Guelph Politicast

End Credits - June 26, 2019 (Child's Play)

This week on End Credits, we enter the terrifying realm of the killer dolls. It's been kind of a theme this summer with two killer doll movies coming out within a week of each other, but this week, it's all about Child's Play. Also, we're going to talk about the latest MeToo casualty, sequel ennui, the future of movies, and the Napoleon Bonaparte bio-pic we've never got (but might?).
This Wednesday, June 12, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
#MeToo the Max. Max Landis has become the latest takedown in the MeToo movement, but if you've been following along, it's a takedown that's been a long time in coming. Landis is well-known for some of his not-so-vaguely misogynistic comments, but a Daily Beast expose explored multiple allegations, and how Landis' supposed auteur status revealed the age old problems with gender power dynamics, and just plain bullying.
Tomorrow Today. The New York Times brought together two dozen luminaries of film including J.J. Abrams, Octavia Spencer, Jason Blum, and Kumail Nanjiani to talk about the future of movies 10 years out. The answer is still unclear, but it's an either an era of great opportunity, or a dire shift in the way we consume media. Which one is which though?
Cruel Summer. After weeks of sequels that failed to meet expectations - Godzilla: King of the Monsters, The Secret Life of Pets 2, Men in Black: International, Shaft, and Dark Phoenix - people are once again asking why Hollywood is investing so much in sequels no one seems to care about. But doesn't it seem like we're asking that question every summer?
Napoleon Dynamite. Why hasn't there ever been a good movie about Napoleon? We know, he was a conquerer, and an overall unpleasant person, but there have been a lot of Hollywood movies about unpleasant people, some of them have even won Oscars. Stanley Kubrick came close, but will we ever get the definitive Napoleon movie?
REVIEW: Child's Play (2019). This weekend, a familiar story came back to theatres about a boy named Andy and his most beloved toy who literally has a life of his own, but this ain't no *toy story*! Chucky is back, and this time he's an A.I. that can taunt you from the cloud in lieu of the original story about a serial killer's soul via voodoo getting stuck insider the doll. Can Chucky terminate Andy and strike a fatal blow in the war on toys?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

Open Sources Guelph - June 20, 2019

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we revisit a couple of our favourite people, one is a youthful, active, left-leaning Canadian politician in his late-40s, and the other is an inactive, inattentive, and far-right leaning American businessman turned politician in his mid-70s. Who are they? Well, they're not one of the councillors from Guelph's fourth ward, who will be our special guest in studio this week.
This Thursday, June 20, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Look Who's Coughing. U.S. President Donald Trump tried another media charm offensive last week in which he memorably told his Chief of Staff to leave while coughing in the middle of an interview where he said he would accept foreign interference in the 2020 election. Also, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is trying to convince the world that Iran is up to no good, while Trump says New York Times reporters should be tried for treason for talking about America's cyber actions against Russia. Just another week in America!
Tru-Don't Know How it Ends. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a busy Monday meeting U.N. officials in Ottawa in the morning, greeting the Raptors in Toronto at lunch, and heading to Montreal at night for a Pride event. All in a day's work as MPs in the House of Commons are working towards the end of the session, and, indeed, the end of the term. We'll talk about what the Trudeau government is getting done in its last days, and look ahead to what might affect the vote during this fall's general election.
Catching Up on Salisbury Hill. We don't often get a visitor from the Ward 4 caucus, but we're pleased to welcome back to the show Councillor Mike Salisbury. We'll touch on some stuff in Guelph's west end, but we'll also get Salisbury's perspective on issues present and future at city council including the changes to Guelph's leash laws, the ongoing effects from provincial changes, and council's growing sense of unease about the size and type of development in the city. Plus, we'll talk about the in-camera controversy from Monday's council meeting.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - June 19, 2019 (Dark Phoenix/Batman's 30th)

Hope you like superheroes, because this week's End Credits is all about them (so you know for sure that Vince isn't taking part in this one). We're going to talk about the latest superhero movie released in theatres, Dark Phoenix, and we're also going to talk about the legacy of the 11 X-Men films prior to it. And in a special anniversary Re-View, we're going to return to the Gotham City of Tim Burton and remember a man called "Bat." 
This Wednesday, June 12, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
X-Men, We Hardly Knew Ye! It's been 19 years and 12 movies, but the release of Dark Phoenix (or maybe the eventual release of New Mutants next year), marks the end of a cycle. Bryan Singer's original X-Men helped set a trend for how comic book movies are made, but now the characters are all being absorbed into the Marvel Studios machine, where they'll be one of hundreds of characters jockeying for screen time. Will we ever see the likes of the X-Men film series again?
ReVIEW: Batman (1989). It was 30 years ago this Sunday that Batman hit the big screen. Although not the first Batman move - and definitely not the last - the Tim Burton smash changed the way people perceived comic book movies generally, and the Dark Knight specifically, all while changing the Hollywood blockbuster game in a way not seen since 1977 and Star Wars. So this week, we'll revisit this classic and its continuous charm.
REVIEW: Dark Phoenix (2019). Thirty years after Batman, which started a profitable superhero franchise, we come to the end of another. Dark Phoenix marks the final outing for the First Class iteration of the characters, and it seeks to remake loyally one of the X-Men comics' most seminal stories. With so much riding on the film for fans, and so much disinterest in the finished film in the post-Disney/Fox merger era, could Dark Phoenix possibly succeed?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

Open Sources Guelph - June 13, 2019

This week on Open Sources Guelph we will again tackle the pressing issues of the day, and maybe have a few laughs along the way. But probably not. We're drowning in plastic, and then there's the drastic changes made by the Ford government, which has decided to take the next five months off having been so productive. We'll also have a visitor in the form of one of Guelph's 12 city councillors. Hint? She'll be doing the interview in her home ward.
This Thursday, June 13, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
144 Days of Summer. The Ontario Legislature rose for the summer last Thursday, and they won't be back at Queen's Park until more than a month into the fall. This will, theoretically, allow politicians and political operatives to participate in the Federal Election on October 21, but the rumbling from the Federal Conservative camp is that Doug Ford, and his unpopularity, will be more liability than asset. In the meantime, what do we make of this first quarter of the PC mandate?
Plastic Measures. Plastic is killing us. Whether it's sea life eating plastic by the pound, to micro-particles of plastic being set loose in ecosystems, to huge mounds of the stuff the size of continents being found in the middle of the ocean, plastic is a big problem, and Canada is setting out the goal to ban single-use plastic from the country by 2021. But what about good middle class jobs and the billion-dollar plastic industry? Can Canada really move forward with such an ambitious goal?
Ward 5 Alive. This week, we will welcome Ward 5 Councillor Cathy Downer to the exact centre of her ward, the CFRU studios! These are interesting times for city councils across Ontario, with a lot of changes coming down from the Province. Downer has a pretty big investment in one of those edicts, the return of the old Ontario Municipal Board rules under the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, so we'll talk to her about that, as well as other issues making the rounds at the council horseshoe and city hall.
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - June 12, 2019 (Booksmart)

This week on End Credits, we're finally going to get book smart, or rather Booksmart. We'll review this new, and seemingly underrated, comedy, and we'll talk about some other things too. The quality of bio-pics, the significance of Comic Con, when good movies go bad, and the 35th birthday of a pair of classics are all up for discussion.
This Wednesday, June 12, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Vince Masson will discuss:
Myopic About Bio-Pics? Rocketman, the new film about the life of Elton John, is currently getting good reviews from fans and critics alike. John had a hand in producing the film, just like Queen had an influence on Bohemian Rhapsody, which begs the question, should the artists be involved in making movies about themselves? Does that inspire good drama?
San Diego Shuffle. For years, San Diego Comic Con has been the preeminent destination for movies trying to build buzz with a certain audience. But perhaps times are changing. Warner Bros has opted to skip this year's event even though they have two big franchises to promote, so we'll ask again if the shine is coming off Comic Con?
Failed, But Safe. It's summer movie season, and that means that Hollywood is placing a lot of big bets on big budget movies with the hopes for big pay offs. Of course, these things don't always pay off, even when they should. That's what we'll talk about here. What movies, perhaps like our movie of the week, should have been bigger hits?
Ghost and Goblins. This week marks the 35th anniversary of the the release of both Ghostbusters and Gremlins. It seems weird today to think that two seminal movies, both with a similar style and tone, came out on the same weekend, but that's what happened in 1984. So we'll revisit these two projects, and wonder what they're last legacy is, especially with another Ghostbusters coming soon...
REVIEW: Booksmart (2019). From Dazed and Confused to Superbad to Project X, there have been numerous movie comedies about how a party, especially on the last night of high school, can change your life for ever. But those are usually from the male perspective. Booksmart is directed by a woman, written by women, and starring two very talented actresses, but will it go down in movie history as another great entry in the annals of high school comedy?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

GUELPH POLITICAST #174 - Bill 108

The Government of Ontario has recessed for the summer, but not before they passed the More Homes, More Choices Act, or Bill 108. You've probably heard a lot about Bill 108, or at least enough to know that it's not as benign as the name of it implies. Yes, there will be some serious consequences from its passage, so let's take a moment to figure out what they are.
Bill 108 is an omnibus bill that alters 13 different pieces of legislation, and they are all named at the beginning of this week's podcast. Among the pertinent ones we're dealing with in this episode: the Development Charges Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, the Environmental Protection Act, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal Act, the Labour Relations Act, and the Planning Act.
Practically speaking, the changes proposed in Bill 108 could blow a $100 million hole in the City of Guelph's long-term Capital forecast. Changes to the collection of development charges means that city-building projects like the South End Community Centre, and the new main branch of the library are at risk. And on top of all this, environmental advocates are concerned that Bill 108 will open the door to more sprawl and will make endangered species, well, more endangered.
So on this edition of the podcast, we’ll hear from three different people about what the immediate and long-term effects of Bill 108 might be.
First, we’ll hear from David Amborski, a Professor at the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Ryerson University who will give us some background on municipal planning and talk about the broader effects of Bill 108 on cities.
Then, Emily Giles, the senior specialist for species conservation for WWF-Canada, will lay out how Bill 108 will effect environmental policy, especially the protection of endangered species in Ontario.
And finally, Tara Baker, the general manager of finance and the treasurer for the City of Guelph will talk about how the Royal City will specifically be impacted by Bill 108, and what that means for future major capital projects like the ones mentioned above, not to mention parkland dedication.
So let's talk about what Bill 108 means beyond "More Homes" and "More Choice" on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast!
A report about the effects of Bill 108 will be brought to Guelph City Council for its June 24 meeting, and that agenda will be released on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Councillor Cathy Downer will be our guest on Open Sources Guelph, where she will talk about the changes to the Land Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT).
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Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.

Open Sources Guelph - June 6, 2019

This week on Open Sources Guelph, we're going to tackle head on a national tragedy. Even though it's Indigenous History Month in June, a time for celebration, we're going to do a deep dive into the end of the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the other issues our First Nations people are facing. Then, a humour break, as Donald Trump once again storms the diplomatic world. And finally, we'll talk about how the world seems to be turning on alternative medicine.
This Thursday, June 6, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
"They Are Not Optional." From Marion Buller, Chief Commissioner of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, “As a nation, we face a crisis: regardless of which number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls is cited, the number is too great. The continuing murders, disappearances and violence prove that this crisis has escalated to a national emergency that calls for timely and effective responses.” There are about 231 recommendations meant to address this "genocide," but will the government take them up?
Other Indigenous Affairs. Between no deal for the mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows, administrative issues on the Six Nations reserve, Indigenous communities being evacuated from Alberta wildfires, flooding and infrastructure problems in northern Ontario communities, and ongoing fights about pipelines, four years of Trudeau didn't look too different for our First Nations people than what's come before. We'll look at what's new in Indigenous issues and discuss what the road might look like from here.
Anarchist in the U.K. President Donald Trump went to the U.K. this week for a state visit and some of that pomp and circumstance that seems to be the only part of being president he enjoys. Still, Trump's gonna Trump, and he picked a fight with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, called the Duchess of Sussex a "nasty" woman, and embarrassed Theresa May by endorsing two of the people trying to replace her. All that, and Javanka re-enacting the Flowers in the Attic cover on this week's edition of TrumpWorld!
License to Stay Ill. The Quebec association representing pharmacy chains has been having stores that carry homeopathic treatments post a warning label on them to tell consumers that the cure all they're looking at may not actually cure all, or anything for that matter. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart in the U.S. is being sued for the way their chain markets homeopathic cures. What's driving this push back against the so-called "home cure" industry, and does this have anything to do with the blowback on anti-vaxxers or big Pharma?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - June 5, 2019 (Brightburn)

This week on End Credits things are going to get meta. What happens when you take the story of the world's greatest superhero and make him a bad guy? We'll find out when we watch Brightburn. Speaking of bad guys, we'll talk about Hollywood's battle against new abortion laws,  and the lost meaning of Godzilla. Also, we'll also discuss being Booksmart and what Harrison Ford is mad about now. 
This Wednesday, June 5, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Candice Lepage will discuss:
Georgia on Our Minds. Many U.S. states have passed new, draconian bills aimed at eliminating abortion, and one of them is Georgia. Why does this matter? Well, this year 455 Hollywood movies and TV series will be shooting in that state, and the (mostly) liberal talent behind those films might decide they don't want to work there anymore. So is Y'allywood in trouble?
Keep Away From This Jones. During an interview with the Today show, Harrison Ford said that when he dies, so does his most iconic character, Indiana Jones. No one can play the globetrotting archeologist but Ford, despite rumours to the contrary. But is this vanity, or is Ford drawing a line in the sand that there's still a limit to how much you can franchise?
Monster Mash. Speaking of franchises, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is now in theatres everywhere, the latest part of the so-called "Monsters-verse." But in trying to turn Godzilla into an expanded universe, have we lost the original point of the monstrous character, who was created by Toho Studios as a response to the two atomic bombings of Japan in 1945?
Buy the Book. Olivia Wilde's Booksmart has gotten rave reviews, but it only came in sixth place at the box office. Despite opening the same weekend as the juggernaut Aladdin, and behind other big movies like Avengers and John Wick, some critics see this as a failure, and proof that there's no room for small films anymore at the multiplex. But is that true?
REVIEW: Brightburn (2019). You know the story: a kindly farm couple in Kansas find a spaceship from another world and its one passenger, a little boy they raise as their son. But what if that boy didn't grow up to be the greatest superhero there ever was? What if Superman decided to give into temptation and use his powers to do very, very bad things? So yes, Brightburn is Superman gone bad, and their will definitely be gore.
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.

