Everyone’s favourite pair (even for non-Star Wars fans) is back in action! Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Groguis playing exclusively in theatres.
After the fall of the evil Empire, the renowned Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and young apprentice, Grogu, are helping the New Republic protect the Rebellion’s vision of peace from the remaining Imperial warlords.
You can expect to see Sigourney Weaver (Avatar and Aliens) and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear and The Iron Claw) in this 2-hour and 12-minute film. You won’t actually “see” Jeremy Allen White though, since he’ll be voicing Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt.
Although the movie has a more modest critic score (64%) on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience seems to love it (88%). And I mean, you gotta give some credit to Grogu; he’s adorable.
If you’re wondering if this is a family-friendly movie, it does have a few violent scenes, so it’s best suited for kids 11 and older (Rated PG-13).
The new eight-episode series, Off Campus, has made its way to the No. 1 spot on Amazon Prime Video’s trending list following its May 13 release.
The series is an adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campusnovel series, which follows an ice hockey team’s love lives. The first season covers everything from the first novel, The Deal. Reserved songwriter Hannah meets hockey player Garrett, and the two develop an “opposites attract” romance. Just like the title says, the two strike a deal: Garrett agrees to help Hannah win over her crush, Justin Kohl, and in turn, Hannah helps Garrett pass his philosophy class.
Hannah Wells is played by Ella Bright (Malory Towers) and Garret Graham by Belmont Cameli (Along for the Ride). The season also teases characters from the third book (The Score), Dean and Allie.
Funny enough, I’ve had the book sitting on my shelf for a couple months but haven’t gotten the chance to read it…so maybe I’ll have to hold off on watching the show for now. Always gotta start with the book first! Unless?
The masterminds behind Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, are backing a new project set for release May 21 called The Boroughs.
Set in the New Mexico desert, the new series falls into the supernatural mystery and sci-fi genres.
While the Duffer Brothers are executive producers, Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews are the creators and showrunners. They told Netflix’s Tudum that the eight-episode season will feel “equal parts scary, mysterious, exciting and emotional.”
Addiss and Matthews say the project is a “dream come true” and they cannot wait to reveal it to the world. The Duffer Brothers expressed equal excitement about the collaboration, noting that when the pair pitched the idea, they knew “they had something very special on their hands.”
Set in a retirement community that seems normal on the surface, the story follows a grieving newcomer whose monstrous encounter leads him to a crew of misfits. Together, they discover an obscure secret: their “golden years” are far more deadly than they imagined.
The cast includes Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Geena Davis (Thelma and Louise), Ed Begley Jr. (Better Call Saul), along with other familiar faces you’ll likely recognize from other productions.
Will you be watching when the series hits Netflix?
Content Warning: This writing speaks to the realities of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the lasting impact on families and communities. Please approach with care for yourself and others.
I remember being a child, riding my bike with my helmet on, thinking I was just another kid enjoying the day in Keewatin. I was in grade five when I first noticed it. A whistle. Words shouted out of a vehicle that were in English but made no sense. All I had was the feeling that something was not right. That I was being seen in a way that did not sit right.
It is something many women come to recognize early, long before we had the language to name it. As I grew older, that awareness became clearer.
Years later, while studying radio and television broadcasting in Winnipeg, I covered an awareness walk as part of an assignment. At that time, the number most often referenced was more than 600 missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Even then, it felt significant. It felt like something that should have shaken the country more deeply.
Since then, we have learned that number was only part of the story.
As reporting improved and families continued to speak, the number has more than doubled. Each number represents a person. A daughter. A sister. A mother. A friend. Someone who is still loved. Someone who is still being searched for, remembered, and grieved.
What stays with me most are the stories I have heard families share.
The mothers who continue to speak their daughters’ names year after year at events and on social media. The siblings who carry memories forward, held tightly with love. The children who grow up with questions that do not always have answers. Grief does not move on.
When someone goes missing or is taken, it is not just one life that is affected. It ripples through families, through communities, and across generations. The absence becomes something people learn to live alongside.
I have seen how communities respond in those moments. I think of the search for Delaine Copenace here in Kenora. I remember how people from all walks of life came together. There was no hesitation. People showed up with their time, their energy, and their care. There was strength and love in that.
I also think about the land. The land holds meaning and memory, but it can also hold hard truths. It holds the places where someone vanished, the spaces families return to with hope and dread. And even when we don’t have the whole story, the land reminds us that what happened was real, and that people are still missing, still loved, and still being searched for.
Over the years, there has been growing awareness. Red Dress Day is one way that we hold space for that awareness. The red dresses we see hanging represent lives that are not forgotten.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls brought forward truths that families have long known and carried. It also set out Calls to Justice that speak to the need for safety, dignity, and care for Indigenous women and girls. These are not abstract ideas. They come from real lives, real losses, and real responsibilities.
Awareness has grown, but awareness alone is not enough.
The responsibility to create safer communities extends beyond any one group. It exists within systems we rely on, the services that are available, and the ways we look out for one another in everyday life. It exists in the degree of seriousness with which concerns are taken, how quickly people respond, and the consistency of care offered.
It also shows up in how we speak about Indigenous women and girls. In how we challenge harmful assumptions. In how we choose compassion over judgment.
There is no single solution. The work is layered and ongoing. But at its core, it begins with recognizing the humanity of those who are missing and those who are grieving.
For families, this is not a single day of awareness. It is something they carry every day. It is in the quiet moments, the anniversaries, the gatherings, and the spaces left empty.
Red Dress Day is about awareness, but also how we move forward.
To move with care.
To listen more closely.
To respond with intention.
Each red dress represents someone who is loved. Someone who is still being remembered. Someone whose life mattered and continues to matter.
The least we can do is carry that with us. Not just for a day, but in how we choose to show up for one another going forward.
This piece is dedicated to the families who continue to carry love alongside grief. To the mothers, fathers, siblings, children, and extended families who speak names, hold memories, search without rest, and show strength in ways the world does not always see. Your loved ones are not forgotten. Your grief matters. Your courage and care continue to guide how we remember, how we listen, and how we move forward together.
When surveyors drew the boundary between Canada and the United States, the line through most of northwestern Ontario was one area that was agreed upon without much dispute.
The border along Ontario/Minnesota from Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods was first determined in the Treaty of Paris between Great Britain and the United States, reached in 1783, which signalled an end to the American Revolution.
This line was reconfirmed in the subsequent Treaties, including the 1908 Treaty that led to the creation of the International Joint Commission.
“It being mutually understood that the boundary, so far as practicable, shall be a water line and shall not intersect islands lying along its course, and the Commissioners shall, so far as practicable, mark such boundary along its course by monuments and buoys and range marks,” states the Treaty.
This agreement was tested in October 1910 when claims were made that the border was wrongly placed.
It was initiated by a story published in the International Falls Press that indicated “agents” with the U.S. Department of Justice discovered documents, noting the border was situated further north of the Rainy River because Canada forfeited land along the river to the U.S.
A survey dating to 1849 was brought forward as evidence.
The forfeiture was said to be connected to an agreement made in the late 1860s, in which the Canadian government committed to building a canal linking Rainy Lake and Rainy River, allowing vessels to avoid the Koochiching Rapids.
Alberton Falls near Fort Frances, undated. Photo courtesy Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre
Rainy River, at the time, was an active shipping route, and the Americans claimed the canal was to run through a portion of what is now Point Park and come about 600 yards west of the rapids.
This meant that portions of downtown Fort Frances were occupying U.S. land.
American authorities claimed Canada started the project, then stopped due to the Fenian Raids, conducted by Irish nationalists from the U.S. who unsuccessfully attempted to conquer Canada in a bid to gain independence.
When the threat was quelled, Canada is said to have abandoned the canal.
Construction started in 1876 with the excavation of the 800-foot section where a lock would be situated.
Construction of canal at Fort Frances, undated. Photo courtesy of Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre
Much of the work was completed within two years but came to a halt following the election of Sir John A. McDonald and his Conservative Party in October 1878.
McDonald supported a national railway to move people and goods across the country instead of an “amphibious route” that was promoted by the previous Liberal government under Alexander MacKenzie.
The canal proposal was renewed in 1910, with federal legislation proposing the creation of the Western Canal Company.
Mayor David Croal McKenzie and area businessmen George Archibald Stethen, Herbert Williams, and Octave Jalbert were among those listed as shareholders.
Their project was more ambitious and lengthy, going from a location on Rainy Lake, five miles east of Fort Frances, to west of the Long Sault rapids on Rainy Lake.
The bill was defeated in the House of Commons because MPs thought it was too large and costly an undertaking.
Not long after the bill’s defeat, R. J. Patrick, an agent from the U.S. Department of Justice, arrived in International Falls to see if any work was taking place.
Others were spotted on Rainy Lake trying to determine if Canadians were fishing on the American side of the lake.
The news of the border’s changed location was met with skepticism in Fort Frances.
“It is surprising to know how many people really swallowed this incredulous yarn,” wrote Joseph Alexander Osborne, the Editor and Founder of the Fort Frances Times, and town councillor.
“Fort Frances is in Canada and will always remain on this side of the boundary line unless the two nations should some day be amalgamated.”
Mayor Herbert Williams offered little comment, but was reported to be moving his fur traps further inland as a precaution.
Members of the Fort Frances Police Department also began patrolling the shoreline to watch for American citizens who may be attempting to enter Canada illegally.
Northern Minnesota was also dealing with severe forest fires and had troops sent to the area to assist.
When they attempted to cross into Canada to reach the Baudette area, they were denied by customs officials who worried their presence was for ulterior reasons.
While neither government came out with an official stance, the editor of the International Press took to calling Fort Frances “North International Falls” in subsequent stories.
The newspapers also indicated that City Marshal Thomas White was dispatched to Fort Frances to place U.S. flags at key landmarks said to be situated on U.S. land. This includes the post office, customs office, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and other businesses in the new downtown core that flourished since the 1905 fire devastated much of the former business centre along Front Street.
The dispute confused travellers at the border who objected to paying duties if officials thought the line was not where it should be located.
Fingers were quickly pointed at Edward Wellington Backus for being behind the border flap.
He had signed an agreement to provide power to Fort Frances from a new dam at Koochiching Falls, but the price for that power was not yet finalized. Some suggested that moving the border would negate the agreement.
Backus, who was at Kettle Falls when the news broke, was approached by a reporter from the International Falls Press about the issue and the allegations levelled against him.
“This is the first I have heard of this, and I can not believe it was true,” insisted Backus.
A Canadian land commissioner lent some credibility to the story.
John Meyer stated that when American and Canadian engineers and land surveyors had plotted two boundaries to the first island below Koochiching Falls.
Meyer confirmed one linked to an island on Rainy Lake where the group had paddled to portage past the falls, suggesting a straight line would be less confusing than measuring a meandering one along the river.
This, however, contravened the idea of an all-water boundary recommended in the treaty.
The International Falls Press made no mention of the second boundary route, leaving readers with the impression that it was the current boundary that followed the river.
Canadians doing their own research unveiled an 1858 survey that outlined an alternate boundary line that started at the Little Fork River, going easterly to Cranberry Marsh on Rainy Lake, then connecting with Kettle Falls.
Cranberry Marsh was believed to be the spot where surveyors had paddled and opted for a straight line border that Meyers had spoke of.
This would put International Falls, Rainer and all areas 14 miles to the south under Canadian ownership.
Newspaper article from The International Press, December 1, 1911
“We invite Bros. Morrison, the versatile editor of The Press, over to get acquainted with Andrew Usher, Joe Seagram, Hiram Walker, Jim Paul and other noted Canadians,” wrote the Fort Frances Times.
The Press responded with an article that was buried on the last page of the December 1st edition, mocking the discovery.
“By any standard of humor, even the English, that is some kind of joke,” wrote The Press.
No more was said about the border that remained unchanged or disputed.
Any tensions between the two communities eventually eased.
Remnants of the canal were incorporated in the dam.
Fort Frances and International Falls become sister cities 90 years later, with Canadian and American flags flown on both sides of the border, in friendship.
It is officially May, and there are plenty of movies and TV shows to indulge in this month. From romance and thrillers to action and adventure, the May lineup offers a wide range of genres to explore.
The sequel to the iconic The Devil Wears Prada is finally arriving in just about a week, hitting theatres on May 1.
If you aren’t familiar with the original 2006 film, it focuses on Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), an aspiring journalist who starts a junior assistant role at Runway, one of the most prestigious fashion magazines. She works under editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), who can be extremely demanding. Despite Andy’s initial lack of fashion expertise, she eventually earns Miranda’s respect when she exceeds her expectations.
The new film will continue where the story left off, featuring the returning cast: Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Original screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna is back for the sequel, as are director David Frankel and producer Wendy Finerman.
The majority of the film is shot in New York City, but a portion takes place in Italy…or the heart of Prada, as some might call it.
The Devil Wears Prada Recap (Spoilers)
If you need a little refresher on what happened in the first movie, I’ve got you covered.
It all starts when journalist Andy Sachs (Hathaway) is looking for a career starting point and finds an opening at Runway magazine. Despite her lack of fashion knowledge, Miranda Priestly (Streep) decides to give her a chance. Upon arrival, she meets Miranda’s first assistant, Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt). The first day hits her hard, but over time, Andy gets better at fulfilling Miranda’s tasks.
After Andy fails to book Miranda a plane ticket from Miami during a hurricane, Miranda returns extremely disappointed. For emotional support, art director Nigel (Stanley Tucci) decides to help her by dressing her in Runway‘s high-end fashion pieces so she can finally “fit in.”
One night, she makes a grave mistake when she drops off a few things at Miranda’s house. In response, Miranda assigns Andy an impossible task: retrieve a copy of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows…a book that hasn’t even been published yet. Andy proves herself to Miranda when she tracks down a copy of the manuscript.
Although Andy is climbing the industry ladder, she is struggling in her personal life. When Andy is asked to attend an important work event after Emily catches a cold, Andy arrives late to her boyfriend Nate’s birthday party, leaving a dent in their relationship.
Paris Fashion Week is coming up, and Miranda makes Andy aware that she is taking Emily’s spot on the trip. Things go downhill quickly: Emily is visibly upset after she finds out, and Nate breaks up with Andy.
But the show must go on as Andy flies to Paris with Miranda. Andy makes a few discoveries on the trip: Nigel is going to get promoted, Miranda is going through a divorce, and Miranda’s spot is being taken by Jacqueline Follet. She only finds out about the last part when she spends time with Christian. But soon she learns about Miranda’s secret plan when Miranda offers Jacqueline the creative director position that Nigel wanted, sacrificing her friend’s happiness for Miranda’s own career.
Miranda says an important line that makes Andy reconsider everything she’s worked for: “I see a great deal of myself in you.” In that moment, Andy realizes she is losing herself and walks off the job. Just like that.
After that chapter of her life, Andy moves forward. She meets with Nate to apologize and secures a journalist position at the New York Mirror.
In the last scene, Miranda and Andy cross paths and they share a moment of recognition. When Miranda steps into the cab, she smiles.
The Devil Wear Prada 2 is on the horizon, but let’s not forget about Mother Mary, which just released yesterday.
This A24 film, written and directed by David Lowery, stars Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You), Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), Kaia Gerber and more.
When pop star Mother Mary (Hathaway) reunites with her former costume designer and best friend Sam Anselm (Coel) on the night before her comeback show, years of unspoken tension begin to boil over. Similar to another recent A24 release, The Drama, this leans heavily into the psychological drama and thriller genres.
While you may be aware of Hathaway’s singing abilities from the soundtrack for Les Miseréables and Río, this is marks a new path for her. What I’m looking forward to is her transformation into a modern pop star. “Burial,” written by Hathaway, Jack Antonoff, George Daniel and Charli XCX, and “My Mouth Is Lonely for You” written by FKA twigs are both sung by none other than Hathaway herself.
It feels like she’s discovering new ground and I couldn’t be more excited to see how it unfolds. Will you be watching Mother Mary in theatres?
John Wort Hannam is an acclaimed Canadian folk musician and we are lucky to have him touring here in our region. He will be giving concerts in Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Fort France and Atikokan from April 14th through 17th.
Born on the island of Jersey in the UK, John immigrated to Canada at the age of nine, and like a lot of performers, he began his singing career in a choir – the Calgary Boys Choir.
He later discovered the guitar and his knack for writing songs in his early thirties while working as a teacher on the Kainai Nation in Blackfoot country.
In 2001, John quit his teaching job and made himself a promise – he would try his hand at writing songs for 10 months or until his employment insurance ran out. When time was up, he had a handful of songs. Those songs would become his first recording, “Pocket Full of Holes”.
Since then, he has released eight full-length albums and earned several prestigious accolades, including multiple Canadian Folk Music Awards and a Juno nomination.
John was kind enough to speak with us over the phone on route to northwestern Ontario. You can listen to some of his thoughts, feeling and comments in the audio clips below.
This is a singer-songwriter and musician that you won’t want to miss!
Justin Bieber headlined Coachella Saturday night in Indio, Calif., performing hits from Swag II alongside the classics that jumpstarted his career.
He performed a total of 30 songs onstage, including “Baby,” “Favorite Girl,” “Never Say Never,” “Confident,” and “All That Matters.”
His setup was pretty minimal: a blank stage, a laptop and the big screen. Justin Bieber doesn’t really need an extravagant show because he’s reached that point in his career where if he shows up, everyone will show up.
It was a totally unexpected show but everyone was jamming out, having the best time. If you’re a Belieber, did you watch Coachella from home over the weekend?
