An unranked list of the top alternative Christmas movies, including Santa slasher films, adults-only tales of depravity, goth musicals, somewhat family-friendly fare from the ’90s and more.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Christmas trees abound in this otherwise not-Christmas-related-at-all tale of lust, sexual frustration and a secret society of masquerade-orgy enthusiasts starring then-married couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. It’s also Stanley Kubrick’s last movie. Adults only!

In Bruges (2008)

Nearly a decade before he made Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, director Martin McDonagh made this very dark comedy set in the small Belgian town of Bruges, where hitmen played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are hiding out and awaiting instructions from their boss (Ralph Fiennes). The Christmas setting is superficial but lends a certain drama to the narrative’s highs and lows. Adults only.

Bad Santa (2003)

It’s Billy Bob Thornton in the role he was born to play: an alcoholic mall Santa who pisses himself in front of kids and sodomizes ladies in the women’s big and tall department. His foul-mouthed elf sidekick (played by Tony Cox) is practically a scene-stealer, as is Ajay Naidu as the “Hindustani troublemaker” who attacks Santa in a parking lot. Definitely adults only.

Die Hard (1988)

Pretty much the gold standard of ’80s Hollywood action movies, this Christmas-party-set Bruce Willis blockbuster isn’t exactly teeming with Christmas spirit but does feature some pretty classic action sequences, just the right amount of cheesy one-liners and Alan Rickman as an iconic villain. (Is it really a Christmas movie? Look here for answers.)

Black Christmas (1974)

Despite being kind of shitty in the way that Canadian  horror movies from the 1970s are, you can’t really beat a Santa slasher movie during the holidays. Pre-Superman Margot Kidder plays one of the sorority girls who starts receiving threatening phone calls that escalate into serial killing.

Batman Returns (1992)

As with many of these “alt Christmas” movies, the holiday is merely a background setting in Tim Burton’s second Batman movie, starring Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, Michelle Pfeiffer as the PVC Catwoman, Danny DeVito as a particularly disgusting Penguin and Christopher Walken as a businessman douchebag partly based on Trump’s dad. But the background is particularly striking in this bizarro art deco Gotham City, enhanced by festive decorations including a giant gift-wrapped present that serves as an important set-piece.

Go! (1999)

Set during the Christmas season, this 18+ title by Doug Liman is a contender for most ’90s movie ever. The post-Pulp Fiction crime comedy involves horny grocery store clerks from California doing drugs, dealing drugs, going to a “rave” and hitting Las Vegas. Can-con notes: Sarah Polley is a key component of the ensemble cast, and Len’s “Steal My Sunshine” is featured on soundtrack stacked with tunes by artists that are characteristic of that era (Fatboy Slim, Natalie Imbruglia, No Doubt, etc.).

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Also on the Tim Burton tip, this Burton production (directed by Henry Selick) has his signature all over it, from its innate gothiness of the animation aesthetic (as well as the narrative) to the Danny Elfman score — the composer is also the singing voice of lead character Jack Skellington. it’s the first time Burton waded into actual kids-movie territory, and it’s certainly one that adults can enjoy. And like the classic Christmas musical Meet Me in St. Louis, this film also connects Halloween and the Yuletide season.

Gremlins (1984)

The ’80s cult classic about a deceptively cute Christmas present gone terribly wrong: After an adorable critter called Mogwai is procured from a Chinatown boutique, he produces offspring that turn into gross Gremlins and wreak havoc. Despite its horror trappings, this is a fairly family-friendly film.

Shazam! (2019)

Shazam! is part superhero blockbuster, part coming of age story and part Christmas movie, wherein 14-year-old foster kid Billy Batson inherits powers from a wizard (along with a buff adult body) and ends up in a showdown with a bad guy imbued with the Seven Deadly Sins. All this is somehow balanced with a sense of humour and sense of wonder, making it one of the best films to emerge from the now-defunct DC Comics Extended Universe.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit our Film & TV section.

The post The Top 10 Alternative Christmas Movies appeared first on Cult MTL.

Talks between the union and management to reach a last-minute deal went all day Monday, but despite some reported progress, no agreement was reached, said the president of the workers' union affiliated with the CSN, Jacques Ratté.

It's been a century since Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society gathered funds from across Quebec to build a monument to the province's history and culture.

Whether you’re looking for suggested listening or want to compare notes, check out these lists of the 10 best albums of 2024, by four music writers at Cult MTL.

The Best Albums of 2024

Stephan Boissonneault

Best Albums of 2024

• Yoo Doo Right, From the Heights of Our Pastureland (Mothland) 
• Alix Fernz, Bizou (Mothland)
• Vampire Weekend, Only God Was Above Us (Colombia) 
• The Cure, Songs of a Lost World (Fiction/Lost Music)
• Magdalena Bay, Imaginal Disk (Mom + Pop)
• Mannequin Pussy, I Got Heaven (Epitaph) 
• Godspeed You! Black Emperor, NO​ ​TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28​,​340 DEAD (Constellation)
• Chelsea Wolfe, She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She (Loma Vista)
• Chat Pile, Cool World (The Flenser)
• Ducks LTD., Harm’s Way (Carpark)

Biggest Disappointment

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX. 

Best Concert

Mannequin Pussy, Osheaga, Aug. 2

When I attended Osheaga this year, I managed to catch almost all of Mannequin Pussy’s set on the main stage. I had always known the name but was not prepared for this onslaught of vicious punk/noise and vocalist Marisa “Missy” Dabice’s charming demeanour. But it wasn’t charming in a normal way; Missy has a way of introducing her songs, going on little diatribes about the darker side of capitalism and the church, and bringing her voice to a hushed, tantalizing whisper that pulls you in. I found myself getting closer and closer to the stage. She then explodes into a scream and the band unleashes. At one point, bassist Colins “Bear” Regisford took the microphone and sang lead, which is probably the closest I’ll ever get to seeing someone like Bad Brains. The album I Got Heaven is good, but this band is meant to be experienced in the live setting. 

Darcy MacDonald

Best Albums of 2024

• P’tit Belliveau, P’tit Belliveau (self-released)
• Kendrick Lamar, GNX (PGLang/Interscope)
• Blu & Exile, Love (the) Ominous World (Dirty Science)
• Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal (Top Dawg)
• Safia Nolin, UFO RELIGION (Gladiateur Sourire)
• Hawa B, better sad than sorry (Duprince)
• Brown Family, Durags & coeurs brisés (7ème Ciel)
• Common & Pete Rock, The Auditorium Vol. 1 (Loma Vista)
• Brother Ali & Ant, Satisfied Soul EP (Travellers Media)
• Joey Valence & Brae, No Hands (self-released)

Best Concert

Queens of the Stone Age, Place Bell, April 13

Biggest Disappointment

Kaytranada’s third LP, Timeless, is anything but.

Compiling year-end lists is hardly an exact science. At Cult MTL, our music team is mandated not to ascribe any numerical order to our Top 10 picks, allowing us to praise our personal favourites rather than arbitrarily rank the importance or impact of a project.

It’s therefore doubly disheartening that hometown hero Kaytranda’s third outing couldn’t keep my attention for more than a few listens when it dropped in June, whereas its predecessors, 99.9% and Bubba, have never left my rotation. Overlong and overstuffed with guests who insist on singing along to basslines, Timeless is low on heart. One of the most creative, gifted musicians of his generation, Kaytra’s production here sounds bored and uninspired. Granted, a mediocre Kaytranada project is still a decent album by any standard. But mediocrity has never been his jam. Here’s hoping he got whatever this was out of his system and finds his way back to making truly exciting sounds. And for the love of music, can we please bench the charismaless Lou Phelps now? Take Your Little Brother to Work Day has been cancelled indefinitely. 

Dave MacIntyre

Best Albums of 2024

• Bibi Club, Feu de garde (Secret City)
• Charli XCX, Brat (Atlantic)
• The Cure, Songs of a Lost World (Fiction/Lost/Polydor/Universal/Capitol)
• Fontaines D.C., Romance (XL)
• Gulfer, Third Wind (Topshelf)
• Jamie xx, In Waves (Young)
• Kendrick Lamar, GNX (PGLang/Interscope)
• Porter Robinson, Smile! :D (Mom + Pop)
• salute, TRUE MAGIC (Ninja Tune)
• Tems, Born in the Wild (RCA/Since ’93)

Biggest Disappointment

A close tie between la Tulipe’s closure, Gulfer disbanding and Pitchfork being swallowed up by GQ.

Best Concert

Population II at la Tulipe during this year’s Taverne Tour.

There were many Best Concert contenders for me this year: Chappell Roan’s instantly iconic mid-afternoon Osheaga set. SZA, Confidence Man and Romy’s sets that weekend stand out, too, as do regular old shows from Porter Robinson, Tems and a hugely entertaining Vampire Weekend concert in Laval.

But I think Population II — a band I saw live three times this year, including in front of a woodworker’s garage in Baie-Saint-Paul — takes the cake for the first time I saw them, at the maddeningly now-shuttered la Tulipe. The proggy, psychedelic  krautrock trio used the relative expansiveness of the room to their advantage, creating an ominous and freaky atmosphere with the use of red and green lighting, loud, punishing basslines and tunes that were experimental yet simultaneously very controlled and calculated. That was in February, and it stood tall throughout the rest of the year as my favourite 2024 gig.

Mr. Wavvy

Best Albums of 2024

• NxWorries, Why Lawd? (Stones Throw)
• Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Wild God (PIAS)
• Kendrick Lamar, GNX (Interscope)
• Tyler, the Creator, CHROMAKOPIA (Columbia)
• Soran, Loneliness Confetti (Audiogram)
• Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares & Yago Vazquez – Familla (Greenleaf)
• Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter (Columbia)
• Kaytranada, Timeless (RCA)
• Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard N Soft (Interscope)

Biggest Disappointment

SOPHIE, SOPHIE (Future Classic)

Best Concert

Missy Elliott, Bell Centre, Aug. 17

Missy Elliott’s Montreal debut was a masterclass in hip hop spectacle. As a singular artist who raps, sings, choreographs and reinvents the art of costume design with every wardrobe change, she embodies the multidisciplinary brilliance of a true pop auteur. She’s hip hop’s answer to Lady Gaga, but with a fiercer edge. 

Openers Ciara and Busta Rhymes were “supporting acts” in the literal sense of the term, their presence bearing a deep sense of gratitude towards a woman who shaped the trajectory of their respective careers. Missy’s long-overdue inaugural headlining tour was a celebration of her unshakable legacy, an evening nothing short of spectacular.

This article was originally published in the Dec. 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

For more Montreal music coverage, please visit the Music section.

The post These are the best albums of 2024 appeared first on Cult MTL.

According to a report by Jobseeker, Canada has been named the most desirable country in the world for job relocation.

The report was compiled using national and regional search data to map out the places people around the world are looking to move to for work.

Canada is the most-searched country for job relocation, followed by Australia, Switzerland, the United States and Singapore.

“For many years, Canada has been an appealing location for people all around the world to live and work. Factoring in accessibility while considering Canada’s comparatively strong economy, healthcare system and diverse culture — it’s clear why it remains an ideal location for people to relocate.”

The report found Canada to be the most popular country among job seekers in Costa Rica, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Canada was also recently named among the best countries in the world.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

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Streaming guide JustWatch has revealed the streaming services in Canada with the best selection of Christmas movies this holiday season.

Topping the list with roughly 39% market share is Prime Video, whose selection includes classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, Love Actually and The Grinch.

In second place with 20% of the market share is Crave, which features titles like Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story.

In third place is Netflix with 16% market share and a selection that includes Klaus and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Overall, there are 287 holiday-themed movies streaming in Canada. For a list of the most popular Christmas movies streaming in Canada, please click here.

For previous updates on the most popular movies and TV shows streaming in Canada right now, please click here.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit the Film & TV section.

The post Which streaming service has the best selection of Christmas movies? appeared first on Cult MTL.

Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet is contemplating changing the law to grant the government more authority to intervene in labour disputes.

Back in 2020, in the thick of the pandemic, a Montrealer who goes by the moniker Lubalin became a viral TikTok sensation. In his hilarious and catchy “Internet Drama” series, he took odd conversations over Facebook and Marketplace Ads and crafted them into highly produced pop bangers. Featuring broccoli casserole recipe slander, a 15,000-pound horse and attorney general threats, these Internet Drama videos led Lubalin (who was already signed to local label Cult Nation) to collaborate with Jimmy Fallon and Alison Brie while quietly becoming one of the producers for Charlotte Cardin’s 99 Nights, which won a Juno this year. 

Now, Lubalin has just released his debut album, haha, no worries, an album that takes the catchy pop of the 2000s, drum & bass, indie and a dash of alt-rock and seamlessly blends them all together. It was also all recorded in studio, a first for Lubalin, who was used to making his rare form of pop music on the computer. Much of this new process came from working with Cardin for months on 99 Nights. 

“It was cool seeing how she writes songs and what their priorities are in terms of a song’s core,” says Lubalin. “For me, I write, I record, I produce, I mix … I do the whole thing. So it becomes very easy to accidentally try to fix a songwriting problem with production or a production problem with the mix. And so after that, I was like, ‘Okay, let’s just step away from the computer altogether and make sure the song works on its own.’”

One of the songs that really conveys Lubalin’s distinctive style is the lead single from haha, no worries, “Pale Blue Dot,” a track that begins as a muted and dreamy R&B song à la Frank Ocean and then explodes into an alternative emo rock anthem about staring at the stars and feeling small. 

“I love that song,” Lubalin says with a Cheshire grin. “I started with the kind of guitar arpeggio on classical guitar — and I’m not a guitar player, I’m very much a producer who dabbles, but the drums were just asking to be included, and then the rest was very intuitive. It was a magical two days.”

The haha, no worries crafting process also saw Lubalin producing and mixing 12 songs from a hefty 50 demos. 

“You suffer a bit for it,” Lubalin says. “You work songs to death and in the end, you really have to start trusting people around you because after you’ve listened to a song 10,000 times, you can’t really hear whether it’s working anymore.”

Behind Lubalin is an oversized grey suit hanging off a closet door, the same suit he wore at his debut concert at Club Soda during M for Montreal last month. This giant suit has become somewhat of a trademark for Lubalin’s persona and style. 

“When I put on the suit, there is an effect to it,” he says with a chuckle. “I guess I wanted people to take me more seriously. But there is a persona that comes with it. I’m not sure it’s dialed in, but maybe that will be revealed to me more in time.” 

There’s more to the suit than that. This thing is marvelous. Everything is oversized; the pockets, the linings, the trail, the lapels… It kind of looks like a Victorian vampire’s cape from the side and for Lubalin, it’s an absolute must. 

“The fashion designer Remi van Bochove really blew it out of the water,” Lubalin says. “We went to him and said, ‘We need you to make the biggest suit you’ve ever made,’ and it’s not just a normal suit that is upscaled, but everything has been adjusted to make it a working and aesthetic suit. I love it.” 

And when he moves in it, as he did during the Club Soda show, you can’t help but smile — at the comedic factor yes, but also the fact that this guy is doing whatever the hell he wants and he doesn’t care what anyone thinks. This very notion even comes down to the moniker he chose for himself, named after the graphic designer Herb Lubalin. (FYI, his real name is a secret.)

You see, back before he was even a viral sensation, the pop producer and singer was feeling a bit discouraged. He had imposter syndrome and was not sure if his music and production skills were up to snuff. He also hadn’t released anything. But first, he needed a name. 

He stumbled upon a book about Herb Lubalin’s work, and suddenly everything clicked.

“So he does a logo for some really big company. And they were like, ‘Oh, we’re not sure, can we make this change?’ And he was like, ‘No. Take it or leave it. If you don’t like this, go somewhere else.’ And I was like, ‘Wow.’ I needed that,” he says. “I was like, you know what? Fuck it. I’m gonna start doing shit. I’m Lubalin now, and this is who Lubalin is and what he wants, and he doesn’t care what people think, and he just posts shit. It really unblocked something for me and I’ve taken that same energy into everything I do.” ■

For more on Lubalin, please visit his Instagram.

This article was originally published in the Dec. 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

For more Montreal music coverage, please visit the Music section.

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A new therapy program at the McGill University Health Centre is helping patients cope with the fear of cancer recurrence. It is aimed at breast cancer patients and people with cancers of the female reproductive system.

If headlights seem a lot more blinding these days, it's not just your bleary eyes. LED headlights create a more intense, concentrated light that can force people to squint. And while some parts of the world have taken steps to counteract the glare, Canada hasn't caught up yet.

Benjo, a beloved toy store in Quebec City’s Saint-Roch neighbourhood, is closing its doors on Jan. 31 after 20 years of inspiring children and families with its magical atmosphere and Quebec-made products.

Controversial invitations to CAQ fundraising cocktails with access to ministers marked the first months of 2024. The Ethics Commissioner just published guidelines for MNAs in order to maintain public trust in politicians.

Three women from different parts of Canada are hoping their re-imagined version of the country's oldest Christmas carol, the Huron Carol, will inspire choirs around the world to be more curious about what they sing. 

L’article 16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence, 2024 est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

For the main attraction of their float in a Christmas parade, a company based on Montreal's South Shore decided to build a Christmas tree with items they had a large supply of: orange cones.

L’article Brome County News, December 23, 2024 est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

After six months of negotiations with its only unionized workforce in Canada, based in Laval, Que., Amazon is set to make its first offer next month in a bid to reach a collective agreement.

According to Pollstar, MTELUS (fka Metropolis) has been ranked as the #1 “club” showroom in Canada and #2 in the world in 2024. Evenko was also named #1 in Canada in the promoter category, while the Bell Centre ranks #2 and Place Bell is #5 in Pollstar’s list of arena rankings.

The Pollstar rankings of concert venues around the world are based on the number of tickets sold this year.

Metropolis first opened as a skating rink in 1884. The space later became a theatre, then a cinema, a porn movie theatre, a nightclub and, in 1997, a concert venue.

For more Montreal music coverage, please visit the Music section.

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The RCMP are confirming that a fugitive wanted by Quebec provincial police has died in Mexico in what local media are calling a murder.

The Chameran neighbourhood of Montreal’s Saint-Laurent borough is know as ‘Little Beirut’. In the middle of it all is the Painter Community Centre, where women meet to discuss issues faced by the community.

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for Montreal, projecting an accumulation of between 10 and 15 cm of snow starting later today and continuing into Dec. 24.

The accumulation of snow could impact travel at the beginning of the holiday season.

“Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas. If you must drive, be prepared for areas of poor visibility.”

Please be careful out there.

For the latest weather updates, please visit the Weather Network.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

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Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting heavy snowfall for Monday and Tuesday across several regions of southern Quebec, including Montreal.

It’s hard not to admire the audacity of one of our grimmest living American auteurs inviting comparisons to some of the greatest filmmakers of all time. You gotta give it to Robert Eggers: if he has anything, he has confidence. Nosferatu, his interpretation of Dracula by way of Murnau and Herzog, does little to change the basic premise of the story. The beats are expected and familiar — as they should be. But his adaptation attempts to root the film within some semblance of reality, particularly in its treatment of female sexuality and mental health, and in his risky approach to Count Orlok, aka Nosferatu himself. Eggers doesn’t fail spectacularly, but he also doesn’t succeed in standing up to his predecessors, creating something that feels neither new nor especially interesting.

Part of the issue lies in the fact that the film doesn’t feel embodied. Through no obvious fault of any actors, everyone feels as though they are cosplaying. The weight of illness and death that spreads through the film lacks gravity. Despite some echoes of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s as if contemporary life has become so divorced from the stakes of life and death that most serious attempts to grapple with it feel childish and performative.

The failure to deal with the seriousness of death means that the deeply intertwined theme of desire similarly falls short. Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) suffers from an unnamed illness that is tied with her shameful sexual desire that manifests as horrific hallucinations, cold sweats and paralyzing orgasmic spasms. Her devotion first to her husband (Nicholas Hoult), and in other ways to the animalistic sexual sway of Nosferatu (Bill Skarsgård), are pathologized and treated with careless and alienating violence. 

Eggers does seem to understand that at the heart of the Dracula story exists this deeply rooted eroticism that understands that our sex drive often serves as a way of overcoming death. The transgressive intensity of forbidden sexuality as something subversive and powerful seems to be understood within an intellectual framing, even if the movie’s otherwise conventional and naturalist approach fails to capture the aesthetic momentum of that feeling. It’s a movie that feels unfortunately ruined by its commitment to a certain realism, that downplays the role of the erotic imagination within the scope of the film’s narrative trajectory. By dealing so plainly with a social context (though, often without any real inquiry or detail), it fails to engage with the fantastic possibilities afforded by the tangible monstrosity of Count Orlok and what he comes to symbolize within the film. It also makes it difficult to connect the film’s treatment of sexuality in anything but its own context, meaning it has little to say about the erotic within a more contemporary context. 

Part of this issue has to do with how they decide to reimagine Nosferatu. He remains, for the most part, encased in shadows. His frailty and strangeness are downplayed, and the decision to have his voice echo — as if his chest is a cavernous void — may be conceptually interesting, but feels strange and uneven in execution. Though the film certainly takes some compelling risks (particularly in the last act), it seems overly cautious in its depiction of Count Orlok, as if his appearance and presence are threatening to the careful realist ecosystem of the rest of the movie.

That isn’t to say Nosferatu isn’t good or worthwhile. Though somewhat muted, it’s a fascinating companion to its predecessors. If only as an example of contemporary cinema’s aversion to great image-making than anything else. It’s a movie that feels overthought and yet unambitious in its aesthetic execution. While it passes the time, it lacks that extra something to propel it to greatness. ■

Nosferatu opens in Montreal theatres on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit the Film & TV section.

The post Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu fascinates but still pales in comparison to its predecessors appeared first on Cult MTL.

For WoW, the process of leveling up a character is a way to strengthen the hero and explore the vast world of Azeroth, which consists of a large number of new and outdated updates available for exploration.

Your WoW lvl boost will take place through exciting storylines, killing monsters and storming raids, and through other interesting mechanics.

In this guide, we will analyze the main ways to increase levels and their features that will help you optimize your grind and not only increase the hero to level 80 in the War Within update, but also make it effective and combat-ready.

General principles of leveling

Before you set off on the path of exploration and WoW boost, you need to understand a few important points.

You can choose the zone from past updates in which you can receive WoW leveling thanks to the Chromie Time system. This will allow you to choose the wastelands of Cataclysm, or the dark swamps of Shadowlands for leveling.

Either of these paths will lead you to Dragonflight and then to War Within.

While in the main cities of your factions (Stormwind or Orgrimmar), select the war mode, or turn it off. This will allow you to avoid, or, on the contrary, meet sworn enemies, for the killing of which you will receive experience, but you need to be prepared for deaths, so beginners may not start this process.

Buy and improve hereditary equipment and accumulate experience for resting to get more cheap WoW boost for killing monsters. Always count on a long hunt and take food and potions with you to restore resources and bags to expand your inventory.

Main ways to increase levels

There are several main methods of increasing the level.

Story and secondary quests

Quests are the main way to increase the level in the form in which the developers from Blizzard saw it. The player fulfills all the conditions of the task and receives a fixed World of Warcraft leveling and gold coins. In addition, such quests will help to better understand the game plot and everything related to old and new updates.

To complete quests effectively, you need to analyze the offered game zones and take all the tasks that can be completed simultaneously. Additionally, you can simply destroy monsters for resources and cheap World of Warcraft boosting.

You can use addons like Questie or TomTom to get more accurate navigation and quest locations, which will significantly speed up your progress.

Do not take all the quests in a row, look at the task and reward, so as not to waste an hour and get a couple of bear skins for this, which are worth nothing.

Dungeons

Dungeons are a great way to get cheap WoW leveling and valuable drops together with other players.

Your squad should have a tank for crowd control and boss, a healer for help and variable DPS for powerful AoE damage and single-target attacks.

Choose dungeons from different add-ons and remember that many legacy raids can be completed solo and get not only a cheap War Within boost, but also skin change items that are very valuable on the in-game auction.

Use add-ons like Deadly Boss Mods and Details to understand the main mechanics of bosses and how to counter them correctly and track your damage and skill efficiency.

Additionally, use experience from rest and potions to increase the total amount of XP you can get when defeating a boss.

PvP content

All players who want not only to strengthen the character, but also to improve its combat capabilities to destroy the enemy.

You can exterminate representatives of the enemy faction, fight in arenas and large territories for their control to earn Valor coins, which can be used to exchange enhanced weapons and armor with priority to battles against other players.

To do this, you need to queue for the battlefield, just as you did through the raid system.

By destroying enemies of the same level as you, you will not only earn insignia that will strengthen your character, but also WoW leveling. This approach allows you to abandon the classic quest system and gives you the opportunity to gain experience for action and helping your faction allies.

Events

Various events that Blizzard launches for players and are primarily an excellent source for your World of Warcraft boost, which is especially convenient for those who do not have a stable online, but need to advance to level 80 in the War Within update.

To do this, you need to take part in events with bonus experience for various activities, such as raids, or PVP zones.

The best strategy for leveling up

For each level range, there are several effective methods that you can rely on, or choose what is more convenient for you:

Helpful tips for speeding up leveling

• Use the heir gear, which can be purchased for in-game gold and will improve as you WoW War Within boost.
• Choose classes that can level up on their own – warrior, archer, mage.
• Play in a group to speed up your progress by killing a huge number of enemies in one game session.
• Use portals and mounts to reduce the time you spend on movement and use it for farming.
• Get a bonus to experience for resting to increase the overall amount of XP you get for killing monsters.

Conclusion

World of Warcraft boosting is an exciting journey during which you will develop and strengthen your character and study all stages of the content that has been released in Azeroth for 20 years by Blizzard.

You will complete quests, destroy monsters, fight bosses and other players to get new levels and open skills and equipment.

Choose a comfortable update for yourself and follow it to level 80, which is the final level for WoW War Within. Remember that you can always just buy cheap WoW boost to quickly get a character ready for new challenges.

The post A guide to help you level up in World of Warcraft efficiently and quickly appeared first on Cult MTL.

Forty per cent of people who accessed a food bank in Quebec in 2024 declared welfare as their primary source of income. Non-profit organization Initium in Longueuil, Que., helps their members, many on welfare, budget, find work and build community.

The Quebec government has reached an agreement-in-principle with a union that represents about 2,000 workers in subsidized daycares.

Less than two weeks after entering creditor protection, ELNA Meis shutting down one of its clinics and relocating another.

Montreal chef David Ferguson talks about what he cooks for Santa Claus, that's right - Santa - as his personal chef one day a year. He also read us a bit of the short story he wrote about his fantasy job.

The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is poised to capitalize on its real estate holdings, with two potential residential and commercial projects in development through its commercial subsidiary, Transgesco, and with profits to be reinvested into public transit.

After a winter that left conventional outdoor skating rinks in the Montreal area unusable for all but a handful of days, municipalities are investing in refrigerated outdoor facilities to give people more consistent access to ice.

Montreal police are searching for a man accused of attempting to kill a woman Friday after he allegedly abducted her and forced her into a car, which later plunged into the Richelieu River.

Le Sapin a des boules, the French-dubbed version of holiday classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, has been gathering a cult following in Quebec for decades. For the past few years, Montrealers have been participating in special screenings, filling theatres and dressing up as their favourite characters.

Indigenous leaders, environmental groups and experts say the province isn't being transparent as it tries to modernize the forestry sector. They worry logging companies will have too much sway over what forest gets cut.

The Viande Solidaire program was created in 2020 to divert meat that would be wasted back to food security organizations in the Coaticook, Que., area. The idea has proven so successful that it is now moving to a regional level.

Canada might be asked to make concessions in order to satisfy the Trump administration's demands on drug trafficking and illegal migration — concessions that could affect Canada's sovereignty and its ability to make its own decisions.

While making a flight at Trudeau airport has become increasingly difficult during peak hours, mainly due to vehicle traffic, the airport has taken some steps to make things run smoother during the holiday season.

Businesses in Montreal's Mile End are grappling with costly break-ins this holiday season, including a designer boutique that lost $8,000 in goods. Business owners are increasing security measures and calling on police to step up efforts.

Depicting Bob Dylan’s life from the time he arrives in New York City to meet his hero, Woody Guthrie, to his famous “electric” Newport performance in 1965, A Complete Unknown is the latest craven corporatization of the musician’s career to grace our screen in the past decade. Walk the Line director James Mangold takes the helm in this glossy, competent, pacifying look at Dylan’s life, a film that softens not just the mercurial star’s difficult reputation but renders his environment as a branded product, removed of any of its political weight.

A Complete Unknown becomes a series of surfaces — Instagramable faces, costumes and sets that are earthy without being dirty, tailor-made to be consumed. The performances aren’t bad and the movie has enough signs and signals to Dylan aficionados to feel well-researched. It has the appearance of care, even though it lacks in understanding, presenting a story virtually unrooted from its context. It’s a film that substitutes any anti-establishment sentiment with a portrait of unexamined genius, preferring to focus on Dylan’s love affairs as it shows him scrawling lyrics onto paper through the long, dark nights, than anything else. 