Open Sources Guelph - May 30, 2019

Summer is here, so tune into Open Sources Guelph this week while sitting out on the patio drinking a beer. That's the vision that the Ontario government wants you to follow up on, or perhaps the only response to this week's news is a good stiff drink. Anyway, we'll be talking about the latest from the Ontario government, election moves from a pair of former Liberals, and then news from Europe on the future of Brexit, and the new parliament that the continent just elected.
This Thursday, May 30, at 5 pm, Scotty Hertz and Adam A. Donaldson will discuss:
Buck a Beer Store. Doug Ford started his week by making a rare move and actually stepping back from a number of spending cuts that he and his government were going to impose on municipalities. Don't worry, they're just postponing them until next year to give cities time to adjust. He did however end Monday by pulling the Province out of a contract with the Beer Store six years early, which will open up the Government of Ontario to a lawsuit worth millions of dollars. So what else is new down at Queen's Park?
Independence Day. After weeks of speculation, ousted Liberal cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott decided that they'd take the hard road of running as independents in this fall's Federal election. The news surely came as a surprise to Elizabeth May who thought maybe she could double her caucus again on the same week that Paul Manly was sworn in as the second elected Green MP. We'll talk about all the moves and non-moves on the Federal scene this week, and the latest from the winding down spring session of the House.
Mayxit. After months of trying to do the impossible by making everyone in the U.K. happy with a Brexit deal (and failing miserably) Theresa May announced that she will be stepping down as Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader next week. Her decision comes after making the House vote on what was ostensively the same negotiated deal with the European Union three times, and it seems unlikely that anyone's going to break the stalemate, especially heir apparent, and hard Brexit advocate, Boris Johnson. So is this anarchy in the U.K. time?
Union Stagnation. If all had gone according to plan, then the U.K. would not have participated in the European Union elections last weekend. But they did, and Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party took 31 per cent of the U.K.'s vote, and 29 of their seats. It was part of the whiplash against the establishment that saw far-right parties and the Green Party get more seats at the expense of mainstream parties that seem to have lost their hold on the European Parliament. What do the election results mean for the great, united Europe experiment?
Open Sources is live on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca at 5 pm on Thursday.

End Credits - May 29, 2019 (Aladdin)

This week on End Credits, we will make all your wishes come true. Hopefully, your wish is to hear us review the live-action remake of Aladdin, and also talk about some interesting movie news items from the last week. We've got new trailers, new Star Wars pics, a new Batman, and the last Game of Thrones discussion you'll ever need.
This Wednesday, May 29, at 2 pm, Adam A. Donaldson and Peter Salmon will discuss:
Rey of Light. Vanity Fair has done its usual in-depth cover story and photo spread in advance of the next Star Wars movie, the ninth in the main saga, which is called The Rise of Skywalker. What new details might we gleam from the story and the photos? Can the film rebound from the contentious reaction to The Last Jedi, and close the series right?
A Batwing and a Prayer. If there’s ever been a greater example of contentious internet casting, it’s been Batman. Whether it’s Michael Keaton of Ben Affleck, fans freak when a new Dark Knight is revealed, and now it’s Robert Pattinson’s turn, even though his casting in Matt Reeves’ new Bat-film is still only just a rumour. Are fans holding Pattinson’s Twilight past against him?
Trailer Hitches. As Quentin Tarantino begged for everyone to keep the screening of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in Cannes spoiler free, the new trailer premiered everywhere else. Speaking of big returns, the original Sarah Connor is back in Terminator: Dark Fate, and The Babadook's Jennifer Kent is also going back in time to for scares with her new film, The Nightingale.
Game and Went. HBO’s Game of Thrones did not have the most excellent of final seasons, but it came to an end just the same. With Thrones expert Peter in the house, we’ll look at the finale, and look back at the series to decide if it was really as bad as all that. We’re expectations too high? Do people not understand how drama works? Well, at least there’s always the books…
REVIEW: Aladdin (2019). It was only 27 years ago that Disney made the wish to create a modern classic and had it granted. But can Guy Ritchie directing an ethnically diverse live-action cast due anything to recapture the proverbial magic of the original Aladdin? Can Will Smith possibly stand alone in the curly-toed shoes of Robin Williams’ original Genie? Is there any end in sight to Disney’s bottomless recycling of their own heritage for money?
End Credits is on CFRU 93.3 fm and cfru.ca Wednesday at 2 pm.