Here are four pieces of art the Star’s culture team is obsessed with this week.
Movie: ‘The Wrecking Crew’
It feels weird to write this, but despite all the crushingly brutal violence, excitingly executed action sequences (resulting in lots of ignored collateral damage), and some groaningly offensive banter, this Dave Bautista/Jason Momoa team-up (on Prime) has a good deal of heart. The two very big kahunas play estranged half-brothers brought together in Hawaii to find out who killed their sleazy private-eye dad. While it doesn’t reinvent the “Fast & Furious” wheel, there are worse ways to maim and kill two hours. — Doug Brod
Documentary: ‘Secret Mall Apartment’
It’s the perfect set-up for a fun little Netflix documentary: in the early 2000s, mall security guards in Providence, R.I., stumbled on an entire apartment secreted away within their massive shopping complex that had, apparently, been there for years, complete with PlayStation and china hutch filled with novelty glasses and a waffle maker. But what could have been a potential trifle about some wacky kids seeing what they can get away with turns into a moving ode to the power of art to create community, honour lost people and places, and rail against displacement — and change the world, even if it’s just a bit at a time. — Briony Smith
Exhibition: ‘Loops, Swoops & Curlicues’
I stumbled upon this small, free exhibition during my most recent trip to the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St.), and it’s well worth a visit. Running until May 10, “Loops, Swoops & Curlicues” at the first-floor TD Gallery offers a thoughtful glimpse into the art of calligraphy and handwriting. The artifacts on display span centuries, including old Chinese calligraphy, ancient copies of the Quran and manuscripts that predate the invention of the printing press. I especially enjoyed trying to decipher the squiggly, handwritten notes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and a petition calling for the creation of a free public library in Toronto. — Joshua Chong
Film series: ‘Yearning’
Looking to swoon a little this month? The Criterion Channel just dropped its “Yearning” collection, filled with meaningful glances and doomed love. There’s some lovely queer content in “Maurice” and “My Own Private Idaho,” plus the all-time yearner “In the Mood for Love.” The standout, however, is Martin Scorsese’s oft-forgotten masterpiece, “The Age of Innocence.” The auteur once called it “the most violent film I ever made,” thanks to all the forbidden love and years-long pining. It also features Daniel Day-Lewis’ most poignant performance. — Briony Smith
