My Pinterest feed is filled with beautiful gift wrapping right now. (Because duh.) Many of them have some sort of natural garnish — berries, twigs, sticks, you name it. Of them, this by Weekday Carnival is the most beautiful. You’ll find a closer look at the marble wrapping, copper wire and sprigs here.
[Photo by Weekday Carnival.]
I had no idea what to expect when I was expecting. And I’m not just talking about exhaustion and diapers and spitup. I’m talking about my wardrobe. I had no idea that after you have a kid you’re not right back to the silk blouses and suede shorts you wore before you got knocked up. Size is a factor, obviously, but so is feeding. You don’t want anything that’s going to make things difficult. Which is why I love this sweater by Seraphine. Snaps on, snaps off. And it doesn’t look mom-y.
It’s a smart line, that Seraphine. Kate Middleton seems to think so too.
Thanks, Liv, for the photo!
Want to expand your scary movie repertoire beyond Ghostbusters? Me too. So I posed a few questions to Dave Alexander, editor-in-chief of horror-happy Rue Morgue Magazine, who curated a list of terrifically terrifying films available on Netflix Canada. Here, he shares his thoughts on zombies, psychos and friendly Frankensteins.
Plus, we’re giving away a six-month subscription to Netflix Canada so you can stream and scream to your heart’s content. Details at the bottom of the interview!
I’m a huge wimp. A cover-my-eyes-and-ears kind of wimp. But I love scary movies. Why are they so irresistible?
It seems to be illogical that we’d indulge in things that induce feelings of terror, revulsion and horror, but there are actually a bunch of reasons we seek out dark art. First and foremost, we love to be thrilled — get the physical sensation of an adrenaline rush — without ever being in real danger. This is why people skydive, ride roller coasters, drive fast, etc. While those activities could actually result in your bones breaking, horror films are very safe way to get your pulse racing. Some horror fans simply love special effects and to revel in how far the medium can go in trying to trick us. A good example would be the jaw-dropping monster makeup in David Cronenberg’s The Fly, or the outrageous gore gags in The Walking Dead, which are very realistic, creative and even morbidly funny sometimes.
Horror stories also allow us to engage with larger real-world fears in a safe forum. This is why apocalypse films are so popular right now. Anxieties over disease, war and environmental destruction are played out in shows such as The Walking Dead or, more realistically, in movies such as Contagion. Ever notice how these kinds of stories often spark what-would-you-do-in-that-
Which movies from your Stream and Scream list are best for scaredy cats?
There are some picks on there to appeal to the fainter of heart, for sure. Hitchcock is a whimsical sort of drama with a ghoulish touch about the Master of Horror and his struggles to make his horror masterpiece, Psycho. Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren are in top form and it doesn’t get any darker than some fun day dream scenes in which the filmmaker chats with his imagination’s version of Ed Gein, the real-life grave robber and murdered who first inspired the story.
The BBC show Being Human certainly has its frightening and violent elements but offers some great comic relief, too, within its premise of a vampire, werewolf and ghost who share a flat. And, of course, everyone can enjoy Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, a hilarious send-up of the classic Universal Monster movies. Goofy fun with a cast of comic legends, including Gene Wilder, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman and Madeline Khan.
Hitchcock, which tells the story of the making of Psycho, was one of your picks. How have scary films changed since Hitchcock’s time?
Hitchcock himself ushered in the modern horror film with Psycho, which evolved the genre in the way that you longer had to worry about supernatural monsters in Gothic European castles; the biggest threat was the boy next door with severe psychological problems. There’s a direct line from Norman Bates to Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs, and the body-defiling hillbillies of The Devil’s Rejects. And we just can’t get enough of Psycho, as proven by the popularity of the new Bates Motel series. Take that, or something like Dexter, and the “psycho” is now the hero. Now, that’s a huge turnaround!
What are the key ingredients in a good horror film?
It depends on the type of horror film, but it all begins with strong characters that the audience will care about when they’re put in grave danger and must fight against monsters or other evil forces. You need to respect your audience; most genre fans are very savvy and are tired of horror cliches. For example, if your group of campers decides to split up to search the woods, they’d better have a damn good excuse.
Try to apply real-world logic if you’re making a serious horror movie. For cartoonish horror-comedies, you can be a lot looser with that, however. And if you’re making a movie that relies a lot on special effects don’t be half-assed about it. Use organic, non-computer-animated, effects when possible — everyone is tired of bad CGI. And please, avoid cheap jump-scares. It’s easy to rattle someone with a loud noise, but it’s cheap and irritating when done more than once or twice in a movie. Lastly, just because it’s a horror film doesn’t mean it needs a pounding, aggressive hard rock soundtrack. Toss that uncreative cheese.
The Walking Dead is one of your picks. Zombies are huge right now and vampires were big before them. What’s next?
Our appetite for apocalypse stories seems to be very strong, whether they involve zombies or not. We’ve definitely been seeing a surge in environmental horror-themed films, which I think we’ll see more and more of as global warming anxieties grow with the shrinking of the ice caps.
