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American Teen – just your average movie high school experience

American Teen poster American Teen, the new documentary by Nanette Burstein (The Kid Stays in the Picture), has more narrative, in a good way, than your average documentary. However, it ultimately fails by being even more stereotypical than John Hughes’s fictional high school film, The Breakfast Club.

American Teen attempts to describe the quintessential high school experience in small town blue-collar white Christian America, Warsaw, to be exact, and prove that those old Hughesian stereotypes – the jock, the prom queen, the artsy, the geek – really do have some basis in reality. Well, sure, if you choose to only take an on-the-surface stereotypical look at people, you can probably fit them into one of those stereotypes! And so Burstein does.

We meet Colin, the handsome, charming, pointy-chinned, and even smart, basketball superstar. Colin’s father pushes him too hard to play hard and get a basketball scholarship since his father did not bother to save money for his son’s college education. We meet Megan, the high school prom queen, student council president, and resident backstabbing mean girl, not to mention vandal. She is also quite smart and comes from a family of intellectuals who put enormous pressure on her to both get into and attend Notre Dame University, her father’s Alma Mater. Continue reading “American Teen – just your average movie high school experience”

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blogUT Will Return After This Brief Message

blogut

So, you might have noticed a lack of postings on blogUT recently. That’s not to say there’s nothing going on… in fact, there are a ton of things going on in the summer, from the Hart House Craft Beer Festival and Summer BBQ, the production of As You Like outdoors at Philosopher’s Walk, the Beaches Jazz Festival, and so much more!

However, we’re going through a transition here as we move to the new student exec for blogUT. Sit tight and we’ll be back soon… definitely before the new school year. Or, if you can’t wait, get involved and make it happen! Send us an email at contact [at] blogut [dot] ca.

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2008 Fringe Festival Wrap Up

Fringe Festival is ending again for another year. For those who missed it here’s a quick wrap-up.

Running from July 2 to July 13, Fringe tickled Toronto’s funny bone, made others cry and some sing along. With tons of original acts to choose from one found it hard to pick.

Improv, like “Scratch”, which I saw Thursday night was a good example of young comics trying to make it big. Arlen Konopaki and Kevin Gillese have traveled the world to bring audiences theatre that is wacky, absurd, but always funny. (Comedy Bar at 945B Bloor St. W, www.scratchimprov.com)

More comedy like “The Exploding Breakfast” by Ingle Knight (Factory Studio Theatre) and “My Autopsy” an autobiograpical dark piece (Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace) are sure to please those looking for a good laugh.

Dance and music are sometimes overlooked, but to get your fill check out “Take it Back” at the George Ignatieff Theatre. Also, check out “Follow Your Bliss” a three-woman show about the pitfalls and pressures of finding your way.

It was a great year, but don’t worry, if you missed it don’t forget that it all happens again in 2009.

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Fringe Reviews: About an Hour

Improvisational comedy is usually the most hilarious and nerve-racking way to see comedy. If it is good it is really really good, but if not, then expect to feel not only bored but even a bit embarrassed for the cast members. Luckily, “About an Hour”, does not disappoint. The show, running at the Fringe Club (Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Ave.) Wednesday July 2 – Saturday July 12 at 8 pm nightly, takes an audience suggestion and runs with it, well, for about an hour.

Directed by Lisa Merchant a three-time Canadian Comedy Award winner and featuring Jim Annan (Second City), Jan Caruana (Show Stopping Number, best of the Fringe 2007), Rob Baker (Second City Touring Company) and Alex Hatz (Bad Dog Theatre), the show is not only hilarious, but smart and tight. The night I was there, Tuesday July 7th, the director and a former cast member, Kerry Griffin, filled in. The show, concerning cacti and gnomes (but it changes every night), left me and my fellow audience members in stitches.

Definitely check out these quick thinking, sassy, and laughter-inducing comics!

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Toronto Fringe Festival ’08

Fringe

Editor’s Note: This post was caught in the “pending review” state for a while. Apologies for publishing it a tad late! Well, better late than never.

The annual Fringe Festival that each year takes over the city’s theatres, churches, pubs, and outdoor spaces is back.

Running from July 2-13th in Toronto, the Fringe Festival, is your chance to see wild, hilarious, dramatic, and always interesting shows. The festival features comedy, dramas, musicals and dance all in different venues and for all sorts of audiences.

If you’re into comedy (and really who isn’t?) check out “Giants Without Footprints” about members of an eccentric family and their wicked and crazy ways. And don’t forget about the improv. It’s really one of the best ways to see hilarious un-scripted comedy at it’s best.

For the kids (or those young at heart) Fringe has great family friendly shows. “The Three Magic Wishes”, “Kalvin the Great!” and “Cinderlad” are sure to make you laugh and learn.

Musicals abound at the festival. For those in the mood for some show tunes and rhythm; Fringe has what you’re looking for. “Hockey the Musical” keeps it interesting by looking into the scandals and relationships in Canada’s favourite game. While, “At The End: A Good Book Musical” explores the end of the world (always an interesting topic!).

For dates and venue information check out fringetoronto.com. And keep reading BlogUT for some reviews coming soon.

Get out and Fringe!!

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Captain Cook: Spinach and Feta Yumness #1

You will be pleased to know that my lengthy absence since introducing this cooking series has not been due to a case of food poisoning. On the contrary, I bear good news in the form of a couple of not only edible but tasty dishes. (The fact that there is a spinach-feta theme going is not really the natural chef in me trying to demonstrate the incredible range of preparation in food….no, to be honest, I had extra leftover ingredients, and wanted to save a trip to the grocery store. As a college student though, this approach does save money!)

Credit to these recipes go to Allrecipes.com –a site that I highly recommend. It’s a huge sharing database where ordinary folk submit their own homemade or family recipes of all kinds of food and cuisine imaginable, and the dishes are given an average rating out of five from users who have tried and tested them. In addition, people often leave personal reviews that offer valuable advice and alterations they made to give you a heads up on your own attempt. Another useful tool the site provides is its measurement converter, where you can enter in the number of people you want to serve and the quantities of ingredients are accordingly changed. Doesn’t get any easier!

After the jump, learn how to make a gorgeous Strawberry Spinach Salad! Continue reading “Captain Cook: Spinach and Feta Yumness #1”

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U of T’s adventures at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan

G8 summit

U of T’s G8 Research Group (G8RG) is ending an intense, but rewarding, few days at the Hokkaido Summit here in Japan. The Japanese hosts had hoped to centre the Summit around Climate Change, but was overshadowed by increasing food and oil prices, as well as the political violence in Zimbabwe. Nonetheless, the G8RG think something came out of the summit, and the analysts are all hastily finishing their final assessment reports on the countries and issues…well, most analysts, not this blogger… Continue reading “U of T’s adventures at the G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan”