CinemaSpy.ca, the new website created to provide mainstream news and reviews from Hollywood North, has gone live.

I’m a contributor to CinemaSpy.ca, and have been writing a weekly column about television called “Remote View.”

There are a few articles already available at CinemaSpy.ca; I’ll provide links to them as an appendix to this note.

Please visit the site and bookmark it for regular reading, especially “Remote View.” This image is a caricature created of me to run with my byline. Nice, eh?

“Remote View” columns currently at CinemaSpy.ca:

• Writers’ Strike Putting a Stop to Lots More Than Television
• Despite a Bad Title, Expect ‘Dollhouse’ to be Great
• Bionic Woman’s New Legs Not Enough
• A Short History of TV Vampires
• To Live and Die with the New Season
• Eureka Delivers on Promise of First Season
• Sopranos Get Kicked at the Emmys
• Getting Ready For the New TV Season
• Having to Play Catch Up

The ongoing strike by the U.S. film and television writers is fascinating to watch witness.

I honestly believe that we’re witnessing a shift in the balance of power in that sector of the entertainment industry, and that writers are going to have more of the power, and respect, than they have in years.

Once upon a time, writers were viewed as important.

They will be again, and soon, and the AMPTP is going to be surprised when their tactics of yesteryear don’t work this time.

John Rogers writes about paradigm shifts in media and the world’s social construction, and I think this strike is a part of that shift.

Anyhow, the striking writers – and their supporters – are certainly using the Internet to their advantage. The series of short films branded as Speechless are only one way that the community is rallying support for the writers.

My favourites are “Episode 9” starring Harvey Keitel and “Episode 3” with Sean Penn.

Last week, the writers from Letterman’s show posted a spoof of the Speechless films, starring Gilbert Gottfried, of all people.

Even when they make fun of each other, the writers are winning the battle.

Thanks to the efforts of others (Rose, via Cheryl, and Warren Ellis), I watched two videos this weekend that seemed to really put me in the spirit of the season.

The first, an a cappella group from Indiana University doing a medley of Christmas songs. These ten guys start off with a rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas” but end up many places by the time they are done. It’s a great arrangment.

The second isn’t about Christmas, or the winter holiday season, per se. It’s a trailer for a new Japanese film called Machine Girl. It’s a bit extreme, and even this trailer is not intended for younger viewers.

Happy holidays!

This week is when the Georgia Straight publishes its annual gift guide, and part of that is “Trigger Happy’s” list of games to consider buying for your favourite video-game fanatic.

There are 35 games on this year’s list.

w00t!

In Calgary’s FFWD Weekly this week is my annual list of titles to buy for gamers. On the list are a range of titles, from Guitar Hero III to Assassin’s Creed.

The list is over here.