Recent examples of these films include The Thaw, a 2009 Canadian title about an unfrozen mammoth carcass that’s full of some nasty parasites; The Last Winter, Larry Fessenden’s 2006 movie about thawing ice unleashing angry spirits; a German flick called Hell, from 2011, which set in an apocalyptic sun-scorched wasteland created by global warming; and an upcoming Austrian film called The Station, about a deadly life form that is resurrected from a melting glacier.
Dave Alexander’s full Stream and Scream picks available on Netflix Canada: The Loved Ones, Pan’s Labyrinth, Walking Dead, Session 9, Hemlock Grove, Young Frankenstein, The Omen, The Legend of Hell House, Event Horizon, Would You Rather, Insidious, The Reef, Blair Witch Project, Hitchcock, Child’s Play, Being Human (UK), Pumpkinhead and The Fly.
Want to win a six-month subscription to Netflix Canada? Email KDundon@TheAnthology.ca to enter.
[Contest closed: Congratulations Sonja!]
[Film still of Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh in Hitchcock, Michael C. Hall in Dexter, and a film still from Pan’s Labyrinth]
The Selby is one of my favourite blogs, pinning to this Sweet Home board is my favourite way to spend a grocery store lineup and I will happily stop into an open house even though I have zero intention of moving. House creeping is the best.
If you also love all things home and design, you’re in luck. We’re giving away two pairs of tickets to the Vancouver Home and Design Show this weekend (Oct. 17-20). Want a pair? Email me at kdundon@theanthology.ca and I’ll randomly pick a winner.
UPDATE: The contest is now closed. Congratulations, Mandy and Camille! Have fun!
[Photo found here.]
One of my first writing jobs was penning dance reviews for The Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s arts and culture weekly. It was before I started The Anthology, before Twitter was invented, before social media was a thing outside the nerdiest circles. Things were different back then.
I went to many, many shows. Some big, some small, some at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, some at a bar on Granville Street. But they were all in their costumed, on-stage, completely finished glory. Wednesday was the first time I got to go, well, not behind the curtain because there was no curtain in the Dance Centre studio, but behind the proverbial curtain. For the launch of Ballet BC’s young patrons group Up, they invited us to a runthrough, a rehearsal one step before a dress rehearsal, where we sat in their studio, watched them stretch before they hit the floor, and counted the beads of sweat on their foreheads during their performance.
Man, it made me miss dance. Maybe even enough that I’d take their all-levels ballet class taught by their dancers. I’ll take any excuse to pull out the old leotard.
I hadn’t thought about pH since grade 11 chemistry class. And all I remember is that it has something to do with litmus paper. Now here I am drinking alkaline water (which has a pH of 9+ for those of you who remember what such things mean). Why? Because it tastes good, the flask (c/o Santevia) has a fancy lid and there are many rumoured health benefits. Plus, during October, Santevia is donating half the proceeds from this pink flask to Rethink Breast Cancer.
It’s tough playing favourites. I mean, we’re talking fall trends, so all things considered it’s not that tough. But still.
I got choosy and brought three of my many favourite fall trends from Metropolis at Metrotown to Global Television. What made the cut? Leather. And not just for your handbag, but for your boardroom-ready dress (like this one from Banana Republic). The tuxedo (not the Canadian kind, though that’s cool too) made up of black-and-white separates like this blouse from Plenty. And army green, like this coat from H&M or this satchel from Michael Kors.
Watch the clip here.
P.S. What are your three favourite social media channels? Twitter, Facebook and Instagram? Well then follow The Anthology on all three.
Sabrina writes:
I have two sets of expecting Melbournian friends, and wanted to get a nice present for them. Something sweet, something uniquely Canadian (or Vancouver!), something not plastered in moose or maple leaves, and something not too outrageously expensive. Would you have any recommendations?
Yes, yes I do! These are a few of my conceived-in-Vancouver baby gifts, though I must say, I think a moose-shaped teether would be pretty cute too.
1. I first discovered Boske Kids clothes at Ella and Elliot and fell hard for them. They’re simple, beautiful pieces that feel a little vintage and a little European.
2. When I had my baby girl I got a care package filled with Vonbon blankets, bibs and hats. And, as I mentioned before, I love them.
3. The only thing I like about winter is the fact that I get to wear my Padraig Cottage slippers. My little one got a pair as a gift from my friend Sonja whose daughter also had a pair that she wore constantly. They’re not only cozy, but their suede soles provide ample traction for little ones learning to walk on hardwood floors.
4. Native Shoes’ kid’s gear is so cute. They’re from the west coast and now you can find them all over the place. I’m partial to the rain boots because they feel extra Vancouver-y.
Hope this helps, Sabrina! Happy gift-giving!
I figure if you’ve done summer right — salt, sun, chlorine, sweat, and in my case baby barf — your hair should be a disaster right about now. But if you condition the heck out of it, it doesn’t have to look it. I’ve been layering on René Furterer’s Karité leave-in conditioner, which is thick but light. And since it doesn’t need to be rinsed out I can get right back to destroying my mane.
A post in collaboration with Old Navy
It makes no difference if you’re going back to school or not. September feels like the start of a brand new year.
Which means, my friends, it’s time to warm up, cozy up, button up and smarten up. By layering on a sweater perhaps? These from Old Navy are embellished, emblazoned and, from $15 a pop, emblematic of a smart start to the new (school?) year.