For all its perceived failures, a film like Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis uses the cinematic form in anachronistic ways to draw the audience to the feeling of Presley’s rise. This film does little to contextualize or embody the excitement of Dylan’s arrival in the world. It has nothing to say about a young mystery man from the Midwest arriving in New York and quickly becoming a sensation. Even the film’s title, drawn from the lyrics of his song “Like a Rolling Stone,” which suggests an inherent unknowability about Dylan as a person or persona, does more heavy lifting in terms of self-reflection than anything in the film. Taken in tandem with Todd Haynes’ fractured portrait I’m Not There, which imagines Dylan as different incarnations in an attempt to reconcile his multifaceted identity and artistry, A Complete Unknown makes no attempt to understand Dylan or his era.

This leads to the frustrating narrative choices that, at their best, present Dylan’s story as a series of story beats off Wikipedia, and cynically reframe history. The movie’s deplorable moral core positions the world of folk music as an antagonist. While its subject is quite obviously an asshole throughout most of the film, it does little to actually examine Dylan’s true character. As the movie progresses through folk music spaces, musicians like Joan Baez are uprooted from their activism and presented as image-obsessed fame-chasers who search to maintain rather than challenge the status quo.

One particular scene, a recreation of a combative duet between Baez and Dylan of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” presents Dylan as an avant-garde asshole. Baez, who attempts to soften the moment and give the people what they want, becomes framed as the establishment. It renders the ideological and artistic battles within the film as purely individualistic, with Dylan rising to the top. The scene sets up Dylan’s war against the purity of folk music, which bolsters the film’s entire final act, as he rebels against the world he emerged from. This isn’t to say that folk music is above impunity — many films including Inside Llewyn Davis and the aforementioned I’m Not There examine the narcissism inherent to the movement. However, in framing the core conflict this way, the movie diminishes folk music’s opposition to war, inequality and capitalism to a point of almost non-existence.

Though the film uses television sets or radios to establish political and social context, it ends up treating the depiction and creation of art within that context as completely unrelated. Narratively speaking, only Dylan emerges as an anti-establishment artist, and only through his commercial appeal (despite the hostile audience reaction during the final Newport performance) was he able to put them in their place, so to speak. The film’s decision in this context to only examine this early period of Dylan’s life, for a general audience the only period that is palatable and “interesting,” only serves to flatten the radicalism of that departure. It does a disservice not just to Dylan but everyone else within the film.

The entire treatment of history within the film only flattens it. Everything is in favour of storytelling at the detriment of understanding or engagement with ideas or people. The b-narrative integrating Dylan’s friendship with Johnny Cash feels like a not-subtle hint towards Mangold’s previous musical biopic, Walk the Line, and is handled like a Marvel-style Easter egg rather than anything meaningful. Having the actors like Timothée Chalamet sing their own versions of the songs, a seamless work of pantomime, similarly rubs the wrong way, suggesting a kind of interchangeability between original and copy that only further dilutes our relationship to art.

A Complete Unknown doesn’t have the same offensive sheen as something like Bohemian Rhapsody, but part of that digestibility only contributes to the film’s cynicism. It’s a movie that wants to excite audiences through music but doesn’t ask them to understand where that music comes from. It’s a movie about an era heavy with political and cultural change that renders those movements as background elements that are barely consequential within the framing of the story. As the movie attempts, as Elvis did, to also pay tribute to the Black musicians that inspired Dylan, the artistic decision to otherwise divorce folk music from politics (except in the most superficial and palatable ways) feels particularly offensive. Music, art and politics become merely aesthetics, transformed into a corporate product, ready to be consumed. ■

A Complete Unknown opens in Montreal theatres on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit the Film & TV section.

The post A Complete Unknown turns Bob Dylan into a corporate product appeared first on Cult MTL.

Experts say the holiday months are a perfect time for gift card fraud, but there are a few simple steps you can take to help protect yourself and your gift card recipient.

Quebec signed a historic agreement in Montreal with the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) today, one both parties hope will pave the way for a more constructive relationship moving forward. 

“Today marks a new beginning in Quebec’s relationship with Kahnawake,” premier François Legault said as he addressed a room of journalists there to witness the signing of the document – the Statement of Understanding and Mutual Respect. 

“I’m hoping that this is more than just a symbolic gesture, and I truly feel that it’s more than that – that there’s actually a real commitment,” MCK grand chief Cody Diabo said. 

Quebec minister for Indigenous relations Ian Lafrenière and Council chief Jeffrey Diabo, who were both actively involved in the negotiations over the agreement, were also there for the celebration.  

The premier had already assured the MCK grand chief in November the agreement would be signed before the new year, a promise he kept. 

“This Statement of Understanding and Mutual Respect embodies our collective effort to establish a foundation for constructive dialogue, practical collaboration and a peaceful co-existence,” Diabo. “It represents years of hard work and the willingness of both parties to address issues directly and respectfully.” 

Lafrenière said there will continue to be disagreements between the province and the band council, but that doesn’t mean both sides can’t resolve their disputes through mutual respect. 

“It’s the beginning of a good relationship. We’ve established the ground rules on how we’re going to work together, so it means a lot to us,” the minister said.  

The next step will include the formation of various sectoral tables that’ll be used to further discussions on key priorities – like transport, economy, environment, energy, language, and more.  

The framework that’ll be followed will be similar to one the MCK is in the process of establishing with Canada, which comes following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government earlier this spring. 

This new agreement with Quebec replaces another the province signed with the band council roughly 15 years ago, Lafrenière said.  

Quebec also already has an equivalent agreement in place with the Inuit Nation in the north of the province, he said. It was signed exactly one year ago as of this Friday – on December 20, 2023. 

“What we want is agreements like this with all First Nation communities, by taking a nation-to-nation approach,” the minister said. 

What makes this newest agreement distinct from prior ones the MCK has signed with Quebec over the decades is its emphasis on basic language, Lafrenière said, and how the province and band council can coexist peacefully when working with one another. 

“The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake advocated for an agreement that is simplified, clear and mutually respectful, one that avoids language and references that have historically caused disputes,” Diabo said. “At times our efforts have been hampered by processes and language that did not fully acknowledge our distinct perspectives or reflect the balance and equality we seek.” 

A full copy of the memorandum is expected to be published in full on Quebec’s website. 

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In an American cinema starved for good sex, a film like Babygirl can feel like a revelation. As the movie opens, Romy (Nicole Kidman) is making love with her husband. The film is shot in such a way that it defies, through point of view and framing, both pornographic and male perspectives to focus instead on Kidman’s perceived pleasure. After her husband orgasms and she seems to, she runs instead to her home office; an enclosed glass box overlooking the city. She lies on her stomach, quickly searches for soft BDSM porn and quickly cums. The laptop closes and she returns quietly and efficiently to her high-powered life as a CEO. Pleasure hangs at the edges of her life but remains elusive, ephemeral. 

In front of her office building, a passerby is being attacked by a dog. Frozen in place and struck by the casual animalistic violence, the dog soon turns its attention to her. As it rushes towards her, it suddenly stops, drawn to a young man. The violence stops, suddenly under control. Romy is breathless, the intensity of the moment inspiring fear but also arousal. The young man, Samuel (Harris Dickinson), she will soon learn, has been hired as an intern at her tech company. The two will become entangled in a dom-sub relationship that endangers all of Romy’s success.

Babygirl may have a surface-level understanding of self-annihilating passionate desire, but it does so enclosed within the safe framing of American moralism. It’s a movie that can just barely escape the eye-rolling clichés of its premise through a chic gender swap as it relies heavily and inescapably on grand psychological explainers to make sense of the central dynamic. If the film leans into the idea that a woman like Romy has more to lose than a male counterpart in the same position, it only ends up feeling like the liberal fantasy that positions feminine authority as inherently more morally upstanding. Even if the film deconstructs that idea, it does little to tackle with any level of seriousness the violence perpetuated by the indecent wealth discrepancy presented within the film. As the movie does hand-wringing of everything Romy has to lose, it presents her upscale life of luxury as the pinnacle of success and comfort — it’s as indulgent and shallow as 50 Shades of Grey. 

It’s hard to approach the film as anything other than a bourgeois pornographic fantasy. An older woman who no longer feels desired finds excitement with a younger, authoritative younger man. Though self-destructive, the film always sways back to the status quo; Romy’s lifestyle is never truly criticized. Romy’s desire, rather than threatening or subservient, only ends up bolstering her authority. There is no real transgression as she remains fully in control, even of her downfall. It’s a movie without real edge that utilizes aesthetics that challenge the dominant “male gaze” in only superficial ways. If the film has an erotic edge, it’s empty, devoid of any real meaning.

Part of this lies in the obsession in American cinema to psychologize action and feeling. Romy’s sexual proclivities are comfortably and easily grafted onto pre-existing ideas about powerful people. The film includes a further, vague backstory about her upbringing within a cult — we’re meant to put together all the pieces to make sense of who she is and what she desires. The movie’s shallow understanding of the world means that it feels that presenting an older woman giving into her pleasure is, in itself, a radical act. The need to over-pathologize renders the movie into smooth and non-threatening. It’s a film where everything makes sense intellectually, removing the edge of non-reason and true annihilation at the heart of violent passion. Pleasure, in this case, becomes another luxury to be acquired; a product rather than something subversive.

That being said, it’s hard to criticize either Harris Dickinson or Nicole Kidman. They both give intense and vulnerable performances. Babygirl, unfortunately, is symptomatic of an increasingly rising style of filmmaking that feels the need to over-explain and simplify the world to be more comfortable for a fickle audience. If you’re thirsting for a film about an older woman and a younger man that is actually interesting, just go watch Catherine Breillat’s radical Last Summer, which also released in theatres this year. ■

Babygirl opens in Montreal theatres on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit the Film & TV section.

The post Babygirl is a pornographic fantasy mired in very American values appeared first on Cult MTL.