec in the 1970s,” and “Hungary.” In each section, Szilasi approaches his subjects from a unique vantage point that illuminates both the background and foreground; the placard for his “Family and Friends” section stresses the importance of acknowledging the setting of a portrait and allowing it to further represent the subject.  

This tactic is evident throughout the section, as Szilasi photographs local Montreal artists and writers as well as his own wife and daughter. The portraits taken of Szilari’s daughter as a teenager, juxtaposed with photos of her bedroom, are particularly compelling, as the viewer is able to instantly connect the person to the setting, and feels that they know much more about the subject than they would have otherwise. Szilasi’s portraits are more revealing upon second or third glance, as the nuanced details of the subject’s surroundings come into focus and complete the narrative.  

Szilasi maintains this theme throughout the exhibit, particularly in his section on Hungary. Taken in 1950s and 1980s Hungary, his portraits reveal a great deal about the political and social transitions the country went through in the intervening decades. Again, Szilasi lets his subjects and their surroundings do the talking and allows their personalities to shine through his lens.However, perhaps the most striking portraits in this exhibit are those displayed in “Rural Quebec in the 1970s.” In this segment, Szilasi combines photos showcasing architecture, domestic space, and portraits of rural Quebecers in what has been historically seen as a period of great change. The images of the modest bedrooms, kitchens, and offices of these rural residents are effective portraits as well, highlighting the negotiations between the modern and rustic aspects of towns like Saint-Honoré de Beauce and Saint-Benoît Labre. In some of these interior portraits, homeowners appear in the periphery of the shot and seem to blend into the room around them, further emphasizing the fact that humans are often defined by their surroundings.  

The final section, “Montreal Architecture and Urban View,” displays the changing nature of Montreal’s cityscape over the past 40 years. The images of familiar landmarks, while striking, are not as powerful as his portraits in conveying the struggles and simplicity of everyday life. Szilasi’s strength is clearly in his ability to draw stories from the pictures of people around him. The placard accompanying the “Montreal Architecture” section describes Szilasi as taking an “outsider” approach to photographing the cityscape. This creates a form of detachment from the subjects of the images and makes it more difficult to appreciate the nuances of the city that make up its identity. Without the incorporation of human subjects into these architectural photos, Szilasi’s vision is unclear and the section as a whole becomes less effective.   

Szilasi’s attraction to personal histories and his penchant for the towns of rural Quebec are the two highlights of his McCord exhibit. Through capturing the nature of the “everyday” from the 1970s to the present, Szilasi demonstrates his ability to bring the subject out of the photograph while at the same time bringing the viewer in. This combination leads to a deeper connection between the two, leaving the viewer feeling more in touch with the subject, their surroundings, and the extraordinary ordinariness of life.  

Szilasi’s “The Eloquence of the Everyday” is at the McCord Museum from October 8 through February 6.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Mary Halvorson Quintet: Saturn Sings

by Matthew Kassel on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

This is tense, spooky music with a delightfully playful side. In Saturn Sings, her second album on the Firehouse 12 label, Mary Halvorson adds alto saxophonist Jon Irabagon and trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson to her already formidable trio with drummer Ches Smith and bassist John Hébert.  

Without Halvorson, that combination might recall the special musical partnership of Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry (no, not the hockey commentator), and with her, it still does, as in the unsettlingly beautiful ballad “Crack in Sky (No.11).”  

If you can pull that off, it means a lot, but it’s not only a matter of instruments—it’s an aesthetic. In this group, Halvorson comfortably imbues her playing, composing, and arranging with styles and methods in and out of jazz to create her own sturdy framework. It’s the sound of Monk’s humour, noise rock, expressionism, hard bop, and Ornette Coleman’s insouciance. It might be a disservice to Halvorson, reducing her music to components, but the point is that those components have coalesced.    

Near the end of Jon Irabagon’s solo in “Leak Over Six Five (No. 14),” you hear some warped, spacey noodling, like a radio broadcast played backward at high speed. Is it Saturn singing?  No, it’s Mary Halvorson’s guitar.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

by Nicholas Petrillo on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

Before the release of his latest album, few doubted Kanye West’s ability to one-up himself given his talent, money, and endless supply of industry connections. So it should come as no surprise that My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is just as spectacularly excessive as we could have hoped.   

There are no distracting filler tracks, skits, or interludes because there’s not enough room for them. If a song isn’t speeding past six minutes’ worth of guest appearances, it’s stretched even longer to showcase an instrumental solo. The musical versatility, whether it’s African chant, orchestral strings, or well-placed vocal distortion, proves that Yeezy can make music that is atypical of the mainstream sound but just as radio-friendly.

Kanye’s lyrics are sometimes hilarious, sometimes contrite, but always intricately constructed. With the exception of guests Fergie and the RZA, every feature verse is powerful, as if each guest knew the negative consequences of a poor performance on such a highly anticipated album. By the end, Kanye’s struggle is much easier to appreciate than it was on his supposedly poignant 808’s and Heartbreak.

The album is ambitious, frenetic, and unrestrained, and the surrounding hype will leave both the casual fan and the music aficionado worshiping Kanye while they’re listening.

Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Between a rock and a hard place

by Nicholas Petrillo on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

digitaltrends.com

Two years after the release of director Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire comes 127 Hours, a film based on the terrifying true story of adventure seeker Aron Ralston (James Franco). Ralston inadvertently has his right arm pinned between a boulder and a cavern wall during an afternoon hike in the Utah desert. But the movie would almost certainly never have been made were it not for his gruesome method of escape: after five days in the wilderness, Ralston chooses to cut off his own arm with a multi-tool.  

Revealing this by no means spoils the movie. In fact, the very concept of a man cutting off his own arm to survive is the only thing separating this story from your standard “lost in the woods” news headline. To some extent we are all intrigued by this type of violence, even if it’s completely horrifying. Boyle must have anticipated that the legend of Ralston would become common knowledge before the movie was released, so he wisely chose to drop hints within the movie that foreshadow the amputation. One shot in particular shows Ralston packing all the necessities for a day’s hike, as the camera slowly pans in on his multi-tool resting in the cupboard.  

Ralston is resourceful and carefree. When he takes a spill over his bike’s handlebars, he quickly snaps a picture of himself lying exhausted on the ground. He even meets a couple of women on the trail and shows them his favourite areas off the beaten path. It’s all amusing until he slips into a small crevice and a rock lands on his arm. The rest of the film is a fascinating character study, a race against time. and a depiction of man versus nature.

We see Ralston use his multi-tool knife to chip away at the boulder until he realizes that he’s only wasting his energy, muttering to himself sarcastically that his blade is now “nice and dull.” We know the consequence of this, but all we can do is feel sorry for him as he figures it out for himself.

Ralston’s psyche slowly deteriorates, and with this come some very abstract dreams and hallucinations.  The hallucinations are bizarre, but provide valuable insight on what would otherwise look like the incoherent ramblings of a man nearing death. The film also touches on the topic of destiny as Ralston seems to think that every bad choice he has made in his life has consequently led to this rock landing on his arm. Millions of years before he was born, this rock was fated to crush his arm. Who wouldn’t beg, plead, pray, and repent to God in situations half as scary as this?

The camera holds nothing back. From the beautiful landscape to the hell Ralston endures in the cave, no details are spared (though at times you’ll wish they were). The film can be unflinchingly gruesome, but more importantly it’s triumphant, and ultimately very inspiring. It couldn’t have had such an impact were it not for James Franco, who deserves nothing short of an Oscar nomination for his emotional conviction to the role.

1 … 1,253 1,254 1,255 1,256 1,257 … 1,367

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue