CTV National News: Saying goodbye to generational music talent Sly Stone
Watch
Sly Stone is being remembered as a generational musical talent who transcended genres, mixing rock, funk and soul. John Vennavally-Rao has the story.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Superman can do almost anything. And that's one reason his movies have struggled
Superman returns to the big screen this summer, as DC Studios tries to reinvigorate the film fortunes of its iconic do-gooder. But that's not an easy task, despite studio investment of at least $225 million US in Superman, which hits theatres on July 11 starring David Corenswet. Because, for all his powers, Superman has struggled as a film franchise. Movie-goers have many superheroes to choose from, and those commercial pressures are separate from the perpetual issue of coming up with compelling stories for a morally rigid hero with few vulnerabilities. Aficionados say Superman's long history in pop culture provides a big potential audience, but his fans have expectations that can be hard to meet. "Superman can be a tough nut to crack," said artist Jason Fabok, co-founder of media company Ghost Machine, who previously worked for DC Comics — drawing the Man of Steel for the Justice League and Superman/Batman titles. He also helped shape Superman's look on a collectible coin. "He's got all these fans… They want a good Superman movie. They want something that's going to really evoke those feelings that they had of the character for all these years." To succeed, this Superman will have to prove the old-fashioned hero remains compelling for today's audiences — a challenge where prior movies have struggled. "Can this new iteration be the one that is the spark to say: Superman's still cool?" asked Todd McFarlane, the Calgary-born comics pro who created the Spawn character and co-founded Image Comics. He also founded McFarlane Toys, a company that's making tie-in action figures for the film. If not, McFarlane says Superman could go the way of Mickey Mouse — a former pop-culture juggernaut who has fallen by the wayside. McFarlane says it can be difficult to find problems for Superman to face, given his super-powers. "He's almost god-like, right? So... what's the jeopardy of our hero?" he asked. "Superman seems to be able to spin moons on his finger like a basketball. So, what's his Achilles heel?" McFarlane notes this is why early writers came up with kryptonite. That's the challenge facing this movie's writer-director James Gunn, who's undoubtedly under pressure to deliver a winner, despite also being the studio's co-CEO. DC Studios did not respond to inquiries from CBC News about the new Superman. "I wouldn't want to be in his shoes," said McFarlane, despite Gunn's success bringing Marvel's once-obscure Guardians of the Galaxy to the screen. McFarlane says, after writing and illustrating comics for 40 years, there's a core principle he keeps in mind. "Being a hero should be hard," he said. "There should be cause and effect of everything you do." That can lead to scenarios where Superman must make difficult choices, or cope with competing crises. Like in 1978's Superman, in which Lois Lane died when he was preoccupied with other matters. (Fortunately, he turned back time to save her life.) A lot of lore Superman made his Action Comics debut in 1938, co-created by Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel. The cape-draped hero eventually made his way to radio, cartoons, television and the movies — and a lot has happened along the way. (A small sample: Superman proposed marriage to a mermaid; his secret identity was repeatedly revealed; and he died at one point.) With so much history, there're a lot of potential story nuggets to be mined — and it appears Superman's makers know this, given the many characters seen in the movie's trailers, including the hero's dog, Krypto. And even if some — Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen — are already highly familiar to audiences, Fabok says they can be compelling if given the right tweaks. He recalls when, in the comics, Luthor became the president of the United States, prompting the question: "What happens if Superman has to face Lex Luthor now, but he's running the country?" A reliable hero Superman is an unapologetic good guy. Fans and comics creators say that's core to his character and his enduring appeal. "You know that Superman is good," said Fabok, recalling a moment in one movie when it's stated the hero is "what humanity should strive for." Steve Younis, the editor-in-chief of the long-running Superman Homepage, says Superman "does the right thing simply because it's the right thing to do," and as such inspires the audience. Gunn has argued the same, telling Rolling Stone that the "very good nature of him, this really strong belief in what's right, sometimes perhaps to a fault, is what makes Superman who he is." Some fans hope the new Superman will steer toward a brighter on-screen experience. Some recent Superman adventures that went to darker, moodier places, simply "never worked," for Fabok. He and McFarlane both say Superman is a character who belongs in the light — both visually and conceptually. "Superman is a character of the day, the sun," said Fabok. "He's bright, he's a beacon of hope."
Geek Dad
4 hours ago
- Geek Dad
Deepen Your Painting Skills This Summer With This Book!
My love for Gouache has only deepened as each year progresses. I invite you to give it a try by following Kate Jarvich Birch instructions and tricks. Gouache for Beginners. Simple, Stunning & Realistic Projects by Kate Jarvik Birch (Author) Gouache can be categorized as an opaque watercolor. There′s acrylic gouache (an opaque type of acrylic) and the real thing, which can be reconstituted with water. It can be as translucent as watercolor and as dark as acrylic, and is a perfect mix between both. When you experiment with watercolor, there are tons of tricks for texture and light, but mostly, white as an additive is out of the question. Adding white to gouache gives you unlimited possibilities. This book is meant for beginners and intermediate artists who are not afraid to try complex subjects: All 22 step-by-step projects yield stunning results and are an invitation to learn different aspects of the paint. Colorful food, household objects, beautiful landscapes and flowers, all the way to the trickier bits of reflection and transparency, there is something for everyone. Kate Jarvik Birch is a full-time artist and writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's the author of three YA novels, and she offers online painting classes and sells her original art and calendars on her website. Her art has been sold in American big-box stores, as well as featured in television series. Find her online at and as @kebirch on her social media channels (her Instagram videos are golden). Gouache for Beginners is available since June 03, 2025. Publisher: Walter Foster Publishing Pages: Trade Soft Paperback 128 Pages ISBN: 9780760393482
National Post
5 hours ago
- National Post
Jerry Bruckheimer hails Brad Pitt as the perfect driver for 'F1'
NEW YORK CITY — As the man who helped bring Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, the Bad Boys movies, Days of Thunder and the Pirates of the Caribbean flicks to the big screen, Hollywood super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer knows what makes a great summer movie. Article content There needs to be action, a little romance, a kick-ass soundtrack and big emotional stakes. Of course, the perfect leading man is another necessary ingredient. Article content Article content Article content So when he and his Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski and screenwriter Ehren Kruger were reuniting for a story set inside the world of Formula 1 racing, Bruckheimer says they had their eye on one guy to star: Brad Pitt. Article content 'First of all, he's handsome. He's an Academy Award winner. He's an amazing actor and he loves motor sports,' Bruckheimer, 81, tells Postmedia in an interview in a midtown Manhattan hotel. Pitt was also a logical choice, he adds, because 'he drives motorcycles and he's tried to get other racing movies made before.' Article content In theatres Friday, F1 casts Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a washed up racer who is given a second chance when he's hired by his old friend (Javier Bardem) to mentor a hotshot rookie driver (Snowfall's Damson Idris) on a last-place team. Article content Dubbed 'the greatest that never was,' Hayes is the antithesis of Pitt, who has been delighting audiences for more than three decades. But Bruckheimer says the actor has just the right type of charm to entertain moviegoers. And you don't need to know a single thing about Formula 1. Article content Article content 'It's not really about the racing. It's about these characters in this world,' the producing giant says. 'When you come into that third act, your heart is pounding. I promise you, no matter who you are … It's a big experience on a IMAX screen. You're going to be captivated for over two hours.' Article content Bruckheimer says that the world of Formula 1 is so drama-filled that it became the perfect jumping-off point for a comeback story that is, at its core, about redemption. Article content 'It's the only sport in the world where there are 10 teams, two drivers to a team and your teammate is your competitor,' he says. 'So, you have this battle within your team to be the best driver. That's a really exciting and dramatic arc for a story. Article content 'But you don't need to know anything about F1 or anything about racing to really enjoy this movie because it's an emotional ride … It's a Rocky story,' Bruckheimer continues. 'It's about a character who had an opportunity and blew it when he was young. Loved racing, raced all around the world, but never got invited back to F1. Now he gets invited back when he's much older. So he has to work twice as hard and train twice as hard to be able to get into these cars and win.'
